The Last One Standing

Just about all of 2016 has come and gone and not once have I stopped here to post. I miss blogs, I love Instagram, but reading a post on someone's blog really made me feel like I was sharing their experience instead of just the voyeurism of seeing it on Instagram.  I am making this one post, so all of 2016 was not lost!!

For 2017 I will try to come her more often and share my love of paper, planners, pen and stationary!!

2014 Year In Review

1.  What did you do in 2014 that you'd never done before?

Went on college tours with my daughter and husband.  I never went to college, other than community college, it was just never discussed or mentioned.  I think about all the times Jon and I have talked about CG going to college and wonder what stopped my parents from sending me?  Was it my lack of ability, finances, their own unsteady relationship?  It's a mystery...

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

I make resolutions all the time, mainly on Mondays and then again the next Monday. I make the same ones and rarely get past a Tuesday with them intact.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Not a close friend, but lots of babies were had.

4. Did anyone close to you die?

My father-in-law passed away after a long struggle with heart disease and Parkinsons.  His was a sad life these last few years, living in a nursing home he hated and each day losing a little more control over his body and mind.

5. What countries did you visit?

None.  Not all get to wander....

6. What would you like to have in 2015 that you lacked in 2014?

Good health.  A feeling of ease and comfort.

7. What dates from 2014 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

My memory is not so good.  I write a lot down, because it is so easily gone.  We do a memory jar every year and read all the little snippets of paper on New Years Day, I was surprised by all the things that had completely left my mind.  My life has very few BIG THINGS, sometimes the things I remember most are the mundane that fills my heart with joy.  

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

That I didn't kill someone.  As I get older I notice that my fuse is short and my temper is hot.

9. What was your biggest failure?

Getting healthy.  It is all so daunting a task.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

It seems like something else stops working everyday.  In 2014 my biggest worry was my heart.  I have thought to myself more than once, "I will miss them when I am gone."  Hopefully this will be the year I find out what the trouble is.  I had a really horrible abscessed tooth that no amount of prescribed painkillers could touch, and believe me when I say I tried them all in many combinations.  Then there is the slow but complete ruination of my feet.  I have my grandmother's feet.  I think of her sitting in her chair until the day she died and it frightens me.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

A Filofax personal organizer. I am a notebook and planner  girl from way way back, I have them all in a box in the attic and this summer while my daughter and I were up there in the blistering heat organizing and purging we read through several of them and laughed, laughed, laughed. (*see #7)

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

My daughter.  She has worked her butt off to do well in school, with college being the long term goal. She went to a tutor over the summer to improve her SAT scores, while working and juggling her first "real" relationship.  It was a joy to see her becoming the person she will be.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

Sadly, so many.  The behavior of people in general is appalling.  I sound like an old lady, but kids these days are just horrible, rude, stupid and they are our future.  Now a days a polite person is a rarity instead of commonplace, no good can come of that.  I talk myself down from the ledge everyday when it comes to dealing with the public (*see #8).

14. Where did most of your money go?

On nothing terribly exciting, just keeping us clothed, fed and a roof over our heads is the goal.  We don't do trips or extravagant gifts.  We have one child and we save for college and retirement with every pay check, but some days I still have to rob Peter to pay Paul.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

My Filofax.....does that sound as sad as it looks typed?  I know a lot of people don't get, but to me it is WONDERFUL!  It is a creative outlet that I really, really enjoy and the ladies that I have meet through Instagram and You Tube have been just great!

16. What song will always remind you of 2014?

Shake It Off.  You know that Taylor is kind of a pain in the ass, but damn if she isn't catchy as hell.  The other song that immediately comes to mind is Let It Go from Frozen, I don't need to ever hear that again......ever.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:

a) happier or sadder?

I struggle with this, I tell myself I am a happy person and I work hard on it every day, but deep down I am sad and sometimes the sad wins.

b) thinner or fatter?

Fatter, I lost a good 20 pounds in 2014 with another 20 that need to be lost, but I put it all back on by the end of the year.  The circle goes round and round....

c) richer or poorer?

We paid off some debts, we saved a little more for college and we paid our bills every month.  That's richer in my book.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?

Spent time outside last summer.  It seems like we waited all summer for it to start, and then suddenly it was done.  The pool was cold and the hot tub was idle too many times.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?

Swallowing my opinion.  

20. How did you spend Christmas?

With my two favorite people in our favorite place.  My husband had time off of work and the teenager had time off of school, so I took time off so we could be together.  No shopping, dinner out, movies or hanging with friends, we spent time together hold up in the house having a great time.  It's the most wonderful time of the year.

21. Did you fall in love in 2014?

I fall in love everyday.  My husband is forever wooing me and he is sooooo good at it.

22. What was your favorite TV program?

Chopped.  Hands down, no hesitation, I can't get enough of that shit.

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?

I hate the same people.  It takes a lot for me to truly hate, but when I do it is enduring.

24. What was the best book you read?

50 Shades of Grey, do with that information what you will.

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?

I love all music.  I have listened to rock, pop, country, rap, jazz, blues, bluegrass, and hip-hop this year.  I find something that gives me goosebumps in most genres, unfortunately I rarely know the name of the performer or the song.  I love my Soundhound app!

26. What did you want and get?

Debt that was hanging over our heads paid off.  Nothing feels quite as good as sending that last payment.

27. What did you want and not get?

I feel like I usually get what I want, whether it's material or not.  I am very content with my lot in life.

28. What was your favorite film of this year?

I love movies.  I love to watch them.  I love when I am still thinking about a movie the next day, that to me is the mark of good film.  That being said I am an action movie buff, pretentious and thought provoking films are not usually high on my list.

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

This year I turned 45.  I spent it with my husband, my daughter and my dad.  We had a picnic outside by the bonfire, it was one of my favorite birthdays ever.

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

*see # 27

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2014?

Whatever isn't too tight is what's on trend here. Sometimes underpants just don't make the cut...

32. What kept you sane?

My husband.  His voice and the smell of his neck make me feel better about the world.

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

I think Jimmy Fallon is a hell of a guy.

34. What political issue stirred you the most?

Honestly, I am so disillusioned I try not to follow the latest atrocity the world is creating.

35. Who did you miss?

I miss my mom every day.  I don't think there will ever be a time I don't wish she was here to share something with me.

36. Who was the best new person you met?

I keep my circle pretty small.

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2014.

If it's what is right for you, don't let anyone sway you from believing in it.

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

"I'm a nightmare dressed like a daydream."

Thanks for reading all this, now go find something to do!

Roger Lee Pritchard January 18, 1941 - August 18, 2014

This week my family lost a wonderful man to Parkinson's and heart disease. A man who should have had a much longer time here with all of us and who should have been able to fully enjoy the last 10+ years he did have here. Parkinson's disease is not often discussed or the feature of a viral video on social media. Parkinson's disease can steal your loved one and yet leave him right in your life, forcing you to watch the slow dismantling of a man that you love. I am sad to see the funny, sweet, soft spoken man I knew go, but I a joyous to know that he is free of the pain and limits that his disease had put on him. I hope he is enjoying a long walk, a lobster dinner and a glass of wine with his bride. Goodbye Roger.

10 Patterns You Could Knit Again . . . and again and again.

1. Unoriginal Bordered Basket Weave Dishcloth by Lesley Karpiuk
2. Jack Be Little Pumpkin by Elizabeth Murphy
3. Simple Yet Effective Shawl by Laura Chau
4. Circus Cowl by Julia de Boer
5. The Vermonter by Abi Gregorio
6. Grandmother's Favorite by Traditional Design
7. Fuzzy Feet by Theresa Vinson Stenersen
8. Chevron Scarf by Cheryl Kubat
9. Peekaboo Mitts by Abi Gregorio
10. #26 Lace Rib Cap by Kathy North

I have knit all of these things numerous times, but I think my favorite is Laura Chau's shawl.  I have done five or six of these so far and I love every one of them!  Some I have given away (regret) but I kept my favorites!

Christmas Weekend

This weekend was heaven.
Lots of snow, no need to shop or visit.
Cookies, fudge and peanut butter balls.
The Bishops Wife and Love Actually.

Christmas is here...

The Force is strong with this one...

This girl of mine, she loves Star Wars.

I love Star Wars too, but she takes it to a whole other level.  She's been like that since she was little, she watched those movies more than any other cartoon movies we had.

Today was Disney day at school for homecoming and because Disney bought the rights to SW last October she thought it was a perfect opportunity to dress up as the princess.  With the help of a gracious Aunt and some websites we constructed the perfect costume!

She looked amazing, too bad some poor sports that couldn't be bothered to do more than pull out some mouse ears or a Tinker Bell t-shirt from Wal Mart had to ruin her day by being obnoxious, jealous little shits.

But the force is strong with this one and she has a Yoda like zen about her that lets her not get mad or upset with evil little brats.  I am more Darth Vader about it and if I could I'd show them who the evil one is.

Please, for the love of God, shut up!

Tonight my husband decided to surprise me with a night out at our favorite restaurant.  We got a table by the window and settled in with our margarita and Dos Equis. 

That’s when it happened; Debbie and her deviated septum started talking….and never fucking stopped.

Did you know Debbie and her husband Ed spent the day and their pensions at Batavia Downs?  Boy, I sure hope they fix that slot machine, because it was just EATING Debbie’s money, EATING it! 

I’ll never get to sleep tonight wondering how Amy is doing after her surgery to remove that thing that was growing on her foot.  Will they ever figure out what is?

What about Cynthia and that damn Bingo?  Is she ever going to stop playing long enough to call Debbie back and discuss their trip to Quebec?

And that goddamn Words with Friends, telling Debbie her words are not valid…assholes.

Why do those people at Verizon keep texting Debbie?  Is the phone in Debbie's name or Ed's? Why don't they just text Ed?

These questions will just have to go unanswered, because we ate our food as fast as we could to get the hell out of there.

I hope poor, mute Ed goes home and shoves Debbie’s new Samsung Galaxy right up her ass, not a jury in the world would convict him.

Memories

When I was little we would spend every Sunday at my grandparents house. We'd come in the afternoon and stay for homemade pizza, Wild Kingdom and Disney. We'd play cards, dance with my aunt's, go down the lane and just be together. They are some of my most treasured memories.

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Olympus Down

That awkward half hour when you think Olympus Has Fallen is actually White House Down and you keep wondering where the hell Channing Tatum is!!

Livin' The Dream

All summer we have found a tiny, green tree frog living inside our hot tub. He’s just under the flap and above the water line where the steamy, hot conditions are the best. We assume he spends his time perched there pretending he is in the Amazon, sweating profusely and narrowly avoided death by fierce anacondas. We always shoo him out when we get in and I hope he isn't going back to his tiny tree frog buddies and boasting,

“I’m livin’ the dream bitches, livin’ the dream.”

Nobody likes a douchebag…

This is how is goes....

So, Mrs. Pissy-Pants and her self-righteous, stony glare are waiting for me yesterday at the library front desk. I get out my biggest smile and my sweetest may I help you, because those miserable bitches hate that shit, and then it goes like this…

“Good morning, how can I help you?”

“Let me ask you a question, do we still use the dewey decimal system?”   Eye roll.

“Why yes we do.”   Big smile.

“Really, have you changed it?”   Duck lips.

“Mmmm nope, it’s still just the same.”   Turn up the voltage on smile.

“Well, it’s funny, I’ve looked all over for that book 1963 by Stephen King and I can’t find it.”  Punctuates the sentence with head bob.

“Well, let me explain the trouble you’re having. The title of the book is actually 11/22/63 and it is a work of fiction by Stephen King. So, it would be located in the fiction section alphabetically by the author’s last name. Not, as you thought, in the non-fiction section, which is where we actually use the dewey decimal section.”   Suck on that eyebrow lift.

Lllllooonnnnggggg ppppppaaaaauuuuusssseeee.

“Is it checked in?”

Me

My dear friends, I talk too much. I'm loud. I wave my arms around a lot. I tell stories more than once (but they are still funny) and I sometimes forget birthdays. I like to have a cocktail or two. I like my alone time as much as my party time. 

I am all these things. 

Here are some more things I am.

I will not ever smile at you and say "Hey,girl!" and then turn around and bad mouth you. If I don't like you, I don't like you. I won't pretend to care about you and then shit on you, I just won't care about you. I will always be honest and truthful about you and how you make me feel. If I have a problem with you, you will definitely know about it. I will leave you the hell alone if you leave me the hell alone and if you want to act stupid and get in my face I will be happy to reciprocate.

I am all these things.

Yup...

Day 24: Something That Makes Me Smile

This picture...

Every damn time...

Day 23: Eight Things You Didn't Know About Me

1. I have freakishly long fingers.
2. I love DE Stevenson books.
3. I have been 5’ 11 ½” tall since I was in the sixth grade.
4. I love to buy chairs, books and kitchen implements.
5. I will pick something out of someone trash, no problem.
6. My husband and I met when we were both selling cars.
7. I don’t like to think about the future.
8. I am a fallacious speller.

Day 22: What I Love About My Job

I LOVE my job.  I really, really do.

I get such a kick out of the people.  Some of the things I get asked on a daily basis are truly unbelievable.

When someone only remembers they read a book once that had George Washington riding on a dragon on it's cover and I can walk right to it on the shelf, it just makes my day.

I love to talk to people and to make them smile.  I want everyone that comes to my library to remember that nice library lady that helped them.  When I was a kid the ladies at my library were mean and a little bit scary.  It is my deepest wish that no kid walks away and thinks that of me.

Of course, there are the idiots too, but damn if they don't crack me up.  I love a good fool.

Day 21: A Self-Portrait

Uhhhgggg...

This one is hard.

I hate pictures of myself.

I always think, "Holy Shit is that me?"

My beautiful daughter has had a camera in her face since the beginning and she is so photogenic.  All I have to do is say "smile" and there it is, the perfect shot.

I love to take pictures of my husband.  I think he is gorgeous.  He is rugged and sexy and has the sweetest smile.

Did you see what I did here?  Did you forget I am supposed to be showing a picture of myself?

Damn.

Me?  Not so much.  I am the picture taker, and that means there are few pictures of me to choose from, thank goodness.  I have my favorites, but they are few and far between.  My drivers licence has the best photo of me, taken a few days before I married my sweetheart.  I will use it until I die.  My daughter has taken a picture or two of me that I really like and many years ago a local photographer used to take pictures of my sister and I to practice.

I love my soulful eyes...