Its been a month and where did the time go?

My last post was over a month ago and what a HOT, Sweaty month it has been.  First, after my neighbors left I had to mow my lawn again.  But I was very lucky, my neighbor left me the lawnmower and one day when it was under 90, I mowed my front and back lawn.  It took less than 20 minutes and I was one big sweaty mess.  I do not like to sweat-ever.  So for the past 10 years I've had hot flashes due to (early) menopause; breast cancer drugs (now) and my thyroid.  It's all about the sweat.  

Dealing with all of this has made me adapt at having to calm my sweat. Open the fridge and grab the fake ice and place on back of neck.  Instant cool.  This is the only thing that has worked in a while.

Heard about the neck wrap that you wet with water or sweat and it keeps your body temp down...but it dries out quickly and you have to snap it to get it to work.  Sometimes my snap is off. It works, but my fake ice is better.

Today maybe the last day for 90's in CT.  Lets home. My air conditioner needs a break and I miss wearing PJs and having a fire in the fire place.  Bring on the snow!!!

The boys are gone...

The three boys that captured my heart left on Saturday to spend the next 20 years in Arkansas. We didn't say goodbye. Its not goodbye.  Its a lot different now that 3 boys, two dogs, a teenager girl and two parents are not living next door to me. Its very, very, VERY quiet.

I realized it was going to be quiet, but wow I lived with dogs barking and children's voices screaming.  I also miss the helping part of what they did for me.  Here is a partial list:

Weeded my lawn, shoveled my snow, let me babysit 3 boys and paid me for the job. Washed and Folded my laundry.  (I let them borrow my washing machine in April instead of them having to buy one for four months.)

The greatest neighbors in the history of neighbors.  Although if they prayed (they are Born Again Christians--and yes she tried but gave up when she knew I wouldn't trade my regular Christian beliefs for theirs) for me to win Lotto--that would have been great.  They didn't even when I asked.  The boys did though...and when I needed money Eddie and Tate both gave me a quarter and Tate gave me two more pennies.  "This is for you."  I almost cried tears of joy.

So what is next for this great family?  Living in Arkansas, and once a year they will come up to visit her parents (and me!) and once a year--I will fly down to see them. Maybe they'll fly me down to organize their house.

Now it's off to Lowe's to get a new cold water hose.   

The Lovely Xfinity-Home of Comcast-And another way they have ripped us off.

I love to watch TV.  I admit it.  My mother loved to watch TV, and I grew up watching TV.  My mother let me stay up to watch The Tonight Show when Tiny Tim married Miss Vicky--because this was history--so Ive watched a lot of TV in my lifetime.   

So being able to afford Comcast in my house right now is a big deal to me.  But I also love the internet; maybe more than I love TV, --so I pay for faster internet and less TV.  I pay for the internet I'll watch TV on my laptop or my iPhone.

BUT NO!!!!!! Comcast-home of Xfinity  does not allow their customers that luxury.  I can't access any channel on my laptop or iPhone because I pay for limited TV. 

It's wrong, right?  It's another way corporations take from "the man," right? 

Or am I wrong?

Rose Garden Party

A few years ago a woman named McCue decided to do something great for New Britain. She recreated a rose garden at the fountain in Walnut Hill Park. This park has been a real refuge when life is difficult and a walk around the park fulfills me in many ways. But, I digress.

Our Parks and Rec department was in charge of this party. Here are a few suggestions for next time:

1. Make sure your porto potties have toilet paper in them for the entire night of the party.  No TP after 8pm...in any of the 10 blue monsters, including the handicapped one.

2. When you put the "FREE" ticket in the Hartford Courant next year--make sure your text about turning in the FREE ticket to City Hall is in bold print. Or, just forget having the free ticket since most people who go are working stiffs and can't drop in to City Hall from 8:45 to 3;45.

3. Remember where you are --you are in New Britain, CT and don't have the prices so high on everything that things are out of reach for the common person. The 14 dollar lobster roll with nothing else on the plate may seem like a big deal--but at Bill's in Westbrook, CT. you pay only 17.95 for a lobster roll, with French fries and slaw. So next year, put it down to 13 or 12 and you will get more than just the Republicans buying the lobster roll.  (In case you think I'm cheap--I wasn't even paying for my food! My friend Martha was!)

4. Read the weather report...when it says it's rain---rent tents!!!!  You know how to, just didn't know why you only rented a tent for the musicians and their equipment.

5. Get P&R umbrellas and sell them at the event. Ten dollars for a good umbrella that you only spent a dollar on is a good fundraiser!

6. Hire me to run your fundraisers, cause even though you do it for the city of New Britain--you stink when it comes to doing fundraising for my city.

Audrey!

A few months ago my travel buddy Audrey and I went on a cruise. It was a weird time for me. I had paid for the cruise in 2013 and by 2015 when the cruise was taking place, I was out of money and had breast cancer--so I wasn't in the best of moods--but I was alive and that was the important thing.

During Christmas  in 2014 Audrey came over to my house and told me my ex best friend Anne told her (they have been best friends since they were teenagers and are now in their 60s I was the youngest in the group at 55)  I was not going on the cruise and Audrey would lose money (2,000) dollars--I assured Audrey that I was going.

So, Audrey, and her 8 other friends and I go on this cruise. The first night she told me this was our last time we were traveling together. It came up and went away as quickly as that. I know she'd like to move to Florida when she retires, but she kept telling me she didn't have enough money to retire. I mentioned in 2017 maybe we could all go somewhere and she said NO.

Then, on the cruise she got upset with me for a comment I made in the elevator. The group of us got out of the elevator and one of the men just made a face at me--like what is up with her? By the time we sat down for dinner, a mere seconds later-Audrey was back to being fun loving Audrey.

I did my own thing on the boat but came together for dinner every night.  Audrey went with her sister Ellen for most of the cruise--but that was okay. I didn't give it any thought--until a few weeks after the cruise when she had been answering my texts and then one day she did with this: I don't recognize the number, who is this? I texted back: Leslie, the one you took a cruise with. Then nothing. I called her phone, left a message asking why she is doing this--then I realized she is with Anne. Since Anne is not friends to me, Audrey would have to give up her friendship (if we were ever friends).

So sad, because she was positive and grateful and happy. I will miss that--and her.   

waiting...waiting...waiting

It's getting thinner everyday. My Patience, not my body.  Only I do wish I had more patience, not fat on my body. Is it just me? Or is there some way I can learn to be less in a hurry. I don't understand why I have am in a rush---but the fact my doctor upped my Prozac may mean it can be controlled. Oh my brain! It's such a confusing animal.

When people help others, everyone wins

Yesterday, as I put the key in the car ignition and turned on my care--it did nothing. Nothing. No clicks, no voom, voom. My car was dead--but my cousins and neighbors took care of me. So, today I am so thankful for Terri my next door neighbor who used her car and Molly, my up the street neighbor who lent me her jumper cables--and my cousins Dick (he's not) and Deenie for driving me to and from work.  It may take a village and I'm glad my village contains these people.  Thank YOU!!!!