Costs Of Winter

There has already been one cost hike to electric and gas here and now they are talking of another. We are already watching, very closely, the temperature we keep in our home. At night we lower it to 61 degrees; during the day it never is higher than 68 when we are home and maintains the 61 when we are out. I'm not sure what else we could do other than wearing more layers than we already do during the day and adding more blankets at night. I feel for those who live in colder areas than we do. Winter has its beauty but there is also the cost.

Cartoon provided by: Reader's Digest

Have A Fun Weekend!

A New Mexico High Desert mesa - the scenery here is breathtaking.

Iron Chef I'm Not

It's funny, since the vertigo I don't cook very often - all the movement and finding things makes me dizzy. I do still cook though; if I'm having a good day etc... Have never been a great cook - but adequate. Whenever I cook John likes what I make (I'm thankful for that). John is a whole different ball of wax: he can cook with anything. He just looks in the fridge and freezer and puts things together. He is very inventive. He learned a lot being in restaurant management for all those years and, of course, he took a Culinary Arts class too. He really enjoys it too.

Cartoon provided by: Reader's Digest

Wishful Thinking

Love this cartoon. It speaks of hope, imagination, and a positive outlook on life. We all seem to be so negative much of the time. All the difficulties in our country and the rest of the world make us skeptics and negative thinkers. We live in a country that is all about hope, possibilities, and freedom. We need to focus on those things and our part in it. Do what we can to make life better for others, our families, and ourselves. Our forefathers would be happy if we did this and so would our God.

Cartoon provided by: Reader's Digest

Marcelle Learns To Drive

Marcelle had an exciting day the other day. Her neighbors have a little motorized car they allowed her to drive. The button had a bit of an electrical problem but she still managed to have a great time. Just hearing her joyful laugh makes my heart happy. She got a little distracted watching the other children but, boy, did she have fun. She is too cute! Sorry, Gramma is allowed to be proud!!

Video courtesy of: Misha and Alan

Protect Yourself!

With all that is going on in our country, I think our little friend has the right idea. Then, on the other hand, if we all hide nothing will change it will just get worse. This is the scary part: if we do nothing and it gets worse we only have ourselves to blame. After all, we elect people to do what is best for the country and when they don't we blame them. We need to hold our elected officials accountable, at all levels, for what they do and don't do. Campaign promises are easy - fulfilling them is another matter. Sometimes we all forget, especially those in government, that they work for us - we pay their salaries and for all their perks, etc... and they truly don't appreciate it and, in fact, look down on us - the plebeians - and speak of us and to us as if we were very small, not very smart, children. I am a little sick of their attitudes. They only care about their agendas and really have lost sight of the long term effects of what they have done and what they are doing.

Sorry --- just had to vent a little.

Cartoon provided by: Reader's Digest

Sad Sunday - Happy Sunday

Mixed emotions yesterday:
Sad: Chicago Bears lost the conference championship to (yuck) the Green Bay Packers. It was not a good game for them at all - they went through all three of their quarterbacks. The third string, Haney, was actually doing quite well at the end of the game until he was intercepted at the very end with less than a minute to go. Very sad - almost, but not quite. Have been a Bears fan since meeting John over 32 years ago. Love to see them win. Had a good year this year even with this loss.

Happy: Our very dear friends came over to celebrate my birthday and watch the Bears game. They are so sweet; brought a great gift plus pizza and a home baked birthday cake. We had such fun watching the game as one of them is a die hard Packers fan. Lots of laughs.

Have A Super Duper Weekend!

High Desert Beauty!

Thought yesterday was Friday and posted this in error. Being ill has "messed up" my sense of what day it is, I guess. Anyway --- feeling a lot better starting yesterday and seem back to "normal" today - whatever that is. Hope you are all well too.

Judy Collins

For those of you too young to get it: Judy Collins sang the Sondheim song Send in the Clowns. Great song and sometimes appropriate depending on what is happening. Have had this intestinal thing since Monday afternoon. Keep thinking I'm getting better then - WOP - it's back again. So, I think it's appropriate; you may not but then you are not here with me.

Cartoon provided by: Reader's Digest

Excuse Me!

I'm definitely feeling better and plan on a normal day today. Hope none of you get whatever "bug" is infesting where you live this year. Seems like every other year we have a more severe flu season and, from what I've been hearing, this is the year. So, protect yourselves: wash those hands, use sanitizer and, if you can, stay away from "sickies".

Cartoon provided by: Reader's Digest

P.S. Got the "creeping crud" going again - thought I was done but NOT!. John tells me some of the folks at his work had the same thing happen to them; feeling better then - oops - sick again. At least I'm not alone

My Best Friend

Have had intestinal flu since early yesterday afternoon; fever - the whole bit. Will blog when better. Hope you are all well.

Coyote Country

We have a lot of coyotes out where we live. Late at night, sometimes, they will start howling and then all the dogs in our area start howling - a canine cantata! I have seen them running up our hill where we live - quite thin, wild looking, and very fast. There is something very primal about them. I enjoy the fact that we live out in the boonies so coyotes are part of our living experience.

Enjoy Your Weekend!

Let us pray for all the families who lost loved ones in the blizzard here in the U.S.A. and the floods in Australia.

Secret Ambition

John and the girls are going to really laugh at this (they think I drive to slowly 'cause I try to follow the speed limit); for many, many years I dreamed of being a race car driver. I actually love speed and would love the opportunity to drive on a real race track. Of course with the vertigo I would want to be alone on the track - it would be awesome!! When I was a young woman I really did want to do this but I never had the opportunity. The closest I ever came was our friendship with a former race car driver we worked with in California. Ah, dreams.

Cartoon provided by: Reader's Digest

Holding...

Had to call Verizon yesterday; I am always amazed that I hardly ever have to wait longer than a couple of minutes on hold. Every other call center it is forever on hold. Anyway, I was delighted, yes...delighted, with how quickly they were able to help me and... get this...in a very friendly manner. What's happening? Is customer service improving? Will I find this the same when I call some other company? Be still my heart!

Cartoon provided by: Reader's Digest

Di's Fox

This is a photo taken by my cousin, Di. Looking from her back yard into her neighbor's back yard is a female, very well fed, fox. They are so beautiful. Usually they are not this large and healthy looking especially at this time of year; more likely they are scrawny and their fur is dull. Don't know what this female had been doing but her coat is luxuriant and their is plenty of meat on her bones. We, occasionally, see coyotes but no foxes here. Love the photo - thanks Di.

In Custody

The tragic events of this past Saturday are difficult to comprehend. Everyone is trying to blame individuals for what this man did. Everyone seems to have an agenda. No one is concentrating on what has really happened; a young, unbalanced man committed multiple murders, injured many people, and attempted to assassinate a member of Congress. If you really look at what has been reported about the actual crime and perpetrator it's quite obvious that he was very confused; his favorite books are from opposite ends of the political spectrum. He has hate in his heart and a sick mind to go with it. Very sad. We have been praying for the families who have lost loved ones and for those who have been injured and their families. We all need to keep praying for them but we need to pray that our country will come together and stop pointing fingers - that will never solve our problems.

Cartoon provided by: Reader's Digest

Shopping

I have never been "in love" with shopping myself but the littlest one certainly is. She is a very independent soul; off she goes with her own basket. Misha, her mother, was the same. We would look away for a second and she'd be off somewhere. We were always searching for her. She would laugh at us as we tried to get her back; a real character and now she has a character of her own. Happy chasing!!

Photo provided by: Misha

Have A Super Weekend!

This photo is of one of three crosses at the top of Tomé Hill which is five minutes from our home. Every Good Friday thousands of people make the "pilgrimage" to the top of the hill. They come from all over the state some walking many miles to be there as part of their sacrifice. John took this photo, after climbing the hill, after a heavy snowfall last winter.

Lord, Help Me Now!

I have no idea what they are doing in Washington, D.C. I haven't had any idea what they are doing for many years now. It doesn't matter what party holds the presidency or the congress or the senate. There is a mess in our government that has trickled down to each and every state, county, city, and town. All these government officials expect us, the peons, to live on a tight (if non-existent) budget while they spend money that doesn't exist (so they print it). We, the peons, try to get jobs, keep jobs, pay rent or mortgage payments (on houses not worth anywhere near what our mortgages are), pay for food and other necessities while our government (at all levels) fly around in private plans while extolling the virtues of the "greening" of America -- the hypocrisy is mind boggling. Where will it end? Great question. I think prayer is our only hope.

Cartoon provided by: Reader's Digest

My Name Is...

After a second day doing laundry, thinking everything would straighten out, I am still short one sock; it's not in the washer nor in the dryer nor on the floor nor in the drawer -- where is that little rascal? Maybe there really is a 12 Step Program for Socks Without Partners meeting somewhere right now. If there is, I hope they are having a good time trying to "match up".

Cartoon provided by: Reader's Digest

Laundry Safari

After 42 years of doing laundry, I still find it fascinating that I can put in a pair of socks and get out only one. I really, honestly don't get it. How does this happen? I think, sometimes, that there are little sock gremlins that sneak around the laundry room hiding socks for their pleasure. Or they might need them to sleep in to keep themselves warm at night. Who knows? I just know that it drives me wacky!
Up at 4:15 a.m. today; the beginning of a new era in our household. John is now working on a new team and his new schedule is 5:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and so he is up at 3:00 a.m. I am getting up as he leaves, a pattern that has been going on for some time now. I match his schedule as much as possibl; it makes it so much easier. Yawn.

Cartoon provied by: Reader's Digest

Rehab - No, Not The Lindsay Lohan Kind

So, the New Mexico Division of Vocational Rehabilitation is working with me to see if there's a way to put me back to work; to see if my employer can accommodate my vertigo. Hope. I see them today - after finding out that I am eligible for their services. They will evaluate my skill set and also my "disabilities" and try to find a way -- I am thankful that they will even try to put me back to work. They have told me it may take some time but that's OK with me. Wish me luck!

Cartoon provided by: Reader's Digest

Snowmen

Happy New Year!! Hope you all had a fun, safe weekend.

I absolutely love snowmen. When I deck out the house for Christmas there are snowmen everywhere. However, as much as I love them the last time I actually made a snowman was when the girls were quite young. We have never had enough snow here for us to make one. One day, perhaps, there will be and I will make one and take a photo of it to share with you.

Cartoon provided by: Reader's Digest