It’s finally here! The day our son and his girlfriend (whom we LOVE) arrive from CA for a short visit. The spaghetti sauce and meatballs have been made and are ready for dinner; the house has been tidied up; the flannel sheets are on the beds; my lesson plans for the rest of the week are made. Can hardly wait to give and get lots of hugs! Hoping Matt and Melissa’s PHL experience is a good one. Of all the airports I’ve been through, PHL remains the most …hmm…how can I put this in the most politically correct term?…the most unpredictable. Yes, that’s a good word! Whenever I depart or arrive in PHL, it seems I’m there at a time of serious construction! I’ve been rained on while walking through the jetway. I’ve been groped thoroughly when my two titanium hips set off bells and whistles at security. (I think many of the attendants were in line getting hamburgers when the “How to be friendly” class was being taught.) I’ve arrived at the busiest times when all the women’s toilets were closed for cleaning, and all the women on the arriving flights were in need of relief and not caring whether the toilets were clean or not! But the funniest experience I’ve had at PHL happened last year when I was traveling alone to CA. I’d entered security, the bells and whistles are going off as expected, and I was ready to give my standard response to the man standing guard. That morning he was a rather small, not-too-young man who looked rather bored as he leaned against the screening device that was making so much noise. “I have two titanium hips and an underwire bra, ” I instantly told him. And then, with not a moment’s pause, he looked at me and said, “Money well spent!” I laughed all through the subsequent pat-down and all the way to the gate. I hope the kids find something to laugh at as they wander through PHL this afternoon.

Just read that only 22 percent of the registerd voters in Berks County actually voted in yesterday’s election. Sad! I’m from a long line of women voters, beginning with my greatgrandmother, Martha, who was a suffragette. My grandmother, Bessie, hobbled to the polls on two canes just before she died, and my mother, Margaret, submitted absentee ballots from her assisted living residence. I’ve voted in five states and cast absentee ballots from Italy. So in my family, women vote! I’m still an idealist who believes one vote can make a difference. The 78 percent who didn’t vote yesterday certainly could have made a significant difference.
Not a good news morning. As a Penn Stater, I bleed blue and white. I thought I was too old and wise to have a hero toppled. Guess there’s no limit to being disillusioned.
But on a much brighter note – my son and his girlfriend are coming from California next week for a visit. We’re VERY excited!!!! I’m going to let all my thoughts focus on that instead of the first two subjects.

Incredible weather! No one around here has ever experienced anything like this in October! And no one’s ever going to have experienced a gathering of five fabulous females like those of us chatting on “That’s What SHE Said!” We met for the first time on Saturday – the day the snow arrived! There’s something serendipitous about that! Looking forward to all we can chat about! And after we get that tree moved that’s blocking our front door, I’ll actually be able to get out in the world again!. Hope Christina, Ellen, Sheila, Jane all got home safely – and that their front doors are more accessible than mine! But the power’s on, and we’re warm and cozy! Blessings abound! (If we don’t get that tree moved, the Treat or Treaters won’t be able to get that ton of candy I bought yesterday. That, however, is not going to be a blessing as my sweet tooth has been luring me away from my Weight Watchers healthy eating lifestyle for the past few weeks! That candy has GOT to go – one way or another, but not via my mouth!)
Happy Halloween!