My neighbors came to visit us at the lake yesterday, all five boys and their parents. We had SUCH a great time! S brough bagels and tuna fish and egg salad and cream cheese and marble cake and chocolate chip cookies. (They keep kosher so I couldn't feed them all that easily.) I had drinks and snacks for them. Poor A got a little carsick on the way up, so he ate a bit, then went to lay down for 10 minutes or so. J took the 4 boys to the Sanctuary and showed them the beaver dam, and they met Marley (our neighborhood dog). It was raining, that's the only bad part of the day. J really wanted to take them out on the rowboat and show them around a little bit. Maybe next time!

I have a great picture of the five boys but I won't post it 'cause I don't have permission from their mom. But trust me when I say you've NEVER seen cheeks like the baby has - he even beats my niece who had chipmunk cheeks when she was born! We called her Dizzy, after Mr. Gilespie! G has her beat BIG time!!!

On the way home (we all left at the same time), the boys called us on my cell to shout, "Thanks, J and Krys, for letting us visit you at the lake!" Let me tell you, 5 boys! 5 boys so well brought up that they were less trouble than either my nephew or my niece, and certainly less trouble than the two of them together!!! These boys are so well brought up - my neighbors should be proud of themselves!!!

I'm stressed with the reorg we just went through here at work: I have double the territory, and I have to cover it in the same amount of hours for the same salary. Now of course, once the targets are set, if I make my numbers, my incentive payment goes up accordingly. But the work!!! OMG!!! I have two cold sores that have broken out on my lower lip; yes, a pretty picture! Today I emailed my friend CT, and he wrote me such a nice note of encouragement:

"Deep breath.
Now, remember that whatever you do will be an improvement over your predecessor. Also, remember that the sun will come up tomorrow, no matter what you do. And finally, at the end of the day, you can go home and shut the door on the trials and tribulations of your job. Might not be easy, but it can be done.
Love,
C
P.S. – Not sure if this is appropriate, but I just re-read Illusions (http://www.barefootworlds.net/illusions.html) and it always improves my outlook on life.

There is no such thing as a problem without a gift for you in its hands. You seek problems because you need their gifts."

Illusions is one of several books by Richard Bach that I've read and reread over the years. I collect quotes and Bach's books are chock-full of them! I've sent so many of them to C over the years, when we were single and writing letters to each other (back in the days before email!). It means a lot that he chose that book for me today! And I think I'll go home and pull it off the bookshelf, drop it in my bag, and when I finish the one I'm reading, I'll reread Illusions again. I'm sure there'll be a quote for me to send C when I'm done!

My mom is joining the ranks of the technologically advanced: she's switching to Dish TV, and she's going to have to learn that remote control all by herself. No emergency calls to me to come and fix what she broke. And she wants to buy a DVD recorder. I am a simple Cablevision customer, soon to switch to the Optimum Triple Play, I think... I have to have computer access at home, and cable is taking away channels and adding charges each month. (Sound familiar?!?) It's time to upgrade!

Well, I'm about to leave and walk cross-town to J's school, so we can leave on time. He wants to mow Mom's lawn (at least the front lawn) before we go to his sister's to celebrate her b'day. It's supposed to rain for the next three days or so, not pouring down storms, but showers on and off 'til Wednesday or Thursday (unless they've changed the forecast since this morning!). (An aside: I hate rain.)

Toodles!

Another wake...

You know how they say bad things come in threes? Anyone ever heard of fours?

First, Mr. H. died. He was the father of one of my husband's friends, DH's former boss.

Then my cousin Todd died.

Then my friend E's grandfather in Poland died.

And last night we went to the wake for the sister of a woman who works for DH in the After-School Program. C has worked for him for 15 years. She's such a wonderful woman. She's been suffering herself with treatments for various health issues, serious ones. And now her sister's gone. There were 7 girls and 2 boys, all in their 30's and up. The sister was found in her apartment, already gone. Haven't heard how, probably won't, but we did hear the rumors that when she was younger, she was heavy duty into drugs. Don't know if that played any part in her death; I sure hope not. That will make it even harder.

The Cooks and Cahills, at Todd's wake, May 9, 2008.









From left to right: Phil (Kerri's husband), Nancy (Jeff's daughter), Mom, David (Jeff's son), Kerri, me, Gloria, A, Jeff, C, and J

My cousin Todd died on May 2, 2008. He was 48 years old. Todd had Down Syndrome. Todd was a fantastic person.

When we were young, we spent every Sunday at my dad's dad's house. I have lots of memories from Granddaddy's, and Todd is part of every one of them. Granddaddy would have a box of chocolates underneath the newspaper, on the coffee table in front of him. We'd go in, kiss him hello, and help ourselves to a piece of chocolate (Whitman's, Russell Stover, don't remember which). No one knew about this but us! (At Todd's wake last week I asked my cousins if they remembered, and they didn't know what I was talking about!) Every Sunday we'd go to church, change our clothes and drive up to Granddaddy's, where Todd would say, "Krysia, why can't you do a one-handed cartwheel? It's easy!" And he'd just do one! And eventually they were no-handed cartwheels ("Krysia? Why can't you do a no-handed cartwheel? It's easy!"). And he and my Aunt Cookie would squat down, and sit on their elbows. These are such vivid memories for me... And Evelyn's sarsaparilla soda - mmm, good!

At the funeral Jeff gave a speech about Todd. Then Kerri got up and spoke about her baby brother. Then Jeff asked if anyone else wanted to speak.

I honestly don't remember walking up to the casket: the next thing I know I'm standing there, with my hand on Todd's shoulder. I turned around and tried to speak. And I couldn't. I was crying so hard I couldn't talk. I knew Todd's death would affect me; he was my cousin, after all. But I hadn't seen him since 1992, and before that, it was 1975 or 1976, when they moved to Colorado. I really didn't expect to lose it like I did. I wanted everyone to know how much I would miss him. How even though he wasn't part of my daily life, even though he wasn't even a part of my week anymore, he was a part of my life. My cousin. Who I will miss so very much.

I am proud to have been his cousin. He accomplished so much, with the help of my aunt and my cousin. Jeff really stepped up and took the place of my Aunt Cookie once she wasn't really able to be Todd's #1 advocate any more. Todd had a full and complete life, thanks to the two of them. And I will miss him forever.

Here are few stories, though, light-hearted ones, intended to make the tears subside...

1) When my aunt died 10 years ago, we had the funeral, then proceeded to the cemetery. They had dug her hole on the wrong plot!!! Jeff made them come back, dig the right hole, then we buried her!

2) When we went to the cemetery to bury Todd, he was supposed to be interred head to head with my aunt. They assured Jeff they'd do it the right way. When we got there, they almost dropped Todd putting his casket on the supports. Thankfully, the hole was in the right place! But then Jeff asked about Todd; was his head actually at this end of the hole? No. So we had to have him turned around. Boy, would my aunt have haunted Jeff!!!

3) Two weeks ago, Todd's trainer heard him get up in the middle of the night. She let him alone, assuming he would go to the bathroom and go back to bed, or get a drink and go back to bed... He didn't. She heard some strange noises from downstairs so she went down to find out what Todd was doing. He had a suitcase on the floor, open, and he was packing. "What are you doing, Todd?" she asked. "Mom came and told me she's coming for me in two weeks, I'm going to go on vacation with her, " he responded. There's not one person on the Cook or Cahill side that doubts that story!!! If anyone could come back and visit Todd, it was Aunt Cookie!!! (Well, no one at the repast doubts it!)

Wow! I'm an Assistant Organizer!

I belong to a local scrapbooking MeetUp group and while I was at our all day crop last Saturday (National Scrapbooking Day), the Organizer came over and said they were thinking of offering me that position. Now it doesn't require a lot of work; if MB can't make an event that I'm attending, I'd "be in charge of" paying for the room, making sure we all leave the room in the condition we found it, baby stuff like that. But how nice to be a "part" of that group! And how flattering that they want me to be the Assistant Organizer!

I've met the nicest women in that group, wound up back in touch with a friend from high school, and have learned that I am, indeed, creative in my own way. I do okay making my pages - they may not be publishing-quality, but I'm proud of them. (Yes, there are a few I think could definitely use some tweaking, but for the most part, I like 'em!) I would never have described myself as artistic; I think I mentioned that in an earlier post, but I am! And I get a lot of satisfaction from it!

And now this brings up the issue of group activities. I belong to Weight Watchers. Again, I've met a great group of people, especially in the Ledgewood, NJ, group. They've extended their WW relationship into their personal lives - they cruise together, they have movie nights together, they attend cookie swaps and purse sales together... And they've invited me along but so far I haven't been able to attend; with the work at the lake and the fact that we're only up there 2 days a week, my time is a bit full. But when we relocate, I hope I can spend more time with these ladies. They're a FUNNY bunch of coconuts!

WW, scrapping. What an easy way to find new friends and experience new things. So far I haven't been disappointed!

But I have a friend who "doesn't do groups." She won't attend WW 'cause she "doesn't like that rah-rah mentality." It's not a rah-rah group. Sure, we clap for each other and sometimes I feel a bit silly being on the receiving end of applause for losing a 1/2-pound when there are women in there who have lost over 100 pounds. But the value of the support I get from these strangers-turned-friends is immeasurable. How nice to know that I matter to these people. They really do care that I lost rather than gained, or that I stayed the same rather than gained. And if I gain, they have ideas to help me lose. Of course, we talk about food, and eating, and weight. But we've also talked about children, and in-laws, and holidays, and family, and work...

This friend of mine won't come to my scrapping group, even though she's very artistic and would do extremely well. Why? Because she "doesn't do groups" and because she "can't afford to scrap." Now THAT I can relate to! It IS a very expensive hobby if you get addicted to it! But I've offered her the use of my materials for a day, or even for a few hours, just to see if she'd like it, and as well-read and well-informed and brilliant as she is, "No. I don't do groups." If she just doesn't want to scrap, okay. But she did it for a shower she organized and said she had a lot of fun doing it. She's just, well, rigid, in a lot of ways. She doesn't embrace change. Now, me? I hate change. But I acknowledge the fact that it's inevitable and I sort of have to adapt, whether I like it or not. Sometimes I think she "doesn't do groups" just 'cause she said, a long time ago, that she "doesn't do groups."

And she spends paragraphs and paragraphs on her blog lamenting the fact that she has only a few close friends and too much free time...

Happy National Scrapbook Day, one day early!

Tomorrow is National Scrapbook Day, and I'm spending the day scrapping! I'm attending an all-day crop with my MeetUp group, well, some of them! I'm planning to be so creative I'll scare myself!

I want to step out of my box and create something different, something I haven't done before. I'm not quite sure what it might be, but I'm going to try. I love the idea of a multi-sized album (you can see an example of a mini one at Ali Edward's blog today http://aliedwards.typepad.com/_a_/2008/05/weekend-creativ.html). I want to do something like this but I'm going to have to probably wait until I'm in my scrapping room; I don't have all my miscellaneous "stuff" ready to go to the crop tomorrow.

I'm still packed from my last crop so all I have to do is drag all those bags and boxes into the clubhouse and arrange my space. I think, nay, I hope I remember to bring a pillow to sit on (not that I don't have enough natural padding - those chairs are just a bit low for all day!) and my little portable shelf (it might help me to make space on the table for my scrapping).

I bought batteries for my camera; I'll try to remember to add it to my stuff for tomorrow. I broke my little mini camera while I was in Arizona. I have to do some research and find out if I can get it repaired. It was a cute little portable Kodak digital camera, took GREAT pictures, and it had a nice 2" LCD screen that I banged right into the corner of a table. It was in the pocket of my shorts and most of you reading this blog know I'm not the most graceful of women... BANG! And of course, with my luck, the screen was facing outwards. Dad-gum it!

I'd like to do a page about my scrapping. And a page about my office. And a page about the inside of my purse and/or my tote. I think they all say a lot about my lack of organizational skills, and my creativity (what little I have!), and my ability to work or play in a mess!

It's 9:58am and I feel as though I've been here at work for hours and hours and hours already. And it's only been 2 hours and 43 minutes... Aaaarrrrgggghhhh! I want to go home!

Well, we moved DD into her new apt last night. Actually she and her friend D did most of the moving; we did the TV, the bed, the sofa, a lamp, the dining room table, the bedroom blinds, and tonight we'll do the living room blinds and the last remaining lamp. She's so happy - it's clean and it smells clean and it looks clean and it's a clean start for her. Even though it's an apt that's identical to the one we moved her out of, one floor down in the same building, two doors over. Don't ask.

Her BF called me yesterday. I've already told him I'm uncomfortable in the middle. I don't want to be the one who hears both sides of the story. But he was only checking in to say he hadn't spoken with us in over a week, and that he was in touch with her - he hates texting. And DD would rather text than talk.

I figured out why. When you're texting you can ignore what you don't want to address. You just don't respond. When you're on the phone, you can be confronted. They can say, "Why aren't you answering me?" And you're forced to deal with the issue. Email is the same. But they both lend themselves to misinterpretation - you can't hear someone's tone in a text or in an email. And when you know the person you're texting/emailing, you would be able to interpret tone.

Besides, texting with 2 thumbs is SO much slower than just calling, talking, and being done with it. (Shudder.)

Gotta run!

SO.

Lot's is happening in my business life. Just found out they're adding 6 more states to my territory. I now cover, in no particular order:

• my original states - Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Virginia
• my newly added states - Arkansas, Iowa, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, and Nebraska

I'm sure you can guess which one appeals to me the most: Missouri! My bestest college friend lives in the St. Louis area, in St. Charles, to be exact. And his parents live in Kansas City. And if I have large enough accounts to warrant a trip to those particular locations, I could actually visit with them and see them and that would be phenomenal!!!

Iowa? Nebraska? I don't know yet how much business is in each state, and obviously my goal is to build up the territory so I'll be looking for more business in each state.

I also found out today that they're adding a whole new class of trade to my reseller responsibilities. Yesterday I sold to trade associations and catalog resellers. Today I'm also doing bulk sales. Mm-hm. Sounds exciting, doesn't it? I'll have to make it exciting, if it turns out to be dull and boring. I got those states from one of my colleagues, Kim. She sits right next to me in the office. She has one of those voices they use for voiceovers (if you call our IT department, you hear her say, "You have reached the IT department. Please listen as our menu choices have changed. For IT support, press 1. For AS400 support, press 2. If you'd like to leave a message,..." Forget it! You don't really care!). Her customers are in for an awakening: first thing in the morning you can't tell I'm not a guy. My voice is not very feminine, at least not in my opinion, at least not first thing in the morning. And I talk really fast when I'm talking to a stranger. Really fast. Almost faster than I can type...

I think I'm going to take a picture of my desk here at work tomorrow so you can see what 6 new states and a new class of trade looks like. It's a bit frightening since I really do pride myself on keeping my office neat and orderly (unlike my home!). I have paper all over, like a paper bomb exploded on top of my desk and all around my cubicle! If I was compulsively clean, I'd be shaking right about now...

Tonight we're moving my daughter back into her new apartment, which we moved her into and out of last week. The apartment complex has basically sterilized it: washed the rug four times, painted three times, stripped the cabinets to remove the smoke/nicotine, fumigated, pulled out the refrigerator and the oven and cleaned and painted behind them, bleached the tiles and the entire bathroom. Hmm, did they do anything else? I think that's it. In fact, the former tenant is all upset that they did all this 'cause she feels like it makes her look dirty. Hey, lady, if the shoe fits!!!

Okay, that's enough blogging for now - DH is on his way to pick me up so we can go home, change, chow down and go move DD.

Toodles!

Just found out I'm getting some more states added to my territory. I used to have Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Virginia. Now I also have Iowa, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri and Nebraska!

Wow!

The good news is maybe at some point I can swing a business trip to the St. Louis or Kansas City area and see Chris and/or his parents.

The bad news is this is a LOT more work. A LOT more pressure. A LOT more stress.

I have to learn to delegate.

Delegate. Delegate. Delegate.

Funny thing is that my old boss - sorry, SLH - my previous boss used to tell me that I had to learn to delegate. Guess she was right.

Guess I have to learn.

Yay. A challenge.

Feeling better...

Not.

Okay, truthfully, I do feel better. My cough is, well, not gone, but certainly on its way out. My swollen neck is less swollen, and I almost have my usually negligible amount of energy at my disposal.

BUT.

Yesterday was a vacation day. On vacation I'm supposed to - okay, not vacate, but certainly rest and relaxation should show up somewhere in the vicinity of a vacation day.

But they didn't.

Saturday - We picked up our red oak floor with the natural stain and hauled it up to the lake in 10 boxes of 20 square feet each. We laid them out on the floor to acclimate. I started cleaning the lake house with the intent of getting rid of the contruction dust that has begun to permanently embed itself between the floorboards.

Sunday - Jack spent ALL DAY (yes, ALL DAY) laying our hardwood floor in the guest room. IT LOOKS AWESOME. Pictures to come in a day or two...

Monday - I have no idea what Jack did all day, but I PAINTED OUR BEDROOM. TWICE. Isn't there some law that the second coat of paint has to be applied a week later, by another person, not the same day by the same person??? My legs hurt from squatting and standing, my back hurts from bending and reaching, and my arms hurt from stretching and painting.

But my room is now the sunny color called "Lemon Delight," which will look awesome with my yellow, green and blue blanket, the yellow crocheted blanket my sister made for me, and the yellow and white blanket my Mom made for us. And by the end of the week, he will be working on the floor in our room, after which we might even be able to move our bed upstairs from what is now our dining room to what is supposed to eventually be our bedroom!

Which means we can move the dinette set into the dining room and I might even be able to schedule a MeetUp or Scrapaholics meeting at my house sometime soon, instead of hauling my butt all over to someone else's home...

And then we'll have to get the floor for the sitting room and then we'll get the railings and then we'll have a housewarming party for our nearest and dearest...

I'm sick again... Can't wait to not be sick again... (sung to the tune of Willie's On the Road Again)

Went to the doctor yesterday. Another strep test, no fever, swollen glands (for the very first time in my 47 years!), clear lungs, slightly elevated blood pressure (due, he thinks, to the decongestant in the cough medicine I was taking), and bad sinus pressure in my head. Yuk.

So here are my meds:

1. Z-pack once a day
2. Coricidin every 6 hours
3. Zyrtek once a day (it seemed to take the pressure away but took longer than my no-name Loratadine from CVS)

Then I asked him about the pain in my arm. Without an MRI [which we'll do if icing each night, no exercise (darn!), and anti-inflammatories don't help], he suspects a slightly damaged rotator cuff, probably just a few small tears. Boy, Jack really suffered with his - hope mine repairs itself...

That whole growing old thing? It sucks! Now I'm a firm believer in "you're as old as you feel," but being sick like this makes me feel old. When I look in the mirror, I don't see a 47-year-old. I look the same (or close!), for all intents and purposes, as I did when I was 20. Well, I certainly feel the same, minus a few aches and pains, but nothing I can't handle. I can't imagine turning 50 in three years. That just might be the one that actually hurts. It's just such a big number. I know there are bigger ones. But I had no meltdown when I turned 21 (like my college roommate did), nothin' when I turned 30, 35 was a bit bothersome (but not debilitating), 40 and 45 were proverbial pieces of cake!

But 50? I hope I'm healthy and still as happy as I am now, if not more so. 50 just "sounds" old to me. I remember all the people I knew were 50 when I was younger and they were old. I know I won't be that old when I'm 50, but still...

(added later)

I also went to the dentist yesterday. I broke a double crown sometime in the last few days. I'm thinking now it might have been on the remains of a cough drop. I haven't had any popcorn or hard candy lately, so that's the only think I can think might have done it.

I LOVE my dentist. For the record, I've told him he absolutely cannot retire until either (a) he replaces all the teeth in my head with false teeth that will never have a problem, or (b) I'm dead. He's got his nephew working there now; I'm sure the intention is for Dr. Mike to take over for Dr. M. when it's time, but that will never be acceptable. Never. Ever. You hear me, Dr. M.?

Puppy dogs...

Here are some pictures of my sister's puppy dogs. I guess I shouldn't really refer to them as puppy dogs since Miko weighs in at a hefty - what is it, P? - 85 pounds!?!? But their personalities are puppy-like and I had so much fun with them that I just have to call them puppies!!! I'm also including a picture of one of her cats, Daisy, laying right up next to this dog-person.

It's like I said, puppies and kittens and babies - they all love me!!!

Let's talk organizing...

I met an Internet friend...

Those of you who know me well might not think of me as organized (and you'd be right!). I'm a pack rat, I like clutter - well, I have a high tolerance for clutter, although it's starting to decrease as I get older! - I like being surrounded by my "stuff."

But at work it's a different story. I'm constantly on the search for just the right organizing tool, something to keep my desk neat and clean and orderly, something to help me stay on top of the myriad number of tasks I do every day, some way to manage my time more efficiently and ensure that the 20% of my clients that account for 80% of my business aren't dropped to the wayside while I send title information to the 80% of my clients who are 20% of my business!!!

So I read books - organizing books, time management books, books that can help me become the super-organized, clutter-free individual I know I can be. And I visit internet sites, sites like these blogs: Neat and Simple (http://blog.neatandsimple.com/2007/12/just-released-i.html), Organizing Queen (http://organisingtips.blogspot.com/) and Let's Talk Organizing (http://letstalkorganizing.blogspot.com/), just to name three. All of these blogs have links to other great organizing sites, too.

Well, in the not too distant past, I won the "Let's Talk Organizing Total Control Package." That put me in touch with Suzanne at Let's Talk Organizing (http://letstalkorganizing.blogspot.com/). And she's great! So easy to talk to, full of great ideas to help me save time, make space, and get organized. She opened some new offices in Gilbert, AZ, and I just came back from Arizona! I emailed her and we got together for a few hours at the Wildflower Bakery (yummy!)! Here's a picture of the two of us (I'm the less-put-together-one on the right!) after our delicious lunch!

We talked, and laughed, and talked some more! We talked about organizing and planners, and bookstores and stalkers (don't ask!), and we've each made a new Internet friend! We probably should have discussed organizing more than we did, but we still had a great time! I was able to show her a new planner I picked up - hopefully it will help me manage my time and keep track of everything... We talked about purses - too large vs. too small, one good one vs. many not-so-good ones, what we carry in them (too much or too little), etc. We talked about list making - she helped me create one at work a few months ago, one that works better than the sticky-notes version I was using before.

Thanks for a great afternoon, Suzanne, and have a TERRIFIC trip to Scotland - can't wait to hear about it and see some pictures! (Suzanne has arranged to meet up with another organizing guru while on her trip - how fun!)

Well, it's time to go to work (according to my planner!), so off I go! Toodles!

She's baaaaack!!!

Back in sort-of-sunny NJ.

Not only did I miss my DH so very desperately, he really missed me, too! Our DD texted me last night to tell me that "the ladies" who work with him are so glad I'm home 'cause he was depressed all last week. (Of course, I'm sure it had nothing to do with the g*d-awful 7th graders he was dealing with and everything to do with me being away...) I got in early enough yesterday morning to get home before he left for work, which was a nice surprise for us both! (I had planned to drive in to school to surprise him in the afternoon but since I got in at 5:35am and made it home before 7am, I got to sleep 'til 10:30am then take my mom out to a late lunch.)

I've been home a little over 24 hours and I think we've said "I love you" a hundred times, and "I missed you so much" at least a hundred times, and "I'm so glad to be/you're home" over a hundred times!

Now I had a loverly time with my sister, don't get me wrong, cyberpals. But other than a few three day business trips in the past couple of years, this is the longest we've been apart since we got back together in 1993.

Of course, on the up side, it's the longest I've spent with my sister since she moved out to AZ twenty years ago so that was really a big plus and made it a bit easier to deal with Jack being at home... AND I got to spend several days with her fluffy family: Kazia and Miko, her two Samoyeds, and Daisy and Lana, her two cats. Kazia and Miko are so affectionate and loveable; Miko is like a great big fluffy white teddy bear! Daisy is a pretty cat who certainly knows her own mind, but was very affectionate with me - we have a great photo I hope to share of her sleeping right up next to yours truly (who isn't really that much of a cat person!). And Lana? WOW! She crawled right up on my heaving bosom (I was hacking up a lung after getting sick in San Diego) and laid there for, oh, I don't know, a good half hour, maybe? And my sister said that she's real shy and doesn't come out much and certainly doesn't really lay down with strangers... Huh. So there. I guess I'm not only a dog person but cats like me, too!

It was so nice to see P for all that time, instead of for a few hours here or there, when she's in NJ for an event (birth, wedding, graduation, etc.). I got to spend some time with her and a couple of her dear friends, M and T, and we had some yummy pizza, some great shrimp toast and grilled shrimp and calamari at Feast, and some dee-licious biscuits and gravy and potato pancakes at Aunt Millie's... (Funny how my most memorable memories are food-related...)

Once my pictures are ready, I'm going to try something different, perhaps post a link to my album so you can see them all, instead of just a select few, if you're interested... Not sure I can do it; I seem to be having some difficulty with the download. For now, though, here are a couple of my favorite shots...

Hello from an un-named city in the Southwest!

Just checking in with a quick and detail-less update 'cause I'm using a laptop that belongs to someone else, waiting for the Korean Spare Ribs to thaw so we can have some dinner... Wait! Too many details for this entry!!

Got to San Diego last Saturday, worried I'd brought too many winter/fall clothes 'cause when I got off the plane and into the cab, I started to glow. Ultimately it turned out I was garbed just fine 'cause it was chilly-ish in the mornings and warmed up in the afternoons and my jacket was okay for the evenings...

Conference was fine - details to come.

Sister arrived Sunday after minor road worries - details to come.

Some good meals, some good company, some good cocktails - details to come.

Visited Cabrillo National Monument and the San Diego Zoo - details (and pictures!) to come.

Got sick. Visited Immedicenter. On antibiotics. Details to come.

Traveled to that unnamed city in the SW - details (and pictures) to come.

Visited the place someone works, dinner with that person's friends, met with new blog-friend - many details and pictures to come!

Walking in Race for the Cure tomorrow, then traveling to NJ - details (and maybe some pictures) to come.

Talk with you soon.

It's NOT just Jack and me.

Was taking a peek at Dooce's daily style photo and she predicted that she and Jon will not be speaking tomorrow, after trying to hang photos and mirrors on their wall.
http://www.dooce.com/daily-style/2008/03/28/molger-square-mirror

If Jack and I are ever this close to a divorce, it will be because I can see what he hangs on the wall, with or without the aid of a level, is crooked and not in the place I told him to hang it. And I don't need no stinkin' tools to see it, either!!

"It's crooked!"
"Move it up!"
"No, down!"
"No, that was too far!"
"Back up - wait! Stop! Right. There."

Then the nail is put in the wall in the wrong place and my picture is Not. Right. There.

Traveling...

Unless I can post from someone's laptop, all will be very quiet in Krys' World until I return from my trip. What trip? you ask. Okay. Here you go:

I leave Saturday, 03/29, at around 1pm, for San Diego. I will be attending a conference there for one of my better customers. My manager will be there with me, for a day or so, so I will have to really do some work for part of the time, anyway! The conference starts on Sunday, 03/30, and goes through noon on Wednesday, 04/02.

A person I know who lives in the SW is driving to San Diego on Sunday, 04/30, to spend a few days there with me. On Wednesday or Thursday we will be driving back to their hometown and I will be spending some time there with her.

While in SD, I'd like to visit a scrapping store or two, Sea World and the SD Zoo. In the unnamed town in which I'll be staying, I'd like to visit a scrapping store or two, I'll be meeting with a blog friend (Suzanne from www.letstalkorganizing.com), hopefully I'll be seeing a couple of cousins who live in the Mesa/Chandler areas, and I will be walking in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure on Sunday, 04/6 (https://www.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=259117&supId=123501866). I'll be leaving that night at around 10pm-ish, arriving back in NJ at 6:09am-ish.

I will NOT be at work on Monday. I will be sleeping for a while, then doing laundry, then making a welcome home dinner for me, then hugging my husband really hard when he gets home from work (IF I can last and not drive into town to see him before that!), and finally visiting both my mom and my sister-in-law 'cause I'll not have seen them for a week!

I will be bringing both cameras so hopefully I'll have loads of pictures to share...

Have to pack tonight and tomorrow - haven't even started! We're having dinner with friends tonight, so it will be a late night, and perhaps dinner with daughter and her boyfriend tomorrow, so another late night to come... Good think I don't leave the house 'til around 10:30am on Saturday!!

Will miss you all!

I've already shared this with you, but it's time again to tell you that "my hubby don't do sick real well!"

He was sick three weeks ago (see March 7, 2008, blog entry, if you're interested!). He's still sick. The antibiotic ran out a week ago. The decongestant/cough supressant ran out then, too. He was still congested and still coughing, but does he call the doctor to renew his prescription? No. Does he take anything over the counter to try and combat the symptoms? No.

'Til Monday. He was suffering so bad with his head being stuffed up and coughing so bad his whole body hurts. His niece gave him a couple of Mucinex DMs. Well! They really worked well on the congestion in his head and chest, but boy howdy! He was literally up all night! He didn't sleep a wink! Which, by the way, adds to his crankiness level!

Finally! "Call the doctor, please!"

So I did. And we went last night. And it's viral, which means no antibiotic in the world is going to help him. So now he's taking Mucinex Extra Strength and Delsym every 12 hours. And I just talked to Donna, the BEST CVS PHARMACIST IN THE WORLD, and he can take a little Nyquil to help him sleep as long as it's four hours after the Delsym. Yay. I won't be woken up at 3:23am like I was this morning...

I went for my mammogram yesterday. I had a young, friendly technician who told me I wasn't a "Dory" patient.

Mm-hmm. A "Dory" patient.

No, I didn't have a clue either. Apparently it's a reference to Dory in Finding Nemo. Dory is a bit, well, flighty. A bit ADD. There are patients, according to this technician, who just don't do what they're told.

"Hold your breath."
"Sigh." (Inhale.) "Sigh."

"Put your arm here."
"Okay." (Technician goes to take xray.) Patient drops arm.

They just don't listen.

I, on the other hand, a model patient! I hold my breath. I stay in position. My pictures came out beautifully! (Diagnosis to come.)

I'll bet hubby would be a "Dory" patient...

Happy Easter, one day late!
I'm picture-less. Here's a word picture for you:

• Mass at 8am.
• Bagels and coffee at the Tick Tock Diner (the BEST diner in NJ, by the way!). Not my picture - here's a link to the original (http://www.roadfood.com/photos/3461.JPG)

• Home to putter around 'til it was time to pick up Mom for dinner at the Olive Garden.
• Called the Olive Garden at 2:30 only to find out there was a 1-1/2 hour wait.
• Decided to go somewhere else.
• Made 3 wooden crosses with flowers for the cemeteries.
• Went to visit Babci, Dziadzi, and Cioci Eliza, Dad, and Mom and Dad S. and leave their crosses.
• Went to Red Robin.
• Went home for 1/2 hour to wait for dessert at my sister-in-law's house.
• Picked up Mom and went for dessert.
• Ate dessert.
• Dropped Mom off at her house and went home.
• Watched TV 'til bedtime.
• And here I am, Monday morning...

Babies, babies everywhere!!!

(To borrow what should have been the subject line from my friend's email this morning...) Called my friend CT in Missouri yesterday morning, worried that the flooding we've been seeing on the news was affecting him or his family. Thankfully it's a good 40 miles south of him - good for him, no so much for those poor families who are losing everything. The TV news here in NJ/NY were saying the "Big River" was overflowing, but without a map handy, it was easier to call and leave a message that I was worried it was close to him...

Not only did he email me back to relieve my fears, he sent an update on his family. Three of his nieces and nephews are giving birth in the next several months. Now, considering they're all in their 20s, this shouldn't be such a shock to anyone. The thing is, I met most of these kids when they were, oh, 2, 3, 4 years old, maybe 6. I'm feeling most elderly at the ripe old age of 47.

I was looking in the mirror the other day, smiling at myself and grimacing at the lines now appearing near my eyes... Yuk. Whilst menopause has yet to rear its ugly head, I'm definitely feeling as though I'm looking more my age than I have in the past. Although when reading my monthly issue of More magazine, I'm constantly asking DH, "Does she look older or younger than me?" God bless him, he still says older, even if sometimes there's a microscopic pause...

So, tomorrow I'll be ill.

Not really, but I'm calling out 'cause we have an event to attend. DH is a director on the board of our credit union and tomorrow is the big, annual dinner. I have been the door-person for the past three years and will be doing it again tomorrow. I have to make sure all partygoers sign in, receive their little gift bag, and get their doorprize ticket.

There might be some trouble. There's a person who lost his/her job at the CU for what amounts to manipulating his/her family's loans and his/her spouse wants to come in and speak to the crowd. We've hired a police officer, for the first time, to be on duty in case that person and/or his/her family makes a scene and needs to be escorted out the door...

Bigger news:

DD has decided to move in with her boyfriend. Remember the boyfriend we like better than previous boyfriends? He took her to Aruba, bought her what he considers to be an "everyday" platinum and diamond ring and diamond studs (1/2 karat each) while they were away. He wanted to get engaged while they were away, but they didn't, for a number of reasons: DD hadn't even used the L-word with him yet (ultimately she did, while they were away, and she swears it wasn't under the influence of alcohol or diamonds!) and she told him he couldn't even think about asking her until he'd spoken to all four of her parents! That would be us! I never thought she'd be so traditional; I was totally flabergasted when she told me that!! Love it!! Will totally torture him when the time comes!!!

Hubby isn't thrilled (although he does like DD's boyfriend), but since we moved in together without the benefit of a priest, he can't very much say anything to DD. Although we are taking the stand of "do it 'cause you want to, not because he wore you down!"

The boyfriend (hereafter referred to as DD's BoyF) has been saying for a while that he wants to marry DD, that he was falling in love with her, that he fell in love with her, that he wanted to move in together, that he wanted to marry her, that he knows they'll eventually get married - not in a kind of dangerous-stalker way, but in a lovingly certain way...

So far, I like him. He hurts her, and he's on my list forever!!!

We have two dear friends who have relocated to Cape Cod. Anita just opened an online shop to sell her handmade cards. I know she also makes some of the paper she uses. Please take some time to visit her site. I know you'll love the cards! She sends us a handmade card for every occasion - we've kept them all!
http://zandscardshop.com/

DH and I have done the sick thing. I had a bad cold in January, one that kept me home from work three days. Those of you that know me know that I don't like to waste sick days on being sick - sick days are for when you need a mental health day, a day away from the office or your head will explode, or a day when you get a chance to drive into Tower Records in NYC and see Patrick Swayze, live and in person, during his Dirty Dancing days... (Hi, Laura!)

Jack has been sick this past week, and continues to cough/choke/sleep these days, but he's much better than he was. He didn't miss a day of work 'cause he doesn't believe in not working, but then again, he gets paid extra if he doesn't take them... (Incentive, it's a wonderful thing!)

Now it's DD's turn. Poor baby is so sick that she called out today, and her boyfriend is sick, too, and called out. She just texted me to see if it would be stupid to go to the hospital - she's so dehydrated (since 2am this morning) that her lips are already chapped, and she's dizzy. I told her to go, volunteered to come home and take her; that's when she said The Guy was there, sick as well. She tried to reach the doctor but the service is no help and the office doesn't open 'til 10am. I think she's heading for the ER; she has insurance - maybe they can at least give her something to make her stop throwing up...

This isn't good; she has two funerals to attend tomorrow. I kinda think she might miss them both. Well, at least I hope she does. One, her mom's uncle, the other, a dear friend's dad. (Condolences to the families...) If I had anything to say about it, I'd recommend she not go - not only 'cause she's sick as that proverbial dog, but because I don't think you really want to pass this along to people who are already so sick at heart they feel physically ill, too...

Just to round out the family, my SIL has been really ill, too. Over a month ago she was scratched badly by one of her cats. She got an infection, a bad one - the scratch got all puffy and a red line started moving up her arm. The dr put her on high dosage antibiotics. After numerous dr visits to numerous drs (a whole 'nother story in itself!), SIL wound up with diarrhea for the past two weeks which has finally be attributed to C. diff. colitis. Apparently the intense antibiotic regimen they gave her for the infection messed up the balance of good and bad bacteria in her colon. This is so bad that it could have been fatal if left untreated, but after many more dr visits and other medication and dietary suggestions, she visited our gastro guy, Dr. M., and he diagnosed it, put her on the right medicine, and promised her she'd be well soon. Thank goodness they found out what it was! My SIL weighs in at a hefty 102 pounds in the winter, when she's wearing boots and heavy clothing, so imagine a 5-pound weight loss on her... When I hug her I feel like I'm going to crush her, she's so tiny and fragile. And that's on a GOOD day!!!

Get well, all of you!!!

BIG MISTAKE, ENTENMANN'S!!!

Tomorrow I'm having dinner with an old friend. MAR and I used to spend many evenings together, when she was single, living in an apartment in Clifton. We worked together, then I'd go over there, we'd order pizza (" One Domino's Garbage Pie, hold the anchovies!"), then have coffee and Entenmann's Pineapple Crunch Loaf. WHICH, to our great displeasure, is no longer available locally. [See title of post!!!]

In honor of our years spent in such decadent dining, we will be having pizza, then coffee and some kind of cake, the exact one is yet to be determined. Suffice it to say we will have lots to talk about, and will laugh a lot, reminisce a lot, maybe shed a few tears of laughter - I can't wait!!!

I have a scrapping day planned for Saturday. 12 hours of creativity. 12 hours of scrapping. 12 hours of card-making. 12 hours of time spent doing something I like to do, without painting the bathroom, without moving furniture, without going to Home Depot. Although I'm sure I'll wind up going to HD on the way home, and I'll probably have to paint on Sunday...

Sometimes I wonder if I should be blogging here. I used to keep diaries. For years. I started April 16, 1977, the day Elvis died. (I may have mentioned that somewhere earlier in this blog.) There's a lot in those books that I don't want anyone to ever read. So, slowly but surely, I've been destroying them, after reading them again, of course. I will never forget those days. I will never forget those people. I will never regret those choices. Even though, today, as an adult, I see the error of my ways, those decisions brought me to today, to the "me" I am today. I can't regret a one of them. (But that doesn't mean I want anyone to know about them!!! Nothing illegal or immoral, but perhaps not the smartest decisions I've ever made in my life!)

I like to share, though, and I guess that's what this is all about. I haven't told my nearest and dearest about this blog; only my sister P reads it regularly. My other sister doesn't know about it and (P, are you listening?!) I probably will never tell her about it. Because she'll not take anything I said about her as it was intended. It will become criticism, instead of me just venting. It will be something to hold against me, instead of seeing it just lets me air my concerns to a neutral third party. It will cause problems. So I won't tell her about it. But I do enjoy comments from my readers. Keep 'em up!

I guess when I retire, when I have more time to blog, when I have time to create those works of art I have every intention of creating, I'll have time to turn this blog into something to be proud of: an outlet where I can show you pages and pictures, where I can plan what I write so that it's not just stream of consciousness...

In the meantime, I like talking with my friends, sharing stories, spending a few moments together, so come and visit again soon!!!

I don't know how many of you watch weather from around the world or the U.S....

NJ had some torrential downpours this past weekend and some real strong winds. We don't normally suffer from them too often, but when we do, it seems they're, well, real strong! I saw several trees uprooted in our local area, Nutley to be specific, and one or two of them even made the news this morning! There were many families in Nutley without power since Saturday night.

Now, in general, I know that being without power for one day isn't that big a deal. Lord knows there are people who are without power for sometimes weeks at a time, after a large storm, and there are people who live their whole lives without an A/C or a television! But Nutley - well, Nutley is a town that started out as primarily Italian working class, but has slowly changed over to young, yuppy families who expect - and demand - a lot for their high Essex County taxes. I can only imagine the cell phone calls this weekend!!!

Speaking of rain, though (which is actually why I began this post!), DH and I took a ride up to our lakehouse yesterday to check and see how things faired over the weekend of weather. First of all, the lake is back up to summer levels, if not exceeding them! (It's lowered in the winter by several feet.) Second, we now have about a $10,000 job to do - our dock was torn loose from the sea wall; it's holding on by a mere bolt! Let me tell you, it's something we planned to, but we really didn't want it to be something we had to do.

Well, lots 'o' work to do, so for now, I'm signing out!

Work.
Busy.
Loads to do.
Getting it done.
Slowly but surely.
Proud of myself.
Looking forward to the weekend.

Sickly.

That's the word of the week.

In case you all hadn't noticed yet, men (at least the men of my acquaintance) don't do sick well.

In fact, they absolutely suck at it!

I was sick a week in January. I stayed home, called in to work two days to participate in 4-hour conference calls so I didn't miss my sales meetings entirely. I stayed in bed for three days, sleeping a lot, coughing more, and wishing with all my heart I could get well. I took myself to the doctor, picked up my own medicine, and made my own b'fast, lunch and dinner, when I felt like eating.

Jack? Uh-uh.

He's at work. Admittedly he's one up on me with that. But the key is: THEY ALL WANT HIM TO GO HOME. AND HE WON'T. Where's the point in being a martyr? Will they give him a huge raise for coming in when he's so sick? I think not. Will they congratulate him and give him a huge raise for infecting all the children and teachers in the school? I think not. Will he get to leave early or not come in on days when he's feeling well and can have some fun with his wife? I think not.

SO WHY THE H-E-DOUBLE-HOCKEYSTICKS DOES HE HAVE TO GO INTO SCHOOL SICK? Any why-oh-why do I have to remind him to take his medicine, eat some dinner, rest so he can get better?

He's 56, soon to be 57 (April 12th). I think he's old enough to do sick better.

If asked to describe myself in one word, I'd give the same response my two sisters did: No.Way.

There's no one word right enough, big enough, specific enough, accurate enough to be "the one," the "one" that supercedes all the others.

I got an email from an acquaitance that read: "Describe ME in one word... just one single word. Send it to me and to me only. Then send this message to all your friends and see how many strange and interesting things they say about you. This is really fun. Here's how to play - 1. Hit the reply key and send me my word. 2. Then return to the message and forward it to your friends (including me) and see what people say about you when limited to one word!!!"

So I did it. I sent it. I sent it to my sisters, to my cousin, to my nieces and nephew, to the parents of my best friend, to two of my best friends, to my neighbor, and to several other dear and close friends.

Here's what I got back so far (and I've only heard from 5 people):

• 2 non-responses from my sisters: they argue they can't choose just one word!
• friend
• exuberant
• compassionate

It's amazing what people think of me. What the first word is that they'd use to describe me. I will not comment on each and every one, but I'm flattered and amazed already, and I've only read three words!!!

This is most definitely a scrapbook page in the making: the words and the people that make me me.

I can't wait!!!

Paris...

Las Vegas!

We stayed at the Paris Las Vegas Hotel and Casino. I'm still a fan of LV, even though I won (and then lost!) $500! Jack? Not so much!

He was one cranky hubby - he's not a gambler, he's not a people watcher, and he was B-O-R-E-D out of his mind when he wasn't in his meetings. While I was complaining to his sister, she pointed out that had the weather been warm enough for sunbathing, we could have spent the bulk of the days tanning, then minimal hours in the casinos. That would have been much more palatable for him. And she was right. He could have handled that.

AND the cost of eating out in LV really stressed him out! Me? I was okay with spending more than we usually would on meals - a night out for us is Burger King for $1.00 Whoppers or Costco or Sam's Club for pizza and a hot dog! - 'cause it was vacation. Jack was shocked by the cost of things, though. For example, one bagel and 2 small bitter coffees cost $8.08 in LV, 2 bagels and 2 delicious coffees with free refills cost $4.26 when we went to breakfast this past weekend, here in NJ. And all the stuff we wanted to do had admission fees: $15.00 a head to see Siegfried and Roy's Secret Gardens in the Mirage (he wasn't happy about it but we went), $9.00 each to visit the top of the Eiffel Tower (although we got a hotel guest special: 2 for 1!), $140.00 each to see Love (the Beatles' Cirque d' Soleil show at the Mirage - needless to say we see this show!), $45.00 for dinner (a hamburger, fries and an unsweetened iced tea for me, 6 buffalo wings and a Coke for him, plus tip - and he didn't even eat them all - he wasn't hungry!). It got to the point where I told him I'd try not to eat for the rest of the trip. Then he was upset that I was upset... That shook him out of it!

Some of you may have seen some of these pictures already, but here you go...

Dawn at http://mom2my6pack.blogspot.com/ suggested we answer these 60 questions when we had nothing else to say. Now that's never really been a problem for me, but I'll give the 60 questions a shot.

[For a great blog, visit Dawn - she's laugh-out-loud-funny![

60 Things You Possibly Didn't Know About Me

1. What is in the back seat of your car right now?
I just had my car in for service so it's all cleaned up right now, except for the empty New York and Co. bag on the floor of the back seat, the iris umbrella, Jack's work gloves (oh, wait, he took them out yesterday!), an old issue of Star magazine, two book galleys my sister got me, a red rag I'm supposed to use to clean the inside of my windows but which is too dirty to use 'cause it's been on the floor of my car for two years, my Weight Watchers basic starter kit ('cause it's so useful in the backseat of my car!)

2.When was the last time you threw up?
I really don't remember, but just a month ago I was so sick I had the dry heaves. Do they count?

3. What's your favorite curse word?
Mother-trucker, do I have to choose??!!

4. Name 3 people who made you smile today?
It's only 7:52am and I've only seen my husband so far. Oh, and my ex-boss and I did smile at him while I was talking with him.

5. What were you doing at 8 am this morning?
8:00am this morning hasn't arrived yet, but I will have been doing this questionnaire...

6. What were you doing 30 minutes ago?
I was sitting in the car, commuting to work

7. What will you be doing 3 hours from now?
Working - my computer was down all day yesterday so after I blog this morning, I have to really buckle down and do some work

8. Have you ever been to a strip club?
Nope

9. What is the last thing you said aloud?
"Yea, thanks!"

10. What is the best ice cream flavor?
Not a huge ice cream fan (get up off the floor!) but I'd have to choose cookies and cream, I think

11. What was the last thing you had to drink?
Water to take 2 Advils; last night I had some new Chocolate Cherry Diet Dr. Pepper - mmm, good!

12. What are you wearing right now?
jeans, boots, a black sweater with a gold tank underneath - it's raining cats and dogs outside so I didn't dress up for work today

13. What was the last thing you ate?
A slice of pepperoni pizza from Sam's Club

14. Have you bought any new clothing items this week?
Yes, two bathing suits (one has to get returned), three blouses and a pair of shoes

15. When was the last time you ran?
I couldn't even possibly tell you - jogging isn't even an option as far as I'm concerned!

16. What's the last sporting event you watched?
Super Bowl XLII - Go, Giants!!!

18. Who is the last person you emailed?
Work-related? A customer. Personal? My sister-in-law.

19. Ever go camping?
Does staying in a hotel that didn't supply a blow dryer count?

20. Do you have a tan?
I have a dream of a tan, and the potential for a tan (I have some tanning sessions left over but no time to actually use them) so the actual tan that I get each summer will arrive in around, oh, May, when we start hanging out on our dock on the weekends.

24. Do you drink your soda from a straw?
Usually.

25. What did your last IM say?
I don't IM.

26. Are you someone's best friend?
I hope so (this is Dawn's answer and I'm cheerfully borrowing it!)

27. What are you doing tomorrow?
Working, then picking up Mom and going to the nail salon. Great Valentine's Day, right?!? We went to Valentine's dinner on Sunday so we didn't have to face the crowds. Will eat at home post-salon!

28. Where is your mom right now?
At her house, probably having her morning coffee.

29. Look to your left, what do you see?
The wall of my work cubby, and a pile'o'work waiting to be done.

30. What color is your watch?
I have a silver one and a silver and gold one and a pewter one, but I don't wear a watch.

31. What do you think of when you think of Australia ?
Ayre's Rock

32. Would you consider plastic surgery?
For cosmetic reasons, no, but if medically necessary, sure.

33. What is your birthstone?
Blue topaz (December)

34. Do you go in at a fast food place or just hit thedrive thru?
Yes.

35.How many kids do you want?
I used to tell my best friend I wanted 10. Coming from a family of 3 I always thought that I wanted a larger family. Then as the years passed, 10 turned into 8 turned into 5 turned into 3 turned into whatever God gives me. I have two step-children (well, 1-and-a-half, one's not talking to us for reasons known only to him since he's not talking to us!).

36. Do you have a dog?
In my dreams we have a dog, in our future we will have a dog. For now we have Marley, the neighborhood dog!

37. Last person you talked to on the phone?
Maria, my darling stepdaughter

38. Have you met anyone famous?
Yes: John Edward (the psychic), Nancy Reagan, Ann Margret, Sarah Duchess of York, Richard Simmons, Vanna White, Danielle Steel, Donald Trump, Stephen King, Arthur Frommer, and others I can't remember (I used to have a pretty cool publishing job!).

39. Any plans today?
Work. Then the eye doctor.

40. How many states have you lived in?
Two. I was born and raised and still live in NJ, but I lived in DE for four years, attending college.

41. Ever go to college?
See #40!

42. Where are you right now?
At my desk, at work, in Hoboken, NJ

43. Biggest annoyance in your life right now?
Spam email

44. Last song listened to?
I can't remember

46. Are you allergic to anything?
I have hay fever which seems to be getting less severe as I get older, and I can't take 500mg doses of erithromycin

47. Favorite pair of shoes you wear all the time?
None - shoes are not a favorite anything of mine!

48. Are you jealous of anyone?
No.

50. Is anyone jealous of you?
Who wouldn't be?! (ROTFLOL!)

51. What time is it?
8:16am

52. Do any of your friends have children?
All of them

53. Do you eat healthy?
Well, I eat a LOT healthier than I used to, but admittedly sometimes junk food is just calling my name!

54. What do you usually do during the day?
Work

55. Do you hate anyone right now?
There are three people in the world right now who I REALLY, REALLY, REALLY dislike a LOT: my ex-brother-in-law, my stepson, and - okay, TWO people: even though I'm really ticked at my nephew, I can't say I dislike or hate him...

56. Do you use the word 'hello' daily?
Yes.

58. How old will you be turning on your next birthday?
39 - for the 10th time!

59. Have you ever been to Six Flags?
Nope

60. How did you get one of your scars?
Punching my hand through a window at my cousin who was on the other side making faces at me (stop laughing! I was 8 or so!)

Readers, I SO hope you're not sick!

Just spent a couple of (work) hours catching up on my blog reading (sorry, employer!).
1 out of every 3 bloggers is sick, down with some version of the flu/virus cr*p I suffered from three weeks ago (I sure hope you didn't catch it from me!). It seems if it's not the writers, it's their spouses and/or children, and there's an underlying fear that their immune systems will soon be going on vacation and they'll be the next to catch whatever it is that's visiting their loved ones!

I used to say the crazy weather was an indication that the end of the world was coming.

I now think I'm wrong. Now I'm just convinced the Black Plague will return in the guise of all these illnesses...

Art.

There's a website out there where you can keep an ongoing "Life List." Where you can record what you want to do during your life, and cross 'em off when you do them. (There are a LOT of uncrossed-off items on my list - I'm not the most accomplished person, you see...)

One of my items is to try to be more artistic. To maybe take a digital photography course when I retire (or have more time), to paint a little (or try to), to maybe write... I took a baby step when I started a mini-canvas that was supposed to be a Xmas piece, but it turned out to be, well, how 'bout I show you tomorrow? I'll go home and try to either scan it (with the scanner that I can't work for some reason) or I'll take a picture of it and download it tomorrow...

Anyway, check this out at Donna Downey's website: http://donnadowney.typepad.com/
I think I can do this. I have a pencil. I have watercolor paper and watercolor pencils. I have salt. I have paintbrushes. I have all this stuff in preparation for trying to be artistic. Now I just have to try. And I will. And I'll try to show you when I do. If I'm not ashamed.

Moving on...

Today is Super Tuesday. This is not a political blog. I'm one of those people who is, by strict definition, probably a Reagan conservative. I'm registered as a Republican, but in my heart I know that I would vote for the candidate I really believe in.

I don't know who I'm going to vote for tonight. Jack and I passed on dinner out with his daughter and her boyfriend so that we wouldn't miss voting, and so that my mom wouldn't miss voting, and so that I could take her to Shop Rite for food.

Do I believe my vote makes a difference? Yes, I do. At the very least, if my candidate, whoever he/she may be, doesn't win, the numbers will reflect how the public feels. For instance, Clinton was leading head and shoulders above of Obama for a while. Now? Not so much. It's close. McCain is way out in front of Romney, the next one behind him. Several Republican and Democratic candidates have withdrawn or are so far behind that they don't stand a chance. And I know all about the popular vote vs. the electoral vote. But a few of the candidates, there's no way they can pull it off.

Bottom line. I have 10-1/2 hours to do some more digging online to see how "my" candidates stand on issues that are important to me: immigration, the war, terrorism, military/defense spending, to name a few.

Wanna hear something that even I admit sounds very trivial? I cannot vote for Clinton. I would be so embarrassed to have someone who's so shrill and comes across as such a shrew representing me out in the world. I have a vision of her screaming across a summit table with that nasal voice... (shudder)

Sorry if I put any of you off, but as I always say, we don't have to agree, but we do have to respect each other's opinion!

17-14

In honor of the Giants, who BEAT THE PATRIOTS IN SUPERBOWL XLII 17-14, I'm typing today's blog entry in blue. I went to my closet this morning to pick out something in Giants blue, only to find out I own nothing in Giants blue. So I'm wearing blue jeans and a turquoise sweater in honor of the NJ Giants! (I refuse to call them the NY Giants - they play in NJ, I paid for their stadium, I'm paying for their new stadium - NY can claim them when they pay for them!)

It was an exciting game! I was SO excited when we scored first, when we had possession for most of the 1st quarter, then I started to not be so excited when New England scored. But the 2nd half? Well worth the price of admission! Oh, wait, I didn't pay to watch the game. How's this instead? Well worth my time watching a football game! (I'm not a huge sports fan to begin with, but I must admit I feel all tingly when the local guys do well!)

Jack and I stayed home. Instead of a sit down dinner (when was the last time I cooked one of those?!?!), I made a bunch of appetizers: extra spicy Jamaican jerk beef patties, potato puffs, buffalo chicken wraps, spicy beef turnovers, and pigs in a blanket. Mmm, good!

Today I'm back to WW with a vengeance. I lost 4 pounds in 2 weeks, and Jack has been telling me how noticeable it is, so when I went on Saturday, the week before my "friend" (hi, Mom!) arrives, I'm back up 1.2 pounds! Yuk!

So, with 2 weeks to go before our Vegas trip, I'm going to try to stick to it really closely, eat well, drink my water, pay attention to the 8 healthy guidelines, and do my darndest to lose some weight. Keep your fingers crossed for me!

Sick. Better.

I choose better.

I have 8 sick days at my job. I just used some of them. And please note that I usually only use them when I'm not sick. Who wants to waste perfectly good sick days home sick?

Let me catch you up... Two weekends ago I spent 2 days on the sofa. A bit of a cough, but not really sick.

Until I woke up on Monday, 01/14.

I did not go to work. I was sick. Sick beyond belief sick. I had what I thought was a low grade fever (those of you who know me know that when I have a low grade fever, the skin on my shoulders feels all sensitive and tingly. It wasn't, but I was hot, so "low grade fever" was my self-diagnosis.). I had a cough. I had hot eyes (another fever symptom). I had chapped lips. I slept during daylight hours. (Yet another symptom that I was really sick, and not just pulling the world's leg! I NEVER sleep during the day UNLESS I'm sick. REALLY sick.)

Dr. C. couldn't see me 'til 6:45pm. For the first time ever, they called me into the examination room before I could finish my HIPPA update. No 45-minute wait in the waiting room. Then I sat in the examination room for a 1/2 hour. Well, actually I laid on the exam table for 20 minutes and actually sat on the table for 10. Then the doctor came in and I had (drumroll, please!) a temperature of 101.4. Degrees. Fahrenheit. That's NOT low grade, my internet friends!

I was prescribed some of my lovely cough medicine with a decongestant. And Dr. C. thought I needed a 5-day Levpak. Antibiotics. When I tell you that one pill made me feel better, I'm NOT joking. Them pills are terrific! Even if I didn't have great insurance, I would have paid good dollars for them!

I spent three days in bed, in my pjs.

The best part of the three sick days (if there is such a thing!) is that I only took 2 of them off my available 8 at work. I spent four hours each day on the telephone, listening in on our sales meetings. I felt SOOO bad being home so sick that I couldn't attend. They'd been on the schedule for six months. So I called in, listened, coughed (I put the telephone under the sheets and the three blankets, under my a$$, whenever I had a coughing spell!), and tried to participate as best I could. So I only put 2 sick days on my timesheet.

Finally I was better. I still have a residual cough; Dr. C. warned me I would. But at least I didn't have the tummy upset and the over-dehydration that some poor souls had along with the cold and flu. (See http://www.dooce.com/ - poor Heather!!!)

In three weeks DH and I are celebrating my recovery by going to Las Vegas! Actually, I will be celebrating feeling human again; he'll be attending some credit union seminars. We're staying in the Paris hotel, quite possibly the closest I'll get to the real thing, since DH doesn't want to visit France... I can't wait! I have to read nothing between now and then, to save up some books to read when I'm not losing my panties in the casino!

I'm also going to San Diego at the end of March. On business but visiting someon I know, too. She's going to join me in SD, then we'll drive back to her house so I can play with her fluffy puppies for a few days. Then I'll leave for home from that state.

I'll be taking an overnight (or two) to Chicago in June, also on business.

Would love to travel somewhere interesting on business over the summer when DH can go with me and we can extend the stay for a long weekend away since that will be our only "vacation" 'til we save some money up again, to replace what we're spending on the house...

Later this week I'll have pictures of the new bathroom vanity I picked out, although the pictures don't have the drawers in...

I'll be back...

It's been a while, yes, but here are a few gems...

This little princess Jasmine is Jack's cousin's daughter Kitty. Kitty joined our family a couple of years ago. We fell in love with a beautiful little girl who was so quiet and introverted, then our family turned her into, well, a princess!!!













These are my boys! My neighbor just had her 5th. For a short while we thought Gedalia would be a girl. S was carrying so much smaller than her other 4 boys. But no, another handsome boy!










Although this young man, Coby, holding his brother, he has my heart, and always will. He's the one I held as a baby. He's the one who couldn't pronounce my name, Krys, and called me "Bix." He's the one I had to rush to the hospital when he couldn't breathe (he's okay, thank goodness!). He's my guy!














And here's his new baby brother, Gedalia. You can call him Gedalia. You can call him Gadi. You can call him Mo. (Don't ask.) Isn't he a cutie?!?

Please watch this, and thank them all.

http://www.gratitudecampaign.org/fullmovie.php

IT'S ANOTHER BOY!!!

My neighbor Sue just gave birth to her 5th son!!! Yes, 5 sons. This one, born Saturday morning, at 3:30am, was 8 pounds, 3 ounces. He was so small, compared to his brothers, that we were all thinking this one might be a girl... Nope, another boy! Yay for Sue and her family!

Jack and I were packing to go to the lake when A came over and said, "Mom needs you." I grabbed my jacket and went next door. She didn't know if she was in labor yet. Her water hadn't broken, but she was feeling mild contractions, between 5 and 20 minutes apart. I started to laugh, and am still laughing - she had 4 boys before that and she didn't know if she was in labor?!?! Ultimately she decided to go to the hospital, and six hours and a little bit later, Baby Boy #5 was born!

They're Orthodox so the baby won't be named 'til next week. Will update you with names and baby pictures later...

Happy January 3rd!!!

It's been a while, hasn't it!?! I was on vacation from December 21st through January 1st, returning to work and to my computer yesterday. Today's the very first minute I had to blog mywishes for a happy, happy new year to you all!

Santa was good to me, and he's not even done yet! I got some real nice pajamas, some scrapping stuff, a cell phone case, a hand-knitted head-warmer thingee, a new cell phone, a charm bracelet from Tiffany's, lots of gift cards for scrapping things and dinners out, and Jack is taking me shopping for a new winter coat whenever we get around to it. (Which means I'll probably look for one this weekend, buy it, and have him reimburse me - he's SOOO busy tiling our new bathroom...)

We spent Christmas Eve at my sister's, Christmas afternoon at my sister-in-law's, Christmas evening at our house with Mom and DSD, the rest of the week at the lake house, New Year's Eve at my sister-in-law's, and New Year's Day shopping.

And now we're back at work. I'm trying to be more organized, at work and at home. We'll see how successful I am...

My niece and nephew are in Florida to see their grandfather. In itself, this is a great thing. I think they all need some time away from their mom; hopefully when they return, all three will realize how lucky they are to have each other. I just have a real problem with them traveling while school is in session, especially since they just spent almost two weeks home annoying the living be-jesus out of each other! But none of them seem to mind the kids missing school. We're lucky they're so bright, although recently J seems to not be using his God-given brains all that much...

I've started to pack up my scrapping stuff to relocate it to the lake. I think the best way to do it will be to leave the paper home, but the "stuff" can be boxed up in Rubbermaid bins and stored in the walk-in, until the floors are installed in the spare room. Once they're in, I can buy that IKEA unit I want, along with the baskets that fit in it (hopefully) and begin sorting my stuff by color. After a lot of thinking, I think I fall into the category of visual scrapper. I decide which photo(s) I will be scrapping, then I look for matching or contrasting paper and embellishments, and I'm off! With the exception of Christmas and themes like "love" and "home," all three of which I have beaucoup amounts of stuff for, color should be the sorting factor.

I know I've promised some pictures for the longest time, but now my camera has died. I have to work on it, save the pictures to a CD, and then I'll download a few here. I just have no time... Soon, I promise!