My dear friend Elaine's grandmother died yesterday. "Mrs. C" was 88 and in the days of better health was a spunky lady with lots of heart and a wonderful laugh. I'm so sorry she's gone and so sorry my friend Elaine is hurting.
Read More......Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Sunday stuff
It's a gloomy Sunday afternoon. Lots to do, like work projects, laundry, and (heaven forbid) house work.
Went out to do some necessary running around and saw two men walking their dogs. They were about 50 feet apart and the man in front was talking on a cell phone. His dog, a pretty yellow lab, was prancing and jumping.
The dog's body language was pretty clear: "Hey, you! Man holding my leash, hello! Look behind us! There's another man with a dog! Forget the phone call, these might make great new friends! Maybe they want to play! Do you think so? Can we stop and wait for them to catch up? They look like nice man and dog! Hey, do you see them? Hello! Please? Let's stop and wait for them. Can we? Please? Let's play with them. Hello?"
But the man just kept walking and talking. The dog ran around the man, tangling his legs in the leash. The man, more engrossed in the phone conversation, simply untangled himself, and kept walking.
It was pretty sad. That poor dog needs to find a new walking partner. I'd take the job.
And I just finished a wonderful book, "Nerve Damage," by Peter Abrahams. I listened to it on CD in the car. It's the story of a man, dying of cancer, digging into the past to learn about his deceased wife's secret life. It's a must-read (or must-hear) on all counts.
Saturday, March 15, 2008
P.S. A movie recommendation
Have you seen "Gone Baby Gone," with Casey Affleck? Go rent it. It's dark, and the excessive foul language is a little much in places, but it's a powerful story and it was shot in Boston, which is kind of cool if you're from the area. More than well worth the rental fee.
Read More......It's snowing! Again!
What a joy to wake up this morning to a fresh coat of snow on the landscape. Not. I'm really tired of winter and snow and cold weather. As much as I want to see it all go away, I know my mother and sister want it all to disappear more than I. Trouble for them is they need it to go slowly--too fast and it means flooding concerns. Why needs that?
And isn't the price of gas getting ridiculous? I started carpooling to work with a guy who lives in Reading. We take turns doing 2 or 3 days a week and it's made a difference in my gas tank for sure. I figure I save 50 miles a day by not driving to Marblehead. It's time to negotiate one day a week at home, plenty of other people do it, there's no reason I should be able to do it too. Perk of being a senior manager (or so I hope).
Gas prices and the fact that the value of the dollar is tanking in Europe has me rethinking my Switzerland plans. Not forever, mind you, just for now. Maybe it would be better to wait until the summer/late summer.
My Swiss chick friends Laura and Monica sent a short list of "please bring with you when you come" items ranging from pruning shears and black licorice to angel food cake mix and marshmallow fluff (which is apparently a New England classic and not readily available anywhere else). I'm gathering the goods and will probably ship items in a couple of packages rather than make them wait for me to get off a plane in Zurich.
Man, I hate to delay this trip. I've looked forward to it for a couple of years now. Sure, I have the money for the ticket, I just want the best value for the dollar, both on the ticket and to spend while I'm over there.
Oh well. Happy Ides of March. If you're headed to the Senate today, watch your back.
Who wants to come food shopping? I'll buy you a candy bar.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Don't tell my mother
Look what I did Saturday... baked apple pies. They're prettier than I am.
The Wilmington United Methodist Church Trustees (of which I are {!} one) held the annual turkey dinner Saturday night (all the fixings and pie for dessert). The whole affair was a smashing success.
It's always nice to spent time with the WUMers and every time I do, I say I should do it more often. Then I get tied up doing something else...
I think I said the same thing a couple of weeks ago when I served as worship leader. It's about deciding priorities and putting some growth plans into place.
Speaking of growth, you should see my hair. It's amazing! I'll try to find time with the photographer this weekend.
Read More......
Saturday, March 8, 2008
Dreams
I had the strangest dream last night. My friend Gail was running for mayor (city unknown); I was the editor of the local newspaper. She promised me the job of school superintendent if I helped her get elected.
She won, but in order to get the school job, I had to prove to her husband Chuck that I could rescue cats drowning in their pool (they really have a pool, and in life, Chuck is allergic to cats).
I rescued the cats and passed Chuck's test. Then I woke up, so I'll never know what I wore to the inaugural ball, how I decorated my new office, or whether Gail ran for a second term.
So many questions, so many wet cats, too few hours of sleep to resolve these pressing questions.
Thursday, March 6, 2008
My latest trick: Invisibility
I went, among many other places, to the bank today and arrived a few minutes before they opened. It's a branch inside a supermarket, so I stood just off to the side of the "pretend you're in line at Disney World" maroon velvet ropes. I figured it was more polite to stand just a little off to the side, rather than have the bank tellers think I was getting ready to pounce.
The overhead lights weren't on, it seemed pretty clear that they weren't open for business yet. Or so I thought. After all, I was standing there in the middle of the floor doing nothing but waiting.
Not one, but two people walked AROUND me and up to the counter.
Teller: "We're not open yet."
Idiot #1: "Why?"
Teller: "It's not 10:00 yet."
A moment later:
Teller: "We're not open yet."
Idiot #2: "Ahhhh...., what?"
Teller: "It's not 10:00 yet."
Finally, with #2 impatiently waiting at the counter, someone flipped on the lights. The teller looked at me and said, "Good morning, can I help you?"
Good thing he did. I was loaded for bear.
I stepped up to the counter, locked eyes with Idiot #2 (who was clearly ticked that I was being served first) and said, "Thank you! I thought standing to the side while waiting for you to open was more polite than barging up to the counter before you turned on the lights. Funny, in doing so I apparently became invisible. Thanks for noticing that I was here first."
{deep sigh}
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Bows on the toes
Taking a few days off from the rat race. It's my first real break from work (for non-health reasons) since last July. Needless to say it's L-O-N-G overdue.
PJ and I headed north to Nashua, NH, today where the stores were calling my name. Too bad we didn't have a lot of luck. Well, we did have luck, just not in getting what we went up there for. We got some great stuff at great prices.
Went for blouses--came home with a skirt (khaki green, $10), two jersey tops (one black, one ivory, $5 each), a pair of shoes (the bargain of the day, 80% off, $7.99, black leather ballerina flats with bows on the toes), and my favorite find, a red leather passport wallet ($10, and if you know me, you know red is my favorite accessory color).
PJ (who went SHOPPING without her wallet and credit card, duh, HELLO???) found a pair of "Oh please mom, I can't live without these Rocket Dog sneakers" ($5) and a sweet dress ($19). Mommy doesn't plan to ask for renumeration.
All in all, a good day, even if it means I'll need to go out tomorrow and resume the blouse hunt.
Read More......
Sunday, March 2, 2008
W-A-Y too much snow in Sanford, Maine
Went to Maine to see my mother and sister today, and holy crap, have they got snow. Check out his picture of PJ on the snow bank at the end of my mother's street.
Yea, it's as high at the stop sign and street sign. Wicked, huh? Try peeking around that to check oncoming traffic.
And here's the view heading to my mother's front door.
And here's me and my mum, with the snow bank higher than we are tall!
Read More......
Saturday, March 1, 2008
Which punctuation mark are you?
I am an exclamation point. Read on. . .
I Am An Exclamation Point
I am a bundle of... well, something.
I'm often a bundle of joy, passion, or drama.
I'm loud, brash, and outgoing. If you think it, you say it.
Definitely not the quiet type, I really don't keep a lot to myself.
I'm lively and inspiring. People love to be around my energy.
(But they do secretly worry that I'll spill their secrets without even realizing it.)
I excel in: Public speaking
I get along best with: the Dash
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