May you leave behind all the bad things of 2017, and take the good things with you into 2018. May 2018 bring you more good things than bad, and the bad things only irritations.
I wish you all peace, love, and understanding.
Sunday, December 31, 2017
Thursday, December 28, 2017
Words to live by - for 2018 and always
"Life goes on amidst chaos and everyone doing their best to stay well and sane." (thanks to JMcC)
Tuesday, December 26, 2017
Five Days of Christmas
Friday - Margaret picked me up about noon. We stopped at Macalister's Deli for lunch, and then headed for Hillsboro. It's always fun to reconnect with Margaret's menagerie. Squeaky (the cat) and Ferg (Jesse's dog) are sweet critters, very loving. The weather was cold and damp and grey.
Saturday - We started getting ready for our first Christmas dinner - with Matt & Claire (and their "babies" Barley and Hops) and Jesse & Darby. I finished one baby sweater I was working on, and started another. It wasn't a huge meal, but wonderful turkey and country ham, pinto beans, green beans, corn, and (for Margaret and me) dressing left-over from Thanksgiving. After dinner, we had our present-opening. There were some lovely choices and some funny choices - but the highlight was Claire's gift to Jesse - a box of "Beard-a-ments". These are tiny ornament balls on clips to put in a beard. Jesse did not think it was quite as funny as the rest of us did, but he was a good sport about it.
Sunday - Jesse had had to work overnight. He and Matt met at the Waffle House for breakfast, and brought waffles back to the rest of us. Margaret went to church, and the rest of us talked and stayed out of serious trouble. The cold nasty weather continued, but at least we weren't getting the horrendous snow and bitterly cold of the upper midWest. Matt, Claire and their doodles left in early afternoon, and we just knitted/read/napped away the rest of the afternoon. Margaret went to midnight mass and I headed off to bed.
Monday - We left Margaret's about 7, ate at Waffle House before getting on I-24 to drive to Nashville to pick up Jean and her friend, Kay. We headed to Kate's in western Kentucky, getting there about 11. Lots of good visiting. It had been a while since I'd been to Kate's, so it was good for all of us. We had a nice dinner of lasagna, artichoke-heart casserole, home-made French bread, and even some mincemeat pie tarts for desert - an unusual, but delicious Christmas dinner. We got back to Margaret's about 7. It never got warmer than about the mid30s, but we did at least get to see some good sunshine - first in about 5 days. It made for a nice Christmas present.
Tuesday - We had a surprise visit this morning from a farrier, looking for the folks who needed some horses shoed (shod?). Jesse and Darby weren't there, but once found, got to the house to get the process started. Obviously, as I told Margaret, my lack of knowledge about horses is vast. Guess I'll be picking up more info if Jesse keeps up the horse ownership. Margaret and I left about 11 to bring me back home. Because of heavy traffic, we spent most of the trip on US 41, even driving into Chattanooga on surface roads - a very pleasant drive. And the welcome sunshine made it even better. We ate a nice Mexican lunch on the way home, Margaret got me back in the apartment, and returned home safely.
It was nice to see lots of family, and I hope to see the rest of them before too much longer. It was a good holiday. I hope everybody else had a good one, too.
Tuesday, December 19, 2017
Slothful!
Sorry to have not written much. Not busy, just slothful.
An old friend, Missy, spent the night with me last night. She slept on the new sofa bed in the living room, which is open to the kitchen. She lives near Knoxville now, and her mother-in-law lives here at the Terrace. The MIL is dying, and with Hospice. Missy's husband is out of town on business, so she is checking in for a couple of days. I offered to have her stay here last night, and she was glad to have the chance to get away for a few hours. We went out to our favorite Mexican place for dinner, and she's staying again tonight.
Our swim group had it's Xmas after-class brunch yesterday - all sorts of good food, and a chance to see each other in "real" clothes and to chat. It's always a fun time. One of the gals super-decorates her lovely home and always has us come there.
I got to play duplicate last night - I didn't think we did too poorly, but we came in last again. Oh, well - it's always good to get out.
Happy Holidays to all - whatever holiday you may celebrate!
An old friend, Missy, spent the night with me last night. She slept on the new sofa bed in the living room, which is open to the kitchen. She lives near Knoxville now, and her mother-in-law lives here at the Terrace. The MIL is dying, and with Hospice. Missy's husband is out of town on business, so she is checking in for a couple of days. I offered to have her stay here last night, and she was glad to have the chance to get away for a few hours. We went out to our favorite Mexican place for dinner, and she's staying again tonight.
Our swim group had it's Xmas after-class brunch yesterday - all sorts of good food, and a chance to see each other in "real" clothes and to chat. It's always a fun time. One of the gals super-decorates her lovely home and always has us come there.
I got to play duplicate last night - I didn't think we did too poorly, but we came in last again. Oh, well - it's always good to get out.
Happy Holidays to all - whatever holiday you may celebrate!
Wednesday, December 13, 2017
Chilly Wednesday
Pretty cold here - in the 20s this morning when I headed out to swimming. I took my car in for the annual inspection. I've learned to go midweek in the middle of the month, and rarely have to wait. Today I was the only one there when I drove up, and it took all of 5 minutes. I came home, filled out the online application, and should get my renewal stickers in the mail tomorrow. They're good! That was pretty much all for today - and about the same for tomorrow. I'll just stay in and stay warm (basking in the glow from Doug Jones' victory in Alabama).
Saturday, December 09, 2017
Brrrr!
Nothing going on around here, and that's a good thing. We had snow showers here yesterday afternoon, but up to 10" in the higher elevations in our TV viewing area. The high today was only in the low 40s, with 20s predicted for overnight. This is about 10* colder than our usual temps for this time of year. At least we don't have any precipitation in the forecast.
It's a good time for knitting and binge-watching.
Thursday, December 07, 2017
Visit to the Spine Clinic
The good news is that there is no imminent surgery on my back, and no MRI scheduled yet.
The bad news is that I have really bad scoliosis and no discs at all in the disc spaces. Basically, there is probably some major back surgery in my future, if I live long enough, and the timing will be at my discretion. But as long as I'm not having symptoms in my legs and pain no more than it usually is, I can wait. I'm to go back in three months. And, they will schedule an MRI and potential surgery anytime I think I'm ready.
As long as I don't have pain like I did last Sunday/Monday, I'm willing to wait. But it wouldn't take many days like that to have me ready to schedule surgery.
The bad news is that I have really bad scoliosis and no discs at all in the disc spaces. Basically, there is probably some major back surgery in my future, if I live long enough, and the timing will be at my discretion. But as long as I'm not having symptoms in my legs and pain no more than it usually is, I can wait. I'm to go back in three months. And, they will schedule an MRI and potential surgery anytime I think I'm ready.
As long as I don't have pain like I did last Sunday/Monday, I'm willing to wait. But it wouldn't take many days like that to have me ready to schedule surgery.
Wednesday, December 06, 2017
Update
It's 41* here now, and supposed to get near freezing tonight. I hope I don't have to scrape the windshield in the morning. My appointment with the spine clinic is at 9 tomorrow morning. I haven't been to this location before, so will be leaving the house between 8 and 8:15, to be sure to get there on time. I'm feeling better than a couple of days ago - more like the usual level of pain. I don't know what happened to cause the severe pain (up to an 8 or 9 on the scale) of Sunday and Monday, but it wasn't there when I got up on Tuesday. For this, I'm very grateful! I had an optometry checkup last week, and have new glasses ordered. I'll pick them up on Friday.
The monthly residents' meeting was this afternoon. I guess there's always drama in any senior living facility, and this place is no exception. Our Executive Director is leaving as of this week. At least he wasn't fired, it was a personal decision (he's moving back to Texas where his wife is in a long-time job). In any case, he's been quite good, and everybody pretty much likes him. So now corporate has to find somebody new, and we have to "break him/her in". In the two years I've lived here, this will be the 4th ED, along with the second corporate owner. Oh, well...
In the technology department, Comcast/Xfinity sent me a new piece of equipment, saying that it's is "easy to install", and I should be able to do it myself. Yeah, right! With great trepidation, I set out to do this chore - along with mental plans for what to do when I couldn't make it work. To my great amazement, all I had to do was unplug three plugs from the old one, and plug them into the new one, then get on my devices and re-log in to my network. The whole process took about 30 minutes. And, what I'm proudest of, I remembered to get the serial number of the equipment and put it in the listing where I keep all my passwords, etc.
Friday, December 01, 2017
Friday Five
I've been AWOL - sorry.
1. This week has been buffeted by family health issues. No specifics to share at this time.
2. I got to play bridge twice this week. No master points, but at least today we got some good hands that we played well.
3. The hot water was off in the dressing room I use at the YMCA all week. I didn't go to the pool Wednesday (bad me!), but did go today. I just used another dressing room.
4. I figured out how to borrow an e-book from my library (thanks, Kate!), and checked out Unbelievable, by Katy Tur. She was the NBC/MSNBC reporter who covered Trump from the day he announced in 2015. It's a good read.
5. I've gotten a couple of hats knitted out of left-over yarn. Now to get to work on the socks I've been delaying working on.
1. This week has been buffeted by family health issues. No specifics to share at this time.
2. I got to play bridge twice this week. No master points, but at least today we got some good hands that we played well.
3. The hot water was off in the dressing room I use at the YMCA all week. I didn't go to the pool Wednesday (bad me!), but did go today. I just used another dressing room.
4. I figured out how to borrow an e-book from my library (thanks, Kate!), and checked out Unbelievable, by Katy Tur. She was the NBC/MSNBC reporter who covered Trump from the day he announced in 2015. It's a good read.
5. I've gotten a couple of hats knitted out of left-over yarn. Now to get to work on the socks I've been delaying working on.
Wednesday, November 29, 2017
Friday, November 24, 2017
Not quite Thanksgiving
Margaret came for me yesterday afternoon, and she's been cooking all day today. I've done a little helping - mostly what I can do sitting down. Then I did the last part of making the dressing - adding the seasonings and stirring and tasting. I mentioned that I was hungry for a steak, so she got some for us tonight. Jesse cooked them on the grill - and a lovely medium-rare steak was SO good.
The big news here was a phone call from Sarah (the youngest grandchild) telling me that her Carson had literally gotten down on one knee and proposed to her - ring and all. I don't think the wedding will be too soon, but they've been together for a while, so no hurry. We're all excited for the two of them.
Wednesday, November 22, 2017
Love and Food
It's gotten to be late November and time for Thanksgiving.
This is one of my favorite holidays and I hate that it has gotten passed over with all the emphasis on Christmas. And that's really all about shopping, spending money, and commercialism. The radio station playing in the lobby of The Terrace started playing Christmas music on the day after Halloween! I asked them to turn it off, but of course, that didn't happen. Sigh...
The traditional Southern Thanksgiving meal is one of my favorites. It's a lot of work, but since everything is the same each year, there's really not much mental work involved. I love the turkey, dressing, country ham, cranberries (in all forms), squash casserole, green beans, potatoes (white and sweet), gravy, mincemeat pie, pumpkin pie, and whatever else shows up.
And then there's the family and friends who gather to share in the bounty. When the girls married, shared holidays with other families, had children, and traditions of their own to develop, John and I started having our celebration on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. The getting-together was the important thing, not a specific day or date.
The number to feed has always been variable. It depends on which family members are able to come. So we started inviting friends to join us. Since there is always SO much food, the number of mouths isn't important. Plus we never try to all sit down at the same table at the same time.
For this family, the holiday is about Love (and food)!
Happy Thanksgiving!
This is one of my favorite holidays and I hate that it has gotten passed over with all the emphasis on Christmas. And that's really all about shopping, spending money, and commercialism. The radio station playing in the lobby of The Terrace started playing Christmas music on the day after Halloween! I asked them to turn it off, but of course, that didn't happen. Sigh...
The traditional Southern Thanksgiving meal is one of my favorites. It's a lot of work, but since everything is the same each year, there's really not much mental work involved. I love the turkey, dressing, country ham, cranberries (in all forms), squash casserole, green beans, potatoes (white and sweet), gravy, mincemeat pie, pumpkin pie, and whatever else shows up.
And then there's the family and friends who gather to share in the bounty. When the girls married, shared holidays with other families, had children, and traditions of their own to develop, John and I started having our celebration on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. The getting-together was the important thing, not a specific day or date.
The number to feed has always been variable. It depends on which family members are able to come. So we started inviting friends to join us. Since there is always SO much food, the number of mouths isn't important. Plus we never try to all sit down at the same table at the same time.
For this family, the holiday is about Love (and food)!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Sunday, November 19, 2017
Sunday Six
1. I've slept well the two nights since that last "Sleepless in Chattanooga" night.
2. Sue asked me about making the Christmas thing with the mothballs in a tank of water that bounced up and down like snowballs, using the mixture of baking soda and vinegar to make the carbonation bubbles. I hadn't thought of that in a zillion years. Did anybody else do that? Do you remember the formula?
3. That terrible line of thunderstorms roared through here last evening, with only about 0.25" of rain. It was fast, and nothing severe here. I just learned tonight that there was an F1 tornado in the Nashville area last night. Wow!
4. It did get cold overnight, but turned out to be a nice sunny day.
5. It's supposed to be near freezing in the morning when I leave for the Y. So I guess I'll have to scrape the windshield. I hate doing that. I think I'll try the spray bottle of alcohol if there's frost.
6. Thinking ahead to Thanksgiving, my friend posted pictures of her table already set for dinner. That couldn't happen in our family! For starters, we have our Thanksgiving dinner on the Saturday following Thanksgiving Day. And, our dinner is never for a finite number of people. Our celebration has always been with the family who can be there in person, plus an assortment of good friends who are able to be with us. It's probably my favorite holiday for sharing.
2. Sue asked me about making the Christmas thing with the mothballs in a tank of water that bounced up and down like snowballs, using the mixture of baking soda and vinegar to make the carbonation bubbles. I hadn't thought of that in a zillion years. Did anybody else do that? Do you remember the formula?
3. That terrible line of thunderstorms roared through here last evening, with only about 0.25" of rain. It was fast, and nothing severe here. I just learned tonight that there was an F1 tornado in the Nashville area last night. Wow!
4. It did get cold overnight, but turned out to be a nice sunny day.
5. It's supposed to be near freezing in the morning when I leave for the Y. So I guess I'll have to scrape the windshield. I hate doing that. I think I'll try the spray bottle of alcohol if there's frost.
6. Thinking ahead to Thanksgiving, my friend posted pictures of her table already set for dinner. That couldn't happen in our family! For starters, we have our Thanksgiving dinner on the Saturday following Thanksgiving Day. And, our dinner is never for a finite number of people. Our celebration has always been with the family who can be there in person, plus an assortment of good friends who are able to be with us. It's probably my favorite holiday for sharing.
Friday, November 17, 2017
Tuesday, November 14, 2017
Bridge
I played duplicate last night. For a change, my partner and I did well. With 10 pairs and 18 boards, we came in 2nd and had a couple of high boards - all for 0.56 MP! Nothing much else going on.
Friday, November 10, 2017
Five for Friday
- The pool felt really good this morning. And coffee with my buddies is always a treat.
- I did a couple of errands while I was out - post office, and checking on my Comcast account. They keep telling us that the building is going to switch to our local fiberoptic provider (which we had before I moved here). It is so much better - and I wish that would happen sometime.
- I'm going to have to start bringing the bird feeders in again. Some critter cleaned them out last night. I don't know what, though. It couldn't have been a raccoon because the feeders weren't knocked off their hooks or disturbed in any way - just empty. A mystery!
- The folks here at the Terrace have put up a Wall of Honor across from the dining room, with photos of our veterans, back in the day, in their uniforms. There's a special party tomorrow morning to honor them. We even have a woman who served in the Air Force during WW2.
- I've placed a pick-up order from my local Walmart and will pick it up in the morning. I absolutely LOVE this service, and haven't been in the store in several months. Plus there's no charge!
Tuesday, November 07, 2017
Tuesday weather
I woke up about 4 and couldn't go back to sleep. I got up about 5, ate some cereal, and headed for the chair. To my surprise, I slept hard until after 8! I really had to make myself get up, get dressed, and go to Silver Sneakers.
We had a lovely hard rain this morning - nothing severe or windy, but an inch in the rain gauge. The temperature dropped about 15* during the day. According to the weatherman tonight, there were severe storms with very high winds and some damage in the counties just north of us. I'm glad we didn't get any of that.
We had a lovely hard rain this morning - nothing severe or windy, but an inch in the rain gauge. The temperature dropped about 15* during the day. According to the weatherman tonight, there were severe storms with very high winds and some damage in the counties just north of us. I'm glad we didn't get any of that.
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Yorkshire Pudding is a blog I follow. His post today about the "Paradise Papers" and paying (or not paying) taxes is super. Check it out.
Monday, November 06, 2017
Good start to the week
At the suggestion of a friend, I got some Icy-Hot patches to try for symptomatic relief for my back pain. I didn't have much pain yesterday when I first tried one, but one time does not a solution make. On the other hand, it's almost impossible to put a sticky patch on your own lower back - especially when one arm doesn't work very well. So I don't know if it's something I want to try again (unless I can find some kind soul to apply it for me - LOL).
Monday night is for duplicate. Partner and I wound up in the middle - not too bad, but no Master Points.
I had a year-end appointment with my financial counsellor this morning. She is great, and is doing such a good job with managing my assets. I'm really pleased with the way she/the firm are handling things. They're not only keeping me solvent, but continuing to grow my "nest egg". It's certainly comforting to me (and the girls) to know that I can live out my life without any money problems or being a financial burden on the kids.
Monday night is for duplicate. Partner and I wound up in the middle - not too bad, but no Master Points.
I had a year-end appointment with my financial counsellor this morning. She is great, and is doing such a good job with managing my assets. I'm really pleased with the way she/the firm are handling things. They're not only keeping me solvent, but continuing to grow my "nest egg". It's certainly comforting to me (and the girls) to know that I can live out my life without any money problems or being a financial burden on the kids.
Saturday, November 04, 2017
Sunday Stealing
First Things First
{1} First thing you would do/buy if you won the lottery: First thing I could call my financial advisor and arrange for an attorney. Of course, I would have to buy a ticket first.
{2} First person you call when you get amazing news: My daughters.
{3} First thing you do when you've had a bad day: Head for my chair and some knitting.
{4} First movie you went to without your parents: That was probably 70+ years ago - I have no idea.
{5} First sport you played (Little League-style or in school): Never played sports in school, except when required in gym class.
{6} First major injury: Severed artery from a broken bowl.
{7} First product I use in the shower: Body wash.
{8} First apartment or house on your own (away from you parents!): When John and I moved into the apartment on Garrett St.
{9} First Roommate(s): John
{10} First Time Living Away from Home: Summer away from home working at a resort hotel in Colorado.
{11} First magazine subscription: Jack & Jill
{12} First real piece of jewelry you owned: My wedding ring.
{13} First time staying home alone: I have no idea.
{14} First thing I reach for in the fridge: Ice
{15} First car accident or traffic violation: Rear ended by a truck.
Bonus: Toilet paper, over or under? Over.
{1} First thing you would do/buy if you won the lottery: First thing I could call my financial advisor and arrange for an attorney. Of course, I would have to buy a ticket first.
{2} First person you call when you get amazing news: My daughters.
{3} First thing you do when you've had a bad day: Head for my chair and some knitting.
{4} First movie you went to without your parents: That was probably 70+ years ago - I have no idea.
{5} First sport you played (Little League-style or in school): Never played sports in school, except when required in gym class.
{6} First major injury: Severed artery from a broken bowl.
{7} First product I use in the shower: Body wash.
{8} First apartment or house on your own (away from you parents!): When John and I moved into the apartment on Garrett St.
{9} First Roommate(s): John
{10} First Time Living Away from Home: Summer away from home working at a resort hotel in Colorado.
{11} First magazine subscription: Jack & Jill
{12} First real piece of jewelry you owned: My wedding ring.
{13} First time staying home alone: I have no idea.
{14} First thing I reach for in the fridge: Ice
{15} First car accident or traffic violation: Rear ended by a truck.
Bonus: Toilet paper, over or under? Over.
Friday, November 03, 2017
Five for Friday
- Obviously it's been a very quiet week.
- Margaret came over last Saturday to get the transportable plants off my deck, to put in her greenhouse. We were due to get a frost Sunday night. It did frost, and the tender stuff that was left got shriveled.
- I played duplicate Monday night with a different party. We did fairly well, but the scorekeeper screwed something up, and the results never got posted. Oh, well - maybe next week.
- My back pain has gotten bad enough that I've made an appointment to see the spine doctor. Earliest available time is on 8 December. We'll make it work until then.
- I substituted at duplicate this afternoon. The scores got posted, but we didn't win any master points. Oh, well...
Sunday, October 29, 2017
Sunday Stealing - Halloween version
ghost: what would you like on your tombstone? I don't plan on having one - maybe just a lovely tree.
dracula: are you afraid of aging? or death? Not really - maybe just the process.
nosferatu: what, as a child, did you imagine went bump in the night? I don't remember anything.
godzilla: what do you do when you are angry? are you ever destructive? I used to occasionally throw things. Now I just shout obscenities.
the blob: do you collect anything? if so, what & why? Over the years, I have collected owls, penguins, and flamingoes. Now, I'm working on getting rid of thing.
zombie: when was the last time you trusted your gut? was it successful? I think when I decided to put some of John's ashes at the base of a new tree in the Sculpture Fields.
mothra: what is something dangerous that attracts or fascinates you? I'm not into anything dangerous.
king kong: what are some questionable choices you've made lately? I'm sure there have been some, but nothing comes to mind.
alien: what is your strangest feature? My feet (yuck!)
cthulhu: do you like the ocean? why or why not? I LOVE the ocean.
nessie: have you ever felt invisible to people -- the feeling of not existing? I'd like to be invisible sometime, just to eavesdrop.
mutant spider: what is one of your biggest fears? Being totally dependent on others.
werewolf: if you could change into any nonhuman animal and back at will, what animal would you change into and why? A pet belonging to any of my daughters.
golem: if you could make up an imaginary friend, what would they be like and why? Three others to play bridge with.
leprechaun: what is your "pot of gold" (or white whale, if you'd rather) My wonderful family.
sharktopus: what is something you've done that was ridiculous or a bad decision? Can't think of one specifically.
robot: what is a habit you do without thinking? I can knit socks without thinking much about it.
dracula: are you afraid of aging? or death? Not really - maybe just the process.
nosferatu: what, as a child, did you imagine went bump in the night? I don't remember anything.
godzilla: what do you do when you are angry? are you ever destructive? I used to occasionally throw things. Now I just shout obscenities.
the blob: do you collect anything? if so, what & why? Over the years, I have collected owls, penguins, and flamingoes. Now, I'm working on getting rid of thing.
zombie: when was the last time you trusted your gut? was it successful? I think when I decided to put some of John's ashes at the base of a new tree in the Sculpture Fields.
mothra: what is something dangerous that attracts or fascinates you? I'm not into anything dangerous.
king kong: what are some questionable choices you've made lately? I'm sure there have been some, but nothing comes to mind.
alien: what is your strangest feature? My feet (yuck!)
cthulhu: do you like the ocean? why or why not? I LOVE the ocean.
nessie: have you ever felt invisible to people -- the feeling of not existing? I'd like to be invisible sometime, just to eavesdrop.
mutant spider: what is one of your biggest fears? Being totally dependent on others.
werewolf: if you could change into any nonhuman animal and back at will, what animal would you change into and why? A pet belonging to any of my daughters.
golem: if you could make up an imaginary friend, what would they be like and why? Three others to play bridge with.
leprechaun: what is your "pot of gold" (or white whale, if you'd rather) My wonderful family.
sharktopus: what is something you've done that was ridiculous or a bad decision? Can't think of one specifically.
robot: what is a habit you do without thinking? I can knit socks without thinking much about it.
Wednesday, October 25, 2017
Logistics
The roofers are still banging - but it's not been loud enough for me to resort to ear plugs (yet!). They still have the parking lot blocked off, but... This morning, I had no problem getting to my car to go to the Y. I had placed an order at Walmart for pickup, and hadn't decided how I was going to go about getting it into my apartment. When I got home, the no-parking-sign for my parking lot was still up, but the barrier was down. So I pulled up outside my usual door, and took the groceries and my swim bag in and just left them inside the door. Then I moved my car back to a place near the front of the building, came in, and picked up my stuff (in two trips) to take to the apartment.
Explanation: My apartment is on the first floor, but the first and second floors were additions added to the rear of the building, on the slope below the larger building. There are only six apartments on each hallway, and each floor is stepped down, so there is no-one above or below each floor. This makes the "main" floor, with the main entrance, dining room, etc., on the 3rd floor. The main part of the building is quite long with something like 24 apartments on the 4th and 5th floors and about 15 apartments plus the Memory Wing on the 3rd floor.
Explanation: My apartment is on the first floor, but the first and second floors were additions added to the rear of the building, on the slope below the larger building. There are only six apartments on each hallway, and each floor is stepped down, so there is no-one above or below each floor. This makes the "main" floor, with the main entrance, dining room, etc., on the 3rd floor. The main part of the building is quite long with something like 24 apartments on the 4th and 5th floors and about 15 apartments plus the Memory Wing on the 3rd floor.
Tuesday, October 24, 2017
Glorious autumn!
It was a lovely fall day here. The music of the day, though, was of men stomping around over my head, with accompaniment by lots of banging. It's definitely music, though, because they're putting on a new roof. This means no more leaking in my shower, and that I should be able to put my car back where I want it before too long. We're supposed to have beautiful weather all week, so maybe that means no weather delays in the roofing.
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I have to give an attaboy to our Senator Bob Corker. I never voted for him, and seldom agree with him on policy. But he has made Tennessee proud in the last few weeks, with his honesty, patriotism, and honor.
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I have to give an attaboy to our Senator Bob Corker. I never voted for him, and seldom agree with him on policy. But he has made Tennessee proud in the last few weeks, with his honesty, patriotism, and honor.
Sunday, October 22, 2017
Everyday Miscellany
I haven't been writing much - things have been definitely quiet (not that that's a bad thing), and it would just be monotonous.
The big event of the past week was the beginning of new roofing happening here at The Terrace. It's been badly needed, so it's a good thing. However, things do get messed up. Friday, when I got home from swimming, the parking area nearest my door had been roped off, with no parking inside. Finding a new place to put my car, that was even remotely convenient to a door to the building, was a challenge. I finally found a place fairly near the front door. And there my car remains.
We're supposed to get a lot of rain overnight and all day tomorrow. I'm going to play hooky tomorrow and just stay home all day. It's would be farther to get to my car in the rain. I'm not comfortable driving in the rain under the best of circumstances - and certainly not in the dark.
My bridge partner is out of town for two weeks, so I'm not going to play duplicate tomorrow night.
I'm getting a lot of knitting done. I'm about 2/3 of the way through with a summer-weight sweater for myself, and then I'm going to start on some baby sweaters.
I'm even getting some reading done. I've just finished a new Joanna Brady book (thanks, Kate), and am currently about half-way through an Ivan Doig book I hadn't read before, The Bartender.
Jean is doing well after her accident. The stitches have been removed and hopefully the scar will fade with time.
Saturday, October 21, 2017
Sunday Stealing
Have you ever eaten at restaurant and you realized you forgot your money? Nope
True or false-you can pat your head and rub your tummy at the same time. Of course.
Do you prefer to drink out of cans or bottles? Neither - I'd rather drink out of a glass, with ice.
Do your socks match today? Almost always.
What was the last book you read? Would you recommend it? The latest by J. A. Jance. She writes a good police procedural.
Are you currently borrowing something from someone? No
Write an extremely random statement. I don't do "random" very well.
Are there any major holidays you don’t celebrate? I don't make a big deal out of holidays.
What is one thing you will never understand? Why people can't get along.
Have you ever stepped on a bee? Hasn't everybody?
What helps you wake up in the morning? I'm a morning person - I just wake up.
What did you have for breakfast this morning? Cereal, banana, with milk.
What is your favorite thing in your room? Computer? TV? Knitting?
Who was your first kiss with? Probably Edward.
Do you worry about small things? Never sweat the small stuff!
True or false-you can pat your head and rub your tummy at the same time. Of course.
Do you prefer to drink out of cans or bottles? Neither - I'd rather drink out of a glass, with ice.
Do your socks match today? Almost always.
What was the last book you read? Would you recommend it? The latest by J. A. Jance. She writes a good police procedural.
Are you currently borrowing something from someone? No
Write an extremely random statement. I don't do "random" very well.
Are there any major holidays you don’t celebrate? I don't make a big deal out of holidays.
What is one thing you will never understand? Why people can't get along.
Have you ever stepped on a bee? Hasn't everybody?
What helps you wake up in the morning? I'm a morning person - I just wake up.
What did you have for breakfast this morning? Cereal, banana, with milk.
What is your favorite thing in your room? Computer? TV? Knitting?
Who was your first kiss with? Probably Edward.
Do you worry about small things? Never sweat the small stuff!
Monday, October 16, 2017
First "real" day of Fall
Glad we're getting some cooler temperatures. Ours changed dramatically last night when a cold front came through. We got an inch of rain here overnight, and today is clear and crisp - highs to be only in the 60s! I got to wear a jacket this morning.
I had placed a pickup order at Walmart for this morning, so got that on the way home from the Y/coffee. That's the greatest thing since sliced bread! Y'all know how I hate shopping, so being able to order what I want online and then just pick it up outside the store is fabulous for me!
I Skyped with Jean last night. She looks (and feels) so much better. Her eyes are still black, and the color is moving down her face, but the swelling is down considerably. I may have said - the cut across her forehead was about 4" long, in a V-shape from the outside of one eyebrow to the outside of the other - really awful looking - lots of stitches. Since a plastic surgeon did the repair, it should heal fairly well, though.
We did a little better at duplicate tonight - came in third out of 9 pairs, and earned a quarter of a master point.
Friday, October 13, 2017
Friday Miscellany
- It's finally cooling off, with lower humidity. It almost feels like fall.
- And speaking of "fall", Jean had a monster one yesterday. No concussion, but a huge laceration across her forehead. Fortunately, after the ambulance ride, a plastic surgeon stitched her up in the ER. The black eyes are a lovely addition. Poor baby!
- The new owners of The Terrace have contracted with roofers, and they're due to start work on Monday. They brought shingles in this afternoon on a fork lift outside my apartments. They moved most of my stuff out of the way, but managed to knock off the bluebird house. I'll have to ask the makers for some repairs.
- Margaret is going to the ballgame in Knoxville tomorrow and coming by here for supper on her way home. It looks like we're going to meet up with Missy and Renna. Crazy!
Sunday, October 08, 2017
Saturday, October 07, 2017
Conversation starters
If you didn’t have to sleep, what would you do with the extra time? Probably waste it the same way I do now.
What’s your favorite piece of clothing you own / owned? I'd wear "soft clothes" all the time, if I could.
What hobby would you get into if time and money weren’t an issue? Travelling first class.
What would your perfect room look like? About like my cave does now - maybe a little bit larger, with reachable shelving for my knitting and computer stuff.
How often do you play sports? ROFLMAO!!!
What fictional place would you most like to go? I can't think of one. There are too many real places I'd like to go.
What job would you be terrible at? Anything connected with sports.
When was the last time you climbed a tree? I guess I might have done that maybe 70+ years ago.
If you could turn any activity into an Olympic sport, what would you have a good chance at winning medal for? Sitting.
What skill would you like to master? I'd like to be a better bridge player.
What would be the most amazing adventure to go on? Getting to all the places I've wanted to see - or just travel around the world.
If you had unlimited funds to build a house that you would live in for the rest of your life, what would the finished house be like? It would be one with a full-time staff and driver.
What state or country do you never want to go back to? I've never had a bad trip, but there are still places I'd like to see.
What songs have you completely memorized? Lots of them.
What do you consider to be your best find? Probably finding John.
Are you usually early or late? Almost pathologically early.
What pets did you have while you were growing up? My family had a couple of dachshunds, and a terrier mix over the year.
When people come to you for help, what do they usually want help with? Knitting.
What takes up too much of your time? Computer, knitting, TV (but not TOO much).
What do you wish you knew more about? There's always something new to learn.
What would be your first question after waking up from being cryogenically frozen for 100 years? I wonder why I did this.
If you didn’t have to sleep, what would you do with the extra time? Probably waste it the same way I do now.
What’s your favorite piece of clothing you own / owned? I'd wear "soft clothes" all the time, if I could.
What hobby would you get into if time and money weren’t an issue? Travelling first class.
What would your perfect room look like? About like my cave does now - maybe a little bit larger, with reachable shelving for my knitting and computer stuff.
How often do you play sports? ROFLMAO!!!
What fictional place would you most like to go? I can't think of one. There are too many real places I'd like to go.
What job would you be terrible at? Anything connected with sports.
When was the last time you climbed a tree? I guess I might have done that maybe 70+ years ago.
If you could turn any activity into an Olympic sport, what would you have a good chance at winning medal for? Sitting.
What skill would you like to master? I'd like to be a better bridge player.
What would be the most amazing adventure to go on? Getting to all the places I've wanted to see - or just travel around the world.
If you had unlimited funds to build a house that you would live in for the rest of your life, what would the finished house be like? It would be one with a full-time staff and driver.
What state or country do you never want to go back to? I've never had a bad trip, but there are still places I'd like to see.
What songs have you completely memorized? Lots of them.
What do you consider to be your best find? Probably finding John.
Are you usually early or late? Almost pathologically early.
What pets did you have while you were growing up? My family had a couple of dachshunds, and a terrier mix over the year.
When people come to you for help, what do they usually want help with? Knitting.
What takes up too much of your time? Computer, knitting, TV (but not TOO much).
What do you wish you knew more about? There's always something new to learn.
What would be your first question after waking up from being cryogenically frozen for 100 years? I wonder why I did this.
Thursday, October 05, 2017
Who'd have thought it?
Who'd have thought that I'd be buying new furniture at this stage of life. Oh, well - one never knows.
My new love seat/bed was delivered this morning. They had said between 10 and 1, and they were here shortly after 9:30. It fits fine in the space and looks good. I must admit I haven't even sat in it or tried to open it yet. I need to get some double-bed sheets for it, and then I'll be ready for company.
My new love seat/bed was delivered this morning. They had said between 10 and 1, and they were here shortly after 9:30. It fits fine in the space and looks good. I must admit I haven't even sat in it or tried to open it yet. I need to get some double-bed sheets for it, and then I'll be ready for company.
Tuesday, October 03, 2017
Good and bad
I played duplicate last night - we came in last out of 5 tables - terrible cards, played worse. 
Then, when I got home, there was a high-pitched noise in my apartment. Turned out it was coming from one of my toilets - it was running constantly - and whining. I knew I couldn't get maintenance at that hour (9:30), and I couldn't get to the valve to turn it off. I finally pushed my emergency button and a couple of the CNAs came to find out what was wrong. Bless them - they turned it off for me. At least I do have another toilet to use. But I put in a work order for maintenance to come fix it. Sighhhhh. (And it's fixed now.)
Then, when I got home, there was a high-pitched noise in my apartment. Turned out it was coming from one of my toilets - it was running constantly - and whining. I knew I couldn't get maintenance at that hour (9:30), and I couldn't get to the valve to turn it off. I finally pushed my emergency button and a couple of the CNAs came to find out what was wrong. Bless them - they turned it off for me. At least I do have another toilet to use. But I put in a work order for maintenance to come fix it. Sighhhhh. (And it's fixed now.)
Sunday, October 01, 2017
Sunday Stealing
1. You are walking down the road and you look down. There is a bug. Do you step on it? Not unless it's attacking me.
2. What is one fantasy that you want to come true more than any other? That our society and government are not so polarized and that all factions can respect one another and work together.
3. Someone knocks on your door. Do you look out the window to see who it is before you open it? Do you open it regardless of who it is? I usually just open it.
4. Have you ever eaten Play Doh? No
5. What was your favorite Saturday morning cartoon as a child and why? No television when I was a child. My favorite radio program that I remember was "Let's Pretend".
6. Are you a “people watcher”? Absolutely!
7. I have a bowl of fruit. There are apples, oranges & pears. You help yourself to one - which one do you choose? Depends. If the apples are Gala or Honey Crisp, I'd pick an apple. Otherwise probably a pear.
8. What is your biggest pet peeve in the blogging world? Don't have one.
9. What is one religion that you could just never see yourself joining? Any dogmatic religion.
10. What word do you use far too often? S--t!
11. How long do you spend in the shower? As long as I want.
12. If you were to write a personal ad about yourself, what would it say? Good sense of humor, easy to get along with.
13. Your favorite flavor of soup is….? "freezer sludge soup"
14. You are sitting on a bench in the park and a bug walks in front of your feet…. do you squash him? (I am assuming this is a different bug from question #1) Different bug, same answer.
2. What is one fantasy that you want to come true more than any other? That our society and government are not so polarized and that all factions can respect one another and work together.
3. Someone knocks on your door. Do you look out the window to see who it is before you open it? Do you open it regardless of who it is? I usually just open it.
4. Have you ever eaten Play Doh? No
5. What was your favorite Saturday morning cartoon as a child and why? No television when I was a child. My favorite radio program that I remember was "Let's Pretend".
6. Are you a “people watcher”? Absolutely!
7. I have a bowl of fruit. There are apples, oranges & pears. You help yourself to one - which one do you choose? Depends. If the apples are Gala or Honey Crisp, I'd pick an apple. Otherwise probably a pear.
8. What is your biggest pet peeve in the blogging world? Don't have one.
9. What is one religion that you could just never see yourself joining? Any dogmatic religion.
10. What word do you use far too often? S--t!
11. How long do you spend in the shower? As long as I want.
12. If you were to write a personal ad about yourself, what would it say? Good sense of humor, easy to get along with.
13. Your favorite flavor of soup is….? "freezer sludge soup"
14. You are sitting on a bench in the park and a bug walks in front of your feet…. do you squash him? (I am assuming this is a different bug from question #1) Different bug, same answer.
Wednesday, September 27, 2017
Miscellany
"It's very hard to dispel ignorance if you retain arrogance."
Sam Wilson, Episode #4, The Vietnam War (PBS)
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We are all familiar with a Herd of cows, A Flock of chickens, a School of fish and a Gaggle of geese.
However, less widely known is A Pride of lions, A Murder of crows, Rooks, or ravens, An Exaltation of larks or doves and, presumably because they look so wise, A Parliament of owls.
Now consider a group of Baboons.
Baboons are the loudest, most dangerous, most obnoxious, most viciously aggressive and least intelligent of all primates.
And what is the proper collective noun for a
group of baboons?
Believe it or not...
........ A Congress!
Sam Wilson, Episode #4, The Vietnam War (PBS)
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We are all familiar with a Herd of cows, A Flock of chickens, a School of fish and a Gaggle of geese.
However, less widely known is A Pride of lions, A Murder of crows, Rooks, or ravens, An Exaltation of larks or doves and, presumably because they look so wise, A Parliament of owls.
Now consider a group of Baboons.
Baboons are the loudest, most dangerous, most obnoxious, most viciously aggressive and least intelligent of all primates.
And what is the proper collective noun for a
group of baboons?
Believe it or not...
........ A Congress!
Tuesday, September 26, 2017
Too good not to share
Trivia - on expressions
RIFF RAF
COBWEB
A SHOT OF WHISKEY
In the old west a .45 cartridge for a six-gun cost 12 cents, so did a glass of whiskey. If a cowhand was low on cash he would often give the bartender a cartridge in exchange for a drink. This became known as a "shot" of whiskey.
THE WHOLE NINE YARDS
THE WHOLE NINE YARDS
American fighter planes in WW2 had machine guns that were fed by a belt of cartridges. The average plane held belts that were 27 feet (9 yards) long. If the pilot used up all his ammo he was said to have given it the whole nine yards.
BUYING THE FARM
BUYING THE FARM
This is synonymous with dying. During WW1 soldiers were given life insurance policies worth $5,000. This was about the price of an average farm so if you died you "bought the farm" for your survivors.
IRON CLAD CONTRACT
IRON CLAD CONTRACT
This came about from the ironclad ships of the Civil War. It meant something so strong it could not be broken.
PASSING THE BUCK/THE BUCK STOPS HERE
PASSING THE BUCK/THE BUCK STOPS HERE
Most men in the early west carried a jack knife made by the Buck knife company. When playing poker it as common to place one of these Buck knives in front of the dealer so that everyone knew who he was. When it was time for a new dealer the deck of cards and the knife were given to the new dealer If this person didn't want to deal he would "pass the buck" to the next player. If that player accepted then "the buck stopped there".
RIFF RAF
The Mississippi River was the main way of traveling from north to south. Riverboats carried passengers and freight but they were expensive so most people used rafts. Everything had the right of way over rafts which were considered cheap. The steering oar on the rafts was called a "riff" and this transposed into riff-raff, meaning low class.
COBWEB
The Old English word for "spider" was "cob".
SHIP STATE ROOM
SHIP STATE ROOM
Traveling by steamboat was considered the height of comfort. Passenger cabins on the boats were not numbered. Instead they were named after states. To this day cabins on ships are called staterooms.
SLEEP TIGHT
Early beds were made with a wooden frame. Ropes were tied across the frame in a criss-cross pattern. A straw mattress was then put on top of the ropes. Over time the ropes stretched, causing the bed to sag. The owner would then tighten the ropes to get a better night's sleep.
SHOWBOAT
SLEEP TIGHT
Early beds were made with a wooden frame. Ropes were tied across the frame in a criss-cross pattern. A straw mattress was then put on top of the ropes. Over time the ropes stretched, causing the bed to sag. The owner would then tighten the ropes to get a better night's sleep.
SHOWBOAT
These were floating theaters built on a barge that was pushed by a steamboat. These played small town along the Mississippi River. Unlike the boat shown in the movie "Showboat" these did not have an engine. They were gaudy and attention grabbing which is why we say someone who is being the life of the party is "showboating".
OVER A BARREL
OVER A BARREL
In the days before CPR a downing victim would be placed face down over a barrel and the barrel would be rolled back and forth in a effort to empty the lungs of water. It was rarely effective. If you are over a barrel you are in deep trouble.
BARGE IN
BARGE IN
Heavy freight was moved along the Mississippi in large barges pushed by steamboats. These were hard to control and would sometimes swing into piers or other boats. People would say they "barged in".
HOGWASH
HOGWASH
Steamboats carried both people and animals. Since pigs smelled so bad they would be washed before being put on board. The mud and other filth that was washed off was considered useless "hog wash".
CURFEW
CURFEW
The word "curfew" comes from the French phrase "couvre-feu", which means "cover the fire". It was used to describe the time of blowing out all lamps and candles. It was later adopted into Middle English as "curfeu", which later became the modern "curfew". In the early American colonies homes had no real fireplaces so a fire was built in the center of the room. In order to make sure a fire did not get out of control during the night it was required that, by an agreed upon time, all fires would be covered with a clay pot called a "curfew".
BARRELS OF OIL
BARRELS OF OIL
When the first oil wells were drilled they had made no provision for storing the liquid so they used water barrels. That is why, to this day, we speak of barrels of oil rather than gallons.
HOT OFF THE PRESS
As the paper goes through the rotary printing press friction causes it to heat up. Therefore, if you grab the paper right off the press it is hot The expression means to get immediate information.
As the paper goes through the rotary printing press friction causes it to heat up. Therefore, if you grab the paper right off the press it is hot The expression means to get immediate information.
no wonder English is hard to understand as a second language.
Saturday, September 23, 2017
Tuesday, September 19, 2017
Orthopedics
I saw the orthopedist this morning - all looks okay on x-rays of the new knee. Exercise more and lose weight - usual stuff. Except - he's going to retire at the end of October. He made some recommendations for a new doc, gave me all my x-rays, and will send copies of his office notes if requested. I still see a rheumatologist, so I guess I'll hold off on starting with a new orthopedist for a while. We'll see how that works out.
Monday, September 18, 2017
End of summer life
It's been really quiet around here. We had a birthday party after swimming for one our group. She's just turned 90! And she is very faithful about coming to class. We all sort of wish she weren't still driving, but she's a role model in any case. I finally got back to duplicate this evening. My partner and I tied for second - Wow!
Saturday, September 16, 2017
Sunday Stealing
Have you ever??
1. Have you ever had chicken pox? Yes, I was 6 weeks old.
2. Have you ever shopped in Home Depot? Yes, but I prefer Lowe's.
3. Have you ever spied on your neighbors? Seen what was going on in the neighborhood, but not what I'd call "spying".
4. Have you ever ridden in a limo? Yes, Randy got us one to take us back to the car after our trip on the St. Lawrence River.
5. Have you ever had a pet fish? The girls had the giant goldfish, Cinderella.
6. Have you ever lied about your age? No.
7. Have you ever fired a gun? Only a BB gun.
8. Have you ever been ice skating? Yes, I think, only one time.
9. Have you ever played golf? Yes, I was never good at it.
10. Have you ever hidden on Halloween because you had no candy for trick or treaters? No
11. Have you ever made a prank call? No
12. Have you ever gotten a tattoo? Only as markers for my radiation treatment for breast cancer.
13. Have you ever had a massage? Oh, yes! and I do miss having them regularly.
14. Have you ever locked your keys in the car? Unfortunately, yes.
15. Have you ever ridden a horse? Yes. I think the last time was in 1969.
16. Have you ever been to the circus? Yes, but it's been many, many years.
17. Have you ever been to Europe? Yes.
18. Have you ever built a fire? Yes, probably when I was a Girl Scout.
19. Have you ever been skydiving? Not bloody likely!
20. Have you ever bought something at a garage sale? I don't think I've ever been to one.
21. Have you ever walked in on someone having sex? No
22. Have you ever faked an injury to get out of something? No
23. Have you ever been to a nude beach? No
24. Have you ever received a speeding ticket? Yes.
25. Have you ever run a marathon? Again, not bloody likely!
1. Have you ever had chicken pox? Yes, I was 6 weeks old.
2. Have you ever shopped in Home Depot? Yes, but I prefer Lowe's.
3. Have you ever spied on your neighbors? Seen what was going on in the neighborhood, but not what I'd call "spying".
4. Have you ever ridden in a limo? Yes, Randy got us one to take us back to the car after our trip on the St. Lawrence River.
5. Have you ever had a pet fish? The girls had the giant goldfish, Cinderella.
6. Have you ever lied about your age? No.
7. Have you ever fired a gun? Only a BB gun.
8. Have you ever been ice skating? Yes, I think, only one time.
9. Have you ever played golf? Yes, I was never good at it.
10. Have you ever hidden on Halloween because you had no candy for trick or treaters? No
11. Have you ever made a prank call? No
12. Have you ever gotten a tattoo? Only as markers for my radiation treatment for breast cancer.
13. Have you ever had a massage? Oh, yes! and I do miss having them regularly.
14. Have you ever locked your keys in the car? Unfortunately, yes.
15. Have you ever ridden a horse? Yes. I think the last time was in 1969.
16. Have you ever been to the circus? Yes, but it's been many, many years.
17. Have you ever been to Europe? Yes.
18. Have you ever built a fire? Yes, probably when I was a Girl Scout.
19. Have you ever been skydiving? Not bloody likely!
20. Have you ever bought something at a garage sale? I don't think I've ever been to one.
21. Have you ever walked in on someone having sex? No
22. Have you ever faked an injury to get out of something? No
23. Have you ever been to a nude beach? No
24. Have you ever received a speeding ticket? Yes.
25. Have you ever run a marathon? Again, not bloody likely!
Thursday, September 14, 2017
Something new
We actually saw sunshine today - first since Monday. And, I did something I never expected to do - I bought a piece of furniture. The girls had suggested I might think about replacing the loveseat in my living room with a loveseat-sized sofa bed. I guess I should have thought of that myself. Anyway, my dear friend, Vicki, shopped for one for me ( you know how I would have hated to do that myself) and picked one out today. I've given them my information, and it's to be delivered in about three weeks. Painless, except when the credit card bill comes. LOL
Monday, September 11, 2017
Remnants of Irma
After agonizing with the disaster that was Harvey in Houston last month, and worrying about Anne & Nick flooding out there, we were not expecting to have to deal with this again. (Fortunately, my only real problem here is the "worrying".) And then here comes Irma.
Along with many others, I spent the weekend glued to the TV watching as Irma powered through the Caribbean, and then finally decided to come up the Florida Gulf Coast. It's amazing to see the awesome power of Mother Nature and what She can do to us mere mortals.
After doing her best to wreak havoc throughout the entire Florida peninsula, Irma has spread into the Southeast. Chattanooga is just getting the fringes of this monster. As of dark, we'd had an inch of rain, with squalls and wind gusts. But they'll continue overnight and through tomorrow, so we won't know the full rain total until then. Sarah & Carson on the SC coast are still at Sue & Randy's in the Upstate (where they have lost power), but their house is okay. Paul & Katherine in Charleston are staying home with their house pilings in a foot of water. Their "house" is basically one story elevated, so no problem there, and their cars are safely in a nearby parking garage. Matt & Claire are fine in the Atlanta area - only getting rain. I'm hoping all is well with the folks in Middle Tennessee and Kentucky.
Now if Jose will just head back out into the Atlantic and bother the fish.
My heart goes out to those folks who have lost so much.
Along with many others, I spent the weekend glued to the TV watching as Irma powered through the Caribbean, and then finally decided to come up the Florida Gulf Coast. It's amazing to see the awesome power of Mother Nature and what She can do to us mere mortals.
After doing her best to wreak havoc throughout the entire Florida peninsula, Irma has spread into the Southeast. Chattanooga is just getting the fringes of this monster. As of dark, we'd had an inch of rain, with squalls and wind gusts. But they'll continue overnight and through tomorrow, so we won't know the full rain total until then. Sarah & Carson on the SC coast are still at Sue & Randy's in the Upstate (where they have lost power), but their house is okay. Paul & Katherine in Charleston are staying home with their house pilings in a foot of water. Their "house" is basically one story elevated, so no problem there, and their cars are safely in a nearby parking garage. Matt & Claire are fine in the Atlanta area - only getting rain. I'm hoping all is well with the folks in Middle Tennessee and Kentucky.
Now if Jose will just head back out into the Atlantic and bother the fish.
My heart goes out to those folks who have lost so much.
Saturday, September 09, 2017
Sunday Stealing
1. What is your middle name? I didn't have a "given" middle name. After getting married, I used my maiden name for my middle name.
2. What is your favorite color? Mostly the spectrum of pink/red/purple/blue/turquoise.
3. What’s your lucky number? Don't have one.
4. Do you have any pets? Haven't had one in years.
5. Where are you from? Born in St. Louis, grew up in Houston, 24 years near Nashville, and 31 years so far in Chattanooga.
6. How tall are you? Used to be 5'7 1/2", now about 5'5".
7. What shoe size are you? 9-10.
8. How many pairs of shoes do you own? Don't know, but only three that I regularly wear.
9. What was your last dream about? I never remember my dreams.
10. What talents do you have? I knit, and have been a painter.
11. Are you psychic in any way? No, but I have friends who are.
12. Favorite song? No favorites.
13. Favorite movie? Too many to name.
14. Are you religious? No
15. Have you ever been to the hospital? Not since last year.
16. Have you ever been in trouble with the law? Just a couple of traffic tickets.
Thursday, September 07, 2017
September Thursday
It's looking now like Irma will be heading up the US East Coast. Sarah (granddaughter in Bluffton, SC) has already headed to her parents' house in the NE corner of South Carolina. Paul (grandson in Charleston) works in the same building with the Emergency Response Center, so has access to all the latest updates. He says he has plywood for their windows, and is prepared to head for the Upstate when/if the situation warrants. Our 7-day forecast just up on the Weather Channel shows us getting wind and rain on Tuesday with just rain on Wednesday. So I guess that'll be when the edge of Irma is predicted to get here.
Jean came in yesterday for a couple of days. She took me downtown this morning to the glass-making place. I've been wanting to take the last of John's ashes there to get some small pieces of glass made with them. Parking there is all-but-nonexistent, so I needed somebody to let me off and drive around or find a place to park. She managed to find a parking place, so was able to help a lot. We also got to go to the Sculpture Fields to check on John's two trees. Both seem to be doing well. She'll head back home tomorrow.
Tuesday, September 05, 2017
The weather and Dr. Phil (no connection)
A storm line blew through here about 4:30. Lots of wind, lightning, and thunder. It came up so fast, I didn't have time to crank down my umbrella, and it blew over (not damaged, though). In about 30 minutes, we got nearly an inch of rain. Plus, I later found out it must have blown the local NBC affiliate station off the air (my usual source for local news). We're still due to get another band in about an hour or so.
But then there was Harvey. And the fires out West. And there is Irma heading our way. Wow!
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Next Wednesday (13 September), if you can, please watch Dr. Phil. I've never seen the program before, but his program on that date features family of our dearest friends from Hendersonville (and still). Their daughter/granddaughter committed suicide last year, brought on by an abusive relationship. They're still being harassed by the abuser, and this is to be their story. They're doing it in the hope that it will prevent this happening to some other young woman.
But then there was Harvey. And the fires out West. And there is Irma heading our way. Wow!
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Next Wednesday (13 September), if you can, please watch Dr. Phil. I've never seen the program before, but his program on that date features family of our dearest friends from Hendersonville (and still). Their daughter/granddaughter committed suicide last year, brought on by an abusive relationship. They're still being harassed by the abuser, and this is to be their story. They're doing it in the hope that it will prevent this happening to some other young woman.
Monday, September 04, 2017
A lovely day
All in all, today was a lovely day.
I went to WalMart (really, into the store) for the first time in ages. I went as soon as I got up - to beat any possibly holiday rush.
Then I sat out on the deck in the lovely cool morning to read the paper and drink my coffee. I didn't disturb the hummingbirds at all - they came right in and sipped at the feeders. Even the wrens hopped up and down the railing right next to me.
Lunch was nice and then I computered and knitted for the afternoon. I was planning to spend the evening doing that, too. But one of the other duplicate players called and asked me to play, so I finished up the day with some bridge. And we came in second!
Yes, a lovely day!
Sunday, September 03, 2017
Sunday Stealing
Back to School
1. What kind of school did you attend (Big? Small? Public? Private? Specialty? One-room schoolhouse?) I went to a large public high school.
2. What did you wear to school (uniform? dress code? Whatever you wanted?) This was before the days when girls could wear anything but dresses to school. Other than that, we could wear anything we wanted.
3. How did you get to school? I first rode a city bus, then got a ride with a friend.
4. Who was your favorite teacher? Why? I liked my French teacher - we just got along well.
5. What was your favorite subject? Why? I liked French and math.
6. What was your least favorite subject? Why? I didn't particularly dislike any of them, maybe the science classes.
7. Did you belong to any clubs? I belonged to one of the social clubs, maybe the French club.
8. Were you a picky reader? Nope, I'd read anything.
9. What did you do in your free time? I don't remember anything special.
10. Did you get good grades? Yes, I was in the Nat'l Honor Society and the top 10% of my large graduating class.
11. Did you like/participate in sports? No and no.
12. Did you have a boyfriend/girlfriend in high school? I did the last part of my sophomore year and my junior year. We remained friends after that.
13. When did you get your driver’s license? On my 16th birthday.
14. What kind of kid were you? (Popular? Class clown? Shy? A nerd? Teacher’s pet?) Probably pretty nerdy, maybe teacher's pet for some teachers.
15. Who were your heroes? I don't remember having any.
16. Were you ever bullied? Not that made an impression.
17. Did you learn how to touch type? Yes, on those old big manual typewriters, with the letters covered. I was very good, and worked as a medical transcriptionist until I retired.
18. Who was your best friend? (Are you still friends today?) Anne and I are still friends 65 years later and get together once or twice a year. She and Nick (John's high school friend) got flooded out in Houston, and are working their way up from the disaster.
19. What is one thing you regret about high school? No regrets.
20. What were you most proud about? Getting good grades and being admitted to the (then) Rice Institute.
1. What kind of school did you attend (Big? Small? Public? Private? Specialty? One-room schoolhouse?) I went to a large public high school.
2. What did you wear to school (uniform? dress code? Whatever you wanted?) This was before the days when girls could wear anything but dresses to school. Other than that, we could wear anything we wanted.
3. How did you get to school? I first rode a city bus, then got a ride with a friend.
4. Who was your favorite teacher? Why? I liked my French teacher - we just got along well.
5. What was your favorite subject? Why? I liked French and math.
6. What was your least favorite subject? Why? I didn't particularly dislike any of them, maybe the science classes.
7. Did you belong to any clubs? I belonged to one of the social clubs, maybe the French club.
8. Were you a picky reader? Nope, I'd read anything.
9. What did you do in your free time? I don't remember anything special.
10. Did you get good grades? Yes, I was in the Nat'l Honor Society and the top 10% of my large graduating class.
11. Did you like/participate in sports? No and no.
12. Did you have a boyfriend/girlfriend in high school? I did the last part of my sophomore year and my junior year. We remained friends after that.
13. When did you get your driver’s license? On my 16th birthday.
14. What kind of kid were you? (Popular? Class clown? Shy? A nerd? Teacher’s pet?) Probably pretty nerdy, maybe teacher's pet for some teachers.
15. Who were your heroes? I don't remember having any.
16. Were you ever bullied? Not that made an impression.
17. Did you learn how to touch type? Yes, on those old big manual typewriters, with the letters covered. I was very good, and worked as a medical transcriptionist until I retired.
18. Who was your best friend? (Are you still friends today?) Anne and I are still friends 65 years later and get together once or twice a year. She and Nick (John's high school friend) got flooded out in Houston, and are working their way up from the disaster.
19. What is one thing you regret about high school? No regrets.
20. What were you most proud about? Getting good grades and being admitted to the (then) Rice Institute.
Wednesday, August 30, 2017
A day for remembering
The rain started here about noon and has continued on and off since then. We're supposed to get more of the spin-off from Harvey tonight and tomorrow - about 2" here. Nashville and West TN are due to get maybe up to 11". The devastation is just incredible. Anne and Nick have been able to get come clearing out done, with the help of grandchildren. But I don't know what they're going to do long-term or where they'll be staying. They have a son living nearby, but he had 3" of water in his house.
----------------------------------------
John died two years ago today. Like Beth told me on the first anniversary of Joe's death, it doesn't hurt any more today than any other day. But it's still a day to be especially close.
Sunday, August 27, 2017
Friday, August 25, 2017
Car thing
Jesse has gotten my car repaired. Margaret says it drove very well when they took it to her house. Now the plan is that sometime within the next week, they'll bring the car back to me and Margaret will get her car back.
All happy now!
Monday, August 21, 2017
The Eclipse!
Margaret and Jesse picked me up about 12:30 ET. We drove north and west, and stopped in a grassy area next to a McDonald's in Pikeville, TN (look it up on Google maps). We were not alone - there were about a dozen other cars there, and groups in every church and school parking lot we passed. It was fabulous! The glasses worked like a charm, and the totality lasted about 2.25 minutes. There were cumulus clouds around near the horizon, but around the sun, it was absolutely clear. It didn't get as dark as I had expected, but definitely dark and cooler. And we heard the crickets start up as soon as it got dark. We left when it was about half-way "off", and got in the only traffic we had seen thus far. Definitely a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and I'm SO glad Margaret made that happen for me.
On another front, they left to take my Nissan back to Margaret's for Jesse to look at and to evaluate it for his possibly fixing it. They left me with Margaret's Ford Escape, so I have a neat car to drive. We're all open to all possibilities now - keeping it, buying something else, my buying Margaret's Escape and her buying something else. Who knows where all this will go.
On another front, they left to take my Nissan back to Margaret's for Jesse to look at and to evaluate it for his possibly fixing it. They left me with Margaret's Ford Escape, so I have a neat car to drive. We're all open to all possibilities now - keeping it, buying something else, my buying Margaret's Escape and her buying something else. Who knows where all this will go.
Saturday, August 19, 2017
Sunday Stealing
Here's something different for this week.
1. What is a normal thing that took you an embarrassingly long time to learn? To get along with my sister.
2. In what ways are you old-fashioned? I'm a grammar snob.
3. What is the best sandwich you've ever eaten? Where did you get it? What made it so delicious? I love a really good Reuben.
4. What are you currently not bragging about that you should totally brag about? I can't think of any hidden talents.
5. What food have you never tasted and are most interested in trying? I'd like to try Korean food sometime.
6. What history facts were you surprised to learn because it was never covered in school? The civilizations that existed in the Americas before 1492.
7. What is something that you waited entirely too long to start or stop doing? What made you say "Why did I wait so long?" Painting. Unfortunately I don't do it any more.
8. What socially expected thing do you hate doing the most? Making small talk with strangers.
What thing about polite society really grinds your gears?
9. What is something about your city that I should know if I'm going to visit? What is the hidden "must see" that you always tell friends and visitors to not miss. The Sculpture Fields; the Hunter Museum of American Art.
10. What do you miss most about childhood? Easy movement without pain.
11. What "fact" did you learn in school that is not true or no longer true? That there were no civilizations in the Americas prior to 1492.
12. What's your favorite piece of useless trivia? Raccoons are terrible thieves.
13. What's your best go to homemade "lazy" meal? Something somebody else cooks.
14. What's the title of this current chapter in your life? Chapter 3 - Creakiness.
15. What is a habit or practice that you learned from your childhood that you didn't realize was "weird" until you were an adult? Always carrying knitting with me.
1. What is a normal thing that took you an embarrassingly long time to learn? To get along with my sister.
2. In what ways are you old-fashioned? I'm a grammar snob.
3. What is the best sandwich you've ever eaten? Where did you get it? What made it so delicious? I love a really good Reuben.
4. What are you currently not bragging about that you should totally brag about? I can't think of any hidden talents.
5. What food have you never tasted and are most interested in trying? I'd like to try Korean food sometime.
6. What history facts were you surprised to learn because it was never covered in school? The civilizations that existed in the Americas before 1492.
7. What is something that you waited entirely too long to start or stop doing? What made you say "Why did I wait so long?" Painting. Unfortunately I don't do it any more.
8. What socially expected thing do you hate doing the most? Making small talk with strangers.
What thing about polite society really grinds your gears?
9. What is something about your city that I should know if I'm going to visit? What is the hidden "must see" that you always tell friends and visitors to not miss. The Sculpture Fields; the Hunter Museum of American Art.
10. What do you miss most about childhood? Easy movement without pain.
11. What "fact" did you learn in school that is not true or no longer true? That there were no civilizations in the Americas prior to 1492.
12. What's your favorite piece of useless trivia? Raccoons are terrible thieves.
13. What's your best go to homemade "lazy" meal? Something somebody else cooks.
14. What's the title of this current chapter in your life? Chapter 3 - Creakiness.
15. What is a habit or practice that you learned from your childhood that you didn't realize was "weird" until you were an adult? Always carrying knitting with me.
Thursday, August 17, 2017
Sunday Stealing (on Thursday - from 8-5-17)
Freckles and other oddities
Do You Have Freckles? Nope
Do You Sleep With Your Closet Doors Open Or Closed? My closet door never gets closed.
Can You Whistle? Yes, but not the two-fingered loud kind.
Did You Wake Up Cranky today? No. I'm a morning person, and can't remember ever waking up cranky.
Zodiac Sign. Pisces
What Is Your Eye Color? Brown
Take A Vitamin Daily? Not a multivitamin specifically, but several prescriptions and supplements.
Do You Sing In The Shower? No
What Did You Have For Lunch? Today was soup and sandwich day - I had clam chowder and a Reuben, plus some carrot sticks and strawberries.
Do You Watch The Olympics? I watch some sports in both the Winter and Summer games.
Do You Prefer To Swim In A Pool Or The Ocean? I don't really care, just enjoy being in the water. I haven't been in the ocean for several years - I'm not steady enough to get there.
Bottled Water Or Tap Water? Tap water. In general, I think it's ridiculous to pay for bottled water.
Do You work Better With Or Without Music? It doesn't matter.
Can You Curl Your Tongue? Yes
Is There Anything Pink Within 10 Feet Of You? I'm surrounded by all things Flamingo - so yes!
Have You Ever Caught A Butterfly? Not that I remember.
Are You Easily Influenced By Other People? Not really - it depends on how much respect I have for "another person".
Do You Have Strange Dreams? I don't usually remember my dreams.
Do You Like Going On Airplanes? It's not very pleasant any more, but it's still the best way to cover long distances in a limited period of time.
Name One Movie That Made You Cry. Oh, there are SO many!
Peanuts Or Sunflower Seeds? Peanuts
If I Handed You A Concert Ticket Right Now, Who Would You Want The Performer To Be? A nice chamber ensemble would be nice.
Are You A Picky Eater? Unfortunately, no.
Are You A Heavy Sleeper? Pretty much so.
Do You Fear Thunder / Lightning? No. I love an occasional good thunderstorm.
Do You Like Your Music Loud? Not really.
Would You Rather Carve Pumpkins Or Wrap Presents? Wrap presents.
What’s The Next Movie You Want To See In Theaters? I haven't seen a movie in a theater in about a year - don't even know what's available now.
Been On The Computer For 5 Hours Straight? Of course.
Do You Like Meeting New People? Yes, but not in large groups.
What Are Three Things You Did Today? Went to Silver Sneakers, went to meals, knitted.
What Do You Wear To Bed? Pajamas.
Do You Wear Jeans Or Sweats More? Probably a toss-up, but I'd rather wear sweats.
Name Something That Relaxes You. I'm pretty much relaxed most of the time.
Do You Have Freckles? Nope
Do You Sleep With Your Closet Doors Open Or Closed? My closet door never gets closed.
Can You Whistle? Yes, but not the two-fingered loud kind.
Did You Wake Up Cranky today? No. I'm a morning person, and can't remember ever waking up cranky.
Zodiac Sign. Pisces
What Is Your Eye Color? Brown
Take A Vitamin Daily? Not a multivitamin specifically, but several prescriptions and supplements.
Do You Sing In The Shower? No
What Did You Have For Lunch? Today was soup and sandwich day - I had clam chowder and a Reuben, plus some carrot sticks and strawberries.
Do You Watch The Olympics? I watch some sports in both the Winter and Summer games.
Do You Prefer To Swim In A Pool Or The Ocean? I don't really care, just enjoy being in the water. I haven't been in the ocean for several years - I'm not steady enough to get there.
Bottled Water Or Tap Water? Tap water. In general, I think it's ridiculous to pay for bottled water.
Do You work Better With Or Without Music? It doesn't matter.
Can You Curl Your Tongue? Yes
Is There Anything Pink Within 10 Feet Of You? I'm surrounded by all things Flamingo - so yes!
Have You Ever Caught A Butterfly? Not that I remember.
Are You Easily Influenced By Other People? Not really - it depends on how much respect I have for "another person".
Do You Have Strange Dreams? I don't usually remember my dreams.
Do You Like Going On Airplanes? It's not very pleasant any more, but it's still the best way to cover long distances in a limited period of time.
Name One Movie That Made You Cry. Oh, there are SO many!
Peanuts Or Sunflower Seeds? Peanuts
If I Handed You A Concert Ticket Right Now, Who Would You Want The Performer To Be? A nice chamber ensemble would be nice.
Are You A Picky Eater? Unfortunately, no.
Are You A Heavy Sleeper? Pretty much so.
Do You Fear Thunder / Lightning? No. I love an occasional good thunderstorm.
Do You Like Your Music Loud? Not really.
Would You Rather Carve Pumpkins Or Wrap Presents? Wrap presents.
What’s The Next Movie You Want To See In Theaters? I haven't seen a movie in a theater in about a year - don't even know what's available now.
Been On The Computer For 5 Hours Straight? Of course.
Do You Like Meeting New People? Yes, but not in large groups.
What Are Three Things You Did Today? Went to Silver Sneakers, went to meals, knitted.
What Do You Wear To Bed? Pajamas.
Do You Wear Jeans Or Sweats More? Probably a toss-up, but I'd rather wear sweats.
Name Something That Relaxes You. I'm pretty much relaxed most of the time.
Wednesday, August 16, 2017
After Charlottesville
I have two things I want to share - one old and one new.
From South Pacific (1958) - You've got to be carefully taught.
From South Pacific (1958) - You've got to be carefully taught.
Today's blog "Margaret and Helen"
Tuesday, August 15, 2017
Sighhhhhh!
I thought I had all the car stuff almost settled, and now it turns out that almost nothing is. The guy who was going to buy my car is really looking for a small truck. He thinks one of the other maintenance guys is interested, though. On the "new car" front, that may have fallen through, too. I talked to the guy this morning. He decided to talk the sale over with some of the other family members, and some of them have expressed an interest in the car. He may get back to me in a day or two, if none of them really want the car. Sighhhhhh! But I've talked to Margaret and Jesse, and he's sure he can fix my car. So it's beginning to look like I might be keeping the good ol' Altima.
AND, just to keep things interesting, the ceiling in my living room started flaking off last night, with pieces hitting the floor. Maintenance came quickly this morning. Turns out it's the popcorn-y paint that hadn't been properly primed and was flaking off in big pieces. He scraped a bunch of it off, and has put on a first coat of something. I guess nothing ever goes smoothly, does it. Not even the painted ceiling.
AND, just to keep things interesting, the ceiling in my living room started flaking off last night, with pieces hitting the floor. Maintenance came quickly this morning. Turns out it's the popcorn-y paint that hadn't been properly primed and was flaking off in big pieces. He scraped a bunch of it off, and has put on a first coat of something. I guess nothing ever goes smoothly, does it. Not even the painted ceiling.
Sunday, August 13, 2017
Home again!
We got back to my place about 12:30 am ET Sunday morning - after getting up about 4 am Alaska time (a 4-hour time difference - one hour earlier than Pacific time). The trip home went fairly smoothly, except there was no wheelchair pusher at the gate in Atlanta. There were chairs, though, so Margaret loaded me up with the carry-ons and pushed me herself. Our checked bags arrived safely and the Chattanooga shuttle was at the stop when we got there, and surprisingly, no traffic tie-ups on the way home. We even stopped for burgers just before getting to my place, so we had something to eat when we got here.
The trip was great. We saw wonderful glaciers (Mendenhall, Marjorie, Sawyer glaciers up close, plus many others not so close). We had stops at Skagway (rode the train), Haines, and Petersburg, cruised Glacier Bay and Tracy Arm. We saw lots of eagles, otters, sea lions, seals, a pod of orcas, several humpback whales. And ate seafood at nearly every lunch and dinner. The staff, crew, and other 91 passengers were helpful and delightful. I can definitely recommend the American Cruise Line and this itinerary.
We didn't sign up for another trip though. We'll talk with the other girls and see what we can work out. It was great being with Sue and Randy for the first few days exploring Juneau. I wanted to see how I would do traveling this time. I'm not nearly as "low maintenance" as I used to be, and I wound up working Margaret a lot harder than I would like. We'll see what works next.
The trip was great. We saw wonderful glaciers (Mendenhall, Marjorie, Sawyer glaciers up close, plus many others not so close). We had stops at Skagway (rode the train), Haines, and Petersburg, cruised Glacier Bay and Tracy Arm. We saw lots of eagles, otters, sea lions, seals, a pod of orcas, several humpback whales. And ate seafood at nearly every lunch and dinner. The staff, crew, and other 91 passengers were helpful and delightful. I can definitely recommend the American Cruise Line and this itinerary.
We didn't sign up for another trip though. We'll talk with the other girls and see what we can work out. It was great being with Sue and Randy for the first few days exploring Juneau. I wanted to see how I would do traveling this time. I'm not nearly as "low maintenance" as I used to be, and I wound up working Margaret a lot harder than I would like. We'll see what works next.
The very next event will be the total solar eclipse. I could watch it as "partial" from my deck. But Margaret is going to come get me and drive us about 30 miles from here out on some country road. We'll be right in the "totality" band, and get the whole experience. Definitely a once-in-a-lifetime thing!
Monday, July 31, 2017
Saturday, July 29, 2017
Lovely
"It's a lovely day today..." Sounds like a song lyric.
But today has been lovely - one of the best we've had in several weeks. The high was about 85, with low humidity - much more pleasant than the high 90s and high humidity we've had for the last couple of weeks. And the forecast is for several more days like this.
And then we head for Alaska, where the predictions for Juneau show highs in the upper 60s and showers. But we'll love it!
I looked at a replacement car this afternoon. It's a definite possibility. Jesse's going to come over on Monday and look at my car and this one. I don't know whether we'll get any finalized before we leave or not. Stay tuned.
Friday, July 28, 2017
Wednesday, July 26, 2017
Funnies from Ginny (thanks)
Apolitical Aphorisms
"If God wanted us to vote, he would have given us candidates."
"The problem with political jokes is, they get elected."
"We hang the petty thieves and appoint the great ones to public office."
"Politicians are the same all over. They promise to build a bridge even where there is no river."
"When I was a boy I was told that anybody could become President. I'm beginning to believe it."
"Why pay money to have your family tree figured out - run for office and your opponents will do it for you."
"Politicians are people who, when they see light at the end of the tunnel, go out and buy some more tunnel."
"Politics are the gentle art of getting votes from the poor and campaign funds from the rich, by promising to protect each from the other."
"I offer my opponents a bargain: if they will stop telling lies about us, I will stop telling the truth about them."
"A politician is a fellow who will lay down your life for his country."
"I have come to the conclusion that politics are too serious a matter to be left to the politicians."
"Instead of giving a politician the keys to the city, it might be better to change the locks."
"There ought to be one day -- just one -- when there is open season on politicians."
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