As the year winds down

While many of my pals are reviewing their best posts for the year that list is easy for me. Mine best writing according to Pax was about my childhood experiences with my grandparents. There are those of you who write for humor and irony. There are those who write to lament the state of the world either inside or outside ourselves. For me it is more of an online journal, a measure of where my head is at at any given time. Creatively I have been very busy, knitting, crocheting and sewing, etc. my writing has suffered and in part due to the fact that I don't want to write about the negative. Haven't been able to successfully complete more than one book all year. i am not a big t.v. watcher either.
I have been enjoying the weekend and quietly reflecting on what I have to be thankful for and the hopeful dreams of what 2007 might be: I cannot believe 2006 year has past so quickly and in many ways that is a good thing.
First let me say I am so thankful that I can finally sleep well most nights,
I am thankful for friends like Momma J and Merci, Pax and J for all the kindness and support throughout this tumultuous year. Couldn't have made it without you.
I managed to get a new roof on the house, several new windows and it looks marvelous,
The new mantra of remove, repurpose and recycle have never made more impact. Less really is more!
I escaped for a weekend here and there and that was enough to relax,
But next year, God willing:
I will be hitting a milestone birthday,
I will loose that extra ten pounds,
so that I will not look my age of 39 and holding,
and to honor that event I am going to take a "real" vacation. I have a few ideas?
What are your favorite vacation spots?

Hopefully 2007 will be healthy and happy for us all. That's enough.

Post Holiday Lament

The scrooge in me was reminded of the joys that are Christmas while spending a little time with children. They cannot wait to open their gifts and are filled with excitement many of us have not felt in years. My Mom was happy because her grandchildren came on Christmas eve and the last child from NY came by last night. They went to dinner but alas, I was whooped and did not join them. It was nice to see Mom happy.

I want to thank all of you for your gifts, calls and attention which made this year a little easier. D asked me yesterday how it went and I replied that it was good. I found myself slipping into a mood on Tuesday and for the life of me I could not figure out why. Maybe Zelda was just tired. I baked, I cooked, I knitted scarves for all and still am thinking of creative ideas.....

Yesterday I indulged Zelda with some much needed new clothing items found at the after Christmas sales at 50% off. There will be no dry cleaning and less ironing for me this winter, that's for sure.

My resolution is to resist worry, hope for our futures and enjoy the New Year filled with peace and love for us all. Maybe I'll learn to add pictures to my blog, nah, who am I kidding!

Saturday in park.

Unable to connect to my email for several weeks, i finally called the provider and they politely tried to tell me that I am not who I say I am. Is someone else using my internet services? After waiting for more that five minutes for a manager, I hung up. Determined to vist them in person today, not detered. Well the headache, hot flashes, sweating and sore throat I felt at work yesterday was apparently not based in stress. I am sick! Stayed in pj's and parked myself in front of t.v. , between naps all day. Five minutes of sweeping floors and I would be tired again. No internet resolution, no cleaned house, oh well. All those folks around me at work who were talking about their recent recoveries from colds and flu's must have generously shared with me. What a gift. Feeling a little miserable, ignore it, I get that way when I am too tired. Perhaps I finally read that novel from Paxie. That would be a good thing. Teh tea pot is boiling got to go.
Hope that you are all well and enjoying you weekend. Peace!

Thankful III

Simply that this day, this week is over! TGIF

The List

This is not about a Christmas list. Any home needs work from time to time. Shouldn't the list get shorter once in a while? Now that the roof is done and the dumpster finally removed I can move on down the list. Yeah only this week did they removed the monstrosity from my driveway. I bet half of the folks in the neighborhood could have cleaned their attics during the time it was here.
What's next?
Drywall repair in the kitchen,
Finish painting the living room walls,
Finish installing basement windows; one down three to go,
Replace the light fixtures outdoors (purely aesthetic),
Empty the garage (of stuff that's not mine),
Replace the garage door,
New windows for the bedrooms,
New windows (wood) for the living room,
Change the carpet in one bedroom,
Sand and refinish the hard wood floor upstairs,
Remove the textured ceilings from dining room and living room,
what were we thinking?)
New full view storm doors?
Repave the driveway! May cost more than the new roof?
By then it will be just about perfect, Yeah.
Anyone who owns a home knows that there is always something to be done.......
Is it any wonder I have not taken a real vacation in years? Humm?
what's up with that?

Have a happy.....

Holidays always bring out the best and worst in people. See Pax's accounting of today's office adventure@ Pax romano's ramblings. blogspot.com. There were so many foods to choose from and so many good cooks in our office. Waiting till the crowds died down there was little of the culinary masterworks left for me. In fact some were going for second helpings before I had the first bite. Didn't Moms everwhere teach their children better! I did get dessert only because I went to that table first. I made the mistake of eating the delicious "Death by Chocolate" by Mommala Romano and regreted it for hours once the sugar and expresso boust wore off. I should know better, but instead I bellowed get out of my way, I need chocolate.....or something to that effect. You know my mantra, give me chocolate and no one gets hurt. Well it was me who suffered. I really liked it but it did not like me.

I decided to start planning a "real" vacation, one that I've always wanted to take. An excursion just may break up the oh too-long winter. See Mommala is rubbing off on me! Gotta love her sense of adventure and she bakes well too! Who knew?

Good Night and God Bless

Last night I attended the services of an aquaintence who had left this earth following a three year battle with breast cancer. She was diagnosed as it turns out, the same year as I. When I heard that stated out loud, I thought good thing I am sitting down, as I tried not to show that it rattled me a bit. She was a member of the Eastern Star organization which in my ignorance I had to research. There was a restful aura in the room that was loaded with people and everyone seemed to be in peaceful harmony. Good night A, you will be missed but not forgotten.

Pink sky at night.

The full moon and sunset were a thing of beauty as I drove westwardly home. The sky appeared dark pink and blue were the scattered clouds. I though of a saying my Mom used to chant; "Pink sky at night, shepards delight....."

If only it were soldiers delight, as in returning home? Why can't men, admit that they have made a mistake going to the middle east? What is it going to take to bring our soldiers home alive and well? The price is too high!