New Jersey, love it or hate it

One of my proposed lists is pros and cons of NEW JERSEY, where I was born and where I have been living for the last 40 years. Today a list came to my attention of the ten worst states in which to retire, and NJ wasn't on it!?!

The realms of gold (book), Margaret Drabble. I think I have read this one before. It was a yellowing paperback that I carried around in my overnight bag to read when away from home. Since I do not spend much time away from home, it took me quite a while to get through it (again?) I like this author, she is Canadian. The book was written in 1975 and follows a woman who is an academic archeologist, to her various conferences. She has been involved for a long time with a married man.


My god, I am like a bag lady with all of my folders and containers spread out like I own the place (at the Bridgeton Public Library). Only thing on my calendar for this afternoon is to go downtown to hear a free concert by a great group of guys from The Praise and worship institute in Nashville, TN. Might have to get something to EAT first.

The river and the thread

Listening to this great new CD by Rosanne Cash. She traveled through the South and wrote all of these songs.

Good things about today:
- I would like to concentrate on the GOOD things
- This CD
- Used a coin counting machine for the first time at the bank. A jar of coins was almost $30! Also found my medallion from AA in there.
- Sun came out and snow started to melt
- Stopped in to my old job and they seemed glad to see me
- Reading two good books - The book thief and The Daniel plan

Bad things about today:
- Had trouble getting going today
- Calculated oil bill for January and $2158.23 worth of oil was delivered. It boggles the mind.
- Ceiling leaking in a new spot (melting snow?)

Census lady called. About once a month, I answer some questions for her. This month they were all about art - CREATING it. Realized all the projects I have only THOUGHT about doing. Could only say I made a pot and sang some songs. I think another month it was a lot about ATTENDING art events. I did very well on those questions.

Do I have a "negative dispositional attitude"

Although I do see a lot of LIKES and DISLIKES in the world, I probably tend more to the DISLIKES.  Want to read the academic article which lies behind the popular press articles (one of which I posted) on this topic. 

Then again, I take pleasure in positive comments, even if made by an older, blacker, flirtacious man in McDonald's....."I keep track of everything around here, especially the young and pretty girls".  I didn't really respond but I think he meant ME!

Really need to do some stuff at home but it is grey and humid and too quiet.  So I came out to McDonald's to get some breakfast and some coffee and to use the Internet.
Summer's over...what is the plan for my life?

I miss bumper stickers

I saw two good bumper stickers today. There were quite a few on this car and you don't see THAT any more either! 

- "I listened to NPR before it was cool".
- "Are you hearing voices of crazy people?  Turn off FOX news".

Holiday weekend approaches.  I don't like holidays.  Nothing is ever happening due to the holiday.  I never have any plans.  I emailed my sisters and none of them have any plans either.

Torrential rains yesterday.  Ceiling leaking again.  I guess a leaking ceiling never gets any better, only worse.  (One can always HOPE, can't one?)  So here are my main problems today...

- a leaking ceiling (roof)
- a dead bat somewhere in my house
- a barking pit bull next door
- cell phone battery is inexplicably dying and I need to make some phone calls
- rash on my leg is starting to itch again

Other than that, life is just hunky dory.  I will try and think of some GOOD things now...

- the competition at the health club is almost over so I can stop feeling inadequate
- I am starting to walk better due to losing weight
- everybody is very well behaved over here at the Vineland Public Library
- I rebooted my laptop and overcame the nonfunctioning
- Serena Williams is one hunk of a woman (I just perused Tennis magazine)

Living with a bat

Freaked out by a bat the other night.  Ran into another room and then it quieted down.
Have had discussions lately with friends about how to handle bats.  Supposedly there is a $500 fine for killing a bat.  I had not had one for decades.  I did volunteer to move one at church.  It turned out to be dead, but I didn't know that when I volunteered.  So, I actually went to sleep knowing that there was a bat in my house (the power of Ambien).  The next morning I saw it resting above my kitchen cabinet.  By the time I got organized to get it, it had MOVED and I didn't know where it went.  So, the next night, it started flying around at 8 PM and I ran into the other room to escape it.  I think it may have gotten trapped in some clutter and expired.  But I will have to go home around 8 PM to see if it flying around.  I thought bats could get out of any spot.

Put out the recycling tonight.  People are going to think I am a lush.  Some people had a party behind my house this week.  They thoughtfully put 5 empty bottles of Hurricane malt liquor in my recycling bin.  I had to pick up some black plastic bags that they carried the bottles in, but...

Pros and cons of my day....

Cons:
- struggled with my oral surgeon while he "pulled" two wisdom teeth
- the pain of the needles going in to give me the novocaine
- getting a paper telling me about possible swelling and pain for ten days
- missed the VMAs on TV last night cause I didn't even know they were on
- no dental insurance now that I am retired

Pros:
- watching some YouTube videos by Anna Kendrick and Mackelmore
- neighborhood peaceful today
- yoga this AM at Cumberland County Library
- got some really good pain pills from the oral surgeon
- a friend who had emergency surgery is doing better
- doctor gave me 20% off due to my lack of insurance

You want weapons?

On NPR this AM I learned that there have been 12 guys who have played Dr. Who and that Dr. Who is the hero of the millenial generation. He is a pacifist and a cerebral guy. Not really familiar, myself, but I liked this quote:
"You want weapons? We're in a library. Books are the best weapon in the world. This room's the greatest arsenal we could have. Arm yourself!"

Just ate a peach. A white peach from a local farm market. It was pretty delicious. Cantalopes rumoured to be mostly tasteless this year. And I paid $3.50 for one.

Things I would like at the moment:
- a vacation (but I have too many appointments)
- to live on a cliff alone overlooking the water
- more classical music in my life (finding it very restful)
- to be surrounded by well-spoken, informed people
- some new and more friends

Walmart does have some good ideas

Although I am philosophically opposed to shopping at Walmart, I do go there occasionally to get cheap drugs.  I have to admit that they do have some good ideas...
- They have wet wipes for the carts
- The bathrooms are right near the front door and they are well maintained
- The whole entire curb out front is missing making ts really convenient for the passage of shopping carts and wheelchairs
Since my personal frugality rules dictate that I can buy only one thing per day that costs over $20, I just walked past all the temptation directly to the pharmacy and paid my $35 for my Clarinex.  I walked out without buying one additional thing. That isn't really so hard because I actually HATE shopping and kind of pride myself in my ability to get along without new stuff.  I am kind of embarrassed to admit that I took a shopping cart for this purchase because my PURSE is too heavy to lug around!

I was dreaming about a lake upon which my father lived.  Of course, it looked nothing like the lake where he really lived.  There was a lack of water and there were some boats in the lake sitting on the grass. There were three (red?) motorboats sitting together on a grassy knoll in the middle of the mud. The banks of this pond were really high, like mountains.  I thought to myself that I would invite my mother and father out for dinner one night.  Then I woke up and remembered that they were dead.

So many bad pens in the world.  I hate to throw them away.  Used to go downtown to the office supply store and get refills.  But that is just too difficult in the age of Staples with everything wrapped up in plastic.  Hard to get help.  So I guess we are just supposed to be wasteful and throw stuff away.
That is freally hard for me, being a hoarder.

Neighbors, the good and the bad

I am about to get new neighbors.  It is an adjustment.  I do love my peace and quiet, although currently I may have TOO much of it.  The houses on either side and across the street from me are empty.  Now, people are moving in downstairs and I can hear EVERY sound....the door opening and closing, footsteps, the  murmur of voices.  Sometimes I hear conversations that I DON'T want to hear.
I don't think I make much noise...only my television, my radio and my shredder.  (No, I don't do any vacuuming).

Driving around yesterday I was disgusted with the amount of TRASH all along the roadsides.  We are The United States of Trash, or is it just New Jersey, or is it just Cumberland County?  February is depressing enough without having to see that.  I wouldn't mind picking some of it up if the weather was nicer, but it is an overwhelming task.

Finished a book: Major Pettigrew's last stand, by Helen Simonson.  I like the title and greatly enjoyed the book.  Major Pettigrew is an older British guy who becomes interested in a woman from another country (Pakistan).  Despite the local prejudices, he follows his heart where she is concerned.  There is also a story of the family guns and Major Pettigrew's relatives, which include an adult son and his girlfriend.  I picked this book up at the Vineland Public Library book sale.

I picked up another book, The London train, by Tessa Hadley.  I read a story by her in the New Yorker which caused me to search for her at the Vineland Public Library (FIC HADLEY TESSA).
Another story taking place in England.  It almost seemed like two unrelated short stories, but I think the two  characters meet on the London train.  About a man, his ex-wife, his current wife and his daughter from the first marriage, who leaves school and gets pregnant and lives with a Russian couple.  The second part is about a woman and her situation.

I think I died and went to heaven. Stopped into NEW shop downtown. (We only get a new shop about once every five years). It is called Little Mama's cafe and is at the same location where I have previously experienced an art gallery, an ice cream store and a restaurant (God, I'm old!) The address is 20 W. Commerce St. and the official opening celebration is this afternoon at 2 PM.

Pros:
- Free wireless access
- coffee
- sweets
- adorable friendly local family wait staff
- it's not McDonald's
- Morning show playing on TV at a reasonable level
- Cool plastic see thru bag for your cupcake take out
- Jamaican me crazy coffee (they actually tell you what kind they have today)
- re-opening of a business which has been shuttered for several years

Cons:
- table wobbly
- prices a bit high for every day
- TV COULD be a con if they insist on playing FOX news or some other disgusting channel
- No plug in view for my laptop

I set out with a half a day of errands on my list and I only got two blocks from home before I had to settle down with the laptop. Did I mention how nice it is to be retired?

Enjoying Chasing life, by Sanjay Gupta. Somewhere I acquired this audiobook which is not even from the library. It got a bit SMUSHED but works fine. It is a struggle to pay attention as the facts are rushing by, fast and furious. Things like, one in 10 people AGE 65 exhibit signs of Alzheimers. Copper is bad for you (I didn't even know copper was in foods). Studies have been done on the MEMORY of FRUIT FLIES! (How do they interview them?)

Finally got on the wireless here. It is different wherever you go. I was the FIRTS ONE to try it. Reminds me of my recent working days when patrons would come in with their laptops and my eyes would just glaze over and I would think, "You're on your own...I don't know NUTTIN' about wireless!"

If I hang out here long enough, it will be time for my mid-morning snack. Now, which cupcake should I have, French toast delight, Cinnamon delight or Stawberry supreme?
Speaking of strawberries, they have a PINK TV and a sign that says, Pink isn't just a color, it's an attitude.