Think, Create, Talk

 I did something yesterday that I hadn't done in a really, really long time.  I spent the afternoon, which turned into evening, with a really good, old friend.  I also met a great new friend.  The three of us spent about six hours talking, eating, reminiscing and encouraging.  We all had our own stories of trial and triumph.  The friend who hosted us has recently come back from a years long rough patch, which I guess really isn't a patch.  It's more like a cornfield.  A really big one.  Why do bad things happen to good people?  I really don't know, but I know that I'm very happy for her and she definitely deserves it.  She has recently purchased a new home where she can cook and garden (her favorite things), and it also happens to be on a lake.  I took a few pictures of her beautiful, peaceful place.  And yes, the food was delicious!

Today, I finally got around to that DIY project I've been promising.  I love the way it turned out!



This is my yucky, but potentially cool, vintage gossip bench.  $7.50 at an estate sale.

(I don't really want to know what those stains are.)

You may recall that a Facebook friend who is an upholsterer suggested we do a barter sometime.  She really loved this dress, but it was a little pricey.  And wrinkly:

So I put the dress in a box with the seat cushion from my bench and shipped it off to Florida.  We talked on the phone about what I wanted in terms of color and pattern.  I'm not very picky, so she suggested an animal print.  It sounded good to me, and is basically a neutral, so I could go super bright with the frame.  She mailed it back to me in about a week:

Me likey!!

So today, I got my lazy lady paint out (spray!) and went to work.  I chose this periwinkle blue because I thought that pink, red or turquoise would be too predictable.  (Yellow was also on the short list.)  What do you think?

So for the cost of a dress that I couldn't fit anyway, and less than $20 in postage, I remade this intriguing vintage piece into a showstopper.  Fun.  Satisfying.  Source of pride.  

Think and Create, Think and Create, Think and Create.  And talk.  And get paid for it.  Still my dream job and my dream.  A girl can do that, can't she??

Sound the Alarm!

That's where I was headed just a couple of hours ago.  I put my daughter on a plane to Guatemala this morning (Friday--I'm posting this a little late) for a two-week vacation.  She has been there before, and has a surrogate family there, so I wasn't worried about her taking the trip by herself.  Three and a half hours after the time that she should have arrived, I went into almost-panic mode.  Not surprisingly, I couldn't reach her by phone, and there was no Facebook activity which meant she wasn't wired in.  Something had gone amiss...I tried not to think the worst, but let's just say that "scenarios" went through my mind.

Earlier in the day, I had been feeling pretty down.  The word LOSER even came to mind.  I really wanted to finish a DIY project today, but it was raining.  It stopped, the sun came out and I went to buy some paint.  I came back, got the piece cleaned up and ready--and it started raining again.  Okay, so much for that.  I was late picking my son up from camp today, and I already mentioned that it was raining.  They let him out 10 minutes early, which made me even later.  He couldn't call me...why?  Because I gave my phone to my daughter to take to Guatemala!  Okay, let me explain.  She bought an international SIM card for her phone and it didn't fit.  The card fit mine, so I gave her my phone.  While switching cards, she misplaced mine.  I thought I'd put it into an old phone I have around the house, but I have yet to find the card.  So he was worried and upset because I got there 12 minutes late, which really turned out to be 22 minutes, but ONLY because the coach decided to leave 10 minutes early.  Follow?  He was also a little nervous because a storm was coming.  It looked treacherous, but ended up being no stronger than a ceiling fan.

Someone made me really mad yesterday. I was still steaming. Someone else really offended me.  I was still hurting.

Then, to top it all off, the newbie blogger (me) apparently committed a no-no regarding the ads that USED TO run down the side of my blog. I haven't really figured out what I did, but I think it had to do with writing on Tuesday "be sure to visit my advertisers".  That's against the Blogspot laws and one infraction is too many. They even took back the $24.81 that I had amassed.  Barely enough to buy a day's groceries, but it was symbolic.  Remember how excited I was two weeks ago when they appeared?  I feel like I've taken a huge step backwards and this really had me feeling disappointed and upset with myself.

So back to the beginning.  I was super-sulking about my string of recent failures and went home to take a nap.  Soon, I began checking for messages from my daughter, realizing that she should have called by now.  I went into pre-panic, then panic, then pre-freaked out and then she called.  I won't even go into what happened, but let's just say that she won't be doing any more travelling alone. She's way too absent-minded for that.  But she is safe and sound and I'm superbly happy about that.  Suddenly my crappy mood turned to gratitude.  Nothing like a near-tragedy to put things in perspective.

Antigua, Guatemala

Finally!  I am back home and so tired because I haven't slept well the past few nights.  It would help if I got to bed at a decent hour, but I've been staying up late, and tonight will be no exception. We're packing and unpacking, trying to keep these bags under the weight limit of 50 pounds so she doesn't have to pay $100 to check them.  Ridiculous.  I thought you were supposed to bring souvenirs back...?  No, she's taking souvenirs with her to give to her friends in Guatemala.  And she's taking candy. This added about 10 pounds.
I stopped asking.


This is me all day today...

... and right now.  I'm going nuts!  Who would have thought just feeling warm occasionally could be so crazy uncomfortable.  AAAAARRRRRRRGGGGGHHHHH!!!  @#$%$^&((+_)*&*)!!!!  And that's all I have to say about that.

Another very out of sync day.  I got back later than planned and didn't get any of my project done. I did receive a wonderful package in the mail.  I wrote about a barter a few weeks ago.  I received my goods and I can put it all together as soon as I get a couple of hours to spare.  I am shooting for Friday.  I also got more paint in the mail to attack another pair of shoes.  THIS should be fun.  

Did you see my shameless terrarium making cheat?

You can check it out on my Facebook page.  Big plans for tomorrow--let's hope they pan out.  Life should get back to normal as soon as I get this kid on that plane.  Pray for her safe journey.

Happy Friday!

I'm so late posting this!  I almost forgot, but better late than never.  I'm on the road again, picking up my daughter in Springfield.  Her school year is over and she's going out of the country on vacation for a few weeks.  So I get to drive home tomorrow evening, then get up bright and early to get her to the airport for a 9a flight.  I have plenty of low-key days, but this week is FULL.  Per my blog post yesterday, I had a chance to kick back a little and I'm so glad I did.  I seized the opportunity to get a little crazy and have some fun.  There may be no more time for that this week.

I'm wondering what I'm going to do with all this stuff when I get home.  Remember that I recently downsized, so now to have to bring all of her things home and try to merge them with my already overflowing inventory is going to be hard.  Thank goodness for the basement storage cage.  For now, I'll just fill it up and worry about it later.  At some point I will have to deal with it, but not now.  Not tomorrow, not the next day.  I'll end up giving most of it away.  Goodwill is gonna love me.

With no access to my own computer, I'm typing on my daughter's.  I have no saved photos on here and there were a couple of things I wanted to show you!  I'm working on a DIY project and it's looking good...you'll see it soon!  I also got to one of my favorite Springfield thrift stores and found some glass insulators in a shape that I hadn't seen before.  I also picked up a few mason jars because there are some crafts I want to do.  A Facebook friend shared a great blog post entitled "41 easy things to do with mason jars".  Since I don't have what I wanted to show you, I'll re-share it.  Let me know if you decide to try any of them: 

http://www.buzzfeed.com/peggy/41-easy-things-to-do-with-mason-jars

Also, check out my extreme cheat on terrarium making on my Facebook page--14thStreetVintage. 

I was going to write Happy Friday.  I just realized that it's Thursday.  I told you it was a crazy week!

I Just Wanna Bang on the Drums All Day!

 Bear with me--I can explain...

So first of all, I found a stack of vinyl at my mom's today that I'd meant to take home a few weeks ago.  I brought them home today.

I think I may have mentioned this in another post.  I picked out, from the hundreds she has lying around, a few that I really felt like listening to.  I love Bossa Nova and usually listen to it in my car when I'm by myself, since no one else seems to like it but me.  Also, last Friday I ate at an amazing Brazilian restaurant and the lunch was only made better by the music and the rain. I had my son and my nephew with me.  I made a mental note to return sans the underage companions, although they did get in a nice game of chess while we waited for the rain to stop.  

I left hungry for more--food and music!

I put on a record I hadn't listened to before. The music reminded me of the soundtracks of a lot of the movies I saw on television when I was a kid.  Bonus:  the record was red.  A nice, transparent red which only made the experience even more fun.  And yes, that is my stereo.  The only one I own.  As far as I'm concerned, this is the only way to listen to vintage music.  You just can't duplicate the sound.

Never heard of Cal Tjader, but he was apparently a major force in the Latin/Jazz music scene.  I like him!

Hearing all that Latin rhythm made me want to join in.  I don't have any congas, but my son has this djembe.  The guitar is mine.  More about that another time.

 Given my level of talent, it really didn't matter.  My attempt to join in with the big band made me think of Lucy and her numerous schemes to get in the show.  

My hair was a hot mess anyway, so I couldn't take any pictures like that.  I also had been wanting to try a head wrap.  I would never go out like this, but whenever I see a woman with an intricate head wrap, it just looks so chic.  And it makes so much sense, especially on a really bad hair day. Mine is pretty tacky, but it served it's purpose. I was already wearing this dress.  I'm always barefoot. I ate the fruit. The stars aligned. 

(I'm really not that into it, I just thought it would make a funny pic!) 

So I listened to some great Latin Jazz today, including a Bossa Nova album from Quincy Jones.  I banged on the drums until the neighbor got angry, then I beat some more because of course, he had it coming.  I danced around the living room until my head wrap fell off.  I was getting a little carried away so I took a break.  It was fun however, and I will definitely be doing it again.

So here I am, in my apartment, alone, beating on the drums and channeling my inner Lucy.  I am wearing purple.  I think I may be becoming a little eccentric.  Cool.

Don't forget to vote in my polls.  I think I'm getting this blogger thing down.

A Dog's Life!

 I never had a dog growing up.  In fact, I was deathly afraid of them.  We had a kitten when I was about four.  It was only years later, as an adult, that I realized the timing of the onset of my asthma coincided with the arrival of said kitty.  He was a yellow tabby named Puss-in-Boots.  There's no way that if I had an allergy, it wasn't going to manifest itself because my brother and I got up close and personal with him constantly.  One of our favorite activities was putting our fingers in his mouth and laughing at his attempts to nip us with his tiny teeth. Not long after, during a family vacation, I started having a lot of trouble breathing.  A doctor in Texas told my mom that I had asthma and to keep me off of dairy.  How depressing--no ice cream!  I often wonder if we hadn't had the cat, when and what allergic reaction would have triggered the condition.  We never had cats after Puss-in-Boots wandered away one day (we think the neighbors took him) so for the rest of my childhood, we were pet free except for the goldfish and guppies.  I developed at some point an intense dislike for cats.  Sure, they're cute, but just so creepy!  Cats are too quiet. And they keep you from eating ice cream. Dogs are noisy and awkward and you always know where they are.  Still, it wasn't until I had kids that I became a dog owner.  The things you do for your kids, right?  I decided I wanted a real dog, not a frou frou, so my kids had some guidance as to what to look for.  We got a really cute beagle/bassett mix named Copper, and he was very clumsy and noisy and perfect. He was a little heavy, raided the garbage can on a daily basis and howled for hours on end. Copper lived to the ripe old age of ten, at which point he developed lung cancer and had to be put down. A few years later, after his sister had gone away to college, my son asked for a dog. I was ready, so off we went again to the Humane Society and Paws for several weeks, checking out the dogs that were up for adoption. Not too big of course, but a nice sturdy, all-American, back in the day 14th Street dog. A beagle, or a cocker spaniel, or maybe even a collie mix. The kind of dogs that everyone had when I was a kid. No designer dogs for me...uh-uh.

Given my aversion to frou-frou dogs, how on earth did I end up with this??

(Disclaimer--this is not my house.  The tacky combination of plaid and stripe belongs to a relative who shall remain nameless.)

The Lhasa Apso on the left is my dog, Gizmo.  The Shih-Tzu is Pepper, and she belongs to my niece.  They are best doggie cousin friends.  What has happened to me?  I have a pampered dog who lays on the couch, and I refer to him having cousins.  He hates the outdoors and won't eat unless his food is warmed up.  Have I completely lost my edge?  

No, let me place blame where it's due.  My son picked the dog out.  He hadn't had a haircut in probably a year, so his hair was very long and thick.  He looked about 15 pounds heavier.  After his first cut, I didn't even recognize the dog and almost refused to take him home.  That little wimpy dog couldn't possibly be mine.  And there's more blame to place--on my sister and mother.  When I moved back here to 14th Street, downsizing into this apartment, I couldn't take Gizmo, so they agreed to keep him for me.  This is where the couch sitting, food warming and picky eating came in.  I think he may be ruined, and in doing so, has found himself a new forever home.  I'm not having any of that!

Amazing how things change.  Tastes, preferences, circumstances.  I grew up on this street, no dog. I grow up, move away and become a wife, mom and dog owner.  I move back and I'm no longer a wife, and I'm a dog owner in absentia.  Oh, I see Gizzy every day, but he has turned soft on me.  He was always a mild-mannered little guy, but now he's just a wimp.  And he likes his new life and knows that he has it good.  So I take him to the vet and to the groomer and to points in between. At the end of the day however, he's not hanging with me because he prefers couches and warm food. 

Amazing how things change. 

http://www.humanesociety.org/

Maryann or Ginger?

Today after church, I drove to the harbor at 31st Street.  I was totally blindsided by this new development, which I found just a few months ago.  When did they build this?  Sorry, that was a rhetorical question because it opened last year.  I know that only because I looked it up.  When...what...Chicago is constantly changing.  It's a beautiful city yet they always seem to figure out a way to make it more beautiful.  I had my camera with me today so after church I took a few shots.  The lot was full so the attendant let me stop in the drop-off lane for 10 minutes.  JUST 10, he said.  Whatever, Dude.

This picture, for some reason, made me think of the beginning of Gilligan's Island.  So of course, that sent me off on a Google search to see what had become of the cast.   The battle over who was the hottest, MaryAnn or Ginger, is apparently still raging.  People (mostly guys) have a very definite preference and it seems to be about half and half.  For those of you who have yet to make up your minds, or refuse to take sides, I offer you the chance to weigh in:

Or change your mind.

Anyway, it was a beautiful day today and I thoroughly enjoyed it.  The fact that my mind went off in this weird direction did nothing to change that.  So let's vote--MaryAnn or Ginger?  Let me know and I'll post the results later this week!

So why don't grocery stores carry mulberries?  They're plentiful, grow anywhere, and taste surprisingly good.  I say surprisingly because since they seem to be growing wild all over my yard and everyone else's, I always assumed they weren't edible.  According to my sister, they ate them all the time, but when I was coming up, my grandfather grew pears, peaches, cherries and grapes,but I do not remember eating from any mulberry tree.  Or bush.  See, there's another weird thing about them.  What, do they just grow on anything?  I think they're a little shady.  But since they were falling all over my mother's driveway, I decided to pick a few: 

Yeah, they're pretty small.  It was hot.  I was still dressed for church.  I was sweating.  It would have taken way too long to fill this little bucket, so I settled for a decent representation.  Remember my aversion to getting dressed up, being compressed, and sweating.  I soon retreated to the air-conditioning.  I learned that they stain almost immediately:

Their tiny stems are tedious to remove so I washed them thoroughly and decided that a little green wouldn't hurt me:  

And I made a cherry-mulberry smoothie!  It was good, but I could have done without the two teaspoons of Splenda because they were plenty sweet!

I'm shooting the moon again tonight--literally.  I'm taking pictures of the supermoon again.  The super part eluded me last night.  I stayed up until two and still didn't see the superness.  The pictures on the news of this giant orange thing were what I was looking for.  All I saw was this tiny white (albeit bright) circle.  I was so disappointed that I deleted the pics.  I'm on my way out, so wish me luck.  Hopefully I'll have some nice shots for you tomorrow.  And by the way, thank you SO MUCH for reading my blog.  Comments, questions, suggestions...please!

http://www.chicagoharbors.info/harbors/31st-street-harbor/

FOREVER YOUNG

This picture was posted today by a Facebook friend.  On the surface, it's funny.  Typical Lucy.  But it made me think about how true this is for so many of us.  After taking all of the precautions (moisturizing, drinking lots of water) and good advice for staying healthy (eating well---and slowly...exercising, getting plenty of rest) we still feel the need to lie about our age.  I don't know what we're so ashamed of.  Age means you've been successful in handling life for X number of years.  That's a good thing.

Years ago, when I was in my 20's a lady I worked with was celebrating her birthday.  I asked her how old she was, and when she told me she was 38 I laughed and said "Girl, you are OLD"!  She didn't seem to think it was funny, but she didn't miss a beat when she reminded me that she might be 38, but there was no guarantee that I would get there.  That moment changed my thoughts about age forever.  She was right!  She at least had lived those 38 years. I might not see 38, or 37 or 28 for that matter.  I stopped laughing and let the truth of her words sink in.  As I did get older and was blessed to see 38 and beyond, I never tried to convince anyone that I was a day less than I really was.  If all we really want to live is 29 years, lots of us could have stopped sucking up extra air a long time ago, leaving more oxygen for those who want to stick around. There's only one way to stay young forever and it involves ceasing to exist, so no, I'll pass on that for as long as I can. I think it's pretty ungrateful to deny all the years that we've been blessed to be here, so I for one NEVER lie about my age.  I don't wear it on a t-shirt or anything, but if you ask me I will tell you the truth.  I'm thankful and proud to be 52.  I've really enjoyed these twenty-three "post-29" years.  

I took this picture in my kitchen two years ago.  I was 50 at the time:

It took me 50 years to look like this! Am I flawless?  Umm..no...but as I recall, I never have been. At 29, I couldn't possibly know what I'd be missing, but I know that I thought it would be awful and it isn't. Which is another good thing about getting older.  You have a chance to look back and laugh at how dumb you were then.  

First Day of Summer

It's official!  Summer is here and the weather actually reflected that.  It wasn't hot, but nice and warm which is good enough for me.  I even bought my first watermelon of the summer.  I have had terrible luck for the past few years,with apparently no decent melons in the area but I was feeling summery, so I bought one.  It was unusually heavy for it's size, but it was nice and round and green.  When I cut it, I figured out why---the rind to flesh ratio is way off, nearly half and half.  So I had very little actual watermelon to eat.  But what was there was pretty good, and it's still early. July holds promise.

I'm hearing of a "supermoon" that will be in the sky this weekend and I'm making plans to see it.  I'm trying to figure out where a good spot might be to get a good picture.  As far as plans are concerned, that's about as far as I've gotten.  Except for cleaning.  There's always something that needs to be straightened, cleaned or organized since I downsized.  I admit that I have more stuff than I can house.  I got rid of a lot when I moved from a house to an apartment, but of course I didn't stop finding, collecting and buying, so I'm running out of space.

A year or so ago, my son, still in junior high, suggested that I start wearing "outfits".  I guess my uniform didn't fit the bill.  It's not like I wear the same thing every day--I have at least eight pairs of black yoga pants so I switch up all the time.  I also have a ton of t-shirts in an array of colors like blue, gray, brown and black.   Oh well, I suppose I see his point.  Don't get me wrong--I have sweaters, jackets, skirts and dresses.  Some black, some gray, but I love bright colors and I do have them in my closet, it's just that when I get dressed most days, I'm trying to be comfortable and stay under the radar.  I'm not trying to call any extra attention to the fact that I am way out of shape.  Getting dressed up is a bit of a chore.  All the undergarments have to be right.  Different clothing calls for different bras.  If I wear a dress, I'm going to need a shaper.  Those things are most uncomfortable, squeezy, hot and suffocating. So I save the agony for special occasions, Sundays and job interviews. Maybe the sweating and wheezing have something to do with me not getting call backs.  (I'll give that some thought later.) Still, he's getting older and wants me to dress like the other moms--the ones with corporate jobs, high-profile careers, or just have the time and inclination to get dolled up before heading out the door.  So I've been wearing a lot more outfits.  I'm getting used to it.  And that means that I'm back to buying clothes, shoes and bags.  I have far less than a lot of women I know, but it's still more than I currently need and definitely more than I can store.  Periodically my niece "purges" her closet and I end up with an infusion of more clothing.

 Even with my frequent donations, I'm in no danger of running out of outfits any time soon.  With my daughter coming home in a few weeks, I'm close to being in panic mode.  I think I'm going to have to repurpose the porch into a dressing room.  So much for no plans for the weekend!

Don't forget to enjoy the sky show on Sunday!

High Waists and Hot Pants

Yes, I've been watching Magnum, P.I.

Stephen Cannell, along with theme show composer Mike Post teamed up to create some of my most memorable 70's and 80's t.v. watching. Since I love music, the theme songs were also important  and I remember ALL of them.  If they had words, I remember those too. He was still cranking out the hit shows well into the 90's. Cannell created a string of feel-good detective shows that were funny, a little bit suspenseful and completely "beefcakey".  Hey, don't take my word for it, let your eyes do the work:

 James Garner as Rockford.  In his prime, I don't know if any man was better looking.  An amazing cross between Cary Grant and Jethro Bodean.

I may be the only person who remembers Tony Musante as Dave Toma.  Whoo Baby!  I'll spare us all the "after" pictures.  It would be too cruel.

 Tom in his high-waisted jeans.  I had his poster before anyone in the dorm.  He was a rich, handsome cowboy hawking "Chaz" cologne.  My son's name is Chaz.  He has no idea he was named after Tom Selleck.

Hey---the theme song guy can rock the hot pants too!  (Hmmm....Tom does it better.)  Not just any man could do this--he had to have the right legs.  We women know this.  Men do not.  It's a good thing this style didn't last long because it was painful to watch men who did not look like Tom try the trend. 

I'm really grateful for this one.

Riptide.  Formula: Nerdy Geek, Super Beefy Dude, Good-Looking Reasonable Tough Guy.

 Mario Van Peebles played "Sonny Spoon".  Am I the only one who remembers this adorable guy?

If I need to tell you, you're a lost cause.

This was a little grittier. Ken Wahl as "Wiseguy".  Fun fact for ya:  He went to my high school!  Yes, while I was there.  No, I didn't know him, but my brother did.

This represents about a quarter of the shows he created.  Well, that I know of.  My only interest is in the ones featuring a good-looking male lead.  There are more!  Simon and Simon, Hardcastle and McCormick...the guy was a genius I tell you, a genius!
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Change of subject: At what point does a certain number of anything become a collection?  What's the difference between a collection and an obsession?  For instance, I like vintage alarm clocks.  My dad always had one of these travel clocks, one with an illuminated dial.  It absorbed the light during the day, then the numbers and hands would glow at night.  I bought one, folded into a leather case and I was happy.  Then I bought another one, along with the early 90's Tazmanian Devil.  I actually keep that one by my bed.  Taz bites down on the top of the clock when the alarm goes off.  Fun!  Then I bought a few more...I'm thinking that I am now collecting vintage alarm clocks, since I have no plans to sell them.  This isn't a collection that could ever really be complete.  Not like having all the quarters from the 50 states, or every James Taylor album, which I do. (Not the quarters, the JT.)

This could get out of control, because the possible additions are nearly limitless.  I do have a threshold, however, so my collection will only get so big.

Magnum had one like this.  I don't.  Guess what that means?  Like how I merged those two random subjects here?  Haha...I'm done.  One day I'll explain that Fall of the Roman Empire table up there.  

Heat lead by five with two minutes left.  I will officially start paying attention now.  

Life Is Short...Eat Dessert First!

There are some places that are just wrong.  Places that you should stay away from, and you know it.  But, you go there anyway.  My mother's house is one such place.  Today, of all days, she'd been grocery shopping.  I went grocery shopping a couple of days ago, and except for a pack of my son's favorite chocolate chip cookies, I only bought healthy fare.  I love to eat healthy--my problem is that I eat healthy foods in unhealthy amounts.  My mom's house is a different story.  I headed to the kitchen, of course.  Isn't that what you do at your mom's house?  She quit drinking coffee awhile back, so the fresh pot is no longer there.  This used to be the only place I drank it, because I rarely make coffee myself.  I'm not that into it, but if it's there (and my mom makes really good coffee) I'll have a cup.  But no, no more coffee.  There is however plenty of dessert, because as much as she knows it's not good for her, she was only giving up one vice and sugar won.  Let's see...there's a chocolate pound cake, raspberry and cream cheese coffeecake (but still no coffee), and apple turnovers.  And ice cream.  And cola.  Oh yeah, she stocked up big time.  She threw in a couple of large bags of chips and a pack of ground beef, and no, it's not 85% lean or anywhere near that.  That meat is way too "dry" according to her.  I've been here for about six hours, eating all the wrong things and watching my 5th or 6th episode of "Family Feud".  I'm going to need a serious detox when I get out of here.

I tell my mother that she should cut down on the junk food, but she counters with the fact that she's healthier than I am.  She takes no medication, other than the occasional aspirin.  She no longer suffers with headaches,  has no blood pressure issues, no diabetes and no weight problem.  As far as any other ailments, we wouldn't know since she refuses to go to a doctor.  "All I need is my aspirin" she says.  She takes it for everything from a sniffle to a stiff knee.  At 87 years of age, I really can't argue.  She's in good shape, and aside from mild arthritis, she has no complaints.  So what do I know?  

I think being healthy is largely about your state of mind.  After all these years, she pretty much knows how to handle anything.  She's calm, she doesn't worry, she reads her Bible, prays, watches the Game Show network, takes her aspirin and eats dessert.  And she's happy.  Maybe Mother does know best. 

All Dressed Up...

So, I got ready to go to a local school board meeting tonight, only to find out that it has been rescheduled.  This is a major inconvenience for me.  I changed out of my "uniform" of yoga pants and a t-shirt.  I showered.  I put shea butter on my ashy feet.  I washed my hair.  And I put on a really cute outfit.  I'm wearing shoes...in the house...I never wear shoes in the house.  I loathe wearing shoes in the house.  But it took me five minutes to buckle the darn things up and I don't want to take them off.  I'm thinking about going to a movie.  Any recommendations on what I should see?  I'm a big fan of Iron Man and Star Trek and I haven't seen the new ones.  I like action.

In the meantime I've turned on the hi-fi---yes that's right, I still use the hi-fi.  I love that sound!  Just another thing that reminds me of my days growing up on 14th Street.  Whether it was from a passing convertible or from the neighbors house, everyone everywhere seemed to be listening to music when I was a kid, and it wasn't offensive.  So if I came home repeating "I Got Sunshine on a Cloudy Day" my mom didn't clutch her chest. She just smiled. They just played "LOLA" and I'm craving some cherry cola.  I'm from Chicago so you'd think that I'd like "Sweet Home Chicago" but I'm not crazy about the song so I'll be glad when it's over.

It's Heat vs. Spurs tonight!  I really don't care who wins but I watch because my son is into it.  He just called me in the hear the National Anthem.  Call me a Scrooge, but I'm getting a little tired of the loudmouth kid singers.  They're talented for sure, but geez, can they call in Clay Aiken or something?  Just a regular singer with a really nice voice and no theatrics.  I happen to think "The Star Spangled Banner" is a great song and doesn't need all the extra stuff--just sing the song, doggone it.

Today was uneventful, except for the fact that Gizmo the Dog got a much needed haircut.  I picked him up, slipped the collar on him, leashed him and started out.  I turned around to ask the groomer a question, so I closed the door behind me.  After I finished, I turned to go out and realized there was no dog at the end of the leash.  He's about six inches skinnier so the collar just came right off.  I opened the door to find him sniffing around outside.  I bet he feels like a different dog.  Of course, this is Chicago so I cut his hair just in time for the temperature to drop 20 degrees.  Just can't win!

I'm rambling...randomly.  Remember that was my working title--Random Ramblings.  It would be perfect for days like today when nothing eventful happened, but it was a good day.  I enjoyed it.  And I'm still wearing my shoes!


                                                                   

14th Street Vintage