Tip for a Tuesday....

Keep an eye on that dryer!

As I leaned in to the clothes dryer the other day, I was met with a burst of very hot air.

Odd, I thought, since I hadn't used it since the previous morning.

Sensing there just might be a problem - either with the dryer or my mind - I asked the Englishman to have a quick look when he had a minute.

He immediately descended the stairs from his office in order to check out the situation.

Apparently, I had not lost my mind.   

The Englishman also felt the heat coming from inside the drum and upon closer inspection, could see that the heating element was on. Even though the machine was not turned on.

Yes, he said.  That is definitely a problem.

Long story short, a serviceman confirmed that the heating element on the timer was broken and was creating what could have been a very dangerous situation, i.e. a fire.

Since the replacement part alone was nearly the cost of a new machine, 

we opted not to fix but to replace.  Delivery is on Friday!!

My tip?  When in doubt, check it out!!

If you sense that something seems a bit off, trust your instinct and have it looked at.

Be extra careful around appliances that produce heat 

and unplug items like toasters when not in use.  

Oh, and keep a clothes drying rack handy.  

Thursday's Thought for the Day....

Light Into the World

Life goes by fast.  Days come and go quickly sweeping by like a comet.  

The comet's tail lights the sky for miles; 

it's the luminescence of tiny particles reflecting the sun's light. 

Each of us is able to leave a trail of light behind 

that touches the lives of others long after we have passed by.  

For every act of love, every gesture of gentleness, 

every gift of self becomes a particle of light that shines behind us.  

May we live each day in such a way that it casts light across God's world.

~ Carol Merolla

from gratitude prayers

Tip for a Tuesday....

Calling all Seniors!

Citizens, that is, not students.

The Englishman and I stopped for lunch last week at a Friendly's restaurant, while out shopping.  When the waitress approached and inquired if there were any Seniors at the table, the Englishman emphatically replied, "Certainly not."

"Hold on," interrupted I.  Turning to our server, I asked her what the age threshold was in determining who was a "Senior."  Her reply? Anyone over the age of 60.

I smiled and assured her she most certainly had two Seniors at the table.

So what did that disclosure get us?

Our waitress was quite happy to inform us we were entitled to 10% off our bill 

and a free one scoop ice cream sundae.  Each.

Talk about "Friendly"!!

We certainly enjoyed our lunch, made even sweeter with the discount and free ice cream for dessert.

My tip?

If you too are in the "Senior" section of life, 

take advantage of your elevated status and treat yourself to a meal at Friendly's.  

And don't hesitate to admit your age!

Friday Fotos....

Remember the song "Happiness," sung by the entire cast at the finale of the stage musical You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown and that of the animated TV special of the same name? 

"Happiness is finding a pencil, pizza with sausage, telling the time, learning to whistle...."

Well, for this girl, happiness is when her Englishman returns from the Far East, not with pearls or silks, but with this!

If you haven't already heard, Hershey Inc has successfully blocked the import of many British sweets because, it says, it creates "brand confusion" with Hershey's products. 

Ripples of shock were felt across the Atlantic when the news was released.

Thankfully, a two hour layover in London, there and back, afforded him the opportunity to purchase numerous Wispa bars.

I leave you with my favorite lines from the Charlie Brown song.

Wishing everyone a cozy weekend, with little snow and a quick melting!

"Happiness is, morning and evening, daytime and nighttime too. For happiness, is anyone, and anything, at all, that's loved, by you!"

Thursday's Thought for the Day....

courtesy of Good Housekeeping - Media/News/Publishing - Facebook

Wednesday's Wisdom....

Don't project!!

A phone call last week from my doctor's office gave me a very quick overview of some recent blood work I had done.  One result I fully expected, as it is a problem I deal with on and off.  But one of them sort of threw me.  Not serious, just "pre" serious.

Sounding ominous, she continued, "The doctor would like you to keep your appointment with her next week and she will discuss the results with you then."

OK.  Don't panic, I thought.  Talked it over with the Englishman and let my three daughters know.

Then I went on the Internet.  Just for some information.  

But as often happens, I read a bit more than I needed to, and it led to a few anxious days.  And in my usual fashion, I started to construct conversations in my head that I fully intended to have with the doctor -  about how I would, or most certainly wouldn't, do this or that, etc.

I suspect a few of you know how that goes.

Happily, the doctor greeted me this morning with "got the results of your tests, 

and we can easily deal with things with diet and exercise, no medication required."

Phew!!!

We then discussed the tests results in detail and talked about specifics I need do to alter my lifestyle, which will improve my overall health, while also dealing with a couple of important issues.  As she is a "new to me" doctor, I was very relieved that Dr. K is similar to the doctor I had for over thirty years in both her relaxed approach to certain things and a reluctance to prescribe medication as a first response.

I was further relieved when I questioned her about my daily chocolate habit, which I feared I had to give up completely.  She said that was fine, everybody needs a little something.

But, she said, I do have to cut back my dark chocolate intake from three small squares to two.

A sacrifice to be sure, but one I'm prepared to make.

What's the lesson? 

Most of the time, what I envision is going to happen never actually comes to pass.  

The problem is that I live the emotions of it, before I even get there. 

I need to remember:

 Don't project what you think will be the outcome.

Wait and see! 

Tip for a Tuesday....

Colman's Mustard

Growing up, the only time Colman's mustard appeared in our kitchen was on St. Patrick's Day.  My mother used the dry version, adding a little water and stirring vigorously.  It was a favorite accompaniment to our traditional corned beef and cabbage dinner.

After marrying the Englishman, he showed me there was far more call for this delicious mustard than just its annual use on the 17th of March.

These days, I mix equal portions of jarred Colman's and mayonnaise, then add it to canned tuna.  It adds a lovely "kick" and spicy flavor to our sandwiches.

So whether you're of Irish or English descent, or anywhere else in the world, consider adding a little spice to your favorite dishes.

Easy Peasy!

A Monday Memory....

Best put on the kettle, this will be a long read....

The college I attended offered a three week London Theatre Study Tour, during our January Session, my senior year.  I think my mother was more excited than I was when I first read about it. Both she and my father didn't hesitate in urging me to go.

They also felt that since I would already be in England, and there would be an additional five days before I needed to return to campus, that I should plan a side trip. I was sure this would be my first and only trip abroad, so I agreed.

But where to go?

Ireland

My mother's side of the family held our Irish roots, on her mother's side, and I had a strong interest in seeing the countryside.  So it was decided.

My father went to a travel agency in Manhattan to make separate arrangements for me, since I would be making that part of the journey by myself and without the support of a professor or other students. 

He was assured by the agent he spoke to that I could do all of that myself in London.

During my whirlwind three weeks in London, I visited the travel agency recommended in New York, only to be told, those arrangements could easily be made in Dublin.

You see where this is going....

When I arrived in Dublin, they hadn't a clue what I was on about.

An itinerary was hastily thrown together for me.  I was given a train schedule, along with a short list of a few cities I would be visiting and the names of some hotels.  My first train journey would depart quite early in morning, they said. They assured me, that all would be well, they could personally vouch for the accommodations and modes of travel.  

Ah, the innocence of youth!

I believed every word they told me.

After spending a somewhat sleepless night in Dublin, I headed out for the train station.

My guardian angel must have been with me!

Taking a cab to the train station, I was very fortunate that the nice young driver waited to see I was safely settled on the train I had told him I was supposed to be taking.

Because it wasn't there.

The first train departing for my scheduled first stop did not, in fact, l

eave until six p.m. that evening.

Panic flashed across my face, and before I knew it, the cab driver had me back in the cab and on my way to the bus station.  There, I was able to purchase a ticket to Wexford,

which was departing within minutes, thankfully.

There were a few harrowing incidents over the next couple of days, best left for another post.

And yes, it is "a long way to Tipperary, it's a long way to go," as another bus I secured a ticket on bounced along the winding roads on my way to Limerick.

By which time, I had had enough of traveling on my own and finding "the timetable" given to me was basically useless.  So when I arrived in Limerick, I decided to stay for two nights, instead of one.

Which is where I found The Good Shepherd Convent and the precious Sisters who live there.

I was soon to discover that the good Sisters made lace, beautiful lace. I purchased a tiny handkerchief, pictured below.

One of the dear little Sisters explained that I was to carry this with my bouquet on the day I married, and then shape it into a bonnet for the many children she was sure I was going to have.

What a lovely idea, thought I.

(I must confess, I did neither.)

Safely tucked away in a dresser drawer, it is a sweet reminder of a lovely part of Ireland, during a time in my life when I stepped out of my comfort zone 

and took a chance that I could in fact travel on my own in a foreign country.

Thank goodness I did.  That trip gave me the courage to say "yes" to the numerous adventures that have followed since.

Thursday's Thought for the Day....

"As the years pass, I am coming more and more

 to understand that it is 

the common, everyday blessings 

of our common everyday lives

 for which we should be particularly grateful."

~ Laura Ingalls Wilder

 

 

Tip for A Tuesday....

"...To find a personal letter between the bills and circulars is like spotting a friend in a crowd of strangers.  To send a letter is a good way to go somewhere without moving anything but your heart."

~ Phyllis Theroux

Writer-in-Residence - Victoria Magazine

January/February 2015

 

Take a few moments today to write a note or send a card.

I promise you, both you and the receiver will be the better for it.

Tip for a Tuesday....

"Making a list, checking it twice...."

If for any reason I can't access my cell phone, I keep an index card in my wallet with 
important phone numbers written down.  

Years ago, before the birth of cell phones, we were taught to memorize any phone number 

we needed to dial.  I confess that I have not memorized a single phone number 
since I finally learned my own cell number.

It gives me great comfort to know that I have this additional source of information

close at hand, should I need to contact those I love.

A Monday Memory....

Pica or Elite?

Knowing the answer to that question will give away your age, and bring back memories of...

Typing Class 101

The term "pica" or "elite" was the name given to the size of the type found on the IBM Selectric typewriters in our high school.  Pica typed ten characters per inch horizontally, while elite produced twelve. I believe pica was the preferred type size by most of us.

Remember the text book, shown above, which was bound at the top and 

flipped open to reveal each lesson?

At first, I used special typewriter erasers, which were in the shape of a wheel and had a brush attachment to try and fix my typewritten mistakes. Whenever frustration led to a heavy hand with the eraser, the result was often a most unwelcome and disastrous tear in the paper. Thankfully, liquid eraser fluid and lift off tabs were discovered by many of my fellow students and they became our tools of choice, frequently passed from desk to desk in the typing room. And we were simply overjoyed when someone invented erasable typing paper, complete with margins outlined in red.

It often felt like a form of torture to try and recall where the various keys were located and then try to reach them with my fingers.  My left pinky, in particular, seemed to fight my every attempt to reach "q."  Hope turned to despair as the weeks of classes went on and I fell further and further behind my classmates.

For our final exam, we had to type a "term paper" from the textbook.

Page 5 was my nemesis.  As I recall, it featured a large paragraph in the center which had to be both indented and single spaced.  Since any form of erasing was strictly forbidden for the test, every mistake meant you had to pull the paper out and start again.

I lost count of the number of lunchtimes I raced from the cafeteria back to the typing room to try yet again to type a perfect page.  I was absolutely flooded with relief when I finally finished it.

I'll be honest.  I never did master the top row on the keyboard - I still have to look down to type numbers.  And I think it took a couple of years before I typed by word, instead of by letter. 

But like anything else, the more I practiced the easier it all became.

If they had told me that one day I would be typing on a telephone, small enough to fit in the palm of my hand, I would have thought they had been watching too many episodes of The Jetsons cartoon show.

Kids today....they have no idea what we suffered through!