See You Next Year.

Busy, busy, busy, but I am doing OK.


My daughter and her family will be visiting from California next week and my other children will be popping in and out during the holidays.  It will be about having fun with family and friends, feeding people and keeping everything going in an easy, peasy flow.   Easy, peasy, well, maybe that won't happen, but I am being optimistic.    I am going to take a break from blogging for awhile and will return when the new year comes around.

I am wishing you all a wonderful holiday, no matter what you believe or how you celebrate.  I believe in the power of love and that is the one thing that all cultures have in common.  It is what we all want and what we all need. So I wish you  love and may you all find peace and joy in this season of  hope.

Bless you all, everyone. 

Arleen

Postscript:

I wrote this before the news came out about the tragedy at the Sandy Hook elementary school. My title was Joy to the World.  That title seems so inappropriate now as we are all in deep sorrow. Such madness and unless we change the laws and the culture of guns in the US, this will never end.




 

The Fog Comes On

Getting ready for the holidays, and I am doing OK

As I no longer go to work on a daily basis and time has lost its importance, I have, on occasion, woken up and am not sure what day it is. I look for clues and if hubby is not there, it means he went to work (big smile, big smile!). So now I am down to one of five or one of two and that is good enough for me.

Where, oh where, did that mind go that used to figure out complex programs and mathematical equations. I was that person who managed a small company and a large family and now I cringe when my grandchildren want me to play Angry Birds on their iPod. I used to be that person who jumped out of bed and quickly got her day going at 5:30 AM. Now as I slowly slide off the side of the mattress and onto the floor, my main purpose is to look for my glasses. Finding them within three minutes is sort of like getting a hole in one for me.

Monday, Schmonday, what does it matter now. It has taken me a while but I have learned to embrace a less stressful environment. Unless hubby is around, time is mine to do with what I want. I have a volunteer job that I love, love, love and gives me great satisfaction and joy.  I also now have time to spend with my grandchildren that I did not have before and I am making memories. I have replaced the stress and restraints I had by now doing things I choose. My early enthusiasm about doing chores that I had put off for years has waned. Purging the basement of unnecessary collections has not been accomplished although I do make attempts at it every now and then (the emphasis on "then). I have decided to focus on small victories rather than big burdensome tasks. Best of all, what I have found is that in this phase in life I do less complaining and am grateful for so much more.

So when I woke up this week and saw the thick fog, I did not worry about being out on the road trying to see through the mist. What I noticed was how beautiful it looked. There was silence and sweet peace in the scene.


The Fog
by the wonderful Carl Sandburg


The fog comes





















on little cat feet
























It sits looking
Over harbor and city (and suburbia)





















On silent haunches








































And then moves on




And so have I. 







 

PhotoPrompt, Monday, June 11, 2012

Top of the world, Mom, top of the world.



Ok, go for it!

The adventurer, someone's daughter, my daughter.  She has her fears, she has her misgivings, yet she takes on life and finds her own way.


Mondays PhotoPrompt is a laid back project wherein anyone at anytime can join in..post a picture on a Monday, write something generated by the prompt (prose/poetry/long/short/fiction/nonfiction), read, critique...whatever stirs your pot. You have all week to think about what you want to write (or not).   

If you are going to post a PhotoPrompt or are going to write about a PhotoPrompt or are planning to do some reading and may enjo critiquing please leave a note in comments so everyone can follow
over to your place and see what's happening.

Participating bloggers include
http://mybabyjohn.blogspot.com/
http://emptynestinsider.blogspot.com/
http://myjustsostory.blogspot.com/
http://randomreasoning.net/
http://sweetteareads.blogspot.com/
http://thatamysaia.blogspot.com/
http://thecontemplativecat.blogspot.com/
http://austanspace.blogspot.com/
http://acceptingchanges-maybe.blogspot.com/
http://randominterruptions.blogspot.com/

PhotoPrompt from Monday, June 4, 2012

Photo Prompt courtesy of Delores at  The Featherednest, http://mybabyjohn.blogspot.com/

The Gardener

She lived at the end of our road in a small, neat, white clapboard house.  I used to pass her by as I went for my walk in the morning and I would see her again at night when I took Kerry, our dog, for his evening constitutional.  She was always working in her garden.  She was a lady up in her years and dressed in a big brimmed purple hat, a blue dress with a green apron and big yellow rubber shoes.  She was a staple in the neighborhood, but I never knew her name.  We always just called her "The Gardener".  Once or twice  a year I did stop to talk and tell her how I admired her plantings.  She would always say, "Thank you, but I can't seem to get it just right this year."  She seldom looked up and I wasn't sure if she was talking to me or herself.   Her yard was lovely and and there was always something new to see.  I wish, at times, I had taken the time to speak with her longer, but we all live busy lives and other than say hello, I went about my business and she with hers.

She has been gone for a few years now and the new owners have done away with most of her gardens.  As I passed her home the other day, there in a crack in the pavement lay the daintiest of plants clinging to life among the weeds that were also choking to get out.  I thought of leaning down and trying to pull it out, but then I thought of her, and it occurred to me that this might have been a seed from one of her flowers that had fallen between the sidewalk and laid dormant until now.  I smiled, said hello, and walked on thinking that "The Gardner", in a way, was still there.

Monday PhotoPrompt, June 4, 2012

Tending to my gardens lately and doing OK


Lazy, Crazy Days of Summer.



We all look forward to this time of year.  This vacation has been planned for 10 months and we can't wait for it to start.  The car is packed with all sorts of paraphernalia, the tank is full and everyone has been buckled up .  Fun and sun is only 4 hours away.


One hour has passed and you begin to feel that you are part of National Lampoon's Vacation movie.  The kids who you thought would sleep, didn't, and now don't want to share that back seat with their other siblings.  Then you remember what you forgot to pack to keep them entertained , but too late now.  However, you can always buy it at your destination at 3xs the price you paid for at home. 


Hour two into the road trip and you start to threaten the children you once loved.  You really don't mean it, but that headache that began pounding about half an hour ago has turned you into another person.  The pain started around the same time that traffic seemed to come to a standstill and people became impatient.  You should be halfway there, but you are not.  There are no happy campers in the car.


Three hours now and you have been able to make up some of the time due to your spouse's need to break the sound barrier.  Oh, what's that you see in the back window, why it's your friendly  policeman who has noticed your "out of state license plate" and wants to welcome you to his town.   You thank him for his keen observance of hubby's driving habits and try not to cry when he hands him the $200 ticket.  


Almost there and the car has become quiet.  The children have run out of steam and are sound asleep.  There is silence between you and the race car driver seated next to you, but out the window you can see the sunset over the water. This was what you have dreamed about all these months.  Peace and forgiveness have now replaced frustration and anger.  The car pulls into the driveway of the rental house and surprise, it is even nicer than the picture you saw on the Internet. The children wake and squeal with delight.  All is right with the world. 

Mondays PhotoPrompt is a laid back project wherein anyone at anytime can join in..post a picture on a Monday, write something generated by the prompt (prose/poetry/long/short/fiction/nonfiction), read, critique...whatever stirs your pot. You have all week to think about what you want to write (or not). That's just how we roll lol.

If you are going to post a PhotoPrompt or are going to write about a PhotoPrompt or are planning to do some reading and may enjo critiquing please leave a note in comments so everyone can follow
over to your place and see what's happening.

Participating bloggers include
http://mybabyjohn.blogspot.com/
http://emptynestinsider.blogspot.com/
http://myjustsostory.blogspot.com/
http://randomreasoning.net/
http://sweetteareads.blogspot.com/
http://thatamysaia.blogspot.com/
http://thecontemplativecat.blogspot.com/
http://austanspace.blogspot.com/
http://acceptingchanges-maybe.blogspot.com/
http://randominterruptions.blogspot.com/

Photo Prompt, May 28, 2012

A holiday weekend and I am doing OK.


Photo Prompt Monday



Mondays PhotoPrompt is a laid back project wherein anyone at anytime can join in..post a picture on a Monday, write something generated by the prompt (prose/poetry/long/short/fiction/nonfiction), read, critique...whatever stirs your pot. You have all week to think about what you want to write (or not). That's just how we roll lol.

If you are going to post a PhotoPrompt or are going to write about a PhotoPrompt or are planning to do some reading and may enjo critiquing please leave a note in comments so everyone can follow
over to your place and see what's happening.

Current list of participants:

Austanspace

thecontemplativecat

Empty Nest Insider

Elephant's Child

That Amy Saia

Starting Over, Accepting Changes - Maybe

Sweet Tea Reads

June, the wedding month, is almost here. So here is a picture of a young couple taking the chance and committing themselves to each other.  It is a start of a new life and there is much to look forward, much to dream about, and much to share.  May the years be good, may the troubles be few and may the memories be filled with times of laughter and joy.

Off to the Races.

Tree up, house decorated, cookies made, still much more to do, but I am doing OK


Next week at this time, my house will, once again, become a home.  All my children will be here, my grandchildren will be running about, there will be hubbub in the kitchen, music will be playing (unless there is some "game" on) and all the women will look tired.  Let the festivities begin. 

I will be taking a break from blogging for a week or two so that I can spend some time with my family and make merry.  I am looking forward to having them all around me as this only happens once a year.  There will be days when it may be hard to keep my stamina up, but I do love mayhem and noise.  I am just crazy that way. Besides, it keeps the juices going. 

I wish you all the joys of the holiday and  may you all be surrounded by warmth and love. 

Me, Myself and I

It's a real November day here, but I am doing OK
Austan of Austanspace  was kind enough to think of me with this Versatile Blogger Award.  Since I have lived a life that some may say rivals that of any of the Kardashians, I want you to be prepared with all your oohs, and aahs.

So here I go with my list of 10 things you might not know about me:      (Sound the trumpets!)



1. My spice cabinet contains seasonings that I have had for over one year, well, maybe two, some might be three, but I am positive they are all less than 10 years old.  When did A&P go out of business?


2.  I have two sizes of clothes in my closets. They are my pre-Weight Watchers and goal weight wardrobes.  I "bounce" between them every two years.


3.  I am an introvert in an extrovert's body.

4.  As a child,  I was a thumb sucker.  I was contented then. When I am older and frail and have been put into a home, I hope they give me a Binky.

5.  I have a love/hate relationship with Christmas.  The love part is having my family around, the hate thing is putting up the damn tree that I have to have perfect.  I keep adjusting things till the day I put it away.

6. I used to be covered in freckles, now my skin doctor refers to them as "maturity spots".   Sounds better than liver spots.  Like the notches on a belt,  my hands are beginning to show the notches of my life.

7.  In the past few years I have grown 2 new breasts, one under my right arm, the other on the left.  The newer ones are definitely perkier than what  the originals have become. 

8.  I love sad, touching movies, especially old ones like Beaches, Fried Green Tomatoes, and  Steel Magnolias. I went through a half a box of tissues watching The Notebook last week. 

9. I am still close to my first friend who I first met at age 3.

10.  Hard to believe, but I have never worn a thong.

Thank you Susan

Got an award, and doing OK

Thanks to Susan Flett Swiderski of I Think; Therefore, I Yam, I am reading over my old posts and looking at my life in the past year.  I was reviewing them, trying to find ones that fit into this 7 X 7 award that she so nicely bestowed upon me.  Susan is a terrific writer and she has me in stitches all the time with her comical, interesting twists on anything and everything.   Susan is very, very talented.

Now about me.........

I have been writing my blog since January, the first month of my retirement.   Sometimes I am happy that I am retired, other times I think, "why did I do that?."  However,  I would have never started this journey into Bloggerville, and never gotten to know so many nice, funny, interesting people.  Notice me kissing up here, but I truly mean this.

So here is what I came up with:

Most Beautiful:   Losing a Friend.  I wrote this the day after we had to put my beloved pet cat, Martian, to sleep.  It came from my heart, as I truly felt very wounded that day.  Of course, it is sad, but I think many people with pets can relate. Can be found in April's blogs


Most Popular:  I am not going to list the most popular one here because I am saving that for another category.  Some others are more recent like "I'm Not Getting Fatter, I Am Just Post-Menopausal, so I chose one of my top five from 8 months ago.  My Retirement - Week 4. which tells about my fruitless efforts to look younger.  January


Most Controversial:  I never, never, never want to write anything really controversial.  What if I offend someone?  No, that is not where I am in life now.  I did do a short political commentary on former Congressmen Weiner called "My Retirement - The Caveman",  and some in my family thought I should have stayed away from that.  Nobody else seemed to mind though. June

Most Helpful:  This one had me stumped.  I don't write recipes (you should be glad that I don't), make quilts (did make one years ago), or knit (hands don't work so well).  I can help people laugh sometimes though, so I looked for one that people found funny.  My Retirement - - Month Two.  It is about trying to find a pair of pants that will fit.  February

Surprisingly Successful:  My Retirement - Day 2.  This was my first post and I was so surprised to see that I had an audience.  It is also my most popular. January


Most Underrated: My Retirement - Dress for Success.  I liked this one, but it was probably too long to read.  It is about my fashion faux pas. May


Most Pride Worthy:  A Mother's Love.  It was Mother's Day and I wrote about how proud I am of my four children.  May


That's it.  It was fun reading my old posts, regardless of the errors I found in them now.  I love writing this blog and have great fun doing it.  I am always unsure about what I write and am usually nervous when I click on "publish".  However, I found a quote (author unknown) that sums it up for me,  "Never be afraid to try something new. Remember amateurs built the ark;  professionals built the Titanic.