Well I want to do something. It’s cold. February. Just left January. Double digit minus. It has been a wee bit hard to go outside with my little granddaughter and pookie dog. My granddaughter, bless her heart, has discovered snow as a good treat to eat. But realizes that mitts do not allow for picking up snow because she will not let me put her little thumb into her mitt, which does not allow her the free motion. Ergo, mitt in mouth, pull it off, and voila….little fingers free to be frozen quickly from the delights of eating white icy cold snow. Thank the Lord there is no metal items in the yard for her to try to lick with her tongue. Yikes!! And then there is my dog. Going outside in winter, trying to do her business while at the same time navigating the nuances of right back paw or left back paw lifting up due to cold on wee paws. LOL. It is not fun for her but it is cute to watch.
And honestly, I would rather keep and preserve my lungs for a more milder, less abrupt shock, to the breathing department. I am not quite sure the reasoning behind the brisk walk or run in the cold of cold that I see others do. Nor for that matter, the walk or run in the hot boiling sun. Both extreme and not necessarily attractive or healthy. On the one hand you are bundled up like a woolly muskox while on the other, you are sopping from sweat, the smelly slippery kind. Each heavy on air consumption. Although I have to say wearing masks has come in handy blocking out the sharp chill.
I enjoy physical activity but my brain cannot be on standby either. So lately, I have been engaging in the world of crosswords, especially when I get a few minutes from chasing after my granddaughter. LOL. Now that is my inside physical activity….up and down 14 steps again and again and oh yes, again. Arms holding her little hands while she bends her head back, me taking her weight, as her small legs go one foot at a time, up the stairs. And lo and behold, let’s go down again. Bouncing down on my bottom as she would bumpity bump if I did not do the bump to step bump with her. Great for the min-med-max glutes!! Oh yes. So, crosswords is kind on my body. Mind you, it can be through the charts challenging, making my eyes cross.
Holy moly some of the clues are tough. I certainly cannot go one word at a time, thinking I am going to get them. Silly me. The authors of crossword clues must have a handy dandy thesaurus on had when putting them together. Because goodness, where in all that is holy did they come up with that clue? Geez Louise!! Not only that, have you ever written something down and looked at the word you believe it to be and think – that does not look right? It could even be a simple word that you have written or seen thousands of times but for some reason it does not look or sound right when you write it down on paper or now a days, in text or twitter or email.
The English language is a conundrum. Take for example, the word yacht. Not that I have been on a yacht or use the word very much (or at all), but apparently it has been a favourite of my crosswords of late. So the question to me is “why in the world would I put ‘cht’ together!!!” For that matter, who thought of putting those letters together to make that sound in the first place? Does not begin to make sense? There are quite a few of them actually…english words…. that are spelled crazily. Cheating is not in my wheelhouse generally but hey, I want to at least appear to be smart. LOL. It’s no wonder some people have trouble with the spelling of english words! Nevertheless the joy of crosswords, there is an answer at the back (not referring to the New York Times which makes you wait) so I do it in pen.
But upon reflection, there are so many spellings of words that can be confusing especially when you factor in the American and British english spelling versions. I am not sure the rule of thumb when choosing between burnt-burned, cheque-check, grey-gray, humour – humor, defense – defence, license-licence, colour-color, meter- metre, fibre- fiber, and cancelled- canceled. Why? One’s head could spin. Are they not interchangeable? It can be somewhat frustrating when you are trying to spell and it does not jive with the crossword clues. And do not get me started with technology and the built-in autocorrect or spell check with their bings or tings. Aaaaahhhhh!!!
Have you ever been texting on your cell and the phone’s autocorrect takes on a life of its own? It is hilarious. I thought I said this and then the recipient texts back, what in the world does this mean? So I reread the WHAT I said and it is not even close!! Are there phrases built in to get a texter into trouble? Or I try to text a word and it keeps putting the wrong letters in. What is that? I know the letters are close to one another but seriously. In that, the chat becomes a long thread of texts, sometimes inappropriate wording as well, and voila….lesson learned….READ OVER TEXT before you send it out. Goodness. I think I need new glasses. And lastly, just as a point of interest, check who you are texting before you hit Send. I have been caught in the do’s and don’ts of texting where I was chatting to multiple people at same time. Yeah. Man, that gets the brain active, heart pumping, and fingers flying across the keys.
Well, onwards and upwards. Speaking of heart pumping, a good friend was playing this newer game, called the Wordle Game, and was affronted that he could not solve the puzzle. He is a bit of a nerdy trivia, brainiac so this kind of surprised me. The point of the game is to guess the wordle, meaning you have to know 5 letter words. Simple huh!? Nope. There are no clues to the hidden word except you have 26 letters to work with and guess the 5 letter word in 6 steps. FYI: The New York Times bought the game from Josh Wordle. And you know what that means….brain drain. As the news article coins the NYT as having the “portfolio of original, engaging puzzle games”, the wordle game is going to be HARD. Just saying. I tend to avoid the crosswords from the New York Times because I would like to feel like I am quasi smart. Hahaha. But come on solving a 5 letter word in 6 steps, it can’t be that hard. Can it? Apparently as I watched my friend. And the neat thing is you can do it in a friendly group competition format, sharing app and seeing who the best….solving in maybe two steps not 6, or none. Yikes!!
Being active. As I look out the window, after another night of snowfall, and cold. Yeah, stairs for me. Thanks granddaughter. And brain drain….crossword puzzle a la mode (super size large print even). Blessings.
Let us pray for those who are in need of prayers and helping others to be active. Thinking of you mom and dad.
Autocorrects Humour of Cell phone funny and (Disclaimer of sites cited. If looking at sites, some examples beyond my colourful language sharing or way of talking. So sharing PG only for me. Sheesh)
Dad: Your mom and I are going to divorce next month. Daughter: what?? why! call me. please? Dad: I wrote Disney and this phoned changed it. We are going to Disney.
R: We are watching Harry potato R: and the sorcerer’s stove R: potter* stone* sweet Jesus R: Harry potato and the sorcerer’s stove sounds like the lamest movie ever S: tears emoiji
Dad: Do you have a key to get in? Mom: Grandpa dies. Mom: Does. Dad: emoji big eyes Mom: My bad it was spell check does.
Grandma: What time are you leaving in the morning? I need you to look at my crotch, I have a knot with a tail & two strands of yarn coming out of the same end, big mess… Granddaughter: grandma? I think you meant crotchet. I am not interested in looking at your crotch.
Katie: You have no value. Katie: meant to say clue Katie: I’m sure you have great value. Katie: sorry.
Girl: Can you pick me up some more boobsicles? Girl: No. I meant boobsicles. Girl: booksicles. Girl: GOD DONKEY. Friend: So that’s 3 orders of boobsicles and one holy donkey. Anything else?:)
Teacher: Are you doing the nutcracker this year? Director: Yep. I’m auctioning kids tomorrow. Director: Suctioning kids. Director: Ridiculous auto cat rectal. Director: Birdseed. Director: I AM AUDITIONING KIDS FORPLAY. TEACHER: Wow I am sorry that I asked. Hahahahahah.
Karenpondering 