Squirrels and Chip (but no Dale)

9/29/2014

We have lived in our house for 28 years and one of the first things we did when we moved in was to plant oak trees.  And 28 years ago they were so cute standing maybe five feet tall and dropping only a handful of leaves in the fall.

Fast forward and those oak trees are huge and are a haven for squirrels - both brown and black ones.  The squirrels manage to get up a tree trunk in record time.  Once "perched" they jump from limb to limb chewing off the leaves which fall to the ground along with the sought after prize - acorns!  You do not and I repeat do not walk across my driveway in the fall with no shoes on.  If you do, it's going to be very painful on your feet.

This afternoon I was bored and sat down on the porch and watched Mother Nature at work.  The squirrels are not daunted by our presence anymore and sometimes we'll open up the front door and they're just sitting on the porch.  

Also today a chipmunk, let's call him Chip was running around the yard like crazy.  Chipmunks are not much bigger than a mouse, but tons cuter.  

Watching the squirrels and chipmunks is really a lot of fun.  The hard part is keeping the "wild" animals off our roof, out of the eaves as well as out of the attic.  Good luck with all that.

If you believe that the number of acorns downed each fall by squirrels means a really cold and wet winter, then this winter coming up should be a doozy!  

In the dead of winter when there are "foots" (not to be confused with feets) of snow, we throw out stale bread so that the squirrels have something to eat on.

P

Forced Sterialization

9/29/2014

I know you're thinking how does somebody go about forcing women to be sterilized?   Let's see: first they're women and second they're in prison and third they're in California.

Apparently 144 women in California states prisons were sterilized between 2005 and 2010—one third of them without lawful consent. Is or was that even legal?  Eventually the Governor decided that it wasn't legal and has banned forced sterilizations.  

The sterilizations were done to prevent further pregnancies on women who likely couldn't afford to take care of the ones they already had.  

If a woman has control over her body when it comes to terminating a pregnancy, then she should have the right to have as many children as she can afford to care for.  And no I don't think women should have scores of children while on welfare.  Unlike in the dark ages of the '60's, birth control is readily available and compared to the cost of raising a child, relatively inexpensive - in the big picture.

I will share a personal story about birth control.  It was 1974 and I was engaged to Jeff.  I went to the doctor for birth control pills, which he ultimately gave me - but not until he gave me a lecture about having sex while I was single.  When I think back on that, I remember leaving his office feeling judged and immoral.  I'm glad that things like this don't happen today - or should I say I hope things don't happen like that anymore..  

Just because we spay and neuter pets, doesn't mean we have the same right to do it to people.  Why not just sterilize the men?  

P

Grandparents' Day

9/27/2014

Yesterday, Jeff and I were invited to Benjamin's school for grandparent's day.  For those of you who have yet to experience being a grandparent, trust me it's the absolute best.  While as a grandparent you do still have to have some rules, but since we are not doing the primary parenting, rules can be fewer.  Being a grandparent means that you can love unconditionally and will receive it back ten-fold from your grandchild.

In Benjamin's classroom, I sat in a tiny chair next to him while we tried to move different shapes into a variety of animals.  After a few attempts, I gave up my puzzle making duties to Jeff.  I have never been any good at taking random shapes and forming them into anything, much less an animal!

At lunchtime we followed Benjamin into the cafeteria.  We had opted to have cheese pizza, carrots and peaches with milk.  Oh and because the guests were either parents or grandparents, we adults could have pie. 

After lunch the three of us had our picture taken and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it turns out okay.  Benjamin might be photogenic, but Mom Mom is not!

We followed Benjamin out to the playground, and he got to the business of playing right away.  Normally, it is very hard for me to leave Benjamin, but since he was playing, a quick hug and kiss and he ran off.  Jeff and I left for home.  It was a good day and as always a delight to see Benjamin.  

This is a picture of Benjamin and I deep in thought!

Hair

9/24/2014

Hair.  Everybody has some, or everybody had some.  Do you remember the song "Hair" by the Cowsills? Part of the lyrics: 

He asks me why, I'm just a hairy guy
I'm hairy noon and night, hair that's a fright
I'm hairy high and low, don't ask me why, don't know
It's not for lack of bread, like the Greatful Dead, darlin'

I have always loved that song.  One of my fights with my own hair is that it's naturally wavy, which is a curse word, for hair that's "doing it's own thing"!  Mother used to tell me that people would kill to have wavy hair - I never believed her.  I have always admired hair that hangs straight, probably because mine will never do that.

Over the years, I have permed, colored and highlighted my hair. I have tried to cover up the gray hair, but at a certain age, you have two options: (1) continue to color, which is way expensive; or (2) just become one with gray hair.  I have after years of fiddling around with trying to cover the gray have now chosen option (2).  By some people's standards I don't have a lot of gray and what I do have is mostly around my face, which I think actually looks pretty good on me.  I think there are other gray hairs on top of my head, but I choose not to get a mirror and actually look.

 

Besides futzing with hair color, I have worn my hair short for a very long time.  Easy to maintain. Wash, fluff and go.  Trouble with short hair is I generally found that I had trouble controlling the ends of my hair.

Since coming home from Chicago last year, I have opted to grow my hair.  No worries that I'll ever have hair so long that I could sit on it, but it's at a nice length at the moment. Of course with longer hair, now there is a need to blow dry the hair and put in the bare minimum of curlers to get my hair to curl "just so" around my face!  I even use hair spray now - gadzooks when will the madness end!!!!

I have never liked hair on my face, so having bangs is a no go for me. With the use of barrettes I can clip my hair off of my face.  Longer hair gives a person a few more options when it comes to dealing with their "do's".

 

The good news, and at my age I need some, I likely will never be asked at a movie theater, for example, if I qualify for a senior citizen discount!  

 

P

Change of Clothes

9/23/2014

Now don't get all excited.  I'm simply talking about the storing of "shorty" (capris) pants and summer flip-flops. The days are shorter now we haven't needed the a/c for weeks now. Actually, I now find while watching television, that I look longingly at my gas fireplace and now that it won't be long before I fire it up.

I have put away my seersucker, light bathrobes for heavier and longer robes.  Socks are now becoming almost mandatory to wear - I hate cold toes!  I have dragged out of the closet my "real" slippers, the ones that have fleece lining (again, always thinking about my toes).

As I drag my long pants out from drawers, I realize that not one, but several new pants that I bought earlier this year, are tooooooooooooo long.  Gads.  When you  buy petite pants, I always assume that they will fit a petite (at least in length) body.  Not so my friends.  I guess the fashion trend is to have your pants cover up some part of your shoes.  For me, that's a trip hazard.  So this week I will dutifully take my pants down to the tailor, who knows me on sight, to get all of my "petite" pants shortened to the length that I prefer - stopping around the ankle.  And yes I also know that I end up cutting off several inches from each pair of pants.  Same problem with long sleeve blouses, they're always too long.  Or, maybe I'm just too fussy!

In the early summer I took the down comforter off our bed and am pretty sure within the next few weeks will take it out of storage and put it back on the bed.  We do sleep with both dogs and they are, of course, an extra source of warmth.  Trouble with dogs is that if you want to turn over or pull up your blankets, sleeping dogs don't move!  Sam, our terrier, sleeps at my feet or more precisely on my feet, which really does impede my moving around.  I suppose I could make him move, but there is something so peaceful about a dog resting on your feet.  

Since the days are getting shorter and colder, 'ol Sam will soon be looking to get in between Jeff and I to extra warmth.  We give him a summer haircut which is quite short, but now until spring we leave his coat longer.  

While I'm sitting here this morning, the window is open, but I have pants on and am even wearing a sweater.  Fall is one of my favorite times of the year, the air is crisp, the leaves are turning and a cup of hot cocoa tastes really good.

P

Short Term Memory Loss

9/22/2014

It's been a year since I stepped foot into an office.  A year spent without ringing phones, deadlines, peer friction and stress.  I have been placed on medical disability through Social Security, and every now and then I think to myself, I could work again.

I have started a volunteer position with the Humane Society of America corporate office.  I work for a very nice and patient lady.  She needs to be patient, because in the week I have been working with her, my short term memory (or lack thereof) has become somewhat of an issue.  I believe the issue is more on my side than hers, but I feel bad when she, like Jeff, has to repeat things to me more than once.  And yes, I do write down what I'm told and then I lose the paper that I've written on.

Making file labels last week took me at least 30 minutes to find the label template, add data and print.  And I'm thinking that the labels were a problem for me.  I, once upon a time, could whip out labels and overnight package forms practically in my sleep.  Not anymore.  

Truly I feel as if I'm slogging through mud most of the time.  I have apologized multiple times as I receive the same set of instructions that was told to me mere hours ago.  I have been very honest with this woman.  She knows why I have short term memory issues and is willing to keep working with me. I had a bit of a melt down today over whether a group of files were called interns or volunteers.  I really and truly was lost about what different groups of files were called.  How sad is that?

  I did, however, tell her that if going forward she believes I'm not a good fit for her, I would understand.  Through my tears I told her that I was once at the top of my game and had been for many, many years.  So to admit to almost a stranger that I'm baffled about labels is a big pill to swallow.

There is no real stress with volunteering.  If you're unhappy, you stay home.  If they're unhappy with you, they send you home.  Not being able to do the most simple of tasks in an office is humbling.  These people don't know what I used to do, what I was once capable of.  I now know that I'm mentally not capable of working (for real) in an office and this makes me sad.

I once asked my doctor if, as I was sitting across from her, was the best I'd ever be.  It takes time for a brain to heal from trauma, but after only a week working at the most mundane of tasks, it's clear that my brain has not healed. And maybe I really am as good as I'm going to be. 

I do "moron" (my word for easy) crossword puzzles. I have an online "paint by number" program where I have to match the color numbers to corresponding puzzle pieces.  I "paint" every day. I read for pleasure, but then can't remember what the book was about.  People talk to me and I listen and then within no time at all, I have little or no recollection of what I heard, or I screw up the details.  

Don't mind me, I'm just having my own private pity party.  Today, after losing it over something as simple as labels, that was a real eye opener for me.  

P

The Measure of a Man

9/21/2014

Today is Jeff and my 40th wedding anniversary.  Of a lesser note, I've been home for ONE YEAR!!!!
 Rather then buy a Hallmark card for Jeff, I wrote this instead:


 

The Measure of a Man

What makes a man?  On your wedding day, you both promise to get through the good and bad times, the rich and poor times, the sickness and health times and to love, honor and obey each other.

So what makes a man? It’s not the turning of a calendar over to an “x” anniversary.  Time and experiences, both good and bad, make the man.  As Jeff and I celebrate our 40^th anniversary, I wanted to memorialize the measure of one man – Jeff.  During our years together, we have experienced highs and lows, good and bad times, lean years and health as well as sickness.

A man doesn’t run at the first hint of trouble.  He digs his heels in and prepares to “fight” through the challenges thrown his way.  A man is a rock for his wife.  He supports, comforts, loves, defends and understands her.  Some times during a long marriage the foundation of that union feels as if It were built on shifting sand.  Other times that same union is as solid as bricks.

Over the course of our marriage, I have been the one who has had more illnesses, both physical and mental.  Physical illness can be mended.  Mental ones are harder to get a grip on, and there is no set in stone “you’re cured” date. And yet he stays.

Of all the years we’ve been together, last year 2013 was the worse for us by far.  Through my actions, some of which I was unable to control, I turned our world upside down.  And through all of that, Jeff stayed.  Jeff has seen my good days as well as the ugly underbelly of depression and anxiety.  And yet he stays.

I am afraid of a lot of things, driving on interstates, going to new places, meeting new people, as well as worries and fears that have no name.  And yet he stays.

I still suffer from some short term memory issues.  Jeff tells me something, like a date or a “to do” and I forget repeatedly.  And yet he stays.

My present world is ever changing.  I have some really positive good days, and then I don’t. And yet he stays.

He manages my medicine, helps work issues out with insurance companies and arranges for my continuing medical care. He takes most of the phone calls because I can’t remember what I’m told. And yet he stays.

He understands when it’s too painful to walk, or I become agitated for no reasonable reason. And yet he stays.

He knows that I grieve for a life that I once had. He knows that I also still grieve from the loss of Benjamin’s mother. And yet he stays.

He has watched me age over the years. My body sags, is spotted and my hair continues to gray.  And yet he stays.

He knows I want to be a stronger person and hopefully someday will have more control over my mental health.  And so he stays.

Because of a great man, who loves me without judgment and unconditionally, I stay.

Love P

Handwriting - Is On the Wall

9/20/2014

Back in the day, which may or not apply to you depending on how old you are, children were taught to print neatly on blue lines. The emphasis was on capital letters stretching to the top of the row and lower case letters staying in the middle.  This practice was unchanged for years.  At a certain point, children were taught cursive and I remember having penmanship classes!  I can assure you that they don't do that any longer.

I recently did some data entry work, typing in people's names, addresses, etc. for use on mailing labels.  Time after time I might as well been trying to read Greek, that's how bad the writing was. More time was lost on my part while I tried to decide if the letter was a "v" or a "w" for example.

It appears now that children are taught printing in kindergarten and first grade.  After that, the focus is on typing. Studies show that children, writing by hand, helps them improve letter recognition, which is really important when it comes to learning to read.

It has also been found that adults write better and longer, when they are faster at writing by hand, because we may process what we write by hand more deeply. 

I don't know anything intellectually about the pros and cons of handwriting versus using a keyboard; but, here's what I do know - there is nothing, and I do mean nothing, that means more to someone who receives a signed card or handwritten letter in the mail.

I don't know about you but for years I have never even felt a remote possibility that I would receive "real" mail.  It's a shame that such a simple thing like putting pen to paper, is almost becoming a lost art.

Some of you will remember writing on paper that looked like this:

Judge Judy

9/18/2014

When I first came home from Chicago, I "allowed" myself minimal daytime television. Price is Right and Let's Make a Deal were watching while I ate my lunch.  It's been many months since I've turned on the television during the day.  I've got other things to do now - reading, working on "Wilma", and my new volunteer job.

I recently clicked around for shows to watch around 6:00 at night and up popped Judge Judy.  I used to watch her show a long time ago and loved her sarcastic comments.  So at night generally while eating dinner on the sofa (I know, I know - shouldn't do that), I tune in.  After watching the show for several nights, I then began to wonder if the judge was really a judge. How much was she paid, etc.

You know me on to the internet and here's what I found:

 Judge Sheindlin was a real judge.  She retired from the bench in 1996. She heard more than 20,000 cases during her career. A swift decision-maker, Judge Sheindlin earned a reputation as one of New York’s most effective judges. She has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame!

Next question: what does Judge Judy earn in a year.  Do hold onto your hats friends.  According to a 2010 USA Today profile, Sheindlin only works 52 days a year. Do the math and that's more than $903,846 per work day which puts her above Ashton Kutcher who earns a reported $750,000 per episode for "Two and a Half Men." Judge Judy Is The Highest-Paid Celebrity On TV earning $47 million a year, give a penny or two.  Last year she received a $2 million dollar raise (don't you wish you could get a raise like that?) and the network has extended under contract until 2017.

She averages nine to ten million viewers. Compare her viewing numbers to these:

The Tonight Show": 3.6 million
"The Late Show with David Letterman": 2.7 million
 "Jimmy Kimmel Live!": 2.4 million
"Late Night with Jimmy Fallon":1 .8 million 

Work 52 days a year and earn millions - what a plushy dream job.   The cases are most of the time ridiculous but listening to the Judge reprimand people in her courtroom makes for a fun half hour of television.

P

My New "Job"

9/17/2014

It's not really a job, but it is a job.  Confused?  No worries.  I started volunteering at the Humane Society of America on Monday, doing the type of clerical work I have done for years.  I wasn't expecting, but I have my own cube, and you all know it's been a long time since I've been in an office.

I don't have a set schedule as yet, but will probably work four days a week for "x" (to be determined) hours a day.  They need help with data entry, filing, and who knows what else.  I will tell you this, when I came home on Monday afternoon, I felt useful, very, very useful.  Been a long time since I have felt like I made a difference to someone.  

Today, I'm taking in a few small things to define my space.  I'm also bringing in my easy to read guide to Word 2010, just in case my memory blogs down while I'm trying to do something.  

What I like about volunteering is that I can, more or less, make my own schedule around doctor's visits, etc.  For the first time in my working career, I don't have to check other secretaries' schedules to see if any of my appointments, conflicts with the schedules of others. 

An added bonus of working with the HUSA is that just about everybody has a dog in their offices or cubes.  I will tell you that the few times I've been to the their office, I have never heard a dog bark or whine.  That seems pretty amazing to me. 

Another thing that amazes me is how quiet the office is in general.  I am used to a large law department with a lot of not yelling, but talking over cube walls and phones constantly ringing.  On my new desk there is a phone - it has one line - mine.  The stress level is low, which is something I need now.  I was thrilled when the woman I'm going to work for wanted me after reading my application.  

A new sense of worth for me, and that's a good thing.

P

Sleep Study

9/16/2014

Last night was my doctor ordered sleep test.  I hadn't had one since 2006 and she thought, as did I, that it was time to make sure the pressure on my machine was at the right setting. Sleep studies are done at night (duh), so we arrived at Hopkins around 8:30 pm.  I had packed a little bag with toiletries (minimal) and pj's.

Once in my room, I undressed and got into those said pj's.  Then the nurse person came in and ran two belts around my chest. Those sticky pads on my chest and legs.  Okay, that's the simple part.  On the bed are strings of wire - black, yellow, red all stretched out nice and neat.

Since I've done this before, I knew what to expect: goo in my hair with little electrodes attached to my head and all these wires trailing behind me.  The first time I did a sleep study, I thought that I would never be able to fall asleep.  Oh contrar.  Even hooked up like the Bride of Frankenstein, you are actually able to sleep with all the wires attached to your head.

Last night was a repeat performance of my first study. Only difference this time was that my doctor wanted me to sleep two hours without a CPAP machine.  After two hours, the nurse put a mask on me and I thought I might have trouble falling back asleep - nope - no trouble at all.

I was awakened at 5:00 this morning, was unhooked, took a shower and out the door by 6:00 am. Jeff picked me up and took me to Bob Evans (love breakfast out). I had French Toast, which was delicious.  a quick stop at WalMart to get the weekly essentials and back home. 

Combined with not a great night's sleep because the bed was so soft, and a pain pill after walking around WalMart, I suspect that if I leaned back in my recliner, I'd be able to doze off!

It seems likely that the pressure setting on my machine will be raised, which is okay.  I'm also okay with knowing that I won't have to take another sleep test for several years.

P

North Korea

9/15/2014

Today's paper had an article about a man from California who went voluntarily (why?) to North Korea. Having never been there, I can't imagine it's not a "must see" on most  people's places to visit.  They aren't known for their hospitality.  

Reportedly, the young man ripped up his tourist visa after he arrived in North Korea.  Again why? Oh, that's right he wanted to "experience" prison life in North Korea.  Guess he got his wish.  Sentence: six years hard labor.  Now when he gets out of prison, and gets the hell out of "Dodge", he then will be able to accurately report, from his personal experience, on prison life in North Korea.

There are many things that I'm curious about, and many places I would like to visit, but at the end of the day, much as I would like to go to Egypt, for example, the mid-east makes me nervous.  My in-laws went to Egypt back when it was safe for a visit and they had a great time and took lots of wonderful pictures.  I don't want to ever put my foot into a situation that ultimately could and likely would end badly.  Your could call me a coward, and I'm okay with that; or, you could think that I was just being careful.  

I don't want to venture into a foreign country or city and being arrested for something that I didn't even know was a crime.  I'm reminded about the boys' trip to Russia years ago.  They made the mistake of walking on Red Square, which is a no-no.  The police re-routed them and all was fine, but it could have ended up much differently for them.

On my bucket list, there are places I want to visit: Italy, Spain, England, France and even Iceland just to name a few.  Will I ever get there? Seems doubtful but a girl can keep dreaming.  I went to England with my Dad for a two week trip and I was thrilled to have this one-on-one time with him.  Unfortunately, he wasn't able to walk very far, so we had to compromise on what we could do.  I sympathize now because I'm in a position where I am unable to walk very much, a condition that prevents me from lots of activities.

I collect Murano glass from the island off of Italy, and I have a lot of it. I want to watch the glass blowers turning glass into pieces of beautiful art.  If I ever get rich and I don't see that happening, Murano would be probably the first place I would want to visit.

What's on your travel bucket list?

P

Reaching for My Sweater!

9/14/2014

Yes, you read correctly.  The heat (for the most part) is over for the summer.  Temperatures are now dipping into the 60's at night (extra blanket needed) and we are getting more days in the 70's and low 80's.  Our air conditioners have been turned off, and unless some huge heat wave drops in on us, likely will remain off until next summer.  Each year Pepco (electricity) loves us a lot during the summer and in the winter the gas company loves us a lot!  Isn't it nice of us to share our utilities between these two companies.

Some other things that are happening back here.  Our large oak tree in the front yard has already begun to drop it's leaves. It's a gradual thing requiring multiple days of raking and bagging the leaves.  Sometimes I wish I could just shake the tree and all the leaves would come off at the same time!  When we moved into our house 28 years ago, the oak tree was maybe 4 or 5 feet tall.  That first fall we had just a handful of leaves to pick up - and we thought that picking up leaves was an easy chore!  Okay, we were wrong.  The tree is now humongous, and until the first freeze, leaf raking and bagging will be something we will do many, many times.

The squirrels are busy with their acorns as evidenced by our sidewalk and driveway.  Those little critters toss the acorns down (sometimes I think intentionally to try and hit us or the car) and if you step on one of those in your bare feet, you're going to feel it.  The squirrels are fun to watch, but I have a deal with all outside critters and that is - stay outside.  I don't want squirrels making a home for themselves in my attic, but I know they have.

During the fall and winter months, I sit at my computer with my "SAD" (Seasonal Affective Disorder) light shining brightly - and that is with a capital B - on my face.  The light is supposed to be good for me and help to eliminate "winter blues". 

Today, I used the sunlamp in the bathroom while I was in there.  I didn't turn it on all summer, but now feel the need to have the bathroom warmed up a bit.  What I would love is to have radiant heat under my bathroom tiles - toasty toes!

I really shouldn't drive at night.  The cataract in low lighting or dark makes me see multiples of everything.  There are four tail lights on the car in front of me - little stuff like that.  Since I'm seldom out after dark by myself, this isn't much of a problem for me.Jeff does all of the driving when we go somewhere.  I drive but even after all these years, really don't like it very much.

Oh last, but certainly not least, Sunday night football.  Okay, here's my confession. I don't like sports - any sports.  I think that games should be played on some kind of special "game" channel.  I have to allow for the football game to go long which makes my TV line-up starting with 60 minutes and ending with whatever we're watching at 10:00 back by at least an hour.

So there you are. My pearls of thoughts for the day.

Enjoy the sunshine.

P

Coffee With A Friend

9/13/2014

Boy are we lucky.  We escaped the horrible "Friday the 13th" this month. Though we all know that nothing really happens on the 13th, it seems that a lot of people are superstitious about that date. I can't point to a Friday the 13th in my past, where something so bad happened that it became permanently etched in my memory.

Today, a friend invited me for coffee.  We hadn't had a good chat in quite awhile, so we needed to be able to sit down and catch up with each other. We went to a Starbucks and took our coffee outside on their patio which was pleasant until Mother Nature started "tinkling" on us!

It wasn't so much what we talked about, but more of getting together with a good friend and yacking about stuff.  Her stuff, my stuff, family stuff, trip stuff and any other "stuff" that didn't fit it into a specific category!

I don't generally order coffee when I'm out and about.  First, because I'm not very often out and about, and the prices charged for coffee seem high to me, considering it's just black coffee with a couple of ice cubes thrown in to cool the coffee down from "burn my tongue" to a large gulp temperature.

I have always loved coffee since I met Jeff and was normally a 2-3 cups a day kind of gal. Last year at the treatment centers, coffee was served in the cafeteria - period.  I had a cup of coffee in the morning and because a pot of coffee wasn't available to me during the day, weaned myself away from the stuff.

Back home now and with our new Keurig pot (which I love), I have a cup in the morning and maybe a decaf in the afternoon.  That's it.  The rest of the time I drink water, a lot of water. I find that I no longer need multiple cups of coffee during the day.  When I was working, there was a coffee machine in the hallway and you could, and I did, drink coffee all day!  I still could do that easily here at home, but coffee just doesn't taste as good to me as it once did.  

We are having a fall weather day here with light rain.  To me, this is a hot chocolate kind of day. I have been to the library and picked up a new novel by Stephen King and because it's in large print, weighs a ton!  So perhaps I'll cozy up in my rocker with the book and coco and enjoy the cooler temperature.  

Enjoy your Saturday.

P

The Sky is Falling, The Sky is Falling!

9/12/2014

Remember chicken little?  No?  The little chicken (cartoon) was always calling out that the sky is falling - which it never did.

I'm checking all the news that is news that's fit to report and found this little version of the sky is falling.

Storms are coming from the sun and it's raining down a huge amount of radiation. We're safe, but the storm could knock out power, interfere with GPS and radio communications, including those on commercial airliners.  If we lost power we might have to resort to - HORRORS- reading a book or playing a game

Experts say the combined energy from two recent solar events will arrive at Earth on Saturday, prompting the wait. What kind of watch? The sun is a giant ball of gas and every now and then, it spits out a giant burst of radiation called a coronal mass ejection. 

On March 13, 1989, a solar storm knocked out power for the entire province of Quebec for 12 hours. 

I guess we'll just have to wait and see what, if anything, happens on Saturday.  While I don't think you'll need them, perhaps you should locate your flashlight as well as batteries,

P

World Events

9/11/2014

The older we get, the more we experience world-shattering events. Events that are etched in your memory for all time.  I suspect that older people who lived during World War II could tell you that date that the war ended and exactly where they were on that day.

I wasn't born when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor.  But obviously, my parents and grandparents remembered how terrifying that bombing was and how many lives were lost.  On a vacation to Hawaii, Jeff and I went to the Pearl Harbor Memorial.  When you go to the Memorial, you maybe on vacation, but all the joy was gone that day as we boated around the bay.  We saw that even though the event was many years ago, oil still sits on the water.

My first experience with a world shattering event came with the assassination of JFK.  I was in ninth grade, social studies class.  The announcement came from the office over the speakers installed in each classroom, that JFK had been assassination and died.  Even though as a 13 year old, who more interested in the Beatles than world news, knew that I would also remember where I was - go forward all these years - and I still do.

Most of the students at my school walked rather than rode on buses.  I remember the walk home in the middle of the day.  My parents were home and glued to the television.  As a teenager, I watched the news once, but unlike my parents didn't want to sit through a continuous loop of the news - the same news.  My parents bought Life Magazine after JFK's death, and it sits in plastic in a drawer.  It's not taking up any room and every now and then I take the magazine out, not to look again at pictures of the funeral, etc., more to look at the ads for cars, appliances, things like that.  When you are in 2014, the price of a car back then now looks like petty cash to most of us now.

I've lived to see Space Shuttles blow up and men walk on the moon.  I worked at Marriott when Hurricane Katrina swept through the south.  I was in the benefits department and for months after the hurricane, we sorted through applications of hotels' employees who were in need.  It was a sobering time when you realized that a lot of those people lost everything they owned.  Jeff and I went to New Orleans a few years back and took the Katrina tour.  As you drive by homes, now vacant, you can still see the high watermark on the houses.  I'm glad I took the tour but know that I won't feel the need to do it again.

Then there is today - 9/11/11.  I remember where I was that morning.  I had come to work early as I usually did.  While sitting at my desk, I soon heard sounds of distress coming through the halls and from my co-workers.  We stood in a conference room and watched the towers collapse over and over again.  Marriott sent us all home that morning, and I remember I was concerned that the interstate might be backed up, so I drove home the back way, through neighborhoods.  There wasn't a sound anywhere.  It felt like the world had just ended, and in some ways it had, because nothing would ever be the same.

When I got home, Jeff and I called the boys and told them that if the situation in D.C., worsened, we were going to drive to my brother's house in Illinois.  We also told them that if they had to leave their homes, don't wait for us - just go - we'll find you.  I remember how sobering it was to have to make action plans in our minds, luckily plans we didn't have to use.  The best advice we had for the boys was to drive west if things worsened here.  Thank heavens it didn't.  But I know that for the remainder of our lives, Jeff and I will know exactly where we were when the towers went down.

It was a very sad day for America and one that needs remembering.

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Cleaning Out A Purse

9/10/2014

For all you fellows out there, this might not be the blog for you (ya think?).  For us women, a purse just isn't a purse, it's our "mobile" house!  I do envy the women who carry these dainty little bags that look like you can only hold a lipstick, mirror and comb and the required permanent attachment - your cell phone!  No longer do you need to carry twenty-five cents to make a phone call when you are on a date, in case the date goes south!

Last night at the store I bought myself a new purse, a cheap purse.  I own several Coach bags and they are beautiful and well made.  I have one purse I call "Big Red" because it's red (duh) and it can carry as I like to say crap loads of things. Downside is this purse is heavy without anything being inside.

This morning after breakfast, I grabbed up the two purses that I have been using on/off for several months and dumped both of them on the kitchen table. So much stuff in those purses, a lot of which I didn't even know I had - yes, it's been that long since I've actually looked inside them.  Trust me when I tell you that it's a woman thing to just keep cramming papers, lipsticks, etc. in the purse and nine times out of ten, forget about most of those things.

My purses had several empty bags of the little jelly candies I carry around with me, just in case I'm starving. Several kinds of lipstick in all different colors, bits and pieces of paper that I had tossed inside because there was no trash can handy. Receipts from stores, some not even current!  Cards to remind me of appointments that I had forgotten to put into my calendar! And at the bottom of each purse was change, lots of change. When I buy something I religiously put my bills away, but the change I just toss in and they settle on the bottom.  This could be why my purses become so heavy! 

After I tossed out the junk which made up about 90% of the contents, I then got about the business of organizing.  My intentions are good, at least this morning, about keeping a cleaner and lighter purse.  These good intentions are going to fly out the window as soon as I buy something and toss those first coins into the depths, likely not to be seen for a long time.

If I don't get anything else done today, I'm feeling quite smug about my purse cleaning that I did this morning.  You know it's all about the little things. By the way, this picture isn't my purse but it's a fair representation of what I drag around with me!

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Healthy Brains!

9/9/2014

Let's talk about healthy brains.  I, for one, could use a healthy brain and I'm making progress, though slowly, to capture back more of my short term memory.  Losing consciousness twice in one year does take a toll on memory.  Also 22 plus ECT treatments left me, at times, feeling addled.  I've been home nearly a year and while I don't remember everything that's told to me, I have been able to hang onto some passwords to sites I visit regularly.

One of the most entertaining things I do for my brain is "paint by number" online.  There is a company that sells black and white patterns of everything from pictures of the sky down to rocks on beaches.  You pick the picture you want (after you've paid of course) and to the right of the screen is your "paint".  You simply find the numbers corresponding to the color and move (for lack of a better word) it to the numbered piece.  If I'm on a long phone call with some insurance company for instance, I can be "coloring" silently in the background.  You can always buy new pictures or you can delete ones you have already colored and start all over again.  Sounds boring as I type this, but I enjoy the heck out of this app.

The other thing that I do while waiting at a doctor's office or equivalent is crossword puzzles.  And no I'm not talking about the puzzles in The New York Times.  Nope, these guys are called "Fast and Easy" or "Super Easy", names like that.  I personally call them puzzles for idiots. One clue is what sound does a cow make?  Hmmm, let me think - oh yeah - moo.  Clues like that. All I know is that I feel successful when I have finished more or less on my own (cheating optional) a puzzle.

I also play Words With Friends with my sister-in-law who beats me every time. She comes up with amazing words and I'm lucky if I can find a spot to add an "s" or "ed" to a word! I also play with an unknown person that I was hooked up with by looking for a compatible Words partner. We play several games at once and I seldom bet her, but I believe all of these activities that I do are helping me to get stronger mentally.  I may never have all of my short term memory back, but it won't be for lack of trying.

I researched the ten best brain trainers today, so I'll share with you. I have no idea how good these games are, or if they're free, just throwing them out there. So happy brain training every one!

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1. Lumosity
2. Cognitfit Brain Fitness
3. Personal Zen
4. Brain Trainer Special
5. Brain Fitness Pro
6. Happify
7. Positive Activity Jackpot
8. Fit Brain's Trainer
9. Eidetic
10. Relieflink