WHEN DID I ADOPT MURPHY????

I understand that this is the holiday season, and with this joyous time comes some stress. But did Mr. Murphy have to visit and then decide to stay with me forever???!!! I know people, kids like to stay over my house, but did it have to be Mr. Murphy this month??? Do you know Mr. Murphy?? Has he also visited you?? You know who he is--the guy who made that law--"everything that can go wrong, will"!!!

It's Sunday morning-CHRISTMAS EVE DAY-and it's already started out wonderful (she says with a hint of sarcasm). First off, I was supposed to go to Wal-Marts about midnight last night. Well, didn't make it. Fell asleep and woke up at 5:30 this morning!! Now I have to wait for my husband to get home from work at 1pm to go---URGH!!! So I thought I'd get a jump on my cleaning and cooking. I boiled elbow macaroni for a macaroni salad and left it to cool. I couldn't keep my cat from jumping on the counter, got mad and hurried to make it. The thing is, I am also making a tri-colored pasta salad with Italian dressing. Well, Mr. Murphy decided to help me cook. I put the Italian dressing on the elbow macaroni--that was supposed to have mayonaisse on it!!!! Well, my birdies have a special treat waiting for them when they have breakfast today. Now the second pot of maccaroni is boiling away!!!

This is just the lastest in a string of things that have happened this week: car went to the garage Tuesday, couldn't find the special gift I wanted, husband blew a surprise I had hidden in his closest for my daughter, kids called out at work and some just didn't show up for their shift, forgot special ingredient for cookies, ran out of gift tags so I had to stop wrapping, the list is endless. I guess everyone goes through this, but one year I would love to not have to say "WHY ME??".

Well, like my Mom would tell me, "Christmas is coming no matter what. It will be here in a few hours and things have a way of working out. It's not the end of the world, people will be happy and it will be a success at the end of the day". I guess she is right.

The most important thing to remember is: love. LOVE: of your family and friends. LOVE: that you feel in the room when you walk in and see those special people. LOVE: the way your heart feels when you hug someone you have missed. LOVE: When you see Gramma Mazie, who's 88 yrs. and still going strong. LOVE: when you steal a look at your children and realize how great the depth of your love is for them. LOVE: when you see your husband of 22 yrs. and know that you would marry him all over again. LOVE: for all living things on this great big/small planet of ours. LOVE: for your fellow man.

My Christnmas wish for you all: that you have the love in your heart that I have for all of you. May you be blessed with hope, happiness and LOVE this holiday season.

I love you.
Have a great day, and stay safe.
Me

Tis' the season, correct??!!

The season for: happiness, joy, giving, good will toward men, love???!! Right?? NO IT'S NOT!! At least not in Jewett City, CT. Tis the season to be dumb, to be a Scrooge, to be so single-minded in your cause you bring anger and disbelief to many.

In the heart of Jewett City there is a pretty, white church-a baptist chuarch that has been there for as long as I can remember. I was never a member, but as a child, I did go to Vacation bible School there with my girlfriend. It sits in the midst of the Town Hall, Library, Post Office, Banks, Brooks Pharmacy as well as other small town businesses. It's located right on Main Street, USA.

I have heard the music from this church numerous times throughout my life. I park at the bank, do my business there and then walk to the post office, or Arremony's Bakery for their to-die-for pastry. I have heard "regular" music and "Christian" music coming from the steeple. I DON'T CARE WHAT MUSIC I HEAR!!! I sing or hum along anyway. It's music that all of us have grown up with. Music from movies, music from church, and music from the radio. IT'S JUST MUSIC!!! It's nice. It's comforting. It brings a smile to my face and lifts my spirits when I hear it. I know this has to be the same for many others. It's just not nice for one man:Bill Russell of Norwich, CT. NORWICH, not Jewett City.


Poll the people in Jewett City and see what they think. The New London Day Newspaper online has a poll going. As of now, (Wed.12/06)the votes to keep the music on are: 360 to 117. That means approximately 66% want the music to stay on. And these are not all people in Jewett City. Ask them. Actually, there is a meeting Monday, 12/11 at 10:45 am at the town hall to discuss this issue. Guess who will be there?? That's right--ME!!!

It just makes me so angry, that someone has to complain about music when there is so many other 'bad' things going on in the world. Anybody ever hear of: the homeless, the hungry, the WAR IN IRAQ, poverty, the elderly without medical care/coverage, the uneducated, illegal immigrants, the list is endless. I wish someone with this much time and energy could put that ability to better use and help the world-not try to take joy away from the people of a town that he doesn't belong to.

Bill Russell says he doesn't want to hear the christian music when he drives through Jewett City. Okay--here's an easy solution to the problem. The music is played on the hour from 8 am to 8 pm. Give Mr. Russell a list of the songs, in order, and he just doesn't drive through town when that song is played!! Case closed!! He doesn't hear "Onward Christian soldiers" and we hear all the other songs.

I'll let you know how this plays out, so check back here.

Have a great day, and stay safe.
Me

ARE YOU READY, YET???

Well, Thanksgiving is over-put to bed for another year. The once-a-year china is washed and put in the hutch, the silverware in its case under the bed, and the crystal wrapped in newspaper pajamas and tucked away in the cabinet. The lights have been turned off and "Thanksgiving Day" is hibernating for another year. Sweet dreams, Thanksgiving Day. Now to rest. WRONG!!!

Now comes the "fun"part" of Autumn--the mad, crazy all-consuming time of year known affectionately as "Christmas Time". The shopping has begun-unless you are my friend Tracy who was finished on January 30th of this year. And she has it wrapped already!!! I hate her. Not really, I'm just very envious of her ability to get all her shopping done so early--and she does this every year!!!! I love you, tracy.

Besides the shopping, there are cookies to be baked, parties to attend, six hour school concerts to sit through, house decorating (inside and out) to be done, cards to write and send ( I already received Tracy's card-urgh!!), gifts to be wrapped, visits to Santa Claus, a tree to be bought/chopped down and decorated, night drives to "see the lights" and visits to exchange gifts with friends. Even if this wasn't enough, someone in my family threw in a baby shower in December!! HELP!!! I need a clone-one with six extra hands and four legs-'cause this body is already getting tired just thinking about the next month!

Where have the 'good old days' gone?? Do you remember them?? We only bought a few gifts for very close freinds and family. Some gifts were handmade during the year. Jams and jellies were canned in the late summer and just tied with a ribbon as a present. Kids made and wrapped their parents' presents in school. There were no malls to charge our way through. One concert at school and it lasted one hour. Spening a Sunday trampling through the woods to cut a tree down and drag it home to be decorated. A tree that held its needles for more than five days. Spending the whole evening of Christmas Eve at one house-not rushing to three houses for an hour each. Do you remeber going door-to-door caraoling?? Getting hot chocolate and cookies from the friendly people that you sang to?? Nowadays you would probably get shot on a doorstep!!

And through this all, we have forgotten the true meaning of the holiday. Yes, Christmas is for kids. Yes, Christmas is a time of giving and receiving (though I actually like the giving part more). Yes, Christams is a time for spending quality time with your loved ones. But Christmas is also a time to remember a baby was born on this day. A baby who is important to me and many other people on this globe we call Earth. If I could have one wish this holiday season, it would be that there was a little less commercialism and a little more reflection on the TRUE meaning of Christmas.

So, during the next month, think of me and the craziness I will be muddling through, as I think of you and the rush you will be going through. But every once in a while, take a rest. Stop and look to the sky and think what this is all about. And maybe you will have a moment of peace-for it is the "season of peace on earth, good will toward man".

Have a great day, and stay safe.
Me

THE RIGHT, THE HONOR, THE PRIVLEGE TO VOTE

I am a staunch supporter of the right to vote. I believe it is my duty to vote. Susan B Anthony fought her butt off to get me this right, and I won't squander it. But it's not just a right, it's an honor and a privlege to vote. How many countries in the world do not allow their citizens this opportunity?? Too many to count.

I didn't vote for many years. This was during my "young and stupid" years as I like to call them. I was in my teens and early 20's and didn't know much about the world and the workings of politics. I was also self-absorbed with my own life. Then guess what happened?? I grew up!!! I got married, had children, and low and behold--my eyes were opened. It started gradually. I joined the PTO, got elected president of a softball league, started associating with adults who conversed about life and the world around me. My eyes were opened!!!

It is not just presidential elections that are important. tThere are 'every day' votes that matter. A few years ago, our town was having a tough time passing the school budget. The board discussed cutting the music and sports programs to pass this budget. Well, you want to see an irate parent!! For those of you that don't know my family, both my children are immersed in music. Kerri has played violin for 12 years as well as sings. Her violin lessons were free from the school system every day of her school years. She is at University now, in the elite singing group and possibly traveling to Spain for a week in the spring to sing . What an opportunity that was started at the elementary school level. Kaitlin has played flute/piccolo for 9 years courtesy of her school. She has also been in all the school musicals and plays throughout the years. She is going to college next fall to be a music education teacher and hopes to be on Braodway someday!! All because of Griswold High School's music department. When they started talking of cutting this program out of the budget, I took it upon myself to call all my family and friends in our town and told them to "get out and vote"!!! I don't know if what I did helped, but the budget was passed!! It was just a small thing that I could do from home, but I felt as if I was helping, that I was involved: involved in my children's future education, involved in the govermental process, involved in life!!!

I have tried to pass this wisdom on to my children. I have always taken them in the voting booth with me, so they could see the machine and see how it worked. One of the reasons why I never voted was I had never seen a voting machine and didn't know how to work it. I didn't want to be embarrased in front of strangers the first time. But a wonderful thing happens when you grow up. You don't care!!! Or at least, the threat of being embarrased went way down to the bottom of the pile when I decided to vote the first time. I guess I was so excited about "doing it" that first time, I wasn't scared of looking silly. And you know what--it was easy!! Now my daughter, who lives and goes to school in PA, actually votes by absentee ballot!! That is so cool. That was a process I had to learn right along with her. And she did it at 18-not 28 like me!!

Sometimes the big, political elections become so bogged down with name-calling tht a person can get dejected with the process and decide not to vote. Don't let that happen. One vote can make a difference. Even if the win is a landslide in the other favor, it doesn't matter. VOTE. You have been givien a privlege that so many other people on this planet wish they had. Use the gift that our forfathers and Susan B. Anthony gave you---VOTE!!

Have a great day, and stay safe.
Me

FUNERALS: RULES AND TRADITIONS

I have just come back home from my second funeral in 8 days. This is getting scary!!! Last week, a co-worker passed away. It was expected--but it was not. I haven't figured out if we were not told everything or it just happened way to fast. Either way, it was a shock to all of us. Pat (in the Hat) was a terrific lady--only 64 with many years to enjoy life. Her big mistake--she hadn't gone to the doctors for a check up in 3 years. She died of a cancer that was completely curable if caught in time. Needless to say--it wasn't caught in time. To all of my friends and family--GO TO THE DOCTORS FOR A CHECK UP!!! Yes, I'm yelling at all of you---just do it so you are around for many years because I love all of you.

Todays funeral was for my aunt--she was 89 and lived a good long life. I will miss her, but we will all cope and go on with our lives. That's what we do.

What really made me angry this past week was the stupidity of some of the people at these funerals, and the people on the roads that we traversed to the cemetary. There are rules to a funeral. There are traditions that should not be broken.

The funeral procession to the cemetary is becoming increasingly dangerous for two resons. The people IN the procession do not know the rules, and the people on the roads either don't care or don't not know the rules of ettiquette for a funeral procession. When in a procession, your head lights should be ON. Nowadays, most cars' lights are always on, so one should also have flashers on-especially for a long procession of cars. The chain of cars should not be broken!!!! You don't stop at red lights or stop signs. The ENTIRE courtege should continue to the cemetary. I can't begin to count the number of cars that broke the line today and last week. People were in such a hurry that they didn't care or didn't know the rules. If they didn't know, then the fault lies with the parents of these people-they never taught them correct ettiquette. Tradition states that the line is not to be broken. To quote Carl De Gurse, "“We will lose something valuable if we lose traffic respect for funeral processions. When we pull over and give our right of way to mourners, we give the gift of compassion for their grief. Because the gift comes from strangers, it means much more.” When did our fellow man stop caring about each other??? I really wish I lived back about 50-60 years ago when people were nice and caring to each other. That common courtesy, that 'good-neighbor feeling' is so lost in today's society.

The other tradition that I noticed was wrong today was the receiving line at the funeral home. When you go to a traditional Christian funeral, there is a guest book to sign. This book is usually near the entrance to the viewing room, or near the casket. After singing the book, a person should procede to the casket and then the family members. The deceased husband/parent is usually first to be greeted followed by thier children and spouses and then grandchildren. This is a show of resect to the departeds' family. At the home today, my uncle and I walked up to the book (right next to the casket) and signed our names. We then went to go view my Aunt, but couldn't. A whole group of people walked in and went to the daughters-in-laws, then the grandchildren, then the sons. and then the casket!!!! Talk about backwards. After standing there for abour 5 mins. and feeling very foolish, my uncle and I proceded to do the same. I told my cousin Rita this was backwards, and she said, "I know--it's the people from Massachusettes. I guess they don't go to funerals much!!" By the time we got to my last cousin, the 'normal' people were in line correctly and we were still stopped from going to the casket. My cousin Jimmy said, "don't worry. It's not you that was backwards, it was the others". How could someone not know to go to the casket first--these were old poeple-not young kids. The generation that knows the rules are dying--and this next generation doesn't care. What will happen to us as a society when no one knows what to do??? I hope I am not around to see it.

Have a great day, and stay safe.
Me

A CUP OF COFFEE OR A MEAL???

Drive-thru: a term used to explain the process of ordering, paying and receiving of foodstuff from a Fast Food establishment.

Drive-thru: to actually ALMOST drive through without stopping.

People tend to go to the Drive-thru of a fast food resturant for a few reasons. Some are: it's raining and they don't want to get wet, they are in a hurry and want to get the food fast, they are injured and have difficulty getting out of the vehicle. I can accept those reasons--FOR A MEAL ESTABLISHMENT!!!

I take acception to the non-thinking, non-caring carbon-based lifeforms that go to Dunkin' Donuts. I want a cup of coffee. That's all--just a cup of coffee. Sometimes two cups of coffee if someone is with me. I don't order a dozen donuts (and then procede to chose the donuts!!), a bagel toasted with cream cheese AND butter, an iced coffee AND a lattee with cream and caramel drizzled on top!!! You want all that--GO INSIDE AND ORDER!!!!!!! People drive thru DD's to get a quick cup of coffee on the way to work. And don't sit in your car for 5 min. and 23 sec. talking to the girl in the window because you havent' seen her in 3 months. GO INSIDE AND TALK TO HER!!!!

When I go to the McDonald's Drive-thru, I expect to wait a few minutes for my order. They are cooking my food--and I want it cooked all the way through. But a cup of coffee should only take a minute, two minutes if there is a car in front of me. Not the 12 minutes I spent in line last week because of the afore mentioned scenario. Poeple, you have to start respecting the other humans on the planet. This is getting way out of hand--everyone is only concerned for themselves--no-one takes the time to consider the other people on this planet. I am so tired of the selfishness of my fellow man/woman. Common courtesy needs to start somewhere--and I would like it to start with my coffee. I get my coffee at 5:55 am to get to work by 6am. What a way to start the day when I am late!! All because of a bagle with cream cheese and butter!!!!

Have a great day, and stay safe!!
Love, Me

YOUNG ADULTS WILL SURPRISE YOU!!

Sometimes your children will surprise you in the most wonderful, amazing ways.

I wrote the last blog early this morning. So of course, I was feeling a little sad and lonely. Well, later in the day, there was a delivery.

I opend the door, and leaning against the door jam was a package. It said 'ProFlowers'. It was addressed to me. Now I know I didn't order any flowers: it's not my birthday, not my anniversary or any special day. Well, it is a special day--the day my darling Princess surprised me!! My first thought was someone got a hold of my credit card and was charging things on it!! But I was wrong. I opened the box, and lo and behold, inside was a beautiful bunch of tea roses with it's own vase!!And a card!! The card said:

Just Because You Are Wonderful.
Just wanted to let you know that
everything you do is amazing and truly
appreciated. I love you, Mommy.
Love forever, Princess.

How about that, people!!! What a kid I have!! I was so touched, I can't begin to tell you how much my heart swelled with love for my baby. I must have cried for 5 min. while trying to get the flowers in the vase with water. To receive flowers like that from my girl was truly one of the high points of my life!! Honestly!! I can't believe she did that!! To say that they came at the right moment is an understatement. But to know that she has that kind of compassion, that thoughtfulness makes me so proud to be her Mommy.

I love you, Princess.

Have a great day, and stay safe.
Me

HOW OLD DO I FEEL???

This has been a terrible month so far. First, I had to leave my firstborn 600+ miles away at school. Now I know, that is a good thing, but still..I miss her. Then....last Friday, Sept.22, she turned 20 years old!! And I was not there to celebrate with her!!!

Now, this is the third year that I have not celebrated her birthdy with her--physically with her. Yes, I call her and send her presents, but it's not the same thing. I am a picture taker. I take pictures of EVERYTHING!! Just ask my kids!! And I don't have pictures for Kerri's 18th, 19th or 20th birthdays. This is just wrong!!! But what is really, really wrong is that we will do this again next year. BUT NEXT YEAR SHE WILL BE 21!!! I am already dreading that. How can I not be there with my baby on her 21st birthday??!!

I was thinking maybe I'll take the weekend off and go stay in PA with her next year. . Think she would like that?? Probably not. She will be 21 and of legal age to go out. I doubt if she will want to leave me alone in a motel while she goes out with her friends. Well, maybe I could have cake with her and then leave, what do you think??? All I know is I miss her. She is talking about moving away after college. So I guess there will be more birthdays I am gonna miss-YUCK!! And probably hoildays, my grandchildren's birthdays, the list goes on and on!!

No one told me that motherhood would be like this--full of longings and dissapointments and sadness. I want her to grow up, have a wonderfully happy life wherever she choses to settle down, but I'll miss her.

Twenty years ago I held this precious, beautiful baby in my arms and thought that lilfe couldn't get any better that it was right then. Life was perfect. A million thoughts, dreams and hopes went through my mind about what her life/our life together would be like. And it has been a joy to live in this movie called "KERRI". For twenty years I have been awed by what she has accomplilshed. Her running, her singing, the way she treats people, her love of life have amazed me. She is a wonderful young lady whom I am so proud to call my daughter.


I always thought my Princess would be there-within reach to watch her grow and thrive as a person. If her life takes her away, I guess I'm just gonna have to watch it from afar. So, she better take a lot of pictures for me--I have a bunch of empty albums here just waiting to be filled!! Maybe a camera for her 21st birthday would be a good gift!!!

Have a geart day, and stay safe!!
Me