ROSEMARY AND "TIME"

Snow came to Connecticut yesterday and it was one of those wet, heavy, beautiful snows that lies heavily on the tree branches and changes the landscape into a fairyland.  The kind of snow that creates a hushed and peaceful world.  Only I wasn't in the hushed and peaceful world.  I was at work fielding phone calls from patients who were mostly not taking responsibility for themselves.  I hate that.  We are trained to be patient and understanding and kind and listening and helpful.  Well, OK, I can do that.  And I do do that.  But it does take its toll.  It wears me out.  It drains the compassion right out of me.

And then work was over after darkness had fallen.  I was tired, came home, had supper, finished the novel I was reading.  Went to bed.  Slept well.  Awakened refreshed.  Awakened late and refreshed.  Errands to run.  Stuff to do.  Time.  Where is all that childhood time that went on and on and on forever?  Not n my life.  Not now anyway. 

There are just too many things that I want to do piled on top of the things that I have to do.  And then time seems to fold in upon itself.  Plus, being the nut that I am, I am constantly adding in new things that I want to do and then the have to do things go wanting and then life gets to be hectic and time spirals down upon me.

Relax, Barbara, take a deep breath, enjoy the snow.  Time will take care of itself.

IT'S FRIDAY!!!!!!

If we can't laugh about it,

we shoulda stayed in bed.

CHRISTMAS SCENTS

As I get older, I seem to be more sensitive to scents.  I have always loved the smell of lavender and used to keep a bar of Yardley's Old English Lavender soap in with my hankies.  That, of course, dates back to the time when women actually carried handkerchiefs in their purses.  Shows how old I am.  The scent of that lavender was so whimsical even fairy-like for me.  Still is for that matter.

I am oppressed by the smell unclean old bodies.  Why is it that old people forget all the hygiene they have ever been taught?  My stomach retches with frig food that has turned white/yellow/green and slimy.  And butt smell is just about the worst personal odor possible.  BABY WIPES to the rescue!

Christmas used to be the smell of fresh pine greens in the house, but we don't do that any more.  In lieu of that the scented Christmas candle now must suffice.  OR the melted wax stuff that comes in little disks and melts in warmers of various sorts.  I do all of this stuff.  BUT, I don't burn candles.  The candle above I have had for years and it smells as wonderful today as it did new.  And, of course, I have more than one:  the pictured one is right next to me on the dining room table, one next next to my bed, one on the upstairs bookcase.  And two disc warmers, one for the bathroom and one for the dining room -- to enhance the unlit candle.

Oh, I so enjoy these piney, winter scents and hang on to them until way into the first month of the new year.  And what of after Christmas?  Well, then I have lavender and sage -- my favorite non-Christmas scent.

JUMBLE AGGREVATION



Every morning I work the daily Jumble and Celebrity Cipher puzzles.  I also do the Newsday Crossword which falls below Celebrity Cipher and Sudoku which is situated above the Jumble.  Sometime last spring, the Stamford Advocate, in their infinite 'wisdom,' reorganized their offerings, establishing an "Advice/Games" page.  (I don't consider puzzles games, but that's a whole other issue.)

This rearrangement as you can see above, squishes the Jumble, making squat ovals into which one must squeeze answer letters.  And it is quite obvious that the reason for this is the additional spacing in the Celebrity Cipher area.  I mean it is SO obvious.

I  contacted the editor at that time.  And then again, and yet again - all told, three times in May, once each in June, July, August, and then again today.  I have had token responses with noises about trying to fix it.  Now, usually in a situation like this, what gets messed up can get UNmessed.  The editor says that it is because of how it is being 'pulled' into the newspaper.  Yeah, right.  Perhaps if they looked at the formatting, they would see the problem and be able to correct it.  OR maybe they do not have the background and knowledge.  OR maybe they just don't care.

FOOD FOR THE ROAD

I needed an extra boost to face this day.

Yesterday just didn't work out as planned.  My bank's on line bill pay system was down -- all day.  That threw me for a loop.  Then an expected phone call was late coming in so that our planned 'lunch' out got turned into a blupper.  Whole Foods didn't have anything that enticing so we opted for sausage, onion, and pepper grinders at Costco.  THEN we did the Costco shopping.

Last evening when I was at Spanish class I realized that I was way far behind.  Haven't been studying.  Have almost forgotten what I already thought I had learned.  AND we were confronted with a "Spanish ONLY" scenario which threw me into a panic.  Then on top of that, our instructor announced that an essay would be due in two weeks.  ESSAY???!!!  I can't even put a sentence together for crying out loud.  So, eggs and toast to feed my brain.  Also needed for my first day back to work after all this off time.

I'm going to be really busy.

BACK TO REALITY

And so here we are, post-holiday, floundering with the realities of the world:  the first of the month bill-paying; cleaning out last years financial stuff and filing it away; compiling the January newsletter that is already overdue; posting the schedule for the week and finding it a little crowded; trying to avoid the leftover calories and not being very successful; and on and on it goes.  All in all it seems same ol', same 'ol.

And yet it is not.  There is a difference in the air.  A renewed vigor to meet the challenges.  New hope that we will learn new things; meet new people; share more; be more. 

Our William

January 1, 2011

4:43 a.m.

7 pounds, 11 ounces