What Are You Talking About?

Ahhhhh, this is really nice. It's 2:30 on a Tuesday afternoon, and I have the time to write. Of course, I have nothing to write about. All the time I'm running around like a chicken-with-its-head-off, blog ideas are fighting for mind space. I compose whole books, complete with chapter headings, while I'm frantically multi-tasking. I never write anything down because I am sans head. I'm considering one of those small, compact, itty-bitty personal recording devices so I'll never, ever, not-in-a-million-billion years forget anything again, that have been advertised all during the holiday season, but Christmas is over and I haven't seen the commercial in hours! I think my phone has a message feature (personal, not the voice mail, I'm not daft). It's actually the ONLY feature on my cell phone - my cell phone sucks - but I forget how to use it, and when I need it, I'm never near the manual to look up the instructions.

Nope, not a darn thing. The grandsons won't be over today, the wash is in the spin cycle, I've cleaned the pellet stove, run the vacuum, worked-out at the gym, and answered email....tap, tap, tap. I have a book, the paper, and a couple of magazines to read, so that's compelling. I could compose a couple of more email messages, and clean the TV screen. Hummmmm...

I'm trying to decide if I want to take my laptop with me to jury duty next week. I have books reserved at the library that I hope, hope, hope will be available. But, if I have my laptop I can write. "They" (the person(s) who write the instructions for jury duty) caution you about bringing a laptop or cell phone. They (the laptop/cellphone) cannot be taken into the court room and must remain in the jury room, and no one is responsible. Of course, it IS a courthouse, with guards and authority, but also a lot of criminals awaiting trials...so what to do, what to do?

Tall One sent me, via email, a very interesting (in a good way) scenario involving morality and proselytizing that I could respond to... if I felt like turning my mind inside out. Maybe I should just bury my head in the sand. That often works, until the gestapo arrives for the children.

I could turn on the TV. But, I think the only things on are "Oprah" and/or "Dr. Phil" and I am so not going there. I have some shows on the DVR, but that seems shameful in the afternoon. Except for Saturdays. Anything goes on a Saturday.

Yes! The washing machine just called me with its pleasant, but persistent chirping. I will go transfer wet clothing to the dryer and begin another wash load. Hang in here with me. Maybe inspiration will strike!

Uhmmmmm....ok, nothing. Daughter called, and while I was on the phone with her, I lit a candle - coconuts & lime - and thought of something I needed to do. It was on the important side. But, I got side-tracked with the candle and talking and now I can't for the life of me-or-those-I-hold-most-dear remember what it was I should take care of!

I just noticed the light is on in the bathroom upstairs. In order to be as "green" as possible I need to go and turn it off immediately. I feel much better now. Al Gore would be so proud in his gas hogging, electric sucking, multi-million dollar mansion. But, I'm not bitter, just relieved, that he's so knowledgeable. What was his graduate degree in again? Oh, that's right, he doesn't have one! In fact, in researching this blog entry, I can't find what Al Gore's undergraduate degree from Harvard was in. Anybody know? Not that it matters, really, I don't have any credentials. Just a huge ego, and too much time on my hands. But, then again, I didn't make a movie about my passion for moderate exercise combined with common-sense healthy eating. Even though I know a lot, can try and contact experts who would appear if I threw money at them, and can bull-shit pretty well if I have enough time to think and spell check.

Man! There goes that washing machine again. I'll be right back....

I got a little hungry so I made a snack of two Wheetabix biscuits, a banana and some 1% milk. I'm living my convictions. Not to mention how repulsed I will be if I gain one more ounce this holiday season, and there are still Christmas cookies laying around. Well, they aren't laying, actually, there are some arranged decoratively on a plate, and more in the freezer - not so decorative, but...fresher.

What are Wheetabix biscuits, you may wonder? Well, I first had them in Ireland. In the bed-and-breakfasts Tall One and I stayed in, we had a choice; a full Irish breakfast consisting of breakfast meat, breakfast meat, and a side of breakfast meat, or a small ala cart assortment of Wheetabix and milk, and in one B&B, a banana! I chose ala cart, breakfast meat troubles me. Wheetabix is England's (God-save-the-Queen) answer to shredded wheat, thus Ireland has it too. It's much better than shredded wheat, and I really enjoyed it, plus, it kept me regular. Why are you eating it now in the US of A, when you were in Ireland five years ago? Well, I'll tell you. We found a store in the city that sells British imports, "pip-pip", "I say", "jolly good"!

I'm finished. Time to check in on face-book. Priorities.

Joy in My World

Well, well, well, or should I say, "ho, ho, ho" - in keeping with the holiday spirit. Christmas season, 2008 is in full swing and I'm in pretty good shape. Ok, I have the beginnings of a head cold, the major gift purchases are still vague ideas, and Nana's holiday party is tomorrow, but the cookies are baked, the food ready for tomorrow, and the few presents I need a.s.a.p. are wrapped and ready. The decorations have been up forever, since before Thanksgiving, and the photo cards have arrived, suitable for addressing, and I picked up the stamps today. The gift to California was sent when I got the stamps. I'm heading out to Ohio, on Wednesday. Celebrating with Tall One's side of the family the following Sunday. And, we wind up the festivities on Christmas Eve...end of post a la 12/12...it's now 12/20/2008!

I did indeed, survive Nana's holiday party. It's pretty much the same every year. It's pretty much the same every party. Which is ok. I know what to expect. Five times a year, Nana and I get together with the-sisters-from-Redding. Four birthdays and a Christmas. We vary the menu; pizza, subs from a shop, or home-made party tray. The key is more food than four people could eat in a lifetime. We exchange gifts. Sometimes they're worthy, sometimes they go directly into the Goodwill Box. But, it's always good to see the sisters. They are really, very, very nice...and they love Nana. Which is helpful.

I flew out to PhD's home on Wednesday. It was eventful in a bland, blase sort of way. We had a "bit of weather". Some minute amount of snow, and the first leg of my flight was delayed. As I waited in line to find out if I'd make my connection, The lady in front of me was barely surviving her altered itinerary. Thirty minutes later, it was my turn. Turned out, I'd make my second leg. "We should have an easy button", chirped the ticket agent...and he went on to tell me EVERYTHING about his kitties...as in kitty cats...as in substitute children. They are trained to come to a bell. He calls him before he leaves the house, because one of them has a tendency to "sneak out". He is an adoring, attentive master/daddy. So, I proceeded on my way.
PhD and I had a really, really, really nice visit. His new apartment is lovely. His life is happy. We did eat in an authentic Greek restaurant, that I would frequent if I lived in that city. The pitas were exactly like the ones Tall One and I salivated over in Greece.
We watched an episode of "Intervention". My life will never be the same....
The six hour drive east was thoroughly enjoyable. For me. I hope for PhD. We talked about everything and nothing. It's strangely gratifying to realize your child has grown to successful adulthood. Big sigh of releif...again....I've known for sometime that he's capable.

And tomorrow is the Tall One-side-of the-family traditional Christmas family get-together. For awhile, a couple of years, we'd assemble over a dozen pizzas. We (the children and spouses) LOVED this! MomMom did not. Three years ago, she decided to host the Christmas gathering...in her condo...and provide and prepare the entire meal. It almost killed her, it did destroy the condo. So...we're off the pizza, back to the sit-down meal of ham or turkey and all the trimmings. This year, I got a little jiggy with the menu. We're having ham loaf...complete with trimmings. I think it'll be ok.

The Christmas cards are in the mail...I swear. I might have to bake MORE cookies, but only because I want too. I've been eating them hand over fist...or head over heels, enough to worry the scale at the gym. There will probably be a separate post about the-my-side-of-the-family traditional Christmas family get-together. And, you won't want to miss THAT!

Tonight we ate Chinese. I can't tell you how tickled I was to find a box of free sushi with the order! Complete with wasabi sauce. I love wasabi. Really, I would marry it.

JOY to the world...