Look At The Birdie...

 I am just getting started reading a book of Kurt Vonnegut's [heretofore] unpublished short stories.  I fell in love with the man the very first time I read one of his books, Breakfast of Champions, probably.  I went through one of my infamous "spells" of reading everything of his I could get my hands on. For weeks and weeks and weeks, I read nothing but Kurt Vonnegut, immersing myself in his madness and comedy and pure, beautiful compositions.  He died in April of 2007, and I had just seen him on Jon Stewart's Daily Show, in rare form. He could barely physically walk up to the stage, but once there, he was on fire...chewing up the Bush administration and spitting him out all over the place. It was glorious.  I am relishing reading this book and it may motivate me to dig out all the old copies of his stuff I have.

  It's been a long day. I woke up when the Irishman was leaving for work at 6 AM...which wouldn't be so bad if it hadn't been almost 2 by the time I went to bed. *Thwack!*  I really need to establish a better routine for going to bed at a reasonable hour, but I never do. I  am feeling the effects of having been awake for more than 18 hours now.  But tomorrow I get to just be at home all day. I am sooooo looking forward to that. I did a little shopping today and bought a gift for my husband, a pair of socks for me and 5 new heavy thick towels. Throw in a big package of paper towels and it was a quick 60 bucks. Easy come, easy go. I tell my myself it's only money...it isn't real. It's just some shit that we trade for other shit, in the great cosmic scheme of things. But it's presence sure makes day to day life a little easier...  :) 

  Have I mentioned how much I dislike AT&T ???  Just looked at my cell phone bill to pay it, and it's 50 dollars more than usual.  It all appears to be in a category called "USAGE CHARGES", and of course when I called to talk to someone in billing about it, I was informed by Rosie Robot that the office was currently closed and I would have to call back tomorrow between the hours of 7 AM and 10PM. Sigh... 

  Spoke with my son this morning...he's still very upset, but perhaps he is working through this problem and I can not worry too much about it personally.  Imagine...minding my own business. He said to me, Look, I know you just don't want your boy to hurt, but he does, and there's nothing you can do about it.  sheesh.  I love him so much...

   Crikey...we're closing in on only 15 days til Christmas. I guess I had better check my finances and get busy... I have my husband taken care of pretty much. (Especially since he said he wanted nothing for Christmas).  lmao...  I'm making a tied fleece blanket/quilt for my little MissB...at 81 she is cold all the time. I found a rich yellowish brown plain and a print with cats on it to use for the front and back. My niece made this blanket for her baby with an Eeyore print on one side and a beautiful lavender on the other, that's where I got the idea. I may get it finished tomorrow. I will probably do some baskets for my family, with jams and pickles and breads and salsas  and such in them. They have come to expect that from me. Not sure still about the grandsons...may both get gift cards...they are so hard to buy for.The youngest is a real geek, but has about everything I could ever think of. The oldest wants a gas card, so that's easy.  Thinking about getting the son and DIL a gift certificate to a local hotel that has hot springs, it's about an hour south of us and would make a nice little getaway...a night away would cost about 100-150 dollars,  and the place is supposed to be great. In fact, we have talked of going, but never quite made it yet.  Maybe for my birthday this year...

  Alrighty...time for bed. It's suddenly after 1 AM again.  How does this happen????    lol  

  Had a talk with an old friend tonight ...called out of the blue. What a blessing it is to have people in my life that I have known for over 25 years now, and still be in contact. Life is good. Mostly.

Namaste.

October's end...

3 days left before we start the dreaded move into Holiday Mode.

  Already the stores are usurping their Thanksgiving displays with Christmas. No wonder we're all so crazy this time of year. What a blessing is a life that encompasses One Day At A Time as it's basic tenet...it [almost] saves me from the insanity that comes with this time of year. It feels like dancing as fast as you can, but never quite catching up to the music. lol  If I let it.

We're are trying to decide if we'll be going to Wisconsin this year or staying home and then taking a trip someplace warm in January (if we can pull it off).  The Irishman is suddenly feeling guilty that he has been taking all the trips the past couple of years and I am always staying home. lol  He still has a ways to go, truth be told, to catch up with all the travelling I did up to 5 years ago. It is such a chore to try to go somewhere...so many animals and so few people willing to help or even be hired to do it.   We shall see...

 I really wanted to get to back to daily blogging this past summer and it didn't happen. Life got in the way. Now it's time for NaNoWriMo, and I am completely out of the habit of writing every day. We'll see if I can make it through this year or not.  I have my pal Mary to look up to for inspiration and fun...If anyone can inspire me, she can [again].  I will never be a writer...I have no discipline. None whatsoever.  I am like an errant child, whining and griping all the way. I won't write for days on end, and then I'll go crazy and write like a maniac for hours and hours without stopping.  

 I am one sick puppy.

 On a brighter note...I got some peppers strung and am getting ready to start some French Onion Soup. The Irishman is working today OT, this is our one day that we try to spend together...he will be home this afternoon sometime, I guess, and not work the whole 10 hour shift that he normally does. So..I shall make soup. And clean and putter and do anything except all the things I should be doing. lol

  Cold cold this morning. It was 10:30 before the frost finally burned off...a hard one this first time of the year. I need to sally forth and check out my backyard...

  Blessings and salutations to all y'all out there. Have a blessed day....

Namaste.

Holidays

 Independence Day weekend. Interesting to look back now, in light of what we [think] we know about things like tyrants and dictators and apartheid and the murder and torture of  citizens around this present day world...and realize how ridiculously giddy we get in this country, celebrating our independence from Britain, for godssakes. I am a bit jaded on all this nationalistic, patriotic stuff, I know.  And it isn't that I don't appreciate a LOT of things about the country of my birth. I guess I'm just a little cranky today. But--I did put the flag out.  lol

 My little town, Bunker Hill, IL  puts on a huge brouhaha  every year for all these kinds of holidays..the 4th of July, Memorial Day, Labor Day. Even as I type, there is a huge parade making its way down the main street--floats and firetrucks and tractors and horse and buggies...Shriners, Boy Scouts and VFWs, children with balloons, politicians hugging babies and dumping loads of propaganda everywhere in the form of flyers and ballcaps and frisbees printed with their names on them.  There will be big doins' all day...baseball and picnics and horseshoe tournaments and it will end with a big fireworks display out at the Reservoir tonight.

  I just finished a batch of granola bars. Rather plain this time, since the Irishman apparently ate all the rest of the dried fruit in his oatmeal this morning. lol.  So, they got oats and peanuts and sunflower kernels and flax seed and sesame seed and raisins.  I need to make bread today too, but am also thinking of a pasta dish for supper with homemade Italian bread.

  Yesterday was my sons 39th birthday. The fam came over for a supper of bbq'd ribs and chicken, potato salad, devilled eggs and a big green salad.  I made a blackberry cobbler with ice cream for dessert, as it's his favorite. It's noon, and I'm still in my jammies.               

  Having a hard time getting going today.  Maybe if I jump up and get dressed I won't feel so blah....Home alone, with the kitties. The pups are all outside and the weather is beautiful again today.  NO reason for being like I am....all mopey and blue. Maybe I need to take a trip out of the neighborhood....I've been staying close to home the past week....

Namaste...

A Wicked Good Wednesday

Ah...just realized I can't post a picture on here because none of my photos are in this 'puter...
And yet...I am blessed to be back online. I am blessed to have all my baking done (finally). I am blessed that my husband just brought me a big cup of hot cocoa.

Mostly I'm being majorly blessed with a break in the weather. It rained some today, but there were periods when the sun shone through as well. It wasn't quite as cold as it has been, made it up in the 30's today! Hooray!! Supposed to stay like this tomorrow too, cold, but dry. No white Christmas this year...

I'm going to try to get a few more things done tonight and then I'll finish up in the early hours.

I have a couple of new sponsees again...one has 12 days today and is wound up like a top. She's a cute little thing, and is right on track. Everything is a major event and she doesn't know what to do. I can remember feeling like that...whew. It makes me tired just watching them spin sometimes. lol

I got a call from a friend in southern Missouri. He's sober about as long as me and has come up here to visit on 2 occasions. I adore him and it was so good to hear from him, and that life is rolling along. Am hoping to see him this summer when I host my next gathering of cyber-sober folks. It will be in June this year...the same weekend as my AA birthday -the 12th. Anybody interested in coming drop me a line. They're always a lot of fun...

Okay...Santa is on his way and if I don't go to bed I won't get any presents.

THAT ain't happening...

Merry Christmas blessings to you all....