I love good grammar...period!

You all know that good grammar, punctuation, spelling and structure are pet peeves of mine (although at times I error as well.)Thankfully, my little apple didn't fall far from the tree. Occasionally, I fear that it skipped a generation but I see improvement daily:-)  On Christmas day Lee made a remark using "ain't!"  Bailee positioned her hands on her hips and questioned (in her outside voice), "Doesn't anybody in the United States speak correctly?" I rest my case!

                                                                    CASE CLOSED!

Oh the weather outside is frightful.............

Frightful.....Not so much...Delightful..Oh SO much!!!   If it's winter, there should be snow. A nice foot fell on top of the 6 inches that fell just before Christmas.  It's beautiful. I even put on my boots.....which haven't been worn since the winter of 2010-11.  I haven't yet gotten past the vest into a winter coat.....they're too heavy and uncomfortable.  Papa did mention that snowmobile chances were pretty good.  That too, never moved last winter. The only downfall of that is it messes up the pristine front yard and my picture postcard scenery.... I guess I'll just "deal about it!"  The birds are ecstatic that Jeff filled the feeders.....all except the ones who haven't perfected their winter flight paths and keep crashing into the wall of doors...A couple of dark-eyed juncos have had to shake off some crash landings:-(  The deer have been visiting nightly.  Last night 5 of them roamed the backyard and one little doe even dared approach the bird feeders.....till she saw me in the window..The only fear she should have had is me shooting her...............with my brand new camera:-)
The falls are beautiful with water still falling under the frozen, fallen trees.  To wake up to that each morning is more than anyone could ask for.  As my good friend said the other day, "Looking out here, all is right with the world!"

 night snowfall 12/26

 looks like an angel guarding the cottage!

Our lower falls

 Our backyard beauty

Snow picnic

Over..unfortunately

We made it through the holidays.  Jeff arrived safely. The girls are on the mend. Hatfield Christmas was a joy with lots of little, big and in between ones.  We had pictures planned and they were awesome. Resa brought FUDGE....YAY !!!! Christmas Eve served up "Green Arch" spaghetti, meatballs and presents.  Santa arrived (proof positive, I even snagged pictures) and filled all of our stockings and brought "just what I asked for" for Miss B. A nice visit with Mom yesterday..she looked great!! Jeff safely back in Charlotte and readying for their trip to Vegas this week-end. Awaiting a big storm tonight...time will tell but we're ready...Scotch, diet pepsi, milk and munchies on hand.  Kindles charged and blankets ready.

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and are anticipating a great 2013....Hope it's full of luck, laughter and love!!

Merry Christmas

So many unspeakable acts in the past couple of weeks....even this morning a deranged gunman horrifically murders first responders..... husbands, fathers, maybe even grandpas...right in our own backyard of nearby Webster, New York.  I have people I love in Webster, N.Y.! It's almost more than a sane individual can fathom. 

Today I'm home, in the place I love most, with my kids, the hubs and my Bailee.  I will take each day as they come and be eternally grateful for each and every hour.  I will smile when someone needlessly yells or complains (oh yeah that even happens at Christmastime). I will walk by the end table that was overlooked during dusting.  I will look the other way when the tissue doesn't hit the wastebasket and grab it on my next trip by.  I will photograph most anything and anybody doing even the most mundane things.....because they're here and because I can. I will post them to Face Book because I know maybe one or two or more of my friends will enjoy them as I will enjoy each of their photos. And I will be thankful for each second we have together.  Tonight I'm hoping Santa remembers us and 
we'll be ready for him.  I might even make a relatively useless attempt at catching him on film. So far, it's been 60 years and I've failed miserably...but who knows...it's a new year, a new decade and a new night.......Time will tell.....

MERRY CHRISTMAS to all of my family and my friends.  As my Gramp used to say, "Never put off until tomorrow what you're supposed to do today.  You might like it so well today, you'll want to do it AGAIN tomorrow:-)  Hug those you love the most........and do it again tomorrow!!

I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas and I just might get it.  Although they do say, be careful what you wish for... The Midwest is being pummeled with blizzard and tornado warnings. Nice to look at but..and there's always a but..... Jay and Jeff are both flying in today. Jay from KC and through Detroit and Jeff direct from Charlotte.  OK, white Christmas.....could you stall for about 6-8 hours?? It looks like we're in the 3-7 inch range and barely fringing on 5-10.....I vote for 5 tomorrow...but we all know how well my vote did recently:-(  A nice covering would be good and it can actually hold off until Monday.  Santa has a sleigh full of options for minimal or no snow....I know, we've talked! He already explained to Bailee in a telegram he sent her???? that he remembers she'll be at Grandmas and he knows there's no chimney.  He always has a plan B ( for Bailee, of course!)  Right now we're on plan C...vitamin C.. B is just returning from Convenient Care.  A virus with a runny nose and fever.  Looks like Lights on the Lake and a trip to pick up Uncle Jeff may be off for tonight.  We need her rested and better by Hatfield Christmas here on Saturday night.  Family photos without B are just not an option.  
The sun is shining this morning and I'm off, again, for lunch with the girls in Skaneateles. Yes, my social schedule does revolve around eating......deal about it!
Hopefully my nest will be full again tonight.  I'm always at my lowest stress level when I can see, hear and touch my kiddos......and watch the snow fall on our waterfall :-)

First and Last..

This will hopefully be the first and last time I will express my opinions on this issue and devote my precious space to the "whys." I don't like guns!  We (Lee) own many guns.  They're used for enjoyment. Lee shoots trap and deer and geese............oh and woodchucks.....many, many woodchucks.  I see no need for us or anyone (outside of law enforcement and service men and women) to own an assault rifle!  I do, however; believe we have the right to bear arms.  I do not blame the gun for Friday's massacre.  This morning I read a Face Book post from
author Andrew Gross.  I would like to share it here:

The horrible events in Newtown hit home in a very personal way in my family. As some of you know, my nephew Alex was a highly medicated, bi-polar schizophrenic who was in the process of trying to buy a rifle in California when, providentially, his mother discovered the bill of sale among his belongings and insisted that the store terminate the sale. There is no doubt in my mind, had that sale gone through, there would have been carnage. Her actions provoked a violent reaction from Alex which led to his arrest and subsequent incarceration in the psychiatric wing of a local hospital for 72 hours, the maximum allowed since Alex had reached his seniority and was somehow judged not to be a public threat. A day after his ridiculously-early release he climbed a well-known cliff in Pismo Beach and threw himself off. Ever since, his mother has blamed herself for her son's death, but in light of what has taken place in Newtown, she comes across to me as a bit of a hero. (Not to push my own books here, but anyone interested can read the larger story behind this tragedy in EYES WIDE OPEN.)


I will buy his book although I do not believe he was shamelessly pushing that by sharing this post.
Herein lies the problem, in my very humble, uneducated, unresearched opinion.  The answer or understanding of these horrific tragedies lays not in the method but more the methodology.  I do believe that laws and regulations must be changed....but not the ones pertaining to guns (with the exception of assault rifles.)  Someone should not have already harmed another before they can be treated, incarcerated or detained. It's no different than it being wrong to wait to install a stop light until there have been a significant number of deaths and casualties.  In hindsight, maybe federal, state and local governments slashing monies for mental health was NOT the place to begin tightening the belt.  There was a wonderful letter to the editor in the morning paper from someone who explained he would be more than happy to sit with someone who could professionally ascertain his competency to own and carry a firearm......much like a "Brownie" ascertains your competency to drive a motor vehicle.
The time will soon be here to have these discussions.  I hear them in full swing already in diners, on Face Book and even local watering holes but soon the "big guys" will have to tackle the big issues.  I hope they don't all revolve around guns.  There are many methods of carnage ( knives, drugs, vehicles, war) and maybe it's time to look at the who and the why rather than the what.  I'm hoping the almighty dollar isn't used as a scapegoat and that all of these beauitufl souls have not died in vain.  This is a nation of talkers...Let's start the discussion and not end until agreement is reached on where to start...and how to fix!

My heart hurts....

It's been 3 full days of sorrow.  As I said on my Face Book wall, I could barely stand to watch and I could barely stand not to. Friday morning I watched one of Jess's daycare kiddos so she could help at a nearby cafe for the holiday rush.  At 11:30 we loaded up and headed across the street to our elementary school and his UPK classroom.  Upon arriving at the door, I pulled the handle......."No, Grandma Sandy, you need to ring the buzzer!"  All second nature to him and a new experience for me.  I hadn't been to the school in the daytime since the entry buzzer protocol had been established.  I was immediately buzzed and in and chatted with the secretary whom I had known for years (she actually watched my kids 30 years ago.)  I didn't really give much thought to the new entry system until I returned home and turned on the TV...............The news was just updating..... and it was much worse than they had earlier reported.... Yes, 3 were taken to a nearby hospital but an entire classroom of 6 year olds (my Bailee is a six year old) had been viciously murdered along with several adults. I actually found it hard to breathe for a second and my heart literally hurt.  That alone frightened me!
A few deep breaths and I continued to watch and listen in complete horror.  An elementary school of 600 in a small, fairly rural town........We are an elementary school of 600 in a small, fairly rural town!!  ......and I had just dropped off a 4 year old in that building.... leaving him with a hug and a "have a good afternoon!"   Our kids came home!   I sent a message to Bailee's teacher , a friend of mine, and said today of all days, I just wanted to say "Thank You!"  She replied expressing her fear and worry about how she would cope with the possibility of the same scenario here.... "I hope I would make good decisions!"  I have no doubt that any and all teachers would make good decisions.  The majority of teachers have chosen that profession for the love of learning and the love of children.  We know they aren't there for the love of money!!!!
We have not discussed this with Bailee.  I'm not sure if that's right or wrong, it's just the way it is.  I do not know the decision of administrators about discussions but I'm hoping they have addressed the issue and that faculty and staff will answer questions openly and candidly if students broach the subject. So much expert advice was given over the week-end about how to answer such questions.
The resounding answer was to hold them close, tell them they are safe, tell them that you love them and move on.  We should not feel guilty that we try to move on and think about the holiday and Santa and family and even such mundane things as cooking, decorating and wrapping.  I like to think of one of my favorite quotes from Robert Frost (is that Jack's brother Bailee asked me?) "In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: It goes on."





One of our favorite traditions is the Elf on the Shelf. Each morning she/he appears after travelling to the North Pole to report on their child's behavior the prior day. (Hey, it works) Bailee's elf is named "Marvy!"  This photo was posted and is particularly poignant. Even the busy elves are taking time to remember the 27 tiny and huge souls that won't be on earth to celebrate this year!

Technologically Impaired

Along with my various maladies. (plantar facetious, cataracts, IBS, CRS and others) today I realized I am seriously impaired in the technology department.  I generally thought I was able to operate the TV, my phone, the VCR ( I guess it's actually a DVD), TiVo, and my computer with a modicum  of entry level skill.  I can still follow directions as long as the words are familiar. Unfortunately, new words are being added every day which seems to slow my cognitive reasoning abilities (which, to my dismay, are slowing their pace as well.)  I now have to deal with megabytes and gigabytes, modems and routers and connectivity and productivity. I'm amazed at the fact that if you unplug a device and give it 10 seconds then reconnect, it regains its memory and carries on effortlessly.  I should be so lucky!!
 This morning, I am the substitute day care giver for Jess's little man, Hunter.  I had asked Jess to not password lock her computer so I could get on and check my email, see what my FB friends were up to and write my blog. Accomplishing the blog..... but ran into some roadblocks on the other fronts.  I don't want to see her email or know what her friends are up to and it's rude (and besides I'm not sure I know how the hell to do it) to just go in and sign her out!!!!  So for now, I can pen today's nonsense and reread the last few months of my ramblings......
I'm sure you're thinking, "well you could turn on the TV and watch something enjoyable!"  OK, I could... except it says no signal and I can't seem to be able to change the input to TV.  It seems the movie "Tin Tin" is on the Blue-Ray player and my incompetent self can't do anything about it.  So, a 4 year old and 60 year old are destined to enjoy each others company, play go fish and wait for 11:30 to roll around to walk across the street to school.  maybe I should stay there for a lesson or two as well :-(

Sounds....good to me

Sounds.....are amazing. They can evoke happiness and sadness. They can instantly transport you back to a certain time and/or place.  They can make you smile, cry, laugh and some can even make you hungry.... true story!  I've given this a lot of thought (well the hour that I was lying awake from 4:09 to 5:09 this a.m.)  Here are my top ten favorites and my top 10 not so much sounds lists.  (Where's David Letterman when I need him?....who cares, I really don't like him )

FAVS:

• 10- our backyard waterfall(s)  We have lived here for 4 years and I still sleep with my window cracked to hear the calming roar of the falls....
• 9-   our backyard birds  I've become fairly skilled at bird sound recognition...
• 8-   train whistles  I immediately return to Overbrook or even farther back to a little spot where my Uncle Jack and Aunt Nancy lived in in Florida...way back in the 50's... right next to the train tracks:-)
• 7-   laughter   listening to people laughing.........makes me laugh...so simple
• 6-   The Beach Boys  anything they sing still makes me smile, dance and sing along...it's not pretty but it's wonderful
• 5-   Steve Harvey and Dufus, our roosters.  Steve is highly skilled and Dufus attempts a pathetic imitation.  They're worth the cost, the hassle and the chicken shit:-)
• 4-   Thunder   As long as I'm safe and dry, I love thunderstorms:-)
• 3-   Silence   Simon and Garfunkel knew what they sang!
• 2 -  Jeff's motorcycle ring tone....it means he was thinking about me and calling to "check in"
• and my number 1 favorite sound is.......me        "Love you"
•                                                                Bailee  "love you too"
•                                                                me       "Love you more"
•                                                                Bailee  "love you the most!"

NOT SO MUCH:

• 10- gunshots   Not a big fan of guns and hunting but I live in a Duck Dynasty, so "I deal about it"
• 9-   dentist drills   obvious reasons
• 8-   sirens   someone is hurt, ill, in trouble or on fire:-(
• 7-   coughs  germs are spreading and someone feels shitty
• 6-   cracking knuckles  drives me insane.....almost there!
• 5-   heart monitors   on TV or for real.....:-(
• 4-   buzzing   I hate all kinds of flying, buzzing insects
• 3-   crying     just plain makes me sad
• 2-   the phone ringing in the middle of the night
• And my number 1 most disliked sound is....yelling......NOTHING is ever accomplished by it!

And then I went back to sleep!!

Lunch

             Annual Christmas lunch with the chicks at Brix :-)

I'm done!

No really, I'm done... I can hear my Mother saying, "You're not done, you're finished, only cookies and steak are done!" ......and yes, the cookies are done too!  I've made lists, shopped, wrapped, crafted, decorated, cleaned, made more lists, organized, addressed, mailed, laundered, more lists, bagged, planned and now I'm ready to enjoy, celebrate, eat, drink and spend the last two weeks before Santa arrives just plain being merry.....if it kills me!  This week I have a lunch and a dinner I'm looking forward to. Spending time with friends who are right around the corner but are busy doing all the things I just mentioned.  Strange how friends can be so close and yet so far away.  One day we'll regret the fact that we didn't take the time ...............to take the time!  Next week is another lunch and dinner with even more friends and then Jeff arrives and the holiday is in full swing.  Looking forward to next Saturday when all the Hatfield/Kehoe/Reinhart/ crew will gather here for our family Christmas.  We've decided to capture the event in all it's glory in photos. If you think it's tough to get a family of four happy, smiling and clean...wait till we try 33. We'll have 9 little ones under the age of 13, a table of 6 who won't make the grown ups ( and I use the term loosely) table this year but are "oh so close!" and the adult's table of 18.  If only we had our California crew....we'd be complete.

Two weeks from tonight Santa will arrive. It's already been established: that he remembers that Grandma and Papa do not have a chimney so a door will be left unlocked, that Bailee IS confirmed to be on the "Nice List," that he does enjoy a snack and it doesn't have to be cookies, that her gifts do not need to be wrapped as that's just a waste of "perfectly good trees" and that chances are that Uncle Jeff will still be awake so please don't wait till he's sleeping to stop at EIEIO!!

Let the merriment commence!

The Griswolds

I just returned from an impromptu shopping excursion to Auburn.. Yes, I realize I was finished shopping on all 6 of my last trips... Anyway, it reaffirmed my agreement with all the Face Book posts and pictures about this still being the Christmas season and not the PC "Holiday" season....unless of course you are one of the decorators who adorns their houses with lovely ( beauty is in the eyes of the "beer-holder) Christmas decorations perched right next to their Halloween pumpkins, dead, fall mums and even scarecrows and skeletons. This drives me a bit crazy and it doesn't take me long to get there!  An additional Christmas pet peeve is the new holiday inflatables.... I like them.. I have them. Being the caretaker of Frosty the Snowman and Comet the Reindeer, I know they are not inexpensive lawn decorations....If you have the means to purchase these lawn friendly bearers of good cheer, than you undoubtedly have the means to let their little motors run during the day as well......it literally costs pennies.  Nothing looks worse than seeing lawns full of dead, deflated decor laying all over the neighborhood ....especially next to the pumpkins! I'm quite sure that even Clark Griswold would have kept his illuminated lawn ornaments upright throughout the Christmas season.

OK, I feel better! Just airing my opinion releases endorphins that make me happy... even if nobody reads it.. I said..out loud...sort of!

P.S.  I did see some lovely, less is more, Christmas decorations on my travels too...not everybody's a Griswold:-)

Update Thursday

I've been OOT (out of touch) the last couple of days.  Things are slowing down a bit and semi back to normal:

• We successfully got the tree up and Grandpa's plaid pants star is sitting stately at the top.  We dressed it with some white poinsettias this year and it looks great both day and night.  It will be the backdrop for our big Hatfield Family Christmas photo(s) we're taking on the 22nd.
• Tuesday it was 70 degrees.. How flippin' crazy is that.  Jess and I visited with Mom at the Nursing Home and did a little shopping for her through the Shopper's Service they provide.  What a wonderful idea. A truck arrives with racks of clothes, jammies, undies and socks....and they label and tailor for free...
• Christmas cards were completed and mailed. I received the neatest response from my brother Steve's gf's husband....(Nothing weird there... she married the greatest guy after Steve passed away. He reminds me so much of him.....his sense of humor mirrors Steve's and I love the fact that he appreciates how much keeping in touch means to me.  BTW, Kathy didn't respond as she was in the hospital having a few arteries roto-routed for the holiday:-)... The sad part of Paul's response was the fact that there is no one left to tell..... that's why I'm sharing with you♥
• My eye is still besieged by this nasty floater.....I believe it's floated enough and should relax and settle down for a lifetime of luxury living in my little optical suite.  Looking at things though my eyes could be a enlightening experience.  Thankfully it can't float in my auditory canal.
• My Christmas gift to me arrived yesterday... a brand new iPhone 5.  Not sure what I was thinking as I had yet to master the iPhone 4!  I guess I just wanted someone to talk to who would almost always have the right answers!  Siri, I love you!  Thankfully Jess was able to sync my new phone...otherwise I would have been sunk!
• Yesterday I crossed off another item on my Bucket List. I had my first massage....Yep, I'm the one you heard moaning in ecstasy!  It was one, wonderful hour of nakedness where I didn't have to move a muscle. (sorry, was that TMI?) I even had my ears rubbed. Who in the world would think that would be so wonderful....(short of a dog or an elephant? :-)

So, it's only Thursday and it's been an eventful week. The upcoming weeks are full of lunches and dinners with old friends, wrapping and bagging Christmas gifts..(Oh I ♥ gift bags), singing and making cookies with Miss B, the arrival of Jeffrey home for the holidays and the anticipation of our Hatfield Family Christmas here at EIEIO. Chat soon!

Happy Anniversary T.M.

Text messaging celebrates anniversary

I remember our first cell phone came in a bag that probably wouldn't fit in an overhead compartment.  I bought it "for Lee"..(.yeah right) on the premise that if I give it as a gift he wouldn't get mad (like I really gave it that much thought). It was very cool....Our first outing with it was to Silver Springs to race motocross. We never stopped to think that anybody we wanted to call was already with us... Anyway, it was a moot point as cell towers were few and far between and motocross tracks were always out in the boonies. The first "I told you so!" from Lee!
As the years went by we upgraded and added minutes to our plans, we learned to share and not make senseless calls using up valuable minutes. Soon the kids were old enough to have them and then came texting....20 years ago to be exact.  We didn't need to text and it took us several years before we realized it had it's perks.  Lee was "never gonna text! If I want to say something to somebody, I can sure as hell call them and talk to them"......forgetting that hearing them might be nice!!.  So now fast forward to 2011....Santa brings Leroy an iPhone...Leroy who barely yet knew how to do anything short of "hello" on his old phone.  FF again to 12-2-12....I decided I would buy myself a Christmas present.  Seldom due I splurge on me and I had an "itchin" to do just that... Wild woman on the loose.....with an iPhone 5:-)  So Jess, my in house tech guru. calls and asks all the questions that I had barraged her with.  Come to find out, I use about 1/2 GB and Lee uses over 1............Yep, the very same fellow who was "never gonna text" shares more data than I... Do you know how many dead deer and big boobs  one entire GB is???????? LOTS.  So, when I switch over my 4 to 5 we will be sharing 4gs of memory which ought to do us until the next fancy device hits the market.  I won't have to worry about a 5 for Lee as Siri would soon tire of hearing "what" all those times during their conversations and enlighten all Verizon representatives that she was not compatible with the hearing impaired. (welcome to my world, Siri).   But nonetheless, I'm celebrating the 20th Anniversary of text messaging by treating myself to a device that will answer my questions, allow me to search the world, keep me in touch with my family and almost anything else I wish for.....I especially enjoy it on "vibrate".  Mmmmmmmerrrrrryyyyy Chhhhriisttmmassss tooo meeee!!