What next?

Greetings! with great joy I am blogging from my computer in my own house once again. I had fallen again and have just spent three weeks in a convalescent hospital, the most depressing place in the world. I saw sights there that I will never forget, and though the staff is kind enough, it is truly the place of the living dead. But I am home again, able to walk with a walker, and by the grace of God I am not falling again! My house has been made safe by rolling up the rugs, installing hand rails and so on, and I am SETTLED IN!
What next, you may well ask. Only time will tell. A late Merry Christmas to all, sorry I wasn't able to send cards, but a New year is coming along, and i wish all of you a Happy New Year.

Gather Ye rosebuds while you may

I can't believe so much time has passed me by! I have been lazy mainly because I now have a gizmo that lets me download books from the Talking Book Library, and we spend a lot of time listening to them. We have a list of 15,000 books to choose from and now that I know how to do it, we listen to a couple a day.
I hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving. We went down to my daughter's house where they had prepared a magnificence feast and we enjoyed a wonderful traditional Thanksgiving meal. It is just a short walk but it was somewhat of an adventure because it was pitch dark when we came back, and we were guided only by the light of a flashlight. But we made it O.K.
Once again time has flown by. But to our amazement, we are still here. How about that?
I will try to do better in future. In meantime, take care and keep in touch.

A big parade

Well,, we watched the parade in San Francisco, and I was thankful that I was watching from the comfort of my sofa,, with my snacks at hand. I was able to knit and watch, which made it all the more satisfactory. Once upon a time, i did rush off to attend such events, and felt deprived if I missed them, but now it would take a great deal to drag me off to watch even the small parades in Guerneville. Such is the result of the passage of time!
This was my husband's birthday, but we are celebrating on Saturday, when everyone can be here. It will be a do-it-yourself affair, since I am in a lazy mode. But it will be fun.
My knitting is coming along, and the result is soft and warm. It will be either a shawl or blanket, depending on how the yarn holds out. I look for excuses to sit down and knit.
Time is rushing by. I am reminded of the poem "Gather ye roses while ye may, For time it is a-afleeting." Too true.
Bye all, and keep in touch.

Hooray! The Giants won!

Today was a most satisfactory day, as the Giants won against the Philadelphia team in AT&T park on a beautiful afternoon. We watched in the family room, glued to our TV set. The crowd was noisy and enthusiastic, and went wild when the game was over. People were paying hundreds of dollars for seats.
It has been a quiet week here in our neighborhood, and there has been no further word on the fire. Several of our neighbors have been away on vacations, but all but one family are back again. We feel more secure when all of the residents are at home again.
I continue to do my exercises and improve my walking abilities. I'm still careful not to fall.
Well, no news is good news, so I will say adios. Keep in touch.

A fire

A frightening event occurred in our neighborhood a couple of days ago when someone torched an unoccupied house down the street and almost burned it down. The fire department got it out, but since it is surrounded by redwood trees, it could easily have caused a disastrous forest fire. We have no idea who set the fire, and of course we are all on the alert for strangers in the neighborhood. There are several unoccupied houses around, any one of which could be a target.

Went into the clinic for my checkup, and things are going well. I am continuing my exercises and am getting stronger every day. My husband got an adjustment to his medication, so we are all set for awhile.
We are still trying to decide which mattress we want to buy. There are some pretty good sales going on so we should be able to get a good one. Well, take care and keep in touch.

All is well

Hi all, here we are again, practically as good as new. i have been practicing my physical therapy exercises, and can see a big difference in how I walk and how I go in and out of the living room and the family room. I hope the therapist can come for a few more weeks, but I suppose a couple more weeks is all I will get. Anyway, things are looking up!
Weather up here is lovely, so I took a short walk around the house, and sat on the bench by the side of the house and watched to see who would drive by. To my disappointment, no one came by, but i did see a squirrel and a couple of bluejays. It is hard to believe that it is October already.
Well, all is well. My injured leg has healed and I was able to eat quite a large dinner, which earns for me a half of a chocolate bar, doled out to me by my husband, who is quite strict about how much sugar I get to eat. So take care, and keep in touch.

Good news and bad news

Hi all. i am much better now, found out why I was getting dizzy and falling down. It appears that i was dehydrated and simply needed to drink more fluids. My gentle little physical therapist comes twice a week and gives me exercises to do to help me get stronger, and today we took a walk down the hill to the meditation meadow. My leg is almost completely healed and i can now ignore it, just being careful not to bump it.
Tomorrow is my birthday, (88) and we will all gather at noon and have pizza and deviled eggs and cake and whatever else I can think up. I don't make big meals anymore, but we will all enjoy ourselves and it promises to be a nice warm day. Today got up to seventy or so, warm for us here.
Our new hearing aids are making it much easier for us now, and easier for everyone else too. i found out that I can get eyeglasses as well, so i think that is what i will do. But not for awhile. Well, take care and keep in touch.

First rain of the season

This is a perfect time to blog - a gentle rain is falling and there is a lonesome fall feeling in the air outside. Bill is getting ready to cook dinner and i am in a blogging mood. We had a visit yesterday from the Home Help evaluator, and she has decided that Bill is in very good shape (I call him Super Bill now) but that poor frail me needs assistance in my daily life. I had hoped that she meant help with household chores, like cleaning the floors and cooking, but she meant help with walking. So for two days a week a physical therapist will visit the house and teach me to walk. (and do it without falling down, I suppose). Since we are not all that busy anyway, I will be happy to see if an improvement can be made.
Actually, my leg is somewhat better, and hurts very little. I vow never to fall down again.
I hear that the family reunion was a lot of fun, and wish that i could some day attend. Since we don't fly anymore, though, it isn't likely to happen. I look forward to the new family tree discs with great anticipation. Thank you, Paula, for all of your hard work getting them researched and assembled.
This is the time of year when the redwood trees shed their fronds and the yard and decks are covered with brown leaves, even though Bill blew them away yesterday. As i wrote above, it feels like fall has come already.
What are we having for dinner? Corned beef hash and egg, and wilted cabbage on the side. Yum, yum! If i don't have to cook it, I'll eat it! Keep in touch, I'll try to be more regular in future.

The flea market

It is midnight - a good time to blog. I am up late because I have been watching "Murder, She Wrote," which runs from ten to midnight, and sometimes is quite fun to watch.
We went to the flea market on Saturday, and saw quite a crowd there. I bought some nice wine glasses and saw quite a few people I knew. i rode around in my wheel chair, pushed by my husband. It was quite hot down there, much hotter than it gets up on our hill under the redwoods.
I got a letter and a picture from my high school class on the 70th reunion of our graduation. Of course time has taken its toll and there were only eight there. I have no idea how many of us are left. I must answer and send a picture of myself, of course I have aged like everyone else.
I can't say my leg is a lot better, but i was able to walk down to my daughter's house and back, which is an improvement of sorts. Sure hope it gets better soon.
Well, take care and keep in touch.

Good news and bad news

Hi all! I have good news and bad news today. First, the good news - my leg is getting better. Not completely healed, but i can walk on it again and it only hurts a little. The bad news is that my husband saw the neurosurgeon at UC Med and the risks of closing off his aneurysm outweigh the benefits, so they are going to leave it alone. That will mean that he will still be in danger of the aneurysm bursting, but the chances are good that it won't. Statistically speaking, most aneurysms have no symptoms and if he keeps his blood pressure down, he will be O.K.
We got our new hearing aids! What a joy to be able to hear conversations. Mine fit perfectly, and the sound is crisp and clear.
Wish I had gotten them years ago.
This is the weekend of the neighborhood flea market, which I hope to go to tomorrow. Judy will take us down and I will ride around in my wheelchair. It is a fun time and i get to see most of my neighbors there as well. Take care and keep in touch.

My new owie

Well, I am limping around with an injured leg, due to a fall. I don't know how I did it, but i fell on my dustpan and rather severely skinned a rather large patch of skin from my shin. I called my very kind neighbor and my daughter and they rendered first aid, using neosporin and some patches of gauze I happened to have. This happened on the fourteenth, but is still quite painful. It is getting better, however. My family has been most helpful.
I am seeing my physician on Tuesday and will attempt to learn why I keep falling. It might be due to loss of balance, we will see. When I fall I go down like a beached whale.
We are having wonderful weather here, and the leaves on the redwood trees are turning brown, a very early fall. I hadn't planned on summer going by so rapidly, but here we are - almost fall.
Well, take care and keep in touch.

Allergies

Well, I am happy to report that my allergies are much improved. If I had known how allergic I was to my little cat, i would have given her away a long time ago. Oh, well, it is just a memory now. Even my itchy rashes are clearing up.
I went to Google and read about allergies, and it told me everything I needed to know, and probably more, as well. i read an article that we are all in danger of being over-informed by Google, and it certainly is true that I, for one, head for the computer whenever I have a question. I invariably find numerous articles with all kinds of information for me.
The weather continues to be cool, although the sun shines every day. An early winter, I suppose. Well, take care and keep in touch.

A fall day

It is only August, but there is a lonesome fall feeling in the air. The redwood fronds are turning brown, and along the highway the maple trees are showing color. The hillsides are covered with wild sweet peas and Queen Anne's lace is blooming everywhere.
We went into the Guerneville Clinic for our blood tests today and had a lovely ride in and back. The sun was shining and the air was warm and balmy.
With sadness we buried our little cat yesterday. She was 26 years old and the end had come. She had lived a long and happy life, so we had to take her loss philosophically. We made a nice resting place down in the meditation walk and will plant flowers there.
I am baking pork chops in the oven, which is a good time to blog. I have been reading "Teacher Man" to my husband today and we are both enjoying it. Take care and keep in touch.

Frittata for dinner

Back again, while the frittata bakes in the oven. I spent most of the day phoning around and EMailing here and there, trying to track down that Veterans organization, with no luck. I have reconciled myself to paying it and feel now that it is a scam and that other people probably got trapped as well. There are scams all over the place and this is probably one too.
Oh, well. It could have been worse. Many people spent a lot of money trying to win the Reader's Digest sweepstakes and we regularly buy lottery tickets, though we have practically no chance to win. Ce La Vie!
I am enjoying my sojourn into the Face Book world, and am glad I finally found out how to get into it. My husband is enjoying his new hearing aids and has learned how to adjust the volume to a comfortable level. I now have to watch how loudly I talk so that I don't yell in his ear. Well, another day is down the drain = take care and keep in touch.

A costly error

Yesterday I made a costly mistake, which I am afraid can't be rectified. I inadvertently signed up for a lifetime membership in a veterans organization, at a cost of $97.00, intending to sign up for a month at $9.00. When i realized my mistake, I tried to cancel and they signed me up again! I had given them my charge card number and they immediately entered it into my account. Although I called the B. of A. and contested the charge, they told me that I would have to deal with the Veterans Organization. Repeated telephone calls to them and an E-Mail letter brought no result. I think I am going to have to pay it. Of course it is not an earthshaking event, but I think I got duped. I have canceled my charge cards, of course, and have learned a lesson, I hope.
On a happier note, we had eggplant parmesan tonight, and it turned out very well. Since i didn't cook it, I enjoyed it very much.
I finished printing up my Arlington Hall memoirs, and will have them bound down at the local print shop. I used up all of my black ink and a bunch of paper, so I wonder if it would have been cheaper to have the print shop do it, but it is too late now.
We are awaiting a call from UCMed regarding my husband's aneurysm, and will keep all of you posted. Bye and keep in touch.

Eggplant

I am going to try once again to see if I can straighten out my blog! My husband tries to tell me that i must have pushed the wrong button or clicked on something that caused the problem, but to save my life I cannot find it. If I go to June, I can line up all of the blogs one after another, but July refuses to work properly. Not that I have any riveting news to report, but I would like to know how my computer works.
We are having eggplant for dinner tonight, so I have been researching recipes on cooking it. It is widely used in Italy and there are long lists of exotic ways to prepare it. I try to find something new at least a couple of times a week just to keep us interested in food! Well, bye for now. Keep in touch.

Why me?

What this computer does never ceases to mystify me. Now it will only display my latest blog, in this case the blog i completed a few minutes ago. Oh well, ti will straighten itself out, I feel sure. Good night again.

A full day

We had a wonderful day today playing with our little great-grandchild and eating deli sandwiches and potato chips. That amazing little girl has so much energy that she wears out even the dog. Her vocabulary is astounding and she tries to draw with a pen and succeeds in getting her sketches to almost resemble what she is trying to portray. We enjoy her visits so much.
Bill is much better and ate a big dinner tonight and had a cup of Ovaltine a little while ago, so I would say he has pretty much recovered from his illness. We await an appointment with UCMed to evaluate his aneurysm, and by the time that is taken care of, fall will be here and another year will have gone by. How quickly time flies by! It almost makes me sad!
Well, take care and keep me posted. Bye.




























































































































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a trip to the hospital

I will write a little while dinner cooks. It is left-over spaghetti sauce and spaghetti, and my husband is watching to see that nothing burns. The poor man had to be rushed to the emergency hospital yesterday because he was shaking uncontrollably and his speech was slurred, and after waiting for three hours the doctor finally examined him and found that he had pneumonia. I wanted them to keep him there overnight, but they kept him until nine o'clock and sent him on home. He is feeling much better and seems to be bouncing back as usual. Being home is more comfortable, of course.
The reason we are having spaghetti and leftover sauce tonight is because the pork chops I had planned to cook smelled so bad that I threw them out. The spaghetti and sauce was delicious and I still have a little left over. We plan to watch the bicycle race in France this evening, it gets quite intense. Bye for now - keep in touch.

The hot water heater

What a day! We had to empty and clean out the hot water heater and change the heating element, and it took literally hours and in the process, I fell again. I didn't get hurt very badly, but I got soaked from the water gushing out. It turns out that we did the same process just a year ago. I don't know why our hot water heater does this, our neighbors seem to have no problems. Oh, well, it is done now, and we can relax until next year.
Otherwise, all is well. I got my new ink cartridges for my printer, and it is doing a good job. I have a lot of printing to do, so they came just in time.
My poor little cat is visibly slowing down, but she is still hanging in, even though she is over 26 years old. My neighbor keeps an eye on her and brings over special food, but she eats very little. Keep in touch - Bye.

Back again.

I have been neglecting to keep up with my blogging, but have been busy exploring what I can do with my new computer. I have a lot to learn, that is for sure.
We are doing fine here, and enjoyed watching the Fourth of July fireworks on our TV. We had to connect our little TV set up to Comcast because the big set conked out, but the little set has a great picture and works fine.
It is overcast and cold here today, so we are wearing sweaters. My husband did the shopping for the week, and brought back all kinds of goodies, including cherries and blueberries. Yum!
My husband is facing a trip to U.C.Med in San Francisco, because a recent examination revealed an aneurysm in his brain, which is making me nervous, but doesn't bother him at all. It will take three weeks to get an appointment, and it may be that it is the kind that they just leave there, keeping an eye on it. We hope for the best. Take care and keep in touch.

The Race

I have somehow confused my blog space, so although I had written a small paragraph about today's race at Black Point, my computer wiped it out, or sent it somewhere else, so I will comment on the race briefly. It was quite exciting, but the numerous commercials were distracting. We were glad to be watching from our comfortable sofa and reclining chair.
I am slowing learning how to use my new computer, working mostly on the writing program. Take Care and keep in touch.

JUST FOR THE HALIBUT

My husband does the weekly shopping, and since he is visually impaired, he sometimes buys items I would rather avoid. However, he always hands the check-out list to me so that I can check the prices and confirm his purchases. I quickly scanned down the long list and saw an item that almost sent me into shock.
“What’s this?” I cried out, in dismay, “Thirty-two dollars for fish? This can’t be right!”
“Check the package,” he replied calmly, “It’s in the refrigerator.”
So it was. It was still in the brown paper in which it had been wrapped, and was clearly marked “fresh halibut.” Eighteen dollars per pound!
“Why did you buy this? We get sole for a lot less and it is much easier to cook.,” I complained.
He couldn’t resist one of his quips, so of course he replied, “Oh, just for the halibut.”
What to do? Luckily, I had seen a chef on television, preparing halibut, so I had a glimmering of the process. I unwrapped the package, and gazed at the smelly, pale flesh of the fish, which I knew would be our dinner. I leave the rest of the story to your imagination.

Just another day

:Hi. I made a mistake in my last post saying that little Brendan had encephalitis, when in actuality he was ill with Meningitis. Both illnesses are severe, and we are so pleased he is better.
I have been busy putting together a few of my essays and stories to bind into a small book. I think I will print them up on my printer and maybe put on a cover so I can give them to family and friends. I have a whole box full of papers but I will print up only about ten or so. I can't even remember writing some of them, it goes back to long.
Things are going well for us up here, we are very lazy in our old age, but that is O.K. too. Take care and keep in touch.

My ailing TV set

Busy evening as I am making potato salad for tomorrow, and will put it all together tonight. I don't go to sleep until midnight anyway, so it will be all right.
Our friendly technician came from Comcast to fix our ailing TV set, and had it all working perfectly, but when we turned it off so we could eat lunch, it refused to come back on. So tomorrow someone else will come and try again. We have it covered so it won't cost anything, other than the inconvenience. We did get to watch the soccer game between U.S. and England, and enjoyed it very much.
We had so much fun with little April on Friday, she sure is an independent little girl. Her little cousin is in ICU with encephalitis and we are all sending prayers and best wishes to him to have a full recovery. It is a terrible illness and he will be in the hospital for awhile. It isn't sure just how he got it.
Well, time to get busy chopping up potatoes and hard-boiled eggs. Take care and keep in touch.

cookies in the oven

Altogether a quiet day, with my husband resting up in the big purple chair, trying to be as tranquil as possible. This is hard for him to do, as he has a type A personality, with frequent outbursts of irritation and an occasional temper tantrum. With his aneurysm on his mind, he knows that it behooves him to remain calm, which in a way is a blessing, as it means I can no longer nag him or criticize what he does. It is imperative that he keeps his blood pressure down and his pulse low and steady. It is a little like living with a time bomb and I will be glad when it is all fixed.
We are baking cookies, in anticipation of a visit with my granddaughter and little April, our little angel. We tried a new recipe and it turned out pretty well, although I ran out of peanut butter, but it will turn out all right. They will all be eaten!
The weather is lovely up here and the roses are all in bloom and the apple tree is getting apples so we just sit around contentedly and watch the hummingbirds fly around the feeders. I am trying to let the housework go and just enjoy myself, but having been raised with a strong work ethic, it is heavy going. But if I work at it, i can probably do it.
We all had chores as children and only a serious illness could get us out of it. We started doing chores as soon as we started school and washing dishes and scrubbing floors were the least of it. Why was it so important? We certainly didn't learn from it.
Well, the last batch of cookies is waiting to come out, and I am ready to eat a few. Take care and keep in touch.

Troubling news

My daughter very kindly printed up my blogs from 2008 and 2009 and I am astounded at how much I used to write back then. What has happened to me? I must get myself in gear and try to do better. Maybe it is because we live such quiet lives now, We no longer have our little Kaya dog, and our old black cat spends her whole time asleep on the sofa.
A little troubling news came our way today, but we hope all will be well. My husband has been having some tests done, and an aneurysm was found in his carotid artery entering his brain. It is very small, only 9 mm so we hope they can repair it before any damage is done. He is very philosophical about it, and just goes about his daily life as though nothing is wrong. The little growth in his cheek will have to wait now, the aneurysm takes precedent over everything else
I have been getting some of my essays and stories ready to publish and it is taking up most of my time. I am going to publish them myself, so it will cost a little money, but I want to have something to leave behind when I exit sometime in future. I have piles of papers scattered all over the place, and am having fun reading them over once again.
Bye. Keep in touch.

I burned the stir-fry

My husband very kindly brought home a box of sushi from his shopping trip, which was fortunate because I totally burned our stir-fry dinner tonight. I was printing out some of my little essays on my printer, and forgot to watch the stir-fry. I luckily had some sushi left from lunch, but my poor husband had to make do with a sandwich. Now I have a badly blackened pan to scrub. It is soaking in the sink now.
Did I ever mention that I don't really like to cook? If I could get meals on wheels, I would certainly avail myself of that benefit. But we live too far out for them to deliver to our house. They say the food is quite good.
Tomorrow I must go in to the clinic for a blood test, so I will be drinking lots of water and hoping for the best. Our doctor is leaving the clinic, so I have to get another doctor. I am no prize as a patient, so I hope I don't drive the new doctor out of her mind. I'll try to be good. Good night all. Please keep in touch.

Something to keep me busy

I got a bright idea this afternoon about printing up some of my documents and having them printed out down at the local print shop and then give them out to family and friends. I doubt if they would be valuable as salable material but maybe there might be some interest there. I could title the book as "Memoirs of an Octogenarian' or some such title. I have a couple of hundred pages in my document folder, not all of which are good however. I do need something to fill up my time, though.
Lovely warm weather here today. My husband has been prowling around outside, trying to find something to do. Maybe I can persuade him to cook dinner!

I wonder if Octogenarian is the right term? I'll have to look it up.

The Belmont race

This has been a quiet day,with quite a bit of time spent watching the Belmont Race on television, with an exciting finish with a 28-to-one winner! They stretch out the event with commercials and interviews with the jockeys, but I always watch it nevertheless. Then I made dinner, which was nothing to brag about, but we ate it anyway. Now I am going to watch some television and so the evening will go.
I am trying to train myself not to feel that I have to swiffer and vacuum every single day. With just my husband and myself living here it just doesn't need that much attention. But habit dies hard.
Got a letter today telling me that my doctor at the clinic will be leaving at the end of June. I will be sorry to see him go - he had a great sense of humor and kept me going pretty well. Take care and keep in touch.

We all make mistakes

Hi. My husband thought I was a little critical in my blog last evening, even denying that the incident ever happened at all. But since I wrote it the day after it happened, I know that it is all true. Not that I haven't had my moments as well, such as the time that I tried to take the cover of the pressure cooker off too soon, and had steam burns all over my face and arms, and cobs of corn scattered all over the kitchen floor. Or the time I put socks on the legs of the step ladder to protect the floor, and had the thing scoot across the floor and collapse, gashing my head on the metal bracket. Or the day I stumbled on the bike path down by the railroad tracks and had to go to the doctor to get stitches in my face. So I can't really point the finger at him for his transgressions, after all. No one is perfect. (I still have a visible scar on my face under my right eye.)
Well, live and let live. He is at this moment out in the kitchen cooking some flat noodles to go with the Bergundy stew we just cooked up and I trust it will be tasty. I will now go onto Facebook and see what is going on out in the outerworld. Night all. Keep in touch.

The one-bowl, two-egg cake

I am bringing up some of the little essays I wrote in the writing class. The one I have printed here was written when I first started attending the class and was much appreciated by the other members of the class. Hope you like it!

The One-Bowl, Two Egg Cake

It was eleven o’clock in the evening and my husband and I were watching the late news on channel 7. I was settled in and watching from the sofa, but he arose from his chair and headed for the kitchen. I froze with apprehension, knowing what was coming. He was hungry and was on his way to cook up a snack.
Big deal, you are thinking! Why not? After all, it’s his kitchen, too. So what if you have already turned on the dishwasher, tidied up the sink and kitchen table, and swiffered the floor. It’s not the end of the world.
But wait. What if he wants to bake something? Then I will get involved reading the recipe and starting the oven, and watching whatever is in the oven, and then serving it up and even being expected to eat some of it with appreciation. He will expect praise and accolades, and help in making the frosting and in cleaning up.
I silently sent a prayer heavenward. “Dear God,” I prayed. “Let it be muffins. Not the one-bowl, two egg cake. Please, God.” Then I bargained with God. “If it can’t be muffins, let it be chocolate chip cookies. Or pudding. Or popcorn. Anything else. Anything but the one-bowl cake.”
We had never actually eaten one of his cakes. The first time he baked one he forgot the baking powder and we threw out the flat rounds of rock hard cake that resulted. The second time he tried, he accidentally turned the oven to 250 instead of 350 and when he took the cake out it fell and even though he tried baking it again we couldn’t eat it. The third cake was lumpy because he had forgotten to mix it at high speed for four minutes as called for in the recipe. This would be his fourth attempt.
I never interfere with my husband’s projects. I learned a lesson long ago and far away when we were both very young. I tried to tell him how to mix a cake and in response he dashed the mixing bowl down onto the kitchen floor, breaking the bowl and scattering shards of glass and cake batter from one end of the kitchen to the other. As I cleaned up the mess, I vowed to never offer advice or criticism again, no matter how urgent the matter.
His behavior seems atrocious, but in the dysfunctional household in which he grew up, it made sense. His mother routinely hurled dishes across the room, his father smashed furniture, and his brother slammed doors so hard the windows rattled. Throwing a bowl of cake batter onto the floor was a mild reaction.
But I am a fast learner, and I have kept my resolve. Unless he asks for my advice, I never give it. When he heated oil in the steel frying pan, I said not a word, but walked out of the house and watered the roses. When he set the oven to broil and burned up the tuna casserole, I didn’t even notice. Let the chips fall where they may.
I sat in my chair and listened intently. There, he is getting out the Kitchen-Aide mixer. Oh, s--t! That means the cake! I silently listened while he pulled down the ingredients, hoping against hope that he would remember the recipe this time, and my help would not be needed. Although he rejected all advice and criticism, he didn’t mind at all soliciting my help when HE felt like having it. Sure enough, he called from the kitchen.
“What do I use to grease the pan? I’m using the tube cake pan.”
My repertoire of cuss words contains some choice phrases, and I silently went through every word I knew, and some I made up on the spot. I was incredulous! He couldn’t mean the tube pan. But that is what he meant and I hollered back, “Grease it with Crisco. Not vegetable oil. Not butter. Crisco “
Silence for awhile while he measured and sifted and got everything ready. I didn’t hear him cracking eggs or getting out the milk but who am I to interfere with his obvious efficiency in cake baking? I was relieved when I heard the refrigerator door opening and I could hear him pulling out the egg tray. Maybe this time it would turn out. He turned on the mixer and actually mixed on low speed for two minutes and on high speed for four minutes. Good! He poured the batter into the pan and opened the oven door. A few choice words escaped his lips when he realized he had forgotten to turn on the oven. But at last everything was in order and he set the timer for twenty-five minutes and we relaxed while we awaited the results. The fact that the buzzer sounded almost immediately wasn’t really all that alarming – he had set it for 2.5 minutes by mistake. At last all was in order. I took out my knitting and settled down to relax for awhile.
It was peaceful there in the living room with a fire in the stove, and my knitting coming along, and I almost fell asleep I was so comfortable. Then the timer buzzed and my husband leaped to his feet and rushed out into the kitchen again. “Does this look done to you?” he called, pulling out the pan. It did look done, and we put it up on the counter to cool, as the recipe said to do. It had turned out magnificently, having risen above and over the rim of the pan like a fluffy brown mushroom. It smelled good and was a good color. When I pressed lightly on the top it was resilient and responsive. I couldn’t use a toothpick as it was about eight inches high, but I judged it to be done. We waited for it to cool and I returned to my knitting. By the time we got it frosted and had eaten a piece it would be well after midnight. Oh, well. Ca La Vie. I fell into a light sleep.
Cries of dismay awakened me. Banging and slapping sounds were coming from the kitchen. I rushed out, and discovered my husband trying to turn the cake out of the pan onto a cake platter. He tried slapping the sides of the pan, and since it was a tube pan, he shoved against the bottom which was designed to slide up and release the cake. Helpless laughter overtook me. 
Trying to hide my mirth, I turned away and held onto the counter top to keep from collapsing to the floor. He had forgotten to grease the tube and the cake was cemented tightly to the metal and could not be dislodged. Finally, with a mighty shove, he dislodged the entire cake which flew out onto the countertop in chunks and pieces.
I could contain myself no longer. Howling with laughter, I staggered back into the living room and collapsed into the reclining chair. My husband, who can command vast amounts of cool when he chooses, calmly gathered up a large chunk onto a dessert plate, poured himself a glass of milk, and calmly sat down to eat it. “Delicious,” he proclaimed. “Try some.”
It was good. The texture was fine and even and the flavor was all that could be desired. After we had eaten generous portions, we gathered up the remains and put them in a large bowl. The next day we layered the crumbs into dessert dishes with strawberry jam and vanilla pudding. Voila! An English trifle. It was delicious. God knew best, after all.

A story I Wrote Long Ago

I went to Heaven last night. In my dreams. I hadn't planned to go there, and as a matter of fact, I had been thinking about Paris, hoping to dream about the little rooftops and sidewalk cafes. But the first thing I knew, there I was at the Pearly Gates. Lest I lead the reader astray, they weren't pearly. They were of a sort of weathered wood and the walls were a kind of dried mud composition. Over the gate it said "Paradise", and underneath in smaller letter various words, such as Heaven, Allah, Happy Hunting Grounds, and so on.. But there was the gate, closed and locked of course, and St. Peter was there, sitting on a stone bench wearing a loin cloth. I guess my expression was one of amazement, because St. Peter said "We don't wear long robes up here. Too much maintenance. We simplified a couple of centuries ago. Now it's strictly come as you are.. You might find some of the occupants stark naked. Why are you here? I thought you weren't due up here for a long time."

"I want to see my mother," I said, thinking fast. "She should be up here someplace."

St. Peter scratched his beard, plucked something out of it, and thought a moment. "I suppose she must be up here. There's no place else she could have gone to. You know there's no Hell. That's just what they used to say to scare people."

"O.K.", I said. "Do I need a passport, or should I say a prayer, or something to get in?"

"Not at all," St. Peter said, but still not getting up. "Do you still want to go in?"

"I don't know," I said. "Does everyone who is ever born get to come up here?"

He gave me a look of scorn. "You only get in if you believe in Paradise.

If you don't believe, when you die, you simply cease to exist." He snapped his fingers. "Just like that! Poof! You are gone."

"But what about reincarnation?" I asked.

St. Peter flew into an unholy rage. "Reincarnation?" he shrieked "Don't talk to me about reincarnation. If you wanted to come back as a cat or something, you should have thought about that before you died." He banged his long cane against the rock and I thought he was going to strike me.

"Now," he said calming down a little. "Do you want to go in or not?

I

You're holding up the whole line. We've got a traffic jam here."

"I'll go in," I said. "I'll try anything once."

St. Peter stood up and went to open the gate. I saw that his beard had grown clear down to his knees. I noticed, too, that he was in great shape for a man his age. He opened the gate a couple of feet, grabbed me by the arm and shoved me inside. He laughed like a maniac as he slammed the big gate shut.

My heart sank when I saw what was printed on the inside of the gate.

There, in big black letters, were the words:

YOU CAN'T GO HOME AGAIN

and in smaller letters "Sorry about that."

I was scared speechless. I looked around but to my amazement I was all alone. There wasn't another soul as far as I could see in every direction. There was, however, a large angel reclining on a cloud, covered with her or his wings, and strumming lazily on a harp. I floated over and stood respectfully before this shining creature. It looked up at me with

luminous blue eyes and asked in a melodious voice, "Are you being served?"

"I do have some questions," I answered, regaining my voice. "Why am I all alone up here? I thought I would see millions of souls up here. This is spooky."

"Oh, you can see them if you want to," answered the Angel. "You can't see them when you first come in because it's all so overwhelming. Do you want to see them?"

I nodded and there appeared before me a million, a billion celestial beings, walking, running, dancing, standing as if in a daze, curled up sleeping., doing things I never thought I would see them do. It was horrible. "Please!" I cried, cringing and covering my eyes. "I made a mistake. I don't want to see them. Take them away."

"It's O.K. They're gone. " said the Angel. "I've never had a single new arrival who wanted to go through that more than once. Just relax. Do you want to read the rules? There are only three and they are easy."

She unrolled a large scroll, upon which were printed three lines in Geneva type, 18 size print, black ink.

Rule 1: Be happy. Don't Worry.

Rule 2: Heaven is whatever you want it to be.

I

Rule 3: Practise patience. You have plenty of time.

Underneath someone had written a line of graffiti: Be all that you

can be.

Underneath that someone else had scrawled: Don't ask, don't tell.

The Angel hastily held one wing over the last two lines. "I'll have to erase that. Forget you ever saw those lines. They are meaningless. Do you have any questions?"

I had a lot of questions but when I started to speak, the Angel raised its hand and said thoughtfully, "Actually, f can read your mind. I think we can save time if I answer some of them without you asking. First of all, I have always been here. All I do is answer questions. That is my sole purpose in life. I have been here since the beginning of time. I am part of the establishment. I am a charter member. Now, let's get down to business. You have read the rules. Rule 2 means exactly what it says. You can eat what you want up here, dress however you like, and live whatever lifestyle suits you. If you have ever been in California you know what I mean. Rule 1 and 3 are self-explanatory. They are suggestions only. I

wish I could let you see your mother, but that would mean you had to see all of the others too, and we don't want that. I can assure you that she is happy. She is a great one for following rules."

The Angel ruffled its feathers and stretched out a bare foot and wiggled its toes. Then it stretched out its other foot and flexed its arch. Then it stood up and stretched, and bent forward and took my hand. "Nice to have

met you" it said politely. "I'm glad we had this little chat. Now I have

to buzz off." and it flapped away, hanging on to its halo with one hand. It left the harp leaning up against the cloud. I watched it until it was out of sight.

I hadn't the slightest idea what to do next. I thought of the rules again.

Rule 2 was a good rule. I thought of California, and my little house on the hill above Austin Creek, with the redwoods growing all around. I could see the flowers blooming beside the path, and the pretty redwood deck my husband had built. I saw my little black cat sunning itself in a pool of sunshine. Strangely enough, I could smell the heavenly aroma of freshly perked coffee and hear the faint clink of dishes being taken out of the dishwasher. Then the doorbell rang and I could hear my little neighbor telling my husband that her cat had come home after all. I opened my eyes and sunlight was streaming into my bedroom and I realized that I was back on solid ground, in my own house, in my own bed, in California. I hadn't been in heaven after all. It had all been just a dream. I think.

I

A tranquil evening

Tuesday evening and we have finished the pork chops and sauerkraut we had for dinner, and I am taking refuge in my computer while my husband clears the dishes and loads the dishwasher. How I trained him to do those chores I will never know, but he is out there contentedly working away. He does a good job, too. I have resolved to make an entry at least every other day, to keep up with what is going on in our lives.
Today was shopping day and I got my treat of sushi from my husband, and somewhere in his bedroom he has hidden the chocolate candy he brought back. I have to ask for it (beg for it is a better way to put it) but eventually I will get a small piece and that will have to do until another day has passed. I am a chocoholic and he knows what he is doing.
I think I might become addicted to my computer. I am studying the tutorials and have gotten as far as step one. Great progress for me. Take care and keep in touch.

Oh yes, my new computer is great!

Well, I must say that I am enjoying my new computer immensely. I availed myself of the tutorial program, hoping to educate myself into the workings of the thing, but as I am only starting, I haven't learned much. It does allow me to go on Facebook, which I couldn't do on my old computer, and it hasn't cut out or failed to avail me of any of the programs I have in the software, so I am quite satisfied with it. I hope to keep up with my blogs, as well. Altogether, a good start to my declining years. Bye and keep in touch.

You never can tell what a redheaded woman will do

You Never Can Tell What a Redheaded Woman Will Do

I was the third of four children and three of us had red hair. My sister Lorraine was what was called a “dishwater blonde.” She wasn’t happy with being different, and often shed tears over her outcast station, as she saw it.
“Was I adopted?” she asked our Mother one day, large tears streaming down her cheeks. “”Why am I different?”
Mother tried to reassure her and boost her morale. “No, of course not,” she said soothingly. “You are my own child, just like the others. But don’t feel bad. At least you have a pretty face. Just look – redheads always have freckles.” And she glanced my way, as if noting my unhappy state of freckledom.
Thanks, Mommy dearest. I needed that. I needed it like a poke in the eye with a sharp stick. Why didn’t you tell the whole story? You could have mentioned allergies to every known brand of soap and shampoo, exzema and skin rashes, hay fever and wheezing, sneezing and coughing all night. Why didn’t you talk about insomnia, sleep walking and obsessive-compulsion disorder? Not that these were all caused by my red hair, but it is well known that red-haired people have sensitive skin and are subject to allergies of every kind. But if you wanted to make me sorry I had curly red hair, you failed utterly. I have never regretted my redheaded state and wish my hair had stayed red longer.
I got a lot of mileage out of that red hair. Strangers would stop us on the street and comment on my curly mop. My Aunt Doris, then a teenager, (I was about six) would wash my hair with special shampoos and set it in what was known as “Marcelle waves,” My grandma, herself a redhead, would bake me special cookies and let me have her sewing scraps to make clothes for my doll. My Uncle Lewis took me to the circus and showed me off as his “Orphan Annie” girl. If memory serves me right, he also bought me a box of Cracker Jacks. No wonder my sister was jealous. No attention was directed at her lanky brown hair whatsoever. I suppose she got over it after while.
I looked up redheaded people on Google. Only two percent of the world population have red hair. A large proportion of them are in Scotland and Scandinavia. Redheads are purported to be adventurous, passionate, quick tempered, and sensitive to pain. Redheaded women are seen as remantic and given to sexual excesses. I might modestly state that none of those myths applies to me except the tendency to be adventurous. I not only admit to being adventurous but I brag about it. As the old blues song says “You never can tell what a redheaded woman will do.”
Well, what did I do? I climbed an apple tree when I was four and got hung hung up between two limbs and had to be rescued by my mother. I helped my father paint the woodshed with red paint and got so much paint in my hair that part of it had to be cut off. I wrote on the side of the house with crayons and the words I wrote were still visible years later . When I was fourteen I sneaked out of the house one moonlit night and went swimming with the two neighbor boys. All pretty innocent pranks, really. But Mother could recite them like a litany when the mood struck, and I grew up thlnking I was an incorrigible miscreant.
I had my moments of triumph. When I graduated from grade school, I won the gold medal for scholarship, beating out all the other eighth graders in the county and astounding my teacher, for whom it was a total surprise. As indeed it was for me. I was awarded a scholarship to college, and when I was seventeen I took myself off and never looked back. And of course I committed the ultimate act of adventure and joined the army during the war.
All in all, it has been a great life. I have never regretted having red hair. Mother dear, if you are looking down on me now, I hope you know that my freckles don’t bother me a bit. Don’t now and never did. As an old flame once said, “A face without freckles is like a sky without stars.” Rest in peace.

A story from long ago

An Evening Adventure

It was bedtime but Baby Mouse wasn't sleepy. He wanted to stay up late and have an adventure. Mamma Mouse thought hard. What could they do?

"I know," she said. "Let's go down by the path and watch the stars. There will be falling stars tonight. We can hide in the bushes and watch."

Baby Mouse thought that was a great idea. "Let's go now," he said. And he put on his jacket and little shoes and took Mamma Mouse by the hand, and so off they went.

Down by the path they found a clump of tall dry grass and snuggled in side by side, and peeked out into the night. It was very dark but up in the sky the stars twinkled and once in a while a falling star sent a great trail of sparks across the sky. The tree frogs were singing in the treefrog tree and it was warm and still.

While they watched they heard something coming down the path. It was a slow plop, plop, plop. What could it be? Pretty soon they saw Mr. Turtle coming along, slowly and steadily, and when he saw them he stopped.

"How do you do, Mrs. Mouse?" he asked. "How are you tonight?" Mr. Turtle is slow, but he is always very polite.

"I am fine, Mr. Turtle," said Mamma Mouse. "We are watching the stars."

"Have a nice evening," said Mr. Turtle, and he went on his way down the path.

And then they heard something else, and it was coming very fast. Thumpety, thumpety, thump. It was Mr. Rabbit and he didn't stop. "Mrs. Fox is coming," he cried as he dashed past. He whisked around the bend and then he was gone.

Momma Mouse put her arms around Baby Mouse and hugged him close. "Be very quiet" she whispered. "Don't make a sound."

Mamma Mouse was so frightened that she trembled all over, and her tail stuck out straight behind her. She heard the pitter-patter of feet, and saw Mrs. Fox coming fast down the path, but Mrs. Fox didn't stop. She wanted Mr. Rabbit and she kept right on going.

Then it was quiet for a long time. Mr. Garden Snake came swishing along, but he doesn't eat mice, so Mamma Mouse wasn't afraid. She even said hello to him, but he didn't stop. He was on his way to the treefrog tree and wanted his dinner. And then they heard another sound, and Mamma Mouse was frightened all over again. She knew what the sound meant. It was Mr. Hoot Owl and she knew he ate mice.He was slowly flapping along, making soft swooshing sounds in the quiet night. Mamma Mouse and Baby Mouse were so quiet they could hear the little brook that ran along beside the path and the beetle tapping away inside an old log. Then it was quiet again and they knew that Mr. Owl was gone.

"Thank goodness," said Mamma Mouse. "Let's go home before we get eaten. Mrs. Fox will be back and she will still be hungry. Take my hand and run as fast as you can."

They scurried back to their little home under the old oak tree. Mamma Mouse took off Baby Mouse's shoes and jacket and tucked him into bed. They were safe. Mamma Mouse cuddled up in her own bed and in a few minutes she was asleep too. Outside it was still dark and the stars still twinkled in the sky. And the night creatures still searched for something to eat. But they wouldn't find Baby Mouse or Mamma Mouse. They were safe for the night.

New Computer

We actually went ahead and bought a new computer! We thought the time had come, sure enough, and I have a wonderful new I-Mac sitting at this moment before me. What a delight. I can now get Face-Book and movies and radio broadcasts and other delights I haven't touched on yet. My grandson came and set it up and I am enjoying a whole new adventure.
This short little blog will have to suffice as it is way past dinner-time, but there will be more in future. Keep in touch.

Hooray for Super Saver

Time has flown by so fast that I have neglected my blogs for a whole month! I have no excuse - I have been in fine health and good spirits and enjoying the warm and pleasant weather we are having. We did have some heavy rain during April and a rousing thunder and lightning storm, something we don't usually have here in California. We sat in our family room and watched the display from our big picture window.
We did have a fun day yesterday, glued to the TV screen watching the Churchill Downs race. We started watching at about noon and watched the whole thing, right through to the final run for the roses. We were down in Louisville for a Barbershop convention some years ago and enjoyed the beauty and history of the place, and sipped mint juleps and wandered over the blue grass and planned on going back some day. Alas! That was never to be, but we have fond memories and make sure that we watch every race.
It is reunion time for my high school class of 1940 and I was astounded to learn that there are 12 of 19 graduates still living. It is our 70th reunion, I wish I could go but since I don't travel any more, it cannot happen. I must content myself with the news letter and whatever correspondence I maintain with my former classmates.
For me, this is the best time of day, with dinner over, the dishes in the dishwasher, and whatever sweets are available still waiting for me. My husband has hidden the candy but if I beg hard enough he will dole out a piece or two.
Take care and remember to keep in touch.

A successful trip.

Today was a good day, with a pleasant ride to Guerneville to have a sample of blood drawn for testing, which I have to do once a month for the rest of my life. It is a short ride, and with the trees all in bloom and flowers blooming beside the road, I really feel that it is more of a treat than a chore. Sometimes they have difficulty finding a vein to draw from, but today the nurse was skillful and there was almost no pain.
I saw a very interesting program on obsessive compulsive disorder, which I have battled my whole life. I am a checker, but have gotten it almost under control. It is an anxiety disorder, genetic in origin, I still have to check the stove, lights, water, doors, television, and so on, but now I only check once and then go on to the next item, whereas I used to check over and over. It was time consuming and altogether senseless, but now that I only check once, it isn't nearly so troublesome. I wish I could devise a cure, I would be famous, as there is no cure at the present time. I should clarify the situation by explaining that I only check before I leave the house or go to bed. If I am going to stay in the house, I am fine.
It doesn't seem possible that April is here already. I think I wrote that I am skipping Easter this year, to avoid the temptation of having chocolate candy sitting around. I just wouldn't be able to resist.
Happy Easter everyone. Keep in touch. I love to hear from you.

Sushi

Hi! Great happiness in my kitchen! My husband brought home from the store a container of California Sushi, my favorite food! I fell upon it with cries of joy and tore open the container and treated myself to a couple of pieces before we even got the rest of the groceries put away. It was delicious. I don't know why, but I dearly love the stuff. I once plopped myself down at a sushi counter and ate over twenty dollars worth before I was satisfied. At that time i didn't know about the Sushi worm and ate whatever appeared before me on the tray. Now i only eat vegetarian Sushi, but it still is good.
A busy day here today, as my husband was seized with a weed-whacking fit and weed whacked himself up and down the hill and down on the flat spot we call the meditation place. He overdoes it, of course, and is moaning and groaning as he hobbles around the house now. When he comes into view with his weed-whacker I go in the house and shut the door. I can't endure seeing my periwinkles and forget- me- nots being cut down and raked up into piles. He, of course, thinks it is all worthwhile.
Well, the health bill has passed, and since i don't have the slightest idea what it is all going to come to, I can neither rejoice or bemoan it. Time will tell. Night all and keep in touch.

Getting out and around

Here it is, another week gone by. I am feeling better and ventured out for a short walk down the road, for about half a block. To my surprise, our trilliums are blooming and there is a whole bank of forget-me-nots in bloom across the street. The blossoms are opening on the apple tree and the daphne bush is still in full bloom. We haven't done too much with our hydrangeas or roses this year, but they are doing well on their own. Once upon a time we spent a great deal of time here and there up and down the hill putting in terraces and planting fuchsias and lilacs along the fence, but time has taken its toll and we just haven't the energy we used to have. But I am happy to say that I am feeling better each day and look forward to the first roses and apple blossoms to appear.
I managed to cook dinner today, just a pot of chicken stew, but it was good and we ate most of it. I think Bill appreciated a brief respite from all of the household duties he's been doing lately.
Well, the mail is late today. One Saturday it didn't come until nine o"clock in the evening. I am not expecting anything but bills anyway, but some of our neighbors get quite agitated when it's late. They don't like to have to come out in the dark to the mailboxes. Bye, and take care.

Another day

Lentil soup is simmering on the stove, I am propped up on my computer chair and we are both looking forward to a healthy, tasty dinner. I feel a little better today, but must still move with caution. I can't wait until I can go outside and sit in the sun and watch the birds down below the house. Spring is on the way and I look forward eagerly to it.
We had a fierce windstorm yesterday, with the redwoods blowing around and torrents of rain. We sat in our family room and watched the action from our warm chairs, hoping that no damage would take place. Luckily nothing blew down and our neighbor's roof looks intact, to our relief. Today is sunny and warm and the little juncos are back, feasting on the redwood debris and whatever else they can find.
I tried to swiffer my kitchen floor, but it proved to be too much, and I had to let my husband finish it up. Maybe tomorrow will be better. Keep in touch - I love to hear from you.

My rib

Alas, i was wrong about my fall. I had indeed suffered a broken rib, found at my second appointment, and am limping around moaning and groaning. They no longer wrap broken ribs in stretchy bands, and in my case, i get no pain killer medicine, due to my other conditions. So i have a couple of weeks more of feeling sorry for myself. I am sure my husband looks forward to the days when I can get back to my housework!
We have been watching old movies about dogs, a pleasant way to spend some time. They are Turner Classic movies, and usually entertain us for a few hours in the afternoon. I plop myself down on the sofa, get as comfortable as I can, and usually take a short nap while the movie is going. My husband gives the picture his full attention and can quote action and conversation ver batum. He has the most remarkable memory one would hope to find.
Well, no news is good news. Take care and keep in touch.

An embarassing fall

I am embarrassed to report that i have once again suffered a fall, this time from my bed, and am once again limping about with the help of my husband and my walker. I did go in for a checkup with my doctor, but nothing seems to be broken. However, it is painful and i can only with difficulty move about. I can't explain how it happened, only that it came as a surprise to both myself and my husband.
It is cold up here today, so we have a cozy fire in the stove and all of the electric heaters on. My husband made a pot of chicken soup for dinner last night and will probably make beef patties tonight. He does pretty well once he makes up his mind to actually do the task, I am lucky to have him with me.
This will be short. Needless to say, I have had better days. But I will be better soon. Take care and keep in touch.

Revenge on the IRS

I saw on television news today that some disgruntled man, enraged at the IRS, had crashed his small plane into the IRS building, killing himself and causing much damage and several injuries. I can't say I can sympathize with his action, but I have felt rage at the system many times as I crouched over my calculator late at night, struggling with the forms. Years ago we had rental houses, capital gains, mortgages, work reports, and who knows how many pages to add up and send in. I would fortify myself with a box of chocolate candy, a pot of hot coffee and often dawn would be breaking before i finished. One night our mother cat went into labor on the very night I did the forms, and I was so engrossed that I didn't even let her into the house until the last moment. The poor thing climbed up on the sofa and gave birth to two lovely little kittens right before my eyes. If I hadn't let her in she would have been forced to deliver those kittens on the steps of the house!
Anyway, it is so much easier today, since I only have to deal with retirement earnings and they are simple to list on the form. I still fuss and fume as I write the numbers down and I still secretly resent the money I have to send in, but as my husband points out, we are lucky we have the money to send.
My great weakness is my fondness for chocolate candy. A few years ago I ate so much Hallowe'en candy that I ended up in the hospital with a major crisis and had to have serious abdominal surgery. I still sneak a little if there is any around, though I know the danger it poses.
My husband has come in from the garage and is expecting dinner. Take care and keep in touch.

A JOB WELL DONE

Hi everybody. I am feeling somewhat elated tonight because i filled out my income tax forms and will mail them in tomorrow, along with a small sum which i had failed to send in beforehand. I can't say I am pleased that i have to send in a check, but I am greatly relieved to get the papers filled out and on their way. There were a couple of changes this year, and for that reason I had not sent in enough money. But no matter, I am early enough that maybe i can escape the penalty!
This was a rather pleasant day altogether, as we went into town to have my monthly blood test taken, and got to go into Safeway to shop and buy a few frozen dinners for quick meals. The plum trees are all in bloom and the tulip trees are blossoming as well and up and down the highway daffodils and narcissus are popping out. Even though it has been raining most of the week, it was quite warm out.
It is hard to believe that I have been doing tax forms for over sixty years. When we first had to send them in, they were the size of an envelope and had only a couple of lines to fill in. I have kept copies of them in a file cabinet out in the garage and it is sometimes fun to go out and look back all of that time to when I was making ninety-five dollars a month and thought I was well paid! I have always filled them out myself, feeling that they shouldn't be so hard that ordinary people can't do them. I would like to see the country go to a straight tax, but it is not to be.
My husband is prowling around, shutting off lights and checking on the cat, so i had better close and hope all of my readers are well and enjoying good health and cheer. Happy Valentine's day. Keep in touch.

The Big Game

Here i am, back again. No, I haven't been ill, just lazy. We watched the super-bowl today, quite exciting although I found the commercials to be distracting. The red super-bowl logo that kept flashing up on the screen was particularly annoying. We wanted the Saints to win, though, so we were happy with their victory. When i went to college all those years ago, seventy years actually, it was my assignment to write up the football games for the school paper, and i had a great time after the games extracting the pertinent information from the team members. It was a small college then, all in one building, but now it is a big university and fills several large buildings. It took little effort to be admitted to that little school, as all one needed was the tuition and a place to stay, but now it is quite an accomplishment to pass the entrance exams.
The same is true of Sonoma State University, a huge complex. It too started out as just one building. Now it resembles a city, and not a small one either.
We ate rather late, waiting until the game was over. I just made frozen shrimp, baked potato and small peas. My husband can eat with gusto whatever I put on the table, and I managed to eat a little. Now we are going to watch the movie "Amelia" which should be very good. Take care, and let me hear from you!

An important find.

I somehow always manage to post my comments under "Anonymous", why I don't know. But it really is me. And I love to read your comments.
Today was a rather memorable day because i found a document I had been looking for, and finding it was quite a relief. We had thrown out a large bundle of old papers, somewhat to my discomfort, but luckily this one had been saved. I am not usually a hoarder, but old tax papers and property documents rather give me pause before i toss them out.
We had a lovely day here today, with a tasty salad and once again a warm wood fire. Now I am sitting here, pondering what the future will bring. I had researched Parkinson's Disease, because i have become so unsteady in my stride, but I can't quite reconcile myself to that fate. It is hard to diagnose, so either way, it will be easy to simply deny its existence and pretend all is well. I walk with a walker and do pretty well.
Take care and keep in touch. I love to hear from you.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! We watched the Rose Bowl Parade, quite an impressive sight. Then I watched the football game for awhile, but it failed to hold my interest, so I did the only sensible thing to do on a holiday = I took a nap. Now the swiss steak is simmering on the stove, and we are just lazying around trying to find something to engage our interest. The television set is on, but I am in another room, so I don't know what my husband is watching.
I am reminded of another New Year's day long ago, when I didn't realize that New year's day was a holiday, and took the bus in to San Francisco to go to work! I had worked at newspapers for many years, where we worked all holidays, and never dreamed that for California employees holidays existed. I noticed that the bus was not on its usual schedule, and couldn't help seeing that there were very few people on the sidewalks. When I reached the door of the state building, where i worked, a sign said "closed" and I realized my mistake! There was nothing to do but catch the next bus back home, which I did before my children were up. It was a nice surprise, now that I think of it.
People have wood fires going all up and down our street, legal in our part of the country because so many of the houses only have electric heat, too expensive for heating an entire house. It makes us feel cozy to see the smoke.
Take care and keep in touch.