Another Successful and Long Day

As you know I did the cheesecake bright and early this morning.  In the afternoon I went to my friend Dr. T’s house to make 15 apple pies and watched them make the dog treats.  As usual there were a handful of girls who didn’t show, or didn’t call until last minute.  This is an issue that has been ongoing for quite some time and it will be addressed at the next meeting.

I stayed until six to wait for the treats to cool and get packaged.  It gave me an opportunity to catch up with Dr. T since our last activity and without the girls present.  We even had an opportunity to catch up with our friend Jolyn when she stopped by to pick up her pie order.  She is one busy lady.

I went to Boston Market for dinner and came home and ate it while the beasts continue to sleep.  After I cleaned up and filled the kibble (they came down stairs for a bit).  I did only a fwe things as Livia was coming tomorrow.

I am so tired that I am heading to bed and crashing have a great night.  I am burying myself under the blankets.

Dear Mom

Dear Mom

Well it is Sunday night. I am exhausted and my shoulder is hurting every so often when I move.  As I mentioned earlier today was busy.

Bingo went really well.  I would say we had a full house.  Natalie and Bob were getting Christmas decorations out for the facility and also going to do soup.  Helen from Christ the Redeemer came and gave us communion.  She was later than usual which usually is not her way because it kind of collides with the church service in the next room.  After bingo I cleaned up the room and headed to Telka’s

On the way over I made some calls. Roberta was getting ready and was bringing her sister to the activity.  I  was the third one there eventually everyone arrived including Janet Kelly’s Mom.  We spent the next couple of hours we peeled and cored and talked while others mixed and baked.  A few times Roberta looked at me and asked me if I understand better what she is like.  The woman was indeed a bit odd and a little opinionated.  We were pretty much done by three I think.  I spent some time talking and visiting with a few of the girls.  We even got to visit with Alumni.  I headed home a short time later.  

I checked in with Liz on the way home.  She was doing some big chores before her surgery tomorrow.  She reminded me of you when you get ready for the holidays or even a big event like the annual meet and greet.  I sort of understand it.  I had these big plans to make sure the house was in order before Wednesday.  I managed to finish some laundry and have dinner.

When I got home I saw Kim...she told me Sean would be over to help put the storm door when he got home.  He did and it feels different already.  

I got a chance to see the Jeffries who arrived for the holidays today.  They look great.  Patty retired this year.  She is enjoying retirement very much.

I put some more of my old clothes in a bag.  Eventually I will be doing more of yours as well.  It is difficult no doubt.  Right now though I better check the my daily stuff is done.  I have to turn the heat down anyway.

I guess whatever needs to be done can be done tomorrow

Dear Friends

November 23, 2013



Dear Friends:


Hi yesterday was  a long day for me.  I woke up sometime after midnight and didn’t get back to bed until it was time for me to get up for work.  So I was pretty tired by the end of the day.

I had a good day at work I got a lot  accomplished.  I did find out that Gayle has officially announced she had retired and will be joining us (we hope) for our holiday party in December. 

I started getting achy when I got home.  I did some email moving around and had to write some emails.  I Had to mend some quick fences with pen pals.  I am writing about that in my pen pal blog. 

We had spaghetti last night for dinner.  After that Mom did some preparing  for thanksgiving desserts. 

Even though I tried to get to bed early I managed to stay up until Midnight.   I don’t remember what time I fell asleep but no sooner did that happen that it was 7 in the morning. 

When I got up I spent time on line and then I got ready for the day.  What a long day it was.  I got my hair done around 10.  I was out of there by 10:30 and back here a short time after that only to leave and meet up with Roberta so we could go to the Pie in the sky.

We had to make a stop at Odd Lots for some pans.  We were at Telka’s some time before 11:30 and the first to arrive.  Eventually the girls arrived and we started the pies.  We had an assembly going.  1 area for peeling and cutting the other for ingredients and putting them in the pies and baking.  When we finished the preparations and all that was left was to bake we had some refreshments.  I started the discussions on holiday traditions.  It was an interesting conversation.  We also had a wonderful visit from a former girls club president Nicole. 

She told us how school was at the UConn campus.  She also talked about her class abroad next summer in South Africa.  She is in animal husbandry.

Soon the pies were baked and the girls started to go and we were finished.  It was some time around three.  Roberta and I stopped at the Shelter and dropped off Apple crisp for their meals.  A little while later  I got my car and I was home.

When I got home Mom had been shopping.  I tried to finish my breakfast sandwich but Ethel came over.  She had called me earlier to talk about inviting a couple of friends (Frank & Karen).  Apparently she wanted me to call her.  She called me while I was at the pie making activity.   She was going to but found something else to do. 

So I made her write a note.  Then we talked about how Mom was feeling and then she said according to Liz Jim was not well.   That he wouldn’t be lasting the summer.  I am really hoping Ethel misunderstood Liz.   After a while she left and I went back to watching TV and eating.

Mom came home around 4 or so.  We cleared out the car of groceries and she had some thing to eat and then went to church.  She came back sometime after 6 and spent the evening doing some cooking I think.

I split my time between the computer and watching a bunch of movies because my hands were starting to get swollen and hurt.  I think it had to do with the cheese I ate.

Now that Mom is already in bed and its getting late I am heading to bed myself.

I hope your Saturday was great.

Bingo, Pie Baking, Lost Family Members

Hey everyone hope all is well. It’s been a long day here and so I won’t be on long. Last night had a great time but left my cell phone in Roberta’s car last night so I was lost with out it until this evening. I can honestly say I am now into a new card game. It’s the Military Whist Card game. It was a lot of fun and I did pretty well my first time playing. Some took it way too seriously and others were just so fun with it. There were snacks and cake and coffee during the three hour game. Needless to say I part took in that as well. Ended up not feeling well and spending time in the bathroom after the event. It was quite embarrassing. We were back home by 11 and I watched TV and shortly after midnight went to bed.




This morning I stayed in bed until maybe 8. I wanted to be up early so I could get to the folk mass at St Mary’s. That was not “in the cards”. I got ready for Bingo and made a quick stop for breakfast and Dunkin Doughnuts. I had their smoked house egg and cheese sandwich (with some type of sausage). It was good but not something I would order again anytime soon (one word: salt).



When I arrived at the nursing home there was only one resident and that was Ken. I got the coffee going and I ate my breakfast. Eventually more people came and I began the announcements. Ryan came and made him do the calling. We had a lot of fun. We played until almost 11:15. Afterwards I chatted with Claudia H who was working the front desk today.



It was nearly 12 when I headed to Telka’s. a small number of people were there already and we were just getting started. I had the a-peeling job of preparing the apples. Eventually more girls came and over the next 2 hours the pies were ready to be baked. All in all we made 22 pies. The discussions were pretty interesting. Movies we saw the holiday activities that were being planned. In the end we got to eat one of the pies. We were basically cleaned up by 3. I took one of the girls home and headed back to the house by 3:30.



Mom was upstairs puttering around. She wrote out some Thanksgiving cards just because. She had been doing some cooking. She did tell me that my darling cousin Sharon lost her father-in-law the other night. We had gotten word earlier in the week that he had cancer and sadly he succumbed with his family around him. I will pick up a card tomorrow and send it off. I did post hugs to her on her Facebook page a few moments ago.



I went to the 4:30 mass at St Mary’s. It seemed to go pretty fast but I also was fighting a headache. It’s gone now but it was distracting. After Mass I got some gas and then stopped by Roberta’s house to pick up the cell phone. It was in her car under some bags. I also had to stop at the store to pick up some “supplies”.



It was nearly six when I got home. We had spare ribs and potatoes and asparagus and watched our Sunday night PBS stuff. After dinner I fell asleep watching TV in the spare room. I haven’t done much of anything else either.



I did pick out the clothes I am wearing tomorrow to work. I hope they will be good enough for our visitors tomorrow. I am going to drive in tomorrow so that I can get back here in time to take Mom to her Bridges Meeting and for me to get ready for the Inauguration. Let’s just say its going to be another long night.



That being said I am going to say good night. I hope all of you are well and if not know I will send hugs and prayers to you as I go to sleep.

My Plans for the Weeknd

I was just sitting here thinking about what I want to do this weekend. I looked over my appointment book and calendar and see that I have no major plans outside of the house except my normal Sunday activities.




I am planning on sleeping in today (Saturday). I haven’t done that in quite some time. Depending on when I get off this computer now will sleep past 8. My “To-Do List” is going to be simple:



1. Laundry

2. Make bed

3. Throw away old papers.

4. Vacuum room

5. Go to the store with Mom if she is going (rather doubt it since she has been there a few times this week).

6. Watch NCIS tonight. There is an off night episode on CBS tonight.


7. See if I can pay some bills

8. Get rid of some emails that are piling up (or at least move them to the various files I have)



Sunday I don’t have any major plans either. (This list will probably be in tomorrow’s entry as well)



1. Bingo

2. Church

3. Buy bus pass

4. write in Blogs

5. update files

6. Attempt long over due newsletter for groups and blogs.

7. See Liz and Nelson if they are feeling up to it (they have been sick this week),





Next week will be very full. Monday I have my session with Debra. On Tuesday is the first of two Pie in the Sky baking activities for the club. I will be going to Hopkins School to meet up with the club and the teacher and students to help out with the annual Pie in the sky. The second one is next Sunday from 12-4. That will be at Telka’s and is hugely popular. If you look at the archives of the blog you will find a mention of them over the years. Thursday Mom and I will be attending a co-workers retirement party in West Haven at Lorenzo’s Restaurant. I am really looking forward to this because I just love Carol and will be seeing many people I haven’t seen in a long time. Mom will be there because she worked with Carol when she worked at OPS part time. It will be fun. Saturday is the Military Whisp card game at Debra M’s synagogue. She invited me last time we were together. I haven’t been in a synagogue before do any of you have advice or tips for me?



Okay think I will try and move some emails around before I fall asleep. Thanks for stopping by…

Pie in the Sky

It is almost 8:30 Sunday night and I am exhausted. First I did my bingo with “my team”. I was the first to arrive and started the coffee. After a while the girls came and they started getting everyone. I had made the announcement so the residents were starting to come down anyway.

The Bingo session went well. I started the games and the girls finished them. As soon as it was done we headed to Telka’s.

The girls had to do some things first and came later. I arrived just as Donna K and her Mom were arriving. Telka greeted us at the door. Roberta was near by. I was pleasantly surprised because I expected her to be with family today. Roberta had the days mixed up.

We got started on the whole process. Telka gave us instructions and then the assembly line began. The 120 lbs of apples were washed and then we started the peeling and coring while the toehrs got the other ingredients done. The next several hours there was fun, laughter, food, and stories. We even had our pictures taken and we were featured on local cablevision 12 news. NO I wasn’t on TV but it was fun to watch. We made 35 to 44 pies. We even got to have some of the pies because we even took some orders.

Roberta and I left Telka after the second clean up (we had been cleaned up when the media arrived) there were still several pies to be baked. It was nearly four when we got to Roberta’s house. I stayed for a short visit because the sun was setting and all I had were my sunglasses. I had left my regular glasses at home.

When I arrived home Mom was out shopping. I wasn’t sure where she was at first. I looked around for a note but there was none. Only a candle she had left going. I decided to sit down and watch TV or actually let the TV watch me. It is Sunday so most of it was whatever was on the PBS stations. I did watch the News on Cablevision 12 but the segment didn’t go on until 5:18. Mom arrived home shortly after that.

Over the last several hours I spent time watching TV, emptying out the dryer, moving the roll away bed down to the blue room, and writing up my weekly newsletter for the lists. As soon as I am done with that I am going to bed. This week will be a very busy week.

Pie in the sky

Well it is after 7 at night and I have had a long day. I got up around 6 or so showered dressed and got online for a short time. I left here a little after 7:30 and went and fed the cat. It was nearly 8 when I left Roberta’s house and headed to church.

I got in to my seat and watched as the people were coming in and the folk group members were setting up and practicing for the service. Others were picking from the Tree for a local needy family. Mom says all the churches are doing that. Before the mass ended the folk group said goodbye to two of their members.

After Mass I headed to West River Nursing Home. I ran into Priscilla Junior and told her of the weeks events. I started getting the coffee ready. As it was getting closer to the time I would not be starting on time. I made the announcement we would start at 10:15 but had to stop at 11:15 no questions asked. Man that was my fucking mistake. From that moment on that sob Sam continued to interrupt bitch and complain. I thought I was going to explode. I couldn’t wait to get out of there. Natalie came around 10:30. I didn’t get to talk to her much but I didn’t say anything to her about Sam. Partly because I think I was over reacting.

It was after 11:30 when I left for Telka’s. Some of the girls were already there peeling the apples. I joined them and more came along. Some of the other girls were getting the shells ready and started getting the ingredients mixed. We worked and got the baking done by 3 with a few left to be baked. We had a wonderful surprise visit by one of former girl’s club presidents Katie Oaks. She is in her final year of Electrical Engineering Major in Milwaukee. She is also getting married as well. I stayed until four. I had made a phone call to Mom to ask how many knifes she gave me. She couldn’t remember but we later found out I left one there…I do that every year it seems.

When I left Telka’s it was getting dark. I think it was the clouds getting thicker and not because it was sundown. Oh good grief. Sunset was for 4:30 this afternoon. I can’t believe that. No. It has never gotten dark at 4:30.

When I got home Mom was trying to get turnip prepped and cooked. As usual it was hard job for her. She presumed I wasn’t going to church. I looked at her smiled and said I went this morning. I told her who I saw and how it went. She checked the knives over and noticed one was missing. We called Telka and asked her to look for it. She said she would later. We chatted bout the day’s activities and some of the conversations. After a while we hung up.

I went up stairs and watched TV and then got ready to go see the cat. It was five then. The house was dark. The timer was set for 6. The cat was on the floor rolling around to be scratched on her belly. I spent a few moments doing that and then got her dinner ready while chomping on some cookies and soda for myself.

I stayed for about 20 minutes and then headed back home. The rest of the time I got into my pajamas, got online, and watched TV. Then I had dinner with Mom while watching Colameco’s food show.
I am happy to report that I have made my first Christmas gift purchase. It was for Bob. I got him a 1lb of his Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee. It will cost $48. I used the credit card after much deliberation with Mom. She says I should pay it off right away. I will Friday.

Speaking of Christmas I heard my first radio Christmas song. Telka had a CD of holiday music on last Wednesday and today. One of the mothers also said that some homes are already decorated. She was certainly right. I saw one near Roberta’s house.

Well I am going to check emails with pen pals. After that I am going to bed.