Auld Lang Syne

The last day of 2006 brings us to Mary Helen, mom's sister's birthday.

Those Cavanaughs have good long lived genes.

Alas, Peggy Cavanaugh passed.

Two new babies are in the making with Tina due in Feb. and Gwen in July.

New Year's Eve here brings us an afternoon at the movies to see Happy Feet and Charlotte's Web.

Next week I'll go see Miss Potter, the story of Beatrice and her characters, Peter Rabbit et al.

We have a new Christmas Game like Monolopy and tournaments of bridge and hearts.

The near midnight we go out for our healthy, non alcoholoic celebration by walking around the track for a healthy, spiritual, quiet New Year.

Happy 2007 to you!

Time to take it off

The food has come and left the Christmas cookies remnants showing... time to hit the gym, start the aerobics, swim and walk it off.


I got pictures back today....Yikes

Damage has been done. I dropped 8 lbs but that was a drop in the bucket.

The crab for New Year will be the last hurrah....bring on the fruit and veggies.


There is something decedant about, strawberries, rasberries and fresh pineapple in Dec.

Today was a day for the kitten fair.

Time to get these kittens to homes. Our baby girl, Posquinyak, along with her brother Miedo, are now 15 weeks.

They need to leave me and find a home.

I have pictures to post and history to write so safehaven and town cats can help find them a home.

2006

The year has found me retiring from teaching and returning to the "calm" of the library.

I can't say I miss the imps but there were some good kids.

It was tough with 40 per class and 6 classes.

My blood pressure sky rocketed.

The holidays were calm with good friends.

Last night I took 10 to the movies.

Try and coordinate that many people! Then, since they were late and later, the movie was sold out!
I was early. I should have gotten the tickets, but then we had a surprise - two more showed up.

We ended up dividing the group in 3.

One of my sweet students came in the library today. They are a pleasure...they read!

Teenagers just run in packs! Then they are tough to handle. It got more and more difficult every year from 1976 to 2006.

One at a time they can be sweet.

Movie Reviews

Let's go to the movies.....

Blood Diamonds was the best but bloody.

Apocoalypto was ok,

Pursuit of Happiness and Volver o.k.

I'd pass on the Good Shepard.

I go t stopped by the police driving home.


After I left the garage I neglected to turn my lights on....oops...he asked me where I was coming from and gave me a sobriety test.(kinda

I didn't have to get out of the car or walk a line just follow his finger.


I haven't had but one glass of wine in a year! Well it was 11:30 or so....

Excitement!

Dream Girls

Dream Girls

The movie didn't leave me singing but it was good.

It was darker than I thought and not the simple script I expected.

It was a kick to see the 60's syles a afros.

I expected a different star the Diana Ross look alike did mimic her style and moves.

Interesting to see the first black act break into Miami and Las Vegas.

The tension in the supper club when Eddie Murphy pointed to a white woman was amazing she cringed along with the lily white audience and left insulted with her husband.

I found the warm up jokes offensive to Jews and blacks and everyone laughed in the club....those days.

I remember them. Going to a segregated school through 3rd grade in Detroit, the burning in DC. Seperate parts of the city, the hostility....

Another group segregated and debased. It must make those that can abuse their power feel superior.

Aren't people just people? A thought provoking, not simple and light movie.

Reviiewing movies...hum, I have no desire to see Night at the museum.

However, Apocalypto by Mel Gibson about the Mayans, The Good Shepard, a CIA thriller, Blood Diamonds, Pursuit of Happiness, and

Volver, a story in Spanish , about girls from the provinces living in Madrid (with English subtitles) are on my list.

I've got to use up those free theater passes before the year's end.

Feliz Navidad!

I helped my friend put up her Christmas tree since she just got back from Bolivia.

Then I helped her son Richard, an excellent artist, make his mom's Christmas present - a poster that said Merry Christmas Mom I love you!

He put stars and ornaments and a santa, candle and a church on it with hearts and kisses in between.

We watched the movie calendar girls...funny, with Helen Miren.

Then, I came home to nap with my kitten and up in time for midnight mass in Rome with the Pope in St Peter's.

Afterwards. I made some of my mom's Christmas cookies with butter and drop frosting with sprinkles. I read until 6.

Hum, one was enough, Not interested in the cake or the cookies. There's a first time for everything.

I opened my Christmas presents. My friend Marilyn sent me a lovely pair of blue, square, glazed earings and my favorite lavender soap. One for my drawer one 2 for the loo.

How exciting!

On Christmas eve Gwen had Clair open one present and it was a tee shirt that said I'm a big sister!

A July baby!

I'm off to see Dream Girls then home for lobster tail, twice baked potatoe and harcouts verte. Yum

Things I like:

movies
400 thread count flannel sheets
bed socks
warm, soft flannel night gowns
my whirlpool tub
lavendar soap
my new square, glazed earings from Marilyn
bubble baths
hot tubs
tea, mint herbal and earl grey
christmas cookies and christmas lights
carrot cake with cream cheese icing
lobster and crab and shrimp
good books
candles

Thinks I'm thankful for:

good friends and family
a home
my health

Things I'm interested in

The history of Judiasm

In 83, Uncle Mart gave me a book on it but I wasn't interested then.

I was investigating our family tree

Now faith is the reason we accept there is a God

tenent says "he always is, always was and always will be" and the Jewish faith follows old old testement and the torah and the sacred books.

What do we know of history?

I googled it and the history they found a menorah burried...the holy sites are there. I didn't realize that at one time Jews worshiped multiple gods.

hum............

It was the day after Christmas

...and mom used to get up early to get those cards and ornaments and wrapping paper 1/2 price.

I thought she was crazy to get up so early and face the cold and the crowds.

I remember her getting Gwen a teddy one year on her first Christmas, all pale brown with a big red bow.

I appreciate the fact now that I have inherited some of those ornaments.

Michael got plastic ones and stored everything in a grocery sack...blue elipses and some just all jumbled together...but he was a buzy fellow with two little one's; ..even the zorro ornament or was that Bob's?

The rest were carefully individually wrapped and unwrapped every year in the Dillards box from FL.

I put up lights around the door and went out running. I has a tan then.

We had candles in each window.

I bought a baby's first Christmas ornament and took it out to show outside and it shattered in my hand from the cold. :-(

I remember her taking the tree down her last Christmas...why is it everyone wants to help it go up but no one wants to help take it down?

On New Years, Joe and I had a party and made lazagna and had her boss Casey over and my friend Cathy and her husband and Dad.

I made Christmas cookies and tried to tempt her appetite and a ham for Christmas. We went to get her from the hospital and then went to get a tree. Both mom and I fell asleep in the car.

I remember Coni coming for Easter, pregnant with Emily, in her 1st trimester; and having to escape the smell of the ham baking. I didn't understand morning or afternoon sickness.

Memories.....

One year they came to Hawaii to see me. We spent Christmas on the beach.

One year, I left HI to come hope to the chagrin of Connie, and Bob. Since all the beds were taken, Connie asked me where I was going to sleep.
Emily had a fancy white penoir.

On our first Christmas in FL Joe and I arrived the 23rd and got an apt. and then went to get a tree. They were all free in Orlando by the 24th so we brought one home decided it was too sparse and went to get another. We went to the beach the next day for a picnic.

We had Christmas dinner on the floor with our new table cloth, napkins, placemats, crystal et al and even invited another officer as a dinner guest without a chair to be seen.

We didn't get a table and chairs till CT the next move. A couch and love seat and bed and lammps came in CA 2 years later.

In HI a TV, microwave and cabinets then when we moved back to CA a dining room table.


It's 70 and sunny here

still I can't wait for my 400 threat count flannel Christmas Sheets to arrive.

Well...I had to get myself a present right?

off to the post office then to see Happy Feet and Charlotte's Web.

Got some great Christmas pictures from Mickey of Michelle's aka Mikie take on Christmas at Gwen's.

Blue's clues, musical instruments, puzzles, books and a train rule!

My paper whites are starting to sprout. Picked my first one today. Thank you Bob and Pat for the gift that comes back every year!

Enjoy your cruise!

Christmas

I got a tiny tree and put on some lights and decotations and some tiny presents my friend Marilyn sent.

Bob and Pat sent a basket filled with drawer liners, body butter, bath salts, bath foam, foot soak, bath caviar, an eye mask, body mitt, sponge and lotion.

I'm getting myself 400 count flannel sheets. This fall I got 200 count cotton...nice but not soft enough.

I need some black socks; these great ones that coution the foot...expensive but I'm worth it and it be on my feet so much I need them. It seems the wash and the dryer eats them.

Saw the movie Eragon. It was great as good as the book, about dragons and riders and good v evil.

I may bake some Christmas cookies. I like Yessica and Brianda to come and help decorate.

Lisa from work made some great cranberry bread.

Tried to make veal scaloppini again last night. The veal was tough again. I don't know what I do wrong. Maybe I need to pound it.

Lobster tail tonight. Yum.


I'll go to Midnight mass tonight. I like the quiet when you come out and the lights. It's a joyous, peaceful time.

Merry Christmas to all.

The Festival of Lights

Well I haven't gotten wreaths on the doors or my menorah out and I don't think I have candels anyway.

My friend Norm brought me the dove shaped menorah from Israel. I'd like to visit and put my message for peace in the wailing wall amd visit Bdthlehem and the church of the Navitivity.

Last year I had it lit and one candle fell on the paper underneath and set on fire the vcr. It didn't work and i was going to return it now it's an expensive clock.

I did a little baking last night, some cookies to give to a friend.

The kittens are still here. I tried an experiment and put the sweet girl Posquinyk, yiddish I think for squirel, in the cage with her wild brother.

(Help me out here, my Yiddish and Russian is non-existant except for a dozen for so words from childhood. = Pos Quin yaok)

She was so cute all snuggled up. Then came the time to take her out and she hissed at me. He was teaching her his tricks! She is better now but they can visit through the bars if she wants to get close enough.

They were introduced to the mixer and food processor. They like that better than the vacuum.

12/15 my birthday

Walter's was Monday and Bradley's was earlier in Dec. A lot of us Christmas babies.

I remember holding Bradley at his bris when he was so tiny. I can't believe he's in college and at my alma matter JMU.

I made my favorite carrot cake with cream cheese frosting.... thought everyone would like that except people like my brother who never ate a vegetable except a pea God forbid 3 c of carrots.

Then I made one for my beau Troy and it was not his favorite or the lazagne either...oh well...ask 1st.

I had lunch at Le Foret. It's a nice restaurant in the woods, as u might have guessed, beside a brook.

There was also an inservice meeting at work at the Hayes Mansion.

Bought myself a coat, my annual white turtle neck and Michael sent me cash, my favorite, with which I got a nightgown and Bob a spring bath basket from overstocks.

I lit the candle and had myself a nice bubble bath in my whirlpool tub with a good book.

Books

Read The Metaphisto Club

A great mystery set in Boston, Italy and other places as the character runs from her cousin.

A surprise ending keeps you reading and then looking for the clue you missed near the start.

I'm reading the book Wild Fire by Nelson Demille now. A thriller involving a right wing mens club and terriorists groups are are they?

Miedo, the kitten, 12 weeks

He's still reluctant to be touched and depending on my patience I play with him or not through the cage.

He's starting to teach his sister hissig and swatting. That won't do.

He's got to go out on the street or start acting more friendly!

Jennifer's Batmitzvah

Sounded great, wish I had gone; and the pictures were great of Gwen and Clare and babies Zander and Clare getting to know another.

Mikie went and was introduced before her impending wedding to Michael in Williamsburg in April. Look on weddings.com for details.

Casino Royale

Great Movie

Beautiful pics of Venice and the Tuscan area of Italy. The new Bond is not a pretty boy.
Lots of scars, but by the end of the movie he grows on you...a go see

Kittens should wear diapers

I was having a snuggle with the tiny purr ball kitten, pumpkin, and fell asleep. 11 weeks is cute

She got up climbed under the bed and pooped. ick...

try and move a king bed and clean it up
i've had my diaper changing with her

all i go is scoop and feed.

her brother, miedo, is still hard to hold

he may have to go go back out on the street he's still pretty wild

NYC

I wish I had gone to Nancy's daughter Jennifer's batmit....