Maybe Monday - Missed step

What happens when you really want to win your tennis match and you go for every shot? I did that on the weekend and while trying to reach a high lob shot from Jeff, I lost my balance backing up, landed on my flat behind at the same time used the left palm of my hand to break the fall.  My head did not touch the pavement because of my pony tail that served as the cushion. As I lay on the ground, Jeff jumps over the net to make sure I was OK.  I was a little dizzy so I sat on the bench and had a sip of my pomegranate ice tea.  Then I needed to lay down for a few minutes.  I did not think I was really messed up, I thought it was more of the shock of the fall. All of a sudden I heard someone asking Jeff if we were done playing.  Do you think I would give up?  Of course not.  I got up and continued playing and actually won the next set 6-0.  After our game, I took time to smell the roses - not just a saying.  I did, because it was such a beautiful day.  It almost felt like spring. I thought that I would share the photos of the flowers that was around the tennis court.  I just hope that my hand and my behind won't be too bruised because I did ice it when we got home.  At my age, I should really take it easy and not get too aggressive and competitive.  It's really all about the workout we get out of the game and it's not the scores.  That's what Jeff keeps telling me.

The Flowers surrounding the tennis court at Miyuki Park

Super Bowl Sunday - No stinkin' party

Superbowl Sunday - that's right, we are not going to any party, a pub or bar.  We are staying home to watch this big sporting event from our TV.  What do I really know about Superbowl?  It's one Sunday where most Americans and even Canadians will be glued to their TV.  Most bars will have some sort of party with special drinks or special snacks in conjunction with football.  Last year for Superbowl Sunday, we were invited to a very good friends home.  There were a lot of food, drinks and most of our friends were there.  There's a couple of poker tables going, a group just chatting in the kitchen and a football pool you can donate your money and pick a square and write your name.  It's always a good turnout and it's great to see other friends that we don't work with.  For sure this year, the party will be at their place.  I miss all of them. Who are you cheering for Greenbay Packers or Pittsburgh Steelers?  Will you be going to a house party or a bar or just staying home like us?  

What I would really like to see is probably the half time show especially the Black Eyed Peas and Maroon 5.  It was also interesting to hear that there will be no Cheerleaders as these 2 teams don't have any.  Does that make the team less manly or more manly since there are no girls involved in their team?  Good luck to all who are wishing their teams to win this years Superbowl.  I just hope that it will be a real exciting game because there's no other sports show that I can flip channel.

Snooping Saturday - Steph's Closet

It was time to change my toe nail polish.  The design that I just removed was the ZEBRA pattern. I showed it to my daughter and she liked it. Yesterday, it was my hobby afternoon.  After doing all my errands, I sat and check out what design I will do next on my toe nails and finger nails.  While checking for designs, I bumped into this blog - Steph's Closet.  There it was a gallery of nail art.  Here's the link: http://www.stephscloset.com/blog/gallery/.

This will be  one blog that I will check for new ideas for my nails, although I already know a lot of designs without looking at other images.  As far as showing my nail art on my blog, I am not sure I am comfortable showing photos of my toes.  I guess I can share the designs I have done on my finger nails.  

The nail design that I do for my toes are much more detailed than these designs for my fingers.  Maybe someday I can feature all the designs I have done if I can figure out how to take better photos of my toes without feeling a little weird.  With all the latest nail polish colors and the tools that you can get for nail art,  I have not been to a salon to get a pedicure because I love creating new designs on my toes almost every 2 weeks.  This will be too costly if I was getting it done and sometimes they chip easily and I am sure most of you hates it when your polish are chipped or scraped or half peeled.  Doing it by myself gives me that option of changing it as soon as I see an imperfection.  This is one of the benefit of being retired, I really have the time to do my own manicure and pedicure any time.

Frigorific Friday - so over with Freezing weather

February arrives with freezing temperatures for most of the eastern states and of course that includes Canada.  Thirty seven years ago, I arrived in a small city in the Northwest Territories, called YELLOWKNIFE.  It was a frigorific day-38C (-36F).  That was the first time I saw and touch SNOW.  It definitely shock my whole system especially when I left my birth country a couple of days before and it was a scorching + 42C(107F). This part of northern Canada has very long winters (short days) and very short summer with (long days).  Sometimes I still wonder how we survived living there for 10 years but we did.  When it was time to move, we did not choose a warmer city as we ended up in the Yukon Territory and lived in their capital city of WHITEHORSE.  The temperatures were similar but it seems like we get more breaks during the winter months.  It is a very pretty city and I cannot forget the view from my living room window - snow peaked mountains, the northern lights and amazing sunrise/sunset.  Four years was all we got but I think we could have stayed if not for the forced job transfer.  It was really funny because the choice of cities to  transfer to was Winnipeg or Toronto.  We were hoping for Vancouver or maybe even Nevada, but I think that was just my fantasy.  I guess we did not really complain because Ontario has all the four seasons and we saw them all for twenty three years and Ontario became our home (Mississauga and Ottawa).

Today is my 6th month living in the sunny and warm San Jose, California.  I feel very lucky to retire in a city with no harsh winters.  The way I look at it - I served my time living in those cold and chilling cities for 37 years.  A reward is not taken for granted.  Every morning when I look up to the blue sunny skies, there's nothing else to say but THANK YOU. 

Yellowknife - Whitehorse - Mississauga

Truthful Thursday - Too Tempting

Temptation - the desire to have something or do something that you know you should avoid.

Whenever this act circles in your mind, it always involves a lot of fights between good and bad, right or wrong, and at times even happy and sad.  How do you fight it?  Do you even care? Let me share some of my temptations separated into desire to HAVE's:

• New set of golf clubs - Lady Fairway 
• Golf Cart - Bag Boy Automatic Push Cart
• Nike Women's Metallic Pink Air Summer Lite III
• Tennis Bag - Head Tour Team Combi
• Tennis Nike Bandana - Federer style
• International Traveler 24 in. shiny dot-2 wheel hard side upright luggage
• Emerald Green Contact Lenses
• Silver or Gold flip flop that glitters
• Book a vacation and surprise Jeff (not happening - he does not life surprises)
• Enrol in a swimming class ( just kidding)

and DO something you know you should avoid:

• Have a Lychee Martini at a nice bar (too much sugar)
• Eat a double scoop of Jamoica Almond Fudge from Baskin and Robbins (too much sugar)
• Have lunch at an All U can eat SUSHI - (too much carbs - rice)
• Eat a very rich desert after having a nice dinner - (too many carbs)
• Drive over the speed limit (my friends in Canada would not believe this)
• Scream at the kid seated behind you (who is constantly kicking your chair) while watching a movie.
• Brag about the beautiful weather in San Jose, CA to my friends in Canada.
• Gloat about being retired and not putting up with office politics.
• Being glued to the TV because of Tennis and Golf and not doing my chores.
• Watch something scary so that I can't sleep for fear of nightmares.

The truth is, even if I don't get the items on the "desires to have" list, I can honestly say I am still very content with what I have in my life now.  As Jeff always says "it doesn't take much to keep me happy".  Although you feel the need to do certain things, sometimes it's best to just LET IT GO.

Worry Wednesday - Wake up call

For those of you who are worried about their parents being a hoarder, collector, or living in a place filled with items that are just collecting dust - it might be time to offer some assistance and start cleaning and organizing their home, because you know what is going to happen if you don't.  YOU WILL INHERIT THEM.  It's a scary thought but I am sure some of you have watched those reality shows that features this type of a habit or personality.  It's very sad to say that my sister and I did experience this for the first time when my father passed away and then during my mother's last few years.  We said to ourselves that we will never do this to our children.  Some of you maybe so lucky if your parents are the type that is organized and keep a very clean home without a lot of items that are useless and taking space.  You are probably wondering why I am writing about this - it is a reminder to everyone who reads this blog, it's a wake up call, maybe do your own cleaning in your own place, or at work, or your children's place, or your parents home.  If after reading this, you can actually say that you are not worried because everything is in perfect order, then you can relax, and enjoy your weekend.  Don't wait for spring, summer or maybe next fall.  Winter months is probably the best time to do this because it's too cold to do anything outdoors.  Here's some tips that might be help you get started:

• Start small, like books, CD's, DVD's, magazines, jewellery, make up,etc
• Do one room at a time - make sure you are ready to let go
• Sort for Garage Sale or donations or recycle/garbage
• If undecided - try to remember when was the last time you used it (this applies to shoes, purse, clothes, kitchen stuff)
• If you decide to keep things, organize, label and date (it will remind you when the last time you went through these items)
• Do not ask friends or relatives if they want your stuff - they will end up collecting them, most likely they don't really need them anyway.

While helping my mother in law organize her home, I found a book - BITS & PIECES. This book was published in 1971 and I thought I would share some of the interesting quotes:

• The most valuable gift you can give another is a good example.
• Be kind. Remember everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.
• You never get a second chance to make a good first impression.
• The best way to forget your own problem is to help someone solve his.
• Temper is what gets most of us into trouble.  Pride is what keeps us there.
• Cooperation is doing with a smile what you have to do anyway.
• Wouldn't it be nice to be as sure of anything as some people are of everything?

Timely Tuesday - Tangled

This past weekend while our grandson was with us, we decided to take him to a movie.  We check out the schedule and the only two movies for young children are Yogi Bear and Tangled.  Not really sure if he has been to a movie, so we asked him what movie he would like to see.  He was quick to say that he has seen Yogi Bear with Grammie (his mommy's mother).  That's when we knew that he would OK to take him to the theatre.  We said we would go and watch TANGLED.  He asked a few questions about it and agreed that he would like to see it.  Of course once we got to the theatre, you have to have Popcorn and a drink (pop for me and soda for him), actually it was Coke Zero.  He really wanted that other drink which is full of sugar and blue in color.  I think he was disappointed but he is such a great boy that he did not argue, nor throw a tantrum nor cried all the way to the theatre.  He sat quietly eating the popcorn and drank Coke Zero a little sip at a time.  I think the movie was a bit long for him to sit still, but he did.  What was funny was when we drop him off to his mommy's house, he would not remember anything he did with us.  I guess he was just too excited to be back home even though when we were telling him earlier that he would have to go back home after the movie, he made his little sad almost teary eyed look.  We know that he loves to stay at Grampa and Ola's house but I was a bit puzzled that he would not remember anything he did.  I thought most kids would be so excited to tell their parents what they did and how much fun they had at Grampa's.  Oh bother.  Although a bit tiring for old people like us, it sure brings so much joy and happiness when we have him sleepover and hang out with us.

Even though we did not see it in 3D, it was still a good movie for me.  It's not scary and it had a happy ending.  The truth is that I don't remember reading the book Rapunzel as a child.  I don't even remember reading this book to my children.  The floating lantern was amazing.  Her parents unending love without losing faith was incredible - 18 years of devotion .  This is the part that was a bit teary for me, the loss of a child.  At least in this movie the child came back after many years.  As a parent, losing a child is probably the most excruciating pain you will ever experience.  It is also the one incident in your life that one will never forget.  Maybe this is the word that would best describe how I feel about my son's death - TANGLED - defined as mixed up, confused, twisted, and snarled.