New Year...

2014...who would have ever thought? And it is cold here at Skyline, I mean really cold, like 14 degrees outside. The local village has a ball drop but I think we old folk will be staying home, inside, where it is warm and oh yeah, warm! We have several snackies planned: dill dip with rye bread, little hot dogs with crescent rolls wrapped around them, cheese and crackers and salsa and chips. And we have two varieties of sparkling juice, they were out of my favorite and standard grape. Jamie had to go into work last night and got home at quarter to two and then got up at quarter to five and went back into work, so he is napping. Alex sleeps days and works nights, so he is sleeping. The cats and dog are sleeping. Hmmm...I guess if you are warm and at home with enough of everything you sleep. I have homemade Salisbury steaks in the oven and I will be making homemade mashed potatoes and a veggie for the last dinner of the year. Mom liked my mashed potatoes, they tasted good to her. I was adding sour cream to them to bump up the calories and nutrition for her and yes, we like them that way too. Well...4 PM...I hope we make it until midnight...happy new year everyone! Drink a glass of sparkling juice and be wild! FAHOO DORES WAHOO DORES WELCOME NEW YEAR, NEW YEAR DAY! 2014! -from How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and slightly modified....

Painting everything inside your house white?

I am not sure about this trend, just sayin'. Yes, I am not a twenty something, but still, I don't get it. I read a few blogs and I find the new decorating tendencies hideous. Yeah, I am admitting it. I took art in high school and college, white is stark, cold, non-warm. These people are buying Colonial and Victorian style houses and painting everything inside WHITE! And they all think they are original, but they are all doing it, and it barren and stark and horrid. Then they use triangles and wires to make "art". Oh, and rusty furniture from the 1960's. People, you did not come from the 60's. You are not from the TV channel AMC, if that is what you are trying to copy. You are not ad execs. So...it is my opinion that a number of homes are being painted WHITE, and filled with odd items, oh, and toys. They are buying and using 1960 toys and stark toys, which will leave their children BEHIND in school or COLLEGE. Just sayin' Be brave, do not jump on the white truck!

Christmas Cheer...

   One of my favorite Christmas Memories was rehearsing for the church children's play in Darien, N.Y. We were dropped off for few hours to practice the play and at the same time church members were selling fresh Christmas trees in front of the church. The front yard was loaded with trees and there was classical Christmas music blaring from two speakers mounted on the church. I was maybe eight years old, and quite the rascal. My role was to carry a jewel to the manger, a tiny role. In between carrying that big, cardboard jewel up the aisle we were allowed to, or maybe I snuck out, to watch the tree sale.  Now we lived in a small, small house on a dirt road with no sidewalks and we had to walk to the end of the road to catch the bus. I was so excited to hear that music that I started sliding up and down that sidewalk to the music. What a fine time that was! To this day Andy Williams singing Little Drummer Boy or Do You See What I See brings back those fine memories. Thank you Mom and Dad and the little white church.

Angry

This morning I am angry...you may not want to read. I miss my Mom. I MISS MY MOM. I spoke to her on the phone 12-17 times a day, and now nothing. I miss talking to her, I miss seeing her, I miss taking her to McDonald's for vanilla milkshakes. I miss trying to convince her to live on the edge and get another flavor. I miss combing her hair so she looked nice. I miss taking her random suppers with the mashed potatoes that tasted so good to her. I miss her sweet phone greeting, "Hello, its just me..." I miss her saying "I love you at the end of every conversation." I just miss her.

Missing my Momma

   It has been a while, years in fact. Life has changed. My mom died November 30th. MY MOM. Really, Mom's are invincible, they don't die, and yet my sweet little confused Mom died. I am numb. I am still numb. We don't have a tree, I can't think when I walk in a noisy, festive store, I just want my  MOM.
    My parents were poor but rich in love. I remember lying in bed at about the age of four telling my Mom she was never going to die. This was right after both my grandparents on my father's side died within a few weeks of each other. Mom smelled good as we snuggled in her bed, and she explained to me that part of living is dying. But I never thought it would happen.
     She has been sick with dimensia for a few years and she has called me many times a day. I am not sure if she remembered to call me or if my stepfather wanted her to stop bothering him. He was not kind to her in the end. I believe my Mom is in Heaven with MY Dad, and is not scared, or hurting, or confused.
      Missing you Mom, wondering how to exist without you.