Little Details

I'm "borrowing" this from Bob just so I can refer back to it in two years, just to see where we are. Because I forget the little details!

Happy Post-Halloween!

Happy November! No kids at my house, so no plastic pumpkin raids! I even hit Walmart and K-mart early this morning (looking for a white wig, but that's another story for another day) and passed the candy by. Self will at it's best! Okay, I did treat myself to one pumpkin-shaped Reese's peanut butter cup, but that was it. No 1/2 price bags followed me home. There is a little bug in my brain that wants to start Holiday baking, but I'm going to try and avoid that, too. Anyway, 1 holiday down, 3 to go!

Oh, Not Again.

The squirrels are moving like crazy in our neighborhood, hiding their winter supply of nuts absolutely everywhere! Squirrels with big, bushy tails. I've been told that both are signs of a harsh winter. I haven't gotten my hands on any persimmons yet, but I've heard they all sport "spoons". Every old wive's tale that predicts the weather is pointing to a repeat of last year. The Farmer's Almanac concurs. I'm already dreading it.

As Time Passes By

I just glanced at the calendar and realized it's my Mom and Dad's anniversary. Or, it would be if Dad was still alive. He's been gone 22 years (is that even possible?) and Mom is happily remarried. So here is the quandary-- it's still an important day to me. But maybe I'm the only one it's important to. My brother lives 5 states away and I love him to death, but we don't really talk that much; I don't know if he even knows what September 29th signifies.  Maybe it's still important to Mom (it probably is) but she's not sentimental and we have never been the type to talk about "feelings", so again, not a subject that's going to come up in the conversation. Okay, I think I could get extremely maudlin right now, and that's not my purpose. I just want to acknowledge the day in the one way I can. Happy 58th anniversary, Mom and Dad! (Oh, and happy 122nd B-Day, Grandpa!)

Happy Fall Equinox Everyone!

Happy Fall, everyone! Where did Summer go? Somehow, it just passed me by. The daughter didn't come home, we didn't even make any trips to St. Louis to the Zoo. Heck, I think the only time I even left the county was the 9-mile drive to my Mom's, which is just past the county line. I feel like we're in a holding pattern at the moment-- just not sure what we're holding for. It's quite odd.

A Day In The Life

Life has been stressful for the last <*insert time period here-- it's been so long, I've lost track> . Like so many people, it's about 90% financial. Quite simply, the bills are more than the income. I try to take comfort in the fact that we're not alone in our misery. 

I tend to be an optimist and constantly tell myself it's going to get better. (And I'm confident it will, just hopefully before we lose the house). But I've spent the last <*> trying to get the daughter's financial aid arranged. That's been enough to make me drink (more than normal). Fingers crossed, that may be taken care of now. 

Then there has been medical insurance fun. I'm not even going into that one. It may take awhile to get that one worked out. Red tape!

So, of course, Wednesday night we had a storm and lost a tree-- and our electricity and phone line and internet/cable. More time on the phone, because being on hold is my favorite thing to do! Bless them all, they came and took care of us (if only Sallie Mae was as easy to work with!). Glass half full-- the damage to the deck and garage is minimal.

The moral of the story is--- I need a vacation!

A Small Tribute

Using this space today to remember Robin Williams, who we lost yesterday. I say "we" because so many of us grew up with him in our life, just a presence on a screen, perhaps, but he brought laughter and sometimes deep thoughts to our lives. Like so many, I met him as "Mork", my friends and I used his words (Nanu, nanu) and I even had suspenders like he wore. So I'm writing my little tribute to him here. I know others will be much more elaborate, but I'm sorry and I'm sad. RIP, Robin. We'll miss you.