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June 29, 2005
It's not the heat...yes it is..it's also the humidity!
It's still been hot and humid around here; I feel like every single energy cell has been sapped from my body. Done in, wrung out..nothing left. I've moved on from the ladylike "dewy" stage to just plain sweaty. Don't get to close. No, it's not that I'm afraid I will offend, nooooooooo, it's that YOU are going to get more heat on me!
However..I'm not complaining..much. Nope nope nope..remembering 15 below and frozen nose innards. I won't complain.
All sorts of things conspired last night to rob me of sleep. Contrary to popular belief, *I* at least don't get more sleep if I go to bed early. This is totally born out by experience starting way back in my childhood when going to bed early on Christmas Eve really only resulted in the longest nights of the year. Anyway, I don't like waking up all refreshed and ready to start the day and realize it's only 11:34pm. A "nap" does not take the place of a good night's sleep. I might have dozed some but I also noticed the time on the clock hourly. I might have been awakened by my own snoring, or I might have been awakened by someone annoyed with my snoring, or I might have been awakened by the thunder and lighting but no heat relieving rain, or I might have been awakened by nature's sick sense of humor animal, the skunk, for the second time this week or I might have been awakened by the fan blowing little hairs ever so lightly on my face which, by the way, was really annoying the hell out of me and I was definitely awakened at 5:30am by a big black cat with a food dish emergency.
I'll try again tonight.....in the meantime, have a fine day all.
Posted by frani at 08:03 AM | Comments (1)
June 25, 2005
Remembering..
I'm not whining...really I'm not. Remember last winter ..you know, when it was -15 degrees out and it had been snowing for what seems like weeks? Remember we said we didn't mind because really there was going to come some days in the summer when it was sooooo hot we'd want to take our skin off? Remember? Huh? Huh?
That day is here......yeah I know some of you are scoffing..this is VERMONT! and it's HOT out there!
..carry on...
Posted by frani at 02:51 PM | Comments (1)
June 23, 2005
Alive and Well..
Bet you all were getting really really sick of those cats, huh? Me too!
We are alive and well and back in Vermont for a while. Returning from work CT via Children/Grandchildren CT took the weekend. Demian turning 33 last Friday was a shocker but I guess I won't get too freaked until he turns 40 or 45 or something. Besides my baby Morgan is still in his 20s..this is a good thing. A fun time was had by all; yes, "they" made me wet my pants laughing...sucessful weekend.
Since we've been home sunday night, we've done very little of anything. Roast coffee, read books, sleep so I guess I could have taken some time to write an entry. However, there was that pesky issue of having something to write about. Obviously I'm still struggling with that.
I doubt you will be as thrilled to hear that I got the recycling out this morning. It WAS a very big deal becasue we have not been home the same weeks the recycle guys come around so that ebay cardboard was beginning to pile up in the garage. We know just how quickly that can get out of hand...next thing I know it's time for one of those tractor trailer truck type dumpsters..again.
The cottonwood/poplar trees are still dropping wads and wads of that white cottony stuff all over the yards. Mostly the neighbor's yard...you know the one, finely tuned gardens and paths and arbors and fountains and such? yup, them...with all these white puffs of crap all over their manicured lawn...from our tree. ooopppsss sorry.
Maybe I'll mow the lawn today, maybe not. Maybe I'll do something else constructive, maybe not. I did dream about clearing out the dark room/dirty laundry/craft room last night. Dreaming about it is almost as good as doing it right? Oh, I didn't think so either. I'll just put it on the list of things I might do.
Maybe I'll go to the video store and see what's out new ..yeah that sounds like a good plan. Have a good day all.
Ok..before I go I DO have something to entertain you with..check out Grocery Store Wars...very clever
Posted by frani at 10:17 AM | Comments (1)
June 16, 2005
Are you pondering...
I'm posting something today which I hope will make you laugh/chuckle snort a bit, at least smile. My brother sent me an email with a bunch of photos designed to induce smiles, many I've seen before but not this one. Very cute....however I think the one of his cat waiting for breakfast in the bird feeder is right up there with some.
My point? Well, at breakfast this morning, we were once again subjected to the news on TV..more Terry Schiavo controversy and Michael Jackson backlash ( Hey MJ, good move your announcement to not sleep with Chrildren in your bed anymore!). Doom and Gloom and Chaos and misery....good way to start the day. It's often puzzled me why we seem to be drawn to this time of "news" and why we don't hear about "good stuff". It's extends to our entertainment shows as well..murders, mysteries and please deliver us from reality shows where the nastier the judge or humiliated the contestant becomes, the better WE like it.
Then I had one of those AH-Ha moments! Yup...this type of attraction is alive and well in the blogosphere as well. Sooo this is why I don't have masses running to my blog! ( and I have been linked by some pretty popular sites in my day and had some heavy traffic on occasion but nothing sustained.) It's Not that I'm not the least bit funny or entertaining...noooooooooooo that's not it(can't be! snort)...it's that I don't write about the misery in my life. I haven't lost my job, divorced, flipped my gourd, had a major disease diagosis, lost a child, found a child...I just don't have a running misery-series for a life! Yeah, that's the ticket...guess my broken vac pot or the horrors of going through security of major airports around the world is just not miserable enough to sustain a readership. Woe is me...is that miserable?
Snort..ok, I won't take myself too seriously here folks. I guess I post because I want to...I want to entertain a bit..I want to inform friends and family of what we are up to and where we are and I want to keep track of this stuff for myself as well.
I'm totally satisfied with the 10 of you who don't think of me as too boring to check in with from time to time...I prefer my life not to be a car wreck, thank you. Have a fine day all and continue to find something less miserable to entertain, huh?
Thank you very much.........
Posted by frani at 08:12 AM | Comments (5)
June 15, 2005
Summer Reading
Ok, So it's still Spring but it has felt like summer for the past week or so...hot hot hot! We're getting a break in southern Connecticut today though..only going to be ing the 70s-80s. Can't help but believe in a "mother nature" type controling the weather: " Oh? You don't like rain and cool weather...see if you like this any better, then!" Hazy Hot and Humid for a week! Now then, Quitcherbitching she says..........
So last week I read 3 books..Pawley's Island by Dorothea Benton Frank, which had a lot of it set in Charleston as well. Did I mention that is one city worth traveling to? I loved it. Then I read Harlan Coben's The Innocent followed by Sidney Sheldon's Are you Afraid of the Dark Nothing too deep for sure but enjoyable. Now I'm reading The Reading Group by Elizabeth Noble; it was on the NY Post's summer reading list. I have Stuart Woods' Two Dollar Bill in waiting along with Carl Hiaasen's Skinny Dip.
So how's that, Beth, for a list? As I said, nothing deep but it will keep me entertained while sitting on the beach, at the pool or in the car waiting for Greg.
Today's adventures include returning some safety glasses sideshields and going to a kitchen and restaurant supply store. Never know what goodies I might find.
Oh yeah..I'm breathing much easier this morning as well...it's only 61 degrees this morning...overcast and the high is predicted of only 74. That could be pleasant. Have a good day all
Posted by frani at 07:20 AM | Comments (2)
June 12, 2005
Clean Livin'.......
Yup yup Yup..it pays to be "co-opperative" and of course a repeat customer. We've checked back into our home away from home hotel down here in New Haven. Lo and behold our reserved queen studio turned into a King studio on an inside courtyard with some grass of our very own. I had been looking for some shadey grassy area last week on which to plop my chair and read. This will work out nicely, Thank you.
Our replacement top for our traveling brewer was waiting for us at home a well so we can make coffee, relax, read books and stretch out a bit more in this room verses the Queen room. Thank you for the upgrade, Residence Inn of New Haven...
On the home front...our neighbor brought over her two 8 week old toy poodle puppies to show us. OMG are they ever cute...one is chocolate brown and the other is black. Our cats will be bigger than these things full grown; kind of a poor excuse for dogs but I do have to admit they're awfully cute and I know where they live any time I need a puppy fix.
Enjoy the rest of your weekend, Fans...
Posted by frani at 04:28 PM | Comments (1)
June 11, 2005
Hi-Ho Silver and away!
Umm...I guess that title is a dead giveaway of my age! At anyrate, my Pony tire Swing finally arrived yesterday...too bad it was 2 weeks AFTER our grandchildren's visit! what to do, what to do...I could put it up anyway in "'Rani's Park" as Aidan calls my backyard and it will be there when they come back sometime...oooooorrrrr it can just go to Stamford. Any Suggestions from the peanut gallery?
The drive home was fine. All that nasty rain of last month and the sunshine of late sure has greened up the Green Mountains! Now Vermont is ready for visitors..all dressed up. BTW, I only nodded off a few times while listening to Johnathon Kellerman's "Rage" on CD during the ride home....notice I said ride, no I wasn't driving...this time. Quick quick..wash the clothes, put in the AC, pat the cats, and repack, don't forget drugs...we'll drive back down to CT tomorrow. yeah, it's the nature of the beast, we didn't know and prepare for being there for 2 weeks in a row. Oh well. pppssstt...at least the replacement top part of our traveling vac pot arrived in time..whew...back in business brewing coffee in the hotel room "our way".
I did have an opportunity to visit with an old friend from high school yesterday. I met Jackie for lunch, we talked as fast as we could but never really exhausted a topic and I was still 10 minutes late getting back to to pick up Greg. sorry. We'll get together again next week and she'll take me to her place of employment..an upscale kitchen shop! Oh...my...goodness! Last time I had ready access to one of those I bought a "used" super automatic coffee system and saved us $900! Jackie only works there part time..her husband is still waiting for her to actually bring home a paycheck. Jackie says she is absolutely stocked up and ready to go if she should ever decide to cook again. snort. Yup, no change there, funny how I seem to attract the same type of friend over and over. We picked right up where we left off..I doubt we have seen each other more than a couple of times in the last 33 years! Aaahhh..fun times ahead again.
Oh yeah, I also noticed the Phantom Fireworks store was open in new Haven for the season. Too bad it can only carry the products that are legal in CT. Rats...that means it's only sparklers and fountains...no arials. Well, they did have some 3 foot long Morning Glory sparklers, though..they could be fun. Maybe I can rekindle the good old days of putting on a small show out in our street It wouldn't be the same without Mr Smith hiding in the bushes though..he was our city Fire Chief and neighbor. He couldn't outwardly condone our activities but he was there for most of them.
On that fond memory, guess I'll have another cup of coffee then tackle the laundry room. I had to rearrange everything in order to get the AC in the window. Rearrange=move everything from on top around and under the table the AC sat on and make room for us to get it into the window. Now it all has to go back somewhere. Where's that dumpster when I need it?
Have a fine weekend all.....
Posted by frani at 07:15 AM | Comments (1)
June 09, 2005
New Blue Man Group?
Houston Man sues Pfizer for Viagra blindness
Ya know, there are just so many ways to run with this headline, I decided to just let you run with your own wit.......
In other news...
What to know how to render the hotel staff panicky? Leave your antique top to your vacuum brewer in the sink for the cleaning staff to break and then go out of town for the entire day just to let put off dealing with the confession a lot longer. I felt bad for them..it was totally not their fault, I rarely leave a mess like that and don't feel they should have to clean out our personal coffee brewers. But alas, I was in a hurry to be on my big city adventure and didn't even bother to look around before I left Tuesday morning.
The manager was brought in to explain what happened and offers of replacement or reimbursement were made. Oh yeah..just hop on ebay and wait a few months..another one is bound to show up sometime. Actually, we had just won an auction for a replacement top for our traveling brewer..how fortuitous! We just didn't expect to be needing it so soon. Weird huh?
This week I found a nice beach on which to park my chair and read my books...could be a nice enough summer down here afterall. Today was spent by the pool though..after another trip to the bookstore...hhhmm, I'll check later to see if the hotel wifi works out by the pool...could be ok.
Have a fine evening all........
Posted by frani at 03:13 PM | Comments (1)
June 08, 2005
Adventures in "The City"
Yesterday I took the train into The City. Well, all of us Cosmoploitan types call NYC The City, ya know. I'm no novice when it comes to traveling;I think trips to Italy, Brazil and South Africa qualify me as a "World Traveler". I don't think there is any experience that can prepare one for being in New York City. I was rendered a hick in a matter of minutes. I really truly tried not to walk gawking at all the tall buildings, however, we might have decided on which way to go a little quicker had I looked up to see where the Empire State Building was. snort.
Back to the beginning...I took the train from New Haven to Penn Station where I met up with my friend Tonya, from Iowa, please. We two were then to meet another friend from Brooklyn at a restaurant in the Empire State building. First of all Tonya's son asked where she and I were going to meet...Penn Staion of course!...duh...he suggested by the Big Board with arrivals and departures. Yeah there is more than one BUT we found each other. Then, since I was not familiar with train travel particularly, I was concerned that no one had collected my ticket at all from NH to NYC. so I went to customer service and "turned it in". First she looked at me as if I'd grown an extra head, you want to us to collect your ticket? Oh ok...well thank you for your honesty. Well right, I do have a price but $35 isn't it. Ok Ok...I was really more interested in issues such as flights...if I don't "use" the first half of my ticket, then I can't use the second half..ya know? So maybe that just isn't an issue with trains and I gave $35 away. Nooooooooo, see I would have stolen that $35 if I hadn't turned it in..right?
Ok, moving on..Iowa and Vermont head up to the Observatory on the Empire State Building.(no, I had never been before). We followed all the hoards of people; being inline became a matter of course and we just took the opportunity to chat and catch up while following the masses. At least we had the sense to question the direction of the masses once we got up to the observation deck...they were all in line to go back down to the main level...no THAT would have been a waste of my $14. We gawked with the rest of the throngs..it was hazy so that took a little of the thrill out. It also took a little of the panic out too..neither one of us is all that thrilled with heights. I was also not thrilled with the little old lady tourist from Europe somewhere who insisted on crawling on my back to see where the twin towers had stood. Back off woman and I'll move so you can see better! Geesh..I bet she wasn't intimidated in the Big Apple.
We finally decided that yup, we'd seen what we needed to see, done what we needed to do and found that line that was headed back down in the elevators...amazing one can descend 86 floors so quickly. Dru Ann found us, we ate lunch, took photos and parted company again. DA had pesky work to get back to but Tonya and I started making our way back to Penn Station. A pit stop in Macy's was in order...well geesh it's the real Macy's and we were on 34th street afterall! Yeah, I finally made that connection too..a miracle!...what a weehawker I am!
The rest was mostly uneventful, except we could barely find our way out of the men's dept and some inappropriate finger pointing..weehawkers. I managed to get back on the train and arrived back in New Haven safe and sound.......
Ya know, hopping the train to go into The City for that day is pretty much up there with being a traveler...I just may do it again and maybe some year I'll feel more comfortable in The City.
Posted by frani at 07:36 AM | Comments (4)
June 03, 2005
She who has toys...and other stuff
I have a new toy! Well, actually, we bought The Life Drive last Friday at the airport in DC but I really haven't had much time to make it mine until today. I've finally got it synced with my old palm so all my important appointments are now on my new device...oh yes...very important stuff. I've loaded some photos of the weekend with the kiddies and some MP3s just to see how it all works. I think I'm going to like this little thing.
Now that I've pretty much decided against getting the Treo 650, I still want to get a cell phone with bluetooth...decisions decisions. Oh yeah..and bluetooth headphones...well duh, that's the whole point. I can't tell you how many times I've been wandering around with my cell phone and ear pieces and got the cable tangled on something and then ripped out of my ear....hate that when that happens.
In other news...somehow I got elected to buy flowers for the funeral of a neighbor of ours. Ok, I had the card say it was from "the neighbors"....not which neighbors of course....and I'm not now going to go door to door soliciting funds after the fact. Hhhmmm...I wonder if this is why *I* got elected in the first place.
Things that make the neighbors go hhhmm....I paid to have my lawn mowed even while I was home sitting in my house and YET I mowed my neighbors lawn yesterday while they are away.
I need to make a Costco run...do they sell Bluetooth headsets? aaahhh, didn't think so. Have a fine evening all.
Posted by frani at 02:39 PM | Comments (2)