It takes a lot of courage to release the familiar and seemingly secure, to embrace the new.
But there is no real security in what is no longer meaningful.
There is more security in the adventurous and exciting, for in movement there is life, and in change there is power.
Alan Cohen
"Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend.
Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read."
Groucho Marx
The doors we open and close each day decide the lives we live.

Thursday, December 31, 2015

A New Year

I am taking the example of the wonderful John / Going Gently and summing up my year .. looking forward to the New Year ... very much actually.

2015 brought more adjustment to the huge sad change in my life. I cannot imagine ever feeling like Life is Normal again but the new version of Life is getting back to the New Normal.

Minette and I spent a lot of time listening to music and watching shows on TV that I had watched in a previous life with my husband.
We also took a lot of naps, read books / thank you Kindle and had visitors now and then to break the solitude that we both adapted to.

I tried to take my sons advice and stop worrying about bills and money . Having never been in charge of it all / house/cars/bills etc ... I was very insecure .. well, actually Terrified would describe it better.
He helped as did my daughter with tips on how they do things and how to Manage.
Learning to Manage has been an ongoing lesson for me.

The sad chores of putting Things in my name only took longer than I would have liked but everything went accordingly and I am now on my own officially .
With all the responsibilities and I am proud to say I was only late once for a bill that I forgot had to be paid. By me. The One who does all that stuff now.

I decided in the Spring that I wanted to sell the house. I saw a much more charming house in an area I liked that cost less than this one.
Sadly, no one really loved my house and the charming house was sold.  I took this house off the market after becoming totally sick of the whole ordeal and the bossy realtor.

It was a beautiful summer. I never had the a/c on in the bedroom. not once.
We had a family, mama, daddy , baby deer who made the garden home .. the cats and I would watch them with held breath as they crossed the street at night, in the dark,  to go to their other area for eating and hanging out.

My friend who lived here before moving to Florida with her Marine husband and their new baby, continues to write to me and she was able to visit once.. there are so many days that I wish she lived here still and we could sit and play with the baby and laugh and talk.
She is a very good laugh and talker. And baby Ethan is enchanting. And the happy news is young Ethan is going to have a new brother  ... I will be a Fairy Godmother of 2 !!!

Someone wanted to buy the house. I accepted the offer. They backed out.
I quit.

In the late Summer, I was overwhelmed with "Nature" ... first Bees.
I am seriously allergic to bee stings .. like heart stopping allergic.
Imagine my delight when I noticed more wasps than usual around the house .. a couple got in the house. Then I saw the nest. Attached To the house ...
The bee man was called.
He fixed it.
 No More Bees.

Maybe a month later, I noticed a cricket in the garage.
 I like crickets.
So do the Japanese.

About a week later, taking laundry down to the basement, there were more crickets. Never saw one in the house.
I called the exterminator and asked what to do.
He said they should die from the previous poison.
That made me sad.
I went down about a week later and they had all disappeared, no body to be found.
Not one.
A mystery.

Minette and I adopted an old cat. I wanted her to have cat company .. and planned to go to the place where I got her.
But I looked at the County  Animal Shelter web page and on the front page was this photo .. an old Himalayan cat .. blue eyes, all squinted in the light and cranky looking.
I fell in love with that cranky face.
I was at their door the next day. He is the oldest sweetest softest and now, heaviest cat that I have ever had ( we are not counting Minette) and I adore him ... as does Minette.
In fact, they nap together, eat side by side, look out the windows together .. they won't admit it but they love each other .
He is such a magical old man, we named him Merlin.

This fall/winter Merlin, Minette and I decided it was time to move to Florida.
The house sale failure and the lack of houses for me, plus the cost of living in New York State, convinced me that warmer weather, more sunshine and being in a less stressful environment would be nice.
The cats agreed.
So the house went on the market and here we sit.

I was warned that houses don't sell as fast where I live as they do in other places so I am trying to enjoy where I am while I wait to leave where I am.
The cats agree, they enjoy the chipmunk watching and the late night deer sightings and snuggling with Mama when winter hits.

So this is where we stand .. It is almost 2016 .. a new home, location and a new life is waiting to happen .. until then I am trying to appreciate the beauty of where I am and being able to see my son and his family now and then.

I admit I also like the idea of how close to Buenos Aires, Florida is.
A shorter less expensive flight and friends telling me there is room for a visitor.

The Future ... The New Year is going to be Exciting and Fun and hopefully Happy.

And that is what I wish  for all of you ... an Exciting, Fun and Happy New Year ~











New Years Eve

There will just be the 3 of us here this New Years  ..

If we can stay awake until the ball drops

Wednesday, December 30, 2015

Have a Tissue ready

After a Life Spent in a Cage

A Wee Posting Problem

I have an Apple Computer.
It has been perfect since I got it.
Both in Argentina and here in the US.

I have done Nothing different.

I am suddenly unable to post using Chrome. We always use Chrome.
I can only post on Blogger using Safari.
Comments and blogging .. I have to switch over to Safari .. very annoying.

Not as annoying as it would be if I could not post or comment at all but it is not right ..
I have no idea what to even try to get it to be right again and there is no one to ask.

So anyone .. if you have an idea or know what to do .. please do let me know.

Thank you !



Remembering






Testing

Wednesday ... 7:58 am

We are up and running again. yay !

Tuesday, December 29, 2015

Blogging ... Computers ... Cookies ... oh my

My computer is a Mac. desktop. I have Safari but I only use Google Chrome.
Everything is always smooth running and fine.

Until I decide to fiddle around with things.
All I did was clean out the cookies.
I thought.

Now I cannot post blogs on Chrome, where I have been doing everything for years now.
Here and in Argentina.

I cleaned out the cookies ..
I blogged on this sight.
I hit Publish.
Nothing happened.
No matter what I did ...

I went to Safari ... hit publish and it did. . Immediately.

What the **** ?

So now when I am on the computer, I use Chrome.
But when I want to comment or write a blog, I have to switch to Safari.

Any computer wizards out there who have any experience with this .. please do give me advice.

Thank you !!


Morning

I woke  too early, as usual,  to cats complaining, wanting in, wanting out, fussing at each other .. this was around 5 am .. so the door was opened, they were invited to leave .. and not to come back until I called them. As if.

I dozed ... they complained, mosied around, got quiet.

I slept a little longer .. then they started pestering me again.

It was as dark as night, the house was warming up nicely .. I heard a snow plow go by .. I didn't even want to look.

Finally I felt bad about hungry cats and all that - never mind they have dishes of dry food in the kitchen and in the bathroom.
I walked into the kitchen.
Thank God I was wearing my Uggs slippers.

The floor was covered .. no exaggeration .. in broken glass.

I am not sure at the moment ( shock you know) how many glasses were out on the counter .. I would be surprised if there was more than one .
I was surprised there was one !

Of course, it couldn't be an old glass from a store long forgotten ... it had to be one of the 2 ale glasses that my husband brought back as souvenirs from London and one from Bermuda.
They were good drinking glasses but they had such sentinmental value.
This one, I think, was the biggest one, from Bermuda.
It was sad.

But my anger and the kitchen floor being completely covered with tiny pieces of glass pushed away the sadness.

I had to knock Minette out of the way a few times, finally a spritz of water in the face convinced her to exit the kitchen ... make herself scarce ... not to darken my doorstep for at least a few hours.

Merlin looked clueless and I am sure he was. He is past the age of hopping up on kitchen counters to knock treasured items on to the floor to break.

Minette did this as a wee kitten, a blown glass little rooster my daughter gave me .. I quickly learned to take everything that meant something to me and put it away out of kitten reach.
But a glass on the kitchen counter got past me ... it remained ... out there all alone .. in danger .. I was not there for it ... it died.

I am not speaking to Minette.

Good morning !

Monday, December 28, 2015

Good Manners


Missing

There are sights that I see sometimes here in New York and they remind me of another place.
They make me wish I was there, in that other place.
Sights that were a daily part of our lives. Colors, sights and sounds , they all stay with us .. Sometimes we think we have forgotten but all it takes is one sight .. one sound .. a certain color and it all comes back to you ..

A small mews near where our home was .. shops and homes and excellent restaurants on a cobblestone street.
























The daily skateboarders .. up those stairs to the street, flying down, around the curve, stopping on a dime if needed .. Parks on all sides.





Afternoon light on my neighbors building




Another neighboring building, the color of
the sky is typical .. so very blue.


Sunday, December 27, 2015

Posting and Commenting

One day I realized my computer had not been "cleaned" for a while. My husband used to do it, we both were known to be prodigious Googlers as well as liking to read news blogs etc all over the place.
So it seemed like maybe once a week or so, he would erase, clean out, deleted etc all the extra Stuff that was accumulating in the computer.
This kept things running fast and avoided viral bad things from staying .
As well as other things that I have no knowledge of.
I blog and email and read things , I am not a computer techie type. I am just very thankful for them.

So I thought I could do it myself .. now that there is no one to do it for me.

I don't know what I did but I cannot post on this blog unless I got to Safari.
We used to use Safari but then he / we started using Google Chrome.
Everything works great with Chrome.

Except for one thing, or at least only one thing I have discovered so far ....

I cannot blog from Chrome.
I can write a very long and brilliant post and hit Post and nothing happens.

So every time I post on this blog, I have to switch ( it is easy enough) to Safari.

So if there are glitches. pauses. things skipped ... this is my excuse .

Happy New Year ...


Saturday, December 26, 2015

Hats Off To the U.S. Postal Service !

I got a Christmas card today.
A lovely card , snow , lighthouses and Christmas wreath and a lovely message inside.
I love it. I love the person who sent it.
The person who lives in Europe.
Who addressed the card to
My Name
My Street Address
My Town
(no state , zip code or country)

and it still arrived here, the day after Christmas.

So my Santa Hat is off to the U. S . Postal Service !

Friday, December 25, 2015

A Perfect Day

It was a perfect Christmas Day.
Everyone was in a good mood, happy, the weather was perfect, the food was good ... well , let me say this .. Christmas Dinner was delicious if I do say so myself.
I made pasta with smoked salmon sauce.
Dessert was brought by my visitors, Chocolate Mousse Cake.
There was nothing wrong with this dinner.

The weather was good, grey and cold but dry and not so cold we couldn't take a before dinner walk in the back and discover signs of deer being there , the woodchuck is back in residence and the baby likes to throw acorns at people.
That's my boy.

The presents were perfect. What I got was very thoughtful and I love them.
What they got were accepted with happiness and one little person now has a most favorite new toy.

The cats were laying low but the baby didn't really hunt them down and Minette puts up with him for a couple of minutes so he got to pet her and just look at Merlin.
Merlin slept most of the day.
Once I put my ear to his chest to be sure he was still breathing .. not kidding .. he was.
Boy does he sleep !

I also got presents online so that is always a treat  for me, since a mall is out of the question for me and the City is too far away.

So Christmas is over. It is almost time for everyone to gather together to welcome the New Year .. and start making plans .. Change is in the air.

Happy Holidays !

Silent Night, Holy Night

                                                           Merry Christmas

Thursday, December 24, 2015

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

The Taxi Drivers

I will always remember the first time we rode in a taxi through the dark night streets of Buenos Aires.
It was very late, we had been to dinner with friends, dinner doesn't start until around 10 and later so with all the talking and drinking  and eating and drinking and talking and laughing, I think there might have even been singing .. we walked out to the street, my husband waved down a taxi and we were off !!

What was usually great about taxi rides in BA ... the driver will talk to you and they like to practice their English .. or they will smile, then drive. No bad attitudes .. I cannot remember a bad attitude taxi driver.

This time, the driver had on some pretty fabulous music and he started to sing, very quietly with it. I started to sing with the parts I know .. he loved it .. I was enchanted that he had such a great singing voice and my husband just sat back and smiled and enjoyed the ride with music.

We had taxi drivers who sang opera. A really cool guy one time who not only sang with no music but he gave us a note to show at the door when we came to the Show.
We had taxi drivers ask us where we  were from then upon hearing New York, they would tell us with great delight about the trip they took to New York City !

When Pup was ill and had to have tests at locations all over the city, every single taxi driver helped us with him, tenderly lifting him and waiting for us and overall being angels.. just when we needed the best attitude from everyone .. taxi drivers gave an abundance.

We went to the Track one afternoon. What we mostly liked was  when you entered, you walked over to the stands on the left and it was all free and you could sit at tables on the grass or stand right by the fence , dirt could hit you when the horses galloped by.
When the jockeys would walk the horses out and go to the starting gate.. they would go quite close to us ..  some people would talk to them, the jockey always answered and chatted.
We never won a lot of money but most times we won enough to pay the taxi or buy an afternoon aperitif .

One taxi driver loved the dog so much, he gave us his card for the next time we needed to take him somewhere .
One taxi driver gave me a lecture on being careful with my purse.. not to lose it , be robbed.
One asked us where we were from and was so happy to tell us about his plans to visit New York City.

I have no memory of a bad / unpleasant taxi experience.
But I have many memories of good ones.

Some day you might be surprised to find yourself sitting and remembering , thinking about something in the past and  the darnedest things come to mind.

Like how nice the taxi drivers really are in Buenos Aries.

Tuesday, December 22, 2015

Then and Now

                                         My Neighbors ..... In my Other Life.


                                           My neighbors now.

Wishing You a Beautiful Holiday Season Full of Love


Monday, December 21, 2015

Egg celent

One of our favorite neighbors in Buenos Aires, writes to me. She practiced her English on us when we were neighbors, she does it now in emails. Giving me these wonderful and sometimes comical stories about what is going on , back "home".
She has caught me up on who is having a baby and who is getting married .. one of her daughters is a singer, they have an album coming out.
They have an estancia ... a ranch .. cattle and horses and chickens.


She came home from a weekend on the ranch and brought eggs that had to be incubated.
But then something came up and they had to be away from home for a couple of days.
She asked me if I could go to the apartment twice a day and turn the eggs... they were under warming lights. I said yes of course I would.

so every day we would go to the apartment and gently turn the eggs.
Before they came home, my last night of Turning the Eggs ... I named the chickens -to- be.

Henrietta
Eggatha
Henry
Eggbert

I don't remember the rest but you get it .....
So did she ...  the next day we got a big bunch of flowers delivered to us .. the card was signed
Thank you for taking such good care of us ...Henrietta, Eggatha , Henry and Eggbert ...and so on, there were a lot of eggs, a lot of names !

We were always welcome to visit the ranch .. I wish we had. Hundreds and hundreds of acres with cattle, horses and chickens.

so here I am .. in New York State .. with a farm up the hill .. with Cattle, a horse and sheep.
Not the same but still .. nice.

I had a new house hunter today.
I still have hope.

I hope I will get to visit Eggatha and Eggbert ...

Where The Hell Is Matt ?

This is so fabulous.
Believe me, you will smile. Big smile.

Tis the Season

Sunday, December 20, 2015

Sunday Sunday ...

I woke to a cat retching .. again .. . nothing came of it ... hairballs I guess.
Or a new trick to get me out of bed.

It is a dark gloomy day .. in another universe, I would still be sleeping ... well, not this late but I would have slept in.
Warm and cozy in a soft bed with big comforters and pillows .. in yet another universe, my husband would have wrapped his arms around me and warmed me up and we would have slept later and then had a nice breakfast in bed.
I make a mean French toast.

But in this world I have been thrust into .. a cat was retching then threw up on the rug... there was hardwood there but noooo .. a nice soft old rug is better.

Considering it in a more positive light .. if the retching had not woken me up, I might have gotten out of bed and stepped in it ... so we will think about it as a nice warning to me.
Just don't do it EVERY morning, ok ?

It is a good day to stay in and bake. or not. I made devilled eggs. Because I am hooked on them.
So are the cats. They sit and wait patiently for me to give them a thimble full of yolk, all mashed up with mustard and mayo. Wacky cats.

Now if I get eggs out of the fridge, they sit down and wait ..Some day I will walk into the kitchen and they will sit down and wait, meaning I should make them eggs. I see what they are doing .. I'm no dummy.

It would have been nice to have company this weekend. It was good for staying in all cozy and warm and chatting and eating and playing with a little bitty boy.
I mean, the cats are wonderful and I adore them but they can't compete with the fun of playing with a little bitty boy.
Who talks now.

My Christmas cards are finally signed and addressed but I had no stamps so they will go out tomorrow afternoon and maybe everyone will get their cards for New Years or Valentines.
Hey, it was the thought that counts !

Yesterday 2 people came to see the house. One wants it as a Summer home. Which is what it was when we bought it .. how nice to have that sort of budget .. an apartment in NYC and a 3 bedroom house on an acre in the country.

When I move I will be so happy if I have an apt with a bedroom and a bath !

My friends in Argentina are sending notes about Things in Buenos Aires.
Not good right now- I still wish I was there but I feel so bad for the people of Buenos Aires.
They just can't get a break .

Now it is time for me to go read my newest Traditional Home magazine.

I hope your Sunday is worry free, relaxed, calm and a bit warmer than where I am.




Saturday, December 19, 2015

Happy Birthday

December 19th ... Today would have been my husband's birthday.
I would have done something crazy and fun and surprise him.
When he was growing up, birthdays were mostly ignored, maybe they got cards and an occasional gift but no one made a fuss.

In my life, since I can remember and even before that .. birthdays were celebrated.
You were Born !! Let's celebrate !!

In those family albums, there are many .... many photos of me with other children, wearing silly hats, riding a donkey ? laughing with my gorgeous Aunt Claudia ... playing party games with my cousin Arthur .. seeing my adorable baby brother at a table with me and my friends .. All Good.
What is better than celebrating your birth .. your arrival into the world ?

My husband first birthday party was thrown by me .. about 2 months after we met .. I asked his one friend that I had met and he helped me with who to invite and managing the surprise.
I gave him my apt key and I told my husband I would buy him a birthday drink.
While we were gone, the friends came in , decorated and waited.

When we walked back, my husband opened the door ... good thing he had a strong heart.
All his friends were gathered in that little apartment, laughing, drinking, kissing and congratulating me on managing a real surprise.
I could not have done it without them.

Now - - - they are all gone.
Old age and this and that ..  took  them all  .. and I am left  here to remember  and smile and be so glad that I had that time with them .. those years with him .. that happiness.

If my husband was here today .. my son would come up and spend the weekend.
We would treat my husband like a king, waiting on  him, making the food that he liked best, my daughter in law the phenomenal baker would surprise him with a beautiful perfect cake and there would be much laughter .

So today I will remember all the happy birthdays .. the surprises and laughs and be thankful for the memories .


Happy Birthday Harold. I love you.

Thursday, December 17, 2015

A Rainy Day / Cat Day


The cats actually let me sleep a tiny bit later this am. It is a miracle !!

It is dark and raining and a day that one could possibly sleep until noon.
But I was grateful for that extra half hour .

I found a flea on Minette yesterday .. she wears a flea collar all the time. So does Merlin.
New flea collars.
So I put some awful stuff from the pet shop that kills fleas on her spots that hopefully she cannot reach when washing and hoped for the best.
This morning I noticed Merlin scratching.
He had a flea on his white soft belly.
I had to put some of that hideous poison on him too. (to clarify-this is the Frontline drops that go into their system and keep away fleas)
We will all keel over dead but the fleas will live on ..

So today I will talk to the lady at AnimalKind in Hudson NY and ask for advice.
They must have tricks of the trade to share .. that is where I got Minette.
They are sort of like Cat Saints. I love them .

I have to talk to a realtor and figure out how to get things going again.
I won't talk about it here , it is boring and I sometimes get questions that are not  that polite ..
(I just want to vent :)

So I will leave you here for the day with something to coo over and smile , I hope.
Have a Happy Day !

Tuesday, December 15, 2015

A Story

As Winter came sliding in on wet icy feet today, I scurried home from the store with food, in case I am stuck in with 2 cats who enjoy sleeping and eating and meowing.
At least they won't be hungry.
At least I won't be hungry ... sick of the sound of meowing but not hungry.
Actually, I have found that if I pick up someone who meows   and tell them all kinds of fabulous stories, about beautiful kitties who were famous in Hollywood and about those who lived in Castles in Europe .. they get quiet and listen.
Then they fall asleep.
Then I fall asleep.

Todays story is about the girl who lived an Enchanted Life.
She was very young when she went to a far away land and explored and lived and had friends and loved where she was.
Then one day she was offered a trip .. just a visit .. to another land .. full of people and buildings and noise. 
She was not so sure she was interested.
But she went.

There she walked and listened and ate the food and enjoyed the sounds and the sights and the people .

Then one day, she walked into a building . 
She met a man. 
He was different. Definitely nice to look at. Absolutely nice to listen to. 
He was charming, quiet and gentle and had a great big dimple in one cheek.
The sort that makes a person want to say things  to make him smile, to make that dimple appear .. 

For some reason only known to Fate .. the sophisticated, man who had lived all over the world and known fabulous people, was enchanted with the girl .. who was young and had not been all over the world yet. But she  had a life ahead of her and she was open to everything .. eager to live that life .

A month or so passed .. she traveled ... he stayed behind .. he missed her ... she missed him.
One day he said ... come back .. I will be waiting at the airport.

And there he was .. Waiting for her. As she had been waiting for him. 

They lived an enchanted life. 
In charming homes  .. with dogs that were sweet, cats that were sweet and 2 children who were treasures.
Time went quickly for them. 
Time flies when you are in love and having fun.

The children grew up.
They made their own homes. Their own families.
And the man and the girl traveled and explored and laughed and loved for years .. 

And then one day he left. 
He would have stayed. 
If she could have willed him to stay he would have .
But fate had other plans. 
He was gone. She was left alone.  
With memories to warm her heart for the rest of her life but with a sadness that never left . 



Monday, December 14, 2015

Rumble

Winter is not quite here yet. 
Rain ... dreary and windy but not snow or cold or wintery.
I am ok with that. I want to go buy toys for a little boy and maybe some toys for some little cats.
I will imagine that someone will want my house and buy it soon.
I guess if that is going to happen, I have to tell the realtor to put his sign out there or at least tell someone that the house is for sale.  
You know how farm animals all seem to have their babies in the Spring ?
Well, the farm up the street has a whole batch of baby Highland Cattle.

Little bitty Highlanders . Their mamas are mammoth ! and the babies look just like them, only much much smaller. Adorable. I can't get very close to look .. New mamas with their babies can be very touchy .. defensive ... post- partum bad moods .. that is all I need.. running as fast as I can down the street with a mammoth hairy cow chasing me.
So it is Thundering . Yes, thunder. We are having a thunder storm.
It just keeps rumbling .. on and on ... I am going to get off the computer now.
rumble rumble ..


Every Day

Listening to Adele singing Hello.

Looking out the windows at mist, fog, grey skies, dark clouds.


Trying to imagine/remember that in Buenos Aires right now, it would be hot summer weather, bright sunshine, flowers everywhere, a gazillion birds in the parks .. all having good thoughts for me, the lady that always brought bags of crumbs from the extra stale scones the baker gave me.
He instructed me to be sure to tell the birds that the scones were from him ... a kind man with a sense of humor .. lovely.
I wonder if he misses us.

There was a very old woman, no teeth, ragged clothing, all her belongings in a bag , who sat on the park bench all day.
My husband and I made a point to buy an extra bag of scones to give her when we walked down to the park for our morning walk with Tate ... she never looked straight at us, never spoke, never smiled.

But one day when Tate was sniffing around, he walked right up to her and just leaned on her legs, waiting for ... a scone ? a touch ? giving love and sympathy ? I don't know but we waited to see how she would react.
She began to stroke his head, then his back ... the two of them stayed there, Tate leaning , she stroking for at least half an hour.

Then he left to sniff around some more and she went back to feeding the birds and talking to herself.
I wonder if she misses us.

So many weekly visits to the bakery in Recoleta where we got our scones and also the tasty little cheese pies my husband loved.


Here ... see for yourself .. get out your sweet tooth ..

Lepi - authentic French Bakery

I live on 2   wooded and parklike acres in New York State. I wake to bird song or lately, to cats meowing or purring.
It is quiet, serene, very lonely.
The people here are very very kind and nice and helpful.

Every day I am thankful that I am in such a nice place at this time in my life.
Every day I wish I was in Buenos Aires ..


Sunday, December 13, 2015

Have You Seen This Maroon 5 video ?

 Maroon 5 


I like the song but the video is just so great ... Happy !!

Friday Foto

Some sweet person mentioned that they liked my Friday photographs.
I don't know or remember why I stopped but I definitely have enough photos to share for a long time to come.
We will stick to the Buenos Aires photos for now .. I hope you like them.

this is the Decorative Artes Museum in Buenos Aires. My husband and I went there often.. there is a lovely Como en Casa cafe on the property.

This was actually someones house ... it is breathtaking inside.

Comments

Comments are great ....  but for the person who seems to think a comment means critiquing how I write, you can save your energy.
I will not publish your comment.
Whether it is about how much coffee I drink or anything else.

I have no idea who you are.
We are not pals, just because you read my blog.
Reading my blog does not give you any right to make personal judgements or give me advice that is not asked for or appreciated.

So Thank You to my Friends who know what this Blogging World is like and how sometimes a nutter gets through and you have to deal with it.

Magical

One of the more beautiful places in Oregon ...
Multnomah Falls ..
Imagine taking a drive just half an hour or so from your city where you live, and passing by waterfalls, one after another ..
Magical.

Saturday, December 12, 2015

Snowbird






I want to be a snowbird.
That is what the people who go South every year for the winter, are called here ... maybe they are called that everywhere ... what do I know .. I live alone with 2 cats in the woods.

I told the realtor to take the house off the market. I am resigned to living here like a hermit for another winter.
So today she emailed that people are coming back for a second look ..
Just when I started to think it would be OK .. I can manage a winter here with 2 cats and a lot of books.

We will see. They will come ... perhaps make an offer ... perhaps it will be good enough to make me leave here after all.

I sure miss having someone to talk to about important things like this- someone who was so good at making Right decisions every time.

The cats have no opinion .

I was looking out the kitchen window while the realtor was talking to me when I saw deer in the corn fields. This is not unusual.
Suddenly they took off at a run ... towards my property .... they galloped through the yard and across the street to the acres of property where a nice bog is located ... and No Hunting.
Poor deer.

I hate the idea that hunters are allowed not that far from where I live.
I have to trust that they know how far their bullets can fly .. which direction they are pointing that rifle ... the kitties and I are staying away from the windows in the back of the house ... just to be sure.
All I need now is to get shot while waiting for someone to come look at the house !

Yes, my imagination is in overdrive ... too much coffee .

to be continued .............

Friday, December 11, 2015

If It Isn't One Thing, It's Another

I am having the strangest problem with my computer keyboard.
It won't work. But if I plug it into the laptop, it works, thus - here I am.

I am typing on the keyboard, not the laptop.
I have the keyboard plugged into the laptop.

So the laptop works.
The keyboard is working.
Why won't it work plugged into the desk top ?

And there you have my drama of the day.
 I am trying to keep them (my dramas)  fairly low level...

 My brother has invited  me to visit him in North Carolina .. oh how I would love to do that but the cats :(

Speaking of Dramas ....... My house is once again, Not For Sale.
After discussing this with various people, professionals and family members, it seems the smart thing to do at this time.
So instead of moving South ( at this time) maybe the cats and I will just go visit.
I wish I could manage to be a Snow Bird !!
That would be so cool :)

Except I like the idea of Winter in Buenos Aires more than Florida ... but I would not say no to Florida.

Time to think about that , for now, I just have to hide from irate realtors ... you know what Roseanne Adana used to say ... If it isn't one thing, it's another.





Thursday, December 10, 2015

Spooning

This is just so sweet .. I had to share it.
It just makes me feel good to see it .

"Spooning ~

I remember that .. especially on a cold night .. having warm arms and a warm body tucked in with you on a winter  night .. although a summer night is fine too .

Wednesday, December 9, 2015

Poor Minette

Minette may never speak to me again.
She is in the same room with me but not speaking.
Washing ... not making eye contact ... she is Done with me.

I was reading about flea meds and saw that too much flea powder or anything like it on a cat, especially a small one, can make the cats sick.
Hypersensitive skin, twitching and worse.

She has been hypersensitive and I thought it was because of the flea bites.

So I grabbed her up and put her in the sink full of nice warm water and shampooed her with baby shampoo.
I am only bleeding a little.

She refused to listen to me telling her it was OK .. It was alright ... I love her.

She sprouted a few more legs and a lot more claws and did her best to escape the dreaded bathroom sink full of water.

I am fine ... really ... a mere flesh wound.

She meowed these tiny baby meows which broke my heart.

So she was wrapped like a little package  in a big fluffy towel and  love words were whispered in her ears, she wanted nothing to do with it .... kisses and gentle towel dry and fluffing .. she wanted nothing to do with it. Straining and pulling away ... I put her on my bed and she jumped down and sat and started washing .

She is now in the room with me ( A Major Step ) and sitting on the cable box (warm) and washing. She is pretending I am not here.
I said something to her, she is pretending there is no one in the room.

Her extra soft little bed is right near her so she can lie down in it and get over the trauma.
It will take a little longer for the few long red bloody scratches on my arm and one on my stomach .. but hey, I would rather have a bloody scratch than Minette have brain damage from flea powder.

Beware ... flea powders, sprays and medicines all can cause cats and dogs brain damage if overused.
And it is surprising how little it can be to be over used.

(the mystery is where did the fleas come from. they are indoor cats and never go out. )


Tuesday, December 8, 2015

Holly Days

The tree is in the window.
The lights are on the tree and twinkling.
The small ornaments, mostly things a baby would like and that are non-breakable are glowing red and gold in the light.
I found a gold filigree Christmas tree in a shop in NJ , years and years ago .. it was sitting on a table with sale items.
fI had to have it. It looks like an antique, it is very graceful looking and looks good no matter where I put it.
It looked lovely in Argentina on a tall chest with candles , it looked good on a coffee table ..
. with tiny sparkling fairy lights twinkling in the dark.
So far the cats are completely disinterested.

                            this photo is from Christmas in Buenos Aires..but that is the tree .

I just wanted something in the house to be festive.
I want my grand baby to see it and smile .. to find little toys , perfect for little boys under that tree.. or next to it.. and the cats can't eat it .

So now I have a massive wreath on the front door with a red bow .. very plain .. a gold filigree tree on the coffee table, and a small  green  tree twinkling in the bay window.
My job is done.

 Tonight I am going to relax with the cats, maybe have some egg drop soup and make lists .. or maybe I won't even make lists.
Maybe I will pretend that my world is absolutely normal, the way it always was and I don't need a list.

Just for a few hours .. let me pretend that everything is the way it was ...

If I can figure out the camera , I will be posting Minette and Merlin Christmas photos soon.
Be sure to mark it on your Calendar ..




If I Lived There ....

                                                           If I lived there
the rooms would be decorated like this .
And I would shop here 
And my dog would always wear Red.



Monday, December 7, 2015

Cozy

There has been a lot of this going on ... yes, this ... naps.
Everyone is doing it around here.
I expect to walk out the door and see a chipmunk napping on the porch.
The birds take naps in the trees.
I saw a bug sitting outside the window ... sitting very still ... he was napping.
Now and then some birds fly over but the rest ... they are still napping.

Minette is in the window, on her pillow .. she pretends to be awake when I walk in there .. but she is napping. How I have resisted this long is beyond me ... it is a perfect day for a nap.
Cold ... brrrr.
Sunny but too cold to be out there...
Now the sun is setting. It is 3:20 in the afternoon and the sun is down to the tree tops.
Ridiculous.

Realtors are vying for attention but buyers seem to be hiding.
Someone came to see the house.
Someone made an offer.
I said come back when you are sober.
We will see what happens.
Everyone always wants to be the "winner" .. to have a good story about how they got Something for Nothing. A very bad trait in my opinion .. but in this case .. it won't happen.

While the kitties have been napping, I have been doing more work on my closets.
I have a few handbags. Well ..... more than a few .... OK !! I have many handbags !
They all need to be looked at, said hello to and wrapped up to prepare for being put in boxes.
I have to explain it all to them so they are not upset ... that ocean voyage they took that took forever caused them to be a bit neurotic about being in boxes .. on moving vans ... in trucks, boats or airplanes.
They are homebodies, they only want to be out when they are with me.

Sort of like the cats.



Friday, December 4, 2015

Just another day in Buenos Aires

Looking out the living room window in our home in Buenos Aires, we could see Everything.
The weather , the skies that were fabulous in the morning, sunny during the day, amazing sunsets and dark and full of stars at night .
The streets with cars, always ... cars. Taxis, trucks, motorcycles and more cars. And then there were the days that there was a Protest planned.
Then the streets were closed but they were full of People.
Police. Protesters. More Police.
Only once did things get a little dicey.
When tear gas was used.
That was when everyone was riled up by someone trying to get attention away from the rotten job she was doing so they  reminded everyone that they should be angry at another country and storm the Embassy.
The Embassy was quite safe and well guarded.
Our street was noisy, full of people and for a short while, tear gas.
We didn't smell it, we closed our shutters and turned the music up.
This only happened a couple of times in the years we were there. My husband treated it all with the aplomb that only a native New Yorker has .. he continued to listen to his music , turned it up a bit louder and read his book.
I worried for a short time then the dog and I went to the back of the apartment/building to our bedroom where it was quiet and peaceful and we took a nap.
A couple of hours later, everything was over, they cleaned the streets, the parks filled up with families again and the shops and restaurants opened their doors.

Another day in Buenos Aires.

Thursday, December 3, 2015

Festive

Today my keyboard decided to behave like a Diva.
Nothing worked right, I was worried since I am contacted by email about some things that are sort of important ..
I turned everything off and went to the market ... where I bought a lot of Ramen noodles and forgot to buy cinnamon rolls. I guess I will have to ration out the cinnamon rolls until I feel like going out in the cold again.
It is Very Cold here.
Brrrrr ~~~~

Minette and Merlin nap, meow , nap and eat ... then take a nap.

Some day I will get back into the nap habit.
These days I am just grateful I fall asleep at night .. I can't bear to lie in bed wide awake.
Not here, not now ... maybe someday it won't bother me so much ..

So ... the realtor man is listing my house and will take photos and will hopefully do for me what the other person hasn't done.
And I can begin to make plans for my future .. in a warmer climate ... in a less stressful life. . .


In the meantime, I have to get out some holiday decorations and buy a wreath and make the house look a bit more festive ... cat proof festive.


Bailey

A Christmas Dog

Meet Bailey ... hilarious and joyful.
Thank you to my friend Mimi ... the original poster of the Bailey video.

Wednesday, December 2, 2015

In My Dreams

I still love Paris .. I still would live there ... I still want to go back.
I found an apartment on my friends fabulous blog "This Is Glamorous" ..
Here are some photos ... this is the way the rooms should look in a Paris home.




Even though the odds are , I won't be living in Paris soon, wherever I live next might look like this .
Barely any furniture, lots of windows and light  ... it would look good in Argentina too ...

Meet The Neighbors



The Sheep keep to themselves. There are new babies there this week.
The llamas will come over and take a look, see if the Humans have tasty treats, then they ignore them.
The Highland Cattle will come over and allow scratches and pets but watch out when they turn their heads ... those horns are wicked ! Sharp tips and huge ! Just carrying those around all day must give them a tired neck.
The retired/rescued Race horse is just content to eat all he wants, no one asks anything of him and no one touches him with anything but love.
Today it is raining. Some of them don't care. Some of them might enjoy it.
They are excellent neighbors.
Living in Argentina

Living in Argentina

Blog Archive

Pages

And Don't Forget To Visit Me Here Too !

See more photos here

sunset in Buenos Aires

Powered By Blogger