Shoulda, woulda, coulda

Just read a neat blog entry at It's My Life...

Jessica is reading Heather Sellers' Chapter After Chapter. I'm not but I like'd Jessica's entry so much that I wanted to play with the word "should." Here's my version of the shoulds that bog me down:

1. I should be a better housekeeper.
2. I should learn to cook.
3. I should actually work one day without stopping in the middle of the day to either read other people's blogs or write my own.
4. I should buckle down and do some work right now.
5. I should stick to Weight Watchers a little bit more strictly.
6. I should exercise.
7. I should exercise my brain more. (My dad used to say, "Use it or lose it!" and I so believe him!
8. I should become more involved in my church.
9. I should really want a career, instead of a job.
10. I should be a better sister, aunt, daughter, wife, mother, friend (not in any particular order).
11. I should read more classics.
12. I should watch less TV.
13. I should save more money/spend less money.
14. I should learn to crochet better.
15. I should learn to knit.
16. I should walk more.
17. I should finally really learn to swim.
18. I should get an annual physical each year, instead of just going to the GP when I'm sick.
19. I should learn more technical stuff about my computer.

Okay, I just reread # 3 and #4 and I gotta go...

Okay, I lied (again!).

Yes, I took Mom's laptop to New Orleans.

I did not stay in touch.

I didn't even catch up once I returned.

But here I am, safe and sound, and ready to blog again.

So let's play catch up now...

Getting to New Orleans? Piece of cake.

Getting home from New Orleans? Can you spell w-i-n-d c-o-n-d-i-t-i-o-n-s in less than 4 hours? 'Cause that's how long our delay was 'cause there was wind in Newark.

Unfortunately I didn't get to play tourist - I walked a few blocks on Canal Street, and a few blocks on Decatur, and I did get to the very non-New-Orleans-ish Riverwalk Mall, but I didn't make it to Bourbon Street or the French Market and I didn't get to ride a streetcar.

Although I did get a picture of one and I did meet some Louisiana natives who came right up to me on the streetcar stop and asked me if I was a cancer survivor. Not quite the opening line I thought I'd hear when they approached me, but apparently they noticed the pink breast cancer pin I wear on my jacket... Once I explained I walk for others, they thanked me, chatted with me, told me about his leukemia (he's in remission) and her schedule for the day (if they don't take a cab they won't have time to do what they want to do in New Orleans before they go home (which is 40 miles away, but they come in to "the city" every Sunday 'cause there's nothing to do at home).

I ate at Nola (one of Emeril's restaurants). I had shrimp and grits with a tomato glaze and crimini mushrooms and minced bacon. Mmm-good! We had an awesome appetizer of stuffed chicken wings with homemade hoison dipping sauce. Yum!!! We shared a slice of banana cream cake for dessert.

I ate at Cafe Giovanni's. I had Voodoo Shrimp and loved my meal. My eating companions weren't quite as thrilled with their entrees, but we all LOVED the Tuscan Asparagus appetizer: 3 stalks of tender-crisp asparagus, rolled in prosciutto, stuffed with mozzarella, and deep fried.
O.M.G.

I had some beignets and fresh squeezed orange juice at Cafe Du Monde's Coffee Stand at the Riverwalk Mall. Now I know why people have Cafe Du Monde's beignets for breakfast, snack, lunch, snack and dessert when in New Orleans. I was seriously trying to figure out how many times I could go buy 3-for-$1.82 and not gain 20 pounds in a 2-1/2 day trip!!

My hubby missed me. He got out of school, went home to wait until my delayed flight arrived; we were scheduled to land at 8:30pm. I called the minute we landed (at 8:00pm) and he was en route. I got my luggage and started to walk outside to the spot where we were to meet. I called him again, and he was "at the first traffic light." Well, I was at the second traffic light! I walked to the curb, he pulled over, I put my luggage in the car, and hopped right in! We couldn't have timed it better if we tried! He brought a bouquet of flowers to the airport for me.

You know, we're not newlyweds - we'll be celebrating our 10-year anniversary this July - but I mean it with all my heart when I say that we'd really prefer to be together all.the.time. I love to travel, but I really don't like being away from him. And it's not like we do all these exciting things when we're together: we hang out at home, eat at Costco, watch some TV during the evenings, visit his sister on Mondays - nothing earth-shattering. But we really like to do nothing together.

I'd like to visit New Orleans again, this time on vacation. With Jack. I'd like to walk around the French Quarter, visit the French Market, the cathedral, have dinner at one of Emeril's restaurants with Jack (we're both fans!), ride on the streetcars, take some tours around the city... Perhaps we can try convincing the Board that our next seminar should be in New Orleans...

I came home, haven't even caught up on laundry yet and it's been a week! (Guess what I'm doing tonight!?) Work has been a real chore - lots of things to do, and not enough hours in the day!

Our daughter moved in with her boyfriend this past weekend. I hope this works for her. She seems very happy and much more open about this relationship. (Remember the last BF? She only told us the good/neutral stuff, not any of the things that would have sent up big red warning flags.) And S seems like a nice guy. He's friendly, he talks, and he doesn't treat her as if he owns her. She says he's not controlling or manipulative, that she's excited (not sick to her stomach!) when he says "See you at home!" (A sure warning sign that she didn't share with us last time around!)

She's coming to Easter dinner (which is also Jack's b'day) and then S will be joining us for dessert at my sister-in-law's house. My sister, niece, nephew and mom will be coming, too. I have to go buy my ham, some broccoli, some potatoes, some cabbage, and all the rest of my food, AND dye my eggs...

Okay - gotta run. You know that comment I made about "not enough hours in the day"????

Traveling to New Orleans

I'm borrowing Mom's laptop so I can stay in touch while I'm gone. I leave tomorrow, at noon, to go to New Orleans for a conference. Don't know how much, if any, touristy crap I'll get to do, but I do know I'm eating at Nola and at Cafe Giovanni, with my company cohorts. Looking forward to that, for sure! We're doing what we can to keep our T&E down so I'm staying only two nights, not the usual 3 or 4. Which is awesome 'cause that means I can come home that much sooner!

Went to the eye doctor today. I can't see. Not that I'm blind or anything, but without contacts or glasses I can't see. So it was time for new glasses. The guy that fitted me didn't do such a hot job so I had them done again. And these aren't right, either. The doctor there today said to try them out over the weekend, that even though my subscription has changed, the frames we put the new lenses in are larger than my current pair and it may just be my eyes getting adjusted to the greater distance they have to travel in these new progressive lenses. Because yes, I've discovered after 48 years, that I am vain. To a degree. I don't want bifocals that look like bifocals. So I spend extra and get progressives so you don't know that I'm as old as I am and as blind as I am...

I imagine I'll be incommunicado until later tomorrow night, after dinner - my flight leaves NJ at noon, I get in after 2pm local time, and have to make my way to the hotel and shower and get ready for dinner and then find my own way there (we're all in different hotels). I'll probably check in when I get back from dinner and am sitting down in front of the TV to decompress.

Just for the record, too, I'm traveling to New Orleans with NJ winter clothes - the lightest and thinnest I have, granted, but we were still at 22-29 degrees in the morning earlier this week - I'm by no means ready to pull out my spring/summer wardrobe! I think I'll be okay, though - lighter pants with 2 thin tops and a cardigan for the 2 dinners, and a pair of pants and a couple of light-ish sweater tops for the convention center. Wearing yoga pants down (so I can also work out in the gym if they have one in the hotel) and bringing a pair of jeans "just in case." Keep your fingers crossed - although having to go shopping wouldn't be the worst thing that's ever happened to me...

Obama a one-term president? (One can only hope!)

Found this article online: Obama a one-term president? By Alex CastellanosCNN Contributor

"Editor's Note: Republican strategist Alex Castellanos was a campaign consultant for former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney's 2008 presidential campaign and has worked on more than half a dozen presidential campaigns. Castellanos is a partner in National Media Inc., a political and public affairs consulting firm that specializes in advertising. For a rival view, click here

(CNN) -- Things I learned Tuesday night from President Obama's press conference:

Obama and congressional Democrats are angry that greedy Wall Street executives took $165 million in bonuses that the president and congressional Democrats gave them.

We have made them give it back, but they have to keep the trillion-dollar bailout.

Apparently, our education system is worse than we thought. Neither the president nor Democrats in Congress actually read the bailout-bonus bill.

Per-family household debt more than doubled from 1989 to 2007, going from $42,000 per family to $97,000 per family, in inflation-adjusted dollars. Most of it, 85 cents of every dollar, is home equity or mortgage debt. This is not the consumer's fault for borrowing it, nor Congress' fault for legislating it, nor the Fed's fault for enabling it, nor Fannie Mae's or Freddie Mac's fault for packaging it. This is all Wall Street's fault.

It is also all George W. Bush's fault.

If there were an inheritance tax on problems, Obama could pay off any deficit.

Taxpayers living next to a toxic waste dump is a bad idea. Taxpayers buying a trillion dollars worth of toxic assets is good idea.

Taxpayers borrowing a trillion dollars to buy those toxic assets is an even better idea. Though it is still Bush's fault.

Obama isn't on the ballot next year, but Democrats in Congress are. You can make money betting they will lose more than 25 seats, but not as much money as by purchasing toxic assets with taxpayer dollars.

The problem with America's economy is that the last bubble, the "home-mortgage, derivative, credit default swap bubble" popped, as all economic bubbles eventually do. We must never let that happen again.

It is imperative that we re-inflate this bubble immediately.

If we all loan a lot of money we don't have to each other, we will all be more prosperous.

An Obama press conference offers hope to everyone. Both those who want to drive the deficit up and drive it down receive encouragement.

A dollar when given to failed auto companies or hollow banks has great stimulative value for the economy, but there's almost no dampening cost to the economy when the dollar is taken from taxpayers, who will have to pay our debt back.

If he does not drive the deficit down, within this decade, interest on the Obama debt will total more than a trillion dollars a year.

Bush was laughed at for saying, "Yes, we are getting the job done. It's hard work," though it's OK for Obama to say only hard decisions reach his desk.

Enhanced border security was a bad idea when Sen. John McCain and Republicans proposed it but a good idea now that Obama is for it.

Trickle-down economics from Republicans got us into this mess. Trickle-down government from Democrats will get us out of it.

Washington was doing such a great job making things work before the meltdown that we should give it more to do, like running health care, the energy industry, banks, Wall Street and the car business.

Our economy is so complex that millions of Americans can't plan for it, but Timothy Geithner and a couple of other smart guys in Washington can.

Political greed is more noble than corporate greed.

We have to short-change charities that help people, so government can help people.

Wall Street and the U.S. government are too big to fail though the American taxpayer isn't.

The Barack Obama experiment, conducted by this 47-year old man, is the riskiest economic wager the world has ever seen.

Next year, when this experiment in European-style socialism isn't working, the Democrats up for re-election will panic and make the spending this year look like an appetizer. To appear responsible, they then will raise taxes on "upper-income taxpayers" to the stratosphere, paralyzing investment and the economy.

Obama's communications gifts are powerful and poetic -- but round-the-clock campaigning on "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno," "60 Minutes" and this press conference won't save bad policy. Nothing kills a bad product quicker than good advertising. iReport.com: What did you think of Obama's press conference?

Obama has never built a business, created real wealth or produced tangible prosperity. His understanding of our economy is theoretical and academic.

Obama is a privileged young man who has not yet made many mistakes in his life. Having a president who belongs to the Harvard elite and the community-organizer streets is not the same as having a president who has lived a long life among middle-class Americans and understands them.

Impatience lies not deep beneath the surface of Obama. There is no shortage of self-confidence in this young man. It is a short step from such confidence to arrogance.

Arrogance in a politician is not healthy. Hubris, combined with inexperience, can be fatal. Obama could be a one-term president.

Obama is looking a little older. There would be nothing wrong with acting like it.

The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Alex Castellanos."

5-year old in a man's body

That's the name of my post and I'm sticking with it!

My husband was too sick to go to work for 2 days. In the past 19 years, I've never known him to take a sick day. He took funeral days, when he had to. We scheduled our wedding in the summer so he would have to take the wedding days he's entitled to. He goes in through wind, rain, and winter storm (yes, I think I'll write a song, and no, he doesn't work for the Post Office).

Yesterday, on his second day out, he calls me in the afternoon and says he can't find Dr. Rubelino's number on his cell phone. [Perhaps that's 'cause that's not his doctor's name!!] I call the doctor who's on his way out the door and can't stay late, and the office recommends we go to the ER. Okay. The ER? How about the Immedicenter? Why, the nurse asks, what's wrong with going to the ER? I said nothing, but I'm not the one with the problem - my husband is, and he just doesn't ever feel like a trip to the ER.

Since they thought, based on his worsening symptoms, that he might be suffering from a kidney stone or a urinary tract infection, she said to tell him that he could go to the Immedicenter but that if what he had needed an ultrasound, they'd send him to the hospital anyway...

Turns out I didn't get an argument. He must have really been hurting!

We went to the hospital. But the driveway to the ER door was blocked for construction; I had to park in the parking lot and we walked to the ER. Well, we almost made it to the ER. As we approached the driveway, Jack looked up and saw the road was blocked and almost shouted, "NOW how do we get in?!?!?!?"

We walk to the other end of the driveway and up the road and to the door. Simple.

Uh-uh.

We made it to the ambulance drop off and he just veered in and collapsed into a wheelchair.

For those of you who have never met my husband (or his mom, sister or daughter), well, they're regular Energizer Bunnies! They never sit still. For him to sit in a wheelchair, let alone let me push him? Well, THAT'S when I started to get scared.

We went in, suffered our way through triage and into an ER room. They gave him a shot of Toradol, a step below morphine, I understand. He finally relaxed enough to pee into a plastic bottle.

Turns out: Congratulations, it's a bladder infection! NOT a kidney stone, no surgery necessary, no overnight stay necessary...

But it wasn't the flu.

He has a week of antibiotic and some heavy duty Motrin, and has been instructed to go see a urologist. None of which he argued about so he must be feelin' not-so-good.

On the way out the ER door, he thought of a question for the dr: Could I have aggravated it 'cause I hold my bladder rather than go when I think I have to go?

The dr looked at me, looked back at Jack, and said: Mr. Salvetta, when you gotta go, you gotta go!

Daddy & the Neighbors

My dad died 22 years ago today. I think of him in some capacity every.single.day. I miss him with all my heart. Please skip over this part while I just tell him a few things...

Daddy, I miss you. And I love you. And I so wish you were here to torture my husband whenever he does a home repair job 'cause I just know you'd know how to do it better! And whenever Jack or his sister say that Mommy is the only parent we have left - well, it makes my heart hurt. I really wish you were still around to be a father-in-law. Jack always smiles when he talks about you. He says he really liked you, that you were a nice guy, and a smart guy. He never minded talking to you at the garage when you came in 'cause you were "one of the good ones." (Some of the other customers, not so much!) Me? I think of you every time C says either J or A did something wrong; I know in my heart of hearts that lots of what's gone on these past 19 years would never have happened if you were around - and they just have no idea what they're missing by not having had a chance to have you in their lives. I think of you every time the dishes settle on the sink when they're drying. I think of you when the lights flicker. I think of you whenever I see a wysteria bush. Of course, I think of you every time I go to Mommy's house. Daddy, you were, and are, the BEST. And I miss you so very much. Come and visit me, please? I want to see you in my dreams, I want to hear your voice, I want to feel you hug me again. It can't happen in real life, but in my dreams I know it's possible. I never dream of you (only maybe 3 times since you died). I know Mr. S. comes and visits Toni-Ann quite often - why can't you come and visit me??? I miss you. I love you.

Okay, on to everyday "stuff."

I think it's time I share some neighbor tales... You've met some of my neighbors in previous posts, but there are some tales I can share here that you haven't heard before...

So, when I lived at my mom's house, when I was (much) younger, what I loved the most was the fact that it was a neighborhood. We knew all the families; they knew us. I played with the girl down the street (learned how to ride a bike on her purple Schwinn with the banana seat! My family couldn't afford bicycles for us). I went to school with the boy up the street and for many years, he was one of my closest friends. I learned how to be friends with a boy from Gary; wish we were still in touch. My mom's bestest friend in the whole world lived right across the street from us - she died several years ago and we miss her so much! (Hi, Jackie! I know you're listening!)

But as the years passed, so did the people. Some died. Many moved. And we got some new neighbors. And as much as we loved Jackie and Ronnie, and Frank and Elaine, the new ones? Not so much. People don't really know how to be neighbors anymore, at least not in my mom's neighborhood. Case in point: G next door. He's bipolar or manic-depressive, one or the other. When he's on his meds, he's perfectly polite and friendly. When he's not? LOOK OUT! For instance, on meds: he offered to donate blood for my dad when he was in the hospital. Off meds: Jack threatened to beat him up for being mean to me. No joke! I've only ever seen my husband "in someone's face" twice in 19 years - once here when G was being abusive and obnoxious to me, calling me names, etc., and once when some kids at Action Park were trying to push their way ahead of everyone else on line for the ride. You know, you don't mind one or two joining their "family" up ahead, but when 12 or 13 kids try the same thing, and they're all in the same group, well, you don't mind it!

My mom's been a widow for 22 years. Do you think just once any of her neighbors have taken out her garbage or mowed her lawn or shoveled her snow? I must admit that over the past couple of years, once in a while, not at every snow, someone's shoveled a single shovel's width path on her sidewalk... Thanks, whoever you are! They're under no obligation to do any of it, but give her a chance to say, "No thanks, my daughter/son-in-law/grandson will do it. But that was so nice of you to offer."

In my neighborhood we're really neighbors. We make food for each other (well, they make food for me since my kitchen isn't kosher!), we drive each other to hospitals, we babysit for each other (well, I babysit for them since I don't have a baby to sit!), we sit on the front stoop and chat for hours, we watch the kids play, we shovel each other's snow (well, Jack shovels their snow!) - it's just like it used to be when I was young. I'm SO glad I live where I do.

Next door to me: S & D, and their 5 boys. Across the street, S & E, and their 4 girls. Up the street, S & T and her 2 girls and his 2 boys. Across the street and over one, A & S, who wrote us the nicest note when we got married (I want to be them when we grow up!). Down the street, T, who's been friends with Jack for many years. And C & A, and their 5 kids. I LOVE LIVING HERE!

Okay, before I get in trouble for writing and not working, I'm going to sign off here and continue my ranting and raving another day...

Awww, poor BO...

Now, this news report is from the UK, not from some right wing, biased conservative website. This is the kind of impression BO (and his administration) is making in the world.



He was tired. We all get tired. But I know when I have to make a good impression. And I know when to be respectful to my boss, or his boss, or a visiting executive, or one of our co-publishing partners...

An Obama staffer said the UK is not all that important, they're just as important as any of 190 other countries in the world. I'm paraphrasing, yes, but the gist of it is on the money.



And, yea, a bunch of DVDs, what an awesome "It's nice to meet you, Prime Minister" gift.



Classy sort of guy...



http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/barackobama/4953523/Barack-Obama-too-tired-to-give-proper-welcome-to-Gordon-Brown.html



To say nothing of this photo of our esteemed President (and I use the term loosely):

And supposedly we're overreacting, those of us who object to a picture like this. You know, you're right. What he does on his off time is his business. But what happens if he has a few, goes home, goes to sleep, and that phone call comes, the one in the middle of the night, the one he has to answer with a clear head... "Sure, wtf, I'll push the damned button!"

And don't bother responding to this (unless of course you agree with me!): I'm entitled to my opinion. This is my blog.

Winter Photos on the Lake

This is our house, from the lake. The lake has been frozen over for a month or so now; actually it was a lot later this year than in previous years. Jack and I took a walk one day (it was SOOO darn cold!) and I took some nice photos...

Here's Jack, walking ahead of me. Or perhaps I should say I was walking behind him, like a good squaw. That's what I say when he takes off ahead of me and calls to me to catch up. He's usually on a mission, walking very quickly, while I stroll along, taking in the view... These tracks are from either a snowmobile or a quad - don't ask me which, I haven't a clue. And it's sort of irrelevant - to me it's just the coolness of driving on the lake!These are our footprints, headig out or coming back from our walk. (Our house is behind us in this picture.)
These are paw prints of something HUGE! They were literally about 7 or 8 inches across! So I know it's not a dog; could it be a bear? I'm no hunter so I haven't a clue! (Yes, again, I'm clueless!)

The new picture of us to the right of the page was taken this same day! I like it! We were having loads of fun on our walk!

Moms against teen driving...

Take a look at this blog.

I might have posted about this before, and I think she has a good idea.

Especially lately, I've been hearing a bit too much about tickets and speeding and disrespecting the police... and that's just in my own extended family!

Getting Old - Dying Young

Yes, I'm talking about me.

I don't think "hypochondriac" was ever a word anyone would have used to describe me. At least, not "then."

"Now?" I'm not so sure.

As I get older, and trust me, these days 48 is "older," every little ache and pain scares me. (I am on the down side of the hill now!!! Even though I'm officially 2 years away from that "over the hill party" I told my daughter she has to throw me!) I am not so reluctant to go to a doctor, or take a pill, or do what has to be done to "make it better." (Remember the days when a kiss was all it took? Them days are loooong gone, baby!)

As people close to me get older, they begin to complain of aches and pains, too, and sometimes they have to go the doctor. Then they tell me their doctor's diagnosis.

And all of a sudden, when I have a similar twinge in a spot close to where they hurt, all of a sudden, I am the one with an ulcer, or arthritis, or cancer, or a tumor...

I know this is overreacting at its best. But I can't help it.

I now have a sore spot on my head. Yes, on my head. Right on the left side of my face, where my glasses just begin to touch my face, in front of my ear, on the top of my cheekbone. And just to prove the pain is there, I've had to press it so it hurts every few minutes for the past three hours, since I noticed it for the first time!

It feels like a bone bruise, it's that sort of dull, bruising ache, only when I touch it. But on my cheekbone? It's got to be cancer. Or a tumor like my sister's boyfriend just had removed. Or a fracture (NO, Jack didn't take a swing at me!). Or maybe my sinuses are congested.

But there's something not quite right.

And now I'll have to press on it until Monday night, March 9, when Jack has a doctor's appointment for an annual physical. That night I'll have to ask Dr. R. what it could be.

If it hurts that long.

And Lord knows it will 'cause I will physically be incapable of not pressing on that sore spot until I see the doctor that night. So even if it is supposed to be nothing, and stop hurting, it won't 'cause I'm gonna push and nag and press and bruise that spot until I actually hurt myself!!! (Compulsive, you think?!?)

Another magazine is going under...

Hallmark Magazine will no longer be Hallmark Magazine. Hallmark (corporate) has been forced to put an end to this magazine. The February/March issue will be the last one.

And my Catholic guilt is making me feel as though had I subscribed to this magazine the way I wanted to when it first came out, it wouldn't be going under now.

I know that's ridiculous. But what's more ridiculous is that there are all sorts of worthless, disgusting, degrading magazines out there with enough circulation to keep them going even in these difficult times. But a nice, wholesome, pretty magazine like Hallmark Magazine? Not so much.

Very sad.

Okay, so I lied...

I'm back. For now. For a few minutes.

Nope, nothing important is going on. I just felt like I had to write something! Miss Hope emailed me and said she'd have worried had I not noted I'd be MIA for a while... Aw, that Miss Hope! She's a nice lady!

Work is work. There's a bit of an internal power struggle between our department and another in our same division. They're trying to take over accounts I've been working with, and accounts my colleagues have been working on, too. A comment flew by me today that the VP in our department likes this wrangling; he thinks some internal competition is healthy. Well, I don't. I'm a firm believer in respecting each other's territory, in working as a team, one for all and all for one, as it were. This infighting just leads to bad blood and bad morale, as well.

My sister's beau had some surgery last week. 41 staples later, they've removed the primary tumor, some smaller ones, too, and the spot that's left will be treated with radiation. The doctors are giving him a good prognosis and expect that chemo will not be necessary. I've had everything crossed that could safely be crossed: eyes, fingers, toes, etc. And I've been praying, Lord knows I've been praying! My sister is really happy with this guy and she deserves some happiness in her life (her ex, well, let's just say L.O.S.E.R. with a capital L!). He's having some pain and some trouble with recovery; apparently he's not a sit-down-and-just-heal kind of guy. He's a get-up-and-go-and-do-and-never-sit-still kind of guy so he's a bit nuts. (And it's only been one week! Imagine what he'll be like for the next 7 weeks...)

So, anyway, Jack went to the doctor for a pain in his back. He was getting up in the morning and feeling, well, crippled! He was sore and bent over and since he's very fit it was a bit worrisome for him. The diagnosis? Arthritis of the spine. No idea yet, though, whether that's one of those diagnoses that the doctors put on paper so insurance will pay, or whether, indeed, he has arthritis of the spine. The reason I tend to believe he doesn't is that he was fine. Until he wasn't. Until he laid down on the gym floor with the little kiddy-poos, then got up with a giant OUCH! No little twinges, no aches and pains - an all of a sudden, one-time, OMG! I think I hurt myself! kind of pain...

BUT, that said, his cholesterol is a bit high and there were some white blood cells in his urine and his white blood count was a bit low. I Googled that and it appears it could be as insignificant as a urinary tract infection or a kidney infection. Or it could be worse. He has an appointment for a full physical on Monday, March 9. So I suppose all of this will be addressed then. I am not my sister-in-law so instead of panicking and worrying until the 9th, I called the doctor this morning. IF there was anything to worry about the doctor would have had the nurse call Jack in sooner. The physical on the 9th is "just fine." So, see? No reason to worry. (Except that now I feel all guilty and want to quit my job so I can stay home and cook healthier food for him!)

So, here I am, asking you to keep us on your prayer list, even those of you who don't know us! (I figure it can't hurt to have some extra praying going on for us, right?!??!) I want my hubby to be just fine, to have a little infection that actually will be gone by the 9th 'cause his ear/nose/throat doctor just put him on an antibiotic for a sinus infection...

Tonight I'm going to Scrapping Bingo! I won some cool prizes last time and I have a cool prize to donate this time. I'm also going to pick up the really cool stuff I bought from my SU rep. And remember, if Jack runs into you and asks about the "stuff" I brought home: I.WON.IT.AT.BINGO. That's my story and I'm sticking to it!!!

Absolutely no time to post...

Really busy at work, and no time at home, either...

I promise to be back next week... (although if I'm not, I'm just still busy, not incapacitated!)

;-D

I'm published!

One of my photos has been chosen to be included in the online Schmap Las Vegas Sixth Edition!
On the right, you'll see I added a link to the online travel guide.
Just click on Eiffel Tower, then on the right side, you can scroll through the photos. I'm credited below my photo!!!
Who'd have ever thought?!?!?!?

Meme from Dooce (believe it or not!)

I LOVE to read Heather at dooce.com and yesterday she posted a meme about Jon. She suggested we respond either in the comments or here on our blogs. [Guess which one I chose?!?]

What are your middle names? My middle name is Felicja (yes, with a "J," like my first name doesn't get mispelled enough!) and Jack is Italian. What do you think his middle name is? (Yes, it's Anthony.)

How long have you been together? Now I can piss Jack off and tell you that it's been 19 years this April, except for the 11 months in the middle of the beginning of that period of time where he dumped me - twice. Or I can simply say, from the beginning of our relationship? 19 years.

How long did you know each other before you started dating? You know, I'm not really sure. He worked at the garage where I initially met him for years and I probably knew (of) him for at least two or three years before we started dating, but I thought he was a real male chauvinist pig and wanted nothing to do with him. (That stellar opinion of a man who's as far away from being a male chauvinist pig as a man can be is mine. Misguided, wrong, and WAY off base, but mine.)

Who asked whom out? He asked me out. I'm a very old-fashioned girl; I would NEVER have invited an almost perfect stranger out. (Okay, that sounds wrong - I am perfect, I was just almost a stranger!)

How old are each of you? Ugh. Okay. I'm 48 plus 2 months, and he's 58 less 2 months. (Do the math!)

Whose siblings do you see the most? Hmm, good question. We used to see them even-Stephen, but the past few years, my one sister now has a boyfriend so we don't see her any more and my other sister lives in AZ so unfortunately I almost never see her! (Although I'm going to buy a webcam so she and I can see each other regularly - I got spoiled using Mom's laptop while she was out there!). After a lot of nothing - we see his sister every Monday so I have to say, "his."

Which situation is the hardest on you as a couple? Right now we're estranged from his son, not by our choice, but by Johnny's. This is even harder on us than going through crap about the ex-wife - sorry, Heather, couldn't manage to make it through this without an ex-wife comment!

Did you go to the same school? Nope. Not even close! I went to Oakview, St. Thomas the Apostle, Paul VI Regional High School, and the University of Delaware. He went to Franklin, Bloomfield High School, Bloomfield College and Kean College (now Kean University).

Are you from the same town? Finally, a resounding "YES!" In fact, the same street! But since I'm so much younger than he is, as Heather said in her blog entry, "when he was a senior in high school, I was in third grade learning long division." J's sister likes to say this growing up on the same street thing was fate - but with 10 years between us, it would have been illegal for a long time!!!

Who is smarter? I say we're both smart. I also say I used to be much smarter; I've gotten dumber as I've aged! (You know, if you don't use it, you lose it!) Jack is very smart, but doesn't truly think he is.

Who is the most sensitive? If this question is rephrased to "Who cries the most?" That would be moi. He is sensitive, but not too sensitive, and sometimes not even remotely sensitive - he's a guy, for crying out loud!!!

Where do you eat out most as a couple? I'm ashamed to admit this but either (a) Burger King or (b) Costco. (Yea, I know, pathetic!)

Where is the furthest the two of you have traveled as a couple? The Caribbean.

Who has the craziest exes? Hands down, Jack does.

Who has the worst temper? Me. Jack is a lover, not a fighter. He has decided he will not fight. He apparently faced a lot of that in his previous marriage and will not do it. I'm a yeller/screamer, then it's gone, poof! Out of my system. But he can't handle it so now I'm not a fighter. I get quiet, like him, withdraw into myself, like him, and use hand gestures and bad words behind his back, NOT like him! When one of us is in a temper, the house is REAL quiet...

Who does the cooking? Most definitely, Jack is the better cook. I can do omelets, french toast, pasta, a complete Thanksgiving meal, but on a day to day basis? Ugh. I hate to cook. The closest to being a cook I ever got was my maiden name. Jack can whip something up from whatever leftover stuff is in the refrigerator, and he makes some mean homemade tomato sauce. But admittedly, it's just the two of us and we're gone, out of the house, from before 7am, until after 6pm, so we eat out a lot...

Who is the neat-freak? Most definitely NOT me! I have a high tolerance for clutter, and a very patient husband. Although lately I've been itching to throw out whatever's not nailed down, just to declutter my house and my life, and he's been saying things like, "But we might have a garage sale this spring, just save it for now..." Enabler!

Who is more stubborn? Oh, this is absolutely a flat-out tie!!!

Who hogs the bed? This is tough. We both start out on our respective sides of the bed, with him hanging almost off the edge! But by morning, I'd say probably me....

Who wakes up earlier? Jack. Usually around 4 or 5am. Me? I used to be able to sleep later, but I could be perfectly happy sleeping 'til, oh, 8am or so every day, but I can't 'cause, "Come on, Hon, we're burnin' daylight!"

Where was your first date? Franklin Theater, Nutley, NJ, to see Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (the original), then the Tick Tock Diner for dessert, until 1am.

Who is more jealous? Neither of us is jealous, and neither of us has any reason to be jealous.

How long did it take to get serious? Well, we started dating April 1990. He dumped me in January 1991, claiming we "got too serious too fast." We got back together in March 1991. Then he asked for his house key back in July 1992. Then we got back together, this time forever, in March 1993. So I guess it got serious pretty quickly, considering his panic attacks...

Who eats more? We can both pack it away, for sure, hence my membership in Weight Watchers! But when he puts his mind to it, he can really clean a plate!!!

Who does the laundry? This week, he does, he's off from school for the week. And honestly, it's probably 60/40 he does. This goes back to my higher tolerance for clutter... He just can't stand to see it pile up while I can easily wait 'til Saturday to do laundry...

Who's better with the computer? Let's just say he doesn't even know how to retrieve his voice mail on his cell phone. 'Nough said.

Who drives when you're together? We both do. I like to drive so I never mind getting behind the wheel, and you know, with that 10 years older thing, he gets tired late in the day so often I'll drive at night...

Feel free to answer some or all of the same questions about your significant other in the comments, or leave a link to your website if you prefer answering there.

Driving at 21, not 17

If you have teens about to drive, visit C's Space. She's got two teens, one 18 and one 17, both driving, and apparently both driving her nuts!

I have no problem with raising the driving age to 21. If you can work and show you're responsible enough to earn some money, you might even be responsible enough to own/drive a car. Having/driving a car is not an inalienable right, despite most teens' opinions - it's a privilege, one to be earned.

The problem is many teens don't earn the privilege. They're given cars upon graduation, or upon turning 17. While there are plenty of responsible 17-year-olds out there who have been working since they could work, it's not the majority of them.

I signed her petition. If you agree, drop her a line!

And I know there will be people out there who will argue that if you're old enough to fight for this country, you should be old enough to drink and/or drive. So raise everything to 21 - you become an adult when you turn 21. Period. End of argument.

Much ado about nothing...

Actually, NOT much ado about anything!

I have nothing to share. Other than a few unrelated comments and observances...

April 21 - free ice cream cone at your local Ben & Jerry's
April 29 - a scoop for $.31 at Baskin-Robbins
July 11 - free 7oz Slurpee at 7-Eleven
September 24 - a free* ice cream treat at Coldstone Creamery (with a donation to the Make-a-Wish Foundation encouraged)

Do you think my niece will be upset if we're late for the wedding celebrations 'cause we stop at every 7-Eleven on the route?!

So here's the email I just sent my boss:

Wes, Is it too late for me to take Friday off this week? Mom has some dr appts and could use a ride…

I’ll contact my major customers so I can get their orders in by Thursday, if they’re planning any. Unfortunately no one covered for me while I was out sick two Fridays ago, so I’d rather hustle a little before I go and then worry about the little stuff
that comes in over that transom when I get back on Tuesday…

Thanks,

Krys

If you go back a few days, you'll see the post this refers to - no one helped my customers while I was out sick and I've been fuming about it ever since. This email is my way of letting my boss know there's a problem, and if I know him, he'll be asking me about it tomorrow... At which point I'll be happy to 'splain!

Tonight we're going to my SIL's for dessert. Mom's coming so she'll be the belle of the ball while we're there! Everyone missed her, not just me! Like my SIL said, she's the only mom we all have left!

Anyway, like I said, not much to post about... I found a list of things to blog about when you have nothing to blog about, so here's one:

#11 - a spiritual experience -- When my father was dying, they called me at work on Friday night and said to come to the hospital right then, that he most likely wouldn't last the night. Of course, I took off, flying through the streets as fast as I could. We all went in to see him, one at a time. He hadn't been lucid for a few days. I went in to see him and held his hand. He opened his eyes and looked RIGHT.AT.ME. I told Daddy how much I loved him, that he didn't have to worry about Mommy or P or C, that I'd take care of them, that I'd be there for them, that I loved him and that I was going to miss him every minute of every day. DADDY.WAS.THERE. Looking at me. Understanding me. God gave me my daddy back for that couple of minutes. The daddy who loved me, who told me with his eyes that he understood what I'd said, that he loved me, too. And that man, who'd been bedridden and immobile for such a long time, he picked up his hand, complete with the i.v. and the board it was strapped to - he raised his hand to me. And he looked at me. And he said he loved me. He said it with his eyes, not his voice, but he said it. He was there, right there. What a gift from God. And this is what I think of every time someone says they don't believe in God: Oh, yeah? Well, let me tell you - if there's no such thing as God, who gave me my daddy back that night? And who helped him to hang on until every one of us got to visit with him? And why did every one of us say almost the same thing? That Daddy was there. For us. One last time.

Tag! You're it!

I got tagged by Shazza. I'm supposed to tag six of you and tell you to find the sixth picture folder on your computer and pull the sixth photo out, and make a blog entry about it and tag six more people. You're supposed to do the same, leaving me a message or emailing me to say you're participating.
Instead, if you want to play, do it and leave me a message on my blog so I can go and check your entry out!!!
This is the house Krys grew up in. We moved into this house in 1964, when it was just the three of us, Daddy, Mommy, and me. My parents liked to tell the story about how I went door to door, saying, "Hi, my name is Krys. I live over there. Do you have any little girls I can play with?"

My 2 sisters joined us in 1965 and 1966, and it was just the five of us until Belle, our Samoyed, joined the family in 1970. We had a nice fenced in backyard. I have two special memories of the backyard: we had a party for my sister's birthday back there, and my dad put up this huge parachute as a tent! And I remember the wysteria bush that grew up and over the gate - it was just beautiful.

I learned a lot in this house. I learned that a family loves each other no matter what. I learned that there's no one you can count on like a mom, a dad or a sister. I learned that my dog could be not only a member of the family, but sometimes even better than that: she loved unconditionally ane never talked back at you!!! I learned that parents sacrifice for their children. My mom always said: When you're single, you answer to no one. It's just you. When you're married, your marriage comes first, your husband second, and then you. When you have kids, the children have to come first, the family second, the marriage third, your husband and yourself dead last. And if you're not ready to make that commitment of time and sacrifice, wait to have children until you are. And I never forgot that lesson. My parents lived it every day of every year, and my mom still does.

My dad died in 1987. There's not a day goes by that I don't think of him. When I drive up to this house (my mom still lives here with her two cats), I think of my dad. As much as it's Mom's house, it's Daddy's house.

This was, and is, a happy house. It's a refuge. It's where I learned you can always go home and be welcomed with open arms. It's not the neatest or the most beautiful or the biggest or the most valuable house.

But it's home.

There's a contest over at Orange Peanut. I found it on Stefany's blog, Pikes Pickles.

The "Where there is love" plaque is SO me! I collect quotes and this is one of my favorites! It would look lovely just casually hung among my family pictures... I hope I win!!! (Although I would be happy for anyone lucky enough to win this great prize!)

Go on over and enter! And leave her a comment or two! Tell her I sent you!!!

Mom's Home!!!

So I left work at about 3:35, headed to Penn Station/Newark. Parked the car and went inside.

15 minutes later, Mom was home!!!

I'm so glad she's here! I know she had a great time at P's house, and I know she likes to go there, but it's really hard on my husband when mom is away. I admit it. I'm a big baby! In fact, J met us at the Tick Tock for dinner. He came in, gave Mom a hug and a kiss and said, "Thanks for coming home, Mom! Now I'll have a happy home again!"

BUT with the advent of a webcam setup, I can deal with it in a much more adult manner!  When I finally return Mom's laptop to her, I'll go out and buy myself a webcam. (It's a cheaper alternative to a laptop I really can't justify at this time!)

On the way home, it was snowing. (Actually, it was snowing all day.) I've never had the experience of not being able to stop my car on ice; I know, I've been lucky. Yesterday, though, I was sending many thank yous up to Jesus for ABS brakes! Boy howdy, were the roads slippery! A couple of times I was sweating thinking I was going to hit the man and woman crossing the street in front of me. I was afraid, in a way, to beep the horn or flash my headlights 'cause I thought they'd think I was telling them to go ahead and cross in front of me when in fact I couldn't stop my truck!!! [Jack pointed out I should have just LAID on the horn, long and strident, so they'd know something was wrong.]

I'm having some trouble here at work. I know I need to let it go, but I'm having a hard time not obsessing over it. What do you think?

There are 6 of us in our territory. We all answer to W. Here's the breakdown of our territories: I have 12 states, R has 10, E has 9, D has 14, and K has 2 plus author sales. S has the US for corporate bulk sales but for the most part, he just sits and waits for orders to hit his desk; it's not a very proactive job...

A couple of weeks ago, R and E were out at the same time. For a week. And I covered for them. By myself. We don't have an assistant anymore, and we don't know when/if we'll get one. K has already stated, in no uncertain terms, that she's too overworked with her 2 states and author sales to help cover our territories when we're out. (This was in response to my joking with her that I was going to put her name down as a contact when I went on vacation - she said I could, but that she wouldn't be doing any of the work. Now, keep in mind that she refers all existing author accounts to customer service and is away from her desk for 3 hours a day, running, visiting her mom who works in our company, and doing whatever else it is she does when she's not at her desk...)

Anyway, I covered for R and E. Then I called out sick last Friday.

THEY.DID.NOT.PROCESS.ONE.SINGLE.ORDER.FOR.ME.

And E found it necessary to send me an email to tell me that she overheard R telling my accounts that I'd be back in the office on Monday and that they could contact me then. Okay, I was pissed. But then I walked over and saw that E didn't do anything for me either.

3 orders came in on Friday, over the fax. One at 8:45am, one at noon-ish, and one at 3-something pm. Plenty of time to process them before they went home. And no one did a single thing for me.

I'm SO hot under the collar that I can't stand myself, let alone these people.

I love my job. It's easy and I'm certainly not going anywhere. But I'm done doing unto others. They did squat for me.

My pals seem to think I should talk to my boss about it. I feel as though I could be perceived as ratting them out. I don't want to be a rat fink, but I'm feeling distinctly taken advantage of and obviously they don't care about my customers as much as I cared about them.

I think I'm just going to keep my distance and tell them not to put me down to cover them the next time they ask if they can. Or if they don't even ask, just refer their customers back to them when they return. Or to customer service. Why should I go the extra mile when they won't help me out at all???

What do you think?

Sometimes it's just this simple...

Got this email from a friend of mine...

"From a teacher in the Nashville area.

"Who worries about the cow when it is all about the ice cream?

"The most eye-opening civics lesson I ever had was while teaching third grade this year. The presidential election was heating up and some of the children showed an interest. I decided we would have an election for a class president. We would choose our nominees. They would make a campaign speech and the class would vote. To simplify the process, candidates were nominated by other class members. We discussed what kinds of characteristics these students should have. We got many nominations and from those, Jamie and Olivia were picked to run for the top spot.

"The class had done a great job in their selections. Both candidates were good kids. I thought Jamie might have an advantage because he got lots of parental support. I had never seen Olivia's mother.

"The day arrived when they were to make their speeches. Jamie went first. He had specific ideas about how to make our class a better place. He ended by promising to do his very best.

"Everyone applauded. He sat down and Olivia came to the podium. Her speech was concise. She said, "If you will vote for me, I will give you ice cream."

"She sat down.

"The class went wild. "Yes! Yes! We want ice cream!" She surely could say more. She did not have to. A discussion followed. How did she plan to pay for the ice cream? She wasn't sure. Would her parents buy it or would the class pay for it? She didn't know. The class really didn't care. All they were thinking about was ice cream. Jamie was forgotten.

"Olivia won by a landslide.

"Every time Barack Obama opened his mouth he offered ice cream and fifty-two percent of the people reacted like nine year olds. They want ice cream. The other forty-eight percent of us know we're going to have to feed the cow and clean up the mess."

Prayers for my friend

Way back when, when I was in college, I met a girl who turned out to be one of my best friends. We stayed in touch for years, I was in her wedding, she came to mine. But, as often happens, we emailed a bit, called once or twice, and eventually I stopped hearing from her.

No big crisis. No falling out. Just life.

Well, this past Christmas I didn't send her a Christmas card. I'd sent one every year and for the past 3 or 4, didn't get one back. (So, I'm a slow learner!) I did put a note in her mom's card, though, asking/hoping she was okay and asking Mom to forward my email address to her.

Lo and behold, a couple of weeks ago, I got an email from her, with just a sentence or two to catch me up on all I'd missed.

Then today, a missive, all about how the boys are 15 and 13 and taller than her (OMG!), how her husband is doing well and luckily for her, able to be home to help her out when she needs it. He's helping out, too, with the boys, getting them where they need to go, when they need to go, getting them up in the morning and out to the bus stop by 6:05am...

All of this struck a chord with me. Why is she making such a point of him doing his fatherly/husbandly duties? Shouldn't it be like that anyway? Then I remembered previous letters, saying how he was in this band and in this orchestra, and teaching this class and that course...

Then the paragraph that took my breath away.

She has breast cancer. She was diagnosed last August. THAT'S why her mom didn't include an update about K and her family in her Christmas card, as I'd asked.

She started chemo, finished January 1st. She started radiation today. She was able to work throughout the chemo and is planning to continue working through the radiation. Then she'll start hormone therapy.

"Other than being overweight and bald," apparently she's "fine." The prognosis is good. [THANK.YOU.GOD.]

I walk every year in the Susan B. Koman Cancer Walk. Thankfully, I've been lucky enough not to know anyone with breast cancer. My husband's grandmother died of it many, many years ago, when he was a young boy.

Now it's personal.

Now it's K.

I will be walking for her. For her as somone with breast cancer. For her as a survivor. And I ask you all, each and every one of you, if you can, if you would, PLEASE PRAY FOR MY FRIEND, K. And if you can help support the fight against breast cancer, please do. For me. For K. For our daughters and sisters and mothers and aunts and grandmothers and neighbors and babysitters and dogwalkers and cashiers and bank tellers - for all those women who do not deserve to suffer from this horrible, horrible disease.

We need to do whatever it takes to eradicate it (along with other cancers and diseases, of course). But now, this fight is personal.

Please explain this to me...

Didn't someone promise less spending? Or was I listening to someone else's campaign promises?

$819 BILLION. With a B.

Unanimously rejected by the Republicans (thank you, guys!). Passed, obviously, by the Democrats. With the possibility of increasing this spending/port bill by ANOTHER $71 BILLION when it gets to the Senate.

Supposedly too much spending, not enough tax cuts.

Well, where would he get the money to distribute if he actually cut our taxes?

I missed the number of pages: 600+? 800+?

As I've mentioned before, I don't believe in a single party system. We have multiple parties for a reason. Someone has to ride herd on the other party (regardless of which way it goes: Republican > Democrat or Democrat > Republican).

I'll be voting party line this next election, just to be sure that he doesn't have free reign.

Remember "checks and balances"?

Nothing to blog about so...

Here's what makes me happy - in no particular order, just sort of stream of consciousness... (got this idea from Pike's Pickles)...

1. family, present and past
2. Jack
3. friends
4. books
5. reading
6. flowers - especially irises, and especially NOT carnations
7. my faith
8. my homes
9. work (most days!)
10. pizza
11. unsweetened iced tea
12. Clint Eastwood
13. Dan Fogelberg
14. movies
15. TV
16. the smell of garlic and onions cooking - smells like home
17. pumpkin pie
18. cinammon anything
19. coffee
20. puppies and dogs
21. scrapping
22. creating
23. decorating
24. blogging
25. reading blogs
26. children
27. my neighbors
28. my in-laws
29. reading to my first graders (I volunteer every other week)
30. traveling
31. cruising
32. flying
33. being a tourist
34. weddings
35. good news
36. stationery
37. notebooks
38. pens and markers (not a big fan of pencils, I must admit)
39. techno-anything - with a little education I could seriously be a computer geek! (from the operational side, not the programming/repair side!)
40. writing letters
41. getting cards in the mail
42. the idea of retiring in a few years
43. diamonds
44. amethysts
45. the color purple
46. the color green
47. the color yellow
48. losing weight
49. salad
50. wearing a smaller size
51. sweatpants
52. freshly laundered sheets
53. fresh air
54. parties
55. eating outside
56. BBQ
57. having someone cook for me
58. Christmas
59. Thanksgiving
60. my birthday
61. working on the computer...

Gotta run - my ride's coming to pick me up!

What makes YOU happy????

???

Please explain this to me.

President Obama invited some people to the White House (or the Capitol, wherever) to discuss his trillion dollar stimulus package (think I'll get more than $1 this time?!?!?).

He plans to increase benefits for low-income workers who pay no income taxes.

WTF???

And who is paying for this? Me. And you. Those of us who actually are paying their income taxes will have to pay more so that he can give more benefits to low income workers who pay no income taxes.

I have a huge problem with this. It just doesn't jive with my "help those who help themselves" philosophy. What it does is reward those who work the system.

Please don't jump down my throat about those low-income people who can't afford to pay all those taxes and live in this country 'cause it's too expensive. I don't buy designer clothes or name brand anything unless I can afford it, and yet I'm behind a guy paying with foodstamps who's wearing $100 sneakers and a $300 leather jacket. Me? My $8 Wal-Mart winter jacket. Hmmm.

Fair Tax please. Just read it. If you buy it, you pay tax on it. If you don't, you don't. You get to bring home your salary. What a concept! Get what you earn, instead of thousands of dollars less.

And by the way, "don't listen to Limbaugh"??? [Insert another WTF??? here!!!] Last I checked, this is America. I can say anything I want, so can Rush, and if I choose to listen to him, you have NOTHING TO SAY ABOUT IT.

It's a sad day...

My friend Alan passed away this morning.

I met him when Jack got nominated and elected to the credit union's board; Alan was married to Gail, and she's a teacher and board member. We've vacationed with them several times and this last time, I was truly blessed to spend some quality time with my friend Gen and Alan. We'd go for coffee every morning, just sit outside the cafe and people watch and talk. He was such a good man.

Alan suffered for many years from brain tumors. He'd have surgery and bounce back.

And the tumors would bounce back, too.

He was a true miracle man, surviving countless surgeries and so many sessions of radiation and chemotherapy. Even his wife really believed he would beat it again; we just couldn't believe it would finally get him.

This last session was different. It seemed to weaken him more, take him further along in the disease. He wound up this time in a coma, then he came out of it, then he was moved to a care facility for 24-hour care, then he became unresponsive again.

Gail would sit by his side all day, every day. She would sprinkle him with holy water, pray with him and for him. She has such faith.

But I worry that this might truly be more than she can handle. She and Alan met when they were older, rather than younger. They were so much in love, they were so perfect for each other. He cared for her, about her - it was so obvious. He was her life.

And when I say this, I don't mean he was her life (or she was his) to the exclusion of all else. They just truly personified love. They were the perfect example of a happily married couple.

Alan retired two or three years ago, along with Gail. They spent every minute of every day together, I believe, either at their mountain hideaway in PA or traveling to the Caribbean or to Vegas. They so loved to travel together!

This next journey is going to be a tough one for Gail. She's going to have to go it alone. And I am worried about her. We all said she's so strong, going through all this over and over again, but she had Alan then. And he fought with her and for her and she fought with him and for him.

She's lucky - she has phenomenal family and great friends. And we'll be there to help her any way we can. But we're not Alan.

Please keep Alan and Gail in your prayers for me.

I won't be discussing yesterday yet...

All it's going to do is cause me to have to defend my feelings and I don't think I should have to do that.

Suffice it to say that I did NOT enjoy the reference to "3 First Ladies," I did NOT enjoy Aretha's version of My Country 'Tis of Thee, I did NOT like the poet, her reading or her poem, and I REALLY did not like the benediction. I thought MB looked lovely, and the girls looked so cute! I resented the hugeness of the inauguration - I thought he wanted to spread the wealth, not spend the wealth. I think personally they're a lovely family - I liked seeing his daughter give her dad the thumbs up and take pictures with her tiny camera. I liked seeing his wife lean forward to put her hand on his shoulder and give her husband a little squeeze. They truly looked so happy together while dancing at the balls last night. (Although I didn't like her gown.)

I hope with all my heart that he does a good job. I don't believe in him or in his plans. I think he has a lot of people fooled. I think he will make decisions that the people do not like, even his own supporters, once he's in office and privy to all the information. And for that I'm truly sorry. There are a lot of people in for, in my humble opinion, a huge disappointment.

But if we're all very lucky, he'll do a good job, make good decisions, not steal from me to give to those who didn't work as hard as I did to have what I have now. GWB has already begun to implement the return of our troops, and BO will be taking full credit for it once it happens 'cause it will/might happen on his watch. And that's how it goes. The one to blame is gone, and the one taking all the credit for what's been already started will be there to take that credit.

He is the President, though, and I will support my president as I believe all Americans should have supported GWB during his administration. I will most assuredly be critical when I don't agree, but this is America and I am allowed.

I'm off to find an email address for GWB - I want to send him a thank you note.

P.S. Those of you who know me know what I think about reading. I read anytime, anywhere, anythingl. Well, I read a great blog post today and I wanted to share it with you... Go to Zen Habits and read what Leo Babauta wrote about learning to enjoy reading.

I saw it after it happened...

My office is a cubicle but I'm at the windows and I face the Hudson River. I've spent the last three days in meetings and this afternoon, during our E-line and R-line meetings, we heard all the sirens.

We're in Hoboken. We hear sirens all the time. We really didn't think anything of it. I didn't hear a crash.

But when I got back to my desk, the plane had already crashed. It was somewhere up around the 50's, pretty much across from Jack's school if it were riverfront, maybe a bit higher, but the currents were so strong the plane was drifting south really quickly. I could almost make out the people standing on the wings, but I'm not sure if I really saw it or if I knew they were there 'cause we were watching it live on the computer.

We were plastered to the windows. People were running out onto Pier A, and uptown, onto Pier B, just to watch. By the time the plane drifted even closer, all the passengers and crew had been rescued.

Thank you, God. They couldn't have done it without you.

It was 18 degrees this morning, real feel 10 degrees with the wind chill. The Hudson River was really cold. I heard later 60 people were in the water. And aside from some rather minor injuries, considering, so far, at least, everyone is okay.

They said the pilot made a heroic and perfect landing under the circumstances. There were 2 pilots on board, according to the news.

I beg to differ. God was their co-pilot today. They couldn't have done it without Him.

We'll be glued to the news tonight, just to make sure that the people are all okay.

President Bush is speaking - I'm going to go and listen. Tomorrow I'm sending him a thank you note, if I can find an email address for him. He deserves it!

There's a new guy...

...in my daughter's life. Not yet serious, she says. Nice guy, she says. A year older than her, she says. Lives a mile away from her, she says. A supervisor for NJ Transit, she says.

We went to the Board meeting after dinner (It passed! It passed! Jack will no longer be working without a contract if it now gets ratified.). The new guy came to pick her up. She kissed us goodbye (we waited out front with her so she didn't have to wait alone) and ran and got in the car and they drove away. We went back into the school to walk out the back door and go home. Jack was on the phone with a friend. DD called. Come out front, she said. He wants to meet you, she said.

No chance to brush my teeth or see if the hair helmet was holding up - he double parked his car in the bus stop to run in and say, "Hi, it's nice to meet the parents." Hmmm, not too shabby, if I do say so myself!

Now as we all know, manners matter to me. And the ex had manners. With us, anyway. This one's cuter, in my humble opinion, and has manners. Risked a ticket to meet us. One point for him. Nice smile. And when I said, "We'll have to do dinner," he said, "Sure!" Two more points for him.

Sales Conference

No, I'm not dead.

I'm starting Sales Conference.

I will be in meetings from 9am to 4:30pm, today, tomorrow and Thursday.

Tonight I have dinner at Anthony David's in Hoboken.

Tomorrow I have dinner at Court Street in Hoboken (yummm!!!).

Thursday I have a manicure appointment at 6:30pm.

Friday Jack and I have dinner at Frank's Waterside in North Bergen.

I have sporadic access to voice mail and email, and unless I stay up really late and fall asleep during the meetings, virtually no access to the Internet and this blog.

Until the weekend. When it turns C.O.L.D. When double digits would feel like summer (or at least spring). When I have a three day weekend. When I take Mom's laptop to the lake and hack into my neighbor's wireless.

OH. BIG NEWS! You all know how much I miss my mom (she's in AZ visiting my sister P - who, by the way, I also miss, bigtime!).

I GOT TO SEE MY MOM THE OTHER NIGHT!!! P got herself a webcam and with Mom's laptop we were able to video chat. Okay, I can handle Mom visiting P if we can do this once in a while. Just for the record. (Although I'd still like her home, she can stay by you for a while longer, P!)

This has pretty much decided it for me. It's time for me to get either a webcam for my desktop, which will most likely be the route we go, or a laptop (which I'm resisting simply 'cause I hate their keyboards and the darn non-mouse-pad). And Mom, you'll just HAVE to leave your house once a week or so to come over to mine and you can video chat with P, a NICE change from "just" a daily phone call (or three!).

Words to live by...

From Stuff Happens (and then you fix it!): 9 Reality Rules to Steer Your Life Back in the Right Direction, by John Alston and Lloyd Thaxton

1. Learn to say "thank you" when you wake up in the morning. After all, if you woke up you're still alive and in the game!
2. You must never forget that life is a gift, don't trash it.
3. Shout "Why me?" when good things happen.
4. Every day walk around with your head up and a smile on your face shouting "I am the greatest."
5. The most important gift you have is your mind. Use it and your life experiences to grow.
6. No problem is bigger than you are and you have all the resources to make your life work.
7. Find out what you're good at, develop it and give it back to the world. The world is waiting for your contribution.
8. Always be the most decent human being that you can be... and
9. DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME!

I found these 9 rules when I first started working here at my current job. I've had them hung up in my cubby for the past 4-1/2 years and since I was rearranging the stuff on my cubby walls today, I thought I'd share them with you!

And then I found something else... Procrastination is a bit of a problem for me. Even though I.HATE.BEING.LATE.FOR.ANYTHING, I have no problem putting little things off until I sometimes have to scramble to get them done by their deadlines. I'm going to scrap these on a page and create something to hang in my office... (I have no idea where I found these; I would credit the author if I did.)

OVERCOME PROCRASTINATION
1. Do it once.
2. Clear your mind.
3. Solve problems while they're still small.
4. Reduce interruptions.
5. Clean up backlogs.
6. Start operating toward the future instead of the past.
7. Stop worrying about it.
8. Now, feel better about yourself.

My new mantra, borrowed from Leo Babauta at ZenHabits. Found him on Ali Edwards' blog.

Stop waiting for happiness. Happiness is right here, right now.

Love this!!!

Since Miss Hope likes her some photos...

Jack opening one of his stocking stuffers... He's always complaining he has no energy so I bought him a bottle of One a Day Vitamins formulated for increased Energy!
This is my sister C and her beau, T. He really seems to be a nice guy. He cares a lot for her and for her kids, despite their less than enthusiastic reception of his place in their lives. And he gave C a beautiful emerald and diamond band for Christmas!

These are the beautiful flowers I got for my birthday from my sister and my mom and from the girls at the office. (This year Jack gets a failing mark for no flowers!) And sorry, P, I realized after I took this picture, that it's another one where you can't see the purple flowers in the arrangement! They were there! I swear!

Here's Maria, opening one of her presents Christmas afternoon. When she opened it, she smiled big and said, "I KNEW I could count on you for a great sweater!" As boring as it sounds when I read it here, there was such enthusiasm in her voice! It's a good thing! (I didn't take a picture of the set of knives I bought her. Knives that were identical to the knives her mother bought her that she opened earlier in the morning. Darn it! So I'm returning them and contributing to Maria's Ugg cause...)

Isn't he just one of the handsomest boys you've ever seen? This is my nephew, J. There aren't a lot of pictures of him where he's just genuinely him, no sneer, no sarcastic expression in his eyes, just J. Love him so much!

And this beauty is my niece, A. Gorgeous, right?! Another of those rare photos, a real smile, happy, carefree, no teen angst... (These last two pictures were taken in our house on Christmas Eve.)

And here's this year's mini-tree. I bought this little 5' tree for the lake. I used to stand it on a coffee table in front of the picture window, but this year, it took the place of our "real" tree in Clifton. We went looking for a 9' prelit artificial tree post-holiday. And we found one. Beautiful. Perfect for our 9' ceilings. P.S. When you have 9' ceilings, a 9' tree doesn't work 'cause the 9' refers to the height of the tree not.counting.the.stand. We now have big gouges in our library ceiling where we tried to set up the new tree we bought on a non-returnable basis at 50% off... (Thank goodness I bleach blonde highlights into my hair: I played the blonde card at Home Depot and said, "My husband said our ceilings were 9' high but I didn't know that the tree height didn't include the stand and $150 is a lot of money to spend on a tree I can't use! Can't I please return it? I just bought it this morning!..." And he let me return it!)
This was our dining room table set up for Christmas Eve dinner. And yes, baby Jesus is in the manger even though he technically wasn't born yet... And yes, those are paper plates. Boy, was this an easy holiday! Minimal dishwashing, just sweep off the table and toss in the trash!!!

Sometime in the next few weeks, I'm going to post some pictures taken in my home so you can sort of peek into my house... Another blogger did this and it was so much fun to see how others live. It was like peeking in their windows but with permission!!!

Resolutions v.2009

I usually make really sincere resolutions that deep in my heart and in my mind, honest injun, I know I'm not going to keep: be a better wife/daughter/sister/cook/housekeeper, be sure to attend Mass on every Holy Day of Obligation, budget and save more money, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. (hmmm, now I want to sit down and watch Yul Brynner in The King and I!)


This year I'm going to do something different. I'm going to make some resolutions that I know I can keep. And I resolve, too, that I won't beat myself up when I slip up and do something or forget to do something...

• I'm NOT going to spend a lot of money on useless crap (okay, well, once the mail orders I placed over the past two or three days are delivered, I won't spend a lot of money on useless crap...)
• I'm NOT going to buy something I don't need every time I set foot in a Wal-Mart
• I AM going to save more money
• I AM going to try to keep a neater home
• I WILL downsize my scrapping supplies (part of my goal as a student of BPS' Get Organized, Be Inspired class)
• I WILL cook more at home and eat out less
• I WILL try to be a better person
• I WILL donate more to charity
• I WILL NOT allow my moods to control me

There now, don't these sound a lot more reasonable and easier to actually achieve than "I'm going to reach goal weight," "I'm going to go sky-diving," or "I'll sew new curtains for the scrap room since I can't find any I like in a store"??

Right now...

I was catching up on some blogs I read and I happened across this on Lisa Bearnson's blog. She got a holiday letter from a friend of hers that included a bunch of right nows...


Right Now:
Out of my window: the Manhattan skyline - I'm at work, admittedly goofing off a little.
I am wearing: black jeans, a white tank, and a gray sweater that Jack bought me for Christmas.
I am hearing: my colleage E talking to someone on the phone.
I am thinking: about all the things I have to do this week - play catch up here at work, go to the movies, go to a scrapping bingo night, go to Michael's with my neighbor to plan a scrapping project as a gift for her dad, clean my kitchen so it does justice to the rest of the house (which is still clean from the holidays!), and clean the two guest rooms which are where I threw everything to make the rest of the house look neat!
I am thankful for: my family and friends, my mom's good health, my husband and my children, that I have a job in this troubled economy, my faith
I am creating: perhaps this should read "I am planning to create" some scrapbook pages from Christmas and Hanukkah and Gedalia's 1st birthday party, some handmade cards for my Soulology pals (sort of promised to do that for the holidays but...)
I am going: to Bloomingdale's for my make-up, then to my sister-in-law's for our traditional Monday dessert night, and to the movies tomorrow, to Michael's on Wednesday, to bingo on Thursday, and to the lake on Friday
I am hoping: I can keep to my unpublished and not-too-difficult-guess New Year's resolutions.
I am reading: Running Hot, by Jayne Ann Krentz
Around the house: it must be sort of quiet, I'm not there! The only sound you should be hearing there right now is the sound of the steam radiators as the thermostat prompts them to start heating the house in preparation for our return home.
One of my favorite things: Reading. Books. Words. (Wait, that's three!)
A few plans for the rest of the week: See "I am thinking" and "I am going" above...

If you feel up to it, take this challenge and do a "Right Now" entry. Imagine comparing it to "Right now" next year at this time...

Another Award?!? You're jesting!

You're kidding, Miss Hope!! Miss Hope has passed along this One Lovely Blog Award to me, lil'ole'me! She received it over the holidays and part of the deal is that you pass it along to seven other bloggers; she chose me to be one of the recipients! Miss Hope certainly did deserve this award, that's for sure. She shares with us her love and pride of family and country, her faith, her steadfastness in the face of some trials and tribulations. She's going to help out a lot of people whose children have ADHD as she shares her story about her wonderful son...

I'm just going to scan my "list of blogs I read each day" and start passing the love along...

Erika Martin's Stampin' Mama Designs is one of my favorite scrapping blogs. Why? Because she is one talented lady, that's why! And she shares so much of herself in her blog and on her pages and I truly admire her and her work! I've taken one class with her and am waiting patiently for her Journaling 101 class to start on 01/26/09. She's got a way of making you really look inside yourself, but without a shred of pain or self-doubt! Thanks, Erika!

Kim at Parachuting without a Net deserves this award, too, for a number of reasons. She has shared with us her heartbreak over losing her two daughters a year ago in an horrific car crash, but rather than that devastation, what comes across in her blog is her love for her daughters, her caring love for the daughter still here, grieving with her, and her love for her new fiance... We're all looking forward to reading all about her wedding plans, etc.

Jeanette at A Passion for Scrapbooking, Decorating & Shopping also gets my vote. Talk about a lovely blog!!! She shares her decorating skills, her internet finds, her planning and implementation of home projects - I've gotten some lovely ideas from her blog... now if only I could get those ideas to translate into reality in my house...

And Suzanne at Let's Talk Organizing - she SOOO deserves this award, too! Her lovely blog has made me a more organized, in control worker, and I'm taking what I read here and applying it to my home office - Suzanne: you'll be happy to know I've started off 2009 unencumbered by 2 LARGE bags of trash and two more bags are waiting to be burned in the wood stove this weekend (no shredding for me!)! And what a sense of accomplishment when I downsized to ONE calendar - okay, I admit I still have one on the wall in my house and on my desk at work, but I have only one planner... I'm going to try my best to use my Franklin Covey planner again this year, but I switched to weekly rather than daily - planning is more my problem than recording what I've done which is what I was doing with a whole page per day... If it doesn't work, I have a back-up plan: I have a monthly calendar that is just ready to step into the breach...

And Kristina Werner's kwernerdesignblog - SO many lovely scrapping and cardmaking ideas! Kristina deserves this award just for the sheer lovliness of her blog, to say nothing of her creativity! I've learned so much from her weekly videos - she makes new techniques so easy and so many of her ideas are just milling around in my brain, just waiting for an opportunity to be put to paper!!!

There are probably many more blogs that deserve the Lovely Blog award, but I'm back at work and I have to begin actually working...

Later!

Happy 2009!!! (4 days late!!!)

When I scheduled my vacation, I thought, "Man, am I going to have so much time off! J and I will probably kill each other 'cause we're going to be spending so much time together! What am I going to do for all that time? I have SO much time off!"

I.WAS.SO.WRONG.

I have to go back to work tomorrow. Nose to the grindstone.

I can't believe it.

It's 2009. It's been 2009 for 4 days already and I haven't done a single thing on my list. I was going to set up the calendar for 2009. I was going to clean out the 2 guest rooms. I was going to rearrange the kitchen (although that's still on my list for this afternoon...)

All I can say at this point is: I hope 2009 is more productive for you than it's been for me (so far!) and I wish you all health, happiness, and if not prosperity, at least not the poorhouse! Don't forget, you'll be distributing your wealth to those who have less but want more. (I couldn't pass up the chance to toss that in there!!!)

Seriously - my only resolution this year, and it's one I hope I can do, is to live a good life, a better life, than I did last year.

Post-Christmas Update

Well, I'm at the lake, borrowing some wifi from someone... using mom's laptop...

Santa was so good to me! Not only did I get some great gifts, I got to spend Christmas Eve with my sister and her kids, and her boyfriend and his son. Then we went to bed early, got up on Christmas morning, went to Mass and waited for DSD to arrive. We went to my SIL's house, had breakfast, opened gifts then went home.

We opened some more gifts then made dinner. We ate. We talked. We ate some more. M stayed 'til about 7/7:15, which was LOVELY! Then she was off to see her cousin; his b'day is Christmas Day and they usually go out in the evening...

We went shopping for a Christmas Tree on the 26th. We decided it was time to get a real artificial tree, instead of the short, 5' fake tree we have now. We didn't find any within my budget that were nice, but then yesterday, Jack found one at Home Depot. 9' tall, Frasier Fir. Next season I will buy a revolving stand, if we can use it (the tree might be too tall). If it works, I'll return it and buy it 1/2-price after next Christmas. And I know some people who read this blog frown on this practice but I don't have $150 to spend on a tree stand. $75 for a revolving tree stand is a bit more palatable but if I wait to buy it post- holiday, it's non-returnable. This way I'll buy it, see if it works and then return it and buy it for real at 1/2 price.

Guess what I got for my b'day! The 1st season of WKRP in Cincinnati on DVD!! LOVE that show!

All the holiday foodstuffs turned out great; of course, they would since Jack cooked them all! We had cavatelli and broccoli, peppers and onions, tuna, pierogi with onions in butter, pumpkin pie for dessert... I forgot to take the cream puffs out of the freezer so we'll have them when Mom returns.

Her schedule has changed, too - she's now coming home February 3, instead of January 9th or 10th, as originally planned. Her accupuncturist recommended a few more sessions and since they seem to be helping mom's arthritic back, she delayed her return... Amtrak reduced her penalty from $85 to $3.50 if she delayed her return by 3 or 4 weeks...

Well, I've been paged - we're building the built-in bookshelves for the sitting room and I have to go help put the shelves together. Pictures after the New Year, when I have access to the desktop again!

Happy New Year, to come! (In case I'm not blogging before 2009!)