What's That Falling on My Head?

I was just out and about and suddenly the accumulating black clouds let go of some kind of white stuff. It wasn't snow because it wasn't flakes. It wasn't hail because it was white. So I am going to call it what it was teeny tiny little snowballs came down upon my head.

All you armchair meteorologists probably know the technical name for that phenomenon but I'm calling it how I see it-------teeny tiny little snowballs!

Time Flies

Sometimes life is just a whirlwind. This Thanksgiving holiday was just like that.

On Tuesday, my daughter arrived. On Wednesday, I did all my cooking and then we went shopping and bought out Target.

On Thursday, we watched the parade and kept saying "who in the heck is that?" and then my dear sis and her hubby made dinner. Those two are a Thanksgiving marvel. They can cook, serve and clean up without raising so much as a drop of sweat! They are like a well oiled machine. And the best part is that the meal is so delicious you wish you were like a cow--having two stomachs would be great! My daughter brought wine from her favorite winery in MI and my son took over the mashing of the potatoes and did an excellent job too. My nephew was home from college and we were all together for the first time in eight years!

No more skyping or speaker phone conversations for us! We will likely be together every Thanksgiving from now on....unless somebody moves far away again.

On Friday, my daughter and I braved the throngs and did the Black Friday thing. WOW!!! Kohl's was so crowded and crazy and busy, I couldn't believe my eyes. It took forever just to get a parking place and then we had to leave to go to lunch as we were meeting my sis.

Thank goodness for that respite in the middle of the day. Lunch with sis was like an oasis in the desert! We had tea and great food and then went on our way. All in all we hit up eight stores that day and my car was filled to the gills. That night, my son took us all to Zocolo for dinner and we had great Mexican food and the most giant margaritas you ever saw. They even made us guacamole at the table. YUM!!

Saturday, I was in a craft sale and I am putting it here in writing. I am done as a crafter! Just trust me on this one. I did have fun with my good friend and her sis and my daughter even hung out with us during part of the day but trust me, I'm done. Put a fork in me and all that!

Saturday night we went out for Italian as a family and that was a nice quiet dinner and then home for a little conversation and bed.

Now it is Sunday morning and I wish it was last Tuesday again. Daughter is getting ready to go home, Son is doing his own thing, and I'm done with my shopping and so is DH! Tomorrow the carpet cleaning guys come and then it is time for the Christmas decorating! But I will mourn the passing of Thanksgiving. It was a real blessing.

Reflections

Lately we have been experimenting with taking our pictures in the reflection of mirrors. I don't know exactly why but it kind of started up in Vegas and I'm not sure we are done yet. It was a great way to get everyone in the picture without asking a stranger to take one.


They turn out pretty well too. I even have one from one of the casinos where we are looking up at a gold reflecting light fixture and my family is in the reflection. It is pretty cool and also gold and shiny so it is my screensaver right now. As a matter of fact, here it is:

You probably can't see us so you will have to take my word for it. I've thought about it and probably we got inspired by our cousin's daughter's wedding pics taken at the Bean in Chicago. It is a real giant reflection so the pics are great.

My favorite is the one my sis took at the Liberace museum. It is the four of us flanked by a couple of those outrageous outfits he was famous for. I don't have that one on my computer to share though.

Sometimes we don't like our reflections and my husband has a theory about that. He says only to look in mirrors where you like how you look. That is great advice--possibly even words to live by!

Now, I bet you thought I was going to reflect on life or something but I'm not. Sometimes things are just what they appear to be!

Wicked

WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW! I just saw the production of Wicked here in Cleveland and it was spectacular!!! I loved the book and how it got rid of the all good and all evil witches and told a heart rending story of good intentions gone bad.

The performers were excellent and the music was stirring. The effects were unbelievable. I would go again and again--if only I had someone to grant my wishes!!

The Pa(l)in is Back

It pains me to say this but she's baaaaack. That's right, Sarah Palin is back in all her, um, glory.

She has a new book out(who didn't see that coming?) so she is doing the whole media circuit. I haven't watched any of it not even Oprah or Barbara Walters. Supposedly those two were supposed to eat her alive but the little clip I saw of Barbara, the old babe just looked slightly amused by the whole thing. I didn't get to see any of the Oprah interview.

I only saw a few clips of Palin on a few "news" shows I don't watch on conservative television and the little snippet from the Walters interview....just enough to see that Ms. Palin hasn't changed her style.

She still has those gawd-awful glasses and the weird hairdo but those don't offend me as much as her attitude and rhetoric. She still spouted a big long story of how she would save the economy to Walters and when she was done I had no idea what she had said let alone what she meant. Walters slyly said she had a way with words and Palin said she calls 'em as she sees 'em.

Speaking of seeing, wonder if she's seen Levi in Playgirl?? Isn't the timing of his appearance in that magazine just delicious?? I wonder if there is a review of her book in the magazine. You know girls only look at that magazine for the articles too....just like you men read Playboy for them.

What a little sleazeball he is! Any time she makes a political play, how much you wanna bet that he shows up and does something else slutty or jerky?

Anyway, the right always acts like we less conservative types dislike Palin because she's from Alaska and hunts and shoots and her kid plays hockey and she has a young daughter with an out of wedlock baby but that's not so. I don't like her because she can't answer a straight question, she throws around rhetoric, she is uninformed and unqualified for office, and if she's so conservative, she should stay home and take care of her kids!

Sleepless in Mentor

Once in a while, I just can't sleep....no matter what I do. Last night was one of those and of course it was the night before the only day of the week that I work so I couldn't sleep late in the morning.

I do drift off at long last(4:30 am last night...or this morning) and this morning I slept until 8.

My husband had to shovel me out of bed and onto my feet but I made it to work on time. I went up to do my duties and another woman was doing my job! WHAT?????????? I go on vacation for a week and I'm replaced??????

I met this woman before and she "helped" me do my job so I guess she thinks she's an expert now. I left. All I wanted to do was to go home to bed, but did I? No, I did not.

Late night television is really weird. There are all kinds of obscure movies and repeats of the daytime shows like Oprah. The food channel has repeats and so does HGTV and they show stuff like House Hunters--International. Last night I watched a couple pick out a house in Holland. Then the property virgins and first time buyers were on and I watched them get their dream homes and cringed at the mortgages these kids were taking on.

I had blankets on and I tried laying down but I just kept getting more awake. I finally tried again at 4:30 and it finally worked..I fell asleep. I was dreaming that Frank Sinatra was doing something with my family but then a deep, deep scary voice called my name and it was DH and it was time for him to get up and me to sleep for an hour in our bed.

So, hopefully, tonight sleep will not escape me. I could go to bed right now but I'll clean house instead...a nice brainless activity for a brainless, sleep-deprived day.

Climb Every Mountain

On vacation my family went rock climbing...without me. I wanted them to go but I didn't want to watch. Really. I hung out at the pool and enjoyed my morning just fine. Frankly, I never even gave them a thought the whole time.

If I had been there I would have been wringing my hands in despair and making them get down from there. I had their solemn vows that they wouldn't do anything crazy.

My kids must be part mountain goat because climb they did and here are the pics to prove it!

I think they were just kidding around in that last one. He couldn't have pushed her over the brink because they all came home unscathed!!

Moms have the right to worry about their family's safety but they don't have to hang around and watch them be daring either!

BANG!!

We just caught a few minutes of an old movie AH! Wilderness. We only watched for a few minutes because we were so horrified and yet amused at the same time.

It was Fourth of July in the film and the kids in the town set off their fireworks first thing in the morning. First there were those little ones on a string that when you lit one they all went off.

Then they graduated to firecrackers that looked the size of dynamite sticks. Then these two little girls all dressed up in their cute little dresses shot off some of those big sticks and hid behind a tree. The entire neighborhood was going gangbusters when along comes a kid(looked to be about 10 years old) firing a giant pistol!!!!!!!!!!!!! He wasn't shooting anyone just up in the air and was he ever happy!

The whole area was filled with white smoke and the noise finally even awoke the parents of one kid(the rest of them must have had earplugs or were dead). Did they run to stop them? Why, no, the mother thought she would yell at her son(the estimable Mickey Rooney) and told the father to go back to sleep! Oh, sure!

Well, when the smoke cleared, everybody was FINE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Nobody got hurt or maimed or killed or even in trouble. Now you know if that happened in a movie nowadays, someone would have blown off a hand or been killed. But not back in the day. It was just another day in the neighborhood!

Times sure have changed, haven't they??

Oh, Honey..Ahh Sugar Sugar

I just read my daughter's blog and not only is Archie married to Veronica which I found out at my local bookstore, but now they have kids. I was told by a source that these comic books are just an alternate universe kind of thing and in another series he will be married to Betty.

OHMYGOSH!!! In reality, Archie is 65 years old with a giant beer belly sitting in his Barcalounger watching television ALL BY HIMSELF!!!!

No woman in her right mind would marry a man who couldn't choose between two women for over 35 years!! I mean, really.

Just think about those two women.

Veronica--independently wealthy, spoiled rotten by her obliging father, beautiful and stacked

Betty-- the consummate girl next door, cheerleader, enthusiastic school leader, smart and beautiful and stacked

Now think about Archie.

Hasn't changed his haircut in 40 years. Has a skinny little body and no ambitous plans. Has no career goals. Hangs around with a kid named Jughead.

See what I mean??

Archie is fine for a highschool crush but as husband material, he sucks! B and V are much to smart to go down that path!!

I want to see the "reality" version of the Archie comic....on second thought it would probably be so boring no one would buy it.

He's Baaack!

One Life to Live is my favorite soap of all time. It has its ups and downs but recently we have been on a roller coaster ride that has been only up, up, up!

First of all, Mitch Lawrence, consummate bad guy is back....from the dead. Which is not a giant surprise since he thinks he is the second coming. Mitch is the leader of a cult and can spout Bible passages and act holier than thou while he is plotting and planning to kill and generally ruin all the lives around him.

He is good looking, sure of himself, cocky, self promoting, glib, charismatic and totally evil. Oooh, he is the soapiest villain of all time...and he turns up every once in a while to my delight.

He is the father of Jessica(who always thought she was a Buchanon but it turned out that Mitch raped her mom) and was the husband of Jessica's sister, Natalie. I don't remember how that happened but believe me it was sure to be a big mess.

In the meantime, Rex Balsam, who has been fatherless most of his life and has had a couple of fake fathers, is trying to find out the real story about his dad....and guess what? That's right! It's MITCH LAWRENCE!!! Apparently Rex's mom was part of his cult and had his child when she was young and, most likely, drunk.

Mitch has managed in the few short days he's been back to exhume the body of Jessica's dead husband and leave him for her to find, shot and killed Natalie's present husband, and the bastard is going to walk away from it all, just you wait and see! He is already taunting John McBain with his story of his "abduction" by the poor dead kid and I'm sure he'll be out of jail before you can collect 200 dollars!

Mitch never pays for his crimes and if you think he is dead, he isn't. If you think he's in prison, he's out. He will wreak havoc on Llanview!! I can't wait!

No Dough Girl

Yesterday I started back on the South Beach Diet. That means for the next two weeks--no carbs and after that only whole grain and sweet potatoes. But I had to do it. I cannot stand how I look for one more minute. Although, come to think of it, I guess I will have to stand it at least for awhile.

Cutting carbs isn't that hard to do...for a little while. With the holidays coming, carb cutting would be hard so I plan to get that part over with asap....hence starting yesterday. It's the first time I started a diet not on Monday. Maybe it will be the magic charm. I don't even have that much to lose. Maybe 20 or so and I would be in great shape. I work out consistently so you'd think that would keep the weight off, but no. I still have to monitor what I eat....from now on. No giving up and saying what the heck.

I just took a break and went tot he mall with my sis and guess what? I failed already. I ate Auntie Anne's! Oh well, I still won't give up. I'll just start again tomorrow and I am sure I will succeed...... at least for more than one day!

Angels Among Us

If you don't believe in angels then you probably shouldn't bother to read this. There was a time that I didn't believe in angels and then I got hit in the face with a butterfly and my whole life changed.
There are angels among us. If I see a monarch butterfly, I know my dad is saying hello. I have to be careful not to say "Hi, Dad" out loud so nobody thinks I am crazier than they already think I am.
If I see a white feather in an unexpected place, I know my mom is sending a shout out to me. We saw one in Vegas and a tiny orange and black butterfly too. Only once. Totally unexpected. My sister and I. My cousin.
On the plane on the way home my dad stopped by to say hello too. That hardly ever happens. I felt him more than saw him but I almost saw him. He gave me a little kiss on the forehead and I startled awake. I had been in a half dozy state. His presence almost enveloped me before I knew it was him. It was, I'm telling you. I'd know my dad anywhere.
Once I "saw" my dad and my father-in-law in church. They just stood behind us and I could feel how proud of us they were. Even guys who don't share feelings well get good at it when they reach angel status.
If you are aware and quiet and watchful, your angels will touch you too. Really.

Birthday Bog

Well, I'm back from my trip and of course I couldn't blog every day as I was busy and I didn't take my laptop so let me give you a lowdown!

Thursday, November 5: Today we travelled. You know it takes all day now no matter what. Especially if you are changing time zones. I woke up at 7am in Cleveland and went to bed at midnight in Vegas. In case you want to know that is 20 hours straight!

Friday, November 6: It is my birthday and I am in the pool and it is 80 degrees and I am surrounded by my favorite people and I even got presents! I had my party under a pergola and then got back in the water. We ate at a fancy restaurant and I got to sit in a chair that looked like a throne and my kids treated me!! What a day. I am so lucky.

Saturday, November 7: They say nobody really wins in Vegas but they are wrong. I played Deal or No Deal today and I won!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 3 cents!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh, I know..but it's funny isn't it?

Sunday, November 8: Today I fell in love with gold fish......the game. Oh, it was so much fun. There was Calypso music and Confetti when you won a bonus and you got to match up the fishes until the turtles matched up. All that and free drinks too! I tripled my money today too. Too bad it was only five bucks.

Monday, November 9: If you go to Vegas you have to embrace your inner glitz and the epitome of that was Walter Liberace. Believe me, you have to see the Liberace museum. It is spectacular and funny as all get out. I laughed so hard I could hardly contain myself and a certain someone got yelled at! Just for asking a simple question!! The old lady curator was a giant BIOTCH!!! Liberace would have been horrified! Anyway, if you want a new appreciation for rhinestones and ostrich feathers, the Liberace museum is a must see.

P.S. You could even buy a purse with a photo of Liberace in his bathtub on it!! Only in VEGAS!

Tuesday, November 10:

Travelling home is bad enough but when you find out you have a layover in Chicago that you didn't know about it really stinks! Even though we didn't have to leave the plane and even though we moved to the first seats and could stretch our legs. Our pilot was commandeered and we had to wait an hour for a new one!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Didn't walk in our door until after 11pm. Yikes!

Wed, November 11:

Home again and back to errands and chores. BooHoo! Where is my Goldfish game when I need it??

Up Up and Away

I'm on my way in just a few hours to Vegas, baby! I can't wait to get there and enjoy the sun and the sin.....ok, more the sun than the sin. I'm not a very good sinner.

It's not that I don't sin. Believe me, I do, every day, I'm sure. But blatant sins like drinking too much or gambling away my house just don't appeal to me. I'm even hard pressed to gamble a hundred dollars away.

Plus, while I am there I am happily turning sixty years old....that is a big enough sin as it is! I can't believe that the time has flown by and I'm at this landmark already. I'd like to go back and yes, erase some of those sins in my life and kick my young self for some of the stupid things I did.

Mostly, I don't look back though. I like to look forward to a new day and that's just what I'm going to do. There are still a lot of things I want to do. I have a list in my head but I am not ready to commit it to "paper" here on this blog. Suffice it to say, it will take me some time to do all the things I want to do.

Sixty isn't very old anymore--not when each day The Today Show gives us a list of people who are 100 years old and more. The lists are longer all the time and the ages keep getting older too...like 103 and 107 and the people still have hobbies and everything! So sixty is just a youngster compared to that!

Plus how can a cake hound like me not enjoy her birthday--the perfect excuse to eat cake and honey, that is sin enough for me!!

The Invisible Woman

I know I can make myself invisible. It happened to me again at the store. I was looking at a round rack of jewelry and a woman came up and just started turning it like I wasn't even there! I gave her a dirty look but she didn't seem to see that either.

It must turn off and on though because the clerk made me pay for my purchases so obviously she could see me.

I've been stepped on before and walked into and shoved aside. I know it's during one of my invisible times. It never happens when I am doing something I shouldn't or something stupid or wish I had washed my hair before I went out because it looks worse than I first thought.

You'd think being invisible even part time would be a great power but I'm here to tell you it's not so hot!

Armed and Ready

I'm off today to deal with the bank. I will let you know how I fare. Just don't be surprised if I cave and pay the darn fee. I am going to cancel the card no matter what.

In better news, only two days until my birthday trip. Yep, I'm counting the days. It's like in the 80's there right now so it sounds really appealing. Plus no cooking and people I love. Nothing but good there!

I'll add more to this later unless I am so angry I can't function!

Well, armed with a little anger and a well rehearsed speech, I am happy to say that I got the fees eliminated from my card and she was even very nice about it. I had a giant knot in my stomach because I was afraid they would argue with me but I was so glib and professional sounding, that there was no confrontation at all, thank goodness.

I hate confrontation. I don't want to be in an argument, feel uncomfortable around someone, worry that someone doesn't like me or have words. I just want things to go along smoothly.

Lucky for me, I am spending my birthday with folks who just want to have fun!!

Furiouser and Furiouser

I am so angry I could pop a cork! Banks have the most ridiculous policies and the Feds are supposed to be doing something about it but in the meantime, the banks are gouging us for all we are worth. I have just been whacked with a $40.00 fee for not using my Mastercard and if I don't pay immediately the 25% LATE FEE CHARGE WILL BE IN EFFECT! Say what??
Does this bank have any idea how long I have been their customer? Does this bank have any idea how hard I worked to pay off these damn cards???????
Then to try to facilitate a solution, I foolishly called the 1-800 number they gave me and three guesses...I was talking to some woman in India ala Slumdog Millionaire! She told me that it is the bank's policy and I got another 1-800 number from her and they wanted my card number which I don't have because I shredded the card I no longer use. SO I hung up.
Tomorrow I will go to my branch and deal with a human who can help me out of this mess and if they don't I will be moving to a new bank....hopefully, a better bank. A sensible bank that doesn't have stupid policies.......hmmm, wonder if that even exists??

National Blog Writing Month

There is a challenge out there to write an entry every day in November. I missed yesterday because I knew nothing about the challenge but I'm going to try to write every day this month even though I am going on vacation in a couple of days. I think I can do it.

I will try to be interesting but no promises.

It is only 4 more days until my 60th birthday and I'm not even a tiny bit freaked out. I mean, what's the point of getting freaked out as there is no way to change it. Being only 40 would be nice.....even 44. That, for some reason, was the year I freaked out. Turning 44 held some significance for me and so my dear sis had 44 cows put in my front yard and suddenly the whole thing was funny and fun instead of scary and depressing.

My whole family is going to Vegas with me for my birthday celebration. Even my cousin and her husband are coming from Chicago. I will get to do some things I never have done before on my birthday. One is swimming! It is going to be around 80 degrees so I want to hang at the pool and soak up some sun. I'm going to do a little gambling and eat French pastry in "Paris". I can't wait!!

How could anybody be freaked out about that, right?? I'm just feeling lucky!