the inconvenience of poor customer service (and why it has to be that way sometimes)

Annoying as it is ... sometimes a physician has to arrive in the hospital room of an 87 yr old patient at 6:30am to discuss his status with him. LOGIC dictates that the Dr has a lot of patients to see & probably more than one place to be on any given day. AND, given the poor re-imbersement rates .... as many patients as possible to see. The ILL of this logic is - the elderly patient is NOT likely to remember much, if anything, of what the physician tells him. Questions will come later .... during visiting hours, when the primary family member wants to know what the medical plan is for today or tomorrow. At some point, the Dr will have to come back by or return a call to answer those questions. It's like picking up the same piece of paper over & over instead of getting it filed away the first time. But in most cases .... it's just the way it is. And so it has been these past 2 days with Pa in the hospital. If we don't ask the questions ourselves, no one offers information. (and that's after asking over & over to talk with someone ... who usually takes 3-4 hours to get to us) And don't even get me started on where my thoughts go when a nurse, then a case worker, then an aide- come in to speak with Pa's room mate (just minutes apart) LOUDLY, because he's asleep & they are inquiring how he feels or how alert he is. GEE, ya think the fact that he has to be yelled at to respond, or that he only gets 2-3 words out before falling asleep again- could mean something ??!!! (and in the meantime- Pa is wide awake & coughing again!!!) The bottom line- we deal with it as best we can & move on. And Pa? Well, he will get the care he needs to allow him to come home ... and he will look forward to being back on his own schedule, in his own surroundings and we'll hope it's a long time before we have to address it again!

early isn't quite as so these days ....

I've been up for about an hour I would guess. Poki came by my side of the bed, making it clear that he had things to do & asking if I could get his breakfast a little earlier than usual. After a few taps on my head with his newly trimmed nails .... I agreed. Rinsing my hands at the kitchen sink, I could see the breezes that were forecasted for yesterday afternoon, arrived today. Perhaps they had a layover in the valley or played a sunset round of golf- causing their delay. At any rate ... with the pillowy soft hum of the heater blowing gently at my hair .... I was imagining a summer wind passing through the field. The grasses, now waist to shoulder high with last month's sunshine and last week's rains .... dances in the direction of the ocean, shifts to pay tribute to the green hills, then back again- bowing to the silvery glimmers. I tapped the 'on' button of my coffee machine, not set to brew for nearly another hour, and I gratefully take in the portrait before me- delightfully enhanced by the chimes it's enticed to play along. The house is silent at the moment. Void of evidence of the cold that may have begun with Pa, passed to me ... still residing with him, departed from me & settling into the Captain. For me- an annoyance, for Pops- potentially dangerous, for the Captain- frustrating, as it keeps him from doing all that he wants & causing him to feel guilty in his lathargy. The aroma of coffee twists my arm to warm some white chocolate cremor to join it's dark brew, and I'm already anticipating it's warm sweetness .... as I wrestle with what I shall do with these solitary minutes. Words start to gather into phrases in my head and I bring my computer to life, to allow them to spread across the screen. If I don't release them .... it takes a long time for them to melt away. And here I am .... Minnie Mouse mug in front of me, tapping away. Perhaps I will use this as the cornerstone of my project 365 today and try to capture the movements of life as I see it from my window. ahhhhhhhh ..... a nice way to start my day. coffee computer camera

he's .... argh ... gulp ... how old?

A lot of noise is made about the "image" that best sells a product.
Products that could be anything from butter, to underwear, to movies. I'd bet that we all add to that "noise" at times .... disgusted by the use of sex to sell, or outraged that our kid isn't cute enough. But the bottom line .... in all fairness to advertising .... is that, with few exceptions- we prefer to look at "pretty" people whilst we are being entertained. If we were constantly faced with what is truly reality, we could just look at real life ... and therefore, it wouldn't be so entertaining to us!
All of this comes to mind because another of the beautiful people has recently died, and I am reminded of the mortality of .... well, .... me. Many of the celebrities that have past are near the age of my parents & in-laws (1/2 of which are gone as well) ... and I wonder, how will I feel when well known people of my age begin to die? What thoughts will I have if I hear that Oprah, or Kim Basinger, Walter Payton, Ron Howard, or Suze Orman has died of natural causes?? I am mentally, soooo not old and yet .... I am certainly no longer chronologically young.
I want to be young until it's too late.
I don't want to look like I'm trying to be young too long, and I don't want to make a fool of myself by doing things I am (obviously) too old to do. BUT- I do NOT want to get old before my time. I don't want to waste away when I have yet so much to do & see & accomplish.
WITH ALL THIS heavy thinking ... I best get to bed for some more beauty sleep!!!

the pest is gone, but the bug arrived

Yesterday, we began settling back into our not-so-normal routine, just as a cold was doing so inside my head & sinuses. . . . . . .

We returned the princess of pestiness to her lair yesterday, just in time to wrestle her brother to the ground in order to hug him- before he headed out to school. At 3 years old (almost 4 she reminds me), 5 days away from mom & dad seems to be her limit .... and by then, my energy tank was in the yellow zone, since the majority of our time was spent indoors due to rain. BUT, as much as I enjoy the peace & quiet we're used to, I must admit, I enjoy her curiosity over the littlest of everyday things. She most certainly keeps my brain engaged with her questions & slippery grasp of linguistics.

As for the "bug" that has arrived in her place - I'm thankful it didn't hit a week ago, & sleep seems to be my best friend at the moment. The Captain, on the other hand, figures the shot of rum he just gargled with will avoid any germs from heading his way.

AT ANY RATE .... each of us are handling the lack of chatter, snack requests on the hour, non-animated TV, and excited pace of daylight in our own way, and we will somehow manage it.

the creatures come out at night

It's raining hard & steady right now.
Cloaking the house in an echoing shroud of noise.
There is so much water at this point, that it makes as much noise hitting the puddles as the skylites.
Normally .... the cats would be huddled near the patio slider, or in the front window, but tonight- they skulk about the living room.
sniffing
crouched low to the floor
cautious
sniffing some more
Something moves, and they freeze, almost in mid air.
a moan escapes.
Then the silence closes in as the rain quiets .... and the cats move stealthily (?) about the room.
circling
closing in.
and there .... in a pile of billowing pillows and fluffy covers lies the beast they seek.
ever closer they creep, til they are upon the blanket.
so near they can feel her breath upon their fur.
upright, & tip toeing past her now .... they have decided she is no threat to them.
She yawns in her sleep and they scatter in a panic.
brave cats.
NOT

sometimes we ALL have to put our ducks in a row!

We are never too young (or old) to learn to get our ducks in a row!! It's not always easy (particularly when you ARE old) but it can give you strenghth and a sense of accomplishment!

Or, In Addyson's case here ... entertainment. (and for me- a picture opportunity) You might ALSO notice that amongst the ducks is a solitary fish (Nemo) and as life goes ... I find that quite appropriate. Sometimes, we feel a bit out of place, out of sorts, or out of our safety zone. It can be in small ways as a daily thing, and other times .... as a momentous occurance that we have difficulty dealing with. In these instances, I fall back to my old Dr Phil mode of thinking .... that if I can't do anything about a circumstance, or a decision that's been made- I CAN do something about the way I react to it! I can choose to worry, or fuss, or complain .... or I can
accept the fact that it's one thing I cannot change- and deal with it in the most gracious, professional, or optimistic way possible.

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These are things I have learned with age. I don't always apply them immediately- but at some point I DO realize that my energy can be put to better use.

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AND THIS WEEK, I have been using some of it's psychological benefits with my adorable grand daughter! (at times, she is smarter than a 5th grader!!)

and I am once again reminded ....

yesterday .... was the anniversary (for lack of a better word) of Mom Betty's passing. I thought about it the day before, I thought about it a few times yesterday .... and a couple of things came up today that reminded me of it once again.

Little Miss Addy, would have had mom wrapped around her little finger- just as she has managed with "papa Bill". And Mom, would have loved her being here. Instead of finding her sitting on pop's lap, I might have ventured downstairs to find the two little ladies applying lotion or a temporary tattoo (yes, mom thought those were cool). She would have found some trinket of jewelry that was safe for Addy to wear and, I'm pretty sure, the 2 of them would have taken a walk together. She was a GREAT mom-in-law, a wonderful grandmother, and would have been treasured (I've no doubt), by my own grandchildren!! I can only imagine these moments ... since mom has been gone longer than Addy has been alive- but I know, I REALLY know ... that she would have been a VERY special person in this little munchkin's life.

Inspiration from those who know best

and I wonder ... would I be strong enough to allow the same choice?

to explain ......

A week before this picture was taken- Many, if not all of these women, were in peril. Miles from home without transportation to return, and perhaps NOTHING to return to.

THIS is the Tokyo Sweet Adeline Chorus that arrived at our regional competition, only 7 women short of "the plan". After many hours, they found all members accounted for, but with the devastation caused by the earthquake, then doubly compounded by the resulting tsunami- the airport was seriously damaged and these ladies .... had FAR more to concern themselves with than singing! But - they saw this trip as something that would build their strength for what they have to face over the next few months (or years), and they were welcomed warmly. A lot of tears were exchanged, & I never expected so much joy to emanate in their presence. It was an amazing weekend with them!

rest, rejuvenation & the wind in my hair!

I think the Easter Bunny came early!(?) A little blue scooter was waiting for me when I got home yesterday!

What a cool surprise!!

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(and thank you sunshine for coming out for a few minutes so I could play a little!!)

WOO- HOO

WHIRLWIND weekend ... comes to a close

there is something about a competition weekend WITH people you barely know .... that will begin to form friendships that could last a lifetime.

I am far too exhausted to sort it all our at the moment but I just have to say that I am already finding myself coaching personal responsibility & accountability ... while coveting, encouraging, spiking morale .... and bonding with a group of women that could only enrich one's lives- simply by spending 3 hours a week with them. (ha)

LUCKY me (and I like it)

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it's St Patrick's Day so OF COURSE ya gotta wear GREEN

(and hopefully make some as well !!)

Do ya feel lucky?

Well, do ya?

sweet (moody) furball O mine

he can be stand-offish at times.

he chases little kitty relentlessly

if he isn't eating, he's usually napping

the doorbell sends him into a panic

he begs for back massages

he begs for "real" chicken

he doesn't like laps

he loves butter

he's MY Popoki

NOT.

new FREE scrap supplies!!

Sometimes, I pick up a

"few"

paint swatch cards while at Home Depot with the Captain. They are the GREATEST material to use with my scrap punches. It's like shopping with a gift certificate. (and so much to choose from)

every color imaginable

perfect thinkness

freeeeeeeeee

what's to think about?

I'm actually glad it was "just" okay.

You know those times when you ask a friend how something looks on you and she replies;
"uh, yea, it looks .... good"

Or went out on that date with the hunky guy and at the end of it he says;
"I had a really ... nice ... time"

Well this morning I had some greek style yogurt, and to that I state;
"It was ok"

and in this case ... ok is more OK than the usual meaning of it .... cuz I'm actually glad. I heard some hoopla about it & I was curious, so I bit the budget bullet and bought a couple. And- finding that I am not going to have the mental tug-o-war of buying half as many because they cost twice as much, or driving about 4 miles less for every greek yogurt I decided to buy (@4.10 a gallon for regular & getting 34 mpg ... it costs me about.12 a mile for gas) .... anyway- it means I don't have to worry about figuring any of that out now. And that's GREAT since I have been flittering my money away on things like milk, & toilet paper, & my SA "hobby" already!!

the "bowl" is still sloshing!

now, granted, ... you might have to be an engineer to understand ALL of it- but with the Captain's hard work at the computer lately ... I couldn't let it go without a mention for more people to appreciate (?)

The fact of the matter ... although the tsunami warning for us (locally) was forecasted to last throughmost of the day, as time passed ... it got extended a few times and finally the all clear sounded and everyone pretty much went about their business. But things are far from back to normal (a HUGE understatement with regard to Japan of course) ... cuz even the bowl here is still sloshing. The bowl being Port San Luis Harbor, and it's continued reaction to the earthquake & ongoing aftershocks (nearly 300 total beginning the day BEFORE the 8.9'er)

The easiest way to read the graph is to know that the red line is the "normal" course of the tides. The CRAZY green squiggles are what the tides are actually doing!!!

As you can see ... mother nature isn't done with us yet!

transitional men, jobs, lifetimes

It is my opinion (and afterall, this is MY blog) .... that we likely have transitional this' & thats' on a regular basis. How or why someone decided there was one in particular, I do not know- nor do I agree.
BUT .......
If we are lucky (and less than blonde), there are particular "transitions" that change our course to (finally) head to our personal true north. That's what I think happens for most of us. Somewhere along the road, we take a wrong turn. Perhaps because we have accepted direction from another, rather than using our own inner compass. Or maybe we see a smoother road and instead of following our mental map .... we chooser that so-called greener pasture. (only to find manure on our shoes along the way).
I believe that, as children, we are often advised or taught by those who see in black & white. In doing so- it conditions us to make a 180 degree about face when we make a mistake, which, in itself, is often another. It is when we learn (perhaps on our own) that life is generally in shades of gray, that we begin to accept without judging. We agree to disagree. We allow victory, without acknowledgement of defeat. We really begin .... to change our lives. Rarely is there only 1 true and singular answer. That there is almost always a but, or what if, or unless ..... and within these shades of gray we grow wiser, fuller, & more compassionate.
and why, you ask, is this the subject of my post?
I don't know.
A thought passed thru my brain & I reached up and grabbed it.
Sorry 'bout that!

I like my cocktails ... FRESH

in my ever-constant (?) attempt to approach food & drink in a healthier manner .... I made this evening's FUZZY NAVEL with fresh squeezed orange juice.

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that practically makes it a vitamin ...

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right???

L-O-N-G day for many ....

it was a tough day to get thru for many .....

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the earthquake in Japan (OMG) brought serious concerns for other places, and the dangers that could be arriving ala tsunami.

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our are of the central coast is protected in many ways because of it's south facing shores, but mother nature isn't one to follow rules, so precautions were taken on all levels- and we got a 4:30am call for PBPD volunteers to help post signs, set barriers, & direct traffic away from the beaches. I .... waited for picture opportunities, but the Captain took the challenge on without hesitation.

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and in my wanderings ... I found that while the chatter around me was filled with questions and concerns about this world event ... there was one who had the shower curtain pulled open wide.

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loudly & proudly she sang her song ... so while I waited for a set of waves or a dry beach - I snapped away at my surroundings, and the sweet little bird tweetin her tune.

ying-yang, Mars-Venus, wrong-right .... same thing

THIS IS - our every day .... BUT I GOTTA SAY ......

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it does mean lots of hugs & lots of laughter!

Life is not boring here. Routine, yes (and I like that), but NOT ordinary!!

eyebrows B-4 underwear

I am not a nature girl. I do not parade about scantily clothed (much to the Captain's dismay).
BUT- if I make the mistake of looking in the mirror upon exiting the shower .... it is not unusual for me to address my lack of eyebrow definition, before I add dress to my unclad body. Now, IF I had a money tree that was ever-producing .... my eyebrows would be far from the first I would change/fix. However, that is not the case so .... eyebrow pencil it is, quick as a naked bunny.

LOCK them chords ... and throw away the key!

. . at our rehearsal last night . . . .
WE had the pleasure of an intimate audience. I call it intimate- NOT because I know these people well, NOT because I have kissed or hugged every one of them, not even because I have shared secrets with some of them! But because .... it was an up close & personal, eye contact'ish, practically sitting in your lap, sort of setting. They smiled a lot (or was that a grimace?) and I hope to get the low down this evening when the gals get home from work.
It was very sweet of them to wander over & check us out, and hopefully there will be a next time. (a full blown performance with flashy costume & clown make-up!!) AS FOR the chorus ... let's lock EVERY chord before 3/19 & throw away the key!!! GO PINK

I thought I did ... but I was naive

When I was in high school, I sang "I Enjoy Being a Girl" in a talent show (even though I was a bit shy, I was braver in those days ... go figure)... Back then, I didn't really understand that "selling" a song when you don't actually feel it (or haven't lived it) ... is, well, unlikely. But I was naive. If I was me now, but back there again .... I would not have sung that song. (I have never felt like a girly girl, though I wish I was). HOWEVER, I have to comment- that at the time, I did feel there was a small part of the song that I related to .... as it states ...

and my future I hope will be- in the arms of a brave & free male who- enjoys being a guy, having a girl like me.

AT THE TIME- I thought I had that guy.

I didn't.

(but) I do now.

Suffice it to say that I don't regret that "first time around" ..... but it's demise was one of the most painful & fearful times in my life, and I didn't learn enough from it (darnit).

BUT-

that was then, and this is now and ... the NOW is amazing.

I'm respected & protected, admired & desired, and .... appreciated.

SO- when beautiful pink roses arrived in the hands of my hubby, I wasn't shocked- I was pleased (again). I love you Captain .... for being the amazing man you are ..... everyday!

ya win some, ya lose less (hopefully)

this thought came to mind early this morning when I saw that my amaryllis had bloomed "out" of it's environment. (much like I wish I could do at times!!!)

I am elaborating more in my 365 for today- but once the subject occurred to me- I kept re-applying it without effort.

In regards to my beautimous flower here ....

WEEKS ago, I noticed it popping out of the ground behind a huge calalily. I have been given 3-4 of these plants (during the holidays) over the past few years and each time, I put the pot outside or tapped the bulb into the ground just for the heck of it. Most of them have continued to sprout leaves, but this is the first to produce a bloom! How exciting it was to see it form ... and grow .... then see a teeny bit of red peek out the top ... BUT THEN I found it hanging by threads of green & nearly decapitated :o( It's in a spot that shouldn't get disturbed, but somehow .... ANYWAY, I snipped off the "noose" and brought the wanna-be bud into the house & you can see the result 10 days later! woo hoo

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There are times when we're aware of a chain of events that bring us to a better place (the 'everything happens for a reason' concept) ... but I think, more often than not, we arrive at the plus side of the score board far more often than we give credit for. Each of our days are filled with "wins" that we might not appreciate fully.

Think about it today!

how to impress one's self

sometimes .... it's really not that difficult, but I would venture to say that it's a whole lot more likely (for me) .... when I'm "in the mood".

By that, I mean that if I'm feeling particularly creative, my endeavors turn out faster & nicer. If the words are already in my head (for whatever the reason) ... the prose flows easier. And if I can taste something in my imagination- there's a good chance it will also taste great when it comes from the oven ..... ENTER ... upside down cake 101

button, button ... who chose the buttons?

now, I REALIZE that I just recently got my bling back on - but even if I hadn't... I would STILL have wondered where the fashion police were when the original buttons were chosen for these shirts? Not that it's anything new- I have seen it time & again .... BORING brown'ish buttons on a groovey shirt.

WELL- no self respecting SA would settle for them, so I did some "redecorating" of my own. The pic doesn't do justice but the new ones on the card are crystal looking so they sparkle nicely against the rich HOT pink fabric. In some places, I used pink ones of that same shade to make them sort of disappear .... and lastly, I added some crystals to the fireworks behind the clef so it's more ignited!!

YES- I fear that when the other members see the new & improved version .... I will be doing some additional sewing! game on.

W with F ..... my NEW favorite toy!!!

WORDS WITH FRIENDS

.... that little "chime" that tells me the game is updating & it's MY turn to play .... I LOVE IT!

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it reminds me of when email was the norm .... and I so looked forwad to coming home at the end of the day to hear the monitor tell me "you've got mail". These days, my sister Foo & I usually have 2 games going on between us at one time.

wooooo - hooooo !!

ho hummm .... la-de-da-da

and that being said ...........................................

I luv Tuesday, I hate Tuesday, I luv Tuesday

You might think I appear schitzo but I'm not.
Yes you are.
No, I'm not!

I look forward to gathering up with the chorus. I "try" to learn at least one name each week. And I visualize my music every night, in anticipation of when I will get to sing again with people (not the learning tape) .... then Tuesday morning comes around and I'm thinking ... OMG, I didn't listen enough, I didn't learn enough, I don't remember anything. I warm up. I don't feel warmed up. I get butterflies that I can't get into formation. OMG, I can't get a breath. What's that lady's name? What am I doing here? more time, I need more time. Then .... an hour into rehearsal .... I don't want it to end. YES, let's sing thru it again. OOOOh, that sounded good. Hey, I sounded kinda good that time. Wow, I remembered that move twice in a row! I REALLY love this.

...... so goes my love/hate affair with chorus. And so it shall be that I will feel this way again & again for a while. Since I was handed a folder of music tonight that would stay put in 40 mph winds!!! Well, at least I love Tuesdays at the moment!