Dad 234: The Last Post of 2014

(Definitely Dad's shortest post so far! Enjoy! ~ Tracy)

 

Derf Here! Enjoying today, the last day of 2014, as the sun shines brightly and the temperature dips to single-digit numbers. It is cold!

 

Nothing else to say or write today except:

 

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

 

Until next time!

 

Toodle Pip!

 

Derf!

Gum Recession Leads to No Fun

I have two teeth with enough gum recession that I need gum grafts. My first procedure was yesterday. The other will be in a few months.

 

The graft tissue is taken from the same side of the roof of your mouth. I asked to see the graft tissue before the doctor put it in the recipient site. (He said I was the first patient in 24 years that has asked!) It was this nice little pink strip of flesh.

 

May I say that undergoing this procedure was not fun? It was not fun at all.

 

The left side of my mouth is now out of commission for chewing purposes for the next week. I have these "silly putty" dressings on the roof of my mouth and over the graft site. It feels weird.

 

I am not allowed to eat crunchy stuff. So no nachos tomorrow night! Happy New Year to me. :(

 

To do: Get through the next few days of special eating without whining too much.

Orcs and Cats

Orcs. Lew and I went to see The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies on Saturday with our friends. We saw it in IMAX 3D. I'm glad that we paid more to see this movie in 3D, because I don't think I would have enjoyed it at all in the regular theater. There was not much of a plot - just lots of fighting - so the 3D aspect at least added some interest. As I watched the movie, I tried to figure out the five armies: dwarves, elves, humans, orcs (two armies of orcs!), eagles, a smaller band of dwarves, a hobbit - does Bilbo count as his own army of one? That's more than five, so I obviously didn't grasp the meaning of "army" for this movie.... Did I mention there was lots of fighting?

 

Cats. Photos and videos of cats are all over social media. Regular readers of my blog know that I sometimes post about my own cats, especially when they misbehave. My Aunt Debbie sent me an interesting news clipping last week - a pet advice column on clicker training cats and what rewards work best. I don't know if I could use clicker training with Jerry and Kurt because they already have us trained! (They meow, we deliver!!!) But maybe I should try.... Hmmm....

Christmas Morning in Photos

Major thing to report on this week: Christmas, of course! We spent the morning at Matt & Emily's house and the afternoon at Debbie & Glen's.

 

The day before: Christmas Eve service at church.

The day after: Absolutely nothing! (We did venture out once for about half an hour.)

 

Some Christmas morning photos for your enjoyment....

 

Grampa!

Front row: Matt, Lew. Back: Emily's mom, Eli, goofy Wayne.

Merry Christmas from Adam!

Emily made a wonderful breakfast for us.

Let's play!

Eli plays Spot It!

Adam and Grampa fed the dinosaur.

Tia gets a photo with Adam.

Tia and Eli share some playtime.

 

And what would Christmas be without getting into a little bit of trouble!

 

A Fantasy Football Legend

Writing prompt: Skin.

 

The first thing I thought of when I read this prompt was football, as in pigskin.

 

Then I thought of Lew's fantasy football league and the fact that I have neglected to mention this year's winner: Matt!

Congratulations, Matt!

 

This was a church league, and Emily recently posted this photo (along with her amusing comment) to our church Facebook group:

 

Jus' Sayin'

(Disclaimer: I don't really even know why this is important but I love my husband so I happily play along.)

 

And that concludes my five-minute Friday post on this day after Christmas.

 

Merry Christmas!

For unto us a Child is born....

 

The Baby Jesus!

 

Merry Christmas!

 

Dad 233: Merry Christmas!

(Enjoy Dad's next-to-last post of 2014! ~ Tracy)

 

Derf Here! Here in the midst of a wet storm that will take us through tomorrow. Not too sorry that it is rain. No plowing involved. But really would like a small covering of snow for Christmas. Not happening. Bah, Humbug!

 

Well, the Patriots now have 'home field' for the playoffs. They were fortunate to beat the Jets by a point. And even more fortunate that the Broncos lost to Cincinnati. The Colts took a beating but had their conference wrapped up. Just a letdown after winning their division. Good luck to the Pats and the Colts in the playoffs.

 

Simply put, to you and yours....

 

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

 

Until next time!

 

Toodle Pip!

 

Derf!

 

A Slow Cooker for a Slow Cooker

Lew got me a 6-quart slow cooker for Christmas. The reason I know this: I wanted a specific one, which he could not locate in any local retail stores. So he told me to go ahead and order it from Amazon.

 

When it arrived last week, it didn't make sense for him to wrap it and wait to give it to me on Christmas Day. The suspense was already gone, after all.

 

I decided I should try it out soon. So last Friday I found an easy lasagna recipe online. Then I invited some friends (our pastor's family) to join us. The lasagna date was set for last night.

 

After ellipticalizing (see yesterday's post), I began making the lasagna. I had already read about how to brown ground beef. (Please don't laugh.) I had already read about how to simmer. (Do I hear laughing?) Despite my advance preparation, I was still a little scared. Okay, a LOT scared.

 

I managed to have the completed lasagna in the slow-cooker only 15 minutes later than I'd planned. (Note to self: When the recipe says 15 minutes prep time, quadruple that for me.)

 

Then I needed to clean up the kitchen. I had about three "emergency" dishes and two items that I didn't even use – they were just in the way. Plus I had the dishes that I actually needed. It took me a long time to get the kitchen looking presentable again, but I did it. (Then I took a much-needed shower.)

 

Our guests arrived shortly after the slow cooker switched over to the "Warm" setting. The lasagna was ready! And it came out great!

 

To do: Find additional easy recipes for my new slow cooker.

 

But for today's "to do," I think I'll take a hint from my kitties!

 

 

Also Known As "Alias"

Several months ago I read about the TV series "Alias" on another blog. I decided to put it in my Netflix queue.

 

Last week I started to watch the show while working out on the elliptical machine.

 

How do I like the show so far? Let's just say that today I ended up watching two full episodes! And, yes, that's while ellipticalizing!!!

 

I am going to start telling people that I am following the "Alias" exercise plan. LOL!

Lew Outsmarts a Kitty

So I spoke too soon last Saturday when I wrote that Jerry was no longer interested in the humidifier. About midweek he began to attack it again. He got his paw through the bars of the cage and was dislodging the cap.

 

After a few nights of this, Lew had had enough. Lew's solution:

 

 

There's no way Jerry can get that cap off now! (And neither can anyone else, not easily anyway.) I am so proud of Lew for winning the battle with the cat.

 

Yesterday I wrapped all the Christmas presents. I would say that I spent about five hours doing it. I listened to Christmas music as I wrapped, just to keep myself in the proper mood. I got tired, I admit.

 

Lew and I went to a Christmas party last night at the home of a lovely young couple from our church. We ate lots of yummy food and took part in a Yankee Swap. We didn't get home until after 10:00, which is way past our bedtime! (Ha ha!) The party was a lot of fun, and I even spread some Christmas cheer with my headwear.

 

Merry Christmas Week!

 

She Asked, "Did You Read the Instructions?"

Writing Prompt: Instructions.

 

Ha ha ha ha! My first thought is that women read instructions, men don't!

 

Instructions, directions, manuals....

 

I do love well-written instructions!

 

In several prior jobs I was able to write very detailed, step-by-step, instructions on how to do tasks required of me. That way someone else could do them if I should get hit by the proverbial bus.

 

Work colleagues have told me that I'm good at documenting details and leaving a paper trail.

 

So I do wonder if I missed my calling. I should write user manuals!

 

I have recently made a careful entry into food preparation (poor Lew!), so maybe I could write my own cookbook with easy recipes that I've found... modified by me to make them even easier.... Ha ha ha ha!

 

They Are Santa's Elves

When my family lived at Kents Hill – when I was just a little girl – my Grandma W. (Mom's mom) made us two Christmas elf decorations.

 

I am able to share a picture of them today because I salvaged them from the fate of many family "keepsakes": the yard sale.

 

Although a little worse for wear, they have held up pretty well all these years. And they are still fun to look at. Good memories....

 

 

Dad 232: Illinois On My Mind

(I just got home from doing a couple errands. It's better to have rain than snow, I say! Enjoy Dad's post! ~ Tracy)

 

Derf Here! Another raw, damp day in the Northeast. Sure is very wet outside. Thanksgiving snow is about gone. Only plow piles are now visible. No white Christmas unless we get a snowstorm. The experts say the chances are not great. I would just as soon go the next few months with no snow. I doubt that happens. No such luck!

 

The Patriots and Colts won again. Just need to beat the Jets and Bills and the Pats are home for the playoffs. Go Pats!

 

This is a big weekend for our Illinois family. Joe is back with the Peoria Area Civic Chorale (PACC) after a two-year break. Hope the weekend performances go well. I'm sure that they will be well done, as all of Joe's groups do a fine job. Would like to be there. Maybe in the spring! (I can dream, can't I?) Sing well, Kim and Kelsey!

 

I don't have a lot to say today as we await the holiday season. So I will close now and try for a better effort next time. Please stay tuned.

 

Until next time!

 

Toodle Pip!

 

Derf!

Doing the Christmas "Wrap"

Like everyone else, Lew and I have been doing some Christmas shopping.

 

Lew and his buddy took yesterday off from work to do their shopping. They do this every year. (I think eating out for breakfast and lunch is the main attraction.)

 

I have done a little bit of shopping at retail stores. But most of my shopping has been done from the comfort of my own home. (Thank you, Amazon.com, for making life easier for those of us who hate going to the Mall.) I am waiting for a few more packages to arrive over the next couple days. Then....

Next on the to-do list: Wrapping!

King Moonracer: Toy or Not?

Lew and I enjoy the TV show The Middle. The episode that aired last week had an interesting subplot: Axl and one of his buddies argue about whether King Moonracer is a toy.

King Moonracer is the king of the Island of Misfit Toys featured in the Christmas classic Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. King Moonracer is part lion, part bird. He flies around the world to find misfit toys and brings them to the island.

Axl believes King Moonracer is not a toy, but his friend disagrees. They get a third friend to mediate the dispute. No spoilers here... you'll have to watch the episode yourself to find out what the third friend decides.

I told Lew that I agree with Axl. The character of King Moonracer is not a toy but a living being.

But I suppose one could argue the opposite. In "real life" King Moonracer is a stop-motion animation figure, which could be considered a toy of sorts.

Such uncertainty over this burning question!

I hope I will be able to sleep tonight.

A Cage, Gloves, and 12/13/14

IT WORKED!

 

The pet cage came on Wednesday and since then Jerry has not bothered the humidifier. He can get his paws through the cage, but it's not any fun for him. The humidifier is also behaving. ;-)

 

I made Jerry pose for this picture.

 

 

There was a gastrointestinal illness that broke out at Verlie's nursing home on Thursday. This is what I had to wear to visit her:

 

The Center provided the yellow mask, gloves, and gown. The hat is mine.

 

Happy Consecutive Numbers Day!

Wrong Writes

Writing Prompt: Something I would never write.

Horror stories. I don't like to read horror stories. I don't like to watch horror movies. When I was in college I could stomach the horror genre. Not anymore. Yuck!

Nonfiction science books. If I did write a science book, it would have to be classified as fiction. (Ha ha!) I am not enough of an expert.

Porn. I hope I don't need to explain this one.

Anything that would dishonor God. But if I should in some sinful moment, I pray for His forgiveness.

And my five minutes are up. The above are all that I came up with off of the top of my head. I think this writing prompt has inspired me to expand my writing efforts -- there are lots of areas that I haven't excluded!

Keepsakes Made of Wood

Grandpa G. (Dad's dad) made lots of wooden ornamental items as gifts. The best representation of his handiwork is represented in the following picture. (I believe this was at Aunt Jean's old house.)

I made good on my plans to get out my Christmas decor yesterday. The ornaments are now on the tree and there are Christmas decorations scattered throughout the house. Did you notice the Rudolph in the above photo? I have one, too, but he has seen better days. (Click HERE to read last December's post about poor Rudolph.)

I also have Garfield, a calico cat, the cat with the hanging mouse, some tulips, and (I think in the attic) the two rabbits. I still enjoy them all. They bring good memories!

Dad 231: Counting on Saturday

(I'm trying to decide how to celebrate 12/13/14. What are you going to do? In the meantime, enjoy Dad's post! ~ Tracy)

Derf Here! Not really enjoying the weather today. It is dark, damp and dreary. We only have another day or so of this weather. One thing in our favor! It could be snow. Looking forward to the weekend when we are expecting the sun. At least the temperature is above freezing.

Well, the football weekend went well. The Colts won a close one and, as predicted last week, the Patriots got back to winning on their way to the playoffs. You heard it here first.

 

The high school team had its year end banquet and Josh earned an honorable mention as an all-conference lineman. Congratulations, Josh! Now we wait for baseball season. It will be here before you know it. That season also will coincide with the end of winter. Hooray!

 

This Saturday will be the last day in this century that the month, day and year will be consecutive numbers. It will be known as 12-13-14. This will not happen again until 1-2-3 (3003). I doubt that I will be around for that. Probably very few people walking this earth today will see 1-2-3.

 

I've been promising to vacuum for the last couple weeks. Well, I've managed to put off the project for the time. I must do it today. I will start now. Sooo....

 

Until next time!

 

Toodle Pip!

 

Derf!

 

 

When I Looked for the Baby Jesus

Our Christmas tree has been up since the day after Thanksgiving, but we haven't put the ornaments on yet. My energy level has been so low that I haven't wanted to bring the decorations down from the attic.

 

It was my turn to lead children's church this past Sunday morning. As Lew and I were preparing to leave for church, I told him I needed to go up in the attic to find the Baby Jesus from our crèche set. I wanted it for my lesson.

 

I knew the Baby Jesus would be in one of three bins. I found it in the fourth bin I looked in (don't ask). But something special happened while I was looking for the Baby Jesus. I started to feel more energetic. I was healthy. I became excited about the Advent season. I wanted to decorate and celebrate the coming of The Lord Jesus Christ!

 

I still haven't brought the Christmas bins downstairs because I've had outside errands yesterday and today. But tomorrow....

 

Smile!

 

(PostScript: I am even making dinner for Lew tonight! Stew in the crockpot.)

Not Panning Peter Pan

Last Thursday night I recorded Peter Pan Live! on my DVR. It was a three-hour broadcast (with commercials), so I'm glad that I went the "watch later" route.

 

Did I enjoy the show? I liked it enough to watch the entire thing, although I didn't watch it all in one sitting. This particular musical has never been one of my favorites, but I thought the live broadcast of it was pretty good.

 

I was impressed with the technical aspect of the production (e.g., flying!) and I liked most of the vocals. My favorite parts of the show were the big dance numbers. I also liked the dog. :)

 

I read that NBC plans to do another live broadcast of a musical next year: The Music Man. I'm looking forward to that one already!

The Humidifier: Not a Toy

Other than getting over my illness, the biggest challenge of the week was keeping Jerry away from our new humidifier.

 

The top of the humidifier has what I will call a "directional cap." The cap is not attached to the top in any way; it just sits inside the opening. The cap has a little slit that directs the cool steam in a direction we select.

 

Jerry has figured out that if he "plays" with the cap long enough, he can knock it off of the humidifier.

 

Wonderful.

 

Our solution to this problem has been to banish Jerry from the bedroom. We have a zero-tolerance policy: One "knock off" and he's out.

 

Neither Lew nor I like to keep our cats out of the bedroom. It makes us sad. We want them to be able to jump on the bed and cuddle with us if they are so inclined.

 

Today we discussed a new solution, which we have decided to implement.... I just ordered a small pet cage on Amazon. The cage is not to hold the cats; it's to hold the humidifier! I hope it works.

 

Take that, Jerry!

A Bummer of a Cookie

Writing Prompt: A fortune cookie.

 

I enjoy certain Chinese food dishes (sweet and sour chicken... yum...) but I am not really a fan of the fortune cookie.

 

Aren't fortune cookies meant for fun? Then how did I get a bad one once?

 

Yes, I actually got a bad fortune in a cookie.

 

It happened many years ago when I was going through a particularly bad time. The fortune read something like, "There are some dark times ahead for you." WHAT? Not really what I needed to hear at the moment.

 

In recent years I have seen a new trend in fortune cookies. The "fortune" is usually some pithy saying and not a prediction. I think I prefer this... not that I give any credence to fortune cookies.

 

They are just for fun.

 

But I'm still not a fan.

Two Grandmas

As I shared a month ago in my post Two Grandpas, I am blessed to have known all four of my grandparents.

Today I am sharing photos of both of my grandmothers. I see the family resemblance in each!

Love!

Dad's mom, Grandma G., on her honeymoon with my grandfather.
They were a handsome couple!

Mom's mom, Grandma W., as a small child.
She was cute! (Love the doll, too.)

Dad 230: A Bold Bowl Prediction

(I'm still trying to get my iPad to recognize the word "Derf" when I dictate. Today's transcription of "Derf" is not repeatable. Oh, dear! I think I'll just type out that word from now on. Enjoy Dad's post! ~ Tracy)

 

Derf Here! Well, the weather experts were correct. Woke up this morning to a trace of snow and freezing rain. Lots of closings and delays in the area. Listened to Lew scraping the ice off his truck. The sounds and scenes of winter are all around us today. A good day to stay inside. Think that is what I'll do. The temperature is now above freezing and melting will take place over the next few hours. I'm ready for April!

 

I spent a couple hours yesterday at the local Portland area Red Cross blood donation center. Completed my "double red" donations for the year. Every 16 weeks I make the trip. Well worth the effort.

 

The Patriots didn't play well last Sunday and still had a chance to win. The Pats will close out the season winning their last four regular-season games and then winning the playoffs to make it to the Super Bowl. All playoff games in their division will be played at home. Hope to meet Green Bay again and demolish the Packers in the "Game." Another ring for Brady! Mark my word!

 

Trust you all had a joyous Thanksgiving as we did. Did have to plow about 10 inches of snow Thanksgiving morning due to the storm overnight. Did I say that I'm ready for April?

 

Just think, Christmas is only three weeks away. Must wrap up my pre-Christmas duty soon. I really don't have that much to do. But I'll do it anyway. A few mailings. A few gift cards. A few checks and I'm done. Sounds good to me. Will be done by my next blog post. Stay tuned! Sooo....

 

Until next time!

 

Toodle Pip!

 

Derf!

R & R

I am feeling better each day. I still have a bit of a cough, some post-nasal drip, and a low energy level.

 

What I'm doing:

1. Drinking lots of fluids.
   
2. Resting.

I do hope that this nasty illness stays away from me after this. I'd like to focus on other things on my "to do" list soon!

Two Movies I'm Going to See

There are two movies coming out in the theater this month that I plan on seeing... in the theater, not just when they come out on DVD.

 

The first is The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies. This (thankfully) is the last of the trilogy. Lew and I saw all three Lord of the Rings movies and the first two installments of The Hobbit with our friends Bill and Stacey. We plan on seeing this final movie with them, too. We may even splurge and see it in IMAX 3D.

 

The second movie is Into the Woods. This is a film adaptation of Stephen Sondheim's musical. I love the musical, so I hope the movie stays true to it. I'm not expecting that Lew will want to go see this movie with me, but maybe I can talk him into it. (Hint, hint.)

 

Any other movie suggestions for me?

Report Card

On Tuesday I listed five things I hoped to accomplish this past week. So, how did I do?

 

Fully Recuperate. I'm feeling better every day, but still not as good as I had hoped to feel by now. But progress is progress.

 

Make Sweet Potato Casserole. So this almost didn't happen due to the power outage! Fortunately the electricity came back on in time for me to make it. It was pandemonium in the kitchen!

 

Give Thanks. Did, doing, and will continue to do. :)

 

Decorate for Christmas. Lew put the tree up yesterday, strung the lights, and put the angel on top. I did nothing. Too tired. We've still got time.

 

Participate in Life as Usual. Lew and I had breakfast with our buddies this morning and then we did some shopping. Planning on going to church tomorrow.

 

All things considered, I guess I did okay!

 

We still need to add our ornaments!

My Baby Sister

Yesterday's "throwback" was pre-empted by Thanksgiving, so I'll do it today.

My sister Debbie's birthday was on Monday.

Happy Birthday, Debbie!

I must honor her with a couple photos.

Debbie, circa June 1972, so she's about 3 and 1/2 years old in this picture. Cute!

Our cousin Michael and Debbie are about the same age. The following photo was taken during the summer of 1969 (date on side says "Sep 69"), so Debbie wasn't even a year old yet. This photo remains a source of family amusement.

Michael on left, Debbie on right. Note the head sizes! Ha ha!

Thanksgiving Day Synopsis

Happy Thanksgiving!

 

Lew and I are home from our Thanksgiving meal at Matt & Emily's house. (Everything was scrumptious!) We are now watching the Eagles/Cowboys game. I'm still recuperating from my cold, and I'm pretty tired right now.

 

I did manage to get some photos today, so I'll let them tell more of today's story....

 

Bad snowstorm last night. No electricity this morning!

Matt and Lew, not cooperating for a photo.

Wayne and Lew, not cooperating for a photo.

 

Nice photobomb, Matt!

Eli, the Serious.

Adam, the Stud.

Emily, the Sweet! Our Thanksgiving Day hostess by her table.

Eli waits for a cupcake.

 

 

Meanwhile, down at Debbie and Glen's house....

 

Zack Attack!

Dad 229: A Winter Storm, a Panda, and a Day of Thanks

(It's snowing! Enjoy Dad's post! ~ Tracy)

 

Derf Here! A cool, cloudy, sunless morning is what we have in the Northeast today. We are waiting for our first winter storm along the coast. The experts say we can expect as much as a foot of snow inland. Did I say, "I hate winter"? If not, I'm saying it now! The Silverado is ready and the tank is full. We are ready!

Well, I don't have much to say today. So I'll start. The Patriots are still winning. Could be trouble in Wisconsin. Go, Pats! Must play well to beat the Packers.

In other sports news we are watching, the Red Sox have re-signed Hanley Ramirez and signed "the Panda" from the Giants as a new third baseman. Now to get Lester back as their ace pitcher. Please spend the money for Jon! Thanks!

I'll close with the following: Hope you all have a great Thanksgiving! Spouse and I will partake of the meal at Glen and Deb's. Lew and Tracy will be at Matt and Emily's with Eli and Adam. A fun time will be had by all. Truly, a day of Thanksgiving. We do have many reasons for giving thanks! Think about it. Sooo....

Until next time!

Toodle Pip!

Derf!

Getting Well Soon

It's "To-do Tuesday" once again on Mainely Tracy. Here's a list of what I hope to accomplish over the coming week:

 

Fully Recuperate. Today was the second day of my meds. The doctor said I should start to feel better by Thursday morning. I asked him about my chances of still being contagious by then. He said, "Slim to none." (This is very important information, as you will see.)

 

Make Sweet Potato Casserole. This is my offering for our Thanksgiving dinner, once again to be partaken at the home of Matt and Emily. It sounds like I will be able to go, germ-free! (More assurance for Emily: The doctor has two young children, and he said he would be comfortable having me around them on Thanksgiving. So glad!)

 

Give Thanks. We are blessed!

 

Decorate for Christmas. This is our day-after-Thanksgiving tradition. Lew puts up our artificial tree and I put out other festive decor. We do this while either listening to music or watching something stupid on television... usually the latter.

 

Participate in Life as Usual. Saturday breakfast, church on Sunday, and the like.

 

I'm sure there's more I could add, but the above gives you the gist. Wish me well. :)

An Enchanting Book; A Marginal Movie

Still feeling yucky, so I called the doctor this morning and got an appointment for this afternoon. The result of this appointment:

• P.A. felt I would get worse without intervention
• Two prescriptions. One for the next five days, the other for the next ten days.

Glad I went! (Many thanks to my father for being my chauffeur.)

Needless to say, I haven't felt like doing much of anything. (Why do we say "needless to say" then say it anyway?) So it's been movies and books....

On Saturday I finished reading The Enchanted April by Elizabeth Von Armin. The characters were intriguing, so I enjoyed the book. It's not a gripping plot, so it's not for everyone. For instance, I won't suggest that my husband read it!

I then decided to watch the movie based on the book. (The movie title omits the "The".) I marginally enjoyed watching the movie only because I was already familiar with the characters. A couple of the casting decisions were interesting -- not at all how I pictured those characters. And I dislike when the movie changes how things happened in the book. Annoying.

Bottom line: Add The Enchanted April to the list of "Books that are much better than the movie versions."

Silence Is Me

Sick with a cold.... That sums up my week.

 

Had some good days. Had some bad days.

 

Today is a bad day.

 

My throat is so bad that I can't talk. I can squeak a word out now and then, and I can manage a whisper. But it hurts to try to speak, plus it is ineffective... nobody can hear me.

 

Just took a quick trip out to do two errands. The first involved buying more tea. The second involved borrowing DVDs from the library.

 

Tea and movies will make for a recuperative weekend.

The Parade Monster

Writing prompt: The Monster.

 

When my family rode our antique bikes in parades, we would get dressed up in old-fashioned garb.

 

My mom rode an 1880s tricycle while wearing blue bloomers, a white shirt with puffy sleeves, and a straw hat. People would yell out, "It's Mary Poppins" as she rode by. (I never understood this. She didn't look like Mary Poppins to me.)

 

My mother was very popular in the parades. She was so popular that she earned a nickname within the family: The Parade Monster. It was the perfect nickname, one she embraced with all of her tricycle-riding ability!

 

The Parade Monster

 

Kelsey Lou

Yesterday was Kelsey's 21st birthday, so it's her turn to be featured in Throwback Thursday!

 

 

I love these two photos of Kelsey with her big sister, Kaelen....

 

 

Love all around!

 

Dad 228: Irritations in the News

(Ah-choo! Enjoy Dad's post. ~ Tracy)

 

Derf Here! The sun doth shine. The thermometer doth dip. Well, we have had our 'hard' frost. The growing season has been over for almost a week, and every night since has continued below freezing. I'm ready for April.

 

As I look at the weather out by the Great Lakes, I can say, without question, that I'm glad I'm not traveling the New York Thruway. Six feet of snow is a bit much. Stranded for days in a big, big storm is not my idea of enjoying the trip. Something has to be done about the change to a warmer temperature. Global warming! Really!

 

Congratulations to the Patriots for handling the Colts. Quite easily, I might add. I hope the Pats have not peaked too early. Right now they are the class of professional football, but it can all end quickly if they can't sustain the effort. Wishing for the Colts and Pats to win all the rest in the regular season. Then I must make choices.

 

I've made it through the week with my cold and sore throat. I seem to be on the mend. Lew and Tracy seem to have contracted a similar fate. Lew is fighting through it by working every day. Hope we all turn the corner to better health within the week. We seem to be on track. Hooray!

 

Before ending my post today, I will mention three things that irritate me. (All three seen on the news with in the last 24 hours.)

1. Just saw a promo for Obamacare. Showing how money is available for all those that can't afford health insurance. No subsidies available for most people. Me included.
   
2. An atheist group is now challenging to allow an anonymous student in New Jersey to rid the pledge of "under God". As Obama said, "We are not a Christian community." Another great statement from our leader.
   
3. A woman filed a lawsuit against her neighbor. Reason: her dogs went in the neighbor's yard and killed the neighbor's dog. It seems that the lady went into the yard and tried to stop the fight. I guess she got bit. Suing for one million dollars from neighbor, whose dog was killed.
   

Only in America! What a country! Let's disbar some of these lawyers. I feel refreshed!

 

Enough griping! Soooo....

 

Until next time!

 

Toodle Pip!

 

Derf!

Gee, Tasks!

I was feeling under the weather yesterday, but today I felt like conquering the world!

 

So I tackled three loads of laundry.

 

I also gathered all of my "to do" items into one place: GeeTasks. (This is an app that I have on both my iPhone and iPad. They sync!)

 

As of this moment, I have 151 items on GeeTasks. Granted, 86 of these are books that I want to get.

I know that there are 151 because this number is in a little red circle, staring at me from my iPhone's home screen.

To do: A lot, apparently!

My Addiction to Monk

I admit that I did not watch the TV show Monk when it was originally on the air. I may have seen one or two episodes at most.

I started watching Season 1 of the show last week. I am hooked -- and not just because I can identify with the main character. (My OCD isn't nearly as bad as Monk's!)

I like how Monk sees things that nobody else picks up on. He thinks things through. When the captain asked him, "Does everything have to make sense?", Monk pauses for a second and then replies, "Why, yes, it does." Great response, especially for analyzing evidence. I love it!

I even enjoy the show's theme song. I have since learned that the theme song was replaced starting in Season 2. Bummer! Fortunately the first season's song is still available. I just downloaded it from iTunes and it is now my ringtone on my iPhone. (Sorry, Perry Mason. Your theme song has been demoted.)

Up next: Monk, Season 1, Episode 8.  :)

Movin' Kinda Slow

It's a lazy day in the neighborhood -- in our house anyway.

 

Poor Lew has been fighting a cold all week, as has my father. So after going out with our breakfast buddies this morning, Lew and I came straight home.

 

My parents were both relaxing on their couch when we returned. Pepper was cuddling with Mom.

 

Things aren't much different on our side of the house. Lew is asleep on the couch, Kurt is curled up at Lew's feet, and Jerry is sound asleep on the back of the love seat. I alone am conscious.

 

I think I will spend the rest of the afternoon reading. I might watch a movie. And maybe, just maybe, I will take some time to snooze, too.

 

A lazy Saturday.... I like it.

Princess Tracy

Writing Prompt:  I am someone else.

For one thing, I don't want to speculate on being a different person. I have enough idiosyncrasies of my own and I don't want to take on someone else's stuff!  Ha ha!

But I will talk about being a princess. I am supposed to be one, you know. That's what my mother says anyway.

It would be nice to have a myriad of staff to do all of the housekeeping. (Wait, I do have staff to do that. His name is Lew.)

And what about the wonderful clothes and all of the regal events to attend? Frankly, I don't see myself doing that. Jeans, a t-shirt, and a movie suit me just fine.

But you know, I actually AM a princess! I am blessed to be a child of the King.

And I won't have to wash dishes in Heaven!

Zack Attack!

This Sunday we will celebrate Zack's 14th birthday.

He weighed 10 pounds 4 ounces at birth... a sign of things to come!

Below are a couple photos from years back.

Happy Birthday, Zack!

"Papa" and Zack.  They were probably discussing the tasty dessert!    :)

Zack was - and always will be - a cutie!

Dad 227: Under the Weather Report

(I think Dad's biggest help has come from the tea I gave him! Enjoy his post. ~ Tracy)

 

Derf Here! Coming to you today through the fog. Temperature is not real cold, but the experts say to watch the thermometer over the next few days. I think within the next few days we will finally have a hard frost. The growing season on the coast will come to a close. We can only hope.

 

Our local football games have come to an end. Josh's team lost in the semifinal round of the playoffs. After starting with four regular season losses, the team went on a winning streak that ended in the semifinal round. Great season, Josh!

 

My blog post is almost over. Why? Because I have not had a great "feeling good" week. I can't remember the last time I had five days in a row of substandard health. Well this last week is about the worst I've felt since I don't know when. It started with a sore throat and the symptoms still linger.

 

I do believe, however, that I am now on the mend. Throat is not as sore. Seem to be not as stuffed up. Only time will tell. I'm not used to being in a "feel bad" state, and I can say I don't like feeling lousy.

 

My purchases of Cepacol liquids and lozenges seem to have done the job. At least I hope I'm going in the right direction. I'll know in a few days. Stay tuned. Sooo....

 

Until next time!

 

Toodle Pip!

 

Derf!

Unemployed

A week ago today I resigned from my job. ("Resigned" sounds so much better than "quit", don't you think?) I lasted a full two months, which still isn't my shortest job tenure!

Anyway, I had fun for the most part, but there were some issues with my O.C.D. (yes, I have that) affecting me at my workplace. I just wasn't going to be able to do it any more and maintain sanity.

But like I said, it was fun in a way, and I appreciate the opportunity that my friends gave me to work for them. We learned we have different styles, and that's okay.

So now I am back to an "unemployed" status, which isn't a horrible thing for now.  I'll eventually determine how to earn a livelihood..

Life is good.  I am blessed!

To do:  Figure out what I want to do when I grow up.  :)

Lew's Lose

I do enjoy watching NFL games, and it is fun to hear Lew yelling at the TV about specific players.

 

The players he "comments" on are, of course, the players on his fantasy team.

 

He has managed to win three games so far. That's three more than he won all of last season!

 

But he still has a losing record.

 

This week's matchup is still undecided due to Monday Night Football. Both Lew and his opponent have players going in this game.

 

Lew is not confident. He just said he is going to "lose, lose, lose...."

 

I may be in for a long evening. (Come on, McCoy!)

Not Much of a Summary Saturday

Lew has a four-day weekend, so we are in a little bit of a vacation mode.

 

Today was a day of absolute vegetation.

 

So much so that I almost forgot about my blog.

And just remembering my blog seems like enough productivity for today.

 

Thus ends today's post.

 

:)

 

 

 

Whittier's Election Day Poem

Writing Prompt: My two cents.

Today's prompt immediately brought the recent election to mind. I gave "my two cents" when I voted. And my vote was equivalent to that of the wealthiest person.

When I was in the eighth grade we all had to select a poem to memorize and recite to the class. I came across John Greenleaf Whittier's "The Poor Voter on Election Day" and decided to learn it.

I remember the poem to this day... well, not to recite, but the message.  It's a good one.

Here it is....


The Poor Voter on Election Day
John Greenleaf Whittier (1852)

The proudest now is but my peer, The highest not more high; To-day, of all the weary year, A king of men am I. To-day alike are great and small, The nameless and the known My palace is the people’s hall, The ballot-box my throne! Who serves to-day upon the list Beside the served shall stand; Alike the brown and wrinkled fist, The gloved and dainty hand! The rich is level with the poor, The weak is strong to-day; And sleekest broadcloth counts no more Than homespun frock of gray. To-day let pomp and vain pretence My stubborn right abide; I set a plain man’s common sense Against the pedant’s pride. To-day shall simple manhood try The strength of gold and land The wide world has not wealth to buy The power in my right hand! While there’s a grief to seek redress, Or balance to adjust, Where weighs our living manhood less Than Mammon’s vilest dust, — While there’s a right to need my vote A wrong to sweep away, Up! clouted knee and ragged coat! A man’s a man to-day!

Two Grandpas

I am blessed to have known all four of my grandparents. We called both sets of grandparents "Grandma and Grandpa" and we added their last name if we needed to distinguish them from each other. (In today's world it seems more common to have a unique name for every grandparent. But I digress....)

Today I am posting two photos, one of each grandfather. I didn't know these "younger versions" of them, so it is fun to see what they looked like as young men. And, yes, I do see the resemblance to their older selves.

Love!

My mom's dad, Grandpa W., with his dog, Butch.
(Gotta get a hat like that for my kitties.)

My dad's dad, Grandpa G.
(His hair looks uncharacteristically tame in this photo.)

Dad 226: Snow, Football, Election, and Chickens

(Like my father, I was up late keeping tabs on election results. Overall, our household is pleased with the outcomes. Enjoy Dad's post! ~ Tracy)

 

Derf Here! The sky is cloudy, but we have been assured (the weathermen) that the sun will break through this afternoon and temperatures will rise to the high 50s. The state did get a great deal of snow a couple days ago. All snow of consequence was north of us. Up to one foot fell in certain areas. About 100,000 lost power and all has not been restored as of now. (Please turn off the "mother nature" snow machines. Bring them back again in about four months. Wishful thinking!) Still waiting for a good frost!

 

Josh's high school team won their quarterfinal playoff game. Led by 20 points with less than three minutes left. Gave up two more touchdowns, so they won by seven points. Now it's on to play the number one seed. It has been a great run. Five wins in a row! Go, Josh!

 

Happy to see the Patriots demolish the Broncos. Also happy to see the Colts win. Noticed our family friend was now playing some defense in addition to all special teams. Go, Andy Studebaker (#58).

 

Was up last night into the morning hours. It was voting day, you know.

 

Was concerned about retaining our governor. Early in the morning he was declared the winner. We were three for three with our yard signs. Very glad about the total elections (locally and nationally). Could not be happier!

 

No more visits from our neighbor's chickens. I saw a police car in my next-door neighbor's yard, and I only saw the chickens one more time after that. I assume my next-door neighbor complained about the chickens pooping on her deck and digging up her flowers and plants. (I wouldn't like that either.) But I sure do miss their visits. And to think that I have a brand new, full bag of cracked corn in the garage. I'll guess I'll feed the crows.

 

Told to be short with today's blog so I will obey. Sooo....

 

Until next time!

 

Total Pip!

 

Derf!

Civic Duty... and Privilege

 

 

Media Mayhem

I am tired today.

Q:  What is making me weary?
A:  A few things, not the least of which is the election hoopla.

We hardly get any phone calls on our landline, but this past week it has been ringing off the hook with election robocalls.

A great many TV ads are slamming this candidate, praising that one, while offering very little substantive information.

Now I do understand the need for campaigning before an election. (We even have some candidates' signs posted in our front yard.) But enough is enough already!

I will be voting tomorrow.  (I will try to do so before I go to work.) Any further phone calls received or advertisements seen will not change how I have decided to vote.

I have a headache. Hopefully it will go away with the election results.

Decision, Information, Celebration

NaNoWriMo started today. I have made the decision not to do it this year. As a result, my November will be a lot less hectic!

I took Kurt to the vet on Wednesday. The vet gave me great information on how to deal with Kurt's peeing on the floor. She also did some tests to confirm he is not sick. So it's behavioral. Sigh. We just got an additional litter box for downstairs. We are hopeful it will help.

 

We went to Matt & Emily's house today to celebrate two birthdays. Eli turned three this past Monday, and Matt's birthday is tomorrow! We have much to be thankful for. :)

 

I leave you with some photos from today.

 

Eli in his playroom.

Adam wearing his brother's new hat.

Matt and his dad. :)

 

 

Hand Over Your Sweet Treats!

Writing Prompt:  Thief!

Living in the same house as one's parents has its conveniences.

For instance, I often "steal" from my folks. I even tell them when I'm doing it.

I frequently steal sweets. My father bought some large bags of candy to hand out for Halloween. (We get zero trick-or-treaters at our house. Zero.) We have been eating this candy for the past couple weeks.

I believe I have written before about stealing York Peppermint Patties. Yum....

Sometimes I am a banana thief. Or a milk thief. Or an egg thief. These thieving events happen when Lew and I have put off going to the grocery store by one day too many.

In the summer we have Fred's Fridge in the garage. Dad stocks it with soda, water, and ice cream treats. (He wants people to help themselves, so is that really stealing?)

And my five minutes are up. I will not "steal" extra time today!

World Series Past

One year ago today (a Wednesday) the Boston Red Sox won the 2013 World Series. Last night the San Francisco Giants beat the Kansas City Royals to win the 2014 World Series. This means the Red Sox are still the most recent American League team to win a World Series. (A significant fact, even if only in my own mind.)

 

Today I "throw back" to the evenings when the Red Sox won their last four championships....

 

1918. I wasn't around for that one.

 

2004. Lew and I watched the end of the deciding game on the TV in our bedroom. After the final out, I leapt out of bed and danced around the room. We then made some celebratory phone calls around the country and watched the post-game festivities. It was a great evening.

 

2007. The Red Sox were on the verge of another World Series sweep, but Lew and I both fell asleep before the game ended. I happened to wake up and thought I saw jumping on the TV. I put on my glasses and realized the Red Sox has just won! I woke up Lew to tell him. We backed up the broadcast in order to watch the final out (with many thanks to the inventor of the DVR) and stayed awake long enough to watch the trophy presentations.

 

2013. We managed to stay awake for this one. It wasn't a really close game, so it was quite relaxing to watch. But it was exciting, too, of course!

 

I did stay up last night until the end of the game. I watched the trophy presentations. Congratulations to the Giants!

Dad 225: Football and Chickens, Of Course!

(Leghorn. Foghorn Leghorn. Enjoy Dad's post! ~ Tracy)

Derf Here! A cloudy, fall day is what we in the Northeast are experiencing. Still waiting for a good frost. Really want the growing season to end. All mowers are put away. The experts tell us we will have a frost the first of next month. Just in time to set the clocks back. (Don't forget!)

Well, Zack's football season is over. They played and lost in the Gold Ball game played in Portland Stadium. Final score: 48 - 30. His eighth grade team lost only two games this year. Both losses were to the champions. A great football year for Zack. Congratulations, Zack!

Josh's high school team lost their first four games. Then a turnaround. They won the next four to qualify for the playoffs. They will play Sanford this weekend in the quarterfinals. They lost to Sanford the first game of the season. Hope for a win and then to the semifinals against the top seed. Stay tuned.

In the last few days we have been visited by chickens. Our neighbors who live two homes away have a flock of chickens. They have been spending the last few days in our yard. (I will admit that we are now on our third bag of cracked corn. Spouse likes to feed "her "chickens.) The flock is really quite spectacular. They are all fine looking birds. There are five white, two brown, and two black. I believe the black are Plymouth Rock and the brown are Rhode Island Red. I don't recall the name of the white, but it rhymes with a cartoon chicken according to Lew. Spouse just entered and said she just fed them. They are eating! It is good that Spouse has some new friends!

Enough information to focus on for today. Sooo....

Until next time!

Toodle Pip!

Derf!

 

Try to Remember

I had a couple out-of-the-ordinary projects to complete when I got home from work yesterday.

I had just purchased a new pet carrier, which needed to be put together. I completed the assembly, and Jerry walked right into it! The carrier also opens from the top, which will be helpful when trying to get Kurt inside. Kurt does not enjoy the carrier. He will be riding to and from the vet in it tomorrow. (Shhhhh.... don't tell him.)

After many days of contemplation, Lew decided to get a Kindle Fire. We ordered it this weekend and it arrived yesterday. I had it set up for him by the time he got home. (It's pretty cool!)

I spent the remainder of the evening watching a movie and reading.

I slept in later than usual this morning, but I made it to work on time (10:00 AM). I ate a few pieces of chopped fruit after I'd been there for a bit. It was then I realized that I forgot to eat dinner last night! (Lew had eaten on his own.) But did I really forget to eat dinner? I still haven't figured that out for sure! Oh, dear.

To do:  1) Remember to eat dinner. 2) Remember eating dinner.

When Underwhelming Content Becomes Overwhelming

Media content.

There's just way too much!

It's overwhelming me.

I try to follow several things on the Internet.

When keeping up starts to seem like a chore (you may read that as, "I dread it"), then I know it's time to pare back.

I just did a purge this weekend.

I "unsubscribed" from a few blogs.

I "hid" some Facebook pages.

Then I sighed in relief and relaxed.

I'm feeling good about it now.

Really good!

A Haircut, Baseball, a Blog Post, and a Certain Kitty

After experiencing a few days of rain, we are having a beautiful Saturday. It was warm enough at noon for Lew and I to go outside on the deck so that I could cut his hair. (There is always lots of excitement around here, let me tell you!)

Have I mentioned before that Saturday is now laundry day? Well it is indeed laundry day. (More excitement.)

The World Series began Tuesday night. I am rooting for the Royals, but I am not going to be devastated if they lose. They are ahead in the series at this point, 2-1, so they have a good shot at it. (It is nice that my stomach is free from the gymnastics of last year. You may recall that my beloved Red Sox played in -- and won! -- the 2013 World Series. My stomach did somersaults while watching those games.)

On Wednesday I wrote a blog post for my church's women's ministry blog. I shared my goal of memorizing the entire book of Ephesians. You can read the post by clicking *HERE*.

Kurt the cat has resumed peeing on the living room carpet. I'm going to call the vet to make sure he doesn't have an infection. He seems in pretty good spirits, so I'm thinking he's fine. But we are wondering if he's mad that I'm out of the house more than I used to be. Sorry, kitty. Anyway, Kurt is fortunate that we love him and are willing to replace the flooring in our living room if it comes to that. (Lew and I were just talking about how having cats complicates our lives a bit. But it's also a lot more fun with them around.)

Another Summary Saturday post is now in the books. That's a wrap.

A Happy Airline Baggage Story

Writing Prompt:  Baggage.

I know the word "baggage" is often used to refer to emotional issues and the like. I really don't want to write about that kind of baggage. So....

On a trip home to Maine (when I lived in Kansas), I had a connecting flight in Chicago, I think. When I got to the gate, I saw that there was an earlier flight to Portland than the one I was ticketed for. This earlier flight got in around 8:30 p.m., which was a much better time than my midnight ETA.

I asked if there were any available seats on the earlier flight. The attendant wasn't sure yet, but they took my name and told me to be listening for it. If they could get me on the earlier flight, then they would -- but my checked baggage wouldn't arrive until the later flight. That was fine with me! (These were the days when making flight changes were much easier.)

I made a phone call to my parents. "If you don't hear back from me, pick me up at the airport at 8:30 p.m."

I got a seat on the earlier flight at the last minute. When I arrived in Portland, I went to the baggage claim to let the desk know I would be back the next day to pick up my luggage. Before I got to the counter, I glanced at the baggage claim carousel. What do you think I saw?

The first bag out was mine! Somebody was on the ball.

Thus ends my happy airline baggage story.  :)

An Almost-70-Year-Old Photograph

During Dad's search for his "greek god" picture several weeks ago, we came across several other photos that I decided would make good TBT fodder.

Here is one of my beautiful mother as a child. I've included the note my grandmother wrote on the back.

If I didn't know this was a picture of my mother, I would have thought it was my sister Kim. The resemblance is that strong!

Port Deposit, Maryland.