Mom feel and broke her hip

I haven't posted in such a long time. So here is my list of excuses

1. Mom fell and broke her hip, had surgery, went to rehab, will come home tomorrow

2. School just ended last week with the last couple weeks being crazy

3. Extra hours at my second job with lots of meetings, training, etc.

4. Mom fell and broke her hip, had surgery, went to rehab, will come home tomorrow

5. Weather has been so hot, I'm just whipped, spending time in pool to cool off

6. Had family reunion here last weekend so had to clean up

7. Mom fell and broke her hip, had surgery, went to rehab, will come home tomorrow

8. Been to hot to do anything in a room that isn't air conditioned

9. Mom fell and broke her hip...........

Oh, OK, so I've just been lazy. Actually thought of several really good posts to make, but always think of those things while mowing the lawn and then when I get back into the house I forget it. But Mom did fall and break her hip, had surgery, went to rehab and does get to come home tomorrow and now I can see how my life is changing. I've had to take over her finances, not that she was doing a bad job, but there were things that she was paying for that she didn't need and she thought she had removed her name from things and yet things were still coming. I've taken care of that for her. Now I'm getting all her bills on direct debit or payments online. I can view her banking online now and keep track of things that way also.

Next week I'm planning on leaving for a few days and just hope that my body will allow me to do the miles that I plan to do and also hope that my mind will allow me to not think that I'm a terrible daughter for leaving my Mom home alone. Looks like a number of her friends will be checking in on her and hopefully Mom will realize that she is 83 and needs to take things a bit easy.

Next post will hopefully have some wonderful pictures from my trip.

Oh The Dilemma!

I'm not the best housekeeper in the world. I guess that goes back to being spoiled rotten by my maternal grandmother who lived with us and felt she needed to earn her keep. The house was always spic and span. Funny thing is, I never saw her do any housework, it was always done!

So this morning I'm finally getting around to hanging up some clothes in my closet. Probably about 10 tops in various colors and styles. Since my divorce I have become a bit of a clothes nut especially now that I need to wear nicer clothes at my one job. Once I find a style that I like and I feel it looks good on me, I have a tendency to buy that style in many different color. I happen to look better in pastels so wear many different shades of yellow, green, blue, pink, etc. During the winter months I'm more likely to wear darker colors.

So I like to put the hangers in my tops laid out on the bed, then hang them in my closet. Today I'm looking at the clothes laying there and I begin wonder, should I have all the same styles together or the same colors together? In the past I have gone by style, all polo shirts together, all v-necks together, mock turtleneck sleeveless together, etc. Oh but wait, that seems to only cover the light weight clothing! My winter type tops are separated by color! Then I notice all my sweatshirts hung by color and long-sleeve tees by color, light first then the darker colors.

OMG, I'm so anal! Why has this become such a dilemma in my life? So here I sit writing about the dumbest thing I could possibly think of, and yet I'm also fighting the need to head into the bedroom and move all my clothes around! Oh well, this is the first weekend I have all to myself since last fall, so I guess if I want to re-organize my closets, no one can stop me!

Kanji Tattoos

Sorrow

Kanji is Chinese lettering which is very popular in the tattoo world. There are some funny stories about people getting Kanji done only to find out later that the artist had messed up work and the symbols say things other then what the collector had intended.

I have a couple Kanji on my leg as part of my leg piece. I have often wondered if what I meant to say with my Kanji is what it actually says. I had done research online to fine the symbols for "family" and "joy" but when my artist did them, I was afraid he had changed them a little bit too much to be artistic rather the factual.

This past weekend I attended the Woodstock-Ulster County Fine Arts Festival and met a delightful woman from Alfred, NY who would do any Kanji symbols you wanted and frame them. I had looked at the ones she had done but didn't see anything I wanted. We got to talking and I asked her if she could show me the word "sorrow". It's a word I want tattooed and have done some research but have seen several different versions. She took a piece of rice paper and prepared her brush and started putting ink to paper as she explained the process. I was thrilled to recognize the kanji she produced knowing that I was on the right track. She then added another symbol that turned it into "sorrowing". Then she showed me what "sad" looks like. Then she wrote my name, Cindi. I asked her how much she would sell me that piece of rice paper for and after thinking she handed it to me as a gift.

My name in Kanji - Cindi

I was so happy that I got brave enough to ask her if she could read the Kanji on my leg. I lifted my shorts and she looks and smiled and said, "oh, it's says family happiness". I was so happy! I don't have to worry about it anymore, what I wanted is what I got and is recognizable to people who really do read kanji!

This artist will be at a show in Lockport next weekend and then the following weekend at the huge show in Buffalo, the Allendale Art Show. I loved her work and will try to catch up with her so I can get some of her work. She does rice paper and watercolor of koi, cranes and other beautiful Chinese imagines.

Happy or Sad Ending?

I've been getting a little more reading done recently and it got me to thinking about what kind of ending I like to see in a book, which of course made me wonder what kind of ending my friends prefer.

One of my all time favorite books is "Gone With The Wind". Guess I related just a little too much with Scarlett (yes, we are both selfish bitches). What a wild romance Rhett and Scarlett had and what a strong and independent woman Scarlett could be when she set her mind to it. When a sequel came out a while ago, I couldn't wait to get my hands on it to see how the author would finish the story. The original story has Rhett walking out on Scarlett saying "frankly my dear, I don't give a damn" leaving Scarlett in tears but finding a resolve to get Rhett back, that "tomorrow is another day" pledging to return to her home Tara to regain her strength. Boy, can I relate!

So the sequel comes along and has this wonderful happy ending with Rhett and Scarlett finding their way back to each other. I couldn't believe how disappointed I was with this happy ending! I felt like the power of GWTW had been stolen from me. So I guess I can say that I don't always want or like a happy ending.

On closer examination, I have decided what really sells me on a book are the characters, not the ending. If I can get totally involved with the characters, both their faults and strengths, then I guess it really doesn't matter how the book ends. Take for example one of my all time favorites, John Irving's "The World According to Garp". It has a very tragic ending and yet, there is a hope to it that I can't quite explain. You could say the same about "The Hotel New Hampshire".

I recently finished reading "Vanishing Acts" by Jody Picoult. I have enjoyed many of her books. This one had a great ending. Rather happy I guess, but also left many little loose ends. I loved the character development so when not everything was totally resolved, I realized how much I liked the ending because it allowed me to use my imagination to create more about the characters.

A friend of mine recently shared that when she reads a book, she always reads the last chapter long before she has read the rest of the book. She says she can then enjoy the story more as it develops because she already knows how the story ends so she can concentrate on how the book was written and develops. An interesting idea but not one I would do during my reading. I prefer to see if the ending has an unusual or interesting twist to it. Some books have truly surprised me. It might not have been the ending I hoped for, but still if it takes me by surprise, I'm still pleased.

Ah, I think I have another topic brewing, comparing books to their screenplays!

Happy Reading!

PS, I think I know what Widow with Dog's answer will be!

Everything Will Be Alright

My Dad, back in the 40's

It's funny how sometimes things just seem so out of control. Your emotions become jumbled, an unexpected bill or two suddenly appears, someone special in your life may make a life change that affects you, who know what all, but sometimes it just seems to be a bit overwhelming.

Then all of a sudden, you know that everything will be alright. Whether you just believe that all things happen for a reason, if you think that what will be, will be or maybe you just know that what does happen is for the best in the long run.

Lately I've wondered about my life. A special man came into my life about Christmas time and things had been progressing very nicely. Suddenly out of no where, he is offered a job/promotion that would mean he will have to move out of state. WHAM! It blindsided us both. Add to that both the state and federal government deciding that I owed them taxes (I don't but I'm letting my tax man take care of that) and then getting a bill that I hadn't expected from my snowplow guy for all the additional plows he had to do this year beyond my contract limits. WOW, what the heck is going on.

Then Saturday morning I woke up and felt pretty darn good. The sun was shining, it was warm, got a new battery in the bike so I could go riding and suddenly the world looks like a brighter place. This afternoon I get a surprise phone call from my guy and he comes over to spend part of the afternoon with me and I'm feeling even better.

Tonight I was out mowing the backyard and there I found a turkey feather. Probably doesn't sound like much of an earth shattering thing to you but to me it's always a sign. For years my Dad would collect bird feathers he had found in the yard and stick them in his cap, mostly bluejay feathers. Since he has died (Jan 1999) I have taken to picking up feathers when I see them, not just because they are a beautiful sign of nature but because they remind me of Dad and I can't help by believe he's giving me a sign that everything will be alright. I'm still here watching over you and no matter what, you will be OK. When I saw that turkey feather tonight, I broke out into a huge smile and thought "Thanks Dad, I needed you to remind me that indeed I will be OK no matter what happens".

What did Dickens kill now?

I have a wonderful pet, a cat that I named Dickens because she usually is a Dickens. I adopted her from the SPCA several years ago. She is a pleasure to be around and a wonderful companion. She is an excellent mouser which is fine, but she also is a good birder which does not make me happy. She is incredibly inquisitive when it comes to just about anything that moves including running to my printer to watch anything it happens to spit out at her. I've caught her up in my Christmas tree where at least she didn't do any damage. Below is a picture of her watching the turkeys in the backyard. At least she knew enough not to attack them!

The other day I walked out to the deck to bring in firewood (something I shouldn't be doing at this time of year) and I found a poor little dead chickadee which I knew had been Dicken's latest victim. Today when I walked out I didn't see the little body where I had left it but after picking up a couple pieces of wood to throw on the deck I noticed this little body laying exactly where the Chickadee had been left a few days ago. I think it's a weasel but having never seen one up close I'm not exactly sure. First off it was much smaller then I thought it should be unless baby weasels have already been born. The few weasels and minks I have seen in the past were just darting across the road in front of my car and I'm sure they were bigger then this sad little specimen. The board the critter is laying on is a 2" x 6" so that gives you an idea of it's size.

What a sad saga for a dreary day. My friend Russ is coming over soon and I'm sure he will be able to confirm what this little critter is/was. But then again he is use to stalking much bigger prey then what Dickens does.

Snarly and Snarky

Today is my birthday. Seems I have no problems with the day before my birthday and no problems with the day after my birthday but in recent years I seem to hate my birthday. Today was no exception. I did get to sleep in as school was closed for the children because of a staff day. I didn't have to go in until 9:30AM so got loads of sleep but then I just woke up feeling like I had gotten up on the wrong side of the bed. After the staff meetings at school it was off to Aspire to work all afternoon. I was telling one of my co-workers how "pissy" I was feeling and how I just didn't care for my birthday anymore when she mentioned feeling "Snarly and Snarky". I decided that was a much better way to describe myself feelings about the day.

So why do I dislike my birthday now? Can't say I really know. Is it because I'm getting older? (I'm half way to 110 as I told some of my kindergarten kids the other day, so they decided I must be 70) or is it because of the many years I spent with the lies of what my life was. The other day I was looking for a card I thought I had kept, one that had the picture of "Cindi with an I" on it. I couldn't find it but came across the another old card I had kept that had been given to me about 5 or 6 years ago. In that card, someone proclaimed his love to me, saying that even if he didn't say it or show it the way he should, he has and always would love me. What a joke, but I fell for it hook, line and sinker. Thinking about that card today made me think about how much I want to trust people (men) but find it difficult these days. Which then reminds me how I don't trust myself in my judgement of people in general. Which comes back to my feeling bad on this day that is supposed to be such a big deal.

So I'm still feeling a bit snarly and snarky today but I do know when I wake up tomorrow I'll be back to my old self. Yuck, why did I have to mention the word old??????

Lyrics or Music, now that is the question!

I have mentioned before how much I love the music of John Prine or maybe I should say that what I really love are his lyrics. I've had a number of artists whose lyrics have touched my heart and on many occassion helped me get through a rough time. Two being Carly Simon and Alanis Morissette who both write wonderful lyrics, often using an album to tell a whole story. If you look at Morissette lyrics from album to album, you see how she dealt with a lost love and the bitterness that can take place until finally she finds peace and strength, something I would like to think that I have done as well.

The Bitterness is expressed so well in "You Oughta Know" from the Jagged Little Pill Album

"Cause the love that you gave that we made

wasn't able to make it enough for you to be open wide, no

And everytime you speak her name

Does she know how you told me you'd hold me

Until you died, 'til you died

But you're still alive

And I'm here to remind you

of the mess you left when you went away

It's not fair to deny me

Of the cross I bear that you gave to me

You, you, you oughta know"

It was almost 10 years later on her album "So-Called Chaos" finally shows the peace she has found especially in the song "The Grudge"

"So who's it hurting now?

Who's the one that's Stuck?

Who's it torturing now, with an antique knot in her stomach

I want to be big and let go of this grudge that's grown old

All this time I've not known how to rest this bygone

I want to be soft and resolved clean of slate and released

I want to forgive for the both of us

But who's done whining now?

Who's ready to put down

This load I've carried longer than I had cared to remember"

I feel so blessed to get beyond the grudge in my life so quickly. I seldom listen to the Morissette CDs now because of the reminders of the pain and bitterness I did feel just a few years ago. I would rather listen to happier lyrics to match how my life is going now.

So how/why do you listen to music? Are you into the music and rhythms? Or are you more like me listening to the all important lyrics to see how they might reflect your life and moods?

That being said, sometimes it's just fun to listen to the music for a catchy tune and hear a lyric that just twists the words with some interesting and meaningful or perhaps just plain silliness of thought. Soon I'll write about my favorite John Prine lyrics.

Drats, the weekend is over already!

Another weekend has passed by too fast. I guess I was just busy enough to make it seem to fly by.

Saturday I had my taxes done. I couldn't believe it but I moved up a tax bracket. Guess I worked just a little to hard last year. So even after paying my estimated taxes, I still owed money. But then it was sort of nice to know that my hard work has paid off.

I left the tax office and headed to Holland to visit at Roadhouse Tattoo. I hadn't been out there in some time so had some catching up to do with Tattoo Joe.

Next it was home for a short time before it was time to head to church for the Saturday evening service. When I got home from there it was time to set all the clocks ahead for Daylight savings hoping that I set up the TV in my bedroom so that it was turn on at the right time on Sunday morning to wake me up. I also spend a couple hours on the phone catching up with my friend Nancy. We talk way to seldom so always have sooooo much to catch up on with each other.

Eureka, the TV started at the proper time and it was up and ready for church Sunday morning. For some reason my left leg was killing me today whenever I got off the organ bench. I certainly hope that I don't feel that I have to return to this job next winter as the pain of playing is getting to be too much to bare. No money is worth that much pain.

Sunday afternoon was laundry, knitting, getting firewood in and a bit of relaxing including watching the new RobinHood series on BBC America. I have to agree with Nancy (Widow with Dogs) that this series does not in anyway live up to the older series "Robin of Sherwood".

Now it's time to go to bed and get ready for the week long grind. I'm hoping to get to the gym tomorrow if I can stand to fight the normal Monday night crowd. I had been trying to go on Tuesday and Thursday but I'm going to try Monday and see how that works out. I'm looking forward to getting to work at Aspire tomorrow so I can congratulate Tim for passing his CDL B road test on Friday. Tim is a fellow "Freak" (another story for another time) and was the first person I've trained at Aspire to get his CDL. I was pleased to hear he passed even though Judy had left me a voicemail telling me that Tim had failed because he had hit a telephone pole and a fire hydrant. To think that I was believing her, right up until I heard the laughter in the background! Geez, I had thought I wasn't as gulliable as I use to be!!!!!

Next Friday I have company coming, my friend from The Venturers, Will and his wife, Peggy. We are going out for dinner that night and hope to have BongoBob and his wife, Becky join us for a little Venturer bonding. Gee, I guess with all that fun that means next weekend will probably fly by too fast as well. Drats!

My Gramma Phillips

35 years ago today, my Gramma Phillips died at the age of 79 after fighting cancer. Gramma was a huge influence on my life. She was a loving, hardworking women who always felt like she had to earn her keep to live with us. Grampa Phillips died one week before I was born, suddenly with little warning. My family was living in the apartment upstairs but moved to our own house the next year. When my dad learned that Gramma had basically stopped eating after we had moved to our home, he told my Mom to tell Gramma to pack her bags and move in with us. How many men have you heard about that insisted that their mother-in-law move in? From that moment on, Gramma took over most of the household "duties" so that my Mom could work up the road at the Elma Nursery. Gramma spoiled me rotten. When I got home from school my room was cleaned, my clothes put away, maybe fresh bread was baking in the oven when I walked in with homemade jelly or jam waiting to be spread on the bread as an after school snack. If there was one piece of pie left, she would save it for me. She was just that type of woman. Like I said, she spoiled me rotten. When she died, my world collapsed. As I mentioned in yesterday's blog, she died the day I came home from the hospital with my first baby, Nicole Caroline, Caroline being Gramma's middle name as well. Below is a picture of Gramma that I treasure. What a beautiful woman with a beautiful soul. Even after all these years tears come to my eyes to think of how much I miss her and how I regret my kids never got to know the woman that had such a huge impact on my life. I love you Gramma!

The second picture is one of the few pictures I have of my Gramma and Granpa Phillips. I like to call this picture "The Sweethearts". I never knew Granpa but have heard many stories about him and if I'm allowed a regret in my life, it's that I never got to meet him. I've often thought about the game where you are supposed to think of a few people you would have dinner with who were famous, living or dead. I have often thought I would like to have dinner with my Granpa just so I could find out for myself if he was the same man I heard so much about. It will be 55 years ago on March 23rd that Granpa died.

I'm just plain Mad

It's just one of those days. I'm mad/sad as Hell and know there's nothing I can do about it but vent through this blog. I hate it when life seems to go out of control. Even though I'm OK, a good friend is not and while I admire her strength and resolve, I'm still angry that she has to go through what she is going through.

I HATE CANCER!

Tomorrow it will be 35 years since my wonderful Maternal Gramma died of Cancer. It was also the same day I came home from the hospital with my new baby daughter. Gramma had lived with us since I was little girl and we had been very close. While I was pregnant I had the feeling that she would never hold my baby, the little girl she knew I was having while we were all saying it would be a boy. The day I went into labor, she had just undergone what was considered 4 major surgeries at the age of 79. Mom called to tell me that Gramma had survived the surgery, and I remember feeling what a relief. Within moments my water started to break. I gave birth the next morning and when Mom and Dad came to visit, I was assured that Gramma was doing just fine. Finally I was told that things weren't really going well, but that Gramma had been able to come out of her rantings of speaking to her lone gone brothers and sisters, put on her glasses, sit up in bed and look at pictures of my baby, say that she understood that I had a little girl, laid back in bed and went right back to her almost como like state. The next day I came home, then received the phone call that Gramma had died that morning.

Cancer, The Big C, the whispered word, the anger, the frustration, the secret, call it whatever you will, I hate it. It has taken my Grandmother, one of my uncles, two of my cousins at ages 25 and 51, brothers who ended up getting the same cancer, another cousin's wife, countless friends.

Tonight I got a call from a friend from work. After fighting off breast cancer about six years ago, she is now facing the fact that the cancer is now back in her body in her other breast. She has put on such a brave face for us all for so long and now that damn cancer is back in her body and she must once again put on the fight for her life. Last year she had told me she already had her funeral planned but we all had been so hopeful that she would still win the battle. After having a mammogram this morning, she knows there are seven tumors in her breast and two under her arm.

Below are two pictures of Laura from last spring when she and I went to do a little yard work at another friend's house who had been away for the winter.

Laura is always making me laugh and of course hamming it up for the camera, but now that I look at this picture it makes me think of her spirit and perhaps saying to the cancer, "kiss my ass cancer and get out of my body". Never give up the fight Laura!!!!

AMA and DVD

I know, I know, it's been a while again since I posted last. Between the snow and cold temps, I have sunk into a terrible winter blahs. One kind of neat thing did happen recently. I received my Charter LIfe Membership in the AMA (American Motorcyclist Association). I can't believe that I'm coming up on 25 years as a member. Where has the time gone?

So what is going on? Work and watching the snow melt ever so slowly. But I had gotten some great new DVDs to watch during the winter time blues.

My daughter, Nicki and her family got me the complete Black Adder Collection, an English comedy with Rowan Atkinson staring as Edmund, Black Adder in different generations. Sometimes he's a complete fool, other times he the bright one but surrounded by less then intelligent cast of characters. The shows are a delight and I never tire of them.

Another British program that I enjoyed in the past was Robin of Sherwood which was shown on Showtime many years ago. After more years then I want to think about, it has finally been brought out in DVD formatted for the USA. I'm just hoping that they bring out the other two seasons of this wonderful show. Thanks to this show, I became a fan of the Irish singing group Clannard who did all the music for the show. There is also a new Robin of Sherwood series coming soon, hopefully to be seen on BBCAmerica. It will really have to be special to top this series.

Today I received my copy of Long Way Round. Ironically, another British program. Movie stars Ewan McGregor and Charlie Boorman decide to leave London on their BMW motorcycles and right around the world. I had never heard of this program until I read about it on my Venturers.Org online motorcycle club/message board. I believe it was shown on the Bravo channel. After learning about it, I had to have it along with the book written by Ewan and Charlie about their experiences during the trip.

Now I'm just waiting for the DVD I just heard about of a PBS concert of John Prine from the 1970's. I have ordered it and will receive it when it's released in March of this year. I can't wait! I suppose pretty soon I'll be complaining that the weather is too nice to be inside watching this great collection of DVDs.

A Double Edged Sword

Blogs are wondrous things. You can pour your heart out in the words of your blog. You can spread your soul out for anyone or everyone to see. You can say things that might be better left unsaid if the wrong person reads what you have to say. You could hurt someones feelings even if a comment isn't directed to them, but they perceive it as directed at them. You can share you joys and sorrows, your highs and lows, your triumphs and failures, your fears and courage.

A few years ago I wrote my annual Christmas letter sharing the news that I was divorcing my husband of over 30 years. For some, it was the first hint that this was happening and I received many phone calls of support. For other people it was just an update on what they already knew what was happening. Only one former friend attacked me for what I wrote but after my initial reaction of sadness, I remembered that the therapist I had been seeing had told me it was a good idea to write that letter and I took comfort in the idea that I had done the right thing. Besides the former friend hadn't been much of a friend for a number of years and I had been distancing myself from her anyway.

I guess those who know me best know what an open person I am. My life is an open book. I've never been afraid to share with people what I've learned in my life including what I've learned about myself even if it isn't flattering. Some of my family has told me that what they like about me most is my honestly and openness that they know when I say something it will be blunt, to the point and maybe even brutally honest. In fact, some would say that in that aspect, I'm turning into my mother!

So at this point in my life, I find myself in an interesting position. I have some things going on that I can't talk about, especially in a blog that is open to the world to see. I have become involved with a wonderful man but I'm not at liberty to talk about him until he gets some things taken care of in his life. These were things that were started before I met him but still have an impact on our relationship. I'm learning that I have more patience then I ever would have given myself credit for. Another thing that I'm dealing with will involve my lawyer as more proceedings are started but no details can be shared here at this time.

Like I said, Blogs are wondrous things. You can share what you want or what you feel is safe. Hopefully it won't be long before I'll be sharing more.

Happy Groundhog Day!

I know it's silly, but Groundhog Day is one of my favorite days of the year. I have traveled through Punxentawney, PA on several occassions just to say that I've been there. Sometimes I stop and take pictures. Here are just a few.

Groundhog .org - the Official Site of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club
Dunkirk Dave's Groundhog Haven!

Ridge Lea Larry takes a break, but he'll be back next yearFor 15 years, Ridge Lea Larry, the Department of Geology's groundhog, symbol of winter's mid-point and all-around mascot dressed in custom-made threads and top hat, has lightened the dreary winter blues by predicting whether or not there will be six more weeks of winter.
But on Groundhog Day this year, the stuffed woodchuck did not see his shadow-or anything else. Depending on whom you asked, Ridge Lea Larry was either "under the weather" or on sabbatical. But it's only a temporary setback: Larry will be back on Groundhog Day, Y2K.

OH MY GOSH!

WOW, I can't believe how long it's been since I posted last. I could make up a million excuses, but they would be lies. I think I've just been to lazy to update anything.

Things are wonderful in my life for the start of 2007. I'm working hard as usual which wears me out, but I'm usually able to catch up with things on the weekend. Things at Aspire are going well with my new boss. He has told me he wishes I would come on full time at Aspire but I have told him that it won't happen, that I'm too happy and have too much time in at school to give it up at this point. I'm also pleased to hear Don refer to me as his assistant when he is talking to other people about me. It looks like my job is changing there and I'm really quite happy with that. I've been very busy so the time just flies by. The one down side to working at Aspire is that I have become addicted to getting hot chocolate on my way to work, thanks to the many gift certificates I got as Christmas presents from Tim Hortans and Dunkin' Donuts. Lately I've been getting a bagel as well to munch on at my desk. And just in case you have ever wondered, the Dunkin' Donuts White Hot Chocolate is really good! I have also learned that if I don't get the whipped topping, the Hot Chocolate doesn't cool off as fast but then I have also learned that if it gets too cold, adding just a little water and then reheating in the microwave works just fine.

I have also returned to my winter church organist gig and even though it feels natural to be there, it's also becoming quite painful to get on and off the organ bench. I have informed the Pastor and the music and worship committee that this could be my last winter playing. I need to give it some time to see if I can work past the pain and also see how busy my weekends are going to be.

Which leads me to mention that a new man has come into my life. We are at the very beginning of getting to know each other but so far it looks like our relationship is going to be a good one. As much as we enjoy different things, we enjoy each other's company and also share many interests. I feel blessed to have a new friend to share the new year with.

El Nino weather keeps Western New York temperatures above normal and snowfall well below normal. We haven't been able to start ski club yet, while I miss the money, I don't mind getting home earlier on what would have been ski club trips. Today we are having freezing rain with much colder temperatures coming in a couple days. Tomorrow is a day off from work from all my jobs and I was looking forward to getting errands done and having lunch with Bev (who is leaving on Tuesday for the next 4 months) and Laura. But with the weather being a factor, I might just stay home and knit. I can't say that I won't mind a complete day to myself to veg, knit and watch TV.

Happy New Year

Happy New Year to one and all!

Here's hoping for a wonderful, happy, healthy year.

Christmas Surprise

I wrote a while ago about my "Tool of the Month" club that I had for myself. When I bought my last tools, I happened to see a nice toolbox that I thought might be a good way to take care of my tools and keep them nice and neat. So I jokingly told Nicki and Cory that I would like a tool box for Christmas.

Today the kids were home and Cory walks in with a nice big box and I thought "oh goody, I'm getting my toolbox" and sure enough, I got it. We finished opening all the gifts and I walked out into the kitchen to start working on supper when Cory walked up to me and said "come on out to the garage to open the rest of your gifts". I couldn't imagine what he was talking about until I walked out and saw too more bigger boxes sitting on the garage floor. He had bought me the complete set! Turns out if you bought the top and bottom, they would throw in the middle section for free.

Boy am I ever going to have fun now with the "tool of the month" club!

(Also Note I already have a blue hard hat)

Merry Christmas

Things are just a bit hectic this week and I don't know if I'll find the time or the energy to write before Christmas arrives so here is my Christmas Greeting to all who happen to visit this blog.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Years

Peace On Earth the Angels Sang

Some people say that Christmas is about memories. I'm happy to have many wonderful memories of Christmas Past. One of my favorite memories is of the angel that always topped our family tree when I was a child. One of my fondest memories was the year my Dad put a little speaker in our tree and hooked it up to his reel to reel tape player. From another room we were able to speak into a microphone and talk through the tree as if we were the angel on the top of the tree. I still remember watching my little cousin looking up at the angel and thinking the angel was truly speaking to her. It's a silly little memory but I still remember the look of wonder in that little girl's eyes (sorry, but I can't remember if it was Sharon or Patty, I'm sure Sue was too big to fall for it) as she listened to the angel call her by name.

Years later when I married, my husband and I picked out a top for our first Christmas tree we picked an angel. He had grown up in a house that used a star on the top of their tree, but I really wanted to have an angel so we found a pretty little angel which topped our tree for over 30 years. When my parents stopped putting up a tree, I wanted to put up the old angel but my husband insisted that our tree be topped with the angel we had picked out. I was touched that it meant so much to him. A few years later I found out that the angel meant more to him then I did and we divorced. My first Christmas alone (well, he was still living in the house at the time) I put up the tree and after a trip over to my Mom's to get the old family angel, she moved to the top of my tree. Now each year that I place that lovely old angel on the tree, my heart melts just a little with memories of my childhood.

This year I was having a hard time with putting up any decorations. I do believe it was because I've been so busy with my two jobs and limited time to really prepare for the fast approaching holidays. The thought of putting up that big tree was rather overwhelming. Then I had a bright idea of seeing if I could put up half of the tree! Well, thinking and doing are usually pretty different for me and I wondered if I would actually do it. Today was an early dismissal from school for the younger grades, so I took the day off from Aspire to do all my runs at school. I had some time this afternoon and down to the cellar I went to see if I could indeed use just half the tree and sure enough, it looked like it would work! I put up the tree and then headed back to work for one more run. I returned home a short time later and started decorating my little tree. How nice not to have to climb on a stool to reach the top of the tree to "throw" the lights around it. Maybe now I can really start feeling the holiday spirit!

My Thanksgiving Weekend

I tried to publish this yesterday but alas, it wouldn't post. So I will try to remember what I wanted to say yesterday. I'm pretty forgetful you know!

I had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend. I had planned to leave on Wednesday to stay at a friends in PA that night which is about halfway to Nicki's home. At about 1pm on Wednesday, I got a call from Dana, my daughter-in-law (she will always be my daughter-in-law really, even though she and Cory are divorced) asking me if I still wanted to take Mason with me to Nicki's as Dana was very sick and decided she wasn't going out of town. So I said, Sure. I finished up work, kept Mason on the bus with me, we packed up the car and away we went. We spent the night at my friend's home then traveled on to Nicki's Thursday morning after waiting out some freezing rain.

We had a nice and relaxing Thanksgiving dinner and the rest of the weekend was a delight. On Friday Mason stayed with Uncle Rick and Sean while Nicki and I went out to lunch with friends Steven and Brian and Steven's parents, Gene and Beulah who are from Eden, NY. We had met last year so it was nice to see them again. On Saturday, Nicki, Mason and I went to "Blockheads Burrittos" for lunch, a new Mexican style restaurant in New Platz with the theme of Sock Monkeys. I admit I don't get the connection, but still fondly possess my own sock monkey from many years so. We had a great meal and then did a little grocery shopping. When we returned home, Mason went shopping with Uncle Rick so they could buy another "Monster Truck" for them to destroy as they did the day before.

Saturday night, Nicki and I went to the Bradstan in White Lake, NY to enjoy an evening of Cabaret in the Nancy LaMott Room. Playing the piano that night was Nicki's friend Steven, who also sang along with his partner, Brian, Scott who is the owner of the Bradstan, and one of the servers, Beth. The music was wonderful and we enjoyed some yummy desserts and drinks. This was my second time to enjoy music at the Bradstan and I certainly hope to enjoy many more evenings there in the future.

http://www.bradstancountryhotel.com/

Sunday morning Mason and I packed up the car and headed for home. After talking to Dana again on the cell phone, we agreed that Mason should spend Sunday night at my house because Dana was still in the contagious stages of the strep. On our way home, we meet up with my friend Bob and his friend Everett. It was such a wonderful day, they were out riding. It was the first time I got to see Bob back on his bike after his accident last fall.

After saying good bye to Bob, once again Mason were on our way towards home, getting there before 4PM. We unpacked the car, made supper, then waited for Cory and Krista to arrive home from their week long trip to AZ to visit with Cory's father. Mason was so happy to see his Daddy and vice versa. We had a nice dinner, then they got to play for a while.

Mason was a real trooper about getting up so early to get ready to go to work with me and of course it was a blast to have Mason ride on my bus for three out of four of my bus runs. But I could also tell how happy he was to see his Mom after be away from her for almost a week. Ah, another grand adventure for Mason and Me. Now I am looking forward to spending Christmas with everyone at my house! I sure hope the weather allows us to be together!