Advent

begins on November 30 this year TIS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON!

The word advent, from Latin, means “the coming.” For centuries, Advent has been a time of spiritual reflection as well as cheer and anticipation. Christian families find quiet moments lighting candles in the Advent wreath, and children use Advent calendars to count the days until Christmas.

God, I don’t have great faith, but I can be faithful. My belief in you may be seasonal, but my faithfulness will not. I will follow in the way of Christ. I will act as though my life and the lives of others matter. I will love. I have no greater gift to offer than my life. Take it.
Real Live Preacher, RealLivePreacher.com Weblog, December 26, 2002

AS I worked today, I didn't have much time for reflection,spiritual or otherwise. Am now home after almost 12 hours at work. Time for rest, relaxation and my reflection. Christmas music playing gently in the background. In my windows, candles lit for the world to see.
I have a question AM I WORTHY!

Friday Tidbits

Leftovers- I have none! Except Pumpkin Dip & homemade cranberry sauce.

Had a hectic day a work! Crazy really- No staff, no linen, lots of visitors, lots of folks going out to have meals with their families, crying patients whose families didn't show or even call!

Go out to dinner at a friends, but wasn't like at home with my family! Sniff Sniff- I miss our family traditions, those family & friends, and turkey like I like with stuffing with giblets, candied sweet potatoes, homemade green beans, and woe to me brussel sprouts. NO CHOCOLATE PIE! Didn't see any of Macy's Parade or a football game. Didn't even come home stuffed!

Then came home to walk the dog, huh, Down the street is a Fire Truck & Ambulance. EMT comes out as I walk past and says "do you know who lives here?", "Sadly No",
"Well she doesn't know who or where she is, do you anyone who might?", "I do, give me a minute"- Instead of using my phone to do the walking, DUH I run as fast as any old woman can that has a dog in toe and tired! We get that all straightened out. Does Nursing ever stop? And to bed I go.

Tired and a little saddened, but still very thankful for all that I have had and have and will have; esp God, Family, & unbelievable Country where we live!

Give Thanks!

Once, when my feet were bare, and I had not the
means of obtaining shoes I came to the chief of
Kufah in a state of much dejection, and saw there
a man who had no feet. I returned thanks to God
and acknowledged his mercies, and endured my want
of shoes with patience
- Sadi, The Gulistan


Every Thanksgiving at our table, before the meal is served we say a prayer of thanks and everyone at the table says something they are thankful for, from the youngest to the oldest. Some take a little prodding, but most comply. Some say this is stupid. We have even had written poems. As the kids got older they would ask,
"Aunt J/Grannyj are we gonna say what we're thankful for?' "I want to be first, or I want to be last" Sometimes it's quite a tearful time. Especially the year after my mom had died.
As we are not in NJ or Md and with our extended family we probably won't do this year- It won't be at my table. Plus, I am working. Silly little things that make a holiday special or memorable.
So I would like anyone reading this post to think about it, and thoughtfully say what you are thankful for. Without a doubt for me it's my grandchildren & children and a hubby who puts up with me thru thick & thin.For a new home which is paid for and the health to enjoy it and our new state.

These are pics of Tampa Bay- Dau#1 and I decided to just take a ride-how lucky we are!

HUH!?

I just posted something and it didn't post!
It wasn't the greatest- did the computer know?
Where did it go?

Shall I find it ever again?
lost in the blogosphere
Where did it go?

A picture, a quote and some words about work
and what I did today.
O My where did it go?

Does blogger.com have a lost & found?
O give it up, it's late, get to bed
dream of where it went!

Never explain--your friends do not need it and your enemies will not believe you anyway.
Elbert Hubbard (1856 - 1915)

I FOUND IT! look under Oct 27/2008 if ya be curious!? seriously don't know what happened there!

The average dog is a nicer person than the average person. ~ Andy Rooney


SNICKERDOODLE AKA SNICKERS
Was asked to post a pic of the pup in his coat, well this isn't exactly his coat, it's his Halloween costume-Isn't he cute! He just celebrated his 3rd birthday!



While the weather has been cooler here in Florida thought I had better put a coat on him! When I first put coats on him he would run around the house like ban chi, but now it's like he likes it!? Crazy little pup!

Don't accept your dog's admiration as conclusive evidence that you are wonderful. ~ Ann Landers

cool days

06/29/01
"Life was so much easier when your clothes didn't match and boys had cooties!"
---Unknown

Can't think of anything to write about, is this writer's cramp?
Or am I just boring?
The weather here is far too cold, I didn't expect it to be this cool in Florida in November. It's 49 degrees for crying out loud!
NJ isn't even this cold in November! Although I heard they had flurries!

Even my puppy had to wear a coat when we went for a walk!
The palm trees are blowing far too fast!
and the noises I hear from nature are chilling!
The birds are flying- it looks like they are going west not south.
I've turned on the heat and even put another blanket on the bed.

BUT the warmer weather is supposed to sneak back in the 70's range by the end of the week!
So our Thanksgiving will be balmy not frigid. O LA LA that's more like it!
I'll be working so what do I care!

I've gone to the dogs

The dogs looked so cute this morning when I arrived to take them for their walk- they had coats on today. Ya know it's cool here in Fla.

I took my friends' dogs out today and while walking near the pond out back saw a baby alligator sunning itself on the far bank! I was so glad it was on the other bank despite it only being 3 foot long. I turned my back to tend to the dogs and lo and behold it disappeared! Where did it go!? I wasn't staying around trying to find out. One of the dogs is really small and it could have been food for that gator! That dog is also blind and walks real slow-I had to keep calling it! I don't know if I will ever take the dogs out back again! I think I don't like alligators! plus where there is a small gator there must be a momma or poppa gator!

My dog has been a bit of a pest lately- he has taken to getting into the trash! Any good ideas on how to stop that behavior!? Plus wherever I want to sit he is occupying-now I can see sitting elsewhere for an elder, but a dog! He glares at me when I disturb him! He also has taken to sitting on me. Maybe he is cold I don't know, but wherever I sit he plops himself on me! This eve I was trying to work on that Christmas project and he just got in the middle of it and plopped himself on my lap and wouldn't let me work on it!

His birthday is this week- he will be three- Dau#1 wants to have a birthday party for him! And invite my friends dogs! She and my friend think dogs are people! We even had to discuss what he was getting for his birthday. Don't get me wrong I love the pooch, but he is a DOG!

I like pigs. Dogs look up to us. Cats look down on us. Pigs treat us as equals.
Sir Winston Churchill (1874 - 1965)

I've been BAD

This is a tree in the eve with Spanish Moss hanging from it. Isn't it eerie
I haven't posted for two days now- I just couldn't get to the computer.
I am working on something for Christmas and just couldn't put it down. Then all of a sudden remembered I hadn't blogged for 2 days! O MY the bloggers on Blog through November will get me!. So it's presently 3am and here I sit blogging! Of course I had to look at all my email, newspapers & blogs before I could do my own blog. So many interesting things are going on in the world. Mine seems so insignificant now.

I went yard saleing again on Sat. I thought we'd never come home- that's the byproduct of going with someone else- you are at their mercy even when you say 'can't we go home now'. We started at 9am and I was walking back in the door at 3pm! Too much yard saleing for me. At the end people were pleading for us to just take things away. I kept saying no to this one women-' I just don't need it" finally the guy I was with said just take it so she will shut up, so I did. Guess I will have to take to Good Will or sell at a yard sale?

Hubby is still on the trip to Texas- don't know when he will return. He didn't even call today?! Guess he is having too much fun! He is seeing folks he hasn't seen in years so who knows when he may call. On the way home he is planning on seeing some other folk he hasn't seen in years in different places in Texas- He better get back in time for the Turkey!



A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort.
Herm Albright
(1876 - 1944)

Lucky Boy

This is just a little story about #2 grandson. Apparently while exiting the grocery store with his mom yesterday he found a $10 bill on the ground. Whew what a lucky kiddo! I asked what he bought with his money. Mom said OO he put the money in his account at school so he could buy lunches. O how sweet!
Ya see with having 4 kiddos mom can't always afford to put money into the account, so he said he would do it. Generally they take their food, and I might say mom packs some pretty nice lunches. Better than I did for sure. I think I made em pack their own sometimes. She even packs to their likes and dislikes. I would just make the same for all for lunches, but not her. One doesn't like chocolate cookies, so she doesn't ever get them. They like peanut butter, but they will have honey, butter, or chocolate nutrella on the sandwich and the other one might get hot noodles. It is a real production in the am. You should see it. They do get nutritious things though. The twin who doesn't like chocolate likes baby spinach leaves & ranch dressing, so that's what she might have, along with a wrap, pretzels, yogurt, and drink.


Grown-ups never understand anything for themselves, and it is tiresome for children to be always and forever explaining things to them.
Antoine de Saint-Exupery (1900 - 1944), "The Little Prince", 1943

Orange

While on our daily morning walk, hubby and I picked these two navel oranges from a tree. Ate the one and was it tasty.
Had to turn my air conditioning back on today. It is so muggy and hot. By the weekend it's supposed to be cool again. Dau #1 was so sick from headache & heat thought it better to just go ahead and turn it on.
My trip to Texas was cancelled at the last minute. My friend who had said dau#1 could stay with her changed her mind? Don't exactly know why, other than she said it was just too much for her to handle? I didn't really care to go to Texas with hubby, but am disappointed in my friend? I feel so ambivalent, cause I really didn't want to go, but think hubby needed a driving mate- it's pretty far from here- 25 hours by car. Sometimes when I think so long ago about wanting a child, I never envisioned having child living with me all these years. Although she is 39 yrs old, In so many ways she is childlike. Having a handicapped child is a burden sometimes that no-one other than another parent of a handicapped child can understand. This is definitely not what I thought her life or ours would be like, but we never know will happen in life do we.




You are young, my son, and, as the years go by, time will change and even reverse many of your present opinions. Refrain therefore awhile from setting yourself up as a judge of the highest matters.
Plato (427 BC - 347 BC), Dialogues, Theatetus

oops

missed a day! will the blog police get me! I hope not. I promise to do better, but!On Wednesday will be travelling to Texas by car. So won't make any rash promises.
Going to an 80 yr old aunt of my haubby's birthday/reunion party. Will be a whirlwind, but guess we can do? I know I will be TIRED when we get back.
Today have to pack me, hubby and #1 dau. She is not going-too much riding for her. She will be staying with my friend along with the doggy.

Does it ever seem to you that-The more you try and get hubby not to spend money, the more he spends! I'm about to the point of the proverbial 'throwing in the towel on this matter'. The hubby always says 'The Lord will provide" and I counter with, but "He doesn't want you to be stupid'. That man just makes me crazy sometimes! Just how many drills does one man need?

I feel good about taking things to Goodwill and actually, I do like shopping at Goodwill. It's so cheap that it feels like a library where I am just checking things out for awhile until I decide to take them back.
April Foiles

I'm living so far beyond my income that we may almost be said to be living apart.
e e cummings (1894 - 1962)

Life-Joy-Live

This is the true joy in life, the being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one; the being thoroughly worn out before you are thrown on the scrap heap; the being a force of Nature instead of a feverish selfish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy.
George Bernard Shaw (1856 - 1950), Man and Superman, Epistle Dedicatory


O Shaw- I wish so many people would read this and think on it! What eloquent words that get right to my gut! Being thoroughly worn out before being thrown on the scrap heap! O MY- so many think that their everyday ilks throw them out, but to be thoroughly worn out! think on just that for a min or two- then rejoice and be happy that we have so much more to give & live through! Humm what do you think! cant wait to see responses.

The water you see is close to where I live.It's on the eastern side of Tampa Bay. Close by is a spa (a bit too expensive) It claims to have healing water from the 2000yr old Espiritu Santo Spring founded by Desoto and was originally thought to be the "Fountain of Youth". The mineral springs are thought to have healing power.
There is a lovely 'walk' where I love to go and walk and think and get my spirit better. Really all I have to do is go out there and look at God's wonderful beauties!

Week 1 done

Went yard saleing today and found this unique buy- My Christmas Shoes! The folks at the Nursing Home where I work will love them when I put my Mrs. Claus outfit on to go to work! You only live once ya know!

Birds sing after a storm; why shouldn't people feel as free to delight in whatever sunlight remains to them?
Rose Kennedy (1890 - 1995)

Blogging daily is tougher than I thought it would be. Don't always have extra time, but feel committed to finding the time, even if I am tired!

AH YES

Outings are so much more fun when we can savor them through the children's eyes.
Lawana Blackwell, The Courtship of the Vicar's Daughter, 1998




These are my twin Granddaughters when they visited here last summer. They loved going to this park and feeding the birds. They were so excited when the birds would climb onto their arms. We spent quite a little bit of time and money here at
Busch Gardens

Sincerely silly

Today was really nice here after a couple of days overcast and dreary and cool. The sun was shining, just few clouds in the sky. No wind blowing. Seemed like a perfect day to go look at the Harbor with it's 'glasslike' look



OK Shoe aka dau#2 here's the pickle/cuke in the tree-can you see it's a silly cuke in a tree! Hanging up high for all the world to see!

Sincerity is the way of Heaven.
Mencius (371 BC - 289 BC), Works

It'a a PICKLE

What in the world?!
It's a pickle I see up high in a tree.
O how could that be a pickle in a tree.
O I know it's a lie I see
Up high in that tree!
are my eyes deceiving me?
Why no it's a pickle I see
up high in that tree
just dangling so gloriously
waiting to be eaten so vigorously
That pickle is so silly to me
just hanging around waiting for me
That pickle I see in the tree

Truth sits upon the lips of dying men.
Matthew Arnold, 'Sohrab and Rustum,' 1853
English critic & poet (1822 - 1888)

Tuesday Nov 4th- Tapestry

Behind every argument is someone's ignorance.
Louis D. Brandeis (1856 - 1941)
)
It is not necessary to understand things in order to argue about them.
Pierre Beaumarchais (1732 - 1799)

I haven't posted about politics/the candidates in general. I don't generally! However whatever the outcome. I hope the individuals elected will be respected for whom they are. I know I would never be put in the positions they are seeking! and I congratulate them for doing so either local or to the highest post! I also am so grateful to be able to live in a country who has the ability to vote!

Today we are hanging a tapestry that was given to me by dau#1 of the grand kids-so lovely to look at! It reminds me of the tapestry of our country which has been sewn together by families such as mine! AN American yes, but hewn from the English, Scotch,Irish, American Indians, Canadians, Italians, Dutch and so forth! My mom was a naturalized citizen, and was so proud to recite the Pledge of Allegiance. My older brother was born in England as my mom a 'war bride'. Our family ties have dotted the world over, and I am always so proud to be an American!

Monday Nov 3rd

We must give lengthy deliberation to what has to be decided once and for all.
Publilius Syrus (~100 BC) SO JUST GO OUT AND VOTE!

I was glad to be off of work today, thought I would get a few things done around the house! HAHA, hubby had another idea! He took me out again! What I thought was gonna be a quick trip to the bank turned out to be :a trip to the bank, a trip to the Mall, a trip to Target, a trip to Walmart, a trip to take out my friends dogs, a trip to pay the homeowner fees, and a trip to the pool! Luckily he didn't decide to spend too much money. Did I ever talk about him and spending! Hence the saying 'money burns a hole in your pocket" it was penned about him!

I did get a couple of things done at home! I made a couple of quiches' and bread pudding, washed some clothes and straightened up.
Also went to see a neighbor who hasn't been feeling well. I have encouraged her to go to the doc, when I took her B/P it was 180/112, wonder why she is not feeling well and lightheaded! She doesn't have a doc down here as she just moved down here so I gave the name & number of mine, she promised to call and make an appointment!

And who says retired people have nothing to do! Not this retired person for sure!

Nov 2nd

I WAS TOLD BY DAU #2 I HAD MISTAKEN THE TWIN IN THE SHOT I SENT! hum GUESS I WON'T BE WRONG THIS TIME!Meet twin #1 & 2!

Went to work today- the clocks were screwy everywhere! all the staff were concerned they wouldn't be paid properly. Every time a new person clocked in/out or in/out for lunch I was told- like I didn't know! The folks from night shift wanted it really known they worked an extra hour!
We rec'd phone calls from the pollsters for the patients, even expired patients to get out and vote!
The patients had a late Halloween party from one of the families of a patient- they had so much stuff to eat I doubt the patients will eat supper.
Is anyone as tired as me about the campaign stuff! get on with it already!!!!!
I am doing the daily posting in November thing so come back often.
Gotta get supper ready! It IS dark outside

No matter how rich you become, how famous or powerful, when you die the size of your funeral will still pretty much depend on the weather.
Michael Pritchard

New Month

Here we are the first day of November- can it be!?
Didn't we just begin summer? Where does the time fly!
We turn the clocks back tonight or is tomorrow @2am.
Could never understand daylight savings time
always seems darker in the winter!

Seems like I just got home from work and it's already bedtime!
or should I go swimming with the hubby, and cough again tomorrow!
Nah it's off to bed for me, 4:30 am comes too early
and this ole gal needs all the beauty sleep she can get!

Clouds have been forming and a slight drizzle on the window,
so best get up, take poochie for a walk and get into jammies!
before it's too late and I will just have to get up and go back to work!