Welcome to Nicholsonville

First (and last?) snow of the winter

2012-02-19T19:34:00.000-05:00

Weird weather. It was sunny and 70 on Saturday and by Sunday night we were getting snow. It had melted off by Monday morning and on Wednesday it was back to 70. Crazy. Got a picture of the little black dog checking out her first snow. I don't think she was impressed. She smelled of it and tasted it and then her feet got cold.

For Mom

2012-01-30T11:01:00.002-05:00

My cousin, Keiko, took some of Mom's ashes back to Japan and had her interred in the family site with her mother and sister. They had a memorial service for mom's sister, Fumiko, who died 13 years ago. Apparently it is Buddhist tradition to mark the 13th anniversay. I'm glad Keiko was able to do this for mom. It is somehow comforting. It is certainly more meaningful since mom didn't have a real connection to NC. It's been 6 months now. I think of mom a lot. I certainly miss her, but I miss who she was, not who she had become the last 5 or 6 years of her life. Dad really misses her. He misses her so much that it actually hurts. But, he stays very busy which is good for him. And we all keep chugging along. You have to live until you die, might as well make good use of the time.

Mike, Guitar God

2012-01-01T15:15:00.003-05:00

Mikey, with the Village Pistols, Fridays Reunion show at the Somewhere Else Tavern, December 30. Yes, it's a wig.

Friday's Reunion

2012-01-01T14:59:00.004-05:00

Back in the day, about 30 years ago, there was this rock club called Fridays, in Greensboro, right near the UNCG campus. A lot of interesting bands came through, touring up and down the east coast and doing the college circuit. Before I met Mike and made an honest man of him, he played in several bands and hung out at Fridays. He was part of the "scene" at that time...because he was a musician and also because he worked at a record store down the block. Last Friday night, Dec 30, there was a Fridays reunion. Since Fridays no longer exists, the show was held at "Somewhere Else Tavern." Mike current band, Stratocruiser, played a set, then there was a short set by the Village Pistols. This was a punk band Mike was in when he was 17 or 18. They reformed for this one gig and played all 3 of the songs they knew. It was hilarious. We had a great time...it was a lot of fun seeing people we hadn't seen in years. Since I wasn't one of the old Fridays gang, I was introduced as Mike's wife and Trish's old roommate. Wow, I wonder what happened to Trish. The picture is of Bert, me, Barbara, Jessica and Courtenay.

Sophie with her new toy

2011-12-26T20:00:00.000-05:00

Boxing Day and more family pix

2011-12-26T19:54:00.003-05:00

Mikey and me drove up to Cana to visit his mom. Mike's sister in law, Pam, was also there. We had lunch (crab cakes!) and exchanged gifts. Mike's mom has 2 little chihuahua dogs-Markie and Ellie. Pam has 2 boston terriers, Petey and Norton. So, there was a lot of dog talk and we gave each other dog toys and treats. Turns out Mike has a long-lost cousin in Canada who owns a chocolate shop. She sent a bag of homemade chocolates that are to die for. We're home now and Christmas is officially over. The lights are coming down tomorrow, or whenever I can get to it and the DIET begins again in earnest!

Mi Familia Christmas Day 2011

2011-12-25T19:36:00.002-05:00

Another Christmas. I went to see Dad yesterday. He's doing well. I think time weighs heavily these days...he said he wasn't afraid to die now because he knew he had someone waiting for him on the other side. He misses mom a lot. We had church this morning--a special Christmas program. It was really nice. Came home and did some cooking. I made an executive decision and went with a non-traditional meal of crab stuffed flounder. We distributed the gifts and watched the dogs go crazy. The cats are no where to be found, of course. They don't seem to care much for the dogs. Tomorrow Mike and I plan to drive up to the mountains to visit with his mother. I think she is making seafood also. After tomorrow I really have to get serious about losing some weight. I mean, I REALLY have to get in shape, otherwise I'll be penalized on my health insurance premium. Maybe this is the sort of motivation I need. Happy New Year!!

Sophie and Santa

2011-12-25T19:34:00.004-05:00

Peace on Earth

2011-12-18T19:27:00.002-05:00

Office Christmas Party 2011

2011-12-16T19:18:00.000-05:00

The annual Christmas party at Jackie's house. We had the traditional meal: lasagna with spinach/strawberry salad, and a bunch of desserts. Susan, who retired several years ago was there, as was the other Susan who retired earlier this year. And we welcomed our newest employee, Sharon. I was so glad that Denise could be there. She was able to schedule her chemo a day earlier so that she would feel well enough to join the party. It was wonderful to see her. She was in good spirits, as she always is, and she looked like she felt pretty good. My coworkers are wonderful. I know how very blessed I am to have a great job and great coworkers. Believe me, I've been in situations where that wasn't always the case and it makes for a VERY LONG painful work day.

I don't know what this is...

2011-11-26T14:31:00.002-05:00

but it just looks so cool. I suppose it's some kind of fungus. Nature is wonderful. Me and Mal set up the telescope the other night and I saw the moons of Jupiter. That was so amazing. I really wish I lived in NM again...lots of sky out there. There's too many trees and clouds here. And too much light pollution. THANKSGIVING: I didn't get pictures of the kids this year, but you know what they look like. Not much change since last year. The menu: baked chicken and stuffing casserole, apples and cranberry in the crock pot, baked sweet potatoes and greenbean with mushrooms. Later I baked apple/cranberry/spice cake. I'm so thrilled to have an oven finally! Dad ate at his cousin Clingman's house. He went to see Taumi last week. And let's see, what else is going on...it's super busy at work, but I like it...Mal got worked up for his allergies and it turns out he is allergic to beef, pork, lamb and cow's milk. Bummer. The meat is not a problem, but avoiding dairy is tough. Jon's been coming over and doing my yard work. It's a big help. And little Bert is still in school, working, and breaking up with her boyfriend. Life goes on...

The Scripture Chain

2011-11-25T19:09:00.000-05:00

The kids in Primary have been working on this all year. They put their name on a link each week if they read their scriptures. We had the chain up on the wall in the Primary room and it went around a couple of times. After they performed their program during Sacrament meeting we stuffed them full of sugar then went outside to take pictures of them with the chain. Luckily no one jumped off over the railing, although several of the little boys came close. It's been a good year in the Primary. Very busy, sometimes challenging, but always fun.

Studio Remodel

2011-11-23T14:23:00.002-05:00

Mikey is doing some upgrades to the studio. Turns out one of his students, Brik, is an expert carpenter. And his friend, Laurie, loves to do painting and drywall. It sure is a blessing to have talented friends who work cheap. They have put in a wall and worked on the sound proofing. Another of Mike's friends, Hresko, is coming over today to do some more painting. I think I'll spend the day doing what I do best--reading and sleeping. Hey! It's my vacation!

Mal with Sophie and Honey

2011-11-01T14:00:00.001-04:00

S O P H I E is about full grown now. She had a hysterectomy, so no babies for my baby. The neighbor's dog, Honey, came to visit. She's getting older and fatter, but she is still a sweetie. There are a lot of nice dogs in the neighborhood and Sophie loves all of them. As a companion, she's the best...as a watchdog, not so much. Mal will be going back to UNCG in January. We're SO glad.

Medical Policy Development Department

2011-09-05T20:51:00.002-04:00

It's the whole department. Neecie came in for a quick visit, so we had to get a picture. She is powering through her chemo. What a trooper. She is such an inspiration. I have a new position now...still in the same department (at the same pay) but I got a new title...Senior Coding Analyst. It sounds impressive enough. Things have really been busy the past month. And we had an earthquake and a hurricane, in the same week no less. Very strange. If I were the more superstitious type, I might be kind of worried.

Nicholson-Daniels-Cabral

2011-08-07T17:19:00.003-04:00

I was glad to see my brother and his family, even though the reason for his visit was an especially sad one. Hopefully we can all get together again soon under happier circumstances.

Obituary for Michiko Kinosita Daniels

2011-08-02T16:59:00.002-04:00

Mom passed away quietly in her sleep early Tuesday morning. My brother wrote a lovely obituary for her, which I am including here:

Michiko Kinosita Daniels, 85, of Goldston died on August 2nd, 2011.
She was born in Tokyo, Japan to the late Jinosuke Kinosita and Ito Tachibana Kinosita on January 7, 1926. Before World War II, her family operated a resort hotel near the hot springs of Atami (outside of Tokyo). The Japanese government took possession of the hotel during World War II and the family moved to Tokyo. Subsequently, her father became a merchant marine.
In 1944, she graduated from Tokyo Girl’s High School as valedictorian and attended Tokyo University studying Business. She later became an office worker for Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. At a time when women did not typically drive cars, she took lessons from a driving school that used wood-burning steam powered cars. Post-World War II Japan rationed many items including gasoline. Thriftiness became a part of her nature.
In 1953, she married Army Sergeant James Edward Daniels in Tokyo. They met while he was on leave from the Korean War. Before leaving Japan, her father reminded her that she would be seen as an “ambassador” by people in the United States. She lived by the credo of kindness, generosity, and hard work.
The young couple departed Japan by steamship, arriving in Seattle, Washington, and then travelled by train to Maryland where James worked at the Aberdeen Proving Grounds. Life in the Army sent them many places including France, Germany, Oklahoma, and New Mexico. James retired from government service in 1977 and the couple settled in North Carolina.
While living in Goldston, Mrs. Daniels soon became known as an accomplished seamstress. She handcrafted beautiful wedding dresses and matching bridesmaids’ dresses for entire bridal parties. Mrs. Daniels thought of the many hours she toiled as a gift to the numerous young brides and bridesmaids and only asked for a small fee as compensation. Mrs. Daniels also worked at H&R Block as a tax preparer in Sanford and Siler City.
She was preceded in death by her sister, Fumiko Kinosita Kikuchi formerly of Atami, Japan and son, Jon Baron Daniels. She is survived by husband James; two sisters: Emiko Kinosita Fujimagari of Yokohama and Tomoko Kinosita Tsutsumi of Tokyo; daughter Anna Linda Daniels Nicholson of Pittsboro; son Taumi Sill Daniels of Williamsburg, VA; grandchildren: Jon Pollock, Malcolm Nicholson, Hannah Nicholson, Arrianne Daniels, Allanna Daniels, Amarra Michiko Daniels; and six nieces and nephews in Japan.

Her neice, Keiko, added, "The most amazing thing to me is that she married a foreigner and went abroad at a time when those things were almost unheard of for ordinary Japanese citizens. And once you went out of the country, you would not be able to come back for quite some time and may never see each other again. She once said to me that she couldn:t stand the smallness and closedness of Japanese society and wanted to see the rest of the world and she sure did."

The Accidental Puppy

2011-06-18T16:25:00.000-04:00

I can't believe we got a dog. I was driving by my neighbor's house the other day and saw 2 little black puppies romping in his yard. I stopped and remarked on their cuteness and my neighbor said, "You want one?" I thought about it for a few hours and decided to take the plunge. I took Mal over there and he picked the female. He named her Sophie and has taken charge of the training duties. Her birthday is probably April 26. Her mother is a registered Boykin Spaniel--the official state dog of South Carolina! My neighbor's have an electric fence which keeps the Boykin in...but it doesn't keep the strays out. They think the father is a terrier of some sort, but they aren't sure. Sophie looks like a tiny version of a lab, although she does have a sweet spaniel face. She's really good natured and smart and seems to be fitting in with our insanity quite nicely. The cats, Karl and Wally, are highly annoyed, but they seem resigned to the fact that Sophie is here to stay. I'll be SO glad when she is potty trained. We didn't have this issue with the cats. I think once she has figured out the toileting routine we'll have to pull up the carpet and burn it. Actually, she isn't doing too badly...for a puppy.

25 Years on the J.O.B.

2011-06-16T16:15:00.001-04:00

June 16, 2011, we helped Denise celebrate 25 years at Blue Cross. I've been working with her and sitting next to her for most of the past 10 years. She's not only a coworker, she's a good friend. I love her a lot. She's the best. I'm sorry to say she is having to go through chemotherapy again for her cancer. As part of her anniversary celebration--we all wore pink--and I got a haircut. In fact, I got my head shaved. My daughter did the honors and she did a pretty good job. I feel kind of naked, but it will grow back. Denise was surprised. Now she won't be the only bald chick in the office!

Palmyra, NY

2011-06-11T11:19:00.002-04:00

Last week I took a church history tour in and around Palmyra, NY with a couple of friends. We went to Kirkland, OH a couple of years ago and since we are such good traveling companions, we decided to do another trip together. We left on a Thursday afternoon and stopped overnight in VA. Drove up to NY along the banks of the Susquehanna arriving on Friday evening. We stayed at a lovely bed and breakfast. The weather was beyond wonderful, cool and cloudy, just like I like it. Of course, I return to NC and it's been 100 degrees everyday. I want to go back up north. It was nice to see that my family was able to survive without me. They didn't burn down the house or starve to death. I understand that my darling cats were inconsolable. It's nice to be loved. The plan now is to take a trip to Nauvoo, IL, maybe in 2013. That is provided if the world doesn't end as planned in 2012. If so, I guess the trip is off.

The kids are alright

2011-05-22T15:43:00.003-04:00

Finally got the whole group together. We drove out to Dad's place and had lunch with him. For some reason he wanted to eat poke. For the un-initiated, poke is a kind of weed that you eat like turnip greens or kale. They have a milder flavor than collards. Hopefully they aren't poisonous or anything like that. It was a pleasant enough outing--always enjoy spending time with the young-uns. Having adult children is an interesting experience. We have a good relationship. At least I think so. Having a conversation with my dad and with my kids at the same time is--interesting. So what else is going on...I'm reading "The Eden Express" by Mark Vonnegut. It's a book I've been wanting to read for a couple of decades now. Finally got around to it. I'm trying to read more now...before my brain completely turns to mush.

May 21

2011-05-21T17:36:00.000-04:00

Today is supposed to be the day the faithful will be caught up to meet the returning Lord in the sky. The rapture. In spite of the photo, I am sad to report that I was not taken up. Drat! Left behind! Looks like I'll be spending a few more years right here on earth with the rest of the heathens. That's okay. I didn't want to leave my friends just yet!!! Actually, I do not ascribe to the "rapture" stuff. My humble opinion: a misinterpretation of scripture. We'll all just have to keep on keeping on and doing the best we can.

It's like music

2011-05-20T17:34:00.002-04:00

Actually it sounds exactly like a space ship in a 50s sci-fi movie. The cicadas have emerged and they are singing their little heads off. What we have here are the 13 Year variety, also known as Brood XIX (nineteen) or Magicicada. They are absolutely docile but really noisy. In fact in the afternoons around here they are downright deafening. So much for the quiet country life. The summer that Malcolm was born in DC the 17 Year cicadas came out. They were bigger than this group and had a different song. Interesting creatures. If you want to hear them for yourself, go to the link. Mike recorded them:

The Goose Family

2011-05-12T23:11:00.000-04:00

The eggs hatched. Well, at least 2 of them. I saw the little gooselets in the nest but couldn't get a good picture. I didn't want to upset momma. Daddy was standing guard nearby...I'm glad he was there for the delivery. They are very devoted parents.

In Memory of Kitty Girl

2011-05-10T22:57:00.000-04:00

Our sweet old cat passed away. She stopped eating and drinking over the weekend, so I figured she was winding down. We got her from Second Chance adoptions about 12 years ago. She was an adult cat at that time, at least a couple years old, so we're thinking she was about 15 or 16 years old. A decent age for an indoor-outdoor cat. She was super smart, a great mouser, very well behaved, and so loyal. Me, Mike and Mal were with her when she took her last breath. We called Bertie to let her know and she came right over. We put Kitty Girl in a paper bag because she loved to sleep in grocery bags and buried her under her favorite tree. Mike delivered the appropriate eulogy. The kids were more emotional than I thought they would be, then I remembered they had practically grown up with Kitty Girl. She was a special cat. We'll miss her.

Mother Goose

2011-04-24T15:28:00.002-04:00

A Canadian Goose has taken up residence at the office where I work...she built a nest and laid 4 eggs in one of the planter boxes out back. I'm surprised she picked such a public area to take up housekeeping...seems like she would have found a quieter place to raise a family. But, that's okay. I enjoy seeing her each morning when I walk to the building from the parking lot. I just hope she and the babies will be okay. More animal news: my daughter adopted a rottweiler-lab puppy. She's going to be huge. Her name is Early. My other granddog, Daisy, just loves her. They are such good dogs, smart and sweet and much better behaved than my cats who are all in need of therapy. We have been having some crazy wild weather lately. But today is absolutely beautiful. Happy Easter!

Me, Beth and Molly

2011-02-03T12:31:00.003-05:00

Molly and her husband, Don, have a cute little condo on the sound near the aquarium. We had a wonderful brunch at their place. Beth took us on a tour of Swannsboro the next day and we ate at the Icehouse. She has a place that she is renovating, all by herself, I might add...what a woman! She also has a permit to drive on the beach, so we took a drive. YeeHaw!

More Beach Pictures

2011-02-03T12:26:00.003-05:00

Here we are on Emerald Isle. We were on a narrow strip of island...between the ocean and the sound. This is the place we stayed. Thank you very much, Adele and Greg!

Happy Anniversary!

2011-01-28T12:17:00.000-05:00

25 years. Wow. Time flies. Seems like only 24 and a half years. We decided to do something special to mark the occasion, even though we're totally broke, as usual. As luck would have it, we got a FREE place to stay at the beach. So, we spent the weekend at a lovely duplex condo on Emerald Isle. Nice place, wonderful weather. An enjoyable time was had by all. We had brunch at the home of a co-worker on Saturday and we went 4 wheeling on the beach with another co-worker on Sunday. Seeing all these co-workers...it was like I never left the office. Just kidding. We went to the Aquarium and to historic Swannsboro. We ate some good seafood. It was just nice to get away.

My baby girl and the granddog

2011-01-12T12:40:00.003-05:00

White Christmas

2010-12-28T09:15:00.004-05:00

It started snowing Christmas day. We had maybe 4 inches on the ground the next day. It's been COLD...so it's all still there, plus some ice. I've been busy trying to keep the bird feeder filled up. Those guys eat like pigs. I'm glad we had a big snowfall, but now I'm ready for springtime.

Office Christmas Party 2010

2010-12-21T09:08:00.000-05:00

Annual Department Christmas Party at Jackie's house. She has such a lovely home. She really gets into decorating for the holiday. Everyone was able to be there including 2 retired employees. Jackie's daughter and grandson also showed up. We had the traditional lasagna with spinach/strawberry salad. Patsy has become the happy homemaker since retirement. She made a wonderful raspberry coffee cake. It was also great to see Denise. She finished up her chemotherapy and will be back to work after the new year. She's been missed. It will be good to have her back.

Mommy

2010-11-30T11:50:00.003-05:00

Just wanted to post the latest picture of mom. She has been doing well lately. I think all the activity, driving back and forth to dad's house and seeing family members, has been really good for her. The stimulation seems to have made her more alert. She's healthy and seems to be in generally good spirits. It's as much as we can hope for at this point. Sure do miss her cooking though!

Late Thanksgiving

2010-11-30T11:33:00.003-05:00

My brother, Taumi, drove down from Virginia and my cousin, Keiko, flew in from NY last Saturday and we had yet another Thanksgiving dinner at Dad's house. So, I've had 3 Thanksgiving dinners this year. Wow. No wonder I can't lose any weight. Nevertheless, it has been such a blessing to spend time with family and for that I'm truly thankful.

Karl enjoying a warm autumn day

2010-11-30T11:30:00.003-05:00

Lovely weather we're having. Although it's getting colder. Winter approacheth. Weight Watchers launched their new/improved program yesterday, so I'm all pumped up and psyched out to lose the next 15 pounds.

Early Thanksgiving 2010

2010-11-22T19:34:00.002-05:00

Since my little Bert is spending the Thanksgiving holiday with her boyfriend's family in Atlanta, we decided to have our family Thanksgiving a little early this year. We went to Breadman's in Chapel Hill...a Nicholson fave hangout since the early 1990's. It's cheap and casual--which also describes us. I probably went a little over my points allotment for the day, but it wasn't too bad. My Weight Watcher's weigh-in today went well. I'm down almost 15 pounds so far. Hopefully I won't put it all back on during the holiday marathon eating season.

Fall 2010 - View from the front door

2010-11-22T19:32:00.003-05:00

Mikey goes to the hospital

2010-11-13T18:28:00.003-05:00

OK, so Thursday evening I came home from work and the Rescue Squad was sitting in my driveway. My initial thought was, oh no, Malcolm has had a terrible allergic reaction...then I see the paramedics in the studio with Mike. It seems that Mike fell while trying to get out the door and totally dislocated his shoulder. We spent the next several hours in the ER at UNC Hospital. An x-ray confirmed the dislocation. Mike got shot up with morphine, then dilaudid. The nurse was really nice and good-looking. We called him Handsome Bob. Eventually 2 doctors showed up and one got on one side of the bed and the other one got on the other side and they yanked his shoulder back into place. Very low tech. Handsome Bob gave Mike some versed, or maybe it was fentanyl...I forget, but whatever it was, it worked really well. Mike got another x-ray and then we went home. Got home about midnight. It was a LONG day. It has become apparent that Mike should not be allowed to go unsupervised or unmedicated. He thinks he needs a life alert and a scooter. In the meantime, he should stay out of the studio. This is the 3rd incident related to a fall in the studio.

2010-11-09T16:11:00.003-05:00

The major part of the move is done...now I need to do some organizing and decorating. After all, this is my home away from home. And seeing as how I'll be spending the next 15 years in this cube farm, I might as well get comfortable. As you can see, the light is wonderful. However, I do have a partially obstructed view...that big support pole is right over my head. In fact if I zip around the corner without paying close attention, I will give myself a severe concussion and possibly even brain damage. I think my cubicle is smaller than the one I had downstairs, but I hate to complain...seeing as how I fought so hard for my window seat. I don't want to appear too greedy. My across the wall coworker is Beth, who is only in the office 2 or 3 days a week. And my across the aisle neighbor is Ruth, who I used to work with years ago. Another slight drawback...since we're back with the rest of the company, we are subject to the prevailing dress code, which is jeans only on Fridays. We had no dress code when we in the basement, since no one ever saw us. I didn't have any pants that weren't jeans, so I went to the thrift shop (PTA Thrift in Pittsboro)on Saturday and they were having a sale--women's pants 10 cents each. Don't tell ME there is no God. He's looking out for me!!

Moving On Up

2010-11-07T13:02:00.002-05:00

After 4 years in the basement, the department is moving back upstairs. I'm supposed to be getting a window seat--it's the little things that really make life worth living. We spent most of last week packing up. In spite of this great "paperless" system, we still have tons of folders in hanging files that needed packing. Tomorrow, all our stuff is supposed to be upstairs and we can start the whole process of unpacking and arranging our cubicles. I'm looking forward to seeing daylight, but it has been very quiet down in the basement...no one could find us. We'll be farther away from the cafeteria though. That might be a good thing.

Me and the Baby Girl

2010-11-02T12:15:00.002-04:00

My how time flies...etc, etc. So, what's new in my world? Well, I started Weight Watchers at work 5 weeks ago and I'm down 10 pounds. Only 400 more to go. Mike has been at it for 10 weeks and he has lost 20 pounds. It's a fairly easy diet plan--oh, excuse me, it's NOT a "die-it", it's a "live-it." We've made a lot of adjustments around here and I tell you, it's a lot easier when everyone is on the plan. No more junk food in the house. Anyhow, you can definitely lose weight if you stick with the program. I took mom to see dad last Saturday. I was going to go to the church Fall Festival, but I was tired and took a nap and when I got up I was too out of sorts to do anything. Halloween has come and gone and I have nothing to show for it. Not even a piece of candy. We did watch a lot of old, classic horror films from the 30s and 40s. Great fun. Sunday was the Primary Sacrament presentation at church. The kids were amazing. They really pulled it together. My baby came by briefly Sunday afternoon to do some laundry. I can't believe that she is a fully functional adult now.

the NEW me

2010-10-12T16:11:00.003-04:00

Went to Durham after work last night to my daughter's salon. She was going to put this treatment on it called a "Brazilian Blow Out" but it turns out it has just been banned in Canada because of a dangerously high formaldehyde content. So, she opted instead for the "Keratin Express" or something like that. Anyhow, the result is supposed to be the same--straight non-frizzy hair, it just doesn't last quite as long (1 month as opposed to 3). I'm satisfied. The Only Burger truck was parked on the corner, so we wandered down there. Her boyfriend was working, so he hooked us up with some free grub. I had the veggie burger, which is excellent, by the way. I love Only Burger food...but they're kind of hard to find since they move around all the time. They are supposed to be opening a regular eatery soon. That's cool, but there's something kinda fun about standing around a parking lot eating out of a food truck. Today is my day off...I'm doing a lot of nothing. It's a nice break.

Saturdays with the little Nana

2010-10-09T17:20:00.001-04:00

Picked up mom at the nursing home again Saturday morning and got her ready for the outing. She seemed to understand what was going on because she was anxious to get in the car and she was smiling when I told her we were going to go see James. It's a little over an hour drive from the nursing home to Dad's house and she was reading road signs all the way. We were over halfway there when I noticed her squirming around in the seat. Usually this means she needs to get to a bathroom. She can't really communicate anymore, so she isn't able to verbalize her needs ahead of time. Unfortunately, I have the nose of a bloodhound, so the drive was becoming increasingly unpleasant for both of us. I think I set the land speed record for the Goldston to Carbonton trip. And that's with my head hanging out of the window. But, not to worry, we got to Dad's house--and everything was well contained. I can deal with the diapers-I'm used to it, but it's NO fun when everything is just running all over the place...if you get my drift. Dad's next door neighbors came by. They haven't seen mom in over 2 years, not since she was going over to their house at all hours of the day and night searching for lost people and items. They were very patient with her. Mom seemed pleased to see the kids and was especially happy when the little boy bowed and said "sayonara" when they left. It was a sweet moment.

The "old" me

2010-10-05T20:01:00.002-04:00

This is the current hair style. Something weird happened to my hair the past year and now I can't do a thing with it. My daughter, the professional hair person, says there is a treatment she can put on it to make it look decent, or at least less ridiculous. So hopefully (fingers crossed!) by this time next week, I will be able to post a picture of the wonderful new me...or at least the old me with a better hair style.

Field Trip

2010-10-03T18:05:00.003-04:00

It's FALL. The weather is excellent. We even got some rain, which was badly needed. I was feeling brave, so I decided to pack Mom into the car and take her for a drive to see Dad at the homeplace. I got to the nursing home right after breakfast and gave her a shower. It was as much for my benefit as for hers. I can't stand that nursing home smell. We borrowed a wheelchair and then I released her on her own recognisance. She seemed to enjoy the ride. She read road signs all the way and then started counting 1 to 10 in Japanese. She sometimes gets stuck on a thought and it stays with her a while. We had some lunch with Dad. He mangled his hand in the mailbox...that's another story...you can see the bandage. And we had an uneventful drive back to the nursing home. I did have to deal with a couple of poopy diapers, but it was all well contained, so not a major problem. It was good for Mom to get out of the home. And I know it was good for Dad to visit with her on his own turf. We had a good time and will probably do it again next Saturday, weather permitting.

A day at work with some of my coworkers

2010-06-04T22:53:00.001-04:00

At The Office

2010-06-04T22:37:00.002-04:00

Feet up on the desk, eating bon-bons. Did I tell you that I love my job? I'm working at a certain health insurance company (that shall remain nameless--at least until all the hoopla regarding health reform has died down). I'm reluctant to tell people where I work because then I have to listen to a rash of crap--from both sides. I'm sorry that health insurance is so expensive, but I can assure you that it's not my fault. Even my own health insurance is expensive and I work for the company. My best advice is to move to Canada. In the meantime, I have to work somewhere in order to have any kind of health insurance. And...I really do love my job.

Breaking Bad

2010-05-31T22:01:00.003-04:00

My new favorite show. Me and Mike spent an inordinate amount of time the past month renting past episodes on NetFlix so we could catch up. You absolutely HAVE to watch the show from the very beginning. It's not one of those that you can just jump into the middle of and figure out what's going on. It's very complicated. And the character development is intricate. I love this show. It's the best thing on TV right now. Oh, and just so you'll know I'm a well rounded individual and don't spend all my free time in front of the tube...I'm reading a book recommended by my mother-in-law "The Shack." It's pretty good. Certainly more entertaining than the medical journals I usually read. Otherwise, nothing exciting to report. I've given up dieting and housekeeping. It was bumming me out. And it was a terrible waste of time since I wasn't losing weight and the house continued to look like wild dogs were living in it.

Catch Up Part 3.5

2010-05-04T12:08:00.002-04:00

I just like this picture. I wish the quality was a little better, but I'm not a professional. It's a miracle that I can even pick up a digital camera and take a picture at all, much less upload it to the web. Anyhow, I like the picture because it captures my baby girl in a happy moment. She's such an angel. She turned into a regular adult person...she's 22 now. YIKES! That is so freaky. She is working at a salon in Durham, doing very well, supporting herself and getting ready to go back to college. The boys are also doing okay...moving along a little more slowly, but as long as they have forward momentum, I'm happy. Mike is teaching and playing a lot. He's got gigs just about every weekend. Mom and Dad are hanging in there. I'm looking at the half full glass.

Catch Up Part 3

2010-05-04T11:59:00.004-04:00

OK, so I'm browsing through my saved photos and I found a set that I had taken back in January when my brother was visiting. This was one of those rare occasions when everyone went out to eat together. We ate at a meditaranean place in Durham. Excellent felafel.

Catch Up Part 2.5

2010-05-04T11:55:00.003-04:00

A couple more pictures of Bill's carved pieces. I find all this absolutely incredible. You have to see it in person to appreciate the work involved. I could wax philosophical on the creative spirit and the drive within each human to make something beautiful with his own hands. But I won't.

Catch Up Part 2

2010-05-04T11:41:00.003-04:00

I made a trip to Eastern NC with Dad. He wanted to go see a few of his family. It was a quick trip to little Washington...we left on Friday morning and came back Saturday afternoon. We dropped in on Dad's cousin Bill. Bill is a fascinating character. He probably has less than a 3rd grade education, but he has an incredible artistic gift for wood carving. He wittles tractors, farm equipment, old trucks and such from blocks of wood. And I mean he literally wittles the pieces out and assembles them into realistic, scale models of the things he sees and has worked with all his life. The tractors and trucks have working gears. Now keep in mind, he doesn't measure anything. He simply looks at things and then carves out the pieces purely on a trial and error basis. It's amazing.

Catch Up Part 1

2010-05-04T11:31:00.004-04:00

Wow. Time really got away from me. I decided it was time to post a few odds and ends here to catch up on the year so far. Bert has a new boyfriend, a fellow comic book enthusiast...and he has a sweet dog, Daisy. Poor Daisy apparently used to be a "bait" dog. Vets say you can tell because she has very short cut ears and a lot of scars on her head and neck. Somehow she ended up wandering the streets and was rescued. It's hard to imagine such cruelty. People suck. But Daisy is a real trooper. She not only survived, she is just the best natured dog in the world. She loves people. She even loves the cats, although they aren't crazy about her.

Retirement Party

2010-01-16T17:43:00.004-05:00

************Patsy retired after 28 years on the job. After her last day, her kids rented a limo to pick her up after work. We rode in style to the restaurant where they had her party. We made her dress up like her hero, "Maxine." It was a fun party. Very upbeat. We are certainly all really sad to see Patsy go. But, I'm glad she has been able to retire in good health and will be able to enjoy this next phase of life. It's very encouraging to me. I only have 12 years 236 days til I can retire!!

Last Day at Work

2010-01-16T17:29:00.002-05:00

My coworker and cubicle neighbor, Patsy, retired from Blue Cross after 28 years. Wow. And what's more impressive, she drove about 50 miles to work each way, on I-40 which is a horrific mess. The crazy woman got up at 4:30 every morning. She always looked perfect when she got to work, always impeccably dressed and color coordinated. I just roll out of bed,put on my shoes and go to work. Kind of like I did when I was in college. I just can't be bothered with primping anymore. I probably should care more...but right now I can't muster up the mental energy. I got a shot of her in her cubicle. The standing joke around the office was about how jam-packed her cubicle was. She had EVERYTHING in there...it was a mini-Walmart...AND she knew exactly where everything was. Amazing.

Uncle Taumi comes to visit

2010-01-03T17:14:00.000-05:00

My little brother dropped in for a visit for New Years. Dad was having trouble with the new TV so Taumi drove down for a couple days to take care of it. He's such a good boy. We had the traditional collards and hoppin john (black eye peas) for our New Years Day dinner. It's supposed to bring good luck, especially the financial kind. The greens represent bills and the peas represent coins. The next evening we went out to eat at a mediterranean place in Durham. They made the best felafel I have ever had. So...party time is over. Time to get serious about dieting and exercise. bummer.

Christmas 2009

2009-12-25T07:28:00.004-05:00

This was by far the best Christmas we've had in years. We had our family festivities on Christmas Eve since Mal had to work today. It was fun, completely stress free. No crazy drama! No wailing and gnashing of teeth. No screaming and crying. What a nice change. I plan to spend the day today playing with my new toys and watching hours and hours of Doctor Who. Mikey got me the first 4 seasons on DVD. Yay!

Christmas Party at the Nursing Home

2009-12-10T16:06:00.003-05:00

The nursing home had a Christmas Party for the residents. It was a nice affair...they had snacks and music and mom seemed to enjoy it. She is doing okay these days, although her balance is getting worse. She tends to fall a lot when not supervised. She'll be 84 next month.

Me and Weg

2009-12-01T09:50:00.002-05:00

My oldest friend in the world (since the 3rd grade), surprised us with a quick drop in visit. She was driving her neice all over the east coast on a college tour. Kelsey will graduate next May (same as my neice!) and will be heading off to college. It was nice to see them.

Thanksgiving 2009

2009-12-01T09:46:00.002-05:00

The family gathered together for Thanksgiving dinner at K&W in Chapel Hill. Thanks to my bro, Taumi, for footing the bill.

Kirkland, Ohio

2009-10-27T16:25:00.003-04:00

I want to thank Rebecca for putting together this trip and for inviting me to come along. Who would have thought that a bunch of church ladies could have so much fun. I haven't laughed so hard in years, maybe even decades! We left early on a Friday morning and drove north through Virginia and West Virginia. It took about 12 hours to get to Kirkland. We spent Saturday and Sunday visiting historic Kirkland and the Kirkland Temple. We also went to the Arboretum and the lighthouse at Fairport on Lake Erie. There was time for a quick through Amish country and a speedy tour of the Johnson home in Hirum. I'm glad I had the opportunity to go. Thanks Rebecca, Carol and Donna.

All My Children

2009-09-24T19:41:00.004-04:00

I am thinking about how blessed and lucky I am to have such amazing children. They are all just the best. I know I haven't done many things right in my life...but I must have done something because the kids are alright. The whole world has gone completely crazy, but I still have this peaceful little sanctuary right here under this roof. It's heaven on earth, for sure.

Mr. Jones

2009-09-21T19:26:00.002-04:00

I'm very sad to report that it appears Kitty Boy Jones, the most amazing cat in the world, has been killed. I am assuming this because a week ago Monday, Jon heard a huge commotion in the evening...he said it sounded like a dog fight, then he could hear a cat. He went out to investigate, but he couldn't find any evidence of dogs or cat. We did another hard target search at daybreak, but again, no remains, no evidence of any kind. Knowing KBJ as I do, I suspect some dogs wandered too close to the house and he went after them. He had no fear of dogs or anything else. Bertie prefers to believe that a family was moving to California and spotted this gorgeous cat, fell in love, and packed him up. He is now sunning himself near a beach in Malibu, happy and enjoying his life. Malcolm is sure KBJ died like a heroic warrior's death...dying while protecting the homeland. Scenario number 3, which Mike puts forward is this: the people up the road who are probably running a meth lab let their pit bull out that evening and he killed my cat. They didn't want to attract attention so they buried him in the woods. Bummer. Wally and Fat are obviously in mourning. They won't eat, they won't come in the house. Wally just sits on the car where KBJ used to sit and gazes off into the distance, waiting for him to return. We're considering grief counseling. It's weird here without him. We've had him over 10 years, since before we moved here. He will be missed.

Mikey's Birthday

2009-09-13T19:30:00.000-04:00

There was a joint B-day party at Casa de Jane y Jay since Mike, Jane Frances and Clay all have birthdays on the same day. Jay and Jane have a cute little house out in Orange County where they have their studios. They both teach guitar and bass and probably a few other things. They are in the band Velvet and have several other projects going on besides. Well...you know what happens when a bunch of musicians get together. Mike and Tom (of Meltzer-Hart) broke into a spontaneous jam. I had no idea Mike could play the upright bass. Bert got all excited and once again decided she wanted to learn to play bass. Jane had this lovely 3/4 bass and gave Bert a quick into lesson. I think it looks good on her!

And yet more pix

2009-09-06T17:31:00.003-04:00

I'm pleased to report everything is going well these days. The weather is fantastic...that always helps my mood. Malcolm has a new job and is loving it. Hannah is doing great at her job. Jon is currently between assignments, but has a couple of good leads. I'm dieting again in an effort to bring my blood pressure down and it's going well...I mean, as far as diets go, it's not killing me yet. Mike is teaching guitar and is up to almost 30 students. WooHoo. Mom and Dad are doing okay, so you know...I can't complain.

More family pix

2009-09-06T17:28:00.003-04:00

Some family pix

2009-09-06T17:23:00.002-04:00

Malcolm on his motorcycle. He got on the internet one weekend and learned how to build and repair motorcycles. He's very proud of this one. He's using my front porch as his garage and repair shop. Since I'm never going to get on the cover of Better Homes & Gardens, it doesn't matter that much to me. I'm just so thankful none of the kids decided to turn the attic into a meth lab. Somehow having motorcycle parts all over my porch doesn't seem so bad.

Birthday Weekend in Asheville

2009-08-11T10:36:00.004-04:00

It's me and Our Lady of Guadelupe at the Basillica of St. Lawrence in Asheville. Mikey and I spend the weekend of my birthday in the mountains. It was great. I LOVE Asheville. What a town! Incredible food, music, art, architecture, scenery. I could live there...if someone would buy me a house in the city and provide food. We left Friday and went to a baseball game in Winston-Salem (the Dash, single A). Spent Saturday and Sunday morning in Asheville and stopped in Black Mountain on the way home. A quick trip, but we had to get back...the cats missed us terribly. So, it's life as per usual now.

Jon

2009-06-26T20:34:00.002-04:00

I don't see Jon much these days. He lives and works in Cary. He dropped in long enough for me to snap a couple of pictures. He finally got a haircut, so now he looks like an upstanding citizen instead of a homeless bum. It's weird for me to even have to say it...being that I'm such an old hippie myself and really appreciate that anti-establishment stuff...but the fact is, he looks a million times better. It's been a CRAZY week. The celebrities have been dropping like flies and since we are in a culture that worships the rich and famous, that's all anyone talks about. It's kind of ridiculous, when you consider the other really substantive things that people NEED to be dealing with. I've been on a news blackout for months...no TV news, no radio, no newspapers...and I still can't avoid getting sucked into all this silly stuff. I can't wait for school to start so I can bury myself in textbooks and have conversations with smart people.

Mi familia

2009-06-22T09:20:00.002-04:00

It's difficult these days to get the whole crew together at the same place at the same time, but we lured the kids out with the promise of food. My brother was in town and we had a lovely Father's Day lunch at Mint in Chapel Hill. Excellent Indian food. I think Dad decided to stay home and watch his newly restored TV. Taumi hooked up his digital converter box, so he has reception once again.

Malcolm's Birthday

2009-06-20T21:39:00.002-04:00

It was a another hot, muggy night about 23 years ago when Malcolm made his appearance into the world...and the world hasn't been the same since. At his request, we had dinner at Lime & Basil, a Vietnamese place in Chapel Hill. His sister was able to join us. I had an excellent curry tofu. My brother is in town this weekend, so I'll probably meet him and Dad for lunch tomorrow. Busy weekend. I haven't heard from my other job (at the nursing home) so I may have tomorrow night off. I've got my fingers crossed...or I would cross my fingers if my arthritis would let me. Oh yeah, it's really not all about me, is it?? Happy Birthday to my sweet little baby boy.

Fortress of Solitude

2009-06-04T14:29:00.005-04:00

* * * * * * * * * * I finally have my own personal space. My own room! I'm so excited. After little Bert declared her independence and moved into a house with a friend in Durham (to be nearer to work) I immediately imposed squatter's rights and took over her old bedroom. She had made a mess of it, in the usually teenager kind of way, so I repainted and moved my stuff in. And brother, let me tell you, I've got a lot of stuff. But that's okay. I love my stuff and it doesn't matter how much junk you've got as long as you've got a place to put it. NOW, all my stuff has a home. I so enjoy sitting in my hidey hole surrounded by my books and nick-nack and bags of yarn and half finished craft projects. I even bought a portable DVD player so I can watch episodes of Starsky & Hutch or Midsomer Murders. I'm in heaven. I painted the room pink, mainly as a deterent to male family members, but also because I wanted something extra girly. I've never had a pink room. Dad always painted everything white. I got some gauzy beige curtains with embroidered roses on them. The entire re-do cost less than $50. It was a lot of work, but completely worth the effort. On a sad note, David Carradine died. I was so into Kung Fu back in the day. He also was in one of the weirdest movies I have ever seen...Sonny Boy.

Happy Mother's Day

2009-05-10T20:46:00.000-04:00

I thought I should mark the occasion. I tend not to get too excited about these made up holidays, but I don't want to be a stick in the mud, so...Happy Mother's Day to me and Happy Mother's Day to Mom. I also can't get excited about this "holiday" in particular since it is just a reminder of what I have lost. Alzheimer's gives us a chance to grieve for someone's death before they die. It's exhausting to be in mourning year after year. BUT, since I don't know how long my mom will actually be among us, I take whatever joys I can get, whenever I can get them. I love you, Mom.

Stratocruiser rocks the Cradle

2009-05-08T22:41:00.003-04:00

The boys were rocking in Chapel Hill tonight at Cats Cradle. It was a good gig. A fairly decent audience (for a change) opening for Lez Zeppelin--an all girl Zeppelin cover band. I saw that girl band a couple of years ago, so I decided to pass this time. We have here Jeremy (bass), Matt (drums), Mikey (lead guitar) and Clay (vocals, guitar). Good music, great guys.

Happy Birthday to Jon

2009-04-25T15:53:00.002-04:00

How old is he today? I can't keep up. 31! How is that even possible?

UNC Baseball

2009-04-24T15:45:00.003-04:00

Tom Meltzer, Jeff Hart, Eddie Huffman and Miguel at the game - UNC Tarheels vs. Maryland Terrepins. Jeff scored some tickets for us, so instead of going to Greensboro to see the Grasshoppers, we went to Chapel Hill to see some college ball. UNC has a gorgeous stadium on campus. The weather was perfect. Miguel couldn't decide who to root for since he once attended U of M. It was an exciting game. Tarheels won.

Carolina Mudcats

2009-04-23T19:30:00.005-04:00

* * * * * * * * * It's the official start of the Carolina Baseball season. Miguel and I are planning to visit each of the 10 minor league ball parks in the state this season. We initiated the "Intensity in 10 Cities" tour at Five County Stadium in Zebulon, home of the Carolina Mudcats, a AA affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds. Mudcats lost to the Huntsville Stars. Zebulon is way the heck out there in the middle of nowhere, past Raleigh, but it's a cute little stadium and they sell catfish sandwiches. We happened to come during $1 beer night, so after the 4th or 5th inning, the fans started getting rowdy. A good time was had by all.

Azaleas

2009-04-23T15:07:00.003-04:00

Things are blooming out there. It's awesome...all this nature stuff. I planted some tomatoes and herbs in pots out there on the deck. I filled up the hummingbird feeder and fertilized all the flowering shrubs out front. It's starting to look very nice. I'm thankful to the previous owner who did all the original planting. Now I can enjoy the azaleas (pink, red and coral), clematis, camelias, gardenia and rhododendrons. There's one dogwood out front that is blooming. I'm very blessed to be able to step out my door and be surrounded by flowers and trees. I can hear birds and frogs. I can see the sky, day and night. I don't think I would enjoy living in a big city. I like the feel of dirt under my feet. I like clean air. These things should not be taken for granted. It's been a very busy month. All kinds of things going on. But, I am taking time to stop and enjoy the beauty of nature.

2 down and 1 to go

2009-04-14T18:41:00.003-04:00

Baby girl has moved into her own place. She needed to be closer to her job, so she and a friend are renting a cute little house. Of course we miss her terribly, but I do have to say, the extra space in our hovel is welcome. So only Malcolm is left at home. He is gainfully employed and dating, so we don't see much of him around these days. We've turned the living room back into a living room...it was Bert's bedroom. I am using her old room as my Fortress of Solitude. The bat cave. Finally...my own room!! Life is busy. But life is good.

Covenant Discipleship Group

2009-03-27T11:05:00.002-04:00

I joined an accountability group last month. It's been really helpful, you know, in these difficult times, it's nice to be part of something that keeps you grounded and yet is spiritually growth-promoting. And these women are incredible. I'm so thankful to be part of the group. We all have our "issues" and are dealing with all kinds of crap in our lives...but we support each other and pray for each other. It's so great.

Life continues

2009-03-27T10:36:00.006-04:00

* * * * * * * * * * * It got cold and the heat pump died. The thought of going even more deeply into debt to pay for a replacement system just rips my guts out. But...what are ya gonna do...I'm just going to have to suck it up and deal with it. On a happier note, my baby baby turned 21 on Monday. It's just unbelievable how quickly that happened. Now she's a hair stylist, getting ready to move out into her own place. Mike is in a new band. In addition to Stratocruiser, he has formed The Kinksmen--doing Kinks covers. Fun stuff. They made their debut at a cystic fibrosis charity event a couple weeks ago. And speaking of musical debuts -- I will be playing the piano this Sunday at Evergreen Methodist. Yikes. This may be my first and final performance. We'll see if I get asked back. Mom is stable. Just the usual nursing home type issues. It could be worse. I'm working a few shifts at a different nursing home...got to do something to pay for that heat pump!! And that's about it for now.

Again?

2009-03-02T10:14:00.002-05:00

I can't believe it snowed again. Under normal circumstances I love to see it...but since our heater is totally out of commission and it is about 40 degrees INSIDE the house, I'm less than pleased. The heater man is supposed to be here today to repair the unit. I HOPE so...it is going to be down to 18 tonight. Otherwise, things are moving along at a right good clip. I started a part-time job at a nursing home. I'll probably pick up a shift once a week...I don't think I can stand much more than that. Me and Mikey went to an Orthodox service a couple Sundays ago. It was great! I was just really in the mood for something very formal and traditional. I think it was a bit of shock to Mikey's system though. It was a fairly long service (for a non-church goer) and there was a LOT of standing. I went to Ash Wednesday services at a Methodist church down the road. They are well funded, so they have a lovely building in an expensive neighborhood. We planned to go to Judea Reform on Friday night for shabbat, but we decided to stay home and watch a movie instead. "The Bank Job" with Jason Statham. It was a religious experience for me. Lastly, the robins are out in force and my first daffodil has come up, so spring is coming. Thank God!

Happy Valentines Day

2009-02-14T14:27:00.002-05:00

Happy Birthday to Dad and Amarra. And happy anniversary to me, I guess. If I had stayed married the first time, this would be number 33. Good grief. So, Mr. Pollock, wherever you are, have a lovely day.

The (almost) Graduate

2009-02-03T22:33:00.003-05:00

My little Bert is finishing up at Aveda tomorrow...she starts her real J.O.B. this Saturday at a salon in Durham. No rest for the wicked. Actually she is anxious to get started so she can start making money...got to start paying off those school loans. yikes. We had a little celebration at an Irish pub tonight. Here is a lovely picture of Malcolm with his girlfriend, Erin. Then Bertie's boyfriend, Jason and lastly the gorgeous and talented Miss Bert. They're such good kids. We had a nice time. I enjoy my children as adults.

Let the good times roll

2009-01-28T15:08:00.007-05:00

There's something diabolical about our family occasions...whether it's a holiday celebration or life milestone...something always goes horribly wrong. Take today, for instance, it's my anniversary and I got a speeding ticket--my FIRST ever. I'm so angry. I NEVER speed...everyone always makes fun of me for driving like an old lady. After the cop was finished humiliating me I rushed immediately to the store and bought some chocolate cherry kisses. I'm going spend the rest of the day feeling sorry for myself and stuffing my fat face with candy. grrrrrrrrr. Anyhow, me and Mikey took ourselves out for our anniversary lunch at this Indian place in Chapel Hill, Mint. The food was really good altho it was overshadowed by the financial disaster this ticket is going to bring on. Let's see...what else is new in my world...well, Mikey bought a new (used) dishwasher. Nothing says "I love you" quite like a used dishwasher. Gotta love Craig's List. It's almost as addicting as Facebook. Which reminds me, if you are ever over that way, look me up.

Anniversary!

2009-01-28T10:52:00.004-05:00

This is us when we were dating, oh so many years ago. It's hard to believe its been almost a quarter century with this guy. Dig those groovy glasses, dude. Now that's a fad that needs to die a permanent death. We've got no plans for the day since Miguel is working...maybe we can slip out for a romantic lunch at Taco Bell...that's where we ate after we got married at the courthouse in Rockville, MD. Yeah, living large. That's the Nicholson way. We got married the day the space shuttle blew up. There's nothing like a national disaster to help seal the deal. Be sure to look us up on Facebook.

Finally, some snow!

2009-01-20T13:24:00.004-05:00

Well, this is a momentous occasion...in more ways than one. For once the weatherman was right on the money. He said it would start snowing after midnight and end about noon. It's so beautiful...very fluffy. I filled up the birdfeeders and those guys have been busy. I have never seen so many birds at one time. Mikey is sick, but dragged himself out of bed so we could watch the inauguration. Afterwards Mike said, "yeah, but what's he going to do about bringing coffee to the snowbound." Looks like we're going to be stuck here for the duration. If you happen to be driving by, please bring coffee to Mike...

Happy Birthday to the King

2009-01-08T22:30:00.005-05:00

I wouldn't feel right if I didn't acknowledge Elvis' birthday. How old would he be now...100? 150? I can't remember. Yesterday was Mom's birthday. She is 83 now. Dad will be 83 next month. Indeed, time does fly. Here it is, well into 2009, and I haven't made any resolutions yet. I had some vague notions about losing weight and exercising and some other nonsense like that...but I'm over it now. No point in setting myself up for failure. My only goal in life now is to get by with a minimum of grief and pain. I've given up on all those youthful ambitions...like becoming rich and famous. But Hey! Not to worry...I've already outived the King by a decade. By all accounts I'm a late bloomer. I have many more years to go, God willing, and I haven't peaked yet!!

The In-Laws

2008-12-31T18:44:00.002-05:00

We made the trek up to Mem's cabin on the mountain on Christmas day. Pictured here is Miguel's mother, Bertie, Me, Mal...Miguel's brother, Britts and his wife Pam. Also here are Mem's chihuahuas, Markie and Cuppie. It was a warm, sunny day...nice, but I still prefer a little snow during Christmas. Maybe next year.

Some of the people that I love

2008-12-31T18:37:00.003-05:00

I suppose this will have to do for the family Christmas photo. We're an informal crowd. It is getting harder and harder to get everyone together in the same room at the same time...everyone has such busy lives. I'm just thankful I got to see everyone during the holidays. Quite a motley crew, but they're mine (no one else will have them!).

Merry Merry from the gals in the office

2008-12-31T18:26:00.003-05:00

It's the annual Christmas celebration and staff party at my boss's lovely home. She made the traditional lasagna and spinach/strawberry salad. Beth made a "real" cocoanut cake which was to DIE for. OMG, she actually got a cocoanut and milked it and grated the stuff. It took a whole week to make. It was awesome. As part of our annual "sharing" campaign, we collected household goods to donate to the battered women's shelter in Pittsboro. Even Sadie, the dog, got into the action.

More family photos

2008-11-27T21:13:00.002-05:00

Just wanted to post this one from Thanksgiving Day at my brother's house. My nieces and daughter in the back and the grandfathers in the front. That would be my dad and the other grandfather...my brother's father in law.

Happy Thanksgiving

2008-11-27T20:54:00.003-05:00

Just got back from Virginia. My brother is hosting Thanksgiving at his home this weekend. His in-laws, about 40 of them, have come in from all parts of the country, so Dad thought this would be a good time to meet that side of the family. It was great to see my little nieces again. The girls are 16, 14 and 11 now. I can't believe it. The younger girls are taking harp lessons, so they played a few songs for us. It was wonderful. I thought about how much mom would have enjoyed seeing them. She absolutely adored having her children perform music. I used to have to play the piano anytime we had guests and I just hated it. Of course now I wish I had been a better sport about it....for mom's sake. Oh well. Anyhoo, I'm glad we had the chance to visit and I'm glad to be back home. I'm looking forward to a long, uneventfull weekend.

Dead Sea Scrolls

2008-11-08T17:00:00.002-05:00

Today I went to Raleigh to see the Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit at the Museum of Natural Science. I'm taking a class on the Old Testament at UNC (non-degree seeking adult) and I was lucky enough to score a ticket at the student rate. Otherwise, I probably never would have gone--it's kind of pricey. Our instructor said unless we travel to Israel on a regular basis, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity. I'm glad I went. Very interesting stuff. Unfortunately you don't get to actually handle the fragments...I was hoping they would tear a piece off for me to take home as a souvenir. Oh well. After checking out the scrolls, I had a little time to scoot through the other exhibits...dinosaurs, bugs, native plants, etc. I love museums. I also love Hershey's chocolate cherry kisses and I think I hear them calling my name. I'll be right there, my little darlings!

Happy Halloween, Ya'll

2008-10-31T21:14:00.004-04:00

Just got back from a church-sanctioned pot-luck and Halloween trick-or-treating party. It was great fun. I had forgotten much I enjoy this holiday. The kids were squeally and excited on their sugar highs and even I gave up my endless dieting for the evening. There's really no point even trying to diet until New Year's day. Mike is working at the club, as usual. I decided to pass on the festivities downtown this year. I wasn't in the mood for an alcohol-fueled bachanalia. Maybe it's my age, or my weird state of mind, but I prefer the quiet activities these days. Home and church is where it's at for me.

State Fair 2008

2008-10-30T11:58:00.003-04:00

Our department was back to the State Fair this year for our annual "team building" exercise, which in all honesty is just an excuse to get out of the office and goof off for a day. One of my coworkers has a niece in the pre-vet program at NC State and she entered a cow in the livestock competition. I don't know if she won or not. I prefer NOT to spend too much time in the livestock exhibits...you know, I get enough of that sort of thing over at mom's nursing home. I like the crafts exhibits--crochet, knitting, quilting, and the flowers. There are a lot of talented people out there and someday I hope to be one of them! I have no interest in the games or rides and I had to avoid most of the fried food...I've got this wonky gall bladder, so the only fair food I ate this year was an egg biscuit and some apple fritters. Both were excellent.

Rockin' in Kernersville

2008-10-21T17:21:00.004-04:00

******* Stratocruiser played an outdoor thing this past weekend up in Kernersville. That's near Winston-Salem for all you out-of-towners. Here's a couple pix of the boys: Clay, Miguel, and Matt. It was rather cold and windy, but they still brought the rock. And as for other news...I suppose I should throw my 2 cents in, since everyone seems to be all political and opinionated these days. Well, here's my take on the whole deal...TURN YOUR TV OFF. Don't listen to the radio. Throw your newspapers and magazines away. If you value your mental health, you will run and hide. Here's something that will help...I just discovered that you can watch old TV episodes on IMDB.com. It's so incredibly cool. I've been watching Hawaii Five-O and Starsky and Hutch. Excellent!! But, I haven't been wasting my time around here. Oh no. Not at all. I've been whipping up homemade stuff for holiday gift giving time. I'll be posting pictures at some point. But not now...I'm going to watch some Star Trek.

the cat has a problem

2008-10-14T10:01:00.003-04:00

All these problems in the stock market have really taken a toll on the poor old gal. I guess I better pack her up and get her into kitty rehab before she does something really stupid...like try to drive the car or something...

Hurricane Hanna!

2008-09-02T13:30:00.002-04:00

We've been watching the weather with interest ever since we found out there was tropical storm by the name of Hanna brewing out in the Atlantic. We were hoping it would turn into a real hurricane and it did! Not that we aren't concerned about the loss of life and property and all that, but how cool is it to have a hurricane named after you. My daughter is so excited...she said, "I hope that people will be talking about Hurricane Hanna for years." Mike wants to get a t-shirt that reads "I survived Hurricane Hanna" and put her birthdate on it. Funny. We should know by Friday if the storm is going to affect us.

Bert and Bro

2008-08-28T12:23:00.003-04:00

Another pix of my broseph and my BFF Bertie. Bert just found out she was selected to attend the Aveda Congress (their big annual hair and fashion extravaganza) in Minneapolis next month. She had to write an essay and submit a portfolio of her work. Aveda picks one student from each Institute and pays airfare and hotel for the 4 day event. She'll be taking advanced classes and then helping out behind the scenes doing the hair for the runway models. It's quite an honor. She is so excited. We're very proud of her. Although in all honesty, we'd be proud of her no matter what she did. We were a little reticent about this cosmetology thing in the beginning, but she has been great. What a terrific kid. And the best part--I'm now sure she'll be able to support her parents in their old age!