That's how many of us were at Citizen's Bank park for the Phillies game last night. I was really there to see Mike Trout, local boy and success story who still loves his home town of Millville. Let's just say it was an experience. Many nice, helpful people and then some who just gave totally erroneous information and didn't seem to care. It was all quite confusing, what with the elevators, the escalators, the condiments bar and the freezing cold wind. I found escapes....the VIP elevator entrance, the freight elevator closet and the ladies room. Mike's team won. He didn't do much exciting but then again he didn't make any errors, either. He was very SMALL as I was sitting on the fourth row up (the "nosebleed section") Our home team (the Phillies) is not his team (The Los Angeles Angels) so there was a lot of cheering to both sides. Hope I am not going to catch a cold from the extremely frigid and windy conditions. Some people had on ski jackets and gloves and there were a lot of young girls with even less clothes than I had on.
Came down to Cape May Point where my sister has rented a house for a couple of days. Unfortunately, it looks like a couple of raining, cool days.
But fun to get a change of scene.
Spent the day cancelling newspapers and mail and doing I don't know what.
Wednesday, May 14, 2014
Monday, May 12, 2014
I finally finished The goldfinch
Didn't get tired of it and kind of sorry it is over. Finished the 26th CD after reading only one third of the book and starting all over. A coming of age story about a few friends, all with very unusual circumstances. A fictional story about a real painting, which I saw at the Frick Gallery in New York City. A great tale of dissipation, lying, neglect and many surprises. The goldfinch, by Donna Tartt, received the Pulitzer prize for fiction.
A somewhat nice Mother's day, even though I am not a mother and I no longer have a mother (living). Whiled away the morning at church and then went out to eat with two women and their son. Discovered saffron mussles at the Green Olive. May have to replace my usual item which is a feta and spinach omelet. Of course, the BEST thing was the warm really delicious bread and the butter which helped to sop up some of the creamiest sauce I have ever had on mussles.
The day was marred by my Mexican neighbors on Oak Street who think they OWN the block. Many loud parties in the back yard. Laughing, yelling, music, two barking dogs and many friends and relatives cluttering up the place. Once in awhile I wouldn't mind....but all night THursday and now all day on Sunday. I can't even enjoy my yard and have to turn on music and TV and air conditioners to even enjoy the inside of my home. I did call the police about the extremely loud Mexican music, but I am not sure if they turned it down. I am determined to call the police once a day every day they are bothering me. It could be worse, at least they are not cursing or fighting, but still.
A somewhat nice Mother's day, even though I am not a mother and I no longer have a mother (living). Whiled away the morning at church and then went out to eat with two women and their son. Discovered saffron mussles at the Green Olive. May have to replace my usual item which is a feta and spinach omelet. Of course, the BEST thing was the warm really delicious bread and the butter which helped to sop up some of the creamiest sauce I have ever had on mussles.
The day was marred by my Mexican neighbors on Oak Street who think they OWN the block. Many loud parties in the back yard. Laughing, yelling, music, two barking dogs and many friends and relatives cluttering up the place. Once in awhile I wouldn't mind....but all night THursday and now all day on Sunday. I can't even enjoy my yard and have to turn on music and TV and air conditioners to even enjoy the inside of my home. I did call the police about the extremely loud Mexican music, but I am not sure if they turned it down. I am determined to call the police once a day every day they are bothering me. It could be worse, at least they are not cursing or fighting, but still.
Thursday, May 8, 2014
I love the beach off-season
Being sort of a hermit, I love the beach when no one is around. Today I lay right down on the sand as I couldn't find my beach blanket in the trunk. I had a big lunch and after driving for an hour I felt a bit sleepy. 15 minutes on each side was for my "Vitamin D bath". My, but it was relaxing! Seems like I spend my life avoiding people, crowds, bothers of any kind. Like the mother of all the arts in Millville, who insists that negative topics not be discussed in her art studio.
Returned my library book and the fine was only 15 cents. Now I am ensconced in the computer lab (no windows) at the Ocean City Public Library. Also wonderful to be in the car so I can listen to my audiobook of The goldfinch. (I LOVE Boris). I am approaching the end and am always on pins and needles about what is going to happen.
Finished another book that was assigned by my book club. I didn't like it so much. Dirt music is by Tim Winton. It takes place in Australia and involves a love triangle (?) between three people who have a lot of unpleasant histories, not necessarily together. I liked the fact that there were a lot of unfamiliar words, which I am going to look up. But there was so much unpleasantness of various kinds and the ending was really confusing. Too much about bodily fluids and the sentences are often fragments and when someone is speaking, there are no quotation marks. Not sure about other books on that point but the difficulty comes when he moves between what they are saying and what they are thinking and you are not sure which it is. It was also in large print and I sometimes wonder if that affects my view of the book.
Returned my library book and the fine was only 15 cents. Now I am ensconced in the computer lab (no windows) at the Ocean City Public Library. Also wonderful to be in the car so I can listen to my audiobook of The goldfinch. (I LOVE Boris). I am approaching the end and am always on pins and needles about what is going to happen.
Finished another book that was assigned by my book club. I didn't like it so much. Dirt music is by Tim Winton. It takes place in Australia and involves a love triangle (?) between three people who have a lot of unpleasant histories, not necessarily together. I liked the fact that there were a lot of unfamiliar words, which I am going to look up. But there was so much unpleasantness of various kinds and the ending was really confusing. Too much about bodily fluids and the sentences are often fragments and when someone is speaking, there are no quotation marks. Not sure about other books on that point but the difficulty comes when he moves between what they are saying and what they are thinking and you are not sure which it is. It was also in large print and I sometimes wonder if that affects my view of the book.
Wednesday, May 7, 2014
"The Villages"
Imagine over 107,000 people over 55 living within 5 square miles. It is the fastest growing metropolitan area in the country! I don't think I would like it. Too crowded with wealthy retired people. It was founded by a billionaire and is known as "Disneyland for adults". It is in Florida, not sure exactly where.
A job has become available in my area of expertise. However, it is a "starter" job, downsized to 20 hours in order to save money on benefits. While it would be nice to have some extra money, the thought of having to commit myself to a schedule is not appealing and I would rather escape from some of the people who hang out at his place rather than help them. I am not proud of that sentiment, but there it is. I was there yesterday and some people came in and sat at the adjoining table. I couldn't wait to leave. Two people, one handicapped, curse words every other word, and a rank odor of cat piss. I am very sensitive to the smell of urine and unwashed bodies and stale smoke. (Hmmm...maybe I WOULD like the Villages?!)
Nice to wake up today with only the prospect of my usual research haunt and choir practice. Sometimes I wear myself out running around to all of my various activities. Like tomorrow, when I have arthritis exercise class at 8 AM, followed by art class from 9:30 - 12:30. Then I have to run down to Ocean City to return a library book. I tried to renew it, but someone had put it on hold. French women don't get facelifts talks about aging gracefully without too much intervention.
A job has become available in my area of expertise. However, it is a "starter" job, downsized to 20 hours in order to save money on benefits. While it would be nice to have some extra money, the thought of having to commit myself to a schedule is not appealing and I would rather escape from some of the people who hang out at his place rather than help them. I am not proud of that sentiment, but there it is. I was there yesterday and some people came in and sat at the adjoining table. I couldn't wait to leave. Two people, one handicapped, curse words every other word, and a rank odor of cat piss. I am very sensitive to the smell of urine and unwashed bodies and stale smoke. (Hmmm...maybe I WOULD like the Villages?!)
Nice to wake up today with only the prospect of my usual research haunt and choir practice. Sometimes I wear myself out running around to all of my various activities. Like tomorrow, when I have arthritis exercise class at 8 AM, followed by art class from 9:30 - 12:30. Then I have to run down to Ocean City to return a library book. I tried to renew it, but someone had put it on hold. French women don't get facelifts talks about aging gracefully without too much intervention.
Saturday, May 3, 2014
The goldfinch
Remembered a little bird I saw in a museum so I tried to find it online. I believe it IS what gave the idea for the book The Goldfinch. It is in the Frick Gallery in New York City. I started the book and only got 1/3 of the way through it before it became overdue. Then started all over again with the 26 CD audiobook. It is quite compelling!
Finished Then again, by Diane Keaton. I love reading autobiographies and finding out who knew whom and such like that. I am eager to read her new book as I enjoyed this one on my Nook. She never married (I like THOSE role models) and adopted two children. She also went through a lot with the decline of her mother.
Someone has been in my yard and it gives me the creeps. Came home and found one of the wooden pieces broken off on my gate. Then we found a SWEATER and a CELL PHONE under the steps. Just what I need, a careless, vandalizing trespasser. I have enough dislike of my neighbors without them invading my space. Called the policeman and he was very polite and took the cell phone although he thought it was broken and useless.
Finished Then again, by Diane Keaton. I love reading autobiographies and finding out who knew whom and such like that. I am eager to read her new book as I enjoyed this one on my Nook. She never married (I like THOSE role models) and adopted two children. She also went through a lot with the decline of her mother.
Someone has been in my yard and it gives me the creeps. Came home and found one of the wooden pieces broken off on my gate. Then we found a SWEATER and a CELL PHONE under the steps. Just what I need, a careless, vandalizing trespasser. I have enough dislike of my neighbors without them invading my space. Called the policeman and he was very polite and took the cell phone although he thought it was broken and useless.
Wednesday, April 30, 2014
Feelings of impending doom
Torrents of rain and hours of gloom tend to depress me and give me feelings of impending doom. Let me count the ways...
- small ants are back in the kitchen
- tenants have given notice that they are moving
- Ceiling is wet with leaks
- doubting all of my decisions (thank God I didn't have to have jury duty!)
- this is the second day I have not exercised (country western dancing tonight?)
- heat (oil) still needed
- it will be gloomy and rainy for art class tomorrow
- neighbors with annoying barking dog have now gotten a SECOND dog
There must be some reasons to be happy...
- my grandmother is being honored tonight
- I finally got ahold of someone I have been trying to get ahold of for a good long time
- neighbors who had the most annoying barking dog may be moving?
- weight went down overnight
- small ants are back in the kitchen
- tenants have given notice that they are moving
- Ceiling is wet with leaks
- doubting all of my decisions (thank God I didn't have to have jury duty!)
- this is the second day I have not exercised (country western dancing tonight?)
- heat (oil) still needed
- it will be gloomy and rainy for art class tomorrow
- neighbors with annoying barking dog have now gotten a SECOND dog
There must be some reasons to be happy...
- my grandmother is being honored tonight
- I finally got ahold of someone I have been trying to get ahold of for a good long time
- neighbors who had the most annoying barking dog may be moving?
- weight went down overnight
Thursday, April 24, 2014
Which is worse, high blood pressure or slow resting heart rate?
So, I stopped taking my blood pressure pill as it was making my heart rate too slow. Now my blood pressure is too high. Darn, I thought maybe I was overcoming HBP with my modicum of weight loss and my pathetic, half-hearted efforts to exercise. Jeez...when you get to be 66 you just think about all of the things that can go wrong. And you see them happening to many of the people around you, even the ones YOUNGER than 66.
Taking an art class. I guess I like it. It is nice to get involved in something for three hours and I have noticed that I don't think about EATING during this time. I do, however, have a lot of competition anxiety. I don't think I am very good at it and have already mentally moved on to the next project. That is one reason I don't want to go out and spend a lot of money on fancy art supplies. Yes, my materials are possibly limiting what I am able to accomplish. Today I painted a sunset that I took a picture of down at Bivalve the other night. Now, I need to think of a project for NEXT week. Every week that I have been there the day has been sunny and gorgeous. And today a woman who fell down with a stroke a couple of weeks ago was BACK and none the worse for the wear. The nurse who had guided the rescue crew went home and painted her a picture and presented it to her in a frame today. After the class, I went out in back of the barn and relaxed by the pond. Was taking my "Vitamin D bath" and waiting for my watercolor to dry. Enjoyed greatly the sounds....wind chimes in the trees, waterfall fountain in the pond, wind blowing through the bamboo trees. Add to that the heavenly odors and another artist painting a fabulous pink flowered tree. It was rather heavenly!
On my way home soon. It is a struggle to get to spend time at home so I can read and organize (ha ha) and look out the windows at the sunny day. I was supposed to have a French club meeting tonight but one and then another dropped out so we ended up rescheduling it. I am just as glad as I had too many activities today. Started off with arthritis class at 8 AM, then art class, then a substantial lunch at the Olympia Greek restaurant, then chiropractor and massage, and now computer time at the Millville Public Library. It is a difficult life (not). I guess I should feel guilty about all of my self-indulgence, but, hey, don't I deserve it?
Taking an art class. I guess I like it. It is nice to get involved in something for three hours and I have noticed that I don't think about EATING during this time. I do, however, have a lot of competition anxiety. I don't think I am very good at it and have already mentally moved on to the next project. That is one reason I don't want to go out and spend a lot of money on fancy art supplies. Yes, my materials are possibly limiting what I am able to accomplish. Today I painted a sunset that I took a picture of down at Bivalve the other night. Now, I need to think of a project for NEXT week. Every week that I have been there the day has been sunny and gorgeous. And today a woman who fell down with a stroke a couple of weeks ago was BACK and none the worse for the wear. The nurse who had guided the rescue crew went home and painted her a picture and presented it to her in a frame today. After the class, I went out in back of the barn and relaxed by the pond. Was taking my "Vitamin D bath" and waiting for my watercolor to dry. Enjoyed greatly the sounds....wind chimes in the trees, waterfall fountain in the pond, wind blowing through the bamboo trees. Add to that the heavenly odors and another artist painting a fabulous pink flowered tree. It was rather heavenly!
On my way home soon. It is a struggle to get to spend time at home so I can read and organize (ha ha) and look out the windows at the sunny day. I was supposed to have a French club meeting tonight but one and then another dropped out so we ended up rescheduling it. I am just as glad as I had too many activities today. Started off with arthritis class at 8 AM, then art class, then a substantial lunch at the Olympia Greek restaurant, then chiropractor and massage, and now computer time at the Millville Public Library. It is a difficult life (not). I guess I should feel guilty about all of my self-indulgence, but, hey, don't I deserve it?
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