That There’s an RV, Clark...

 If 2020 is teaching us anything, it’s that your plans mean shit....they mean nothing and not in a cool, meaningful John Lennon way, you know, “life happens when you’re busy making plans” type of thing - but a I laugh in your face type of thing. 2020 is that asshole that asks your opinion, let’s you go on and on about a great idea or solution to a problem and then smugly says “NOPE”.

Knowing how many plans have been ruined, weddings, concerts, shows, graduations, birthdays (still mad), we spur of the moment decided to rent one of them RVs and took of for the shore.... with really no plans

Thirty eight years ago....almost to the date, we did a similar thing. We were stupid, crazy honeymooners with a small handful of wedding money ( back then the going rate for a wedding gift was like $20 .....cheapskates.) 

1982 -we took off for Cape Cod.   

2020-we really wanted to stay in the safe tri-state area.

So just like those crazy kids, we were off... 1982 all over again, we even brought protection, but now  it was hand sanitizer and Lysol wipes and this time we got tired of driving and bored ... we pulled over and watched tv which thank God we packed last minute!  Also an RV is cool at this age because when you have to pee every five minutes, you can !  Oh how times have changed!

Now I think I’ve mentioned driving anywhere with my husband is like traveling with freaking Marcel Marceau. Silent !! Out of the corner of my eye I see his arm flailing toward the floor looking for the bag of M&M’s .  Like just ask for them ....you don’t have to say a lot of words...just a freaking letter ...M!!!  Noooooo ....He’d rather take one hand off the wheel ...um, you’re driving a house....10 and 2 Buddy!!!!  

Well now, he has substantial hearing loss (after some prodding, he is going to the doctor but, AFTER vacation....doh) Here’s what that’s like-

GPS lady:  Take exit 4

Me: TAKE EXIT 4 .... 4  EXIT 4

Him: huh?

Me: TAKE THE EXIT !   EXIT 4 ...EXIT 4 ....4!!!

GPS lady: Recalculating 

It was around that time we (I) decided to accept the invitation of my dearest friend and Goomadi to stop at his lake house before continuing to the shore. So we parked our temporary house in the yard his temporary house and had a great meal with his beautiful family. Vacation has began!  After many months of isolation... it was nice to see some people....after months of worry and uncertainty and political bullshit ...it was nice to enjoy some nonsense!   I was so happy to actually have conversations with real words, words that aren’t “what?” 

Although there were these conversations...

Goomadi: Blah Blah Blah after some very very detailed story about what happened on August whenever in 1975, peppered with some ridiculous historical factoids... “are you listening?”

Me: no

I am always listening though   - because he is the best, we share a love of food and family and he always sings the Mary Tyler Moore theme when he takes a picture of me. ..and he seriously is a wealth of information (interesting or otherwise)

So after a good night sleep in the bedroom, just inches from the kitchen and “bathroom “, we headed to the ocean.   See above GPS conversation. 

Being in the RV I was able to live out my dream of living in a Tiny House. I mean ours has actual beds and tables, we didn’t have to convert the microwave into extra seating space or anything like that.  I watch that show all the time and always wondered how normal sized people live in them. Well, I am hardly normal sized, so there were definitely pros (I’m pretty  much already travel size)and cons ( I can barely reach the lights, the fan, and said microwave ) but if we ever need to go off the grid... I think we can do it. There will be WiFi though, right?

Now we are finally at the beautiful ocean- I haul my 60 year old bathing suit clad ass out to the secluded area of the beach with of course, a fancy new cover up ...my mask!  Back in March, I’d thought it be years before I would be able to put my feet in the sea again!  Believe me, It was worth the drive! The surf were rough as was the turf as many people were unmasked- but I do have to say people were socially distanced ( not quite as distanced as us) and there was really no congregating.  That being said, it was really nice to climb in to our”Isolation-mobile” to have lunch and such!  A delicious lunch at that- yeah... we brought rotisserie chicken...and my Keurig so what?

After some research on RV campgrounds, we found that you kind of do have to make some plans...like reservations. No vacancies - I guess isolation-mobiles are all the rage in 2020. Ruh Roh - the camps  with openings were kind of far which I tried to show him the maps on my phone - but he “can’t see that small stuff.” Great, now I’m traveling with Helen Keller minus the laughs.

No worries...we had a standing invitation at Goomadi’s house- our usual travel destination. So we parked the RV in the driveway like Cousin Eddies at the Griswald’s...without the whole “shitters full” scene.  More great meals, some hiking ( which is really just walking but sounds cooler) and a couple of movies in our Tiny Home Theater... and we were ready to head back to, well, I was going to say normalcy , but I’m not sure that word even makes sense anymore. Whatever reality is waiting for us in the coming months we have to put on our rose colored masks and face it!  We can do it! Here’s how I know we can:

The day before I left, we were able to present a little socially distanced show with my summer STAGE kids.  This was going to be thefirst summer in since I was 16 with out a show ( save a bunch of years for college , marriage and babies.) We were planning on doing “Anything Goes”, but that quickly turned  in to “Everything Blows” and by June, we knew we wouldn’t be able to pull it off ...as we do every other summer. We did a thing though. It wasn’t anything like the six weeks of rehearsals and costumes and sets and audiences and excitement of the past, but it was amazing!  We live streamed it because we’re fancy and I surround myself with the smartest people in the world. A nice small group of us joined together, followed all the safety rules - cut to me crawling on the ground with a tape measure marking the 12 feet allotted distance for singing -as any good director would!  You can still see it on the STAGE Facebook page ...shameless plug!!! It is absolutely inspirational!The voices of those talented kids of mine gave me such hope that whatever the rest of 2020 throws at us-we will figure out a way to make it work! 

So the school debate goes on- but if we are smart and creative, we can SAFELY get the kids back, those who choose to go back!  If we are smart in November, we can have some new leadership who is also concerned with SAFELY getting back. Back to a life the slightly resemblance the one we once knew, but better!!!So stay well, stay optimistic, stay smart AND vote smart - don’t make me go off the grid!  But so you know, that deaf, mute and blind guy .....sure drives a mean RV..... just sayin’

...And I Feel Fine

Again I go to music to find my blog title.... This is courtesy of REM ...let’s all sing it shall we ...It’s the end of the world as we know it....”  A few nights ago, as our skies filled with lightning, like an air strike that I’ve seen in way too may news videos...this song popped in my head.  At first I thought the rumbling of thunder may have been gunshots (seriously, gunshots ) but wait ...what about the virus!!!- “That’s great it starts with an earthquake....” 
As my big cowardly lion of a dog jumped on me I said - It’s fine... you’re fine... I’m fine. ...We’re all fine- are we though?
I know I haven’t blogged in a while because everything just seemed the same -days are running into each other - go out don’t go out wear a mask go out zoom wash your hands FaceTime I think I’m going to venture out what mask should I wear today....with little glimmers of hope as we moved into phase 1 and now phase 2 of reopening. Who would’ve thought I would long for those days of boredom and monotony?!?!

About ten days ago or more than that, or who knows how long ago, 30-50 years ago, a horrible act of police brutality and murder occurred in the midst of this shit show called 2020. The first six months,  filled with fear and worry about this crazy virus that was looming and then eventually settled in our country-  now we deal with another virus that’s been looming around since before we can all remember. I don’t know what to say about it and it’s hard to keep quiet but it’s also hard to put your feelings into words without sounding uneducated or ignorant or privileged or offensive. I’ve been waiting for the dust settle, which I realized, probably never will. But wait...according to social media which has been flooded- there are many things to do. Things to do to be better.... Websites, Donation sites, Informational Memes... These memes are like the protest songs of the 60’s.  I can hear Stephen Stills voice now.....”what a field day for the heat- a thousand people in the streets”.
For what it's worth, (see what I did there...the name of the song...raise your hand if you caught it) I look at it as maybe we had to have this giant virus come in to our world so we could make a change for the better. Slow down, start doing the right thing for society, care for our environment and each other. Now, we have this unspeakable act of hatred, cowardice,  racism and deplorable abuse of power....and my God...enough!!!! How many of these situations have to occur?  With this incident, though  the ensuing riots and protests, throughout the country and support from all over the world, it remind me of the fear and heartbreaking confusion I felt as a kid in the 60’s  and well, maybe we needed this to make the change.

A good friend of mine asked me what I’ve done differently during quarantine and do I think that it’s something that I would continue. Have I noticed a positive change, you know, eating healthier  (for the rest of my life ?) I’m going to sustain the daily exercising  ( how about...no)  So I really thought about it....as this friend always challenges me to do.
I’ve been trying to do things better during this time.   I think, yes ... it’s just to be better!  For a lame example, I‘ve been cleaning excessively...anything that doesn’t move (I guess that’s not true because the animals are spotless) but because of boredom with a side of paranoia...“this house is clean”. My life BC (before covid) was so busy which is a horrible excuse, but housework was done with “a lick and a prayer” as my mom used to say....and to be clear I never licked anything clean...BC,  everything was clean -enough, now because of the constant disinfecting and just having time on my  overly—washed hands, everything has been the cleanest it’s ever been. I think I will keep that up because I like it. Please don’t get me wrong- I’ve always been a clean person, a bit messy, but always clean,  now...as I stand with hands on hips - I proclaim- I’m going to be better.
I will better  try to understand other people’s points of view without judgment ... you know “walk a mile in their shoes”  before I comment. Wellllllll ....everyone who knows me knows I’m judgy/funny.  I think I’ve mentioned before about the time when I was a practicing Catholic and went to confession at my daughter’s  request. She was going to make her Reconciliation ...exciting for kids ...horrifying for adults.  I asked the priest if it’s a sin to judge and basically make funny comments  if it’s for humor?  He laughed, but saw I was serious...sacrament serious....he said I think you’re OK, with that I mean you never want to be mean spirited or  malicious ( which I’m generally not) Then he gave me the God made you this way speech... Can you cue the Lady Gaga song? All non-malicious kidding aside,  I feel  if giving people the benefit of the doubt and sticking up for the underdog is something I’ve done in the past, well then, I’m gonna do it better.
I think we all just need to do it better.

On the subject of making things better, we’ve been doing some home improvements which included adding  screens and an awning to our patio, climbing on the roof to fix the gutters, putting up a pool,  building a shed, improving  the laundry room, planting a vegetable garden and a lot of organization and cleaning.  Through it all ... the two of us have for the most part worked well together and .....I’m as surprised as anyone. I feel like we’re a very very very poor man’s Chip and Joanna... but our HGTV show can be This Old Spouse or  Just Throw a Tarp on It. We invite to tune in to our new Home Improvement Show about a couple who has been married for 38 years and quarantined for about the same amount of time... called “I JUST SAID THAT!”   Honestly though, I think because we have had the time....and dictated space...we have gotten along BETTER.
The times the are a changing my friends....so let’s take this opportunity to be better and make those changes positive ones. Graham Nash says ... “we can change the world...rearrange the world...it’s dying to get better”...   I truly believe that ...and to bring it back to REM ...Everybody Hurts, but it would be nice to see some Shiny Happy People, but like, real human people...not shiny aliens or anything, I mean, you got to assume that’s what’s next.....just sayin’

... You Get What You Need

Back in 2013 or was it a couple weeks ago, there was this big charity concert with Lady Gaga and a bunch of performers including The Rolling Stones.   It was pretty cool, they did a zoom-like concert and it was funny because three out of the four screens were all black... for effect,  I think because they came on one by one. It seemed to me it was of a bunch of 70-year-olds trying to figure out how to get the damn video and audio to work-  but nevertheless, they sang my favorite  song , “You can’t always get what you want ........you get what you need.”   Great song choice and of course it got me thinking of how much I really have. I’ve seen memes all over the place, but the one that stuck with me was the one that said “when the dust settles, we will  find out how little we need and how much we actually have”  or something like that.
Now being Sicilian, we were bred to be able to live with only what we needed instead of what we wanted.  I mean if we had everything we wanted,  we’d be looking over our shoulders our whole lives waiting for someone to put the “Molokio” on us and take it all the way. We grew up kind of modestly, we never went on big vacations, we never had expensive things or fancysmancy clothes. (Google “Plain Pocket Jeans” from Sears ...I wore those in a world of Levi’s) but we had what we needed.  Aside from being distanced from my grandchildren, my children, my family and dear friends (and possibly restaurants,)  I’ve kind of settled into this new way of simpler life. That being said, when the time is right, I will RUN to DisneyLand/World and wrap my arms around a face masked  Mickey Mouse and gladly buy another over priced Minnie Mouse coffee mug. Those recent Disney trips were a long time coming in my life and I’m happy to have all those memories if I never get there again ...but I really really want to - when it’s safe, Disney safe, which means those little Cinderella mice better get busy cleaning and disinfecting.

Now that I’ve settled in to this life style, I have to say if my husband makes one more FUCKING glass of Kool Aid in a plastic cup and stirs it a freaking million times and leaves the spoon on the counter....well, I can not be responsible for my actions. I would be justifiable homicide if you heard the sound of the stirring...the STIRRING.  It’s like nails on a chalkboard if the chalkboard were in hell and the nails were covered in tinfoil and we were all on fire...GET IT?
<big exhale> Since I’m on a roll... People on tv can stay saying “ Due to COVID -19” or “In these  uncertain times”.... we get it , is there anyone in the world who doesn’t get it ..? We’re 100 weeks in  for God’s sake.   The people who are wondering why things are closed and cancelled are probably the same people who are adding Lysol to their coffee.
This feels great... And enough with that  State Farm commercial where they sing ....and we’ll rise up...” at first it made me tear eyed ....now every time I hear it I wan to put my wrinkly, dried skinned fist through the screen ...especially when it’s followed by the ear worm inducing flea and tick anthem SERESTO SERESTO SERESTO ... and my personal favorite..Oh Oh Oh Ozempic.

Stop watching TV you say ...shut up, it’s all I have left and all my real (housewives) friends are there.
My friend and fellow Gaga is also there on TV ....with her friends Sirs Paul and Elton and Mick and all the rest of the Stones and I wish they would sing more of their quarantine inspired songs:
Miss You
Shattered
Gimme Shelter (in place)
Time on my Side
Mother’s Little Helper - my personal favorite
Emotional Rescue
Ruby Tuesday (or is it Wednesday?)
19th Nervous Breakdown
And...
HEY (hey) YOU (you) Get off of my Couch

All kidding (?) and virus aside, I do kind of feel like the rest of the world is kind of catching up the way I lived, financially and emotionally.  Not being able to do things or afford things because of a job loss or a layoff was kind of our reality when we were raising our children.  All too well, I remember what it’s like not being able to go anywhere or do anything and making do with in our own family. I think we are all so close because of it, at least I hope that’s what came out of it, and it will again.
Also, as a hypochondriac and Vice President of the disease of the month club (Yes, Vice President...there are people out there way worse than I,)  I have lived in constant fear of a virus or disease sweeping the world since I read Stephen King’s “The Stand” back in the 70s.  Seriously,  every time I heard of a measles or a whooping cough outbreak on the news, I would curl into a little ball in the corner and worry that this is it .....this is the big one!  Well, this is the big one and other than my sporadic fear laden tears  and daily mini panic attacks,  I am trying to handle the situation in only way I know how. Just live and thank God everyday for our family’s continued health.

A very sweet friend of mine told me a little sweet story of how he heard the birds singing a little extra loud one morning and it hit him that amidst the whole situation,  birds were singing because that’s what they do. He continued to say maybe we just need to keep on doing what we do ...just keep on living... keep on loving  and keep on taking care of one another.... and hope for better days and a better world....possibly in November ....just sayin’.

Be it Ever So Humble

Hello from week whatever of lockdown. I hope everyone is staying healthy and semi sane! We made it through our first major holiday (other than my birthday) in quarantine. It was Easter and I cooked like I had a house full of family- which I didn’t. Even after given some away, we still have a week’s worth of ham- yikes ....a week of JON Hamm - yes, but we got a big ass ham and there is only so much you can do with delicious, delicious ham. There will be a little extra treats in the pet dishes, not to mention it will fancy up my husband’s usual American cheese on white bread sandwich of choice ....don’t get me started on his toddler variety palate.
Yes, the dogs will be very happy. The dogs who by the way, aren’t quite as thrilled as they were the first couple weeks.  They were so excited to have us home, now they’re all “ umm, you’re in my spot, again.”  They bark like they need to go out so, of course, I get up to let them out and they jump on the couch where I was sitting. Doh!  I don’t know what’s worse falling for it way too many times or having a conversation with them .

Me: Do you really need to go out?

Finn: woof

Me : You have food and water, you just want my seat, right?

Finn: woof

As for the cats...well they’re cats, except I found they really know their way around the tv remote. I am taking my glasses on and off to find the number buttons to change the channel and they merely saunter by the thing and MUTE!  It’s difficult to follow the breaking news with picture in picture mode....and in Spanish.  

That’s how things are going with the non human inhabitants of our house. By the looks of my hair, I think I may fall in that classification.  I have entered the support group phase of hair length.  It was February when I had my last cut and luckily at that time bought some ESSENTIAL hair color.  Also at that time,  I signed up for one of those fun little monthly cosmetic bag thing.  Now I have been getting little bags of  super cute make up ...very funny...well played -cue the Alanis Morrisette song. 

Luckily, though, the weather has been semi-nice and we’ve been able to go for walks. I’m not saying I’ve become one of “those people” who brag about how far they’ve walked -  I mostly feel the farther I go the more I can eat. That being said I am getting in a shit ton of steps... not quite a day at Disney number, but pretty close.
Being a holiday yesterday, we decided to take a little trip to walk by the water  and veer away from our usual path. The amount of people that were there by the water  was madden and frankly a little frightening.  It wasn’t one or two people spread out walking- there were groups ... WHAT THE FUCK everyone!!!! I mean we are all going crazy, stir and otherwise, but what are you not getting?  It’s working, doing what we’re doing -so why would you stop now?  Seriously, what the fuck?
Following the rules and doing what is asked of us is tough...I hate it, I do, but it reminds me of when we had to dump a whole bunch of money to get our basement waterproofed.  I was there with the dollar sign eyes thinking of all the things we can do with that money...new kitchen cabinets, fix up the back room and the patio...buy shoes . But we did the basement thing for the better of the whole house. It made the structure safer so that it would not crumble. We eventually got our cabinets and back room and patio fix ups, and of course my shoe collection matches the likes of Carrie Bradshaw  ( does anyone  remember Imelda Marcos anymore.) My point being, if we didn’t do the unpopular thing, the house would have fallen apart.   Get it fuckers...it’s going to crumble if we don’t do the right thing!
It’s pretty simple  ... I mean I’m no genius (although I did complete the two Sunday crosswords, though I fear they made them easier this week for a little ego boost) but  we have to make our way through this so we can be all together again, maybe in a restaurant.  Remember those places where they bring you coffee and food you didn’t have to make yourself! Maybe I’ll put some of that fancy make up on.... and then give some one a hug...preferably my kids and mostly my grandchildren !!!  Until then I make my own coffee, worry about my kids who are out in the workforce, I will have my scheduled cries, like Holly Hunter in Broadcast News....get banned from the room for yelling and swearing  at the TV at very specific news conferences...watch bad movies,  wash wash wash my hands and pray and pray until bedtime. Then wake up and enjoy that split second of bliss, before you really wake up and reality hits, and start it all over again. Right now its a  rainy, stormy day and I can’t get out for a walk, so I will Gladys Kravits through my day,  happy to have a house with a water proofed basement to be safe, not stuck in. We got this friends, we really do and I truly believe we are all going to be okay...at least that was the gist of my last conversation.
Me: do you think we’ll be okay?
Finn: woof
Good enough for me...just saying
Stay safe and healthy and stay the fuck home 

Once in a While ...a Little Flower

So here we are..closing in on week three or twenty three  of this cluster ...and we’re still hanging on...the other end of the rope may be on fire, but we’re hanging on!
While trying to stick to my challenge to “do at least one thing everyday,” I find myself going on long, daily walks. On these walks ...the grounds are kind of muddy and mostly brownish,  but every once in a while you see a little flower or better, yet a promise of a flower. It makes me feel like maybe good things are coming? It makes me smile on my walks, my walks with my aforementioned silent partner. Actually, he has gotten a little better at talking-I think he’s sick of listening to me ramble and most likely repeating myself..... and of course,  repeating myself. And speaking of getting old.... I usually try to write something in the beginning of the week, but this week was my birthday and it was just freaking weird!
Now anyone who knows me knows that I love birthdays especially MINE!  I have claimed the month of March as my birthday month and it kind of caught on. People who I know casually are like..  “oh yeah ‘cause it’s your birthday month....” It all started as kind of a joke because my birthday and my sister’s birthday  being a day apart. Growing up we were always clumped together with one celebration and one cake ( twins out there, how do you do it?) and if Easter was close, throw that on there too. Childish and obnoxious you say.... I agree but as I enter my sixth decade of childish, obnoxious behavior, I figure, well why stop now!
Well I anticipated turning sixty in this shitshow we are living in was going to be a double kick in the crotch ... but au contraire.  That morning my husband asked me if I was going to get up to which I responded ....as melodramatically as I could “why bother.”   Well turned out there was a little party in my drive way...a Tim Horton’s  breakfast celebration with my grandchildren.  My lawn was decorated and people stopped by all day long to bring well wishes and presents from six feet away. My favorite dinner of lamb chops and crepe brûlée for dessert was delivered and I ended the day with a family parking lot gathering ...I just needed to see their faces all in one spot.  It was dreary, cold and rainy and we could’ve hug or anything, but there it was ...a little flower.
So as the weeks go on I am trying to look for little flowers- an unexpected phone call, a text from someone you haven’t heard from in a while ...a parking lot coffee date or a FaceTime with my favorite little faces.  People have kind of been stepping up and it’s incredible.  The news is horrific, every day, relentless ...but then you see a story of people being good and people doing good...and there’s a little flower.
I’m sitting on my patio swing in the sunshine with my two dogs running and playing without a care in the world...I’m a little jealous of them. I used to say must be nice to be a pet...lay around all day...and now I think we can all agree that it’s not all it’s cracked up to be.  But even they have their little routines though. Bobby the cat is the morning cat who cuddles with me until I decide I’m ready to face the day. Jacob the cat hears the Jeopardy theme and is my companion for the rest of the evening. My dogs, Finn and Teddie are so happy that I’m home with them and because of my “well, I might
as well eat “ philosophy, are just waiting for me to drop a crumb of food on the floor...dumb dogs. I haven’t dropped a morsel food on the floor since my  d cups appeared somewhere between sixth and seventh grade.  These pets of mine  are my saviors and very accommodating in my need for hugs and I feel like that little girl on Anamaniacs who wants  a “pet to hug and squeeze of my very very own” They are definitely flowers in my very unfortunately muddy garden.
I am going to try to keep looking for glimmers of hope or little flowers in these next weeks. I was quite distracted with birthdays and such, but with Easter around the corner- let’s hope for some goodness to bloom and health and security to be reborn...there’s little flower out there- you just have to look for them. While you’re looking, be on the look out for my up coming blog on things that are really REALLY pissing me off - spoiler alert, there will be offensive language.....just sayin’

I’m Good/Bad...and you?

So, how are things?  I wish there was a font that denoted sing songy sarcasm...but many have told me I write like I speak, so I think y’all got it!

We have completed our first week of the new normal we were hurled into and to quote Anchorman  (one of the 53 movies I’ve watch) “that escalated quickly.... “

 It doesn’t seem like it’s getting any better, and for the silver lining type of gal that I am...this is tough!

This is also a tough time for a talker....I am currently sequestered with two dogs, two cats and a non conversationalist husband.  Last summer, 100 years ago, we drove to Philadelphia for a wedding and I have to say we had a nice conversation....then we got to the end of our block! The rest of the trip was Me in concert....singing everything from Broadway to Bruce ...it made me think of that scene in Identity Thief ( another movie watched) “ my milk shake brings all the boys to the yard...”

Anyway... knowing this guy for over 40 years, I should be used to it- luckily we laugh at all the same things...which is not an easy feat these days.  But getting a text the other day that our five year old granddaughter used the phrase “holy shit” made us both chuckle.

We are actually so fortunate to be able to communicate with friends and especially family.  I have always expressed how wonderful it is to live so close to my three kids (...actually walkable if there was money involved.) Now I feel like so many people who don’t live anywhere near their kids and especially their grandchildren!!!  Me no likey!!!  I have learned that FaceTime is a beautiful thing, my friends! That all being said...I am happy to be in daily touch with my three kids who are out in this mess as essentials...two health care and a restaurant workers. I am extremely proud of them. I also am lucky to live close to my stubborn 86 year old dad who has been out and about more than the dumb kids on Spring Break and is still kind of critical of some of the food I’ve brought him. It’s good to have some consistency in these times.

So here we are...beginning week two. I have been trying to do at least one productive thing a day...like today -I found my bra ! It was really buried too! Seriously, I am trying to check in with people...Again-FaceTime is a beautiful thing...(yesterday I had coffee with my sister and our cats which would normally sound pathetic) .....I’ve been looking at our short and maybe long term financial situations(gulp) and of course...doing a puzzle.  Although, that is quite a challenge with two cats and yesterday one my dogs spit out mouthful of puzzle pieces.... so there’s that.

I have been trying to stay healthy...taking walks ...eating well and eating not so well!  I have been cooking A LOT. It’s what I do when I’m stressed.  I believe a wrote a whole blog about it called Pressure Cooker!!  Right now we are doing okay menu wise and I am hoping I don’t have to cook like I’m on the episode of Chopped where dog food is one of the ingredients.

So I will go on my socially distanced walks in the neighborhood...riding my exercise bike to nowhere...washing my hands like I’m Lady Macbeth ....limiting my news intake and trying to navigate through social media. It is good to see what others are up to but those scary click baits posts that are not from reliable sources juxtaposed with how to make a decorative wall sconce out plastic forks make me want limit my social media time too. Words with Friends is a life saver...my favorite things words and friends ...oooh....what if there was Words with Food and Friends...I think I found 

my next project! 

Well... I hope this blog finds you all well and helps you realize we are all in this together...apart!

Take care of each other and yourselves, stay in touch with people....it really helps. Let’s try to stay positive and be grateful for the little things that are now big things!! I get to hear “Hi Gaga - I love you”  a lot ...I have 4 animals that are REALLY happy that I am home with them...there is one by my side, looking adoringly at me at all times...I have coffee and other beverages.... I have emergency Cheetos and chocolate when needed...and a way to stay connected with all of you that I love so much! Also ...I used the word “sconce” in this blog so that’s cool.....just sayin.

I Sure Picked a Heck of a Time to Give Up Swearing....and turn 60!!!

Hello Kids!
It’s been a while... last July to be exact!
As I looked back over my decade of blogs, (decade?!?) I realized that a good percentage of them were written when things weren’t so good.  A huge block of the last 10 years consisted of engagements and weddings and grandchildren and happy...and there was a blog here and there. The other huge part of the decade was cancer and cancer and cancer and aging parents and surgeries and deaths of all kinds.... weekly blogs!

We guess what MJust Saying fans.... I’M BAAAAACK..... What the heck? Does anyone else feel like they are living a Stephen King story...and not the fun-filled teenage telekinesis hijinks of Carrie one either.  So since I am sequestered, (I like that word better than quarantine) I thought I would hop back on the inter webs and share my thoughts...humorous or otherwise.

My hope here is to:
1. Provide some distraction and hopefully a laugh or two
B. Keep my hands busy as to not shove food into my mouth...it took me about six months to take off 25 lbs (thanks to weight watcher points) I don’t want to gain it all back because of delicious pop tarts (17 Points)
And finally ... I don’t want my brains to turn to mush because of my ridiculous anxiety or because of my ridiculous addiction to Bravo TV!
Yesterday my tv stopped working and Fios had to talk me off the ledge....what will happen to the kids on Below Deck Mediterranean? I am glad to report ...Crisis...yes crisis....averted!

So as not to binge, on food or Netflix, I will try my best to write as much as I can ....and as my birthday in a couple weeks pushes me into the next higher risk group, I am hearing my mom’s voice saying after a certain age you don’t have to give anything up for Lent. Well ... all I can say to that is
WHAT THE ACTUAL F U C K ?!?!  Just sayin’.  Stay safe & healthy everyone!