I'm not water, I'm air! I'm not a Scorpio, I'm a Libra

As if it wasn't hard enough for me to get used to being a fifty-year old woman, now my identity has changed again!

My Zodiac connection is no longer!

According to an AOL article, The Minnesota Planetarium Society says the astrological signs we follow today are not what the Babylonians intended.

The ancient Babylonians based zodiac signs on the constellation where the sun was present on a person’s birthday.  However, since the original signs were created,  the moon's gravitational pull has changed the Earth’s position. This created about a month-long bump in the star’ alignment and our current signs may be off by several days.

So we may or may not be the same Zodiac sign and element.

I have become a Libra from a Scorpio, and my element has changed from Water to Air!

One study of personality traits said that a person with the Earth element reflects common sense. A Fire person is action orientated. An Air person has thinking and communication skills, and a Water person has the ability to feel and intuitively know things.

So, I no longer can think intuitively, but I can think and communicate!

Looking at my immediate family a lot has changed. My son remains a Virgo, but my daughter moves from Libra into Virgo, and my husband moves from Scorpio also into Virgo. I move from Scorpio into Libra.

And, I was proud of the fact that my husband and I, two Scorpios, were so compatible! 

Not only do I have to recalibrate my thinking, but all the daily horoscopes need to change to reflect these new dates.

And the tattoo shops will be busy!  How many people do you think now have the incorrect Zodiac sign on their bodies?

Astrology buffs should be using these dates, reflecting where the stars currently are aligned:
•    Capricorn: Jan. 20-Feb. 16
•    Aquarius: Feb. 16-March 11
•    Pisces: March 11-April 18
•    Aries: April 18-May 13
•    Taurus: May 13-June 21
•    Gemini: June 21-July 20
•    Cancer: July 20-Aug. 10
•    Leo: Aug. 10-Sept. 16
•    Virgo: Sept. 16-Oct. 30
•    Libra: Oct. 30-Nov. 23
•    Scorpio: Nov. 23-29
•    Ophiuchus: Nov. 29-Dec. 17 *Discarded by the Babylonians because they wanted 12 signs per year
•    Sagittarius: Dec. 17-Jan. 20.

So, I'm losing the Scorpion tail and gaining Scales!  A trade up?   Who knows.

 The New Sylvia

Ducks Suck, not! Sharks Bite, not!

So now that I'm basically awake from my 24-hour marathon attending the Great Sharks Infestation trip, let me tell you a little about the trip. First off, I have to thank Doug and the other coordinators for creating an event that my entire family could enjoy. It's so difficult to find an activity that my husband, son, daughter, and myself can all really enjoy. The love of the San Jose SHARKS is our common denominator!

It's hard to find something that my golf-worshipping, warm weather lovers known as my husband and son can have in common with my daughter and I who don't like the heat and don't have the skills for golf!
So, it's inside the SHARKS tank, and now the DUCK Pond, that we get to bond in perfect harmony. O.K. not so perfect- the Sharks lost!

But, take away the wins and losses, and we still have great family time.

My husband and son are used to getting up in the wee hours to get that great tee time. Jackie and I, not so much. Nonetheless, we all managed to make the 5:00 a.m. departure time for the ride to the Tank. With plenty of time to spare, we joined the freezing masses as we awaited our entry onto the buses.



I'm not awake and it's freezing!



Brodie, It's 5:30 a.m. how do you feel?

Our bus was pretty comfortable and our friend, Jerry, was named bus captain. He had the important job of making sure the bathroom had T.P., sanitizer, and freshener. He also coordinated the garbage bag, and asked all the missing people to speak up at each rest stop so we knew we were "good to go." It was a tough job and he sparkled!



It's comfy in here!



Mommy are we there yet?



Captain Jerry takes his job seriously!


After a few quiet hours, we put in the hockey movie "Slap Shot." It was entertaining, and my son decided we need to get the "Hanson Brothers" for our beloved Sharks. They need something right now. My car analogy is that they are like "spark plugs that are misfiring and the car's not functioning on all cylinders."

My daughter also learned to knit on the road trip! She now has about one inch of a Teal Scarf started!

Jackie being taught knitting by Teresa

But, we still love our Sharks, and as my husband reminded me, we still think the Ducks Suck. We have T-shirts to prove it! Last night they had a very hot goalie! Ours wasn't too bad but something is just not clicking with the Sharks right now.

We arrived at the Honda (Ponda) Center at 1:00 p.m. so that left us with a few hours to kill. Hockey players take shots, we downed ours!  After fun at Acapulco, we headed over to the arena for a group shot and then took over sections 408 and 409. I thought that was fitting since our area code in San Jose is 408. The boys of the group also left little duckies wading in the bathrooms around the POND!



Little duckies don't know yet where they will end up!



Jackie and the Mighty Duck



Duck Suck!

So True!

We made a lot of noise and got a shout out on Comcast. We had over 350 people on 5 buses and next year they hope to grow that number. Let's hope for a win, because, let's face it, it's always more fun to celebrate a win, then take a six hour bus ride home after a loss!

What made this trip even more fun, was that my husband's sister and her family bought tickets to the game. They live down south, but are novices when it comes to hockey games. They sat in section 417 but we were able to have "family time" between periods. I think they might have left the Honda Center with little smirks on their faces! Oh well, you still have to love your family! 

After the game a bunch of us went to dinner (and probably some drinking) at JT Schmid's. And then before we knew it, it was 10:00 p.m. and time to start our journey back home.

Thanks to our great bus driver, we made it back to the Tank by 4:00 and were in our comfy beds by 4:30 a.m.

So, while I may not do the wee morning thing for awhile, I will always celebrate my Sharks! "Let's go SHAR-----ARKS! I will wear my Teal proud. Though I probably won't be walking the streets of San Jose wrapped in a blanket with my Sharks Jersey and scarf anytime soon.

I have to mention one last bit of irony. As we drove home, a bit deluded from lack of sleep and a great loss, I spotted the yellow rubber ducky on top of the Children's Discovery Museum. O.K. we get it,
Ducks ruled the night. But, they won't invade the tank!

With a hoarse voice, I bid you goodbye.

Sylvia

Oh no! You didn't fall for that scam?

There are lots of times in life when you want to impart some wisdom to your kids. And, there are times when you feel compelled to help them out. Not so thankfully, because of the later, I now have imparted wisdom upon my daughter, Jackie.

Jackie wanted what lots of people want these days. She was tired of her knockoff UGGS and wanted to pay the price for good and trusted quality. So, what did I do. I checked on the Internet to see if I could find any sales. I would never dream of spending $180 on a pair of boots, so I'm sure the cheap part of me (it's a pretty big part of my DNA) decided I could help her save some money. I was so excited when I found the particular UGGS she wanted for only $109.99. The website that came up was macysboots.com and looked real. I never in my wildest thoughts believed it would lead me down that slippery slope called "Internet scams."

Jackie went ahead and ordered a pair in black and chestnut and seemed happy. That was until I checked the website yesterday only to find it no longer came up as a valid site. I then typed in a google search on the company and found a fraud notice that someone had posted. In this day and age, it's so easy to find things online, including warnings about fraud and how to fix computer problems. I'm glad people take the time to post helpful tips on these subjects. It's just too bad I didn't check out the company before I told my daughter about the great deal I found.

Oh well, so as of now, she doesn't have UGG boots, but she has a $230 charge from a grocery store in China! And a international transaction fee to boot (no pun intended!). I told her to cancel her credit card and she's working on reporting the fraud. The sad thing is that her bank asked her if the transaction was valid a couple of days ago and she said yes. After all, the online sales transaction they were inquiring about she thought was for her boots. She had no way of knowing she was authorizing someone to eat well in China!

So now her mom has learned a valuable lesson. Stop being so cheap! Buy the real and trusted product.

The old adage, "if it seems to good to be true...." is true!

Lesson learned.
Sylvia

i-need this holiday season........

Today I went to lunch with my friend, Corinne, but it wasn't just a lunch date. It was a lesson on how to taste sample your way through Valley Fair. And, for good measure, we threw in a free massage.

Let me fill you in on how to spend a nice afternoon at Valley Fair and feel relaxed and content. Warning,  there is chocolate involved!

After getting great French Onion Soup at the Nordstrom Cafe, we went on search of some tasty samples. Corinne is experienced and took me to Williams-Sonoma where I drank mulled spiced Apple Cider and ate some peppermint bark followed by peppermint patties. Next it was on to Harry n David where they gave you samples of Moose Munch and free coffee and tea.

After our free dessert, we browsed through Pottery Barn and Restoration Hardware. If only I had a lot of spendable money!

Those just whetted our appetite for the finer things. What really set it into high gear was our visit to Tiffany & Co.We sampled taffy in Tiffany. So I didn't leave empty-handed.  I did a little market research and found that the cheapest thing is a $30 deck of cards! Corinne tried on a gold bracelet that cost over $600. But, it was the ring we looked at that cost more than $121,000 for a little over 2.25 carats that glossed our eyes over.

O.K. some people really do indulge!  We left and continued on our trek for free stuff.  We ended up in See's  Candies where we got a sample of California Brittle. It's so yummy.

With our stomachs full we didn't end the day before getting a free chair massage at Brookstone. It was so great that I bought the i-need lumbar massager. The packaging reads, " i-need to feel good. In a world of push and shove, stop and go, up and down, you need some real relief. Little soothing hands that knead away stress, make you feel better and help you relax. For life's little aches, you need i-need."

I do indeed!

In addition to my massager, I bought a cute little hat for $9.99. 

I also got to see The Beatles!  Of course, it was in front of the Apple Store.

All in all, I say I had a pretty inexpensive day of eating and shopping. I mean in comparison to a $121,000 ring, I spent a pittance!

I can't wait to go out again with Corinne. I wonder what other little secrets she has up her sleeve?

Happy Holidays and Happy Shopping!
Sylvia

Does food heal?



Turkey and Vegetable Soup



Some say food has healing powers. I don't know about that. All I know is that the first week of December isn't over, and already I have consumed my entire list of Holiday yumminess! It starts with the Thanksgiving dinner, and most importantly, the leftovers. I even made homemade Turkey and Vegetable soup this year so my tidings of goodness will last longer.  Then I usually get a break from overeating, but not this year! This year Hanukkah was less than a week after Thanksgiving. So my stomach enjoyed Brisket and Potato Pancakes even before I had a chance to get off the Thanksgiving pounds.

Now that's a plate!

I also like to indulge in a few Tamales this time of year. I love the Mexican tradition of Tamales at Christmas. I don't have any friends giving me homemade tamales, but I have enjoyed several from El Pollo Loco. They aren't bad.

In the past, we have had lox and bagels on Christmas morning. My daughter and I have already consumed those too!  And for good measure, I've made and ate my Matzo Toffee Brittle!

Hanukkah Dinner

What's a girl to do now? Turkey-check. Brisket-check. Lox and Bagels-check. Tamales-Check. Matzo Toffee Brittle-Check.  There's nothing left on my must-have list. As far as I'm concerned, the Holidays have come and gone. Now, it's back to watching what I eat - I mean eating less, and more exercise!

Oh, I must not forget the libations. Wine-check. Hot chocolate-check. Cosmos-check. Egg Nog- never. I hate the stuff!

So, whatever your traditions are around food, I hope you enjoy. May your plates runeth over. And do save room after the appetizers for the main course!

Basil and Roasted Bell Pepper Spread

Orange and Avocado Salsa

Happy Holidays,

Sylvia

The Calm before the Storm!

Come out, come out wherever you are. No, I'm not trying to repeat the Good Witch's request to the munchkins!  I'm talking about all the pots and pans, silverware, and glassware that gets used during the annual Thanksgiving dinner!

I've started early this year. It kind of feels like the calm before the storm. So far today I have set the table, although I just realized I haven't put out any water or drink glasses, and I've started preparing the yam dish and the mashed potatoes. I've even diced the onions and celery for the stuffing. I'm feeling pretty proud, and my feet are tired. So, I'm taking a quick break to write this blog and then it will be back to finding all the pots and pans that I need.

I can't believe how much style demands pretty bowls, platters and serving pieces. And, I'm not even using my good china or real silverware!  Thank God I don't have to polish the silverware or remove the china piece by piece from each protective storing sleeve. No, I'm using my next best stuff. It's not my everyday dishes, but not fancy either.  You want fancy, go to Macy's and look at the displays. You want comfortable, come to my house.


Almost there. I forgot the glassware!


I'm preparing for ten people.That's not a huge crowd, but nonetheless, it's tiring. I can't believe how much prep work is involved so that 10 people can open their mouths, inhale, and consume an entire meal in about 15 minutes. Amortize the time spent buying groceries, finding serving pieces, cooking, and acting the part of the "host", and it's not a great deal. It's probably about twelve hours of work divided by 10 people equals more than one hour per person prep time for a 15 minute binge session. And, I'm not even calculating in the time spent cleaning up the meal, doing the dishes, and then putting everything away in a place you will be able to find next year!

So, is this time well spent?  I guess so. My husband tells me it's his favorite holiday. No presents involved.
And, my daughter tells me it's her favorite meal.  So, I guess that's enough of a reason to do this every year. My son, well, he doesn't care for the food all that much, except for the 10 or so dinner rolls that he eats each year. 

So, enough of a break, I need to get back to organizing for the big showdown.

I wonder if I will be the last one standing.  Oh, that's a stupid thought. Of course I will. I see visions of midnight dish duty. But, at least I can also get one last nibble of turkey in solitude. You know, that is absolutely when the turkey tastes its best.  When everyone is gone and I'm the only one standing in the kitchen. Why is that?

Happy Thanksgiving,
Sylvia

The second half of my century!

Well, I did it. I hit the big 5-0!  And life goes on.
I had a great time celebrating with my husband in Vegas. I saw the three "B's"- Bargains, Billionaires and Bums!  I also took the "Pay less no stress express" otherwise known as the monorail. It was a great way to see the strip and give my feet a much deserved break. There is no way around it, you have to walk in Vegas.

Vegas is a very bright and vibrant city. Just how I hope I am!  I received a card that read, "Congrats for hitting this major milestone in life. You've obviously done it with style, grace and creativity." I hope that's true too.

The card I received from my son, took another view, " Hey, look on the bright side. Okay, there is no bright side. There's a bright light, but you're gonna want to stay away from that."

And then there was the card from my twin, "The Dwarfs at 50: Squinty, Itchy, Gassy, Saggy, Cranky, Gimpy, Snoozy. Hope your 50th isn't short on Happy!" It wasn't!

My older sister sent me this, " may the second half of your century be joyous and expanding and illuminating and wonderful." Was she referring to an expanding waistline? Or perhaps, the introduction of grandchildren? Let's hold off on both of those prospects for now.

While in Vegas they promote "Flashbacks" otherwise known as skimpy showgirls' behinds. I must also add "Flyovers."  Mitch and I went and saw "Vegas the Show" and it was an homage to the old Vegas. The stars impersonated Elvis, Sonny and Cher, Elton John, The Rat Pack and others. In one segment the showgirls got on little swings and literally few over us in our second row seats. No need to leave anything to the imagination.

I guess it's true that Vegas has something for everyone. Where else can you see Buddha, Elvis and a stripper pole? And, yes I have the pictures to prove it.

So Viva Las Vegas!

And Viva me!



Buddha and Me!



Viva Elvis and Me!




I had to do it!



50th Birthday dinner at Spago's with my husband, Mitch



Tony and Tina's Wedding, a great dinner show!



Drinking an Eiffel Tower!