MY OFFICE MATE WINS GOLDEN PICKLE AWARD

I would be remiss if I did not direct the attention and interest of Namasté blog readers to the exciting news that my beloved office mate, dear friend, fellow Virgo, and kindred spirit--the one and only Ms. Mary Ann Abbott-- won the first Golden Pickle Award ever bestowed upon anyone at our hallowed place of employment. I cannot begin to describe the event and its impact upon her as well as she, so I direct you to her blog to read her first-hand account of the emotional and inspiring event that took place yesterday during our annual end of fall quarter potluck.

The Six Degrees of Separation rule now goes into effect, and all Namasté blog readers can now say they know someone who knows someone who's won a Golden Pickle. WOW !!

FALL QUARTER'S OVER--HOORAY FOR WINTER BREAK!!

Tomorrow morning I don't have to get up for an 8:00 AM class... In fact, I don't have to get up for an 8:00 class until January 7th...YEAH !! Winter break is here, and I'm loving it! (I do have three more classes at Marietta College, but hey, that's a breeze knowing that I won't be returning there for Spring Semester!)

It's been a long quarter. My challenge has been to enlighten students who are surprised Castro uses "torcher" in his prisons, as well as others who are delighted that yoga helps them "relive" their stress and ease their "tention." Over the fall, some students suffered with the "flew," but few checked in to get their "assinemants." And, as one of Mary Ann's students observed, "Not many good things come out of Africa." Oh well, all of us in education know we shouldn't pressure students about correct spelling or drawing sound conclusions because doing so might bring about self-esteem issues and cause irreparable psychological damage.

But, the quarter now qualifies as "water under the bridge," and it's time to think about decorating the house for Christmas, getting a few gifts together, doing a little baking, knitting, watching some good movies, and maybe even reading a book. (What a novel thought!--No pun intended..) Walking in the woods sounds great; practicing a little yoga will keep my body from contracting in the cold; sleeping until I want to get up will satisfy my soul.

So, I officially declare the holidays have begun. May all our days be merry and bright as we approach Hannukkah, Solstice, Christmas, Kwaanza, and life in general.

Peace......Love.....Joy.....Magic.....And lots, lots of laughter.....

THE MOUNTAINS

Thanksgiving vacation just isn't complete for me until I take my annual ride through the mountains near my home, so Saturday afternoon, Tom, Chintu, and I took off on some backroads and around the Grandfather Mountain Viaduct on the Blue Ridge Parkway to savor the beauty of the land.

The picture to the right is of the back side of Grandfather Mountain. As I gazed up at the huge, outcropped rocks, the sky served as a soft background to the starkness of the leafless trees and few evergreens.

When I did a 180 degree turn, and the view below awaited directly behind me. Miles and miles of rolling, purple hills down in the valley, unobstructed by houses, roads, or anything else manmade that would interrupt the sight.
And then, to top it off, I looked directly above me and saw a huge red-tailed hawk circling in the distance. I did my best hawk call, and sure enough, the bird floated my way and circled directly above my head for a long, long time. Note: I tried to get a photo of the bird as it soared in circles so effortlessly above me, but 1) I got dizzy trying to keep it in view long enough to get the camera adjusted for a shot, and 2) I came close to falling off the trail and down the hillside.

Needless to say, everytime I am in the mountains I feel very, very humbled by the majesty of my surroundings and very, very grateful to have grown up in this beautiful area. I've always felt protected and embraced by the mountains, and it is among them where I feel most at peace and grounded.

OFF TO NORTH CAROLINA FOR TURKEY DAY

Tomorrow morning, I leave for North Carolina to spend the holidays with my parents. Tom and Chintu are going with me, so the three of us should have a really good time in the mountains. I'll be taking lots of photos and visiting my grandmom, Ruth, who is only two months away from turning 106 years old!

If any of my blog readers have any suggestions as to what might be happening with my inability to upload photos after the installation of my new computer, please send some help my way. There were no problems until we installed the new computer, put in a router, and transferred some files from my old computer that's now in Eliza's room. I've read all the help material from blogger.com, I've done all their suggestions, I've called my techie friend, Craig, and I still can't get things to work. I can upload photos from the web, but I am unable to upload photos from my photo folder. This problem did NOT exisit before the new computer arrived. Would the router have a firewall that could be the problem? If so, how does one disable it? Are there other problems about which I'm unaware that might be the problem? Any assistance would be greatly appreciated, especially since I'll want to post photos from the mountains.

Happy Thanksgiving to all...The gratitude list I have going is way too long to post...I'm just grateful for anything and everything (except computer problems).

Namasté.....T.

FRIDAY AFTERNOON TREASURE

Today I left the office right at noon to meet my second year students for lunch at the local Mexican restaurant, and from there, I headed down the street to Goodwill. I had a hunch I was going to find a treasure today, but seeing nothing at Goodwill worth mentioning, I headed to Salvation Army to browse there for a few minutes. Nothing there either, so I started back to the car and decided to peek in to a little antique store on the way to the parking lot.

I poked around in the Tin Rabbit for a moment, decided to check out one more shelf before I left, and stopped when a very elegant, white porcelain hand thrown bowl caught my eye. Immediately I thought of Gwen Hefner, a potter from Kentucky who used to exhibit her pots at the Indian Summer Festival here in town many years ago. Her work was strikingly elegant, yet of simple line and form--beautiful white porcelain vessels with slightly altered rims. I always wanted one!

When I picked up the bowl, I saw the stamp on the base that Gwen used to sign her work and was absolutely ecstatic when I saw the price on the sticker had this piece marked at $8.00 --only $8.00 for this lovely piece of art that cost probably about $60 - $75 twenty years ago.!!Obviously, someone had no idea what he/she was selling. I couldn't believe my eyes or my luck!!

When I went to pay for my find, the little elderly woman in the store remarked on its beauty. She rang up the sale and only charged me $6.80. A Gwen Heffner bowl for under $7.00!! I still can't believe it! I found the Gwen Hefner bowl pictured here on the internet, and it's very similar to the one I found today. Its list value on the site I downloaded it from was $350.

I really think the bowl called me to it because I had no intention of stopping at another store as I returned to the car from the Salvation Army store. It's now cleaned up and beautifully positioned on the buffet in the dining room, and I'm feeling very, very happy, grateful, and excited.

Maybe this afternoon's stroke of luck means Mercury's out of retrograde...Halleleujah!!! It's about time!!!

SCORPIO GIRLS - SWEET 16 AND FABULOUS 40

Both my daughters are Scorpio girls...witty, bright, beautiful, funny, and very unique. A week ago, Eliza turned 16 and proudly wore a sparkly tiara and a pink sash with "Sweet Sixteen" printed on the front all day at school. Bobbi, Scorpio gal #2, turns 40 tomorrow, and I'm sure everyone within the range of her energy field will be tagged to help her celebrate. For all I know, she might play her tuba on the street corner in her own honor.

I recently read the following excerpt about Scorpio women and found it to pretty much sums up my two:

"The Scorpio woman has great charm, allure, and inner strength, and is able to overcome most any obstacle in life. She comes across as self-confident and self-possessed and men are drawn to her for that reason. There is a mysterious quality about the Scorpio woman because she is intensely private, discrete and secretive. Soon she will learn everything about you, but later you will realize that she hasn't given you many details about herself--that's Scorpio's natural reticence.

Finally, the operative word to best understand your Scorpio is "passion." One Scorpio once said to me that passion was the single most important ingredient in life, that is, to be passionate about one's loved ones, one's career, one's lifestyle, for without passion, what kind of life would we have in the end?"

Happy birthday to Eliza and Bobbi, two passionate women who live their lives to the fullest. They love each other dearly, have a great time together, and fill our family's life with joy and happiness. The photo says it all!

MERCURY'S IN RETROGRADE

Yes indeed! My favorite family astrologer, Bobbi, has officially confirmed Mercury is in full-blown retrograde. So, what's up with that? Some refer to Mercury's retrograde as being Murphy's Law of the Cosmos. From the information I understand about this phenomena, it's one of those times that if something can go wrong, it will.

Historically, when I am "tagged" by the retrograde energy, things around the house go haywire, i.e., appliances stop working, unexpected expenses abound, the check engine light in the car comes on and won't go off, etc. For me, this time around, it's been all about a leak in my water line somewhere between the top of the driveway to my house (a distance of a tenth of a mile or so) that no one can tell me how to fix short of digging up the entire line. It's been about unexpected bills that have appeared from nowhere, lost checks, and computer glitches.

But the culmination of my retrograde moments happened this morning as I was walking out to the car at 6:45 in an attempt to get to the office early to complete some work. I "bulls-eyed" a huge pile of dog caca in my brand new shoes that have grated rubber soles. I couldn't have made a more perfect landing in the middle of this pile of s*&@ if I had intentionally tried. I had to take tooth picks covered with paper towels to dig out the poop from the various grooves in the soles of my shoes. How's that for starting off one's day???

To make a long story short, I arrived at work an hour later with a clean but still very smelly shoe. I've walked around school all day in my trouser sock feet.

(You might ask why I didn't just change shoes and leave the cleaning for later..??..Well, I was determined to wear these new shoes on a day when I had only a few classes to teach so I could break them in without having to wear them on a full-scheduled day. )

So, my thought at the moment is that I'll stop by the store on the way home, pick up a bottle of wine, and have a glass or two on the deck, toasting the supposed end of Mercury's crazy cycle and hoping like the dickens that the plumber who's going to call in the morning is a heck of a dowser!

Cheers....

A FEW EXTRA POUNDS

On my way to school this morning, I heard that a recently published medical investigation has concluded that having a few extra pounds on one's body is really a good thing. DUH !!!!!

According to the study, people with a moderate amount of extra body fat are actually healthier and tend to bounce back from illnesses quicker than the "skinny Minnies" of the world. DUH!!!

The moderately chubby group were also described as being happier, more upbeat people that the emaciated 0% body fat clan. DUH !!!

My mom, an RN from the Clara Barton days, and my grandmom, age 106 and the mother of 10 children who lives back in the "holler" in Pigeon Roost, NC, could have told the researchers that at a fraction of the cost spent in this clinical study.

So, here's to a little body fat and a happier, healthier life! Treat yourself to a couple of pieces of chocolate today! :0) :0)

WHEN IT RAINS, IT POURS. SO,WHAT'S THE HIGH THOUGHT HERE?

In the last week...

1. I had to have a repairman in to work on the furnace. Cost: $293.00
2. Car insurance came due. Cost: $300.00
3. Mortgage payment time rolls around: Cost: More than I care to divulge. (The thought that I'm paying for the farm a second time doesn't put me in a great mood.)
4. I had to get two new tires for the car before I travel in the next week. Cost: $160.00
5. The water company reported I have a leak in my water line somewhere between the house and the end of the driveway. Cost: $1,000 minimum and possibly as much as 5 times that. (I'm trying really hard not to cry about this!)
6. We had an unexpected but necessary trip to the vet. Cost: $104.00

Note: With the exception of car insurance / mortgage, the above items were not included in this month's budget and far exceed my fairly meager catastrophe savings fund.

Then there's the trip to Indianapolis next week to see Eliza in the Grand National competition with the high school band. Cost: $400.00 (minimum)

And next month, it's Christmas. Cost (including gas for travel / gifts etc.) $500.00 (minimum)
(Thank goodness I've done some shopping along the way and have found some great gifts at thrift stores.)

And, both Samuel and Eliza have birthdays here at the end of the year. Cost: $150 (mimimum)

Now, if I add up all the expenses I've mentioned,(note again: those do NOT include monthly bills), the amount of cash flowing out of my checking account, pocket, and change jars far exceeds the amount coming in from my TWO jobs.

(Advice to anyone considering a career in teaching: THINK TWICE!! MANY of my former students leave college and enter their first job at a salary that far surpasses what I make with 31 years of experience and lots of nice professional awards.)

So, I ask myself, what really is the high thought here?

1. It's yet another opportunity to trust in the Universe. (I just wish I could get to the point of not panicking when the "trust" opportunities come my way.)

2. I probably qualify for a loan.

3. It's yet another opportunity for me to take a look at my relationship with money and my fear of not having enough of it. (Oh, how I love to take a look at that one over and over!)

4. I can probably pick up a third job. I can wash dishes or wait tables if necessary.

5. It's yet another opportunity to realize that I am safe, that I will be cared for, that the Universe will look out for me.

6. I'm healthy and happy, making it possible for me to get past the momentary glitches with a smile on my face. (I really, really am trying!)

7. It's yet another opportunity for me to take a close look at those things for which I am deeply grateful. (I'm doing my exercise gratitude lists as I write this.)

8. Many people love me, and I love many people.

9. It's yet another opportunity for me to realize I'm intelligent enough to figure out how to best work this financial snafu out.

10. If I created this reality, I can recreate something better.

So, if the Creator / the Goddess / the Great Orchestrator of the Universe just happens to read my blog, please know that I'm learning whatever the lesson of the moment is and it's really very OK not to send anymore stuff my way. Let me process this for now, and I'd be really, really grateful for a break, AND I'll do my best to share all I can with others.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Namasté and Peace to all...

PS: I am totally open to receiving a winning lottery ticket.

THE OFFICIAL CEREMONY-PRESIDENTIAL MEDAL OF FREEDOM

If any of my few blog readers are interested in the ceremony held today at the White House honoring Dr. Biscet and others, check out the Coalition of Cuba-American Women's website. There you can read the text of the president's speech OR you can click a link to watch it.

Here's your link: http://www.coalitionofcubanamericanwomen.blogspot.com/

In addition, the post just before the one of the ceremony is an article on Dr. Biscet by Mary Anastasia O'Grady from today's Wall Street Journal. It's worth the read.

My students and I watched the event on my office computer, and as hard as I tried, I still sniffled. I was so proud to see Winnie, Dr. Biscet's daughter, on stage to accept the award. She's a good kid, and she will follow in her father's footsteps. The young man who actually sat on stage representing the family is NOT Dr. Biscet's son. His mother is Biscet's wife, and Oscar Elías helped raise him, but he's biologically not related. Winnie is Biscet's only biological child. She's 19 and possesses her father's love for life and fiery spirit. Thanks to Laida Carro, Winnie was included in the ceremony.

Keep your fingers crossed that Biscet will not be further tortured or mistreated as a result of the honor. He's not at all "loved" by the Cuban government, and officials there could make it very hard for him.

I dream of the day I will have a shack on the beach somewhere in Cuba. All Namasté blog readers will have an open invitation to come down for a visit!

GOSH, I HATE TO ADMIT IT, BUT SCORE ANOTHER ONE FOR GEORGE BUSH

I'm not totally sure why all of a sudden the President has begun to champion the cause of Cuban dissidents publically (except for the fact that he wouldn't have beaten Al Gore in 2000 without the Cuban vote in southern Florida and he currently needs to "woo" Cuban voters for support of the Republican candidate in 2008), but in the last month he has held a private audience with Yamilé Llanes Labrada, wife of political prisoner and prisoner of conscience, José Luis García Paneque and invited families of political prisoners to the White House for the reiteration of his policy toward Cuba. Then, on Monday (10/29) came the official announcement that President Bush has chosen to award one of the six Presidential Medals of Freedom to Dr. Oscar Elías Biscet González, an internal medicine specialist and highly respected symbol of opposition to the Castro regime, in a ceremony at the White House this coming Monday, November 5th.

It is because of Dr. Biscet's case that I became so interested in human rights work on behalf of political prisoners in Cuba. It is through a pursuit of information on Dr. Biscet that I met Laida Carro, a woman who works tirelessly on behalf of political prisoners and prisoners of conscience in Cuba. And, it is with Laida that I began to work in human rights affairs and still stay busy translating articles, organizing conferences, and talking to people around the world about the tragic situation Cuban political prisoners and prisoners of conscience suffer in Cuba. My heart rejoices in the fact that Laida will be present at the White House for the award ceremony. She, more than anyone, brought his situation into the world spotlight. She is devoted to his cause. In fact, Laida is solely responsible for arranging for Dr. Biscet's daughter, who currently lives in Virginia, to receive the award on his behalf.

My interest in Oscar Elías Biscet González began about 10 years ago when one of my students came across information about him while doing research on a project for my fifth quarter Spanish class. The more I read about this man, who is a student of Gandi, Martin Luther King, and other advocates of non-violent civil disobedience, the more I wanted to know about what had landed him in jail in Cuba. I read incessantly about his struggle as a voice for human rights for the Cuban people, and I learned that he had had the courage to publish a report on Rivanol, a drug used to produce spontaneous abortions in women so that fetal tissue could be used in research. Laida happened to be the person who translated the report and got it to the United Nations. And, as one would anticipate, shortly thereafter, Biscet was barred from practicing medicine and began receiving intense harassment from the Cuban authorities. Ultimately, he was arrested for attending a meeting of human rights activists and supposedly for flying the Cuban flag upside down.

At present, Dr. Biscet still remains in prison outisde of Havana. Because he has become an international symbol of opposition to the Castro regime, prison authorities have moved him from solitary confinement, and he is receiving a little better treatment than before. Until recently, he was housed in a very small cell with no light, no running water, and a hole in the floor to be used for bathroom purposes. There were many occasions when the prison sewer backed up through that hole, and he his cell floor was covered with human waste. He was given putrid food through a slot in the bottom of his cell door, and he lived with rats invading his cell at any given hour. At one point, he was not allowed any reading or writing material and never got to leave his cell to go outside in the sun.

A healthy man when he went into prison, Biscet now suffers from a myriad of problems. He's lost almost all his teeth to a nasty gum disease, and he has everything from high blood pressure to pretty severe intestinal problems. Despite physical and psychological torture, he remains firm about not wearing the uniform of the common prisoner as dictated by Cuban penal code, and he refuses to participate in prison "education." In short, he's a real pain in the rear end for the Cuban government.

I know Dr. Biscet would consider this award as one that represents the Cuban people and their struggle rather than his own. He's a humble man of great faith and courage, a person I foresee as a key figure in the future of his country.

So again, I have to say thanks to George W. Bush. Regardless of any political motive he attaches to this award, for the Cuban people and especially for the political prisoners and prisoners of conscience who are heinously mistreated in Cuban prisons, the award is a great source of strength and hope.

Gracias, Señor Presidente.

BURGER KING MAKES APPEARANCE AT LOCAL HALLOWEEN PARTY

Much to the surprise of all gathered for a local annual Halloween Party, the Burger King paid a surprise visit, complete with crowns for everyone and a plate of cheeseburgers for anyone willing to tackle his cholesterol-packed signature sandwiches. Upon arrival, he stood quietly at the window and waved until folks noticed him. (As you might have seen on his TV commercials, he's never been one to make a boisterous entrance. Some believe he's somewhat of a voyeur, but in reality, he's really justpainfully shy.) Over the course of the evening, he handed out crowns and packets of sugar as party favors and tried to recruit everyone from Scarlet O'Hara to a couple of pirates to invest in a franchise. Regretfully for BK, no one seemed too interested.

It was not until last evening that BK has ever considered changing his batchelor status, but the minute he finally walked into the house, the woman of his dreams strolled in (somewhat feebly) from the kitchen. Despite a few hugs along the way, nothing came of his many efforts to woo the "old wretch." BK finally concluded her rejection was a blessing in disguise once she confessed to owning stock in McDonald's.

HALLOWEEN PHOTOS

I spent today with ....

Jack & the Beanstalk

Twin Dinosaurs

And a couple of other good witches!

It was the BEST !!!!!!!

YELLOW DATURA - FINALLY IN BLOOM !!!!!!

This week's rainfall, although still very sparse for this time of year, has been a veritable lifesaver for my yellow datura plants that have tried to bloom since late June. Honestly, I had given up on them and came quite close to pulling them up a couple of weeks ago when it seemed like there was no way they could muster up the stamina to survive the continued heat, much less produce a bloom. Now I'm really glad I didn't pull cast them to the compost pile.

The blooms are a littly puny (probably due to the drought) in comparison to the white daturas. They're more spiked around the edges like wild datura, and their color is a soft, pastel yellow. I'm hoping these blooms will leave me a pod or two so I can gather some seeds and start thinking about new year's plants.

Here are the photos....

And, I just threw in a shot of the sassafras tree along the fence line. The sun reflecting off its leaves this afternoon was BRILLIANT!

Enjoy....Namasté....

TRIAL AND TRIAL AND ERROR AND ERROR

I've spent the last hour and a half trying to figure out how to size photos to fit the header on my blog, and what now appears is the best I've been able to do. I feel pretty brainless. After I go in to all the blog help windows and try to attempt everything they instruct me to do, I still have no success. I've tried about 15 different sizes of photos and have yet to find what I need to cover the heading space and place the photo where I want it.

So, for the time being, I'm giving up and going to bed.

Buenas noches...

BEAUTY

Night-Blooming Sirius

(Photo taken at the flea market today)

The flowers last only one day and have a sweet, intoxicating smell.

SCORE ONE FOR GEORGE W. BUSH

I am not a fan of President George W. Bush. In fact, I can hardly listen to him without feeling ill, and I certainly don't agree with anything he has done for our country. I agree with former President Carter that George Bush's presidency will go down in history as the worst in our country's history...

But last week, George did one thing that redeemed him just a little bit (and I mean just a tiny little bit in the overall grand scheme of things) in my eyes.

Last Wednesday, October 10, 2007, my beloved friend, Laida Carro, with whom I do human rights work on behalf of Cuban political prisoners and prisoners of conscience, traveled to Washington, DC, to update the Inter-American Commisson on Human Rights of the Organization of American States on the health situation of Cuban political prisoners, many of whom are in danger of dying in prison from everything from tuberculosis to cancer. She arranged for Yamile Llanes Labrada, the wife of Dr. Jose Luis Garcia Paneque, one of the prisoners for whom we have done a tremendous amount of work lately, to accompany her.

Dr. Garcia Paneque, a plastic surgeon, independent librarian, and independent journalist, has been in jail since March 19, 2003, at which time he was arbitrarily arrested and summarily tried along with 74 other leading non-violent opposition leaders on the island. Since then, he has developed Intestinal Mal Absorption Syndrome, chronic diarrhea, anemia, and pneumonia. In addition, he has lost half of his body weight (he's below 100 lbs. now), and he is housed in the psychiatric ward among the most dangerous criminals in one of the worst prisons in Cuba.

Yamile, a lawyer, has suffered tremendously since her husband's incarceration. To make a long story short, after suffering four years of continuous harassment and experiencing the terrible psychological impact her husband's situation was having on their children, she agreed to her husband's wish to leave him and bring the children to the United States. She and the children arrived recently.

Here's where George Bush comes in. It just so happened the president learned of Yamile's trip to DC to testify, and he requested a personal audience with her to learn of her story. Yamile's daughter, Shirlen, and Yamile were invited to meet with him in the Oval Office, and when they entered the Oval Office, Yamile told the president she would not have been able to come to the States, let alone adjust to life here, had it not been for Laida Carro. So Laida, who had been waiting for Yamile outside the president's office was also invited in. (In the photo, Laida is sitting on the couch with Shirlen, and Yamile is in the chair to Bush's right. The man in between her and the president it the interpreter.)

Laida said she thinks the president was genuinely touched by Yamile and Shirlen's presence. She said he listened attentively to Yamile's story and her description of what her life was like in Cuba. He wrote down Dr. Garcia Paneque's name, practiced it in Spanish, and then invited them to accompany him down to the Rose Garden for his speech in honor of Hispanic Heritage Day. (That's Yamile to the right of the president.)

As the president spoke to the dignitaries assembled in the Rose Garden, he mentioned Yamile and Dr. Paneque not once, but three times (!) in his speech. For Yamile, who has endured such tremendous sadness that she once said she could never laugh again, the experience was life-changing. She feels like there is hope for her husband, and she has heard the president of what she considers to the be the most powerful nation on earth call for his freedom. Laida said it has been a transformational experience for this woman who has watched her husband waste away and her children withdraw from life.

I have the text of Bush's speech posted on The Coalition of Cuban-American Women's blog: http://www.coalitionofcubanamericanwoman.blogspot.com/

I believe at this point it's the third post down on the blog.

I've also posted the testimony Laida and Yamile gave at the OAS on the post before the Bush speech. Both women give powerful testimonies (in Spanish). You can click on the site to either hear or watch the speeches. And, if you "google" Yamile Llanes Bush, you'll see that news of President Bush's interest in Yamile's situation has made news across the globe.

Laida and I frequently talk about how human rights work is about disseminating information, making contacts, connecting people to people, persistence, and patience. While the world is very aware of the recent situation in Myanmaar, human rights violations in China, the atrocities of Darfur, and the famine in Somalia, relatively little attention has been focused on Cuba. With this surprise meeting last week, people heard about one situation out of many that take place in Cuba on a daily basis.

So, thank you, George Bush, for taking time with Yamile. She now feels some hope. All of us who work with matters in Cuba are very appreciative. Even I say ¡muchismas gracias!

WEEKEND UPDATE

~Had some wine and cheese with Dr. Tom Friday afternoon

~Went to the flea market, Salvation Army, and Goodwill with Dr. Tom Saturday morning

~Watched the Warren High School Warriors Marching Band at the Band-o-rama Competition in Marietta. Eliza's grace and beauty on the field is awesome!

~Took a few photos downtown

~Went to the flea market with Dr. Tom again this morning

~Helped a friend move some furniture this afternoon

That's all folks...

SMALL BITS OF HAPPY

(Another of Mary Ann's lists. Thanks, dear, for reminding us to make this one.)

~ kitten play

~silence

~Rink's, Salvation Army, and Goodwill on Saturday morning with Dr. Tom

~office laughter with Mary Ann

~kitten play

~text messages from my beloveds

~fall mornings and evenings

~music (highly recommended on-line listening: http://www.radioparadise.com/)

~my mom's voice

~a long, hot shower

~kitten play

FALL'S FINALLY HERE

A cold front blew in night before last, and the 90-ish temperatures from the beginning of the week have taken a plunge into more season-like ranges, the low 40's at night and mid-50's during the day. I brought my orchids in this evening so they wouldn't have to withstand a cold night. There are more than a dozen or so other potted wonders to bring in with time, but I got cold while I was out and decided to wait on the other ones.

It's interesting this fall. First of all, everyone's talking about the heat and lack of rain. The trees are beginning to turn, but I don't anticipate vivid colors this year. As it would appear, the leaves are just going to turn brown and fall off. There is little color in the side yard maple leaves, and on my walk the other day, I noticed even the poplar and sycamore leaves were not the brilliant yellow one normally sees at this time of year. My old friend of many years ago, Mr. Henry Miller, would have had some words of wisdom about these weird weather days, I'm sure. He talked about climate changes and global warming long before the topic became so up front.

In other farm news, I spent a good bit of time last evening on the internet in search of ideas for my Halloween costume this year, and I think I've got a good one! In fact, I can pull it off with an appropriate mask (which I found) and a couple of trips to Goodwill. I'm stoked! Two years ago, my aging Elvis costume won a prize at Beth and Sherm's party, and I hope to be in the running this year. I'm not giving ANY clues. My few blog readers will just have to wait for a photo. Of course, for the children at the college day care, I'll be a witch....a nice witch, as always.

My internet surfing last night also landed some great sites for Christmas gifts. All I'm going to say is that when Mary Ann saw them in the office today, she laughed big time. In fact, I think we're going in together on a couple for some of our campus celebrities. I love funny, corny gifts, and I think I've scored!

Tomorrow's Friday, thank goodness!! I'm so looking forward to a couple of days at home.

I apologize for yet another lame post....There's just not a lot in the super exciting category happening around The Farm these days....

Love and thanks to all who read my ramblings.....T.