Perfect Present!

This is it, the Perfect Present!

I just finished wrapping the last present. I wish all the presents I'm giving were perfect but most of them are just pretty good.

But this one is PERFECT. It's that good. I'm about to POP, I want to tell about it so bad. But I won't tell......I'm a grown-up, I can hold it. I think.

I can't wait for the receiver to open this present. They're going to love it.

I've given all sorts of presents, but this year, this is the BEST, the most SUPER present....and it so completely fits the person it's for that I can hardly bear it. My tail is wagging about this present.

Christmas is only 2 days away now.....I'll have to wait to see if they like it as much as I do. I know they will.

Merry Christmas, I hope all your presents are perfect.....or at least pretty good.

Fiveawesomethings

There's a blog that I go to regularly, called 1000awesomethings. It's pretty neat, the guy writes about all the little sparks that make life cool. But 1000! Holy cow! That's a lot!



I've been thinking about it though. I'm going to just do FIVE. There are many more, of course, along with the usual suspects.....family, friends, health.....but these 5 things are the quirky stuff that have made my life spin and groove.




!. Putting on a warm pair of jeans fresh out of the dryer.....ahhhhh.....ahhhhh.....

2. Watching Rosie bound out of the yard like the young pup she used to be.....

3. FINALLY.....FINALLY......making the pig snout holes just the right size for the corks after carving dozens of corks to make them fit right. Eureka!!! Just right

4. Having my elegant pasta dish served with a garnish of red and green Peanut M&Ms....

5. Being able to moonwalk!!!!!!!!!! So cool!!!!!!

Snowmen on the Brain

I am so ready for the Snowman Caper that I'm about to BUST!

These are the cups for the Gluhwein. The hard part is making them so that the Snowman is not too cutsie. I tried to make these snowmen "tipsy", not "cutesy".

The later cups worked better as I got into the stride of it. A little more leaning and a little funkier.

These snowmen are in progress on the windowsill. I make these saltmen.....and women of course....every year. I don't quite know why I like them so much. They still need their scarves.

Haha, the first batch of "snow".....just salt and cornstarch and water.....turned YELLOW! Oh no!, can't have yellow snow! I have no clue what happened there. There were no small snowman-sized dogs around.

A few of last year's batch. They've got attitude don't you think?

If it doesn't snow this winter, I'm pretty sure I'll explode.......maybe we can truck in some snow?

Learning to Moonwalk

Though I'd appreciated what Michael Jackson had done for pop music, I'd never really been a big Michael Jackson fan. But a few weeks ago I went to see "This Is It", the documentary about Michael getting ready for his scheduled tour. I loved the movie and instantly became a Michael Jackson fan. Oh what a shame! It's too late now!


The other day in step class someone mentioned the Moonwalk......yeah.....yeah.....the Moonwalk. That's something everyone should know how to do. I want to do the Moonwalk.....in some kind of BAD way. Everyone THINKS they know how to do it, but can't really produce it when put on the spot.

So I've been looking up videos on Youtube and getting instruction that way. And practicing around the clock. Well, not ALL the time, but say, when I'm in the kitchen waiting for water to boil for tea or for bagels to toast.

It's way harder than it looks and certainly way harder than Michael makes it look. But I'm pretty sure he had extra slippery Moonwalking shoes.


It's sort of like trying to rub your stomache and pat your head at the same time.


I've mostly been practicing in the kitchen, I guess waiting for some food thing to reach it's optimum minute. I always have to remember to watch out for Rosie's water dish.....I've Moonwalked right into that a few times, sending the bowl crashing into the radiator and sloshing water everywhere. But then, at least, the floor gets good and slippery.


Maybe that's the ticket! If I flooded the kitchen floor with water, I could become an expert Moonwalker really fast.


As it is, I'm getting pretty darn good and I'm proud of it. I can do about 5 or 6 steps backward....at least as far as the dog's water bowl.....before I flub it up.


Once I can get to say, 25 feet, of Moonwalking, I'll be ready to say I can actually do it. That's down the hall, into the kitchen and all the way to end where the water bowl is.

I'm gonna go see how far I make it right now.......

Hahahahaha! I think I need slipperier socks......and turning that corner into the kitchen is really a mess-up too. Hahahahaha! And I have to think too much. Oh well, I'll keep practicing and let you know.....

The Leaf

I'm really not sure what to make of it. At first I just thought it was such a cool coincidence, but the more I've thought about it, the more I wonder if there's some larger, more cosmic meaning involved.

About two weeks ago I was standing by the gate to Rosie's yard waiting for Rosie to take her daily morning yard tour. The is a time of day that I particulaarly love....early morning....where I check out the temperature and nature of the day.

For some reason it was later than usual and so it was actually light out. It was beautiful out there, many leaves were still on the trees in their brilliant autumn colors and there were leaves that had already fallen, covering everything, waiting to be raked.

It's usually really still at this early time of day, but enough of a breeze passed by to loosen three leaves from the maple across the way in our neighor's yard. For some reason, just curiosity, I decided to watch one of these falling leaves, following it's path as it danced it's way to earth in it's one and only ballet.

I kept my eye on this leaf as it looped and twirled, catching a little updraft and heading upwards before it spun, tumbled, and twirled towards the ground. And then....and then....the strangest thing happened. That leaf landed right at my feet! Not off to the side next to my right foot, no, it landed right between my toes as if that was the spot it had been aiming for all along.

I still don't know what to make of it. I find it astonishing that on this one particular day, I was out there when it was light enough to watch a leaf twirl to the ground right there outside the gate. I find it astonishing that of the three falling leaves, I picked the one that lands at my feet and becomes my leaf. I find it astonishing that of the millions of places that this leaf could've landed....the neighbor's yard, the driveway, the patio, on the raspberry bushes, 5 feet off to the side....it landed right smack-dab between my toes at my feet. What are the chances!!

Though it's curled up now, and dry, I still have that leaf. The color is still bright.

When I pass by and see it there on the kitchen counter, I wonder if maybe it was my mind controling that leaf....but I wasn't trying to make it come to me. I've thought about some cosmic connection to nature which I definitely feel when I'm out there first thing in the morning.

And I've wondered this......I'm not a particularly religious person.....mostly from a "not knowing" perspective. But I do have to wonder. What I've decided and what I kind of like to think is that this leaf is a little gift, a little "hi, how are ya" from a greater spirit in the universe.

I don't know, really, but do you think this could be it?

Autumn

Autumn

Brilliant sky and leaf;

Winds swirl melancholy air...

Dark winter is next.

French Friends and Language Challanges

Recently our French friends, Nicole and Cecile, visited Lititz.......it is so good to see them again!



I've really enjoyed having them here, so nice to see friends again and go on field trips together.



I was going to title this post "Lititz Woman's Head EXPLODES from so much thinking", but I was afraid that, since the photo was of Nicole and Cecile, the impression would be that their heads had exploded, but no, of course not. The exploding head would be MINE. Here's the story.....




This week I hosted Nicole, Cecile's mom. Nicole hosted me when I went to Avignon and was so good to me and Deb and Marcy, cooking delicious meals and driving us places and making us feel so welcomed. So I wanted to do the same for her.



Nicole is wonderful! What a trooper! I loved having her here!



As I tried to talk to Nicole in my SUB-basic French, she listened carefully, trying to understand what I was saying . She talked very slowly so I could understand her words. She was SO patient.



But having conversation in a language that you barely know is a CHALLANGE....a challange and a half! Holy cow.



The challanges are multi-leveled....my head was working way beyond it's capacity! Let me illustrate the steps to a conversation:



1. Thinking of a topic. This is not usually hard for me.....but.....



2. You have to decide if you know enough words to make even a sentence, never mind a whole
conversation.......but.....



3. If you need a word....you know....from deep in the folds of your brain....like 40 years deep
(when I took French) and can't find it there in your brain, you have to look it up in the
French-English dictionary. (thank GOD for the dictionary!!). But....



4. Even though you see the word, trying to pronounce it, stabbing at it 4 or 5 times, there may
still be a puzzled look on Nicole's face....but.....



5. You can always show her the word in the dictionary. Whew! But....



6. Three words later, there's ANOTHER word you don't know. Whoo-weee!



When we were talking there were lots of hand gestures, of course, and on my part a lot of head nodding and "oui, oui, oui". But THEN, oh dear, Nicole ask me "comprends?" ("understand?") and I have to admit, "uhhhhh.....NON". The head nodding and the "oui, oui, oui-ing" were just HOPEFUL things, hope, hope, hoping that everything would fall into place and make sense by the end of the story. But occasionally I did figure it out. Occassionally.



I would ask Nicole a question, and then not be able to understand her answer....if what I asked about had happened or if it didn't happen. After all the nodding and "oui-ing" and trying to look intelligent, I didn't want to admit to not getting the answer. Sigh.



But I did find a neat strategy for coming up with topics of conversation. As I was thumbing through the dictionary looking for yet another word that I didn't know....there are SO MANY WORDS!....as I was looking through the dictionary, I would scan for a word to jog my brain for a new topic of conversation.



For example, yesterday, while we were waiting for Cecile to come pick up Nicole, I was looking through the dictionary and saw the word GREEK. Oh happy day! "Nicole, tu as voyage a Greece?" ("Nicole, have you traveled to greece?"....I guess, I think, who knows.....I probably said, "Nicole, you HAVE WENT FOR Greece?")



And Nicole told me about her trip to Greece in 1976....and I understood it all.....I think.....






Nicole made a wonderful ratatouille when she was here.....peeling the zuchinni..

Nicole is smiling as she cuts the aubergine......eggplant. What a delicious dish!

Thanks for everything, Nicole, ma copine!

If Q-Tip Woman Can Do It, Why-O-Why Can't I?

Look at that!! Q-Tip Woman (my own personal self-portrait) is doing it.....Warrior Two Pose. She knows what's good for her and everytime I look up there on the shelf in the bathroom, there she is practicing yoga....every single day. Smart woman, Ms. Q-Tip.



She makes me look bad, though.




I just don't get it!! I swear, I know what's good for me; I know what to do......I've known for years. So the question is, why don't I get it done?




I've taken yoga for years now....off and on....and I know how good it feels. It feels great when you do it, it feels great when you're done, and you feel great all the rest of the time too. But I always do yoga sporatically.....a few months on, a lot of months off. And when I'm off doing it, I seize up, so to speak. Stiff. So the big question is, why don't I keep at it?




Lately I've been taking this class at the gym called "Centergy"....it's a yoga class that also involves powering up your core, quads, abs....actually all body parts. It's hard but I love it.




After taking this class for a few months I feel positively SWIVELY and I feel taller, or like I'm straighter. It's great! Mind-wise too.



I take this class once or twice a week and I know it would be even better if I did just a little bit each day at home. To feel the energy from this each day.



SO, I decided, OK, I can do just a little.....how about a Sun Salutation each day. It's a great body-tingler. And it doesn't take all that long, maybe 5 or 10 minutes.....not much for such a great feeling.




Three weeks later and how many times have I done the Sun Salutation? Not hard to count up, let's see, TWICE. Two times out of 21 opportunities. Geez Louise.




What is up with that? Why don't I do it? This makes absolutely NO sense!! Sure, I have other stuff to do....but gimme a break, it only takes 10 minutes.....at the most. WHY DON'T I DO IT!!!!



There are other things too. I KNOW what you should eat for optimum goodness (and holy light). Yes, yes, I know, veggies, fruits, protein, lots of water, whole grains, stuff like that. And for goodness sake, lay off the sugar, refined food, fat, cookies, cake, candy, french fries, potato chips, and ICE CREAM. Yes, pooh, all that good stuff.




I once ate purely and with goodness-sanctity for NINE months....felt great! Really, I felt like Wonder Woman.




But then along came that blame CHUNKY MONKEY and that was all she wrote in the eating-only-good-for-you-food department. Blast that Chunky Monkey!




And now I can't get back on the goodness train.....or do yoga everyday. Why-O-why?!!!

The Last of the Bocce til Next Year.....

Tim Baum shows us his bocce form.....

Nancy has the longest stretch of the gazillion photos of bocce 'form' that were taken. I'm thinking perfect form and extension are NOT the only thing that matters in becoming a Bocce Champion. Maybe next year, Tim and Nancy.

Awww, how cute.....the Halls and Bocce Babe.....line up. The Halls held down the 'heckle and cheer' section of the tournament.

Yikes, poor Rosetta. She ended up with the worst Bocce partner ever. She looks like she may just chunk that ball right at that sorry partner. But we had fun, didn't we Rosetta?

The worst, most pathetic Bocce Partner ever. But don't forget, this person miraculously conjured up the sun after 5 straight days of rain.....rain coming down right up to Bocce-playing time. I think maybe a poor bocce showing can be forgiven?? Given the sun conjuring and holding the thunder at bay??

Kathy was an official light-shiner in the final rounds. The Finals were handicapped by the inability to see the ball. Oh well, that's the way it goes. But Kathy, you could be a real Vanna White with your flashlight and wine-glass pizzazz.

Those Graffers.....lookin' a little goofy.

Terry wins the 'Twinkle' award! She was into it!

The crowd eagerly awaits the Award Ceremony.....

Next year maybe your name will be up on the Big Board. Good luck. Practice up!

Even More Bocce......

Steve explains the game......it's not that complicated folks!

Geez Louise! What's with it?! Deb and Carmen are both Italian for heaven sake! Did they win? NO. Did they make it into the Final Four? NO. Did they even make it into the Championship Round!! NO!! Guess they're better at Bitchin' and drinkin' wine. That's why Deb won the El Bastardo wine for Bitchin' the Best.

Kathy and George thought they were in the final rounds. Oh phooey, the bracket lady made a big mistake and they were dumped from the line-up. Very good sports! But George did say, when offered a consolation trophy, "nah, that trophy's not all that great".....hahaha! He's got that right.

More young Upstarts.....thinking they'd blow away the AARPs. Ha!

Bill tells Ellen...."what ya gotta do is this".....

Whoa! Ellen musta done it!

Tim and Marcy and Lucy and Mary discuss strategy. Tim had been talking trash all week, but did we see his team in the Finals? Hmm.......

Lorie and Joe, Aimee and Jason......they look like they're experts at posing for wedding photos. When asked to line up they fell right into place....just so.

Kate and Lance, Anna and Ryan.....haha....Kate is giving the youngsters 'what for'!

OH Lance! Kate thinks it's hilarious. Well yeah! Haha!

Into the Championship Round.....

Anna and Kyle show the proper umption, fight..... and confidence about their bocce prowess......

Oh how sweet they appear.....but this team had a brilliant strategy. Anna and Ryan asked all the WORST teams to play. Ha! Kate and Lance showed them. Rosetta and Pat, alas, were pathetic and improved the chances for this sneaky team to advance.

Tom and Neely....so cute, so good at Bocce.....going into the Championship round as the #1 seed, thought they were ALL THAT. Oh too bad, the Oldsters gathered their steam and won the final shebang.

Mary, oh Mary, we'll just call you Bocce Babe! Sorry Marcy, wearing the colors didn't help.

Lucy, Mary's partner, shows the form that placed them into the Championship round.

The Walkers! huh! The Walkers, the J&J team, were the 6th seed. Who woulda thought? Joe and Lorie need more practice!

Fran and Denny.......making it into the Elite Eight bracket by the skin-of-their-teeth. So much style, those two.....but alas, placed only at 'chopped olives'. Fran! Being Italian, you'd think you would've moved into a bigger olive catagory.....at least 'large' or 'jumbo'!

Oh gosh! By virtue of the very accurate (in the end) seeding-figuring-out, Pester and Screech ended up playing each other in the first round of the Elite Eight. Yikes! I couldn't watch. Was there screeching?!!

Whew! See who's sitting on the sidelines for the Finals? With a glut of youngsters in the Championship Round, the Oldsters were relieved that, in the end, it was an Oldster Final. Eat your hearts out, you upstarts!

The crowd goes "ooh". The crowd goes "aah".

BOCCE 2009!

BOCCE GRAND CHAMPIONS 2009.......Kirk and Amy Clelan! We think it was Amy's outfit ....complete with matching rainboots...... that insured the win. Oh, and plus, they were really good. Congratulations Kirk and Amy! Your name is now forever engraved on the Trophy for All the Marbles....

The Finalists......BEFORE the playoff. Good friends.

The winners and the winners of the "Close but No Cigar" trophy......AFTER the Clelans took the title....

An extremely exciting match with a 9-7 final (we think). Still friends.

Kirk is triumphant!

Amy carrying home all the loot, the trophy, AND the GLORY.....

Rick and Terry were not only Finalists.....but they also win the "Cute Couple" Award.

Another cute couple......Chris and Frank are so very well dressed for the occassion.

Hoping for a repeat, the Browns were enjoying their Championship status. Oh, that is SO last year.....





Start practicing everyone.......there's always next year.