KateP's musings

As 2015 draws to a close I have had my mind on many things.  The Christmas holiday, family, friends, and of course health.   I wonder if I did enough for the Christmas holiday (not so much), spent enough time with family (probably not).  Did I spend enough time and energy with Friends.   Yesterday I started my second week of pet sitting Preston.  All week long I split my time between him (and his “siblings”) and my very own two babes.  I know that the kitties were lonely because they have been very cuddly once I get into the house.  Of course there were times they avoided me for like ten minutes.  I really can’t wait to get back to them full time (or regular schedule).   I had my CT-Scan yesterday which took only a matter of minutes and will get the results at my next appointment with Dr. I.  This gave me the opportunity to drop off the FMLA papers to the cardiologist. Today I managed to do some pen pal letters and get the...

Today was messy but not as bad as they the weather forecasters has said it would be.  I got up around 2 this morning and noticed the ice and slush (to me it looked like snow)and by the time I was ready to take Preston for a walk it was raining more than anything.  It wasn’t anything Preston wanted to be out in and so our walk was cut short. This gave me an opportunity to head back to the house and check on the kitties.  They were wandering around the downstairs when I came in and seemed like they wanted to be fed.  Actually Sky was tiger took some time coming down.  I fed them and got my coffee and got their boxes cleared out.  I made sure I spent a little more time with Tiger as I remembered what Mardi had told me in her recent reply to her blog.  Kitties don’t like being alone...I have to say SKy followed me around and rubbed up against me alot. and Tiger came on to the couch with me and they did like the attention.   While I was there I ...

It is nearly noon time on this last Monday of December 2015.  I have been up nearly 6 hours and in that time I managed to walk Preston, feed the cats, have coffee, surf the net, chat with Livia when she arrived (that was nearly 10) and spent some time with the cats.  Tiger has been very elusive of me.  Anytime she comes near me she takes off.  I am not sure what that is about .  She let me feed her.  Unless she knows she is going to the vet next weekend. I did order the breads for D’s party but will have to pick them up the day before as they are closed on New Years Day.  I am going to have to let Dave know so he can warm them up.  I was  hoping the shop would be open New Year's Day as their site alluded to but if they don’t have to be there I understand.. The rest of the day was definitely quiet.  I took a nap in the afternoon and took Preston out on his walk before the ice and snow hit.

This  is the last weekend of 2015.  The weather is completely different than yesterday’s very unseasonable temperatures.  It was cloudy and going to remain cloudy for the day.  Earlier in the day it was in the 50’s..  Much cooler than yesterday but again I thought it was a bit chilly for the 70’s too. On Saturday The dog has been walked twice and fed so far, the fish and mice both been fed.  I spent a good part of the morning over at the house and spent time with the kitties and doing laundry and getting the dishwasher going.  I stopped at the Adams Market to pick up lunch and dinner and ran into some friends of mine.   I have had the NCIS marathon on throughout the day and an occasional PBS show that I like watching. I heard from Nephew James last night.  He is still in Colorado with his Mom and siblings.  He wished me a Merry Christmas but I didn’t see the message until much later.  He and Emily will be getting their p...

This wonderful holiday started early for me with a beautiful walk and looking at a beautiful sunrise.  After the walk I showered, dressed and packed up the car with a few of the presents to distribute.  I headed over back to my house and was greeted by a gift from Neighbor Dolan's (their traditional cookies and some socks) and with disdain by the kitties.  I quickly got to feeding the kitties and cleaning out their boxes.  They still were playing hard to get but eventually got over it.  I did some more laundry before leaving and will get it out tomorrow upon my return. Once I finished there it was nearly ten so I headed to Liz and Nelson’s with a quick stop at the post office.  Nothing was there (not really surprised as I haven’t mailed anything with that address of late).  Traffic was not bad at all this morning.  What would normally take 15 minutes took less. When I arrived Liz was playing cards with Rich and Friend Rick was visiting. ...

I am at the house doing laundry and other chores before I head to the doctor and back to Preston.  Yesterday was busy with the eob piles I got.  I have gotten some really beautiful gift s from Ann and Mary. Last night I got some more things for the kids and the candles. I had dinner from on the border restaurant .  I ran into neighbor Shea and asked her to keep an eye out for the coffee delivery. They would. It was pouring out and I was anxious to get back to Preston.  He was much more cooperative last night.  We did not get out either.  I watched TV and slept.  I wasn't feeling great. I heard from brother j and he has a pt job at a car rental place in Allentown.  Will find out more tonight when I call.

With two days left until Christmas I am already burned out.  I did mass shopping over the weekend and last night.  The gifts included mostly gift cards for most of the adults and coloring books and stickers for the children.  I haven’t even finished all the cards yet either.  The logic I have about this is I can still send the cards until the New Year.  I have really enjoyed the ones I have gotten from friends and family this year.  As of this writing I am having Christmas morning brunch at my sister’s where her son will be cooking for us that morning.  Later on in the afternoon we will have Christmas dinner at my niece’s house in North Haven.  Among the festivities will be a Yankee swap. Work will finish for me at 4 pm tomorrow afternoon.  It will resume on January 4 2016 at 8 am.  This will be the first time in the years I have worked at the University that I don’t have to go in at all....

The Gift Delivery was pretty good.   Since it was our first time doing it at the new place (new for us).   There were some “hiccups”.   There was some question as to what would or could be given out.   The young man there a bit confusing us in directions.   Again it was suggested by our alumni that hats and socks be the only choices next year.   I couldn’t agree more.   It’s a waste of time and money on our part if we can’t give the stuff out (it was cologne, toiletries).   After the activity R, T, M and I went out to lunch. WE followed T while she dropped one of the girls off at Private Community off of E. Rutland Road.   It had been a long time since I had been there and we have had friends over the years live there.   It was beautiful.   Then we went to Mama Teresa’s for lunch. We spent the next hour and half eating and talking and laughing about stuff.   We talked about travel and life in general.   It was a lot...

It is the weekend before Christmas and I haven’t done much shopping except for a few things and cards and stamps.  I tried to do some of the cards last night but I found the ones I know I had already done not even with notes in the various places written.  It got to be so frustrating that I kept getting distracted and now they are just sitting here to continue.  Next year has got to be different.  Anyway after the gift delivery and picking up stuff from Liz for tomorrow I will do some shopping.  Even do marathon shopping for the next few days. Yesterday was our office luncheon catered by Bourassa’s in Wallingford.  The buffet table was on in the foyer (of the office) and there were tables in the waiting area and boardroom.  There was salads, breads, main entrees were penne ala vodka, eggplant rollattini, and chicken dish.  Desserts were cookies.  The gift they gave this year was a canvas bag with the Yale Logo on it.  It was very n...

I haven’t had much of chance to write at all this week even though I tried a couple of times unsuccessfully.  It has been one thing or another like not enough time, the cats, social activities, and exhaustion. The mail meeting I mentioned last week went well and I have made changes to the distribution.  There have been some changes but none that will be bad.  I have eluded that if I continue to keep up with things I may be able to help out with other things (such as scanning as originally intended).  Of course the minute I said that I get an influx of EOB’s that seemed to have grown.  I am not really worried.  I was able to contribute to a team gift for my Supervisor the other day.  I am not sure what we are getting but it should be very nice.  There was another collection for a co-worker who has been out again and is struggling.  Friday is our annual Holiday Luncheon and I am looking forward to it. I had dinner with Dave Monday nig...

It was very foggy Friday morning and it didn’t cause many problems.   It cleared out by lunch time and then sun for the day.    The temperatures got into the high fifties.   Again very different from last year.   Saturday was in the 60’s and sunny for part of the day until about 1 when it clouded up and a shower. The literary club party was lovely.   The home they meet in is very nice.   It reminds me of the Baldwin Sisters house on the Walton’s TV Show.   There was a wide variety appetizers and cookies.   I ate it all (not surprised).   This was more of a social gathering than discussing the latest book.   Maureen tells me that they meet every two months instead of the monthly meetings.   Maureen is looking to get back to the old way of socializing as well.   Friday night was the Knights of Columbus Christmas party and it was a lot of fun.   Lots of food.   We sat with friends and classmates and we had...

For a number of days now we were supposed to have a meeting about the mail distribution and delivery.  I have lost count how many times it has been rescheduled.  Now it has been scheduled for Monday afternoon.  Now it may be cancelled again as one of the participants is leaving early that day (just my assumption-we will see on Monday). There seems to be a lot more going on around the campus then just the Labor activities I have mentioned in the past.  For example two professors (husband and wife) have quit teaching because of an incident that happened last month.  It was over Halloween costumes that one of the on-campus organizations (International Cultural affairs felt might be offensive.  One of the professors expressed unpopular opinion via email and erupted into some serious problems.  The husband defended his wife’s stance in a confrontation with a student and it was not good.  I guess this could go along with the PC conversation/discussi...

It looks like I am going to have to reset the light timer in the bedroom.   IT went on around 2 am after I dropped my breathing exercises and it must have hit it.   I had to turn it off at the lamp.   I looked at the one I have for downstairs and there is instructions on the timer itself and they seem straight forward.   I tried to fix it last night but it didn’t work.     I was taking a look at digital one on line and that seemed like it would work.    It was a cheap price.   The ones I have are annoying.   I ordered a pound of Christmas/cookies from Julia’s Bakery in Orange for the literary club party on Thursday now all that’s left is appetizers.   I looked on Shop Rite for theirs and I saw two things I would like to bring.   They are spinach dip tray or stuffed bread tray.   I called Maureen to know what the others wanted and she sent a text message that the stuffed breads would be fine and she also gave th...

I am still working earlier entries but I wanted to get this one done.   That being said this holiday has once again came too quickly.   I have not done a lot with the Christmas cards except send out three and started the labels.   I have so much to do and a lot of things going on all at once.   I was able to get the gift for the club party tomorrow and was able to get the contribution to the food.   It was wings and T approved of it.   I am never sure how much to get.      The only thing is they nearly fell all over T.   The party went well and there was a lot of food.   The meeting went well too.    We have three Christmas activities this coming weekend.   Two sing-a-longs and one gift delivery all at the nursing homes.   Two are at the same nursing home we have been associated with and one with the newest nursing home we did the Veteran’s day Service for.   The office Christmas Party that Nicole ...

I have had me a day!   I woke up early and got the cats fed and watered by 5:30.   I managed to relax for a little bit and then had to get my day organized.   I left the house shortly after 7 and headed to DD by the highway. The line was too long I thought so I went to the rest stop on the highway.   I got my coffee the extra-large and do you know it was $3.07!!!!! I thought I was crazy.   I will never do that again.   EVER! Work went well.   The Gargoyle/Guardian Angel was very complementary about the work.   We worked on making some changes as one department wasn’t just accepting all Mail for their department.   She made sure to let both my Boss and myself it wasn’t us.   We were getting kudos from the mail clerk at the main Mail Room.   The only thing is I don’t know what it is I am doing right. After work I headed to Staples and Wal*Mart.   I went and got some labels and envelopes at Staples.   The Labels wer...

Today went by very quickly.   I got up before 5:30 and got the kitties fed and had my coffee.   Then I got ready for work.   I was in such a hurry to get out I forgot to leave a check for Livia to clean the house.   Half way through the day I realized I had done that and texted a message to Livia.   Late this afternoon when I got home I found a note from her.   I will write it out as soon as finish here.   She did a great job this week.   Of course I have already messed up the kitchen with dinner dishes.   Today is the final day of month end and everyone had to work really hard to get the closing done.   We were asked not to do any Cyber Monday shopping while working.   There seemed to be a lot of mail waiting for me when I got to work.   Most of it was the prior authorizations and the Healthlogic EOB’s.   I still have to finish one that came today (the Healthlogic).   Sadly there was a flyer going around annou...

I am exhausted!   It has been as the title says a long day.    It actually started around 1 am this morning when I started feeling Nausea and then for the next hour and half vomiting.   It finally subsided long enough for me to get back to sleep until 6.    Admittedly I was not feeling all that well as the day progressed so after doing the daily ritual with the kitties I managed to get some coffee and went back to bed for a while.   I did manage to surf the net and send some messages and answer them as well.   I did this until about 10. I showered and dressed and left here after 11 for the 11:30 mass.   Almost all of the family was there. I sat with Liz and Nelson and Nelson’s sisters.   As the mass progressed I noticed where everyone was sitting.   We had to await a while until it was time for the Christening.   There was chatting, picture taking, and laughing.   The ceremony was lovely.   It was a half ...

It has been raining on and off all afternoon.   I could   hear it on the windows occasionally.   It isn’t as bad as out west.   My Oklahoma friends seem to be dealing with an unexpected ice storm.   Well Oklahoma City is having rain as well but I think Northern Oklahoma got it more.   I managed to write my letter to Pam S in Oklahoma.     I thought I would be able to get it mailed this afternoon but I have been procrastinating a lot this afternoon and on top of that I have a feeling my computer to be warmed up and allowed to get more recent emails up.      I still have one more to write and that would be Angel in Texas. Guess where I found the kitties today?   They were sitting on my overnight bag in the closet.   I noticed one of the doors ajar and so I closed it and looked in the other closet.   There they both were sleeping.   I don’t feel like fighting it or making them come out.   It’s probabl...