You think it's cold where you are. . .

Oh boy, was it cold this morning! We went to early church and I had to put on a sweater, long pants, and stockings rather than barefoot to go with my sandals. Brrrrrrr. I couldn't see my breath though. I tried. TeeHee. . . That should get a reaction from you Northerners!

But we've had beautiful deep bright blue skies. Gracie did zoomies with her good friend Martini in the back yard. Both of their tails were streaming out behind them as they raced around. Martini was trying "to catch" Gracie, and I think since we've gotten here, Martini has gotten faster. BUT. . .One year old Gracie can still outmaneuver her six year old friend. I wonder how long she'll be able to do that.

Lue - keep up the good work with Greta. She's a darling dog. Be careful though. Size matters. Hard to believe she's 80 pounds of puppyhood.

How're things in your neck o' the woods?

Busy-ness Starting

The busy-ness of Circlewoods is starting. I volunteered to accompany singing/dancing groups on the piano for our annual Showtime event that will be in March.


Things seem to happen for a reason: Their chief accompanyist moved away. I accompanied for a while. Cousin Alice lives alone and now is piano sitting a piano in her dining room that belongs to a friend/acquaintance. As I said, Alice lives alone - No people to bother. So we had our first "meeting" of four people - two of which will be doing a duet. We worked on both songs.


Being a retired teacher (not music, but knowledgeable), without realizing it, I automatically reviewed in my mind "how the lesson went" and how could I improve it next time? (even if it isn't "my lesson," how could I improve my suggestions?) Plenty.

First - I should have realized a good percentage of the people there (50%) (two?) had difficulty, or couldn't, read music. We needed to simplify.


Second - do small sections at a time. Don't try to go through it all at once. Yes. Our Showtime will be in approximately 6 weeks, and the ladies are worried they won't be ready. They will. This was their first practice.


Third: I suggested we practice spinging: talk the words through using the rhythm of the song. That was Alice's name for it. I didn't have one, but I'd done it with groups before. One of the ladies that couldn't read music said that didn't help her at all. Okay.


Fourth: Perhaps we should have a set scheduled date and time for practicing. That's only a suggestion. A beginning and ending time would be advantageous to planning. Two hours? Of course as the time gets nearer more practices should be scheduled. This is only a suggestion for the time being. I don't know how many I will be accompanying. I believe there are at least eleven numbers. Some of which will be accompanying themselves, and some of which will be using "canned" music - ex. karaoke.

Cousin Carol, who does not live in Circlewoods, has sung with us in the past. I'd love to have her with us again. If she wants to, and the powers-that-be say okay. . . great!

How about that. . . I kept to one subject. And I'm done.

Soooo- what's happenin' in your neck o' the woods???

Just not enough time. . .

I haven't written in a while. There's been plenty to write about, but my life is "interferring" with my writing. I have to make choices, thus - Hello - computer.

We got to Venice late Friday afternoon, after a very nice three day, two night trip from a wintry wonderland to fabulous Florida. My little 2004 Kia Spectra drove/rode well, thanks to Paul. We were glad we had our winter coats with us because it snowed half of the first day, but from then on we had fairly good cold weather - until almost Venice. The first day, we stopped at Edna and Mike's in Pennsylvania, for an early lunch. When we're going south, we try to do that as often as possible. There was a couple of inches of snow, but not coming down. Mike had to plow out the driveway. I marvel at Edna's cooking. All things are homemade and delicious. She even packed a bag of some home-made molasses and snickerdoodle cookies for our trip. I took a nice picture of Mike and Edna "for my blog" and will post it when I get the camera set up here in our computer room. That's right. Not done yet.

Cousin Alice had us, plus Jil, Bob, Cousin Carol, and Gracie to her house for dinner. Lasagna! We all appreciated the efforts and had an opportunity to meet her new friend, George, a widower, and a retired pharmacist from Pennsylvania. It made us very happy to know George has a papillon. He fits in well with Bob and us. And he seems genuinely nice. Like us.

My friend, Carol O. is here at Circlewoods this year. We're happy for her because she's wanted to rent here for such a long time. She and her sister, Patti, (who's came to help her travel and get settled) took the auto train for the second time. Last year Carol was renting a house in Venice (but not Circlewoods) for two months. This time she's here for three months. Good!

Gracie is doing well - Bob's Martini and she are great pals. Gracie can't control her likker and loves to groom Martini's muzzle. And Martini loves it. And they love to zoom around the communal back yard area.

We're still busy getting things done that need to be done. We haven't registered the Kia down here yet, but when you think of it, we only had yesterday and today to do that, and today isn't even half-done yet! I love mornings because there's the whole day to look forward to!

I'm hoping to get to Curves this afternoon. What a nice lady the owner, Patti, is - and her helper, Amy. The place is really hopping. She even called me by name and said "welcome back!" Only problem is that she's open only from 7-12, and 3-7 Monday - Friday. So you really have to plan when to go and schedule your day around it. By three o'clock I'm usually thinking ahead to our Conversation Hour, and not thinking about exercising. I hope today is different! I've got to reschedule my brain!

Got a nice card from Lue today hoping to hear from the Woods Edge. As if right on track - when I was writing, Paul handed it to me! So - there you go, Lue. We miss you.

Jil is busy with his nighttime schedule of work, and getting adjusted to life in Florida. Even though it's Florida, it's wintertime here - so it's not as warm as it usually is - and he's cold. The Philippines' climate is warm, warmer, and humid. (but not as hot as Thailand) Imagine how he'd feel up in Millport. His sandals wouldn't work for him there.

He's going to watch Gracie for us at the end of this month, when Paul and I fly our separate ways (but together kind of) when he goes to California to see Brenda, who's performing in an Opera . . . and I go to Chicago, to help Nancy with three-month old Evie, while Dan goes to a conference. Later Paul's meeting me in Chicago, meeting Evie for the first time, and then we'll travel back to Florida. Let's pray for good weather and connections for everyone who's flying.

As you can read, I have trouble with the "one-topic idea"that at one time I was going to write about. Seems I want to tell you all so much . . . it's difficult for me to keep to one thread. It's not a bad problem to have, I guess.

So - guess that's all the news from "the woods" How're things goin' in your neck o' the woods?

What a lot of rigamarole!

No, we didn't know we needed to have our car inspected within 10 days after we got it registered. No. We can't let it go. They'd probably arrest us . Or more realistically, fine us for waiting til April.

Our mailman delivered the mail around 4:00 this afternoon, and the title and limited power of attorney was in it, so we went directly down to the DMV to get the car registered and new plates. It was 4:30 by the time we finished. That was when the clerk told us about the deadline of having it inspected. At that point in time, we didn't feel like finding a place to have it done.
Darn.

I spent a wasteful day . . . working on my holiday newsletter. That's right. I was busy before Christmas, and I decided to wait til after the holidays to get it out. Somehow I messed up the margins on the Windows program I used, and couldn't fix it. Luckily I'd gotten the newsletter written, printed out 40 copies, and felt really smug that I used the "cut and paste" option that my son Jil showed me in Florida.

I started putting them in the envelopes (I had also addressed on my computer) only to realize that my "cut and paste" didn't work right and I had some serious errors in my writing. I did proof read it too!. Another oh darn. I had thought I'd have the afternoon to pack up. But I spent a good amount of time working on the newsletter. The margins were all crazy too. So I couldn't work more on it. Luckily only about 10 copies were affected.

I was very cranky by suppertime. Paul and I went to the new Dandy minimart in Horseheads, and ordered a pizza. Took it home, and was it good! So - I'm no longer cranky.

We'll not be leaving tomorrow. The weather doesn't look good down south. Paul is getting the Toyota inspected. I have to pack. And do other things. The day wasn't a complete waste: I did do a couple of loads of wash - so our clothes are all clean.

I have a joke! Why won't the lobster share? He's shellfish. Ha!

So - that's all the news from here for now. How're things goin' in your neck o' the woods?

Lots of thoughts

Paul and I rearranged the living room, and wonder why we didn't do this before. I like where the loveseat is, and the piano. The room looks more balanced. In the dining room: we used to have two chests; we put one of them upstairs in the library. Looks much better. Less cluttered.







Got an e-mail from Bob after he read my last posting about our puppy Gracie chewing up Paul's hearing aid. He said that it's quite common, that there's a warning in the literature, and you can take out insurance, too. But also watch out for dentures! Okay. None here. Didn't know about the insurance.

Yesterday I started a posting and it went kerflooey. My writing was in italics, it had all sorts of strange numbers and symbols when I tried to publish it. Besides, it wouldn't publish. My posting about Gracie was part of it. Also the above pictures. So I'll try to remember what else I wrote. It annoyed me because I liked the way I worded it. As the old story goes . . . There's always room for improvement.

Yesterday morning I planned on going to Curves, making it my third time this past week. But I promised Paul I would empty out a cardboard box of long-ago items that had been sitting in a corner of our dining room since October, and ended up on the dining room table, along with things to take back to Florida. Florida things were moved to the guest room to be put in the car eventually.

I sat down and started pulling things out and found an 1890's photo album that was falling apart, of old (obviously)people/relatives. I came to the realization that now I'm The Older Generation. I'm the "keeper of the flame". That doesn't seem possible to me. Maybe it's a little farfetched? After all, that was my mother's job. . . But the point is: if I didn't identify those people, future generations wouldn't know who they were, nor how they related to them. These all had voices, made decisions, had life. There was picture of a civil war soldier. Don't know who he was, and I probably never will. But, I noticed in a picture that my mother looked very much like her "Grandma Court", in her later years. I wrote it down. Perhaps other generations will find someone else that looks like her. You never know. And perhaps some time someone will be able to identify that civil war soldier. . .through newer techniques. Who knows.

An Aside: As you know, I love writing very much. I've always typed because I'm a fast typer and can get my thoughts out faster than long-hand. Looking through the cardboard box, I came across an album of type-written letters from me to my folks when I was in college. She and I wrote back and forth every week. My mother put the album lovingly together and gave it to me after I graduated...it was fun to read. And interesting how much I remembered when my brain was pricked.

When I got my first computer in the mid 1990's, I discovered e-mails! It was such fun to write people, receive a message back. To write back and forth. But it troubled me that when you deleted e-mails, there weren't any records. So for the longest time, I would print out e-mails sent me, keeping them in order, in a pile, on a shelf, under my computer desk. I guess you could say I have some "complex." I agree. It's to save written words. I don't know if it has a label and I could go on and on about this. Some people would call me crazy. Paul laughingly said - how come I don't save bills/receipts. Somehow, that's different. (He doesn't know that I used to save them, but got tired of all the papers and clutter it made.) But I digress.

I didn't destory these e-mails: I came across a 1" looseleaf notebook of hole-punched printer paper of e-mails from family and friends. It was fascinating to read because it told me of their/our lives, the same as letters, and if I'd deleted them, I wouldn't have a record of it. These were quite difficult/hard times, but there were happy times too. They happened. It was what it was. It is what it is. I just couldn't throw them out.

So - I noted that through all this, I learned some lessons: Lots of material should go on to the next generation. Some of it is very very old. But not necessarily all. (old) Nor is there a sequence of events that are more important than others.

Life goes on. I read somewhere: To write about oneself, is to live twice. Or forever.

And that's why I do it.

Forgive my verbosity, as I wrote more than I planned. Incidentally, I did get to Curves. . .in the afternoon!

May you have a good day til we meet again.
What's been happenin' in your neck o' the woods?

Strange things are uh-happenin'

I jinxed us a while ago when I wrote that Gracie was such a good dog - she never had to be reprimanded for chewing up anything. . .we just had to keep kleenex away from her, as she loved to chew them up. Right. Well. . . She was bad, really bad.

In your mind, what's the worst thing that a puppy could destroy? Checks? Shoes? Cell phones? You can name anything, but I bet you can't guess what she did.

Did you ever think about keeping a $2200 hearing aid away from a puppy? That's right. Last night she got ahold of one of Paul's fairly new hearing aids and decided to eat it. That's what we think happened, as Paul found her last night on the living room rug, laying on her back, feet up in the air, chewing one. We couldn't find the tiny pieces. We know it's our fault, but darn it all. Couldn't she have picked something else?

It is what it is.

I went to Curves twice this week, and planned on going this morning, but I also promised Paul that I would empty out a cardboard box of long ago items that had been sitting in a corner of the dining room since October, and had ended up on the dining room table, along with items to take to Florida. I sat down and started through them. There was an 1890's photo album of old (obviously) relatives on my mother's side. Those pictures were priceless. I had a major thought...Realizing that life has finally made my generation the oldest ones, I began labelling the ones I recognized for my children, grandchildren, and how they were related to me/us/them.
If not done, who they were would be lost forever. I guess I'm a saver. See the next paragraphem>.

I also found a 1" thick looseleaf notebook full of e-mails sent when I first got my computer. That captivated me. Because, somehow, then, it didn't seem right for me to write e-mails, delete them, or receive them, and delete these. I can remember what a huge pile they made, and how I purchased the notebook, a hole puncher, and filled it up. I refuse to throw them away, as it gives a good insight into what our lives were like in the 1990's. As in all lives, it is what it is. And told with insight and understanding.

We rearranged the living room. And the dining room - eliminating one of the chests in the dining room. We put it upstairs as a TV stand. Looks great I think. I was worried about an end table for the loveseat sticking out into the dining room area. Looks fine I think.

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I did get to Curves this afternoon and as usual feel better having gone! Lots of added strange things in this post. Sorry about that. Oh, well. Will write again soon.

So that's all the news from the Woods Edge. How're things goin' in your neck o' the woods?

Patience is a Virtue?

It looks like we'll be leaving later than Sunday morning to go to Florida. It seems that the paperwork for the Toyota, to be reregistered in NYS, is going to take longer than expected. I guess we should have started the process earlier than this Monday.

As we walked into the DMV, I chided Paul that he was way too pessimistic about us having all the information for the DMV. He said they would need the Title. Mea Culpa. They needed the Title. We don't have it. It's a leased car. Toyota has it. So - we've been in contact with Toyota, the DMV, our insurance company. They won't fax a copy (which the DMV finds acceptable) of the Title. It has to come snail mail. Which is 3 business days. It'll get here Monday. That means we leave Tuesday and get back to Venice probably Thursday.

One good thing, today, I bought Paul a new GPS on Amazon.com. to use for the trip going down. Checking prices out, their's was the best. However, it obviously needed to be shipped. Takes time. Now we have it.

I didn't change the Netflix account on hold or back down to Florida, and we will be able to see the third disc of "The Tudors" up here.

There's a lot of stuff still in the fridge. We can eat ourselves out of house and home.

I can go to church on Sunday and see my new friends. . .who'll say "You're still here?" Well. I'll say. . . "what do you think?" No, I won't say that. I'll just smile and say "yes."

Mostly Monday Morning Brunch. . .

While the grownups opened up their gifts, the kids had a snowball fight and sled ride in the back yard forest. There's only Nee Nee and Brenan in this picture because the others were planning their snowball throwing strategy.


There's only nine in this picture - we had twenty for the Christmas brunch. Somehow I was busy and didn't get any other pictures of our sit-down/time.




Greg brought work with him and spent a lot of time working. Since he worked at the dining room table on his laptop, he could be with us though.

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This is self-explanatory - But note Brenan's favorite Christmas hat.


Paul is studying his eyelids while the kids open up their gifts. The Dear One can do this activity any time, any place, any where.




Lue came for lasagne when Jeff and Dorothy, The Corning Relatives, Greg's family, were here on the day after Christmas, Sunday evening. Lue couldn't come to our Christmas brunch on Monday because she had to work. Now, she's retired. Congratulations, Lue. We missed you, but we were glad you could be with us for lasagne on Sunday night.



The last two are Christmas day. The first one is of NeeNee, Noi playing a card game with Brenan watching. The last one includes Gracie. Didn't want her to be excluded. She had to get used to lots of people. She's on Greg's lap, trying to get onto NeeNee's.