A Day In Queens

     So i find myself back in NYC, its been a two week break yet again. I am done after this trip until the end of February and i think thats okay, have things to do in VA. So Once more I made very good time and thats a plus as just as i pulled into the driveway I got such a leg cramp, oh man it hurt. Can't really show Dad how badly as he kind of freaks out if I'm in pain. Went right up to go to bed and I took some magnesium pills which usually helps but not last night. Hopefully better tonight.
    Off I went to get pastries for tonights gathering. As I passed by a church i could see a lot of cars and limos. Either a wedding or funeral. It was the later. At the point I was passing by the were bringing the soul down to the awaiting funeral car. I heard the church bells start to toll. I felt that I was intruding on a very private moment and as I drove past I could hear the bells still chiming in metered ringing. Very somber indeed, the gloomy weather just added to it. I felt a sense of passing grief, no I did not know the person, but I know loss. I was immediately struck at how hollow the chimes sounded, almost as if they were crying along with the family. Its interesting to note that around 4PM or so those same bells will most likely chime to mark the happy occasion of a wedding. There will be smiles on those church steps instead of the grief i saw today. I wonder what made those bells sound so hollow, and yet will sound so full and bright later on?
    More observations as I made my way along Tulip Avenue in Floral Park. Lovely little town. It still has a small town feel, signs that read Village Florist or Village Diner. Not big conglomerate names. Even the druggist, not a CVS or Duanne Reade, no this one said Floral Pharmacy. You can just imagine that the druggist knows the patients he dispenses the medications too. I went farther along and I noticed the deflated Santas and Snowmen on the front lawns. Christmas is over, even The Epiphany is past, if you follow that. Yet the last remnants remain. Maybe if by holding onto these decorations will keep the "Christmas Spirit" alive. Hey it could be that the weather is finally getting colder, or that this weekend they will indeed be packed away until next year. Thats how it is by where i am headed tonight.  A good pal in Lake Peekskill, and his partner are keeping up their decorations so we can see the house in all its holiday glory. He is even going to make another figgy pudding to add to the celebration. We will toast the holidays, there will be a small gathering of about 8 or so. One last toast to this New Year and then tomorrow the decorations come down. At least the outside lights wont be on. Im looking forward to tonight. Sis has never been up that way. I have no problem getting there, its at the top of the mountain, getting down is okay too, its just that teeny section of when you reach the bottom which way do you turn  lol
     Hey my friend got a new car, I'm beyond happy for him. It's always a great thing.  He has basically an identical car to mine now.  He originally had the Fiesta which made me look into one and i can understand why he likes it. Its very roomy for its size and its a sweet looking car too. So I test drove one and bought one. Our front fascias were different though, but now with his new one, they are the same. Except of course the steering wheel is not on the proper side. LMAO  I wish him many happy and safe driving miles.
     So the 800 million dollar powerball is tonight. Can you imagine??? yeah I'll let ya know how that goes! :-D
Well, I need to do a few things then hop into a shower to get ready, Sis will be her in just over 2 hours. So enjoy the rest of your weekend peeps. Ciao For Now

VERDICT? Thumbs Up

     Well we saw Star Wars and I really liked it, I will agree that they set it up for the next movie but that's to be expected.  I enjoyed it so much in 3D.  The technology blew me away and even hubs was very impressed at the way it was filmed. He thought it was very well done. he wasn't as thrilled as I as but he did still like it. I think it didn't help that he had to sit in the theater for almost 45 minutes as I didn't want to be late  LOL  Im going to try to get back to go see The Jungle Book in 3D  it looked really good.
     Im actually going into the kitchen, its one of those days when I need to get away from my computer screen. Tomorrow I go to NY and Im so looking forward to it so I will have some new things to blog about. My silly little world.  So until that time , ciao for now peeps

Window Shopping Online

I need to get some clothes. I'm not talking a lot, just adding to things I have so I can wait for the spring when I can get things. I am saving some cash, so I'm looking at sale items.  I love so many dresses but this one would have to be worn with a shrug as I don't like my arms uncovered. I give it to women who are confident enough to go sleeveless when they have large arms. I'm not saying I don't do it at home, just out and about I prefer to cover. I'm going to get a pair of capris me thinks plus a few pair of jeans. Those I need, I have work slacks, need casual ones too.   

     Oh I picked up our tickets for Star Wars tonight, so yay, finally getting to the cinema. I'll give you my thoughts tomorrow.  I'm excited for the movie but I'm also happy to be going out with hubs. We are having a bite to eat before the movie so it's a nice date night. Been awhile. 

     Just took off my make up with coconut oil, ladies it's so gentle and works really well. I used these pads I got at the drug store, they are more like cotton pads. Did that, then washed my face and it feels so smooth. Try it gals, you'll like it, promise. I know boring blog but it's my blog, it's been a quiet night. So I will leave you some photos.  Here's a few pics of what I looked at to purchase.  And ciao for now 

 M

 M

Will We or Won't We?

Hubs is pretty sick. He's got just over 100 fever and is under 3 blankets.  I'm stroking his head as he makes the weirdest noises while he's sleeping.  Sitting upstairs in the bedroom with him in case he needs something.  So Star Wars tomorrow? We shall see.  Crossing fingers.  All in a day.   Ciao peeps

So Far

    Not bad....lmao.  So it's now almost 5 am, I just can't sleep tonight. Hubs is having a time of it and I think I'm having sympathy insomnia. It's only Saturday, and that's good. Why? It just is, no reason needed.  I think today calls for a glass of ice cold lemonade. I know it's January, cold out, and others are thinking hot chocolate or coffee, nope not me.  I want something super refreshing. None of that fake powder shit either, I'm talking real lemon juice, ooh my mouth just puckered thinking of it. Ha! So as you have seen, I'm all about me.  I did some soul searching about 2015.  It ended better than it started. Dare I tempt fate and shout out I made it through a holiday season without residing in a hospital bed. Fingers crossed as I say that, I am most grateful to the powers that be, this has not occurred. Going to do my fucking damnedest to not have it occur again. Oh and I'm going to say FUCK a lot more in 2016. Fuckin' ay, Fuck off, Fuck yeah and Fuck you!! Fuck Fuck Fuckity Fuck Fuck :-D
      I've decided that in the last few years, I was hurt by things. Not the actual occurrence, but the way it was handled. I have a right to be a little angry about it too. But in the big picture, and I always like to take in the big picture, things went as they should. Lesson learned, I passed - move on to next level.  We all hurt each other at some point, we try not to, but it happens. We are such fragile beings. Oh don't give me that I'm not fragile bullshit. If you have a pulse and a conscience, you are fragile.  The strongest person on this planet, at one point in time is alone in a room and will allow a shadow to cross their minds, a moment of weakness we say. It's allowed and it's our right as humans. Over the course of the last month, I've had more than a few people tell me I'm funny, and one tell me I'm special.   That's another tale, as I think someone may be crushing on me. How the hell do ya like them apples!?  On me!! It's helped put a few things crystal clear to me. Interesting to look through the mirror to the other side. I'll say that for sure.  
     It's so weird. I'm tired and wired at the same time.  I have this energy running through me, I can feel it. It's not for this moment in time, later today perhaps.  The upcoming week it will be needed.  Work is going to be crazy. We had issues with the new timekeeping system. Total SNAFU. Between that and the fact that this Friday is the first payroll off the new year, the calls will be nuts. At least I may get some overtime out of it.  I can use it, it offsets the garnishment. Which will be over in 4 months. It's fine, one more bill I can then say good bye to. It's for my lady hospital visit, last December. I know, how the hell did I not pay it.  Well, when you have your little pay and hubs used to bring home more than double your pay and that one stops then severance runs out and you are now trying to pay all the bills, plus whatever fun house issues pop up all on one little salary, it happens. But now there is another income. Not what it was but it's still another income. I want to zero out bills, get my credit back in good standing. It's still poor but at least it's not very poor anymore so that's the right direction. It's orange now, soon, yellow, then green, eventually blue. Lol color codes, they dumb down everything these days.
       So food, remember how thus all started. It will be lifelong, I'm down with that, I'm down to being a big girl the rest of my life, just want to be a bit less big and feel a lot more healthy.  I am feeling less sluggish, yay, and I'm not giving in to bad choices, BUT,  I will live my life as I need to. Do what I can, for myself. I need to gain strength as I think I'm going to need it towards the middle/end of the year.  I also need to walk better in heels. My friend, he walks better in them than I do.  Sigh....bwahahaha.  Bit of levity thrown in there.  Seriously though, I have to get this ass to the gym again. My back tits are better than my front ones at this point.
     So, it's now half 5 in the morning and I've been rambling about 40 minutes. So now that my brain is fully awake, the it's time to go scrub my face and great the day. So peace out ( I'm so street LOL) and Ciao For Now

2016 THIS..........

Tired

yep all the driving has caught up to me. Took my BP thinking it may be high, we wrong I was. 119/65 damn good actually. im just having some tea, and it's bed. I swear I'm an old lady lately. This will change in a few weeks. Back to NYC in a couple of weeks. Then February to hear a band I've been waiting to hear for quite some time. Right sis? Lol   Well peeps I'm decompressing, so not much tonight, I'll be back though. New Year, new blogs comings your way, new poems, thoughts, rants and positive thoughts.  Ciao For Now

Well Done

     A tiring weekend but a great one. My surprise visit was well received. Getting there though was a chord. The drive was actually very easy, no cars BUT the fog was extremely think. It felt like I was driving through a cloud.  A friend of mine had said when he went skydiving you could taste the clouds. I imagine this was the same. I opened my window and it felt like I put my hand into something. It was that dense. At points I had to put my wipers on as it was misting strongly. It seemed if a car was in front of me (not often) it was swallowed up by the fog. I didn't realize how tense I was until it disepated and I relaxed. I wasn't afraid, just über concentrating. Even so I got to dads in great time and I went to a Starbucks to waste some time. Then I called him and wished him a Merry Christmas. So he was quite surprised when he answered the door and there I was. Lol all day he kept saying that he couldn't believe I was there.  Hubby was going to come, then he decided not to because the trip would not be good for his back BUT he actually caught a really bad cold and was running a fever yesterday so it's good he didn't come.
     I made a mini feast for me and dad. Roasted chicken, stuffing, spinach, baked sweet potato, cranberry sauce (that was ocean spray in the can hehe). I also made a nice beer bread using one of the Guinness I had brought.  I filled his plate high and he ate it all, sans one half of the potato. He still gas a good appetite.  88 this coming Tuesday and he is still spry. I'm fortunate.  So we ate, I did the dishes (no dishwasher at Eds gaff) then I put the kettle on and served the tea with this cake that a neighbor made for him. It was tasty, she said its popular from where they are from. Which is Guiana I believe.
     I made him a nice brekky next morning, I vegged a bit which was lovely. Then I met up with a friend and we went for brunch. I had a full English and I was explaining black pudding to her and she kept making faces. Was funny to see. I love the stuff. Was a great time, and then I went shopping. Made a lovely meatloaf for dad to have later on. I was so full from brunch I did not have dinner.  I did speak to a very dear friend. I met him when I was 2. Lol yep his name is Mike and he is the brother I never had. His mom was from England and I believe she started me with my love of England. We had a picture of the sacred heart in our kitchen, she had a picture of the Queen.  I spoke to Mike about 2 hours. We were so close, we even dated when I was about 17. He was almost 21 hehe such rebels.  It was a natural progression but we both agreed it wasn't right. It felt great but we were too close in thoughts and likes.  Like I said, brother from another mother.  I get that sometimes. Lol
     I also spoke to a friend of mine in England who I've never met but he is a nice enough guy. He's had some wife issues and they are divorced now but he would talk about her and I'd listen, give an opinion now and then. He's sweet, wish I knew someone I could set him up with.  When we were talking I realized who he sounded like. He sounds like Ringo Starr, the inflections, the scouse sound where things go up at the end of a sentence. I think that's scouse or is that gordy? Am I spelling them right.  He's not from Liverpool though, somewhere with an R.
      I even face timed with sis in New Jersey. She was visiting her parental units. I spoke to them as well, they are very cool people.  I will meet up with her one day so we can all go to the Amish Market. Looking forward to it.
     So I'm home now and I'm tired.  Hubs looks like hell warmed over, poor dear. We had dinner, and it's staying down for him. Which is good, gross but good. So now you have my run down, thrilled you are I bet.   My Yoda imitation. Hahaha. So ciao for now guys.

My Christmas Blog

     As I have been saying the last few blogs in regards to not feeling the holiday spirit, I realize it may have been depressing to read. That was never my intent. I am happy to say that this is changing as the day progresses today. Who knew it would be the fact that a quiet day with a few people doing catch up on emails that we just can'tr get to with our phone volume would help lighten my heart to Christmas.  Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and safe travels, the lights on the work tree, my desk all decorated and the Christmas music I'm listening to are working their magic. I celebrate Yule the other day and it was lovely but it didn't help the Christmas slump.
    I spoke to my neighbor and verified that my Dad has no invites for tomorrow but they are having him over for Christmas Eve dinner. That made me happy, they love my dad and I love them, They are wonderful people and you couldn't ask for better neighbors. So they know I am surprising my dad and we added that When I make a pie it will be shared with dad and also the neighbors.  YAY   Im now looking forward to going up and Im going to have my phone on video so I can see the loo on Dads face when he sees me standing there  hahahaha  oh boy   :-D
   I spoke to my friend over in England and also one of his ofspring  hehe   Who made mention of course that she is going to 13 in the upcoming year, almost a pensioner I tell ya. :-)  I also texted with Sis she is having a nice time with her parental units in Jersey.  Im saying that I feel like the Grinch whos heart is growing. I love these people, the year has been nuts and lots has happened, but they hold special places in my heart. My England family and my US family I wish you all the best Christmastime and I am sending you pure love and good thoughts. To all of you I hop ethis holiday season is wonderful no matter what youe celebrate.  Ciao For Now (oh its 67 degrees out at 5PM YUCK!!)

2:22 am Happy Winter Solstice

      In the Northern Hemisphere anyway.  Today will have the longest night then we start to see the return of the sun.  It happens slowly, but before you know it Spring will be here.  I am looking forward to it.  I love Yuletide but I'm still not feeling it.  I was excited to get something for some friends in England but it didn't pan out.  Hubs and I got a great present the other day and we are making use of it I think on NYE.  Going to see the new Star Wars.  Dinner then movie, sounds good to me.  Thank you again my friend for making it happen.    I am off to visit Dad on Thursday late.  I mean Friday early.  Lol well I'll be traveling about 3 in the morning. I hope he is happy to be surprised.  I'm hoping it makes him happy.
      There will be a full moon on Christmas also. Hasn't been since 1977, won't be again for like another 25 years.   That's cool, the moon shines bright into my room in the NY house.  I'm looking forward to having a great dinner with Dad. Hubs has been feeling ill so not sure if he's coming.  I believe so - I hope so.  I want to spend the day with my two guys. Crossing fingers.
      I'm hoping the New Year is better.  It's starting that way.  At least hubs is starting the year with a job.  I am so thankful. It's all I was hoping for. We can start rebuilding and by this time next year, I'll have cards and gifts done and wrapped. (And sent out).  Maybe bring Dad down to us (hopefully). It will be better (wishing). So it's 2:43now. I'm rambling. I'm going back to sleep for a few hours.
HAPPY SOLSTICE / HAPPY YULE to all of you     Ciao For Now

Where Are You Christmas

     I gotta be honest, I'm not feeling the Christmas/Yule vibe. I'm late with my cards. I hope my friends across the pond get theirs in time. I have no clue where the week after the first week of December went. Poof, it's gone! Scramble scramble time. Well in the words of Charlie Brown , I'm not going to let the commercialism get to me. Still a tad cooler weather may help. It's been so warm. I mean it will be good for our surprise visit to Dad and the subsequential trip up a few weeks later for our upstate dinner party, but a little snow is nice. I've got my gloves at the ready. Lol
     I find that many folks are feeling the same. So much is going on with everyone I know. I just want the new year to get here and for it to be fantastic and fruitful for all.  Hoping 2016 treats us all well, health, peace, love, happiness.  You know? That's the true gift I want to see all my dearest peeps get. I could go on and on, but won't. That's MY GIFT to you all. LOL  
    I find myself trying to look for photos of Christmas' past. I miss the simplicity I think. You had a turntable and your records, friends and family singing and dancing. Well trying to dance. My mom had wool carpet and many older cousins wore heels that would catch and well, they go boom! Yep right on their arses. Laughing their heads off since they were so drunk they felt no pain. Once my cousin was dancing and fell backwards her legs flying open right in front of my best friends younger brother.  He got a special Christmas view. I can still remember how red his face was.  We used to have a proper bar in the basement, of yeah, complete with bar stools and shelves and crystal decanters for the liquors. Very groovy.  It was a party basement.   Was when I took it over too but the term party went a little further.  hehehe   Mary stop that!!!  okay!  LMAO   Im a nutter indeed.  
   Okay Im saying Ciao For Now as I have to get back to work. I want to shoot my manager but hey it's the hols so I'll let it go.    

Yay Feeling Better

     How the hell do you go to bed feeling a little crappy and wake up full on stuffed up? Head all clogged, throat scratchy, mouth dry and yucky.  Ugh. But yes it's only Sunday so you take meds and go back to sleep. Wake up around half 10 and feel better but still not great.  So have a cuppa and take more meds, blow your nose and put Vicks capo rub on your chest and under your nostrils. Yay breathing is better.  Have a banana then just veg all day.  Have dinner. Fall asleep and come 10pm you are feeling much better.  Not to jinx it but hopefully s good night sleep and shower in the am will get you all sorted out.  I'm hopeful
     So that was my day, how was yours :-)  I have too much to do tomorrow to be ill.  Work then post office to mail overseas cards, others go out Wednesday. I also need to pick up my secret Santa gift.  I picked one of the guys in the office who wants chocolates.  So will go get him some higher end handmade yummies in town. Small batch and creamy.  I would have loved to get him some pink champagne truffles from my fav place in England.  They are divine but not enough time to order them.  I love them myself lol. So I must say our office pot luck went very well.  I'm so happy. I was thanked for organizing it which was nice so this Secret Santa dessert party is part 2.   I was going to bake cookies, then changed my mind so many times.  I'm going to whip up a decadently yummy cannoli dip.  Then serve it with waffle cookies and vanilla wafers to dip with.  It tastes just like the cream inside a cannoli.  So good. Who doesn't like cannolis? I mean really. I am heading to the dollar store to get a pretty bowl to put it in.  We will again shut the phones and have music and exchange gifts. It's this Wednesday.
    I know several people going to see Stars Wars this coming week, lucky peeps.  I have questions I hopevtheyvwill answer.  I don't care if they are spoilers. I'm going to see it.  Hope they tell me. Made my hot cocoa mix to give out.  Just have to jar them.  I'm going to the post office to ship on Ssturday. Going early. It will be packed.  Wish I could get more for people but just starting to get back on my feet.  Have no real money to speak of.  But it's going to be a better year this 2016.
     I've got more to say but I'm going to wait for tomorrow as I'm tired. Meds kicking in. So until next time. Ciao for now.

Wow, I Wrote That?

Ever get thoughts in your head that come like rapid fire, all at once. So when you write them you are not even sure what you're writing?  That happens to me sometimes. Usually if I'm emotional or drunk, or both.  Lol. Well this was one from last week.  I wrote it in my notes on my phone.  Read it this morning for the first time.  Hmmm?!

     Time for shadow play. You know it. Images on the ceiling appear night after night - the light over in another room brings them to life. The ones who keep you company, the ones who never leave. Only change as your world rearranges, making new images. 

Seek the ones who are the Constants. You know where they are too, but oh the excitement of finding a new favourite 

The perception changes

Interesting, I must ponder.  Ciao For Now 

Brief hello

I have been busy this weekend. At my Dads and got to see friends I haven't seen in years, met the wife of a friend finally. We are friends on Facebook but now in real life too. Met my little cousin who is just over a year and walking and babbling plus was great to see her Dad and Mom.  Haven't seen my cousin J in many years.  So it was a very fun - very FILLING weekend. I have put some pounds on in the last few months as stress eating will do that but it's time to be good again. My chin is back and I hate that.  That's where I show I've gained weight. Within a few weeks I puff up.  Now a few weeks from now, it will de-puff.  Hahaha. It is and will be a constant for me.  Where as you look at my dad and he's so thin that a good wind will knock him down.
     Okay said I would be brief, so I'm about to have breakfast with dad. Then I'm heading back to VA. I'll be back peeps so Ciao For Now

Weekend Wind Down

     Sunday night and all is well at home. Been a time for a small shopping spree. Spree being defined as Dad and Hubs. Lol. My dad will not buy anything, he has no trouble spending money, he's just not the tape to make purchases, he's a great food shopper but as far as gifts Ho he's a money guy. He's also very hard to buy for. He's stuck in the 1970's. Technology doesn't come into play. Oh he has his cable TV and knows all his channel numbers by heart. We bought him a DVD player years ago and I think it's been used 2x, both times by me. So for dad this year, he's getting a new toaster and coffee maker with a new cool mug. These are practical I know, but he uses them every day, so we know they will be appreciated. We are thinking of a space heater that looks like a radiator also. He keeps his home at about 69 degrees and sometimes the living room and kitchen can be chilly. The upstairs is nice and toasty as heat rises so I'm not worried while he's sleeping. BUT it might be nice to have it near him as he watches tv or has breakfast or eats dinner. I may bring that when I visit on my surprise Christmas visit. I wish I had the money to redo the entire home. New furniture, appliances, an entire new bathroom and have a water closet built on the main floor so he doesn't have to go either up or downstairs. I don't like him climbing all those stairs if he doesn't have to.  Maybe have a cleaning team come in to scrub the cabinets and walls, etc.  If I had a few months to stay there I could do it all myself but a few days every month and a half doesn't cut it.  Ah my dreams. :-)
     So this week is our office gathering also. Making the cocktail meatballs. Some people asked what to bring so I asked them to bring fruit and veg platters. We need something healthy.  Lol. Looking very forward to the upcoming weekend in NYC.  Will be so nice. A bunch of friend at a biergarten, yep yep, good times. I'm also looking forward to going for tea on Sunday, this place uses Yorkshire Gold as their house brand, that's what I'm talkin 'bout!  Their scones are totally yummy too. Food food food, so much, but been really good. Thanksgiving the only terrible thing we ate was the mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie and in reality neither is that bad.  But I'm watching but as I said, I'm not worrying either. BP is good and that's what matters to me. Health above all.
      Going to look for boots, see ya. Hahaha.  Ciao For Now

You Have To Create Your Own Amusement

Sometimes, life just gets crazy, work gets nuts and today I swore I was not going to get annoyed or super frustrated at ee's calling in with stupid questions after all if they don't call, I don't  have a job but of course sometimes its hard to do. But today I got through it on a mostly upbeat attitude and to keep sane you amuse yourself. You play little games like when you get that lovely Java spinning circle you try to get the two circles to line in with each other or line up your cursor so it looks invisible, stupid little things  but this was my afternoon glory. I made my self chuckle after I wrote this out

WTF  I made myself laugh at that   HAHAHAHA    I'm a goof  

Ciao babies!!! 

Just A Break

     So our heroine is sitting at her desk munching on a serving of frosted mini wheats.  I prefer eating it this way instead of adding milk. It gets too soggy too quickly and its easier to eat.  I had a cup of tea as soon as I got in but we've been swamped and I jumped into emails as soon as I came in. So now I'm actually having a bit of brekky.  Not been very hungry the last few day, not sure if that's good or bad, LMAO  I was put in charge of our office holiday pot luck. It's like trying to heard cats!  Not the easiest thing in the world to do. Very few people have gotten back to me in regards to what they are bringing.  I myself keep going back and forth on what to make. I think I'm settled on a corn souffle or two. They are easy peezy and OMG so very tasty.  I know we already have butter chicken, beef and rice dish, apple pie, sugar cookies, yep going to be a feast but to be fair there will be at least 35 people coming.  I think I will send out a reminder email, especially since we are off Thursday and most are also off on Friday. I opted to work on Friday as we are going to the in-laws on Thanksgiving and Friday we are open to do emails only so I'm happy to just go, put in the ear buds and knock out emails whilst enjoying my tunes.   :-D
     Yes the holiday are officially upon us I suppose, as I said in my last post, the scents are here. So are the mega displays set up in all the stores and even the grocery stores.  hell they had Christmas candy almost at the same as the halloween candy. Makes me wonder how old the candy actually is. Im not a fan of US candy. I like European chocolate better, its richer, less sweet and more satisfying, to me anyway.  I did see, in the UK section of our really cool grocery store, Terry's oranges. If you've never had one, you need one!! lol
     So yes we finally got our invite to Thanksgiving. I reached out to my SIL and she replied of course you are invited, seems she had asked my BIL a few days back to ask but he hadn't. Backstory, they had helped a bit financially and since then its been weird. I hate that, and the thing is if doesn't have to be. SIGH   But I'm glad we are going, family matters and I have such a small immediate family.  OhOh I am so happy, This trip I was able toget a few extra days off and besides the awesomness of getting to see sis a few extra times I am finally getting to meet up with a good friends wife.  I've known him for many many years but he got married and was living in FL so now they live in Queens near my Dad, and we are all going for tea on that Sunday. Me, sis, her and her oldest boy (at least) are heading to this tearoom that I've been with Sis. To make the trip even better, Dad asked me if i was going to make out his Christmas cards so I figured I would do that the Monday and I told him that we are going out to lunch to this pub called Trinity he likes. Its a nothing special irish pub but its close and friendly locals. he enjoys their cottage pie so I told him lets go AND HE SAID YES!! he never wants to go out, so I told him he can buy me a Guinness.  I'm looking forward to that. May see if Sis wants to come for dinner that night, note to self, ask her  lol
     Well Im going back to work and will end this here, So Ciao For Now

It's Beginning To Smell ALot Like Holidays LOL

    I have to say I REALLY REALLY love scent. Bath & Body Works, Molten Brown, Pucci, Prada, Kenzo, Balenciaga, Channel, Givenchy, Armani, Yankee candles, perfumed bath products, powders, bubbles, not to forget rain (yes rain), fresh cut grass, flowers, the ocean,cookies baking...somebody stop me!!!  Lol.  
    It's time now for the winter scents I love. Cinnamon, cloves, mixed with pine and cranberries, oranges dotted with cloves as decorations.  Very old tradition. Going on tangent here, but ever wonder why people stick cloves in citrus. Lemons were used back in olden days. Let's face it, dentistry wasn't the best so a gentleman, when courting a lady, offered her a lemon studded with cloves. She would then take it and take one of the cloves to chew on, this would freshen your breath. Then they would have kissed.   Okay I'm back from tangent land.
     Customs and traditions, they do mean something. Scent plays big for me anyway.  All the scents of the holiday.  The scent of different foods cooking, all melding into one delicious smelling symphony. Then walking out into fresh snow, you could smell the freshness, I kid you not.  They can be overwhelming I admit it, too much of anything can be.  But I love these Winter scents, even in perfumes. :-D but that's for another blog.
     I know this is short, so am I. Ha! So ciao for now

The Real Deal

I want to be a positive person, the world is doing its best to prevent this. I could easily crawl into my own little safe world and go mad. I WILL NOT GIVE IN!! I will no longer care if I gain a pound or have one too many cocktails. I will go to work and do my due diligence but Im going to enjoy life as much as possible and not worry what anyone thinks of me. I know right from wrong.  I'm tired of every damn post on Facebook being about refugees, or terror, or humans hating other humans, its the truth and I know this, but as I will deal with all of that, as I cry for the pain the world is going through- I will also remember I am here to make a fucking difference SOMEHOW to SOMEONE or SEVERAL SOMEWHERE.  I will post pictures of my cat or stupid  funny things and people so we dont forget to smile. If we forget that then they have won indeed!!

I Will Not Walk On Eggshells

     At least I will try. This latest attack in Paris was tragic. The killings in Bagdad were also as are all the senseless killing. Paris sticks out as it was like 911.  Not a country under fire but a innocent place. Nothing to make you think of terrorists or death.  I live not far from DC and friends have relatives working in places where they say there is credible threats that may be another 9-11. Scary especially with the holiday season here.  Look I'm cautious and I'm aware but if it's my time to die I will die. If it's at the hand of someone who hates me for my beliefs  at least I know I kept my beliefs. I do not hate anyone of any religion.  These people are not religious. They have hidden behind a religion where even its followers have perished. Religion has caused so many problems, every religion over the years has flexed its muscles. I'm not afraid, I am cautious but I will live my life. I'll still worry about friends, that's just me, always will. Lol.  Just a note from the round chick, who's enjoying cuddles with the kitty right now. Going to go brush her, major purrs coming. Hehe.  Ciao for now