2015 and Life Is Still Good...

I suppose it's a milestone...maybe a sign of someone getting older...I don't know, because it's so foreign to me. ( Not the "getting older" part-  the following is foreign to me.

For the first time in 43 years, New Year's Eve found me at home with my husband, alone.  No disco balls, no fancy menu, no loud energetic crowd.  Just the two of us.  And I surprised myself with being happy with that.  We have always "gone out" for the notorious party night but this year, we were content to stay in.

For so many years, we worked on dance committees that had us having as much fun getting ready for the big night, as we did the night itself.  The school cafeteria would be transformed into a beautiful venue.  Bands or DJs kept us moving (and the alcohol made us less inhibited, of course.)

There was a year when we prepared dinner for another couple.  It was when we had wee, little ones and it was easier to just let the kids have at it, instead of the adults.   But other than that night, we were "out".  There were a few New Year's Eves that had us going a bit more "upscale", to reception halls.  The same group of friends, enjoying each other, delicious food and again, the alcohol.  Some years, the food and drink was provided by friends, in their basements, for a more intimate, less rowdy night.  A few years, we even rented our own hall and partied on.

Those days of partying had us lining up baby sitters months in advance.... finding the perfect outfit to wear...taking longer-than -usual to get ready...(I remember one year, I even donned fake eyelashes!  What was THAT about?) I don't remember one year when we didn't have the best time!

Those were great nights...wonderful memories.  But you know what?  Being with the most important person in my life, alone, was alright, too.  The clock still struck midnight, the new year still began and life is still good.  Happy New Year, everyone!

P.S.  And am I feeling better (less hung-over, less tired) than 80% of you partiers?  Yep, life is good.

Another Christmas In The Books...

Another Christmas in the books and it was a dandy!  The family. The friends, the food, the gifts, the music, the fun -all outstanding!

Now I don't share the retailers' enthusiasm for the season when they have Christmas trees in the aisles by Labor Day, but I AM an early bird.  I decorate the house early---Thanksgiving weekend-early.  We have an annual party the first week of December and that gets me moving....and done!

I must ask though -why is it that putting up the Christmas decorations is so much more fun than taking everything down and putting it away?  Is it the "kid" in us that makes us excited about the upcoming season?  Is it the "kid" in us that's disappointed when it's all over?

I LOVE Christmas and everything that comes with it but by Christmas, my things have been up so long, I have cobwebs on the tree!  For me, when Christmas is over, it's over!  I don't want to hear a Christmas song one day after the 25th.  I'm not sure our decorated tree has ever seen New Year's.

I envy those who luxuriate in the season, after the actual day... The trees and lights do look pretty, into January, just not in our home.  I do hate how the house looks so dark and empty when the holidays are over though.  But I have the warm memories of another wonderful holiday season to carry me through til next December....and the hope that everyone I hold near and dear will be here then, too.

I guess it's just in my DNA...hurry thru things, get to it and be done with it.  If I was fortunate enough to have any super power of my choice, it would be to blink my eyes and just skip through January, February and March.  Except for a trip to Florida and four family birthdays, there's nothing I like about that time of year.  Just fast forward me to spring.

I hope you all have a warm and wonderful winter.  Me?  I'll be hibernating and will see you in the spring!

Merry Christmas!

On this wondrous day, I want to wish you all a Merry Christmas.  After all the hustle and bustle, getting ready for the season, I  hope today, you feel peace and joy in your hearts!  Merry Christmas, everyone!

Get Me A Filter!

 One thing I'm noticing  more and more is that folks, particularly those my age and older, are in need of "filters".   We (myself included) sometimes give our opinions, judge, criticize, whether it's solicited or not.  Sometimes it's needed.  Other times?  Get me a filter!

I guess I need to realize that it's a different world now and so much of what I think or have to contribute, isn't relevant anymore.  Do you think that maybe it's that we think we're running out of time so we have to get it all in?  Or maybe because we've "been there, done that", we think we have all this wisdom to impart?

I hope my input is always needed - we all want to feel needed. I just pray that I'm not some judgmental old shrew, in need of a filter...instead I want to be a part of a support group, cheering people on to better things.  We'll see how THAT goes!  Ffff

"Bacon and Cigarettes"

I read that a recent medical study has found that taking a baby aspirin daily is no longer considered to be as beneficial as was once thought.  What?  For years, the medicos have been telling us that one of those little pills would protect us from cardiac problems.  Now they're saying that it helps only if you've had a cardiac episode already.  So do I continue my daily regimen?  Do I stop, only to be told in a few years,  that my first heart attack could have been prevented if I'd have taken a baby aspirin every day?

This got me to thinking about all the dietary advice that we've been offered in the past.   And now I have to ask ---What are we to believe?  Who has the right answers?  What is going on?

Folks have been sucking down Diet Cokes, thinking they were less fattening than the regular Cokes.  Now "they" say that the sweetener itself can cause weight gain and health problems.  It also turns out that butter isn't as bad for you as "they" once claimed.  "They're" now saying that it causes fewer heart-related illnesses than margarine!  And dark chocolate is touted as a health food?  Sure, eat a piece of dark chocolate a day!  It's good for you!  We're supposed to reduce our sodium and fat intake, say one group of doctors...only to be countered by a group who say that our bodies NEED salt and fat in our diets and not having enough of them in our daily diets can result in health problems.

I really wish everyone would get on the same page.  I know that studies are challenged all the time...new findings disprove the old ones...  "They're" only looking out for us but they sure don't make it easy.  I guess the best chance at having a crack at a long life is "everything in moderation" and to keep movin'.

It's wishful thinking here, I know, but I'm holding out for the day "they" reverse their stance on bacon and cigarettes and say they're really not that bad for us!  Now THAT would be a good day!

What Was I Thinking?

I'm a lover of fashion trends.  I should clarify that.  I enjoy reading about them.  I don't necessarily put them into my regular wardrobe. But it's fun to stay current, at least in my head.

For instance, I am fascinated at how mixing patterns is now considered fashionable.  I wouldn't THINK of wearing polka dots with plaid, then or now.  The popular furry looking vests, ala early Sonny and Cher, are darling on the fashion models.  Were I to sport one, folks would think Bigfoot was, indeed, among 'em.

So you get it...I see but I don't do....

That is, until one day, last year.  I don't know what possessed me.  Maybe it was the fact that summer was over...sandals were put away for another year...the time change had me in a funk.  I honestly don't know but something drove me to purchase navy blue nail polish!  I've seen all the cute colors in magazines.  Used to strictly be shades of reds, pinks, and oranges in the drugstore aisles but now cropping up are wild limes, purples, yellows, blues.   Cute trend for young gals...

Oh, what's the harm - painting toenails an outrageous color, in the winter, hidden by socks, shoes, boots.

Hmmm... Hadn't planned on a trip to the ER for a foot x-ray.  Whoops!  In the glare of the lights, my color choice of navy blue looked even more garish than it was. Almost like varicose toe nails!  I'm pretty sure those who tended to me figured I was some kind of old goof.

I make one bad fashion decision and you get all judgmental on me... (Yeah, right!  I've only made one.....)

"People Plan, God Laughs"

Saw that yesterday and realized how true it is.  Just four words... You can plan and plan and then whammo!  God has a different idea.  I'm not sure I can picture God actually laughing at our having to change our plans, but I guess it's a nice visual when life takes a turn, not to our liking.

There were plenty of times, I'm sure, when God was laughing at the Wrights, in the course of their married lives.  It started out with the bride having mononucleosis for her wedding.  Having to take two weeks off work to heal, beforehand, meant no honeymoon.  God got a kick out of that, I bet!  

I'm pretty sure the Good Lord thought he'd be getting a chuckle out of our planned vacation to Myrtle Beach that was almost halted by three boys with chicken pox.  But God would have to wait for his laughs that time.  After fretting and polling the 10 other families making the trip (to make sure they were okay with us going --they were.) we loaded up the old station wagon and headed south.  Turns out the salt water was great for chicken pox.  Who knew?  And not one kid from our group came down with the rash, after being with our kids for a week.  However, we have no way of knowing if a worldwide epidemic didn't start with kids NOT in our group...like the ones who happened to be in the hotel game room, which emptied, when our boys entered....(Ah, unlimited Pac-Man!). Maybe God got his giggles out of THOSE kids' parents' wrecked plans.  

When some of our plans --- serious "life"ones --- never came to fruition, it wasn't as funny.  Plans that involved money, serious health issues, real estate challenges, job changes, the kids being disappointed over something -all were unavoidable, as they are for everyone.   But while God was smiling...maybe even laughing at these times,  He was also helping us get through 'em.

Yes, life has a way of moving along.  You can plan and plan and it just doesn't work out the way you want it to...all the time.  I guess we should just try to roll with the punches, smiling,  maybe even laughing, when our plans don't work out.  Because I'm pretty sure God is.

A Toy Story

As Christmas nears, I'm sure everyone's kids and grandkids are making their lists.  No doubt, they have the old standbys, like dolls and bikes, on them.  And I'm sure technology is represented on a lot of their lists, too.  With that thought in mind, how do you think they'd feel about receiving a "Slinky" or a "Magic 8 Ball" instead?   I'm pretty sure their excitement wouldn't match mine the year I found those items under our tree!

I've been thinking about how far we've come in today's toy departments.  Who wants to join me on a Christmas shopping trip to a toy store of the 60's, 70's and 80's?  Let's go!

Today's kids have Ipods on which to hear their music.  We had "phonographs" or record players on which to play our 45's.  Kids today  may have cameras and smart phones with cameras in them.  We had the "ViewMaster", that "viewer" that allowed us to look at slides of vacation spots or the characters of our times, like "Quick Draw McGraw"or "Superman"... and  who can forget "ColorForms", those plastic shapes that "magnetically" stuck to a board?

Kids today can play games like "Candy Crush" or "Heads Up" on their phones and tablets.  We played board games like "Mouse Trap" and "Operation".  If we wanted to be really active, we had "Twister", the game that had us contorting into all kinds of positions, according to whatever came up on our spin of the wheel.

I always wanted an Easy Bake Oven until I found out from a neighbor girl, who received one for Christmas, that it took about two hours to bake a cake with that lightbulb!  (Patience has never been one of my virtues....nor is baking one of my talents.) I never mastered the Etch A Sketch either, that magnetic screen with the knobs,  but I thought they were silly anyway.  If you wanted to get really creative, there was always  Mr Potato Head, that goofy toy that had you inserting plastic face and body parts into a real potato. Good lord...

Recollections of toys from the past wouldn't be complete if the list didn't include Barbie Dolls and Chatty Cathy dolls.  They were both pretty innovative in their day because one had a very womanly shape and the other one blathered on, at the pull of a string.  Hmmm... Sexist stereotyping?  Maybe, but, as a little girl, I received a "Doctor's Kit" one Christmas so, maybe not.

Kids today seem a lot more sophisticated with their toy choices than we were.  But I think,  that without the toys of the past, there wouldn't have been the evolution into the toys we have today.  So kids of today... You're welcome!

The Art of Casual Observing

Well, I'm trying something new.  I'm trying to master the art of casual observing.  That's going to require watching the world go by without being judgmental or vocal...This is a challenge for someone who seems to have an opinion on just about EVERYTHING!

Some recent casual observations...

I see a cute couple at dinner, each intent on concentrating more on their phones than on each other.  I so WANT to say "you have a gorgeous lady with you!  What could be more important?"

 I see someone taking credit for something when they had nothing to do with its success.  I WANT to tell them  a popular online saying "takers eat better but givers sleep better" ..."how about giving (credit) for a change, hon..."

I see countless motorists, who instead of paying attention to the road, are looking at their phones (do you sense a theme here?) I so WANT to yell out my car window at them, "Pay attention to driving, you jerk!"

I have dealings with a company that said they'd do something and didn't come thru with their promise.  I WANT to tell their rep that "I deserve better."

 I'm sitting in a doctor's office for an hour or more past the scheduled appointment.  I WANT to ask the receptionist  "Isn't my time just as valuable as yours?"
 
I could go on and on with things I've observed recently and felt the need to speak out about.  Maybe just getting along with people is better than getting all worked up about their lives and how they live them.    And a wise man DID once say "It's better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak up and remove all doubt". Maybe I'll keep you guessing, for now.   I'll  be quiet THIS time and casually observe... but just so you know, it's very hard...

"Santa, St Nick and Snitch the Elf"

Is there a time of year when there is so much to get done?  With the holiday preparations, the shopping, the baking and cooking?  And is there a time of year when youngsters get as excited as they do, during this holidays season?

I'm not ashamed to admit that, as a young Mom,  I had an arsenal to deal with bad behavior this time of year....and I bet you did, too.  Whether it was caused by a lack of sleep, too much sugar or just the fact that kids can be buttheads sometimes, it didn't matter.   During those trying episodes, I wasn't afraid to call on "The Christmas Trinity" - Santa, St Nick and "Snitch the Elf".

"Santa won't come if you don't behave"...was a  frequent comment in our house this time of year.  I couldn't have been the first Mom to use that tactic, I'm pretty sure.  A song with the lyric "He knows when you are sleeping, he knows when you're awake" was around long before I became a Mom.  (And isn't it kind of creepy that we encouraged the belief that some kind of stalker was checking out our kids at night?)

St Nick was the more dignified character (he's a saint, after all!) that was the midterm gauge on how the boys were behaving.  If the boys got an orange, a few pieces of candy and maybe a small toy, like a Match Box car or a Star War's figure,  they knew they were in pretty good stead with the main dude of the season, at least in early December.  St Nick was kind of an assistant Santa.  You didn't want to tick him off, but come on!  An orange?

If that didn't keep the guys in line, our house  had another go-to guy named "Snitch The Elf".  We told the boys that Snitch the Elf was looking in the window and if they behaved that day, a piece of candy could be found on the window sill.  It was pretty amusing to see the boys try to figure out who messed up that day when there were only two pieces of candy on the window sill and we had three boys.  In the end, THEY knew.

It's not like our boys were juvenile delinquents....just normal kids, caught up in the excitement of the season.  But it sure was nice to know that those three Christmas characters had our backs during the most hectic time of year.

And young Moms.  Feel free to borrow any of the ideas.  I mean, after all,  what says Christmas like a stalker, an orange peddler and a Peeping Tom elf?

Happy Thanksgiving!

On this Thanksgiving Day, in addition to my family, my friends, my health and my station in life, I'm grateful for my blog readers.  It might not seem like a big deal to you but your "likes" and "comments" certainly brighten my day and encourage me to keep going with my writing.  For that, I'm very thankful.  I hope on this day, your table is bountiful and you are surrounded by family and friends on this wonderful holiday.  Happy Thanksgiving, friends!

Unbuckle Your Belt A Notch and Give Thanks...

Is there a nicer holiday than Thanksgiving?  It's my all-time favorite!  It's about family, food, and giving thanks -three of the most important things in life.  (Well, the food's not THAT important but I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy the heck out of it!)  Thanksgiving doesn't have the sometimes crass commercialism of Christmas -no distractions of gift-buying, hectic schedules, filled with things to do and places to go.

It's a more serene time for us and I love that!  In years past, I had the luxury of having others do the hosting and cooking.  My oldest sister could cook a mean bird for my side of the family and my mother-in-law couldn't be topped when it came to a turkey dinner, for hubby's side.   So why wouldn't I be a slacker when it came to Thanksgiving entertaining?

That would soon change.  As our families grew, or loved ones passed, our traditions had to change.  Families have to be flexible that way.  The siblings began their own traditions with their own families and soon, the torch was passed.  Our house soon became the Thanksgiving hub for our crew and it was wonderful.  Not that I didn't have kitchen mishaps, like cooking the turkey with the "innards" still in the bird (who didn't do THAT?) or figuring the timing wrong and having to wait, impatiently, for the turkey to finish cooking.  Lumpy mashed potatoes, runny gravy, tasteless pumpkin pie...it didn't matter.  We were together and that was what the holiday was all about.

Like I said, with families, you have to be flexible, and although I'm a traditionalist, we, once again, needed to switch things up a bit.  Now, we travel to what is more of a central locale for all of us - middle son's place, two hours away.  I haven't shed the cooking responsibilities yet... nope, we just load up the car...sort of a "meals on wheels" trip, with the daughters-in-law bringing along their contributions, too.  

I never fooled myself into thinking we were that family, from a Norman Rockwell painting, with hubby at the head of the table, carving the bird, while everyone sits in quiet anticipation of the feast.  But I never thought this old home-body would take to the road for the holidays, either.   The most important thing is we're together...and THAT'S what I give thanks for - the most!

I hope you're with loved ones, giving thanks for all the blessings in your life...and if you have to unbuckle your belt a notch or two because of all the terrific food, that's alright, too.  Happy Thanksgiving!

"It's Just Stuff..."

We've been going through things at my Mom's house as she's downsized and entered an assisted living facility.  Now my folks lived well....not extravagantly, but they had a good life.  My Mom never was a hoarder to start with and she began "editing" long before that word became a common term in home organization.  In fact,  after my Dad passed, we had to put the brakes on her pitching too many mementos from their past.

Thinking back, I see that  my parents really were the antithesis of accumulating "stuff"....something that seems so common in our culture.  My folks could have afforded it all, but it wasn't important to them.    The biggest house, filled with high-end decor... the nicest car...the latest phone or electronics... none of that mattered.  They lived well...just not "show-offy" well.

What was important to them was how people were treated.  It was about the values they tried to instill in their kids.  It was the memories they shared with us and their encouragement for us to make memories of our own.   It was about the good that comes from sharing your talents and treasures with others...of giving back. 

On a grey day in November, as I sat at my Mom's place, sifting through photos, some framed, some not, it struck me how many memories, how many relationships they had accumulated in their lifetime.  I'd love to emulate my folks but know that many times, I fall short, getting caught up, caving in, buying "stuff"... When it really IS about having people in your life, not things.

Maybe I'll work on that for 2015.  Simplify.... Treat people better... make more memories...share my talents. 

Because in the end, it's all just "stuff".

I Miss The Wish Book....

Does anyone else miss the catalogs that used to come in the mail, this time of year, from Sear's and Penney's?  I remember, first, as a kid, and then, as a young Mom, excitedly, opening their colorful pages.  So many wonderful things to look at and hopefully, purchase.

I know that "paperless" and "going green" is the way to go now but looking at pictures in a catalog, marking the pages of things we wished for, seemed a lot more fun than looking at merchandise online.  Call me old-fashioned, I guess.

I especially remember the excitement that came with the special Christmas edition of the catalogs!  It was then that the ideas for our Christmas lists were formed.  The dolls... The board games....the stuffed animals....the special holiday dresses...  (I'm pretty sure my early love for red velvet began because of a dress,  modeled on the cover of one of the Wish Books!)  I don't know if "Santa" paid attention to all the dog-earred pages but I can't remember one Christmas when I was disappointed with what I received.

As a young Mom, my excitement over catalogs didn't wane.  Being able to order the boys' school uniforms... getting ideas for their gifts, now that hubby and I were "Santa"....being able to see so many beautiful items...  All in one place and all without leaving the comfort of home.

That was, until your order came to the store.  It was then you would get "the call" and would head to your Penney's or Sear's store catalog counter to get your merchandise.   You'd tell the clerk your name and she would then go to the files, pull your order, go to the back of the store and come out with your purchases.  

I know that today's online shopping is very similar.  You can find everything you could possibly want online... from many different vendors...all with the click of a mouse and all delivered to your door.  But there was something magical about poring over the catalogs of those major retailers and outfitting your kids, decorating your home or making Christmas wishes come true, with  the many treasures you'd find in the Wish Book....and I, for one "wish" they were back.

"A Necessary Evil?"

My Mom will be going into a nursing home this weekend...kind of a "necessary evil" type of thing.  I know that it's for the best...for her safety, for her mental and physical health.  But it sure is harder than I thought it would be.

A once vibrant woman,  she can't remember things now...she repeats herself a lot...she's unable to do the simple tasks she once did...and has that "deer in the headlights" look, that comes with dementia.

They say many of us regress, as we age.  It applies to kids putting their folks into nursing homes, I'm finding.  I have the same feelings of trepidation I felt, as a young Mom, when the boys entered kindergarten.  "Will she be safe?"  "Will she make friends?"  "Will she know her way around?"  "Will she behave?"

Nursing homes have come a long way.  I know that.  Maybe they were once a place to tuck away those who have outlived their supposed usefulness... but not anymore.  There are activities to engage the residents, having attention paid to their needs, enhancing and maybe even prolonging their lives.

Mom's handling it (for now) with the same grace she had when she surrendered her car keys...knowing it's best for her and is the right time.  Worrying about the kids who have helped her live her life lately has been a pleasant consideration, too.  We've gathered some of the precious mementos of a life, well-lived, with which to decorate her new "home" and hopefully, she'll live out the rest of her life, content with this decision.  I really pray so.

I know I should feel blessed to even be in this position...to have had my Mom for so long.  How many, at age 62, can even say that?  But I guess, with this "milestone", if you want to call it that, comes the realization, that we're becoming the oldest generation. And I'm not really prepared for that yet.

Aging's a funny thing.  The years fly by and there you are.  But I would like it to be noted, by my three sons, that their Dad and I aren't "there" yet, contrary to what they may think some days.  So don't be getting any ideas, guys!  I may not handle it as gracefully as my Mom has.

"Lies and Sex Tapes"

Well, my 62nd birthday has come and gone.  Funny, I don't feel any older, but my driver's license, which I had to renew, says I am.  (I'm hoping, if the DMV folks would have you believe I'm 62, you'll also believe I'm the same weight I was 22 years ago...haven't changed that since 1992!!)   But back to the birthday.  I feel so blessed to celebrate each year in good health, and with a terrific family and wonderful friends.  

This year, the birthday-celebrating was a little longer than usual, thanks to the power of Facebook.  You see, it all started when a sweet friend wished me a "happy birthday" on Facebook five days before the actual day.  It was amazing how it caught on and spread.  It wasn't long before I had 80 greetings coming my way...and it wasn't even my birthday yet!

Now, I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy the extra wishes and attention but there's a lesson here, too.  What began as a premature birthday greeting, mushroomed into an avalanche of wishes beforehand, in spite of my corrections and comments.  And it really drove home the fact that once something goes online, it's "out there"...hard to retrieve, hard to deny. Just glad I don't have any risqué photos or sex tapes floating around "out there"!   Ha!

This has reminded me of a lesson my Mom tried teaching me on the dangers of gossiping.  She said "gossiping is like cutting open a feather pillow.  You can never get back what you said, just like you can't get all the feathers back."  A good analogy, I think.

There may be future birthdays when I'll get, nary a greeting, so I really DO appreciate the thoughts and wishes that came my way.   And I appreciate that sweet friend who started it all off....a bit early.
   
Believe me, I tried to stay 61 for a little longer...  And what for?  I'm blessed with family, friends, good health and still weigh what I did when I was 40... yeah, RIGHT!

P. S. Sorry for the provocative title.. But I DID mention "lies" about my weight and DID reference "sex tapes"....... Just trying to "up" my readership...

Pettipants and Garter Belts...

I've been thinking about clothes a lot lately....  mainly because I've been looking for some additions to my wardrobe...with not much success.  This then got me to thinking about the things that were in style years ago and have disappeared completely from fashion...and some that are enjoying a resurgence...or never really went away.  It's funny how that works.

I've already blogged about stirrup pants...those cute slacks with the fabric strip that fit under your foot, guaranteeing a smooth leg line (and for tall girls, a low crotch!)  I pray they don't come back!

Well, when was the last time you've thought of pettipants?  And did you know they were still available?  A friend (thanks, Deb) made me aware of their availability and although I won't be rushing out to buy a pair, it was fun thinking back.

Pettipants were popular among school girls in the 70's and for those who aren't familiar, pettipants were a nice alternative to wearing a slip..that undergarment that certainly was named right...mine was always "slip"ping  up!  Pettipants came in pretty colors (my favorite was a pair of aqua ones), were the same comfortable fabric as a slip, but kind of like bermuda shorts.  They sure were great, worn under a school uniform skirt!  Not sure if I'd wear 'em again, but they sure were terrific 40 years ago!

And while we're talking about "unmentionables", who can forget girdles and garter belts?   Girdles, garter belts and nylons were what we sported for dressy occasions.  Then along came pantyhose.  Until the pantyhose industry caught up with "tall" sizes, I suffered with the aforementioned "low crotch" again and longed for the return of garter belts for the longest time.  But let's leave the lingerie department now, shall we?

Turtleneck sweaters, dickies and "poor boys" (those cute, short sleeve sweaters that came with the "British Invasion") were must-haves in our high school wardrobes...and they've maintained their popularity thru the years.  Dickies, not so much!  A blessing, I'd say!  Dickies were the top portion of a turtleneck.  That was it!  Just a fake half/sweater that used to ride up, much like my slip did.  I never "got" dickies!

It's funny...  Some of the things I wore, years ago, were because they were "in".  Now, I must ask,  what need was there for a high school junior to wear a girdle?  These days, I NEED to wear one and don't want to.  I used to wear turtlenecks because they were also "in" years ago.  Now I wear them, because, as the late Nora Ephron, who wrote humorous books about aging, stated "The neck and hands don't lie.".  Turtlenecks hide, well, "turtle necks", that crepey condition that comes with getting older.

I have a lot of great memories, tucked away, of fashion from my youth.    And that's where they'll stay...tucked away.   No need for pettipants, girdles, garter belts, nylons, or stirrup pants for me anymore!  Nope, but I'm hanging onto the turtlenecks because... remember, "the neck don't lie."

"Politically Correct"...Another Oxymoron...

I  had hoped to write this blog without ruffling too many feathers but I'm going to come clean.  I'm tired of being politically correct...whatever THAT means.  Isn't that an oxymoron anyway?  Politicians haven't been getting too many things correct lately, have they? So I'm going to go into uncharted waters here in my blog and see if anyone agrees with me.

#It's a sad state of affairs when an American Idol contestant gets more votes than a presidential candidate.  I wish that more people in this great country of ours knew the value of their vote!  So many have died for that right and people all over the world would trade places with us, the American voter, in a heartbeat! Sure, a lot of what we see makes us feel like it doesn't matter, but it does!  So get out and vote!

#And the negative ads we've been subjected to all month?  I wish, instead of telling us about all the "sins" of their opponents, the candidates would tell us what good things THEY'RE going to do for us.
(Never mind...they'll say anything to get elected and then what?  Nothing!)

#The thing that bothers me is that, from town government to the nation's capital, many of those who have been elected to "serve" us, have forgotten that.  They're called "public servant" for a reason.  I
wish they'd stop putting their own interests or those of their "friends" ahead of what's right for all of us and listen to their electorate!

#I so wish those we elect, no matter the party, that they would strive to get along with one another, for the good of our country.  Last year's government shutdown resembled two little kids having a playground tussle, no one budging.  Only difference was those "brats" were hurting millions and came out of their fight, unscathed, and still in office.

#I wish that those same public servants would realize that money doesn't solve all the problems of the world...whether it's throwing good money after bad, at programs that aren't working or money at other countries that don't even like us!

I wish that the politicians who've been in office, say, 30 years, would make way for younger folks, with younger ideas.  Holding public office was never meant to be a lifelong career!  And some fresh ways of doing things just may be better than what we're getting now.

#What's good enough for us should be good enough for "them".  If our elected officials implement a program for all of us, shouldn't they be obliged to follow the same guidelines, get the same so-called "benefits"?  It's called "leading by example" and it would be a terrific change.

I guess I've gone on long enough.  I'll get off my soapbox now.  And whether you agree with my views or not, we live in a nation where we're allowed to voice them ...or write them...and isn't that The Best?

Get out and let your voice be heard!  VOTE!

"Boo!"

 Now, you can take that title to be a seasonal comment from little trick or treaters this time of year or you can interpret it as the way I feel about Halloween. You'd be safer taking it as my sentiment about
October 31st.  BOOOO....  I HATE Halloween!  Always have... There, I said it!

Not sure why, but it goes way back, to when I was a kid.  I mean, who, as a kid, doesn't like getting dressed up and getting free candy?  That would be ME!   Maybe it's from the time our candy was nabbed by a big Lindenwald neighborhood kid...  all that hard work for nothin'!  (I could never stand that kid after that.)  Maybe it's from being scared to death in haunted houses at LeSourdesville Lake, an area amusement park.  I don't know.  Even movie trailers, this time of year, advertising the scary movies of the season, have me leaving the room.

As a Mom, I lacked enthusiasm for the holiday too - just ask the boys.  I'm sure they could tell you about the lackluster, even embarrassing, costumes we came up with.  I think one of them had to be "Rocky" two years in a row...  Cowboys, Monsters, Mummies, putting costumes together with things we already had, or a quick trip to K-Mart for  one of those silky, cheap costumes they offered as salvation for unimaginative Moms.  I am so sorry, sons.

And as an adult, going to Halloween parties, I wasn't any more creative.  "Nerdy Girl" or "Slutty Woman" were the two characters I consistently dressed as.  Probably because, at different times in my married life, I had the attire, laying around the house,  that I needed to pull those looks off.  (That's kind of telling... and sad, at the same time, isn't it?)

I have always found it odd, that we spend years teaching our little ones not to take candy from strangers, and then turn them loose on one night and tell them to knock on doors and ask strangers for candy.  Bizarre....

I bet you're thinking it wouldn't be too much of a stretch if I went trick or treating as a crotchety old woman this year, would it?  Well, Trick or Treat!

"The Time Change"

Who came up with the idea of "time change"?  That silly practice of "falling back" during one part of the year and "springing forward" during another?  Well, it's happening again this weekend!

I was surprised to find out that Benjamin Franklin was the culprit who decided that messing with our clocks was a good thing. Prior to learning this information, I thought old Ben was a brilliant guy.  Now?  Not so much.

As you may have gathered, I'm not a fan.  Sure, I understand the reasoning.  We get some extra sunlight during certain parts of the year -and that's not a bad thing. Farmers love it, I suppose...  But I have to tell you, that the time change wreaks havoc on my body that first week after it goes into effect, and I'm not sure it ever gets caught up after that!  The day after we change our clock, I don't know if it's 12:00, 1:00, or 11:00!  I know, you're thinking "What difference does it make"?  I can't answer that...it just does!

Before we thought messing with time was a good idea, we had "standard time".  From caveman on, we've looked to the sky and when the sun's at its highest point, it's noon.  And you go on from there.  How can we take an hour and store it somewhere for a few months and then magically bestow it on another day, months later?  And who are we to mess with a fundamental structure of the universe, anyway?

Now, if they'd come up with a way of jockeying weight around -taking pounds away, magically, and bestowing them on another person -then they'd HAVE something!  And I would certainly get behind THAT!

Some Questions I've Pondered Lately".

Why is it that so many things that taste so good  are "bad" for us?

Who had the nerve to take the first "selfie"? And who thought it was a good idea?  What ever happened to folks taking pictures of each other - from a bit of a distance?  Nostrils and bags under the eyes really aren't my most attractive features.

Who was the first person to think an oyster was edible?  Those slimy globules are the least appetizing-looking things God ever made...and people eat them!

When did celebrities and the Hollywood-types become so darn important?  Many probably couldn't hold a job anywhere else.

Why do boys' bikes have that bar across 'em?  Shouldn't it be the girls' that have 'em?  Or why have 'em at all?  Unless it's just so you can tell the difference between a girl's bike and a boy's bike, but it seems unsafe either way.

Will we ever run out of websites, email addresses, passwords?  Think of all the passwords you have, or that you've changed...Now multiply that by how many people use computers.

Why is it oldsters drive too slow and youngsters drive too fast?  Wouldn't you think we old-timers, who have fewer years ahead of us, would speed up a bit to get it all in, and the kids, who have many years ahead, would slow down and enjoy the ride?

Has it hit anyone else that, after all the expense of buying big screen TVs,   more and more people are watching movies and shows on laptop computers and little phone screens?

Why am I still getting so many phone calls from businesses and organizations when I'm on the "Do Not Call" list?

Who ever decided Christmas should be celebrated in December?  Wouldn't be as nostalgic, I grant you, but summertime would be nice shopping weather.

Where did the "pioneers" get the courage and stamina to "Go West", encountering mountains, rivers and God knows what else?  I have to think twice about driving all the way to Fairfield, 5 miles away, so I would've been left behind for sure!

If anyone has the answer to these queries, I'd love to hear 'em!

"May I Have This Dance?"

I have to ask.  Do high schools still have dances?  Now, I'm not talking about date dances, like homecoming or proms.  I've seen the darling pictures the proud Moms post on Facebook of those special occasions.

I'm talking about just regular dances on a Friday or Saturday night...to give the kids something to do...to help them learn how to act around the opposite sex.  (Gosh!  Did I just sound really old?) The reason I even ask is because some of my fondest high school memories are of the dances we enjoyed as teens...and if today's kids don't have these opportunities, they're missing out on some great memory-makers.

Most of our school dances took place in the school's cafeteria.  Nothing fancy... Different clubs or groups would sponsor them as fundraisers.   The tables and chairs would be cleared away, making room for a "dance floor".  A band, a sound system or just a record player would be brought in...and teachers and parents acted as chaperones.  Let the fun begin!

Because we wore school uniforms during the week,  we got to wear our "good" clothes to dances and social things.  Skirts, sweaters, hose, loafers, Wind Song or Emeraude cologne...we were all set!  When we'd arrive at the dance, the excitement would set in!  "Who was going to be here?"  "Would so and so ask me to dance?"  "Do I look okay?"

The cafeteria was dark. except for the lighting that came with the music.  Good!  It was easier to blend in, as we'd lean against the wall, waiting to be asked to slow dance...or until a group of girls, got up the nerve to go out on the dance floor to "fast-dance", anxious to try out the moves we saw on "Bandstand" or "Soul Train"the week before.  (Yeah right!  Like we could do THAT!!) Funny, but the guys weren't into fast dancing back then....well it was their loss.)

The music and laughter of these school dances had kids meeting kids they didn't get to know in class.  The need to summon up the courage to ask a girl to dance or the disappointment of being a girl who didn't get asked, were hard lessons we learned at those dances.  All part of growing up...  The night always seemed to go quickly until there'd be one last song played before the lights came back on, signaling the end of a fun night.

When we were in the lower grades, somebody's Dad would pick up the group for the ride home...we'd recount the evening's happenings and get dropped off, with memories of a good time, fresh in our minds.    When we were older, if we had someone in our group who had their driver's license, we'd all pile into a car and go somewhere for a Coke and conversation... probably about "who liked who" or what somebody wore that night.

This would probably sound pretty dorky to the kids growing up now,  but those high school dances were a big part of our social lives back then.  And I can't help but wonder how many sweet, young romances got their start with a "May I Have This Dance"? in a high school cafeteria those many years ago?

"May I Have This Dance?"

I have to ask.  Do high schools still have dances?  Now, I'm not talking about date dances, like homecoming or proms.  I've seen the darling pictures the proud Moms post on Facebook of those special occasions.  

I'm talking about just regular dances on a Friday or Saturday night...to give the kids something to do...to help them learn how to act around the opposite sex.  (Gosh!  Did I just sound really old?) The reason I even ask is because some of my fondest high school memories are of the dances we enjoyed as teens...and if today's kids don't have these opportunities, they're missing out on some great memory-makers.

Most of our school dances took place in the school's cafeteria.  Nothing fancy... Different clubs or groups would sponsor them as fundraisers.   The tables and chairs would be cleared away, making room for a "dance floor".  A band, a sound system or just a record player would be brought in...and teachers and parents acted as chaperones.  Let the fun begin!

Because we wore school uniforms during the week,  we got to wear our "good" clothes to dances and social things.  Skirts, sweaters, hose, loafers, Wind Song or Emeraude cologne...we were all set!  When we'd arrive at the dance, the excitement would set in!  "Who was going to be here?"  "Would so and so ask me to dance?"  "Do I look okay?"

The cafeteria was dark. except for the lighting that came with the music.  Good!  It was easier to blend in, as we'd lean against the wall, waiting to be asked to slow dance...or until a group of girls, got up the nerve to go out on the dance floor to "fast-dance", anxious to try out the moves we saw on "Bandstand" or "Soul Train"the week before.  (Yeah right!  Like we could do THAT!!) Funny, but the guys weren't into fast dancing back then....well it was their loss.) 

The music and laughter of these school dances had kids meeting kids they didn't get to know in class.  The need to summon up the courage to ask a girl to dance or the disappointment of being a girl who didn't get asked, were hard lessons we learned at those dances.  All part of growing up...  The night always seemed to go quickly until there'd be one last song played before the lights came back on, signaling the end of a fun night.

When we were in the lower grades, somebody's Dad would pick up the group for the ride home...we'd recount the evening's happenings and get dropped off, with memories of a good time, fresh in our minds.    When we were older, if we had someone in our group who had their driver's license, we'd all pile into a car and go somewhere for a Coke and conversation... probably about "who liked who" or what somebody wore that night.  

This would probably sound pretty dorky to the kids growing up now,  but those high school dances were a big part of our social lives back then.  And I can't help but wonder how many sweet, young romances got their start with a "May I Have This Dance"? in a high school cafeteria those many years ago?  

"Dog Kisses and Baby Books"

Our firstborn is turning 40...and I gotta tell you - I think it bothers me a little bit more than when I turned 60.  And why is that?   It seems like the years have gone by at breakneck speed and there's not a thing we can do about it, is there?   I just wish it would slow down a bit.

Having three sons, in pretty quick succession, their early years were kind of a blur.  Oh, I remember the "big" moments.  I just wish I could remember more of the "little" ones...  more of the days...and not just the years.

When the boys were young, I had some plaques on our wall-- one for each.  The one for the firstborn said something about how he was the one who got the new parents, the new clothes...
The one for the middle child said that he was the one who got the formula-stained burp rags, and the parents' realization that dog kisses wouldn't kill him...
And  the plaque for the youngest of the family spoke of how he had broken-in parents, had a baby book that probably had more recipes stuck in it than photos and, that no matter how old he got, he would always be our "baby".

 I don't know how that all figures for bigger or smaller families, but it's pretty accurate for ours.  You love them all, but birth order, your station in life when they were born and your experience with raising kids, really does make a difference with each one, as they grow, doesn't it?

Hubby was fond of telling folks that when we took the first son to college, I cried all the way home.  With the second son, I cried only halfway home, and with our youngest, we barely stopped the car to drop him off.  That's not true, of course, but it DID get easier.  I'm not sure seeing my kids hit these age milestones ever will...

I suppose I should feel very blessed that, despite some bumps in the road and a few hiccups along the way, they DID grow up and I've been able to witness that growth.  And I'm proud of the way they've turned out.  I love them all but nowhere is it written that I have to LIKE being the parent of middle-aged kids...like I said earlier, I just wish it would slow down a bit!

Thanks!

Thanks, everyone, for the nice comments and "likes"...Today's post was the 101st entry in my blog...and for someone who seldom sees things thru, that's quite a milestone.  Hope I have 100 more in me.  We'll see.  Thanks again!

International Flavor...

Does anyone remember the first time they had a slice of pizza?  Unless you count "french" fries or "french" toast ( and I don't!)  I'm pretty sure that pizza was the first international flavor most of us tasted.  Back in the 50's and 60's, unless you were lived in an Italian home, pizza was pretty exotic, wasn't it?  Certainly, not something that we dined on at our family dinner tables on a regular basis.

My first taste of the gooey stuff was from a Pasquale's, one of the first pizza chains in Cincinnati.  We were at my grandparents' home and my aunt, who was a bit of an eccentric, ordered a "pizza pie". We all tried it.... Some liked it a lot and some, not so much.

I remember, as a young girl, making Chef Boyardee cheese pizzas... That was a new product that came from a box.  It supposedly contained everything you needed to make your own tasty pizza at home....not even CLOSE in flavor to my first taste of pizza!    It was a  good alternative, though, to the fish and the grilled cheese we ate in the days when Catholics refrained from eating meat on Fridays...so Chef Boyardee it was!

Look how far we've come!  Neighborhood pizza parlors, pizza chains, pizza delivery ...  Our eating habits and our family lives were forever changed....by pizza.  Many probably can't remember a world without pizza.  But I can.

I got to thinking of all this, not because I was chomping down on a pizza, but because I needed chorizo sausage for a Mexican dish I was making.   At the store, it amazed me all the different ethnic foods that are available now.   Our country became a melting pot for so many cultures and they all brought their cuisine and flavors along with them...and our neighborhoods and grocery store aisles will never be the same!   Restaurants that serve exotic fare are the norm now.  My spice rack includes spices I'm pretty sure my Mom never heard of.

Our world has certainly gotten smaller and our menus reflect that.  Italian, German, Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, Thai, Mexican, and more...all for the taking.

My comfort foods are still the standards, like meatloaf or a good pot roast or a tasty chicken dish.  But it sure is nice to have expanded our repertoire, both at home and in dining out.  And to think it all started with a pizza...

It's In The Genes...

I'm not that strong in Math.  I think that some people are born with a Math gene, some are not.  And that's okay.  I realized early on that I was lacking.

I think I understood early Math...you know, the simple addition and subtraction.  When multiplication tables entered the picture, I started to lose interest -probably because memorization wasn't a strong suit either.  And then they introduced "New Math".  Does anyone else remember that?

It was so innovative (and confusing) that classes were offered to parents so they could help their kids with their homework.  I remember, sitting with my Dad, as he struggled to help me with homework, crying, (me, not Dad) because I just didn't get it.   No one else must have gotten it either because it was short-lived.  I've always been thankful for that.  Taking New Math out of the curriculum probably added years to my Dad's life and salvaged our relationship at the same time.

But then...enter Algebra in high school... I struggled with that, too.  My teacher agreed to tutor me after school (which meant I had to quit the drill team...don't be too sad.  I was only on it for three weeks and my Math teacher did both me AND the drill team a favor...) As frustrating as it was for me, it had to be really hard for a teacher who had that Math gene, to deal with someone who soo didn't.   I managed to pass that year and was done with Math!

Nope - not true!  I was quick to find out that Math is a life-long thing.....not just something I would struggle with in the classroom.    Lots of irony, then, that my first job in the "real world" was working as a bank teller at our local bank!   More irony?  That bank is out of business now!

I have found that you need Math every day-whether it's adding, measuring, weighing, balancing...a fact of life...but I will go out of my way to avoid its use.  And I'm thinking there MUST be many of us lacking the Math gene.   Why else would they have invented calculators?

The Nose Knows

In these days of Febreeze, Glade plug-ins and my favorite -- scented candles--(especially the fall season ones!), I got to thinking "when did we think we needed all these fake fragrances"?  What are we masking?

Okay, I know...we have a dog...an animal whose hygiene and manners are questionable...and sometimes, my cooking gets away from me...  and some dirty laundry may sit a bit too long.  But is all this covering up, overkill?

Of course, this had me thinking back to the scents of the past.   I remember, as a kid, the wonderful fragrance of burning leaves, in the fall.  That was before the days of the EPA and, although I know they're around for our health, I think they're killjoys- at least, in this case.  That's the way all of our  neighbors disposed of the leaves they had raked up....and it was wonderful!  And nothing evokes warm memories of my childhood more than when my Dad would build a fire in our fireplace at home or our sitting around the campfire at the pond where we ice skated.

For spring and summer scents, it has to be the beach and the ocean smells for me!  Because the fishy, briny smell really isn't all that pleasant, it must be the memories of great beach vacations that makes it special.  And the smell of chlorine takes me back to the carefree days of the neighborhood swimming pool and the kids we hung with.  The fragrance of carnations bring back good and bad memories for me...  The good, when the carnations were in the bouquet I carried as a flower girl in a family wedding...the bad, when the floral arrangements at my Grandfather's funeral also had carnations in them.   Smelling God's earth, when I'm gardening, is wonderful....not so much when that "earth" is mixed with sweat on football uniforms....

It's funny how it all works... Fragrances, scents and smells are complex and personal,  aren't they?   How different people interpret them differently...  I know that, as we get older, our sense of smell diminishes somewhat...that's a fact.  So I think I'll pull out the plug-ins and put away the Febreeze, so I can enjoy the real fragrances of life while I still can...and our dog better behave!

"Scientifically Speaking... "

I saw online recently, a post about Science Fairs - those necessary evils that all school kids have to endure.

That particular post was a humorous one about a girl who used the actual science fair as her topic.  Her "materials" were "a kid", "parents", "procrastination", and "a half-baked idea".  Her results were "75% of kids cried", "90% of parents yelled" and "15 hours of family time were sacrificed".  Her "findings" were that "everyone hates the science fair".    

In addition to my getting a kick out of that girl's project, it also brought back memories of the Wright Place during the science fair days.  I truly think that you either have the Science gene or you don't.  Hubby and I do not.  And it must be generational, because our boys seemed to have missed out on that, too.

The first Science Fair project I oversaw, as a young Mom, was the effects of cigarette smoke on plant life.  That one consisted of me blowing smoke on a plant that we bought... (These projects really are a joint effort, aren't they?) and what did we think would happen?  The plant looked awful after 30 days, so mission accomplished!  I felt evil for smoking, as a young Mom, and our son had a "finding" for his Science Fair project.  "Smoking's bad for you."  I think the surgeon general was onto that before my son was but he (and I) got a decent grade anyway.

The other projects that the boys did, after that one, aren't as memorable, although I'm sure there was wailing and gnashing of teeth over them (by me) as well.  The ideas were harder to come by, the deadlines, more daunting.   And by the time son #3 had a Science Fair in his future, my tolerance and patience, I'm sure,   were really waning!   We got thru all of the science fairs, unscathed, our relationships still intact, but failed to produce a scientist out of the whole lot.

I really enjoyed the aforementioned girl's Science Fair project, and although,  saying "everyone hates the Science Fair" may be unfair, I certainly hope she got a blue ribbon for her efforts...because, in my judgement, she's a genius!

Shopping Hell...

After returning from an exasperating shopping trip, I've decided to put pen to paper -or fingers to keyboard - to make the designers and retailers of the world aware of something they're obviously missing.

The world is full of women 50 plus years old, who have disposable income they'd like to spend on looking nice.  On this particular shopping trip,  I was in search of something to wear to a wedding....something a little nicer than my normal attire.  Now, I admit, I don't have the greatest figure in the world but in looking around the stores, mine's not the worst either.   What are these other women doing?

Well, they're not buying!   And here's the dilemma!

Old(er) women don't all have firm and toned arms, so what's with all the sleeveless dresses and tops?  I'd rather not look like a taradactyl, with these "wings",  so now what?  I look for a cute jacket, sweater...anything to cover my arms.  With the selection they had in jackets, I either looked like a colonel in the Army or some bohemian gypsy!  Ugggh!

The skirt selection was no better. Now face it, ladies.  Gravity takes its toll on the knees.  The short skirt "ship" has sailed for this old gal. I understand the popularity of the long skirts (because of the aforementioned ugly knees).  But I look like somebody from Little House On The Prairie - so thumbs down to those, too.

Although I wasn't considering slacks for the wedding, I have to ask.  Have you tried on slacks lately?  Tight "Skinny Jeans"?  My jeans were tight before those became fashionable-and "skinny" they'll NEVER be!  "Ankle slacks"?  Sure, I'd love to look like Laura Petrie, Dick Van Dyke's better half, in those sleek, ankle length numbers with cute little ballet flats....but I've spent a lifetime looking for slacks that were long enough for these legs and I'm not going to stop now!   Ya can't win....

Let's stroll over to the shoe department, shall we, ladies?  Do these designers realize that 5 inch heels are downright dangerous for old(er) women (not to mention that they would make me 6 foot 3!)   The other shoe selections would have me looking like one of the good nuns I had in grade school or, at the opposite end of the spectrum, like  a shopper from a Victoria's Secret catalogue!  All I want is a stylish mid-sized heel that won't cripple me by the end of the night! Please....

I came home, my wallet, in hand, with the money I left with and no credit card receipts.  And disappointed.    I truly think "they'" (whoever THAT is) are missing the boat by ignoring the needs of such a large demographic as the old(er) women in this country.

I'll scrounge up something in my closet and look presentable, I suppose.  But they missed an opportunity and I'm thinking the sales racks will be full of unsold merchandise at the end of the season.    Maybe they're just thinking we (old(er) folks don't need to kick up our heels once in awhile and should just stay home.  Well, I don't THINK so!

Our Social Life Now....

It seems that funerals, visitations, calling hours - whatever they call it in your world - have become a big part of our social lives the past few years.  Maybe it's because we live in a town where everybody knows everybody - or is it just part of the aging process?  Maybe it's just the way it's going to be from now on, but I'm not the biggest fan.

Most of the funerals we attend are,  thankfully, for old timers....folks who have had long, well-lived lives.  It's not easy, losing a loved one, at ANY age...I know that...But saying good-bye to a younger person is even harder and that's where faith really comes into play.  Not sure what I'd do without my faith...

Having gone thru my Dad's and in-laws' funeral services, I get it.  Funerals are a comfort to the family - hearing kind words about our loved ones IS very comforting.  Giving folks the opportunity to say their farewells is good for us, too. But maybe even more importantly than that, is that funerals serve as a reminder of our own mortality- a nudge to live right, right now. 

I try to take the attitude that if funerals  make us realize that we're just renting space here on earth -that we're all headed "there" at some point and that  there's something even better in the afterlife - the obligation of attending  funerals isn't the worst thing in the world, is it?  But the need to attend funerals can certainly slow down a bit...I'm just sayin'.....

Crisp Nights and Golden Days

We live in Ohio and I love the change of seasons.  It's one of the nicest things about Ohio for me.  Living in an area where it's always warm or always cold would be boring - and although last winter put my love for this place to the test, I still love Ohio.

I especially love Fall in Ohio!  I love the thought of cooler temps, after a long, hot summer....I love the thought of jeans and sweaters.  I love the crisp nights and the golden days.  I used to love the thought of the kids (and me) getting back into some kind of routine. I love the thought of putting the lawn mower away for awhile, and getting out the rakes to rid the yard of this year's beauty and bounty.

The fact that we're a "football family" puts a positive spin on shorter days and longer nights.  Years ago, Hubby, a coach, and the boys would trudge in after practice, the smell of dirt on their uniforms still a vivid memory of the season.  Game day, when the boys were young,  game nights, when they were in high school,  and game weekends when they were in college, made Fall a busy and fun season in our family life.

Another upside to Fall is that cooking becomes more fun for me.  Sure, the fresh fruits and vegetables of the summer are hard to beat, but, for me, making hearty soups and stews, and long-simmering meals, trumps anything fixed on the grill.  I'd like to say that the fragrance of fall baking would be a nice, too, but you should know my track record with that by now.  I'll just leave that to those who enjoy and excel at baking.

Aside from the occasional surliness that comes from hubby going to work and coming home from work in the dark,  the biggest downside to Fall is what comes after it!  Winter!  Except for the holidays and the fact that there are no mosquitoes or flies, I can't think of one redeeming reason for that season!  I think bears have the right idea and hibernating should be an acceptable option. (Oh, wait!  I'm an insomniac!  That wouldn't work!)

The seasons come and go...it's all pretty remarkable to witness.   I guess I should feel very blessed that I've been around to see so many of them.  It'd be a boring world if we all loved the same things, so I get it -some folks prefer the Fall over Spring or Summer.  But whether I love it or hate it, "it's" here, so I'm going to bundle up and enjoy it.  What else you gonna do?

Changing Views...

"The man who views the world at 50 the same as he did at the age of 20, has wasted 30 years of his life."  Who'd have thought something so profound would have come from Muhammed Ali?  Well, it did.

I tried to think back on how I viewed things at the age of 20... No easy task!  That's been 40 plus years.  I guess I took a leap of faith, thinking I knew what love and marriage were, all those years ago.  It's worked out well but marriage and love have a different feel to them now.  I still get excited when hubby comes home each night. Not that "jump on him" kind of excitement...more like a comfort that someone who knows me so well is still here -with me.  And I like that... a lot!

Same with parenting. I certainly felt differently, when I was in my twenties, about child-raising than I do now.  With my parenting chores behind me, my views were bound to change, weren't they?  A kind of relief, I'd say.  But I remember worrying about some of the dumbest things, as a young Mom.  Those things either never came to fruition or it all turned out fine...and all that worrying!  For what?  The things that seemed so important back then seem so silly now.

I guess the biggest change in my views has been about aging and no wonder! I'm in the throes of it!  I used to think, when I was in my 20's, that 60 and 70 year olds were dried up old things, who were just biding their time til they headed to a nursing home.  And, as I've matured, I've found there's nothing further from the truth!  Some of the most interesting, vibrant folks I know are in their 6th, 7th, and even their 8th decade.  Maybe I was too arrogant to notice it when I was younger...or maybe it's just that they're my peers now, but my views on aging have certainly changed.

So I guess, according to Muhammed Ali, I haven't "wasted 30 years of my life" because I've grown and my views have changed.  And I hope I can say, in 20 years, that they're still changing.

The Food Police

I read the other day, that a school district in a suburb of Seattle,  told parents that they can no longer bring birthday treats to school. Instead, parents are encouraged to send alternatives, like stickers and pencils.  Pencils?  How celebratory is that?

I am well-aware that obesity is at near-epidemic proportions.    Parents need to get their kids outside, get them active, cut down on the junk food and frequent fast-food meals.  But come on!  In this case, it's the Food Police run amok!

I'm not saying it was wise, but do you remember candy cigarettes? Or bubble gum cigars?   Now,  I can understand if there were an uproar, these days, over THOSE things...but a cupcake? 

There's a push for healthier options in school cafeterias across the nation. And that idea has some merit.   Maybe the teachers don't want the kids wired from all the sugar... Maybe they should rethink that.  With the state-mandated testing, the kids (and teachers) could use a boost, perhaps!

Kids' birthdays bring back memories of my attempt to make a "school bus" cake, with garish yellow icing, complete with the boys' school pictures in the  bus "windows".  I thought it was darling, but I took so much teasing over that cake (from hubby,  a six, a four  and a two year old, mind you!) that I never baked another birthday cake again.  It was Kroger's Bakery from then on out!

So it's no skin off my nose if they do away with baked goods for birthdays.  It just seems sad to me that another little joy of childhood -celebrating birthdays at school- is on the verge of disappearing.  Well, I guess the kids could just chew on those pencils....

Pessimist, Optimist or Realist?

"The pessimist complains about the wind.
The optimist expects it to change.
The realist adjusts the sails."

I don't know a single soul who is just one of those. I am all three, depending on the day, the topic, the mood.  And I bet most folks would agree.

Many times, I'm a pessimist when I return from a store where the service is awful.  Or when someone rudely misses a traffic light because she's yakkin' on her cell phone.  Or when a kid is disrespectful to their parent, when I'm within earshot.  I'm pretty sure, during those times, I'm convinced our society is going to hell in a handbag.  The world news on TV usually leaves me in a pessimistic mood, longing for the "good old days".  It's these instances -and more - that leave me "complaining about the wind".  Pessimists attract other pessimists because pessimism is a great conversation-starter, isn't it?   Folks love to grumble and share their woes.  Maybe I'm a magnet in the line at the store because of my pessimism?

 I'm an optimist when I'm in church because, there, I'm reminded that there's something more than what we have "here".  I'm an optimist when I'm around certain people-usually other optimists.  Friends who always see the good in others...or give others a second chance, because we don't know their circumstances.  I'm an optimist when I'm around my kids and grandkids.  They have so much going for them...so many opportunities within their reach....so much promise..maybe, just maybe, they can "change the wind".

I'm a realist many days.  I'll see things as they are...pure and simple...no rose-colored glasses here.  I may not like what I see but to use an over-used phrase " It is what it is".  During those times,  I guess I better just "adjust my sails".

Which one are you most of the time?

"This Body Is Me"

"This body is me...... She's held my soul and carried my heart for all of my days.  Each wrinkle and each imperfection is a badge of my living and of my giving life."
Robin Korth, age 69

The above lines were penned by Robin, after she was rejected by a "gentleman" she was dating.  His comment that "she was too wrinkly" was the reason he didn't want to take their relationship to the next level.  This caused her to really look at herself in a mirror and that's when she wrote those beautiful words.  After seeing her on TV and hearing her words, I couldn't stop thinking of her.  Here was a beautiful woman, who's lived a full and successful life, raised children and at the age of 69, was being judged in such a harsh way.  When does that kind of judgement stop?  Obviously not even at the age of 69...

First, I'd like to see the ass who made that comment of rejection....see how age has treated him.  Second, I would tell Robin that she should be glad she's rid of him.  Life is too short to spend one second of time on people who are that shallow.

I probably spend too much time on make-up and hair...on my appearance.  I know that!  Maybe it's just a habit that I've repeated day, after day.    Maybe I enjoy playing around with how I look.  Or have I, too, fallen for the idea that looks matter more than they do?  I hope folks don't think I'm shallow or vain...

I'm blessed, beyond measure, to have someone who loves me, wrinkles, imperfections and all...someone who loves who I am, on the inside, as much as on the outside.  We have a certain comfort because we've grown old(er) together, maybe... I don't know.

But I DO know that life has a way of evenning things out... And it will for Robin Korth, the woman who was judged so harshly by that fella she thought she loved.   In the end, I think we'll all find out that we won't remember the beautiful face and body of those we love... but the beautiful heart and soul within.  I hope so.

Those GreeksWere Onto Something!

"A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall
 never sit in."       Greek Proverb

Guess we're going to find out how smart  those Greeks were!

That saying caught my eye recently, probably because we're facing the removal of 6 big trees in our yard.... And I LOVE trees!  Some darn bug, an "ash borer" by name, is practically decimating our beloved woods.  Sure, I'll miss the shade these beauties have provided, but it goes deeper than that.  I'm taking this personally because we purchased this home from my folks 10 years ago.  The house has had its share of problems but it's our home now.  It just seems the very things my late Dad had a hand in, are being chipped away at, needing to be replaced or repaired and that makes me sad.

I remember Dad, taking a break from his yardwork, sitting on the deck, enjoying the shade of these trees.   The lot was wooded when they built the house...he didn't do the actual planting - but he tended to them to make sure they thrived.

It's probably good that my Dad's not here to see these trees come down. Would've been hard on him... he loved the woods even more than I do.  We'll probably plant something hardier than the ones we're losing.   We have no idea how long we'll be here to enjoy them...you know how life goes... Maybe those Greeks were onto something...

When Did This Happen?

When did this happen?  These purplish marks on my arm???  I remember my Grandpa having something similar on his arm but I'm too young for that, aren't I?   "Oh, not so fast, Keemosabi!"

I'm exactly the age he was at when I started noticing things like that,  as a youngster..I noticed, back then, he took a lot of naps, too.  "Gulp!"

And my Grandma's housedresses?  Sure I've been known to don my robe in the middle of the day but that's not the same thing...Or IS it?  Am I going for comfort too much lately?

I remember teasing hubby's Mom about her loss of hearing and giving her heck when she wouldn't use her hearing aid... never thinking that one of her "heirs" (without naming names-but I live with him) would be in be same spot!  (He calls it "selective hearing").

When did the years creep up on us, like they have?

"Aging gracefully" ... a term I had hoped to put into practice, as the golden years approach.  You know, dress appropriately, nothing flashy, nothing too gaudy. Tone down the make up a bit... Act "age-appropriate", whatever THAT means.

But then I got to thinking...  If I'm going to get these bruise-like marks on my arms anyway, wouldn't it be more fun to "earn" them? Like by flailing them, while dancing around the house, instead of sitting around it?

A Today Show contributor recently coined the phrase "aging with a vengeance".  Going all out....   Yep,  I rather like that.  Hmm..."aging with a vengeance" or "aging gracefully"?  Well, those of you who know me or follow this blog, know I've never been "graceful" about anything.  So who's with me?  Vengeance?  GRRRR!

I LOVE This Place!

 Something lately has been bothering this old(er) broad and I have refrained from making comments because I didn't want to be critical of anyone or stir things up....  but I can't keep quiet anymore.

I'm noticing that some folks in social media make negative references about my hometown and I'm kinda tired of it!  This has been a great place to be a kid, a great place to raise kids and will be a great place in which to retire.  This city has its challenges, just like every other city in this nation of ours.

The posts that upset me the most usually reference someone who's down on their luck, has made poor life choices, or just haven't had the breaks we all have had.  To me, it's a form of "viral bullying"... making fun of someone so you come off like some kind of comedian or appear to be better than they are.  Instead of posting what you think are comical photos, videos and comments about people who live here, why not hit your knees and thank God that you're where YOU are in life, instead of where THEY are?  And the "Hamiltucky" reference?  I think Kentucky's a beautiful state.  What's your point?

I really hate being negative...there is so much to be positive about in life... And in this city.  I count my blessings every day.  One of them is living in a diverse town like this.  It takes all kinds...even crotchety old women, like me...

If They Only Knew...

 I remember how much fun watching TV was, as a kid...still in pajamas, eating cinnamon toast, drinking chocolate milk and watching Captain Kangaroo or  Uncle Al....or Saturday cartoons...  Or in the afternoon, when Mom would be ironing , we'd watch game shows, like "Beat the Clock" or "The Match Game".   In the evening, after the dishes were done, the family would gather around the set to watch comedies and variety shows like "I Love Lucy" or "The Ed Sullivan Show"...or dramas, like "Perry Mason" and "Gunsmoke".

Back when we were kids, the TVs weren't much bigger than a microwave is now.  We had, maybe four TV stations, and those were made possible by an antenna or "rabbit ears" that you had to manipulate to get a clear picture.  After the news, those stations would go off the air until the following morning.  And black and white TVs were what most of us had... getting a color TV was a sure sign that "you had arrived".

Don't those memories beg one to ask the question "when did things become so different?"

We have big beautiful screens now - cable, satelite or dish -  that assure us bright, clear and colorful images... The technology is astounding.  Countless channels that allow us to watch something any hour of the day or night... But is it any better?

Looking back can trick us into thinking that things were better -even when they weren't.  I get that.  But many nights now, we surf through so many stations, just hoping that something worth our time, is on. And did we ever think we'd be paying to watch television? It used to be the initial outlay of cash for a TV set and the little you had to pay for the electricity to power it, was all it took.  Now, some TV viewers pay as much every month for the privilege of watching TV as they do for their utilities.  And for what?

I know there is some terrific programming out there now.  But, to me, reality shows, TV shows with outlandish story lines, and countless reruns and copy-cat shows are more the norm.  It just seems we pay more for less now.

I think it's kind of funny that our kids will look back on these current times as their "good old days".  If they only knew....

The Wonderful World of Ceramics!

When one of my granddaughters was here for her summer visit, I knew I had to come up with something for her to do...something with an artistic tilt to it.  After checking out different places, we settled on a ceramic studio.  I thought it would be perfect for a fun afternoon with Grandma.  And it was!

But it wasn't Grandma's first venture into the world of ceramics!  Oh, nooo...I'd been there before, in the early 70's.  Back then, it was the chance for young Moms to get away from the kids and Monday Night Football, as the Dads took care of business at home on the gals' night out.

It was my older sisters and a friend who got me interested in a class that would have us in some woman's basement every week.  There,  we would pay our weekly fee, choose our piece and paint away.  Only problem was that my need to hurry and get things done fast didn't just spring up recently.  Uh, uh...It goes back that far!

My sisters and friend would choose things with intricate detail, like gorgeous canister sets and cartoon character lamps.   Each week, they would retrieve their handiwork from the shelf and continue on with their work.   Each week, I'd choose (and pay for) a new piece!  The others would, painstakingly, paint the beautiful flowers, the life-like eyes, and take weeks to complete their projects.  Meanwhile, I'm over in the corner, cranking out solid colored ashtrays, like I was on an assembly line!  Do you know how expensive ceramics can get, at that rate?

One of my masterpieces that I particularly liked was the hubcap-sized ash tray...I guess, if you were having a LARGE party in the '70's, it'd get some smokers' use... That, or you could use it as a chip bowl!  It only took me half of the class time to complete THAT one!

Good thing the conversation was great on those Monday nights in the 70's... I, at least, got THAT out of the class.   And the conversation was good on that July day with my granddaughter, too....the laughter wasn't as raucous as it was in the 70's, but we had a terrific time.

And for you smart alecks out there wondering...I didn't paint an ashtray this time.  I painted a solid colored tile and my granddaughter thought it was LOVELY!

Pens, Binders and New Shoes

Why is it that this time of year has me wanting to go out and buy new pens?  Or a binder?  Or new shoes?  Must be Back To School time!

It's been over 40 years for me and almost 20 for our boys since we've  been students but that doesn't stop me from having the urge to report to class.  And I'm not sure why.  It's not like I was all that studious when I WAS a student...In fact, my interest in the classroom didn't last as long as those new pens and my enthusiasm waned before I even had a chance to scuff up my saddle oxfords.

As a kid, I guess that, after a long, hot summer, I was ready for some structure in my life. It'd be good to see the same kids everyday... Get the old social calendar revved up again...  But with it all, came homework, having to pay attention, needing to sit still and be quiet for what seemed like a long time...none of the things I was (or am) very good at.

I should probably be embarrassed to admit that very few of my grade school memories have anything to do with academics.  Oh, an occasional spelling bee that I did well in.  I remember that.  Or preparing for my First Communion (but I think maybe a lot of my excitement about that was that I got to wear a veil!)  I recall saying morning prayers and reciting the Pledge of Allegiance every day.  But my memories tend to focus more on the people in my past and the social aspect of academia.  Does that make sense?

Like the boy in first grade who used his finger and spit to erase his mistakes (He had a hard time getting anyone to take his damp paper when it was time to pass our assignments up to the front, believe me!  Poor guy!) Or the day before school pictures, when a friend and I agreed to "tease" our hair... An exercise that was sure to make us look far more mature than fifth graders.... I came to school with a slight "hair hill",  thinking I looked pretty sharp.  That was, until she (who shall remain nameless ) walked into class, sporting a full blown bouffant that was sure to fill the entire photo!   Or the walk home from school...six whole blocks!  with the other kids, heading that way.   Or the arrival of spring when we'd be allowed to ride our bikes to school!  Here I am...talking about the season that signalled the end of the school year already!  And it just began!  So you get my drift... I loved school...just not the scholastic part.

So I really don't understand my enthusiasm for the whole "back to school" thing at this late stage in my life.   Maybe I'll cave this school year and get those pens and binder.  Perhaps, I can finally file all these blog posts into some kind of order.  But I think I'd better draw the line on the saddle oxfords.  They'd look pretty ridiculous with varicose veins, now, wouldn't they?

The Summer of Learning

Before you get all excited about my possible continuing ed, let me put your mind at ease.  It wasn't any kind of formal classes I signed up for (although that wouldn't be the worst thing in the world, would it?!)  No, the learning that took place happened right here at home.  But that's not to say it wasn't challenging!

Having to replace a riding lawn mower, a heating and air conditioning system, and pulling the trigger on a new hot tub, I was up to my neck in manuals this summer.   So much reading...

First up was the hot tub.  (And why is it when you spend money on a "luxury", so many of the "necessities" decide to conk out on you?). We had a hot tub years ago...seemed simple enough.  You fill it with water, plug it in, it heats up and in no time, you're feeling the warm, pulsating jets, relieving your stressed and sore body.  Not so fast!  The new, improved models now have all kinds of filtration cycles that one has to become familiar with.  I know that now because I'm on a first name basis with the hot tub guy.  (His name is Dan.). Seems my lack of knowing these cycles is the reason the hot tub water reached a skin-searing 109 degrees!  Ouch!

Onto the riding mower.  It took us two tries at purchasing a replacement for our old one but we finally ended up with a dandy.  She's not the old one, whose temperament and nuances I knew so well, but it'll do.  Took a summer reading program to get there though!

The air conditioning unit is purring, as I write.  But it, too, came with a re-training process.  A "programmable thermostat" makes sense if everyone's on the same body clock, but what's comfortably cool for someone who's sleeping, sure seems warm to an insomniac!  I better read up on that manual a bit more.  And I need to mention....the heating part of the system is untested.  So I'm not out of the manual "woods" there yet!

 I guess the lesson here for me is that I like old, broken-in things...like husbands....and kids...and family...and friends... And especially lawn mowers and hot tubs.    But the summer of learning is nearing the end and I welcome the break.  I'm almost looking forward to fall and winter.  (I said "almost"!)   I mean, how hard is it to operate a rake?  Or a snow shovel?  And who's to say 109 degree water won't feel pretty good in the winter?  I just hope I was paying attention to the heating guy when he was explaining the new furnace, because this school is closed!

First Time or the Last?

"Look at things like it's the first time you're seeing them or like the last time you'll ever see them again."

After a scare a year ago, last summer, when it was questionable whether I'd have my normal vision ever again, I really take that quote to heart now.  But shouldn't having a wide-eyed enthusiasm for even the smallest wonders, be the way we look at things everyday, anyway?

I remember the first time I saw the ocean.  I was a young girl and it touched me in such a profound way - it's still the most gorgeous sight I know.  And I'll never forget the look on my husband's face when he held our first-born..Big tough-guy football coach with the most tender look on his face.... Dad held the baby like a football, but that look...I'll never forget it.  Hard to imagine... life, without sight.

Don't know about you, but I'm thinking, as we get older, we get kind of complacent...many times, just going thru the motions of our daily lives.    Not paying attention to all the beauty around us...I guess because we've seen so much in our lifetimes... What's there to get excited about?

But after the events of last summer, when I didn't know how much I would ever see - the way I've seen for years - I hope that I'm looking at, and appreciating, things, people, places more fully now.   I hope to always take it all in...like it's the first time I'm seeing something or the last...because you don't know.....

A Wedding Do-Over?

I get a kick out of weddings...always have.  The beautiful brides, the fabulous attire, the promise of a future together, the partying.... always been a fan.  And this time of year, I think back to the hottest day of the summer of '72...yep, our 42nd anniversary is coming up.

My own wedding was nice but by today's standards?  Oh, my...

Getting hitched in August was dictated by the fact that hubby was a teacher/football coach and the timing was right.  The fact that it would be hotter than hell in the church and at the reception never entered our minds.

It may seem odd but I never tried on a wedding dress.  My Mom, who was a great seamstress, made my dress.  I guess we knew what style would look good on me and went with that.  (How's that for confidence in your Mom?) Maybe that's why I watch TV shows  like ,"Say Yes To The Dress".  Those girls go on and on about finding "the perfect gown".  They parade around in several and choose the one that will "make their fairytale come true".  (Well, ladies, it won't... Your "fairy tale" will take more work than picking out a wedding gown...)  And maybe someone should tell the one bride on that show that the huge tattoo on her back kinda ruins the demure look she's going for!

Our wedding took place in a Catholic church and the bridal party, made up of family members and friends, looked great.   Missing was a sister who was 7 months pregnant...she had to sit it out, as pregnancy wasn't a good condition for a bridesmaid back in the 70's.  Seems silly now, doesn't it?  She was and is my best friend - she was  instead a "hostess" at the reception.

The girls in the wedding  all wore white and carried a single red carnation. Simple but classy.   The fellas looked a little hungover because the bachelor party took place the night before.  There were no destination bachelor party weekends like there are today -unless you count the notorious (in the 70's) Newport, Kentucky a destination, where they bar-hopped to.

I wasn't kidding when I said it was the hottest day of the summer.  And none of the places we'd be in were air conditioned.  Having my hair done in the morning was a total waste of money!   After the hair appointment, several of us decorated our reception site -a high school cafeteria!     I looked like a drowned rat by noon and the wedding was at 1:30...  Great!  

The wedding turned out to be lovely...the reception, a fun affair, with people we loved, beer and pop, a band, the traditional cake, dancing - in that  sweltering cafeteria!

And when the wedding was over, our old local paper, every Sunday, had write-ups of the weddings that took place the day before.  Giving a detailed description of the bride's gown, the bridesmaids' dresses, even the mothers of the bride and groom's attire...  It told the whole world where the couple was going on their honeymoon and  what the bride would wear - called the "trousseau"  - a fancy word for the bride's going- away outfits.  Ha!  (What was THAT about? And who cared?)

That day in August, in my hand-made wedding gown, with sweaty wet hair, was the   beginning of 42 years of a terrific marriage and I wouldn't change one moment of it.  And I know my folks did the best they could in making our day special.  But if I didn't think I'd look totally ridiculous in a white frilly dress and veil, I'm thinking I should have a wedding do-over.  Whatcha think?

Electric Knives and Fondue Pots...

Funny how I get so nostalgic around the time of our wedding anniversary...  I get to thinking back, how, as a young couple, we were so naive about so many things.  At the top of that list was setting up our home.  I was soo clueless when it came to "homemaking"...  Good thing they had such a thing as "Bridal Registries!  

I remember being guided thru the different departments at Wilmers/Elder Beerman,
pen and papers in hand, checking off the wants and needs that were going to transform me into a domestic diva.  Yeah, fat chance!

I was digging around, looking for nothing in particular, recently, and came across the booklet that had listed in it, all the gifts we received for our wedding.  It was truly a step back in time!  And a lesson for future brides who are in the "bridal registry" phase of their wedding planning.

I think that my formal china pattern is beautiful and it's wonderful when I bring it out for the holidays, but really?  One would think I had plans to entertain royalty when you see the serving pieces, the crystal, the chafing dishes that I accumulated!  Nothing but the best for THIS bride!  Whateverrr!

At the opposite end of the spectrum was my everyday tableware.  I accumulated THAT at my local "Liberal Supermarket".  If my Mom spent a certain amount of money, she received a stamp.  Once the card was full of stamps, you cashed it in for plates, cups, saucers, etc.  So that's what we had....Liberal Supermarket ironstone... the pattern was orange and yellow sunflowers.  It served us well for years.

We received three electric knives (I thought the reason for registering was to avoid duplication?)   We were married 20 years before I cooked a turkey - we were blessed to enjoy family Thanksgiving dinners elsewhere -  so that gift was unused for years.  It did, however, come in handy when I had to cut foam for a kid's Halloween costume.

Fondue pots were all the rage back in the early 70's.  I registered for one and received two to match the "Harvest Gold" kitchen appliances we had on order.  Nothing like making your guests work for their appetizers!  I must have lost, between moves,  the long forks that came with the pot - that, or maybe our guests just got lazy and I actually had to start serving them...either way,  no more fondue parties at the Wright Place!

Popcorn poppers must have been new and cutting edge back then, as we received three of them, as well.  (Hey, someone went off the registry and bought one at Ontario's!  THAT's why we got more than one!)  Well, it sure beat "Jiffy Pop" popcorn and microwaves weren't invented yet.

Add to all that an iron, an ironing board, tons of towels, sheets, picture frames, blankets, a multitude of other gadgets, gifts and cash, and we were on our way to domestic bliss.

My advice to young brides is this.  Take it easy on the bridal registry.  You'll develop your own style and tastes, they'll change thru the years  and you'll have a lifetime to accumulate things that fit.  And if you have a need for an electric knife, a popcorn popper or a fondue pot, don't register for it.  Call me instead!