Oh Watta Year!

Starting off the year with a trip to Virgin Gorda and then out to Jackson for a high school graduation kept me stepping along with eternal packing and unpacking. Then bamm! The great-grandsons started coming with Asher and Beck. The "Greats" are going to outnumber the "Grands", I think. Eleven versus sixteen...........hmmm? Then, we're sure to have another next year with Alana but that's for then.

I've come to the conclusion that I really put food in the feeders for the squirrels and like Susan said "they have to eat too!"

This year, I've enjoyed being with my local grandchildren to various sporting events or just hanging out.

I've learned that I don't have the stamina that I used to have i.e. I can't jump rope anymore or stand on my head! I know that the best times really don't cost money; that family is so important and I learned to play Bunco!

Five Things

Five things that make me happy!

1. Talking with family
2. Being warm in the winter time
3. Having great friendships
4. Getting a surprise phone call
5. Having a good book to read.

Two things that upset me:

1. The squirrels on my feeder
2. An unpleasant conversation

Three challenges:

1. Thinking positive
2. Creating a device to keep the squirrels off the feeder.

Yukking it Up and Other Things

Maggie invited me over today. We wanted to compare/translate postcards that we received through Postcrossing. Mag had ordered more postcards from the Zazzle website and they were pretty good quality. Of course, they were about a buck a piece, so pricey. We ordered some pizza and salad for an early dinner and watched "Bobby" that we really didn't care for so selected a light one called "Love Happens" which proved to be a winner. I do like Jennifer Anniston as her movies are usually funny & happy.

A couple weeks ago, we met "the girls" who are still working and we listened to their gripes, etc. so were glad we retired! We did see a celeb football player at the next table and he was very gracious to those who wanted pictures and autographs. The restaurant is called Maggiano's. It has an interesting concept. Whatever you order, you pick something else in the same price range and the Chef prepares it for you to take home. Nice, huh? My meal was Baked Ziti with sausage and I brought home Eggplant Parmesan that was enough for two more meals.

It's after 1 am and I wondered why I'm not sleeping. Ah, I had two glasses of green tea at Maggie's! That'll do it.

Just Wandering Around...

Louise, a cousin plus Aunt J. and I took a road trip today. I wanted to see if I remembered how to drive to our cousin's house in Port Republic. Louise had her trusty GPS but we hardly bothered with it. Leaving the White Horse Pike in Hammonton, we took Moss Mill Road. (I often thought of a mill being there at one time). Anyway, the road wanders all through the Pine Barrens. It was a beautiful day for a ride and we enjoyed being together and watching the countryside fly by. On arriving at Port Republic, we soon found out that Mike was not at home. Of course, we never told him we were coming either. So we opted to continue driving to Swainton which is on the way to Cape May. We wanted to eat a late lunch at Chef Ted's Offshore Cafe. I had been there before with Barbara and we had yummy hot pork-pulled sandwiches with provolone cheese, peppers and onions and my mouth watered for it again. Alas! Not on the menu today! So next time, we will call first! Jeannette and I ended with a vegetable quiche and salad. Louise had a turkey panini which looked mighty good. With our tummys full, we hit the parkway, then the expressway for home.

A Sharing of of the Subconscious Mind

Six years ago, we were looking for continuing education credits and found a seminar in Atlantic City that seemed a good fit. It was called "Dreams: Explore the Power of the Dreaming Mind." The whole idea was to learn how to process your dreams through recordings, symbols, etc. It was an all-day workshop and presented by a Ph.D. from Cross Country University based in Nashville, TN. I had attended another on Social Work Ethics and was suitably impressed by the presentation.

Anyway, three of us decided to start hosting "Dream" meetings again. The idea is to write down your dreams as you remember them. We then share, discuss and many times resolve issues or even see things in a different way. It's proved very interesting and helpful esp. if the dream is troublesome.

Of course, we always have food! I hosted it last Sunday and Barbara will have it again later in the month.

It's Hot, Hot, Hot!

I haven't blogged lately. It's too hot to do much except stay in and read so that's what I've been doing.

One morning though before it got terribly humid, I took myself back to Ace Hardware and bought a "cheap" bird feeder...the kind that hangs by a hook. Of course, I didn't have anything to hang it on so put it on the clothesline with picture-wire through the chain connecting it to the line. Now my arch enemy was sure he could manage another feeder but he had a helluva time. First, the line moved and because the feeder is made mostly of plastic, it also swayed in the breeze. So he's up there doing calisthenics on the high wire. Wish I could have video-taped him and posted it here. I do have all sorts of birds. Did identify a Downy woodpecker, black-capped chickadee and the usual array of sparrows. Still haven't identified my red bird with the black helmet and had a green one today. Think he is in the warbler family. I need grandpop big time!

The kids were here last night and Abby stayed over. Today, she met up with one of her friends from Laurel Springs from her old school.

Do You Remember the Words?

"There's a hole in my bucket, Dear Eliza, Dear Eliza
There's a hole in my bucket, Dear Eliza, A HOLE..

Then,