Christmas Kerfluffle

Christmas is sweeping over us and I am undone. Remember that song? I think I do. Is it I am undone or I've come undone? Either way, yes. After my aunt's party we still had company and thoroughly enjoyed them. They left on a snowy tuesday and we have had snow and cold and wind and rain and then more snow ever since. last night we had enough snow all day to cover everything but it turned to rain and washed it all away. I was up a 5am for a walk to the bathroom where I peeked out the window to a perfectly snow free surrounding. When I got up for the day at about 6:30 everything was covered with snow again. Now? the sun is out brightly and the sky is blue. Help me Hannah.

Christmas has been behaving like the weather. We often have Christmas Eve with all the fam here. The family is growing and our house isn't. I think I may have mentioned this before. Thanksgiving, if you read the account, was so flexible it was wishy washy and wound up here with more than a couple of folks. Christmas Eve last year was at my in laws new (and Big)house. We, my husband and I, believed at Thanksgiving that it would be there again this year. Evi-dam-dently we were the only ones who believed that. I was skipping along, fat, dumb and happy with the notion that we would not drag out the tree and bows and such since we wouldn't be here. My husband has surgery scheduled for Jan 3rd so I was counting some blessings and said "well, one good thing is that I won't have to put everything away and how good is that because I wouldn't have help doing that." Then. The phone rang.

Oh yes. You guessed it. My husband came into the room with a look of total confusion. "When did I say we would have Christmas here?" he asked. "Since you're still alive, I would say you didn't" I responded. And yet some in law heard him say that and off we go. Many phone calls later and only 6 days left, we are going to the in laws on Christmas Eve. Next year we're taking that cruise I always threaten and this time I mean it.

Hope your holidays are smooth and peaceful. Merry Christmas to all.

Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday to me! Yes. Another one bites the dust. Yesterday we attended a surprise party for my Aunt's 90th birthday. She was so surprised that her sons were worried she might collapse. Trooper and tough stuff that she is, she recovered and made the rounds for the rest of the afternoon never stopping to sit or eat. People who attended were astounded that she could be 90. Honestly, she looks 20 years younger.

During the event there were cousins or so who realized my birthday was imminent. We have a lot of December birthdays in the family. March was a month of cold dark nights obviously. As we hugged and they said Happy Birthday, I would correct them and explain it was not my birthday until tomorrow- now today and advised them of pain and death if they should say anything louder than the whisper to me. For once in my life I was listened to and they behaved. It was, after all, my Aunt's day.

Today however is mine. As many as there are, these years have gone by in a swoosh. I hope I have 20 more and like my Aunt, sail through looking strong and sane.

More to come

So OK I've been reading here there and everywhere around this ole inter net thang and ... I have read more than once about how "my mother is (or was) my best friend". How over used and trite is that phrase? Really. Come on! I loved my mother. She was, absolutely, way better and more fun than most mothers but.... best friend? Wow. Where are these people coming from? I learned, a lot of years after I should have, that my mother had my back always. She never let me know however. She let everyone else know but ME? I was out there alone. She knew I would be eventually and that's what she was aiming for. Get out! Do it! Man up! or whatever you say to a fat foolish little girl who appeared to be the biggest target for whatever walked by. A kid with absolutely no street smarts (still don't have them by the way). You know.. She probably was and still is my best friend but not that I knew. She loved me enough to let me go. I loved her enough to never share what I was up to. She knew though. She knew too that she didn't want to know the details. I don't get that kids today tell their mothers everything. Where are the boundaries? Yeah. That's how old I am.

Happily Ever After

We had such a great day. Ate drank and were merry. Yesterday we plowed through the wreckage. I say we but even after he cooked and cooked, that wonderful husband of mine cleaned and cleaned. We sat down and watched meaningless movies on TV until dinner time and then I heated up the leftovers and we had Thanksgiving dinner all over again. Oddly enough when I cleaned up from that I went to bed leaving my husband and nephew to eat pie.

Today is a sunny and cold one and we will amble through it in a most relaxed manner. I am doing laundry and we will go out to breakfast after which, believe it or not, I must get to the supermarket. How can it be? Well, the eggs and milk and bread need replenishing. Enjoy the lovely feeling of having no major meal to prepare.

Maybe Elf or A Christmas Story will be on. I can hope. Here's what's left of Thanksgiving.

Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Hanukkah

So far so good. No snow. Oven works. Turkey thawed. Food bought. Table clothed. Bathrooms clean. Ready as I can ever be for the big day. I really love Thanksgiving. The whole day is just about relaxed overindulging, and then the day after is like New Years for me. I make Thanksgiving resolutions and they are always the same. Keep the house clean even when company isn't coming, prepare for Christmas before Christmas Eve and lose weight. Hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving and it's Hanukkah too so Happy Hanukkah!

Catch Up

Wow. It's been a long time. I don't know where to begin. We went on vacation and had a great time. We visited family in Mississippi and friends in Florida and stayed by ourselves in New Orleans. The weather was outstanding and now we're back and it's blinking cold. We even had snow. SNOW!!! yes snow. Over an inch. Ok so it went away the next day, at least most of it did. Oh. Did you hear? The Red Sox won the World Series? No kidding. We were in New Orleans the night we won and lucky for everyone else on the block that we had been to a fabulous restaurant, had an abundance of food and wine and my hubbie was snoring in the chair. If he had been awake he would have had everyone else awake too. He gets very enthusiastic and verbal. Ok so he's loud.

So there's that, and now Thanksgiving is on the way. As usual, we start out by saying rather firmly that this year we are going out to eat. My nephew will be with us and the three of us will go out on Thanksgiving Day and cook turkey over the weekend. Yes. That's right. Case closed. So how many are coming here for dinner you ask? Maybe 10 I answer. I never know how it happens but every year it does. Hopefully this year the oven won't conk out. It did last year and we had to run to a friend's house with the turkey and use the gas grill for the vegetables. Oh yeah. That was a good time. It actually was once the turkey came back cooked and all because then the driving across town stopped and we could pour the wine. I must go on a hunt for these. Won't be Thanksgiving without them.

Later Gaters

Go Boston

I know this is overkill but my goodness! Go Boston! except in a political way.... in that regard we really pound sand......

Tom Brady Rocks!

That's all I have to say folks.....and the only other thing I have to say is..............RED SOX over detroit  6 to 5 .... How much better can a Sunday Sports Day be?????  OMG  it's good to be from Boston (not in a political way)  we thank God for our sports.

Golf and Hope

And it isn't because I have been keeping this blog up to date.  Where has the time gone?  Summer's over and there's a nip in the air.  Leaves are slooooowly starting to turn and long pants, not shorts, are in order.  We have been playing golf almost every day and I have a new putter.  Yes!  That's the name of it.  Yes!  I used it for the first time today and No!  it didn't help much yet but I have faith that it will.  Golf is such a funny game.  The day you have the long irons and woods down pat is the day you totally lose the short game.  Sigh.  If it were otherwise I guess we'd all be on tour.

Tomorrow, as Scarlett said, is another day and I'll think about it then.  Now?  I'll ice my knees (yes they are still bothering me) and later take a hot soak.  A cup of tea will be tasty and before that long soak?  A glass of wine will be swell.

Hope to update this more frequently -- Hope is a good thing.  It springs eternal as they say. 

More Golf

Golf was great!  No.  Not the way I played, just the experience.  I love, love, love that game.  Can't wait to play again and so naturally it's rainy sort of and busy for sure.  Maybe on Friday.  We have company coming.  Hmmm. Company?  Cape Cod?  Summer?  Go figure.  Anyhoo.  Our company is always welcome and fun.  We are going to a show on Thursday evening leaving two large dogs here in the abode.  Hope we have furniture when we return.  The guests are bringing their golf clubs so hopefully Friday will be pleasant and we can get out there again.  We're hitting them all over the place but we hit them (mostly).

Now I must change sheets and get the towels washed and dried from our last company so the new group can sleep and wash.

Later.

Sunday Sunday

I don't know what has been going on with either my computer or with my blogger account but I have not been able to post any new updates.  Now that I can I forget what I was going to say all those days ago.  Sigh.......

So here's a picture and I'll be back later.  Playing golf this afternoon.....so excited!  I will be the lady swinging and missing and missing and who cares?  It's so beautiful out.  I haven't been on the golf course for about three years and I can't wait.....

Later gaters.

Yes - that's right!  After golf we're headed downtown for Mexican food and maybe a Margarita -- olay



Happy Holiday

Happy Days are Here Again!  Every shopkeeper on Cape Cod is singing this one for sure.  The season is in full swing as evidenced by the non-stop lines of traffic everywhere.  We have had non-stop grey skies and rain until today and today?  Glorious sun and heat and humidity.  The beach is swarming with everyone and their brothers.  The supermarket is wild with shoppers.  The bread aisle is stripped bare...it looks like mid-winter and a storm is coming.  Everyone is in a jolly mood even though the deli counter is calling number 31 and I pulled ticket number 65.  Who needs deli meat or cheese?  Not me after that.  Happy day before the 4th.  I hope your little piece of the planet is sunny and happy.

Be safe and enjoy.  Hooray for the red, white and blue!!!!!!!!!

Shame on Them

Heard on the radio that if a company advertised their products the way politicians tout their bills, those companies would be brought up on charges for false advertising (at the very least).  I came across this website and think we should photoshop signs around politicians necks telling the public what shameful lies they have been told.

Picture Eric Holder with a sign saying -- I didn't know anything about ----fill in the blanks with Fast and Furious, ignoring the Black Panthers voter intimidation, stepping aside while the immigration laws are disregarded.  Oh I could go on and on

Hot Day

I told you it wouldn't be long before we were complaining about the heat....and the humidity.  Well I am.  It's hot and humid.  I love it though.  It's like a major snow storm.  As long as you don't have to go out and work work work through it - it's all good.  I have the winows wide open and fans blowing and I am sitting in front and hap hap happy.   I did put the air on in the bedroom last night and it felt darned good.  The best thing is that you really don't hear that crazy thunder, the lightning lights up the room though.  We never lost power so again, it's all good.

Summer is so sweet.  Hooray! 

Here's a glimpse of it now:

Just a Random Thought

I am still overwhelmed with all the news, none of which is fit to print.  I am beginning to lose confidence in the justice system.  Oh.  I know.  There always has been doubt that we are treated equally under the law but never has it been so obvious that who you know and who you are is more important than what you did.  I heard an ad for a job the other day.  It was a radio ad for a job in the public sector of course.  That seems to be the only area hiring these days.  It finished with a long list of who they don't discriminate against which left me wondering if any group not included on the list is fair game.  Evidently it is ok to discriminate against certain groups since if it weren't then the ad would have closed with the statement that they don't discriminate against anyone.  Am I wrong on that?

 More searching and pondering to follow. Meanwhile, a picture to clear my palate.

When I can get to this in a short walk......life gets better.  God is on His throne and all is well.

Boiling Frogs

The news is wearing on me.  How much more can this administration get away with?  I'm afraid of the answer.  I think they are using the boiling frog method of molding us.  Put the frog in tepid water and turn up the heat so gradually the frog never realizes until too late that he has been boiled.

Drip drip drip.  The water keeps being added to the pot and the temperature keeps building and we keep smiling and nodding and calling those who think there's something going on conspiracy freaks.

God Help Us!

And who are the terrorists Now?

Ah Spring!

Wow.  I've been gone for quite some time.  No particular reason, just life and the minutiae it throws around and piles up and then, said minutiae becomes the proverbial mole hill and we all know what happens next.  Presently I'm on top of that mountain, gasping for air since it's thin up here, planning my descent.  Did I ever mention that fear of heights that I nurture?

Oh bother!  The great news is that we have finally enjoyed a warm Spring day.  Yesterday was warm and sunny and perfect.  Today will of course be too warm and humid and hazy.  Let me show you yesterday.

Isn't Spring grand?

I'll be back with the hot humid and hazy report later.  Pictures of people sitting in front of fans and such to follow.

Had to do it

Springing along

I have to get this going before tomorrow since we are expecting more snow and rain and wind and grey.  Sit down for this news.  Two days, I said two days of sun have just occurred and this is the third in a row.  Granted it's only 29 degrees but sun?  Give me the sun and I can overlook that thermometer.  On my morning walk with the pooch, perhaps I should say on my morning stop and start and stop and sniff and stop and stroll but I digress, on that walk I saw cardinals flying about (thought they were all in Rome) and buds on some of the shrubbery.  Came home to this

Yes.  Crocii around my tree - yellow purple and white although they really don't show up very well.  Can it be that Spring is trying to ...spring that is.  One can hope.

Hope you are not about to be snowed upon.  Hope it really will turn into rain as they are predicting and by Wednesday my yard will look like this again but more blooms will have erupted.

Happy Spring to all.

Waiting for Spring

Wow!  I have been gone a long time.  Here it is the end of February, and I say Thank God for that.  February has never been a favorite of mine for reasons I will share one day.  Where have I been and what has been happening?  Well, you may not as those questions but, no matter, I am answering.

December was a crazed blur as I'm sure yours was as well.  My niece and her husband and her parents bought a home together, in-law space and all, and they moved in and wanted to have Christmas there.  Prior to Christmas and after Thanksgiving we attended a baby shower for her in the new home.  That was lovely and busy to say the least.  Christmas was the usual but since no celebration was occurring here and we were having some rooms painted right after the holidays I was off the hook as far as decorating was concerned.  We did, however, have to take down pictures and pack up knick knacks and generally get ready for the painters.

The day before Christmas Eve my husband was stricken with whatever the virus of the day was.  He ran a high temperature and had a sore throat and chills and headache and whatever else could be part of the nastiness of the season.  He was to be the cook at our niece's but alas that was not to be.  I had to pack up the car and deliver the pariphernalia necessary for the event as well as the biggest standing prime rib known to man.  My poor brother in law was the designated chef.  On the morning of Christmas Eve I took the hubster to an urgent care clinic where they pronounced him ill indeed and sent him home with antibiotics.   At that point his malaise had evolved into bronchitis. 

My nephew was staying with us for the holidays and I had to leave my man alone so that I could take my nephew to the party house.  My husband took several dozen phone calls from his brother as the meal progressed.  The evening was a huge success and my nephew and I arrived home with what seemed like more food than we sat down to.  Poor hubby was without appetite and to this day is upset that he never got to taste the beef or any of the other goodies we brough home to him.

The illness stuck around through the New Year so we celebrated with hot tea and early to bed.  He really didn't feel much better until a full two weeks or more had passed.  Then we were hit with the painters and the recovery from that which we are still slowly going through.  We hate to hang pictures on such nice new pristine walls. 

We have also had snow and when the snow abates we have rain.  Sigh.  Here is my picnic table waiting for Spring. I am too.