Patty has tagged me - AGAIN!

That Patty - tagged me once again. So, here goes:

4 jobs you've had in your life
Summer companion to movie star's daughter at ripe old age of 15 - absolutely had a blast!
Cross-country truck driver - traveled 48 contiguous states, Canada, and Mexico. Ask me about it some day!
Self-employed as accountant for 40 years - I could tell you SOME stories!
Self-taught computer technician and taught how to use Windows 98 and 2000 to senior citizens
Best job - being a Mom and Gram!
(many more jobs throughout my life, but these are some that are worth mentioning)

4 movies you would see over and over
Gone With the Wind
The Green Mile
Casa Blanca
Dr. Zvhiago

4 places you've lived
South Portland, Maine - until age of 18
Columbus, Georgai - arm pit of the world!
Weinheim, Germany - 4 years
Ozark, Alabama - 4 years
Amsterdam, Holland - 6 months as an exchange student at age of 59

4 T V shows you love to watch
CSI - the original version
Martha Stewart
Extreme Makeover - Home Edition
HGTV network - all the time!!!

4 websites you visit daily
www.pogo.com - love to play solitaire and word whomp there
www.4daily.com - trying to make money online
www.blogspot.com - visit all my new cyberspace friends' sites
www.yahoo.com - check my secondary e-mail site there

4 favorite foods
lobster - I think! It's been 15 years since I've tasted it, so not sure anymore!
medium rare rib-eye steak - hmm, been a looooong time since had one of them, too!
dark chocolate - 3 ounces a day will do me, when I think to buy it, that is!
my best friend's macaroni salad - it's to die for!

4 places you'd rather be
many years, ago I'd havegiven serious consideration to my rather being anywhere than here. But, now, it's home and I can't think of anyplace else that will bring me as much joy and contentment.

Thanks, Patty, for tagging me. You are a hoot!

Mickey Finn is now untagged!

Not exactly wind in the willows, but...

I don't often think about the wind or breezes or slight wafts of barely moving air, but tonight I couldn't help but hear the wind.

There are oaks, pines, red buds, dogwoods, pecans, poplars, maples, water oaks, a stand of bamboo, and the ever unpoplular hedge bushes around my home, along with a slightly dilapidated parking shed (used to store wood), a large garage, and a small metal storage building located strategically around my property. I'm not sure whether or not my ears are super keen on sounds, but as the wind wends its way through the various barriers, there are definitely different tones which are magical to me.

A gentle breeze wafting the leaves of the maples whispers a promise of opening all the windows to let the air move about more freely while lightly stirring the pine needles together to afford a slightly off-key thrumming of celebration. The smaller trees - dogwoods and red buds - strive to raise their young branches into the breeze to sing their rustling song in perfect harmony. The pecans, poplars, water oaks, and large oak trees majestically stand silently awaiting a heavier breath of air to stir their souls.

Tonight, there is a heary wind blowing in from the north. The music of the wind is entirely different now. Some of the branches of the poplars and largest oak tree scrub against the metal roof of the old parking shed in a definite 3/4 time, while through the eaves of the house the wind awakens unseen ghosts who keen in delight and celebrate their short-term freedom. The dried bamboo plays the part of the majestic organ with its many-toned pipes lending a pomposity to the overall orchestration. The pecans bend and bow in a gracefully strident dance of glee as if the ecstasy of the wind were for their pleasure only, while the pines, in utter abandonment of their stately grace, twist and shake their branches with sighs laden with great joy. The hedge bushes scrape against each other in a creaking cadence. The leafless maples emit a sorrowful dirge to mourn the loss of their beautiful foliage, but stand straight and tall as if in defiance of the wind. And, as the wind blows between the house and the garage and bounces off the metal storage building, tones which would challenge the best contralto seem to be in competition with the rest of nature's musicians around me. Listening to the blending of these lovely sounds is comforting to me, although it means the temperature is dropping rapidly and it will be cold enough in the morning the freeze the belly of a brass Buddha!

Isn't it wonderful what we can hear when we take the time to truly listen?

Micky Finn has listened!

I have decided!

It's a brand-new year, and I'm kinda sorta thinking of developing a brand-new attitude! Especially since I've found myself in another "transition" in my life. I'm a wobbly walking, widowed, working woman (albeit part-time), and won't willingly whimper, whine, or wimp out in 2006! I have decided!

Taking that part-time job was the best thing that could have happened to me. I not only enjoy what I'm doing, as well as enjoy having a few coins rattling in my pocket on occasion, but it's helped my outlook on life, shined up my rather dulled grey matter, and even with a cane, has put a little bit of a spring into my step! Granted, the bossman is a jerk, but I've been promised when I am working he will remain FAR, FAR AWAY from me! I can chortle about it now, but at the time it happened, I wasn't exactly the happiest camper this side of the Mississippi!

I soon will celebrate yet another birthday - still can't figure out what happened to those wonderful "golden" years I've heard so much about. But, if I want my remaining years to be golden, silver, or any other precious metal - I'm gonna have to make them so myself! So there! I have decided!

My birthday will be spent at the "bone" doctor's office in the morning, and my regular family doctor will give me the once over in the afternoon! Hopefully, I will have all restricted activities restored to me - all digits are crossed and am adding a special prayer for myself! Not exactly the way one would prefer to spend one's birthday, but one must do what one must do - no matter what! I have decided!

Been saving my extra funds ever since I started my job and have splurged on an Oreck vaccuum cleaner! Gosh Golly Gee, but what a surprise when I put it to use this afternoon! I discovered my carpet is really chocolate brown and not sorta kinda grayish/whitish/yuck! I love Miss Freckles dearly, but when she blows her coat, it's not pretty what happens to my floors! And I had promised myself to never again have a long-haired dog! Yeah, right! I had decided, but Miss Freckles didn't give me much choice at the Dog Pound the day I got her - she chose me from the get go! She may be a mutt, but she's the best friend I could ever hope to have. Wish my kids had behaved as well as she does! Anyway, I digress. The Oreck is expensive, but what a wonderful job it does. Haven't tried the hand-held canister vaccuum yet - but if it can lift up a bowling ball, it will clean out the corners and edges just fine. I have decided!

One of my friend's sister is on life support in a hospital in Maryland - her prognosis doesn't look good at all. I was honored that my friend called me today to share her worry and grief - being a good friend to those who matter most to me is such a joy and privilege. I will continue to strive to be a good friend. I have decided!

I wish for all who read my ramblings herein a blessed and rewarding new year. I've made some wonderful new friends via cyberspace and your postings have uplifted, enlightened, and encouraged me, as well as teaching me some things about myself.

Micky Finn is going to make every effort to be the best person she can be no matter what!

I have decided!

Happy New Year to Me!

Thank goodness the year 2005 is in the past! Especially so the last week of the year, as it proved to be not only traumatic, but completely horrid!

My company from Hell was asked to leave - BY ME! Something I've never done before and I certainly do hope never has to be done again! From the moment they entered my home, I was the object of ridicule, criticism, and sarcasm. I managed to hold myself together quite well when the meatloaf was too salty (no salt in the meatloaf at all - I haven't cooked with salt in many, many years), home-made applesauce was too sweet (not a bit of sugar was in it), my dog wouldn't make friends with them (she's no dummy!), it was too hot in the house (had to turn on air conditioning even though it was 58 degrees outside and I froze my bum), and on and on and on!

They couldn't sleep because they were used to having an electric blanket to keep them warm - took electric blanket off my bed and let them warm their bones with it, while air conditioner is still running to keep the house at their required temperature. (Thought I might have frost bite on my toes and fingers at this point!) They were in bed by 7:00 p.m. and they could hear the television in the living room, so I was banished to my bedroom where they wouldn't be able to hear that television playing. Then, they complained because it was THEN too quiet, making it difficult to go to sleep, you understand!

Next day --- I was up extra early to get coffee going (wasn't decaf, but they weren't told that as I started to get smart after a sleepless night) and start planning breakfast. They can't eat anything with wheat in it, so I just happened to have some bran meal (phew) and made pancakes for them. They don't like maple syrup - only blueberry - so took frozen blueberries and equal to make syrup for them. The sausage was too spicy (was the mildest that Jimmy Dean makes!), and the eggs weren't cooked HARD enough for them (scrambled the life out them!). After a while, they noticed my ASDF uniform hanging in my sewing/ironing/catchall room. When I was asked what that was all about, how much fun they had telling me "An old fart like you has no business taking part in such a volunteer-type activity - don't you know everyone in it makes fun of you behind your back because of your age, your inability to keep up, blah, blah, blah." Still was holding it together quite well - for me, at least!

We went out to eat later in the day (of course, my treat), and the litany continued. My car wasn't comfortable enough (it's a Lincoln Town Car for Pete Sakes), it took too long to get to the restaurant (I live in the country and 11 miles isn't that far to me), they sent back their steaks 3 times because they weren't done JUST RIGHT either time, salad bar wasn't to their liking because there weren't enough selections of dressing from which to choose (I think 8 selections pretty well covers most tastes), and whoever heard of drinking "iced tea" with a meal - how barbaric! I'm still holding it together pretty well, but was so tense I don't think I even ate anything all that day - drank plenty of coffee, though! So, I was pretty much a time bomb waiting to blow.

And, the inevitable happened - I blew! When we got back from our sojourn to the steak house, my company noticed the flag enclosed in the lovely cherry wood case. Upon reading the nice little card attached which notes Kermit's service in Viet Nam, the following statement was made: "Oh he served in Viet Nam - wonder how many babies HE killed."

I know I blew because I ever so impolitely asked my company to leave my house as soon as possible - cannot actually remember anything I said beyond that. It's impossible for me to explain to anyone how very angry, shocked, and hurt I was! They shouldn't have said what they said, especially in my home. They shouldn't have treated me like I was less of a person than them because I live in the south where EVERYONE is illiterate, related to each other, and still fighting the Civil War! Hmm, they've been to Alabama once in their entire lives and know everything about what it's like to live here.

They left - exclaiming they couldn't understand why I had gotten so upset. Duhh, take a look in the mirror, folks!

Micky Finn is not apologizing for her company, much less asking them to leave!