June 12, 2015

Bucket List, Cont...

To add to my previous post about the list I have started on things I would like to do or experience before I leave this earth. Also known as a Bucket List.

So in no specific order, here we go.

  • Go to Scotland - I have dreamed of going to Scotland since I was little girl. Ok, so at that time it was something to do with the Bay City Rollers. But still for some reason I have had a dream (and to this day) of going to Scotland and hiking in the Highlands, exploring Edinburgh Castle and Royal Mall, and heading over to Glasgow area to see a very old but vibrant city.

  • Fall Colors of New England - I live on the west coast in California. We don't get those vibrant colors that more extreme weather areas typically see. I have always dreamed of see the fall colors of Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts,  New York, Connecticut, and Maine. I want see those wonderful oranges and yellows and browns of Fall in New England and drive over covered bridges and see the ubiquitous church steeples of the small towns. Wait - did I already talk about this one? Yep I did. Well it deserves another mention.

  • Go on a Cruise - I would like to go on a cruise sometime in my life. Not just the 3 day cruise to Puerto Vaillarta or some place in Mexico. But a real 7 day cruise out at sea. To see what everyone is so excited about. After all I grew up watching the Love Boat after all.

  • I would like to see famous battlefields - Such as Gettysburg, Lexington, the Alamo, Normandy, Culloden, . My Dad went to Gettysburg and was a Civil War/WWII buff. I, too, have a great interest in history. But my Dad's impressions of the many battlefields and has seen reenactments he has seen were very special to him and to me. I have hears so much about these battles and what the men and women went through that I would like to see these for myself.
  • I  would really like to work on a real working Ranch someday. I  know it's weird and you want to say "Hunh?". But to revisit something of the Wild West and be on horse and gather some cows and rope something. That's just sounds pretty nifty.
  • How about Disney World. I hear it great! Just to say I have been there. Ride the rides and see all kinds of attractions. Yeah I would like to go there someday.
  •  Then there's Australia. To see the Sydney Opera House and the great outback. To see where the Thorn Birds only talks about.  
So that's the current list. Just like in life the list changes, grows and shrinks.  But these have really stood the test of time.
 
  • To round out the Travel portion of my List - There is London and all the sights to see there. Who knows maybe even see some Royalty. 




April 3, 2015

Bucket List

I don't have a bucket list per se, but I do have some things that I would either like to do or experience before I leave this earth. Which will not be ANYTIME soon. I intend to be here, making everyone subject to my endless diatribe of political and social commentary. I consider this my gift to humanity. Ha.

So, that said, here are couple of things on my list (in  no particular order):

  • Learn to be proficient on a horse. That means not just riding well but also the care and maintenance of said animal. Still in progress. (I need to get in better shape first so this one is bit off the radar right now.)
  • Allow a dog to adopt me some day. Because you know we don't own our pets they decide that they want us around. I have had many cats as pets over the years but I would really like to have a dog someday as a pet.
  • I have been to Paris, France so that is not one of my things on my list. I was 14 at the time but I can say I did it and I have pictures to prove it.
  • I would like to see the fall colors of the New England. I have seen all those pictures of the gorgeous colors in Vermont, New Hampshire, New York, Massachusetts, and Connecticut. Especially the covered bridges and all. Ahhhhh. I really want to see it for myself someday.
  • I would like to live in a climate where it snows for a few years and see what everyone is complaining about. I have only seen snow fall 4 times in my life and that was not anything to write home about. Especially since I was home at the time. But still. It was gone as soon as it hit the ground. Only once was I in a snow storm and that is a story for another time.
There are several other things on my list but here is the one that I am getting too ...

  • I have entered my crocheted afghan/blankets into the Sacramento County Fair. I have always wanted to do that. I am so excited. Now, of course, I need to finish them but I am great about that. I have a goal. A deadline. A drop dead deadline. I am not so far out of college that I can only finish anything if there is a deadline to submit. So I have one. I know they are not ribbon worthy and I am OK with that. I just want to see what happens and experience the process.

This is one of the afghans. I love the spring colors and it's really easy and fast. 



This is the one I am really proud of. Yes, and of course Jules as well. She wouldn't get up so I could finish this piece. It's a Queen size blanket. I didn't originally want it that big but that's what always happens on these projects. And NO, those holes will be braided up when I finish.

It was pretty easy to enter.  It's all done electronically now. There is even a charge to manually enter something. The instructions were all online and very clear. I guess they have been doing this a while. He he. So I am really excited to finish these and get them ready to be judged. Now I just need to find something to drape them on for viewing. I can't wait.

Well that's it for now. My new obsession. 

Until next time.


March 31, 2015

Slacker, SLACKER, SLACKER!!!!

I am such a slacker. I had such a good time writing this blog last year. I looked forward everyday to writing something new and sharing and writing and sharing. I thought this was a blast. 

Then life happened. 

I still read blogs but I can't seem to find anything to really get behind to write about. Yet I think of topics all the time. Of course I said the same things that everyone says - You have to write everyday to keep in the habit, or Fake it 'til you make it, or just write about anything, or you are such a loser!

I read somewhere that most bloggers only have about 50 entries then they run out of things to write about or interest in writing about what is happening. When I read that I said to myself "That's NOT going to be me."  He he ho ho ha ha he he. Yeah right! I am at 50 and there you go. 

I am so disappointed in myself. But then I thought well who am I to think I'm special and wont fall into the same traps as others have. I am human and a regular person too. OK I am special too but not when it comes to this activity. So stop beating yourself up kiddo. 

Here's what's been happening. 

1.  My brother passed away last December. I got the word that he had cancer (a very aggressive type) in July and that he had less than 3 months to live. He hung on for an additional 2 months. 

I went to see him just before his dementia set in to say goodbye. It was not as hard as I thought it was going to be. It was quite nice actually. 

He was staying with his brother (no blood relation to me) and his wife who are SAINTS! I really mean that. They are WONDERFUL people for everything they did for my brother.  

MARK STEVEN SHIFFER (born March 1, 1954 in Monterey, CA) died on December 3, 2014 in Denver, CO. 

I know he is in a better place. He is with our other brother and our father and all our aunts and uncles and cousins that have passed before. He is out of pain and and can now fly. 

Because I was basically on a death watch - waiting for word on my brother - almost everything else was put on hold, including Thanksgiving and Christmas. 

2.  So comes the new year. It's going to get better I tell myself. 

I make my new year's resolutions like so many others. The usual ones like losing weight, get into shape, be healthy. Well that last one was because in the meantime I have been having some health issues with regard to . . . well let's just say I was in the throne room. A LOT. So I was finally diagnosed with IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome). I take medication now and am finally feeling myself again. 

Not only was I prescribed medication but also ---- get this ---- exercise. And he said Cardio type of exercise. You know what that means. I envisioned all those get up and go types of exercises that are put to music with the instructor wearing a microphone shouting "Come on you can do it! Just 1 more verse!" or something like that. 

Or the ever dreadful, I can't even say it, ok it's .... it's .... running. EWWWEEEEE. I hate running. I am allergic to running. 

I was reprieved.  I need to walk nightly. Well at least 3 times a week anyway. I can do that. I like that. So me and my FitBit are walking these days. I quite like it actually. 

That's pretty much what has been going on with me, at least the high points anyway.

It's now spring - and I have more good things going on that I hope I will write more about. Some really fun things too. 

I may not write every week but I will get more posts than once every 6 months. 

See you soon.