Snow Day & Bronchitis

Today was a snow day for Skip...no work for him...HOORAY ~ I had him home! We got at least 5 or 6 inches of snow & some freezing rain is due in. As much as I dislike winter, the cold, the mess, etc, I must admit that it's awfully pretty out there ~ a virtual winter wonderland. I snapped the picture above really quickly on my cell phone from the opposite end of the carport from where I park (that's the rear bumper of my 11 year old "soccer mom" minivan down there). Skip asked for at least 1 decent snow this winter...so now you've got it, honey!

And why is it a snow day only for Skip & not for me, too? Well....if I didn't have a raging case of stupid bronchitis, then it would've been a snow day for me, too....but.....well.....I was staying home anyway. I saw my doctor yesterday & he said that if I had waited much longer, he would've been sending me home with walking pneumonia. I did get sent home, however, with a prescription for Leviquin...some heavy duty (750 mg) antibiotics & the size of horse pills. I must say that I'm very good at taking pills, but these I nearly have to choke down. Thankfully, I only have to take them once a day. Then I got the curse yesterday on top of it all. Shoot me now & put me out of my misery. I'm hoping that by this time next week I'll be feeling like a new woman!

Thank you so much for the couple of ideas so far with the garbage shed. I still haven't done anything yet, but I'll let you know what I end up doing. As for the Grand Central Terminal prank, yes, Phinney, it is by a group called "Improv Everywhere," & yes, Becky, they were the ones who had about 100 men take off their shirts at a NYC Abercrombie & Fitch. Check out their link in my sidebar for more videos, etc. I got on their mailing lists...I'd love to be involved in something (as long as I don't have to take MY shirt off & scare everyone to death!).

Rant Rant Rant

I've lived in a really nice condo complex for 7 1/2 years now & have been very happy. We've got a fabulous view down into the valley & see all the pretty twinkling lights from White Plains (the closest city in our county). We don't have to mow the lawn or shovel anything when it snows (our common charges take care of that). There's a nice little pool & a clubhouse (available for parties & whatnot). There's a big castle that can be seen out my kitchen window in the front, just up the hill & is the highest point in the county. We have an end unit & our neighbor (attached on the left) is a doll ~ I so wish she weren't selling her unit & moving to Kansas City! Some close friends live in a unit just down the hill from us. The Hudson River is only about 3 minutes from my home. NYC is a short train ride from here. I'm really happy here.

So why am I so damn frustrated that I want to scream??? It may seem very trivial to all of you, but right now, I am so sick of it! It's how some of the neighbors use the particular "garbage shed" that we also use. There are several of them up & down the hill & several units are "assigned" to use a particular "shed." I say "shed" because I don't know what else to call them & that's pretty much what everyone else here calls them ~ it looks like a little garage, but it's where the dumpsters are for garbage, newspaper/cardboard & the bins for recycling.

Most people are pretty good about what goes in which dumpster. Others just don't care & quite literally just throw their stuff into the shed & let it land wherever it will. Not only is that gross, but it is also a hazard...forget anything else (like "can this be recycled?").....I've seen broken glass on the floor, along with bags of dog poop & turkey/chicken carcasses. We were recently informed by the management company that our village will be sending out trash inspectors randomly & if something isn't in the right dumpster or bin, the garbage men won't pick up any of the garbage & our complex would be fined. The fines would then be divided up amongst the condos & tacked onto our common charges. Everyone got the same letter & list of recycling do's/don'ts as we did & I've been extra vigilant about doing the right thing ~ I certainly don't want to be the one at fault for getting the fines tacked onto everyone's common charges. So why, why, WHY are people still tossing cardboard/newspapers in with the regular garbage...putting non~recyclable plastic bags all tied up around their recycling into those bins...tossing stuff just wherever?????? Do they just not care? Are they that stupid that they don't understand what to do? Can they simply NOT read?

I need some advice here. Is it too much of me to ask/believe that if I can take the time to sort stuff properly, so can everyone else? Should I hang a polite (yet firm) note telling people to start doing their part so we don't get fined? I almost want to sit there for a week & hold people's hands while they "get used to this," but who has the time/patience? I don't want to get fined for other people's laziness/stupidity, just as I don't want to be the one to blame for the fines. What should I do? What would you do?

PS I'm off from work tomorrow to finally go to the doctor about a cold that I've had since Sunday, plus some other issues. I've then got a therapist appointment late in the afternoon. In between the two, besides reading the book for Monday night's book club meeting, I've got to at least start on my swap for February's card swap. Any ideas from those artsy~craftsy types out there as to what I should stamp on a small~ish blank heart shaped puzzle with a Valentine's theme?

Grand Central Terminal Prank

Being a native New Yorker who has lived her whole life only a stones' throw from the city, I would've LOVED to have been one of these people who did this!!!!! How cool is this video??? If you haven't seen it yet, you gotta watch it!

Where did the day go?

I had every intention of getting a bunch of stuff done today.....but didn't. I don't know how it happened, but the day just got away from me somehow. This seems to happen more times than I'd like to admit.


I couldn't tell you what I accomplished this morning besides eating breakfast, putting a new block of suet out for the birdies & taking down the Valentine's Day flag that was flying from its' pole off the side of our deck (& bringing out the Cajun flag to hang out there until it's time for the St. Patrick's Day flag ~ however, the Cajun flag has yet to be hung). I finally showered around 1:30 or 2:00, walked Lucy (our dog) & picked up loads of little "poop bombs" in the side yard that needed attention. The Cajun (which is in my heritage) flag has the following meaning:
The gold castle on the red field represents the Spanish kingdom, who allowed and even assisted the Acadians in settling their
new homeland. The silver fleur-de-lis on the blue field represents their French heritage(which I find ironic, since the French threw us out from what I've been told). The gold star on the white background respresents the Virgin Mary, patron saint of the Acadians.

I did get over to my mom's house a few towns over (she's been away for a while) & brought in the huge white plastic "bucket" or "bin" or whatever the heck it is that the mailman left yesterday. It was totally brimming over with mail, which I sorted through for her (catalogs/magazines in 1 pile; first class & bills in another). I changed a couple of lightbulbs that had burned out.



I stopped at the grocery store for some Aunt Jemima sausage biscuits that I'd been craving & 1/2 a gallon of milk. Then I headed over to Michael's (the craft store) for some of those pretty little organza bags with the ribbon ties at the top, so that I can put together a bunch of lavender "sachets" to put around the house & treat people with. I have 1/2 a pound of lavender buds that just arrived the other day ~ do you realize just how much lavender that is? ZOINKS!



I headed home, put my stuff away, walked Lucy again.....& here I am again.....getting nothing accomplished, but writing this entry. I SHOULD be reading my book for my book club meeting which is a week from tomorrow, washing the towels, catching up on TiVo'd stuff, cleaning up around the house, hanging out that Cajun flag, making the puzzle card for this months' card swap.......yada yada yada......the list goes on & on!

Ahhhhhhh.....

Those closest to me know that I adore Tony Bennett & that I once saw kd lang in concert at Radio City Music Hall in NYC many years ago. Soooooo...to hear them sing together is such a treat for me. Here's a little Valentine's Day treat from me to you............

Valentine's Day Early

My sweet husband brought Valentine's Day early to me...several days early...Sunday to be exact. He bought me a heart shaped box of some FAB~U~LOUS chocolates from a divine little local chocolate store here in Tarrytown called Anna Shea Chocolates. I'm hoping that you locals here in Tarrytown/Sleepy Hollow know about this place ~ if you do, you know how gorgeous & delicious (& expensive) their chocolates are; if not, what've you been waiting for? Those of you who don't live around here...my god, you're missing out on an extravagance! I took these pictures just to show off the marvelous goodies I got ~ they're almost too beautiful to eat, but believe me, I will eat each & every piece in here. The pictures don't do the chocolates justice in showing just how pretty they are.

I won't say what I got for Skip for Valentine's Day just yet because I'm saving it for him for tomorrow & I don't want to spoil the surprise in case he happens to check my blog in the next 24 hours.

In the meantime, since I most likely will not get a chance to post here tomorrow, I wish you all a very happy Valentine's Day or an OK anti-Valentine's Day, whichever way you want to go.

Getting Better

As promised an entry or 2 (or 3...) ago, here's a picture of how much better my hand is getting/looking. The scabbies are all gone & now I've just got a bright pink line running down my hand & onto my wrist. If I haven't said it before, I'll say it now...I'm so thrilled with the doctor, how well he performed the surgery & how/where he made the incision. After all the pinkness fades (& knowing how I am & how long my skin stays pink at a scar site, it'll be a long while), you won't be able to tell how big the scar really is, since most of it is where creases in my hand would be. The only spot where it might show is at the base of my hand & a little on my wrist, but the incision looks so damn fine, I doubt you'd be able to tell even there unless I pointed it out to you.

I've been using my hand a lot more & making sure to exercise it. I still don't have a full range of motion (there are still a few things I just can not do with that hand); the scar is still very tender & the base of my hand & my wrist still hurts much more than the rest of the hand...BUT...I will not let that hold me back from getting back into full use of my hand. I have to realize though, that it has only been about a month & 10 days since the surgery & that that stupid hard-boiled-egg-sized thing was growing in my hand for nearly 4 years, so certain things are not going to happen overnight.

I saw my surgeon last week & he was very pleased at how well my hand was healing & the progress I've already made with moving it around. He told me to keep up the good work & I wouldn't need to go to physical therapy. The only thing is that I might have some mild arthritis in the lower thumb joint, but we just have to wait & see if it isn't just some pain from the surgery. I'll probably be going back for another follow up visit in 4-6 weeks & I'll see how this thumb~joint pain is doing by then.

In Need of Botox????

OK....so what am I supposed to think in this situation? What would you think?

Yesterday, a customer came into the store & was talking to Skip (who just had his 44th birthday on February 5th, mind you. I turned 41 last November). She told him that she was in the day before & was helped by his mom. Helped by his mom ~ what? I'm the only female who works in the store. He tells me this shortly after she left, asking me if I remember helping her. I said, "I might've, but I'm not sure. Did you point me out to her? Did you correct her & say that I'm your wife, not your mother?"

"No...I didn't want to embarass her. Maybe Leslie was in the store at the same time yesterday & spoke up...you know how she likes to do that. Maybe she thought Leslie was my mom." (Leslie is a very frequent cutomer who does put her 2 cents in sometimes)

I can laugh about this now, but still in the back of my mind lingers the thought of "do I look that old? Does Skip look that young?" I've always looked young for my age. Everyone in my family has always looked much younger than they are (as does Skip's family). I just hope & pray that Skip's right & that Leslie was in the store!

Hmmmmmmmm.......are the "young genes" burning out? I better get back on track with moiturizing & starting to wear make~up again (I generally don't wear make~up, except for special events).

Need I Say More?

Hand Picture

Here it is...long after this picture was taken, I'm finally posting what my hand looked like after the honkin' huge bandaging came off & the stitches came out. I need new batteries for my camera & then I'll get Skip to take more pictures, now that all the scabs are gone.

Letters

Alrighty then....Miss Phinney taged me on her journal below the letter "T" & I've done the same to some people. Here are my answers. Now I must be off to try to make some seriously overdue cards for a rubber stamping card swap.

A- Attached or Single?
Attached.

B- Best Friend?
All of my friends are the best! (ditto)

C- Cake or Pie?
Cake. What else, but chocolate!

D- Day of Choice?
Sunday ~ it's my only day off.

E- Essential Item?
Car

F- Favorite color?
Purple!

G- Gummy Bears or Worms?
I'd rather say Nestle's Crunch.

H- Hometown?
Where I grew up? North end of New Rochelle. Where I've lived for the past 7 1/2 years? Tarrytown.

I- Favorite Indulgence-
Chocolate chip cookies with big honking chunks of chocolate & an ice cold glass of chocolate milk!

J- January or July?
July over January any day, baby!

K- Kids?
Kids are good, if they're someone elses. I've got 0 kids of my own.

L- Life isn't complete without?
Laughter & Hugs (I second that)

M- Missing?
My mom (who isn't around as much as I'd like); my grandmother (who passed away a year ago, January 14th); my father~in~law (who passed away a year & a 1/2 ago); my great grandmother (who passed away when I was 11); Phinney (who lives too far away); & others.

N- Number of Brothers and Sisters?
None. Nada. Zip. I'm an only child, but I'm close to some cousins.

O- Oranges or apples?
Apples. Then grapes.

P- Phobias or fears?
I've got a social phobia & I'm also fairly claustrophobic.

Q- Quote?
"Laughter is the best medicine."

R- Reason to smile?
Skip's smile & sunny days. I know...I'm a big goofball!

S- Season of choice?
Spring!! (that's for sure!)

T- Tag three friends or family.
How about Carly, Becky & Karen?

U- Unknown fact about me?
I have had the same recurring dreams for the past 20 years.

V- Vegetable?
Potatoes

W- Worst habit?
Smoking (yes, I'm still doing it ~ UGH!)

X- X-ray or ultrasound?
Ultrasound, I guess.


Why is there no Y? Aunt Nub wants to know! Yes, I would like to know where "Y" went!


Z- Zodiac sign?
Scorpio ~ look out for that stinger! We can be your best friend or your worst enemy.

I finally finished my cards ~ not my greatest card nor is it the greatest of pictures (sorry it's so blurry & the colors are waaaaay off ~ background is light blue, border is dark blue & foreground is light green). The theme for January was a song title.

Ugh!

I'm home today with a headache & a half. Slept until about 11:45 this morning ~ guess the ol' body was telling me to stay in bed & get some rest. Skip headed to the store (which I know that he can handle more than capably ~ is that a word?), but even though I feel miserable, I'm still feeling guilty that he's there on his own. Must learn how to deal with these horrible feelings of guilt.



The weather here is misarable ~ dreary, rainy & windy. I can only say that thankfully it's not snowing. This weekend's forcast looks promising, with fairly sunny skies & temps up around 50. I'm sooooooo ready for spring ~ I don't care if it were to start tomorrow ~ bring it on, the sooner the better! LOL Must get an RV eventually & follow whatever nice weather I want to follow! I could also get to meet my blogging/journaling friends out there ~ some of you live closer to me than you realize!



I need to start getting crafty again. I've fallen behind in my rubber stamping card swap because of my hand surgery & really need to make January's card which is waaaaay late. Yikes! January's theme was to be a song title & I'm at a loss. Need a song title that would be easy enough to translate into a rubber stamped card. I'm thinking of stamping a country lane onto the card & then affixing a penny somehow at the beginning of the stamped image to represent the Beatles song "Penny Lane." Is that cheesy? Too easy/simple? Any ideas out there? I also want to start taking more pictures again. I miss doing that, too, & got a nice new digital camera with more megapixes from Skip for Christmas which I'd like to use when I've got some free time. Soooooo....my crafty radar is spinning, unlike this old deserted military radar tower out in Montauk, NY (took this picture last September when we were out there for a cousin's wedding ~ ahhhhh...sunny days in Montauk!)




PS There are 2 other new posts below, in case you didn't know! :)