%%USERNAME%%    %%ACCWORDS%% %%ONOFF%% |
 |    My random thoughts and reactions to my everyday life. The voices like a forum. |
| I do not know quite what happened or when , but my hubby and I now qualify for seniors' discounts at some venues. This creates a quandary; in order to save money, but not face, we have to admit to our age. HMMMM..... We definitely do not consider ourselves to be old. In this day and age ,when people as a whole are living longer and healthier lives why are 'young seniors', those in their fifties, like moi, considered 'old'?? It's so true that age is just a perception! "Maturity" is very objective/subjective, and I object! Whew, a few years have skittered by since I composed this biography block. Those "fifties" are in the rear view mirror and they are distant, fond memories. Oh, I do not plan to stop writing any time soon. |
| What would I gift to that cheeky fellow, er, um, monkey Andre? Something he wouldn't chuck? Doesn't he like to toss things, things that aren't necessarily round and favoured by most canines? Am I to muse upon an unthrowable object, something not aeronautically suited for flight, something awkward, yet somehow useful to an imbibing/partying creature of the bar? Oh, and the other criteria is that the gift not be a consumable? Whew, I had to reread that. At first, harried glance the word combustible exploded into my psyche. Of course I wouldn't dream of sending a bomb to Andre. If he reads this blog entry he may well determine it's a type of bomb, but, meh, so be it. Is it possible he could eat my words? If so I don't recommend that lamentable action. Okay, enough stalling and scrambling for a response. I suppose I would bestow a hammock upon this lucky monkey and not just any boring, everybody-has-one hammock. This hammock will be unforgettable. It shall be resplendent as a replica of the Canadian flag. That's right. It'll be red and white with a striking red maple leaf at its center. I should think Andre would hang this glorious hammock anywhere. Two trees are not always required although possible. String it from rafters, anybody's rafters. Permit it to swing from the bar, but be prepared to dispel inebriated squatters. Wait, can a hammock have a squatter? The point is this lounger could be strategically placed for maximum function and comfort. Andre will possess a new breezy method of laying about. Did I mention the cup/drink holder? Andre should not be forced to vacate his languishing in search of refreshments. I first thought of sending pure Canadian ice to Andre for his various bar concoctions, but ice doesn't lend itself to travelling via mail. Now if he could appreciate the brief, but refreshing splash of water he'd experience upon opening the 'ice box' and consider it a unique present... So, just to be clear, er, clearer. Andre please do not attempt to chuck or eat this hammock. Oh, and please do not remember me with a scowl or worst should or if you dismount/fall from the hammock unexpectedly. I may be admitting this has happened once or twice to me. Andre's Old2New Year Blogging Party The future looms before us all - 02 January 2024 prompts Who at Andre's Old2New Blogging Party stood out to you? Explain why based on their costume, their wit, their wisdom, their friendliness, and their blog entries and comments. What gift would you give to Andre to remember you by and not just get quickly used and tossed? (IOW, not a consumable) |
| How did I celebrate the closure of one year and the entrance of another? Well, I didn't cavort or guzzle anything other than cups of tea which I paired with a plethora of delectable and tantalizing Christmas leftovers. Those cookies do entice me and to squelch their allure I banished some to the deep freeze. When I succumb to their sweetness in the new year and I accept I will the calories' inherent therein have to have been rendered non-existent or at least much less potent. My hubby is addicted to anything and everything Hallmark or soap-opera'ish. I doubt there could possibly be a tear-jerker Christmas-themed movie he hasn't seen, but, meh, anything's possible. I sat through several of them last night. I suppose I do appreciate the happy endings. Earlier in 2023 I fractured my right leg and endured a too long confinement of eleven weeks in a cast and reliant upon a wheelchair. Had I been engaged in a daring, reckless feat, perhaps an attempt to be athletic? Nope. I simply stepped out of my pick-up truck onto a patch of sand meant to mitigate icy misfortunes and I slipped. Nothing heroic. This was my first and I hope final non-weight bearing injury. The few occasions I deserted my apartment for medical appointments I had to bump down and then up the nineteen steps to my apartment. The words of my landlord echoed. "The stairs will keep you young." I lost count of how many times I ran over the toes of my left foot as I conducted daily and numerous three-point turns perched on an ornery chair atop wheels. That cantankerous torture device disliked my tiny home. I now have tremendous respect for people forced to rely upon this mode of transportation fulltime. It's not for the faint of heart. Anyway, I celebrate the return of function for one of my legs with daily strolls. I celebrate the freedom to come and go without restriction. Last evening I sauntered through the short main street of 'my' village inhaling crisp air and admiring the glowing Christmas light displays. Along the way I encountered a few fellow villagers and we exchanged Happy New Year greetings. Snug at home I oohed and aahed over a midnight fireworks display cascading outside my livingroom window. The brilliant bursts of colour punctuated the night sky as if to say this next year will be fantastic. Of course I exchanged internet messages/salutations with family and friends. I marvel at the many emojis and animated Gifs created for my use. In February of 2023 we welcomed a fourth grandgiggle. I am truly blessed. If this number holds I believe I'll be okay. Remembering four names and birth dates is not too burdensome. Today, January 1st, I am de-Christmasing. I'm reminded of the Whos in Whoville and the Grinch as I pull down and dismiss my decorations. While they are displayed they provide smiles and enhance memories, but I do not break out in song at the sight of them. For a few days I will miss their festive colours. All that red makes an impact. They shall be banished to storage bins to await another Christmas. Huh, this effort is similar to moving house. I must pack and unpack. I wish for yet one more year of no accidents and spills from the stacked storage containers. An avalanche would be disastrous. Do I subscribe to resolutions? In a word, no. The unexpected is a constant, good and bad. Welcome 2024, surprise me. Day of Recovery - 01 January 2024 prompts What did you do last night at Midnight WDC time? Your time zone may vary, such as New Zealanders having New Year Day supper (or whatever the evening meal is called there). Do you have any New Years Day traditions? Detail as much as possible from time you get up to passing the day to evening activities and who is involved. What's your thoughts on the enormous exapnsion of holiday lights and light polution and those lights using electricity made from fossil fuels? How was the fireworks and firecracker noise around you residence last night and was it enjoyable or not? If you're doing WDC's Fifth Sunday prompt, "Note: Fifth Sunday *BurstBL* Random Prompt! It&...", feel free to use it. |
| Blogging Circle of Friends DAY 3937 November 30, 2023 Congratulations, you did it. The final prompt for the challenge is: What do these people have in common: George H.W. Bush, Evel Knievel, Zeppo Marx, Fernando Pessoa, and Oscar Wilde.? Pick one to discuss briefly in your entry today. What a wide range of figures to be honoured in our blogs, a politician, a motorcycle daredevil, an actor, a poet and a writer. What did these fine fellows have in common? They all died on November 30th. I recognize Evel Knievel an American stunt performer. Now I know his birth name was Robert Craig and the surname was an actual German-heritage one. I recall Evel broke numerous records and bones. He made a living jumping motorcycles over vast distances and objects such as lines of vehicles. Much of his infamy is due to his spectacular crashes and his survival of serious injuries. The Guinness World Book of Records lists Knievel as a survivor of "most bones broken in a lifetime." Imagine that as a legacy. My idea of a death-defying stunt is safely traversing the street or a set of stairs. While I have fractured bones I am not in Evel's league. Although his many stunts may appear to be reckless, Knievel was a proponent of motorcycle helmets. He acknowledged his use of one saved his life repeatedly. This showman believed in wearing a signature outfit, a leather jumpsuit and a cape. Over the years he appeared in various renditions of this garb, but the all-white jumpsuit is what I picture. My Nanny sewed an all -white jumpsuit with an attached red cape for my cousin Paulie. Until he out grew it he lived in it, winter and summer. Not that he jumped while driving a motorcycle, Paulie jumped from furniture or outdoor decks. I can see that red cape billowing behind his scrawny, blonde-headed body as he shouted, "Me Ebel Kniebel!" I don't know if Paulie himself ever made the connection, but many years later as an adult he obtained his motorcycle licence. This is where I should state that Paul has a form of autism and as such he cannot seem to comprehend cause and effect, or the vague notion of consequences. Anyway, Paul was driving along a divided two-lane highway one summer day and he noticed a fellow motorcyclist on the opposite side of the road. Instead of nodding at this driver Paul proceeded to wave at him with both hands. Yep, he was not steering his motorcycle at this point and he crashed. Thank goodness Paul wore a helmet. He did however fracture an arm much like his childhood hero Evel Knievel. Paul's damaged motorcycle languished in his parents' garage for years. He never had the funds to restore it and they refused to pay for its repair. I do wonder if at some point Paul would've attempted a very real Evel Knievel stunt if he continued to be a motorcyclist. |
| Blogging Circle of Friends Day 3936: November 29, 2023 Prompt: Blog about your greatest accomplishment for the month of November. What did I do in November? Well, I wrote a blog entry every day. In that blog I attempted to answer the prompt and remain on topic. I tackled the mundane. Somebody has to wrestle with the laundry and shop for sustenance. So, there's that, no one succumbed to starvation. I visited the youngest two grandgiggles. Many Christmas-themed crafts were created. Just yesterday I noticed the red marker stain has vanished from my left hand. I believe the lingering glitter has finally vacated my person. I had a glow about me. In time the glue gun burns will heal. I still have my fingerprints. I caught a cold. What a ridiculous statement, eh? It's not as if I chased it down, cornered and subdued it. It's not as if I wanted a cold. My chapped, washed-too-often hands are proof my resistance proved futile. The exorcism is ongoing. Repeatedly, I dispel the cold germs into tissues which I wad up and toss. Sudden explosive sneezes have so far failed to frighten off the invader. I've not detected so much as a flinch when I brandish Vick's Vaporub. Drowning the cold in copious fluids has not helped. I resort to waiting out the invasion. Perhaps if I do succeed in coughing up a lung, the cold will accept my sacrifice and move on. |
| Blogging Circle of Friends Day 3935: November 28, 2023 Prompt: What are your goals for December. I have not scrawled a to-do list for December. Yes, I'm aware that it is fast approaching. At the moment I've stalled. I'm wallowing in the throes of a head cold. The pounding headache is distracting. My sinuses feel bloated and ready to burst. I feel blah. This too shall pass. This serves as a reminder that I'm only human and subject to the forces, the vagaries, the annoyances of marauding germs. Since December is but a few days away my goal is to ditch this cold and avoid any other illnesses. To that end I should write a letter to Santa requesting a 'bug zapper.' The kind of blaster that neutralizes pesky germs. |
| Blogging Circle of Friends Day 3934: November 27, 2023 Prompt: Blog about what makes you happy this time of year. Hmmm, what makes me happy this time of year? This is a classic stalling technique. Repeat the question and then scramble for an answer. Perhaps hum and haw. Offer an 'I dunno.' "Let me think." Oh, I know. I appreciate the lack of buzzing, loitering, biting insects at this time of year. They are fair-weather irritants that dislike colder temperatures. My donning of a thick parka may also be a deterrent. Their wee stingers cannot penetrate my snow armour and if they did attempt to swarm me they would not find exposed skin. The one protruding exception being my nose. I also appreciate not dousing myself in 'bug dope'. I do not miss that particular and peculiar scent. There are times when I believe it only serves as a baster/tenderizer anyway. Not that I always do this and 'cause I refuse to be a slave to fashion or worry about how I look, but no one need raise their eyebrows and pointedly stare this time of year. What am I wearing under my winter gear? It could be pyjamas. It could be my hubby's shirt. It could be an ugly Christmas sweater. It could be absolutely nothing. Some may find my air of mystery scintillating. Sorry folks, there will not be a reveal, big or otherwise. At this time of year I like browsing at Christmas bazaars. The creativity and perseverance of crafters amazes me. I admit to liking the strains of Christmas music wafting through the frigid air. It's a once-a-year phenomenon. I also will indulge in viewing a Christmas movie or two. 'Tis the season. During my evening strolls I gaze upon cheery Christmas light displays that glow and twinkle. I still prefer the rainbow-coloured ones. I love the wide-eyed, awed, unblinking stares of children when they notice the festive decorations. I love crafting with my grandgiggles. A little bit of glue, glitter, paper, paint, ribbon, 'smushmallows' and imagination results in glorious creations. Even the green-smeared face of the four-year old makes me smile. After our recent sessions, we both glowed with the fun and the glitter that stuck to our skin. The fact that the four-year old asks many questions makes me happy. She's exercising her curiosity. The 'argument' re the spelling of her name caused me to chuckle. She insisted that there's only one 'a' in Alexandra. She also claimed that the 'x' is hers. Okay, she may have it. Lots of things, places and people make me happy. I am lucky! |
| Blogging Circle of Friends Day 3933 November 26, 2023 On this day in history , Lewis Carroll published Alice in Wonderland. What's your favorite character from the story and why? This quote by Carroll is interesting---- "Why, sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast." What impossible things happened before breakfast today? I suppose I like and admire the Cheshire Cat. There's something about his cheeky grin. Being able to disappear and reappear wherever and whenever he chooses is both convenient and mysterious. Imagine during a debate, an argument, a difference of opinion you just, poof, remove yourself from the encounter. Conversely, being invisible may permit one to eavesdrop/spy. What happened before breakfast today? The inconceivable occurred. I awoke with a head cold. Germs dared to invade and set up camp. Tiny, microscopic microbes are tramping through my skull thumping drums and plugging my nasal passages with their unwanted presence. The fact that both my grandgiggles are currently suffering with runny noses and coughs made my chances of avoiding this attack impossible. My wish that these irritating illnesses did not exist borders on fantasy. More snow sentinels joined their icy comrades outside and because of a fall a few walks ago, my daughter declared it impossible for me to climb her driveway and access my vehicle. She dispatched her hubby to trudge out to my truck and drive it to the front door. I bade my family adieu. "Parting is such sweet sorrow." I shall be back. |
| BCOF Blog Prompt November 25th: What's your favourite Christmas carol? Do you sing with your family? Well, what a coincidence of a blog prompt. I am visiting with my youngest two grandgiggles and yes, we've been singing. I admit a few Christmas carols have been warbled. As it snowed we had to belt out our version of 'Let It Snow'. Of course we repeated those memorable lines as we shivered 'cause we're full of bluster. " The cold never bothered me anyway." Thanks Frozen . While we rolled and molded snow, Alexandra, the four-year old, and I trilled 'Frosty the Snowman'. Christina, the nine- month old, loves dancing to 'Rockin'Around the Christmas Tree'. It is catchy.It could be she's reacting to the cute penguins ringing jingle bells as the music plays. I've yet to be bombarded by relentless radio repetition. I live in anticipation. |
| November 24th BCOF PROMPT: Black Friday... It's simple, I'm not a fan or a participant. Black Friday is just another day. I do not anticipate it. Do the savings exist? Are they worth a once a year buying spree? Do I need or will I use more electronics? I don't want even more clothing. The furniture is still serviceable. The truck is rolling along on its new tires which were purchased two months ago when we acquired it. I needed my new winter coat thirty days ago. I suppose I could time my purchases better?That dark name is not a shopping enhancement.Why can't retailers offer deals year round? |
| BCOF Prompt November 23rd: Free write!! What shall I write about? Hmmm, think, think, thunk... I know. At the moment I'm visiting the two youngest grandgiggles. The youngest, Christina, is ten months old. She just laughs when I try coaching her to say Nanna. Apparently, my attempts at Christmas karaoke also cause her to giggle. At least she doesn't sob and cover her ears. Today, the four-year old, Alexandra informed me there is a list of bad words . Say it isn't so. I am not 'apposed' to say them...ever. I just learned that 'fine' is at the top of the list. Huh? Oh, sometimes it's used as a sarcastic, attitude-y word. Fine, I can skip that particular verbiage...if I must. Now, I've been warned repeatedly that 'stupid' is not a good or nice word. As it stands if I say it one more time Alexandra tells me she will put me in time out. Message received. I suppose the real shocker was the next no-no. Her tone of voice signified a wistfulness, a longing, a loss. "We don't say the 'fuck' word anymore." Excuse me? Since when did 'we' commonly utter that harsh word? This is the same girl who just yesterday explained that her toque and mitts were 'accessories'. Ah, I did wonder. There are three more days scheduled for this visit. My lessons will continue. |
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