Guilty as Charged....

Guilty of not setting my alarm clock and sleeping till I wake naturally...

Guilty of not only not knowing the date but not even what day it is...

Guilty of taking time to sit, read and people watch...

Guilty of forgetting where I put this and that, but that's okay because I find the other thing while searching...

Guilty of taking time to look around, noticing and appreciating the little things...

Guilty of forgetting birthdays and sometimes even holidays (sure glad there are e-cards)...

Guilty of daydreaming, listening to my iPod, watching holiday movies, reading, writing and doing what I enjoy when I want to...

Guilty of not letting problems/issues/obstacles stress me anymore...

Guilty of spending all day reading or watching trash tv and not feeling guilty about it...

Guilty of taking time to meet new folks and chat with them when I know there are more productive things I could be doing...

Guilty of living life and loving it...

Are YOU guilty?

Happily hopping through life,
Donna

REPRINTED FROM MY OLD BLOG AT FROGGILADY.COM

Bat wings....and straps!

Growing up in New England during the 50's there were certain things girls just didn't do. You didn't wear pants to church or school. You didn't wear white after Labor Day (or before Memorial Day). You have two sets of every day clothes....school clothes and play clothes. (Sunday clothes were a whole different thing).

Our mothers admonished us to never leave the house without clean underwear. You also never showed any underwear, including slips. Remember those? Garter belts held up nylons, girdles were for old ladies and made them look like rectangle blocks of flesh. We pinned bra and full-slip straps so they wouldn't show. That was a deadly sin, right up there with being a "loose" woman.

In case you haven't noticed, these rules have all been thrown out the window...well except maybe the clean underwear although there are those who go commando. Suddenly it's okay to have your bra strap show...and of course now they come in all colors.

I have no problem with that...what I have a problem with is not being able to wear the tiny little spaghetti strap style bras that are meant to show. No, it's NOT okay to have a 1" or wider bra strap hanging outside your sleeveless tops.

But that's okay....my arms are no longer fit to be on display. Yup, I officially have old lady arms. The arms my grandmother had that I swore I would never have. Bat wings, Bingo arms, Nana wobbles, Bobble arms...you get the idea. I refuse to think about what my upper arms look like when the motorcycle is idling at a stop sign.... Ahhh, growing old isn't for sissies!!

Happily hopping through life,
Donna

Lost in the Fifties Tonight

I was chatting the other day via email with a new friend. I mentioned that the great weather this past weekend brought to mind the song, Lazy, Hazy, Crazy Days of Summer. I didn't remember who sang it but the tune was stuck in my head. They wrote back that it was Nat King Cole, who happened to be one of my mother's favorite singers.

That got me to thinking about growing up in the 50's and being exposed to my parent's music - not necessarily what we were forced to listen to in the back seat of the car (groan), but those delicious slices of Americana from that era.

Our record player resided in our combination den, sewing room, reading room and downstairs sick room (all three kids slept upstairs). Since I was the oldest of three and the only girl, I often lost myself in reading and music and the den was my favorite indoors spot (outdoors was high up in a pine tree in the woods across the street).

A couple of songs stick in my mind to this day:

• Doris Day and Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be)
• Tex Ritter and The Red Deck of Cards
• Patti Page and (How Much Is) That Doggie in the Window
• Tennessee Ernie Ford and Sixteen Tons
• Gale Storm and Ivory Tower
• Gogi Grant and The Wayward Wind

A special favorite of mine was The Old Philosopher by Eddie Lawrence. I'd play it over and over and over. Anyone who has ever heard that song will never forget it.

Hiya folks.
Ya say ya lost your job today?
Ya say its 4 A.M. and your kids ain't home from school yet?
Ya say your wife went out for a corned beef sandwich last weekend - the corned beef sandwich came back but she didn't?
Ya say your furniture is out all over the sidewalk cause ya cant pay the rent and ya got chapped lips and paper cuts and your feets all swollen up and blistered from pounding the pavement looking for work?
Is that whats troubling ya fellow?

REFRAIN
Well lift your head up high and take a walk in the sun with dignity and stick-to-it-ness and ya show the world, ya show the world where to get off.
You'll never give up, never give up, never give up...that ship!

Ah yes, lost in the fifties tonight - your turn!
Top Ten Songs of 1950-1969

Happily hopping through life,
Donna

REPRINTED FROM MY OLD BLOG AT FROGGILADY.COM

What state are YOU in?

I had fun with this in Facebook so thought I'd copy and paste the thread here for your enjoyment....hope you'll chime in with more comments!

Donna Blanchard McNicol
I've been to a lot of places, but I've never been in Cahoots. Apparently you can't go alone. You have to be in Cahoots with someone. I've also never been in Cognito, either. I hear no one recognizes you there. I have, however, been in Sane. They don't have an airport, apparently you have to be driven there ...Children and parents are good chauffeurs or even spouses, if you have them! ♥

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Lynn MacQuarrie I'm there now... care to join me?
Saturday at 2:48pm ·
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Larry Beahm I've been in Cognito. Very lonely there.
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Stu McNicol Can you be in Cahoots while in Cognito...hmmm...sounds in Sane to me, but I'm just feeling Beside Myself now
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Leslie Ku Moss I have been in Cahoots it is fun. I have also been in Cognito which can also be fun or sometimes just weird. in Sane is somewhere I visit from time to time but love going with friends. LOL
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Lynn MacQuarrie Occassionally I like to hang out in Disposed but currently I am in Denial.
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Stu McNicol I'm glad your not under the Weather.
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Sally Davis My favorite memory is when I was beyond Hope (Arizona).
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Carla Curtis Don's been in Capacitated! Not much fun there.
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Donna Blanchard McNicol I rode my bike to Morrow (GA) but that was yesterday. Then we were in Bliss (NY) earlier in the week.
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Kathleen King yes I am borrowing it as well...I can add that I have been in Between GA....
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Ron Workentin But have you ever been between Hells Gate and Hope?
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Lynn MacQuarrie Ron - no, I haven't, but I have been in Ept, several times I've been in Ane but right now I am in Active. How about you?
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Ron Workentin you all have me beat however the last couple of years my son and his family have gone to Hell on vacation
#

I had a little more fun playing with names in today's blog at 2 Taking a 5th.

Happily hopping through life,
Donna

The Vagaries of Cars

I was sitting in my little corner of the local McD's enjoying my morning coffee and yogurt when I noticed a young couple pull in with an older car. It had "stuff" loaded on the top and covered with a blue tarp. While the lady came inside, the gentleman opened the hood and peered intently at the engine. Wiping his hands as she came out and handed him a drink, they talked for a minute.

I didn't see the resolution but when I looked back they had left. It got me to thinking about some of the cars I have had in the past. At one time I referred to as the lady with the disposable cars since it seemed as though most didn't last more than a year in our household.

There are a few standouts though, those cars whose personality, quirks and/or idiosyncrasies will forever have a special spot in my heart and memories.

The most memorable with a little Kharman Ghia that I bought, I don't remember what year it was but it was OLD and TIRED but it had personality. I mean what other car would honk its horn every time you made a right hand turn? LOL! My husband of the time had no sense of humor though, he eventually disconnected the horn (to my dismay). But the car got back at him eventually. We had gone fishing and on a washboardy dirt road, it's revenge was felt. A large bump and he was suddenly sitting about a foot lower in the car. We got out to take a look...the seat had actually fallen through the rusty floorboard and was sitting on the frame of the car. I laughed but he didn't think it was so funny. Ahhhhh...revenge.

Another car I remember well is my little Ford Falcon convertible...who can resist a car who has to get gas at every fourth oil stop!

Then there was "George", an old GMC pick-up. He managed to survive a can of roofing tar tossed at him, an attack with a tire iron (hey, anyone can get a flat tire, it wasn't his fault), and a cracked engine block repaired with some type of sealer that we were told was used by the egg industry to help protect them during shipment. I have no idea what it was, all I know is that it worked! George was like a family member and when it came time to find him a new home, my brother took him in for many more miles.

My first ever new car was a Volkswagen Beetle, sort of a hunter green and named most appropriately Schultzie. He might have blustered and huffed at times but he was like a favorite old uncle who looked and sounded stern but slipped you candy when your parents weren't looking.

My favorite of all was a 1959 Austin Healey 3000 [6] that I got for $500. It was about 13 years old and a bit worse for the wear. The wheels were spoked and often I'd go out and find another spoke broken. The side curtains (window) were plastic (vinyl, fiberglass or something but NOT glass). When in rained I had to roll up my pant legs to keep them dry from the water coming up through the floorboards and put a towel over my lap to protect them from the water dripping down from between the convertible top and the windshield. This was also the car that gave me the unique experiences of dealing with no brakes (thank goodness for the emergency brake between the seats), a tire blow-out at 50 mph and losing first and third gears. But that car had heart and I will never forget it!

So, got any special car memories of your own?

Happily hopping through life,
Donna

REPRINTED FROM MY OLD BLOG AT FROGGILADY.COM

Living Your Dream

Live Your Dream Sometimes easier said than done.... When I was little, my dream was to be a nurse like my mother. I could take care of people when they were sick and help them feel better. I practiced for hours on my pets, various rescued wild animals and of course, my brothers. As I bravely marched into my teenage years, my dream changed and I wanted to be a professional actress or maybe a dancer. I loved performing, it helped me forget my somewhat dull (I thought) life and made me feel more glamorous. Reality intruded, as it usually does, and I ended up being the proud mother of two by age twenty. I really wasn't thinking much in terms of dreams; every day was an adventure in itself. Working in a hospital brought back thoughts of nursing, but the idea passed quickly. I did get to travel some, growing up in Massachusetts - moving to New Hampshire in 9th grade - relocating to Florida in my senior year. The service claimed my husband as their own and I got to see Georgia and Delaware as well as revisiting New Hampshire and eventually settling back in Florida. The travel bug was planted, growing slowly but there nevertheless. The twenties flowed into the thirties - a new marriage, a third child and a new state to live in, Iowa. Dreams? Who had time for dreams? I had discovered computers and started a real career! Part-time college student, full-time programmer, over-time mother and wife. I guess I thought I was living my dream - for the time being anyway. One day I woke up and got the news that my mother had passed on at the young age of 61. I was stunned. She was so close to leaving her nursing career for her three R's - reading, relaxing and retirement. She had spent her entire life doing for others but never really found complete satisfaction. Had she lived her dream? I don't think so, she was forced to make so many decisions that took her down a different path. Sitting back, looking at my life, I realized I was following the same pattern. Content with mediocrity in so many areas of my life, I had stopped stretching. I had given up reaching for my dream. Was this what I really wanted? Was this what my mother would have wanted for me? I didn't think so. My oldest children were out on their own, leaving only the eight year old at home. It's amazing what can happen when you realize you have stopped dreaming and start again. My life turned around. I met my soul mate, my husband Michael. My career soared, and I reached a peak that I had never even dared dream about. I did all the things I had always wanted to do, but never quite could find time for. I tried out for community theatre and got several parts. I tried skiing for the first time and I proved myself wrong - not only could I ski, but I even enjoyed it! Moving stayed a part of our lives taking us from Florida to Virginia. From there we headed to Georgia, upstate New York, Colorado, Long Island NY and finally Atlanta, GA. We had good times and we had bad but there was one underlying dream that we continued to talk about - traveling in a motorhome when we retired. But why worry about that now? Retirement was years away and we had so much living to do - right? Catastrophic events have seemed to shape my life in many ways. We had our dream house. Our kids were all grown and on their own. We were both at the top of our careers in well paying jobs. Were we happy? Usually, at least when we got to spend some time together. It seemed like our jobs kept us apart more than together. It was in February of 1996 that my father suddenly passed away. On the long drive back home, I found myself looking at every motorhome that passed by. "Why haven't we done anything towards make our dream a reality?" I thought. We were in the prime of our life, we had everything we'd ever wished for, but were we living our dream? Obviously not ... it was time to do something proactive. The rest of the ride home headed us towards a new life. We both realized that we had a mutual dream that was languishing for lack of effort and if we truly wanted it to happen, we had better get busy. The elusive retirement was closer than either of us wanted to admit and yet we both knew we would want to continue working. Lots of research and reading, many trips to RV dealers and shows, questions - questions - more questions, but we did it. In September we bought our new (used) motorhome with plans to go full-time within 5 years. But before we knew it, our plans had turned into a reality. A perfect job opportunity was offered to us and we jumped at it. It would allow us to work together, travel and live in our motorhome full-time! We would finally make our dream a reality. Is this the end of the story? Absolutely not, this was just the beginning. We lived our dream for several years, loving the RVing lifestyle but once again, reality had to rear its head and intrude upon our lives. Mike was diagnosed with cancer, we relocated to Florida (job promotion) and we had almost 4 more wonderful years together. He passed in November 2004 after seeing me moved and settled in a small Tennessee town. My dreams continue and life is for the living! When will it be your turn to live your dream?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
While moving files to my new computer I came across this article I wrote many years ago for an RVing site. Thought I'd update it a bit and post it again.
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Happily hopping through life,
Donna

REPRINTED FROM MY OLD BLOG AT FROGGILADY.COM

China and dinnerware....

I remember growing up that we had one set of dishes...Blue Willow. No special dishes for holidays. No fancy china for company. Same with the silverware....one set, all purpose.


When I moved out on my own, my first set of dishes was a set a Melamine dishes given to me by my mother. I think we all remember those. Unbreakable but general purpose. Perfect for starter dishes. You can still get them but nowadays they aren't microwave or oven safe and I'm not too sure about dishwashers either. LOL!

I always wanted some real china but that was so out of my budget. I was thrilled when ironstone dinnerware came to the market....literally. My first ironstone set of dishes was accumulated week by week at the local grocery store...I think it was Winn-Dixie.

Ironstone looked much nicer than Melmac and was sturdier than china, a nice compromise for a young family. I saved my grocery receipts and for x dollars purchased you got the current week's offering for free or a minimal price (depending on the item).

You would have thought it was the finest English china...and to me it was! It lasted me for years, not just one set. I think there were probably two or three sets. It still wasn't quite china though.

The next step came when I was browsing the Service Merchandise catalog. Do you remember them?  They still have an online presence but I think all the physical stores have closed. You could get great buys on a lot of things...kitchen stuff, electronics and especially jewelry.

This is where I discovered my first set of Arcoroc dishes. These are the same ones you see in a lot of restaurants. Over the next 20 years I owned almost every style they offered. I mean, how could you pass up service for four for under $20. Seabreeze, Canterbury, Fleur...

These dishes were all but unbreakable and wore like iron. I loved them and when I tired of one pattern, it was inexpensive to switch to another.

Kids grown and gone, husband lost to cancer, it was time to make the house my home. In the kitchen I went for nice pottery style dishes...all mis-matched. I loved it. I had dinner plates, salad plates, bowls and mugs in bright colors and patterns. Heavy stuff but I loved it...quirky and fun, it lifted my spirits.

Then came the house sale and moving into my Class C motorhome. Weight was a consideration and my eclectic dinnerware had to go. I still had some of my Canterbury dishes and kept a setting for two. I supplemented with the cheap Dollar Store Melamine/Melmac dishes.

Fast forward to meeting Stu and combining our stuff, first on a temporary basis (kept my rig and stuff in storage just in case...), then permanently. Since he had all the kitchen items, all mine stayed in his rig. His dishes were the polystyrene ones..unbreakable but not my choice at all.

After the first 6 months together I talked him into replacing them and got....more Arcoroc, now available at Wal-mart. Funny thing, he had one small side plate from his mom that was Arcoroc Aspen.

We love the dishes and use them all the time. The only downside is the dinner plates are large and the sandwich plates are too small for a full meal. So when I found some smaller plates at Big Lots, we grabbed those as well.

When we eventually move back to a house...hopefully a cabin...I wonder what I'll get next?

So, what do you use for plates (and don't say paper, I think almost all of us use them to a certain extent...LOL!).

Happily hopping through life,
Donna

Why is it?

~ Why is it that.....
Guys never turn on the windshield wipers until they haven't been able to see anything for at least 15 minutes?

~ Why is it that.....If people even bother to turn on their directionals they either turn them on after they have started turning or 1/2 mile before they need to turn?

~ Why is it that.....Guys seem to prefer backing into a parking spot? Is it due to the fight or flight response or maybe the need for a quick getaway?

~ Why is it that.....
Some people insist on stopping everyone behind them when they are in the wrong lane, waiting to get into the next lane over? Why not just go around the block?

~ Why is it that.....
The easier they try to make computers for others, the harder it is for me?

~ Why is it that.....
We used to stop for yellow lights and now we plow through on red?

~ Why is it that......
The phone company can tell me I need or don't need to dial a one to reach a number but they can't just ADD or SUBTRACT that one and complete the darned call?

~ Why is it that.....
The best tasting foods have the most calories or are the worst for your health?

~ Why is it that.....
Some folks think they need to be the speed limit guardians by driving at or below the speed limit in the far left lane?

~ Why is it that.....
Babies are so cute with little or no hair or teeth?

~ Why is it that.....
I can't leave toilet paper unrolling from the wrong direction on the holder???? Even if it's not MY holder???

Just a little food for thought today....

Happily hopping through life,
Donna

REPRINTED FROM MY OLD BLOG AT FROGGILADY.COM