Other than my tooth feeling sensitive to brushing, it feels perfectly normal. There's no pain at all, just a bit of tenderness from the toothbrush. It makes me wonder what all the fuss has been about whenever root canals are mentioned.
Someone told me I'd have a terrific headache when the freezing wore off so I did take a precautionary Tylenol when I got home. That's it and I don't know if I was one of the lucky ones or just have a high tolerance to discomfort. Since I'm known as a first class whiner when I'm hurting I don't think that's the case.
Anyway, so far so good.
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Friday, April 25, 2008
Things Seem to Work Themselves Out
Just a little note about how things seem to work themselves out sometimes.
Don, my handyman, noticed the 13 or so wet bags of wet leaves lying in my driveway and offered to cart them away. Now Don is here to do his own job for which he'll be paid for his time and expertise but this very busy man saw that I had a problem and quickly offered to right it for me.
My next door neighbor had also offered to remove the offending leaf bags, too, so I am grateful every day for the great people I have in my life.
Good family. Good Friends. Good neighbors. I'm one lucky SOB.
Don, my handyman, noticed the 13 or so wet bags of wet leaves lying in my driveway and offered to cart them away. Now Don is here to do his own job for which he'll be paid for his time and expertise but this very busy man saw that I had a problem and quickly offered to right it for me.
My next door neighbor had also offered to remove the offending leaf bags, too, so I am grateful every day for the great people I have in my life.
Good family. Good Friends. Good neighbors. I'm one lucky SOB.
My Experience With a Root Canal
I didn't sleep well last night, probably a tiny bit worried about my root canal this morning. At 7:30 A.M. the phone rang and it was Don, my handyman, asking if it would be okay to regrout the tub ceramic tile today...he could be here around 8 A.M. Of course I said sure and then hightailed it in for my shower before he got here.
One of the tiles had fallen off over the winter and I had a worry more would follow if I didn't do something about it...hence the regrouting. Don showed up before 8:30 and left his helper, Dan, to do the work. I sort of meandered around fretting about the upcoming root canal and suddenly there was a crash. Dan told me that more of the tiles had fallen off before he could catch them and smashed into the tub. There's no way of getting a color match to the tiles because I had chosen a weird shade of rusty beigy brown one day about 30 years ago when I must have been out of my mind. I'd often thought of replacing them with a nice neutral ivory but didn't do it because of the expense. Well, the time had now come for change whether I was ready or not. I told them to go ahead and retile. It should be done in about 3-4 days because this is Friday and Don and his workers don't work 7 days a week.
Off I went to the dentist and began what I'd accepted would be a miserable 1 1/2 hours. My dentist is really sweet and did everything he could to keep me calm and explain what he was and would be doing. The first freezing didn't take completely though, and I couldn't tolerate having this piece of rubbery thing put around the tooth. It's there to collect what comes out of the tooth and what the dentist will put into it. He had to refreeze before starting work.
I have to say that the experience was no picnic but it wasn't terrible, either. It felt like a very lengthy drilling and filling. There were a few moments when I felt him hit the nerve slightly and that did hurt quite a bit but not enough to require more freezing. We got through it anyway and it was all over and done in a bit more than the 1 1/2 hours. He doesn't want to put a crown on the tooth for at least 6 months to make sure the root canal was a success. Apparently, pain or the lack of it will be my clue.
When I got home Dan had removed most of the tile and said it was a miracle more hadn't fallen because the glue was so dried out. It's all going to be replaced with simple ivory tile with a pale mint green border to break up the height. I'm kind of looking forward to the way the lighter color will brighten up my little bathroom.
Sometimes we get a surprise like this that is going to cost us money and get depressed. I have learned to roll with the punches and just figure it was meant to happen today instead of 2 or 3 years from now. My handyman is very reasonable when it comes to cost so I know I can count on him to do the job as economically as possible.
Right now I'm eating my first meal of the day...homemade bean soup...and then I'm going to take a nap to catch up on the sleep I lost last night. Things could be worse, couldn't they?
One of the tiles had fallen off over the winter and I had a worry more would follow if I didn't do something about it...hence the regrouting. Don showed up before 8:30 and left his helper, Dan, to do the work. I sort of meandered around fretting about the upcoming root canal and suddenly there was a crash. Dan told me that more of the tiles had fallen off before he could catch them and smashed into the tub. There's no way of getting a color match to the tiles because I had chosen a weird shade of rusty beigy brown one day about 30 years ago when I must have been out of my mind. I'd often thought of replacing them with a nice neutral ivory but didn't do it because of the expense. Well, the time had now come for change whether I was ready or not. I told them to go ahead and retile. It should be done in about 3-4 days because this is Friday and Don and his workers don't work 7 days a week.
Off I went to the dentist and began what I'd accepted would be a miserable 1 1/2 hours. My dentist is really sweet and did everything he could to keep me calm and explain what he was and would be doing. The first freezing didn't take completely though, and I couldn't tolerate having this piece of rubbery thing put around the tooth. It's there to collect what comes out of the tooth and what the dentist will put into it. He had to refreeze before starting work.
I have to say that the experience was no picnic but it wasn't terrible, either. It felt like a very lengthy drilling and filling. There were a few moments when I felt him hit the nerve slightly and that did hurt quite a bit but not enough to require more freezing. We got through it anyway and it was all over and done in a bit more than the 1 1/2 hours. He doesn't want to put a crown on the tooth for at least 6 months to make sure the root canal was a success. Apparently, pain or the lack of it will be my clue.
When I got home Dan had removed most of the tile and said it was a miracle more hadn't fallen because the glue was so dried out. It's all going to be replaced with simple ivory tile with a pale mint green border to break up the height. I'm kind of looking forward to the way the lighter color will brighten up my little bathroom.
Sometimes we get a surprise like this that is going to cost us money and get depressed. I have learned to roll with the punches and just figure it was meant to happen today instead of 2 or 3 years from now. My handyman is very reasonable when it comes to cost so I know I can count on him to do the job as economically as possible.
Right now I'm eating my first meal of the day...homemade bean soup...and then I'm going to take a nap to catch up on the sleep I lost last night. Things could be worse, couldn't they?
Thursday, April 24, 2008
A Lot Done Without Much Effort
There are always a lot of big and little jobs to be done around the house in April and I like to do them in small increments. It's necessary to do some first and that's where I start, getting to things of lesser emergency as I feel like it.
One necessity was put behind me yesterday when I saw the hematologist and was told my bloodwork had actually improved and they still aren't sure what, if anything, is actually wrong. They took more blood and then told me I'll only need to see them once or twice a year just to keep an eye on the problem...they aren't sure what the problem is and that's why they want to keep draining my blood! There's a slight abnormality with no symptoms and that's all the excuse they need. Thank heaven for OHIP.
Next I rented another table at the flea market for the summer because my diningroom was beginning to look like one (flea market, that is). I took a ton of stuff out there today and I'm starting to feel as though I'm accomplishing something.
The handyman who will repair the basement floor came over this morning at 7 A.M. and I gave him a list of small projects I'll need him to do and now I can only hope he won't take too long. At least the plans are in the works.
It's so gorgeous out, warm and sunny, so I set up the patio furniture on the patio instead of the deck where they actually go. The deck is another project needing attention but I also have made plans for that. My grandson, Matthew, will power wash it and put stain/sealer on the floors while I put stain/sealer on the rest of it. That's just a one day job and there's no rush to get it done.
I feel pretty good about what I've accomplished in the last few days but I'm lucky enough to have good family and reasonable hired help around me. There's no way I could manage looking after this house without help. That's one of the reasons I was tempted to sell and move into an apartment or condo but I'm still okay for this year.
Item of note: As I was carting stuff into the flea market this morning one of the dealers there asked me if I was having fun. You know, I really was!
One necessity was put behind me yesterday when I saw the hematologist and was told my bloodwork had actually improved and they still aren't sure what, if anything, is actually wrong. They took more blood and then told me I'll only need to see them once or twice a year just to keep an eye on the problem...they aren't sure what the problem is and that's why they want to keep draining my blood! There's a slight abnormality with no symptoms and that's all the excuse they need. Thank heaven for OHIP.
Next I rented another table at the flea market for the summer because my diningroom was beginning to look like one (flea market, that is). I took a ton of stuff out there today and I'm starting to feel as though I'm accomplishing something.
The handyman who will repair the basement floor came over this morning at 7 A.M. and I gave him a list of small projects I'll need him to do and now I can only hope he won't take too long. At least the plans are in the works.
It's so gorgeous out, warm and sunny, so I set up the patio furniture on the patio instead of the deck where they actually go. The deck is another project needing attention but I also have made plans for that. My grandson, Matthew, will power wash it and put stain/sealer on the floors while I put stain/sealer on the rest of it. That's just a one day job and there's no rush to get it done.
I feel pretty good about what I've accomplished in the last few days but I'm lucky enough to have good family and reasonable hired help around me. There's no way I could manage looking after this house without help. That's one of the reasons I was tempted to sell and move into an apartment or condo but I'm still okay for this year.
Item of note: As I was carting stuff into the flea market this morning one of the dealers there asked me if I was having fun. You know, I really was!
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Ritilan...Big Mistake
I saw on the news that it's been discovered that Ritilan shouldn't be given to children who have or might develop heart problems. I wonder if the people who are saying this now are the same people who are responsible for offering the drug to armies of children for years.
One of my grandchildren was a problem child in school. He was difficult to handle and impetuous to the point of lunacy at times which made his teachers (not trained doctors, by the way) pressure my daughter constantly to put him on Ritilan. It would make their jobs easier, don't you see!
How could we adults have not understood that drugging a goodly portion of the children in the classroom in order to create a more peaceful atmosphere might not be a smart thing to do? How could we have fallen for the hype built up around a drug aimed at keeping children in line? Thank heavens my daughter (and I) saw the wrongness in drugging a little boy to make him docile and refused to allow it.
And now our esteemed medical geniuses have found a fly in the ointment. The drug that countless thousands of children took into their bodies on the advice and insistence of their teachers has been found to be dangerous for the child's heart.
They already knew Ritilan could stunt the growth of a developing little boy or girl and still pushed for it's use but maybe possible heart damage might get a few people worried about lawsuits.
Personally, I think every child who was put on Ritilan to control bratty behaviour should sue the pants off the government which allowed such a dangerous drug to be sold. They should also sue their local Board of Education if the drug was given because of teacher/principal pressure.
I'm sure anyone reading this can understand how I feel about the new vaccine being pushed on young girls to help prevent certain cancers caused in part by sexual activity. It terrifies me how easily we're swayed to accept giving new and not necessarily proven medications to our children.
At 21, my grandson is still a brat but he's matured a bit and should be calm and capable of making better choices in another 50 years or so. All in all, I'm still grateful he wasn't subjected to Ritilan when he was just a little boy.
One of my grandchildren was a problem child in school. He was difficult to handle and impetuous to the point of lunacy at times which made his teachers (not trained doctors, by the way) pressure my daughter constantly to put him on Ritilan. It would make their jobs easier, don't you see!
How could we adults have not understood that drugging a goodly portion of the children in the classroom in order to create a more peaceful atmosphere might not be a smart thing to do? How could we have fallen for the hype built up around a drug aimed at keeping children in line? Thank heavens my daughter (and I) saw the wrongness in drugging a little boy to make him docile and refused to allow it.
And now our esteemed medical geniuses have found a fly in the ointment. The drug that countless thousands of children took into their bodies on the advice and insistence of their teachers has been found to be dangerous for the child's heart.
They already knew Ritilan could stunt the growth of a developing little boy or girl and still pushed for it's use but maybe possible heart damage might get a few people worried about lawsuits.
Personally, I think every child who was put on Ritilan to control bratty behaviour should sue the pants off the government which allowed such a dangerous drug to be sold. They should also sue their local Board of Education if the drug was given because of teacher/principal pressure.
I'm sure anyone reading this can understand how I feel about the new vaccine being pushed on young girls to help prevent certain cancers caused in part by sexual activity. It terrifies me how easily we're swayed to accept giving new and not necessarily proven medications to our children.
At 21, my grandson is still a brat but he's matured a bit and should be calm and capable of making better choices in another 50 years or so. All in all, I'm still grateful he wasn't subjected to Ritilan when he was just a little boy.
To Move or Not To Move
Mary, Faye, and I met out at the flea market today so I could clear out my showcase. I decided the best thing to do with it was to sell it because it's too heavy for me to carry when I close my table at the end of September.
I lost money all winter on my flea market table so I'm not bothing with it in the winter anymore. They'll find me a table in the spring when I come home from Florida and then I won't have to count on others to take care of it for me.
After doing a bit of cleaning up we ladies went to a terrific chinese buffet and ate heartily. I don't know how we keep finding things to laugh about but we manage. It's often a matter of just laughing at ourselves.
After lunch we went to look at an apartment building that was being turned into condos and I was simply amazed at how beautiful they were. I could have lived there very happily and they're only about a minute drive from my flea market.
All the way home I thought about the sensibility of selling my house and gearing down to such a gorgeous apartment but something stopped me. When I arrived home one of my sweet young neighbors came over for a visit and we talked about how wonderful our other neighbors are...how extra special our little community of neighbors on our street are in our everyday lives. I looked around my comfy, if just a bit too big for my needs, house and decided it wasn't time yet for me to leave.
Throughout our lives we come upon times for change and sometimes the reason for change is quite evident. There will most certainly come a time for me to leave my house and move into something a bit easier to handle but today isn't the day. Who knows what tomorrow will bring but today I'm nestled among wonderful neighbors and it's apparently where I'm meant to be. For a while yet, anyway.
I lost money all winter on my flea market table so I'm not bothing with it in the winter anymore. They'll find me a table in the spring when I come home from Florida and then I won't have to count on others to take care of it for me.
After doing a bit of cleaning up we ladies went to a terrific chinese buffet and ate heartily. I don't know how we keep finding things to laugh about but we manage. It's often a matter of just laughing at ourselves.
After lunch we went to look at an apartment building that was being turned into condos and I was simply amazed at how beautiful they were. I could have lived there very happily and they're only about a minute drive from my flea market.
All the way home I thought about the sensibility of selling my house and gearing down to such a gorgeous apartment but something stopped me. When I arrived home one of my sweet young neighbors came over for a visit and we talked about how wonderful our other neighbors are...how extra special our little community of neighbors on our street are in our everyday lives. I looked around my comfy, if just a bit too big for my needs, house and decided it wasn't time yet for me to leave.
Throughout our lives we come upon times for change and sometimes the reason for change is quite evident. There will most certainly come a time for me to leave my house and move into something a bit easier to handle but today isn't the day. Who knows what tomorrow will bring but today I'm nestled among wonderful neighbors and it's apparently where I'm meant to be. For a while yet, anyway.
Monday, April 21, 2008
One Thing Accomplished
Some older people do crossword puzzles or Sudoku to keep their brains active. Me, I play on the computer. I swear that this computer, with all the problems I encounter on it, is responsible for keeping my poor old brain more active than it should be.
I had been able to get pictures transferred from my camera to the computer but wasn't able to save them. A little notice would keep coming up that a problem had been incurred during the process. I decided to try downloading the program from the Kodak website once more just to see if that would work and damned if it didn't! The program is slightly different from what I'm used to but at least it works now.
Then I decided to see if I could find the whole dock with the adapter available on Ebay and damned if it wasn't! There were a few and I lost the bid on the first one I tried for because I was too cheap to bid high enough. Now I've bid on another one and will find out on Thursday if I got it. Using the dock is so much more efficient but I can get by without one if I have to.
I used to get terribly frustrated while trying to learn things on the computer but I seem to have come to terms with it. Either I'll master the problem myself or one of my buddies will help me with it. It's never the end of the world and sooner or later the sun will shine again. I do know that I'd miss it something awful if it wasn't there.
Now for something cute. I had coffee with my sister yesterday and she told me the cutest story. She does day care in her home and had one of her older children just for the day last week. Josiah is 5 years old and graduated from day care when he started school in September. I don't know why Sharon had him for the day...maybe it was another PD day which allows teachers to learn what they had plenty of damn time in the summer to learn.
Sharon cares for 2 other little ones, aged 17 months and 3 years, so she took all 3 children out to play in the backyard. She filled 3 sippy cups with juice and handed them to the children. Josiah, 5 going on 50, looked at the sippy cup with disdain and said, "A sippy cup!!! You've got to be kidding!!". Isn't it sweet how children know what is age appropriate?
Just a thought, though...I happen to have a friend named Gail who uses a huge sippy cup for her "golden sunshine" (vodka and orange juice).
I had been able to get pictures transferred from my camera to the computer but wasn't able to save them. A little notice would keep coming up that a problem had been incurred during the process. I decided to try downloading the program from the Kodak website once more just to see if that would work and damned if it didn't! The program is slightly different from what I'm used to but at least it works now.
Then I decided to see if I could find the whole dock with the adapter available on Ebay and damned if it wasn't! There were a few and I lost the bid on the first one I tried for because I was too cheap to bid high enough. Now I've bid on another one and will find out on Thursday if I got it. Using the dock is so much more efficient but I can get by without one if I have to.
I used to get terribly frustrated while trying to learn things on the computer but I seem to have come to terms with it. Either I'll master the problem myself or one of my buddies will help me with it. It's never the end of the world and sooner or later the sun will shine again. I do know that I'd miss it something awful if it wasn't there.
Now for something cute. I had coffee with my sister yesterday and she told me the cutest story. She does day care in her home and had one of her older children just for the day last week. Josiah is 5 years old and graduated from day care when he started school in September. I don't know why Sharon had him for the day...maybe it was another PD day which allows teachers to learn what they had plenty of damn time in the summer to learn.
Sharon cares for 2 other little ones, aged 17 months and 3 years, so she took all 3 children out to play in the backyard. She filled 3 sippy cups with juice and handed them to the children. Josiah, 5 going on 50, looked at the sippy cup with disdain and said, "A sippy cup!!! You've got to be kidding!!". Isn't it sweet how children know what is age appropriate?
Just a thought, though...I happen to have a friend named Gail who uses a huge sippy cup for her "golden sunshine" (vodka and orange juice).
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Update on Wet Leaves
How do I tell my precious grandsons that all their work last fall bagging tons of leaves from my backyard has turned into a problem for me? The sweet, well meaning guys raked up about 14 paper bags of leaves but made the mistake of letting them sit in the driveway all winter where they were subjected to rain and snow. Let me tell you that paper yard waste bags will not stand up well to much rain and snow. The leaves become saturated and heavy. The bags become saturated and the bottoms rip out.
I spent many hours yesterday transferring the heavy, soggy, stinky beyond belief leaves into plastic bags but I'm not sure the garbage collectors will take them in those bags. Also, they're so heavy that I can't even lift them. My only hope is that somehow the leaves will dry out and I can finally get rid of them.
I am very grateful to my wonderful boys for trying to help me but I'll just have to explain to them that the bags must be put out in the trash immediately. Then I have to hope they'll still want to rake leaves again next fall.
I spent many hours yesterday transferring the heavy, soggy, stinky beyond belief leaves into plastic bags but I'm not sure the garbage collectors will take them in those bags. Also, they're so heavy that I can't even lift them. My only hope is that somehow the leaves will dry out and I can finally get rid of them.
I am very grateful to my wonderful boys for trying to help me but I'll just have to explain to them that the bags must be put out in the trash immediately. Then I have to hope they'll still want to rake leaves again next fall.
Stopover in Savannah
About 10 years ago I spent an evening and morning in Savannah, Georgia and found it so enchanting that I've ached to go back again. For many reasons I couldn't do this until this April on my way home from Florida and, again, loved the place so much that I think I could even live there.
My ex sister-in-law, Mary, came down to stay with me in Florida for about a week before I headed home. We had a great time doing some sightseeing, shopping, and sunbathing before packing up for the drive home. As usual, my car trunk and back seat were packed to overflowing but we got everything we needed into the car and first headed over to Cocoa Beach. Cocoa Beach is another favorite spot for both of us because it's the very first place we ever stayed when she, her husband, my husband, and I came to Florida back in the mid 70's.
We got the very last suite (livingroom, 2 bedrooms, kitchen, and dining area) available at the Kahulla Inn. One night with all the discounts cost us $80 and that's a real bargain. Even though it was post season the Inn was packed. We couldn't get into our room until after 4 P.M. so we changed into our swimsuits in the lobby restroom, struggled to remove 2 folding chairs and a beach umbrella from the car, and happily set ourselves up on the hot, sunny beach for the afternoon. It was heaven. The beach umbrella belonged to another sister-in-law who had lent it to us for our trip home and I found it so useful that I know I have to buy one for next year.
We decided to leave for Savannah the following morning and it turned out to take longer than I'd thought. The weather was excellent and the traffic wasn't too bad but the distance was a little more than we'd expected. Of course I had lots of maps but Mary had to take on that responsibility.
We arrived in Savannah in the early afternoon and, using the coupon books found at the Welcome Center, booked into the Ramada Inn. This time we had to pay $75 per night for 2 nights. The motel had seen better days but it was clean and offered a nice breakfast in the morning. Mary and I dumped what we needed into the room and drove into Savannah right away to enjoy as much of it as the day allowed.
After a few wrong turns we found our way down a ridiculously steep and narrow brick ramp to the waterfront shopping area. It's really picturesque with quaint little shops, restaurants and small waterfront parks where you can watch the barges traverse back and forth. We shopped, naturally, but just got a few little trinkets for gifts. At dinnertime we left to buy fast food and take it back to the room. We watched a bit of T.V. and then went to bed early. No nightclubbing for us!
The next day we packed up the car again and drove back into Savannah where we took a trolley tour of the area. We chose "Ogilvie Tours" because it only cost $10 each and seemed to offer the same quality as other tours which cost twice as much. As we waited for our trolley to arrive we were treated to the screams and scrabblings of the family from hell. 3 grown women and 4 kids ranging in age from 2 to about 10 were also going to take the tour and we hoped desperately that they'd be seated far away from us. They ended up sitting at the back while Mary and I took front seats and we were very grateful. The tour guide continually reminded the demon family that they must be quieter or the other paying customers wouldn't be able to enjoy their tour. Of course, the adults in this group had no control over the kids so our wonderful tour guide did something that made me fall in love with him. He kicked them all off the trolley. Unbelievable! I can't believe how many times my meal or something else was ruined by other people's rowdy children and now a knight in shining armor (tour guide t-shirt) had actually done the right, if not the politically correct, thing and removed the people who were ruining the tour for everyone else. I love this man!
Old Savannah has been laid out with about as many blocks of parks as there are blocks of lovely old homes. The architecture of the large homes and row houses is beautiful to see. Government buildings are another story but even most of them are old, historic buildings.
Our tour guide told us of a restaurant where locals like to grab their lunch so Mary and I followed the well drawn up map we'd received from him and found this little hole in the wall restaurant called "Zusys" (I can't remember exactly but it was something like that). It was packed with locals ordering lunch to go because there are no tables. Mary got a special hamburger that included an egg and I got Cottage Pie (Shepherd's Pie) with a salad. We took them up the block to one of the parks where we sat on a bench and chowed down. The food was excellent as promised.
We did a lot of walking that day and took the last trolley back to home base around 5 P.M. We then drove back to the Riverside Walk and found a great little restaurant bar that advertised seafood strudel and a glass of wine for $8.95. Now the seafood "strudel" is what caught my attention but add that to a glass of wine and it caught Mary's attention, too. In we went to a very nice bar where we were seated at a table immediately. We placed our orders and waited mere minutes before our wine and a large basket of bread was delivered to the table. Minutes later we were each brought a dinnerplate which held 3 philo wrapped seafood concoctions that turned out to be delicious. By the way, the restaurant is called "The Shrimp Factory" and I wish it was in my own home town because I'd go back again and again.
There was still room in our tummies for some home made Italian ice cream so we got that at a nearby store. We got back to our room before dark, watched some T.V., and then hit the sack for a good night's sleep.
If I'd had to drive back home from Florida by myself I would never have taken these side trips so I'll always be thankful that Mary made the trip with me. She's been a good friend for many years...during her marriage to my brother-in-law and after their divorce. True friendship always stands the test of time, doesn't it?
My ex sister-in-law, Mary, came down to stay with me in Florida for about a week before I headed home. We had a great time doing some sightseeing, shopping, and sunbathing before packing up for the drive home. As usual, my car trunk and back seat were packed to overflowing but we got everything we needed into the car and first headed over to Cocoa Beach. Cocoa Beach is another favorite spot for both of us because it's the very first place we ever stayed when she, her husband, my husband, and I came to Florida back in the mid 70's.
We got the very last suite (livingroom, 2 bedrooms, kitchen, and dining area) available at the Kahulla Inn. One night with all the discounts cost us $80 and that's a real bargain. Even though it was post season the Inn was packed. We couldn't get into our room until after 4 P.M. so we changed into our swimsuits in the lobby restroom, struggled to remove 2 folding chairs and a beach umbrella from the car, and happily set ourselves up on the hot, sunny beach for the afternoon. It was heaven. The beach umbrella belonged to another sister-in-law who had lent it to us for our trip home and I found it so useful that I know I have to buy one for next year.
We decided to leave for Savannah the following morning and it turned out to take longer than I'd thought. The weather was excellent and the traffic wasn't too bad but the distance was a little more than we'd expected. Of course I had lots of maps but Mary had to take on that responsibility.
We arrived in Savannah in the early afternoon and, using the coupon books found at the Welcome Center, booked into the Ramada Inn. This time we had to pay $75 per night for 2 nights. The motel had seen better days but it was clean and offered a nice breakfast in the morning. Mary and I dumped what we needed into the room and drove into Savannah right away to enjoy as much of it as the day allowed.
After a few wrong turns we found our way down a ridiculously steep and narrow brick ramp to the waterfront shopping area. It's really picturesque with quaint little shops, restaurants and small waterfront parks where you can watch the barges traverse back and forth. We shopped, naturally, but just got a few little trinkets for gifts. At dinnertime we left to buy fast food and take it back to the room. We watched a bit of T.V. and then went to bed early. No nightclubbing for us!
The next day we packed up the car again and drove back into Savannah where we took a trolley tour of the area. We chose "Ogilvie Tours" because it only cost $10 each and seemed to offer the same quality as other tours which cost twice as much. As we waited for our trolley to arrive we were treated to the screams and scrabblings of the family from hell. 3 grown women and 4 kids ranging in age from 2 to about 10 were also going to take the tour and we hoped desperately that they'd be seated far away from us. They ended up sitting at the back while Mary and I took front seats and we were very grateful. The tour guide continually reminded the demon family that they must be quieter or the other paying customers wouldn't be able to enjoy their tour. Of course, the adults in this group had no control over the kids so our wonderful tour guide did something that made me fall in love with him. He kicked them all off the trolley. Unbelievable! I can't believe how many times my meal or something else was ruined by other people's rowdy children and now a knight in shining armor (tour guide t-shirt) had actually done the right, if not the politically correct, thing and removed the people who were ruining the tour for everyone else. I love this man!
Old Savannah has been laid out with about as many blocks of parks as there are blocks of lovely old homes. The architecture of the large homes and row houses is beautiful to see. Government buildings are another story but even most of them are old, historic buildings.
Our tour guide told us of a restaurant where locals like to grab their lunch so Mary and I followed the well drawn up map we'd received from him and found this little hole in the wall restaurant called "Zusys" (I can't remember exactly but it was something like that). It was packed with locals ordering lunch to go because there are no tables. Mary got a special hamburger that included an egg and I got Cottage Pie (Shepherd's Pie) with a salad. We took them up the block to one of the parks where we sat on a bench and chowed down. The food was excellent as promised.
We did a lot of walking that day and took the last trolley back to home base around 5 P.M. We then drove back to the Riverside Walk and found a great little restaurant bar that advertised seafood strudel and a glass of wine for $8.95. Now the seafood "strudel" is what caught my attention but add that to a glass of wine and it caught Mary's attention, too. In we went to a very nice bar where we were seated at a table immediately. We placed our orders and waited mere minutes before our wine and a large basket of bread was delivered to the table. Minutes later we were each brought a dinnerplate which held 3 philo wrapped seafood concoctions that turned out to be delicious. By the way, the restaurant is called "The Shrimp Factory" and I wish it was in my own home town because I'd go back again and again.
There was still room in our tummies for some home made Italian ice cream so we got that at a nearby store. We got back to our room before dark, watched some T.V., and then hit the sack for a good night's sleep.
If I'd had to drive back home from Florida by myself I would never have taken these side trips so I'll always be thankful that Mary made the trip with me. She's been a good friend for many years...during her marriage to my brother-in-law and after their divorce. True friendship always stands the test of time, doesn't it?
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Frame of Mind
It's interesting to note that we can choose to let everyday problems bring us down or we can choose to rise above them.
Case in point...I still can't get my Kodak Easy Share program to work properly which means I can't list anything on Ebay. I probably need to buy a new furnace for my house. The laminate flooring in the basement awaits repair. I'm definitely having a root canal next Friday.
These are 4 of my major life problems at the moment but I've made the wise decision that they aren't the worse things in the world to have to worry about. I've been through much worse in my life and, believe me, these are really minor glitches.
Years ago I read that we make our own choices about whether or not to be happy and that struck me as so darned true. It's one of the reasons I don't believe that depression is necessarily a chemical imbalance in the brain. When I suffered from depression years ago it did take many years of counseling and drugs to bring me out of the miasma of misery I'd allowed myself to sink into but what if I'd decided early on that I wasn't going to let circumstances destroy me? What if I'd made the choice to rise up instead of sink like a stone?
I think we make our decisions on how to handle the day when we wake up in the morning. If we allow ourselves to be in a lousy mood then the day will not go well. If we say to ourselves, "well, things could be worse so enjoy what you can", then we have a good chance of a happy day. It's all in your frame of mind.
I have to admit that sometimes it feels good to give into a bad mood for a while and curse our demons but letting ourselves wallow in darkness isn't good for the soul. My daughter has a motto she seems to live by, "Live, Love, Laugh", and I agree with that wholeheartedly. Life is too short to waste on unhappiness.
Today I'm going to go out and rebag last fall's leaves and forget about cameras, furnaces, root canals, and flooring. The sun is shining and the air is warming by the minute. My precious grandsons bagged all the backyard leaves last fall and left them in the driveway where they got wet and ripped. No problem. It's a lot easier to rebag them than to rake them up so I'm still a happy camper.
It's all in your frame of mind.
Case in point...I still can't get my Kodak Easy Share program to work properly which means I can't list anything on Ebay. I probably need to buy a new furnace for my house. The laminate flooring in the basement awaits repair. I'm definitely having a root canal next Friday.
These are 4 of my major life problems at the moment but I've made the wise decision that they aren't the worse things in the world to have to worry about. I've been through much worse in my life and, believe me, these are really minor glitches.
Years ago I read that we make our own choices about whether or not to be happy and that struck me as so darned true. It's one of the reasons I don't believe that depression is necessarily a chemical imbalance in the brain. When I suffered from depression years ago it did take many years of counseling and drugs to bring me out of the miasma of misery I'd allowed myself to sink into but what if I'd decided early on that I wasn't going to let circumstances destroy me? What if I'd made the choice to rise up instead of sink like a stone?
I think we make our decisions on how to handle the day when we wake up in the morning. If we allow ourselves to be in a lousy mood then the day will not go well. If we say to ourselves, "well, things could be worse so enjoy what you can", then we have a good chance of a happy day. It's all in your frame of mind.
I have to admit that sometimes it feels good to give into a bad mood for a while and curse our demons but letting ourselves wallow in darkness isn't good for the soul. My daughter has a motto she seems to live by, "Live, Love, Laugh", and I agree with that wholeheartedly. Life is too short to waste on unhappiness.
Today I'm going to go out and rebag last fall's leaves and forget about cameras, furnaces, root canals, and flooring. The sun is shining and the air is warming by the minute. My precious grandsons bagged all the backyard leaves last fall and left them in the driveway where they got wet and ripped. No problem. It's a lot easier to rebag them than to rake them up so I'm still a happy camper.
It's all in your frame of mind.
Friday, April 18, 2008
Why is Nothing Easy?
I hate to come all the way home and find time to do my blogging only to bitch about my problems but here it is anyway.
I bought the battery charger for the camera and it did charge the batteries so I could take pictures. Now I had to connect the camera to the computer in order to transfer those pictures to the hard drive. I wasn't sure how to do the transfer but decided if I clicked on the "share" button of the camera that might work. It does but the Kodak program in the computer is now different from what I'd used before. Never fear...I tried a few things and got the pictures transferred but when I tried to save them a message popped up on the screen saying an unexpected error had occurred.
I "persevered" and attempted to list an item on Ebay (no problem but there were some new changes for listing...what's new??) but couldn't find my pictures to upload to the listing. Now I'm fed up for the moment and will attack the problem later.
On the plus side, the weather is spectacular with sunny skies and warmish air. It's one of those perfect Spring days that lifts your spirits with the promise of Summer to come. I'm going to drive out to my flea market, pay my bill (I know I'll owe them and not vice versa), and do some cleaning and rearranging out there. Then I just might take a slow drive along the Grand River and enjoy watching the land coming back to life on this gorgeous day.
It's been so long since I've woken up to a day that was free of problems, big or small, that I don't know how I'd cope with a problem free day. I'd probably be bored because there wouldn't be any challenges. Well, there's no danger of me being bored in the near future...or the far future...but I'll keep on trucking!
I bought the battery charger for the camera and it did charge the batteries so I could take pictures. Now I had to connect the camera to the computer in order to transfer those pictures to the hard drive. I wasn't sure how to do the transfer but decided if I clicked on the "share" button of the camera that might work. It does but the Kodak program in the computer is now different from what I'd used before. Never fear...I tried a few things and got the pictures transferred but when I tried to save them a message popped up on the screen saying an unexpected error had occurred.
I "persevered" and attempted to list an item on Ebay (no problem but there were some new changes for listing...what's new??) but couldn't find my pictures to upload to the listing. Now I'm fed up for the moment and will attack the problem later.
On the plus side, the weather is spectacular with sunny skies and warmish air. It's one of those perfect Spring days that lifts your spirits with the promise of Summer to come. I'm going to drive out to my flea market, pay my bill (I know I'll owe them and not vice versa), and do some cleaning and rearranging out there. Then I just might take a slow drive along the Grand River and enjoy watching the land coming back to life on this gorgeous day.
It's been so long since I've woken up to a day that was free of problems, big or small, that I don't know how I'd cope with a problem free day. I'd probably be bored because there wouldn't be any challenges. Well, there's no danger of me being bored in the near future...or the far future...but I'll keep on trucking!
Thursday, April 17, 2008
I'm Back Again
I arrived home from my winter in Florida on Monday evening and, boy, do I have some stories to tell about the trip back. All in good time, though, because I've had a rough day today and am just too tired to do them justice.
I had thought for quite a while that I should get the bundle service offered by my local cable company and took the plunge today...I'm on a wickedly fast internet now and absolutely loving it. My telephone service will be turned over to cable at the end of the month, too.
Now for a bit of a problem. I think I wrote a few months back about spilling nail polish remover on my camera and dock. In a panic I bid on the identical camera and dock on Ebay and won it. At about the time I won the bid my original dock becan working again so now I have 2 identical cameras and docks. In my wisdom it seemed a good idea to leave one set in Florida and bring one set home. Well, sometimes things are not what they seem and I discovered that dock #2, which I brought home, does not have the adapter for plugging it into the wall...and they are no longer available. Crap!
My sweet young lady neighbors from across the road dropped in while I was trying to figure out what to do and between us we decided I should just buy a battery charger for the camera. This isn't as easy as using the dock as battery charger and for transferring pictures to the computer but it will work. Anna and I went off to Walmart and found the proper battery charger so I'll find out in an hour or so if I can still transfer pictures from the camera to my Kodak program on the computer. I hate having to learn how to do things a different way!
Oh yes, I went to the dentist today and I need a root canal.
See, things really can always get worse but we just have to persevere. It's either that or crawl under a blanket and not come out. Myself, I'll get through the rough stuff one way or another.
I had thought for quite a while that I should get the bundle service offered by my local cable company and took the plunge today...I'm on a wickedly fast internet now and absolutely loving it. My telephone service will be turned over to cable at the end of the month, too.
Now for a bit of a problem. I think I wrote a few months back about spilling nail polish remover on my camera and dock. In a panic I bid on the identical camera and dock on Ebay and won it. At about the time I won the bid my original dock becan working again so now I have 2 identical cameras and docks. In my wisdom it seemed a good idea to leave one set in Florida and bring one set home. Well, sometimes things are not what they seem and I discovered that dock #2, which I brought home, does not have the adapter for plugging it into the wall...and they are no longer available. Crap!
My sweet young lady neighbors from across the road dropped in while I was trying to figure out what to do and between us we decided I should just buy a battery charger for the camera. This isn't as easy as using the dock as battery charger and for transferring pictures to the computer but it will work. Anna and I went off to Walmart and found the proper battery charger so I'll find out in an hour or so if I can still transfer pictures from the camera to my Kodak program on the computer. I hate having to learn how to do things a different way!
Oh yes, I went to the dentist today and I need a root canal.
See, things really can always get worse but we just have to persevere. It's either that or crawl under a blanket and not come out. Myself, I'll get through the rough stuff one way or another.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
I Was Just Thinking
I watched a bit of "Dancing With The Stars" and a thought came to mind. Since we're in this modern new age of just about full acceptance of gay rights...they can kiss in public, get married, and adopt babies, then why don't we see gay people dancing together on "Dancing With The Stars"??
The picture in my mind isn't a pretty one but then I've been conditioned by too many years of believing that being gay was being queer. I really have attempted to talk myself out of that opinion because I've grown to know a few gay people that I like very much. I don't think I'll ever truly understand it but I can completely accept that they have every right to exist in peace with the rest of us.
There's a movie called "Brokeback Mountain" that deals with macho guys who discover they love each other and apparently have a relationship (I haven't seen the movie because, honestly, it creeps me out).
I can't change my early conditioning which colored every aspect of my personality and beliefs but I can rationalize clearly enough to see through more unbiased eyes. Love is a beautiful thing and one should take it where one finds it.
Still, the idea of two men dipping and clenching on the dance floor just seems weird.
The picture in my mind isn't a pretty one but then I've been conditioned by too many years of believing that being gay was being queer. I really have attempted to talk myself out of that opinion because I've grown to know a few gay people that I like very much. I don't think I'll ever truly understand it but I can completely accept that they have every right to exist in peace with the rest of us.
There's a movie called "Brokeback Mountain" that deals with macho guys who discover they love each other and apparently have a relationship (I haven't seen the movie because, honestly, it creeps me out).
I can't change my early conditioning which colored every aspect of my personality and beliefs but I can rationalize clearly enough to see through more unbiased eyes. Love is a beautiful thing and one should take it where one finds it.
Still, the idea of two men dipping and clenching on the dance floor just seems weird.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Senior Fashion Show...Success!!
Our fashion show was held this afternoon and it looked as though about 70 people attended. Because I knew almost all of them I wasn't very nervous at all about parading in front of them.
We models (all 6 of us) crowded into a back room by the stage and put on our first outfits. Believe me, there was a lot of flesh flying around that room! The 2 ladies from Bonworth were very organized and managed to organize us as well. I was the 5th lady to walk out in front of the crowd and they were just great...very appreciative and complimenting of our choices of clothes. I walked down the aisles and stopped occasionally to allow the ladies to feel the fabric or rave about the outfit.
The crowd was so nice. They seemed to love the clothes and I know they were pleasantly surprised at the low prices. I hope they'll shop at the store which put on the fashion show because those ladies worked awfully hard to make this a wonderful event.
At the end of the show we models were all brought out together to receive our applause but there was one more surprise for the audience. 2 more models who didn't happen to be wearing Bonworth clothes were brought out on stage. Henry and Ron, dressed and made up as tarty women, came out and stole the show. Henry sashayed down the aisles and one of the irreverent men popped Henry's balloon boob with a pin. We all laughed at that and then Ron, dressed in a fringy short dress and net stockings, also sashayed into the audience. He was chewing gum and kept a nonchalant look on his face the whole time. We all roared to watch him hugging the men in the audience. What a clown!
The Bonworth manager asked if Ron's wife was in the audience and we said that, yes, she was and the manager jokingly said she felt sorry for her. Gerry replied, "I hear that a lot". Ron is the funniest man in our park and has created more laughter here than anyone else. He really is a fine gentleman, though.
Light refreshments of iced tea and cookies were provided and we all agreed that the fashion show had been a major success. God, I love these people! They make life so darned interesting and fun.
We left the clubhouse at about 2:30 P.M. and headed over to the pool. Some to swim but some to just sit and gab. We played Bingo in the evening and then called it a day. The end of another wonderful day in paradise.
We models (all 6 of us) crowded into a back room by the stage and put on our first outfits. Believe me, there was a lot of flesh flying around that room! The 2 ladies from Bonworth were very organized and managed to organize us as well. I was the 5th lady to walk out in front of the crowd and they were just great...very appreciative and complimenting of our choices of clothes. I walked down the aisles and stopped occasionally to allow the ladies to feel the fabric or rave about the outfit.
The crowd was so nice. They seemed to love the clothes and I know they were pleasantly surprised at the low prices. I hope they'll shop at the store which put on the fashion show because those ladies worked awfully hard to make this a wonderful event.
At the end of the show we models were all brought out together to receive our applause but there was one more surprise for the audience. 2 more models who didn't happen to be wearing Bonworth clothes were brought out on stage. Henry and Ron, dressed and made up as tarty women, came out and stole the show. Henry sashayed down the aisles and one of the irreverent men popped Henry's balloon boob with a pin. We all laughed at that and then Ron, dressed in a fringy short dress and net stockings, also sashayed into the audience. He was chewing gum and kept a nonchalant look on his face the whole time. We all roared to watch him hugging the men in the audience. What a clown!
The Bonworth manager asked if Ron's wife was in the audience and we said that, yes, she was and the manager jokingly said she felt sorry for her. Gerry replied, "I hear that a lot". Ron is the funniest man in our park and has created more laughter here than anyone else. He really is a fine gentleman, though.
Light refreshments of iced tea and cookies were provided and we all agreed that the fashion show had been a major success. God, I love these people! They make life so darned interesting and fun.
We left the clubhouse at about 2:30 P.M. and headed over to the pool. Some to swim but some to just sit and gab. We played Bingo in the evening and then called it a day. The end of another wonderful day in paradise.
Monday, March 10, 2008
Senior Models
This morning 7 of us senior ladies piled into a friend's van and drove out to a Bonworth store in Winterhaven. Bonworth is the store putting on the fashion show at our clubhouse and it happens to be one of my favorite hunting grounds.
We walked into the store at 10:00 A.M. and were greeted by the manager who told us to pick out 3 outfits each to wear in the show. We all had such a great time critiquing each other's choices and the manager was also there to advise us on what would look best. She didn't influence our choice of outfit but was tactful about sizes and color combinations.
My most comfortable clothes are a combination of pants or clam diggers, shell, and shirt so that's what I chose. I selected one outfit in a soft yellow with a print shirt which I probably won't buy because that's not my color but I liked it anyway. One of my shirts is a large red flower print on a white background and I think I'll buy it because it's wild enough to suit me without overwhelming me.
We tried on clothes for 1 1/2 hours before all of us had our 3 outfits. That might be the most fun we'll have with this event because now we have to actually model them in front of people. But not till Wednesday.
I'm hoping our audience will be only women because they can appreciate the show. The men will only be there because their wives made them go or else they want to have a little fun by teasing us. I'll be nervous enough as it is and being teased as I traipse myself up to the stage could cause a misstep. I'm probably worrying for nothing because the people here are the salt of the earth and I'm sure no-one would do anything to mar the day.
In any case, it's been fun so far and maybe the show itself will be more fun than I'm expecting. We'll see.
We walked into the store at 10:00 A.M. and were greeted by the manager who told us to pick out 3 outfits each to wear in the show. We all had such a great time critiquing each other's choices and the manager was also there to advise us on what would look best. She didn't influence our choice of outfit but was tactful about sizes and color combinations.
My most comfortable clothes are a combination of pants or clam diggers, shell, and shirt so that's what I chose. I selected one outfit in a soft yellow with a print shirt which I probably won't buy because that's not my color but I liked it anyway. One of my shirts is a large red flower print on a white background and I think I'll buy it because it's wild enough to suit me without overwhelming me.
We tried on clothes for 1 1/2 hours before all of us had our 3 outfits. That might be the most fun we'll have with this event because now we have to actually model them in front of people. But not till Wednesday.
I'm hoping our audience will be only women because they can appreciate the show. The men will only be there because their wives made them go or else they want to have a little fun by teasing us. I'll be nervous enough as it is and being teased as I traipse myself up to the stage could cause a misstep. I'm probably worrying for nothing because the people here are the salt of the earth and I'm sure no-one would do anything to mar the day.
In any case, it's been fun so far and maybe the show itself will be more fun than I'm expecting. We'll see.
Thursday, March 06, 2008
Too Busy To Blog
I've just been too busy to blog this past week or so. Being a senior with no job and little money doesn't stop me from running the roads and partying with the best of them.
My calendar for March is so darned full that I'm afraid there will be days that will be double booked and I'll have to choose between a few good events. In some ways it's like being a carefree teenager again...no-one to tell me I can't go and no job to drag me out first thing in the morning. I like this.
All of this will change once I get back home in mid April so that's when I get the chance to rest up. By October I'll be gearing up to come back to Florida and the hectic, fun filled lifestyle once more. One day that will stop, too, so I need to enjoy every day and every event that I can while I can.
2 carloads of us went out to the liquidator in Lakeland today, bought a few items, and then went to Crispers for lunch. We had our usual good time and then we all took a little walk around Mirror Lake. Why they call this a lake is a mystery to me...it's a pond. The park is lovely, though, and made all the more interesting by the placement of lifelike sculptures of people enjoying the park. Some are playing ball, fishing, reading, sweeping, running, etc. The detail in these sculptures is absolutely amazing.
We headed back to our park and got ready for hamburger supper at the clubhouse. Sheila and I left when the entertainment started up because some fool had hired a disc jockey to play dance music. We just wanted to hear some music and then maybe play cards for a while. Not tonight, though. We came back to my place and had coffee with liqueur and listened to the torrential rain that passed over us. My nice new wall is still holding up beautifully against heavy rain thanks to Mickey.
Tonight is one of the few nights I spend home in the winter so I'm going to watch a little T.V. when I finish this blog. Life is good.
My calendar for March is so darned full that I'm afraid there will be days that will be double booked and I'll have to choose between a few good events. In some ways it's like being a carefree teenager again...no-one to tell me I can't go and no job to drag me out first thing in the morning. I like this.
All of this will change once I get back home in mid April so that's when I get the chance to rest up. By October I'll be gearing up to come back to Florida and the hectic, fun filled lifestyle once more. One day that will stop, too, so I need to enjoy every day and every event that I can while I can.
2 carloads of us went out to the liquidator in Lakeland today, bought a few items, and then went to Crispers for lunch. We had our usual good time and then we all took a little walk around Mirror Lake. Why they call this a lake is a mystery to me...it's a pond. The park is lovely, though, and made all the more interesting by the placement of lifelike sculptures of people enjoying the park. Some are playing ball, fishing, reading, sweeping, running, etc. The detail in these sculptures is absolutely amazing.
We headed back to our park and got ready for hamburger supper at the clubhouse. Sheila and I left when the entertainment started up because some fool had hired a disc jockey to play dance music. We just wanted to hear some music and then maybe play cards for a while. Not tonight, though. We came back to my place and had coffee with liqueur and listened to the torrential rain that passed over us. My nice new wall is still holding up beautifully against heavy rain thanks to Mickey.
Tonight is one of the few nights I spend home in the winter so I'm going to watch a little T.V. when I finish this blog. Life is good.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Absentee Parents
I watched a show on T.V. this morning where a 12 year old boy confronted the mother who abandoned him 9 years ago. He was very articulate in his questions and observations of her but one thing stood out...he resented the fact that she'd abandoned him.
I didn't live with my mother for many of my formative years because she married my stepfather and left me with my grandparents. When she did live with us she was more like an older sister and there was no mother/daughter connection. I never realized until watching that young boy this morning how much I've resented her passive neglect all these years.
The love and attention of your mother and father are what aids you in forming your self worth. If your parents are absent or unattentive then you begin to feel as though you aren't worthy. My father abandoned me before birth and my mother would have allowed me to be adopted if my grandparents hadn't insisted she keep me. This explains a lot about my personality.
My grandparents did want me but they were too old to properly raise a feisty young girl and, at 15, I naturally gravitated toward the first young man who made me feel truly wanted. My guardian angel must have been standing by me because that young man became my husband and the wonderful father of our 3 daughters.
The little boy on today's T.V. show appeared to be very mature for his age and, hopefully, will gain his self respect and self assuredness from himself and not from his neglectful mother.
The secret to being well adjusted is to know that it's important to the people you love that you exist. Your childhood is spent learning your place in the world and learning where you are safe. Your parents are your first and most important teachers and I've often wondered why parenting skills aren't taught in school. After all, what is more important than raising a healthy, happy child?
I didn't live with my mother for many of my formative years because she married my stepfather and left me with my grandparents. When she did live with us she was more like an older sister and there was no mother/daughter connection. I never realized until watching that young boy this morning how much I've resented her passive neglect all these years.
The love and attention of your mother and father are what aids you in forming your self worth. If your parents are absent or unattentive then you begin to feel as though you aren't worthy. My father abandoned me before birth and my mother would have allowed me to be adopted if my grandparents hadn't insisted she keep me. This explains a lot about my personality.
My grandparents did want me but they were too old to properly raise a feisty young girl and, at 15, I naturally gravitated toward the first young man who made me feel truly wanted. My guardian angel must have been standing by me because that young man became my husband and the wonderful father of our 3 daughters.
The little boy on today's T.V. show appeared to be very mature for his age and, hopefully, will gain his self respect and self assuredness from himself and not from his neglectful mother.
The secret to being well adjusted is to know that it's important to the people you love that you exist. Your childhood is spent learning your place in the world and learning where you are safe. Your parents are your first and most important teachers and I've often wondered why parenting skills aren't taught in school. After all, what is more important than raising a healthy, happy child?
Monday, February 25, 2008
Models in the Making
We're having a fashion show next month in our park and I'm one of the 7 models. The other 6 are my age and we're all varying sizes. The posters for the show have stylized pictures of young, slim girls in fancy dress so I'm worried that we'll be nailed for false advertising.
The other discrepancy is that not one of us will be wearing a dress. It's going to be clam diggers, casual pants, or shorts because that's the way we dress in our senior park.
I'm not nervous yet but the day of the show will find me barely able to function. We have to walk up the aisle, up the steps to the stage, do a little twirl and return to our fancy dressing area in the ladies bathroom.
Why am I putting myself through this nonsense? For a 25% discount on an outfit from the store we're featuring. This isn't so bad because I love to shop at this particular store. They have really nice, good quality clothing at fair prices and they're neither old lady clothes or teenager clothes.
Modeling is a brand new experience for me so it will be interesting to see if I have the nerve to follow through with the day.
The other discrepancy is that not one of us will be wearing a dress. It's going to be clam diggers, casual pants, or shorts because that's the way we dress in our senior park.
I'm not nervous yet but the day of the show will find me barely able to function. We have to walk up the aisle, up the steps to the stage, do a little twirl and return to our fancy dressing area in the ladies bathroom.
Why am I putting myself through this nonsense? For a 25% discount on an outfit from the store we're featuring. This isn't so bad because I love to shop at this particular store. They have really nice, good quality clothing at fair prices and they're neither old lady clothes or teenager clothes.
Modeling is a brand new experience for me so it will be interesting to see if I have the nerve to follow through with the day.
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Saturday Morning Coffee
A different group of people make coffee and pick up donuts for a month every Saturday in our park. My group just finished our monthly stint. We have a good, co-ordinated group. We prepare the huge coffee urns on Friday night after Bingo and a designated person will turn them on at 7 A.M. the next morning. Another designated person will go pick up the donuts at Publix. The rest of the team will arrive at the clubhouse around 7:30 A.M. and prepare all the tables with creamer, sugar, and stir sticks plus set out the bagels and fixin's.
By 8:30 A.M. the first resident appears at the door looking for a cup of coffee and someone to talk to....donuts aren't put out till 9 A.M. When we carry the huge trays of donuts out to the table we do it quickly or take the chance of getting swamped by hungry oldsters. A word to the wise...don't get in a senior's way.
It takes about half an hour for everyone to get their fill of coffee and donuts and then they're on their way to bigger and better things. The slave group left behind cleans up and puts everything back where it belongs. We count the "donations" carefully and record it for the committee treasurer. Almost everyone has dilligently put in their $1 donation and the one's who don't are gossiped about (sorry, it's a fact of life).
And now we're finished till February of next year and another group will take our place next Saturday morning.
By 8:30 A.M. the first resident appears at the door looking for a cup of coffee and someone to talk to....donuts aren't put out till 9 A.M. When we carry the huge trays of donuts out to the table we do it quickly or take the chance of getting swamped by hungry oldsters. A word to the wise...don't get in a senior's way.
It takes about half an hour for everyone to get their fill of coffee and donuts and then they're on their way to bigger and better things. The slave group left behind cleans up and puts everything back where it belongs. We count the "donations" carefully and record it for the committee treasurer. Almost everyone has dilligently put in their $1 donation and the one's who don't are gossiped about (sorry, it's a fact of life).
And now we're finished till February of next year and another group will take our place next Saturday morning.
End of Dilemma
And then there's the very best outcome of a dilemma. It's taken out of your hands and handled by someone else!
Friday, February 22, 2008
Dilemma
Many times during our lifetime we are faced with unavoidable dilemmas where we have to choose to do the right thing even if it causes pain and distress to someone else.
I read in the dictionary that a dilemma is having to make a choice between two unpleasant things...I always thought it could also apply to having to make a choice between two good things. It's much easier to go on with your pleasant little life and ignore situations that require attention but sometimes you have to take a stand.
Often, for those of us who hate dissention, the dilemmas are mild enough to ignore with a clear conscience but when there's a possibility of imminent danger we need to act quickly and hope our decision won't cause havoc.
Have you ever wished you "didn't know"? That's because once you know you have to make a decision on what to do about it. There's also the wish that you'd known sooner. Talk about a dilemma!
I read in the dictionary that a dilemma is having to make a choice between two unpleasant things...I always thought it could also apply to having to make a choice between two good things. It's much easier to go on with your pleasant little life and ignore situations that require attention but sometimes you have to take a stand.
Often, for those of us who hate dissention, the dilemmas are mild enough to ignore with a clear conscience but when there's a possibility of imminent danger we need to act quickly and hope our decision won't cause havoc.
Have you ever wished you "didn't know"? That's because once you know you have to make a decision on what to do about it. There's also the wish that you'd known sooner. Talk about a dilemma!
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
When Rights Conflict with Laws
A Sikh gentleman in Canada has enlisted the help of the human rights commission to assist him in circumventing our long existing laws which demand a motorcyclist wear a safety helmet. His problem is that he wears a turban and would have to remove it in order to wear a helmet.
This man has chosen to immigrate from India to Canada and, like every other country in the world, we have laws for our citizens. Our laws also prohibit forceful marriage which some Indians practice for their daughters. Our laws prohibit genital mutilation which is practiced by some African cultures. We also have a free vote in Canada that is not allowed in some countries.
In the end, if a person chooses to live in a country then they have also chosen to abide by the laws of that country. These laws can be changed by majority vote.
I know that thousands of Canadian tax dollars will be wasted on this man as he trudges his complaint through bureau after bureau and I also accept that he just might win his case. We are sometimes too liberal a society.
This man has chosen to immigrate from India to Canada and, like every other country in the world, we have laws for our citizens. Our laws also prohibit forceful marriage which some Indians practice for their daughters. Our laws prohibit genital mutilation which is practiced by some African cultures. We also have a free vote in Canada that is not allowed in some countries.
In the end, if a person chooses to live in a country then they have also chosen to abide by the laws of that country. These laws can be changed by majority vote.
I know that thousands of Canadian tax dollars will be wasted on this man as he trudges his complaint through bureau after bureau and I also accept that he just might win his case. We are sometimes too liberal a society.
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Friendships
I've come to accept that in your lifetime you have friends and you will have FRIENDS. Some will be very close friends because you can easily live with their faults and some will be casual friends because their faults you not so easily can live with.
My sister-in-law, Faye, has been a friend for more years than I can count and we've never had an argument. That's not to say that we haven't at some time or other gotten on each other's nerves or shown aspects of our personality that is better left ignored. Our faults can be tolerated by each other.
I've been trying to pinpoint why I'm not so tolerant of the faults I find in some other people and have come to the conclusion that there's no answer.
It's like love. Many of us have been madly in love with someone whom we otherwise can't stand. No-one has been able to figure that one out since the beginning of time. The truth is that we become close to someone bit by bit, testing the waters to see if the next "fault" we encounter is a deal breaker. Being in love is like being insane so it takes us much longer to reach the dealbreaker part. Friendship comes from the sanest part of our mentality so dealbreakers are easier recognized.
I told Faye that she actually has never gotten on my nerves but I'm sure I've gotten on hers. She remained quiet...like a really good friend.
My sister-in-law, Faye, has been a friend for more years than I can count and we've never had an argument. That's not to say that we haven't at some time or other gotten on each other's nerves or shown aspects of our personality that is better left ignored. Our faults can be tolerated by each other.
I've been trying to pinpoint why I'm not so tolerant of the faults I find in some other people and have come to the conclusion that there's no answer.
It's like love. Many of us have been madly in love with someone whom we otherwise can't stand. No-one has been able to figure that one out since the beginning of time. The truth is that we become close to someone bit by bit, testing the waters to see if the next "fault" we encounter is a deal breaker. Being in love is like being insane so it takes us much longer to reach the dealbreaker part. Friendship comes from the sanest part of our mentality so dealbreakers are easier recognized.
I told Faye that she actually has never gotten on my nerves but I'm sure I've gotten on hers. She remained quiet...like a really good friend.
Friday, February 15, 2008
Stupid Things I Did Today
First I whacked my forehead on the clothes dryer and opened a 1/2" gash in my forehead...now I'm scarred for life but what's one more scar?
Then I dumped a bottle of nailpolish remover on my camera and dock. I thought the lid was on it. My camera seemed okay but the lights on the dock were all out. I panicked and zipped up to Walmart to see if I could buy a new dock but apparently they don't sell them anymore...my camera and dock are about 4-5 years old.
I came home and tried the dock again but all lights were out and it looked dead. I decided to go on Ebay and see if I could find one there and darned if there wasn't a complete camera and dock just like mine so I bid on it and won...just $26 including shipping.
I guess this was good news but the only thing is that before the listing ended my own dock lit up like a Xmas tree and is working like a charm.
I now own 2 identical cameras and docks.
Some days should be spent in bed reading a good book and eating chocolate.
Then I dumped a bottle of nailpolish remover on my camera and dock. I thought the lid was on it. My camera seemed okay but the lights on the dock were all out. I panicked and zipped up to Walmart to see if I could buy a new dock but apparently they don't sell them anymore...my camera and dock are about 4-5 years old.
I came home and tried the dock again but all lights were out and it looked dead. I decided to go on Ebay and see if I could find one there and darned if there wasn't a complete camera and dock just like mine so I bid on it and won...just $26 including shipping.
I guess this was good news but the only thing is that before the listing ended my own dock lit up like a Xmas tree and is working like a charm.
I now own 2 identical cameras and docks.
Some days should be spent in bed reading a good book and eating chocolate.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
What's the Right Thing to Do?
While I'm in Florida I like to read my home newspaper online and often get ideas for blogs from them. Today is a case in point.
A judge has declared that a mentally handicapped 2 year old child should gradually be handed over to her mentally handicapped parents. Right now she is in foster care with limited access by her parents. The parents appear to love her dearly but don't seem to have the mental capacity to provide her with a safe environment.
The mother is in her 20's and pregnant with her second child. The father is much older with quite a few marriages and children behind him. He's an ex drug user and has a minor criminal record in his past. I'm assuming the parents are on welfare because there was no mention of them having jobs.
This family, like it or not, is a drain on society and probably always will be. The last thing we should do as a society is to turn our backs on the weakest of us but is there any logic in allowing people like this to continue to produce offspring they aren't capable of taking care of? Left wingers would hang me from the nearest tree for even putting a thought like that in print.
I think the judge did the right thing by attempting to integrate the child fully with her parents because this is what our society demands...a child belongs with their parents unless there is serious abuse. In this case there is more neglect than abuse and that is due to the parents' mental deficiencies. Social services can help here.
My biggest concern is that the mother is young enough to have many more children all of whom will need public assistance in one form or another. We're not at the stage in our social development where we can demand she be sterilized but circumstances such as these make me wonder why that wouldn't be a good thing.
The truth of the matter is that some people, regardless of intelligence, should never have children. Just ask the police officers who respond to calls at filthy, drug infested homes where the children sleep on the floor because money for beds and food is spent first on drugs. And don't forget the battered children, helpless at the cruel hands of parents who are supposed to love and cherish them. Maybe foster care for these children would be a godsend for them.
Maybe putting this little 2 year old girl back in her parents' home isn't a perfect solution but many children survive under worse conditions. What bothers me most is that there's no way to legally stop this family from growing.
A judge has declared that a mentally handicapped 2 year old child should gradually be handed over to her mentally handicapped parents. Right now she is in foster care with limited access by her parents. The parents appear to love her dearly but don't seem to have the mental capacity to provide her with a safe environment.
The mother is in her 20's and pregnant with her second child. The father is much older with quite a few marriages and children behind him. He's an ex drug user and has a minor criminal record in his past. I'm assuming the parents are on welfare because there was no mention of them having jobs.
This family, like it or not, is a drain on society and probably always will be. The last thing we should do as a society is to turn our backs on the weakest of us but is there any logic in allowing people like this to continue to produce offspring they aren't capable of taking care of? Left wingers would hang me from the nearest tree for even putting a thought like that in print.
I think the judge did the right thing by attempting to integrate the child fully with her parents because this is what our society demands...a child belongs with their parents unless there is serious abuse. In this case there is more neglect than abuse and that is due to the parents' mental deficiencies. Social services can help here.
My biggest concern is that the mother is young enough to have many more children all of whom will need public assistance in one form or another. We're not at the stage in our social development where we can demand she be sterilized but circumstances such as these make me wonder why that wouldn't be a good thing.
The truth of the matter is that some people, regardless of intelligence, should never have children. Just ask the police officers who respond to calls at filthy, drug infested homes where the children sleep on the floor because money for beds and food is spent first on drugs. And don't forget the battered children, helpless at the cruel hands of parents who are supposed to love and cherish them. Maybe foster care for these children would be a godsend for them.
Maybe putting this little 2 year old girl back in her parents' home isn't a perfect solution but many children survive under worse conditions. What bothers me most is that there's no way to legally stop this family from growing.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Some Rambling Thoughts
I just packed away a whole slew of salt and pepper shakers made in Japan. I was pretty thrilled when I found them at a yard sale because you just don't find them that often. For whatever reason they didn't sell on Ebay so I've packed them in the trunk of the car to take home in April. Hopefully, the customers at my flea market stall back home will want them.
It's always been interesting to me how some things won't sell on Ebay one week but get many bids if you relist them the next week. I've chosen not to relist these, though, because I'm a little fed up with the many fees Ebay levies on us sellers. If I was doing this for a living I'd have thrown in the towel long ago but it's more of a hobby for me and I think I still come out slightly ahead of the game.
I have a few friends and relatives that sell on Ebay and we love picking each other's brains when we get together. Only another Ebayer can understand the fun of watching as an item you've listed suddenly becomes popular and you get multiple bids.
I've probably mentioned before how discovering that I could sell on Ebay with some degree of success opened up a whole new world for me. It was the first enterprise I'd ever undertaken on my own and it surprised and delighted me to have this little business as my own. Granted, it's never brought me much money but it's proven to me that I could have succeeded on a broader scale if I'd had the nerve to try earlier in my life.
We were discussing Walt Disney one day and I said that he had the open mind to think big...really big! And he had the daring spirit to bring his dreams to reality. That takes more self assurance than most of us possess. Years ago I read a notation written into a high school yearbook. It was written by a young man, maybe 18 years old. It said, "Goodbye high school, hello Stelco" and I thought even then how limited that young man's thinking was. And mine was never any better.
I've seen a difference in some of my grandchildren. One of them dreams big and has a strong determination to do great things. She's so fervent about her dreams that I know she'll have a rich and colorful life. I hope I'm around long enough to watch her soar.
I guess the moral of this long harangue is that we shouldn't settle for mediocrity but persue our interests with gusto. I wish I'd learned this a long time ago.
It's always been interesting to me how some things won't sell on Ebay one week but get many bids if you relist them the next week. I've chosen not to relist these, though, because I'm a little fed up with the many fees Ebay levies on us sellers. If I was doing this for a living I'd have thrown in the towel long ago but it's more of a hobby for me and I think I still come out slightly ahead of the game.
I have a few friends and relatives that sell on Ebay and we love picking each other's brains when we get together. Only another Ebayer can understand the fun of watching as an item you've listed suddenly becomes popular and you get multiple bids.
I've probably mentioned before how discovering that I could sell on Ebay with some degree of success opened up a whole new world for me. It was the first enterprise I'd ever undertaken on my own and it surprised and delighted me to have this little business as my own. Granted, it's never brought me much money but it's proven to me that I could have succeeded on a broader scale if I'd had the nerve to try earlier in my life.
We were discussing Walt Disney one day and I said that he had the open mind to think big...really big! And he had the daring spirit to bring his dreams to reality. That takes more self assurance than most of us possess. Years ago I read a notation written into a high school yearbook. It was written by a young man, maybe 18 years old. It said, "Goodbye high school, hello Stelco" and I thought even then how limited that young man's thinking was. And mine was never any better.
I've seen a difference in some of my grandchildren. One of them dreams big and has a strong determination to do great things. She's so fervent about her dreams that I know she'll have a rich and colorful life. I hope I'm around long enough to watch her soar.
I guess the moral of this long harangue is that we shouldn't settle for mediocrity but persue our interests with gusto. I wish I'd learned this a long time ago.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Ear Candling...It Actually Works!
Today Faye, Gary, Carole and I went to a pot luck at Ken and Pat's house. There were 13 of us at the dinner and the food was spectacular. After eating like pigs at the trough we carried on with much lively conversation until our hostess brought out a paper bag filled with special candles used for removing wax from your ears. Apparently this is quite an old custom and three of our group had done it before. Hearing about this a few weeks back drove me to do some research on the internet where I read many differing opinions. The theory is that the candle, which is hollow in the center, creates a vacuum when burning and draws the ear wax out of the ear and up into the candle.
Some people swear it works, some say it's dangerous, some say the only thing that ends up in the candle is candle wax. Tonight I saw the proof of whether or not ear candling works. It definitely does.
We chose the weakest one to try it out on first...he was one of the husbands who had consumed a couple more drinks than the rest of us. Our hostess provided a package of ear candles (one for each ear to be used one at a time), a lighter, a snowman paper plate with a hole in the middle, and a pan of water. I asked if this was to be poured on the victim if he caught fire but that wasn't the case. It's for dousing the candle when you're finished ear candling.
The victim, I mean Gary, lay on his side on the sofa and a bit of baby oil was dropped in his ear to loosen the wax. Then the pointed end of the candle was carefully inserted in his ear. The paper plate was set on the candle just above his head so that none of the wax would fall on him. The candle was lit and we all sat watching with rapt attention as it slowly, very slowly burned down. It doesn't drip but just turns black at the top. We'd chosen to let it burn to the half way point.
There wasn't much laughter during our experimental run because we were kind of nervous. But Gary was very much at ease and kept us informed about how he was feeling...he heard crackling once in a while but otherwise felt nothing. When the candle was removed and opened, lo and behold, there was indeed a fair amount of ear wax in it.
Now we all wanted to have it done. I was next and Faye was my candler. This is what I felt...nothing at first, then some pleasant warmth inside my ear plus slight crackling, then later a gentle feeling of something moving inside my ear. When we removed the candle and checked inside there were rather large clumps of ear wax. This was the biggest proof yet that ear candling works.
Then it was Faye's turn and I was the candler. Since one of the other men was getting his done at the same time we went into the bedroom to do Faye's. By this time we were so nonchalant about what we were doing that we got the giggles. Lying on a bed with flaming candle plugged into your ear does look silly.
Pat, our hostess, was on the phone explaining to her daughter that we were having a party and 2 of her guests were laying in different beds with burning candles in their ears. Faye called out, "Tell her this is what old people do when they give up sex!". Now the giggles were getting out of control and I worried she'd get burnt.
The wife of the man who had just finished having his ears candled came in to show us the results and we had a new winner. Never in my life did I think a day would come when I'd be examining someone else's ear wax and oohing and aahing over the amount!
In all seriousness, ear candling does work but I can see where there might be a slight cause for concern. One of the items I found on the internet stated that some people suffered burns to their eardrums when candle wax fell into the hollow candle and down into the ear. From what I saw tonight, these candles don't burn that way but maybe it's possible.
In any case, it was an new experience. It doesn't compare in the least to sex but it was fun.
Some people swear it works, some say it's dangerous, some say the only thing that ends up in the candle is candle wax. Tonight I saw the proof of whether or not ear candling works. It definitely does.
We chose the weakest one to try it out on first...he was one of the husbands who had consumed a couple more drinks than the rest of us. Our hostess provided a package of ear candles (one for each ear to be used one at a time), a lighter, a snowman paper plate with a hole in the middle, and a pan of water. I asked if this was to be poured on the victim if he caught fire but that wasn't the case. It's for dousing the candle when you're finished ear candling.
The victim, I mean Gary, lay on his side on the sofa and a bit of baby oil was dropped in his ear to loosen the wax. Then the pointed end of the candle was carefully inserted in his ear. The paper plate was set on the candle just above his head so that none of the wax would fall on him. The candle was lit and we all sat watching with rapt attention as it slowly, very slowly burned down. It doesn't drip but just turns black at the top. We'd chosen to let it burn to the half way point.
There wasn't much laughter during our experimental run because we were kind of nervous. But Gary was very much at ease and kept us informed about how he was feeling...he heard crackling once in a while but otherwise felt nothing. When the candle was removed and opened, lo and behold, there was indeed a fair amount of ear wax in it.
Now we all wanted to have it done. I was next and Faye was my candler. This is what I felt...nothing at first, then some pleasant warmth inside my ear plus slight crackling, then later a gentle feeling of something moving inside my ear. When we removed the candle and checked inside there were rather large clumps of ear wax. This was the biggest proof yet that ear candling works.
Then it was Faye's turn and I was the candler. Since one of the other men was getting his done at the same time we went into the bedroom to do Faye's. By this time we were so nonchalant about what we were doing that we got the giggles. Lying on a bed with flaming candle plugged into your ear does look silly.
Pat, our hostess, was on the phone explaining to her daughter that we were having a party and 2 of her guests were laying in different beds with burning candles in their ears. Faye called out, "Tell her this is what old people do when they give up sex!". Now the giggles were getting out of control and I worried she'd get burnt.
The wife of the man who had just finished having his ears candled came in to show us the results and we had a new winner. Never in my life did I think a day would come when I'd be examining someone else's ear wax and oohing and aahing over the amount!
In all seriousness, ear candling does work but I can see where there might be a slight cause for concern. One of the items I found on the internet stated that some people suffered burns to their eardrums when candle wax fell into the hollow candle and down into the ear. From what I saw tonight, these candles don't burn that way but maybe it's possible.
In any case, it was an new experience. It doesn't compare in the least to sex but it was fun.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Stereotypes
When I hear someone denigrate another person because of their skin color or nationality I think what a pathetic reason that is to dislike someone. It's ridiculous to judge a person unworthy when you don't even know them.
I watched a T.V. show about an Italian man who lived in the U.S. back in the 1940's and suffered the cruel name calling that often is inflicted on people of obvious ethnic background. He was called wop, dago, etc. I remember hearing those nasty words when I was a child but never used them myself. I was afraid the Italian kid might be from a mafioso family and would have me killed. Silly how we build up walls between "us" and "them".
When I became a teenager I felt differently about those Italian kids...especially the boys. Tall, dark, and handsome, who could resist? I guess hormones are the secret to breaking down the barriers.
The Italian man who was insulted by the cruel names? He was Frank Sinatra.
I watched a T.V. show about an Italian man who lived in the U.S. back in the 1940's and suffered the cruel name calling that often is inflicted on people of obvious ethnic background. He was called wop, dago, etc. I remember hearing those nasty words when I was a child but never used them myself. I was afraid the Italian kid might be from a mafioso family and would have me killed. Silly how we build up walls between "us" and "them".
When I became a teenager I felt differently about those Italian kids...especially the boys. Tall, dark, and handsome, who could resist? I guess hormones are the secret to breaking down the barriers.
The Italian man who was insulted by the cruel names? He was Frank Sinatra.
Saturday, February 09, 2008
I'm Tired
I'm tired. There's no getting past it because I've finally gotten myself moving about in such a frenzy trying not to miss out on anything that it's worn me out.
Yesterday was a perfect example. I did many little jobs all day, groceries, haircut, bank, post office, Ebay, and then Faye and I zipped over to an Orlando hotel for the Coke auction. We met her in-laws there and wandered from room to room looking at the Coke memorabilia for sale. I bought a few things which should give me at least a 50 cent profit but Faye's brother-in-law found a real treasure. That's the way it goes!
We hung around for the silent auction and I bid on way too many things, some of which will bring me a 51 cent profit. We didn't leave the hotel until around 10 P.M. and neither of us can see to drive in the dark. Faye was driving and I was navigating so you can see this isn't a perfect plan. Faye commented that it was the blind leading the blind and I thought that was quite clever.
We dragged our little selves back to the park around 10:30 but there was no bed time for me yet. My other friend came rushing over to my trailer in desperate need of advice about her Ebay problems. By the time she left and I did my bit of work it was 12:30 A.M.
The alarm went off at 10 to 7 because our group is doing the coffee and donuts in the clubhouse this month. Faye and I both looked and felt like zombies but did we go back to our trailers and have a nap after coffee? No, we went back to the hotel for the Coke swap meet.
I finally had my much deserved nap later in the afternoon but had to go over to the clubhouse at 4 to help out with our Micky Mouse Pizza dinner. Faye and I still looked and felt like zombies but we did have the good sense to forget about card games tonight.
It's now 6:49 P.M. and my doors are locked, the blinds are closed, and I'll only answer the door if someone has been shot and is screaming for help.
Yesterday was a perfect example. I did many little jobs all day, groceries, haircut, bank, post office, Ebay, and then Faye and I zipped over to an Orlando hotel for the Coke auction. We met her in-laws there and wandered from room to room looking at the Coke memorabilia for sale. I bought a few things which should give me at least a 50 cent profit but Faye's brother-in-law found a real treasure. That's the way it goes!
We hung around for the silent auction and I bid on way too many things, some of which will bring me a 51 cent profit. We didn't leave the hotel until around 10 P.M. and neither of us can see to drive in the dark. Faye was driving and I was navigating so you can see this isn't a perfect plan. Faye commented that it was the blind leading the blind and I thought that was quite clever.
We dragged our little selves back to the park around 10:30 but there was no bed time for me yet. My other friend came rushing over to my trailer in desperate need of advice about her Ebay problems. By the time she left and I did my bit of work it was 12:30 A.M.
The alarm went off at 10 to 7 because our group is doing the coffee and donuts in the clubhouse this month. Faye and I both looked and felt like zombies but did we go back to our trailers and have a nap after coffee? No, we went back to the hotel for the Coke swap meet.
I finally had my much deserved nap later in the afternoon but had to go over to the clubhouse at 4 to help out with our Micky Mouse Pizza dinner. Faye and I still looked and felt like zombies but we did have the good sense to forget about card games tonight.
It's now 6:49 P.M. and my doors are locked, the blinds are closed, and I'll only answer the door if someone has been shot and is screaming for help.
Friday, February 08, 2008
More Elvis
My Florida trailer sits on a lot right by a corner where there are a few trees. The lot where the trees are used to be a separate lot as was the space right next to it but these aren't rented out to campers anymore. Fortunate for me because that gives me the equivalent of 3 lots.
We preferred to park our car on one of these lots rather than in front of the trailer so my husband asked permission to put in a bit of a parking lot there...fits 2 cars. I nailed up an Elvis parking sign to the tree this year and I guess one of our maintenance men, Joe, spotted it. He was a good friend of my husband's and has always been kind and helpful to me.
The other day he drove up in his golf cart and walked up to me. He held out his closed hand and told me to hold my hand out. Now, never in my life has anyone put a bug in my hand so why do I have this irrational fear that someone will do that?? I was afraid to put my hand out so he promised that what he had in his hand wouldn't hurt me.
I put out my hand and he dropped a small fridge magnet into it. On the front of the magnet was a picture of Elvis looking very young and tender. I was so touched by Joe's gift and promised him I'd never "sell it on Ebay". It will have a place of honor on my fridge forever.
Small kindnesses add so much to our lives and I'm sure Joe has no idea that his little gift gives me happiness every time I look at it. The picture of Elvis looking so darned cute and lovable reminds me over and over why I fell in love with him way back in 1956.
We preferred to park our car on one of these lots rather than in front of the trailer so my husband asked permission to put in a bit of a parking lot there...fits 2 cars. I nailed up an Elvis parking sign to the tree this year and I guess one of our maintenance men, Joe, spotted it. He was a good friend of my husband's and has always been kind and helpful to me.
The other day he drove up in his golf cart and walked up to me. He held out his closed hand and told me to hold my hand out. Now, never in my life has anyone put a bug in my hand so why do I have this irrational fear that someone will do that?? I was afraid to put my hand out so he promised that what he had in his hand wouldn't hurt me.
I put out my hand and he dropped a small fridge magnet into it. On the front of the magnet was a picture of Elvis looking very young and tender. I was so touched by Joe's gift and promised him I'd never "sell it on Ebay". It will have a place of honor on my fridge forever.
Small kindnesses add so much to our lives and I'm sure Joe has no idea that his little gift gives me happiness every time I look at it. The picture of Elvis looking so darned cute and lovable reminds me over and over why I fell in love with him way back in 1956.
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
Sex Offenders...Unwanted in any Community
I read that there's a group of 19 sex offenders who have set up camp near Miami. They've furnished their new home with furniture, a T.V. operated by a generator, and even have a gym set up. These sad souls bemoan the fact that decent people are demanding stronger and stronger laws to keep them out of their neighborhoods.
The very thought of 19 sex offenders grouped together and living in a camp anywhere near my neighborhood gives me chills. Sorry, but criminals like this, whether they've served their time and their paroles, don't deserve to be integrated into family neighborhoods.
I understand that there are different levels of sex offences but anyone who commits these offences has a long way to go to prove they can be trusted again. Child predators should never be trusted alone around children again for the rest of their lives. A 19 year old man convicted of raping a 16 year old girl under consenting conditions shouldn't have to pay for that crime forever.
If our existing laws protected the general public properly we wouldn't have to come down so hard on "minor" sex offenders and they would be able to gradually be assimilated into society much easier. At this point not many of us trust that our precious children and grandchildren won't somehow be at the mercy of a child molester who has been allowed by the courts renewed access to children.
I can't find it in my heart to feel too much sympathy for the 19 in that camp. If they committed the crimes they were convicted of then they should expect to be shunned by society. If the offense was against a young child then they should consider themselves lucky they're not spending the rest of their miserable lives behind bars.
The very thought of 19 sex offenders grouped together and living in a camp anywhere near my neighborhood gives me chills. Sorry, but criminals like this, whether they've served their time and their paroles, don't deserve to be integrated into family neighborhoods.
I understand that there are different levels of sex offences but anyone who commits these offences has a long way to go to prove they can be trusted again. Child predators should never be trusted alone around children again for the rest of their lives. A 19 year old man convicted of raping a 16 year old girl under consenting conditions shouldn't have to pay for that crime forever.
If our existing laws protected the general public properly we wouldn't have to come down so hard on "minor" sex offenders and they would be able to gradually be assimilated into society much easier. At this point not many of us trust that our precious children and grandchildren won't somehow be at the mercy of a child molester who has been allowed by the courts renewed access to children.
I can't find it in my heart to feel too much sympathy for the 19 in that camp. If they committed the crimes they were convicted of then they should expect to be shunned by society. If the offense was against a young child then they should consider themselves lucky they're not spending the rest of their miserable lives behind bars.
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
Noisy Seniors
A gang of us played a horse race game the other night and people from the far ends of the park could hear us laughing and roaring. Tonight a gang of us ladies played Rummoli in the clubhouse (which was filled with lots of other people playing different games) and the noise we made drowned out everyone else.
I'm starting to develop a guilty conscience about the noisy group I hang out with. There's almost never any alcohol involved and the noise is almost always the result of laughter but the fact remains, we are terribly noisy.
I haven't noticed anyone giving me the cold shoulder so maybe the quieter ones have a forgiving heart. Either that or they're waiting for me and my noisy friends to grow up.
With any luck, it will never happen.
I'm starting to develop a guilty conscience about the noisy group I hang out with. There's almost never any alcohol involved and the noise is almost always the result of laughter but the fact remains, we are terribly noisy.
I haven't noticed anyone giving me the cold shoulder so maybe the quieter ones have a forgiving heart. Either that or they're waiting for me and my noisy friends to grow up.
With any luck, it will never happen.
Monday, February 04, 2008
A Matter of Importance
I've noticed over my lifetime that too many people make the mistake of dismissing another's pleasures or interests as of no importance. My husband was one of the worst. He couldn't understand why the whole world wasn't intensely interested in sailing and Formula 1 car racing. And he couldn't understand why anyone in the world was interested in something he wasn't.
I've mentioned my Monday morning coffee group as something we enjoy a lot here at the trailer park and I try hard not to schedule another activity during coffee time. It does happen occasionally as it did this month. We had to drop coffee morning two weeks in a row which I wasn't one bit happy with but it had become necessary.
One of my friends was intent on planning an outing for the third Monday but I told her I couldn't drop my coffee morning 3 weeks in a row. She looked rather disdainful and said, "It's only coffee".
Well, it isn't only coffee. There is a large group of ladies who come and drink coffee here on Monday mornings but the most important part of our meeting is the comraderie and laughter we enjoy. It's almost a ritual for starting out the week right.
Rituals like this fall easily to the wayside if taken too casually. Our outing for this morning fell through so I was able to have the coffee group over after all and we had such a terrific time. Why would I not make an effort to keep this going?
I guess what is important to some will never be important to all but it wouldn't hurt to practice tolerance and understanding of what is meaningful in another's life.
I've mentioned my Monday morning coffee group as something we enjoy a lot here at the trailer park and I try hard not to schedule another activity during coffee time. It does happen occasionally as it did this month. We had to drop coffee morning two weeks in a row which I wasn't one bit happy with but it had become necessary.
One of my friends was intent on planning an outing for the third Monday but I told her I couldn't drop my coffee morning 3 weeks in a row. She looked rather disdainful and said, "It's only coffee".
Well, it isn't only coffee. There is a large group of ladies who come and drink coffee here on Monday mornings but the most important part of our meeting is the comraderie and laughter we enjoy. It's almost a ritual for starting out the week right.
Rituals like this fall easily to the wayside if taken too casually. Our outing for this morning fell through so I was able to have the coffee group over after all and we had such a terrific time. Why would I not make an effort to keep this going?
I guess what is important to some will never be important to all but it wouldn't hurt to practice tolerance and understanding of what is meaningful in another's life.
Sunday, February 03, 2008
Me and my Computer
If I had a nickle for every time someone said to me, "Were/Are you on that computer again???", I'd be a millionaire. Of course I'm often on the computer because I work/sell/buy on it. I do research for any number of things on it. I blog on it and I write e-mails on it.
Yes, I am on the damn computer again!
Playing and working on the computer is a hobby for me. Just as some people look forward to chasing a ball around the golf course or putting stamps in a book I look forward to my computer time. The slight difference is that I make a couple of bucks with my hobby.
My advice to anyone is...don't apologize for doing what you like as long as it hurts no-one else. My computer time only interferes with incoming telephone calls because I'm back on AOL dial up. Tough!
Yes, I am on the damn computer again!
Playing and working on the computer is a hobby for me. Just as some people look forward to chasing a ball around the golf course or putting stamps in a book I look forward to my computer time. The slight difference is that I make a couple of bucks with my hobby.
My advice to anyone is...don't apologize for doing what you like as long as it hurts no-one else. My computer time only interferes with incoming telephone calls because I'm back on AOL dial up. Tough!
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Gas...$2.98 gal.
It's nothing short of amazing how we adapt to the status quo. My friend, Carole, and I went to Downtown Disney tonight but first she stopped for gas. We pulled into a Hess station and saw that the price of regular gas was $2.98 per gallon.
"Hmmm", I said. "Not bad".
I can't believe I said that and meant it. Me, who remembers when gas used to cost 19 cents a gallon!!!
This winter we've watched as gas reached a high of around $3.15 per gallon before bouncing back so I guess that's why $2.98 looked good. We've also been told that gas here in the States will probably hit the $3.50 mark this summer.
It really doesn't matter what today's figures are. What remains a shock is that I've been brainwashed into accepting that it's okay to pay 3 times for gas what I paid only a few years ago.
We're nothing but sheep!
"Hmmm", I said. "Not bad".
I can't believe I said that and meant it. Me, who remembers when gas used to cost 19 cents a gallon!!!
This winter we've watched as gas reached a high of around $3.15 per gallon before bouncing back so I guess that's why $2.98 looked good. We've also been told that gas here in the States will probably hit the $3.50 mark this summer.
It really doesn't matter what today's figures are. What remains a shock is that I've been brainwashed into accepting that it's okay to pay 3 times for gas what I paid only a few years ago.
We're nothing but sheep!
Monday, January 28, 2008
Baggy Pants
I watched a Dr. Phil show today about the "fashion" of wearing baggy pants that hang below the butt and show the wearer's underwear. Like most of the world I've become jaded and not as easily shocked when I see kids dressed like this.
What I disagree with wholeheartedly is that the people who dress this way are being targeted because they're black. Not so! Most of the young men I've seen with their undies hanging out are white and I think they look equally ridiculous. Black or white or green or purple...no-one wants to see your underwear.
It's true that all generations choose controversial clothing to set themselves apart. It's also true that when these young ones mature they'll look back on their choices with a touch of embarrassment.
Someone on Dr. Phil's show mentioned the young women whose thong underwear show above their low cut pants and whether they should also be banned. I try not to be sexist but this is how I look at it. The sight of a bit of thong showing is not as ugly as baggy men's underwear showing. I might think differently if the the young women wore their pants below their butts but that hasn't happened...yet.
You learn things on T.V. shows you might never learn elsewhere. Apparently in prisons the lower the convict wears his pants the more accepting he is to a little bump and grind from behind. Do the young men on the streets who wear their pants so low know this? How awkward if they just think they look cool and don't understand the signal they're sending.
I also watch the T.V. show "Cops" and wonder if law enforcement prefers that criminals wear their pants below their butts because it makes running away very difficult. It's funny to watch as the cops run down a man whose pants trip him up. As he's dragged to his feet desperately trying to pull his pants up I wonder why he hasn't figured out that his clothing style might be to his disadvantage.
The discussion on Dr. Phil's show was whether this current fashion should be publicly and legally banned. I'm of the opinion that fashion comes and goes and this particular one will disappear soon to be replaced with something else we might find more repugnant. People have enough legal restrictions against them so why add more.
This isn't a real fashion statement but just a generation thumbing it's nose at it's elders. We've all done it and then grown up. It will happen to this generation also.
What I disagree with wholeheartedly is that the people who dress this way are being targeted because they're black. Not so! Most of the young men I've seen with their undies hanging out are white and I think they look equally ridiculous. Black or white or green or purple...no-one wants to see your underwear.
It's true that all generations choose controversial clothing to set themselves apart. It's also true that when these young ones mature they'll look back on their choices with a touch of embarrassment.
Someone on Dr. Phil's show mentioned the young women whose thong underwear show above their low cut pants and whether they should also be banned. I try not to be sexist but this is how I look at it. The sight of a bit of thong showing is not as ugly as baggy men's underwear showing. I might think differently if the the young women wore their pants below their butts but that hasn't happened...yet.
You learn things on T.V. shows you might never learn elsewhere. Apparently in prisons the lower the convict wears his pants the more accepting he is to a little bump and grind from behind. Do the young men on the streets who wear their pants so low know this? How awkward if they just think they look cool and don't understand the signal they're sending.
I also watch the T.V. show "Cops" and wonder if law enforcement prefers that criminals wear their pants below their butts because it makes running away very difficult. It's funny to watch as the cops run down a man whose pants trip him up. As he's dragged to his feet desperately trying to pull his pants up I wonder why he hasn't figured out that his clothing style might be to his disadvantage.
The discussion on Dr. Phil's show was whether this current fashion should be publicly and legally banned. I'm of the opinion that fashion comes and goes and this particular one will disappear soon to be replaced with something else we might find more repugnant. People have enough legal restrictions against them so why add more.
This isn't a real fashion statement but just a generation thumbing it's nose at it's elders. We've all done it and then grown up. It will happen to this generation also.
Full to Overflowing
It's really nice that my Monday coffee morning has been such a success but today was a little overwhelming. The weather was just too chilly to sit out on the patio so we all sat inside. My trailer isn't very big but there was room for about 10 people in the livingroom.
People show up anywhere from 9 A.M. to 9:30 when the exercise class gets out. This morning seemed to bring a lot of ladies looking for a cup of coffee and fun conversation so we were pretty packed before 9:30. I was a little concerned about where anyone from the exercise class would find to sit.
My trailer is right across from the clubhouse so I saw the class as it exited. One lady who always comes to coffee was heading up my front sidewalk...but she was being followed by everyone from the exercise class!! I believe my surprised comment was "holy s...t". Because there were men in the class and also in her entourage I very quickly realized that this was a joke. My neighbor, Ron, runs the exercise class and he was gathering all these people into my little trailer.
We had a good laugh and most of them left. I made sure they knew they were all invited to any coffee time when we had it outside. At least outside we can fill the patio and spread out onto the grass if necessary.
I lied. We don't want the men because they inhibit our discussions...many of which are about them! I wouldn't seriously turn the men away but we do try to discourage them.
There's no coffee morning for the next 2 Monday's because I'm going to be away those days. When we start up again the weather should be warmer and we can do our drinking and yakking outdoors. Such fun.
People show up anywhere from 9 A.M. to 9:30 when the exercise class gets out. This morning seemed to bring a lot of ladies looking for a cup of coffee and fun conversation so we were pretty packed before 9:30. I was a little concerned about where anyone from the exercise class would find to sit.
My trailer is right across from the clubhouse so I saw the class as it exited. One lady who always comes to coffee was heading up my front sidewalk...but she was being followed by everyone from the exercise class!! I believe my surprised comment was "holy s...t". Because there were men in the class and also in her entourage I very quickly realized that this was a joke. My neighbor, Ron, runs the exercise class and he was gathering all these people into my little trailer.
We had a good laugh and most of them left. I made sure they knew they were all invited to any coffee time when we had it outside. At least outside we can fill the patio and spread out onto the grass if necessary.
I lied. We don't want the men because they inhibit our discussions...many of which are about them! I wouldn't seriously turn the men away but we do try to discourage them.
There's no coffee morning for the next 2 Monday's because I'm going to be away those days. When we start up again the weather should be warmer and we can do our drinking and yakking outdoors. Such fun.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Busy Seniors
You know those day planners that very busy people in the working world need to keep their lives running smoothly? Well, guess what? Seniors need them just as much.
Last night I watched as 2 of our friends scanned their day planners trying to find a day in February that wasn't already taken up so we could all make it to the zoo. It finally turned out that someone had to give something up or we couldn't go. Three of us gave up coffee morning and line dancing. We're going to the zoo on Monday, February 4th. Granted, our lives are filled with activities of our own choice but they still have some degree of commitment that has to be taken into consideration. Not everything is easily cancelled.
While they had their day planners out we planned a day at the liquidators (for Ebay stuff), a barbecue day, a pot luck day, and a baseball day. All for February and all shifted countless times so they didn't interfere with other plans.
We lead an exceptionally busy life here in Florida but all that changes once we get back home in mid April. Life settles down to normal. I have my flea market plus other bits and pieces so I don't get bored but it must take a bit of getting used to if all you have to look forward to in the summer is housework.
Right now I'll just enjoy my busy life and keep hoping it will go on for many years to come.
Last night I watched as 2 of our friends scanned their day planners trying to find a day in February that wasn't already taken up so we could all make it to the zoo. It finally turned out that someone had to give something up or we couldn't go. Three of us gave up coffee morning and line dancing. We're going to the zoo on Monday, February 4th. Granted, our lives are filled with activities of our own choice but they still have some degree of commitment that has to be taken into consideration. Not everything is easily cancelled.
While they had their day planners out we planned a day at the liquidators (for Ebay stuff), a barbecue day, a pot luck day, and a baseball day. All for February and all shifted countless times so they didn't interfere with other plans.
We lead an exceptionally busy life here in Florida but all that changes once we get back home in mid April. Life settles down to normal. I have my flea market plus other bits and pieces so I don't get bored but it must take a bit of getting used to if all you have to look forward to in the summer is housework.
Right now I'll just enjoy my busy life and keep hoping it will go on for many years to come.
Friday, January 25, 2008
Queen for a Day
You may or may not know that I am queen of my park for the year 2008. This was a great honor bestowed upon me when my name was drawn from a can on New Year's Eve. Today was our park parade and I had to perform my duties for the first time.
I wasn't one bit happy about being queen but decided I was going to get in the mood and enjoy it...in the process, it would help everyone else enjoy it. One of the men here, knowing I didn't want to be queen, said he'd thought about parking his bike behind my car so I couldn't run off today. No fear. I follow through with my commitments no matter how much I'd rather not.
For the parade I got to don the purple robe and crown and carry the glass sceptre while riding on a golf cart. My king, Jim, sat proudly by my side as his wife in real life brought up the rear of the parade dressed in shower curtains. It was a humbling moment.
The theme this year was clowns so many of the parade participants were in full clown gear. Our Red Hat ladies came out in force to join in also. It was pretty colorful, what with clowns, Red Hatters, doggy clowns, and even a few children. I think we almost outnumbered the people who lined the streets to watch.
I got to carry the glass sceptre because the last queen carried it. We don't know why. Early on in the parade I motioned with it to the bystanders and the top flew off and rolled down the road. My king, purple robed over t-shirt, ran after it and put my sceptre back together. I think it needs duct tape.
After the parade we all, paraders and watchers, filled the clubhouse for our parade lunch. For $2 we got a hot dog, potato salad, cake, and a drink.
There were prizes given out for best costume, funniest person, etc. Laverne, Jim's wife, won the prize for most imaginative costume. Remember the shower curtains!!!
I may actually hunt down one of the pictures taken because today was fun and I wouldn't mind a photo memory of it. I dreaded it so much but once I decided to loosen up and just let it happen it turned out to be a hoot.
About 20 of us had happy hour at a friend's house and then we Bingo fanatics rushed off to the clubhouse. I mentioned before about rubbing one man's belly for luck but I started to realize tonight that maybe we're rubbing away our own luck. He won 3 times tonight and I won nothing. My king asked me to rub his head and belly and damned if he didn't win, too. There's something wrong here.
I may have to start charging for services.
I wasn't one bit happy about being queen but decided I was going to get in the mood and enjoy it...in the process, it would help everyone else enjoy it. One of the men here, knowing I didn't want to be queen, said he'd thought about parking his bike behind my car so I couldn't run off today. No fear. I follow through with my commitments no matter how much I'd rather not.
For the parade I got to don the purple robe and crown and carry the glass sceptre while riding on a golf cart. My king, Jim, sat proudly by my side as his wife in real life brought up the rear of the parade dressed in shower curtains. It was a humbling moment.
The theme this year was clowns so many of the parade participants were in full clown gear. Our Red Hat ladies came out in force to join in also. It was pretty colorful, what with clowns, Red Hatters, doggy clowns, and even a few children. I think we almost outnumbered the people who lined the streets to watch.
I got to carry the glass sceptre because the last queen carried it. We don't know why. Early on in the parade I motioned with it to the bystanders and the top flew off and rolled down the road. My king, purple robed over t-shirt, ran after it and put my sceptre back together. I think it needs duct tape.
After the parade we all, paraders and watchers, filled the clubhouse for our parade lunch. For $2 we got a hot dog, potato salad, cake, and a drink.
There were prizes given out for best costume, funniest person, etc. Laverne, Jim's wife, won the prize for most imaginative costume. Remember the shower curtains!!!
I may actually hunt down one of the pictures taken because today was fun and I wouldn't mind a photo memory of it. I dreaded it so much but once I decided to loosen up and just let it happen it turned out to be a hoot.
About 20 of us had happy hour at a friend's house and then we Bingo fanatics rushed off to the clubhouse. I mentioned before about rubbing one man's belly for luck but I started to realize tonight that maybe we're rubbing away our own luck. He won 3 times tonight and I won nothing. My king asked me to rub his head and belly and damned if he didn't win, too. There's something wrong here.
I may have to start charging for services.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Bingo Good Luck Charms & Rituals
My daughters are not going to be happy when they read this. They may start looking for a good nursing home to put me in.
We have anywhere from 6-8 regulars at our Bingo table and tonight I made note of the silly things we do to promote good luck. We ALL have little items we talk to, rub, and place in front of our cards. A few of us hand our good luck charm around for others to rub, too. One of the ladies who insisted on rubbing my charm sometimes rubbed it on her butt.
A fairly new habit we've gotten into began about a month ago when one of the men who wins habitually came over to our table to gloat and I rubbed his head for good luck. Not to be outdone, Sylvia rubbed his tummy and that's been one of the spots we head every Bingo night. I have no idea what some of the people in the hall think when they see 2 or 3 ladies of impeccable reputation trot over to this man's table and rub his head and stomach. He grins from ear to ear as we do it. He's a good friend who is ready and willing to join in the ritual while we all have a laugh. If we forget, he shows up at our table pretty quick!!
Do we really believe all this stuff will bring us luck? Not on a bet! We do it for the fun of it. And that's all that matters.
We have anywhere from 6-8 regulars at our Bingo table and tonight I made note of the silly things we do to promote good luck. We ALL have little items we talk to, rub, and place in front of our cards. A few of us hand our good luck charm around for others to rub, too. One of the ladies who insisted on rubbing my charm sometimes rubbed it on her butt.
A fairly new habit we've gotten into began about a month ago when one of the men who wins habitually came over to our table to gloat and I rubbed his head for good luck. Not to be outdone, Sylvia rubbed his tummy and that's been one of the spots we head every Bingo night. I have no idea what some of the people in the hall think when they see 2 or 3 ladies of impeccable reputation trot over to this man's table and rub his head and stomach. He grins from ear to ear as we do it. He's a good friend who is ready and willing to join in the ritual while we all have a laugh. If we forget, he shows up at our table pretty quick!!
Do we really believe all this stuff will bring us luck? Not on a bet! We do it for the fun of it. And that's all that matters.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Goodbye Tengo
I got up around 6:15 A.M. this morning and turned on the computer. Between 6:15 and around 9 A.M. I was able to access the internet for about 10 minutes. I'd finally had enough of Tengo and decided it was time to get an AOL account. It may be slow but it's a heck of a lot more reliable than Tengo wireless.
My internet costs rose another $30 to pay for AOL until I leave here in early April but it's $30 paid to lessen the immense aggravation that Tengo causes me every day. Money well spent.
My internet costs rose another $30 to pay for AOL until I leave here in early April but it's $30 paid to lessen the immense aggravation that Tengo causes me every day. Money well spent.
Monday, January 21, 2008
Sad Day/Scary Day
Today started out nice enough. It was terribly cold for Florida yesterday and last night but this morning the sun was shining and there was a promise of warmer weather. Then I got the phone call from my daughter back home in Canada to say it was frigid there and my furnace had stopped working.
This is a time to panic because I was 1200 miles away and might need to have a new furnace installed. My daughters love me but it was so unfair for them to have to deal with a problem like that. My good neighbors had already been inside the house and tried to get the furnace restarted but it was a no go.
My son-in-law who happens to be an electrician had offered to look after everything but he's tied up with his own job and couldn't get there till later in the day. He was unable to fix the furnace so he called in a professional who did the job and got the furnace running again. Thank heavens!!
I worried about my furnace all through my coffee morning but the ladies who came were so much fun that I was able to forget for a while. We laughed and joked over 2 pots of coffee before everyone headed home.
Around lunchtime an old friend and neighbor from the park stopped in for a visit. She'd sold her trailer a couple of years ago but we'd kept in touch via e-mail and phone calls. I'd had such a hectic summer that I hadn't realized there'd been no contact since the previous winter. Today I discovered why. She's in the first stages of Alzeimers but had convinced her daughter to bring her to Florida for a visit. My heart is still broken to have seen a once strong and purposeful woman reduced to a colorless version of herself. She didn't seem to remember clearly the fun and interesting times we'd had over the years but she did remember what good friends we'd been. She's visiting the area for a while so I'll get to see her again before she goes home but the future isn't good for her.
I don't hate the wrinkles and weakness of old age but I do angrily hate the loss of one's mind. We begin building memories to carry us through life from the day we're born and it's misery to imagine losing more and more of these memories as each day goes by. Alzeimers is a disease that all of us seniors fear more than death.
After my friend left, my neighbor came over to ask me to take care of his dog while he took his wife to the hospital. She's one of my best friends here and had not been feeling well for a while but now she'd become sick enough to need medical help. I worry terribly about her because she takes so much medication for various things and sometimes these medications wreak havoc with her body. Of course, I took in their little dog and was happy to have him around.
Having a pet in the house gives you permission to talk openly to yourself because you can always pretend you're talking to your pet. I yakked to Rusty constantly and he'd look at me with his intelligent eyes as though he understood every word. He is one of the sweetest little dogs I've ever seen. He just exudes gentleness.
When I left to play Pokeno I left the lights and T.V. on for Rusty's benefit. It was nice to go back home and have his sweet little self jumping with joy to see me. I took him for a walk around the park and then settled in for the night, thinking his father was going to stay at the hospital with his mother but no, Rusty was picked up and taken home around 10 P.M. My friend remained in the hospital for observation overnight but it seemed she was going to be okay. I can't bear to lose her so she'd better be okay!!
It's lovely to have reached the age where we can travel to warmer places for the winter but there's always the unknown to worry about back home. And there's always the health of friends our age to worry about (also our own).
I remind myself daily to count my blessings...good children, good grandchildren, good relatives, and good friends. I do my best to make every moment a positive one because the sad times creep in when you least expect them. Today held some worries but that's life.
But tomorrow is another day and we can choose to enjoy it or waste it. I choose to enjoy.
This is a time to panic because I was 1200 miles away and might need to have a new furnace installed. My daughters love me but it was so unfair for them to have to deal with a problem like that. My good neighbors had already been inside the house and tried to get the furnace restarted but it was a no go.
My son-in-law who happens to be an electrician had offered to look after everything but he's tied up with his own job and couldn't get there till later in the day. He was unable to fix the furnace so he called in a professional who did the job and got the furnace running again. Thank heavens!!
I worried about my furnace all through my coffee morning but the ladies who came were so much fun that I was able to forget for a while. We laughed and joked over 2 pots of coffee before everyone headed home.
Around lunchtime an old friend and neighbor from the park stopped in for a visit. She'd sold her trailer a couple of years ago but we'd kept in touch via e-mail and phone calls. I'd had such a hectic summer that I hadn't realized there'd been no contact since the previous winter. Today I discovered why. She's in the first stages of Alzeimers but had convinced her daughter to bring her to Florida for a visit. My heart is still broken to have seen a once strong and purposeful woman reduced to a colorless version of herself. She didn't seem to remember clearly the fun and interesting times we'd had over the years but she did remember what good friends we'd been. She's visiting the area for a while so I'll get to see her again before she goes home but the future isn't good for her.
I don't hate the wrinkles and weakness of old age but I do angrily hate the loss of one's mind. We begin building memories to carry us through life from the day we're born and it's misery to imagine losing more and more of these memories as each day goes by. Alzeimers is a disease that all of us seniors fear more than death.
After my friend left, my neighbor came over to ask me to take care of his dog while he took his wife to the hospital. She's one of my best friends here and had not been feeling well for a while but now she'd become sick enough to need medical help. I worry terribly about her because she takes so much medication for various things and sometimes these medications wreak havoc with her body. Of course, I took in their little dog and was happy to have him around.
Having a pet in the house gives you permission to talk openly to yourself because you can always pretend you're talking to your pet. I yakked to Rusty constantly and he'd look at me with his intelligent eyes as though he understood every word. He is one of the sweetest little dogs I've ever seen. He just exudes gentleness.
When I left to play Pokeno I left the lights and T.V. on for Rusty's benefit. It was nice to go back home and have his sweet little self jumping with joy to see me. I took him for a walk around the park and then settled in for the night, thinking his father was going to stay at the hospital with his mother but no, Rusty was picked up and taken home around 10 P.M. My friend remained in the hospital for observation overnight but it seemed she was going to be okay. I can't bear to lose her so she'd better be okay!!
It's lovely to have reached the age where we can travel to warmer places for the winter but there's always the unknown to worry about back home. And there's always the health of friends our age to worry about (also our own).
I remind myself daily to count my blessings...good children, good grandchildren, good relatives, and good friends. I do my best to make every moment a positive one because the sad times creep in when you least expect them. Today held some worries but that's life.
But tomorrow is another day and we can choose to enjoy it or waste it. I choose to enjoy.
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