oh nuts!

I think I hate to see 2022 leave 

    Not that it has been a great year, but it means I am another year older.

    Now, to show how goofy I have become:

    I have been looking for a  Christmas present I bought for Jackie.  I bought it in October and put it in a spot where I would not lose it and she would not see it.  But I could not find it!

    Recently, could have been last night, I don't remember, Julia asked when I found the nightgown. I said I didn't.  She said that Jackie was wearing it.  I said that was the nightgown Julia have her.  Julia didn't give her a nightgown.

    For the past week I have  been looking for a present I already gave her.

    If I am doing that at 74, what will I be like at 75?

    Sigh...at least the mystery is solved.

    Have a happy, healthy New Year.  If you are going out, be sure to be safe and don't drive impaired!  

Peace and Love

family ties

We had a great visit with family today 

    Our niece and her family came for a visit.  One of their girls brought her boyfriend and we had a great time visiting, telling stories, and eating.

    Eating is always a thing we do.  Appetizers, then pizza, then cookies....the food never seems to stop.

    Our nieces's daughters go to the U of I.  They are pretty smart.  They are taking some fun courses next semester, courses dealing with gene therapy, and some involving physics.  I have no idea what the courses were.  When I went to college I took art appreciation and cooking in the outdoors, which I thought were fun courses.  But they said these were fun courses.  I think we have a different definition of fun.

    My niece and her husband both went to the U of I and have science related degrees.  I always felt that science people were pretty darn smart.  

    One of the girls brought a boy friend who is also in science.  In the 3 of them I can see the positive influences they can possibly make in our world.

    I won't understand any of it, but it will still benefit me and all of us.

    Just think, as I write this 2022 only has about 27 hours left. 

    In some ways that is good, but in other ways it isn't.  We are all a little older.  Some of us are a little wiser. Some of us are still writing 2021 on our checks.  

    Here's hoping 2022 was a good year for you and that in 2023 you will find good health, good family connections, good jobs, good fortune and lots of good food, family, and friends.

Peace and Love

finally

 I took advantage of the nice weather today

    After taking Jackie to the doctor for a routine tune up, I got home and got to work.

    I pulled out the dead plants from pots, took a pile out to the compost bin, hung some tools, rearranged my lawn cart, let out Emily's dogs, cleaned up the dog yard, grilled some steaks, cleaned up leftovers......now I am really tired.

    I still have a couple of tasks ahead of me.....recipe cards, the den, loading the DVDs and CDs into the new tv stand, putting in the shelves in the stand, cleaning out my car so it doesn't look like a homeless person is living in it, to name a few odd jobs.  Those will be weekend tasks, hopefully.  Cleaning the den will be top of the list so if people look in it they don't get too repulsed.

    My work never seems to get done.  I envy people who don't seem to have anything to do.

    Mind you, we did finish season 2 of Only Murders in the Building, which is a Hulu original.  I love that show!  Steve Martin, Martin Short, Selena Gomez are the main characters but Tina Fey and Nathan Lane were in season 2 also.  Its a funny murder mystery, with really interesting twists and turns.

    I am also in love with the building itself....it is amazing and a landmark in New York, according to my NY friend Julie.  I think she read that somewhere.

    So, I do take some time for myself.  Just not enough.

    And dang it, Wordle is frustrating the heck out of me tonight!

    We'll see who wins that one.

Peace and Love

resolutions?

 I am wondering about resolutions for 23

    I need to make some to improve my life, and my outlook on life.

    For instance, the scale yelled at me today.  I should make resolutions about weight loss, exercise, and self control.

    I have some unfinished books.  I should make a resolution to set aside a specific time each day to write, edit, or revise my works.

    I procrastinate.  I should make a resolution about doing things right away.  More importantly, a resolution to finish one thing before I start another.

    But if I do all that, I will be overwhelmed with resolutions and will likely binge on cookies and gain even more weight.

    Resolutions are tough.  They need to be achievable and life altering.  Why make one and stick to it if it does not improve your life?

    Several years ago I resolved to write a blog every day about my boring life.  Well, this is post 3,278.  The blog has had over 261,000 views.  I think it is the one resolution I have ever kept!

    Has it improved my life?  I  think so.  I have been able to share weird stories, sad stories, funny stories, with people I don't see on a regular basis.  I have been able to "connect" with people in Wisconsin, New York, Massachusettes, Maryland, Florida, Colorado and Switzerland, among other places. We have kept in touch through the blog, with their likes and comments boosting my morale and keeping me connected with the real world.

    That has been hard lately.  Today I was lucky to have Julie from the Big Apple and Dan and Linda come over for wine and great conversation.  It was a nice afternoon of talk and sip, and I truly apprediated it.  Jackie and Julia were also part of the gathering, but they did not sip.

    It was a very good wine.....thanks for bringing it.

Peace and Love

    

    

So confused

 Maybe it is my age, but WTH!

    I bought a nightgown for Jackie for Christmas.  As I wrapped presents on Christmas Eve, I realized I did not wrap the nightgown.  Then I forgot about the whole thing until I did a load of laundry today.

    I ordered the nightgown in October.  I put it where I knew she would not find it.

    Unfortunately, I could not find it either.

    I put presents in two spots.  The nightgown is not in either one.

    Then today, I went to Walmart and picked up a perscription.  They could not use Easypay. I got a text from Capital One that they declined my card because of a security issue.

    So I called the number they texted me and was connected to a woman whom I could not understand.  I thought I might have been scammed, so I told her I had to hang up.

    I called the customer service number on the back of the card, which was the same number.  I talked to a customer service rep who sounded like he was in the middle of a wild and crazy party.  I could barely hear him over the background noise, which sometimes was louder than the guy I was talking to! (or to whom I was speaking, whatever.)

    They said they halted the sale because of possible fraud.  The same thing happened last week at the Walmart pharmacy.  But the card is good. This time the card on file must have been Jackie's, because that was the number they blocked.

    I finished at the pharmacy and went through my list.  Cucumber was on it.  I picked up a cucumber with a big 66 cent sign on the bin.  I also picked up a calendar from a spot marked $4.86, but a price check revealed it was over $7 so I did not buy it.

    My cucumber rang up at 72 cents. 

    Now, that kind of pissed me off.  It's not the 6 cents, it is the principle of the thing.  The price marked is the price you should pay.

    I went to customer service and complained.  The lady offered me a refund, but I said I did not want the 6 cents, I just want the price to be the same as what is posted.

    I wonder how often that happens.  It may only be a penny or two, but multiplied thousands of times every day, it could amount to a significant profit for any store.

    That's my mini rant for the day.

    Now, excuse me.  I have to go look for a present.  Again.

Peace and Love

Huh! It's Over?

That sure was fast! 

    Christmas flew past, once it arrived.  Good times.  Good memories.

    I turned on the car and the channel that had been doing Christmas music was back to tunes from the 40s.  I do like that music.  And the 50s.  And the 60s.  But once we get past the 80s I have no idea about music.  I guess I am frozen in musical time.

    Speaking of frozen in time, we got up late today.  Julia and Emily were going shopping early.  I got up, the house was quiet, I assumed they had gone. 

    Now, I do like the brief stroll around the house au natural when I come  out of the shower.  That might be a good thing to remember if you come to our door before 11 a.m.  But with Julia living with us, I have halted that practice.  Until today.

    I texted Julia and Emily, asking them to please pick up some hangers for our shirts.  Emily said they changed their minds and did not go.

    Luckily for me, Julia was downstairs and stayed downstairs during my jaunt around the living room.  Had I known she was home, I would not have done that.  Just glad no damage was done  to her vision or my modesty.

    And even though I slept a long time, I was still tired.  I sat in my chair about 1:30 to read and Jackie woke me at 4:30.  I wonder if I will be able to sleep tonight.

    Not much got done around the house, because you have to be awake to do things.  

    I did use my leaf blower to clear the sidewalk and 3/4 of the driveway.  But the battery died and I hand shoveled the rest.

    I know.....40s by Thursday, so why bother? 

    I did not do a very good job anyway.

    Happy first day of Christmas.

Peace and Love

Merry Christmas

It's about 11, and I think I am tired 

    This day always seems to go so fast.  I barely talked to my nephew and my brother in law and never called my brother.  Between opening gifts and getting dinner ready, it was a hectic day.

    But a fun one.

    As a couple of us sat around the table, we talked about traditions.

    Now, I have broken some of my traditions.  I did not watch It's a Wonderful Life, nor did I stay up late wrapping presents Christmas Eve.  I did read Christmas Carol, even though I did not think I would.

    One tradition I have, and I am the only one in the family (go figure) that does this, is to take plain, white newsprint and wrap presents with it.  Then I draw on the paper.

    I figure the paper is cheap, recyclable, and since it is an end roll of newspaper, not much use for anyone.  When I got an actual newspaper, I would save the Sunday comics and use those.  But those days are gone for me.

    So, to enlighten you all, here are some of this years presents.

I got a hammer!!!!

I forgot to take a picture first.  Santa sent this to Jackie.  Note the stamps.

Just some guy with an orange tint and blond hair behind bars.

Julia and Emily could pick a mystery present

They could pick apples or strawberries

Can you find Emily?

Her name is in the ornaments

Camryn, it's a teddy bear.

Note the snowman and clever hanging of ornaments!

She actually got a shirt like this

    

My big surprise......a bison for my wildflower garden!  Made of metal, I have to seal it before placing it outside.  But it is really cool!  Now I have to come up with a name!

 

         I hope you all had a Merry Christmas.

Peace and Love