Martini Musings

Merry Christmas Message Dear Friends & Family, I hope this post finds you happily enjoying your loved ones with whatever type of celebration you consider your tradition.   Although I am writing this prior to my Christmas with family, I know it will be special…blessed to have both of my parents and my grandson, Katie and Anthony, and my siblings all under one roof, with lots of food and fun! There will be McDonalds on Christmas Eve at Mom & Dad’s house and of course, gifts.   Christmas Day will be food, drinks, and games at Lori and Abby’s house.   There won’t be much sleep and there will be lots of noise, but it will be just what we all need! This will be my last blog post until the New Year!   I’m taking a break until January 1.   Beginning in 2020, I’ll be posting my blog on Wednesdays only as my Gala schedule will be picking up and I want to be real about my commitment to the blog. Although some of you may be relieved, I hope mos...

ANTICIPATION!! Today, my little family arrives for the Christmas celebrations!   They will only be here for a few days as they will celebrate with more family in Pittsburgh on the 27 th !   I'll take it! Yesterday was full with grocery shopping, making eggnog (not your Momma’s eggnog!), some last-minute wrapping and getting the apartment tidied up and ready for the loads of Gabriel’s “stuff” that will arrive in just a few hours!   Oh and I may have watched a few Christmas movies at the same time! I CANNOT WAIT!   I can’t wait to get my hands on that bundle of baby boy.  Just seeing him and hugging on him fills my heart!   I can’t wait for Luna’s excitement to see me…until she realizes that I don’t want to play with her!   I can’t wait to hug on Katie and Anthony.    Perhaps what I love the most is the chaos that will ensue during these next few days!   My philosophy has been – the more chaos, the more fun that is bei...

Oh the holidays… and those darn cookie exchanges! ‘Tis the season for those fun gatherings with friends!   On Monday, one of those events took place…a cookie exchange with fairly new friends!   First, a little history! Most of you know, I am NOT a baker!   I’m not sure why because I do enjoy a good cookie or brownie, but baking is too precise for me!   I’m not patient and I’m not exact.   Period!   Those are the two ingredients for a good baker! (see what I did there???) Anyway, a couple of years ago, I was invited to a cookie exchange and I said on Facebook that I went into full panic mode.   Afterall, the rules state “home made” cookies!   If I am ever asked to bring dessert, it is usually something not baked or store bought.   Come on people, Katie, my only child didn’t even get a home made birthday cake until her 21 st birthday!! I committed to the party two years ago and with Katie’s assistance, I prepared a double ch...

Random Thoughts… It’s Sunday night, snow is falling and I am late getting this post written!    Tonight, a different type of post…lots of things on my mind so I’m going to present to you Random Thoughts !! I just spent a long weekend with my parents.   It was an opportunity for me to help out my brother, who is a big part of their care.   Joey was away for the weekend and we all prefer that someone is close by for Mom and Dad.    I made the plan to stay with them.   It was a good weekend! Health Update!   Mom is doing much better than a month ago.   She is getting occupational and physical therapy at home and her pain level has become manageable.   Something that she always says as we try to help her, “if you don’t use it, you lose it!”   I think after she took her tumble last month, she was certain that her pain would continue and she would have to learn to manage it.   Well…therapy works!!   It has helped...

‘Tis The Season… It’s been a busy few days and although the next few days will be busy in a different way, I wanted to send out a short post! Last night, we celebrated birthdays of co-workers with happy hour!  The happy hour was at the Overlook Lodge.  If you haven’t been there and you are local, you need to go during December!  Go at 4-4:30 to avoid the crowd and take it all in! The place is covered with Christmas decor!  I mean covered!  They have awesome holiday cocktails listed on a menu styled like a Christmas card!  It’s a small place but they pack them in! We got there between 4-4:30 and by 6pm, it was full!  I’m fairly certain the crowd was arriving for Star Wars trivia at 7:15.   We were getting “the look” as you can imagine, for we could not fool anyone into believing we were Star Wars geeks!  People were watching our table like hawks! We quietly exited just before 7 and before we even left our seats, the geeks, I mean t...

HOLIDAY FUN HANGOVER! Okay, I think this is becoming a habit!   Fun hangovers are becoming part of my daily life!   WHEW!   What a great weekend! With the late Thanksgiving, these holiday events have been coming quickly and they are filling my calendar!   I love it all...but tonight, I see an early bedtime!   December definitely came in quickly and it doesn’t look like it is going to slow down anytime soon.   This weekend was so fun!   Friday started with a Christmas tea, complete with tea sandwiches, amazing sweet treats and delightful company!   I met new friends and enjoyed old ones too!   Saturday it was holiday haircut time, followed by some gift wrapping, and then off to a Gala event…the Ugly Christmas Sweater party.   This party has become quite the event for The Gala, as we collect bottles of liquor to be used as gifts at The Gala.   Let me tell you, it did not disappoint.   The sweaters were crazy – ...

It’s Been a Year!! I just realized that one year ago, I wrote my first blog post.   WOW!   I went to read it I was so proud of myself for taking the leap and now, I have the written word to show how far I have come! The first post was about Thanksgiving and traditions.   It was just Katie, Anthony and me for Thanksgiving…something new for us.   This year, there was Gabriel and lots of family (and lots of stuff!!)!   A lot can happen in between Thanksgivings!! It was also our first brush with a threat of someone in a crowd shooting.    The gun was not real but it was a scary few minutes as we waited in line for a show in downtown Pittsburgh.    Since then, more shootings.   A lot can happen between Thanksgivings! The next post was about my “dip into the online dating pool!”   As I have written about these sites, I have also proclaimed online dating as a thing of the past for me.   It is too scary and full of con ...

Thankful for Thanksgiving! The Sunday after Thanksgiving!   Whew!   It’s been a crazy, super fast, fun and loving week of family and friends!   I have spoken in the past of “fun hangovers” but today…it is a family hangover and I mean that in the best of ways!   Katie, Anthony & Gabriel arrived last Saturday, and I am so grateful for a full week of my family!    I have so much love for them that I feel like my heart could explode!   I’m pretty sure there is a nap in my future, and by future, I mean…this afternoon!!  Being a grandma is sooooo fun, but at 61, my stamina isn't what it used to be!  I kept waiting for someone to say, "you need to take a nap!" but it never came!! Katie and Anthony parent like pros!   They know their baby…what bothers him, what makes him happy, when he’s over tired, and when he’s hungry!   They were able to enjoy a few “breaks” with CeCe, Great-Aunt Lori, Pappaw & Betty Boop, an...