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Hello All, I am writing a titch early because no doubt I will be fast asleep when the ball falls in Times Square! Bob and I were laughing earlier about the fact that we have never really been New Year’s revelers. It has usually been a low-key event for us. Probably had something to do with working in healthcare, and either working or being on call. Or the fact that I love to sleep! It is amazing that at the end of last year I was writing about the same things I am writing about this year. Covid still abounds (variant number who knows what) – masks are still in…

Hello All, Merry Christmas! It is quiet in the house at almost 4:00 a.m. – several hours before Bob and Gene get up. It is just Geoffrey and me – and probably George’s Christmas spirit coming to visit, since Geoffrey woke me up at the oh-dark-thirty-time George used to. Geoffrey is eating his very early breakfast and purring. Soon he will demand to be petted, a demand to which I will happily (and sleepily) comply. I cut on the lights decorating the 10-foot tree, so they are twinkling quite merrily. The lights made me think about this story my bestie Pat sent to me – a story about Christmas and…

Hello All, My apologies for not writing last week! This year has just run away on me. I am behind in everything – and Christmas is next week! Stars above! Even Bob is behind schedule, which is exceptionally rare. He is way timelier than I am! He makes lists and develops timetables – I write a list, lose it, make a new list, and then do things I pray are on the list. (He usually lets people know that he tells me to be ready 30 minutes earlier than the real goal, so I hit at least a time that won’t make us late. Okay – I do own that!)…

Hello All, It truly is the most wonderful time of the year! All of you know that from Halloween until New Year’s Day is my most favorite time of the year. There are three signs that herald my most favorite season – trees, eggnog and Elf. Ahhh – the trees! As far back as ancient Egypt, plants and trees that remained green all year had special meaning. They were believed to keep away the evil spirits and illnesses. In many cultures, the evergreens served as reminders that the summer and green plants would return again. Christmas trees as we know them today started in Germany in the 16th century when…

Hello All, Danielle Duckery, author, wrote “Thanksgiving is a time to give, a time to love, and a time to reflect on the things that matter most in life.” This quote really appealed to me today because I was surrounded by this wonderful group of people who volunteered at a local drive-through food pantry. A time to give, a time to love, a time to reflect. This incredible food pantry and our terrific local Foodbank work together monthly to serve 200 plus people. There is a group of volunteers that usually come together to serve – today was even more special. Multiple families showed up to set-up and deliver food…

Hello All, It is a typical Autumn Saturday night. Bob is watching Virginia Tech football. (I truly do believe all Virginia Tech graduates have a chip implanted somewhere! Hokies forever!) The refrigerator is full as we prepare for Thanksgiving. We are in the midst of putting up 15 Christmas trees – I don’t think we will make it to all 18 this year, but who knows? There are boxes filled with ornaments in every room – it is quite a maze to navigate. Geoffrey and Gene are happy because they love sleeping until the trees. I have no idea whether it is the lights, the fact they are tucked underneath…

Hello All, On Tuesday October 26th at 2:12 a.m., my sweet four-legged pal George drew his last breath. George – also known as Georgie, Curious George (because he has always been the one to seek out excitement or try to answer the door), Sweet Boy, Big Boy – was definitely my cat. He slept at the foot of my side of the bed – when he wasn’t by my head, especially when it was cold – talked to me the most (we had many a colorful, meow-filled conversation) – and followed me around. He was my confidant and always knew when I had a bad day. He was my companion…

Hello All, Marianne Wiggins, American author, wrote this about train rides: “What thrills me about trains is not their size or the equipment, but the fact they are moving, that they embody a connection between unseen places.” Little Mom mentioned multiple weeks ago that she had a few requests – she wanted to ride a train again to where she and Dad grew up and she wanted to visit Dad’s grave. Bob got on-line – since he is the king of planning trips – and searched a train trip that would accomplish both requests. My brothers and sister were enlisted – with two of them living in or near our…

Hello All, Bet that title caught your eye! What do breasts and bullies have in common? The month of October! It is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and National Bullying Prevention Awareness Month. Both critically important topics for us. Both can lead to harm – both can scar, physically and emotionally – both can lead to death. Both can be prevented and/or minimized with early detection. Both require us to act. Both are topics I am very passionate about. Did you know that it is still a fact that 1 out of every 8 women will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of her lifetime. Breast cancer is the…

Hello All, This week has been a difficult one. One of my dear friends lost her 10 year old daughter to Covid. I am not breaking any privacy rules – my friend and her husband have been interviewed for both TV and print to talk about this terrible disease and the loss of Teresa. Teresa was both kind and caring – spitfire and diva – a beautiful soul – the sister who her brothers loved and protected – and the light of her family’s life. She had so far to go in life – so much to do. Who knows what she would have become, what else she could have…