Travelogues and mysteries

I have enjoyed reading Carla's blog from Brazil...it's almost a travelogue. I guess the wedding is tomorrow. I'm wondering what the bride does that she lives in China? Inquiring minds want to know.

As to mysteries....in the middle of the night a couple of days ago....I wondered where my "airplane" picture was...I called it "Fly the Friendly Skies" It recently won a prize at the Tennessee Art League's interclub spring show. I thought it must be hanging on the wall somewhere in my house. When I got up...I looked and surprise, surprise, no airplane picture to be found on my walls. Oh, well, maybe I stacked it behind a piece of furniture or stuck it under the bed...NOOOOOOO, not there. Maybe in my studio? NOOOOOO, not there.

Did I leave it unclaimed at TAL? I was pretty sure I hadn't. Of course, my better half suggested it might be down at the Senior Center....but I couldn't remember hanging it there. I hated to call one of my art friends and admit that I was loosing my mind. But I did anyway. She said she bet a nickle it was at the Senior Center. I said I had three pictures down there and I could only remember two of them. She said "there you go...the one you can't remember is your airplane picutre." I wasn't convinced. She bet me a nickle she was right.

Well, she was right...I owe her a nickle. I still can't remember taking it down there ... or hanging it. But there it was big as life. I know I have at least 100 pictures hanging around here and another hundred or so unframed ones laying around but the airplane picture was a winner and I didn't want to lose it.

It was not my finest hour....memory wise. I have fretted about this for three days now. My better half says "let it go." But I can't. I'll probably still be thinking about it next week. I hope this isn't an indication of "things to come." Awful, awful, awful.

Till next time....bye, bye.

diets and food and thin exotic women

After reading Carla's blog about fun and food and fast driving in Brazil, I laughed. I, too, wondered how the women stayed so thin...this time on the other side of the world...Italy...when the food and wine and Italian Ice were everywhere. I remember commenting "my first time in Rome" that there were more fat people on my plane than I saw in all of Rome. I guess it's a different lifestyle. I know Romans, both men and women, walk a lot more than we do. They walk to work, walk home for a small lunch, walk back to work, home after work...then eight or nine in the evening, they walk a couple of miles to have dinner. Then of course, walk home after the meal, maybe at 10p.m or so.

I don't know about walking in Brazil, but they do have beautiful people there. I'm sure Jean-Luc with his blond hair made a hit with the ladies. People always admire what is uncommon to them. Italians like the nordic ladies and people from Holland like the dark-eyed Latins.

It sounds like that part of the Steinmetz clan is having a great time. Take advantage of the opportunity, J-L. You'll probably be the only kid in your class who has traveled outside the U.S. this summer. Lucky boy.

We talked to Bill and the other boys yesterday. Skipe is working fine. Bill is doing his usual good job of being a dad.

Joan and family are off to Kentucky for a couple of days. Seems everyone is traveling both far and near.

Maura's last soccer game was Saturday. She actually kicked the ball a couple of times, but as I said before, I'm afraid she inherited her athletic ability from her Mom and me. She had a good time, however, and as Joan says, "If you had a good time, you won."

Time to go...till next time....all you travelers enjoy yourselves.

Reality shows

There must be something wrong with me that I don't find any "reality show" interesting. I know why the producers make these shows...it's much less expensive than having a cast and crew dedicated to a sitcom or detective show. Although come to think of it...how much does it cost to send 12 strangers to a desolate island and keep everyone alive for the duration of a season? Or how about sending folks on an around the world race? Or how about the cooking, modeling, makeover shows? I don't know.

What I do know is that I find these shows less than thrilling. I'm especially unhappy right now with Jon and Kate plus 8. I know these folks are having their troubles and that's not fun for them. The public never seems to get enough of dishing the dirt about those who are celebrities or near celebrities. Even though I think those little children are darling...I have resolved myself not to watch their show or read about their troubles. I do know that those parents invited the world into their lives and now that the bloom is off the rose...they are unhappy with the paparazzi and others skulking around their private lives. I felt the same way about Princess Diana...you can't have it both ways. If you present yourself as a public figure then you can't complain about your privacy being invaded by the media. I hope the children and parents survive this media frenzy and take themselves out of the spotlight. I'm sure it is difficult to reconcile a troubled marriage under the best of circumstances and on a scale of 1-10, I'd give Jon and Kate about a 4 in favor of fixing their marriage.

As I said to someone near and dear to me....I don't watch Idol or Race or any of the other "reality" shows...not on purpose that is...sometimes one or another slips through my radar. I don't watch them because I have a life of my own...boring as it is...but it is my own reality.

So, I'll enjoy my fantasy television...Law and Order (in all it's permutations)...NCIS, CCI, all stories which perhaps are based on fact, but are fictionalized for my viewing enjoyment. Also, I like Book Beat and always the history channel. I'm leaving all reality to those folks out there who mark their calendars for their faves. I know there are more of those folks than there are folks like me...but that's ok....In fact...I still like to read books.

That's it.

To all the family travelers out there. Enjoy your travels...come home safe and have a reality show of your own to tell us about upon your return...Till next time.

travelers all

So, Carla and J-L are going to Brazil. AND the Paters (with Isabel) are going to Italy in June?July? Wow. lots of traveling. Al and I are done traveling for the time being. Florida in April and to Pgh and environs in June. Guess J-L had to get a passport. Isabel did too. Once children (I guess you can't count Jean-Luc a little child anymore) were included on the mother's passport.

Got to see Jennifer B. She has a long row to hoe for recouperation. It doesn't seem fair for one person to have so many health problems. Thank goodness for John. He's a brick. John is fixing the bathroom up...taking out the tub and putting in a shower for J's return. She will have to have lots of pt. I'm afraid it will be very slow.

got to go. Hope all the travelers have a fun experience. Ta ta.

Star Trek

Hello, all you Treckies out there. Al and I saw the new movie this afternoon and all Treckies will be pleased. It was terrific...action from the first scene to the last scene. I didn't quite get the time travel stuff, but hey, who wants to let that little thing get in the way. The story was good and the special effects fabulous. That's all I have for this time, guys. Bye.

communication?

Last Friday I met my friend Sally at the Mt. Juliet Library. She was taking down her pictures and I was putting up my pictures. After we completed this little job, I asked if she wanted to go for coffee. She said sure. She had to go to the Post Office and I had to visit my doctor to discuss an insurance issue. We agreed to meet at the McDonalds by Publix. There is a new McDonald at the Lebanon Road-Mt. Juliet intersection...so after my chore was finished I headed to McD's. I arrived before Sally and decided to get coffee and wait for her. Since you know how good I am with cars, every time I saw a car that remotely looked like Sal's, I thought "here she comes. I'm thinking how long does it date to buy a stamp. Where is that girl?"
After half an hour, I decide we've missed each other and head home. When I get there Al tells me that Sally had just called and she was waiting for me at the McD's in Hermitage. We finally connected via the phone and she said she forgot about the closer McDs as she never shopped at that Publix.
Later when we talked about it--face to face--we both laughed. She said if she'd sent me an e-mail or called on her cell, we might have been able to drink our coffee in the same MickeyDs.
I said, "let's not bet on that as we did talk face to face and still got our wires crossed....and no electricity was involved.
Communication in the age of computers, etc. is very difficult even when one is talking with another face to face. It was a silly moment.

travels and troubles

It's been a while...We traveled to Florida to visit kids and grandkids. Lots of fun...lots of baseball games. We enjoyed ourselves. When we got home we got a call from Uncle John that Aunt Jennifer had fallen in the kitchen and broken her hip. Bad News. As Aunt Karen says...Jennifer can't get a break.
So, while away Jennifer had hip surgery and now will have to go somewhere for rehabilitation. I'm sure she is not a happy camper. We feel awful for her. We plan on visiting all the Yankees in the family toward the end of the month. I'll be glad to see Jennifer for myself. It is hard being away from Aunt Rose, and the Bennetts and also the Paters and little Isabel. I don't want to live in PA anymore, but it would be nice if we could see everyone more than twice a year. This goes for the Florida Steinmetzes also.
Today is dentist day. Al went this a.m. and I've got a 2/30 appointment.
Sunday the Quinns came for dinner. Maura was putting on her makeup in the bathroom. I think our house is the only place she gets to do that and I was hurrying her along because I needed to use the convenience when I complained about my itchy head. She said, "Grandma, maybe you have head lice."
No, I most certainly do NOT have headlice. I just have an itchy scalp. Dr. Maura couldn't give me any other diagnosis.

Got to go. Till next time.