7 Kids, 2 grandkids, 1 on-the-way, 2 cats, Mom, and Dad

Stores are getting ready or Christmas Cactus not left behind.

We got a Christmas Cactus from Good Friend's Hot Sister a couple of years ago and it has always been great about blooming.

It looks like this year won't be any different as it has already started and we're not even finished with Halloween yet!

Christmas Cactus Flowers

Clothes Shopping or Ooooo!

I bought some sweater/shirts this weekend at Banana Republic...87% silk, 13% cashmere. They are lightweight but warm without that itchy feeling you get from 100% wool.

This requires an addition to my 'worth spending more list' which includes: shoes, mattresses, coats, and now sweaters.

The only down side is that they are dry clean only, but I can live with that.

A pirate's life for me or Margaritas are the new grog?

I went to a Halloween party last night dressed as a pirate. I'll be sure to post a picture once Oldest Daughter sends one to me so you can see me in all my pirateness!

Some tidbits I picked up during and after my transformation to being a pirate:

- it hurts to have eye liner applied...by anyone!
- using a Sharpie to color your nails when out of black nail polish works
- getting the color off of your nails is a LOT harder
- no matter how you scrub, and what lotion you use, you won't get all the eye makeup off after one try
- long hair is hot and uncomfortable when doing the Cha Cha Slide
- dancing to the YMCA song as a pirate with eye makeup totally works
- chicks dig pirates

A blustery day or Hunker down and chill.

This is the ultimate in blustery days. I expect to see Pooh and Piglet blowing by any time now and I saw a few Christopher Robins in downtown Portsmouth this morning with inverted umbrellas!

Dreary days make me think of Mary. I guess the sad weather brings about sad feelings but it also makes me think of the missed comfort of being with each other.

I think of the times when we were first married and living in an apartment on Hampton Beach during the fall while waiting for me to start Basic Training. We didn't have a car, both worked part time jobs, didn't have two nickels to rub together, but we had each other.

It seemed like we owned the beach and even in weather like this we walked, hands tightly clasped, and talked about our plans for the future...We wanted kids, but how many? When? We talked about me going into the Army and wondered how we'd make it through the long separation of basic training. And we talked about us...our dreams and plans for the future.

We had it all figured out, and had all the answers...decided as we walked, hands tightly clasped, on a rainy and blustery day.

Clear skies or What I need to view the stars.

I need my schedule to sync up with the meteorlogical one so that I can view the night sky some more. Clear nights seem to happen in conjunction with days that were already long and tiring and the desire to go outside is not in me.

Sweater weather or Can't believe the chill in the air.

I bought some sweaters last weekend and that purchase falls into the 'just in time' category. I enjoy fall so much but dread the cold weather waiting on the other side of it. I really do like it when it snows but dislike it when the weather turns bitter cold and dreary.

Anyway, bought my first ever cashmere sweater and I like it. It is lightweight, looks nice, and adds just enough warmth for the chilly days ahead.

In other news, I took my Astronomy test last night for the one that I missed while in VT last week and I think I did ok. My Anthropology test is Thursday so I better get busy reviewing the terms and key chapters!

When Bambi comes to visit or Doe a deer?

We were talking in the kitchen when Middle Daughter exclaimined, "Look! Deer!"

They were in the backyard and only about 15-20 feet from the house. A total of four deer were out there and I think two of them were the ones that frequented our yard last year and now they're back with their offspring!

I slowly slid open the door to the deck and stepped outside to get the photos. They saw me, saw the movement, but they couldn't pick up my scent because the wind was blowing toward me. Finally, they figured something was going on and bolted for the woods with their white flags waving goodbye.

Bambi Closeup

Run away, run away!

Posting conundrum or What to say.

Before you leave, wondering if this is another one of those "I don't have anything to say but I'm going to say something anyway because something is better than nothing, dear, gentle reader", be assured that this is no such thing.

The thing I almost always wrestle with is what type of post I should make. Will it be one that is honest about how I'm feeling and what is going on in my life, or will it be a lighthearted one instead?

Some days it seems that the air is too thick to breathe, that my feet are mired in molasses, and a fog wraps my brain in a numbing cocoon. Other days I see the joy of what life offers and think about what that means for me in the coming days, months, and years.

The good days are gaining ground on the bad, and for that I'm thankful.

And when the days are bad...that's when it is time to post about flirting, chicks, and breasts.

Party Happenings or What happens when you're single.

I went to a house concert party at a friend's house last night. The music was good and there was plenty there to eat and drink. Turns out that the hygenist that cleans my teeth is a neighbor and she was at the party...and was quite tipsy.

I was flirting, as usual, and she mentioned that she was separated and considered herself single. I told her it was hard to tell when women are single because of the rings and she was wearing one on THE finger. She reached down...slowy...removed the ring...and put it on her other hand!

Anyway, we flirted off and on through the night but I know she's not someone that I'd like to date. She's fun when she's drunk but when she's not I didn't find myself drawn to her at all. Keeping her drunk would lead to lots of other problems so a dating future is definitely not in the cards.

Plus, she works for Hot Dentist and I'd hate to miss a chance there if HD was to break up with her boyfriend. ;)

Something old, somthing new or Time to make some changes.

I'm getting a new bed today. One of those "what's your sleep number?" beds that are adjustable via the use of air. I gave Oldest Daughter the other bed...the one that Mary and I picked out when we moved into this home three years ago.

I'd rather not sleep in it any more. I think it may be partly to blame for my shoulder problems because after a week in New Orleans, it was starting to feel better. The bed in NO was awesome so I wonder if that was the cause? But, the other reason is that I don't have the heart to sleep in it any more. It just doesn't feel right now that she's not there to share it with me.

But I am keeping the headboard/footboard for use with the new bed.

After I get my new bed I'll be out shopping for new sheets and a blanket. I let OD keep the other set because it was made specifically to fit the 21" mattress.

Yesterday was Son's 21st birthday and today Mary would have been 45. The start of a new phase in his life and the ghost of her life ended too soon surround me today.

THE finger or When did things change?

Ok, I admit it...I find myself checking out fingers when I meet a woman. You know, THE finger...the ring finger on their left hand, and you know what? Women that aren't married, engaged, or even have a boyfriend wear rings on that finger!

I was at a conference, work purposes, and my sales rep decided to play the role of wing woman. We were talking to someone and she asked her if she had any single friends and the lady piped up and said, "I'm single!"

She had a beautiful diamond/ruby band type ring on THE finger. How's a guy supposed to know that doesn't mean anything but good taste in jewelry! I'm totally not chatting up EVERY cute chick hoping that there isn't a jealous husband/boyfriend/ect. around the corner dying to punch my lights out!

Ok...maybe if she's REALLY cute I'll chat her up. ;)

More fun time or But then the down side.

The good part about the yearly conference is that I get to see people that I haven't seen in a year. The bad part is that I get to see people that I haven't seen in a year. Several of them came up to ask how Mary was doing because last year she had just finished up with her radiation but had some additional tests because of the PET scan of her ribs.

One woman said, "How long have you been divorced? I can see the mark from your wedding ring so it must have been recent." She was trying to be joking/flirty but felt awful when I told her that Mary died on March 5th of this year.

If I talk about Mary some people look uncomfortable, if I don't I feel like I'm avoiding 24 years of my life...So I stumble along and hope that I am gentle and kind when I tell them that because that's what I really need too.

Fun week or Need to catch up on sleep.

I was away last week for a business trip in New Orleans. I've never been there before so I don't have anything to compare it with in terms of how it looks now compared to before the hurricane.

I spent my time going between two hotels, the conference center, a couple of nice restaurants (Nola and K-Paul's), and Bourbon Street. :)

Things, for the most part, were ok though there were parts of Bourbon Street that had an awful stench. I don't know if it was like that before the hurricane but it definitely is so now. After a couple of drinks it was hardly noticeable.

This is probably the most fun I've had a sales conference. It was great to see people I hadn't seen in a while, drink, and then go dancing. Some of my teammates mentioned that each time they saw me I was with a different woman but that's just because I was nice enough to walk them back to the hotel.

Sheesh, like chivalry is dead or something!

Planetarium or Looking at the sky indoors.

Me, Middle Daughter, and Youngest Daughter went to the Christa McAuliffe Planetarium last night. My instructor made it a mandatory night and I'm glad we went. He was the presenter for the planetarium part of the show and then Dr. Brian Marsden, an astronomer at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory in Cambridge, MA gave a talk.

He talked about the recent decision by the International Astronomical Union to designate Pluto as a dwarf planet rather than a celestial planet like Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. At first it seemed sort of dry but then he ended up saying things that were pretty funny and entertaining.

After that was all done we were going outside to observe the night sky. A bunch of amateur astronomers had brought their telescopes but by the time we got outside it had gotten foggy/misty and the night sky was pretty hard to see other than the Moon. The moon was bright because it was full and then it reflected off the mist like headlights in fog and made it impossible to see anything else.

We still had a lot of fun and I was glad the daughters spent the evening with me.

Brrrr...it's cold in here or Time to take off the hoses.

We may get a frost! That means it is time to disconnect the outside hoses, close the lines inside the house, and open up the faucets outside.

It is one of the easiest things to do and is much better than having frozen pipes and all the problems that go along with that!

Getting the right side or Spoiled kitty alert!

Fizban was sitting on my lap when I snapped this picture. She kept moving her head to different positions like it was a photo shoot.

New wine shop or The best olives ever!

I went to the Dover Wine Company on my way home from my dental appointment.

They have a cool selection of wines, cheese, and olives. I bought some of the kalamata olives after tasting them in the shop. They are hands down the best olives I've ever had.

The owner was working today and was friendly and knowledgeable. It will be a cool place to stop in and visit and definitely brightens up downtown Dover.

The olden days or The first mall in this area.

I was reading this entry over at Pam's blog and she mentions the Newington Mall.

It was such a big deal when we got our own mall. We'd go hang out there and I have many good memories of that place.

I got my first suit there, at Stuart Shaines, for my 8th grade dance.

I hung out with high school friends, kissed Mary while walking with hands entwined, and then strolled through there with my kids in a stroller before it was torn down and replaced with a string of stores.

I used to buy a dozen roses for Mary at the flower shop in the mall. She lived at home with her parents in Lee and our first summer together she came down with mono. I gave her a dozen roses every day for two weeks and her room was filled with them.

Her parents recently sold the house and land and watched their home of 30 years get torn down in the space of a few hours to make way for a bank. They couldn't take care of the house any more and money needed for their retirement is now in their hands rather than as prime real estate on Route 125.

Things change and that gives another generation the opportunity to talk about the way things used to be..."That bank is where your great-grandparents used to live and one summer your grandfather filled your grandmother's room with roses because she was sick."

Yummy brunch or Crepes for three!

I bought a crepe maker last night and we made some for brunch today. We had Nutella, raspberries, strawberries, bananas, and home-made whipped cream as toppings of choice for our culinary delights.

We also had some bacon to round out our meal.

The girls are cleaning up now and then we may go apple picking. It is raining off and on but we won't melt so we might take a chance and go anyway.