FANCY BREAKFAST

As fancy as a Diabetic can be.  I made my way of cooking French Toast.  Take whole wheat bread, dip in an egg beaten with one teaspoon fat free milk.  Soak on both sides till mixture is absorbed.  Heat skillet sprayed with cooking spray on medium heat.  Cook till light brown on both sides.  Use sugar free maple syrup or whatever you like, just so it is sugar-free,  Good with turkey bacon and light- sugar O. J. and of course 2 cups of coffee.  Be prepared to enjoy and smile.  I am smiling!

Betty Boop

BIG CLOSET SALE

Yes a two time a year tradition. Clothes only this time.  Feel obligated to go since I like to help the Christmas fund for employees.  They deserve much praise.  I bought 2 tops.  One a little too big and one a little  snug.  When I tried them on up here, I decided  DOLLAR FOR EACH would not break me.  I might even wear them. I am glad my girls are enjoying the visit with their sister and Joe.  Decided to stay till Saturday. Good.

Betty (sun is shinning) Boop,
so I will too.

GOOD REPORT

Doctor is always surprised to see me.  And he said no 93 year old with as many surgeries and a long time with my glaucoma, loss of some vision, has
 no right to see as well as I do.  Compliment? or what?  He is a big kidder, so I took it that way.  I am so blessed to see as well as I do. I can read and see without glasses, except to read.  Thank you Lord.

Winter is not over yet.  I know everything is trying to green up and bloom, but it is still not over.  At least it is not raining.  Amy and Jan went to visit Linda for a couple days.  Wish I could go.  It is too hard to just take off as I would please.  Hope they have a good visit. Sisters-wish I had one.

Betty Boop

TOO MUCH SUGAR

Will I ever learn? I wanted so much to join in at Mardi Gras celebration yesterday.  I thought I was been cautious - not enough I guess.  Sugar high is still stalking me this morning.  I am off to eye Dr. this morning and I wish I felt myself.  Wish me luck and hope I use more constraint in the future.   Believe me King Cake is not worth it.

BettyBoop

MISSED TORTILLA FEAST

Passed it up when It  was not till 1 and it was 12:30 as I passed by where they were having it.  I decided that hot and spicy would loose over "NAP" time.  Did not need spicy anyway. Oh well, I  will try to go to the Mardi Gras celebration today at 2.  Nap over and will pass on King Cake (over-rated) and sing with everyone WHEN THE SAINTS GO MARCHING IN.  Although I want march in the umbrella- led line.  Might stumble, and no walkers. But I can sing and clap.

SO BE IT
Betty Boop

NATIONAL TORTILLA CHIP DAY

Did you know this?  I guess you can declare any day for what you choose.  Well we will celebrate here at SCV today.  I guess there will be different kinds to dip in salsa and declare a winner.  Anything for fun.  Aren't we silly?  No just trying to enjoy and live it up!!  I started to write live it out but that sounded precarious or gloomy.   Anyway, whatever. Here we go.

Have a good CHIP DAY!!!!!

Betty Boop

SOUTHERN KOMFORT BRASS BAND

This band comes every year to be part of our Mardi Gras Sunday.  They march down the isle and into the Choir loft and play hymns  for us to sing and to listen to. So much fun as we celebrate the Lent season.

As my friends here move on up to better and more personal  care  I get a little sad.  Don't get to see them much.  I will miss two such "girl" as they move on this week.  Sad but lucky to live in a place where this is our great gift to have.  New, more lively residents are always moving in and It reminds me of when I moved in and was able to rush down the halls.  Moving slow now, but still glad to be here and meet new people. 
Have a good day.

Betty Boop

FLannel Shirt Weather

Funny how fads come and go.  The flannel shirt has made many comebacks.  It comes from hunters where it is cold, or those who work outside in cold climates, comes from kids and college men and women, stay at homes, old folks like me.  This year I bought two new ones.  I think today would be appropriate  weather-inside and out.  Just feels cozy.  So many patterns and colors. Can't go wrong.

The Meadow is frosty this morning.  It was starting to green-up a little, but It will have to start over again.  Spring is trying to come too soon. I have not seen resident Egret in a while.  Hope he is o.k.  I miss him.  MY, My, here comes the sun.  It will warm up a bit this morning, but still cold.  Well, I am going to close and go pick a flannel shirt for  today.

Betty Boop

NEW CAT POEM

                                          FAT CAT

I once knew an elegant Cat.
Who sat upon a purple mat.
I said to that Cat,
You are sooooo  fat!
Get up and chase a rat.
To me she hissed--Drat!!!!!
I'll leave that to the Bat.
But, I will sit with you and chat.

Is it worth submitting? 
Betty Boop

SUNSHINE

I think that is what is blinding me.  Haven't seen much lately.  Looks good.     Proverb's 17:22.    "A merry heart doeth good like a medicine." "Being cheerful keeps you healthy. It is slow death to be gloomy all the time."  O.K. straight from THE GOOD BOOK,  I do love Proverbs.  Not easy to be "merry" when my phone went out again this morning.  Don't understand,  don't have to understand.
   Just fix it !!!

Betty Boop

LOOK MOM, NO CAVATIES!!

Good to hear those words.  Went to dentist for regular cleaning and check up.  Good report. My dentist is in the Eastover District.  Jan and I decided to have lunch at the CULTIVATION FOOD HALL.  Big title.  I knew about it but had not been there.  Jan had one time, so it was sort of an adventure.  We both like new places sometime.  We decided on the Cre'pes. Good choice.  We had plate size Buckwheat, with ham for me, turkey for Jan.  They were filled with meat, mushrooms, swiss cheese and some kind  of sauce that was so good.  Cooked  before our eyes- was interesting. We had a side of blackberries, blueberries and , strawberries Mighty  fine.  It was such a fun place with all the different food stations. Makes us want  to go again and try more options.

So the weather was windy, wet, and cool, almost cold, but we had a very good morning.  Had a nap and all is well.

Betty Boop

EXERCISE CLASS

I have started back with my old class.  Off for a while doing special ones on my own after shoulder problem.   Hard to keep that up.  I needed a routine class to go to.   Makes me more committed.  So I have been going almost two weeks, three times a week.   So far so good.  At least I am holding on to what I have. 

Choir yesterday.  We are practicing for Spring & Easter performance. Songs ring in my mind all the next day after.  OH HOW HE LOVES YOU AND ME, has gotten stuck and I can't replace it with another or better still just tune it out.  It is a beautiful message and lovely tune too. 

Well I am off to prepare for exercise---good for me.

Betty Boop

MORE RAIN

Will it ever stop?  Of course it will and some day we will say --"Will it ever rain again?"  Also what goes around comes around.  Oh, I am full of quotes. I am sad this morning. One of my sweet neighbors elected to move to assisted living. She moved yesterday.  I will miss her so.  So sweet and friendly all the time, even though I know how she suffered with arthritis. She never seemed to complain.  I need to take a page from her book. We have such good neighbors.  Lucky I guess.   I understand that is not the case for some.  Over all it is a very friendly and caring group of people.  Very good!!!  I am blessed!!

Betty  (stay dry) Boop

NEW P0EM

This is silly.   I just needed to get it out of my head.

                      PANCAKES  BY Dot Ellis

Oh, what a delight!!
So yummy and light.
Makes my day so bright,
As my sugar I fight.
I know it's not right,
I try with all my might,
To wipe them from my sight.
But my memory is tight.
Just taste, and feel the hight
As high as a kite !!!

O. K.  What do you think?

Betty Boop

FLOODING

Shades of grey this morning.  I remember 79 & 83.  The color was dirty grey as it crept up on our patio.  To the garage door and almost in the house. Had to move out for a while.  Linda & Joe & Whitney were flooded.  They lived with us for a while till they had to renovate their house.  My it was a tense and scary time.  Many are facing the same today.  All over the state there is water.  When will the rain stop.  Only God knows. 

Jan came yesterday (Saturday).   We enjoyed catching up.   Lunch here was a new adventure.  The Chef was proud of his new dish.  Salad with tenderloin chopped made it a caser salad.  I thought it was good and Jan took half home.  I always can eat more than her.  Talked at length about our "grands."  They are so beautiful and smart!!  She said they talked a lot about the Beach. Glad they are looking forward to it and playing with cousins on the beach.  It will be here before you know it. 

I  fixed my hall table with Mardi Gras decorations.  That will give us some life!!

Betty Boop

JAN IS COMING

Saturday and Jan is coming, the sun is shinning. everything seems o. k. today.  Jan has been visiting their "grands" and having a ball.  Hated to come down from the clouds and back to normal.  That can be a good thing too.  Amy came yesterday and brought me food and a valentine and (oh  boy) Campbell Bakery's famous valentine cookies.   One iced in red and one in white.  They are as good as ever.  I used to buy them for my girls, even into College and send them to them.  They are sort of a tradition.  Amy is keeping it going.  Of course we are the two who love to keep the past [in present.]  We took out old Valentines I saved from Truman and me.  Talked about many memories of mine and looked at things I saved.  Need to put some in a scrapbook some day.  I even kept the receipt from our honeymoon hotel from the JUNG HOTEL in N. O.  And many other little scraps of memories.  Oh well, here I am today with lots to remember.  You gather a lot in 93 years.   I am lucky to be able to remember.

Betty Boop

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY

Hope you receive lots of love today.  My mind takes me back to my true love.  We always  exchanged valentines.  I have one of the first ones I sent Truman.   A homemade one, because little money was there in the early days and I was a stay at home Mom.  But through the years we bought them.  I have a few we exchanged from over the years. I am glad I saved a few.  Some years they were funny, some sexy,  some just plain dripping with love.  I will get them out sometime today and think of stories in the past.  Memories that time can not take away.  I also remember getting them in school.  The verses were read over and over when they came come from a secret admirer.   My oh my they were important.  Some I did not know who they were from because they were not signed.  Even more exciting to guess.  We decorated boxes to sit on our desk to receive the love notes.  Ah, young love.  Nothing like it. But how it grows over the years and always with you. 

Betty Boop
P. S.  I am wearing my valentine socks Linda gave me. I will show off to everyone who will look.

SUNSHINE

John Denver's song SUNSHINE ON MY SHOULDER comes to mind.  Made him happy--me too.  But I LOVE A RAINY DAY does too.  I am quirky that way.  Something else makes me happy--breakfast in the Cyber.  Did that this morning.  I normally like to eat alone.  Better in the morning.  Had rather not talk early.  You must eat in your apartment to get alone.  A new resident of 3 weeks introduced herself and asked if she could join me.  What do you say?  Being the person I am, I said of course.  She was nice and friendly.  And she did talk a lot.  Nervous I guess.  Anyway, I ate too much and I am paying for it now.  O well, nothing ventured-nothing gained.  Right.  Tell me that,  as my blood sugar rises from one pancake!!  I just can't handle them.  It did not help, when I picked up wrong syrup instead of sugar-free.  O, well, I will live, I guess.  I came back with my second cup-o-joe and read my devotional and Bible in my favorite place.  The Bubble. All is well.

Betty Boop

I am still here.

I just discovered a new (to me)  author. Tess Gerritsen.  I just finished a thriller.  I was pleased to find 3 more in our library.  Got another one.  I can really get lost in her mysteries.  You can't put them down.  From her picture she looks Asian.  She is also a physician.  That comes out in her stories.  So real and yet this one left me wondering what I believe about a  ghost who occupy this century old mansion.  You get the drift.  It is not a run of the mill story though.  Very good writing.  I am looking forward to the next one I  just checked out.  You know, reading is a pleasure to me and fills some of my time. 

I just got back from attending my old exercise class. had stopped it for various reasons.  None of them really good reasons.  I have been two times this week and I think I will keep it up.  I realized it gives me a purpose for the day.  Keeps me in touch with others, plus it will help me do the exercises I need. 

Hey, I see they have Taco salad in the dinning room for lunch.  Think I will go.  Maybe it will be like Chick Filet'. 
There's is so good.  I really think I get it for the sour cream, I will order extra!!  See you later.

Betty Boop

SUNDAY SUNDAY

Beautiful day today.  Saw the sky cloud maker in the  sky.  Went to Church with Amy.  We were the only two of our usual lunch group today.  When that happens, we chose a place no one likes but us.  PANERA BREAD CAFE is our first choice. The half-in-half --half of soup. half salad. or sandwich.  Just right.  The bread is good.  I had their veg soup,  It is like no other I have had. So good.  I had ham sandwich and Amy had turkey. Anything we have had there is good.  Got there before the  Baptist crowd I think, because it was not full yet.  Walked right in and sat right down(another song title)  Amy  came up after and took a picture of my beautiful bulb arrangement Ivy brought me,  All three are blooming.  Ivy will like to see it.

Rain is promised  for tomorrow.  A lot I hear from the weather people.  Hope they miss it.  Oh did you know the song THIS LITTLE LIGHT OF MINE is in the Methodist Hymnal?  I did not know that, but it is and we sang it as the closing hymn.  Such fun to sing . Words: Afro-American spiritual.  Adpt. United Methodist Publishing House.  1989.  Based on . (Matthew 5:14-16)  Our Choir director  loves spirituals.  We sing them often and I like them too.  So I learned something new today. 

Betty Boop

SATURDAY

  Another Saturday without Jan.  She will be back soon form trip. And full of grandchildren stories. I will have to make-do I guess.  Amy in spite of her many things pulling her along, has spent much time with me and for me in Jan's absence. I don't know how she takes care of so many things and people. She has a gift of giving.  At lunch yesterday we had six at our table.  What fun.  We told Pat we were celebrating her graduation, with honors, from her therapy she has been enduring.  I know how that feels.  Another friend and I celebrated how many shrimp we had in our Gumbo.  We always do this to see who has the most.  I won !  I had 12!!  Of course about 4 of them were less than an inch long.   Just hatched we say.  Anyway, anything to laugh at.  My baked catfish was really good, although I looked jealous at the fried on some plates.  The worse is when they have pecan pie and I have to pass on it.  That happened too.  Oh well I got to collect 6 servings of cream for my coffee.  They all know I do this and hand it over like dues in the club.  See what our lunches are like?  A little gossip sprinkled like sugar on the cereal and plenty of laughs.   My we have a good life!!

Betty Boop

GOOD DAY

Love to tell you of good days,  because some are not as good as others.  It should be that way.  If everything goes all "rosie"  how could you know the difference.  Great thinking at 7 in the morning.  Amy took me to the DOLLAR STORE or is it DOLLAR TREE?  Either way, it was fun.  They were well stocked with Valentine and St. Patrick Day stuff.  I went for a supply of greeting cards.  I use a lot of Birthday ones.  They are very nice ones and they were well stocked.  Of course I came out with more than cards.  One item stood out.  CRACKER JACKS!!! Remember them? They claim "The snack America has LOVED for over 120 years."  Alright, I believe it.  And don't forget the prize inside.      We picked up Chick Filet'  Came back here and ate in my Bubble.  And of course shared a box of Crack Jack"s..  Brought about old memories to us both.  She then took my grocery list and went to Kroger for me.  Thank you special daughter. 

Yesterday was also good. Amy and Ivy came for visit and lunch.  So glad to see her.  She looked great and she brought me a beautiful glass container of three hyacinthine bulbs ready to burst with blooms.  This morning one is fully opened and is a beautiful purple.  Smells sweet and Bitsy is leaving it alone!!Enjoyed  Ivy so much.  I paraded her and the arrangement into  the Cyber.  Everyone thought she was so cute.  Come again Ivy, I enjoy the attention.

Betty Boop

SMALL DRAMA

I did not write early because I could not think of anything worth writing.  A small thing just happened, kind of funny.  I stepped out my door to replace flowers on my table.  Now you know everybody knows to close the door.  A certain furry ball may just roll out.  Only a second, I thought.  Well from the corner of my eye slowly moving along, I spied HER.  I looked around-nobody in sight-good.  Should I grab her or play it cool.  She looked so proud as she moved on down the hall, hugging the wall.  I eased behind her, saying sweet things to her yet wanting to break her neck for putting me in this mess.  She moved into the next opening. my neighbor's entrance.  Oh, please don't let him open his door.  She  turned and headed  back toward home.  Good.  I walked behind her as she picked up speed.  Should I jump her or play it cool.  I decided to grab her.  I wrapped my hands around her generous soft belly and almost dropped her.  But we did make it back safely and she seems proud of her breakout.  I am glad nobody saw us.  I am sure this was not worth writing about, but it is what happened.

Betty Boop

SMALL DRAMA

 

GOOD MORNING

Think Spring.  Hard to do when we are used to more Winter than we have had. But the season isn't over yet.  There may be some cold yet. So last winter was not much colder. I bought a new red coat last year. Got to wear it two times.  Not at all this year.

My Valentine display in my hall for everyone to see, is very pretty.  The old valentines are interesting to everyone.  I have more left over.  I stored them in plastic sheets to keep them.  I should have done it long ago as the writing is fading. Truman's Mother saved some of his that he received in school a long, time ago.  How sweet of her, because they mean a lot to me. Wish I had saved mine.   I remember making mine instead of buying them.  Made the paste too with flour and water.   Remember?  That was in Elementary school.  Later we got a little modern. According to the times. Whether we were in-or-out- of the money. Song title in there. I am full of them. Useless things to remember.

Betty Boop

LITTLE TOKYO

One of the best on Sunday.  The Miso soup and Spring Rolls were great yesterday.  Such a quiet place and with all the usual gang- it was nice. M. G. & Ryan love the fresh sea food.   They are adventurous  with choices.  We got caught up with all their projects and they are so busy living their lives and I had to think how Truman and I  thought we were really something going our new way of life.  So different from our parents.  Interesting how time changes and each generation has such a lot of differences.  Yet,  many things stay the same.  You have to be on the other side like me to really realize so many things.  Thinking too much this morning.

Saw the sky writer this morning.  In fact there were two working together to have fun.  Such a beautiful spring like day. 
Super Bowl behind us and soon the impeachment -- what will be next?

Betty (trying to keep up}  Boop

GROUNDHOG DAY

Do you believe the Groundhog in York, Pa?  He did not see his shadow, so an early Spring!!  Well if Punxsutawney lived here, he would see his shadow this morning.  Beautiful sunshine here would really chase him back in hiding.  Just fun and he is not always right by the way. 

WILDLIFE REPORT :  A resident spotted a large skunk under his balcony.  Then security discovered several more roaming around.  Eleven in all were captured by a professional.  Several cats were relocated to shelters.  So far the one opossum is still on the run.  My I am living in a jungle.  We also see deer on occasion. They get to stay.  The skunks were relocated too. We do have excitement from time to time, but no groundhog!!  We are kind to all the wildlife, especially the two legged ones who live inside the building.  Don't you know the Security team had a field day? 

Betty Boop  

MORNING AFTER

As Scarlet would say,  "I do declare!", I am amazed at my 93rd Birthday. So many people have been involved in wishing me blessings for the next year.  How can I not look forward to it.  From flowers, lunches, cards, visits, presents, phone calls and even singing in the hall, I feel really celebrated.  And humbled that I know so many caring and loving people.  Thank you everyone.   On top of that--it is not raining!!  Another blessing.  Thank you Lord, you are so good to me.

Betty Boop