Reconciliation . . .

Youngest child was somewhat appalled that her seven year old godchild is preparing to make his first confession. And I rather agree. Not too sure what sins a seven year old can commit egregious enough that the church chooses to turn them into worry warts who fear making any mistakes. But since the Roman Catholic Church now calls confession the Sacrament of Reconciliation I suppose it makes all the difference in the world? In any case kids do have to learn right from wrong and as long as they're not brainwashed into thinking they are the most terrible sinners the earth has known a little, very, very little, guilt is okay. As Kiddo was sitting down to supper I reminded him we had to get up early Saturday morning because he had to go to a retreat from 9am to 11:45 am in preparation for Reconciliation next Saturday. He nonchalantly turned to me and announced in a strong, knowing voice and great understanding in his eyes, " Mémé, I just have one good sin - I fight with my brother." I really didn't know what to say and before I could muster up a few words of appreciation for his "good sin" he added. "It's okay, we don't fight anymore." Just like that, easypeasy, he's got it all figured out. No qualms, no problem. Such a wonderful Kiddo.

After dropping him off at Sacred Heart Grampa suggested we eat breakfast at The Shack in Groton. Excellent choice. We'd never been there but I would certainly go back if we were there early in the morning again. They were packed with a line out the door but we chose to sit at the counter so we went right in. The food was delicious, the service excellent and we were on our way home in no time. Well time to go watch UCONN men win one at 11:00am this sunny, cold, windy day.

Quote: A man should never be ashamed to own he has been in the wrong, which is but saying, in other words, that he is wiser to-day than he was yesterday. ___Pope

Game of Shadows . . .

Just returned from Lisbon Landing. What a good time I had watching Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows. Have no clue how I'm supposed to react to movies but this has wonderful laugh out loud lines, scenes that made me cringe with fear because of the pain, marvelous vistas, great characters. It's a winner in my meager catalogue of movies seen. At $7.50 a pop we have some neat entertainment not far from home. I'm surprised by how much I've enjoyed going to the movies because I never think that there's anything worth watching. But there is and that's fine by me.

I didn't have to go to Groton today because Kiddo's Dad is going to pick him up from school. Since it's a rainy, gray winter day I thought the movies was a good idea. Puppy's Pop concurred. That's also a good thing. Felt a twinge of guilt because I didn't do my lunch duty but I've already completed Kiddo's mandatory volunteer hours so I'm sure they can do without my presence occasionally. I do enjoy the people I've met at Sacred Heart. We're a good bunch.

Time to complete my reading and my indoor walking.

Quote: The less you can enjoy, the poorer and scantier yourself; the more you can enjoy, the richer and more vigorous. ___Lavater

A wrinkle in time . . .

Interesting glitch with the VA. Received a bill for $50 for outpatient service in September, 2011. The VA is notorious for not billing our Stirling & Stirling insurance so invariably I call to make sure we really owe what they claim we owe them. This time Denise, my regular contact for billing problems in Providence ( the actual billing office is in Georgia ) told me that they couldn't bill our insurance because Puppy's Pop had been seen by a "student," not an MD. Now, that is a surprise. Puppy's Pop had no idea he was with a "student." No one told him that he would be seeing a "student." Denise agreed that from now on Puppy's Pop has to make sure he sees an MD if we want the insurance to kick in. Not blaming Denise, but miffed just the same, I called Senator Blumenthal's office here in Connecticut and Madeline C. said she would look into it. She agreed that it doesn't seem kosher but did tell me that the VA rarely does anything right when it comes to insurance. I think that's because some veterans, like P'sP are on Medicare as primary insurer and since both the VA and Medicare are federal programs they are not allowed to bill each other. The real tricky part is that our insurance kicks in after Medicare pays its share therefore the insurance company has to figure out what Medicare would have paid if it were paying and then pick up the remainder. How's that for clarification? What a bureaucratic heaven for the paper pushers. Not telling you you're seeing a student and not telling you your insurance will not be billed is ridiculous.

Played cribbage at home yesterday so Grampa could use my car to go play horseshoes in East Hartford. I felt awful because I won four straight games. But I imagine the wins and losses will even out the more S. and I play. It was nice to be able to play on the kitchen table with the completed puzzle taking up less space. I shall leave it up until Friday so Kiddo can see it then perhaps he can help me squish it up and put it back in its little box. I'll be going to Groton shortly even though Wednesdays are no longer on my weekly list. I imagine Kiddo will want to play outside on the playground before we go to his house and open his box from Amazon books.

Quote: He draweth out the thread of his verbosity finer than the staple of his argument. __Shakespeare

Double whammy . . .

My poor UCONNs just couldn't hack it away from home. The women let Notre Dame rough them up and the men allowed Rutgers to get away in Piscataway. Down right unbecoming for my ranked Huskies. The women rarely play good teams so I can forgive them this lapse. The men rarely play good teams as they prepare for the Big East season so they have a high opinion of themselves. I blame the coach for their terrible opening schedule. They should play the best teams so they can focus on what they have to do to win. Perhaps I can volunteer my time to help them out!

Kiddo helped put in a few puzzle pieces but it sits here still so I may have to steel myself and work all day to complete it. The problem is that all we have left are browns and blacks. Tough stuff. Richoni's sent home stuffed shrimp, fish and chips and a nice bowl of chicken soup for dinner yesterday. Nice being spoiled. Kiddo had his usual chicken tenders but no fries, grapes instead. He weighs in at 66 pounds and 51 inches tall. Getting too big to wrestle with me. Doesn't seem fair that kids grow up so fast. He and Grampa played Wii Skylanders for quite a while and had a good time.

Youngest and G. have had an offer they made on a house in the same estate where they are renting accepted. She sent pictures and it looks great. If all goes well they should be in their own place sometime in March. I just may have to visit at least one more time in the next few years so I can get a feel for their new home. Otherwise I believe they shall try to visit us once a year. I really need to see them once a year, just for hugs, smiles, laughter and homeyness. It doesn't have to be for a long time just some close time.

I forgot to mention some rumors. It seems that Bass Pro Shops is looking at the Dog Track property. Agway is preparing to move across from Better Value and Olive Garden is supposedly looking at moving to the Agway property. It sounds too good to be true but it would be a hoot to get the Pro Bass Shop in town. I guess it is feasible since both Killingly and Lisbon have the malls so we're a stop right between the two malls. That would be very cool.

Quote: Man often acquires just so much knowledge as to discover his ignorance, and attains so much experience as to see and regret his follies, and then dies. ___Clulow

Back to school . . .

Just like old times I'm ready to go back to school after vacation. Lunch duty is always interesting because I never know which of the volunteers will show up to help out, none, one or a half dozen. Poor Kiddo will probably get upset with me today when I give him his after school choices. Of course he will ask if he can play in the playground for a while which will be fine by me but when we get home and he has changed into his play clothes I'll give him a choice of reading or subtraction. Oh the whining and gnashing of teeth that will occur. C'est la vie, n'est-ce pas? Then we will be able to settle down to some good wholesome indoor hall soccer.

Had a good time playing cribbage with S. at her home. She beat me two out of three and almost skunked me on the first game. Then we were pretty close for the last two. We've got a date to play next Tuesday at her house but I may ask her to come here so Puppy's Pop can use my little car to go play horseshoes in East Hartford. The Dodge Ram is a gas guzzler in comparison to the Élantra. Yesterday youngest sister-in-law and I ventured into Rhode Island to wander around Chariho Furniture. We must have wandered for about two hours, she looking at couches, I looking at kitchen tables. We didn't buy anything but it was fun and very interesting. What a beautiful showroom of American and Canadian made furniture. I found a table that I really liked but when I got home I realized that I don't mind my old maple, laminate topped table. At least I know what I like if I go bonkers and decide I can't survive my remaining stay on this great planet without a new table. That day may come. I get antsy for new "things" that are beautiful, delightful to touch, admire and enjoy. We'll see how long I can hold out before the table becomes a necessity. (Chairs too, bien sûr.) On our way back home from our wanderings in furniture heaven we were going to stop for lunch at the Wood River Inn in Hope Valley but they are still celebrating the new year and weren't open so we asked Sandy, our most capable furniture guide, where we should eat and she suggested two Chinese places and ernie t's, a new restaurant in the rather congested, ugly strip mall on Route 138. I'm glad we stopped. It's only five months old; a nice Irish Pub style bar and the food was very good. Puppy's Pop and I will be giving it a try for our combination birthday dinner soon. I think he's going to like it there, as little orphan Annie would say. Very clean, home made everything and willing to change the menu items to suit your taste.

Time to be off and leave Grampa to work on the puzzle!

Quote: When a man has not a good reason for doing a thing, he has one good reason for letting it alone. __Thomas Scott

Delinquency . . .

I've had a long chat with my friend S. who, I hope, will retire soon. Teaching is no longer exciting or interesting. Administration has turned teachers into robots and baby sitters. Enough said on that topic.

I had to go upstairs to get all the boxes for the Christmas decorations and I spied a Bush Light can on top of the TV near the chair Grampa was sitting in when he was aiding and abetting Kiddo with the rip roaring train. Thought the photo might explain another reason why they had such a good time without Mémère present. I guess the PC crowd would get him for contributing to the delinquency of a minor. In any case the tree is down and somehow, without buying one new decoration I needed an extra box to put everything away. Not sure what I did but it was nice to get the house back to plain old home.

Puppy's Pop has figured out a way we can get the use of the kitchen table while I work away on out sized puzzles. He found a neat board somewhere that we'll set up on a card table near the porch window. We can close the kitchen table up for only two and we'll have plenty of room to get around and the puzzles won't be in the way. Cool beansies. Of course we can't try it out now because we could never move the one that's now complicating our dining pleasure. It's much too far along and the various piles of similarly colored pieces would get all messed up. Maybe in a few weeks we can give it a try with the 2000 pieces!

Dental appointment tomorrow and then maybe some cribbage with my Lake Street cousin. Looking forward to playing cards. I don't get too many chances anymore with Angie gone and everyone else living too far away for regular games.

Quote: It is very wonderful to see persons of the best sense passing hours together in shuffling and dividing a pack of cards with no conversation but what is made up of a few game-phrases, and no other ideas but those of black or red spots ranged together in different figures. Would not a man laugh to hear any one of his species complaining that life is short? __Addison

Happy, Irenic New Year . . .

Peaceful, sunny day. Puppy's Pop is off for his first flight of 2012 with youngest's home built radio control. Wondering if he'll be the first of the Yankee Flyers in this annual ritual. Made a pretty good dent in the 1500 piece puzzle last evening but it is a real stinker. Will definitely post a photo when it is completed and then may burn it! Off to Mass soon and may then take down The Tree although I shall miss it. I should probably leave it up until the twelfth day of Christmas.

Quote: Tell me what are the prevailing sentiments that occupy the minds of your young men, and I will tell you what is to be the character of the next generation. ____Burke