Blame

Why do we usually blame other people when we get sick? Oh, I caught a cold from my nephew Otto. The little urchin was coughing and sneezing like crazy last week.


Have you ever heard anyone say "Wow, I feel great today! I think I caught it when Ethel, my favorite waitress, gave me an extra packet of butter?"

If someone says "gee, you don't need to go through the door sideways anymore,did someone hide the cookies and force you to exercise?" you should say "You betcha, blame Bertha"

Just for today, embrace the word blame and make it work for you.

Today's blog theme was suggested by my friend If you like it, let's blame her.

Bears

Bears have the right idea...sleep through the
winter and wake up in the SPRING.

Opposite Day

Today is National Opposite Day.

Does this mean nobody should talk about the weather or the football game? Or does it mean we should say we LOVE winter and think (insert players name here) did an outstanding job on the field?

Maybe we should have breakfast for supper - is that called Mupper? Perhaps we should sleep on the opposite side of the bed and wear our clothes inside out...

Regardless of what National Holiday it is, it is still a Monday.
Enjoy!

Today is

National Hugging Day!



Just for added excitement hug someone who hates being touched.




Special birthday greetings to: My brother Michael,
Susan Garvey, childhood friend
and to who keeps me in line at the Y, is on the Elks' bingo team and always makes me smile!

Haiti

Bell ringing in January? You betcha! The Salvation Army is hauling out the kettles this Saturday and Sunday to aid in the Haiti Earthquake Relief effort.

Do you have two hours to spare this weekend? If so, sign up to ring by logging on to www.registertoring.com/rochester or call 288-3663,
ext. 118.The Salvation Army has been in Haiti since 1950 and has over 700 officers that work in over 60 establishments such as the hospitals, clinics and orphanages.

If you don't have time to ring but still want to help out, stop by Hobby Lobby on Friday from 10 to Noon or Saturday from Noon
to 2 p.m. and put lots of $$$ in the kettle when I am ringing.

Blame

Thanks for checking in... please check back tomorrow for blog posts on why we tend to blame others when we catch a cold.(there is no graphic for asthma)


Plus, I know 3 people who have a birthday tomorrow. Who are they? Wait and see.

Popcorn

Today is National Popcorn Day!
Enjoy

Happiness

Experts say it is the small things in life that truly make us happy...

An enthusiastic hug from adorable 9 year old twins, delicious HEALTHY cookies, lunch with friends that make you laugh so much your face hurts or getting a terrific haircut!

Back on the December 3rd blog I whined about an awful hair cut I got in a small town outside of LaCrosse.

Recently, a lovely young lady named Kayla at Nova Academy (280-6910) gave me an awesome hair cut for an amazing low price. This young woman has gumption and a positive attitude. Plus she doesn't graduate right away so I can keep going back to her for at least 5 more months. YIPPEE

Life is good!

Shopping

I just get a thrill when someone listens to me when I say "check out this store for such and such"

Last week I had with a friend and told her about two stores she had didn't know about.

At Trends consignment in Byron she found a few books she wanted and at Bethesda Upscale Resale near the fairgrounds she found 3 items she simply had to have!

This weekend I am going to the ever-popular Phenomenal Woman Consignment Shop in downtown Zumbrota with a friend to help her find business attire for her new job. I just might find something that talks to me "Vicki, buy me, buy me I am so cute!"

Today's motto: Shopping (especially at bargain prices)
makes the world go 'round"

Missing comments

Thanks to blog readers who have been posting comments. I have no clue where they are -- perhaps they are floating around in cyber space.

I switched back to the old format thinking that might help. Yes, yes, I know you computer guru's will shake your head and say "you're goofy" but you never know, it might work.

Please post a comment and see if it works

Gumption

"Boredom means your gumption supply is low and must be replenished before anything else is done"
- Joseph Pirzig

Do they sell gumption by the gallon?

Grouchy

I am seldom grouchy. I might whine a bit about this or that but I am not usually grouchy for no reason. Except for this morning...I couldn't find a piece of paper I put away for safekeeping, the guy in front of me was driving about 8 miles an hour and there were 3 fun-loving well-behaved children in the water park at 7:30 a.m. which for some reason annoyed me to no end.

Why? On another day I would have smiled or said HI but today I merely glared at their backs.

Thanks to for encouraging me to stop being a .


Then I met with Kirk and by the time I left the Y my mood was nearly back to normal. I think eating a few first thing this morning may have cured the mood as well.

Here's hoping your day was sunny and your disposition cheerful!

Hooked on Zumba

There were more than 30 people at the Saturday morning Zumba class at the Y.
I was neither the oldest or the least coordinated. I was, however, the only one who got a chair and did Chair Zumba for about 15 minutes of the high-energy, amazing one hour work out session.

Yep, the music was loud but it wasn't annoying hard rock.

Erica, the instructor was terrific!

Later that same day I visited the state-of-the-art Mayo Clinic healthy living center facilities. My oh my, such an array of equipment, a great walking track and two pools. Lola thinks it was all in my head but I don't think you can dream getting a full body rash after swimming for 45 minutes. If I had that much brain power I would think myself thin. IF Lola ever invites me again I will gladly go but will stay away from the salt water pools.

Maybe we should have gone to the pool today since it is
National Step in a Pool and Splash your friend day!

No sireee, I don't make these days up, I just look them up for the amusement of the blog reader(s)

Dancing and Flapjacks

Saturday morning I am going to my first ZUMBA class. I plan to stay in the back row so my jiggling Aunt Fanny doesn't freak out the other zumba-ites.

If my knees give out is there such a thing as chair-Zumba?

If the music is too loud and annoys me can I successfully Zumba with my hands over my ears?

Is it wrong to try a class just because I like to say the word ZUUUMba?


Other weekend highlights include volunteering to work the (pancake)
breakfast at the Elk's Sunday morning. It is a fundraiser for the Cancer Telethon.
It's only $6.00 for tasty pancakes and sausage. I will NOT be the cook since I made lousy pancakes and they don't trust Elk newbies in the kitchen.

Change

Thanks for the comments on the updated blog style. I was trying something new. While I like the new colorful background I still can't figure out how to move the picture to the left hand side. I am hoping my computer savvy friend GmG can help me figure it out next week. hint, hint, nudge nudge

There has been some change in nearly every room of our home. I change things because it's January, I work from home and I want the space to be inviting and pretty. Also because it is a bit of a game. The game is called "how long does it take my husband to notice the changes" ha ha ha Guess which one of us enjoys the game more?

We have a beautiful antique school desk that belonged to Lola's grandfather. It was in the dining room until last summer then it was in the office. A week ago I moved it to the living room.

I got a great new rocking chair at Traveled Treasures Too (consignment furniture) and that is in the living room.

New pillows, rearranged office furniture, new coffee themed clock in the kitchen, new clothes -- oops that is a different subject...

So, if you are bored, down in the dumps and have the winter blues just switch your surroundings and feel the jolt of energy you get from a little bit of change.

Half-Pint

Whenever people complain about the cold weather I feel like saying "you do know you live in MINNESOTA, right?" Hello? It's winter, it's Minnesota, bundle up and be grateful you aren't living in the old days in someplace like --- Walnut Grove, Minnesota.

Did you ever see Half-Pint whining about walking 13 miles to school every day? No. Laura and her brother, ALBERT just bundled up, wrapped rags around their feet to stay warm and trudged to school to learn from Miss Beedle.

Those little prairie rugrats had gumption! They were determined, tough and knew the value of hard work. Almost everyone that is with the exception of that little snot Nellie Olson.

Then after learning all about reading, writing and 'rithmetic they trudged home, did chores and to make matters ever worse didn't have indoor plumbing. .Ewwww!

So, the next time you hear someone ranting about the weather just call them Nellie and walk away.

p.s. Nobody said all the posts have to be interesting or make sense, thank goodness

Giant Sock Monkey

Not long ago a friend told me their 5 year old daughter asked "Is Vicki a kid or a grown-up?" The Dad replied "a little bit of both."

On Christmas Day the family of the astute child and her lively siblings popped over to give us a... Giant Sock Monkey!

At first the other monkeys didn't know what to make of him...a few whispered things like "wow, he's a giant weirdo" but after they got to know him he was accepted into the sock monkey family.

Maxx is 3 and half feet tall and is number 48 in our constantly growing collection.

I'm going to put Maxx in the front seat of my car this week and drive around town with him just for fun.

Hopefully, people will laugh and wave and just for a few moments be distracted long enough to forget about the bone-chilling temperatures.

Watch for unforgettable pictures of the sock monkey family on this blog next week!

Thanks Anonymous...I prefer to think of it as "retaining a child-like, fun-loving view of the world" instead of
childish. :- )

Happy New Year