Just a Quick Note for Christmas~~~

Hello Sweet Things,

Just a quick little note.

Christmas here with the family has been wonderful, I will hate to leave come Tuesday but leave I must if I am to clear things up at work before the New Years.

Baby Sis and Ted have announced their engagement at Ted's Folks house party, I and my parents were there, everyone was so excited, and I've met Ted's family they are very nice, and surprise, surprise love to collect things, Ted's youngest sister is into photography and loves to collect old stereo slides. She's invited me to visit her home to see her collection. She's very much into Victoriana.

Ted's older brother and his wife have a huge Victorian house that they are renovating and restoring, considering they have 3 children and I suspect a 4th on the way, they are going to need all that space.

Ted's younger brother is in college back east and is taking (of all things) the train back home but won't be able to get here until Christmas Eve.

And Ted's folks have this wonderful huge Craftsman bungalow, that they managed to put in matching furniture over the years. It seems that Ted's entire family is in to preserving old things, restoring things, and working with several preservation groups.

I can see why Baby Sis is so much in love with him, they are just in such harmony with each other, even in these trying times.

Ted's folks and my parents are very much in tune with each other as well, his Dad and mine share much of the same opinions but have looked at it from different angles', and Ted's Mother and mine are having so much fun comparing recipes, shopping and sewing. Ted's Mom works part time right now. She was considering working full time, but like Mom wants to have an at home business and is thinking of doing business on line.

So much to go into and I had promised that this would be a short note.

Anyway Ted and Baby Sis explained why they are going to hold off on the wedding and everyone agreed that it was very sensible and good planning. I could see that Mom and Dad were in no hurry to let Baby Sis go just yet, but they know that it will happen.

Dad has privately told me that he's set one of the Apartments in one of the nearby Victorian Houses aside for them when they marry, he's put one of them on a month to month tenancy.

And From Christmas Eve and Christmas Day such fun, and joy, good food, good friends, good laughs, good times.

Now it is Sunday, we went to vigil Mass late yesterday afternoon, Mom thought it best that we have a chance to sleep in a bit Sunday morning. I'm up and dressed, so is Dad, he's taken Trixie out for her walk and we've had a simple breakfast, Mom and Baby Sis are getting dressed, and then---we are charging to the Stores---but there is one place that they want to go to and it is an Antique Mall. So as soon as they come down we'll go to the "fancy mall" and then to the Antique Mall.

Such Fun!

I know it sounds like it's all sweetness and light, and for the most part it is, but there are worry clouds. Ted and Baby Sis know that their tuition fees are going up, but are making arrangements to cover it, Dad of course is not happy about it, because it will put them into more debt, but they know what they have to do and can manage it.

The good thing is that both Ted and Baby Sis have been making money with their e-bay businesses and that helps off set things, and during the warmer months selling things at the outdoor flea markets, so by doing that and being frugal they will get by, fortunately with Ted's folks and ours I know they'll make it.

Mom is making enough funds so that her little business is paying for itself, but she only takes on what she can handle and no more.

My parents health is in good shape, and so is mine.

Dad's company is still doing good, no layoffs but no bonuses either, but from what I've heard, everyone knew that there might not be bonuses this year since about August, but they did pick up eye-care that is to cover the cost of glass prescriptions as another part of their health package.

Dad said not one complaint about that, and that profits are still holding. The company is focusing on controlled growth and is not looking at any further expansion unless seriously warrented.

Baby Sis and Ted are doing fine with their classes and grades (grades how old-fashion) and are progressing nicely towards their degree's.

As for me, job is good, my investments are holding, my properties and tenants are doing well, my house has not been invaded by another tree, all my friends are doing well considering how things are going.

Lillian's health is fine and so is her family's. Joe and Frank are pulling long duty for New Years Eve and considering how far they will have to commute when they get off duty I told them to come and crash at my place when they get off duty, I don't want them hurt.

So I do believe I and all my family and friends will be heading into 2010 in good shape and we can only hope for a better and brighter new year.

Must go Sweet Things, Mom and Sis are at the door saying "Let's Go!"

To all my Blog reader friends you all have a wonderful New Years, be safe, be warm and be happy.

And Sweet Fram, I'm glad you "enjoyed" that Christmas Kiss. Kisses to You.

Until Next Year Sweet Things. Happy New Years!!!

Christmas Cheer

Well Sweet Things,

This will be my last post for the year, I'll be going down to my Folks house next week, and not back until just before New Years.

I'm giving a little Holiday get together tomorrow night, a sort of open house, not much just some munchie's, a bit of wine, ale (not beer), wasail, and non-alochoic drinks, just talk and eat and laugh.

However I do have to cover up my oil painting that is over the fireplace, well she is semi-nude, I have this huge scarf that has a holiday Thomas Kinkade image on it that will fit just right.

Lillian, Yoshi and her boyfriend will be by, some co-workers, a few of my girl friends, Joe and Frank when he gets off duty, and my neighbors from next door (they of the crashing tree) I told them to bring their daughters, I have board and card games they can play.

Then Sunday a quick clean up and packing. Lillian will watch my house for me while I'm gone and things are set up at work.

But getting back I will be having New Years Plans---There is a New Years Dance I've been invited to on the U.S.S. Hornet here in my little home town, all back to the 40's theme, period clothing (I have a beautiful 1940's evening dress just right for it) big band, dancing, dinner, drinks, dessert, silent auction to raise funds for the Ship. Well I'm all for that.

So Sweet Things, all of you have a Very Merry Christmas and a Wonderful New Years and may 2010 be a wonderful and Great Year for all of you.

Kisses to all of you and a special kiss to my favorite Blogger, you know who you are Sweet Fram.

See you all in 2010.

We need "a Little Christmas"

Hello Sweet Things,

I love flash drives, I can write and save with them and then down load when I have a chance. I love them.

So far the Christmas Season is in all it’s wonderful tinsel and wet glory here in the Bay Area, many people in my neighborhood have put out their Christmas Decorations and are refusing to allow the darkness of the economic situation dim their spirits.

GOOD FOR THEM!!!

Lillian and I had a marvelous time at the Dickens Fair “meeting” with all the characters from the Dickens’ novels as well as ones from Jules Verne and even Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, saw the queen and her prince consort, Father Christmas, Fagin, Marley’s Ghost, even Mr. Scrooge himself running around in his nightgown and cap wishing everyone “Happy Christmas” and many more characters both fictional and historical, including Mr. Dickens himself giving readings, Mark Twain, dancing at Mr. Fizzewig’s party.

And the smells of fudge, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking of cookies, meat pies, ‘bangers’, roasting chestnuts, bread pudding, mash potatoes and gravy and the calliophie of sounds, even a chimney sweep kissed Lillian’s’ hand and wished her Happy Christmas.

We were very fortunate that we managed to travel to the Cow Palace without any problems with rain, we managed to miss the heavy squalls, although while we were there at the London Dock’s area we heard this heavy thunderous noise, I looked up at the metal roof and realized it was the rain pouring down in heavy gushers, which soon passed.

Both Lillian and I were wearing long skits, but she insisted that we get period hats and get more into the “spirit” of it. How could I possibly refuse her suggestion? So I chose one with Christmas holly on it, just for the season.

The Marines were there in full dress uniforms collecting either toys or donations for Toys for Tots, I even gave a check in addition to the toys I had collected, even though I can’t give as much as I want I wanted to give something to guarantee that a child will have something for Christmas.

I remember the Christmases in which I grew up and there was no Christmas tree, and only just one toy if any. All due to my Father’s mistaken belief of what was the season, but that has changed with him. I have been told by Baby Sis, that this weekend they are going to shop for a tree, already Baby Sis has bought lights and several boxes of ornaments that look old-fashioned and Dad had the outside of the house decorated with lights for Christmas. He had special hooks installed so it would be easy to drape the lights without falling off of a ladder. Something we don’t want to have happen to anyone.

But what Baby Sis is concerned about is Dad going overboard on the gift giving, we both agreed that he didn’t have to make up for those Christmases past, that he has already done that especially with Mother and all the concessions that he has made. We told him this over Thanksgiving, both she and I told him to not give us a present of any kind, but that it was just fine to spoil Mother, what he had done has made up for a lot of sadness, it’s like that song from “Auntie Mamie” called ‘We Need a Little Christmas’.

I had been racking my brain about what to give him, but Sis told me that Dad is interested in old time Detective Stories, I asked if he had any of the Sherlock Holmes and she said no, so I found a complete volume that includes pictures as drawn by Sidney Paget, and for Mother I found an antique pin that had her exact initials on it.

Baby Sis told me to not get anything for her or Ted, they were just happy that I was coming down. Baby Sis and I discussed about Dad’s change and we agreed that if Dad wanted to spoil any future Grandchildren that was fine as long as it didn’t go overboard.

Sis told me that all though Dad had been parsimonious with us, there was some value behind it, it was all a matter of balance, she was concerned that if she had children that they would become too involved in material things and forget the spiritual. I said that it was all a matter of upbringing and schooling and who the child’s friends are. I said that as long as the home was loving and warm, and with the understanding that spiritual wealth is more important than material, it should balance out.

It was important to have enough for food, shelter, clothing, health, insurances, and transportation, but all the fancy extras are just that, fancy extra’s.

Then I asked her what was she getting at. Well, Sis and Ted want to announce their engagement at the Christmas party at Ted’s Family house two days before Christmas and we’re all invited since Ted’s folks know Mom and Dad but they haven’t met Big Sis (Me), and she said they all seem to be expecting something.

Sis told me that the wedding will still be several years off because she wants to get her Master’s degree and Ted is just completing his, and he wants to be sure of his employment and income which right now looks a bit precarious, so waiting and saving is a good idea.

Oh Sweet Things, this is going to be a very Happy Christmas indeed. I’m keeping my Dickens’s hat with the holly for next year and the long skit; I’m looking for a Victorian style blouse to go with it, Lillian has agreed that next year we’ll get a “Fair Ever” pass so we can go back more than once for it’s just a lot to see just one time.

Now I must go, I have a busy day today, I’ve come in early to work and then off to do more shopping, I’ve spotted a music box that I know Lillian will like, I was surprised to discover that she collects music boxes. And Yoshi’s Mother loves a particular make of candy, which she doesn’t have too often, Yoshi said that she just wants gift cards to Nordstrom’s, Thank you Yoshi, for making it easy on me. And I think I’ll look for a copy of Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” for myself, there’s this marvelous old book store where I can find a copy.

So until Later, Kisses Sweet Things.

A Holiday Update

Hello Sweet Things,

I would have posted sooner but as with everything the holidays have caught up to me and I have just enough time to post this before I'm off again.

Thanksgiving with the family was wonderful, I'll post that more in full later, but it was so good to be with them and their friends. Traveling by train is the only way to go, you just have to add a little more time that's all.

And the season has started, where I work staff is encouraged to put up Christmas decorations, we have one person who also celebrates Kwanzaa and she puts that up as well, and even though we also have several staff who are Jewish they also get into the Christmas festivities as well, for it is a season of celebration and to bring goodness and light into the world.

But we were also hit with a firestorm of illness last week, last Friday several staffers came down ill with high fever and they were vomiting, then more of them total 16 all together, right through Tuesday, even I was hit by whatever it was, I had a temp of 102, fortunately it broke but I didn't go to work until Tuesday. No one was sure if it had been a form of food poisoning or if it was the flu, management had the entire work place sanitized and we did much of our work from home during that day.

I'm fine now and I called my family to see if anyone had come down ill but nothing, fortunately they were able to get their flu shots and I had been unable to get mine, but nothing is being ruled out. Lillian was able to help me but I was frighten that she would come down ill as well, but so far she is just fine.

I had been planning on going to my country place last weekend for some Christmas events but being ill just upset those plans, but I managed to contact my caretakers and my renters at my other house to see how they are doing all is well with them, My caretakers were disappointed that I couldn't come up but they promised to send pictures to me. Next year I am going to get that flu shot early. I'm not missing out on a thing.

But I am going to see how the place looks in January. Get an idea of weather conditions.

So Lillian and I are still getting into the Christmas season, today we are going to the Dickens Fair and tomorrow to Christmas at Dunsmuir House, I've also been enjoying (while I wasn't ill) shopping, and getting gifts for the family, nothing drastic but something special. And Koit Radio has been playing throughout the office with it's Christmas Music, I have to confess I prefer Ertha Kit's version of "Santa Baby" much better than Madonna's. But Mariah Carey's rendition of "Joy to the World" makes one want to get up and shout.

I'm going to be taking the train down to the family again just a few days before Christmas and come back a few days after, Dad and Mom want to go to Midnight Mass and I think that will be wonderful and very special, then returning to the Bay Area so I'll be here for New Years.

I've also been busy getting toys for Toys for Tots and I'm dropping them off at the collection office before we go to the Dickens Fair, Lillian wants me to come and help her out at the Food Kitchen for New Years Day and join her family later for dinner, Frank and Joe will be coming by her place as well. Yoshi is being swarmed by family for the next few weeks, but she and I are planning to see the Chinese New Years Parade next year.

2010 is almost here, where has 2009 gone to? When I look over my blog I have a feeling of what I have been doing for 2009, I'm another year older, and I hope another year wiser. And so far we have been weathering the economic situation better than I had hoped. I just wish it were so with many other people, many of my co-workers think that the current administration is not going about this the right way. Jobs need to be brought back to the United States, people need to learn to live on less, and the prices for houses in California are not in sync with the rest of the nation.

One of my co-workers was saying we should go back on the gold and silver standard and get away from the credit standard, that would make the value of things more in balance and in line with the way the economy should be. I'm not sure, this is something that should be looked into very carefully, because the first nation that would switch to that standard would have very serious adjustments and it could cause either greater recession/depression or inflation, but would it really bring about a balance of things or make them too costly? This would need to be looked at more closely, but not now, this is not the season for it, this is the season for celebrating and helping.

And speaking of weather, there has been snow all the way down to the 500 foot level, snow on Mt Diablo, Mt. Tam and Mt. Hamilton, and cold, cold, cold for the Bay Area. Now it's wet, very wet, but we need the rain and water and snow, I hope that it breaks the drought conditions, of course it will mean floods and mudslides, and other disasters. I love the Bay Area but there are times.....

Well must go, Lillian is here looking like an Eskimo and ready to go.

If I don't post before Christmas, Sweet Things, all of you have a Merry Christmas, Happy Holiday, Happy Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and other Winter Celebrations.

Until later Sweet Things, Kisses.

To One and All~~~HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!

Hello Sweet Things,

I'm blogging from my folks house, took the train down on Tuesday after working over the weekend to make sure things were in place before I left, I'm planning on staying with the Folks through the Weekend and coming back by train on Monday.

My Folks, Baby Sis and her boyfriend met me at the Station, in the rebuilt 1950's Buick, it felt great!

We've spent Wednesday just getting things into place and ready for the dinner, Mom insists on baking home made pies. No store bought, almost everything home made, it can be a chore but with all of us pitching in it's so much easier, now I have to get the receipes.

Dad has invited his co-worker Andrew and his wife to Thanksgiving with us, Andrew's wife is expecting and in her eighth month, Mom insisited that she not be pressured into doing a Thanksgiving dinner, which was good because Andrews' wife's family live up in Washington State and they couldn't visit and Andrew really has no family, being estranged from his father.

So it's going to work out really good. The only down thing is that Ted, Baby sis's boyfriend is going to be with his folks for their Dinner because they have out of town relatives visiting that he hasn't seen in ages, but he will be by for dessert.

And Mom is cooking so much, I can picture the left overs, turkey sandwhiches, turkey casserol, turkey soup, turkey tetrazzini, but with Mom's home made stuffing which you have to make at least a day a head of time because it involves chicken.

And no you don't stuff a chicken inside a duck inside a turkey which I've heard some people do.

Mom is just so excited about this, she's resurrected the old family receipes that she hasn't made in ages, and the smells are just so wonderful.

Dad, of course, has to keep Trixie out of the kitchen because she gets so excited, so he keeps taking her for walks, and more walks just to tire her out. But from the looks of it, it's Dad that's getting tired.

Right now we're taking a little break, everything is almost ready. Andrew and his wife will soon be here. And Mom is planning on giving them a lot of leftovers so she doesn't have to cook for a while. Since Michelle's folks are up in Washington, Mom has offered to help out with anything she may need, and Dad, Ted and Baby Sis have offered to Take her to the hospital in case Andrew is tied up.

But Mom keeps saying that the Baby will come most likely in the middle of the night.

Everything feels so good right now, I just don't want it to end and I have a lot to be Thankful for.

Must go Sweet Things, our guests are here and Trixie is barking up a storm.

Until later.

Yoshi, Lillian, Hoppy and Me~~~~~~

Hello Sweet Things,

Another Sunday morning has come and gone, and a lovely Sunday morning too. I dawned sunny, clear, cold and a bit crisp. Fall is fully upon us.

I have been a bit of a busy bee this whole last week, went in taking Bus and BART on a coldish, drizzly, rainy, Friday morning, at least it was casual Friday. The crowds were back to being their usual self. Worked till 1 p.m.

Met with my friend Yoshi for lunch near Union Square, and with her driving in the crowded Streets of San Francisco on a rainy, drizzly day (an adventure in itself) we went to this Antique/Collectible shop that had been recommended to me.

And it was not a wasted effort, I found a wooden 4 drawer filing cabinet in excellent condition, that matched my desk, however no luck on a 2 drawer cabinet, I was not upset about that. I just have to be on the watch for it.

So I made arrangements to have it delivered to my home Saturday evening, and it now sits in my home office waiting for all the files that I plan to put into it.

After our little excursion, Yoshi and I went to do some Grocery shopping, I decided to hold off on perishable dairy goods, until I got back home. Yoshi asked if I wanted to come over for dinner at her aunts’ house in Oakland, but feeling tired from the day and the week, I had to beg off.

So she dropped me off at my home before going to her aunts’, she, like Lillian, is such a good friend. Friends always need to be cherished, especially when they are there to support you in your time of need.

The Gun Show yesterday was fun, a lot of people, a lot of guns, a lot of collectibles, and a lot of items to buy for security and self defense. The NRA was out in force, outside and inside; out side they were signing up people and having people sign petitions to repeal the ammo limitation sales, as well as signing letters of support to Assemblyman Hager for amending his bill to repeal that idiotic law.

Inside the NRA had an information booth about the current gun law status, who to write to, and information on gun ranges in the greater SFBay Area. People were taking the Gun Safety course and test, and other were taking the conceal weapons carry permit course.

Frank wasn’t working detail for the show but I saw and said “Hi” to some of his friends, they asked about my health, getting better and stronger of course.

The members of the Sunnyvale Cowboy re-enactment group were there, we had a nice chat and they inquired about my previous purchase, I told them I hadn’t gone through the gun yet and cleaned it, nor fired it because of my health problem from earlier and when I was feeling better I didn’t want to do it in front of Mom, although I’m sure she would understand, I just didn’t want to upset her while she was staying with me.

Of course every one of them offered to help, and I know their offer is sincere but the day I can’t clean a gun is a day when it’s time for me to retire. But I’m not foolish, if I see something that I feel requires a gunsmith, I will do that. I never attempt my own repairs, I don’t have that level of expertise.

I did have a chance to see a few 1^st and 2^nd generation colts, a matched pair of 1^st generation colts, with sequential numbers, fully restored by Doug Turnbull, with ivory grips, asking price a mere $7,500 although I think they could go for more. I longed to hold even one of them in my hand, but with ivory grips, I didn’t want my hand oil to do any further discoloration.

After a couple of hours looking and admiring, I felt hungry and at all stadiums, the prices were high for a hot dog and coffee, but an Italian Sausage Dog, worth the price, coffee was Starbucks and very strong, no fancy lattes here, just a lot of dry dairy creamer and sugar (lots of it) I’m sure my calorie intake went off the chart.

I shared a table with several gentlemen from out of town, they were visiting from Seattle, a business weekend for them, I just said I worked as a “secretary”, avoiding what my real job is. One never knows what sort of tidbit of information one can get in a conversational chat. (slight “James Bond” theme here).

I love James Bond movies, even the sexiest Shawn Connery ones.

But I digress, I did get a bit of information from them that I mentally filed away and asked them for their business cards, it always pays to get business cards. We chatted about guns, the laws in California and about the Fort Hood Shooter, everything is now alleged at this time, like he might not have worked alone, that he might have 9/11 connections. We all agreed that we’ll have to see how this plays out.

It turns out that my “Koffee Klatch Friends” are also Cowboy reenactors from up North as well and we talked about that.

But then it was time to move on, and with ‘friendly goodbye’s’ and ‘nice talkin’ to ya’s’ we went our ways.

I never go to one of these shows with any expectations, which is good because one doesn’t get disappointed. But sometimes something shows up which I call a “Gotta Have”, and there it sat, no fanfare, just sitting there. Not a gun either.

It was an original picture of Hopalong Cassidy (portrayed by William Boyd) in an original Hopalong Cassidy picture frame from the time Boyd took the Hopalong movies to T.V. in the 1950’s. It was in very, very good condition only slight wear, in fact I was amazed that it held up this long, the price was a steal.

I looked at it, took out my money, the man came along looked at me, I pointed to the picture, he smiled and said “The guys from the Sunnyvale Cowboy group are going to be upset, a couple of them came looked and said ‘I’ll be back’, one of them said I need to get some cash from the wife, I hate to see their faces”. I grinned as he carefully bagged the photo and frame.

And yes Sweet Things, I had to ‘gloat’. I went over to the group and said “hi’ again and said “Look what I found!” Showed Hoppy, their faces just were priceless, one turned to his wife and said “See!! I told ya!” She could only just shrug her shoulders in that “Oh Well” movement. But I told them that Hoppy would have a good home.

A couple of the police officers that work the show came by and saw what I had purchased, and one said “I just looked at it 20 minutes ago, I shoulda moved on that!”

And now Hoppy has a good home in my home office, I’ve made sure that he’s not in an area where he’ll get faded from the sun, but where I can also see him. I never saw the Hopalong Cassidy show, it ran many years before my time, but at a western film revival they showed some of the films that were filed in historic Jamestown and Columbia back in 1935 before Columbia became a state historic park. And I got hooked and watched first for the Tapes then DVD’s for the films.

Of course I also love Roy and Gene, and the Lone Ranger, but for some reason Hoppy has staying power, his image is still on Producers Milk, which is what my Mother buys even now.

Now after a busy weekend gun shows, finishing grocery shopping, antique shopping, I thought I would stay in on Sunday, but Lillian had a different idea, so off we went to Niles, she has a friend that was showing some of her works at a small art gallery in Town and she wanted to see what her friend had produced. After looking at everything for nearly an hour, Lillian and I came out of the small gallery and as we walked towards Bronco Billy’s Pizza Parlor for coffee and a salad she proclaimed “I can do better.”

I don’t argue with Lillian.

We sat at the only table at the window of the place; I had no idea why she wanted to go there except that one has an excellent view of the street, and both Lillian and I love to people watch. There was a fellow dressed as a cowboy all in black and his wife, she looked a little ill and she was wearing a high plains drifter hat, but wore red cloth gloves and a warm jacket, they were sitting at the counter, drinking coffee and quietly talking, I heard him say “You’re only out of the hospital less that 4 weeks, it takes time to get better from surgery, I don’t want you to push it” she was using a cane to assist in walking.

After a bit they left, the cowboy husband carefully watching his wife and they joined a group of cowboys near this passenger railroad car and they went in. Lillian remarked it must be for some sort of meeting. I was thinking "Why am I running into cowboys?"

I was looking out at the area that the Niles township is working on, the new plaza, with it’s old fashioned passenger and freight railroad depot. Lillian told me that she was trying to get tickets for the Christmas lights train that runs from Sunol to Niles and back, but the dates she wanted were sold out, just at the time her family would be visiting.

I’ve ridden the Niles Canyon Railway several times for fun and have eaten at Bosco’s Bones and Brew in Sunol, I’ll have to plan on riding the Christmas lights train sometime.

I suggested that we go to the Dicken’s Fair on one of the weekends, so we’ll make plans for that.

Before we left Niles, we went through some of the antique shops, and I saw a pair of art Deco type brass and onyx bookends in the shape of Falcons. I thought that they would be perfect to hold my hardcopy address book and my calendar book. The price was right and a 20% discount on top of that. No argument from me. How could one be so lucky in one weekend I thought, but sometimes fate works that way.

We left early, I was feeling tired, Lillian asked if I would drop her off at a Friends house who was expecting her, so while in town as we were driving past this warehouse being renovated I saw it, a very large Falcon, I’d seen him the day before, and there he was again, I have no idea as to what breed of Falcon, I’ll have to look it up. Lillian spotted him too and remarked that she had seen him several times, so there must be a nest or something nearby, it appears to be his territory. How remarkable I thought, and how wonderful.

Now I’m finishing typing my weekend adventures, not much in the grand scheme of things, but fun. I have some wonderful War Won Ton Soup ready to heat, that I purchased yesterday and never had a chance to eat it. Then I’ll spread out the newspapers and catch up on things.

I wonder what is on “Retro Night” on KOFY T.V. something interesting I hope, if not I’ll put on a James Bond movie, or maybe watch William Powell and Myrna Loy exchange banter as they solve a “Thin Man” mystery. And then to Bed…It has been a busy weekend for me.

Until Later Sweet Things, Kisses.

The Missing "Cents" symbol~~~~~~

And a Lovely Thursday Morning to all you Sweet Things,

We are finally getting our chilly Fall weather now, clouds appearing, gray and overcast, with the threat of showers---well we do need the rain, we need it very badly.

I’m finally caught up with all the bumps and dips at work, things are rolling with its usual “side-bars” and I do get a bit tired, but sleep is the healer of all things they say.

I even found a "Halloween" picture of the Lovely Ava, that I added to my Halloween post, check it out.

I’m thinking of doing alternating choices in my commute to work, the usual methods, Bus and BART and from time to time taking the Ferry, with either driving myself to the parking lot or Lillian driving me over and picking me up or my catching the bus, and making a second connection, although I did discover that the commuter bus from the Ferry only drops me off a half block from my home. It’s a question of catching it in the morning. But I’m not taking it while it’s raining; I’m not going out on choppy bay waters.

Lillian has taken up water colors, she’s attending classes and I have to say is a very good painter. She likes water colors because she says it’s more immediate, she doesn’t have to wait for the acrylics to set. It’s done.

I told her that there is that painter who seems to do a painting in an hour’s time on T.V. why not try that? I should remember that Lillian’s verbal tongue lashings can strip off skin.

I am looking forward towards the Gun Show this weekend, who knows what I may find.

But this evening is balancing the check book and bill paying---sigh---I know one should do bill paying on line, but I have to confess, Dad ages ago got me into the habit of doing checks and paying by mail.

At work we’ve been talking about how could one protect their personal and financial information, one good electronic pulse and that’s it---everything is gone. And people are getting more and more enamored with electronic bill paying----a very dangerous thing.

I’ve always believed in Hardcopy, and since I can access my information on line, I do a print out every two days from home. It may seem excessive, but it works, Gloria “The Diva” at Ladivalocafabulous (it’s another blog spot site) suggested it to me, and to keep one years worth for hardcopy back up. Along of course, with my bank statements.

I’m not saying that one should be a Ludite, but hard copy is always good.

And my Dear Sweet Fram, yes, I do think buying property in Canada might be a good option to persue, the way things are going.

I’m going to be taking a half day off on Friday (casual Friday) going in early and getting off at after the close of the N.Y. exchanges, I can check on things locally from home. But there’s a couple of antique stores that I know that deal with period office furniture from the 20’s to the 1960’s for those people into serious Retro. They also rent out things for theatre and movie props.

I want to get a wooden 4 drawer and 2 drawer file cabinets to go with my desk, none of the new ones seem to match. And I found a shop in Castro Valley that sells reconditioned manual typewriters; I seriously want to buy a Royal if possible.

Did you know Sweet Things, that when a sales man would demonstrated a typewriter he would type the word typewriter. Why? Well the letters for the word is all on the upper rank----take a look and type out typewriter very slowly.

TYPEWRITER. It made it easy for them to sell it when they would demonstrate it. The remaining letters were cast randomly on what was left of the key board, with the two least used letters Q and Z at the outermost reaches, A is always easy to hit with the little finger of your left hand and if you notice you hardly ever use the little finger of your right hand at all.

And it has remained that way ever since----there is one character that is missing from the keyboard and that is the cents sign---we have the dollar sign but no longer have the cents sign. On a manual type writer missing that symbol you’d type the lower case c, back space and then strike / through it but you cannot with a computer try it c/ can’t be done, the word processor thinks something is there and will skip it.

Now does anybody know how to create a “cents” sign on a word processor?

It’s not on any of the “wing dings” symbols. How many young people do not recognize the cents symbol----O.K. I know that in the grand scheme of things it’s small, but we lost it without realizing it.

And that is what is happening everywhere, we are losing things without realizing it with our complacency of life, our complacent attitudes.

Wake up Folks, be aware of what is disappearing before it’s too late, like your Freedom and Liberty.

And that is your thought for the day.

Until later Sweet Things, Kisses