Chore Girl Thinks Ahead The forecast said a big storm was coming Sunday night into Monday. I had my niece's shower on Sunday, superseding my routine Sunday food shopping. So I announced to hubby, Paul "I will be doing the food shopping Saturday night early, get the list ready" -the list is his chore. This provided a tricky scenario as we go to the health club separately on Saturday, and Paul does his food shopping for his special Saturday meal. The cars were moving in and out of the driveway all afternoon. I arrive at King Kullen and immediately notice the store is quiet, no hustling around going on, the aisles are negotiable. All goes well, until checkout. I get on line and at that moment a container of yogurt falls from the runway to the ground. Big plop. This is an item belonging to the woman front of me- and she seems very sad about it. Guess this was going to be important on her menu.
She asks the cashier to call to have it cleaned but the cashier is embroiled in a heavy dispute with the woman in front of her about what is on sale. Backup has been called by the cashier-I recognize this woman, she knows her stuff-the arguing customer does not have a chance. So I size up my plight- I have two women in front of me on line, the first has dug her heels in about her items being on sale and the second woman is upset about the blob she has sent to the floor as well as its loss in her menu. Should I go to another line? No, never do that. The "Yogurt plop" woman is wearing high heels, so she is off balance and getting fidgety. She says. " I am getting another yogurt". I say "Good idea". She leaves, the fighting continues up front. Then the arguing customer gets the ultimate revenge. "Okay, take them off the bill" On no, this requires yet another King Kullen employee to join in as he has the power of removal of items. Yogurt women returns. "What no progress !" I feel like a failure for not getting the line moving" "No" I reply and add wickedly, "She (referring to arguing woman) does not seem to realize that others are waiting". Evil Carol. That gets Yogurt woman more annoyed, as I knew it would- my revenge for her releasing feelings of failure in me.
Then it happens-the BIG manager announces that two more checkouts will open. All the people waiting in back of me run and I am now alone again naturally. My line is not moving. I make the decision. I go to the next line. Not bad, only one person in front, a woman. I see that there is no divider between her items and mine, a flag goes up in my mind-trouble ahead if I do not watch. "Well , why should I always have to be the one to watch?!" I soon hear a commotion, I am still loading my stuff on the belt. "Those are not mine, those are hers" Yikes, it has happened- my items have morphed into hers. And not just one. She ticks them off one by one, so all can hear. "The soup is not mine, the sauce is not mine, the tarts are not mine" .Oh no. Everyone now knows I have tarts. And then it happens, the Manager with the power of item removal is summoned to my line and I am the cause. I am no better than the arguing woman. I have caused "delay in line" It takes a while. My total time on line has now exceeded my total shopping time. It gets done. My items are zooming along, I am packing, back in the groove. Then the dreaded produce question "What kind of pears are these?" I answer "Red". "No" says condescending checker" He continues " I mean like type of pear for example - Bartlett or Anjou". I patiently explain that these pears are labeled "Red", nothing else. Another checker is called and a decision is made, not shared with me-(ignorant of pear title person). We finish, I am done.
Everyone seems a little on edge. But not me, I have a secret. I don't mind what happens. I am always writing a story in my head, and the more that happens the better I like it. I look at the receipt to find what title my pears were given They were rung up as pears red. Not red pears. Guess that was his revenge.
Woof, Woof
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Liam Loves My Underwear
No one told me. I adopted Liam when I was 57, past the point of thinking any male might be interested in my underwear drawer. Apparently dogs love bras, socks and other unmentionables.
Liam knows what items are in which drawers and he has an order in the colors he likes: beige, white, then black. I am a simple girl now, just the basics.
My only pets have been parakeets and turtles. They are too small for the Victoria secret stuff, not that I have any of that any longer-there is a recession after all.
I did not realize the incredible precision and focus of a dog's mission when he/she has a piece of underwear. How did I find out?
We were on an annual fall trip with friends. I packed what I thought were viable bras. (hope that is okay for the Web.) First day, I start dressing and realize all bras have one strap, yes, all of them!
I now understand the one strap
look at the
Oscars, all 
women have dogs, who have eaten their underwear, One strap. The cut looks as if it were done with VERY sharp scissors. A beautiful job. Liam should be a surgeon. Liam does the right strap.
Liam knows what items are in which drawers and he has an order in the colors he likes: beige, white, then black. I am a simple girl now, just the basics.
My only pets have been parakeets and turtles. They are too small for the Victoria secret stuff, not that I have any of that any longer-there is a recession after all.
I did not realize the incredible precision and focus of a dog's mission when he/she has a piece of underwear. How did I find out?
We were on an annual fall trip with friends. I packed what I thought were viable bras. (hope that is okay for the Web.) First day, I start dressing and realize all bras have one strap, yes, all of them!
I now understand the one strap
look at the
Oscars, all 
women have dogs, who have eaten their underwear, One strap. The cut looks as if it were done with VERY sharp scissors. A beautiful job. Liam should be a surgeon. Liam does the right strap.
Friday, February 27, 2009
Liam's Play Date
Liam had a play date today. Molly, (dog) came with her Mom, Connie. They live in Riverdale, so this involved a car trip and crossing a bridge. I consider crossing a bridge to see a friend to be a gift of love. The little sausage dog had a great time with big girl Molly.
Script follows:
Liam-"Hey Big girl, play with me"
Molly "I don't play with babies"
Carol -Liam needs to work off those extra pounds from Ruth's visit-if barking alone would do it then he lost 20 pounds today.
Come to think of it, if talking would do it I would also be a stick. Since we are friends we want our dogs to like each other. I found myself saying crazy stuff, like "look Liam, Molly wants you to lick her, and go have fun, be social" "Good dog, share your water." This is human talk. I think Connie and I ended up playing ball and throwing sticks to each other while the dogs watched.
Liam-"catch me, Molly"
Molly- "I can, my legs are much longer"
Liam "come here, let's relax"
Molly " not in the mud!"
Molly "come out sausage dog"
Liam " No way, BOL" (bark out loud)
Woof, Woof
Script follows:
Liam-"Hey Big girl, play with me"
Molly "I don't play with babies"
Carol -Liam needs to work off those extra pounds from Ruth's visit-if barking alone would do it then he lost 20 pounds today.
Come to think of it, if talking would do it I would also be a stick. Since we are friends we want our dogs to like each other. I found myself saying crazy stuff, like "look Liam, Molly wants you to lick her, and go have fun, be social" "Good dog, share your water." This is human talk. I think Connie and I ended up playing ball and throwing sticks to each other while the dogs watched.
Liam-"catch me, Molly"
Molly- "I can, my legs are much longer"
Liam "come here, let's relax"
Molly " not in the mud!"
Molly "come out sausage dog"
Liam " No way, BOL" (bark out loud)
Woof, Woof
Monday, February 23, 2009
ENT Visit-No Change Needed Please
Today was time for the Ear Nose and Throat visit. Why? I do not remember what brought me there a few years ago, but whatever it was is no longer a current symptom. What was revealed at that time was that I had an inherited hearing loss. Not the romantic kind the Rock Stars have-the opposite- hard to fix and not my fault. I rather it was my doing, then I could wonder which deafening rock concert did the damage and feel the like the band members of the "Who". No, mine was just given to me, without my asking; not the result of any shared fun experience. But this explained some of my famous gaffes resulting from mishearing words in a conversation. I have made sure Ruth knows that she has given me this hearing problem. Seems she gave it to my sister also. Today, we are checking the nose, throat and ears. The doctor always asks if I did cocaine as I have a hole in my septum. That would be the thing that separates one side of the nose from the other. When I squirt nasal spray in -it does not even go up, it goes through and comes out very fast, ending up all over my face. And I say "No cocaine, Afrin nose spray". He looks skeptical and enters this comment on his laptop- has a hole in septum-looks like cocaine use. "No" I say "I drink wine, no cocaine use, and ask " Is that why my throat hurts"? Figured my throat needed some attention in this conversation. Doctor says "Not, wine". I reply "shiraz" .
That must be the hearing again. I sometimes answer what I think is the question, just to get by. Exam done-time for the hearing test.
I am sent to the "waiting for the audiologist" green couch where two elderly sisters join me. That will be Lois and me in 30 years, I think. While one sister is in with the audiologist we start talking about the Oscars. Last-born elderly sister says "Did you see Heidi Klum's roots?">>
<<< "Yes, of course, I did" I reply, but add that "the latest is that it is " in" to have roots".
That must be the hearing again. I sometimes answer what I think is the question, just to get by. Exam done-time for the hearing test.I am sent to the "waiting for the audiologist" green couch where two elderly sisters join me. That will be Lois and me in 30 years, I think. While one sister is in with the audiologist we start talking about the Oscars. Last-born elderly sister says "Did you see Heidi Klum's roots?">>
<<< "Yes, of course, I did" I reply, but add that "the latest is that it is " in" to have roots". She replies, "then you would not be
"IN"my head newly highlighted head>
She is correct, for today, for this week, for next week, I am not "with it", I have no roots. I say" I will be "IN"in two weeks". As we chat, I am eyeing the results of my audio gram hanging very near me and thinking I want to see it. The memory of Elaine from Seinfeld, floods my mind.http://worldofseinfeld.blogspot.com/search?q= the episode where she reads her chart when the doctor leaves and finds he has noted that she is difficult.
How time changes-there are no charts, They type the info from the exam directly into the PC. I would have to steal the laptop/notebook in its entirety. Doctor returns, No change in my hearing. Yay! In addition, the hearing aids which I never wear are confiscated to be adjusted
Now to reception to pay. There is a line. Many people-when I finally get there the receptionist says "those were quadruplets and their parents- I had to enter everything six times. I told her to make sure she did not book my return visit with their next visit. What about those octuplets and other six sibs?
The office would close down.
Liam visits his new vet Change is what we need here. We want Liam to be vetted at the same place he plays. So we go. The last 3 times I have visited his resort, Best In Show, I have forgotten my pocketbook "Big Pink". I think this is because as long as I have something in my hand I think it is "Big Pink". So I had Liam , hence no "Big Pink" . I was without, money, credit, cell, camera, etc, but had a dog. So I guess
= 
I have now put up a sign on the door, "when leaving- bring, cell, sunglasses, keys and "Big Pink" But on this visit, I only have Liam. No pocketbook, money cell etc. They usher us into a waiting room. There it is. An unprotected laptop and a sentence on the screen. "Liam is a new patient, Mom is very happy with Best in Show and wants to come here". That notation is about me- poor Elaine. She could now just read the laptop/no theft of a chart necessary. Our turn comes, the doctor thinks Liam could lose a pound or two. Yikes, that dreaded Holiday weight gain is lingering.
Liam is mortified.
He turns shades of magenta
All goes well, they have my credit card on file, I am okay to leave.
Liam nurses his hurt feelings with a low calorie latte-non fat, only a few licks of foam.
Woof, Woof
"IN"my head newly highlighted head>
She is correct, for today, for this week, for next week, I am not "with it", I have no roots. I say" I will be "IN"in two weeks". As we chat, I am eyeing the results of my audio gram hanging very near me and thinking I want to see it. The memory of Elaine from Seinfeld, floods my mind.http://worldofseinfeld.blogspot.com/search?q= the episode where she reads her chart when the doctor leaves and finds he has noted that she is difficult.How time changes-there are no charts, They type the info from the exam directly into the PC. I would have to steal the laptop/notebook in its entirety. Doctor returns, No change in my hearing. Yay! In addition, the hearing aids which I never wear are confiscated to be adjusted
Now to reception to pay. There is a line. Many people-when I finally get there the receptionist says "those were quadruplets and their parents- I had to enter everything six times. I told her to make sure she did not book my return visit with their next visit. What about those octuplets and other six sibs?The office would close down.
Liam visits his new vet Change is what we need here. We want Liam to be vetted at the same place he plays. So we go. The last 3 times I have visited his resort, Best In Show, I have forgotten my pocketbook "Big Pink". I think this is because as long as I have something in my hand I think it is "Big Pink". So I had Liam , hence no "Big Pink" . I was without, money, credit, cell, camera, etc, but had a dog. So I guess
= 
I have now put up a sign on the door, "when leaving- bring, cell, sunglasses, keys and "Big Pink" But on this visit, I only have Liam. No pocketbook, money cell etc. They usher us into a waiting room. There it is. An unprotected laptop and a sentence on the screen. "Liam is a new patient, Mom is very happy with Best in Show and wants to come here". That notation is about me- poor Elaine. She could now just read the laptop/no theft of a chart necessary. Our turn comes, the doctor thinks Liam could lose a pound or two. Yikes, that dreaded Holiday weight gain is lingering.
Liam is mortified.
He turns shades of magenta
All goes well, they have my credit card on file, I am okay to leave.
Liam nurses his hurt feelings with a low calorie latte-non fat, only a few licks of foam.Woof, Woof
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Liam's Leap/Change We Need
Liam's Leap 2/29/08. The year 2008 was a leap year, meaning it had a February 29 and in 2008 it fell on a Friday. It was the day that a leashed Liam leaped for a squirrel sending me crashing into the concrete pavement. Ouch! My cheekbone absorbed the blow as it was meant to -Doctor Lee of Stat Med told this. The injury did not fully disappear until July, 2008. But what a vivid palette of colors were displayed! See photo I took on my blackberry the day after-up to the right.
My Eye Evolves
I framed the eye.
Eye and Liam, 03/01/08I use it as my cell phone pic.
I seemingly have inspired friends to play with it in photographs. below are some incredible shots from a talented SSA retiree. Thanks Ken-link to his work below
When you're strange
Faces come out of the rain
When you're strange
No one remembers your name
And The Change We Need (or I need)
I have enjoyed writing and sharing Liam Licks for the past 13 months. The time has come to change the way I do it.
Why?
Things have changed with AOL mail, with Word, with copying and pasting. AOL will not send out the copied newsletter from Word anymore -this is the way I have written LiamLicks for the past 13 months-I write in word and copy into an e mail, so all can view. AOL will not send out this way anymore. So, last week I sent a word doc in 2 versions, some got it -no problem, others played with it and got it to work and still others just gave up in frustration. It took me 5 hours to write and prepare, a joy for me all week. But 3 hours to send UGH, no. The joy of the prep was severely diminished by the transmission; coupled with feeling the readers' pain-change is necessary.
So, I have made a leap on the approaching anniversary of Liam's Leap
I have become a blogger. I have a blog called Liam Licks. You can access, sign in and follow. If you are reading this, you did, welcome. Nothing pleases a first born Leo more than having followers.
LL will be posted to my Facebook profile page. the NEPSC retiree website (links, if approved) and the SNT website (links)- for those belonging to any or all of those applications. You can blog in when you choose. For those who will never think of it- I will send you the link each week as before, on Thursday for Friday or on Friday.
I have become a blogger. I have a blog called Liam Licks. You can access, sign in and follow. If you are reading this, you did, welcome. Nothing pleases a first born Leo more than having followers.
LL will be posted to my Facebook profile page. the NEPSC retiree website (links, if approved) and the SNT website (links)- for those belonging to any or all of those applications. You can blog in when you choose. For those who will never think of it- I will send you the link each week as before, on Thursday for Friday or on Friday.
I hope you all come with me
"For the world has changed, and we must change with it"
Barack Obama-1st Inaugural Address
Barack Obama-1st Inaugural Address
Below Liam and Carol morphed into one
What a difference a year makes!
created by Ken
What a difference a year makes!
created by Ken
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