Self Service or Not?

As I was listening to the news report tonight, I heard a story about whether or not the town of Huntington, NY should continue banning self serve gas stations. Apparently that is the only town in NY which prohibits self service. The reporter then mentioned that the only other place in the country which bans self service is New Jersey. I'm happy with the attendant service at gas stations in NJ. I don't want to pump my own gas. As a matter of fact I would be thrilled if the attendant would wash my windshield and put air in my tires like they did 35-40 years ago. We pay so much for gas, I think that that's the least they can do. Remember when you got free drinking glasses for using a certain gas station? If you weren't fussy you could outfit your kitchen with them. There was a time when you were treated with "care" as a gas station customer. I say bring those times back. I don't want to put air in my own tires either, and I certainly don't think I should have to pay for the air that goes in my tires whether it's a fee for the priviledge or a tip for the attendant. We all lead busy lives, we work hard. I say give me a little "special attention" when I go to the gas station to fill er up. Oh, yes, check the oil while you're at it.

Elizabeth

Elizabeth Edwards is a woman whom I admire. The Edwards' decision to continue to campaign for the Presidency in spite of her cancer, is a decision with which I totally agree. I'm not sure who I favor for the Presidency yet, but that has nothing to do with my admiration for Elizabeth Edwards. Having had breast cancer myself, I can say that it's better to be productive and engaged in life and living. It would not be a good idea to give up your dreams and sit home waiting for the "grim reaper" to come. I admire her decision, her strength, and her ability to give to her family and others unselfishly. Will her husband benefit from her decision, probably. There are always people who vote for someone for reasons other than considering if they'd make a "good" president. I'm not saying that John Edwards wouldn't make a good president. I'm saying that "people" choose their candidates for different reasons. Some will never vote for a woman as president, some will not vote for a black for president. Some will not vote for a Democrat and some won't vote for a Republican. And on and on with the strange reasons some people choose the candidates they choose. It's been a long, long while since I could say that I admired someone in public life. I feel good that I can say that now.

Spelling Mistakes!

Yes, I was a good speller all through school. Then I taught 2nd grade for 18 years. My good spelling skills went out the door. Not because I didn't know the "rules" for spelling in American English, but because I looked at second grade spelling for 18 years. It is truly amazing how many creative ways children find to "spell" when writing a story or even a sentence. When you see misspelled words daily, and for that long, you begin to question if you know how to spell anything. I use to think that you were born a good speller or not. But like they say, nothing good lasts forever.

If It's Ok for Shakespeare, It's Ok for Me!

Why, do you ask, does a modern woman use such words as "alas" and "hark"? I'm not "hip". However, if those words were ok for Shakespeare to use, they're ok for me. Actually, "hip" is not a modern word either. Afterall, it's from the 20th century when used in that way. My formal education started "smack" in the middle of the last century. I am "old-fashioned". Do to not having youngsters around, I'm not current with the latest lingo. But even if I were, would we understand it? Do words and phrases really go out of fashion? When was the last time you heard someone say "thy" to you? Yes, Tine Dailey's character in a tv drama did use it for a brief time, but who else have you heard use "thy"? If today's generation can make-up phrases and "new" words, why not resurect some of the "old" forgotten words. They may be easier for those of us who studied Shakespeare and the great masters to understand.
Oh, yes! I do use quotation marks a lot also.

Do I Have a Fan?

Being a "great" author of "great" books has always appealed to me. Unfortunately for me, I lack the talent. So, writing blogs is sustaining me for the time being. But, HARK! Do I have a fan for my blogs? I actually had a request to write another. Thanks, dear friend. I'm flattered.

We had our walk to the library and walked around the neighborhood also. We are now up to 2x a week for a "walk" around the neighborhood. Tomorrow will be the perfect day for an afternoon walk. Our second will be on Thursday afternoon. Besides getting the much needed exercise, walking has another benefit. When you walk with a friend you get to "catch-up" on the "news" of the day in your friends life. After our walk last week, I made a bowtie pasta dish with Italian turkey sausage, mushrooms and peas. My friend knitted while I prepared dinner and we chatted up a storm. I look forward to tomorrow, the walk, the good weather-in the 70's, and talking with my friend.

Walking

It's a very good exercise, walking. For the second time, tomorrow, a friend will come over and we'll walk to the local library. The walk there is only 2 miles round trip, but for now, that's enough for me. There are a couple of slight hills along the country road and we walk facing the traffic which does come barreling down the road. When we get to the library we can sit and rest for a short while before starting on our walk home. Last time we walked we did work up a sweat which means it was cardiovascular. When this walk becomes easy, we will extend our walk another mile. It's fun to walk with someone else because talking to a friend is pleasant and the walk doesn't seem like "work" as it would if I had to do it alone. I'd like to walk more than once a week. Hopefully, as the weather improves, this will be possible.

An Interesting Day

This morning I had breakfast at a local restaurant with about 38 former colleagues. We get together for a retiree breakfast during the "fine" weather months. Our petite dejeuner started at 9:15 and ended for me when I left at 11:00am. I hurried home to change into my purple and grab my red hat for an outing with The Crimson Cuties. We had a tour of Doris Duke's home in Hillsborough, NJ. The Manor House is not decorated like it was when Ms Duke resided there, but was very interesting to see. There is also a grounds tour, a walking tour, and a bicycle tour that one can go on. The tour of the greenhouses has been available for a long time. I visited them one February and again another year in June. They are well worth the visit. The displays change each season of the year. In July and August the greenhouses are closed. I hope to go back this spring or next fall for a walking tour of the grounds. I think that is when the property would be most conducive to a pleasant walk. It was a full day and one I enjoyed a great deal.

The Best Laid Plans of ...

Well, I didn't get "out and about" today. My car was frozen in place until 2pm. I was finally able to move it so that the plow could clean my parking space. Plans change. I watched the St. Patrick's Day parade and I cleaned and did more laundry. I did manage to order the knitting needles I need on line. I called the quilt shop and paid for my classes over the phone. All that remains to be done tomorrow is to go to the grocery store. Oh, yes my friends were iced in also. They cancelled dinner for tonight and will reshedule when they can get out of their driveway. The day went quickly. Hopefully, the roads will be passable tomorrow. I'd like to go to church and stop in on Mom. Next week the spring season officially begins. I'm hoping for more spring like weather. I hope we have a SPRING and don't go from winter to hot and humid summer.

My Day

Sandy's done it again! He's gotten me up very early and now he's asleep on the chair across the room. Today may be a day when a nap fits in perfectly. My plans for today will include stopping at the grocery store, visiting the quilt shop so I can pay for the courses I've signed up for and also visiting the yarn store next to the quilt shop so that I can get the appropriate size needles for the shell I'm going to make. On the way home I'll pick up a bottle of Merlot for my host and hostess of tonight's St. Patrick's Day dinner. I've been looking for a card table and chair set. I got rid of my dining room table and will need a replacement for when we play Mah Jongg or Pinochle. Mah Jongg is here next Friday, and Pinochle is here next Saturday. I don't want something fancy and expensive, just something "useful". I may make an additional stop to see if I can find a card table and chair set before I head back home. I know I'll need that nap this afternoon because I'm going out for dinner tonight. As hard as he tries, Sandy still can't get me to get by on 3 or 4 hours sleep. I guess that only works when you take "cat naps" all day long.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Tomorrow is St. Patrick's Day. It is celebrated differently in the U.S. than in Ireland. We wear green, eat corned beef and cabbage with potatoes, watch or march in a parade and generally kick up our heels and celebrate. It's the one day a year when the Irish American gets in touch with her Irish heritage. I'm proud to be Irish for many reasons. I admire what the Irish have done in history, I enjoy their wit and humor, I envy the ease with which they seem to take up the pen and turn out beautiful literature, poetry and music. I visited the Emerald Isle in the late 70's and saw many of the sights, even kissed the Blarney Stone. I visited Co. Cork where some of my ancestors were from and saw the town of Macroom where the Luceys came from. In the mid-80's I visited the North. Belfast was a war zone at that time. British troops were all over. Since 22 years have passed since I've been to Ireland, I'd like to go again. I found out through a cousin where my great grandfather was from and that his home is still standing. He was from Roscommon. His home is now in the county of Westmeath. I guess the county lines were redrawn? I'm not sure. I'd like to get to see where he lived. Although I love Ireland and enjoyed my visits, I'm glad that my great grandfather on my father's side and my great grandmother on my mother's side settled in the US. They definetly had a spirit of adventure. I wish I had had the good fortune to have known them when I was a child. Alas, they didn't live as long in those days. Here's to the Irish! Happy St. Patrick's Day!

A Snowy Day

Today is a wet weather day. We've had snow, rain, and sleet. It started early and still continues. I've stayed inside because I don't drive in inclement weather because the roads are usually bad. The good thing about staying in is that if you're motivated, you can get a lot done. I did the mundane things like laundry and straightening my bedroom. I also played with the cat although he slept for most of the day. The Good Thing is that I didn't!! The fringe is now on my alpaca scarf and I declare it Finished. I've talked to friends on the phone and the internet. I signed up for a few Quilting Classes at my favorite quilt shop. I did the gauge for the shell I'm making next and discovered that I don't own the correct size needles for the project. One day in all day is enough for me. Tomorrow will be an "out and about" day. As long as the roads are good.

A Knitted Shell

Yesterday I went to a craft store and bought 3 different colors of yarn for a knitted shell. One color is a beautiful sage green, another a pale yellow, and the third is a multi-colored jeweltone. One color is prettier than the next. I need to decide which color to make the shell. I'm leaning toward the multi-color jeweltone because it will go with 3 fall/winter suits which I own. There's not enough time in a day for all the things I'd like to get done. Somehow, though, I do manage to complete things. There are so many things for one to do I can't imagine ever being bored.

Painting Roses

After dinner this evening I decided to paint on canvas. My subject was a beautiful pink rose. The canvas is 20x24 in. I put a base coat down and tomorrow I'll put in more detail, with more colors, shadows and highlights. The rose is large and takes up most of the canvas. It reminds me of the style Georgia O'Keefe often painted in. Oh, if only I painted as well. I love roses. There is not one color which I prefer. I find them all to be beautiful. An interesting thing happened while I was painting. I thought of a subject for my next painting. Can't wait until the Pink Rose is done.

The Lettermen

As I sit here writing, I'm listening to Music Choice, the Golden Oldies. They just played the Lettermen's song "When I Fall In Love". I love their voices and the songs I remember from my younger days. I especially like the one they just played. I'm just musing and wondering if many people fall in love forever.

The One Who Got Away

There is a small accent table in the corner of my living room. It is in the shape of a heart. The top has a glass window surrounded by the wood which makes up the rest of the table. The top of the table opens up. In there, I have special notes and cards displayed which I have received over the years. These notes and cards were "keepers" because they were sent by special people in my life and their sentiment was spoken from the heart. One of the notes is a simple 1 sentence note from someone named Bruce whom I met at a small gathering of friends when I was in college. He had asked me out but I was dating someone special so I told him that wouldn't be possible. His note , with his college letterhead at the top, said simply, "Thanks for a wonderful evening". I've kept it all these years because it meant so much to me to receive it. The "special someone" I spoke of is "The one who got away". Our life paths took us in two different directions. About 2 years ago, I found "The One Who Got Away" through the internet. He is happily married. He is still a special person in my life because we shared so many wonderful memories. One of the cards is a "thank you" from a friend who we took out to lunch because she is having a hard time adjusting to having her husband of many years in a nursing home. There is a birthday card, a Valentine's card, and a special note which came with flowers on a milestone birthday. I thank these people for being in my life and showing their appreciation for me. It has meant a lot to have them for friends.

New Draperies

About 4 months ago, I bought drapes with valences, and sheers for my dining room windows. I also bought a themal drape for the sliding door in the living room. Finally, someone was able to come over yesterday and hang the rods so that I could hang the drapes. I love the new look. The drapes are burgandy with gold designs throughout. I have two hunter green chairs in front of one window and a burgandy chair in front of the sliding door. I turned my dining room into a "library" by removing the dining room table and chairs and putting my 2 tall bookcases in that room. My next project will be to replace the ugly brown rug which came with my condo. I'm not sure if I'll get another rug or go with hardwood floors. I'd rather have the hardwood because I like that look, and also because wall to wall carpeting is not very good if you have allergies. Which, by the way, I do. The original "treatment" for my sliding door was vertical blinds. My cat loved them because he could easily push them aside and look out the window. I watched him last night when the drape was drawn. He couldn't figure out what had happened and how to look out the window. He is the reason for the change on the sliding door. In his excitement at the little creatures he watched at night he'd run back and forth behind the verticals. Unfortunately for me, he knocked down about 5 slats over time. I had a "window" in my blinds when they were drawn. Can't get much privacy that way! Anyway, it was time for a change and I'm happy with the change. Now if I only had a "magic wand" which I could wave and have my home cleaned every week. Until that happens, like everyone else, I'll be dusting, vacuuming and polishing and anything else it takes to make my house a "home".

An Appreciated Gesture

I went to a local pharmacy today to buy lipstick. There was a sale, buy one get one free. I would have bought 2 lipsticks, but because of the sale, I got 4. The nice thing that happened is that when I got in line to pay for my lipstick, the woman ahead of me gave me a coupon which gave me an extra $2 off. After paying for the car repairs I had just paid for, $2 was greatly appreciated. She had a basket of items and let me go ahead of her in line. I appreciated her kindness and made sure to thank her before I left. She wished me a nice day. I don't know her name and never saw her before but I was "touched" by her kindness. I wish her many "nice" days and hope that I may meet more people like her in the near future.

My car was in the shop today. It's the third time in two weeks that it's been serviced for a variety of ailments. I now have new front and rear brakes, two new tires, a new battery, and several smaller repairs. The total of the three visits is about $1850. The techs make $90 an hour for labor. OUCH! I'm hoping that I can keep my car for 4 more years before I have to buy another. I've never had a car for ten years, but that's my goal. I don't think I'll buy "new" the next time. Let someone else pay for the depreciation. I'll be looking for a car 1 or 2 years old that's in good shape and doesn't have too much mileage on it. In the mean time I'm still happy driving my Cougar with it's sporty look. The next car will have 4 doors not 2. It will also have leg room in the back seat. Don't know if I'll buy American again or go foreign for the first time. In any case, I like a car that has style. Just like me! (kidding)

Good Morning, World

Good morning. It's 4:45 am on the east coast. I feel like writing but have no idea what to write about. I'm watching the early morning news. Although I'm moved by many of the stories, I'm also saddened by most of them and don't want to write about "sad". I think that it would be nice to end every news cast with an "upbeat" story. The listeners would be left with hope in a world where there seems to be so little. How about a "Good News" news program? I know there is some good news out there. I'm not advocating being a "Polyanna" but come on, is everything really as bad as it seems? War, death, murder, child abuse. Does anything good happen out there? Why aren't those stories as news worthy? Make my day, give me something encouraging to start the day with. It may influence my day in a good way. It could even be contagious. I may in turn encourage someone else who is having a bad day and they may encourage someone. It would be an act of kindness which would cause other acts of kindness. Give me something to build a day on.

Hats, Hats, Hats

Hats, hats, hats, I miss hats! We use to wear them to church on Sundays. We always got a new one for Easter. I remember an assignment in 7th grade where I was suppose to write a poem about hats. Not being a poet, I found that to be a difficult task so I asked my father for help. He wrote a very cute poem about Hats. Sr. Elizabeth liked it so much she asked me if she could keep it. The only problem with giving it to her was that I didn't keep a copy for myself. The only part of his poem I can remember is the following. Hats, Hats, Hats, Hats on horses with their tails, Hats in windows with there veils. Sr. Elizabeth what did you do with Dad's poem? Do you still have it? I wish I could find you to ask. I do miss wearing a hat. Why did they go out of style? Why don't women enjoy wearing them any more? I love hats. Bring them back as a part of fashion. They can even bring back wearing white gloves when one gets "dressed". Think of all the "germs" you'd be escaping if one wore those as part of one's attire. No, I'm not as germaphobic as "Monk", but I can see the benefits of wearing gloves. Hats and white gloves, I'm willing to wear them again. At least on Sundays.

Sunday, A Day of Rest

As a child, Sunday was known as a day of rest. When we were very little, we lived in the city. I remember Sunday as a special day of the week. The first thing we would do was to go to church. After church we had breakfast. There were always hard rolls from the bakery and some kind of pastry. Mom prepared a special dinner for early afternoon. It was usually some sort of roast with potatoes and a vegetable. We always had dessert on Sunday. The thing to do for a "city" family was to go for a ride in the "country" after dinner on Sunday afternoon. If we didn't go for a ride, my brother and I played while Mom and Dad read the Sunday papers. It was a "quiet" day. We were told that it was a "Day of Rest" and Dad didn't work and we didn't either. All that happened in the 50's. Times changed and the world pace became more hurried. We still went to church, but we began to do more and more on Sundays. One thing which remained consistent was that Mom and Dad always took time to read the Sunday papers. The rides in the country ended. We now lived in the "country" so to speak. There were fields with blackberries, honeysuckle, daisies and other wild flowers right at the end of the street. I have fond memories of these days and although I still go to church, I miss the "specialness" of Sundays.

Old Fashioned Thinking

What is the correct thing to do? Does one invite a single female to a wedding if all the other guests are couples? If you are a modern woman there shouldn't be any reason for not inviting a single female of any age. I for one, finding myself to be a single female would go to a wedding without an escort especially if I know some of the other guests. I guess what I'm saying is that one should extend the invitation and leave the response of either "accept" or "decline" to the invited female. By not extending the invitation you are sending the message that there is something "wrong" with being single. If given a choice of going alone or with a date, I'd opt for going with a date. But don't make me feel like a "freak" by not inviting me.