Monday and the Oil Burner Man Is Here

So I guess I have no excuse for not blogging.

I did manage a full week at work, although I did go home early a couple of times. It's good to be home, but all of my cold/humid weather aches and pains are back.

Saturday:

I went to Bernardston to see their scarecrows in the park exhibit. Sharon and her family made a wonderful pumpkin-faced Gru with many butternut squash minions. It should have been first place. It wasn't.

Gru and His Minions

After parking where I thought I had to (there were many parked cars in front of me), I walked about a quarter of a mile to the park. 

Not a Winner

Elvis Didn't Win Either

I walked around, looking at the various scarecrows and chatted with Sharon and her friends. Then it was time to find a rest room. Luckily, there was Antonios II there and I also had a slice of pizza and a salad. It was all very delicious, so I set out satisfied and happy.

But after walking for a while, I'm thinking, 'I don't remember it being this far, I must be tired from walking around.'

Later, 'I don't remember this farm, but I was walking past parked cars and trying not to get hit by traffic.'

Finally, 'Damn! It's getting cold and my sinuses hurt.'  So I dialed Sharon, who mercifully answered her phone,

Me: This is Tina and I'm lost and I can't walk any more. (The hip pain had kicked in.)
Sharon: Where are you?
Me: If I knew, I wouldn't be lost. (I really wasn't trying to be funny.)
Sharon: Are there any people around?
Me: No. There's a house here, but it doesn't look like anybody's home.

In a few minutes, Sharon comes roaring up to pick me up. It turns out, I had walked over a mile and a half before I caved -- I was on the way to Vermont! I had forgotten that I had crossed the park diagonally, so I had not walked on the correct street.  How embarrassing is that?

**************************************************

Then it was supper with Cyndi. She had spent the day being a house captain for the Historical Society's House Tour.

We had polenta with masala sauce in which I had cooked eggplant and a few green beans. The side is butternut squash. You see part of dessert: strawberries, watermelon, and blackberries. It was yummy! (I cheated and bought the pre-made polenta.)

*****************************************************
Sunday was Phyllis' open house/birthday/Halloween party. She always outdoes herself cooking and hosting. She is the most energetic 75 year old that I know! Best wishes to a good person and a good friend!

*****************************************************
So the oil burner guy is done. I'm going to work now.

Frustration Reigns

We went to the College of the Desert this morning to go to their Street Fair. Well, it's not on the street -- it's on the grounds of the college. I guess you could call it a fair, but it really is is acres and acres of vendors. Although since November 1 heralds "the season" here, many of the vendors were missing.  We had a nice stroll though until it became unbearably hot (for me, mainly). I did manage to get some wonderfully plump California raisins and a magnifying glass for my purse.

Yes, even with reading glasses, I have difficulty reading some food labels. This should take care of it.  The guy also had magnifiers that snap onto a pill bottle, should any of you out there need that. I did not know such a thing existed.

*****************************************************
After the COD, we went to Costco to get a chicken. And since Mom had a question for the Verizon guy, I thought I would ask if I could upgrade my phone. Yes, it was time and I could get a new phone. I'll cut to the frustration part: it took over an hour with two trips back to the register (the second one because the cashier had input it incorrectly).

A giggle: Alex who was in his second day at the job thought Massachusetts is in the midwest.

Anyway ... I'm waiting for David to type up all of the paperwork and whatever he's doing and by this time I'm leaning on his counter. Meanwhile Mom had gone to powder her nose, so she had left the shopping cart with me.

Eventually, I hear, 'Hello! I need to get by!' and it dawned on me that this man was talking to me. (My ears have been blocked off and on for a couple of days now.) I turn around and move the basket out of his way.

And in a very smarmy, sarcastic way, he says loudly, "I'm sorry it was such an imposition for you to move as I can see from the look on your face."  Amazed, I turned back to David the Verizon guy.

And as the other guy is out of sight, I made the appropriate response of, "Fuck you," making David giggle.  The other guy comes wheeling back saying, "What did you say to me?!?!"

When I told him I hadn't spoken to him, he said, "I think I heard the f word come out of your mouth and that's not what a lady says." I told him I'm not a lady and he called me rude (after he had made fun of my face in the first place) and he swished away haughtily.  

Which precipitated another 'fuck you' from me. At that point, David said he was outrageous and the whole thing had been unnecessary. I went back to being frustrated, particularly when David transferred my phone numbers and it brought in the email of everybody on facebook and the Netherlands. Not good.

Now that I have had some time to think about it, I really wish that asshat had come back again, because I have thought up some great responses:

1. "Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuckety fuck fuck.

2. (Screamed) !Ayudame! Esto hombre ...! [Help me! This man ... !]

3. Would you wait here for a moment, Sir? My mother is just 
returning and I'd like her to hear what you said to me. She thinks I'm polite.

4. Would it be now that I inform you that I am licensed to carry a concealed weapon? (Yes, my purse is plenty big enough.)

5. Sneeze and cough spewing a lot of spit in his direction.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I have printed my boarding pass and then I'll do a laundry. I won't be back in Amherst until Monday, going to work first. Let's see if I can make it until 3 p.m. before I do a !sploosh!, otherwise known as a face plant on my desk. The time change does not really agree with me.

Cheers to all and to all a good night!

Friday in Palm Springs, California

It's tough work being a tourist/caregiver person who must exercise in a pool, but somebody's gotta do it.

"My" Pool around 11 a.m.

 No need for the pool heater to kick in -- was around 82 F. then.  Now, it's 91 F. and I'm going back into the pool at 3:30 p.m. (15 minutes from now).

I decided to give you some of the sights on the way back from the pool this a.m.

Above is a little of the pool side planting. Drought tolerant plants have been installed.

This is what Fall looks like in Palm Springs.

The fruit is not ripe. This tree's fruit seems to be in trouble with a big brown spot on the top, some yellow and mostly green.  Mom lost her whole hibiscus bush to mealy moths. Her friend Eric is trying to resurrect it.

This is one of the two "Texas Sage" bushes that flank Mom's front door. 

After a strenuous time at the pool, lol, we went to Mario's for lunch.
Mom ordered the eggplant parmesan, pictured below.  My shrimp diavolo didn't photograph well, so you will have to salivate without a picture. 

Their sauce is fantastic! I figured it out: lots of garlic and lots of good olive oil.

Last night everyone was complaining about the humidity (I think it was 67% coupled with temperature in the 90's), and sure enough, it rained. It also thundered and there was a fair amount of lightning.

Tomorrow we are going to the College of the Desert so I can go to the swap meet. I don't know how far Mom and I will get -- it's acres of vendors and food trucks -- because I have trouble walking on hard surfaces. Although I must admit, I have been pain free (except for sinus pain) since I have been here.

****************************************************
It feels almost obscene to be having such a good, healing time as I see such horrible events in Israel and the West Bank area. I wish people would remember there is only one God, even if you call Him Allah. Shalom alecheim.

Where to Start?

Life in Palm Springs is ... well ... different. Of course, I'm not working, but it's just a different life style. 

I've just come from the pool (9 p.m.). It is so great to be paddling around alone in the lit pool with palm trees swaying gently in the breeze. Mom came and dunked her feet in. It was lovely.

It has been so hot during the day that if I go to the pool, it's not very refreshing. The word "tepid" comes to mind. And I got sunburned very quickly so I'm trying to avoid that.

Tonight we went to Mom's "dine out," which is their monthly dinner. (It's her Widows or Widowers Club.) They arrange a wonderful price and you get soup to nuts. Here's dessert.

It was fantastic tiramisu.  Mom wanted to know why I didn't take a picture of my steak, but it told me to eat it while it was hot. 

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Also today, Mom got a new pneumonia shot. I like this sign so much, I almost stole it for outside of my office.

And they are not kidding about the 'campus.' I thought it was a shopping mall, but all of the offices are medical and health care offices.

**************************************************
We also went to Ross (similar to Marshalls) and were greeted by a pleasant young man who had LOSS PREVENTION emblazoned on his shirt. "So, you're here to tell me not to steal?" I said. "Pretty much," he said.  I think he was kidding.

###################################################

And the street names here are weird.  Two Bunch Palms Tri is one street name. Really. I'm used to Bob Hope and Frank Sinatra streets. But I just heard Two Bunch Palms Tri on the news (on a map even), so it must be true.

I chuckle every time we go past a certain taco place because their sign says, "Es muy bueno." (It's very good.) Mom can't figure out how they can be open 24 hours a day because she can't imagine anyone wanting a taco at 3 a.m.  I told her it would taste great if you were stoned. Or, so I have heard ...

*****************************************************

It got to 100 F. today, but for only six minutes according to the 11 o'clock weather. The rest of the day it was 95 ...

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Sunday Night in PS

They have a name for it -- misophonia!

Do you have an intense emotional reaction to hearing someone eating with their mouth open  [yes! ick,ick, ick!], sneezing, coughing, sniffling [I almost strangled a co-worker who came into my office just to sniff], chewing or throat-clearing? 

Do you feel enraged when someone makes repetitive noises like tapping [yup], clicking a pen [yup], typing on a keyboard [not usually because that's me, although my new keyboard is loud and kind of driving me crazy], eating crunchy foods or making other sounds that make you want to run away or lash out at the source of the sound? 

The above two paragraphs (minus my additions in italics) are from a website which educates people about misophonia.  Who knew?

***********************************************************************

I just finished watching "The Departed" on Showtime.  Wow, what a movie. Jack Nicholson is the gangster Costello working out of Boston.  Matt Damon, Ben Afleck, Mark Wahlberg, Martin Sheen, and Alec Baldwin all played their parts well.  But at the end, I realized that I should have known it had been directed by Scorese -- there were as many bodies as in Macbeth.

I enjoyed seeing the Boston sites, but did not enjoy the violence. If you want to see a gritty cops and robbers story, with lots of BAD words, then this is for you.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Mom and I went to see "The Intern" with Robert DiNiro. It was a good movie and we had quite a few laughs. Robert DiNiro is a 70 ish widower who has tried everything in his retirement to keep busy. He has ranged from travel to arts and crafts and exercises.  One day he sees an ad for senior citizen interns for a new company.  He gets the job and is assigned to a 30 ish woman who happens to be the company's creator and executive director.  It's a movie with heart, no violence, and a happy ending.  :)

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

I am sad to report that I have finished "Homeland" on Showtime.  It's on "live" tonight but it will conflict with "Good Wife" and it  is Mom's tv after all.

We're both waiting for "Madam Secretary" with Madeleine Albright.

Oops, it's on. Ciao!

Palm Springs Sunset 10-8-15

So this is the sunset tonight at about 6:40 p.m.

And below is about 6:41 p.m. (No retouching of photos.)

Both photos were taken with my phone, which Sharon says is old. It still seems to be quite serviceable to me. :)

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

So, okay, I didn't take a picture of dinner. I ate it. We had mini lamb chops, Costco potato salad, and broccoli.  Yummy. 

*********************************************************************************

Hot, hot, hot. That's how it is for me (it's supposed to get to 101 F. tomorrow). However, the natives are just comfortable. Yesterday, when it was only 97 F. we saw a woman wearing fur boots.  Really. I'm not joking.  I may melt into a puddle. 
((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((

Today we went to the Mizell Senior Center to go to their used clothing shop and then on to Revivals, a second hand shop. Both had some very interesting things, but nothing we could use for Halloween costumes.  Actually, we have been invited to a Day of the Dead (Dia de los muertos) party. I'm not too into the sugar skull look for me, but apparently, I am so pale compared to most people here that I won't need the white makeup. 
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

I have found, much to my chagrin, that the little old lady at Walmart is not a greeter.  She stops you upon leaving, demands your receipt and then scribbles on it. The first time I went there, I didn't understand that she was calling to me. (You talkin' to ME?) It's annoying.  Mom was more charitable: it's her job!  Yeah, well, it's still annoying, especially after they charge me 10 cents for a bag. Although it was explained to me that the city of Palm Springs levies the bag fee.

Sunday, October 4, 2015

Yeah, I'm too jet lagged to think up cutesy titles.  Deal with it.

Thank you to Phyllis and Bruce the Rottweiller for watching my house while I'm away in Palm Springs.  Mom is doing great, healing nicely.  She can't bend down or reach up (doctor's orders), but that's what I'm here for.

So after getting up at 4:30 a.m., catching a 5:30 a.m. shuttle, I left Logan airport at 9:00 a.m. tired but happy.  By then I had discovered that I had left my toiletry case in my carry on bag -- which I did not bring with me.  I was trying to travel light, but not quite that light. Emily came to my rescue.  I knew I would really NEED deoderant by the end of the day.

The flight was smooth but long. It was 4 bottles of water long and the cabin temperature must have been at least 80 stifling degrees.  The landing was as smooth as silk in San Francisco.  However, I had a fair amount of pain in my ear and I still can't hear out of my right ear after almost 24 hours. Cross your fingers that I get my hearing back because I can't tell how loud I'm talking!

At a grill at the SF airport, I heard a piper.  The USO was having a Welcome Home ceremony for veterans, many of whom appeared to be WWII vets.  There must have been at least 20 wheelchairs.  Many of us applauded.  Here's a picture of the aftermath as they were wending their way to street transportation.

Again, the Monet effect.  I'm thinking that my blood pressure spiked with excitement, making my hand shake.  I couldn't get close enough to read the gold tee shirts but all of the companions were wearing them.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

After an almost 4 hour layover, I reached Palm Springs.  We had awful turbulence (25 mph gusts of wind) over PS and had to do a flyover.  

We had almost landed and suddenly the pilot yanked the nose up.  I'm thinking, "He can see those mountains, right?" The mountains ring the PS airport sometimes causing mild turbulence, but this day's was from unusual winds.  It turns out, the pilot told us that a small plane was on the runway where he wanted to land and the small plane didn't get out of the way in time. I kind of wish he hadn't told us that ...

This is a view sitting right outside of the PS terminal. I really think these clouds added to the turbulence. Everybody hopes those clouds meant rain in the mountains.

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
And today is really Monday and I was up before dawn. I know, you're thinking, 'Who is this really?'  But ... 6 a.m. here is 9 a.m. there. And I was up at 6 a.m.

Good morning, Palm Springs! (Picture is from Mom's front door.)

Sequel to Saturday October 3

After Ann and my excellent adventure at Yankee Candle, I went home and finished packing.  Then it was off to Emily's in Worcester. I have now gotten used to the fact that I have grandkitties. Below are the foster kittens and foster Mom.

I saw this kitten sitting there, looking the other way. When I called to it, s/he turned and I snapped the picture.  Hence, the 'you talkin' to ME?' look.

Sorry about the blurry factor, think of Monet! Pixie is the Mom on the left, Griffin on the right.

Play time!

All are engaged.  I love the circle on Griffin's side. He has one on the other side, making him bilaterally symmetrical.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Did I show you Ann's latest creations? They will be on sale at the Sleighbell Fair for the So. Amherst Congregational Church. $25 each 'nest.'

Of course, she also has made doggies, kitties, dinosaurs, etc. That's part of what she does all summer in the Adirondacks.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

And why, you may ask, was I packing? Next post.

Saturday, October 3, 2015

Even though it was cloudy, chilly and sinus pain inducing, Ann and I decided to go to Yankee Candle for the craft fair there. 

When I took this picture off my camera, I labeled it "Yank Cand Bull," and then I thought, 'Is that right?'  Sure enough, it's a cow.  I thought it very interesting that you can't show male genitalia even in a bovine statue.  But it's o.k. to show the female mammary glands. Anyway, back to fun touristy-type things.

By the way, these pictures are all from my trusty phone which Sharon says is, "old!". I reminded her that so am I, but she still thinks I'm a troglodyte. 

I didn't take pictures of the art nor crafts -- it was very similar to the show two years ago.  But ... we were both amazed at the grounds of Yankee Candle.  It has become a Disney-like destination with candles. I couldn't even imagine how many hundreds of mum plants they had.

This is at the beginning of our journey and the pic is to show you how huge the leaf of this elephant ear plant is.  Yes, the wind is blowing, no I did not tease my hair up that way! (I'm 5 foot six inches tall.)

 

This squash at the entrance looked to be about waist high to me. It's fenced in, obviously so it won't run away. I think it's a squash because it really is so white. Is there a new breed of white pumpkings?

Here are just a few of the plantings. It tickled me that not only did they use decorative cabbage, but they also used kale as seen here. Kale reins in our area and I seem to be the only one that needs kale surrounded by chourico and potatoes in soup to tolerate it!  The spiky things in the back are not cat o'nine tails, but I don't know what they are.

See these brown spikes? They looked so furry and soft that I wanted to pat them.  That's probably why they are in the back and it would be most unseemly to tramp through the garden to touch them.

I know that I talked about the hundreds of mums, and they are hanging about every four feet along the porch.  And what a porch! Unfortunately, the picture I took of the porch mums is fubar.

We had to park all the way at the end of Yankee Candle (where the top shop is) and we walked to the other end where the craft building is.  I know that we walked at least a quarter of a mile! I should have counted the mums but I didn't think of it.

This, too, is at the front entrance.  If you look straight back, that's where Chandlers is. That's their restaurant. (You may or may not know that a chandler is a candle maker.)  We had a yummy lunch there.

This is a shot of Chandlers from our table.  The chandeliers have real candles in them. I suspect they light them at night. I remember having dinner there years ago and they gave each guest a pair of dinner candles. I don't know if they still do that.

After a lovely lunch, how could I leave and not leave you with this 
beauty?