The Aunt and that New Fangled Internet

Her voice evokes memories of my mother. That New England accent over the phone could be my mom talking. Her laughter too is much like my mother's laugh. She is mom's baby sister and though I haven't seen her for many years, a telephone conversation exists that leaves no time gap in our fun.

 

This Aunt is a very positive person and my spirits are lifted when we talk. Families, at best, can be difficult at times and she is familiar with the machinations that sometimes develops between family members. We discuss current events, society changes  in morals and conduct, skipping from one subject to the next, a bare break for a deep breath. Often she is stunned by what she finds on the Internet and how it is used.  Occasionally she will voice her concerns for me; I reassure her that I am fine and she admonishes me to stay above the fray and to not "sink" to the levels to which she observes on Facebook. This classy Aunt is absolutely horrified at people and their dirty laundry on Facebook and the Internet. Another era produced this kind and gentle person; a time when people didn't have a Facebook page to air dirty laundry and personal information best left to living rooms and whispers.

 

The perfect mother lives on Facebook. Her posts are about her love for her children and only the neighbors know the real story on the care she provides.  The perfect wife and perfect couple resides there too. Kind words filled their home, loving and caring for each other throughout their relationship appears on their web pages. No hint of the degrading of each other, the miserable existence they shared, living separate in one house. Who's to know? Only those that spend some real time with these people would ever suspect the truth. The Internet gives them an opportunity to rewrite their life's and display it in grand flourishes for your viewing pleasure.  It takes but a keyboard and a little typing skill to allow those whose lives are only something they have imagined to suddenly obtain the attention and sympathy they desire. Neither she nor I are  fooled by what is projected on the Internet. These things sometimes discussed between us which causes much giggling and laughter and shaking of heads neither of us can see.

 

I've encouraged this Aunt to get a web cam. We will hopefully be able to Skype soon. I'll be able to not only hear her laughter but see her face as well! I'm looking forward to this.

 

I only wish we lived a little closer. Skype will help!

Hurricane Sandy, Water, Snow and Cold

We are stumbling through our last days of this cold front. It's been about 4 days since I've seen my bright red toenails splayed against my flip flops. The one pair of socks I own and have been wearing our getting a bit stiff and crusted. Every two days I slip out of these leggings and sweatshirt to run them through the washing machine. Next cold spell, I plan on having two pair of socks to make it through the whole thing.

 

While I'm staggering along here in the deep south, the big storm has hit the East coast. Beach front property in New Jersey are total losses, engulfed in either sand or water. More damage broad casted from Narragansett, R.I. As I view these pictures, my mind reels backward to the time we spent in R.I. and the visits to Narragansett. My mother's people live in R.I. and I've been calling regularly to Aunt Ev to check on her safety. She, Uncle Tony and their son Scott are weathering this storm in their home. Recent reports from her are of very little effects from this storm.

 

Hurricane Sandy is now dumping all that water transformed into snow over Pa, Va., WV. and Kentucky. Winds have dropped down to 65mph so it is reeking it's havoc as a tropical storm. No matter what the meterologists call it, it's still a storm that will continue to cause much damage as it moves along.

 

I timidily make this statement. "I'm glad it didn't come our direction!"   I lost my excitement for watching hurricanes come into the Gulf and head our way. I watch now with dread, knowing the damage they cause, the clean up required and the worst is the lost of electricity and having to live in the heat and humidity.

 

It's time to warm up the car and drive the one mile to Carrie's house to collect her and then drive her the 1000 ft to her bus stop where we sit and chat until the bus comes. Sometimes she doesn't want converation but just to be held closely and quietly. I adjust to what she wants. 

Ice and Me

Oh damn..it's cold here. How did I ever survive winters in the north? I'm dreadfully spoiled and though I complain about the hot humid summers here, I'm afraid that moving some place north is totally out of the question. I still have nightmares of frozen pipes and frozen fingers, iced automobiles and weak batteries that sighed softly when hitting the starter on those cars. Slips, slides and falls and one knew winter was about. I don't miss shoveling snow and scraping windshields!

Carrie stayed the night here. It was almost 2100 hrs when she got here and about an hour later she was found sitting at the desk, her head resting on the desk top sound asleep. Thankfully I had put her into pajamas when she first arrived. I urged her to her feet and escorted her into her bed. She was back to sleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.

She spent most of the day here and escaped to her home to make cookies with her mom. I may get a call from her later this evening to spend the night. It will be a cold morning for her to stand at the bus stop tomorrow morning.

 

I'm going to watch the Saints and the Denver Broncos game. It's being played in the mile high city, Denver, and it looks as though it might be warmer there then it is here in Louisiana.

 

It will be time for the little goblins to be roaming the streets. Usually it's much to hot for them to be wearing their costumes. This year they will be wearing coats and mittens.

 

It's time for a hot shower and my bed. 

Repairs

 

For the past 5 years the sound of that door not closing was still an irritation. That door leads from the hallway into the sink area of the small bathroom that is the communal break room. Another door leads into the water closet. A water closet is a nice way of saying "the toilet area. The door to this room operates quite nicely. Anyone needing to wash their hands at the sink will have to do so without the hall door clicking into place.

 

For 5 years I've listened to guests attempting to shut that door. After about 4 attempts, they give up. My OCD has never allowed me to accept this door defect.

 

 

Last night I picked up the cordless drill and marched into that room and removed the screws from the latch plate. A mere 1/4 inch movement of this plate cured what has annoyed me all these years.

 

I'm  on a roll. Today I put that cordless drill to use again and installed the curtain rod holders in the master bedroom. Those curtains were taken down and draped across the bed in the guest room about 3 months ago when new windows were placed in each bedroom. This is not a favorite task to do but I was determined. Measuring tape, screws, drywall anchors and cordless drill juggled while standing on a "two step stool" two hours later I was hanging the curtains on the rods.

 

I took the remainder of the afternoon off.

 

It was a brisk 60 degrees here and for us that's a temperature that inspires gumbo's and blankets and time spent indoors. Had I not been so busy inside, I would have put on some long pants and spent some hours in the breezy outdoors. This is my kind of weather. The hot humid days are behind us now and I have the next 9 months before that heat and humidity returns.

 

A hot shower, a pair of flannel pajamas and I'm ready to slip into my bed with the television and my laptop.