Category: My Life

And…here we go!

1. Finally, I have my computer back, and I have found more questions than answers on it!.
2. Windows Vista is a royal pain and sure takes some getting used to!
3. Dad says: hurry up.
4. MB is my favorite nick name for me.
5. It took a long time, but after 12 years I have a brand new love seat for me and the dackels in our family room.
6. I sleep with three dackels and Hubby though I wouldn’t have it any other way.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to shutting the computer down and reading my book, “The Descendents”, tomorrow my plans include laundry and Sunday, I want to drive down and have brunch with Mandy and perhaps feel my grand daughter move! Won’t that be something special!!!!

Yesterday I go the call. The laptop was ready to be picked up. Vista working system and all. I am not exactly thrilled with the new working system, but it goes like this.

I wanted Windows XP when I got this laptop from Toshiba a year and a half ago. I also wanted the rescue discs. All arrived as requested, and I never thought to check out the back up discs.

Flash forward to this past weekend when my laptop was hit by a nasty virus, which systematically went through the machine, hacking all my links. Rendering it almost useless.

I brought it in to be backed up, and then have the hard drive wiped and reloaded. I was so happy, because it would make everything so much easier for me with a clean machine!

Except, I did not count on the fact that my computer’s back up disc’s were Window’s Vista. Yes, I bought a machine with XP, but originally the machine was a Vista machine that someone in China had loaded XP onto.

My computer person assures me that all is well. Nothing really is different (HA! It sure is!) and that even her 80 year old father can master Vista. What I am finding is that Vista is a challenge. I’m not really sure I like it. I am willing to give it a few months to learn it, and after that, if I still hate it, I will buy the upgrade to Windows 7.

The biggest problem right now is that while I work on the computer to get all the systems reset, I can’t read my book “The Descendants”! I am really enjoying that. It’s a great read!!!

1. George Washington-Abraham Lincoln-Thomas Jefferson…who would you most like to meet and why?

Abraham Lincoln. He had such a hard life, and yet, he kept persevering. He accomplished so much during his presidency, as well. I would also tell him to stay home from the play!

2. What’s your favorite chain restaurant?

I tend not to like chain restaurants. I like family owned places. But up here in New England we have a chain called “The Weathervane” and it has so many yummy seafood treats!

3. I spied this question on the Bears at Home blog last week and she gave me permission to steal borrow it-

When you look back on your life, do you imagine you’ll think about the goals you failed to meet with regret? Or will you look at what you accomplished and say: it was good?

Good or not, I am hoping I learned from it. We cannot always meet out goals, but learning from what we experience is so important.

4. Grapefruit-take ’em or leave ’em? Given the choice between an orange and a grapefruit which would you choose? Would you prefer it served as is or squeezed into juice?

I LOVE grapefruit! I eat 1/2 every day. Except right now, I must not eat any for a whole month while I am on some medication!

5. When was the last time you cleaned out a closet? Is there a closet in your home that currently needs cleaning? What are you waiting for?

I want to go through my own closet this week because I need to find out what fits before I go on vacation.

6. You get to have lunch with three famous people…who would you like to see round your table?

This is tricky. Are famous people any more real or interesting than my friends or family? I think perhaps, Prince William and his bride, Kate. And toss in Mark Harmon, just because I think he is gorgeous!

7. On a scale of 1-10 how would you rate your ability to parallel park?

It used to be terrible, but now I have been making myself do it, and I have gotten very good! So a solid 8!

8. Insert your own random thought here.

I feel so blessed to have my family and friends in my life. They support me when I feel down and share my joy when I am celebrating. I wish I could share that little biy of widom with peopl. Ooops, I just did!

Happy Wednesday Everyone!

When I was skiing the other day I suddenly had thoughts of my Grandmother. She would have turned 114 on February 4th if she were still alive. Grandma honey, was a great person to have as a grandmother. She was a tough, but tender, and loving woman. She would do anything for her friends and family!

When she still lived in Boston I remember going to her house. In my mind I can still see my grandparents house. It was large with a down stairs apartment and then their part of the house on the second floor and then on the third floor another apartment. In the down stairs apartment lived my grandfather’s sister Hedwig and her husband Albert. What I remember most about them was Hedwig’s fabulous cooking. It seemed she always had cookies and hot cocoa when I would sneak down the back stairway to visit her.
The middle floor was my grandparents part of the house. It was very large with a screened porch in the front, a phone on a table in the hallway, and then a big living room which led into a large dining room with a bay window, I often sat there looking out of the windows. This led into a kitchen with an old fashioned pantry. I loved this little room because I could climb up on the counter and find cookies. (yes, I admit, I am a cookie monster!)
Off the kitchen was a hallway that led to a big bathroom, and then my grandparent’s bedroom next to that. I remember going into their bedroom in the early morning and climbing into bed with them for cuddles. Papa Fred and Grandma Honey really loved their grandchildren.
Upstairs was where my uncle, his wife and their two kids lived. Originally this was where my mother and uncle had their rooms when they were kids. When we stayed there I would sleep in my cousin’s room.

But Papa had a heart attack and the doctors wanted them to sell the house and move to a one level . So they moved down to Cape Cod, near us and bought a little two bedroom ranch house.

I would run through the woods between our house and theirs and sleep over at Grandma and Papa’s. They would watch “Lawrence Welk, and I would watch them. Papa would gently hold Grandma’s feet in his lap. He would rub them, and she sat there, with an afghan over her lap, smiling at him and the music would play.

She would make us the best warm milk around. We had the whole milk (from a glass bottle. Fresh and whole!), honey and then a dot of real butter. Trust me, it was wonderful. Her hot chocolate was fabulous too!

I felt so safe in her arms, in her lap and I always loved having her as my grandma. Sadly, my other grandmother died when I was in third grade, so I never had a chance to know her the way I knew Grandma Honey.

I moved in with her at the age of eleven, and I lived in their house until I was 17, nearly 18 years old. She lived until I was 26 years old, and then passed from this world. But, my memories are good, and the impression she made on me will be with me for the rest of my life

And…here we go!

1. When it comes time to make a decision, I procrastinate something fierce. But eventually the decision gets made and most of the time I can live with my decisions even though they might not be easy to make.
2. “And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make”., that must be the rule.
3. Ma says, eat your vegetables.
4. I’m working on losing a few more pounds at the same time I’m getting ready for the cruise.
5. I never saw the Beatles play in person, but their music is the music of my heart and soul.
6. The love of a person and their dog is not a new invention.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to I don’t know, probably relaxing and getting to bed early. I am so tired, tomorrow my plans include walking around the Ice Fishing Derby and Sunday, I want to pick up a few things at the grocery store, and perhaps stop at the Outlet Mall!

Hubby woke me early and asked if I could go skiing with him. Since I had no good read to say no, I got up, put on all my warm clothes and made our breakfast quickly, before we left the house at 8 o’clock. We got to the ski area and it was mobbed with high school kids who were there for ski races! (*groan*)

It was terribly difficult to find a spot to change into my ski pants, gloves, goggles and helmet. The high school kids were pushing me around and stepping on me. How rude! I listened to their rather foul mouths and I dreaded going off to ski, because the high school-ers tend to be inconsiderate skiers and will hurt you by running into you. I so wanted to share with them the sage advice my grandmother had bestowed upon me when I was their age.

“You are pretty now, but even pretty gets old with time. If you are not beautiful inside, then you have nothing to share when you are an old woman, like I am.” Oh Grandma, how right you are!

Anyway, we finished getting ready and then went off, where we got the first chair lift up the mountain to ski. On the first run, we just came straight down and there were several kids, but no one got too close to me. The second, I was still feeling tight, but we made it down without incident.

(Hubby in the blue jacket)

This is the view that we get from Gunstock Mountain, where we skied. I have to admit. It was a perfect day. All those pesky high school racers, stayed on the other side of the mountain, and we had the rest of it to ourselves. No lines, no one driving us off a trail, and absolutely wonderful conditions.

This is a small part of Lake Winnipesaukee. On the left where you can see all those white roofs, well, that is where I live. I wanted to post this because you can see why the beauty of this area has captured my heart and soul. I love it here!

I made eight runs down the mountain, which is the most I have made this year! Two hours of full cardio workout skiing. I’m really feeling it tonight in my legs, but I’m actually feeling proud of myself.

When we went back in the lodge to change, the kids were all in there eating lunch, racing around, teasing and joking, but in far better form, as their parents had shown up to watch the afternoon races! Nothing will clean up a teenager’s rotten mouth faster that a parent with the ability to ground them!

Hubby and I got our skis and poles, and bags and headed for the car. I wasn’t sure I was going to make it! Yes, I was that tired. But I did and Hubby started to drive to a little shop where we get the dogs their cookies.

Anyway, as we drove down the road, in the distance we saw wild turkeys! So I told Hubby to stop the car, and I put down my window, and snapped away. At first I couldn’t get a shot.

And then, there he was…Tom Turkey! Isn’t he handsome!!!

After they scurried away, Hubby and I drove off, picked up the doggy bones and then stopped to get Fritz’s canned food. I wasted enough time, so I was able to convince Hubby to go to a Japanese restaurant for lunch. We’ve been going there for years and have our favorite meals.

Well, today I thought I would have Hot & Sour Soup, just for a change! You know, live on the edge! Well, I started ladling it in and it was sort of hot. Not just temperature hot, but spicy hot!!! I had about half of the soup, and I then I switched to chugging the ice water. I went through two and a half glasses of ice water to quell the fire in my mouth!

My meal was served, and it was good, but I was so bloated from the water I thought I would pop! We finished it and then came home. What a day!

Now, it’s Friday night, and we’re watching mindless TV waiting for the clock to tell us it is time for bed.

Friday Fill-Ins are sponsored by my cousin Janet. Come on and join the fun!

And…here we go!

1. Go ahead, there’s some hot tea, all brewed, pour yourself a cup and make yourself comfortable.
2. There is a dog barking at my door. Don’t worry, I’ll get that soon!
3. Don’t worry, be happy.
4. I’m going off to walk on the lake and watch the pond hockey for the day.
5. Pretty much any slimming snack will be made for Super Bowl Sunday.
6. All’s right with me.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to some quiet and perhaps a fire in my hearth, tomorrow my plans include a Ricky Skaggs concert and dinner and Sunday, I want to read the Sunday newspaper, make some great finger foods and watch the Super Bowl!!!