Siggy's Blurbs: Siggy's Edge of Country …

My son likes painting water colors. He showed us on his cell a picture of one he made for his young nephew–less than a year old. It was lovely. I was thrilled he did that. His nephew will appreciate the picture when he gets older. It so happened that we gave him a paint set for Hanukkah and Christmas. He was delighted with it. My wife bought the set for him. I still have two collages he made for me–one was for father’s day and he made a small one on a mirror. I do not see him often enough but when he is in the area, he makes an effort to see me, which I appreciate. I talk to him every few weeks briefly. I am glad we have that contact. All I know he gives great hugs.

Tags: art, Christmas, collages, Father's Day, Hanukkah, my son and I have regular contact, my son gives great hugs, My son paints water colors
Posted in art, beauty, children, local, relationships, time | No Comments »

It is so easy to become unhappy.  It is so easy to center on what you don’t have.  I have to center on the multiple blessings I have been given:  food, shelter, a loving wife.  Humans have the capacity to want things they don’t have.  It only makes me unhappy.  For the rest of the Christmas season and New Year I will thank the Lord for the many blessings I have been given.  There is so much I have to thank the Lord for.  I will think about those things the rest of the year.

Tags: blessings, Christmas, count your blessings, food and shelter, God, gratitude, it is so easy to become unhappy, loving wife, multiple blessings, New Year, thank God, thank the Lord
Posted in balance, God, knowledge&learning, life, local, love, marriage, mental health, seasons, time, wisdom | No Comments »

My son moved to South Carolina today.  Myrtle Beach to be exact.  This is a big move on his part.  He has always lived in Central Pennsylvania his whole life.  I guess the only constant is change.  He is coming back for Christmas.  I will see him then.  And I wish him good luck.

Tags: Central Pennsylvania, Christmas, moving to South Carolina, my son, Myrtle Beach, only constant is change, The Southern Beach
Posted in children, life, relationships, time | No Comments »

It was a choice between looking ridiculous or being cold.  A few years ago for a Christmas someone presented me with a ten foot scarf they must have spent many hours knitting.  When I saw how “impossibly” long it was I roared.

Yesterday it was cold and I pulled out that scarf from the closet and wrapped it around my neck six times so I would not trip on it.  I felt absolutely toasty with it when I went out.  I even forgot I had it till then.

My other commented how silly I looked in it when I returned.  I also had a white cap on which said San Francisco to complete the picture.  I told her I did not care and if I had to make a choice from looking ridiculous or cold I pick ridiculous any day.

She just laughed at me again as I departed the house.  There are few people in this world who have a ten foot long scarf.  I am just plain lucky.

Tags: being cold, Christmas, looking ridiculous, my wife, San Francisco cap, ten foot scarf
Posted in health, humor, local, love, marriage, seasons, wisdom | 2 Comments »

It was a small Christmas gift to my wife–the wind chimes.  I liked the way it sounded.  She placed it to the left of the open door of our office.  Many times during the day I brush it and immediately think of my wife.  I never would have placed it there but it was a perfect spot for it.  I love its high pitched tinkle and it usually “speaks” to me when I least expect it to:  it takes me right back to my wife.  Almost every time.

Tags: Christmas, my wife, office, tinkling wind chimes, wind chimes
Posted in beauty, local, love, marriage, relationships, time | No Comments »

I never gave my left arm any thought.  They operated on it in the last week.  It was a surgical procedure to ready me for dialysis.  Now I have some idea how my friend David feels:  He is a guitarist who has to be careful how much he plays because he has a “bad” wrist.

My arm was sore and if I use it too much it hurts even more.  I never gave my left arm any thought.  What else am I taking for granted?  I can’t drive too well and Christmas is coming up.

I don’t feel like shopping.  Now the holiday is two weeks away and I do not feel like ordering gifts via the internet.  And it is getting too late to do so.  I just can’t do a whole lot with a sore left arm.  It is hard not to feel sorry for myself.

Tags: Christmas, Christmas shopping, dialysis, feel sorry for myself, gifts, God, guitarist, internet, my left arm is sore, surgical operation
Posted in God, health, knowledge&learning, local, love, marriage, mental health, time | No Comments »

Things really do not make me happy. Christmas is fast appearing. We have received several dozen catalogs all displaying their wares and I don’t care.

Less than a week ago I had minor surgery. I don’t feel an hundred per cent. I had a fistula made. It was not that minor. I was under twice for two and half hours. (They had to repeat the operation.)

My hand is healing and I can’t do things so well with one. If I used (???) my left hand too much, it hurts too badly and sometimes I have to take pain medication.

We take so much for granted–I included. My kids were over and my son was disappointed I did not make potato latkes (a traditional Hanukkah dish).

I just could not do it. I am depressed and just want the holiday season to be over.  I can not easily do things I once took for granted.  I know it will get better but that does not make me feel any better.

Tags: Christmas, depressed, fistula, God, Hanukkah, holiday season, minor surgery, my kids, my son, potato latkes, take things for granted
Posted in children, God, health, life, local, mental health, time, wisdom | No Comments »

We canceled our Dish and I got depressed.  We realized we were paying $600 a year for it.  Money got a little tighter the last few months and it was just too much money for that privilege.

Nevertheless I became depressed after we canceled that service.  On the upside we had lots of DVDs and old videos to watch.  There were plenty of films I have not seen.  I still have not watched Ken Burns series on jazz my wife got me for Christmas maybe five years ago.

All of that did not matter.  I still became depressed.  Like I lost a friend.  Something I took for granted.  And now it was gone.

Tags: Christmas, depressed, DVDs, films, jazz, Ken Burns, money, my wife, old videos, took for granted, TV
Posted in local, money, time | No Comments »

I am thrilled the Norfolk Pine is thriving in our house.  We bought it two Christmases ago and put it outside when it warmed up.  It does not like temperatures below sixty.

It lost quite a few branches when we bought it.  It was our Christmas tree that winter.  I did not entertain too much hope that it would survive another winter inside.  We placed it in another spot where it would get more light.

I was so happy when I observed it was doing well in the new spot.  It no longer was losing leaves.  In fact, it was growing–always a good sign the plant liked the spot it was placed in.

Now we will put it out again when it warms up.  I am so happy it is still alive.  I never expected it to live once we had to bring it in again.  It did so poorly the first year it was in.  This was a little thing but isn’t life composed of many small pleasures?

Tags: Christmas, Christmas tree, life composed of many small pleasures, lost quite a few branches, no longer losing leaves, Norfolk pine, winter
Posted in beauty, death, God, knowledge&learning, local, nature, seasons, time | 1 Comment »

I keep looking out my window into the yard for the chukar partridge but no luck.  I first saw it Christmas eve, then Christmas again and finally the next morning when I flushed it when I let out my dogs.

Every day since I have been looking for it.  I found out it is a game bird, somewhat rare.  I will just consider the sighting serendipity.  Nevertheless, I will keep hoping to catch a glimpse of it.

Tags: bird-watching, birds, catch a glimpse, Christmas, Christmas eve, chukar partridge, dogs, flushed the bird, pets, rare game bird, serendipity
Posted in beauty, birds, God, knowledge&learning, local, nature, time | 3 Comments »

(1)  My wife whose support makes it all worthwhile

(2)  The extension of our fence so now all four dogs can run wild within it and we don’t have to worry about them getting out

(3)  The seventh Christmas we are spending together

(4)  The purchase of a “new” used vehicle

(5)  another year

(6)  my illness if you can call it that has given me a keener sense of the time bestowed to me

(7)  my two sisters who are always there when I need them

(8)  The four books Marilyn sent to me

(9)  all my friends

(10)  The safety of my trip to Boston during a difficult time:  I know angels were watching me during my ride to Boston and back.

(11)  I finally made it to “Walden Pond”

(12)  All my animals particularly my four dogs who never ask for anything and just love you unconditionally

(13)  For providing for all our needs

(14)  All the people who take care of us:  from Bob our mechanic to our dentist and all our doctors.  They just serve us.

(15)  My wife, the editor, lover and friend

(16)  John, you know who you are

(17)  The heat in our house

(18)  My web site and “Siggy’s Blurbs”

(19)  Sara’s support, you know who you are, also

(20)  My two, Emma and Saul

(21)  for everything I have forgotten to be grateful for

(22)  Pastor Pete and his flock

(23)  only “You” who without I can not do any thing

Tags: 2009, angels watching me, Bob our mechanic, books, Christmas, dogs, dogs love you unconditionally, editor lover and friend, Emma, fence, four dogs, friends, God, grateful, gratitude, heat in our house, illness, John, Marilyn, my animals, my friends, my two sisters, my web site, my wife, new used vehicle, our dentist, our doctors, Pastor Pete and his flock, people take care of us, pets, providing for all our needs, Sara's support, Saul, Siggy's Blurbs, those who serve, time bestowed to me, trip to Boston, Walden Pond, You who I can not do anything without
Posted in animals, beauty, children, death, God, health, life, local, love, marriage, mental health, relationships, seasons, time, wisdom, writing, your job/mission/profession | 2 Comments »

It is never too late to start a new tradition with your kids.  It still remains to be seen if it turns out to be a new tradition but I remain hopeful.

I never saw my two kids at Christmas time.  I was divorced since 2002 and I never remember seeing them then.  It was always a painful time for me.  I was always reminded my two kids lived with their Mom.

Last night I had my two kids over for Hanukkah (I am Jewish, too).  I decided to celebrate Hanukkah and Christmas early last night.  Hanukkah is eight days long and my “window” is much larger to see them.

I made potato latkes (potato pancakes) and cheesecake cupcakes for dinner for them and my wife.  We exchanged Christmas presents.  It was a pleasant evening and gave me hope that I might have started a new tradition.

The holidays were always a “hard” time for me.  It is never too late to start a new tradition.

Tags: cheesecake, Christmas, Christmas presents, cupcakes, dinner, divorce, eight days, Hanukkah, holidays, Jewish, mother, my kids, my wife, painful time, potato latkes, potato pancakes, start a new tradition
Posted in children, God, knowledge&learning, life, local, love, marriage, relationships, seasons, time, wisdom | No Comments »