My hat's off to the daily bloggers

I have the utmost respect for those people who daily fill a blog page with witty insights, or touching stories, or thoughtful meditation. I can't do it. Sometimes your life just becomes un-bloggy, and there isn't a single thing of interest to share.

Oh, I try. I make mental notes about things all the time:

• Like the guy in UT regalia wandering around Wal-Mart, yelling, "I'm going to Arizona to watch UT whup up on Ohio State." But I couldn't come up with a second sentence.
  
• Or the picture I tried to take of a tree in the office parking lot that has just been brilliant in color and Fall foliage, but the camera was set to Macro focus and when I got a good look at the pictures they were out of focus. Now the color is gone.
• Or wondering where is this recession people keep talking about? We can't get in to our favorite eating places because of the crowds; or can't find a place to park at the Mall because of all the other shoppers.
• Or the fun I'm having with the Santa hat; I wore it to a Dentist appointment the other day and he got all the hygienists and office workers out to take a picture with me. Okaaay.
• Or about Mom's stuck-in-the-sand adventure at the beach, but that's sort of a sensitive subject and I really shouldn't bring it up.
• Or the other things I was going to mention in this blog, but now I can't remember them.

So, to my tens of readers out there who have been waiting with bated breath for each new installment, I apologize and suggest that there may be more useful things to do with your time.

And maybe things will get bloggier after the Holidays!

Sign of the Apocalypse?

Barbara is in Port A for a couple of days of beach-watching, book-reading, and sea food-eating. I declined the invitation to go with her because I needed to work and I simply didn't have a burning desire to go this time.

So I'm at the office, merrily working away and I hear the little "beedle-eep" that indicates Rob has initiated an on-line chat with me in Google mail. Only, it's not Rob - it's Barbara, who wandered into an Internet cafe in Port A and chatted me so she could share the moment. Whoa!

Google chat is really neat; we discovered in Peru that distance is no object - you can pop up family and friends with ease wherever you are. Where was this really cool feature when Julie's family was in the Czech Republic? And I'm always telling Mom about conversations I have had (actually I just email her a copy of the chat that Google kindly provides for me).

So the other day we set her account up with the chat feature (and Rob really wondered about two people who would sit in the same house and chat each other over their respective computers) and today, the woman who avails herself of only as much technology as she can possibly get by with, popped up a chat session from an Internet cafe.

Sweet!

Why I like retirement

Question: How many days in a week?
Answer: 6 Saturdays, 1 Sunday

Question: When is a retiree's bedtime?
Answer: Three hours after he falls asleep on the couch.

Question: How many retirees to change a light bulb?
Answer: Only one, but it might take all day.

Question: What's the biggest gripe of retirees?
Answer: There is not enough time to get everything done.

Question: Why don't retirees mind being called Seniors?
Answer: The term comes with a 10% discount.

Question: Among retirees what is considered formal attire?
Answer: Tied shoes.

Question: Why do retirees count pennies?
Answer: They are the only ones who have the time.

Question: Why are retirees so slow to clean out the basement, attic or garage?
Answer: They know that as soon as they do, one of their adult kids will want to store stuff there.

Question: What do retirees call a long lunch?
Answer: Normal.

Question: What is the best way to describe retirement?
Answer: The never ending Coffee Break.

Question: What's the biggest advantage of going back to school as a retiree?
Answer: If you cut classes, no one calls your parents.

Question: Why does a retiree often say he doesn't miss work, but misses the people he used to work with?
Answer: He is too polite to tell the whole truth.

And, my very favorite...
QUESTION: What do you do all week?
Answer: Monday through Friday, NOTHING..... Saturday & Sunday, I rest.

Got my 21-year pin, uh, card today.

On the inside it says,

"Makes you appreciate the card, huh?"

She insisted that I put the lights up...

I know, I know. This is really not a picture of my house, but it speaks volumes to my attitude toward holiday decorations. Maybe that's why Rob said "Thought of you" when he sent me the picture.