WHAT'S IN YOUR MAILBOX?

With emails and texting all the rage, the art of letter writing has become passe. Yet, I adhere to it. Every week I sit down with pen in hand... and write handwritten letters to my best friend. She lives across the state, miles away, and we seldom if ever get to see each other. However, we keep in touch by all means at our disposal. And letter writing, via USPS, with stamped envelopes, is one of our main ways of communicating. It has gotten a little pricey I know. But, nothing thrills me more than to get an old fashioned letter, or to send one. Since I do not have a mailbox outside my residence, I have to go downtown to pick up my mail. I do this once a week. But when I send a letter I usually do it from Meijer's. They have a mailbox there. It's much closer to where I live than the post office, and they pick up twice a day at Meijer's. Whereas... the downtown branch of the post office only has one pickup time daily. And since I'm seldom there, but once a week, it's a tad bit inconvenient, if I want my letters to get to my girlfriend in a timely fashion. So I opt for convenience. Do you write letters? Or prefer emails and texting?

MARCH MADNESS, BASKETBALL & ME

At our house we didn't fill in brackets or turn on the tv for the NCAA Men's Basketball Championship.  If anything we were disappointed that the network pre-empted our soap opera because of it. I do not have anything against basketball. I fondly remember my youth, when basketball was a part of my life. My dad rigged up a basketball net inside the garage... and my little brother and I... passed the hours away... shooting hoops. Those were good times and I enjoyed them. But... as I got older the sport was lost to me, and I never gave it much thought, anymore. At least not until this year. Nowadays, March Madness is everywhere, and you can't help but pay attention to all the hype. Especially when Warren Buffet offers a billion dollars to someone with a perfect bracket. So, I wasn't really surprised... when I was out shopping, and came across an indoor basketball game... set up in a store, complete with a small hoop and a couple balls. On a whim, with nobody watching but the security cameras... I decided to try my luck.  What fun it was trying to get a basket. I felt like a kid again. And even though I wasn't betting on the big games, I got to participate in March Madness in my own way. Did you?

PEANUTS & DISAPPEARING ALLERGY

A couple years ago... I was eating a PAYDAY candy bar and thought I was going to die. My throat closed up and I had trouble breathing. The only thing the doctor could come up with at the time was I must be allergic to the peanuts in the candy. I found this hard to believe because I grew up eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. But seeing the kind of reaction I had to the candy bar... I decided to steer clear of anything with peanuts. And I did for a few years. Over time, however... I forgot about it... and was back to smearing peanut butter on my toast, with no problems. The other night my hubby and I placed a carryout order for a couple sandwiches. And low and behold, there in the restaurant... was a big box of peanuts, with a sign encouraging customers to dig in while they waited for their orders. Not giving it a second thought, we got a tray, piled it with peanuts and started eating. They were delicious. Apparently my food allergy is a thing of the past. Did you ever have an adverse reaction to something you ate?

AFTERNOON DELIGHT AT DAIRY QUEEN

We were driving by the old Dairy Queen, over the weekend, and were surprised to see it open for the season. Usually they wait until a few days after spring arrives to reopen. Needless to say, we were shocked because temperatures outside were in the lower teens and there was a bitter wind blowing. It was freezing.  But surprise, surprise... there standing in line for ice cream were at least a dozen people. I shouted, "STOP!" to my husband who was behind the wheel. When we managed to turn the car around, to try to get a picture, of all these people decked out in their hats, coats and gloves waiting in line... they had been waited on, and were gone. So I have no proof they were there, but believe me, they were. What do you think? Is it ever too cold for an ice cream treat?

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY

IRISH PROVERBS
* A drink precedes a story.
* Time is a great story teller.
* A friend's eye is a good mirror.
* Even a small thorn causes festering.
* Good as drink is, it ends in thirst.
* It is a long road that has no turning.
* As the big hound is, so will the pup be.
* A trade not properly learned is an enemy.
* Put silk on a goat, and it's still a goat.
* When the liquor was gone the fun was gone.
* There is no fireside like your own fireside.
* It is not a secret if it is known by three people.
* It takes time to build castles. Rome was not built in a day.
* The man with the boots does not mind where he places his foot.
* If you do not sow in the spring you will not reap in the autumn.
* When a twig grows hard it is difficult to twist it. 
* Every beginning is weak.

WALNUT CAKE, YUMMY TREAT

In my husband's travels... he frequents ethnically diverse areas, where there are small shops, bakeries and restaurants that cater to the local populations and their cultures. Every week he tries to bring home something new for me to eat from wherever he is. This week, in honor of the Olympic torch being passed, from Russia to South Korea, for the 2018 winter games... he brought home Korean Walnut Cakes. These were absolutely scrumptious. Made to mimic the size and shape of a large walnut... inside was a delicious filling that tasted like a walnut too.  I really enjoyed them. Can't wait to see what my husband brings me next week.

A BAD SPELL

I am glad to see last week go. It was a difficult one for me and my family. The week started off with me throwing my back out. I was bed ridden for a couple of days. And managing the pain was hard to do when I finally could get up and about. It was then my daughter was rushed to the emergency room with a potential heart attack. After a zillion tests, they admitted her and scheduled an emergency cardiac catheterization. We were worried sick.  My son-in-law, her children and I waited for the cardiologist to tell us the results. Fortunately, she had no blockages that required a stent. However her heart is having spasms when her blood pressure spikes. So they put her on medication to get it under control. After a couple days in the hospital she was released to go home. Getting her discharge papers proved to be more of a hassle than being there, let me tell you. But she's finally home recovering from surgery. However, I wasn't through seeing the inside of a hospital. I spent all day Friday with my husband at another one while he was getting a breathing test and echocardiogram because his COPD has worsened. Needless to say, I hope this week is better... even if we are expecting MORE snow.