Bfth's Boring Blog

 It's election day here in the US.  Many of us have already voted (mail in or early voting was available), but if you haven't and are eligible, get your butt to the polls and complete your civic duty.  It is one of the greatest privileges we  have; so don't throw it away. With that said, this election season (which seems to have been going on FOREVER)  has been pretty crazy, divisive and anxiety inducing.  I don't think I've ever felt as nerve wracked during and election as I am during this one.  And who needs that? I am of the mind that we all need to cast our vote, let all the votes be counted (and that takes a while...there are a lot of people voting) and when the results are finally in (it won't be tonight folks),  we will  need time to process and move forward.  (That means no matter what the results turn out to be.)  If things don't turn out "our" way, we need to take some time to access what that means for each of us and then move forward. 

 Once upon a time...I wrote fanfiction.  Some of it was published on line.  It's probably still out there floating in space.  If you search long and hard enough you may actually find it. One of the stories I wrote was called Rumors. It took place in the late 1960s and in order to avoid sexual advances in the workplace, my main character made up a British boyfriend.  She never told anyone this fictional boyfriend's name. (It wasn't George Glass...does anyone get that reference?)   However, based on that little information, a rumor was started that quickly grew out of control and thus began the story. The story was written approximately 20 years ago.  Why do I bring it up now? Certainly NOT to have you search the internet for my old fanfiction!  Right?) Well here's the thing... I was out and about on Saturday.  No work, lots of things to do, but no rush to do them.  (Hoorah!)  I went to the local thrift/consignment shop and found a few things to purchase.  (There is

 The first weekend I spent at the Poconos (way back at the end of August into early September) was wet.  It had rained both times that we had visited the house that we purchased and then it rained again on our first "official" weekend.  I thought we were doomed to be damp and wet. I was wrong.   I WAS glad I was wrong.  I mean, who doesn't want sunny days?  Perfect for hiking.  Perfect for Halloween parades.  Perfect for trick or treating.  Perfect to take remote work outdoors.  (Isn't that what laptops are for?) And with only a few exceptions, it's been wonderfully warm.  I took a walk on Halloween wearing short sleeves.  On the first day of November I sat on the patio and worked soaking up the sun.  I love it. But... As much as I love blue skies and warm days, it's not right.  As Henry Wadsworth Longfellow reminds us:  "Into each life some rain must fall, some days must be dark and dreary."  We may not like it, but we DO need it.  We have just had

 It's a new month, but I'm going to talk about something new that I did LAST month.  It's something I hope you will do this month (if you haven't already).  Can you guess what it is? VOTE!   Last month (specifically Saturday, October 26 through Sunday, Nov 3rd), I was able to vote EARLY and IN PERSON.  I have voted "early" by mail, but this is the first time I've been able to do it IN PERSON before the actual election date.  I'm really glad I did.  If you have time and the ability (I know it's not available in all states), I'd highly recommend it. I always highly recommend voting, no matter what your stance on the candidates might be.  In this country we have the right and the ability to chose our leaders, whether it be for the local school board or the President of the United States.  We should  never take that ability for granted.  We should always make our voices heard and vote whenever we are eligible to do so.  (I say that because as a vot

 When I woke up this morning, I realized that it was 2 months ago that we officially purchased the house in  the Poconos.  (Which means on Thursday it will be 3 months since I sold my mother's house at the Jersey shore.  The dry autumn thus far you can thank me for.  I was such a wreck every time we had a storm at the shore that I couldn't take it.  Now that I've sold the house, there's been no storm.  You're welcome.)  I hadn't been thinking about it at all until last night when we got our NJ mail and there was the formalized title/deed/paperwork sitting in our mailbox.  A reminder that this is really real.  (As if all the furniture that I've bought, the movers, the electric and water bills, etc. didn't make it really enough!) Two months ago I/we bought a house. I'm in my mid/late 50s (ouch) and I opened myself to the possibility of living somewhere else other than where I have been for most of my life.  It's exciting.  It's nerve wracking

 Friday morning the final (for now) furniture delivery arrived at our home.  We now have a dining room table and chairs, as well as a smaller table and 2 chairs for the "breakfast nook."  While we still need to put some finishing touches on the house (artwork needs to go on the walls,  may need a chair in the primary bedroom, and other decorative items), at this point our house is pretty much finished and where we envisioned it. So welcome to Bfth's Pocono Perfection! Pull on up and come on in. Look out from the front porch area and take in the colors on autumn. In the foyer/entryway you there is a small "tribute" to my parents and their love of the NJ shore.  There is another area by the front bay window that honors them.  (Foster's Famous Crab Stick lives on!) It's part of the living room area. But today's pride and joy is the dining room table and chairs. There's also the "breakfast nook" which separates the "bar" from the