Arrrgh!!!

I'm delighted to tell you that the wedding was LOVELY! It came off without a hitch (other than a cloudy, blustery day), and the reception was wonderful. Despite the fact that there were a LOT of factions from three separate families in attendance, there were no fights or hard words. Everyone was on their best behavior, and a good time was had by most.

The bride was breathtakingly lovely. Everyone was emotional, and in the midst of the pastor's comments she reached up and brushed a tear off her husband-to-be's face. It was a charming moment. Mike is a typical guy who doesn't go around with his emotions on his sleeve, so it was reassuring to see the emotion well up in him as Laura and DH started down the aisle.

I lost it as DH gave his daughter away, but I managed to keep it down to a few joyous tears and no snuffling! lol The night before I had been given an embroidered handkerchief as a gift, and I put it to good use.

The reception was lots of fun. We mingled and chatted with family members and new friends and the wedding party. The DJ played a great variety of music, and I discovered that my son-in-law's mother has similar taste in music to me. She likes jazz and old rock 'n' roll. Her husband is a charming man. I hope we get to see the two of them again.

Soooo.....it was worth all the work, so that I could enjoy myself. I went, with the intention of enjoying myself, and encouraged everyone else to do the same.
I had been following Drowning Fish's saga of the wedding she was attending, and worried that we might have the same experience.....but we lucked out. So, we will be the exception that makes the rule.

I'm certainly not as eloquent as Texas T-bone on the subject of weddings. You have to go visit and read what he has to say about them.

I hope that any of you who have weddings to attend have as good a time as we did!

I love movies. I like a wide range of movies, and have favorites in every genre.
I've followed the sci-fi stuff that's part of my generation.....Star Wars, Star Trek, Aliens. I like almost everything Steven Spielburg has done, including the Indiana Jones trilogy. I like old comedies, and some of the new ones. For some odd reason, I love Bruce Willis movies. Hudson Hawke was one of the first I bought, just for the sheer silliness

I have to admit that I rarely know the names of the stars these days, and I suspect that I've missed some good chick flicks. I got to see Chocolat for the first time this month. What a GREAT movie! I think I might look to see what else Juliet Binoche has done, because she was exceptional.

Ryan's Daughter is an old film that has always appealed to me, despite the sadness of the subject, but Out of Africa has to be my all time favorite chick flick. I just get to the place where I'm resigned that she has to be strong and go through life on her own.....and he switches gears.....and DIES! Man.....I cry every time I see that movie.

I think that An Affair to Remember with Cary Grant and Debra Kerr has to be the all time perfect chick flick. When he tells her his grandmother has passed away, and gives her the white shawl....or when he breaks into her apartment at the end. Who can keep from crying?

Do you ever share chick flicks with your significant other? I mean.....if you are at Blockbuster shopping for the weekend, does he ever agree to watch a chick flick with you?? Or do you have to watch alone, or with girlfriends?? Since I'm a boat widow in the summer, I have plenty of time to watch chick flicks, but every now and then, DH will come in and see one on, and stay to see what it's all about.

Let me know if you have a favorite chick flick I should look for.

I've been thinking about how romance writers use words. It interests me how they take words that are not commonly associated with sex and imbue them with a sensual patina. I was reading a book by Linda Howard called "Kill and Tell." The setting is New Orleans, so you already have heat, and humidity, and a languid sensuality overlaying everything. She used the word "heavy" repeatedly in one chapter. She described the main male charachter, Marc, as being heavily muscled. Karen hears his slow, heavy, heartbeat as she rests her head on his chest. She experiences that melting, warming, heavy, sense of ripeness in response to Marc's lovemaking. And, she welcomes his heavy weight pressing her into the bed.

"Heavy" isn't a word you often see in romance novels, unless it's used to describe male anatomy, so it's interesting to see how the repeated use of a common word ups the ante in the scene.

"Writhing" is another word that's being used more frequently. When I was younger, you might read that someone "writhed in pain." Or, snakes writhed. Now, women writhe in pleasure, seeking an elusive climax. IT's a really great word. Can't you just see her arching and twisting....her hair spread over the bed....eyes gone blind with need??

But, I have to say, kiwi is the most unusual word that I've read that brings sex to mind. Until recently, I rather thought it could be said to have male attributes. I mean....it's sorta the right size and shape...and hairy! I highly reccomend that you visit Speedbump to read what he has to say about kiwis. You'll never think of them in quite the same light again.

I was visiting -e-'s blog, Wazzup, today, and read what he had to say about people who blog. I'm a newbie to blogging, but I've chatted in several formats for about three years. I am NOT surprised to find that people have the same failings here that they do elsewhere on-line.

I've never understood people who create a fake persona. What joy is there in hiding your true self from the people you talk with? When I first started chatting, I was disturbed by the A/S/L question that was always asked. I was reluctant to discuss age because I assumed that younger people would feel they had nothing in common with me. When asked my age, I would say that I was 84, walked with a cane, had a dowager's hump, hair sprouted out of my chin, I drooled, and was toothless. Now...I really wasn't hiding behind a fake persona, I was simply unwilling to give out a lot of personal information. Anyone who took the time to talk with me after reading that description got the truth, or as much as was appropriate for that person. After all, we never really know who we are talking to until we meet them, so safety is an issue.

I recall one person who felt it was his purpose in life to stir up trouble. He could be guaranteed to disagree or bring up a volatile subject. He was actually a charming man who needed to work on his self image. He was able, with the help of a friend, to virtually shut down the discussion on a Onelist. I still don't understand what satisfaction that brought to him. I assume that the need to have power over others surfaces here, as it does in real life.

The other kind of behavior that I fail to understand is being "two-faced." I don't know about you, but if I know a person is saying one thing to me, and something totally different to another, I can't trust that person. I'm sure that person is going to turn on me at some point, and I don't want to be there to receive that kind of treatment.

I'm a "What-you-see-is-what-you-get" sort of person. I am relatively non-confrontational, but if you push me, I'll tell you exactly what I'm thinking, and that brings us to something else Eric said. We all put our best foot forward on-line. Although I've seen what seems to be incredible honesty on a few blogs, most of us present ourselves in the best light possible. I think that's human nature. I'm not likely to share my deepest thoughts with you. Since we limit what we tell our loved ones, it should come as no surprise that we put greater restictions on what we say here.

Soooooo.....tell me what you're thinking. Share discussions on the vagaries of life.....rant with me about the wrongs in the world. Just don't assume that you know me, until we've met.....and maybe not even then.

-e-........it sounds like you're having a tough day. I hope things improve, soon!

There isn't really enough time this evening to write about this as fully as I'd like, but I want to tell you about a conversation I had this week.

First....a little explanation. I'm a grandmother. When I married DH, he presented me with a ready-made family, who were well on their way to being adults, so I was a grandmother at a rather early age. Since I have been a step-grandmother, I sent a lot of love my grandson's way, and tended to keep my hands off his little psyche as he grew up. Unfortunately, his mother died last year.

It's been a hellish year for him, and maybe moreso for his father. It's been difficult for the two of them to talk to each other. I have been worrying about both of them for some time, and this week, my grandson was with us. I bided my time, and waited until I had him captive in the SUV....and then asked him if his father had talked to him about sex.

He's seventeen! He probably knows more about sex than I do, but I wanted to be sure that someone had talked with him about SAFE sex. I wanted to be able to tell him that making love is stupendous when you do it with someone you love, and I wanted him to know that all you see on the internet is not necessarily what the average person believes is good and appropriate.

He gets MAJOR credit for not blushing or shrinking away from me. He was really cool about this, and relaxed. He told me that he had not talked with his dad, but that his mother had talked with him. And, he described the sex ed classes they have at his school. The classes were pretty astounding, and I'm glad he had them. Too many parents and schools let kids promulgate errors, and then chastise them for their behavior, when they didn't have enough information to make the right choices.

I wanted my grandson to know that he could talk to me forthrightly about this subject, if he needed an adult to talk to. I'm realistic about the fact that he is not likely to talk to me.....but the door is open if he so chooses. I hope he will remember what I said when it comes time to make his choices.

My friends were kidding me tonight, asking if they could send their kids to me for a talk. Heck.....why not!? I'm an old hand at this now! (HUGEGRIN)

Sooooo....have you given this talk? Was it difficult or easy for you? Do you think it made any difference in the choices your child will make? Do you think some children find it easier to talk to someone other than their parents? Guys....did you leave this discussion for your wife to do?? Let me know what you think.

Well.....We rolled into this weekend with the goal of walking the Walter Payton 5K Fitness Walk. I walked it last year with my exercise class and wanted to try it again. Last year, I was coming off an extended period of treatment for a plantar fasciia problem in my left foot, so my goal was to simply get through the 5K. I did, but it took me more than an hour and ten minutes as I recall. A week after the walk, I received a postcard telling me that I was 1157 out of 1160 women in the race. (pout) Still.....I made it without having to be brought in on a gurney!

We started a walking program last fall, which was going very well. Unfortunately, DH fell off the roof and landed on his feet, and that put an end to our walking together for a bit. Then.....he tried to bring down a thief and ripped his hamstring muscle on the same leg. So, that wiped out our walking in the early spring. Neither of us was well prepared for this walk, and it's my own fault that I wasn't ready.

The day broke cloudy, gray, gusty and threatening rain. I put my driver's license,some money, and a bandana in my pockets, and a visor on my head, and we were off to the race site. We registered, got in line and set off at the shot. Despite wearing New Balance shoes and my orthotics, I was in trouble in the second mile. And because I favored the foot that hurt, I developed a good-sized blister in the other foot. This is the first time I've gotten a blister on the narrow part of my foot parallel to the arch.

It would be an understatement to say I'm limping. I had to borrow a cane from my mother to be able to get around. I hope DH can do some grocery shopping because I'm dreading the idea of having to walk the grocery store.

Still....I made it. I know that I don't want to experience that type of walk again, but I made it, and I was faster than last year! We shaved eight minutes off last year's time. If we do it next year, I plan to have walked all Spring to get ready for it. Come walk with me! It's time to get in shape!

I Soooo wanted to bring you specific information on this subject, and may, when I shift to the office computer. Unfortunately, AOL in it's infinite wisdom, will not let me surf because something on my computer is in conflict with it. I spent the last hour trying to resolve the issue, and two of their people actually told me that AOL needs 85% of the comupter's system resources to function. We've decided that's computer-eze for "We are in conflict with something on your computer and the easy way out is to close everything else." Okay....that's rant #1 (Hush T.....I know its a piece of..... well, nevermind)

Later......
What I actually wanted to write about is the fact that the State of Illinois has finally decided to pursue tollway scofflaws. I was listening to WGN Radio this afternoon, and they were discussing this article in today's Chicago Tribune.

Our tollway system has been abysmally managed for years. At one point, they built themselves wondrous new headquarters and filled a conference room with a mammoth table and chairs that cost the tax payers $3000 a pop. But that's another issue. Now they have decided it's time to crack down on toll scofflaws. They are starting with those who have cheated at least 50 times within the past two years, and eventually they will close the requirement to anyone with five violations.

Now....one pass through the toll is 40 cents. If one person did this 100 times, they might owe $40.00. However, the tollway is charging a fine of $20 per failure to pay......so that extends out to $2,040 that the scofflaw now owes. The Tollway Authority is not providing ANY payment plan. It is up to the scofflaw to find his own funding. Those who have received bills in the thousands are considering going to court over this, but the Authority seems confident that they will still have to pay up. So far they have notified 190,000 people of the fines, and given them 21 days to pay up or schedule a hearing. They've collected nearly $2,000,000 in tolls and penalties so far. The State of Illinois allows the tollway freedom to pursue transgressions for the past two years.

What is truly astounding is that in 2001, the authority sent out fewer than 4,000 notices to scofflaws even though the agency estimated that there were 17,500,000 violations that year. They claimed they didn't have the personnel to handle the workload. In 2002, the agency failed to collect $11,200,000.

And NOW they want to raise our tolls! During my entire lifetime, they have promised that the bonds on the tollways would be retired, and the tollways would become freeways. I guess politics will keep us in poverty. Those of us who play by the rules will ALWAYS pay for the cheaters, especially when the cheaters are in office.

I'm all for making the cheaters pay! Let THEM carry the burden for a while!

This morning I was listening to the radio as I dressed for the day, and I heard Spike O'Dell on WGN talking to an innkeeper in the Irish town where Viagra is made. It seems that all the men in the town, and a lot of the women, are very happy campers these days. All you have to do is take a brisk walk downwind of the factory to enjoy the bounty of the production line. O'Dell was clearly worried that he was going to have to hit the seven second delay button, and kept reminding the innkeeper that this was family radio. His guest was quite willing to tell all about the benefits of living there, in colorful detail! So....either we need to take a vacation to Ireland, or encourage Viagra to build another factory in the US!

I woke up this morning expecting to loose a molar at the oral surgeon's office. I'm scared to death of dentists......all kinds of dentists, but I managed to pull myself together to get to his office at 10:45. I had not had "anything by mouth" since 11:45 last night, not even water. They were running late, and of course, we got there early.

I filled out pages of forms and they finally called me in. The nurse was wonderful. I had requested that I be put to sleep for this session so I wouldn't recall any of it. She hooked me up to an EKG machine, took my blood pressure, and put one of those clips on my finger that tracks my pulse. We discussed what meds I'm on, and the doc came in.

He was the archeologist the last time I had to have a tooth removed. He did a fine job, despite the cavern that was left afterward. I chose to go back to someone I knew, rather than breaking in a new digger. Besides, the guy is an ex-Marine, cute as hell for a guy my age, and a doc in addition to being an oral surgeon.

He checked out my mouth, and looked quizzical. "WHY do you want to have this tooth removed?" I gave him all the reasons my dentist had given me. He asked his assistant to get the dentist on the phone. She was away until June 18.

Ultimately, he showed me the x-ray of the tooth he was supposed to work on, and said that he felt there were other options to be considered rather than removing it. He thinks I should have a crown put on it.

So........for the very first time in my life I have been given a reprieve from the dentist's chair. It may still come to it that the tooth is removed, but it wasn't today. Actually, I'm rather fond of the tooth. We've known each other for a LOT of years! I sure hope this little discussion doesn't tick off the dentist. (Envisioning scenes from "Little Shop of Horror.")

Wish me luck!

You know, I've come to discover as I blog that somewhere along the line I have laid aside my ability to think critically, and to put those thoughts down in logical arguments. Frequently, I find myself in the middle of a post that has taken a left turn and doesn't have ANY relationship to what I intended to write. And I'm finding that sometimes I surprise myself, typing statements that I didn't realize I believed until that moment. Surely this is the ultimate in pselph-psychoanalysis.

I have been listening to commentary on the new book by Hillary Clinton. I assume that most of you know she plans to run for President, whether she has announced or not. I've been thinking about her and that race, trying to decide just what I feel about it.

I liked her a during the first Clinton term. Even when it appeared that they may have erred in Arkansas, my admiration for her wasn't diminished. I had high hopes that she would guide us toward a more sensible health care program, and I wanted to believe that she was a good person. Whatever happened to the improvements in health care?

Then.....when Bill was at his worst, with Monica.....Hillary kept her silence. I was torn between applauding her for not creating a veritable circus of the Presidency, and wanting her to stand up and call him every name in the book, and walk away. I will never look at another cigar again without seeing it's possible uses. His excuses: We didn't have intercourse" and "I didn't inhale" sullied the office he held.

Finally, calmed down and reached the point where I approved how she had handled it. I pursuaded myself that it was for the good of the office and the country. I waited to see what would happen to their relationship once he was out of office. I figured there might be a quiet divorce.

I was astounded when she ran for the Senate, having not been elected to office prior to that. It bothered me that she sought the Senate seat for New York, a much more posh address than Arkansas. And things became complicated here. Has she not divorced Bill because it would now hurt HER career? Is she such a political creature that she is trying to bury all the difficulties to smooth <b>her</b> path?

I have more questions. Does she truly believe that the news media won't hound her about her marriage from the day she throws her hat into the ring? They are already hounding her! Have you thought of the fact that Bill Clinton will be the First Husband, if she should win?

I think that she carries so much baggage that she can't possible win the race. What political group will spend the millions of dollars that her campaign will require, knowing that Bill will have to campaign for her.

If she chooses to divorce her husband, she will loose the Catholic vote. If she chooses to stay married, and it sounds as though she might from what I've heard of her book, she'll loose the NOW vote, both of which are substantial. I wonder what her demographics are throughout the rest of the country?

Sooooo...as I write to you, I have found I no longer respect Hillary Clinton. I'd dearly love to see a female President in my lifetime. I think we are getting closer to a time when that would be possible, but if Geraldine Ferraro couldn't stand up to the cannons aimed at her during her run as VICE President.....I seriously doubt that Mrs. Clinton will make it either. Hillary is tougher, but she carries baggage that will put her out of the running, and she should save her money, our time, and a lot of media space and reconsider.

This is a comment from the Heartland. If you've surfed in to see what we are thinking, I suspect you will find others agree with me.

Are you superstitious? I guess I should have been. The first time I was married, it was June 13. I should have worried more about the fact that my anniversary would occasionally fall on Friday the thirteenth. We lasted just 11 years, which was really amazing.

As I'm typing this, my cat, Edward Scissorhands is laying beside one of my arms. He's a black cat.....or mostly black. There's just a spritz of white at his tummy. He's not my familiar......but he's just a little too familiar as I type. He wants my full attention, and resents the time I'm giving you.

I don't tend to walk under ladders because it's safer to go around. I generally avoid cracks in the sidewalk, but that's because I'm a spaz and could fall, not because I'm worried about my Mother's back. If I wanted to whistle in a graveyard.....I would.

Do you think that we should take superstitions more seriously, or are they the product of a less educated era? I find that a lot of the information which comes to us as old wives tales or herbal lore, has basis in observable information. Alert, questioning people make correlations to make sense of the world around them. Where things couldn't be explained, they became lore, to be passed on from generation to generation.

I dont tend to be superstitious, but during my lifetime I've made some changes in what I've thought, and in the right situation, I could change my opinion on this. Do you have any proof to make me reconsider my stance??

I've noticed the phenomenon of the Friday Five at several blogs. I'd like to join the band wagon with five things that tick me off!

1. Drivers who can see for a mile that they have to merge into another lane, who speed along the mostly empty to-be-closed lane and then assume you will let them merge in front of you. You earn my five fingered salute minus four, and my grandson's long ago favorite comment......JERK!!!!

2. Sales people who hate their jobs. This applies at every level of service, from the kid at Mickey D's to the women in the toney shops who could care if you shop there. I recently purchased a silk shell to wear at my stepdaughter's wedding. They didn't have one in my size at the location where I was shopping, but they volunteered to see if one was available at another store. They found one, took my card, and gave me a receipt with a "locator number." Well....the shell never came, and a month later I decided to follow up on it. The saleswoman who took my call was indifferent, was having a bad day, and was going to have to ask for help to resolve the issue. She discovered that it had never been sent (DO TELL!!) and tried to palm the problem off on me......by telling me who to call. I stopped her and told her that I wanted HER to resolve the issue. She wasn't a happy camper, but she followed up on it, and the shell came the next day. The only thing that kept me from talking to her supervisor and blasting her out of the water was that I've been known to make a mistake, and I hope someday someone will give me a break when I'm having a bad day. My logic was totally selfish.....I didn't want to feel guilty later. But.....it would have felt good to get even for her general snottiness......at least for a moment.

3. Children who are out of control in public. I suggest you go visit Da Goddess, because she has an EXCELLENT post on this subject on June 11, and I totally agree with her stand. (You might tell her she has gorgeous ta tas, too, but that's another subject.)

DH and I were flying home from Vancouver to Chicago a year ago, and seated behind us were two parents and two young children. They had three seats for four bodies. The little girl was probably two years old, and was forced to sit on her mother's lap because her rotten little brother wouldn't share his seat. That toddler kicked me in the kidneys all the way to Chicago. Her parents KNEW what was going on, and failed to stop her. The flight attendent even spoke with this family, to no avail. The airline should have required that she be in a seat, but her parents made the choice to carry her on their laps. They should have been more responsible. I'm still ticked about this!

4. Current clothing trends for teenagers in school. I swear, if I was a superintendent, I would require uniforms! I'm astounded at what is uncovered, broadcast, and advertised on teenage bodies. I don't see how anyone believes that kids can concentrate in a classroom while they are dressed in the current fashions. I didn't care for the dress code when I was in school, but it would have been less of an issue if we all had to wear uniforms. Besides....as a teacher I wouldn't have to hold my breath waiting to see if the kid walking to the back row was going to loose his pants before he got there!

5. Telemarketers. If I tell you "No thanks, I'm not interested," DON'T ARGUE WITH ME! It's not going to put me in a frame of mind that will do you any good. And.....Don't call me with a recorded message that I HAVE to listen to, so that I can get your number, because if I have to call you to tell you to take my name off your list, I'm not going to be pleasant! Don't be surprised when you reach people who are angry about having their own phone used to waste their time.

Sooooo that's the five for this week. Now that I've gotten the pet peeves out of the way...oh wait....I have one more.....

5 1/2......people who choose to live in the US who choose not to learn to speak English. I wouldn't dream of moving to Afghanistan and then demand that you print all your documents in English for me. If you want to live here....then be a fully participating citizen, and learn the language.

Well....the next Friday Five should be lighter than this one, but it was nice to be able to get this off my chest. Have a great weekend! May you all have sunny and 72!

One of my nieces sent this to me recently. It's incredibly good advice, especially for those who have most likely passed the halfway point in their lives.
I'd add to it: Live your life as the real performance, not as a dress rehearsal.

The 92-year-old, petite, well-poised and proud lady,who is fully dressed each morning by eight o'clock, with her hair fashionably coifed and makeup perfectly applied, even though she is legally blind, moved to a nursing home today. Her husband of 70 years recently passed away, making the move
necessary.

After many hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of the nursing home, she smiled sweetly when told her room was ready. As she maneuvered her walker to the elevator, I provided a visual description of her tiny room, including the eyelet sheets that had been hung on her window. "I love it," she stated with the enthusiasm of an eight-year-old having just been presented with a new puppy.

"Mrs.. Jones, you haven't seen the room ... just wait." "That doesn't have anything to do with it," she replied. "Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time. Whether I like my room or not doesn't depend on how the furniture is arranged...

it's how I arrange my mind. I already decided to love it ...

"It's a decision I make every morning when I wake up.

I have a choice; I can spend the day in bed recounting the difficulty I have with the parts of my body that no longer work, or get out of bed and be thankful for the ones that do.

Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open I'll focus on the new day and all the happy memories I've stored away ...
just for this time in my life.

Old age is like a bank account ... you withdraw from what you've put in .

So, my advice to you would be to deposit a lot of happiness in the bank account of memories Thank you for your part in filling my Memory bank. I am still depositing. Remember the five simple rules to be happy:

1. Free your heart from hatred.

2. Free your mind from worries.

3. Live simply.

4. Give more.

5. Expect less.

I have writers block. I didn't think it would come so soon. Usually I have loads of things to chat about, but I can't find anything worthy of a full post.
I guess it's time to learn the art of pastiche.

I was visiting Jamie's blog and discovered that she was talking about the possibility of abortion being repealed in the U.S. This is an incredibly volatile subject, but I agree with her stand. I think women should have the right to choose what happens to their bodies. If a change is coming with respect to this bill, I hope they merely modify it, allowing women who have been raped the right of abortion. I agree that abortion should not be used as a form of birth control. We have enough birth control options open to us that there is no reason for a thinking woman who is choosing to have intercourse to be unprepared.

Along these lines, I'd like to see our welfare system modified. I was appalled to learn that there are generations of women on welfare, who gave birth to children in their teens, and their children had babies in their teens, and now the GRANDchildren are having children in their teens. There's something wrong with a system which keeps replicating the very problems we hope to cure. I'm willing to support a teenager long enough to get them through a training program or college course so that they can find a paying job. I am NOT willing to pay taxes to support a woman who chooses to have lots of children by multiple fathers.

This is what I propose: support for a specific period of time, for the mother and one child, child care during that period, and vocational training or two years of college. Should the mother choose to have another child during this period, her welfare rate would NOT increase: no additional income for additional children. It's time to make people responsible for their choices. I know this is a hard stand, and that it appears to make the children suffer, but I can't think of any other way to make the recipients of welfare want to be OFF welfare! What do you think?

The "Q" section of my Sunday Tribune yielded some interesting figures from a poll on infidelity. The following figures show the percentage of respondents who strongly agree that the following acts cross the line of infidelity when not done with a spouse or a partner:

Oral Sex
Men----85% Women----93%

Cybersex
Men---42% Women----64%

Kissing
Men---51% Women----69%

I rather understand the figures for cybersex and kissing, but I really wonder about the men and women who felt oral sex wasn't cheating. They must all be related to Bill and Hillary Clinton.....

There's an interesting discussion going on over at Mad Bull's blog. He wonders how many sex partners the average person has. Dr. D posted in a comment that the World Health Organization defines as promiscuous a person who has had 6 (six) or more sexual partners in a LIFETIME. There goes the neighborhood! On Dr. D's blog, the discussion is all about frequency of sex. Why is it that partners so frequently don't agree on what is right? I know that raising a family, or not having enough privacy enter into this issue, but for people who don't have those reasons, why do we change?

Okay.....I know you're saying that I don't have writer's block, but I do. Give me time, and I'll work my way out of this. My youngest sister's daughters are coming to visit for a week. They are 12 and 13. I may not have a lot of time to post, but I suspect that I will have plenty to say after the visit! We hope to make at least one trip to Chicago for some live theater and a stroll on Navy Pier. I'm sure there will be shopping and miniature golf, maybe even laser tag. Any advice on how to entertain these girls will be greatly appreciated!

When I was a kid, it was common for men who had been accused of rape to get off scot free by using the defense that "She ASKED for it." Specifically, I'm thinking of the cases where the men suggested that the woman's manner of dress advertized her availability.

Kids today bare the oddest body parts. The girl's clothing is very revealing, while the boys are wearing baggies that cover them from elbow to toe. Are the girls going to be accused of "asking" to be molested because they dress in what seems to be the fashion of the day?

Fashion and youth can be a scary mix. Part of our nation is very body conscious. Thinner is better, and clothes that show off how thin you are validate that premise. To be popular, you have to resemble the models in the magazines, or the young Hollywood stars. Young girls believe that what they see and read must be the real world. Sports Illustrated does an annual swimsuit issue that flies off the shelves. Does the moral climate in our entertainment world foster the idea that women who don't dress modestly are available to any man who wants them?

I have a series of questions about this. Do you think that women "Ask" to be molested by the clothes they choose to wear? Should we allow men to be excused for rape or molestation based on this arguement? Is there a point beyond which a man cannot control himself in relation to a woman?

I'd like to live in a world where, when a female says "NO!" the man accepts her word without question. And, if my body is saying "yes," but my mouth is saying "no," don't argue with my mouth. I'd also like to have faith that men can control themselves. Is that unrealistic?

Tell me your thoughts.

Hi, everybody!

I just wanted to check in and let you know wazzup here. Yesterday I drove to Indiana to meet my sister and pick up her two daughters, aged 12 & 13. They are visiting with us for about ten days. It's possible that I may be a bit scarce here while we try to provide them a memorable visit.

We plan to make a trip to Chicago to have dinner, walk Navy Pier and watch fireworks. The trip to the Chicago Shakespeare Theater has been nixed as being too juvenile. I thought it might be. It was a live stage show of "The Littlest Mermaid." I have to check to see if the girls are old enough to play laser tag. We'll play miniature golf, and I hope to arrange a swim day with their cousins. I've been talked into taking them to the movies. I'm not sure if we are seeing THE HULK....or Bruce Almighty. Gawd.....I can't believe I'm going to do that! We may even do a little mall time. I'm tired just thinking about it.

Our house is normally very quiet. We have four adults who live here, and two of them are usually at work during the day. Hearing girls chatter is really something. At times I wonder if they are talking another language, and my most frequent response is "WHAT???"

If you have any suggestions for things we might do to fill up the rare moment left unscheduled, please let me know. I'll check in when they let me sit down for a moment.

I hope you all have a wonderful start to summer!

I'm a musician with a ROTTEN memory. Jamie will be more than happy to tell you all about it.

I have a favor to ask. I'd like to create a CD with songs that have the word "Lady" in them. "Lay, Lady, Lay" comes to mind, and I know there are hordes more....but I can't think of them.

Any suggestions??

Quartz Crystal


What Stone Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla

Boy.....I'd say this is me. I need to be reminded to close my mouth now and then and let other people have their say. I guess that's what's so nice about blogging......I can "talk" until I run out of steam, and not worry about cutting someone off. I don't know if this has developed from working alone for so long, or if I was just a pushy broad to start with, but let me near a group of people and I want to TALK!!

I "borrowed" this little quiz from Red Eagle's blog....it's from Quizilla.

Well....I've survived the absolutely worst game of miniature golf that has ever been played! We were all silly, and our golfing showed it. We even managed to loose two balls, but found a baby bunny. Then I sent them off go-carting. Lots of smiling faces after that! And the ice cream seemed to be a fine ending for the night.

We watched "The Matrix" last night. My sister may chide me for letting a 14 and 12 1/2 year old watch that movie. As it unfolded, I realized it might be scary for them. The younger one was "disturbed" by it....and asked to sleep somewhere where there weren't so many windows....

Today we washed the dog. What an improvement! He's not 100 percent clean, but a whole lot closer. We towel dried him, and then put a red bandana on him. He showed everybody the bandana and then went off to take a nap. Too much excitement for an old dog.

Tonight, it was laser tag. I'll tell you...those 15 minute sessions FLY by! Seven of us, three adults and four kids from 8 to 14 played for half an hour. Those little suckers really understand strategy! lol I was dead in the water most of the time. I think I came in sixth in the first game and fifth the second. I was sneaky and wore black jeans and a black turtleneck, but the flashing lights on your harness sorta give you away! lol

Tomorrow....the movies. How can you make a choice between "The HULK" or "Bruce Almighty?" I really want to see "The Pirates of the Carribean," but it's not out yet.

Sooooooo...........we're making it through the week. The girls have been working on some math problems their father assigned. They gave me some help cleaning the kitchen after dinner last night. We've played Spite and Malice and Uno....and tonight they are ending the evening with Nintendo. We're tying for a balance of real life and vacation! *G*

It's time for me to go check on the girls. I hope you are all enjoying the start of summer!

Let me be the first, since I'm a day early, to wish JAMIE a Happy Birthday! Hon, I hope you have a blast celebrating... But, PLEASE.......don't give me the details. I'm old and you could give me heart failure! *G*

Well, I'm back to my computer! We had a wonderful visit with the girls, and with my youngest sister. When I left you we were debating about movies. We ended up choosing "Bruce Almighty," and it's a pretty good movie. Jim Carey is not my favorite actor, but this was one of his more restrained efforts, and we enjoyed it.

Friday morning we took the girls to exercise with us. Then we went to Sci-Tech and strolled through the science museum. The girls seemed to enjoy the outdoor activities the best. I think they needed the chance to let off steam. That evening we went to the local arcade and let the girls loose to play games. Kate chose the games that gave her the greatest return in tickets for prizes. Becca caught on to what she was doing and searched for her own "winner." She ended up shooting basketballs. She played game after game, racking up the points and tickets. My arms hurt watching her, but she had a blast!

Saturday we needed to play things by ear because of weather. DH drove into Chicago to sail, and we followed by train in the middle of the day. The girls discovered that "A Taste of Chicago" was on, and asked to go. We did about 2/3s of it before everyone was stuffed (chocolate dipped strawberries, corn on the cob, etc...). The next stop was Navy Pier. We shopped for a bit, saw the IMAX movie on Baja, California, and then had dinner at Joe's Be-Bop Cafe (again, this was the girl's choice!). We shopped one last time, and then headed for home.

Their mom drove up on Sunday. We had a family gathering, playing cards and cooking together, doing a little more gardening. Monday morning, my sis helped me with some heavy weeding in the herb garden while the girls packed up for the trip home. It's very quiet here now.

I think everyone had a good time. I sure did. Now I need a week to recover! *G*

I had the opportunity to ask other friends about songs with "Lady in the title or lyrics, and I've compiled a list of suggestions. This is not a complete list, but if you see that one you have recommended is missing, holler at me! Thank you, one and all, for your help!

Ain't No Way to Treat A Lady
Dark Lady....Cher
Disco Lady
Dude Looks Like a Lady...Aerosmith
For My Lady...Toots Thielemans
Foxy Lady...Cure
Green Eyed Lady
Ladies Love Outlaws ....Tom Rush
Lady...Kenny Rogers
Lady Be Good (or Oh, Lady Be Good)....Ella Fitzgerald
Lady Down on Love
Lady Evil....Black Sabbath (with Ronnie James, NOT Ozzie Osbourne)
Lady Godiva
Lady in Red
Lady Is A Tramp
Lady Luck....Brian Seltzer
Lady Love Me One More Time
Lady Madonna
Lady Marmalade....Patti LaBelle
Lady of the Night...Donna Summer
Lady Samantha....Elton John
Lady Willpower
Lay Lady Lay
Linda Was A Lady
Little Old Lady From Pasadena
Luck Be A Lady Tonight.....Frank Sinatra
No Way to Treat a Lady
Oh My Lady...Stampedes
Red Roses for a Blue Lady.....Bobby Vinton
She's a Lady, and She's Mine......Tom Jones
Sophisticated Lady....Duke Ellington
Sweet Lady
Sweet Painted Lady
That Lady
The Lady is Dancing With Me....Chris Ledoux
The Lady Wore Black...Queensryche
Three Times a Lady....Commodores
To a Lady Asking Foolish Questions....Tom Talbert (Jazz0
Treat Her Like a Lady...Celine Dion
Why Lady Why

I have an old family recipe to share with you. With tomato season coming up, you want to be prepared with great ways to use them. This is called "Chili Sauce," but the name belies it's use. This piquant sauce is best used with pork roast or other meats. It is thick and chunky, like a salsa, but that's where the similarities to salsa end.

Chili Sauce

12 to 14 pounds of ripe tomatoes
2 bunches celery, chopped
3 onions, chopped
3 green bell peppers, chopped
½ tablespoon cloves
1 tablespoon dry mustard
2 tablespoons cinnamon
¼ cup salt
2 cups brown sugar
1 quart cider vinegar

Remove skins from tomatoes, cut up and place in a large enameled pot with the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer until the sauce thickens. (Use your own judgment as to how thick you want the sauce.) BE CAREFUL NOT TO BURN! Use a heat diffuser under the pan and stir periodically to prevent sticking to the bottom of the pan.

Canning instructions: Sterilize pint mason jars, covers and rings. Ladle chili sauce into jars, wipe the top edge of the jar clean, put on the lids and securely tighten the rings. Check the next day for any lids which have not sealed, by loosening the rings and testing the seal.

Personal additions to this recipe:

My mother and I make one batch of this each year. I do it just for the scent that fills the house. We use the quilted pint sized jelly jars so that you only have a small amount open at one time. We give jars of this to family members who don't preserve, as Christmas gifts.

We have learned, by trial and error, to begin the preparations around 5 or 6 in the morning. My job is to peel and chop the tomatoes. The easiest way to do this is to bring a pot of water to a rolling boil, and dip four to six tomatoes into the water for 10-15 seconds. Remove the tomatoes with a slotted spoon or a sieve, and plunge them into cold water. Then, you can pierce the skin and peel it off. Discard the skin or add it to your compost pile.

I cut the tomatoes in half and cut the core out. Then I cut the halves crosswise. Each chunk gets cut into thirds, so that each tomato is now in twelve chunks. This is not critical, but you ultimately want bite-sized pieces.

Meanwhile, my Mother is chopping the celery, green pepper and onion. We have discovered that this recipe takes ALL DAY to cook if you only use one large stockpot. Since we have more than one enamel stockpot, we have taken to dividing the ingredients into two of them so that we can cook and can this all in one day.

If you have never canned before, I recommend the Ball Blue Book, from the makers of the Ball canning jars, or a wonderful book called "Stocking Up," by Carol Hupping. You can get excellent basic instructions for canning from either. My mother chooses not to give this sauce a boiling water bath. She feels it is so acidic, with the quart of vinegar, that it won't support bacterial growth. Since we give the sauce as gifts, I prefer to be safe, so I immerse the closed jars in a boiling water bath for at least 15 minutes.

If you have a dishwasher, and the water in your hot water heater is set high enough, you can sterilize the jars in the washer just before you fill them. The jars should be clean, dry and hot.

Mother uses this on roast pork, and occasionally uses left over pork mixed with chili sauce as a spread for lunch.

I hope you try this, and enjoy it!

I haven't talked much about the fact that I am interested in herbs. I have a lovely raised herb garden that DH made for me the year after we built our home. I've always used culinary herbs, and now I'm learning medicinal uses as well. I moderate an herbal group on YahooGroups, and they have been teaching me fascinating things. Red Eagle has given me instructions on how to share pictures with you, so I hope to post some of them in the coming week.

Despite the fact that I have a fifteen pound black cat by the name of Ed.....my gardens are the home of endless chipmunks. Right now, they are making a home beneath my thyme and sage. You'd think with Ed, and the neighborhood cats, and the dog, and an occasional hawk, that my gardens would be safe, but that's far from the truth. One year, the chippies gathered up seed from dill plants that I had allowed to go to seed in the veggie beds, and they transferred them to the flower beds along the front walk. Since then, I have had annual infestations of dill!

This week, we pulled 90% of the volunteer dill from the flower beds and brought it into the kitchen. I stripped off the leaves, and we culled the leaves from the stems. Then I minced the leaves and spread them over two jelly roll pans. I heated the oven to about 110 degrees and let the dill gently dry for several hours. If the dill has been in moist ground it might take 4 to 6 hours to dry it out. I have three bottles of dill stored away now, which will easily keep me for the next year, and I still have fresh dill to put in my salads.

It gives me a great sense of satisfaction to be able to grow and store my own herbs, and Dill is the easiest of those I work with. Look for a recipe using dill in the next post.

I was visiting Red Eagle's blog and found this test. This is supposedly my personality based on my birth date:

Sensitivity
Full of charm
cheerful
gifted
without egoism
likes to draw attention
loves life
motion
unrest and even complications is both dependent and independent
good taste
artistic
passionate
emotional
good company
does not forgive.

Well......some of it is close..... I'm not sure that I understand "without egoism" and "likes to draw attention" being compatible.....but I won't quibble. Frankly, I think it makes me sound a lot better than I am! *G*

Summer Salad is one of our old family favorites. I could eat it every day while produce is fresh. A visitor named it, saying that it tasted like Summer to him.

Each of us has our own variation, but this is the basic salad:

Fresh, ripe tomatoes
Cucumber, preferably the small "pickle" size
Green onions
Oil and vinegar
Freshly ground black pepper
Fresh dill, minced.....a lot of it

Now, I'm basically lazy, so I use Italian salad dressing on mine. I like the "Robusto" varieties with lots of seasoning and garlic, or Paul Newman's Italian Dressing. We cut the veggies into bite sized pieces. My salad tends to have more tomato and cucumber and less onion, but you can vary the proportions to suit yourself. Add the pepper and the dill and then cover it with salad dressing. I tend to have a heavy hand with the dressing, and a lot of it gets thrown out. Actually, you could use it as a merinade the next day if you saved it.

It's possible to use broccoli flowerettes, or even raw cauliflower in this salad. I occasionally omit the onion and substitute the broccoli. NEVER leave out the dill. It's the magic ingredient.

Chill the salad for a bit before serving. Enjoy!