Don’t Fence Me In December 31, 2016
Posted by nrhatch in Less IS More, Life Balance, People.comments closed
Crowds give me claustrophobia.
I can’t breathe in close proximity to masses, hoards, or throngs.
When jostled by the hustle and bustle of other people . . . I head for the EXIT sign.
You will never see me in Times Square on New Year’s Eve!
Aah . . . that’s better!
Related post: Stolen Quote – Crowded (Chasing Unicorns)
* * *
How do you “ring in” the New Year? Alone or With Friends? In or Out? Awake and Aware? Sound Asleep? Sleepwalking? Sober? Intoxicated?
However you choose to celebrate . . . Be Happy!
Our mood at midnight (as well as the type of food we eat) tends to follow us into the New Year.
And if you’re wondering what to eat . . . I have it on good authority that eating chocolate on New Year’s Eve will bring good luck in the new year.
Smile And Say . . . WOW! December 29, 2016
Posted by nrhatch in Art & Photography, Travel & Leisure.comments closed
To see some amazing Travel Shots . . . Visit the 2016 National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year Gallery.
Prepare to be WOWED because some of the shots are out of this world!
Aah . . . that’s better!
Gluten Free Brownies December 27, 2016
Posted by nrhatch in Food & Drink, Health & Wellness, Vegetarian Recipes.comments closed
Want a gooey good-for-you brownie . . . without the flour, eggs, etc.?
Try Julie’s recipe for Lentil Brownies.
Aah . . . that’s better!
2016 “No News” Letter December 25, 2016
Posted by nrhatch in Happiness, Life Balance, Mindfulness.comments closed
For those of you who have been waiting with bated breath for our 2016 “No News” Letter, here are the Top Ten Reasons we’re L~A~T~E this Season . . .
10. It can’t be Christmas yet ~> we “just” packed the Santas away after ringing in the New Year.
9. BFF turned 60 in October and we’re still celebrating . . . with leftover Halloween candy.
8. When we go for beach walks, the throngs (and thongs) of sun worshippers make it seem more like July 4th than Christmas.
On the plus side:
No Snow => Ho! Ho! Ho!
7. We hit the 80’s yesterday . . . and it was still 74 degrees at sunset!
Ya, mon!
6. We enjoyed similar temps last weekend while touring the island with my brother’s family who flew in from Colorado and Chicago for Jess & Nate’s wedding. (See Reason #3)
5. Most of the Santas around here are dressed in Bermuda shorts and Panama hats.
4. The only “snowmen” we see in Florida are made of sand or full of hot air.
3. Jess wed Nate on 12/18 at Leu Gardens in Orlando ~> it was so H~O~T that guests stayed in the shade until 3:58 pm before grabbing souvenir sunglasses and taking a seat. (The minister lip-synched lyrics from Donna Summer’s “Hot Stuff” before the “I do’s.”)
2. We lost some of our “Holly Jolly” and most of our “Fa La La” when Tigger took a turn for the worse right after the wedding. Two days later we said good-bye to our little guy for the last time.
R.I.P. Tigger (July 2004 – December 20, 2016) . . . you are missed!
But the #1 Reason this missive is L~A~T~E ~> I lose track of time when playing Bridge.
* * *
Life is full of high notes and low notes ~ the Yin and Yang of life. We hope your Holidays are Merry & Bright and overflowing with Love & Light . . . ending your year on a high note.
PEACE!
The Irish Priest December 24, 2016
Posted by nrhatch in Humor, Joke.comments closed
An Irish priest is driving down to New York and gets stopped for speeding in Connecticut.
The state trooper smells alcohol on the priest’s breath and then sees an empty wine bottle on the floor of the car. He says “Sir, have you been drinking?”
“Just water” says the priest.
The trooper says “Then why do I smell wine?”
The priest looks at the bottle and says “Good Lord! He’s done it again!”
Aah . . . that’s better!
Source: E-mail from unknown author (sent by Joe M.)
Tigger Is Gone December 21, 2016
Posted by nrhatch in Animals, Gratitude, Life Balance.comments closed
Tigger took a turn for the worse this week and we had to say good-bye to the little guy yesterday.
RIP little buddy! (July 2004 – 12/20/2016)
We are sad, but coping . . . and hoping he is in a better place.
Sorrow is the price we pay for joy. ~ Joan Bel Geddes
What Cats Do For Us
Warm our laps * Remind us to “paws” and relax * Foster connection with other cat lovers * Turn common household objects (tissue boxes, bottle rings, and paper towel tubes) into toys * Make us more aware of squirrels, raccoons, birds, and lizards * Provide morning wake up calls * Entertain us with daring acrobatic feats and comical gestures * Make window sills and cat perches more beautiful * Keep mice and rats at bay * Make us smile and laugh * Give us cool cartoon characters * Inspire poets and playwrights (think CATS!) * Teach us how to land on our feet * Make our homes warmer and happier * Remind us that life is mysterious * Share the all-is-well experience of purring with us * Show us how to lick our wounds and bounce back * Remind us to S~T~R~E~T~C~H ourselves * Open our hearts
Aah . . . that’s purr-fect!
Frightful Weather ~> Movie Night! December 19, 2016
Posted by nrhatch in Books & Movies, Travel & Leisure.comments closed
Interested in Historic Preservation?
The National Trust for Historic Preservation has compiled a list of 15 movies with preservation of historic places as a central theme.
Some of the movies that made the cut will surprise you.
To check out the list: 15 Awesome Preservation-Themed Movies
Aah . . . that’s better!
On Patrol December 17, 2016
Posted by nrhatch in Food & Drink, Health & Wellness, Humor.comments closed
The Longboat Key News shares actual police reports in its weekly paper. One that caught my attention:
October 29
Illegal Donut Dumping
Officer Cooper made contact with the complainant in the 7100 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive who stated sometime during the night unknown persons dumped several boxes of donuts in the parking lot. Nothing further to report.
My guess?
Someone’s wife found and trashed Someone’s secret stash of donuts which Someone had vowed to give up in order to comply with his wife’s edict that he:
(1) lose weight;
(2) lower his blood sugar;
(3) lower his cholesterol; or
(4) honor his wheat free resolution.
I also expect that Officer Cooper took the evidence into “custody” for safe-keeping.
Aah . . . that’s better!
The Cons of ProFlowers December 15, 2016
Posted by nrhatch in Less IS More, Mindfulness, Word Play.comments closed
I started to order a table top Christmas tree (live) from ProFlowers . . . but they wanted credit card info to pay for the order BEFORE they would reveal the shipping and handling charges.
That bothered me.
I opened a new page to see what I could find out about shipping and handling and the info was very vague . . . between $8 and $25 per shipping address.
Plus a $2.99 handling fee.
Plus a possible shipping and handling surcharge.
I expect many people feel “invested” in the purchase at that point and agree to pay whatever shipping charge appears.
Not me.
I wanted to see the total before I plunked down my credit card info . . . especially since the site was so vague about what the charge might be.
So I backed out of the site without buying anything.
A few days later, I decided to check whether my caution had been warranted.
WOW!
I am glad I didn’t complete the purchase at ProFlowers ~ as I read through the reviews I ConCluded that a ProFusion of customers were ConCerned with the ProHibitive add-on charges revealed only after they had ProVided ProFlowers with a ConVenient credit card number.
In some cases, the ConCealed charges, once revealed, DOUBLED the cost of the order! Other customers complained about the shoddy ConDition of delivered items, mentioning missing vases, bent stems, etc..
I’m ConVinced I’ve never seen so many negative 1* reviews ConGregating together in cyberspace before.
Perhaps ProFlowers has more Cons than Pros.
Aah . . . that’s better!
Seriously, Smiles? December 13, 2016
Posted by nrhatch in Art & Photography, Happiness, Humor, People.comments closed
In old photos, dating back to the 1820’s, few subjects smiled.
Some have conjectured that the lack of smiles correlated with the lack of dental care . . . or the long exposure times.
A recent article in TIME magazine suggests that it had more to do with the mores of the day:
Experts say that the deeper reason for the lack of smiles early on is that photography took guidance from pre-existing customs in painting—an art form in which many found grins uncouth and inappropriate for portraiture. Though saints might be depicted with faint smiles, wider smiles were “associated with madness, lewdness, loudness, drunkenness, all sorts of states of being that were not particularly decorous,” says Trumble.
And since most photographs had professional photographers behind the lens, they called the shots:
. . . high-end studio photographers would create an elegant setting and direct the subject how to behave, producing the staid expressions which are so familiar in 19th century photographs. The images they created were formal and befitted the expense of paying to have a portrait made, especially when that portrait might be the only image of someone.
So when did we start smiling in photos?
With the rise of snapshot photography!
“Take the camera out of the professional and put it into the hands of the snapshot photographer and then they can do whatever they want” says Gustavson.
Aah . . . that’s better!
To read more: Now You Know: Why Do People Always Look So Serious in Old Photos?
Spirit Lights The Way 