Mah Jongg Tomorrow

Four of us will be playing MJ tomorrow. Four others can't make it. One thing is for sure, we will each get to play every game. I must remember my card and my MJ set tomorrow. A couple of the gals we play with don't own their own MJ set. I think they should. There's always one or another of us schlepping our set everytime we get together to play.
It should be great fun to play again. I missed the last time the group got together. As long as I can win one game I'll be happy. I'm not very competitive with the others, but if I can win one game I feel that the day wasn't a total loss.

Golf In The Autumn

Three of us played 9 holes of golf today on a beautiful public course in our area. The day started out very cold and crisp. It warmed up nicely although a sweater was still required. It was the first time in about 17 years that I've played on a "real" golf course. I was very rusty!!! I was so rusty that I decided not to keep score and to only keep track of my Putting. That wasn't too good either. I need to hit balls to practice my swing. If that doesn't work, I'll try a lesson or two in the spring before the next season begins. L. wants C. and I to join the Ladies League next year. I need to get better by then. It was fun to be out on the course and in the beautiful autumn air. I hope we can get in another day or so before we call it quits for the winter.

Fantastic Flooring

The laminate floor's been laid. It looks beautiful! I'm so glad that I went through the hard job of getting everything packed up and moved out of the rooms. I've spent all afternoon trying to put things back together again. I'm pooped! I'll finish the dining room tomorrow. Putting the books back on the shelves of the bookcases will probably take a couple more days. Even the storage closet in the LR has been done. Everything is back inside in good order. It's amazing what you find when you clean a closet. Treasures you forgot that you had! I have to hang all the coats back in the hall closet, then I 'll be able to get back into the craft room. Slowly but surely the place will be put back together. Now I can't wait until I have my bedroom floor done.

Packing Up

Packing up two full rooms and three closets is over whelming! To quote my sister, "This is hard work." I guess we're not as young as we use to be. Help is on the way tomorrow when my younger brother comes by for a visit. He'll finish up boxing the books and I'll pack the dishes from the dining room. On Saturday I'll pack the cd's and video tapes. Sunday is reserved for the storage closet in the living room. Hopefully, the two rooms will be free of everything but furniture by Monday morning. I can't wait until Tuesday when the floor is done and I can start putting my home back in order. I've decided to play golf on Wednesday! I'll deserve a break and a day of fun with friends. That'll be the day I pack up my cares and woes.

Estudiantina Waltz, Op. 191

The Light Classical station is playing the Estudiantina Waltz by the Cincinnati Pops right now. It sounds so familiar. I remember that tune from my childhood when they had a beer commercial on TV. If I write the words to the jingle, you may know the tune without hearing the music play. It starts, "My beer is Rheingold, the dry beer. Think of Rheingold whenever you buy beer. It's not bitter, not sweet. It's an extra dry treat. Won't you try extra dry Rheingold beer?"
I've never been a beer drinker but I remember liking the melody to that particular jingle. However, since I'm not a beer drinker, I have no idea how to spell "Rheingold". I do know how to spell Rhine wine which I prefer to any beer, be it bitter, sweet or extra dry.

The Shelves Are Up

Today was the day the shelving was put up on the wall in the craft room. They look great and will hold a lot of hobby materials. I spent a few hours "stocking the shelves" so to speak. After that, I moved some of the things I need to store into the room. Next Monday I'm having laminate flooring put in the living room, dining room and hall. I need to store all items which will fit in the two other rooms. I've started with the craft room. The hall closet has been emptied. Tomorrow I'll pack up the dishes from the dining room buffet. On Thursday my sister has offered to help me move all the books from the bookcases and we'll box them in the bedroom. It seems like an overwhelming job to "clear the deck" so the men can put down the floor. I'm glad I've decided to start this early.

I Couldn't Believe It

I actually won playing Pinochle last night. It is the first time I've won in well over a year of two. It gave me a sense of satisfaction to win, but it was not as exciting as I thought it would be. We played two games. Whoever reaches a score of 250 first is the winner of that game. I won the second game. I really believe that winning is mostly in the cards you're dealt. There is some strategy, but if you don't have the cards it's all to no avail. I guess that is kind of how "life" goes also. The "cards" you're dealt has much to do with whether you win or lose. Not giving up but persevering often pays off. Who was it who said, "Success is failure turned inside out"? That reminds me of the children's story, "The Little Engine Who Could". If you continue to "think I can", you often can and do succeed.

When Will I Win?

Tonight is our night to get together and to play Pinochle. We've been playing for more than ten years. It's been at least two years since I've won a game. I've come close very often, coming in a close second. I'm beginning to wonder if and when I will ever win a game again. Two of our friends play at home every night during the week. They have been walking away with the miniature trophy every time we play. Part of playing cards is strategy, but most, I think is luck. Needless to say, I'm not lucky at cards. I'm happy to say that, thankfully, the rest of my life has been better.

The Jack-O-Lanterns

As I'm sitting here thinking of what to write about, a big Jack-O-Lantern is staring at me from the top of the fireplace. It's light is glowing an orange color and he's smiling at me showing the 5 teeth he has. There are 2 baskets on the tea table which hold Halloween candy. They were put there in anticipation of the trick or treaters who will be coming in a few weeks. Halloween was a favorite holiday when I was a kid. We were even lucky enough to have the day after Halloween off from school. Our public school friends were not that lucky. We didn't have to go to bed "early" because we could sleep late the next day. My brother and I only missed one Halloween of trick or treating because our doctor decided that the day before that wonderful holiday, we should have our tonsils taken out. Much to our surprise, however, the day was "saved" by two of our cousins who shared their candy with us. They delivered it in a small plastic Jack O Lantern and made our day!

Patience

Do you have patience? Sometimes daily living requires more than the usual amount of patience. For instance, I've been waiting for several weeks for someone to let me know when they can put up some shelving for me in my craft room. I'd like to get that done before the men come to lay the new floor in the LR/DR/Hall. If the shelves aren't put up I need to find some place to put the four boxes of shelving and all the paraphanalia which comes with them. The craft room is in turmoil. Soon the whole house will be in turmoil as things get moved into the bedrooms so they can lay the floor. I'd like to get the shelving job done so I can use the craft room for storage. I'm beginning to run out of patience. I suppose things get done in a more timely fashion if you are lucky enough to have a handyman around the house. Some men aren't that handy in fixing things. Please, please, please put up my shelves. I'd like to move on to bigger and better things.

So Many Channels, Nothing To Watch

I listened to music again today because I couldn't find anything interesting to watch on the tube. I checked out the news, and surfed the other channels. If you love sports, you had it made today. Although I don't mind a football game or two, I don't really enjoy watching the NFL on TV. I'd rather watch a college game on Saturday. Weekend TV is a sports fan's dream. I'd rather watch a mystery or a good movie. "Good" is the word here. They put a lot of junk on the ordinary channels. I don't subscribe to the movie channels because cable is expensive enough without them. I would watch the Yankee game, but I'm afraid I'll be disappointed by the outcome. What's the matter with those Yankees? I could lose a baseball game for that kind of money. They've been such a disappointment. Now they're saying that if they don't win, Joe Torre may lose his job. It's not him swinging the bat or pitching or messing up the plays. I have a better idea. Instead of Joe losing his job, why doesn't George take a few million away from the team players who don't measure up to the salaries they're making?

A Big Project

In two weeks, I'm going to have my wall to wall carpeting replaced with a laminate floor. My work is now cut out for me because I have to remove everything I can from the rooms. Part of the problem is that I can't lift heavy boxes because I will hurt my back. The heaviest boxes will be the boxes of books when I empty the bookcases. Where to put them in a small condo is the next problem. I'll also have some boxes of dishes and I have to remove the stereo components from the stereo stand. I'm told that the workers won't move electronics. I'll probably put the dishes and the stereo equipment in the kitchen and remove all books to my bedroom. Where I'll then put them into boxes thus avoiding the need to pick up the boxes of books. I already emptied the linen closet in the hall. I have a coat closet in the hall to empty. There is a storage closet in the living room to empty. The things from the storage closet may have to be placed in the bathrooms because I'm sure I'll be out of space for them anywhere else. This will, however, be a labor of love because the end result of the new floor is well worth going through all the trouble. Maybe next year I'll have one bedroom done. That should be an easier project.

It's Working

Today was my second day of physical therapy for my aching back. I can honestly say that my back feels better today. When I spend a day sitting at the sewing machine, bending forward causes back pain. Eric, the PT, is teaching my back to bend easily in the opposite direction as well. This is the first time that I've had physical therapy for my back. It does work!