Kim's Thoughts
Just a few thoughts I feel worthy of jotting down!
Just Dreaming….
I dreamed I took in a room mate. She was a lady in her 40s that needed a place to stay until she could come up with a down payment on a home of her own. On her first day after she moved in, I told her all the “rules” and made it a point to tell her what I expect when it comes to the girls. I told her that I don’t feed them table scraps and that their meals and snacks should be left for me to take care of so that I can be sure they don’t get too many snacks. She agreed.
I went into the kitchen one day and found Megan eating a whole scone rapped in bacon and a paper plate with some scrambled eggs on it. I yelled to my new room mate and asked her if she gave that to her and she said yes, but that she told her to share it with her sisters and it wasn’t all meant for just her. I reminded her that I told her NO table scraps. She said it wasn’t “scraps”, that she made it special for them. She then said that if Megan didn’t listen to the instructions to “share”, then it was MY fault for not training them better!!! I slapped her on the side of her head and said “they are dogs – you can’t expect them to listen like children!” and again reminded her to NOT give them ANYTHING!!! She said OK….
Later that day, I found her giving them all Milkbone biscuits – they each had 5 or 6 in front of them gobbling as fast as they could!!!! I yelled at her to STOP and slapped her on the side of the head AGAIN — here, in one day, she had given Megan a scone, bacon, and eggs and all three at least 5 or 6 biscuits – PLUS the regular food I already gave them!!!! I was furious and told her that she would have to move out cause I loved my dogs and wasn’t about to watch her ruin their diet and health like that! She told me that I didn’t have a right to throw her out because of that and that I was depriving my dogs of food and she was going to report me for starving them to death!!! We ended up in a knock down drag out fist fight!!!!
The dream ended with me tossing her out the front door and telling her that I’ll send her stuff out the same way she went out! Then I woke up to the girls licking my face to get up for breakfast and potty time!!! ha-ha-ha
Mark Twain at the Temple Theater
I went to the 2:00 show today and all I can say is BRAVO!!!! It was delightful – simply delightful….. Mr. Chappell had the entire audience laughing out loud and totally engaged! We hung on his every word and enjoyed every minute of it! My only regret is that I didn’t have an opportunity to see it more than once – I understand it differs a little each time he does it by not always telling the same stories every time! I would have liked to see what stories I missed at at least one of the other showings while he was in town!
I’m sorry this review won’t put a bug under some one’s butt to go see it — the final show was today! But, I am so glad I had the chance to see it!!! It was very special…….
Sunday Morning Ponderings….
What a small world it is….. Yesterday, while I was browsing for a book in the Borders store in the terminal in the Baltimore-Washington International Airport, I heard someone say, “Kim, is that you?”. I thought surely they were talking to someone else, but I turned around anyway and saw a familiar face!!! It was Sarah Cedano from here in Sanford!!! We went through the LEEdership Sanford program together. How bazaar to run into someone from Sanford in Baltimore!!! We talked a little and discovered we were on the same Southwest flight to Sanford. Since she works for US Representative Etheridge, I thought maybe she had been in DC on business or something. But, as it turned out, she had been in Massachusetts because her mother had passed away. We went on about our business of looking for and purchasing a book. When I got down to the gate, I looked for her, but didn’t see her. I figured that since the flight was full, we may not see each other again. I was wrong! I boarded the plane in the “A” group and got a window seat. Many others came on and passed by me for other seat choices. Then, along came Sarah and I was pleased that she decided to sit with me. We talked some more and compared the books that we purchased. It was nice to see her and have a friendly, familiar face to spend some time with in my travels back home!
Sunday Morning….. I like to watch the news show Sunday Morning. They have such interesting segments – not like a lot of other news shows. This morning, they had a segment on James Earl Jones – what a wonderful actor he is!!! I always enjoy his soothing, deep voice and the genuineness he brings to any character he portrays. What a joy it is to know that there are still some great actors out there bringing such depth and meaning to their craft!
You know what I like??? I like those Smuckers Uncrustables sandwiches — they are little frozen soft bread “pies” with peanutbutter and strawberry jam, grape jelly, or honey inside! They are so good!!! I like to eat them while they are still frozen — but they are good thawed, too! Yummy — I just had a couple of the strawberry ones for breakfast — oh, they’re so good!!!
Well, guess I’ll go through the stack of mail I have waiting for me! Have a wonderful Sunday – I know I will……
What I’m Reading….
I also used to love going to book stores – big box book stores and little quaint book stores! I could spend hours and hours in a Barnes and Nobles – browsing the books, sitting in their comfy chairs reading the first chapter or two of a proposed book to see if it grabs my attention, and looking for gifts for friends and family! But – with no book store in Sanford and the lengthy drive to Cary or Fayetteville to get to one and the lack of time and attention span to devote to reading for pleasure, I don’t do that much anymore.
But – I am still drawn to book stores and books when I come across them. So, while on my layover in Baltimore yesterday on my return trip from Mom’s, I had a lot of time to kill. I had a great lunch at a seafood restaurant in the terminal (can’t go to MD without having some crab!) and wandered through the Border’s book store. I spent quite a while there looking for a book that would catch my attention and look like it just might give me something to read for pleasure again!
I found the book The Gathering, by Anne Enright. Anne Enright is an Irish author who has several awards for her writing. This book, in particular, was the winner of the Man Booker Prize of 2007. I sat at the gate and began reading it and, so far, it is wonderful…….I made it through the first 5 chapters and am totally intrigued!!! I think I found it — the book that will hold my attention and provide me with a pleasurable read!!!
The Gathering is a story told in the narrative by a character named Veronica Hegarty – one of 12 children of a very large Irish family, all of whom are now adults and are gathering together for the funeral of one of the brothers – Liam. I have already discovered that Liam had some emotional issues and committed suicide by walking out into the sea and drowned himself. I have also already discovered that emotional issues are likely something that runs rampant in this family – although I haven’t discovered why, yet (the synopsis on the book jacket implies long kept family secrets and betrayals as the culprit).
I am generally drawn to anything with Irish tones – I have some Irish blood in me and am fascinated by the culture. Another thing that struck me very early in the book – the main character, Veronica, had a grandmother named Ada — I also had a grandmother named Ada!!! She talks about how beautiful her granny Ada was – my grandma Ada was also a very beautiful young woman!!! Go figure!!!
Here is what the book jacket has to say:
“A dazzling writer of international stature, Anne Enright is one of Ireland’s most singular voices. Now she delivers The Gathering, a moving, evocative portrait of a large Irish family haunted by the past. The nine surviving children of the Hegarty clan are gathering in Dublin for the wake of their wayward brother, Liam, who drowned in the sea. His sister, Veronica, collects the body and keeps the dead man company, guarding the secret she shares with him – something that happened in their grandmother’s house in the winter of 1968. As Enright traces the line of betrayal and redemption through three generations, she shows how memories warp and secrets fester. As in all Enright’s work, her distinctive intelligence twists the world a fraction, and gives it back to us in a new and unforgettable light.”
If this does truly end up being a success for me, I think I just may look up some of the other works of Ms. Enright!!!
My Home Town
Long shot of Main Street – I wish I had taken a better shot of the building on the right – it is the Presbyterian Church and is an incredible building!!!
Main Street a little closer up – the block leading up to the Canal bridge….
Look at these historic buildings — aren’t they incredible??????
The canal bridge from a distance….
The canal bridge up close — I read a blog from a photographer from Connecticut who took a photo of our lift bridge and called it the “stairway to nowhere”! ha-ha What he didn’t know was that the bridge lifts up to allow boats to go under it. While it is up, pedestrians can walk up the stairway and across the bridge and then down the stairway on the other side of the bridge. When we were kids, we used to run when we heard the bridge warning bells signifying that it was being lifted — we would run up the stairs and stand on the bridge watching the boats go by – then ride the bridge down. It was so much fun!!! Little did we know when we were kids that the canal was a major historical landmark and links the ocean to the Great Lakes!!! It was a major transportation corridor to get goods through NY State – connecting NY City to the mid-west states! They drain it during the winter months and then flood it to fill it again during the summer months. It’s an amazing thing and an interesting piece of history. It was mostly hand dug by Irish immigrants – many of which died in the effort!
So – that is my home town!!!
Home Again!
I just returned home from a week long visit with my Mom. She was released from the rehab facility on Friday (7th), so I flew up there on the 8th. Following is an account of my adventure!
The adventure started on Thursday night when the pain in my side got much worse. I had my flight planned for about a week knowing that Mom was probably going home on Friday. The plan was for me to go up for a week to help her get used to getting around in her home with the restrictions she has and help her with whatever she needed. How much help was I going to be with a pain so intense that my whole right side was literally useless? As I said in an earlier post, I went back to the urgent care place on Friday and found that I had a fractured rib!!! Man, that was just perfect!!! But, I had to go and would have to do what I had to do and just suck it up!!! I also figured that, unless I was going to need to get really physical for Mom, the week away from my usual routine and the girls just might be just what I needed to get the healing process underway!
Then, Friday I open an article on the AOL homepage about a major airline charged with not performing required inspections and discovered it was SOUTHWEST!!! My flight was booked on Southwest!!! Uugghh – just what I needed to read!!!
Also on Friday, it started snowing up home and was beginning to accumulate pretty heavily. The predictions for Saturday were worse!!! I was going to fly right into a blizzard!!! Under different circumstances, I might have thought better of making the trip, but I was determined and really excited about going to see Mom – I needed to see that she was OK after her surgery!!!
So, Saturday morning I got up, loaded the car with my bags and the girls, and took them to Rae-Zor Boarding at All Animals. I hate it when I have to leave them behind when I travel, but feel good about leaving them with Rae. She has a great facility there and the girls get to have play time with other dogs and aren’t just couped up in a cage, like a lot of boarding facilities – they really like it there and have a great time when they get to go for doggie day care. They are well cared for and safe there — it makes it a little easier to go without them — but it is still so sad to drop them off and know that I won’t see them for a whole week!!!
I got on the plane and got as far as Baltimore for a 3 hour layover. The flights going to Buffalo were already starting to get delayed and some flights going north were being canceled!!! So, when I saw a chance to catch an earlier flight that was delayed and about ready to leave for Buffalo, I grabbed it! Because of the timing and situation, they couldn’t switch my checked bag, so I ran the risk of the flight my bag was on getting canceled, but at least I would be in Buffalo! When I got to Buffalo, it wasn’t snowing at the moment, but it had been all morning – the following pictures are what I saw looking out the windows at the Buffalo Airport: 
As it turned out, the flight with my bag did make it to Buffalo and on time, too! My brother picked me up at the airport and we headed to Albion (about an hour drive). The weather got worse and worse as we got closer to my Mom’s. By the time we got there, it was snowing so hard we could barely see to drive and the roads were really bad! I got in the house and my brother and sister-in-law headed to their house while they could still get there!
Mom and I had a nice evening and settled in. She is doing remarkably well considering what she just went through. Of course, she’s not dancing around the house, but she gets up out of the chair by herself and moves right along using a walker. She has to steady herself when she gets up and get her balance before she can start walking, but once she gets moving, she does really well……I was very impressed!!! She’s still pretty swollen and bruised and she has a wicked incision!!! But she’s doing good!
On Sunday, my nephew, his wife, and my niece came out and used the snow blower to dig us out – we were BURIED!!! My brother and sister-in-law came out later and helped finish the job and un-bury the car so I could get out, if needed, during the week. Here are some pics I took on Sunday:
Snow bank that covered a couple feet up on the front picture window – we couldn’t see out!!!
The pool is FULL of snow!!! And the snow had drifted up in banks up to the deck!!!
This is the path that they dug from the shed to the front of the house with the snow blower!!!
Mom’s car – buried in the driveway!!!!
I quickly realized that getting Mom out on the patio for some sun and coffee was out of the question!!!
Another shot of the patio, back yard, and pool……it’s a Winter Wonderland!!!
The driveway after the snow blower did it’s job…..
And the other side of the driveway after Mom’s car was cleaned off…..
Believe it or not — there was NO snow on the ground before this storm system started on Friday afternoon — all this fell just on Friday afternoon / evening and throughout the day and night on Saturday!!!! Sunday morning it was all clear and sunny — but my nephew waded through over knee deep and in some places hip deep snow to get to the shed for the snow blower!!! WOW!!!
The rest of the week was great — Mom and I had a really nice visit!!! I helped her practice some things that she would need to be able to do by herself after I left and when my brother is at work and couldn’t be there. She got some much needed rest (no way she could sleep in the hospital or rehab with them waking her up every 2 hours for meds all night long) and my rib got some relief, too!!! It’s been almost 5 weeks now since the pain started and I think it is finally well on it’s way to healing!!! So – it was a good week for both of us and we got to talk a lot and enjoy each other’s company —- I’m so happy that I went up there!!!!
Then – today, I head back to NC and fly into tornado warnings!!!! I fly up into a blizzard and back into severe thunderstorms!!! I got to Sanford in time to pick up the girls — they were so happy to see me and I was so happy to see them!!!! I missed them so much!!!! I thought they were going to eat me alive before they calmed down enough to be able to drive us home!!! ha-ha-ha When they got home, they ran through the house like wild animals – then they had to go out and pee in their own back yard (even though it was raining pretty hard – they had to go out!!!!) It wasn’t long, though, before they were sound asleep and they haven’t woke up since!!! They are HOME!!!!
So — the adventure is over!!! I’m all settled in!!! But, I’m sad that I had to leave Mom — I really wish I could have stayed another week……….
Sugar Sugar – The Archies
Gordon Anderson (http://gordonanderson.wordpress.com/) posted about “first favorite songs” on his blog. It got me thinking about the one I left him a comment on – “Sugar Sugar” by The Archies. I loved that song and have been singing it in my head over and over since I left him the comment.
It was a hit in the mid-1960s and done by the cartoon characters – The Archies!
I googled it and found this video of the cartoon group…..I also listed the lyrics after the video clip! Great song!!! Enjoy!!!!
Archies-Sugar Sugar
Sugar, ah honey honey
You are my candy girl
And you’ve got me wanting you.
Honey, ah sugar sugar
You are my candy girl
And you’ve got me wanting you.
I just can’t believe the loveliness of loving you
(I just can’t believe it’s true)
I just can’t believe the one to love this feeling to.
(I just can’t believe it’s true)
Ah sugar, ah honey honey
You are my candy girl
And you’ve got me wanting you.
Ah honey, ah sugar sugar
You are my candy girl
And you’ve got me wanting you.
When I kissed you, girl, I knew how sweet a kiss could be
(I know how sweet a kiss can be)
Like the summer sunshine pour your sweetness over me
(Pour your sweetness over me)
Sugar, pour a little sugar on it honey,
Pour a little sugar on it baby
I’m gonna make your life so sweet,
yeah yeah yeah
Pour a little sugar on it
oh yeah
Pour a little sugar on it honey,
Pour a little sugar on it baby
I’m gonna make your life so sweet,
yeah yeah yeah
Pour a little sugar on it honey,
Ah sugar, ah honey honey
You are my candy girl
And you’ve got me wanting you.
Oh honey, honey, sugar sugar ..
You are my candy girl ..
My name is Kim and I’m a Snood Addict!
Tuesday Ramblings
Just some thoughts for the day:
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My fractured rib is actually starting to feel a little better today — it was pretty bad the past few days, but I got up this morning and didn’t immediately need to reach for the Motrin to make up for the night time meds wearing off…..good sign! It still hurts and I sneezed about an hour ago and it brought tears to my eyes, but over all, I do think it is making some major improvements!!!
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I read Irene Harvley-Felder’s review of the Mark Twain show at the Temple Theater and am even MORE anxious to see it than I already was!!! I can’t wait!!! I am going on Sunday, so my review will be of the final showing and won’t be able to serve as a way to raise interest and get more people to go see it. So — my plea to anyone reading this blog is to go read Irene’s review in today’s Herald — she did a beautiful job on it!!! If you don’t have access to the Herald, then just take my word for it (and Irene’s) — this show will be well worth your time and money!!!
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I’m making a pot of chili for dinner — yum!!!
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My home state of NY has made national news in the past day or two — but not for good things! He has been implicated in a prostitution ring and arranging for a prostitute to travel across state lines to meet him in a hotel in DC………another politician who holds the world to one standard and himself to another one — a standard with little or no moral back bone!!! Why was I surprised — oh, yeah – I really WASN’T surprised!
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As I watched the clips of the NY Governor admitting to his indiscretions and apologizing publicly to his family, I found myself watching his wife more than watching him! I hate that they always put the spouses next to them when they give their “I know I shouldn’t have and I’m sorry I did” speeches…..how humiliating for them!!! The intent is to put on a good public face so that the politician can say that they have the support of their family through whatever difficult time they are going through. I always imagine that as soon as they get off camera and out of view of the media that they pull away and give them the piece of their mind that they deserve! When watching the wife in the recent clips, she looked like she hasn’t slept in days and could barely bring herself to look at him! I can’t imagine getting news like this under normal circumstances – but to hear that your husband has been soliciting prostitutes under such public settings – man, not even imaginable!!
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The TV show “Medium” was on last night with a whole new show – hurray, the writers are getting some work out!!! I looked forward to watching it and really wanted to see it — but, it comes on at 10:00 and by the time it started, I was crashed and snoring on the couch! (yeah, I admit it – I snore from time to time…….) So, I missed it!!! ;-(
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Tomorrow night, Top Chef starts a new season — I sure hope I can stay up until 10:00 to see it!!! I set the recorder for that one — just in case……..
I guess that’s all that I have on my mind for the moment…….
Kim's Thoughts 
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