Category: My Life

Today for family day, all of Mel’s kids and grandkids, were due to come over along with my folks for dinner. Mel was making my favorite turkey dinner, with chestnut stuffing, mashed potatoes, butternut squash, gravy and of course, lots of turkey.
However, when the doorbell rang and I went to open it, thinking it was Taft or Luke, there stood my daughter, Amanda! Oh I was so surprised and I started to cry! No sooner had I stopped crying with happiness then my Uncle George and cousin, Janet arrive too! I was so shocked by this surprise party for me!!!
I am afraid I am a real emotional person. All of this love and caring for me, struck a very soft place in my soul and I cried like a baby.
I have dreamt of someone giving me a surprise party all of my life, but I am such a detective that no one has ever even tried to do this. My sister planned well and I didn’t have a clue!
We had a traditional Thanksgiving dinner with all of the trimmings. This is my favorite meal and at one point Maria, my niece said that it felt more like Thanksgiving than some Thanksgivings that they’d had. This made me feel even better because here we were, all of the family together for the first time in many, many years and it just felt so right.
I’m still floating on cloud nine right now with so much happiness. I fear I am over using that word right now, but happy I truly do feel!
To end, here are some pictures from my day.

My Uncle George hugging a teary eyed me.


Me, Amanda, Uncle George and my mother. (Janet is in the background)


Taft, Abby and Luke.


Getting ready to blow out those candles!

My daughter, Amanda.

My sister, Mel, Taft, helping me open my gifts and me.

A very happy me.

Taft and me.

My parents, my sister and me.

Amanda and Janet

Me with my favorite cousin!

My parents with me and my daughter.

Halloween was a busy day for me. I used the day to shop. Mmmmm. My very favorite type of sport. I’ve been called a “Power Shopper”. True. Given a deadline and a list of people to buy for I can get the job done in half the time of most mere mortals. Today was just that kind of day.

I was blessed with a beautiful day. Bright sunshine, warm temperatures and great sales. So off I went to enjoy myself. Which is exactly what I did. Osh Gosh B’Gosh, Liz Claiborne, Wal-Mart and grocery shopping too. All of this was done in less than three hours with everything on my list acquired!

It’s quite funny, but I truly am obsessed with Greta and her pregnancy. I realized this when I was leaving Wal-Mart and the alarm went off and I found myself telling the security lady all about Greta, and even showing her pictures!

So, what do you think?

As I finished up my shopping I looked at my cell phone and realized that Hubby would be about finished at his health club, where he is doing rehab on his knees. I called his phone but got no answer. Oh well. I no sooner had hung up, but my cell phone rang and it was Hubby! I invited him to lunch and he accepted!

We met at a Chinese Buffet nearby and enjoyed a quick lunch and conversation and then we said good-bye. He was off to the dentist and I was off to the Vets to get Greta’s food and then to the Post Office to get the mail.

When I arrived at home Greta met me at the door much the same as she did yesterday. Happy, but a tad frantic.

For our Halloween dinner I made boiled Maine lobster and asparagus! Yum!

Everyone can come on over for some Halloween candy. We didn’t have even one trick or treater this year!

And how was your Halloween?

We drove down to Boston to see Dr. W. on Monday. My appointment was at 1, so we arrived early and grabbed lunch at a local Chinese restaurant, took a walk and then arrived at the office. My eye was tested and examined and at the end of the appointment it was decided that I still have to keep my stitches in. My next appointment isn’t until January, so they’ll be in through the holidays.

On the way home we saw one accident after another. It was rush hour and the traffic was horrendous! I’m glad that Hubby decided to drive me because they dilated my eye and I couldn’t see very well.

We were about half way back when the cell phone rang and Emily called because Greta wouldn’t go out to do her business. All she did was lie around. That got me worrying about my little girl.

We got home and Greta met me at the door with these little cries and yelps. I thought for sure that she was ill. But I got her outside, and then brought her in and fed her. She was ravenously hungry and ate her dinner quickly. She then tried to edge out Fritz for his dinner. So, I decided that perhaps she needed more food.

Greta has finally settled down and relaxed. I sure hope she is okay when I go away on Thursday to see my sister and her family.

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Every morning when I get up, I look carefully at Greta and ask her the question we all want an answer to.

“Are you pregnant?”

So far she hasn’t answered. She just looks at me, like I have lost my mind rolls over and then goes back to sleep.

Still, I look at that belly and I see how much she is sleeping and I think that the chances are very good that she is.

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I go to the Ophthalmologist’s in Boston on Monday. She will look at the stitches and the healing in my eye and determine if I can finally get the stitches out. Since the stitches don’t bother me at all, it really doesn’t matter if they have to stay in longer, but I would be thrilled if they could come out and I could see light at the end of this post operative tunnel.

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It was cold and windy here today and we even saw some more rain. Ah, summer is gone and winter is on it’s way. I can feel it in my bones.

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We went to see Flags Of Our Fathers yesterday. What a truly amazing movie. It’s a Clint Eastwood and Steven Spielberg production (Eastwood directed). I was so impressed with not only the direction, but the cinematography as well. And the acting was great. I’m not one for war movies, but this is a must see.

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Who among us forgot this was the weekend to “fall back” time wise? I admit, we totally forgot and found ourselves up early. It gave me a good excuse to make French Toast!

Strategy. Yes, I have finally figured it out. Do you ever go out to a nice restaurant, eat a meal and then never have room for one of their truly luscious desserts? Well last night I decided that I would be truly clever and eat light, so I would end the meal portion of our evening, hungry.

We were out with my cousin, Janet and good friend, Mary Ellen. Everyone ordered normal meals, but me. I purposely ordered a smaller meal. Salad and an appetizer with three large scallops. It was delicious, but definitely small.

When we finished, Hubby and Janet were both stuffed, but Mary Ellen and I were only marginally filled, so we ordered dessert. She got the cheese cake and I got “Death By Chocolate, Chocolate Cake”, with coffee.

Each bite soothed the wild beast within me. Every moist touch of chocolate frosting sent waves of pure lust through my soul. Yes, this is what life is all about.

I can’t say I will do this each time I go out to eat, but every once in a while…

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Safe


This is my home and I have always felt safe there. It is my haven, my sanctuary and the one place I can be myself.

Since my cousin did hers, here is mine

17 November 1958

Your date of conception was on or about 24 February 1958 which was a Monday.

You were born on a Monday
under the astrological sign Scorpio.
Your Life path number is 6.

Life Path Compatibility:
You are most compatible with those with the Life Path numbers 3, 6 & 9.
You should get along well with those with the Life Path numbers 2, 4, 8, 11 & 22.
You are least compatible with those with the Life Path numbers 1, 5 & 7. (This is funny because Janet, my cousin is a 5 and we get along great!)

As of 10/12/2006 11:41:50 AM EDT
You are 47 years old.
You are 575 months old.
You are 2,499 weeks old.
You are 17,496 days old.
You are 419,915 hours old.
You are 25,194,941 minutes old.
You are 1,511,696,510 seconds old.

Celebrities who share your birthday:
Isaac Hanson (1980) Laura Wilkinson (1977) Daisy Fuentes (1966)
RuPaul (1960) Danny DeVito (1944) Lorne Michaels (1944)
Tom Seaver (1944) Lauren Hutton (1943) Martin Scorsese (1942)
Gordon Lightfoot (1938) Rock Hudson (1925) Lee Strasberg (1901)

Your age is the equivalent of a dog that is 6.84774951076321 years old. (You’re still chasing cats!)

There are 36 days till your next birthday
on which your cake will have 48 candles.

Those 48 candles produce 48 BTUs,
or 12,096 calories of heat (that’s only 12.0960 food Calories!) .
You can boil 5.49 US ounces of water with that many candles.

Your birthstone is Citrine

The Mystical properties of Citrine

Citrine is said to help one connect with Spirit.

Some lists consider these stones to be your birthstone. (Birthstone lists come from Jewelers, Tibet, Ayurvedic Indian medicine, and other sources)

Yellow Topaz, Pearl, Diamond

Your birth tree is

Chestnut Tree, the Honesty

Of unusual beauty, does not want to impress, well-developed sense of justice, vivacious, interested, a born diplomat, but irritable and sensitive in company, often due to a lack of self-confidence, acts sometimes superior, feels not understood, loves only once, has difficulties in finding a partner.

Go ahead, do yours too. You can find it here.

The elation of getting my vision back hit a brick wall today. I got my temporary prescription filled, put my glasses on for the first time and I felt like I was going to fall over. I couldn’t see much at all. I panicked! I had the technician check the lenses. Surely someone had made a mistake!

Hubby arrived in the shop at this point and gently reminded me that Dr. W. had warned me that until my stitches come out my vision will not be perfect. The right eye is fine, but the left eye has double vision due to the stitches. With this prescription I see better, but not perfectly. He finally convinced me to leave the shop with the glasses on and to give it a try.

We drove down to Concord and went to a Greek festival for lunch. I was still having trouble with my vision, but I must add here that the quality, the clearness is perfect, so I just have to be patient until the stitches come out.

However, patient, I am not.

I had a wonderful Moussaka for lunch and Hubby had Souvlaki. It was fantastic! Our friends belong to this church and we go every year to enjoy the good food, the friendly people and support their church.

Then we went shopping. Both at LL Bean and then for food. I found a great fleece jacket at LL Bean, and well, lots of food at the grocery store.

I finally had to do a little driving on our way home when we picked up the other car. I was okay as long as I did not turn my head.

Okay, I admit it. I’m feeling a little frustrated and a little depressed tonight. I guess in this fast paced world of ours we all expect instant perfection, and that isn’t going to be the case with my eye.

Patience…patience…patience.

Once upon a time in the land of lakes and mountains, there lived a girl named Maribeth. She lived in a house with her Hubby and two dogs, Fritz and Greta. She had a garden of vegetables and 35 fruit trees, which surrounded her house. Her life was quiet and good and she was very happy.

One cool, dark, night the small dog, Greta needed to be walked outside in the back yard.. So Maribeth got on her coat and slippers and went outside with little Greta on a leash.

Suddenly Greta stopped moving. Greta’s ears perked up, her nose started to sniff and then Maribeth could hear a low, slow, growl emanating from her throat. Fritz, the larger dog had nudged the door to the house open just a little and he had his head sticking out. Maribeth could hear a low, slow, growl coming from him as well.

Then a whooshing noise came from the field, and Maribeth knew something large was rushing toward them! Since a Mama Bear and two baby bears had been seen in the neighborhood recently, Maribeth quickly ran into the house, dragging a barking Greta, as quickly as she could!

Maribeth pressed her face against the glass of the door in an attempt to see what was out there. Greta and Fritz continued to both growl and bark. Something was out there!

Maribeth came back to the safety of her computer and tried to ignore the dogs. Perhaps, if they all ignored the critter outside, it would just go away!

An hour or so later, the dogs needed to go out again, and Maribeth couldn’t say no. As much as she feared the bear, she knew she must do this. Slowly, she opened the door. Stepping carefully outside with Greta on a leash, she inched her way toward the grass, her ears perked up, (Maribeth’s, not Greta’s) listening intently for any sudden noises. None came.

When both dogs had communed with nature, Maribeth came inside, closed and locked the door and then finally started to breath again.

It was a big day today. My one month check up on my eye. I wanted to get a temporary prescription that would afford me some sort of normal sight in that eye. What I hadn’t counted on was that the stitches would cause a distortion that can only be described as a form of double vision in that one eye. It’s quite odd.

I refused to get upset about it, telling the technician and the medical student and the resident that I really thought the stitches had something to do with it. An eye topography was done and when I saw Dr. W. she confirmed that this was indeed the case.

She did prescribe a temporary prescription and that will help me to see a little better. I stopped at Wal-Mart and ordered the cheapest lenses for my glasses that I could. I can hardly wait for them to come in!

Hubby and I spoke at length with Dr. W. today and discovered that she speaks German! It turns out that she learned German in High School and then won a competition and spent 6 months in Germany! Part of the time she was in Nürnberg and the rest in West Berlin. So she and Hubby spoke a little in German! Needless to say, I told her about Greta and the dog show and the perspective puppies!

My stitches will remain in for a while longer. I am thinking it will be around Christmas before they come out. I told her that this was okay.

Everything in it’s time.