Friday

Well, this is the last day of the year.   I have been writing in this journal since the beginin of 2004.   A lot of things have happened.   I guess the most upsetting was the death of my father.   I read a book and it was about adult orphans.   Seems that there is a profound loss when your last parent dies and you go on.   That is really true.    I was very happy to find out that I was not the only one who had feeling like.  That author (I forgot her name) hit the nail on the head for that one.

My dtr graduated from college (or so she says-I  will truly believe it when I see the diploma)  She better soon find a job because the parental gravy train is ending soon.   When she calls for money it will be time to pack her bags.

The world seems to be teeming with natural disasters.  I thought I would like to live near the seashore.  But with the hurricanes and tsumanis I think I will remain in the good old state of PA where all I personally have to really worry about is ice and snow.   With the purchase of Subarus that has gone down on my worry list.  Now I worry only about the others running into  me in the snow. 

I guess I have to make some resolutions, but if I dont I wont have anything anxieties about not being able to keep them.  I guess to eat better and win the Lotto are the ones I would like to attain...................

Thursday

Took down all the tree decorations.  Somehow, this year, my heart wasnt in it.  Actually I didnt even feel like doing the decorating.   All this work and a week later you have to put all the stuff away.

I did buy four green and red boxes and put all the things that we ususally use in it so it would be easier to find. 

Found out that the dining room furniture wasnt worth anything.  It isn't good just to have those pieces you need to have the table and chairs as well.  They were gone long ago.     He suggested calling one of the charities and getting a slip and use it as a tax deduction.   Tom threw away anything that would have been of value.

Thursday

Today I am off.  I realy enjoy being off.   I have to ask Chuck but I can't remember being bored on my days off.  I think men have more boredom thatn women when they ae off.   I don't know why.  I think it stems from that women have more things to do on a daily basis.  Such as shopping, laundry, cleaning the  house and cooking.  There are enough chores to fill up the time avaliable.   

I also have a few hobbies.  I like to read.  I want to set up an area so I can paint and leave it set up.   That requires cleaning out the basement.  We both seem to hold on to things and can't get rid of things.   Is this a link to our past and those relatives that have come before us????   But I keep thinking I will need that wardrobe,   If I had an area I would put things in it.  Or maybe I should just sell it.   I think I will go to the furniture antique store and see what sells and give me some idea...........................

Weds

Back to normal, what ever that is.    Emily went back to OH today.   She was here for a week and it is always good to see her.   She brought the grandcat with her.   The first few days there was a lot of hissing and growling. 
But no attacks.  Jen moved in like she owned the place.   The rest of them ran and hid.  The biggest woss was Henry.   It was like Jen was a mountain lion or something that would eat him.

She really likes to eat.  She was first at the food dish.  Henry got used to her after a while and I felt like I would trip over one of the because they were both underfoot.

I am off tomorrow and for the next four days.  Next week I work /12's.   I hate staying but  I hate working 5/8 even more.  Another thing I would like to know is how this type just instantanly goes from bold and color to regular type and black without me touching any other buttons that the ones that I am typine with?

Maybe tomorrow a trip to the library is in order.  I have read most of the books that I took out.

Monday

Back to this entry.   I made supper tonight, I wanted to make something sans meat, for my dtr.  And somethin with meat for the rest of us.  I really wish she would give up this vegetarian "thing"  I would bet she doesnt eat any or next to nothing in the protein department.   She just doesnt like the idea of eating "meat".   I would like to know where she gets these ideas.  Certainly not from me because I enjoy being at the top of the food chain.  I made some dishes from my American Heart Assn. cookbook.  I guess the consensus was that is was not spicy enought.   Maybe I should double or triple the called for spices............
The high fat business is something new in the evolutionary chain.  Our ancestors, in the not too distant past had to forage for their food.  All we have to do is eat it.  I wish it would warm up a bit.  I feel that I need to get out and get moving.  And I want to drag  you know who with me. 

Our house is filled with too much stuff.  I have a wardrobe that irritates my husband.  I don't know why, but it does,  I would like to go to the antique store and the used furniture store, and see what they would give me for it.   I guess if I havnt used it I really dont need it. (Same goes for you Chuck)   Maybe we could come to an agreement to sell some of this stuff that we plan to "repair" but in actuality is just gathering dust.

I hope Emily comes home.  She has not a ghost of a chance of getting a job in Cleveland, but she doesnt want to come back.  I suppose she thinks we will treat he as a child.  I told her of she acted like an adult no one would have a gripe............

Monday

Having one computer line is a pain.  I have to wait until someone gets off and then it is my turn.  This is only a problem when Em is home.  She spends a lot of time on the computer and that limits my time.

 

Thursday

Well, Emily and the cat (Jeanne) have arrived.   I thught there would be a big fuss.  Henry (the wimp)  and Molly (scardy cat) ran and hid.  Lucy just was nonplussed.   The smelled noses and Lucy gave it one of her pitiful meowls.   Henry is under a chair and I have lost track of Jeanne.  But I think that she is down in the basement.   She will sleep in  Emilys room tonight.  I put a litter box in there for her.

I hope it gets more friendly tomorrow.

Thursday

Today started out very balmy, it was almost like spring.  In the short time I was out the temperature dropped from 59 to 41.  And the rain poured down.

Emily is on her way.  Can you believe she called me from OH to check on the weather forecast.  Like they don't have the Weather Chanel there.  It snowed overnight  and her car was stuck in the driveway.  She was in the garage but couldn't get out because two others were in front of her.  

She left at 11 and hopefully will be here about 2.  I told her is was rainy and wet here but leave early before all that rain turned to ice.   She is bringing her cat Jeanne-Marie.  I told my cats that company was coming but there weren't interested in the least.  They will be interested when she shows up.   Emily had some things she brought home that had her scent on it, and the cat carrier has my cats scent on it.  So, hopefully, it will go without much of a fuss.

Our plan is to have her help with the tree decorations.   The lights are on but tonight we will put the rest on it.   She especially  hates the red bows.  I personally think they look good on the green tree but I dont know why she hates them.  She said when she as her own tree she will never put those bows on her tree..............

Wednesday

Yesterday, on call, was a bummer.  It was so busy and we had no one extra to give breaks and lunches.   I had three regular people staying about 10 hours instead of their regular 8.  One would think that the week of Christmas would be easy, with everyone getting ready for the Holidays and all.  Myself, I didnt get finished until 2 am.   That is just too much to be working from 06:30 till  02:00 the next day.  Only got to sit down  a few minutes inbetween. 

Today was a do nothing day.  Talked to my daughter, and gave her the travel forecast for tomorrow.   Went to the dentist, which I almost forgot about.  But the office called and reminded me.   Then a 3 hour afternoon nap.  And trying to get presents wrapped.  

Chuck put the lights on the tree, but I am just tooooo tired to do any decorating of the tree.  I will wait till tomorrow and Emily can help.  Right now I am just considering going to bed.  Nothing on the agenda for tomorrow.

 

Monday

Today was very cold, colder than a witches heart.   And that, my dear, is VERY cold.

Work was uneventful today.  Actually, I like it that way.  It was very busy and tomorow is busy too.  I would have thought it would have slowed down for the holiday by now.

I am on call tomorrow and who knows what that will bring.  The whole house seem cold.  Chuck is building a fire in the fireplace.  That fireplace is so nice, it will warm up most of the house.   The mountain men (from Fayette County) installed it.  When you look at it is really off center.  I guess they couldnt measure.  The looked like people who crawled out of a Deliverance movie.  That is probably why we didnt make a big issue out of its out of kilter.  You had to see them to believe them

Sunday

I wish I could make the background color something other than white.  I guess I need a kid to show me how.   I know, somewhere, in the bowels of the instructions for this journal it can be done.   I have seen examples of others and they CAN DO IT.   I know so can I, if I only could find out how.

Off to the Homeless Cat Management session today.  On the coldest day of the year there were 102 cats on the roster for scheduled sterilization.   Only about 60 or show actually showed up.  Or their caretakers who brought them.  Most of them are young and adolescent cats, probably from this years season.   If they manage to take care of 60 to 80 cats per month, how many homeless, unwanted, litters does that prevent?   I think it is a good thing to do.  I tell my 3 how lucky they are that they have a warm home, but they are oblivious to the alternative..........So much for the complex thought of the cats that live at my house.  Some of them are those big scruffy tom cats who weigh from 15 to 20 pounds.  Maybe they will spend more time grooming now that they have been taken out of the gene pool.

The Christmas tree is in place and not decorated.  We knew it was to snow so we brought it in yesterday.  Maybe we could get it in position and I would like to fill up the water pan. 

My parents had all kind of glass tree balls and old type lights.  I asked my sister if he had given them to her.  She said no, only our Mom had given her some of the large glass pretty balls.  She said she thinks he threw them out.  Can you believe it????  The things of any obvious value he threw away.  He kept cancelled checks from 1946 but pitched the Christmas decorations.

My husbands grand father was wise,  He gave the ornaments to the first grandkid who got married.  So Chuck and I got them.  The trouble with those decoration is that they are so old and fragile.  They look pretty and  you would pay big bucks for them in the antique store.  My dtr once asked if that was why we got married, was for her great grandfathers decorations.  We said, at the same time, "Of course."  She looked at us rather strangely.

 

 

Saturday, again

Back in the evening.   We went to the Gateway Grill and watched the
Steelers beat the Giants.   Although the Giants do not have a stellar record they were a team to beat.   They played better than some others with a better record.

I have installed a Great Smokies screen saver.  I actually bought it a few years ago and couldn't find it, but it was inbetween some books on the book shelf.

Still hasnt started to snow.  I had to reinstall AOL.  It is pretty bad when you get a message from your computer that says you should reinstall a program.  It was really hard to start it, but now it comes on with just one click, that quick.

Haven't heard from my brother lately, wonder if he is working this weekend.

 

Saturday

 

This had been a very busy week, which I  will expound upon at a later time.  One week till Christmas.  Chuck told me that my favorite candy store is no longer in business and he couldnt get my favorite Penuche Fudge.   I really love that candy,  I am going to go on a search and see if I can find something similar.   It was very soft and melt in your mouth good.   Not to many places make it and what was so special was that it was made with brown sugar................

Back to work on Monday.  I went to work to get a box and say that I will be doing eyeballs.   That shouldn't be too difficult but no matter what it can turn to mud in a minute.   I needed that box to wrap my grandcats present.  I actually didn buy a special gift for the cat.  But, my dtr had borrowed my cat carier and I got her one of her own.  But that isn't a real presnt for the kid, so, I will give it to the cat.  Along with a few mice.  Toy ones, of course.

Tomorrow is cat neutering day.  It is too start snowing here this night and snow all day tomorrow.  I just hope that if they cancel they will call before I leave the house in the morning.  I would hate to drive in the snow to find out that the clinic was cancelled.  Somehow I can't imagine people out trapping cats in the snow.   But you never know.  We had a blizzard one winter and some people came in to the hospital.   If it is elective surgery  I would have stayed home myself. 

 

 

Monday

Monday, Monday can't trust that day.   Actually nothing happened, but I remembered the line from the Mammas and the Pappas.

Didnt do much of anything.  I went to the library and it snowed.  I actually met a lady from the Penn Art League and found out when their meetings were.  It is tomorrow and I may actually go.  I need to find someone who teaches or has classes.   I like the teacher I had but her painting is too "tight" and I would rather do things that are free and easy.   I will need somehing to do when I retire and I intend to find lots of something to do.

It was really having a snow squall this morning.  This morning I was listening to the radio and somewhere in the San Francisco area is a history teacher and he wasn't allowed to make reference to the Declaration of Indpendance where it mentioned GOD.  

Why is Christianity the only religion in this damn country that it is PC to discriminate against???????   People "might" be offended.  Well I AM OFFENDED.    I am offended that it is ok to teach about the religious aspects of other world religions and not to mention Christ in Christmas.  Or it is not "OK" to mention Easter...........  I am no Bible Thumping Christian but it has me very angry. I suppose  The ACLU would like to have all references of God removed from everything and get a Constitutional Amnendment for it too.    The left wing liberals have gone to far with that. 
What ever happened to diversity,  we can have it but not if you are a Christian........................

 

Saturday

Wel, today I am on second call.  I woke up with the feeling that today was something I had to do and this morning I figured it out.   Usually they are nonevents.  I hope this continues today.  I am also suppose to go the students graduation but I don't feel like it.  

All I want to do is chill out and do nada................................

The weather is suppose to get cold on Monday.  I guess we can expect a snow storm any  time now.  I don't even care if it snows on Christmas......

Friday

Has it been five days since I wrote in here??  What have I been doing, besides working?   Was on call last night and it was the worlds quietest call.  It is like an aberation, it was as if they forgot that I was there!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Got done at 6 and then cleaned up the mess that my coworkers made.

 

Can you imagine that adult educated people do not put thing where they got them?  They take things out of the Pyxis and then when they don't use them they put them on any avaliable horizontal surface.   Good thing the avaliable horizontal surfaces are limited in our department.   One thing for the records.  I found out that our anesthesia aide will be off for 5 days straight and no one is scheduled to come in her place.  I am REALLY glad that I am off next week.

We (he and I) are going to the bone guy.  We both have aches and pains.  Mine is my hip and his is because he fell off the shed and he has (is??  lol Chuck) a pain in the neck.  I think it is funny but he won't, my terminology  is..

Don't know what I will do tomorrow.  Guess I will wait and see.  Had the water meter The one at 2327, it was as old as the house.  The guy who changed it was a young guy, I think he had never seen one that old before.  What gave me that clue was when he laughed and said "Oh my"

 

Monday

Still sitting here alone.   Chuck is working and the cats are sleeping, and who knows what Emily is doing.   I have been trying to reach her all weekend and I drives me CRAZY  that she doesnt answer her phone  I could leave message till the end of time for all she cares........................................Actually, I feel, that the only time we hear from her is when she needs or wants something.

Back to work tomorrow.  I have a presentation due on Wednesday.  My part is almost done.  But, my heart is really not into this.   The person inchrge wants thing to be done on Power Point and at this stage of the game I  REALLY not interested in learning how to do this.   I am more interested in digital photography.   I was trying to look at CCAC website for the Winter semester of non credit but was unable to conjure it up.  Maybe it isnt ready to be conjured.  

I had been looking for my slippers for a long time.  I couldnt find them for a few weeks.  But they were found under the desk that has my computer on it. I wonder if some other indivudual had them on her feet while she was home.????????  Either that or I have lost my mind.   All over the house is game for where I put my footwear but not under this desk.

Going down to 2327.  My brother Richard is involved in a plumbing project.  I talked to my sister who told me that Bill, her husband offered to go and help him.  I told her so did Chuck.  I guess R wants to do everything himself???? Relatives can make a person crazy.

 

Sunday

Sitting at home, all alone.    Chuck is working, trying to deal with the nonsick.   If people had to pay for their er visits they would be a little more prudent in the use or misuse of the services.   Blue Cross (or so we hear) is going to charge $100 co -pay for er visits.   This should extend to the medical assistance programs.  
Those fools are too lazy to schedule dr apts, so they just go into the local er with their piddly complaints that the rest of us would go to the drug store or make a dr apt.

Poor Henry was sick today.   He was vomiting during the morning.  Solid food and wet food.  He is my adventuresome cat who will eat things he shouldnt.  I worry that he may have eaten somehing.  We had to get rid of an Asparagus Fern because he jumped 7 feet up onto a shelf unit just to chew at it.......Dumb cat.

 

SAturdy

Saturday, and the living is easy.   Today is my wedding anniversary.  Can you believe it 33 years.   What I can;t figure out is where the time went.  For the first ten years were were busy moving all over the world.  For the next seven we were moving all over the States.   And for the past 16 we have been staying put.  At this age of my life I am ready to retire.  If we had been moving over the world at this stage of the game I think I would have liked it better.  But, I don't think there are too many people doing that now.   With all the advances in elecronic communication and email and teleconferencing.

The world has really changed in a short span of time.  I was hard to call home and would take hours, now you can do it with a cell phone. 

I wish I had started a journal when we moved to Korea....that would be interesting to read now.

Going out to eat today, but I don't know where.  I really do not like to get dressed up and then have to pay $100 for dinner and somehow feel that you could have cooked something just as good or better at home.

 

Thursday

The last day at work this week.  Tomorrow is very light.  Two of us got off tomorrow.  Don't know what I will do  as of yet.  Chuck said what will you do not that you used up all your days and you have till the end of December???  I said, that I have a week off this month.  Good grief I think he is jealous because he said he would love to have my job.   And I told him, I like my work but, really, I am tired of working.  We have both have worked all our lives and we are both tired of working.   Some segments of society have loafed all their lives and I am ready to join them in the loafing department.

Can you just imagine going your whole life on the dole?????  I personally, would have been bored but it doesn't stop a whole lot of people.  I guess when you are born and brought up with a work ethic, it is hard to good off all your life.  For some people doing nothing but having their hand out is a way of life...................

I am working on a presentation.  I ambeing drived crazy.  Some one is making a federal case out of this, and it is not me.   This person wants everything on "power point"  I found one on the computer but I have no intention on learning how to do this and have it done by next Wednesday. 

What I am interested in is the wine and appetizers.....................They will be good because I have ordered them