Where Does The Day Go?

Today was one of those days that just flew by. I arose early as usual. Did some errands. Returned home to do the laundry and to pay bills. The next thing I knew, it was 3:00pm already. Continued to work by straightening the craft room. When I finally was done it was 7:00pm. It is rainy today so I couldn't go out to walk. If it had been a light summer rain, it wouldn't have stopped me, but it was also cold today. Too cold and rainy to walk. My faithful cat, Sandy, was by my side all day. He sits at my feet now. The only time I got angry with him was when I sat at the desk to pay bills. Sandy resents that time and always gets up on the desk and sits on the bills. I have to stop what I'm doing and place him back on the floor. That lasts around 5 minutes and then he's back again. Haven't decided how I'll spend the rest of the evening. The hobby possibilities are endless, but I'm too tired to do an excellent job on anything. I may listen to music and just catch up on my magazine reading. Bon Soir!

A Peek At the Ocean

This past Saturday, my brother, my mother and I went to take a peek at the Ocean. The water was rough and dark in color. It still looked like a winter ocean. There was no fragrance of the ocean which we could discern from where we sat to watch. The gulls were flying overhead, but no one was on the beach. Several people had stopped by for the same purpose we had, to take a "peek". I love the ocean in the off season because it is quiet. However, in a month or so, when the weather gets a bit warmer, the ocean will take on a whole different look and feel. There will be more people stopping by and people walking on the boardwalk. It is still a favorite time because the official beach season hasn't started yet. Once that starts it will be much harder to find a parking space. The atmosphere changes and with all the people around becomes more exciting. There is a time for excitement. I will welcome summer and the beach season, but my true love will always be the ocean in the off season.

PBS

"Sense and Sensibility" was on PBS tonight. It is also a Jane Austen story. Only half of the movie played tonight. The rest will be played next week I suppose. I've really been enjoying all the Jane Austen movies which have been played this year since Jan. or Feb. Unfortunately, I find it hard to find something "good" to watch on tv these days. That is why I enjoy PBS. Usually there is something to my liking on those channels. I wish that there were less reality shows on tv and more classics to watch.

Back Home

I returned home at about 3:00pm this afternoon after being away for the weekend. It's always a good feeling to get back home after you've been gone for a few days. I took Mom for a perm and did her food shopping. I also showed her how to get movies on demand. We watched "Michael Clayton" and "Bourne Ultimatum". The weekend flew by. I didn't get a chance to walk which I would have liked to do. Sandy was happy to see me come home. He followed me around for awhile and sat on my lap for awhile. He now is sleeping peacefully in the chair next to me. I started knitting a new block for the afghan I'm making. This block is a challenge. I had to learn how to YO and follow different directions. The block will have a shell pattern when it's done. Can't wait to see it finished. All in all it was a nice, relaxing weekend. I enjoyed myself.

It's A Go

I just got the word that I can get on the bus trip to Lancaster in May. I'm happy about that. The movie I watched tonight was called "August Rush". It was a romance. I thought it was well done although it ended sort of like a fairytale. Only in the movies can something end up as happily ever after as this movie did. I did enjoy the movie, however. I'm glad that I discovered how to order a movie from the cable company. It's less expensive then going to the movies.

Phone Calls And Appointments

Today was a good day. I spent a few hours playing Mah Jongg with friends this morning. I left early to take another friend to the bus depot so that she could go into NYC. When I got home I made necessary phone calls to make appointments with the dentist and doctor. The dental appointment is set, but I got the run a round trying to make an appointment with the hospital for a test. Will try that again tomorrow. I managed to secure two places on the bus trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Made the call to get on the bus trip to Lancaster, but didn't get through. I left a message and now await a return call. I'm hoping that I get to go on this trip also. Set up a date for a private golf lesson in April to work on my swing. I signed up for the Adult Beginning Guitar Class in May. The usual MJ days and quilt group days will continue. I will also continue to play Pinochle. One new thing I'd like to add to my schedule is Bunco. We'll need 12 people to play each week and I'd like to play with people who are not in the MJ or quilt group. Any one out there want to play Bunco? It's a no brainer! It was a busy day and I may treat myself to a movie on TV tonight. I wonder which one I'll choose?

Excitment In The Air

I feel excited about some of the activities available to me this spring. I may be able to take an adult class for beginning guitar, and a refresher class for golf. I also may have the opportunity to travel to NYC to visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art and also travel to Lancaster, Pa. with the Quilt Guild. When in Lancaster we will hear a lecture given by Maryann Fons and then visit two quilt shops. The Met is amazing. I haven't been there in quite a long time. I love to see the Costume Institute and the Impressionist Paintings. My friend would love to see the Greek and Egyptian wings. After the Met we have a chance to see the AWS Show at the Salmagundi Club. If you've never been there, it's worth a trip. After staying in and not doing much traveling all winter I welcome the chance to go on these two bus trips. I also look forward to perfecting my golf swing again since it's been close to 20 years since I played. I made an attempt last fall, but it was a diseaster. Having an actual teacher for the guitar instead of trying to learn by watching a DVD will give me a good idea what I'm suppose to be doing when I watch the DVD. I haven't been this excited about activities in a long time. It feels good.

Beautiful Gardens

Our visit to the Greenhouses was wonderful. My favorite display was the Italian Greenhouse. It seemed to be the largest and contained an assortment of a wide variety of orchids. They were all beautiful. The topiaries in the French and English gardens were lovely also. Many of the flowers in these greenhouses were familiar to me. There were tulips, hyacinths, St. Joseph Lilies and daffodils in the French greenhouse. The English greenhouse also contained a variety of recognizable flowers. Hopefully, next fall, my friend and I will be able to take the orchid class where we will learn all about the different variety of orchids. The highlight of that class will be taking home an orchid of our own.

A Visit To The Gardens

Today will be a fun filled day. A friend and I are going to visit the Duke Gardens and tour the Greenhouses. I've been many times before, but this is the first time that my friend will see the gardens. It takes about one hour to tour the greenhouses. There is a theme for each of the greenhouses. One may be a Colonial theme and another an Italian theme and so on. The flowers are beautiful. What a wonderful way to spend an early spring day. After touring the gardens we're going to go for tea at our favorite teahouse. I'll report on our day later.

A Brisk Walk

This morning I took a walk around the complex. The temp was about 31 degrees. I walked as quickly as I could as it was cold. Instead of doing 2 loops around at that time, I decided to walk around once. I did my second loop after lunch when it was a bit warmer. I always feel good after exercising, but am reluctant to get out there to get started. Once I get out the door, I'm on a roll. It is much more fun to walk with someone because you can chat as you walk and the time to completion goes by very quickly. However, since it isn't always possible to have a buddy to walk with, I will continue to venture out on my own. Hopefully, walking will get me into better shape and help me with my weight loss.

Back On Track

Today was a day for getting back on track. I'm in the routine of daily living. Did the laundry and opened all the mail, both snail and email. Answered the mail which required an answer and spoke to three friends on the phone. Sandy was a good cat while I was gone. He was given a lot of attention by me today and now sleeps peacefully on the chair beside mine. Tomorrow I will stop at the grocery store to pick up a few things. I will also take care of some phone business. I plan on going for a walk and starting a second block for the knitted afghan I'm making. The first block was finished while I visited over the holiday. Taught my sister-in-law how to knit, to cast on and to bind off. I told her that the next time we meet I'll teach her how to purl. My mother gave her a one pound skein of worsted yarn to use for making scarves for the grandchildren. The next block I choose will be a bit easier than the first one I knitted. I'm glad that I started with the block I did because it was complicated and finishing it gave me confidence that I can and will complete the afghan.

Home Again

Easter is over and I've returned home again. The family had a nice visit and a Happy Easter. I took a vacation from my diet although I did walk each day that it did not rain. The best part was that my brother and his wife were able to visit also. I went to mass on Easter and then prepared the dinner. Everything turned out well and everyone was pleased. I taught my brother and my sister-in-law how to play train dominoes. We played a "simple" version of the rules which made it easier to learn. I'd like it if we could play some sort of game once in awhile as watching TV gets boring when that's all there is to do.

Vacation Starts Tomorrow

Tomorrow is the day of the retiree breakfast. We haven't had one since November. I will go to that and catch up with the news of my former colleagues. After the breakfast I am heading for the shore for a few days. I will spend time with family for the Easter holiday. I'm hoping that we have some rain free days so that I can walk each day. There is a bit of straightening up to do after having the place painted. I will do that also. There will be a trip back in a couple of days to check on Sandy and to pick up my brother for the Easter weekend. One of the things I'd like to do is to go to the beach and watch the ocean waves breaking on the shore. Walking the boards would be a good way to get in a walk and enjoy the beauty of the ocean. I'm sure that many people will have the same idea if the weather is not too cold or rainy. Spring starts on Thursday. We're all "chomping at the bit" for spring weather to come. It will be pleasant to be outside when that happens.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Spent the day with Mom and my brother. Made corned beef and cabbage with potatoes. We watched the parade from NYC. I left the shore after dinner and got home at 8:00pm. Sandy was glad to have me home. I'm now watching the Late Late Show. However, I hear my comfortable bed calling. I will say "good night".

A Painful Clip

The quilt class I took on Saturday was very interesting. I enjoyed learning a new technique. Things were going very well, until ten minutes before the class ended, when I took a chunk out of my finger with a scissor while clipping a piece of material. Lots of blood but none on the quilt project. What a waste of 3 hours it would have been if that had happened. The teacher and my friend helped me stop the bleeding and also wrapped the injury with a gauze pad and bandaids. The finger is now doing fine and will heal. What a stupid thing to do! It was an accident. And you thought that quilting was a harmless hobby! Thank goodness for kind, patient people. Hope that I never do anything like that again.

Two And A Half Hours Later...

Today I cut the fabric for my Saturday quilting class. I was finished with all the cutting in 2 and a half hours. I always stand and bend over the dining room table when I'm cutting. I'm now resting from being on my feet for so long. I'm looking forward to making the table runner. If I complete it in time I'll have it for St. Patrick's Day and next Sunday for Easter. I'm meeting my friend at 11:00 am for breakfast before we go to the Quilt Shop for the class. Hope that the rain holds off so that my sewing machine doesn't get wet. The class is from 1 to 4pm. That evening I go to a friends house to play Pinochle. Hope Sandy lets me get 8 hours sleep tonight. It's going to be a long day tomorrow.

Waiting For Mail

Most of my email comes over night in the form of spam. That's very discouraging. I spend the first few minutes on the computer deleting that spam. I know that people are busy, but I'd like to receive more email and less "cutsie" stuff which has been around the world two or three times already. There are exceptions to this, however. For instance, I'm keen on "Maxine". I'd like to receive a friendly note telling me what a friend has been up to since I last heard from him. I'd also like to eliminate all spam. I don't use the phone that much anymore when contacting friends, but rely on email to keep up communication. Phone calls can be an intrusion. Email can be read and sent at your convenience. Many people who work check their personal email in the evening before they retire for the night. I guess I'm often disappointed in not receiving mail because I check mine all day long.

Another Break From The News

Every now and then I find it necessary to take a break from watching the news on tv. It sometimes causes one to be anxious or discouraged or even sad. Today is one of those days that I've had enough of the "news". I'm sort of restless but will probably quilt some more tonight as I listen to the Easy Listening channel on the tv. I may also gather the items I'll need for Saturday's class which will make it easier to get out the door on Saturday morning. I'll save the cutting of fabric for Friday when I'm starting the day, because I'll be "fresh" and wide awake for the measuring required before I cut the fabric. Fabric is so expensive that I'm really careful before cutting any. The whole project could be ruined if you cut the fabric wrong and don't have the right measurements. Cutting is my least favorite activity in preparing for the quilt making process. I love fabric like some people love candy. I went to a quilt shop to pick up a gift for a friend yesterday and didn't even look around because I knew I couldn't afford to buy anything. I didn't want to tempt myself and then feel bad when I couldn't buy something beautiful in fabric to add to my stash. That plan worked out well because I don't know what I've missed seeing and don't regret not having it. I'll most likely take a peek around the new shop I'll visit on Saturday, but hopefully I'll refrain from buying then also.

A Quiet Evening

Last night, The Vine of Friendship quilters came here to quilt. It was a quiet, enjoyable evening. I worked on Anita's quilt which we hope to have done by the fall. I think that at the rate we're going we will meet that deadline. I decided to keep the quilt for a few more weeks so that I can do more of the work on it. It is a quilt which includes green, orange and off white fabrics. There are some florals which are harder to quilt on because it's harder to see the pencil lines. My only distraction while quilting is Sandy who insists that his time for attention is when I am sitting and occupied doing something else. Hopefully, I'll be able to do a block this evening despite his interruptions.

A Visit From A MJ Friend

We played MJ today at Margaret's. It was extra special today because our old friend, Anita, who left our group when she moved away was able to stop by for a visit. We had a good time catching up on her news as well as playing MJ. I managed to win one game which was the icing on the cake. Tomorrow I host our small quilt group. I will be quilting on the quilt we made for Anita. We hope to be able to give it to her before too long. It was our going away gift for her since she was also part of the quilt group.

Finding The Perfect Fabric

Next Saturday I am going to learn how to make a reversible table runner. A friend invited me to take the class at a Quilt Shop which she goes to. It's always fun to see friends and also to see a new Quilt Shop which I haven't visited before. I went through my fabric stash today and found a few yards of Easter and St. Patrick's day fabric which I will use for the reversible runner. All that's left to do is to cut the fabric and get all my sewing gear ready for the class. I'm excited about learning a new technique and also seeing my friend, Diane. Since St. Patrick's Day and then Easter are only a week or two away, I will get to use the runner right away.

First Day

Today was the first day on my new diet which they say isn't a diet. I had a good day. There's something to be said for having to "check in" once a week when you're dieting. Even if you aren't meeting face to face with another human you feel that you are being held accountable. My goal this time is to lose 20lbs. After I achieve that goal I'll decide where to go from there. I also got outside and walked for twenty minutes after lunch. I'll try to get in a walk before I leave for the shore tomorrow. Later in the day it will rain. I'm also bringing my own food with me to help me stay on the program. I'm hoping that I'm successful with WW this time. There's 3 months left til summer. Hopefully, I'll reach my goal by then.

Nonsensical Stuff

I've decided to experiment with color as you can tell. I've chosen lavender in honor of the Easter season. Can't believe that Easter is just a little over 2 weeks away. The week before is St. Patrick's Day when I'll be wearing green. Lavender and green don't look that well together, do they? You see, the problem is that I feel like writing but don't know what to write about. I could tell about my uneventful day, but I've done that before. Today was pretty much a repeat of yesterday without having the doors opened. So, I shant bore you any more with this nonsensical stuff. I'd just like to say, have a good night's sleep and I'll try again tomorrow.

The Convenience of "Online"

Today I decided to join WW online. I've done the diet before so I know how it works. This time I've decided to do the Core Plan. The points system drove me "crazy" the last time. I've planned my menu for tomorrow. As an extra treat I decided to use the online shopping service at my local grocery store. So, all I have to do is drive up and they'll bring my groceries out to me between 11:00 and 11:30am tomorrow. Oh, the modern age, can't beat the convenience of it all.

DayLight Savings Time

This Sunday morning we set the clocks ahead for Daylight Savings Time. How thrilling is that? Very, I'd say. We'll now not see it get dark until after 6pm. As the weeks go forward we will experience each day getting longer. Spring weather is not far behind.

Another Book To Read

Went to the library yesterday and got out a book called, "Happy for No Reason" by Marci Shimoff. It's non-fiction. I'm reading it in between reading a novel I've started and doing other things in my day. The author has good ideas and explains them well. What I've gotten out of it so far is that being happy for no reason lasts longer than being happy for a reason. Seems to make sense. I was in the pursuit of happiness by being overly busy for awhile. That didn't bring me happiness, but brought exhaustion and frustration. Now that I've eliminated some of my activities and life is less franetic I feel more calm and peaceful then I have felt in some time. The simple pleasures of the day are what make me happy when I'm home. A good cup of coffee in the morning for instance, a spot of tea in the afternoon. Having Sandy crawl up into my lap from time to time to be held and petted. Listening to music while I read or do chores. Getting a friendly email or a phone call from a friend which I wasn't expecting. I don't feel like I need to read "Happy for No Reason", but it has confirmed some of the thoughts I've had on the subject of happiness, peacefulness and contentment. For someone who is struggling with finding happiness in every day living, I'd say it is a "must read".

The Very Damp, Dark, Rainy Day

Inspite of it being a very damp, dark, rainy day, the temperature was about 61 degrees. I have the sliding door behind my chair opened and I can hear the birds singing. Sandy, my faithful cat, has been sitting in the chair next to mine half sleeping and listening to the birds and smelling the fresh air. His eyes close occasionally and then reopen again to check up on me. He behaves very much like a puppy in that regard. He usually follows me from room to room waiting for me to settle somewhere. The laundry was washed today, and I managed to read a bit. Tomorrow I have to venture out to the grocery store and pick up a few things. I find myself staying home more than I usually do, conserving gas for when there is a purpose for going out. It's been quiet here today which I enjoy. I can hear the traffic in the distance as it goes down the highway. It's far enough away not to be annoying. All in all, it's been a nice day. Nothing exciting is going on but that's also to my liking. I hope that whoever reads this has also had a very nice day.

"D Day Is Tuesday"

According to Bill Richardson, D Day is Tuesday. It will be then that we know who the democratic nominee will be for the party. Will it be Obama as the media tends to report? Or will Hillary surprise everyone with enough of a win to gather needed delegates? In either case, it will be a relief to hear the pundits discuss something else on the tv shows after the final decision has been made. Chuck Todd commented one night that during the primary people vote with their hearts but that during the general election people vote with their heads. I think we'd all be better off if every election were voted by people who use their heads in rational thought. When it comes time to vote in the General Election, I wonder if we could write in "None of the Above"? As you may be able to tell, I'm rather tired of the whole process. Maybe it's time to shut off the "Talking Heads" and just read a good book. I could get a lot of reading done by November.

Busy, Busy, Busy

For the past few days I have been busy helping my mother. She had her LR/DR painted. Before the men painted I needed to remove pictures from the wall and knick knacks from the surfaces and dishes from the china cabinet. After they were done I had to put everything back in it's place. Since she going to have the rest of the downstairs done in another week, I'll be doing some more of the same type of thing for her. It was a labor of love. The rooms look great with their new light pink color and white trim. I also did the food shopping, and picked up 2 new white lamp shades, a wireless phone and a pink tablecloth for Easter dinner. That will be the day that the rest of the family sees the new look of the place. I know that they'll like it as much as we do.