Not the kind you get from eating ice cream and ice but the kind you get when you just can't function past sitting in a chair and staring at the TV for hours on end. I think I have Husbanditis . . . I just cannot get my butt in gear to do anything. No less write something witty and smart.
I have noticed lately that my brain is getting worse and worse. There are days when I can't keep a thought in my head for more than 2 seconds. REALLY! Things are just floating in and out of my head all day and I don't act upon any of them, no less remember them. It has just become too much of an effort to think. I guess this is what it must be like to be a man. Maybe I should go to the doctor and have my hormones checked before I start growing a beard and mustache. (Fortunately I have not yet had to worry about that whole menopausal mustache thing. Being blonde does have it's perks.) But then it is probably just that my eyes are so bad I just can't see all the fuzz that is growing on my face. My 2 BFF's are blessed/cursed with having their daughters living with them so when ever the facial hair starts getting out of control the daughters start pointing out the need for a day at the spa with a good facial waxing included. Not having my daughter near by I don't have any "Hair Police" to point out the nasty little buggers sprouting from my face so I have to depend on the magnifying mirror and my reading glasses. I could probably turn into Sasquatch before Husband would notice and even then it is doubtful he would say anything.
Getting back to my brain . . . I am seriously in trouble here. I have a lot of things to get done and I am just puttering along not doing a thing. I even think I have washed the same load of laundry about 4 times. For some reason I can't remember which basket had the clean wash and which was the dirty. Rather than putting the clothes away and hoping they were clean I have washed them again (and again?). They will either get so clean I won't have to wash them for a year or they will disintegrate in the machine. I used to have little tricks to keep things like this straight but I can't even remember the tricks so it is just a crap shoot as to whether you get clean clothes or whether you get dinner. It is just too hard to think.
Ever since the cruise with my best buds I have given up on thinking. My grand kids won't get a Valentine's care package at this rate because I just keep putting off shopping for stuff. I think what I really need is a day out on my own to do some shopping and wandering around ALONE. That would force me to focus and concentrate.
This really must be what it is like to be a man and NEVER have to think about anything. Maybe I won't have those hormones checked and just start living my life as a man. Do you think I would have any chance of Husband picking up the slack?
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Saturday, January 28, 2012
GOOD MORNING
What am I doing up at 9 AM on a Saturday? (Not that Saturdays are any different than Tuesdays when you are retired.)
Little Man Smith is on his way to spend the weekend. I LOVE that we get to see him so often. WE all recovered from our day together on Thursday and now mom and dad are bringing him up with hopes of letting Gma and Gpa take over and letting mom and dad catch up on some sleep that they missed this past week. Smith just weathered a bout of Thrush, a virus that causes very painful sores in the mouth and throat. He spent 2 nights in misery before things started to turn around for him. And if baby is miserable, EVERYBODY is miserable. But if Thursday was any indication, the boy is back to his wonderful, normal self.
We talked to Keri yesterday afternoon and they are headed up to Baltimore today to visit Grandpa Fred in the coma care facility up there. Gpa Fred had a seizure of some sort just before Christmas and he has not returned from the coma he was in. His family moved him to this facility in Baltimore where they are working on trying to "find" him but so far nothing is happening. Keri and family were up there 2 weeks ago and Fred had his eyes open and seemed to be "responsive" so Keri brought Finn in to see him. Finn climbed all over Fred and Fred seemed to be agitated and trying to talk. (He was probably trying to say, "Get this kid off me!") But then when Steve went in a few minutes later Fred had his eyes closed and there was nothing. Kaelin has not seen her grandpa since he collapsed in December and she has not asked to see him. At almost 4 she is not understanding any of this so it is best she remember her grandpa the way she knew him. SO SAD.
AS for the British Lawlors . . . they are doing super! We talked to them last week for Abby and Bridget's birthdays and will try to catch them on Skype this weekend. They look so wonderful when we see them on the computer and the kids are becoming more and more English all the time. Roman is really picking up and English accent and Abby uses many of the British terms to refer to different things. It is so wonderful t see them flourishing in their new home.
Well, got to go get ready for today's visitors. The toys need dragging out of the garage and brooms and vacuum need to be hidden so Smith won't be dragging them around for the day.
Little Man Smith is on his way to spend the weekend. I LOVE that we get to see him so often. WE all recovered from our day together on Thursday and now mom and dad are bringing him up with hopes of letting Gma and Gpa take over and letting mom and dad catch up on some sleep that they missed this past week. Smith just weathered a bout of Thrush, a virus that causes very painful sores in the mouth and throat. He spent 2 nights in misery before things started to turn around for him. And if baby is miserable, EVERYBODY is miserable. But if Thursday was any indication, the boy is back to his wonderful, normal self.
We talked to Keri yesterday afternoon and they are headed up to Baltimore today to visit Grandpa Fred in the coma care facility up there. Gpa Fred had a seizure of some sort just before Christmas and he has not returned from the coma he was in. His family moved him to this facility in Baltimore where they are working on trying to "find" him but so far nothing is happening. Keri and family were up there 2 weeks ago and Fred had his eyes open and seemed to be "responsive" so Keri brought Finn in to see him. Finn climbed all over Fred and Fred seemed to be agitated and trying to talk. (He was probably trying to say, "Get this kid off me!") But then when Steve went in a few minutes later Fred had his eyes closed and there was nothing. Kaelin has not seen her grandpa since he collapsed in December and she has not asked to see him. At almost 4 she is not understanding any of this so it is best she remember her grandpa the way she knew him. SO SAD.
AS for the British Lawlors . . . they are doing super! We talked to them last week for Abby and Bridget's birthdays and will try to catch them on Skype this weekend. They look so wonderful when we see them on the computer and the kids are becoming more and more English all the time. Roman is really picking up and English accent and Abby uses many of the British terms to refer to different things. It is so wonderful t see them flourishing in their new home.
Well, got to go get ready for today's visitors. The toys need dragging out of the garage and brooms and vacuum need to be hidden so Smith won't be dragging them around for the day.
Thursday, January 26, 2012
TRUCKS AND DUCKS AND MUD PUDDLES
We just got home from a fantastic and DIRTY day with Smith. Ger and I were up at SIX AM this morning, way way earlier than I am used to but for my grand kids NOTHING is impossible. WE had to be at Smith's house at 8 and not knowing what we might run into on the roads between here and there we left plenty of time for error. We arrived with plenty of time to spare so we made a stop at Macky D's for some breakfast to go. Since Smith had been up since 5:45 AM (so his not so happy mom told us) he was ready for a second breakfast at 8. Dad had already left for work and mom made a B line out the door after grandma told her to "GO!". Smith, Grandpa and I settled down in front of the TV for some breakfast but I gave up after about 3 bites of egg and a half of a biscuit. Between Smith wanting to play and the dog trying to steal anything and every thing off our plates I was done! Smith and I played inside and outside, up stairs and down stairs until we finally convinced him to get out of his jammies and into some clothes so we could go out in the car.
First stop . . . Home Depot. Now this little boy, Smith, is only 18 months old but he is a MAN! No sooner did we pull into the parking lot of HD than the boy started yelling "TRUCK!". As you would expect there are quite a few trucks at Home Depot. Big and little, pick ups and trailer and not a one went by un noticed by Smith. It took us 15 minutes to get out of the parking lot and into the store because we had to stop and admire each truck that was parked. What is it with little boys and trucks? Once we got into the store Smith and Grandpa both got a glazed look on their faces and went into a trance. Smith and his GPa walked from one end of the store to the other and no less than 10 people stopped to stare at this little man pushing a broom along in front of him. (We made the mistake of walking past the display of brooms and Smith would not walk another step until we gave him a broom to push.) Next to vacuums, brooms are in the top 10 things that this child is obsessed with. The were many chuckles and "AWS" as we walked around the store and only that the store alarm went off and distracted little man were we able to leave the broom and get out of the store with only our purchases. We did leave with wet feet because on our cruise through the garden department Smith found numerous puddles to dance in.
Once we got home we headed for the patio to re pot mommy's 4 little geraniums. That's when things really got down and dirty. Once the plants were in their new pots we had to turn on the hose to water them so the entire patio turned into one huge mud puddle. Good thing for the washer and dryer.
While Smith watered Gpa's feet I made some lunch for us and then it was a quick clean up, lunch and a nap. Grand pa took advantage of nap time to power wash the muddy patio and remove all the incriminating evidence.
But even with all this fun going on the high point of the day was the 2 FIRE RESCUE trucks that came down the street shortly after Smith got up from his nap. God Bless Grandpa, he scooped up Smith and headed out the door to see what was going on and the 2 boys walked down the street to find the fire trucks. I can't tell you how much the LITTLE guy loved seeing those trucks right there on his street. The poor lady who was being taken to the hospital probably didn't need an audience but it was great entertainment for us. Smith pointed and talked and just plain wiggled with excitement. Once again . . . What is it with BOYS and trucks ?
When Smith's parent arrived home this afternoon I told them that the amount of dirt on their child was in direct relation to the amount of fun we had today. AND BOY OH BOY DID WE HAVE FUN!
First stop . . . Home Depot. Now this little boy, Smith, is only 18 months old but he is a MAN! No sooner did we pull into the parking lot of HD than the boy started yelling "TRUCK!". As you would expect there are quite a few trucks at Home Depot. Big and little, pick ups and trailer and not a one went by un noticed by Smith. It took us 15 minutes to get out of the parking lot and into the store because we had to stop and admire each truck that was parked. What is it with little boys and trucks? Once we got into the store Smith and Grandpa both got a glazed look on their faces and went into a trance. Smith and his GPa walked from one end of the store to the other and no less than 10 people stopped to stare at this little man pushing a broom along in front of him. (We made the mistake of walking past the display of brooms and Smith would not walk another step until we gave him a broom to push.) Next to vacuums, brooms are in the top 10 things that this child is obsessed with. The were many chuckles and "AWS" as we walked around the store and only that the store alarm went off and distracted little man were we able to leave the broom and get out of the store with only our purchases. We did leave with wet feet because on our cruise through the garden department Smith found numerous puddles to dance in.
Once we got home we headed for the patio to re pot mommy's 4 little geraniums. That's when things really got down and dirty. Once the plants were in their new pots we had to turn on the hose to water them so the entire patio turned into one huge mud puddle. Good thing for the washer and dryer.
While Smith watered Gpa's feet I made some lunch for us and then it was a quick clean up, lunch and a nap. Grand pa took advantage of nap time to power wash the muddy patio and remove all the incriminating evidence.
But even with all this fun going on the high point of the day was the 2 FIRE RESCUE trucks that came down the street shortly after Smith got up from his nap. God Bless Grandpa, he scooped up Smith and headed out the door to see what was going on and the 2 boys walked down the street to find the fire trucks. I can't tell you how much the LITTLE guy loved seeing those trucks right there on his street. The poor lady who was being taken to the hospital probably didn't need an audience but it was great entertainment for us. Smith pointed and talked and just plain wiggled with excitement. Once again . . . What is it with BOYS and trucks ?
When Smith's parent arrived home this afternoon I told them that the amount of dirt on their child was in direct relation to the amount of fun we had today. AND BOY OH BOY DID WE HAVE FUN!
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
WHERE HAVE I BEEN ?
If you don't know then I sure as heck can't tell you. Time is flashing by and I cannot account for the past couple of weeks. The cruise was great, Sharon and Bob were GREAT! and Jeanne and Frank are still DOUBLE GREAT! We have been discovering new restaurants, have dinner with "old" friends at old restaurants and just doing "STUFF".
Then there was the new lock for the front door that involved our Handyman having a heart attack, (not while at our house), the ant infestation of the light switch by the front door and now the 3 lights that work off that switch plate are not working so the now healed and healthy (I hope) handyman needs to return.
We voted today in the early elections for primary in Florida and hopefully Florida will not screw up this election and we have been running around like chickens without heads.
It really has been a crazy 2 weeks that I honestly can't account for but hopefully we will be on a more settled schedule in the weeks to come. Not counting tomorrow when we will be leaving at 6:30 AM to go babysit Smith for the day because he has Thrush. (That nasty virus that causes white canker type sores all over the inside of his mouth.) Poor little guy can't go to school, where he probably got the virus, because it is so contagious. That's OK by me, I get to spend a day with him and hopefully not catch the germs.
Hope to see you soon.
Then there was the new lock for the front door that involved our Handyman having a heart attack, (not while at our house), the ant infestation of the light switch by the front door and now the 3 lights that work off that switch plate are not working so the now healed and healthy (I hope) handyman needs to return.
We voted today in the early elections for primary in Florida and hopefully Florida will not screw up this election and we have been running around like chickens without heads.
It really has been a crazy 2 weeks that I honestly can't account for but hopefully we will be on a more settled schedule in the weeks to come. Not counting tomorrow when we will be leaving at 6:30 AM to go babysit Smith for the day because he has Thrush. (That nasty virus that causes white canker type sores all over the inside of his mouth.) Poor little guy can't go to school, where he probably got the virus, because it is so contagious. That's OK by me, I get to spend a day with him and hopefully not catch the germs.
Hope to see you soon.
Saturday, January 21, 2012
ANOTHER BLOG ABOUT H
H is in his glory . . . he has a story and he is telling it to his sister. Now don't get me wrong, I love these 2 people but the 2 of them live to talk! There is nothing better in their lives than a good piece of GOSSIP to share with each other. Trouble is H can't keep his facts straight or remember half of them so his stories are usually lacking a bit.
For H, gossip is the very best thing next to a snow storm up north. That is clearly his best ever piece of juicy news to get him to call EVERYONE! So the fact that H has a good story AND it is snowing in NY has just made his day. He is practically glowing with anticipation of the phone calls. From what I hear NY is having 3-6 inches of snow, depending on where you are. Aunt AM had about 3 inches as of the middle of the afternoon when we first talked to her. Since then who knows what is happening. We have talked to folks from Maine who were getting a bunch of snow and some relatives North of NYC who were getting a nice amount of fluffy white flakes. This is now the time for H to make phone calls and laugh hideously into the phone. All his friends and family are used to it by now and know they can just hang up on him. But if there is a good story and a bit of gossip attached then the phone will be busy for quite some time.
If only there were a hurricane brewing H would be wetting his pants!
For H, gossip is the very best thing next to a snow storm up north. That is clearly his best ever piece of juicy news to get him to call EVERYONE! So the fact that H has a good story AND it is snowing in NY has just made his day. He is practically glowing with anticipation of the phone calls. From what I hear NY is having 3-6 inches of snow, depending on where you are. Aunt AM had about 3 inches as of the middle of the afternoon when we first talked to her. Since then who knows what is happening. We have talked to folks from Maine who were getting a bunch of snow and some relatives North of NYC who were getting a nice amount of fluffy white flakes. This is now the time for H to make phone calls and laugh hideously into the phone. All his friends and family are used to it by now and know they can just hang up on him. But if there is a good story and a bit of gossip attached then the phone will be busy for quite some time.
If only there were a hurricane brewing H would be wetting his pants!
Friday, January 20, 2012
HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHEESE BALL !
Today is Abby's 7th birthday. How is that possible? It was just yesterday that I was sitting in BFF Sharon's dining room with friends and family having something to eat between visiting hours at the funeral home where my father was laid out. Papa Danny had made it 97 years and just couldn't make it a few more days to see the birth of his first GREAT GRAND CHILD. He had a good life and we said that he had gone up to heaven to tell Abby it was time for her arrival. And that is just what she did on that cold winter afternoon.
Abby arrived in Atlanta so hopefully it wasn't as cold down there as it was up in New York. Ger and I got to see her about a week later after our return from Papa's funeral. We made a B-line straight for Atlanta as soon as we got the OK from Abby's parents. I remember thinking I had forgotten everything I had ever know about babies but the minute I held her it all came back and I didn't ever want to let her go.
And now here she is . . . SEVEN years old! And even more beautiful than the day she was born. What's even better is that she is a GREAT KID! Abby is funny, and silly and smart and charming. She has grandpa and I both wrapped right around her finger and even though she his thousands of miles away she still shares her life with us, thanks to Skype.
When Abby was about one she started to charm everyone with her great personality. She would do and say some of the funniest things so her Aunt Keri nicknamed her "Cheese ball", as in,"Abby you are such a cheese ball". The term of endearment has stuck over the years and Abby will ALWAYS be MY little cheese ball.
This afternoon the computer rang and there she was, our Abby, grinning from ear to ear and holding the American Girl Doll we sent her for her birthday. I think she liked the gift! I had had one of those epiphany's that occur every so often and decided this was going to be a great gift for Abby. And from the looks of her on the computer I think we nailed it! According to my "mini-me" Abby she has named her doll "Mini-Me". I always tell Abby that she is just like grandma when I was her age. She looks like I did and she acts like I did. And now she has a doll to be her "mini-me".
If I get some photo's of the birthday I'll put them on here but for now you will have to settle for some old photos from our last visit with Abby and Roman.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY ABBY! WE LOVE YOU TO PIECES!
Abby arrived in Atlanta so hopefully it wasn't as cold down there as it was up in New York. Ger and I got to see her about a week later after our return from Papa's funeral. We made a B-line straight for Atlanta as soon as we got the OK from Abby's parents. I remember thinking I had forgotten everything I had ever know about babies but the minute I held her it all came back and I didn't ever want to let her go.
And now here she is . . . SEVEN years old! And even more beautiful than the day she was born. What's even better is that she is a GREAT KID! Abby is funny, and silly and smart and charming. She has grandpa and I both wrapped right around her finger and even though she his thousands of miles away she still shares her life with us, thanks to Skype.
When Abby was about one she started to charm everyone with her great personality. She would do and say some of the funniest things so her Aunt Keri nicknamed her "Cheese ball", as in,"Abby you are such a cheese ball". The term of endearment has stuck over the years and Abby will ALWAYS be MY little cheese ball.
This afternoon the computer rang and there she was, our Abby, grinning from ear to ear and holding the American Girl Doll we sent her for her birthday. I think she liked the gift! I had had one of those epiphany's that occur every so often and decided this was going to be a great gift for Abby. And from the looks of her on the computer I think we nailed it! According to my "mini-me" Abby she has named her doll "Mini-Me". I always tell Abby that she is just like grandma when I was her age. She looks like I did and she acts like I did. And now she has a doll to be her "mini-me".
If I get some photo's of the birthday I'll put them on here but for now you will have to settle for some old photos from our last visit with Abby and Roman.
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
SAILING TO HELL AND BACK
Did you know you could sail to Hell ?
We just returned from our week's sail with our good friends and we had a GREAT TIME!
The Carnival ship, Freedom, left from Ft. Lauderdale a week ago Sunday and our first stop was Key West. Been there . . . Done that! The 2 other couples we were with were not impressed by Key West but it did help to get us into the party mood. The next day was a day at sea where we all took advantage of sitting on the deck watching the sights go by, drinking a few beers and eating every 15 minutes. Life is good ! No one over did any of the above activities and it was a great day. The sun was hot and the beer was cold. The company was great fun.
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| In the dining room |
We took a guided sight seeing tour of the island and Hell was the first stop. The town is named for some rock formations in back of the post office. Not much to see there either but it is unique. We bought a post card and mailed it to Abby and Roman in England thinking they would get a kick out of a card from Hell.
From Hell we went to the turtle farm where turtles are brought in as hatchlings and nurtured for a few years and then slaughtered for turtle meat. HOW AWFUL! The turtle meat is not exported anywhere but is sold only on Grand Cayman Island. We did not have an opportunity to try any as we could not find a restaurant selling it.
The last stop on this strange island was at the dock to take a "submarine" tour of the harbor. The boat was built so that the bottom of it appeared to be a submarine below the water. You got on, went down some stairs and sat on uncomfortable benches looking out windows at fish swimming by. Not as thrilling as it sounds, (if that sounds thrilling to you), but very different from anything we have ever tried before. We returned to our ship and spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing and laughing at what a disappointment Grand Cayman was. I guess with all the money on that island they don't care that it is one really UGLY place to live.
Stop three was the following day at the BEAUTIFUL island of Jamaica. WOW ! I really think Jamaica is THE MOST beautiful island I have yet to see. It is GREEN and MOUNTAINOUS and just plain gorgeous. We docked in Ocho Rios and took a catamaran sail down the coast to Dunn's River Falls.
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| Frank is checking out the sights |
The sail back to our ship took us way out into the ocean for a wonderfully invigorating ride all the while drinking rum punch. It's a wonder we didn't get sea sick but we were having too much fun to even think about it.
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| Bob is following the Jamaican motto of "DON'T WORRY, BE HAPPY"! |
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| It's easy to "BE HAPPY" when they are serving FREE rum punch! |
All in all it was a great week of fun and friendship and hopefully we will do this again next year.
Friday, January 6, 2012
AND I HAVEN'T EVEN LEFT THE PORT YET . . .
WE are about to cruise for a week. Everyone tells you how much weight you will gain on a cruise so I am in BIG trouble! My 2 BFF's arrived Wednesday and Thursday and we have not stopped eating since they hit town. The 3 couples are all going on this trip together and we plan on having a week of fun in the sun. NONE of us are skinny! We started with dinner after picking them up from the airport. The poor folks were starving after their 3 hour flight so dinner was a must. Wednesday night was with Jeanne and Frank and last night was with Sharon and Bob. Tonight we all gathered at my house for a lamb dinner. Frank is a lover of lamb and Jeanne never cooks it. Bob also loves lamb but doesn't get to have it that often so any time the 3 couples are together you can bet a leg of lamb is on the menu.
Naturally we can never have dinner without a glass or two of wine and dessert is ALWAYS on the menu. In the past 48 hours I have gained 3 pounds and feel like crap.
And the ship hasn't even sailed yet !
Naturally we can never have dinner without a glass or two of wine and dessert is ALWAYS on the menu. In the past 48 hours I have gained 3 pounds and feel like crap.
And the ship hasn't even sailed yet !
Thursday, January 5, 2012
HOUSE WORK . . . BLAUGH !
It is such a burden being a house wife. All we do is cook and clean. Oh Me - Oh My life is tough.
HA HA HA who am I kidding. I just decided that I REALLY REALLY needed to clean the oven. I walked into the kitchen. Turned 2 dials and VOILA ! In 2 or 3 hours I will have a clean oven. Remember the "good" old days ladies? When you needed an entire afternoon to attack the oven. Don't forget to put on the extra thick rubber gloves so that when you sprayed, (spray was a great improvement over the jar of gunk that you "painted" on the oven surfaces.) the toxic cleaner into the oven you wouldn't burn off the first 2 layers of skin. And then there was the 2 hour wait for the gunk to eat through the mess inside the oven, all the while making your eyes and nose burn from the stink. This was a job preferably done in the summer when you could open all the windows and turn on fans so you didn't drop dead from the fumes. I know there are women out there who actually clean the oven after each use . . . but they are not friends of mine and so are not reading this blog. My idea of cleaning the oven is when the oven shelves won't slide out because they are "glued" to the brackets on the side of the oven. The bottom of the oven usually looks like the city dump with piles of ash and goo all stuck together. It isn't until I am cooking for guests that I even think to look at the inside of my oven. There comes a point where anything I bake comes out with a smoky flavor thanks to the constant burning of residue on the floor of the oven.
So today was the day. It is chilly and breezy out so the doors can be opened to remove the smell of burning whatever. The vent fan is on full blast to suck out all the smoke and the candles are burning to try to cover any remaining stink. Back in the day I had a little fan over the stove that couldn't remove anything but lint and grease from the kitchen. How that fan used to get so clogged with dirt was beyond me but I NEVER cleaned that thing.
Now my house is work free. Spanish tile floors remove the need for floor washing, until the grand kids are here and their little socks or bare feet turn black within the first hour. So now the cleaning ladies wash all the floors every 2 weeks. The dust is supposed to be removed by the air filter system but when the windows and doors are open the dust comes in. And so the cleaning ladies remove that every 2 weeks. Windows get cleaned when I can't see the house next door. Those we do ourselves, unless we have friends staying in our house and they clean all the windows for us. (That's the sort of house guests I LOVE! Thanks once again Sharon and Bob.) The showers get sprayed daily by the little machine that hangs on the wall, the fridge is frost free so there are no day long ice chipping adventures like we used to have when the freezer door wouldn't close because of the ice build up, and who needs to vacuum? I just open the doors and windows and everything just blows out the door. Or the cleaning ladies get it on their next visit.
Yep . . . . life is tough! I have to go walk to the mail box to get today's mail. I haven't figured out how to get around that. Although I do all my banking on line so I don't have to stand in line at the bank or post office for stamps. So how come I don't have more free time?
HA HA HA who am I kidding. I just decided that I REALLY REALLY needed to clean the oven. I walked into the kitchen. Turned 2 dials and VOILA ! In 2 or 3 hours I will have a clean oven. Remember the "good" old days ladies? When you needed an entire afternoon to attack the oven. Don't forget to put on the extra thick rubber gloves so that when you sprayed, (spray was a great improvement over the jar of gunk that you "painted" on the oven surfaces.) the toxic cleaner into the oven you wouldn't burn off the first 2 layers of skin. And then there was the 2 hour wait for the gunk to eat through the mess inside the oven, all the while making your eyes and nose burn from the stink. This was a job preferably done in the summer when you could open all the windows and turn on fans so you didn't drop dead from the fumes. I know there are women out there who actually clean the oven after each use . . . but they are not friends of mine and so are not reading this blog. My idea of cleaning the oven is when the oven shelves won't slide out because they are "glued" to the brackets on the side of the oven. The bottom of the oven usually looks like the city dump with piles of ash and goo all stuck together. It isn't until I am cooking for guests that I even think to look at the inside of my oven. There comes a point where anything I bake comes out with a smoky flavor thanks to the constant burning of residue on the floor of the oven.
So today was the day. It is chilly and breezy out so the doors can be opened to remove the smell of burning whatever. The vent fan is on full blast to suck out all the smoke and the candles are burning to try to cover any remaining stink. Back in the day I had a little fan over the stove that couldn't remove anything but lint and grease from the kitchen. How that fan used to get so clogged with dirt was beyond me but I NEVER cleaned that thing.
Now my house is work free. Spanish tile floors remove the need for floor washing, until the grand kids are here and their little socks or bare feet turn black within the first hour. So now the cleaning ladies wash all the floors every 2 weeks. The dust is supposed to be removed by the air filter system but when the windows and doors are open the dust comes in. And so the cleaning ladies remove that every 2 weeks. Windows get cleaned when I can't see the house next door. Those we do ourselves, unless we have friends staying in our house and they clean all the windows for us. (That's the sort of house guests I LOVE! Thanks once again Sharon and Bob.) The showers get sprayed daily by the little machine that hangs on the wall, the fridge is frost free so there are no day long ice chipping adventures like we used to have when the freezer door wouldn't close because of the ice build up, and who needs to vacuum? I just open the doors and windows and everything just blows out the door. Or the cleaning ladies get it on their next visit.
Yep . . . . life is tough! I have to go walk to the mail box to get today's mail. I haven't figured out how to get around that. Although I do all my banking on line so I don't have to stand in line at the bank or post office for stamps. So how come I don't have more free time?
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
FUZZY PINK ROBE
IT IS COLD ! Yea Yea . . . . I don't know what cold is living here in South Florida but let me tell you that when I break out the Fuzzy Pink Robe . . . IT IS COLD !
I have no idea how long I have owned this robe but I think Husband gave it to me one of the first years we were in Florida. I seem to remember thinking, "WTF? . . . When am I going to wear THIS?" For truly, this robe is LARGE AND FUZZY! Having just moved to the sunny south all I could think was that this was the dumbest gift EVER. But as I unwrapped it further and felt how SOFT AND WARM it was in the 80 degree heat I thought, "What the Hell . . . I'll stick it in a closet and who knows." As with all weather related things in Florida, if you wait long enough the weather will change. Those 20 minute torrential down pours are gone and the blazing sun returns. The cloudy over cast day is gone before you have your lunch and you get to spend the rest of the day at the beach. It is all a matter of patience. So when the first COLD FRONT of the season hit I was prepared with my Fuzzy Pink Robe. I had forgotten about it hiding in the guest room closet, (It is soooooooooooo bulky that I have to keep it in the guest room because it takes up way too much space in my closet.) until I was in there searching for something and came upon THE ROBE. It was like finding water in a desert. I snatched that robe out of the closet, put it on and didn't take it off till the temperatures once again rose above 75. Once the warm returned to the area the robe returned to the closet just waiting for the next cold snap. And to be sure, every year there is another cold front or two, or three or more, that sweeps through paradise. And I am ready !
Last night's news warned us that the temperatures would be falling during the night but I was not prepared for just how far they would fall. It got chilly last week but only into the 50's at night and by 10 AM it was 72 outside. Not bad and since I don't usually climb out of bed till around 10 it is perfect for me. Nice cool nights to sleep and warming up for the day. PERFECT WINTER WEATHER by my standards. So this morning when I got my bones up at 9 for a chiropractor appointment I was SHOCKED, (literally) by the freezing cold floor tiles. It was one very quick run through the house to the guest room closet for that FUZZY PINK ROBE. I would have gone to the doctor with my robe on but H frowned on me leaving the house looking like a pink hippo. The robe does NOTHING for me as far as flattering my figure.(That this is assuming you can say I HAVE a figure.) I have no idea what material this robe is made from but it is not made for fashion. The stretchy, fuzzy, light weight yet thick material will fit my figure no matter how many pounds I gain at the holidays. And no matter how far I stretch it out to wrap around my body it is WARM WARM WARM. It is the sort of clothing item that everyone wants in their closet for that relaxed and snugly feeling on a cold winter day. And today is that day.
Did I mention it has HUGE pockets for my tissues, phone and glasses?
I have no idea how long I have owned this robe but I think Husband gave it to me one of the first years we were in Florida. I seem to remember thinking, "WTF? . . . When am I going to wear THIS?" For truly, this robe is LARGE AND FUZZY! Having just moved to the sunny south all I could think was that this was the dumbest gift EVER. But as I unwrapped it further and felt how SOFT AND WARM it was in the 80 degree heat I thought, "What the Hell . . . I'll stick it in a closet and who knows." As with all weather related things in Florida, if you wait long enough the weather will change. Those 20 minute torrential down pours are gone and the blazing sun returns. The cloudy over cast day is gone before you have your lunch and you get to spend the rest of the day at the beach. It is all a matter of patience. So when the first COLD FRONT of the season hit I was prepared with my Fuzzy Pink Robe. I had forgotten about it hiding in the guest room closet, (It is soooooooooooo bulky that I have to keep it in the guest room because it takes up way too much space in my closet.) until I was in there searching for something and came upon THE ROBE. It was like finding water in a desert. I snatched that robe out of the closet, put it on and didn't take it off till the temperatures once again rose above 75. Once the warm returned to the area the robe returned to the closet just waiting for the next cold snap. And to be sure, every year there is another cold front or two, or three or more, that sweeps through paradise. And I am ready !
Last night's news warned us that the temperatures would be falling during the night but I was not prepared for just how far they would fall. It got chilly last week but only into the 50's at night and by 10 AM it was 72 outside. Not bad and since I don't usually climb out of bed till around 10 it is perfect for me. Nice cool nights to sleep and warming up for the day. PERFECT WINTER WEATHER by my standards. So this morning when I got my bones up at 9 for a chiropractor appointment I was SHOCKED, (literally) by the freezing cold floor tiles. It was one very quick run through the house to the guest room closet for that FUZZY PINK ROBE. I would have gone to the doctor with my robe on but H frowned on me leaving the house looking like a pink hippo. The robe does NOTHING for me as far as flattering my figure.(That this is assuming you can say I HAVE a figure.) I have no idea what material this robe is made from but it is not made for fashion. The stretchy, fuzzy, light weight yet thick material will fit my figure no matter how many pounds I gain at the holidays. And no matter how far I stretch it out to wrap around my body it is WARM WARM WARM. It is the sort of clothing item that everyone wants in their closet for that relaxed and snugly feeling on a cold winter day. And today is that day.
Did I mention it has HUGE pockets for my tissues, phone and glasses?
Sunday, January 1, 2012
HAPPY NEW YEAR !
I can't think of a better way to spend New Year's Day than a trip to the beach. So that is exactly what we did today. We woke up at 9 and watched our favorite Sunday Morning Show . . . Sunday Morning with Charles Osgood. As usual for New Year's Day Charles did a review of the year and as usual Ger and I sat there saying, "Was that THIS year?". The years are flying by so freaking fast but when we look back it seems like eons ago that some of these events took place.
But it is a new year for sure. NO getting away from the fact that it has now been TWELVE (12) years since Y2K. You remember the big hype and hysteria over the turn of the century . . . The world was going to end, all technology would fail and we were going to be thrown into the darkest of times. DIDN'T HAPPEN and not only did it NOT happen but it is now twelve years later, I am twelve years older and I don't have a clue WHERE those 12 years went.
Since the dawn of the new millennium I have been blessed with FIVE fabulous grand children but have also felt the loss of my dad and several other people who I have loved dearly. And it just does not seem possible that it has been TWELVE years! Do you remember those first 12 years of your life? I do, and they took FOREVER to pass by. I couldn't wait to be twelve and get to wear that corsage made of bubble gum?, or was it dog biscuits, or maybe that was the life saver year. Who can remember. I just know that the first 12 years of my life went by so slowly that I thought I would die before I ever made it out of grammar school. How is that possible? Is time really speeding up as we get older?
I can't answer any of those questions but I sure do know a sure fire way of slowing life down just a bit. Packing the beach chairs into the car, grabbing a couple of magazines that I have just not had the time to read, filling a huge water jug with ice cubes and grape juice with just a splash of pomegranate juice. Throw in a towel, some sun glasses and sun screen spray and we are good to spend three or four hours sitting on the beach watching all the tourists play in the water. The water was FABULOUS today but a little too cold for my liking. 73 degree water takes a little extra time to get into but once you are in and see how clear and clean it is, AHhhhhhhhhhhhh . . . there is nothing better. I floated around on my back like a beached whale and loved every minute of it. The sun was HOT, the sand was warm and the water was pure heaven.
It's going to be a good year because how else could a day like today start off a new year.
God Bless you all ! I pray that your year will be filled with HEALTH, HAPPINESS AND LOVE.
And the time to appreciate each and every moment of each and every day because you know that before you blink it will be 2024 and we will be wondering where the past 12 years have gone.
But it is a new year for sure. NO getting away from the fact that it has now been TWELVE (12) years since Y2K. You remember the big hype and hysteria over the turn of the century . . . The world was going to end, all technology would fail and we were going to be thrown into the darkest of times. DIDN'T HAPPEN and not only did it NOT happen but it is now twelve years later, I am twelve years older and I don't have a clue WHERE those 12 years went.
Since the dawn of the new millennium I have been blessed with FIVE fabulous grand children but have also felt the loss of my dad and several other people who I have loved dearly. And it just does not seem possible that it has been TWELVE years! Do you remember those first 12 years of your life? I do, and they took FOREVER to pass by. I couldn't wait to be twelve and get to wear that corsage made of bubble gum?, or was it dog biscuits, or maybe that was the life saver year. Who can remember. I just know that the first 12 years of my life went by so slowly that I thought I would die before I ever made it out of grammar school. How is that possible? Is time really speeding up as we get older?
I can't answer any of those questions but I sure do know a sure fire way of slowing life down just a bit. Packing the beach chairs into the car, grabbing a couple of magazines that I have just not had the time to read, filling a huge water jug with ice cubes and grape juice with just a splash of pomegranate juice. Throw in a towel, some sun glasses and sun screen spray and we are good to spend three or four hours sitting on the beach watching all the tourists play in the water. The water was FABULOUS today but a little too cold for my liking. 73 degree water takes a little extra time to get into but once you are in and see how clear and clean it is, AHhhhhhhhhhhhh . . . there is nothing better. I floated around on my back like a beached whale and loved every minute of it. The sun was HOT, the sand was warm and the water was pure heaven.
It's going to be a good year because how else could a day like today start off a new year.
God Bless you all ! I pray that your year will be filled with HEALTH, HAPPINESS AND LOVE.
And the time to appreciate each and every moment of each and every day because you know that before you blink it will be 2024 and we will be wondering where the past 12 years have gone.
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