TBT: Reprints from CJ's Whine and Cheeze

 In 2003, Ma had a stroke. Dad was her full time caregiver until he he had a car accident that totaled the car. So in 2006, I became their chauffeur among other jobs.

At the time, to deal with the stress of running two households and working, I kept a blog entitled CJ's Whine and Cheeze. Egged on by some friends who enjoyed the first read through, you'll see your part when it comes by.

Wednesday, November 01, 2006

Mea Culpe, Mea Culpe

I wait in the dark trying to remember the opening words. The panel to the privacy screen opens with a quiet shoosh, and still I wait peering into the darkness. There is a cough on the other side of the partition, my cue to begin. I sain myself. "Bless me, Father, for I have sinned. It has been," I mumble an indistinct sound hoping it sounds like a vague number of weeks, not years. "Since my last confession." I hear a tsk, another cue to continue. "I have been disrespectful to my mother. For these and all the sins of my past life I am heart'ly sorry." I rush through the phrase using one breath.

I hear a sigh on the other side of the partition. " For your penance, say a good Act of Contrition and take your mother shopping at Market Basket on Friday. I absolve you of your sins....."

It's my turn to sigh. I should have gone to Father Murray. No matter what grievous sins or errors you've committed, penance is always the same. "Father, I took some candy without paying for it."

"Say three Our Fathers and three Hail Marys."

"Father, I murdered 13 people with an axe."

"Say three our Fathers and three Hail Marys."

Next time, I'll go to Father Murray.

Happy Bill Paying!

 

How an artistic accounting clerk brightens patients' day

T Stands for More Than A Drink

 

Tea is more than a drink, but a lifestyle.丨Liziqi Channel

Drop by hosts, Bleubeard and Elizabeth's blog to find out what the rest of the T Stands For gang is up to. If you want to play, include in your Tuesday post a beverage or container for a beverage. Don't forget to link your blog to Bleubeard and Elizabeth's page.

Monet and Me

 

are trying to bring the Peace Lily plants back to life. I'm not sure if the plant was killed with kindness because one watering I also add a splash of plant food, or if the studio got too cold. The plant was not looking happy.

On a trip to the Dollar Store, I bought 2 new pots, added drainage holes, some rocks, potting soil and split the plant into two. I also relocated the plants to the kitchen.

It's been about 3 weeks since the transplant and the Peace Lilies aren't dead, yet, Jim.

How Does Your Garden Grow?

I was hoping these shoots were the Fern Leaf Bleeding Hearts. Nope. Pl@nt.net identified them as Red Maple.

Full moon with a halo. That means snow

This is what we woke up to on Friday morning. A dusting of snow

This is what we woke up to on Saturday morning. Nearly 4 inches of snow!

This is why I don't do a countdown to the First Day of Spring

Spring in New England wet and cold like Winter, just not as much snow

I'm glad I didn't put my snow shovel in the garage

I hope the daffodils make it.

On my way to fill the back birdfeeder, little birdy feet. 

Calli was sitting very still. At first, I thought she was sleeping sitting up. It took me a little bit to see what had captured her interest. A mourning dove was hanging out in the Japanese Maple.

How does your garden grow?

Happy, Little, Time Waster

 

Swan Landing

The Friday Five Good Things

 

Five good things that happened this week.

1. I enjoyed the Shell Symphony class. 

2. The rest of the art supplies needed for the class arrived

3. I transferred the design and now I'm ready to add color

4.We are still watching Holy movies and enjoy the ones with Finlay Currie who keeps popping up in a bunch of them. Finlay Currie best know for his role as Balthasar in Ben Hur and Cedric, the father of Ivanhoe.

5. The weather was nice enough that Teague and I got to have tea in her sunroom

How was your week?

TBT: Reprints from CJ's Whine and Cheeze

  In 2003, Ma had a stroke. Dad was her full time caregiver until he he had a car accident that totaled the car. So in 2006, I became their chauffeur among other jobs.

At the time, to deal with the stress of running two households and working, I kept a blog entitled CJ's Whine and Cheeze. Egged on by some friends who enjoyed the first read through, you'll see your part when it comes by.

Saturday, October 28, 2006

You Rang?

There are certain times of the day when the ringing of the telephone tolls bad news. When the phone rings at 2am, you can bet a wooden nickel you're not being notified you won Megabucks. A phone call an hour after you delivered your little people to school, is usually to inform you that said little person is tossing Cheerios in the nurse's office.

My telephone buzzed at 10 pm. I wrinkled my nose in annoyance as I thought the call would be from one of the election parties asking me to endorse their candidate. Caller ID flashed the Weebles number. An icy fist clenched my heart. A phone call from the Weebles at 10pm could not be good news. I wondered which one had fallen or had been taken by ambulance to the hospital. Adrenaline is coursing through my system. I can feel my heart pounding against my rib cage. I grab the receiver and bark, "What's wrong?"

Ma is on the other end of the line. "You didn't put the handicap parking card back in my pocketbook!" (This last is pronounced "pock-uh-book")

I look at the receiver in my hand as if I'm holding an object I have never seen before in my entire life. A glance at the computer clock indicates, it is indeed past 10 pm at night. Thoughts flash through my head at lightning speed. It's 10 pm, where the hell are you going now? You and your girl friends heading up to the Golden Banana? Why are you calling me about this NOW? Why didn't you call at 4pm? Or after supper?

To recap: Twelve hours earlier I had taken her to Target to pick up refills on her prescriptions. I had tried to tell her I could have Himself pick up the stuff on his way to school. She insisted she had to sign for them. As I headed up the road, she informed me "Your father doesn't go this way." (i.e. You are going the wrong way) I try to keep my voice light. "This is the route the number 9 bus takes. If you don't like this route, you can wait on the corner for another bus to come along." At the pharmacy desk, I ask the pharmacist if anyone could pick up a refill for Ma. We are cheerily told "Yes, you can even call ahead and we'll have it ready for you." I had the urge to stick my tongue out. So there!

"I put the card in your purse."

"Well, it's not there! I looked."

"Look again, because I put it in your purse." She puts the receiver down and goes to take another look. Pocketbook or purse is really a misnomer for the item Ma uses to carry her personal belongings. It is made of leather and that is the only resemblance to a pocketbook, purse, or handbag. It's made of leather and is roughly the size of a steamer trunk. It also has a thousand different flaps, pockets, nooks, and crannies. Some are open, close with a snap or a zipper.

"You put it in the wrong place!"

Mind you, my heart has been pounding and adrenaline has raced through my system. I can feel my short fuse now being ignited. "I put it in your purse." My reply is said tersely through my clenched teeth.

"What are you getting upset about?" I didn't give her a chance to finish with "You only made a mistake."

"Because I'm sick and tired of being told I go the WRONG way, and I put things back in the WRONG place. I put the card in your purse. If you don't like where I put it...." I can taste the word 'shove' on the tip of my tongue, and I quickly swallow it. "You can put it where you like."

She hung up the phone. Why didn't I just answer the phone, "Sorry, wrong number?"

Doodling for Stress Reduction

 

On Mondays via Zoom, I participate in a class where we spend  a half an hour doodling our stress away.  Last Monday, the class was cancelled. Bummah.

Last Friday, I signed up to take a Zentangle class. Besides a .pdf for the class, the instructor also sent a .pdf for beginning Zentangles. (If you're not familiar with Zentangles, you can read about the process here.) It's been awhile since I played with Zentangles so I practiced some of the patterns from the instructor's notes along with various "strings" (the pencil pattern to divide the paper called a tile) like the peacock.

Have you tangled with Zentangles?

T Stands for Tea Sampler

 

Another tea from the tea sampler. This time a Decaffeinated Earl Grey. Earl Grey has been my favorite blend long before Jean-Luc Picard ordered "Earl Grey, hot" from the replicator.

Opening the tea envelope, the air was delightfully heavy with bergamot. The cup did not disappoint either as there was no discernable difference from caffein to decaf. With a splash of vanilla Truvia (Stevia) and cream, I indulged in a London Fog.

So this makes 2 likes and 4 nopes.

Drop by hosts, Bleubeard and Elizabeth's blog to find out what the rest of the T Stands For gang is up to. If you want to play, include in your Tuesday post a beverage or container for a beverage. Don't forget to link your blog to Bleubeard and Elizabeth's page.

Happy Mail

 

A bright spot in the mailbox to start the weekend. A First Day of Issue stamp for the Year of the Snake along with a matching note card from Finnbadger at Envelope 100. The stamp was issued from Boston, Massachusetts. Right in my front yard. How cool is that?

But here's a mystery. Finn sent the note with good wishes for the Year of the Snake. The notecard is dated 21. February 2025! So did this envelope take over a month and a half for USPS to deliver it? Finn, did you write the notecard and it got buried under a pile (I do that) so you just mailed it last week?

Either way, mailed early, late, or last week, I thank you for thinking of me. I really like this year's design.

How Does Your Garden Grow?

New month

new garden flag

Anne from Anne's Creative Cornucopia had sent me some Fern Leaf Bleeding Heart seeds last year. I planted them as the seeds have to Winter over. I've been looking to see if they are coming up, but all that I see are some blades of grass and crocus. I'm hoping it's still a little too early for them to make an appearance and that my Thumb of Plant Death didn't curse them the way it did last year.

Through the dirty kitchen window, a brilliant, red Cardinal and a Robin.

Almost daffodils

A sprinkling of crocus on the hill

The daffodils starting to bloom

How does your garden grow?

Happy, Little, Time Waster

 

Cats and Dominoes

The Friday Five Good Things

 Five good things that happened this week.

1. A little late but we celebrated the Boston Red Sox Opening Season with hot dogs, brown bread, and baked beans

2. Sad to hear of the passing of Richard Chamberlain. I called in sick to Filene's (department store) so I could watch the Hallmark Hall of Fame production of Hamlet 11/17/1970

3. I signed up for a Zentangle class. I thought Nan might be interested, and she signed up, too

4. I assembled tools needed for class and ordered a few things I did not have

5. For a treat I had some baklava. Not as good as Ma made, but sweet nostalgia

How was your week?

TBT Reprints from CJ's Whine and Cheeze

  In 2003, Ma had a stroke. Dad was her full time caregiver until he he had a car accident that totaled the car. So in 2006, I became their chauffeur among other jobs.

At the time, to deal with the stress of running two households and working, I kept a blog entitled CJ's Whine and Cheeze. Egged on by some friends who enjoyed the first read through, you'll see your part when it comes by.

Wednesday, October 25, 2006

Magic 8 Ball

I had the opportunity to teach a children's workshop during February vacation week. The Weebles had a doctor's appointment scheduled for that week, and I called them to make sure there were no other appointments scheduled for the day I was given for the workshop.

Dad couldn't find his appointment book. While he tore the house apart, Ma talked to me.

"I thought you would show up today. I need you."

"No, not today, I told you maybe Friday, and that depends on what time the guy who pumps the septic system shows up. What do you need?" I'm thinking 24 more cans of beets to keep the 24 cans she has company.

"I ran out of my prescription."

"Today?"

"No, Saturday." I sighed heavily and looked to the heavens. I could hear Dad in the background speaking in tongues, and I had the urge to utter a few phrases. "Why didn't you call over the weekend?"

"I thought you would show up."

Third base! I debate about telling her I haven't perfected the art of mind reading yet, but I'm close. "I can ask Himself to swing by the pharmacy and get the pills for you."

"No, I have to take the paper to the pharmacy to have it filled. Your father can't find his appointment book, and the paper was in his book." She proceeded to tell me how Dad wouldn't be able to find his....um....head without a mirror and a flashlight.

So, looks like an emergency shuttle run on Friday, if the septic guy shows up early. Hopefully, Dad will have found his appointment book by then. My Magic 8 ball says: Don't count on it.

Doodling for Stress Reduction

 

On Mondays via Zoom, I participate in a class where we spend  a half an hour doodling our stress away.  

I missed class last week so I used the Happy, Little, Time Waster of How to Doodle 1 Flower 10 Different Ways. I colored the flowers in using Tombow Dual Markers

T Stands For 2OLOTR: Two Old Ladies on the Road - Rolling Home

Our last morning. While Teague was having her cup of tea, I decided I'd try to go for a walk along the Marginal Way, the ocean cliff walk that winds it's way from Ogunquit a mile and a half East to the village of Perkins Cove. Though the weather was still very cold, the wind had died down. 

Across the lawn there were gaps in the hedges with a chain link fence and gates to get on the Marginal Way.

Where I looked the path was still covered with snow and ice

Maybe it would be better on the other side of the lobster trap tree.

Nope. There were a couple of intrepid individuals with rugged hiking boots. Though I was wearing ankle boots, they were made for city walking and not rugged terrain. One woman told me that around the bend from this photo, it was clear. But she neglected to mention you had to walk up an icy hill. At my age, snow and ice are just a broken hip waiting to happen. 

I would have to be content taking pictures from the Beachmere lawn over the fence

and hoping when the weather was warmer, we'd be able to make another trip to Ogunquit.

Since "The Season" hadn't started, not a lot of restaurants were open. We decided to have breakfast in the Beachmere's Restaurant. I was too busy being in the moment with Teague so I didn't take a picture of breakfast. This is the breakfast I had on Friday. Sunday breakfast I had scrambled eggs, bacon, hashbrowns. I had a cup of tea served in the dark, blue mug just like Friday's breakfast

After breakfast and checking out, we headed to Ogunquit Beach to say good-bye. 

There were a few people on the beach, but I felt like I had the beach to myself

A seagull yelling: Are you looking at me?

The brutal winds and tide created patterns in the sand

A couple was celebrating their First Wedding Anniversary.

We left the beach and headed South to stop at Nubble Light. Every time we are in the area on the way or back, we stop at the lighthouse. The view never gets old. At least this time we could see the lighthouse. The day we arrived, the lighthouse was fogged in.

As we were getting ready to leave, I noticed a couple and they were blowing bubbles.  As I got closer, they looked like they were packing up. I asked if they could blow a few more bubbles

and

they kindly obliged.

I enhanced the bubble using a stamp of a glass marble in Paint Shop Pro so the bubbles can be seen.

I thanked the couple for indulging me. The woman said I would remember the Nubble Bubbles.

So the first runaway trip of the year in the books. Hopefully, another trip when the weather is a lot warmer.

Drop by hosts, Bleubeard and Elizabeth's blog to find out what the rest of the T Stands For gang is up to. If you want to play, include in your Tuesday post a beverage or container for a beverage. Don't forget to link your blog to Bleubeard and Elizabeth's page.