Safari was originally named Holly. It occurred to me to call her Holly Safari, but that is a little too much. She is a scardy cat. The foster mom explained that when the kittens were just a few weeks old, another foster mom let them have the run of the house, which is not a good thing. The vet visited that foster mom to give them the shots, and called the shelter to say that these kittens should be removed to a home where they are confined to one room. So, they were moved to the next foster home, where we met them. They lived in a large room with five or so other kitties. Through all of this, Holly (Safari), became a scardy cat.
When we first met her, we had to try pretty hard to catch her and hold her in our arms. When you picked her up, she would sit quietly and purr lightly. It wasn't that she didn't want to be held, it was that she is afraid of those big hands coming to get her. We knew that in order to make her into a lovely house cat, we would have to work with her patiently and get her to trust us.
Today, Safari was laying quietly on the kitchen floor, and George reached down and petted her as she lay there. He didn't try to pick her up, he just reached out calmly and stroked her from head to tail several times. This is a big step for Safari. Holding her on your lap is no problem, and she will stay calm, and purr quietly, but laying there and not being afraid of his hand coming at her is a very very big step.
She is learning that we love her, and that even though she has a big brother who climbs higher, catches faster and purrs louder, she is every bit as important to us and we love her just as much.
I took this picture to show how beautiful her striped tail is. She has wonderful markings, a calm manner, a quiet ladylike purr, and she pays a lot of attention to details. We know now that only one in a thousand orange cats is female. It will be wonderful helping her not be a scardy cat.
Have a great night.
Friday, July 25, 2008
Two weeks of kittens
We have had the kittens two weeks and I think they have doubled in size. They are growing, which is what I expected after they had good food, lots of play, and two people who love them. Safari is coming around. She is not so afraid, and she lays right in the middle of the kitchen and lets you walk around her. She is home. Simba is our fearless leader, and jumps to the top of the kitty condo and with paws hanging over the side, is king of all he surveys. They are breathtakingly beautiful to look at, and as they fill out, and their fur gets longer and prettier, their stripes show up more, and they are just awesome little cats. Am I prejudiced? No.
We go to bed a little later, and we get up a little earlier to be with the kittens. It has been a big change in our lives. It won't be this way forever, but for now, until the kittens are acclimated and we are sure they are safe, we stay with them most of the time that they are not in their playpen/cage.
Safari likes to go into the silk colored bag that we bought and play "mouse" with George. Simba likes it up high, where he can grab at the feather toy and almost always catches it. His reflexes are perfect, and what he wants, he gets. Simba can climb anything, but Safari has more trouble pulling herself up to the top of things. She is content to stay below most of the time. I make sure that she is included in all our games, so that Simba doesn't get the best of her. They are so different, it is really interesting. They roll and wrestle and have a good time together. What great kittens. I feel so lucky to have such beautiful cats in the house.
More tomorrow. Have a good day. Happy Friday.
We go to bed a little later, and we get up a little earlier to be with the kittens. It has been a big change in our lives. It won't be this way forever, but for now, until the kittens are acclimated and we are sure they are safe, we stay with them most of the time that they are not in their playpen/cage.
Safari likes to go into the silk colored bag that we bought and play "mouse" with George. Simba likes it up high, where he can grab at the feather toy and almost always catches it. His reflexes are perfect, and what he wants, he gets. Simba can climb anything, but Safari has more trouble pulling herself up to the top of things. She is content to stay below most of the time. I make sure that she is included in all our games, so that Simba doesn't get the best of her. They are so different, it is really interesting. They roll and wrestle and have a good time together. What great kittens. I feel so lucky to have such beautiful cats in the house.
More tomorrow. Have a good day. Happy Friday.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Steeplechase
In the morning, I let the kitties out of their play pen, and stay in the kitchen with them for a quiet hour. Ha. Today they were far from quiet. They had a steeplechase all around the kitchen, jumping over food bowls, landing in water bowls, and going over one obstacle after another. They were clearly getting their exercise after a long night penned up. We never hear a peep out of them in their cage at night, and many times during the day they go in there to sit up on the shelves or play on the floor.
There are big differences between Simba and Safari. Safari likes to root around on the floor looking for the stray small ant, or finding little bigs of fluff or paper. She is the follower. Simba is the alpha male. He likes to climb and is darn good at it. He already knows how to get to the top of the cage, (which is five feet high), in three steps. He sits on top and meows at me, triumphant in his success.
They are playful and fun. George and I take turns sometimes being in the kitchen with them so we know they are not getting into trouble. Little noises are a very big deal. They hear George coming down the hall and wait for him at the door, and then when he steps in they run. It is a game. They listen to teapots, birds, squeaky toys accidentally stepped on, dropped beads...anything that might mean a little extra fun.
We are doing well with our kitties, even though they take up a lot of time. I'm happy that my jewelry table is right there in the kitchen too, so I can work while they play. It is a big world in that kitchen!
Have a great day.
There are big differences between Simba and Safari. Safari likes to root around on the floor looking for the stray small ant, or finding little bigs of fluff or paper. She is the follower. Simba is the alpha male. He likes to climb and is darn good at it. He already knows how to get to the top of the cage, (which is five feet high), in three steps. He sits on top and meows at me, triumphant in his success.
They are playful and fun. George and I take turns sometimes being in the kitchen with them so we know they are not getting into trouble. Little noises are a very big deal. They hear George coming down the hall and wait for him at the door, and then when he steps in they run. It is a game. They listen to teapots, birds, squeaky toys accidentally stepped on, dropped beads...anything that might mean a little extra fun.
We are doing well with our kitties, even though they take up a lot of time. I'm happy that my jewelry table is right there in the kitchen too, so I can work while they play. It is a big world in that kitchen!
Have a great day.
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Simple pleasures: a bottle cap
The kittens are staying in the kitchen for now. Life is good. A pop bottle cap can provide endless entertainment. Today I put the circle blue plastic wrap off a milk bottle cap and tied it to a string. We had fun for an hour with that!
They have bouncy toys, a ball of yarn, feather mice, measuring spoons, and stuffed moose as playthings, but their all time favorite toy is a feather thing attached to an elastic cord, which is attached to a stick. Thank God for that little black stick. The kittens fly at the feather with all claws out, and my legs are 4" away. It is inevitable that I am going to get scratched in the melee, but...right now I don't care. When I play on the floor with them, I cover my legs with newspapers, and that seems to work fine, and adds a little crunch as they land as well.
It is a high time in the kitchen every morning, every evening, and several times a day as well. Both of them can jump as high as the kitchen counter, and twist in the air, and come down on all fours. Sometimes they come down on their back, but it doesn't seem to faze them. Playing together is fun. Sometimes Simba gets the better of the feather game, and Safari has to stand back and wait her turn. We saw that at the foster mother's house too, when our kittens stood back and waited their turn while the more aggressive older kittens batted and played. They are really sweet kittens.
Food doesn't seem to be any problem for them. In fact, I'm a little worried that we have gone through half a bag of dry food this week. They get a cup at a time, and they finish off one during the night, one in the morning, and at night they get a small can of kitten Science diet. They have grown, and sometimes they look so big to me, but when I hold them in my arms, they seem much smaller. They hide their heads under my elbow as I comb and brush them. Grooming is important, and these kittens get brushed several times a day, and I'm going to clip their nails once a week, starting today. I'll report later how that goes.
Today is going to be 93 and humid. I have the air conditioners going, and intend to lay low and make jewelry today. It is high time. I have 13 special orders, and today is the day I have to finish them.
Tomorrow is church, and then who knows what. The summer is here, finally, with the kind of weather you think about when you are shoveling snow. The birds outside need fresh water, so I gotta go.
Have a great Summer day!
They have bouncy toys, a ball of yarn, feather mice, measuring spoons, and stuffed moose as playthings, but their all time favorite toy is a feather thing attached to an elastic cord, which is attached to a stick. Thank God for that little black stick. The kittens fly at the feather with all claws out, and my legs are 4" away. It is inevitable that I am going to get scratched in the melee, but...right now I don't care. When I play on the floor with them, I cover my legs with newspapers, and that seems to work fine, and adds a little crunch as they land as well.
It is a high time in the kitchen every morning, every evening, and several times a day as well. Both of them can jump as high as the kitchen counter, and twist in the air, and come down on all fours. Sometimes they come down on their back, but it doesn't seem to faze them. Playing together is fun. Sometimes Simba gets the better of the feather game, and Safari has to stand back and wait her turn. We saw that at the foster mother's house too, when our kittens stood back and waited their turn while the more aggressive older kittens batted and played. They are really sweet kittens.
Food doesn't seem to be any problem for them. In fact, I'm a little worried that we have gone through half a bag of dry food this week. They get a cup at a time, and they finish off one during the night, one in the morning, and at night they get a small can of kitten Science diet. They have grown, and sometimes they look so big to me, but when I hold them in my arms, they seem much smaller. They hide their heads under my elbow as I comb and brush them. Grooming is important, and these kittens get brushed several times a day, and I'm going to clip their nails once a week, starting today. I'll report later how that goes.
Today is going to be 93 and humid. I have the air conditioners going, and intend to lay low and make jewelry today. It is high time. I have 13 special orders, and today is the day I have to finish them.
Tomorrow is church, and then who knows what. The summer is here, finally, with the kind of weather you think about when you are shoveling snow. The birds outside need fresh water, so I gotta go.
Have a great Summer day!
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Blogging Away....Kitties Ahoy!
This has been a strange summer for blogging. My mother got sick in April and was hospitalized, and then again in June, and I rushed from the Milwaukee Bead Show to Oklahoma. I stayed three days with her at Baptist Hospital, until she was transported to a longer term specialty hospital. She was getting good care and gaining strength every day. When I came back to Boston, life sort of returned to normal, which means that I worried a lot and went to work every day. I consulted a counselor about how to separate myself from my mother enough to enjoy my own life. I let the family know that I was planning to go on vacation and we did. George and I just returned from our vacation in New Hampshire; six days of fun at the cabin, fishing, playing cards, reading, resting and cooking good barbecue. It was fun, and I talked to my mother once while I was away. She was doing well. She is now at Grace Living Center in El Reno, which is a skilled nursing center near her home, and coping with yet another change. At 98 years old, I guess change is something you are very familiar with.
So now I can blog again. And I have a great subject. George and I got two new kittens. The adoption process was a month long and scary. The agencies are careful, and each has it's own style. After weeks of looking at pictures of cats, I had sort of given up and was just coasting along with the idea in the back of my mind. I felt that when there was a cat that was meant for us, he or she would just turn up somehow.
I was looking on the web one day at Petfinder.com, and voila, I saw the kitties I wanted. I love orange and white and had given up on getting an orange and white cat because they are rather rare. I was also hoping to adopt a cat that didn't already come with Feline Leukemia or other health problems. I saw this picture of "No Names", little buff and white kittens, and fell immediately in love. I had told myself that I would never fall in love with a cat over the internet, which is a good way to get your heart broken, but I fell is love with both of these beautiful kittens.
We went through the adoption phone calls and paperwork, then went to meet the foster mother and kittens. It was an amazing experience and I have so much respect for people who open up their homes to foster cats, and who spend such a big part of their lives caring for animals. The kittens were all beautiful and well cared for, and none of them had medical problems.
On Friday, July 11, my birthday, we brought home two fawn and white kittens. They are already 14 weeks old, so they are getting big already. After thinking of 1000 names, I have settled on Safari for the girl, and Simba for the boy. There are a lot of really great cat names, and creativity got the best of me, but these seemed simple enough and charming enough to suit these very beautiful kittens.
Today we made big strides. They have explored the kitchen, which is their new temporary home. Kittens need to be in one room, with doors, so they don't get the run of the house and go wild. The three storied cage gives them respite from the outside world and makes them feel cuddled and safe. It is also a safe place to leave them when we need to leave the house. The adoption agency gave us the huge pink cage, a beautiful bed, two bags of food, and a whole bag of stick and feather toys and other little toys. They were MORE than generous and very kind. We have turned the kitchen into a cat house. I have swept and slicked it all up so there isn't anything dangerous for them to get into. For now we are doing well. They are far less scared today than yesterday, and they purr and meow and poop and eat and play with toys and do all the great things kitties are supposed to do.
You'll be hearing a lot more about these two! Welcome Simba and Safari, to your new loving home. You will never replace Thunder, but you were never supposed to.
Have a great day.
So now I can blog again. And I have a great subject. George and I got two new kittens. The adoption process was a month long and scary. The agencies are careful, and each has it's own style. After weeks of looking at pictures of cats, I had sort of given up and was just coasting along with the idea in the back of my mind. I felt that when there was a cat that was meant for us, he or she would just turn up somehow.
I was looking on the web one day at Petfinder.com, and voila, I saw the kitties I wanted. I love orange and white and had given up on getting an orange and white cat because they are rather rare. I was also hoping to adopt a cat that didn't already come with Feline Leukemia or other health problems. I saw this picture of "No Names", little buff and white kittens, and fell immediately in love. I had told myself that I would never fall in love with a cat over the internet, which is a good way to get your heart broken, but I fell is love with both of these beautiful kittens.
We went through the adoption phone calls and paperwork, then went to meet the foster mother and kittens. It was an amazing experience and I have so much respect for people who open up their homes to foster cats, and who spend such a big part of their lives caring for animals. The kittens were all beautiful and well cared for, and none of them had medical problems.
On Friday, July 11, my birthday, we brought home two fawn and white kittens. They are already 14 weeks old, so they are getting big already. After thinking of 1000 names, I have settled on Safari for the girl, and Simba for the boy. There are a lot of really great cat names, and creativity got the best of me, but these seemed simple enough and charming enough to suit these very beautiful kittens.
Today we made big strides. They have explored the kitchen, which is their new temporary home. Kittens need to be in one room, with doors, so they don't get the run of the house and go wild. The three storied cage gives them respite from the outside world and makes them feel cuddled and safe. It is also a safe place to leave them when we need to leave the house. The adoption agency gave us the huge pink cage, a beautiful bed, two bags of food, and a whole bag of stick and feather toys and other little toys. They were MORE than generous and very kind. We have turned the kitchen into a cat house. I have swept and slicked it all up so there isn't anything dangerous for them to get into. For now we are doing well. They are far less scared today than yesterday, and they purr and meow and poop and eat and play with toys and do all the great things kitties are supposed to do.
You'll be hearing a lot more about these two! Welcome Simba and Safari, to your new loving home. You will never replace Thunder, but you were never supposed to.
Have a great day.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
From bad to worse and up again
I haven't updated my blog in a long time. Things have been rocky. First, Thunder died. Then mom got sick. Then I went to Milwaukee with my friend to the bead show, and got a call that I had to get to Oklahoma immediately, because my mom was being rushed to an Oklahoma City hospital. It was a nightmare getting there, and I spent three days in the hospital. Mom is a little better, but still far from able to walk or do much of anything. In a week they will refer her to Grace Living Center which is close to her home, at least. It is so hard being her age, and even harder to imagine what it will be like for her to live in a nursing home. Somehow God takes care of old people, I guess, like he cares for the rest of us.
In the meantime, I have been back at work, which is a good thing. I haven't been going to the health club because of all these life setbacks, and I'm going to start up again this week. Next week George and I leave for our annual vacation to way up New Hampshire to plunk our bait in the water on the dock and call it a fishing trip. It is more like a reading and resting trip, but there will be lots of bird watching and moose watching, and some lovely cabin meals that I am planning out now.
Life goes on. Mother is ok. I am going on vacation and really need to do that. And I am going to enroll in the next class that I can find in "how to stop worrying and start enjoying the day."
God is good. Things will be ok. Have a great day.
In the meantime, I have been back at work, which is a good thing. I haven't been going to the health club because of all these life setbacks, and I'm going to start up again this week. Next week George and I leave for our annual vacation to way up New Hampshire to plunk our bait in the water on the dock and call it a fishing trip. It is more like a reading and resting trip, but there will be lots of bird watching and moose watching, and some lovely cabin meals that I am planning out now.
Life goes on. Mother is ok. I am going on vacation and really need to do that. And I am going to enroll in the next class that I can find in "how to stop worrying and start enjoying the day."
God is good. Things will be ok. Have a great day.
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Thunder
My kitty Thunder had to be put to sleep on Tuesday. It was one of the hardest things I have ever had to do. She was failing fast, and in the two days before we took her to the vet, she had not eaten or drank anything that we could tell. She was weak and ailing. Thunder was 17 years old, and I hardly remember a day when she wasn't near me. She followed me everywhere and I never had a lonely minute in the house. She was as beautiful as she was gentle, and I will never be able to replace her.
George and I were dreading taking her to the vet, because we knew that would probably be her last trip. We wrapped her in a fluffy green towel, and she looked all around the car and at the passing world. She purred at the vets office, and even on the examining table, she purred. And she purred right up until they put the injection in her leg. Then the purring stopped.
I will always miss my Thunder. She was the light in my life when things around me were changing and going from good to bad and back to good again.
I am planting a pretty small tree in the back yard this weekend, and ringing it with stones and a flower garden. I will put a sculpture there someday, or a gazing ball, and have a place where I can always remember where Thunder resides....in my heart.
George and I were dreading taking her to the vet, because we knew that would probably be her last trip. We wrapped her in a fluffy green towel, and she looked all around the car and at the passing world. She purred at the vets office, and even on the examining table, she purred. And she purred right up until they put the injection in her leg. Then the purring stopped.
I will always miss my Thunder. She was the light in my life when things around me were changing and going from good to bad and back to good again.
I am planting a pretty small tree in the back yard this weekend, and ringing it with stones and a flower garden. I will put a sculpture there someday, or a gazing ball, and have a place where I can always remember where Thunder resides....in my heart.
Friday, April 25, 2008
Back from Oklahoma
I am back from my vacation in Oklahoma. It was warm and sunny, but a little windy. There were no thunderstorms this trip, and no tornadoes which is always a good thing. Mom is ok. Being 98 has it's own trials, but she is happy and works hard to be independent. It is hard when your sight and your hearing is bad, but there is nothing wrong with her mind, and she is sharp as a tack.
I made a lot of nice meals for her, did some shopping and dish washing, and bought her a lovely new Lazy Girl recliner in a beautiful wine silk. A lovely chair that she wanted "so she could sit in the sun in her livingroom with her feet up." A good goal, I thought, so off I went to Mathis Brothers, the huge furniture store in Oklahoma City. It is really fun to shop with someone else's money.
I am very happy to be home. Work is good. George is happy and healthy. Life is good. I am enjoying the flowering trees and looking forward to getting back to the health club and back to the garden.
Have a great day.
I made a lot of nice meals for her, did some shopping and dish washing, and bought her a lovely new Lazy Girl recliner in a beautiful wine silk. A lovely chair that she wanted "so she could sit in the sun in her livingroom with her feet up." A good goal, I thought, so off I went to Mathis Brothers, the huge furniture store in Oklahoma City. It is really fun to shop with someone else's money.
I am very happy to be home. Work is good. George is happy and healthy. Life is good. I am enjoying the flowering trees and looking forward to getting back to the health club and back to the garden.
Have a great day.
Sunday, April 06, 2008
Quiet Time
I am staying home from church today in order to find a big chunk of quiet time for myself. Before I worked full time, I had lots of quiet days. I turn the TV off, I don't play music, and I just listen to the house and the birds, the stillness. I don't know when in my life I decided that quiet was good. Maybe having 236 channels of mostly unwatchable television stations made me realize that OFF is better. Maybe I got so engrosed in making jewelry in my little studio that I forgot to turn it on.
Since working full time, I have to try hard to find my space of quiet time. I miss going to church, but something had to give. Being quiet stills my spirit, and makes it possible for me to be creative, to think about things, to remember things, and to recharge my juices.
This afternoon my good friend Connie is coming over this afternoon to bead with me. It will be great fun to see my friend again, and being with her will also stoke the fires of creativity. Nothing like a kindred spirit, who knows the value of making something beautiful and what it does to one's soul. She and I are going to Milwaukee in June to the Bead and Buttons show and we are excited enough to pop buttons. It is going to be so much nicer for me to go with something and have a companion for dinners, lunches, breakfasts, and to share the WOW of this vast bead show. I can't wait to share it with her.
My quiet time gives me time to think of all that. Nice.
Have a great day.
Since working full time, I have to try hard to find my space of quiet time. I miss going to church, but something had to give. Being quiet stills my spirit, and makes it possible for me to be creative, to think about things, to remember things, and to recharge my juices.
This afternoon my good friend Connie is coming over this afternoon to bead with me. It will be great fun to see my friend again, and being with her will also stoke the fires of creativity. Nothing like a kindred spirit, who knows the value of making something beautiful and what it does to one's soul. She and I are going to Milwaukee in June to the Bead and Buttons show and we are excited enough to pop buttons. It is going to be so much nicer for me to go with something and have a companion for dinners, lunches, breakfasts, and to share the WOW of this vast bead show. I can't wait to share it with her.
My quiet time gives me time to think of all that. Nice.
Have a great day.
Saturday, March 29, 2008
My new golf clubs!
George and I went to Sports Authority and each of us got a new set of golf clubs! This opens up a whole new world. George knows how to golf and on the few occasions he goes out each year, he manages to do pretty well. I, on the other hand, am a complete newbie. But I have pretty good eye/hand coordination, so I have high hopes.
The salesman was very good and stayed right with us. He showed me a set of pink golf clubs that were high end, and far too expensive, and I fell in love with the pink part, just as he knew I would. From then on, we shopped and looked and took a few swings in the little "batting cage" and I kept looking at the pink ones. Then the very good-at-what-he-does salesman found a set of pink clubs at $100 off the regular price, and bam. I was sold. We also bought George a new set. His are a nice manly black and red. It was time for him to get a new set. His current set of Wilson 1200's are twenty years old. We looked them up on Ebay, and you can buy a whole set and the bag for $10.
I got the names of a couple of golf teachers in the area, and I have big plans. I was a little taken aback when the salesman said that golf lessons cost $35.00 for a half hour session. Oh well. At our age, I call this investing for the future. When your future is retirement, what else is there to do but golf!
Have a nice day.
The salesman was very good and stayed right with us. He showed me a set of pink golf clubs that were high end, and far too expensive, and I fell in love with the pink part, just as he knew I would. From then on, we shopped and looked and took a few swings in the little "batting cage" and I kept looking at the pink ones. Then the very good-at-what-he-does salesman found a set of pink clubs at $100 off the regular price, and bam. I was sold. We also bought George a new set. His are a nice manly black and red. It was time for him to get a new set. His current set of Wilson 1200's are twenty years old. We looked them up on Ebay, and you can buy a whole set and the bag for $10.
I got the names of a couple of golf teachers in the area, and I have big plans. I was a little taken aback when the salesman said that golf lessons cost $35.00 for a half hour session. Oh well. At our age, I call this investing for the future. When your future is retirement, what else is there to do but golf!
Have a nice day.
Monday, March 17, 2008
The problem of overconfidence
I happen to believe that a lot of woes are brought on when people are overconfident. There are people who charge ahead and there are those that take a little more time and lag behind. I am a lagger behinder. I want to see the dark hole opening up before me instead of displaying overconfidence and falling in. I lag behind sometimes just to take the lay of the land, or to make sure I'm not saying something that is offensive to someone, or to make sure that I know what the question is before I answer it. I may seem a little too hesitant, and people may get the idea that they are smarter than me. Maybe.
Overconfidence is what people like Governor Spitzer display when they think they can pull the wool over everyone's eyes while they convince their overconfident selves that they are better than others, and the rules don't apply to them. People who are overconfident make a lot of really big mistakes. Careers (and worse) flounder over a simple case of bad judgement. We get lost when we are confident we know where we are going, and leave home without a map. We lose a game when we think we are so much better than the other team we don't need to practice. We crash our cars when we are overconfident that our big and powerful SUV will still win the race in ice and snow. On a larger scale, overconfidence led to the disasters at Chernobyl and the disentegration of the Space Shuttle. Some little careful person's memo about defects that could cause problems was ignored so that an overconfident superior could charge ahead.
When I was young, my husband and I used to laugh at my husband's mother, whose favorite saying was "You can't be too careful." Well, today I'm not laughing. I'd much rather be a little slower, a little less confident, a little more careful....than fall into the waiting hole.
Have a great day.
Overconfidence is what people like Governor Spitzer display when they think they can pull the wool over everyone's eyes while they convince their overconfident selves that they are better than others, and the rules don't apply to them. People who are overconfident make a lot of really big mistakes. Careers (and worse) flounder over a simple case of bad judgement. We get lost when we are confident we know where we are going, and leave home without a map. We lose a game when we think we are so much better than the other team we don't need to practice. We crash our cars when we are overconfident that our big and powerful SUV will still win the race in ice and snow. On a larger scale, overconfidence led to the disasters at Chernobyl and the disentegration of the Space Shuttle. Some little careful person's memo about defects that could cause problems was ignored so that an overconfident superior could charge ahead.
When I was young, my husband and I used to laugh at my husband's mother, whose favorite saying was "You can't be too careful." Well, today I'm not laughing. I'd much rather be a little slower, a little less confident, a little more careful....than fall into the waiting hole.
Have a great day.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Midwest Airlines
I love Midwest Airlines. I just made reservations for me and my friend to the Bead and Button Show in Milwaukee on June 5th. It is going to be wonderful. Last year, I was flying some other airline, like Continental or American, and my flight home was scheduled with a three hour layover in Detroit. I was not looking forward to that. When I checked in for the flight, I was called to the service desk. Usually that means your flight is cancelled and you are in for a bumpy road, but this time, they told me that they had transferred me to a Midwest Airline non-stop flight to Boston that would get me there three hours sooner. Hurray!!
It was double-hurray when I got onto the flight and saw those big comfy brown leather seats. And it was tripled when they came around with those home made, warm, freshly baked chocolace chip cookies which are their trademark. I've heard that when you sell a house, you could make cookies so the buyers can smell them while they are looking at your home. I am just as sold on Midwest Airlines. Their service is wonderful, the planes are not crowded, the seats are huge, and who can resist a cookie after that ordeal at any airport. And round trip to Milwaukee on their Spring sale is $146.00. That is such a deal! So things are looking up....to the cookies in the sky.
Have a great day.
It was double-hurray when I got onto the flight and saw those big comfy brown leather seats. And it was tripled when they came around with those home made, warm, freshly baked chocolace chip cookies which are their trademark. I've heard that when you sell a house, you could make cookies so the buyers can smell them while they are looking at your home. I am just as sold on Midwest Airlines. Their service is wonderful, the planes are not crowded, the seats are huge, and who can resist a cookie after that ordeal at any airport. And round trip to Milwaukee on their Spring sale is $146.00. That is such a deal! So things are looking up....to the cookies in the sky.
Have a great day.
Sunday, March 09, 2008
Things are looking up....
I think things are beginning to look up. We would hope. I still have the lingering effects of a bad cold and may have to call the doctor to find out what to do next. I thought it was gone, but it is taking a lot longer than I wanted.
My mother is in the hospital with pneumonia. She is where she needs to be and about all I can do from here is pray that she has nice nurses and they are able to build her strength back up so she can go home. I sent her beautiful flowers yesterday and talked to her caretaker while she was in the room with mom. Her color is good, she has her appetite, and we hope she will get stronger and be safe there. When she goes home, I will go to Oklahoma to help her for a week.
Taking care of the elderly is an issue for a lot of people I know. Us baby boomers all have elderly parents now, and many people are living well into their 90's these days because of amazing advances in pharmaceuticals. It occurred to me yesterday that making myself sick with worry over my mother's health isn't very helpful. There is no pill for worry, and it can lead to illness too. I feel bad when my mom is ill, and I feel helpless. I have to try to put her wellbeing somewhere in balance with my own, which is very hard. Balance is very hard to attain, and life seems to have a teeter totter effect sometimes which makes us concentrate on one thing and someone else goes out of whack. Getting a good work/life balance is often talked about. I feel that we have to take care of our emotions and our mental well being. Like the commercial says, "Life comes at you fast..."
Today George is going to an airplane auction with his club, and I am at home, pretty stuck without a car. Sometimes cars come at your fast too. My accident has left me with the residue of panic whenever I see a car at a cross-street. Crash paranoia is a side-affect of collisions I guess. Being without my own car isn't the best either, but I think they will have it all repaired next week.
With my time at home today, I am going to completely recover from this cold. I also am going to have George take me to the health club this evening for a workout...my first in over a week. No use coughing and spreading my germs to all those people who are trying to get more healthy, but I really missed my work outs.
It's going to be a slow Sunday today, and I'm going to remember that slow is a good thing, since life comes at you fast!
Have a good day.
My mother is in the hospital with pneumonia. She is where she needs to be and about all I can do from here is pray that she has nice nurses and they are able to build her strength back up so she can go home. I sent her beautiful flowers yesterday and talked to her caretaker while she was in the room with mom. Her color is good, she has her appetite, and we hope she will get stronger and be safe there. When she goes home, I will go to Oklahoma to help her for a week.
Taking care of the elderly is an issue for a lot of people I know. Us baby boomers all have elderly parents now, and many people are living well into their 90's these days because of amazing advances in pharmaceuticals. It occurred to me yesterday that making myself sick with worry over my mother's health isn't very helpful. There is no pill for worry, and it can lead to illness too. I feel bad when my mom is ill, and I feel helpless. I have to try to put her wellbeing somewhere in balance with my own, which is very hard. Balance is very hard to attain, and life seems to have a teeter totter effect sometimes which makes us concentrate on one thing and someone else goes out of whack. Getting a good work/life balance is often talked about. I feel that we have to take care of our emotions and our mental well being. Like the commercial says, "Life comes at you fast..."
Today George is going to an airplane auction with his club, and I am at home, pretty stuck without a car. Sometimes cars come at your fast too. My accident has left me with the residue of panic whenever I see a car at a cross-street. Crash paranoia is a side-affect of collisions I guess. Being without my own car isn't the best either, but I think they will have it all repaired next week.
With my time at home today, I am going to completely recover from this cold. I also am going to have George take me to the health club this evening for a workout...my first in over a week. No use coughing and spreading my germs to all those people who are trying to get more healthy, but I really missed my work outs.
It's going to be a slow Sunday today, and I'm going to remember that slow is a good thing, since life comes at you fast!
Have a good day.
Sunday, March 02, 2008
Da common cold
George and I just went out to Walgreen's to get cough syrup and cough drops. Yuk. I have a cold. I haven't been sick in three years, but I have had a sore throat for four days and it isn't going away quickly. Everyone I know has been sick. I take lots of vitamins, and eat my fruits and vegetables and wash my hands well many times a day, but it didn't prevent me from getting sick.
The weekend has been a bust. With my car banged up and in the shop, my head stopped up and my throat raspy and hurting, about the only thing that is good is my cup of Good Earth tea and a good book. In fact, I have finished two books this weekend. I finished a book called The Julie/Julia Project, about a woman who cooked her way through Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking in a year. It was a fun, fast read. Then I read an Andrew Greeley mystery, "The Bishop and the Beggar Girl", which I got at the library. If you haven't tried Good Earth tea, don't miss it. I buy it at Trader Joe's, and it is worth the trip. More about this tea later. I'm too lazy to go look at the box to read the ingredients, which are many and amazing. Time to go back to the couch.
Have a great evening.
The weekend has been a bust. With my car banged up and in the shop, my head stopped up and my throat raspy and hurting, about the only thing that is good is my cup of Good Earth tea and a good book. In fact, I have finished two books this weekend. I finished a book called The Julie/Julia Project, about a woman who cooked her way through Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking in a year. It was a fun, fast read. Then I read an Andrew Greeley mystery, "The Bishop and the Beggar Girl", which I got at the library. If you haven't tried Good Earth tea, don't miss it. I buy it at Trader Joe's, and it is worth the trip. More about this tea later. I'm too lazy to go look at the box to read the ingredients, which are many and amazing. Time to go back to the couch.
Have a great evening.
Friday, February 29, 2008
And we dance...
And we should consider every day lost on which we have not danced at least once. And we should call every truth false which was not accompanied by at least one laugh.
Friedrich Nietzsche
Friedrich Nietzsche
Grateful for strong car doors
I was in a little accident the other night. It didn't seem little at the time. I just sat there after the impact thanking God that the door held. The inside of the car was not changed. I was safe.
My first thought was, "well, I guess I'm not going to the health club." Later, when I told the nurse at the hospital that I was on my way to the health club when the accident happened, she said, "well, maybe tomorrow." She is right. Maybe tomorrow.
I am grateful that my tomorrows are going to be better than my todays and that today was better than yesterday. One day at a time, things get better, old wounds heal, cars get fixed, and I am planning to work out like hell to get in good shape. The doctor said, "you look very strong". I consider that a big compliment. I don't think anyone has ever said that to me before. I am strong! And as I sat quietly waiting for the ambulance to arrive, I felt strong on the inside too. Things are going to be fine.
What doesn't kill me makes me stronger!
Have a great evening.
My first thought was, "well, I guess I'm not going to the health club." Later, when I told the nurse at the hospital that I was on my way to the health club when the accident happened, she said, "well, maybe tomorrow." She is right. Maybe tomorrow.
I am grateful that my tomorrows are going to be better than my todays and that today was better than yesterday. One day at a time, things get better, old wounds heal, cars get fixed, and I am planning to work out like hell to get in good shape. The doctor said, "you look very strong". I consider that a big compliment. I don't think anyone has ever said that to me before. I am strong! And as I sat quietly waiting for the ambulance to arrive, I felt strong on the inside too. Things are going to be fine.
What doesn't kill me makes me stronger!
Have a great evening.
Blogging to say hi
I am ok. I had a big scare last night, but the car stayed in one piece, I was checked out at the hospital and sent home at 11 p.m. I'm a little sore, but more determined than ever to get into shape. I think my new muscles helped me deal with the shock of the incident.
More to come.
Have a good day.
More to come.
Have a good day.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
No more Pitiful Pearl!
George came home safely. He arrived at 7:30 a.m. on Friday, about an hour before the snow started. The snowstorm was responsible for everyone getting off work early on Friday, so I got to come home to watch George nap. Taking the red eye from Hawaii is enough to make anyone want to nap all day. He slept most of Friday, and took another long nap on Saturday, and now he is all better.
George brought me six lovely t-shirts in nice colors that I will enjoy wearing to the health club, and which will see many trips to the washing machine. He went to the flea market and spent so much time choosing the right colors and designs that the seller became surly. I guess there are surly flea market salespeople everywhere...even in paradise.
He also brought candied pineapple, macadamia nuts, Hawaii calendars that were a big bargain at 5 for a dollar (who cares if no one needs another calendar), t-shirts for his grandkids and some really beautiful pearls for me.
On the way to work on Friday morning, he gave me a strand of beautiful brown pearls with a sterling clasp that I put right on. It was an exciting morning! He also bought me a strand of black pearls for me to hand knot, and another beautiful strand of mother of pearl which is white on one side and pearly gray on the other. I have never seen any beads like these, and they will be wonderful to work with. He is always thinking of me, and I was always thinking of him. I am awfully happy to have him back home.
We had a great time at the health club today. He went on my guest pass, and worked with the trainer. It was nice to share that together. Things are looking up!
Have a great day.
George brought me six lovely t-shirts in nice colors that I will enjoy wearing to the health club, and which will see many trips to the washing machine. He went to the flea market and spent so much time choosing the right colors and designs that the seller became surly. I guess there are surly flea market salespeople everywhere...even in paradise.
He also brought candied pineapple, macadamia nuts, Hawaii calendars that were a big bargain at 5 for a dollar (who cares if no one needs another calendar), t-shirts for his grandkids and some really beautiful pearls for me.
On the way to work on Friday morning, he gave me a strand of beautiful brown pearls with a sterling clasp that I put right on. It was an exciting morning! He also bought me a strand of black pearls for me to hand knot, and another beautiful strand of mother of pearl which is white on one side and pearly gray on the other. I have never seen any beads like these, and they will be wonderful to work with. He is always thinking of me, and I was always thinking of him. I am awfully happy to have him back home.
We had a great time at the health club today. He went on my guest pass, and worked with the trainer. It was nice to share that together. Things are looking up!
Have a great day.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Day to day, today
George is still in Hawaii. He is shopping for t-shirts for me that I can wear to the health club. Who knew that I would go through so many t-shirts in a week. He is shopping for more pearls for me. For $10, the Hawaiian pearl lady will also hand knot them, so I asked him to buy me a necklace made with black pearls that is already made and ready to wear. Can't wait. He visited my niece and her family, including her brave husband who is a Marine and just back from Iraq. They will be stationed for three years in Hawaii and I think that is just wonderful. I wish I had gotten to visit with them too....but .... someday.
Thunder and I rattle around in the big house without George. She isn't sure what to make of the emptier nest. She meows and scratches and wakes me up two or three times during the night looking for the warm body. I have a whole list of things that have to get done when George is not around to do them. I microwaved Thunder's cat food today, to make it just a little warmer, and we both thought of George and all the nice things he does for her.
I also put in a load of laundry, washed the dishes, emptied the garbage, packed my lunch and stopped at the dry cleaner. I miss George a lot when he is not here. My motions are just motions without him and the whole thing seems rather blah. The house seems big, and last night I realized I was turning lamps on just because and I didn't actually need all those rooms lit up. So I turned them back off and retreated to the bedroom to watch the travel channel. I meant to curl up with a good book, but I only got to the curl up part, before I feel asleep.
George will be home Friday morning at 6 a.m. I can't wait!
Aloha, George! Hope you are having a wondertime time!
Thunder and I rattle around in the big house without George. She isn't sure what to make of the emptier nest. She meows and scratches and wakes me up two or three times during the night looking for the warm body. I have a whole list of things that have to get done when George is not around to do them. I microwaved Thunder's cat food today, to make it just a little warmer, and we both thought of George and all the nice things he does for her.
I also put in a load of laundry, washed the dishes, emptied the garbage, packed my lunch and stopped at the dry cleaner. I miss George a lot when he is not here. My motions are just motions without him and the whole thing seems rather blah. The house seems big, and last night I realized I was turning lamps on just because and I didn't actually need all those rooms lit up. So I turned them back off and retreated to the bedroom to watch the travel channel. I meant to curl up with a good book, but I only got to the curl up part, before I feel asleep.
George will be home Friday morning at 6 a.m. I can't wait!
Aloha, George! Hope you are having a wondertime time!
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Taniko
Yesterday, Michael's beloved kitty, Taniko, died. She was fourteen years old, and he found her as a kitten. Well, actually, his friend Mark found her behind a Taco Bell in Terre Haute, Indiana. Like many of us, Taniko found herself living in many different places and adjusted well to all of them. Taniko died yesterday, just two days after Valentine's Day, of kidney failure. She didn't suffer long.
Taniko was an amazing kitty. She was true calico, with a thick heavy coat, and she was stocky and loved her food. She had lots of personality. Unlike most kitties, Taniko talked. She talked and talked. I never met a cat who wanted to converse with you so much. Meow, meow. She was beautiful, playful and happy.
Taniko and Mike made quite a pair together for several years. Before Mike met Michelle, Taniko was there for company. She played feather, and ball, and had a nice cabinet full of good things to play with. She stayed away from Mike's candles, mostly, only once setting her tail on fire. It was a small hiccup in a very comfortable life. She walked across his keyboard countless times and helped him play the kind-hearted Loral on Evequest.
We will all miss Taniko very much. Everyone hates to see a cat get sick, and it was a blessing, I guess, that Taniko got sick suddenly on Friday and went down fast.
Taniko learned a new skill in the past few months. She learned how to handle a 70-pound (lovable but rambunctious) dog named Jebu, and let him know who was boss. She made cat compromises (of which there are very few) and let him have part of the house. She let him know when his spunkyness and ball gobbling got a little too much for her. She sniffed and spit, but only when he really became unbearably puppylike. She retreated gracefully. She meowed and talked to people, and ate her Iams food, and looked out the window, walked across the keyboards, and even learned to share her window seat with Jebu. That must have been hard!
Taniko has a spirit that will never leave us. She had a nice life, and really went places after her humble beginnings as a starving kitten behind a Taco Bell. She was the best thing a cat can be...a great friend. She was there when Michael needed someone, and we will always love and admire her.
Bless you Taniko!
Taniko was an amazing kitty. She was true calico, with a thick heavy coat, and she was stocky and loved her food. She had lots of personality. Unlike most kitties, Taniko talked. She talked and talked. I never met a cat who wanted to converse with you so much. Meow, meow. She was beautiful, playful and happy.
Taniko and Mike made quite a pair together for several years. Before Mike met Michelle, Taniko was there for company. She played feather, and ball, and had a nice cabinet full of good things to play with. She stayed away from Mike's candles, mostly, only once setting her tail on fire. It was a small hiccup in a very comfortable life. She walked across his keyboard countless times and helped him play the kind-hearted Loral on Evequest.
We will all miss Taniko very much. Everyone hates to see a cat get sick, and it was a blessing, I guess, that Taniko got sick suddenly on Friday and went down fast.
Taniko learned a new skill in the past few months. She learned how to handle a 70-pound (lovable but rambunctious) dog named Jebu, and let him know who was boss. She made cat compromises (of which there are very few) and let him have part of the house. She let him know when his spunkyness and ball gobbling got a little too much for her. She sniffed and spit, but only when he really became unbearably puppylike. She retreated gracefully. She meowed and talked to people, and ate her Iams food, and looked out the window, walked across the keyboards, and even learned to share her window seat with Jebu. That must have been hard!
Taniko has a spirit that will never leave us. She had a nice life, and really went places after her humble beginnings as a starving kitten behind a Taco Bell. She was the best thing a cat can be...a great friend. She was there when Michael needed someone, and we will always love and admire her.
Bless you Taniko!
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Shoulda, Woulda, Coulda....
I just drove home from the sports club after my workout, and realized that I did it all wrong. I should have married a trainer. I signed up for five more hour long expensive sessions against the advice of almost everyone I know. I am convinced that, for me, this is the right thing to do. George has joined a health club too, and my club is offering friends sessions for the rest of this month, so I intend on bringing him in to work out with me.
I have been working out at the health club for a month and a half and I have learned many things. The first thing I have learned is that without a trainer to tell me what to do next, and to encourage me to do more, I would already be floundering. I have learned that being tired is no excuse not to go. When I am tired, and I trudge up those stairs to the cardio bike, I think I am not going to live another minute. After five minutes of warm up at a very reasonable pace, I crank up that machine and my legs just want to move! My tired goes away, my body heats up, the sweat starts to drip, and thoughts of how tired I am fly out the window.
I have learned also that sweating is fun. Who knew? This beautiful cold Saturday morning, I worked on the cardio bike for 40 minutes, listening to some great tunes like Cajun classics, Aaron Neville and Prince. I really had fun! It was hard not to exceed every limit that I have ever had, and my heart rate was faster, my pace was faster, I burned 250 calories (or so) and I felt really great! Then I did 30 minutes on the treadmill simply because I didn't want the music to stop.
I have learned that I can't listen to my head, or anyone else's head either. I have to listen to my body. I don't listen when people at work tell me about their workouts, or their spinning classes, or their trips to the health club so they can sit in the sauna or do yoga. I don't listen to the advice of anyone but the person I pay to help me. A whole new world of exercise is opening up to me. I don't want to tell anyone how much I enjoy lifting weights. I love the burn, the challenge, and I love thinking about it afterwards. Me, of all people, lifting weights! If only I knew that it would be so much fun!
Have a great day!
I have been working out at the health club for a month and a half and I have learned many things. The first thing I have learned is that without a trainer to tell me what to do next, and to encourage me to do more, I would already be floundering. I have learned that being tired is no excuse not to go. When I am tired, and I trudge up those stairs to the cardio bike, I think I am not going to live another minute. After five minutes of warm up at a very reasonable pace, I crank up that machine and my legs just want to move! My tired goes away, my body heats up, the sweat starts to drip, and thoughts of how tired I am fly out the window.
I have learned also that sweating is fun. Who knew? This beautiful cold Saturday morning, I worked on the cardio bike for 40 minutes, listening to some great tunes like Cajun classics, Aaron Neville and Prince. I really had fun! It was hard not to exceed every limit that I have ever had, and my heart rate was faster, my pace was faster, I burned 250 calories (or so) and I felt really great! Then I did 30 minutes on the treadmill simply because I didn't want the music to stop.
I have learned that I can't listen to my head, or anyone else's head either. I have to listen to my body. I don't listen when people at work tell me about their workouts, or their spinning classes, or their trips to the health club so they can sit in the sauna or do yoga. I don't listen to the advice of anyone but the person I pay to help me. A whole new world of exercise is opening up to me. I don't want to tell anyone how much I enjoy lifting weights. I love the burn, the challenge, and I love thinking about it afterwards. Me, of all people, lifting weights! If only I knew that it would be so much fun!
Have a great day!
Friday, February 15, 2008
Aloha!
This morning at 5:00, George left for Hawaii. Without me. We wish him a safe and happy trip. In his suitcase is an American Girl doll for my grand-niece, a pair of binoculars for my nephew and a pretty white embroidered bag for the baby. My niece and her husband are stationed in Hawaii and George gets to visit with them. Seems to me like everyone is going to enjoy the beauty and fun and warm climes of Hawaii, while Thunder and I enjoy....living alone in the cold northeast.
I'm not going to cry. The house is already too quiet. I have made plans to keep myself busy. I will spend longer hours at the health club, and maybe even try out that sauna that everyone seems so keen on. I will eat healthy salads. I know just where to buy a delicious grilled chicken salad on my way home from work. Who wants to cook for one? I am hostess of the Hearts card party at church on Saturday night, so that will get me up and laughing. I have several knitting projects to finish and a good movie, Elizabeth, The Golden Age, with Cate Blanchett, on it's way from Netflix.
George and I finally finished watching the whole series of Deadwood on Netflix. We started before Christmas, had a marathon of watching Deadwood at Mike's house at Christmastime, and just finished on Monday night. It was great. I fell in love with the character of Calamity Jane. The ending was anticlimactic, like they didn't know what to do with the story after all that time, but, so what, it's all about the journey, not the destination.
Unless you're on your way to Hawaii today. Weep.
I'm not going to cry. The house is already too quiet. I have made plans to keep myself busy. I will spend longer hours at the health club, and maybe even try out that sauna that everyone seems so keen on. I will eat healthy salads. I know just where to buy a delicious grilled chicken salad on my way home from work. Who wants to cook for one? I am hostess of the Hearts card party at church on Saturday night, so that will get me up and laughing. I have several knitting projects to finish and a good movie, Elizabeth, The Golden Age, with Cate Blanchett, on it's way from Netflix.
George and I finally finished watching the whole series of Deadwood on Netflix. We started before Christmas, had a marathon of watching Deadwood at Mike's house at Christmastime, and just finished on Monday night. It was great. I fell in love with the character of Calamity Jane. The ending was anticlimactic, like they didn't know what to do with the story after all that time, but, so what, it's all about the journey, not the destination.
Unless you're on your way to Hawaii today. Weep.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
A Party at the Aquarium
Last night George and I went to the New England Aquarium for his office party. It is an annual event that they have at various venues in the city each February. There is always lots of wonderful food. They pass hors d'oeuvres like duck with goat cheese, beef wellington bites, shrimp with wasabi, crab cakes and there are multiple stations of vegetable crudites and cheeses. Dinner is served buffet style at points throughout the party with roast beef (always a favorite), tropical pork & pineapple, grilled salmon and a station for various kinds of ravioli. All this is served with elegant side dishes. There is usually tarts and fruit for dessert, but George and I seldom make it that long. They have an orchestra and a few hardy souls venture out.
Last night the party was held at the New England Aquarium. The evening was darker than normal, but they had tables overlooking the huge fish tank with candles, so it was all very nice. I have never been there before. It was fun and interesting to see all the fish, penquins, sea turtles and stingrays. We followed the pathway up and up around the center tank, where some really colorful and interesting shapes of fishes go round and round. There was a diver with a sign that read George's company name. The diver would put the sign up on the coral, and an angel fish would come by and knock it down. This happened three times, and finally the diver gave up and just swam by a few times with the sign in his hand.
The fish are amazing. It was a little disconcerting to stand in line by the baked salmon table which had been placed right in front of the East Coast Salmon tank, with all the little salmon eyeing the festivities with alarm. But, that didn't stop anyone from enjoying their dinner, which was served with Asian noodles and a napa cabbage salad.
The floor was unadorned cement, and dancing looked rather hard on the legs, so few people ventured onto the small dance floor. I don't know what kind of music the band was playing but it was relatively undanceable. We wandered around instead, greeting friends and munching on all the delicious food. Instead of waiting for the door prize drawing and the tarts, we came home. On the way home we bought some sugar free vanilla ice cream and enjoyed that tucked in our beddies. A nice way to end the evening.
I'm sure we had more fun that those salmon in that tank.
Have a great day.
Last night the party was held at the New England Aquarium. The evening was darker than normal, but they had tables overlooking the huge fish tank with candles, so it was all very nice. I have never been there before. It was fun and interesting to see all the fish, penquins, sea turtles and stingrays. We followed the pathway up and up around the center tank, where some really colorful and interesting shapes of fishes go round and round. There was a diver with a sign that read George's company name. The diver would put the sign up on the coral, and an angel fish would come by and knock it down. This happened three times, and finally the diver gave up and just swam by a few times with the sign in his hand.
The fish are amazing. It was a little disconcerting to stand in line by the baked salmon table which had been placed right in front of the East Coast Salmon tank, with all the little salmon eyeing the festivities with alarm. But, that didn't stop anyone from enjoying their dinner, which was served with Asian noodles and a napa cabbage salad.
The floor was unadorned cement, and dancing looked rather hard on the legs, so few people ventured onto the small dance floor. I don't know what kind of music the band was playing but it was relatively undanceable. We wandered around instead, greeting friends and munching on all the delicious food. Instead of waiting for the door prize drawing and the tarts, we came home. On the way home we bought some sugar free vanilla ice cream and enjoyed that tucked in our beddies. A nice way to end the evening.
I'm sure we had more fun that those salmon in that tank.
Have a great day.
Sunday, February 03, 2008
I can't watch
The Patriots are playing in the Superbowl. It is hard for me to watch. I am too excited and worried. It reminds me of when the Red Sox play for the World Series. It is just too exciting and scary. I find other things to do to keep my mind off the game, while I watch it peeking around the door, or from the computer desk. The Patriots are SUCH an awesome team, they just HAVE to win!
George and I think the commercials so far have been awful. We switched to a travel show at half time and watched a show about Prague. I would like to go to Prague and my Tom Petty days are long over. Now it is time to go back to the game, and watch, and pray.
Go Pats!
George and I think the commercials so far have been awful. We switched to a travel show at half time and watched a show about Prague. I would like to go to Prague and my Tom Petty days are long over. Now it is time to go back to the game, and watch, and pray.
Go Pats!
Streusal Cake in a Cup
For Christmas, we received a gift of a boxed Dean Jacobs streusel cake mix which you bake in two porcelain cups. Blessed Google gave me the information about this cake mix. They have lots of different kinds and you can buy them from online kitchen supply places. They range from $10 to $16 each. It is a sweet basic streusel cake mix, to which you add egg, oil and water. You add butter or margarine to the streusel mix topping, and mix it all together and bake it for 35 minutes. Each cake is in it's own white porcelain cup.
Yesterday morning we decided to bake the cake so we could write a nice thank you letter. There is something basically confusing about baking a cake in a cup. I can't figure out why I am bothered by this. I know what bothers George--where will be put the cups. He has a saying when we want to buy something new, "Where are we going to put it?" He is right. They sell a lot of wonderful things that I can afford but can't store. No, that is not what bothers me so much. I guess I am too frugal. I am bothered by the fact that when you finish, you have two small single serving cakes, when you could bake a big streusel cake in the same amount of time and for a lot less money. Don't get me wrong. I am grateful for the gift. It is good to get any gift that makes you think.
Have a great day.
Yesterday morning we decided to bake the cake so we could write a nice thank you letter. There is something basically confusing about baking a cake in a cup. I can't figure out why I am bothered by this. I know what bothers George--where will be put the cups. He has a saying when we want to buy something new, "Where are we going to put it?" He is right. They sell a lot of wonderful things that I can afford but can't store. No, that is not what bothers me so much. I guess I am too frugal. I am bothered by the fact that when you finish, you have two small single serving cakes, when you could bake a big streusel cake in the same amount of time and for a lot less money. Don't get me wrong. I am grateful for the gift. It is good to get any gift that makes you think.
Have a great day.
Friday, February 01, 2008
Apples, Bananas and Oranges
I work in a healthy community. Lately I have been asked to join the Wellness Committee. One of the efforts of the wellness committee in the past few months is to provide fresh apples, bananas and oranges for employees for healthy snacks. The committee replaced all foods in the vending machines that contained trans fats and added a lot of snacks that are healthier, if not low calorie. They took the cokes out of the machines and replaced them with juice and water. All this is very good. Some of the water has fructose and calories, and some of the snacks are only low fat, but we need calories for energy, and no one needs heart clogging trans fats.
Today I picked up an apple from the front desk. It is a red delicious. George and I don't buy red delicious from the grocery store, because their skins are tough and often they are mealy and soft. Ew. So we mostly buy Gala or Fuji. They are usually beautiful and fresh. My apple from the reception desk is so wonderful that I Googled the name on the little label - Stemilt. Lo, behold, there are beautiful pictures of an apple orchard in Wenatchee, Washington. You can pick apples, take a tour, buy some jelly and go on a hay ride if you want to. But all I want is a good delicious apple at my desk that is fresh and juicy.
Bananas and oranges will have to wait for another day.
Have a great day!
Today I picked up an apple from the front desk. It is a red delicious. George and I don't buy red delicious from the grocery store, because their skins are tough and often they are mealy and soft. Ew. So we mostly buy Gala or Fuji. They are usually beautiful and fresh. My apple from the reception desk is so wonderful that I Googled the name on the little label - Stemilt. Lo, behold, there are beautiful pictures of an apple orchard in Wenatchee, Washington. You can pick apples, take a tour, buy some jelly and go on a hay ride if you want to. But all I want is a good delicious apple at my desk that is fresh and juicy.
Bananas and oranges will have to wait for another day.
Have a great day!
Friday, January 25, 2008
The Muffin Man
I just got home from my seventh session with the trainer at the health club. It is Friday night, and I didn't start until 6:30. I came home from work tired, but bucked up, changed into my exercise duds, laced up my shoes, and went to my workout. The difference in how I feel afterwards is just amazing. It really is true that exercise gives you energy. Rather than tiring me out, it makes me feel LESS tired! Who knew?
I have a lot to learn. I need to not give up on those heavy weights and enjoy the burn a little more. I need to try just a little harder. But I am doing well, and going almost every day is a goal in itself. I feel good when I sweat, and I feel good when I set the bar a little heavier, and the revs a little faster and the push a little harder. I go six days a week. I love it. It is all good.
Who knew that I would begin to listen. So, here's to my friend The Muffin Man!
The famous Oat Bran Muffin Recipe:
3/4 c. whole wheat flour
3/4 c. oat bran cereal
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. baking soda
1/3 c. (1 whole) banana, mashed
1/2 c. yogurt, plain
1 egg
2 T. oil
1/2 t. vanilla
1/2 c. grated carrots
1/2 c. chopped dates or raisins or dried cranberries
1/2 c. walnuts, chopped
Mix the dry ingredients. Mix liquid ingredients in separate bowl. Combine the two mixtures until moistened. Fold in the carrots, dates and walnuts. Lightly grease muffin pan or line with paper cups. Fill 2/3 full. Bake at 400 degrees for 18-20 minutes.
Share with your friends. These are yummy and chewy and good for you too!
I have a lot to learn. I need to not give up on those heavy weights and enjoy the burn a little more. I need to try just a little harder. But I am doing well, and going almost every day is a goal in itself. I feel good when I sweat, and I feel good when I set the bar a little heavier, and the revs a little faster and the push a little harder. I go six days a week. I love it. It is all good.
Who knew that I would begin to listen. So, here's to my friend The Muffin Man!
The famous Oat Bran Muffin Recipe:
3/4 c. whole wheat flour
3/4 c. oat bran cereal
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. baking soda
1/3 c. (1 whole) banana, mashed
1/2 c. yogurt, plain
1 egg
2 T. oil
1/2 t. vanilla
1/2 c. grated carrots
1/2 c. chopped dates or raisins or dried cranberries
1/2 c. walnuts, chopped
Mix the dry ingredients. Mix liquid ingredients in separate bowl. Combine the two mixtures until moistened. Fold in the carrots, dates and walnuts. Lightly grease muffin pan or line with paper cups. Fill 2/3 full. Bake at 400 degrees for 18-20 minutes.
Share with your friends. These are yummy and chewy and good for you too!
Monday, January 21, 2008
A new day
I have found that every once in a while, you have to make a big change in your life. In my life, several times, I have found the truth and been able to make big changes. The truth comes to me in funny ways. This year, the truth came to me that I needed to add exercise into my life. It came to me when someone at my workplace urged me to get as excited as she was about the opening of the new health club next door. We would walk to lunch and she would talk to the construction workers of the sports club. She wanted it to open. She was excited. It didn't seem like such a big deal to me, but I was willing to hear the excitement that she brought to the conversation. She wanted me to join too, so I could exercise with her. I wasn't too sure about that idea, but I did hear the truth...that I needed to do this too.
Thank goodness I heard the truth. I joined the Boston Sports Club, knowing that if I was spending $40 a month and did not go, I would feel awful. I made a commitment, that no matter what, I would go. If I felt out of place, or old, or heavy, or anything less than young, fit and beautiful, I would get over it and go anyway. I would make the best of it. I knew that exercise was something I really needed. There isn't too much aerobic about knitting and making jewelry. Walking around the neighborhood would have been good, but I never seemed to find the time, or the weather wasn't right, and the sidewalks are bumpy. I have been suffering from the lack of exercise. It was getting hard for me to walk up and down stairs, and to do the mundane. I wanted to feel better. I wanted my knees to stop hurting every time I took a step. I didn't want to get out of breath walking two blocks to the lunch place.
The health club opened on December 29th, and I was there the next day. So far, I have been every day since then, except four days. I put little stars on my calendar every day that I go. I look forward to getting there. I like it, and I don't feel out of place.
I was lucky to meet a great guy who is a trainer. He did my free orientation, and we clicked. It is a new day. He helped me figure out what I should be doing, and he got me through the anxiety attack I had when I first got on the cardio machine. He has since become my trainer, and has pushed and prodded me through lots of reps on the strength machine. He asks me to do what I think I cannot do. He works on my weak knees and bad balance and helps me when I need it and pushes me further than I think I can go. He helps me work out the right way, and encourages me to go for a little bit more each day. He shows me that I can do what I think I cannot do. We have a sense of humor. We laugh through the burn. He has made exercise FUN for me.
I have kept my goals simple. I just want to feel better. I just want to get to the health club every day and work out on the cardio and feel the stretch on the weight machines, and get my body to work for me without pain. What I have found out is that the pain of stretched muscles is no where near the pain of unused knees and joints. I used to blame my pain on arthritis, but the doctor usually only talked about extra weight and the burden I was asking my knees to carry. I finally heard the truth.
I will lose weight and I will get stronger. When I wake up, I feel my body recovering from the exercise of the day before, but it feels good. Now when I hurt, I know it is because I'm getting better.
It is a big deal. It is a new day. It is listening to truth, whenever it comes your way.
Have a great day.
Thank goodness I heard the truth. I joined the Boston Sports Club, knowing that if I was spending $40 a month and did not go, I would feel awful. I made a commitment, that no matter what, I would go. If I felt out of place, or old, or heavy, or anything less than young, fit and beautiful, I would get over it and go anyway. I would make the best of it. I knew that exercise was something I really needed. There isn't too much aerobic about knitting and making jewelry. Walking around the neighborhood would have been good, but I never seemed to find the time, or the weather wasn't right, and the sidewalks are bumpy. I have been suffering from the lack of exercise. It was getting hard for me to walk up and down stairs, and to do the mundane. I wanted to feel better. I wanted my knees to stop hurting every time I took a step. I didn't want to get out of breath walking two blocks to the lunch place.
The health club opened on December 29th, and I was there the next day. So far, I have been every day since then, except four days. I put little stars on my calendar every day that I go. I look forward to getting there. I like it, and I don't feel out of place.
I was lucky to meet a great guy who is a trainer. He did my free orientation, and we clicked. It is a new day. He helped me figure out what I should be doing, and he got me through the anxiety attack I had when I first got on the cardio machine. He has since become my trainer, and has pushed and prodded me through lots of reps on the strength machine. He asks me to do what I think I cannot do. He works on my weak knees and bad balance and helps me when I need it and pushes me further than I think I can go. He helps me work out the right way, and encourages me to go for a little bit more each day. He shows me that I can do what I think I cannot do. We have a sense of humor. We laugh through the burn. He has made exercise FUN for me.
I have kept my goals simple. I just want to feel better. I just want to get to the health club every day and work out on the cardio and feel the stretch on the weight machines, and get my body to work for me without pain. What I have found out is that the pain of stretched muscles is no where near the pain of unused knees and joints. I used to blame my pain on arthritis, but the doctor usually only talked about extra weight and the burden I was asking my knees to carry. I finally heard the truth.
I will lose weight and I will get stronger. When I wake up, I feel my body recovering from the exercise of the day before, but it feels good. Now when I hurt, I know it is because I'm getting better.
It is a big deal. It is a new day. It is listening to truth, whenever it comes your way.
Have a great day.
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Futbol!
You don't have to be a football fan to get excited about the Patriots game today. What a team. Perfect season, and now we go to the Superbowl! What a great afternoon of family and football we had at our house today. It was fun eat chips and dip and popcorn and chili and apple pie and play with Lucy and, we won! Amazing and wonderful and fun. What a great sports town Boston has turned out to be. First the Red Sox, then the Celtics making a wonderful comeback, and now the Patriots go to the Super Bowl...again.
Time to get a Patriot's sweatshirt!
Have a great day.
Time to get a Patriot's sweatshirt!
Have a great day.
Saturday, January 19, 2008
January Beads
I took a day off yesterday to go to the Bead Expo show in Marlborough. I picked up Connie at 11:00 and had a nice time at Starbucks before we left. Connie likes the Starbucks cups, and she bought me a beautiful white one with a valentine on it. Ah! Connie is a sweet friend.
We moseyed onto the bead show in Marlborough, taking our wholesaler license and xeroxed copies to leave with the vendors so we don't have to fill out the sheet each time. It is a trick of the trade that I learned at Bead and Button in Milwaukee. I needed some sterling silver, to replenish the supply that I used at Christmastime. I found some beautiful silver rings, earring findings, and bead caps. The price of silver has gone up again from $.79 a gram to $1.25 a gram, so I spent almost $200 in silver alone. A girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do. Or, to put it another way, it is just the price of doing business.
We went through many of the bead shops and I found some beautiful copper filagree to put on turquoise pendants. I bought several colors of silk cord. I found beautiful silk to use for Kumihimo weaving and more silk for knotting pearls. I found square freshwater pearls, which have been hard to find, and paid a nice price of $20 per strand.
I bought some beautiful colors of Czech glass to make memory wire banded bracelets, and some lovely black Onyx. I happen to have a real fondness for black and beige and silver jewelry, and I also found some gorgeous bone beads to make several "tribal" necklaces.
All in all, going to a bead show is a lot about gathering inspiration. I learn by seeing what people are selling, and by talking to the people who are buying. We are a nice group, us jewelry people. The sales people are low key and helpful. They make friends with their customers, and are willing to answer questions. They give us the best prices they can, and let us know of the "specials". I bought some beautiful vintage black jet beads because a vendor pointed them out to me. Three strands of varied shapes and sizes, $3.00 each. Nice.
Connie and I had a great time, and we were happy!
Not bad, for a day off.
Have a great day.
We moseyed onto the bead show in Marlborough, taking our wholesaler license and xeroxed copies to leave with the vendors so we don't have to fill out the sheet each time. It is a trick of the trade that I learned at Bead and Button in Milwaukee. I needed some sterling silver, to replenish the supply that I used at Christmastime. I found some beautiful silver rings, earring findings, and bead caps. The price of silver has gone up again from $.79 a gram to $1.25 a gram, so I spent almost $200 in silver alone. A girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do. Or, to put it another way, it is just the price of doing business.
We went through many of the bead shops and I found some beautiful copper filagree to put on turquoise pendants. I bought several colors of silk cord. I found beautiful silk to use for Kumihimo weaving and more silk for knotting pearls. I found square freshwater pearls, which have been hard to find, and paid a nice price of $20 per strand.
I bought some beautiful colors of Czech glass to make memory wire banded bracelets, and some lovely black Onyx. I happen to have a real fondness for black and beige and silver jewelry, and I also found some gorgeous bone beads to make several "tribal" necklaces.
All in all, going to a bead show is a lot about gathering inspiration. I learn by seeing what people are selling, and by talking to the people who are buying. We are a nice group, us jewelry people. The sales people are low key and helpful. They make friends with their customers, and are willing to answer questions. They give us the best prices they can, and let us know of the "specials". I bought some beautiful vintage black jet beads because a vendor pointed them out to me. Three strands of varied shapes and sizes, $3.00 each. Nice.
Connie and I had a great time, and we were happy!
Not bad, for a day off.
Have a great day.
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
Tendonitis and Doggie Graduation
I went to the doctor to find out what the prognosis is for someone who's ring finger gets stuck in the downturned position. This just started happening about three weeks ago, and I must admit, the first time my finger "stuck" I was terrified! I called the doctor and went in to see the hand surgeon. I was so afraid that he was going to stay, "Stop typing, stop making jewelry, stop knitting,": my life would be OVER!
He was very kind and said nothing of the sort. It is a common ailment for football players. He gave me a splint to wear for eight days, and said to ice the hand three times a day for 30 minutes, no less. He said anything less than 20 minutes and it will do no good at all and only serve to make my hand cold.
There were other things said about shots and surgery, but he doesn't think it will come to that. I wear the splint all the time and manage to type fast with it on, and I am icing on my way to work, and every evening and night. I have my ice bag at work but have not managed to get enough time together to make that happen.
He said that although I have signs of arthritis, there is NO NEED to curtail anything that I do that uses my hands. And boy, do I use my hands! Come on, let's go knit something!
Oh...doggie graduation was Sunday! Is this the cutest picture of Jebu ever? He looks so handsome in his graduation cap from obedience school. Who knew?
Have a great day!
He was very kind and said nothing of the sort. It is a common ailment for football players. He gave me a splint to wear for eight days, and said to ice the hand three times a day for 30 minutes, no less. He said anything less than 20 minutes and it will do no good at all and only serve to make my hand cold.
There were other things said about shots and surgery, but he doesn't think it will come to that. I wear the splint all the time and manage to type fast with it on, and I am icing on my way to work, and every evening and night. I have my ice bag at work but have not managed to get enough time together to make that happen.
He said that although I have signs of arthritis, there is NO NEED to curtail anything that I do that uses my hands. And boy, do I use my hands! Come on, let's go knit something!
Oh...doggie graduation was Sunday! Is this the cutest picture of Jebu ever? He looks so handsome in his graduation cap from obedience school. Who knew?
Have a great day!
Saturday, January 05, 2008
Working Out
I went for my fifth visit to the health club last night and met with my trainer. He is very nice and we had a lot of fun. It is hard to lift 70 pounds when you are in a giggle, but that is what was happening. The amazing thing is that I am finding it really liberating to sweat. My makeup goes on the towel, and the sweat drips, and I just keep on going. He ratcheted up my reps on the weight machines, and some of them were really hard. I don't hurt today, which is what I worried about. I guess when you do it right, and with the right people helping you, it doesn't hurt. I felt elated when I left. It is so great to do the right thing. I'm going to do this 6 times a week for a year, and then we will see what kind of difference exercise makes in a sedentary life! Let's face it, making jewelry and knitting isn't aerobic.
Last night I did my 30 minutes on the cardio-monitored bike and loved every minute of it. There is a TV and a built in fan, and it really isn't that hard. After 15 minutes I really know I'm working my body. The trainer had me balance on a semi circle cushion and try to stand upright. At first it was really hard, but I found out that concentration helped, and in the end, I wasn't so clumsy. Without exercise, my balance has suffered, and it is a good thing to try to work to get it back. He also had me use a big ball against the wall and do squats. Not my favorite thing, but I got it, and then he added 10 pound handbells to the process. It really was fun to work with him for the 45 minutes and I have another session on Sunday.
My body is asking "whatzup?"
Have a great day!
Last night I did my 30 minutes on the cardio-monitored bike and loved every minute of it. There is a TV and a built in fan, and it really isn't that hard. After 15 minutes I really know I'm working my body. The trainer had me balance on a semi circle cushion and try to stand upright. At first it was really hard, but I found out that concentration helped, and in the end, I wasn't so clumsy. Without exercise, my balance has suffered, and it is a good thing to try to work to get it back. He also had me use a big ball against the wall and do squats. Not my favorite thing, but I got it, and then he added 10 pound handbells to the process. It really was fun to work with him for the 45 minutes and I have another session on Sunday.
My body is asking "whatzup?"
Have a great day!
Monday, December 31, 2007
The Health Club
I joined the Boston Sports Club. It is a swanky health club that is one block from my office. My company subsidizes the cost to $150 a year. The club costs $50 a month. My trainer costs another $75 for three sessions, and after that he will cost $89 an hour. That is probably off the charts for me, but I can dream, can't I? I would like to imagine getting stronger and leaner, if not younger. I can imagine doing a high dive off the diving board in their beautiful pool. But, first things first. Right now, I am dreaming that some day it won't hurt so bad.
The trainer started me off by showing me the eight different exercise machines that do leg pushes and pulls, arm pushes and pulls and other devices of torture that are so good for you. I have to adjust the weights on the machines and the height of the seat and after all that, I only get to do 12 reps to start off. But...I am a beginner and this WILL get easier. Right?
Then he moved me on to the cardio cycle, where you adjust the settings for five minutes of warm up, do twenty five minutes of cycling to get your heart rate up to 120 beats a minute...any more than that, he says, and your body goes into panic mode and starts burning muscle. So, for twenty five minutes I watch TV with the earphones and try to ignore the fact that my feet don't fit the stirrups, that my right knee hurts with every push and that I'm sweating. The sweating is actually the fun part. I was amazed how much I enjoyed getting sweaty. My body heats up and it feels good! I really am amazed. But, my knee still hurts. He said that will go away, when the muscle builds up and my knee begins to learn that blood flow is good. He said that arthritis isn't cured by anything, but that a good supply of blood to the area is a very good thing. I believe him.
My doctor is all for my joining the health club. She says that 90% of my health problems would go away if I wasn't carrying around extra weight. It is a tough nut to handle. No more pudding, apple pie and creme brulee. It is time to crack down and drink water and enjoy sweating. It is time to do what everyone knows is the right thing to do: exercise!
I am going to blog it while I flog it. I have a new motto, "It feels great to lose weight in 2008". And I told George tonight - this is a VERY big deal. I am happy when I make a resolution and stick to it. I am happy when I make a choice that I know is a good one and stick to it. And right now, seeing how much work it is to burn 150 calories, you couldn't force me to eat a creme brulee.
Have a healthy and safe New Years Eve. See you at the health club tomorrow!
The trainer started me off by showing me the eight different exercise machines that do leg pushes and pulls, arm pushes and pulls and other devices of torture that are so good for you. I have to adjust the weights on the machines and the height of the seat and after all that, I only get to do 12 reps to start off. But...I am a beginner and this WILL get easier. Right?
Then he moved me on to the cardio cycle, where you adjust the settings for five minutes of warm up, do twenty five minutes of cycling to get your heart rate up to 120 beats a minute...any more than that, he says, and your body goes into panic mode and starts burning muscle. So, for twenty five minutes I watch TV with the earphones and try to ignore the fact that my feet don't fit the stirrups, that my right knee hurts with every push and that I'm sweating. The sweating is actually the fun part. I was amazed how much I enjoyed getting sweaty. My body heats up and it feels good! I really am amazed. But, my knee still hurts. He said that will go away, when the muscle builds up and my knee begins to learn that blood flow is good. He said that arthritis isn't cured by anything, but that a good supply of blood to the area is a very good thing. I believe him.
My doctor is all for my joining the health club. She says that 90% of my health problems would go away if I wasn't carrying around extra weight. It is a tough nut to handle. No more pudding, apple pie and creme brulee. It is time to crack down and drink water and enjoy sweating. It is time to do what everyone knows is the right thing to do: exercise!
I am going to blog it while I flog it. I have a new motto, "It feels great to lose weight in 2008". And I told George tonight - this is a VERY big deal. I am happy when I make a resolution and stick to it. I am happy when I make a choice that I know is a good one and stick to it. And right now, seeing how much work it is to burn 150 calories, you couldn't force me to eat a creme brulee.
Have a healthy and safe New Years Eve. See you at the health club tomorrow!
Saturday, December 29, 2007
A new leaf
Isn't January just a great time to turn over new leaves? I had a very interesting 2007, culminating with finding a job that I really love. What a blessing it is to look forward to going to work in the mornings!
We had a great time at Michael and Michelle's house at Christmas time. Spending Christmas Day with her family in Maryland is always fun. A lovely turkey dinner cooked by someone else was a real treat!
Yesterday I joined the Boston Sports Club that is one block from my office. I met with my trainer, Brian, who I will meet with on Sunday afternoon for my first session. He will help me get started at a pace that is comfortable, and we will ratchet it up a few notches each week as I go along. I can use the exercise. I want to build up my strength and endurance, and strengthen my bones. Losing weight, of course, is also a goal, and to that end, I will start Weight Watchers on January 11. See what I mean about new leaves?
I packed my new Eddie Bauer pack with my Ipod, my Ipod Shuffle, my cell phone, my new Sennheiser earphones that Michael got me for Christmas, my phone cords, my Ipod chargers, my camera, sunglasses and my health club key card. I gave one of these packs away as my Yankee gift swap at work, and I don't think the person who got it saw the possibilities. They are really great for organizing the stuff you don't want to live without that doesn't fit into your handbag. I love it. To each his own.
Christmas is over and we have very little undecorating to do. We didn't put up a tree this year, and I held down the centerpieces and the decorations as well. We have a live wreath on the door that can stay there until it goes to compost. Easy. I like decorating, but I do not like UNdecorating, so this is an easy year. I talked to a friend at church about this, and she said the NEVER decorate for Christmas anymore because it just keeps things much simpler. Maybe she had a point. Maybe it is Bah Humbug, but....we'll wait until next year to see what we think. I had a great time selling jewelry this year to friends at my office. It was fun to show them what I made and see what they wanted to buy for themselves and for friends. I used a lot of my inventory of sterling silver and crystals, and ordered more with the proceeds!
Wish me luck on the new health club leaf!
Have a great day.
We had a great time at Michael and Michelle's house at Christmas time. Spending Christmas Day with her family in Maryland is always fun. A lovely turkey dinner cooked by someone else was a real treat!
Yesterday I joined the Boston Sports Club that is one block from my office. I met with my trainer, Brian, who I will meet with on Sunday afternoon for my first session. He will help me get started at a pace that is comfortable, and we will ratchet it up a few notches each week as I go along. I can use the exercise. I want to build up my strength and endurance, and strengthen my bones. Losing weight, of course, is also a goal, and to that end, I will start Weight Watchers on January 11. See what I mean about new leaves?
I packed my new Eddie Bauer pack with my Ipod, my Ipod Shuffle, my cell phone, my new Sennheiser earphones that Michael got me for Christmas, my phone cords, my Ipod chargers, my camera, sunglasses and my health club key card. I gave one of these packs away as my Yankee gift swap at work, and I don't think the person who got it saw the possibilities. They are really great for organizing the stuff you don't want to live without that doesn't fit into your handbag. I love it. To each his own.
Christmas is over and we have very little undecorating to do. We didn't put up a tree this year, and I held down the centerpieces and the decorations as well. We have a live wreath on the door that can stay there until it goes to compost. Easy. I like decorating, but I do not like UNdecorating, so this is an easy year. I talked to a friend at church about this, and she said the NEVER decorate for Christmas anymore because it just keeps things much simpler. Maybe she had a point. Maybe it is Bah Humbug, but....we'll wait until next year to see what we think. I had a great time selling jewelry this year to friends at my office. It was fun to show them what I made and see what they wanted to buy for themselves and for friends. I used a lot of my inventory of sterling silver and crystals, and ordered more with the proceeds!
Wish me luck on the new health club leaf!
Have a great day.
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
Merry Christmas Day!
George and I are in Vienna, Virginia, visiting Michael and Michelle. We have had a lot of fun baking 6 kinds of cookies and bars. We watched movies and went out for Korean food on Christmas Eve. It was delicious! Korean restaurants here are a lot better than the ones we have near our home. We baked lemon bars, date bars, sugar cookies, chocolate surprise cookies, gingersnaps and something called Knock You Naked Brownies, which are made with caramels and chocolate chips and are rich enough to be called candy. They didn't knock me naked, and I am letting others enjoy their gooey richness. Give me my coffee black and a small sugar cookies please.
The Christmas packages are wrapped and ready. We will take Panera bread and all our home baked cookies to the Christmas dinner. This morning we will have to do some sugar cookies and piped frosting. I love making sugar cookies on Christmas morning. When you don't have little ones about, you have time for stuff like that!
This morning I awoke thinking about all the blessings I have. My mom is home and enjoying her Christmas, making cookies and baking a roast beef for her dinner. She will have a few visitors. She got her Christmas packages all ready, and is safe and sound and happy in her home. She sent $100 money orders around to members of the family, and I am so grateful that she is still so generous and able to think about others and still take care of her self. She likes her helper, Ruth, who is like another daughter to her, and we are very grateful that Ruth is there to help her each day.
Mom got new carpeting recently, and a new light in the kitchen. She handled the landscapers who came and cleaned up her lawn after the flood. She had the plumbers and the painters in. She is handling all this. And she is 98 years old! Now, that is a blessing!
I am blessed with a wonderful, loving, son, and his beautiful and kind and patient wife, Michelle. It is such a blessing to have a whole new family to visit and enjoy. Her parents and family are lovely people, and we are comfortable and happy in their presence. And what a blessing I have in George, who takes care of me, loves me and is so gallant and charming and honorable. He is honest and kind and sensitive and a rocket scientist to boot! Now, that's a blessing!
So, have a wonderful Merry Christmas. Blessed be!
The Christmas packages are wrapped and ready. We will take Panera bread and all our home baked cookies to the Christmas dinner. This morning we will have to do some sugar cookies and piped frosting. I love making sugar cookies on Christmas morning. When you don't have little ones about, you have time for stuff like that!
This morning I awoke thinking about all the blessings I have. My mom is home and enjoying her Christmas, making cookies and baking a roast beef for her dinner. She will have a few visitors. She got her Christmas packages all ready, and is safe and sound and happy in her home. She sent $100 money orders around to members of the family, and I am so grateful that she is still so generous and able to think about others and still take care of her self. She likes her helper, Ruth, who is like another daughter to her, and we are very grateful that Ruth is there to help her each day.
Mom got new carpeting recently, and a new light in the kitchen. She handled the landscapers who came and cleaned up her lawn after the flood. She had the plumbers and the painters in. She is handling all this. And she is 98 years old! Now, that is a blessing!
I am blessed with a wonderful, loving, son, and his beautiful and kind and patient wife, Michelle. It is such a blessing to have a whole new family to visit and enjoy. Her parents and family are lovely people, and we are comfortable and happy in their presence. And what a blessing I have in George, who takes care of me, loves me and is so gallant and charming and honorable. He is honest and kind and sensitive and a rocket scientist to boot! Now, that's a blessing!
So, have a wonderful Merry Christmas. Blessed be!
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Santa's Sleigh goes to Washington
We are leaving in fifteen minutes to go to Logan to catch the sleigh to Michael's house for Christmas. I can't wait. A big treat is going to be meeting Jebu for the first time. Mike says he is anxious for us to get there so they can throw the ball. Their arms hurt.
We have packed the luggage with presents and lounging pants. Ready to lay back and have a great time. I love going to Maryland for Christmas Day with Michelle's family, where the rolling hills are so beautiful.
On Christmas Eve we are going to go to the National Cathedral for services. I love Washington DC. The weather is going to be rainy, but no snow storms, so we are happy. Boston has had 27 inches of snow already this year, which is close to the record. We are tired of the white hard icy stuff.
The taxi is here.
Have a WONDERFUL Christmas Day, and a happy and healthy NEW YEAR!
Merry Christmas!
We have packed the luggage with presents and lounging pants. Ready to lay back and have a great time. I love going to Maryland for Christmas Day with Michelle's family, where the rolling hills are so beautiful.
On Christmas Eve we are going to go to the National Cathedral for services. I love Washington DC. The weather is going to be rainy, but no snow storms, so we are happy. Boston has had 27 inches of snow already this year, which is close to the record. We are tired of the white hard icy stuff.
The taxi is here.
Have a WONDERFUL Christmas Day, and a happy and healthy NEW YEAR!
Merry Christmas!
Thursday, December 20, 2007
A pretty lousy snow day
George's birthday is today. I had planned to make us a nice Birthday breakfast with muffins and bacon and eggs. Instead, I realized the I had to fast this morning to prepare for my annual physical and blood tests. Bummer! Then, I found out by going to the dermatologist that I have a tiny pre-cancerous bing on my chin...like a little raw spot that won't heal...and that doesn't do much for raising one's spirits.
We both had a busy day at work. My day included a very nice Christmas dinner out with co-workers and George's day included a Chinese dinner at work to celebrate with his department. When George picked me up at the restaurant tonight to take me home, I noticed that there was a large banged up dark spot on the left side of his car. He had been hit by a snow plow earlier in the afternoon. A plow came around a bend in the road too fast and took his back door off. George saw it coming and leaned over the passenger seat trying not to get killed. It must have been horrifying. The crash gave him quite a scare, and he went to MIT medical to be checked out. Through all this, I was typing like crazy at my office trying to finish a project. He was shaken up and ripped his pants from the knee down on what was left of the door of his car. More bummer! Oh well. George is ok, the car can be fixed, and we have another car to drive to work tomorrow.
Tonight we are having a pajama party and looking at recipes for cookies. Sometimes making cookies is just too much on top of a relatively challenging day. So, we talked about making cookies instead and made plans for better days ahead. Now, time for bed. I hope the roof doesn't cave in.
Have a great evening.
We both had a busy day at work. My day included a very nice Christmas dinner out with co-workers and George's day included a Chinese dinner at work to celebrate with his department. When George picked me up at the restaurant tonight to take me home, I noticed that there was a large banged up dark spot on the left side of his car. He had been hit by a snow plow earlier in the afternoon. A plow came around a bend in the road too fast and took his back door off. George saw it coming and leaned over the passenger seat trying not to get killed. It must have been horrifying. The crash gave him quite a scare, and he went to MIT medical to be checked out. Through all this, I was typing like crazy at my office trying to finish a project. He was shaken up and ripped his pants from the knee down on what was left of the door of his car. More bummer! Oh well. George is ok, the car can be fixed, and we have another car to drive to work tomorrow.
Tonight we are having a pajama party and looking at recipes for cookies. Sometimes making cookies is just too much on top of a relatively challenging day. So, we talked about making cookies instead and made plans for better days ahead. Now, time for bed. I hope the roof doesn't cave in.
Have a great evening.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Get out of Dodge
The forecast today in Boston is for six to ten inches of snow starting at 1:00 this afternoon. Everyone dreads that kind of a storm, and no one is ever prepared. I feel fortunate because I do not have to drive home. The trusty subway and the trusty (sorta) bus, will make sure that I get home. The bus stop is one block from my house, so even with piles of snow, I should be able to navigate that.
The best thing about this storm is the speed at which it will move over us. Tomorrow is supposed to be 40 degrees. Yes, it will dump snow on us, then leave for a couple of days, but another storm is on its way to us on Saturday evening to dump more snow.
Lucky George left this morning for West Palm Beach on a business trip. Sounds like a good thing to do on the afternoon when six inches of snow is predicted. I hope he has fun. I hope the beaches are warm and beautiful and that the stone crab soup is delicious and that the sun is bright and shiny.
Forecast for Miami? Rain and thunderstorms.
Have a great day.
The best thing about this storm is the speed at which it will move over us. Tomorrow is supposed to be 40 degrees. Yes, it will dump snow on us, then leave for a couple of days, but another storm is on its way to us on Saturday evening to dump more snow.
Lucky George left this morning for West Palm Beach on a business trip. Sounds like a good thing to do on the afternoon when six inches of snow is predicted. I hope he has fun. I hope the beaches are warm and beautiful and that the stone crab soup is delicious and that the sun is bright and shiny.
Forecast for Miami? Rain and thunderstorms.
Have a great day.
Sunday, December 09, 2007
Deadwood
George and I have been renting Deadwood from Netflix. We have seen seven episodes in a row, and are waiting for the next CD to appear in the mail on Monday. We watch two or three episodes every week, and look forward to the next. Sometimes we think that we should order a movie to break the routine...but Deadwood has us by the throat.
Deadwood is wonderful. It is full of some really harsh language, and a lot of really harsh characters. The Director says that he suspects in a town where there was no law, people would talk like this. Maybe so. All I know is that my mother wouldn't let me watch Archie Bunker and All In The Family because she didn't like the way he talked to his family. My gosh, what would she doe if she knew about Deadwood? I am afraid to even tell people I love it, because a lot of people have children in the household, and it is definitely NOT a show for children. Oh, the blood, mud and gore. Oh the whores and the thieves and the violence. If I had a kid, I'd much rather they watch Girls Next Door with me than watch Deadwood. But, I don't have a kid at home, so let 'er rip.
Calamity Jane is my favorite character. The director says that historically Calamity Jane was so nasty and drunk and harsh, that true alcoholics would leave the bar when she walked in. There isn't anything pretty about Calamity Jane, but I love her all the same. It is a wonderful character. Then I looked at the HBO site, and saw these pictures of the actress who plays her. Incredible. Calamity Jane is such a calamity!
So, as George watches the beloved Patriots play football this Sunday evening, I look forward to Monday night, and another great episode of Deadwood. Bring it on!
Deadwood is wonderful. It is full of some really harsh language, and a lot of really harsh characters. The Director says that he suspects in a town where there was no law, people would talk like this. Maybe so. All I know is that my mother wouldn't let me watch Archie Bunker and All In The Family because she didn't like the way he talked to his family. My gosh, what would she doe if she knew about Deadwood? I am afraid to even tell people I love it, because a lot of people have children in the household, and it is definitely NOT a show for children. Oh, the blood, mud and gore. Oh the whores and the thieves and the violence. If I had a kid, I'd much rather they watch Girls Next Door with me than watch Deadwood. But, I don't have a kid at home, so let 'er rip.
Calamity Jane is my favorite character. The director says that historically Calamity Jane was so nasty and drunk and harsh, that true alcoholics would leave the bar when she walked in. There isn't anything pretty about Calamity Jane, but I love her all the same. It is a wonderful character. Then I looked at the HBO site, and saw these pictures of the actress who plays her. Incredible. Calamity Jane is such a calamity!
So, as George watches the beloved Patriots play football this Sunday evening, I look forward to Monday night, and another great episode of Deadwood. Bring it on!
Sunday, December 02, 2007
An evening with Lucy
George and I got to babysit for his granddaughter Lucy, while her parents went out to dinner. It was a great way to spend a Saturday evening. Lucy wasn't all that happy when she arrived. She had been sleeping happily in the car, and then had the rude awakening of a cold night, a strange house, and the fact that her parent's were leaving. Triple threat!
She didn't cry exactly, but she wasn't that thrilled to be here either. George took her and walked her all around the house. He said he wanted to show her all the rooms so she would know where she was. I went into the kitchen to finish our dinner, and the house became silent. I came into the den, and George was watching TV, a children's cartoon program (which he hated), and Lucy was laying back on his lap. She was still as a mouse, and never moved. She looked all around, but she was quiet and resting.
They both stayed that way for a long time, and then Lucy saw the cat! That was the end of laying back. She sat up as if a mountain lion had come into the room. Thunder wasn't that curious about her (she had been here before), but Lucy's eyes because wide as saucers. She loved it and started to gurgle little sounds. "Kitty, Kitty", we said over and over.
Then we had our bottle, and our squash, and a few peas off my plate. She ate and gurgled and talked her own sweet language, and stayed right there on the couch nestled in with George. I brought her toys and she stayed right there and played. It was a sweet evening.
No roaming around. No fussing. She was a perfect little lady, and George was the perfect grampa.
Here's a few imperfect pictures.
Have a great day.
She didn't cry exactly, but she wasn't that thrilled to be here either. George took her and walked her all around the house. He said he wanted to show her all the rooms so she would know where she was. I went into the kitchen to finish our dinner, and the house became silent. I came into the den, and George was watching TV, a children's cartoon program (which he hated), and Lucy was laying back on his lap. She was still as a mouse, and never moved. She looked all around, but she was quiet and resting.
They both stayed that way for a long time, and then Lucy saw the cat! That was the end of laying back. She sat up as if a mountain lion had come into the room. Thunder wasn't that curious about her (she had been here before), but Lucy's eyes because wide as saucers. She loved it and started to gurgle little sounds. "Kitty, Kitty", we said over and over.
Then we had our bottle, and our squash, and a few peas off my plate. She ate and gurgled and talked her own sweet language, and stayed right there on the couch nestled in with George. I brought her toys and she stayed right there and played. It was a sweet evening.
No roaming around. No fussing. She was a perfect little lady, and George was the perfect grampa.
Here's a few imperfect pictures.
Have a great day.
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