The old Noggin

Playing games and doing OK.

I do not own a smart phone.  The dumb one does me just fine.  My daughter offered me her "old" one (which was a 2012 model) and I politely said no.  I like to think for myself and figure things out, even though thing don't come as easily as they did before.  There is a lot to be said for delayed gratification and having the joy of remembering something that was buried in the depths of my brain, even if it takes me a day or so.  I know it will pop back...... Eventually.  I worry that if I don't use it, I will lose it.

Proving who is right.
So today, while we were having a larger snowstorm than expected (all those brilliant meterologists with all their technology were wrong), I went about thinking about some of the events that had happened lately.

I noticed that in all the media footage of what is happening in South Africa, I saw little despair in the people's faces because the great man Mandela had died, but more of the joy that he had lived.

The winter weather has been brutal across the US this week.  TV showed cars spinning out on ice and snow and people stranded in airports frustrated and complaining.  I certainly feel their pain as snow has played a role in some unfortunate incidences in my life.  However, I know that no matter how much we plan our lives, Mother Nature often has the last say, so plan less and go with the flow.  It is less aggravating and more exciting.

Purple, which comes in many shades, is really very pretty.  I must put more in my gardens next year.

On the other hand, people and things that are not pretty,

Seasons Greetings

Shopping done, house decorated, presents wrapped, cards sent and I am doing OK.

I have been busy and in a few days my daughter and her family from California will be visiting.  I am extremely blessed to have all of my children and their families with me during this happy season.  We will laugh, share food, (even tofu) and stories and be grateful for all we have been given.  We will also be crazy (like most families) and if things go wrong, we will all find the fun in it - eventually.

I wish you all the happiness that the holidays can bring.  No matter what is happening in your life at this time, I ask that you look for joy, any joy, because that is the food for the heart and soul.  I have gotten through all these chapters of my life, because I have always had hope and hope is where the sun shines through all the clouds.  I can tell you that my heart has been aching these past six weeks and bad news keep coming at me daily, but I hold on to those I love and know that I will be OK.

Find a reason to laugh and love and know that it is presence, not presents, that people want, that it is kindness that counts, and everybody (even those who are invisible in our society) is somebody.

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Seasons Greetings to you all.  See you next year.

Sentimental Journey

It is late fall, and I am doing OK

As I look back at my life, I know I have always done the things that were expected of me.  I have also done things that were not expected of me.  I had more fun doing the latter.

Happiness is about surprising ourselves and, just possibly, someone else.

Smile, It's Worth the Effort

I am having a rough month, but I am doing OK.

Did you get up this morning and step onto the cat's recently excreted hair ball?  You hop into the bathroom and after cleaning your feet  and gagging, you find that the battery in your toothbrush went dead and the water in the toilet wouldn't stop running.  Signals like that don't bode well for the day and you have a feeling that the next few hours are also headed for the crapper. But things don't have to be that way.  Pick yourself up, and find a reason to smile.  



Now wasn't that better.

The History of Wood

A cold wind is blowing, but I am doing OK.

My husband has not retired yet, but last night I saw him sitting in his "old man's chair" with a cat on his lap and watching a two hour program about wood on The History Channel.  At that moment, I saw my future.  

Anne

Today is hard, my heart is broken, and I am not doing OK

I had a friend, a very dear friend.  She made me laugh; she inspired me; she taught me how to look for joy.  She would tell me she was scared, she thought she was not strong, but I did not know anyone more courageous than her.  Life knocked her down and she experienced much loss and pain, but she kept on going because her heart was full of love and she needed to share it with others.

After a twenty year battle with lymphoma, and many remissions, Anne left us on Sunday.  She touched so many people and it can be said that to know Anne was to love her.  I last spoke to her on Wednesday and her voice was strong, which always gave me hope, even though I knew that time was getting shorter. I expected the phone call would come, but I always hoped for a miracle.  The miracle, though, had already happened.  In her life she had made bad days good, made the hardest heart smile, and innocence real.

Anne was a beautiful person in all ways.

Most of us live lives that may seem unimportant on the world stage. We don't think great thoughts, make great discoveries or invent the next big thing.  We live quietly, suffer annoyances, bare up under pressure, and relish the good times we get.  The years pile up and sometimes the days might be more about enduring than enjoying. Too many of us cloud our lives with negativity but we all have a choice on how we color each of our days. My friend, Anne, was always a bright yellow light, birthdays were always happy birthdays, and she was grateful for each moment of her life.  She made a difference, her thoughts were sweet and kind, and good times with her were the best.  They say it is not the years in your life that count, but the life in your years.  I say it is also measured by those whose lives you touch and I, and those who knew Anne, were touched by an angel.

I'm Not Your Honey

Too many little annoyances lately, but I am doing OK.

When my mom got very ill and was in the hospital twelve years ago, I noticed that all the nurses and staff called her "honey".  As sick as she was and as grateful she was for the care she received, being called by that term would arouse her ire.  She was a strong, intelligent woman in a vulnerable state and she thought it demeaning that strangers would address her in that way.  She was still a person and was nobody's honey.  My dad always called her "dear" because she was that to him, but sweet and gooey she was not.

Last weekend we went to the Movie Tavern to see Tom Hanks' newest movie, Captain Phillips (very good).  The waitress, a very chatty individual who seemed to want to tell all her customers her life story ( she was 41, had a 20 year old daughter who was driving her crazy, blah, blah, blah),  asked my husband what he would like to eat and drink.  After putting his order into her little computer, she turned to me and said, "And what can I get you, HONEY.  Holy Moley, I have now been put into the fragile, feeble, old chrone category by a twit.  I thought I had a few more years left before I hit my "doting" stage in life.  I wanted to scream at her, "I am still vital, I contribute, I still have a brain, I know what is going on, and I use apps.  But I didn't and remained the polite person I am.

She called me "honey" three times that evening. Her tip was reduced by 3%.  In the end, old ladies rule.

I'm Screwed

Having a love/hate relationship with my computer, but I am doing OK.

I have been trying to write a blog for a week now, but my Mr. Dell is not cooperating.  The dashboard on Blogger is not coming up and I am unable to do anything.  Since my reliable Apple iPad shows everything just fine, I suspect that something nasty has attached itself to my elderly computer.  You know how scammers and spammers prey on the old and vulnerable, well they got me and my Dell pretty good.

I have had this iPad for almost two years now and sometimes use it for writing my posts.  However, I don't know how to do the iCloud bit or play around with apps to get the things I need. Everything changes so quickly in technology and instead of taxing my brain with things that will be different next week, I just work around what I know and avoid the frustration.

Hopefully, I will get out of this mess by next week and resume my blog with pictures. Maybe I will have my 10 year old granddaughter come over to work on it with me as this techie stuff is second nature to kids.   Everybody over 50 is using their brains for more cerebral things - at least that is what I tell myself.

Why I Am Glad My Son Studied Computers

Took some time to enjoy the waning days of summer and I am doing OK.

In my last post, I wrote about how the hickory tree in my backyard attempted suicide and took a neighboring cherry with it.  Another old soul, also a cherry, was injured in the melee, but will survive, albeit without some limbs.  With the help of my daughter's friend and dear hubby testing fate, the branches that were hanging on and close to the ground were cut off and the area cleaned up. It was a very big job and a lot of sweat was spent. The good thing is that half of the hickory tree could be saved.  Unfortunately, the tree next to it had to be completely removed, and it was done in a quick manner, a la Marie Antoinette.  Its passing was mourned and tears were shed. 

What was left was a branch of about 30 feet in length hanging capriciously from the split trunk. The other half was sprawled sideways in the other direction and spanned a few trees.  This had to be left to a professional.  After calling five different companies (some did not have the equipment, others said they would come, but never showed up), we found a young man who was willing to take the job for a very reasonable fee.



He came last Friday.  As I watched him and his assistant, my throat was in my stomach.  Holy moly, how does his mother let him do that. ?







Needless to say, I was a Nervous Nelly during the two hours this young man, Zack, flew through my trees on an orange rope. 

I am so grateful that back in the 80's and 90's my husband worked for a computer company and my son became enamored with all the hardware and software that he would bring home (legally).  Andy went to college, got his degree and has a successful career. He travels to far-off places, has his adventures but doesn't do anything in his job that would cause his dear old mother to pull her hair out because of stress.  However, I bet he would love to change jobs with Zack for a day or two because that young man certainly looked like he was doing something he loved and by the look on his face when he had completed the job, he had had a great time.

Free to be, free to be, but not me.  A three-step ladder will take me as high as I wish to see.
 

The View

Some people see the rose, other's only see the thorns, but if you are careful, you can hold a thing of beauty in your hands and be OK.



A person gets up in the morning and sees the sun come up.  He smiles and says, "What a wonderful day this can be!"

Another looks out, sees the sun, the blue sky and in the far distance, a small white cloud.  He examines the cloud for awhile and says that there is a little grey mixed in the vapors and it could mean that we may have rain. After giving it a little thought, he is sure it will be a big downpour with possible flooding and destructive winds.  This could wipe out all the summer crops and the price of food will skyrocket.  People will die from starvation and those that are left will go to war over the scarce resources.  Humanity, as we know it, will end.  Only rats, roaches, a few hedge fund dealers and pessimists will survive.  Good news for him.

Tic, Tic, Tic

Loving all the seasons of life, and doing OK.

 

This year my birthday was one of those that was divisible by 10.  I am not going to say,  "Where did the time go", because in contemplation,  I know where it went.

 I didn't notice it going by so fast when I was raising four loving children, nor did I notice it as I accumulated lifelong friends.  I didn't notice it when working in my gardens because every summer I would plan what to do the next year.  I didn't see it when my children reached all the milestones in their lives because I was always so proud.  I didn't notice it when I went on vacations and had wonderful adventures and made memories.  I didn't notice many things, because I was living life.

However, I did notice it when I held my first grandchild in my arms and knew that part of me will continue on for generations.  Time tapped on my shoulder again when I retired and I missed people who I had come to see everyday and loved being part of their lives.  I also missed purpose, but then I reinvented myself and found joy. 

I am more mellow now, life is not as busy, but still interesting.  I can walk six miles without breaking a sweat (on cool days), put in large gardens that fill my soul, and hold my grandchildren close. I always look forward and attempt to ignore the negativity that surrounds me.  I try never to say no, although fear now creeps in.

I embrace my age as I have lived longer than many, but gosh darn it, I wasn't done being young.

How You Doin'

After a month off, I have returned to Blogland and I am doing OK.

Between working on my gardens, taking care of grandchildren, going on a vacation, and solving the great problems of the world, I come back to Blogger feeling refreshed and renewed. Well, maybe that might be exaggerating things a little, but I am going with that positive thought. 

Speaking of refreshed and renewed, and because tomorrow is The Fourth of July, our Independence Day, (and that I am having quite a few people over for a party that I have to work on today), I am going to reboot a post that I wrote two years ago for this holiday. 


Of Thee I Sing

I am fortunate to live in a historical area of the US. Brave soldiers fought and died on this land to bring about this great experiment known as America. I am surrounded by the ghosts of the past wherever I go and swell with pride at the sacrifices that they made for all of us who reside in this land of freedom.

My county, 'tis of thee,
Sweet Land of Liberty,
Of thee I sing.

Cemetery near Valley Forge, PA

About a mile from my home there is a cemetery where twenty-two Revolutionary War soldiers are buried. I drive by this site many times a week and only stopped by a few times to reflect.  There are no names written on their graves, they are unknown, but not forgotten. On Thursday, there will be a ceremony at the site which will be attended by local dignitaries and a core group of citizens that gather every year to remember.

Land where my father died,
Land of the Pilgrims' Pride,

Soldier's huts at Valley Forge

Not too far down the road is Valley Forge Park. This was where Washington and his troops of about 11,000 men encamped during the winter of 1777-1778. Many died because they were ill equipped with supplies of clothing and food. In June they left to pursue the British who were heading toward New York.







This is Washington's headquarters where he stayed along with his aids. His wife Martha also joined him for a few months that winter. The building is 80% original.





The park is a beautiful place to go to reflect and be thankful for the country that we love.


From ev'ry mountainside

Let Freedom Ring!

Now, let's barbecue.  Who wants a burger and who wants a dog?

.   

Memorial Day

They say we are civilized, we have evolved, but.....

And the beat of the drums goes on.

Why?

When will we ever learn that war is not the answer?

I have lived more than six decades, through 4 major wars and countless smaller conflicts.

Bless all who have served and bless their families.

Off and On {and this is not referring to my mental status}

I have been out of town for awhile, and being home now feels comfy and OK.

My daughter and her husband asked me to move into their house and watch my granddaughters and the BIG, constantly shedding dog for 8 days while they vacationed in Mexico.   It was my pleasure to do so as anytime with those girls is a joy for me. However, before unpacking, I had to learn their house as there are things there of which I am not familiar.

My home, which is twelve years old, has fairly new appliances, and although I find the refrigerator door (that has to be closed with precision or else it beeps at you), quite annoying, I get along very well with all the shiny stainless steel things that surround me.  Every year though (or even every week), companies improve (?) and update their models in order to compete in the market.  Sad to say, my abilities have not done the  same.  I have not been improved or updated in over a decade and really get frustrated by the constant changes that technology dictates.  Today, what should be simple appliances, now come with 50 page manuals.  Who reads manuals and why should we?

My daughter had just bought a new washer, dryer, oven, and dishwasher for her house.  They are all  attractive and according to Molly, very efficient. 

The washer has 42 options and very small print.


The drier has 39 and very small print.


The dishwasher has 15, all in very small print and inside the door (who looks there?).



And the oven, that blasted oven, with the timer that constantly beeps even though I continually pushed "cancel" (wrong option), has printing so-o-o small, anyone over 35 would have to use a magnifying glass to see all those choices The display is large enough to spread words out and in bold, but they choose to group them close together, with options that have options.  I had to get my face so close to it that one of the burners could have singed that errant hair that sometimes grows on my chin.


















Then I had to learn the pond.  It worked two days, and for some reason after my granddaughter and I cleaned out the filter, and added water, it flooded the patio and kept tripping the GFI switch. The water feature remained off for the rest of my time there.



On the last day, one of the toilets broke.  I did not take pictures of that.

Yes, I did learn to use all those new and efficient appliances, they all worked well, and the girls got hot meals and clean clothes.  I am not one to look back and say things and times were better long ago, but I have to say, they were a lot easier when it was just an On and Off type world.

Whining

I have been away for awhile, but I am doing OK.





















These past two weeks have been the prettiest of the year.  All the flowering trees bloomed, the azaleas were magnificent, and every tree came alive.  Unfortunately, they clogged up my sinuses and my head feels like it has blown up 10 fold.  My eyes are beyond itchy and red and my headaches can bring me to my knees (OK, I do exaggerate). Basically, everything above my shoulders has had a reaction to this lovely spring. 

Some years are worse than others, and this one seems to be a doozy.  Now I can help myself by staying indoors, but how can I do that after a long winter and with the call of the garden singing to me.  It is something many of us put up with because the things we love are more important to us than our comfort.  I am also very allergic to cats, yet I have two that are indoors and two more who are our (unofficially) adopted outdoor feline friends.  Yes, I am my worst enemy when it comes to my health, but I can't give up what makes me smile and gives me joy.  

I am sorry that I have not been keeping up as I usually do with my blogging friends.  It has been difficult for me to read lately as my eyes hurt and are very strained. I am using eye drops but so far they haven't made a difference. I also have bouts of vertigo caused by something going on with my hearing and I am one dizzy dame.  I keep putting off going to a doctor as I think I will be better tomorrow, and some days that is true.  Besides, he will only tell me what I know and give me advice that I will ignore. He will punish me by sending me a big bill.  Insurance is not what it used to be. 

It is going to rain this week which will be good for my newly planted gardens and will be good for me as the pollen will decrease. I see a reprieve coming.



 

My Winter Love Affair

It is warm and wonderful and I am doing OK.



I am not a collector of anything. Yes, I have plenty of junk, but it is all diversified. As I move along in years, I realize that I have way too much and besides trying to pass my treasures on to my children (who have politely said no), I have tried to curb my desire to buy more. However, during the cold months of winter when I am being couped up in the house too much, I find myself on the computer checking out the latest of the must haves for the gardens.  Now, most of the time I am sensible and just look, but then the days become greyer and greyer and the snow falls and my resolve softens and, and......I give into the charms of Mr. Amazon and Mr. Burpee. 

Now it is time to pay the piper.  Mom told me never to trust anyone who had easy answers to everything.  She warned me not to push any buttons and a cart half empty is better than one half full.  I was weak and so the seeds have been sent, the plants and gardening supplies will follow and the bill for my indiscretions will appear in my mailbox on May 1st. 

Bless me Father for I have sinned..., but the devil made me do it.  It was not my fault at all, it was Mr. Apple, Mr. Dell, Mr. Microsoft and above all, Mr. Internet.  I am just a sucker for the Mr.'s.



 

Dog Days

The Magnolias are in bloom (achoo), and I am doing OK

The arrival of spring with its sunshine and longer days brings with it a renewed energy.  The snowy days are gone and we notice that nature has put the bounce back into our step.  The song birds are chirping, the squirrels are scampering around the trees, and the old groundhog has come out of his hole to check out my gardens for potential food supplies. I also just saw my first bumble bee going from flower to flower on my Azalea bush.  It is time for busy bees to do their thing.

Yes, the pleasant weather is back and all creatures great and small have come out to play.  Well most have, but maybe not my son's four year old lab, Champ.  He is not exactly a bundle of energy. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0Fe2tAMIAg&feature=player_detailpage#t=18s

 

His companion, Brandy, could be a little more enthusiastic also.

 

 

Get those dogs some doggie Red Bull or at least, some Vitamin Water.

 

News Worthy?

I saw a daffodil in bloom yesterday and I am doing OK.



Courtesy of Microsoft.

I have loved reading the newspaper since I was a little girl.  My dad would always bring home The Journal American, one of New York's main newspaper (long defunct) and my sister and I would fight to get to read it first.  My parents always talked about what was going on in the world and even bad news was not filtered.  I was interested in politics, the latest big story, and of course, Dear Abby.  Now, however, EVERYTHING is so sensationalized and it is hard to tell what is important, what is real and what is just BS.  Today, though, newspapers are a dying industry. We get our news from the media outlets that are too numerous, very competitive and on 24 hours a day so that even a chicken crossing a road becomes a "Breaking Story".  I seldom read the paper today or watch the news on TV. It is never on my radio station in the car.  It has to be a major story that will impact my life or my loved ones for me to sit down and listen to the whole gory mess.  There is just so much bad news, which is now gathered from every little corner in the world, and a person's sense of hope and peace can easily be shattered on a daily basis.  I only want to deal with what is happening in my own back yard, on my street, in my town.  I want to live a more positive life and have good will towards the majority of people I meet along the way. I have no need to read about all the horrors that are taking place.  I 

I can't, however, live in a vacuum.  There is always the Internet.  Today's headlines on my cable supplier's site read like this:

- North Korea Vows Restart of Nuclear Reactor
- Cheesteak Store Renamed.  Slur Dropped  
- Georgia City Votes to Require Ownership of Gun
- Pa Inmate Denies Hiding Phone in Prosthetic Leg
- Trump Drops 5 M Lawsuit on Ape Joke

One is so frightening, I can't even think about it.  The others are either about the inane or insane and knowing about any of this does not enhance my life.  Why is an inmate having a phone in his prosthetic leg worth knowing about.  I am not inviting him to dinner.  Actually though, it might be interesting if he did come and his leg started ringing.  I wonder what his ring tone would be.

So I am now living a life of ignorance and bliss.  I am informed enough by filtering out 99.9% of what they tell me I should know.  I did enjoy the story about Donald Trump suggesting that he is related to an ape though.  I am sure that one is not an exaggeration.

Moonglow

Feeling melancholy, but I am doing OK.

The moon was bright and beautiful tonight so I took some pictures from my back porch. 

If you are in the northern hemisphere, you may be looking at  the same thing as I.  It is not as if I haven't witnessed this thousands of times in my life, but each time I see that bright, beautiful golden ball in the sky, I have a feeling of wonder in my heart.  It makes me think about all that surrounds me; it gives me peace.  In the best of times, and in the most difficult of times, I look for the light of the moon to shine on me.

My Mom used to sing, "I See the Moon" to me all the time.  I then sang it to my children and then my grandchildren.  The tune always put them to sleep, a peaceful, restful sleep.  I looked it up on You Tube and there are many variations of this song.  I tried to find the one that I am familiar with, but none quite sounded like the voice of my mother.  (I told you that I am melancholy tonight). 

Well, this did not exactly sound like my mother either (her voice was a wee bit higher), but I need to get out of this mood.  So here is a puppet giraffe singing my favorite lullaby.

They say the moon affects our mood, and they are probably right.  I am sitting here watching a puppet with a not-so-good voice, croon my favorite lullaby and I am  getting choked up as I sing along with him/it.  It must be a combination of my age, the moon, and memories.  What does it matter, I am enjoying the sight of a beautiful night sky and that is a good thing.  Just don't tell my kids; they might be thinking it is time to consider "what to do about Mom."

 

I am not howling - yet.



Birding Around

Seeing some wild skies, but I am doing OK

So I said to hubby, "Hubs, I think you may have gone overboard with all of your bird feeders."





And then the 37 turkey vultures came.



They all know that dinner is served at 6.
 

High on Sugar

Getting close to turning the corner on February, and I am doing OK

Winter forces me to stay inside too often, facing tasks I hate to even think about, no less do, trying to fill the day, moving, moving, going nowhere. Cook, I say to myself, create, fill the house with wonderful smells and the grayness of the day will go away. I open up the fridge and it is filled with food that I made days ago for the same reason. Ignoring this, I continue on my pursuit to accomplish something. Soup, I will make soup. It is hardy, perfect for winter and I have all the ingredients.  I have made so much soup this winter, hubby has been complaining.  He reminded me the other day that he still has his teeth and would love something to chew upon.  So I make cookies, lots of cookies.  I take a few dozen with me to work on Thursdays.  They are all grateful and that makes me feel so good that I go home and make more of them.  The oven is going constantly; butter, flour and sugar must be bought on a weekly basis and if the sun doesn't shine soon and I continue with this obsession, Weight Watchers will cancel my membership and burn my card. 

Today I made the most scrumptious chocolate chip cookies.  Hubby came across this recipe on Yahoo and it was submitted by Alison Roman.  Alison, dear Alison, we could become best friends, because your cookies were Divine.   Here are the ingredients for......... Ta Da............

 Delicious Salty Chocolate Chunk Cookies. 



1 1/2 cups of all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon of baking soda
1/2 cup of butter, room temperature
3/4 cup of packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup of  powdered sugar
2 large egg yolks
1 large egg
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
8 ounces of semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chunks
Sea salt

Place racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat at 375 degrees.  Whisk flour, baking powder, kosher salt, and baking soda in medium bowl and set aside.

Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter, brown sugar, sugar and powered sugar until light and fluffy - 3 to 4 minutes.  Add egg yolks, egg and vanilla.  Beat, occasionally scraping down the sides of the bowl, until mixture is pale and fluffy, 4 - 5 minutes.  Reduce mixer speed to low, slowly add dry ingredients, mixing just to blend.  Fold in chocolate.

Spoon rounded tablespoonfuls of dough onto parchment paper-lined baking sheets, spacing 1 inch apart.  Sprinkle cookies with ground sea salt.  Bake for 10 to 12 minutes.

This is what you get.



Chocolate and salt, a perfect food!

The recipe said you would get two dozen, but I got three dozen.  I made them small because:  1) a smaller cookies gives me less guilt, 2) there are more cookies to love.

They say the cloudy cold days will continue till at least Saturday so there will be more baking going on.  Although I know not to fool around with perfection, next time, when I make these cookies I will use almond extract instead of vanilla and add chopped walnuts.  Hubby will like the walnuts as then he will have something to chew.  Got to satisfy those choppers.



 

Snow dogs.

Punxsutawney Phil, our Pennsylvania groundhog predicted an early spring, so I am doing OK.
 
The winter months can be brutal. Freezing temperatures, grey skies, and snow storms that cause havoc on the roads doesn't  exactly say "fun, fun, fun". A friend sent me this video and it gave me a whole new perspective on making the most of the situation. It has been around for a few years and you possibly have seen it, but it is worth one more look. It is guaranteed to make you smile.

 

 

However, I don't think that me rolling down a hill of snow would look as graceful and it might involve a few major injuries. 

 

A Revival, The Inspector

Repeating myself with an oldie (and hopefully goodie) today, but I am trying to catch up on things that should have been done a few weeks ago.  Other than that,  I am doing OK.

Looking for Perfection

Hubby has worked most of his life in Quality Control. This is perfect for a person with borderline OCD. Was he born this way? Possibly, since he is the oldest and as we have all read in countless articles on the Internet, first borns are the most driven. I was second born and am more in the slower lane, although my family may have something else to say about that. I guess I have my own crazies, but that is another subject.

Hubby looks for mistakes, searches for imperfections and finds satisfaction in any flaw he finds. You say that is a negative trait, no, no, he will tell you. It is necessary and the world and I am better off knowing what is wrong so these things can be corrected and then we will all live a more satisfying life.

The question always arises in our family as what to get as a present for H. Give him a sweater or shirt, he will look for the loose thread. Any item you present to him, he will closely inspect, turning it over a few times and if he has not found any failings, he will smile and everyone will rejoice.

Now that spring has arrived, he has accompanied me on my walk-abouts in the neighborhood. We cannot go past two or three homes without his commenting on the state of someones lawn. Dandelions and flowering weeds are not permissible in his eyes. However, now that most of the offending plants have gone away due to lawnmowers, he is having a more relaxed walk and I, a more pleasant one.

As much as all of this drives me up a wall, I do see some merit in his quest for excellence. Heck, we have lawyers out there raking in millions for mistakes people and companies make. None of us wants to be a victim of errors in judgement or product failure. However, no one and no thing is infallible. Living with inadequacies is a good thing, it helps put things in perspective. Mistakes are made because we are human and we all learn more from these than our accomplishments. It is about realizing not everything is important, letting things go and smiling and laughing at our failings.

I must say though because hubby is hubby, my family has lived a good life. I do like that I can count on him to fix things, to have remedies for problems and because of his peccadilloes, I always have a good story.

Icicles On My Eyelashes

Holy Moley, I must have sleepwalked to Alaska, but with some hot tea, I should be OK.

 

 

The heat is cranked up, the fireplace is on, the space heater in the office is set to high, and I am still cold.  I just might forgo walking outside to the mailbox today  The bills will have to wait. 

 

The temperature is saying 11 degrees F.  I am thinking back now to the days gone by, last winter, as a matter of fact, when the average temperature was 50.  The global warming was so kind to us then.

 

It is less than two months till spring so I will spend today wrapped in two layers of clothes and eating calorie laden foods (I need some comfort) and peruse all the gardening catalogs that I have received in the past few weeks. 

 

In six months, I will complain about the heat.

 

 

 



 

 

 



 

Snap Out of It

Need some bright sun, but I am doing OK.



Do you ever wonder if people who live in all-year-round, warm, sunny areas suffer the winter blues? For us in the colder regions, it may start about two weeks after the holidays, when everything and all its color is put away, and you know that the days ahead will probably be grey and dreary.  Now I don't mind the rain because I know that I will need this for my spring planting.  The snow is beautiful for a day or two and the skiers and children love it.  A winter wonderland adds to the economy and there is fun involved.   What gets me down are the nothing days, the cloudy, cold days, the ones that tell you to go back to bed.  They drain you of energy and leave you empty.  Although they are hard  on the mind, they probably do some good for the body by allowing us to rest.  It is a part of life for many species. Too much rest, though, can get tiring and unless you do something to bring excitement and people into your life,  you can be left on the side of your bed having a pity party with yourself.  I have been through that and once went into the large hole of depression that I did not think I could escape.  It was so deep and so bad that once I was well and whole again, I promised myself I would never go there again.  It was almost 20 years ago and sad times have come, but depression is another animal and if I can help it, that will never be a part of me again.The book has been closed on that episode of my life and I have moved forward to much greener pastures.

Yes, these days in January can get me down but not out.  I fight every day not to give into its gloom. I do not listen to the horrible news of the day and ignore the people who enjoy negativity. Some days will be good, and others not as good, but none will be bad as long as I am still kicking.

I am baking this afternoon.  Sugar always makes me happy.

Cry Me A River

Christmas is packed up and put away and I am doing OK.


I admit it, I love sad chick flicks.  Just thinking about Beaches, Fried Green Tomatoes, Steel Magnolias, and the queen of them all, The Notebook,  makes me misty-eyed.  Yeah, there is nothing like a good cry, especially when you are sharing the moment with women who understand your joy of  pain.  My daughters were wonderful to have around when re-watching one of these movies.  We would get out our boxes of tissues and bawl together.  It was a good bonding experience and wiping our noses in sync were tender moments I will treasure forever.

Yesterday, with my dear friend Barbara, I went to see Les Miserables.  Tears started flowing within five minutes and it got better and better every minute after.  Though the movie was l-o-n-g, I loved and wept through it all.  I have to say I have seen numerous adaptations of this story and have enjoyed them all.  The book speaks to my liberal heart and the injustices I see in this world, but the marvelous, poignant music and exceptional acting in this film stole my heart.  It was worth sitting in a theater seat for 2 hours and 38 minutes with my legs cramping up and my butt getting sore.  It was a beautiful movie and I cried my eyes out.  Oh, happy day!