Christmas Season 2010

This is the extent of holiday decorations on the outside of my house. There was a time when the house would have been covered with lights from top to bottom, but for some reason when we moved to Carroll County in 1986 that tradition stayed with the old house. I was a little sad to see this tradition fade away, but things change as we each get older and over the years we put up fewer and fewer decorations. We still celebrate the season though, with as much gusto as we have ever done.

They (the weathermen of the area) were originally calling for snow on the 25th, but I do believe that has changed. Our little "mole hill" mountains (The Appalachians) are doing their job and so far the worst of the weather has gone either to the north or south of us. I used to "dis" those little "mole hill" mountains, but have learned over the years to greatly appreciate the job that they do.

I learned not long ago, that my friend in New Zealand has been reading my blog - hooray, someone else other than my nieces have read my writings. I enjoy what little writing that I do and am always glad to get feedback. Thank you my friend.

To anyone who may read this I want to wish a Happy Holiday Season (Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah, Happy Kwanza etc. - don't want to leave anyone out) and my the new year bring the best of everything to you.

Shoulda, Woulda, Coulda

I woke up this morning with "shoulda, woulda, coulda" running through my brain. I came up with all sorts of scenarios. I "should have" done this, which "would have" led to this, so that I "could have" done that. I think that we all suffer from this malady every now and then. Especially when confronted with questions from old friends that you don't know how to answer.

I was sent the line "roses are red, violets are blue" for me to complete. I really did not know how to react to this. I am not really the poetic type - even on such an elementary level as this. I know that this person is looking for a certain response, but I am not really sure that I am going come through as expected. I am going to have to cogitate on this dilemma for awhile.

Unusual Frost by Dory Schreuder

These are photographs taken by my cousin Dory at his home in Bozman, Montana, on Dec. 5, 2010, and if you click on them and open you can see all the detail and the sparkle. Mother Nature outdid herself when she created this wonder.

My cousins words: "We had a very heavy fog/frost at about 0 degrees. I took some photos this morning at about 10 degrees. The frost had grown crystals which stood vertically on most surfaces. The crystals were quite large.....big enough to photograph. When the sun shown on them, they were like thousands of mirrors reflecting light from everywhere. The photos only hint of the spectacle because the camera captured just the brightest."

I told my niece that I would tell her the story of how I met my cousin. So here goes.....

I was at work one day and taking dictation from a co-worker. We stopped for awhile so that he could gather his thought and I could rest my hand (that's right it was dictation done the old fashioned way with a pen, a steno notebook and Mr. Gregg's shorthand). We started talking about our families. He mentioned that he was from Montana and I told him that I had a great-uncle living in Billings. He asked me his name. "Harry Winfrey" I replied and that is when I found out that he was a great-nephew of Harry. (My Grandmother Hemping and Harry were siblings. I just realized that great-uncle Harry may have been my dad's namesake.)

As we talked more I realized that we had met many years before when my family had taken a trip to Montana when I was five years old. I remember him a little bit, but only because I knew him as the cousin that had been "stomped" by a horse. It only goes to show just how small the world was even back then. It is even smaller today.

Since then we have kept in touch. I moved back to Maryland and he moved to Washington State for awhile, eventually ending up back in Montana - his home state. He built his house himself. It sits on a a mountain top overlooking the town. He has sent some really nice pictures over the years and one day I hope to visit him there. Of course, it is going to have to be when the weather is warm as I am not a "cold weather" person.

Things happen in strange ways when they are meant to happen. Dory and I were destined to be reunited in San Diego, California, all those years later (approximately 25 by my count) and we have kept in touch ever since. This is not much of my dad's family left and I am grateful to having Dory in my life.

My Work Station

This is an antique secretary desk that my mom and dad gave me a long time ago. It is perfect for my laptop and other assorted things. At the moment it is squeezed in between my bed (to the right) and my window to the world (to the left). It is the place where I spend a great deal of my time socializing via electronic means - e-mails, FaceBook and this blog. I also do some writing - it is my way of venting, remembering and stretching my mind.

For a long time this little gem of a workspace sat in my other room - the one that holds my recliner, my television, my PC (which has since died) and my treadmill (3 years old and unused to date - time is coming though because I am losing weight to make walking easier - so far all I have had to do is cut back on my food intake and eat the right things).

When Adrienne visited me this last summer I moved it into the dining room so that we would have a place to set up the laptop so that we could download pics from cameras, set up files to share and put pics on thumbnail drives. It worked out so well that I decided to find a way to squeeze it into my bedroom - I succeeded. After tomorrow it will have even more room. I am putting up my new bed (a full size rather than queen - don't need all that room any more), moving out the cedar chest and putting in a much smaller table to become home for the small printer that I bought to hook up to the laptop. Then my workspace will be complete - fully functional.

I will continue to enjoy the best of all worlds - I can do my writing, listen to my music, watch tv programs that I missed, and keep in touch with my friends all while I keep track of what is going on outside my window (watching the seasons come and go as well as the wildlife that inhabit my yard on a seasonal basis). I can also give the cats back their window perch so they can enjoy the view as well.

Fall 2010 (November)

This is the beginning of fall at my house. The tree on the right was the first to drop all of its leaves and the tree on the left was the last. I can finally get the yard cleaned up next week. It will look so much better. Fall has been very confusing this year. Flowers in my yard (petunias and clematis) are still blooming - they just don't know to give up. I just hope that they come back next spring in all of their splendor.

I wish that I could figure out this photo thing - I know that I used to do it better but for some reason things are not working out like I want them to. The tree at the top is what my front yard looks like - thus being anxious to get the leaves gathered up and taken away.

Novermber 2010

Not much has happened during this month - the biggest excitement was that a young doe (100 lbs soaking wet) decided that she wanted in my yard. She did it the hard way though - through the gate rather than over the gate. She spent about 3 minutes in my back yard trying to get out. She hit and bounced of the fence several times before she figured out that she was better off going over. Once she did it took all of 1/2 second for her to be gone. I am just sorry that I didn't think of getting my camera until it was too late.

Last Wednesday of the month

I have spent a good portion of the day sitting at my computer typing. For some reason I had the urge to put fingers to the keys and write. I wrote about Christmas trees (the fact that my dad roamed the woods of Northern California to find just the right one to send to us), Christmas memories (mostly Sievert/Hemping family get togethers for the holidays) and started to write about my "formative years" (mainly my years in Iowa). I will get in the mood again I am sure and will expand on the formative years then.

Scooter, the heaviest of the two cats that live here, sat on my mouse awhile ago and she "killed" it. I don't know what she did to it, but it no longer works. I had to scrounge the mouse from my PC, which died a couple of weeks ago. I do believe that a virus attacked it and wiped out programs etc. so it doesn't work anymore. Not much that I can do but replace it. It is a Dell and they are notorious for not allowing the hard drive to be updated. Real bummer. I am currently stuck with using my laptop, but that is okay. I have grown quite accustomed to it and actually prefer it. I bought a printer to hook up to it so that I can print stuff. Printing is all that it can do - no fax, no copy.

It is time to quit for the day. My fingers have not worked this much since I retired and they are letting me know that they are ready to relax.

October - confused month

October is almost over - seems like it was only yesterday that I was saying September was almost over. Time is flying by.

October has been very confusing weather wise. Really nice fall weather, colder some days and warmer others. Trees are turning color, but for some reason my spring/summer flowers are blooming. My clematis is almost ready to bloom big time and I noticed that the rose bushes up by Denny's restaurant are blooming in all of their glory as well. I have the feeling that when winter hits it is going to be with a vengeance overnight. We will wake up and winter will have arrived and will be staying.

Aaron finally finished up all of the little jobs that I wanted done outside. My windows have new caulking, my fence has been fixed, new covers have been put on my window wells and I can now put up a curtain on my back porch (i can install the type of curtain that works like a curtain in a hospital). I still have to buy the rail system and the curtains, but now I can do it and not have to worry about how. Aaron is my go-to guy for doing things like this.

Halloween will be here in a few days. I am looking forward to seeing the kids in their costumes. I hope that we have plenty of "trick or treaters" this year. Did not have a single one last year. Eddie didn't even hit our neighborhood. He has a neighborhood full of town homes that he hit every year - gets a lot of candy. I guess that is why he goes there - more swag.

September is Almost Over

September is almost over. The first few days of fall have been fairly normal. Rain finally came (the tropical storms in the Atlantic have been moving up the eastern seaboard) and things have cooled down a little bit. I am not going to complain about the rain, because we needed it. Things were a little on the dry side until a few days ago. In fact I am sitting here waiting for the rain to come again.

We have had two tornado warnings during the past few days - both of which were about 20 miles north and west of my location. Can be very disheartening though when messages flash across the television screen telling you to head for the central room of your home and away from all windows. This is the strongest point of the house and the least dangerous place to be in the home. Me I just continued to sit in my chair, watch my soaps and hope for the best.

The warnings did not turn into anything serious, so my decision to maintain my location was okay. Had no problems at all - cable wasn't even affected, which is usually the first thing to go because the main antennae location for cable around here is right in the middle of the flat areas of the state most often affected by these warnings.

I will be kid sitting tonight. Eddie and I will be on our own because Terry is taking Liz to a seminar that will be giving her the pros and cons regarding lapband and/or gastric surgery. Me personally - I will continue to do it my way - eating less but better and increasing my exercises.
I have lost a little bit, don't know exactly how much, but my pants feel looser. Gal at doctor's office said to just by the way my clothes feel and stay away from the scale as much as possible. I like that advice - that way I don't fret over the numbers. I get weighed every three months when I go to my regular doctor's appointments and as long as those results show me weighing less each time I will be happy.

Time to go...will be back soon. To those who read this (and your are few I know) thank you for doing so. I appreciate any and all comments and hopefully I have entertained and informed in a small way.

Scooter vs. Gizmo

This morning as I was vainly attempting to tell my body that it was warm under the three layers of blankets covering me, I became involved in feline war number "umpteen". The cats residing in my house - the clawless Gizmo (Liz's cat) weighing in at ten pounds and and Scooter (my cat with claws) weighing in at 17 pounds decided that they were going to have a dispute right on top of me.

There was growling, hissing, snarling and swatting galore. You would think that my cat would have the distinct advantage (weighing more and having claws) but this is not the case. According to my son, Gizmo suffers from what he calls "Little Man Syndrome" and he has to assert himself big time. Now I really don't mind the cats having running disagreements throughout the house, but when they stop on top of me and go at, I draw the line. It sounded like they were "killing" each other. I hope that Scooter was at least successful in getting in a couple of good swipes with all claws extended. They should be sharp because it has been awhile since they were clipped (this means a trip to the vet because I refuse to fight with her - I am the loser in that battle).

I have not seen Scooter since this morning - she is probably on the other side asleep behind my chair, which seems to be a favorite spot of hers at the moment. Gizmo just got up from his station on my desk in between me and my laptop. Makes typing a very interesting prospect. He is much more interested in checking out the bug that is crawling on the screen of my window. The great hunter is brave as long as the quarry is smaller than him and usually of the insect variety.

Even though the day started with the battle royal, it ended on a really good note. It was sunny, with gentle breezes, low temps and humidity (all windows and doors were opened up to take advantage) and quiet for the most part. A neighbor was using some sort of machine that sounded like a giant milkshake machine to do whatever. All things were copacetic in the neighbor hood today.

Monotony of Everyday Life

My niece felt that she had to vent on the monotony of everyday life of a mom. The never ending chores or piles of clothes. Not to mention the ever present search for the matching socks - I swear the prime purpose of washing machines is to eat socks. Even I have problems with this one and there is only one of me.

I have never been a fan of housework and made it known for many years by having a button pin on my kitchen curtain which said "To Hell with Housework" so that anyone who came to my house knew exactly how I felt about it and did not expect too much when they came to visit. Don't get me wrong, my house was clean; just never spic and span "eat off the floor" clean. You would not want to look under my couch, easy chairs or beds because I had colonies of "dust bunnies" existing there.

I think that one of the big reasons that I enjoyed my job so much for all those years was that when a project was completed, it was done and I never had to look at it again. There is nothing about housework that is ever completed - you are always looking at dust on the furniture and piles of clothes or dirty dishes that need to be washed. Then there are the dirty windows, walls etc. that need to be spring cleaned and dust bunnies that need to be rounded up and done away with. Like I said the phrase on my button was my mantra, much to my husband's disdain.

Another reason that I liked working was because Paul could not expect me to keep the house "white glove" clean - which would have been the case if I were a stay-at-home wife and mom. That would have been the demise of my marriage for sure. So I was much better off being a working mom.

My son learned at early age how to wash his own clothes, clean his own room and even cook. He was pretty good at it too. (I was bound and determined that he was never going to expect some gal to do all these things for him like his father expected me to do.) When Terry let his room get a little messy and his father would complain I would tell Paul to close the door so he didn't have to look at it. It would get cleaned in due time and when it was his room looked super good. Bless my son - he was my right hand man. He still is.......

As you can see, housecleaning was a bone of contention at times between Paul and I. I was of the opinion that spending time with family and friends outweighed having a spotless home that did not look like it had a family living in it. I liked the lived in look - guess who won. There were no white gloves in my house.....he soon learned that it wasn't worth the hassle to try and change me. He learned to live with the dustbunnies.

Aerialist Show

This is the final result of the trim job done on the two trees in the back corner of my yard. There is so much more sunlight that comes through. Just maybe I will be able to grow some grass back in that corner now that the sun can shine through. I have tried for years to get grass to grow there without any luck. Cross fingers everyone - just maybe Mike will have more grass to mow back there.





This is the final result of having the tree closest to the house trimmed. It was keeping a lot of sun from coming in my bedroom window. This is the tree that I watch squirrels in and the tree that my cats watch the birds in. I love to watch them staring really really intently at their prey and watching their tails flick back and forth. Keeps the cats entertained that's for sure.






This is the chipper - lots of noise, but it was fast at gobbling up the branches that were taken from the trees. It amazed me just how many branches were cut away and how many were still left. They were big branches too.









This was one of the guys up in the tree. A ladder, a rope, a small chain saw and a couple of small hand saws are their tools of the trade. I like the fact that they have chosen to carry on the "old traditions" when it comes to doing their job. So many of them have gone over to the mechanical age and literally won't climb the trees. More fun to watch when bucket trucks are not involved. This is also the tree that they found a hornet's nest. The bugs were stirred up and had to calm down before the job was completed. Don't envy these guys that aspect of the job.


These trees are in the back corner of my yard neatly tucked in between my two sheds and shows just how ragged looking these trees were. They have been there since we bought the house in 1986 and God only knows how long before that. They needed a "haircut" in the worst way. They will be much healthier in the years to come as well.







This is the before shot of the tree next to the house. It to was in dire need of tending to - we had cut on it in the years past, but like a bad haircut ever once in a while you just have to rely on the professionals to do their job to make them look beautiful.








I just wish that I knew how to manipulate the photos better so that they were in the right order. Forgive me, but I am still learning. Once again it was a sheer joy to watch "artists" doing their job.

One more project to be completed (driveway resealed) and I will be done for quite awhile. I have accomplished quite a lot in the three years since I retired - new windows all around, new shutters (handmade by me), gutter guards, tree work done in the front yard, new roof over the back porch, and finally the trim work in the back yard. And people wonder why I have not done any traveling since I retired.

Traveling - my next two projects: California next summer to visit the family and then New Zealand to visit my pen pal two years after that. I can't wait to publish on my blog regarding the travel.

Boyds Bears

This picture currently is on the top of my page as of today and it is my "happy place". It is a store full of Teddie bears and friends (i.e. rabbits, chickens, moose and a whole variety of animals), most of which are collectibles. I go here when I am feeling "in the dumps" and want to feel better.

It is in Gettysburg, PA and has a panoramic view of Pennsylvania countryside. During the summer the grounds behind the store are occupied by Civil War buffs re-enacting the life and times of that era. It is a good place to go for an afternoon of shopping, eating (very good food available here) and learning.

It now has two new attractions so to speak - an art gallery featuring the work of Thomas Kincaid and a shop featuring Longanberger baskets. I like the art gallery idea but I have never really been a big fan of baskets, even though they too are supposed to be collectors items.

The best time to visit Boyds Bears is during the week because the crowds are non-existent and you can wonder around to your hearts content without bumping into other people. One of my favorite areas of the store is the baby section. The bears and other animals are made from the softest materials possible. So cuddly.

My Crepe Myrtle

This crepe myrtle bush was given to me as a retirement gift by my friend Linda. That was three years ago. It finally decided that it was time to bloom and I must say that it has done a good job. I think that it must have heard my son threatening to dig it up if it did not do something this season.

I am so glad that it listened. She has attracted butterflies galore, which has been an added pleasure. I like watching the wildlife around my home and "flutterbys" are a particular favorite to watch.

The color is called raspberry. It is mostly pink with white on the very edges of each petal. I have tried to take good close up photos of the blossoms, but to no avail. For some reason the white just does not want to show up all that well. Therefore, I must be satisfied with this picture of the full bush, Hopefully it will bloom more and more for many years to come. Thanks to my friend - Linda - for the years of joy that I have to look forward to.

That is the life of a retiree - when a mere flowering bush can create so much excitement and happiness.

Golly- part two

More travels of Golly - these pictures were taken in Amish Country in Pennsylvania. He went to the Amish Village, rode the Strasburg Railroad with us and did some shopping at a store specializing in selling nik-naks featuring Amish stuff like hex signs. He had a good time despite the extremely hot weather. He has a very long way to make it back home so that he can tell the kids all about his adventures. I am sure that he will be glad to be home again, but he will be greatly missed after he leaves.

Golly - part one

Meet Golly - he belongs to the kids in Adrienne's class at school. He is traveling along with Adrienne so that the kids have an idea where she has gone on her travels to the U.S. He is a cute little character and has come a very long way to visit.

53 years in the making

This is me with my penpal (Adrienne Gelton) of 53 years. This was the very first time that we met in person. We were on the Strasburg RR in Pennsylvania when this picture was taken. It was a very hot day (7/6/10) - in the triple digits and it showed as far as I was concerned. Another passenger on the train took this picture for us. I have a ton of other pictures that we took during our three days in the Amish Country in Pennsylvania, as well as other pictures that she took to take back home (New Zealand) with her.

Even though it was 53 years ago that we started writing to each other and we had never met in person before, it was as if we had lived next door to each other all that time. We found out that we are actually very similar in many ways, i.e. the way that we think about things, the way we live our lives and the way that we were when we were kids. It has been fun and it is going to be a sad day when she leaves. We have been talking non-stop ever since I picked her up at Dullas International Airport in Virginia.

We went out to lunch today (7/12/10) with a friend of mine and had salads at Potbellies, a favorite place of mine to eat. We had a good time and on the way home we saw more sites and even more pictures were taken. It has been fun and a memory that I will have for the rest of my life. I am now very motivated to save up my money and go to New Zealand to see her country and meet her family. I can't wait and am very excited to get started.

Summer Getting Closer and Closer

Soon Spring will be over and Summer will be here. I did not think that it was ever going to happen the way that winter was holding on. We have survived wind, rain and even some early bouts of high temps and high humidity. But here we are....

As I look out my bedroom window I see all of the yardwork that needs to be done in my back yard. Trees are in desperate need of trimming and my fence is disappearing fast into the jungle of plants, vines and trees that belong to my neighbor (this will be taken care of when the trees are trimmed).

I finally managed to get all the weeds pulled in the front yard - now all I have left to do is replace the window well covers and plant flowers in my pots. I am a pot gardener because I can no longer lower myself to the ground comfortably. Once I get down there I have a devil of a time getting back up again. Thus, the reason for the garden seat that I am using this year. Will be working on this project later today after I go out to lunch, which is going to happen very soon.

I am so looking forward to having my yardwork done so that I can sit outside and enjoy my yard when the weather is nice enough. I would like to be able to sit at my picnic table with either a book in hand to read or my computer to write, a nice way to enjoy some of the days of my retirement.

MAGIC FOUNDATON and George

This is George Chmiel Jr. (the son of a former co-worker) and he is making a big splash in our little corner of the world. Last year he ran a 155 mile race in the Sahara Desert and this year he is running 155 miles in the outback of Austrailia. He runs for Luci (the daughter of a friend) who has a disease that has a long name that I can't say (see www.LuciAndGeorge.com). This site will give you info that will lead to other sites. There is also a FB site that can be accessed. This young man is an inspiration to a lot of people and I encourage any and all who may either intentionally or accidentally read my blog to follow his adventures and to donate to his cause if so inclined.

In last year's race he came in first in his age bracket, was the first American to cross the finish line and was fifth over all . Quite an accomplishment. The Aussie run starts on 4/25/10 and is going to be a grueling race. It is going to take him 60 hours to travel to the start of the race and eight days to run it. Say a prayer for him and if you manage to find your way to the www. site send a few encouraging words.

A Tribute to my Friend

George Davis was one of the three muskateers. There was him, Bill Sims and my Paul. Their favorite place to hang out was the mechanic shop down at the corner. This friendship started in 1986 when we moved to Carroll County and grew into a "family". Bill is the only one left. George died on Easter morning. It is a big loss, he was one of the good guys. He had some medical issues that were starting to wear him down and then the final blow was dealt.

He found out about two months ago that he had cancer. He had enough time to go through two bouts of chemo and one bout of radiation, none of which worked. He was tired and in a lot of pain at the end but he is now at peace. Someone told me today that he is in heaven with Paul and they are sitting around having a cold beer. I can picture them doing exactly that.

The three muskateers - they were quite a group. Theirs was the kind of friendship that is hard to find. If one needed help the other two were there no questions asked. George and his significant other, Joan, became my friends as well.

George was my "oyster stew" buddy. I have a family tradition of making oyster stew every Christmas Eve (been a tradition with me since before I can remember); however, neither Paul nor Terry liked oyster stew I needed someone to help me eat it every year. So on Christmas Eve I made it and on Christmas Day I would take a big jar of it over to George. Now I have to find someone else to share my oyster stew with - it's not the same unless you have someone to share it with. He has been sharing with me for 23 years - I have lost a good friend.

I have but one regret - I was not as good a friend to George as Paul was. I should have visited him more often after Paul died, but I didn't. George and Joan were in my thoughts a lot over the years, but it was Christmas Day before I would actually see them.

George's "gathering" is Wednesday. Terry and I will be going to pay our last respects. Bill will be there - the only muskateer left. Joanie and I will have to represent the other two members of the group. It is sad saying good-bye for the last time.

Waxing Poetic

I woke up yesterday morning to the sounds of birds gossiping about what the day is going to be like, even included the "honking" of a solitary Canadian goose flying overhead. My wind chimes were doing their thing as well. The sun was shining brightly and there was a cloudless blue sky peeking through the trees.

This morning was a repeat of yesterday, but a woodpecker added his "rata tat tat" to the mix and the trees in my backyard are displaying signs of new beginnings. Won't be long and allergy season will be upon us.

I had all sorts of descriptive words running through my brain to describe the life that is abundant outside my bedroom window, but in a senior moment when I sat down to type everything just flew away - my mind went blank. Such is my life - if I don't write things down right away they slip away into the abyss of my mind never to see the light of day.

I have been listening to the sounds of my neighborhood - kids playing, someone mowing their lawn, the guy up the street "playing" with his hot rod with no muffler - can be annoying at times - and the traffic going up and down the street.

I also sit here and contemplate all of the work that needs to be done in the yard to repair the damages caused by the blizzards of 2010. It is going to take longer than I thought to get this done because the person who takes care of my lawn had to have surgery a couple of weeks ago. He is going to have to heal before he starts all of the work. At least this is going to give me time to save up more money, but it is also going to give me longer to look at the mess. "Patience Vicki" is what I keep telling myself. Good things come to those that wait.

Looking out the window now it is hard to imagine that just a few short weeks ago we were up to our bottoms in snow and really cold temps, only to be followed by more rain than what we knew what to do with. Mother Nature knew though - things are greening up nicely and it won't be long before the grass will need to be mowed and this years crop of dandelions will be blooming away. Ah the joys of spring, summer and fall - I will enjoy they all immensely.

A Gentle Reminder

I was directed to the blog called Lifespetals Photography (see link listed at the right), which belongs to a former schoolmate of mine who is a genius when it comes to using his camera to capture life's smallest beauties and make them grand and glorious. I never knew that the desert of Arizona could produce such beauty. He also does weddings and posts a lot of pictures of his family and friends, all of which are beautifully done.

I live vicariously through his work. I can point and shoot with a small digital camera but I do not produce the quality pictures that he does. Looking at his work makes my day. It brings a quiet joy to what is sometimes a grey and colorless view of the world. It helps me to keep my faith and convinces me that the simplest things in life (i.e. spring flowers growing with wild abandon or the fact that there is beauty in even the most formidable of plants like the cactus) should not be overlooked and can be so awe inspiring. God works in mysterious ways every day and his pictures prove that each and every time I look at them.

I thank him for sharing his talents and bringing my sometimes colorless existence back into focus and letting me know that no matter how bleak things can look at times there is always beauty to be found.

A Milestone

Went to a 20th Anniversary Party for a former co-worker today. It was a very nice luncheon held at Snyders, a restaurant on Nursery Lane, just off the beltway. The food and company were excellent as per usual. This is the same place that I had my retirement party.

The honoree's name was Charles Smith III and he has been with the government for 20 years with 18 to go before he can retire. He is a super cool guy that was a big help to me when I was still working. I almost missed everything; however, because I was forgotten about. It was just by dumb luck that I found out about the party and called to give "what for" to the person planning it. I had my name added to the guest list and I was glad to be able to help him celebrate this milestone in his career. I had a chance to give him a hug and to tell him that he will be able to retire before he knows it. Time will fly by for him.

At this point in his career he is the office photographer (also does photography on the side) and an Elder in his church. He is a true Christian and lives his life as such. He has been a friend to those in need and it was an honor to attend his party and to help him celebrate his 20th.

Four days of Spring

It has been spring for the past four days (just hope that mother nature is not playing a joke on us) and I have had my windows open the entire time. The kind of weather that we have been having (sunshine, blue skies, gentle breezes and temps in the low 70s) is the kind that I could live with year round. Wishful thinking I know, but it doesn't hurt to dream, right?

I have been watching the wildlife living their lives in my back yard and have been pleasantly surprised at what I have seen. I have a rabbit, two squirrels and at least five varieties (blackbird, dove, sparrow, cardinal and robin) of birds that have been taking full advantage of the bugs and worms that proliferate my yard. I think that I am going to have to invest in a birdbath, a bird feeder or two and a squirrel feeder as well (the kind that you can put corn on the cob on and have them twirl) just so I can keep them around to watch. The cats like to sit in the window and watch them as well.

The cats are funny, their tails (only the last quarter of it) are flipping from side to side at a rapid speed and their bottoms are poised to pounce only to realize that there is a screen in between them and their prey. They are doomed to watching only, but at least their minds and instincts are kept active.

Daylight Savings Time (DST)

This is a true sign that spring is coming. I prefer DST and wish that they would keep it all of the time. But then who am I to think that this would ever happen. One problem, now my body has to adjust to the new time - I am not going to get hungry at the right times for the next week - bummer....

In addition to the time change today, there has been a giant low pressure system sitting over us for the past two days dumping rain on the entire mid-Atlantic. Just what we need - more wet stuff. I am just glad that all the snow has melted from my yard. As it is, my back yard looks like a "freakin" swamp. I am not be able to step one foot off the cement pad without sinking. I am just thankful that it was not more snow.

Between the two, my internal clock and my weather forecasters (knees for the most part) are really messing with me. It does not pay to get older believe me - just have to put up with more stuff and it takes longer for aches and pains etc. to go away.

Despite all of the above life is good. I woke up on the right side of the ground this morning - granted an hour later than what I wanted, but that is okay. I have spent time today making changes on my computer. My provider changed from McAfee to Norton (security) so I have been discovering all of the different things that Norton provides in the way of services. So much fun......

2010 Olympics from Vancouver B.C.

This is the first time in my whole life that I have actually sat down and watched most of the games and events. I especially like the ice skating, snowboard half-pipe, short track speed skating and most of the ski events. I have found myself yelling and screaming at the t.v. to urge on the Olympians and sitting with a look of sheer horror on my face after a bobsled or skier would crash (there were some really spectacular falls etc.).

I particularly liked the pairs ice skating and the ice dancers, but all of them just made the skating look like magic. They all floated through their routines and the medals went to the right skaters. The snowboarders and ski aerialists looked like they hung in mid-air during each routine. They defied gravity and performed a ballet in the air.

The speed skating (short and long track both, as well as all distances) was amazing. How do they stay up as they go around the curves? By all rights the skates should just fly out from underneath the skaters, but they dug in and held their places. A wonder to watch.

I have learned that the winter Olympics are actually my favorite, with the swimming sports and gymnastics from the summer games coming in a close second.

No Round 3

We got very little snow during Round 3. It was a dud, but that is okay. I have seen enough snow this winter to last me for the next ten or so. We have had four times or annual snowfall in one month.

There was a blizzard that hit the northeast (PA, NY, NJ and the like) that was supposed to give us more snow but it did not materialize in my neighborhood. A few flurries and some high wind by that was it. There were a couple of times that I thought the house was going to pull a "dorothy" (Wizard of Oz) and end up in Kansas, but it was just loud and scary. Another storm expected the end of next week, cross fingers and say a prayer that it goes away as well.

My car was a snow hill for two weeks and I have taken advantage of the fact that it has been uncovered for the past week. Running errands, just taking rides and going to Mo's for lunch have been my favorite pastimes the past week. I waited for mother nature to melt snow off the driver's side door, Terry cleaned off the back window and I gunned the engine and drove out from under the remaining foot of snow. It was fun and much easier than having shovel all that crap.

Sunday B4 Round 3

It is Sunday, the sun is shining and the wind is blowing a little bit. You would never know that there is more snow coming. It is going to arrive Monday night and go into Tuesday. The weathermen are calling it a clipper and are saying that it won't be as bad as the last. They are not, however, giving us any idea as to how much snow it is going to drop on us. That fact alone is "scaring" me a little bit.

Some of the snow has melted, but not nearly enough for my taste. My car is still covered up, but I am hoping that it is going to be found today. It has paid dearly as a result of the last two storms - still under snow cover. I don't really think that I can expect it to handle much more without something going wrong. Besides it needs to be moved or it is going to get some flat spots on the tires, which would mean "thump, thump, thump" as I go down the road. The shocks are bearing up so far, but God only knows what would happen if more snow were added to the mix. Wish me luck.

I am hoping to be able to help Terry find my car. I don't know if he is going to allow me to do it. The leg is beginning to feel better, but he worries that I will slip the wrong way or something and put an end to all the good work I have done so far to get it better. I am looking forward to putting my nose out the door and breathing in some fresh air. Will let you know what happens.

Winter White - Part 2

Gizmo (looking out the front door) and Scooter (looking out the window), the family cats, are checking to see just how much snow they are going to have to put up with.


Terry cleared the driveway and found two of the four family cars and cleaned them off. The Saturn and the Suburban remain covered. They will be covered up even more because there is another storm rolling in (arriving Tuesday and ending 31 hours later) which will bury them even deeper. It is going to take a spring thaw for me to find my car.

It should also be noted that there seems to be a third storm heading east that should be getting to us one day this weekend. It was rain in California (caused bad mud slides in the L.A. area), but is probably going to be snow for us (so much colder here). God only knows how much snow that one is going to drop on us. If this keeps up we are going to look out the window and see nothing but white. Spring seems so far away.

I will not see my car until the spring thaw hits us - that is a crying shame. You would think that we live in the far north. I am so glad that this is not the norm for our winters. I guess it was just our turn to be blessed with not so nice weather. We (meaning my family and I) are lucky to be living in the area we do because it is not as bad as it is in other parts of the state.

Wintery White

Six more weeks of winter and it hit with a vengence over the past couple of days. We have approximately 28 inches of snow on the ground. The neighbor's hedge is half as tall as it used to be - weight of snow has bent it over severely. I am not used to seeing the neighbor's garage. This is not the best way to prune the hedges, which needed to be done badly.

It did stop snowing and the sun came out just in time for sunset. I should have taken a picture because it was very pretty with the bright colors in the sky and the white of the snow. There is more snow on the way during the middle of next week. Don't know just how much more is going to be piled on, but whatever it is we will handle that as well.


Terry has been outside all afternoon cleaning things up. He is using the snow blower, but the snow is taller than the blades on the blower and it is wet enough that the discharge chute keeps clogging up. He will stick with it though. He will finish the drive way tonight and will find the vehicles tomorrow. At the moment they are just piles of snow in the drive.



Gizmo the cat was not interested in going any further than the step on the back porch. There was just too much of the white stuff for him to deal with and he turned tail and came right back into the house.




This is how much snow there was on the ground at the front door. We could not open it until Terry cleared the way. When Eddie went out the first time today he trekked through the backyard to the fence and back again. It was almost up to his waist most of the time. When he got back to the house he decided that he had enough and came in - shedding I don't know how many layers of clothes. I am sorry to say that I did not get a picture of Eddie making his trek. Must have been quite a sight.


Such is the life of a Marylander. Although I must say that it does not snow like this very often - thank goodness. During the time between the December snowfall and the storm today we have almost broken the record of annual snowfall. The record is 62.9 inches and it is already at 62 inches or so. With the advent of the coming storm the record will easily be broken. The average annual snowfall for the area is 18.9 inches.

I really don't know where all the melted snow is going to go because the reservoir has been at full capacity since the middle of fall. This just means that when all this water eventually gets to the Chesapeake Bay that the crabs are going to migrate further out to sea. Crabs need brackish water to survive in and the more fresh that mixes with salt the farther out they have to go. Hope that the crabbing season is not affected too much.

Ground Hog Day

according the Puxatawny Phil we have six more weeks of winter to go. This is always the case when 2/2 arrives no matter what the shadow says. The past couple of weeks have been something. I have been hampered by pulled muscles in my right leg that have kept me hobbling around the house--so much fun. Hopefully this time around between the ibuprophen, Vicks VapoRub, and muscle relaxers I am going to make it work.

I have been spending my time in the living room watching t.v. and my bedroom cyber socializing. My only connection with the great outdoors has been my bedroom window and at the moment the ground is covered in white and there is more on the way. It seems like it is never going to end. Not that it matters much at the moment anyway, I am not going outside for quite a while.

Hopefully Thursday evening will be my first time out in two weeks - it is time for my yearly visit to my tax man so that I can get the bad or good news, whichever it happens to be. I am really not all that worried he has done very good in the last 20 years of finding all of my deductions etc. and getting me money back.

I have had alot of fun cyber socializing via Facebook and MyFamily.com (El Tigre page). Most of the people that I have been exchanging info with on El Tigre were nothing but names that I knew about when I was in School. I am developing some really nice relationships with these people - I have learned a lot of history about them and the area where I spent most of my youth. It has been very interesting and is keeping the mind active - which at this point in my life is very important.

Time to run, have a couple of things to do before I plop my bottom side in Terry's recliner in the living room to watch my programs, as my Gram used to say. I mean the soaps of course.

It just hit me....

I now know why the day (1/24/10) is so gloomy. It is mom's birthday and she is no longer here to celebrate it. In four more days it will be dad's birthday and he is no longer here to celebrate it. Sad state of affairs.

I miss them both and am very thankful that they raised me to be the person that I am today. I was fortunate in that I got to tell them each just how much they meant to me before they passed. That was very important to me. I needed them to know - now I tell the whole world - they were the best and I miss them a lot. I look at the picture of Mills Peak every day and thank God that they were in my life.

Sunday - Grey, Gloomy and .....

At a loss for another descriptor. It is a cold day - very uninviting to say the least. So I have been spending the past few hours on the computer - my favorite pasttime here lately. I learned all sorts of things and laughed at all of the giggles provided by me e-mail buddies. They ususally brighten the day for me and I am very thankful for them. I have also commented on and made comments re others on my FB account - I am getting better and better all the time.

This has been quite a week. My right knee decided to create problems - but thanks to Vicks VapoRub and the heating pad I am on the road to recovery. The road is not as good as it once was - takes much longer now to travel than it did when I was younger. I guess that is one of the perks that goes out the window as the years pass us by.

I learned of the death of a former co-worker. He was a special man, he was a good friend and he helped us get the real estate agent that found the house in which I am currently sitting. His name was Sid Roche and he will be remembered for as long as I remain alive.

It is time to fold my clean clothes and feed my face. I have been so preoccupied writing and communicating that I have completely forgotten about eating - I know that I need to diet, but this is hardly the way that I would recommend losing the pounds that I know I should lose (at least 1/4 of me needs to go, but I have not been able to motivate myself to do so).

Tropical Weather.

It was a very warm day today - virtually tropical - compared to what it has been for the past two to three weeks, which have been frigid to say the least (my babysitter used to say colder than a witch's tit in a brass bra - the very thought of that just tells me that it has been really, really cold). so true, so true. I almost fell over the first time I heard her say that because it was so out of character for her. It is one of her more endearing qualities and I was so grateful when she and her husband said that they would be Terry's guardians if anything had happened to Paul and I before Terry turned 18 years old.

It was 49 degrees out - or so the thermometer in my car told me. I was even driving around with my window down a little bit. You know that it had to be warm if I was doing that. I even did extra errands after going to lunch with friends to extend my stay outside. Lunch was great by the way. It is always nice to meet with friends, break bread and catch up on what is going on in each others lives. I always come away feeling so good about having retired almost three years ago (come 3/31). Hard to believe - the time has flown by so fast.

Time to move on -

Eight Days Old

Twenty-ten is 8 days old tonight and once again we have snow on the ground and very cold temps making hibernation appear to be most welcoming. I tried to do that this morning, but didn't quite make it. The added activity of snow shoveling (Terry digging out his car to go to work) and the fact that the schools were opening two hours late meant that morning routines last longer than normal. I really really tried to crawl back in bed, cover up my head and go back to sleep.

I managed an extra hour or so and then I just had to get up. I moved on to my regular snow day activities - plopped down in my recliner, turned on the t.v. and watched Rachel Ray, the View and my soaps. After all that was said and done I came into my bedroom and started my socializing routine. I answered my e-mails, went to Face Book and "El Tigre" on MyFamily.com and perused my nieces' blogs - new pictures of kids are always a welcome site.

I was on a roll, but I got a phone call from a friend and 17 minutes later I am at a loss as to what I was going to write about. So I guess that this is a good time to call it quits. It is dinner time anyway and I am hungry. More later......

New Years Day 2010

Another year and another decade have been relegated to the past. So many things have happened over the past ten years that sometimes it is hard to comprehend. There have been bad times and there have been good times - all in all a decent decade personally. The country however has not fared all that well - too many bad things have happened. It is going to take awhile to recover from them, but recover we will. This country has gone through so much in the past and made it through that it stands to reason the past decade is not going to get us down. So buck up and smile - things will get better.

The eternal optimist in me has made her presence known at the moment. I am hopeful that things will get better and that happier times are not all that far away. I started the new year waking up with one of the house cats curled up under my chin - sound asleep but still purring his squeaky little purr - and the other curled up in the small of my back. A nice way to be reminded that this is just another day open to all sorts of possibilities and that we have only to notice them and make things happen, even if it is for family only.

My hopes and prayers are for a grand and glorious new year and that family and friends are well and safe no matter where they are. I eagerly await the news of the arrival of the seventh member of the younger generation and I pray for the family and friends that are doing their duty in the military. Be safe Mattie - keep your head down, things are heating up over there and not in a good way.