The weather has been canceled for today.

Today

Partly sunny. Highs in the upper 20s. West winds around 10 mph.

Tonight

Partly cloudy. Lows around 7 above. Light and variable winds...becoming northeast around 10 mph after midnight.

Got up before light, 0500, a little late for me, but we stayed up, later than usual last night, decorating the tree. The Waste Steam collectors changed their pick-up day for our neighborhood. Not only that, but they changed the time of pickup. I got the trash out to the side of the road by 0510 and I swear he was hiding around the corner, 'cause in 15 minutes the trash disappeared.
It's not nice to fool mother nature, and it's not nice to screw with old folk's heads by making them change their routine. They picked up trash on Monday mid-morning for years. All kidding aside, they do come quite early, which is not a problem for me. I don't like to put it out the night before in case of rain because the paper bin is open as is the can bin. Not a big deal if the plastics and cans get wet but the paper gets darned heavy when wet.

A note to my sister Julie: I'm having a great vacation!!!!!! Enjoying every minute of it. Most everything I write here can be taken as tongue in cheek or for entertainment purposes. The dent in the car was disconcerting but hey, really, in the greater scheme of things....no big deal.
Just so you know, I haven't been this excited about starting a new adventure since our first trip to France. Change is what keeps the mind young and exercise does the same for the body. I'm lovin' life sweetie!!!!!!

Friends and family, some of you will recognize this amiable young man, but for those of you who do not, let me introduce you: This Is Joe Basta, my life long friend and owner/operator of Basta's Flowers in Ogdensburg, NY 13669. Drop him a note, say hello and mention that I sent you.
This is the same Joe of the Roma tomato plant story. If you're a mind to read that story on a very lengthy post you will find it by clicking here.

The above photo was taken down in the bowels of the business. You'll remember that the day before yesterday, I forgot to return last year's centerpiece left-overs and so I had to return yesterday to complete that errand. It's more of a pleasure to visit the shop than a chore; I always stay and chat with Jane and watch how the bevy of girls can do at least two things at once and still carry on a coherent conversation with a customer. Something neither Joe nor yours truly have yet mastered. I did in fact have other shopping to do at the shop and that included purchasing a white poinsettia. This will be the first year in eighteen where a poinsettia will survive the season in our house; Cinnamon, our recently deceased Siamese cat, use to eat the leaves incessantly even though they made him deathly ill and he'd puke all over the carpet. Put the plant somewhere where the cat couldn't reach it, you say? This is a cat that could jump from the floor to the top of the refrigerator just to play catch with me.

Bonnie, Shannon, and Sean stopped in and I offered to give my unsolicited advice on wedding flowers but my offer was declined. Shannon and Sean will tie the knot this summer at the house by the river.

One short story: Joe relayed to me an incident involving an un-named individual (HIPPA you know). It seems that this un-named individual had entered the local hospital sometime in the past as an adult presenting for a circumcision. When he awoke in the recovery room, he discovered a lg. red ribbon festooned his well wrapped member. His surprise was that, a nurse of calm, quiet, demure reputation was the only one in attendance. The gentleman asked his friend Therese if she could shed any light on who perpetrated this joke, but alas, she could only shrug her shoulders and nod in the negative.
So if anyone can shed any light on this mystery, please say so in the comment section.