Every Day is a Gift

Eclectic

2012-01-27T13:46:00.000-08:00

I have too much "stuff" in my house. I have been trying to rid myself of some of it because the house is just too full. It's not an easy process because I have collected so many things that I like. I decided to take photos of some of the things I will keep because I can't part with them.

See the photo above? Each of the pieces has a different history. I have had the lamp since 1970, when I had my first teaching job. I guess it's a typical 1970s style; I have always thought it was very cool. I call it my "mushroom lamp". Once, when the paper boy came to collect, he saw the lamp and said "does that do something psychedelic?". I bought the Hawaiian quilt in the town of Paia, which I talked about yesterday on the map of Maui. My husband and I were on vacation with another couple; the wife and I wanted to stop at the quilt shop but the men were impatient. I'm glad we stopped. The Bertoia chairs were a lucky find. I went to a warehouse sale for "Design Within Reach" one Sunday morning and there they were, marked way down. I think I got the little table at Pier One. I liked it because it has animals marching around the bottom. If you look closely, you can see Munchkin lurking behind the chair on the left side of the photo.

My Bentwood rocker is an authentic Thonet, made in Poland in the 1960s. I lived near Cleveland at the time, and we went down to the docks where they were selling imported furniture off the ships. I also bought an Italian butcher block table there. I still have it too, but I didn't take a photo because it's covered with my sewing stuff and looks very messy.

I have a thing for Noah's Ark, I guess because I have a soft spot for animals. I don't remember where I got this one, but I've had for quite a while. I have the animals approaching the ark, but I think they should be turned around as if leaving the ark, because the rainbow is there so it must be after the flood. Or maybe there was a rainbow when it began to rain, I'm not sure. Anyway, there is no bird so maybe it could be before the rain.

I bought this one at a craft show I went to with my mom. An old man made it; he was sitting there with his wooden creations and no one was looking at them so I went up and talked to him, and couldn't resist buying it. I think it made him happy. Notice the bird on Noah's hand.

This one is just a little Hallmark ornament, and I think it's very cute. Notice the bird perched at the very top.

I probably found these little etchings at a craft show, too. Under the chicks, it says "pecking order". This one makes me think of Natalie, of Chickenblog.

I like the body language of the penguins and the simplicity of the little squirrel set off by the triple matting.

I bought this crazy little clock at an art fair in Michigan. The bird doesn't chirp or anything; he just perches there.

This little wooden puzzle is from Mexico. They sell similar ones at the airport in Cancun, but I haven't seen one this detailed there. I really like the bright colors of the little birds.

Continuing with the animal theme, I love James Herriott's books. I have quite a few of them.

Some of the books I bought in my youth.

The magnets on my fridge: I'm afraid I have images of cats everywhere, in addition to actual cats. What can I say? When my niece and her husband came to visit one time, they decided to count the number of cat images in my house. I think it was something like 26. At least I don't have that many real cats!

Another poster (see yesterday's post). I've had this one forever and it has been in every place I've ever lived. Back in the 1980s I had wallpaper that looked a little like the wallpaper in the picture. I've always wanted to find a rug like that one, too.

Stories on My Walls

2012-01-25T15:35:00.000-08:00

I've had the Napa Valley Mustard Festival poster sitting around since 1994. I finally had it properly framed and am putting it my kitchen eating area. The poster features a rabbit jumping over a crescent moon. I have always liked that image. After all, I am a "moonchild" (born in July and much nicer than "Cancer the Crab"). My mother tells me that when I was a little girl, I used to refer to the crescent moon as "a piece of moon" (like a piece of pie).

The rabbit on the moon is a motif in Japanese folklore. It's sometimes called the "moon rabbit" or the "jade rabbit". I've always liked this image. The artist who made the little blue dish was also inspired by the moon rabbit, as she explained in a note that came with the piece. I happened to find it in the window when I was walking past a small art gallery in Philadelphia.

Recently, I have taken several of my favorite posters to be framed. I have always loved them, but just had them in inexpensive do-it-yourself frames that weren't very sturdy. The Tolkien poster is probably my all-time favorite because of the subject matter and the style of the drawing. The title is "Bilbo Comes to the Land of the Raftelves". I love the look of the trees and the sinuous lines. I noticed they used similar lines in the designs of the elvish domiciles in the movie "The Lord of the Rings". When I was in Rome, I saw some real trees that looked just like those, in a park. I've always wondered what kind of trees they were.

I bought the "Asilomar" poster in the 70s. I liked the design and the colors, and there was something about the name that intrigued me. Years later, driving along the Pacific Coast near Monterey, we actually came to the place with that name. It was near Pacific Grove and it was beautiful. There was a field of wild flowers on one side of the road and the Pacific Ocean on the other side. We stopped and had lunch at a little diner nearby. Then, years after that, we stopped again at the same place for lunch with good friends. Nice memories.

I've had this one for a long time, too. Many people who see it don't understand why I am so attracted to it. It looks magical to me; the strange way the flowers are glowing, the tiny pinpoint stars in the sky, and of course the crescent moon. Looking through the window is kind of Twilight Zone-ish I think.

This poster isn't really a poster at all. It's the map that we used the first time we drove the Road to Hana. I cherish this map because it recreates for me one of my favorite places in the world, the wonderful Road to Hana. Thirty miles long, narrow and winding, it's Hawaiian paradise. Breathtaking views, hairpin turns, waterfalls, old stone bridges. My husband and I have made the drive three times; I always talk him into it when we are on Maui.

The artsy little town of Paia is the jumping off point to the Road to Hana. You can stop here and buy drinks and snacks (and great pastries) for the drive. (I've also heard that Willy Nelson has a home nearby... lucky guy!)

There are 54 bridges along the Road to Hana, most of them wide enough for just one car at a time. Each bridge has a name, and they are all listed here.

Maui towns are listed along with the interpretations of their names: Wailea means "waters of happiness"; Hana means "the four pillars of the universe".

See the nature walk? There is a sign there that says "Quiet, trees growing".

I think I'd like to visit Uncle Harry's!

At the end of the long drive... heavenly Hana! The tiny town on the "quiet" side of the island. No busy resorts here, just a general store, a very small airport, some low-key places to eat, and a few very nice hotels. On our fourth visit to Maui, we finally decided to stay in Hana. My husband said he was relieved not to have to make the return drive for once. We stayed at the wonderful Hotel Hana Maui, which had been a long-time dream of mine. The "hotel" is a grouping of private cottages widely scattered around the seafront property. It's a wonderful hideaway. Heavenly Hana, indeed... I never wanted to leave.

Above is the view of the ocean from our cottage. Below is a view of some of the cottages with the ocean in the background. Can you see why I didn't want to leave?

This place on the map marks the gravesite of Charles A. Lindbergh. It's also the end of the paved road. We visited the gravesite and the little church there, then we turned around because we didn't have 4-wheel drive. That's where it says "drive at your own risk". I would love to try it, though. I love to go to the ends of roads and see what lies ahead.

His grave in the photo below:

The gravesite with the church in the background:

Inside the church:

At the end of the road:

ReStore

2012-01-24T12:30:00.000-08:00

This is my kitchen with the new appliances.

These are the old appliances waiting in the garage.

Here comes the ReStore truck, from Habitat for Humanity.

This is Anthony, who works for Habitat for Humanity. He is also an auctioneer. He told me about a trip to Kenya he made with his pastor. Newborn babies there were being treated for HIV Aids with medication from the United States. Anthony told the the bishop about his work with Habitat and about being an auctioneer. The bishop told him he was doing "a good thing" with Habitat, but not such a good thing as an auctioneer. In Kenya auctioneers work for the government to sell off the personal property confiscated from those who can not pay their taxes. Anthony explained the role of an auctioneer here in the United States, and then provided a demonstration for the people there, auctioning off some shoulder bags that the women make from used feed bags. The people were entertained by the fast-talking style, and there was much laughter.

Habitat for Humanity does not place the used appliances in the homes they build; rather, the appliances are sold at a discount in their ReStore stores. The money is then used to purchase new appliances for the homes, so that every new homeowner gets brand new appliances along with their new Habitat homes.

Old Appliances

2012-01-24T08:31:00.000-08:00

You buy new appliances. The people from the store deliver them and, if you want, they will take your old appliances away. Do you have them taken away, or do you do something else with them? That's what we asked ourselves recently. Our old appliances were still useful, but they were old and had come with the house when we bought it. We decided to find out if anyone else could use them.

We called St. Vincent dePaul and Habitat for Humanity. They both said they could use them. So, when the installers brought the new ones, we had them leave the old ones in the garage. We asked the installers what the store does with the old appliances. They told us the old appliances are taken to the junkyard, because they don't want the competition of the used appliances on the market. We asked them how many people keep the old appliances. They said only about one percent, and usually to give them to grown children who are moving into their own houses. I was surprised that today's grown children would take old, used appliances. If you watch HGTV, they all want everything bright and new, nothing "outdated".

Anyway, Habitat for Humanity is coming to pick up the appliances today. They have something they call ReStore where they sell or donate appliances that people with few resources need. I am glad they are going there instead of a junkyard.

Into the 21st Century

2012-01-23T07:02:00.000-08:00

Today we are entering the 21st century at my house. We are getting new appliances... stainless steel appliances!

When we moved here, the appliances were already in place. They were a color the appliance people call "Biscuit". I call it ivory, or cream. I liked it and didn't see any need to "change it out" as they say now. They worked fine and looked nice with the dark cabinets and ivory colored Corian counters we had installed. (They were green formica when we moved in; that I couldn't live with.)

After six years I wanted a change. One burner on the range had become unreliable and the fridge is way too small for us. Also, it was all over ten years old... time for a change. I never understood the current craze for stainless steel. I'm not fond of an industrial look. However, we have to think about possible resale value now that we are nearing retirement. So, we are finally going with the stainless. We have to be "state of the art". I just hope the craze doesn't change again before we decide to move.

I've been busy taking everything out of the fridge and freezer and figuring how to keep it cold during the transition. We have also called Habitat for Humanity and St. Vincent de Paul to see if they want the old appliances.

Spats

2012-01-22T08:22:00.000-08:00

I had to laugh this morning. My husband and I had what you might call a marital spat. it started over an umbrella. Some years ago I bought us each a small, collapsible umbrella to take on a trip to Italy. Since that trip he has kept his in his briefcase and I have kept mine in my suitcase. I bought mine in green with a yellow stripe and his in blue with a yellow stripe, so we could tell them apart. He got the blue with yellow because he's from Michigan (the maize and blue, I think they call it). Well, when he came home from his last business trip, he realized he had lost his umbrella. So he wanted mine. I said I would find him another one because I really like mine. He got angry. HIs exact words were "Gimme it". I started laughing because it sounded like a little boy to me. "Gimme it!" All day, every time I reheard that "gimme it" in my mind, I burst out laughing again. He became angrier because he thought I was laughing at him.

I decided to write about it and I looked up "spat" in Google Images. These are what I found. They made me laugh too!

Do I have a weird sense of humor?

Update: problem solved... later today he found his umbrella in his car!

Carrots

2012-01-21T12:23:00.000-08:00

We are getting new appliances on Monday. The installers are coming to replace our stove, dishwasher, microwave and refrigerator. The appliances we have now came with the house and have seen better days. I spent the morning cleaning excess stuff out of the refrigerator and the freezer. I have to make plans to keep the remaining food cold while the switch is being made.

Right now we have ice covering everything outside and it would be nice to think we could just put all the frozen food outside and it would keep. But that's not gonna work, cause it's supposed to warm up into the 50s on Monday. Just my luck! So, we brought up all the coolers from the summer supplies in the basement and plan to fill them with ice on Monday morning and put the food in there.

In the meantime, I discovered I had too many bags of carrots hiding in the produce drawers. i didn't realize I had so many carrots! Since I told my husband we have to try to use as much of the food as we can over the weekend, I had to come up with a plan for the carrots. I am going to make carrot loaf, carrot soup and carrots with pasta.

I am going to be seeing carrots in my sleep!

Out My Window

2012-01-21T05:33:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, when we were anticipating ice, I borrowed a photo from Google showing a tree covered with ice. These photos are the real thing; I took them through my own window this morning.

I don't think this ice will last long. Tomorrow it's supposed to supposed to go up to 50-something degrees... then maybe some snow later next week. We are having a crazy winter.

ICE!

2012-01-20T14:06:00.000-08:00

"Travel discouraged!" That's what the local news is telling us this afternoon. We are under a winter storm warning, expecting a coating of one-quarter inch of ice on everything this evening. We have food, we have wine, we have the fireplace; we aren't going anywhere. In case the power goes out, we have flashlights, lanterns, candles, radios and lots of batteries. I always have lots of batteries; my husband makes fun of me. But I like to be prepared!

p.s. It's 80 degrees in Hawaii. But I won't remind my husband; he says it's "getting old" (my talking about Hawaii, that is!).

Change... Ack!

2012-01-20T07:06:00.000-08:00

No, not to the blog... to my life!

In life, change is inevitable, right? Most of the changes in my life have been results of my own choices. So, why does change affect me the way it does? I had to go to the thesaurus to define my feelings, and I came up with a lot of "dis" words: discomfited, disconnected, disconcerted, disengaged, discombobulated. "Discombobulated" probably describes it best; I feel agitated and confused.

Six years ago, when we decided to move from a house I loved in a place I loved in order to be closer to family, I felt all of those things. Now I am beginning to feel all of them again. We think we have outlived our present house. Some of our friends have moved to condos in an over 55 building. They rave about their carefree lifestyle and they travel often. We could do that too. It sounds appealing to both of us. But, of course, it means moving, selling the house, and getting rid of lots and lots of "stuff".

I feel paralyzed. Part of me loves having a yard and lots of privacy. I like the independence of a free-standing house and the possibility of having a lovely garden (even though I don't garden much) and sitting by a roaring fire in the winter (even though we have a gas fireplace with a remote control). Can my vision of life fit into a condo? True, we could travel more and spend time in Hawaii during the winter. True, we could have our four cats with us and they would be fine.

Moving out of a house feels like giving up my youth and admitting to being an older person, entering a different phase of life. I know lots of youthful, vibrant people living in over 55 condos. They probably have more fun than I do. But, thinking I will never live in my own home again discombobulates me a little.

Today

2012-01-17T08:16:00.000-08:00

This is what it looks like here today. This isn't my photo, but the weather is the same. It's rainy, windy and cold. The rain is lashing against the windows, the wind is roaring, and I just heard thunder. The forecast: gusty winds, heavy rain, thunder and lightning. The outdoor cats are all huddled in their igloos, and I think I will stay in the house today.

I just checked the weather in Kona; it's 81 degrees and sunny. I wish I were there, walking on the beach!

I Also Have A Dream

2012-01-16T13:13:00.000-08:00

Earlier today, I was listening to a political discussion on T.V. They were talking about the South Carolina primary. The comment was made that there are some people who are against President Obama simply because he is a black man. I know that it's true, and it makes me sad and angry.

If someone doesn't like his politics, I have no problem with that. If someone doesn't like the things he has done, I am fine with that. But to be opposed to the man simply because of his race... I do not understand that.

In the Jewish Yom Kippur service, there is a confession of sins. One is sins of xenophobia, which is dislike of those who are foreign or different. I was reminded of that last week when one of the presidential hopefuls spoke negatively of Jon Huntsman because he can speak Chinese. What is negative about speaking a different language? It's a big world out there, and we all need to live in it. We can't just live in our own little bubble.

This is my creed:

Our First Snow

2012-01-13T16:14:00.000-08:00

This is what I saw out my window this morning. Our first real snow of the season. Not very much, and it probably won't last long, but there will be more before the season is over.

This photo was taken through the window screen so it's not very clear. Can you see the little tracks leading across the yard toward the back where the trees are? Those are the tracks the feral cats we care for make when they go into the ravine behind our house. They always follow the same tracks.

My front door:

After Christmas

2012-01-12T13:10:00.000-08:00

The wreath is still on my door, though it's beginning to look a little droopy now. I guess I will take it down today.

I am reluctant to take the ornaments off the tree in front because they look so colorful. If we were in Hawaii, it would be colorful all year... that's one reason I love it there.

Our homeowners association has a rule about leaving holiday decorations up too long. Last year we received a letter saying "take them down or we will take them away". The only decorations we had were two little artificial trees with white fairy lights. I thought it was weird because some places (restaurants, etc.) have white fairy lights up all year round. This year the trees are still out there but I unplugged the lights last weekend. I wonder if the trees have to come in too. I would love to have the lights on through the winter, to brighten up the season. Alas, the powers that be do not approve.

On the inside, most of my decorations have been put away. I still have a few around, just because I like seeing them. Fortunately the h.o. association doesn't inspect inside the house!

Meanwhile, our cats are busy doing their thing. This is Munchkin; she's a frequent subject of my photos because she is so cute. She's a little like a puppy; she gives us a certain look when she wants to play, then she runs around in circles and flops down on her side to have her belly rubbed. She's an extroverted kitty, the opposite of Tiger who is an introvert. Yet, they have become best friends. At first he resisted her efforts to play, but now they have a great time chasing each other around.

It started snowing today. The outdoor kitties are in their shelters on the deck.

They come up by the door to eat, then go back to the shelters if it's cold or wet. They look inside at us and seem interested in what we are doing, but if we open the door they run.

Is Social Media Out of Control?

2012-01-11T10:44:00.000-08:00

I'm having a problem with my "social media" sites. One has taken over the other. It involves facebook and Huffington Post.

I've been on facebook for a while now, and everything was going fine. It was a good way to keep up with out-of-town friends and family.

I've also had a profile on Huffington Post for a while. It was a good place to read news articles and blogs, to see comments others make, and to add comments of my own. The two were separate; I went to one for family and friends, and to the other for news. But now, there is a problem. I liked one particular story on Huffington Post and wanted to share it on my facebook page, so I clicked on a link. Now I can't get Huffington Post off my facebook page. Each time I go to facebook there are numerous stories from Huffington Post there. I have to search through them to find anything from friends or family.

I have tried to "unlink" them, but it hasn't worked. They have instructions, but it asks for a password and when I enter my password it wants to delete my entire account. Does anyone out there know how this works? I want my facebook back the way it was!

In The Mood

2012-01-08T07:05:00.000-08:00

I'm feeling blue again. The holidays are over. Winter is looming. I have people in my life who think they are always right, and I often feel ignored and unappreciated. Too often my opinions don't seem to matter. I need my friends, but they are far away.

There are bright points in my life. Every night before I go to sleep, I think how grateful I am to have a warm place to sleep and a roof over my head. I don't want for anything on the physical level. It's emotional feeding that I need. I feel powerless to change my life. I need a champion, someone to support me and cheer me on.

I think I will become my own champion. My comfort zone is beginning to feel like a prison. I am gathering my strength and working up the courage to effect change. I feel like a sleeping giant. It isn't my style to make a lot of noise; an iron fist in a velvet glove is more like it. Quiet change.

These old, familiar words describe exactly what I need:

I need the courage to change the things I can change. I very much need the serenity to accept the things I can not change (because they are there). I need the wisdom to know the difference, so that I'm not always fighting a losing battle. Rather than fight the things I can't change, I need to spend time changing the things I can change. I have made a list of those, and that is what I am going to get started on. Does that sound like a new year's resolution? Maybe it is.

A Welcome Diversion

2012-01-07T14:31:00.000-08:00

Life has been a bit dull around here since the holidays came to an end. At first we were exhausted from all the activity and were happy to just relax. Then, finally, cabin fever began to set in. It was time to get out and do something. So, last night we went to see a movie. We went to see this:

I wasn't enthusiastic at first. My husband talked me into going. He asked would your rather see "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy" or the new "Mission Impossible". I'm not a big Tom Cruise fan, but I had read that "Tinker" has a serious plot that must be followed carefully. I was not in the mood to concentrate, so I agreed to see the fourth "Mission Impossible".

It turned out to be a good diversion! I liked the characters. I liked the humorous bits. I enjoyed the gorgeous shots of exotic places. Yes, it's unbelievable and totally incredible (in the true sense of the word) and I thought the battle at the end went too long... but it was entertaining!

What I Think

2012-01-04T16:03:00.000-08:00

I think this is so true...

and this makes me happy.

Handmade Gifts

2012-01-03T08:25:00.000-08:00

My sister and my nieces made these for us for Christmas. They drew the face and used special fabric, Michigan for Mike and cats for me. They have popcorn inside! My sister even wrote a special poem to attach to it.

New Year's Birthday

2012-01-01T11:00:00.000-08:00

My stepfather, David, was born on New Year's Eve eighty-some years ago. Yesterday we celebrated his birthday with my mom, two of my sisters, and six nieces and nephews. We all got together at a favorite pizza spot. I love it when the young and the old get together! (I'm somewhere in the middle, agewise.)

Mom and Dave, reading birthday cards. My mom is wearing her "celebration" colors.

My three nieces, back at their house. They are modeling their new hats; a cat on either end and a koala in the middle.

This is their dog Sammy (short for Samantha):

And Sammy, trying on Molly's koala hat:

This is my oldest niece, Erin, with her husband and son Jackson:

Erin and Jeff:

Jeff and Jackson:

Parker, the youngest family member. He's full of energy!
(Note: some of my iPhone photos come out too dark; I'm not sure why.)

The girl cousins, all together again. They have so much fun!

Just For You...

2011-12-31T16:31:00.000-08:00

Before I Put It All Away...

2011-12-29T18:38:00.000-08:00

I really enjoy all of my holiday decorations. I think it's a shame they come out only once a year. For example, these little snowmen look so jaunty. For some reason they remind me of Gene Kelly dancing in "Singin' In The Rain".

I also love these little reindeer; they are posed so gracefully. I like their tiny red noses and their white fawn spots.

The snowmen and the reindeer are all vintage Gurley candles from the 1950s, which I have been collecting. I find them all so charming. Here are some more of them:

I like to see the top of the fireplace all lit up with lights like a little wonderland with Santas and candles.

Last year my mother gave me her nativity scene and asked me to display it for our family get-together. I like the details in it. The expressions on the faces, and the body language of the little animals.

Of course, there are little stuffed critters too. I have so many collections... I just can't resist them.

I just have fun with it all! And now I have to put it all away until next year!

The Days After Christmas

2011-12-28T12:50:00.000-08:00

These first two photos were actually taken before Christmas. I was putting the gels on the windows, and the kitty was outside, watching me. She is one of the feral kitties who use the shelters on our deck. I think they are only semi-feral now, as they are used to us coming and going and feeding them. There are eight of them, and they are like a part of our family now.

Finally, she reached up with her paw to see what this thing was. I like the way they interact with us; these little feral kitties have such personalities!

Today I went to my sister's house for a post-Christmas visit.

Everybody was busy, playing with their Christmas gifts.

Aubrey was putting together a mini-castle. She's wearing the Angry Bird hat I gave her. She loves it, and it keeps her head warm!

Molly was playing with the newest electronic thingy on the T.V. I think her dad stood in line at midnight on Black Friday to buy the electronic thingy she's using.

Sarah was showing my mom (her grandmother) how to program her new GPS:

My nieces are good at teaching their elders how to use electronic thingies! My mom and stepdad are needing more help as time goes by. They are both in their late eighties and still living in their own home. He can't drive at all because of macular degeneration and she drives only in daylight. My sister and her husband, who are both doctors, have recommended that they move to assisted living but they are resisting. I know... it's a familiar story among us Baby Boomers and their parents.

Brown Family Christmas

2011-12-27T16:20:00.000-08:00

Some of our family lives to the south; some of our family lives to the north. They all got together at our house Monday.

Here come the cousins!

Parker is the youngest member of our family.

Here he is with his cousin, Aubrey:

Here he is, checking out a bug-eye kaleidoscope from his stocking:

This is Parker's brother, Jackson.

Sarah models her new earmuffs...

Molly makes chocolate candy.

Cousins Emma and Molly are always glad to see each other.

"The boys" with their mom:

and tackling their uncle:

Christmas Day at Home

2011-12-25T17:33:00.000-08:00

Everything is quiet here today because we went to my sister's house to visit with the local half of the family. Tomorrow everyone is coming to my house to visit with more of the family from out of town (it's really for "Boxing Day" isn't it, tomorrow?)

Three Wise Men

2011-12-23T11:39:00.000-08:00

I love this cartoon...

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Treats

2011-12-21T12:20:00.000-08:00

Today I went with my sister and my nieces to a Cincinnati tradition, the Bonbonerie. These are some of the treats they make there.

More California

2011-12-20T20:10:00.000-08:00

The sky was blue and the flags were flying. It was a gorgeous day in San Francisco!

Ah, palm trees!

Christmas was in full bloom, too.

Later that evening:

The cioppino was great!

The next day we headed to Sunnyvale. We visited a pet store.

We went to Palo Alto to see Santa:

They have an amazing chocolate store there...

And a very nice bakery, too.

It was a busy day; we also went to Ikea:

We had a very nice visit in California...

California

2011-12-20T05:36:00.000-08:00

Union Square in San Francisco

Last week, we flew to California. My husband had business in San Francisco, and we spent two nights near Union Square. I took the photos below from our hotel.

After San Francisco we drove south to Sunnyvale to visit our daughter and granddaughter.

Fun was had by all!

I think I will post more pictures tomorrow. Right now I have holiday things to do!

Miscellany

2011-12-12T06:11:00.000-08:00

My mother painted this portrait of me when I was twelve years old. It's the first one she ever painted, before she ever took an art class.

This is the sight that greeted me when I went to get into bed last night.

Molly, dancing on Thanksgiving.

Sarah, on stilts.

Spot, lounging on the deck.

Christmas lights in our neighborhood.

See those "fingers" of blue light on the left side of the tree? They made sparks flying down from the branches, like little fireworks... hard to describe, but it looked cool.

Lost and Found

2011-12-11T16:16:00.000-08:00

On our recent trip to Hawaii, I was wearing my only real (except for my engagement ring) piece of jewelry, a gold chain with a diamond pendant that I have had for years. It looked a lot like the photo, but it was yellow gold and the diamond was smaller.

We had been putting my necklace, along with other things like cell phones and watches, in the room safe. One day when I came back to the room the maid had been there and our room had been cleaned. I went into the bathroom and on the counter, in the soap dish, I found the golden bale (the little part that holds the diamond). It was just the empty bale, no diamond and no chain. I couldn't imagine what had happened to the rest of the necklace.

We called housekeeping to ask the maid how she had found the empty bale. She came to the room and showed us where she found the bale, but had seen no sign of the diamond or the chain. We were stumped; what had happened to the necklace? I began searching every inch of the room, looking under everything and all along the edges of the carpet. Of course there was no sign of the necklace in the safe, where I thought I had left it.

While I was searching, there was a knock on the door. A very professional looking man introduced himself as the security manager. He asked me a lot of questions about where I kept the necklace and when I had last seen it. He wanted to see the box I kept the necklace in, and inspected the remaining contents of the safe. He was writing down everything I said on his notepad. He called the maid to join us in the room. She repeated what she had told us, how she found the empty bale laying on the floor. He had asked her to bring her vacuum and they proceeded to dump the contents out on the bathroom floor (It was a large bathroom). He went through the dust and dirt pretty thoroughly and found nothing unusual. They cleaned it up and left, saying they would be back.

The security officer, the maid, and an assistant manager came to the room next. They said they were going to take the vacuum outside and search the contents more thoroughly outside where the light was better. I stayed in the room and waited, still searching through everything. A while later, there was another knock on the door. It was the security officer. He had the loose diamond in his hand! They had finally found it inside the vacuum cleaner. Amazing! Of course I was relieved and very thankful. We finally decided the necklace had been dropped or had fallen onto the floor and was run over by the vacuum.

When we came home I had to have the diamond reset in the bale and buy a new chain. I am still amazed how they found the diamond in the vacuum cleaner. Wow. I was pretty lucky, I guess.

Maybe it DOES Work!

2011-12-10T08:08:00.000-08:00

A couple of weeks ago I sent a $100 donation to Salvation Army. I thought about it for a while, not sure whether or not I could afford it. Then I sent it, and I felt good about it.

Yesterday, we were consigning some chairs that we could no longer use. After the consignment store took their cut, we would have netted only a small amount for them. As we were carrying them in, another couple was just coming in the door. They looked at our chairs and asked if we would be interested in selling them directly to them instead of consigning them. Their daughter just bought a new table and they wanted to give them to her for Christmas, as they would go perfectly with her new table. They gave us $100 for the chairs! So, in a way, it came back to me.

Do Nice Girls Finish Last?

2011-12-08T05:31:00.000-08:00

This post is rather personal. It's about finding my voice.

I was raised to be a "nice girl". Don't make waves. Don't be demanding. Don't be pushy. Be polite. Be deferential. I don't think my parents did me a favor by raising me this way. It may have worked back in the 1950s but it sure doesn't work now.

In the world of work, the people who get ahead are the ones who "blow their own horns". It seems the one who speaks the loudest is the one to whom people listen. I have a tendency to think about my answer when someone asks me a question. That doesn't work. People don't wait for an answer; they move on to someone more glib. I am often interrupted, I think because I speak quietly.

My father was stern and authoritarian. My mom taught me how she dealt with him. "Just listen to what he says and nod your head, then go and do what you want." No wonder I became passive-aggressive. I was never encouraged to "find my own voice". Rather than speak my piece I keep quiet. That leads to anger. I either hold the anger in or I take it as long as I can then overreact. There have been times when others are surprised at my sudden outburst. Other times, good friends have looked at me and cheered, saying something like "you go, girl" or "it's about time!". Not surprisingly, I cherish these friends. They encourage me to come out of my shell and express my feelings.

When I lived in Philadelphia I attended a Bible study class. Discussions were often dominated by those who were louder and more assertive. There were times when I was trying to make a point and was talked over. One particular friend supported me. He would rap on the table to get everyone's attention and announce "Judy has something to say". I loved that friend for doing that. Now I need to learn to do that for myself.

Pairs

2011-12-06T05:33:00.000-08:00

Feral Cats - "Little Black Kitty" Division

2011-12-05T05:25:00.000-08:00

We have a family of little black cats living outside our house. One of them seemed to especially like us so we adopted her and named her "Munchkin" because she appeared to be the "runt" of the litter. The following photos are her littermates, who preferred to live outdoors.

They shelter in igloos:

they climb trees:

they peek in our windows.

They even line up to pose!

Tiger and Tinkerbell

2011-12-04T17:19:00.000-08:00

This is my cat Tiger. I call him my "zen" cat. He is a deep thinker.

Tiger with his sister Tinkerbell. They were little feral kittens when they came into our back yard and adopted us.

Always Missing Someone

2011-11-30T06:55:00.000-08:00

Philadelphia. We moved there in 1989. It was a career move for my husband. I got a job there, made friends there, and grew to love it. We lived there for sixteen years. Then we decided to move back to the Midwest to be closer to our families. Of course I had mixed feelings. I still have mixed feelings. In many ways it was the right thing to do. I have seen my nieces grow from little girls to teens and tweens. Before we moved we saw them only on holidays when we came to visit. I sent their birthday presents through the mail. Not too long ago my youngest niece, Molly said to me, "Aunt Judy, we didn't know you very well before you moved here". We were able to be at the hospital for the last days of my husband's mother's life. We have been here for my 87-year old mom.

Now we are visitors when we go back to Philadelphia. Instead of having our home to stay in, we stay in a hotel or at friends' homes. I still miss the home we had there. The first time we went back I started crying as we took our old exit off the turnpike. I still miss our neighbors and friends. If we moved back there, I would miss my family here. It seems I will always be missing someone. I envy those who have everyone they love in one place. I guess that's less common these days, with modern life what it is.

This is Where I Want to Live!

2011-11-28T07:57:00.000-08:00

Waimea (also known as Kamuela) is in the North Kohala district of the Big Island.

This is the main street through town (I think it has two traffic lights).

These pastures are just outside of town:

Snow on Mauna Kea:

This is where we went for coffee and breakfast:

The Waimea Coffee Company.

This is where I decided for sure I want to live here. A group of women came in for coffee after their exercise class. Everyone was chatting and laughing. I could tell it was a true community, not just a tourist place.

Everyone seemed happy and relaxed. There was a laid back feeling. I think I would be happy here. I could wear my flip-flops every day!

Hawaii Photos from My IPhone

2011-11-26T08:13:00.000-08:00

I finally got around to downloading these from my phone. Now I want to go back!

First stop, LAX. We have a bite to eat and get ready for our next flight.

After five more hours; we have arrived!

Sunset that night:

The colors are perfect; fleeting, but perfect while they last.

First morning breakfast:

Outside our room, the beautiful surroundings. We were here last year, too; it's so good to be back. It smells the same, like the sea, the sand, the trees and the foliage. It smells like Hawaii. The air feels the same; it's soft and it caresses you. I find just breathing here almost intoxicating.

I am SO happy! This is my "Hawaii face".

What I Did On "Black Friday"

2011-11-25T12:46:00.000-08:00

I went over to my sister's house, where they were putting up the Christmas tree. That's Aubrey holding the angel. How do you place the angel on top of a nine foot tree?

It helps to have a gymnast in the family. That's Sarah in the pink shirt; she's an award winning gymnast.

Sarah climbs up:

Just a little higher:

a little more...

She almost on the ceiling!

Mission accomplished!

Molly: "Where should we put this one?"

Sammy in the back yard:

Down the road:

I guess the Christmas season has begun!

Black Friday

2011-11-25T05:57:00.000-08:00

Not me... not ever!

Some Things Never Change

2011-11-22T05:59:00.000-08:00

About 25 years ago I bought this Rookwood vase at an antique show. I loved the delicate colors and the ethereal vibe they evoke.

Well, here are the same delicate colors I saw in the Hawaiian sky just last week.

Odds and Ends about Hawaii

2011-11-21T06:18:00.000-08:00

The entrance to our hotel. I like the chairs; I like the rugs; I like the whole Hawaiian vibe.
The front is open to the air and the back is open to the beach and the ocean. I love being half outdoors even when I'm indoors!

The hallway to our room; I walked this hallway many times, always happy, always smiling, just to be where I was:

This is the door to our room; the hallway is outdoors. I love that!

and out the back door you can walk to the beach and the ocean!

I love the sunsets:

but I also love the blue in the sky just after sunset:

The kitties we fed outside our room:

Halloween in Hawaii:

"Strength, resilience, and longevity of this place and its people; spinner dolphins, whales, sea turtles and the endangered Hawaiian Monk Seal." So much to love about this place.

If you drive to the end of a road,

you come to a spectacular view:

Remember how much I loved photographing the foam that comes in with the surf?

Well, I found a blouse with trim that reminds me of that:

See the resemblence? Every time I wear it, I will think of the surf.

ALOHA!

"The 250"

2011-11-19T14:15:00.000-08:00

This was our third visit to the Big Island of Hawaii. Each time we go, we discover more. This time, Natalie asked me if we drove the 250. We did indeed drive the 250, also called the Kohala Mountain Road, from Waimea to Hawi. The drive was beautiful. We started at Waimea at about 2500 feet elevation and climbed to about 4000, with spectacular vistas to our left and pastures to our right. On the map you can see Waimea at the bottom of 250 and Hawi up at the top.

We started out at the lower elevation, where the sky was clear blue. As we got higher, the sky got cloudier and the air got cooler. I was snapping pictures as quickly as I could; I kept telling my husband to slow down so I wouldn't miss anything. I missed a few good shots, but I got what I could.

It's a beautiful place on a beautiful island. I can see why Natalie is homesick for it. I would love to go back myself.

Surf

2011-11-19T09:14:00.000-08:00

My husband thinks I'm crazy because I can just stand on the beach and keep snapping photos of the surf.

I just love to see all the different patterns it makes, and the foam it creates, and the lines that are left in the sand. I tried to take some photos of the lines after the water recedes, but he kept walking in front of me making shadows, so the second to last one is all I could take. Also, I found the "flower branch" in the sand on our last day... I felt like it was a gift to me from Hawaii saying "come back".

Hawaii Moments

2011-11-18T20:07:00.000-08:00

Good morning!

Down to the beach (my favorite place):

These kids were having so much fun, screaming and laughing with every wave:

A yoga class:

A wedding:

Waterfalls:

Tropical plants:

A pool down there:

A pool over here:

Gorgeous sunsets:

Luaus:

Goodnight!

Hawaii Through My Lens

2011-11-17T07:25:00.000-08:00

We just came home from Hawaii last night. While we were there I took hundreds of photos. These are just a few of them. I really love it there.

The Problem With November

2011-11-05T05:42:00.000-07:00

Every year, I hate turning the clock back. Yes, I get an extra hour of sleep; that part's not bad. The problem is, it gets dark so early in the day. When I was working, it was already dark when I came home, which made me feel like the day was already gone and I had missed it all.

Also, the month of November seems to usher in the true beginning of winter weather (at least where I live). At the beginning of November, things look like this:

By the end of November, it's beginning to look more like this:

I wouldn't mind if winter lasted a couple of months. You know, change of seasons and all that. But, around here, it just lasts too long. We have Thanksgiving, then Christmas, then three more long months of winter.

That's why my dream would be to live in Hawaii one day. It always looks like this:

People often say to me, "but wouldn't you miss the change of seasons?". No, no that much!

The Fairy Tale Wedding

2011-11-02T13:18:00.000-07:00

I don't buy into the whole "fairy tale wedding" thing. Latest case in point: Kim Kardashian. I never thought I would mention her in my blog because I think that whole family has been way over exposed already. But it does give me a perfect example of the wedding becoming more important than the marriage. Yes, she got her "fairy tale wedding". Was that the whole point? To show off in a pretty dress and throw a big expensive party? Fine, but what does that have to do with marriage?

Marriage is serious business. Marriage is for adults. Fairy tales are for children. Excuse me, but I think that by the time a woman is ready to get married she should be finished with fairy tales. So why is the fairy tale wedding so popular these days? Here are just a few examples:

Do you notice a pattern there? Right, it's Disney. Maybe I have a chip on my shoulder when it comes to Disney. I grew up watching Disney movies that were scary and sad. Bambi's mother died. Dumbo's mother was chained and locked up. Old Yeller got rabies and had to be shot. To me, Disney was a real downer and I don't think I'm over it yet. These days Disney encourages little girls to be "princesses". I'm not crazy about that either. I don't think a princess is a good role model for a little girl. The real world just wasn't made for princesses. I don't see the point in growing up expecting to be catered to. I don't think it's a good mindset with which to begin a marriage, either. You get married to be a wife, not a princess.

Will readers think I am being too harsh? I wonder. I have never had a little girl of my own, so I'm not sure how I would handle it. Where does the line get drawn between being a little girl and becoming a grown woman? It just seems to me that the line is being confused with the trend to "fairy tale weddings".

Halloween

2011-10-31T17:44:00.000-07:00

Trick or Treat on my street:

We had a dramatic sunset sky. There were little ghosts in the trees.

Lights on houses and little bonfires in fire pits.

Here come the kids.

A crescent moon above.

October 31st

2011-10-31T05:54:00.000-07:00

Out and About

2011-10-26T09:12:00.000-07:00

I don't always take my camera with me everywhere I go. But I do always have my iphone with me. So here are some photos I have taken along the way recently.

Last week I had a fun outing with my sister and my youngest niece, Molly. We were shopping for her tenth birthday gift from my mom. For each of her grandchildren's tenth birthday she gives them a special gift. Molly wanted a piece of jewelry with her birthstone, a ruby. We had gone to several jewelry stores and found out that it's hard to find a natural ruby these days; many of them are "created" rubies. My sister wanted to find a natural ruby.

We finally found the perfect necklace that Molly loved, with a natural ruby. Here is Molly wearing her new necklace:

A closer look:

Afterward, we had lunch at a local tea shop:

They encourage guests to wear hats:

Molly didn't wear one, though:

Last weekend, my husband and I went to dinner then to the Cincinnati Playhouse. We tried a restaurant for the first time that some of our friends had recommended:

It was excellent! I had scallops with a delicious risotto. We shared a bottle of Chardonnay (he let me choose the wine).

Then on to the Playhouse in the Park, on a hill in Cincinnati:

We saw "Red", and intriguing play about Mark Rothko. The actors were great. They discussed art and philosophy as they stretched canvases, mixed and applied paint. I thoroughly enjoyed it, as did the whole audience. We were there on opening night and it was well received.

I took these photos before the seats were all filled. They don't allow photos after the play starts.

Yesterday, I just ran some errands. But I took some photos along the way. I saw some gorgeous fall color near the Target store, so I got out of my car and took these:

Then, my final stop of the day:

Around These Parts...

2011-10-25T12:53:00.000-07:00

Down country roads...

Old places...

Friendly locals...

Wheels...

I live in a suburb full of new homes and shiny cars. But just down the road is an old-fashioned town with the feeling of a different era.

What I've Been Doing While Not Blogging

2011-10-24T05:52:00.000-07:00

Wow! I haven't posted for a week, have I? Well, it has been uneventful here. We are getting ready to go back to my favorite place in the world... Hawaii. I have been doing what I call my "pre-packing". I search my closet for things I think I should take and hang them all around the room. I try on tops and bottoms together to see if they go. Then I launder, iron, fix hems, or anything else that needs to be done. If something needs to be added, I go shopping. Then I start weeding out the choices. I always try to pack only what fits in my moderate-sized carry-on. Despite my efforts, I always find that I wish I had brought something that didn't make the cut.

I also take some time to worry about my cats. I worry about who will care for them. I worry about having enough food on hand. I buy bigger dishes because I don't want them to run out of food during the day. I have four indoor cats, plus we feed at least eight feral cats every day. Making sure the feral cats have food every day is important because the raccoons come every night and eat any food that remains. The weather could turn wintry while we away, so I prepare the shelters for the feral cats on my deck. Yesterday, we took down the tomato plants and pots to make room for the kitty shelters.

So, not much to blog about, but there it is!

Sunday Drive to Rabbit Hash

2011-10-16T16:31:00.000-07:00

Gross National Happiness

2011-10-13T15:40:00.000-07:00

Who is this beautiful couple?

The King of Bhutan and his new bride. They were married today in a traditional ceremony in Bhutan. I saw them on the news this morning, and decided to look up more information on Bhutan. Did you know that the phrase "Gross National Happiness" came out of Bhutan?

In 1972 their king decided that for his country Gross National Happiness was a higher priority than Gross National Product.

The four pillars of Gross National Happiness are:

1) promotion of sustainable development
2) preservation and promotion of cultural values
3) conservation of the natural environment
4) establishment of good governance

Sounds like a pretty good basis for society, doesn't it?

Munchkin's Story

2011-10-07T08:17:00.000-07:00

I took this photo this morning. The feral kitties are having their breakfast on our deck.

Almost two years ago, Munchkin was one of the feral kitties, one of a litter of four. She is the one on the left, with the little white spot on her chest.

This is before we brought her inside and adopted her.

She was the friendliest one, and took to us readily. Here she is when we first brought her in. We kept her downstairs for a few days and introduced her slowly to our three other cats. For a couple of days she lived in a large dog crate that we borrowed from my sister. We gave her the little bed, which she loved.

Here she is today. I took these two photos this morning. She has been our pet for almost two years now, and is part of our family.

Operation Baghdad Pups

2011-10-04T06:04:00.000-07:00

I recently found out about this group, Operation Baghdad Pups, part of the ASPCA International. I think it's great!

Operation Baghdad Pups provides veterinary care and arranges transportation to enable the pets to be reunited with their service man or woman back in the U.S. Many happy homecomings have taken place because of this organization.

Here is one of the stories:

Exploding Head Syndrome?

2011-10-01T08:32:00.000-07:00

Who knew? Is there really such a thing as "Exploding Head Syndrome"?

For several months now I been awakened out of a deep sleep by a very loud noise. One time it sounded like a door inside my house had slammed shut. I got up and looked around; everything was normal. I stayed awake for a while wondering what it could have been, and finally went back to sleep. Another time it sounded like a loud crash, as if a heavy mirror or picture had fallen off the wall. Again, I got up and investigated; nothing. I asked my husband if he had heard anything; no. Just last night, I awoke at 4:11 a.m. when I heard a loud boom, like a gun shot or an explosion. My husband was away so I couldn't check with him. First I checked the time, so I would know exactly when it had happened in case something was on the news later. Then I began listening for sirens, thinking certainly there would be emergency responders rushing to the scene. I turned on the television to see if there was breaking news about an explosion in the area. There was nothing; everything was perfectly normal. I was shaken up and couldn't go back to sleep. I took a xanax and slept for four more hours.

This morning I decided to investigate. I googled "loud noises while sleeping". To my surprise I found "Exploding Head Syndrome". It sounded ridiculous but I kept finding medical references to it. It says it is a benign condition and there isn't much you can do about it, though some mentioned one specific anti-depressant that sometimes helps. I guess I won't worry about it too much; it's just weird.

Munchkin and the Basket

2011-09-30T06:56:00.000-07:00

I've Been Taking More Kitty Pictures

2011-09-29T14:48:00.000-07:00

We have a little band of kitties that hang around in our back yard. They are feral kitties that we care for.

We call this one "Mama" because she gave birth to "Little Sister" and "Spot" before we had her spayed.

This is Mama up close, posing for me.

This is Spot, Mama's boy kitty. The people at the spay/neuter clinic gave him his name.

This is our little black kitty, Munchkin, looking outside. She was one of of three little black kitties born outside. While her littermates were standoffish from people, Munchkin wanted to come inside. So we adopted her. Here she is looking outside. Is she looking for one of her sisters?

This is one of Munchkin's sisters looking in. Is she looking for Munchkin?

Here they are, visiting through the screen door.

My Favorite House

2011-09-28T14:39:00.000-07:00

This house is on the street behind me. I didn't show it on my 132 steps post because it's farther away, more like 600 steps. But I snapped photo of it because I like it so much.

My 132 Steps

2011-09-26T18:52:00.000-07:00

My fellow bloggers, Susan and Rachel, have posted their 132 steps. Just go 132 steps outside your door and snap what you see. I walked in a couple of different directions and here is what I found.

Well, I guess you can see that I live in horse country, the way they name the streets in my neighborhood!

There is a lot of building going on around here...

Sometimes there are cows back there in that field. I like it when I hear those cows mooing.

Trees and lawns and fences. (I just realized that if I do this six months from now, there will be snow all over the place and no leaves on the trees!)

Rural America, fast becoming suburban America. It seems a little ordinary in comparison to Susan's gorgeous water view and Rachel's English countryside. But hey, it's quiet and peaceful. We have kids playing outside, neighbors walking their dogs, lots of cats to feed, and we can hear the crickets at night.

The Best Six Words I've Ever Heard

2011-09-25T08:04:00.000-07:00

The other day my husband said to me: "Let's look at properties in Hawaii".

I don't know if anything will come of it, but it's nice to have the dream and now the hope.
After living all of my life in landlocked places, this would be my dreams come true.

*** Monday Update: I was hoping he meant a full-time home. Now he says a time-share. I'm not sure I like time-shares. Maybe a little condo? Philosophical differences: he says "why would we want to move so far away at our age?" I say "if not now, when?" Lots of decisions to make at this stage of life. We'll work it out!

The Best News!

2011-09-24T11:16:00.000-07:00

The saddest news for a long time was the closing of Borders. I know many people felt the loss. I know I did. My niece Aubrey did, too; reading is her favorite activity, and she always asked for Borders gift certificates for birthday or Christmas gifts.

But now we have great news! Yesterday I was at the local mall, where Borders used to be. The building is sitting there, dark and empty. As I drove by, I noticed a new sign on the building. Joseph Beth Booksellers is coming!

Joseph Beth is coming! There are currently two Joseph Beth stores in Ohio and one is Kentucky. This fall there will be another one in Kentucky... at my mall! In the past I had to drive to Cincinnati to go to Joseph Beth, but soon it will be near me.

It's big!

It's beautiful!

It has a great kids' section:

and a cool cafe:

YAY!

Why Do They Always Ruin It?

2011-09-23T15:39:00.000-07:00

We have always watched "Today" in the morning; it was just our thing. I really liked Jane Pauley (if you are not a baby boomer you might not remember her); I really liked Katie Couric; also, I really liked Meredith Viera. But I'm not so crazy about Ann Curry. There is something "fake" about her manner on screen; she interrupts too often and she is just kind of annoying. So, I started watching "Good Morning America" more and more. Apparently, many other did the same; GMA began to go up in the ratings compared to "Today".

I think a lot of GMA's new success was due to the team of George Stephanopoulos and Robin Roberts. I loved watching George and Robin. They are both very natural, smart and funny, and they have a good chemistry. Then GMA ruined it; they put Lara Spenser on. She is way too gushy for me. The problem is, they don't just use her, they overuse her. She is on the screen all the time. She is taking up all of the air time. She is on almost every segment; we hardly ever get to see George or Robin doing anything at all any more. I really miss them.

Give Us A Break

2011-09-23T06:06:00.000-07:00

I am a "baby boomer" so "social media" does not come easily to me. I managed to start a blog. I finally managed to get onto facebook fairly recently because I was missing out on news from family and friends. But I keep hearing about changes... so many changes. Facebook does this; facebook does that. I hear people complaining about facebook rearranging things, and I have no idea what they are talking about because I just accept what I see and don't even notice that things have been rearranged. Now, this morning, I get messages from facebook friends to change settings, apparently to disarm some new feature that facebook is forcing on us all. I have no idea what they are talking about.

Another thing... when I pull up Google, there is a blue arrow pointing me to a plus sign. I think it has something to do with a new thing called Google-plus, which is supposed to be "even better" than facebook. Oh, my goodness! I haven't even figured out facebook yet, and here comes something else to figure out. I try to stay current, I really do. But I live in a household with an equally clueless spouse and four cats. I have no family nearby who cares about this stuff. My three nieces are savvy about it all, but they are too young to be on facebook. They can show me everything about Angry Birds, but not the things I need to learn!

The President is Visiting Our Bridge

2011-09-22T06:25:00.000-07:00

This is the Brent Spence Bridge. Maybe you have heard about it on the news. President Obama spoke about it in his "jobs" speech a few weeks ago. Today, he is coming to visit the bridge. It's being used as a symbol of infrastructure that needs work in this country. The condition of this bridge has been deemed to be "functionally obsolete", which is scary to those of us who travel over it.

The Brent Spence Bridge carries I-75 across the Ohio River, linking Cincinnati, Ohio to Northern Kentucky. I-75 carries major north/south traffic between Michigan and Florida. The bridge was completed in 1963 and designed to carry 18,000 vehicles per day. Now it carries three times as much traffic. Originally, it was three lanes, but it was changed to four lanes some years ago to allow for more traffic. With four lanes, there is no "breakdown space" on either side of the bridge. A couple of months ago a man got out of his car on the bridge when he ran out of gas; he was knocked over the railing into the river by a passing car.

The Brent Spence is a two-tier bridge. Northbound lanes are on the bottom tier of the bridge (shown above). Southbound lanes are on the top tier. I don't like traveling across the bottom tier; I always imagine that the top tier is going to fall down on top of me. I'm not sure when the photo above was taken, as the bridge never looks that empty in real life. It looks more like the one below, with traffic crawling along in both directions.

So, I guess President Obama will be on the news tonight, visiting the bridge. I imagine they will have to shut it down for a while for his visit. In case you see it on the news, you will know where it is. By the way, I think the bridge also appears in George Clooney's new movie, "Ides of March", which was filmed around here.

Downsizing is Emotional!

2011-09-21T14:09:00.000-07:00

Six years ago, we moved away from our house near Philadelphia, in order to be closer to our families in the midwest. We had lived in that house for sixteen years, and I loved it. It was a center hall Colonial with three fireplaces. The rooms were large and it had nice details like bay windows and skylights. The back yard was wooded, with township open space behind. I loved that house at first sight, especially the minute I saw the kitchen. It was large and pretty, attached to a casual dining room that had a cathedral ceiling with beams and a skylight, wide paneled hardwood floors and a brick fireplace. It was light and airy and cozy all at once.

During the sixteen years we lived there I furnished and decorated that house in a way that suited it perfectly. The decor was country-ish, with a lot of blue and white. I felt comfortable just being there; I thrived in that house. Then we decided to move, very much with mixed feelings. (My husband wasn't quite as emotional as I was, though.)

When we bought our new house, we decided to downsize. We reasoned that the old house was really more space than we needed for just the two of us. We found a cute little ranch that had many nice features. That's where we are now. It's a nice-looking little house, but the style is completely different. The colors are more earth-toned; there are no bay windows or skylights. The things we had brought from Pennsylvania really didn't fit in. We used some of them, of course, but stored many more in the basement. We have lots of lamps, pictures, curtains, that are not being used in this house. I've been spending the last six years trying to let go of them. The problem is, it's difficult for me to let them go because they remind me of the other house.

Now we are thinking of moving to a 55+ condo when we retire. That will mean downsizing again. It's becoming more urgent than ever to let things go. It isn't any easier, though. My husband thinks I am just a "pack rat". But I guess I am hoping to recreate the feelings that I had in our other house, wherever we go. I want to use as many things as I can that I used there, so it's hard to let them go. It's hard to plan for the future while thinking of the past.

Dancing with the Stars

2011-09-20T10:00:00.000-07:00

I never watched this show before; never really knew what all the fuss was about. However, I did decide to watch it last night, mostly because I wanted to see how Chaz Bono did. I must admit when I first heard about Chastity becoming Chaz, I thought it was a little strange and hard to wrap my head around. But then I saw Chaz doing a couple of interviews on T.V. and I was impressed by honest and level-headed he seemed. I had to admire him for his courage. When I heard he was going to be on Dancing with the Stars, I was surprised. I was even more surprised at the hate directed at him. Some people thought he shouldn't do the show. I thought that was ridiculous. I decided to watch, partly out of curiosity and partly to support him. I think he has a very positive attitude. Were I in the same situation, I would not be half as courageous.

I think the kind of negative attitude that has been shown toward him is the kind of attitude that leads to kids in school being bullied for being "different". I wish everyone could accept other people for what they are. As long as they are not hurting anyone else I don't see how being "different" is wrong.

Spenser for Hire - Intro

2011-09-19T06:44:00.000-07:00

Not crazy about the 80s music, but a good introduction to the characters in this stylish show... there is even a scene where he's cooking!

Spenser for Hire - As a Cook?

2011-09-18T13:13:00.000-07:00

Does anyone remember "Spenser for Hire"?

It was a T.V. show in the 1980s, starring Robert Urich as Spenser and Avery Brooks as Hawk. Spenser was a private investigator in Boston and Hawk was a tough-guy enforcer who worked with Spenser. It was filmed on location in Boston. I liked the show. The characters were interesting, and Robert Urich was awfully cute.

"Spenser for Hire" was based on a series of "Spenser" books by Robert B. Parker. I was reminded of the series in 2002 when I heard that Robert Urich had died. I decided to read the Spenser books and read them in consecutive order because the characters evolve. I have them numbered, from one through twenty-three. I think there are a few more recent books that I haven't read yet.

Robert B. Parker - he also wrote the "Jesse Stone" series, upon which the T.V. series starring Tom Selleck is based.

Spenser was an interesting private eye; he quoted poetry and he liked to cook. In every book he cooks, and the dishes are described as he cooks them. They all sounded really good to me, and I remember thinking that one day I would go through the books and write down what he cooks. That's what I am doing now.

Here is the first "Spenser" book:

In this book, Spenser makes Scallops Jacques. He takes a pound of fresh scallops out of the fridge, then cooks them with cream, wine, lemon juice and shallots. He accompanies that meal with homemade biscuits and a bottle of Pouilly Fuisse. Doesn't that sound good?

Later in the book he puts on a pot of rice to cook, then takes four boneless chicken breasts and cooks them with wine, butter, cream and mushrooms. Sounds like my kind of cooking! But he isn't finished yet. He goes on to toss a salad with a dressing made with mint, lime juice, olive oil, honey, and wine vinegar. He serves it all with Rhine wine.

Toward the end of the book he makes breakfast. After starting the coffee, he puts "six homemade German sausages" in a cold pan, starting them on low. Then he slices a "big green apple", dips the slices in flour and fries them in the sausage fat. He drains everything on a paper towel, then eats it with "two big slices of rye bread and wild strawberry jam" and coffee with heavy cream and two sugars. The man knows how to eat!

My Exciting Week

2011-09-17T09:33:00.000-07:00

I still haven't had my first Pilates class. It was supposed to be Tuesday; they emailed me and asked if I could switch to Thursday. I was going to go on Thursday, but my sister called and asked me to pick up my niece. My 14-year old niece has been deciding where to attend high school next year. She and her younger sisters have been attending a Montessori school, but their school doesn't offer high school. They live about two miles from the local public school, but she wants to go to a private school called Villa Madonna. Villa Madonna has an excellent reputation. Last year 100% of the graduating class went on to college.

Sarah was spending the day "shadowing" a student at Villa Madonna so she could experience what it would be like to attend. When she walked into the office to meet me, it struck me how grown up she looks. She has her hair cut in a little bob, and she was wearing the khaki pants and white shirt outfit that fits the school's dress code, with her little blue and white backpack and a navy cardigan. She looked so cute! She loved the school and decided that's where she wants to go next year. My nieces are growing up!

Friday my sister and I drove an hour up to visit my mom and stepdad, David. They are both in their 80s and are beginning to have a hard time maintaining their home. David has macular degeneration, which impairs his vision. He doesn't drive anymore, and my mom doesn't like to drive after dark or in bad weather. They still go to church every Sunday and my mom goes to art class on Wednesday. We have tried to convince them to move closer to us, but they don't want to leave their home or their community. We helped my mom get a refund for a desk she had ordered from a catalog then returned. I called the catalog company and my sister called the credit card company. We got it resolved and my mom was very happy.

Last night my husband and I went to see "Cowboys and Aliens". I thought it was pretty stupid. I like science fiction, but this wasn't very well thought out.

That's been my exciting life the last couple of days. Today we are taking our next door neighbors to the "yacht club"; it's a floating bar and restaurant on the Ohio river that is a lot of fun. (Someone called it a "dive bar on a pontoon".) It has fake palm trees, and real boats moored to it, and a "come as you are" ambience. When boats pass on the river, it rolls and creaks. It isn't really a club; just a funky place to have drinks and pretty good food. Our neighbors haven't been there before, so we are excited to take them. Last week they took us to a nice restaurant up in Cincinnati where their brother/uncle plays drums in a really great band that plays 60s and 70s music (Beatles, Eagles, Crosby Still and Nash, Neil Young, CCR). They were good! Lots of people dancing, good food, and single malt scotch. It was a fun evening.

At the Ludlow Bromley Yacht Club

Wednesday Update

2011-09-14T13:26:00.000-07:00

Well, my pilates private lesson was postponed to Thursday... so no pilates yesterday. Instead, I drove to Cincinnati to get my new glasses. I wanted to get Silhouettes... they look like this:

They are extremely lightweight and rimless. I called every optician in my area, but no one carries them. Finally, I found a place up near Cincinnati that carries them. So, I drove across the river and got my new glasses.

Cute little optical store, in the cute little suburb of Madeira.

I decided to try "transitions" which darken when you go out into the sunlight. I'm not sure I like them, though. They seem to look dark all the time, even when I'm indoors. It gives a funny look, like my eyes are in shadow all the time, giving me a kind of sinister look. Has anyone else found this to be true?

I don't really need them to darken anyway, because I already use Solar Shields, which fit over your regular glasses. Like this:

The eye doctor told me I have the beginnings of cataracts, so I should wear these solar shields while I'm driving on top of the transitions. She said the windshield causes the transitions not to darken enough, and the light makes the cataracts worse. So much fun getting older!

Anyway, since I was already "up north, across the river" I decided to stop in at Kenwood Towne Center, which is an upscale mall where I go when I need the Apple store. They have Nordstrom's and other stores that we don't have down in Kentucky. I visited the food court and got some oatmeal raisin cookies and a bottle of water for the drive home.

Great big food court in upscale mall.

I also browsed for a while and saw some really cute shoes and some cool designer clothing.

This morning, back in Kentucky, I lost my cool in Kroger's. I got behind one of those "coupon queens" who was taking forever. She didn't have her coupons organized, just took a bunch out of a big, thick envelope and began trying to count everything and match it up with coupons, then arguing with the cashier when something didn't work. I already had all my items on the conveyer belt, and had to pick them all up again and move them to another cashier, two rows down. I guess I was huffing and puffing, and the bagger boy was snickering. I wasn't sure if he was snickering at me or the coupon queen. Oh well, maybe I looked silly, but jeesh! Maybe they could have a separate line for those people who want to take forever counting their coupons.

Unsquare Dance

2011-09-12T15:28:00.000-07:00

This is music from another jazz favorite of mine, Dave Brubeck... and some pretty cool dancers, too.

p.s. Gotta love Art Carney!

New Beginnings

2011-09-12T08:15:00.000-07:00

I am starting a couple of new things. First, I signed up for Pilates classes; I begin tomorrow. I have difficulty with aerobic exercise because of Sjogren's Syndrome. I always knew Sjogren's caused dry mouth and dry eyes, but didn't realize the connection with exercise. I want to exercise, but aerobic exercise fatigues me and makes me breathless. For a long time my husband tried to convince me I was just "out of shape" and needed to try harder. But when Venus Wiliams was recently diagnosed with Sjogren's and had to drop out of tennis, I realized it must be my Sjogren's causing the problem.

I also started commenting on Huffington Post. Ever since I heard about Congress threatening to defund NPR, I have felt the need to speak out. It's a good place to air my views and share them with others.

Changing the Mood

2011-09-11T20:30:00.000-07:00

I needed a little musical break. Here is my favorite... Al Jarreau, stirring things up at the Montreal Jazz Festival.

September 11th

2011-09-10T17:09:00.000-07:00

So many faces...

So many names...

So many stories...

Science

2011-09-08T16:52:00.000-07:00

Let there be no doubt:

No matter what issue is being considered; whether it be global warming or evolution:

I trust Science. I respect Science. I believe in Science. I think scientists are rock stars. In our society, I wish scientists would be regarded as rock stars, that they would be role models for our kids. So much better role models than the celebrities of whom we see and hear so much.

Daniel Libeskind's Designs: A Local Connection

2011-09-08T05:15:00.000-07:00

Daniel Libeskind is a world famous architect, known for his unconventional, modern designs. He has designed buildings that can be found in many cities around the world.

This is his design for the World Trade Center site in New York City:

His design was used for the Denver Art Museum...

...and for the Jewish Museum in Berlin, Germany:

The Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto:

Would you be surprised to find a building designed by Daniel Libeskind in a small town in Kentucky? It's true. The Ascent at Roebling was completed in Covington, Kentucky in 2008.

The Roebling Bridge is in the foreground of the photo. It was designed by John A. Roebling, who also designed the Brooklyn Bridge some twenty years later. The bridge crosses the Ohio River, connecting Covington Kentucky to Cincinnati Ohio. Daniel Libeskind taught at the University of Kentucky in the 1970s, and says the Ohio River and the Roebling Bridge influenced his design.

Some people in this rather conservative town shake their heads and remark how "odd" it is. I think it's pretty cool and "shakes up" the staid old community.

Sad

2011-09-07T07:37:00.000-07:00

So many people in our country are suffering today. The wildfires in Texas are still burning. Thousands of people have lost their homes. Many are staying in temporary shelters, not knowing what has happened to their homes. Animals on ranches are threatened; many animals have already died from the drought.

In Vermont people are still affected by record-breaking flooding. Many of them are dairy farmers. Their homes and their livelihoods have all been threatened.

I was brought to tears when I read about one dairy farmer whose cows were swept away by raging flood waters. There was nothing he could do to save them.

There are so many heartbreaking stories out there. Yet, it seems the media have forgotten all about them. For the media, it is business as usual. They are talking about celebrity gossip (a pet peeve of mine in case you haven't noticed) and politics. I think so many of us would be moved to help, if we heard about some of the hardships people are having. But they are not getting the attention they deserve.

UGH!

2011-09-06T08:23:00.000-07:00

Sorry if I'm negative this morning, but I feel a rant coming on!

I turned on "The View" this morning to see what "the ladies" had to say on the first show of the season. Silly me! I should have known it would be all about Sherri's wedding. Many viewers have complained that all they heard during the end of last season was Sherri yakking about her upcoming wedding. Well, I found out that they are not finished milking it yet. The "ladies" come walking out onto the set and Sherri has on her white wedding gown. The first thing she does is flash her huge diamond ring, then runs out front to show off her dress and shoes.

The ring! The dress! The shoes! That's what it's all about these days. Never mind the vows and the commitment and the marriage that comes after. It's all about the bling! No wonder so many young girls these days turn into Bridezillas. It's all about them looking and feeling like "princesses" on their big day. Then real life hits them in the face and "where is the fairy tale? Hey this looks a lot like reality!".

Forgive me for being a curmudgeonly old lady. I just think our priorities have gotten way out of whack. It's all about "stuff" and money and feeling like a "princess". The celebrity madness is out of control. Every time a young woman gets engaged the first thing everyone wants to do is "see the ring"... and she wants it to measure up. It had better be a huge diamond so everyone will be impressed. Well, how about getting engaged without a ring? Unheard of! Or a smaller ring that he can afford, so the couple can save for the future? Out of the question!

Listen People! There are better role models out there. Smart people, educated people, people who are doing more with their wealth than showing off with expensive "stuff". Celebrity worship is so stupid. There... that's my rant for today.

p.s. Okay, now I have blown off some steam. I have to give credit where credit is due. I think I heard somewhere that Sherri and her new husband asked that guests donate to charity rather than buy them gifts. I do love that idea. So unlike Kim Kardashian who had a wedding registry full of over-the-top expensive "stuff". Her wedding madness was a lot worse than Sherri's... I just happened to be confronted with Sherri's this morning, and it set me off.

Last Week of Summer

2011-09-05T08:36:00.000-07:00

We were just driving down the road and I took this photo. Nothing special, is it? So why was it special to me? Because the sky is blue! A pretty, bright blue, with white, fluffy clouds. I have been waiting for days like this all summer. Mostly, we have had hot, humid days with gray, hazy skies heavy with humidity. The clear, breathable air is such a treat!

I spent a couple of days at our local pool. I love to float in the water; feeling weightless and free. It raises my spirits and makes me happy. There are days in the winter when I would give anything to have this feeling back.

I love how the water sparkles and invites you in. My idea of heaven would be to live in a place where I had access to this all year round!

We had a birthday party for my sister. She teaches French to high school students. Here she is, with her grandson, Jackson.

My niece Erin, with her son Parker. He is blurry because he never stops moving.

The kids had fun playing outside.

Later that night, my husband and I went to the Cincinnati Playhouse.

Labor Day weekend... the unofficial end of summer!

Venus and Me

2011-09-01T14:52:00.000-07:00

Have you heard that Venus Williams has had to pull out of the U.S. Open this year? She has been suffering from unexplained fatigue and joint pain, but didn't know the cause. She was recently diagnosed with an autoimmune condition known as Sjogren's Syndrome. It causes fatigue and joint and muscle pain, among other symptoms.

Not many people have heard of Sjogren's Syndrome. My ears perked up when I heard the news about Venus Williams. You see, I have had it myself for years. In my case, it was diagnosed about fifteen years ago. My doctor found it through a routine blood test. I had been having dry eyes and dry mouth, and didn't know why; I found out these are typical symptoms of Sjogren's. There is no cure, but the symptoms are treated. I use eye drops several times a day. I tried tear duct plugs, but they wouldn't stay in. I have to have my teeth cleaned and examined every three months, becuase dry mouth can cause dental problems. Now that I am older, I do fatigue fairly easily, and this may be the reason. It's a good thing I don't have to make a living playing tennis!

Forgetful

2011-08-30T06:55:00.000-07:00

At least once a day I spend some time searching for something I have misplaced. Most recently, it was my checkbook. I worked myself into a state of panic, afraid I had left it somewhere in a public place. I remembered last having it at the bank. I put it down on the counter to fill out a deposit slip. Did I leave it there? Wouldn't the bank call me if they found it? Did someone pick it up and start writing checks in my name? I was ready to go to the bank to ask about it. As I was getting ready to go, I opened a dresser drawer, and there it was!

Earlier this week, when I realized August was almost over, I noticed also that my Visa card expires at the end of this month. Hadn't I received a new one? I had a vague memory of receiving it in the mail a while ago. I went through all my drawers and files and stacks of paper... no luck. I called the credit card customer service line and confessed that I can't find my new card. The very nice young man told me it had been mailed to me in June. I asked him if he could send me another one. He said they would have to cancel the one I had and open a whole new account with a new number. So, I had to change my account number on various places; Amazon, so I can buy books for my Kindle; iTunes so I can buy music, etc.

Being forgetful has become a way of life for me. We get so much "stuff" in the mail that it is impossible to keep track of it all. Too often I try out a recipe I see in a magazine, love it, then later can't remember which magazine it was in or how to find the magazine again. I have set up a filing system. I have a file cabinet with two drawers full of papers, plus a small one that I can carry around. Then I have two large wicker containers with plastic binders with recipes and other ideas. The overflow goes into plastic bins until I can sort through it. The whole system is so unwieldy that I find myself looking through everything to find a crucial piece of paper. I have one box full of mail from animal welfare charities, and another one full of mail from politicians requesting donations. Oh, and I have a huge box full of information about Social Security and Medicare. (When you turn a certain age, it begins to come in the mail like crazy... picture the scene in "Miracle on 34th Street" when they bring in all the Santa Claus mail and dump it in front of the judge trying Kris Kringle. "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus".)

I think I need a file clerk! Or a secretary! Or a personal assistant! Am I losing my mind?

Another Birthday!

2011-08-29T10:38:00.000-07:00

Sunday was my niece Aubrey's 12th birthday. I made her birthday cake.

Here she is, blowing out the candles. She wanted an iPod Touch for her birthday. Her older sister Sarah got one for her birthday in June, and her younger sister Molly got one for her birthday in July. Aubrey always has to wait, as her birthday comes after her sisters. We all chipped in on it. The girls are into all the techie gadgets now, and they are expensive. They get the techie things from all of us, then little individual gifts from each of us.

Speaking of techie gadgets, I am just about ready to buy one for myself:

It seems I have to in order to keep up with all my friends! We no longer use the phone; we communicate through our "devices". I guess I will have to have my nieces teach me texting.

Caretakers of the Earth

2011-08-26T10:50:00.000-07:00

This morning I read something that disturbed and saddened me. Several Republican members of the House of Representatives are attempting to strip the Environmental Protection Agency of its powers, if not eliminate it altogether. They are working on behalf of corporations that want out from under regulations that they feel hinder their ability to make higher profits. It is my belief that certain regulations are necessary to protect our water, air and land resources from those willing to go to any means to make a profit.

2012 appropriations bills coming out of the House for the Interior Department and the EPA have had almost forty anti-environment "riders" attached to them by Republican representatives. These riders would block the EPA from making or maintaining regulations to protect clean water, clean air, energy efficiency and wildlife. Here are a few of them:

1) Block the EPA from clarifying which streams are to be protected by the Clean Water Act;

2) Exempt pesticides from the Clean Water Act;

3 Allow the government to purchase dirtier fuels, such as liquid coal;

4) Block the EPA from setting gas mileage standards for automobiles;

5) Place limitations on the Endangered Species Act or eliminate it altogether.

I understand that businesses have to make a profit; but how much additional profit in their hands is worth destroying our environment? Many citizens now are too young to remember what it was like before the EPA put these regulations into effect. Smog in Los Angeles and other cities was so bad that it was affecting health, and the atmosphere was visibly bad. The Cuyahoga River was so polluted that it actually caught fire. These are just two examples of what was happening all over the country. The regulations by the EPA have improved our environment since then. Do we want to undo all the good that has been done? Yes, profits have to be made, but we have only one Earth. What happens when it has been destroyed? We are supposed to be guardians of the Earth, preserving it for future generations. We have to be vigilant and not let our guard down. I believe we need the EPA to watch over the environment for us against greedy corporations who do not care about it. I don't mean this to be a political issue; I am just stating what is happening.

Earthquake!

2011-08-25T12:37:00.000-07:00

The East Coast experienced an earthquake on Tuesday! I didn't feel anything here in Kentucky, though I heard it was felt in 22 states. I was worried because my husband was in Maryland, on business. Maryland isn't that far from the epicenter in Virginia. The first thing I did was call his cell phone, but of course the call would not go through. Apparently cell phone service was down all over the East Coast, so I wasn't surprised. The next thing I did was get out a map so I could see exactly how far from the epicenter he was. Then I just kept watching the news.

We don't get many earthquakes in these parts; tornadoes yes, but not many earthquakes. We had one a couple of years ago, in the middle of the night. I woke up to a strange sensation; everything in my bedroom was rattling. Lampshades on lamps, pictures on the wall, loose items on dressers. Everything was just kind of dancing around. I didn't feel it, I just heard it. I remember thinking "oh, an earthquake" then going back to sleep.

The strongest earthquake I have experienced was in Israel. We were in the resort town of Eilat which is at the Southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula, on the Red Sea. We were on the eighth floor of a hotel when everything began swaying. The hotel swayed back and forth; it was mesmerizing to look out the window and see everything jiggling and bouncing around. Apparently they are pretty common in that area. We had been to Masada the day before and rode the cable car up the side of the mountain. We were very glad it hadn't happened then!

Well, my husband finally called me yesterday, about two hours later. I asked him if they evacuated the building he was in. He said, no, they knew it was an earthquake but just kept right on with their meeting.

Clearing the Decks!

2011-08-23T14:33:00.000-07:00

Today I am getting ready to have my house cleaned. i have just hired a cleaning lady to come in and clean my house. She's been cleaning for my neighbor for two years and comes highly recommended. She will be here tomorrow morning at nine a.m. What have I been doing today? Cleaning up for the cleaning lady!

The first time she cleans (tomorrow) she spends a longer time and does a very thorough job, to lay the groundwork and start with a "clean slate". This first time costs twice as much as subsequent times, so I want to make sure the decks are clear for her. So, I've been removing everything portable from all the floors and all the flat surfaces so she will have room to work. This has taken the better part of the day and I am exhausted! I never realized how much stuff I have just sitting around!

Pilot

2011-08-23T05:21:00.000-07:00

One more post about "Moonlighting"! The show ran for five seasons in the 1980s. It was such an entertaining, light-hearted show. I don't know if it would be popular now, but it certainly was then. When I mention it to my friends of that era, they all agree. This is a clip from the pilot. Please take the time to watch all seven minutes, past the brief break in the middle. I think you will like it!

Al Jarreau Sings "Moonlighting"

2011-08-22T07:20:00.000-07:00

Al Jarreau is one of my favorite singers. Here he is singing the theme song of a great TV show of the 1980s. Do you remember it?

This is one of those songs I listen to in my car and sing along. It always puts me in a good mood.

Moonlighting

2011-08-21T06:33:00.000-07:00

Bruce Willis at his funniest, as David Addison in "Moonlighting".

(Thanks to Susan's advice, I made YouTube work.)

I'm All Mixed Up!

2011-08-20T11:31:00.000-07:00

Blogger and Google have ganged up on me!

When I first got on the computer, I signed up with aol for email. I was still on aol when I started my blog. Sometime after that, my aol email just crashed and wouldn't let me access it anymore. When that happened, I started using gmail. As a result of this, I ended up with two Google accounts: one for email and the other for my blog. I have to switch back and forth, depending on what I am doing.

It gets even more complicated when YouTube gets involved. I originally opened a YouTube account using my old aol account. Unfortunately, I completely forgot what my password was. So, when I tried to get a new password via email, I couldn't access it. So, I set up a new YouTube account using my second, gmail-related Google account.

So, now I have a blog through my aol account and YouTube through my gmail account. It seems this makes them incompatible. I am unable to embed a YouTube video to my blog. Blogger apparently doesn't recognize my gmail-related YouTube when I try to put it on my aol-related blog. Is that confusing? It is to me! To make it more confusing, YouTube has been giving out messages that "we are no longer using the old Google settings, so you have to go to new Google settings... I don't even know what that means! What are the "old" settings? Where are the "new" settngs? Are mine old or new? Does anyone understand these things?

A Little Bit of Nice Weather

2011-08-19T13:23:00.000-07:00

We have not had much nice weather this summer. It's been miserably hot and very humid, and I wasn't spending much time outdoors. This week we finally had some nice weather. The temperatures were mild and the humidity was low. The gray haze of mugginess gave way to blue skies and puffy-looking clouds. I took some time out to go to the pool! I took these photos with my iphone.

Between dips in the pool, I was reading a book and sipping a pina colada. It was nice to relax for a while!

Getting Healthy

2011-08-18T06:52:00.000-07:00

Two posts ago, I explained my trick for not sitting too long and losing track of time. I set a timer and when it goes off, I get up.

Today I took another step toward getting healthy. I had read in Woman's World Magazine (8/1/11) an article about Dr. Oz's diet tips. Part of it was to have a smoothie for one meal, and there were recipes for five different smoothies.

I had tried making smoothies before in my old blender, and it hadn't worked very well. So, one day last week I went to my local WalMart and bought a Ninja for $39.00 (I don't normally shop at WalMart, but they did have the best price).

Yesterday, I went to the grocery and bought all the ingredients for making smoothies. I scoured my local Kroger's trying to find protein powder and flaxseed oil. There were a million kinds of protein powder so it took a while to choose one. I never did find the flaxseed oil (even with the help of store personnel) so I bought one that features omega 3, which the flaxseed oil is supposed to provide. I bought bananas, berries, no fat no sugar yogurt, and fruit juice. This morning, I made a smoothie with a banana and blueberries. I love berries and have been reading how good for us they are, so this is perfect for me. Oh, by the way, the Ninja worked great!

I am combining the smoothie idea with another idea that I read in another magazine. You make a pancake (or galette) with oat bran, egg whites and plain yogurt and eat it once during the day. I've been making and eating these for a while now, and they really are filling (you eat only one). When I started making these, my husband, who always seems to find his way into the kitchen when he hears cooking going on, decided he wanted some pancakes too. I explained to him that you're supposed to eat only one, and that it was a special "diet" thing. He said okay, so now he is eating them too.

Okay, my timer is going off, so I am going to get up now. Time for the third part of my plan (and the most difficult for me)... exercise!

"Stuff"

2011-08-16T06:43:00.000-07:00

What does "stuff" mean? I looked it up. "Personal belongings; Bits and Pieces; Odds and Ends". Whatever it is, I have too much of it. I've been working on it off and on for months now. Now I am getting really serious!

I had literally hundreds of cookbooks. I weeded them out and gave about half to the library. I went through all my old magazines and recycled 75 percent of them. I cleaned out my kitchen cupboards and gave about half of my pots and pans to the Goodwill. Now I am going through my pantry and getting rid of everything that has expired. I didn't realize I had so much of it!

As I accumulated stuff, I had to buy more shelves and cabinets to hold it all. Now I am emptying out shelves and cabinets. Once all the stuff is out, I get rid of the shelves and cabinets, too. I want my house to look sleek and uncluttered, with lots of empty spaces. I am preparing for another downsizing when we retire. I don't want to have to take so much with me to a new place.

When I see the newly cleared spaces, I feel like it's easier to breathe!

A First Step

2011-08-15T07:53:00.000-07:00

This is my very small first step in getting fit. Probably by now, you have all read how sitting shortens your life span. Apparently, sitting is very bad for your health. When I sit down to read a couple of blogs, too often one thing leads to another; I begin looking at links, other blogs, and just surfing the net. Before I know it, an hour or two has gone by.

So here is my very, very small first step. Whenever I sit down in a chair to do anything (read, blog, watch TV, etc.) I am setting a timer. When the timer goes off, I will get up and do something that doesn't involve sitting. I will give myself thirty minutes, then get up!

Things I Am Loving This Week

2011-08-14T07:54:00.000-07:00

I loved this book, and I've been looking forward to the movie. I saw the movie Friday, and I loved it too! The cast was wonderful and brought every character vividly to life.

First, Emma Stone, who plays Skeeter. I have loved her since I saw her in "Easy A". She is adorable and such a great actress.

Alison Janney plays her mother. She does a wonderful job, playing a woman struggling with illness and memories.

She wants her free spirit daughter to conform to the expected behavior of young ladies of the era in Mississipi society. Here, she fixes her up for a date.

The date is just one scene where Emma Stone makes us love Skeeter, as she deals with her less than gentlemanly date.

Viola Davis as Aibileen Clark and Octavia Spencer as Minny Jackson were heartbreakly real in their characters.

Bryce Dallas Howard was wonderful as wicked, hateful Hilly...

...and Sissy Spacek was hilarious as her batty mother.

Before I saw this movie, I had never heard of Jessica Chastain. Wow! She was fabulous as Cecilia Foote. Very touching and very funny. Oh, and Mary Steenburgen and Cicely Tyson are in it, too. I really enjoyed it.

In my spare time, I have been reading this book:

It's about an American family living in Berlin during the 1930s, as Hitler comes to power. The main characters are the American ambassador to Germany and his flighty, naive and reckless daughter. It's interesting and thought-provoking. I am now halfway through the book, and the ominous feeling is building.

Mom's 87th Birthday

2011-08-13T10:19:00.000-07:00

I made the cake.

My mom and my sister.

Cousins.

Blue

2011-08-12T11:56:00.000-07:00

I'm feeling blue today. My husband is going away tomorrow morning. He's going to California, to visit his daughter and granddaughter. He will go on from there to out of town business all week. This means he won't be home until a week from today. It's times like these that remind me of the consequences of not having children of my own. I will never have my own grandchildren. He is very kind about sharing his grandparenthood with me. He always includes me in greetings and phone calls. But it is he that they really love. The "stepmother" thing never really goes away.

On top of this, we have been trying to decide where to live after he retires. Here, I have family, which is the reason we moved here five years ago. I am closer to my mom, two sisters, and nieces than I was when we lived in Philadelphia. But I still have so many good friends back there and I miss them. Whenever we visit they ask me when we are coming back. There are so many fun things happening there that I am missing. They are my peers. I have some great neighbors here now, and we have the crew of feral cats that we care for. So, no matter what we do, I will be missing someone.