Publishers Clearing House Winner Date--"Doing" the Big Apple with an Accountant

Sayre over at Sayre Smiles is hosting First Fun Monday for February. Since it's the month of LOVE, she's asked us to share stories of first dates or of dating gone right or wrong. Well, here's my story that fits in both categories, Pubishers Clearing House weekend in New York or "Faye and the Accountant Do the Big Apple". BTW, this is an oldy but goody re-posted from the past.

Around the end of the year I start noticing the commercials on TV urging us to enter the annual Publishers Clearinghouse Sweepstakes. You know, the one where the Prize Patrol van arrives at some one's house totally unexpectedly (it's the truth, I swear) with balloons, excited neighbor onlookers, and a huge check for 10 million dollars to surprise a lucky winner of grand prize that they won just by mailing in an entry form--no magazine subscription purchase required. When I see the commercial I think two things. One, there was a time when I was so financially strapped that I prayed to win the sweepstakes and entered it every year. Two, how many people actually believe that the sweepstakes is for real? Well, I don't enter anymore, but I do know someone who actually won a PCS prize, S the Accountant, my sweepstakes winner date from hell.

In the late 1970s I had just returned to the U.S. from three years of heady, exciting living and working in the West Indies. As do a lot of young people, after a spell of adventuring I wanted to come home. Home was a small college town in the Appalachian foothills where I had gone to school. I was hired by the university to run their adult education learning center. Every day I got to help adults learn to read, study for their GED high school equivalency diploma, or learn to speak English as a second language (this for foreign students or their families who were studying at the university). The work was great, the dating scene not so much.

If you're familiar with small college towns, you know that it's slim pickins' in the dating department. Most of the eligible--and desirable--men are already taken, usually by your good friends! So in the late '70s I was half-heartedly dating S, the chief accountant for the university. S was not particularly handsome (okay, I know that's shallow, but I was young!), rather boring but reliable and respected on campus. We were floundering along with the occasional dinner and movie date. Then S went big time!

He called me all excited--for S--with the news that he had just been notified by Publishers Clearinghouse that he had won a $2,700 promptness prize in that year's sweepstakes! Now I wasn't surprised that he won the promptness prize--he was, after all, an accountant. But, in addition to the prize money, he was invited to fly to New York City, along with the other winners from across the U.S., for a whirlwind publicity tour of the city. He would stay at The Plaza Hotel on 5Th Avenue, travel by limousine, dine at the greatest restaurants, see a Broadway play, tour the Publishers Clearinghouse out on Long Island and meet the CEO and employees responsible for the sweepstakes. Professional photographers would follow the winners for the whole tour.

And, he could bring a guest--me! Would I go with him IF I could be assured of having my own room? I can just imagine S making clear to the tour organizer that his guest would need her own room!! I said "Yes" because it sounded like a great adventure and I knew that S needed reinforcements. He had never flown before. I remember him clutching my hand when we lifted off at the Lexington Airport. He was very smart, but totally lacking in social skills. My job was to be his buffer and help him enjoy the trip. On reflection, I deserved more than my own room at The Plaza--I should have had combat pay!

I could tell so many stories about S the Accountant taking Manhattan, but will be selective. The best stories centered on S's wardrobe, especially a short butterscotch (you couldn't even call it a caramel) colored corduroy coat with a faux fur collar that he bought at the local Maloney's Department Store (where you could also buy furniture or a shovel). When S showed up in that coat at my house I knew that my lovely red wool coat that went so well with my shiny black hair cut al la Dorothy Hamil didn't stand a chance!

S and I got checked in the fabulous Plaza and went our separate ways to get settled in. First time I'd stayed in a place ritzy enough to have mints on the pillow and my bed turned down. Back to S's coat, though. Our first activity was to meet the other prize members in the Palm Court of the Plaza and head out to dinner. I got downstairs first and was enjoying meeting the other people. The 10M grand prize winner was a nice young couple who owned a dime/variety store in Florida. So, we're chatting along when MY date walks in the Palm Court with his tie in hand! The man does not know how to tie his tie! Believe me, his guest (me!) would have loved to help him in the privacy of his room. Instead, a couple of the guys in our party took him to the side and tied his tie. He then puts on his fine butterscotch coat. We get into our private limo for the drive to dinner--at Windows on the World Restaurant on the top of the World Trade Center. (How sad to remember that beautiful place which is no more after 9/11--it had just opened in 1976.)

When we arrive at the restaurant, the limo driver suggested that S leave his coat in the limo since we would take the same limo back to the hotel. He balked, saying that he'd just bought that coat and didn't want to lose it! Reluctantly he did take it off, but not before writing down the limo license plate number and chauffeur's name. Can you imagine the all-points bulletin that would have gone out to New York's Finest if that coat had gone missing! The next night we dined at The Four Seasons without a coat incident. This time it was a cutlery intervention that was required. Even with all the stress of helping S tread the social waters, I still remember the glittery dining room and my first taste of French chocolate mousse.

After that first day I learned to anticipate S's potential social blunders and the rest of the group accepted him for what he was--a good, smart, unsophisticated man who hadn't seen much of the world. It was great to be able to see and experience some of the best of New York in such great style. The highlight of the trip was actually touring the Publisher's Clearinghouse and meeting the employees, including the those who actually drew the winning entries--including our Florida friends--for that year's sweepstakes. So, in these hard economic times, you may want to think about entering the Publisher's Clearinghouse sweepstakes, but think twice before agreeing to accompany a winner to New York!

P.S. Please excuse the overuse of parentheses today. I don't know why I needed so many. . .

Fun Monday - Travel Photography, the Big Summer Project

The Fun Monday assignment for June 20 is: BIG Summer Projects. Our host for June is Sayre , known to some of us as the Energizer Bunny, wants to know what we plan to get done this summer--something really huge. Well Sayre, you may remember that I had a month without access to a computer recently. So, I spent that time working on my house and yard--cleaning the basement, filing, shifting furniture, and getting the yard under control. Consequently, my big project can be a lot more fun. In the next two months I want to learn to take better digital photographs so I can capture all the good memories of upcoming travels to Scandinavia and who knows where after that!


I'm a relative novice at digital photography and my shots show that. The last trip I took was the first time to use a digital camera--a simple point and shoot Canon Power Shot. Loved the convenience, ability to enhance with photoshop. But now I'm ready to up my game a bit. To begin I picked up this wonderful photography essential guide by Tom Ang--it's a combination of how to and the artistry of photography. And now this week I'm going to purchase a more powerful camera so I can practice, practice, practice before Scandinavian trip.

On returning from travels abroad, my most treasured mementos are these low tech albums that I make for each trip. These albums are always out so that, if on a rainy afternoon I decide to go to Italy, I can just drag out "Gardens of Tuscany 2000" and re-live the trip. Each book is filled with photos, postcards, menus, programs, ticket stubs, currency and coins, beautiful labels, pressed plants and flowers. Each item has my hand-written description, plus thoughts on that day's travels. So essentially, they are illustrated travel journals, from 1993-present:

Here's a peek at a few pages from the Tuscany album (if, like me you're a bit of a voyeur, you're welcome to em-biggen the photos for more detail). This is Sienna with its hilly streets, the Piazzo del Campo where the Palio festival features horses racing madly around the square, a fancy wrapper for delicious Italian sweet yeast bread--panforte al cioccolato, oh yes! Look closely at bottom left photo--houses have birth announcements mounted under door knockers--this one for little Sophia:

This page features the countryside around Pienza, including the brochure of our hotel, Il Chiostro Di Pienza, a 15th century converted monastery with serene hill views and a resident border collie for we dog lovers to mooch on when we missed ours at home:

Here you see an olive grove , garden, and wisteria arbor on left. On right is Villa Cetinale owned by an English Lord Lambton and his mistress, combines English and Italian architecture and garden:

In Florence, photos and mementos from the Uffizi Gallery. Lower left-Botticelli's "Primavera", upper right some carbinieri standing guard in front of Giambologna's "Rape of the Sabine Women". But my favorite is the "gallery" dogs sleeping on the steps of the Uffizi:

Finally, scenes from my hotel window in Pienza on the last evening of trip, Italian currency and coins, and the dinner menu from our hotel in Florence. We had gilthead seabream with courgettes (cucumbers must have been in season!), strawberry sorbet in crispy basket:

Several of my friends enjoy digital scrap booking and they are quite beautiful. But for me, for now, I love being able to look through these old-fashioned albums and remember the pleasures of travel. Sayre, hopefully I'll borrow some of your energy and enthusiasm and complete my Big Photography Project so the next album will be even more satisfying than this one of Tuscany.

Fun Monday - Signature Dishes

Sayre over at Sayre Smiles continues as our Fun Monday host for June. Her assignment for June 13: share descriptions and/or recipes for our signature dishes. If there's a celebration or party, what dish do the attendees beg you to bring? Or, what do you like to cook to share with others?

Sayre, I used to be a serious cook, but not any more. Usually the rare time I go to someone else's home I'm good for dessert--purchased at the Homemade Pie and Ice Cream Kitchen. One thing that I'm moderately famous for is combining chocolate and creme de menthe liquor. Many years ago I made this chococate cake flavored with creme de menthe, filled with a green creme de menthe frosting, topped with dark fudge frosting and decorated with rows of Andes mint triangles--very fancy.

These days I'm into less complicated. Recently I was invited to "audit" a friend's book club. My ticket in was a pan of Paula Deen's Creme de Menthe Brownies. They were a big success and very easy to make. Here's how:

Creme De Menthe Brownies
From Paula's Home Cooking/Celebrates/Nov/Dec 2005 issue

Ingredients
Shaved Creme de Menthe thins (recommended: Andes Creme de Menthe thins)
1 (10-ounce) package Creme de Menthe baking chips (recommended: Andes)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cup sugar
4 large eggs
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
Chocolate frosting, see recipe below

Frosting:
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
1/3 cup cocoa
2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons milk

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 13-by-9-by-2-inch pan.

Using an electric mixer, combine butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl; beat at medium speed until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla, mixing well.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, cocoa, and baking powder. Gradually stir into butter mixture. Fold in mint chips. Spoon into greased pan. Bake for 35 minutes.

While brownies are baking, prepare frosting. Combine butter, cocoa, confectioners’ sugar, vanilla and milk in a large mixing bowl; beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until dry ingredients are moistened. Beat at high speed until spreading consistency.

Remove pan from the oven and allow brownies to cool in pan on wire rack. Spread with chocolate frosting. Top with shaved mint thins.

24 Servings

Be sure and check out other Fun Monday players, especially if your're looking for inspiration in the kitchen!

Fun Monday - Summertime, Summertime, Summertime

Sayre over at Sayre Smiles takes over as host for June Fun Mondays. Her assignment for June 6 is this: now that kids are out of school what are the plans for summer? Or, if you prefer, what are your strategies for staying cool at this time of the year? Well Sayre, my main activity for summer is to try to stay cool--or when I can't, complain about the heat.

We all have preferences for the different seasons and weather. In part it's influenced by personality, but also the activities we each enjoy. Some thrive on the hot days of summer and much loved outdoor sports and activities. I'm the opposite. A perfect day for me would be cool and rainy or cold and blustery. I enjoy being out in this type of weather, but even better, love to hibernate inside my home with books, movies, and the old dog.

I've always looked at summer as the time of doldrums. When young, I dreaded the end of school with all the learning and activity that went on there. The two-three months at home all day was never much fun. Even in college I always preferred to take summer school courses and stay on campus. And, since there's no children to consider, spring and fall vacations are so much better for me--less crowded, pleasant temperatures. Even now, it's the same. The activities I enjoy most are over for the summer.

So what are my summer plans? In a nutshell, I'll walk the dog early in the morning, do enough housework to keep the health department away, maybe get out the sewing machine and do some simple sewing projects. I'll read many, many books and see all the good summer movies and Netflix oldies. And I'll write--journals, blogging, facebook. Also, this weekend I bought an "essentials" book on digital photography--I'm ready for a better camera and need to learn more about digital photography. I'll meet friends for two-hour lunches and take in a few arts and crafts fairs and exhibitions.

But the big deal for me this summer is this:



In August I'm off on an 18 day tour of Scandinavia--starting in Sweden then on to Denmark and ending up in Norway. I've been interested in Scandinavia for several years--influenced by its fiction and films. I'll close out this summer with a closeup look at these strange and beautiful countries. There's bus trips, trains, fjord cruises, glacier hiking, and city walkabouts. A perfect end to a not so favorite season.

Fun Monday - "Do whatever you want, but. . ."

Here we are at the end of March and the Georgia Girls at In Good Company are closing out their month of hosting Fun Mondays. Their question for March 28 is: "What advice did your mother/father give you that you remember or still use today?" Now what I remember in the way of parental advice may seem a bit harsh, but my parents' words and attitude toward child rearing have had a great effect on how I've met challenges from early on. First, a bit of background. This photo of my mother and me was taken around 1946-47. I was born at the end of World War II, the fourth child, with a seven year gap between my younger brother and me. Recently I read a novel where the mother had her last child very late. Her parents called this little girl their Good Idea. I, on the other hand, have always known that my mother especially did not consider me a Good Idea. I'm sure she thought she was out of the baby business after three children. And who could blame her? Life was very hard at that time. Even the mountains of eastern Kentucky were not sheltered from the Depression and war. I was born at home, a two room cabin/house on a hardscrabble farm. My father eked out a bare living for us farming and working for the Work Projects Administration (WPA--known cynically as the We Piddle Around Gang locally) before going into the coal mines. Growing up I remember that my older sister and brothers looked after me while my parents worked to keep us fed and clothed. From an early age my mother taught me to work. Housework and farm chores came first, certainly before learning or play. Once I learned to read, my mother and I were constantly at odds. I tried to read while doing my chores like churning butter or breaking up beans. This infuriated my mother. To her, work came before education. After all, work was all she knew. This battle continued through high school. By that time I was trying to figure out how to afford college. When I told my mother that I wanted to go away to school her advice was: "You do whatever you want to, but don't expect any help from me and your daddy." This advice was not a surprise to me, nor was it a death blow to my ambitions. I simply found other ways to get what I wanted. There were college loans and kind people who helped me jump through the hoops and find ways to work and go to school at the same time. This pattern continued though out my adult life. When I decided to do something that was beyond my parents' life experiences--education, moving out of state, living in a foreign country--I simply told them about my plans. They never put up any road blocks or resistance. I always say that my mother and father neither helped nor hindered me as I grew up. And, that's not a bad approach to parenting. For sure, it teaches you to stand on your own and that skill has been a source of great freedom and self determination for many years. Good advice, Bonnie!

(Please excuse the lack of paragraphing. For some reason Blogger doesn't want me to write this post in easily read paragraphs. Instead, insists on one big block of text. I surrender!)

Fun Monday - Dinner with Luci

The GA Girls at In Good Company continue their hosting duties for March. The assignment for the 21st could turn out to be quite revealing. Their question: if you could invite five people over to your place for dinner and conversation, who would be on the guest list and what would be some questions you'd want to ask? Well GA Girls, I'm one of those introverts who like and appreciate people a great deal, but find being around most anyone for any amount of time a bit challenging. So, if it's all right with you, I'll just invite Luci Swindoll, author, motivational speaker and adventurer.

Do you know of people--or are you that person--whose friends and associates are always trying to help you with your spiritual life? I'm one of them. I've had work colleagues ask me if I'm on good terms with Jesus. I've had people come to my door trying to save my soul like the couple of Jehovah Witnesses who came knocking one Sunday afternoon and asking me if I thought we would ever have world peace. Before closing the door firmly, I replied that I really hadn't planned to deal with world peace this particular Sunday afternoon. I just hoped to read the Sunday papers! And then there's this long running joke among some of my friends. If we're traveling together, they don't want to room with me because if the Rapture should come that night, I'll surely be left behind. They'd feel badly, but they're leaving without me!

I guess to make up for "leaving me behind" one friend from this group gave me Luci Swindoll's memoir, I Married Adventure-Looking at Life Through the Lens of Possibility. Right away I totally identified with this unlikely woman. Her approach to living was so close to my own. From an early age she loved learning, beauty in all its forms from music to art to literature, traveling the world. Luci also had her demons--how could an unconventional daughter please a conventional mother? how would she find work that was meaningful, but still provided enough financial resources to live without fear? how to live single in a married world? how to find peace and contentment as she aged? These were the important challenges I also wrangled with all my life. I felt such a kinship with this woman.

Now here's the ironic twist to this tale. Luci Swindoll comes from a family whose members have always been involved in Christian ministry, including her brother Chuck's radio ministry, Insight for Living. Luci was his VP for Public Relations for five years after spending 30 years in the corporate world as a Mobil Oil Company executive. Now she is a wildly popular keynote speaker and author with Women of Faith Ministries. I heard her speak in Chicago a few years ago and she didn't disappoint. I'd still have her as an honored dinner guest. I'd have questions about faith and soul work, but I'd also want to know about her life adventures and what she was looking forward too.

Asking her questions may be a bit difficult based on this video, but there would be guaranteed laughter:




And yes, for sure Luci and I would have dessert because life is uncertain but always an adventure!

Fun Monday - Red Faced

(Tacky post alert! The Georgia Girls at In Good Company continue hosting duties for March. Their assignment for the 14th is for us to share a most embarrassing moment. Since they're new to the Fun Monday meme, our hosts also give us the go ahead to re-use any posts that fits the current subjects. So this is a re-posted tale about raising Zack the Crazy Border Collie and the many times he was responsible for turning me red faced in our neighborhood. This first image hinted at the source of my embarrassment and makes the tacky post alert necessary, but it was just too good to not use.)

I was not smart enough to raise a border collie. However, when I saw Zack in this litter of six week old puppies rolling around in a dairy barn I bought him from the farmer for $6.00 and brought him home to the no dogs allowed duplex where I was living at the time. We got evicted. I bought us this little house on Valley View Dr. and immediately became obsessed with growing things--grass, trees, roses, shrubs, flowers, vegetables, fruits and berries. I knew nothing about landscaping--hence the white pine planted too close to the driveway--but I read books, watched TV how-tos, and wheedled my backdoor neighbor,who ran an agricultural supply store, into many Saturdays of lawn renovations and digging holes to plant trees and shrubs. I suspect that the rocks for this wall came from the yard because we encountered boulders and rocks every place we dug.

I also raised Zack the crazy border collie here and tried to keep him contained within the backyard fence. Look closely at the fence near Zack's tail. You can barely see the short grey post which held an electric goosey wire--the only way to keep him from climbing over the fence and running away. Zack learned to avoid the wire after a couple of jolts. I, on the other hand, was slower to learn and regularly shocked myself when mowing the lawn. . .

Zack was a wild, careening gorgeous bundle of pent up border collie from his puppy days. In order to visit in our home, guests had to submit to either getting feet and ankles spritzed with Bitter Apple spray or cover themselves with a quilt when sitting down. Zack loved to attack any exposed Achilles tendon with his sharp little puppy teeth. Another game he enjoyed was snatching the newspaper, magazine or book out of your hand and flying through the house hoping you'd give chase. Even better when the chase continued out the back door. That was most of the time because having a working screen door cramped Zack's style. He ripped out the screens so he could just jump through the hole and be out in the far corners of the yard with his prize with me hard on his heels. On a good day, he managed to steal from the laundry basket and parade around the back yard with my "delicates" flying from his mouth like a white truce flag. I tried to avoid putting on a show for the neighbors by underwear recovery from a border collie so the Jockey for Her replacement budget was pretty steep at that time. . .

Now this was my first house so I wanted to be out in the yard working every minute, even before getting dressed for work. At night I'd pile sweatpants and gardening shoes on the floor by my bed and then roll out each morning as soon as it was light enough to see to work in the yard. I'd pull on my pile of clothes, make a cup of coffee and rush outside for an hour of digging and weeding before I had to get cleaned up for work. This getting dressed was done in the dark.

On one side of the driveway I planted a bed of peonies that I'd inherited from my Aunt Draxie's garden. She had grown these flowers in her garden for over 40 years, since she was a bride. I was very proud of how well the bed had done in my own yard and enjoyed kneeling on the rock wall to tend them and cut a vase full to take to my office--one of the most pleasant early morning gardening chores.

Now the neighbor just across the street liked to take his early morning coffee on his front porch and watch all the activity in my yard. He was not a gardener and, I suspect, thought I was nuts for working so hard in my little suburban eden. One particular morning I was upended in the peony bed and couldn't help noticing that he seemed to very amused about something. When it was time to quit gardening, I climbed off the wall and called out some pleasantry to Howard. He burst out laughing and said, "You may want to check your pants when you get inside." I didn't think any more about it because he was always teasing me about what low fashion standards I set for the neighborhood.

I get inside and peel off my gardening clothes only to discover that the entire butt of my sweatpants had been chewed out. Apparently a certain border collie had hopped off the bed in the night and helpfully ventilated my britches for me! Howard got plenty of mileage out of getting an early morning moonin' from his neighbor. Zack, I'm sure, enjoyed the joke just as much as Howard.

In closing, my thoughts on the whole embarrassment issue is if there's a good story in it and nothing was lost except a little dignity then it's a small price to pay for some great memories of living with the world's craziest border collie.

Fun Monday -- Tools for a Serious Reader

Favorite tools or inventions is the topic for February 21 Fun Monday. Molly over at Return of the White Robin continues with her February hosting duties by asking us to share our favorite tool or invention. A "tool" is defined as a gadget or hand instrument used to accomplish a task. Like many of you, I'm a serious reader so my tool is one that makes this daily task(?) easier. This print, Thursday Night Book Club by Mark Sowa, doesn't relate directly to the topic. Clipped it on here just to give you a laugh on Monday!




My favorite reading tool is called several different things, depending on it's use. First I have the book buddy, a lightweight beanbag square that's perfect for resting a heavy volume--say like War and Peace--at a comfortable prop on your lap for reading while sitting upright or reclining. The sides have ties to hold the book covers in place as you read. I also have a favorite version of the book buddy that has a detachable rigid top so that I can read and take notes at the same time. I use this version every day.




The second book buddy is a bit fancier, but very handy for reading, writing, paying bills, working puzzles from the ease of your sofa. It's called a lap reader and I got mine from Levenger's catalog of overpriced items for serious readers. On this one the foam base comes off so you can use just the wooden lap board alone.




My final handy reading tool is a mini flexi-booklight. When I travel I always bring one along, much handier than the overhead lights on a plane or bus. I also keep one in the emergency storm box at home in case we lose power. All is not lost as long as you can continue reading while waiting for power to be restored.

So Molly, there you have my favorite tools. Use and enjoy them every day!

Fun Monday --Step Right Up! Claim 10 Million $

Hosting duties for February Fun Mondays will be in the capable hands of Molly at Return of the White Robin . Her assignment for February 7 is very intriguing:

If your were to win 10 million dollars what would you do with it? How would your lifestyle change?

In answer to the second question, I would go on living very much the way I do now, only with more freedom to pursue some activities that would make me happy and a bit more secure in my senior years. Here's some specific uses I would make for 10M (by the way, it would take about 20 of these gold bars to do the trick):



World Travel--so long as I'm healthy I'd spend some of my winnings on fabulous travel all around the globe. Sometimes I just look at a world map and think of all the places I still want to visit. I'd want to travel with a purpose--spend time in Jane Austen's England, a writer's or painter's retreat, gardens of world, cooking classes in Tuscany,wayfarer's walks, train trips across Europe.




Universal Home--I'd buy a home in the older part of Louisville and turn it into what's now called a universal design, fully tricked out to make it accessible, safe, and easy to live in independently as I grow older. I'd still want to be in a multi-generational community instead of being hermetically sealed off in a senior citizen's enclave.


Education--Endow annual college scholarships for students interested in studying literature or music. The help I received in getting a college degree is something I never forget. Locally, I would make annual contributions to agencies and groups responsible for humane education and animal care. Peace education would also get some of the 10 M. Specifically it would go to Greg Mortenson's (Three Cups of Tea, Stones into Schools)Central Asia Institute which promotes peace through education, especially for girls in Pakistan and Afghanistan.



Long Term Care--since aging is a reality that we all must face, I'd set aside funds for my care when I'm no longer able to do this for myself so that I could approach the golden years with Maxine's good attitude! :-)






On the subject of winning big bucks, specifically Publisher's Clearinghouse bucks, here's a post that I wrote a couple of year's ago about dating S the accountant and accompanying him to New York to pick up his Publisher's Clearinghouse winnings. Yep! They're for real so get those entries in:
Sweepstakes Winner Date From Hell

Fun Monday - Final Citron Presse, A Love Story

Our host for this month's Fun Mondays, Ari at Prawn of Fate , has thrown out a rather unusual, but appealing, topic for January 31:

Your first novel is published to wide acclaim. What's the title and what is it about?

Any novel that I write would be based on travels to a foreign country--a particular location, experience, or person whom I had met while seeing the world. Many months ago another Fun Monday host asked us to write the beginnings of an unusual love story. I set my story in France. Here's a first attempt at writing a tale of love. One as bittersweet as the citron presse shared by the lovers on their last morning together.

Final Citron Presse, A Love Story

Eduard left his apartment just off the Place Stanislas in Nancy, France. His route through the town was a familiar one. Four days a week Eduard met groups of tourists and students in the square and led them on explorations of Nancy's world famous Art Nouveau architecture. Today would be different though. He was meeting only one person, Madeleine.
Eduard was pleased that the blue doors of Madame Perrin's flower shop were open. He carefully selected a small bunch of lavender for Madeleine. The fragrance would remind her of the warm afternoons they spent together on day trips through the French countryside. Madeleine sat on the steps of King Stanislas' statue in the square, waiting for Eduard. Without saying a word, she held out her hand. Eduard gave her the lavender and picked up her suitcase with his free hand.


They walked silently to the cafe across from the train station. Eduard stopped at the ticket window to buy Madeleine's ticket back to Paris. She went on in the cafe. He found her at their special table. Two citron presses were already on the table. By his drink, Madeline had carefully placed four packets of sugar.Tears stung Eduard's eyes. On their first meeting many months ago, they had shared a citron presse. Madeline had given him her sugar that day. Today, however, Eduard knew that no amount of sugar would ease the bitterness of saying "Goodbye."

Thanks Ari, for hosting January Fun Mondays. This host for a month seems to work out well as there's always someone willing to take on hosting duties for the entire month. Ari passes the baton to Molly at Return of the White Robin for February, the month of love. Perhaps I should have saved this story for then! No worries, as I'm sure Molly will have many interesting post ideas for us to tackle.

Fun Monday - Unfinished Business

"For a long time it had seemed to me that life was about to begin--real life. But there was always some obstacle in the way, something to be gotten through first, some unfinished business, time still to be served, or a debt to be paid. Then life would begin. At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life."

--Father Alfred D'Souza

This week's Fun Monday topic--dealing with unfinished business--is important to anyone who tries to manage the ever changing circumstances of daily living and have a halfway decent life. And don't we all? Our host for January is Ari at Prawn of Fate and here's her question for the 10th: from the mundane to the emotional, from paneling the basement walls to patching it up with the brother in VA you haven't spoken to since you voted for Carter and he didn't. Unfinished business is something left undone or incomplete. It even can haunt you. What's your unfinished business?

Well Ari, my basement does need a serious clearing out and cleaning, and has needed it for about five years. I did vote for Carter, but am not sure that my brother (in TN) did, but there was a time when I "divorced" him over a family situation. We've since reconciled, but are not close. Our relationship doesn't haunt me any more, but it did at one time.

Going back to Fr. D'Souza's quote and drilling down to the impact of unfinished business on our lives, there was a time when I may have lived in a bit of suspended animation, putting of moving ahead with living because of some perceived obstacle. Usually that obstacle was something unimportant. You know the bargains we make with ourselves, lose 25 pounds and you can get a new wardrobe, clean your office and then work on the presentation for tomorrow's meeting--that kind of nonsense. I've left a trail of those things undone in over 60 years.

However, when it comes to big decisions about what to do with my life, I am bold, independent, and fearless. Even in my teens I soon learned that in life the stars were never going to be perfectly aligned. If I wanted something badly, I stepped out into uncertainty and never looked back. Went to college with no money. Moved to a new state with no job waiting. Bought a house without the requisite 10% down payment. Adopted a border collie and found us a home after getting evicted. Traveled to many foreign countries and lived on my own in one for three years. Retired as soon as possible without listening to all the financial planner advice about how much one needs to have in the retirement nest egg.

There is one area of unfinished business that I'm determined to get done--that's planning for my senior living and beyond! That may seem a bit macabre to you, but it does have some humorous moments. Throughout my life, except for some wonderful friends, I've had only myself to depend on. It has allowed me great freedom, but, at the same time, is a bit scary when I think of growing old alone. So, for the past couple of years I've been trying to get my house in order so that the friend who has lovingly agreed to be my power of attorney and health care surrogate (or, as we call her "my nurse executioner") will have it as easy as possible to settle my affairs. I bought this wonderful planning book, BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE by Emily Oishi & Sue Thompson, and have recorded all manner of personal, legal, financial, estate, and end of life provisions under one cover. My "executioner" knows that this booklet and everything else she needs to fulfill her duties can be found in the left hand drawer of the file cabinet in my office cubbyhole. We've had many laughs about this process, the latest being disposal of my ashes. She doesn't have to take them and put them on her mantel. Instead, she's to make sure that the funeral director sets my urn on the shelf at the funeral home beside someone who's interested in good books, dogs, films, and travel! I certainly don't want to be bored for eternity!

So Ari, there you have my most pressing unfinished business and I'm pretty close to moving it to the "finished" column. Can't wait to see what other Fun Monday players have on their unfinished list--mundane or otherwise.

Fun Monday - I Am Annoyed

Our Fun Monday host for December, Jill over at Life is Not Bubble Wrapped , gives us a chance to vent this week with her assignment for Dec. 13th. She asks us to post our biggest gripe of the year--anything goes. When I read Jill's assignment I immediately thought of my favorite fictional and film character of this year, Lisbeth Salander from Swedish writer Stieg Larsson's Girl with the Dragon Tattoo trilogy. Lisbeth Salander is this bizarre, goth-looking, anti-social young woman who is also a brilliant researcher and computer hacker. She was the victim of abuse by her father as a child and social services whose job it was to protect her while growing up. As an adult she is attacked from many fronts, accused of crimes she didn't commit, and forced to defend herself against powerful people in government.

Her weapons of choice include a taser gun, tattoo needle to brand her rapist, golf club, kick boxing and most importantly, a cool analytical mind. She does not gripe, pity herself or expect someone else to solve her problems. She defeats her enemies with the truth.

One of my favorite scenes in the third book of the trilogy, Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest, was when she showed up for her trial for attempting to murder her father, in this t-shirt that proclaimed: "I AM ANNOYED". I would love to own a t-shirt with this slogan. Lis doesn't gripe about her horrible life. She just say "I am annoyed and you better watch out!"

Now about my biggest gripe of the year. I actually don't feel totally right in even bringing it up when I think of the predicament many people are in about this very issue, but it is what it is. In a nutshell I am annoyed because of a big jump in my health insurance premiums. Here's the deal. When I retired I had been with my company long enough for them to continue paying half of my monthly health insurance premiums. I felt very fortunate to have the excellent coverage provided by our company plan. In November I turned 65 so had to go on Medicare. I expected that my company premiums would go down because of being eligible for Medicare. Not so. My Anthem plan became my supplemental coverage, but the premiums won't go down. In fact, it will increase $30-40 monthly. On top of that, a healthy chunk of my monthly Social Security check is now going for Medicare.

So that's my major gripe of the year. When I think about what my health insurance costs and that it's coming from three different sources--my former employer, me and the government--it just boggles my mind at the mess our health care is in in this country. I'm grateful to be covered, but am wondering: how can I get the same excellent coverage as our esteemed members of Congress--at what they're paying?

(Image credit for "I Am Annoyed" icon: Community Live Journal blog)

Fun Monday - Christmas Wishes

Black Friday, Cyber Monday, lights up throughout the neighborhood, Christmas decorations pulled out of storage, Christmas specials and commercials on TV. No matter how we may resist, the holiday season is here. That includes the whole idea of gift giving which is the topic for this week's Fun Monday. Our host Julie from Another Chance Ranch finishes her month long hosting duties by asking us to share our approaches and thoughts on holiday gift giving. Since I don't do much gifting these days, I thought I'd get a bit nostalgic.

Like many of you who may read this, I'm a child of the 1950s. It was just after WW II and times were very hard. Still, when the mail carrier delivered that magical Sears or Montgomery Ward Christmas wishbook, we kids poured over the toys on every page and made sure that our parents knew what we wanted from Santa. We also wrote him letters with our lists. I remember asking for a lot, but it was a new doll that I wanted most and would have been heartbroken to not see under the tree on Christmas morning. I always wanted a girl doll with black hair like mine, wearing a pretty dress and shoes and anklets.

Aside from the doll, which I wanted more than anything, I remember getting a cowgirl outfit(like Cousin J's that my grandmother is inspecting in this photo)and cap pistol. Dale Evans and Roy Rogers were very popular then. In the 1950s little girls got home making toys like dishes, tea sets. That was a standard go along with your doll. I also remember getting fresh paper dolls to supplement the Betsy McCall paper dolls in the back of the McCall's Magazine.




When I was too old to get a doll I begged (seriously!) for a red banlon sweater. This, after all, was what all the girls in my class were wearing. And I really wanted to fit in. My neighbor worked at the local department store and I have vague memories of talking so much about this sweater that she promised to buy it for me. I cringe at the thought now because very early on I decided not to take anything from anybody. My scruples didn't hold up to a red banlon sweater apparently!


I found this letter to my sister, written in 1964 when I was a college freshman. By that time my concern had shifted from what gifts I would receive at Christmas to how my family could celebrate the season without worrying so much about gifts. I was the youngest in the family so was responsible for the Christmas cheer and traditions continuing. Sadly, there was not any money left over for Christmas.

This letter pretty much holds true today for many people. The pressure is on to buy even when families cannot afford the extra expenses. Much better to keep things low key. Several years ago my friends and I decided not to exchange gifts. We're all independent people and buy what we need or want throughout the year. None of us need more stuff. So, this year I'll get my sister a few gifts simply because she enjoys seeing wrapped packages under her tree and opening them on Christmas morning.


Finally, just to let you know that I haven't always been a Christmas grouch. These photos are from college Christmases spent with my "adopted" family. And what grand times we had. On Christmas Eve the house was full with grand parents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. There were gifts galore, many home made like the year of red-striped flannel nightgowns for all the girls. The kids distributed their handmade treasures--Bobby's cans of Chex party mix, Dan's clothes pin reindeer ornaments.

There was more joy in the gifts you gave than those received.
These gifts warmed your heart because you knew they were chosen especially for you by people who took the time to select something special just for you.

This year my holiday wish for you is that your gift list be short enough that what you give is truly special for each person on the list. And that the gifts you receive were selected with the same amount of love and attention.

Fun Monday - Maxine on Age and Beauty

The topic for November 22nd Fun Monday is a simple one according to our host Julie at Another Chance Ranch . It's to share our favorite beauty product. I was going to go all philosophical about aging gracefully, inner beauty, and other profound considerations on just reaching Medicare age last week. However, I think I'll just share a few hints for aging well and then let Maxine finish with her unique, but so true, slant on age and beauty.

First to favorite beauty product. For me that would be Origins, a line of plant-based skin care products made from natural botanicals. Used faithfully every day for cleansing, toning, and moisturizing, your skin will look pretty darn good, even at Medicare age. Aside from good skin care here's some other beauty aids that I believe in:


--good haircut every four to six weeks in a style that makes you happy;
color if you prefer or celebrate those grey hairs if you feel you've earned them;

--fashionable eyeglasses, especially if you wear them all the time. I just got some bold black retro frames with a modified "cat eye" to give my face a bit of lift;

--regular dental care to keep teeth bright and strong;

--regular medical checkups to spot problems before they become major; serious illness does a number on your looks;

--eat good nutritious food and enough junk to keep you from feeling deprived;

--move it! However you prefer--just keep going--and stand up straight to avoid that dowager hump;

--get enough sleep, however much that may be for you personally;

--be passionate about things great and small--your family and friends, learning something new, politics, a book, TV series, travel, cooking--your choice.

To add to my little beauty list, here's Maxine's advice for dealing with unrealistic expectations foisted on all of us by advertisers and our peers. I get Maxine's point about fad diets and unrealistic goals, but maybe hold on to that three way mirror. Just yesterday I was having coffee with friends in Starbucks and we were commenting that, based on her unfortunate back view, our girl friend at the counter must not own a full length mirror. Think of it as tough love.

And finally, I'm sure everyone has experienced this. You look at yourself in the mirror or at a photo and think: "What happened to me?" At one time I had "stuff" to strut, now it has, as Maxine says, gone off without me! Paying a bit of attention to your own needs may prevent more loss in the future.
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday, friends. I hope it's a thing of beauty for each of you.