Winter 2010

I am watching a friends cat and this morning it got into my purse and stole my sandwich. I got it away from her and I ate it for lunch anyway. She is the Bandita alias the KITTYCAT KONG!

It has taken some adjustment but now she and my cat are getting along famously. More on those two another time.

I've been hibernating since after Christmas...but hey it is January and this is now a ritual for me that starts after the holidays.

And we've had a particularly cold and snowy winter. I hardly see anyone unless it is by accident. (My friends had a baby and because it is snowy and they live in the country and I am afraid to drive up their driveway that is on a steep and curvy hill, i put the gift in the mail and told them I would see them in the spring.)

So what do i do with my free time?
I've been going to the gym .. basic survival...doing ZUMBA! and HIPHOP! and it is my
answer to alzheimer's because you have to remember the dance moves you learned the week before. NOT! And you have to be able to step up and wave your arms and sashay and jiggle in that order and all at once. When i first started this i was so upset at my two left feet that i went out and bought the biggest padded bra i could find and the lowest cut shirt to wear to the next class. At least i look good. (This was also my solution to my lousy skiing skills about 5 years ago... a fantastic ski outfit ...)

I've been taking Spanish classes Monday nights and dreaming of retirement.

I've been going to the library and getting out books on Costa Rica. (LAST Winter it was Chile and Argentina. I like to get travel books, travel guides, AND cook books.)

I've checked out books like FROMME'S Travel Guide, Retirement without Borders, a collection of short stories by Costa Rican (ticos) and Panamanian women writers titled "When New Flowers Bloom". The Author's notes are written by a man and all he does is go through the history of literature WHICH DOES NOT INCLUDE ANY REFERENCES TO WOMEN. Who does he think he's kidding?

I am in the process of labeling my house espanol-ish and in full sentences...as for example "The basement is down the stairs. It has three rooms, but there are no bathrooms." ...and then i look at it later and i don't know what the hell i wrote. I use google translation tools. This saves time. I say what i want (i've also been describing all my pictures and photos on walls around my house.. cut and paste it into word, print out a page full of them, cut them out and then tape them to the walls and objects etc..bulk statements..but takes a while to figure out what i was thinking, how to translate, and then where to stick it). Is this a rare form of cabin fever?

A coworker sent me this:

" Anne,

My oldest sent this to me.
This is weird enough that I thought you'd enjoy.... when you have time.
Not to sure anyone else around here (at least on my team) would get it. Not that there's much to get !

TOM SELLECK WATERFALL SANDWICH LINK

The names of the sandwiches are light and hard to read.
One of the pages has a link to the Sellick Waterfall Sandwich Theme Song which
sounds like it was recorded in someone's kitchen.
I was never a fan of Tom Sellick."

Well, I am a big fan of Tom Sellick...and I thought it was terrific.
I miss the shorts guys wore back in the 80's. So much
man-leg. Ha cha cha!