I Should Write a Book

Christmas

Christmas is almost here, and altho I don't know how how it arrived so fast, for once, I feel ready; gifts are bought and wrapped, cards are sent, house is cleaned (well, sort of), the tree is up and decorated, some of the house is decorated, candles are in the windows, food is bought, some baking is finished and more will be done next week---all that is missing is my family.  I don't think anyone would disagree that in this life there is nothing more important than family and I, of course, have the absolute best, most supportive, happiest, nicest, greatest, and, sometimes, frustrating family ever.  They are ALL gems.  Most of you reading this will most certainly agree, since most of you ARE my family (and I include you, Carrie, and your family in mine!).  Christmas is the time for togetherness and I only wish that my ENTIRE family could be here, but I thank the Good Lord for those who will be. The rest WILL be here in my heart.  I include not only my immediate family members, but also my sister, brother, all in-laws, nieces, nephews and friends.  I would just love a time when we could all get together, either at Christmas or maybe in the summer--what a gift THAT would be!  In the meantime, I wish all of you a Merry Christmas, and a very Happy, Healthy New Year.  Kiss your kids, hug your spouse and always remember those no longer with us.  Love to you all.

Travels With Mom

We went on a road trip to North Carolina this past week and altho the trip itself was uneventful, it made me think of trips with Mom----which were anything BUT uneventful!  It never mattered the length of the trip, the routine was always the same, with a few variations.

Say she and I planned to go to Sue and Steve's on Tuesday.  Today is Thursday.

Thursday, Day 1:  Plan route (I know this already, but I humor her.  She did so love to get out the maps that neither of us could read and pretend to figure it all out.)  Start the laundry.

Friday, Day 2:  Go to the mall for a "few things"--more underwear, a new outfit, shampoo; just a mish mash of stuff.  Finish laundry.

Saturday, Day 3:  Go back to the mall to return the new outfit--the color isn't right in "real" light.  Start packing the suitcase.

Sunday, Day 4:  Go to the grocery store for bread, turkey, ham, cheese, pb and jam, chips, drinks, oranges and grapes. Be sure to get enough to feed an army.  Go home and separate the grapes from the stems, peel and section oranges.  Put them all in zip lock bags with some ice to keep them fresh. Refrigerate.  Finish packing.  Let me think:  we need cuddle duds, several sweatsuits in case it's cold, several short sleeved shirts with sweaters in case it's warm, a couple of good outfits just in case we go out to eat or shop (is there any doubt about that??), several pairs of pj"s, 3 or 4 robes, slippers, sneakers, heels, socks, a bale of underwear, belts, and lots of bathroom accesories.  Fill cooler with ice.

Monday, Day 5:  Make sandwiches and refrigerate.  Go to the bank for cash.  Fill cooler with food, drinks, and fruit.  Find 3 men and a boy to load suitcase in the trunk of the car and the cooler in the back seat.

Ok, now it's early Tuesday and we are off---.02 miles to the gas station.  We fill up and head for the ferry.  But first, in Plattsburgh, we need to stop for candy bars, cause we may need something sweet.  And, just to be safe, because there is no station on the ferry, let's get more gas.  Finally we are on the ferry.  Once off the ferry and in Vermont, Mom is craning her neck to watch the gas gauge and hoping we have enough gas to get to the next station.  There is no re-assuring her that we have plenty and could probably get all the way to Sue's without filling up.  Oh, there is a McDonald's!  Let's stop for a sausage bisquit and get gas.  Now we are back in the car, and Mom is back to her gas gauge watching.  30 miles later, she needs to stop at a rest room at a gas station.  Yup!  You got it.  At lunch time we need to stop at a picnic table near a gas station.  This continues until we arrive at Sue's, 10 hours later; this is usually about a 6 hour trip!  Of course, I did try to distract her by playing games--you know, the license plate thing we do, but it doesn't work for long.  It's hard to see license plates when you have your eyes glued to the gas gauge.  This was pretty typical of a car trip with Mom.  The variations:

Going to Skip's meant taking the Thruway for a ways.  Because I was there, I happen to know that the New York State Thruway Authority DOES NOT like payment in pennies at the toll booths.  My face is still red over that one.

And going to Lindy's meant the toll places where you throw a quarter, dime, or nickle into the container on certain highways.  (I don't think you do that any more, or we don't go that way any more, thank the good Lord!)  So, of course, I missed the target once and Mom tried to make me get out of the car and find the darn quarter because it was "just as good in our pocket as theirs".  Dear Lord!  There was a LOT of horn blowing and yelling before I found another quarter so we could go on.  Mom wasn't happy, and believe me, neither was I!!  My face is still red over that one, too!!

Those days are gone now, and even tho at the time, I dreaded car trips with Mom, I would give anything I or anyone else owns, just to be in a car with the gas gauge watcher, wringer of hands, fun and funny person who was my Mom.  If nothing else, we never took a trip that I forgot--they were always stressful, fun, entertaining and memorable.  I miss that.

August

Ok, so August days are the "dog days" of the summer, or so they say.  What does that really mean?  Summer is almost over?  Time to reflect or what?  Anyway, for me, August is a month of dates.  I love to see it come and I love to see it go, and I always wonder who I may have forgotten to send a card or e-mail wishes to.  The dates go something like this, and if you know of some I have forgotten, please remind me.

August 5---Aunt Laura--birthday

August 6--Dad--birthday

August 13--me, niece Janelle, and cousins Kristie, and Reaganne---birthdays

August 15--Mamie--birthday

August 16--Shirley--friend, birthday

August 21--Skip and Marge--anniversary

August 23--Aunt Ellen--birthday

August 26--Mom--birthday

August 27--Aunt Adelaide--birthday

August 28--Ainsley--birthday--Me and Mike--anniversary

So I think that may be it but maybe there are more.  For instance, I don't know when Poppy's birthday was, do you?  Anyway, it seems like a lot of stuff in August but I guess not really as much as it seems.  What is your busy month?

It has been a hot and humid August here, unlike June and July, which were sometimes humid but almost always rainy and windy--not much outside weather.  And actually, it's not really outside weather, at least for me, when it's hot and humid.  But it sure is nice to see some sun and bright days, for a change.  I hope you all have had a great summer, regardless of weather, and let's all hope for a nice Fall.   Until later............

Worries

I was quite concerned and more than a little worried yesterday for a while.  We hadn't had rain for almost 12 straight hours and since this is "The Summer of Rain" and will no doubt go down in history as such, I just didn't know what to think. 

The sun actually appeared and burned the eyes of those people foolish enough to look without sunglasses, but since we haven't needed them for so long, I guess it's understandable.  People came out of their houses and cautiously took a few steps away from the safety of their shelters.  No one dared to venture TOO far away.  We gathered at street corners and reminisced about the pleasant summers of the past.  "Remember swimming in our pool?"  "Remember the beach?"  "Remember back yard picnics?"  "Remember taking walks and buying ice cream cones?"  Yeah---great memories. 

And as we stood in friendship and awe of a possible "break" in the weather----yup!  It got dark, windy and began to rain!  So, altho we all had high hopes of maybe a few nice days, I think deep inside we were all just a little relieved that we didn't have to worry about what could be next.  There is, after all, comfort in the norm, whatever it is.

Oh where, oh where?

Oh where, oh where has my little bro gone?  Oh where, oh where can he be?  With his little bald head and crazy hat, oh where, oh where can he be?  We used to talk on IM a lot, but not so much any more---but wait, oh wait; all is not lost yet, he will soon be at my front door!!

Hi All

It's been a while, but I'm back.  I don't really have a lot to say...........

I woke up this morning really thinking it was still the middle of the nite it was so dark, but it was actually 8:30.  Now, a couple of hours later, it is still dark--and rainy, and foggy and chilly.  So far, great Spring weather!  At least it isn't snowing, but I'm not counting that possibility out just yet.  it is, after all, only June 9th.  On May 31st we had an actual blizzard and I still hope that that was Winter's Last Hurrah, but who really knows??

We are going to Vermont on Friday for our grandson's 6th grade graduation.  In their small town, the one and only school goes up to 6th grade only; after that you find another school nearby to attend.  I haven't seen them since January, I guess, so I'm anxious to go.  Nick has e-mail now so I talk to him often on that.  I just love it!!

Skip, Marge and Julie leave for Vancover tomorrow to visit Chris and his family.  I know they will have a wonderful time and I'm sure they will take many pictures so we can all see that beautiful baby of Chris'.  I have seen videos and she sure is cute and happy.

I got an e-mail yesterday that says Listerine is a really great mosquito repellent.  Apparently, you simply spray it around wherever you willl be (but not directly on wood, so around doorframes and such) and it supposedly kills and keeps them away.  Better than anything else.  I'm not endorsing it just yet, since I haven't tried it, but I will try it and see if it works.  Then I will call Billy Mays and see if he wants "in" on it!  I hope it also works on those pesky little black flies, too!

I've been trying to get in touch with a high school friend and am having no luck.  It scares me a little and I just hope all is well with her.  We were e-mailing and card sending quite often but I haven't heard from her in a while now, and my e-mails are being returned.  Scary.

Ok, on that happy note, I will close up shop and wait to hear from you all.  Happy Spring!

Just Stuff

I got up this morning and looked out the window--my mood went from sweet, sleepy, warm to sour, freezing cold in a heartbeat!  Yup-snow on the ground again.  Ok, not a lot and it was gone very soon but, it's still in the air--on April 9th, for crying out loud!!  I should be used to it and am willing to bet we will get a bigger storm before it's over.  I just hope it's a fairly nice day for Easter.

My neighbor called to tell me that her 17 year old grand-daughter had emergency surgery to have her appendix removed.  Seems she had complained of stomach pain, had been taken to the local health center and was told by a doctor there that she had the flu. A day later she went for an eye appointment;  that doctor sent her to the ER stat and she was in surgery within and hour and a half.  So, I guess the point and moral to this story is--next time you suffer with stomach pain, go at once to your eye doctor!!

I did a lot of cleaning (for me) this morning in preparation for the cleaning lady--and she didn't show! Drat!  What a crock--all that work for naught!  Well, maybe not for nothing--it is a little cleaner here now.

Sue and family are arriving tonite for Easter--I can't wait to see them.  She and the girls will stay for part of next week and then I will go back with them for a couple of weeks.  I haven't been there in almost a year now and it's time!  I miss going there.

Lizzie and Ainsley will also be here for most of the weekend--Ainsley's first Easter!  (Michael has to work)  We will all decorate some eggs and watch movies---and just have fun.  Sue, the girls, and I will babysit on Monday and that will be fun.

Michael and his family and Tim can't be here and I will miss them so much. 

Michael is coming shortly after next week to re-model the bathroom.  I can't WAIT to have it done and know I will just love it.  My visit to Connecticut is good timing for it -- I guess I could use Depends but I'd rather not and I'm pretty sure the people around me would agree!  And, I'm getting away from the plaster dust, which is NOT good for me.  But, I will miss not being here with my son and his famiy.  I will go to Vermont to be with them, tho, as soon as is possible.

We are "hanging in there", snow, cold and all and hope you all are having a lot better weather than we are.  I hear Spring has arrived for some of you--it will probably be here, too, in, oh, I don't know, 6 or 7 weeks! 

Enjoy Easter everybody!  I hope you all have a great day, great fun, and great visits with family.  A big hello to my W. Va. friends.  I'm sure the Easter Bunny will be good to Miss Vivian.  Kisses to you all.

Here I am---Anybody there?

Ok, even tho everyone has moved on over to Facebook and hardly anyone reads blogs any more, here I am.  Facebook!  What can I say?  Even I joined, under pressure, mind you, (I cave easily, apparently) but I really have to say, I just don't get it!  I try and try and have Sue and Liz try to help me and Lindy tries--which is like the blind leading the blind as she is ALMOST as clueless as I am (sorry, Lindy)--but all to almost no avail.  I now realize how Mom must have felt about the VCR.  It's all Greek to me.  You kidnap me? Throw things at me? Decorate my tree? Hug me? Tag me?  Huh? Really? I don't know what to do with all of that.  I even apparently joined the Jeff Dunham site, but don't ask me how I did it cause I have absolutey no idea.  Let's face it, Facebook is for younger, more savvy people than me.  I keep threatening to quit, but I'm still there, cause I do like to see the pictures and get what little info about all of you I can.  And I get to talk Lindy on the phone more often!!  So if you happen to see dumb stuff from me ( and wait for it---you will ) like the same thing, oh, I don't know, 3 or 4 times, or whatever, do not try to figure it out.  You can't.  Neither can I.

One morning last week I stood at my kitchen window watching the snow fall gently to earth and I thought, "How pretty."  The cedar hedge was tipped with white, my neighbors evergreens were heavy with snow and I could still my little grand-daughters and their dog playing and romping around in a winter wonderland, all white and sparkly.  We had a white Christmas and it was really nice.  As long as everyone is inside and safe, I love to see snow fall--if it's a gentle snowfall.  But the truth is I HATE WINTER!!  Once the holiday season is over, so should winter be over!  That's how I feel about it.  I am done with it.  Yes, it's pretty when everything is covered in a white blanket (and this year, the blanket is very high and very heavy).  But come on now, people.  It's not pretty once the snowplow and sander go by.  Then, it's dirty, muddy and depressing.  Or when we get a nor'easter, which is far too often here in Little Siberia.  When people come inside, so does the mud and dirt.  But wait!  Spring is just around the corner, altho Punxsutawney Phil does day 6 more weeks of winter (surprise?  I don't think so!)  Spring here may come in June, if we are lucky.  And then we can open doors and windows to let in some nice fresh air and also all the dust from the winter sand.  A vicious cycle.  Nope.  I don't love winter and like it less and less the older I get.

Whew, I got that off my chest for another year.  We did have a nice holiday season and I'm sure you all did, too.  It was also a sad time, as most of you know, and a hard time of year for that.  Is there ever a good time?  I think not.  Hopefully, time will help heal some heavy, sad hearts.

So, now I will go check out Facebook and see what mischief I can get into!

Holidays

I agree with my sister--time does seem to be short and go by faster.  And, yes, Lindy, it IS because we are older now!!  Christmas will be here before I know it and I am not ready.  I also ordered things that haven't arrived yet and I'm getting a little nervous (altho Liz told me not to worry, they will get here in time--I wonder what she knows that I don't.)

Christmas is a time (for me, at least) to reflect and remember other Christmas' and holidays:  the beautiful Midnight Masses, getting stuck in snowbanks (and, boy, did we have snowbanks!) on the way home, hot cocoa in the kitchen after Mass; the year I had Skip, on Christmas Eve, take me to Norwich on the pretext that I needed to go to confession but really to keep him away so he wouldn't see his pool table be delivered (I explained all of this to the priest we finally found and he "helped" me out by having me say the rosary--twice!) and got home hours later, just in time for the delivery!; the year Mom wrote Michael F. on all of the gifts for both Michael's, whose last names both began with the letter F; the year I got my organ; the year I got my huge jewerly box that Jon said I could live in; my Tiny Tears doll; going to Uncle Audley and Aunt Adelaide's for a big family Christmas dinner every year since Uncle Audley couldn't go anywhere; people stopping in, candles in all the windows, sweets--just so, so many wonderful memories.

The best part was, of course, all of us together and enjoying the holidays.  Our traditions then and now--I still use a lot of the ones I grew up with.  I remember the elf but I apparently dreamed it all up since no one else remembers; but I know if Mom were here, she would remember.  I will have to go and look for one of them--I had a couple but I fear I may have thrown them out.  Just like Lindy, I miss not all being together for the holidays and it makes me sad sometimes.  I hope that someday (and I know it is wishful thinking as there are just too many of us now) we can get all of our families together and spend the holidays in one place.  What stories we would have to tell!!  I am grateful that most of my kids can come for Christmas, but I miss Michael, Christine and Nick so much.  Some day that may change but till then, we get to celebrate twice, which isn't a bad thing! 

We are supposed to be getting a nor'easter beginning later today and into tomorrow afternoon.  Right now, it is just beginning to get a little cloudy but it was sunny and bright.  You know what they say "if you don't like the weather, just wait a few minutes" but I think in this case, I like it right now more than I will shortly!  They are predicting snow ( up to a foot ), sleet, and wind so we will see.  It would happen now, of course, since Tim, Becky and I were going to go to Burlington tomorrow to do a little Christmas shopping.  I guess that will have to happen later and that's ok. 

Wishing each and every one of you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

OMG

I am sitting here in the "computer" room right now looking out my window------I can barely see the street light!!!!   Talk about snow!  (I'd really rather not on October 28th, but as my brother is always saying, "Whaddayagonnadu?').  It is coming down so fast and furious and the wind is really blowing at top speed.  They said a nor'easter and I guess they meant it, but, darn, it's just too early.  We got snow last week--a couple of inches--but nothing like this.  I'm just happy that my family is all home and safe.  I hate this.  Probably won't go to thearpy tomorrow or go for my hair appointment but that's ok.  I'll just re-schedule.  I guess it's supposed to be fairly nice for Halloween, tho, so that's a plus.

We had the baby and Liz here for a few days.  Michael was working nights and Lizzie goes back to work next week so she wanted us to get to see little Ainsley as much as possible before that happens.  We probably won't see her as often later.  She is really developing a little personality all her own these days.  She talks a blue streak and, boy, can she let you know when she's hungry or wet or needs some loving!  And she is full of smiles.  Liz thinks, and I agree, that she is trying hard to laugh out loud--she's almost done it a few times now.  I'm sorry to say that I can't really walk a lot with her in my arms; she is getting very heavy.  But I hold her as often as they let me.  Quin loves her and "kisses" her often.  Ainsley is as beautiful and wonderful as my other grandkids. 

They all carved pumpkins last nite and they all came out so good.  I wish I knew how to put pictures on here so you could see them.   We got some good pictures of them and also with the baby, so remind me to show them to you when you are here.

The elections will soon be over, but not soon enough for me.  I still am not sure who I will vote for but I will vote.  All the hoopla has gone on long enough.

Yup, it's still snowing and blowing.   I think I will go get into the tub and then make some hot chocolate.  See you all later.