The new first family of the USA preparing for the annual Easter egg roll at the White House, April 12, 2009. (picture from the web)

It is said that a President age eight years for every four years in the White House. In four years I will compare this picture to see the change.

Be Gentle with Me,, Do not break my back.

I have often times borrow books from someone who does not care anything about books and instead of enjoying the book I find myself straitening out the pages as I read.

As a child growing up in Jamaica with a very large extended family, we share books because the same books were used every school year, therefore when you move to a higher grade you were expected to give the book to a cousin or sister or brother who would be using it next.
Because of this I always takes care of my books.

Now I cannot stand to see any books being abused. When you look at my bookcase, and it is a small overstuffed one, you cannot tell that my books were actually read, but everyone of them were, sometimes two and three times.

You see I am very choosy as to who I lend my book to. If you can care my book as well as I can? I have no problem sharing with you.

One day on the train going home I was crocheting and the young lady next to me was reading, the next instance she bend the corner of her page ( she was finish reading). I cut my thread right there and crochet a bookmark, but them I could not give it to her. But if it happens again, I sure will make it and give it up.

Snowday

This is the first snowday day I have had in a long time, March 2nd. It felt good just to stay home and watch the snow fall and work on the blanket I am crocheting for my 8th grandbaby due in May.

James went to work but they sent him home, and so here is is shoveling away at the snow.

I think this is the end of the snow for this season.

Cardinals

I have two sets of cardinals, one set at my house and one set at James' house. I love to watch them from my window but I can never get to take a picture of them. Every time I try, they always fly away when I get close enough to take the picture.

One thing I would like to know is which is male and which is female because there are always two of them, one red and the other is grey.

I am going to try to catch them (take a picture) this summer.

Sharing Your Home

A month ago My neighbor and friend ask me if I know anyone who has a furnish apartment she could rent for her niece and family who is coming up from Trinidad.
Without hesitating I told her she could have mine since I am only there once or twice per week and only to get clothes and pick up the mail.

The family came up three weeks ago and I am so happy, not only am I collecting an extra income from them, they keep the house and the ground just as I would and I don't have to worry that someone may see the house empty and break in.

Also I am planing to sell in the next two years and they have express their interest in buying it if I was thinking of selling.
The husband is working for the UN and will be eligible for mortgage in two years so the timing is perfect. So now I am renovating the basement to move my things and so they can have the entire house and I will have an even bigger income and a buyer when I am ready to sell.

Sometimes you have to be willing to open your hands to help others and you might be surprise of what falls in them.

Fight Those Winter Blues

How many of us get depressed in the winter months? Well needless to say quite a lot; the winter months are cold and you feel closed in all the time which gives us a feeling of melancholy, especially for those of us who live alone.

I find to fight those winter blues to get involve in programs in your local community, join the Y, get out and meet new people, go out to dinner, or lunch at least twice per week (yes by yourself). If you go to the same place often enough, soon they will know you and treat you special when you go in.

Become a big brother or sister to a child, it is quite easy from your church or place of worship there are lots of young people who is looking for a place to hang out away from home and someone who they will listen to them and help them with their homework.
It is a win, win, you gets a companion a few nights a week and they get the benefit of having a person who will listen to them other than their parent. Sometimes it is easier for a child to talk about what’s on their mind if they are not talking to their parent.

The only thing is, be careful not to get over involved like I did. I had so much going on that I had to quit some of the things I was in.

Bird Houses in NYC

Here I am again with my story of my city, NYC.

Madison Square Park is a small park, borders 25th street, Madison Ave., 23rd Street and Fifth Avenue.

Well right after christmas I went out for a walk at lunchtime and was surprise to see in the trees in the park bird houses. Who would have thought that amoung the glitz and glaumor of New York City one would see bird houses in trees.

Thanks to the Flatiron Partnership and the City on New York.