all the news since December, 2008

I reckon the biggest news is that my friend Sandie Leahy (the one who lives down the road; we went on the Queen Mary 2 together) and I have booked a BIG cruise for the last week of October and the first two weeks of November of this year. On October 25th, we fly from BWI to Rome, Italy. On October 27th, we board Carnival's newest ship, the Dream, for a Mediterranean and Atlantic Ocean crossing into New York City. We're SO EXCITED!!!

The most important thing about Rome is that I want to see the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Sandie's already done that--many years ago, so she's willing to go back. It's supposed to be really difficult to make the arrangements, so if anyone out there has any tips, we'd appreciate them.

Well, the renovation of the house was technically finished on December 24, 2008, when the carpenter finished hanging the big, flat-panel TV over the new fireplace in the living room.

I've spent the last six months moving into the house, and the task isn't even close to being done. The way I'm going, it'll take at least another year. There are just too many other jobs that need to be done.

And now it's the growing season, and I don't plan to go anywhere until the October trip. I want to be here to water plants with Daddy's recently repaired well. My dream was/is to have a garden this summer. I haven't given up on the dream, but it seems so far away. It was the end of May when I realized I couldn't break the sod with Daddy's Bronco tiller. Even though it was a hard thing for me to do, I asked a friend and former classmate for help, but he never called back. Now I need to ask my brothers to help, and I keep postponing the call for a long list of reasons. Mostly, I'm chicken. I don't want to hear their comments on the subject. Gotta do something soon. They both laughed at me last winter when I said I'd have a garden this summer. They bet I wouldn't do it. And now, they are both in positions to see that I don't have a garden. Sigh.

Not having the garden tilled by mid May is my second biggest problem right now, so life is good! It's peaceful here in the house where the boys and I grew up, and I am no longer alone here (physically). I have a cat. For the first time in two years, I have a cat, and I don't know who's having the bigger problem with the adjustment. I think he is.

Sonny was a feral cat. He spent the first year of his life living on the streets of Princess Anne as a wild cat. He spent his second year as a half-wild cat, going to a bed and breakfast in his neighborhood for food. (He's a SMART cat.) Sometimes, he'd let Elizabeth and Peter pet him. Sometimes he'd use the cat door and go inside with the other cats, but they didn't get along. So, when I mentioned that I was going to get a cat, Elizabeth asked if I'd take Sonny. His name is now Honey, because he's the color of honey (red tabby and white), and for the most part, he's very sweet.

Sonny's lived here for two months and he is adjusting well. It's a BIG change for him--bigger than it is for me. He lives 100% indoors. He's safe and well-fed. He gets lots of attention and he loves it. He has toys he truly enjoys, especially the long, wavy one at the back end of his body. I think he's bruising his body chasing his tail. He beats himself against furniture, the brick hearth, and anything else that stops his swift, twisted movements. He's the best entertainment in the house!

The other hopeful news is that I've mailed the THIRD application packet to the game show called "Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader?" I REALLY want to play that game and win lots of money for my retirement and my favorite charities. We'll see.

And that's all the news that is the news. Life is GOOD here! Hope yours is the same.