Perhaps the most delightful friendships are those in which there is much agreement, much disputation, and yet more personal liking.  George Eliot

   
 Autumn melancholy
Autumn melancholy
suddenly falls inside my heart
at the break of a cloudy dawn,
mother of a frowning and sad sky,
after a sleepless night of thoughts,
after a sleepless night without you.

Melancholy of memories that seek you
and float aimlessly in the air,
yellowed leaves
of a golden autumn
that fall,
rejected by life.

Melancholy of a day without you
who, although absent, fill my hours,
with the sweet enchantment of your words
engraved with a brand in my mind,
when, still, I believed in love.

Melancholy of time without you I
breathe my time that wants you
sigh of my time already passed
useless time, useless life
now
,
useless tears,
shed
on the coldness
that now distances us,
useless voice that calls you again,
and softly slips in the wind,
useless voice
that passes beyond you, getting
lost
in the infinity of a lament.

Diana
from Kaleidoscope "Out of the Choir"

   
The first rule of any technology used in a business is that automation applied to an efficient operation will magnify the efficiency. The second is that automation applied to an inefficient operation will magnify the inefficiency
-Bill Gates

   
"Hey Mom?" asked Little Johnny, "Can you give me $20?"
"Certainly not," She replied.
"If you do," he went on, "I'll tell you what Dad said to the maid when you were at the beauty shop."
His mother's ears perked up and, grabbing her purse, she handed over the money. "Well? What did he say?"
"He said, 'Hey Maria, could you make sure I've got clean socks tomorrow.'"
   

Good morning everyone..

Yesterday went well, we managed to get Kyles cheese and some chocolate. The price on chocolate has gone way up so didn't get a lot this time. Roads were good on the way down and snow started on the way back but nothing to worry about.

Today I am going into town alone!! Poor Kyle said you're leaving me home?? Yes, till I get what I want for him for Christmas then will take him back into town to the bank .My problem now is how to hide the girt if I get what I am going after.

Jane, I am going back to a time when we left our doors unlocked, A time when any Mom on the street scolded you for a mishap ,yet would bandage a boo boo if you fell. A time where you knew everyone on the street. A time where respect and manners ruled. A time where you could watch tv and not have bad language in it.

Patricia, pity those that would believe in all the hype about the vaccine and scams too.

Bubble. love the new start page..thought of Golden girl and Mimi with the first photo. Laughed at Little Johnny....he knows how to work Mom!!

Enjoy your day everyone and stay safe.

good morning everyone. it is 21º and clear headed for high of 35º. I had a good night sleep. according to breathing 7.5 with smiley face, and I do feel Fairley good. Hope you all did god and have a good day just as you like it. am going to to the VA for a hearing test to see if they cab tuen my hearing aids up so I can hear better,

Lloyd

Good Morning Everyfriend!  The day is off to a good start!  I've already accomplished one thing and the next is a shower and get ready for a quick trip to town.  Then I have to move my porch swing and get my car under cover in anticipation of tomorrow's storm.  After that....who knows?

AMY, good luck on finding a hiding space for whatever it is that you're bringing home for KYLE. 

BUBBLE, thank you for our lovely, Christmas-y new home!  I loved all the pictures and all the readings.

I wish you all a good day...better than yesterday but not as good as tomorrow.

"It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas." Nice new page, Bubble.  Thank you.

The sun is back with us today but I'm afraid it isn't going to last.  We will get a little bit of the big storm that will hit the East coast tomorrow but they say our weather will be in the form of frozen rain instead of snow.   I'm not looking forward to that at all.  Our car is already under cover and later today I'll ask David to test the gas logs in case our power goes out.  We can do without lights but can't do without heat for very long.

Take care, All.

Great new start to the week, Bubble. Love the text & the ornaments certainly do "confuse" the eye with the trompe l'oeil effect. Neat!

Radar shows snow to the north and more to the south & west of us, looks like we could get a doozie but weather guessers saying less than an inch.

Can you believe, 10 days it will be Christmas!??  I feel like I lost a whole year.   

Good morning everyone, a cold 27 frosty one. Sun is shining and now the snow is due on Thursday not tomorrow and could get a foot of it. Yippee, winter is coming fast.
They started giving the new vaccine a t RI Hospital yesterday, first was an emergency room doctor then a nurse. I pray they work. After the front line workers (hospital workers) then I heard it will be the elderly. Hope they go to senior housing places, we get the flu shots here and that is so convenient for those of us who no longer have a car.

PHYLLIS  you are so right about being tracked with every thing we do. Big Brother is keeping his eyes on us.

PATRICIA  sad world when there's not many we can trust anymore.

JANE  50 YEARS AGO OUR YOUNGSTERS could walk to school safely without getting grabbed and forced in a strange car. Almost weekly we hear about that happening.

LLOYD  hope you did sleep good last night. When health isn't the best sleep is so needed. 

BUBBLE  love your graphics and quotes. Thank you for keeping us going here in the SS.

AMY  do you have a neeighbor that would keep Kyle's gift for now so you can go get it on Christmass Eve?

PHYLLIS  I would want to be at either sons home if heat is out here. They both have wood stoves.

Have a good day everyone and s tay safe.

Good Morning.  Thank you, Bubble for the cheery bright cards in our new Shoppe.

Weather gurus predicted snow would start at 9:00 a.m. and, sure enough, it did!  Supposed to snow all day.

Miss Emily left for Kansas very early.  Shirley, would appreciate it if you would keep weather under control at least until she gets past the junction east of Wichita and is headed toward K.C. 

Miss Ellen's flight out of NYC is at 6:15 a.m. tomorrow.  Surely do hope they can get up and over the storm moving east. 

50 years ago we had returned to Leadville in June after spending a year's sabbatical in Warrensburg, MO so hubby could finish his Master's and get his Specialist's degree in Safety Education at Central MO State.  We lived in a student apartment building and there were several other families there for the same reason. 'Twas a fun time.

Oldest son was in 3rd grade and younger brother hadn't yet started school. So once we were back on our mountaintop, the social changes of the 70's didn't affect us much. 

Don't have any particular Project du Jour so will probably be a Recliner Radish and read.

Stay ward and safe, Everyfriend.

1:18 PM, Callie, and so far I have not seen a single snow flake. Radar looks like the whole state is covered and the sky looks like it could dump big time... hope Emily is safely in KC by now. OOPS! Spoke too soon, a fine almost misty snow falling now. I love the big flakes but this is so fine you can't see it, would be treacherous to drive on so I will hold my breath till you say she is out of it. I do not envy her driving on the streets of KC in bad weather!

Gloria, I'm with you on wishing for a big snow, just hope we don't lose power like the year it turned to ice. Don't think I have EVER seen snow like this, the grass carpet on the south side of the pool is white but can't see anything falling.

Better get busy, I've stared out the sliding door long enough. Phyllis, I found out that my gas stove worked without power but the oven would not. At least I could boil water!
   

Shirley,  2:15 and she just messaged that she's at friend's house where she'll be staying.  She's actually in Overland Park and so is the college.  "Big doin's" tonight with friend whose birthday is today - and who is also graduating - but I doubt they'll be going into K.C. proper.  OTHO....who knows with "20-somethings"; they're fearless!! 

I always considered OP as part of KC, Callie!  Glad she is safe & happy. My brother's house is in OP. When their kids come home from all over the US for Christmas, they usually make at least one trip to the Plaza for the sights, but probably not as festive this year! I'm sure my SIL & their kids will have a hard time with this being the first year without him.
Thanks for the update. So far the snow doesn't appear to have reached KC, just checked radar.

Hadn't thought about Plaza display. Maybe family will go Friday night.[

Water running down street here even though it was snowing.  I went to mailbox and put out trash bin with no problem..

Howdy Dooooo!  It's supposed to start snowing here tomorrow around 11 and continue for the rest of the day.  They are predicting up to 18 inches.  I guess I'll have to dig a tunnel for Mickie.  She's no where near that tall!

I made a batch of AMY's "Moose Fart" cookies today!  That's #1 done!  I have all the ingredients laid out to do Sand Tart cutouts tomorrow and if I feel like it, I'll also do chocolate crinkles.  I'm hoping to get the fruit cake wrapped and ready for delivery tomorrow too and that will just about be the day.

I hope all the young folks got their travels done safely and that everyone else had a pleasant day.  I'm off to the haystack now and I wish you all a peaceful night's sleep and a happy, healthy, germ-free tomorrow.  And may God bless us, every one!

Thank you, BUBBLE, for our nice festive SODA SHOPPE for the month of December.  I enjoyed all of your offerings and thank you for sharing them.

JANE, happy to read you got some "Moose Farts" made today.  We mailed a couple of packages yesterday and after seeing the cost to do so all I could think about is how much it must cost you to mail all the packages that you mail.....YIKES!

AMY, I do hope you were able to get your gift for Kyle and were able to find a spot to store it so he can not see what you bought.

CALLIE, happy to read that Dr. Emily has arrived in Overland Park safely.  Nor to just get the rest of the family there also🙏🙏

We had snow over night again, but now we will warm up a bit before the next storm arrives in a couple of days

Pleasant dreams to all.

Jenny

good Morning everyone. well according to the breathing machine I have had 5 hours and 25 minutes of sleep with no air leaks, but that is a lie because it woke me up with air leaking all around my forehead. I have my under garments on and am going to put my overhauls on and go fiend a good movie. I bet that will put me back to sleep for a nap. No rain or snow here. says 26º and mostly cloudy here and going for high 37º and sunny.
Have a good day just the way you like it I hope.

Lloyd

G   d morning..

Mercy, tis a tad chilly out there..-4 F at the moment. Kyle just said there is dirty weather coming up from the east...eastern storms are no fun.  Maybe it won't get this far.....one can only hope.

Lot of little things to do in the house today and bake the shortbread cookies.

Gloria,  the neighbours would let me hid a gift there but I didn't get what I was looking for...so I got a gift card so if the product does come back in he can get it.

Jane,fartin around again..    I didn't make them this year.......but now you have me thinking I should . I do have some mini  chocolate chips to use. Can make and give them away.

Jenny, I remember another year long ago that I bought Kyle a tool chest........a big one. I waited till he had gone to work, picked it up from the store and then had to get it in the house. What a tussle  but I did get it in and hid in the spare bedroom. I know I wouldn't be able to do that now.

Callie, now everyone can rest easy with Dr. Emily safe and sound.

Phyllis as much as I gripe about waltzing with Mr SB I would rather do that than break dance on ice!! Even the dogs have trouble with ice. We do have sand plus an ice melter that won't hurt their paws.

Lloyd, hope you captured some zz's.

Enjoy your day  and stay safe..

 

Good morning everyone a freezing one here at 15. Now that is Brrr. Glad I do not have to go out. The weather guessers are now saying the snow starts tonight and we could get over 12" of the white stuff and winds to  45 MPH with gusts higher. Sounds more like a blizzard. On TV local news showed the plows getting loaded with the salt/sand mix and some places are already canceling for tomorrow.

CALLIE  hope your traveling family members get where they want before the storm starts. 50 years ago I had 2 teen aged sons and a daughter fast getting to be a teen. Thank God they were not teens these days.

SHIRLEY  I will have Yvette doing a lot today because I know she will not be here Thursday. Odd how a lot of people now are so afraid to go out when it snows, never kept me home from work either. I love watching those big fluffy flakes fall, too. I can sit at  the window and watch them pile up.

JANE  my daugh ter and SIL will not be going to San Diego to spend Christmas with their sons. When older son was in Az. for Thanksgiving she gave him their Christmas presents to take home with him. Will be the first time in  45 years that they will not be together. Her and my SIL have colds right now and better to stay home and away from others.

JENNY  if you use the post office boxes it doesn't cost as much as using plain boxes. Those boxes are free at the post office.

LLOYD  other than being cold today it will be sunny. Snow starts after dark tonight.
Did you find a good movie?

AMY  you gave me your recipe for the moose farts for my daughter and she made them for a meeting of the ladies of the ranch attheir monthly meeting. They all loved them and when they asked her the name of them and told them they laughed at the name. Thought she was teasing them.

Have a good day and Please God all stay safe and healthy.

I think we are going to be lucky.  It is just a cold rain here but only a couple of miles to the west of us the bridges are freezing.  Lots of accidents over that way already.  But, we aren't going to get all the snow that those of you further up North are going to get.  Stay safe, all of you.

I'm staying in and making Butternut Squash Soup today.  I got a big squash delivered from Papa Spud's the other day and finally got up courage to peel it yesterday.  I always buy it already peeled and diced from the grocery store but this time I bought it straight from the farm.  Don't think I'll do that again.  Too hard for me to do deal with that hard peel.  Ended up David had to come help finish it and today my arm and shoulder are aching from the exertion.  But, I sure will enjoy that soup at dinnertime tonight! 

Amy, is the recipe for Moose Farts somewhere here on Seniors & Friends?

Stay safe and warm, All.

Good morning to all, I am running slow but only because I do believe I am getting lazy! Weather report says we got just over an inch of snow, not enough to ride the Sno-Nut down the hill but the trees are pretty with their dark branches & snow outlining them. I am still disbelieving Christmas is 9 days off, I feel like I just woke up from a weird dream.

Today is the day to trim my hair & clean up all that mess. I look like a shaggy dog, last couple trims I didn't take time to do the job right, will try to control myself & not cut too much off. I wear a "hoody", ski headband or cap all winter & now with the glasses & mask that need to hang onto my ears, the hair starts sticking out every direction! I was thinking about how to attach that mask without trying to dig my ears out from under a cap & hood, you think clothespins would work?  Suggestions welcome!!!  As Sophia would say, "Picture it......."

#2 son coming by when he gets off work, he goes home to "work out" so would rather not eat with me but last week I sent him home with a plate full of deviled eggs to eat after. His significant other enjoys whatever he brings & he sounded pleased I offered them again for tonight. She is recovering from serious spinal surgery in her neck/upper back. I will get him to put my new license plate on, got a feeling the dealership tightened those screws too tight for me to get off. I was surprised it came in the mail so quick, the license bureau lady said 2 weeks to a month with all the Covid problems."

I have a table full of bills to take care of today, the usual utilities & extra car insurance. Seems like only a few days since I wrote checks for those utilities! I am losing track of days, used to have days to just go shop/look around but don't do that anymore.

I've been telling my kids I do believe in 6 months we will be back to normal except for all those businesses that can't hang on that long. Thinking back to the polio days, once the vaccine came out we quit being afraid, we quit worrying, but we didn't have the news media to dwell on it every moment of every day.

Had a message from my friend this morning & she thinks she is over the hump. They let her out of the hospital after one day, but she did pass out at home (why she went to ER & was tested positive for Covid) so they want to find out why. Her kids are giving her an iWatch that will monitor all issues & warn them if she falls. She refused the button to notify a company but is okay with the watch. She had been sick for a week before she passed out, had a nagging cought & drainage so didn't eat or drink enought water. Think she was just weak from not enough sleep & probably dehydrated. Anyway, glad she came through the worst of it so far. She will be 86 in Jan just 10 days after I do, nice to have someone to talk to that understands the ups & downs of old age!

Cats fed & so am I. Debating whether to go get a couple hours more sleep. I got exactly 6 hours sleep (Fitbit says) last night but only 6 minutes of deep sleep. Makes a difference when I can get longer deep sleep, feel more rested.

Hope every Friend on the East coast is hunkered down for the on coming snow storm. Gloria, I'm with you that snow never stopped me from getting out. Here I am with new tires and just looking out the doors/windows! What's wrong with us??? haha.. you think we are getting old?

Jane, if you ever make a trip to OK I'll bet Callie & I can find a place where we can get together for lunch. We can think about it, anyway! I can make a day trip & don't have to take cats & RV.

Ah ha, Phyllis, you snuck in. My mother loved the squash soup or just baked, not a meal I look forward to. She also loved egg plant & I gave that a try ONE time. It turned out beautiful but not my kind of food. Maybe because it is squishy, but mashed potatoes & lots of veggies are squishy.... stay safe!

I came in earlier and was looking at the temp to see how I compared with the rest of you.  The weather report had changed their prediction of 1 p.m. for the beginning of the snow to "NOW!!  Since it hadn't started yet, I jumped into my jacket, grabbed my purse and made a run for Davy's Fresh Market.  And it still hasn't started.

I have the chocolate crinkle cookies mixed and chilling in the fridge, the dishes all washed up and the sand tart recipe lying on the counter.  They get mixed next because they have to chill, too.

PHYLLIS and SHIRLEY, I can't acquire a taste for squash either.  I keep trying different recipes and nothing works.  Once I tried a recipe that fried it and I could eat that but not all that often.

IT STARTED!  I can't see it coming down but my neighbor has a dark car and there's a definite layer of snow on the roof of the car!  And it's only 27 degrees and only predicting a high of 30 so it's definitely going to stay around!

I'm glad I'm going to have the oven going.  It'll keep the house warm.

I hope you all have a good day...better than yesterday but not as good as tomorrow. 

Jane, just talked with son , he is coming through PA and he said he is in snow!! He is trying to get ahead of the storm..

Phyllis, here is the recipe. He has a lot of great recipes on his site.

https://www.rockrecipes.com/moose-farts/

Good late morning here from the cold
and soon to be very snowy rocky
coast of Maine.

We are expecting a lot of snow
starting later today... like, clost
to two feet!!!     But then again, 
we could just miss it, if it goes out
to sea to the South of us... 

I got on the elevator this morning with
a very nasty woman ... she really
affected me because I did not expect
it.    I ask her two questions

1:   Is this elevator going down. 
(i always ask as I am on the 1st floor,
and don't want to have to stay on the elevator
any longer then I need to.

Her response:  of course it is going down,
I am on it aren't I.... 

Ok,  so Lets talk about the
weather ....   We are suppose to
get some really bad weather,  are
you going out?   
(wrong thing to say, I guess)

Her reply, "well,  I am just going
next door.   Is there any thing else
you want to know.   

Door opens,  I walk out and
say " have a nice day".

We both had masks on, so I
don't know who she is.  And
won't be able to recognize her
in the future.    (sadly)  .

I am still feeling the pain of
her zingers..     I was just
passing the time of day
and do so with  some one who
was not happy. 

I think that I should feel
badly for her and let it go. 
She must be very unhappy,  since
I am not,  I need to forget about it. 

Other wise,  things are going
great.   Kelly is bringing me
food in a few minutes  so
all is right with my world. 

Have a good day,  Everyone!
 
Sandy

Sandy, next time anyone is snarky like that just say, "wasn't talking to you but the nice person on the other side".... see how she takes that!  Do agree that we should feel sorry for anyone so miserable. I have a long ago school friend/neighbor that has always thought it cute to make hateful cracks. Last time I checked on her (because nobody else will bother anymore) she just texted back, "I'm fine, my girls will let you know when I die".... so I took her off my list of ever bothering again. Even her own mother left everything to her daughters instead of her... but she was the one that taught her daughter to be so hateful. Keep smiling.....life is good if you count the blessings (like our kids).

Safe driving for your son, Amy. Expect he is prepared for anything. Shirley