Sunday Stealig

Sunday Stealing: The Disappearing Questions  1. Last movie you saw in a theater? The King and I in a special showing. 2. What book are you reading? A book about the Anasazi Indians. I've just finished Hidden Figures. 3. Favorite board game? Mexican Train, dominoes, or Rummikub (not exactly board games, but…) 4. Favorite magazine? I don't much read magazines any more. 5. Favorite smells? Maybe a fresh rain or new-cut grass or real roses. I don't like any artificial smells. 6. Favorite sounds? Laughter 7. Worst feeling in the world? Loss of a loved one. 8. What is the first thing you think of when you wake up? Wishing I could sleep longer or maybe getting up to go to the bathrooom. 9. Favorite fast food place? I'm not really a fast-food fan, but I do like Zaxby's, and can usually find something to eat at any of them. 10. Future child’s name? There won't be any "future" children! 11. Finish this statement. “If I had lot of money I’d….? See that my children and grandchildren are out of debt, and leave the rest for later family to come - or set up a charitable foundation. 12. Do you sleep with a stuffed animal? Nope. 13. Storms – cool or scary? It depends on where I am and the kind of storm. 14. Favorite drink? Iced water (plain) and black coffee. 15. Finish this statement, “If I had the time I would….”? I do have the time, and I mostly do whatever I want to do and am able to do. 16. Do you eat the stems on broccoli? Yes, I like the stems better than the flowery part. 17. If you could dye your hair any color, what would be your choice? The one time I dyed my hair, I did it red.  Now, I think I'd go all white. 18. Name all the different cities/towns you’ve lived in? St. Louis, Bellaire, Houston, Hendersonville, Chattanooga. 19. Favorite sports to watch? In person, women's basketball; on TV, maybe some of the Olympic sports. 20. One nice thing about the person who sent this to you? Nobody sent it to me. 21. What’s under your bed? Huge dust bunnies. 22. Would you like to be born as yourself again? Yes. 23. Morning person, or night owl? Some of each, but more a morning person. 24. Over easy, or sunny side up? Lately, over hard. 25. Favorite place to relax? In my La-Z-Boy chair (since I can't be at the beach all the time). 26. Favorite pie? Mincemeat or lemon meringue. 27. Favorite ice cream flavor? Vanilla. 28. Of all the people who play, how many of the posts do you usually read? Sunday Stealing?  Two of the people I read do this meme. From <http://sundaystealing.blogspot.com/2017/02/the-disappearing-questions.html>

A good day!

I've just gotten some lovely news about my birthday.  Sue and Margaret have rented a large VRBO house in Chattanooga the weekend after my birthday, so it looks like I'll be having a good birthday party this year.

Most of today was about bridge.  I went to a "play and discuss" class this morning before play this afternoon.  One of the more experienced players is leading these free, informal classes.  She sets up the hands, and then we bid, discuss the bids, play the hand, and end with discussion of the play.  I really like that as a learning situation.  It sticks much better for me than just showing hands on a sheet of paper or blackboard and talking about it.  My partner and I were in the middle of the pack at the end of afternoon's play.  But with 53.7% takeaway, we each won 0.21 MP.  So it was a pretty good day.

We had lovely clear skies and I have a great view of the full moon.  I watched for an hour watching for the partial eclipse, but never noticed any change in the moon.  Oh, well.....

Three things Tuesday

Medical:  My echocardiogram showed "no significant changes".  I'm scheduled for a pulmonary function test on 1 March prior to my evaluation by a pulmonologist on 8 March.

Weather: The high today was in the upper 60s, and it was cloudy all day.  Rain this afternoon while the temperature started down. There's a strong storm line expected to come through later tonight. The high for tomorrow is predicted to be 55, at 12:01 a.m. (midnight).

Food:  The food committee meeting was this afternoon.  Chef Christopher is really working hard to make the food and service better.  Starting next week, there will be a consulting nutritionist to help him address various dietary needs of residents.  He has also planned to have a monthly "Chef's Corner", where he will prepare a new dish for residents to taste test.  If approved, it can go into the menu stream; if not, it's gone. He's trying very hard, it's appreciated, and it shows.

Now what?

I've been feeding birds since I moved here and have my lovely deck.  It's been fun to watch them.  When I first started I had a problem with raccoons cleaning out the feeders overnight.  So I've just been bringing the feeders at night - putting them out in the mornings.  And recently the raccoons seem to have moved on to greener pastures. There has been a feral cat living under my deck, being fed by my next door neighbors.  The neighbors moved a couple of months ago, and I haven't seen the cat in a week or so.  In the past, I've not had any problems with squirrels, and I assumed that was because the cat was big enough to keep them away. 

Well, guess what!  Now I have a squirrel, trying all sorts of ways to get to the goodies in the feeders.  As long as I'm sitting in my chair, I can get up and run him off.  But, obviously, I can't do that all the time.  And I have no clue has to what I can rig up to keep him away from the feeders.  Any suggestions?  (And getting a cat or dog is NOT an option!)

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A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:

The President is merely the most important among a large number of public servants. He should be supported or opposed exactly to the degree which is warranted by his good conduct or bad conduct, his efficiency or inefficiency in rendering loyal, able, and disinterested service to the Nation as a whole. Therefore it is absolutely necessary that there should be full liberty to tell the truth about his acts, and this means that it is exactly necessary to blame him when he does wrong as to praise him when he does right. Any other attitude in an American citizen is both base and servile. To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public. Nothing but the truth should be spoken about him or any one else. But it is even more important to tell the truth, pleasant or unpleasant, about him than about any one else. -Theodore Roosevelt, 26th US President (1858-1919

From <http://wordsmith.org/words/today.html>

"Pea Soup"

I had an echocardiogram today, and that was the "outing" for me today.  We've had rain and heavy fog all day, and it's just going to get worse tonight.  My Monday night duplicate partner lives up behind me on Signal Mountain and it's been a "pea soup fog" day for them.  So she didn't want to drive down here in the fog in the dark.  I didn't go either - I didn't even want to drive down here in the Valley.  Oh, well.....

Quiet

I've gotten the sweater finished, and it's soaking now, so I can block it before I send it on.  I knit while I'm watching TV - rarely any other time.  I can't just sit and watch TV - have to be doing something with my hands.

I'm enjoying my amaryllis blooming.  Jesse gave me a couple of those bulbs-in-a-pot things for Xmas.  I planted the amaryllis and the paperwhites.  The amaryllis has finally bloomed - three fully open and two buds which will probably open this week.  It's so pretty.  The paperwhites put up some leaves, but no buds or blooms.  That's about it for my gardening.

I have an appointment for an echo cardiogram to check on the status of my heart murmur at noon tomorrow, so that should take care of lunchtime for me.

Sunday Stealing

Sunday Stealing: The Racquet Questions 

01  What is the worst nickname that anyone has ever called you? The only nickname I've ever had was "Rice", and that was because I wore a sweatshirt from Rice University, where I was a student.

02  Have you got a favorite flower? Not really - I like them all.

03  Do you add a sauce, ketchup or other artificial flavorings to your food? Mostly pepper is the only thing I use, occasionally a little salt.

04  Describe yourself using only words that begin with the letter 'T'. The only thing I can think of is "tall" - but I've shrunk so much I'm not really tall any more. Well, then there's "talkative".

05  What is/was your lover's pet name for you? I don't think he ever had one.

06  What is your least favorite color? Yellow, olive green, khaki - all look awful with my skin color.

07  Who did you vote for in the last election, and did they win? Clinton, and no.

08  What is/was your grandfathers’ names? Jack Rogers Russell and Charles Allen Wheeler.

09  What is the best present you ever received? I used to get wonderful presents.  We'd get a new car, and that was for my birthday.  We bought a house, and that was for my birthday.  My last Valentine's present was a shingles shot.

10  What is 17 1/2% of 97 + 42 x (6 / 2) – 137 ? [Editor's note: Holy shit!] Not a clue - and not willing to find a calculator.

11  What would be the best possible way you could die? In my sleep.

12  Given the choice of absolutely anything, what would be your dream job? I like the one I have - being retired.

13  What position do you sleep in at night? Usually I'm on one side or the other.

14  What is the most embarrassing thing that has ever happened to you? There are SO many, I can't pick one.

15  Who is your favorite fictional character? Gibbs, or maybe Abby.

16  What food do you hate most in the world? Coconut, peanut butter, bell peppers.

17  When was the last time you were ill? I had a bad cold last spring.

18  If you were transformed into a wild creature, what would it be? I like the idea of being a red-tailed hawk.

19  What was your favorite toy as a child, and whatever happened to it? I don't remember.

20  What's the most amazing thing you've ever seen? I've been lucky to see so many wonderful things, it's hard to pick one.  The Ring of Brodgar, Canyon de Chelly, Takakaw Falls, Antarctica.

Three on Thursday

1. This has really been a slug week.  But, I have gotten a lot of knitting done.  Randy, your sweater should be ready to send to you sometime next week.
2. At the Residents' Meeting yesterday, I asked the director if the landscaping crew would be trimming the crepe myrtles outside my door.  Today, the landscaping crew trimmed the crepe myrtles outside my door.  Things are improving.
3. No bridge tonight - we only had three.  I wish some more players would move in.  But I will be going to duplicate tomorrow afternoon.

Enough about the knee, already!

My knee was much better this morning (of course), but I did go to see the doctor.  He said there was some fluid in the knee and that perhaps the patella had slipped while I was asleep (since the onset was so sudden), and it had gradually worked back into place.  Sounds reasonable, especially since it seems to be okay now.  He encouraged me to do some specific exercises to strengthen muscles in the area.  I'm mostly back to "normal" today, but I will use a cane for a while longer.

Another day

I have an appointment with the doctor in the morning.  It was awful again this morning when I got up but is better now - so maybe something is slipping.  In any case, it needs to be checked.  I literally have stayed in all day today.  I ate the last of the delicious squash soup Margaret brought me for lunch, and one my frozen dinners for supper.  I didn't even go up to get my mail.

It was a beautiful day here today - sunshine and high in the mid50s.  And they're predicting more of the same tomorrow.

Back to winter Sunday

Margaret came by this afternoon.  She brought me a latching metal can for my bird seed that I can keep on the deck.  That should keep the raccoons and squirrels out.  She did a bunch of small "honey-do" things for me - and all were greatly appreciated.  We also talked about finding a way to do something special with all the family.  We already go to the beach, but I've been trying to find something else.  We looked at some VRBO places here in Chattanooga and maybe we can all get together for a long weekend and all stay in one place.  We still have a third of John's ashes and have been trying to find a time that we can put them in the river outside the boathouse where he rowed.  We'll see what happens with that. The knee was no better this morning - if anything it's worse.  I got the walker out of the closet and have been using that today.  I'm going to call the doc in the morning and see if I can get in to see him then.  In the meantime, I'm staying off of it, and taking pain medicine.  We had a few spits of sleet this afternoon, but that was all of the winter precipitation.  It was amazing when the front came through.  It was immediate - strong winds, blowing rain, and about 15 minutes later, the sun was shining.  And the temperature has been dropping steadily since then.  Back to winter!

Strange day

It's been a lovely day here today, even though it's chilly.  We'll just enjoy the sunshine.  They're predicting light rain and/or snow for tomorrow, with high around 40. I've had a bad day with my knee today.  I was sleeping in the chair, and when I woke up about 6, I couldn't bend the knee or put any weight on it.  I managed to get to my cane to help me somewhat, took a pain pill and got back in the bed.  It has gradually improved over the day, but I'm still using the cane.  We'll see what happens overnight - and I'll be calling the doc on Monday morning.  I saw him on Tuesday and x-rays then looked fine.  (Girls, don't call - I'll let you know if there's a problem.)

Exercise continues

Swimming this morning, and then my mani/pedi.  That always makes for a good morning.  The swimming will continue, but will change Monday for about a month.  The Y is closing our pool for 3 weeks or so to resurface the sides and bottom.  Some of us are planning to go to classes at the downtown Y - still on M/W/F, but at 9 am.  That makes for later sleeping in the morning, but will certainly take up the whole morning. At least we'll still be able to do our water exercising…and talking.

Doctor week

• The six-month checkup with my primary care physician went well. I got the first of two pneumonia shots (second one in a year), and will get what used to be called a DPT shot next month.  I'm scheduled for an echo cardiogram next week to check the status of my minor heart murmur.  And will be set up with a pulmonary consult soon.
• The checkup with the orthopedic surgeon went well.  The x-rays of the knee are good.  He wants me to keep exercising the knee and to work more on the shoulder.  X-rays of both will be scheduled for the next appointment in three months.
• The six-month dental visit and cleaning went well.  No problems there.  The dentist says my teeth should last for a long time.
• The next appointment is for Friday - the most important one of the week - a manicure/pedicure.
• Not bad for an almost 81-year-old broad.

NCIS Haiku

It's amazing that

After all these years, Gibbs can

Still make us all cry.

Bad night.

Crappy cards at bridge.
Bid poorly, played worse. Why keep
Playing this damn game!

Sunday Stealing

Sunday Stealing: The Icebreaker Questions

1. Are you loud, outgoing or shy? Somewhere between outgoing and shy.

2. What’s coming up where you’ll see an old friend? Other than the usuals, I don't know that I'll see any old friends until this summer.

3. Are you easy to get along with? I think so.

4. Have you ever given up on someone, but then gone back? Not really.

5. Who was the last person that you had a deep conversation with? I just exchanged some pretty deep e-mails with my sister-in-law.

6. Are you okay with being in a big crowd? I don't freak out, but I tend to avoid places that are very crowded.

7. Do you believe in luck and/or miracles? Not really.  Mostly it's hard work and being in the right place at the right time.

8. What good thing happened during the summer? (It’s good to think about summer when you are  freezing your butt off in January.) Always beach week, and the trip along the Maine coast.

9. Do you think there is life on other planets? Not life as we know it - maybe bacteria or some such.

10. Who was your first crush on? I don't remember.

11. What are your bad habits? Sloth, lack of will power.

12. What’s your favorite part of your daily routine? Changing into soft clothes after supper.

13. Other than your significant other, who are you most comfortable with? My girls.

14. Has an ex ever told you that they regret breaking up? It never happened.

15. Why should your celebrity crush drop everything to be with you? No celebrity crush here.

16. What would be the hardest to give up and why? Books. TV. Music. Books - even though my reading concentration is almost gone.

17. Do you believe in second chances? In most circumstances.

18. What would like to do next in your life? I don't think I'd like to have one.

19. What’s the meanest thing that anyone has ever said to you? If anybody's been mean, I've blotted it out.

20. What’s the nicest thing that anyone has ever said to you? I always love hearing people tell me how wonderful our girls are.

Why we marched today (in person and in spirit)

My granddaughter and her spouse marched today in Washington, DC.  I've been so proud all day, just knowing she was representing her whole family.  This evening, a friend of hers asked her on FB why she wanted to accomplish by marching.  This was her response:

 I definitely can't speak for others, but I can tell you why I marched.

• First and foremost, President Trump has repeatedly and publicly spoken in ways that are incredibly disrespectful of women. Not only do I find this personally offensive, I am also incredibly concerned by the fact that one of the most powerful men in the world thinks that this is acceptable behavior. I think that words matter, and his words contribute to a culture where sexual assault is dismissed as “locker room talk”. In a country where 83% of high school girls have admitted to being sexually harassed, I don’t think that it is acceptable to have a President who promotes that kind of thinking.

• I am pro-choice. I know that you don’t feel that way, but I truly believe that decisions about a woman’s body are between the women, her partner, her doctor, and her God. I don’t think that there is a place there for government. It is an incredibly personal decision, and not one that I feel I have a right to judge someone else for making. The right of women to make this choice is under attack, and I’m willing to fight to protect it. (And by the way, I absolutely respect your right to fight against it! That is the amazing thing about living in a free and democratic society – we are entitled to differences of opinion and there are ways for us to express those opinions through protests, through voting, and through communicating with our elected officials.)

• I also am surrounded by many smart, successful, amazing women (married, single, moms, and those without kids). And I have been lucky enough to make myself happy and successful. However, the world is much bigger than the circle of women I know, and many of these women face enormous challenges. Lack of access to affordable child care, lack of ability to take maternity leave or stay home with your kid if he is sick because you are afraid of losing your job. I am blessed to be in a position where I have a loving and supportive partner, good health insurance, and generous family leave policies, but many women are not in that position.

I very much hope that President Trump is successful because having a strong and successful president is in the best interest of all Americans. However, he has made statements and indicated support for policies that go against many of the American values that I think are most important, like tolerance, acceptance, and protecting those who cannot protect themselves. I marched because it is impossible for my elected officials to act on my behalf if they don’t know what I believe. Today, I stood up for what I believe in, because I feel like that is an incredibly patriotic and American thing to do.

I also believe that both liberals and conservatives live in bubbles where they mostly hear from people who think and act like they do, and that isn’t a productive way to solve problems. I think that the United States has some major issues that we need to address, and it is going to take a lot of smart people working very hard to solve them. Neither party has a monopoly on good ideas or smart, innovative, passionate people, and we’ll make a lot more progress towards solving things if we combine the best ideas from all perspectives. So, while I’m not up for name calling and rushes to judgement (like has been done in some of the previous comments on this thread), I’m happy to be a liberal you (and others reading this thread) can talk to! We may not agree on a lot of things, but understanding where somebody else is coming from and practicing empathy for people who see the world from different perspectives is the only way I know of to be part of a strong, thriving democracy.

There is no way I could improve on this.  I'm so proud of you both.

Friday Five

1. Today was the day for an overdue haircut.  The gal who cut it always cuts it very short - and I like it that way.
2. I went to duplicate this afternoon.  My usual partner didn't show up - don't know why, but I played with another woman who didn't have a partner.  We came in in the middle of the N/S pairs, and actually one 1/3 of an MP.  And we had some interesting hands.
3. We got lots of rain last night, but today was a lovely day. And it's supposed to be warm for the next few days - then turn cold again by the end of next week.  Tied a record today with 71*.
4. I've tried to ignore the events of the day.  I hate having to do it, but I don't want the next four years to be a disaster.  If things go horrible with him, they will be horrible for our country.
5. Alison and Joe will be at the Women's March tomorrow in Washington.  They'll be representing all the Zelle women.

"This Is Us"

Have you watched This Is Us?  I hadn't, but thanks to Bev and Jennifer, I decided to give it a look.  I watched this week's episode and based on that, went to On Demand to catch the first episodes.  It's an interesting premise and quite well acted.

If you haven't watched it, check it out.  New programs air on NBC on Tuesday night.

Tuesday haiku

Walmart and Silver

Sneakers. Excitement for the

Morning. Then to knit.

Another week.

It's always good to start off with exercise in the pool.  And it feels good to come home and get a short  nap in the chair.

I spent a couple of hours watching these wonderful programs from BBC Scotland on the excavation of the Ness of Brodgar.  Our trip to the Orkneys was one of our favorites, and the Neolithic sites in this region (Mae's Howe, the Stones of Stennis, and the Ring of Brodgar) are beyond magnificent.  They're each an hour long, but well worth watching.

https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x57ryz2_britain-s-ancient-capital-secrets-of-orkney-episode-1-2017-bbc-documentary_tv

https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x581p9k_britain-s-ancient-capital-secrets-of-orkney-episode-2-2017-bbc-documentary_tv


And tonight my partner and I came in last again at duplicate.  I did play a couple of hands very well and that makes it worth while.

Sunday Stealing

Sunday Stealing: The Very Forceful Questions 

1. Do you have/have you had any pets? In my life, I've had 3 dogs and 2 or 3 cats.  The last one was a cat.  But none since about 1990.

2. Do you play video games? If so, do you have a favorite video game series? I play some games on the computer - mostly word games.  I don't play any timed games or "virtual reality" games or live games with other people.

3. Any unpopular opinions on anything? Of course.

4. Do you have a favorite gem? If yes, has anyone ever bought you jewelry with that gem? Not really - I'm not much into jewelry.

5. Favorite story genres? Mysteries, police procedurals, nonfiction.  I wish I could read like I used to.  Now I read very slowly.

6. What was once a secret that you can now share? (The original question was "What kind of fruit do you hate" which is type of question that I think "who cares?" so I just change them.) My life is an open book.

7. Do you like reading? I love to read - just wish I had enough concentration now to read more than a few minutes at a stretch.

8. What time is it for you now, what are you usually doing at this time of the day? Mid evening.  I'm watching TV, and usually on the computer or knitting.

9. What character on TV or in film is most similar to you? You can go with looks or personality. Or you can make a quip and go to the next question. Nothing comes to mind here.

10. What's something weird you wanna do? I wish I could travel like we used to do.

11. Have you ever accomplished a New Years Resolution? I haven't made New Years' resolutions in years.  And probably if I ever made any, I wouldn't keep them.

12. Is there any music artist you look up to? Just about any one of them has more musical talent than I do.

13. Are you allergic to anything? If yes, what? Work, in general.  But also pollen, dust, trees, grasses, ragweed - all the usual nasal allergens.

14. When was the last time you took a swim? Who else was with you? Friday morning - and every Mon/Wed/Fri - with my water exercise class.

15. Would you rather have the ability to sleep for as long as you want, or have the ability to never have to sleep? I like sleeping.  I'd like to be able to sleep for as long as I wanted, without getting up every 2-3 hours.

A warm Thursday

 Margaret and I met with my financial gal yesterday.  We had thought we had finally gotten everything taken care of.  But no! mail showed up last week addressed to "JDZ (Dec)", so we're having to jump through some hoops for that one.  But we're close!  These folks are SO good (even Margaret is pleased), and I'm so glad to have them to manage finances for me.

I went to Silver Sneakers this morning, and that was it for the day.  I watched some of the Senate hearings, but couldn't stay with it for too long - so mostly the TV was off during the day. They're painting in the empty apartment next door to me.  The maintenance guy doesn't know if it's rented or if they're just getting ready to show it to potential renters.  It'll be nice to have a new neighbor.

The group here played some bridge tonight.  We have a new player.  One of the new residents is a player (yea!).  He's a retired Episcopal minister who has moved in with his forgetful wife - a nice guy and a good player.  Maybe we'll get some more players sometime.

Life with the Y

Our swim class has gotten to be a challenge.  A couple of weeks ago, the temperature in the lap pool (where our class is held) was +/- 10 degrees colder than it should be.  No classes then, unless they could be held in the smaller therapy pool.

I finally started back in the class last Monday.  The temperature outside was in the teens, but was just right in the lap pool.  It didn't last long.

This morning, the circulation pump/motor was broken and the lap pool was closed.  We did have class - in the therapy pool.  We're to call before we go to the Y Friday morning.

And on 30 January, for at least three weeks (i.e., most of February)both pools will be closed for badly-needed resurfacing. We can check on classes at one of the other branches in town.

Swim class will certainly be problematic until March. 

The Farewell Address

What grace and class!  This improbable president will be sorely missed.  I wish him well in his new life.

Cards

I went to duplicate tonight.  My partner and I had really yucky cards - usually not even enough to play decent defense.  I did get into one difficult contract and played it well and made the contract.  That made evening not a total loss.  LOL  Such is life playing bridge.

Brrrrr

I stayed in all day yesterday.  The temperature never got above freezing, and it was 15 degrees F this morning.  The bright sunshine looks lovely, but it is Brrrr!  And it's supposed to be in the mid60s by the end of the week.

Welcome to the South!

Plans?

Today didn't quite turn out as planned.  I was going to the Y and to coffee, and then play duplicate in the afternoon.  And then weather happened.

It turned super cold, and we had snow predicted beginning about noon. I knew it wasn't supposed to do much here, but I leave for the Y in the dark, and it's very hilly, making roads treacherous. I decided to be smart and stay home.  Some snow showers started about noon, so I texted my duplicate partner that I was going to stay home.  Of course, then the snow stopped.

As it wound up, I stayed home all day, doing important stuff.  I knitted and played on the computer.  And spent the afternoon watching the news about the awful shooting in the Ft. Lauderdale airport.

So much for plans.

Busy day

I went to the Y this morning, then had a mani/pedi (such luxury!).  Randy asked me to knit him a sweater vest, so I went looking for a pattern.  I was surprised at how hard it was to find one - looked first on line, then Walmart, then HobbyLobby - the easiest places for me.  No success.  So I headed to my local yarn store and, of course, they found a pattern for me.  I also bought the yarn there.  That won't take as long as the other project I have going, so I'll probably alternate between them.

Margaret and Jesse came to town, looking for bamboo flooring to replace her den floor.  They came to get me and we went for Mexican food.  Always fun.

Ruts?

Sometimes it's comfortable to get back into our ruts.

I went to Silver Sneakers this morning - the first time since my knee replacement.  I was able to do most things, and at least I went.  I'm getting back into going to the Y on a regular basis.  I haven't gotten into the class yet, but I'm working through the same time.  And I even went to Walmart this morning, too.

Normality!

Day 2

All day rain and fog - but we came in third at duplicate tonight.  8^)

And on into 2017

Now the new year starts.

YMCA, doctors, bridge.

Just the usual.

Looking back, Part 2

LOOKING BACK, PART 2

26. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

Nothing specific, but I always love the time at the beach and the travel.

27. Did you drink a lot of alcohol in 2016?

I haven't used alcohol since I started having an allergic reaction with a medication.  Never went back to it when I changed medications.

28. Did you do a lot of drugs in 2016?

Only legally prescribed ones.

29. Did you treat somebody badly in 2016?

I hope not.  Not deliberately anyway.

30. Did somebody treat you badly in 2016?

Nobody that I can think of.

32. What do you wish you'd done more of in 2016?

I probably should find more ways to be physically active. I'm such a slug. I would love to be able to read more.

33. What do you wish you'd done less of?

Sit less, be more active.

35. What was your favorite TV program(s)?

NCIS ( + LA & NO), Blue Bloods, Rachel Maddow, Longmire, BookTV, Madame Secretary, PBS News Hour, Washington Week.

36. What song will always remind you of 2016?

I can't think of one.

37. How many stage shows did you see in 2016?

None.

38. Did you have a favorite stage show in 2016?

See above.

39. What was your greatest musical discovery?

None.

40. What was the best book you read?

I do wish I could read more.  It's hard to get much read when it's only in fits and starts - mostly when waiting for something.

41. What was your favorite film of this year?

The only movie I saw in a theater was a special screening of The King and I. It's still great.

42. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

I was 80 in March, but no special events (unless you count renewing my driver's license and my passport).

43. What did you want and get?

Another year.

44. What did you want and not get?

Nothing.

45. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

If Donald Trump had not been around.

46. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2016?

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

47. What kept you sane?

My family and friends - and probably knitting.

48. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

The Obamas.

49. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2016.

Never say "never" - it'll bite you in the butt every time.

50. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

Most of the music I listen to doesn't have lyrics.

** HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYBODY! **

Too funny not to share..

ANNUAL NEOLOGISM CONTEST

Once again, The Washington Post has published the winning submissions to its yearly contest, in which readers are asked to supply alternative meanings for common words. The winners are: 

1. Coffee (N.), the person upon whom one coughs. 

2. Flabbergasted (adj.), appalled over how much weight you have gained. 

3. Abdicate (V.), to give up all hope of ever having a flat stomach. 

4. Esplanade (V.), to attempt an explanation while drunk. 

5. Willy-nilly (Adj.), impotent.

6. Negligent (Adj.), describes a condition in which you absentmindedly answer the door in your nightgown. 

7. Lymph (V.), to walk with a lisp. 

8. Gargoyle (N.), olive-flavored mouthwash. 

9. Flatulence (N.) emergency vehicle that picks you up after you are run over by a steamroller. 

10. Balderdash (N.), a rapidly receding hairline. 

11. Testicle (N.), a humorous question on an exam. 

12. Rectitude (N.), the formal, dignified bearing adopted by proctologists. 

13. Pokemon (N), a Rastafarian proctologist. 

14. Oyster (N.), a person who sprinkles his conversation with  Yiddishisms. 

15. Frisbeetarianism (N.), (back by popular demand): The belief that,  when you die, your Soul flies up onto the roof and gets stuck there. 

16. Circumvent (N.), an opening in the front of boxer shorts worn by Jewish men. 

 The Washington Post's Style Invitational also asked readers to take any word from the dictionary, alter it by adding, subtracting, or changing one letter, and supply a new definition. Here are this year's winners:

 1. Bozone (N.): The substance surrounding stupid people that stops bright ideas from penetrating. The bozone layer, unfortunately, shows little sign of breaking down in the near future. 

2. Foreploy (V): Any misrepresentation about yourself for the purpose of getting laid. 

3. Cashtration (N.): The act of buying a house, which renders the subject financially impotent for an indefinite period. 

4. Giraffiti (N): Vandalism spray-painted very, very high. 

5. Sarchasm (N): The gulf between the author of sarcastic wit and the person who doesn't get it. 

6. Inoculatte (V): To take coffee intravenously when you are running late. 

7. Hipatitis (N): Terminal coolness. 

8. Osteopornosis (N): A degenerate disease. (This one got extra credit.) 

9. Karmageddon (N): It's like, when everybody is sending off all these really bad vibes, right?  And then, like, the Earth explodes and it's like, a serious bummer. 

10. Decafalon (N.): The grueling event of getting through the day consuming only things that are good for you. 

11. Glibido (V): All talk and no action. 

12. Dopeler effect (N): The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at you rapidly. 

13. Arachnoleptic fit (N.): The frantic dance performed just after you've accidentally walked through a spider web. 

14. Beelzebug (N.): Satan in the form of a mosquito that gets into your bedroom at three in the morning and cannot be cast out. 

15. Caterpallor (N.): The color you turn after finding half a grub in the fruit you're eating.

And the pick of the literature: 

16. Ignoranus (N): A person who's both stupid and an asshole

2016 Wrap-up

I stole this idea and questions from Bev in her blog,  Funny the World.  Thanks, Bev. 

1. Was 2016 a good year for you?  In general, not too bad. 

2. What was your favorite moment(s) of the year? Spending time with family and friends. 

3. What was your least favorite moment(s) of the year? The 2016 Election. 

4. What did you do in 2016 that you'd never done before? Vote for a woman for President. 

5. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I haven't made New Year's resolutions for ages. 

6. Where were you when 2016 began? Asleep in my bed. 

7. Who were you with? Alone. 

8. Where will you be when 2016 ends? Probably the same 

9. Who will you be with when 2016 ends? Also the same. 

10. Did anyone close to you give birth? Ryan Kaye (my first cousin twice removed) was born. 

11. Did you lose anybody close to you in 2016? Yes - Martha, Mama Jean 

12. Who did you miss? John, Bobby 

13. Who was the best new person you met in 2016? I can't think of anybody new that I met, but we gained Claire and Erica as family members. 

14. What was your favorite month of 2016? I guess June - the beach month. 

15. Did you travel outside of the US in 2016? Not this year. 

16. How many different states did you travel to in 2016? TN, AL, FL, GA, KY, WV, VA, MD, DE, NC, ME.  That about covers the SouthEast, plus Maine. 

17. What would you like to have in 2017 that you lacked in 2016? I can't think of anything offhand. 

18. What date from 2016 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? 8 November - Election Day 

19. What was your biggest achievement of the year? Surviving another year, and getting a new knee. 

20. What was your biggest failure? Not recuperating as quickly as I thought I should. 

21. Did you suffer illness or injury? Just more of the same - plus a new knee. 

22. What was the best thing you bought? I guess that would be my new knee - although the trip to Maine and the beach were more fun. 

23. Whose behavior merited celebration? We celebrated at our grandsons' weddings. 

24. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? No question here - Donald Trump 

25. Where did most of your money go? Rent (including food, etc.), travel, and a new knee (although I haven't seen any bills yet).

Monday wrap-up

After a friend enlightened me (Thanks, Kay), and I checked google, I'm happy to report that there will be a Season 6 of Longmire, starting sometime next year.  Don't look it up, though, unless you want to read some spoilers.

I wound up staying home over Christmas.  Margaret called Saturday morning to say she had a raspy throat and was coming down with whatever Jesse was just getting over.  Kate said she was sick with something, too.  Jean declined to get involved - saying she had enough respiratory problems without exposing herself to more.  And they all wanted me to stay out of the contagion zone.  It was quiet here and I got a lot of knitting and TV watching done.  Margaret texted this morning and says she still feels awful and is treating herself with soup and TV football.  I suggested she add some hot toddies and just continue to stay home.  She's off work all week in any case.

TV reviews

I'm not a great fan of Christmas movies - particularly when they're on 24/7 - as they are at this time of year.  Plus all the network/cable programs I normally watch are doing reruns. So I decided to watch some Netflix today.  I've loved the Longmire series - the books by Craig Johnson and the TV series, both on A&E and on Netflix. Actually that's why I subscribed to Netflix in the first place.  I have heard that the season of Longmire that was released this spring was to be the last season.  Well, I finished the series this afternoon, and without giving a spoiler, I have to say it was a MOST unsatisfactory final program.  I only hope that there will be new programs coming. Having vented about that, I've started watching a new Netflix series - Medici.  It's a period show set in Renaissance Florence.  The costumes and views of the wonderful architecture are feasts for the eyes.  I've watched only one program, so the jury is still out on the quality of the program.  We shall see.

Holiday Season

Dear Friends:
I hope your Holiday Season is a happy one - no matter what holiday (if any) you choose to celebrate!

Duplicate bridge

We came in last.  I guess somebody has to.

Thursday haiku

Warm day - open door!

Morning PT, then nothing.

Bridge cancelled.  Phooey!

The week before

It's a very quiet week-before-Christmas - at least for me.  I went to PT and to Walmart (WOW!).

Our swim group holiday covered-dish brunch was this morning.  I didn't go to the pool, but wouldn't miss that party.  The food was amazing, of course, and it's so good to see these nice folks away from the pool.

Tomorrow will be PT and a few hands of after-supper-bridge.

Sorry for tantalizing you with all this excitement!

Bookends

Bookends for the day.

Morning PT. Nap middle.

Evening duplicate!

p.s. Tied for second.