Cheerio 2007, Hello 2008

2007 was a gey year for many of our friends. We already know they will face serious challenges in 2008. So while they are included in the “Happy New Year” wish, I have to add the wish that whatever medical procedures they face will have a successful outcome.

I made new friends in 2007 and enjoyed the company of old friends.  Thanks to the Internet, I could spend time with them, without being ‘there.’ I had the most fun being a WAG (wee Annie’s gang!). We WAGs have tormented Los Andys (Andy Mack of Bluewater Radio in Canada and Andy Ross of Scottish Internet Radio.) I’ll be listening to their Hogmanay Internet hookup with Moray Firth Radio.

Now, please all stand up and join in a Hogmanay toast… “Should Auld Acquaintance be forgot… Then let’s all fling ourselves at 2008!

No More Buckie Paper

My subscription to the Banffshire Advertiser (AKA the Buckie paper) recently came up for renewal. I have always said, “YES PLEASE!” and submitted my credit card number.

But this year I hesitated. The paper costs 45p, but it costs 1 pound 50p to mail.

Div I really wint tae spen that muckle tae ken fa’s deid? 

Christmas Lights

Our contribution of outdoor Christmas lights is quite modest compared to some of our neighbours. We have no Santa on the roof and no Magi in the garden. There are no twinkling, flashing lights.

We do have lights on the 2 lemon trees. The lights on the tree at the front are prominent and are regular outdoor tree lights, 2 strings of them. But the lights on the tree behind are not really visible.

It’s due to my Scottish thrift. When we were choosing lighting for our remodeled kitchen, I saw a string of red pepper chili lights decorating the counter of the showroom. I thought they would look great around one of the windows of my new kitchen. But they didn’t fit and I decided I didn’t want to spoil my new window frames with hooks drilled into them. So I thought they’d look better on the lemon tree, but there’s not enough of them to make a forceful display.

Next year we’ll light up the trees as if the fleet were in port. But now we’ll admire our neighbours’ festive extravaganzas and not mind if they think I’m a canny Scot!

Are you ready for Christmas?

Does anyone find that that question only adds to the stresses of the Season?

I really don’t know what the question means, but I’m guessing I’m being asked if I’ve bought all my gifts, wrapped them, written and sent cards and letters.

But my Christmas is international and I prepare my Christmas cards to send to Scotland months in advance.

Christmas cards from Scotland start arriving at Halloween. This is because the older folk believe that all mail going abroad is sent by sea. It’s really sweet. But now all mail is sent by air and there are no special sea rates.

I believe I’ve sent all my international cards and am processing the inland ones. But the postage rate was increased by 2 cents this year and I’ve got lots of the old rate stamps. I can’t bear to queue in the Post Office for 2 cents stamps. My local branch does not provide seating. (Note to self: Contact the Post Office about seating.)

I’ve sent for 2 cents stamps. They probably won’t arrive till the New Year. So that’s my excuse, but apart from that, I’m ready for Christmas all year round.

Christmas Letters

Over the years Christmas letters from family and friends contained news about newborns and eventually children’s success at school.

Later, the children graduated from university and then there were the wedding photos.

Then there was news of grandchildren. But in that time, we didn’t realise that, we too were participating in the ageing process.

We soon will have lived in California for 30 years.  Our memories of our friends are that they are just as they were when we left.

So I’m distressed to learn that those I care for, long-distance, are experiencing health problems, some age related but all unpleasant.

But it’s interesting to realise that in spite of all accidents requiring stitches and all other things medical, that the letters are upbeat and I appreciate the honesty in sharing the truth.  That’s true friendship.

We’re all on Life’s conveyor belt and if we think you are falling off, due to bad baggage handling, we’ll pull you back on.

Because I want your Christmas letter next year!

How MANY times is THIS the FINAL notice I will receive?

I am all beset around with a car insurance company that randomly dials my telephone number several times a day.

“Please listen carefully to the following message. We have been trying to reach you concerning the expiration of your car’s warranty. This is the final notice you will receive from us. If you have already activated your car’s warranty, press 2. Press 1 to talk to a representative.” Or something similar “Blah Blah Blah.”

I’ve never owned a car in my life, but to date, I can’t get out of the system.

I’ve tried several different approaches to get them to leave me alone.

When I got the first call, I naïvely thought I should tell them I don’t have a car and I pressed 1 so I could explain and tell them not to bother calling back.

That strategy didn’t work and the calls continued, so I pressed 2 to be taken off the list.

After that, I was receiving at least 2 calls a day from this company.

I tried the tactic of telling them I did have a car. One day I had a Rolls Royce, the next a Hillman Imp (a UK car, popular in the 1960s). The reps didn’t believe me and the Hillman Imp one slammed the phone down!

But, nothing worked and I was told several times a day that this was the LAST call I would receive about my car.

Recently, I realised I’m talking to reps I’ve already talked to and they apologise, but they can’t get me out of their system!

Of course, it’s a scam.

Cultural Faux Pas

Richard and I enjoy our weekly Japanese lunch at Yammy Sushi in El Cerrito Plaza. We always order the lunch combination, which is presented with a mound of rice. I don’t like rice so much and I absentmindedly stuck the chopsticks into the rice to ‘hold’ them.

I noticed that the waitress looked upset and she eventually came to the table three times to ask if I was ok. She didn’t ask, as waitresses usually do, if the food was ok, but only if I was ok!

Richard and I talked about it on the way home and concluded that her consternation was related to my putting the chopsticks in my rice and that, perhaps, it was an offensive gesture.

As soon as we got home, I googled “Chopsticks stuck in rice.”

The response was http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2039.html

Now I know that chopsticks are only stuck into rice at funerals.

I will never do that again and I will apologise to the waitress for my mistake and lack of understanding.

We live in a culturally diverse area. We Bay Area residents can learn a lot from each other.