Thursday, April 28, 2011

Dribs and Drabs

It's hard to come up with a title for a post when I have no clue what I am going to write about so I will leave that until I finish.

After meeting some wonderfully interesting new people through the Five Minutes for Moms blog party, I find that not writing seems lame. If all the other busy people I visit can find time to write why can't I?

It is not really about time. It is the fear of boring people to tears. Hmmm...boring to tears...what causes that...yawning? I digress...I like to digress...

Life in my little corner of the great Atlantic northeast is rarely boring. Three to four days a week I take my grandbaby, Isabella (Bells or Boo to me most of the time) to school. Morning is not my favorite time of day so this is an effort. After that, if my fms (fibromyalgia) isn't kicking my bum causing me to have to go back to bed for a couple of hours, I try to get some work done. I don't often succeed. You see, I have an aversion to housework. I say it is because I am a perfectionist. If I can't do it perfectly, why do it at all?!

I am the team captain for our Autism Speaks walk next month. By this time last year, I had a team of about fifteen and had raised hundreds of dollars. My team is only around six people right now and I haven't even raised $200. This is very discouraging.

~heavy sigh~

Quite a bit of my time has been spent helping out mother-in-love. Yes, you read that right. I love my mother-in-law. She is 85 and in poor health and I am the only one in the area who doesn't have a full-time job. I don't mind. It is a labor of love.

Too much time is spent on my netbook. 'nuff said about that.

For the last few months, I have been enjoying a study of the Old Testament that a friend teaches and have started a study of the gospel of John with another friend. It has been quite some time since I have been in a Bible study group and this is a great development.


My eyes are tearing up. Bored to tears....I won't put you through any more mediocrity. Just know that I want to stay in your lives and will keep up as best I can.

blessings, g

Sunday, April 17, 2011

Girls Just Want to Have Fun!

A few years back, our church started something called "cell" groups. These groups encouraged open, intimate relationships. Our all women groups became very close for the most part and age didn't matter.

Currently, we don't have enough female leaders to have women's cells (the men are hooked up just fine) but we still have close relationships.

One of the ladies recently turned 40 and a friend decided to have a get together to celebrate. Only five in all could make it so it turned into a dinner party. The hostess, being a foodie and gifted cook, prepared an outrageously delicious meal of risotto, shrimp in garlic sauce, mussels in a lovely red sauce and a beautiful green salad. Two of us baked chocolate confections for dessert. Oh, I am so glad I saved up my weight watchers points all day!

Although the dinner was fab, the best part of the evening, to me, was the laughing. Oh, how we laughed. Some people probably think that a bunch of "church ladies" would be boring but, trust me, had you been a fly on the wall, you probably would have had a grand time, too! We stayed so late that Himself called to make sure I was okay! (It was a dark and stormy night...)

This particular night was important to me because I tend to isolate - especially in the evenings. The hostess made a special call to me instead of counting on the email she sent out to see if I was coming. This kindness nearly made me cry. My self-esteem is not always all that high.

Ladies, hold your girlfriends close. They understand like a man can't. Nurture your relationships and don't take them for granted.

Have a blessed week, g

Saturday, April 9, 2011

A to Z Meme

Haven't done a Meme in a long time so here goes:

A. Age: 54 - Oy, when did that happen!


B. Bed size: Queen but love a King

C. Chore you dislike: ...all of them?


D. Dogs: Happily, none.


E. Essential start to your day: sleeping in...

F. Favorite color: a certain shade of green and lavenders and aubergine

G. Gold or silver: silver

H. Height: Was 5' 1 3/4 inches all through junior high and high school and grew to
5' 2 1/2" ion my 20's. The women in my family tend to do that.

I. Instruments you play(ed): In my dreams, I can play piano...

J. Job title: Chief cook and bottle washer.

K. Kids: A daughter and a son, both grown, oh, and my husband...

L. Live: The Great Atlantic Northeast!

M. Mom’s name: Marie

N. Nicknames: My hubbie sometimes calls me Fudd.

O. Overnight hospital stays: Oy, there are quite a few but I'll just mention giving birth to my babies.

P. Pet peeves: Improper grammar,e.g. using adjectives instead of adverbs when appropriate and "I" instead of "me" when appropriate.

Q. Quote from a movie: "Illusions are dangerous people; they have no flaws." the new Sabrina

S. Siblings: older sister and two younger brothers. The youngest brother is fourteen years younger and he is half son/half brother!

T. Time you wake up: as late as possible

U. Underwear: Wish they were nicer - figure I'll splurge when all the weight is off.

V. Vegetables you don’t like: brussels sprouts, asparagus, "baby" corn

W. What makes you run late: Nothing if I can help it.

X. X-rays you’ve had: Sooo very many

Yummy food you make: Just about everything I make! I can cook AND I can bake.

Z. Zoo animal favorites: zebras

What about you?

Friday, April 8, 2011

Ready for the Weekend

Oy, what a long week! Isabella spent two days home from school with a cold. Thankfully, it didn't turn into anything worse like her mom had.

Saturday mornings are my time to sleep in and make up for the energy I expend during the week. Fibromyalgia doesn't respect that have "places to go and people to see." If I didn't have Saturdays to recharge I would be layed out and unable to do what I have to do.

I am blessed that my fms is not totally debilitating. Some people sleep up to eighteen hours a day!

Next week is spring vacation and The Girl (my daughter who is a nanny) has most of the week off to spend with Bells. Yea! A week off for me!

It is supposed to be 80 degrees this Monday. Not good! Already the pollen count is high. Those who have been around a while know that hot weather, pollen and humidity are not my friends. Yuck.

I realize I am jabbering without a destination but, if I wait until I come up with something "deep" or amusing it might take a while.

Oh, Team Isabella walks again for the Walk for Autism Speaks. If you would like to donate, please email me and I will give you the information. We raise nearly $3000 last year!

Hope ya'll have a great weekend, g

Monday, April 4, 2011

Ultimate Blog Party

I'm joining the Ultimate Blog Party from Five Minutes for Moms!

To get aquainted, my name is gail and I am a mom and grandmom in the northeastern USA. My life is full and busy looking after my home and my five year old granddaughter, Isabella, who is on the autism spectrum.



Currently, I am organizing, for the second year, our walk for Autism Speaks. Last year, our team raised nearly $3000! I even painted my nails blue for the occasion!



In January, I joined Weight Watchers and have taken off 14 pounds of the 50 I hope to lose. My treadmill has been dusted off and, I am happy to say, it is getting a work out. I am tired of being frumpy Booboo, as Isabella calls me.

Finding new recipes that are appealing to my family and are WW friendly has become a mission in my life. I will be happy to share.

Looking forward to meeting new "friends" through this outreach.

Blessings, gail