New Page-------- New Day

It is raining , still. Our garden is enjoying it. Cricket hates it. I am tired of it. The rainy season was supposed to be over. Someone didn't get that message.

We are in what is our "season" here. Businesses make it during these few months or they are in serious trouble. The rain isn't helping, or maybe it is. If you can't go to the beach or play golf, maybe you can shop and eat out.

This calls for a personal shopping trip so I can check out my theory. I'll start at Good Will, my favorite store. I did notice a full parking lot there. I'm not the only GW supporter, I guess.

I could use a new umbrella. I seem to have left ours in our old car when I transfered things to our new, old car. We still haven't found Charlie's ashes. They must still be in the old car, too. I hope that the people who bought our car, don't find them and get a surprise when they open the box. They won't realize that they are not human. Poor Charlie. I didn't mean to loose your ashes.

This climate change is not welcomed. I like things to be the way they used to be. Sunshine and warm weather. It can rain and snow some where else. I am so set in my weather ways. 

It is never to late to look out of the window and hope to see blue skies. Who do I complain to.?

The first thing my husband said to me when I woke up ,is that today would have been Franklin Roosevelt's birthday.  This wasn' so strange, because he has wonderful long term memory. He just can't remember who we had dinner with last night. But this made us remember that we each knew exactly what we were doing when we heard. I was playing outside at 920 South Carrollton Avenue, New Orleans and he was getting a hair cut in Great Neck, Long Island,New York. I wish that I had more relevant "stuff" in my head . I should let this bit of trivia blow away to make room for important "stuff" . I seem not to be in control of what I remember.

For instance, I don't remember numbers that well. My Grandson wrote my cell number on the back of my cell phone. When It starts wearing off, I take a magic marker and freshen it up. I have to write down our Grandsons birthdays. That's terrible. This is every bit as important as Roosevelt's birhday. The mind is a very interesting organ and I wish mine was more up too date.

It's never too late to not get concerned that I don't remember certain things, I know where the car keys are and I still drive at night.

I don't wear a watch. I have a few, but I seldom put one on. My reasoning is that I am usually with someone who is wearing one, so why do I need to wear one , too. I am usually early for appointments, so not wearing one isn't a problem. In fact, I am usually early.

I have spent a lot of my own time, waiting for people. It started when I would wait for Bob to come to New Orleans from Biloxi, Miss, where he was stationed. He often hitched a ride from base, so we could never really be sure when he would get in. Then I wait for his proposal. He warned me that it was coming. I just had to wait for it. Then I waited for my pregnancies to end .Each kid took their own sweet time being born. Then I waited for the first of many things that babies do.Then I waited for retirement. Always waiting. A watch wouldn't have helped me with any of this.

I have now associatiated my self with people who are always on time. When I invite them to dinner at 7, they come at 7. It is so nice. And they all wear watches. I'm going to stick with these people.

It's never too late to look at someone elses watch for the time. Long may they wear theirs.

We had a lot of people in our house this week end. My refrigerator worked over time.  Now that everyone has left, we get to eat all of the left overs. I may not cook at all this week. 

I really don't like left overs, but, I don't know how to cook any other way. This wasn't too much of  a problem when we had 4 kids at home, but I have never caught on to cooking for 2. 

I went into a friends fridge the other day and it looked much more interesting than mine. And organized. I seem to have things in mine that no one else does. I have in containers : corn meal, all purpose flour, flax seeds, wheat germ, self raising flour, whole wheat flour and Bisquick. Then in the door, I have white wine vinegar, cider vinegar, balsamic vinegar,red wine vinegar and more balsamic. Is this necessary? Probably not, but when my neighbor came over to borrow some plain white vinegar, I didn't have any.

It is already known that I can't reach the top shelf of my fridge. That's where I put a collection of mustards. I would never eat a Kosher hot dog with anything but yellow mustard and I use Grainy mustard in my salad dressing. Everything has a reason. And a neighbor may want to borrow some, some day. I am a good neighbor.

And salt. Not in the fridge, but I have 3 kinds of salt and each one has a purpose. My Mother got by with one blue box of Morton's salt. How did I get this way ? 

It's never too late to down size the fridge and pantry. I may need professional help. 

My Mother in Law, thought that giving a knife as a present was not a good thing. I don't remember if it was that it would cut the friendship or the person. But a friend gave me a bread knife yesterday and I am thrilled. Home made bread is hard to cut if you don't have a decent knife. I think the knife is a great gift. I was happy to have her remember that I admired her bread knife. I am sure that our friendship will not be" cut" by this knife.

I have several knives that I use all of the time. Some are for specific jobs. One chops better than another. One is for boneing only. I used to be fancier and bone a whole chicken, now I just buy boneless chicken parts ! 

I haven't had a paring knife that I like in a long time. I should look for one. I guess I don't really need it. I have a bunch of steak knives that I just keep around for odd jobs .I've been known to tighten the screws on lids with them. they also come in handy if I have to scrape something

with a not so sharp knife. Like a raisin that someone stepped on ,on the tile floor.

I don't have a problem getting a knife as a gift. For me, every knife has a story. 

It's never too late to appreciate that a friend remembered that I needed a bread knife. Now to bake a loaf of bread and share it with her.

A very nice sib week end is coming to a close. The weather pretty much was good. The company was good and the food was good. As soon as everone leaves for the airport, I will put our house back in order. There are small appliances in places they don't belong. Like my bread machine. It is on the floor of the coat closet. Then, I have a coffee pot in our guest bedroom. When you live smaller than all of the stuff you have, and you have a houseful of people, things get a little crazy. 

One thing that I will search for before everyone leaves  is Cricket. She was her usual charming self and I don't want a sib to try and take her home. 

I think the sibs are leaving me with a reminder of their visit. A cold that one sib came with is now going to stay behind in Florida. Thanks a lot.

One more meal and everyone leaves for the airport. We just have enough time  for more family reminiscences . That's what these sib reunions are all about.

It's never too late to make plans to do this next year. Mvaybe at someone else house ?

I am a wimp. I do not know how I ever lived in a cold climate. Thank goodness I kept my Mid Western coats, hats, gloves and scarf's . Who knew that global warming meant I would be experiencing winter in Florida ? I'd go some place warm for a break, but I don't see any place I want to go that is warmer, right now.

I do admit that when I take Cricket out in the morning, the air is refreshing. It reminds me of mornings in Colorado. It smells good, too.  

Well maybe having a cold snap isn't so terrible , but I would like to put in a request for our more normal weather. 

I will try to remember this cold weather when I complain about the heat in August .It's never too late to also know that you can't please all of the people all of the time. But maybe a little increase in the temperature would be nice.

II have much to do today. In fact, I am on a schedule and a spread sheet. Tonight starts the week end that happens once a year. The sibs are coming.

It's a big deal. Even those of us who are outlaws look forward to it. How fortunate we are to be friends and still be family. I married into a unique family. They are different than mine.

Our family carried grudishes for so many years, that they forgot what they were fighting about. Now that the last generation is gone, we laugh about it, but I missed the family interaction. I wonder why they were like that? Why so bitter. Why not rejoicing in their family successes. I will never know.

Never mind, it's not like that now and that is much healthier. We are all pretty much on the same page. We respect the accomplishments of both in laws and outlaws. Some of us are healthier, some have achieved more, some have traveled more, but all of us are family and I like that.

It's never too late to once again be thankful that we all reached this reunion date. Now to my list.

Be careful of what you say in front of your computer. I was thinking outloud, that I would not replace my desk top computer when it broke. I swear that it heard me, because it is not letting me do anything on it. I have a bunch of black horizontal lines running across the screen. I cannot open anything. It is paying me back for being so careless with my thoughts. I have plugged in and out with the power cord and nothing. I have a call in to my computer guru .It takes a long time for him to get back to me and maybe by  that time, the computer will have forgiven me . You have to be so careful what you say to these pc's. They are members of the family. They know everything about you. How much money you have in your checking account, who you correspond with and all of your credit card info. Believe me when I tell you not to talk in front of it. 

it is never to late to start backing up your information that you have on your computer.It can  play hard ball.

One of the things my Grandson's did for me, was to update my iPad. How did they get to be so smart ?  I didn't know that I could ask it a question, and a voice would answer . I checked and there is no one in my iPad. ! I could use this feature with my horrible spelling . I asked it to spell Constantinoble, just to check, And it did. Another feature, and I already forgot how to use it, is that it can write what you dictate . Isn't that amazing.

Now , if I had a smart phone, I would be so cool. The kids were doing on their phone , what I was doing on my iPad. How can so much information be in such a small package. The small package used to be a brain. Now, if you are computer savvy , and know what to ask, you can be pretty smart. 

I think the secret here, is to not be afraid to try experimenting  with your electronics . What could happen that would be so terrible . Using these electronics puts you on an equal footing with most of the world. I'm glad that I jumped onboard.

It's never too late to be the Grandma that can text,talk,search,photo and send,with the best of them . My Grandsons are just so proud of me !!

Our cup is full, our Grandson's were here !

How little it takes to make Grandparent's feel wanted. Our refrigerater door was opened and closed multiple times. Our stove was happy because all burners were used and the dish washer ,washed. It was Grandparent heaven. The only thing that would have made it better, is if they stayed longer.

It's back to routine for us. A trip to the library,  a doctor visit, a nap.

Cricket had a great time,too. She had several choices of where to sleep. She didn't play favorites. By the time we woke up in the morning, she had slept with everyone.  Smart dog .

It's never too late to appreciate your Grandchildren , and to let them know how much you love them. Unconditionally. ( and really, we are not going to move in with you when we get old.)