Update:

Like anybody real gives a hoot but, here you go.... Marvin windows came today to put  new seals in the great room patio doors. They replaced the window in the bathroom that had chipped off the exterior (lifetime) paint. The brand, new boiler arrived and is taking up residence where it's old( lifetime) counterpart once lived and by the end of the day we should have heat and hot water....There are some pluses! Thankfully, the sun is shining and the temps are in the mid 40's.  The house never got below 50 degrees and I haven't had to do dishes or laundry for 4 days!  This is all a smidgen of inconvenience compared to some trials and tribulations some friends are dealing with and I've put it all in perspective and ranked it as a non issue.  I've whined a bit this week-end but I'm a middle aged, hormone deprived Grandma and with age comes the privilege of some bitching and a tad of "woe is me!".. Like a cold, it's over and I'm back to my old self again...for some reason then, Lee thinks the bitchin' should stop...... obviously he didn't read the part that says "I'm back to my old self again!"  and was I ever really gone? 

Here's the skinny!

Oh the weather INSIDE is frightful.....la la la.....  Day 3 of no heat and no hot water...I am, however, amazed at the R-factor of a new house.... It's still warmer inside than out, the basement is still 5-8 degrees warmer than the house and we've yet to dip below 50...I have a little heater in my den (which is where I live anyway) and we borrowed another from a friend for the bedroom. Thermal backed curtains help and today the sunshine is doing it's job. 
To back up, Saturday morning Bailee and I thought we were being attacked by the militia.  10 -12 very loud blasts out back....We snuck to the living room as all good victims have learned from TV and as we crouched by the patio doors, "they" fired on us again.  I noticed large puffs of steam coming from the boiler vent with each shot....Suddenly it was eerily peaceful.  I left a message with the "furnace installer" and calmly explained to Lee to GET HOME!... When he arrived, the failsafe switches on the boiler had performed their job and shut down the system... which also shut down heat and all hot water.... Long story short, after several repairmen's diagnoses...the burner assembly had blown a 4 x 4 inch hole which was sending propane out while there was no spark to ignite.... Luckily the whole place didn't "go".....  Just had a call that they will be replacing the entire boiler (which by the way, is the size of my theater popcorn popper.)... not like they used to make them, for sure.  It also means at least another day before my tootsies are toastie! 
We've had many offers of lodging and many suggestions to help stay warm... Some worked well, others..not so much!  This morning, I'm off to the dentist (which I hate) but at least I'll be warm...Predicting back to the high 40's for the next few days.... that'll help too...In the meantime, I'm quite pleased that my personal R-factor is working so well ...Thank God I'm not skinny!!! (that was my cold, outside voice)

Tough Love

My 5 year run as "the best Grandma in the whole world" has undoubtedly come to a screeching halt.  As of late, The Apple of my eye has been invaded by a worm!  Back talk was one thing that was never tolerated when I was young!  My house is/was no exception.  The last few weeks, Bailee has been more than "a pill!" It's affecting her at school, at home, at dance and at Grandma's.  If you thought Grandma's was a neutral place where anything goes, you thought wrong!  For the past two weeks, Mom and I have unequivocally uttered the ultimatum that bad behaviour isn't rewarded with fun gadgets, accolades and...wait for it.....................trips to Disney!  Report cards came home this morning.  Academics were exceptional.... Behaviour....way less than.. First plane ride, trip to Florida and Disney adventure are off!  I now know what my folks meant when they said "this is going to hurt me way more than it's going to hurt you!"  I'm not sure she understands the enormity of the cancellation but hopefully it will right her ship.  Some of you probably think this is extreme... maybe so, but the consequence was put on the table and the actions remained unchanged... If we were going to talk the talk we had to be prepared to walk the walk.  It makes me sad. The Apple of my eye is still just that... she just may need a little polishing!!!

I passed!

First a little story:


I was out walking with my Granddaughter.She picked up something off of the
ground and started to put it in her mouth. I took the item away from her
and I asked her not to do that. "Why?" my Granddaughter asked. "Because it's
been on the ground; you don't know where it's been, it's dirty, and
probably has germs," I replied.
At this point, my Granddaughter looked at me with total admiration and asked,
"Grandma, how do you know all this stuff?? You are so smart." I was
thinking quickly and said to her, "All Grandmas know stuff. It's on the
Grandma Test. You have to know it, or they don't let you be a Grandma."
We walked along in silence for 2 or 3 minutes, but she was evidently
pondering this new information. "Oh....I get it! she beamed, So if you
don't pass the test you have to be the Grandpa". 'Exactly,' I replied with a big smile.

FYI..*Bailee didn't arrive from my blood or my genes or even one iota of DNA....that's nature!  I attribute her accomplishments and skills totally to nurture and her smart alec lip and 5 year old pranks I credit to nature....(see *)  We often marvel at her aptitudes and wonder where the hell she got them... Not from her Dad for sure and her Mom admits that her intelligence level wasn't disseminated from her genes. ( I contend they may well have come from Jess as she never used any of hers and they were still perfectly untouched!) Bailee, on the other hand, has no doubt where they came from. "I got my "smawrts" from you Grandma!" Thank goodness I passed the test!

Heart(y) List...

You know I love lists so I can't not read the list of 29 things to do to make your heart healthy.  One a day for the month of February... I can do this I thought!  So I'll run down the first half for you today.... See what you can do, can't do or already have done!  It's pretty simple actually.... (and interestingly enough...women are more prone to heart disease than men)....I think it's because they actually use their hearts more and it wears it out quicker trying to love everyone and keep the whole gang happy!!!!
Here we go: (remember only one a day for the month of February...you do get an extra because it's leap year)

1. Get a mat and begin doing yoga -      This probably isn't gonna work for me!
2. Make over your breakfast-  I should switch from my usual bacon or sausage to oatmeal.. I can do this...
3. Get ready for bed....by turning off all electronic gadgets and relaxing and unwinding before you try to sleep -  I will do this.....many nights I go to bed and my head is spinning with thoughts....
4. Screen your friends- no it doesn't mean to check your calls or defriend pals on FB.. it means get a group together and have your BP checked.. this could be fun if we ........went to Target!!!
5. Show some Super Bowl spirit - Learn some football or team fight songs... Singing, out loud, 2 songs can lower your blood pressure by 25% (which is needed as ref's usually raise it by 50%.
6. Write to safe a life -  Leave your FB status as..Don't ignore heart health symptoms..OK, I can do that one
7. Change your oil - Go from veg. or corn oil to canola or olive oil...I did that last year!
8. Make someone's day - Give a compliment and you'll feel better too.. Yepper!
9. Hop on your feet - They say fold your clothes, balance your checkbook or pay bills standing up.... WTH??  Your heart feels better but now your back aches!
10. Reach for nuts - EEEeeeeewww!  Oh, unsalted nuts of all kinds are rich in substances that block cholesterol... Oh man..UNSALTED!!!
11. Revamp your pantry - Substitute 5 things in your pantry (cupboards) that are high in sugar with no or low sugar content.... Doable
12. Have a good laugh -30 minutes of laughing can boost heart health for 24 hrs...by opening up arteries and reducing your BP...   No problem
13. Get in touch w/ Nature- Got that covered too!!!!
14. Take a class - CPR, etc or at least read a pamphlet about this life saving knowledge
15. Get a precise reading - learn your 4 heart numbers - BP, BMI, cholesterol and blood glucose! BP's ok, cholesterol is fair, sugar is ok and BMI (body mass index).......is large a number :-) ???

OK, that takes care of the first 2 weeks in February...  I can see me accomplishing most of these... Way easier than a diet or exercise class and some things that will actually help....  Some are already done.... now to scratch the bacon and eat an unsalted nut...Yuck!

Facts and Opinions

"Here she goes again!"  Yep... here I go again.. another Bailee story.  Don't want to hear it? Hit the big X !!
Bailee loves the computer. She has played on it she was 2 years old. For her 4th birthday, I gave her my old lap top and a new children's computer desk.  I let her play on mine when she's here and she usually chooses PBSkids.org.....(Public Broadcasting Station's website for kids).  The part I love most is she's totally oblivious to even learning. Last night she had chosen the game, Facts and Opinions.  OK, here's a subject many adults have problems deciphering.  After a couple of questions, she'd figured it out... Yes, Mary does have on a blue dress...that's a fact....but Mary's dress is a beautiful shade of blue is only somebody's opinion.  The next 20 or so statements she nailed!!! Fast forward to the supper table.  "Let's play more fact or opinion Grandma!"  Yes, it's a fact that we had macaroni and cheese but it's just her opinion that her Mom makes the very best mac and cheese.  Yes, it's a fact that Papa is bald but bald is beautiful, is just somebody's opinion... After all, "Probably not everybody thinks Papa is beautiful Grandma!!"... OK.. time for Grandma to trick her..................I exclaimed, "Your Grandma is the best Grandma in the whole world...."  She quickly, astutely and accurately replied, "Well some people may not think you're the best Grandma in the whole world so it's an opinion but I can tell you right now..IT'S A FACT!!!!!"
And no one should argue with a 5 year old.... and THAT'S a fact!!! 

In the beginning

Today I'll begin with a bit of humor and end that way too..with a little serious thrown in for good measure.

Lead cups were used to drink ale or whisky.

The combination would sometimes knock the imbibers out for a couple of days.
Someone walking along the road would take them for dead and prepare them for
burial. They were laid out on the kitchen table for a couple of days and the family
would gather around and eat and drink and wait and see if they would wake up.
Hence the custom; “of holding a wake”.

Interestingly, I've had some discussions lately surrounding  people's wishes upon their demise.  One gal had asked for no calling hours and no service. One gentleman wanted a party. Another old fella wanted one last ride on a fire truck and many wanted cremation. One octogenarian wanted no embalming, a pine box and no service. It's not my favorite subject but one that saves families lots of grief and often lots of arguments. We're all going to be there and it only takes a minute or two to jot it down and make sure somebody knows where the paper is... My family knows that I want a festive gathering with Beach Boys music blaring throughout...even if I'm 90 (and I hope I am!)

England is old and small and the local folks started running out of places to bury
people. So they would dig up coffins and would take the bones to a bone-house,
and reuse the grave.. When reopening these coffins, 1 out of 25 coffins were found
to have scratch marks on the inside and they realized they had been burying
people alive. So they would tie a string on the wrist of the corpse, lead it through
the coffin and up through the ground and tie it to a bell. Someone would have to sit
out in the graveyard all night (the graveyard shift) to listen for the bell; thus, someone
could be, “saved by the bell” or was "considered a dead ringer”.  Yikes !!

Oh Fudge!

You know me....lists!  Today's is rather humorous..unless of course it affects you!  So often you see a list of the best places to retire... Every town touts it's medical care, golf courses, restaurants, etc.... Today's list that was brought to my attention is the 5 WORST places to retire..Nothing really startling about that...unless.... that's where your retirement home is...
3) A Retirement Ghost Town


La Cresta Community, Davenport, FL


It looked like the 90 homeowners in Davenport, Florida's La Cresta, a planned 55-and-over community from mega-developer Del Webb, were making a solid investment. After all, Webb's active-retirement empire has 50 years of success behind it, and includes more than 50 developments in 20 states. But La Cresta ended up becoming that spookiest of bad retirement destinations – a retirement ghost town. After a dispute with the company that owned the land, Webb in 2009 effectively abandoned the place, peeling its name off La Cresta's sales office, locking the doors, and boarding up the windows. The community was half-finished and half-occupied — complete with an activity center, abandoned pools and blocks of empty lots and half-built homes.*
There’s more bad news for those who bought in. Even though it has long been a haven for retirees, Florida is on the list of states cutting aid to seniors: 69,000 seniors had their home aid delayed last year.
*CLARIFICATION: According to a Del Webb spokesperson, Valerie Dolenga, La Cresta changed its name to Del Webb Orlando in 2010 and resumed construction, completing a 30,800 square-foot, $8 million clubhouse in March 2011. The 70 homeowners who had purchased property at the time the development was abandoned, have been joined by 80 new buyers, according to Dolenga, which brings the community to 19 percent capacity. Though Todd Vargo, a senior development planner at the local Polk County office who visits the property often, was unable to confirm how many buyers have moved in, or how often they’re there.

Del Webb is a big name right around the corner from us.  They have an identifying billboard that we always use as the landmark sign "to turn by" when giving directions to visitors.  They advertise Goat Milk Fudge.  "Y'all just turn by the Webb goat milk fudge sign!" If that gives you any insight to our surrounding area, you can tell the NY rednecks moved near the Florida rednecks.  There must be really good money in goat milk if it helped turn things around and build an 8 million dollar clubhouse.  This is just s short hop, skip and a jump from our house on a road we travel daily so I'll be able to report on the spirit of the ghost town when I arrive.  It's probably never a good thing to see anything you have, do or associate with on a top 5 worst list.  It makes it a bit harder to sell your property too.....Thankfully we don't actually live in La Cresta, we live in La Taco Village....and we're trying to figure out how to make fudge from chickens!!

I'm ready!

Beginning to think (and plan) my strategies and lists for Florida.  This is the time of year that I clean my desk and then line up the lists.. I have a list of things to do before I leave,a list of bills to pay, a list of things for Jess to do while I'm away, a list of things to pack, a list of containers to assemble for clothes, meds, technology, phones and cameras, a business tote, my computer stuff and this year, list for Jess to do before she leaves, things to pack and how to handle everybody's mail while we're all gone.  Basically, it would be MUCH easier just to stay home....and it would take little to no arm twisting.... but Lee needs the break and is looking forward to a national trap shoot and being warm for a few weeks.  His bloodthiners are saving his life in the heart department but he may very well freeze to death in the process.  My lists are complied and the process of "laying things out" has begun.  In the past, I have had a very large box of books to read and DVDs to watch.....Thank you Kindle.. I have one small, technology filled Ereader that lets me do it all....BUT the trade off is......I now have a bag tha carries all my techy things and all their chargers...A trade off I can live with.... I'm good to go as long as I have power....Why is it the world always leaves me dependent on something...??
Never let it be said I wasn't ready.... Once again another favorite quote..."I'd rather be ready and not go then to go and not be ready"...

Let me tell you........

"My opinions may have changed, but not the fact that I am right:-)"... One of my favorite quotes.  I guess that's the best part of many things.... being free to have opinions..and being free to openly share them.  I think that's what today's Internet site blackout is all about....well that.. and $... Can't have many "strikes" that don't include the almighty buck along with our almighty rights but I guess that's ok... It seems to be the American way.  It is interesting though to see how people express their opinions in such different ways.... some visually, some orally, some comically, some silently.  I usually am a bit vociferous in my opinions.  I occasionally offer them without invitation but always with a modicum of thought.  I don't expect everyone to welcome my thoughts and/or even agree with them but it makes me feel so much better to release them. I carry fewer burdens and no guilt that way.  I seldom wish I had or hadn't shared my opinions!  Back to today's "strike."  Here's basically what would happen if this censorship legislation were to pass:


•Communication platforms – from YouTube to Face book to Amazon – could be shut down if a single rights holder alleges a violation.


•It would make the Web less stable and less secure.


•Social networking sites, like Twitter or Face book, could be forced to track and control user behavior, stunting innovation and undermining free expression.


•Your Internet provider could be required to inspect all of your traffic and browsing
 
I quite like the freedom of speech and expression...As the saying goes:

I do not agree with what you have to say, but I'll defend to the death your right to say it. (Voltaire).....

Who's "Gooder"

First let me preface my remarks by saying I am pro-teacher!  I always have been and I hope I always will be! Everyone has peet peeves and one of mine (actually 3-4) is grammar, punctuation and vocabulary (spelling)!  As recently as this week-end, I explained to our local TV station that dead people rest in a cemetery..not a cemetary! Secondly, let me reiterate that I detest..tests!  This morning's Post Standard had an interesting article titled: Sticking Point: Which student tests to use in evaluating teachers..WTH.( the WTH part is mine.)  I have always been a proponent of skilled teachers being able to evaluate their students better than any standardized test...Now, they want to evaluate teachers by those same student tests.. I must upgrade to WTF!
Let me explain a bit of this new, NYS brainstorm. "Teachers will soon be rated annually as either ineffective, developing, effective or highly effective."  Remember back to my peet peeve(s).  I am sharing only the parts of each level correlated to my peeves.
Unsatisfactory (Ineffective):  Teacher's spoken or written language contains errors of grammar or syntax. Vocabulary is inappropriate, vague or used incorrectly, leaving students confused.  No argument here..totally unsatisfactory..Good-bye..you'd better not have tenure!
Developing or Basic (Developing): Teacher's spoken language is correct, but vocabulary is limited or not fully appropriate to students' ages or backgrounds. Not sure I want a basic teacher educating anyone.
Proficient (effective):  Teacher's spoken and written language is clear and correct.   Vocabulary is appropriate to the students' ages and interests.  Now we're talking!
Distinguished (Highly effective): Teachers spoken and written language is expressive. The teacher finds opportunities to extend students' vocabularies! This should be every single teacher in our systems.
(These standards were developed by national education expert Charlotte Danielson..)

Let me simplify it for you Charlotte!  If there needs to be evaluations, they should be given to all educators and tenure should be eliminated.  Why bother to evaluate a teacher you can't get rid of? ( I know, I ended a sentence in a preposition.) Next, there only needs to be two categories.. You're getting the job done or you suck!  There's really no developing or "OK" on our kid's time!!

Alrighty, here's the bottom line. The Governor (who I've really had no major issues with to date) is considering linking, or will link, an increase in state aid to school districts' adoption of a new teacher evaluation systems.  The NY Daily News is reporting that Cuomo is "seriously considering" doing that.  The Post was more "definitive" saying that Cuomo will include that language in today's budget proposals.

"Good" test results = $. Equations suck...I say good teachers produce good students and $ should be equitable and non stipulative. Retain good teachers without tenure options, pay them as well as the district can maintain without biting off the hands that feed you and you will get the best education available for our students! All this testing is testing my common sense (cents)!!!!

Death sucks...

I know it's part of life but I will never understand it... Guess I need more faith..I certainly don't need more practice!  I sat thinking again last night about the question of being "with it" mentally and failing physically versus "gone" in the thinking dept. and healthy in body. Lee's Uncle Arbie was vary aware of his demise and I don't think I'd care for that too much.  I was also thinking about legacies... What a shitty end to living dying is. Not sure that it's ever a fitting ending for anything... Who made up those rules anyway?  ( OK, that may be part of my problem).  Anyway, it sure gives pause to living your life fully.  If you choose not to have children (which I understand for some) then you better make sure that you've made some kind of contribution to your existence..How horrible it would be to never be remembered.  I don't mean you have to invent something, cure a disease, be president or excell at sports but you can contribute in so many other ways.  They don't have to be flashy or newsworthy, they just need to have made a difference for somebody or something.  Passing on values, sitting on a Board, sharing your opinions, saving a whale, donating your time, making somebody smile....those are things people remember.  I walked around the cemetery on Christmas Eve morning when I was visiting my Dad and for all the people whose names I knew, I remembered something about them or their families. It's easier in a small community where "everybody knows your name!"  We're very fortunate to have that!!  It's important to have a grave marker too... So many people are cremated these days and choose not to be interred in a cemetery.  Genealogy is a growing pastime that unearths (no pun intended) so many interesting and informative tidbits.  I like the commercial on TV for a website that portrays a black man saying he was scared to delve into his ancestors fearing he'd find truths he wasn't prepared for... Instead, he found that his great grandfather was born a slave and died a successful business man! He obviously contributed! So, I guess before it's too late, just give something to remember..Not money... maybe time, maybe jokes, maybe photos, maybe stories, piggy back rides or "Hair duties" (inside joke). Somebody or maybe even many somebodies will remember and that's really important!

Trash Day

Today is trash day.....not outside..............inside.  I have been housebound for the better part of the week with a nasty cold. My husband, being the kind and giving man that he is, shared his with me.  I nested in my recliner which is adjacent to my desk and now I have a  waste basket full of cruddy Kleenex (TMI), a desk cluttered with remotes, pills, tissues, chap stick, paper and pen, Kindle,Lysol and miscellaneous mail that I was too lazy to take care of. I, alarmingly, became a hoarder!  Today, I clean!  Laundry is washing, wastebaskets to empty , dishes to wash,  medicine to replace in the cupboard and a to-do list firmly posted in front of me.  The list encompasses all that I need to do from now until we head south in mid Feb. so I can always procrastinate on a few things.  We're not taking Jerome this year so packing will be tougher....All those things that Jerome houses full time will have to be truncated and brought along for the trip. And then there's all the bookwork, taxes and billing that needs to be paid and readied for payment from the Sunshine State. It's almost more work than it's worth...Given my druther's, I'd stay put but Lee enjoys a break and Jess and Bailee are coming for a visit.  Guess I'd better trudge on and tend to the trash.....We're nearly 1/2 way through January...who threw those 2 weeks away?

Lysol...wrong

Last week I lysoled door knobs, light switches, toilet flushers and anything else that I thought Lee might have touched, coughed on, sneezed on, breathed on or even farted on...Didn't work! I have his lousy cold.  This sharing thing in marriage isn't all it's cracked up to be.  I do not want 1/2 of everything (you never heard that) ... Seriously.  I'm quite sure his Mom taught him to cover his mouth when he coughed but he must have been deaf back then too.  Usually my Monday routine is breakfast, post office, laundry, FB, email and bookwork...Today, it's breakfast, NyQuil, Advil and netti pot. I now know why we have two breathing orifices.. I'm just not sure what to do if they're both clogged at the same time...I'm thinking a nap in the recliner with the heating pad and grape juice...and Kleenex.... Sorry nothing witty or opinionated this morning.....Maybe better things will emerge tomorrow....other than muscus!

Numbers

What in the world would we do without numbers? In general, I like them!  There's nothing sweeter than a balanced checkbook..well ok, there's a couple things sweeter!  Without numbers, we (that's a collective "we" meaning the entire world) could not and would not function. No calendars, no account numbers, no ID numbers, no flight times, no monetary figuring, no bad cholesterol numbers, no sizes, no scales, no test scores...I hate test scores a lot..., no speed limits, no prices, no ratings, no clocks, no channels and stations (oh crap.. we can use letters instead), no calories, no scores (ESPN can figure that one out) and most of all no birthdays...... Which brings me to today..... Happy Birthday to my BMFF........(figure it out).....He begins the onslaught of tacky cards, gifts of Depends, canes and hearing aids, black balloons and clever coffee mugs and tee shirts! My classmates and I are all turning the big 6-0..this year.(God willing!)...Someone once said that 60 is the new 40 (Lord I hope so) and a friend told me this morning that silver is the new blonde.....Is that a good thing (duh)....
                                   HAPPY BIRTHDAY RADAR♥

How long?

Yesterday, someone asked Dr. Phil how he planned to live out his life.  He made an interesting, yet terrifying, revelation that since he has already lived 3/4 of his life and only has that measly 25% left, he's probably going to do whatever the hell he wants!  One quarter left????He's younger than I...Yikes... Sometimes TV (which is supposed to be a form of relaxation) can be quite unnerving!  So I thought I do a little research. Life expectancy and how the nerds do their figuring.. (remember that life expectancy numbers are going to be different depending on who you consult, Dr's, insurance salesmen, car dealers, bankers, ex spouses.......some banking on you living a long time, others hoping you kick off soon)... First I found the formula for calculating this important number..

The life expectancy at age x, denoted , is then calculated by adding up the probabilities to survive to every age. This is the expected number of complete years lived (one may think of it as the number of birthdays they celebrate).

OK, I could easily figure that but decided not to... (WTH) so I found a chart that showed the average life expectancy according to country.  Ahhhh much better.

As with any numbers, being in the green is a hell of a lot better than being in the red. So far, so good.... I live in the right place.  Being a U.S. resident should afford me a life of 80.8 years...not as good for our male counterparts who only average 75.6... I can think of several reasons for the 5 year loss but that's a story for another day.  A move to the north (Canada) might tack on nearly 3 more years for women and men.... it's colder up there, we'd be better preserved.  I'm assuming that eating rice, not wearing shoes in the house and carrying a camera is a good thing! In Japan, it's 86.1 for gals and 79 for guys.... maybe it's also attributed to height.. If you're shorter, there's less of you to go bad!!  If you're a giraffe, elephant or hippo, Africa is the place for you... If you're human, have a bone in your nose and only seen in National Geographic, you're in deep African doo-doo!  You'd better multiply while you can, enjoy carrying things on your head and dance in the nude a lot because you're only around for 31-32 years....
I'm sure there's a moral to this story. The only adage that comes to mind is the, "If I knew I was going to live this long, I'd have taken better care of myself."  I do thank the Lord for the last 59.8 years I've had and each night I ask for 20 more, with an option. I hope he's listening and I really hope he's good at math.!!



Because age is rounded down to the last birthday, on average people live half a year beyond their final birthday, so half a year is added to the life expectancy to calculate the full life expectancy. (This is denoted by with a circle over the "e".)

Twelfth Night

Whew, we made it to Twelfth Night...If it was good enough for Shakespeare, it's good enough for me. Twelfth Night is an English folk custom that marks the end of Christmas merrymaking and, in the ancient Celtic tradition, the end of the 12-day winter solstice celebration. On Twelfth Night, it was customary for the assembled company to toast one another from the wassail bowl. In Old English, wassail means "Be in good health," but the term also was applied to the drink itself (usually spiced ale). Gotta love another excuse to toast..something and good health is a perfect excuse!  It also escorts us into January, normally a month that nobody cares too much for... (debt, taxes, snow, cold...).  I love January!  We gain nearly an HOUR of daylight in January....and who, beside me, doesn't LOVE daylight!!! January is where we start anew.... we've been through the resolution thing but we can plan for better financial security. Now is the time to do that if you haven't. There are some old adages that are tried and true:
• Fog in January brings a wet spring.
• If grass grows in January, it will grow badly the whole year. (Hmmm)
• He who drops a coat on a winter day, Will gladly put it on in May. (Hang on tightly to your coats)
• If January calends ( that would be the 1st day of the month) be summerly gay,  It will be winterly weather till the calends of May. (could be in for a cold spring).
Let's just hope that Mother Nature doesn't have the onset of the Alzheimer's as I fear.  On this Twelfth Night, let her remember that NY has four seasons!

Forever?

I spent the day with my Mom yesterday.  We were heading to the eye Dr. where she "hadn't been in years".....or October.  She was not ready to leave when I went to pick her up because the sitter wasn't there yet.  She was making up wonderful words, couldn't find her glue glasses (WTH) she had gotten that morning and as she sat in the Dr's office looking at a sunny painting on the wall, proclaimed, "Look, isn't it a beautiful day!"  A journey outside the walls of Walden Place is a mini episode of a mix of reality shows...Survivor, Amazing Race and Dirty Jobs!  A bit like moving Mt Everest 10 miles with a couple of bathroom breaks during the trip!! That was the prequel to my thoughts on the drive home.

First, let me preface this with a disclaimer.  I am not overly or overtly religious.  I believe in God as I converse with him every night and always have.  I ask him for favors, I thank him for my blessings and I plead with him for longevity. I do not attend church....mostly because I like to eat more and we usually go out for breakfast on Sunday mornings. Now, back to my drive home yesterday.  I've always had questions about the afterlife. It's mere existence and what it holds are a couple of biggies. Yesterday I thought.....out loud, When we go to heaven, hopefully, do we go as we are, as we were, or as someone entirely new?  When my Mom leaves, will she always be old?  Do children remain children or do they grow up and then when do they stop actually getting old?  Now the biggest question of all.  Who's going to answer my question?  A minister, God in an Epiphany, a dream, a ghost?  I'm pretty sure that we're supposed to believe that it will be what we want it to be.  If that's the case... I've got some advance (WAY advance) planning to do.....I'll need the Internet, diet Pepsi and television and a cloudless view of my family...How do you think that's gonna work for me?  I'm hoping heavenly...just heavenly♥

Happy New Year

Well, thank goodness that's over.... not just New Years, the whole damn year!  I'm going to do all I can to make sure 2012 is much better...(like I have any control over anything!) I'm not a big resolution kind of gal.  I'm more superstitious than resolute!!  If I think that when I start something, something bad will happen if I quit...then I'm hooked.  An old bare bones resolution doesn't hold much water with me...I did resolve to walk one year ( I resolved the time, I didn't actually DO it for a whole year) and I did lose some weight.  It's obvious that didn't work out (nor did I). I'm a firm believer in the fat and happy adage.  I know there are things that I can't change like the wrinkles, age spots, the memory lapses, wrinkles, age spots and the mem...oops..sorry!  I have given serious thought to some new short term goals...like for a month or a week (or a day).  I could go without chocolate for awhile, maybe skip diet Pepsi or no carbs...I absolutely could never give up TV, FB or Words with Friends so they're off the table. Bargaining with myself is actually pretty tough.  I have, albeit, made some decisions.  I'm giving up trying to micro manage things...and people.  This might be a toughie but I'm giving it the old college try...minus the college. Every time I have unsolicited advice to give, I'm going to bite my tongue and eat some chocolate.  This is gonna be harder than you might imagine so I have some peanut butter cups handy. I'm going forward in 2012 and letting the chips fall where they may... did somebody say chips????