Off to Buffalo

A few months ago my daughter-in-law told me I could not make any plans over New Year's. I usually go to my daughter's in Wisconsin to babysit. So I had conjured up several possibilities for this mystery gift:

1.) an extreme makeover where some supposed fashion expert takes one look at my wardrobe and tells me the 60's are over. I am forced to buy new clothes, get make up, get my hair done, etc. I hope this isn't the surprise.

2.) mission organization comes into my home, (....shutter....) , declutters and organizes everything.

3.) a trip to my sister's in NY. She has a big New Year's party every year, I've only been once. Her dgtr is home from the Army on leave, gets married in Feb in Hawaii where she is stationed.

4.) spa days locally.

Well, number 3 was the correct answer. I leave tomorrow afternoon for Buffalo. That is Buffalo, NY, not MN. Buffalo, MN is about an hour away.I hope the storms and delays in Chicago don't mess up the schedule too much. This will be my first visit back home since my ICU stay and near death. It will be good to see friends and cousins again. The New Year's party is January 1st in the late morning - early afternoon. I return on Thursday. I look forward to lots of photo taking and scrapbooking. I hope the little shop in the airport that sells beef on wick is open. No place else has beef on wick like Buffalo does.

Snow Emergencies

Saint Paul and Minneapolis act like cities which never see snow. When I first moved here 19 years ago I don't think the city ever plowed. Cars disappeared into deep ruts on Hague Avenue where I lived. Then a few years ago they did a turn about and declared snow emergencies every time it snowed 2 inches or more. Like many cities many, if not most residents, park on the street. So, what happens when you don't move your car during a snow emergency? You got it, you get towed. Residents have to play snow tag. Each city has its own rules about which side of the street, whether north/south, or east/west streets you can park on depending if it's an even or odd day. In other words, you need to be an engineer or math major to figure out where and when you park. This time around the snow emergency was declared on Christmas Day so out of town visitors woke up to no car. Scrooge had visited. Or residents came back from being away to find their cars gone. Both cities claim they make no money on tows. Yah, sure, you betcha. Someone makes money. Fortunately I have never been towed but I'm good at playing the game. Emily once got a ticket in Roseville while visiting her brother for an hour. At least they didn't get around to towing her before her visit was over. Yesterday I was at the scrapbook shop and lo and behold, some poor sucker is going to wonder where their car went.

God's Grandeur

Today is one of those days that recalls the words of Gerard Manley Hopkins' poem, God's Grandeur. I had a nun in college who thought Hopkins was second only to William Shakespeare. You say you don't know Gerard Manley Hopkins? If you went to high school in New York state you did study him in English class, it was required in the days when the entire state followed the regents' curriculum. So I knew of him prior to education by the Grey Nuns of the Sacred Heart but it was in college that he was presented as the greatest poet of the Victorian Age.

Gerard Manley Hopkins (July 28, 1844 – June 8, 1889), a Jesuit priest, was an English poet whose posthumous, 20th-century fame established him among the finest Victorian poets. His experimental explorations in prosody (especially in regard to sprung rhythm) and his vibrant use of imagery established him as both an original and daring innovator in a period of largely traditional verse. In 1864, Hopkins' reason for conversion to Catholicism was because of the reading of the deeply moving John Henry Newman's Apologia pro vita sua.

I wasn't particularly fond of Hopkins myself but every once in awhile a day arrives that reminds me of his best known poem, and today is one of those days.

So, here it is. I'm sure Sister Mary (can't remember rest of name), GNSH, is smiling down on me. She and Gerard are probably enjoying a spot of tea on such a grand day.

The world is charged with the grandeur of God.

It will flame out, like shining from shook foil;

It gathers to a greatness, like the ooze of oil

Crushed. Why do men then now not reck his rod?

Generations have trod, have trod, have trod;

And all is seared with trade; bleared, smeared with toil;

And wears man's smudge and shares man's smell: the soil

Is bare now, nor can foot feel, being shod.



And for all this, nature is never spent;

There lives the dearest freshness deep down things;

And though the last lights off the black West went

Oh, morning, at the brown brink eastward, springs--

Because the Holy Ghost over the bent

World broods with warm breast and with ah! bright wings.


Hopefully the sun will come out and I can add more photos.

The Day the Wind Blew

Saturday we got a little new snow. The day was balmy by Minnesota standards, in the 20's, sun shining.The cats enjoyed playing in the snow on the balcony.This set of photos were all taken Saturday.

Then Sunday arrived. It was about 5 degrees but with the wind felt much colder. The wind blew and blew yesterday. 30 mph all day with gusts that were up to 50 mph. It was cloudy to begin with, then with the falling,blowing snow there was no visibility. I had plans to go out shopping but quickly changed my mind and stayed in all day. There were so many accidents yesterday. People really need to stay home during this kind of bad weather.Nothing is so important it can't wait for another day. Gifts can be exchanged at another time. Really, the wise men didn't appear on Christmas, they came later. We celebrate it liturgically at a different time, which would seem to be the better time to exchange gifts. Some people won't be opening their Christmas gifts due to dying in car accidents from the bad weather. 9 died in MN due to weather related accidents.I tried taking some photos but the view from my apt all day were whiteout conditions. The photos just show white on white, I moved them to the trash.

Wexford, my big dark gray/white cat, is becoming friends with my 6 month old grandson Armando. He's the only one of the cats who plays with the baby. Armando tugs on his ears, which he loves. Armando stayed overnight with me, his parents went to the Vikings game at the Dome. The Vikings lost. Alex and Camila are both working today so Armando is still me me. It's nap time.

My 10 y.o. grandson found out today he is getting a baby brother in May. Ever since his Mom learned she was pregnant he has been so excited and hoping for a boy. The new baby won't be my grandchild but I will treat him like another grandchild. A baby is a baby, always a reason to rejoice.

I hope each of you is having a peaceful, sober holiday, enjoying time with family and friends.

Thursdays With Armando

Thursdays are my days with my 6 month old grandson. At 4 1/2 months he was transitioned to day care. He is in a great Spanish speaking daycare. It is good for him to be with other little rugrats. It is also great having one day alone with his abuela. Today we are going to the school where I was the school nurse for 15 years. It serves special needs kids. We want Armando getting used to kids who are different. Today is the Christmas program.

It has been super gray outside this week. Very depressing. Today the sun is out ;-) I have cardinals in the trees. So far I can't get photos, I open the sliding door to my balcony and away they go.

BTW, while I sometimes write about my grandchildren you won't see their photos here. I am not willing to share their photos publically due to the weirdos who troll blogs and other sites looking for child photos, which they copy and then alter. It's a sad commentary on life today but that's the way it is.

This photo is the view looking out my window.

El gato en Colombia

Here is a photo of my son's birth sister's cat. His sister loves cats too. She is a wonderful 13 y.o. girl and we are very glad to know her and her Mom (Alex's Mom too).

Yes, It's true......

I have 4 cats. Well, I really have 3 but I am a foster mom to my son's cat for now. Frankly I can't imagine life without cats. My sister is the same way. Right now there is a tiny kitten hanging out around her house. She feeds it daily and hopes it will come to trust her and join the family. I'm not sure how many cats Helen currently has. I think 4. Her husband is also a cat lover.

Think I should send this photo to my pulmonologist? LOL. Yes, he does know I have cats. He just rolls his eyes and keeps his opinion to himself because he knows I will NEVER get rid of my cats.

Winter Wonderland

I have been at my daughter's house the past week. Sunday morning we woke up to see all the trees covered with heavy frost. It was truly beautiful.

Can you see the bunny in Emily's backyard?

OK Emily, I Know....

I'm not keeping up with my "daily" blogging. But I'm keeping up with at least one photo/day. It's hard being old, LOL.

These are photos I took yesterday on Hwy 29 in Wisconsin. I always see Amish buggies somewhere along the route. I was losing hope yesterday, saw none around Abbotsford. But then around Stanley I did. One horse got spooked by all the cars so the man had to get out and lead him across the road. I wouldn't want to cross 29 either,

Keeping Up

I have kept up with a photo per day. Now blogging is a different story. At this moment I am getting ready to do penance: Christmas shopping at the Mall of America. But I wanted to post a few photos I've taken with the Canon Rebel EOS my son gave me. Uffda, I have a lot to learn about this camera. The first 2 photos are of my favorite scrapbook store. The 3rd is of 2 of my cats and my foster cat.

New Camera

My younger son updated his camera so he gave me his Canon Rebel EOS. I can't wait to start taking photos with it. I'm thinking I'll have to sign up for a course on using it. I'm not sure what Alex's new camera is, I just know it cost $4,500!!! He is in his 3rd year of college, majoring in photography.

More snow is predicted for tomorrow. I hope the storm will be followed by sun so I can get better photos than I did of the weekend storm. It's been overcast and cloudy since our 6 inches on Saturday.

I took cat photos today but my posted photo is of one taken this summer. I live to swim. Obviously I did not take the photo, LOL. I'm not a Bernadette.

Wrinkles and Genetics

This photo is of my great grandmother, taken at age 90. My sister, and I are clones of her. Our deceased mother also looked just like her. It is very weird to look at a photo that is over a hundred years old and see yourself. What I like though is her perfect complexion. I have very few wrinkles despite years of growing up on a lake in the pre sunscreen days. My mother had a few more wrinkles but she smoked, and that is one thing that can increase wrinkles. But she still was relatively wrinkle free compared to peers. You can never underestimate the role of genetics. I did everything right as far as promoting good health: never smoked, never drank, grew up on organic food. But on my father's side of the family it is hard to find someone who doesn't have cancer. So, I have cancer but hot damn I have a good complexion.

Another condition that is genetically determined in my opinion is osteoporosis. No female on either side of my family ever had a broken hip or any other bone fractures after menopause. Nor did any of the men have old age fractures or significant loss of height. I have no estrogen in my body, thanks to anti-estrogen cancer treatment;do not drink milk or eat much dairy, take no calcium supplements, and do drink coke. Yet my bone density is at 125% for my age. I have the bone density of a healthy 25 y.o. male. I know my walking and weight bearing exercise help but genetics is just as important.

When it comes to genetics however we cannot choose our genes. I'm just glad I didn't get the wrinkle or osteoporosis gene.

Photo Challenge

Gina, Mitch, and I have challenged each other to take a photo per day. We began today, a good day to begin since we have our first snow of the season. I took several photos and I'm sure they did too. Gina and I are going to try and blog everyday too. It should be easier for me given my retirement status. Gina has 3 jobs and is always busy but I think she'll blog more regularly than I will. But I do like challenges so I may just keep up with her.

It began snowing this a.m. The forecast was for 6 to 10 inches but I would say we only have about 5 inches.It has stopped snowing for the moment but may snow more during the night. It is very pretty outside, like it always is with freshly fallen snow. Tomorrow I'm going to walk through Crosby Park. It is full of spooky old trees, a beaver dam (still haven't been able to get a photo of the beavers), deer, at least one red fox, and various other animals, all in the heart of the city.

Today's photo is the view outside my apartment. You can see the tracks on which the train goes by several times a day. I love the sounds of trains. Trains bring back memories of my grandmother coming to visit us, my trips to New York City on the Phoebe Snow, and the McBride farm in Chester, NY. The railroad tracks were across from the black earth onion farm Uncle Will and Aunt Carrie operated.