Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Stalling....Again....

I am in my "don't want to get back to my real life" mode. I confess this always happens whenever we come back from a trip. This time it feels like we were gone for a month, instead of only eight days. We started with an overnight babysit in Connecticut, flew out to Las Vegas for a few days, then went over to San Diego for a few more days. We came back on the red-eye, which was a great flight, but I found it very disorienting. I understand losing a day or part of a day when you cross time zones, but it was so strange losing the night instead.

So, yesterday I vegged on the couch with my book and my down quilt. Today I am doing laundry, because it requires no brain power, and yet is a worthy use of one's time, because it needs to be accomplished, especially after a trip. I am hanging on the computer, because it requires no brain power, but it really is not a worthy use of one's time--just an excellent way of stalling. Maybe by tomorrow I will be ready to get my brain into gear and come up with a prioritized to-do list.

Our trip was great--caught up with some fine family, and got thoroughly sensory overloaded in LV. Saw some good art at the Getty in LA, and ate entirely too much all around SD. I'll be paying for that later this afternoon at Weight Watchers... Come on brain--defuzz, so that I can get back on track!

Friday, February 12, 2010

Calligraphy Issues or How I Spent My Last Three Days

I confess that I have always enjoyed beautiful pen and ink work. I got the pen--actually the first one that I had was an old one that came out of an attic, the old style holder with removable points. I fooled with a bottle of India ink--you had to dip the pen each time you wrote. Then I moved up to a set that worked like a fountain pen that filled with a little squishy thing inside, and it wasn't necessary to deal with the ink bottle every few letters. There was also a third set that had cartridges. With all of the systems, I ended up with black fingers, ala Amadeus. Sadly, my small motor coordination is so poor that no amount of practice was going to allow the lovely, symmetrical lettering that showed in the workbook illustrations.

And yet, I persist. There were wedding invitations to be addressed, and I stepped up and volunteered to do the writing. I pulled down the boxes with the pens and ink bottles, and tried out a bunch of points before making my selection. Then, there was the matter of lettering styles. I filled up a couple of sheets of copy paper before settling on what looked best. My fingers got black. I figured out how to rule off a sheet of card stock, so that I could slide it into the envelopes, and it would show through, and allow me to place the addresses in the center of the envelopes. So far so good. My writing is a little spidery, and the pen was crotchety until I changed ink, but I still like the look of hand addressed envelopes. I just wish I was a little better at. I would really enjoy doing more if I thought I could do it really well. Oh well. The envelopes are finished, ready for their stamps. Best wishes, bride and groom!

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Wait, wait!! Where's spring?




Christmas is over, January is cold and done with, and then it is supposed to be spring, right? They are selling tulips in the grocery store--that means it's spring. Grrrrr! Or I should say Brrrr!

Every winter I do this to myself, thinking spring will be arriving, and wishing winter-be-gone. As we were walking along the other day, daffodils were poking out of the dirt about an inch high. I convince myself that this year winter will be short, and February doesn't exist. Part of the reason that I disliked living upstate was that March was still winter, and April, unlike the zephyr filled month of poets, was the worst slush/slop/mud scene I ever saw. I WANT MY SPRING!

Not gonna happen. We're digging out again this morning. The sun is shining, and the snow is still pristine, so it is all very pretty. But, in a little while the breeze will come up, and it will all start sliding off the trees in clumps, and the snow plow will come through throwing up the sludge from street level, making big dirty patches along the curbs. Yesterday there was already a large amount of water underneath the whole thing, so that there were big puddles that had to be negotiated if you wanted to cross the street. Up on Main Street, the snow plow barreled towards me--too fast for me to react, and splatted my lovely winter coat with big grey blobs. I also found out that my boots leak...

We do have an escape plan though. We are supposed to fly to the west coast to visit the doctor and his wife, and the 10-day forecast looks pretty decent. Here's hoping we get to fly out between the snow flakes!

Saturday, February 6, 2010

Plenty Going On


We've been so busy that I haven't thought of anything to write. All my brain cells are being used to keep track of the details of our travel plans. We went to St. Louis to be with friends over New Year's. Then we flew to Florida to be with my folks while my mother had her hip replacement surgery. Next week we go out to Las Vegas for a few days, then fly over to Los Angeles to visit down in San Diego. In March we go to Hawaii to celebrate friends' 40th Anniversary--they really know how to celebrate! Then comes the surprise wedding of the decade, another quick trip to Florida, followed by the reception for the wedding couple. Next, a cruise to Bermuda, leaving out of New York. I think that's the big finish.

I have spent many hours on the computer working out plane tickets, and car rentals, and you really have to pay attention to what your are doing. We got caught a couple of times with night flights that were listed mixed right in with the daytime flights--only the little am/pm to differentiate. We have developed a system with a folder to keep track of the itineraries and reservations, especially with all the things that are prepaid. The best part is that you can actually do all this, and pick your own travel times, and that you have such great access to scheduling and pricing.

We've gotten really good at packing, and managing the luggage. You can check the forecasts ahead so that you have the right clothes when you get there, and we haven't made many mistakes--we both have good lists, and I just leave all my toiletries in the case, so that I don't even have to bother getting it all together each time. I just refill my little bottles, and I'm good to go. I guess we are having the best retirement ever!