Joyeuses Paques . . .

Yay . . . Pussy willows . . .

Tried to show the texture so that you would want to pet them!

I don't walk on our street too often any more so I don't get to find the rare pussy willows. They are rare to me because each year someone always beats me to them! But I was in luck yesterday. Younger sister-in-law took me to the Mashentucket Reservation for a nice indoor walk and leisurely lunch. On our return to her home I saw some big, fat pussy willows actually made for petting! Kid brother gave me a nice big branch and using my trusty new Pampered Chef Shears I now have a beautiful display of the perfectly petable, velvety grey, springtimey, poofey puffs. I like it like that!

We've already been to the flying field where the walking was good and Puppies and Dante's Pop fought the wind to get in four flights. He is good. What a tenacious spirit. Must be why our progeny are keen, hard working and diligent. Amazing attributes in this " Let the government take care of me," age. Did I mention Rainbow? Yep, a neat little village in Winsor, CT. Last week younger sister directed me to a Winsor shopping plaza by all kinds of winding back roads. It was a beautiful drive. We followed the Farmington River for a while and drove through some beautiful Connecticut landscapes. Hope we'll get some nice weather soon so we can go on some more excursions. Even though Connecticut politics and government are horrendous left wing nuts the state is quaint, lovely, old fashioned and interesting.

Quote:  Spring hangs her infant blossoms on the trees, rocked in the cradle of the western breeze.  __Cowper

This has been fun . . .

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We just got back from LLBean and Cabela's. Picked up a few good things and stopped for lunch at the Roadside Diner. We were introduced to Hailey, the pastry chef. She said, " You subbed at the High School!" Yep. She's right! She is an intern from Johnson & Wales. You should have seen the sweet looking tarts she was bringing out of the kitchen. Impressive work. Such a good teacher am I!

Had a chance to visit with older brother and his wife yesterday. Always have a great time. C. fed us cretons for lunch and they were excellent, same taste as Pa's but no fat. That's a hard thing to do. We also went out with Oneco friends and caught up on their Celebrity Cruise in the Caribbean. Everything went perfectly on their 14 day trip.

Puppies' and Dante's Pop pointed out a bluebird on the house near the spring so I hurried to get the camera. As per his instructions, I sneaked up to the garage door and took some photos. Since M. Oiseau Bleu decided to hang around I went into video mode. After a while Puppies and  Dante's Pop called out, " He's gone!" I cracked up. I had videoed nothing! I really couldn't see what I was doing and I ended up laughing so hard that the video turned into shots of the power lines, garage, asphalt, house, sky etc. You get the picture. He'll never let me forget that faux pas! Among other faux pas I forgot to invite Middle Child and family for Easter Dinner! It's a good thing they stopped in Sunday and asked what we were doing for Easter! I guess I just took it for granted that they would be here! I have the roast beast ordered along with Gregg's Chocolate Cake and Munson's candies. So now I'm all set but the cooking! Oops! Just got the call! So I'm on my way to Groton! Cool beanies.

Quote:  He who has no inclination to learn more will be very apt to think that he knows enough.   ___Powell

It didn't help . . .

At least the blue bird is on schedule. Praise the Lord!

I enjoy going to Mass. It makes me take time to slow down and be thankful for my life, family and friends. The long Palm Sunday Gospel was very well read by some of the older students in the CCD Classes. ( I have no clue what the classes are called now but they were at one time the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine.) When the congregation  read the part of the Chorus and came to the single  word "Prophesy" with the long ī because it is a verb and was used as a command to Jesus, it was read by all, but not sundry (me) as Prophecy with a long ē, the noun! Heaven help me I am going as quickly as the sleek, brown fox as he jumps over the lazy dog and continues down the hill of despair. I may have to take up drinking as a worth while hobby. I must stop being a nit picker! I shall have to pray that my hearing continues its decline. On top of that Father Ray who now works for the Bishop was invited to urge us to go to a three day retreat. He is going to be the featured speaker. Oyveh! I never could stand the platitudinous simpleton years ago when he came to All Hallows much too often. Now he's some sort of speaking big wig for the diocese. I may have to convert to a fire and brimstone church! He's super light catholicism. Can't stand it! Okay, that's it. My Sunday is in ruins so I think I'll have Puppies and Dante's Pop take me out for a Black Russian lunch.

Quote: It was pride that changed angels into devils; it is humility that makes men as angels.   ___Augustine  ( I must repent of my proud and mean ways.  I really need to be humble.  Hard job.  Not easy.  Pas du tout facile.)

Bah Springtime . . .

Back to WW II England

Ridiculous.  We can still go sliding. The sun peeps out occasionally; it's 39 degrees in the sun; it's windy and disgustingly cold just trying to gas the car! Where is the nice hot climate change? I want it now! Damn, Obama can't even get the weather right. He's just so easy to despise along with the entire US Congress and all the idiots we have in Hartford who are planning to tax home heating oil so we backwards folks can change to the new and better green fuel natural gas. I'm just so pissy today I could spit nails.

So on to safer topics! Had a great visit Sunday with kid brother and his wife. I picked up some eclairs and creme puffs from the Roadside Diner and we had a little desert fest. The cook at the Roadside out did himself with the creme puffs. So impressed was I. Monday our maple syrup producing Cousine stopped by with 2013 syrup for me to parcel out. She will not take any money for her labour intensive gift. Wish I could repay her in some way. All she said was, " Take care of the trees, Irène." What a truly kind and generous soul. Had some fun with Kiddo Tuesday evening and visited younger sister yesterday.  She's sounding and looking stronger and younger each visit! Soon she'll have a trustworthy vehicle and I hope she'll be able to come to Moosup. Then we can go out to the Diner and drive to Oakland Beach besides just hanging out in this good old town!

Spent this morning with T at Old Tymes eating Caribbean Pancakes. I really have to stop these meetings or meet where the food is horrible! The pancakes are dressed with bananas, pecans, coconut. I add butter and real maple syrup. That counted for lunch and breakfast. Later I helped Ps&D's Pop bleed the brakes on the El Camino. I don't think they are too trustworthy yet because he couldn't get to the back driver's side line where he had to be too careful or he could have broken something. We did the others but he may have to wait until it warms up to try to loosen things up or it may need professional help. It is pretty old and testy at times.

Quote:  That state of life is most happy where superfluities are not required, and necessaries are not wanting.    ___Plutarch

Hey, I did download it right this time!

Uh oh . . .

The batteries died so you can't see the end of the story.  (This is supposed to be a video!)

Can't believe we just spoke with  a 48 year old former student as we were indulging in a luscious breakfast at the Roadside Diner. He said, as former students are wont to say," Don't you remember me? You are Mrs. Rose, right?" Of course I do remember faces but I'm afraid names escape me most of the time! Met my first students when I started out subbing at Plainfield High in 1965. If I suppose I met at least 60 new kids a year for 32 1/2 years that's around 2,000 students not counting the years I subbed! (I'm not counting my regular classes because I had many of those same students for at least three years or Chess Club.  Only counting Freshmen, Study Halls and Home Room.)No, I don't remember all the kids, darn it! It was a close encounter of a good kind. Jeff mentioned that he plays horseshoes and knows where we live. We invited him to play when he has time to stop by. He said he has put in three pits with cement runways in his backyard and the lighting necessary for late night pitching! Looks like Ps&D's Pop has another place to pitch horseshoes! Jeff did mention drinking beer and wine with a somewhat quizzical look on his face. So I told him that at 48 years old it was okay! It's no wonder I loved teaching. Lots of very nice human beings.

Colder than a witch's tits today as Grampa would say. Good gravy. Where the devil is Springtime? Supposed to be here this week. Hope it's going to make it!

Follow up on the dare from Kiddo. I found an easy rendition of Beethoven's Für Elise and if I practice some more I should be able to show off when he comes for his Frication!

Quote:  The contented man is never poor; the discontented never rich.   ___George Eliot

Superior comprehension . . .

New mugs!  I love them.
 

Gotta hand it to that Kiddo. He understands some of the vicissitudes of life. This morning Grampa invited him out to breakfast at McD's. Kiddo asked me if I was going too I said no. I'd just stay home and be all alone in peaceful contemplation. He eyed me and said, " Exactly right. Just like Mom." How much more better can it get? He's only eight years old and understands how nice it is to be alone! ( Naturellement, we only need this respite on rare occasions!) When I was making his bed this morning I was flabbergasted that the top sheet had just about completely disappeared to the bottom on one side! I asked "How do you do that?" His forthright answer, "I don't know but my Dad does it too!" Good grief. It's in his genes!

Grampa is off to the flying field and I am alone to drink my coffee and try to play Für Elise on the keyboard. That's also Kiddo's fault. He dared me to play it as well as he did with a special iPad app! I know I'm on the losing end of this dare!

Quote:  Socrates being asked the way to honest fame, said, "Study to be what you wish to seem."

Addendum . . .

Hot-diggedy-dog-diggedy-boom . . . my iPad is all tuned up! I'm impressed. I'm sure the at least five different IT people that worked with me are not impressed but hey, it's their job and I sure as the devil gave them some work! Feels good to be chugging along at a much faster pace.

Can you smell the wood burning ? ? ?

Temari Ball

Oh my dear lord.  I've been on and off on the phone with Apple all evening. My iPad is getting pokey so I thought I might need a new battery. I won't even go into what I had to do to talk to someone at the closest Apple Store in Providence.  We'll just say that I have to have an appointment and they couldn't book it for a week ahead!!! So I telephoned and ended up speaking with someone who had me open to a diagnostic page on the device and he told me the battery was fine but I should clean out the whole iPad and start over. The reason for all the phone calls is that it takes time for the device to get all stored on the computer before we can empty it out and it then becomes brand new again and then we have to restore all the stuff I like from the computer using Wifi. Whatever.  Suffice it to say that it is at this time downloading all the stuff I've purchased as apps and then tomorrow when they call at 8am we'll get all of the stuff from iTunes and I should be good to go!  It really is running much faster now. They've also sent me some emails so I can try to do more useful things on my own.  HA!  Dreamers they are!

Had a nice visit from a friend I've known since All Hallows.  She brought me a Temari Ball, a Japanese art form I believe. She is very artistic.  I have a book she signed for me.  She did the cover illustration. It's really very nice.  Ps&D's Pop gave her a blue bird box and a post so she can attract the pretty things.  Hope she has good luck. Will pick up the Kiddo tomorrow and hope the snow doesn't mess up the weekend!

Quote:  Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet.   ___Rousseau

Very nice . . .

My bent-back-into-shape coal bucket

As incredible as it may seem we went to the new Sterling School and Ps&D's Pop was able to fly off of the wet, saturated left field and I got in 45 minutes of walking around the track and school. 52 degrees, sunny, blue sky and a great day to be out and about. First time I've really walked out of doors in months! To top off this crazy weekend where Kiddo had to stay home because of the snow factor in Moosup UCONN men with Kevin Ollie at the helm won their last game of the season in an overtime over the Friars. Very cool win. They had at least three of their better players with broken body parts on the bench and they still managed a win over a Providence team that has been surging at season's end. I even managed to clean the house too. Whoopee! Nothing special going on this week. Will probably be able to go pick up more fallen branches when the snow finally melts off of the hill. We could go sliding today but hopefully the Friday/Saturday storm will be the end of Winter. Last week as I was cleaning up in the yard I found an old coal bucket right across the wall from the spring. Grampa thinks it's junk but I like it. He pulled it back into some semblance of bucket shape. I will let a friend borrow it for a while as she wants to use it in a painting. As I write Grampa is out pitching horseshoes  past the snow covered garden!

Quote:  It is a noble and great thing to cover the blemishes and excuse the failings of a friend; to draw a curtain before his stains, and to display his perfection; to bury his weaknesses in silence, but to proclaim his virtues on the house-top.   ___South

Mac and Cheese to celebrate . . .

Two shots of the beautiful humming bird sculpture.

Couldn't decide which photo I preferred.

Just returned from a celebratory lunch at the Rte. 12 Diner. Dr. Slater told me I was in just terrific shape at my yearly checkup and I'll run with that. I called Ps&D's Pop from Norwich to ask him to take me out and he was most agreeable although he had already been there for coffee and a cinnamon bun while I was at Backus!  Maybe I'll skip making supper tonight! Waiting for the latest Nor'easter to hit us. So far so good. I went to East Granby yesterday to have lunch with younger sister and the roads were just slightly wet in places. Had on and off rain and snow showers but Grampa was right when he said the weather wouldn't be a problem. We had a great visit and capped it off by devouring one of the Baby Cakes from the Harvest in Simbury. Oh wow. Can't do that every day. Chocolate cake with raspberry cream filling and a luscious butter cream frosting. Super tasty. Brought home two cookies her Kiddo had made and some chocolate covered strawberries. May have to go on a starvation diet after this trip!

Quote:  Assertion is not argument; to contradict the statement of an opponent is not proof that you are correct.   ___Johnson

New way to get rid of the snow . . .

Impressive display from Bonsai Numero 2

Ps&D's Pop has a promising way to get rid of the snow piles. He brings in a bucket of snow and uses it to cool off the dozen boiled eggs he cooks up. Inventive! It is very sunny out today but so cold and windy that it is brutal if you are trying to walk outside. Just came back from Big Y where I saw a cart taking off in the wind aimed at a nice new truck. I hurried to stop the Elantra and get to it before it hit but the truck owner was just coming out of the store and beat me to it. I took it from him and used it to shop. I still can't believe that people are so rude, lazy and uncaring that they would just leave a carriage to damage other people's vehicles. I guess I'm grouchy because I'm pretty fed up with human beings at the moment, in particular those in Connecticut and DC.

Had a pleasant weekend and was surprised how much basketball Kiddo and I played outside Friday and Saturday. He's getting to be a fiend! It was cold and he was working so hard he was all red-cheeked and drinking big mugs of water. I, on the other hand, was cold even with gloves and a hat spending my time rebounding and recovering balls that got away from me and down the side of the house going across the street! Yesterday was really fine as card playing cousine and I went to see Le Petit Prince at UCONN.  I was really impressed with the job they did with puppets. Crying my way through a good part of the production was good for my soul. "On ne voit bien qu'avec le cœur. L'essentiel est invisible pour les yeux."  One must treasure friendship and those we love.

Stopped in to see younger brother and his wife Friday when my appointment at Backus for routine testing let me free very early: 9:30am appointment and I was already back in the car and calling J. at 9:28! Wonders shall never cease. We had a nice visit and when my sister-in-law came home she gave me a beautifully colored bluebird statue made from stone (calcite?) which they had bought at a big Rock Show in Arizona. Looks very nice on  Grampa Rose's big old desk.  Hoping to see younger sister Wednesday but the crazy weather is starting to look iffy and my left hand fourth finger is telling me that we are going to have some sort of storm. Shitski. Wish Winter would call it quits.

Quote:  'Tis sad work to be at that pass, that the best trial of truth must be the multitide of believers, in a crowd where the number of fools so much exceeds that of the wise.   ___Montaigne