spring feaver???

I can't think of anything to write about this evening except the weather.  But the weather is being pretty spectacular.  I just think it's really lovely to be able to go outside, take a deep breath, and not feel like my lungs are freezing.  Happy, happy spring everybody. 

Well, here I go again...

Last year I acted in a play called "The Children's Hour." I thought that would possibly be the last play I would appear in because there just aren't that many parts out there for 73 year old women. But last weekend I auditioned for a part in a play by a local author called "My Dead Clown," a wierd comedy with an underlying positive message which will be performed at First Presbyterian Theater in July.  Surprise, surprise, I got a role.  It's not a large role but it will be a fun one and not too much of a stretch for my acting ability.  The part is described as a "sweet little old lady, a perfect grandma." Talk about type casting (except for the 'little' reference. At 5'10" I am seldom described as little.) I'm looking forward to one more time on stage.

baby leaves and blossoms

I was driving around town earlier today and realized that spring really, really is here.  Everywhere I drove I saw trees in bloom and others showing those lovely first tiny leaves. So nice. Then, as I typed the title of this blog I realized it could have two meanings depending on punctuation. Baby leaves and blossoms can refer to just what I saw today or, with a little punctuation could imply that baby has left home and is blossoming in a new home or career.  Baby leaves, and blossoms.  It reminds me of the title of a book on punctuation that was popular a few years ago, "Eats Shoots and Leaves".  It was meant to explain what pandas eat - shoots and leaves.  However, with punctuation it can imply that that pesky panda ate a meal, shot something and then left.  Eats, shoots, and leaves. Enjoy your spring and the quirks of our language.

calling bingo

On the fourth Thursday of each month I help cook and serve a meal at our church. This lunch is served to anyone in the neighborhood who wants to come in and eat.  Many of the people who attend are homeless or live in government subsidized housing across the street from the church. Most of the people are very appreciative of the food.  Today's meal featured a casserole with ground beef and six diffferent kinds of beans. Sounds a little strange but really very tasty.  Of course anything is tasty if you throw in enough bacon and brown sugar. Lots of people came back for seconds.  Over the months that I've been doing this, I've developed a bit of a speciality.  I stir hamburger. (Ground beef is the base for many of our casseroles.)  The reason I have been assigned this position is that I am one of the few women helping who is tall enough to see into and reach down into the huge pots in which we brown the meat and keep stirring the meat to keep it from scorching. Other people add ingredients from time to time and I just keep stirring.

Last month and today I added another job to my resune.  I call the Bingo game that we always have after lunch.  Winners of each round win a dollar and, believe me, those dollars are important to some of these people.  I find I can make myself heard quite well.  I just remember lessons learned as a teacher and, more recently, as an amature actor.  Ironically, as I was calling numbers today, the director of most of the plays I have been in walked by and muttered "Nice projecting."  This was high praise indeed because when I am in a play he is always telling me to speak louder.

Bird brain might not be an insult.

I watched an interesting program on Nova this evening.  It was all about how much some birds can learn.  It wasn't just tricks taught by repetition.  The program showed birds (specifically crows and geese) figuring out puzzles, learning to get to food 'trapped' in some way.  One experiment I found interesting was one that had some food inside a plastic, somewhat smashed two liter bottle.  He couldn't shake it out so the bird put the bottle into a nearby bird bath, let the bottle fill with water, and then floated the food out and ate it. In another experiment, two men wore caveman masks when they caught a crow and banded it.  The bird wasn't hurt and was released as soon as it was banded, but it always reacted with loud screeches when these men walked around the area wearing the masks; only when they wore the masks.  But what made it interesting was that they communicated their fear to all of the other birds in the area who also reacted to the masks. They also communicated the message to the next generation. The researchers also said that the birds show signs of emotion.  I found that very easy to believe.  Now that we're having some lovely spring weather, the birds in the trees along the river, and the geese in the river, are all celebrating the sunrise every morning, loudly and excitedly.  Right now it's a joy to hear them.  I'll let you know if I'm still feeling that way in July.

Sociology 101

Once or twice a year my daughter-in-law, a Frence and Sociology teacher, invites a few senior citizens such as myself to meet with her Sociology students in small groups, usually two old timers at a table with four to five students. One of the students leads the discussion which is based on a series of questions.  We talk about how life was many years ago vs. now and I find it very interesting to get their input on various aspects of life now and then.  The one subject that always comes up is technology.  I know they have a hard time understanding that we didn't grow up with personal computers, let alone tablets and smart phones, but when I told the group today that my family didn't even own a TV until I was in 6th grade they positively goggled. However did we survive???
Another question was "Did you ever participate in any deviant behavior in your youth?"  When I told them that,while I didn't really consider it deviant, I did date a black man back at a time when dating someone of another race wasn't as common as it is now.  One young lady asked me how my parents reacted to that.  I was honest and told her that I was living in New York at that time. My mother was dead and my father was living in Indiana.  It was never a serious situation and he never knew.  It always surprises me what memories these sessions stir up. It all seems soooo long ago.

It's good to be right

Not meaning to brag or anything but it's nice to have some things that I have long believed be validated.  I'm refering to two reports on this evening's news. The first one isn't really a new idea at all.  All my life I remember being told that breakfast is the most important meal of the day and now studies show that this is true.  It turns out that people who regularly eat a reasonable breakfast are healthier and less likely to be overweight.  They didn't say what happens to people who regularly eat breakfast at IHOP.
Secondly, studies are showing that using artificial sweetner isn't good for you and definitely doesn't prevent weight gain.  The report particularly singled out Aspartame (the stuff in the blue packet that's used in lots of diet sodas). I discovered several years ago that that stuff gives me blazing headaches which I'm pretty sure is an indication that it's not good for me.  Actually, giving credit where it is due, it was my daughter (an infinitely wise teen at that time) who, when I complained of headaches, told me to stop drinking diet soda.  Evidently she had a friend who had the same negative response. So, bottom line, don't drink diet soda and eat your breakfast.  Wow, sounds like advice from my mom.

Ouestionable reporting

I heard a report on TV recently saying that too much caffeine is bad for you.  They admitted that some caffeine in the morning can help you jump start your day but warned against heavily caffeinated energy drinks and powdered caffeine added to Starbucks-type mixed coffee drinks.  Such concentrated amounts of caffeine (the equivalent sometimes of 10-20 cups of coffee) can cause serious physical problems. All that was fine.  I thought the concern was presented fairly but then they added this line at the end of the report: "While caffeine can help with weight loss, too much is not good for you."  I have a feeling too many people only heard the bit about caffeine helping with weight loss and will choose to disregard the rest of the report. 
Oh by the way, the white plastic bag is still hanging in the tree outside my window.  At least eight weeks and counting.

Well, now I know.

Pardon my ignorance but now I know. I've been watching political TV commercials lately.  It can't be helped if you want to watch anything on TV these days.  We're coming up to a primary election and the Republican candidates are tearing each other apart.  Nothing new there, but I've been really confused by one commercial that has been airing frequently.  In it the candidate holds up a picture of a rhinoceros and says that we can't afford to elect a rhino.  I've been wondering what on earth a rhino has to do with politics.  I know about donkeys and elephants of course, but rhinos??  Finally, I asked a friend in the know and he explained.  A rhino (RINO) is a Republican in name only.  So now I can add that to my growing list of political acronyms; right there with POTUS and FLOTUS. I feel so much better now that my question has been answered.  

Finding out how much I don't know.

I attended the Civic Theater / Philharmonic "Tribute to the Music of Rogers & Hammerstein and Andrew Lloyd Webber" this evening. One of the French Horn players rode down in the elevator as we were both on our way to the theater and the Oboe player zipped past me on his way a few minutes later as I was waiting for my ride.  These are both very pleasant young men who live in my building.
Needless to say the music was beautiful and the soloists were outstanding.  What surprised me though was what I didn't know. Act 1 presented pieces from some  R & H staples like "Oklahoma", "South Pacific" and "The King and I'. What surprised me was a piece called "A Fellow Needs a Girl" from a musical named "Allegro." I have never heard of that musical.
Act 2 presented pieces from Anderw Lloyd Webber classics "Evita", "Cats", and "The Phantom of the Opera" all wonderfully performed.  Then their were equally lovely pieces from three Webber musicals named "Starlight Express". "Sunset Boulevard" and "Aspects of Love". I have never heard of these last three plays but I'm curious about them now.
The closing number, from "Aspects of Love" was "Love Changes Everything" and that was a truly beautiful number. All in all, an excellent evening.  I'm just feeling humbled by how much I didn't know.

book review

I just finished a book, his newest I think, by Robin Cook called "Charlatans".  As with all of his medical thriller novels, it left me wondering if such things could possibly happen.  The main theme of the book is the idea that it's getting easier and easier to study medicine on line and, through the marvels of modern technology, to falsify credentials.  Scarry stuff.  He also gets in some pretty good digs at the herbal suppliments industry.  All in all a very interesting read.  I recommend it.

Empty Car Syndrome??

I watched both of my children head off to college many years ago and never really suffered too much from 'empty nest syndrome.'  Now, however, another passage in my life is coming to an end and I'm not sure how I feel about it.  Since 2007, when my daughter was deployed and 2008 when my son and his family moved back to Fort Wayne, I have been driving one or more grandchildren to and/or from nursery schook, kindergarten and on into grade school at least two or three times every week during the school year. For a few years it was every day.  I rejoiced when the youngest was finally old enough and tall enough that I didn't need any child car seats in my car.  They could buckle their own sear belts and life was easy.  Now my youngest grandchild will be graduating from 8th grade in five weeks and suddenly I won't need to pick up anyone after school (at least not on a regular basis). Part of me is rejoicing, knowing I will have a more flexible schedule but part of me is realizing that I am really going to miss those after school conversations. Thank goodness they do all still text me.

Paper cut outs

I mentioned a few days ago that I am currently hosting a "Flat Stanley" paper doll that my great niece sent me from Spokane last week.  So far I've had lots of fun taking pictures or Stan with friends, a small dog, a little girl and others.  People have been very nice about letting me take pictures.  I even got a picture of Stan with our children's pastor who was quite familiar with Flat Stanley projects.  One of my favorite pictures so far has a teeage friend of mine helping Stan learn to use chopsticks.  Having said all this, it occured to me this evening, while watching TV, that my flat cardboard cut-out might be able to get into politics, at least based on frequently run political commercials. And, considering the fact that he comes from Washington state where marijuana is now legal, he might even be a popular candidate. Goodness knows I could use something to deaden the pain of the current political scene.

Wear your Pajamas to Work Day

That's what it says on my calendar. Today is "Wear Your Pajamas to Work Day".  Sadly, I can't see that working for me.  I can't imagine ever having worn my pajamas to work before I retired.  I think clients would have had grave doubts about me if I had shown up to drive them around town looking at houses while wearing pajamas. And I'm pretty sure the church where I worked most recently would have frowned on it if I had shown up in my pjs.  We weren't even allowed to wear denim. Now that I'm retired you would think I could wear my pajamas any day that I'm not going out. However, no matter how light my schedule is on a particular day, I do have to go down to the lobby to get my mail and, no matter how 'at home' I feel in this building,  I have not yet had the nerve to do that wearing my pajamas.  I don't even go out of my apartment wearing my fuzzy slippers.  Ah well, I guess this is a special day I just won't be celebrating. However this Wednesday is "Banana Day." I think I'm ok with that. I will eat a banana that day, but not in the lobby.

Just let your hands drip dry????

I have heard before that those hot air hand dryers found in many public restrooms are breeding grounds for all sorts of bacteria. Supposedly 50 colonies or kinds of bacteria can be blasted onto your hands in 30 seconds, according to a report on TV this evening. Actually, the first I heard of this problem was on an episode of "The Big Bang Theory" when germaphobic Sheldon claimed that this was true.  I really didn't want to believe it because I like the feeling of warm air drying my hands.  I always feel so clean. I also always felt that using air dryers saved trees.  When I was traveling recently I saw a small sign posted above a hand dryer stating that that particular dryer contained a super effective hepa filter which they guaranteed would filter out 99% of all bacteria.  That sounded pretty impressive but I only saw that sign in two places. Now I'm wondering what I should do in restrooms where all they have are the hot air dryers?  Dyr my hands on toilet paper?  Yuck, That usually disolves before it drys.  Let my hands drip dry or wipe them on my clothes?  None of these solutions seems very pleasant to me so I guess I will continue to use the dryers. I think, as long as I don't lick my hands as I'm walking out of the restroom, I will probably be OK.

A new writing assignment.

I received a letter yesterday from one of my great-nieces (a third grader) in Spokane.  It came in an envelope with another letter from her reading teacher and a cut out, cheerfully colored, figure of a little boy named Flat Stanley.  I was asked to take some pictures of Flat Stanley engaged in various activities or sight seeing.  So now I'm having fun imagining situations for this little flat character.  So far I've taken pictures of him holding a tooth brush, being tucked into bed, 'helping' make cornbead and holding a grape.  Nothing very exciting yet but I hope to get some helpful suggestions from family and friends.  I am reminded of a time, many years ago, when my son and some college friends took a little yellow-orange plastic caution figure (the kind you see warning of wet floors or whatever) traveling with them when they took a trip to Cape Kennedy.  I know I won't have any pictures as exciting as some they came up with but I will do my best to send something my neice will enjoy reading. I may also slip some pictures into this blog just for fun.

It was for a good cause.

I probably should never go to a garage sale. After all, I downsized two years ago and I really don't need anything that's typically available at a garage sale.  But every year our church hosts a giant garage sale and the proceeds go to various charities supported by the church so it's for a good cause, right?  I didn't need anything that I bought but how could I resist a chatreuse flower vase, two picture frames, a hand woven mat, a floral print glass serving tray or some quilted Christmas placemats?  I also got four pastel candles (at 25 cents each they were a steal) and, best of all, some homemade frosted ginger cookies. Yummm. All of these treasures added up to under $25 and they are all small enough to pack away when I'm not using them so I don't feel too guilty. Of course the cookies will be "packed away" very quickly. But my really good deed was taking my daughter along last night and a friend earlier today.  Between them they paid close to $100 for the treasures they bought.  Wow, do I feel virtuous.

Taking a walk

Today, according to my calendar, is "Walk on Your Wild Side Day". Happily this day coincided with the first really warm day of 2018 so I took a walk. I'm not sure exactly which is my 'wild side' or even if I have a wild side but I took both sides out into the fresh air and sunshine.  Since I was walking downtown I really didn't see much wilderness, a little wildness maybe if you consider what people were wearing. I did see lots of flowers in the big clay pots that line the sidewalks downtown, very confined in their little gardens but still real and growing so I'm going to say this walk counted. This coming Saturday will be "Dolphin Day." Not sure what I'll be doing about that.  Our pool isn't open yet and even if it was they don't stock it with Dolphins. Hmmm, perhaps I should suggest that.  They are  advertising for a life guard.  Maybe a dolphin could help with that.

Play it Again, Scam

Evidently someone is really worried about my computer license key expiring because I got the same scam call today that I got yesterday.  It may be interesting to see how many more times they try before they drop me from their list.  It's amazing how persistent scammers can be.  I got a particular laugh when someone tried  the "Hello, Grandma..." call on me.  You know the one where your grandchild is supposedly in deep trouble and needs you to send money right away?  My grandchildren and I have a secret code so I knew right away that the first call was a scam.  I did think it was interesting that they tried three more times in less than a week, each time with a different accent. Since my grandchildren are not Hispanic, Indian or Japanese, this ploy made it even easier for me to identify it as a scam.  Who knows what tomorrow might bring?  Thank goodness for caller ID.

Another new scam...

at least new to me. I listened to a recorded message on my phone this morning.  A charming young sounding voice informed me that "The license key to your computer has expired. Call 1-800-441-7400 to renew."  Needless to say I did not call to 'renew' this imaginary license, and, happily, my computer is still working just fine. 
If thinking about all the scams that are out there these days is giving you a headache here are two old-time headache cures published in my "Old Farmer's Almanac" calendar today:
1. Tie a salt herring around your throat.
or 2. Apply collard greens to your head.
Hmmm... perhaps scams are not a new problem after all. Watch out for those collard greens and herring sellers.

An ode to Gorilla Glue

Once again Gorilla Glue has come through for me.  I have a Fit Bit, one of the older 'Charge' models and I like to wear it because it's a very handy digital watch as well as showing me how many steps I've taken in a day. Today, for example, thanks to a granddaughter's desire to browse the mall, I walked almost four miles. Knowing this makes me feel like I've really accomplished something, I've had this Fit Bit, a Christmas gift from my daughter, for over two years now and noticed a few weeks ago that the strap was pulling away from the unit.  I tried twice to buy a replacement band but the bands out there are for newer styles and I couldn't find anything to fit.  So I decided to try Gorilla Glue.  I happen to have some on hand because I used it to repair a chair leg two years ago, That repair is still holding strong.  So I moistened the surface per instructions, spread the glue, and after some thought, used a rubber band to 'clamp' the pieces together. So far it seems to be holding, Score one more for Gorilla Glue. I wonder if they would like me to do a commercial?

Life lessons relearned

Lesson #1: It's not easy being old.
Lesson #2: No good deed goes unpunished.
Lesson #3: When in doubt, call 911.
Lesson #4: Having replacement parts does not make a person bionic.

On Saturday I attended a six hour training session for a new program I'm getting involved with.  Everything went fine until the meeting concluded. One of the older ladies (ok, yes, my age) stood up, getting ready to leave.  The gentleman who had been sitting beside her, being helpful, pulled her chair back so she could get out more easily.  For some unknown reason she decided to sit down again, and, not realizing the chair had been moved, sat down very hard indeed, landing on the (thankfully carpeted) floor with a definite thud,  She assured us quickly that she was not hurt but there was a problem.  This particular friend has had two knee replacements, two hip replacements, and a shoulder replacement. She couldn't get up. Sadly she was surrounded by 10 people, none of whom were young enough or strong enough to lift her up.  After a few minutes of dithering among us, while she apologtized profusely over and over again, although I didn't think she had anything to apologize for, we decide to call 911. The paramedics arrived within 10 minutes and very easily lifted her carefully under her arms and had her on her feet in one easy move.  It was a pleasure to watch. So that's the  story and explanation of how I was reminded of the four lessons above.

a family flashback

My daughter-in-law and 10 of her French students (including one of my granddaughters) are in France over spring break and having a wonderful time despite one sprained ankle and a missed bus connection. Since they are gone, I invited my son and other granddaughter to come over for supper this evening. 
Flashback #1, My granddaughter requested Kraft macaroni and cheese for supper because she remembers having it often at my house when she was much younger.
Flashback #2. After supper we sat around the table and played games for a couple of hours. Real, honest to goodness games with cards and score sheets, not something on our phones or computers. 
It was all great fun. Every once in a while it's good to step back in time just a little.

Enough April Fools already...

It was my understanding that April Fools Day is a one-day event but evidently Mother Nature didn't get the memo.  I will admit I did enjoy the sunshine today, not the temperature, just the sunshine. But, in a typical 'rubbing salt in the wound' sort of move, I was hit with an interesting bit of poetry yesterday morning.  I really like page-a-day calendars and I was given one for Christmas based on the"Old Farmer's Almanac". Every day there is some folksy bit of information.  Today for example I was told to smack a baking tray of cookies on the counter after they come out of the oven.  This will drive some air out of the cookies and make them chewy.  Who knew?  The piece that left me cold was this poem:
"Winter's done and April's in the skies,
Earth look up with laughter in your eyes!" 
by Sir Charles G. D. Roberts, a Canadian author who lived from 1860-1943.  Evidently when he looked up he didn't get a faceful of snow and icy wind.  
Ah well, I keep telling myself that April snow showers may bring May or June or July flowers. 

Believe it or not...

Did you see the recent report on TV of the man (former stunt man, I understand) who shot himself a thousand feet or so into the air in a homemade rocket and lived to talk about it?  I thought the story was intersting in a 'isn't it crazy what some people will try for fun?' sort of way.  Then I heard his reason for the flight.  He wanted to prove that the world is flat (frisby shaped actually).  Isn't this kind of a giant step backwards in understanding how the earth and the whole solar system work?  Sadly, I don't think his experiment would show him anything but flat.  In my travels I've flown pretty high over various parts of this world, and the view to the horizon always looks flat, curved around the edges but flat. Oh my gosh, I've just described a frisby!! Relax, I still believe that the world is a big blue marble.

The Mystery of the White Plastic Bag

About five weeks ago I noticed a white plastic bag, like the type you would get from Target but without any color that I can see, caught in a high branch of a tree aross the small parking lot from my apartment building.  I have a perfect view looking down on it from my balcony. When I first saw it I assumed that it would blow away within a few days, because it looks like it is just clinging to a branch by one handle loop. But here we are, five weeks later and the bag is still caught in the tree. It gets blown around and inflated by wind and is almost constantly in motion but it won't let go of its branch.  It is one tough little bag.  High winds are predicted for tomorrow but I expect that it will still be hanging in there when I check tomorrow evening. The bag is much too high up in its tree to be reached from the ground so I doubt if anyone will bother to climb up and get it down. So now my challenge is to see how long it lasts in that tree.  No particular reason for this, just silly curiosity. Perhaps you are thinking that I have way too much time on my hands but actually this is only a one-minute a day pasttime. Stay tuned for occasional updates.

Happy, happy Easter

I love surprises and I got a good one last night. My niece and her significant other came into town to surprise my brother, the preacher, at his church this morning.  We had a very nice visit and it got my Easter celebration off to a good early start.  Today went as Easters usually do - moving worship service (not at sunrise!), lots of family and plenty of good food.  Last night during our visit my niece saw a silly egg decorating device that I bougth on a whim a couple of weeks ago.  I said I hoped my grandchildren would have some fun with it.  My niece thought they (all teenagers) were probably too old for it but I'm happy to report that they all had fun with it and created some really beautiful eggs.  It's fun to see them acting like kids every once in a while.  They have such a long time to be grown ups.  I was so pleased with my idea about hiding the five dollar bills but we got busy and I totally forgot about until everyone was about ready to leave and one granddaughter asked me why an angel on my shelf was holding a $5 bill. I immediately sent them hunting for the other seven bills which they found after some searching.  They agreed that hidden eggs would have been too easy but seemed to enjoy this hunt.  I'll have to think of some new hiding places for next year  As a grand finale to this grand day I relaxed after the first load of dishes were in the dishwasher and enjoyed the NBC presentation of "Jesus Christ, Super Star".  Really excellent. I particularly liked the ending.  In past productions the show always ends with Jesus dead on the cross and so did this one except, thanks to the use of some excellent lighting effects, his body seemed to disappear in a brilliant blaze of light.  Much better symbolism I think.