Confessions of a Grandma

From my sad but true file; ************************************************ Sweet ********************************************** Wise: And funny* * daughter and grandchildren=crazy cat people. definitely cat-aholics

 About a week before Christmas day Don asked me if I planned to make Christmas cookies. I had been thinking about making what was the traditional (and easiest) batch of shortbread cookies from my family. So one afternoon I made a batch. Don got home and saw them cooling on the rack. "What kind of fudge is that?" "It's not fudge. It's shortbread. That's what kind of cookie I always used to make for Christmas." "But these are not Christmas cookies. Christmas cookies are shaped like Santa and sleighs and reindeer and angels. They have frosting and sprinkles on them. That's what my mother always made. She rolled out a huge batch of dough and let us help decorate them." "Does this kitchen look like it has room for that? (Condo kitchen is beyond tiny) And don't think I am spending the rest of my life trying to live up to expectations set by your mother, Mr. I-have-mommy-issues." Good grief! I did see a small package of tree shaped c...

 There is nothing like restrictions on mingling with other people to make one truly appreciative of how precious time with those we really love can be. My son Kevin was able to visit me in Florida just before the virus blew up life as we know it. It was on the radar but we were were outside soaking up the sun -- hiking, kayaking, walks on the beach, biking. It was a few days of pure happiness for me. Over the summer, the numbers in Vermont were low. I was able to spend time with my grandson although we had to give up vacation travel plans and we did not spend the amount of time we usually do.  No ballgames this summer though. No glamour shots of Sissy either. Kristen, Dane, Amy in happier days. But we did get together for outdoor fun and to celebrate summer birthdays, Thanksgiving and the Winter Solstice. The yoga studio had to shut down. My son sent me to an online site -- Do Yoga With-Me -- that has kept me And there was I co-taught a youth religious education program over t...

1. Pandemic  Hoarders have made this a thoughtful gift. 2. Deaths And closing in on 77 million COVID-19 deaths worldwide, 325 thousand in the U.S.  We're leading the world -- yes, I am tired of winning. 3.  There was a presidential election. He'll pardon himself, no doubt. 4.  If the fire's don't get you  5.  The killer hornet just might So this pretty much sums it up

 Recently Kay posted about the washing machine not working . Her husband, Art, did his research and was able to get the machine running again. My late husband, Mike, was exactly like that. He could look at mechanical things and see how they were supposed to function, how something had gone wrong, and figure out how to fix it.  I, on the other hand, have generally very poor problem solving skills. My learning curve was quite steep after he died. One day my dryer stopped working. It was about twelve years old. I thought it just was at the end of its life so I bought a new dryer. The delivery guys took out the old dryer, installed the new one, turned it on and nothing happened. They asked where the breaker box was and flipped the switch, tried the new dryer again and immediately blew the breaker. I had to get an electrician to come and install a new outlet. The old dryer probably life left but it was gone by then. A couple of years later I moved into the condo. One day I noticed ...

The monthly fee that I pay to the homeowners association is responsible for snow removal, road maintenance, lawn mowing and landscaping of common areas. There is a contract with a company that does this work. I have been told they were hired because they submitted the lowest bid. This past fall they did some tree and shrub trimming                                      I wonder if they could have made things look any uglier with just a bit more effort?                                              This tree is completely dead.  The sagging and fallen branches were interfering with the lawn tractor's path so they just didn't mow a chunk of lawn all summer but the brush that grew up was more appealing than this. ***** This month a professional tree service came and cut down the a...

 Don and his son were in business together for a while. This is the back of a company sweatshirt they had made to advertise: Nicely embroidered Unfortunately, there was a large stain on the front -- something that would not come out, like a bleach stain. So Don has moved in with me this past week. He found this sweatshirt when packing up his place. He said he was just going to throw it away since it was ruined, but I snatched it up. IT has been repurposed into a fleece quilt we can snuggle under on frosty nights.

 I don't know who this Scam Likely person is but they keep calling me  -- day after day and morning, noon and night.  Whoever it is seems to travel about the country but seems to spend most time in and all around the state of Florida. I don't answer the phone when caller ID says Scam Likely. Some days I turn off the ringer. Who are we kidding? Most days I turn off the ringer. I do wish that whoever it might be would just stop calling me. grrr I googled Scam Likely and found articles telling telemarketers how to avoid being marked as scam on caller ID. Thanks, Internet!

 I was not really even planning to do any Christmas decorations at all this year, no big family dinner either. Vermont's governor is urging people to not have big gatherings, just stick with your own household and my family is all onboard with precautions. He did ask that people make an effort to put up lights though -- "Vermont Lights the Way." So I did put lights in the kitchen and around the sliding door that leads to my deck. Then I decided to take a walk around Gardeners' Supply and I got a bit more into the spirit of things. The aisles were widened and the traffic was one direction. It seemed  a little sparse but then maybe I have spoiled by the tours of nurseries Linda Reeder  often treats us with. Everyone wore masks. I really don't understand the angry resistance to masks. I made a flannel one, lined with silk. It was really quite cozy warm on a bitter windy day. I really like succulents. I could be at home in a desert. In this area, I felt as though I ha...

That's what they say about aging . . .   I should get some pets. I have actually heard this conversation. Heehee And Maxine never let's me down-- Too true