Darn that Barney

Okay...do NOT pay attention to Oma's CHIN

*lol*

Next time remind me to put my teeth on too

No oliebollen this year

My sister in law with her zalm slaatje

Wheelie last year with the last oliebollen
(that's powdered sugar on them, not snow)
:>)

For the first time in I don't know how long (at least 27 years) I did not make the traditional Dutch oliebollen.

Just didn't feel like it.

Last year I did (picture), and we ate about 5 of them, then I threw the rest in the freezer only to toss them out a few months later because they just don't taste the same after they've been frozen.

Chalk it up on my lousy disposition these past weeks, but I am not going to put on a brave front and pretend I feel terrific!

So there!

I did boil a bunch of eggs, to make deviled eggs later on. Plus I made a red cabbage dish with a meat sauce called Hachee (kind of like goulash) for dinner tonight.
For munchies I made that Knorr spinach vegetable dip stuff you pile into a hollowed out round loaf of french bread.
And I also bought a couple of tiny bottles of champagne, just in case we do make it to midnight tonight.

Called Holland this morning to wish the old folks a Happy New Year. I think I woke Mom from her nap, she sounded dull at first, but after a minute she got her engine going and it was yap yapitty yap like usual.

She didn't make oliebollen either, hasn't for years. Her reason being she doesn't feel like cleaning the entire kitchen afterwards.

In the olden days oliebollen bakken (frying those damn fritters) was quite a production number.
No matter how cold it was, the kitchen windows were opened. We would wrap ourselves in old sweaters and scarves around our heads. Mom was rather ambitious when it came to oliebollen bakken. She made buckets and buckets of them.
Of course the oil we used wasn't as refined as the oils we use nowadays, so yes, the entire kitchen would get greasy, and indeed we needed to clean EVERY surface afterwards.
She mentioned this morning that when we would go to church that night (I forget we did) every woman in church would stink of oil from oliebollen bakken.
Anyway...

In the days before we had television, we spent new years eve in front of the radio. Sometimes we had visitors, aunts and uncles, but for the most part it was just us. We would play a few board games, ate oliebollen, and appelflappen (apple beignets) and all sorts of snacks. We did some serious eating on a night like that because it was a long haul until midnight and we had to stay awake and alert.

The radio programs were always special on New years eve. There was this political comedian who had his special 'conference' that night. Something all of Holland would listen to. Apparently he was hilarious. His name was Wim Kan. His wife's name was Corry Vonk. He performed his New year's radio programs staring in 1954 and did so every year until TV became his venue and in 1973 he did his conference on the tube the first time.

So we ate our way through the evening until it was time to count down the seconds. My brothers would get their coats on to fly out the door. They had some serious fireworks to get rid of and some MORE serious Christmas trees to burn. But we had to stay until the ball dropped.
At which time my mom and dad would KISS each other.

And I mean....K I S S!!!

They were never very affectionate (in the sexy sense) in front of us kids, and this damn K I S S always embarrassed the heck out of me. I HATED it. It was just too personal, too intimate.
*lol*
So I would be right behind the boys, out the door.

We would spent a few hours freezing our butts off, and tossing firecrackers into the bonfires, it was great fun. Everyone went outside, neighbors, big and small, kids, old people, we all went outside and wished each other a Happy New Year.

When all the firecrackers were gone and the fires doused, we would go back inside where my mother would present her piece de la resistance. The salmon salad!!! Zalm Slaatje.

BLECH!

Let me try and explain this dish. It's basically a potato salad with something red (beets?) in it and salmon. Made into a dome on a large platter. Mayonnaise would cover the whole thing and it would be decorated with slices of hard boiled egg and sweet pickles topped with little tufts of more mayonnaise. And by the looks of it on the picture, the entire thing was on a bed of pretty lettuce.

Of course by that time no one was hungry anymore. My mom always insisted we eat JUST a bite. But to this day, the thought of this dish still makes me gag.

So I had to laugh when I got an email from my sister in law in New Zealand this morning with a picture of her proudly presenting the damn salmon salad, which my brother made.
I guess it stayed his favorite.

The next day, we would troop down to Mass (of course), after which again some more-special-than-other-Sundays-kind-of-breakfast, and visits to grandpa and or aunts and uncles.

Since we didn't have a car, we usually walked the 4-5 miles (the streetcars were too expensive I guess), but my brothers loved that because they were on the hunt for firecrackers that hadn't exploded along the way. The would come home with their pockets stuffed.

It amazes me that no one in my family ever got hurt. Especially my younger brother who was quite the pyromaniac. (ducks! hehe)

In later years the bonfires would really get out of hand, to the point where people started tossing old tires and furniture on the fires, sometimes blocking entire intersections. The fire department having to come and put the fires out and the neighbors waking up the next morning with pitch black walls and windows.

And then there were the tree hunts, and gangs of kids climbing onto your balcony or breaking into your basements to steal the trees that were being 'saved' for New year's eve.
To the point where the gangs of kids would use chains and sticks to fight each other.
It got a bit ridiculous.
But by that time we had all grown up some, and the old ways were already a thing of the past.

Still, I do have fond memories of New Year's eves in my family.

Except for that K I S S

SGMKJ!

Books, and books, and books

Wheelie handed me an article from yesterday's paper about this paperback book swap website.

I checked it out and decided to sign up and post a bunch of them. (we have tons of paperbacks)

Kind of a neat site, you get one point for each book you send out. YOU pay the shipping, but you can get a book for each point, and the guy who sends you the book pays for HIS shipping. You can even print out shipping labels with postage on them, so all you have to do is drop them off in a mailshoot.

This is great for paperbacks. Unfortunately I listed a few new hardcovers, which were gone immediately. Not a good deal, since I pretty much paid full price for them.

Oh well.

If anyone wants to check out the website:

www.paperbackswap.com

Knock yourself out
:>)

So, out of pure boredom I decided to list some of my own books on eBay today.

They are just taking up space on my shelves. At least I can make a few bucks selling them that way instead of swapping them.

If you're interested in my eBay listings, go to:

http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZkiri*smom

Bugs had her kidney stone blasted. Her appointment was at ten this morning, at twelve she called that they were still waiting.
She got back at four. Sporting a nice big bruise on her flank, and peeing blood.

Wonderful.

The doctor did some exploratory stuff and discovered that the tube leading from her kidney to her bladder, which is supposed to be straight, is in her case rather crooked. Which really puzzled him.
The stone wasn't that big, and the doc doesn't think her pain came from that.
So off she went with a new script for Vicodan. She is really not supposed to work (or lift anything) until her Vicodin runs out

HA

HA

HA...

While she was in the operating room, her boss called her cell phone. (PH went with her and was holding her purse) I don't understand what the moron wanted. Checking up on her perhaps?

She got a list of do's and don'ts from her doc, but...she IS going to work tomorrow.

This

drives

me

NUTS!!!!!!

Well, I need to remove my evil thoughts and start dinner for Wheelie.

Tomorrow is another day.

SGMKJ!

Christmas 2008

Opa showing Boo how to rip the paper off a 'present'

Boo knew what to do with that new babydoll and her stroller

Despite the fact that none of us had the oompf to celebrate, we managed to have a pretty darn decent day yesterday.
We did not expect anything from anyone, which really helped. We just kept it simple.
Wheelie and I got to sleep in until 7:15, as opposed to 7:00.

:>)

Bugs and Boo came over for "coffee" around 11:00. Boo had already opened her presents at home, but still didn't have a clue what 'presents' were, and that you had to unwrap them.
So we 'helped' a little.

The girls left and the two oldies spent the rest of the day noshing on stuff and pretty much sitting on our asses. Wheelie watched a few movies (for some reason Comcast is allowing us to watch many extra channels) and I read a few new books.

At Bugs' and Boo's house

At 4:30 the two of us trouped to Bugs' house for dinner. I was surprised not to find PH there, but apparently he was spending his time with his family. I didn't ask.

Dinner was delicious. I prepared myself with a good dose of Zantac, since my stomach doesn't allow me to eat a heavy dinner these days.
There was garlic smashed potatoes, french cut string beans, prime rib roast, garlic sticks, and capuchino cheesecake for desert.
I had the mouse portions, Wheelie had seconds of everything, as did Bugs.

It was very enjoyable, even though we didn't find much to chat about, each one of us apparently caught up in our own thoughts. Thank God for Boo, who keeps everyone's attention going.

So we were back home in time to watch the news and Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy.

:>)

I called my parents in the morning, hoping to grill mom for some memories of Christmas past, but my brother answered the phone, and from the sound of it they had a house full of visitors.
It was nice to catch up with everyone, be it every so quickly.

It just makes me wonder if I should pursue my foray into my youth memories.

The most important thing I DO remember is the calm, the reverence, the feeling of SPECIAL, the food, the cold weather, the smell of pine, and I also remember my parents being just a little less strickt, a little mellower.

The night before Christmas, (and I am talking about the time I was about 8 or 9, before my sister was born) we would all help set up the tree. That was all. Nothing else. After us kids went to bed my parents would drag out the manger and the nativity scene, and hang pine boughs all over the place over pictures on the walls, on lamps. They would hang little ornaments on everything, and those red and white paper bells you could fold out.
The table would be set for breakfast. With the white damask table cloth, the good china.

As far as I can remember it was always cold around December 25. My mom would wake me up around 11:30pm and we would walk to church to attend Midnight Mass bundled up in our winter coats with mittens, hats and scarves. Perhaps it seemed cold because I was dragged out of my warm bed. I do remember snow though.

In those days Midnight Mass would consist of three masses in a row. The church was always warm, the candles would be glowing, the huge nativity scene in the back of the church was just magical. The church would be full, and the sounds and music and smell of incense were overpowering. The organ playing and the adult choir singing would give me goosebumps.

My father and the boys would go to the later, 4:00am mass, when they had the children's choir going. So after a few hours of sleep I was dragged out of bed again to help Mom get breakfast ready. When the men would get home from mass (and defrosted), we all sat around and had our very special Christmas breakfast.
We would have raisin bread with almond spice inside (stollen), broodjes (kind of like hotdog buns, but better) with thinly sliced cold cuts and cheeses. This was special, because cold cuts were expensive, especially roast beef and liver. We would drink tea with milk and sugar.

Of course my special treat would be when I woke up at 11:30 before Midnight Mass and would be the first to see the nativity and all the decorations, plus the baby Jesus. I knitted a little blankie for him when I was in first grade. It made me feel special to be the first to see all this. A perk of being the oldest.

We did not have TV in those days, we did not have a car. No presents, no one took pictures. We listened to the radio, we played games. In the afternoon we would go and visit our grand father and aunt (my father's family)
After my aunt died, my Opa came to us instead.

Dinner was always special too. My mom would serve rabbit, which was a tradition. We would fight over the head (I know, dreadful) I wouldn't be able to eat rabbit now, but I do remember it to taste sweet and pretty delicate. Of course mom cooked it in a ton of butter.
There would be potatoes and a few types of veggies, like peas and green beans, nothing really special now, but it was then. We would have fruit compote and applesauce.
I can't for the life of me remember what we would have for desert though. We didn't have a refrigerator, so it was not ice cream. Maybe some home made vanilla and chocolate pudding? Yes! With little schuimpjes on it! (meringues)

The evening would be spent listening to something special on the radio or playing board games (something I hated because I almost lost.)

As I remember it now I can feel the quiet and specialness of that day. Peace on earth, really.
We were not privy to the news or the big bad world out there. The adults very pretty successful in keeping all that stuff away from us.

The day after Christmas was 'second Christmas day'. We were supposed to go to church again just like Sunday. In the afternoon we would visit other aunts and uncles.

So basically what I remember is

The cold
The warmth
The Midnight Mass
My parents being peaceful and happy
The whole day just being white and holy, and quiet.

How times have changed.

:>)


SGMKJ!

Porropopopom.................

Boo was singing along with a song she has never heard before...The Little Drummer Boy....
Amazing, I do think this child is gifted with her grandfather's sense of music.

We are slowly getting in a modicum of Christmas Spirit here. Not much, but just a tad.

Bugs went to work with a carload full of giftbags with scarves this morning (everyone loved them!) She called me a few minutes ago, she received a bonus! Yeah!
She'll be off tomorrow and of course Christmas day, and only needs to work the dinner shift on Friday.
On Friday morning she's going to Rome for her Pre Op. On December 30th she will have her kidney stone procedure done.

FINALLY!!!!!!!

I think it's called ureteroscopic stone removal. (look it up)

She is relieved, but the doc is also going to explore things and perhaps take a biopsy of her kidney. He told her he saw something hinky on the Xray. I don't think we're out of the woods yet. We shall see.
In the meantime she's on pain meds, and she keeps on truckin'...

I took Wheelie out yesterday for some last minute shopping. The little school chair we bought for Boo was too small and we went to exchange it for a size up. Then to Target, a new one we had never been to, and we promptly got lost and could not find the front door. Hahaha, the place was like a damn maze. Not like the store we're used to, the one with the low fixtures you can look over to see the entire store. Knowing how paranoid he gets in places he can't get out of, we didn't stay long.

In the afternoon I had a huge hunkering for a MacDonald Fish Fillet-meal with a strawberry milkshake. I wolfed it down in the parking lot, then went to my own Target to pick up a few gifts for PH's six year old brother (I had completely forgotten about him)

The other day someone in front of me at Starbucks had paid for my drink, so I paid it forward and paid for the person behind ME. :>)

Sunday night Wheelie and I went to grab some dinner at the CB, and neither of us being hungry only had some eggs with biscuits, came to a whopping bill of $10.
Our waitress was a grumpy middle aged woman with a chip on her shoulder, but I could sense she was trying very hard to keep her shit together. I felt for her. It's a tough time for most of us.
So I left her a ten dollar tip, what the hell. I saw her smile, which make me feel righteous :>)
Who knows what's going on in her life.

This years we were not in a position to 'give' to any charities, which is probably the first time ever, but every time I get the chance I will throw a buck in the Salvation Army pot, or add an extra dollar on my grocery bill for whatever...little bits make a difference.

So today it's Tuesday. Boo is taking her nap, we went grocery shopping this morning, she got a cookie from the bakery, which kept her very happy.

I baked a few more cookies, and now I think I'll curl up with a book...or something...

Sorry, still haven't got my Dutch Christmas memories together....maybe tomorrow...

Tomorrow we'll wrap the presents.

SGMKJ!

The kidney stones are on the move.........

All in all this has been a decent week. The rain made us stay put for most of the time, and we managed to make it cozy and warm inside.

Of course the baby is becoming a constant source of amusement. She now adds: huh? after each question...like: What is this....huh?... Very cute.
She all of a sudden grew out of her size 18 month pants, overnight! I measure her and she grew two inches in two months. I'm not sure if this is unusual or what.

She seems to have gotten into a grove with us and Bugs. The regularity is paying off. She is just a sweet friendly, fun loving child. It's neat to watch her learn how to brush her teeth, how all of a sudden she forms a complete sentence (Are you reading the paper, Oma?)
And she has a wicked sense of humor too, hiding behind Opa and hitting his arm, and then ducking away, giggling.

Bugs has been in some pain, she thinks her kidney stone has moved out of the kidney and is on it's way down. She has an appointment with her urologist first thing tomorrow morning. We are still playing things by ear as to whether she will drive herself all the way to Rome, or have me go with her.

I took Wheelie for breakfast tonight, since he hasn't been out of the house all week, and we had the baby at ten this morning, so we couldn't go. And no, I am not taking both our to eat! Too much of a hassle.

Wheelie cracked me up on the way back home by exclaiming: OOOhhhhh and AAAHhhhhh!!! every time we drove by a house with Christmas decorations, he's never like that, so it was funny.

So slowly I am getting into the so-called spirit.

I've been trying to remember how we did Christmas when I was growing up (when I was old enough to go to church) but that story needs some more pondering, perhaps tomorrow.

Four days to go....

SGMKJ!

Meet my little sister........

She's a card alright!

:>)

I keep thinking it's Saturday. My days are so scrambled!
But today was our day off. Wheelie desperately needed new "shoes" He wears those sandals with velcro straps, since his big toes point heaven wards, he won't fit in any regular closed shoes anymore.

We were lucky for a change, first store we stopped at had a pair that fit. And being a MAN, he was happy with that, no need to shop any further. So we tossed the old shoes and he wore the new ones out.

We then stopped at The Schoolbox, a store with educational toys and stuff. What an amazing place! We spent quite a while browsing around. We bought Boo a small plastic chair (which is probably too small so we need to exchange it), and some flash cards for letters and numbers.

They had these great wooden puzzles and other learning toys, but since we had already done our Christmas shopping for this princess we didn't buy anything other than the chair and the cards.
Her birthday is coming up in April, so...

It's warm here. 72°!! But drizzling. Didn't matter, we had a good time just being out.

When we got home I baked eight dozen cookies for Bugs' staff. So now I feel righteous too.

Oh!

I figured out that I knitted 224 feet of scarves altogether! That's 74 YARDS.....

SGMKJ!

Nothing much going on

Another Tuesday, garbage day. My garbage can is still by the curb, haven't had the energy to drive the car out and put the can back in.
It has been drizzling here all day, and even though it's not cold outside, I cannot get warm.

Thanks for the rah rah words, Joann, I am trying, but it's gonna take some really good news or some really fabulous presents (kidding) to make me feel good about Christmas.

Yes, I have more than a lot of people, roof over my head, people to love, etc. But it's the distant relatives that make me worry. Not only my wayward son, but also my parents, who are not happy that my sister will not be there for the holidays, as she planned at the last moment to visit her son in Barcelona. Mom still doesn't understand that my sister is still hurting from the death of her husband 25 years ago, and she hasn't been home for Christmas for years, she just can't.

I received a card from my Godmother, my mother's youngest sister, who lost her husband a few years ago to colon cancer, and can't get herself out of the grieving mode. I hear her pain, I know how hard it is.

I read a poignant email from a dear friend who remembers the good old days, as tough and hard as they were, but he remembers the love and the warmth of hard working parents, trying to make Christmas something to remember for their kids, and who lives in a dying area now, not really able to move to warmer places or pull up roots and start over somewhere else.

My cousin in OZ who's ex wife is dying of ovarian cancer, strangely enough pulling that family back together again. But I hear his worry and pain, about his wife and his mother, who is declining with dementia.

My other cousin in OZ who must miss her sisters and brothers in Holland at times like this.

We're all so far apart. We are all longing for our families to be together one more time.

I know people who have never moved from the city they were born in and raised their families.
Some of those folks cannot imagine what the hell I am talking about.
But once you leave, be it your state or country, you cannot go back again. You leave all that behind and really lose your connection in a way. 3000 Miles apart will do that.

In my generation I cannot think of many couples that have stayed together. Of all the friends we had, very few are still married. I sincerely believe that divorce has wreaked more havoc in the world pulling families apart than any drought or recession or illness.

Oh, I am grateful for what I have, and I'll try as hard as I can to enjoy the few moments that will come our way next week. But my heart will not stop hurting for those we love and cannot be with, and the friends who are in the same boat, and understand the depth of this hurt.

I sure hope the sun will come out for a bit tomorrow, we all need some fresh air, stretch our legs so to speak.

SGMKJ!

Sex is highly overrated........

Looking back on this year it is perhaps easy to understand why I have absolutely NO oompf to "do" Christmas.

Talk about being unmotivated!!!

Bah! Hum Bug!!

Since it is now ten days before, I thought I had better get my ass in gear and drag down the stuff from the attic.

The only reason being that it will be fun for Boo-boo.
I dreaded going up that narrow pull down ladder and balancing myself on the beams.
When I requested a floor in the attic over the garage they used particle board, and I am afraid to walk in the middle of it, it bounces, more and more as time goes on. So I stay on the beams.

I wasn't going to do the tree....ha... it took some doing to go through all the boxes to see what I could live with this year. Then taking everything down one by one.
Going up is easy, getting down is tough.

We ended up with my Santas on the mantle (the small red one was carved for me by a dear friend), my little Eddie Bauer tree with the miniature ornaments, and two of the larger size mooses from my collection of a few dozen. I figure Boo would enjoy playing with them.

It took Wheelie a good half hour to figure out an extendable wreath hanger. But after it finally came together we discovered it wouldn't fit over the door.
CRAP!

I stuck the plastic snow flakes (another Eddie Bauer left over) on all the windows and placed two sets of 'candles' in front of the windows.

That will just have to do.

Happy F***ing Christmas!

Wheelie laughed when I said it and repeated it once for good measure.

It's cold out today, and wet. Dutch cold. Brrr....

It's our day off, and I wanted to get some smelly stuff (something that smelled like pinetrees, not cinnamon or apple pie) at Pier One.
Of course when I drove up there I forgot what I needed there so I went to the supermarket instead and got my ingredients for the cookies I am going to bake for the crew at the restaurants.

At least I got two things done today. It was a joy to drive by the post office and see the full parking lot and people lined up outside. Wheaaah!!! Done with THAT too!

Our schedule has been so discombobulated because of Bugs' new schedule (working on Sundays now), I don't know if I'm coming or going!

Wheelie wondered when he was getting clean socks and underwear again, I had totally forgotten the laundry. I haven't vacuumed or dusted in weeks. My brain seems to be constantly scrambled. Every time I sit down I remember something that needs to be done. Sometimes I have to be reminded that people DO like to eat once in a while too.

This just has been a lousy year, please allow me to bitch a little.

Boo seems to grow and develop at an amazing speed these days. All of a sudden she is singing songs, counting to 15, and knows her ABCs...it seems that she has grown at least three inches in the past month. Her hair is growing, almost time for pig tails. She is becoming more aware of right and wrong. Apologizes when she makes a mess (even if I don't care if she does) Nods yes or no, and means it, lets me know she is hungry, runs around with her bib and yells: EAT!!!

She is becoming more affectionate, loves to sit on my lap. Brings me books and says: READ!

:>)

Thank god for little munchkins.

Bugs got a fake tree and put hers up today. She's trying so hard, just like me, we both laugh when we compare our nasty moods.

Aside from wrapping Boo's gift, I am done for Christmas. We are eating at Bugs', prime rib. yummm...

Is it spring yet?

SGMKJ!

Just a quick update

Bugs saw the urologist this morning, who took (more) X rays, and told her if this kidney stone is visible on that it is possible to use this 'zap' method (don't ask, Flash Gordon comes to mind) or if it cannot be seen on the X ray they may have to remove it surgically. She described two options, both made me shiver.
Of course it may just decide to come out by itself, in which case he told her she would be in considerable pain and might have to make a trip to the ER.

Let it ride, mom......let it ride......

She confronted her boss with the news/rumor that the restaurant is up for sale. He told her he didn't know this rumor was getting around and denied it. All we do know is that the lease is up in February.


Let it ride, mom.....let it ride....

Daddy's name has not shown up on the Sheriff's blotter as of this morning, so they haven't 'gotten' him yet.
According to one of his friends he thought the hearing was NEXT week...ahhh...
Too bad for him....Someone give that kid a calendar for Christmas, please.

Let it ride, Mom.....let it ride....


Even though it's a wee nippy out there, the sun is out and it's a beautiful day.
Boo is taking her nap and was in an excellent mood.

Enjoy it mom....enjoy it....


SGMKJ!

Gasoline $1.31 at Costco,

This was a tough day for Bugs. Initially thought to be a quick trip to the courthouse turned into a long day/all day ordeal. She didn't get back until 4:30. Her appointment was at 9:30. I guess they do this sort of thing wholesale, going alphabetically case by case.

But the bottom line is this. Daddy has a bench warrant out for his arrest. He will have to stay in jail until he pays what he owes her, and needs to start paying her monthly amount for this month as well.

I am awed at the speed and the no nonsense way the GA court deal with these absentee daddies.

Bugs won't be a popular person to him or his family, but she is the only one who put her foot down and stopped enabling him.

Good for her!!

On the local web chat/rumor site, someone posted that the restaurant Bugs works for is for sale.
I checked with the real estate/broker's website and low and behold, there it is, in full glory/
Sounds to us like he wants to sell his restaurant lock stock and barrel (including his employees)

She had heard that his deal on a brand new restaurant in Rome was about to be a done deal, and so this makes even more sense, him getting rid of this place, which is not as profitable as he thought it would be. She was crushed, he has not told her.

On the positive side. PH had a great interview and was offered a terrific job. Brand new, Banquet/European type restaurant. The guy told him NOT to take any other offers, that he wanted HIM/PH told him he wanted to take some time off, since he hadn't had a vacation in five years and needed a break. Super salary, great job.

Good for him!!

I feel a huge change coming in all our lives.

I hope it's positive for all of us.

SGMKJ!

Hale-frigging-luja!

Bugs just called me. Someone she works with saw Daddy at a party last night. He was told that Daddy had a 'revelation' while in jail. He was apparently talking with his Dad (the self made preacher man), they touched hands on the glass partitian and this enormous power came over him, and all of a sudden...blah blah blah....
So he is supposed to be sober, going to church and praying every second of the day.

No mention if Jezus also squeezed some clouds to drop the few thousand dollars in his bank account he owes Bugs.

Do I sound caustic? You betcha! (to quote my favorite governor)

I do not believe in this jail conversion crap. I think it's the biggest copout of all times.
Jezus is probably cringing up thar on that cloud.

Good thing I am not going to court with her tomorrow. It could get messy with mad Oma.
It would be embarrassing.

~~~~~~~~

On another note, and a much more pleasant one.....

I was dawdling around Wal Mart yesterday, waiting for Wheelie's meds to be ready when my cell phone rang.
Now, my phone rings so rarely that I not always understand where that funny sound comes from. So it takes me a few second to realize that no, I am not listening to the store's muzak, it's my bloody purse!

It was my ex, Puri. His periodical phonecall to chat about this 'n that.
So I found myself a quiet spot in the shoe department, and found me a bench to sit on.

He told me he just came back home from visiting his mother, who lives in a nursing home somewhere in Northern Washington. She is 91, lives on caffeine, sweets and ciggies.
His half sister and half brother live in that vicinity as well, so it was a little reunion of sorts.

His sister showed him a diary that she found among Mom's things when she cleared out the house.
It was a diary from Mom's mother, his grandma he didn't know, or never heard about or from. Written during the three or some years she spent in a TB sanitorium.
He was so touched to read her words, which explained such loneliness, such pain, such longing for her children en husband. He said it was extremely touching. All I could say was: Wow, what an incredible gift!
Apparently in those days one could not visit a patient with TB, and from the sound of it she had not seen her husband in two years at one point. All they had to go on was written communication. Her birthdays did not include flowers, or cake, or cards. Although there was a note that Mom (a little girl then of course) would wear her best red dress in her honor.

The hospital must have been in the middle of nowhere. And this was in the early 1920s too, not even so long ago. Amazing.

Puri never knew his dad. He was the product of a short affair with a married man. He never knew him, met him.
His mother changed his last name to what he is known by today, even though his birthcertificate shows her maiden name as his. A fact that has given him quite a bit of problems with the government. Born in Canada, but he joined the army in the USA.

Anyway, that's another book. :>)

I always ask about his Mom, because she was/is such an unusual woman. At one point she was a ballerina, and a concert pianist (she says) Who cares if it's true or not. To me she always had an air of Garbo about her. Very pseudo aristocratic. A strange lady, but very interesting.
The first time I met her was in 1968 Thanksgiving. We drove down to Riverside CA in Puri's TR-4 (Racing Green, wooden dashboard, convertible!!)
I was still rather green around the gills, and I had no idea what Thanksgiving was or was supposed to be. The food didn't turn me on. Turkey? Blech!
Mom was into her version of health food (as was Puri) and I remember trying to chew (and chew and chew) on some sort of nut bread she made. It tasted awful.

On our way back, the car broke down on highway one near Big Sur. It was late, it was dark. We stopped at a gas station, no one answered the door.
We pulled up under a light and fixed the broken hose by using the wrapper of his tool kit and tie it off with the shoelaces of my sneakers (that was MY idea! hehe) We made it safely to Monterrey, where we were lucky enough to find a guy who fixed it for real.

So here I was. In my least favorite store of all time, the Cartersville Wal Mart (where it's rather entertaining to people-watch. That is if you like watching the creme de la creme in sweat shirts and spandex shorts and flip flops, stringy gray hair and fat, unshaven fellows without teeth, barefoot toddlers with dirty faces)
sitting in the shoe department, talking to my esoteric once-a-husband/always-a-friend about his long lost grand mother, who died in a sanitarium.

A rather surreal experience.

I decided to stroll around a little longer after the call, still trying to find that perfect little babydoll for Boo, just smiling to myself.

Isn't it weird....how you end up in a place you never dreamed you would?

SGMKJ!

Willie...............

Tuesday.
All is well...or at least getting better...

I took a trip to Super Tar-get with Boo this morning, as is our tradition on Tuesday mornings.
Didn't buy much, didn't need anything. Just a trip, a Starbucks coffee, a walk through the Christmas department, and oh yes, bought a new Elmo toothbrush and new pyamas. :>)
Could not resist. 'Nick and Nora' brand, old fashioned pyama top with buttons and pants. blue with elephant prints, elephants with skates and hats no less.

So we were all done and as soon as I turn the key and ready to pull out of my parking spot:

Boo: Uh Ohhhhh
Oma: What?
Boo: I pooped!
Oma: well, i'm not going to change you now, Oma beter go huh?
Boo: Oma, go go go goooo!

She giggled as she said that. Geesh, welcome to the family kid. Chip off the old block(s)

I popped in a CD and she goes:

Mmmmmmmmmmm....Willie....................

And promptly falls asleep during Georgia on my mind....

Nice....

Night before we were all at the peek of our misery with our colds.
Good thing we were "off" on Monday.
Wheelie had coughed himself raw during the night and I took him to the doctor first thing in the morning.
Since his system is already compromised, and it would be harder for a person in his position to fight off a huge infection, I wanted the Doc to see him....NOW.

He was put on a quick preventive course of antibiotics to prevent pneumonia, some heavy duty cough syrup that has the consistancy of Motor Oil, and an inhaler of Albuterol (flashbacks to aunties's days), in case he can't breathe.

He took his meds when he got home and immediately had one of his "spells" BP 98 over 70, clammy, sweaty.

Shit.

You know how hard it is to drag a full grown man onto a bed. Dead weight!

He took a nap and felt better. His head cleared up and the cough medicine made him stop coughing.

We are both hoarse, and his speech is now even worse than usual, but it seems we're on the mend.

Whew!

Bugs has her court appointment tomorrow. I think we're all a bit preoccupied with it, but won't discuss it much. Just holding our breath, see what wonderful surprises are awaiting us.

On the other side of the ocean:

Talked with my sister yesterday. The poor girl is having a tough time getting along wit Mom.
Always having been each other's favorite, now that Mom is getting older and even more demanding than she used to, my sister is starting to understand why I emigrated.

:>)

But I enjoy hearing the stories. She gets things off her chest by bitching at me, I roll on the floor laughing.

Sis has carpal tunnel on both hands and is waiting for her surgery dates. First one hand, two weeks later the other. She will be on PAID sick leave for SIX weeks. She won't be able to drive her car and do many other things.

She told Mom NOT to make ANY doctors appointments until February.

Mom, the hypochondriac, makes an appointment for a colonoscopy (no less) on January 6.

Mom is very angry that my sister won't be able to take her.
Mom thinks sis should postpone HER surgeries.
Even though the colonoscopy is not necessary. At least not immediately.

Mom just had a few bouts of diarrhea, you see, and that worries her

*LOL*

But good old sis kept her foot down and called my brother, who graciously offered to take Mom to her 'test'

Funny things is, that all three of us said the same about my mom and hospitals. Mom always feels GREAT in hospitals, we all remember her sitting up in bed (in a room with at least 12 other patients) like a Queen, pleased as punch that her underlings were coming to grace her with visits.
Finally she got the attention she wanted apparently.
It's interesting to me that both my brother and I (and we were young when Mom was in the hospital a few times) remembers this and thought alike.

Ahhh...always good for a laugh...

I hear munchkin sounds...short nap


Damn


SGMKJ!

More snot..........

We all got Boo-boo's cold now.

She is not improving either. Wednesday night was horrid, she was fussing and crying/screaming at the top of her lungs, wouldn't go to sleep, couldn't breathe. In the end I am afraid I lost "it" myself, got myself so worked up that I became physically ill.
She was a little better yesterday, but now Wheelie and I are down. Wheelie usually doesn't catch these colds, but boy, when he does it's a doozie.

So Bugs in one of her brighter moments (finally) called the doctor, and she was told to "watch it for a few days", get a humidifier, Vicks, keep her cool (she was running a fever too) and call back if things got worse.

She went and bought TWO humidifiers plus the stuff you put in it, one for her, one for us. (WOW)

Last night it got pretty late at her restaurant when a group of 13 idiots came through the door ten minutes before closing and wanted a full course dinner. I know they need the business, but I just don't understand these people. I certainly wouldn't put out a tired crew at ten in the evening.

Boo spent most of the evening watching old sitcoms with us, nodding off, only waking up during the food commercials, when she would utter: Mmmmmmm.....whassat?

So this is going to be an interesting weekend.

PH is having a job interview on Wednesday. We are keeping our fingers crossed for him.

Bugs called to confirm her court date. I carefully warned her to expect the unexpected.
It would not surprise me at all if Daddy showed up in a three piece suit looking all spiffy, and making a case for himself.

We shall see.

Not much else to talk about. Today is the end of a long run of auctions. Very profitable. Not that it matters, it will go straight to the home owner's association *lol*

Ah well.

Have a nice weekend y'all.

SGMKJ!

Sinterklaas is coming today!

I went digging in my albums and found these two pictures from 1964.
Above the four of us with Mom digging through the burlap bag on Sinterklaas evening

With my opa (my father's dad)

A couple of years ago I happened to be in Holland at this time. For the very first time in my life I went to Scheveningen to watch Sinterklaas arrive from Spain, on his big ship. My sister took me. I took a video of this event, too bad I can't (or know how) to put it on a DVD to show you that video, it was one my the better 'visits' (Sven, I believe you have that video *S*)

So today it's 'Sinterklaas' in Holland. In every home tonight anxious little hearts are beating with anticipation. A little scared too. Because tonight Sinterklaas will ride around the country on his white horse, surrounded by his helpers, Zwarte Pieten (Black Peters - yeah, I know...how totally not p.c. *lolol*) dropping off presents for little boys and girls who have been good.




It is truly an impressive sight to watch this armada come in from the North Sea, and go through the wide channel towards the harbor.
(I took these two pictures from someone's website.) The skies look ominous. Not unusual for Holland this time of year. But nevertheless thousands of parents and children will brave the bone chilling wet cold weather to watch this annual event.
You care barely see Sinterklaas, he stand on top of the highest part of the boat, near that yellow mast.

Some more pictures I found online.

In Holland, when I was young (I am sure things have changed over the years) Sinterklaas was the most important day in the year for a child, aside from your birthday of course.
It was the holiday for presents.
We were often warned not to be bad, and we took these warnings serious and we would shit our pants with fear when December 5th came around and we knew in our heart of hearts that we had been naughty.

To this day it amazes me that my parents kept me believing in Sinterklaas until I was in 5th grade. I guess being the oldest of four it was easy to keep me in the dark. I am sure the rest of my siblings were less ignorant.

But....I look back on wonderful years.
The evening would start early, as we antipicated the loud knocks on the front door. Mom would not make dinner that night and we would have 'easy' sandwiches instead (that in itself was unique)

We would then sit around the dining room table (which was in the middle of the living room in those days) and sing Sinterklaas songs. We were always urged to sing LOUD so Sint would hear us and not pass our house. In reality we had to be loud so we wouldn't hear the neighbor putting the bag in the hall.

By the time we just could not stand the suspense anymore, there would be a loud knocking on our front door, we would sit stock still, watching the living room door open just a tad, a gloved hand appear, and that hand tossing candies into the room, at which time pandemonium would break lose with all of us rolling on the floor grabbing the candies and the pepernoten.

Not until we heard knocking on the door at the apartment above us would we be brave enough (and allowed) to check the hallway.

And with OOHHH and AHHHHs and shrieks of delight we would find a huge burlap sack there stuffed with presents.

Papa was always in charge of doling out the goodies. Every package had a name on it, and to be fair and to keep the four of us from killing each other, he was always the one to keep things going smoothly.
I remember the gleam and the love in my parents' eyes, as they watched us open our gifts.

Despite the fact that my parents did not have much money us kids never lacked of presents and goodies.

We always got at least two books, a box of color pencils, a sketchbook, mittens or a scarf, and a chocolate letter.

Looking back I see how much effort my parents always put into this evening. If there was no money for store bought gifts, they would make them. Papa made stuff like wooden cars for the boys, a garage with an elevator, and for me a beautiful doll house with electric light, a fireplace, and real painted pictures, a doorbell that worked and curtains and rugs, made by mom. (The one I thoroughly destroyed in no time)
When us girls received dolls, we always also received doll clothes, made by...mom...

My sister has one of the original Barbies, with a complete wardrobe, made by....mom...even a bridal gown. That doll is worth hundreds of dollars these days.

When all the presents were opened and the big burlap bag was empty, we would usually eat a snack and drink chocolate milk.

Then it was time for bed.

That's when the grownups would have their party.

It was a tradition to make "surprises" for each other. Which meant, make something gross, hide the gift inside. And then make a long rhyme to go with it. In my family a lot of "surprises" were pots with turds in it (hilarious, not?) and the rhymes probably too racy for our tender ears.

But boy they always seemed to have so much fun. My room was next to the living room and I tried to figure out a way to make a small hole through the wall so I could see what was going on (The walls were solid brick) I loved the smell of the cigarettes, which were presented only on holidays and birthdays.

As we got older, we would still have the Sinterklaas evening party, it was just as much fun with us teenagers.

The days leading up to December 5th were always so joyful. The streets were decorated with lots of red and gold and lights. In every store window there was a beautiful display. I will never forget that exciting atmosphere.

My father worked for the phone company and each year the company would organize a Sinterklaas fest for all the employees' children in a huge hall (Houtrust, for you Dutch readers)

To me this was always the event where the REAL Sinterklaas showed up. Perhaps it was because they always used the same fellow, so he always looked the same, perhaps it was just the grandeur of it.
We always felt so darn special being there.
But oh boy, when they started singing: "Sinterklaasje kom maar binnen met je knecht...."
the sign that he arrived and was coming in....I would be stiff with fear again. Deadly afraid I would be called upon the stage to face my judgment. Thank God that never happened.

But it was always a very special day, we would get some goodies that we didn't get at home, like marsepein, real taaitaai (a very chewie gingerbread man), and a small gift.

Nowadays this holiday gets celebrated whenever the parents happen to have the night off, or when it's most convenient for everyone. What a shame.

Mom is sad not to have all her children and grand children around, so she sends presents. Every year, you can count on a Sinterklaas present for the kids. She is so desperate to keep that spirit alive.

And I am so grateful for that.

SGMKJ!

Snot, snot everywhere

Little Boo was delivered yesterday morning with a huge cold, and a temperature to boot.
The poor little thing looked terrible.
I kept her comfy, hydrated, and gave her baby Motrin all through the day, she acted fine, boisterous at times, singing LOUDly her ABC song while doing the trampoline thing in her crib.

Bugs picked her up at 8, not happy to see the baby was still up, and obviously waning and getting cranky.

Welcome to Motherhood, my dear daughter!!

I took my car out of the garage so she could transfer Boo inside (it was freezing out) and off they went.

Bugs called me later, in a much MUCH better mood.
Boo went straigh to sleep for one.
She and PH had a few tough days after he lost his job. He is apparently the type that needs to be "alone" to get himself together. And that worried her.

He had been pondering whether he should just go into the Army, so he could get some education.

NOT!!!!!!!!!!

No wonder Bugs was so unhappy!!!

But yesterday he told her that, not only is he getting unemployment benefits (yes, a go getter who didn't wait, good for him! notch on his cane for that one) but the dept of labor has several opportunities for free schooling in an array of fields.

He found out he can go to culinary school! Which would be fantastic. He has been running restaurants for years, but never was in a position to actually get some sort of a degree in that.

At last a fellow who, not only has a driver's license and owns an drives a truck (I am being facetious here) but he turns out to have a sense of urgency when it comes to taking charge of his life.

So now the rumors about moving out of this god forsaken county/state are becoming stronger.

Is there another move in the way for Wheelie and me too?

Only time will tell.

I'm game! *lol*


Can anyone suggest a NICE place to live? N.C.? MN? OR? CO? I told her we would NOT move to FL. :>) Suggestions are very welcome.


SGMKJ!

Cod liver oil.....blech

(no, that's not me, I found this online *lol*)

Give me a show of hands from everyone who had to take this stuff when you were little.

*HAND UP!*


I don't know how I came to think of it, or what my train of thought was at the moment, but I was sitting on the toilet (where I do some of my most very serious pondering) and tried to remember what cod liver oil translates to in Dutch.

LEVERTRAAN! Brrrrrrrrrrrrrr.....

I was very small, we still lived in the old house with my grandpa, so I was three or four. I remember mom hiding the awful stuff under a layer of sugar. I can still taste that awful goop.

I guess they didn't have multivitamins in those days.

Later, when I was a little older, and when there was an "R" in the month (we always had dinner together as a family), my mom would bring out the little white bottle with the red pills. Everyone took one after dinner. It was called Davitamon10.
The outside was sweet, but we were always told to just swallow it, not suck it, because it tasted bad on the inside.

Nowadays they have gummy bears and Flintstones you can suck on all you want, so much nicer.

Today was our one and only day off for this week. I had plenty to do, but I took Wheelie to the Cracker Barrel first for breakfast. The poor guy needs to air out once in a while.
I had totally forgotten that we were supposed to watch Boo yesterday (Sunday, the first day Bug's restaurant was going to be open)
After breakfast we ran by the post office, and took a stroll through the Hobby Lobby.
Sofar I've knitted 19 scarves, and I really don't have to make any more. But...it's just so relaxing to sit there and knit, I decided to make a few more. They still had plenty of skeins on clearance sale. So I'm cheap, sue me. :>)

We then went grocery shopping (sorry to be so boring with this report) .
Not that we needed much, but I know Wheelie likes to go through the aisles to see what's new.

When we got home there was a message on the phone. Barack called. Damn I missed him!

:>)

Back home I wrote all my Christmas cards in one sitting.

I noticed how my list has shortened over the years. There are a few people who dropped off the face of the earth, a few of them went to that big Bingo hall in the sky, and others never send me one back, so I've scratched them.
Took another quick run to the post office to drop all this stuff off, and I should have felt great.

Needed just a few more things at Target, so across the street I went. When I was in there, there was this young tall skinny fellow looking at CDs, he was wearing one of those long black raincoats. For some reason he scared the hell out of me. I was wondering what this kid could be hiding under that big coat. How those kids in Littleton CO wore those long coats and shot all those students.

It made me feel sick to my stomach. I mean, think about it.
Those people in Mumbai didn't know what horrors were imminent while they were having lunch, or enjoying their time in that hotel.
Life can take a turn for the worst at the flick of a wrist, so terribly unexpected.

What would you do?

I seriously started to look for the best way out, but the other side of my brain told me to get a grip, get what I came for and just leave.

Which I did.

It's raining. It's actually very cold out there. COAT time...some snow in the forecast, but only in North Georgia. Here it just sprinkles, but it feels brutal. (shuddup Sven :>))

PH worked 24 hours straight Saturday and Sunday. The poor guy had to clean and clear out the entire restaurant.
Fortunately for Wheelie, Bugs came home with a case of very interesting brewskies.

They were both going to take it easy today, Boo willing...

And all of a sudden it's 4:30 again and it's pitch dark outside.

Tea anyone?

SGMKJ!