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Things That Worry Me

I've always been a worrywart. I worry too much. I worry about big things; I worry about little things. And I know worrying won't make things better or even change things, but I worry.    Recently with the cold weather I've been worried about the houses. I worry about the house in Pennsylvania with the heat constantly running. Even though I had the furnace serviced in the fall I worry that something will go wrong.    I worry about the house in New Jersey. When I leave the house I set the temperature on the thermostat to 62. I worry that that's not warm enough. When I got a call from the oil delivery company on Monday saying that they had tried to deliver oil to the house in New Jersey but were unable to do so as a result of all the snow, I worried even more. I worry that the pipes will freeze. None of this has happened, yet... You can bet when I got home to New Jersey on Monday evening, I made sure to shovel out the back of the house where the fill for the oil tan...

What I Did Superbowl Weekend

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 With temperatures being a high in the teens (that was overnight) and dropping throughout the day, there was no way I was going anywhere.  (Even though I wanted to check the mailbox to see if they delivered mail...I know it's hard to get to and I don't think we've been getting it and will need to go to the post office on Monday to try and figure it all out.)  So here's what I did... Saturday:  Reluctantly got out of bed at 6:45.  (Late for me).  Went to do a few minutes of walk aerobics, but my husband got up and started coffee and once that happens I have to get my cup.  So I bagged the walking and sat down with a hot cup and did the NY Times puzzles.  (What the hell was up with Connections?  I mean I eventually got the connections, but the graphics were not very good making things much more difficult.)  Then since it was cold out, I figured the best way to warm up was to bake.  So it was time for egg free biscotti.  An...

Outraged?

 People are outraged that the current president posted a racist video which depicted a former president and his wife as dancing apes.  I am outraged too, but it's no surprise and I've been outraged for years. I am outraged that the current president (BEFORE he was president) said he could grab women by the pussy. (The actual quote, "Grab them by the pussy. You can do anything.") I am outraged that the current president (again, before he was president) said, ”I could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody, and I wouldn't lose any voters, OK?"  (How is that okay for ANYONE to say?  ANYONE?) I am outraged that the current president has called women reporters stupid, obnoxious, piggy and a whole slew of other sexist, mean and degrading things. I am outraged at how the current president and his administration has treated immigrants, especially children.  How it's seemingly "okay" to arrest, hurt or kill someone who is peaceful...

Cold & Ice = ?

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  I think we all know that it's been snowy.  (Even in places that aren't supposed to have snow.)  It's been cold.  Bitter cold.  We are surrounded by ice, which can be extremely dangerous and at this point I think everyone just wants it to go away...either by melting it or just chopping it to pieces and throwing in the deepest dirtiest ditch where it can melt or rot...I've just had it.  (Haven't we all?) But what concerns me most (well maybe that's an overstatement) is that I think this weather is making people stupid.  (Or in maybe that should be MORE stupid than usual.)  And to back up this observation, here are two examples and photographic proof. Example 1:  I live on a private drive.  (I know I've said this so many times that you have got to be tired of me saying it.)  No matter what the weather, it is not a through street.  It does not magically turn into one when the sun is out.  It doesn't suddenly appear in th...

Buses and Bras: Blog Updates

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It's been over a week since the snowstorm that dumped over 20 in of snow in the Poconos and close to that same amount in New Jersey. The temperatures have remained frigid and the challenge to get on a bus to Newark remains.    When I drove home to New Jersey on Monday night, I could see that there was still no cut out at the corner where I was dropped off the previous week. (for reference:  https://bfthsboringblog.blogspot.com/2026/01/bfths-bus-adventure.html ) So I decided again to take the early bus into Newark because I would not have to climb over so much snow.  (Although there is still plenty of snow and ice to climb over.)   There was a cut out at the corner so that technically I could get to the sidewalk where the bus stop is, but whoever shoveled the path made it so narrow that only a stick figure could get through So once again I stood on the shoulder of the highway to catch the morning bus.    Coming home in the afternoon I had inten...

Lessons Not Learned

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  When I was in high school (more years ago than I care to admit), I had some wonderful teachers.  Some of which I have talked about and rightfully thanked.  Some of which I have not. One of those was Mrs. R who taught history. I had two classes with her my senior year, US History II and Foreign Policy.  I didn't really want to take the latter, but am glad I did as I learned so much from Mrs. R; more than I thought was possible.  She was quick on her feet; she was set to debate a fellow student on the Vietnam war and at the last minute the student decided he would be a Dove instead of a Hawk (I think he always intended to do that, he wanted to rattle her) and she effortlessly switched her focus and became a fierce hawk.  (A side I know she would have opposed.) It was impressive. Mrs. R was a small woman, but was larger than life when it came to history and justice. One of the things I (we?) learned about from her was the plight of the Native Americans....

January is OVER!

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It's February 1st!  Can I get a Hallelujah?  Surely I am not the only one who thought that January lasted an eternity, am I?  While I know February is the shortest month of the year, usually it feels like it is the longest.  I hope that is not the case this year because January was just KILLER.  There was snow.  Snow that won't melt because it's been (and continues to be) too darned COLD.  If we are lucky here in the Poconos we may reach a temperature above freezing (by one degree) two weeks from today!  And things are not much better in my home of NJ where it may reach above freezing (again by one degree) in 13 days.  Just for reference, today in Greenland it will be WARMER than it is in many places in the United States (including NJ and PA). (Maybe Greenland is trying to send us a message?  If it were up to me, I'd leave Greenland the heck [okay, I'd rather use a stronger word than that, but...] alone!  Let them keep their land an...