JULY 1 – 31

 HEAL YOUR FINANCES

            This is something I did that worked for me. It’s a subject that might get your eyes rolling…until you try it and see that it works for you!

            In one of Catherine Ponder’s books (I wish I could remember which one), there is a chapter on financial healing. It’s very simple:

*Bless your Income.

*Bless your bills.

*Give thanks.

            Let’s take that one at a time:

    Bless your income. When you receive money or goods, or anything that increases your financial situation, Bless the source and thank them for compensating you for the energy you expended on their behalf.

    Bless your bills. Yes. Bless your bills. As they come in, acknowledge what they represent (I bless this bill from the electric company because it means I have electricity to run my household; it means I have shelter). Do this with every bill. Acknowledge what it means to have it (I can cook, have hot water, have a house/apartment to live in, etc.).

    Give thanks. The Universe responds to Gratitude. You can simply say, “I give thanks to the Abundance of the Universe that I have more than enough money to pay my bills,” even if you don’t! When I began saying this, I was “kiting” checks. Within three months, without any change in my income or lifestyle, I had extra money in my checking account.

            You can stop rolling your eyes now! 🙂

Let me know how it works for you: geminibev@cox.net, put the word MONEY in the subject line.

HELPING A FRIEND

            Elizabeth is moving to Florida. She is currently in rehab after breaking some bones. A collection of her friends have been asked to clean out certain things in her house: clothing, shoes, books. I took some of the clothing to send to a mutual friend in Maine where she can pick what she wants and donate the rest. I also took books. Soooo many books. I will box them up and ask the Friends of the Library to come and get them. These will go into their sales area. The clothing items are in bags in my bathroom and the books are still in my car. And of course we are at the start of a 5-6 day heatwave, so my ability to empty the books into boxes will be limited to a couple of early hours each day (hopefully).

            Plants, plants and more plants! Thank goodness Mary agreed to take them! Originally I thought there were 5 plants. It’s more like 15! Fortunately, they will all find a good home. The Christmas cactus and some of the begonias are absolutely gorgeous!

            I was able to go to the nursing home to visit Liz. She looks good and is in good spirits! Just to be silly, I decided she needed to name her injuries, so her leg injury is named Jasmine; the break at her wrist is Annabelle; and the break, up her arm, is named Jake. No rhyme or reason. Just bringing laughter into her situation.

STUDENT LOANS

            The Federal cap on how much money a student and parents can borrow in the form of student loans is one step closer to the dumbing down of America. At the current cost of higher education, this cap will make impossible for some of our brightest students to go on to higher education.

            Will we see colleges and universities lower their tuition? Will that mean trimming their teaching staff/pay role? Will parents have to re-mortgage their homes in order for their child to participate in higher education? So many questions!

            If a positive result from this appears in the future, I will be the first to hail the decision! But for now…

GOOGLE

            I am so frustrated with Google right now! I cannot get into my Blogs! I changed the password for my main blog and it worked…once! Now if I try to get into my main blog, it does not work. Not only that, but it won’t let me into my other blogs, either. These two I really don’t need to get into to make changes because they are complete. I’m ready to get off the computer all together. What’s the use of having it if it doesn’t work?

UPDATE: This monthly report is posted because I finally figured out an ID and password it would take. Still haven’t figured out my other Google sites!

FAMILY

            Paul had a birthday this month! Anne and Rick and Andy and Lori had wedding anniversaries.

            We had the grand/great grandkids for a couple of days. Boundless energy…them, not Nana and Gramma Bev! 😄 I really enjoyed watching them play in the pool. They had so much fun; no electronic devices needed!

PRODUCT FAILURE

            First my printer had an impossible paper jam. Bought it at Best Buy. Because I wisely had a service contract I got a new printer…FREE! However the Geek Squad won’t be here to set it up until the 28^th. UPDATE: Done!

            Then the dishwasher went. The service contract had expired. So off to get a new dishwasher. After going to Home Depot and P. C. Richard, we bought a new dishwasher at P. C. It will be delivered tomorrow, 7/23. UPDATE: Done!

            In between, I had a check returned to me with a letter stating that the bank was unable to find my account. WHAT? I went to the bank and they noticed that when I had ordered new checks, they were printed missing a number in the account number. WHAT? Another check was returned with a bill for the original amount plus $10. That check was to the town for my car tax. And unless I get my new checks in time…like today or tomorrow (the 30 ^th or 31^st) my tax payment will be late. I wonder how much that is going to cost me? 

 

So, before anything else happens, and I still have my sanity (debatable) this is a wrap! 😄😄

 JUNE 1 – 30

RETIREMENT!

            My identity was never dependent on my “job”. I looked forward to being able to retire most of my working life! 😆 I was happiest when I could get a non-scheduled day off, like a snowstorm (my favorite), or I just decided I needed a day. I remember a few times I told my employer I was taking a wellness day. I had to tell him because I lived across the street and for sure would be observed.

            Four years before I retired, I set two goals…I had never set a goal in my life. My goals were to buy a new car and have it paid off in four years; and pay my credit card down to zero. I achieved both goals! As for the credit card, it has been paid in full every month since then. I’ve had three cars since (none of them new) so I did have car payments for a short time.

            After I retired, I don’t know how I ever had time to work. I did a lot of bike riding on trails a distance from home. I still had my part-time word processing business, Gemini Word Pro. Jon and I were still publishing The Door Opener Magazine. And I was taking care of my mother. We bought a house together in South Windsor so now there were meals to fix, a bigger house to clean, mom’s appointments to manage, and a lawn to mow. On top of all that, I started writing stories and poetry.

            I have often said that I was born to be retired. I knew exactly how to use all that free time! Some things have changed! I stopped writing poetry after my mother passed, and gave up bike riding at age 85. However, I filled my time with volunteering with a historical society and doing historical research.

            And so, it continues! I wish all of you a Happy Retirement!

LAUNDRY

            *On the 3^rd I was able to hang sheets on the line for the first time this year! I had to wait for the pollen season to end! Love air-dried sheets (minus the pollen!)

FLOWERS & FLOWERING BUSHES

            *My flower garden right outside my sitting room is very pretty this year, and will be prettier: the cone flower, phlox, lobelia, ornamental pepper seedlings (these were just planted) and possibly one bee balm still need to bloom. In addition, I have a hanging geranium and a hanging fuchsia, several different color petunias, red and yellow lantana, and Gerbera Daisys. Out in the “dog’s yard”, there is the Japanese Quince and a fragrant Mock Orange. The Quince is in it’s second blooming, which it has not done before. 

HEALTH

            *I had a blood vessel burst in my right eye. I’ll be seeing my eye doctor for an evaluation…Kathy insisted I do that. 😆 Update: ocular conjunctival hemorrhage. It will slowly go away on its own.

FRIENDS

            *There are lunches with friends and classmates. One of my classmates is here from Florida for the summer, so she will be an addition to our group.

            *My dear friend, Elizabeth, has been in Florida all winter. She is currently back home in Windsor with her Florida family for the purpose of clearing out her house and getting it ready for sale. She doesn’t want to do this, but she’s at that age that dictates she not live alone. So far so good! However, she has since taken a bad fall that shattered her femur and landed her in the hospital. Rehab will be 3-6 weeks. Then she fell again and broke her arm in 2 places. I can’t imagine what her Florida family must be going through. I’ve been helping clean out some of her clothes and books. More on that next month.

HUMAN FAMILY

            *Anne came up from Maryland on the 20th. She came on Saturday and was here until Tuesday. She got to go down to visit Jessica and the kids. The girls and I went shopping for new jeans for me. It wasn’t easy! I’m sure the girls didn’t expect me to be so specific about what I wanted/liked. We were successful! The new jeans fit perfectly.

FUR FAMILY

            *On Wednesday Rigby and Martha went to the groomer and Rigby was a stressed-out nut case when they came back. Rigby finally calmed down. Kathy called the groomer to find out what happened, and the groomer said it was strange because all the dogs that afternoon were acting out. Unusual.

            *Thirteen-year-old Mama Bear (the mother cat) went outside in the morning and was nowhere to be found by bedtime. Not like her. Kathy even checked the garage…no Mama. Next morning Kathy spotted Mama through the garage window! She let her out assuming she would come around the other side of the house to come in for food and water. No Mama. Called her all day. Then I spotted her nested down among the ferns. When approached, she ran away. Even shaking the container of cat treats (which she cannot resist…catnip) would not get her back. Now serious worry has set in. Has Mama decided that this is the end of her life span? Kathy and I went to bed frantic. At 4 :30 this morning, during a horrendous rainstorm, Kathy heard Mama crying. Make that screaming! Kathy brought her in and dried her off! When Mama meows, you can hardly hear her. She was not injured in any way. Just cold, very wet and hungry. 

            We are wondering if the planetary energies were affecting their behavior. There had just been three earthquakes…one in northern California and two in Venezuela.

 

THAT’S A WRAP

            *And here we are at the end of another month. I hope you are well and are able to get through this heatwave as cool as a cucumber! 🥒

 MAY 1 – 31

        *This is the month of my birth. I have made 90 trips around the Sun wondering what life is all about. Several years ago, during that period in my life when I was discovering a lot of Metaphysical/Spiritual teachings, I was introduced to the Alice A. Bailey books. One brief paragraph in one of the books (I don’t remember which one) had a profound effect on me. It has been on my mind for the last couple of weeks and pushing me to share it. 

When ALL souls were created, The Creator gave them this charge: (I won’t

guarantee this is an exact quote)

 

” Go and grow! Go and serve! Go experience ALL things and return to me.”

 

This statement is, in my mind, what gives credence to the validity of Reincarnation. We cannot possibly experience all things in one lifetime. 

Each soul is a cell within the Body of The Creator, and when Creator wanted to know Itself, It created offsprings that we call Souls and sent us out to experience all things and return.

As I wax philosophical about being 90, I hope I have grown; I hope I have been of service to others; and, if I have, I know that at some point I will return to the Body of The Creator and become part of the ONE.

NOTE: You may have noticed that I refer to The Creator as IT. Creator is male and female (androgynous). Creator simply IS.

MY BIRTHDAY PARTY  -  May 30 🩷

            *I don’t know where to begin! I must express a huge amount of Gratitude to my daughter, Kathy, who worked so hard to make this day a success. It was spectacular. So many people who are near and dear to my heart. Super entertainment by Jeannie (her first song made me cry as did her last song…in a happy way). Lunch was catered by the Pickle Jar Deli from East Windsor, and it was super delicious! The cake was gorgeous and delicious. 

            I also want to give a shout out to the three “angels” who showed up to help Kathy decorate, and family members who helped her clean up.

            Even though I requested, “no gifts”, some people did anyway, and to them I I say Thank You. 

MOTHER’S DAY

            *The plan today was to have lunch at Heirloom Market at Comstock Ferre in Old Wethersfield. Then, it’s a short walk up the street to the Main Street Creamery for ice cream. Our ride home would include taking the ferry from Rocky Hill to Glastonbury.

            Well, so much for the plan! Old Wethersfield was so packed with people; we decided not to wait around in order to eat. Couldn’t get anywhere near the Creamery either! In addition to Mother’s Day, the decorated bicycles were drawing large crowds. We did take the ferry which was lots of fun. Thank goodness I had recently eaten at a restaurant in Glastonbury, so I knew good food was available at the First and Last Tavern. We were not disappointed! Brought enough food home for the next two days.

A/C BREAKS DOWN

            *On the last day of a heat wave, my portable A/C started leaking water. On the current setting it should not be condensing water out of the air. It should just be cooling the air. I’ve had this since I lived in the condo. We could not have window units, so the only thing I could use was the portable for the upstairs. I brought it with me to Kathy’s when I moved. So, I’ve had it for maybe 12 years.

            I made a quick trip to R. C. Richard and bought a window unit for my sitting room. Kathy was able to get it from my car into the house, but it needed to go in the window. I made a phone call to Andy requesting his help. He came! He saw! He installed! Thank you, Andy! I am more comfortable than I was with the portable. Not just more comfortable; quieter! That is important because it is next to the TV! (I’ll call him again in the Fall to take it out of the window!)

BIRTHDAY & GARDENING - May 25

            *Kathy took me out for breakfast on my birthday. We went to a restaurant we had not been to before. Ummm, I don’t think we’ll be back! Then we went to Garden’s Dream and I bought my flower plants. That was the easy part. I’m getting them in the ground little by little while Kathy concentrates on the vegetable garden.

            Kathy also attached huge balloons off the back of my car announcing my age! My car is parked close to the end of the driveway. What a hoot!

THE END OF MAY

            *A month of way up and way down temperatures. It seems like we have had enough rain…on the weekends, of course. And wind. The day of my party, Sat., May 30, was so cold, rainy and windy. You have to be kidding! And so goes another month. OH, and today is the full, blue moon. 😄 So, my 90^thbirthday celebration came once in a Blue Moon! (I’ll go quietly)

 APRIL 1 – 30

 

TECHNOLOGY

            *I’m looking for a sound bar for my TV. The sound now comes from the top rear of the TV. I would like it to come from the front at the bottom of the set. That’s more the same level as my ears. Today, Kathy and I went to Best Buy and I saw one for $300 plus an additional $100 for them to install it for me. That’s a little steep! I’m going to look around at P. C. Richard, Target, maybe even Walmart. I want something good, but hopefully a little less expensive.

            I went to P.C. Richard and I picked up my sound bar today (4/9). My first challenge was to get the box opened. Finally managed! Then the process of setting it up. The small bookcase and the TV cart had to be moved in order to access plugs. Done. Then plug everything in where I think it should go. The power was no problem. However, which end of the HDMI cord went where. Got that set up and did not work. Kathy tried to help. Seems we should not work together on a gnarly problem. After Kathy left and I had time to think about it, I reversed how the HDMI cord was plugged in. I think the sound bar is working.

            Well, that was wishful thinking. I returned the soundbar this morning-4/16.

*Would you believe I had a telephone conversation with a computer? I called AAA to check on where our cards were (I added Kathy to my account). The voice I was conversing with was totally electronic, monotone (no variation indicating emotion), rapid fire questions and answers. An interesting encounter leaving me to wonder about who, or what, I was talking to!

LUNCH

            *Before Kathy and I went to Best Buy, we had lunch at Joey Garlic’s. I really like that place. I had the grilled salmon and Kathy had a mountain of muscles. We both brought a lot of food home! (Critique: Kathy’s meal could have had fewer muscles, less sauce and more pasta. My meal could have done with a lot less broccoli, however I will cook it some more and put more butter on the linguini. Both meals were very good.)

            *Lunch yesterday (4/15) at PJD with Nancy, Ricki, and Germaine. Today is lunch at the Yarde Tavern with classmates. 

            *Had lunch on 4/29 with Kathy and Kathi who I knew when I worked at CT Nat. Gas. Actually, I took over Kathi’s job when I was a temp and she transferred to a different department! We met at First and Last Tavern in Glastonbury. It was so great to catch up! (Critique: the chicken, walnut wrap was delicious. The soup was supposed to be creamy chicken-broccoli. However, it really was ground beef with very little broccoli. It was good, but not what it was supposed to be.

MOON SHOT

            *There is something more to today’s (April 1) ARTEMISS II rocket trip to the far side of the moon. I seem to recall that it has already been done once before. What are they looking for or looking at? I hope Maya was able to watch this.

FAMILY

            *Jacob called me this early evening (4/2). It was so good talking to him. Bozeman was experiencing a blizzard at that moment! Just a few short weeks from now he will have his Masters Degree and be able to relax until the next chapter of his life unfolds…hopefully gainful employment. (NOTE: he nailed his Thesis and it will be published! So proud!)

SPORTS

            *You know by now the UConn women’s basketball team lost in the Final Four by 14 points. I had the game on, but I couldn’t watch or listen to it. I just looked up occasionally to check on the score. Geno was really hot under the collar about the officiating and the behavior of the South Carolina coach. I think he walked off the court without the final handshake with Dawn Staley. So ends the 54-game winning streak and all those folks who bought furniture from Jordan’s Furniture are going to have to pay for it. Lots of drama.

            And the men lost to the Officials by 6 points. They were calling fouls on UConn whenever they took the lead that were not fouls. Even the commentators were saying those were not fouls. And so, another season ends.

POLITICS

            *The Mad Man and his Second-in-Command have crossed the line! The AI created picture of Trump as Jesus was blasphemous! How dare he use that image and even consider himself that personage. And Vance, preaching the Gospel to prove Trump is doing the right thing and his detractors are spreading false rumors! How dare he! If there is such a place as Hell these two are sure to burn there. 

            *Did the Mad Man use the Correspondents Dinner gunman event to show “how important it is to build the ballroom as soon as possible”? A ballroom that would never come close to holding 2,600 guests!

            *And speaking of the Mad Man, he wants to build a “Triumphal Arch” in D.C.. And if that isn’t enough, I heard the new passports will have his picture and name on them. What a great way to discourage foreign travel!

I hope April was a good month for everyone. I'll see you in a  month!

 MARCH 1 – 31

 

WEATHER

            March can’t decide whether it’s going to be a lamb or a lion. March 1 has a snow shower and sunshine! Temperatures will drop to single digits.  Later this week, it will be in the 50’s. And that’s just the first week of March! Freezing rain to 68° in a week’s time. The entire month was a temperature roller-coaster.

            I know I’ve mentioned it before, and probably will again, that our seasons are changing. Spring seems to come all of a sudden in early May (instead of April) and just as suddenly, it gets hot before the end of May. It seems the Spring season has gotten much shorter. Fall lasts longer. The weather seems to remain comfortable well into October. It is Climate Change. How long will it take for New England to become tropical?

            At the moment it is March 31^st, 4 p.m., and the temperature is 79° at our house! It may have gone higher and I missed it. Tomorrow is supposed to be in the mid 70s, then the bottom drops out! Enjoy while we can!

POLITICS

            The mad man in D.C. needs to be reined in! It’s the job of Congress to do that. I don’t understand why they seem to be so afraid of rebuking him. He has put us back into a war in the Middle East. Why? He created the situation from his own demented imagination/ego! If Congress can’t/won’t stop this man, then we must appeal to another Power! If that means aliens or God, whichever, let’s get going! I know there is order in chaos. However, the chaos this mad man creates contains only chaos…there’s no observable order to it. Even he says he’s winging it. Scary!

LUNCH

            Mid-March found me having lunch with Nancy and Ricki on a Wednesday at the Pickle Jar, and the next day with classmates at Jimmy Chen’s. If I’m lucky, the PJ will have clam chowder on the menu. At JC’s it was shrimp and vegetables in a white sauce.

SPORTS

            The college basketball season is drawing to a close. Soon it will be all baseball. Not sure how I feel about the Automated Balls & Strikes thing some teams will be using. Only pitchers or catchers can challenge and they only get 2 challenges per game (or something like that). I guess I’ll have to wait until I experience it during a game. It has something to do with the strike zone as it relates to very tall batters.

             Both UConn teams are going to the Final Four! Did you see that shot by Mullins that beat Duke? And he's only a Freshman!!!

AN INTERESTING DAY

            Thursday, March 19^th. It began as I expected: late, light breakfast because I’m having lunch with classmates at noon at Jimmy Chen’s. That was it. That’s what I was expecting. Then I get a call from Nancy asking if I would meet her at the East Windsor Historical Society at 1:30ish to help with some research. 

A young man from Japan, who lives in Canada, and is profoundly deaf, is researching the Bartlett family from East Windsor. Why? Members of that family were instrumental in the founding of the American School for the Deaf. 

I had some Bartlett documents on my computer that I could share. At the Osborn House, where the research library is, there was an enormous 3-ring binder devoted to the Bartlett family! What a treasure! We decided that the best way to get my information transferred was for me to put it on a thumb drive. That meant going home, doing the transfer and bringing the drive to Nancy’s house. Once there, I was treated to a delicious cup of coffee, some Japanese cookies, and excellent conversation with Ron and Nancy!

I did not get a chance to meet with our visitor because he was spending the day at Yale doing research. I was just happy I could help in some small way.

While at lunch, I got a call from Jacob in Montana, but unfortunately we couldn’t talk. Then on my way from lunch to the Osborn House, I stopped at the Pickle Jar Deli to pick up some clam chowder to take home. They didn’t have it on the menu yesterday when I was there for lunch but they let me know it would be there the next day! It’s so good!

After the research, I stopped at Barbara’s house to see if her mail was being delivered again. When she goes to Florida in the Fall, her mail delivery gets messed up. It is now supposed to be delivered to her home in Scantic, and until she gets back, I’ll monitor her mailbox for her. It was empty.

Then it was home. Tired but happy that my very interesting day was done!

THAT’S IT!

            So, another month has passed. It’s been a good month and I look forward to April! Be happy and be well. Blessings of Easter!

 February 1 – 28, 2026

 

SPORTS

            The month began with the UCONN women’s basketball team knocking off archrival, Tennessee, by 30 points. I could not watch the first half when the score was so close. The half started out with UCONN easily taking a 20-4 lead. Then the dreaded Lady Vols woke up and the score went back and forth. The first half finished at a 42-42 tie! I don’t know what the message in the locker-room was, but the Huskies came alive and won. One thing was very evident: UCONN has to value the ball more than they did in this game. Take care of the rock! Stop throwing it away in bad passes!

WEATHER

            Bitter cold on 2/1. Supposedly temps will moderate with threats of snow later in the week. This coming weekend (2/7-2/8) we are going to have snow, bitter cold temps and windchill on top of that. The highs are supposed to be in the single digits. I had to reschedule my haircut to next Saturday. By then I’ll look like Albert Einstein.

            The January Thaw has slipped to February! Temps in the upper 40’s mid-February! The New Moon is on the 17^th. The January Thaw used to occur around the Full or New Moon of January. Which means (and you have probably observed this already) Spring comes later and Fall lasts longer. The seasons have slid one month.

            Blizzard Calvin dumped 31” of snow in Stonington; 48” in Providence, RI; and Cape Cod is without power and passable roads! That was on 2/23. Now, 2/25, we had 3” more this morning.

LUNCH

            Had lunch with Sandy and Mike who worked in the CNG cafeteria when I worked there. Two of the best people on the planet! 

            Had to reschedule lunch with Cheryl. She and her husband, Chris, mentored me (took me by the hand!) and showed me the ropes at the CT State Library when I was doing my research for Remembrance. More good people!

            Had lunch with Ricki and Nancy at the Pickle Jar Deli. I called ahead and asked if they could put clam chowder on the menu for that day (it wasn’t). I know so many good people!

MEDICAL/HEALTH

            I finally had my hearing test. It was rescheduled because of the January snowstorm. I have my new hearing aids, 2/26. I should have gone to Hear Again to begin with the first time! Watching the morning news at volume 9 instead of 14+! Can I hear you now? Yes I can!

EXERCISE

            I have started using the gym at the Senior Center. It’s not a big room and the equipment is arranged close to each other. It’s OK if I’m the only one working out, or just a couple other people are in there. I have rejoined Planet Fitness so I have a back-up if the Senior Center is crowded and I want to work out. I’m still doing the Stretch & Flex class on Fridays at the Center. 

            I had a session with the PF personal trainer. This was determining the machines best for me right now and figuring out the settings. All that was written down so I won’t have to remember. So far so good! 

RESEARCH

            I’ve been working with my good friend, Jon Roe, on the Azel Roe genealogy. Jessica Vogelgesang from the Watershed Collective (formerly Friends of Wood Memorial Library and Museum) has joined in the search for information after she was contacted by Todd Cleary from PA whose 97-year-old mother is Fanny Bartlett Roe. So now we are sharing stories of the family as well as watercolor paintings of The Elms (the Roe house) that was on Route 5 in East Windsor. Now Jon has a lot more to add to his book on the family history! Did I mention Mark Twain was a frequent visitor?

 

And that’s a wrap. See you next month.

 January 1 – 31, 2026

 

HAPPY NEW YEAR

The new year begins with a dilemma for me. For some reason the hymn, “Let there be peace on Earth” started running through my head. It is a beautiful hymn, so I looked it up using Google. Here’s the dilemma: how do I reconcile “letting it begin with me”, when there is so much anger, frustration, and hopelessness in the world today. How do I reconcile my anger and frustration with the buffoon in the White House defiling National Monuments (the White House East Wing), being militarily aggressive against Venezuela, to say nothing of sending our own troops into various American cities for reasons known only to him, ending thousands of federal employees’ jobs, and cutting funding to vital services?  America has become the laughingstock of the planet! How do I let peace begin with me when I am so angry and frustrated with my own American leadership (that includes Congress)? 

Please, God. Let there be Peace on Earth and please show me how to let it begin with me! 

KITCHEN CHORES

Our Food Saver vacuum sealer (I think it was the one I brought with me when I moved to Kathy’s…I had it for years) had to be replaced in September of last year. That one now needs to be replaced. They just don’t make things as good as they used to! The replacement does what it is supposed to do…vacuum and seal! It’s a beast! We also had to retire/replace the old hand blender.

HEALTH CARE

I used my new Medicare Advantage Plan for prescriptions. It cost me nothing (as advertised!). Have not been charged a premium. Entitles me to Silver Sneakers at the Senior Center. So far, so good!

GOING TO LUNCH

1/7 - Had lunch at Pickle Jar Deli with Ricki (haven’t seen her in ages) and I’ll be back there tomorrow to have lunch with Jon. They said they would save me a bowl of clam chowder for tomorrow! Then on the 11^th I had lunch with Lisa at Figaro’s. 

On the 15th it was the monthly gathering of a few high school classmates (who are still in the area) for lunch at Joey Garlic’s (we go somewhere different every month). I highly recommend Joey Garlic’s!!!! I wouldn’t mind going there almost every month. One of the best! 

SAD NEWS

The Class of ’53 has lost another classmate. Elsie was part of our lunch group and joins Pat, Thelma, Dave, and Nancy in our memories. We don’t have many classmates left. 

WEATHER

So far it has been more days warmer than average. Today (1/17) we are having a wet, heavy snow. Messed up our plans to go to Maya’s violin recital. It looks like an unsettled, windy, colder than normal spell coming up. That’s what I love about New England. I had to reschedule my hearing test because of the snowstorm we are expecting…12” – 18”…this weekend (1/25-1/26). I tried posting pictures but technology is not my friend right now! Our weather to finish out the month has been way below zero nights and barely 20's during the days.

  POLITICS 

 The buffoon/a$$hole occupying the Oval Office in   Washington, D.C. has me reacting between disbelief, disgust, and hilarity. First comes the threat; then the rhetoric to back up the threat; then the back-down from the threat claiming middle ground has been achieved when in fact it was nothing but an idle threat to begin with! Don’t waste your energy being either disgusted or elated at what drivel comes out of his mouth initially because it will change to nothingness. This is his “reality show”!

 COX CABLE & INTERNET

 I just downloaded my Cox bill for next month. This is the end of my discounted Agreement and my bill will go up $41.69 starting in March unless I go into the store and plead for a lessor amount (while keeping my same line-up of programming). Don’t they understand that fewer people would opt out for streaming options if Cox wasn’t so expensive? I would go streaming myself but it would require my using technology new to me; uncertainty about if the channels I want would be on just one streaming “thingy”; and what would that cost as opposed to my Cox bill? I need to keep Cox internet. I don’t like going to them and begging for a lower rate…but …..

That's it for January! See you next month!