Saturday, March 8, 2014

One Week Later

OK, so it's been a full week. I just didn't have anything to say -- and don't have anything particular to say now but here I go.

Got a strange letter from a car dealership wanting to buy my 2010 Dodge Charger. Looked legit -- only problem is I don't own a Dodge Charger. That was Thursday.  Have since gotten two phone calls about this car, both wanting to buy it. Both confused when I said I didn't own it. Have no explanation for this -- I do think it's on the level -- other than maybe I rented one? I did receive a ticket on one when I got stuck at an exit that was EZPass only. I guess I should check my credit file to see if there's anything amiss.

Have been slammed with work and just waiting out winter. The temps have been a bit higher so that's good.

An old friend from the neighborhood called me this week who is on a very limited income and is selling lots of stuff on ebay asked me if I had an extra iron. I don't -- just one, but I haven't ironed in probably five years. I don't even have an ironing board because construction guys used it as a table and broke it by putting heavy equipment on it. So I gave my iron to her, along with two cans of spray starch. I told her I was decluttering, and I am still -- I hadn't used that iron is so long that I plugged it in to make sure it still worked.

She has now written:

I just want to thank you for the iron & starch!  Please remember the iron is on "permanent loan".    If you say I'm divesting, it sounds [more] important than I'm decluttering.  I always remember your home as having important items of meaning for you.  At any rate.  Success -  Success  -  Success!
 
I remember Fly Lady would tell us to "bless someone else" with our possessions. I was faced with the choice of being fearful of not having an iron and have it sit there collecting dust for the next couple of decades or blessing my friend with it. I know I made the right choice. I also tell myself that I am NOT that broke so if I really need an iron down the road I can go buy one.

Saturday, March 1, 2014

It's MARCH!

March goes in like a lion and out like a lamb so reminds me of elementary school, having to explain what it means, having the March lion-lamb bulletin board, etc.

Mary Supplies Proof that Spring is Coming

Sunday's snowstorm in New York has been downgraded a bit to 3 to 6 inches of snow, rather than 12 Depending on the count, this will be either the second most snowy winter or the fifth most snowy winter, but we're moving up the scale.

In Mary's yard, however, her lilacs have buds on the and ther's some sort of bulb bursting up. Hopefully they will sruvive whatever part of this storm DC gets.



Friday, February 28, 2014

Playing with a Scammer

Just now got a call from "Billy" of the Computer Monitoring Department at Microsoft. Turns out they've been monitoring my laptop and...

"I'VE BEEN HACKED???"

He told e quite gently that yes, you've been hscked.

I kept repeating OH NO OH NO I'VE BEEN HACKED

He was getting impatient with me and I said, What can I do? Should I just send you money? How much?

Do you take American Express? What can I do to fix this?

I was quite enjoying myself when he hung up on me!            

Friday Treats

Barbara came over for lunch today and she arrived bearing a gift from my local bakery where I get my (ahem) home-made Christmas cookies. This is Glaser's bakery, untouched by renovation since 1902. Still has the tile floor (tiny white tiles), still has the wooden display cases with an open kitchen/bakery in the back. Generations of people have gotten their birthday cakes here. The help wear white dresses and they tie your baked goods up using that red and white thin string that hangs from a holder above them.



If possible, these cookies were better than the Christmas ones. I had to move the box out of reach or I would have gobbled up the whole thing. I was thinking how much I love getting little presents like this -- not just cookies, but just small thoughtful makes-life-better giftrs. Thanks, Barbara. Hey, and she took out my garbage on the way out! That's a good friend! Cookies and garbage removal?? Wow.

Read Barbara's comment here and these are the cookies she got today for herself. There's something about that egg wash that is just so good. Just old-fashioned, wonderful cookies.

Thursday, February 27, 2014

Thursday Thoughts

Over the years, Mary and I have talked about the randomness of births -- how her cleaning lady Eneida could be a high end florist -- she just has a beautiful eye when it comes to creating arrangements out of what she finds in Mary's yard and pairing it with the perfect container. My cleaning woman Ana has a great eye for just arranging knick knacks and pillows -- these are little treats we get.

Today Eneida took a plant and made it a centerpiece for Mary's dining room table.

Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Wednesday

Really, not much to report. Toddled along today doing work-work. It was snowing this morning and then it stopped -- no accumulation. Bought some flowers today so I'd feel a bit more springy and cheerful. Maybe I'll photograph them tomorrow. It's still winter here on every level.