There are problems in writing a blog. I want to tell a story, and I go, "Oh s*#@ , your name here will see this." I can't write certain things because it will hurt feelings. Or it could get someone in trouble. I started this partly to vent, to tell tales, to let you know my feelings. Well it doesn't work that way.
People say things to me, my feelings get hurt. (I do have very tender feelings) How dare they say that. I WILL BLOG!!! Well, I am a nice polite southern girl. You don't deliberately hurt people. So if I write about them, I am ruder than they are. Or someone is careless and I get physically hurt. Not a big deal, but I did get a little hurt and I was in a little pain. If I blog, people could find out and then all hell could break loose. So I control my words.
Now you are thinking just how many people read this little blog. Well, nearly everyone I know has been invited to read it. So they might see me bashing them. Off the top of my head, I know for sure 8 people who read this regularly. But there could be lurkers. So I must be nice unless it is someone like the nasty Yankee on the phone earlier this week. She doesn't count.
The point of tonight's blog. . . My feelings got hurt and I had a small accident. A bad day in some ways. Marty gave me a couple of big hugs and Randy hugged me and that made most of the problems go away. But I really want to vent and write nasty stuff. But I can't write about it because I feel a need to protect the guilty. I am taking the high road. I would rather not.
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Friday, November 28, 2008
The next few weeks. . .
The Christmas season officially begins for us on Friday after Thanksgiving. We love the season, and we decorate every room in the house and the outside as well. It is a busy time and we have lots of fun.
Today the tree is done. I hung ornaments most of the day. We put more ornaments on than most people. We hang about 10 dozen glass icicles and have several hundred other ornaments. This is a major project. I hate it and love it at the same time. Every ornament is a memory. There are three I love the most. Marty and I bought them shortly after we married: a crown, a treasure chest, and a silver elf. They cost us a fortune, in 1967 we paid close to $20 for the three. And I love them. I have a bell made of aluminum foil and a paper cup that Erik made for us in Kindergarten. We have some we bought on trips, some from past students, and some we bought every year as a family. It takes a full day to finish the tree. I now have the rest of the house to decorate. That will be done over the next week.
Saturday we begin Open Studios http://www.berkeleyartisans.com/ The artists in Berkeley and Oakland do demonstrations and have their art for sale. Marty is a hot glass artist and will work every Saturday and Sunday through December 21. I work in the gallery. We are number one on the list/map: R. Strong Glass at Fourth and Gilman. I hope you will drop by. Marty will assist on Saturdays and will do demos on Sundays.
Of course our normal life will continue, I will marry couples and work at school and Marty will do his day job. So we are a little busy doing all the above and the Christmas gatherings also. But we seem to get it all done.
I trust everything is spelled correctly in this post. For some reason the spell check isn't working. I have used the dictionary to check some things. But sometimes you can't proof read your own work.
Today the tree is done. I hung ornaments most of the day. We put more ornaments on than most people. We hang about 10 dozen glass icicles and have several hundred other ornaments. This is a major project. I hate it and love it at the same time. Every ornament is a memory. There are three I love the most. Marty and I bought them shortly after we married: a crown, a treasure chest, and a silver elf. They cost us a fortune, in 1967 we paid close to $20 for the three. And I love them. I have a bell made of aluminum foil and a paper cup that Erik made for us in Kindergarten. We have some we bought on trips, some from past students, and some we bought every year as a family. It takes a full day to finish the tree. I now have the rest of the house to decorate. That will be done over the next week.
Saturday we begin Open Studios http://www.berkeleyartisans.com/ The artists in Berkeley and Oakland do demonstrations and have their art for sale. Marty is a hot glass artist and will work every Saturday and Sunday through December 21. I work in the gallery. We are number one on the list/map: R. Strong Glass at Fourth and Gilman. I hope you will drop by. Marty will assist on Saturdays and will do demos on Sundays.
Of course our normal life will continue, I will marry couples and work at school and Marty will do his day job. So we are a little busy doing all the above and the Christmas gatherings also. But we seem to get it all done.
I trust everything is spelled correctly in this post. For some reason the spell check isn't working. I have used the dictionary to check some things. But sometimes you can't proof read your own work.
Thursday, November 27, 2008
HAPPY THANKSGIVING
Today is Thanksgiving, but it feels like Friday. There is no smell of turkey and dressing. I am not running around like a chicken with its head cut off getting 14 dishes to come out at the same time. We are not cooking this year. We have no guests arriving any minute. It feels really strange.
We are going to our friends and bringing mashed potatoes and home made rolls. I know we will have a wonderful time with them and eat great food. But we always host. It feels strange.
So what did we do today you ask. We did the Friday stuff. We drug out all the Christmas boxes, rearranged the living room so the tree will fit, put up the tree, and Marty is hanging outside lights. It feels strange.
We have a new tree this year. It is a smidgen smaller and came with LED lights on it. We always have white lights, this tree has colored lights. It feels strange.
I don't think I like doing differently on a holiday. Who knew I was so set in my ways?
We are going to our friends and bringing mashed potatoes and home made rolls. I know we will have a wonderful time with them and eat great food. But we always host. It feels strange.
So what did we do today you ask. We did the Friday stuff. We drug out all the Christmas boxes, rearranged the living room so the tree will fit, put up the tree, and Marty is hanging outside lights. It feels strange.
We have a new tree this year. It is a smidgen smaller and came with LED lights on it. We always have white lights, this tree has colored lights. It feels strange.
I don't think I like doing differently on a holiday. Who knew I was so set in my ways?
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
MANY TOPICS, LOTS OF THOUGHTS
Today was my day to marry couples. Many types of couples got married. For one couple I was checking the license and saw the bride's name was the same as the groom's middle name. They were Hispanic so his middle name also could be his last name, since they combine the father's and the mother's last name for their last name. I asked for her ID to be sure the clerk had written it down correctly. After that was confirmed, I read over the license. From the license I deduced they had been married before. They both were divorced on the same day in May.
Today I remarried them. He seemed calm and dedicated to her. She was agitated and crying through out the ceremony. I could feel the connection between them. There was a strong love, but something awful went wrong in the past. I really hope they make it this time. Again, I have no ending.
Thanksgiving. November. I grew up in Kentucky. November and Thanksgiving meant it was cold, dreary, maybe with sleet and flurries. It is a nasty time of the year. Now I live in California, not southern CA. But still much better weather than Kentucky.
Our yard is blooming. We have cymbidium orchids blooming in the yard. Tomatoes are still on the vine. Gardenias are in bud, camellias are in bud, basil and dill are waiting to be picked. My roses are blooming. , At least the the ones the gophers haven't killed. They just took out a 40 year old bush. One day it was there, the next laying on its side, roots gone. I totally understand Bill Murray and Caddy Shack. I hate those little hair balls. Breathing deeply to continue. . . I have butterfly iris blooming and lots of other plants blooming. My magnolia tulip tree is blooming a couple of months early because it is so warm this winter. But at the same time we have trees dropping their leaves. California does fall and summer at the same time. But we are never severely cold in the Bay Area.
Things I am thankful for this year: Marty, Erik and Jennifer. An election result that there was no doubt.
Today I remarried them. He seemed calm and dedicated to her. She was agitated and crying through out the ceremony. I could feel the connection between them. There was a strong love, but something awful went wrong in the past. I really hope they make it this time. Again, I have no ending.
Thanksgiving. November. I grew up in Kentucky. November and Thanksgiving meant it was cold, dreary, maybe with sleet and flurries. It is a nasty time of the year. Now I live in California, not southern CA. But still much better weather than Kentucky.
Our yard is blooming. We have cymbidium orchids blooming in the yard. Tomatoes are still on the vine. Gardenias are in bud, camellias are in bud, basil and dill are waiting to be picked. My roses are blooming. , At least the the ones the gophers haven't killed. They just took out a 40 year old bush. One day it was there, the next laying on its side, roots gone. I totally understand Bill Murray and Caddy Shack. I hate those little hair balls. Breathing deeply to continue. . . I have butterfly iris blooming and lots of other plants blooming. My magnolia tulip tree is blooming a couple of months early because it is so warm this winter. But at the same time we have trees dropping their leaves. California does fall and summer at the same time. But we are never severely cold in the Bay Area.
Things I am thankful for this year: Marty, Erik and Jennifer. An election result that there was no doubt.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
CHECK OUT THE OTHER JANET'S BLOG
My friend Janet Rudolph writes a blog called Mystery Fanfare. I have it on my Blog list to the left. Be sure to check it often. But especially today check it out. She has information about a wonderful convention Left Coast Crime:Say Aloha to Murder. If you like mysteries, this is the convention for you. She has links, so I won't put them in.
Check it out. There is a blog on the site that I contributed to last week. I sent an article on foods of Hawaii. There are contests, funnny pictures, and lots of info on the programing. Even if you don't make the convention the site has lots of information for mystery fans. The guest list has links to lots and lots of authors.
It is a great site. Feel free to pass on the information/site link.
Check it out. There is a blog on the site that I contributed to last week. I sent an article on foods of Hawaii. There are contests, funnny pictures, and lots of info on the programing. Even if you don't make the convention the site has lots of information for mystery fans. The guest list has links to lots and lots of authors.
It is a great site. Feel free to pass on the information/site link.
Monday, November 24, 2008
DISTANCE SAVED HER LIFE
I am ticked, peeved, and ready to kill. Not a good thing so early on Monday morning. Go to my November 9, 2008 posting, FIRST MAJOR PURCHASE. Just go down the left in the archives and find it and click. Read that for the back story.
OK, are you done reading?
The part has not come in. I received an email on the night of the ninth that it had been shipped. There was no tracking number included, so I called this morning to find out where it is. First let me say I am not a bigot. But the woman who answered was everything I dislike about the stereotypical Yankees: harsh nasal voice, unfriendly, and flat out rude. She can't help her voice. Not everyone is blessed with the lovely melodic Southeastern Kentucky twang I have. But just saying hello she told me I was bothering her. I gave my order number and she said,"It hasn't been shipped yet. The blades will be in this week." That pretty well set me off, but I stayed in my sweet Southern Belle mode. I explained I had an email saying it was shipped. She says, "I didn't send it, shipping shouldn't have sent it. We'll ship it when the part comes in." I started to ask her to notify a supervisor about the error of the email, ( if a company has a communication problem someone should know about it). I was quickly told not her problem. "I just answer the phone," she snapped.
It will be shipped this week, maybe.
OK, are you done reading?
The part has not come in. I received an email on the night of the ninth that it had been shipped. There was no tracking number included, so I called this morning to find out where it is. First let me say I am not a bigot. But the woman who answered was everything I dislike about the stereotypical Yankees: harsh nasal voice, unfriendly, and flat out rude. She can't help her voice. Not everyone is blessed with the lovely melodic Southeastern Kentucky twang I have. But just saying hello she told me I was bothering her. I gave my order number and she said,"It hasn't been shipped yet. The blades will be in this week." That pretty well set me off, but I stayed in my sweet Southern Belle mode. I explained I had an email saying it was shipped. She says, "I didn't send it, shipping shouldn't have sent it. We'll ship it when the part comes in." I started to ask her to notify a supervisor about the error of the email, ( if a company has a communication problem someone should know about it). I was quickly told not her problem. "I just answer the phone," she snapped.
It will be shipped this week, maybe.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
BUSY, BUSY WEEKEND
Friday I continued being domestic. I ironed nine shirts and one blouse. I also went to the grocery that morning. I think those 2 things put me pretty close to saint hood. Lucky's the Friday before Thanksgiving is awful. The only thing worse than that is Costco the Sunday before Thanksgiving. Yeah, Marty and I did that today. I may hit Safeway on Wednesday just to really get that I hate crowds feeling.
Friday night we had play tickets. We met friends for dinner and visited with them. Then the four of us went to the play. It was a disappointment. Not well done, sound was poor, singing was off key, acting was not great. It just not up to what the Willows usually does.
Saturday we had the big A TEAM dinner in honor of the Gramms being in town for the week. We started with appetizers at one house and then the rest of the meal at another house. We had wonderful food and great fellowship. And we had party favors. Lovely Hank and Thom had pictures of each couple on a stand and the outline of us had been laser cut. Great party favors. We ate too much and drank too much. And we laughed and laughed and then we cried some too. Don't worry about us driving home liquored up. We slept on Nancy and Lew's couch for a while, and then slipped out about midnight and came home. We don't do the drinking and driving thing.
'
Today we had plans to start getting ready for the holidays. Marty was going to put up the outside lights, and drag out all the boxes of decorations. That didn't happen. We slept real late, loved that. We just weren't in the mood to start the Christmas stuff. We will regret that since we have no free weekends between now and Christmas. Oh, well. It will happen some way. Marty worked in the yard some, while I did even more laundry. We checked our friends' house in San Leandro and then did Costco.
Friday night we had play tickets. We met friends for dinner and visited with them. Then the four of us went to the play. It was a disappointment. Not well done, sound was poor, singing was off key, acting was not great. It just not up to what the Willows usually does.
Saturday we had the big A TEAM dinner in honor of the Gramms being in town for the week. We started with appetizers at one house and then the rest of the meal at another house. We had wonderful food and great fellowship. And we had party favors. Lovely Hank and Thom had pictures of each couple on a stand and the outline of us had been laser cut. Great party favors. We ate too much and drank too much. And we laughed and laughed and then we cried some too. Don't worry about us driving home liquored up. We slept on Nancy and Lew's couch for a while, and then slipped out about midnight and came home. We don't do the drinking and driving thing.
'
Today we had plans to start getting ready for the holidays. Marty was going to put up the outside lights, and drag out all the boxes of decorations. That didn't happen. We slept real late, loved that. We just weren't in the mood to start the Christmas stuff. We will regret that since we have no free weekends between now and Christmas. Oh, well. It will happen some way. Marty worked in the yard some, while I did even more laundry. We checked our friends' house in San Leandro and then did Costco.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
MAKING COMMENTS ON MY BLOG
Several friends have written me and said they like my Blog. Thank you, thank you very much. But they don't know how to make comments on the blog. They are Blog virgins. I have some directions that I think will work.
Basically you click until it tells you it works. After you post, the comment comes to me and I decide if it should be posted or not. I have not deleted anyone, yet. I want to protect the site from weirdos. Some strange people do come out of the wood work. I don't want filth on my site, I am protecting you, my readers from icky people. You are allowed to disagree with me. In fact one poster has. I just want to keep it clean.
To reply to the blog, click on comments, then write your note in the comment box, select a profile, most people just click name and fill in your name, ( some of the pull downs I have no idea what they are, I must ask Erik ) unless you have a Google account then click on the google, ignore the URL unless you have a website, if so put in the link, click on post, then type in the word verification and then finish. It is a little complicated, but really not that hard. The second and third time will be easier.
Also at the end of the post it says interesting, funny, cool. You just click on one and it ups the count. It really isn't hard. Just try it.
I do want comments. They help me know what to write. It also feeds my ego. I check about a hundred times a day to see if anyone commented or checked a box. I need the feedback to be sure you like me. So comment, agree or disagree, just read me and comment. Send the link to your friends, and tell them to comment. You all can tear the post apart. Just let me know you are there. Of course if you are harsh I will cry. But at least you are reading me.
Also, check out the Blogs I follow: drinks, comments on life, and mysteries; fun, interesting and all about mysteries.
Basically you click until it tells you it works. After you post, the comment comes to me and I decide if it should be posted or not. I have not deleted anyone, yet. I want to protect the site from weirdos. Some strange people do come out of the wood work. I don't want filth on my site, I am protecting you, my readers from icky people. You are allowed to disagree with me. In fact one poster has. I just want to keep it clean.
To reply to the blog, click on comments, then write your note in the comment box, select a profile, most people just click name and fill in your name, ( some of the pull downs I have no idea what they are, I must ask Erik ) unless you have a Google account then click on the google, ignore the URL unless you have a website, if so put in the link, click on post, then type in the word verification and then finish. It is a little complicated, but really not that hard. The second and third time will be easier.
Also at the end of the post it says interesting, funny, cool. You just click on one and it ups the count. It really isn't hard. Just try it.
I do want comments. They help me know what to write. It also feeds my ego. I check about a hundred times a day to see if anyone commented or checked a box. I need the feedback to be sure you like me. So comment, agree or disagree, just read me and comment. Send the link to your friends, and tell them to comment. You all can tear the post apart. Just let me know you are there. Of course if you are harsh I will cry. But at least you are reading me.
Also, check out the Blogs I follow: drinks, comments on life, and mysteries; fun, interesting and all about mysteries.
DOMESTIC THURSDAY
Thursdays I usually stay home and act like a housewife. That word act is important to remember. I am not a very domestic animal. Well, I do like to cook. But someone must do certain things, such as clean toilets, wash and iron clothes, clean house. It seems that would be me. Marty could do most of that much better than I do. (I am much better at laundry. He doesn't understand hot water and colors.) But I don't want to hold down a paying job, so he does that for me and I take care of the inside of the home.
Today was a mixture of domestic bliss. I washed several loads of laundry, starched and sprinkled shirts to iron tomorrow, put up some laundry, did Christmas shopping, worked on our Christmas letter, made a huge pot of chili, and took out the recyclables.
The Christmas shopping was great. I love online shopping. No crowds, no driving there, just walk into my office and start clicking. I found the perfect gift for Marty, which I can not share. He reads this blog also. But trust me, even though we are doing the frugal Christmas, it is great. It took a while to comparison shop on line. You have to find the best price, then lowest shipping, tax or no tax, and then remember which site is best overall. He will love it and he doesn't even know he wants this. Well, maybe he does. : )
I love writing our Christmas letter. Every year it gets a little longer, which means it could be boring or worse bragging. We get those bragging letters sometimes, Sally Mae is prom queen, Johnny is president of the class. I won the lottery, you didn't. But that is OK. The worse are the letters that tell all the doom and destruction that has happened in a 500 mile radius. Every death down to fifth cousins will be listed. They will share the stories of the plague of locusts that wiped out their petunias, and that their fan belt broke after 100.000 miles. Those letters do sorta make us laugh.
We try to just list our year's happenings. Marty and I do a lot of things, we are active seniors. And I like to share our life with friends all over the country. Yes, sometimes we brag too. You have to toot your own horn sometimes. So forgive us. I write lots of stuff, put in beginning sentences about Marty then he adds details, and finally he formats and edits it. So maybe it isn't too long. This year he has a lot to edit. I have already filled the page and he still needs to flesh out his stuff. Maybe we will have two pages this year.
Today was a mixture of domestic bliss. I washed several loads of laundry, starched and sprinkled shirts to iron tomorrow, put up some laundry, did Christmas shopping, worked on our Christmas letter, made a huge pot of chili, and took out the recyclables.
The Christmas shopping was great. I love online shopping. No crowds, no driving there, just walk into my office and start clicking. I found the perfect gift for Marty, which I can not share. He reads this blog also. But trust me, even though we are doing the frugal Christmas, it is great. It took a while to comparison shop on line. You have to find the best price, then lowest shipping, tax or no tax, and then remember which site is best overall. He will love it and he doesn't even know he wants this. Well, maybe he does. : )
I love writing our Christmas letter. Every year it gets a little longer, which means it could be boring or worse bragging. We get those bragging letters sometimes, Sally Mae is prom queen, Johnny is president of the class. I won the lottery, you didn't. But that is OK. The worse are the letters that tell all the doom and destruction that has happened in a 500 mile radius. Every death down to fifth cousins will be listed. They will share the stories of the plague of locusts that wiped out their petunias, and that their fan belt broke after 100.000 miles. Those letters do sorta make us laugh.
We try to just list our year's happenings. Marty and I do a lot of things, we are active seniors. And I like to share our life with friends all over the country. Yes, sometimes we brag too. You have to toot your own horn sometimes. So forgive us. I write lots of stuff, put in beginning sentences about Marty then he adds details, and finally he formats and edits it. So maybe it isn't too long. This year he has a lot to edit. I have already filled the page and he still needs to flesh out his stuff. Maybe we will have two pages this year.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
WEDNESDAY THOUGHTS
Today was a slow day for marriages. I only performed 5 or 6 ceremonies. I always lose count after the first couple of weddings. I think I will know, but the licences start piling up at the 3:00 rush and I just do weddings.
Couples must be clocked in the computer by 4:00 in order for us to perform a ceremony. Most of them seem to show up about 3:00. We figure they work through lunch and then take off early and come get married. That's fine, but some days we have weddings to do until 5:00 or 5:30. The building closes at 4:30 and lots of staff go home then. Some days when I finish there is just me, the sheriff''s deputy and the marriage clerk left in the building. Once I came down and the lights were off where my belongings were.
But as I said, a slow day today. Only one really stands out. A couple who were from Afghanistan. She had lived here a while and was a citizen, and he had just arrived recently from Afghanistan. They were rushing to do a civil marriage for immigration purposes. They had done a cultural wedding in Afghanistan. They had lots of pictures taken, still and video, to prove the wedding. They were in love, but it just didn't have much joy. It was for legal purposes. I hope the wedding in Afghanistan was cheerier. California has an optional box to check bride or groom,( That was the result of a lawsuit. Don't even ask.) They were afraid to check it because Immigration might make something of it. I don't know what, but they were afraid. That seemed sad to me to be afraid of the government. Upset by, mad at it, but not afraid of them in my personal life. We natural born Americans have no idea how free we really are.
Couples must be clocked in the computer by 4:00 in order for us to perform a ceremony. Most of them seem to show up about 3:00. We figure they work through lunch and then take off early and come get married. That's fine, but some days we have weddings to do until 5:00 or 5:30. The building closes at 4:30 and lots of staff go home then. Some days when I finish there is just me, the sheriff''s deputy and the marriage clerk left in the building. Once I came down and the lights were off where my belongings were.
But as I said, a slow day today. Only one really stands out. A couple who were from Afghanistan. She had lived here a while and was a citizen, and he had just arrived recently from Afghanistan. They were rushing to do a civil marriage for immigration purposes. They had done a cultural wedding in Afghanistan. They had lots of pictures taken, still and video, to prove the wedding. They were in love, but it just didn't have much joy. It was for legal purposes. I hope the wedding in Afghanistan was cheerier. California has an optional box to check bride or groom,( That was the result of a lawsuit. Don't even ask.) They were afraid to check it because Immigration might make something of it. I don't know what, but they were afraid. That seemed sad to me to be afraid of the government. Upset by, mad at it, but not afraid of them in my personal life. We natural born Americans have no idea how free we really are.
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