Happy Thanksgiving Everyone

Well, the day is near and there is much to do. My son will be with me for his monthly home visit and that is always a joy. He is such a big help around the house. He helps me walk Sheba, empty the trash, make his bed, and tells me he loves me and wants to marry me (but he knows he can't because it is against the law...loving wink and smile). My son has Fragile X Syndrome, a genetic disorder causing autism and mental retardation. That doesn't stop him from watching football and mixing it up with the guys in the family.

My daughter and her clan will be with us. She is now the mother of two. Her impression of me as a mother has changed since the kids were born. Hmmm, nice to be on the receiving end of her love and appreciation. We are quite close and I see her and the grandchildren often. Lately, my grandson (2 1/2 years old) has given up Barney for Beyonce. This kid is gonna be quite the heart breaker, sooner than later it seems.

We will be at my 91 year old (I love bragging about her age) mother's apartment for the big feast. There will be 14 adults and 8 great grandchildren. Always the organizer, I made part of the dinner (at my home) and will take it to mom's place on Thursday. The other part of the dinner was bought at Giant Supermarket where they will cook a turkey, do stuffing, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, cranberry relish, gravy, and a pumpkin pie all for a reasonable price. Now that's my kind of entertaining! Mom insists on making her famous yam and marshmellow casserole. I will see to it that the wine is plentiful.

Happy Thanksgiving, everybody!

Marie Antoinette Award

Alice, http://asalwaysalice.blogspot.com/, has chosen me as one of her blogger friends to award with the Marie Antoinette tag. Thanks, Alice! In response, I get to pay it forward by selecting bloggers who, at this point in the award-giving gig, has not been mentioned, or at least I don't think they have been mentioned, and let me tell you I spent lots of time looking through all the blogspots on my Google Reader to make sure to find only those who weren't chosen so they, too, can be honored....whew! what a run-on sentence...my students would be proud! Remember to snag and tag the picture from here and place it on your blogspot entry. Mention where you got it from and list new bloggers who have not received the award, but you feel should. Presenting the Marie Antoinette Award to: Ora, Someone who enjoys people, children, and pets, writes with wisdom and heart. Marlene, http://marlene-one-day-at-a-time.blogspot.com/, lives near me but we've never met...however we are blog neighbors and that's a good thing. Kristi, http://ramblingwoolysheep.blogspot.com/, has interesting stories to tell. Tracy, http://tracy-justbeingwhoiam.blogspot.com/, is a stay at home mom...good for you, Tracy! DB, http://vagabondjourneys.blogspot.com/, writes wonderful stories. Lucy, http://whatlifeisabout-lucy.blogspot.com/, lives life fully. Claudia, http://whatclaludiaisnowthinking.blogspot.com/, also known as Claudia's Thoughts, works hard and long hours but still finds time to blog.

Stuart, http://kafkasworld.blogspot.com/, also known as Specimen Days, enjoys the Bible and finds ways to incorporate its teachings into daily living.

Jody, http://fishhawkroad.blogspot.com/, has some interesting thoughts and too few readers.

Be sure to stop by and give them a hearty Hello! I know they will appreciate it.

A walk in the woods with Sheba

I saw the handsome doctor today. I told him how my knee was keeping me awake and I needed something stronger than an ice pack to calm it down. He was gracious, compassionate, and willing to please...but not in the manner in which I had dreamt...

He gave me a cortisone shot right there in that cursed knee! and now I feel like dancing...

Instead, I took Sheba for a walk. It is a crisp, cold, focused day here in S.E. PA. The snow fell this morning, enough to make the world look pure, but not enough to make the schools close. I did not have my camera with me for our morning walk so we missed taking pics of the snow covered park where Sheba likes to run.

However, I had my camera with me this afternoon when the temps rose to a brisk 34 degrees.

This is the nature trail we walk whenever my knee cooperates. We love it here.

She gets to sniff all kinds of stuff, and I get to commiserate with Mother Nature.

We end up at the pond in which many kinds of water fowl like to frolic.

Here they think I have some bread for them...HA! little do they know...

And so our walk ends with a very brisk walk home as the sunlight is failing and the temps are falling. Note the edges of the trail...snow covered!! I love snow!

Welcome to my home

This is my living room. I do all of my knitting and reading, sometimes blogging, and television watching here. In addition, I dance. Note the table is moved to the right, giving me more room for dancing. My fibro may be raging and the knee that won't heal may be screaming, but that doesn't stop the dancer in me from doing what I love. Did you see Sheba in the fireplace? I am allergic to wood smoke, so the fireplace has become her den. She has carpet remnant under her bolster pillow which is wrapped in a beach towel. Only the comfiest (is that a word?) for her!

My dining room is sparse. I use it mostly to do my business work or some writing on the laptop if I'm not sitting in front of the TV with the laptop on...where else?...my lap!

Yes, I got a new camera and am very happy with it. More pics to follow...

Fibromyalgia

This has not been a good day for me. In truth, my fibromyalgia (http://www.fmaware.org/site/PageServer?pagename=fibromyalgia ) is raging. The pain feels like acid running through the muscles, and the stiffness feels like rigamortous. I know, from life experience, that the weather is the blame. It is bitter cold today, but for the past weeks it has been raw. The combination is lethal...well, not that extreme except for when it affects those around me. I am miserable and I show it. I don't want to, but it's too hard to be "upbeat and happy" when the pain is so severe. I barely have the strength or fortitude to rise up out of a chair let alone rise up for those around me. I wish people would be more compassionate about this condition that doesn't show itself except through facial expressions. My face shows the misery and sometimes the look is misread. I am hoping that those I have offended today can find it in their hearts to forgive.

To calm my nerves after the frustrating week I had, ie the substitute teaching application process and the digital camera fiasco, I sat down and finished reading the mystery novel, Entombed, by Linda Fairstein. "It was a crime scene Edgar Allan Poe himself could have conjured, only it was all too real: workers demolishing a nineteenth-century Greenwich Village brownstone where Poe once lived unearthed the skeleton of a young woman -- buried standing upright behind a brick wall. Manhattan Assistant D.A. Alexandra Cooper takes on the gruesome case while in pursuit of the Silk Stocking Rapist." This is the blurb I copied from the back cover (yeh, I'm feeling too lazy to be so thoughtful with my words this morning). It was a great read and the description of the burial scenes were so real it was as if I was watching TV. I actually skipped a line or two in fear of what may happen next. Fairstein is an excellent suspense writer. Today, I'm on to reading Moment of Truth, by Lisa Scottoline. "When attorney Jack Newlin discovers his wife dead in their home, he's convinced he knows who killed her—and is equally determined to hide the truth. He decides to frame himself for murder, and to seal his fate he hires the most inexperienced lawyer he can find: a reluctant rookie by the name of Mary DiNunzio from the hot Philadelphia firm of Rosato & Associates. But hiring Mary may turn out to be his biggest mistake." (I love cut and paste...makes my life easier). Well, I'm off to see my two only students today. I have been working with both for two years. One is an adult with low IQ who I am helping to get established as an independent person - which is a challenge because his father is in denial of his son's limitations and expects unrealistic results from this poor kid who is 38 years old. The other is a Japanese girl who lives in a bilingual household. Her parents are determined to give her the best of everything including stellar English skills in writing...and they actually believe I can do that for them! ((lol, lol)). Both students are a joy to be with. They are the extremes of each other: the man has low IQ and the girl is in the genius range with a high IQ. Enjoy your day...

I was duped!

I enjoyed the digital camera for three days. On the first day the memory died after 3 shots. On the second day the battery died after 15 minutes. I went back to Best Buy to resolve the problem. Following is the scenario... I took the camera back to Best Buy. They checked it and said it was not defective. They took it back, even though it was opened, but charged me $13.50 restocking fee for having opened and used it. I registered a complaint with HQ, but I don't think it will do any good. I told them I will never shop at their store ever again...I don't think the guy cared. Here is what I wrote to HQ at Best Buy last night: To Whom it May Concern: I bought an 8942399 NS-DSC7P09 pink digital camera for $89.99 in your Springfield, PA store on 11/13/08. I was assured by the sales associate that there was enough internal memory for at least 25 pictures and that the only condition with buying the camera would be a 30 day return policy. I used the camera for 15 minutes and took only 3 pictures before the memory was full and the battery was low. I took the camera to the Geek Squad at Best Buy in King of Prussia, PA, who convinced me to buy 1 gig memory card, even though I was assured by the sales associate that I did not need to buy a gig of memory. The camera was low on battery within a few minutes of use. I took the camera back to the store on 11/16/08 to return it. It was then I was told I was to be charged a 15% restocking fee for having opened and used the camera. I want my 15% returned, $13.50, for the following reasons: 1. I was mis informed by the sales associate about the quality of the camera's internal memory. 2. I was not informed that there is a restocking fee. How am I to know if I like the camera if I don't open the carton and use it at least once. Note that I bought and returned the camera within 3 days. I have the receipts. 3. I was not informed by the sales associate that there is a limited battery life and that the camera is not rechargeable. 4. This is an inferior product and I am not satisfied. Misinformation, absence of information, and poor customer care has brought a bad impression upon your store. Please refund my $13.50 restocking fee for a product I used for only 15 minutes before it proved itself inferior. I doubt I will hear from them, but I feel better for making this public.

The Four Generations

I broke down and got a digital camera using the birthday money my mom gave me a few weeks ago. I didn't plan on spending the money as I was raised to save, save, save, but what the heck! I want to show off my offspring, and other pictures of what I try to describe in writing. So this is the first edition. I used Picassa which makes it so easy. All I have to do is upload the pictures and then "blog this". So easy! Happy Weekend everybody.

This is so frustrating...this substitute teaching application process, that is

I will not be considered for substitute teaching until all clearance checks come in. It is not enough for "proof of registration" for clearance checks, it must be in my hands...hard copy...to be delivered, in its original form, before the interview and training (yes, there is training) process begins. So ......no wonder they are desperate for subs!! If I wasn't desperate, I'd quit the process. They could have given me a probationary appointment until the checks cleared... how much harm am I going to do as a sub in the next 4 weeks? I won't even be placed for at least another week or two as I have to go through the training process (after 30 years of teaching? this is sooo annoying), but they won't even get me started with that...my reasoning is that when the clearance checks come through they can put me to work because the training has been done. Hello? Anybody home? I hate the system! This is why I work as a tutor...for myself, no bureaucratic nonsense. Ugh! Ask me if I'm feeling frustrated right about now.

A new week is upon us and I am ready for it. I went to Physical Therapy because I was told by those who have had the knee surgery that it was important to do. The time there was long...an hour and a half, split between assessments of the movement of my knee and teaching me leg exercises to do at home. At the end of the session, both therapists said I was in great shape and that I appeared to know what I was doing given the exemplary responses to all the pushing and shoving they did. Well, I should be! I'm a jock! I may be an old jock, but still...once an athlete, always an athlete. Anyway, I don't have to go back! Woo Hoo! I do all that stuff anyway when I walk Sheba or watch TV. So I will stuff the co-payment cash into my pocket and spend it elsewhere. On another note, I am applying for substitute teaching in the area. My tutoring business has plummeted given the recession and I need to stay active and gainful, so why not? So, to sub for a school and be paid minimum wage, I have to cough up $60 for various clearance checks. Are they kidding me? I'm 62! Are they afraid I'm going to fall in love with one of the 6th graders and marry him? (Remember that one a few years back?) Child abuse clearance (yes, I abuse my child just ask her...she called me Sargent all through high school), Criminal history clearance (yes, I am a criminal, just ask my boyfriend when he catches me sneaking a cookie from his cookie jar), and Fingerprinting so I get recorded into the Federal banks...just in case I decide to become a felon. I am joking, of course. The system needs to do all it can to protect the children and I am all for it. I am even willing to give them $60 to prove it.

I get to watch history being made...again

I am a happy girl! My country has proved itself, once again, to be democratic and free. The campaign is done, the nation has voted, and now it is time to get down to business and fix this country's messes. I believe we will see change, I pray it will be quick, but I am realistic that change does not happen overnight. I pray for our country to be patient with our President-Elect and let him do his job. I pray we support him, not judge him. I pray that the angry Republicans and Democrats that voted Republican can accept the country's choice and be a part of the union. I pray for a peaceful transfer of power. Can I hear an Amen?

Whew! What a day!

For some reason I slept really well and woke up ready to rip. This is new! Don't know why and I'm not asking, all I know was I had energy and I wanted to put it to good use (but not clean house, 'cause I didn't want to ((giggle)). So, at 7:30am, Sheba and I went for a brisk Fall walk. What a gift to get up so early and catch the beginnings of a new day. In the park was one deer. We didn't see him and he didn't see us. Then all of a sudden he bolts and runs right in front of us...I mean I could have touched him!! I don't know who was more astonished, he or I. You may ask, "What about Sheba? How did she react?" Sheba, bless her doggie heart, was more interested in sniffing the grass where other dogs had visited. She missed the whole thing! Then when the deer was far away from us, but close enough to see the pure white tail wagging, she runs to catch it. Silly Sheba. Later on I met my mother and daughter and grand daughter for my birthday lunch. Four generations! Lots of pictures taken and much conversation around babies, birthing, and parenting. I thanked my mother for having me. She was touched. It was almost as exciting as seeing a deer's white tail so close up it could be caressed. Now, 7:30pm, I am dancing! I pulled out a cassette my daughter mixed back in the late 80's and am playing it. Whoops, wait a minute...that knee of mine is reminding me that enough was enough. No problem. I'll chair dance. From the waist up I can move and grove. I think I'll go over to Chili's Sauce and see what music he's playing tonight. I hope tomorrow brings more of the same, but if not, that's OK. Today was glorious.

I don't want to!

Want to know what is so cool about being 62? I get to say, "I don't want to" whenever I feel like it, and I can get away with it. For example, my bathrooms need cleaning, but "I don't want to", so they aren't getting cleaned today. And, my carpets need vacuuming, but "I don't want to", so guess what? you got it! the carpets stay dirty. Who cares? I don't. And when I do care, those things will be handled. Ah yes, I do enjoy being 62 and not having to be responsible to any one other than myself...in the privacy of my home, that is. Then there is the rest of the world where "I don't want to" is not heard even though it is thought. Being responsible is not negotiable when one has a family and a boyfriend. No complaints! It's just so delicious when I am home, alone, see what needs to be done but do nothing because "I don't want to".

Happy Birthday to Me!

It has been a wonderful day for me. It is my birthday and every one wants me to do what ever I want. So I am!! ...and, yeah, I'm hot stuff!! (((giggle)))

Bob and I began our celebration last night with a drink and dinner at Chickie's and Pete's, a local bar that caters to the sports crowd of Philadelphia. Yesterday, we celebrated the 2008 World Series Championship. We did not go to the parade, but we watched it on the various TV channels...all day long. We went to help Pam with Halloween and then off to the bar to celebrate with the locals.

Today Bob and I took a nice adventurous walk along the Manayunk Canal and then home to rest before going out tonight for dinner and to see My Fair Lady at the local theater.

Tomorrow I celebrate with a girlfriend and the rest of the week, for each night, I continue the celebration with girlfriends.

It's been glorious!