New Year's Eve Menu

Lew and I are staying in tonight.

We are having:

• Cheesy nachos
• Chocolate Cake
• Chocolate Chip Cookie Treat
• Popcorn
• Moxie and/or Diet Coke
• Martinelli's Sparkling Cider (Apple-Grape flavor)

So let the healthy eating begin... tomorrow.  :)

Happy New Year!

Two-Four-Six-Oh-ONE!

I went to a movie with my friend Julie today. Loved it, loved it, loved it!

We ate at IHOP afterward. Yummy! (I always want to type "iHop" for some reason....)

I leave my readers with two questions:

1) What movie did Julie and I see?

2) Why do I want to type "iHop"?

If nobody responds with the correct answers, I will add a comment to this post tomorrow.

G'night!

Be Prepared

I'm feeling MUCH better today. Perhaps I have escaped the flu that is making the rounds.

One thing that I can't escape is the weather. We are expecting four to eight inches of snow before morning.

Lew and I went to the grocery store around 10:30 AM. The store was more crowded than it normally is at that time.... People preparing for being snowed in overnight, I guess.

The only storm preparation that I typically do is to fully charge my cell phone!

Blahhhhhh....

Lots of sickness going around. Some sort of flu maybe?

Anyway, I think I am right on the verge of getting it.

But I am fighting it hard.

Must. Not. Get. Sick.

An Announcement... by Eli

I wore my jammies for most of Christmas morning,
but then Daddy and Momma put this shirt on me.
Tia made a funny scream and ran to Momma.
Then everyone was hugging each other,
and their eyes were wet...
except nobody was sad!
And they talked alot about July 23.
Wow!  I guess my shirt is pretty special.  :)

Dad 129: Christmas Wrap-up

(According to what Dad wrote below, I expect him to come upstairs any minute now for his exercise session. Enjoy his post! – Tracy)

Derf Here! Enjoying another beautiful, cold, sunny day today. Did receive a little snow yesterday (Christmas Day) for a white (barely) Christmas. The experts are predicting a winter storm coming through tonight and tomorrow. Supposed to add a foot or more snow in the ski areas. This will add to the 2 to 3 feet base already on the slopes. Along the coast we have a warning, but I expect a mixed precipitation. I'm not expecting a whole lot of coastal snow. Sounds good to me. I'll let you know next year!!

It looks like the Patriots will not have to play the Colts in the first playoff weekend. It is possible, however. If the Patriots play like they did against Houston a few weeks ago, they will win it all. If they play like they played the last two games, they will be defeated in the first round. Glad to see Coach Pagano back with the Colts. What a story and we will be pulling for Pagano and "Luck" unless playing the Pats.

Hope all readers of this had a wonderful Christmas. We did in Maine. Enjoyed our family get-together. However, daughter Deb cut her afternoon short with a touch of the flu. I understand that grandson Josh is in a similar situation today. Hope for a quick recovery. Seems to be a lot of flu going around in this area. Hope it skips our residence. Thanks!

Boy, have I become lazy for the last four days. I must get on the elliptical today after four days off for a Christmas break. Should never have taken the time off. Won't do it again! Or will I? Probably! Back to the grind, in a couple hours. Can't wait!

I've been thinking about dropping my weekly blog for the rest of this year. So I'll see you next year. My time off will not be too long. I'll try for more creativity next year. Happy New Year!

Sooooo...

Until next time!

Toodle Pip!

Derf!

Merry Christmas!



... and a "Meowy Christmas" from Kurt and Jerry!



Christmas Eve

Lew had the day off from work today and we made the most of it.  We got to babysit Eli for a few hours!  By the time Emily got home, Eli had been sleeping soundly for about 45 minutes... while I was holding him.  Happy Tia!  ("Tia" is yours truly.)

We had a lovely Christmas Eve service tonight at our church.  We sang "Silent Night" by candlelight at the end.  The adults had real candles.  The children had "candles" with batteries.  Somehow Lew and I ended up with the kiddie candles!  :)

Have a very Merry Christmas.  Christ the Savior is born.  Rejoice!

A Precious Wakeup Call

I received a text message from Kayla this morning. Kayla is the 10-year-old daughter of my friend Trista. Kayla was using her mother's cell phone.

An edited version of our text message conversation:

 

This is Kayla hey

You are up early!

Yeah I know! :) I don't know why though

We will see you at church soon. :)

Say hi to the cat for Kayla ok! :)

I will say "hi" to my cats for you.

Ok

Is your mother awake, too?

When I went into her room...she was awake! Why?

Tell her that I said "Good Morning"....

 

Kayla went on to ask me if Lew was awake and whether I was in the kitchen. (Me? In the kitchen?? LOL!)

I learned later that Kayla did not immediately deliver my "Good Morning" message to her mother.... Drat.... I really wanted Trista to join in on our 5:30 AM texting conversation!

I love my young friends! Blessed....

Jelly, Anyone?

Three-year old Vivian met us for breakfast this morning. She came along with her grandparents "Papa and Mimi" (also known as our friends Dick and Carole).

Vivian decided that she would have a blueberry muffin and scrambled eggs. She got chocolate milk, too.

When our food came, Mimi helped Vivian put butter on the muffin. The muffin was already sliced into three sections, and Vivian painstakingly spread the butter over each slice.

I believe she ate no more than a small bite or two of the muffin.

Do you know those little jelly containers that are stacked up in breakfast places? The ones that kids usually like to play with? Well, Vivian decided she wanted to eat some of that jelly.

So Mimi opened the little container and Vivian managed to spoon the jelly out of it. And she did actually eat it.

But wouldn't the jelly taste good on Mimi's toast? So Mimi sacrificed a piece of her toast. And we all watched as Vivian proceeded to lick the jelly off -- without eating the toast.

As we were getting ready to leave, I remarked, "Vivian, you didn't eat very much of your breakfast!" Vivian announced that she now wanted to eat her eggs. (Remember, we were getting ready to leave!) She did take a few bites before she decided that she was really done.

Next time Vivian comes to breakfast, I think that all she should order is her chocolate milk. She can just eat the jelly that's already on the table! :)

Cable Down

I was just getting ready to write my blog post when our cable service went down. That means no Internet.

So I'm writing this on my iPhone. But you know what? I don't have any good ideas for tonight's post anyway!

Thanks for checking in. Hopefully I'll be able to share some fascinating things with you tomorrow.... Smile!

You Could Win $100,000

Our favorite brand of frozen pizza has been running a contest.  Specially marked boxes have a code inside.  Enter the code online to have a chance to win the grand prize of $100,000 (or some lesser prize).

The first code that I tried (over a month ago) came back as "Invalid or used code."  I e-mailed the company to tell them about this less-than-satisfactory attempt.  No response.

The next code that I tried came back "Sorry, loser."  Maybe the message wasn't quite that succinct, but that was essentially what it meant.  They did give me a $1 coupon.

I tried a code about a month ago that hung up my computer.  When I tried entering it again, I got the "Invalid or used code" message.  I e-mailed the company, told them the code, and wanted to make sure they had it on record in case I won the $100,000.  (Ha ha ha!)  They did respond this time with a "sorry" but they can't enter the code for me and better luck next time.  (Thanks a bunch.)

The very next code that I tried told me I won a 3rd place prize!  A FREE PIZZA!  They will be sending the coupon within four to six weeks.

Tonight's code resulted in another "Sorry, loser" and the consolation $1 coupon.

Lew expressed his disappointment.  He was really counting on that $100,000....

Or at least another free pizza.

Dad 128: Winter Weather and Sports

(The sun did show itself for a little bit this afternoon, but it was after Dad had written his entry. And it was so nice while it lasted. Enjoy Dad's post! -- Tracy)

Derf Here! From the very damp Northeast. Had some snow a couple days ago. About 3 to 4 inches. However, a serious rain yesterday that will end shortly has taken our snow cover away. I guess I didn't have to plow after all.

Just read in the daily newspaper that we received about 3.5 inches of rain yesterday. This beat the old record for the date. The previous record was 1.75 inches and happened over 100 years ago. I checked my cellar to see water was covering the earth. Not enough for the pump to come on, however. Supposed to get one nice day this week. Thursday will be sunny with weather turning back to damp and wet for the remainder of the week. And winter isn't even here yet! Good grief!!

Had a bad football weekend. Patriots were beaten. Score could've been a lot worse if the opposition had taken advantage of all the mistakes. Indiana family had no better "Luck" as the Colts lost also. Hope things improve this weekend. Don't we?

My favorite basketball team, the Boston Celtics, are in my mind a team that will lose as many games as they win. They are now 12 - 12 after three losses in a row. Will they make the playoffs? Only time will tell.

I see a "study" on Benghazi states a systematic failure at the State Department. I guess this is not too serious as all employees are still employed. I'm sure under previous administrations there would be cries to get rid of those involved in the failure. Enough said!

Just looked out the window. It is snowing again. No accumulation – won't last!

Should probably mention the horrible event that took place in Newtown, Connecticut this past Friday. Such a senseless, cowardly act. I don't believe there is a simple solution. Seeing innocent 6- to 7-year-olds wiped out is a sad, sad occurrence.

Within a week we will be celebrating the birth of Christ. Looking forward to Christmas Eve candlelight service. Remember the reason. A Merry Christmas to all! Enjoy the family!

The snow has stopped. The sun is not shining. Hopefully tomorrow! Please!

Until next time!

Toodle Pip!

Derf!

And That's (Almost) a Wrap

I spent the afternoon and early evening wrapping Christmas presents.

I just have a little bit more to do, and I'll be finished!

Of course, I would already be done if I wasn't watching Perry Mason at the same time.

Smile....

Warm Fuzzies

Now that colder weather is upon us, we find that our kitties are becoming more cuddly with us... and with each other!

Lew couldn't resist taking the following picture of Kurt and Jerry tonight:

We love our kitties!

The Hobbit and The Snowy Earth

Lew and I just got home from seeing The Hobbit with some friends. Our friends didn't know that the current movie is just Part 1 of 3, but fortunately we shared that information with them beforehand. Otherwise, the ending would have seemed somewhat abrupt! We've already planned to see Parts 2 and 3 together.

When we got out of church this morning, we were having snow flurries. These flurries lasted all afternoon, so it was a Winter Wonderland when we got to the theater. When we got out of the movie, winter weather had truly set in. This is what I would call our first "real snow" of the season. The ride home was a bit slick, but I passed the time by talking with a friend on my cell phone. Lew was driving... better he than I.

Now it is time to watch Sunday night football. Go, Patriots!

Our Cookies and Cocoa Party

Pastor David and Laura and their two little girls came to our house tonight for hot cocoa and cookies.

We also had popcorn!  Lew makes the best popcorn.

They were the first visitors to see our disco ball since we moved it back to its proper spot.

Our Christmas tree lights were on and the living room Scentsy was giving off a wonderful pine tree scent.

Jerry and Kurt were their usual sweet selves.  The girls had not met Kurt before tonight, but they were already buddies with Jerry.

We had a wonderful time.  I think we will make "Our Cookies and Cocoa Party" an annual Christmas season event!

Praying

I don't need to relate what happened today in Newtown, Connecticut.  The whole country is aware of this senseless tragedy.  And all of our hearts are aching for the victims and their families.

This is one of those times when prayer may be difficult.  We are blessed to have the Holy Spirit to carry us through these moments.  (See Romans 8:25-27.)

Lord, please have mercy on us.

My Perry Mason Addiction

Yes, I am a Perry Mason-ic.

Me-TV, which stands for "Memorable Entertainment Television", airs two episodes each weekday.

I DVR both episodes and currently have 12 to watch.

I should probably stop recording them until I get caught up with my viewing.

But then I might miss a really great story.

What am I saying?....

They are all great!

(Postscript:  This addiction is not a new phenomenon for me.  The Perry Mason Theme Song has been the ringtone on my cell phone for quite a while now!)

Dad 127: "Youk" Have Gotta Be Kidding!

(I decided to dictate, rather than type, Dad's post today. Watch for the word "era" as you are reading. The software originally picked up this word as "error".... but did I really need to correct it, given the context? LOL! Enjoy Dad's post! -- Tracy)

Derf Here! From the cold Northeast. Temps are down in the teens now and the experts say they will continue this pattern over the next few days. Teens overnight but warming up to 20° - 30° during the day. May even hit 40° sometime during the daytime. Wow! Perhaps some snow next week. That is the prediction. Will it happen? Tune in next week.

Well, we have topped off our kerosene tank for the winter. Fill it in December and in the spring when there is no snow on the ground. Only used 76 gallons since last March. Price per gallon rounds up to $4.00. The monitor heater is quite efficient. Just the way we like it!

The Patriots had a good game Sunday when they gave the Texans their second loss of the year. Now we'll wait to see how they do against the 49ers this weekend. Congratulations to the Colts as they continue to keep our Indiana family happy. Hope the "Luck" continues.

While watching the local sportscast last night, I heard some startling news. It was later confirmed by ESPN and with an article in today's paper. I find it difficult to even admit the news. The face of the Boston Red Sox until traded last year, Kevin Youkilis (Yooouuk), is now a New York Yankee. The same Youk that we saw come through Portland is now a Yankee! Yuck!! They needed a player to take A-Rod's place until midseason. They have a great replacement. Well, he won't have to worry about getting beaned by Joba Chamberlain anymore. They will now be teammates. It will be an interesting opening game at Yankee Stadium when they face the Red Sox. Even more interesting when the New York team comes to Fenway Park. Well, I now have two Yankees to root for. Jeter and Youk! Still hope the Yankees stumble! Good luck, Youk!! Never should have been traded by Boston. The Bobby Valentine era is now over. Thanks!!

Just a reminder to all out there. Christmas is coming and you had better get all your plans taken care of prior to the day. I have all my duties taken care of. Actually, I do nothing, so my chore is easy to complete. Well done again, Derf! Even if I do say so myself.

I still can't believe it. Youk is a Yankee!

Until next time!

Toodle Pip!

Derf!

 

A Silver Anniversary

Tomorrow is 12/12/12.  (How cool is that?!)

But it is already 12/12/12 in England, which is where my dear friend Suzy lives.  So...

HAPPY 25th ANNIVERSARY, SUZY AND BARRY!

Barry wrote a beautiful blog post about how they'll be celebrating.

A couple years ago, I wrote two posts about their wedding that took place way back in 1987:

• Read first (please try not to laugh too hard)
• Read second (I love this photo of the gals in the wedding party)

I am so blessed to know both Suzy and Barry.  Congratulations to them on 25 years together!

One of Those Days....

I have a lengthy church board meeting tonight that I have to leave for in a few minutes.

I had to prepare for the meeting today.  I am finally ready... and not a moment too soon.

Tomorrow I plan on wrapping Christmas presents, doing my laundry, and watching as many episodes of "Perry Mason" that I can!

Christmas Decor

Emily and Eli visited us today while we were decorating our house for Christmas.

It was fun to pull all the stuff out of the bins and find the perfect spot for it.

We even sent a few treasures home with Emily and Eli for their house!

Here's our newly-decorated tree, with Kurt the cat napping underneath. :)

Not So Fast....

Yesterday I wrote that Lew's fantasy football team was finished for the season.

That's what he believed, and that's what he told me.

But when he looked at his fantasy football website last night (after I had posted), he saw that he was indeed still playing.

He quickly made a few changes to his team for tomorrow's games.

You do know what this means, right?.... I am currently the only "big loser" in our house.  (LOL!)

We Are (Not) the Champions

Lew informed me last night that his fantasy football team is done for the season. The remaining weeks of the regular NFL season are his fantasy league's playoffs, and he didn't make the playoffs. In fact, he tied for last place.

Last night I went to a baby shower. We played a "smell" game. When I was told that we would be smelling diapers with baby food in them, I expressed my sincere hope that it was pre-digested food. (It was.) There were ten diapers. The winner -- the mother of a toddler -- identified seven of the foods correctly. I only got three right, which was less than everybody else.

The last shall be first, right?

2:10:55

Two hours, ten minutes, fifty-five seconds....

That's how long I spent on the phone with my friend Donna this afternoon.

Donna is one of my bestest buddies in the whole world, but we don't chat often enough.  Even so, it always seems like we take up right where we left off -- like we'd just seen each other yesterday.  (Actually it's been closer to eight years.  Yikes.)

I met Donna when I lived in Kansas.  We loved watching old movies together while drinking hot tea.  Now that we live halfway across the country from each other, we can no longer do that....

....I think that it's time Donna came to Maine for a visit!  :)

Dad 126: Strike Up the Band

(Dad had his yellow-lined pages to me this morning, but I was just able to enter it now. It's not quite as nice outside as when he wrote this, but at least there is no snow. Enjoy Dad's post! -- Tracy)

Derf Here! The day started rainy, but the sun just broke through. Quite nice, actually! From the couch, it looks like a nice spring day. I'm not fooled. I know what is on the horizon! Not too much cold and snow! Please! Last week we had a couple days that stayed below freezing. Then the heat wave arrived and temps in the 50s. Up and down. Like the ups!

Spouse and I attended Josh's concert last night at the high school. (Kind of brings back memories for me as I see him playing trumpet. Those were good days back in the 1950s. Yes, I remember them well.) Enjoyed the numbers played by the concert band. Very happy to attend the performance. Now will wait for Zack's concert as he plays his tenor sax. Don't know when Zack's band will play. We'll wait and see.

Happy for our Indiana family watching their Colts win as time expired. We were fortunate to watch the ending bonus coverage here in Maine. Colts are now assured of a winning season. Quite a turnaround. Wish them "Luck" the rest of the way except when in direct competition with the Patriots.

Mark my words. With all the Patriot injuries, I will not be surprised if they get beaten up by Houston come this weekend. Monday night game, I believe.

Sad story out of Kansas City as Javon Belcher murdered the mother of their three month old, then shot himself in the presence of coach and police officers. Still waiting to hear if he had problems while playing at University of Maine. Sad, sad story! Did get a chance to see his teammate and Illinois family friend Andy Studebaker relate how the tragedy affects all of the Chiefs.

Well, I now have the motor home television in our living room. It is hooked up and is next to the big TV. So I can watch two things at once. It is great for game time. One doesn't need to hear talkative announcers to enjoy the game. So far, it is working out well. Don't miss any games that I want to watch now. Very enjoyable!

My countdown to Christmas has started. Three weeks from today it will be over. Think about that! And then 2013!! Where do the years go? How did they go by so fast? Anyone have an answer? I don't!

Enough for today. More next week. Soooo....

Until next time!

Toodle Pip!

Derf!

Mission Accomplished

Over a month ago I wrote about my project to clean and reorganize our back room upstairs.

The disco ball -- the catalyst of this project -- has been in place for a while.  But I still had boxes and cartons of stuff to sort through and put away.  I couldn't spend every hour of every day doing this, which is why it has taken me so long.

But I finally finished yesterday!

Hooray!

This project has now "spilled over" into other rooms of the house.  "Spilled over" in my mind anyway.  I am going to tackle another room after the new year.

But for now....

Hooray!

Simple Pleasures

Lew and I each ordered a new pair of slippers from L.L. Bean last week.

Our package arrived today.  Lew tore it open the minute he got home from work.

I am wearing my beautiful new chocolate-brown slippers as I write this.  I must say that they live up to their name...

Wicked Good!

An Advent Blog

Our pastor has started a blog for the Advent Season. The following is from this morning's bulletin:

Each day during the Advent season (Dec 2nd - Dec 24), a post featuring Scripture, reflection, and action will be available as a tool for preparing room for the King. We believe Jesus has arrived and will be arriving to rearrange our lives under his Kingdom of hope, peace, joy, and light.

Here's a link to the blog: Coastal Viewfinder . This link is also available on the right of my page under KEEPING UP WITH FAMILY & FRIENDS.

Please feel free to read along with my church family!

A Smashing Situation

Several days ago I noticed a little bump on the back of my right hand. The bump moves up and down as I flex my hand. It's kind of creepy.

After I demonstrated the bump and its movement to Lew, he went where all responsible people go to get a medical diagnosis: Google.

Lew's web search identified my condition as a ganglion cyst -- cause unknown and nothing to worry about. It should go away over time.

We had a good laugh when he read about the old remedy of smashing the cyst with a heavy book. Hence its nickname of Bible cyst.

(Postscript: By the way, some doctor friends at church confirmed Lew's diagnosis. So did my friend that works at a mortgage company.)

Back In the Saddle

After the Sweet Potato Incident of January 2011, I have been apprehensive about cooking another one in the microwave.

But today -- nearly two years later -- I finally worked up the nerve. I had one sweet potato sitting on my counter and I really wanted to eat it for lunch.

I am pleased to share that my attempt was a success!

Did you ever see a finer looking sweet potato?!

 

Isn't She Lovely? :)

A gal from church had a baby a week ago today. (Yes.... Thanksgiving Day at 4:26 pm!)

Little Zoe wasn't expected to arrive for another month or so. She was in the NICU until Sunday and got to go home with her parents on Monday.

I was able to meet Zoe today, although she was asleep the whole time!

It occurred to me tonight that Zoe is probably the tiniest person that I've ever seen. Such a precious little thing. And a miracle. :)

Thank you, God, for this gift of LIFE!

Dad 125: In Maine With Snowflakes

(The weather outside is frightful!  .... Not really.  Enjoy Dad's post!  -- Tracy)

Derf Here!  Another cloudy, late fall day in the Northeast.  Wind from the North (according to my weather vane).  It has been rather cold lately and from what the experts say, we are in for a very cold Friday.  Lucky to get up to freezing!!  Brrrr!!!

One week ago I thought I'd be travelling to the Midwest today.  As late as two nights ago I was still planning on hitting the road.  My plans changed overnight and the planned trip is no longer.  I guess the thought of twenty hours in the automobile caused me to lack the incentive necessary to complete the trip at this time.  Perhaps old age??

Sure hope the Eureka College dinner/concert goes well this weekend.  I'm sorry I'll not be there to witness the event.  Wish the Henry family the best for the performances.  Will be thinking of you and will be with you in spirit.  Have to put off meeting Brendon and Sam until a later date.

Happy for our Indianapolis family as the Colts bounced back from their defeat by the Patriots.  Wish Andrew Luck and his team well the rest of the way.  Really happy to see the Patriots whip on Rex Ryan and his Jets on Thanksgiving evening.  Three touchdowns in 52 seconds.  Sorry to see Tim Tebow suffer through this year with this group.  Hope he gets to play for another team in the future.  Probably not at quarterback, but he'll find a suitable position, I hope!

Just looked out the window and noticed snowflakes falling.  At the rate I see them coming down, they will not cause any serious problems.  Just makes me think of what is about to happen in the next few weeks.  I'm ready for Spring already and Winter has not even arrived!!  The plow is ready!  The tank is full of fuel!  Bring it on!!

There goes another flake.  Don't think I'll have to plow today.

The flakes have stopped!  And so have I!

Talk to you next month!

Until next time!

Toodle Pip!

Derf!

P.S.  The flakes are back!  But I'm not!

I Love Free e-Books

I have some websites that I check quite often for free e-books for my Kindle.  (Some of these sites will even send you an e-mail reminder so that you don't miss out.)  Now that the Christmas shopping season is here, I thought I would share these sites in case my readers aren't aware of them.

I check the Amazon Best Sellers: Best Kindle Store page at least once a week.  The freebies are on the right hand side.

Publisher David C Cook offers at least one free title per week.  (Sometimes more than one!)  This site has the links to more than just the Kindle version.

The following two sites often overlap, but sometimes I find a book that I missed earlier.  I take a quick peek every day.

• Gospel eBooks (Free & Discount Christian eBooks for the Kindle)
• Inspired Reads (Christian Kindle Books on a Budget)

I usually check the Christian Book Distributors (CBD) site once a week for their free e-books.  I sometimes will "buy" the CBD version (which must be read on the free online CBD Reader), although I usually check to see if the books are also free on the Kindle.  Most of the time they are.


BONUS:  FREE MUSIC!
K-Love offers one free Christian song on iTunes every two weeks.  (One specific song will be available for about a couple weeks, and then a different song will be offered.)  I usually check the site each week so that I don't have to keep track of whether I've downloaded the current song or not.


Have fun!

Our Cats Don't Play the Piano

Jerry was using our keyboard as a springboard, so I moved it a few weeks ago. After that he wasn't really landing hard on it anymore, but he and Kurt were still walking around on top of it.

Lew and I weren't happy with the situation because our keyboard cover is flimsy -- a dust cover, really.

So I googled the problem and came up with the following solution: double-sided tape. Cats don't like getting sticky paws.

I didn't want to put the tape directly on the cover, so I designed a cardboard frame that fits over the top of the keyboard. I then put the tape on the cardboard.

It's not aesthetically pleasing, but it is working so far!

 

The Early Morning News

The radio station that we wake up to (instead of an annoying buzzer) has started its annual round-the-clock playing of Christmas music.

This 24/7 treatment always begins the day after Thanksgiving and ends on Christmas Day.

I enjoy it because they play some fun favorites (like "Little Saint Nick" by The Beach Boys), but they also play songs of a spiritual nature.

So -- whether intended or not -- this ordinarily secular station is sharing the story of Christ's birth. Immanuel. God with us.

And that is GOOD news!

No NaNoWriMo

Only one more week to go in November, so I guess I won't be participating in NaNoWriMo this year.

What is NaNoWriMo?  It stands for National Novel Writing Month.  It's a challenge that takes place each November.  The goal is to write 50,000 words by the end of the month.

I did it last year, and I made the 50,000 words.  Then I started the editing process, and -- sadly -- I have not gotten very far yet.

I'm getting to a point where I want to pull the draft out again, though, so I guess I'm glad that I didn't start writing a different novel this year.

My "clean-out-and-organize-the-back-room-upstairs" project should be complete by the end of this coming week.  Then I will have a nice uncluttered environment in which to edit.

Wish me luck!

(Postscript:  Yes, I know that there are six more days to go in November.  But I would have to average 8,334 words a day in order to make it to 50,000.  No can do!)

(Post-postscript:  Happy Birthday to my sister Debbie!)

The Day After

The Friday after Thanksgiving is perhaps the laziest day of the year for me.

No... forget the "perhaps."  It is the laziest day of my year!

I spent the day lounging around in my PJ's, watching a few episodes of "Murder, She Wrote" and "Perry Mason", eating leftovers, and watching Lew put up the Christmas tree.

Lew has now commandeered the DVR, so I decided to be a little bit productive....  But only a little bit!

Happy Thanksgiving!

There were sixteen of us here for our Thanksgiving meal today.

We had way too much food (as usual), and it was all delicious (as usual).

Everyone has gone home now.

Everything has been cleaned up.

We went from chaos to serenity in a matter of minutes.

It's now time to put on my snuggies and put my feet up.

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Dad 124: Decisions, Decisions....

(I say that muscle is heavier than fat....  That's my story, and I'm sticking with it!  Enjoy Dad's post!  -- Tracy)

Derf Here!  From the most northeast section of the United States.  I might add from the most "liberal" state in the union.  Sorry to say such a thing, but it is true.

We've made another week with no snow.  The experts say the rest of this holiday weekend will be storm-free.  Thanks!

Well, the much anticipated Patriots/Colts game is in the book.  To our Colts fans, I don't feel your pain.  I'm sure in the future there will be a reversal of fortunes.  Hopefully not too soon, though.  I'll go back to rooting for the Colts the rest of the way.  Hope they make the playoffs.  Sure do have a great young leader in Luck.  However, he had none last Sunday.  Be rooting for the Pats on Thanksgiving day.  Not much time to prepare.  Hope for the best!

I'm having a big debate with none other than myself.  Can't make up my mind whether to travel to Illinois next week for a dinner/concert date to see Kaelen and Kelsey perform.  Of course, they will be directed by their dad.  I've got to decide soon as time is flying.  One minute I'm going, the next minute I'm not.  I'm almost as undecided as their mother is when she must make a decision.  I can't be in Kim's league, can I?  Please!  I'm also watching the weather.  I'll definitely not travel in a storm.  Those days are over! Believe it!  We'll see!  Let you know next week.

I've made it back to 46 minutes on the elliptical.  Believe it or not, I did five days last week (M-F).  I weigh in after Friday's session.  Well, I gained one pound from the previous Friday.  Could it be the large bag of Kit Kats I ate as I had them left over from Halloween?  I decided to eat them over the previous weekend.  I now look forward to a decrease in weight every Friday.  However, Thanksgiving week may not be kind to me.  We'll see!

To all who happen to see this post, I wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving and hope you all enjoy your families.  I know we will.

Will I be posting next week from the Midwest or not?  Only "the shadow knows."  Sooo....

Until next time!

Toodle Pip!

Derf!

Look, Ma! No Cavities! Zzzzzzz....

I go to the dentist every six months for a regular cleaning.

I rarely have any problems (only one cavity in my whole life), and today was no different.

My dental hygienist is quite nice and pleasant.  My dentist is an easy-going, down-to-earth guy.

I love the chair I get to sit in.  It's so comfortable that if I didn't have to concentrate on keeping my mouth open, I would be able to fall asleep.

I always get a free toothbrush at the end of my appointment.

Am I the only person in the world who enjoys going to the dentist?  :)

Wash, Dry, Wash, Dry... and so on

I usually try to do laundry over the weekend, but it didn't work out.  We had a young friend stay overnight at our house on Saturday, and yesterday I just wasn't motivated.

When I got up this morning, I decided that I would wash a couple fleece blankets before doing my "real" laundry.  Then I decided to wash a few other smaller fleece blankets.  Then I washed the linens on our bed.  Then the bed covering.  Then our "binkies," which are some blankets that Debbie made for us.

While I was at it, I decided to wash the guestroom linen.  (We did have company after all.)  I found a bedspread that hadn't been used for a while.  I decided to put it on the guestroom bed.  But first it needed to be laundered.  And I might as well wash the blanket that was already on the bed.

Lew was home from work before I started the "real" laundry, which I just finished folding around an hour ago.

And now, I ask myself:

WHAT WAS I THINKING?!

The Showdown

Today.

THE game of the regular NFL season.

Indianapolis Colts at New England Patriots.

Known Colts fans:

• Relatives living in Indianapolis. They have abandoned their New England roots. That's right... abandoned! (LOL!)
• Pastor David and Laura, who just moved here from Indianapolis. They have not yet changed their allegiance. (Not yet....)

 

Final score: Patriots 59, Colts 24.

Not gloating. Not at all....

 

Simple Pleasures

Lew wanted a pillow from MyPillow.com, so I ordered one for him last week. It arrived today, so Lew is excited.

Jerry is excited, too, because he has a new bed: the box the pillow came in!

Feedback and Zack

Some family members had things to say about yesterday's post:

• Lew said that he liked the idea of Chocolate chip cookie taster, but I would need to be doing it while working out on the elliptical machine.
• My father thought that at least one (or both) of the last two jobs would be available soon.  I probably shouldn't wait for a phone call, though.
• And Debbie told me tonight that I could use origami to design and make greeting cards.  Hmmmmm.... I like that idea!

We just got back from Zack's birthday party.  Twelve years old today....

Happy Birthday, Zack!  Cha cha cha!

Throwing My Hat in the Ring

I should probably get a job after the winter is over.  (Note that I said "after" the winter, as I hate driving in the snow.)

But in the meantime, please let me know if there are openings for the following positions:

• Book reader
• Origami pattern tester
• Chocolate chip cookie taster
• Movie watcher
• U. N. Ambassador
• Secretary of State of the United States

If any of these jobs are available soon, I could be persuaded to reconsider my time frame.

Dad 123: Double Reds

(If the lady from the Red Cross is reading this, I assure you that he really does!  Enjoy Dad's post!  -- Tracy)

Derf Here!  Another great fall day in the Northeast.  Looks like a great stretch of sunny days in our future.  That's what the experts say.  Hope they are right!

I'm writing this post in the afternoon this week.  I had time this morning but just didn't do it.  I just returned from the Red Cross as I donated blood today.  I have donated as many times as possible over the last 20-25 years.  I used to donate every eight weeks but have changed that routine for the past few years.  Why, you ask, did I change the routine?  Well, now I give every 16 weeks because I give "double reds."  They separate the red blood cells and the plasma drawing the first pint.  Then the plasma, along with saline solution, is returned to the blood stream.  Then the process is repeated all over again.  So I can give six pints a year by only giving three times a year.  The maximum amount in half the visits.  It doesn't get any better.  I'll return in March to do it all over again.  Between now and then we'll have gone through another winter.  Whoopee!!  In fact, one of the ladies drawing blood said to me, "You will probably have your shorts on again in March."  I told her I wear them all year round.  Yes, I really do!  I'm not sure she believed me!

Well, a note to our relatives in Indiana.  I root for the Colts and their fine rookie quarterback Andrew Luck.  However, I will not be cheering them on this weekend as their opponent will be the Patriots.  If the Patriots don't play any better than they did this past weekend, the Colts have a chance.  I'm hoping for the Patriots to go undefeated the rest of the way.  Did someone say "Super Bowl"?  It is possible if they play as well as they did against the Rams in England two weeks ago.  Maybe I have hopes that are way too high.  Just maybe!  I can dream, can't I?

Big night Friday as we all will meet at Zack's house for his 12th birthday party.  It doesn't seem possible that "little Zack" is twelve.  I must admit that as I stood beside him one week ago I actually had the strange feeling of appearing small.  So, Happy Birthday, Zack.  Can't wait for the party.  Just think, a teenager next year!

Enough bloviating (a Bill O'Reilly word) for this week.

Sooo....

Until next time!

Toodle Pip!

Derf!

Mary Low 256

I received a large envelope in the mail from Suzy's mother this past June. She had helped Suzy clean out a few things, and they came across a poster I had done as part of a calligraphy class during college. Suzy's mom made a copy and sent the original to me.

Below is a photo of the poster.  The poster is my attempt at a comical rendering of our dorm room during our sophomore year in college.  (I hear that Suzy's habits have changed since then!)  I used the panorama setting on my iPhone to take the photo.  You may need to right-click and save the photo to your own computer in order to look at the details more closely.

One thing that I'm surprised I didn't include on the poster:  My mathematical rendering of our dorm room number... Mary Low 16-squared!

Story Adaptations

During the premiere episode of the TV series "Elementary," I was ready to quit watching after the first ten minutes but Lew wanted to give it a chance. I'm glad he did! We've seen every episode so far.

We initially started watching because we both enjoy Sherlock Holmes. We have watched some of the older movies based on his character. We've seen the first of the recent Robert Downey Jr. movies. And we especially enjoy the Masterpiece Mystery series. And now "Elementary" is another adaptation that we are really enjoying.

I also like watching different interpretations of Cinderella's story. Lew is a good sport and will usually watch with me if I ask him to!

Craft Show, Day 2

Working two consecutive days at a craft show tuckers a person out. I'm just a rookie, but you can take my word for it! But it was a lot of fun. :)

The sale that made my day:

A lovely retirement-age couple stopped at our table. The wife really liked a certain necklace. As they walked away, I continued to make eye contact with the husband. He mouthed, "How much?" After I responded he said he'd think about it.

Several minutes later he came back (alone) and bought the necklace for his wife. His alibi: the men's room.

When this same couple returned to our table later, the wife was disappointed to see that the necklace was gone.

"Ma'am, look in your husband's pocket!"

I didn't actually say that, of course. But thinking about when she receives her gift... well, that makes me happy.

(Postscript: I'm pretty sure this couple doesn't read my blog, so I'm not spoiling the surprise. But then again, I DID give this very piece of advice in yesterday's post!)

Craft Show, Day 1

Carole and I had a fun day, and I'm looking forward to tomorrow.  In the meantime, I have some tips for craft-show shoppers:

Ladies.... If your husband does not want to go to the craft show with you, then PLEASE let him stay home.  (LOL!)

Men.... If your wife makes you go to the craft show, then PLEASE pay attention!  If you do that, you will have ample ideas for Christmas gifts for her.  Then come back to our table when she's not looking, and VOILA!  You are done with your Christmas shopping.  I'm just sayin'....

Smile!

It's Craft Show Season

I have a busy weekend ahead. I'm going to help my jewelry-making friend, Carole, at a craft show. I will be responsible for collecting payments, but anything to do with "craft" is all up to Carole!

I have to leave my house at 6:30 tomorrow morning, so I think I'll be snoozing shortly.

G'night!

My Voting Success... Not!

I have a meeting tonight, so this will be short.  Here's how I did at the polls on Tuesday:

• U.S. President ... Lost
• U.S. Senator ... Lost
• U.S. House Rep ... Lost
• State Senator ... Lost
• State House Rep ... Won (by only 18 votes!)
• Same-Sex Marriage in Maine ... Lost
• Four State bond issues .... Won 1, Lost 3
• Town council (one for 2-yr term) ... Won
• Town council (two for 3-yr term) ... Won 1, Lost 1
• Town bond for new fire truck ... Won

Additional comments:

Bummed about the president getting re-elected.
Bummed about the passage of same-sex marriage in Maine.
Happy that Scarborough is getting a new fire truck.

Dad 122: Election 2012 (The Day After)

(I asked Dad to keep his post short today, and he complied!  I agree with his sentiments.  I would add that our TRUE hope is in the Lord, and I know Dad would agree.  May God have mercy on us.  -- Tracy)

Derf Here!  Awaiting a nor'easter if the experts are correct.  Bring it on, I'm ready.  The day after the election and I won nothing.  I'm sad!!

The past couple days I've seen hate directed at daughter Deb for posting a Bible study on Facebook.  (The subject:  same-sex marriage.)  I heard an ex-president convicted of perjury tell us we don't want a president who lies to us.  (Good show, Mr. Clinton!  I still recall the finger wave in denial.)  I witnessed a president re-elected with unpatriotic debt (his words for his predecessor) and record-setting unemployment.  (Promises broken!)

We have dumbed down.  Our only hope:  John Boehner and the house.

My conclusion:  Only in America can a president be re-elected for failure.

God Bless the USA!

Until next time!

Toodle Pip!

Derf!

Civic Duty

 

Kitty Klaws: The Sequel

In an earlier post, I expressed my apprehension about having to eventually trim Kurt's claws.

"Eventually" arrived.

When we've done Jerry's in the past, Lew has both held the cat and trimmed the claws -- while I distracted the cat.  Tonight we tried something different:  I held Jerry while Lew trimmed his claws.  It worked very well.

So we decided to use this new method on Kurt.

And....

He was such a good kitty!  Neither Lew nor I could believe how well-behaved he was.  After several weeks of dreading this event, it turned out to be a breeze.

We love our kitties!

Faith, Fashion, and Friends

A couple weeks ago I wrote about a women's event at church. My friend Trista was the main speaker.

You can see half of Trista in the leftmost side of this picture. And who is that other person?

Did I mention that I had a walk-on role???

A Crazy, Fun-Filled Day!

This morning I had six gals over for waffles -- which one of them made, of course!  We ended up watching a couple movies after our waffle feast.  My dear husband got home sometime early afternoon and cleaned the kitchen up.  (Thank you, Sweetie!)

Our "girls day in" ended at about 5:00 p.m.

By 5:30 p.m. Lew and I were at church for a potluck dinner.  Three of the six gals were there, too!

After the potluck we stopped at Glen & Debbie's house to check out their Halloween setup -- lights, sound, Glen making crazy noises, etc.  (Trick-or-treating was tonight in Scarborough due to Hurricane Sandy.)

When we got home, I immediately started on all of the projects and chores that I would usually have done by now.  But instead of doing my projects earlier, I decided to have a crazy, fun-filled day!  :)

An Energizer Day

Day #2 of my big push to clean/reorganize the back room. Worked as long as I felt I could, but I was still short of what I wanted to accomplish today.

So I kept going... and going... and going.

I finally made my goal, which makes me happy.

My feet, however, are aching. And I'm pretty sure that my back will be aching soon as well.

Aches and pains.... A small price to pay for being able to move the disco ball.... Eventually move it, that is!

A Woman With a Mission

It all started because of a disco ball.

"It" is the massive clean-out and reorganization of our back room upstairs.  Our back room has my desk, a daybed, several shelves, our elliptical machine, and Lew's home gym.  Oh, and we mustn't forget the cats' pooperias.

Our disco ball was displaced two years ago when we got the elliptical machine.  The ball was blocking the line of sight to the TV from the elliptical machine, and we couldn't have that!

I recently got it into my head that I would like to put the disco ball back where it belongs.  (We miss not being able to impress our guests!)  But to do that, we have to move the elliptical machine.  Which means we have to move my desk.  Which means we have to move Lew's home gym.  Which means.... Well, you get the idea!

So, the makeover of the back room has begun.  Lew is being very patient as I work out my plan.  But the cats are a little confused!

Dad 121: Sandy, the World Series, & Those Political Ads

(The day after "The Day After." Enjoy Dad's post! --Tracy)

Derf here! The sun shone brightly this morning but we have the threat of showers for the next few days. Halloween is here, but our local police have decided to tell the trick-or-treaters to stay home tonight and go out Saturday evening instead. The storm called "Sandy" wasn't as bad as expected in our coastal area. We had severe winds causing some trees and lines to be down, but our house had not a flicker of power loss. Fortunate indeed! We lucked out!

I must admit at times our house did seem to shake occasionally as the winds were blowing. Our thoughts and prayers go out for our neighbors to our south that lost everything in the storm. The devastation witnessed on the news seems unreal. Snow in West Virginia; New York City flooded; a whole town burned (80+ homes); New Jersey absolutely destroyed. The power of Mother Nature seemed to exceed anything witnessed to date! Will the destroyed areas be rebuilt? Only time will tell. I can't imagine how I would feel if in the same predicament as those who lost everything!

Well, now to the 2012 baseball season. It is over. Thank goodness! It wasn't the result I wanted, but the San Francisco Giants were the better of the two World Series teams. The Tigers were totally outplayed as Marco Scutaro drove in the winning run. Just think, a short while ago he was playing in Fenway Park for the home team. Wait till 2015!! We'll be back! Hopefully! Maybe! It is only a game!

Are you "sick and tired" of all the political advertisements on TV? I'm watching one as I write this. I am sure glad for the remote's MUTE button. By the time I write my next post, if all goes well and there is no extension of the voting day, I'll not have to watch any more of these promotional ads. Vote for me! I'll change Washington! Don't discriminate! Vote "yes on one" for same-sex marriage! (My "no" vote has been cast.)

It has been an exciting Fall. We've witnessed an earthquake, the storm of the ages, a bad Boston sports team, birthdays for Josh, Zack and Eli (Zack's will be this coming month), and a most important election within the next week.

One last comment. I like what Jay Leno said: "Don't ask, Don't tell" is back.... It's Obama's new policy for questions about Libya.

Enough for now! Soooo....

Until next time!

Toodle Pip!

Derf!

The Day After

Hurricane Sandy has come and gone.  We never lost power at our house, and to my knowledge our road never flooded over.

Lew got a phone call this morning from a work colleague.  No power at the office.  A day off for Lew -- the only abnormality that we really encountered.

We are thankful that we fared so well.  Our thoughts and prayers are with those in areas that experienced so much devastation.  May the Lord calm them and grant them peace within.  He is able....

Jesus Calms a Storm

23 And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him. 24 And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep. 25 And they went and woke him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing.” 26 And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. 27 And the men marveled, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?”

-- Matthew 8:23-27 (ESV)

Sandy

Hurricane Sandy has presented her calling card. It is raining and very windy here in Southern Maine.

Lew arrived home from work a few minutes ago. I was so glad to see his vehicle turn into our driveway.

We are not expected to get the worst of Sandy. However, we have been warned to expect power outages and possible flooding.

I am praying for all those that are in the path of this storm. Please be safe!

Photos From My Birthday... By Eli

I turned a year old yesterday.  That blue stuff on my face?  Cookie Monster frosting!

Yum!  You make good cake, Momma!

Happy Birthday to MEEEEEE!!!!!

There were lots of people at my party!  I had so much fun.
My cousin Josh was playing with my blanket, making me laugh!
My cousin Zack laughed, too!

Karma stayed in Momma and Daddy's room the WHOLE time.
I have only one thing to say to you, Karma:
"Every party needs a pooper, that's why we invited you.  Party Pooper!"

I got PRESENTS for my birthday!  Lots of clothes and toys.
Daddy and I were VERY busy playing in this picture.

Uncle Riean made this toy box for me.  WOW!!!!!

That was a great party.  But I'm ready for a nap now.
It's not EVERY day that you turn ONE!

Eli is the Birthday Boy!

We went to a big birthday bash at Eli's house today. It is hard to believe he is one year old.

Happy Birthday to you, Sweet Baby Boy!!!

(Postscript: Below is a party photo of Eli with cousin Zack, Uncle Glen, and cousin Josh. Check back tomorrow for more pics!)

I Write a Song

Jerry heard Lew and I when we got home from the grocery store tonight, so our little gray kitty came downstairs to hang out with us.  (Kurt opted to stay upstairs on our bed.)

When I saw Jerry, I started to sing to him.  I sang a song that I made up.  It goes like this:

Jerry Kitty!
He's my Jerry Kitty!
He's Jerry Kitty!
He's my Jerry Kitty!

The above is repeated as many times as one wishes to sing it.  And the various lines are interchangeable.  For instance, one could sing:

He's Jerry Kitty!
He's my Jerry Kitty!
He's my Jerry Kitty!
Jerry Kitty!

I asked Lew if he enjoyed my song, and he indicated that it might become tedious after a while.

Hmmm.... I wonder why he feels that way....

The Things You Learn When You Buy a New Hairbrush

I purchased a hairbrush at the grocery store yesterday. When I got home, I threw out my old brush and also my comb. I don't really need a comb for my short hair, so I figured, "Why not simplify?"

When Lew got home from work tonight, he asked, "What happened to the comb that you used to keep on the bathroom sink?" After I told him, he got a funny look on his face. He certainly doesn't need a comb, so I was confused by his reaction.

He explained, "It was a great backscratcher."

In response to my look of horror, he said, "I always rinsed it off. But I never told you about it, because I know how you feel about such things."

Uh, okay.

I eventually recovered from Lew's revelation that he used my comb to scratch his itchy, sweaty back.

And I even fished the comb out of the trash for him.

Scratch away, Sweetie!

Dad 120: These Aren't The Good Old Days

(I allowed Dad to comment on the forbidden subject.  I think it's time to lift the ban anyway.  And I usually don't mention politics very much in my own posts, but Dad makes up for that today.  Enjoy!  -- Tracy)

Derf Here!  Enjoying another great sunny day in the Northeast.  The weather experts have predicted the next few days will be similar.  I'll take it!  Because I know what's in the future.

Well, football season is over for Josh and Zack.  Josh's team finished the fall schedule with a win over Gorham.

Our local (Scarborough) high school varsity squads are all in the state playoffs.  Cross country, boys' and girls' soccer, football, and field hockey have a shot at winning some playoff games.  The field hockey team will be playing Saturday for the state championship.  They completed the Western Maine championships undefeated.  Not only undefeated, but the team has not allowed a goal throughout the fall season.  Quite remarkable!

All in the Northeast are quite happy about the new Red Sox manager.  The pitching coach from 2006-2010 returns as manager.  Welcome back, John Farrell.  (I hope Tracy allows this paragraph to be printed.  Please!)

I'm up to 38 minutes on the elliptical.  Hoping to get to 46 within the next couple of weeks.  I skipped today as I had my daily schedule changed due to a trip to Toys-R-Us.  I'll use any excuse I can to skip exercise.  It worked out well for me.  Back at it tomorrow, though.  No excuses!

Right now I'm anxiously awaiting to complete this election cycle.  Really fed up with local ads promoting same-sex marriage.  I use the remote frequently to change channels or mute the comments being made.  Some of them make no sense to me.  TALK IS CHEAP!  Those doing the talking should SHUT UP!  Two more weeks.  On my phone, out of 30 calls received, I answered only about five of the calls.  I love caller ID.  A real life saver this time of year.  Thanks for CALLER ID!!

I have already voted.  Voted against same-sex marriage.  I will be on the losing side of this.  Maine seems to be one of the most liberal states in the country.  It wasn't like this when I was growing up.  Oh, for the good old days.  If my parents were to return, I'm sure they would not recognize the new morality of my home state.  I can't believe we've lost our way, but we have.  Sad!  Sad!  Sad!  The whole country is on the decline.  I'm hoping for a reversal of this direction in two weeks.  Please pray for this change!!

Until next time!

Toodle Pip!

Derf!

Lots Going On

I've been staying up too late watching baseball.  There is no game tonight, so maybe I'll get to sleep at a decent hour.

The final presidential debate was on last night, but I opted to DVR it (as I did the first two debates and the V.P. debate).  I watched it this afternoon.

I do expect several late nights over the next couple weeks:

• The World Series
• Election Night Coverage

It will be nice when November 6th is over so that I can get some rest!

Cat Walk

Our newer kitty, Kurt, sometimes wakes me up close to 3:00 in the morning.  It doesn't happen all the time, but often enough.

I have learned how to deal with this interruption.

I usually have to visit "the facility" anyway about that time, so I get up and do so.  Kurt follows me.

Then I walk into our guest room -- which happens to be the room right next to our bedroom.  Kurt follows me.

I always have food and water available for the cats in the guest room.  After we walk into the room, Kurt goes immediately to the food dish and starts chomping away.

Then I go back to sleep.  Presumably, Kurt does, too.

Do you know anyone else who takes her cat for a walk at 3:00 in the morning?!

The Cardiac Kids

Why am I a sports fan?

The Patriots tried to lose their game today, but somehow they pulled out a win.

It was stressful.

At one point I said to Lew, "The decade of dominance is over."

Time will tell whether I am correct or not.

I hope "not."

Falling for You

We had a women's event at church tonight.  I went early to help set up for it.

At one point there were three of us up front working on the left-hand side of the platform.  I was being extra careful because of the different levels of the risers.

The extra care didn't help, I guess, because I soon found myself falling....

It was one of those moments that happens in slow motion.  You're aware that it's happening, but you can't do anything about it.

I knocked over a little speaker-type thing and almost knocked over a display that we had already prepared for the event.

Apparently there was a loud noise attached to all of this, because one of the gals thought I had banged my head.  Fortunately I hadn't.

Another gal was worried about my ankle.  It's a little stiff, but I don't think it's sprained.

So all in all, I made out okay.  But I won't be surprised if I'm a bit achy in the morning!

Nipping It In The Bud

I had a migraine coming on late this afternoon. So I curled up on the bed and listened to some soft, soothing classical music.

I was feeling a little better by the time Lew got home from work. He made me some soup for dinner, and that completed my recovery.

Migraine successfully averted! :)

They're GRRReat!

Yahoo!

I know that the major league baseball season isn't quite over -- the World Series hasn't even started yet -- but the high point of the season just occurred:

The Detroit Tigers swept the New York Yankees in the American League Championship Series!!!

A great big huge "THANK YOU" to the Tigers for beating the Yankees.  This Maine girl is very happy.  :)

Best wishes to Detroit in the World Series!

Yahoo!

Dad 119: More on the Earthquake (and Sports)

(Dad mentioned the forbidden subject again, but I allowed it because of the nickname he coined for them.  And did you know my cats are interested in the baseball playoffs?  They are rooting for the Tigers, of course!  Enjoy Dad's post!  -- Tracy)

Derf Here!  From the Northeast on a beautiful fall day.  I don't know how, but a better day is forecast for tomorrow.  I plan on mowing the lawn for the last time this year.  It is growing no more as we had a deep frost a few days ago.  Must wait and mow in the afternoon tomorrow as it takes all morning to dry out with all the morning dew.  No elliptical tomorrow.  I'll get my exercises mowing the lower forty!  Can't wait!

Well, Zack's team lost (20-8) its last football game of the year.  But Zack was happy as he caused a fumble and his team recovered the ball.  Josh continues to stay on the sideline as his pulled muscle has not completely healed.  He continues to go to practice as a non-participant and travels to all games.  His season ends the week.

Yesterday was quite a day.  Around 7:15 P.M. our home shook rather violently.  I thought we were being invaded by foreign tanks.  It lasted a few seconds and my immediate assessment was an earthquake.  It was originally posted as a 4.6 but today it was said to be a 4.0.  It was interesting to see the event on a "crawl" while watching Fox News.  A few seconds later the anchors were reporting it.  It was felt as far as Hartford, Connecticut and Albany, New York. Games were held up as teams left the fields as the ground rumbled beneath them.  In a few minutes, the games resumed and no serious damages were reported as far as we know.  Kind of EXCITING!

The evening improved.  I watched the heavyweight debate and also watched the Yankees go down three games to none to the Detroit Tigers.  I actually root for Derek Jeter when he plays.  He is the only Yankee I root for.  Now that he is done for the year I have no one I like on the squad.  Even though I root for Jeter I want the Yankees to lose.  Go Tigers.  A former student at Cape Elizabeth High School is the head trainer for Detroit.  His dad taught in the room next to mine.  I officiated several basketball games with him.  So my allegiance is for the Tigers throughout the playoffs as my beloved "Red Flops" are home.  Maybe they should stay there.

The Patriots lost their third game.  They have lost three games by a total of four points.  Bad decisions -- can't close out games.  If they don't wake up they will miss the playoffs.  Might even get beat by the Jets this week.  GO PATS!! Really!

Put my plow on this morning.  More about getting ready for winter to follow.

Until next time!

Toodle Pip!

Derf!

EARTHQUAKE!

I can recall "feeling" only three earthquakes while living in Maine:

• One when I was in college.  Very, very small tremor.
• One when Lew and I lived in Portland.  Very, very small tremor.
• And one TODAY!  NOT SMALL!

Maybe in the whole scheme of earthquakes, today's wasn't so bad -- 4.6 magnitude -- but it certainly caused me some concern for the several seconds that it lasted.

At first I thought it was the furnace coming on.  But then the house started to shake and the rumble was WAY too loud to be the furnace.

Lew and I looked at each other (with alarm) and then got up quickly to check on my parents.  They were both standing up looking somewhat alarmed as well.  Dad said, "Earthquake."

Lew made phone calls to his mother and Matt and confirmed that they had felt it, too.  I went on Facebook, which was already buzzing with the news.  Apparently other people also had thought "furnace exploding."

Hopefully nobody was injured and that damage (if any) was minimal.

I'm glad that it's over.

The Final Fork

I've had a bit of a "sour stomach" the past couple days, so I've been lax in my household chores.  (More lax than usual, that is.)

Tonight Lew asked me if I was going to run the dishwasher.  It seems that he had just used the last clean fork.

Other than major events like Thanksgiving, I don't ever recall getting down to our last fork.  I said to Lew, "I know this happens to other people, so this makes me feel like a normal person."

And it felt kinda' good!

(But, yes, the dishwasher is now running....)

Mixed Sports Emotions

Today's "High": The Detroit Tigers beat the New York Yankees. Detroit leads the series, 2-0.

Today's "Low": The New England Patriots lost after they had led for most of the game.

The "High" was higher than the "Low" was low. I guess I hate the Yankees more than I love the Patriots. (Is that bad?)

GO, TIGERS!!!

Better Late Than Never...?

Last night I stayed up far too late and watched the St. Louis Cardinals come back from a two-run deficit in the 9th inning to beat the Washington Nationals.

As a result of my late-night escapade, I have felt slightly "off" for much of today.

For example, my eyes were slamming shut just now. So I turned off my light to let Mr. Sandman complete his work.

Then I remembered... I forgot to do my blog post!

So here it is, folks. And now, Mr. Sandman is calling....

Fast After Midnight

I went for some routine blood work this morning.

My appointment was at 8:00 a.m.

I wasn't supposed to eat for 10 to 12 hours before my appointment (although the card said midnight).

My eating schedule wasn't really disrupted too much.

So how come I felt hungrier this morning than I normally do?

It was probably psychological....  Tell the kid, "Don't do that," and what does she want to do?

I ate a banana right when I got home.  And boy, did it taste good!

Consecutive Day

One of my Facebook friends wrote the following in her status today:

Happy Consecutive Day! It can only happen 2 more times this century!

It took me a second, but then I realized what she meant.  Today is 10/11/12.

And the additional times that it can happen?  Not too hard to figure out:

• 11/12/13
• 12/13/14

So here's wishing you all a Happy Consecutive Day!

Postscript:  I love stuff like this.

Dad 118: No Monkeying Around

(I've heard the following tale several times. I always like hearing it! Enjoy Dad's post. -- Tracy)

Derf here! From the "cool" Northeast. Fall is definitely in the air. The whole state expects a frost in the next couple days. Most of the state has already experienced a frost, but along the coast we have not. It will be here shortly. One last mowing coming up.

Just a quick mention about Zack's football game Saturday. Perhaps a record was set. You see, Zack's team received the opening kickoff. However, 23 seconds later the opponent was ahead 8 - 0. The game continued and the final score was 20 - 8. The 23-second score was the only one the opponent accomplished. Another "W." Josh is still injured. Hopefully he'll play this week. Only two football weekends left.

I had my memory jogged recently as I was watching one of the court shows on TV. I think it was "Judge Judy." A person had left property with a friend but failed to retrieve it in an orderly fashion. It seems two years went by with no communication. Well you can guess the result. Upon returning for her property, it was unavailable. The person storing it had done away with it. A case of abandoning property. Tough luck!

A similar incident happened to my dad many years ago. Those of you that have read my blogs, you are aware that we had several monkeys (all named Chee Chee) while growing up. Here is a tale of one of them.

A traveling salesperson stopped by Dad's store one day. Dad was a yankee trader, and was always buying, selling or trading something. Well the salesman saw the monkey and for some reason Dad sold it to him. He was to return to pick up the beast shortly. Well, almost a year to the day, the salesman returned and wanted his monkey. In the meantime, Dad had sold Chee Chee.

Now the fun begins. The salesman was not pleased. Shortly after the confrontation, a call from a local lawyer was received by Dad. It seems the man thought he was going to win the case. Well, suffice it to say the case went no further. Dad called the local veterinarian, who boarded dogs, to see what room and board for a monkey would be. The cost would have been prohibitive, even for a dog. As soon as the call back to the lawyer was made, the case ended. It was an interesting day, however. Another tale!! Life, back in the day, was quite interesting. Kind of miss the old days!

More to come next week. About what, I don't know.

Until next time!

Toodle Pip!

Derf!

Two Cats Napping

Here is pictorial proof that our cats have bonded.  :)

Jerry and Kurt.
This is what they do most of the day!

1,052 Pickup

I am transitioning the cats' food. I had two smaller bags of their "old" food, so I mixed those together with the "new" food in a large container.

Last night the container was about a third full. I decided to top it off so that it would have a larger percentage of the "new" food.

As I was shaking the container to mix the additional "new" food with the previous mixture, I sauntered into the living room to chat with Lew.

Lew noticed what I was doing, and he suggested that I "tumble" instead of "shake."

"Fine!" I thought as I handed him the container.

He began tumbling.

I didn't think to tell him to hold the cover on. That should have been obvious, right?

RIGHT?

As the hundreds of pieces of cat food fell all over Lew, the couch, and the floor, I did the only thing that is appropriate in such situations: I laughed my head off.

And then I helped Lew pick up the food -- although I did consider letting him do that by himself!

The Cookie Monster

The kids at church had a bake sale today to raise money for some new chairs for their area.

Glen & Debbie bought some chocolate chip cookies.

Glen gave a cookie to Eli.

I think you can all guess the result....

But just in case you can't, here's a picture of Eli and Grampa!

 

More Time With Young Friends

I spent some time with my two young friends again.

The almost two-year-old boy is still almost two years old.

The almost twelve-year-old girl is no longer "almost," because she turned twelve today!

I just got home from her birthday party. I was also at her house for about three hours earlier today, hanging out with her and her brother.

Once again, I enjoyed our time together.

And once again, I am tuckered out! :)

We Eat Out

Lew and I went grocery shopping tonight.  A Friday night shopping trip means dinner out.

When we got to the restaurant, I saw two women from our church. They were both eating the Macaroni & Cheese special. It looked delicious, so that's what I ordered, too.

The ladies from church took home about half of their meals.

I ate everything on my plate.

And now I am very happy we have Tums in our medicine cabinet!

(Postscript:  But the Mac & Cheese was so worth it....)

Doc McStuffins

Right after lunch today I had a babysitting gig, during which I was introduced to a cartoon that I had never seen before:  Doc McStuffins (a Disney Junior show).

"Doc" is a young girl who "heals" stuffed animals and toys.  The animals and toys become animated in her care.

The show that I watched with my young charge today had two different stories.  The first one was about a stuffed cow that accidentally got left outside in the rain, and the cow was mad at her owner.  (Moral:  Everyone makes mistakes.)  The second was about a soccer ball that needed to be pumped up with air, but he was afraid of the needle.  So his stuffed friends surrounded him with encouragement.

It's a cute show.

And I feel much more culturally aware.

Dad 117: It's Debatable...?

(Dad wrote a paragraph about the forbidden subject.  So I refused to type it....  Tough love, Dad, tough love.... Enjoy my father's post!  -- Tracy)

Derf here! From the damp, soggy northeast corner of these United States. Fall is in the air. Get used to it. Snow will be flying around before you know it. Good Grief!! (Stolen from the Peanuts comic strip. Don't want to be called a plagiarizer!)

Well, I don't have any good news from Josh's and Zack's football games. We'll see what happens this week. Stay tuned. Josh is still injured and I just found out he will not play in this week's game. I will not attend.

Only five more weeks watching these wall-to-wall ads for the candidates hoping to be elected to represent us in the state and federal government. I'll probably watch the debate tonight. It will be of interest to me how participants are able to defend their positions. I'll just wait and see. Defending the indefensible seems to be getting more the norm than the exception. I have made my mind up. I base my vote on the record of the candidates. Which one has accomplished what they said they would do. I guess I fall into Clint Eastwood's camp. More later!

The Patriots finally woke up in the second half Sunday as they were down 21 - 7. Scoring 35 unanswered points can do a lot for one's confidence. Now they must keep it up.

I seem to be out of material. So....

Until next time!

Toodle Pip!

Derf!

(Postscript:  Tracy here.  For those of you that must know about the forbidden paragraph, you can see it below in it's raw form!)

Kitty Klaws

We are supposed to trim the cats' claws once a month.  The vet did Kurt's during his first visit, so he's all set for a bit.  We just did Jerry's tonight.

Lew is in charge of the actual trimming.  He holds on to Jerry as best he can while I stand to one side and "chain feed" goodies to Jerry.  He is still a little squirmy in spite of the distraction, but we manage.

We are not looking forward to trimming Kurt's claws.  He is a larger, stronger cat.  And he is not as "pliable" as Jerry.

I think that someone should invent a cat tranquilizer that lasts for five minutes.  Let me know if you come up with one!

Scripture Typer

I learned about a cool website today that will help me memorize the Sermon on the Mount.  It's called Scripture Typer and you can find it here:  Scripture Typer.

I signed up for a free account on the site.  I even paid $3.99 for the iPhone app.  :)

I have been putting off starting the memorization process, but now I have no excuse!

A Grand Milestone

On this rainy Sunday afternoon, I am celebrating a major milestone:  This is the 1,000th post on Mainely Tracy!

Regular readers know that I have not personally written every single post.  My father (a.k.a. Derf) has written 116 of them.  And a few have been credited to Eli and Pepper.

How am I celebrating?  With a lazy afternoon... complete with NFL football and hot chocolate.

Thank you for reading my blog!

The Best Thing About Fall

I suppose some people think the best thing about fall is football season. Although I do enjoy watching football, I am not one of those people.

What about the start of school? When I was a small child, I really liked school.  But as I got older, I decided it was just "okay."

The foliage? The crisp air? Apple picking?

Nope. None of the above.

The best thing about fall by far is the return of the pumpkin muffin at my favorite breakfast joint!

Cat Feng Shui

Lew and I have been losing control of our home.  Since we got Jerry about four months ago, we have had to "kitty-proof" our house quite a bit.  With the arrival of Kurt, our living room has been looking like a cat amusement park.

I finally realized that we need to be more intentional when rearranging things.  After all, we live here, too!

So today I did some work in the living room and in the guest room.  Although I considered the cats' needs, I mostly paid attention to what will work for us -- "us" being the humans.

We are now back in control.

Our Household's Day

Lew went to work.

My mother did laundry.

Jerry and Kurt napped away the afternoon.

I'm not sure what my father accomplished, but he usually has something going on.

I sold three pieces of jewelry (with Lew's permission) back to Maine Gold & Silver.  I never wear the pieces, and they were just taking up space in my drawer.  I got more money than I expected.  :)

I have a meeting at church tonight.

Lew and Dad will get to watch the football game, because Time Warner's digital subscribers now get the NFL Network.  (Finally!)