Friday, December 28, 2012

DAY BY DAY


This is the second week in a row that I have no clue whatsoever what the F day it is. I'm serious. I've lived four Sundays already this week. Absolutely no day has yet felt like the correct day. I'm like coming home on Tuesday nights thinking maybe I'll turn on SNL or something. Man, am I ever in trouble.

Plus, if I've asked people once, I've asked them 19 times... WAIT. WHAT DAY IS IT TODAY, ANYWAY? I'm usually off only by a couple. If I'm lucky, that is. I'm telling you... this bit with holidays on weekdays throw me off TOTALLY.

Celebrating all this holiday cheer on crazy ass days other than weekends is indeed making a mess of my mind. And, even looking at my calendar doesn't always help, either. Thank God I remembered to even BUY a new calendar. I can't live without one, even on normal days.

Speaking of which, I begin putting GET CALENDAR on my shopping list way before the end of the year. I need to, given it takes me that long to find the one I want. Which is always a Marilyn Monroe calendar. I'd much rather look at her than say kitty cats. Or cars. Or whatever. And, for the past ten years... bingo. I've always found one.

Thank God. I LIVE by my calendar. I have the monthly one hanging near my kitchen phone and then every Sunday I fill in a weekly kind of calendar that I hang ABOVE the phone, on a cabinet door. This way I know exactly where to be when. Except for weeks like this, however. Case in point: I have on my calendar that there is an Open House I'm invited to on Sunday, Dec. 30th. I so have to wonder what my chances will be that I actually GET there on the correct date, given I'm so outta sync here with what day is what. I'll have to pay extra close attention however, since I'll REALLY be pissed if I miss out on some great food and some great company.

And tomorrow I have GOT to get to the bank. Without fail. I've been meaning to get there ever since Monday, but I swear... every day feels like a Saturday or Sunday to me. It WILL be Friday tomorrow, won't it?? And they WILL be opened, right?? Oh geez. That's all I need. In fact, maybe I'll even stop first and pick up a cookie tray to bring to the bank, since the bank officers there really ARE so nice to me all year round.

In the meantime, whatever the hell the day is tomorrow, I just hope I'm wherever I'm supposed to be. The good news however is that today is Thursday and yippee. There was no Core Training today. THAT of course I got down pat 1-2-3.

Thursday, December 27, 2012

IMAGINE THAT



See this picture? I totally love it. It's a picture of me which I've doctored up, but good. In fact, I purposely doctored it so that it would wind up mimicing a painting done with actual WATERCOLORS. One of the features my imaging software offers me.
 
I play around with these features all the time. I also have another program that does the same sort of thing and many times I'll mix the two up. Pictures often come out so damn cool. In fact, I did one of me several years ago... ala LeRoy Neiman... and I have it hanging above my family room sofa. I blew it up to about 4'x3', had it framed, etc. and totally love it, too. But now I'm thinking: maybe it's time to hang something new altogether.
 
Exactly what, I don't yet know. But, I think LeRoy may have already seen it's better days. And, with my new picture, I think I'll even forge the signature of some fancy schmancy artist who is famous for a particular genre and bingo. I'll pass it off a major pricey original. Yeah. I know. What can I say... I'm heavy into scamming if it serves my purposes. But whatever.
 
Regardless... I do have to admit that I could spend HOURS playing around with all the different images I'm able to create from a photograph. I can make it look like a charcoal sketch, an Andy Warhol silk screened painting, or even go for a wildly major saturated colored look. Or with a zillion other kinds of effects. It's SO up my alley and I am telling you...  I get completely lost in whatever effect I'm trying to create.
 
So much so that if ever I'm working on something before I need to head out, I am often in big trouble. Minutes just fly away from me and I have no clue how much time has passed until I happen to see the clock at the bottom of my monitor and then I of course jump right up and say HOLY SH%T. I'M LATE!! Oh man... don't ask.
 
In the meantime, I used several different options for the final picture up above; but I started first, with the Watercolor option. From there, I tweaked, undid, tweaked again, undid again until finally I got to a point where I loved the result. Oh yeah... this sort of deal is definitely only for those who want to spend mindless hours of downtime. Which of course is right up my alley. I've even created some OUTSTANDING images... Oops. I mean paintings... for several friends of mine. THEY LOVE THEIRS, TOO.

So basically... be forewarned. Should you ever walk into my house and see a fantastic signed painting of me... I will DEFINITELY tell you that I in fact sat for a really famous artist. And then I'll even prove it... I'll show you their signature. 

Now imagine that.  

Monday, December 24, 2012

FUN

For some reason, I can't remember whether or not I have already written about FUN... so I figured now is as good a time as ever. And no, I'm not referring to HAVING fun. Instead, I'm talking about the musical group FUN.

I saw them about a couple of months ago on SNL and flipped out when I saw them sing a song called: SOME NIGHTS. I wished I could tell you what about this tune drew me in so completely, but alas... I can't. For, I just don't know. What I CAN tell you however is... it hit me like a bolt of lightning. The energy, the sound, the lyrics... they all made my ears perk up imMEDiately. Which of course then made me run to YouTube, watch the video and then of course read the lyrics.

After which I had completely forgotten about the song.

Until about an hour ago, that is. I saw an ad for an upcoming show on HBO and bingo. I heard SOME NIGHTS playing in the background. Whammo. In a mere heartbeat... I was drawn in all over again.

What also fascinates me about this song is the supposed controversy as to what the hell the song even means. I've Googled several sites and it seems to boil down into two separate camps: 1.) its an anti- war song or 2.) it's about the inner conflict of a man in love. Even maybe about frustration of the band itself, working so damn hard to bring home the bacon via their music.

I myself am not really sure yet into which camp I may fall. I want to say: indeed... it's anti war... yet something inside strongly calls me over to the idea of a man who has loved and lost. I suspect a good argument can be made for either interpretation. On the other hand, if this IS an anti war song, then I'd be thrilled. Musicians of today SO should be putting their feelings of anti war, anti violence and anti corruption out into the musical world. It was such a potent theme in the 60s and 70s and God knows, if ever we need young voices once again... it's now.

However... being the ever romantic that I am... I really do think this song is probably about a conflicted love. Love is strong. It can be hard to address. It can hit you like an emotional bomb and even leave you totally shattered. Yet through it all, nothing on this planet can possibly ever be more treasured than the feeling of genuinely loving someone down to the very soul of your being.

In the meantime... you decide for yourself. Here's a link to the lyrics and see what YOU think. Or I guess, you can decide whether or not the song even speaks to you. 

Either way... then go and figure out some way to simply HAVE FUN tonight! God knows I am!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ba0KOw8643s

Friday, December 21, 2012

TOTALLY SMILING



I decided I'm really really lucky. I get SUCH nice compliments almost every day that I almost can't believe it. Whether it's just me or it happens to everyone, I don't know... but regardless, I am really so grateful that each day brings me such lovely smiles. I'm so telling you... total and complete strangers have just the nicest things to say to me. And I mean it... EVERY day.

There are one of four things that I can count on each day of my life about which someone always has a kind word to say. It almost always begins with my necklace. Which btw, I wear every day and have for... oh, I don't know... the past five years at least. It's my big gold initial L around which I happened to have added a fabulous gold open cut heart that I got at a totally different time. I just sort of threw the two together and boom. They've been around my neck for years. The necklace measures about 36 inches and IS one of my alltime favorites. 

The second thing about which I am complimented on continuously is my diamond like pinkie ring. I LOVE THIS RING and there has never been a day I've worn it when SOMEone hasn't told me how just how unique and beautiful it is. Some have even gone so far as to ask me where I got it or even questioned it's authenticity. I had a manicure recently where the lady totally went over the top in the gushing department. I almost had to tell her to hold it down, please, since she was carrying on WAY too much. On the other hand, the people are in fact correct... it IS stunning.

The third thing about which I'm complimented on almost daily are my new eyeglasses. Which I've had for a total of only about four months so far, but which apparently are a real hit with the public at large. Not to mention... with ME, too. I fell in love with them the moment I saw them. Which is good since those too, I wear each and every day. 

The funny thing however is that it's soooo interesting to learn which of the four items people will comment on. Some are really into one of the four, but never any more than one at a time. Case in point....

If no one notices any of the aforementioned, then you can almost BET they will say something about how much they like my black fur infinity scarf. Which I love as much as I love the other three items. And which I double wrap around my neck every daytime in winter. It has some slight sparkle in it's fur too, which although hardly noticeable, does in fact add a baby bit of punch. I'm telling you... these are complete strangers giving me all these great compliments.

It's nuts... I could almost start my own sort of Admiration Society if I wanted. Which I don't, I might add. But I just find it so weird that people have such nice things to say to me. Which brings me to the day before yesterday. YOU WILL NEVER BELIEVE THIS ONE.

I had to wait for the lenses in my sunglasses to be fixed, so to kill 20 minutes, I went next door to my favorite sandwich shop and sat down to order a tuna fish sandwich. When I went to pay, the cashier... whom I adore... happened to ask what my Christmas plans were. It took me a minute to work out in my mind just what I was doing on which day so my response was just a bit slow. Which then meant....

OUT OF THE BLUE, the lady behind me... very nice looking woman about my age, I guess.... said to me: IF YOU HAVE NO PLANS, WHY NOT COME FOR CHRISTMAS DINNER AT MY HOUSE. I'M SERVING AN OLD FASHIONED ENGLISH DINNER.... STANDING RIB ROAST WITH YORKSHIRE PUDDING!! Whoa... I WAS SO STUNNED BY THIS VERY KIND INVITATION. Can you friggin' beLIEVE it??? OMG... now THAT'S what I call Christmas spirit! I was seriously flabbergasted.

Turns out she's having 12 people over for dinner and told me she noticed me having lunch because she felt I looked so "well put together", etc. WOW was all I could say. I told her that I thought it was a VERY sweet invitation, but seriously... I DID in fact have plans already and naturally thanked her very much.

Like how often does something like THAT ever happen?? Man... I was this far from blowing off my original plans just so I could taste a fantastic prime rib bone, believe you me! Anyway, add this invitation from a stranger to all the other things that I encounter each day and I'm telling you... I'm totally smiling. And I'm totally blessed.

And I apparently have totally great taste. Or... I simply live in the nicest city on the planet. Take your pick. And oh yeah... let's ALL say nice things to strangers, come 2013. ReGARDless of their accessories. Now... wouldn't THAT be a great resolution for the New Year!

Thursday, December 20, 2012

GOOD BYE CRUEL WORLD


Okay... so supposedly the entire world, as we know it, ends tomorrow. Which means THANK GOD I got my 24 hours of fame in.... just in time. Get this... I WAS ON TV TODAY!!

Want proof?? Here... click on the link below. You'll see for yourself. Oh yeah... as point of information... I WAS ABSOLUTELY SCARED OUT OF MY EVER LOVIN' MIND. I mean it. Before the tape rolls... I was sorta myself. The second the tape rolls?? OMG... I have no clue whose voice nor words were coming from my mouth. NOW I know for the first time, what the meaning of something feeling surreal is all about. Regardless... check it out.

GULP. HERE GOES NOTHING.


I wished I had more time here right now to tell you all about this, but apparently celebrity has already kicked in. Thus, I have hordes of phone calls to return from those congratulating me on my new found fame. And oh yeah... in case we DO have to meet our maker sometime tomorrow, let me just say:

I have loved almost every minute of my life. It's been fantastic. I have no regrets, no complaints, no heartbreaks. Well, okay. Maybe a couple. But still... life has been wonderful to me and I wish that EVERY one I know could have been as blessed as I have been. You'd be smiling but plenty!

Besides... I have loved and been loved. Who could ask for more?? Oh yeah... one last thing. To my kid... you were always my alltime favorite, bar none. I love you.    


 

Monday, December 17, 2012

AMERICA'S GOT TALENT

Well... America does, maybe. God knows I don't. However, why let a little thing like that stand in the way of some Xmas cheer. Which means:

OMG... are you guys ever in for the shock of a lifetime. Just WAIT til you hear this holiday greeting of mine. And NO. You can't hurl raw eggs at me. I created this with great appreciation for all of you... world wide I might add... who follow my blog and beg to hear instead of just read. This is the second time I've ever done this but who knows? I just may be onto something afterall.   
         
HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE!



Sunday, December 16, 2012

SELF PLEASURING


Yesterday I decided to pleasure myself. I know... sounds kinda sexy... but get over it. I'm not talking about what you're imagining. Instead, I'm talking about a decision I made to enjoy myself by going to the big city shopping mall ALONE and spending the day browsing just the stores I wanted, at my own leisurely pace with nary a worry of what others wished. Nor what others needed.. nor what others time schedule might be. It was fantastic.

Basically, I was on a mission. I had a bra to return which as it happens I DID do last weekend. Uh... except one small glitch. I returned the WRONG BRA. What an idiot I am. I had originally bought three, but only wanted to keep two. Therefore, I not only had to return the correct one, but also, buy back the one I returned in the first place. Don't ask.

So the first thing I have to say is: OMG. I WAS IN CULTURE SHOCK. I could not beLIEVE the traffic leading into the mall. IT WAS CRAZY. And... it took me a good ten minutes to even FIND a parking space. Serves me right to begin with however, for even thinking of going into the city so close to Christmas. But... I survived.

Second of all... THE PEOPLE! Whoa. Who ever said there was an economy problem here in the U.S.?? Have they even BEEN to a store recently? I happened to glance into the huge windows of the Old Navy store and there were hordes of people happily in way long lines, willing to wait and wait until they got to a cashier. So much for money woes.

Third of all, I was THRILLED to see on way back to my car, a sign across the street... another mall altogether... that a JO-ANN FABRICS store had opened. Who knew?? I was in my glory. I headed over there, walked in and was surrounded by bolts and bolts of alllll kinds of fabrics! Best of all, thanks to my self pleasuring decision, I could walk around the store, with no need to hurry, eyeing and touching all the fabrics that caught my fancy. It was wonderful. I love the sensuality of feeling the silks, the chiffons and the satins. I also love seeing the glittered, blingy fabrics. By the time I left, I bought a yard and a half of three separate knitted fabrics to make slacks.

Fourth of all, I was then able to head back towards home, stopping first at the Verizon store. Seems as if I needed further instruction on how to upload a video given I was in PENDING mode for over a week. Boom. I met Jonas who told me what my deal was AND he threw in the fact I could call him anytime, night or day. To which you just KNOW I had a comeback. Talk about setting me up for a hilarious reply.

Fifth of all, next I headed over to Moe's Southwestern Grill to retrieve my alltime favorite black fur scarf that they FOUND after all. I was sure it was gone forever. Man... was I ever thrilled. Not enough though, to stay and grab something to eat. THAT I did on my next stop which was SUBWAY. I decided having a turkey sub on whole wheat was better than some sort of burrito with everything known to man layered into it.

I figured I arrived back home maybe five hours later feeling every bit of pleasure for which I had hoped. I meandered anywhere I wanted and did so with having to please only one person... ME. Naturally, somewhere during the evening news, I fell right smack to sleep for at least an hour, but whatever. In fact, I was so alert after my nap that I was up until exactly 2:20 a.m. at which time I fell into a total, complete, happy slumber.

Which was good given today, I was invited to a FANTASTIC Christmas Musical Celebration with dinner to follow. YEA. And tomorrow I'll be with 8 others for a few hours of Canasta. Throw in another four or five more holiday parties on the agenda and boom. I'll be surrounded by all SORTS of people once again. 

So much for going solo in the pleasuring department.

Friday, December 14, 2012

WHERE ARE THE WORDS


I can't even find the words... and nor can you... to imagine what the families of the slain children must be feeling tonight. It's a sheer tragedy and one that will define the parents of these children for the rest of their lives. It's heartbreaking to the core.

I am anti gun. I always have been. I would NEVER have allowed a gun in my home, whether my kids be young OR grown. There is only one purpose for aiming a gun. To kill. And if it's killing you're in to, then for SURE you shouldn't have one. Oh yeah... for those who own a gun for "protection"... here's a heads' up... I can almost promise that you will never be any where near wherever you keep the gun, when the protection is actually needed. You're in the kitchen when you discover you're face to face with danger?? Boom. The gun will be somewhere in the bedroom, with no chance of retrieving it in time. 

If you know anyone who already has a gun, my suggestion is you tell especially them... OKAY. HAVE YOUR DAMN GUN, BUT... DO SOMETHING IMMEDIATELY to help fight gun control as part of countering your ownership. DO ANYTHING, but do something. This country is in desperate need of winning it's fight for gun control laws. When we need to begin protecting our children while in elementary schools, this is a major sign that we are f'ed but good. Let alone protecting yourself and/or your children when off to a shopping mall. Don't ask. I am simply sickened by this entire bulls^%*t.

No words can describe how I feel. Nor is there any possible argument you can offer up to defend the need of a fire arm. We should be ashamed to be a country known for having more guns than any other country, world wide. Thus... what a surprise... our citizens kill more fellow citizens than anywhere on the planet. 

This is nothing short of a shame. A bloody shame. Bless those children in Connecticut. Bless their teachers. Bless their families.

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

I'M A SURGEON


See this picture? Know what it is?? Well... I'll give you a clue: it's a transplant of sorts. And I'm really proud my surgical skill, I must admit. MAJOR proud, to be exact. To be clear, this is the "before" transplant. The "after" is way better looking, given it's brand new and correctly installed. 

Turns out, the other day I performed surgery on my sewing machine and I am SHOCKED I figured out how to do it.

Normally, whenever I have a problem with the machine, I'm forced to travel about a half hour away, leave the machine for at least a week, drive back home another half hour, then of course make the trip all over again to it pick up all spiffy and repaired. True... the place does an entire fabulous spring cleaning on my machine but I'm still forced to go this sewing store for even the smallest of troubles. Plus, of course, I have to ante up plenty of bucks.

But, it's worth it. This is a sewing machine my Mother had given me YEARS and YEARS ago, and I love it despite it's age. In fact, after Mom passed away, I took her updated machine, but I never even opened it yet. I'm still sticking with my old tried and true one. Who needs all the fancy schmancy computerized buttons, anyway?? 

Besides... while my mother was a master seamstress, I am nothing but a pretend sort of sewer. I do my own tailoring of ready to wear clothing, yes. But I do it the alltime easiest and/or most simplistic way known to man. My Mother on the other hand, created fantastic, fine styled clothing from scratch. If pressed, she could even sew a gentleman's sport coat for instance. Me?? I'm more into sewing leggings from scratch. They come out damn good, but it's a completely different approach than my Mom's.

In the meantime, my recent surgery was a HUGE deal to me. It's probably Mickey Mouse to most others but who cares. Get this...

I had to change the light bulb above the presser foot! So I could actually SEE the stitching as it was moving right along. I can't believe it... after allllll these years, the light bulb burnt out. EEKS. Enter: surgical procedure.

How in hell DOES one replace that bulb, anyway?? There was absolutely NO WAY whatsoever I could find an opening to allow me to do so. How does one even GET to it?? I was totally stymied. And was totally too lazy to drive a half hour back and forth to find out how.

Soooo... while I was in a fabric store the other day, a light bulb... no pun intended... went off in my head. As in: Ask them if they sold bulbs for a Bernina Sewing Machine and then come home... and Google how to do it myself! Bingo. I was half way through Sewing Machine Medical School.  

I got the correct bulb, came home, indeed Googled the info I needed and THEN... I went to YouTube to watch and learn exactly how how this procedure was to go down . OMG... THIS WAS SHEER GENIUS. Best of all, there actually WAS a video showing me EXACTLY how to perform the replacement... in easy step by step instructions no less!

Talk about being in heaven. I WAS IN MY GLORY. I watched the video... got out the tools I needed to open a part of the sewing machine I'd never even noticed before AND WHAMMO.... SWITCHED OUT THE LIGHTS. It was nothing short of miraculous. I'M A MECHANICAL SURGEON. Who knew??

Which only  means that NOW... I have a brand spanking new light bulb in my machine AND I can see my stitching. WHAT A DEAL. Anddddddddd... best of all??? IT COST ME ALL OF $1.99!!! Oh man... I can't tell you how thrilled I was to see this all work out so well. I only WISHED my Mother could have seen this! On the other hand, I'll bet SHE would have known how to tear the entire machine apart and do all the maintenance ever needed for a lifetime.

No wonder. She was my Mother. She knew everything.

Thursday, December 6, 2012

RUN, FORREST, RUN


I swear... I felt like Forrest Gump today. I can't believe it. I could have walked MILES and MILES.

For my core training class today, I left my house about 11:20. Which means... I must have put my athletic shoes on about 11:10. Once I got there, Deanna was talking to me about how comfy our shoes are. I had to agree... but unlike alot of other people, I would NEVER wear these shoes anywhere but to exercising. They may be comfortable as hell, but man, are they ever not pretty looking at all. WAY too un-feminine for my taste.

Truth be told... I have lots of shoes. I love shoes. And I love flats, in particular. Especially since I basically had to give up heels years ago, but whatever. In the meantime, I have zillions of flats and most are pretty damn spiffy looking if I say so myself. My favorite ones are probably the ones I bought at Talbot's about six months ago... made of a black lace like fabric through which you can see the toes. VERY sexy looking. VERY pricey, too, but it was a sheer pleasure spending the bucks since the shoes ARE stunning. Up above you'll see what they look like.

My athletic shoes on the other hand, are way clunky and totally unattractive. BUT MAN, ARE THEY EVER A DELIGHT FOR THE FEET. Which is why Deanna and I were comparing shoes in the first place. Anyway... as it happens I had a lot of places to go after our workout.

Naturally, lunch was first on the list. I hooked up with two friends... had a nice long lunch and chit chat. Then I had to take one of them to pick up their car, so therefore... we all decided to get some dessert and meet up yet again. This time... at the fresh yogurt place almost next door to the car place, to continue our eating and/or our chit chat. THEN, I had to do several errands, and by the time I got home, I still had my ugly athletic shoes still on. SO NOT LIKE ME.

In fact, at some point I sat down to watch the news, and by the time it was over, at 7:00, I noticed the shoes were still on my feet and I thought... OMG... I COULD BE FORREST GUMP. Meaning: given I had worn these shoes all day long, I immediately realized... with THESE??? OH MAN. I COULD WALK AND WALK AND WALK AND WALK FOR MILES AND MILES AND MILES AND STILL... MY FEET WOULD FEEL GREAT.. Of course Forrest was heavy into running, but THAT I would never ever consider, even from room to room. Believe me... I don't normally like to break a sweat, if I can ever possibly help it.

Anyway, no sooner had I realized I could be Forrest, than I picked up the phone, called Deanna and told her: from now on, my new name is FORREST. And I told her why. After which we both had a great laugh, but I mean it... these monstrosity of shoes are simply incredible!

On the other hand, they are for core training only. Give me my black lace flats ANY day. Or even my black Anne Klein flats with the beautiful gold initials. Or better yet, my black sequined covered smoking shoe flats which are now all the rage. THOSE shoes may not be made for walking all day long but whoa are they ever pretty! Just the way I like it.

Sunday, December 2, 2012

LINDA BRONTE"


I've been reading a biography of the Bronte" family. As in the most well known of the clan: Emily, Anne and Charlotte. I'm learning alot about this family, too and how these famous authors even came to be. It's kind of amazing, I must say. Anyone else would have given up on this book after the first 30 pages, but me?? I've plodded right along and lo and behold... turns out there's way more interesting a story in their lives than one would have imagined.

Which is why tonight, I sat down and decided maybe there could be yet ANOTHER literary sister... one who has yet to discovered. ME. Which is also why I wanted to try my hand at poetry. As I was showering tonight, I had the first line already in my head. It just kind of popped in, so I figured I'd run with it. You can too, by reading the poem below. 

Granted... an English Lit teacher might think it deserving of a poor mark... but what the hell do THEY know, anyway?? Besides... if you're writing something from your own head, at least you get points for even TRYing. So here... go ahead and read this and see what YOU think. If it sucks... don't tell me.

SUNSHINE   A Poem by Linda Bronte" 

I saw the sun once... and oh, how it had shone.
I saw the rays of love upon me... they felt like mine alone.
He too, saw the sun... and we'd gaze at it together.
For all the days left to us... I thought we'd see this sun forever.


I felt the sun once... as it's warmth spread over me.
Deep down to my soul our joyous love... would dance with sparkling ease.
He also felt the sun once... especially when we'd touch.
The sweet, sweet heat was always there each time that we would clutch.


We always felt this shining sun would never leave our heart.
That nothing in this world of ours would ever tear apart.
Both he and I created something... we'd never known before.
We'd dream and talk and plan and yearn... in ways that made us sure.

The sun gave me laughter... joy and friendship, memories galore.
I couldn't get enough of it. I craved it more and more.
The sun gave him music... with words of love he never sang til then.
Oh yes, indeed... what bonded comrades surely we had been.

We were sailing like two lovers... always meant to be.
I his dearest treasure... my greatest bliss was he.
A jeweled world within our reach... the prize calling with true affection.
But ah, how now the clouds do cover... the sun from it's detection.

I search within my aching well... wondering where it went.
Like a fallen tree about to break... near the ground, so low and bent. 
How and when did the sunshine fade? Oh this I'll never know.
For I love him now as I loved him then... and just once more I'd tell him so.

I must be brave I tell the sun... I must allow he's no longer mine.
And pray for strength to pass through life... with calm to realign.
Perhaps one day we'll see the moon... and all it's twinkling stars.
Knowing that deep inside us both... we've never been afar.

Oh yes, a fool I just may be... I sadly must admit.
For long before, his heart and voice... offered me such lift.
So I wonder now if this fool I am... will ever warm his soul.
Like that shining sun we once knew... and fill our broken hole.

Saturday, December 1, 2012

IT'S OFFICIAL


According to the Linda School of Meteorology, WINTER IS HERE. Forget that it officially begins on 12/21. As far as I'm concerned, it's here and it's staying here.

AND, I'm celebrating its arrival by going shopping today with a bunch of friends at the BIG mall. In the BIG city. Which is the closest I can possibly get to feel like I'm shopping in Manhattan. It's a poor excuse, true; but trust me... I am sure I'll find plenty of potential purchases that will make make me as happy as a little lark. Maybe I'll find yet ANOTHER pair of fantastic winter boots or even a cashmere sweater in the department stores. Regardless... what really tells me winter is here, is easy. I have several clues. Case in point:

1.) The leaves are all gone. As in: Fallen. Down. Kaput. And if there ARE any left, they're all brown. Plus, they won't return until late next March which is a major bummer but believe you me... seeing all the coloration of the leaves during autumn almost makes it all worthwhile. Soooo stunning. 

2.) I've bundled up many a day thus far, but have worn my REALLY heavy winter coat but once. That's because of my new discovery... the multi million dollar silk underwear I wear each and every day under my sweaters and/or tops. Man, what a difference it makes. I totally love it. Mainly because it frees me from HAVING to wear the really heavy winter coat. I can now get away with a much lighter one.

3.) I have had the fireplace burning pretty much every night the past month, just to get the house nice and toasty given the COLD temps. I can't tell you how fantastic it is to see the fire burning and it absolutely warms things up in a heartbeat.  

4. I've already attended a couple of parties, to get me in the holiday mood. One was Thursday night and I was tickled pink at the food the caterer served. Whoa, was that ever delicious. And yippee... I've gotten other invitations too, so I'm kinda thinking the food THERE will be just as delicious.

5.) Everyday I leave the house, I always grab my black fur infinity scarf, as I head out the door. I pop that around my neck a couple of times, and I'm SO good to go. I can live with cold hands... I CAN'T live without a warm neck or warm feet. I even sleep with socks every night... I know, pretty sexy, right??... under a new king sized plushie kind of blanket that keeps me soooo warm, it's unbelievable. You feel like you're sleeping under the softest huge stuffed animal fabric ever.

So basically, I'd have to say that yes... winter is here and so far, I'm grooving along with it perfectly well. Granted, I'm told that this is going to be a MEAN winter so right now, when there is no snow holding me hostage in the house and the power is working just fine and the sky is a brilliant blue outside, it's easy to groove. When all that OTHER stuff kicks in, I'll be bitching, plenty, believe me.

Oh yeah... for those of you living in Florida or California... I feel really badly for the scam you guys live with whereby you're told it's the holiday season. I lived with that scam myself for 55 years, knowing full well that if it's Christmas.. then it's supposed to be COLD and/or WHITE. In fact, we had a white Christmas four years ago and let me tell you... there's nothing like it to get you in the holiday mood for sure. But... the holidays in 80 degree weather?? Totally not the way it should be.

So YEA. I welcome winter. Two months from now, however... I could almost bet... I'LL BE ON MY KNEES PRAYING FOR SPRING. Which, btw, is possibly as beautiful as autumn. Or not.