Bfth's Boring Blog

  It seems like it was just the 4th of July and yet here we are at the end of the month.  "They" say time flies; they are not wrong!  So as we wrap up the month, here are some random thoughts on rambling around in my head.  (Because I can't remember important "stuff" because all of the below is clogging up my brain.) This will be the first July in my memory (and who knows how reliable that is?) that I have not visited the Jersey Shore.  My family officially started going in July of 1972 (that's a long time ago!) when my mother was pregnant with my brother.  Before that we headed to Cape Cod.  But we still spent time at the shore because my Great Uncle had a house there and we would often go down for a day or so.  (That is if I am remembering what was told to me correctly.)  This year, and I'm guessing in the years to come, there will be NJ shore for me.  It's sad and I'm wistful, but I don't think I could go back.  It's not "mine...

Today is the 2nd and final day of my two day vacation and after trying to rid the yard of more spotted spurge this morning I am now covered in fish poo.  Such is the exciting life of an older white woman living in the Poconos.  Why a 2 day vacation in the middle of the week?  Well, I'd taken one day off last week so that I could go pick up a plastic folding table and food stuffs for a party I was hosting for my husband's birthday/our housewarming party.  Yes, every ten years or so I host a "bash".  (I can't afford more...the costs were a lot more than I had expected, but what can you do?)  Twenty years ago I hosted a birthday party for my husband which kind of turned into a couple's baby shower.  (Our son was born 13 days later.)  What do I mean by that?  I mean that most of the gifts were baby themed and not exactly what you'd get a man for his birthday, but... Ten years after that I hosted a party for myself as I was hitt...

My morning routine (unless I am heading into the office early) has been to always turn on  CBS Mornings .  (Or on Saturday to turn on  CBS Saturday Morning ).  This morning I didn't do that.  And not just because we were having an issue with the tv; it was intentional.  I'm giving them up. I'm not moving to another news station.  (Many, MANY years ago I was a  Today  watcher.  I gave that up partially because of the Matt Lauer "issue" [and I was a BIG fan] and what I saw as the poor treatment of Ann Curry.)  I still really like those at the table:  Gayle King (no, I don't think she's an astronaut, but the going into space was cool and I don't judge her or the other women who participated in the Blue Origin space flight), Nate Burleson (who I didn't think I would like, but it turns out I LOVE him and he's a great addition),  Tony Dokoupil, Vlad  Duthiers (I'm addicted to "What to Watch), Anthony Mason (never should hav...

 "Yesterday was plain awful.  You can say that again.  Yesterday was plain awful.  But that's not now, that's then."  (From the musical Annie) Yes, yesterday wasn't one of the best ones in my life.  Everything seemed to be falling apart, but... Today, I am ready to do the happy dance.  Why?      The blinking light :  Earlier today they stopped the light from blinking and turned it on.  (Supposedly this happened around 10 AM.) This means that traffic will have to STOP and I can cross the highway when the bus lets me off without taking my life into my hands.  And you really do take your life into your hands when you're crossing; even with a blinking yellow light, NO ONE was slowing down.  So maybe I shouldn't get too hyped up because who knows if anyone is going to stop for an actual red light.  (Seems to me that too many people think that stopping at a red light or a stop sign is "optional.")  This light has ...

  For the first time I was asked (or maybe I volunteered) to speak at a church that I am not officially a member of!  I think it went over well, but I'll leave you to judge what I wrote: I’d like to thank Rev. Katherine for inviting me to speak this morning.  Although I was confirmed a Presbyterian at the church up the block way  back in the last century, I have always had strong ties to this church.  My father was a member here.  My late brother was confirmed here.  The funerals of both my grandmothers were overseen by the rector here and Rev. Katherine was gracious enough to preside  over the graveside services of both my parents.  During the pandemic, the 8 am contemplative services were essential to me and have continued to be so.  My son is working here over the summer as your sexton.  So although not an official member, I have been welcomed.  What warms my heart and touches my soul is that you don’t just say the words, al...

  Let me start off by saying, I am NOT a gardener.  I never have been.  I'm not even really good with houseplants.  Although I have managed to keep 3 of my mother's orchids alive.  My father was a gardener.  He had a big plot in our back yard when I was a kid that he grew flowers and various vegetables.  Even after my parents moved to the shore, he had pots of tomato and cucumber plants that blossomed and gave forth decision produce. My son is a gardener.  Although we have a lawn service (so he doesn't have to mow), he set up the plants around our patio.  One year he carved out a plot of land and grew pumpkins.  (I think he got three and based on all the money I had to spend to make it happen, I think each pumpkin would have been around $50 to $75.) I like being outside.  I like having a nice yard and garden.  But again I say, I am NOT a gardener. One of the things that attracted us to the house in the Poconos was th...

Dear Mom, Ringo Starr turned 85 the other day and I realized that he is now older than you were when you were alive. I don't know why it hit me so hard, but it did. It bothered me that I couldn't remember how old you were when you died right away.  I thought it was 84, but then thought it was 82.  I could have done the math, but instead I decided to go back and read the obituary that I wrote.  Big mistake.  Emotions came rushing at me and let's just say I was a blubbering mess for a while.  (Good thing I was home alone because who the heck would have wanted to have dealt with me?) Three years ago was so long ago.  So much has happened since 2022.  My head spins when I think about all the changes.  (And I'm talking about personal changes; not the insanity that is going on in the world.  I don't know if you would be able to comprehend it.) I so wish you were here to see your grandson.  I know he was your pride and joy.  The best inves...

    Back in the last century (I say that a lot don't I?), before I was married, I worked for a corporation in Newark.  And now I'm back in Newark.  No matter what century it is or was, I (almost) always took public transportation (that would be NJ Transit) to get to my destination.   Before I got my first position in Newark, I really hadn't taken public transportation.  But I did it for the 3 or so years that I worked there.  Back then, as now, there were two local buses, and there was one express.  Only then the express that I took was only a block away from my home. This bus, which no longer exists, came down the highway approximately 18 miles before picking me up at the corner and then continuing on and then getting on another highway taking me directly to Penn Station.  It did 3 direct runs to Penn Station in the morning and 3 direct runs from Penn Station in the afternoon/evening. It was very convenient to catch in the morning....

 I'd call it the long holiday weekend, but this year didn't feel like a holiday.  But I don't want to dwell on that; instead I'd like to share what we did this weekend despite what is happening in the world in general and "my world" (because we had planned on spending part of our time with my husband's parents, but that didn't happen:  https://bfthsboringblog.blogspot.com/2025/07/july-4-making-best-of-it.html ) For much of the weekend, I tended to the yard, with some help from my son. (Not as much as I would have liked or hoped for, but you have to take what you can get.)  I started by trying to do some weeding on Friday.  Although it was not just weeds that I was going after.  There is very little grass (next to none) at the Pocono house, but there is plenty of pachysandra.  I love that it just grows and takes over, but it has REALLY taken over.  I didn't realize how much it had until this weekend.  Between that and some (stinky) ivy plants,...