To Continue....

If I'm going to list 75 things that make me happy before March 10th I better get this list movin'. But first I want to give a little shout out to all those that still flip on their Christmas lights every night and have their crispy, brown-tipped "fresh" wreaths still hanging on their doors. It's over people....give it up. I'm bad, but not "end of January" bad. Our weekend was up in the 50's so there is no longer an excuse. OK, I'm done with the bitchin'.

After bemoaning the fact that I have been very sad and tied to my I-PAD for hours on end, I have actually been quite busy and have had little time for playing Spider Solitaire....oh I didn't mention that did I?!  Don't and I really mean don't start, it is a true time suck. I couldn't understand when many became so addicted to Candy Crush, but I'm probably worse with Spider Solitaire. Hour upon hour upon hour, I feel like I should stand in front of a circle of like minded people and admit that "I Am A Spider Solitaire Co-Holic."  Please tell me that there are others out there who have such addictions, it would truly make me feel less obsessive.

Friday was Chicago Symphony Orchestra night with a lovely group of women. We purchased season tickets (3 in total) and have enjoyed meeting for dinner at a delicious restaurant, imbibing in a glass of wine and consuming a delicious dinner along with sharing a decadent dessert prior to the concert. The concerts are a tremendous delight and expands my knowledge of classical musicians and their great works. So that becomes #3 in my makes me happy list....my CSO night with the ladies.

#4 has to be the simply wonderful movies I've seen lately. I've probably told this story before, but when I was a child, around 7-8 years old, we lived on a rather busy street. My Mother would help me cross the street and I would walk the 3 or 4 blocks by myself to our local movie theater, pay $.10 for a ticket and sit thru whatever movie was playing that week until my Dad would pick me up on his way home from work in the evening. That is where my love of movies began. We didn't have TV in those days, so the movies became my favorite entertainment as a child.  This year there have been some outstanding movies that I've seen, "Wonder", every school age child should see this, "The Post" a timely movie considering what has been perceived as "fake news", "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, MO" omg Frances McDormand is such a bad-ass actress. "The Darkest Hour" another brilliant performance by Gary Oldman, Winston perfection. I did see "Get Out" early last year when it came out....I must be too old to appreciate this kind of story. Maybe if I saw it again, I would have a better reaction. "Lady Bird" was good, but I wouldn't call it the best. I watched "Mudbound" on Netflix and again, it was just OK. Plans are to see "The Shape of Water" on Wednesday.  Thank goodness I have girlfriends that love movies as much as I do.

#5 Doritos or Fritos Scoops (not picky) and and Tostitos Salsa Con Queso. I have to physically grab my grocery cart keeping both hands on the bar so as to not reach out and grab a bag and a jar of these 2 treats that are like a narcotic binge for me. But I admit there are times when the urge is greater than the struggle and I give in. And as long as the jar still has even a dribble left, I am in binging bliss.

Capturing the sweet Junco outside my window always makes me happy, so this is my #6 (see photo above)

And *7 is tulips from Trader Joe's....what a welcome sight during these grey days. So much joy for $4.99.

OK, only 68 more to go. And I have a little over a month so stay tuned for this continuing list.

Happy Monday, have a great week.

Until next time....

The Sad/Happy Post

Dear Blog, I have this bad habit of telling myself that I'm going to begin being more consistent in writing to you, but somehow OK, I'll admit it, pure laziness seems to get in the way. I have these great thoughts on what I could write about, and what do I do...nothing, absolutely nothing. I certainly can't blame anything on "I'm so busy", because let's face it, unless you have a full-time job (did at one time), small children (also did at one time), are a care-taker (double did at one time), I can't come up with anything else that might keep me from writing a simple blog post. I get up every morning to "must have a couple of cups of coffee", read emails, read the morning paper (on-line) check facebook and instagram and start the circle again....check email etc. I'm in a rut. I'm blaming it all on my I-PAD....it's too easy, too convenient and I have to blame someone, something, certainly not myself.

I'll admit the last few months have not been the easiest, losing my sweetie in September and then losing my Toby this month.  Somewhere I think it's written that you are not supposed to lose your husband and your favorite pet within months of each other. If it's not, it should be. Toby had been with me for 11 years, got him as a puppy, and honestly the BEST dog I ever had. He was with me all through those bad times struggling with my sweetie's Alzheimer's and then being a comfort to me after my decision to place my sweetie in a care facility. He had not been acting quite right for a couple of weeks, not eating well, having trouble getting comfortable, restless. I thought probably a flu or a virus. Brought him to the Vet on a Monday evening and left without him. He was diagnosed with lymphoma and since I could tell he was already suffering with his not acting right, I made the decision to have him put to sleep. One of the top 10 toughest decisions I have made in my life. But I did it out of love, so he would not have to suffer. I would only be keeping him alive for myself, not for him. I know many of you have had to face this decision and it ain't easy. Will I get another dog, absolutely. Cinder is lonely, she looks for Toby all the time, and she also will be leaving me soon, she has breast cancer and she is too old to have the radical surgery she needs. So I'm facing this again before too long. Right now she is OK, but tumors are popping up in her mammary glands. I've loved my kids with all my heart. Sorry to write all this sad stuff, but this has been my life lately. I do try to keep busy, book club, bible study, movies, reading, but I'm in a rut and I need to change my lazy habits.

I do have several great trips planned for this year and I'm looking forward to all, but it's this day to day shit (pardon me) that I'm having trouble with. My 75th birthday is coming up in March and a couple of  years ago I wrote 73 things that make me happy in my blog posts. Maybe that will help. I'll start with these two...

1) Crunchy Peanut Butter on Trader Joe's Classic British Muffins toasted with Stonewall Kitchen's Peach Amaretto Jam spread on top. Try it, you will like it.

2) Reading a really good book, just finished "The Woman in the Window" by A J Finn.  If you enjoyed the old Hitchcock movies, you will enjoy this read.

Ok I'm on a roll. Maybe this will keep me going. Inserting a few picture, they have absolutely nothing to do with this post. Just some pretties to look at.

See you next time.....