Friday Five: Pajamas

1. What was your favorite sleeping attire as a child? And did you call them pjs, pajamas (to rhyme with llamas), pajamas (to sort of rhyme with bananas), jammies, or ???
Being old school, pajamas (to sort of rhyme with bananas), then night shirts, when they came into style in the 60's.

2. Favorite sleepwear put on your own little ones, or perhaps those you babysat? (Bonus points if you made it)
Un, no answer for this one,.

3. How about today-do you prefer nightgown, pajamas, undies, or au naturel?
A t shirt, preferably gotten for free, advertising various computer companies, by beloved. Or depends on the occasion!

4. Silky smooth or flannel-y cozy?
Summer and Winter

5. Socks or bare feet?
Winter and Summer.

A New York Story

I was shaken and scared....

I had a busy day, brunch with a group of friends, then a long walk, shopping at the Strand bookstore, a walk through a street fair etc. We took the cross town bus across 14th street-the traffic was heavy. BL wanted to go the the Chelsea Market for fresh vegetables for tomorrows party-for the grill. I was tired- and had had enough walking and just wanted to go home. So, I walked to the Market with her and then grabbed a cab. I got in, barely hitting an Explorer with my door. As I was closing the door, someone was holding the door. "You damaged my car!" said an irate blond middle aged woman with a Germanic accent and two children in the car. I looked and there was a small mark-not a dent, not a scratch just a ". She was holding the door and demanding I get out, speaking in a loud and angry voice. I refused. If you drive in NYC, you expect these little marks. She was insistent. Holding the door and reaching for me until BL came back and said 'don't you touch her.' I was at a loss. I felt that I had done nothing wrong. Our is full of such little marks and dings. As a pedestrian I have no insurance against making little marks and felt she was about to get violent. I was exhausted and just wanted to get home. A crowd was gathering. One man came up and said 'you have your rights, stand firm. BL finally suggested she call the police, so she did. While she did that, I also did and explained my situation. While I was on the phone, she got in her car and drove off. I was shaken and exhausted.

Street drama in NYC.

Charged Friday Five

Sally posted this bracing Friday Five" A few weeks ago my lap-top battery died, suddenly I found myself looking at a blank screen and was rather relieved to find that it was only the battery and not the whole computer that had failed. This morning a new battery arrived in the post, and suddenly I am mobile again!After a week with what feels like wall to wall meetings, and Synod looming on the horizon for tomorrow I find myself pondering my own need to recharge my batteries. This afternoon Tim and I are setting off to explore the countryside around our new home, I always find that walking in the fresh air away from phones and e-mails recharges me. But that is not the only thing that restores my soul, so do some people, books, pieces of music etc....So I wonder what/ who gives you energy?

1. Is there a person who encourages and uplifts you, whose company you seek when you are feeling low?
My Beloved, or myself.

2. How about a piece of music that either invigorates or relaxes you?
I like the sound of silence...and not the Simon and Garfunkel one...

3. Which book of the Bible do you most readily turn to for refreshment and encouragement? Is there a particular story that brings you hope?
Uh, no.

4. A bracing walk or a cosy fireside?
I'll go for either one based on my mood, but really give me a good book and that fireside

5. Are you feeling refreshed and restored at the moment or in need of recharging, write a prayer or a prayer request to finish this weeks Friday Five....
Actually, this morning, this agnostics subway prayer was "Dear God, please resolve the condo-co-op Project issue soon, hopefully in a positive way, if you see fit and if it seem right to You."
How about that?

The PROJECT seems to be stalled

My Aunt and her grandchild my godchild.

Alas... the best and final offer seemed to be a ploy to 'jack up the price." The sellers relator came back with another offer expecting another offer to us. Sigh. So for the moment we're sitting on things.

No, not what did I mean? Sitting? We hosted the little family during the last rainy weekend!

We rented a wheelchair and took buses all over NYC with my 91 y/o aunt, cousin Michele and her friend Jonie and godchild Elaine. And at various times Beloved and cousin Janet. It was a traveling carnival. We had a great time, but I learned how difficult it is to navigate NYC in a Wheelchair.

Friday Five: Rules

Jan posted this interesting Friday Five" After a family vacation with our four children and three additional "partners," I am more aware of rules, spoken and unvoiced. Expectations are not always clearly expressed, but are still expected. . . . unbeknown to all unless one is not fulfilled! So how about writing about rules in your families and workplaces? Choose one or more for each category, especially if one seems odd or funny to you now."

1. Formal rules in family of origin.
When I was young, always call if you're going to be late as someone was always picking me up. Later on the same. I was an only child and I don't remember many formal rules.

2. Unwritten and unspoken rules in family of origin
I grew up with an alcoholic father so I'm copying Jan's response here with:
Don't talk
Don't trust
Don't feel
Which are so true in these situations.

3. Formal rules in current family or workplace
Two adults in this family so rules are not so important. At work-for the state government as a counselor-lots of ethics guidelines/rules. Some rules about what to wear which are very loose. A lot of rules about confidentiality as we are dealing with issues of disability and mental health and HIV, things we had to sign and have notarized to on employment. Actually endless rules that change endlessly, now that I think of it. If you want to read them go to:
http://www.vesid.nysed.gov/current_provider_information/vocational_rehabilitation/policies_procedures/000_index.htm
Go ahead, knock yourself out! It helps with insomnia, but I spend a lot of time looking endlessly for answers in there.

4. Unwritten rules in current family or workplace
At home, call if you're going to be late or I'll worry. Talk to me about how you're feeling. I need to know
At work, if you're going to be late call me directly-I'm the manager of a unit of counselors- Let me know in writing when you're taking time off. I'll pay for holiday parties, but you have to take collections for birthday parties. Try not to piss anyone off because I have to answer for it.

5. When was a time that you became aware of different rules in different places/families than your own?
When my family moved to a suburban neighborhood and I became friends with kids not related to me. One kid got "spankings" with the cord from the electric coffee maker. I was horrified and I was 11. My friend across the street's mother treated her like a maid.

The PROJECT Your Final Offer!

Dangling the keys above our hands...

We have been going back and forth with offers and counter offers, advised by a friend who is a corporate lawyer. What she has predicted will happen, has happened almost word for work =0 How do they do this. Play hardball? I have had more Excedrin Migraine, Maalox, Ginger ale and other misc. home remedies for the last two weeks (that have felt like two months.) I am now ready to offer almost anything to get this over with. Fortunately Beloved and I process almost constantly- when awake and when asleep...did I say asleep, did I say fortunately?
Yesterdays offer from them was 20,000 above what we are willing to pay, but with a coda, "But they want your final and best offer and they think that the seller will go for under XXX,XXX." Huh? this is 20,000. less than their last offer,
This is all so confusing.

Wild Animal Friday Five

Mompriest who actually has wild animals in her life posted this wild FF "For this Friday Five, share with us a wild animal story from your life. Or if you've never had such an encounter share with us your five favorite animals, and why. Bonus for videos and photos!"
Ok, so I'm at work and I found some great photo's of the three animals that I have found in my apartment, but not often and not recently but I can't post them until later:
1.The millepede. I was reading one day and I glanced up. There was this long, hairy thing walking across the wall right at eye level. I was alone in the apartment, naturally! Which meant I had to cope with it. Beloved and I have this deal, she gets the bugs and I get the 'rodentia.'
So, I rolled a newspaper and snuck up on it and swatted and what I was left with was like grey powder. Strange. It has been alive. I was relieved. I don't like the bugs.
2. The cockroaches. Early on we had a few, but boric acid and that was that. In former, less 'elegant' digs, well they were more of a problem. And coming from Ohio where bugs were strickly outside, it was really shocking! I learned to deal, but was never really comfortable and was always well armed with the latest poisons.
3 The Mice-I've had two or three in the current apartment, but before there were able to get caught in my non-pain-free traps, they moved out. When I had a house in the country, they would come in when the weather was getting cold. One year they got into the flour and left little footprints all over the kitchen.
When I worked for NOW-the Founding Chapter in NYC, the loft space was rife with them. We lost more volunteers that way. I would catch them in wastebaskets and carry them out into the street.
Pictures to come...maybe.

I Believe

Gay & Lesbian Civil Rights... Now. from Jeffery Hammerberg on Vimeo.

The PROJECT Heats Up

Tantalizing View from the Terrace

Yesterday we made an offer. Then we found out we had to be pre-qualified for a mortgage. I was pretty sure we needed this, but BL said no, not. I only did this, buy a house, once before and that was a LONG TIME ago. BL-who has lived in rentals all of her life-seemed to think the this was unnecessary. She was wrong.

So I got on the phone with my bank and the mortgage broker was still there-at 5pm, I gave her the info, and things are in motion.

Keep your fingers crossed and keep us in your prayers.

We are hysterical.

PS...Did I mention it's 1,200 sq ft. My idea of heaven on earth. Hm I wonder if that includes the terrace?

A Sporting Friday Five

Matriarch Aunt Julie with Joanna and the Beloved at Rehoboth Beach, DE. where I did not swim in the Ocean but did swim in a swimming pool-and celebrated my 60th birthday! I'm the one on the left back.

Sally posted this wonderful Friday Five "The first picture is of Wildgoose, the second of an Albacore, at first glance there might not seem much difference apart from the sail colours, but there is much more room for my long legs in the Albacore!
So why all of this boaty information? Well because sailing is a family passion, we love the water and the wind, and take delight in the fresh air and quiet, but also in the competition, striving to do our best!
How about you?"

1. Is there a sport/ hobby that is more of a passion than a past-time for you?
When I was younger ( I didn't just say that! And had a house by the ocean, I sailed, too. I had a partner who had a 19 foot O'day Mariner (this is important information to sailors) and we would take day trips in the Great South Bay to the Hamptons and around Shelter Island. Often we would meetup for picnics with groups of women who boated from various places on a remote beach on the island. I wish I had pictures.
Now I swim, but I do not compete

2. Outdoors or indoors?
Then outdoors, but now both

3. Where do you find peace and quiet?
In the water

4. A competitive spirit; good or bad, discuss...
Neither, just not for me.

5. Is there a song a picture or a poem that sums up your passion ?
See the swimming song in a previous post.