Cleaning

Whew! I'm pooped. ...and thank you, Kathy, for all your help.

My friend came over late this morning and we started cleaning out my cellar. I'm hoping to have some work done in it and it needed to be cleaned out desperately. It was one of those things that got so far ahead of me when I was sick that now that I'm better, it was still too overwhelming for me to think about tackling. When I mentioned it to Kathy, she said she'd come over and we'd work on it and that we did. She took boxes and bags of stuff. Unfortunately my town dump is not open on Sundays, so she took the stuff and will throw it in the dumpster at her condo. Her car was full when she left here.

We emptied the freezer, cleaned out cabinets, swept up all kinds of stuff on the floor, threw out old flower pots, emptied out bags of paint brushes (Daddy must've thought I was going to repaint my house or become Monet). It was a good job. We still have a ways to go - there's stuff that we can't move that needs to be taken to the dump - an old water heater, an old boxspring, an old a/c. I'm checking with the local rod and gun club to see if they want the freezer and/or fridge. The do a lot of cooking over there and they also store a lot of venison. It could come in handy. It can be the George Hill Memorial Freezer!

Kathy and I did take a break to watch the tribute to Johnny Pesky. The Red Sox retired Johnny's Number 6 today at Fenway. I found it very emotional. They covered his career both in Boston and a few years in Detroit. I grew up listening to stories about Johnny and Ted and Dom and Bobby. Today's ceremony brought back so many memories of Daddy. I know he was up there smiling. Johnny was emotional but proud and humbled. I am so thrilled with John Henry and Larry Lucino for doing this. It's been a long time coming. I'm thrilled that Johnny was alive to enjoy the tribute. Here's to many more years with the team, Mr. Red Sox! (Now, can you help them beat the Skankees this weekend - they're having their problems.)

So, time for a second shower. It's been a busy day. I've already ironed and now I have 2 baskets of clothes to fold.

BTW, Donut, I've got the second box packed, taped, and labeled. Hopefully I can get to the P.O. this week. Again, some are shower presents and some are Christmas presents - the shower ones are the ones without the Christmas wrapping paper!

I'm also cranking out pocket prayer shawls for the Care Package weekend on the 17th and 18th. Last time we managed to finish and ship over 100. I'm hoping to do at least that well this time.

Will it ever stop raining?????????????? I saw a bunch of animals walking through my backyard in pairs earlier today and I've heard buzz saws and hammering coming from around the corner. I think something is going on.

Shennie

Oh, Those Blue Eyes

Paul Newman passed away yesterday at the age of 83. God must have needed a new leading man in heaven.

I can remember YEARS ago. My cousin, Beth, was doing volunteer work for Planned Parenthood down in Ct. The Newmans, Paul and Joanne, were hosting a fund-raiser at their house in Westport. Tickets were $25 per. That was a LOT OF $$$$$$$ back then. Beth and I were trying to figure out a way to be able to afford to go. We thought if we bought one ticket, she could go for 1/2 the party and I could go for the other half. We never did it, but it was fun imagining what it would be like to meet him and look into those blue eyes.

I saw him in "The Sting" and "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid". I might have seen him in others, but I know I saw those two - how could you turn down Newman and Redford together. He was an actor's actor. I can remember taking my parents to see "The Sting" ~ the second time it was released. After the movie was over, Mom turned to me and asked, "Which one was Robert Redford?" Moooooooooommmmmmmmmmmmm! Even Daddy knew the difference.

His charitable work was infamous. He conceived of and built "A Hole In The Wall" camp for terminally or seriously ill children in northern Connecticut. One of the many groups that got to go there each summer was children afflicted with hemophilia. Because of this, it became a special place for my 2 cousins - both hemophiliacs. They never attended as campers, but Beth did go there for a Hemophilia Conference. When she died, memorial donations were requested for "A Hole In The Wall". So, whenever the need arises, I try to buy Newman's Own which supports AHITW with its profits.

His love of family was also special. He and Joanne Woodward were married for over 50 years. That is unheard of in Hollywood - which is one of the reasons why they lived in Connecticut and not Hollywood. They lived quietly in the small coastal town ~ their privacy was guarded by their neighbors as well as their friends.

Paul, you will be missed. Your politics were a little too far left/liberal for my tastes, but that aside, you were an AMAZING person. Your deeds, your movies, your charities, your presence will leave a void.

Rest in Peace.

Number 6

Hooray!

The Red Sox announced today that they will be retiring Johnny Pesky's number 6 Friday night at Fenway Park. It's about time. Nothing could be more fitting or more appropriate. Friday is Johnny's 89th birthday. I almost ran off the road when I heard the news coming home from work. There was a collective explosion from Red Sox Nation when that item hit the news wire.

It took the owners a while to come to their senses but they finally realized what a treasure they had in Johnny Pesky - more often referred to as Mr. Red Sox. How could you NOT retire the number of somebody with that moniker?

By all accounts you could not ask for a nicer human being. In his playing days, he shared the field with the likes of Dom DiMaggio, Bobby Doerr, and Ted Williams. I grew up listening to my dad tell stories around the supper table about the 4 Red Sox fielders. The year before Johnny went to serve at WWII, he had 200 hits; he had 200 hits the year he returned. Can you imagine what he would've done it he hadn't been drafted? We won't mention the NYY guys who got exemptions and didn't have to serve during the war!

And to think, the previous Red Sox owners banned Johnny from the dugout. Stuff it, Dan Douquette! Johnny's presence in the dugout is a morale booster and has quietly influenced each and every guy in a Red Sox uniform. I can remember chuckling over he and David Ortiz goofing together in the dugout. Each and every player genuinely respected Johnny and his presence there.

The only itty bitty request I have for Saturday night's game is that WE WIN! Afterall, we're playing the NYY - nothing could be more appropriate.

Daddy and Teddy, I'm sure you had a hand in this and we all get to celebrate Saturday night. This is almost as exciting as us winning the World Series after 86 years. I'm just glad Daddy and Johnny both lived to see that!

Shennie

Grocery Shopping

Yesterday was a full day, so I decided I would do my grocery shopping today. Yes, I skipped going to church. I'll get back there sometime this month.

Anyway, I ran to Walgreens and picked up a few things then went to the grocery store - or at least I THOUGHT I was at the grocery store. It felt more like I was at the running of the brides at Filene's basement! Just because you show up at the grocery store wearing spandex exercise pants, cross-training sneakers, your hair in a pony tail, a sports bra and you jog up and down the aisles, does not give you the right to push people around at the meat or vegetable counter, Bitch!

Three times today I was pushed aside by some broad who thought she was more in a hurry than I was. I'm trying to decide on which package of chicken to get and she pushes me down two sections so that she can grab her boneless, skinless, tasteless chicken breasts and jog on. Another time I was selecting a package of hamburg and another one of these exercise mavens "excused" herself and pushed me so that she could get her package and run off. I passed her later in the bread/healthy cereal aisle and she was on a quest to break some type of time record! The third one was somewhere between greenbeans and russet potatoes and I thought I was going to land in the asparagus patch.

Keep your jogging and wrestling in Gold's Gym, ladies. Try putting on your manners along with your spandex the next time you go out! One of them left her carriage in the middle of the aisle while she went to get something and it was in my way, so I just kept pushing it. It finally rolled to the side and I kept on going. She didn't look happy the next time I saw her. She didn't look happy the first time I saw her, so no skin off my nose!

Have manners become a thing of the past?

Red Sox Songs

http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/extras/extra_bases/

You gotta check these out ~ they're great!

Off and Running...

Well, thanx to my niece I've been hit with this. Just so that you're aware ~ I've already BOUGHT and WRAPPED some of my Christmas presents! How may of you can say that? There are some that I'll probably be wondering about come December 24th (luckily I probably won't see them until New Years or my birthday) but with a new baby on the way, I keep being drawn to baby/toy/clothing sections of stores. Hmmmmmmmmm, wonder why?!

Thanx, Donut!

Shennie

Out And About

I was out and about all morning long today. I did a bunch of errands. I went to the pharmacy, the bank, the florist, the dump, the recycle center, and the cleaners all before going for my manicure at noon.

The pharmacy was uneventful. However, when I went to the bank I witnessed a great sight. I pulled into my parking place and there is huge blue/purple flowered plant between parking areas. I don't know the name of the flowers but they are a small blue flower and there has to be at least 100 of them on the bush. Well, there had to be at least 25 bees buzzing around all the flowers today. It was such a curious sight. They'd go from one bloom to the next. They were so much fun to watch. I was mesmerized. I have no idea where the hive was, but these little drones were as "busy as a bee" ~ excuse my pun!

To get to the cleaners, I had to cross one of the several causeways in town. There weren't many cars so I was able to take my time. There was little to no breeze so the reservoirs were calm - still as glass. I took my time and thought about how nice they look now but how beautiful they will be in a couple of weeks. Pretty soon ALL the leaves will be turning (there are a few red and orange ones sprinkled around now). One of the most beautiful sights is to drive across the causeways in town when the leaves have turned and see the reflections of the trees in the water. It's like getting twice as much for your money. The reflections are almost more beautiful than the real thing. The beauty doesn't last very long so each vision is to be cherished. How could you not live in New England? It's worth the snow and ice! (Remind me of that in January!)

It was fun at the florist. They have a parrot in the center of the store (wish I could remember its name). Well, every time I finished a sentence, it chimed in. It's been there as long as I've been going there. Sometimes I've been there and have forgotten it's there. Then, all of a sudden, it would speak up. Holy Moly! Scared the bejesus out of me. But, it's fun.

The cleaners was another beehive of activity. It's the first time I've been to this cleaner. They were busier than a one-armed paperhanger. I had to wait in line to speak to someone and people were coming in and out the whole time I was there. There are 3 cleaners in town and I have NEVER seen them that busy - this one was over by the college. What a goldmine they have there. A nice Greek-family owned establishment. Just wish the owner's wife wouldn't pluck all her eyebrows and then paint in fake ones!

After lunch I went out to do more errands and went to Wally World. As I was walking in I noticed one of the clerks outside and she had teal-blue hair!!!!!! YUK! However, when I got home later in the afternoon and turned on the TV I heard someone talking about wearing teal blue today for ovarian cancer. For that she is forgiven. I almost wore a teal blue top today but switched to a red and white one instead.

On my way to WW this afternoon I stopped at the nursery. I needed some plants to fill in some gaping holes. I picked up some mums for right in front of the kitchen door. They're an autumn rusty-red color. When I was at the counter paying for them I glanced at the tag that was stuck in the pot. It was called "Jennifer". How appropriate! I also bought some purple fountain grass for the same area ~ hope it comes back. I love the way it looks and sways.

It's fun to observe while driving around. So often I just concentrate on where I'm going and don't pay any attention to my surroundings. I should do it more often. I enjoyed the bees and the mums.

Mitt Romney

Last night, amongst others, Mitt Romney spoke at the Republican National Convention. Now, I have not watched the proceedings thus far nor do I plan to watch the rest tonight or any other night. Life is way too short to listen to promises that no one can or will keep.

Anyway, I did hear one sound bite on the news this morning from Mitt's speech that I found VERY interesting. If you'll check back in my blogs, you'll see one that I wrote a couple months ago regarding Michele Obama. Now, I don't want to say that Mitt was referring to her when he speaking to the attendees at the convention; however, I'll leave it up to you to draw your own conclusion.

...and I quote: "Just like you, there has never been a day when I was not proud to be an American. We inherited the greatest nation in the history of the earth."

Go Mitt!

Refresh My Memory

Three years ago we (the people of the US) spent millions of $$$$ to rescue thousands of people who refused to move from an area below sea level and help them to a place which they completely trashed. We then spent millions more to shore up the levees and the land ~ again below sea level ~ and moved many of these same people back and paid for their new places ~ below sea level ~ while they all complained that nobody was doing anything for them. Now, three years later another storm is coming in and threatening this same area and many of the same people and we're supposed to pay for everything all over again?

What am I missing?