The Catasauqua Halloween Parade

 Well, I did something any Catasauquan might do in their lifetime, and that is go to the Halloween Parade.  We went to 4th and Walnut, 2 blocks from the house and sat on the corner.  It wasn't the best spot - it was a little dark and I couldn't read all the signs that went by.  But, I am familiar with most of the teams and groups in Catty, so I at least would sort of know who they were; and over the years it is kind of the same.

I saw a few of my children from Sunday School, it is still fun to her Miss Bev, from a float.  All of them so cute.  

So, the Parade had its usual bands, I love to hear them play.  Many of the Catasauqua teams of various sports and some really nice floats.  Of course, everyone was waiting to see the Oscar Mayer Weinermobile.

The only thing I can't figure out was - what was the headless horseman riding?

Oh, and how can I forget, the sirens.  Oh my goodness, I swear I am a little deafer today than normal.

This was my favorite

The parade had its usual gaps and those darn street cleaners that come by, making you get up really, really fast.  

I do want to say that I do love this Tradition.  The Catasauqua Halloween Parade was, and still is something to look forward to.  I know it is not the best, but it is still our towns celebration.  Oh, I got to see Santa to. 

and that's another day in Catasauqua.

Having a 2 year old Again

Being 92 and 2 years are exactly the same.  This morning I went in with fresh clothes to wash my mom, and she said she didn't want to be washed - now it is 4 days since the last time I washed her, and I know she won't change anything in the meantime. But I didn't have my morning coffee yet - so I said FINE - stink - I don't care.  Which is such a stupid thing to say but I didn't want to fight.  

She is fixated on wanting a flashlight. The other week she wanted batteries for a flashlight - I bought them and it turned out there was no bulb in the flashlight.  Now I know there are a ton of flashlights in this house but, of course, do you think I could find one.  There is this a really bright one that is small, but I have no idea where it is - it is probably in my mom's room somewhere, never to be found. So on to Amazon this morning and I ordered her a new LED flashlight - for some reason she thinks she need a big one and I have no idea why.  

All this before my first cup of coffee.

Then on to the next mystery.

When Parke got up this morning, he said there was white stuff all over the kitchen floor.  He wiped some of it up but there was still some there.

The theory is that the mice in this house decided to bake something and spilled the flour on the floor.  The damn rats didn't even let us a muffin or so much as a cookie.  

Well, I think I need a second cup of coffee, I am still grumpy, but hey,

that's another day in Catasauqua - gee I love retirement.

Retirement is not for Sissies

 I am tired today.  Last night I stayed up to late watching shows I Tivo'd since I was watching Dancing with the Stars.   All the shows are now starting up, and all the NCIS shows were on last night.  

We had Friendship Circle at church last night and now, as I write this, I am boiling some of the biggest Red Beets ever seen by man.  Tomorrow I will join the Red Beet making crew at church.  

More things come out of the woodwork when you are home.  I am farther behind in my laundry than normal, because more things come up in a day.  

We take care of my mom, which at 92 she can get to be a handful.  Most days everything is ok, but there are the days she starts hallucinating or telling the therapists that we are stealing from her or saying that I pushed her down, when in truth, she decided to go up the stairs on her butt and ended up on the floor in her room with no way to get up, so I picked her up.  

My favorite hallucinations are about the house next door.  For some reason she thinks it is for sale, and that people come by and look at the concrete and shake their head no.  The fact that she cannot see anyone out her windows does not stop her from telling the stories though.  I just humor her.  I found arguing or correcting her does not work.  The other day she thought she didn't know me again and just found out I was her daughter.  I tired arguing but got nowhere.  I get downstairs and Parke says to me, going down that rabbit hole again.  I said yup; and he advised me just to agree.  

Oh, and I hate cooking every day.  I used to prepare my meals ahead of time on a Sunday, now I am home, so I prepare them at dinner time and let me tell you.  I don't like it.  

Well, that is enough complaints for now.  I have to go fold some laundry.  

and that's another day in Catasauqua.

It's True

 Yes, it's true, I am busier than when I worked.  But today just ruffles my feathers.  Wait, I don't have feathers, but if I did, they would indeed be ruffled.

One thing about retirement is that I get to sleep late.  No more setting the alarm for 6:15 AM, but this morning I had to set it for 7:00 AM so that I could meet a Verizon Technician at my church between the hours of 8:00 AM and never.  I say never because I sat there at Salem UCC, until 2:00 PM.  They had given me the time of 8:00 to 11:00 AM.  First at 12:00 Noon they tell me the Tech is running late.  Then at 2:00 PM I called multiple times fighting with the AI operator and finally after way to long I got a human.  He told me the tech was not in the area, so I reschedule for tomorrow morning meaning I have to get up at 7:00 AM again.  This time I am taking something to eat.  

Today I got hungry around lunchtime.  I found the bin where we keep left over snacks - everything was a little stale, so I settled for some Easter Candy.  I knew it was Easter because of the Kit Kat bunny.  Which, even though it said good to 11/26 - it was not.  

If they don't show up tomorrow, too bad, so sad, because I have appointments and commitments the rest of the week.  Who knew retirement would be so busy.

I will be making halu
pkies for the BASKET RAFFLE and FLEA MARKET at SALEM UCC on SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3 from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM. And if you are really feeling lucky you can go over to Holy Trinity who is also having a basket raffle.  

Watch for previews on our Facebook page.   Some great baskets and great deals at the flea market.

Well, I better go.  It's almost time to make dinner.

and that's ANOTHER DAY IN CATASAUQUA

Retirement is not the End, just the Beginning

I still don't feel retired.  My friend, Judy said, you wonder where you found the time to do anything when you were working.  She was right.  But since I retired I had my own problems, then Parke was in the ER yesterday with now another UTI.  Today I had the MRI and now I am about to do my final Trustee's Report for Church.  I won't get the books back until next summer.

So every day - before I know it - its dinner time.

I just past the Angel that my manager, Nicole had given me with a bag of gifts.  The Angel has these words printed on it "Never underestimate the Difference you made and the lives you touched" It made think.  I hope I am still doing that.

Sundays I teach Sunday School, I had a conversation with Duncan, a 4th grader, about fried chicken, we both want to try the new Dominican Fried chicken place in Catasauqua.  I think I might explore the place and maybe even write a blog about it.  

I sincerely hope that I still touch lives.  From the people who just walk by me while I read out front and I smile at, to the children I teach on Sunday.  I hope I touch the lives of people I stand in line with and strike up a conversation with.

Do you ever wonder whose life you might touch.  We will hardly ever know the results that come about from it. I don't need to know.  You know why?  Because I will just keep trying to do better. 

Remember:

• No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.” – Aesop 

• “Wherever there is a human being, there is an opportunity for kindness.” – Lucius Annaeus Seneca

• “Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness in giving creates love.” – Lao Tzu

So, let's try kindness today, smile, and be gentle. You know why don't you, because that's Another day in Catasauqua

Is it really 25 Years

 Probably like most Americans over the age of 40, I remember 9/11/01 like it was yesterday.  

First it was a phone call from my bff, Cathy, who told me a plane at hit one of the World Trade Centers.  A building I was in once.  I could not fathom what she was saying.  Then the second one hit.  

Twenty five years ago the internet wasn't what it is now - I remember my co-worker, Oliver trying to see it on our computers but CNN was frozen, TMI coming in at once.  

The radio went to just reporting about what was going on as best as it could.  

The Tower falls, people run.  

I was worried about Cathy's niece, but she said that she doesn't work in that area.  We later found out she was there, just got off the subway when the second one hit.  She got out of there and was ok.  

At work I felt stuck, I cried with my other bff, Annette.  Not knowing what was happening was horrifying.  We could only get bits and pieces of what was going on.  The phone system to Washington wasn't working.  There was another plane it hit the Pentagon,

The fourth plane never hit its target, the passengers heroically overcame the highjackers and they crashed in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

My son worked for Exxon at the time, and my DIL at the time worked as a teacher.  I couldn't get a hold of either for the longest time - they lived in Virginia but were very close to DC.  

When I got home that night, all I could do was watch it on TV, by this time Parke had seen it over and over and didn't want to watch it.  But whenever I could, I did.  

How do you recover from that, we did, we flew our flags, we gathered in our places of worship and we prayed.  We came together, we were the United States of America.  One people, one country and we were proud.

I could say something about our politics today, but let's not tarnish the memory of those who died and the first responders.

Let's remember how we came together.

and that's Another day in Catasauqua

  

The Daffiness of Dementia

As if my mother is not funny enough, she has been hit by UTI's and Dementia.  Today she had me look out the window to see all the chairs outside at the neighbor's house.  I did not see any.  She said they probably took them inside then.  She has seen a lot of people go in.

Poor Ida, my neighbor, if she only lived the stories that my mom came up with, she would be exhausted.  Like the other day.  She saw 12 women, all dressed up and with lots of makeup on,
dancing on the roof, yes, the roof.  It was a wild party.  Supposedly the women saw my mom watching them and waved (how nice of them) and she quickly got away from the window.  I missed the whole thing.  Can you imagine?

Usually when she starts hallucinating like this it means another UTI or the continuation of the one she has had.  She drinks plenty of water and goes to the bathroom somewhat normally right now.  And now, I wash her every other day, so she has been keeping cleaner.  But if the hallucinations continue - or get worse I will need to contact the doctor again.

My mom has always been a source of entertainment.  Sometimes my true stories have been funnier than anything I could make up.  

I am used to her dementia - but not the hallucinations, sometimes they catch me off guard.  Like the day the soldiers came and covered Ida's house with a white sheet.   The whole house!  Well I argued, note to self, don't even try to do that.  

Meanwhile, I think I might finally feel retired.  I have nothing I have to do today.  So I picked another book from the "Someday I will read" pile and later I will enjoy the weather outside and read.

and that will be, Another Day in Catasauqua