I am making senate bean soup today and it smells wonderful! I love making soup in cold weather - just one problem, tho - Dad complains if I serve it twice. Now if I lived near Shannon and Bobby I could make soup every day and they could serve it in the restaurant. Soup and sandwich - great lunch! Now I can't help but think about Jane and Mark and all that cold weather. Headed down to Woodbridge, New Jersey - that's just beyond Rahway.

Dad is having a snooze in his chair. He goes to dentist in a few minutes. Something cute about Fritz - when I sit down on couch he will jump up on my lap (take a flying leap to my lap is more like it) immediately jump down, run away only to return in a few seconds with his rawhide. He also does that when he goes outside - takes 3 or 4 steps, runs back in and gets his rawhide to take out. So cute. He has also found Sandi's hiding place for her milk bones - the ivy patch. He always checks that out and disappears in the ivy munching away. Sandi appears not to give a dam.

I am now reading the book I went to the signing at Barnes & Noble for. It's not what I expected - I read the reviews - all good. It's about a murder/suicide - hot dawg - right up my alley but it's not living up to expectations. Hope it gets better.

Jane and Mark - hope you are warm enough and not slipping and sliding all over the road.

Luv ya
Mom

FREEZING HERE IN NY

We are at Adirondack beverages- I don't know what the temp is ...fucking cold...last night we walked into a truck stop in Fultonville, it's right by a river (don't know which river)- coldest I have been in my life..I had coat and gloves on too. It's snowy and very windy. Not a whole lot of snow. We missed a turn and went through a charming residential area..little victorians with christmas lights ...and the snow...then there was the hill...covered with snow and ice, it was a challenge...had to say come on baby come on baby to the truck..we made it!!!!! Just another thrill.
We are going to Woodbridge NJ its about 180 miles from here, don't know what the weather is there, but bound to be a little bit warmer.
Nancy just called me and said Mom is worried cause she hasn't heard from us...we are warm and toasty in our truck.
I will update after we drop off this soda in NJ.
Love
Jane and Mark

In Defense of Brussel Sprouts

Okay - so I bought 3 packages of frozen brussel sprouts by mistake and I don't like to waste food, so we are eating them. So far, we have used to packages, one more to go. Since I think it's important to have at least one vegetable with each dinner meal, and there is nothing else in the freezer right now, they are coming in handy, even if we each only eat 2 or 3 of them. Next time I buy vegetables I will look more closely at what I am throwing in the cart. Of course, when Dad shops alone, there is no telling what he will bring home no matter what I tell him.

Now onto other matters - I used to play Lotto faithfully until I got tired of being a loser! Once, in all those years I won %50. Big fnnnnnnn deal. Plus it was always a pain in the neck to stop and buy the stupid thing.

I don't care if people talk about me behind my back -- I am such a wonderful person that no one could ever say anything bad about me! I don't discuss, spend or carry money - it's credit cards all the way. If people (Dad) want to talk about money I just turn a deaf ear. Now, what else? How about some things I like:

1. Chocolate
2. Browsing in bookstores
3. chocolate
4. ice cream
6. Ben & Jerry
7. dogs
8. chocolate
9. gardening
10.Harry S. Truman
11.chocolate
12.touring England
14.chocolate

Okay - over and out.

in response

1. In defense of brussels sprouts: I had some last week that were sold still on the stalk with a tag from Castroville. I steamed them, poured some melted butter on them and they were awesome. I think you have to have them prepared well to enjoy them.

2. If people are talking about me, behind my back, it is wonderful! It means I am so interesting that they are taking time from their own lives to talk about little old me! for some reason, I have lost all care about this one.

3. I also hate liars, cheaters, misleaders and exaggerators (I think that covers all of our exhusbands). Tight clothes - yuck.

4. Money. I hate it. I can count hundreds of fights, arguments, unslept nights, etc. just over fucking money. No matter how much we make, we spend more.
...
and just general responding..
single moms can be and are helped just by seeing others make it - I made it, your'e making it, that is enough...
lotto - schmlotto - aint gonna win it, and if any of us did it wouldn't make things better - ok, maybe we'd have more fun, but...well ok it would be awesome - but

eating without gaining is possible if you (and I) become marathon runners

college degree - in a nutshell a bachelors degree makes you realize how little you really know. without one, you don't know how much you don't know...its kind of like 'ignorance is bliss"...however, you can always learn and teach yourself stuff, just read - go to the library and read....everything and anything.

oh, and start thinking....next blog topic will be christmas memories past......

Jane - Please keep us informed about the weather conditions where you are! I hear that there is a winter storm where you are going and we get scared. I know that interstates are kept relatively clear, but know that you have to travel some back roads to get where you are going.

Stay warm,
Mom

10 things i don't like, but could say more than 10..

Ok--here's my list in no particular order.........

1. brussel sprouts, 2. cleaning 3. talkling about my problems 4. being talked about behind my back -ha ha. 5. tight clothes on me and unless you have the body for tight clothes - i always ask myself how can they stand the tightness. 6. liers, misleaders, exagerators. 7. not never having enough money, i'm a paycheck to paycheck person and it stinks. 8. not owning my own home- if i would just budget and do from my budget i might - i think it's like drinking. 9. i like to work - but hate having to conform my life around a job - i would like to be a free spirit and do my own thing. 10. fights - they stink.

ok, now let me write about 10 things on my dream list....

1. winning the lotto. 2. having my own home (custom made if i could) 3. not working for someone else. 4. the $ to help another single mother who is in the same shoes i am - and would like to give her a smack trac and pay for her insurance for a entire year. 5. being able to take more trips - want to see alaksa, and europe. 6. a maid, chef, and chaffeur to drive me around 7. being able to live as long as you want and not reaching major milestones for centuries vs decades. 8. eating what you please w/out gaining a pound. 9. no medical problems 10. having a college degree in my lifetime.

wait...10 things....

Just ten random things about you - doesn't to be ten things you don't like.....but, I do like that topic.

Ten things I don't like.

1. dishonesty
2. cat shit stink
3. mondays
4. negative attitudes
5. bush and company
6. most of the current legislators in both parties
7. people who have no desire to learn new things
8. grit in the bed
9. hair on soap
10. cork bits in wine


wow, that was easy.

Well, we got a Christmas tree. We went to Michaels to buy a table top artificial tree. Scott didn't like them. I had him decide if we'd get a real one or not, he decided real. But, then he didn't want to get it today. Next weekend is booked (Kaiti's birthday), and then he goes out of town for 10 days. It was today or nothing. We got a fucking tree. It is beautiful, but not yet decorated. I'll get to that later. I found my Christmas books - mostly kids books - and found every school project Kaiit has ever made, so I spent some nostalgia time in the attic.
I got unbreakable ornaments and candy canes for the tree, and we put it up with nothing on it, so after some initial excitement, the cats don't seem to care.

I also got 11 mini stockings and wrote each animal's name on them. So cute! I hung them on the mantle and will take a picture. Perhaps that will be our Christmas card?

Anywho - think positive. Keep on truckin.
-Ellen