1. We went up to Bear Country Last Sunday to visit Sarcasmo Jr. I hope to post about the trip in greater detail, with photos, another time. On the way up we pulled into a rest stop just before we crossed the border from Pa. to New York. There was a sign posted with rules of the Rest Stop and the Road. Unfortunately I didn't get a chance to read them. Maybe next trip. It was quite a lengthy list.

2. On the same trip at the same rest stop, despite the fact that we all had to "rest" and the Cutie Patootie needed a dry diaper, no one exited the vehicle until the song on the CD player came to an end. It was Bohemian Rhapsody. Some things are sacred.

3. While in Bear Country we visited the Flycreek Cider Mill. The day was rainy and chilly and the Cider Mill and gift shop is apparently a big draw on such a day. It was mobbed. Upon entering the store you were in a line that you pretty much had to stay in due to lack of space. It made me very aware that I am a city person. People were taking their time browsing, as they should, and I was thinking "Move It People". I don't know why. I was there to enjoy myself and spend time with my family. I need more than a day to unwind and slow down. When we go on vacation for a week it takes til about Wednesday for me to get in the groove of not being on the move.

4.Practigal posted about her niece's soccer game and asked he readers if they were good atheletes or picked last for teams. I was never good at sports. Actually I have never played a team sport, like softball or soccer. I have never hit a ball with a bat, or even attempted to.

5.My dream of having the winning lottery ticket in the $340 million dollar multi-state Powerball game is over. One ticket in Oregon has all the winning numbers. I hope it is held by a group of people. No one should have that kind of money dropped in their lap. I heard on the news that if you only bought 1 ticket for the drawing you were 27 more times likely to die of a bee sting.

6. Sarcasmo Jr. learned a new craft and presented the Cutie Patootie with a beautiful crib sized quilt. It is something he will have forever. My mother used to make the kinds of things you hand down from generation to generation. Sometimes I think Sarcasmo Jr. is channeling that creativity.

7. Now that we have lived here for 27 years, we decided to put the address on the outside of the house. The actual numbers were never there. It was easy to pick out our house. We are the open porch in the middle of the block. All the other homes have enclosed porches. We used to have a huge pine tree in front, but we had to have it taken down. The previous owners planted it too close to the house and it was damaging the porch roof. Right after it was removed the pizza delivery guy told us he drove right past our house because the tree wasn't there. He said that was how all the drivers knew our house and he was going to tell them all when he got back. Obviously we ordered pizza a little too frequently.

8. It was a pizza delivery guy who made us aware of a gas leak in our home some years ago. "Can't you smell that?" he said when we opened the door. We couldn't because we had been in the house all day . The gas company came and told us to stay near the door and don't touch any light switches because it could cause a spark.Thank goodness we ordered a lot of pizza.

9. I am addicted to the New York Times Sunday crossword puzzle. I have to do it in pen. It usually takes me most of the week to finish it. Mostly because I take it to bed and fall asleep doing it. And by finish I don't mean that I get it all filled in. Although sometimes I do.

10.I heard on the news about a promising treatment for spinal cord injury. A local hospital is looking for people to put in a study group. The treatment needs to start within 2 weeks of the injury. Because it is a study there has to be a control group which means some participants will receive the new treatment and some will not, but no participant will know which group they are in. I understand the purpose of that kind of study but I don't know how anyone can make the decision of who gets what.

11.We were shopping yesterday and saw all the Christmas stuff going out on the shelves. Although I am not a fan of those blow-up characters than you put on your lawn, I did see on that was cute. It looked like a snowglobe with Santa and a snowman inside. There was a pump that blew fake snow around inside so it looked like it had been shaken upside down and turned right side up. Really cute. But I still wouldn't put it on my lawn. I can'twait wait to see the Cutie Patootie's reactions to all things Xmas.

12. When we were in Bear Country we made a return visit to Pie in the Sky. They had a display of white pumpkins. I never saw white pumpkins before. Quite pretty really. Good for carving ghostly pumpkin images.

13. This Thursday Thirteen is really late in getting posted. After last weeks post I thought I should actually bog it as I went along throughout the week, so hopefully come Thursday morning I only had to post. And I really should have. Instead I jotted notes on odd pieces of paper stashed in many places. Thursday morning found me trying to get them all together and decipher what I wrote, and then what I meant by that as I tend to write notes in short cryptic code.Of course there were only about 9 or ten. And I had to go to work. I can't blog from my workplace, and am envious of those who can. Maybe this week I'll be more organized. Maybe.



Links to other Thursday Thirteens!
1. Practigal

2.Chatty

3.MommaK

1. I have a new found respect for all you blogging mommies out there. Especially parents of toddlers. I don't know where you find the time and energy. Having the Cutie Patootie here has put a little crimp in my blogging time. Not that I would have it any other way. I think it must be different being the grandmother. I know I got things done when my kids were the CP's age. I just can't take my eyes off this kid. Here's too cute!

2. Drivers in this city are so rude. There are a lot of construction areas on my route to work. On 95 it the area moves everyday and you find you have to merge suddenly. Common courtesy would be to let one person merge in ahead of you. Sort of a "zipper" maneuver. Very few people seem willing to do that. When my daughter lived in Germany she told me that allowing people to merge was actually a law and you could be ticketed for not letting someone in. There were also laws about to driving up to the head of the line of traffic and trying to squeeze in. The merging car has to wait it's turn. And guess what. People still get where they are going!

3. I see more and more blogs each day that require you to enter a verification code to post a comment. Am I the only blogger out there who hasn't been spammed? I am feeling left out of the party! Or do you just use it because it is offered ? The other day one of the codes was an actual word. "tumor" I wondered if that would ever happen.

4. We picked up a few new toys for our Grandson, as he has outgrown many of the things we had here for him. I don't know why. His favorite distractions are a metal colander, cabinet doors, an unopened roll of wrapping paper and anything that he can open and close.

5. Yesterday Sarcassis and I picked up stuff to make the CP's halloween costume. That is part of the holiday for me. Making the costume. I'm keeping his secret identity under wraps.

6. On Sunday we will be going to Bear Country to visit Sarcasmo Jr. The foliage is supposed to be at it's peak right now, so we are looking forward to a scenic ride.

7. This area is in the grips of lottery fever. There is a multi-state lottery that no one won again last night. Sat.'s drawing is for 290 million.What would you do if you won. I hope a group of people win that big prize. I hope I am in that group.

8. This is my first posting of the Thursday Thirteen. It may also be my only one as it took me 2 weeks to get this list together. But as today is Thursday the 13th it seemed apropos.

9. I got to the gym a few minutes before it actually opened this morning. There is a couple who come faithfully most mornings as well. They are the picture of health and fitness. Muscular, blond, tanned. This morning they were sitting in their car smoking cigarettes as they waited. I don't get it,

10. There was a report on the morning news about a couple having their 16th child! They showed a scene of the new Mom and baby in the hospital surrounded by her family. All the kids had bright shiny faces and were neat and tidy. How often do you think that happens? And how many people did it take to accomplish that feat?

11.I don't own an IPOD and I have no desire to have one. I have a drawer full of walkmans and disc players gathering dust. Not that I don't enjoy my music. I really do. I think if I had the spare time to download the tunes I might find I needed one. Right now it would be something else to add to my to-do list.

12. I am looking forward to Thanksgiving this year. I love cooking the dinner . And hopefully all my children will be around the table this year. It will be crowded and I will love every second of it.

13. Now I know for sure that I will never be posting "100 things about me" . Coming up with thirteen was tough enough.

Links to other Thursday Thirteens!
1. Interstellar Lass

2.Jenny

3.MommaK

4.Better Safe Than Sorry

5.Sage

6.Jen

7.Terrilynn

8.Leanne