Kelticgrasshopper

The reality of living "in town"

2012-01-29T08:26:00.000-08:00

When we moved here to the "little house in the parking lot" our daughter expressed concern about "the neighborhood". It is downtown and has a reputation of being a "bad" section of town. At first I was a little cautious. When I went for walks I checked things out. After living here now for a few months I can say that the people who live here "all the time" are very nice people. Many are new immigrants or second generation families working hard to have a better life in a new country. They are friendly and polite. The evenings are quiet in fact this is one of the most quiet neighborhoods I have ever lived in.

MOST OF THE TIME

The other element that comes into play living in this neighborhood is that there are many rental properties. Most of them are rented to spoiled college students who are attending Westfield State University. When the college students return the neighborhood changes. The nights are noisy, filled with yelling and fights. These young people are rowdy, drunks who roam the streets trashing the area with broken bottles, vomit, over turned trash cans and much more.

   The college President came on a local news show a week or so back..stating that the university wanted to partner with Westfield to make downtown more vibrant. Maybe he should show up down here at around 11:30 some Saturday night and see how vibrant it is. These young thugs have threatened our parish priest..they have refused to disperse when neighbors ask them to leave.. It takes the police to move them and they really just send them to another bar for a few hours so that they can get more drunk and then make their way back into our neighborhood.

   Last night we got home at about 11:30 there were almost 200 people in the street in front of the church. College kids everywhere..the parking lot was filled with cars. Cops showed up along with a bus from Westfield State..it took about 15 mins. for them to all leave. I can guarantee that nothing will be put into the local news about it ..

   So this neighborhood is not a bad place to live EXCEPT when it is filled with spoiled, disrespectful 20 year old drunks. I remember being that age, I remember parties, I hope that I didn't scare anyone I hope that I didn't disrespect anyone. I do not remember police dispersing us, I do not remember neighbors asking us to quite down. I know we didn't trash neighborhoods like these scumbags do. I know we would not have disrespected a priest. Think about it..these jerks in a few years will graduate from college and take on jobs where they will make decisions about the lives of others..Makes you realize why things are such a mess in this country. Self serving people, spoiled disrespectful, self serving people. They smugly walk the walk, and talk the talk and could give a hoot about anyone except themselves. Sadly I cannot see any change coming. These young people are glorified among their peers..they are the good old boys and the popular girls. They are the campus leaders who will go on being the people to know and the people to hang with. Sickening as it is..just look around.

   There is thankfully a group of people young and old, who still want to serve society without taking. There are still people out there that give without expecting to get. There are people with character who do not need booze to have fun. But they are the minority and that is sad.

   So my friends..when you drive into my "hood" remember that for much of the time it is a happy place to live..A place where young families struggle to raise their kids. Where families try hard to keep their property neat and clean. A place where you can go for a walk at night and not be afraid. Just stay inside when the well to do college thugs come back to school.

Have a nice Sunday..watch out for pirates and remember to

BREATHE and smile for me

Thursday and the cupboards are full again

2012-01-26T11:26:00.000-08:00

Went out this morning and restocked the fridge and cabinets with food. I am trying to shop every other week now. Planning stuff that can make more than one meal..Food is so friggin expensive now it is ridiculous!!
But what can you do? I shop at Priceright for everything except sandwich meat and some thing that I cannot do without! That saves me big time. I think today I spent 130 but that will get me through two weeks..with the exception of things like milk and bread. WHO CARES RIGHT LOL

Last night we were invited up to Deerfield to see some friends from when we lived and worked there. The couple came to visit us last summer on PEI and they always attend our concerts when we have them. Very nice couple. John and Nancy..Nancy is a very talented artist..She paints in water color and oil and is pretty well known in New England. John is retired from teaching at UMASS and is a very talented photographer. They are an interesting couple. So we got there at about 4:30..Nancy made a delicious meal we had nice wine with the meal. Then she presented me with a beautiful painting of our house on PEI which she did for me. John then handed me a Canon Digital SLR camera that he can't figure out.. He said use it if you like it it's yours.. I offered to pay for it but he said just keep it.. I left feeling a little weird about taking those things with me. The painting is now hanging on the wall and I can enjoy looking at my little house on PEI every day. The camera I will master and I will take lots of amazing pictures with it I am sure.

Now here we are at Thursday again. Not sure what the weekend has in store. There are a couple of movies I'd love to see. I have to make a trip to Costco but aside from that just hanging. One more week and I will have Cooper everyday. That will slow me down for sure..but in a GOOD WAY !!!

Any day now I think I will be hearing from J J saying that the new baby is here. I think Julies time must be getting close.. Can't wait to get the call !!

I wish you all a happy Thursday..Have some fun now and watch out for pirates. Whatever you do don't forget to

BREATHE and smile for me

Monday the 23rd where has this month gone

2012-01-23T08:49:00.000-08:00

So sorry I haven't been checking in here. Lots happening most of it good. Dan has just about finished the rough work in the basement and will be starting the taping and seam filling next. The decision has been made that this place will be a preschool next fall so we will be looking yet again for a new spot. I want to have everything firmed up before we leave for PEI. I will be putting in applications for senior housing next month. I don;t want to rush it too much because we can stay here rent free but I want to be moved into the new spot before we leave. Ideal would be to find a place on MAY 1st..move in and head north by Monday May 14th..That is the plan now I am asking all of you to pray it will work out for me.

Chelsey will be starting back to work in two weeks and then I will have Cooper everyday. He is such a dear little boy I am looking forward to being with him. Looks like Chelsey will bring him here in the AM and I think I will bring him to his house in the afternoon so she doesn't have to make another stop in her busy day. That will work well for me and I think for her as well.

I have decided that I won't be doing concerts this season. Just too busy and my head is not in it. I want to try and start them next Fall when we get back. I'll see how things work out. I think I will be more relaxed when I know we have a spot here that is permanent. Of course the way the world is now how can we plan for anything.

Soooo what the heck is going on with the Republicans? Newt Gingrich..REALLY..I am in shock over that one. How can the so called "Christian right" support a man like him? The really bad part of this is the thought that there is actually a chance he could be the leader of our nation. Now really if that isn't a terrifying thought I don't know what is. Does anyone listen to the things he is saying. The horrid things he said about poor children..the media..women's rights. He is awful !!! Oh well I may not need to worry about a winter spot I think if he was president I would hide in Canada till I go paws up. It is hard enough here as it is but with the likes of him ..he would blow us up in less that a year.

Aside for that note I have been thinking a lot about the younger generations here in the USA. I worry about them. They will be the ones who are hit the hardest by all of the changes proposed by politicians. I worry about them all the time. Society has changed so much. Now families cannot survive without two large incomes. I worry about them because I don't know how they would all make it if things do go bad.

I don't have money to help them out and I mean that. We live very simply even on PEI. People think we are living the life by spending 6 months there..and Yes we are but we aren't doing it by spending. We were very lucky that we purchased the land and built when we did. Our house is cozy and warm thanks to Kenny Chaisson who built it for us..knock on wood we do not have many expenses associated with the house. We live simply while we are there..we read..we have 2 channels on our 12 inch TV ..we go to local Ceilidhs for fun..we have people over for dinner, and coffee and we LOVE OUR TIME THERE. When it is warm enough we spend our days at the beach..watching the"neighborhood" kiddies play in the sand. Simple life.. Our expenses are groceries, gas for the truck and two monthly bills. Phone and electricity..That is it.

I pray for the younger generation. I pray that they pay attention to the politics in this nation. That they get involved and make their voices heard. I pray that they make an effort to learn how to live simply to do without in a real way. To get rid of the extras that they really don't need.

So for today I will sign off and wish everyone a happy Monday.. Have yourselves some fun now and watch out for pirates..in about 112 days I will be home in Kingsboro I can't wait !!!!! Remember now

BREATHE and smile for me

Tuesday January, 10 143 /123 days till I am home

2012-01-10T07:00:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was slow and rather boring. I saw Chelsey and Cooper briefly in the AM.. Came home ..took a walk then just vegged. My back was bothering me all day but thankfully today it feels much better.

I got a troubling note from a family member asking for prayers. Her son is suffering with mental illness and today they are seeing a Dr with hope of finding direction and help . So hard to see a child suffering with illness that is so hard to treat. Pray for all the families out there that are facing these problems and pray harder for the children who are suffering.

Dan worked a bit of the truck yesterday. He brought it to Auto Zone and had a code read done. So the problem is narrowed down to a misfire in cylinder #4. He changed the spark plugs and is going to replace all of the coils tomorrow. I am sure it will be back to normal before weeks end. Thankfully we don't really need a car for much now. We just hang here in our little house in the parking lot. : )

Well tomorrow is the Republican Primary in New Hampshire. The field of liars and cheats are bashing each other in good fashion. How can a pot call a kettle black that is the question. They are scare me to death. Ron Paul is out there saying things like I will stop fuel assistance. Saying that in a cold New England state where people are struggling to stay warm with oil prices at well over $3.00 a gallon..Well now that makes sense. AND I like him the best. : ) What a bunch of loopy loops. Romney who wants to be president so bad he would sell his first born, his wife and himself to Satan to get it, Gingrich who is about as corrupt as any one can be that other one who claims to be "God's man"..good grief what a choice. I can just begin to imagine how this summer and fall will be with adds and negative sound bites. Glad I will be gone for most of it !

So my friends I wish you well today..have a good one..Make some happy memories if you can and watch out for pirates they are always lurking in the shadows. What ever you do don't forget to

BREATHE and smile for me

Buzy few days

2012-01-09T08:16:00.000-08:00

Lets see where to start. Dan has been really working hard here at the house. Finishing off the basement with insulation and wall boarding. He had help for a few days but today is back to just himself. I spent time with Chelsey and Cooper almost every day last week. He is so darn cute now. Smiling at you and talking away. Hard to believe that Chelsey's time at home is winding down and soon I will be taking care of him every day. It will be fun I am looking forward to it !!

On Saturday Maryjo and I went on an adventure. We took a bus trip down to Foxwoods Casino..in Connecticut..What a riot that was.. We went to see an exhibit about Princess Diana..It was beautiful and very touching. BUT we had no idea what to expect in the casino and it was kind of yukky actually it was very tacky and yukky. : ) I was blown away that they allow smoking. The place reeked with the smell of smoke. The people were interesting to watch and we had a lot of laughs through the day but neither of us have any desire to return !!

Yesterday we went with Jo and Howie to visit his cousins Leona and Dick. They live in a little house on a beautiful lake in New Hampshire. They are very interesting people. The life they live is truly humbling. They live simply. No TV, no computers..They can and freeze all of their fruit and veggies. and share everything they grow with anyone who visits. Part of your visit included "shopping in the cellar. Which is lined with shelves of canned goods. I came home with a box of jellies and preserves. It was a lovey day. Except for one thing.. OUR TRUCK has something wrong. It started "gasping and sputtering..Dan thinks it is probably a loose wire, bad coil, or spark plug.. He will fix it up later this week..

This morning I went with Chelsey to get a few groceries and now I am doing this blog while enjoying a roll with some of Leona's apple butter. Later I am going to make a chicken pie for supper..Just a easy going Monday in my little house in the parking lot..But in 142 days give or take 20 I will be home in Kingsboro and I can't wait !!!

So my friends enjoy your Monday , Live a simple life watch out for pirates and remember to

BREATHE and smile for me..

149 or 129 give or take a few

2012-01-04T06:55:00.000-08:00

It is cold today. But at this point in the year I really start to focus on getting through this and getting back Home. I love my family don't get me wrong now. But I really find it hard to live here. I am not comfortable with the politics . I find it so expensive to live. It is way too crowded and the stress level is through the roof.

In Kingsboro I can look out my window and watch ships sail by. I can go for drive and maybe pass one or two cars in 20 miles. Most likely the car I pass will have a friend in it so we will wave at each other. But even if it isn't a friend we still wave. The grocery stores offer basics..and you don't end up spending twice as much on things you don't really need. I can live very well up there on about $100 a week. Down here I can't plain and simple.

I was reading the NYTimes this morning and the headlines showed that Mitt Romney "won" the Iowa caucus by 8 votes. The republican party frightens me with it's lean towards the extreme. But Mitt Romney scares me because if his wealth and his obsessive desire to win this election. He lies ! I really do think he lies. They all do but his campaign is brutal with it's negative approach. I am glad I will not be here to witness the awful attacks they will launch as the election gets closer and if he is the nominee. It will be awful who ever is chosen, because of the special interest groups that fund campaigns. That is yet another thing I dislike about living here. Our nation is becoming more and more base and bigoted and divided.

I was watching some mindless program on TV last night where "famous" people swap wives. This one featured a wife swap with Ted Haggard and Gary Busey. Talk about sickening. I wanted to take a shower after watching it. Ted Haggard is disgusting a total ego maniac and his wife is beyond words. They are all about $$$$ and power they make my skin crawl. If these people can actually think that they are Christian then I am a frog. Not sure how I am going to tie this in . But I do think that "tea-party members" have the same bean on themselves. They are extreme in everything they say and do. Tying "Christian" to an awful lot of what they do, say and think. Yet in the very next breath feel bound by their rights to attack anyone who is different. The Republican Party is riding down a path of extreme and they are terrifying. I grew up in a household of Republicans. But I really do think that were those folks alive today they would be ashamed of the direction of their party. I remember a friend saying a few years back " How can any thinking, educated person call them self a Christian Republican? " The two just don't go together. I totally agree.

So I will sign off on that note and wish you all a great day. Stay warm now and watch out for pirates. Remember to

Breathe and smile for me

150 give or take 20 : )

2012-01-03T06:21:00.000-08:00

It is cold and crisp out there today. But my coffee is steaming in its cup and it is a good morning to set about writing today's lesson. Today's lesson is this..When writing a daily blog be brave. Remember that people read your words and when that happens, words and thoughts may be misunderstood. Be brave enough to remember why you wrote the words and what your intentions were.

My father often told me stories when I was a child. One stands out in my mind. I had been having a hard time in school. There were kids who picked on me and said mean things to me when I was walking to and from school. I was 6 years old. He sat me down and said.. "There is a terrible beast out there Meg. It's pink and lives inside a warm damp cave. Most of the time it stays quietly inside. But sometimes it escapes and it can hurt people terribly. We all have that beast living inside of our bodies. We can use it for goodness or nastiness. Those kids who tease you have not been training their beast. They are using it to do mean things. What do you think the beast is Meg , he asked? It is your tongue. Your tongue can speak kind gentle words or it can speak mean hurtful ones. You need to train your tongue by training your brain to remember that words can hurt. You have to remember that what you say is heard by everyone around you. If you talk badly about people it hurts them and it makes other people think badly of you. Your words should never hurt. Choose them carefully. Every word you speak has an effect . Your words can make people think you are smart and kind or they can make people think you are ignorant, bigoted and mean."

That lesson has stayed with me. I listen carefully to the words people use. I try my best to choose my spoken words carefully. I feel uncomfortable when I am with people who don't. I don't like to be in situations when people are saying hateful things about others. I am not comfortable when people yell or swear in anger. It frightens me and makes my skin crawl.

So, you ask where is all of this going? I think it is once again a way for me to explain why I do this blog. I love words. I love to write, read and listen to words. I especially love good words. Words that make me feel good inside. Sentences that bring me to a place. Paragraphs that I can smell and hear. When I have to describe a bad situation I want people to feel what I feel to understand how much I dislike something. I hope you understand that.

My day today will involve cleaning, cooking , writing Thank You notes and a trip to the post office. I wish you all a lovely day..watch out for pirates now and remember toBREATHE and smile for me

January 2, 2012..about 151 days give or take a few..

2012-01-01T18:18:00.000-08:00

New Years resolution..stop writing down my thoughts and opinions in this blog. To anyone who I have upset or offended I apologize. But please understand that I do have reasons for writing what I write. From this day forward this blog will not include references to people or events that are real..It will be fiction..if you see yourself or someone else in the words ..I am sorry this blog is fiction...from today forward..

Now doesn't that sound stupid ???

Listen up people. This blog is a way for me to vent, a way for me to write down my thoughts and concerns. It is also a way for me to keep in touch with friends who may not live close by. A way for me to tell people about concerts or special events we /I may be planning.

I know, I am fully aware that sometimes I say things that might strike a nerve or two. If that has happened I am sorry, but I can't help the way I feel. I think however that from this point on I will refrain from mentioning names and actual places in my blog especially when I might be addressing concerns and opinions about people I know, family members or such. So if I go on a rant about something and if you know me and if what I am ranting about strikes a nerve with you or makes you say or think.. " Is she talking about me? " Well just maybe I am..but I'll never tell : )

If you are offended by this I can offer one solution..DON'T READ THIS BLOG.. or would it be safer to say "READ THIS BLOG WITH CAUTION BECAUSE ONLY THE INNOCENT SURVIVE MEG'S WRATH. "

Watch out for pirates people believe me they are still out there and please remember to

BREATHE and smile for me..

A new year.....

2011-12-31T08:30:00.000-08:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE !!!!

Time to look back and move forward with a new look at life. 2011 was a strange year filled with uncertainty at first. Moving to a new way of life, a new home without the security of a "job." But it also brought a chance to spend more time at our beautiful home on PEI. We set out for that heavenly spot early in May and stayed till October. I found that even staying that length of time wasn't long enough.

BUT we had a special reason for coming back..our third grand child was born. Cooper Austin came into the world on November 2nd and he is perfect in every way.

Our return home was not without adventure ( what is for us ?? ) We expected to be able to come back and move into our new spot within a week..but things were not a ready as they should have been and we had to stay with friends for almost a month. Thank goodness for Jo and Howie. We moved into "the little house in the parking lot" on October 28 and on October 29th a big snow storm hit the whole city was without power.. EXCEPT for a few streets and ours was one of the streets that still had power. Chelsey , Brian and the girls stayed at their place for the first night but then came to our place for the second and third night with out power.. Then Cooper decided he was going to be born..so off Chelsey went to the hospital..the girls stayed with their Dad..and we started praying that the power would be back in time for Cooper's home coming..and it was !!!

Since then things have been moving along..the little house is cozy and comfortable and we hope that maybe with luck we can stay here another winter. If not we will be applying for senior housing. I will not live through another uncertain summer. Well maybe I shouldn't speak so quickly about that LOL

Our time on PEI was perfect in every way...well the weather could have been better. But everything else was perfect. We enjoyed the companionship of good friends, music, dance and great food.. Wonderful beaches and a garden full of fresh veggies. I still have a few jars left of the strawberry jam I made and maybe a tablespoon of chow. It wasn't a great year for tomatoes but the chow was delicious and I wish I had made more!!! Next year I will !!

Our plans for next summer ..Dan wants to work a bit more on the old house and I want to finish the work on the new place. We hope that our kids will be coming to the island this summer..I know the girls want to come ..lets hope it will work out for them.

Tonight we have two invites..Not certain yet which will come to be. I am feeling rather lazy at the moment..But I also want to see my friends.. : ( .. Time will tell.

I do want to wish all of you a very Happy New Year..Watch out for pirates now and remember to

BREATHE and smile for me..