Brr!!! It's Cold Out There

 It was a miserable day out there yesterday.  Didn't get much snow, but the sidewalks were a slushy mess.  Party and Bingo were both canceled.  Still a few people braved the weather to go in. Just a few.  Since I got older, the snow is no longer my friend.  Oh, it's pretty to look at, the first day, but after that it turns into a slippery, gray mess of slush.  Not my cup of tea.  

Won't be heading out today either.  By afternoon yesterday the sun was shining and snow and slush were melting. (strange storm)  However, during the night the temps went down, the wind revved up, and now everything that melted is ice.  They are having Shepherd's Pie today at the center, one of my favorites, but it's not worth risking an injury to get there. 

Can't complain about this winter though.  Up til now it's been pretty good.  A few cold days here and there, but just last week I was wearing a spring jacket to the center.  

Had some cabbage and carrots I bought over the weekend so I threw a cabbage soup together.  Great for dinner on a nasty day.

Ground beef, carrots, celery, cabbage, onions, peppers, kidney beans, garlic powder, cumin, chili, onion powder, beef broth, diced tomatoes, salt and pepper. 

No Party for Me

So, my dream of arriving to the party and finding no seat will not be happening after all.  Mother Nature had other plans.  Snow is falling, and the winds are blowing.  I'm surprised they haven't canceled, although they still might.  City schools are closed, and students will be on remote learning, but the Valentine's Party for senior citizens is still on.  To be fair, I do realize it is the choice of each person whether they or not they trek through the falling snow to get there, but, when you dangle Bingo as an incentive there are some who are just not able to stay away. 

Perhaps I am biased, I don't know.  Bingo is just not my thing.  Actually, I don't dislike it, but I am not obsessed like the Bingo players in my center.  They could play Bingo 7 days a week and do little else.  And since it is NOT offered that much in my center, only Monday and Friday, they go elsewhere to play elsewhere. 

Biased or not, I just don't feel that Bingo during our party hours is the way to go.  First of all, we get a nice crowd for parties so you don't have to offer Bingo to bring people in.  Secondly, that hour is usually the time people are arriving and greeting each other, especially those that come a distance to see old friends they don't often get to see.  From 11-12 we usually set out our snacks, wander about from table to table greeting everyone, then sit and just socialize while stuffing our faces with candy, cookies, and chips.  At 12, lunch is served, and at 1, the DJ starts and the dancing begins.  And I'm not alone.  Several of my friends, all who play Bingo, believe Bingo is taking away from the party fun.  

Here are some pictures I took at the festivities on Sunday.  I do have a wonderful video but can't figure how to get it off my phone and onto hee.

Weekend Over

 What a wild weekend it was!  They went all out for Chinese New Year.  Didn't make it to the parade yesterday because, frankly, I was too darn tired.  Fireworks kept me up both Friday and Saturday.  Not very much sleep to be had, although I did manage to catch a few winks.  And when I did sleep, I dreamt.  Hopefully, two of the more vivid dreams are not signs of things to come, prophecies.

The first dream was about the center.  Tomorrow we are having our annual Valentine's Day party.  Tables are split up, 6 to a table, for those who paid for the party, they are reserved.  The decorating committee takes pride in their work and it shows.  The party basically starts at 11 and usually eat the snacks we bring in and socialize for the hour before we eat at noon.  This party is going to be different, and I'll admit, I'm not too keen on it.

(From a previous Valentine's party)

They want to have Bingo from 11-12.  Now, I'm trying to picture how people are going to get all those Bingo cards on a table when we usually have trouble finding room for our snacks.  Hmmm!  Plus, there will be no socialization during that hour because one is not allowed to talk during Bingo.  Heaven forbid.  They'll all give you a piece of their mind.  (I don't play).  That, plus the fact that Bingo does bring people in and not all of them are going to be coming for the party, so where do they sit?  

Hence, my dream. I come to the center, all dressed and ready to party.  I sign in and head over to my reserved table only to find a bunch of strangers sitting there with their Bingo cards.  There is not a seat available in the place.  I go back to the desk and am told to wait until the games are over, and then I'll get a seat.  But, the people sitting there are planning to eat lunch, so there will be no place for me to sit.  I say I am going home and leave.  This scene plays not once, but several times before I am awoken by the sound of a blockbuster.

(May not even go to the party tomorrow.  They are forecasting a storm, and I don't go out on the snow anymore.  )

My second dream had to do with my apartment.  Since our old super left, we have been blessed with the worst super ever.  I have been waiting a year to get a new faucet piece for the kitchen and a drip fixed in the bathroom.  He tells me he is coming, and then doesn't show.  Last time was two weeks ago Saturday.  Not even a phone call.  I'm still waiting.  Meanwhile, about six months ago I discovered that the pipe under my kitchen sink had a small leak and notified him.  Still waiting on that one, too.

(When a pipe upstairs burst.  My ceiling)

So, in my dream I am doing my dishes and suddenly find myself standing in a puddle of water.  Now you can see why either of these dreams have a possibility of coming true. 

Off to my jewelry class this morning.  Not feeling much motivation because I am so darn tired, but I don't want to let everyone down.  So it starts at 10, lunch at 12, and then I head home.  I can take 2 1/2 hours.

Have a wonderful start to the new week.

  

Daily Acceptance Prayer

 

I accept myself completely.

I accept my strengths and my weaknesses,

my gifts and my shortcomings,

my good points and my faults.

I accept myself completely as a human being.

I accept that I am here to learn and grow,

and I accept that I am learning and growing.

I accept the personality I've developed, and

I accept my power to heal and change.

I accept myself without condition or reservation.

I accept that the core of my being is goodness

and that my essence is love,

and I accept that I sometimes forget that.

I accept myself completely, and in this acceptance

I find an ever-deepening inner strength.

From this place of strength, I accept my life fully and

I open to the lessons it offers me today.

I accept that within my mind are both fear and love,

and I accept my power to choose which I will experience as real.

I recognize that I experience only the results of my own choices.

I accept the times that I choose fear

as part of my learning and healing process, and

I accept that I have the potential and power

in any moment to choose love instead.

I accept mistakes as a part of growth,

so I am always willing to forgive myself and

give myself another chance.

I accept that my life is the expression of my thought,

and I commit myself to aligning my thoughts

more and more each day with the Thought of Love.

I accept that I am an expression of this Love.

Love's hands and voice and heart on earth.

I accept my own life as a blessing and a gift.

My heart is open to receive, and I am deeply grateful.

May I always share the gifts that I receive

fully, freely, and with joy.

Author Unknown

Chinese New Year

 

The arrival of the Chinese New Year is a time of renewal, reflection, and the rekindling of family bonds.  It is an annual 15 day festival in China that begins with the new moon which occurs sometime between January 31 and February 20th.  Festivities generally last until the full moon.

The origins of the Chinese New Year are steeped in legend.  One of thse legends said that a thousand years ago a monster named Nlan (Year) would attack villagers at the geginning of each new year.  The monster was afraid of loud noises, bright lights, and the color red.  These things are what was used to chase the monster away.Today they are used every Chinese New Year in celebration of ushering out the old year and bringing in the new one, thus bringing luck and prosperity.  Fireworks, firecrackers, red decorations and clothing is wornl  Money is given out in colorful red envelopes to young people in celebration.  In addition, Chinese New Year is a time to feast and to visit family members.  

I live one block from Brooklyn's Chinatown. It's going to be wild out here today and tonight. I think the parade will be on Sunday, but  already there were fireworks up until 3:30 in the morning, and I'm sure tonight will be the same, if not worse. No sleep for me this weekend.   I'll be finding silly string on the sidewalks for days.  The streets are already decorated in reds and golds.  Most of my friends are going out to dinner, but I have one friend who takes traditions seriously and has been running about all week.

She has educated me on a lot of them. House must be clean, clean linens on the bed, all laundry done, bills must be paid.  And cooking?  Red envelopes with money for those of a certain age unmarried. My goodness.  She has spent hundreds of dollars on food.  Whole chicken which symbolizes prosperity; whole fish which symbolizes new beginnings and endings; pork belly for prosperity; a special soup with ingredients totally about a $100; vegetable dishes, dumplings, shrimp chips.  Why, when I was heading to the center yesterday morning she hopped on the bus in my neighborhood with two lobsters in her bag. And when I asked how many she was having, she said 6 people. Wow.  Seriously, I was wishing she invited me for dinner. 

Not sure what I'll be having tonight.  I always like traditions, even those not in my own culture, but if I do decide to do something, I won't be spending that much money for sure.

Happy Chinese New Year.

Friday Roundup

A regular non eventful week.  Seems there is a lot of them lately.  Sometimes I wonder if that's something good  or perhaps it has me stuck in a rut.  Maybe I need some excitement.  Not much at my age, but a little something to stir things up which is why I am anxiously awaiting the new center.  There we will have an exercise rooms with state of the art machines, a dance room, a technology room, and art room, a health and wellness room, a pool table and a ping pong table.  And many more classes to choose from.  Frankly, I'm bored with watercolor and guoache painting.  I have always liked working with acrylics but figured I would give the two a try. Just not into it anymore. 

On Tuesday we had our monthly council meeting.  Still no news on the grand opening.  Lately those meetings are boring me, too.  Since we got a new director each meeting turns into a war of words with someone.  I turn myself off at that point.  I don't like confrontation.

Wednesday I chose to stay home.  Not much sleep the night before so I spent the morning watching Murder She Wrote while dozing off and on in my chair. 

 Lunch at the center yesterday was macaroni and cheese, brocolli, and carrots.  This is one of my favorite lunches that they serve, and I end up eating it all.   I love mac and cheese, but don't make it at home because hubby won't eat it, and it's just too much to make it for one. I wasn't very hungry when I got home, but about 5 pm my tummy started to rumble.  I thought maybe a sandwich, but my body had a bit of a chill so I decided some easy, hot, and spicy.

Healthy dinner last night. Stir fried veggies in chili sauce (nice and spicy) served over brown rice with sliced tomato on the side. Blueberries for dessert.  

Have a wonderful weekend.

Signs

 

Christmas.  2024.  In April it will be 4 years since my son Anthony  passed away.  When he first passed, his brother and I were both receiving signs that he was still around us.  For example, I'd be watching television and something would drop from the counter in the kitchen.  Another time my son was visiting and as we were sitting around chatting, the new memorial vase I had purchased rolled off the chair I had put it on. 

But, there has been nothing lately......until I went to set up my little tree this year.   A strange thing happened when I went to untangle my lights. I always just toss them in with the idea that I'll untangle them the following year. Then I ask myself the question "Why didn't I untangle them before putting them away?"

This year they were especially tangled and as I got closer to the center of the tangle I discovered the following Angel necklace was wrapped tightly around. Took me forever to get it out. The thing is,  I am the only one who handles the tree and decorations, and I have NEVER seen this necklace before. I have no idea where it came from. Very strange and has me wondering if this was a message that my Angel is watching over me. Or is it a message from Anthony.

My son and I went to visit Anthony's grave on a very cloudy day.  While we were there the sunburst through the clouds with rays landing on my son's grave.  The clouds are still in the sky but the sun is blinding. We couldn't even look in that direction.  The same thing happened at another visit.  Unfortunately I didn't get a picture.