GETTING READY

It's that time of year when I start packing for Florida. I'll be leaving in about two weeks, so the JOB of getting my things together has got to get done soon. It's a job that I do not look forward to, I think about it more then I do it.

I stayed home today, pulled out the boxes, garment bags and luggage - now all I have to do is fill them up! Every year I say, "I'm going to take less this year," I know, the less I take, the less I have to handle. Those are the facts, maam, just have to put that into practice.

In between packing I take a break, sit down and make some necessary phone calls, call to suspend Massachusetts telephone and call Southern Bell to start Florida service, call The Boston Globe to stop service and call Sun Sentinel to start service and on and on that goes.

You would think that would be easy BUT what I ran into today was, "we have a heavy volume at this time, if this is not an emergency call back at another time." I tried again and finally got through - the person spoke English with a heavy accent, so I had to ask her several times to repeat what she was saying. It took me a good half hour to accomplish something that should have taken, tops fifteen minutes. I'll make my other calls another day.

Every season in Florida is different, some winters are cool, hot, rainy and even cold. Two winters I spent time in the hospital. Some winters I have seen wonderful shows, others not so wonderful. The flea markets are always fun and there's always Mah Jongg.

I know that one big reason this season is going to be different is because a few of my best friends will not be going down. Two of the "girls" are physically unable to make the trip. Another friend and my two cousins are going to do some traveling.

One of the "girls" that is not able to go this season was a great influence on me, I'm not a clothes shopper and she would drag me out to the store, that's how I would buy some clothes.

Another "girl" that won't be there this season would find the most interesting things to do, museums, art shows and college programs.

In the past I would spend quality time with my cousins, go out to lunch, dinner, movies, plays or they would have me over to their home for dinner.

I'll miss them all. so I am not only getting ready physically, I'm getting ready mentally.

I want to end this post on a happy note so what I am happy to report is, "the Mah Jongg game is still in-tact. Those "girls" will be there for me"!