Why Men Shouldn't Take Messages

It's been a fairly quiet week, with the exception of the last few days.  At work, word has gotten out that I'm retiring and I've gotten lots of calls, emails and kind words expressing both regret at my leaving and wishing me well in my retirement.  It is really going as I had hoped.....I consider many of the congregants as friends and I hope to maintain those friendships after I leave.  As in the past, I'm likely to be surprised by the people I hear from, and those I don't.  That's life and it is usually something like this that really defines things. 

My only social outing for the week was to have dinner with Janeen (former assistant at work).  She has been in Illinois for several weeks, so she didn't know my retirement news; however, she can appreciate the whole situation.  Needless to say, she was totally surprised.  Otherwise, I muddled through the week as usual.  Friday was the rabbi's installation and I really hated not to attend, although an 8PM start is very late for someone who has worked all day.  I came home, ate, showered, changed and went back.  I was one of the last ones in and the first ones out, but I did speak to the rabbi and I hope it offered some moral support.  By the time I got home, I was wrecked! 

(Aside) When I got home Friday night, I couldn't just switch off and go to bed, so I surfed the channels and landed on a piece on PBS about men (Hawaiians) doing/studying/training for the hula - and, as is so often the case with PBS, it was totally interesting and captivating.  It was around 1AM when I finally gave up and went to bed, but I love finding those bits of totally surprising information that just takes your interest, like that.

Saturday morning I was slowly recovering with my second cup of coffee, when the phone rang.  It was a realtor wanting to show the house around noon.  That put an end to my leisurely morning - I hopped into gear and got the house as tidy as I could in the time available, then left to run errands while it was being shown.  It altered my plans for the whole day but I'm glad to have the house shown.  I've managed to get my house listed on the Multiple Listing Service for a very modest flat fee (even though it is basically "for sale by owner") AND I'm offering any realtor who brings a buyer at flat fee, NOT thier usual 6% of the selling price.  I really didn't think they would show it without getting their 6%, but they are.  Considering the number of foreclosures, etc. on the market, I think I've had reasonable traffic.  So, keep your fingers crossed that the right person walks through soon.  I would love to sell it without that 6% robbery fee.

Once things settled down, it was the usual weekend stuff - laundry, cooking....but cleaning was already done!!  You know I must have a cast-iron stomach if I can manage Indian Spiced Eggplant & Cauliflower Stew and Quinoa Stuffed Peppers in the same week!  Both are new recipes and turned out well - definte keepers.  I know going vegetarian would be difficult for some, but I really like things like eggplant, chickpeas, etc.  It's not everyone's cup of tea, but I don't find it that difficult.  It's opened up a whole new area of cooking and some of the best things I've found have been "ethnic" or "international" - and I really like the diversity.  This was my first taste of quinoa, which was nice in this recipe, so I'll definitely be open to other recipes using it.....and it's a great source of protein.

The time has changed and it was bright this morning when I got up, which is nice.  But, it will be dark very early in the evening and once that happens, I'm done.  I'm definitely a summer persons as I love the warm/hot weather and long evenings.  Once it's dark, I'm done.

Memory Matters

Click photo for short slide show

Thank you to Eileen, Jean and Doug, Sandra, Ann and Jan (my faithful readers) for the congratulatory messages.  Now that the decision has been made, I'm looking forward to retirement and have begun making a list of things to keep me busy while I'm adjusting to having more time available.  Thanks also for invitations to visit and for the use of spare rooms.......I will definitely keep those in mind. As of January, my schedule will also be much more conducive to entertaining guests.  My house continues to be on the market and that is totally unpredictable, but if you see cheap flights coming this way in the not too distant future, you have an open invitation.

Saturday was my day at home.  I should have gotten my car washed, but I have to have at least one day of the weehend when I don't leave the house and, since I did my grocery shopping on Friday night, Saturday was the day.  In the morning I made Roasted Vegetable Enchiladas, which turned out well.  It was a little more labor intensive (and seemed to dirty everything in the kitchen!) than I expected, but the sauce (which could be replaced with a purchased one) was very nice.......and I would probably make it again from scratch. I had purchased Queso Fresco to go on top, which is a crumbly cheese.  I'd never used it before and found it to be very bland......so, I'll use the old, delicious standyby - a dollop of sour cream - on top of each serving.

The remainder of the afternoon was spent watching a CD - The Namesake, which I found to be very good - and finishing a book.  Over the last two weekends, I've read three books, which is unusual for me.  I think after making the decision to retire, my mind has settled a bit and I'm able to sit a relax and focus (on something like reading, crosswords) more easily.  I hope that's a good sign!

Sunday was non-stop.  I left home around 11AM for a 60th anniversary brunch for a couple I know at the synagogue.  Their kids and grandkids from far and wide (CA, Spain, NY, etc.) were here to help them celebrate, and it's a lovely family (they are a lovely couple). It was a happy and light occasion, so I hung around longer than expected.  My plan was to browse around Belk's after the brunch, run a few errands and then head home.  Once all of that was done, at the last minute, I decided to stop and have my car washed at the service right outside the gate of my development.  There was a line up for the drying and vacuuming and I happened to finally look at my watch - and it was 4:10!!  I was meeting Sharon for dinner and a show (Cabaret) at 4:45 - so, right outside my door, I turned around and went back on island.  I was literally gone from 11AM until 10PM.  My kitties didn't know what had happened - there was attention all around once I got home!!  It was a very good day, but I was pooped.

Today is catch-up day - laundry, floors, changing beds, etc.  But, something nice just happened.  The phone rang and it was one of the ladies from the synagogue.  She isn't a "regular" but every time she stops in, we always have a nice,long conversation.  Her husband died about 6 months ago and she has mentioned getting together for dinner - I think she finds a lot of the single ladies to be much as I perceive them, so we have that in common, among other things.  Anyway, she called to say that she had just heard I was retiring.  She is happy for me and wanted to get the dinner date on the calendar.  She wanted us to start our get-togethers before I left the synagogue and got involved with other things.  It was very thoughtful and made my day, as I hope that will happen with other friends I have there.

The Photos are of my friend Sharon's pooch, Daxie.  She is a trained therapy dog and does lots of work at the Alzheimer's program, Memory Matters.  The photos are of her visit last week when she modeled her halloween costumes.  She also does lots of tricks and is a sweet girl, Sharon's pride and joy.  I hope you enjoy them.

On My Camera

Click photo for slide show.

This weekend has been the antidote to last weekend's non-stop pace.   This weekend, I stopped!  After doing my grocery shopping on Thursday evening, I haven't left the house for three days.....and it's been wonderful!  It hasn't been total decadence as I've managed to clean the house, do my usual cooking, write some notes and catch up with emails, prepare for a few things for the coming week, etc.  However, I have done a few things that I don't normally have time for, like having lunch on the patio, reading a book (I'd almost given up reading because I was reading in such small bits of time that I wasn't enjoying it)....and two short sessions of yoga (which I haven't done in ages).  Believe it or not, this is another simple pleasure....being able to leisurely post an entry here!

Medical Updates:  My cousin, Mary Elizabeth (whom we all call Sister) had a mass removed from her kidney on Tuesday and we're all waiting to hear whether or not it's malignant.  It was done laproscopically so she was home the next evening.  My cousin Tommy's biopsy turned out positive and they think the cancer started someplace else other than the liver, which doesn't sound good at all.  He is having more tests and will see an oncologist to determine what can be done from here.  If you remember from some time back, he is my age and only several years ago, to everyone's surprise, had a beautiful baby boy with his second wife.  She isn't a trophy wife, but a lovely girl somewhat younger than Tommy.   He also has a grown son with his first wife, who died years ago from cancer.  He has so much to live for and I hope the prognosis is better than it seems.  Rita called me a few days after I dropped off a birthday gift I'd gotten for her gathering that didn't happened.  She sounded weak and fragile, not wanting to talk too long because her throat was very sore.  Since that time, she hasn't been on Skype, nor have a gotten my usual emails from her, so I'm very concerned.  I'll be in touch this week to see how she is.  Please hold good thoughts for them all.

Politics: Poor Barack can't catch a break!!  One would think the Nobel Peace Prize would warrant some positive consensus.  Not so!!  Our friends, the compassionate conservatives/righteous right/greedy grubbers hopped on it like a dawg on a bone.  More proof of their true nature (with the surprise exception of John McCain....who would'a thunk it??).  Anyway, I think the rest of the world is hoping that we are truly out of the Dark Ages and back in the real world.  My hope is that it strengthens his resolve to do what is needed and right to get us back on a positive path.......in so many areas and on so many levels......although the last thing he needs is more pressure and greater expectations!!  Maureen Dowd wrote a cute article on the subject titled, "Gandhi wuz Robbed", which you might enjoy.  

Locally: This is one of our best times of year and the weather has been great lately.  The mornings are cooler but the days are wonderful...we've even had a couple around 90 degrees.  This week is to be in the high 70s and low 80s, which is very nice, especially for mid-October.  I hope this lasts for a long time as I'm really not a winter person. 

Another disaster averted:  Last Thursday or Friday, my mother called to say that she had lost one of her hearing aids.  I couldn't believe it since it is the type that has the ear-piece that fits over the ear.  Well, I tend to think things like that will eventually "show up", except she had been working out in the year, which makes that less likely.  We thought of every place she might look, with no luck.  Well, today she called and had found it!  Alhamdulillah!!  It was on the kitchen floor (which she had swept in search of it) partially under the electric cat waterer.  She had been cleaning it and somehow the hearing aid must have fallen off and hidden under the water. 

It's been good to hear from and catch up with friends a bit - Eileen, Jan, Jean, Dorothy & Bryan, Cheryl and others. Thanks so much for being in touch.......and keep it up.

Yes, I'm still here!  It seems like a long time since I've written, possibly because I've been meaning to do it and haven't had the time.  Today is the first day in ages that I've had a bit of quiet, down time at work---- but it took a funeral to get everyone out of the office and off the phone!!  Even so, the break was nice.

The weekend was spent in NC.  I didn't drive up until Saturday morning, arriving around noon.  My mother and her friend were ready for me to give them both perms.  By the time I got horizontal on the couch that night, I was pooped.  Sunday was church with my mother and then the reunion.  This was the first year that things really seemed different...there were lots of young kids whom I didn't know, or could even identify to whom they belonged!! The "Brock Boys" were not there,  nor were the two daughter's of of my cousin, Bud, who passed away this year.  So, for me it seemed like a large part of the family was missing.  We also learned that Tommy(of the Brock Boys) was having a liver biopsy on Tuesday, which doesn't sound at all good.  I enjoyed catching up with others whom I don't often see, but it just didn't seem the same.

I'm taking Mondays off again (yippee!) so I didn't have to leave NC on Sunday.  But, when I got home on Monday I had to get some food together for the week and do a little laundry.  All in all, it was a busy weekend.  On Tuesday I met Rosalyn at our local Thai restaurant for dinner.  She lives in Savannah and we don't get together all that often, so we had a lot to catch up on.  Now it's just a matter of getting through the remainder of the week.