Friday, November 29, 2019

I LOVE FEASTING

Yay for Thanksgiving. I totally loved being with my friends tonight to enjoy a fabulous buffet of some of the most delicious food ever. Except  per usual, I didn’t eat turkey, which I suspect is the big draw of the night. I’m so not a fan of turkey… but all the side dishes?? Oh man. My mouth is watering all over again just thinking of the sweet potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce, veggies, etc. etc. I even downed some prime rib and shrimp scampi, which was amazing but I focused on the side dishes most of all. Well, that and the pies of course.

In the meantime, tonight I did something I’ve never done before. I actually wore a color I have never ever worn before in my entire life. Ever. You can see it in the picture up above. STUNNING is all I can say.

Not only do I love this tunic but it is soooo an autumn color. Again… something I would never buy for myself. Well, except for red. But yellows? Golden browns? Burnt oranges? Deep, deep olives? Marigolds? Chestnuts? Oh man…that is way on the opposite end of my favorite springy, happy looking colors of pastels. And white. And of course, black. THOSE are colors of which I have zillions. But autumn colors? None. Plain and simple. 

Until this week, that is. I had been looking at this sweater for a long time, mainly because of it’s wonderful cowl neck. I adore cowl necks… keeps my neck warm but is not fitted the way a turtle neck might be. So when I saw this sweater, not only did I love the style and cashmere feel to it, but I was amazingly also drawn to the color, imagining that it might just look kinda pretty, afterall. Even with silver hair. And guess what? I was right!

I bought this online and as soon as it arrived, I tried the sweater on and fell in love immediately. Talk about warm, too. The color was just perfect… exactly what I was hoping, a beautiful camel kind of color. Like I figure preppies up in Maine would wear. 

The funny thing is: were I to have seen this color on anyone else, I would not be drawn to it at all. In my book, there is absolutely nothing pretty about it at all. Maybe even blah. Well, until I saw this sweater, anyway. I would surely have considered it a ho-hum deal. But, apparently, in my old age, something in my head must be changing because I took to this camel look like a fish takes to water. I can assure you by the way, I will NEVER have another camel colored item in my wardrobe ever again, not even a pair of shoes. But my sweater? Lordy. I will love wearing this over and over and over again.

Oh… and get this. Apparently my friends know me well, for tonight a couple of women actually said: OMG. I never saw that color on you before! Damn right they haven’t. It’s just so crazy to me. Anyway…. I so love autumn and I so love it’s coloration. But not in my clothing. Instead, in: LEAVES ON TREES. Which reminds me…

You know how I look forward each year to the gorgeous orange and yellow leaves that I live for every fall, on my backyard maple trees? Guess what. This year? NONE. Well, hardly any. Turns out rain and wind pretty much knocked off all the leaves before they came to it’s full glory. I WAS ROBBED this season. Major bummer, too.

Which is okay, I guess because everything else about autumn is so up my alley. Especially this sweater upon which I am feasting, given that even on the coldest day of the year in South Florida, I’d never have been able to wear it. I am soooo happy to be living where there are actually four real seasons! Which naturally means: the need for four seasonal wardrobes. Ahh… what a lift for the soul every 3 months. 

And oh yeah... I hope EVERYone had a wonderful Thanksgiving with family and friends. Yay holidays!


Sunday, November 17, 2019

YIKES... IT FINALLY HAPPENED



So there are zillions of ways you know you’re getting old. I don’t even need to list them, although for those of you who aren’t aware of the signs, just contact me and I can sum them all up lickety split. Upping the TV volume is totally a sign, btw.

Actually, I’ve often written about many of the signals. Case in point: the ability to  wear high heels are long gone. Additionally, I’ve often written about my love of food and in particular, my many addictions. As in: my weeks of being addicted to scallops let's say, only to then go heavy into beef, and then after that, months of pasta only, and so on and so on. It’s like my body will crave certain foods for about a 12 week run and then I move on to the next addiction. Recently however…. I’ve developed not only a brand new food addiction, but also one that signals: I. AM. OLD.

My entire life, I’ve been a meat and potatoes kind of gal. I love steak. I love ribs. I love hamburgers. I love prime rib. I love meatloaf. I love beef stew. I also love meatballs. Hence, when at a restaurant, I would NEVER order chicken. Nor would I ever order salmon, though that, I do occasionally prepare at home. And luckily… it certainly tastes spiffy enough, if I say so myself.

In the meantime… about three months ago, I decided to be way more careful about the amount of carbs I’ve been eating. I ADORE carbs. Candy, cakes, foods with plenty of sauces, anything fried, etc, etc. However, apparently carbs and sugars aren’t particularly healthy, come to find out. Yeah. Yeah. I know. The rest of the world figured this out long ago, but I was happily willing to be the last hold out. Anyway…

To help cut my carb intake, I decided to do something that I would NEVER have done, even six months ago. 

I DECIDED TO BEGIN EATING FILLET OF FISH.

Ugh. Worst of all, I began to actually ENJOY it. I can’t even believe this! Which just goes to show: I’M FUCKING OLD, FOR SURE. Of course, the fish dishes I enjoy most are never here at home. But instead, while I’m dining out at fancy schmancy restaurants. Kinda like the fish you see in the picture up above. THAT I could eat every night of the week! Looks way delicious, right?? And… while I TRY to replicate some of these fish preparations, I totally fall short. I would LOVE for some chef to come here and show me how to prepare fish the way fine restaurants do. If only my Mother were still alive. She could whip up a gourmet fish meal in a flash! Seriously. She was THE best cook you’d ever meet. Me, not so much. But… regardless… I have now officially added fillet of fish to my dinner repertoire here at home and certainly while out. 

True… I have always adored lobster, scallops and shrimp. In that order, too. And those meals I can certainly make more than edible. Somehow however, cooking a remarkable fillet of fish at home eludes me. Oh yeah… given I can down more ounces of beef than anyone I know, you can only imagine how many fish fillets I can put away at any one time, given fish is way lighter in one’s belly than a meal of heavy beef. But whatever. It’s still far less carbs.

Eating fish to the rest of the world may be no big deal. But for ME? Jesus... it's like hell hath frozen over. In all my 70 years, I'd never waste a meal on fish. But boom. I turn 71 and months later, come to find out: I'm eating a fish meal this, that and every way possible. It's like the most astounding thing to have happened to me EVER. 

So while I am now into fish, all I’m waiting for next, is the day I begin to drink not hot tea, not a hot cup of coffee, but instead… just a hot cup of PLAIN WATER. When THIS begins to happen, omg…. then I’ll not only be old… I’ll be this far from kicking the bucket altogether! Believe me… this is the drink of choice for everyone in nursing homes. Probably with a side of lemon. Which btw... is a fantastic, mandatory addition of flavor to any fish meal! Capers don't hurt, either.  
  

Saturday, November 9, 2019

TO HEAVEN AND BACK


See this man in the picture??

OMG. Seeing him was one of THE freakiest yet heart warming, but still… freakiest moments of my entire life. I kind of shudder still, thinking about it, but I just couldn’t beLIEVE what happened to me about 2 weeks ago. In Denny’s restaurant, no less.

I went there with my girlfriend because we both decided we wanted breakfast for lunch and Denny’s was the only place where we knew we could get eggs, pancakes, etc. at 12:30 We ordered, we got our food, and then bingo. It happened. Right smack in my line of sight, a couple of  tables beyond, who should I see, but uh…

MY FATHER!! HIS SPITTING IMAGE. HIS EXACT CLOTHING. HIS EXACT POSTURE. AT 86 YEARS OLD! SITTING THERE, HAVING BREAKFAST, TOO!

I could NOT stop staring at him!! I TRIED looking at Betsy. I TRIED conversing with her. But… I couldn’t. I HAD to stare at my Dad, instead! To make matters worse… I then became addicted to taking pictures of him over and over again. I mean… really.

WHO THE FUCK GOES OUT TO EAT AND SEES THEIR FATHER ALIVE AND WELL, 12 YEARS AFTER HE’S PASSED AWAY?? Absolutely nobody does!

Well, nobody except me, that is. Talk about from earth to heaven and then back to earth again! Holy shit. It was NUTS. So much so that while my stomach was pretty much jumping all over the place, I just couldn’t stand it any longer. I had to finally go over and actually TALK TO MY DAD.

So lickety split, as if my feet had a mind of their own, I headed over to this stranger and proceeded to tell him how I could not stop looking at him for the past 25 minutes. I told him how he looked exactly like my Dad, how I just had to come speak to him, and how I loved seeing him. At which point, the guy sweetly took my hand and kissed it twice. I was so thrilled yet so sad seeing my Dad once again! IT WAS AMAZING. And… startling, too.

We spoke a few moments, and he introduced me to his wife, whose bright white hair reminded me of my Mom’s, but not nearly as beautiful as she was. She too, was very sweet to me, which, while my reincarnated Dad made we weepy, his wife made me smile. I was soooo happy I had gone over to speak to them both.

Of couse now, I could shoot myself altogether for not getting his name, etc. for I would LOVE to speak to Dad over and over again. I have a feeling that every Friday I had better get my ass over to Denny’s just to see more of my Dad. Downing a couple of blueberry pancakes wouldn’t hurt, either. 

All I can tell you is: I can only pray everyone in this world has a chance like I did, to see their parent just one more time. It will make you remarkably queasy for sure, but will also make you unbelievably jubilant at the same time. I can’t even explain the juxtaposition. I just know I was thrilled at this one last chance to again, see Dad one more time. 

It makes me cry, knowing how much I miss both him and my Mother. I would love their being able to see me at 71 years of age. If only. Anyway, I loved both my parents dearly and will miss them for ever and always. For now, however…

Thank you Dad for visiting me at Denny’s! I will never forget it for the rest of my life. Then again… how can I be SURE this wasn't my real Dad? Easy. Were he actually my Father... he would have totally picked up my check!    

Friday, November 8, 2019

SOOO DAMN WEARY


Thanks to the Watergate Hearings, I am a major political junkie, and have been for almost 50 years. Watching Sam Ervin was sheer constitutional majesty to me.  

Even today, I bypass every Netflix show all my friends rave about and have no clue of what they speak as they do a verbal re-run of all the latest episodes from a zillion TV shows. In fact, I am the only person I know that has never seen GAME OF THRONES, nor THIS IS US. Instead, I religiously watch, every political talk show possible, as long as it’s not on FOX. I would NEVER watch that channel given they are idiots, pawns for the President and have no interest in speaking truth.

Lately however, I have become soooo fucking weary of having to hear or see or analyse Trump and have had to work hard to cut my political addiction in half. Discussing him has totally taken a toll on my psyche, which I am glad to say has always been pretty healthy. Lately however? Oh man. I’m this short of jumping off a cliff just to spare myself watching the destruction of our magnificent Constitution… which btw, the President does DAILY. He lies, he cheats, he has zero brains and even less moral character. He's certainly not taken so much as a 9th grade Civics class. So…

What to do to substitute my political viewing? Bingo. A couple of months ago, I went to my alltime favorite… watching bullshit situation comedies. I know. Most are horrible but you can almost rest assured that I am staring at the show regardless, and probably even chuckling to myself. 

So what show have I been recording most, to ease my mental health weariness?? But of course, the BEST show ever… FRENDS. It has been a MAJOR relief in escaping the 24/7 side show of Donald J. Trump. Believe me… I watch Friends and boom. I’m happily in escape heaven.

With that in mind, I decided to record all the episodes, not knowing that apparently Friends airs 6 shows per day. Maybe even more. So basically, within a week, I had my DVR filled with a HUGE amount of episodes before you could say Jack Be Nimble. Within a month, I had hundreds of shows recorded and although I tried to see as many as I could per day, there was NO way I could ever catch up. The airings were coming at me fast and furious and unless I watched each recording for 24 hours a day, I couldn’t even begin to come close to being able to watch them all and then delete. IT WAS CRAZY.

Sooo… finally I caved. With hundreds of episodes filling up my entire DVR daily, I held my breath and… gulp… deleted all my unseen  recordings. Boom. ALL OF FRIENDS WAS GONE FOREVER. Well… until the next day, that is. Before I knew it, WHOA. My DVR was once  again getting out of control with all the accumulating shows, all over again! Meaning: that within days, I had hordes of recordings I had still yet to view. Talk about the remedy becoming worse than the problem. So fucking crazy.

Which is too bad, because once Trump, let alone Guilliani, got airtime with the whole Ukraine quid pro quo deal, I needed comedic refuge more than  ever! This is like an endless circle of Trump vs. Friends. And… Trump is totally losing; well that is, until of course I get to actually view his impeachment which btw, will tickle me to no end! Regardless of the fact I already know there will be no conviction in the Senate. I don't care. Just envisioning the White House freaking out day in and day out, is satisfaction enough for me right now. 

Plus sadly, Trump is  becoming more and more crooked with each passing day. As is every Republican in Congress, which makes me wholly discouraged. Watching our entire Constitution, a document of sheer sanctity, become shredded by our President and our Republican Representatives and Senators, is just so depressing. And oh, so wearisome.

Thus… thank you Monica, Ross, Phoebe, Chandler, Rachel and Joey from the bottom of my heart! You are totally helping me to maintain my already shaken sanity. And… screw you to anyone who votes for Trump in the 2020 election. You should all rot in Hell for ever and ever. On the other hand… the way things look nowadays… Trump could even be gone by then! If only. Oh yeah…

And btw… don’t even contact me next week. I will be glued to what else… the House Impeachment Hearings!! I will love every second of it, believe me. Well… except having to watch Jim Jordan that is, who makes me want to vomit altogether. By the time each day’s testimonies and then the analysis airings each evening are over, I’ll need an episode or two of FRIENDS for SURE. 

After all… that’s what friends are for, right??