Sticky Zipper

Fancy meeting you.  Sometime you meet people and have an instant connection.  I can be in the oddest of places and doing the oddest of things....or an everyday thing in an ordinary place.  I once met a guy in a bar (oh, sounds so cliche')...but who would know we'd travel Italy and be friends for years and years.  It was their last day of holiday from England and yes, I'll go with you.(and your two friends) to TJ and show you around.  Who does that?  Me.

I recently met a gal in the Burbank (Bob Hope) Airport.  She was wrestling with a stubborn zipper on her suitcase.  I could feel her determination, although she was still zen and peaceful about it. I decided to buttinsky (aka...see if I could help).  Can I try, I said?  It might be different from my angle.  If this doesn't work, I have some Ivory soap in my bag.  I hear that it is good for zippers.  She didn't even look at me  weirdly.  She was so nice and replied, "sure."  We succeeded with the sticking zipper.  We talked a bit in line.  Sometimes you just feel an instant connection with people and it is so nice.  We talked about my new suitcase which is colorful (and I later discovered..it's probably super toxic)...smells like a non bpa factory.  We ended up sitting together and had a blast talking about many many random things on the plane. The flight felt like 15 minutes vs. an hour and 15.  Anyway...it was awesome and I thought of her as well on my return flight home.and wow...she even took the middle seat!!

Enjoy those encounters, connection and people.

Yo Fido

Sometimes I think I want another pet (dog or cat), because I just want to have another pet.  You know, to give a good quality of life to them.  A win/ win sort of thing.  Get them medium expensive food and feel lots of guilt if we are able to fly out of town for a few days.

Other times I think I want a pet because I like naming them.  No, I don't think this is normal.  To want to name animals.  I see an animal on the streets (with owner), tv or radio (okay not radio), but I see them and talk to them...awe..hello....hello good boy, what is your name?  Awe he/ she's so cute.  

This may be a cheaper way for me to settle my mind and dreams of having another pet (and yes, naming them as well).  

Here are a few of the pets that I save money and time, but lose hugs, by not having.

Clancy...my sweet boy dog...pushes me on my low power walks.
Jenny...probably a Dachsund
Clark...Orange (Ginger) Tabby Cat

I could go on..you get the picture.  I have many family members who go for food/ spice type names or even desert.  We have Chocolate, Nutmeg, r.i.p. Choco Bean, Banana Cream Pie (just kidding on the banana one).  I did find that us sisters do name our wifi after similar type subjects of food or spice.  We have French toast, hot chocolate and caramel sundae.  Must be a genetic thing.  

Paulo...my Argentinian something dog.  No, I do not need exotic pet, he just happens to be from there.
Francois...the elder adopted senior cat...mellow
Dan..my favorite...but don't tell the others...brown retriever

So that's it,  I could go on.  I love hearing what folk's dog's names are. We have a Diego, a Layla and Pico in our 'hood.  Well, Layla moved to the "country" but that's another story.  We also have a Magic (medium all white fluffy) who walks by daily. He's pretty cool and so is his owner from Ticonderoga.  

The Chosen One. Movie Theater Seating

Going to the movies.  Fun.  Escapism.  The sound, the popcorn (or nachos with just a tad of jalapeno juice).  The new reclining seats.  The sound of others laughing with you during the movie.

Choosing your seat in advance.  Noooo!!  What?!!  This is a new thing and I'm not liking it.  It's a total gamble and stress to choose at seat at "check in".  No me gusto. 

What if the person in front of you is sporting a lengthy Mohawk?

What if you want to eat your nachos (with just a tad of jalapeno juice) in private in the back, next to the aisle?  Is one allowed to move if somebody sits next to you? (don't like crunching too close to people, it ruins my experience).  

What if all of a sudden one changes their mind and their neck kink...was on the opposite side that they originally thought...can ya just flee to the lobby and re enter to the other side of theater?

This is getting to specific and pre-boarding ish type stuff.  That's for airplanes, not the movies...unless I get free peanuts or an upgrade to pistachios.

Naan Sense

Coming soon....!!

Stalker Shoppers

Not that I'm hyper aware or anything but (okay I am) but I notice people staring into my purple 99c store basket (cart, buggy if you'r'e from the south). 

 Was it odd that I have a 32 pack of key limes (only need two), a Jimmy Carter book, 2 bottles of generic mouthwash, pistachios and some cashews? 

 I do admit that I have been know to do a long glance into other folk's baskets, but today the 99c world was getting me back for all my years of copy shopping.  I get great ideas this way.  I find that if you try talking to people too much they freak out and think you're going to follow them to their car and reset their radio stations.  Oh well.  Oops, radio stations?  That's out of date...Change their Slacker Radio, Pandora...stations?  Brush their blue tooth with the wrong toothpaste. You get it.

So, yes you can get ideas from DIY, books, magazines and copy shopping.  I've learned alot and also gambled with a few questions to strangers/ shoppers, which 99% has been well received with extrapolation.  Why not?  It's a way to meet people and share

Turkey Neck

Most people may end up getting a "turkey neck" as they age.  I've recently noticed this and then googled a picture of a turkey.  It looks cute on a turkey.


Trying to appear as youthful as possible without wearing a Bieber tshirt and a belly button ring:

• I use sunscreen
• I buy oil of olay and use it everywhere
• I have hats stashed with reach in case of very sunny day
• and more

I overdid the sun in my teens, and 20's.   Royal almond body oil  and a large maximum tanning shiny silver blanket thing.  Yes, I did.

I now notice that my neckline has freckles...large freckles..okay...age spots.  I also notice that I've been scarred by our cat Slick.  He doesn't mean to, but if he gets restless he will use you as a launching pad.  (He now lets us hold him).  

Sigh.  So I will recover from these 4 or so scratches.  Like a bruise...you can sort of get a time line on when each happened.  

Today somebody thought I was going to be in my 40's.  I think she might become my new best friend!!  I really think she was serious.  I've kind of dwelled on this a few times today.  Age is just a number though, really...until you feel like crap.  Until then, just have fun!!

Got Credit? Finely Chopped Slices #2 x 4

He's so handy.  

What a great job your husband did. 

Wow, you are really lucky.

He's a hard worker.

Oh, are you supervising?

These are just a few things overheard during a hubby and wife diy project.  DIY is do it yourself (which really means WBD...We Both Did).  

The man gets all the credit.  Why is that? I mean, I don't need attaboy's, really.  Just curious about the slant of folks' perspective.  

I was the one who wrote it on the To Do List or had the idea months or years ago.  I was the one who calculated the costs, mapped out the time and cancelled our weekend plans in the Hampton's to get things rolling.  I was the one who went to the oversized hardware store and shoved large pieces of wood into my Toyota.  (You'd be surprised at what is able to fit in there).  I was the one, the brains and yes, braun too...apparently when nobody was watching.

Nobody saw when I handed him the nail gun.
Nobody saw when I set up the ladder for him.  Nobody witnessed my enthusiam.  Nobody.

I'm am just lucky he's so "handy."

Coming Soon

Got Credit? 

Yes, I did.

The Taming of the Spazz

Talk to your grays, like you do your houseplants.

Weed Be Here (a special tribute to weeds (not weed). 

Just Fabuloso

Having a house guest can be a chore.  Not most, but some.  This isn't one of those cases.

In this case my house guest (good friend) loves doing chores!!  What?  I did clean before she arrived...swiffed, decluttered, changed linens, removed cat condos from guest room, etc.  I thought our denizen was in great shape.  Ship shape...or sort of close, anyway.

She is 91.  She is Italian.  Not in that order.  First and foremost, she is an amazing lady.  One who has lived in 3 countries and has always embraced the local color.  She is a giver, a friend to all and very possible a neat nick.  I've witness many Italians being this way...extra attention to the dusty details, but I don't know for sure.  I do know that I swiffed and mopped the tile floors more in my whole life during the 3 years we lived in Italy.  Part of it could have been that living below the most active volcano in Europe, Mt. Etna...one tends to get lots of daily dusting of very fine ash everywhere.  Yes, my landlord also mopped her balconies, but that's another story.

So my beautiful friend is here for a few days.  Not sure exactly as those particular things are just detail...play by ear, she says.  I'm supposed to "do what I want" and she's fine.  Forgetaboutit.  
This morning we have a nice coffee, some eggs and some fancy new yogurt.  She's gonna t look for it, and also a new cordless vacuum (she likes ours).  After breakfast we talk.  She is adorable and very comfortable in her nightgown.  She says later "we dress up" (shower etc), but not really meaning get dressed up.  Just get out.  She needs some new jeans and says her brows are kind of messed up she said.  Messed has two syllables...Italian accent.  

She finishes my dishes (that were done), sweeps, mops and asks what else she can do.  Holy moly, my floor is spotless and crumbless.  I actually caught a glimpse of her doing a few spots by hand and I sort of watched to see if she was sweeping under the rug or anything like that.  Nope.  She also shook out and took out the kitchen rugs.  Maybe I am just a "casual housekeeper?"  I thought I was so much more.   I had to help with handing her a few of these items...broom, swiffer, wet jet pads, etc..oh and Fabuloso.  She hadn't heard of that, surprisingly.  I giggle as I'm giving her a cleanind tip of adding it to the mop stuff (or spraying randomly on the floor).  She was in a mode and I couldn't stop her...there was nothing I could do.

So..we are ready to go and run around and get her some jeans, etc.  As we leave we walk through the laundry room to leave (I swear not intentional).  She sees a few flowery canvas bags of laundry.  I could read her mind, so I point out the clean and freshly folded (mostly) bag.  Goodness!!  I also state that I've washed our comforter this morning (feeling like an overachiever, I was).  Restart dryer and we head off.  She gets a big gleam in her eye.  I say "will it make you happy to do laundry later?"  Yes, she says.  Okay, then...I will make you happy.  We laugh.

We had a fun afternoon and went to many places and of course she never gets tired.  During lunch though, I did casually mention how dusty our baseboards are.  

note* She enjoyed reading this

However, Nevertheless

Trying to brush up on my "conversational Spanish".  I have a Spanish word a day calendar.  Pretty cool, pull off the page...put it in your pocket, find in laundry later.

Today's word is however.  Sin embargo.  Also can be "nevertheless." 

I'm really trying to picture myself speaking Spanish and using this word.  Donde' esta la oficina de correos?  (Where is the Post Office). That was one of my first Spanish sentences.   We'd  memorized a dialogue, which I still remember most of.  Esta' a tres cuadras de aqui. (It's three blocks from here).  However...when am I going to use however?  Am I going to get this advanced?   I'm a mediocre conjugater at best.

I've learned Italian over the years.  Immursion will do that to you, if you try.  I've always loved languages and wanting to say hi or simple things to people other cultures.   I could boast about being able to say thank you in Turkish, Merry Christmas in Hawaiian, or the fish is lost in French, but I won't.

So I gather my vocabulary section of the brain and picture myself in the Yucatan or near the Bay of Biscay at a restaurant (of course) and saying...This is such a beautiful meal, however...(sin embargo), I have left my wallet in my hotel room, so nevertheless, I will return for dinner tonight and pay up.  Okay, bad example.

I will continue to learn my new Spanish words, sin embargo, I doubt I will ever use sin embargo.

  

Out Of It

So mom's visiting and I'm going to make a mushroom risotto that I've recently tried.

I rave and rant about how good it is.  I will make it tomorrow, totally delicious.

Now it is dinner time.  I start gathering the ingredients.

Requires

• chicken broth-  (out of it).  Got lucky and borrowed. Thank you, Megan
• arborio rice- (out of it).  Will use basmati
• portobello mushrooms-  (out of it)...it's okay, I have the other kind
• Other kind of mushrooms...Check
• wine...check
• shallots (out of it)  will use white onion
• parmesan- check
• Olive oil- check...even some from Iberia

So what if I'm missing over half of the ingredients?  I may be a little "out of it."  How bad can this turn out?  I love cooking (most of the time) and find that improv and being creative is the fun part.  Making it work.   Well, it worked!!  We had enough for days

Nonroutine Routine

Routines...

I like some routines but really like nonroutine routines.  Changing things up.

Morning routines I like are: Coffee with stevia and almond milk, getting dressed right away, getting my  hairdo off of my face and going on the computer.  Look at my family and 1.2 friends on facebook, check the bank accounts, and maybe blog.  It's a relaxing way for me to get the day started.  Warming up my mind.  I did walk outside for a few minutes this morning to contemplate an early morning walk (warm up the body). I'll wait 'til later.  A few degrees later.  I may even go for a bike ride, a "destination bike ride."

The routines I don't like are...having to do the same thing over and over.  Oh wait, that's a routine!  Those like..okay at 5pm you must walk for 1 hour each day. I'd rather mix it up.  It gets boring for me.  Even walking/ biking in the same place.  I need new stimulus, and why not?  This is a first world luxury where I can do that.  I do appreciate that.  Some peoples routine might be to ride their bike or walk for an hour each day just to get water for the day.  

My work hours are routine, but my work day is definitely not.  There are always challenge surprises and I enjoy solving/ creating solutions.

We haven't been able to travel like we used to.  My favorite thing! I love discovering and being out of my element.  I like seeing new places and people.  Seeing old people in new places.  You know, the family that has moved away.  You know who you are.  No, you're not "old" in that sense.    We are hopeful to be able to travel like we used to.  Just getting through some health curve balls and then...watch out Georgia, Ohio, and Scotland!!

Extra Button

Where do they all go?  I was helping a very senior senior button his colorful checkered shirt. Yes, he can do it himself with a certain buttoning tool, but I sometimes help.  It kind of confused him/us with why the extra button was on the inside.  There was one sewed into the inside of the shirt.

It's an extra button, I said.  Do we really need those?  Are we going to really lose a button and they say...Wooo hooo, I have an extra button!!  I think I'll sew it on tonight during Jeopardy!!

My client (feel funny saying that).  He is my friend, just somebody I work for.  I tell him he's the boss, the captain, etc.

We sometimes sing the Don Ho version of "Tiny Buttons" while doing the blouse.

Hurry Back

At the checkout at a modest discount store.  You know the ones where Halloween stuff appears in July.  Having a pleasant transaction.  I've said hi/ small talked with this employee a few times over the year.  She ends our interaction with

Please, now don't take too long to return.

It was so sweet.  She's East Indian and with that beautiful accent, I just smiled.  It took me a few extra seconds to translate her intention.  

Ahh!!  I will, I say!! I smile.  That's the equivalent of 

Hurry Back or Ya' all come back now, ya hear?

I'm thankful to live where there is such a variety of nationalities and personalities.

I once said "see ya later" to a random fellow American I met in Italy on a bus corner, speaking of personalities.

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The Mascara Graveyard

Where do they all go?  The unused mascaras?  The mascaras that we used once and didn't like? The ones that were too clumpy, Tammy Fayish or...clowny?  Waterproof ones that leave you with two black eyes the following day? There's brown, brown black and blackest black.  Now that's black.  There are now colors too, but that, I'm not going to factor in.  It's tax time and too many numbers to crunch already.  I'm not real big on make up but I do like enhancing what I have, especially if going out or wanting to embrace and nourish my looks while I still sort of have them (enter English self deprecating humor here).  Even if I'm just doing a 4 hour shift for a shut in/ or a hopeful jaunt to a thrift shop.  I have so many mascaras that I didn't care for so I put them in a zip lock.  No need for repurchasing and not learning the lesson the first time.  A friend of mine says, maybe use those or old ones for the bottom lashes.  I can't do that!!  I'll have black eyes.  Now when I was younger...I could do both.  So here I have a bundle of 'scaras in many shapes and promises.  It's kept in my car.  I guess this is in case I'm in a "need a new mascara" mood.  I'll glance at baggy and dive into the unknown world of lash enhancement.  It's so risky, but then again, I am a risk taker.  It's my Iberian gene.

The One That Got Away 

Are You Done With Those?

Waving hi to our neighbor and noticed that there are 3 large poinsettia plants by his trash bin.   Hmmm?  Is he/ are they tossing them?  Is this a gesture of "finished with but don't want to throw away 'cause somebody may use" sort of thing?  On several outtings today and one of them almost considered exercise (short walk), I see that the flowers still sit there...looking lonely, looking for a place to adorn.  Hubby kind of chuckles at me and the fact that my eyes have sort of become attached to checking this area repeatedly. Hubby knows him/ has served (military) with him and he's a super nice guy.  He's even shown us his place, had coffee with us and offered a number of a cousin named Nacho (priceless...this man can do anything).  I can't wait to get canned lighting put in by him...or a new shower in the...well, anyway.  I kindly ask hubby to see if we can borrow some milk or something from him and also when he leaves, he could casually ask:  Are you done with those?  The poinsettias?  Are you tossing them?  Yes, just a half a cup of nonfat milk will suffice...she's making jalapeno corn muffins...tomorrow. 

Happy New Year!!