Get it when you can

Computer fairy is not always so reliable so figure I would blog when I've got service; this is not usually a good time for me to be coherent.

Exciting stuff coming from St. Louis; Heather is really racking up the interviews including one at Northwestern in January...there, now both Carl and I have scooped her!

So I am giving into to the Christmas thing (actually have Christmas music playing); we started on the cookie marathon. We have two kinds done; 3 more to go, including the ever popular sugar cookies. Our recipient list keeps growing; I figured we would need to make at least 24 dozen....

I am having a hard time concentrating on anything; all I really want to do is pack for Florida and hit the road south. But I take refuge in my lists. Very frustrating to have items on the list that depend on someone else getting something done.

I have an early meeting in the am so this is very close to infringing on bedtime...it's after 8 here already!

Unplugged

Last night....winter...dark...Sunday. Who wouldn't turn to the internet (after 60 minutes, of course). PANIC! My service is down. I am isolated, cut off from friends and family, from shopping! I am an addict, you see. Most of you who know me know that I have a chocolate habit, a Chardonnay habit, and now the internet. There's chocolate and Chardonnay in the house, but NO INTERNET!
After trying the usual rebooting procedure about four times, praying to the SBC gods all the time, still not the special combination of lights I need to see on the modem. And to add to my frustration level I could not find the help number for the service.
So of course I call my own special help number, my private expert computer guru, son Carl and he says I've done all I could do and he's watching the Bears play. They're leading(but they'll lose).

It is hopeless. I am left with half a computer. Sure, I could write documents and play Spider, but sitting there with that gray signal in the bottom corner is too sad. And I've been around long enough that I've learned sometimes you have to walk away and hope the computer fairy comes during the middle of the night and waves her magic wand.

And she did!

After a few false starts, the green lights blinked into position...the little blue square said the tempature is 22 degrees (ugh) and I knew I was back in business..oh joy, oh joy.

A happy ending. I love happy endings!

December 1

The cold, the cold, the sleet, the snow.
What have I done to deserve this?
Was it the bah,humbug about Christmas or
the arrogance it took to toss out my boots?
Perhaps it is my indifference to my
working friends who cannot get away.
Or, even worse, the invites I have not made
to visit the sun and my swimming pool.

So, for now my home is my haven
while winds howl and sidewalks are ice.
Let them all bundle up and freeze their tears
as they go about surviving this winter life
just as I, too, used to do.
Oh, January first, how I long for you!

Greta the Great's big Adventure

It's quiet now, but that will end soon because Greta the Great is asleep downstairs, her long adventure almost over. Almost two weeks ago she headed west from New York with her whole family for a week in Illinois to see ethe relatives. She decided that central headquarters would be Nana's house. Mostly, because of Keto's willingness to share his couch with Dieter, the first child in Greta's family.
So Greta took little trips here and there to Glencoe to see her cousins, to Plainfield for more cousins, and shortest of all to the west side of Kankakee to see Poppa Howard and Grandma Sue. Greta has a lot of grandparents. And all this time she slept at Nana's.
Then at the end of one week Daddy, Amelia and Dieter went out and didn't come back to Nana's. She didn't know that they drove back to New York because Daddy had to work and Amelia had school and Dieter doesn't fly..it was his only way home.
The surprise for Greta was another trip! This time Aunt Donna and Poppa Don came to Kankakee and met Mom and Greta and loaded up a strange new BIG car and they were off on another adventure to Branson, Missouri where lots and lots of people sing and dance all the time...everywhere you go there you have to sit and watch people sing and dance!
Except at the hospital. There they tell you are sick. Well, they told Aunt Donna she was sick, but she knew that because she is a nurse. And the doctor who saw Greta said she had ear infection in both ears...Mommy had to be real strong to be in charge of this crowd!
So back on the road again to Nana's house! Greta was so sleepy that Mommy carried her from the car to bed, where she is right now. Poor Aunt Donna had to drive Poppa Don and her self to Joliet from here.
And the big finale to this adventure? Greta the Great gets to fly for the first time back to New York, and Daddy, and Amelia, and Dieter, and her own bed.
That Greta the Great gets around for a two year old!

Listmania

I just realized that I have slipped back into one of my favorite ways to pretend I am in control....making LISTS! I've done that several times here and am busy,busy making December lists. Just for fun here's my lists of lists.

Things needing done at the house.
Complete update on prescriptions/doctor visits, inc. vet
Tasks to finish on revised estate plan
Christmas gifts/tasks to do
Organize traveling office
Develop topics for remaining Sunday School sessions
Preparing car for trip
Go thru wardrobe/ clear out some
Determine wardrobe taken to Florida


You get the idea. To a veteran list maker, having that many lists to work on is sheer joy; it means I can pick from a variety of things and get something crossed off a list...the ultimate kick. I know many of you cannot relate to the joy part of this, but my fellow listmakers I am sure are envious.

Now to work!

A Start

Here's a start on my gratitude list:

Sons who are caring, bright, thoughtful and loving
Their wives; they made good choices
Amelia and Greta; my reason for wanting to last a lot longer
Friends who've been there for years like Park and Shar
Howard and Sue's friendship; it is unusual and special
My own home that I chose to share with my friend Dotty
My brother and his family, a joyous extended family
The ability to spend winter in Florida and Rich and Patty's company there
A knee that finally allows me to return to Yoga class
This awesome technology that allows me to communicate like this
Being part of a church family with a pastor that always makes service meaningful
Chocolate in just about any form
Gallo Sonoma Reserve Chardonnay
Stir fry veggies in pita bread; my new favorite meal
the view from my bedroom windows (my garden)
Opening my email and finding a note from an old friend
A telephone call from Amelia
Bird song in the morning
An uninterrupted night's sleep
The hoot owls right outside my window this moment
The dozens of friends in my community that care about me and let me know
The privilege of living in this neighborhood
The drugs that reduce my Parkinson's symptoms
The good fortune to find our MTL Tricia
Shopping internet sales for clothes
Hugs from Mia and Greta

I can't top the last one so I'll stop for now. I truly feel blessed.

How long is your list?

A Happy Thanksgiving to all who might see this and not be here today. I hope to find time to list all I''m grateful for, but I'm doing the cooking so it might not get down today.....it's a long list!