Thoughtful Thursday - it's just another new year's eve

 

H - Health and happiness for everyone

A - Abundance of fruits and vegetables

P - Patience with children and loved ones

P - Peace at home and the rest of the world

Y -Yes only to what is right and to what you can do

N - Nutrition is the bronze key

E - Exercise is the silver key

W - Water is the golden key

Y - Youthfulness - don't lose it just because

E - Earn and save for retirement

A - Arrange and Assess your life for additional rewards

R - Rest, Relax and Rejuvenate as often as you can.

Withdrawal Wednesday- I am on strike

After all the prepping, cooking and cleaning, I have decided to go on strike.  Jeff asked what were my issues.  Do I need more time off, more allowances, or shorter hours?  Wait a minute, I am retired which means I have an allowance, every day is a day off, and the shortest working hours.  Let's look at the real meaning of my striking.  I guess I just need a little break from cooking and cleaning.  With all the left over from the holidays, we have plenty of left overs to last until the last day of the year.  So I guess I won't be walking the picket line because all my demands have been met. Instead of issues, let me share what I made during the holidays.

Very light salad with romaine, jicama, pomegranate with sesame dressing

Fast and easy deep fried oreos with raspberries and chocolate drizzle.

Deep fried banana with dulce de leche glaze.

Crown of roast stuff with panetone, cranberries and walnuts.

There's a total of 14 chop and only 3 were consumed. 

 

Must have Monday - I must have done something good

As we get older, it seems like we need less and less material things.  Jeff and I decided to exchange three gifts.  We also made sure they were very practical and not dust collecting items.  The good part is that I remembered to take some photos on Boxing day.  I am very thankful for what I have received and Jeff feels the same.  Did you get what you wanted for Christmas or did you get something else but was more of a real surprise?

 

Practice putting green is from Jeff.

This set is from my friend/neighbor Byddi and Allan.

This is a portable hand warmer/phone charger. Very important for winter golf.

This is from my MIL.

Fretful Friday- but I'm trying

Each year I have written a Christmas poem that becomes my card for my son Gino.  I would place it outside the niche at Glen Oaks.  After I moved to Cali, I would send the card electronically and my daughter and her Dad would place it for me.  As the years go by, I have just kept the card but post it on my blog to share.  It's my hope that maybe some other mother would find comfort reading them.  This year I have been fretting on writing another poem.  I would sit in front of my lap top trying to start but I would just stare at a blank card as there are no words coming nor ideas.  Yesterday I couldn't forgive myself if I did not do anything for my son this Christmas.  I'm trying very hard to be in that mood for Christmas because I don't it's fair for Jeff.  So I started gather some materials and sure enough I completed my card.  It's simple but it's from the heart and I know he can see it.  If he was alive what gift would I give him, probably a plane ticket to spend Christmas with us  here.  And I wonder what he would have given to me.  Because I know he is such a caring and thoughtful son, he would have given something golf related or something related to music.  

And I know Gino would like this song for Christmas so I am hoping you would like it too.

 

Weeping Wednesday- A very heartfelt post

With only two days before Christmas, I am starting to feel that reminder pain in heart.  There is only one reason why and most of you know what it stems from.  Yesterday I read a post from my friend's blog.  It was very well written and honestly it made my cry and it also made me laugh.  She is a very good writer and had the chance of reading her first published book.  It's the first time in my life that I have a copy of a published book written by my friend.  If you have some time during the holidays, I would truly recommend reading her post on her blog.  For some of us, it is very close to what we have gone through in life.  It will make you pause for a moment and truly understand what is important in your life.  Sometimes I wish I could write exactly what is going through my mind during the Christmas season. Maybe someday it might help with the healing and it time I truly hope it will.  As the saying goes, it's not all about me, today I offer the following Christmas wishes:

• May you always find time to spend together with your family not just at Christmas but throughout the year.
• May you find some strength and extra courage to deal with life's struggles whatever they may be.
• May your heart be kind enough to forgive and move on.
• May the rest of the world find peace not just during the holidays but each day.

Touchdown Tuesday - If the Patriots. . .

Only 47 days left before the Superbowl and some of the fans are going to be disappointed as their team won't make it.  Luckily my team has the top spot of the AFC East.  Although I know that there's still a few more weeks of the regular season, I am very hopeful that the Patriots will at least get to the Conference Championship.  So I suggested to Jeff that if the Patriots make it to the Superbowl, then we will definitely have a party.  The only drawback is that the majority of our friends are SF49ers fan.  But I am hoping that if they like football, they would still watch the Superbowl, no matter what teams are playing.  I am not sure if you are following the NFL, but this year Superbowl is in our area.  The Levi's Stadium is hosting it and the city has been busy with some of the preparations.  Since we are not into big crowds, we will watch it from the comfort of our living room.  At some point I will have to send the invite, plan the menu and figure how to make that square for the game.  Here some of the ideas for the party's menu.  I am promoting Jeff to be the Beverage Manager for that day.  Maybe I can make up some football trivia or some fun game. 

Deep fried oreos for dessert.

 

Guy's three beans chili

Sliders of some sort.

Melancholy Monday - I hate losing

Why is losing hard to accept?  I mean not just in sports, games, relationship and life in general.  There are things that in time I can accept and then there are things that will be too painful to accept.  It's probably not good to use the word hate.  Maybe I am just a sore loser.  What is funny is that I am a sore loser when it comes to sports that I play with Jeff.  I get overly competitive and it ends up to be not so enjoyable time.  For the last three times that we played pool, I have been losing really badly.  I am starting to lose my confidence it this game and thinking of hanging by cue in the closet forever. Most of the time our games are pretty even until lately.  It takes me a few days to really get over losing against him.  This is why I am venting on my blog.  Here's some of the tips I found on how not to be a sore loser.

• Offer your congratulations
• Allow yourself to feel bad
• Don't play the blame game
• Focus on the positive
• Accept losing

"you can't win unless you learn how to lose".  Really, how much losing should one take??

After writing this post and seeing the poster below, I will now try my very best to be a gracious loser, still a loser but at least I will be gracious specially at my age.