So, with a fresh new year upon us in a mere 3 days, I'm sharing this awesome note in hopes that you have a bright young tween or teen that would benefit from these simple words of wisdom.
Friday, August 30, 2013
Happy "New"Year
So, with a fresh new year upon us in a mere 3 days, I'm sharing this awesome note in hopes that you have a bright young tween or teen that would benefit from these simple words of wisdom.
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
Hurray for Hollywood!
Hurray for Hollywood......the restaurant of course. It's monthly girl's lunch day! Hey, it's hormonal. We do everything once a month whether we need to or not..... like clean, laundry and clip our toenails among other things. When you get to be our age, you can pretty much do what you want to...when! Life has basically been on our terms all along but we can use the age factor toward earning! The men are off to Turning Stone for a little golf, gambling and gut building. Jess and B are flying low today as we're planing on taking off to "Planes" this evening and I'm heading all the way to Cortland for a fun, relaxing hour (or two) with the gals.
Will check in tomorrow with hopefully some wit or wisdom.....
Will check in tomorrow with hopefully some wit or wisdom.....
Tuesday, August 27, 2013
A little Shakespeare
Some morning culture...
To BEE or not to BEE, that is the question.... No question here at EIEIO... We love and respect all creatures here at The Farm...except..white bottomed hornets. Sorry buzzers but you are not welcome here! Occasionally we are blessed with various nests from a multitude of feathered, furry and crawling critters. Upon finding this "gray matter" hanging precariously from the smoke house, it was a unanimous decision to destroy it. I don't believe hornets have any useful purpose other than to inflict harm on anything nearby and moving.
Lee sprayed at dusk one night!
Jeff knocked it down 2 nights later!
Jess picked it up (WTH)!
We all watched the bee larva wiggle with new, ready to hatch, sting and maim the world young hornets!
We had a teachable moment for Bailee ( I hesitate to use her moniker "B") !
And finally we had a cremation ceremony where we all rejoiced in a sting free committal service.
So, the answer to Hamlet's question is:
NOT to BEE!!!! just sayin'
To BEE or not to BEE, that is the question.... No question here at EIEIO... We love and respect all creatures here at The Farm...except..white bottomed hornets. Sorry buzzers but you are not welcome here! Occasionally we are blessed with various nests from a multitude of feathered, furry and crawling critters. Upon finding this "gray matter" hanging precariously from the smoke house, it was a unanimous decision to destroy it. I don't believe hornets have any useful purpose other than to inflict harm on anything nearby and moving.
Lee sprayed at dusk one night!
Jeff knocked it down 2 nights later!
Jess picked it up (WTH)!
We all watched the bee larva wiggle with new, ready to hatch, sting and maim the world young hornets!
We had a teachable moment for Bailee ( I hesitate to use her moniker "B") !
And finally we had a cremation ceremony where we all rejoiced in a sting free committal service.
So, the answer to Hamlet's question is:
NOT to BEE!!!! just sayin'
Monday, August 26, 2013
A Little Chilly
Here we are at Monday..again. My favorite day of the week even though it's damp and a little chilly. The damp is due to drizzle and the looming possibility of 2-3 inches of rain in 3 hours this afternoon. The chilly is due to a draft arriving at 8 p.m.! A Fantasy Football draft that is. Now I can put to use all the pre-season information I have amassed in these 3 short weeks and hope that any and all of my successful draft choices are smart enough to stay off the field and healthy until opening week. The pre-season brings me back to the days (years) of motocross when I would watch the competition with one hand on the camera/remote now and the other with crossed fingers. I'm just a little superstitious!!! I'm thinking this has majorly contributed to my advanced stage of arthritis. I'm the person you don't see in the commercials where matching socks are mandatory, bald heads are rubbed, rally caps are necessary and fingers are crossed while chanting " Let's Go Buffalo, Let's Go Buffalo, Hay A A A...." I've already checked my settings and my computer is ready. Dinner is planned to be finished by 7:30 with dishes done and everyone advised that "You don't bother Grandma/Mom for the next 45 minutes." (even if the house is fire....... bring buckets and keep the water away from the computer!! This is not negotiable!)
By 8:45, I will know how wonderful my team might be or how disgustingly bad it sucks. Either way, I've managed to lose dreadfully each year I've participated. So why, you might ask, do I bother to put myself through the stress? I ♥ Football..... win, lose or draw, it's my sport of choice. I couldn't have more fun if I were in the stands with my face painted. My chair is comfy, my bathroom is near, the refrigerator is stocked and my remote, iPhone and computer are ready.... They're synced and I'm psyched! So the answer is...Yes.....
.I'M READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL!!!
By 8:45, I will know how wonderful my team might be or how disgustingly bad it sucks. Either way, I've managed to lose dreadfully each year I've participated. So why, you might ask, do I bother to put myself through the stress? I ♥ Football..... win, lose or draw, it's my sport of choice. I couldn't have more fun if I were in the stands with my face painted. My chair is comfy, my bathroom is near, the refrigerator is stocked and my remote, iPhone and computer are ready.... They're synced and I'm psyched! So the answer is...Yes.....
Friday, August 23, 2013
Aristotle's Precipice!
Another great visit to GREEK PEAK... We absolutely love it there and it's so close. The entire facility...Adventure Center, Ski Trails, Hope Lake Lodge and Cascade's Indoor Water Park, was saved at a bankruptcy sale in the spring. If yesterday was any evidence of it's looming success, they should be fine. The water park is now open to the public and they are offering inexpensive "specials" to entice the locals to head to the Peak. Yesterday's bargain was $15 for all afternoon at the Water Park. (1-9 p.m.) We weren't able to go until 5:00 but, as always, we had a great time. We flopped around (OK, I flopped around) in the wave pool, swam in the outdoor pool after the thunderstorm had passed, spent a token 1/2 hour in the arcade amassing 153 tickets and enjoyed dinner at the snack bar. Three tired girls ventured back home at 9:00... Where else nearby can you have so much fun for $5 an hour? (or $1.87 if you were there all afternoon and evening) Jeff will be home tomorrow and we've been contemplating the zip line..OK not "we" but the kids! We've yet to enjoy the Adventure Center.
Condos are selling now at a 50% reduction.....It just might be a good investment in fun!
Condos are selling now at a 50% reduction.....It just might be a good investment in fun!
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| A mischievous grin |
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| "there she blows" |
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| B flipping out for the wave pool |
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| Grandma and B in the wave pool |
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
Once in a Blue Moon....or twice.
Nothing more beautiful on a clear, summer night than a huge, (Billy Fuccillo style) full moon. Last night's was another Blue Moon. Not really blue in color but big, bold and yellow. It was so bright I could even see the flowers by the flag pole in the darkness. As usual, I took a few photos and they were pretty clear. Then a few minutes later, my friend Johnny posted his Moon over Owasco photo. It was spectacular and overshadowed the ones I had just snapped. Here you go...
Here's another priceless shot of a Blue Moon..........................oops..wrong shot:-(
Here's another priceless shot of a Blue Moon..........................oops..wrong shot:-(
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| My pictures pale in comparison but here they are: |
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| Moon over EIEIO |
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| There's a man in there somewhere:-) |
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| Finally, the real 411 on a Blue Moon..... I'm finished "mooning" you until next month. Be scared...very, very scared.... Right Resa and Lori ♥ |
Tuesday, August 20, 2013
Lane Change
Holy Traffic Alert. Maybe taking regular driver's tests isn't such an obscure idea. I can no longer blame senior citizens (as I am one) for the error in their ways while navigating the highways (and town streets and back roads.) I have often lamented the practice of using a four way stop. I've decided to just sit there until the other vehicles have made their decisions. Even waving them on doesn't seem to lessen the confusion. If they don't know where the hell they're going, how could I? As I said, I'm learning to be patient and just be the last to go....
Runners: I am quite tolerable of runners. Probably because many of my dearest friends are hoofing the highways and byways. The majority of them are not hearing impaired (even with their moving music helping them to keep pace) and stay safely on the shoulder or in their running lane.
Bicycles: Generally bicycles are on the move in the same weather conditions in which I use my air conditioner. My A/C keeps my demeanor coolly balanced and often muffles my vulgar, vehicular, vociferous, verbiage. ........swearing! They drive me slightly insane (short trip.) Many local roads are designated as bicycle trails. The shoulders are wider and smoother and allow for the seasoned and unseasoned riders to safely travel to their destinations. So..PLEASE stay off the part made for those of us who drive motorized vehicles and really don't like bicycles...maybe that's just me. Try to be as courteous as runners....just try!
Texters and Talkers: More and more we're seeing people pull over to take a call, write a text or answer a call. Good for you! But now I think that the shoulders should be a little wider, mowed more often and accessible for those who have the good sense to not text and drive. They make bicycle lanes, brake lanes, commuter lanes and even Lois Lanes...no wait, that's a different "Super" story. We certainly spend more money on less important logistical decisions.
I'm not really a road hog and I try to be as pleasant as the wheeling public allows me to be. I just have to really wonder if some these folks DID get more than their bicycles from Sears...like maybe their licenses?
Runners: I am quite tolerable of runners. Probably because many of my dearest friends are hoofing the highways and byways. The majority of them are not hearing impaired (even with their moving music helping them to keep pace) and stay safely on the shoulder or in their running lane.
Bicycles: Generally bicycles are on the move in the same weather conditions in which I use my air conditioner. My A/C keeps my demeanor coolly balanced and often muffles my vulgar, vehicular, vociferous, verbiage. ........swearing! They drive me slightly insane (short trip.) Many local roads are designated as bicycle trails. The shoulders are wider and smoother and allow for the seasoned and unseasoned riders to safely travel to their destinations. So..PLEASE stay off the part made for those of us who drive motorized vehicles and really don't like bicycles...maybe that's just me. Try to be as courteous as runners....just try!
Texters and Talkers: More and more we're seeing people pull over to take a call, write a text or answer a call. Good for you! But now I think that the shoulders should be a little wider, mowed more often and accessible for those who have the good sense to not text and drive. They make bicycle lanes, brake lanes, commuter lanes and even Lois Lanes...no wait, that's a different "Super" story. We certainly spend more money on less important logistical decisions.
I'm not really a road hog and I try to be as pleasant as the wheeling public allows me to be. I just have to really wonder if some these folks DID get more than their bicycles from Sears...like maybe their licenses?
Wednesday, August 14, 2013
A Little Nip
Tuesday, August 13, 2013
The Notebook
Each visit to the Groton Community Health Care Facility.....aka the Nursing Home, gets tougher and tougher. A few days ago Jess, Bailee and I ventured off to visit Grandma. She was "parked" right by the door playing with an empty box about 3ft. x 1 ft. I walked up to her and said, "Good morning!" Her silent reply was the blankest, emptiest stare to date. Each week she seems to slip farther and farther away....and I have no idea where she is:-( Physically she's probably more fit than I! The very saddest part of this disease is we have no way to know what she's thinking. Occasionally a word is spoken clearly enough to grasp but generally it's all gibberish. Sometimes she even laughs after speaking in her "foreign" tongue so I'm hoping that whatever she's thinking is funny!! I'm not sure if I selfishly think it more for me or for her. She seldom appears unhappy which is a good thing.....again maybe more for me than for her:-( She's certainly not surrounded by upbeat, healthy geriatric cronies but hey, it IS a nursing home. She is very well cared for, eats as best she can (no longer with utensils) and is encouraged to join in what social aspects are available. She LOVES music and I believe, in her head, she knows the melodies, the words and associates (way back) with the time she sang them. A year ago she belted out the words of Dark Town Strutter's Ball... a song her Dad would sing to her and then she to us and she loved Onward Christian Soldiers, as did we! It would be a Sunday hymn and she would belt out the tune (as we (the 4 of us) would stop singing and she would be the loudest ....and worst singer in the pew! I can only hope that as she hears these tunes, her smiles are of these fun times and not just empty tunes. It seems a very unfair way to end your lifetime adventure. At least for Mom, she's gone full circle. She's back to the days of childhood in the majority of her actions. I pray that wherever she is, it is (or was) a very good time for her. I also wish she could crawl into bed, say goodnight to Dad and peacefully sleep..much like the Notebook...If only it were that easy!
Monday, August 12, 2013
Our Surfin' Safari to Turning Stone
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| Three pretty girls |
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| 3 Generations ♥ The Beach Boys |
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| Gotta have a Beach Ball at the Beach Boys' concert |
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| HATES the glass elevator |
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| LOVES the glass elevator |
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| B & G ♥ |
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| Mike "Love"s Bailee... Another wonderful night with the Beach Boys. They never disappoint..even at 70..them, not me:-) Mike Love and Bruce Johnston still put on a great show. The crowd seems to get a bit older every year,,, A few more wheel chairs, canes and oxygen tanks but what the hell........at least we're still all breathing. They played all the old favorites and even an oldie that was never recorded that Mike and Bruce had "forgotten" about.....Shocker. Two straight hours of rock and roll followed by peanut butter pie and strawberry cheesecake.... it doesn't get any better than that! |
Thursday, August 8, 2013
The Mystery of History!
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| Bailee (and Addy) at The Seward House |
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| The "underground" room where a few slaves were kept at the Seward House |
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| Jess and B at Fort Hill cemetery..The Seward (and Family) graves |
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| B at Harriet Tubman's grave |
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| Harriet Tubman's 2nd home in Auburn |
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| Rt. 34 has been designated as the Harriet Tubman highway... |
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| B and Addy at the Tubman home Bailee, Jess and I had a historically filled Wednesday. We began our journey originally watching the movie "Lincoln" a few week ago. Bailee even enjoyed the 3 hour film and so began her interest in all things Lincoln. Her first 2 books from the Powers Library were about Lincoln and the Underground Railroad. We are so fortunate to have so many local ties to history and have the chance to make it interesting for a 6 year old. Bailee's end of the year gift from Grandma was the American Girl, Addy. She joined us on our adventure back in time yesterday. Our first stop was the Seward House. I hadn't been there for 52 years. (wow, that can't be right :-) Our fourth grade field trip visited way back then....probably by horse and buggy :-0 It was exceptionally interesting thanks to our tour guide and her knowledge of Seward, his family and her skills at saying just the right facts that interested both young and old. Bailee had her hand up in each room!! After a brief stop to fill our tummies, we headed, thankfully with map in hand, to Fort Hill Cemetery. We found Harriet Tubman and William Seward and his family. A beautifully manicured cemetery with lots of history to offer. Our last stop was a peek at Harriet Tubman's home. We arrived just in time for a small tour that was enlightened by another great guide and a visit to Harriet's home. We stuffed a lot of history into our brains and I was amazed that although Bailee's head was on a swivel most of the day, she'd soaked in lots of interesting tidbits about our famous neighbors just up the road. She should be full of stories to tell when her 2nd grade class begins their unit on The Civil War. Today we're heading on another history adventure. We're going to Turning Stone and catch a concert from Grandma's favorite musical group, The Beach Boys. We're gonna show them that 3 generations ♥ The Beach Boys...even our shirts will show it.....Heading for some "Good Vibrations!" |
Tuesday, August 6, 2013
Retirement Planning 101
Doing a little thinking about retirement. I don't "work" outside the home so the world assumes I do nothing...That's ok.. We all know what it means to ASS U ME.....I was looking at the graphic above and all the things that are associated with retirement. More than a dozen of those little words are all about money. As you know, I'm a planner. So I'm wondering if the money saved doesn't equal the money needed who will NOT reap the rewards? Social Security is purely a humorous pittance of an anecdote that won't even pay for the health care that "Black Obama" (that's what Bailee calls him) has mandated on the fine folks of the USA, savings is a lifetime struggle as the governments from local to federal are vying for every cent you have...or ever will have, 401k isn't even in a self employed business person's vocabulary and insurance is what broke us in the first place! IRA simply mean your "in retirement abyss" and supplement is the grim prospect of being a door whore (greeter) at WalMart. None of these prospects sings happiness, freedom or hobbies. I think they forgot the words, wrinkles, constipation, liver spots, macaroni and holy crap! I'm really not sure how much retirement savings is enough? My financial planner asked, "Well how much will you need each month?" "Oh.. about a 10th of what we've saved." I answered. His expression was less than hopeful !! So it looks like we're back at the drawing board. Once again, I'll assume the role as planner and see what we can do without. I'm pretty sure a couple of the choices are cigarettes and Johnnie Walker and I'm very sure a couple of the choices aren't Internet and chocolate!
Monday, August 5, 2013
Sh-- Happens
Sometimes even your favorite magazines just plain run out of things to write about. Thankfully, because of that....I won't! One of my top 5 magazines is the relatively new HGTV magazine. I think my TV's just automatically display HGTV when I turn them on. The magazine has innovative ideas from paint colors, to fabric patterns to turning flea market finds into EIEIO treasures....especially this month. I may just be turning egg baskets into pendant lamps before you know it. The other day as I was eagerly perusing my latest edition, I flipped upon an article about bird poop. Yep, a beautiful picture of a blue jay's lower torso and a lovely photo of a blue (and poop) patio umbrella. I doubted there was a decorating tip hidden in the prose and I was pretty sure we weren't turning the poop into anything else but it had peaked my curiosity. Nobody can ever again say "I don't know sh--!" I'll now inform you all so you too, will never hear those cruel words.
Newsflash,,,,,, birds have only one hole! ( I think we broached that subject before in one of my chicken seminars but it bears repeating) So... both pee and poop make the trip together...the white is mostly pee and waters down the brown and green poop. Hey, knowledge is a beautiful thing.
Birds' metabolism is so revved up, they often take as many as 50 bathroom breaks a day. ( I can relate)
Bird poop cannot hurt you....unless, of course, a flock of geese (or seagulls..speaking from experience) decide to "potty" while flying over you sun bathing on the beach. Large quantities could cause fungal infections for those with weakened immune systems. Beware San Franciso and the Ithaca Commons.
Bird Poop is acidic....it can eat away on furniture finishes and even etch and erode glass. Yuck! Soap and water usually does the trick to "eliminate" the dirty birdy crap but they DO make a product called .......wait for it............Poop Off.. that you can purchase at your nearest Petco store.
Bird Poop has one redeeming quality. It has wonderful, natural nitrogen which can act as a fertilizer for your garden........but it's doubtful you can train your feathered friends to poop precisely over your petunias and actually straight from the pooper won't really do much. It is available in the composted state much as you'd buy chicken manure (got that too.)
So, there you go....No one can ever again accurately tell you "You don't know Sh--! and if they try... well...Sh-- Happens!
Friday, August 2, 2013
Words of Wisdom
While my brain IS working this morning, it's in bookkeeping mode and not churning from it's creative section. For this reason, and the fact that this is all too true and all too enlightening, I'm borrowing some words of wisdom shared by our cousin Kay.
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