Did you miss me?

I took a break from the blog. I would love to say it was because life was too busy. But that was not the case.

Mostly I've just uninspired. Plus I've been on Facebook.

Here's a bullet list update:

Health:
Only one major attack - diplopia - double vision. It sucked. I was off work for a week. Had to use up vacation time.

Hair
Got a haircut - nice and short. With face framing high lights

Home
While Tom was on vacation for a week I got new carpet throughout the house. Berber. I'm quite happy with it.

Vacation
Tom went on vacation to Wildwood for a week in July with his family. I stayed home. It was heaven on earth.

Reunion
July marked my 20th High School class reunion. As usual, the drama I concocted in my head was non-existent.

Family
While I was down for the count with the diplopia my sister came in for a flying visit on her way back from a trip to Washington State. She was jet-lagged and I was sick. Not our best visit but it is always good to see her. In May, my Cousin Heidi gave birth to a dumpling of a baby named Josephine or Josie for short.

Friends
My best good friend Sanna is getting married in October. I couldn't be happier for her. She has a good man in Dave.

Marriage
Life is going swimmingly with Tom. We celebrated 16 years of marriage this July. Woo-hoo!

Age
I turned 38 this past April. I'm getting old and my neck is showing it. I swear it is starting to turn crepey. Tom got me a lovely wooden bench for the front porch.

Household projects
I'm not a big project girl, so the fact that I took time out of my weekend to stain the jelly cupboard I've had for over 5 years is worth remarking about.

Library
I've started going to the library again. I put going on hiatus while I finished reading all the books I've gotten as gifts. I'm reading Dick Francis right now.

Netflix
As always I'm watching my movies from my queue. Right now I'm watching NYPD Blue and Barney Miller.

And now it is fall and I'm feeling the need to write again. Let us see if I can keep up the blogging!! Wish me luck.

the end

I've been tied to this NaBloPoMo during this, the shortest month of the year and I am so tired of thinking up new ideas.

Next month the topic is "strange(ers).

You'll be delighted to know that I most certainly am not committing myself to the challenge.

Jen out.

teeth

Have you ever tried pulling a loose tooth by tying a string to the tooth and to a door knob and then shut the door?

I think I may have tried that when I was young and stupid.

Classic Tie Knots #4 - Prince Albert

Shorter men often have to fight with silk neck ties that are too long. No matter what they do, the ends always dangle way too far over the buckle belt. For them it helps to wind around the broad end several times. This method of course has a name - it is called Albert. Someone who prefers a big, but longish knot, - as the Italians do – should know how to tie the Prince Albert necktie knot. The procedure is almost identical with the one of the Four-in-hand knot.

dress

When I was a little girl, my mother oftern made my clothes. She would make dresses with ties in the back and if I wasn't paying attention when I would go to the bathroom, the ties would fall into the toilet and get wet.

There is nothing worse than walking around with a wet tie slapping your bare leg.

apron strings

Although my husband has given me a lot to complain about over the years, I can say that being tied to his mother's apron string was never an issue.

After he graduated high school he left home to go into the Marines and he really never went back.

His mother married an unpleasant man and Tom never got along with him so it was easy to stay away.

She did have a hold on him, but it was really one of obligation and guilt more than anything else.

She could wish with all her might, but Tom would never be a Mama's boy.

CLassic Tie Knots #3 - Bow Tie

The origin of the bow tie dates to the 17th century when Croatian mercenaries fought in support of Louis XIII against Cardinal Richelieu. As the Croats walked the streets of Paris, their brightly colored scarves caught the attention of the Court. The upper class began wearing creatively tied versions of the scarves around their necks and the bow tie was born.

Railroad

This memory is compliments of my Mother


When we moved into our new house, the front of the house was landscaped using railroad ties as borders for the shrubbery. Shortly after we moved in, Mum planted tulips out front and one spring something ate the buds off the tulip stalks before they ever had a chance to bloom? She thought there might be a little varmint of some kind that was biting them off so Dad decided to flip over a railroad tie and there was a little cache of the missing tulip buds! They were not sure what did that but suspected it was a mole. They speculated that it could have been a chipmunk but they had never seen one around.

It will always be an unsolved mystery.

Classic Tie Knots #2 - Four-in-hand

Also known as a simple knot, the four-in-hand is believed to be the most popular method of tying ties due to its simplicity. The knot dates back to England in the days of the coach-and-four where the men driving the coach knotted their ties in this manner to help prevent them from flapping in the wind. The knot produced by this method is on the narrow side, slightly asymmetric, and appropriate for all occasions. It works best with wide ties made from heavy fabrics and should be worn with a tab, button-down or regular spread collar. It's a classic knot for any occasion and is most widely used.

a little information

Because I'm running out of interesting things to say about the word "tie", I'm cutting and pasting the following information. I can't wait until this month is over. I don't know what possessed me to do a whole month about "ties"


Tie clips serve a very important function along with being decorative. Men’s ties are intended to cover the button of the dress shirt and also provide a line of contrast and interest. Many fashion experts often suggest that a properly selected tie conveys the personality of the wearer. Unfortunately, even the most expensive silk tie cannot compete with wind and gravity and can easily blow out of place with a quick gust of air and unsecured tie can also find its way into a paper shredder or other machine. A tie clip places approx two thirds of the way down the front of a neck tie and keep it secured through most situations.

Now you know!

A song

Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport

">

tying shoes

My Dad taught me how to tie my shoes. I practiced over and over again until I got it just right.

Then when I was in sixth grade I got a pair of sneakers with velcro. They were gray and pink. I loved them dearly.

Now of course I wouldn't be caught dead with velco sneakers.

But I wear sneakers every day. Because of the MS I can't really feel my feet and sneakers are pretty much the only shoes that don't fall off my feet.

Who taught you to tie your shoes?

Classic Tie Knots #1 - Windsor

Falsely named after the Duke of Windsor, the Windsor knot (also known as the full Windsor or double Windsor) is a wide triangular knot that is usually worn for formal occasions. This type of knot looks best worn with a shirt collar that is considerably cut-away.

drunk as a skunk

To tie one on - intentionally get drunk.

I can honestly say....I've tied one on. On more that one occasion. That's what you do in college.

Only I don't think I've ever deliberately used that phrase. But I have definitely tied one on. Tequila.

It'll do it to you every time.

a joke

Q. What did the necktie say to the hat?

A. You go on ahead, I'll just hang around.

remember

We've been watching the Olympics tonight and I very nearly forgot my post for today.

Perhaps I should have tied a string around my finger?

Tie A Yellow Ribbon Round the Old Oak Tree

">

bungie tie

My father is a world-class bungie-tie spotter.

He can see a rogue bungie-tie on the road from a speeding vehicle. I can't count the number of times, while we were growing up, that he would suddenly pull over to snag one.

I'm not exactly sure what he does with them.

It might be part of my inheritance.

Hair tie

Today I would have given my kingdom for a hair tie, ribbon, rubber band, barrette, bobby pin, ANYTHING to get my hair up off my face.

I'm growing my hair out and the bangs are just too MUCH!!

In another month or so it should be long enough to tuck behind my ear, but right now I have to suffer with it flopping in my eyes.

I feel like an English sheep dog.

Woof!

Tie game

FYI - With the exception of the play-offs and the Super Bowl, NFL games can and do end in a tie.

They say a tie game is like kissing your sister.

Tongue tied

Sometimes I get so tongue-tied when I'm trying to explain something to my boss that everything comes out bass ackwards and I'm sure he walks away wondering why he's paying me the big bucks.

Today was no exception.

If he would just give me the chance to explain without jumping to conclusions we might have a smoother time of it.

Just once I would like to hold up my hand and say very firmly, "Let me finish my sentence, if you please!"

tying the knot

Breaking news……this just in….

You all know my best good friend Sanna, right?

Her boyfriend of 3 years popped the question yesterday and it is official. They are engaged to be wed.

They are thinking an October wedding.

We are pleased.

Now starts the wedding planning.

Blest Be The Tie That Binds

Because it is Sunday....

Blest be the tie that binds
Our hearts in Christian love;
The fellowship of kindred minds
Is like to that above.

Before our Father’s throne
We pour our ardent prayers;
Our fears, our hopes, our aims are one
Our comforts and our cares.

We share each other’s woes,
Our mutual burdens bear;
And often for each other flows
The sympathizing tear.

When we asunder part,
It gives us inward pain;
But we shall still be joined in heart,
And hope to meet again.

This glorious hope revives
Our courage by the way;
While each in expectation lives,
And longs to see the day.

From sorrow, toil and pain,
And sin, we shall be free,
And perfect love and friendship reign
Through all eternity.

">

Clip on

When I think of ties, I always think of my paternal grandfather, Pa-pa. He was an Evangelicial minister who was very dignified and proper.

He always wore a jacket and tie. A clip-on tie, but a tie nonetheless.

He also liked to liberally douse himself in aftershave. He particularly liked Carrington.

Pa-pa was a vigorous, voracious hugger and the scent of the aftershave would cling to my clothes long after he and Grandma departed.

tie dye

I'm a girl who likes her tie dye.

I have several shirts, mostly Grateful Dead that are tie dyed.

When I was picking out the tuxes for our wedding, I so very bady wanted to have tie-dyed bow ties and cummerbands. But the wedding planner talked me out of it. I went with plain boring black instead.

I tried tie-dyeing one time and failed miserably. The colors were a mish-mash and faded too quickly.

There is a definite art tie-dying.

Now I leave it up to the professionals like my friend Mike The Hippie.

Colombian necktie

My co-worker...the treacherous, can't be trusted one. She is Colombian.

Over the years I have learned it is best not to cross her. She is always right and let us just say that we could never have a reasonable discussion wherein I might happen to point out that she is wrong, wrong, wrong. The conversation would quickly escalate to a yelling (on her part) match.

I live in fear and dread that one day I might wake up with a Colombian necktie.

A Colombian necktie is a method of execution where the victim's throat is slashed (with a knife or other sharp object) and their tongue is pulled out through the open wound. It was a frequent method of killing during the Colombian history period called La Violencia that started in 1948 after the leader Jorge Eliecer Gaitan was murdered.

knotty problem

in college, i was a theatre arts major. in one of my stagecraft classes i spent a whole month learning how to tie knots.

knots are huge in the theatre. what with all the rigging and ropes and everything. we learned that long ago, sailors were often stagehands. and sailors certainly know how to tie knots!!

i carried a length of rope with me wherever i went to practice my knots. i passed the knot tying test. but i couldn't tie a knot now if my life depended on it.

belt it

Fred Astaire often used a neck-tie as a belt.

I read somewhere that he got the idea from Errol Flynn who, by the way, apparently was able to play "You Are My Sunshine" on the piano.

With his penis.

No need to thank me for that little tid-bit.

NaBloPoMo

Sometimes NaBloPoMo comes up with a good theme to blog about. This month it is "ties".

It could be about "the ties that bind". Or it could be about the men's accessory.

Today I'm going to talk about the twist-tie on a loaf of bread.

We have an ongoing battle in our house about this little piece of paper-cover wire or the plastic clip, depending on your loaf of bread.

I take it off and throw it away and then just twist the bag closed.

Tom puts is back on. Twisting the wire ever so neatly and tightly.

I'm sure there is a metaphor of our marriage in there somewhere.

What do you do with the tie?

Team player....my ass

All through the month of December, we had upheaval in our office. One of my co-workers (we’ll call her DeeDee) decided she didn’t like the “attitude” of the other girl (KiKi). Because DeeDee got KiKi the job, she threatened to take the job away.

I told KiKi that only SHE could lose her job, by not doing it well. As it turns out I was wrong.

Through a series of lies, manipulations and machinations, DeeDee got KiKi fired. For no real reason. I guess is pays to flash your boobies and flirt with the hapless office manager.

KiKi was of tremendous help in the office. I know I truly appreciated the things she did for me. It certainly made my life easier.

Now we’ve all had to take on a few of the tasks that KiKi was primarily responsible for. The few more things I have had added to my plate are irksome but not taxing. When the boss asked us to help out I really had no choice.

DeeDee on the other hand is starting to feel the pinch. She is working harder than I’ve seen her work since KiKi first came on board nearly 18 months ago.

My work for the day is nearly done and I could be offering to help her, but since she and she alone decided that we no longer needed KiKi she can just suffer.

My team spirit only goes so far.

enough

Can I just tell you all how so over my job I am right now?

I don’t even want to go into work anymore.

I have a treacherous co-worker, a boss with a too quick temper and a new office manager that needs to grow a pair.

I’m THISCLOSE to polishing up my resume, cleaning out my desk and calling it a day.

Thank you

A big thank you to my good friend Melody who sent me cookies. Homemade cookies!! All the way from Kentucky!! The were peanut butter and jelly cookies and were scrumptious. I shared them with Tom and he gave his stamp of approval by eating the majority of them.

A thank you also goes to my best good friend Sanna, who sent me books from my Amazon.com wish list. I do so love my wish list. I also got a cookbook from my SIL off my wish list.

And thanks to my sister Jody and her family for hosting Christmas In Vermont.

Just For Today

How about this for some good resolutions for the New Year?

This was adapted from the original credo of Al-Anon.

Just for today: I will live through this day only I will not brood about yesterday or obsess about tomorrow. I will not set far-reaching goals or try to overcome all of my problems at once. I know that I can do something for 24 hours that would overwhelm me if I had to keep it up for a lifetime.

Just for today: I will be happy. I will no dwell on thought that depress me. If my mind fills with clouds, I will chase them away and fill it with sunshine.

Just for today: I will accept what is. I will face reality. I will correct those things that I can correct and accept those I cannot.

Just for today: I will improve my mind. I will read something that requires effort, thought and concentration. I will not be a mental loafer.

Just for today: I will make a conscious effort to be agreeable. I will be kind and courteous to those who cross my path, and I’ll not speak will of others. I will improve my appearance, speak softly and not interrupt when someone else is talking.

Just for today: I will refrain from improving anybody but myself.

Just for today: I will do something positive to improve my health. If I’m a smoker, I’ll quit. If I am overweight I will eat healthfully – if only just for today. And not only that, I will get off the couch and take a brisk walk, even if it’s only around the block.

Just for today: I will gather the courage to do what is right and take responsibility for my own actions.

2010

In case you haven't heard, it's 2010.

I'm not going to bore you with a list of things that I resolved last year and didn't follow through nor am I going to list my resolutions for this year.

I am however, going to tell you that at the start of the new year, I am going to continue on my path to be a kinder, gentler Jen. Here's what I'm going to do:

I'm going to continue to not quarrel with my husband anymore than necessary.
I'm going to continue to bite my tongue when dealing with family members
I'm going to continue to bide my time with my co-worker. She made the last two months of 2009 miserable.
I'm going to continue to keep my head up when dealing with the MS, although sometimes I just want to break down and cry, but that does no one any good and only makes me feel sorry for myself.
I'm going to continue to sock money away for a rainy day. This whole not going to Wal-mart every couple of days was a wise move.
I'm going to continue to try and find the good in everyone.