2008

There have been years in my life that I couldn't wait to put behind me. Years that had proven so difficult or miserable that I'm not even sure how I survived them. But the new year has always held hope for me, no matter what the past year was like and this new year arriving is no different.

2008 gave me squirrels in the attic but it also gave me a super fun cruise to Mexico. 2008 gave me a worn out furnace that needed replacing but it also gave me the opportunity and inspiration to start a new little business. There was good and bad in the year but nothing that broke my spirit. Best of all, 2008 gave me the beginning of life for my first great-grandchild. How could I not look back on 2008 with pleasure and appreciation?

One of the biggest truths I've learned in my long years is that life is what you make of it. If you allow setbacks to bring you down instead of looking at them as obstacles you can overcome, then you won't get the most out of life. If you can look beyond momentary unhappiness to the possibility of happiness in the future then you are a winner in life. It's all about the "attitude".

If you have the love of family or friends, then you have the best of what life has to offer. I can look forward to 2009 with both of those things so I'm one lucky lady.

Happy New Year!

Blindsided

No matter how hard you try to organize your life so that mistakes are kept at a minimum you will always run into unexpected problems.

Case in point...when I leave Canada for Florida, I meticulously change all the information on Ebay and PayPal. For instance, my delivery address for purchases or incoming payments made by cheque or money order is changed to my Florida address. This is a simple procedure and one I've never had to recheck each time I made a purchase. Until this time!

Apparently I made a few purchases from someone I'd bought from before and, belatedly, I discovered that either PayPal or the seller changed my delivery address back to my Canadian one. Never thought that could happen!

Luckily I have good neighbors back home who pick up my mail but I'm a little worried that at least one of the items coming won't be left without a signature so they'll have to go to the trouble of picking the darned thing up at the post office...if they're allowed!! Who could have anticipated a stupid problem like this?

Silly and easily preventable things like this pop up all through our lives. We're at the mercy of ineptitude and people who like to reinterpret the information they have been given. We like to think that computers will keep our records straight but it's the human error we should worry about.

The only recourse we have is to constantly double check the details of all business dealings. Double check your receipts because you just find enough errors in a year to fill your gas tank. Double check your invoices because you might find you've been charged twice for the same item. Double check your restaurant bill to see that they haven't already charged you a tip.

There isn't any way to guarantee you're as organized as you think you are.

Complaints

I seldom waste a moment of my precious time on negative people but every once in a while one of them slips through my defences. Negative people are really and truly draining. I don't mean the occasional squawk or minor bitching but the sort of thing that goes on and on and on.

I firmly believe that we lengthen our lifespan by being around positive people. The more often you laugh, the longer you'll live. Or maybe the fun company just makes you feel more alive. Whichever, just show me a smiling face and I'll head in that direction.

Negative people will harp on about every ache and pain, every person who has ever slighted them, and then give you a list of their present problems. Nothing ever seems to go right for them. There is no joy in their lives. When they latch onto you, they want a sounding board and they want you to agree with them that they're being treated badly. I admit I "tsk, tsk" a lot because I don't want to hurt their feelings.

I've spent countless hours advising people like this to just stay away from people who hurt or irritate them but I sometimes wonder if negative people enjoy the negativity. It provides drama in their lives.

I don't shut many people out of my life and it takes a supreme crapover to make me do it. So I'll continue to maintain a few negative friends because there is at least a bit of good in everyone and we should try to nurture it. And tolerance is a virtue, right?

Feeling Much Better

I'm still awfully stuffed up in the sinuses but I really do feel much better. I passed on coffee and donuts at the clubhouse this morning and decided to get some cleaning done in the trailer. I've done nothing but wash the occasional dish for the past week.

I started a wash and then began cleaning and straightening the Florida Room. I really need to get rid of more stuff from there but it all appears to be stuff I can't live without. Can it be? I then took down all the Xmas decorations...didn't take much time...and swept the floor. It's hard to believe how much sand gets tracked into the house even when we remove our shoes before entering.

It was lovely and warm but with a nice breeze so I hung part of my laundery on the line. Some things had to go in the dryer but I was lucky enough to get the one good dryer we have. It's the oldest and cheapest one.

By 1 P.M. I was lounging at the pool.

It wasn't long before our table filled up with friends and we had a good gab session. I didn't go into the pool because my cold isn't completely gone yet. The water temperature was 88 degrees but the warm air had a bit of a bite in the breeze.

Oh yes, my daughter phoned me to say her brother-in-law had suffered a heart attack this morning and isn't doing well. He's only 45 years old. There are no guarantees in life and that's why we should treasure every day we live and not take life for granted. Unfortunately, we don't usually learn that lesson until well into old age.

This day I've been given and enjoyed isn't over yet. A gang of us are going over to the clubhouse at 7 P.M. to socialize and play "31"...also known as "Scat". Whether any of us win or lose doesn't matter. What does matter is how much laughter and how many smiles can be produced.

My Xmas Day

I thought I was well enough to attend our Christmas dinner but I was wrong. Even though I rested all morning I was still listless by noon. I wasn't coughing and that was my prime requisite for allowing myself to go over to the crowded clubhouse, though.

Shelley phoned from Bolivia and we had a lovely talk (even John and the kids). I feel so close to that little family even though we don't see each other terribly often. Genuine love surpasses all obstacles. They've decided that they'll return to the States to celebrate next Xmas, though, and I'm thankful for that.

Sheila and Sylvia had set the tables with our table cloths and name tags around 9 P.M. Xmas eve so at least we knew where we'd be sitting...there were 13 in our group. Sheila came to my trailer around 10:30 A.M. on Xmas day and insisted I go over to the clubhouse with her and put our place settings out. First I needed a shower so she just had to wait for me. I'm always showered and dressed by at least 8 A.M. in the morning but illness makes us sloppy.

There were a lot of people at the clubhouse already when we got over there and everyone expects kisses and hugs on Xmas but I had to tell them, "No, I'm germy but I epect double kisses and hugs for New Year's eve".

Dinner, as usual, was excellent. Everyone took something (I made broccoli salad) and the park management supplied ham and turkey. My head was awfully stuffy and I felt pretty bad so it was no surprise when I could barely eat any dinner. I was also signed up to help with cleanup but had to bow out, go home and have a 4 hour nap. I did get to catch more of my family (2 daughters, 1 grandson, 1 sister, and 1 brother-in-law) by calling Kim's house where their last Xmas meal was being held. Apparently, they'd all done nothing but celebrate with Xmas meals a couple of times a day for 2 whole days! I miss them more than I can say but it does my heart good to know they like being together.

I stayed home in the evening, snoozed, watched drivel on T.V. and then went to bed early, still feeling awful. I woke up coughing in the morning but drugs settled that down so that I was able to function close to normal. Sylvia and I went out shopping for a few hours and found the malls half empty...not a good sign for the economy. The picture shown is my first purchase for my future greatgrandson who will arrive in July. We don't know the sex of the baby yet but I couldn't resist this cute little outfit with the sailboat (Great Grampa was a sailor). I also bought a pretty little Xmas outfit for a possible girl baby. I bought a 12 month size because the babies in our family are never small. The baby will be 5 months old next Xmas and will almost certainly need 12 month sized clothing.

I still have very little appetite but, in all honesty, could live off my fat for months if necessary. After a pre-dinner (which I couldn't eat) nap, I actually began to feel very good so I decided to water my outdoor flowers because they'd started to wilt in the heat. We have Bingo tonight and I'm sure I'll feel like a little home-made soup when I get home at 9 P.M.

The body has amazing recuperative powers but this cold kind of scared me with it's intensity. Maybe I'm just spoiled by having been cold free for so many years. In any case, I think I've got it beat now. Wish me luck at Bingo!

Poor Me, Sick for Christmas

I started sneezing on Sunday and hoped it was allergies. On Monday, my coffee group celebrated by adding Kahlua to our coffee and then we ladies met at a friend's gazebo for drinks in the afternoon. She served slush which I was stupid enough to accept.

It was a cold day and I was having trouble staying warm...not good for the immune system. Neither is booze in the morning and again in the afternoon. Well, it went further than that.

Most of the ladies had the good sense to leave before they got drunk but not 3 of us. One of our problems is that we ran out of pop for the slush and began to drink it straight. That and the fact we were having a hell of a good time made us keep on drinking until we were beyond help.

The binge lasted from 4-7:30 and I still can't believe we got so drunk in that short a time. Slush is a killer and I'll never touch it again. When I woke up yesterday morning my cold had settled full force in my chest and I really felt as though I'd die because it hurt so much to cough.

Friends have been stopping by yesterday and today to see how I'm doing and I appreciate their concern so darned much. This is a magical place where people really do look after each other.

I'm going to stay away from the Xmas Eve festivities so that I don't infect anyone and then hopefully feel well enough tomorrow to attend our Xmas dinner. I won't go if I'm still coughing but that seems to have eased up now. Wish me luck!

Merry Christmas!

Coffee/Kahlua Morning

Every Monday morning while I'm in Florida I have a group of ladies over for coffee and chitchat. This morning we added Kahlua to the coffee as a pre-Christmas treat. Very nice, I might add!

The group changes a bit each week, depending on who is here and what their other commitments are so today we had either 9 or 10 crammed into my little trailer. Yesterday it was warm enough to go swimming but today we needed jackets outside so coffee was best served indoors. By March we could have 15 or more in our group and that's when I'm happy to hold coffee time out on the patio, spilling out into the grass. It's great to have a nice, big crowd but only outside.

Apparently this is going to be a drinking day. Coffee and Kahlua morning and then we have a little party around 4 P.M. where slush will be served. I'm not sure I'll be up to it. It doesn't matter, though, because there's never any pressure to drink and I'll be just as happy sipping a Diet Pepsi.

Life is good!

Christmas Spirit Down South

****************************************************************************Don't let anyone say that there is no Christmas spirit in the warm, sunny south. There's not much room in some of these little trailers but we do what we can.

Picture #2 shows my dollar store Xmas tree covered in dollar store and yard sale ornaments. The lovely table cover was bought for 10 cents at a yard sale. The cards are from loving friends. Forgive the poor focus of the picture...the sun was shining a little too brightly through the window.

Picture #1 is a darned good heavy metal sleigh bought for $5 at a yard sale. I covered pocket books and an empty wine bottle with foil wrapping paper to look like gifts and filled in with a few dollar store bows.

I also have a dollar store wreath on the front door.

This is Christmas decorating on a budget but still proving that the Christmas spirit is alive and well in Florida.

Merry Chrismas...and now I'm going to the pool!

This Generation Was Cheated

I was at a store today and paid for my $4.71 purchase with a $5 bill. Just as the cashier rang it in I pulled 80 cents out of my purse, apologized but decided to see how she'd handle it. She looked to be about 18 or 19 and was very sweet and polite but she was lost. I told her that my change would be $1.09 because I'd quickly and easily figured it out in my head. My generation was taught how in school but her generation was taught by lazy teachers who handed their students calculators.

She was still polite and said she believed me but would have to find a calculator to make sure. I felt very sorry for her because she had been cheated out of a basic education and would probably always have trouble figuring numbers in her head. The poor girl located a calculator, punched in the numbers, and saw that she owed me $1.09.

How and why did we allow this to happen? What do we have to look forward to in the future because these same kids will become teachers to the next generation?

Merry Christmas!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

I'm on my annual tirade against sales clerks forced by their bosses and some idiot's idea of political correctness to say happy holidays instead of OUR traditional, "Merry Christmas". I swear I will walk out of the next establishment that forces their employees to spout that asinine phrase!

It is the Canadian and American tradition to celebrate Christmas. We greet each other by saying "Merry Christmas". Any religions who do not follow this path are free to greet each other any damn way they choose but don't think for a minute that we're giving up our own traditions because they aren't the same as someone else's.

"Merry Christmas" to all...and I do mean all.

Serious Illness in Old Age

When we're young we think we'll live forever. Not so. If we're very lucky we live to a ripe old age and maintain relatively good health. But sometimes the bodies we've abused with hard labor, hard times, and bad food decide to give up on us before we're ready.

Two people who are very close to me and have been a part of my life for many years aren't feeling so well these days and it saddens me deeply. They may still have plenty of years left to them but now they're threatened with health problems and age lessens their chances of beating them off.

When my once healthy and hearty husband was seriously ill I couldn't help feeling resentful when I'd see aged criminals looking like they'd live to see 100. It was wrong of me to feel this way but it seemed so darned unfair for a good person to be sick and a nasty one to thrive. And now two very good people in my life are not well and I'm feeling the same way I felt when my husband was ill.

When you become a senior you know that your days are numbered. It doesn't stop you from enjoying yourself but it does make you more grateful for each pleasure. No-one can predict the future with certainty so we always hope our end is far enough away that we really don't have to worry about it today. I've enjoyed myself so many days these past years that I worry I might have used up my quota...but I'd still like another day.

A friend and I were walking home from cards the other night and talked about how lucky we were to be outside in December in short sleeves. We know our winters in Florida will end one day but we'll have great memories of our time here and of the terrific friendships we've developed. We're wise enough to not look too far into the future but just enjoy the moment.

Make wonderful memories and enjoy each moment you can.

Items I Sell on Ebay

It's fun selling on Ebay if it's not your sole occupation and you don't really need the money. I've been doing it for a few years more as a hobby but I do make a profit and that's nice because it helps pay for my utilities in Florida. The odd bit I sell in Canada pretty well pays for anything I buy for myself from Ebay. It's a win/win situation.

For the first few years I found most of my selling merchandise at yard sales but for the past couple of years I've bought from a liquidator and then resold the merchandise on Ebay for a small profit. Finding treasures at yard sales brings the best profit, though, but you have to know what to look for.

My liquidator closed shop this year so I'm only able to find new stuff at yard sales. It so happens that I love yard saleing so this is another win/win situation. A few of my friends have the same addiction, we understand each other and have a lot of fun when we go treasure hunting. Of course, lunch out follows the yard saleing.

We're a horribly wasteful society and some of the most beautiful and valuable items are often put out in yard sales for pennies. I know that the people who buy my treasures on Ebay are also getting a bargain so, you guessed it...another win/win situation.

My best yard saleing buddy looks for jewellery and I look for glassware. We both buy whatever else catches our eye because we know that others will like what we like. It's often hard to give up some of the things I find because I really do only buy what I like, too.

Being in Florida, I find a lot of Disney items at yard sales and I know they'll usually sell well. We all love Disney. My buddy and I like to look for unusual items, like the paper jacket she found but gave to me. She's a good yard saleing friend!

If you're just starting out selling on Ebay, I'd suggest you start with items from your own house that you don't use anymore. Research what they have sold for and then jump in and list it. You'll learn as you go what sells and doesn't sell but don't expect 100% sales. Have fun with it, learn the ropes, and you might soon develop a little cottage industry like I have.

If you're interested, my Ebay identity is glassnmor and I sell interesting stuff!

X-Rated Bingo

We do a lot of silly things at Bingo and all of them as innocent as can be but something was brought in as a good luck charm a few weeks ago that has been turned into an X-Rated item.

There is a part of our clubhouse that used to be a porch but it's long been opened up to the main clubhouse. When we play Bingo, the people who sit in the porch area are jokingly referred to as the porch monkeys. They tend to win a lot, too.

Someone brought down a stuffed stocking monkey and hung it on the wall as a good luck charm for the players out there and we all got a good laugh over it. Then an unknown someone rearranged the monkey's legs and all of a sudden it took on a whole new look. I thought for sure one of the purer minded people would be offended and take it down but no one has. Most of us just giggle when we look at it.

This would be no problem if church services weren't held in the clubhouse every Sunday. I took this picture after church was finished so I guess no-one noticed...or cared.

Chronic Knee Pain

Two years ago I did some sort of damage to my knee by overextending my leg in a high kick. I never did see a doctor because the pain had subsided by the time I got back home the following April so I'm not sure what damage was actually done.

I believe that the inside tendon either stretched or tore because that's where the majority of pain came from. Believe me, it was acutely painful for a matter of close to 2 months before the pain gradually ebbed away.

I've babied this darned knee ever since then because, although I'm mainly pain free now, just the slightest twisting reminds me that my knee is no longer as stable as it once was. I feel very fortunate that it's healed as well as it has but I take no chances.

People have told me that once a senior damages their knee it will only deteriorate from then on until corrected with surgery. Since my injury appears to be in the tendon and since it is about 95% pain free, I feel that knee surgery is just a distant possibility only if I accidently twist it badly again.

If I was younger and considerably more physically active there would be more chance of causing further damage but I'm old and "fluffy" so it's not difficult for me to take care of my knee. I always put a pillow under it when I have to kneel on the floor and I'm very careful to not twist it in any way.

When you are young and suffer an injury, you have no doubt that you'll fully recover in time. But old bones, tendons, and tissues don't recover so easily. This is one of the not so good realities of growing old. Also, sometimes injuries which occurred in our youth that seemed to have healed completely at the time come back to haunt us in old age.

When you think of it, our bodies are very tender items and should be treated with respect all of our lives. They're all we have to carry us around until the day we die.

Caylee Found?

I've followed the disappearance and family drama of little Caylee Anthony since the summer and been more disgusted by the behaviour of her mother and grandmother than sorry for them.

Today it seems that her poor little body has been found, about 1/3 of a mile from her grandparents' home. The killer stuffed her tiny little body into a garbage bag and tossed it into a wooded area just up the road from her family's home.

Whether she was murdered deliberately or accidently makes no difference. How could anyone throw her away like trash and then go on to party and enjoy their own life? How could anyone support and protect a criminal so callous they could take the life of a helpless baby?

Caylee's mother, if she is guilty, is beyond our comprehension. Caylee's grandparents, if their daughter is guilty, have hindered the investigation to the point where they should also have criminal charges laid against them. They are a strange and pitiful excuse for a family if they in any way are responsible for the death or cover-up.

I've tried to imagine how I would have acted if my own daughter did anything similar. I know I'd stand behind her and love her regardless but Caylee's grandparents berated the police for doing their jobs. They were obnoxious and defiant when they should have been helping the police find their little granddaughter.

Well, today she may finally have been found, after spending 6 months in a garbage bag just a few blocks from their home. How so terribly sad.

Scary Weather

I woke up this morning to the strangest morning light and for a moment I thought I was dreaming because it looked so surreal. The whole landscape outside my window had a sort of yellow cast under the full cloud cover which made it look like an old sepia photograph.

This is Florida and here weather is taken seriously. Tornadoes and hurricanes are prevalent enough to make you worry a little when a strong thunderstorm passes over. The forecast for today included strong thunderstorms so I was already wary.

I live in a little tin can trailer here in Florida and I've seen even ordinary strong winds make their way around the closed plastic windows in my Florida room and move the blinds. I've also seen the full effects of a hurricane and tornado on these little aluminum buildings.

The residents here talk about our survival plan if we were to be hit with a devastating storm and it appears that the safest sanctuary is the games room which is in a concrete building sitting between the laundryroom and the library. It would hold possibly 100 people crammed together so I don't know where the other up to 200 people in the park would go. None of the other buildings here are built to withstand a severe storm.

Listening to the news right now I hear that there is a tornado watch. Again, we're so used to this that we will all ignore the "watch" and wait to hear it's an actual "warning" or "sighting" before becoming really worried. I've never been personally affected by a tornado or hurricane in Florida so maybe I'm being too complacent but I'll watch the actions of my neighbors and follow their safety measures.

The sky has darkened and there are no walkers out this morning. Hmm!

Bailouts

I guess you have to be a huge conglomerate to receive bailout money. It probably helps if your executives receive salaries in the millions and your employees receive almost 100% of their pay if they're not needed to work.

What about the little guy? You know, the tiny hardware or convenience store on the corner where the owner/manager/salesperson is a single person who works 70 hour weeks just trying to stay afloat. Is anyone going to bail him out?

What about the family who trusted the banks to tell them what kind of house they could afford and then refused to renew their hefty mortgage? Why do they get tossed on the street while the money hungry banks get bailed out with public funds?

I spoke to a man yesterday who told me he has to work at 4 different jobs in order to earn enough money to live on. He was well into his 30's and I'd bet his wife is also working because that's the way of the world these days. For most of us, one salary isn't enough. I know we try to live too high on the hog but too many of us are having trouble today keeping a roof over our heads and food on the table and that is shameful.

There is something so wrong here and it's reinforcing my belief that the huge companies who rule this world are all led by a small group of slave owners...and we're the slaves. How else can we explain a CEO of a bailed out company receiving a $10 million dollar payoff? How do we explain a bailed out company allowing a few of it's employees a vacation that cost half a million dollars? And how do you explain the fact that some people have to work at 4 different jobs just to survive?

We're used to the government wasting our tax dollars but it appears that they also allow big business to steal them.

Christmas Decorating

It was cool today but it was so full of activities that I didn't mind. Six of us started out the day with breakfast at our favorite Sunday breakfast restaurant...we rarely eat any other meal there. We joked a lot but also discussed park politics and national politics. The Canadians at the table had to do more explaining about Canadian politics than the Americans had to do about theirs. Par for the course. Canadian news is full of American politics but the Americans don't pay too much attention to what's going on in Canada.

I zipped up to Beall's after breakfast to return an item and do a bit more shopping and then even had time to hit a few yard sales on the way home.

There was a whole gang of people at the clubhouse decorating for Xmas by the time I got back so I just jumped in and helped where needed. Two of the ladies do most of the planning and this year they did another super job. They plan the decorations for all seasons and holidays and the place has never looked better since they took over this job. One of the ladies finds fantastic items at yard sales and just donates them to the cause so we have beautiful decorations. The Christmas tree inside the clubhouse is always perfectly decorated...there was a problem with lights this year so it's a little less than perfect but still beautiful.

I sometimes wonder how many of the residents of this park appreciate the hard work the volunteers do. It often seems as though it's the same people doing it all, decorating, cooking, cleaning, etc.

There was just time for a quick supper (homemade soup) before heading back to the clubhouse for ice-cream. People are returning here every day so hello hugs took up a lot of time while we waited for ice-cream to be served.

After ice-cream, seven of us gathered around a table to play "31". Another hour and a half of laughter, yakking, and pleasant insults and it was time to go home.

A lovely, busy day and one to add to my memories.

Board/Card Games=Energized Brain Cells??

There are a lot of things that are supposed to aid seniors in keeping their brain function high and one of those things is card or board games. Apparently if you push your brain to solve puzzles it will keep working well longer.

I've mentioned before how often we play board or card games here in the park and tonight was no exception. Six of us ladies played "Rummoli" for a couple of hours and you never saw such a group of dimwits in your life. I blame it on all the talking but we always talk anyway so that's not much of an excuse.

We forgot to put in our pennies, we forgot who went first, we forgot which suit we were playing, we forgot and we forgot again but we laughed our way through the whole game.

It was one of those nights when we'd all had a very busy day and maybe should have just stayed home but we're all too sociable to do the sensible thing so we trotted on over to the clubhouse, pennies in hand, and played our game. We screwed up at every turn, laughed about it, and then made plans for tomorrow evening's game.

The brain cells may be firing a little slower but there are still enough left to know how to enjoy ourselves.

Where is Democracy?

I have one question.

How can 3 losing parties, leaders of which we Canadians definitely did not want to lead our country, band together and oust the party we the public legally voted to lead it?

In an already unstable world situation that has made our dollar drop like a rock, these idiots are creating a situation that could end in disaster for Canada. I've always known that politicians are ego maniacs who care nothing for the citizens of the country but this is a new low.

I, for one, am very worried.

Slush

Slush recipe:

1 bottle of vodka
1 large can of pineapple juice
1 can of frozen lime juice
3 cans of water
1 package of cherry Koolade

Freeze, stirring every day until the whole thing is slush. Fill a glass half full of slush and half full of 7-Up. Drink and enjoy.

We just finished a "Happy Hour" of slush and I'm feeling damned good. Now we're off to play Pokeno. Wish us luck!