Jo, so happy for you. I knew you would be able to do what you needed to do. You have great strength and great intelligence and adaptability. Now, finding a place that works, that pleases, that can be home. Our thoughts and prayers with you.
Shirlee, what a wonderful idea. Thank you. I have been looking at my book collection, amazed that I have accumulated so many, knowing I'll never live long enough to read and reread all that I have, and there are wonderful books. I will look into book stores as well as to where to leave my collection. I offered my poetry books to the Estes Park Library, but they don't really want them. I think of about 40 books, they've only catalogued a few. They just sell them at book sales.
I also have some antique books, and I noticed a store that sells antique books in Loveland. I'll look into it. I'm not interested in remuneration, rather passing on books that someone might want, need, treasure.
We just watched a film called Smoke Signals, based on Sherman Alexie's book, The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven. It was outstanding, absolutely unique, and so poignant, I feel full of tears I cannot dispell. I sent the book to an old friend who was the doctor on Ta'u Island when we were there. He sent the DVD, and we picked it up at the post office today.
Thank you, Puddle for the new thread! Always good to have a fresh piece of paper before us. Bernie is certainly drawing crowds and support...hope it continues..
Pat, you are welcome. You may want to find an independent book store to deal with. Not sure the chains have anybody who would do that. I also have some rare books and have decided to give some of them to people I know who would treasure them..if I can. I had an 18th century 4 volume illustrated and boxed set of New England gravestones--my masters thesis in art history was images on the stones Starting in Michigan where I lived and tracking their sources..most of which led to New York State and on to New England. I gave this to a very good friend of Brenda's who spends part of every year in opera production....and loves history, was familiar with gravestones there. He was delighted!!, I have at least one or two more for him. Search carefully for antiquarian book dealers.... I need to see if those I bought from are still in business....will report back! Good luck. Happy Sunday to all!!!!!
Thank you for the information. It sounds fascinating, your tracking sources for images on stones. And, yes, it's a wonderful gift for both the giver and receiver to give a wanted book. You come off as Shirlee, friend, librarian, sharing your stories and ideas. We appreciate you, Shirlee, are delighted to learn of your experiences.
Ms Shirlee, HUGE difference between know-it-all and *knowledgeable*!!!
Made me think of an old friend who last I heard owned a bookstore in Georgetown (DC). Gonna get his number, and give it to my kid. Jeepers, I still have books I loved in college. . . .
Once, a long long time ago I got to stand about 24" from Dustin Hoffman, and listen to him converse with my best friend, Carlo, for about an hour, about Lenny Bruce, whom Carlo had studied religiously, and Hoffman had played.
There was a new bookstore opening night, and I and a lot of other friends were there to help her celebrate. All the President's Men was in town filming, and my office-mates were drooling over the possibility of meeting Redford on the street. I said, Na, I'd vote for Hoffman. So standing there, looked up, and there was this kid coming towards me, looking just like Dustin Hoffman, and as he passes, brushing my shoulder, I'm thinking: IT IS DUSTIN HOFFMAN!!!!! And it was. And Carlo collared him about ten minutes later. He seemed to enjoy the collar. They both loved Bruce.
I feel such powerful mixed emotions at your news. It sounds like you got your asking price, which is wonderful! Yet I know it will be hard for you to live further away from your Grands.
Would you like some help on Thursday? I could arrive around 12:30 or 1:00, with lunch, and stay something like 4 hours.
Turns out it's "just" my email program that's messed up. My son will attempt to fix it tonight via GoToMeeting. I have some prep to do for that, this afternoon, getting photos into my external drive, to make more room…once I remember how! Ha!
Well, we were able to save my email, and I currently have 0 messages in my Inbox instead of over 9000! However, Youngest forgot to reconnect my account to the Nets, so I can't send or receive there yet. But I can still see new email on my iPhone. :-)
One thing at a time, I guess. Doing backups now, then *I* crash! LOL!
AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH so sorry, it's been ages since I've been on. just too much going on.
Love that picture. I have that shirt. my FB icon is a picture of me wearing the shirt, but I cropped it so it is just what this picture is!
Congratulations on selling the house, Jo! Happy for you, know just what you mean about packing up. We've been working on it all year and it doesn't look like we've done a thing!
At work AGAIN! and when I get home, I'm working on the treasurer stuff. I finally told them I couldn't do it any more. Too many things keep getting in the way and the stress of me committing to something and not being able to carry it out is really eating at me. Just can't do it. So a few more evenings to get it all ready to hand over and I'm done. that is a relief!
Thanks for your calming posts ladies! Your friend's book store seems fascinating, Puddle. I think there are hidden gems of local book stores around. And...there are some of us who can't/don't want to support the biggies of anything.. Amazon is amazingly handy....and Brenda orders a couple of items for me that are hard to find here....but I am beginning To wonder about the reports of sweat shop conditions that are coming out-- workers stressed out and weeping at their desks...probably found the report on DailyKos.
Rainy day here in Greensboro....good time to catch up on some reading!!! Happy day, friends.
Second time through on Grey's. Funny: I don't mind when they're elbow deep in their patients, but I flinch at that first cut. Wonder what's up wit' dat?
A hot and humid day here. Another expected tomorrow.
I had two small victories today:
* I had a 25 min phone call with Bernie's Health Aide, Sophie, and with her assistant Michaela who is in DC but from VT. They explained that Bernie, while supportive of the National Nurse Act, is reluctant to cosponsor yet as he is on the Health Committee and whomever on the Committee is first to cosponsor is expected to lead the effort there; and of course Bernie is a bit busy presently. Nonetheless, Sophie offered to call Sen. Merkley's office (since he is the one who introduced the bill), and ask that they do more to bring on a R Senator on the Health Committee. She will also speak with Bernie's Hearth Director. Bit by bit.
* At the start of the year, we signed on for part of a solar array, with the understanding that the Summer months would bring us credits toward next Winter. But there we were in July with just $28 in credits. So we asked about it, and the solar folks looked into it and couldn't find anything amiss. Were that true we would be forced to opt out of solar. So we took a closer look at the billing and Bill found a discrepancy. He brought it to the attention of the power company and voila! we are being credited almost $200 more and an additional $25 as an apology…! Hurrah! Plus having found the error, and brought it to their attention, we have solved an issue for not only ourselves but others as well! :-)
Congratulations, Listener on your Solar Power..and finding the billing error so you can continue! I am off this afternoon for another blood check...sodium Level was way TOO low a couple of weeks ago according to RA's office. Good primary care doc wants another check. In the mean time I have been restricted to 24 OZ of water daily... Hope they are happy...I feel like a dried and thirsty ...prune... Personally think my BP med needs to be adjusted down!
City of Greensboro is spiffing up for the The National Folk Life Festival which is to be held here in September...and in 2016 and 2017. Part of this apparently has involved some below sidewalk repair, with jack hammer.LOUD...and now sucking or pumping something....right under my bedroom window which is right on the street. Whatever they are doing is well worth it. A coup for GSO...and tons of fun coming up!
Odd, Shirlee-- my *chloride* level is too low. . . . 92, when a range of 97-108 is normal.
Icky day here: hot and damp. I've never used the A/C as much as I have this year. At least not here. Some years, it gets run maybe two days a season, or a week. This has been pretty steady since May. Or maybe my internal thermometer is failing.
Quick hello. The temperature dropped into the 40s last night. I closed the window it was so chilly. Again, a cool breezy day today, feels like fall.
We are having major repairs done on our access road. Four hour closures four days this week; two hour closures five days a week for a month, but it's necessary. We have 700 trips a day coming up our forest access road, and potholes, washboarding, erosion, rock slides have made it dangerous. Now, it will be taken care of the best it has ever been in the 14 years we have been here. So, we have to plan our trips. Today we had to wait 45 minutes to go up at 10 AM. But, for better roads, it's worth it.
Getting older isn't fun, but we'll manage. It's a shock that our bodies are so predominant, but that's just real. I guess I never thought about getting older, but it is a change in perspective and activities. We learn from everything.
Über-delayed, today, then detoured, off I93N in Concord NH, due to a sinkhole!! They had over 2.4" of rain yesterday and an old brick and mortar culvert gave way. So I was an hour and 40 min late for a meeting with my spiritual guide. Sigh. Long way to go to sit in bumper to bumper traffic and holding my foot on the clutch so long made it go numb!! What a mess. They shunted all the northbound traffic off at one exit, with NO detour signs and NO one directing traffic! If you were local you might know what alternate route to take. But being from away meant I had no idear how to get to my destination! My iPhone navigator offered just ONE route and kept wanting me to make a U-Turn and go back to the interstate. I had to call my husband at work and ask him what route would work. Crazy day!!
By the way, on my way home after the meeting, I SAW the sinkhole! HUGE!! It took up a lane and a half of the Interstate! Amazing that no one was injured when it opened up at noon!
One more hot, humid day before cooler weather arrives. I hope I can survive until then! We are beginning to talk about getting a heat pump so that we can have heating and *air conditioning* that come from our solar power source! HOPE HELPS!!
Pat, I admire your patience and courage, and was very grateful to hear of cooler weather anywhere!
"Getting older isn't fun, but we'll manage. It's a shock that our bodies are so predominant, but that's just real. I guess I never thought about getting older, but it is a change in perspective and activities. We learn from everything."
Yes, I appreciate your use of the word "predominant." How curious that, in the second half of life, as we mature spiritually, comes the great challenge of the predominance of the body. As the poet David Whyte wrote:
It is the man throwing away his shoes as if to enter heaven and finding himself astonished, opened at last, fallen in love with solid ground.
Here is the whole of the poem:
THE OPENING OF EYES
That day I saw beneath dark clouds the passing light over the water and I heard the voice of the world speak out, I knew then, as I had before life is no passing memory of what has been nor the remaining pages in a great book waiting to be read.
It is the opening of eyes long closed. It is the vision of far off things seen for the silence they hold. It is the heart after years of secret conversing speaking out loud in the clear air.
It is Moses in the desert fallen to his knees before the lit bush.
It is the man throwing away his shoes as if to enter heaven and finding himself astonished, opened at last, fallen in love with solid ground.
Whew!! 24 hours without power, and a lying no good promise breaking power company. Not much sleep--too quiet, lol! And woke to no phone, too. Got the phone back about 10. Nancy, who can find out anything, reports that a tree fell in an inaccessible crag, and found a power pole and line to take with it.
Went out on the porch with the last of the light, and Beau would not leave my knee. Strange how odd silence is.
Yes, it is a lovely poem, Listener....thank you. Puddle, I love your description of your power company--perfect!!! We are well covered by Duke Energy in this area. The problem is they are TOO big and powerful. They are almost like butchers when they come to an area to trim tree limbs away from their lines. They trim so much that the trees become mishapen. Central and western NC has beautiful tree growth even in towns and cities.
Puddle...odd indeed sodium and chloride are the same aren't they? Maybe there is a different scale for measuring??? Anyway, mine Was back to 130...which is the lowest "acceptable" number. So have upped my water intake to 30 oz. per day. Lovely day to all..Brenda stopping by soon with Friday afternoon/evening dinner. Good time!
Sodium is half of salt, chloride is the other half. About a third of the population is sodium sensitive, so the docs recommend that we ALL cut back on salt. This is one of the reasons I don't much trust the medical profession, lol!
I'd love that depth of silence. I crave it. These days it's hard to catch a nap without somebody within earshot mowing a lawn. I love how quiet it gets in September when the grass slows down.
When I was in grad school, I learned I did not do too well with silence. The library was deadly to my thought process. . . . An elevator cable twanging, the buzz of the copier. . . . I did MUCH better at the cafeteria, where *I* could tune it ALL out. Create my own cone of silence as it were. I thought it was because I'd been raised in a large family, but no--my next brother, raised in that same family, absolutely cannot think unless there's close to a dead silence. Who knows?
The last couple of days here, hazy with smoke from Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho, and Montana fires. Washington and Oregon have been known as the wet states. It's tragic that they are burning up. If there are any climate change deniers out there, they must be living underground.
With my sinusitis I'm drinking Breathe Easy Tea from Traditional Medicinals, using a saline spray, also a peppermint herbal lotion. So far, it's working.
Hot and dry days here with wind, which doesn't help the air.
About silence: I'm someone who needs total silence, even a fan pumping will stop my concentration. Am I distractible? Very. As we get older, I think I discover more of who I am and find my patience for others greater. If I am as full of faults as I know myself to be, I can't judge others. I do think we understand more as we live longer.
I'm hoping Joe Biden won't run, though I like him very much. I think we need Bernie, a whole new way of valuing what government does. If government isn't for people, what is it for?
Thank you, Jo. I've been heating up the water in the coffee pot for tea and leaning over it as it steams. I'll add thyme. I'm already feeling better despite the haze than I've felt in months.
Thoughts your way, Jo. I know it will go well. You have great strength and clear thinking. Love to you.
Wow, you have a village. I counted 71 people in the first photograph. How interesting.
My great grandmother had sixteen children, 12 survived. My grandmother on my mother's side had 8. I had nearly 30 cousins. I liked growing up with a large extended family, wish we could have more extended families today.
Today I subbed at the Library. I opened, and that means dealing with all the books that were returned while the Library was closed for two days. And tomorrow is the first day of school here, so everyone was returning their Summer books. And there must have been a sign on the door that read "Please come in and ask us stupid questions, request our help with your personal electronic devices, and ask us to look up books for you instead of using the online catalogue." Whoowee, am I ever tired!
Good on you, as they say, for subbing. I subbed for about four years after I retired, was often in the library, sometimes in the elementary school, and one six week session subbed for a special ed teacher. I enjoyed it immensely, as much as I enjoyed being able to come home and not worry about the next day.
Hot, dry, hazy here. I've read that we are breathing the same air that Genghis Khan breathed 800 years ago. The weather report said the air will likely be hazy until October, but my sinus condition is under control. I can sleep,and I take lots of palliatives: peppermint oil on my nose, herbal tea, steam, vitamin C, and on and on. I think consciousness of how we're feeling helps us to work with whatever conditions we have.
Just finished reading a book my sister sent me, The Girl on the Train. It was a page turner, much like Gone Girl, but oooohhh, the characters, not one of them likable. And, alcoholism, violence, narcissism. I asked my daughter-in-law if she was interested and I would send it to her. She said yes. I told her I hated it, but it was a powerful book.
Well, take good care of yourselves, as always, I'm glad to be here.
That IS a crowd, Puddle! Love it, thanks. Glad your sinuses are better, Pat. I am a big fan of essential oils...especially calming ones...use lots of lavender and one called Stress Away from Young Living which daughter Marla gave me. Brenda mixes them with an oil and puts them in easy roll on glass vials for me.
You are a champ, Listener...considering the problems you had with the library system/staff.
Getting some walking in now that temps are down to low 80's.. Picked up Jimmy Carter's autobiography the other day at the bookstore. Love that man.
Where is our Puddle? Still problems with the low down..etc power company? I loved that whole descriptive phrase she used last week!
HI everyone! thank you for your continued support and well wishes. It looks like things may work out well.
I'm making an offer on a mobile home in Swanton Vt tomorrow - it's about 45 minutes from where I live now but is only 10 minutes from my son Luke's house - at the moment I live about 2 minutes from my other son Derek! This will be very affordable, I will pay cash and just have lot rent, taxes, insurance and utilities - very doable on my SS income once I start collecting in March. I will also have a good chunk of cash in the bank! It's in a small park, it's well kept, has a large lot with lots of beautiful trees - it looks like a park, is fenced in with split rail and other wood fencing, it's very pretty! I think I will very comfortable there! The owners are anxious to move and we could close on it before I have to be out of here on 9/21 so no having to store things in between. no stairs for me to deal with to do the laundry is going to be HUGE for me, LOL!
YEA!!! I'm so happy for you, Jo. Yes, I think as we get older, fewer complications, fewer obstacles, less stuff, more nature is appealing and needed. It sounds very very nice, Jo, and how wonderful to only have to deal with lot rent, taxes, insurance, and utilities. Simpler is better. We've done the complicated stuff.
I am happy about everything you wrote, Jo!! My only sadness is that you'll be so much further from me. But knowing you will be near Luke makes such a difference! The timing of all of this is an answer to prayers, especially given how long you've been holding your breath. I love the thought of you with so very much less stress, and yes, more nature. Beautiful! ♥
I'm beginning to wonder at the wisdom of planning a 60th birthday party. It's just us, the kids and the grands. Yet it's like herding cats! Daughter initiated it and requested the date (4 days before my Thursday birthday). Eldest will be in Colorado, but arranged to catch an early flight so he can get back in time to meet us for a 1pm lunch. This has been planned for a month, and tonight we hear that Grandson naps 1-3pm. We had also been planning to all go on a Lake Champlain cruise, but that might not work for Grandson (age 2) and his Mom (8 months pregnant). So we are looking at alternatives. It's a good thing Bill and I plan to take off on my actual birthday and have a ramble. Of course, he asked me what I want to do and what I want for my birthday. I suppose it wouldn't really help to say, "I'd like people to want to be present and for someone else besides me to plan the party and make my day special." Idears?
listener what if you had the ramble with your honey for your birthday and plan to celebrate with the family sometime in the next few weeks, before pregnant Mom is too uncomfortable to move of course. give them a short list of things that you might like to do and tell them that you want to be surprised, let them choose and plan it and keep you (but not Bill) out of the loop.
maybe a picnic lunch in Oakledge Park, a tour at Lake Chaplain Chocolates, a trip to the maritime Museum, maybe a barbecue at son's new house in Burlington - let them all share in the food, drink and work so that the expecting couple can show off their house without doing all of the work.... whatever you would really love to do. it's okay to tell them that you want them to plan it!
and have a happy birthday! I know how it is to plan, for my 60th my sons planned to take me to Peking Duck for dinner, one of my very favorite restaurants. the day before the event one son's entire family got the stomach flu so we postponed it, to be rearranged in a few weeks when they all had free time to be together. well a few weeks later Peking Duck closed forever and it never happened!! life goes on, I've learned to enjoy the blips on the radar and just know that it's the thought that counts as much as the doing. <3
my inspection and radon testing were all good so we are on for the closing on my house on Monday. today I am making an offer on the mobile home, the questions that I had posed to them before making the offer had all good answers! I think this is a great deal I can see my stuff in there, it is already feeling like home! fingers and toes crossed!
JO, So, so happy to know you have a grand solution for your housing! I am SO glad I moved here five years ago...and plan to stay... Take care packing and moving...busy time..but get enough rest, etc.!
Hurrah for Mama Rescuers. I couldn't live here without Brenda. I have some other helpers...but Brenda is not more than 10 minutes from her office or home. She has had to pick me up off the floor three times since I have lived here. Always have my cell phone nearby.
Just signed the lease for my 6th year here coming up.. and pleased that rent stays the same. Market Value they say....apparently more apartments downtown are now available. Still thinking about Jo's solution with pleasure. :):):). Love to all...stay well, happy etc!
Your idears are lovely, Jo. The date was requested by Daughter, who travels a lot, and there's really nothing wrong with the date we have. It's more how to manage the 14 of us and the timing of the day in general. At this point we really have to wait upon the weather forecast. But, weather allowing, we're thinking of going to the Shelburne Museum in the morning with anyone interested, meeting for lunch at the Olive Garden around 1pm (that's the difficulty), then on to the Spirit of Ethan Allen cruise with anyone interested. At the moment, we may do the eating together part last, around 5pm, then folks can head home with full tummies. It's just that I know one member has some sweet news to share with the whole family, and it would be a shame if that had to wait until 5pm. Sharing it earlier would give folks time to converse about it throughout the day together. Ah well.
Jo, I may be in Burlington on the 3rd or 8th, playing with Grandson while his Mama makes meals to freeze ahead of the baby's birth. Would one of those dates work for our ramble and me helping with packing / recycling? I think I'm needed from about 10am 'til his nap time around 1pm. But I could pick you up around 1pm and we could have a late lunch, then go back to get some work accomplished. See what you think.
Fingers, Toes, Heart and Prayers all crossed for your offer to be accepted!! ♡
Hi, it's me, listener. Youngest fixed my email account, but now, for some reason, my Google account is messed up. I sent him a note and I'm hoping he can fix it Monday evening. Heh. Otherwise I won't be able to update the HEP blog! So silly!!
PLEASE NOTE: My email address has had a shift, so could end up in your spam folder. This is because, while you can still write to me at my old address and I'll receive it just fine, my responses come from a different address your server may not recognise. Just so you know, june at julianswindow dot com is really me. :-)
Dead deer is out of my drinking water. Son very frustrated at dog who kept trying to drink dead deer water when son thought he should know better. Having watched dog chowing down on rotted snake, I might have told him if he'd asked.
Dead Deer Water. Hmmm, sounds like a Spring Water commercial one might find on The Onion. ;-)
I don't know how this will read if you're not familiar with Boston or baseball. But I guess one idear to help might be to listen to James Taylor's tune Angels of Fenway: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3K1qZi6Z0e4
A Tampa Rays fan, a Boston Red Sox fan and a New York Yankees fan are climbing up a mountain and arguing about who loves their team the most. The Rays fan insists that he is the most loyal and yells, "This is for Tampa!!" and jumps off the mountain. Not to be outdone, the Red Sox fan shouts, "This is for Boston!" and pushes the Yankees fan off the mountain.
I am not a fan of baseball or violence, but having been born in Boston, that joke made me laugh. I recognise that fervor. Time to watch Fever Pitch again? LOL!
Tonight we went to the Champlain Valley Fair to be with Grand*Ivy and see open her birthday gifts (her choice). We bought her some books, we bought her an outfit, and I made an album of the best of the photos she herself has taken over the Summer. After all the gifting was done and we were getting ready to have some food and ice cream, she jumped up, ran over to me and gave me a hug and said, "Thank you so much for my Photos book!" :-) It melts my heart that he favourite was the handmade gift! ♡
Tomorrow someone is coming here for spiritual guidance, so I need to clean house before I sleep.
Thursday I am taking care of Grandson, then it looks like I'll be helping Jo with books she needs to donate and helping her have a brief respite from packing. I sure am looking forward to that!
76 comments:
Hi friends,
Jo, so happy for you. I knew you would be able to do what you needed to do. You have great strength and great intelligence and adaptability. Now, finding a place that works, that pleases, that can be home. Our thoughts and prayers with you.
Shirlee, what a wonderful idea. Thank you. I have been looking at my book collection, amazed that I have accumulated so many, knowing I'll never live long enough to read and reread all that I have, and there are wonderful books. I will look into book stores as well as to where to leave my collection. I offered my poetry books to the Estes Park Library, but they don't really want them. I think of about 40 books, they've only catalogued a few. They just sell them at book sales.
I also have some antique books, and I noticed a store that sells antique books in Loveland. I'll look into it. I'm not interested in remuneration, rather passing on books that someone might want, need, treasure.
We just watched a film called Smoke Signals, based on Sherman Alexie's book, The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven. It was outstanding, absolutely unique, and so poignant, I feel full of tears I cannot dispell. I sent the book to an old friend who was the doctor on Ta'u Island when we were there. He sent the DVD, and we picked it up at the post office today.
Take care, friends.
Thank you, Puddle for the new thread! Always good to have a fresh piece of paper
before us. Bernie is certainly drawing crowds and support...hope it continues..
Pat, you are welcome. You may want to find an independent book store to deal
with. Not sure the chains have anybody who would do that. I also have some
rare books and have decided to give some of them to people I know who would
treasure them..if I can. I had an 18th century 4 volume illustrated and boxed set
of New England gravestones--my masters thesis in art history was images on the stones
Starting in Michigan where I lived and tracking their sources..most of which led to
New York State and on to New England. I gave this to a very good friend of Brenda's
who spends part of every year in opera production....and loves history, was familiar
with gravestones there. He was delighted!!, I have at least one or two more for him.
Search carefully for antiquarian book dealers.... I need to see if those I bought from
are still in business....will report back! Good luck. Happy Sunday to all!!!!!
You all let me know if I come off as a know- it-all OK? I read my posts and wonder, hmmm?
Comes from raising five young 'uns and?????!
Hi Shirlee,
Thank you for the information. It sounds fascinating, your tracking sources for images on stones. And, yes, it's a wonderful gift for both the giver and receiver to give a wanted book. You come off as Shirlee, friend, librarian, sharing your stories and ideas. We appreciate you, Shirlee, are delighted to learn of your experiences.
Rain here shortly, so will turn off the computer.
Ms Shirlee, HUGE difference between know-it-all and *knowledgeable*!!!
Made me think of an old friend who last I heard owned a bookstore in Georgetown (DC). Gonna get his number, and give it to my kid. Jeepers, I still have books I loved in college. . . .
Once, a long long time ago I got to stand about 24" from Dustin Hoffman, and listen to him converse with my best friend, Carlo, for about an hour, about Lenny Bruce, whom Carlo had studied religiously, and Hoffman had played.
There was a new bookstore opening night, and I and a lot of other friends were there to help her celebrate. All the President's Men was in town filming, and my office-mates were drooling over the possibility of meeting Redford on the street. I said, Na, I'd vote for Hoffman. So standing there, looked up, and there was this kid coming towards me, looking just like Dustin Hoffman, and as he passes, brushing my shoulder, I'm thinking: IT IS DUSTIN HOFFMAN!!!!! And it was. And Carlo collared him about ten minutes later. He seemed to enjoy the collar. They both loved Bruce.
I met Carlo when he was 20, a new father, and newly divorced. This is what he looks like now: http://i.ytimg.com/vi/oI353KrykJw/sddefault.jpg He's a very very fine poet.
This is his (and his partner's) bookstore: http://www.alphavillebooks.com/
{{{ {{ { ♥ JO! ♥ } }} }}}
I feel such powerful mixed emotions at your news. It sounds like you got your asking price, which is wonderful! Yet I know it will be hard for you to live further away from your Grands.
Would you like some help on Thursday? I could arrive around 12:30 or 1:00, with lunch, and stay something like 4 hours.
We were in NH all day for a family gathering, to meet our 3wk old Grand*Nephew. So I am late to our party here.
I came home to computer error messages saying I need to rebuild my database! Trying now...second time this hour . Heh.
Turns out it's "just" my email program that's messed up. My son will attempt to fix it tonight via GoToMeeting. I have some prep to do for that, this afternoon, getting photos into my external drive, to make more room…once I remember how! Ha!
Well, we were able to save my email, and I currently have 0 messages in my Inbox instead of over 9000! However, Youngest forgot to reconnect my account to the Nets, so I can't send or receive there yet. But I can still see new email on my iPhone. :-)
One thing at a time, I guess. Doing backups now, then *I* crash! LOL!
AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH so sorry, it's been ages since I've been on. just too much going on.
Love that picture. I have that shirt. my FB icon is a picture of me wearing the shirt, but I cropped it so it is just what this picture is!
Congratulations on selling the house, Jo! Happy for you, know just what you mean about packing up. We've been working on it all year and it doesn't look like we've done a thing!
At work AGAIN! and when I get home, I'm working on the treasurer stuff. I finally told them I couldn't do it any more. Too many things keep getting in the way and the stress of me committing to something and not being able to carry it out is really eating at me. Just can't do it. So a few more evenings to get it all ready to hand over and I'm done. that is a relief!
Love to you all, I'll catch up as soon as I can.
Thanks for your calming posts ladies! Your friend's book store seems
fascinating, Puddle. I think there are hidden gems of local book stores
around. And...there are some of us who can't/don't want to support the
biggies of anything.. Amazon is amazingly handy....and Brenda orders
a couple of items for me that are hard to find here....but I am beginning
To wonder about the reports of sweat shop conditions that are coming out--
workers stressed out and weeping at their desks...probably found the
report on DailyKos.
Rainy day here in Greensboro....good time to catch up on some reading!!!
Happy day, friends.
Kinda cool soggy/rainy today. Nice.
Second time through on Grey's. Funny: I don't mind when they're elbow deep in their patients, but I flinch at that first cut. Wonder what's up wit' dat?
A hot and humid day here. Another expected tomorrow.
I had two small victories today:
* I had a 25 min phone call with Bernie's Health Aide, Sophie, and with her assistant Michaela who is in DC but from VT. They explained that Bernie, while supportive of the National Nurse Act, is reluctant to cosponsor yet as he is on the Health Committee and whomever on the Committee is first to cosponsor is expected to lead the effort there; and of course Bernie is a bit busy presently. Nonetheless, Sophie offered to call Sen. Merkley's office (since he is the one who introduced the bill), and ask that they do more to bring on a R Senator on the Health Committee. She will also speak with Bernie's Hearth Director. Bit by bit.
* At the start of the year, we signed on for part of a solar array, with the understanding that the Summer months would bring us credits toward next Winter. But there we were in July with just $28 in credits. So we asked about it, and the solar folks looked into it and couldn't find anything amiss. Were that true we would be forced to opt out of solar. So we took a closer look at the billing and Bill found a discrepancy. He brought it to the attention of the power company and voila! we are being credited almost $200 more and an additional $25 as an apology…! Hurrah! Plus having found the error, and brought it to their attention, we have solved an issue for not only ourselves but others as well! :-)
Congratulations, Listener on your Solar Power..and finding the billing error
so you can continue! I am off this afternoon for another blood check...sodium
Level was way TOO low a couple of weeks ago according to RA's office.
Good primary care doc wants another check. In the mean time I have been
restricted to 24 OZ of water daily... Hope they are happy...I feel like a dried
and thirsty ...prune... Personally think my BP med needs to be adjusted down!
City of Greensboro is spiffing up for the The National Folk Life Festival which is
to be held here in September...and in 2016 and 2017. Part of this apparently
has involved some below sidewalk repair, with jack hammer.LOUD...and now
sucking or pumping something....right under my bedroom window which is right
on the street. Whatever they are doing is well worth it. A coup for GSO...and tons
of fun coming up!
Odd, Shirlee-- my *chloride* level is too low. . . . 92, when a range of 97-108 is normal.
Icky day here: hot and damp. I've never used the A/C as much as I have this year. At least not here. Some years, it gets run maybe two days a season, or a week. This has been pretty steady since May. Or maybe my internal thermometer is failing.
Quick hello. The temperature dropped into the 40s last night. I closed the window it was so chilly. Again, a cool breezy day today, feels like fall.
We are having major repairs done on our access road. Four hour closures four days this week; two hour closures five days a week for a month, but it's necessary. We have 700 trips a day coming up our forest access road, and potholes, washboarding, erosion, rock slides have made it dangerous. Now, it will be taken care of the best it has ever been in the 14 years we have been here. So, we have to plan our trips. Today we had to wait 45 minutes to go up at 10 AM. But, for better roads, it's worth it.
Getting older isn't fun, but we'll manage. It's a shock that our bodies are so predominant, but that's just real. I guess I never thought about getting older, but it is a change in perspective and activities. We learn from everything.
Be well, thoughts go your way Shirlee and Puddle.
Über-delayed, today, then detoured, off I93N in Concord NH, due to a sinkhole!! They had over 2.4" of rain yesterday and an old brick and mortar culvert gave way. So I was an hour and 40 min late for a meeting with my spiritual guide. Sigh. Long way to go to sit in bumper to bumper traffic and holding my foot on the clutch so long made it go numb!! What a mess. They shunted all the northbound traffic off at one exit, with NO detour signs and NO one directing traffic! If you were local you might know what alternate route to take. But being from away meant I had no idear how to get to my destination! My iPhone navigator offered just ONE route and kept wanting me to make a U-Turn and go back to the interstate. I had to call my husband at work and ask him what route would work. Crazy day!!
By the way, on my way home after the meeting, I SAW the sinkhole! HUGE!! It took up a lane and a half of the Interstate! Amazing that no one was injured when it opened up at noon!
One more hot, humid day before cooler weather arrives. I hope I can survive until then! We are beginning to talk about getting a heat pump so that we can have heating and *air conditioning* that come from our solar power source! HOPE HELPS!!
Pat, I admire your patience and courage, and was very grateful to hear of cooler weather anywhere!
"Getting older isn't fun, but we'll manage. It's a shock that our bodies are so predominant, but that's just real. I guess I never thought about getting older, but it is a change in perspective and activities. We learn from everything."
Yes, I appreciate your use of the word "predominant." How curious that, in the second half of life, as we mature spiritually, comes the great challenge of the predominance of the body. As the poet David Whyte wrote:
It is the man throwing away his shoes
as if to enter heaven
and finding himself astonished,
opened at last,
fallen in love with solid ground.
Here is the whole of the poem:
THE OPENING OF EYES
That day I saw beneath dark clouds
the passing light over the water
and I heard the voice of the world speak out,
I knew then, as I had before
life is no passing memory of what has been
nor the remaining pages in a great book
waiting to be read.
It is the opening of eyes long closed.
It is the vision of far off things
seen for the silence they hold.
It is the heart after years
of secret conversing
speaking out loud in the clear air.
It is Moses in the desert
fallen to his knees before the lit bush.
It is the man throwing away his shoes
as if to enter heaven
and finding himself astonished,
opened at last,
fallen in love with solid ground.
~ David Whyte
Copyright © 1989
Sorry, there should be no space after the lit bush line.
Thank you, Listener. A beautiful and insightful poem. It has caught it, like the lotus that shimmers in light.
These days I'm listening to David Whyte's CD "Solace" and reading his book "Consolations." Here's a line from the chapter "Hiding":
"What is precious inside us does not care to be known by the mind in ways that diminish its presence."
Whew!! 24 hours without power, and a lying no good promise breaking power company. Not much sleep--too quiet, lol! And woke to no phone, too. Got the phone back about 10. Nancy, who can find out anything, reports that a tree fell in an inaccessible crag, and found a power pole and line to take with it.
Went out on the porch with the last of the light, and Beau would not leave my knee. Strange how odd silence is.
Surprised to wake and come down to 63º!
Lovely lovely poem, listener! Thank you.
Yes, it is a lovely poem, Listener....thank you. Puddle, I love your description
of your power company--perfect!!! We are well covered by Duke Energy in
this area. The problem is they are TOO big and powerful. They are almost like
butchers when they come to an area to trim tree limbs away from their lines.
They trim so much that the trees become mishapen. Central and western NC
has beautiful tree growth even in towns and cities.
Puddle...odd indeed sodium and chloride are the same aren't they?
Maybe there is a different scale for measuring??? Anyway, mine
Was back to 130...which is the lowest "acceptable" number. So have
upped my water intake to 30 oz. per day. Lovely day to all..Brenda
stopping by soon with Friday afternoon/evening dinner. Good time!
Sodium is half of salt, chloride is the other half. About a third of the population is sodium sensitive, so the docs recommend that we ALL cut back on salt. This is one of the reasons I don't much trust the medical profession, lol!
Welcome back, puddle!
I'd love that depth of silence. I crave it.
These days it's hard to catch a nap without somebody within earshot mowing a lawn.
I love how quiet it gets in September when the grass slows down.
When I was in grad school, I learned I did not do too well with silence. The library was deadly to my thought process. . . . An elevator cable twanging, the buzz of the copier. . . . I did MUCH better at the cafeteria, where *I* could tune it ALL out. Create my own cone of silence as it were. I thought it was because I'd been raised in a large family, but no--my next brother, raised in that same family, absolutely cannot think unless there's close to a dead silence. Who knows?
Hi Friends,
The last couple of days here, hazy with smoke from Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho, and Montana fires. Washington and Oregon have been known as the wet states. It's tragic that they are burning up. If there are any climate change deniers out there, they must be living underground.
With my sinusitis I'm drinking Breathe Easy Tea from Traditional Medicinals, using a saline spray, also a peppermint herbal lotion. So far, it's working.
Hot and dry days here with wind, which doesn't help the air.
About silence: I'm someone who needs total silence, even a fan pumping will stop my concentration. Am I distractible? Very. As we get older, I think I discover more of who I am and find my patience for others greater. If I am as full of faults as I know myself to be, I can't judge others. I do think we understand more as we live longer.
I'm hoping Joe Biden won't run, though I like him very much. I think we need Bernie, a whole new way of valuing what government does. If government isn't for people, what is it for?
Take good care of yourselves.
Pat our local tv personality plant person reminded me this week that steaming your head with thyme will clear and heal the sinus passages.
it's pretty much crazy as I move into my last days here. will catch up soon. <3
Thank you, Jo. I've been heating up the water in the coffee pot for tea and leaning over it as it steams. I'll add thyme. I'm already feeling better despite the haze than I've felt in months.
Thoughts your way, Jo. I know it will go well. You have great strength and clear thinking. Love to you.
Couple of blessedly cool days/nights.
Jo, my heart is with you. I'm with Pat: I know you have great strength and clear thinking, but my, how hard the next bit is going to be. ♥
I read the latest posts and thought, Oh what lovely, dear souls here, every one. ♥
{{{ Wellnesses upon each and all, and Tendernesses, and Strength for the journey. }}}
Whew!!! My sister just posted family reunion pics. This is my mother and father's children, their grandchildren, and their great grandchildren. . . . https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-OZ_jYL9iuRQ/VdqiAQkCxSI/AAAAAAAAhgg/R1OvYeXKb9g/s640/blogger-image-1594061874.jpg
Missing is my one brother who died in his twenties, me, my kids and grandkids.
Secret Service, computer programmer, social worker, social worker, psychologist/antique dealer, airport security, sheriff.
Actually, reviewing the big picture, lots of grands and great grands are missing. . . .
Hi Puddle,
Wow, you have a village. I counted 71 people in the first photograph. How interesting.
My great grandmother had sixteen children, 12 survived. My grandmother on my mother's side had 8. I had nearly 30 cousins. I liked growing up with a large extended family, wish we could have more extended families today.
I enjoyed the photographs.
Today I subbed at the Library. I opened, and that means dealing with all the books that were returned while the Library was closed for two days. And tomorrow is the first day of school here, so everyone was returning their Summer books. And there must have been a sign on the door that read "Please come in and ask us stupid questions, request our help with your personal electronic devices, and ask us to look up books for you instead of using the online catalogue." Whoowee, am I ever tired!
Hi Listener,
Good on you, as they say, for subbing. I subbed for about four years after I retired, was often in the library, sometimes in the elementary school, and one six week session subbed for a special ed teacher. I enjoyed it immensely, as much as I enjoyed being able to come home and not worry about the next day.
Hot, dry, hazy here. I've read that we are breathing the same air that Genghis Khan breathed 800 years ago. The weather report said the air will likely be hazy until October, but my sinus condition is under control. I can sleep,and I take lots of palliatives: peppermint oil on my nose, herbal tea, steam, vitamin C, and on and on. I think consciousness of how we're feeling helps us to work with whatever conditions we have.
Just finished reading a book my sister sent me, The Girl on the Train. It was a page turner, much like Gone Girl, but oooohhh, the characters, not one of them likable. And, alcoholism, violence, narcissism. I asked my daughter-in-law if she was interested and I would send it to her. She said yes. I told her I hated it, but it was a powerful book.
Well, take good care of yourselves, as always, I'm glad to be here.
I finally found five minutes to rub together to see your photos, puddle.
All those smiles!!! ♥
That IS a crowd, Puddle! Love it, thanks. Glad your sinuses are better, Pat.
I am a big fan of essential oils...especially calming ones...use lots of lavender
and one called Stress Away from Young Living which daughter Marla gave me.
Brenda mixes them with an oil and puts them in easy roll on glass vials for me.
You are a champ, Listener...considering the problems you had with the library
system/staff.
Getting some walking in now that temps are down to low 80's.. Picked up
Jimmy Carter's autobiography the other day at the bookstore. Love that man.
Where is our Puddle? Still problems with the low down..etc power company?
I loved that whole descriptive phrase she used last week!
Take care all....stay well, happy, etc....
Where oh where does the time go. I get to pause here only for a few minutes each day. Know I love you all and think of you often
HI everyone! thank you for your continued support and well wishes. It looks like things may work out well.
I'm making an offer on a mobile home in Swanton Vt tomorrow - it's about 45 minutes from where I live now but is only 10 minutes from my son Luke's house - at the moment I live about 2 minutes from my other son Derek! This will be very affordable, I will pay cash and just have lot rent, taxes, insurance and utilities - very doable on my SS income once I start collecting in March. I will also have a good chunk of cash in the bank! It's in a small park, it's well kept, has a large lot with lots of beautiful trees - it looks like a park, is fenced in with split rail and other wood fencing, it's very pretty! I think I will very comfortable there! The owners are anxious to move and we could close on it before I have to be out of here on 9/21 so no having to store things in between. no stairs for me to deal with to do the laundry is going to be HUGE for me, LOL!
YEA!!! I'm so happy for you, Jo. Yes, I think as we get older, fewer complications, fewer obstacles, less stuff, more nature is appealing and needed. It sounds very very nice, Jo, and how wonderful to only have to deal with lot rent, taxes, insurance, and utilities. Simpler is better. We've done the complicated stuff.
Congratulations, Jo, and love and a hug for you.
I am happy about everything you wrote, Jo!! My only sadness is that you'll be so much further from me. But knowing you will be near Luke makes such a difference! The timing of all of this is an answer to prayers, especially given how long you've been holding your breath. I love the thought of you with so very much less stress, and yes, more nature. Beautiful! ♥
I'm beginning to wonder at the wisdom of planning a 60th birthday party. It's just us, the kids and the grands. Yet it's like herding cats! Daughter initiated it and requested the date (4 days before my Thursday birthday). Eldest will be in Colorado, but arranged to catch an early flight so he can get back in time to meet us for a 1pm lunch. This has been planned for a month, and tonight we hear that Grandson naps 1-3pm. We had also been planning to all go on a Lake Champlain cruise, but that might not work for Grandson (age 2) and his Mom (8 months pregnant). So we are looking at alternatives. It's a good thing Bill and I plan to take off on my actual birthday and have a ramble. Of course, he asked me what I want to do and what I want for my birthday. I suppose it wouldn't really help to say, "I'd like people to want to be present and for someone else besides me to plan the party and make my day special." Idears?
listener what if you had the ramble with your honey for your birthday and plan to celebrate with the family sometime in the next few weeks, before pregnant Mom is too uncomfortable to move of course. give them a short list of things that you might like to do and tell them that you want to be surprised, let them choose and plan it and keep you (but not Bill) out of the loop.
maybe a picnic lunch in Oakledge Park, a tour at Lake Chaplain Chocolates, a trip to the maritime Museum, maybe a barbecue at son's new house in Burlington - let them all share in the food, drink and work so that the expecting couple can show off their house without doing all of the work.... whatever you would really love to do. it's okay to tell them that you want them to plan it!
and have a happy birthday! I know how it is to plan, for my 60th my sons planned to take me to Peking Duck for dinner, one of my very favorite restaurants. the day before the event one son's entire family got the stomach flu so we postponed it, to be rearranged in a few weeks when they all had free time to be together. well a few weeks later Peking Duck closed forever and it never happened!! life goes on, I've learned to enjoy the blips on the radar and just know that it's the thought that counts as much as the doing. <3
... I've learned to enjoy the blips on the radar SHOULD BE I've learned to accept the blips on the radar!!
my inspection and radon testing were all good so we are on for the closing on my house on Monday. today I am making an offer on the mobile home, the questions that I had posed to them before making the offer had all good answers! I think this is a great deal I can see my stuff in there, it is already feeling like home! fingers and toes crossed!
JO, So, so happy to know you have a grand solution for your housing!
I am SO glad I moved here five years ago...and plan to stay...
Take care packing and moving...busy time..but get enough rest, etc.!
Take care, stay well all!
Jo! Glad to hear of your solution! Mobile homes are really underrated! My Ex and I had a double wide that was just fantastic. XOXOXOX
Jo, joy for you that this is coming together in a useful, good way. I especially like the no stairs part! And close to the other kid.
My kiddle's arriving tomorrow for a weekend of mama rescue.
Hurrah for Mama Rescuers. I couldn't live here without
Brenda. I have some other helpers...but Brenda is not
more than 10 minutes from her office or home. She has
had to pick me up off the floor three times since I have
lived here. Always have my cell phone nearby.
Just signed the lease for my 6th year here coming up..
and pleased that rent stays the same. Market Value
they say....apparently more apartments downtown are
now available. Still thinking about Jo's solution with
pleasure. :):):). Love to all...stay well, happy etc!
Your idears are lovely, Jo. The date was requested by Daughter, who travels a lot, and there's really nothing wrong with the date we have. It's more how to manage the 14 of us and the timing of the day in general. At this point we really have to wait upon the weather forecast. But, weather allowing, we're thinking of going to the Shelburne Museum in the morning with anyone interested, meeting for lunch at the Olive Garden around 1pm (that's the difficulty), then on to the Spirit of Ethan Allen cruise with anyone interested. At the moment, we may do the eating together part last, around 5pm, then folks can head home with full tummies. It's just that I know one member has some sweet news to share with the whole family, and it would be a shame if that had to wait until 5pm. Sharing it earlier would give folks time to converse about it throughout the day together. Ah well.
Hurrah for Kiddle and Brenda!! ♥ Good Kids!
Jo, I may be in Burlington on the 3rd or 8th, playing with Grandson while his Mama makes meals to freeze ahead of the baby's birth. Would one of those dates work for our ramble and me helping with packing / recycling? I think I'm needed from about 10am 'til his nap time around 1pm. But I could pick you up around 1pm and we could have a late lunch, then go back to get some work accomplished. See what you think.
Fingers, Toes, Heart and Prayers all crossed for your offer to be accepted!! ♡
Our fourth offspring wants to give me a particular birthday present.
I'm trying to decide between Roku and AppleTV.
Do you have any feedback to share?
Note: I'm not sure having an iPhone is a factor as I just have a 4S.
Tarzanette is building a fire.
And roasting hot dogs.
Soon to be hunting for dead deer carcass upriver (in my drinking water).
Tarzanette has many talents... most importantly going after the polluter of your
drinking water supply! Good Luck to T! Safe water for our Puddle
Happy Sunday to all!
It's sometimes sobering to note that I've been drinking raccoons' graywater for going on twenty years with no ill affects.
Hi, it's me, listener. Youngest fixed my email account, but now, for some reason, my Google account is messed up. I sent him a note and I'm hoping he can fix it Monday evening. Heh. Otherwise I won't be able to update the HEP blog! So silly!!
~ listener
Testing to see if I fixed the problem. (I had to sign out then sign back in again.)
YAYYYYYYY!!!
PLEASE NOTE: My email address has had a shift, so could end up in your spam folder. This is because, while you can still write to me at my old address and I'll receive it just fine, my responses come from a different address your server may not recognise. Just so you know, june at julianswindow dot com is really me. :-)
Dead deer is out of my drinking water. Son very frustrated at dog who kept trying to drink dead deer water when son thought he should know better. Having watched dog chowing down on rotted snake, I might have told him if he'd asked.
Puddle, you DO lead an interesting life! Love your descriptions :)
Dead Deer Water. Hmmm, sounds like a Spring Water commercial one might find on The Onion. ;-)
I don't know how this will read if you're not familiar with Boston or baseball. But I guess one idear to help might be to listen to James Taylor's tune Angels of Fenway: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3K1qZi6Z0e4
A Tampa Rays fan, a Boston Red Sox fan and a New York Yankees fan are climbing up a mountain and arguing about who loves their team the most. The Rays fan insists that he is the most loyal and yells, "This is for Tampa!!" and jumps off the mountain. Not to be outdone, the Red Sox fan shouts, "This is for Boston!" and pushes the Yankees fan off the mountain.
I am not a fan of baseball or violence, but having been born in Boston, that joke made me laugh. I recognise that fervor. Time to watch Fever Pitch again? LOL!
Got an email from da boy this a.m.
How is Dog doing?
Is Dog dying from drinking dead deer water?
LOL, puddle!!! And how IS Dog doing??
Tonight we went to the Champlain Valley Fair to be with Grand*Ivy and see open her birthday gifts (her choice). We bought her some books, we bought her an outfit, and I made an album of the best of the photos she herself has taken over the Summer. After all the gifting was done and we were getting ready to have some food and ice cream, she jumped up, ran over to me and gave me a hug and said, "Thank you so much for my Photos book!" :-) It melts my heart that he favourite was the handmade gift! ♡
Tomorrow someone is coming here for spiritual guidance, so I need to clean house before I sleep.
Thursday I am taking care of Grandson, then it looks like I'll be helping Jo with books she needs to donate and helping her have a brief respite from packing. I sure am looking forward to that!
* he = her
New thread!!
I'm looking forward to seeing you listener!! thanks for the new thread puddle - see you there!
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