%%USERNAME%%    %%ACCWORDS%% %%ONOFF%% |
 |    My random thoughts and reactions to my everyday life. The voices like a forum. |
| I do not know quite what happened or when , but my hubby and I now qualify for seniors' discounts at some venues. This creates a quandary; in order to save money, but not face, we have to admit to our age. HMMMM..... We definitely do not consider ourselves to be old. In this day and age ,when people as a whole are living longer and healthier lives why are 'young seniors', those in their fifties, like moi, considered 'old'?? It's so true that age is just a perception! "Maturity" is very objective/subjective, and I object! Whew, a few years have skittered by since I composed this biography block. Those "fifties" are in the rear view mirror and they are distant, fond memories. Oh, I do not plan to stop writing any time soon. |
| How would eight year old you have reacted to being quarantined and kept out of school and society for so long? Let's recap. When I was eight, I was in the third grade and loving it. I was and still am the eldest of four. Wait, I must clarify this. At eight, my youngest sister hadn't yet joined us, so I was the eldest of three. I lived an entire town block from the school and my habit was to walk home for lunch every day. My best friend, Nancy lived across the street. My favourite haunts were all within walking or biking distance. Preston still is a small town and I felt safe exploring alone, or with my friends. Not attending school would be inconceivable! I liked homework and projects. I liked the camaraderie and the constant activity and noise. I enjoyed talking and laughing. School was my life! Wait a minute, where would I get books? The nearby library would be closed indefinitely. I'm hyper-ventilating considering that in the here and now. Today, I own a gazillion books, but back then I relied upon borrowing to satisfy my reading habit. No! Would the daily newspaper be delivered? Could I still read the comics? Blech! Mom reads sickly romances, lovey-dovey crap. Cell phones were a distant invention. Our home had one wall-mounted phone in the kitchen. Long distance calls were expensive and considered a treat. The local outdoor pool wouldn't be open yet anyway in late winter. When would it be open? Will summer still arrive? How will I survive the humidity without a visit every day to the pool? Television existed, but in a crude form, no surround sound, no huge screen, no remote control. Our home had one for the shared viewing pleasure of five people. Broadcasting reached it via an antenna from our roof. I'd describe the programming as limited and it ended every evening at 11:00 p.m. No late night binge-watching. There were Saturday morning cartoons though! You mean I could not visit Nancy, or have her visit me? Why not? Oh, I'd struggle with the unfairness of this, the ridiculousness of this. She lives right across the road. She doesn't have cooties, or a deadly virus. Yes, we'd wash our hands more if we had to, but wear a mask? I would stand on the curb and shout at her standing on the opposite curb. We'd tie notes to rocks and throw them at each other. We'd fly paper airplane messages. We'd kick a soccer ball back and forth. We'd ride our bikes up and down the street past each other's homes and wave. Groan! I suppose I'd take notice of my younger brother and sister if I had to, if I felt desperate, if no one else could play. They'd be good for some teasing and arguing. This guaranteed a reaction from Mom. Ack! I'd survive a quarantine, but I would not enjoy it! |
| 5 DAY Andre the Blog Monkey's April Fools Mystery Writing Challenge Blog Prompt for Day 1 - When mystery surrounds an object, that object then becomes a clue. Have you ever discovered a mysterious item, which became a clue to an investigation? Tell us about what you found and where the investigation led to. I found something rummaging around in my mother's jewellery box. A gold locket with fancy letters engraved on it caught my eye. I'd never seen Mom wearing it. Of course, being about ten years old, I carried it to her and asked questions. With a sigh, Mom revealed that the necklace had been a wedding gift from her mother, my Nanny. I traced the curlicue letters with one finger as she explained that that fancy writing had a name, calligraphy. Ooo, a new mouthful of a word. Studying the swirls, I could make out the letters 'CC' and I recognized her monogram, another new word. I knew my mother's name, the name other people used, Carol and my grandparents were The Cherskis, so this made sense to me. I accepted this. A few years later, now a teenager, I reexamined that pretty necklace with a new perspective. The two scrolled letters were not both a 'C.' The second one had an added flair to it rather like a 'G.' Could this be true? Was this an error? Our surname began with a 'B.' Again, I sought my Mom and pointed out this anomaly. This time, perhaps because she realized my 'mature' age, Mom admitted that this other letter was indeed a 'G.' She continued with a shocking revelation. She had never been a Cherski like her younger siblings. Nanny had been married to someone else before Grandpa and he'd been Mom's real father. Mom was a Gilham. This opened the flood gates to more questions. Was her birth father alive? Had she met him? Had I ever met him? Where did he live? Could we see him? Why didn't he visit? Mom answered that yes he was alive and no she'd never met him. He lived in the same province as we did, but it's a huge territory and the road trip involved a sixteen-hour drive. She felt it was too late to ever get to know him and she had her own family now. She also did not wish to offend her step-father. I couldn't comprehend this. I lived with both of my parents, and I loved my father, we were close. How could she not at least be curious? If it were me, I'd waste no time tracking him down and introducing myself. With further discussion, I learned that my grandmother had denied her first husband access to his firstborn. He'd sent letters, cards and gifts throughout my Mom's childhood and they'd been thrown away. Eventually, he'd stopped reaching out. I found this so tragic. Mom just shrugged and continued with her everyday life until one day her mother offered to accompany her to her birthplace and introduce her to her father. This opportunity came out of the blue and Mom jumped at this chance. She actually confessed to me that she felt nervous and excited. Anyway, Mom finally met her father and liked him. She described him as tall like her and easy to talk to. One meeting is all they had after years of separation. He died a few months later of cancer. I suppose this had always bothered me. Mom missed out on so much. She had what-ifs and if-onlys. Fast forward to many years in the future, during which time I'd bestowed three grandchildren upon my mother and I'd developed a thirst for family history. With my computer and internet connection, I established a family tree. My genealogy research caught the attention of a woman living across the country and she contacted me. She turned out to be my Mom's youngest paternal cousin and we kept up a correspondence. She informed me that she had four older siblings and the eldest remembered my Mom as a baby and had always wondered about her. She introduced me to them online and we wrote to each other. The eldest, Bill, would phone me and my Mom to chat. He lived across Canada on the eastern coast at a great distance from his brothers and sisters. Due to physical limitations my Mom could not fly and long car trips were painful. I did arrange for her to meet two of her cousins who lived about a five hour drive from our home. I drove her to this reunion and she chatted for hours with her newfound family. This trip took its toll on her, but she enjoyed it fully. Mom's health deteriorated and this trip was never repeated. The cousins were also seniors with limited funds and physical capacities. After her death, I managed to visit and meet the three remaining cousins. My search had come full circle. The beautiful letter 'G' had led me on a years' long adventure. |
| hurs. April 9th Prompt. by Fivesixer (654) What will you never take for granted again once we are no longer quarantined? I will never take the simple act of travelling where I want, when I want, and to visit anyone I wish for granted. I miss that freedom to just go whether that means a road trip, or a flight. I miss being in the same room with my family, all of them, immediate and extended. I miss that close contact. Being with a baby and bonding with them is much more fun when in close proximity. A baby doesn't respond to Facetime and phone chats with as much enthusiasm as her parents and grandparents. Coaxing to wave, smile, and say something at a screen doesn't always evoke a loving response. A baby is meant to be snuggled and social media cannot replace or replicate that. I will never take dining out in a restaurant with someone doing the cooking, the serving, the clearing up, and the clean-up for granted ever again. Oh what luxury it is to enjoy a meal you did not have to plan and execute. Dining 'out' caters to spontaneity. At the moment, I follow the take it or leave it menu. If me and myself behave, I may toast the bread for the peanut butter sandwiches. If we are all in agreement and harness the correct amount of enthusiasm, we may chop, dice, and saute something. Meh, we're not starving, but we're growing weary of our cooking. I will never take for granted the casual conversation on the street or in a shop with strangers. I will not miss shouting from a distance. I will not miss the face masks that conceal expressions and subtle nuances. I will never take for granted that I have a home, a shelter to safely self-isolate in. I may see the same four walls a bit too much lately, but at least it's home sweet home. My two room mates, me and myself, aren't all that bad. I can tolerate them. |
| Wed. April 8th Prompt. by Fivesixer (653) What is the most ridiculous thing about what's happening this month? This presumes that only one thing is the MOST ridiculous re COVID-19 and the measures taken to deal with it. There are many, too many to mention. This pandemic has raised the level of crazy and bizarre to a new level. I suppose if I had to choose one super ridiculous thing it would have to be the theory that this is nothing but a hoax. Despite daily reports to the contrary, some fools insist this virus and/or its severity is grossly over-exaggerated. They fail to recognize the virus' spread and its repercussions. They believe we're over-reacting. They either refuse or balk at self-isolation and self-distancing measures. They bray about their freedoms to say, do and go anywhere they wish. On a more humorous note, I cannot fathom the ridiculous anti-virus outfits people have created to 'protect' themselves. Really? Are certain individuals really venturing out in public swathed in plastic garbage bags and shopping bags? Why are some choosing to wrap their entire heads in plastic? Are these the idiots that do not read the warnings printed just for them? "Caution this product, ( a plastic shopping bag), may cause suffocation if placed over the face." I saw a picture of a woman shopping with a zippered plastic bag over her head and it flapped open near her mouth. This is the type of bag that quilts and sheet sets are packaged in. Why? And, oh, the handmade face masks are noteworthy for their uniqueness! If it is an actual photo, the woman brings ingenuity to an assinine level. She waits in a line with a cheap, cardboard birthday hat positioned over her nose and mouth. You know, the cone-shaped pointy hats. Any self-respecting virus would steer clear of that for sure. |
| Tues. Apr. 7th Prompt. by Fivesixer (653) What is the best thing to come out of staying at home (so far)? Let's see... Me, myself and I have become better acquainted. Sure, sometimes we disagree, but it never results in fisticuffs. We struggle to use our indoor voices, but we tend to be vocally loud. Okay, we're working on the only-one-speaker-at-a-time-thing. Waiting for one of us to spit out an idea and listening without comment is not easy. We tend to be impatient and blurt out our thoughts before the one-in-the-current-spotlight finishes. Yes, we all consider this distracting and even a bit rude. We all wish to be heard. Our self-isolation, #SaferAtHome, quarantine, shelter in place time has been productive. We've collaborated on a few writing projects here at WDC. Myself's typing skills seem to have improved, but more attention to the sensitive 'caps lock' key would help. Me and I groan in frustration if we are forced to back track to ferret out the lack of capitalization. The whatever shrug from myself aggravates the rest of us to no end. Capital letters are important. Me and myself believe I is too self-important. I garners the attention and is always noticed. See, capitalization works! The entire there-is-no-'i'-in-something philosophy doesn't cut it with I. Of course, this does apply to me and myself, go figure. Teamwork is a work in progress. With this just-stay-home movement, we are learning that we need each other. We've discovered 'distractabaking' and meditation, but for obvious safety reasons we do not practise both at the same time. |
| Mon. April 6th Prompt by Fivesixer (653) Family Movie Night! Pick two movies your family and close friends can come over and watch. Give us a brief synopsis (no spoilers!) and share with us what you'll be snacking on throughout. Only two movies?? There are many to choose from, many genres, many stories, and many laughs. But of course I would choose comedies. My family and friends need to forget about their worries and lose themselves in the catharsis of laughter. No one will ask why so glum, chum? They will chortle, giggle, tee hee, whinny, guffaw and gasp. It will be music to my ears. My first movie choice is one I consider to be a classic comedy Weekend at Bernie's. I know you can't possibly hear me, but I am snickering as I write this. Here's a brief synopsis. Larry and Richard, two office co-workers, believe they've discovered something hinky with their company's finances. Anticipating promotions if not at least praise, they inform their boss. He invites them to attend his beachside home for the weekend. They jump at the chance to schmooze and rub shoulders with the wealthy. Nothing is as they expected. They discover their boss, Bernie, has a secret life, one they're not equipped to handle. They find their host inexplicably deceased and they panic. For the entire weekend, they pretend that Bernie is alive and participating in all activities because they fear being implicated, or murdered themselves. Most of the comedy derives from the ridiculous situations with the body. They lose it, they take it boating, and more. A poor, perplexed hitman features in the action, too. The two friends experience an exciting weekend escape. The second movie is also a classic comedy The Princess Bride.This is a hilarious spoof of a fairy tale. Our lovely heroine, Buttercup, loves Westley. They are tragically separated and she is pursued by the dastardly villain, Prince Humperdinck. Buttercup suffers the indignity of a kidnapping and she is rescued by a mysterious pirate dressed in black. The various characters she and her rescuer encounter are unique and best described as misfits. The lines, "Inconceivable!" and "As you wish" are synonymous with this film. There are sword fight scenes with witty repartee. Banter drives the action. Rogues abound, but are they truly deviant? Snacks? Well, since it's been an eon, or two we shall munch upon chocolate chip pizza, a family favourite. Basically, it's a giant cookie loaded with all treats sweet in nature and baked in a pizza pan. Two people in particular will protest the addition of shredded cocoanut and I still cannot believe they are related to me. Inconceivable! All will agree to peanut butter chips, chocolate chips, mini M&Ms and mini peanut butter cups. We serve it in wedges like a regular pizza. Some of us will guzzle tea while others maintain the ol' rivalry of Pepsi versus Coke. Of course, I will have reminded my guests that my eldest is a spitter when she laughs. It's a reflex, she cannot help it. |
| Sun. April 5th Prompt. by Fivesixer (653) You get to pick three people- living or dead- to be quarantined with. But...in order to pass time, you have to play Monopoly. Who wins? Who cheats? Who cries? Who flips the table, sending pieces flying everywhere? You choose the players and how they see the game through its finish. I winced reading this prompt. Yep, this stirs up some memories, serious, intense memories. Monopoly is not considered a friendly game to some people. The competitive knock it up a notch and fail to see the fun in passing time with this board game. They don't play, they battle. There can only be one winner. My brother Mark and his friend, our neighbour, Rick both felt strongly about Monopoly. I suppose it represented who could brag as to being the best. They were both the second eldest in their families and perhaps they already dealt with rivalry on a daily basis in their lives. They took a board game and transformed it into a physical brawl. The game pieces and the board were flung into the air before punches were thrown. Mark karate-chopped Rick over the head. Rick saw red and shoved Mark. Yelling ensued. Mark was sent home after the boys were separated. A couple of days passed with the two of them keeping their distance. My Mom noticed my brother favouring one of his hands and she took a closer look. Off they went to the local emergency room and Mark returned with his right hand swathed in a plaster cast.The true story of his injury came out as they awaited their turn with a doctor. Mark and Rick accused each other of cheating at Monopoly. One of them believed he'd been short-changed with five dollars. The karate chop to Rick's thick skull had been in retaliation for being called a cheat. They came to injurious blows over a fake five-dollar bill! So, I would not opt to pass the time playing this deadly game with my sibling. Hmmm, who would I play Monopoly with?Okay, I'd like to see him in action, Dr. Seuss is one player. For a second game companion, I choose SB Musing  .My third player would be Captain Hook, the pirate. He already has an obvious handicap. I doubt he can spell and he's got a clumsy hook. As I anticipated, the pirate curses a great deal and brandishes his hook in our faces. When he heard we'd be walking 'the board', he assumed we'd be on a wooden deck of a ship at sea. He can't seem to sit still, he sways. Dr. Seuss smiles and jokes, but he always seems to be thinking. He rearranges the letter tiles over and over. SB Musing nods hello and sips from a tall chipped mug emblazoned with a heart. She too is a plotter. I believe her plan is to keep us preoccupied with idle chit-chat.She is the picture of nonchalance. Before we begin, we establish a few ground rules with the most important one being that a word offered up for points must be set into a sentence if challenged. I also caution that karate chops will not be tolerated. Dr. Seuss starts us off with a strange spelling that actually utilizes all of his seven tiles. Since he stands to earn extra points for this feat we challenge him to use his word in a sentence. It sounded like utter nonsense to us, but he made his word appear reasonable. Some of us are writers and we appreciate creativity, so after a two to one vote, his word stands. Hey, if he can make a combination with the difficult letters 'q, w, and x' more power to him. He mentioned something about proprietary domain and thus I cannot reveal that amazing word. Captain Hook surprised us with his momentous move. He added a 's' to that first word and he rightfully argued that if it was indeed a word then it had to have a plural. Crafty and logical, who knew? SB Musing connected several of her tiles before she and I realized we were playing the wrong game. Somehow, we'd mistaken the Scrabble game for our intended game, Monopoly. We blame it on writers' fatigue. Oops! After a bit of readjustment and counting out some funds, we reviewed the rules. Again,I reiterated absolutely no karate-chopping permitted. We agreed to refer to the money as 'booty' since someone preferred that term. Captain Hook seemed a bit miffed that there wasn't a pirate boot, or feathered hat as a game token. He chose the gentleman's top hat. Dr. Seuss expressed his desire for a cat token, but in the end he took the race car. SB Musing opted for the submarine. She said she liked the stealth of it. I picked the boot. I never seem to buy the railroads, so I knew I'd be hoofing it. This game dissolved into bedlam from its start. The pirate objected strenuously to being sent to jail. He claimed it was profiling, stereo-typing, and just bad form. He didn't feel he should have to relinquish some of his treasure to secure his release. Dr. Seuss wasted no time amassing a railroad consortium. SB Musing purchased Illinois Avenue assuring us it would prove to be the most valuable real estate of the game. Three times she rolled doubles with the dice. Captain Hook pouted in jail. Upon his release, he struggled to roll the dice. He insisted that there had to be a magical way to do it. A few times, he jolted the board and blamed it on his poor landlubber balance. In the end, Dr. Seuss declared bankruptcy and struck the game to the floor. He claimed that railroads' were a risky investment and they had to crash in some real way. He left muttering, "I do not like this game, Sam I am." Captain Hook responded, "How did he know my name? I am Sam." Clever SB Musing composed her own rhyme. "He does not like Monopoly. He does not play with two or three. He does not like this board game stuff. He just stomped away in a huff." |
| APRIL 4 UNOFFICIAL PROMPT by ~Dragon~ (644) As we're staying #SaferAtHome, I hope you're all staying hydrated- whether that be with water or other liquids! How many cups/glasses/mugs/etc do you have at home? Which is your favorite, and why? Tell us about how you got it. I will tell you that I no longer have wine glasses collecting dust. A lifetime ago, I received two sets of sparkling wine glasses and carafes as wedding gifts. They always felt extravagant and unnecessary to me. When she explored the house as a toddler, my eldest would tap the shelves displaying those delicate pieces just to hear the tinkling. They had to be wrapped and packed every time we moved, so at our final relocation I presented them to my youngest. I also do not possess much in the way of drinking glasses. For many years, I served beverages in plastic Tupperware tumblers. This did not happen because my children were rough and careless. No, I am the killer of glasses. Alas, they do not survive my hand-washing and some have bitten back creating a need for stitches. Again, as wedding gifts, the hubby and I were given six sets of glasses. Only a few stalwart members survived to celebrate our first anniversary. Glass is so delicate. With most mugs ,on average, I am a better keeper. That's not to say I haven't smashed a few by dropping them at inopportune moments. I store mugs at both my home and my camper. I feel they are much safer if I do not attempt to transport them between the seasons. One of my favourite cups suffered a horrendous demise one sunny day at camp. It had been a gift from my youngest daughter and featured a humorous caption with a moose. While carrying it filled to the rim with fresh, hot tea I executed a manoeuver known to most as exiting through a doorway. It did not go as planned. I still sense that an invisible entity pushed and or tripped me. That cup and I hurtled through the air. I crumpled to the ground bruised and battered. That poor mug struck the side of the trailer and shattered. Some of the neighbours probably assumed I'd thrown my tea in a fit of anger. I'm certain it all looked quite dramatic. As I type this blog, I sip tea from a tall mug gifted to me from my eldest grandgiggle, Sydney. I love the lettering on it, 'Be Yourself.' It's a two year veteran now. I refuse to count my venerable / vulnerable mugs. I don't want them to believe that their days are numbered. Three hang from a wall-mounted mug rack in my kitchen. They enjoy a sedentary life and they are free to partake of family gatherings from their safe perch. They are the only survivors of a set gifted to me by my deceased mother-in-law. Each one has a unique caricature face and they speak to my love of doodling/sketching. Viv knew I'd love them. I wish the Muppet character mugs she found for me were still with us. She drank her tea from them. I raise my mug of tea and clink it ever so gently with yours. Virtual toasts do not endanger my ceramic crew. |
| California just announced an extension of the self-isolation through May 1/April 30. With all this newfound time spent at home, TV time is also skyrocketing. What TV/movies do you recommend for us to watch, on which platforms, and why? I choose not to pay for cable or satellite service. I find them expensive with most of the channels spewing out the same or similar programming. I've never been a fan of daytime t.v., sports, or game shows. I have no control over the content and timing of movies and serial episodes. Since I already pay for my internet subscription, I opted to pay a bit more for Netflix access. With this I can watch what I want when I want. If I'm in the mood and enjoying what I'm viewing, I may binge watch. I like the variety available. I have a library of t.v. series, documentaries, and movies to entice me. I also have international options. My tastes wander all over the map. I love murder mysteries and comedy, but I also enjoy the action/thriller genre, true crime, and history. When hubby graces me with his presence, we view romances and chick flicks, or series about vehicles: restoring them, creating them, racing them, smashing them, discovering collector cars, and more. I do NOT recommend viewing the documentary The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez.' It's best described as heart-wrenching. This is an indictment of Los Angeles and the Department of Family and Children's Services. I felt horrified and angry that child abuse not only exists, but is accepted as inevitable by many of those 'working' in the field. The system is fraught with problems. For guaranteed laughs, I suggest watching 'Nailed It!'. The efforts of people to recreate the decoration of cakes is hilarious. If you wish to me amazed by the raw artistic talent of body painters, may I direct you to 'Inked.' Given themes and time constraints, these artists transform their canvases, human bodies, into walking phenomenal art. The best paintings involve camouflage. Models disappear into the background no matter what it is. They could be posing in front of a beach back drop, or the toy section of a store. For American comedy, I recommend 'The Ranch' and "Grace & Frankie.' They both deal with current affairs in an adult manner. Some of the best murder/mysteries are made in Europe. I liked 'La Mante', 'Shetland', 'The Five', 'Broadchurch' and 'Hotel Beau Sejour.' Don't worry, there are sub-titles and translations. For period pieces, I recommend 'Peaky Blinders' and 'Send in the Midwives.' In my estimation, most of the great television series come from Great Britain. |
| My coworkers and I had a virtual happy hour today where we all just chatted and played "Never have I ever" It was great to feel the connection between everyone, even though we're physically distanced. How are you trying to stay socially close to others while #SaferAtHome and physically quarantined? Today is April 2nd, and I've been self-isolated since March 15th. For nine days before that I stayed in rural Quebec never leaving the house. My forays into the outside world consist of grocery shopping and visits to the laundromat which I curtail to one day per week. I nod and say hello from a distance. I haven't resorted to running to a window and banging on it to gain someone's attention. I also have not opened a window and hung out it to better see a favourite someone and shout a greeting to them. I'm definitely socially-distanced 'cause I reside on the second floor and no one could reach me unless they are willing to climb nineteen steps. I doubt anyone would notice me half in and half out a window shrieking like a mad woman. I'm not eager to risk a less than graceful fall either. Thank the universe and some clever inventors for the internet! Daily, I share private letters, jokes, videos, and photos via a wonderful application known as Messenger. No dial up connection, no pony express, no courier, no carrier pigeon, no flares, and no postal worker required. We instantly converse and natter away. Pretty well everyone I know and care to keep in touch with has a cell phone, so we have the option of speaking, or texting each other. Most of my family and friends live at a geographical distance and we appreciate having an internet connection. Of course, we do not share private matters there, but we also communicate via Facebook. We try to avoid the ridiculous drama that may be present. We like the shared humour. I still appreciate good ol' snail mail and actual hold-in-my-hands letters. If I wish a quicker response, I send my news via e-mail. Company is just one of these methods away, so I'm not totally isolated. If I crave a living, breathing, in the flesh person to converse with I hang around the nearby post office. Sooner or later someone arrives to pick up their mail and I can strike up a conversation. Hopefully, I don't choose a person with hearing difficulties. |
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