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, March 30, 2017

Raccoons

I Love Raccoons

Enjoy ! 

Scrap that troll off of the bottom of my shoe

Listen, Here's the story ..
I have this Blog. I blog whatever I feel like talking about  or what I might think is interesting and I want to share it ... whether that is a photo , a new story or a story about Life .. mine or someone elses.

I totally love you and appreciate that you stop and read and comment. Even if you don't comment, I know you are there, I am thankful.

I don't need to blog but I enjoy it , I love getting feedback.

Feedback being comments that are polite and nice and maybe curious about something or sharing something we might have in common .. that kind of thing.

What I do not need, appreciate or want ... is some nasty POS  posting snarky remarks and whatever they think is clever or original. They are about as original as that stuff that sticks to the bottom of your shoe .

So I have taken steps to stop the Troll, avoid having to even notice the bad smell it leaves and Blogger also has ways to locate Trolls so I might use that too.
I am curious if this is a teenager stuck at home  .... a childlike adult who sits at the computer all day , giggling while they post comments as "Anonymous" ... or perhaps even, someone I know but apparently someone who does not like me or the blog.
Now this makes no sense. There are people I don't like .. I avoid them, I ignore them .. I don't Follow them ... so this is some sick puppy and I have taken steps to put it down.

So that's it for the Boring stuff going on here ..

Trolls ...bored people who do boring things to bore other people.

Trees

 New York has Central Park ... one of the finest city parks there are ... then there is London and all of its beautiful parks, Paris with large and small parks, then there is Buenos Aires.
All city dwellers love their parks ... the one or one of a very few, green spaces in a city full of tall buildings , noisy streets and clutter.

London's Hyde Park was my favorite for years, while I had lived in NY, Central Park was pretty nice too but Hyde Park was dear to me.
Paris left me with no strong memories of parks, small green spaces, like those near the Eiffel Tower but the Architecture is all that remains in my memory .. the amazing old buildings and ancient streets.

Then we moved to Buenos Aires .. 2 blocks from miles of parks that lined a very large boulevard .. with fabulous and huge Museums along the way ..
Buenos Aires/Argentina has some fantastic trees. Of course the winner is the Ombu .. that monstrous thing that several families could live in !
but there are just trees, large beautiful trees among the palms .. shading parks, bringing relief in summer, affording a perfect spot for a picnic and a nap .. or just lying on a blanket and sky gazing.

Where I live now, there are a few Palm Trees .. there are many Pine trees and a few nice big evergreens ... a good mix I think, there is never that dreary grey barren look in winter.
Silly me, I actually miss that winter look .. it is all a part of what is natural to me, green trees belong to Summer, bare trees belong to Winter ... then there is the anticipation when little fuzzy green spots arrive and you know the bare trees will be full again ..

I look forward to the Seasons again and the Trees that enjoy them ..

I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.
A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the Earth's sweet flowing breast;

A tree that looks at God all day,
And lifts her leafy arms to pray ;

A tree that may in Summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair,

Upon whose bosom Snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with Rain.

Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.

Joyce Kilmer



Tuesday, March 28, 2017

The Cats



I have spoken to the cats about the possibilities of a Trip.
We have a few thoughts on where and when.
I want to rent a place, settle down and spend at least a month or two somewhere.

It doesn't actually have to be Paris or Buenos Aires .. 
Minette has gotten to be a bit melancholy.
She and Honey get along fine, Honey is too young for melancholy.
just don't touch her ball 
Merlin just soldiers on. He is surrounded by women and girl cats and his naps are regularly interrupted by either another cat or his Mama who can't resist kissing that sleeping face .. he accepts most kisses silently although the Purr gets a little louder. And his claws go in and out but never hurting anyone.

They are my family now. They are always loving, they never say anything mean, even when someone bites me on the end of the nose, I know it was a love bite, not intending pain. 
They go where I go.
Which sometimes means getting into a car and driving for days.
Logistics would really change .. this time ... one more cat, large and heavy. 
3 cats don't go in one crate. Maybe two girls in the crate and the old boy up front with me in his private smaller crate.
In and Out of hotels ... keeping them under control, like .... herding cats !!

I was daydreaming about flying with them to Buenos Aires .. then reality hit. I did it once, with a large dog. One dog in one crate and we were capable of handling him at any moment.
3 cats in 3 crates ? one giant crate ? handling them ?? with leather gloves maybe .. no, they can't fly.
Not unless I charter a plane for just us .. Mrs Cat and her litter. That will be my Code Name.

I guess I am doomed.
Doomed to live with my cats. Travel with the cats. Talk to the cats.
I wonder how they feel about that.




Monday, March 27, 2017

A Perfect Start to the Day


Every day upon arrival in  Buenos Aires, we would walk the couple of blocks from our home to the miles of parks that stretched along the boulevard nearby. There were beautiful parks, full of wonderful flowers and trees and giant art works and sculptures. And a man made lake for sailboating ..
There were the huge Museums across the street with their own parks. There was the huge statue in our  park .. we would sit there and watch Pup run amok. There were always people who wanted to pet him, there were always dogs who wanted to sniff him lol and play . He was a neutered dog in a land of full intact dogs .. he was a conundrum to those dogs ... they just could not figure him out.
So we had to keep an eye on him, some male dog would come along and want to mount him. sigh.

We would buy scones at the bakery on the way to the park. Sitting on the bench, watching the dog, people watching, soaking up the warm sunshine and clean air .. it was a perfect way to start each day. 

Friday, March 24, 2017

A View

Our view ..
Imagine, in the morning, you shuffle down the hall, through the french doors into the living room and open the shutters and there is your view .. across a wide boulevard.
Blue blue skies, sometimes clouds and that building .. In Summer there is less view of the windows and doors, in winter everything is bare and you can see all the details .. at night the lights go on in chandeliers and they sparkle in the darkness.

I miss that view.
I have a view of a forest where I am living.
Pretty much the complete opposite of the view you see above.
Which one would you rather look at ... nothing but Pine trees as far as you can see with blue skies above .. or that building, lights twinkling inside at night, blue blue skies above.

I know which one I would rather have.

What is your view ? Do you choose your home according to views ? Would you not live somewhere if there was no view ? Is a view important to you ?
Tell me ... what are your views on views  ...

There Was A Comment Malfunction

 I accidentally deleted comments from the past few weeks ... it was one of those stupid cases of tapping the key on the wrong word and they were gone. ugh !
I am so sorry to those who comment and I want you to know I read them and love them.
I only delete offensive comments or advertising ... so most all comments do get published.

I am so sorry.
I am so sad.

Comment please, I will be So careful from now on !!


Thursday, March 23, 2017

The End of the Day

 My birthday is coming to an end. The "partying " is over, the cats are complaining because I didn't stay home, Merlin is talking, Minette asked for some kisses and forgave me right away .. Honey noticed I was home.

They all got extra treats for being left alone.. no one seemed especially thankful ... but then, they were probably confused .... "She went out and came back and fed us again ???"

My daughter is fun. She is just fun.
We laughed and talked and ate good Southern fried fish, chips, slaw and french fries. This is a years worth of fried food for me... in one meal. Every bite was delicious.
Then there was the slice of ridiculously sweet chocolate cake, that I could not eat so it is here now, in the kitchen, waiting ... I will have to have it tomorrow ... perhaps for breakfast ... yeah, that's the ticket !

The cats were happy to see me, after they got over the initial relief that I did come back.
That they were not abandoned with empty food dishes. No doors open. No music.
So now Merlin is talking. That cat can talk. with a loud obnoxious voice.
Minette is just a sweet little girl who butts heads with me then runs off to eat, drink, watch tv.
And then there is Honey .. she is quietly sitting ,waiting, watching the others, never butting in, just observing .. She breaks my back to pick her up and if she were smaller/lighter, I would probably carry her around with me all day... she is just so sweet.
So now everyone is settling down, Mama came back. They were not abandoned. They can relax.

I am being bitten by something.
I felt a funny feeling on the back of my leg. Brushed at it, it was wet, blood !
A tiny pin prick of blood on an itchy spot on the back of my calf.
What the ??????
So tomorrow phone calls will be made. The cats wear flea collars and no one else is itching.
I am not actually itching, just getting bites .. from something ... shudder, what if it is a spider ?

I will go downstairs now with the girls and see if there is anything worth watching on tv.
If not, we will all come back upstairs and read, listen to music ... fall asleep early .. dream of happy times .. It was a good birthday ..

Merlin can't take much partying, he will just  fall asleep in his bowl.
Minette will be happy to arrange any parties that you might want throw for your cats ..

Honey is an expert at Relaxing .. laid back .. cool ... that's my girl


Today ... But A Long Time Ago - March 23rd

March 23 -

1743 George Frederic Handel's Oratorio"Messiah" premiered in London !

1490  The First Mishneh Torah was published !
(The code of Jewish Religious Law)

It is Pakistan Day

It is the actor Ken Howard's Birthday, Happy Birthday Ken !

It was Joan Crawford's Birthday ..  

Elizabeth Taylor died ...

Wayne Gretzky broke Gordie Howe's record with his 802nd goal.

Michelle C gave birth to a baby girl at 9:47 am , in Tucson , Arizona.

If Wishes Were Fishes

Someone asked me what I wanted for my Birthday.
Funny how that question is asked .. over the years, how it is answered.
What is important to a 5 year old .. a 15 year old ... a 30 year old ... and old woman ...

I only want things that are impossible.
I am not sure if that makes me more like the 5 year old or a very old person .

I want  what has been  Lost, to be Found again.
I want to have reason to laugh again.
I want not to be lonely.
I want to be where I want to be, not where I should be or someone else likes me to be.

I want to be in charge of my life.
I want my children to be happy.
I want to be proud of them. and their children.

It is funny, if you think about it, we all know from early on that wishes are just wishes,
there are no fairies who grant them, there are seldom times when you want something and immediately you get it , just the way you wanted it .
Unless it is a supremely chocolate brownie from a famous bakery.

I want only the impossible.
I want to go back in Time.
I want to go to Paris for the First Time again.
I want to take that trip to Italy that we started planning.
I want to return to Buenos Aires for at least half the year..each year .. with my husband.

I want to stay healthy and strong.
I want to keep my memories ..
I want my cats to quit waking me up at 5 am.

How about you ? What are you wishes ? Do you have hope of any of them coming true ?
Do you like to wish ? Or are you one of the Practical ones ?

I wish you would tell me ..........



Boggled ..

Wow ... I am boggled ....

I went to Google to look up something.


Under it , it said Happy Birthday CD ....

Let Me Be The First To Say This


Wednesday, March 22, 2017

March 23rd

Born on March 23rd ...
Tucson, Arizona
A tiny baby girl with no hair .. later to be white blond fuzz on her head.

She was loved, cosseted, spoiled, protected and always made to feel special ... like one of a kind, no one else like her, perfect.
Her daddy died right before she was born.

She had aunts who were still in their teens.
They loved walking with her, pushing the pram, taking her with them in the car, which for some reason put that baby to sleep for her naps ..

She had a dog, a German Shepherd that her grandfather ( the Marine Drill Sgt) named Duke.
So that time when she toddled down to the street when no one was watching, Duke ran after her, grabbing her by the diaper and dragging her back to the house , to safety, to her mama.

She lived in Hawaii when she was small, her mother married a nice man in the Navy.
When he got out of the Navy, they bought a car and drove from San Diego to North Carolina.
Where the little girl grew up .. skinny, awkward and shy .. being teased because she "talked funny" ... but her cousin liked her. He taught her to climb Grandpa's apple trees and they would sit in those trees every summer afternoon, and talk and daydream and hide from the grownups.

When she was 10, her baby brother came along.
It was a time for joy. She had a baby to play with, no ? well sometimes .. he was the cutest best little boy. His father was overjoyed, he had a Son.

Her mama showed her how to bake cookies and learned to sew and made her dresses that were really pretty !
They bought her a collie and named her Lassie.
Lassie had 12 puppies.
One by one, the puppies were given away then there were none.
Lassie disappeared one day , the grownups looked and looked, called and called, Lassie was gone.

She grew up, hated school, hated when kids teased her about her accent, hated when they teased her about being skinny and generally made her miserable.

The minute she was out of school, she left town.

Hello San Francisco !
After a year, she went to Los Angeles and liked it and stayed.
She got a job with a movie management agency.
She had a good time.

On a trip to New York City, she met a man.
They went to Serendipity for tea. They talked and talked, the tea got cold, he asked her  out.
She went home to visit her mom.
She said, I met the man I will marry. Mama laughed.

The girl went back to NYC and there he was, waiting for her at the airport.
They married, had 2 children and never were apart.

He took her to London , Paris, South America .. all Birthday trips.

Tomorrow is my Birthday.




We Are Not Afraid

God Bless The United Kingdom ... as well as all of us.

Wanderlust


Merlin my Love

This old boy keeps me going on days that I think it might be a good day to just stay in bed and not get  get up.  Ever. He is old. He is stiff and slow and still eats like an animal and has  a purr that you can hear all through the house. Rattling and rusty and rumbley .. that is Merlin. My love.

Minette makes sure he is nearby .. she will go looking for him if he is not in the room.
Honey is oblivious to it all, I think sometimes ... but she does sort of hang around close to him at times. 
I am glad she is gentle and slow around him.. he is a big cat but weighs nothing, he is lighter than a feather , she is a big cat and weighs a ton. . 
If my back is permanently aching, it is Honey's fault. She is still a baby, she wants mama to pick her up sometimes .. thankfully not often. 
My muscles are really good now, I might even be Buff ..

Minette is Minette, feisty, small , feminine, a little warrior.
Her new thing is to lie on the pillow next to my head and wash my hair when I wake up.
We will not discuss how I look when she is through with me, or how I feel about waking up to having my head licked.
Somethings are best not discussed.

Homesickness and Wanderlust have struck. Big Time.
The only cure is ..... you know.
I know what I am doing, I do not need advice, or opinions. Unless there are volunteers for packing.
I might go into business for myself ... I will arrange peoples moves, from home to home, boxes, tape, bubble wrap, movers, I am a pro by now...with the added bonus of having Experience with Pets When Moving.
Remember Pup .. he flew to Argentina .. after driving from NY to Fl to Or .. 
I should make use of my talents.   



Sunday, March 19, 2017

The Wink Girl

"A Whirl of Girls " ! Should Babes Be Spanked ?

Mens magazines in the early '50s ..

But back to the subject .. the Wink Girl.
One day, my husband and I were wandering around various neighborhoods in NYC .. this neighborhood was pretty blah .. ordinary apartment buildings, nothing to catch our interest except for the One and Only Antique store in the middle of the block.
We went in, wandered around, it was too dusty and musty for me, I felt sneezes coming on .. I went out to the car and he came out shortly after ..
He had the look of a prospector who had struck Gold.
Big grin, eyes twinkling ... " You've got to come in and see what I found " ! he said ... I said "What "?
He said " You have to See it !"

The interior of the shop was mostly dust. Dust covered everything and gave everything a dull ordinary junk look. Up against a wall were large dust covered canvases , framed on wood.. no actual frames ..  he just stood there grinning like an idiot. I was getting sneezy .. "what is it "? she asked with too much crankiness.

He just held his hand out and pointed and there she was, how could I have missed her ?!
An oil on canvas stretched on a wooden frame ... the painting had no print on it, this is a photo of the magazine cover.
The oil painting was the artists , which would become the magazine cover.

My husband was in love. I said it looks like Betty Grable. He said it looks like you. LOL .. he really wanted that painting !

For a mere pittance, I don't remember exactly but $200 comes to mind .. we bought this .
Our "Wink Girl".
We never ended up framing her, we liked the rawness of the unframed canvas with the fabulous Betty Grable look alike ..
She went everywhere with us, no matter where we lived, she fit right in, there was always a room with a wall that was meant for her .

And then came the day when we were packing to move to Argentina.
My husband worried that she would not do well in the packing shipping experience.
He did research, spoke to a man in NYC who collects vintage paintings ... he was so anxious to buy her.  And so he did . For quite a lot more than $250-

We said goodby and had her shipped to NYC  .
I always feel like there is a wall in wherever I live, that would look great with her up there on it.

Our Wink Girl.


Spring

 Spring has so many kinds of beauty.
For those in the North, it is with relief that a bud opens or a leaf peeps out , a tiny hint of green in the garden, birds are noisy and seem to be everywhere , deer are out in the meadow, in the warm daylight, flocks of Starlings gather in a large black cloud and swoop across the sky, filling the pine trees while they stop and have a rest and a chat with each other .
At night the raccoons are out with small babies, being taught by their mama where the best houses are for raiding the garbage cans or garden patch.
The air smells different ... not so cold and sharp when you breathe, softer , scented with green and a bit of floral ..

In the South, it is much more muted, less drastic, less a relief. Oh yes, it is welcome and beautiful and admired greatly but it doesn't come after months of bitter cold and snow and rain and dreariness.
Winter has its beauty but after a while that beauty fades and you long for Spring.

Spring with noisy birds , flocks of birds , baby animals, depending on where you live, how many and how close they may be ..
Spring with the pleasure of going out without wearing layers and layers of clothing and gloves and scarves ... put them away ! don't look at them for at least 5 or 6 months ...If you are lucky.

If you are in the North, you know exactly what I mean.
If you are in the South, you can get the idea ... but you might also miss that pleasure.
If you live where it is almost always warm, sunny, things always growing and green and flowers everywhere, the pleasure a person in the North gets out of Spring is a little beyond what  a Southerner has.
Which has its good points and its bad points .

I have a pine tree forest behind me.
It is always green. There are always birds. There are deer. There are racoons I think. I know there is a green snake.
 I know there are huge birds that look like a condor , they fly very high up above the trees, slowly circling ..
I feel like a wagon train will come along, everyone hot and thirsty with those damned birds circling over them .. No my imagination is just fine thank you.

It is very quiet here. This is a Good Thing. At night it is silent.
I am not nervous , even with that forest out there ... no deer will try to break in and steal my plants.
An Armadillo did try to come in one day for a bite but the walls stopped him.
I felt bad. He turned around and waddled back into the forest.
How many people get to say that the Armadillo wanted to come in for coffee but couldn't get in the door?

I am ready to go back North.
Enough of this all year round warm weather and green and no snow.
I knew I had had enough about a month of so ago. I am isolated, moreso here than up North.
It is impossible to make friends or acquaintances in a place like this - people get in their cars from the house into the garage, you never actually see your neighbors, only their cars coming and going.
No one walks. I saw ( on my walk ) someone drive to the mailbox.
This was a distance of maybe from your door to your street if you live in a town.

The good points are many and all very good.
The beauty of the place. The little things that still give me a thrill... pelicans flying over in a squadron... armadillos hanging out by my back door ...deer ... a green snake ...once .. that was enough.
Birds of all kinds, noisy, pretty, all sizes ..
Butterflies ... hummingbirds ...

I want to go Home.













Saturday, March 18, 2017

Your Comment

Thank you for your comment. Your comment will not be published until it has been moderated.

This is what it has come to . Someone and I have a pretty good idea who it is, leaves snarky little comments that are personal and nothing to do with the blog.
I sometimes think having a way to block people and not hear what they have to say, is a lovely thing and I wish we could use it in Real Life, not just in a blog or on the computer.

Imagine who you could Block   or even better, Delete and Empty theTrash :)

I am 99% sure who it is and he should be studying or taking out the garbage for his mama but whoever it is ... they mean less than zero to me. And their childish online games.

So thank you guys, as with all the large and small irritations and disappointments in Life, this too shall pass.


Saturday - This 'n That

Amalie 

This was brought on by John over at Going Gently .. just mention a film and I think of the music, usually. Or the fact that I loved it, hated it, cried, laughed.

This film was one of those that I loved, laughed and didn't cry. It was good. I need to see it but I would cry ... my memories of seeing it with my husband are in the way still.

I am thinking of cutting my hair.
I am planning my escape.
I have the best landlord ever.
I enjoyed my sleep last night, surrounded by cats, the oldest and sweetest stayed curled up next to me, his warmer ... he slept well, my arm fell asleep but I let it lie there like a dead thing, I was not going to disturb Merlin's sleep.

Minette has found a new thing to do that irritates me. She does it until I chase her away ... then she laughs.

Honey just watches everything and purrs.
She will eat her dinner like a prim little pussycat, never messy, not at all fussy (obviously from the size of her!) and then she spends a good amount of time washing herself before her after dinner nap.

Merlin is the one I hold close ..who comforts me if I need it. Although Minette doesn't mind a good snuggle either ..

My daughter and her son are going on a road trip of sorts, to all kinds of fun places, I am sure she is beyond excited, she deserves this ... she is the one who "brings home the bacon" ..
She bought her lovely condo, she works and works and tends to things at home and will finally have a super vacation that she more than earned. I would like to think of her having a time when she gets some PayBack for all that she has done.. for everyone.
She is definitely a daughter to be proud of.

The sun is coming in the window, makes you think it is warm out there , it isn't.
Cats are friskie, I think I might go play with them now. Then maybe we will all take a nap .. why not, I can do whatever I want to :)




Friday, March 17, 2017

Dear dear Merlin


This morning I woke very early to a sound that fills me with dread. No, not that sound, that one also fills me with dread, that one is water dripping sounds .. this one is the beeping of a fire / smoke alarm.
You see, this apartment is a loft style duplex. I cannot possibly reach anything that is on the ceiling.
I lay there, heart pounding, praying that the alarm did not start screeching ...
Between the pipes in the old washing machine breaking and flooding the apartment, having to live with drying fans and equipment for a week after, now the sound of fire alarms beeping  .. no .. I am nearing my limit.

I called the landlord and bless him, he was here so fast.
The battery was failing. So it was beeping to say goodbye .. or calling for help.
It got its new batteries and all is well, it will smell smoke if there is ever any such bad luck and it is being silent again.

The landlord is so very nice. He is pleasant to have around .. we talk about this and that and while he gave in and said yes, I could bring my cats with me, he didn't blink an eye when he met the new cat in the house, Honey .. with the big green eyes and huge body and little girl meow.
I think he was kind of charmed by her.
Merlin made himself scarce, he always does when strangers come around.

Speaking of Merlin .. well, he .... speaks.
Every evening, when I am getting ready for bed, he gives me a certain series of little meows and chirps and they have tone to them so it isn't just meeow .. he  chirps and ends it sounding like a question ... as he sits and stares at the other side of the bed.

Yes, Merlin, I say, here I come ... and I lift him up and put him on the bed.
He jumps up all day by himself but at night, he asks for help.
I put him on the bed and he flops down , head next to my pillow, and sighs and closes his eyes .. ahhh... bed.
I get in after and he is already snoring away ... my sweet  dear Merlin.

Sweet dreams ......








Thursday, March 16, 2017

A Moment Of Silliness .......Five

 You cool ? I'm cool ...

Beautiful Enough ..

In The Mood For Love

We saw this film in Portland Oregon in a little "Art House" theatre that we discovered .. we went about once a week and kept up with the newest foreign films ... this one has music that I never get tired of.
If you want to enjoy the film, it is online these days .. Do let me know if you have seen it or want to see it ..

Meanwhile, back at the ranch ..
It is cold out. I mean, like a Northeasterner would say, Hey ! It's cold here ! What's going on ??

The sun is bright, everything is clear and the very blue sky is lovely.
It makes a great backdrop for the very green forest behind my home .. But the cats walked out on the lanai and scurried right back in ... grumbling and disgruntled.
Maaaam ... it's cold out .....

So now I have a cat lying in the sun under the window in here, on the bed in the guest bedroom and Merlin is snoozing on the dog bed in the living room, wrapped in the softer than soft blanket that I gave him.
He is a Himalayan, he is a Persian mixed with a Siamese.
I found out/figured out, he is mixed with a Lavender Point Siamese.
Merlin's "brown" areas of fur, are a lavender brown. As if he were not beautiful enough ...



Monday, March 13, 2017

Memories

Every day without fail, we were walking down the street the 2 blocks to the miles of parks that stretched along the boulevards where we lived.
The trees were fabulous, different , huge and everywhere .. it was so very nice to live near parks that just stretched on and on , with all that grass and those trees and benches to sit and people watch, dog watch if you like and breathe the fresh air.

We never felt cooped up in our home, the windows were all french door/type windows and it was half a floor of the building so we had front and back views of the street and the quiet space in back.

We could always walk out the door and be a block from groceries, food, ice cream, shoes and handbag shopping lol and the vet was 3 blocks away. We walked through a park to get to her office.
Nothing was difficult, everything was beautiful.

It took a long time for me to adjust to not having Tate ( pup) with us. I had that dog sleeping by my side of the bed, on an antique rug we bought Just For Him .. he was walked or went with us wherever we went, every day .. He traveled by car with us from NY to Fl to Or then by plane to Argentina.
He was a big hit wherever he went, being the size and color and type of dog he was. With those big amber eyes and his big sweet smile ... yes, he smiled.
When he saw a baby, or a toddler ... he would throw himself down on the floor/ground and stay very still ... he knew he could knock them over .. he was always careful and very gentle with small creatures, babies and puppies / kitties ..

I still think, during a difficult day, how things would be easier if he was here with me.
My grief might be lighter, my loneliness would be less fierce and my disappointments would be less important .. That dog never let me down, I wish I could say that about the humans I know.

I have a lovely son and his family, I love my daughter dearly  and I have in-laws who are the Worlds Best .. so I am not really complaining... mostly just missing places and loved ones.

The collecting of boxes, the cleaning of closets and emptying of drawers is about to begin.
I may or may not have the time or energy to post ... there is so little to post about these days, with the emptiness of these days .. you can only stand to read about Cats so much before you slam the door shut and find something more interesting to read.

So I will try to be more entertaining, more of interest in the days ahead.
You never know ... that saying You Plan and You Plan Then Life Happens ... well, I am planning and life is welcome to happen too.

Wishing everyone a lovely week ... If you are like my son, you are going to be snowed in, enjoy it.
9 months from now there will be a lot of new babies born :)

Happy Monday ~

Sunday, March 12, 2017

Looking back with love

Sunday in Buenos Aires ..
My husband and I would dawdle over coffee, he would have his scones that he loved from a bakery nearby .. he read the NY Times online and I generally slept later, he brought me my coffee in bed and the dog would decide when I had to get up ..... and feed him .... and then we would all go to the park for a walk.

This park was a couple of blocks from our home. This was our "backyard" ... we all loved it.
I spent every morning and a few hours in the afternoon, with them, in this park .. which stretched on for miles. Museums, Ambassadors residences and homes .. all along the Avenida and this was part of our home ! We lived there !!
I look at these photos now, I remember just about everything about those days and I still have to shake myself and remind me, it's true, you did live there, you and your love and that sweet wonderful dog , were a family living in Buenos Aires Argentina.

It seems like a story I read in a novel a long time ago.
I feel so removed from all of it.

I am the only one left , of that threesome.
I don't want to hear anyone tell me, you can't go back, it won't be the same ... as if I am a moron ..
But the city is still there. The parks and the people are still there ... we left, they didn't.

I need one last visit, we always said to each other that we would go back again ...

You plan and you plan, then Life happens.
which sadly was the End of a Life happened and that changed my Life too .. forever in so many ways.
But I have tried to be smart and do sensible things.

Moving to Florida seemed smart.
I am only more lonely.
I am not saving any money, I am in a too expensive posh condo that is better suited for a family. 3 bedrooms ? 3 bathrooms ?? Really ??

I want to return to my home, the place I have lived longest, where there is family, friends and possibilities..
I wish it were Buenos Aires ...


Saturday, March 11, 2017

Saturday Morning

If you are like me ... weekend mornings are different.
Even though every day is the same in a way, for me ... Saturdays and Sundays remain a bit different .

( pause )




I'm back ... Honey the very large and very sweet young cat, decided that she liked the way I type and she tried it herself ... before trying to sit on the keyboard.
I don't sit on my keyboard, no one else gets to either.


so ... where were we ? ......

Saturday and Sunday mornings .. yes ... in the past, they meant a lot more to me but there are many weekends that I am not even aware that it is the weekend until someone says something or I notice Saturday shows are on television ..

It is bright and sunny out ... good for people who look forward to the weekend to be outdoors and have fun. New York weather was not always that accommodating ..

I am going ahead with my plans for my future, the cats have agreed that whatever mama wants, mama gets.
They are very smart cats.

So slowly at my own pace with no interference or discussion, I am beginning as of today, the steps that must be taken , the chores that must be performed, the plans and arrangements and boring details that must be seen to ...

Hints will be dropped. Answers may or may not be given. Eventually all will be clear.

So for now-  I hope you  enjoy your weekend, whatever the weather .. have fun. Fun is Good.
Sometimes you have to reach down deep within yourself for the courage to just let go a little and have fun. Says One Who Knows.

And another tip ... from one who knows ....
If there are negative, unkind people in your life and it is at all possible, Dump Them at the first chance you get.
Happy Weekend !!








Friday, March 10, 2017

Homesick

This man is walking past my front door. Across the street was a mini market and used to be an ice cream shop. When we moved in, that was where you could find my husband , every evening .. picking up freshly made ice cream for dessert. Next door was a mini mart and on the other side, a bakery.
We really had no reason to leave our block ! or so it seemed.

I was enchanted with the view. At night, people opened their French doors and let in the fresh air and I could see their chandeliers sparkling, the ceilings are so high !! Ours were high but their looked much higher. Sometimes someone would have a party and we could hear the music wafting across the street to our open doors.
Actually, if they were looking out across to our home, we would have the same high ceilings, the chandeliers and some pretty nice music too !

I don't know if I will ever Not be Homesick for Buenos Aires ...

( no advice or counseling needed :)

Thursday, March 9, 2017

Save Your Ass

Save Your Ass Rescue

I never knew there was such a thing.
I am so in love with the idea.
I will move to the countryside and adopt .. everything.
I guess you just never know when there is the opportunity to save an Ass, you should be prepared .. if you don't have room at your house, I guess donating will be as good.

Kind of gives a whole new meaning to saving your ass, doesn't it ?


Wednesday, March 8, 2017

Coming and Going

Yikes !! My birthday is almost here ! Talk about sneaking up on a person.
It certainly isn't a matter of having so much fun I didn't notice the time slipping by ... that's for sure.
The cats and I spend our days in semi-comas, induced by boredom.
It is very beautiful here, the weather is perfect every day... all I hear is the wind and an occasional bird .. I get very excited when I see a little creature, a lizard, a tiny woodland elf ... well, not really but there are things out there that I can't quite see and I find it fun to imagine there are elves in the forest keeping an eye on the creatures here in the buildings... those odd human things.

So the cats and I amuse the elves in the forest with our boring activities and I plan and plot my next move.


Plans and plots are being hatched, I won't speak about anything in detail yet, there are really no details to speak of ... plus there are unkind  people  who read my blog every day .. let them learn what is next when everyone else does ..

I woke this morning to a rather large ( ok, she is enormous) cat sleeping next to my head .. heating my head if you like. Overheating my head ...
A small blue cat snuggled by my leg in such a way as to prevent me from rolling over ..
A very old and ridiculously sweet , very hairy cat, curled up against me, purring loudly, this rattling old man purr ... my heart melted before I even got up this morning !

These 3 small beings are what bring me Joy these days .. they bring me Love and they bring me Smiles.
Children used to do that, mine grew up. :) Sometimes they still make me smile though.
Husbands ( the good ones) do that, mine did. Every day of our lives together.
How lucky I was .
How lucky I am ..
 .

Tuesday, March 7, 2017

Dreams. What Are Your Dreams.

I want to be a cat.
Cats have a good life.
Well, the lucky ones do. They get to hang out and nap whenever they feel like it.
They are fed fishy smelling stuff and brushed and kissed and snuggled ... what is wrong with that ??
I can definitely sit in one spot and stare out the window for long periods of time.
I love an afternoon nap, even better if it is in the sun on a chilly day.
I like shiny things .
I am halfway there already !

I think I would be more like Minette ( left) then Honey (right) ... Minette is small but has a huge heart, she would be shocked if I told her she was not a lion.
Honey is all heart, soft and mushy and so so sweet .. huge, heavy with the tiniest little girl meow.
And then there is Merlin.
Merlin my love was lost .. in New York .. someone took him to the Animal Shelter and they posted his photo online ... so I could see it and hurry over there the same day and grab him and run away with him before anyone else tried to get him.
He is Merlin My Love ... Minette loves him too and Honey is very respectful and careful around him.
Good thing, she weighs about 4 times more than he does.
Merlin is content, he eats, he naps, he gets kissed a lot, he naps ...

I would not mind being a Merlin myself ... but I am content caring for him instead. Maybe in my next life .
Today I spoke to them about moving.
Packing.
Boxes .
Ears pricked up when "Boxes" were mentioned. Nothing like a nice big box to climb in, hide in, sleep in, be quiet so your mama freaks out because she can't find you in.

Not much is happening these days.
I stay home and daydream , plot and plan and try not to think about all the sad stuff, the disappointment in people and the way things turned out rather than the way I dreamt things would turn out.

But I will keep dreaming of places to go, people to see, things to do and where to go.
With 3 cats and too many pairs of shoes and handbags.

What are your dreams ?

Monday, March 6, 2017

Words

Take a plate.
Throw it on the ground.
Tell the pieces that you are sorry.
Does the plate return to the way it was ?
Watch those words.
You can't take them back.

Saturday, March 4, 2017

And so it began ....

Most people who travel, know how you fall in love with a place and when back home, you think of the place often .. remembering and smiling at how great that visit was.
Often people go back time and time again, to a place that just meets a need that other places don't.

When my husband and I were talking about retirement, he used to talk about when he lived in London. He had friends in Paris so he was there quite often.

Then he met me ... children, starting businesses and life happened ... we took trips that small children would be happy on .
Then one day, the second child was ready to leave college and we started leaving him in charge and we went to London, I saw where he lived , I shopped where he shopped, visited our friends who live in Kew.

Our second visit, the following year, included a 3 day weekend in Paris.
Taking the Train, through the Chunnel, staying in the Hotel Lutece on the Left Bank, it was all a dream come true.
Well, that did it for me ! the following year, we went back ... and year after year.
On our last visit, we rented an apartment a block and a half from the Eiffel Tower.
That was our night light in our bedroom .. twinkling out there, pinch me, is it real ??

We moved house and we moved to Oregon, one day my husband said, How would you like to go to Buenos Aires .... and so it began.

This and That



Saturdays were the same as every other day when my husband retired and we moved to Argentina.
Magical because we were in Argentina, but there were always people in the parks, dogs and children and an occasional homeless person.
There was one homeless lady that broke my heart, I would always bring her scones from the bakery that we walked past on the way to the park. She always thanked me and gave a bit of her scone to our dog. Smiled a toothless smile and went back to just sitting there, quiet and still.
She broke my heart.

I did find out that at night, all those with nowhere to go , went to places owned by the City where they could have food and a clean safe bed to sleep in. New York City could use a lesson or two in that sort of thing ..

I think my appreciation for Architecture and Trees really came out when we moved to BA.
You can see in the photo why the trees made me happy , and the architecture ..
The population of Argentina is made up of immigrants ... like the United States but in Argentina, they are Spanish, Italian, English, Irish, German .. you get a lovely mix with all those languages, styles, types of architecture and you end up with fabulous parks, wonderful buildings, long boulevards, great fantastic museums and (overall) good manners.
As in any place anywhere in the world, you will run into an oaf who has no manners but overall, the people in BA appreciate and show good manners.

Yes, today is a hard day .. I am homesick for my home in Buenos Aires, with my husband, with my dog ... I have to go find a park somewhere .. or perhaps just sit out on the lanai and look at the pine forest behind me .. Times are changing, nothing stays the same ... cliches that are true today.

Friday, March 3, 2017

In The Mood For Love

 In The Mood For Love



If you have not heard of or seen the film by Wong Kar Wei , " In the Mood for Love" .. try to get it and sit down and enjoy.
It is slow, beautiful, the music is wonderful and well, I have seen it 3 times.

Once a long long time ago in the theatre, once on video in Argentina and now I can see it on the computer !

Once you have seen one of his films, you will want to see his others. They are also very good.
This one is my favorite right now and partly because of the Soundtrack.
The music in this one is fabulous imo.
The music is by the same man who did Crouching Tiger -
Music by Shigeru Umebayashi


Enjoy
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sunset in Buenos Aires

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