Good Friday

So far, it's been a very Good Friday.  Bailee, Jess and I colored our "homelaid" eggs.  We opted for "brilliant" colored eggs rather than pastels.  We made a look alike chocolate egg for me, a "No Smoking" egg for Papa and the rest were up to the girls!  Hopefully the Easter Bunny will hide the eggs for Bailee to find on Sunday.  Last year I tried my best to get the Bunny on film......to no avail. I Will try again this year but he's very clever and much faster than I.  We'll see!!

"I love Easter eggs"



"This one's already blue!:

Perfect

Life is like a bowl of........eggs!

Here you go, Easter Bunny!!!

Confusion

I'm convinced we live in a world of confusion.

Gay rights/ no gay rights
Gun freedoms/no gun freedoms
Snow/rain
Winter/spring
Boeheim stays/Boeheim retires
Easter dinner home/eat out
Grandma knows best/Grandma knows nothing
Grow a garden/no garden
Smoke/quit
Live /die
Say what you think/mums the word
Save for retirement/enjoy it now
Fight the battle/give it up
Bitch about it/ laugh it off
Live for today/plan for tomorrow
Clean the house/lunch with the girls

               Off to The Piggery..confusion alleviated ...for today at least!

Staff Development Day

No blog today:

I had a parent/teacher conference this morning at Groton Community Health Care Facility.  The "kids" were rounded up and assembled for an interesting game of Trivia.  I was pleased with Mom's report card and the glowing responses from the staff.

                                                                      Report Card
Ginnie Hewitt

                                                    6 Month "Marking Period"   March 27, 2013

All scores are 1-4   (4 being mastered)

• Reading:                          2           She seems to be doing better...especially when the magazine is right side up                                 
• Writing                            2           It appears she enjoys the taste of the pen more than putting it to paper
• Wheel Chair Shuffling     4          She has mastered this and can maneuver anywhere  within the facility
• Music                              4           She loves music.  When you hear "Walks like an Egyptian blaring, she's in the shower! 
• Physical (education)       1           Doesn't follow directions well :-(
• Meals                              3           Enjoys eating her napkin almost as much as her meals
• Physical Health              4           Better BP than her daughter 30 years her junior

 Note from "teacher".
Ginnie has been joining in more offered  activities.  She plays well with others and is working up to her skill level.  She makes the staff smile, loves kisses and hugs and is happy!  We're going to work on NOT pulling the fire alarm even though the residents enjoyed the visits from the local firemen!!


                                                                                               Signed by "parent":

                                                                                                    Sandy Hatfield

Passover.....nope

Today, being the first full day of Passover, I thought I might pass over the final section of my closet/dressing room cleaning project.  I did not!  I even cleaned the floor, the sink and the mirror! The celebration of National Cleaning Week is o-v-e-r! (they may want to rethink the idea and change it to National Cleaning Day.....an entire week of mopping, Pledge, Windex, Clorox and organizing is more than most women can endure.)  I managed to purge 3 large bags of unwanted, under worn and ill fitting clothes and footwear to others who will enjoy them.  If it wasn't worn in the last 365 days, it's history.  Somehow, 3 pair of slippers and 5 pair of "heels" were a colossal waste of shelf space.  I never wear slippers ( I have heated floors) and my 61 year old feet are not (and never were) made to come to a point with my heel elevated above the toes. I retained one pair of black and one pair of brown for funeral and wedding events.  If not worn this year, they too, will be a memory!  I removed every wire hangar and replaced with a plastic or fabric one and even had enough left over for Lee to address his dressing room....yeah right! Whatever's on the top of the pile is good enough for him. Can you spell r-e-d-n-e-c-k?

So here's the proof:

On to celebrating National Chocolate week.....I still have 5 days left :-)

A New Week

I love to celebrate exciting holidays, special occasions and national weeks.  I like Nurse's week and National Chocolate Week, Pasta Week and Craft Week. I like celebrating Spring is here and Winter is leaving and I celebrate all things Summer (except 90 degrees!) I really love National Wildlife Week! National Health Week gets me eating more fruits and vegetable (for that week anyway) and National Apprenticeship Week reminds of Omarosa (not liking that so much).  I'm excited to start planting something for National "We are Farmers" Week and I adore all things about Library Week.
Then comes this week... National Cleaning Week (she typed begrudgingly:-(  So...just how do I celebrate something that is not all that exciting for me.  It's pretty much up there with National Dentists Week!  So, I'm posting these before pictures for YOU so I have no choice but to gloat when I post the afters.  My dressing room needs........attention.  Today it will get it.  Out with the very old, the too small and the pretty ugly.  My "31" will have their own space, my shoes will be dusted and the clothes will be organized by group (ie: sweaters, blouses, tees, short sleeved, long sleeved) or maybe by color..WTH, maybe both.  Jewelry will be neatened, toiletries straightened and make up addressed....(eye lash curler will be history as I can no longer safely operate it without painful eye damage, the magnifying mirror is o-u-t as frightening myself is not good for an old heart and all make up is heading for the trash with the exception of a blush, 2 eye shadows and one neutral lipstick. I refuse to become Bette Davis.
So here is before:

                                             And believe me, this is not a "staged mess" so it will look better after....this is my clothes catastrophe!

And if there is NO blog for Tuesday, March 26th, you'll know I didn't finish (or maybe never even started!)  I did, however buy some matching hangars....so I have very good intentions.  And... I just might be cleaning something else here at EIEO in celebration....like the TV screen:-0

One-- will never know

How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?  For one depressed woodchuck, the answer will never be known.  It was announced that Punxsutawney Phil ( or a near relative) couldn't handle the fact that his February prediction had been dreadfully wrong.  The excitement that February day was the beginning of the end.  Each day following, as the cold remained and the snow continued to fall, woodchucks from throughout the country became more and more depressed. Rodent couches were filling up as therapists tried in vain to pull the sad groundhogs out of their sinking holes.  Most were accustomed to using their furry powers to spread the truth in the midst of dark, cold winters.  One brave "chuck" boldly admitted his transgression....

After several sessions, there have been unconfirmed reports that Punxsutawney Phil could not overcome his grief and has reportedly ended his own life.  Interviews with his therapist have revealed that the motive for this alleged suicide may not have been weather related but rather political.  Phil was overcome with the realization that he could, indeed, handle 6 more weeks of winter but he surely would not survive 4 more years of Obama. This report was found in the national newspaper, Hiber Nation!

"This year, both Groundhog Day and the State of the Union address occurred on the same day. It was an ironic juxtaposition of events: one involved a meaningless ritual in which we look to a creature of little intelligence for prognostication while the other involved a groundhog."

                                 RIP  :-(
               This appeared today...3/23/13:-) I was right!

Rated X

The entertainment media is mourning the death of "Porn Star", Harry Reems.  A fitting name for a man who earned his fame and fortune (or lack thereof) from gettin' it on on the big screen,  Let me begin by making a confession...........................I never saw a porno flick until I was in my mid FORTIES....and that wasn't intentional. I was just awake in the middle of the night, feeling a bit under the weather and was channel surfing.  Admittedly, it was more entertaining than Ron Popeil's pocket fisherman.  I clicked on past through a few more channels...but eventually...clicked back!  I was, however; alone so I thought I could click wherever I pleased.  I wasn't immediately won over but I soon realized that spouses that click together, stick together.  Is this too much information?
This morning, one of my friends posted this photo and a comment saying it was "A sad day for classic porn!"  I'm not positive but I believe that was the birth of a classic oxymoron!  If I were a man, I'm not sure what I would like my legacy to be, but I'm pretty confident that tickling the back of Linda Lovelace's throat wouldn't be my epitaph of choice. It appears that he was an extra on the film and he literally "fell into" the role of the young doctor...and no, I haven't seen the film......yet!  I have professed over my blogging career that everyone should aspire to be the very best they can be at whatever they choose.  Mr. Reems appears to have had a l-o-n-g, suckcessful career in pornography.
He found no time for children (he had that covered) and eventually retired into selling real estate...(still screwing people.) 
He has died at the young age of 65 of unknown causes... I'm assuming he choked on something and was unable to catch his breast...I mean breath. 

A day to mourn porn....Who'd have thought?

Don't worry- Be Happy

I've always said that you don't need someone else to make you happy.Without being cynical, you are really the first (and sometimes only) person to make you happy.  Obviously I'm on the right track. At least one more blogger agrees with me.  Here are her perceptions of what will make you happy: [these comments are all mine]

By Chiara Fucarino

There are two types of people in the world: those who choose to be happy [I'm not sure anyone subconsciously chooses to be unhappy], and those who choose to be unhappy. Contrary to popular belief, happiness doesn’t come from fame, fortune, other people, or material possessions. Rather, it comes from within. The richest person in the world could be miserable while a homeless person could be right outside, walking around with a spring in every step. Happy people are happy because they make themselves happy. They maintain a positive outlook on life and remain at peace with themselves.

The question is: how do they do that?

It’s quite simple. Happy people have good habits that enhance their lives. They do things differently. Ask any happy person, and they will tell you that they …

1. Don’t hold grudges.

Happy people understand that it’s better to forgive and forget than to let their negative feelings crowd out their positive feelings. Holding a grudge has a lot of detrimental effects on your well being, including increased depression, anxiety, and stress. Why let anyone who has wronged you have power over you? If you let go of all your grudges, you’ll gain a clear conscience and enough energy to enjoy the good things in life. [one of my favorite sayings is..."Don't worry about what people think of you. You'd be surprised how little they do]

2. Treat everyone with kindness.

Did you know that it has been scientifically proven that being kind makes you happier? Every time you perform a selfless act, your brain produces serotonin, a hormone that eases tension and lifts your spirits. Not only that, but treating people with love, dignity, and respect also allows you to build stronger relationships. [This works...I know]

3. See problems as challenges.

The word “problem” is never part of a happy person’s vocabulary. A problem is viewed as a drawback, a struggle, or an unstable situation while a challenge is viewed as something positive like an opportunity, a task, or a dare. Whenever you face an obstacle, try looking at it as a challenge.

4. Express gratitude for what they already have.

There’s a popular saying that goes something like this: “The happiest people don’t have the best of everything; they just make the best of everything they have.” You will have a deeper sense of contentment if you count your blessings instead of yearning for what you don’t have.[I thank "whomever" for this every night]

5. Dream big.

People who get into the habit of dreaming big are more likely to accomplish their goals than those who don’t. If you dare to dream big, your mind will put itself in a focused and positive state. [I seriously have a file folder of dreams, wishes and wants...like a swim spa, more windows and that cure for cancer]

6. Don’t sweat the small stuff.

Happy people ask themselves, “Will this problem matter a year from now?” They understand that life’s too short to get worked up over trivial situations. Letting things roll off your back will definitely put you at ease to enjoy the more important things in life. [I'm working on this. Live for the day!!  as a consummate planner, this is a toughie]

7. Speak well of others.

Being nice feels better than being mean. As fun as gossiping is, it usually leaves you feeling guilty and resentful. Saying nice things about other people encourages you to think positive, non-judgmental thoughts. [If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all..some days...I'm silent!]

8. Never make excuses.

Benjamin Franklin once said, “He that is good for making excuses is seldom good for anything else.” Happy people don’t make excuses or blame others for their own failures in life. Instead, they own up to their mistakes and, by doing so, they proactively try to change for the better. [Got this one licked]

9. Get absorbed into the present.

Happy people don’t dwell on the past or worry about the future. They savor the present. They let themselves get immersed in whatever they’re doing at the moment. Stop and smell the roses.[more and more each day]

10. Wake up at the same time every morning.

Have you noticed that a lot of successful people tend to be early risers? Waking up at the same time every morning stabilizes your circadian rhythm, increases productivity, and puts you in a calm and centered state.[Got it}

11. Avoid social comparison.

Everyone works at his own pace, so why compare yourself to others? If you think you’re better than someone else, you gain an unhealthy sense of superiority. If you think someone else is better than you, you end up feeling bad about yourself. You’ll be happier if you focus on your own progress and praise others on theirs.[very difficult in a small town but one of the MOST important tips]

12. Choose friends wisely.

Misery loves company. That’s why it’s important to surround yourself with optimistic people who will encourage you to achieve your goals. The more positive energy you have around you, the better you will feel about yourself. [True Story]

13. Never seek approval from others.

Happy people don’t care what others think of them. They follow their own hearts without letting naysayers discourage them. They understand that it’s impossible to please everyone. Listen to what people have to say, but never seek anyone’s approval but your own. [Never been an issue...thankfully]

14. Take the time to listen.

Talk less; listen more. Listening keeps your mind open to others’ wisdoms and outlooks on the world. The more intensely you listen, the quieter your mind gets, and the more content you feel. [Sometimes it's all you can give]

15. Nurture social relationships.

A lonely person is a miserable person. Happy people understand how important it is to have strong, healthy relationships. Always take the time to see and talk to your family, friends, or significant other. [blood makes you related....loyalty makes you family]

16. Meditate.

Meditating silences your mind and helps you find inner peace. You don’t have to be a zen master to pull it off. Happy people know how to silence their minds anywhere and anytime they need to calm their nerves. [This works!!!]

17. Eat well.

Junk food makes you sluggish, and it’s difficult to be happy when you’re in that kind of state. Everything you eat directly affects your body’s ability to produce hormones, which will dictate your moods, energy, and mental focus. Be sure to eat foods that will keep your mind and body in good shape.[ strictly speaking, I'm one giant blob of chocolate, cheese and beef..I'm working on this one]

18. Exercise.

Studies have shown that exercise raises happiness levels just as much as Zoloft does. Exercising also boosts your Self Improvement and gives you a higher sense of self-accomplishment. [This too, works!  Zumba is out, walking is in..I'm old, I'm fat and I'm honest!]

19. Live minimally.

Happy people rarely keep clutter around the house because they know that extra belongings weigh them down and make them feel overwhelmed and stressed out. Some studies have concluded that Europeans are a lot happier than Americans are, which is interesting because they live in smaller homes, drive simpler cars, and own fewer items. [Watched Hoarders for the first time the other night...Holy Shit..I'm Happy!!!]

20. Tell the truth.

Lying stresses you out, corrodes your Self Improvement, and makes you unlikeable. The truth will set you free. Being honest improves your mental health and builds others’ trust in you. Always be truthful, and never apologize for it. [If you always tell the truth, you never have to remember anything....Liars make me sad and angry]

21. Establish personal control.

Happy people have the ability to choose their own destinies. They don’t let others tell them how they should live their lives. Being in complete control of one’s own life brings positive feelings and a great sense of self-worth. [From your lips to God's ears...please put good health in this ability]

22. Accept what cannot be changed.

Once you accept the fact that life is not fair, you’ll be more at peace with yourself. Instead of obsessing over how unfair life is, just focus on what you can control and change it for the better. {That darned Serenity Prayer again]

[And my final tip is just be YOU...trying to be something or somebody you're not wastes too much time and energy. and besides, I LIKE you just the way you are!]

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Plastics..well close

Remember the movie The Graduate?  The word to remember was "plastics."  The word to remember now..is plasticity... same concept..malleable! A study at Yale University has harnessed the knowledge of what allows teens to change boats in midstream without undue stress. A teenage brain is able to wire, rewire and regenerate to "adapt to the changing motor, social and perpetual skills it acquires during it's adolescent years".  I read once that if an adult brain was to acquire the knowledge that a toddler brain learns in their first 3 years, it would literally burn itself out.  Come to think of it, I have seen a few fried people in my lifetime!! Anyway, this relearning or adaptability is called plasticity.  The gene they have found which allows an adult brain that has slowed down and plodded into adulthood is called Nogo Receptor 1....(No-go)  In normal levels, the brain is "hard-wired", if you will, but if that plasticity can be recaptured, stroke or spinal injuries or even those dealing with cognitive agility could adapt and re-learn...

I often wonder how much actual research is done with the horror stories we hear about where donations actually go.  The business arm of research seems to snatch up the majority of monies raised. But every now and then, there's a glimmer of hope......in lots of places.  This past few weeks, I've had the extreme pleasure of interacting with some of our youth, athletic and otherwise, during the great run for the basketball Final Four.  After the heartbreaking loss last week-end, I read many posts from these very same young men.  They are bright, compassionate and open...more so than I have seen of teenagers in a long time.  They are quick to thank adults and each other, they are quick to show emotion for their families, their teachers, coaches and teammates and they're bright enough to know it was a game! If these are the skills that those researchers at Yale are harnessing to help adapt older or injured brains to regroup.....then Hallelujah....my donations may just increase.  Hey, I've got plastic............in my wallet:-)

Our Final Four

Jess and I are off on a road trip this morning.......w/ 1/2 the town... We're all headed to watch our High School boy's basketball team play for the state championship.  What an amazing feat for little ole MCS.  This coaching staff has helped direct our basketball teams to a divisional championship 3 out of the last 4 years.....  A pretty big deal!!!! The team will play Lake George tonight at the Glens Falls Civic Arena. If you put their achievements to date into perspective, it's quite extraordinary.  There are 697 school districts in NYS.  We are one of FOUR playing for championship state rights....WOW!

Yesterday the team left town on a Booster Club and donation funded charter bus.  They were led by firetrucks and followed by local law enforcement.  The homes and businesses throughout town were dressed in blue and white and the streets were lined with fans and signs.  The elementary school students had worked hard making signs of encouragement and yelling cheers of admiration and spirit.  Both schools allowed the kids to line the street from one school to another and give the team a hero's send off.

I still marvel at the thought that a small school's basketball team can bond a community and make it an even better place to live but I shouldn't be surprised.....it's HOME!

Good Luck tonight Blue Devils and if you shouldn't bring in a victory, no worries, you're already CHAMPIONS to us!

The "Art" of Writing

I enjoy writing...or at least a decent facsimile of writing.  I think most women do.  It seems we always have lots to say and it's usually fabulous and witty and knowledgeable...at least in my mind.  Then there are men.  Most men are generally not thought of as masters of writing unless we're in the realm of the Shakespeares, Melvilles, Hemingways and Lees.  Are we really sure they were even the masters.  Lately, due to Face Book pages, I've been questioning the skills of today's writers.  I even addressed a local author, in my ever so clever post, by acknowledging the fact that he must have a superb staff of editors, grammar and spelling specialists and proofers.  I don't think he "got it!" but other friends did! (women of course.) Here are a few examples of posts made on Face Book by writers (sans their proofers, obviously.)

Hello Paul, I can't hardly believe you are another year older already. Time flys "when you are having fun," or, when you are ageing rapidly.  

Me and Ty at Monster Jam!

Me and some football players at Bear Creek MS in GA. They all read Football Genius and started FORCE OUT today. Keep Reading guys!

Super visit at Veronica Connor Middle in Grand Island. Two of the footballbpalyrrs made the intro to 750 students. This is me and Sharon Lee Mudd, a wonderful librarian! Thanks

Late night. Writing around the clock. Lots to do, but honestly? This is when it's really good, when you've got a story in your mind and you're in that world. Time for some sleep.

The review of I Funny by book blog Once Upon a Twilight couldn’t make me happier. The reviewer picked up I Funny to help her son, who was struggling with reading for pleasure, and found herself loving the book herself. 

I know, I'm being picky but geeesssss. I've given up being appalled at uneducated (and educated) Face Book posters for their lack of grammar and spelling. I'm learning to tune out their and there and they're, to, two and too, where and wear and even double negatives but I think I draw the proverbial line when those who are paid to write for a living, suck at the basics. I love their minds for the content, for the intrigue and for the story. I guess I should leave them alone and let them do what they do well and be thankful they have the wherewithal to hire good people (mostly women I'm assuming and we all know what that does) to pick up on the skills they're lacking. I'm feeling a tad chauvinistic this morning but I have finitely perused posts from female writers, the likes of Mary Higgins Clark, Nora Roberts, Danielle Steel and even E.L. James, and never come across a single misspelling or grammatical error (trust me, I've been looking.)
I'll continue to buy from my favorite men, James Patterson, Andrew Gross, Nicholas Sparks and Tim Green as they provide me with my much needed suspense, sports fix and southern romance. I'll pack away the tidbits of their real writing skills and let them transport me to a place where him and her are just part of the story and not part of their abilities.

Mondays

A very young Rick Monday signing an autograph for me

Yet another reason I love Mondays... I loved Rick Monday... who played for my beloved L.A. Dodgers.  I had forgotten about this play that took place in Dodger Stadium way back in the early 70's. Rick Monday saved the day by retrieving the American flag from a couple of idiots who were intent on burning it midfield.


(click anywhere on the youtube link and clicagain to see the clip)

My parents would winter in Vero Beach, spring training home of the Dodgers. Every winter, we'd head to Holman Stadium to take in practice and watch the stars of baseball, old and new.  They were a pretty accommodating crew. Tommy LaSorda, the manager, would whisk Jeffrey away and take him for a spin on his golf cart.  Roy Campanella loved posing for pictures and they all loved to sign autographs.  They knew back then where their bread was buttered and where the butter came from. One winter day, during an intrasquad game, Greg Brock popped one up in the air, over the backstop and right on top of Mom's head.  The game stopped, LaSorda (among others) ran up nto the stands and checked on Mom.  She had a pretty significant knot on her head (like we could have layered those colored Fisher Price rings on it) and therefore a group decision was made for her to head to the ER.  In the meantime, they had located the ball, Brock had signed it and they saw to it that it was given to Mom.  Good PR and lawsuit prevention....although it was a harmless game day injury.

Above: mom and dad in the stands/below: being comforted by Tommy

Above: Jeff and Roy Campanella  below: Tommy

Just a couple of reasons to love America's pastime, the Dodgers and Mondays:-)

We (Jeff) loved our Dodgers

Catch up Monday!!

The snow is leaving, the eagles are arriving and the community is booming..... Happy Monday!  What a great week-end.  Saturday's boys basketball game was epic.  I stopped at Hammy's for "supplies" before heading to OCC and everyone was buzzing about the game.  It was our very own "Friday Night Light's " moment. It seemed like everyone was talking about our boys!  Shortly after arriving, on a sun filled morning, the SRC Arena was filling up with Blue and White.  We'd heard that the Beaver River fans were plenty and loud.... Obviously the devil fans were "plentier" and louder!  I was amazed at the range of fans who took the time to travel to Onondaga Hill.  Many with no ties to MCS but their pride.  This will be a fun week...we'll see porches festooned with blue and white, plans underway to travel to the Falls, early school dismissal on Friday to facilitate travel and tee shirts on sale to celebrate.  How flippin' cool is that?  We're all...already winners!!!!

We (Lee) delivered lunch to our eagles and finally this morning they (he/she) found it.....or smelled it.  Last night Jess spied one feasting on a bit smaller critter but very near the deer.  I can't tell you the joy I get from watching it rip apart a dead animal.  That may seem a little creepy....even to me...but it's a treat watch.  My new camera has a 200X zoom and therefore I'm not 100% steady.  I think a tripod might be in my near future.  I would love to have a "bird's eye" view of the inside of the nest.  I have no idea if there are eggs or even babies there yet.  The leaves will soon block my vision and my vantage point will change.  If you see an old woman in the middle of a barren corn field sitting in a chair, toot your horn and wave!

The snow is melting, the falls are running and the animals are out on the town.  We had deer and turkeys and squirrels and chipmunks all playing chicken in the backyard yesterday.  In the middle of the night, you can often watch between 30-50 deer in the front yard.... all waiting to head to the east for a moonlight snack... some of them are so small, they can barely make the guardrail.  I think many does had late deliveries last fall.  Unfortunately, I'm assuming the eagles will have venison throughout the spring and summer.  Surely a catch 22 for me as I love them all!  (Hence the old lady in the cornfield)


This will be a busy week, hanging clothes out in the warmth, preparing to travel to Glens Falls and celebrating a few birthdays. Let the "fun"shine begin!!!

"tions"

EducationTION, LegislaTION, communicaTION.....all topics we'd better not shun away from if we hope to accomplish anything.  Our locals schools are now in a battle for survival...literally.  I'm not sure the life support they're on is going to last more than a couple of years and it's becoming a real possibility we'll flat-line!  Thankfully, our past Boards and Administrations have kept us solvent enough to have balances (savings accounts, if you will) to see us through 2013-14.  There will be cuts both through layoffs and attrition and a course or two will only be offered to some students for only a 1/2 year rather than full. Thankfully too, we have a compassionate superintendent who is fighting desperately for her students.  We have a really good educational system in Moravia.  Rural schools generally have caring staff. You don't just see them in the classroom. In a small town, everyone knows everyone... That's not always a bad thing.  The financial picture is strained enough that a community member even asked this at a recent budget forum, "Can a school district go bankrupt?"  Another, sadly lamented that she couldn't even imagine her baby not having Millard Fillmore Elementary in her future........real possibilities.
So who do we blame? Blame's a great game but this time it's not shame on us.  It's literally shame on the politicians.  Every school is NOT the same. We cannot be lumped with every NYS school.  We hear the Governor say he's not raising taxes...OK, he's not but he's forcing the school officials to raise them for him.  It's really not their job to help make him look good.  That really is trying to put lipstick on a pig (right Sarah?)

There is little a constituent can do but bitch (or squeak if you will..I prefer bitch as I'm an expert). Our Administrators have been on the road, extolling our abundance of virtues, or lack of wealth and our insistence that they pay attention to the repercussions of their actions.  We can do that from the comfort of our desks and kitchen tables.  One suggestion is a letter or note writing campaign.  Someone in these offices has to open the mail.  If they get a couple of letters from angry Moravia residents, so be it.  But if they get 20, they're liable to make mention of it. Michelle, our super Super, offered the idea of fancy paper, bright envelopes or even thank you notes.  Yesterday I picked up a package of T-you's and will be sending them off today.  I've decided my last lines (it needn't be too wordy) will be... Please be aware of what your votes mean to New York's children. I fear an uneducated legislator is far more harmful  than an unlegislated educator!

Pretty Punny

And people wonder why it's so darn hard to learn (and teach) the English language. For me, it's why it's pretty darn cool:-)

Dream On

The nights of uninterrupted sleep are over.  My roomie is back from the sunny south and those sounds (and smells) are back at EIEIO..Although EIEIO is a spin off from the Old McDonald's farm, I've tried to explain that it's just a clever moniker and we don't have to replicate a real farm...Needless to say, my bouts of waking are facilitating dreams.  I tend to dream in the wee hours of the morning after drifting back to sleep.  Do our dreams hold any meaning? I'm searching for the answer to this ONE in particular:

I'm in a waiting room of sorts in a "more than 2 story" building.  I'm there with Lee and a male NP who is watching him after several injections in his side?  There are large windows on one side of the room allowing us to see a wide canal with a gentleman loading his laundry into a floating washing machine. On the opposite side of the canal are large high-rise apartment buildings.. one with a long, tall, open staircase........that someone is riding up on horseback.  As I walk toward the window to get a better view, off to my left is a large barren tree loaded with a conclave of cardinals all dressed in their red finery.  You know me, I rushed to take that picture but my camera had either a dead battery or a full media card....it wouldn't work.  Suddenly Terry McKeefery comes to my aid with a replacement.  This allowed me to take my photo and still get to Gary & Bonnie Nye's so Bonnie could show me Gary's newly built "cheese room!"  What the hell is a cheese room?  It was complete with a giant, beautifully carved ocean wave that was verified authentic by a plaque from the FBI.   

I then awake, with a vivid memory of each event and my day begins. I have decided I should purchase one of those dream analyzing books so I know exactly what my (d)illusions mean.  Until then I've decided to avail myself of Advil-PM, possibly a small shot of liquor and squelch the chocolate before bed.  Maybe a little less Bill Mahar at 11:00 too!!!

One down...........

I'm off tonight to the Betty Blue

To have myself a drink or two

One house down and One to go

Another house in Locke to show!!!!

940:

Closed this morning on Mom's house in Locke.  They lived there for over 50 years, raised their family, enjoyed holidays and ate "buzzy" burgers.  Lots of memories but no sadness in the sale.  It was a place that served it's purpose well.  Relinquishing a structure is a natural progression of life.  A new family will make memories there. That's a good thing:-)

929:

Time to move on and be homeless in Locke.  It will always be my hometown but 2199 is now my home! 

4686:

The shop is begging for a new owner.  It enjoyed Lee, his cronies and all the stability and revenue it generated for over 30 years but it's longing to change hands and accepting "applications!"  Retirement is staring Lee in the face and accepting it, means losing the baggage.   Time to pack!

You graduated..when?

Just back from the post office with the newsy packet of info for Lee's 45th class reunion.  Still astonishes me as he's not even 45 years old......It was complete with a  synopsis of the last reunion, chatter from the planning meetings and information pertaining to the upcoming hoedown...Oh that was back in the 60's...I shouldn't be chatting about high school extra curriculars.
The events will be held this fall in early October in, where else, Weedsport... ALL 3 days/nights.  Now my memory is failing a bit but I was sure we graduated from Moravia.  I am 2 years this class's junior but I hung around with many of these guys and gals would love to see some of them. If only I could know who will be attending and who won't be able to make the trip.  I know, this isn't my reunion and albeit a moot point.  Lee did show up at the last one for a drink or two and therefore made it on the good list and into the newsy newsletter.  There was no mention of his bitchy wife who chose not to tag along as she had closets to clean....BTW, this reunion was held in Cortland as the planners must have then thought the class of '68 graduated from there!! 
I still think that Groton Alumni Association has the market on smart planning.  They hold a reunion yearly with certain years being recognized each year.  This gives all classes a chance to visit with old friends and new.  Certainly in our small schools, we didn't just cavort with the members of our class...cheerleaders hung with cheerleaders (after all, that's the only sport we could enjoy), athletes hung with athletes, nerds with nerds and so on...This just makes so much sense as planning a reunion is time attentive, expensive and thankless...(obviously....listen to me whine!) 
We've had a few reunions over the past 4 decades. Our 20th still takes top honors and will be remembered ( till we can no longer remember) as the best to date.  We truly enjoyed everyone's company, we were skinnier (ok I was), we drank, we got  down ( that was back when we could also get back up) and we stayed out past midnight,  The 40th was a bit more mellow and the music was turned down a notch. The skinny were heavier, the taller were shorter and the smarter, well they were still pretty smart....and successful.  We noticed our "In Memoriam" section was growing and that made us sad but we celebrated them and our great memories.  We're not sure whatever happened to the notion that we'd take a big cruise for our 40th.... I guess we sort of ..did.. We cruised around town and through the school.
Thankfully Face Book has made keeping in touch easier and more accessible. We can share updates, memories and pictures every day instead of waiting for 5 and 10 year intervals.  Everyone is much more amenable as we all have aches and pains, losses and joys and things we like to share. 40 years later, we're all on a level playing field...right where we always should have been. As they say, if we knew then what we know now.................
Even Pinterest has hints to make your reunions an event to look forward to rather than a hassle to avoid.
http://pinterest.com/reunionsmag/class-reunions/
October 4th is on the calendar and I'm happy to share the night and the memories... After all who knows what 2014 will bring or even if.......................................................(you fill in the blank)

Meetings

Hello, my name is Sandy and I'm a gameaholic:-(  Old age, free time, technology and competitiveness have led me down the path to addiction.  Fortunately, there's no money involved...(OK, I have purchased a few extra "helps" in certain games) like poker and slots.  My euphoria is achieved just by beating someone or crawling to the top of the leader board.... Often times it's someone I don't know but playing with pals is a lot more fun.  I don't own a virtual farm or restaurant so I need not accept turnips or garden watering while I'm out of town.  I don't need my windows washed or extra bus boys on the week-end.  I do, however, need to have a trigger finger and lots of useless knowledge.  I have both.  Many games regroup on Mondays and the leader board goes back to zero....that's when I sneak in and attack. I started out just playing on my computer.....then I got a smart phone.. unfortunately, smarter than I!  I would just play when seated at my desk, only play when I had some free time and only one or two games..... That was then, this is now:
Words with Friends
Scramble
Family Feud
Who wants to be a Millionaire

Drawsome
$100,000 Pyramid
Song Pop
and even...You Don't Know Jack.... and I do, by golly!

I'm not yet at the level where attending meetings is a must. A 12 step program does excite me though.  You know I'll be the one trying hardest to reach the last step first.  So far my addiction hasn't been hazardous to anything but my eyesight. I have a larger screen, sit much closer to my desk andhold my phone with bended elbow. The biggest perk has been realizing that so little makes me so happy!!!    Game on!