BIRTHDAY GIRL

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!!  I am now officially 93.  I just told my maid I was 93 and she said what a blessing and you don't look it.   How sweet.  I started it off with breakfast in Cyber-the usual of 2 eggs over light, sausage patty, rye toast, coffee and one to go.  Sat in bubble and read and drank coffee till maid finished my apartment.  I was delighted with a beautiful arrangement of flowers from niece and her family.  Lunch yesterday with Amy, M.G, & Ryan in dinning room.   Was nice to show off my beautiful family.  I have received many birthday cards from people here and more from family in the mail.  Kind of builds your ego and boost your pride.   Thank you everyone.   The day is not over yet. 

Betty Boop

FOGGY MORNING.

Be careful as you drive. I don't worry about driving except I feel like I ask too much of others.  I try not to ask unless I have to. Yesterday  was one of those days..  Dr's appointment in two places and a few errands on the way home, made me feel bad for Jan.  Since she was leaving on a trip this morning, I knew she had plenty to do besides to ferry me around.   She never seems to mind and makes me feel alright about it.  I love her so, for loving me.  Dr. said I am good to go.  Amazing how many people are on my side.  I get praise from all who attended me yesterday as I went through the process of an annual physical.  And it is a process!!  Everyone as they did their own job would read my date of birth would say  "Hey you have a birthday coming up.  What? 93?"  I am beginning to be surprised too.  With little "bumps" in the road, I am very lucky to be as well off as I am.  So the beat goes on.  Pun intended!!

Betty Boop

MORNING

YES- and it is beautiful.  Wish it would not rain tomorrow.  I have my annul physical.  Hard enough without rain.  I am sure my Dr. will say-" what are you doing here?"  I thought you would be gone by now.  I wonder the same thing.  I have so many complaints.  She will be patient and listen, I hope.  Well, on to better things.  I have been interested in granddaughter and husband doing some makeover in their home.  I went through several of those times in the past It is exciting and tiresome at the same time.  You think it will never end-but it will and then it will be just something to talk about.  Trust me, I know.  When we added our big sun room, it was bad to be without a kitchen for a while, but that too passed.  I know they will be happy with the update.  Just takes patience. 

SWEETLY BE
BETTY BOOP

BUBBLE AGAIN

I think I will call it my other living, dinning, reading, meditating, visiting room.  My regular crew came bearing my most favorite of "take-outs."  Arby's wins hands down.  Plenty of Arby's wonderful sauce!!  Curly fries, in moderation of course.  We solved everybody's problems and discussed their dreams and talked about what they did last week.  Ryan & M. G. had the most fun at a new Zoo they knew about.  All kinds of animals you could interact with. New to me, but Ryan knew about it and he really did enjoy it.  So did M.G. You know how she loves animals of all kinds.  Back down to normal this morning, so after an egg-in-hole for breakfast, I am good to go.

Betty Boop

ADVENTURE

Adventure is what we call it when we do something different.  Needing to pick up Betsy's meds out on Lakeland, we decided to have lunch with Jan's College roommate, from SMU days.  They have kept close since College.  We had a delightful time at lunch at TABLE 100 in Flowood.  It has been there a while, but it was my first time.  Very nice place.  Good service and quiet.  That is important to me.  I had an unusual veggie plate.  Only thing I really knew what I ate was the mashed potatoes.  Ha Ha !!   I don't get out much do I when I  want my turnip greens cooked the old way.  And how about capers in cauliflower?  And slaw I had not had before.  Of course it is different everywhere.  Good to have something different.  I really enjoyed it.  Big fun for the day==Jan put up a new shower curtain that Amy sent for me.  That made my day!!. 

Betty Boop

LUCKY OLD SUN

Yep!  There it is. Shinning bright.  Almost did not recognize it.  We deserve some sunshine.  I went down and ate breakfast in the Cyber.  Haven't done that lately.  Needed a treat.  I cook a really good breakfast myself, but sometime you like for someone else to do it.  Of course it requires a different dress code and you have to speak at  least a little, but it is worth it sometime to have a pleasant server scramble two eggs, bacon, rye toast and coffee, to perfection and served with a smile. I brought home half the toast for later.  I do like rye bread that they have.  I also brought a cup-o-joe back and sat in the Bubble and read devotion and Bible.  Good start to the day.   Hope the rest is good too.  And also for you!!

Betty Boop

SOME PEOPLE!!

Yes, some people will go to extremes to get out of going to dentist.  Although I told you yesterday I always hated to go to dentist, I fully intended to go.  Well at the last minute, right up to the wire, I got sick and had to cancel.  I think going to dentist would have been the lesser of the evils, I had no choice but to cancel.  It still looms over me, the appointment, but I am concentrating on feeling better. 

Good day to stay in anyway, the cold is such a change.  Hard to stay warm unless you are under the weather or are a cat.  That cat is good at finding warm spots. between the covers on my bed is the latest.  She stayed there yesterday before I made the bed till I had to check on her to see if she was still breathing.  But yes she was warm!!!.  I stayed in my apartment all day long.  I finished my book and started on another.  Have you ever started one and you knew right away you could not read it?  I knew that too many players were in this mystery.  Could not keep them straight.  I decided I did not have to put up with it.  I guess I am just a simple girl.  SO BE IT.  Now I will have to pull myself together and go down and get the mail and go to the library.  How nice-they are both down the hall from each other and I do not even have to ride anything but the elevator and push my little buggy as fast or as slow as I need.  "Life is good."

Betty Boop

NOT THE BEST OF DAYS

Going to dentist for regular check up.  Hope it is "regular."
Will write later.

Betty Boop

SUNRISE

The shades of pink and blue were breathtaking  in the sunrise this morning.  Look up and receive strength.  I need new every day.  What a beautiful day yesterday at granddaughter's beautiful Lake home.  So welcoming and relaxing.  To be with the ones I love who love me.  Three birthday's were celebrated.  Young and old!!  I enjoyed my favorite meal of hot dogs and all the trimmings of chili, and slaw and   Black Bottom pie. My choice.  Famous in Meridian at the restaurant I can't remember the name.  Wideman's, I think.  It has gingerbread crust, and filled with chocolate & vanilla  custard whipped cream laced with rum flavoring.  Very good.  I have requested it for my birthday before.  It takes a lot of steps to make it  and I appreciated .  Who has hot dogs for birthday?  Me of course.  My choice.   Made me happy.   My real birthday is on  the 3st, so:

MORE POWER TO  ME
TILL I REACH 93!!  Little poem there.


Betty Boop
P.S. We also enjoyed  the funny  Birthday cards. !!

SUNDAY-SUNDAY

What a beautiful day "in the neighborhood."  What is that large bright thing in the sky.  Oh, it is the sun!! Nice and cool but beautiful.  Nice day ahead besides Church--to celebrate two grand son-in-law's and my birthday we are getting together for lunch at a daughter's house.  Will enjoy, exchange birthday cards and have my choice for of food.  Will tell about that in tomorrow's blog. 

Yesterday Jan and I had an adventure.  You will laugh at where.  CVS was my choice.  I am shopping deprived now.  Can't hold out for a lot of walking and standing.  But it felt like a day I could and I know a trip to CVS sounds quirky but so am I.  When you don't get much of shopping, you really miss it.  At least I do.  Things change, products get new looks and it is hard to keep up.  I loved it and really topped it off with lunch at Primos Resturant.   They really know how to cook.  Was tired, but happy.  As a treat., bought some sugar-free chocolate and a can of mixed nuts.  Of course I stocked up on the usual every day things I need. 

Betty Boop

BACK AGAIN

Off a few days.  Really, my phone being off should not affect my writing in the Blog, but it did. Just the thought of not being able to communicate is offsetting.  Not having a cell phone anymore is not good.  But in a way it is frightening that we depend on them the way some do.  We have come a long way in a short time. 

I am looking forward to some sunny weather.  Even if it is colder.  Enough of this rain please.  On a high note, let us talk about breakfast.  Ahh!!  My how I like breakfast.  I had O.J. , scrambled egg. sausage patty, whole wheat toast, strawberries and of course coffee.  And many pills.
Cooked by me (the chef).  Eating in my nightgown and looking out over the SCV golf course with a view of the swimming pool (indoor) and with my best friend Bitsy the cat.  She does not think of herself as a cat, nor do I. She lives in such a good place with me.  Sleeps in my bed and in my lap when she pleases and also is fed a good breakfast.  What more can we ask?  Someone to read my chatter? Now, I have gone too far.  Have a happy day!!

Betty Boop

TELEPHONE OUT

Rain caused telephone land line to be out for the second day.  AT&T trouble- and us too. I gave up on my cell phone a while ago.  Too much for oldies like me.  So I only have a land line.  I have found a lot of us out here are that way.  But I guess we are lucky when you hear of so many without even a home anymore.  Be patient-they will get it done eventually. So if you try calling me, I can't answer you.  I am glad it did not affect the computer.  I rely on it for communication. As silly or as goofy as I sound, I still can make a noise and express myself. I wonder why we have such a desire to be heard? 

Betty Boop
I like my blog name, Betty Boop, and I wish I had named my cat Betty Boop. I already call her by a lot different names, one more would be alright. 
Betty Boop

JEOPARDY

I am crushed!! I wanted James to win.  I like his "sort" of smile.  I guess I would not make a very good Judge.  O well maybe next time. 

This rain is getting to me.  But I am so sorry for all who have been affected by the aftermath of it.  It takes me back to the flood of "76.  When we were forced out on Riverwood.  We were luck to not get water in our home but many of our neighbors did.  Linda and Joe got it bad.  They lived with us a few months waiting for their home to be repaired.  I enjoyed having Whitney then.  She was the first and only grandchild  then and we were smitten with her.  Rough time for her parents. 

Rain Rain  Go away, Come again some other day.  Did you sing that as a child.  Fits now too.

Betty Boop

HISTORY CLUB

Mr. T. comes today for History Club.  Hope it does not rain him out.  The weather looks threating for our new Governor on his inauguration day. No outside ceremony and I bet no parade.  "It will rain on his parade" (pun intended).  I must look that saying up.  Stay tuned for what I find.  But the show will go on, with Balls and parties.  He was not my choice but neither was Trump, but I wish them well  Hard job but someone will have to do it. 

This crazy weather has me baffled.  The meadow on other side of Lake  is turning green.  I hear some trees are trying to decide if winter is over.  Well it really never has gotten to the South.  Al  Gore was right about the warming climate. Don't you just love my Weather and News  reports?  So scientific. I really need to get something else to do.  It really upsets me that I can't seem to write poetry anymore.  Maybe it is just an ending to it.  Where it came from, I do not know.  I never did it till I was getting old.  No, I wrote some before for family birthdays.  It was out here at SCV that I really got creative.   Maybe I will again. So Be It.
Betty Boop

FOGGY

Foggy this morning.  Rain later.  Weather report out of the way.  Yesterday at Church --wonderful sermon and music.  Got a real lift, as I should.  Aren't we blessed to live in a country like ours.   With all it's ups and downs, we need to remember that we don't even know what it  feels like not to be this free.  So much to be thankful for  Even the choice to go to  church.  Glad I make the choice, as long as I am able, to exercise the right to chose.  Enough of preaching again.  M.G,, Ryan, and Amy are getting to enjoy the Bubble for Sunday lunch.  It is nice, no crowds, little noise and great food they bring. Fresh Market was their choice.  They brought an assortment of salads and bread. So goooood.  I even used the left overs in a flour whole wheat tortilla for supper .Made myself a wrap I did!!  Ranch dressing made it very tasty.  Nothing like using leftovers in a good way. All in all it was a good day.   Bitsy enjoyed it,  she loves that part of her family.  She just about welcomes any visitor. She sits and takes in the conversation.  Really she does. We talk about it later.  Good to have someone to share your thoughts with.

Betty -cat lover- Boop

SUNDAY MORNING

What a difference a day makes.  Yesterday morning was unsettled and wild.  Sun came out and it passed.  Today --just cloudy so far.  Jan and Tommy came to visit and lunched with me.  I do love showing my family off.  They give me hope.  To be connected to them is a blessing.  I live in a place where I hear all kinds of complaints about family connections.  Can't believe some of them.  How did I get so blessed with such a family? I like to think they are special for me.  Jan brought me a grapefruit from T's sister who lives on the Gulf coast.  Her neighbor has grapefruit trees in her yard.  Imagine picking them when they are ripe  and juice just flowing?  Oh it was so good!!!. 

With that thought in mind, I leave you to get ready for Church.  Where I will sing, listen to preacher tell me like it is and what I should do.  pray. and sit next to my "last born" daughter and know how lucky I am.

Sweetly Be
Betty Boop
P.S.  I  found out that the T shirt Lady with HAPPY written on it was actually named Happy!!

HAPPY ?

As I was going down the hall yesterday. I met a lady wearing a colorful T shirt saying "HAPPY".  It was written in large letters, dancing merrily across her ample bosom.  I  startled me! I blurted out-"I want that shirt."  She laughed and said, "So you want to be happy?"  I hurried on being embarrassed with myself.   So what is Happy?  Joyful. excited, very pleased?  Whatever it means to you, and me, we want to be happy.  Sometime it is just up to you and then other times not.  Now we don't  want to be happy always.  Sometime, we really want to feel sad.  Just have  "pity" party.  I think if everyone went around happy it could be kind of dull and get on your nerves.  It is normal to show emotions.  But for the most part---lets just be HAPPY.

Betty Boop
P.S. I still want that T shirt!!

SUNRISE

As  I ate a "bounty" of a breakfast, I watched the sun coming up over the Chapel's bell tower.  It was sending the most beautiful shade of rose and blue rays. I wondered if the Lord gets pleasure in seeing how beautiful he makes it?  I tried to select a color to write this morning like it.  Turns out, no artist can ever capture what God sends.  Speaking of breakfast-and- I usually do- mine was perfect.  I picked up a ham on rye for supper last night,  The cook was generous and heavy on the ham.  I only ate one half, it was so big.  So full of ham that I took some out and saved it with the other half in a zip lock bag. Now I have enough ham for two or maybe three breakfasts. Crafty?  It was good with the rye bread toasted (love rye toasted)  plus a soft boiled egg. Juice and coffee, of course. You have to make your on entertainment sometime.

 I talked to Linda yesterday.  Her birthday is coming soon.  They have plans to eat at nice restaurant to celebrate.  She sounded good and we talked about watching the big play off on Jeopardy .  Do any of you watch it? We both agreed who should win.  We will see. One more round should do it. How do those men know so much?  Well this is it for today.  Do you read me or am I just talking to myself.  Uh oh!  spooky!

Betty Boop

BE SQUARE

Have you heard that saying --"be square-be there?"  It popped into my silly head as I prepared my breakfast.  I wanted an egg-in-hole.  I thought why a circle, which I think of as a hole. Why not square. so I cut out a square in the bread and popped the egg in.  It looked surprised to see a different space.  But took it in stride.  What else could it do?  Run over the sides from fright?  No, it stayed put and cooked to perfection.  The little square I cut out was like a mini slice of toast.  Silly morning.

My it is mild this morning.  I just sat on the Balcony a while just now-to get inspired to write.  Sky is a beautiful blue and a few non- threating puffy white clouds were floating by.  It lulled me a little, but did nothing to help me write.  As you can see!!

Betty Boop 

MEANDERING & REFLECTING

Sunshine sure looks good.  The sun has been hiding a few days. Sun makes people happier.  Makes diamonds sparkle on the Lake. We all like diamonds right?  I had oatmeal with bananas and raisins for breakfast.  The word raisins always trips me up when I write it.   I had to go to the pantry and look at the small boxes I keep in a glass jar, to be sure I spelled it right.  I am the world's worse speller.  Bitsy is soaking up the beautiful rays of sun beaming down on her in her chair by the glass doors to the Balcony. That kitty loves to be warm.  Full of a good breakfast and water, what more than a good nap in the sun could she want.  Sounds good to me.  Of course I wont take a nap, but I will take the rest plus coffee of course.

Betty Boop

PAT ON THE BACK

Whoope!!!  Cleaning Day. I have the best maid out here at SCV.  She was training a new employee today.  I told her (the new one) she had the best teacher of all.  How nice to have my apartment cleaned.  Would be hard if not impossible for me to do it now. My little place is not as elegant as some-but neither am I. It fits my lifestyle and I love it.  Thanks to my resident decorator, daughter, I am happy with it.

I sat on my Bubble and read and watched the ducks as they worked.  Bitsy was supervising. I saw only one pair of Mallards, but many small ducks that I still don't know their names, happy  swimming in two groups.  Different families, I guess.  I got  my to do list checked off except for one thing.  I can still get that done later. See a  pattern here?  Still putting off things.  But I was tired and thought I did a good job of the things that were important.  Nothing like giving yourself a "pat-on-the-back."

Betty Boop

DARK AND RAIN

Got up so early.  I wish I could break this cycle.  If I could stay awake later!! I get so sleepy that I would go to sleep in my chair if I did not just go to bed, at 9:30.  So, I get enough sleep by 5 or 5:30.   Might as well get up and get started.   Also something that plagues me.  Slow to start, these old bones and so forth are stiff and weak.  Maybe if I  wait till later  to write,  then you would not have to read these woes and complaints.  But I guess I just need to write how I feel to cope with it. 

It is so dark and dreary.  I am hoping all my loved ones who have to get out this morning have a safe trip.  I have my list of things to do all planned and I will get it done today. I wish everyone could see the new display Amy arranged for my hall table.  Frogs is the subject.  She had so  many to use.  It surprised her how many she had.  She made a nice collection without  meaning to.  I love it !!  I hope it will generate a little discussion and it will be well accepted. Next month  I plan to do the old valentines  that  Truman's mom saved that were his from early school days.  The are getting fragile and hope someone will keep them some day.

Betty Boop

HAPPY NEW YEAR

I am back in the groove again after being off a while.  M. G. (master fixer-upper) came and gave me a new lesson on what to do.  Little by little I am learning how to  fix my computer.  She is a good teacher for people like me who have much to  learn. She makes it plain and simple to understand.  Just like me-plain and simple.  Anyway I learned how to turn the router back on.  If that is the way you spell it.

New year's lunch was not so good. Hopping John had more rice than blacked peas.  Hope I had enough for good luck.  I ate the greens for money.  Always can use enough money--so I can pay more taxes.  Oh well, you can't win for loosing.  So Be It.  I treated myself to dessert.  Blood Sugar under control.  May not be now.  Bread pudding was so good.   Not real sweet.   We will see.  M.G. also helped me put my Christmas tree away.  Also the boxes of decorations too.  Things look a little uncluttered.  I made a list of "things to do."  It helps a lot to write it down.  I will tackle  it tomorrow.  Like Scarlet O'Hara --I'll worry about that list tomorrow.  Fiddle-d-dee.

Betty Boop