What do I want for Christmas?

Glad you asked. I like to be given stuff that I wouldn't get myself. That's the short answer. Of course, this leaves many scratching their heads namely hubby. So, I thought why don't I make life easier for him (for once! he would say.) Anyway, here's a list, in no particular order of things that popped into my head.

1. DVD of "Pride and Prejudice"(10th Anniversary Limited Edition)
2. "The Cairo Trilogy" by Naguib Mahfouz
3. A lighted make-up mirror
4. A subscription to "Cook's Illustrated" magazine
5. Rod Stewart's CD's The Great American Songbook, Volumes II and/or III
6. A pair of gold ball earrings to match a ring I have
7. Dixie Chick's CD "Taking the Long Way Home"
8. Gift certificate at Regis Hair Salon in Dadeland
9. Ticket(s) to the Kyss Country Chili Cook Off
10. Membership to the South Florida Historical Society
11. Having my mother's pearls restrung
12. Gift certificate/appointment for a family portrait
13. Two large photo albums (one blue & one green) with pages that allow various size photos (4x6, 5x7, 8x10)
14. Ticket(s) for Chita Rivera
15 . Me: Stories of My Life by Katherine Hepburn
16. Replacement stand for the statue that hung in my bedroom
17. Something romantic from my hubby - HAHAHA, I couldn't make it too easy!

Edited on 12/7 to cross out #1 cuz it was given to me as a gift from a beautiful friend :)

Reading Update

There's not much to say here except that I haven't been reading. That stacks challenge that I have listed there on the sidebar. Pfffttt! I haven't read a word in weeks. At this rate it will take me a year to finish those books. The good news is since I have finished my Christmas shopping with the exception of the candy that I put in the stockings, I will now have time to relax and enjoy the holidays and do some reading. I will start tonight by golly! and read a little before going to bed. The other thing I can do is take all the shopping lists, catalogs and sales circulars out of my purse and put a book back in there. What are you reading? (She asks as if she has millions of readers and they are going to flood her blog the the GMA viewers when posed with a question)
Happy over the hump day! Only a few more days of daily posting! I think I will try to keep it up, not force myself daily but often really really often.

Almost forgot

I almost forgot but I didn't! Here's a short note to let you know that I am DONE WITH MY CHRISTMAS SHOPPING!!! Yeah ME!

What's your emoticon?

Here's another one that I found....have fun!


Your Emoticon Is Laughing





You've got a wicked sense of humor. You're everyone's favorite IM buddy... at least today!

What's your emoticon?

How's your Karma?

I know, I should save this for tomorrow's post but I'll worry about tomorrow tomorrow besides, I might forget by then. So, Enjoy!

***You Have Good Karma***
In general, you like to do the right thing when it comes to others.Your caring personality really shines through.Sure, you have your moments of weakness - and occasionally act out.But, all in all, you're karma is good... even with those few dark spots.

How's Your Karma?http://www.blogthings.com/howsyourkarmaquiz/

Meme

I'm stealing this meme from Dixie Peach who stole it from someone else. I'm not good at the linking stuff but Dixie is on my blogroll, so go visit her via there.

1. When you looked at yourself in the mirror today, what was the first thing you thought? Gotta wake up, put on make-up nah!
2. How much cash do you have on you?Only loose change; it was a shopping weekend.
3. What’s a word that rhymes with “DOOR?”More.
4. Favorite planet? Earth
5. Who is the 4th person on your missed call list on your cell phone? Hilda
6. What is your favorite ring tone on your phone? The one that came with the phone.
7. What shirt are you wearing?White polo with my job's logo.
8. Do you “label” yourself? Don't like labels unless it's like Dry Clean Only- those are helpful.
9. Name the brand of the shoes you’re currently wearing? Aerosoles
10. Bright or Dark Room? bright rooms.
11. What do you think about the person who took this survey before you? Even though I only know her through the blog word, I think she's cool! ;)
12. What does your watch look like? I don't wear watches
13. What were you doing at midnight last night? Watching HGTV in bed waiting for my son to get home from the movies.
14. What did your last text message you received on your cell say?Happy Thanksgiving
15. Where is your nearest 7-11? about 15 blocks away
16. What's a word that you say a lot? In my head: breathe; out loud: can't think of one, you tell me.
18. Last furry thing you touched? my dog, Max
19. How many drugs have you done in the last three days? Tylenol
20. How many rolls of film do you need developed? Rolls, none. I went digital last year
21. Favorite age you have been so far? 21, 22 were good
22. Your worst enemy? Me
23. What is your current desktop picture?That standard Windows fall foliage thing.
24. What was the last thing you said to someone?Boys are silly
25. If you had to choose between a million bucks or to be able to fly what would it be?The bucks then I could book a flight to anywhere
26. Do you like someone?I like lots of people
27. The last song you listened to?Silent Night
28. What time of day were you born?Don't remember
29. What’s your favorite number?6
30. Where did you live in 1987?Miami, FL
31. Are you jealous of anyone?No.
32. Is anyone jealous of you? How would I know but I hope not.
33. Where were you when 9/11 happened? At home with my son who was sick we had spent the evening before at the hospital.
34. What do you do when vending machines steal your money? Bang it and look for another one.
35. Do you consider yourself kind? Most days
36. If you had to get a tattoo, where would it be? Below Bikini line
37. If you could be fluent in any other language, what would it be?Chinese.
38. Would you move for the person you loved? Yes
39. Are you touchy feely? Big time!
40. What’s your life motto?Do unto others as you would have done unto you.
41. Name three things that you have on you at all times?Cell phone, something to read, wallet
42. What’s your favourite town/city?Vienna, Virgina
43. What was the last thing you paid for with cash?Dinner last night
44. When was the last time you wrote a letter to someone on paper and mailed it?Last week.
45. Can you change the oil on a car?I can take it to the garage for them to change it.
46. Your first love: what is the last thing you heard about him/her?He's died.
47. How far back do you know about your ancestry?great grandparents
48. The last time you dressed fancy, what did you wear and why did you dress fancy? I don'e remember
49. Does anything hurt on your body right now? My back
50. Have you been burned by love? not really

another quickie

I'm tired...need to sleep...went to the opera and new Korean restaurant- excellent....but I'm tired...you'll here more later.

Rules of Wrapping

Are there rules in your house for wrapping gifts? I have been wrapping presents literally ALL day. I don't like all of the paper to be the same. I like variety, I think it looks better under the tree. If it's all the same it looks boring to me. Hubby only likes wrapping paper - or cards for that matter- that have Santa on it. Most of those papers are red, there are some green but this year I found a blue. Yes, a blue metallicy paper that has a modern geometric shaped Santa and tree on it. I love it Hubby hates it because its not the traditional Santa. He's going to have to deal with it because I've already wrapped a bunch of gifts with it. I gave him the option of going to buy new paper and HE could rewrap the gifts. I'm betting it stays.

When I was kid we wrapped very few gifts with wrapping paper the majority of our gifts were wrapped with newspaper or magazine pages or plain brown paper that we hand decorated. It was fun to find newspaper headlines and sections that would match up with the gift or the person. I suppose that we did it for economic reasons but I liked it. I continued doing that until I got married. The first gift that I wrapped like that hubby almost had a heart attack so I bought wrapping paper. It's not that I don't like wrapping paper it's just that before the wrapping was part of the gift, now it's not.

Well, I'm heading out the door again. Dinner with friends. Hubby is staying home to watch football - Notre Dame University is playing someone and its supposed to be the game of the season. Whatever. So wrap on my friends, I had to stop because I ran out of boxes.
Toodles!

Black Friday

I am sitting here with my feet up because they are sore and slightly swollen. I was up at 3am this morning and in line at Circuit City by 3:26 am and it didn't open until 5! My son joined me in this adventure to get the deals and we did. From there we went to the Mall (dun, dun, dun!) We parked at one end and walked the whole thing. We got some great deals and I believe I finished all of my Christmas shopping. I won't know for sure until tomorrow when I go through it all, start wrapping and double check the list (just like Santa).

We were home before noon and I took a nap after lunch. Now I'm showered and refreshed and getting my second wind (read: shaking off the tired) to go play cards at a girlfriends house because remember, we are practising for when we retire (which won't be happening any time soon but?).

I'll give you more details on the great buys later, I can't even remember them right now. But it was fun, my son and I had some good laughs and spent an entire day argument free! You do that with your 17 year old, I'll get up at any time in the morning for a great day with him. My younger son decided to go to the Keys with my SIL and her kids and another cousin. He went in a motorboat with his cousin and they are all (9 of them) sleeping in SILs camper.

And the weekend is not over...

Things I Am Thankful for This Thanksgiving

This year, as always, I am thankful for many things (in no particular order):

* Good health, there are a few peripheral ailments and illnesses in the extended family but we're all here and able to get together either in person, or by phone due only to distance, for that I am thankful.

* My family; my husband and two boys who give each day reason and purpose, for them I am thankful

* My friends; an abundance of friends who are a wonderful support system and source of joy even if I am not as 'in touch' with all of them as I should be, for them I am thankful

* My memories and traditions; the family and friends who are no longer physically with me live on through the memories they gave me and the traditions that I try to continue and pass on so that they live on forever, for them I am thankful

*Stress; the stress allows me to know that I am doing things; I am alive and productive and living life to its fullest (that may be stretching it but you know what I mean), for that I am thankful

*My home; for the house I love making a home and filling with people and things; for the people that make my community safe and enjoyable to live in; as I donated food and things for the holiday to those who don't have this I am reminded, for that I am thankful

*Black Friday; for the store sales that give me a fabulous opportunity to bonds and share the day with my son and let me shop and give lots of gifts (much to hubby's dismay), for that I am thankful

* Hilda, the internet and blogging; for Hilda who encouraged (read: nagged) me to blog, I have always journalled and now I can do it and share with others easier, for that I am thankful

* The holidays; for the time of year that makes me stop and think of all of these wonderful memories, joys of the present, plans for the future and share it all with friends and family, for that I am thankful

I hope that everyone has a Stuffed Thanksgiving!
Gobble, Gobble!

Talkin Turkey

Even though it's not at my house I still cook and bake for Thanksgiving. I don't have to, mind you, but I want to eat some traditional American foods, so I do.

I do all my holiday cooking and baking from scratch. I know there are plenty of fabulous shortcuts out there, I use them all year long, but it feels better when it's from scratch. I feel more a part of it all. This year I am making cranberry sauce, stuffing (I guess it's really dressing since I'm not stuffing the turkey), sweet potato casserole, corn bread, apple pie and a cherry cranberry pie.

The cranberries are done, tonight I will bake the desserts and chop the dressing ingredients. Tomorrow morning I will do the cooking and bake the corn bread as the family is gathering at noon.

I love my sweet potato casserole it has this yummy brown sugar pecan coating on top that is awesome! New this year is the cherry cranberry pie just to change up on the plain cherry pie every year. I also plan on making a rum cake for a post Thanksgiving gathering of friends on Friday, if I have time.

The cranberries are done, tonight I will bake the deserts and chop the dressing ingredients. Tomorrow morning I will do the cooking and bake the corn bread as the family is gathering at noon.

I love cooking for the holidays. After Thanksgiving, this weekend I will be making Crema de Vie, I make several bottles because I give it as gifts, and cookies and quick breads, some for the home and some for gifts.

I hope everyone has a lovely Thanksgiving- gobble gobble!

If I'm not comatose after the Black Friday shopping, I'll let you know how everything turned out.

'Tis the season

Remember that busy month I talked about earlier? Well, it's here.

Friday: I had a Pampered Chef Show (I'm a rep., remember?) which we did as a fundraiser and only 6 people showed up but we had a fun time. I got home after 11pm, waited for my kids to get home and settled so I didn't get to bed until after 12.

Saturday: I got picked up at 6:45 to meet the girlfriends for breakfast before going to the Harvest Festival. It wasn't as big as past years and some of the vendors that we were looking for weren't there but no matter I did get some gift shopping done, yeah for me! So, after walking around that for a few hours I left with another girlfriend and went to a open house that was selling pewter items. They had some great pieces. I bought myself a Madonna ornament and a wine bottle stopper with a modern style pewter heart on the top. Also bought a couple more gifts there- yeah! again! Got home in time to see my car get home from having the windows tinted and have lunch with the family. I then made my Thanksgiving cooking and weekly grocery list, went with my son to visit in-laws dropped him at a friend's house and went to Publix. What a bad idea that was. I bought the minimum required and the Thanksgiving stuff. It was horrible! It took me two, that's right 2, hours! Got home and took a shower. Laid on the sofa with my feet up for about half an hour while I coordinated the outings for the evening. After much back and forth, Son1 was staying at a friends house and maybe going to the movies, they gave him a ride home to pick up the car. Son2 was going to the grandparents house of some other friends while a few of us parents went to the movies. We were going to see "Casino Royale" because it was the only one that husbands and wives could agree on. The movie started at 9:20 we got there @9, it was sold out. So tickets were bought for "The Departed" a mob movie with lots of people in it- fine. It didn't start until 10:30 and was 2 1/2 hours long - no lie. Fine, as we have some Starbucks to keep us awake that late I warn my friends that if I fall asleep in the movie it's not because of the company and ask them to please wake me if I snore. Now, there was no fear of falling asleep. We ended up sitting in the 2nd row! and the movie was so loud I can still hear it. Even the previews were loud and all about there aggressive movies, even hubby asked What happened to chick flicks? After the movie and picking up Son2, I didn't get to bed until 2am. Son1 actually got home before us.

Sunday: I got up early (9ish) to make the birthday breakfast of waffles. Got dropped off at the metrorail station to go to the book fair. I had never been to the book fair and was looking forward to it. I lazily wandered around looking at the booths waiting for my friend to get out of the lecture that she was in. We then walked around the international section and had lunch in the Brazilian tent. We went to 2 lectures and did a little more wandering and left a little after 5 I think. I really enjoyed it and I bought 2 more gifts- yeah, yeah! I got fixed dinner while I did the last load of laundry. I took a shower close to 8 and plopped in bed in time to see Desperate Housewives.
So, that was my weekend. Should I be surprised that I woke up Monday morning and have a rash all over my face? These red blotches that itch like heck! Ya think it could be stress? Hmmm , I wonder. I went back to the grocery store after work and picking up kids and delivering them home, to pick up the essentials I wasn't able to get over the weekend due to the mobs and bought a cream for my face. I have been applying it liberally so as not to scratch my face off all day today (Tuesday). I was so tired when I got home after dinner I just did some picking up, wrote a couple (literally) of Thanksgiving cards and crashed.

Tuesday: I haven't started my Thanksgiving cooking, so now I'm behind schedule and have lots to do tonight. My face it swollen, blotchy and itchy. My grandmother called and cancelled a Dr. appt I was actually able to get for Fri. afternoon and made another one for a cardiologist tomorrow that I can't take her to. But I went over my Christmas list and I only have one child left (other than my own) and 2 adults. The rest is homemade stuff that I will start baking on Saturday. Yeah for me! This weekend I will be done with Christmas shopping and can have time to send cards, wrap early and enjoy other holiday stuff! Plus, I've been posting everyday.

The birthday party

I'm sure you have been on the edge of your seats waiting to read what we gave our son for his birthday. Let me tell you, well wait, I'm getting ahead of myself.

When your kids are little, you do the big theme parties. I did Winnie the Pooh, Power Rangers, Power Rangers and did I mention Power Rangers, Wrestlers, Sports, Football and he had a party at an ice skating rink (yes, we live in S. FL.), I've taken groups of kids to the movies and to Gameworks etc. and don't forget the sleepovers. Originally, it was just one big party family, friends and kids. Somewhere along the way the friends started dropping off their kids and the family still came (God bless them). Then he started asking for two get togethers (note: he didn't say 2 parties) one for his friends and one for the family. Well, last year we didn't have a specific family get together for him, the family combined him with some other November birthdays- that worked for him and his friends gave him a surprise party. This year when I asked him what he wanted for his birthday, he just said "To be with my friends." I'm not insulted by this; the fact that he doesn't want to be with his family immediate or otherwise. He's at an age where he and his friends know more than we do and are much cooler and more interesting than we are. That's fine. I'm good with that. A few days later he tells me that he knows what he wants for his birthday present. I'm thinking clothes. Nope. He wants us to tint the windows of the car. Technically, he doesn't have a car, it's the family car. It's planned to be his next year, his senior year, if the grades cut the mustard. So, he wants us to tint the windows on the car that I drive around everyday. My first thought was and why does he want tinted windows? what is he doing that he doesn't want people to see? I didn't voice the thought I just thought it- you know the rule; don't ask unless you really want to know. When I saw that hubby was about to say yes, I jumped in and said we'll let you know. When I voiced my thought to hubby, he shrugged it off saying he wasn't doing anything. Hubby thought it was fine because all the kids want that, it's just to look cool. Even when I reminded him what we used to do in the car, he thought it was ok. So, our everyday family car that I drive is a Pontiac Grand Am, it's silver and now it has tinted windows (keep in mind I am not 17, I am 42). Because we, being the softies that we are, said yes. I would have preferred to go shopping and fight about how low he can wear his jeans around his waist/hips.

About the tinted wondows, at night it was hard to see. I'm nervous now about him driving at night. Not on the streets where all the cars have lights, you can see if there's light but when you are backing out or pulling along side a driveway and there are no street lights in the neighborhood you just plain can't see. IT'S DARK! So, for his birthday we gave him something else for me to worry about, tinted windows. Fabulous, he's thrilled, my gray is multiplying.

Did I mention that his grandmother had called to say she was coming over to see him for his Bday after she finished visiting at her SIL's house. She told him that if he had something to do it was ok if she didn't see him that she would leave his gift at the house. Obviously, he did have places to go, people to see and all that but before that he went with me to his great aunts house to go visit with them and his grandparents. We were there for about an hour before taking off to be with his friends. They were all surprised that he went; they told him so. When we parked he was talking to a friend on his cell phone and told him - Sorry, I've got to visit my grandmother on my birthday, I'll be there when I'm done. He sat there and visited, not once checking the time or answering the phone until we left. He's a good kid but we always worry don't we?

Tribute to my bag of salt

My firstborn turns 17 today. When he was only months old my FIL started calling him 'saco de sal' (bag of salt) because even at that age his personality was clear. He wasn't a sweet baby, or a giggly baby, he was tough. Of course, we can trace his contrarian ways to the womb.

Bear with me while I reminisce...17 years ago last January, I wasn't feeling very well. I had lots of heartburn, was very tired and couldn't shake a cold that I had for weeks. I went to the doctor and after tests was told I had anxiety and needed to relax, there was nothing wrong with me. Weeks go by and I know that something is wrong with me because I'm just not feeling right. I'm nauseous, I can't hold down any food, I'm tired and just don't feel well at all. I go to the Obgyn and am given a clean bill of health. A few more weeks go by with this general malaise and I go back to my Obgyn. For the back few months my cycle was out of whack and so I think if we fix that we'll fix the rest. It never occurred to me that I was pregnant as I had never stopped menstruating. I thought I had some rare disease that they just hadn't tested me for yet. A year earlier I had lost my mother to a rare cancer and I presumed I had something just as rare. As I was changing into the dressing gown, the nurse runs in and tells me she has great news. I'm pregnant! I sat down on the Dr.'s little chair and thanked God that it would be over in 9 months. I did the math with the doctor and we figured I was 4-6 weeks along. A week later I was having a sonogram and they kept taking measurements and going over it and I started getting worried. the technician tells me that this is a big baby, it seems to be more like 9-10 weeks. Finally, the Dr. comes in and tells me that they think I'm a little further along than they thought before. After he checked everything again, he tells me that I'm probably 12-13 weeks pregnant. During labor he went into distress and his heart rate dropped. A sonogram showed that he was actually squeezing the umbilical cord with his hands. It was amazing to see. I couldn't believe it. i had to have a c-section because he was cutting off his own oxygen supply.

Well, he survived all that and plenty of other stuff and today he's 17. I'll tell you more stories later.

Happy birthday to my little bag of salt!

Quickie

Oh, get your mind out of the gutter...
I'm just posting something for NaBloPoMo to have an entry. I am exhausted and am on my way out - because I need my head examined- and won't be back till after midnight. Ergo this terrible post. I will tell you all about it tomorrow or the day after.
Toodles!

Botherable

I was told yesterday that I was botherable. Naturally, this bothered me even more that what had already bothered me. ME! Botherable, how can that be, I'm Ms. Easygoing (don't ask my husband), I'm Ms. Go With The Flow(again, leave hubby out of this). Why would you say I'm botherable?! How does one become botherable, isn't it human to be bothered about some things? How does one become unbotherable (the spellcheck on this post is going to be a doosey!). Of course the person who told me that I was botherable had no advice on how to undo this only told me that's what they learned in AA meetings. Great, how helpful is that! I told them it wasn't nice to tell people something is wrong with them and then have no suggestion to fix it that's really not very useful - can you see I was getting more bothered. Being told I was botherable was now irritating the heck out of me. So, peachy, now I'm irritable to boot. But it got me thinking...

I preach this a lot (ask my kids), we can't control what others do or say, we can only control ourselves and our reactions. It's hard to practise.

So, how do I not be botherable? Apparently, the great minds at AA haven't figured out how to bottle this advice other than - I just need to let it go. Most of the time I think I do this well, this letting things roll off of me (in past jobs, I've been told that I must bathe with Vaseline because nothing sticks to my skin, it rolls off me like water) but when I don't, (start sing songy voice) well (sing song off), it ain't pretty. Of course, it's bothering me that I am botherable this way but I'm also thinking it's normal. It would probably Not be normal if nothing ever bothered me- right? yeah, I thought so. But in the scheme of things I know that this isn't a big deal in life, most things aren't, so I do need to let it go. It's ok. I really shouldn't be bothered. Don't sweat the small stuff, right.

So, I going to start a new resolution, I know I'm early, and take more deep breaths (I take a lot of them now, if you knew me, you'd know) and just let even more things roll off of me. I will still question things and wonder about them but I don't want them to bother me.

Maybe I need to think of a few things that are worth getting bothered over and if it doesn't fall into that category, then I need to let it roll off. Hmmm...I guess you'll be reading more about this in the future as I think this through.

Need to vent...

I need to vent and since this is replacing my old journal, here it goes...
As usual it's my grandmother. For those who stumble across this or don't know me, she's 82, a widow, lost her only daughter (my mother) when she was only 44 to cancer, had back surgery this past spring and honestly physically can't fend for herself, used to being her own boss, obviously forgetful and this week the bane of my existence.

SO, in the past 2 months I have made numerous Dr. appointments for her to which I was going to take her and she had cancelled them or forced me to by refusing to go. Then she calls me a few days later to ask when her apt is and why it's taking so long for her to go. I have also cancelled her Satellite dish service (for an apt she no longer lives in) and she reinstated it. I cancelled her health club membership and she reinstated it. She got a friend to take her to the bank and she took out all her money so that me (and my father) don't steal it from her and opened another account with this friend and then calls us and asks us for $ for her meds. I cancelled her car insurance on the car that has been parked in front of her BIL's since February and probably won't even start. She reinstated it. Then since she took all the $ out of the checking account, all of these bills she reinstated have automatically debited the account and overdrawn it. Yesterday, she called and left me a message that she was having a heart attack. When I got the message, I calmly called the ALF where she is living and asked to speak to her. When I asked her what was wrong, she said nothing she just didn't know how to get me to call her unless she made it sound urgent. Mind you I speak to her daily. Regardless, she had forgotten why she called and would call me back when she remembered. She called this morning about 8:30 in the morning to see what time I was picking her up to go to the Dr. There is no apt. She got upset because she had cancelled the transport that normally takes her to therapy because she was going to the Dr. I have spoken to her twice since then. Once because she has no clothes, tomorrow she will naked if I don't take her clothes. The second because she was looking for a cardiologist because she needs to make sure she won't die of a heart attack.
I feel better now.
Gimme patience!

Educating everyone...

I love Good News news stories. Last night I caught a piece of the news and this morning I found the article (click here)about a school in Houston that came up with a way to educate immigrants both legals and illegals. Read the article to get the details but the gist of it is that this principal was noticing that his students were dropping out because they had to help support their families and so he created a 'second' high school with evening hours. These teens and young twenty somethings are working by day and going to high school at night. It's a ton of hours and hard work but it's opportunity that they didn't have before. They had their first graduating class, only a handful of graduates but I think it's stupendous.I think that society as a whole can only benefit from this idea - educating everyone.

Imagine. Being open open minded enough to solve a problem and help people no matter who they are and where they come from. Kudos to this principal, I can only hope that it spreads and sets an example to other school districts across the country.

Legacy

Legacy. There are a few definitions offered for this word. For my purposes here, I will go with "anything handed down from the past". I'm not sure when it exactly happened; when I became my parents because I distinctly remember swearing to the high heavens that I would NEVER be like them.

They taught me things. Not just the regular stuff, how to brush my teeth and eat with a fork and knife. I mean the other stuff. How to share a meal and good conversation. How to be tolerant of others - all others. The evils of assuming things. How to look at things from a different perspective. Some things were mom's forte and others were dad's but they taught me a lot. Creativity, patience (OK, so I'm still struggling with that one), how to problem solve, determination; so many things.

My Son said this weekend that he wasn't going to be like us and I had to laugh because it was as if he took me on a time warp to when I had said it. I just told him it was too late he was already like me because I had said that too and I AM my parents. Then I started thinking, I'm not just my parents, I'm the whole troop of people who helped raise me.

So, I'd like to take a moment to thanks some of them here for what I am today; for teaching me to enjoy.
Nanny: late nights and old movies, red velvet cake, visiting with friends, going to the beauty salon to feel better and car trips.
Berto: researching info, Roman and Greek classics, My Fair Lady and Broadway musicals in general, treating everyone the same (even if his example was to treat everyone from Senators to cleaning ladies in his gruff manner- it was the same for everyone- no exception)
Dad: I can do it no matter what, go for what I want- what the heck, determination, problem solving, love of gift giving, how to use the phone to get anything, pride, conversation, table manners, be true to myself, right is sometimes wrong, art of conversation, semantics, extremism
Mom: how to have fun, creativity, how not to cook (haha), how to care for everyone, independence, laughter, dance, music, tolerance, kindness, the little things do count, perspective, traditions, how to let go, empathy, love of reading, crafting, how to live with a champagne appetite on a beer budget
Aida: patriotism (even though she never became a citizen, we studied for the test every summer), mothering,
Mrs. K: curiosity- it won't kill you.
Mrs. W: journaling and writing
Mrs. G: old fashion values, tolerance, there's more than one way to skin a cat

Those are just a few but that will do for now....

As much as we complain about family because of course we do, we become the fabulous people we are because of them. So, sorry to my boys but you are me. Legacy- it's a powerful thing.

Beta better my !@$#$%

So, now all of my links on my sidebar have a little wrench and screwdriver next to them. Wassup with that! I still can't get my NABLOPOMO picture back and working. Haven't figured out how to add the Randomizer. Can't get the picture for the Reading Challenge to work as a link to the other site. I'm NOT likin' this!

So I changed the colors! Woo hoo. Want my picture links back. Want the wrench and screwdrivers to go away.

I'll try more later. Going to pick up the kids now.

Color Blind

Have no fear. You are Not going color blind and yes the colors have been different each time you've logged onto my page (Bwahahaha- I'm assuming there's people logging onto my page). I have figured out how to change the colors in this Beta program and it's fun. So, deal with it and bear with me while I play with the colors.

Lost in Beta

So, I've been reading about Beta and playing with my upgraded blog during my lunch hour. I'm lost! Completely and utterly lost! OK, the spellchecker is cool. After that I'm lost! I had to upgrade my template- don't know to what; just had to upgrade it- and now I lost my cool NaBloPoMo logo thingy and the Stacks Challenge thingy of the books I'm going to read by Jan 31st. Loosing isn't so much the problem, it's that I haven't figured out how to put them on again. So, I'm getting frustrated and I've only been a Beta Blogger for a few hours.
ARGhhh! Gimme patience!

Beta

I am sooo nontechnical, it's really pathetic. I just converted my blog to Beta and I don't know what that means or quite honestly why I had to do it other than it will have to be done eventually so I might as well do it now. That doesn't sound like a good reason. It seems to me that if I was counseling my children I would tell them to research it more. So, why did I do it then.

Well, my friend told me to (that doesn't work for the kids either). But I trust this friend and quite frankly, don't have the time to learn about this right now. So, I went for it. It looks the same. So I presume the differences are in the background. The only thing I have noticed so far is that I can add a label to my post. I don't know what that does so I won't this time. Maybe next time.

I thought I was so 'with it' just because I have a bog. In reality, I am discovering how 'without it' I am. I'm still having fun with it though. ;)

Sunday matinee

I went to the opera today. I saw Aida. It was beautiful. The performers were amazing. The music, their voices, the sets, the costumes - it was all wonderful. It was my first visit to the new opera house; it's beautiful!

Now, some perspective here. I'm 42. I went to the Sunday matinee. The average age of the audience was probably around 70. We found out later that 40 buses commuted who knows how many of the audience members to this performance. It's really a show all in of itself.

Aside from the ordeals they go through to get to their seats with their canes, and their walkers. I mean the steps to get to the seats are pretty steep. As you can imagine, many of them are also a bit hard of hearing and are not in complete control of their 'inside voices'. The performance itself is 'enhanced' by the scrunching of wrappers getting cough drops out. Canes, walkers, brochures all tumbling to the ground and then the shuffle to get them back because why wait for the intermission when you will have light. That would be too easy.

God love them, it's nice to see them dressed up and getting out to enjoy the performance.

I only hope that at that age I still have the energy and I'm still getting out and about.

Shaving...

Did you know that boys want to shave their bodies now? Apparently, it's the thing to do; hair is nasty. I'm not talking facial hair. I'm talking legs, arms, chest and yeah, there too.

I know that wrestlers and swimmers shave for I dunno, aerodynamic purposes. Whatever! Now, I hate shaving. I wish I didn't have to shave. To think that the boys, who don't have to, now want to just seems wrong. I mean when you shave, the hair grows back thicker, it itches when it's growing in. Why would they intentionally shave there to have it get all itchy. I just don't get it.

Why am I getting into all of this? Well, because this has been the latest debate at my house with my teenager. I honestly think that he will regret it if he shaves. So far, I'm winning; he's hairy.

And to think, in my day guys would unbutton their shirts to let their chest hair show; that was sexy.

I know, it probably ONLY bothered me...

I get most of my news online. I read a number of online news sources and surf through stories quite a bit. I like it because I tend to stumble across things that I normally wouldn't.

The day after the election, I figured there'd be all kinds of stuff about all the turnover, the newly elected and their bios etc. I was eager for it. So, I scan the headlines and what did I see as the TOP 4 stories (in this order):
*Ed Bradley died
*There's a massive recall on aspirin
*Bush and Pelosi vow to work together
*Britney is prepared to fight K-Fed for custody of their children

WHY! WHY! is it national headline news that those 2 bozos are getting divorced and she's going to fight for custody?! WHY is it so important that I know that next to those other headlines. It wasn't under an Entertainment section. NO! I can see that it would be big entertainment news. But no. IT WAS NATIONAL HEADLINES! It was also on 3 different websites on their front page as a headline!

I realize this doesn't faze a lot of people but it bothers me. I bothers me that it's lumped in there with those other headlines because it gives it credibility and makes people think that it's important for you to know this piece of information and that there's more to know so, click here! Well, I clicked off! Like I said it took me a few tries but I found a news site that didn't have it as a headline and read my news there. There was an election, there's a war going on for Pete's sake, Sandinistas are getting back into power with Ortega, Santa Ana winds are threatening fires again in CA., heck I'll even read about Arnold's about face and reelection. But spare me Britney's divorce, PULEEZE.

Anyway, isn't it normal that she fight for custody? Why is that news? Of course, I wouldn't know, I didn't read the article.

Aiy yai yai! Gimme patience!

Publishers Clearing House

Did you get yours in the mail? Don't bother sending your in unless your initials are CS because MY envelope says that someone with those initials is going to be a winner. I fill it out and send it in every year. I receive multiple mailings a year because I keep making it to the next round. Surely, I'm close to winning.

I know I'm not going to win but it reminds of when I was a kid. I do it for the memories. My mother loved, I mean LOVED sweepstakes and contests. She would do them all. She even subscribed to a newsletter that sent us listings of sweepstakes and she would enter tons of them.

It was part of Sunday. Read the Sunday paper, cut out the coupons and fill out sweepstakes entries, or fill out forms and copy receipts for rebates and other giveaways. We never won anything big that I can recall. She used to get coupons for things and free samples in the mail. I can only imagine that she would have gone bonkers with the internet and all the contests and sweepstakes she could enter online.

So mom, I'm still sending in the PCH. Maybe someday the Prize Patrol will knock on my door. Like you always said, "Somebody's gotta win!"

They did it!

I didn't think they would but they did. The Democrats have the majority. Well, we're still waiting on Virginia but no matter. The democrats didn't loose ANY of their seats! AND Rumsfeld stepped down (although Gates sounds even scarier but one step at a time). Dubyah says that Rumsfeld was going to step down after the midterm election regardless of the outcome, that it simply hadn't been announced because he didn't want to do anything to upset the elections. Right! Sure! I tried to listen to some of the press conference because I thought I might enjoy it but I really couldn't sit still and listen to the man even when he was giving me good news. I just plain don't like him!

I was recently asked if I thought a black man or a white woman had a better chance at being elected President of the US. I honestly, don't think that either will happen any time soon yet I think that a white woman's odds are slightly better than a black man's. And low and behold, we will actually have a woman as the majority leader. AMAZING! AWESOME! Wooo Hoooo! I'm impressed! You go girl!

ELECTION DAY!

Yeah! It's election day!
Why am I so happy over this? Well, as of today I will have less mail to bring in the house, I can watch TV and not have to sit through those horrid political commercials and I will have TONS less voicemail messages from all these people who think I want to be their best friend. My home gets way too much of all that stuff because I get all the Dems targeted calls and mail and my husband gets all the R targeted stuff. Yes, we are on opposing sides of the political spectrum; deal with it - we have been for years.

I already voted this morning. It went super smoothly. I walked in and out. As I was leaving a couple of workers were talking to somone about their absentee ballot and the lady called after me as I was at the door. Lady! Your sticker! It's okay. No! Your sticker says I VOTED TODAY. It's ok, it's not about a sticker, thank you. have a great day. I walked out the door as she was coming towards me shaking the little sticker in the air. I hope she was able to work through that, I think it really bothered her. C'est la vie.

Today is a much better day than yesterday.
Just for the record, it wasn't just me I shared the misery when I got home. Neither my husband nor I took anything out in the morning to defrost for dinner; he stopped and picked something up on the way home. My children did not know about their academic misfortunes and think that some are mistakes and will be taking it up with their respective teachers today. Son2 finally made it to the school newspaper meeting which is every Monday, except yesterday, the one Monday he goes. Even my neighbor's daughter had a rough night and ended up at my house last night at 9pm to print a paper she had been working on for weeks because their printer died last night.

And finally a correction: The creamer I bought was not Toasted Almond. It is "Almond Toffee". I highly recommend it. Yummm...

Well, let me get dinner going. So I can watch the returns while I look for recipes for a dessert suitable for a diabetic. We are going to hubbys aunt and uncle's place this weekend to celebrate some family bdays and they have both recently discovered that their sugar is high. So, she asked me to come up with something they could eat. That's my mission.

From the mixed up files of Gimme Patience...

I think I should have stayed in bed today. Nothing that I have done, touched or looked at has been straightforward or easy today.

I brought my yummy creamer into work to have with the coffee here to find out when I got here that we were out of coffee:(
My emails were coming in ultra delayed so I was getting answers to things before I saw the questions;{
Clients sent in payments for things without the reference of an invoice or with a reference of a paid invoice and I spent too much time trying to sort it out;{
I spent the entire day confusing owners of different companies and then obviously not finding the info I needed because I was looking in the wrong files :[
My 82 year old grandmother, who, lives in an ALF, decided today NOT to go to her cardiologist appointment today for which we rescheduled her f/up with her surgeon because she doesn't want to go to Cuban doctors only Arab doctors;{
She also asked me if I knew any good lawyers because she wants to sue my father and I for stealing her money while she was in the hospital and in recovery. I told her I didn't' know any lawyers who did that kind of work:-{
I went to the bank and found out quite by accident that my driver's license is expired (almost 5 months ago!), it can't be renewed online or via phone. Now I have to go in person ~ UGH! :{
I checked my kid's grades online and am seeing that they BOTH did miserably on most of their tests and projects from last week. I even saw a zero, which means it wasn't turned in! I just wanna scream! :-o

PULEEZE! Gimme patience...

I should probably go home and fix breakfast for dinner to see if that straightens out things for tomorrow. I have a headache. Whataday!

Old friends...new friends

Good ole friends. They are as comfortable as your favorite pair of shoes. You have so much in common that you finish each other's sentences, you can call on them for anything at any time, you feel like they are family you are so close. What's better than spending time with them? Not much, except maybe finding new friends, introducing them to the old ones and all hitting it off and having a great time.

New friends. When you find some, it's like finding out Pier One is having a storewide Buy one Get One Free Sale. Finding couples that are a match to be friends with other couples isn't always easy. Many times either the husband's get along and the wives don't or vice versa. But to find a couple that have some same interests and same type of general values is great. Then to get get these friends together and enjoy each other's company for a few leisure hours on a Sunday. Well, I think that's just the cat's meow!

That was the highlight of my Sunday.

Slow start to a packed month

It's almost noon and what have I done. Well the groceries, that's it! Son1 is taking the SAT, hubby and I did the groceries andI spent about 20 minutes rescheduling doctors appointments for my grandmother. We haven't even finished putting away the groceries and we took a break.

The good things today...It's windy out, I've opened all the windows that I can (some of the ones facing the back still have the hurricane shutters up-don't ask) to let the breeze come through and air out the house. The sound is wonderful. At the grocery store I bought a fabulous Almond Toasted creamer and I'm going to have a cup now and listen and feel the wind as I go through the mail (both e- and snail). Then I'll be imspired to do some laundry and maybe a new recipe. oh yeah and pick up for the company I invited over for football tomorrow.

Ahh, that breeze feels GREAT! It definitely doesn't feel like South Florida.

Are we cloning people yet?

There is sooooo much I want to do this month that I think I need to clone myself and I might be able to get most of it done.

Here's the list off the top of my head:
There's a Father/Son Breakfast that I'm involved in at my son's high school.
There's a FABULOUS Harvest Festival that I go to every year with girlfriends where they sell all kinds of crafty things.
There's a Ginormous Book Fair that every year I want to go to and don't. This year I"M GOING!
There's Thanksgiving! I do too much cooking for that!
There's my parttime job as a Pampered Chef Consultant for which I have booked shows for this month.
There's Christmas Shopping at the crack of dawn on Thanksgiving Friday (there's a name for it, I just can't remember now).
Oh yeah! It's Son1's birthday. OMG! He's going to be 17! Gawd, I'm old!

On top of all that on a monthly basis, I have 5 regular get togethers:
coffee with some girlfriends (we sit at a Starbucks until closing and gab over coffee - Fabulous!) , dinner with some girlfriends (we try a new type of cuisine that most of our spouses won't eat - Yum!),
game night with some girlfriends (we get together and Laugh as we play a silly game - A Must!),
dinner with some friends (remember that coffee group up there? well we're including the hubbys and making it a couples dinner),
and now we have added cards (because we thought we needed to learn now, so we're ready when we retire. LOL!- it was a hoot!)

I almost forgot! I'm also going to the Opera this month to Aida! I just checked my calendar and it's 2 operas this month. The other one is Abduction From Seraglio.
PULEEZEE, don't tell my husband! He'll have ME abducted and not pay the ransom!
Gimme Patience (and energy) to get it all done!

Sometimes...

I get tired of trying to do everything. Do you? I feel pulled. I feel like I'm gonna fall down because the little support that is under me is going to give any second now and I'm going to end up SPLAT!

I tell myself it's normal to feel that way sometimes, that way I don't feel crazy. And then I just close my eyes, take a deep breath and hope tomorrow will be a better day. As I lay down to sleep, I pray for patience that I have enough to get me through whatever I'm supposed to be going through. I count my blessings and cry myself to sleep. When I wake, as I go through the routines, I decide that today is a good day. I am thankful for my blessings and again ask for patience and guidance for the beautiful day ahead of me; the gift of the present.

Latin Proverb

I said that if I liked it I would pass it on. So, here it is:

Non quia difficilia sunt, non audemus; sed quid non audemus, difficilia sunt.

We don't dare do things not because they are too difficult but they are too difficult because we don't dare to do them.

So, as my father always said, "The only person stopping you is you." Dare to try and you'll see it's not so hard; the hardest thing is to dare.

Chew on that for a while!

Don't know what I'm doin'...

Like I said, I don't know how to do all this techy stuff. I have been twiddling with my sidebar for days and couldn't figure out how to fix the Latin Proverb of the Day from repeating like 4 times. SO, I nixed it. I still check the site daily, so if I find some interesting ones I'll be sure to post it.

Books, books, books

So many books, so little time...

Let's start the month with what I'm reading, what I read and wanna read.

At the moment I am reading: My Life by Bill Clinton because I don't read many biographies- something I want to change and I own this one (I even met him at a book signing), Slaughter-house five by Kurt Vonnegut because my son is reading it in high school and I never did and figure I should, my Bookmarks magazine that just came in and always drives me insane because it adds a gajillion more books to my want to read list, and finally the Best American Short Stories-1997.

Recent reads: Forever by Judy Blume, I read it in Jr. high but had forgotten and it's on the Banned Books List- I enjoyed it all over again,The Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving, FABULOUS!

Next up on the pile of books to read: Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen.

We'll see if I get through them all, the goal is the end of the year. So, then I can read the books that hopefully Santa brings me :)