Cold and Colder

It is the Arctic freeze outside. Shelby needs to have a jacket on to walk in the backyard. It has been days since it has been above freezing. Tonight, thousands of people will be standing in Times Square shivering. Young girls in mini skirts and heels will have their legs turn red as they try to look their New Year's best. I have been dressed in layers since last week. I feel like a stuffed sausage and can barely lift my arms up. They say by next Monday things will ease up.

Bed and Breakfast

Whenever I go to visit my children, I stay in a Marriott hotel that offers a nice breakfast included in the price. As the years go by they add more to the buffet. My routine is to get up, get dressed and go down to the lobby to eat. Recently, the dress code seems to be loosening up. People have been coming to the lobby in pajamas. Sleep clothes, flip flops and messy hair are showing up at the buffet line. For a lack of better words, it grosses me out. If I can get washed and look presentable, so can you. What's next, a towel wrapped around your waist and wet hair?

The Avatar

Yesterday I interviewed an Avatar. I do not think she was human. Her first interview was with one of the doctors and her opinion was that the girl was nervous and maybe that was why she was so stiff. I saw her yesterday and she had not loosened up. She sat there, lifeless as a doll with no facial expression. I told her that the job description was for someone that needed to be warm and friendly at the front desk window. She looked at me blankly and said, "It is very important to be friendly". Her face never cracked a smile. After she saw me, she was interviewed by the new doctor, the one who she would be assisting. The doctor was the one that said she seemed like an Avatar or some other type of robot. If this was the personality she had to get a job, I am afraid how she will act if she got it.

Efficient Hours

The best way to have something run efficiently is to do the job and make decisions based upon your findings. In my office, my boss likes to do the reverse. We have a job opening for a work load that starts in the early morning and must be attended to immediately. The administrative doctor and I decided to make the hours 11am-4pm which would cover most of the day. My boss decided to make the hours 3pm-8pm. That makes no sense. If a patient needs to change their appointment time for that day, by the time the worker comes in, the appointment time has passed. If a patient needs their medication, they would need to go to pick it up in the evening, when it will be called in. There is no rationality to her thinking. Since I turned 62, I have a relaxed attitude with my job. If that is what she wants, that is what she gets. When problems arise, I will look at her with a smirk on my face and ask he how she wants the problem solved. This all reverts back to "Smart vs Bright".

What Were They Thinking

As I drove down I-95 yesterday it was smooth sailing until we got to a mall area. The traffic slowed to a crawl for a mile or two and then freed up again. It was the usual December 26 day of gift returning. The "what were they thinking" thoughts hanging in people's minds. About 60% of gifts are right on target. The rest break down like this: 15% are "Wow, I really love this. They thought out of the box and nailed it", 15% are "I guess they like these types of gifts so they though I would too" and the last 10% are the "WTF, why would they buy this for me? Now I have to go to the mall and wait on line to return it or get a gift card if I can't find the receipt." Before that is done, we all take a moment and think if there is any upcoming celebration so that we can pawn these gifts onto another person. Another happy holiday season.

Heading Home

After a wonderful weekend, we are heading home. I always feel a bit sad as I get so attached to my granddaughters, that I hate to leave. Most of my time here was spent like a playdate. We played with toys, did arts and crafts and jumped around doing "moves". My older granddaughter calls her made up acrobatic dances "moves". She has an unlimited amount of creative steps. My younger granddaughter has a permanent smile on her face. She giggled and smiled the entire time I was here. The time here was filled with hugs, kisses and pure joy. I haven't even left yet but I cannot wait to return.

Through A Child's Eyes

Christmas is not my holiday but as a grandparent I have adopted it. Before I had my grandchildren, I did not understand the fuss. Now I embrace it, not as a religious day but as a day of happiness and childlike wonder. Any day that makes a child happy is a good day. While most young children do not yet understand the concept of God and religion, they do understand a day of family festivities. Unwrapping a lot of gifts and eating delicious food with your whole family is all they focus on. That is how I see the holiday and am glad that I have the opportunity to broaden my horizons.

On The Road Again

Just like the Willie Nelson song, I am "On the road again". I just got up and am ready to take a ride to New England. The sun is shining and the weather is crisp and cold. At the end of the road, my children and granddaughter's are waiting. I cannot wait to arrive at their house and scoop the both of them up in my arms for a big hug and many kisses. This is what life is all about.

Birthday Gifts

For the past week, my sister has been asking me what I wanted for my birthday. We exchange a small token gift each year. It could be gloves, a kitchen utensil, a food container. It is something useful or just plain fun. This year I drew a blank as to what I wanted. In the past month, all of my needs have been met. I have the greatest gifts already. My parents are holding their own. My grandchildren are all healthy and happy. My soon to be born grandchild is still growing and is on the road to being full term. My sister is recovering from her surgery and is doing great. What more could I need? 

Officially Old

Today I am officially old. I have reached the age where I can collect Social Security benefits if I choose to. It snuck up on me. I knew that it was looming in the future, but the future came at a faster pace than I thought. In reality, age does not matter to me. My mind is young even though my back feels a bit creaky. Sixty two is the "take no more crap" age. If I am not happy at work, I can still collect money that I paid into the system. I do not have to worry about moving up the work ladder. I am on the highest rung and can now look down and laugh.

Bullying

It is tough to see someone being bullied. The new doctor is on a bullying rampage with her once beloved assistant. Her goal is to make her assistant walk out. We will not let that happen. Even though the assistant is 33 years old, her reaction to being bullied is as if she is 10 years old on the playground in school. Yesterday she sat there and cried as I patted her back and told her that things were going to be fine. My boss came in and told her the same thing and even though we were all giving her strategies to cope with a mean person, if something is not directly hurting you, you can never feel the pain. My boss keeps talking to the bully doctor but she just doesn't understand that she needs to control her mouth and her actions. She is a psychiatrist and if she doesn't know better, it is a sad commentary on that medical profession.

Want To vs Have To

Today I am bringing holiday gifts into work. In my mind they are separated out into two types of gifts. There are the "want to" gifts and the "have to" gifts. We all know what that means. The holiday season is meant to be kind and gift giving goes along with it. Thought is put into the gifts we give. When we are giving out of obligation, the thought process is giving any gift that can pass as nice without having any personal meaning. There will always be the extra gifts given to people that gave us a gift so we are forced to give one in return. Those gifts fall into the "have to but really didn't want to" sub division.

Hiring

We are hiring a receptionist again. This time, even though I am involved in the process, I do not care. As usual, applicants do not show up for the interview. The pool of people do not even have the experience we need. The salary we are offering is just above minimum wage. No one wants the job with the responsibilities that come along with it. Years ago it mattered to me. Now I am ambivalent. Whomever they hire will eventually become unhappy as they will be working with a crazy doctor.

PHD Of Lies

In some point in everyone's life we all have lied. We all have reasons for our lies. I call it the PhD of lies. The P is a protective lie. It is meant to protect someone from bad news until you feel it is the right time. The H is a hurtful lie. It is meant to do damage to another person. The D is a deceitful lie. It is meant to be sneaky and try to put something over on another person. I am a protective liar. If I have to lie, it is to shelter someone I love from heartache. It is meant to bide my time until I feel they are ready to know the truth. It is a judgement call of kindness and I see nothing wrong with that.

Sunshine

I woke up this morning to another cloudy day. I laid in bed looking out of the window and looked at the gray sky. I did not want to even get up. The day looked so sad. Then from the corner of my eye, I saw a patch of blue sky with the sun trying to pop through. Within an instant I wanted to get out of bed and start the day. The sunshine made the difference. It gave me the energy to get up and go. I can understand people that have seasonal depression. Too many cloudy days are not good for anyone.

Distracted

Everywhere I go, people are distracted. They sit in waiting rooms looking down at their phones. They walk in the street not even focusing on where they are. They are in a restaurant with other people and their attention is not with the live people in front of them, but with the virtual people in their phone. Real time experiences no longer matter. Pings, beeps, ringtones and video messages are the reality. I was at a doctor's office last week and three friends sat in a line next to each other. They were all texting, scrolling and trying to have a conversation with each other. No one ever looked up. The emotion was not there. For all I know, they might have also been texting each other.

Tables Turned

Tables turn when least expected. I never saw it coming. The new doctor has turned on her beloved assistant. Last year when the doctor arrived, she upset the apple cart. She carried on until we hired her old assistant and we did. After a few months, the assistant became a well like employee of our office. That is when things turned real ugly. It is like the old rule that you never have a child's play date with three children. One will always be unhappy. The doctor felt that her assistant being included as a friend in the office meant that she was no longer 100% devoted to her. Now things got nasty. The mean emails, cruel demands and nasty overtones began to appear. The assistant is now so upset that she wants to walk out. The problem is that we all like her so much we do not want her to leave us.

Privacy

We all like our privacy, but sometimes due to circumstances it needs to be invaded. It might not be what you want but it is what you need. As senior citizens age, their ability to be self sufficient dwindles. At some point, a healthcare aide is necessary. They never think it is. They see it as a sign of defeat. They never see it as a sign of caring. My circle of friends all have the same problem when an aide is hired. People that have never complained become complainers but what they are unhappy with is minutia. The story is always the same. The aide reads, she watched television, she talks on the phone and she eats our food. These are not offenses, they are normal activities. What are the aides expected to do all day? The majority of them are kind and caring and have the patience of a saint. I sometimes feel that I am losing patience and I love my parents more than anyone.

Missing Item

It has happened again. I am missing an item from the supermarket. I know I put it onto the conveyor belt to be checked out but it did not come home with me. I cannot locate the receipt so I do not know if I paid for it or it became part of the next person's order. I checked my car trunk to see if it got out of the bag, but it did not. I really wanted that item. I even went back to the aisle to get it at the end of shopping. It was not a necessary item, it was one that I wanted to try for the first time. If I find the receipt and I did pay for it, I will go back to the store and ask for another one.

Five

Today is my granddaughter's fifth birthday. She was born on 12/12/12, a special date for a very special girl. She is not only smart, she is wise. After being with her this weekend, I see that she has a concept of the world that is not common for a five year old. She understands. I do not mean the simple things, I mean the broader things. She can process things and explain it back to you in such a precise way that it makes sense to an adult. Certain statements that she makes have become a staple in my vocabulary and I use them often. If she is this astute at five years old, I cannot wait until she is ten. Happy Birthday to the most wonderful girl in the world!

Missing Piece

I am home from New England and had such a nice time. Things are almost back to normal with one exception. Shelby is still boarded at the vet. He is the missing link. Waking up without him feels strange. I am so used to taking care of him in the morning that I do not know what to do with my extra time. He is such a strong presence in the house that when he is not here there is a void. He will be home this afternoon and then all of the puzzle pieces will be back together.

Party Extras

My granddaughter's party was wonderful. As usual there was a lot of great food and desserts. The company is always delightful. This year I had an extra treat. After everyone had left, I was assigned the task of bathing the girls. Each girl had her own bathtime, which made it double the fun. They swam in the water and played with their toys. There is nothing more fun than watching children splash around in a bathtub with big smiles on their faces. After bathtime, I dressed them and combed their long hair. Since I had boys, I never combed long, silky hair. What a treat.

Playtime

I had the best time ever last night. I arrived at my son's house to find two beautiful girls waiting for me with big smiles on their faces. My son and daughter in law went out to dinner so I could have "alone time" with the girls. It was Grandma and Poppy time. We ate dinner together and then did arts and crafts. When it was bedtime for my younger granddaughter, she went to bed like a big girl. She did everything we asked without any fuss. Her big sister continued to play until her bedtime. We read books and had quiet time while she was laying in her pillow filled bed. It was such special quality time. As I walked out of my older granddaughter's room, she said, "Grandma, I wish you could stay here forever".

Birthday Weekend

In a little while we will be getting on the road to see my granddaughters for my oldest granddaughter's birthday. I can hardly believe that she is turning five. Although we have Skyped, we have not seen the girls in person since the summer. I am looking forward to some "girl time" with them. I am ready to play games and do anything else they want.

Non Confrontational

Sometimes it is not good to be non confrontational. When a situation affects you more than the other person and you stay silent to avoid conflict, no one wins. You lose because the situation does not change and the other person loses because you harbor ill feeling towards them. There is always a nice way to say what is on your mind and bothering you. Being honest while being kind can easily be done. All you need are the right words combined with the right tone. 

New and Improved

After a long day in surgery, my sister is now new and improved. All parts are working and it is now full steam ahead. The surgery went well and she even looked great right after it. We had been warned that she might look a bit grotesque and prepared ourselves for tha, but she looked as pretty as always. Today will start the recovery and healing process. By next week I am sure that she will be back to normal but at a slower speed and will work her way up to full throttle.

Waiting

This just might be the longest day of my life.......

Check List

I have a running check list in my head. It contains all of the things I need to.It scrolls all day eliminating the things I have done and adding on the new ones. It is a 24 list as it never sleeps. I wish it would take some time off and let my head rest.

Food Plan

Yesterday I ate dinner at a Chinese buffet. It was one of the best I had been to. I went in there with a strategy. Since I had been there before I knew the layout which was a big advantage. I decided on my "food plan" earlier in the day and went on the attack as soon as I arrived. I did a quadruple play and mixed things up a bit. I started with the veggies, cabbage, bok choy and okra. I am not usually a veggie person but the way they cook them is fantastic. After the veggies, I got one piece of each sushi choice which came out to be 18 pieces. Yes, eighteen choices of sushi. Mind boggling. After I was almost full, I rounded back to the delicious buttery veggies. I gave myself a few minutes to regroup and had jello, mango pudding, a rainbow cookie, butter pecan ice cream and a creamsicle.  I was at 100% full capacity but not overstuffed. It was great.

Refurbished

I took a chance and bought a refurbished laptop. I already have a desktop and a tablet so I was not in dire need of anything too crazy. After years of owning only Window's products, I decided to get a Mac. The prices of new ones were too high so I went with refurbished. It cost less than $150 and I am writing on it now. It is as fast as can be and I so happy with it. My travel laptop moves like a snail so now I can take this one on vacation. I think I did pretty well with this purchase.

Three C's

Day after day I am still reading about celebrities and media people who are being accused of misconduct. While I feel bad for the victims, they did have a way out. It was their choice to accept the bad behaviors of others. Most of us in their situation would have done the same as it is human nature not to rock the boat if we are afraid that we will be the one to fall off first. That is where the three C's come in. Comply, condone, complain. Since the beginning of time, women in Hollywood or the media knew that they had to comply with the shenanigans of male superiors or they would not advance in the industry. The men condoned the behavior because if they stood up to it they would look weak. After many years, all it took was one voice to complain loudly enough that they were heard. One was joined by two and three and four until a symphony began to sing. Now the cockroaches are scattering as the light is turned on.

Still Waiting

I am still waiting for my password reset. As each day passes I get more frustrated. There is no one to call and complain to. It is email only. I do not like it when I am not in control of a situation. When I am in control, things go as planned.

Reset

All I want is a password reset. It is a simple request. The tech department received my request, did not really read it and forwarded it to another department. I called that department and they said they cannot help as it is a tech issue and told me to write the tech department again. I did that yesterday and there is still no response. This is getting annoying. It is a password reset, a link, that is it. I am not asking for them to solve the mystery of the Holy Grail, or asking for them to tell me the esoteric meaning of life. I am asking for someone to give me a temporary password to reopen my online account. Why is this becoming so much work?

Technical Issues

I have been locked out of my healthcare account. There was a technical issue with the site and I am not able to log in. I called the insurance company and they referred me to their technical department. The only way to get in touch with them is through email. I sent an email and I am still waiting for a response. All I wanted to do was make a simple premium payment and now it has turned into a fiasco. I mailed a check last week and now have to wait for it to be picked up at the PO Box. Then it goes to "financial" where it is logged in. Next a spreadsheet is created and it goes to the Cobra department. Finally it will be logged in to the system. If it is not done by December 1, my healthcare will be "terminated" until the check is posted and then reopened. All of this runaround because there was a technical issue with the site.

Phone Calls

This morning I have to make phone calls. Murphy's Law is that things go wrong over a holiday weekend so you have to worry for four days until they get resolved. I have to call my health insurance to unlock my account. Their website went down and locked me out. I have to call Access a Ride to make sure my parent's rides are booked correctly. I have to call the agency that sends the aides to make sure that the aide can go with my parents on errands Tuesdays and Thursdays. For some reason this agency wants the aides to sit in all day. That is not what I need them for. Hopefully by the end of this morning all of the calls will be made and the problems worked out.

Fair

It has been quite a few years since I have done a jewelry fair. For some reason, on the spur of the moment, I signed up for one. It is at a local temple. I will be selling my Pracelets and 2 styles of necklaces. The necklaces were an after thought. Since I had the materials, I figured why not just sell more things. This type of fair can go either way. You can have a great day or make no sales at all. I am sure it will be a pleasant day.

The Job

Some people have a job. Other people are the job. The difference is dedication and purpose. The people that are the job are police officers, firefighters and people in the healthcare industry, to name a few. Their jobs are meshed into their souls. It is a dedication that comes from within and is there from a young age. These jobs are ones that help others at the sake of their own safety and well being. Police and firefighters put their lives on the line for strangers and do that without a blink of an eye. That is their purpose. Healthcare workers are there to make your life easier. In the past few weeks I have seen the reality of life from the perspective of a family that needs to rely on others for the safety and care of my parents. I always knew what my sons selflessly did for other people and understood how it gave comfort. Now I am on the other side of the equation and am grateful that people are doing that for me.

Holiday Season

Yesterday was the official start of the holiday season. Retail workers were pulled from their family dinners to open up stores for people to buy items that will still be on sale next week. If the holiday season is about family, why are material items more important? The whole concept is contradictory. The cycle of buy, give, return is now in full motion. The most prized gifts that I have ever gotten were the ones that came from the heart and not from the store. It could be a card with my name scrawled on it. It could be a popsicle stick with two googly eves glued unevenly. It did not matter what it was. It only mattered who it was from.

Thanksgiving

Today is Thanksgiving. It is a day that we spend with family and eat wonderful food. People focus on what they are thankful for. I started to think about the difference between thankful and grateful. Being thankful is a feeling. Being grateful is a deeper emotion.Thankfulness is short lasting. Gratitude last forever. The concept can be a bit confusing. Gratitude carries a deeper feeling and awareness. I am trying to think of a good example and have one that I think fits the bill. I have a friend that has created a charity that collects children's books and distributes them to hospitals and food pantries. The children get to keep these books for free. I know my friend is thankful for all of the people that have donated the books. The children are grateful that someone thought of them and are giving selflessly to them. That feeling will be with them forever. Today, I hope everyone is thankful for what they have and grateful for the meaning behind it.

Jesus Take The Wheel

There is a lot going on in my life. I can handle everything as long as I have a plan. I was in work the other day speaking to one of the doctors about the chaos that is surrounding me. As a joke he looked up to the sky, raised his hands and shouted, "Jesus take the wheel". The fact that the doctor is Jewish made the statement funny. The concept behind it though was comforting. Sometimes you cannot control everything and you have to relinquish power and let things ride naturally. Whether it be God, or Jesus or anyone else that you say, sometimes someone else needs to navigate the wheel so you have time to regroup.

Contacts

Every cell phone has an area for contacts. I had very few saved in mine. I had close family, one doctor, Shelby's vet and a few friends. I put them in years ago and never added to the list. This week, I added more names than I originally had. None of the names are directly for me. They are all for my parents. I now have their doctor's, Access a Ride, taxi services, social workers, home healthcare aides, physical therapy offices and more. I had been working with these numbers on pieces of scrap paper but that system was not working well.

Little Ears

This morning my younger granddaughter is getting tubes in her ears. After spending last winter with many ear infections, the doctors decided to insert tubes so her ears will not have fluid in them. My younger son also had that done when he was a baby. It is a scary thing to have your child under anesthesia and in surgery. I remember the day vividly down to where I sat and what I ate. I feel bad for my son, having to worry about his daughter. It will be an upsetting day, but when it is over she will be better. I can't wait until I hear that the surgery is done and she is smiling again.

Supplies

My car trunk is full to the top. This morning my sister and I are bringing supplies to our parents. Since they have spent the last 15 winters in Florida, they are not very prepared for New York winters. We are bringing them warm clothes and coats in addition to homecooked food, cooked by my sister. As of this week they will have everything they need to be comfortable for the winter season. All loose ends are tied up so life can resume.

A Child's Eyes

I saw my grandson on Sunday at his mother's baby shower. My parents were also there. The following week my dad needed a procedure on his arm. That is when my sister and I decided to hire an aide to be with my parents so they would not be alone during the week. We needed to stock the house with food and make sure things are in order. We needed to get Access A Ride for my dad so he does not have to drive home from  dialysis at night. It was a bit stressful, but things are in place.When I saw my grandson on Thursday he looked at me and asked, "Grandma, did you get old?" I was shocked. He saw the stress on my face and noticed that I looked tired. He interpreted it as being old. A four year old child was tuned into my feelings and his eyes looked at me with such compassion that I almost cried. The eyes of a child are pure and honest. 

Help

It is never an easy thing to realize that your life will never be the same. My parents are in their 90's and have been active and self sufficient until now. Yesterday we hired an aide to be with them and oversee their well being when my sister and I are not there. It was strange to have someone else in their house. Strange but comforting. My sister and I are no longer able to handle the daily needs of our parents. There is a lot going on in our personal lives and we cannot cut ourselves in half. It was time to call in the reserves. It will be a new normal.

Tools of the Trade

All professions have the "tools of their trade". Plumbers have a wrench. Electricians have wires. Carpenters have hammers. Doctors have their stethoscopes. The stethoscope is a tool that is used for 5 seconds but brings in a lot of money. It is usually worn like a necklace to show a doctor's stature. I once put one around my neck and it was really uncomfortable. If you are in a hospital and a doctor pops his head in to say hello, as long as he listens to your heart, he will charge your insurance. Stethoscope = revenue.

Better Late

I just got home from my parent's house. My father needed a procedure done for his dialysis and I took the day off. I was out of my normal morning routine and for the first time ever I forgot to write this blog. At the end of the day my son called to ask if I was alright since the blog was not up. Had he not done that I would have broken my perfect streak. He called and I write.

Alaska

I live in the state of New York.  It is a place where things are done right away.  Nothing is put off until tomorrow.  Other people live in Alaska.  They choose not to do something when they are asked to. They will respond by saying, "Alaska" (I'll ask her).  Sometimes living in New York gets tiring.  My next vacation is going to be "Alaska".

In God We Trust

I designed a new bracelet that is a replica of a one dollar bill.  In the center read the words, "In God We Trust".  As I get older, that has become my new philosophy of life.  I no longer try to understand why things happen.  I leave things in God's hands and let him figure out what is best for me.

Sprinkle

Today is the Sprinkle. It is a mini baby shower for a second baby when it is a different sex. It is a smaller version of a shower with less people. The gifts are small ones since the first child received the larger ones. My grandson is so excited that there will be a party in his house. I do not know if he really understands what is going on, but he does know that there will be candy. I am so blessed to be expecting a fourth grandchild.

Too Cold

Yesterday was too cold. Cold plus wind make me unhappy. Cold plus wind plus knowing my parents are in New York and not Florida, makes me more unhappy. The weather people say that it will warm up to 52 degrees by Sunday so maybe this is just a cold wave. Usually it is in the 40's in November and December, so I hope this cold passes through quickly.

Parent Bully

I have become a parent bully. When I suggest something sensible and my parents are wishy washy about it, I bully them into doing what is right. Since they are in New York for at least the next three months and it gets dark out early, I do not want my father driving at night. I want them to call a car service to take them back and forth to his medical treatments. First they agreed, then they said that they were going to do their regular routine. That is when I went into bully mode. I argued that there was no way I would allow them to drive at night and stayed on the phone as they called a car service for today. I will set up a three day schedule with a local car service and make sure that they are safe. I hate to be harsh, but I need to do the right thing.

Paranoia

My office is become paranoid. Since the new doctor arrived she has systematically instilled a sense of paranoia in my boss. Yesterday it was email paranoia. As everyone knows, we all receive daily emails that we did not ask for, from people and places that we do not know. That is what the delete button is for. My boss is now worried that when we email newsletters to people who have given us their email addresses, we will be sued. Sued for what? An email saying there is a new group forming? When will her madness end? I see her mental decline as her paranoid worries escalate and honestly it is getting annoying.

Three Way Conversation

Sometimes it takes three people to have a conversation. One talks, one listens and the third interprets. That is what happened yesterday. The new doctor was questioning a deposit in her bank account. The bookkeeper told her that she was wrong. She argued that this information was directly from the bank as she had just come from a meeting with her banker. The bookkeeper said that the banker didn't know what he was talking about. I intervened when they both began to roll their eyes at each other. The doctor was right. The bookkeeper just was not understanding the issue. I had to explain to both of them what was happening using hand gestures and post its. Finally everyone understood. This was another example of smart vs bright. The doctor is smart, the bookkeeper is bright, but I am both smart and bright.

Election Day

Finally, the annoying phone calls at all hours of the day will end. My mailbox will no longer be stuffed with oversized postcards. I will not be subjected to nasty television commercials where each candidate says the other is a thief, liar and criminal. Hopefully people will vote "No" to the Constitutional Convention so our pensions will remain safe. As we can see, a year has passed since the 2016 election. We are all still standing. America is still here and truth be told, we are stronger. Things change slowly and with a lot of caution, even in this administration. We are no worse for the wear.

Soup

I like soup. Not every day, but occasionally. My parent's generation loves soup. I never realized how much their generation loved it until I began talking to other people who have parents in their 90's. Soup is their comfort food. It is a meal that they fall back on when they have nothing better to eat. There is always soup in the house and plenty of it. In cans, frozen and in the refrigerator. Maybe it stems from when they were children and money was tight. After a regular meal one night, the remains could be turned into soup for the next few nights. Just add some potatoes, vegetables and seasoning to remaining bones or bits of meat and there you go. A hearty dinner.

Turning Back Time

Today we turn back the clocks. Too bad we are not able to turn back time. Only the face of the clock changes, time stays the same. How many people would have loved to turn back the clocks for one hour, in the real sense? How many decisions would have been different? Maybe they would not have said something to hurt another person's feelings. Maybe they would have had one less drink and not sat behind the wheel of a car. Maybe they would have made time to listen to someone in distress. As we turn back our clocks today, we should be mindful of what we do from now on. In a sense, that would be like turning back the clock ahead of time.

The Power

When it comes down to it, humans do not hold the power of the universe. Tiny microscopic cells do. We can make any plan we like, but the tiny cell has the power to change it for us. I was supposed to be on the road to Massachusetts this morning. Yesterday the trip was cancelled because my granddaughter was sick. Her mother had just gotten over a virus, but it laid in wait to attack my granddaughter. Last week I booked the trip. Yesterday I cancelled the trip. When my daughter in law felt better, I rebooked the trip. At night when my granddaughter got sick, I cancelled again. I feel like I am on a roller coaster. I put their bags of gifts in my dining room and will continue to fill them up for when I go to see them in December.

The Big Three

The Big Three used to refer to sports teams. Now it refers to heath care. Three major companies are taking over our healthcare system. Northwell, NYU Langone and ProHealth have systematically eaten away at the small doctors. The have bought them out and are slowly building a healthcare army. The arsenal of weapons includes hospitals, urgent care and private doctors. The personalized care of yesterday is now becoming a management machine. There will be call centers and electronics. Everything will have a system and a plan and a protocol. There will be no room for individuality and compassion. The private doctors who have sold out are now employees and with that, they have lost whatever bedside manner they once had. They have to watch their words as they could now be fired like the rest of the staff. It is sad that we have dehumanized our healthcare system.

Reprimand

Yesterday I had to reprimand one of my receptionists. I overheard her "counseling" a patient and that is not good. The receptionist is smart and friendly but not a counselor. She had no right to give advice. After speaking to my boss, I called her into my office and told her that she could not talk to patients in a clinical way. What she told them was not earth shattering, but she has no idea what their triggers are. Telling them to call a friend and go out seems innocent, but what if the patient has rejection issues and the friend cannot go out? Telling the patient to take a long walk seems innocent, but what if seeing a stray dog along the walk is a trigger and their anxiety kicks in? By speaking about personal issues, the patient might begin to think of the receptionist as her friend or confidant and that is not beneficial. The girl did not take the talk well, but that is not my problem. As long as she understands her place in the office, I did my job.

Small Print

There is small print and there is minute print. I have no problem reading small print but this morning I needed to read minute print. I was looking for an expiration date on a coupon and it was impossible to see. I stared at it, focused on it and even put it under a bright light. There was no way that I could make out the date. It must be written in a 1 font. When I give it in to the pizza place, if it is expired, I will ask for it to be honored anyway. I earned it.

Happy Halloween

Today is Halloween. It is mainly a children's celebration. Candy and costumes everywhere. Some people are very creative while others dress up in the standard costumes. Some costumes are phasing out due to the politically correct atmosphere that has arisen. Old favorites, like fashion, are reappearing. In the 90's there were the Ninja Turtles. The disappeared for almost twenty years and have reemerged. I am sure I will see a few cats, cowboys, hobos and clowns. I could make a joke that the clowns are the people I work with, but I won't, (or have I already done so).

PJ Day

Yesterday was PJ day. I was supposed to visit my parents but the weather report was for rain and high winds so I decided to stay at home. I remained in my sweatsuit all day and after I did some small chores, I did nothing. I realized that I am not the type of person who can sit around all day doing nothing. The day seemed so long and I did a lot of pacing around. I guess I need to keep moving to be happy.

Sew Resourceful

Yesterday I went through my closet and saw a leather jacket that I had not worn since last season. I went to put it on and noticed that one button was very loose, almost hanging. It needed to be sewn back before I wore the jacket. I got my sewing kit and realized that I needed to thread a needle. Since my cataract surgery, I have monovision. I can see far with my right eye and near with my left eye. That way when the eyes combine I do not need reading glasses. The only downside is that for very close work, I cannot see. I can't use reading glasses as one eye is already a reading vision eye. I tried and tried to thread the needle but it was impossible. I saw a needle already threaded but it had white thread and it was a black coat. In my desperation to sew the button, I decided to use the white thread. After it was sewn, I took a black marker and colored in the white thread. It looks great.

Powerful F

Out of all the letters in the alphabet, I think that the "F" is the most powerful. It is the first letter for Fame, Fortune, Freedom, Faith and even Failure. There is one word that it starts with, that makes a difference to the other three letters that follow it. Why can we say luck, duck, puck, suck, muck, buck or tuck and no one flinches? They are all acceptable. Plain old non confrontational words. When we put the "F" before those three other innocent letters, there is trouble. Who gave the "F" so much power that by placing it in front of "uck" , you can be reprimanded, assaulted or thrown out of places?

What If

I live in a world of "what". The first is "what if" and the other is "what will". It is a problem/solution world. What if something happens? What will I do? Some days when I read the articles on the internet, I realize that many people will never join me in that club. I read about people doing things that I think are ridiculous and when a problem arises they are shocked. This morning I read about two women who were stranded at sea for four months when the motor of their sailboat stopped working. It was bad enough that there were two women but they also had two dogs. They survived because they had a lot of food, so that was good thinking. The first thought that popped into my head was where did the dogs go to the bathroom?

Add On

There is a sneaky option on the internet called an "Add On". I know better than to accept them. My husband does not. A few days ago, I was on the internet when I noticed that there was a new browser bar. I think it was called My Manuals. Every time I opened a new web page, it defaulted to this new home page. It infuriates me when I see this as I am the one who has to fix it. My husband had no idea how it got there, but did admit to searching the web to find a manual for his leaf blower. Now I had to change internet options and search options. I had to make sure that this taskbar was not hiding in any other places. All I wanted to do was quickly check my email and it turned into a half hour of diagnostics.

Everyone and No One

Everyone knew it. No one said anything. Over the past few weeks we are seeing news articles about harassment. If everyone knew, why didn't anyone speak? That is a question that will haunt society forever. It shows human nature at its worst. To see and not say. It is a self protective defense mechanism. Seeing it does not hurt you. Talking about it might. We allow others to get hurt, hoping we will not. I can't say it is right or wrong because the decision to speak up is an emotional one. Emotions are not always rational. That is why they are emotions. Eventually there is one person strong enough to speak. That is when other people will say, "Me too". The "I saw it" person can speak up with their head held high. The "me too" person has their head bowed a bit because they allowed other "me too's" to be hurt. There is no right or wrong. Humans are just wired this way.

Machine Malfunction

When I walked into work yesterday, my bookkeeper was in a rage. She has been trying to settle the checkbook for a week and nothing matched. Finally she realized that the credit card deposits were off. Immediately she began to rant that the new doctor went to the bank and closed the account. I told her to stop yelling and take a moment to think calmly. There was no way that the new doctor could have closed her credit card merchant account. She does not know the account number and the only way to do that is through me. After settling her down, I made a phone call and found out what happened. The answer was quite unsettling. It seems that our credit card machine had a malfunction and for one month was depositing the new doctor's money into another doctor's bank account. Thankfully it was one of our doctors. The bank has no idea why this happened and now the question is bumped up to a senior bank analyst. Just the fact that this could even happen makes me worry. Nothing is really secure anymore.

Warmer Than Usual Autumn Lasting Through September and October

This Autumn has been warmer than usual. We used to refer to it as Indian Summer. Now, with everyone watching every word, that is a politically incorrect term. People used to joke about Big Brother watching us. It has come true. Every word or phrase needs to be monitored. Depending on your view, anything can be turned around and used against you. So if I want to get across a thought that could have been said in two words, I will need to say nine.

Sleepover Sunday

It is so nice that my grandson is old enough to have a sleepover and it is minimal effort on my part. His parents have taught him well. He has manners and common sense. He says please and thank you for everything I do for him. He clears the table after he eats, makes his own bed and cleans up after himself. He reminds me of his father at this age. He was a little man at four years old. Thinking like an older child and using big words. This morning he told me that he was "frustrated" with one of his toys that was not working correctly. I have him until the mid afternoon and I will love every second of the day.

Little Buddy

This weekend I will be with my little buddy, my grandson. I will go to his kickball game and then take him home with me until tomorrow afternoon. We have the day planned. We will go to his favorite stores and buy him whatever he wants. We will go out to dinner, probably pizza. He will sleep in his father's old bedroom and in the morning have breakfast. Knowing him, he will chatter all day. He is a non stop conversationalist and everything he says is relevant. He is so easy to be with and it is a pleasure to pal around with him. The only thing that could possible be better, would be to have my granddaughters with us.

Brain Action

I just read an article on the web that says that after you die your brain is still working for a short time and can formulate thoughts. Really? Now I am upset. Who needs my brain to keep working? I have spent my entire life thinking and worrying 24/7. I was hoping that death meant an immediate brain tune out. At peace. At rest. Finito. Now I have to look forward to still thinking even after I die. Thanks a lot.

Senior Jeopardy

As we age, certain sensory functions change. We do not see as well, hear as well or walk as well. The seeing and walking affect the person who feels them. The hearing effects everyone else. It starts with the person telling everyone that they are mumbling. Then it turns into the "what" stage where every sentence that is spoken to them is answered with the word, "what?". When things get to a worse condition I call it Senior Jeopardy. In the game of Jeopardy, every answer has a question. In Senior Jeopardy, every question has a wrong answer. The question, "What do you want to eat" is answered with "My feet feel fine".

The Sandwich

My family dynamic has become a sandwich. I have a slice of bread on one side called parents. I have a slice of bread on the other side called children. I am the meat stuck in the middle being compressed and pulled apart. Macerated. The problem with the sandwich is that one slice of bread cannot see how the other side is doing because they are on opposite sides. The meat is in contact with both sides so it knows the situation. The meat sees what the bread cannot and it is hard to explain.

Off Duty

After many years of being a manager 24/7, I have decided to be the manager only during my working hours. Once I leave work, I am off duty. I have even gone as far as changing my ringtone to a specific one for my office and staff so that when they call me after hours, I will not even have to look at my phone. I will just ignore it. Lately I have been getting nonsense calls from my staff. If they don't find a box of paper clips, they call to ask where else they can look. If the heat is too high, they call to see if they can lower it. It is getting to the point where I want to hire a bunch of six year olds. A few weeks ago my boss called to say that she just got a speeding ticket and asked what she should do. I said, "Pay it". I am now separating work life from personal life and I will not turn back.

Pumpkin Patch

Yesterday was our annual trip to the pumpkin patch. We go with my daughter in law's family and pick a new patch every year. This year we went to Brightwaters Farms. It offered many events. There were unlimited hayrides, face painting, magic shows, farm animals, pony rides and other small circus type games. There was a concession stand and a farm store with fresh baked goods. I would give it five stars except for one major problem. They served beer. We got there at 11:30am and for some reason, even with NY state alcohol laws, the beer was flowing. The majority of young mothers and fathers had a 16oz beer in their hand. It was disturbing to me on a few levels. First, who drinks beer at 11am? Next, if two parents are drinking a large glass of beer, who is the designated driver? Thirdly, no one was monitoring how many beers people drank, like a bartender does, so people could drink the entire time they were there. Why was it necessary to include alcohol in what is otherwise a family setting? Was it to make a larger profit? That is the only reason I could think of.

Enlightened

We have all had a defining moment in our lives when we have become enlightened. It is when the ability to understand has awakened our souls and we are open to change. It is the moment where what was, no longer is. It is a time when we can push old feelings aside and make room for new ones. It is freedom from ourselves. Sometimes it has been in the works for a long time and other times it just appears as if there was a divine intervention. It is a surprise to ourselves. That is the strongest enlightenment. Once we are enlightened we are at peace.

My Parent's Friends

When I think of someone being seventy five years old, I think of them as being my parent's friends. After all, aren't I still a kid? I think like I am in my thirties and in my mind have not aged at all. This afternoon I am going to a surprise party for a woman I originally met at my son's nursery school. Her son was one year older than mine but all of the mothers knew each other from pick up and drop off time. The celebration is for her 75th birthday. I cannot fathom that I have a friend who is turning 75. While I am 14 years younger than her, she is in my circle of friends. I am looking forward to celebrating with my friends this afternoon.

What I See

My sister in law's father had an expression, "What you see, they see". I am not sure if I have the quote exactly correct, but the meaning is there. After spending months trying to open my bosses eyes about what was happening with the new girl she was forced to hire, I finally gave up, sat back, and decided to let the scenario play itself out. Finally, what I saw, she now sees. While the girl is nice and very competent, she lacks focus and attention to detail. She was responsible for a government application that I normally fill out. She did it and when the confirmation did not show up, I questioned it. She seemed a bit defensive about being asked about the status. I let it go, emailed my boss that I was not responsible if the deadline was missed and went about my regular business. A week later when the confirmation still had not shown up, my boss asked me to make a call and track it. It seems that the application was not completely filled out and never submitted online. Pandora's box has now been opened for all the world to see. I will mop up the mess, because that is what I do, but now the girl will now know to never have an attitude with me again.

Jenga

What is going on in Hollywood is like a game of Jenga. One person pulled out one piece of the structure and it quickly became unstable. Another piece was pulled and another and soon the structure fell to the ground. It has become a show that many people are watching. Once powerful people no longer have any value. Friends and family are running from them. It just goes to show that our perception of life is not always true. I do believe in the concept of fake news. We are told things third hand and expected to believe them at face value. Then when the false reality crumbles, we are expected to believe another third hand story. People we never met but had trust in are no better than the criminals sitting in a jail. The only truth is what we see, hear and evaluate for ourselves first hand. All the rest is up to interpretation.

Alphabet of Life

The alphabet is an order of letters. It starts with A and ends with Z. It is great for spelling words but not the best for living life. Life needs to have the concept of a deeper order. Some people live their life as an AB. I live mine as an AZ. The "A" part is always the action of doing something. The second letter represents what the reaction to your action will be. Most people do not look ahead and that is the problem. They do something without thinking how it will affect them or the person they are doing it to. They do not have foresight. I look very far ahead to the point where I have every scenario covered.

New Location

Yesterday I had my annual physical. I have been going to the same doctor for well over 20 years. He changed locations and I saw him in his new office. It felt strange driving to a new location. I did not know where the building was as the location is in a medical complex where one building sits behind another. The parking was terrible as it was one lot for a few buildings. Once I got to the office, I saw that the staff was different. No notices had been sent out to inform the patients that the practice had moved so each person that checked in had the same comments. Why weren't they informed? For some reason, charts were not allowed to leave with him, so all new paperwork had to be filled out. I am sure that we will all get used to the change, but I like things remaining the same.

Columbus Day

Today is Columbus Day. We celebrate the man who "discovered America". For many years this has been a holiday where the schools have closed, mail is not delivered and parades have taken place. Par for the course in today's divisive atmosphere, people are protesting Columbus. Agitators want to ban parades and remove statues. They say that Columbus was not a nice man and that maybe he did not really discover America. They want all recognition of Columbus erased. What is going on with this world? The holiday is a tradition of pride for our country. Italian Americans show their dual respect to both countries by enjoying a holiday that represents a land they came from and a land they came to. Why do "politically correct" people need to ruin this? Someone needs to put a stop to the attitudes that are destroying America. We need to stand together. Stand up for our country, stand up for our flag and stand up for each other. I just read that the Dallas Cowboy's owner, Jerry Jones, has said that when his team plays, any player that takes a knee for the flag during the national anthem will not play. Good for him. Finally someone playing football has balls.

Check In

This morning my sister and I are going to Brooklyn to visit my parents. I am bringing them lunch which should last for a few days. My sister is making her delicious meatballs. Always a crowd pleaser. She is also making enough for a few meals. My parents have had a good week but we just want to pop in and visit. I wish it was not raining, but hopefully the clouds will clear up.

Enlightened

Many people live their lives never being enlightened. Enlightenment is a rational, well informed outlook and being spiritually aware. Enlightenment is not the place we wind up. It is the trip that took us there. You are still the same person you were, but you have a new ability to see things in a fresh way. Being enlightened means seeing things with open eyes. Your physical eyes are the same, but how they translate what they see is different. They act like a filter, separating pieces of the puzzle to be analyzed in a simpler way. Sometimes a life event leads to enlightenment.  Sometimes it is a work in progress that slowly builds up. All I know is that enlightenment makes life calmer.

What Season

Is it Autumn or is it Summer? The seasons do not have their own identities anymore. Just when it was turning the cool weather of fall, summer has returned. The cool breeze of open windows was replaced last night by air conditioning. I wish the weather would be true to its season and not play games with us.

PCP

Healthcare used to be easy. You went to a doctor and you were reimbursed 80%. Done. Now you have a plan and a sub plan and a network. Since my husband became managed Medicare, he needed to find a primary care physician. This person not only needed to be in the plan, but he needed to be in the sub plan and the network. Yesterday I spent 2 hours on the phone trying to have the insurance company get it right. It took four tries and hopefully when I check his benefits this morning it is really correct. The healthcare system needs to be overhauled as it is breaking down more and more as each day passes.

The Catalyst

A catalyst is a person or thing that precipitates an event. A catalyst creates change. Good or bad, our world needs a catalyst because without one, things would remain the same forever. It is not easy for some people to see the importance of a catalyst. They would rather stay safe in their own ways of doing things. It is as if six friends went to the beach. Three of them are facing the water and the other three are facing the parking lot. The first three comment on how nice the shoreline is and the other three say that there is no water, only pavement. When they are asked to turn around and see that there is water, they say that they are too comfortable in their chairs and do not care to budge but they continue to complain about the view. The new doctor, as horrible as she is, has shown us that certain things in the way my office was run could be better. After spending 7 months angry with her, we opened our eyes and took what she was saying into consideration. Certain old ways have been replaced with new ones and the office is better off. It was tough to admit. That is what will happen with our country. When people stop being so angry and look at what was not good about our country, only then will they see that a catalyst was put there to open our eyes and make things change. Inertia is the road to ruin.

Dinner

Every night as I eat my last bite of dinner, I think the same thought. What is for dinner tomorrow? It is getting to be a chore figuring out what to eat. There are only a few food groups that I usually make. Chicken, meat, pork and fish are the big four. How many ways can I cook them without it getting boring? Tonight I will try a new recipe and I hope it does not turn out disgusting.

Nourishment

I take my breakfast and lunch to work everyday. For some reason this morning it seemed like I was packing for a week. Item after item was placed into my tote bag until it became very heavy. Some items will last for four days and others only one. I realized that eating is a responsibility and almost a chore.

Comfort

Comfort is defined as a state of physical ease. Comfort comes in many forms. It can be in people, in things and in food. To me it is a reliability that you know is a sure thing . During this holiday week I was lucky to have comfort from beginning to end. It started off with a family dinner surrounded by the people I love and it ended with a family dinner with the people I love. The foods were traditional and familiar and that brought extra comfort to me. The first meal included chicken and brisket. According to the entire family it was the best brisket they ever ate. I have to agree. Now the "brisket bar" has moved to a new height. The last holiday meal was bagels and lox, another delicious meal. If you are not Jewish, you do not have the love of lox instilled in you. It is an acquired taste to other cultures but is in our blood. Each meal included wonderful conversation and above all an abundance of love. This holiday season will be etched in my mind as one of the best ever.

Atonement

Today is Yom Kippur. It is a day of atonement. A day to look back on the year and repent for one's sins. Below is a better explanation:

According to Jewish tradition, God inscribes each person's fate for the coming year into a book, the Book of Life, on Rosh Hashanah, and waits until Yom Kippur to "seal" the verdict. During the Days of Awe, a Jew tries to amend his or her behavior and seek forgiveness for wrongs done against God (bein adam leMakom) and against other human beings (bein adam lechavero). The evening and day of Yom Kippur are set aside for public and private petitions and confessions of guilt. At the end of Yom Kippur, one hopes that they have been forgiven by God.

This morning my blog wrote itself. 

Happy Birthday Daddy

Today my father is 94 years old. He still has all of his faculties and drives a new car.  He is the most knowledgeable person I know and can remember things that date back to his childhood. He still tells us stories that we never heard before. He is still the family historian. Just last week I asked him about some of his grandparent's traits and he filled me in. I always tell him that he cannot leave this earth until all of his stories are told. We both know that will not happen, but as long as he is here with us I will cherish every moment. Happy Birthday Daddy.

Change of Menu

Last night the pool girls went out to dinner. We promised ourselves that we would keep in touch over the winter and we did. We went to a nice Italian restaurant. For a change I decided to eat a healthier meal. I chose one without melted cheese and fried food. It was only pasta, spinach, grilled chicken and sun dried tomatoes in a wine sauce. It tasted very good, but as I was eating I missed the red sauce. I asked the waitress for a cup of sauce and poured it over the dish. I saved half for today's lunch. Before I packed it, I added more sauce. Old habits do not die fast.

Old Friends

Yesterday I called a doctor's office. I had worked at this office 22 years ago. After asking my question, I mentioned that I used to work there. The woman asked what my name was and I told her. She then told me who she was. She had been my manager at that office 22 years ago. When I left, she also left. She worked at a local hospital for 22 years, and 6 months ago returned to the original office. I was so glad to speak to her. We kept in touch for a few years after we both left and then lost touch. Now by chance we have connected again. Next week we will get together for dinner.

Easier Said Than Learned

Yesterday for the first time ever, my boss sat in front of a computer and began to learn her medical software system. After one hour her eyes looked glazed over. She had said that it would take her one hour to learn it. She regretted saying that. She saw first hand what I do every day and how complicated it is. No one really knows what a job entails until they sit down and try to do it. I guess that is what the show "Undercover Boss" is all about. I have a feeling that she will never ask to be shown the system again as it would take her weeks to even understand it.

Recognition

Last night I Skyped with my granddaughters. I love to see their smiling faces. For the first time, my younger granddaughter seemed to recognize me. She is 16 months old and has seen me in person only a handful of times. When she appeared on the screen she saw my face and smiled. In her eyes I saw recognition. It was not a general smile. It was a smile for me. I know the difference and it meant the world to me. My older granddaughter knows me well as she is four years old and when I visit her I spend most of my time one on one with her. Now that the baby is older, the next time I visit I think she will be old enough to sit and play with us and get to know me even better.

Flying Rock

Yesterday we were driving to my nephew's party. It was an uneventful ride until we heard a loud bang. Something from the road catapulted into my windshield.  The lowest part of the windshield cracked and glass went flying onto the dashboard. Thankfully I have glass insurance so replacing it will not cost any money. What are the odds that in the entire universe one rock would find its way into my car?

Turning 2

This morning the whole family will be attending my great nephew's 2nd birthday party. What makes it special is that this week he will turn 2 and my father will turn 94. They will both be at the party. Not many families are blessed to have that. They are two happy people with kind spirits. They both bring a smile to your face and a lot of joy to the family. I cannot wait to spend the day with the people I love the most.

Purging

Since this is the new year, I have decided to throw away anything that I used last year that I do not plan on using this year. I have a bag of items for my sister and a bag for work. Everything else is in the trash. I feel lighter. I feel freer. Nothing is clogging my drawers, closet or head. If I find that I need the item again, I can always rebuy it. A new year means a new start.

New Year

Today is the beginning of the Jewish New Year. I wish everyone a happy and healthy one. We never know what any year will bring and always have hope for the best. If your last year was rough, I wish you smooth sailing this one. If your last year was great, I wish you an even better one.

Mail Delivery

All it takes is someone getting the wrong piece of mail to open up a can of worms. Last Monday the mail for my office arrived after I left. I am the only one who distributes mail even though the doctor's names are on it, I open it first and give out only what is necessary. My newest receptionist thought she was helping me and gave out all of the mail to the person whose name was on it. Bad move. The newest crazy doctor was given a bank statement that had nothing to do with her and started to question the numbers. She saw fees for accepting credit cards and was not happy. If you want to take credit cards you have to pay fees. Next my boss started to question the fees. I told her that we have the most competitive rates and everything is fine. Now she wants to see the rate for each patient's card and have me check other banks to see if they line up the same. I now have a huge project on my hands for no reason.

Safe in America

For the past year or so some Americans have been protesting our administration. They need to spend a few weeks in Russia and then see if they have what to complain about. There is a middle ground for everything. Especially when it comes to people crossing other countries borders. There is the "let everyone in policy" the "let's make sure who they are and if they should stay" policy and the "let no one in or out unless we 100% know who they are and what they do" policy. I like the middle ground. My boss lived the third option last week and was scared that she might never be allowed to leave Russia. She now sees how wonderful America, even with its flaws, is.

My Way

For years I have been asking my hairstylist to cut my hair a certain way. She always tells me that it will not be symmetrical and will ruin the line of the hair. She does it her way and it looks good. Last week I needed a haircut and my stylist is out sick for a few months. I had someone else in the shop cut my hair. I told her the way I wanted it and she was not concerned with symmetry. She did as I asked. It came out great. It looked exactly as I wanted it to and is one of the best haircuts I have ever had. It blends beautifully. I finally got my hair cut my way and I love it.

Books

Last night I did something that I have not done in years. I bought a book. I am from the old school where I like to actually have a book in my hands when I read. I have a kindle but it is not the same. I cannot flip back and forth to reread a page. I gave up reading for a while because my eyes get tired so reading a novel would not be consistent. The book I bought is a book called "Extraordinary Facts". It is almost 700 pages and has various facts about every topic. Each topic is a few pages and each fact is only s few lines. I can read a little or a lot because there is no story line.

To Do List

I have made a "to do" list in my mind of all of the things that I have pushed to the side for a while. They are not very important things, just loose ends. I promised myself that I would start working on this list in the fall and the countdown is slowly arriving. When it is all done, I will have everything that I need in order and everything else will be tossed away.

Expiration

This morning I did my yearly expiration check. I went through my pantry and checked each expiration date to make sure everything was current. As usual, I filled up 2 bags with items that had expired a few months ago. It is amazing how many items I purchased to eat and never cooked. After getting sick a few years ago from pancake mix, I am viligant about eating foods prior to their cut off dates. Check your food closets and I bet you will be surprised at what you find.

Third Hand

God created people with two hands.That was good enough until the year 2000. People now need three hands. One for their cell phone and two others to do whatever else they need to. Lately I have been observing people and I see that everyone has a cell phone in their hand constantly. They even have one when they are with other people. They walk in the street with them. Sit in restaurants with them. Look at them in doctor's offices. It has become an extension of their arms. One day the human race will start to mutate and grow a third hand.

The Dollar Bill

We have all had this happen to us. We are walking and out of the corner of our eye we spot money. Dollar bills. Maybe it is a one or a five or a twenty. For that brief moment in time we get a genuine rush of happiness. It is nothing we can control. It is raw human emotion. Wouldn't it be nice to feel like that at some point every day? I hope to find the way to do that.

The Motivator

I am a motivator. I get people going. Yesterday my mother had a slight cold and could not go with my father to dialysis. I called from work and she was lying in bed. That is not good. The family does not want her staying alone. I got in my car and drove to their house. When I arrived my father left. I got her up and  made her eat every two hours even though she was not hungry. She miraculously felt better. She wanted to walk around the house and then sit outside on the porch. She and I chatted all day. At dinner time we called for Chinese take out and she ate more than I did. All in all it was a great day.

Negating History

Today is September 11th. I went online to write this blog and there was no mention of anything special about this date. Have we forgotten the tragedy of 2001? There were articles about diet foods and what celebrities did last night, but not one memorial paragraph. Is America trying to rewrite its history. Statues are being removed from town squares and flags are being destroyed. If certain groups are offended by these things, I get it. Place them in a museum setting. Don't erase history. Acknowledge it and strive for better.

Pound of Apples

We had a great day apple picking. We got to the orchards and paid the admission fee which entitled us to get four bags to fill with the apples. We were allowed about 20 pounds. We picked and picked and were ready to leave so we had them weighed. There were only 5 pounds. We went back into the orchards. We picked again. This time we were 5 pounds short. Again we went to pick. This time we were $2 short. We decided to forgo the $2 as it was getting late and we wanted to go to dinner. Today I will make apple pie, apple sauce, apple crisp and any other apple dish I can find.

Apple Picking

Once every year we go picking. Some years it is for pumpkins and other years it is for apples. This is the apple year. We will drive East towards the orchards and gather apples from the trees. This year my granddaughters picked many types of fruits. They picked strawberries, sunflowers, peaches and berries. I have pictures showing their happy faces as they went down every orchard aisle. Today my grandson will go. He has been asking about picking apples off of trees, so today he will get his wish.

Security

There has been a lot of talk in the past year about immigration and how a country needs to keep its borders secure. My boss went to Russia to sightsee and then was going to Slovenia to lecture. In order to enter Russia she needed to be sponsored. She needed a stamped visa from the place where she is staying. She got a visa from both hotels stamped with her dates of arrival and departure. She had to visit the Russian immigration center in New York and be interviewed. She had to answer questions as far back as what clubs she was in when she went to high school. Keep in mind my boss is 64 years old. After staying in Russia and seeing everything she wanted to, she decided to go to Slovenia a few days early. The Russian government refused to let her leave until the day that her visa says she is supposed to. No discussion. She will remain in Russia until September 12th, like it or not. This is a sharp contrast to America where jumping a border and vanishing into thin air is acceptable.

Holistic Approach

Sometimes doctors need to hang up their "doctor brains" and replace them with "grandma brains". In some cases, the old fashioned way that grandma helped us heal was far better. Years ago if you had a cold, you ate chicken soup. If you had a belly ache, you had tea and toast. I work with a psychiatrist that believes that what we eat affects not only our brain but our total system. He shies away from traditional medications whenever possible and leans towards nutrients, diet and supplements. Most people follow his advice and do not need a second visit. One great tip that he gave me years ago was to eat pears and drink pear juice and pear nectar when your stomach was not feeling well. It is the most wonderful remedy and not well known.

Right of Way

We have all had this happen to us. We are driving down a one lane residential street and another car is coming at us. Common sense would be for each car to bear towards the right to let the other one pass easily. Sometimes the other person is an inconsiderate idiot that stays directly in the center of the road and flies by you s o closely that you think that they are going to sideswipe you. I cannot understand what they are thinking to drive so recklessly and with a feeling of such entitlement.

Wearing of the Black

I have a friend who just retired from teaching. She mentioned that this is the first year that she has not worn black the last week of August. Wearing black was her way of protesting that she had to go back to school. I shook my head as I heard this. What was the big protest about? Having a great paying job? Accruing a huge pension as a Tier one worker? Having healthcare from the city? Having a job that gave you 13 weeks off a year? I wanted to tell her to try working a regular job. No huge payout and 2 weeks off a year. What would she do then? Go Naked?

Last Pool Day

Today is the last pool day until June 2018. It was a wonderful pool season. We caught up on all of the winter's news and rehashed the summer's news. It was a simple place to go when you had nothing else to do. You always knew that someone would be there to stay with. Hopefully people will make plans to get together this winter. I will miss the pool atmosphere.

Senior Sports

I remember years ago when my friends played basketball at the pool. They would get a group of guys together. They shot hoops and returned to the pool red and sweaty. Now they are getting older. Yesterday one man brought a basketball to the pool. His wife yelled at him for bringing it. The other man's wife told him that he was not allowed to play since he has a pacemaker. The two men looked at each other and gave in. Then one of the men asked his wife for a quarter. He put it on the ground and asked his friend to play hit the penny. In this case it was hit the quarter. They bounced the ball back and forth, sometimes hitting, sometimes missing. For some reason the reality of aging was now clear.

Funny Cards

Who thinks of funny greeting cards? Whenever I need a quick laugh, I look at greeting cards. The people that write them have a nice job. They must sit in an office and think of stupid things and then draw a picture around it. Where else can you produce an item with a kid picking his nose or an old lady in her underwear and get paid to do it?

Last Hurrah

Today is the start of the Labor Day Weekend. Summer has flown by and the next four days will have to keep us going until next summer. I am not sure how the weather will be but I am hoping to squeeze out a few more pool days. All in all it was a lovely summer. Even though it had its ups and downs, as of this moment my life is on an even keel.

Back on Track

After a week of prodding and coaxing, my mother is pretty much back on track. She was able to walk down her steps and go with my father to dialysis and then they went to a restaurant for dinner. It took her a week to recuperate and thank god she bounced back.

Pete and Repeat

Years ago there was a television show called Pete and Repeat. It was about two brothers that were both named Pete. Everything was doubled. Lately I feel like Pete and Repeat. I say everything twice sometimes even three times. Most people around me are hearing impaired. The problem is that they think that everyone is either talking low or mumbling. I say something once. Then I say it again. The third time I shorten the sentence. The fourth time I say forget it, it wasn't important.

Screaming Kids

Last weekend at the pool, there were some young children playing. They were about 50 feet away. They were running and screaming. They were a bunch of happy kids. One of the women at the pool was getting annoyed. She kept staring at the kids, looking angry. I told her that the kids were only acting happy. Isn't that what childhood is about?

Season Change

I went to sleep feeling like it was summer. I woke up feeling like it is autumn. Somehow overnight, the feeling of the season changed in my mind. I woke up when it was not yet sunny. The air felt cooler. People are going back to school in some states. The pool seems emptier. I've lost that summer feeling and it feels a bit sad.

Upgrade

Today we are upgrading our electrical system. Most people have already done it but we are one of the last holdouts. I will have no electricity for about 6 hours. I am glad that it is a cool day. Our timing worked out perfectly.

Car Sanctuary

Sometimes I feel that my car is my sanctuary. It is a place where I can sit alone, listen to music and relax. My mind can be as free as I want it to be. Yesterday I went to Brooklyn to stay with my mother while my father was at dialysis. It took 1 hour and 20 minutes to drive 35 miles. I didn't  mind it because it was time alone with myself. Moving slowly and humming with the radio. By the time I got to their house I was happy and calm. I had a nice day making sure that my mother had her needs attended to. The hour ride back was like the drive in. Smooth and quiet.

Stew

This week was the grand opening of the Stew Leonard's in my town. I gave it a day and then went to see what everyone was talking about. The store has high quality groceries but at a more expensive price point. They have singing puppets and the atmosphere is like a sideshow. It is a bit loud but definitely festive. They are a bit limited on items. There was no pasta in boxes and only a choice of a few cereals. It is a nice place to shop, but not for every day groceries.

Winning

According to the internet there is one winning ticket for last night's Powerball. They have not said from which state. I have my weekly routine that has me checking my tickets on Sunday morning at the local 7-11. I will stick to that routine. If I have won, I will wait until Sunday to find out. If not I will buy another ticket as usual. Each time I do not win the lottery, I think the same thought...that maybe I have really won by not winning. Other than buying more things, what will the money really mean? It cannot change health or core beliefs. Those things are out of our hands.

Age Of Truth

I am at the age where I speak the truth. I did yesterday. My boss has spent 30 years not being involved in the daily running of her business. Now she has woken up and wants things to run a certain way. The problem is that she has no idea how her business runs. I told her that when we had our meeting. I said that when she relinquished power to others, it came with a price. She cannot gain it back immediately. It will be a process. Hopefully I will be retired by then.

Strongly Worded

Some words are kind, some words are mean and some words hurt. Other words make us think. Those are the strongest ones. If we are made to think about what we do and how we are affecting others, we see the need to change. I saw an example of this yesterday. My husband received a package from eBay and the item was not as it was described. He wrote to the seller and complained. The seller wrote back that the item was fine. My husband wrote again saying he was going to contact eBay. The seller said to send pictures. On and on it went. Back and forth. After I could take no more of the conversation, I wrote to the seller. I told him that his actions were shameful, he knew he sent damaged goods and he needed to do the right thing and return my money. Within five minutes a return label arrived and the money was refunded.

The Committee

I love hearing new expressions. Yesterday when I was at the pool, we were having a discussion about people feeling that other people were responsible for things that had nothing to do with them. Instead of arguing the point, one of the girls said, "I am not on that committee". I love it. Six words that summed up everything and avoided an argument. From now on I will use that statement and make my life easier.

Mar(t)y Poppins

Last night I went to a concert in the park. It was the first one I went to this summer. Blondie was appearing and the crowd started to arrive early in the afternoon. You bring your own chairs and blankets so getting prime space takes effort. I arrived at 5:45pm and the crowd was already up a hill and to the side. My husband was insistent on being upfront and started to roam the area to find an empty bit of space. This is totally against concert etiquette. We were with my sister and she was mortified when he started to open four chairs in front of people. They began to yell at her that they had been there since 3pm and we had no right to do that. She and I were going to move away and abandon my husband when he saw one more tiny opening. He opened the chairs again and then Mar(t)y Poppins appeared. His name was Rick and I think he was sent from heaven. He rearranged all of his chairs and coolers to make us more space. He then proceeded to make my husband a Bloody Mary. He offered us food and cookies. He showed us all of his gadgets which were amazing. He had a neck fan, a portable air conditioner for his girlfriend, a beacon/cooler/charger, a survival bracelet with screwdrivers, flints and openers, a backpack tent and a trampoline chair. He had many more items that I cannot even remember. He just kept pulling things out of a bag. He was the nicest guy we ever met. He looked to be in his early thirties and was a lawyer by trade and a Coast Guard volunteer for fun. I gave his girlfriend one of the bracelets that I sell as a thank you. When the concert was over we hugged and kissed him goodbye. He was a one in a million find.

Batton Down The Hatches

Yesterday was a monsoon. I went food shopping and could not leave the store. When the rain let up, I slowly drove down the side streets. As each car passed me, a wave of water covered my car. I could barely see the road. When I arrived at my house I could not leave the car. I sat for about a half hour until the rain let up. My garage flooded but no rain came in anywhere else. I am glad to see the sunshine this morning.

Negotiations

It never hurts to ask. I learned that yesterday. My boiler company came for the yearly clean up. The repairman said that we need a new expansion tank. Since I was not home my husband okayed the repair. Rookie move. I never say okay to a repair until I negotiate a rate. Now I had to backtrack, as the man was already installing the tank. I called the company and told them that this was not an "authorized" repair even though my husband's name was on the account. I am the one that needs to say it is good to go. I said that I did not agree with the price and was very unhappy. The representative lowered the price, but not enough. I asked for his supervisor and he said that the price was as low as the company would go. I said he could do better. After going back and forth, he did do better. I got a $75 discount. Now I am happy.

Paranoia

I work for doctors who are supposed to solve other people's problems. While they do a good job of it, the do not realize that their problems go unsolved. Each doctor has their own 'sthick". Things that they think are normal or odd things they do, make me laugh. Our newest doctor, who is a brilliant woman, has so many odd issues. She needed to hang a shelf. She was afraid that inside the wall where she wanted it, might have had pipes in it. After I assured her that it did not, she moved onto another worry. The office above us is a radiology office. She is now concerned that radiation is oozing into her office. I told her that in the 14 years I am here I have yet to grow a tail, so things must be safe.

Dog Stress

Shelby is stressed out. Being away from home is beginning to affect him. He came back depressed. His puppy face looks sad. He is not eating and has stomach issues. I guess that when we come back he is happy, but it takes time for him to settle in. For now I must baby him and get him back to his old self.

Inquisitive

I spent the weekend bonding with my granddaughters. Most of the time was with the older one as the baby still feels most comfortable around her parents. I am a strange face that she will eventually come to know and want to be with. I do not remember my children being so inquisitive. My older one loves to have conversations with me. Every word I said she wanted to know the meaning of. When they were explained to her, they entered her memory bank. She is such a bright girl. You can see in her eyes that her mind is always going. She is so full of life that just being around her makes you feel wonderful.

Heading Home

I am up and dressed. Soon we will go to breakfast. I am already getting sad. Saying goodbye is never easy. Last night, out of nowhere, my granddaughter said she is going to miss me. When we are together I spend every moment focusing on her and she loves it. Her sister is too young to be aware of me so my attention is 100% on her. Next year it will be shared by the two girls. I will soak in every second of breakfast as it will have to last me for a while.

My Girls

I saw my girls last night! The baby is more beautiful than ever and her big sister is as smart as a whip. I sat between the two of them at dinner and kept looking from side to side like in a tennis game. I got plenty of hugs and plan on getting many more today. We will play by the pool and enjoy every moment.

The Cape

Once again we are off to the Cape. This is the special weekend each year that we spend with our granddaughters. We swim, sit at the beach area, eat great food and have a lot of ice cream. I watch the girls run and play and laugh. I try to soak in every minute with them. I am a grandma sponge.

Visa Day

This afternoon my boss goes to Manhattan to get her Russian visa. I got her all of the forms and letters and put them in a folder that I personally handed her yesterday. Last night I received a phone call from her. She was frantic. One letter was missing. I had her open the folder and look for a paper that had 2 stamps side by side. That was the paper she thought was missing. She overlooked it because it was written in Russian, which makes sense since I got it from Russia. All she needed to do was take a moment to carefully review each paper. Crisis averted.

Friends and Family

In retail stores there has been a concept of "Friends and Family" day. It is the day that you can get an extra discount if you have a coupon from an employee. In my life there is no "Friends and Family". There is a "Family are Friends". I am lucky to have a family that I would also choose as friends. Not everyone can say that.The people that I am related to are people that I enjoy being with. I would choose them as friends. There is not one family member that I do not truly like as a person. I consider myself very lucky.

Kind Words

Most people do not realize how a few kind words can change an encounter. Yesterday I went with my mother to a doctor consultation. She has to have a procedure done and was a bit apprehensive about it. As soon as we entered the exam room, a medical assistant came in to talk to us. The moment she opened her mouth kind words came out. She called my mother "honey" and "darling" with a sweet sincere tone. Within one minute my mother's demeanor went from fear to calm. She immediately relaxed and began to have a conversation with the assistant. After a few minutes the doctor walked in and she was just as nice as her assistant. At one point my mother said that they should close the office for the day and we should all go to lunch. They seemed more like friends than medical providers. My mother left the office confident that the procedure would be an easy one. Just a few kind words turned the day around.

Neighborhood People

Last night I had to pay a Shiva call. A pool friend lost his mother. She was 84 and had been in a nursing home on and off for over a year. The entire neighborhood was there as my friend is very active in the temple. It was like a party, but I guess that is the purpose of a Shiva call.

E Sign

I like paper mail. When I need to sign a contract, I like to be able to flip through the pages and make sure they are correct. I hate to put virtual initials on a screen and hit the next button. I am waiting for my oil company contract and keep requesting it on paper. Each time they say it will be mailed out. Each day I get it online. No one listens.

Sleepover Day 2

Everything went well at the sleepover. We ate dinner and went to the store for a toy. While we were there we bought something for my granddaughters. Whatever L liked he wanted me to get for A. Then we picked out another toy for C as she is not old enough for the "big kid" things. We went home and watched television and before we knew it, it was bedtime. The night flew by and this morning we prepared a lasagna for my dinner tonight. Now we are looking at pictures of "the girls" on the computer. What could be nicer?

The Sleepover

Today is the big day. Today is "The Sleepover". A few weeks ago we planned a sleepover with my grandson. It will be the first time he will sleep at my house. Every time I see him he goes over what will happen at "the sleepover". We planned the meal, the dessert, the trip to Walmart for a toy and his breakfast the next day. He is now at the age where he is easy to take care of. There are no diapers and no bottles. He is a big boy. I do not know who is more excited for this, him or me. Hopefully one day when my granddaughters are old enough, I can have them sleep over too.

Off Schedule

I am a very routine person. I wake up early every day and write this blog. Today I was thrown off schedule. I stayed in bed until a bit before 8 and then as soon as I got up, I needed to take care of Shelby. After that I went about my regular tasks and when I got into my car, I realized that I never wrote the blog. One small variance in my day threw everything off. As soon as I got home from food shopping, I went straight to the computer. If I did not do that right away I would have forgotten again.

28945

Most people do not know what this number means. It is the average American person's life span in days. This statistic comes from the World Health Organization. If you do the math, you can see how many days you've lived and how many remain. Of course this is an average as people live past this number. Since most people never get to 100 years old, 36,500 is the top variable we can use. Calculate how old you are in days and subtract it from 28945. That is what you are dealing with. How will you spend them? Will you waste a day knowing that each one is precious?

Drive Thru Healthcare

I am the biggest fan of Urgent Care. It is like a fast food restaurant. You get what you need quickly and leave happy. Yesterday my ear hurt. In the past I would have waited for it to be very painful before I went to the doctor. A doctor's visit means sitting and waiting for an hour to be seen. My doctor is 1/2 hour away so the total time spent on getting looked at is approximately 2 hours. With urgent care, I go to a state of the art facility. I check in and before I can sit down I am called. I have been going to my local City MD for a few years so the quick wait it consistent. My vital signs are taken by an assistant and within five minutes a doctor sees me. My prescription is electronically sent across the street and is waiting for me to pick up. The total turn around time for yesterday's visit was about a half hour. I left my house at 4:15pm and arrived back home by 4:50pm. That is how medical care should be.

August

Today is the first day of August. Where did May, June and July go? Time is flying by on fast forward speed. Today marks the downward ride of summer. It begins the countdown to school. It is the second half of the pool season. My sister has been away for three days and I am counting the moments until she arrives back home. Summer without her is boring.

The Sunflower

The other a day my daughter in law sent me a picture of "the girls" picking sunflowers. It brought back a wonderful memory of my children. On his last day of kindergarten, my older son brought home a seedling in a sytrofoam cup. It was a tiny sunflower leaf the size of a pea. He was so excited to plant it in the garden on the side of the house. We planted it and watched it grow. And grow. And grow. By September the plant was 10 feet high and the flower was 9 inches wide. It was so heavy with sunflower seeds that it began to face down. We decided to shake it and all of the seeds came tumbling down to the ground. When it was time to pull it out, the stalk was so wide that we had to saw it down like it was a tree. I knew that I had taken a picture of the sunflower because it was so beautiful. Since I have many picture albums, I did not know which one it was in. I was on a mission to find the picture. I took out every photo album I have and went through them picture by picture. Finally, I found it. My two sons in front of the monster flower. What a wonderful memory. 

The Boats

Even though my husband's birthday was weeks ago, we celebrated with a lobster dinner last night. We took a ride to Pt. Jefferson. Although the day started off cloudy, the sun eventually came out and made us feel like we were on vacation. We looked at the boats and walked around in and out of the specialty stores. My grandson enjoyed looking at the cars being loaded and unloaded from the large ferry boat. My son taught him about the wind flags and what their purpose was. We ate dinner at an open air restaurant across the street from the dock. After another short walk, we ate ice cream. In two weeks we will have the same type of day with my granddaughters, in Cape Cod. I can't wait.

Friday at 5

We have all had this happen to us. Friday at 5pm you open your mail and find a letter or bill that has a problem. Since it is 5pm, there is no one to call. Offices are closed for the weekend. You think about the letter for three days until Monday morning at 9am, when you can make the phone call to clear up the problem. Even though we know the problem will be fixed in a few days, we spend the weekend obsessing about every scenario and conversation we will be having about it. I think that no one should open mail after 3pm on a Friday. That way we are guaranteed a worry free weekend.

Travel Agent

I have just taken over the role of travel agent. My boss is traveling to Russia in a few weeks and just realized that she needs a visa. In the last few days I have learned more than I need to know about Russian travel visas. I have spent two entire workdays making calls. My philosophy is that as long as she is paying me, I will do different tasks. If I play travel agent, I will not answer work phones or do my regular job. I learned that you need to be hosted in order to enter Russia, so you need a letter from the hotel where you will be staying. If you book on Booking.com as she did, you will never speak to a live person for advice. After 2 hours of calling them, being rerouted and then hung up on, I decided to take matters into my own hands. I called directly to Russia and found someone at the hotel who spoke English. I got all of the information I needed.

Optimize

The other day a message from my internet carrier flashed across the computer screen. It asked me if I wanted to optimize my internet speed. If I said yes, Verizon would run a program to sync my computer with the best speed possible. Since I have an older computer, I decided to let it be optimized. After running the program, my computer now runs slower. Now, I sit and watch a blue circle go round and round waiting to get on to the internet.

72 Hours

Everything takes 72. That's all I have been hearing for the last few weeks. For some reason computers run on a 72 hour update schedule. I needed a new insurance card. That took 72 hours to update. I need to change my prescription number. That took 72 hours to update. Who decided that 72 is the magical number? Why can't it be the moment you hit the "save" button. Why can't it be the next day? Why do things take three days to fix?

Food Feast

There was nothing good on television last night so I tuned into the Travel Channel and binge watched Bizarre Foods. I have been hungry ever since. I saw specialty foods from Shanghai, Memphis and South Carolina. I wanted to jump through the screen and take a bite. I could almost taste the soup dumplings, ribs and fried catfish. Everything seemed delicious. This morning I got up and did not know what to take for lunch. I decided to try Elvis' favorite sandwich of peanut butter and banana. I do not have time to fry it in white bread so I chose to make it on a toasted bialy. It smells great and I cannot wait for lunch.

Virtual Vacation

My boss is out of the country for two weeks. Her vacation gives everyone else a virtual vacation. No annoying phone calls. No messes to mop up. No inane chatter about unimportant things. We can all just go to work, do our job and be at peace knowing that no one will annoy us. A vacation without spending money is the best kind.

Chili's

Last night I ate at the Westbury Chili's and lived to tell the tale. I ordered the ribs and they came out room temperature. I hate to send food back and they looked cooked so I ate them. I had 4 out of six. Within two hours I got violently ill, from both ends of my body. I have never been that sick. Childbirth seemed like a walk in the park compared to the pain of this. After a few hours I called the restaurant to warn them about the ribs. The manager Chris (who will now be referred to as "the Putz") said that it could not be from his food as it takes 24-48 hours to get sick from food. He is wrong. If food has been siting and builds up toxins, the toxins will get you ill within 2 hours. I said that I was not asking him for anything, I just wanted him to check the kitchen and see what is going on. The Putz said that his kitchen is fine. I asked him for the corporate offices number and he said I could look it up online myself. This morning I wrote to Chili's and Monday I will call them. What if a small child got this sick? They would have been hospitalized. Something is definitely wrong in the Westbury Chili's.
 ***Update: I sent an email to the corporate office at about 8am and within 10 minutes a district manager called. He refunded the meal charge, is sending a $50 gift card, but most important, he is going to the restaurant this morning to check the kitchen and see why this happened. This is what a good manager does. I hope he finds out where the quality control went wrong.

You Tube

Years ago we had encyclopedias and instruction books. Nowadays we have You Tube. You can learn to do everything from baking a cake, to installing windows to doing surgery. There have been many times in my family's life when we were at a standstill while doing a project. We run to the computer and pull up a You Tube video. We play it and rerun it a few times and see how the experts to things. We have never been steered wrong from watching You Tube. It is better than going to a trade school.

Morning Talk

Every morning like clockwork, my phone rings. My sister and I have our daily morning talk. We review the previous day and discuss what the new day will bring. I could never imagine starting a day off without hearing her voice. The only exception to the rule is when she is on a cruise. We can repeat the same stories day after day and never get bored. We can solve the world's problems according to what we feel needs to be done. We laugh about nonsense. That is the best laughter. She is better than a cup of morning coffee.