Happiness is...

grown daughters.

VeggiGirl lives on the other side of the block, and stops by often.

Today she brings homemade minestrone soup. Fits in perfect with my new soon-to-be slimmer me.

I got very tired of the ever-growing gut. Never had one before in my life (adorable, chubby baby-hood not included!) and it doesn't like me. My new duties get very sedentary after 6pm, and I don't like finding myself in my own lap!

Also, thermal underwear makes my clothing very, very tight. While the heat seems repaired at the paper, we are still finding the cold settling on us, beginning about 8pm each night. Our best guess is that the leaky roof is still not repaired, although the draining has been diverted from our workspace.

Counting calories works for me. I won't even tell you how many I have been consuming, except to estimate that it must be at least 2,000 per day. Now down to 1800 again, at least until the gut goes.

***sigh***

Why do I get an unpleasant feeling that the gut will stay with me to the grave?

pb
Little Pond

Astounding.

Ted Kennedy has publicly backed Obama. Not too long ago he was solid friends with the Clintons. Apparently the on-air sniping had gotten too ugly for his tastes.

Neither Obama nor Clinton appeals to me. One is under-experienced and the other strikes me as an opportunistic chameleon.

However, this is an historic campaign for us. We finally have our first truly viable African-American presidential hopeful and a candidate who could very conceivably be our first woman president.

Things should continue to boil right through November 4th, and I intend to enjoy the spectacle all year.

For once, Husband RJ and I are not (yet!) fighting over politics.

pb
Little Pond

A clarification, if you will.

Perhaps you are following Josephine, the Dragon Lady. If you are, you can find the last chapter of Calming the Angry Planet here.

But the planet isn't calmed at all, you may lament. Or maybe snort in derision, like Josey.

No, it's not. Unfortunately, it takes longer and longer to load with each chapter. So From Heat of Battle is the last chapter of Part I. And the second part will surely be the last.

All because my computer (even the one at work) takes too long to load. Seems we all are getting old.

Calming the Angry Planet. One book, now two parts. The limitations of the Internet.

pb
Little Pond

We are not snowed in.

However, the cold is curtailing almost all activity. Naturally, we still visit our beloved Chemung River. We are totally addicted.

Ellie has her polar fleece skirt, a fringed polar fleece jacket and lovely scarf in muted tones of pink and red. All quite tastefully done, I assure you.

She also owns a set of MuttLuks, but refuses to wear them. We have a drill: she stops and lifts the frozen paw, and I come right over and rub the booboo with bare hands. A little low-tech, but it works for us. We avoid the city sidewalks in the winter, because of the nasty ice-melts everyone uses.

Winter sun still means fun for us.

pb
Little Pond

2008 prediction--no big surprises. Please...

(Ellie poses with her "baby" kitten-doll.

It is very well chewed, but never really destroyed.)

I can predict the next six months at the paper.

Advertising sales fall. New customers will continue while the pre-season specials carry them. A few will become permanent.

Gannett will look hard at core positions, and pare down the excess.

Happens every year. Always has--always will.

We may see short-term layoffs by February, maybe again in July. It has always been thus. I was a victim the summer I was diagnosed with MS. My supervisor thought it would be a great vacation!

Well, I got a harridan who sent me on interview after interview, in a forty mile radius, leaning heavily on a cane. Furthermore, it was a partial layoff: three days on, two off. I was exhausted after a few weeks, in an exacerbation by six. That Christmas I was back full time just before I collapsed. The neuro confined me to bed for two weeks after a Solumedrol drip, because I couldn’t make my left side work anymore.

For now our department is necessary, though not for ever. This year it is likely we are secure.

On top of it all, my 401K will benefit from whatever Gannett decides to do.

Always has--always will.

It's Freaking Cold Out!

Cozy warm inside, though.

You probably recognize the HuggaMutt, but the other bed buddy is DeeDee, our storm orphan.

One of our smaller cats.

Finally, Best Wishes for a Healthy, Happy New Year to you all.

Love,

pb
Little Pond