Greg Miziorko – thereisnosanityclause

Nurse Rachet, Line One….

So we figured we pulled out the Greg visit and got up here sage and sound, right?

Until this morning, when Jim started the day with a fever that is climbing: I managed to get some aspirin into him and get him to force some fluids, but what else is new? As Jim would say, whenever we plan something, well, how does that old chestnut go? ” Man plans, and God laughs.”

We were going up to an 80th birthday party in Pennsylvania tomorrow, which, of course now is out of the question. I called Jim’s sister up to share the lousy news with her. We were really looking forward to it.

I am glad Greg is here to keep me company, as Jim has been sleeping most of the day. I made a pot of chicken corn soup, with a tip of the hat to my buddy Juls for the recipe, as it was tasty and kept up warm. Now it’s waiting to get warmed up for when Jim has an appetite again.

We both got flu shots this year, so we are trying to figure out where this came from.

Hold a good thought for us, ok? This is getting to be a hell pf a weekend.

What a State!

My nephew Greg is down here to spend a few days with us. As he just completed his Master’s Degree, this visit was postponed from clast month.

We never will postpone again, as for our efforts, we got a state of emergency, here in New Jersey. We managed to get Greg to the house just as the governor declared a state of emergency. We are in the middle of winter storm Grayson. The moral of this visit?

January trips are out of the picture!

Joining the Huddled Masses…

…getting ready for the holiday.

My nephew, Greg, is due to visit this coming Friday for the weekend.I have gotten the polar fleece sheets ready on his bed, but have also been using that room to store Christmas presents in so I guess I have to get busy wrapping.

I finished decorating the front porch,as I had a batch of green garland left and figured I’d wrap it around our wooden bench.It actually looks pretty good-all that’s missing is Santa Claus!

Managed to get an oven stuffer roaster in the oven, but no chance of me starting my annual chocolate covered pretzels for our neighbors.Maybe it’s the couple of loads of wash I squeezed in or dog walks….

Well, I still have Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, right?

Good Memories

When my nephews were younger, my brother would take them to Ocean City, New Jersey to spend their vacation.It was a new experience for me, as I had always been a Stone Harbor/Angelsea/Cape May type of girl.

We would do bikes on the boardwalk, later on rides and the beach, breakfasts and bakeries with donuts and sticky buns, but one thing haunts me to this day.

Jim and I were coming back from the doctor’s office in Somers’Point, and decided to go to Ocean City. OK,when someone says that,I think,”Johnson’s Popcorn”.

I am sure everywhere on the Eastern seaboard is a popcorn stand that professes to have the best popcorn of all varieties.Johnson’s has been around since 1945.I absolutely adore their caramel corn.The biggest rub is that my local grocery story, where I worked last spring for a brief interlude, carries their popcorn and actually, it was fifty cents cheaper.

When you go to Mecca, er, the Ocean City boardwalk stores where they make this, you show up with your $12 for a FRESH,large tub of the caramel corn, say you need a bag, and to leave the lid off.The excess popcorn that gathers in the bottom of your bag is at least two dollars more, and, in our case today, we nibbled on it as we were headed down the Garden State Parkway to get home to the fur girls.

Even after the delicious memory is gone, I recycle the container to either use the next time we go up there, or, in the meantime, to make Christmas cookies I want to hide in.

Thanks, Matt and Greg! #GOODTIMES

Coffee

Since moving out from the big city, I am acutely aware of my distance from a Starbucks and a Dunkin’Donuts. It is safe to say that I do miss going for coffee.

During my Ferry time, I discovered Gevalia K cups actually made a vanilla latte.I was a little dubious at first, but after scoring some on sale, I was a believer.As I type this before my shift today, the Keurig is set up to make my latte to go and, fortunately for me, there is also a Keurig in the office, so I get to have one later too!

My nephew Greg was kind enough to get me the Keurig baskets so you can save money and the environment and use your regular coffee.It is one of the best presents I ever got, but there are those days where nothing but a vanilla latte will do.

This is one of those days.

Christmas Lights

One of the perks of walking the dogs at night right now is, despite that it’s cold out right now, folks have Christmas lights up.

At my age, I remember the lights my father would put up on our row home porch every year.The tradition was, he put them up in time for my Mom’s December 18th birthday: it was the traditional flip of the first switch.We loved it. It was tradition, it celebrated Mom’s birthday, my birthday and the most important birthday,Christmas.As I got older and my nephew Greg was born on December 19th, I took my toddler nephew Matt out through the neighborhood to ooh and ah at all the lights.

Now I walk the girls at night and there are blown up reindeer and snow globes and God knows what else adorning lawns in neighborhoods.The lights are no longer simple,in fact some of them are LED giving a whole different glow to Christmas.I always look and admire the handiwork that I see in front of me, no matter the amount of kitsch in it, because I remember the lights of the row home 50 years ago and the warm memories with it.

Nothing like it in the world.

Nudge by Greg

My nephew Greg paid me a visit to me today.He was kind enough to pick up a prescription for Zush.

During our visit, I started busting on him about Words with friends.They give you an opportunity to nudge a player when they are not playing the game fast enough.

I said to Greg,”I hate when you do that.”**meaning hitting the nudge thing on Words with friends**

Then I showed him my knitting I am working on, and I told him that,” Here, now I am going to nudge you with my knitting.”…lol. I am working on a chenille eternity scarf. It is keeping me busy in the car when the light is good.

Zosiacare

Too bad my girl doesn’t qualify for Obama care..lol

All of a sudden Zush was in such apparent pain she kept leaving little yelps of pain out to let us know something wasn’t right. My nephew Gregory was kind enough to get over to the vet yesterday and pick up her Tramadol for her arthritis.That, we thought, would have resolved the issue but it didn’t.

This morning was not a fun scene. Zush obviously in pain yelping, Kasia wondering what’s wrong and me crying because, yes, damn it, they’re my fur kids.Managed to get through the day to 1:30, when I could leave for the girl’s 2:30pm appointment.

She was in such pain Jim had trouble getting her out of the car, but she got down and into the vet we went. Evidently, Zush’s spine was out of whack and now, with a steroid shot, and slow bathroom only walks, we’ll have our Zush up to speed in new time.When you are talking about a fur baby that’s 12 years old, well we had a big sigh of relief for our girl.She is the rock of our lives!

Below is a shot of Jim’s arm as he carries our Zush out of the back of the car.

To Paraphrase Seinfeld’s George..

The expressway was angry that day.

Well, not actually the expressway.

I left work at 5PM.

Where my bus would take the exit, there was a major back-up on the expressway because the accident closed the main road up to my current homestead.Fortunately,my nephew Greg was there to save the day.

Zush isn’t feeling well: she’s in some pain. Greg was able to go to the vet for me and pick up her medicine.We were going to meet and I was going to pay him and then we’d part.Little did we know from the texts we exchanged and I exchanged with Jim that I would still be on the bus at 6:24 and not able to get off until 6:35 by Greg’s phone.He was the one who found out what happened and I was able to relay the news to my new friends on the bus.It was like being on a lifeboat.You let your loved ones know you were ok and put dinner in the refrigerator because it’s going to be a while until I come home.Then there were the “Hello Dr Soso? I can’t make my 6:15 appointment, as I am parked in a 9 bus on the Schuylkill expressway.”There were no useless conversations on the bus today.We were all tired and frustrated adults who just wanted to get home.

Retirement looking really good right now.

Ah-choo…

We went and got flu shots this morning at our local hospital.

As usual, we turned it into a daily affair:, me, Jim, my brother and my nephew Greg.Pretty sad that is the guaranteed way we have of seeing each other in October.We have been doing this for a long while back. Jim never wanted to go for a flu shot, but for the first two years we were married, he ended up in the emergency room for the fu, so he resolves to give me a hard time every year but ends up going begrudgingly.

It is funny that I have already researched flu shots here in Undisclosed. Down here there is a drive thru flu clinic for the community. I am already anticipating giggling while I ask them if I can have fries with my shot.

If you are eligible for a flu shot, get it.It might make your fall and winter a heck of a lot nicer.

Marketing

Do you realize how much stuff we buy due to marketing?

I did a marketing study tonight for one hour. It was for Keuring Kcups.Now, because I am married to Compostman, I, when a Kcup is used, rip the top off and take the coffee out.I add the coffee to the compost.

Now, evidently, Wegmans is trying to introduce a Kcup that is able to be recycled. You push in on the cooled, used Kcup where the recycle logo is on the outside, and evidently it’s easy to rip the top off and yank the filter and coffee out.Uh, ok Wegmans,but I have been emptying the gonna fide Kcups I’ve been using for a while and recycling them. My nephew, Greg Miziorko, gave me the Kcup that is basically a shell that you fill up, use, rinse out and then use over and over. Now, that’s recycling.

After the study I stopped and was figuring out what else falls under the ‘ Due to marketing’ column, and I figure it’s just about everything. I mean, when was the last time you just used plain soap and water on your face Basics are gone…Madison avenue has ruled the stores.

It Was Thirty Years Ago Today**

** with apologies to Lennon and Mc Cartney

It was thirty years ago today,
The city of Philly started giving me pay….

Nah, I can’t twist those lyrics that badly, especially since I like that song.

But…

On this day in 1911, a dispatcher in the New York Times office sends the first telegram around the world via commercial service.On this day in 1977, NASA sent the Voyager II, an unmanned 1,820 pound spacecraft into orbit.On this day in 1984, I became a full-time employee of the city of Philadelphia.

Thirty years.**shaking my head**

I can’t believe it.

I am truly blessed, especially in the day of companies relocating, folding, high unemployment….

My nephews Matthias and Gregory weren’t even born yet.My parents were both alive and I was living in the home I grew up in.I was probably**gulp** 80 pounds thinner and a lot more optimistic.I know I was scared. I left a small publishing house to work for the city.And now, thirty years later, I work a half city block away from the home of that first post college job.

Full circle? Yup, it certainly seems that way.

I thank my brother Bob for kicking my butt into getting this job.Without this job I’d probably not be here writing this blog.My medical plan from this job got me into a protocol for my first cancer.Without it, I might have died.When I started this job, my Mom asked me to call her in the morning when I got to my desk so she didn’t have to worry about me here in the city. Toward the waning years of her life, I called her every morning to make sure she was ok.The circle of life strikes again.

It’s funny.I appreciate being my age, but that melancholia can envelope you when you stop to think about back then.I’d like to think I have learned from my mistakes I have made, and with what I have learned, stare the future down and say ,”Here I come.”

Thank God!

180 more days…

…and I,hopefully, will see 55.

Where did the time go?

When will it get here?

I get torn,especially when this past month, I had Matt Miziorko get married and Greg Miziorko graduate college and get accepted to graduate school.

Then, in the next breath, I think about getting in the office tomorrow and the job of public transportation and its’ navigation, irate taxpayers, and summer weather.The three in tandem are not my favorite trio.

One of my best buddies, Kate, threw me a birthday,rather,a half birthday party around thirty-three years ago.Egad, as I remember it like it was yesterday.She made me feel good, because having a birthday on the shortest day of the year always sucked. You were cheated in sunlight.Not that her birthday was too much better than mine because hers is in February. Boy, they were good times.

Here’s to many more!

Needing a nap

It’s hell being a social butterfly.

That is, when you are used to doing your own thing, on your own time or your employer’s time, and, quite frankly, life is routine.

For two weekends we had Jim’s surprise party, Mother’s day, time with my mother-in-law at the casino,a breast cancer walk, Gregory’s college graduation from Temple and Matt and Kat’s wedding to wrap it up with. Oh yeah, top that off with a chaser of food shopping and three loads of laundry yesterday.

Friday we are back to Undisclosed. We wonder if it misses us, because we sure missed it.It’ll be nice, as great as all these life events are, to get back to schedule.

My Godson, College Graduate

My nephew Gregory graduates from college today.Actually, today is the college of education ceremony; tomorrow is the “everybody in creation” whole university ceremony. Jim and I consider ourselves fortunate to attend the slightly smaller(lol) affair.

Gregory has worked his way through things and even got through his student teaching and is finally done.We had some good times when I lived back at our first house and would go into town with him occasionally on the train.He even would come in to my office once in a while.I get a lot of compliments about Gregory, which I proudly accept.

Greg is not done, though. He has been accepted by St.Joseph’s University in their master’s program.
I hope he knows how proud we are and how happy we are for him.

He’s a good guy!

Weekend off

Thanks to the fine quality of service Comcast delivers, I couldn’t blog yesterday due to
“Circumstances beyond our control”…

Argh!

Jim’s surprise party went off without a hitch on Saturday and I think it was safe to say a good time was had by all.The food was fabulous, and I had gotten the party trays from Jim’s employer, T&F deli. The trays were really impressive.

Sunday morning I did a breast cancer walk and got a sunburnt nose to boot. You would think I would ALWAYS remember sunscreen after the last go round at the dermatologist!In the afternoon, we went with Jim’s sister Kathy and my mother-in-law to Harrah’s casino in Chester.It was cool to hang together-we don’t get a chance to do that enough.

Now, this week, I have my godson Greg’s college graduation on Wednesday night and my nephew Matthias’ wedding. I am looking forward to both events, as both of them have grown into such men and I am so proud of both of them.

But I’m not going to lie.

I want to go “home”…I am so looking forward to getting back down to Undisclosed Deux.

800

This is my eight hundredth post.

I can’t believe I have been doing this long.

Today(12/19)is my nephew Gregory’s birthday-he is 24 years old today.
I lost two of my buddies to heaven.
Zush was younger and Kasia was a wee one when I started.
Mom was sick and still around and Bob and I were care-givers.
Jim and I lived in a different house.
I wasn’t this close to finishing out my first career.
Undisclosed location wasn’t even around.

It has been a while, and I need to thank you, my reader.I appreciate the fact you find this blog and open and read it.I am thankful for those of you who like the blog, leave comments, and even express your opinion on the blog.

Here’s to 800 more.

BTW, Happy birthday Gregory. We love you lots!

Happy Birthday….

…to my Mom is heaven.

In December she would be 91 on the 18th. It was a wonderful time in my life, as it was Mom’s birthday and then mine.Then my sister-in-law gave birth to my nephew Greg on the 19th;that made it even more special. When the dementia set in, Mom kind of remembered her birthday, I think, but tended to sleep through it.

Now she is gone.

I have my Mother-in-law who turned 95 last month, and she is a wonderful woman. She is sweet, but she’s not my Mom.There is not a day that goes by where I don’t miss her.I take comfort in the fact I believe she is in heaven, with my Dad, and her parents, sister and brothers.

It’s been a rough month for me with the passing of my friends. It actually is a pleasure to have a reminiscence of happier days and good memories.I know she is with me**chuckling** and pointing her finger at me and shaking it at something I have done or said.

Sto Lat in heaven, Mom. Party big time! 😀

N.B. Sto lat means may you live 100 years in Polish.

Senioritis

I had a special guest star with me coming into work today,: my godson, Greg.

Today he begins his senior year at Temple University and I can’t believe how the time has flown.
When he has the class time, he’ll come all the way into town with me and walk me to work.
Then he heads up to the main campus.

He has overcome a lot with his Asperbergers to get as far as he has and I, for one, can not
be prouder of him.He hopes to teach learning disabled children.

#proud Cioci
(Aunt, in Polish)

Greg to the rescue

We weren’t able to get to the Vet for the furgirls medicine, but my nephew Greg was available,
God Bless him.

The girls are having reactions to getting bit, so we were somewhat frustrated and watching
them scratch. The Vet said to get them on cortisone to calm the itch.

Greg and I are going to rendezvous to get the medicine transferred for the girls.

What a hero I have for a Godson!

Thanks, Greg!

Friday five

Haven’t done a Friday five in a long time so here goes.

I am grateful for someone taking a chance on my nephew Greg. He’s got a summer job that pays! Congrats, Greg!

I am grateful for our vet: the girls are crazy with heat & itch.. Dr.Simpson to the rescue,

Thank God for the Food Network. They have been my sanity clause that has kept me going during this insane time in my liife.

Domicile Deux has one perk. Around the house, there is a wall with all rosebushes on it. My Dad always planted roses… I miss them both!

And as usual, I am grateful for you, dear reader!

Enjoy the first day of summer.

Blech….

So the diagnosis, chapter two, was cellulitis. I never knew anyone with it, so this was a first for me.

I have tried to stay off my legs as best as I could. My nephew, Greg, came down this morning to help me. It was good of him to serve as my second legs. It would seem that I have to take antibiotics for a bit, so hopefully, this will be the end of the story.

There is no Friday five today, just gratitude for the company of my fur girls, Greg and his help and company this morning, and Jim, for always being there for me.

Have a good weekend!

Bittersweet

My nephew, Gregory, took his last final of the term yesterday at
Temple University, where he attends. Each semester, we would manage
to either come in together on the train, or at least to meet up
one way.

If things keep rolling along,it’d be a bit harder to get to a train
in the morning.I kind of see myself, unfortunately, being a bus
commuter. Oh how I will miss the quiet cars on the train.

But as Dorothy says to the Scarecrow in the Wizard of Oz,

“I’ll miss you most of all, Scarecrow.”

I’ll miss our train rides, Greg, but old Cioci will always be
there for you.

May Be so? May Be no…..

The Shingleman household is still clenching teeth to start of the month of May,
waiting for stuff to get moving.

The wonderful conductor on my morning train this morning was having a rough start
to May too .He announced a wrong stop…gotta watch so his trolley doesn’t fall off the
track.

May finds me still dealing with a zillion hours in the office dealing with issues,
and wistfully looking out the windows in the afternoon as my Queen Elizabeth solar doll
just waves on and on and…..

Here’s hoping May is a good go for us all!

Boomtown Rats….

…have the right idea-“I don’t like Mondays.”

Met my nephew Greg this morning and went to the train: there we found out the train is 10 minutes late. Greg, being an understanding guy, knew the 10 minutes translates into me catching 4:07 train home &4:40. He said go get the bus,Cioci.

Hopefully the day will improve!

It’s obscene

From the looks of it over the weekend, there seems to have been not too many imbibers
in Easter candy land this year…you walk down any aisle of any store, as my nephew
Gregory and I did this morning while buying milk for cereal.Egads! There seemed to be enough
left over Easter stuff to go through a nuclear winter.
Working in the section of town where things are a wee bit pricier,you don’t mind some of the
left overs here, as they are darn good.In fact, if you are thrifty, you probably could bypass
the initial run on the candy and hold out and get it the week or two later…still
yummy at half price!

Another Easter Sunday

I remember that as I was getting older, I would be upset with my folks when they would say about certain occasions,” It’s just another day.”

Once again, Easter hits me hard in that my parents are not here with me. My nephew Greg bought me a white hyacinth-something I traditionally would have gotten my mother, and at least a little piece of my history is repeated. Of course, it would stand to follow that I am married to a man who is allergic to flowers every time someone give me some. Not a good call for a flower lover such as myself, but, ah, the price of love….

Kielbasa was a staple of my Easter, but I would be the only one who ate it. My husband would make a few stabs at it, but that is how it goes, If you haven’t been brought up with it, I guess, you have no ties to it.

So instead, I will hold a fire in my heart for Easters past. My heart aches for my parents, but hey,

“It’s just another day.”……

Right?

Hey, it’s Tuesday!

As my nephew Greg would say, it’s as far away from Monday as you can get…amen, I say to that!
It’s has been extremely busy in the office, and it’s one time in my life I wish it wasn’t such a popular spot.

The rain has finally let up and they are calling for some March winds. Hopefully, the girls and I will be able to
get out and visit our friend Sue, and her dog Eby to say hello.To take advantage of the decent weather, we’ll be strolling around
so we all can get some exercise.

It has been a bizarre winter, to say the least. I, for one, will be ready to give spring the thumbs up tomorrow.

Happy spring to you all!

Happy Valentine’s Day!

With the help of my nephew, Greg, I managed to bring in some brownie cupcakes I made for co-workers today,because doesn’t chocolate work?

I am missing Mom and Dad today, who were my first Valentines. I still feel their love every day.

Happy Valentine’s day birthday to my retired pal, Duch, who I hope is having a helluva good first birthday away from the”home”.

I am lucky to have my two furry Valentine children, and of course, my one and only Valentine, Shingleman!

And you, my reader?

Happy Valentine’s day! Thanks for being here reading this. You guys are my daily Valentine!

Rainy Monday Reflections

As with previous Mondays, I came to work today with my nephew Gregory. We stood at the station and waited.

…and waited….as the rain came down….

The train finally came, and to my surprise, Greg called it, we got a new train on Septa’s line. It was no excuse, however, for being late. Greg so succinctly reminded me,” Uh, it’s raining…”

So we get on the train and we had to sit across from each other-no big deal there. However, I was going to take a great shot, but the conductor stood in my way.

A girl, who you can see in the picture, had her cell phone reversed with the screen facing her so she look AT herself while she was putting her make-up on. It came back to me…morning commutes in a car, bus, trying to put lipstick on..and the eternal hand mirror in your handbag. I wonder if hand mirrors have made it into the Smithsonian…lol…but I had to admit, she was using her head, er, phone. I definitely wouldn’t have had the idea to use it as a mirror.

Hell gettin’ old.

And it all started..

..with a morning with me getting dressed in a coma. End result? Two different colored blue socks now reside on my feet.

Left my Iphone at the house, and my nephew Greg couldn’t find it, although to his credit, he did give it the old college try.

My lower back is on the verge of rebelling against the rest of my body.

People are awfully LOUD today…it may blizzard later tomorrow, but they are acting like it’s a snow day here.

BUT…..

Kasia is making her way around ok: she’s taking her medicine and actually listening to people for a change.

The rest of the family is hanging in there.

I guess it’s a wash. LOL

Three hundred sixty five days

Mom is gone one year.

One year since I got to look into those eyes, hold the soft skin of her hand, sing ,talk,and pray in Polish with her.

One year since I had to sleep on the sofa, worry about her paperwork,figure out what I can have her eat,jockey with Bob regarding issues on Mom’s care, pay her caregivers….

I’d do it ALL again.

I was blessed to have her for 52 years. She always will be a big part of me.

My nephew Greg and my Mom,.circa 3 years ago

This is a picture of Mom with her grandson-my nephew, Greg.

Wednesday shuffle

Well, here we are mid-week again.

The codeine is doing its job, although I am getting an AWESOME**read high sarcasm here** sore throat to keep me guessing how run down I must be.

My nephew Greg is coming to the end of his winter break** sorry Gregory** but I know he is ready to get back to Temple and his classes.

The day being somewhat dreary, I can only let my mind go to hopes of spring and my Phillies pitchers and catchers reporting to spring training in a month.

At least time is marching on!

Greg

Today is my nephew Gregory’s birthday.

Talk about change and hard work. Greg always was a good student, but while attending Temple University, I have seen him apply himself and watched him mature to a 23 year old man who knows exactly what he wants in life.

Greg often would come down to the house and leave with me for work. We’d people watch on the train, and more times than not, he’d accompany me to the office. He’d talk to my co-workers and leave them laughing.

Happiest of birthdays, my Greg. We are all so proud of the fine young man you have become.

Sto lat!

Getting a bit close..

…to my Mom’s birthday.

She would be 90 this Tuesday and it is rough.

We were mother and daughter and occasionally we were partners in crime back in the early days, but this month was the one bond we both had in common-DECEMBER. You see her birthday was the 18th, my nephew Gregory turns 23 on the 19th and I round it up on the 22nd.

I remember how I was watching Mom during one of last year’s hurricane threats and it had turned out that there was actually a tornado watch in the area. What was I going to do? Stay in a closet and watch Mom and her hospital bed get sucked out the window? I made up my mind, and despite whatever the level of the threat was, I sat on the kitchen chair that we kept by her bed and held her hand and talked to her in Polish. I remember thinking to myself that if I were to be hit by lightning or something else happening, it was appropriate, as I was holding the hand of the woman who brought me into this world. How fitting would it be if we left this world together. In short, I was as calm as could be because I was with Mom and knew whatever would happen, we were together.

I know how people always will tell you the first year is the hardest, and I can vouch for a fact that it is. If I can get through the birthday week, however, I’d like to think it’ll be ok. I know she’s with Dad and they are having the 1234 cake that she used to make, and it’ll be a good, heavenly birthday for her.

I just wish it didn’t hurt so much.

**sigh**

You never know

We had gotten some terrible news about a family friend/acquaintance

She was 69 years old and in the best of health and was killed in an accident while walking on this past Saturday.

Yup, you heard me right-walking.

I won’t go into details but she was hit and declared dead at the scene.

Happily married for a ton of years.

Loving Mom and Grandmom, Sister, and friend.

Busy with charities, organizations,….life, to be precise.

Gone.

Just like that.

As I always say, life is so short.

Really.

Blink your eye and a decade goes in a minute.

I especially am aware of that when talking to my nephews Matt and Gregory.

People carry a lot of baggage around, waiting for their “mojo” to effect other people around them.
Well, guess what?

The Man upstairs has the final word.

Hurricane Sandy

I only had one niece.

Her name was Alexandra, and she passed away in September of 1997.

My two nephews here, Matt and Greg, used to call her Sandy.

I don’t think Greg remembers her that much, but Matt and I chatted about her the other day, and about how we missed her.

I am hoping “Sandy” will cut us some slack and send her namesake further up the coast, leaving Undisclosed in one piece.

**Fingers crossed**

Mixed up day

Today has had a hell of a start.

My father would have been 92 today. Not a day goes by where I don’t miss him.

Came into work with my nephew Greg, and we proceeded to spend a week on a Septa train this morning. Needless to say, I clocked in 1/2 hour late, and Greg had to get off the stop at Temple, because his time was limited.

I had an amusing chat with my seat mate on the train, as we exchanged barbs that only two women who have commuted for over 30 years can let go with.

It can only get better!**fingers crossed**

Friday five

Am I ever grateful for my BFF ‘s….they are true pillars of support…and it’s great because they KNOW who they are.

God gifted me with a great Dad for thirty eight years. I have missed him terribly for the past fourteen years and will love him forever.

I am grateful my nephew Greg has the chance to start another year at Temple university. He makes our family so proud.

I am absolutely grateful for a good night’s sleep: I only wish they came more often.

Finally, especially after seeing what my Mom went through, I am grateful for my memories: I hold them all close to appreciate the comfort they bring.

Have a good Friday!

Friday five

My godson/nephew Greg has been my right hand this summer. From meeting me once in a while at the train, changing my flag out front, to taking care of mom’s lawn…I tell him constantly how thankful I am, and I hope he knows it!

The lousy heat has raised its’ head again. I am grateful to be employed and cashing a check that allows me an occasional iced coffee splurge.

I also am glad and thankful for my faith: my parents were with me in a dream-I know they are together and happy!

It’s August, and it is our anniversary month: I am blessed to have my Jim, even when he is freezing and I am sweating to death! 🙂

In closing , thank you, reader! I am glad you’re here.

Back at the Office…

I’m ba-a-ack!

You do not realize how much you miss a job until you are given a “darker” job, which, in my case, was a juror in a double murder trial. It finished yesterday, and I never was so glad to come to work as I was today.

I had an extra bonus surprise: my nephew, Gregory Miziorko, accompanied me in this morning. He is attending Temple University, and since he was early, came with me to the office before returning to school.

Co-workers are happy to see me, and I them.

It’s good to be back!

Above, a photo of my nephew, Greg.

Again?

Another Sunday night, and for the third consecutive Monday, I am headed for jury duty.

Again.

The trial is up to us deliberating, and who is up to their eyeballs in coffee. Again, I will be leaving the house with my nephew Greg, and once more, we will be on train, heading for town. Spending time with Greg has been the highlight of jury duty. It has been fascinating to see the criminal justice system in action: not something I want to repeat, but fascinating, none the less.

Like Zush, I am tired …but will hang in there…

Have a good week.

Legal Eagle

Tomorrow the whole ball of wax commences.

My godson Greg Miziorko will meet me in the morning and we will ride the train together into town, albeit he gets off at Temple, one stop before mine.

Change is good,and sitting on a jury is a daunting experience. I hope my hacking will be calm, and the experience is good. My iPhone is permitted in, and it is not allowed on in the court room.However, below is a new pair of sandals I bought to celebrate!

Ally McBeal, eat your heart out !!! Lol!

Holy Saturday

Well, after cleaning out Mom’s closet today to the tune of seven black trash bags, well, suffice it to say I put a dent in the process: hard to do with a heavy heart.

My night was capped off with Greg , my nephew, and my brother Bob, and dying Easter eggs. We even had my nephew Matt on the speaker phone for a bit , and that made it nice . Eggs are dyed, kielbasa is ready, now on to Holy Saturday!!

Another Friday Five

With this being a really, really rough week for me, I had to dig deep for this week’s five things I am thankful for.

1. In thinking back to Mom’s last four years, I am thankful I still have my mind, although I know there are friends of mine who would argue that fact…lol. Watching someone you love and care about slip into dementia is a horrible thing. I thank God for every day that I can sit at this computer and put thoughts together in my head and they make it out to the screen in front of me.

2.I am thankful for (almost) all the men in my life, past and present. Shingleman leads the way, but my brother Bob, nephews Matt and Greg,” Mr.Mel”, my honorary father-in-law,JP, who became a friend from the moment I met him professionally but look forward to holding our friendship as we get a little older, Jamie Moyer, who although he is in Colorado, I had the pleasure of talking to him once on a corner in Center City and he really, really put class in the definition of athlete, and the guys I have loved and lost, or they have loved and lost me….either way, I am wiser and stronger person for having the experience of knowing them, …I could go on and on…you get my drift, right?

3. I am thankful that I have a clean, made bed upstairs waiting for me to go to sleep in. Some folks don’t.

4. I am thankful for you all who read this blog: it is so uplifting to know someone is actually reading this and so far, almost all of you seem to think this is pretty good sometimes and I am not totally losing my mind yet….just kidding.

5.Butter krak and butter creme, hell, even coconut creme Easter eggs…after all, doesn’t chocolate solve all the worlds problems? 😉

Have a wonderful weekend!

Marian

Changing of the Flag

My nephew, Greg, came over after class yesterday and changed my hanging flag/banner that I keep out of pthe house. It is always good to have a nephew do this for you, especially when they are 6 foot tall or over!

I had a snowman flag that went up after Halloween was over, and it stayed there for a bit. I always like to put up the snowman because I figure I am at least committed to a season and not a holiday. I am covered through the first day of spring with the snowman, and the fact that our temperatures were in the 70’s, well, the snowman had seen his day.Sometimes I can get Jim to change it, but with the shingle situation, well, I thought it was best to ask Greg if he’d help his old aunt out.

Below is a shot of Greg with the Amish buggy flag. I usually go to the Amish flag until Jim’s birthday , and then go to the Cape May lighthouse for the summer, and then a maple leaf flag for the fall.

Thanks, Greg!

;

Happy Birthday, Titanium Style!

It was one year ago, on the 18th of March, that I had my two knees taken apart, and two new titanium knees put in their place.

It has been a long haul… LONG, long haul..I did my PT post-op , and I can do steps , but not quite well enough to make me happy. I know it takes time, but you wish you can walk, er, should I say, ambulate, as a “regular” person. I can bend my knees and often do my exercises to keep them a little limber, but sometimes, you think it would be nice just to be able to jump out of a car. I am just biding my time, trying to get the weight down, and make the knees work.

It was hysterical to look at the picture that I have added to this post one year post-op. I remember the relief at actually having my knees done. The mere fact that when I’d be standing up, I would no longer hear the crunch crunch of bone on bone when I would walk-that was a thought that made my day. The bow-legged stance that I had adapted along the way would be a thing of the past, and I was so happy to say good-bye to it. My youngest dog daughter, Kasia, NEVER had a real walk with me. New knees would allow me to finally get her out with Zush on a real walk. Zush, who suffered with me as my knees went downhill, would be walking full-steam with me again. As my nephew Greg would say, “It’s a win-win” situation.

Thank you to all who have helped me, prayed for me, supported me and stayed by me during this year. I have another 29 years to go on the warranty, according to Dr. Bartolozzi…..here’ hoping!

An actual post op shot of one of the two knees the hours after surgery.

Green Acres

Please forgive the lousy shot that you above, as I took it with my Iphone and the devil dog,Kasia, pulling on the leash at the same time.

It’s a chicken and a rooster

Yup, you read right: a chicken and a rooster, albeit behind a Rubbermaid fence.

Our house is right next to the Wissahickon Valley, and one of our neighbors with a large single property has taken it on himself to have a few chickens and roosters, and he lets them roam free. He says he “loves the fresh eggs in the morning.” Uh, ok. Now, our house is not in the immediate vicinity of this guy’s house, so I don’t know about the noise or smell issue, but I know when I see them out, they are quiet. I should say, when the dogs see them out, because all of a sudden the leash tightens, Kasia pulls, and Zush just says it’s just the birds. I laughed as I walked my nephew Greg up to his house the other day, because I remember a time when I first discovered that the chickens lived in the neighborhood, and would walk across the road into the Wissahickon valley. It seems that either time, the neighbor, or something/one else would occasionally subtract a chicken from the bunch.

By the way, what would you call it? A flock of chickens, a herd of chickens?

Some people would call it one thing……. DINNER!

Wearing Red today..

..since it is the day to call attention for Women’s Heart health. In addition, I am giving blood today too.

I find that women probably have the strongest hearts that I know of. How many times can we have our hearts broken and yet still rally to pull everything together?

Seriously? Take care of yourself. Take care of your heart. I am trying to drop the weight to help my heart, with the help of my nephew Greg-he is my strongest cheerleader.

But take care of yours, ok? I am glad you are able to read this entry and would be sad if you weren’t.

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