Letters From New England

Back again so soon?

Tuesday

June 30, 2009

Hi,

Look at me!  Back again already... :)  It's the new design, I tell ya.  I really thought getting the laptop would be the catalyst, but...nope. 

I'm not getting notices from Typepad when someone posts a comment.  Not sure what happened, but I used to get an email with the comment in it.  Kind of bums me out, because I like to know.  Also, someone told me that they can't get past the field to type in a website address if you have one.  If anyone knows anything about this, please send me an email.

I got some sad news today.  My cousin, Debbie, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer yesterday.  I don't know much more than that at this time.  I've left a voicemail for her daughter to call me with a prognosis once the results from her PET scan are in.  Praying it hasn't spread to any other organs.  Please keep them in your thoughts.

What a shame about all of the celebrity deaths this past week, huh?  Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett, Michael Jackson.  (and now, Billy Mays).  Farrah was all over the news until word of Michael's death happened and then it was like "Farrah who"?  Jeez...poor woman!  RIP to all of them.

I am reading The Known World right now.  Another Pulitzer winner I never got around too.  Just barely cracked the spine, but I like the writing style.  And, I watched a movie on Friday night that I enjoyed and would love to share with you but I canNOT remember what it was!  What the heck? Well, I have Last Chance Harvey on the table and I'll probably watch it tonight.  I'll let you know how it was (if I remember it).

It's still raining here, in case you were wondering.  I'm drawing up the blueprints for my ark and I'm going to be a little more selective than Noah was about who gets a ticket.

I'm thinking about developing a food plan (notice I didn't say diet) that incorporates foods from the low end of the glycemic index.  I'm a bit of a carb addict, so it might be painful at first, but I'm sure I'll get over it.  Too much diabetes in the world.  Type I is bad enough, but Type II is brought on by our own behaviors and diet, so...before I get that wake up call, I thought I'd get my buttocks in gear.  Seems pretty simple to me.  Lots of lean protein, non-starchy (boohoo) veggies, low glucose fruits and whole grains.  Perusing The New Glucose Revolution and Magic Foods on the recommendation of a friend (who has diabetes).  Anyone here had any success with that?  Shoot me an email if you have.

Okay...back to the books.  See, this is the problem with coming here often.  I don't have anything important to say.

Peace,

Kay

(Friday night movie was Greenfingers with Clive Owen :)

Change is good...

Saturday

June 27, 2009

Hi,

I started to write a post and was sooooo bored with it, I deleted the whole thing.  Started looking around the Typepad website, something I have done in YEARS and found a whole bunch of cool, new stuff!  Like this new design, for instance.  I'm hoping it will inspire me to write more often.  I can change it over and over again...SO many options! 

I cleaned my apt from one end to the other today.  Three hours later and it looks really good.  Unfortunately, it will probably be short lived with Bella around.  She's already rearranged 2 scatter rugs and her food dishes.  Sigh...  I have company coming Monday evening and I'd like it to be clean when they get here.  Wish I could potty train her...I hate the litter box. :)

It's sunny for the ... hmmm.... maybe 5th day so far this month.  It's been the rainiest June I can remember.  Crazy stuff.  I feel badly for the folks who come here for the summer (Pat!) and haven't been able to get out and do anything.  Take advantage of today, I guess, because I hear another 7 days of rain is on the horizon.

Now, it doesn't bother me at all to have this rain.  It's been cool and because I hate the heat and humidity of summer, I've been quite content with it all.  Maybe it will be nice now that the kids are (finally!) out of school.  The last day for them was Thursday.  Their summers have been cut so short lately.  Snow days making them have to stay until the end of June.  We used to be out be the seond week.  Always...10 wks off in the summer.  We didn't go back until the Monday after Labor Day.  Now, they are starting the week before.  Blah...

I'm taking both of my grandkids for a few days each this summer.  Emma is coming first for part of the last wk in July.  When I bring her back, I hope to take Sam back with me for a few days.  It's hard to work my vacations around others in my dept, and coordinate them with time when the kids are free too.  Denny is also coming for a few days in August, so I want to take a few days off then too.  My favorite times to take vacations are in the early spring and in October.  I'd rather be in my air conditioned office when it's 95 and humid out. :) 

I just finished reading Olive Kitteridge.  I really enjoyed it and can see why it won the Pulitzer for fiction.  I'm finally getting around to finishing The Story of Edgar Sawtelle.  It's a really good book, but I got ahead of myself with books from the library and ended up having to put it aside for months.  I didn't even get to read some of the books I got from the library.  TOO MUCH TIME ON THE COMPUTER!

Speaking of, I'm getting off and taking a shower.  Will I run those errands?  Hmmmm...

Peace,

Kay

Happy Birth Day

Sunday

June 21, 2009

Hi,

It's a girl...but we already knew that.  Ultrasounds take all of the fun out of the actual event.  Anyway, Juliette was born last night at 11:13...47 minutes before Father's Day.  She is the (soon to be) adopted daughter of my friends, Boyd and Harald.  I've seen a couple of  pics, and she's cute as a button!

This adoption has been a long and arduous road for them.  A few disappointments and one complete heartbreak.  I hope that all goes according to plan and they will bring their baby girl home tomorrow.  She's a lucky one.  She'll be loved and spoiled (but not too spoiled) and taken care of by the best.  I wish *I* could be adopted by them! :)

I had a very lazy weekend...the first in quite awhile.  With the preparations for the move, the move itself, and settling in after the move, the last couple of months have been full of activity.  Are there things I could have done this wkend?  Most definitely.  But they will have to wait for another day.

I watched 2 movies today and one last night.  The Illusionist was really strange, but pretty good.  I caught an old movie on Indiplex or something, then watched Donnie Brasco on On Demand.  I managed to get some reading in too, but have spent a lot of time on the computer as well.  Facebook and all of it's bazillion applications can suck the life right out of you...or at least most of your free time.

I sat down at my work table and made some jewelry yesterday (finally).  I ordered some jump rings and they came in a day or so ago.  I saw a pattern in a bead magazine that I liked, so Iordered the supplies, then tweaked it to make it my own.  I liked the original, but I have to say that I liked what I did with it better. :)

I went to see The Taking of Pelham 1.2.3 on Friday.  Awesome movie.  Travolta rocked as a bad guy (and was totally hot!).  On Tuesday, Linda and I are going to see The Proposal.  Can't wait.  I love Sandra Bullock's movies.  Saw the previews for another that's coming out this fall.  It looks hilarious too.

So, Bella is still driving me crazy.  One minute I am ready to pack her up and give her away and the next I'm scratching her head and blowing her kisses.  She has made mess after mess after mess.  Now, she's digging in my plants again.  I moved most of them into my bedroom and keep the door closed.  She ripped apart a sunflower garland I had woven through my headboard (it's a picket fence, literally).  Right now she's ripping a newspaper apart.  Sigh... I wish she'd settle down some.  Don't know how long it takes, but I'm getting impatient for her next phase of life. :)

My granddaughter will be starting Jr. High in the fall.  JR HIGH SCHOOL!  Jesus, I'm old.   I bought her a really cool "messenger" bag with a big peace sign on it.  I also got her a cute, little lime green purse.  She's not really used a purse much, but 7th grade...I dunno.  Maybe she'll be more inclined to start carrying one aroundl  I'm going to put a small mirror and some chapstick, pens, etc in it. 

Sam starts first grade this year too.  I want to take him shopping for a new backpack.  Each of the kids is coming to spend a few days with me (separately) this summer.  I'm looking for stuff for us to do.

I took an old cross-stitch piece (I did it in 1993) to be framed (finally).  One of the reasons it stayed rolled up in a tube all of these years is because everywhere I brought it, I was told it would be $100+ to mat and frame.  Well, guess what?  The price did NOT go down in 16 years.  Michael's wrote the bill up for $288.56!!!  I had a 50% off coupon, but still...are you freakin' kidding me?  It looks so nice all matted and framed though.  I'd like to get more pieces done, but it will have to wait until I win the lottery I guess.

I'm making tentative plans to take a cross country train trip in the fall of 2010.  Have I told you that already?  I will take the northwest route because it will be gorgeous in October, then go down the coast of CA.  Can't decide whether to take the southeast route back and stop in AZ to see my son, or the mid-east route and visit some friends.  Maybe I can finagle a way to do both.  If I plan my trip right and make all of the arrangements in advance, I may not need to stay at a hotel the entire trip.  Luckily, I have friends all over the country that I can impose on. :) 

I've also just found out that a woman in my memoir group took a 5 week cross country train trip in 2002, so she is bringing photos and information to our next meeting. 

I need to save $$$.  Which means I need to stop spending $$$.  Not that I'm a shopaholic or anything, but I could be a little more careful. 

If you know anything about train travel, I'd appreciate an email with your tips and suggestions.

Peace,

Kay