44 Things

44 Odd Things You Don't Know About Me
1. Do you like blue cheese? IT'S JUST OK
2. Have you ever smoked? NO
3. Do you own a gun? I DO
4. What is your favorite flavor? CHOCOLATE
5.Do you get nervous before a dr visit? NO
6. What do you think of hot dogs? CHICAGO DOGS!.
7. Favorite movie? FREQUENCY
8. What do you prefer to drink in the morning? COFFEE
9. Do you do push ups? NEVER
10. What’s your favorite piece of jewelry? MY WEDDING RING
11. Favorite hobby? MAH JONGG
12. Do you have A.D.D? NO
13. What's one thing you don't like about yourself? I WORRY TOO MUCH
14. Middle name? ROCHELLE
15. Name three thoughts at this moment. I WORRY TOO MUCH. I NEED TO STUDY FOR MY BAT MITZVAH. MORE COFFEE!
16. Name 3 drinks you regularly drink? THOSE ICE FRUITY-WATER DRINKS, COFFEE. MORE COFFEE.
17. Current worry? THE ELECTION
18. Current annoyance right now? POLITICS! ENOUGH!!!
19. Favorite place to be? HOME WITH HUBBY
20. How do you bring in the New Year? MOSTLY QUIETLY
21. Where would you like to go? NAWLINS!
22. Name three people who will do this? ? ? ?
23. Do you own slippers? NO
24. What color shirt are you wearing right now? Army Green
25. Do you like sleeping on satin sheets? NO
26. Can you whistle? YES
27. What are your favorite colors? DEEP RED, TEAL, AQUA
28. Would you be a pirate? NO
29. What songs do you sing in the shower? BABY THE RAIN MUST FALL
30. Favorite girls name? RACHEL
31. Favorite boys name? STUART
32. What’s in your pocket right now? LINT
33. Last thing that made you laugh? SILLY JOKE
34. Best toy as a child? MY BIKE
35. Worst injury you have ever had? FRACTURED ANKLE
36. Where would you love to live? I'M HERE IN THE VILLAGES
37. How many TV’s do you have? 3
38. Who is your loudest child?  NO ONE
39. How many dogs do you have? NONE
40. Does someone trust you? YES.
41. What book are you reading?  INNOCENT BLOOD BY MICHAEL LISTER
42. What’s your favorite candy? MOUNDS
43. What’s your favorite sports team? DA BEARS!
44. Favorite month? OCTOBER.

What I Love About Mondays

I once blogged about "What I Love About Sunday", inspired by the song of the same name. But I can even claim to love Mondays!

Mondays are of course, far, far better since I retired 4+ years ago.

Mondays mean the start of a new week and the start of anything means new possibilities and a chance to make this week better than last. The garbage from the weekend and the past week will be picked up and recycled (literally). Workmen will come and fix up the neighborhood. Life will return to its regular weekday beat.

So what's up for me for the new week? Trump planning meeting (today, maybe). Mah Jongg (Tuesday). Tyrant S3E2 (Wednesday, for sure). Getting the tile cleaned, colored and sealed (Friday! Yay!).

But  first, coffee!!

;-)

Long Sigh Day

Today is my day for a long, stretched out sigh. How do I know this? My horoscope told me. 

My horoscopes have been pretty nice to me the last few days so I am happy to take its advice and chill, at least for today. I have my new Roomba to do the vacuuming and a beautiful sunny day to enjoy. It's also 20% off day at Big Lots so a trip to Leesburg or Ocala is on the agenda. A new movie will be in the mailbox and I have a best seller on the nightstand. 

Ahh, long sigh....

Israel Education Committee

I am part of a new Temple Committee - the Israel Education Committee.  We are still deciding if "Israel Solidarity Committee" should be its new name but I prefer the emphasis on education.

I only sent an email a few weeks ago to the lady who was starting the committee expressing my generic "interest" and I really didn't expect to be one of seven on the committee "board".  But I am happy to help. It is a topic I am indeed passionate about and I am a consistent complainer about the lack of learning opportunities offered by our Temple. 

I have an assignment. Truth be told, I have wanted to do this for a long time: to offer Jewish film nights. I thought about showing a film at our Havurah but it would crimp socialization and folks were not enthusiastic. Now I'll get a chance to research Israeli films.

I've seen quite a few and a lot can be pretty dull.  But I've ordered a new one, The Attack, and I'll review it and hopefully be able to offer it in November at our first Israeli Film Night.  Popcorn included!

;-)

Out You Go

I love this meme! Of course I did read The Life Saving Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo but I could never bring myself to throw everything I own on the floor and decide if each item brought me joy. 

I did, however, today throw out two pairs of shoes that I loved but could not walk in and a favorite top that had grown an enormous farm of fuzzies.

It did not feel as wonderful as I had hoped since I have an innate aversion to destroying anything that might, in some mutated form or at a future time and place, be proven useful.  Of course, I am basking in the satisfaction of successfully doing something that is a bit of a challenge for me. 

But still, I think my bra and my scale and the electric bill are pretty safe!

;-)

Overheard At The Pool

Floating around on my orange noodle in the Springdale Neighborhood pool on the 4th of July.  Ah bliss!

There is very, very little actual swimming but there are lots of floaters (no, not dead fish) and plenty of pool walkers which is apparently a big new trend in exercising. You can catch a few rays, work on your tan, cool off and burn a few calories all at the same time. Plus one gets to overhear the scintillating conversation of fellow retirees. Here's a sample of today's "Overheard at the Pool":

'I had a great shot at the recently redone Saddlebrook golf course. 190 yards!

'We had a hot tub in Billings Montana on our covered patio. We could watch the snow fall from it.

'Have you tried the new smokehouse on Route 42 yet? They say it's good  (yes we have, twice, and it is).

'I landed three feet from the hole but the rest was downhill.

'I never want to see snow again! (me either)

'I guess we are blocking your swim path with our walking back and forth (yes).

'The re-done golf course is really nice.

'My granddaughter was here from Oklahoma and we went to Disney.

'I love it here!

 (I agree)

;-)

Just The Facts

There needs to be a new word to describe people like me. "Type A" is what I'm usually called but it is not quite accurate. "Concrete Fact Counter Queen" might come closer.

I am one of those (I assume there are others like me) who want the Bottom Line and not all the asterisks*** or upsetting explanations or bewildering excuses. So how happy was I that my daily horoscope gave me permission to count to my heart's content!

Yes, I do indeed love my spreadsheets and I would never dream of leaving my checkbook unbalanced or not hopping on my scale every day. And as you know, Dear Diary, I am a faithful counter of all of my many blessings.

And that's my Bottom Line... 
;-)

How Dumb Is That?

I've been on this planet many decades and although I've made my share of mistakes (or at least there are things I would have said or done differently), I am thrilled that none of them have wound up on the local or cable news stations. 

What has been making headlines for the past two days is the "secret" meeting between Loretta Lynch, our Attorney General, and Bill Clinton, our sleazy former President.  How these two ever made it out of law school (of course Bill is disbarred now for perjuring himself under oath) is a true mystery. What on Earth could they have been thinking?!?

I heard a news commentator (talking head) say that Bill Clinton is the smartest, most astute political being that ever was. She wondered if the whole meeting thing was a way to get Loretta Lynch to recuse herself and thus set the sure-to-come indictment of HRC (Her Royal Clinton) back until after the election. I say: for someone so "smart", Bill's f-ups have been of legendary proportions. 

I feel good about my own miniscule (by comparison) shortcomings. If the super-brainy and highly respected leaders of our country and the free world are such dopes, then I am truly a genius!

;-)

Roomba 980

THE ROOMBA 980

Hubby suggested that it might be time for a Roomba and then wasted no time in ordering one when I simply said "OK". 

We have had a variety of Roombas in the past, including a floor-scrubbing Scooba (now obsolete), with mixed results as to their effectiveness and ease-of-use. So why did I acquiesce so easily?

Well, truth be told, vacuuming is getting to be a real pain. I was already day-dreaming about whether or not a $$$$ Dyson top-of-the-line contraption would make a difference in my life when hubby brought up the idea of another Roomba.  I knew they had a $$$$$$$ new one out and strangely, I immediately registered the fact that it might mean I no longer needed to push around any vacuum!

So after some discussion and online shopping we decided why not go all-the-way and get the newest, deluxe ROOMBA 980?  Its promises border on artificial intelligence!

It arrives soon (I hope) and I am anticipating life-altering changes to my mundane daily existence (hahaha).

;-)

The Small Stuff

OK so I haven't blogged in four months but that doesn't mean I have forgotten to be grateful every day.  My gratitude meter is set on HIGH and isn't it funny? It's the small things that help push it higher.

My godson Scott and his wife Victoria are coming to my Bat Mitzvah! Not only that, our dear old friends David and Jean are coming as well! What wonderful memories we will make! Can you tell I'm excited?? (!!!!)

Friends Rita and Jerry have convinced us to go on yet another cruise in December (they really didn't have to push too hard) even though I said we were through cruising for at least five years.

We will close the year's finances slightly ahead, no small feat what with the rocky stock market and our many cruises this year.

I have a beautiful new dress for my Bat Mitzvah. From Chicos! Not from a thrift shop or discount outlet! First time I've done that in 30+ years (and I still have that dress).

The horrible tooth that has been the bane of my existence for a year and a half may finally be fixed, thanks to more endo-dontistry (a new word).

Tyrant, a great show, has been renewed for a third season and will start again on Wednesday.

We are still happy and very thankfully, healthy, and love our lives here in "The Bubble" that is The Villages.

;-)