January 27, 2004
shivering in the NorthEast...
I have to admit that I am a solitary person. But now that I am almost forced to become solitary, I don't like it at all.
The weather in the NorthEast is cold, bitter cold. It is like breathing through an icecube. And it won't let up. More this afternoon, and a Nor'easter tonite and into tomorrow. Expect to see about 12 inches on snow, the weather forecasts say. This on top of two inches of ice already on the ground.
Even LilyRose is suffering from SAD. She looks bored out of her mind. Usually, she sits at the window, absording the sun's rays. We haven't seen rays in a few days, and she and I can both use some. Hubby is overniting in NYC, because the commute would be too dangerous for him to do. He usually leaves the house at 4am when no one (well, it really isn't no one. This is NJ-dense capital of the US afterall!) is on the road. That means poor snowplowing on the roads at that time.
Anyway, I and probably everyone in the NE could use a dose of some warmth and sunshine. I'm not looking for 80 degree weather. At this point, sunny and in the 30's would be just great.
I just watched the Oscar Nominations. Looks like Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise were shut out of the race. Could it be that Hollywood is as sick of them as I am? And what the heck happened to Nicole's face? It is stretched so tight. Maybe that is why she wasn't nominated for her role as a cold mountain outdoors chicks...Its hard to not have a wrinkle when you are battling the elements!
January 21, 2004
New Kid On The Block..
Allow me to introduce you to Otto:
This picture was taken behind a screen door, because Otto is not to be trusted.
He is quite nasty and has beaten up Buddy very badly. Just this afternoon, Buddy came on the deck with a bloody eye (the only good one he has, naturally), and a sore hip. He didn't even attempt to move when I fed him. I feel so sorry for Buddy, because Otto is a big nasty cat, and has moved into Buddy's territory. He is even sleeping where Buddy sleeps.
I know it is survival of the fittest, but Buddy really deserves to keep his little habitat. I once looked at him while he was resting on the deck post. He looked so regal, overlooking his land. The wind blowing through his long mane. Kindof like the Lion King. And now, nasty Otto has come around. Otto even comes to eat when I call Buddy's name.
My poor Buddy..
January 17, 2004
trouble, trouble, there goes Hubble..
NASA announced that there will be no more shuttle visits to the Hubble Telescope. A planned trip was scheduled for next year to Hubble, to have scientific instruments and gyroscopes replaced. Now the $200 million worth of instruments will lie in a big heap on the ground, because it won't be going up into space.Hubble, the "crown jewel of astromony for 10 years", will probably die in orbit around 2007. That means three more years in orbit. Three more years to send us back some of the most amazing pictures I have ever seen.
Its all Bush's fault.
He ordered NASA to take its resources for the Hubble and divert them into getting a man on the moon by 2015. Doesn't he know we sent a man on the moon back in 1969?
Oh, right... He said he doesn't read newspapers...
January 12, 2004
With Appreciation...
I couldn't have done this without him. He taught me so much, and is eager to spread his knowledge. A rare find, indeed. Thank you so much, Dan....
Now, many people will know that there is a support group in New Jersey for donors and recipients of organ transplants. You have touched many lives. And many, many people Thank You for doing so...
January 09, 2004
There's someone watching....
This picture was taken with the Hubble Telescope. It is nicknamed The Eye Of God. I always thought we lived in a fishbowl. I guess I was right....
January 01, 2004
Dinner with memories..
Last night, my family visited a former neighbor of ours. He is the same age as me,and we were very good friends when we were young. We both liked to draw. And in the summer, we used to walk to the bakery on the boardwalk, buy crumb buns and watch "I Love Lucy" on the tv. This was before the age of earning a living, when the summer lasted a mini lifetime, and the beach was ours. I have always been close to him, even though I wasn't reunited with him until 5 years ago.
He now lives in a penthouse overlooking the ocean. His balcony has an unobtructed view of the Atlantic Ocean. If you chose to end your life by jumping off it, you would land right smack in the ocean-give or take a few feet.
His home is decorated with antiques. He has 300 pieces of Roseville. Lots of original paintings. I sense a touch of the old Vatican when I enter his home. The smell of incense and the faces of holy images greet me as I step into the foyer.
After a celebratory toast, we ate at his table. The dishes were antique, with beautiful touches of gilded gold. I ate with gold utensils. Spoke of growing up at the Shore. The stereo system hummed gentle songs of the seasons in the background. The lighting was intimate. The chairs were carved with lion heads. The chandelier above us glistened with rosebud shaped crystals. I ate my dessert on a little plate that featured aqua skies and tiny pink and white clouds edged with gold.
We all spoke of the past, and I wanted to stay in the past because it sometimes sounded so much better than things are today..
But soon it was time to leave,and we said our goodbyes. He told me I was his Guardian Angel. I told him no one ever called me that before, but it was such a nice remark..
Then he said: "God Bless You"...
One of the best New Year's Celebrations ever....
May God Bless You Too, Vinnie...