Arrrgh!!!

Arrrgh…..where to start?? Red Eagle has been kind enough to set me up with this blog. I’m rather new to this world, although I have visited a few blogs which have been suggested to me. Frankly, I’m amazed that she would take me on, because I am a technological idiot. T…..you get extra brownie points and a lot of polish on your halo for your good works! <G>

For those of you who choose to follow along, who don’t know me, you’ll see people call me Buffy or Kitty. My family calls me Kitty; Buffy is my on-line alias. I started chatting in the spring of 1999. I was sitting at the computer trying to get into a chatroom, and was faced with the dilemma of needing a NAME. “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” was on in the background, and I simply appropriated her name. I’m about as far as you can get from Buffy in real life, but that was fine with me. Unfortunately, now everyone knows me as Buffy, so I’m sorta stuck with it. Besides, I can NEVER think of a name when I need it. I loved the guy who named his boat "Cutty's Ark." Why can't I think of things like that!?

I live in the Chicago suburbs, and am married to the famous, or infamous, Fred. That’s the Fred who fell off the roof in November and severely sprained an ankle, and the same Fred who tried to bring down a thief who was eight inches taller and 25 years younger, and the same Fred who limped for months when he ripped a hamstring chasing said thief! This is also the same Fred who is addicted to sailing, who makes me a boat widow every summer. I swear I’m going to take an axe to that boat one day!

In another life, I was a grade school band director. In this life I am an office. My mother lives with us, and she has reached the point in her life where she no longer drives, so I am her chauffeur. Two of my passions are gardening and quilting. You’ll see me bitch about weeds on a daily basis for the next six months. The other addiction seems to be communicating on-line.

I’m at a point where I find the quirks of life interesting. Perhaps some of you will find them interesting, too.

I'm delighted to be here. Thanks again Red Eagle!

We are aficionados of some very silly movies. "Princess Bride" is surely at the top of that list. Who can ever forget Billy Crystal saying "To blathhhhe" trying to avoid the subject of True Love. And then there's the Bishop with the speech impediment..."Wuvvvve...TRU Wuvvve."
Someone once said:

"Once in a while, right in the middle of an ordinary life, Love gives us a fairy tale."

Perhaps that's why I enjoy the movie "Roxanne" so much. Love lifts Steve Martin's character out of an ordinary life, and wraps him up in a fairy tale of joy and hope. We all hope for the same kind of luck; luck that makes our fairy tale come true.

Another wise, but anonymous person said:

"You don't marry someone you can live with, you marry someone you can't live without."

I wonder how many of us have settled for less than true love sometime in our lives? There are SO many things that confuse us as we look for a life partner...great sex...security...friendship, that perhaps we are lulled into accepting less than true love. Shouldn't your true love be the one who supplies those pieces of you that are missing, and makes you whole?

Bertrand Russell said: "Of all forms of caution, caution in love is perhaps the most fatal to true happiness." I love him..I love him not...I love him...I love him not. Or maybe the thought goes...Will my family like him, will my business partners think I've made a good choice, will my friends like him, or will I loose my friends if I commit to him? All those things interfere. They keep us from listening to our hearts.

Here's a line in a movie titled "Dream for an Insomniac:"

"Unless it's mad, passionate, extraordinary love,
It's a waste of your time.
There are too many mediocre things in life.
Love shouldn't be one of them."

I'm still pondering the subject of love. Pardon me while I try to figure out just what I think about it. <G> You're welcome to weigh in on the subject.

Okay.....Okay.....The shower wasn't as bad as I feared it would be. The apartment was lovely, the brunch was exceptional, the company was genial, and we only had to play ONE game! YES!!!

The givers of the shower did something cute that I hadn't seen before. They asked the groom to answer questions about the bride or himself, and then each time she opened a gift, they quizzed her to see if she could tell how he had answered the questions. She got most of the answers right, and enjoyed the ribbing on the few she missed.

I live in the western Chicago suburbs and had to travel to the farthest reaches of NE Chicago for this shower. I had some concerns about making the trip because I was going to have to drive through parts of Chicago I've never seen before, but it all turned out fine. I took two tollways and a freeway and a three mile stretch of Lawrence to get to this lovely quiet neighborhood. It took me about an hour and 20 minutes going and an hour returning. God was sitting on my shoulder the entire way. *S*

And I STILL think most showers need a fresh approach! *G*

<b>Dis.....</b>As you know, I'm very new to blogging, but I was delighted tonight to learn that I am involved in an activity that is still considered to be the newest trend in online communication. We were watching the Lehrer Report this evening and one of the segments was on blogs. Do you recall Trent Lott's recent political downfall? It seems it was brought about not only by Mr. Lott's own mouth, but by political bloggers who kept his words alive for several weeks until the regular news media recognized the ground swell and focused on it.

The TV program focused primarily on the legion of blogs "penned" by people interested in politics, but commented on those that focus on other subjects, such as pornography and knitting. There is a woman at MSNBC who reads blogs each day to get a feel for the trends and interests, and they have assigned several journalists to blog each day. (Actually, having the cable journalists blog doesn't really make sense to me, but she must have had a purpose in doing it.) I was truly surprised that they ignored the Comments feature of a blog. I caught T-bone saying he was a comment whore, and I know just how he feels.

At any rate......I'm so glad T made a place for me among you!

<b>Dat...</b>
If you are interested in herbs, growing them, using them in food or for medicinal purposes such as aromatherapy, I moderate a Yahoo Group called "AnHerbGarden." You're welcome to join us. We do NOT consider marijuana an herb, thank you very much, but we discuss most everything else! lol All levels of ability and interest are welcome

<b>Dis...</b>
Who said:

When we can't be together, keep me in your heart, I'll stay there forever.

<b>Dat....</b>
In annual beer consumption per person, the Czech Republic is #1, followed by Ireland, Germany, Austria, Luxembourg, Denmark, United Kingdom, Belgium, Australia and Slovakia. The US comes in 12th at 84.4 liters per person. Personally, I prefer wine, so someone else has had my beer for low these many years.

<b>Dis....</b>
I don't know that Texas T-bone will ever read this, but if you do.....stick to resolution number five and keep shaving. *grins* A new study shows that men who don't shave every day have less sex and are 70% more likely to have a stroke. (info courtesy of Cosmo. Catch my thoughts on Cosmo in a coming post.)
Wouldn't ya know, I'm married to a guy whom I've never seen without a beard. My Dad, my brother and my ex all had/have beards, and Speedbump had a mighty fine beard the last time I saw him. (Ladies, that man will make you drool. Wait 'til he smiles at you!)

I'm not obsessing over this data, because I haven't seen the research. The sample could have been skewed or too small. I'll wait for the AMA to start talking about it. Until then, this was just one of those quirkie little things that caught my attention.

Thhhhhat's all, folks! Come again, soon!

I've been bitten by the Domestic Goddess bug. Last night I cleaned out our bedroom closet, and this morning, I worked ahead on meals for the week. I finally got the new wreath made for the living room fireplace, and I've been working on a "to do" list for the coming month as we get ready for my step-daughter's wedding. I did all the little stuff that takes up so much of our time, watering newly planted seeds, starts from the nursery and houseplants, laundry, dishes, making the bed. It's amazing how many hours get frittered away in a day with stupid repetative chores! I love how my home looks when all the chores are done, but I sure hate having to do it again and again and again......

DH and I both had appointments at the eye doctor this afternoon. I was surprised to find that just my left eye prescription had to be tweaked. I always assumed that both eyes changed a little bit at the same time, not independently. Isn't it astounding what an exam and a pair of lenses can cost??

I've been dozey all afternoon, so it's going to be an early night, but I stopped in to read the blogs that T has linked for me. I saw Jet's comment about Desiree's blog, and went to visit. When I started reading the comments there were FIFTY-THREE of them. I haven't learned to create a link yet, so you'll have to go read JET's blog.

The subject matter there is pretty deep. It started out being singles who seek out married people to have an affair, and somehow morphed into marrieds having affairs with marrieds. And then it became a two way conversation. The important thing is.....I was reminded just how public blogs are. There are times when I'm tempted to say personal things, and this was a superb reminder of just how public this forum is. You can't assume that you are anonymous, or unread.

Sooooo, with that sobering though in mind, I'm gonna toddle down the hallway and grab some zzzzzzz's. Good night, all!

It seems that the subject of safety has been on everyone's mind, lately, especially car safety. I saved an article from Cosmo on the 8 Must-haves for Your Car, thinking that I needed to outfit the car if we were going to do any summertime driving.

This is what they recommended:
1. A cell phone and charger that plugs into the car
2. A flashlight and spare batteries
3. Bottled water and protein bars
4. Candles, flares and matches in a waterproof container
5. A recent map of the area in which you are traveling
6. A blanket
7. A first aid kit
8. A bag of sand and a shovel, in case you get stuck in the snow

Okay....most of these things are pretty easy. I'd need a reminder to swap the protein bars every now and then, so they didn't turn to sawdust before we needed them.

It seems to me that you can get a folding shovel to carry in your car. Otherwise, I'd be likely to carry one only in the winter.

I guess I'll have to do some research on what should be in a first aid kit. The one I used to carry was pretty ineffectual, so it's time to get my act together and be prepared. I had a friend who was a driver's ed instructor, and he came upon an accident and needed serious stuff in his first aid kit. He was prepared, but shaken about the aid he had to give. So I'll surf and post my findings later.

I plan to go looking for a plastic container to hold all these things, except for the phone, the blanket, the sand and the shovel. I already have the phone and a blanket, so I'm part way there!

While I was considering posting the list of Must-Haves, I received an e-mail with general safety tips for women. It makes sense to post it here.

TIPS ON STAYING SAFE...

Tip from Tae Kwon Do:

The elbow is the strongest point on your body. If you
are close enough to use it, do!

Learned this from a tourist guide to New Orleans:
if a robber asks for your wallet and/or purse, DO NOT
HAND IT TO HIM. Toss it away from you.... chances are
that he is more interested in your wallet and/or purse
than you and he will go for the wallet/purse. RUN
LIKE MAD IN THE OTHER DIRECTION!

If you are ever thrown into the trunk of a car:
Kick out the back tail lights and stick your arm out
the hole and start waving like crazy. The driver won't
see you but everybody else will. This has saved lives.

Last night I attended a personal safety workshop, and
it jolted me. It was given by an amazing man, Pat
Malone, who has been a bodyguard for famous figures
like Farrah Fawcett and Sylvester Stallone. He works
for the FBI and teaches police officers and Navy SEALS
hand-to-hand combat.

This man has seen it all, and knows a lot. He focused
his teachings to us on HOW TO AVOID BEING THE VICTIM
OF A VIOLENT CRIME. He gave us some statistics about
how much the occurrences of random violence have
escalated over the recent years, and it's terrible.
Something like 99% of us will be exposed to, or become
a victim of a violent crime.

Here are some of the most important points that I got
out of his presentation:

The three reasons women are easy targets for random
acts of violence are:

1. a. Lack of Awareness: swing your arms, stand straight up.

  b. Wrong Place, Wrong Time: DON'T walk alone in an
alley, or drive in a bad neighborhood at night.

2. Women have a tendency to get into their cars after
shopping, eating, working, etc., and just sit (doing their
checkbook, or making a list, etc. DON'T DO
THIS! The predator will be watching you, and this is
the perfect opportunity for him to get in on the
passenger side, put a gun to your head, and tell you
where to go. AS SOON AS YOU GET INTO YOUR CAR, LOCK
THE DOORS AND LEAVE.

3. A few notes about getting into your car in a parking lot,
or parking garage:

a. Be aware: look around you, look into your car, at
the passenger side floor, and in the back seat.

b. If you are parked next to a big van, enter your car
from the passenger
door. Most serial killers attack their victims by
pulling them into their
vans while the women are attempting to get into their cars.

c. Look at the car parked on the driver's side of your
vehicle, and the passenger side. If a male is sitting
alone in the seat nearest your car, you may want to
walk back into the mall, or work, and get a
guard/policeman to walk you back out.

IT IS ALWAYS BETTER TO BE SAFE THAN SORRY. (And better
paranoid than dead.)

ALWAYS take the elevator instead of the stairs.
(Stairwells are horrible places to be alone and
the perfect crime spot).

If the predator has a gun and you are not under his
control, ALWAYS RUN! (The predator will only hit you
(a running target) 4 in 100 times; And even then, it
most likely WILL NOT be a vital organ. RUN! )

As women, we are always trying to be sympathetic:
STOP IT! It may get you raped, or killed. Ted Bundy, the
serial killer, was a good-looking, well educated man,
who ALWAYS played on the sympathies of unsuspecting
women. He walked with a cane, or a limp, and often
asked "for help" into his vehicle or with his vehicle,
which is when he abducted his next victim.

Pat Malone told us the story of his daughter, who
came out of the mall and was walking to her car when
she noticed 2 older ladies in front of her. Then she
saw a police car come towards her with cops who said
hello. She also noticed that all 8 handicap spots in
the area were empty. As she neared her car she saw a
man a few rows over calling to her for help. He wanted
her to close his passenger side door. He was sitting
in the back on the driver's side, and said he was
handicapped. He continued calling, until she turned
and headed back to the mall, and then he began cursing
at her. In the meantime, she wondered why he didn't
ask the 2 older ladies, or the policeman for help, and
why he was not parked in any of the empty handicap
spots. As she got back to the mall, two male friends
of hers were exiting, and as she told them the story
and turned to point at the car, the man was getting
out of the back seat into the front and the car sped
away. DON'T GET CAUGHT IN THIS TRAP.

I'd like you to forward this to all the women you
know. It may save a life.

Why do weddings make me cry?? At a time when everyone else is quietly happy, I'm sitting there trying to sureptitiously staunch the flow of tears. It's not that I'm not happy for the bride and groom; I LOVE the ceremony, and have faith that they are doing a good thing. I guess it's just an overload of emotion. Whatever, it's sure a mascara nightmare!

Today, DH and I will be going to the wedding of the daughter of one of my quilting buddies. I've never met the girl, and I'm likely to cry! lol Today is Friday, and the wedding is at 4:30 in the afternoon. Doesn't that strike you as a dificult time?? It's so early that most of the guests won't be off work yet, but it was the only slot the church had open when the bride chose her date. It seems we've come to a time when the actual ceremony is less important than the reception or dinner following it.

DH's daughter is getting married May 31st. This month is going to FLY by. I figure I finally have to give up and do the Spring cleaning I've skipped for the last 14 years. The out of town guests will be invited to our house between the wedding at noon, and the reception at 5:00. I've been working in the gardens for a month already, and I have LOTS more to do. A shipment of bare-rooted plants came in on Wednesday, so I have to get them in the ground tomorrow or risk loosing them.

My stepdaughter chose to be married in an historical chapel. They are allowing them two hours...that's from the moment they begin setting up the flowers, to the moment we are out the door. Just TWO HOURS! Talk about feeling rushed. And since the only slot left was at noon, there's a long wait until the reception. Still, I think she's made good choices. We just have to adapt, as my friend and her family are doing.

My youngest sister went with me shopping for a dress. I had hoped to be in a sage green dress, or perhaps something in plum. Both of those colors are in the beading on the bride's dress. Unfortunately, the only dress that looked decent was black. It's a long black tube, with an over tunic in black and silver and sparkles. I've been obsessing about it, because first of all, I wasn't sure about wearing black to a wedding. THEN, I worried about wearing something so glitzy at noon. We've solved the issue, I think. The groom's mother is wearing a black and white knee length dress. I'm going to find a white jacket and wear that over the black dress for the wedding, and then she and I will be dressed in the same colors, and both our husbands will be in black tuxes. She will be changing for the reception, and I will ditch the white jacket, and put on the glitzy black and silver top. I'm feeling much better about this. Now, I just have to find a jacket, shoes, jewelry and a slip! (Sorry guys.....be happy I didn't go any further into those details! lol)

Oh!.......And waterproof mascara!

Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue.

You'll be happy to know, I didn't flood the church! As I told Desiree, about two-thirds of the women, and I, quietly dabbed away tears as the Bride walked up the aisle with her father. The wedding was lovely (eat your heart out, all who couldn't attend), and the reception was wonderful! The food was tasty, the music was superb, and the company very genial. Even DH and I, who don't dance a lot any more, spent some time on the dance floor.

This morning, DH and I went shopping! I've had a list of repairs that have gone waiting for ages, and this morning we went to Home Depot to pick up the materials we needed to get them done. I didn't realize I merely had to say......"We're going tomorrow!" or I would have done this a lot sooner. We picked up a doorbell button, a flourescent light, a ballast for the mudroom light, replacement towel bars (don't ask how I damaged one.....), replacements for the floor registers, potting soil, grass seed, half a flat of marigolds, and some boat stuff. Repairs, here we come!

Then, we visited Trader Joes. What a wonderful store! I picked up chevre and olive tapenade, and a crispy cracker/flatbread, and had them for lunch. Yum!! That tapenade would be yummy on muffaletas. Trader Joes has such interesting things on the shelf, you could spend hours browsing. We picked up four types of frozen appetizers to try. If they work out, we'll serve them after the wedding when we host the out of town guests for the afternoon.

I was visiting some of the blogs that I have links to, and read that a blog is supposed to be interesting! Boy, have I missed the boat! lol I figured it was catharsis, or my personal counselor, or my Day-timer. Who-da thunk I was supposed to be entertaining you! Well.....it would be in poor taste to offer sex...when you all do it so much better (After all.....JET will tell you I can't remember HOW!!!lol) I don't have any money stories to post, or pictures of babies or babes, or flowers!..... I guess I'll just have to ponder the situation.

Have a good Saturday night!

I used to sleep like a rock. For years I could fall asleep just about anywhere, and sleep for 8 to 10 hours. I'm pretty sure that I've slept through at least two tornadoes. I never understood insomnia.

Well, tonight I have insomnia, and I have it bad! Over the past year I've developed a lot of discomfort that peaks when I'm trying to sleep. The doc thinks it's arthritis. During the day I keep busy, and generally ignore the discomfort, but when I stretch out in bed, I'm likely to toss and turn, trying to find a comfortable position.

DH made it to bed tonight before I did, and between his snoring, and my aches, I just gave up and came to my computer. The one disadvantage about talking to people around the world is that they are generally not on line when you are! So....you get TWO posts for the day....and maybe more later on! *G*

What do YOU do when you can't sleep?? Besides the very obvious (GRINS), I find that working in the office helps, or a small glass of wine, or sometimes reading a book. But you have to be careful about that book. If it's too interesting, it can keep you up all night long, and defeat your purpose. I think I may find out why so many of my quilting friends quilt in the middle of the night! lol

I wish you all sweet dreams!
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

I was cleaning out drawers last night, and came across a yellowed scrap of paper that I had cut from an Ann Landers column years ago. William W. Quinn, Lt. General, U.S. Army (Ret.) had sent a letter to Ann, and I'm going to post part of it here.

"......reminded me of an article I had saved, although I don't know who wrote it. The article said the world's great civilizations averaged a cycle of 200 years. Those societies progressed through this sequence:

From bondage to spiritual faith
From spiritual faith to great courage
From great courage to liberty
From liberty to abundance
From abundance to selfishness
From selfishness to complacency
From complacency to apathy
From apathy to dependency
From dependency back again into bondage

As the United States has passed its 200th birthday, and in view of the recent epidemic of immorality, I wonder how your readers would assess America's current position in this cycle."

I believe that we are somewhere between abundance and complacency, but it's difficult to pin down just where. Certainly the immorality, drug use, and astonishing numbers of people in prision are signs of a decline. On the other hand, the rise in church attendence and charitable organizations such as Habitat for Humanity show a positive side that still exists.

I'm concerned about a number of things I see around me. I think that a large part of the populace feels that there is no point in voting because their vote can't accomplish anything. In the last election, the two candidates for President sounded like clones. I've never seen an election where the two parties were so similar in their platforms. Furthermore, a lot of the population believes, probably rightly so, that you can't get elected unless you have personal wealth.

I'm also concerned about a lack of social manners. Simple things such as assisting an older person, or holding a door for the person following you, or being pleasant to a person providing you with a service.....at a check out counter, or a salon, or the post ofice, these simple things are being lost in a world that is very ego oriented.

And the need for instant gratification that I see in the young concerns me. The only thing my parents paid for over time was their home. Everything else waited until they had the cash to buy it outright. We have chosen to live similarly, with a couple of exceptions. When I was refinancing the house, I was obsessing over $1000 on a credit card right after Christmas. It seemed like an inordinant amount to have spent, and I was afraid we wouldn't be able to refinance. The banker astounded me when he told me they MIGHT be concerned if I had $35 - $40,000 on credit. Who can live with that much debt hanging over their heads?

SO.....what do you think? Where are we on the scale of societal development? Are there other signs that we're further along the slippery slide?

Don't you wish that you could go "cold turkey" when you diet? *G* You could just stop eating, and your problem would be solved. Eating is an addiction for me. I eat for comfort rather than to live, and now, I have to learn more reasonable eating habits. I want to loose weight for health reasons, for vanity, because I crave the love and approval of my peers and family (not really.....well, maybe SOME of them...*G*). For the most part, I want to loose weight to be healthy.

Desiree is starting a diet. I was visiting her blog and found a kindred spirit. We may go about the process a little differently though. I know that I need more exercise and less food. Once I have made those changes, I will start working on just what kind of food I'm eating.

Tonight, we had broiled salmon marinated in Italian dressing, steamed green beans with bacon, roasted red potatoes with Lipton Onion Soup mix, and strawberries. This meal wasn't horrible, but there are a number of ways I could have improved it. I could have made my own merinade with less fat, or done without the merinade. I could have left the bacon off the beans. I could have had a baked potato with Molly McButter rather than the roasted potatoes with soup mix, and I could have left the sugar off the strawberries. And, I could have added a salad with crunchy veggies to that menu.

This is going to be a lifelong endeavor, but wish me luck as I start out.

It's been a really long day, and I'm just about at the end of it. I had my nose to the grindstone in the office and have very little to show for it. The most irritating part of the day was waiting for people to return my calls so that I could get my work done.

By 1:00, I was working myself into a tizzy, and realized I needed a break, or I would make my family miserable, so I turned to my computer and browsed blogs.

Dr. D had written about ghosts, and it made me think of Dad. When I was younger, I believed that if ghosts couldn't be proven scientifically, they didn't exist. But I've had a change of heart. Now, I believe that there are worlds out there just beyond our consciousness, waiting for us to wake up and find them.

My Dad died 20 years and 9 days ago. I still miss him, although I no longer think of him every day. Perhaps it is the time of year that's made me think of him recently.

My Dad was one of those fathers who are perfect in the eyes of their daughters. He was my rock. I could always count on him to be there for me, whether I was right or wrong. He would have supported me if I was right, and gently guided me if I was wrong, but he would have been by my side. I have three sisters, and each one of us is confident that "Dad loved ME the most!"

Dad had five major heart attacks, and a host of smaller ones he never knew he had. He hated doctors and chose not to go for help unless it was an emergency. He had an aortic aneurysm, and we lost him 10 days after it burst. The night he died tornadoes swept through Springfield. The entire world was in disarray. Horrible storms followed the tornadoes. On our way home, I had to pull off the road and park under the canopy of a bank drive-through to get out of a hail storm. The weather seemed totally fitting to me. After all, I was mourning the loss of my Dad. Why shouldn't the world mourn too?

The next week was horrible. There were wakes in two states before my Dad was finally laid to rest. I though it would go on forever when I just wanted to be alone. It was then that I realized Dad was there. At first, I thought I might catch him if I turned to my right fast enough. It seemed he was standing just behind me, keeping an eye on things and reassuring me. Finally, I stopped trying to trip him up, and just accepted the comfort it brought me that he was near. It felt rather like he was standing beside me with his arm around my shoulders helping me through all that needed to be done.

I never talked with him. I didn't see him. But, I know he was there. He was with me for five or six weeks, and then one day I realized he was gone. I kinda think he needed to stay to be sure that Mother was cared for, and that we were taking care of things.

Are there ghosts? I don't know. Was my father with me? Yes. You have to decide for yourself what you believe.

One more thing..... My father was an exceptional man. I hope I'll see him again one day. Dad......I love you.

Don't you love old movies?? Tonight we went out to dinner and then came home to watch "The Thin Man," and "The Return of the Thin Man." While I like William Powell and Myrna Loy, I think Cary Grant is probably my favorite actor. Have you ever seen "I was a Male War Bride"?? I watched it so many times that I had the script memorized.

Fred is addicted to the Marx Brothers. We have all their movies on tape. I hope I never have to spend another New Year's Eve watching the collected works of the Marx Brothers! *G*

A number of years ago the American Film Institute created several shows along the lines of The Best 100 American Films of the 20th Century. We watched, and for days discussed their choices and ranking. I was always unhappy that Sci-fi wasn't adequately represented, but I was pleased to see how many times Katherine Hepburn's movies were listed.

My all time favorite tear-jerker?? Probably "Out of Africa," but "Ryan's Daughter" runs a close second.

Fred bought me a DVD player for the table where I piece my quilts. I've purchased about 20 DVDs in the past 10 months, and the choices were really odd. Bruce Willis's quirkiest movies are represented, with "Hudson Hawke" and "The Fifth Element." "Miss Congeniality" and "Pretty Woman" are the chick flicks. "First Contact" from Star Trek is the only sci-fi so far. I have both the Harry Potter movies, and have just about worn out the first one! THe only war movie is "Bridge on the River Kwai." Cary Grant shows up several times. "It Takes a Thief," and "Charade" are two of them.

If you could only choose one movie to watch again and again, what would you pick?

I don't know about you, but I tend to think of myself as being rather anonymous. I have a large family and a circle of friends, but I live on the dividing line between two cities which together have a quarter million residents. I'm a small fish in a pretty good-sized pond. When I go out, I don't expect to see anyone I know.

So my sense of anonymity was a little disrupted today as I read an article in the Chicago Tribune called "Data Tracks." (http://www.chicagotribune.com/technology/chi-0305090364may11,1,2664836.story) I know that business and government have been able to track us for ages. I guess I've been fairly complacent about it, because I didn't have anything to hide. But the amount of information being collected on us has increased exponentially.

We have something on Illinois tollways called I-pass. With it, you can drive through tollbooths without stopping, as it makes note of your car and the time, and deducts from your account. The record of your travels is not readily available, but it can be supoenaed in court cases.

When you use your phone, a record is kept of the time and the number called. As you walk in the city, security devices now film you using digital cameras. When you shop at large grocery stores , a list of your purchases and the day you shop is stored in their computers. Each time you use your charge card, the item, shop and date is kept. A withdrawal at an ATM causes MORE records to be entered, and a CTA card keeps track of your travels. If you use a car rather than public transportation, gas stations note where you have been. Libraries are tracking the interests of their users with computers, now. Both checks and credit cards track our spending.

We've all known that our personal information is out there on the web. I get calls or e-mails from companies who have researched my mortgage and want to entice me with a lower rate. My credit rating is available to anyone clever enough to request it. The federal government is putting everything on computer so that they can compare your taxes to the W2s and company pay records. State Unemployment divisions work with Social Security to be sure the appropriate name and number match contributions being made.

So....I guess I'm a rather public property these days. I hate to be paranoid, but I wonder how this might be used against me some day. Who needs all this data? Why are they saving it? I can understand L.L.Bean tracking my purchases, but it's shocking when the local Chinese restaurant does the same thing.

And, having said all this, I doubt seriously there is any way for me to stop this tracking. Maybe I need to start riding my bike more, and pay strictly by cash....

Wild Debauchery! Hedonism! Carousing! Don't those words bring wonderful images to your mind? I see rippling muscles, rivulets of sweat, rumpled bed covers, an empty bottle of wine and two glasses, clothes strewn over the floor, and a candle burning down. I can't begin to describe the sounds!

When did I turn away from a life of carousing to become a conservative suburban matron? What made me choose to become a housekeeper and a chauffeur rather than a hedonist? What made me give up wild debauchery and settle into office work? I could become famous if I had the answers and could warn people about veering off the path of pleasure!

I remember reading one of the last things Erma Bombeck wrote before she died.
She felt she would have lived a different life if she could do it over. She would have focused less on keeping a showplace of a house, and more on time spent loving her children and husband. Too many of us are rehearsing our lives rather than living them, and end up with the same regrets Erma had.

Then, there's always the need to live up to your family's expectations. I wish I could be the black sheep of the family. I could miss gatherings and forget birthdays and generally have a bad reputation. And I'd know that they'd all talk about me now and then, but it wouldn't bother me in the least.

Do you suppose we are genetically disposed to be what we become, or is is our ennvironment that forms us? Nature vs. Nurture. I've never been able to decide which is the stronger influence. It feels to me that "nurture" was stronger, in leading me to the suburban matron role. So where was "nature" when my wild debauchery was waning away?? Wouldn't you think the instinct for sex.....well....for procreation, would always be the strongest?

My husband is going to retire before I do. Unfortunately, I work for him, and I'll be out a job when that time comes. My sister suggested that I put in some time managing a McDonald's, but I have a better idea. I think I'll take up phone sex. *G* I actually announced that to my mother. She just gave me one of "those" looks. I know she was wondering if they swapped babies at the hospital.

Have you ever stood before a mirror and practiced a look??

I think I've done this just once, preparing a smile for a photo shoot. But, I understand that it's a pretty common thing. I wonder if young girls practice looks to lure boy friends, or if their 20 year old counterparts practice sensual looks to melt their lovers? Do BOYS practice looks in the mirror??? God....the thought must send teenage girls into gales of giggles.

Why do we need to practice a look? Is it to be sure that we are communicating correctly? Or are we putting our best foot forward? Or is it possible we really don't know what we look like when we move our muscles?

Let's see.....I think I have the "Lady Astor" look down pat. You know the one....where someone tilts her head back, raises one eyebrow, and looks down her nose at you?? I've got that one perfected. I learned it watching my Mother. I think I need a LOT of work on the "Sultry Siren" look. I can't do it yet with out laughing, and it spoils the effect.

I'm gonna go off and think about other looks I need to practice on. I hope you all have a good night.

I've been thinking about wedding rings lately. I've been married twice, so I have a spare. When I was divorced, I chose to put mine away. I know that some women throw them away, some pawn them, and some have them reset. I didn't reset mine because even reset, it would have reminded me of times I prefer to put behind me. Besides, that diamond had already been reset once. My ex took the diamond from a previous engagement and reset it for me. Enough is enough.

I was surfing, looking to see how other women (and men) had responded to this issue. You might enjoy this collection of replies to Dear Prudie.

When DH proposed to me, we went to my-sister-the-jeweler to order rings. I picked out a setting and she went to Chicago to get diamonds on consignment. She and her employees chose the diamond and had it set. When DH slipped the ring on my finger, I realized that my sister had put the diamond in the setting SHE liked, not in the one I chose. What the heck! The ring is beautiful. I refused to take it off. Besides, it gives me something to rib her about. She'll be glad when my memory goes! lol

So.....did you throw yours into the ocean, or have it reset for a daughter? Did you melt it down and make a pendant out of it, or pawn it to fund a good time? Or have you been blessed and not had to think about this?

Did you ever have to dissect something in biology class? As I recall, we had to cut up dead worms. Our biology teacher should NEVER have been allowed near kids. He took pleasure in making the weakest of us squirm and was vindictive and sarcastic. He managed to rise to the level of Principal, so he could affect larger numbers of students. :-( I suppose that we were lucky that we only had to work on worms. If we had had to cut up a frog, I would have been kicked out of school for refusing to do it.

I was pondering just why we need to disect things. I realize that the hope is that we will understand more thoroughly with a first hand experience, rather than merely reading about it. But most of us aren't ever going to see the inside of a worm again. The closest most of us get to frogs once we leave school, will be running them over with the car. So, WHY do we waste so many days playing with sharp knives?

It occured to me that I might have been able to protest having to disect anything. Of course, that wasn't done in the middle ages, but if I had been pushed into cutting up a frog, I might have tried it. I wonder if a kid has done just that somewhere, creating a precident?

We could accomplish the same learning experience with latex models which could be assembled and disassembled. Since the models are reusible, the cost for class supplies would go down. The knives could be kept locked away and the school's insurance bill would go down. And, consciencious objectors would have nothing to complain about!

I vote that disection be limited to science and medical classes and butchers, and not required of high school students.

Boooooooooo Hoooooooooo

Buffy the Vampire Slayer is coming to an end. Not that I watched it or anything.....

Here are 10 one liners we won't forget, courtesy of the Chicago Tribune, Arts & Entertainment Section, Sunday, May 18, 2003:

1. "Comfy? I'm chained in a bathtub drinkin' pig's blood from a novelty mug. Doesn't rank huge in the Zagat's guide." --Spike

2. "She just left. She didn't even care enough to cut off my head or set me on fire. I mean, is that too much to ask? You know? Some little sign that she cared?"--Spike

3. "We're drawing up a plan for world domination. The key element? Coffemakers that think."--Riley

4. "Testosterone is a great equalizer. It turns all men into morons."--Giles (THIS IS MY PERSONAL FAV!)

5. "You're not, by any chance, betraying your secret identity just to impress, um, cute boys, are you?"--Giles

6. "We can't run. That would be wrong. Could we hide?"--Willow

7. "Why go to all the trouble to dig up three girls only to chop them up and throw them away? It doesn't make any sense. Especially from a time management standpoint."--Buffy

8. "You don't just sneak up on people in a graveyard. You make a noise when you walk. You...stomp. Or yodel."--Buffy

9. "Eww! Why is it that every conversation you poeple have has the word 'corpse' in it?--Cordelia

10. "I don't like vampires. I'm going to take a stand and say they are not good."--Xander

There you have it.....the highlights of seven years of screen time! Kinda makes you wonder how they became a cult favorite.

I suppose this is the appropriate place to tell how I came to be called "Buffy." About four years ago I decided that I was going to enter the life of on-line chatting. The very first obstacle I faced was the need for a nickname to get into the chatroom. You got it......in the background "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" was playing, and I borrowed her name. At the time it seemed reasonable. I had no idea that so many people would come to know me as "Buffy." I am as unlike Sarah Michelle Gellar as a woman could be, but she provided a lot of cover, and some very stupid one liners, during my chatting days. I finally got tired of the masquerade and fessed up to being a "mature suburban matron" *G* but the name stuck. I truly envy those of you who are quick witted and can come up with repartee for every situation. Maybe if I associate with you a little of it will rub off. Until then....."Hi! I'm Buffy!"

I was visiting at Dr. D's and saw a link to a post by Dominatrix at the Tower of Babel. She was writing about the difficulty a successful working woman has in finding a husband. She's figured out that she needs to find a self-confident man who won't be threatened by her success. Do you have a list of requirements in a mate?

When I was a kid, I expected that I would marry tall & dark, and if he was also handsome, that was a bonus. I come from a very tall family, and Dad had black hair, so my expectations came from what I knew. When I married the first time, my husband was just two inches taller than I, and his light brown hair was already disappearing. Our marriage didn't fail because he didn't meet my girlish expectations; it failed because we were unable to communicate.

So.....should I have had a grocery list of what I was shopping for in a mate? Should I have determined his fiscal responsibility, his five and ten year plans, his vocation and avocations, religion, education, family? What about his ability to speak to me of hopes and fears, his health, or his plans for children? What about sex....does he have fetishes, or is he so conservative that we will die of boredom?? Can he allow me freedom, or is he jealous or manipulative?

I think you have to whittle your list down to the items that you can't live without, because it's unlikely you will find your dream man. If you find that he has some of the "extras," so much the better. My advice to you is that you shouldn't assume a mate will compromise with you, or change to suit your wishes or needs. If you can't find the right man where you live, then expand your search area. If you are willing to move, then consider looking for a mate on-line. I know an incredible number of couples who met on-line, and I'm beginning to think the anonymity we have as we first chat may be a healthy thing. We talk about things in depth that it would take much longer to get to face to face.

When I was divorced, I swore I wouldn't marry again. It took three years before DH caught my attention, and what caught me was his sense of humor.
Who knew??? Add it to your list of essential qualities! *S*

Good morning, everyone! It's Saturday, and I'm still in the "getting ready for the wedding mode," but a comment Dr. D left under "Mates" caught my attention and I had a little more to say about choosing a mate.

When I wrote about mates, I was actually thinking that although we all have an ideal mate in mind as we start our search, we need to be open to the surprises which come our way. That was why I felt we need to know exactly what we must have in a mate, rather than what we might like to have.

We all start out with a long list of what we might like to have in a mate, and then we have to whittle that list down. As many of you pointed out, that ideal simply doesn't exist, or we are unable to find it. I think that it's necessary to understand yourself well enough that you can decide what you can't live without.

Family is an important issue to me. I would be miserable with a man who refused to attend family functions. Even when I'm unhappy with my family, I still have obligations to them, and my husband's support helps me through the tough times.

If I were starting a family, I'd want a husband who parented equally with me. I think that children need to interact with both parents, and parents need to be in agreement on how the children are raised. Like parenting styles would help, but I don't know if they are required.

I glossed over it in my last post, but similar interest in sex has to be a requirement. Can you imagine someone who will only allow the missionary position married to someone who wants to explore the world of BDSM?? *G* That's an extreme example, but frequency and style do matter. If one of you is unprepared to change, then you're in for trouble. To me, fidelity is also a must.

For some people, religion is a serious issue. Do you need to marry within your church, or could you accept someone from a different religion? Can you accept a person who doesn't believe in God? Could you change religion for your mate?

There are suprises along the way. I told you that I thought I would marry a tall, dark man. Well....I got the dark part. DH has incredible Mediterranean skin that I envy every day of the summer. But I ditched my expectations on height when I married DH. He's shorter than I am.

He surprised me in another way. I'm the partner with more education. He's the partner with more brains. I have the book learning, he has the common sense. I had expected to marry a man who had at least as much education as I have, and found that it really didn't matter.

I think when you fall in love, you have to think about what you need in your relationship, and set everything else aside. Be realistic, ruthless if need be, but whittle that list down. Open yourself to suprises and enjoy your search!

"The Joy of..." Have you read "The Joy of Sex"?? When that book came out, I was a modern young married woman, but I had to hold back a nervous giggle as I bought it. You couldn't order it through Amazon.com then, and it was tantamount to asking for a copy of "Penthouse" at the news stand. I was delighted to have a guide, but vaguely uneasy about it. I finally realized that the people depicted in the poses were all Hippies! Had the book featured a clean-shaven Establishment man....I would have felt right at home! lol Talk about conservative!

I picked up another book recently, Lou Paget's "How to be a GREAT LOVER." It's subtitled "Girlfriend to Girlfriend Totally Explicit Techniques that Will Blow His Mind." In the chapter called "Give That Man a Hand" I discovered that I had been depriving DH of a technique called "Ode to Bryan." I'm amazed he hasn't divorced me......and he never said a WORD! I wonder if he has a stash of how-to books and is relieved that I haven't left him because he's failed to perform some incredible technique from the Kama Sutra?

It's all about checks and balances. *G*

Okay.....tell me. What other books should I have read??

If you have been in, or are in, a long term relationship, have you ever hit a point where you didn't have the faintest idea what to get your significant other? I've gone from knowing what DH would enjoy to not having a clue. He's become like my Dad.......if he doesn't have it, you can't afford it. Dad wasn't a materialistic person, and neither is DH. It's terribly difficult to buy a gift that matters, and I hate to give a gift just because the day demands it.

I hate to admit it, but Martha Stewart might bail me out this time. With Father's Day coming up, she suggested using a picture frame with six openings, and filling five of the spots with pictures of his kids growing up. THe sixth spot has a message...you know.....Happy Father's Day, 2003! Or something a little more personal. If I featured pictures of his daughter this year.....and one of the boys each of the next three years, and his grandson the following year, I could stretch this out for FIVE YEARS!!! YES! Now what do I do for his birthday, and Christmas, and our anniversary???

How do you let your significant other know what you might like to have? Do you get a lot of goofy gifts? I know that there are women out there who have threatened mayhem if they receive another appliance for Mother's Day, and frankly, I don't blame them in the least! My ex-mother-in-law received a robe every Christmas, year after year. For Mother's Day, she got a bottle of perfume. I couldn't believe she didn't find a way to guide her husband in his gift giving, but now I find the same thing has happened to me. Maybe I just don't have enough "I wants."

I'm at the point in my life where more time together, or quality time, is what I really want. A long weekend trip would be lovely. A visit to the Antiques Fair, or maybe a weekend of estate sales, or visiting Salvage One would be fun. So would strolling a riverwalk, entertaining friends, or playing Spite and Malice. I don't need a mink.....or a BMW. Diamonds would be kinda nice.....but time is what I'd really like.

If you happen to see DH sailing by.....whisper in his ear.......

Today, as I was running errands I was listening to WGN on the radio. From 9:00 to noon it's presided over by two zany women, who tend to talk about really trivial things. Today, Judy was talking about a questionnaire in "Elle" Magazine about bodies.

The question posed was: If you were in a long-term relationship and you could arrange for one of you to have a GREAT body.....which of you would have the great body? They took six callers and 5 out of the 6 said they wanted the great body. The callers were both men and women. One man said he wanted his partner to have the great body.

The article said that 9 out of 10 women said THEY wanted the great body. Fewer men said they wanted the great body, about 6 out of 10.

Since women tend to be less secure about their bodies their results didn't surprise me. The physical aspects of making love have to be easier when you aren't concerned about a few extra pounds, or when you know that your lover admires how you look.

There's vanity involved in men wanting their partner to be beautiful. Think of how many men divorce in middle age and then marry a trophy wife. I wonder if that really raises a man's social standing among his peers? I was a little surprised that as many as six out of 10 men wanted the great body for themselves. Does that mean that male values concerning appearance are changing?

How would YOU vote?

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!

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!

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

We have an old dog. He's been with us since we build this house, about 14 years ago. My sister discovered him and his liter mates abandoned by the side of the road in Central Indiana. DH and I, and my mother were all living in apartments at the time. Sis told Mother "You NEED a dog!" She agreed to keep him for us until we moved into the house at the end of October, and we would drive down to pick him up.

We followed through, and had a memorable trip home. The pup laid across my lap for more than four hours, drooling in fear. At one point I was sure I was going to drown in dog drool. It's amazing that I came to love him despite the memory of the trip.

Mother was the one who named him. She chose "Defer." It's embarrassing when I have to explain to people that it stands for "D fer Dog." It's not that I mind his name, I just can't believe people need to have it explained.

Soooooo.....we've kept company a lot of years. He's been our early warning system. Anything that moved within 200 feet got barked at. For years he's been ferociously barking at the UPS man. One day I finally let him out to meet the guy, thinking it might stop the row, and he saunterd past the guy as if he wasn't standing there. I must have the only delivery person who actually wants a dog to recognize him.

Defer is part German Shepherd and part Beagle. He's a handsome mid-sized dog with Shepherd coloring and a Shepherd muzzle and ruff, and that's about were the Shepherd leaves off. The rest of him is all Beagle! Beagle butt, Beagle voice, Beagle nose, Beagle brain.....and Beagle willfulness.

We've had to walk him on a leash because we are within city limits. He also sees the path where we walk as his personal property and doesn't like to share. Occasionally he would streak to freedom out the front door. When he was young it would take hours to get him back. Now he's pooped in 15 minutes and comes back on his own. We discovered that using a "big dog voice" helped to catch him, so DH is the leader of Defer's pack.

Defer is the only dog I've had that doesn't roll over, or play catch or fetch. He does "sit," "shake," "shake the other paw," and "down, " but only if he thinks he will get a treat for his efforts. This dog doesn't do ANYTHING for free! My stepdaughter will hold a dog cookie between her teeth for him to take, but I'll pass on the doggie breath, thank you.

This year, in late winter and again in early spring, Defer had a stroke. Each time I was sure we would loose him. His balance center was affected. He couldn't trust his eyes, and the confusion prevented him from eatng. He staggered, trying to find his footing, and would ultimately lay in the hallway for days without eating. By the time we got to the fifth day, I was ready to talk to the vet about force feeding him. I was standing in the kitchen, getting ready to feed the cat, and figured it was worth trying to tempt Defer with a tablespoon of cat food, his all time favorite food.

It worked! I gave him another dollop, and another.....and he was on his way to recuperating. It hit again around Easter, and I was afraid he might not make it back. We went through the symptoms like old pros....and again....after about five days, he was ready to resume eating. He's gradually come back, not quite to his old self, but to an easy relationship with us.

While my nieces were with us, we bathed him. Rather than risk upsetting him with cold water, I filled three 5-gallon buckets with water to warm in the sun, and we played with him, sudsing and stroking and making it as pleasant as possible. After he air dried, we put a red bandana on him, and praised him for his beauty and clean smell. He ate it up!

Of course, I know we are on borrowed time. It won't be long now before he has another episode, and this time he might not make it back. But, I have to tell you, this has been precious time for us.

We've been kinder, more patient, more loving and gentle with him, because we know that this time with him is a boon. We've had the chance to enjoy his quirks and his interaction with family. He tires easily these days, but he's always game for a quick trip outside, followed by a nap in the sun.

I'll miss my shadow when he goes, but I'm so glad he's been a part of my life. I hope you all have someone like Defer pad through your lives, and touch your hearts.

I've been thinking about skin today. Actually, I've been envisioning skin. Little snapshots have been interrupting my train of thought, and what they all have in common is skin. Texture, temperature, taste, color......it's really very complex.

Don't you find it amazing that you once were a baby with skin that begged to be nuzzled? You had skin crisscrossed with miniature veins, little rivers of blue carrying your lifeblood. Your skin was plump and moist, with a sheen that was luminous. When you had been bathed, every woman in the room wanted to hold you and sniff that clean baby smell. That beautiful skin begged to be touched.

As a young adult, your skin begs to be touched in a different way. Women watch construction workers with a six-pack of muscles and fantacize away their lunch hours. Rivulets of sweat trickle down chests and backs and draw attention to muscle and sinew covered with skin kissed by the sun. Men dream of tasting, and touching and inhaling the scent of a woman, and an experienced lover knows the value of skin as an erotic feast.

And then our skin begins to change. We loose elasticity, and the plumpness of youth. We gain wrinkles, and blemishes. Our hands look like road maps from too many days in the sun and not enough moisturizer. We show the wear of our years.

But.....our skin is still receptive to touch. No matter what age we are, we never out grow the need to be touched. The warmth of another hand holding ours is more important than all the material things in the world. Who would have thought that skin touching skin is one of the great wonders of our world?

I hesitate to post on this subject. So much has been so eloquently written by others that I almost feel I have nothing to add. But.....I NEED to say how thankful I am that I was born in the USA. We so frequently take our freedom for granted, breaking laws right and left, trying to get out of tolls and taxes, not voting, leaving issues to be decided by others, and the only reason we DARE to do things like that, is because we are free.

Our freedom was hard won. Many of the men who signed the Declaration of Independence lost everything, homes, wealth, loved ones. They knew the risk they were taking, and signed anyway. We suffered through Civil War to end the custom of slavery, so that others could have the same freedom we enjoy. We've gone to war for other countries to try to give them the freedom we hold dear.

Is the USA perfect? Not hardly. We make mistakes left and right. It's the nature of the design of our government that we must come to compromise in all our decisions. Only the test of time can tell if the decisions are right, or wrong. But, underlying every law and rule and action we take is the concept of personal freedom.

Spend some time today thinking about all the things we are able to do because we are free. Think about what life in the USSR was like, or Afghanistan, or China, or in Iran under Saddam's regime and compare it to yours. The fact that you are allowed to say you don't like what the government is doing, and that you want changes made, may be the most precious freedom of all.

To those of you who do not reside in the U.S., I ask that you forgive us our pride in being free. That pride defines us, and unites us, and is the core of every patriotic American. When we shout from the mountain tops "I AM FREE," it's because it's our most valuable asset.

I hope that you all have a great Fourth of July, and remember what it took to get us here.

Speaking of eloquent comments on the Fourth of July, go visit Sgt. Hook's blog. He did a spectacular job of focusing on what's really important about the Fourth of July.

Happy Fourth, everyone!

I was on-line in the office today, when my eyes started to tear up. Then my nose wrinkled, and I started to gag. I stood up to start the fan, and looked over to confirm that Defer was lying in the doorway of the office, with his hindquarters in the office. I've GOT to get that dog off canned dog food!

My mother had some very strict ideas about raising children, and what was acceptable. We did NOT chew gum, burp, or pass gas, and if we up-chucked....we cleaned it up ourselves. I do not remember ever hearing my father fart. As a matter of fact....that word was not part of my vocabulary until I met my present husband.

DH was very restrained the first six years I knew him. Then we married and the honeymoon was over. I should have realized what I was going to have to deal with when his partner asked if he disappeared from the room frequently. He started out letting small sounds escape, and gradually progressed to the louder, more prolonged productions. There have been days when I wasn't sure who was worse, DH, or the dog.

We'll be sitting in the living room and he will shift on the couch, lifting a hip, and sigh with satisfaction. I've developed a series of expressions to convey the depth of my displeasure, to no avail. The worst, though, are the silent deadlies. Lord spare me from the silent ones!

Explain to me why he NEVER does this in front of my mother? It's not like he's afraid of her. Why is it okay to do it to me? You'd think if he loved me he'd treat me better.

DH has a lot to commend him. He doesn't cuss or smoke; he drinks sparingly. He has a long list of sterling attributes, and this failing. For our next wedding anniversary I'm going to help him with that one failing. His present will be a big cork!

I was listening to WGN this morning. Kathy and Judy, the wacky female duo who command the morning airtime were discussing what protocol NASA should have for astronauts who discover they won't be making a safe return.

That's a really tough subject. Suppose you have risked all to be among the select few who have gone into space, and Mission Control tells you that you might not make it back. You have three doors to choose from. The option behind the first door is to ride a flaming shuttle to your death. The second door is that same ride, but miraculously, you make it back safe and sound. The third door holds a pill that allows you to take your own life before you suffer.

What a choice to have to make! How many of us have the fortitude to tough out a death like that? I believe I'd want to hang on to the last moment, trying to do everything I could, to save the mission (and my life!). I don't believe that in less trying situations I'd opt for suicide, but if NASA had supplied me with a tablet that would make my death quick and painless.....could I hold out, in the face of what was to come?

Another issue they discussed was whether NASA should suggest to the astronauts that they need to have a final communication with their loved ones. If the situation is bleak, and the chance of getting home is slim, should they be up front about it? I followed Apollo 13's trials when I was younger, and I've seen the movie about it dozens of times. There was never any suggestion made public that those men talked with their families. Do you suppose that NASA felt that admitting the gravity of the situation might lessen the efforts of the men to get back? If you loose hope, do you quit trying?

I'd be a wreck having what might be my last conversation with my family, but I'd want it. Think about the men and women on 9-11 who called their loved ones from the Trade Centers or from the planes, to say goodbye. I don't think that conversation would keep me from making every effort to make it back. It might make me redouble my efforts.

So.......would you take the easy way out, or ride the shuttle down? Would you talk to your spouse or not? Should NASA let the astronauts decide for themselves what the protocol should be? Talk to me.

It seems we have had some night visitors. Since the air-conditioning is on during the summer, we don't hear what's going on outside, but DH had a tale to tell when he came in today.

We have a storm moving in tonight, so DH decided to get as much mowing done as possible before dinner. We have quite a large yard, so he was only able to do part of it. As he was mowing, he found some evidence that "people" have been using our front lawn to "party" at night.

First, there were tire tracks through a section of my driveway garden which is down for renovation. A small to mid-size car might be able to drive through that area leaving the drive and traveling across the lawn. He felt they had parked behind a pod of lilacs that would have shielded them from the road. Secondly, they left used rubbers behind.

DH thought they may have visited several times before they came with the car. Of course, we think it's likely that kids from one of the new neighborhoods to our east or west have found us. I'm going to have to put stakes in the garden to discourage them from passing through again. We're going to use black plastic to do a solar burn off of that portion of the bed, and they won't be able to see that at night. Maybe I should put up a scarecrow in the center!

We were talking about this as I fixed dinner. DH said we should take an empty disposable camera one night, sneak up on them and click the flash. Actually....that sounds like a fine thing to be doing at 1:00 in the morning. *G* Have you any better suggestions??

Sunday, I took my mother to a beginner's class on beading. We both quilt. I create mostly pieced quilts, and Mother appliqués. We both feel that we need to participate in the current trend of embellishing quilts, and beads are the easiest way to start. We spent two hours in dogged concentration chasing those suckers around with our needles, trying to secure them to a practice piece. I now know the basic steps, and it will be the rare quilt of mine that gets beads. Maybe with practice it gets easier, but it was incredibly frustrating, and uncomfortable, besides.

I'd rather work with emoticons. They are MUCH easier to deal with!

You know from past entries that I firmly believe that those who choose to live in the United States should speak and read English. Well, to that end, I think I am going to contact the local chapter of Literacy Volunteers of America. Since I have teaching degrees, it shouldn't be too difficult for me to get the training I need to participate in this program. Ideally, I'd like to teach adults to read, but there is probably more call for English as a Second Language in this area. It seems like a great project for the coming year.

No, not the kids out on the lawn, although I appreciate the suggestions on what to do about them! *G* One of my stepsons lives with us, and he has a long distance girlfriend. She is on a trip, and since she was going to pass through this area, she made arrangements to stay with us. At first, we expected her late on Tuesday night, and then it was going to be Wednesday morning. So, I decided to go to bed and do the dishes in the morning before she arrived.

Well, you got it. She came in at 2:00 in the morning. It just doesn't pay to let the dishes go. We have one of those houses where the kitchen, and the great room, and a breakfast room are all part of an open plan, so it always feels that if the kitchen is a mess, so are the other rooms. I spent some time cleaning up this morning, so that when she wakes up, it will look a lot better.

Dear Husband teases me about cleaning the house before the cleaning lady comes. I don't think I will ever be sufficiently blasé enough to forget that I WAS the cleaning lady not too long ago.

This was posted to a Yahoo Group I belong to. It's a pictoral history lesson based on Billy Joel's "We Didn't Start the Fire."

Go see.....it's worth a look.

http://www.its.caltech.edu/~yel/Fire.html

Do you believe in predestination? I don't want to, but I keep coming back to the subject and mulling it over.

I was getting a haircut today, and Kristin was talking about this. She believes that you are put on earth for a purpose, that we have something to learn from the situations we find ourselves in. It rather reminded me of the "Quantum Leap" series on TV.

I asked her if she believed that we had any control over the direction of our lives, and she said yes. She felt that it was possible for us to take the easy path and learn our lesson pleasantly, or we could fight it, and learn the lesson the hard way.

I don't know if I agree with her that we are here to learn something, but I do believe that we choose the direction of our lives. Our environments have a huge affect on our choices, but we can still choose the paths we take. If you are in an abusive relationship, you can walk away. If you have been raised in a ghetto, you can choose to study and find a better way of life. It's harder to walk away from those you love, but if the situation is harmful to you, you can walk away.

Most of us tend to fear the devil we don't know, more than the devil we do know. We're slow to make changes because we could make things even worse. "Out of the fat, and into the fire." How many of us worry that we will make a bad choice? Sometimes those choices remind us of the story about "The Lady or the Tiger."

DH seems to make the right choice at the right time. We built a home, and it's been threatened again and again with disastrous situations. The farm across the street was zoned for light industry, and they could have built an asphalt plant there. The Illinois Dept. of Transportation wanted to put a freeway through here just after we built. Then, the people who owned the land 500 yards away wanted to build a drug and alcohol rehab unit.

The truth is....the farm across the street was purchased by the forest preserve, the freeway idea was dropped due to the cost of purchasing the land, and the rehab center was dropped when the entire neighborhood came together to protest. Each time, I worried myself sick....and each time he told me not to worry.

DH began as a construction laborer, and now he owns his own business. On the surface, it looks as though his childhood didn't contribute anything to this success, but perhaps it gave him the resiliancy and self-reliance to accomplish all this. Or, perhaps he was intended to be successful, despite his surroundings.

Despite his success, I know he'd rather be sailing the seven seas.

Are you on the path of your choice? If not, what's keeping you from it?

I was browsing blogs this afternoon, and came across Acidman's comments about love. There were a couple of his statements I was thinking about challenging, but my mind went off on a tangent before I got there. Go see what he had to say, and don't nag him about being mushy.

In 1970, the movie "Love Story" was released. It was a HUGE hit. Everyone I knew saw it multiple times, and there were posters and t-shirts everywhere. The famous line that comes from the movie is "Love is never having to say you're sorry." Horse hockey! (Seems to be the trend for the week....piled deeper and higher.)

I didn't understand that line at the time, and I still don't understand it. It seems to me that if you have done something less than noble in your relationship, you NEED to be saying that you are sorry. When you make a committment to another person, whether it's pledging your troth, or simply saying "I love you," you are proclaiming that how they feel matters to you.

There are going to be times when you screw up, and you can't just kick the mess under the rug and go on. You have to face up to your errors, admit them, and say "I'm sorry." "I'm sorry, and I'll never do that again" would be even better.

We are not static in our lives. There is never a point we reach where we stop evolving or maturing. Each year adds a perspective that didn't exist the prior year, and sometimes those changes are going to bring us into conflict with those we love. And sometimes we do things that hurt them. It takes a big person to say they are sorry, especially when they are sincere.

I worry about growing apart, and I've been told that I worry too much. It's natural for the people in a relationship to diverge some as they mature, but my concern has to do with how much diversion a relationship can bear. Can love continue when common ground has evaporated?

One of the things Acidman said that resonated with me was "You can love someone without doting on them. Sometimes you have to love from a distance." Perhaps that's the nature of some relationships.....the "if you love them, let them go" theory. I wonder if the secret to a 70 year marriage is that each of the partners has their own interests, or is it common ground that keeps them together?

As you can see, I don't have the answers. I know what I hope they are, but you'll have to check back in a few decades to see if I ever figured it out.

One thing I can tell you is the the movie "Love Story" sucks pond water! I avoid all things Ryan O'Neil, now.

I was reading Dr. D's and Desiree's comments on the post about AIDS statistics, and had a little more to say.

I started what has turned out to be a long term relationship just about the time AIDS was rearing it's ugly head. Each time AIDS has come up for discussion over the past 20 years I've shuddered at the thought of being thrown back into the dating pool. It's difficult enough to be swimming there at my age; it's even worse to have to contemplate dating in the age of AIDS.

I can just see meeting a really cool guy; deciding that THIS is one I'd be willing to allow to see me nekkid.....and then having to ask him for a note from his doctor, saying that he's virus free.

Can you imagine that conversation??

HA.....I was just sitting here thinking about asking that question of some of the male bloggers I read, and the range of responses they'd have. Think about the different let-downs I'd get from T-bone, e-the merciless, Acidman, Sgt. Hook, Mad Bull or Dr. D.

T-bone would give me a witty disertation on how he loves the Petite Filet, -e- would have to check his social schedule to see if he could fit me in between the latest blog brawls, Acidman......well....I'm not going there....he'd speak his mind, and it wouldn't be pretty, the Sgt. (who also loves his wife) would feel it was inappropriate for an officer representing the US, and Natty wouldn't let Mad Bull do it (he ALSO loves his wife). Dr. D wouldn't need a note from his doc, I guess.

Back to the subject. I understand just why AIDS is spreading. There's not a person out there who would put themselves through that embarrassment. You'd have to be willing to accept a LOT of rejection. On the other hand, maybe it's not such a bad thing. It would weed out the guys looking for a one night stand. You might actually find keepers that way.

Hm......Yahoo personals: WSF, virus free, seeing WSM, virus free. Interested in music, movies, theater, and hot monkey sex. Those without doctor certification need not apply.

Y'all know I'm a relative newbie here, and I'm still trying to find my niche, although I'm getting closer. I've started reading further afield, and one of the things that has been popping up lately is the subject of trolls. I was visiting Wazzup, -e's- site, and came across this definition for trolls:

troll /v.,n./ [From the Usenet group alt.folklore.urban] To utter a posting on Usenet designed to attract predictable responses or flames. Derives from the phrase "trolling for newbies" which in turn comes from mainstream "trolling", a style of fishing in which one trails bait through a likely spot hoping for a bite. The well-constructed troll is a post that induces lots of newbies and flamers to make themselves look even more clueless than they already do, while subtly conveying to the more savvy and experienced that it is in fact a deliberate troll. If you don't fall for the joke, you get to be in on it.

Is there a book out called "Blogging for Idiots"??? It's really embarrassing to put your foot in it, and not even know that you've done it. Maybe there's a Miss Manners of the Blog world who can advise me, and keep me out of trouble.

Actually......for those of you in the same boat, read the comments posted to Eric's blog on July 17, titled "Free Speech, trolls, and sissies." It's nice to know that there are other bloggers out there who have more experience and are just as clueless about trolls.

I'm really relieved that I've missed out on the entire Usenet scene. Flaming is not a way of life that excites me. Perhaps I will simply go and read, and withhold comment until I have sharpened my logic and language skills.

Until then, you can expect posts on food, family life, friends, life questions, books, music, theater and occasionally, sex.

As a quilter and a gardener, light has always had an effect on the canvas of my creations. It wasn't until recently that I realized it affects me when I am at the computer as well.

We have a home office, and a second computer has been set up in the living room. Both rooms have interesting light. The office has a window that looks out over lawn, mature trees, a star magnolia, fosythia and a border of daylilies. The shades of green in pools of sunlight or deepest shade draw your eye, and invite you to daydream. Even in winter, when only the bones of the landscaping exist, the light will draw your eye, exaggerating the contrast of glistening snow and tree trunks wet from melting ice. The angle of the sun in summer keeps it from entering the room. There's an invisible barrier between that glorious view and the shaded room that reminds you this is supposed to be a place of work.

The computer in the living room sits on an antique trestle table. I've clustered treasures on that table to create a nest. There's a coffee grinder from my grandparent's home on a farm in Iowa in the 1930s, a frame with one of the few pictures I have of my husband, his arm draped around a fabric moose as tall as he is, a silver wire Christmas ornament from one of my nieces, and the computer. A lamp leaves a pool of light in the center of the table at night, but the light that draws me during the summer afternoons is much more lovely.

The west end of that room has twelve windows that fill it from the peak to about two feet off the floor. There are no curtains. Outside the window is the remains of an old nursery. Some of the trees are in rows and others have been sprinkled through out the regimented lines by an unseen hand. Through out the day and into the night we see a steady passage of deer, racoons, blue jays, cardinals, squirrels and chipmunks. It's not possible to be bored, here.

When I take my seat at that computer in late afternoon, the sun shines through the upper structure of the trees and dapples the surface of the table. The light is gentle and warming, and I want to use the word "bower" to describe that corner of the room. It's my personal retreat, a feminine reaction to the masculinity of the rest of the house. The windows let nature in, in the softest of ways. It's a place where I find peace.

I'll always carry the image of that summer light and the sense of comfort and beauty it brings to me.

...or maybe not so good....

I rarely follow what’s going on in sports, but I can’t help but trip over all the commentary about Kobe Bryant that’s in the news right now. AOL Sports had a column that caught my eye.

Steve Aschburner wants to know if his readers feel Bryant is “morally bankrupt.” It seems that a nationally syndicated talk show host based in LA was pushing the concept of a “moral bank account.”

Do you feel that all your good deeds and behavior accrue in a moral savings account to be used to offset the occasional immoral act? It’s an interesting concept, in that it would give you a little wiggle room when you finally had to face St. Peter.

“Well, yes, Sir. I DID rip off my partner and run off to Cancun with his money and his wife. But on the other hand, I DID organize the annual United Way Fund for Peoria, and I took in stray cats, and I saw to it that my mother lives in the best nursing home available. Doesn’t that count for something?”

Aschburner says NO! He believes that good people do good all the time, and that you are only as good as your next decision. That’s a pretty harsh stand.

I’ve accepted that St. Peter and I will have a LONG list of items to discuss. I’ve made little errors and whoppers, sins of omission and commission. Will any of the good things I’ve done help me? Gosh, I hope so. But, I don’t believe that the good things I do give me the right to occasionally sin. It’s not a balance sheet for me, but an ongoing effort to live a better life.

Should Kobe Bryant be given the benefit of the doubt in his coming case because he projects the image of generally being a good guy? Does that image give you reason to doubt his accuser? Do you think that your life is a balance sheet, and that you can occasionally make a withdrawal, as long as you aren’t bankrupt by the end of the day?

What do YOU think?

I was thinking about the proliferation of creature comforts during the second half of the 20th century. The list is incredibly long now, due mostly to the strides technology has made.

TV and radio were around before 1950, but I think we've just about reached the point where every household has one of each. Okay, maybe not EVERY…but most. TV went from black and white to color, and radio went to stereo sound. The original equipment was furniture size, and shifted to portable so you would never have to be without: Boom boxes, Walkman, Watchman, Disk players. Then we needed equipment to save what we saw and heard. Cassette tapes, Beta, VHS, CDs and DVDs, and floppy disks, emerged, each form smaller than the previous one, so that you never had to be without.

In the kitchen, microwaves and food processors became commonplace. Under cabinet lighting, under cabinet radios, under cabinet can openers, and under cabinet you-name-its, showed up.

Improvements have occurred throughout the house. Many people own electric washers and dryers, trash compactors, kitchen disposals and automatic coffeemakers. We have whirlpools and exercise rooms and saunas in some houses. We have showerheads that pulse, and devices to keep us from getting scorched by the water when the kids flush. There are curling irons, blow driers, and electric tooth brushes, electric blankets and electric BEDS!

In the home office we have typewriters with memory, computers with word processors, copiers, and electric pencil sharpeners. My phone takes messages and talks to callers. We have scanners and faxes and printers. My father’s beautiful slide rule became obsolete as calculators took over the schoolroom and then the world.

We are so addicted to being in contact that a HUGE number of us have cell phone, with voice mail and a built in phone book. Mine might make waffles; I haven’t checked.

Our clothes are created with permanent press to make care easier, and the biologists have developed ways to create colored cotton, so the fiber doesn’t have to be dyed. Some fibers are made with nanotechnology to discourage stains, and micro fibers to enhance fit and wear.

We have riding lawn mowers, automatic door locks/openers for our cars, lighting that goes on as the sun sets, sprinklers that start and stop on timers and digital cameras. Kids have an endless array of electronic games. We have windows that keep the Ultraviolet rays out, and air conditioning to keep the entire house cool. We even have electronic fences to keep the dog from straying.

And with all that, some of my favorite things are really very simple. I’m delighted to have an attached garage so that I can get out of the car and stay dry. I love the refrigerator that makes ice for me, and is frost free. The microwave gives me my first morning cup of tea in two minutes, and my family thanks GOD for that. And, the log lighter in the fireplace is wonderful. I know a lot of people go for fake fires, but I just need a little help getting my fire started.

I could live without my creature comforts, but they sure make life nice. What would you hate to give up?

This came in my e-mail today. Given the previous post on Creature Comforts, I thought I'd share it.

The year is 1902 , one hundred years ago... what a difference a century makes. Here are the U.S. statistics for 1902....

The average life expectancy in the US was forty-seven.

Only 14 Percent of the homes in the US had a bathtub.

Only 8 percent of the homes had a telephone.

A three-minute call from Denver to New York City cost eleven dollars.

There were only 8,000 cars in the US and only 144 miles of paved roads.

The maximum speed limit in most cities was 10 mph.

Alabama, Mississippi, Iowa, and Tennessee were each more heavily populated than California. With a mere 1.4 million residents, California was only the 21st most populous state in the Union.

The tallest structure in the world was the Eiffel Tower.

The average wage in the US was 22 cents an hour.

The average US worker made between $200 and $400 per year.

A competent accountant could expect to earn $2000 per year, a dentist $2,500 per year, a veterinarian between $1,500 and $4,000 per year, and a mechanical engineer about $5,000 per year.

More than 95 percent of all births in the US took place at home.

Ninety percent of all US physicians had no college education. Instead, they attended medical schools, many of which were condemned in the press and by the government as "substandard."

Sugar cost four cents a pound. Eggs were fourteen cents a dozen. Coffee cost fifteen cents a pound.

Most women only washed their hair once a month and used borax or egg yolks for shampoo.

Canada passed a law prohibiting poor people from entering the country for any reason.

The five leading causes of death in the US were:
1. Pneumonia and influenza
2. Tuberculosis
3. Diarrhea
4. Heart disease
5. Stroke

The American flag had 45 stars. Arizona, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Hawaii and Alaska hadn't been admitted to the Union yet.

The population of Las Vegas, Nevada was 30.

Crossword puzzles, canned beer, and iced tea hadn't been invented.

There were no Mother's Day or Father's Day.

One in ten US adults couldn't read or write. Only 6 percent of all Americans had graduated from high school.

Marijuana, heroin, and morphine were all available over the counter at corner drugstores. According to one pharmacist, "Heroin clears the complexion, gives buoyancy to the mind, regulates the stomach and the bowels, and is, in fact, a perfect guardian of health."

Eighteen percent of households in the US had at least one full-time servant or domestic.

There were only about 230 reported murders in the entire US.

Just think what it will be like in another 100 years. It boggles the mind!!

I heard on the radio this morning that Cook County, the home of Chicago, Illinois has 135 languages spoken within it's boundaries.

AND, 35%.....that's THIRTY-FIVE PERCENT of the households in the county do not use English as the language spoken in the home.

Spanish, Polish, one of the Chinese dialects. What the heck are the OTHER 132 languages???

I was reading yesterday, and came across the word "voluptuary," and paused to wonder if there are voluptuaries today.

Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1998 defines it this way:

voluptuary \Vo*lup"tu*a*ry\ (?; 135), n.; pl. Voluptuaries. [L. voluptuarius or voluptarius, fr. voluptas pleasure.] A voluptuous person; one who makes his physical enjoyment his chief care; one addicted to luxury, and the gratification of sensual appetites.
Syn: Sensualist; epicure.

I browsed at Google in an effort to see if there were famous 20th century voluptuaries, and found the word tied to the United Nations, sex, disipation, Anne Rice, the Kama Sutra, French cuisine, prostitution, literature, chinchilla, dance, Tolstoy and assorted other entries. There was even a reference to mental voluptuaries.

So, a voluptuary is a person who spends his or her time in the pursuit of personal pleasure. That pleasure may be sexual, or sensual. It can be tactile, or mental, or gustatory.

I wonder if you can be a part-time voluptuary? Do you need to have great wealth to be one? Can you be a working stiff and still be a voluptuary?

I always thought of Pashas with their harems when I saw the word voluptuary. Picture a man reclining on a collection of pillows, having a small child fan the air with peacock feathers, a scantily clad woman searching a tray for the most delictable morsel to feed him.

I suppose today's voluptuary is the man who drives an expensive car loaded with all the accessories ever invented, or the woman who choses to clothe herself in silk and fur. On very rare occasions, I have been a voluptuary when dining out, but unlike Nero Wolfe, those occasions have been few and far between. I suspect if the third world knew of the word, they would consider every inhabitant of the western world to be a voluptuary.

I think I'll create a female character for an on-going series of stories who has chosen the life of a voluptuary. You know, they say that you should write about what you know. I'll have to do a LOT of research! *G*

What is it with men and directions? I just don't understand this issue. My husband, who is exceptional in so many ways, simply does not get the idea of asking for directions when he is lost.

The closest he has ever come to admitting he was lost was the day he called me from his truck, and said that he wanted me to get out the six county map (Chicago and suburbs), and see if I could advise him how to get where he was going. Unfortunately, rather than pull over and give me some time to flip through the pages to find his starting point, he kept driving! ARRRGH!!!

He finally hit a road he recognized, and back-tracked as I frantically searched through the pages, trying to figure out how to get him where he needed to go.

When we travel, he drives, for the most part, and I sit with a Rand McNally map of the US on my lap. On long trips he never argues with me about what direction to go. Even in Chicago he turns when I tell him to. Unfortunately, one day I said "Turn Left HERE!" and we ended up going the wrong way on a one way street. Luckily, it was at a time of the evening when there was little traffic and we made it to the next block safely. I told you he was exceptional.

Still, when we are in the 'burbs, he and I would NEVER choose the same path to get where we are going. For a while it became a bone of contention between us, and now it's graduated to the family joke. My mother used to dread riding with us because we were likely to bicker about how to get where we were going.

I believe in taking the less traveled route, even if it means I have to make a few more turns. I travel at off peak times (IF there is such a thing out here, any longer). DH, on the other hand, is used to driving a 14 foot stake bed truck that is restricted to certain roads. He ALWAYS chooses the route with the fewest turns, and this habit leaches over to his private driving as well.

Being a boat owner, DH is the proud owner of three, or maybe it's four, hand held GPS devices. I'm tempted to buy him one of the watch styled ones for our anniversary. Then he'll always be able to tell me where he WAS!

ARRGH!!!

Have you experienced a streaker? It was the new thing when I was at school, and I see that it hasn't died out. This is one of those links that Dr. D might send when he's having trouble thinking of an issue to discuss. I admit it. I'm having one of those totally emply, blank, tabula rasa days. I go from having endless things to say, to zippo, so it's not surprising a little streaking caught my attention! *G*

Sorry, Doc.......I beat you to it! lol

Additional post:
Well, Sgt. Hook was right, the link has expired since I posted. THe story was about a passenger on a plane to Singapore. The man was a thirty-something flight attendant, traveling as a passenger. At one point, he jumped up from his seat, threw a glass of wine over several other passengers, stripped naked and threw his credit cards around the cabin. The flight attendents couldn't get to him for a few moments because the serving carts blocked their passage. They finally herded him to the front of the plane where he was handed his clothes and told to dress.

He's going to have a little "mental health" vacation. Apparently the airline had no sense of humor. *G*

In my twenties, I had the chance to travel across Europe with an adult community band. One of the cities we visited was Ulm, Germany. I was reminded of that day by a post on Dr. D's blog.

We were about halfway through our tour when the younger members of the bass section decided it was time for a night out. One of our members was Jewish, and he was the only one who came even close to being able to communicate with the natives.

We left the hotel, and walked down the main thoroughfare. When we came to a promising side street, we veered off, looking for a neighborhood bar. We finally settled on one. I can't say we were welcomed with open arms. The customers and bartender alike looked us up and down. I figure they were wondering if we had come looking for trouble, and they were willing to give it to us. It was clearly a rough crowd, and they resented the intrusion. It didn't help that the bass player's German was likely laced with Yiddish.

Somehow we managed to place an order for the local beer, and it came in litre glasses. Sheer stupidity (shaking my head). One of them said "Bottoms UP" and THEY chugged the beer. I was still sipping mine when they slammed their glasses down, and looked expectantly at me. "You know, the looser buys the next round, don't you?"

I ponied up for four rounds that night. I never finished one of them. Surprisingly, it was the girl who played string bass who packed it away the best. She must have practiced regularly. *G*

As one point, she and I headed for the loo, an experience I will NEVER forget. I know they talk about Americans being nasty neat, and having too high expectations when it comes to sanitation, but this was simply a hole in the floor! If I could have held it, I would have!

We had a long bus ride the next day, and had to be up early to load the buses, so after the fourth round, we lurched out of our chairs and headed for the door. I'm astounded we were able to find our way back to the hotel. Standing up was a group effort.

As I recall.....the beer was great! But I had enough of it that night to last me a lifetime!

It seems to me that I heard someone announce that the USPS is considering allowing people to have stamps with their own picture on them. I think the cost would be a dollar a stamp. I don't know if there would be a minimum number you have to order. It's apparently a way to make more money for the Post Office.

I can see women using them for wedding announcements and for bridal showers, or maybe on surprise birthday invitations. But, would you spend a buck a stamp just to send your face out in the mail??

Can't ya just see it.....They'll cancel the stamp and you'll look like you're behind bars!

I love watching men!

A few years ago I was sitting with my youngest sister. We had the oddest conversation. Her daughters were tiny then, and she was very conscious of the fact that small children are quick to learn by observation. Sis has always been a great watcher of men, especially their rear view. She was trying to tell me that she felt it necessary to put an end to that terrible habit for her daughter's sake, but as she was talking, her head swiveled to follow one particularly exceptional vision of male pulchritude. All I could do was hoot with laughter!

Remember the scene from "Roxanne" where the new firefighter meets the Chief (Steve Martin), and is mesmerized by his nose? Martin moves his nose back and forth, and the guy's head follows the movement. Sis is sorta like that around handsome men! *G*

I was in the grocery store today, and a man walked past pushing his cart. I just stayed where I was and watched for a bit. What a nice tush! I think male teens are missing a bet, wearing those darned baggy pants. Not only do they LOOK stupid....they are also missing out on the chance to find a girl who might be attracted to their (ahem) figure! That's one thing guys in their thirties have going for them...pants that FIT. I don't want to see a guy in pants that are so tight there's no room to squirm. Pants that nicely cup the curve of the butt are just right!

Another thought about those baggies.... I was also at the car wash today. Being a basically lazy person, I have the SUV washed for me, rather than doing it myself. I was waiting for the guys to finish the wipe-down when a young man sat down across from me. Guys, if you're going to wear shorts with really wide legs, you might want to have someone teach you how to sit with your knees together.

I recall an episode of "Friends" that was about guys "hanging out." I thought it was a funny, but contrived incident for a plot, and discovered today that it really happens. This guy was sitting with his legs sprawled open. I really TRIED not to look.....
*G*

1. What time do you wake up on weekday mornings?

The first time, between 4:40 and 5:00 when hubby kisses me goodbye. THe second time is between six and seven.

2. Do you sleep in on the weekends? How late? No, I try to take responsibility for the dog walk on weekends, so I'm up anywhere from 5:30 to 7:00 depending on Defer.

3. Aside from waking up, what is the first thing you do in the mornin? Pee. Doesn't everyone?? Okay.....pee, shower, dress, hair, makeup, TEA!

4. How long does it take to get ready for your day? From bed to door, 30 minutes if I am working at home, 45 if I have to go out.

5. When possible, what is your favorite place to go for breakfast? Quincy's. I like Cracker Barrel's hash brown casserole, but I haven't had it in a few years.

No...that's not a play on words. It seems that farmers have found a new way to make the most of their corn fields. They're taking several acres of their fields and cutting designs into them, and selling passes to walk the mazes.

Mazes are common in England, but the farmers have a new twist. Their mazes can be made from scratch each year, and the designs are complex. Most of them are new designs that don't bear any resemblance to the boxwood or evergreen mazes which take years to develop. Maze Play is one company that helps farmers create the designs. Take a look at some of their photos.

The invention of GPS gave the farmers the tool they needed to cut precision designs in the crops. Early in the year a design is chosen or created, and the crop is planted. The paper design is covered with a grid of GPS locations, and the information is converted into a device that the designer wears in the field.

As the designer walks the field, guided by the GPS device, he is followed by a tractor which removes specific cornstalks to create the alleyways of the design.

There is a farm in Northern Illinois that has nine miles of trails. I heard of this phenomenon while traveling through Indiana, but there are mazes all over the US and Canada.

If you haven't been to a farm lately, go and see the newest aspect of 21st century farming! Depending on your location, mazes will be available from August to November. Surf the web to find the one nearest you, or call your county extention service for more information.

I'd be really happy to tell you that it is a computer virus, or even a garden pest, but it's one of those upper respiratory thangs.

Yesterday morning, I had a scratchy throat when I woke, and felt better after breakfast. By 10:00 in the morning I was sneezing, and coughing, and by early afternoon those coughs started around my navel and came through like freight trains loose on a downward grade.

I won't go on about how rotten I feel, but I want to warn you that something nasty is out there. Take every precaution you can to avoid this. Have the kids wash hands frequently, and avoid playdates with anyone who has a sick family member.

If you catch it, a doctor friend has recommended Vitamin C. I'll tell you that hot chicken noodle soup and hot tea are very comforting. Go stock up on tissues. This is one time when you will want the tissues with aloe. Your nose will thank you!

And, Hook.....don't even suggest that this is my penance for butt watching!

I found this brief question and answer in the Chicago Tribune Parade, for August 3, 2003, page 2.

"Q. I read that Eddie Vedder and his group, Pearl Jam, bought 1400 square miles of endangered rain forest in Madagascar to compensate for the 5700 tons of greenhouse gas that will be created by the band's U.S. tour. Who will it help?--Chuck S., Mesa, Ariz.

A. They didn't buy the land but did give an undisclosed figure to Conservation International to protect that rain forest. It will help the 16.5 million people on the Indian Ocean isle of Madagascar and the five members of Pearl Jam, who hope to lure thousands of environmentally sensitive fans to concerts by convincing them that the band is politically correct. Sounds like a lot of gas to us."

I'd like to know who came up with the figure of 5700 tons of greenhouse gas, and how they determined that figure?! I assume they figured in the vehicles used to move the tour from site to site, and maybe even figured the cost due to the electricity they are going to consume for sound, lighting and air conditioning. But did they add in the effects from beer drinking concert attendees? I wonder what else they might have missed.

And, since when is a band concerned with being politically correct? It's lovely that they are helping to save the rain forest, but it's an odd way to generate press coverage for a tour.

When you are upset or ill, do you have a favorite food that soothes?

When I was a child, any time one of us was ill Mother would give us cream of tomato soup and Seven Up (a clear soda for those of you non-US readers). That's an odd combination. Chicken noodle soup would have probably been better for us, but Mother detests chicken noodle soup, so tomato it was. I'm sure the warmth from the hot liquid helped.

Today, the only thing I wanted to eat was a grilled cheese sandwich. It's not on my diet, but the diet is in abeyance until I feel better. I doubt I have to worry about gaining weight, feeling like this.

When my husband is ill, ice cream is his comfort food. I know others who prefer chocolate, but most of the peope I know go for starchy things. I wonder if there's a genetic reason for that? Maybe the body needs more fuel to fight the bug, and the starchy things are an easy source.

What's your favorite comfort food?

Did you know that Fellowes has created a shredder that will shred CDs, paper clips, and credit cards? (Model PS70-2CD $180). Since we now store so much of our personal information on CDs, I suppose this is a wise thing. Pardon my ignorance, but isn't it possible to erase a CD?? That would be a lot cheaper than shredding the suckers.

For those of you on a tight budget, the Royal MD 100 "Media Destroyer" is only a hundred bucks.

Lately I've been reading a lot of political and militarily oriented blogs. I'm astounded at how far I've let my knowledge of current events slip. After all, I was once married to a political science teacher, and my life was filled with a constant flurry of newspapers, radio and TV news, canvassing, elections and government activity.

But that's another story for another day. What I wanted to tell you about was a new site that I just discovered for those of us who are acronymly challenged:

acronymfinder.com

YEAH!!! Now I don't have to ask dumb questions!

I discovered today that Anna Paquin, who won an Oscar at 11 for her role in "The Piano," has continued to act. I don't know where I've been the past ten years. She's been in more than thirteen movies since she did "The Piano." I've actually seen her in "Finding Forrester," (my famous lack of memory creeping in here), and I have a copy of the movie "Amistad" which I'll watch now. What caught my attention was that she also plays "Rogue," a mutant, in the "X-men" movies.

Now I have TWO reasons to see the "X-men" movies: Anna, and Hugh Jackman. THERE'S a man who's easy on the eyes. He played a pretty role in "Kate and Leopold," but he plays "Wolverine," another mutant.

Jamie....you can have Toby Keith.....I'll take Hugh!

I have to say thank you to Sgt. Hook for the kindest of mentions. I've been trying to learn my way around Site Meter, and discovered that of the last 100 visits, perhaps half or more of them came through his blog.

Sarge, your support of new bloggers is a gracious thing. I'll remember and pass the favor on as I spread my wings.

If you haven't been to visit Sgt. Hook's blog, you must! He's a remarkable military man, and an incredible "human bean." *G*

Actually, my mind is still stuck on this weekend's topics. Last night I still felt too rotten to cook, so DH did take out from Olive Garden. Two of the four of us are ill, and he brings back four full sized entrees, four salads that could feed eight people, complete with salad dressing, cheese and croutons, and a bag of breadsticks. I had lasagana last night. It was very comforting, but filling. I'm working on the salad for lunch. Despite eating strangely, and eating things that are NOT on my diet, I've lost more weight. That may be the only good thing to say about being sick.

I was a little surprised about Acidman's reply to my question about comfort food. I rather expected that he would choose something inherently Cracker, but he likes egg drop soup. I guess that's an upscale chicken noodle soup. Dr. D. could have been raised in my family; his choices match mine down the line. Bogie really surprised me, with "refried beans." Actually, bogie, add a little cheese to that, and put it on a Tostito, and I might agree. See.....it's that starch thing again. Cheese goes well with anything. Speedbump is probably thinking of a suggestion for the queso at Miguelitos's right now! *WEG*

I was at the grocery store again today for more tush watching. I'm not a spring chicken any longer, and I recently realized that I've stopped watching the very young guys in favor of those who are a little older. Guys who are in their mid thirties to their late fifties seem to really draw my eye, especially if they have kept themselves fit. I'm happy to say that there are a LOT of guys who fit that description.

I wonder, after all the years that men have made it clear that they watch women, all the talk about "hooters" and "headlamps" and such, does it embarrass guys to know they are being watched? I don't go around making appreciative noises and pumping my arm in the air, and contrary to public opinion, I DON'T DROOL! But (and I've learned this from my MOTHER..) when you stop looking you might as well be dead. Actually, I was talking with Mother about this today. I asked her if she found that she was watching older men too, and she said "No." She didn't care to elaborate on the subject (pehaps she feared being immortalized here), but it seems she just likes MEN. PERIOD! Especially if they happen to have small red convertibles!

If ya really want to do something nice for me, arrange for a parade of attractive men to pass my way, today. I need a gutter guy, and a lawncare guy, and a handyman. Send the UPS and the FedEx guys, and the postman, and have a poll taker and floral delivery guy visit. Heck, if you can't think of any excuses, tell them to stop by and say they are LOST! Make my day!

A T-shirt announcing:

CO-ED NAKED GOLF!!

Jeeze......watch where you swing that thing!

I was browsing at Gut Rumbles today, and he directed me to two blogs that were new to me.

At Quit That! Marc posted a comment from his mother that I think you should read. I agree with a lot she had to say. I tend to think that I am not a racist person. The color of a person’s skin doesn’t bother me. What DOES bother me is willful ignorance, greed, sloth, general stupidity and intentional unkindness.

Her comments on education really resonated with me. Washington D.C. schools spend $13,000 per student and fail to show results. During at least the last twenty years, teacher’s colleges have been training prospective teachers to believe that it’s their duty to motivate the students. If the student fails, the teacher has failed. Horse hockey!

When parents teach their children that it is their RESPONSIBILITY to learn, and encourage them to learn, that $13,000 is going to create AWSOME students. Until Mom and Dad show the kids that a good education is a necessity, you can throw all the money and all the dedicated teachers at them that you want…..and nothing is going to happen.

Brava, Marc’s Mom!

The other website to go visit is Stupid Angry Canajun. She is a self proclaimed RM (Recovering Moron), and she has a lot to teach me.
Go visit. I think you’ll enjoy.

Do you believe there's a good day to die waiting for you out there?

We'll always be reminded of the Klingons who felt it was good to die in battle, and the men of the Wild West who prefered to die with their boots on.

John Grisham, opens his book "The Testament" with a billionaire signing a new will and then jumping to his death.

But on the other side of the coin is the mountain climber who cut off his own arm this year rather than face theGrim Reaper.

Can you imagine how difficult it is to talk to your parent about their wishes for their funeral? I had the opportunity to discuss this with my mother last week, and let me tell you, it's not an easy thing to do.

Sorry, Sir. I'm learning how to embed pictures tonight, and I needed the practice *smirk*

I was visiting at Altered Perceptions this morning, and came across a post questioning whether there should be a Code of Ethics for bloggers. Dawn provided a link to Calblog where the proposal for the Code of Ethics has been made. I strongly encourage you to visit and read the comments, but I'll summarize them here.

First, it was felt by many that the term "Code of Ethics" was inappropriate due to the fact that blogs are a personal rather than professional endeavor. Anticipatory Retaliation suggested that it might be more appropriate to call them "Standards," since standards do not carry any moral weight.

The sugggestion that most appealed to me was that each blogger should post their own guidelines in the "About Me" section of their blog. The most commonplace, and generally agreed upon guidelines are these:

1. Give credit where credit is due. Link to your sources when your post builds
off someone else's work. Cite original information.

2. If you are reporting on factual information, check your facts.

3. Do not change a post significantly once it has been established on your blog.
Personally, I will go back to change typos, grammar goofs, and broken
links within the first few minutes after I have posted, but rather than edit a
post in a way that changes the message, the better choice is to add an
Update at the bottom of the post.

4. Somewhere at your site, post your stand on the issue of comments. Let
your readers know in advance how you handle obscenity or personal
attacks, should you choose to delete this material from your blog.

5. Do not delete a post. I'm not sure I agree with this. I have deleted one
post and the comments that went with it. It was a personal rant that I later
regretted. In the future, I might also delete a post if it caused me grief. I'd
like to see some discussion of this issue as to why a blogger shouldn't have
control over their own blog.

In the comment section at Calblog, Claxton6 (who does not have a blog link) suggested that bloggers might want to read Rebecca Blood's "Weblog Ethics." I find them appropriate for blogs which focus on news or political issues, but to some degree, unnecessary for those of us whose blogs are personal commentary.

If you read Dawn's post, you'll see that she doesn't feel blog police are necessary or desirable, and I agree with her. However, a collection of common practices that might guide new bloggers as they put their oars in the stream is a good idea. Let each person post their own guidelines and no one will have to pony up for police uniforms.

I was visiting billy's blog yesterday and took a side trip to meet eloon. She has a very funny story about the power of suggestion on Thursday, August 7, starting with “What you really don’t want….”

Does the sound of running water make you need to pee? When you are out with friends, and someone rises from the table and says they will be right back, does it flash across your brain (and bladder) that you need to be excused, too? If you're working in the kitchen, and you have your hands in water, is that when you decide you really need to run for the potty? Does the phone always ring just when you’ve taken your first steps toward the bathroom? If you said "YES!" to any of those things, you're a woman.

Maybe because of the nature of feminine plumbing we have learned early on to be sure to take care of business every chance we get. Most women scope out the restrooms in a mall so that they know how far they are from one if they (or their children) need it. When I was traveling, I'd stop at McDonald's just because they had the cleanest johns (no double entendre intended), and they were likely to be found in almost any town I visited.

Every woman has experienced the situation where you’ve been quietly waiting, thinking that in just two more minutes you'll be able to make a break for the bathroom, and someone or something delays you. Just about that time a waiter will top off your glass of water, and beads of condensation will roll down the glass. Or, you’ll pass through a reception area that has a trickling fountain. Or it will start to rain outside. It's truly unfair that every little thing can remind us of the cup of tea we just drank, or the one too many cups of coffee we had this morning.

Men have always wanted to know why women go to the ladies’ room in packs. All this time they’ve been worried that the women wanted to gossip about them, but it’s really just the power of suggestion.

My newspaper brought me the information that businessmen in Chicago feel that they need an edge. A number of them are finding it by having a third of their gray removed.

Would I lie to you?

I feel another bout of simplification coming on. It happens every time I get to sit down with my newest copy of "Real Simple." This magazine has come along just at a time in my life when I long to get back to the nitty gritty. It has guidelines for simplifying every aspect of life. Usually I pay attention to those which simplify chores. Anyone in his right mind wants to make chores easier so they can get on to the good things in life.

But....this time the item that caught my eye was on multitasking.

Have there been occasions when you didn't get a picture that you really regret? We are not terribly into taking pictures. I buy an instant camera each spring and record the flower gardens and the herb garden. I take a picture of my grandson each summer when he comes to visit, measuring his growth against his grandfather. I've been taking pictures of Defer because this may be his last summer with us.

But there was an occasion when I needed to take an entire roll of film, and not a single picture turned out.

When our grandson was perhaps five years old, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles were really popular. He adored them and owned almost all the action toys from the movies. He was coming to us for his annual visit, and DH decided to do something special for him.

I didn't know what he had planned until he asked for my assistance. He called me into the bedroom and asked if I would help him put "the shell" on. DH had stopped at a costume shop and rented one of the TMN Turtle costumes. As I recall, he was Michaelangelo.

I had been trying to get my husband to wear tights with a swashbuckler's costume for Halloween for years! The man has fabulous legs and a nothing tush! He would look fantastic in a costume like that, but the tights were the hangup. It seems real men don't wear tights. I thought that maybe as a joke I'd get him into them after "Robin Hood, Men in Tights" came out, but it was no deal.

But, for his grandson, he had slithered into the tights and a green turtleneck (what else) and now he needed help to get the rest of the costume on.

It only took a few seconds, and then I was instructed to take our grandson out to the front walk. When "the Turtle" walked up the sidewalk, he didn't know what to think. At first he was a bit shy, and then he looked a little skeptical. You could see that he was trying to figure out what was wrong with the picture.

DH kept the conversation to a minimum, and avoided doing any backflips. I took plenty of pictures, hoping for proof that my husband had actually worn tights, and then it was finally time for our visitor to go.

I keep hoping that one day he'll give in. I took him to the "Pirates of the Caribbean" thinking that it might get him in the mood, but no such luck. The day I finally get him to wear tights you'll hear me all the way from Chicago....WOOOOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

My thanks to my oldest stepson, who sends me lists! THe most recent list:

1. The two most common elements in the universe are hydrogen and stupidity.

2. If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is not for you.

3. Money can't buy happiness, but it sure makes misery easier to live with.

4. Deja moo: The feeling that you've heard this bull before.

5. Psychiatrists say that 1 of 4 people are mentally ill. Check three friends.
If they're OK, you're it.

6. Nothing in the known universe travels faster than a bad check.

7. A truly wise man never plays leapfrog with a unicorn.

8. It has recently been discovered that research causes cancer in rats.

9. Always remember to pillage BEFORE you burn.

10. If you are given an open-book exam, you will forget your book.

11. If you are given a take-home test, you will forget where you live.

12. The trouble with doing something right the first time is that nobody
appreciates how difficult it was.

13. It may be that your sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning
to others.

14. Gravity Law: You can't fall off the floor.

15. The average woman would rather have beauty than brains because the
average man can see better than he can think.

16. Clothes make the man. Naked people have little-to- no influence on society.

17. Vital papers will demonstrate their vitality by moving from where
you left them to where you can't find them.

18. Law of Probability Dispersal: Whatever it is that hits the fan will
not be evenly distributed

Moses, "Excuse me, Sir."

"Is that you again, Moses?"

"I'm afraid it is, Sir."

"What is it this time, Moses; more computer Problems?"

"How did you guess?"

"I don't have to guess, Moses. Remember ?"

"Oh, yes; I forgot."

"Tell me what you want, Moses."

"But you already know, Sir. Remember?"

"Moses!"

"Sorry, Sir."

"Well, go ahead, Moses; spit it out."

"Well, I have a question, Sir. You know those ten 'things' you sent
me via e-mail?"

"You mean the Ten Commandments, Moses?"

"That's it. I was wondering if they are important."

"What do you mean 'if they are important,' Moses? Of course, they
are important. Otherwise, I would not have sent them to you."

"Well, sorry, Sir, but I lost them. I could say the dog ate them;
but, of course, you would see right through that."

"What do you mean you 'lost them'? Are you trying to tell me you
didn't save them, Moses?"

"No, Sir; I forgot."

"You should always save, Moses."

"Yes, I know. You told me that before. I was going to save them,
but I forgot. I did forward them to some people before I lost them
though."

"And did you hear back from any of them?"

"You already know I did. There was the one guy who said he never
uses 'shalt not.' May he change the words a little bit?"

"Yes, Moses, as long as he does not change the meaning."

"And what about the guy who thought your stance was a little harsh,
and recommended calling them the 'Ten Suggestions,' or letting
people pick one or two to try for a while?"

"Moses, I will act as if I did not hear that."

"I think that means 'no.' Well, what about the guy who said I was
scamming him?"

"I think the term is 'spamming,' Moses."

"Oh, yes. I. E-mailed him back and told him I don't even eat that
stuff, and I have no idea how you can send it to someone through a
computer."

"And what did he say?"

"You know what he said. He used Your name in vain. You don't think
he might have sent me one of those -- err -- plagues, and that's
the reason I lost those ten 'things', do you?"

"They are not plagues; they are called 'viruses,' Moses."

"Whatever! This computer stuff is just too much for me. Can we go
back to those stone tablets? It was hard on my back taking them out
and reading them each day, but at least I never lost them."

"We will do it the new way, Moses; using computers"

"I was afraid you would say that, Sir."

"Moses, what did I tell you to do if you messed up?"

"You told me to hold up this rat and point it toward the computer."

"It's a mouse , Moses, not a rat. Mouse! Mouse! And did you do that?"

"No, I decided to try calling technical support first. After all,
who knows more about this stuff than you? And I really like your
hours. By the way, Sir, did Noah have two of these mice on the ark?"

"No, Moses."

"One other thing. Why did you not name them 'frogs' instead of
'mice,' because did you not tell me the thing they sit on is a pad?"

"I did not name them, Moses. Man did, and you can call yours a frog
if you want to."

"Oh, that explains it. I bet some woman told Adam to call it a
mouse. After all, was it not a woman who named one of the computers
'Apple?'"

"Say good night, Moses."

"Wait a minute, Sir. I am pointing the mouse, and it seems to be
working. Yes, a couple of the ten 'things' have come back."

"Which ones are they, Moses?"

"Let me see. 'Thou shalt not steal from any grave "an image" and
'Thou shalt not correct Thy neighbor's wife.'"

"Turn the computer off, Moses. I'm sending you another set of stone
tablets."

I empathize with Moses.

I know....I've been a bit lazy lately. Usually I have dozens of little things I want to blog about, but this week I seem to be short on ideas.

I really envy those of you who have stong opinions about that's happening in your lives. Mine is rather quiet, actually downright DULL compared to most of you. I've seen interesting posts about getting lost in DE-troit, and a pooch that took himself to the vet, and I've seen information about the Blaster worm at Gut Rumbles and Quit That. Too bad Sgt. Hook is away. I'm waiting for the next installment of his "Road" stories. Go read the first two stories. Speaking of stories....Dr. D.....whatever happened to BLANCHE???

Oh....did you hear? SPEEDBUMP has posted. Yes! The man is alive and revving up for a trip to see Tobey Keith with the love of his life, Jamie. Go give him encouragement so he doesn't disappear for another 6 weeks. If you haven't clicked on my link for "I could have been a contender," you should. I hit the "I feel lucky" button one day and discovered billy in the middle of moving his family, and I got lucky! No....I haven't met the man yet, but it's been nice visiting with him. *G*

Here, you'll find recipes, or "funnies" or garden chat. I suppose the gentleness of my posting is due to the cold that is still hanging on, but more likely it's that my life is way too quiet! The good news is that I get to go to lunch with my oldest sister tomorrow. Perhaps she will have something to say that will give me ideas for blogging.

Until then, I'd like to say welcome to Texas T-bone, who has joined us as part of Red Eagle's group of bloggers. Smart move, guy!

Time to snooze. See you all tomorrow!

I was browsing through the blogs, and visiting some of the links, and I found an interesting post on the subject of people watching at Broadatbat. Actually, she was writing about men watching women, and the fact that some women object to that activity on the part of their significant other.

Mamma taught me....."If you can't look, you might as well be dead." You all know I am a people watcher. As I waited for my sister to join me for lunch yesterday, I watched the people walking by. Wednesday at 11:00 in the morning is not a great place to watch people in a mall. There was a preponderance of women pushing two seat strollers, all in a hurry to get where they were going before the kids decided to have a meltdown.

I wanna just SMACK those mothers who snarl at their children in public. I understand being at your wit's end and having a bad day, and then have the kids go ballistic. But if that's the case, you shouldn't be out at the mall. If you're treating the kids badly in a public place, what might you be doing in private?? Give everybody the day off. Get a little rest and relaxation, and do the mall another day.

So...okay....I got a little off topic. It's been a hard day. When DH and I are out, if I see either something incrediblty odd or something really lovely, I'll nudge him and try to direct his attention. He's the only man I have ever met who is seemingly unaware of the people around him. I'm not pimping for him, just sharing what I'm seeing. I don't mind him looking, although it seems a lot of women feel that is an insult.

My thoughts on it run this way. If he can't look, then he may feel that I can't look. Since it's unlikely he will ever get me to walk around in public with my eyes closed, why shouldn't he look? I don't understand the insult in watching, unless your spouse or boyfriend is constantly comparing you to what he sees, and you always come up wanting in the comparison. Now, that's rude!

Anything beyond watching is out, though. I'm not good at sharing. I've learned that from Jamie. An occasional kiss of welcome, or a kiss goodbye....maybe. But no touchy feely stuff. I mean....I'm reasonable on this subject. Look, but don't touch.

I think New Yorkers will have another day to look back on. I sincerely hope that their trial is brief. They've had their share of misfortune.

When I was a child, I woke up one frigid winter morning to find that we didn't have any heat. My father had built our home and we had hot water heat. The pipes in the unheated garage had frozen, cutting off our source of heat. Dad made a roaring fire in the fireplace in the living room and we sat close to the heat while my parents ferried breakfast to us. We heated our clothes by the fire and left it just long enough to dress.

We're better prepared these days, but a loss of power could be a serious problem if we had severe heat or cold. I'm more aware of these possibilities because my mother lives with us, and due to age, she's less adaptable. Fortunately, if we were to loose heat or air conditioning, I could drive her to my sister's home for a stay.

I can't imagine having my mother in a tall building in New York City, when there was no power. I'd NEVER get her down the stairs, so the only thing we could do would be to wait by a window and hope that help arrived, or the power was restored. Even if I was able to get her down a few flights of stairs, where would I have taken her, especially in the heat? I carry a cell phone in my purse now, so that I can get help if we are away from home. Did the cell phones work today? Do they have to go through switching stations that need electricty?

I'm a suburburn person. I have suburban street smarts. I've been very fortunate to have lived a safe, lucky life. Perhaps I need to plan for other contingencies. You know the saying....."Be Prepared!"

Some clever person put this list together. I'd like to give them credit for it, but it's one of those anonymous things circulating on the Internet. I'm posting it to show that I am not the only woman in the world who prefers a clean potty, Billy!

WHY MEN ARE JUST HAPPIER PEOPLE

What do you expect from such simple creatures!?
Your last name stays put.
The garage is all yours.
Wedding plans take care of themselves.
Chocolate is just another snack.
You can be president.
You can wear a white T-shirt to a water park.
You can wear NO T-shirt to a water park.
Car mechanics tell you the truth.
The world is your urinal.
You never have to drive to another gas station
because this one's just too icky.
You don't have to stop and think of which way to turn a nut on a bolt.
Same work, more pay.
Wrinkles add character.
Wedding dress - $5000; tux rental - $100.
People never stare at your chest when you're talking to them.
The occasional well-rendered belch is practically expected.
New shoes don't cut, blister, or mangle your feet.
One mood, ALL the time.
Phone conversations are over in 30 seconds flat.
You know stuff about tanks.
A five-day vacation requires only one suitcase.
You can open all your own jars.
You get extra credit for the slightest act of thoughtfulness.
If someone forgets to invite you, he or she can still be your friend.
Your underwear is $8.95 for a three-pack.
Three pairs of shoes are more than enough.
You almost never have strap problems in public.
You are unable to see wrinkles in your clothes.
Everything on your face stays its original color.
The same hairstyle lasts for years, maybe decades.
You only have to shave your face and neck.
You can play with toys all your life.
Your belly usually hides your big hips.
One wallet and one pair of shoes, one color, all seasons.
You can wear shorts no matter how your legs look.
You can "do" your nails with a pocketknife.
You have freedom of choice concerning growing a mustache.
You can do Christmas shopping for 25 relatives, on December 24,
in 45 minutes.

No wonder men are happier!

Forbes.com has published a list of the most expensive places to live. Chicago has moved up from eighth place in 2002, to seventh place this year. The list was based on a number of factors including high rent, high cost of living, and low job growth.

These 10 cities are the least desirable:

1. San Jose
2. San Francisco
3. Honolulu
4. Bergen-Passaic, NJ
5. NY
6. Boston
7. Chicago
8. Milwaukee
9. LA
10. Seattle

The chili sauce is in the pot, bubbling away. I got up at 5:30 to get things started, and had all the ingredients laid out, tomatoes weighed, and pots washed, when my mother walked into the kitchen. She has my cold, the one I'm not quite over, that's lasted 15 days.

There’s no hope for me. I’ve stooped to helping young men in the grocery store, now.

I was shopping. I had a small list, but it was spread across the entire store, so I was wending my way up and down the aisles. I kept passing this cute guy, who must have been all of 24 or 25, looking lost. Finally, about the fifth or sixth time, I asked him if I could help him find something. He was looking for pancake syrup, which is filed in a really quirky place in that store. I lead him to it…got profuse thanks, and I disappeared around the corner before someone could accuse me of robbing the cradle! *G* God, he had a GREAT smile!

Have you ever had a washer overflow? Or a basement that quietly filled with water when the sump pump failed? Have you ever had a pipe burst in the basement? I've had two of the three, and I hope we won't have to live through any of that again. Some of the things which could be damaged by water are on pallets because my basement is STILL not organized, but more than four inches of water, and I'm in trouble.

I found the neatest tool! The Sonin Water Alarm is a device that sets off an alarm when there is too much water in an area that should be dry. It has a remote sensor. You attach the alarm to the wall, and stop worrying! (As if THAT'S going to happen....but at least I'll worry less.)

The best part about it is that it sells for $11.50 and can be ordered at Amazon.com! (No, I'm not getting a kick-back from them....I just wanted to share my find.)

Now tell me that I just made your day! :-)

I think there's a gene missing in my body.....the shopping gene. I don't like to shop. Well, let me rephrase that.....there's a lot of stuff I don't like to have to shop for.

"Dentopedology is the science of opening your mouth and putting your foot in it. I've been practicing it for years."

I was astounded to find that Prince Phillip, Duke of Edinburgh is the author of that quote. We must be related. I would have thought that, given all the years that Prince Phillip has been a public figure, that he would have learned how to cope with this problem, but it seems not.

I'm a very modest drinker. I love wine. I used to like just white wines, but my range has extended to the reds. My taste in wine followed the trends of the day: Lancer's Rose, Rhine wine (shudder), Chablis, White Zinfandel, Pinot Grigio. I've never liked Chardonnay, though. Now I drink shiraz, beaujolais, zinfandel, chianti, riojas...all kinds of wonderful wine.

I was delighted to read that researchers at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine have determined that women who drink no more than 14 drinks a week, but at least one, have a lower risk of heart disease than those who abstain, or those who drink more heavily (15 or more drinks a week).

Do you feel that the quality of your life is less if you don't own a Prada bag or a Ralph Lauren suit, or sports clothes from Nautica or a $400 pair of Italian shoes? Is it important to you to wear clothing that advertises that you are at the top of the game in fashion? Do you feel that you are a second class citizen if you don't dress in upscale name brand clothing, or wear logos on your chest? Do you need to wear items made by the current star in the firmament of fashion?

I noticed a car today that had a bumper sticker announcing how proud they were of their honor student. I think that this is an absolutely fantastic idea. People who do outstanding work should be recognized for their success, especially children. I've seen the response to these bumper stickers, from people whose children are less successful. For instance: "My kid flunked and he can take your honor roll kid anytime!" Still, I think the idea of supporting your child's efforts is well worth doing.

I've abandoned my diet briefly. I was lured away by the heavenly scent at the display of tree-ripened peaches at the grocery store. As I stood there and inhaled, I realized that the vegetable section had been set up to create "eye candy" to entice shoppers to buy. The textures were wonderful. Smooth, shiny skins on the peppers contrasted with bumpy red raspberries, or the dimpled rinds of the oranges. The tightly curled Chinese cabbage complemented the looser rim of the red lettuce. The colors were gorgeous, the rosy peaches, the blueberries, and the yellow of the bananas. Every shade of green was represented, and the splash of purple in the cabbage and eggplant was the finishing touch to a painting. Marketers are really savvy these days.

I'm going to enjoy the fresh fruit for a couple of days, and then resume my diet. I figure it was a worthwhile interruption.

We don't give chickens enough credit for what they go through so that we can have eggs for breakfast.....

Much to Red Eagle's disgust, I use AOL to access the Internet. One day I'll grow up and get a real provider, but until then I'll be treated to such news flashes as the one that inspires today's post.

My day started out with AOL announcing that there is a HUGE surge in vacationing in the buff. It seems that in the past ten years annual revenue based on nudism has increased from $120 to $400 MILLION dollars a year.

I visited this site at CNN to learn that people are now offering nude motorcycle rallys (Bogie, WHERE was WS??), nude hiking and camping (Gawd, think of the mosquito bites and poison ivy), and cruises. You can send your children to nude camps, or go to one of 260 clothing optional resorts in North America. The number of resorts have doubled in ten years.

I'm just too placid. I have spent my last decade searching for a calmer life, one that doesn't require me to be shouting "JERK!!!" every ten minutes, and I seem to have found it. Of course, it requires spending a HUGE amount of time at home alone, but it can be done.

Actually, a little ranting, or even a little excitement in your life is a good thing. Occasionally I miss the camaraderie of fellow workers, or the bustle of traffic and then I remember the back stabbing, the road rage, and everything that goes with too many people trying to be in one spot at the same time, and I say a little prayer of thanks.

To brighten my life a little, I've been living vicariously, and you can, too. Go visit Stupid Angry Canajan and Altered Perceptions.

If you are rantless, or placid, let them bring you up to speed.

I'm frequently astounded at the variety of what I read as I browse through the blogs. It occured to me that there should be a way to draw bits and pieces of them together into a short story.

Where does your mind go with this: rotten oranges (from a comment by T-bone), voyeurism and comic books (from Billy), a string trimmer (from WichiDude), and PMSing (from Jamie).

Welcome to the first Blog Pastiche: a short story free-for-all for bloggers. Take those four items and devise a few paragraphs incorporating them. You get extra credit if you can include ANYTHING from Silflay Hraka except beer.

Post your entry on your own blog, but leave a comment and a link here so others can find your work.

I'm not even sure where to start with this. By rights it ought to be a rant, but there's a lot of general stuff, too, so I guess it's just a semi-rant.

I wanted to blog on Saturday, but my computer service was so iffy that I went to bed in disgust. I could get into AOL, but AOL wouldn't let me connect to any of your blogs or visit any websites. I'm really spoiled now. I'm used to getting on line without any problem, so when I hit a night like this it's incredibly frustrating.

The "Q" section of the Sunday Chicago Tribune frequently provides me with blog fodder. It's likely to be the quirky things in life, but those are the things that catch my attention these days. (shrugs)

One of the cover stories was about what to do with CDs that you receive as part of an ad campaign, or a purchase. Did you know that one of the disposable diaper companies provided a CD with lullabies as part of a promotion? Probably the greatest source of unwanted CDs is the blanket mailing sent out by AOL. Everyone has received at least one of these. I think our household has had about 20 of them

If you are tired of receiving those mailers, you can call 800-466-5463 and ask to be removed from the AOL disc list. Or, if you'd like a chance to tweak AOL's tail, you can go to www.nomoreaolcds.com The site's organizers are trying to collect a million AOL CDs to truck them back to company headquarters.

btw.....if you are going to dispose of CDs, put them in the garbage. CDs, DVDs and CDroms can't be recycled through the usual city programs. If you really want to recyle them, go to www.greendisk.com Green Disk recycles CDs for large companies, but they will accept them in smaller amounts. Download a shipping form, and send your CDs off to them.

Hmmmm....it seems I have a couple of really bad Christmas CDs I could donate....

I thought I knew what was out there in terms of men's skivvies, but I learned a little more this weekend. "Q" in the Chicago Tribune this Sunday began it's section on style with a discussion of Captain Underpants (Tuesday's release: Captain Underpants and the Big, Bad Battle of the Bionic Booger Boy, Part 1: The Night of the Nasty Nostril Nuggets), and moved right on to what men are chosing to wear these days.

Doesn't it just drive you wild when someone you read has a post you want to comment on, but they are set to NO COMMENTS!!!???

I was just reading at the Parkway Rest Stop. Jim has written an entry about harmony, and how wonderful close vocal harmony can be. There's a phenomenon that I've only heard a few times. When a group is performing, if they have given exceptional attention to playing "in tune," you can sense a descant soprano voice resonating over the top of the music. With vocal groups, you get a full sound, as though one more line has been added to the top of the score.

I love to sing harmony. I have an alto voice, and try as they might my professors were never able to stretch my range to that of second soprano. My throat just doesn't like those notes at the top of the staff. I recall one professor who actually had me lie on the floor to sing during my lesson. I thought it was odd, but complied. It was embarrassing when his colleagues walked in. Lying on the floor was supposed to relax my diaphragm. Ya couldn't prove it by me once the room got crowded.

At any rate.....good close harmony is a joy to sing. You don't have confine yourself to barbershop music. Go vist Jim to see a list of well know groups who sing great harmony!

"Cash, check or charge?" I asked, after folding the items the woman wished to purchase. As she fumbled for her wallet, I noticed a remote control for a television set in her purse. "So, do you always carry your TV remote?" I asked. "No," she replied, "but my husband refused to come shopping with me, so I figured this was the most legal, evil think I could do to him."

(WICKED GRIN)

Seen on a truck today:

HORN DOESN'T WORK. WATCH FOR FINGER!

Alas and alack....

Dell has replaced our hard drive, but I didn't realize that we didn't have a copy of our Operating System until 5:00 Wednesday afternoon. If I had been on the ball, I'd have ordered the new O/S on Monday, and I could have been programing the computer today.

Watch for these mergers in late 2003 and make yourself a bundle.

1. Hale Business Systems, Mary Kay Cosmetics, Fuller Brush and W. R. Grace
will merge and become Hale, Mary, Fuller, Grace.

2. Polygram Records, Warner Bros. and Zesta Crackers join forces and
become Polly, Warner, Cracker.

3. 3M will merge with Goodyear and Campbell's Soup and issue forth as
MMMGood.

4. Zippo, Mfg., Audi Motor Car, Dofasco, and Dakota Mining will merge to
become, of course, ZipAudiDoDa.

5. Federal Express is expected to join its major competitor, UPS, and
become FedUp.

6. Fairchild Electronics and Honeywell Computers will become Fairwell
Honeychild.

7. Knotts Berry Farm and the Nat'l Org. of Women will become Knott NOW.

Well, the new copy of the Operating System arrived today. Rather than bringing it to the house, Airborne Express dropped it off at the mail box. I'm amazed it was still there when we picked up the mail.

This year is the 100th Anniversary of the Harley-Davidson Company, creators of an American icon. Harley's have a signature sound that other motorcycles can't seem to recreate, a deep rumble that announces you are in the presence of a HAWG.

Go visit the Parkway Rest Stop and read what James wrote on Thursday, August 28, titled "This is REALLY Weird." I tried it several times and it gave me goosebumps!

When I was studying music I took a course in Dalcroze, which is a method of music education which related physical movement to music. We spent some time learning to conduct conflicting meters, the simplest of which was to conduct two in the right hand and three in the left.

At the end of the session, the class went to a local bar and spent the evening on the dance floor, showing what we had learned. I have it on good authority that this kind of exercise will drive musicians crazy, as they play in one meter, and you move in a conflicting meter.

Musicians have strange senses of humor. Do Re Mi Fa Sol La Ti........

I just had a big bowl of Vanilla Swirl Ice Cream, or "squirrel" as my family fondly calls it. I rarely crave ice cream, and it's definitely not part of my diet, but this seemed like the perfect treat after spending large parts of the last twenty-four hours re-programming our computer.

It's not quite done. I have some Window's updates to double check, and then I need to install CD creator software. Our network is down, thanks to something I entered when I installed the O/S, so my stepson is contemplating how to get around that. I may even get the chance to use the scanner that comes with the Office Jet. I didn't realize what a dinosaur that thing is until I saw the program disks. It was originally intended to run on 3.1 or 95, so it's possible that it can't be updated to run the scanner. At least I have a fax/copier/printer running.

About a year ago, a tiny two month calendar program appeared in my taskbar. I LOVED it. I thought one of the kids had installed it, but they won't take the credit. Does anyone know where I can find software for that?

Back to ice cream.... I guess my all time favorite flavor is butter pecan in a waffle cone. I wait to order that at the places that carry the really sinful ice cream. I figure if I'm only going to eat ice cream on rare occasions, I might as well eat the stuff that's REALLY bad for you! I like raspberry sherbet, too, and anything that goes well with hot fudge! What's your favorite flavor?

This is Dear Husband at the wheel of the Serenity. Doesn't he look right at home? When I suggested that he pose for a picture at the helm, it didn't take any encouraging. *G*

License Plates....

The "Q" Section of the Chicago Tribune, for Sunday, August, 31, has a story titled "All Is Vanity." Of course, it's about vanity license plates. It's incredible how clever people can be with seven letters or numbers.

These sixteen people have proclaimed their occupation with their license plate number. Can you tell their calling?

REVM UP 2
I SEDATE
NISE PKG
ONAROLL
RCYCLIT
IADDMUP
LF SAVR2
IFXWOOD
IFIXUM
I GTU FIT
BOOKWMN
SUPR BWL
NO PLAK
ELUMEN8
BIDNOFR
OH MISS

I want to wish my friend Midnight a Happy Birthday! Sorry I can't be there to celebrate. I hope you've had a great time playing with those new Lie-Nielson planes. *S*

Happy Birthday, and many, many more!

Sit still. Listen. What do you hear around you?

I can hear the dog snoring, a car reving it's engine, my processor humming, and occasionally, the sound of the cool air being forced through the ducts.

Silence is on my mind because until 30 minutes ago my house was full with 15 women, 8 men and 7 children. The children played and ran from adult to adult seeking attention. People gathered in twos and threes and fours to chat and bring themselves up to date on what was going on in the family. Newer members of the family were worked into the fabric of our existence. Bodies swirled through the rooms of my house as though eddies of a stream were moving them along and depositing them where they could start a new conversation.

Today was the bridal shower for my brother's daughter. My oldest sister took over the organization. She arranged for the thank you cards, the guest mementos, most of the food, the plates and napkins, the memory book, and the invitations. I prepared my home for the party and did a little cooking. I have a minor amount of cleaning up to do, and a LOT of satisfaction at having hosted a lovely party.

I started more than two weeks ago, weeding and working in the gardens for a couple of hours a day, arranging for the high glass in the house to be cleaned, and getting a start on my Fall cleaning. I shopped with Sister Number 1 for shower things. We rarely have the chance to get together, so we had lunch, and then chose little gifts for our guests. Perhaps that quiet time with her was one of the best gifts to come from this shower. I tried to fit the preparation in around the things that normally fill my life, plus a few surprises.

This past week I haven't had the chance to blog. I missed keeping up with what has been happening in your lives, and I'm eager to read what you've all had to say. I had a lovely note from billy.....just checking in....making sure everything was all right. It was lovely to know that I had been missed. *S*

So....I'm enjoying the quiet, listening to the lack of furor now that everyone has gone their way. I'm delighted that I was asked to be involved. I'm glad that everyone had a good time, and I'm glad that I can put my feet up and rest a while before we do this again.

This kind of silence is wonderful. May you all have the chance to experience it!

Well......I re-programed our business computer. With about an hour's help from Dell, and a couple of hours of guidance from Stepson Number 3, I got almost all of it back on and running. Most of it agrees to work as it did before, but I need to do a little tweaking.

T told me that the wonderful little calendar in the bottom right corner of my screen that just appeared one day was a a gift from "Gator," and that I didn't want to let them anywhere near my computer again. We also managed to loose "Gain" in the process, and I'm happy to have kicked them out. We're going to add a spywear program this coming week.

Now I'm trying different pop up killers. I'm being inundated with ads from companies who want to SELL me a pop up killer.......like I'd buy anything from them after they've driven me crazy! Huh!

So, the experience was not as difficult as I thought it would be. I still need guidance in setting up drivers, but the rest of the reprogramming was pretty easy. Perhaps some of my friends have rubbed off on me over the past four years!

I'm a confirmed believer in back ups, though. I managed to save all but one program, and it was time to update that information anyway. Regular backups can save you, yeah they can. Memorize this....and live by it: Save Early And Often!

Last Friday I hosted my quilting bee. For years, like clockwork, these ladies have come to my home once a month to sit and quilt and share quilting news. Occasionally we work on each other's projects, but usually we work on our own quilts as we sit and chat.

This should have been like any other of a hundred visits, but it was special. Very special. We were rejoicing that one of our members had lived through a heart attack less than two weeks earlier. She was with us, talking about her experience. She was clear on how serious it had been, but her natural good humor was underlying everything she said, and she was GLAD to be among us.

We are not young women, but neither do we consider ourselves to be old. Don't let the fact that we quilt make you think we are little old gray haired ladies. And that's the rub. We all thought we were too young to have to worry about heart attacks.

Now, we feel mortal. We look at our friends and family differently, because we know that we could loose them, or we could die without warning. It makes you reconsider what's important. I've just spent hours getting ready for a bridal shower. Perhaps, instead, I should have been spending time with my family.

Today I made sure to talk to each person. Each one got a hug, and plans were made to get together again, soon. My goal is to get past the trivial conversations, and get to know them better.

Since I don't know when my time will be up, the only option I have is to make the best use I can of the time I have left. What does that mean for you? How would you best use your time? It's something I need to ponder.

Today I was marveling at how diverse the women in my family are.

Sister #1 raised five children, drove a school bus, and then became a darned fine nurse. She specialized in geriatrics and came to be very knowledgeable about wound management. Now that she has retired, she has a business making clothing for craft fairs.

Sister #2 became a jeweler, and had her own store. Then she became the Director of Christian Education for a large church.

I'm the third, and I spent what feels like a huge part of my life in school and then teaching for 11 years. Now, I'm the office for my husband's company, and I care for our mother.

Sister #4 had a career in the Navy and then resigned to raise her family. She went back for additional classes and now teaches English to kids at risk, and may soon become a principal.

I was thinking how diverse we are, how wide spread our interests are, when I realized that each of us chose to work at some point in our lives in a service field. Teaching, nursing, Christian education, the ties that bind us are closer than I realized. Each of us have chosen a field that has an impact on the quality of life around us. I doubt you would be surprised to find that there is a good deal of volunteerism in our lives, too.

So.... maybe we are not as diverse as I thought. Sister #1 driving in stock car races, and winning, was different. And #4 has been involved with historical reinactments for the 1750 era. Things like that bring a zest to life, but they don't change the underlying concern for people.

The next generation has engineers, biologists, managers, international buyers, and business owners. The opportunities have changed for these young women, and they have branched out. In their generation we have the best of both worlds, diversity combined with interest in family.

The best thing about all this is that there is nothing keeping the four of us from trying new things all the time. We may join the next generation in diversity, yet!

I think it was my youngest sister who sent me a page of prayers several years ago. The one which stayed with me was:

God, give me patience, and I mean right NOW!

I moderate a YahooGroup for herb growers. Many of the members have interesting signature lines. One of them was: "The breeze at dawn has secrets to tell you. Don't go back to sleep."

One of the other members asked if it was a line from a poem, and she said that it was an excerpt from a Buddhist "poem." She thought it went this way:

The breeze at dawn has secrets to tell you.
Don't go back to sleep.
You must ask for what you really want.
Don't go back to sleep.
People are going back and forth through the doorsill where two worlds touch.
The door is round and open.
Don't go back to sleep.

I won't pretend to understand the meaning, but I love the first two lines, so I thought I'd share it with you. I hope you have a lovely day, and that you got to see the sun rise.

Do you have a Windows Keyboard? Perhaps, like me, you don't know how some of the keys work. I came across a list of functions that can be performed with the keyboard rather than the mouse, and thought I'd share the list with you.

I know it's not official, but today as I was out driving I realized that the soybeans have begun to turn yellow. The fields are no longer masses of knee-high deep green plants. Now they are mottled with several shades of yellow and green.

And the goldenrod is in bloom.

So.....Fall is here. Can Indian Summer be far behind?

Johnny Cash lives on in the hearts and minds of his fans, now. I'm of an age where the icons in my life are slipping away, and this is one icon I hate to see go.

I'm not much of a country music fan. My family didn't listen to country music when I was a kid, but you couldn't miss Johnny Cash in those days. He was a STAR, and you watched whether you were a fan of country music or not. He lived large and entertained well, and he became part of the fabric of our lives.

There was always the hint of danger, a bit of roughness, or a little of the unexpected about him, but he had the ablilty to be gentle, too. I liked the stability that came into his life with his love for June Carter, and I liked the fire he brought to her. They were married to others when they met, and went through hard times before they could be together. June Carter Cash wrote "Ring of Fire" for Johnny, about that time in their lives.

I liked the black he wore, and I liked the long coats. I loved the interaction on stage between Johnny and other performers, and I loved his sense of humor. Most of all I loved that I could sing along, or just sit and listen. I liked his music either way.

Both Johnny and June had been ill for the past few years. A life on the road as an entertainer is a hard one; it took a lot out of them. June died in May, and I'm not surprised that Johnny has followed her so soon. I expect that there's beautiful music in heaven today.

Farewell, J.R. Cash, and thanks for all the good times!

Why do Mothers-in Law have such a bad reputation? Just this week I've heard several jokes on the subject, and it's been discussed on the radio. Is there really something that happens to your mother once you marry, or is this just a convenient subject for comedians?

I have no doubt that there are mothers who pester about grand children, and it's probable there are mothers who want the best for their children, and don't have the sense to mind their own business. But I find it difficult to believe that it's universal.

Have you ever looked back over the past and realized how much has changed in your lifetime? When Dear Husband and I traveled, we used to have a conversation about how the world would change in our lifetime. My grandfather was born in the time when travel was by horse and buggy. He died shortly after the U.S. put men into space, and travel by air was commonplace. Television existed by the time I was born, and we've lived to see the boom in Internet communication. We think that miniaturization will be one of the major accomplishments of our generation, as in nanotechnology.

I've talked about Defer, our senior-citizen Beagle/Shepherd. I have two disposable cameras floating around with a little bit of film I want to use up. I thought it might be a great idea to get some pictures of Defer. I was going to take a picture of him lying on the floor with his ears standing straight up, but as soon as I pointed the camera at him, he got up and left the room.

The same thing happened today. I was going to take a picture of him walking up the front sidewalk toward me, but as soon as I lifted the camera, he whirled around and headed away.

We've finally figured it out. He's afraid of the flash. Lightening scares him. So do storms. He equates the flash on the camera with storms.

Poor baby. It's hell to get old.

Our house is 14 years old. In the scheme of things, that's not very old. But.....when your house reaches ten years, things need to be repaired and replaced. I have a list of things that need to be done and a husband who is NOT interested in doing them. That wouldn't be a problem if he was satisfied with the work that others have been hired to do.

The last few days have been unusually busy, and I'm finding it difficult to squeeze everything in. The crash of our hard drive put me back in office work, and created a bit more to do, so I'm trying to play catch-up and still take care of the daily flow of work. Exercise has resumed, and yesterday I visited a friend in the hospital. I've taken the car for it's emission testing, and swapped a waiver for a check for the company. I've grocery shopped twice this week, and taken the cat to the vet, and all this is on top of the normal laundry, cleaning, watering and dishes and office work. I'm dying to get back to my quilting frame and my sewing table, and it looks like it might have to wait until Monday.

Ed is really ticked at me. (Ed is the cat……Edward Scissorhands, formally.) I’ve known for about two weeks that we had to go see the vet. Ed is an indoor/outdoor cat. He eats ground squirrels and chases birds, and he develops worms. YUCK!

He follows the same pattern every time. He gets surly, looses his appetite, upchucks all over the place, and then gets really picky about what he will eat. I made the appointment on Monday, and took him in at 5:00 tonight. We went through all that just to put two pills down his throat.

My stepson is really good with Ed. I can count on him to help me if it’s necessary to care for the cat, but we have both thrown our hands up in the air and said “I give” when it comes to pilling the cat. I’d rather pay the VET to pill him. Ed figured out what was going on when I went into my mother’s bedroom and gently scooped him up tonight. He was struggling as we got near the cat carrier, and had all four feet splayed out. He managed to hook a claw in my t-shirt…and leave a hole. I think I’ll save this t-shirt for future trips to the vet.

So, now we let him grouse around the house, and make dashing forays to the basement, and tomorrow we will have a brand new, happy cat.

Thank god for pharmaceuticals!

I haven’t had the chance to sit down this week and read all the blogs I’m linked to, let alone the hundred others I’d like to visit, but I’ve seen a few, and want to share some of what I’ve seen. Billy and Sgt. Hook are so very good at this, I want to follow in their footsteps.

BTW….Sgt. Hook is out in the field, doing what every good sarge should do. He should return September 19th or so. If you haven’t read his blog, go visit for some great writing!

Dawn, over at Altered Perception was stuck in traffic this week. She asked her readers for suggestions on what to do while you spend several hours stopped on the expressway. Go read "Traffic Report" Sept 15, and "Traffic Ideas," Sept. 16.

Dawn, I've seen women putting on makeup and doing manicures, guys reading magazines, books and newspapers,and watching TV. I'd do crossword puzzles or plan my menus for the week. Or, you could plan your next trip.

I know there are isometrics you could do, in addition to the Kegel exercises. I suspect that bicep curls could get you into trouble, expecially if the guy next to you takes it wrong. I hope it will be a long time before the next gridlock, hon.

Your rant on "Budgets," Sept. 17 was VERY enlightening!

Allison, at Ain't That a Kick in the Head, has been reminiscing about school days, and writing about a trip through Oklahoma. Go visit for a nostalgic view of a time most of us remember with great pleasure.

PJ over at BrambleRambles hasn't posted this week, but if you haven't been to his blog, do go. He has absolutely WONDERFUL pictures in several photo journals at the bottom right of his blog. I think most, if not all, of the pictures have been taken while he's rambled with his boys. I learned a LOT about cotton from him. Go visit.

Jim, of Parkway Rest Stop fame, has posted about peanut butter. A little history, a little rhapsodizing, a schmeer here and there, and you can't stop reading. I may not agree with his opinion of Jimmy Carter, but I can't fault him for his taste in peanut butter.

Visit StupidAngryCanajun and see what Essay has written this week. In particular, read "Bullies and Bloggies" on Sept. 16. Scroll down to the comments about Dave's Drivil and click on the link for some GREAT comments heard at the proctologist's.

I was entertained by her description of a day at the office with Jimbolina, under "Brownout" on Sept. 17th It makes me glad I work alone....VERY glad!

Bogie, it seems that traffic isn't any better in Ehduhmonton than it is in New Hampshire. You might enjoy comiserating with her, if you haven't already.

Be sure to update your links, StupidAngryCanajun has moved to Typepad recently.

There's a whole lot of you I still need to visit. Be patient. There's at least one more entry in the "Going Visiting" series. I'm hoping for time to surf and find new blogs to share, too. Until then......enjoy the Fall weather, stay healthy and play nice.

I don't think I could live without Post-it notes! My office flutters in the wind, some days.

In 1968 researchers at 3M created a repositionable adhesive, but they didn't have a commercial use for it. In 1974, another researcher developed the adhesive into a product called "Press & Peel," to be used as a bookmark.
In 1979 the product is test marketed in eleven western states, and in 1980 they make "Post-it Notes" available nationally.

3M has expanded their line this year with Post-it Super Sticky Notes, which will stick to virtually any horizontal or vertical surface.

Can't you see it? DH, put away your brush. DH, take the dog out. DH, did you take the garbage out. DH, cut up the downed willow on the front lawn. DH, do the dishes. DH....our anniversary is coming....

We tend to think of thirteen as an unlucky number. We lump it with black cats and walking under ladders and stuff of superstitions. But I think thirteen just might be a lucky number, at least from my point of view today.

Fred, my Dear Husband, and I have been married thirteen years today. We have been companions for twenty years, but we said our vows just thirteen years ago.

If you ask me, it doesn't seem possible we have been together 20 years, let alone 13. They say time flies when you are having a good time.

Fred and I compliment each other. No.....we don't sit around telling each other how good we are. Silly! The parts of me that are missing, HE has.....and vice versa. We make the perfect Trivial Pursuit team. My family hates to play us.

I worry, he doesn't. I plan, he doesn't (except for the business). I love the cat, he doesn't. He sails, I don't. He tells AWFUL puns, I don't (for the most part.) He thinks he's immortal, I don't. He's mechanical and I'm not. We fit like old shoes.

Happy Anniversary, Fred. Stay safe, love, and don't loose your way.

I was reading Dear Abby today, and a young woman wrote in to say that she was in love, and she and her boyfriend were thinking about marrying, but there was one little problem. Her fiance claimed to be from another planet. This HAD to be a made up letter. What woman in her right mind would continue a relationship with someone who claimed to be an alien??

She treated it as a joke until he began announcing his heritage to her family and friends. Even then, she was still considering marrying him! She said "I know he was born in Chicago." (As if that makes him normal in any way...)

If this is what their relationship was like at the start, think of where it's going to go. She'll be forced to accept every little change that comes along. He'll say that it's a requirement on his planet. This is just another guy who wants to have his own way, and has found a novel way to get it.

I'd put up with a lot of quirks, but I think I'd pass on this one. Now, I'll find out that Fred is an alien...and all along I've been making excuses for him. It would explain his fixation with the Marx Brothers. *G*

I missed the Emmys. I don't mind that. I mind that I didn't even realize they were going to be on, and I mind that I missed the fashion review that preceeds the awards.

I miss the range of attire from tacky to sublime. I guess the dresses for the Oscars are even better, or perhaps wilder, but the Emmy nominees are like Avis, they try harder. And I missed it.

I was reading the list of winners. I'm delighted that Tony Shaloub won for comedy actor, for "Monk." And Debra Messing (gawd, she's a beautiful woman!), for "Will and Grace." I recognize a lot of the winners names, but not necessarily the shows. I've never seen "Everybody Loves Raymond." I'm not surprised Doris Roberts won, since her work is always good. She's one of those actors who has a work ethic that goes the distance. The same could be said of Tyne Daley, who won for Supporting Actress in a drama, "Judging Amy."

But the point of all this is that we see very little TV any longer. "Monk" is a favorite show that we watch for. Otherwise, we have no idea what's going on with comedies or dramas. The History Channel, Discover, The Learning Channel, Biography....those are what hold our interest.

So....I guess we qualify as old fogies. The nice thing about that is that it doesn't bother me. I can entertain myself endlessly, with great variety, even if I don't know who is in "Everybody Loves Raymond."

Saturday night we attended a wedding reception. DH's nephew was married in Las Vegas, and a reception was held for them when they returned.

I've never seen a DJ get up and put on a performance at a reception. These two college age kids switched into sleeveless black "muscle" shirts, zipped across the dance floor and hopped onto the amplifiers. I gather that the music that was playing was "Greased Lightning." They turned their backs to the party and wagged their butts, and then turned again to do what was clearly a dance that the younger members of the audience recognized.

Several of the young women rushed to the edge of the dance floor and mirrored the dance they were watching. Then at some point they all raced off to get one-dollar bills, and the more brazen ones stuffed them into the guy's pockets.

The guys ignored them and kept right on dancing.

Is this what we can expect at wedding receptions now?? Sure seems like an odd way to celebrate a wedding. This was like a cleaned up version of a stripper at a bachelor party.

I know.....I'm an old fogie.

This is another post QT has shared with me. Author, if you'd like to step forward, I'd be happy to give you all the credit! Comments in Parenthesies are mine.

As I've Matured

I've learned that you cannot make someone love you. All you can do is stalk
them and hope they panic and give in. (My apologies to those who have been stalked.)

I've learned that one good turn gets most of the blankets. (Boy, is THIS true!)

I've just come home from the dentist. One of my teeth needed a crown, and today she made the impressions so the lab could make the crown.

I want to know why dentists ask you questions when they have their fingers in your mouth? Here I am trying to sit still so the "blue goo" can harden, and she asks me, "Are those new socks?" I'm good at charades, but I just grunted at her, and let her decide for herself what the answer was. I know she was trying to divert my attention, but she needs to come up with a better list of questions.

I'm sure that billy and bogie could come up with suggestions!

October is coming, and October is synonymous with the Texas State Fair. I was visiting Speedbump and Jamie two years ago in October, and they offered to take me to the Fair. I really should have taken them up on it. It turns out that the Texas State Fair lasts an entire MONTH! Texans have always done things in big ways.

Here in Illinois a fair may last from Tuesday or Wednesday to the following Sunday. I think the State Fair may run ten days or so. But I don't think we have ever considered letting it run an entire month.

Perhaps the Texas State Fair runs so long because it takes so long to get to Dallas from every corner of the state.

Tex and Jamie....if you go, take pictures of the quilts for me, and wave at BIG TEX!

Everyone has been talking about numbers lately. It seems contageous.

Out of curiosity, I went to Site Meter to see how many visitors I've had, and in four more visits I will hit 3000. Of course, this includes my own visits. When I get to shift from AOL to a dsl line, I will take myself out of the picture, but until then, my ever changing ISP number makes it a pain to edit my visits out.

I'm not sure of my exact start date with Site Meter, but I think we cranked it up about this time in June, so I figure it has been just about three months.

Bogie, I'm sure by now you have rolled over the 5,000 mark. Congrats, hon!

I haven't talked a lot about my grandson, but I'm not shy about saying that I'm a Gramma. My reason for limiting what I tell about him comes down to safety. I don't want my babbling to create an unsafe situation. I will proudly tell you that he is a handsome young man, with good manners, and empathy for those around him.

It seems that now I'll have TWO grandchildren to brag on. My step-daughter and her husband joined us for dinner this evening, and shared the news. She'll be having her baby in late May or early June. Honest, I haven't nagged about this, but it will be fun to have a baby in the family. *G*

I've got to go plan a baby quilt!

Have you been divorced? Do you have a child who is divorced? Were your parents divorced? Do you have a relative who has been divorced??

Okay.....do you have family photographs with the ex-spouse? The question of the day is, do you leave them in the picture or have them air-brushed out? Or perhaps you feel more strongly and have CUT them out of the picture!

Somewhere I have photographs of my first wedding. I suppose I even have some pictures with my former husband and some of my family members. They are not in an album, so I've just tucked them away. It never occured to me to have him air brushed out of those pictures. After all, he's part of my history. I don't dwell on him, but I don't deny his existance, either.

The subject I want to put before you is a difficult one to present without sounding whiney, and that's not my intent. If you have been reading my blog for a while, you have probably figured out that I have married a man who has four children, but we have not had any children together. I met my step-children when they were between the ages of 12 and 19, and I had very little impact on their lives other than to teach them not to make social calls to us after 9:00 at night, and not to snicker when croutons are served with a salad.

That's not what I want to write about, though.

Night Night, sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite.

I can remember hearing that when I was a child. It never occured to me that bed bugs were real. Then I read about Medieval times and I discovered that bed bugs and lice and all sorts of miserable insects were commonplace. That might have been the start of my interest in herbs. A number of different herbs, including lavender were strewn among the rushes or straw that covered the floor of a castle's common room.

Bed bugs were eliminated in the United States, but they have reappeared.

In 1991, the Great Wall of China became the second largest man-made structure in the world. The largest was the Fresh Kills Landfill, serving New York City. It is now the highest point on the east coast.

Americans throw away 2.5 million plastic bottles every HOUR! (Now you know how Fresh Kills outstripped the Great Wall.)

For every glass bottle recycled, we save enough energy to light a 100 watt light bulb for four hours. (That makes us just about even in our household.)

One pound of recycled steel saves enough energy to light a 60 watt bulb for 24 hours.

Recycling and reusing the material in "tin" cans reduces energy use by 74%, air pollution by 85%, solid waste by 95%, and water pollution by 76%.

It's way past my bed time, but I wanted a chance to blog before I call it a day. We have a guest tonight, so I spent part of my evening cleaning. I laid a fire and lit it before she arrived, along with some vanilla scented candles.

DH and I covered the plants at the front of the house with light plastic tarps. We are supposed to have temperatures drop to about 23, so we're expecting our first hard frost. I don't know if the plastic will be adequate protection, but the heat radiating off the bricks may sustain the plants for another night.

The dog and cat have been fed, and most of the dishes have been washed. The clothes have been folded, and the house is closed up for the night.

I like this time of day. I wish that I could find a compromise between having the quiet of the house to myself late at night, and having to get up early to get a start on my day. I particularly like that my phone stops ringing around 10:00. When you were a kid, did your parents teach you that you weren't to make phone calls after 9:00 unless it was an emergency? I tried to teach that to my stepchildren, and they thought I was crazy.

Tomorrow we have the last of the preparations for the wedding on Saturday. I have the last of my clothing shopping to do, and Mother and I have appointments for manicures.

The fire is starting to die down, and I'm just about out of tea. Time to toddle off. Good night all.

The news this morning was about studies which have been done in Finland, Sweden and the United States. It seems that women who opt for breast implants are three times more likely to commit suicide than women who have not had the surgery.

It's likely that women who choose to alter their shape surgically will be unhappy with how they look even after the surgery. They may be unable to see themselves in a positive light no matter how good they look.

It's a sad commentary on our society that we are unable to accept our bodies, and that we STILL prize a look that requires an anorexic life style.

I've been getting ready for my niece's wedding this weekend. I was overjoyed when she asked me to be one of the readers for her wedding. I'm really looking forward to celebrating this milestone in her life.

But, like a lot of women, it's stressful for me to choose what I'm going to wear. I have four siblings who have superb taste in clothing. They always look exceptional. I am the one who is overweight, and I tend to lead a very casual lifestyle, so when it comes to a family celebration, I get a little crazy......well....a LOT crazy, about what to wear.

It astounds me what you will find in the newspaper these days. On the front page of the October 5, 2003, Chicago Tribune "Q" section, the editor saw fit to post an article on a new product called The Flatulence Deodorizer, or the Flat-D.

The Flat-D is shaped like a flat light bulb, and contains a layer of activated charcoal. It's worn inside your underwear. It's a washable device which sells for $12.95.

I know there's a use for this product. I was thinking about getting some as stocking stuffers, or handing them out at Thanksgiving. The writer actually tested it so that he could give his personal opinion, and he found it to function well if you make sure there is a comfortable seal. (We're well past the TMI! limit...)

What astounded me about this was that it wasn't buried in the back of the section, but it was on the FRONT PAGE! Either flatulence has become epidemic in proportion, or editorial standards have slipped.

For years, we've been told that we needed Downy Fresh softness in our wash, or the convenience of Bounce dryer sheets. Fabric softeners take away the scratchiness of towel, and, well.....soften them.

Unfortunately they also take away some of the absorbancy. Have you ever had to use a hotel towel, or perhaps one from a gym? Those scratchy towels are much more absorbant because they don't use any fabric softener in the wash.

There are two other reasons not to use fabric softener. As a quilter, I've found that cottons which will be used in quilts shouldn't be softened. The chemicals stay in the fabric longer, because quilts are not frequently washed, and they can deteriorate the fibers.

And, for those of you who have asthma, the perfume added to fabric softeners can be a problem. Years ago, we lived in an apartment building that had laundry facilities. I had to go down a flight of stairs, out the door, over to the next entry and down another flight of stairs to get to the washers. I noticed as I was reversing the trip that I was wheezing by the time I got back to my front door, and even started an exercise program to get into shape.

When the wheezing didn't go away, it finally dawned on me that I could add fabric softners to the list of materials that I was allergic to. Now, whites, are the only clothes that I use softener on. I wash and bleach them, rinse them, start the washer a second time with a quarter of a cap of softener, and then rinse them once more. The rest of our clothes go softener-less, and no one has complained!

Try giving it up. It will save you money, and might make your towels more functional!

Did you know that in 2001, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission required a change in the manufacture of cords for window coverings in response to child-strangulation concerns?

This is another of those cases where my Mother asks, "How did we manage to raise you with all that danger around?" It seems to me that parents could have managed this all by themselves, rather than requiring the expense of an entire Federal Safety Commission.

If you have cords that were purchased prior to 2001, and feel that you need to protect your children from their threat, free retro-fit repair devices are available to you through the Window Covering Safetly Council. Go to www.windowcoverings.org for information.

I was trying to sleep this morning around 6:30 when I heard this insistent beeping. Four short beeps and a pause, four short beeps and a pause, four short beeps..... You get the picture.

My first thought was that the smoke alarm went off. But the smoke alarm has one long high pitched scream of a sound. Then, I thought that Mother was listening to the messages on her answering machine.....or perhaps the answering machine was signaling that there were messages to be read. Just about the time I thought I should check on DH, he opened the door and said that the noise was his cell phone.

I was reading my mail before getting the day started today, and came across a message from a friend, telling me to go to this site. An artist in Iowa has created a memorial to our military that you might like to see.

I have the Beatle's song about birthdays running through my head. Today's my birthday. We're not planning a rousing celebration; rather, it will be a laid back day.

One of my nieces and her boys have been coming to dinner every other week. We've been trying to get together for the last two weeks, but she has had a virus, and didn't want to share it with us as we prepared for the wedding last weekend. Soooooo....I think she is finally well enough to join us.

I plan to make lasagna, a big salad and garlic bread. And there's this package of devil's food cake mix, and some fudge frosting that's been calling to me......

Usually we celebrate our birthdays by going out for dinner, but this week is pretty tightly booked. A few years ago I started telling my mother that we should all fly down to New Orleans to have dinner at the Courtyard of the Two Sisters. I tease her about it every year, but I haven't gotten her to budge. Don't you think it would be wonderful to hop a plane for a candlight celebration?

Where would you go to celebrate?

The soybean fields around our home have been harvested this week. In place of the even rows of tobacco-colored plants we have biscuit-colored fields that have been buzz cut. The geese are busy gleaning beans that were dropped or left behind, readying themselves for the long commute to their winter homes.

We have seven fairly good sized ponds within half a mile of our house. As the subdivisions have been developed, the ponds have been increased in number and size to handle the run off during heavy storms. The ponds connect the bean fields and the forest preserve, so we tend to see a lot of wild life. The deer use our lot as a runway between Federal land and forest preserve.

We have a few geese around throughout the summer, but in October, it's like a tail gate party. This morning at 10:00, if I could have stepped from goose to goose, I could have made it around the last pond without ever touching the ground. We enjoy hearing them chatter amongst themselves, and watching them practice their flying wedges.

All too soon they'll be gone and the cold will settle. I love Indian Summer!

I love words. I'm always up to learn new ones. I thought I might learn a new one today when I was listening to WGN Radio. Judy Markey was talking about hearing a word that she had never heard before. She'd read it in a newspaper earlier this week, and then one of the sports announcers covering the Cubs game, Tuesday night, used it. The word was "scrum."

Dictionary.com defines scrum as:
A play in Rugby in which the two sets of forwards mass together around the ball and, with their heads down, struggle to gain possession of the ball.

Or: A disordered or confused situation involving a number of people.

I knew the sports definition for "scrum," but I didn't know it had a non-sports connotation. The announcer was describing the mob on Waveland Avenue outside Wrigley Field in Chicago. As a home run was hit over the walls of the field into their midst, he said a scrum of people reached for the ball.

DH says scrums are what you get when you eat crackers in bed. (rolling eyes) That might be the last time I read my blog to him.

I have TMJ. If I remember correctly, thats Temporal Mandibular Joint disease. It means I grit my teeth unintentionally. Unfortunately, it also means that I am breaking some of my teeth, so I have been undergoing one tooth renovation a year.

My dentist has brought me to the final stages for a new crown. Next week it should be cemented in place, hopefully for years to come. In the process, we did a root canal, a crown lengthening, repair of a molar next to it, and then creation of a post to hold the new crown. To protect the post, and to keep the tooth from shifting, I've been wearing a temporary crown for the past few weeks.

The night of the wedding rehearsal, it popped off. The dentist and I couldn't meet up, so I did without until Monday morning, when she glued it back in place. Last night.....

Did anyone else hear Paul Harvey today announce that France has vetoed proposed billboards showing bare female butts???

I need to surf some more to find out what that was all about....

Beauty salons and spas are being asked to watch for evidence of spousal abuse on their clients. It makes sense that people in the personal care industry would be among the first to see signs of abuse.

My understanding is that unless a woman asks for assistance, you can't do anything about spousal abuse. If a salon is willing to educate people about abuse, or will act as a clearinghouse for assistance information, then this might be a good idea. If the salon is merely reporting the abuse, but doing nothing to help the woman, then what's the purpose?

We have a plethora of Farmer's Markets in our area from late May to late October. Most of them carry products other than farm grown crops, and they are a delight to the senses.

Shrimp, crab, kale, pumpkins, glads, squash, lettuce, vinegars, honey, mushrooms, apples, bread, cheese, ears of dried corn, bales of straw, dried sunflower heads, the last tomatoes and corn of the year. You can make incredible meals from the bounty they sell.

I'll miss the giant garlic heads, and leeks, the tiny pickle cucumbers, the fresh green beans, and the raspberries, and the man who sharpens my knives.

We're blessed with abundance. The Farmer's Market is the best way I know to get food at it's freshest. Seven months, and they'll be back. I'll know that summer is almost upon us when the Market opens again.

Have you ever thought about how we decide what a job is worth? To me, a buck a shirt at the cleaners is well worth not having to wash and iron shirts, and I'm at the stage in my life where I'd rather pay someone to wash the high windows and clean out the gutters.

"The Girls" on WGN were talking about how we set salaries. They felt that we should consider the following guidelines: If you love your job you get pennies to do it. If you have a dreadful job, you get $6,000,000 for it.

We are one of the legion of people who have cable TV. Our reception is so bad that we wouldn't bother to turn the TV on if we didn't have cable or dish reception.

About two weeks ago, DH turned the TV on and discovered there was absolutely no picture. We had a fuzzy gray screen and noisey static. So, he called to report that we were having a problem.

We were planning on going out to brunch this morning, as a late celebration of my birthday. One of my all time favorite restautants is Pappadeaux, a Cajun place that is part of the Pappas brother's chain. There are two in the Chicago area, and I'm relieved that none of them are any closer than 30 minutes, or I'd LIVE there.

We visited Jamie and Speedbump for New Years two years ago, and I discovered that they have ALL the Pappas restaurants in one place. I thought I'd died and gone to heaven. There are at least six restaurants that feature seafood, barbeque, steak, Mexican, Cajun and Italian. Each restaurant features one cusine, and has "pappa" built into the name (Pappadeaux, Pappacitos, Pappas Brothers, etc.)

At any rate....we were supposed to go to brunch this morning, but it seems a cold has set in, and no one was up for it. That's a first! We've spent a quiet morning. DH has been watching the History and Sci-Fi channels, I've been reading mail and blogging and Mother has been knitting and watching HGTV.

One of the problems associated with a change of plans like this is always.....what will we do for dinner. Today, it seems we are in luck.

The Cubs WON last night! They WON!!! WooooooooAhhhhhhhhhhh!

This is the first time in 58 years that the Cubs have played in a post season play off. There aren't a lot of people left who can remember them winning, so this feels like a miracle to most of us. Heck....the last time they made it all the way to the World Series was in 1908.

If you love the Cubs, you have learned to deal with disappointment, but that makes this season all the sweeter! Die-hard Cubs fans feel vindicated for their faith after a lifetime of loosing.

GO CUBS!!! GO CUBS!!! GO CUBS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Defer and I were out walking this afternoon. Remember that tree that I described a week ago Sunday? I was sitting in the kitchen as the sun rose, and it set the top of the tree into a golden fire? Well, in just one short week the tree completely turned to flame and then dropped all it's leaves. All that is left is the skeleton.

Our lot is bordered by a walking path, and the path is edged with trees. There are a lot of black walnut trees that hang over the path. Usually in September they drop their leaves, and then you see the black walnuts ripening on the bare branches. This year the leaves and the walnuts fell about the same time, and the path is littered with husks and leaf trash.

To rant, or not to rant, that is the question. Every now and then it just bursts out of me. Most times I can manage to maintain my cool. I believe it's healthy to rant, and I'm not sure why I don't rant more, since it feels Sooooo GOOD!

Yeah....who would have guessed they'd see ME talking about sports!? It's been a lifetime endeavor to avoid all things sporting, because most of the teams near me have been the pits!

I know....the Cubbies lost last night, but we're not out of the running yet. And to be a Cubs fan you have to take the "hope springs eternal" pledge. For years we have said "There's always next year." So the headline in the Trib a week ago was....."Next year is here." I have faith that the Cubs will go on to the World Series.

And that brings me to what I actually wanted to say. I assume that the World Series is played on the home fields of the competing teams. If that's the case, and if the Red Sox beat the Yankees to get to the World Series, we (The CUBS) need to get the field crew busy creating a kick-ass design for our infield!

Did you see how they mowed the infield where the Red Sox play?? It's a jazzed up version of a variable star....a pattern any quilter would recognize! I swear they must use GPS to guide the mowers! I'm really impressed, and feel that we need to prepare our own field so that we can stand the comparison.

Quilters, e-mail your suggestions to Ron Santo and Pat Huges at WGN, right away!

And while I have your attention, if you are a Sox or Yankees fan, plan to be on your best behavior when you come to Chicago. We want to win MORE than you do, but that doesn't mean fighting during the game is okay.

Here endeth the sports report for the day.

Do you have a keepsake that you keep near you, even when you travel? Is there something you need to have nearby at all times?

I haven't experienced this as an adult, but as a young child I had a blanket that had to be available to me or the uproar would be unbearable. It was a thin child's quilt that was a faded pink. I'd leave it on the floor until bedtime to chill it. I'd form a circle with my thumb and last three fingers and draw the blanket through the circle to chill my cheek, and I bent my index finger and sucked on it.

Mother says that I used to stand next to the washer and dryer when I was forced to give the blanket up to be washed. She couldn't pry me loose. I was probably about six when my father used Blankie as a rag. They tried to find all sorts of substitutes, but it was never the same. I could never get them to admit that it was a conspiracy to get me to stop sucking my index finger.

Today, I discovered what happens when your parents aren't successful in weaning you from your childhood talismen. You become a 25 year old who carries a blanket and a teddy everywhere you go. Can't you see having to explain about the blanket to your boss? Worse yet.....how to you tell your lover to "GET OFF MY BLANKIE!"?? Or when your four year old reaches for your teddy...."Touch my teddy and DIE!"

All I can say is......"Thanks, Mom and Dad, for helping me give it up!"

Well.....perhaps a little joy...

I didn't intend to dress in black today, but I realized late in the morning that from head to toe, I was swathed in black. Black shoes and socks, black slacks, a black silk shirt....everything is black. It must have been because I felt the need to mourn.

I had such incredibly high hopes for the Cubs. They have had the most amazing year. We've been so used to them loosing that they set a fire under us and sparked the rush to rejoice: WE COULD WIN!!!

As true Cubs fans, we will now focus on the fact that we have a competitive team who brought us great joy this year. And we'll pat each other on the back and say....."There's always next year!

Congratulations CUBS! Thanks Dusty Baker for and incredible year! See you next Spring.

1. Name five things in your refrigerator.
Minced garlic, Cran-raspberry juice, lots of Romaine, green olive tapenade,
and herb-coated goat's cheese

2. Name five things in your freezer.
Blue plastic ice packs, pot roast, shrimp, Squirrel ice cream (vanilla fudge swirl), seven pounds of butter.

3. Name five things under your kitchen sink.
Canola oil, Lamp oil, dishwasher detergent, sponges, silver polish

4. Name five things around your computer.
An antique coffee grinder, two pictures of polar bears, three candles, a
picture of DH standing next to a stuffed Alaskan moose, a glass dish of
potpourri.

5. Name five things in your medicine cabinet.
I don't have a medicine cabinet. Most of our medicine cabinet "stuff" is kept
in drawers under the counter: Floss holder, Allegra, razor,
Aspirin, Q-tips.

For some reason I chose this weekend to begin organizing both personal and company data. It might well have to do with the fact that the CPA's assistant will be here tomorrow, and I'll need to be able to find things. It could just be the "nesting" impulse that comes over me in the Fall. It could be that things have needed to be tidied up since the hard drive had to be reprogramed, or it could be that I have let months of filing slide because I HATE FILING!

Whatever the reason, I've sure gotten a LOT done this weekend. What worries me is that in the process, I blew off a gorgeous day when I could have been outside working on putting the gardens to bed. Saturday, I cleaned out half of the sidewalk gardens. I need to cover that area with compost and mulch. My biggest problem has been that the plants are still blooming, and I refuse to kill off living plants. I dug out the dahlias and readied them for storage, but the rest will have to wait until we get a killer frost.

I washed clothes, and emptied out the dishwasher, and washed dishes. I cleaned the kitchen counter and made the bed. I've organized some of the stuff that's come in from the Arr!! I have receipts organized for the first ten months of 2003, so tax season should be a lot easier. I might even get things cleaned out so that we have more space!

What is there about this kind of work that makes you feel self-righteous?? This is almost as bad as having to listen to a person who has given up cigarettes!

We were walking this evening. Dear Husband asked if I would like to go, and I said...."Maybe after dinner." Well, the light fades fast these days, and even though we had an unusually early dinner tonight, the sun had dipped below the houses to the west as I changed my shoes. I try never to say no to an invitation to walk. We both need the exercise and I want to encourage this effort.

We got onto the path, and the first thing I noticed was that the black walnut trees were bare of leaves, but there were still clusters of nuts here and there. DH told me that I had to watch out for them. They hurt when they land on you. I had a vision of the scene from the "Wizard of Oz," where the trees are throwing their apples at the walkers. I could just see that black walnut tree sizing up the distances and waiting to bomb me.

Whew.......I made it past without an incident. Then we came to a patch where the nuts lay thick on the ground. You had to walk looking down or risk doing one of those Dick Van Dyke prat falls.

Our walk was uneventful despite the dangers along the way. It seems that it's a metaphor for my life. I've walked down the path, through the dangers, and made the trip safely so far. I hope the future will be as pleasant and safe as the past has been, and that there will be time for many more walks.

Or any of a thousand other names we use for marijuana, will do.

I was reading my copy of "The Herb Quarterly" (Winter, 2003) and came across an article on the use of marijuana for medical purposes.

Marijuana used for medical purposes has been met with resistance around the world. The Netherlands is probably the best known exception. However, some patients in Canada are now receiving small amounts of government grown marijuana.

What caught my eye was that the California State Supreme Court has ruled that patients with a doctor's note may use marijuana. However, federal law dictates that third parties may not supply people with the herb. Soooooo.....than means that Californians must grow their own marijuana.

I wonder if there are controls in place concering the potency of the plant? One of the stumbling blocks in Canada had to do with the potency of the crop that was being offered for medicial use. Can't you see people fine-tuning their farming techniques to develop the most potent strain of Cannabis ever created??
Every house in California will have it's own little herb garden. Marijuana plants will become a part of the landscaping! The Marijuana plant will become the State Plant!

Where else but in California???

the Serenity to accept the things I cannot change,

the Courage to change the things I can, and

The Wisdom to know the difference.

That rates up there as one of my all time favorite prayers, ahead of

God, please grant me patience, NOW!

It certainly would be nice to experience wisdom sometime in my life.....

Isn't style fascinating? Each of us has a unique style about us. It's reflected in how we dress, whether we are day or night people, grasshoppers or ants. It shows up in the type of housing we choose, whether we have kids, what type of job is satisfying, whether we can let an old love go, our sense of humor, and if we have close ties to nature.

Style is on my mind because of the diversity of blogs I read. Since the day I first tripped over Billy's blog, he's been a daily read. He writes an amazing stream of consciousness, but in each essay he produces, there's likely to be a reflection that ties his past life into the one that's coming, something wildly funny, and something heartfelt. I never know what the subject matter will be, but I always know that I will have been given a snapshot of his life, a clear unobfuscated view.

Do you suppose that everyone at some time in their life thinks about what they might like to name their children? I've always thought the tradition you tend to find on the East coast of using the mother's maiden name for a son's first name, was a cool idea. Obviously it works better with some names than others. Can you see a kid entering kindergarten with a moniker like Schwarzenegger Brown??

I had my annual physical today. I'm not terribly fond of going to the doctor, but I make several appointments in October for annual checkups. Last Thursday I had my mammogram, and today I got a tetanus shot and a flu shot. They drew blood for a chem panel, so I'll be hearing from the doc when the results come in. I had a Pap smear done, and peed in a cup.

I hope that you will take the time to get an annual physical. Even if you are well, it doesn't hurt to have baseline information for future treatment, and you can prevent a lot of woe if you discover things early. It doesn't take a lot of time, it's not terribly expensive, and it doesn't hurt (much).

Do something nice for a loved one....and something nice for yourself. Get a check up!

Man, I LOVE Amazon.com. With a click you have the world at your fingertips!

I was placing an order for DH's birthday and remembered that I wanted to look up a Michael McDonald CD. I finally settled on "Greatest Hits of the Doobie Brothers." It arrived yesterday and sat on the kitchen counter while I finished up other things.

I popped it into the office CD player this afternoon and I'm having trouble concentrating on business. Instead, I'm dancing in my chair.....doing the backstroke and bopping along. I know that some of my readers were only TWO when this band started, but ya gotta love the Doobie Brothers! Great energy.

Now, if everybody would just quit interrupting me, I might perfect this chair dancin......(scooting the chair across the floor and back)

I'm likely to be away from the computer this weekend. I convinced my mother and DH to go to the last of the Farmer's Markets tomorrow morning, weather permitting. Then we'll do breakfast out, and stop at the cleaners and Office Max on the way home. I started making a list of about twenty other errands that need to be run, and it looks like the entire day could be wiped out. If it continues to rain, that might not be a bad idea, unless traffic is a mess.

Jo Ann Fabrics or Windmill City Quilts, getting Defer's nails clipped, and then giving him a bath, stopping at Babies R Us for a shower gift, getting a bag of vermiculite, ordering bird seed for delivery.....and I'd like to get DH to Restoration Hardware before their lighting sale ends.

I have a wonderful book I just started. It's the "Da Vinci Code." I'm barely 130 pages into the story and really wrapped up in it. I'll have to tell you more when I've finished it, but I can already recommend it.

Sunday, Mother has a meeting of Empty Nesters, and then we will go to dinner with the kids to celebrate DH's birthday. One of the kids has organized it, and made reservations. We'll be at a restaurant on a river, so we may get to enjoy the gathering wildlife.

My gardens still need me, and the leaves that have fallen are wet now. I can see that we will be raking one cold November. I'll have to get someone to take a picture. I'm sure none of you believe that I do any of this stuff! *G*

Well....I hope you all have a great weekend! Happy Fall!

I had expected to be away just a day or so, and it's stretched out to four or five. Nothing earthshaking has happened here, I've just been caught up in my off-line life.

Sunday, we celebrated Dear Husband's birthday. Normally, the birthday person gets to determine what they do they day of their birthday, but DH had to give me a hand outside. I know it was at the bottom of a list of things he could have been doing, but I'm glad he bit the bullet and worked with me.

This morning when I was out, I saw a headline in the Chicago Sun-Times which said something to the effect that if you want your child to read better, turn off the T.V. BRAVO!! Talk to your children. Have them read to you. Discuss what you've read. Limit the amount of time your children get to watch T.V. and you will have healthier, smarter children!

Everybody has music they love. Some blogs have "currently listening to" sidebars, and others discuss the merits of their favorites. For the most part, what they have in common from my point of view is that I don't recognize a word of what they are talking about.

How could I be a trained musician, and have gotten so far removed from pop music?? I can't figure it out. What I find is that I recognize some music here and there, but I've missed most of the hits of the nineties, and I have NO idea who is popular in the new millennium.

that director Jane Campion is one of only two women who have been nominated for an Oscar for directing, and that no woman has ever won? Whatever happened to the PHI ratio here?

You may know Campion's work: Sweetie, The Piano, Portrait of a Lady, and Holy Smoke.

She has another film coming out called "In the Cut." It's loosely based on Susanna Moore's 1995 novel of the same name.

After waiting for FOURTEEN YEARS, we finally had our first trick or treaters. Four boys came to the front door. I'd say they were in a range between nine and fourteen. They were dressed as bums or mimes, and carried pillowcases to hold the candy. DH actually had them come into the house. The only thing we forgot to do was to take their picture!

Mother slept through the whole thing.

No eggs, no tricks that we have found yet, and nobody was hurt.

This has turned out to be a very frustrating day.

I got a later start than usual, and worked in the garden. With rain coming in, we pulled the tarp with the herb cuttings to the compost pile, and covered two bales of straw, and then I came in for the afternoon.

I have numerous quilting projects underway, and I’ve been trying to finish some of them before starting new projects. I managed to get a twin-sized signature quilt top finished today. I pieced the back, too. Now all I have to do is pack the top, back and batting and mail them off to the ladies who will machine quilt them for me. Perhaps I’ll have a special Christmas present for my mother if they finish in time.

Dear Husband is watching a program on MSNBC called the Ultimate Explorer. The program is discussing the rangers and climbers at Denali in Alaska. I looked up in time, the first time, to see a helicopter carrying off the splayed, frozen bodies of climbers, who were stranded and died.

I went to a baby shower today. My youngest nephew is going to be a proud papa in about five weeks. The women in his family arranged a shower. I was astounded at the decorations, the brunch, and the endless gifts that were given.

It seems that babies are big business these days. The couple spent an afternoon at Babies R US registering, and I'll bet they got most of the six sheets of items that they put on the registry.

The grandparents purchased a bed and armoir. Relatives bought things like a high chair, the car seat, a baby monitor, a diaper disposal system, and several other big ticket items. Friends brought things like sleep sets and onesies, outfits complete with hats, receiving blankets, diapers, disposable changing pads, diaper bags and bottle bags. There were ball player outfits, a Santa outfit, dungarees, sweats, Oshkosh b'Gosh, and Ralph Lauren.

It makes me feel a bit old to remember that it once was perfectly okay to have hand me downs for your baby, and that special safety seats weren't required. I can remember cloth diapers, and I bet my brother-in-law thinks we should return to them. So much has changed! It seems that every 20 years or so they change their minds on whether a baby should sleep prone, or supine.

I'm delighted that this couple have all they wished for to care for their baby. I'm sure they will put it to good use. I hope, when the baby outgrows the clothes, the bed and the furniture, that it will go to someone who needs it who might not otherwise have it. And.....I hope they have the joy of a happy, healthy baby!

Dear Husband has a new job for me. Somehow he has become aware that there are corporations which have blogs. He feels that I should now spend my time trying to match up bloggers and corporations.

I've pondered the small circle of blogs I currently read, and here are some of my recommendations.

Following Jamie's latest post, I suspect that Penthouse or one of the men's magazines might be our best bet, or better yet.....PLAYGIRL! (I guess this means we have to give up the phone sex idea, Jamie.)

Dr. D, I can see several choices here. You could blog for Coppertone, but I think you'd be a very eloquent spokesperson for Trojans!

Billy, perhaps you could make a splash by blogging for Depends, but I bet you'd opt for Spiderman comics.

Speedbump, you could sweet talk the New Zealanders into being their blogging wizzard, but I bet you'd enjoy championing the Kiwi industry. WEG

I suppose it's just too trite to assign Pepcid to Acidman, but DH would be thrilled that I opted for the simplest shot.

Pob is already working at an airport. I doubt he'd want to blog for them. We need to find him a cushy job that will put him in contact with a LOT of beautiful women. Let's see.......a modeling agency?? Maybe a casting agency. Hmm...perhaps he could blog for the Miss America contest!

WichiDude and the Dudette might be great spokespersons for the wine industry. Maybe the 'Dude could blog for the Amateur Writer's Association.

Red Eagle, who already has more than enough on her plate might be able to blog for Avon.......or perhaps for PartyLite!

Bogie. Hmmm.....the Firefox woman......I can see her representing the wilds of Montana or Alaska. Or perhaps she could blog for animal adoption. Or maybe for Quizilla as they develop the newest quiz "What kind of animal owner will we let YOU be?"

Essay, how do you feel about being the blogger for Prozac??

Dawn has the first hand experience to take on the Detroit Department of Streets.

Can't you see T-bone as spokesblogger for Pampers??

Okay.....I'm sorry that I didn't reach out to each and every one of you, but I need to eat my dinner.

I'm a cat person. When I was growing up, my family always had dogs. We had some great dogs, but it wasn't until I grew up and moved away that my parents had cats. Dad was allergic to cats, but put up with them. I can remember visiting one summer and watching one of a litter of kittens testing the brick Dad had just laid. He'd hopped up onto my Dad's shoulder and walked out his arm and gently pushed the brick to see if it was set just right.

Recently Bogie directed us to Dawn Olsen's blog for a post on the subject of parental favoritism. I encourage you to read that post. It has plenty of food for thought.

I come from a family where the parents were divided on the subject. I have three sisters and a brother. Each of the girls felt that Dad loved them the best. We have no idea how he kept from showing favoritism, but he was a master at it. Dad's been gone almost 20 years, but we are still comforted by the sense of love and family that he instilled.

My mother has always championed my brother. Given the ridiculous lengths she has sometimes gone to defend him, it's a wonder he turned out so well! For the longest time the phrase "You always DID love him better" would pop up at family gatherings. He would smile a cheesy grin and nod.

One year in an attempt to get even, she had t-shirts printed for the two of them that said "I DID love HIM better," and they wore them to the family Thanksgiving dinner. It didn't stop the taunts, but it slowed them down.

Did you know that Voyager 2 left Earth before Voyager 1? ( Voyager 2: August 20, 1977, Voyager 1: September 5, 1977) Recently, on the nightly news, we heard that Voyager 1 has reached then end of the heliopause (the edge of the solar wind's influence), and is continuing on into space. I believe they said it is moving at a rate of one million miles a DAY.

I checked the Voyager website, and it's speed was given in these terms: "Voyager 1 is speeding away from the Sun at a velocity of about 3.50 AU/year...." I don't have enough math to do the equation, but if you do, you can check to see if 1,000,000 miles a day is correct. Isn't that an astounding figure?

I've said many times that my mother lives with us. She will be 87 in a month, and last year at this time she voluntarily decided to stop driving. I suspect the world heaved a sigh of relief. I occasionally made her drive so that I could observe her driving, and I knew she was coming to the time when she'd have to quit. She had voluntarily limited her driving the last couple of years to four or five places: the hair salon, the grocery store, the library and JoAnne's Fabric, and her doctor. If she needed to go elsewhere, I took her. We talked about the least heavily traveled routes, and we also talked about times to avoid being on the road. I think we eked out freedom as long as we could, and I was lucky that SHE was able to decide it was time to quit.

(Can't you hear the song from "Cats" running through your head???? Wait....that was "Memories"......)

Okay.....memory is a touchy subject with me. The past three or four years my memory has been shot full of holes, and it's particularly disturbing since I have to remember detail for our company, to care for my mother, to manage the house, for my husband, and for my own interests. I decided to blame it on menopause, firmly announcing to one and all that I would get it back on the "other side."

Well....it's possible that is true. But until then I read everything I can find on memory. (Sometimes more than once. *G*)

Did you know that scientists feel that we begin to loose our memories at age 35? It starts with simple things like misplacing our car keys, or in my case....my purse.

Have you noticed an increase in the number of postcards you've been receiving from businesses? The other day I received a postcard that had our last name printed across it in nine fonts, four directions and three colors. It certainly got my attention, and I set it aside, rather than throwing it out. It was from the woman who had helped us to refinance, reminding us that her bank has other services to offer.

And, while we are speaking of memory...

Did you know that you can sign up to be reminded of important dates, such as birthdays and anniversaries?

www.birthdayalarm.com has a service that allows you to store names and dates and then e-mails you seven and three days before each birthday. Go check it out.

Can you hear your family beginning to talk about the fact that each and every one of them have gotten a card or a call from you, and ON TIME!!!???

Yesterday I wanted to write about Veterans's Day. I knew that many of you would have messages on the subject, and that you would say what I feel, most likely better than I could say for myself. So, I chose to visit other blogs and read your tributes rather than writing one of my own.

Last night, one of my nieces brought her two boys to dinner at our house. The oldest boy is 14 and his younger brother is 9. I couldn't resist the chance to talk to them about why they had had a day off from school. We talked about what Veteran's Day stands for. I tried to help them tie the people in their family to the wars they may have read about.

One of my sisters forwarded an e-mail with these pictures. Given the horrors we have seen, I wanted to share a kinder view of our soldiers.

This is the message from the originator of the e-mail, Amy Dunavant:

Sometimes in our everyday life we tend to forget what's going on elsewhere in the world and that the brave men and women of the service are just like you and I. They have family and friends back home who love them very much and are praying for their safe return.

Hope you pass these on

I'll be away for a few days. Dear Husband is going to take a day off, and we're going to take Mother to Indiana to see my youngest sis and her family. They've just lived through the home renovation from HELL and I'm eager to see the changes that have been made.

My mind is still on gardens, cleaning, and preparations for Thanksgiving. Each year I try to stave off Christmas until AFTER Thanksgiving.....but I had to send a request for a wish list, and an invitation to Cookie Day already. Mother has her Christmas cards all addressed!

A good friend sent an e-mail, asking if we were booked up for December, and could we set a date to meet for dinner. I discovered, that if you didn't count the last weekend in November, we have a grand total of FOUR weekend nights left before Christmas to book that dinner. WOW! Where is the time going??? I think we should have a communal post where everyone gives their absolute best time saving tip for Christmas.

Well...I'll check back on Sunday, when we return. I hope you all have a great weekend!

Christmas season 2003 has opened. Today I received my FIRST e-mail from Jamie trying to finagle some sugar crisp. Of course, she said Q14 (her son) needed them.

Riiiiiiiiiiiight!

I'll think about it Jamie. It's possible. *S*

The cat is sitting at my elbow. The dog is across the room, snoring, and Dear Husband is watching the Nova on the Earth's magnetic field. It's been a long day, and I'm thinking about bed.

I was going to sleep in this morning. I wanted to get up at 6:30, but Defer arfed me up at 5:40. I figured I might as well get up and get going. Mother was hosting a group of ladies who were making fleece hats for cancer patients, and I had a dental appointment at 1:15. My niece and her boys joined us for dinner, and DH had a hair cut at 6:00. It was a busy day.

I began with a few loads of laundry, and while that was perking, I cleaned the kitchen. We readied the table, and I boiled a pot of multi-colored rotini. As it cooled, I put dishes away and started chopping veggies.

I cut up red pepper, broccoli, julienned carrots and pepperoni, and added it to the pasta. I threw in some cherry tomatoes and poured part of a bottle of Paul Newman's Light Italian dressing over it. A quick toss, and it went back into the fridge to chill.

Then I cut up veggies for minnestrone and put that on to cook. I had cartons of red raspberries and blueberries, so I rinsed and mixed them and put them in a crystal dish. Last, I sliced some banana nut bread.

My mother had planned to make tomato soup with roasted red pepper for her guests. She also made oatmeal cookies. I thought she might appreciate the pasta and fruit to round out the meal. I set a pot of Iced tea to perc and went to get dressed for the day.

My periodontist is happy with my new crown, so my visit was a good one. I don't have to see them for another six months.

My niece and her boys joined us, and we chatted about everyone's week. I added mozerella to the pasta. I think the boys were underwhelmed by the soup, but were too well mannered to say anything. Besides, garlic bread, pasta, fruit and cookies seemed to fill in the chinks.

All in all....it was a typical day. Not the kind of thing you hope to read about here, but a slice of my life. I need to get a different life (sigh).

I'm delighted to announce that my oldest sister's youngest son is now a dad! I have 13 nieces and nephews. As a group they have now made me a GREAT aunt seventeen times! And there's one more headed our way in May. I can hardly wait to meet the newest member of our family! I guess you could say we have a lot to be thankful for.

Are you ready for Thanksgiving?

About four years ago I signed my mother up for a senior exercise class. She was going to make a trip to England to see the Chelsea Flower show, so I thought it would be a good idea to get her in shape. Since I have to take her to class, I decided to ask if I could attend too.

Last year we had a switch in teachers, and our new teacher brings a lot of Asian philosophy to her exercises. We start with stretching and we work from head to toe. She picks the pace up for cardio work, and throws in a little Tai Bo, and then we do fifteen minutes that is a mix of balance, resistance and weight training.

I've found an advice column that I really enjoy. "Ask Amy" appears in the Chicago Tribune. Amy Dickinson writes a daily column in a fresh way. She clearly has a sense of humor, which she uses liberally, but she is usually spot on with her suggestions.

Saturday, November 22, she responded to a question about wedding ettiquette. I'm not sure if I agree with her or not. A woman who has married a man with grown children wrote for help. His daughter and his wife do not get along. He is paying for half the wedding, but his daughter has made it clear that his wife is NOT invited. Daddy told his daughter that she is wrong, and that she should be civil and include his wife. The daughter refuses.

In the next entry.....please disregard the first paragraph. I swear, occasionally I could be the poster child for the ad that says "This is what your brain is like on drugs."

What I wanted to harp about was the inequality of Social Security vs the Federal employee retirement benefits. For all I know, their medical benefits are better, too. Although the first part of the post is odd, I hope you read the part that is collapsed. That at least makes a little more sense.

Just chalk up my confusion to blogging too late at night, on autopilot, after a LONG day. I'd delete it, but I figure it's a learning tool for all you young uns who need to know what happens to your mind as you age....

It's either that, or I'll just have to admit I'm a ditz, and stick to writing about herbal things.

Dear Husband has discovered a channel on TV that is presenting a variety of mini-series. It's called "Trio." Perhaps you're familiar with it.

Did you know that the wedding industry is a $120 BILLION industry? If it was a company it would be number six on the Fortune 500 list.

We've recently gone through two weddings in our family, and a third is coming up next year. I know that girls are being groomed to think of their wedding as their day of limelight, and I think that we do them a disservice.

Young couples are paying what amounts to the down payment for a house, or the cost of an upscale new car for two days of celebration. Despite the fact that they both may work, they saddle themselves with unreasonable debt that some never escape.

I'm in love with Horatio Hornblower.

Or...it could be that I'm in love with Ioan Gruffudd.

We've watched the Horatio Hornblower series that has been running on A&E (Arts and Entertainment). What a pleasure it's been to see these books brought to life. We're watching "Loyalty" tonight. It's been amazing to see Gruffudd mature over the life of the series, as he goes from a seaman to a captain.

In this segment, he has been given command of his own ship. All the familiar charachters are around him, plus a few new ones, and it's like meeting an old friend. The other night I was watching a special on Trio about mini-series. They were listing the top ten, and I missed the top three. If this wasn't in the top three, it SHOULD have been!

I think I'm going to take Horatio to bed with me tonight and let him run through my dreams...

Well, we had our first party of the season last night. I host a quilting bee, and to celebrate the Season, we had a soup supper. Each of the ladies brought something to share, and I made Minestrone soup and Cheddar Chowder. One of our more adventurous cooks made a wonderful salad with baked herbed goat cheese from a recent Cook's Illustrated magazine. Another made a cream cheese frosted pumpkin cake for dessert.

It was a wonderful meal, mostly because we had the luxury of sitting and chatting with friends.

Not new ones......old ones.

We spent a quiet evening at home. I was going to sit at the computer in the living room after dinner when DH turned the TV to a movie channel that was playing "Young Frankinstein." One of our sons decided to watch with us.

Are you familiar with the phenomenon of "Rocky Horror Picture Show? People dress up as the characters and go to midnight showing and shout out their character's lines. Well......we had a mini version of that going on for "Young Frankenstein."

The movie started while I was around the corner in the kitchen, and when I heard the opening music, I filled in the three note half-step French horn part, and walked in to sit down. One by one we piped up with the lines as they came along...

Roll, Roll Roll in the hay
Where wolf? There wolf....
Frau Blucher
PUT THE CANDLE BECK!
Abe Normal.....
and so on.

I didn't realize that I've memorized the movie. Clearly, it's a family favorite. I have it on VHS and on DVD, so we'll have to try this again when the whole family is around.

I can see a new Christmas tradition starting. *G*

Most people recall December 7th as the day that will live in infamy. My family remembers it for being the day Pearl Harbor was attacked, but we also remember it because it is my Mother's birthday.

We have a large family, and it is spread far and wide. Tomorrow one of my nieces, one of my nephews and one of my sisters will join us to take Mother to a local buffet. We'll come home to open gifts, and then we will make more Christmas cookies, play cards and chat. It may not sound like a lot to you, but my just-about 87 year old mother is excited to be going out, and having company.

I was visiting at Gut Rumbles a while ago, and Acidman commented that although he posts on weekends, the visits to his blog drop off dramatically. I suspect that is universal; I know it happens at my blog, too.

When I first started my blog, I hoped to make entries every day, but it became clear early on that my style is to post a group of entries every few days. Lately the time between entries has lengthened as holiday preparations have taken up more time. It seems that I get more posting done on weekends than on weekdays, so Acidman and I are bucking the trends.

If I comment on your blog days after you've made an entry, it's just that I'm trying to catch up. Fotr a little hole in the wall blog, I've had more than 5,000 visits since the end of April. Thank you all, for stopping by!

The following post is an e-mail I received today. I have no idea who the editor is, but I want to thank them for amassing so many great quotes about dogs.

THE BEST THOUGHTS ABOUT BEST FRIENDS
============================
The reason a dog has so many friends is that he wags his tail instead
of his tongue. -- Anonymous

Don't accept your dog's admiration as conclusive evidence that you are
wonderful. -- Ann Landers

If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where
they went. -- Will Rogers

There is no psychiatrist in the world like a puppy licking your face.
-- Ben Williams

A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves
himself.
-- Josh Billings

The average dog is a nicer person than the average person.
-- Andy Rooney

We give dogs time we can spare, space we can spare and love we can
spare. And in return, dogs give us their all. It's the best deal man has
ever made.
-- M. Facklam

Dogs love their friends and bite their enemies, quite unlike people,
who are incapable of pure love and always have to mix love and hate.
--Sigmund Freud

If I have any beliefs about immortality, it is that certain dogs I
have known will go to heaven, and very, very few persons.
-- James Thurber

I wonder what goes through his mind when he sees us peeing
in his water bowl.
-- Penny Ward Moser

A dog teaches a boy fidelity, perseverance, and to turn around
three times before lying down.
-- Robert Benchley

I wonder if other dogs think poodles are members of a weird
religious cult. -- Rita Rudner

Dogs need to sniff the ground. It's how they keep abreast of current
events. The ground is a giant dog newspaper, containing all kinds of
late-breaking dog news items, which, if they are especially urgent, are
often continued in the next yard. -- Dave Barry

Anybody who doesn't know what soap tastes like never washed a dog.
-- Franklin P. Jones

My dog is worried about the economy because Alpo is up to $3 a can.
That's almost $21 in dog money. -- Joe Weinstein

Outside of a dog, a book is probably man's best friend. Inside of a
dog, it's too dark to read. -- Groucho Marx

Ever consider what they must think of us? I mean, here we come back
from a grocery store with the most amazing haul -- chicken, pork, half a
cow. They must think we're the greatest hunters on earth! -- Anne Tyler

Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax
and get used to the idea.
-- Robert A. Heinlein

N.B. Dear Husband's favorite quote is probably the one by Grouch Marx, and mine is the one by Heinlein.

....for 25 years to life.

This evening, one of my nieces and her two sons came to dinner. Her oldest boy is in eighth grade and he has been given an interesting assignment. The Language Arts teacher has instructed his students to find 20-25 resources on the subject of the Three Strikes Law in California. They are to prepare a paper about it, and be ready to argue either the pro or con side of the issue.

Hi, all!

I really didn't mean to be away so long. We seem to have hit the busy time, getting ready for the Holidays, and before I knew it, a week had passed without an entry. I want to thank those of you who sent me notes and made entries in the comments, asking after me.

There are days when I think there is nothing nicer than to have the chance to dine out.

Last Friday we had the opportunity to have dinner with old friends. We are all so busy that we only have the opportunity to get together a couple of times during the year. They picked us up at 7:00 Friday and drove us to a seafood restaurant that's about half an hour east of us.

The service was superb, the meal was exceptional. We dallied over dinner and then went to the bar for a last drink. Had we stayed for a second we would have closed the bar.

.....from the Wright brother's first flight, to sending a man to the moon. Isn't that the most incredible statistic you've ever heard? Man has been around for millennia! It took all that time to get us to the point were we could fly, and just another 66 years took us off planet, past the atmosphere and to the moon. We could never have done it without the Wright brothers.

I'm a day late to send my nod of recognition, but it's too important a date to let it slide by unacknowledged. I wish I could have been among the people watching the attempt to recreate the flight in North Carolina.

I know I lead an unusual life. While we are not wealthy, we are comfortable. Like many of you I have to work, but I love my work. I get to set my own hours and am guided by the knowledge that things have to be done in a timely manner, rather than by a time clock. I have the pleasure of working from my home, so I don't have the commute, or the need for an office wardrobe. In general, I'm a very lucky woman!

This morning the alarm was set for 6:00. I really didn't want to get up that early, but I had a long list of things that had to be done before we left for exercise at 8:00.

I was burrowed into the covers, surrounded by my favorite pillows, hoping for a little more sleep when the radio blasted me with "I'm lovin' it!"

I don't know about you, but I think that ad campaign for McDonald's STINKS!! I don't care for the rap style presentation, and I don't care for the message, either. It's clearly aimed at very young, very juvenile listners.

We've spent the day getting the house ready for Christmas. I finished most of the wrapping last night. The tree is in the stand, waiting to be decorated this evening. I spent an hour this morning finishing up personal notes and Christmas cards that needed to go out.

No.....not the cold stuff, the movie.

I've decided that I can't get into the spirit of Christmas unless I've seen the movie "White Christmas" with Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney and Vera Ellen. I'm not sure why that movie speaks to me, but the season isn't official until it's played.

Last night, while I wrapped gifts, I ran the movie, and finally I began to feel good about Christmas. Old habits die hard. Next year, I'll be sure to play it the day after Thanksgiving!

And......the snow has just started.

Just what is normal? We have come through some wonderful Christmas days to a quiet pool of time before we celebrate the New Year. While my morning has been filled with washing dishes and sheets and trying to get the house back to some semblance of order, I can't say this feels quite normal to me.

Traditionally, our Christmas tree goes up quite late in December. I attend to everything else that has to be done, and we get to the tree right before Christmas. There are several reasons. Dear Husband is allergic to the tree. I thought he was just allergic to touching it, but it seems he is also allergic to the scent. So, we put up a real tree, but we limit how long it's up. I think it went up on the 21st of December this year, and I'll take it down on January 3. That's a long stay.

I believe that everyone has traditions at Christmas time. DH and I chose early on to celebrate Christmas Eve with my family. My siblings and their children, and now their children have gathered at my second sister's home on Christmas eve to share a buffet style meal, and participate in a gift exchange. This year we met late in the afternoon because one of the children was going to be participating in an 11:00 service at his church.

One of my nieces has led a group of teenaged puppeteers at her church. I didn't know what to expect before my first visit to see them perform, but I was awed at what they created. The complexity of the issues presented was astounding, and the staging was incredibly entertaining.

So, when I had the chance to see my nephew participate in one of these presentations, I asked DH to go with me. I'm so glad I did. We had a wonderful evening, and it added another layer of Christmas memories that make the quilt of our lives.

This year I gave my sister the book "The Wedding" for Christmas. I've read a few of Nicholas Sparks' books, but they are not my favorites. I prefer not to read a story I know will end sadly, while my sister likes the depth of experiences the characters will endure.

She was almost half way through the book during their visit, and she turned to me Sunday morning and said, "Can you imagine being able to pull together thirty people for two days to prepare your lawn for a wedding?" I was stuck on the thought of having thirty people work on my grounds for two days without the excuse of a wedding!

I could tidy up the grove, clear out the dead branches from the willow and replant the grass. We could stack wood for the fireplace. I could have someone rip out the trees that are trying to grow in my evergreens! I could have a bank of azaleas planted, and three of the gardens redesigned. I could have lilacs and flowering almond, and hydrangeas planted. I could have an interlocking brick terrace laid at the west door to the house, and we could KILL OFF THE POISON IVY!!!!!

Wow.....what a fantasy.

Do you read the "funny pages" in the newspaper? Some days that's the only part of the newspaper I get the chance to see. I was browsing through the funnies as I ate lunch and realized that several of them perfectly described my life on New Year's Eve.

Agnes' friend invites her to party on New Year's Eve. Agnes declines, saying she'll just sit and watch. Her friend goes all out, and Agnes realizes she should have gone.....

I never read "Zits," but today I did. The boys are laying around talking about their parent's concept of a "party." The upshot of the discussion is that the Amish have wilder parties than their parents.

"Shoe," one of my favorites, ponders the idea that for every brain cell that dies, a fat cell is born. Now that's down-right depressing!

And "Broom-Hilda" and her crowd describe exactly what will happen here tonight. We'll start yawning about 8:00 and just give up on ushering the New Year in.

It's terrible to get to the point where you want to sleep more than you want to celebrate!

We have the most boring, er....laid back New Year's Eve. I'd love to be out among friends, partying. I don't need a lot of booze, but I'd love to chat and dance and generally have a good time. I'd be totally happy with a group who wanted to sit around and play board games until it was time to usher in the new year.

We traditionally have a quiet night at home. I used to open a bottle of champagne until I realized that DH doesn't care for it. Now I just have a glass of wine. For years we celebrated by watching every Marx Brother's movie we have, one after the other. After about 15 years of that I protested, and now we surf to see what's on TV.

The only time I have ever partied was two years ago at Jamie and Speedbump's. I had a great time! On-line friends from England and Scotland flew in and DH and I flew down, and we partied for several days! I suspect that may be the only New Year's Eve party I will ever attend, so I'm really glad I have good memories of it.

I was telling a friend that in the past I would walk out my door at midnight and beat a pot with a wooden spoon to drive away the bad spirits. She said that at the stroke of midnight her mother begins sweeping the floor in her house. She works from one end toward the front door, and sweeps the bad right out the door. The broom is disposed of, never to be used again, and never allowed back into the house.

How will you be celebrating? Maybe you should all plan to come here next year!

I have a hot date with DH this afternoon......we're going to see "The Return of the King." I know, I know. You expected something else. I'll leave that to Pob.

I'm delighted to be going. I'm thoroughly invested in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. I read the books when I was in college, and have enjoyed the first two movies tremendously. I can remember an attempt to do the story about 20 years ago that was part live action and part animated, and this version is MUCH better.

I'm holding off on purchasing the movies because I want the complete set and all the additional material for all three movies in one package. We've watched the first movie repeatedly on cable, and we've seen "Twin Towers" two or three times in the past two weeks.

I hope this movie is not overlooked when it comes to Oscars. It surely deserves recognition.

If I don't make it back to the computer this evening, I hope you all have a wonderful New Year's eve, and we wish the best of new years for you!

New Year's Day is a time when we reflect over the past and plan for the coming year. I no longer make formal resolutions, but I always hope to improve my life.

This morning I was allowed to sleep in, and I bounded from bed ready to address my day. I made the bed, did a few loads of laundry, cleaned the kitchen, and worked on the binding for my niece's quilt. I potted up the geranium slips that had grown roots, and got them settled in a sunny window. I watched a little TV with Dear Husband, and tried a new recipe. (It was a dud, but it was the thought that counted.) I fixed a healthy meal for my family, and generally had a relaxing day. All the while my mind was absorbed with the idea that New Years Day is the time when we choose to alter our lives for the better.

I have a piece of advice for you. It comes from my wealth of experience and observation, and is absolutely free. On second thought, maybe I should charge you, so that you feel my advice is valuable.

Heck....I don't want to be bothered making change....so free it is.

This is what I have learned, and you would be wise to take it to heart so you can avoid having to learn it the hard way: Do not assume that you can change another person.

It astounds me how many times I have heard someone tell a story about a friend with a flaw, and how they felt obligated to tell that friend how to improve themself. In not one of these stories has the friend asked for assistance with their flaw. In most cases, they don't even perceive they are flawed, and might have merrily gone their way enjoying life until their "friend" set them straight.

Actually, not only to our beloved Sgt. Hook, but to the 25th Infantry Division.

This morning they are featured on the front page of the Chicago Tribune. Above a 7 x 5 picture of men training under live fire in the field, is this caption:

"Known for it's valor, a Hawaii-based division wraps up training for its first full deployment since Vietnam. Next stop for 10,000 soldiers: Iraq and Afghanistan.

Kirsten Scharnberg wrote: "A cannon fires promptly at 6:30 a.m. and Maj.Gen. Eric Olson, commander fo the 25th Infantry Division, begins a brisk, steady jog. One by one, each group falls in behind him until the entire division, some 10,000 soldiers, is running in formation. Someone begins to chant, in cadence: "Airborn Ranger, where have you been? Around the world and back again. Sound off, one-two. Sound off, three-four."

I encourage you to go to www.ChicagoTribune.com to read the complete story. If my link should not work, look for "Famed 25th gets the call" in the Sunday, January 4, 2004 Tribune. They have devoted an entire page to the history of the Division and the training they have received to prepare them for their coming deployment.

I spoke too soon. I thought we had dodged the bullet where the snowstorm was concerned. This morning when I woke, the skylights in the bathroom were covered, and I found snow falling thick and fast. It looks foggy because the snow is obscuring the view of nearby houses.

The snow is coming from the Northeast. Traditionally, our worst storms come from that quarter, as they swing around over Lake Michigan and come steam-rollering in. Snow is sticking to the northeast sides of the trees in the grove behind me, and there are several inches of snow on the ground already. The cardinals have come to feed early, and theired feathers stand out against the bright white snow.

Dear Husband has earned his halo today. He was up early to take care of our dog, and he took on the chore of filling the bird feeders. The birds thank him, and I thank him.

I think we'll be doing inside chores, taking down the Christmas tree, sorting through personal papers for tax preparation, sewing sashing on a quilt. It's time to settle in and let the winter flow over us.

Happy Winter, all!

Just out of curiousity, I visited Site Meter to see how many visitors I've had since June 23 or so. It seems that in about three days I will hit 6,000, if the current rate continues.

It always astounds me to find that people visit my blog. I see the kind of numbers that Sgt. Hook and I could have been a contender and GutRumbles rack up, and know that I will never draw that type of audience, but I'm delighted to know that there are so many of you passing through here.

Thank you, one and all, for your visits!

Actually, there doesn't seem to be much of a moon tonight. Perhaps it hasn't risen yet. But it's amazing how bright it is outside. When I turn off the lights in the living room this evening, I'll have a clear view of everything outside due to the city light reflected off the snow. I should be able to see if the deer are passing through, looking for sunflower seed or ear corn.

Tonight will be the last night of our Christmas tree. I should have taken it down this morning, but I held out for one more day. A Scottish friend pointed out to me that I should leave it up until January 5th, which would be the twelfth day of Christmas. Sounds good to me.....I hate to see it go. One lamp is providing a pool of light over my keyboard, and the rest of the room is dark so that I can enjoy the tiny colored lights that cover the tree.

This was a beautiful tree. I mourn that we cut down a living tree to decorate the house. I think it's time to consider an artificial tree for future Christmases.

And with that....it's time to call it a night. Sleep well!

I'm loosing on-line friends. A number of people have decided to call it quits in the blogging world. Writers of blogs I've read regularly, and people I've just come to know.

It seems that several of them have packed it in because their blogs were beginning to become too personal. It's the nature of a blog to disclose ever more of yourself, and perhaps they felt there was risk in being so open.

My friend, Jamie, HATES to go to the doctor. Actually, I can't say I blame her, because she's had some lulus of visits with the doc. But, today she went. And so did I. No....I didn't go with her.....I went to my doctor.

It's frustrating to make up your mind that you need attention and take the step of going to the doc, and then be told that they need to do a phalanx of tests to eliminate the possibilities. And even more frustrating to be handed from doc to doc as you try to find out what's wrong, because each doc wants to take more tests!

I understand the necessity of the tests. It's just that those of us who are not in the medical profession want to be able to come in for just one visit and get things corrected and waltz out as good as we were at 20.

It doesn't work like that.

My ISP is AOL (unfortunately). If you haven't seen an AOL screen, it pops up little blurbs for you to click on. Tonight, one of the things that caught my eye was a comment about the worst places to live in reference to car insurance. If you live in one of the following ten states, you have the highest insurance bills:

District of Columbia
New Jersey
Massachusetts
New York
Connecticut
Delaware
Nevada
Rhode Island
Louisiana
Arizona

Isn't it amazing how many of the are in the northeast?

I received an incredible gift from a friend at Christmas. He sent me a box of chocolates from Aix en Provence, France.

The box alone is wonderful. It's about 2.25" high, 3.5" wide and 6" deep. There is a brass nameplate with my name inscribed on it. One side of the box has a quote from Balzac, in French, and the other side has a line drawing of Notre Dame. The box has a sliding top and when you open it, chocolates are layered in two covered trays.

Poland.

I am at a time in my life when I have the great good fortune to have the assistance of a cleaning lady. She comes once a week, altogether too darn early in the morning, to whip us into shape. She methodically works her way around the house first dusting, then tidying things, cleaning, and then vacuuming her way out of the room. I finally got to the point where I could let her make my bed. Somehow, it felt wrong, that I should be making my own bed, but I got over that.

How do you get your daily news? Are you a newspaper reader, or do you listen to the radio? Perhaps you watch the news on TV as you have dinner, or do you surf at CNN or other sites on the Internet during the day?

In my lifetime there has always been a newspaper in the house. My mother always read the newspaper, and I recall her comments about the change in quality of reporting when they moved from the Chicago area to Southwestern Missouri. She tells me that my father preferred not to read the paper. Instead, he asked Mother for the highlights of the day’s news, much as George Bush does with his aides.

Dear Husband is a member of the Chicago Maritime Society. He found this article by John Hadfield in their Winter, 2004 newsletter. Mr. Hadfield and the Society have given me permission to reprint the article here. Mr. Hadfield's source is unknown.

The U.S.S. Constitution (Old Ironsides) as a combat vessel carried 48,600 gallons of fresh water for her crew of 475 officers and men. This was sufficient to last six months of sustained operations at sea. She carried no evaporators (fresh water dislillers).

However, let it be noted that according to her log, "On July 27, 1798, the U.S.S. Constitution sailed from Boston with a full complement of 475 officers and men, 48,600 gallons of fresh water, 7,400 cannon shot, 11,600 pounds of black powder and 79,400 gallons of rum."

Her mission: "To destroy and harass English shipping."

Making Jamaica on 6 October, she took on 826 pounds of flour and 68,300 gallons of rum. Then she headed for the Azores, arriving there 12 November. She provisioned with 550 pounds of beef and 64,300 gallons of Portuguese wine. On 18 November, she set sail for England.

In the ensuing days she defeated five British men-of-war and captured and scuttled 12 English merchantmen, salvaging only the rum aboard each.

By 26 January, her powder and shot were exhausted. Nevertheless, and though unarmed, she made a night raid up the Firth of Clyde in Scotland. Her landing party captured a whiskey distillery and transferred 40,000 gallons of single malt Scotch whiskey aboard by dawn. Then she headed home.

The U.S.S. Constitution arrived in Boston on 20 February, 1799, with no cannon shot, no food, no powder, NO rum, NO wine, NO whiskey, and 38,600 gallons of stagnant water.

Now, Dear Husband has done a bit of math for us. Keep in mind that there were 475 officers and men on board.

The first leg of the trip from Boston to Jamaica took 71 days. If the 79,400 gallons of rum were shared equally, each man would have drunk 2.35 GALLONS of rum a day.

The second leg of the trip, from Jamaica to the Azores plus six day in port amounted to 43 days. 68,300 gallons of rum divided equally to 475 men would be 3.34 GALLONS per day.

The trip from the Azores to England took 69 days. The 64,300 Gallons of wine loaded in the Azores amounted to 1.96 GALLONS per man per day, but you have to consider the unknown amount of rum "salvaged" from 17 ships.

On the final leg of the trip, from Scotland to Boston, over 25 days, the men consumed 3.36 GALLONS OF SCOTCH PER DAY.

It's a wonder they were able to stand to sail the ship. Think about walking on a rolling deck after a gallon or two of scotch. Over 208 days at sea, 475 men used only 10,000 gallons of water. Most likely that water was used for cooking. It's unlikely much of it was used for bathing or washing clothes. It boggles the mind.

The Chicago Maritime Society will have a booth at the Strictly Sail Show on Navy Pier in Chicago, January 29 - February 2, 2004. My thanks to John Hadfield for sharing the information on the U.S.S. Constitution.

UPDATE: Mr. Hatfield tells me that he got this story from Lt. Bob Doyle USCGR Ret. We don't know yet where Lt. Doyle found it.

I'm in the weeds. I really should ask my children where that phrase comes from. I suppose it's something similar to being up to your gluteus maximus in alligators. As THE office for my husband's company, I get to do the filing and waivers, and bookkeeping and the payroll taxes. I handle phone calls and pay the bills. You know....the regular stuff.

Well one of the things I have to do is to close out the files for one year and create the files and binders for the new year. Usually I start making the new files in late November or early December. This year, I'm still trying to get to them.

One of my niece's friends forwarded this to me. It's not only funny, it's true. My hat's off to the creator, and I'll be happy to give you credit for your work, if you just step forward.

1. NAMES
If Laurie, Linda, Elizabeth and Barbara go out for lunch,
they will call each other Laurie, Linda, Elizabeth and Barbara.

If Mark, Chris, Eric and Tom go out, they will affectionately refer to each other as Fat Boy, Godzilla, Peanut-Head and Scrappy.

2. EATING OUT
When the bill arrives, Mark, Chris, Eric and Tom will each throw in $20, even though it's only for $32.50. None of them will have anything smaller and none will actually admit they want change back.

When the girls get their bill, out come the pocket calculators.

3. MONEY
A man will pay $2 for a $1 item he needs.

A woman will pay $1 for a $2 item that she doesn't need
but it's on sale.

4. BATHROOMS
A man has five items in his bathroom: a toothbrush, shaving cream, razor, a bar of soap, and a towel from the Marriott.

The average number of items in the typical woman's bathroom is 337. A man would not be able to identify most of these items.

5. ARGUMENTS
A woman has the last word in any argument.

Anything a man says after that is the beginning of a new argument.

6. CATS
Women love cats.

Men say they love cats, but when women aren't looking, men kick cats.

7. FUTURE
A woman worries about the future until she gets a husband.

A man never worries about the future until he gets a wife.

8. SUCCESS
A successful man is one who makes more money
than his wife can spend.

A successful woman is one who can find such a man.

9. MARRIAGE
A woman marries a man expecting he will change,
but he doesn't.

A man marries a woman expecting that she won't change
and she does.

10. DRESSING UP
A woman will dress up to go shopping, water the plants, empty the garbage, answer the phone, read a book, and get the mail

A man will dress up for weddings and funerals.

11. NATURAL
Men wake up as good-looking as they went to bed.

Women somehow deteriorate during the night.

12. OFFSPRING
Ah, children.

A woman knows all about her children. She knows about dentist appointments and romances, best friends, favorite foods, secret fears and hopes and dreams.

A man is vaguely aware of some short people living in the house.

13. THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Any married man should forget his mistakes. There's no use in two people remembering the same thing.

AND FINALLY...

A couple drove down a country road for several miles, not saying a word. An earlier discussion had led to an argument and neither of them wanted to concede their position. As they passed a barnyard of mules, jack asses, and pigs, the husband asked sarcastically, "Relatives of yours?"

"Yep," the wife replied, "in-laws."

One Word?

I came across this site through a link, or perhaps a mention in another blog. The idea is simple. They post a word, and give you 60 seconds to write about it. Give it a try. Go to:

http://oneword.com/index.html

I am an "X-Men" convert! When I first heard about "X-men," I dismissed it as a kid's cartoon movie. Then, I discovered that Hugh Jackman plays "Wolverine" in the movies. I first saw Jackman in "Kate and Leopold," and then happened to see him in the role of Curly in an all English cast of "Oklahoma."

I was working on quilts, and had the DVD player running. My son, on his way out to a convention, dropped off his copies of the two "X-Men" movies, and I watched the first on Saturday morning. I was astounded at what I had missed! They are GREAT movies, and I didn't need the protective coloration of an eight-year-old to go to the theater to see them. If a third one comes out, I'll take the kids if they need a ride, but I'll be happy to go without them.

I replayed the first movie for DH on Saturday night. (It was a cheap date, what can I say??) Sunday morning I watched the second film. I can see we'll have to have another hot date, so that DH can see the sequel.

Patrick Stewart (Picard in "Star Trek: Next Generation") is one of the good guys, and Ian McKellan (Gandolph, in "The Lord of the Rings") is Magneto, one of the bad guys. Halle Berry is "Storm," one of the good guys. Jackman is superb as Wolverine, and Anna Paquin, who won an Oscar for her performance in "The Piano" as a child, is wonderful as "Rogue."

The storyline is plausible, and absorbing. Enough is held back in the first movie that you are eager to see the second, to learn more. I hope there will be at least one more movie to come.

I'm sure I told you all about the chocolates I was given for Christmas. I'm still working my way through them, but I have another sourcce of great chocolate to share with you.

We were shopping at Trader Joe's at the end of the year and were lined up to check out. My husband knows that I am addicted to all things raspberry. (Raspberry chocolates, raspberry filled cookies, raspberry sauce for cheesecake, raspberry jam, raspberry body paint....) Anyway, he saw a box of dark chocolate and raspberry. He asked if I wanted them, and I shrugged my agreement, thinking of the box of chocolates waiting for me at home.

Well...these are winners, and I don't mind sharing these. They are "Les Sarments" dark chocolate with raspberry flavour. They are made by Revillon Chocolatiers in France. They are twig shaped.. I don't drink coffee, but they would be excellent with a cup of coffee after dinner.

Those French sure know their chocolates!

Okay, I suppose that it's not quite as exciting for you as it is for us, but DH's daughter is going to have a girl! I get to make a pink quilt with "Winnie the Pooh" characters.

Only Daughter will be having her baby in late May. She had the last ultrasound recently and they determined the baby is a girl. We got to see the video of the ultrasound! Isn't it amazing what technology brings us now? We saw the baby's fist, and feet. We saw her "yawn." So kewl!

Hi, All!

I know...I've been away for a while. I've been busy with office work and family needs. I know you all have too, so I won't go through the entire song and dance again. I'm happy to say that some of you have kept in touch by e-mail, and I thank you for that.

Billy found a new blog for me to read, bless his heart, and I'd like to pass it on to those of you who have not yet visited. Go visit Legomen Is. He's an English guy with an interesting view on life and a great sense of humor. I became addicted when I was introduced to his cat....Ruprecht the Unstrokeable.

And I have a newcomer I hope you will encourage. You'll find that he accuses me of browbeating him (when he was down with a cold, no less) into taking on a blog. As if you can browbeat a Scot to do anything he doesn't want to do. Go visit Tongue Oil, and meet my friend, Midnight. Right now he's doing what we have all been told to do, writing about what we know. He knows woodworking, so that's what he's been writing about. But I want you to know, he has a LOT more in him to write about....and you'd be wise to add him to your blog roll. PLEASE encourage him to keep posting.

I get to go to dinner tonight! YEA!!!!!!!!!!!! I'll tell you just how wonderful it was sometime later this weekend. Stay warm and safe!

I was visiting at Parkway Rest Stop's new home on MT. (I hope I got the link right, Jim.) While I was away he finally got fed up with Blogspot, and a friend settled him onto Moveable Type. This is one of the sites he's posted:

create your own visited states map
or write about it on the open travel guide

I know, I know.....it's already Groundhog Day and I haven't posted in February yet. All the hoo-haw over the Super Bowl bummed me out. First, I really don't care for football. Second, I don't like the entire idea of the Super Bowl being the highlight of winter. I was ticked that Beyonce was invited to do the National Anthem, but she was delightful compared to the goings on at the Halftime.

When did we get so far away from simple, wholesome entertainment? I've probably missed the past ten Super Bowls because the commercials received more attention than the competition. Unfortunately, the Super Bowl was on, here, at least for the first half. I noticed that the game was interrupted about every ten minutes for more commercials. I bet the football players just love that their momentum is interrupted every ten minutes. Wait.....what am I saying?? I bet they get a cut of the cost to air those commercials, so who gives a rip about the game?

DH left the room to get some work done, and I was washing dishes. I went to turn the TV off and saw that Janet Jackson was performing at the halftime. Had I stayed just a moment longer, I would have been treated to the sight of her breast. I guess I was lucky. I shut the TV off and went on with my dishwashing, blissfully unaware of the furor.

Personally, I think the entire halftime performance was inappropriate, not just Janet's baring. The style of dance, the style of clothing, the words to the songs.....it's all simply inappropriate. Apologies from CBS are a waste. As the network responsible for the show, they should have known what was planned. I can't believe they thought that MTV would produce a show appropriate for prime time TV on a Sunday night. And furthermore....most of the commercials were just as inappropriate.

Looking over my entry, I suppose this should have been categorized as "On the Soapbox." It's one thing to push the envelope. It's another to totally disregard guidelines that have been put in place for good reasons. Who knows? Perhaps Janet felt she needed to draw some attention away from her brother. Or, maybe she felt her career needed a boost. Maybe she is feeling the competition from the kiddies moving up the ladder behind her, or maybe she's learned from Madonna how to keep a sagging career going.

I don't know the whys and wherefores behind the decision to flash what should have been kept covered, but I'm really glad my TV was turned off at the right time last night.

Grow up, Janet. And while you are at it, find some good taste and talent.

This evening DH decided to call it quits early. Tomorrow he will have to take the trash down the drive, so it means that he will need to be up earlier than his usual 4:30 a.m. He organized some of the recyclables and walked the dog. On his way in, he commented that they had startled deer in the back yard.

Once you've startled the deer, there's no point in looking for them. They sprint and bound and take off hither and yon. They are a joy to see, when you can catch a glimpse of them.

So, I walked down the hallway to the bedroom, intending to turn back the covers, and the door to the guest room was open. It looks out over the south lawn, and there was one of the deer, standing as still as a statue. I moved so the light from the kitchen was not behind me. I stood and watched that deer for some time, and it never moved. I slipped out of the guestroom and into my bedroom, finished turning back the covers, and looked once more. The deer was still there, checking to make sure that it was safe for the herd to follow.

I think that music is the determining factor in whether I like a movie or not. In fact, my favorite movies are those with great music.

I have a DVD/VHS player at the table where I piece my quilts. I realized the other day that I choose the same movies over and over as I piece. I thought at first that it was because I was listening to them, and could follow without having to watch the screen. But it occured to me, as I walked through the house singing phrases from the movies, that it's the music that draws me in.

No, this is not a cooking entry. Unfortunately, the city in which I live has announced that we are to boil our water for drinking, brushing teeth, cooking, making ice and any other use where we are likely to imbibe the water.

Friday night, in the middle of quilting bee, all the phones in the house rang. DH answered one of the lines, and it was a recorded message telling us to boil the water for the next two days. Since then, the boil order has been extened to "sometime" this week.

Do you know how something like that can disrupt the running of a household? You have to bring the water to a boil and continue to boil it for five minutes for it to be safe to drink. Then, the water has to cool before you can transfer it to plastic jugs. I purchased six gallons of drinking water on Saturday morning, and we've used part of that water, and keep refiling the empty jugs.

I had to call to see whether the dishwasher was an acceptable way to wash our dishes. I couldn't figure out how to rinse the dishes in boiling water with out hurting my hands. They said the dishwasher was safe, but that I should let my water run first to raise the temp of the water going into the dishwasher. Actually....that sounded rather stupid to me, but I was desperate.

Every home owner learns that there are a plethora of repairs that have to be done if you wish to own a home. Things wear out and things break. If you are not an innate do-it-yourselfer, then you are wise to begin collecting the phone numbers of those repairmen you can trust to do a businesslike job, and not scalp you in the process.

This is another of those entries that are hard to categorize. It could be "Off the Bookshelves," but it's not just a book review, so I've tossed it into Def-y's.

I just finished J.D. Robb's "Divided in Death." Robb is a nome de plume for Nora Roberts, who is very probably the premier romance writer of the past two decades. In addition to the scads of romance books she has written, she has also penned a series of 18 hard-edged, gory mystery/detective books, with one more book due in August, 2004. The main character is Eve Dallas, a police lieutenant in New York City, in 2059. Her husband, Roarke, is an Irishman of uncommon beauty, who has made his wealth and position through a number of shady deals in the past. Roarke has gone (almost) straight for her, and uses advanced technology created by his companies to help her crack her cases.

All of the books are good. The gore is there, and it is not a wise choice for the impressionable reader. With each passing story, we learn more about their relationship, and of those who people their world. I highly recommend this series to all of you, not just to fans of Roberts or the romance genre. Guys will enjoy her plotting to overcome the bad guys, as much as her vision of the future.

It's glorious out this morning. We started the day with the lightest of snow flurries, and they have passed through leaving us with mostly clear sky and almost blinding light. It's quite a change from the gray we've had.

There are icicles hanging from the gutter outside the window of my office, and they are dripping at a fast pace. The sun on the dark shingles must be melting the snow cover on the roof.

This morning I was getting ready to feed the birds, and looked out the window. What birds? Just a few moments earlier the feeders had been busy, and now there wasn't a bird in sight. Of course, that means there's a hawk nearby. The hawks are having the same problem finding food that plagues the little birds. The chipmunks and voles and mice must all be hibernating.

The hawk had landed in a tree about thirty feet from the feeder. He was absolutely still, and if you looked from the wrong angle, he really blended into his surroundings. But, the smaller birds weren't conned. They all left for safer places. As I walked out the door to fill the feeders, the hawk took off, flying south through the grove. He's a beauty, but I'm glad he didn't get any of our little friends.

We have blue jays, cardinals, mourning doves, Eastern starlings, juncos, nuthatches, chicadees, finches, sparrows, downy, hairy and red-breasted woodpeckers, fox and gray squirrels, rabbits, a possum and deer, that we know of, and probably more who come to our feeders this time of the year. I hope Mr. Hawk continues to find his dinners elsewhere.

I'm delighted to say that we no longer have to boil our water. TEN days after the boil order was put into effect, we have finally been told that our water is safe again. The city tests in thirty-three places and until seven days ago, two of those tests each day would come in positive for coliform bacteria. Friday and Saturday all the readings were clear, but they held off until Sunday afternoon to announce the relaxation of the restrictions.

Thursday and Friday we ate out. I was so sure that the boil order would be lifted that I delayed doing dishes Saturday. Finally, on Sunday morning, I couldn't stand it any more. I emptied the dish washer and soaked the dishes in bleach water for 60 seconds and set them out to air dry. I bleached the counters and loaded up the dishwasher again. I did about six loads of laundry, fixed lunch, and repeated the entire process with the dishwasher again. Then I started working on dinner. Just about that time they phoned to say it was all clear.

So, after we finished cleaning up from dinner and bleaching the counters one more time, I cleaned and bleached all the screens in the faucets. I ran the ice cube maker to purge the system, and we ran hot water through the kitchen to clean out the lines. Oddly, the instructions in the newspaper were much less detailed than the original information on what to do following a boil order. I wonder if the situation was less serious than they originally expected.

At any rate, I'm damned happy we're done with that!

The front of our house has two half-round windows. Each of them sit above three vertical windows, and they bump out of the roofline in two barrel shapes. Both of those windows are in the rooms assigned to my mother, her sitting room and bedroom.

I wouldn't presume to tell my mother how to decorate her rooms. Besides, she has better taste in decorating than I have. However, it was important to me that the two windows present the same appearance outside. Mother first chose verticle blinds to cover the bottom windows and then she selected honeycomb Duette fans to fill in the half rounds. Those fans are a pale raspberry color. The final touch was a layer of lace curtains with a swag in the center, over the verticle blinds.

I would NEVER have though of combining those three styles, but she made it work. Her decor is very Victorian, and though she's used modern textures, she's created a very feminine room that's faithful to Victorian style.

God and I have very informal talks. There are times when I have the opportunity to hear a new pastor speak and I am overwhelmed by the quality of his prayers. I think...."I WISH I could put my thoughts into phrases that have such a lovely sound."

Usually my prayers are apologies for my shortcomings, and pleas for help to be a stronger, better person. Sometimes they are a litany of the woes in my life. Occasionally they ask for help for friends and family, and some times they are the simple formulas we learned as children....."Now I lay me down to sleep...."

I trust that God will forgive me for my shortcomings in the quality prayer department, because I'm sure that he knows they are heartfelt and sincere. I hope God has a sense of humor, because the prayer that frequently flits through my brain is "Dear God, please give me patience, NOW!"

I've missed my on-line family! It seems that it's my style to go for a few days between posting, so I really appreciate those of you who take the time to visit, to see if I've been around. Some days I get to browse through blogs, and other days I choose to write instead. I envy those of you who get to do both.

Yeah......I'm having a sick day.

It doesn't happen very often. I've had my flu shot, but it seems I'm going through a mild case of it any way. Thank God for flu shots! I got to spend the day bundled up in an extra sweater and a quilt, and the cat held me down. Thank God for cats!

Do you have an alternate existance in your mind? A place where you can see yourself living your life, other than your current reality?

I suppose we all do. Zephraim Cochrane, in Star Trek "First Contact" saw himself on a beach in Polynesia surrounded by naked women. Dear Husband dreams of boats and sailing around the world.

I'm in a damned rut! My sense of humor has gone missing. Mother has always said I didn't have a sense of humor, and now I can't find it to prove to her that I have one.

I didn't notice it was missing until I started reading some really funny blogs, and all my responses sound like someone's ready-to-retire HomeEc teacher.

Is a sense of humor related to hormones? I'm willing to consider HRT if it will give me back my sense of humor.

Angie, my never-ending source of on-line fun, sent me this address: http://www.frontiernet.net/~cdm/age1.html and you should go visit.

Type in your date of birth and see where you fit in the scheme of things.

Things that need to be turned upside down now and then:

1. The compost pile

2. A shampoo bottle

3. Toasters

4. A mattress

5. An hour glass

6. Keyboards

7. Relationships

In her mind......

She rose and walked slowly to the hall. He'd been watching her all evening as she worked. Every now and then she'd look up and catch his eyes on her. She'd found it difficult to focus on her work, thinking instead what they could be doing just down the hall....on the couch....on the floor....

She unbuttoned her sweater, slipped it from her shoulders, and caught it with the tips of her fingers. She looked over her shoulder, inviting him to follow, and then leisurely sauntered down the hallway.

At least, that's what I WANT to be saying.

I know that Mother Nature has just given us a teaser. I have no doubt that we will return to the deep freeze for a while yet. Last year, March was a miserable month. Yet, it's supposed to be in the fifties for the next few days, and we are all ready to celebrate the warm weather.

I had some interesting mail as a result of the "Two points of view" post yesterday. I should hasten to add that it was just my quirky sense of humor raising it's head. While I occasionally need to secure my buttons more tightly (Thank goodness I didn't write about marbles), I have NEVER spent the evening with a smear of ketchup on my chin! *G*

In 1913, Eleanor H. Porter wrote the novel "Pollyanna." The main character's name evokes the image of a person who is cheery and positive, who looks for the best in people or her surroundings. Walt Disney brought the story to the movie screen in 1960, with Haley Mills as Pollyanna.

In my lifetime, the term "pollyanna" has come to imply someone who is naive and unrealistic, or someone who is a "goody two-shoes." But, I think that we have lost touch with that simple and gentle part of our lives. Perhaps we need to take a step back and find the good that runs throughout each day.

Would you say that you have street smarts??

I think I have more now than I did when I was 20, and yet probably not enough. I've read the articles that have been published for women about things they should consider when they are walking or traveling alone, and try to take them to heart. I suspect that we naturally become more wary as we grow older. I think younger women have simply not lived long enough to sense that they are mortal.

My cat snores.

My dog SNORES.

My stepson snores.

MY mother snore.

My husband SNORES!!!!!

What are the chances I snore, too??

Go read the entry for March 3, 2004, titled "Of Mice and Muppets" at Tongue Oil. Be sure to get to the part that's collapsed.

Mike had a risky Sunday, not the worst of which was running around in his mini-briefs. Let him tell you all about it!

I can NOT believe that the last time I posted was March 2! In my mind, just a day or two has gone by since the last time I blogged.

This week a medicine that I'm on was changed, and I spent a good part of the week sleeping. I had some trouble focusing my eyes to read, and kept wanting to take naps at 11:30 in the morning. Finally, Thursday night I decided that I'd had enough of THAT! I need to have a little talk with the doc about returning to the original medication.

Sometimes you just have to take life into your own hands!

I hope you are all doing well. March has been the traditional "lion" this week. We've had blustery days with up to 60 mph wind gusts, and occasional rain. I'm ready for the "lamb" part of the month. *G*

Dear Husband and I are contemplating the purchase of a new personal computer. We have unlimited access to the computer we use for business, but I'd like to be able to blog at night while I sit in the living room with DH.

We've been lost in a maze of choices that have to be made: how fast a processor, how much RAM and what kind, what kind of screen, speakers, sound card, operating system, memory, software, ethernet, and on and on and on....

It seems to me that we purchase a computer for the office about every three years, and in that period, they manage to change the entire world of how to order. I can remember the first time they started talking about megahertz. What the heck is that??? Now we toss it off with aplomb!

Gigahertz. Good God, what is a GIGA?? (I know. That was rhetorical. I counted on my fingers and toes to figure it out!) How could things have changed so fast?? Dear Husband wants to buy the most adaptable computer he can, thinking that it's going to have to last us a while. The next younger generation look at him and shake their heads knowingly. It will be outdated before we open the cartons and get it set up.

I can't believe that we are now debating a DVD player and burner! Who the heck has time to watch movies on their computers? And I have to make a point of ordering a floppy disk player now.

I have to make a call to our cable company to confirm that we are eligible for a cable hook up. We hope to be joining the world of faster communication. We live in an area that has such old infrastructure that gerbils run up and down the lines carrying messages. And with that change, we'll be leaving AOL as our service provider. (Listening to RedEagle shouting YEA!!!! in the background.)

So, if you have any advice on what is a necessity on a computer these days, leave me a note, won't you?

I'm amazed at what I hear on the radio. I was fixing dinner and listening to my favorite personality at WGN in Chicago this evening. He was talking about a phenomenon that is developing thanks to DVD players in cars.

Well....actually "threesome" is more correct here. I was listening to WGN yesterday. They have two women, Kathy and Judy, who do a morning show, and you NEVER know what you're likely to hear there.

I've been trying my darnedest to visit my blogging friends, but the oddest thing is happening. I can't get into any of the TypePad blogs. I've tried two different computers, but both run AOL, so I can't tell whether it's AOL or TypePad that's squirrely.

If something's going on with TypePad, let me know, won't you? I miss Bogie and billy and P.J. and all the others over there!

Do you make your bed every day?

My mother taught me to make my bed each day. I learned how to make "hospital corners" so that the upper sheet was tight and flat. While I can't drop a quarter and have it bounce, as my sister the Navy Officer was taught to do, I do make a reasonably good looking bed.

The problem is, the very first thing Dear Husband does when he greets this newly made bed is to rip the top sheet out from the mattress.

That's right. We're doing a do-it-yourself baby shower. My daughter and one of my nieces will both have babies in May, and I wanted to do showers for them. Unfortunately, trying to get my extended family together is one of the more impossible tasks of all times. Getting them together twice in March was a total impossibility.

I talked with the girls and they were willing to share a shower. My oldest sister and I have planned the simplest of evenings: a potluck supper and shower! We'll decorate the tables and set up a table for the gifts. We'll put together one complete meal and let everyone else bring what they'd like. One of the girls is eagerly planning appetizers, one is bringing a decorated cake and another dessert.

The men of the family have been invited to this party. We'll gather about 6:30 on Saturday night for our dinner. We plan to serve buffet style, but there will be a seat for everyone at a decorated table. I have to rent about ten chairs, but I have all the china and silverware and glassware I need. I think we'll need to seat about 28 people. (I'm probably lucky that at least 16 members of my family live too far away to attend!)

We've already been shopping, so I have gifts to wrap, and little last minute things to do. I'll shop for the meal on Thursday, and finish the cleaning on Friday. Saturday we'll set up tables and cook.

Sooooo...if I'm conspicuously absent for a few days, it might not be AOL's fault this time. I'll let you know if it was a success.

I have a mircowave with a carousel. I put my mug of tea in the microwave and it circles round and round as it heats.

Recently it occured to me that when I open the door to retrieve the cup it is ALWAYS as far away from me as it can get. Of course, that means the handle is facing away from me, too. I swear there are gremlins at work.

I'm planning to buy a new computer. I thought I had all my "I wants" in order until today. I was going to size a picture to embed in my blog, and was reminded that the imaging program I have takes a genius to run. My stepson is busy working on the project for me now, on one of his imaging programs.

If you have an imaging program that it really user friendly, would you let me know about it?

Tonight on the news there was a story of a 14 year old boy who took a gun to school with him. In the past three weeks three children have been hit, and died, while walking on train tracks. Each of these children were old enough to know that what they were doing was both dangerous and a bad choice. Where did we stop insisting that our children make good choices?

At the end of the 1800s our goal was to educate our children though the eighth grade. Gradually over the following century that goal moved to a high school education for all. Then, those who could sought two years of college. By the 1960s it was common for students to assume a bachelor's degree was a necessity. In the 70s, colleges stretched a B.A. from four to five years of study, and then a Master's Degree became essential.

With each of these changes, young people were delayed from entering the workforce. A century ago, teenaged children in the working class, worked. Now we do our best to keep young people out of the economy by sending them through school.

I'm pleased to announce the shower went well. Yes, Legomen, the shower shared by two girls was a hit! *G*

My oldest sis came over about 1:30 on Saturday and set up tables while I worked on some of the food. Between us we offered a balanced meal, and told everyone who came that it would be "Pot Luck." It seems that my family would be entirely happy to have appetizers and dessert!

The invitaions were for 6:30 and most of the family had arrived by 7:00 when we sat down to eat. Needless to say there was too much food. Isn't that always the way it is at this type of gathering? We offered sausage and green peppers, ham, funeral potatoes, green beans, carrots, bread, all sorts of pickles and olives, a tostada casserole, and Caesar salad. One of my nieces manages a bake shop for a major grocery store chain, and she made a cake and a fruit tart for dessert, and there was a fruit tray.

And there were several layered taco dips, a shrimp and salad dip, and spinach dip....all with assorted crackers and scoopers.

It was wonderful to have the chance to chat with everyone. I made a point of collecting hugs on the way in and again on the way out. The children were few in number, but we had a five month old, a three year old, a four year old, and an eight year old with us....and they kept us entertained.

The girls were both registered at Target, and there were gifts galore! We bought the bedroom furniture for our new granddaughter, and I shopped for cute clothes for both of the new babies. My niece asked for an instant read thermometer that sounded like a great idea. This is her second baby, so she had clear ideas on what she would need this time. I encouraged my step-daughter to read my niece's wish list so that she could see what a recent mother thought was important.

My sis organized the clean up. I had them leave the dishes for us to do, but they cleared tables and helped put away food. I sent ham home with anyone who would take it, and loaded the dishwasher for a late night run.

This morning, Dear Husband emptied and refilled the dishwasher, and then we worked together to wash china and put things away. It was fairly painless.

It was cold out today....will be very cold tonight, but it was a pleasure to bask in the sun this afternoon, and just be a couch potato. If my family is reading this, thank you, one and all, who participated! You helped make the evening very special, and I'm delighted we had the chance to celebrate together.

I know....it's supposed to be the FRIDAY FIVE....but I couldn't get to it then....

If you...

1. ...owned a restaurant, what kind of food would you serve? Cajun food

2. ...owned a small store, what kind of merchandise would you sell? Quilt fabric and accessories (Actually....I've done this.)

3. ...wrote a book, what genre would it be? What is euphamistically called "Sensual Romance" (Actually, I've tried this too....but it would have been called "Porn" so nothing has come of it.)

4. ...ran a school, what would you teach? Instrumental music, preferably wind instruments. (yeah....I didn't run the school...but I did teach.)

5. ...recorded an album, what kind of music would be on it? Jazz and blues. No....I haven't done this....but I'd still like to give it a try! I'd like to sing like Diana Krall when I grow up.

I have three sisters. The second oldest one is the Director of Christian Education for a large church in the Chicago suburbs. This afternoon she took the Youth Group skating.

Around five o'clock I got a call......

ML has the WORST LUCK!

What's happened now?

Well...she went skating with the Youth Group and fell.

NO! Is she okay???

Well...they took her to the hospital. She has a broken nose, a lump on her forehead, a concussion, and a shattered right elbow.

OUCH!!!

The upshot of all this is that my sis will be having surgery tomorrow to repair her elbow. It will have to be pinned.

My oldest sis is a nurse, and I asked if ML would be able to take care of herself. It's a moot point for the next few days.

If you lost the use of your favored arm for some time, think of all the things you would have trouble doing. Showering (no getting a cast wet), dressing, hooking a bra, writing, tying your shoe laces, or putting your shoes and socks on for that matter. Even eating will be a struggle. All the things you take for granted are going to become extremely difficult.

ML....I hope your recovery is swift!

I was invited to join a daily inspiration Yahoo Group for herb gardeners. Each day I get a brief quote in my mail, and I want to share Monday's with you.

The foolish man seeks happiness in the distance,
the wise grows it under his feet.
- James Oppenheim

So true....in so many ways. Many of us feel that happiness is just around the bend. Some feel that if they just do one more thing, and one more thing and one more thing, happiness will be their prize.

We need to live in the moment, not in the future. We need to find pleasure in the every day things we do. I have several very old-fashioned hobbies that bring me great joy. The herbs I grow reflect our life cycle, as do the seasons. Some of my herbs are annuals, and remind me that I need to live my life today, and not put things off until tomorrow. Others are perennial, and they show me how to take the best in my life and carry it from season to season.

I also quilt, and my hand quilted quilts give me the chance to create a useful item, and hopefully a beautiful item, which will be here long after I've gone. So, each stitch I make today, may serve to warm someone in the future, or delight their eyes. These stitches are my gift to myself. I have the pleasure of the moment, and the pleasure of knowing that I can pass my joy on.

With my herbs and quilts, I have the best of both worlds. I believe that the things you do now, may create the basis for your happiness in the future. For each of us, the accomplishment is different. For some, it's raising exceptional children, for others it's leadership, of a business, of a platoon, of a country. Whether your focus is narrow or wide, you are still responsible for your own happiness. Each day, I try to do my best. There are days when I fail, but I brush myself off and try again.

If you find happiness elusive.....look closer to home.

There's a new girl on the block at RedEagleSpirit. I encourage you to go visit The Daily Planet. Lois Lane is a friend from my chatting days, and Red Eagle is decorating her blog as you read.

Go see her first entry. She has a novel idea for stress relief!

Welcome to the group, Lois. It's nice to have you here!

Finally! It's Friday, and I remembered to visit Friday Five, only to find that there is NO Friday Five today. I'm crushed!

Okay....I want each of you to contribute questions for an ARRRGH!!! Indefinite!

You may contribute anywhere from one to five questions. You're welcome to borrow the list of questions and answer them on your own blog, or you can post your answer them here. I just think we need to keep the tradition going, now that I've finally come around.

This morning, LONG before the sun came up, a visitor bird was CHIRPING, non-stop! I can't tell you what kind of bird it was; his call is one that I'm not used to hearing. It's probably a bird that stopped in our grove for some rest on his flight North.

I was aware of his call around 4:30 this morning. (Remember....I went to bed about three hours earlier.) The bird had to be making quite a racket because our windows were closed. I tried my best to ignore him and go back to sleep like a good girl, but he chirped and CHIRPED and CHIRPED!

I finally pulled a pillow over my head to block the sound. At that point, I didn't care if I overslept.

I love the birds. We spend a lot of time watching them. We put out feed year round to encourage them to visit. But, I think I need to hand out a manual for acceptable birdy behavior. No noise before 6:30. 7:00 would be even better. Just twitter quietly among yourselves until I'm ready to face the day, otherwise, GO VISIT THE NEIGHBORS!

"Botanists say that trees need the powerful March winds to flex
their trunks and main branches, so the sap is drawn up to
nourish the budding leaves. Perhaps we need the gales of life
in the same way, though we dislike enduring them."
- Jane Truax

I really need to add a category called "Things I Heard on the Radio."

About 10 days ago I was listening to WGN, and heard Spike O'Dell announce that Chicago has 16,000 hookers.

First....I was astounded that he was talking about hookers early in the morning. WGN used to be the squeekiest clean station in the nation.

Second....I wondered how they came up with that number. What was he reading, and who made the estimate that he announced? You know they didn't go out and count these ladies one by one. Can't you see the uproar if one of them didn't get counted?? She'd sue for her rights!

Third, they got into a discussion of terms for hookers. They figured that street walkers were the lowest on the list, and call girls were the highest priced. I suppose everything else falls in place between the two.

THEN...he blythly announced that the ads in a certain local paper for "escorts" weren't all that they seemed at face value. Since he gave the name of the paper, I wonder if there has been a rush of calls...to the places, to Spike about the places, to Spike from the paper, from the places thanking or threatening Spike with law suits, etc.

It's astounding what we learn......16,000.....

We were listening to the news on T.V. this evening. At the close of the national news on ABC the announcer said something cryptic about the Seattle Men's Chorus succumbing to AIDS. I thought I had missunderstood what he'd said, and asked DH to repeat it for me. It didn't make any more sense the second time around, so I went on-line to surf for information about the Seattle Men's Chorus.

Each year, I promise myself that I will gather the information for my taxes by February. Our CPA does the taxes. All I have to do is gather the information and get it to her. One day I hope to startle her by dropping the packet off on March 1st!

Unfortunately, it wasn't this year. I had everything gathered together, and finally sat down March 31st to read the instructions. The first line that caught my eye was "In order to be able to prepare your taxes in time, we need your tax planner by April 1st." Luckily, I had the information on Quick Books, and all the 1099s and W2s were in the folder. I spent an evening checking off boxes and filling in the blanks, and dropped the planner off the next morning. I wonder how many others wait til the last day? I'll have to ask her sometime.

My taxes are relatively simple. They aren't simple enough to use the EZ form, but they are not so complex that it takes weeks to do them. Still, I was astounded when the CPA called the next day with the preliminary taxes complete! She had one question, and the taxes could be sent electronically.

YAAAAHOOOOOOOO!!!! My taxes are done!

Next year, I'll have to be ready early, just to say "Thank you!" for such phenominal service!

Most families are visited by the Easter Bunny. My sister's family not only has the Easter Bunny, they are also visited by the Easter Gorilla.

....and gone back into hiding!

It was wonderful here on Saturday as we worked on the yard. The wind began to pick up in the afternoon, and it felt a bit colder, but I thought that was due to wind chill.

Sunday, I tossed the rose cones down to DH, who was standing in the doorway to the basement, thinking we didn't need them any more. Sunday, the temperature dropped to 26 overnight. I think the roses weathered the cold, but I may have been a little hasty in putting away the temporary covers.

Still, Spring must be here. I saw a gold finch at the feeder.

I thought I was reasonably well informed about the US Navy, but several things have come to my attention that have given me the chills. One of my sisters was an officer in the Navy, and my brother enlisted in the Navy. I dread to think the risk the two of them took.

This is one of those subjects that interest you once you pass the age of 45 and are no longer thinking you are immortal.

Strokes are extremely common, and if you identify what's taking place, you could save the life of the person having the stroke, or you could vastly improve the quality of their life post-stroke.

All it takes is remembering three simple questions. Here's an e-mail I received explaining what to look for:

Is It a Stroke?

Sometimes symptoms of a stroke are difficult to identify. Unfortunately, the lack of awareness spells disaster The stroke victim may suffer brain damage when people nearby fail to recognize the symptoms of a stroke. Now doctors say any bystander can recognize a stroke by asking three simple questions:

* Ask the individual to smile.
* Ask him or her to raise both arms.
* Ask the person to speak a simple sentence.

If he or she has trouble with any of these tasks, call 9-1-1 immediately and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher. After discovering that a group of nonmedical volunteers could identify facial weakness, arm weakness and speech problems, researchers urged the general public to learn the three questions. They presented their conclusions at the American Stroke Association's annual meeting last February. Widespread use of this test could result in prompt diagnosis and treatment of the stroke and prevent brain damage.

PASS IT ON...............

I know, you're thinking that I'm thinking about April showers. Wrong.

I had my car washed today, and as I was waiting, I happened to pick up and leaf through a National Geographic for 2002. One of the articles was on endangered birds, and the area in focus was New Zealand.

There were absolutely gorgeous pictures of Fjordland National Park on the South Island, with incredibly tall waterfalls spearing down through tree covered rocks. The caption said the rocks rose 6500 feet above the Tasman Sea and bore the brunt of all the storms coming in from sea.

Now, I thought that it was incredible that Ketchikan, on the Inner Passage of Alaska's Pacific coast receives over THIRTEEN FEET of precipitation a year. But this area in New Zealand gets more than TWENTY ONE FEET of precipitation, making it one of the wettest areas on Earth.

You'd have to have gills to live there!

If you're a regular reader, you may remember me saying recently that in order to appreciate the ups of your life, you have to experience the downs, too. Well, it seems that the downs my be coming my way.

Over the past few years, I've been having difficulties with my feet. I developed a plantar fasciia problem in my left foot. I was referred to a podiatrist and that was resolved. Then, I began having difficulty walking after I had been sitting. Gradually that became worse, but other than telling my new doctor that my feet hurt, I didn't pursue it. Since the pain shifted around from place to place, I felt there was no point in discussing it further with the doctor.

I know that I dream, but I rarely remember dreaming. I used to sleep like the dead and took that quality of sleep for granted, but I've become a fitful sleeper in the last year or so. I'm too hot, I can't find a comfortable position, DH and the dog are snoring antiphonally, DH has stolen all the covers, or the raccoon babies are chittering to their mother over my head. Something delays sleep. So, when I finally drop off, I hope it's for the night, and that there aren't any little interruptions.

Actually, I had nightmares on Thursday night, too, but I think that was from having too much iced tea before bed. I was dreaming about being in this incredible mansion, an elegant, lovely place that didn't have any bathrooms! I was beginning to wonder if I was going to be awake at 3:00 in the morning on a regular basis.

Friday night we went to see Harvey Korman and Tim Conway on stage. Korman opened the show with a short monologue about the problems of growing older. Of course, one of those problems is needing, but not being able, to pee. In a way, I was able to empathize with him! *G*

Conway and Korman put on a good show. They work well off each other even after all these years. We were delighted to see that Conway could still crack Korman up, and we enjoyed their banter. As you would expect, their show was a little more adult oriented without the censors, but it was clean by the standards of most performers today. They closed with "The Dentist Chair" routine that some of you may remember.

I slept through the night last night. I wonder if I might make it a streak of two tonight!?

I was reading through the Sunday Chicago Tribune and came a cross an article on a website to help you determine your dog's age. For years we have been using the seven years to one human year as a rule of thumb, but this website feels there are a variety of things which need to be taken into account when trying to determine your dog's age.

Tuesday evening my niece and her boys joined us for dinner. We had tacos until we burst, and then played several hands of UNO, each of us hoping to have the chance to win.

The kids both had homework, so we cut the game short after I had lost about four hands. As they put on their shoes in the foyer, the storm sirens started up. I herded everyone into the bedroom hallway, and we closed all the doors leading into the hall. I can't remember the sirens ever going off before. We tried to ease the youngest one's fears while we waited. Dear Husband roamed about watching out the windows and trying to find a weather report to tell us what was going on.

Time Magazine was reporting on C-sections in the April 19, 2004 issue. They titled the article "Too Posh To Push" because it seems that wealthy women are choosing Caesarean sections over natural birth.

In Brazil, among the wealthy, the joke is that the only way you are likely to have a natural birth is if your doctor is stuck in traffic. A whopping 90% of the wealthy women in Brazil opt for a C-section!

The World Health Organization recommends that 15% of the births worldwide, and less than 9.5% of the births in the wealthy, Westernized nations should be Caesarean deliveries. In England, 22% of the babies are born by C-section, and in Italy the rate has jumped to 33%.

In the U.S. when they began keeping statistics in 1975, the rate of C-sections was 10.4%. Since then fully one quarter of the births are by C-section. Of the Caesareans performed last year, 22% were by patient choice.

Why? Convenience. Women can schedule when they deliver. Doctors don't have to miss their golf days. Some women choose them to avoid labor pain, but I suspect they are likely to have more pain recouperating from a C-section.

In Western medicine, C-sections have become a safe surgery, or malpractice would have kept this rate from rising, but there are still risks. Some doctors follow the "Do no Harm" rule and only perform a Caesarean when it's medically necessary, but you can bet that women like Kate Hudson and Elizabeth Hurley, and Madonna, and Kelly Ripa won't be going to them.

What absolutely astounds me is that these women have opted to wear a scar for life rather than be inconvenienced. Even more, I can't believe that they choose to risk their child's life with an unnecessary procedure.

Personally, I don't think that satisfying one's personal whim at the risk of your children's health is an acceptable choice.

If you have been a reader here for any length of time, you'll know that one of my links is to Bogie's blog. I'm not sure where I found her blog, perhaps at Da Goddess, but I became a faithful reader soon after I started blogging. I noticed that she had a lot of comments from a reader named "CopCar," and then it became obvious that CopCar was related to Bogie. Eventually, I twigged to the fact that she is Bogie's mother.

Thank you T! I didn't realize how much I would like blogging. I also didn't realize how addictive it would become, and how much work it can be!

A year ago today I became a blogger. As I started, I hoped that I would have something to say each day, but I rapidly discovered that my style is to store up ideas for a few days and then type like crazy!

There was a news story at the time that made me decide to blog. A young woman, Andrea Prosse, who was an Air Force cadet was sanctioned (unfairly, it seems) by her peers, eight days prior to graduation. She was ejected from the Academy with no degree to show for four years of work, all on the say-so of a fellow student who wanted to get even, when she rejected his advances. The Chicago Tribune carried the story, and I was incensed about the lack of ethics within our military academies. I still am. I believe that if you wish to be an officer, you need to be firmly grounded in ethical behavior, or you can't ask men to follow your lead.

I browsed today, to see what, if anything, might have been reported on this story, and I'm disappointed to tell you that the only site I found mentioning her by name was my own blog entry (Air Force Woes, May, 2004.) It seems the entire affair was swept under the rug. I suspect the men who were allowed to graduate after having run this female cadet off, are congratulating themselves on a job well done.

This was one of the more serious subjects I addressed this year. Generally, I'm likely to comment on my life, gardening, quilting, recipes, books or quirky things that catch my ear or eye. Moveable Type tells me that I have 466 pages of entries and 1844 comments. My thanks go out to the school kids who were sitting in the LRC rather than disecting worms, who visited the entry called Ewwwwwww....WORMS! for raising my comment stats. Site meter has been tracking my visitors since mid July, 2003, but since at least a quarter of those visits have to be mine, I won't share that number.

There's been an interesting benefit to blogging. It seems that it's infinitely cheaper than visiting a shrink! I can comment about my woes and rid myself of them in the writing, or I can read the blogs of others and see that I'm not so darned crazy after all!

The best thing about blogging, though, has been all the people I've met through the blogs, and the friends I've made. I'm delighted that I can read blogs from the entire English speaking world, and I frequently share them with my family. It's become an addiction; one that I hope lasts for years.

Thanks for sharing this year with me!

I'm blogging this morning, it the hope that I can get some entries made before I have to charge into my life. I'm enjoying a morning where I don't have any appointments, don't have to rush out to do errands, and don't have to take my mother somewhere. This is rare, so of course I'm spending the free time blogging! *G*

While I was in the shower, I was contemplating the fact that I want to assume a simpler life. It seems to me that I am failing, based on the list of THINGS that fill my life. For instance....the number of THINGS I come in contact with from the time I turn on the shower to the point where I am ready to get dressed. Have you ever though about how many products you use in that time span?

Here's my list of things I use on a morning when I am not expecting to have to see people other than my immediate family:

When you get a new appliance or piece of electronic equipment, do you sit down and read the owner's manual? Do you try out all the new features so that you are fully conversant with the equipment and ready for every eventuality?

I bet most of you are saying to yourselves "HELL, NO!"

I tend to do some reading when new equipment comes into the house, if only to solve some of the glitches that come my way. I am the first person who gets hit with problems because I am the one who is around the equipment all day long. Of course, I am also NOT the one who is mechanically minded. So a little preparation on my part is wise. At the very least, I have memorized the phone number where I can reach Dear Husband, and I have made note of all the serial numbers and support phone numbers for said equipment.

Yep, we went and did it. We made Dell happy! We bought a new personal computer. We mulled over it for weeks. The original plan was that we would get the computer as our gift to each other for Christmas. DH was pleased because he didn't have to worry about what to get me and he was FINALLY going to be able to compute when he pleased rather than the few piddly minutes I allow him. I was pleased because I would be getting a computer that could handle all my surfing, that was minus AOL and plus a cable modem.

Well, the computer came yesterday. YES!!!

Normally I like my weather a little on the cooler side. But this is ridiculous! It's an absolutely gorgeous Spring day. The sun is beautiful, and has been all day long. There's almost no breeze. Everything is lushly green after last week's rain.

The problem is, it's only 47 degrees outside!

My winter hardy perennials are all doing well. They don't seem to mind the cold. But it's clear we won't be rushing planting season with weather like this.

Tomorrow at this time it should be 75 degrees and windy. Jumps like that are hard on the plants, and hard on me. Whatever happened to those wonderful Springs I remember where the weather GRADUALLY warmed up?

Today I'm wearing a fairly heavy ribbed turtleneck top. Tomorrow I'll be looking for short sleeves, but most mornings it's a crap shoot as to what to wear and I end up changing clothes partway through the day. I'm ready for more even temps!

Okay, Billy has given me good advice. He says to install a firewall BEFORE we hook up to the Internet. So that brings me to several questions.

I'm using Norton Antivirus 2004. Can anyone suggest a firewall that is compatible with that?

If I download a firewall on my present computer, can I copy the software to a CD and then install it on the new computer before we hook up to the cable modem?

I'm going to look into Mozilla as a browser for the new computer. Does Mozilla come with a firewall? I know...I know....I can go look this one up. I was just hoping someone would save me the time. *G*

Is there any other advice I need from you more experienced computer people before we go LIVE!?

Billy.....I'm ADDICTED!

The new computer has a game called "Spider Solitare." You know, I just hate it when we get a new computer. Each time they send more games. Each time I spend an inordinate amount of time playing games on the new computer, until I manage to get it out of my system.

My niece was here last night, and she saw the new computer. I blushed and said I was playing games, and her eyes lit up. "Spider Solitare, right??" She already knew about it. She has a new computer, too. "Wait until you start playing with more than one suit." That sent a shudder through me.

This all reminds me of an episode of Star Trek: Next Generation. Do you remember the "Parisi Squares"? I figure the writers of that episode must have seen the office workers sitting around playing games, and saw how insidious it was.

If you don't see me for the next month or so, I'll just be over here playing Spider Solitare....

Requiem

UNDER the wide and starry sky,
Dig the grave and let me lie.
Glad did I live and gladly die,
And I laid me down with a will.

This be the verse you grave for me:
Here he lies where he longed to be;
Home is the sailor, home from sea,
And the hunter home from the hill.

Stevenson, Robert Louis (1850–1894). A Child’s Garden of Verses and Underwoods. 1913.

As I started to type those words in the title, I realized I didn't know the rest of the poem. I took a short detour to Google, to see what I could find. I didn't know that the verses are part of a Requiem by Robert Louis Stevenson.

It's wonderful to have a new computer with so much memory that I can surf! On the old computer, there isn't enough memory for AOL and large websites to co-exist. Had I looked for this reference on Gladys (the old computer), AOL would have booted me not only out of the search engine but off line entirely. As my English and Scottish friends would say, I'm CHUFFED about the new computer!

So, this past week has been spent getting to know the new computer, and the new fax/scanner/copier/printer. I can't say I know them terribly well, but I've learned things all through the day, every day for the last week. I expect those waffles to be waiting for me tomorrow morning!

Its nice to have found my way back. I have a lot of blogs to read, to catch up with my friends in the blogging world. I hope you've all had a good week.

Dear Husband and I have been watching a program called "Inside the Actor's Studio." It's shown on the Bravo cable channel, and we tend to catch it on Sunday evening. Last week the host, James Lipton, interviewed Russel Crowe. I was surprised to find that I liked him better than I would have guessed. At the end of the evening they announced that they would be interviewing Hugh Jackman tonight.

I'm pooped!

I moderate a YahooGroup for herb growers, and this week the editors at YahooGroups have featured us as one of their weekly picks. We've been inundated. Before the deluge, we had 498 members. I'm not sure of the count at the moment, but we've easily added another 200 members in two days.

Last year we were overrun with spammers and we've had to put restrictions in place to protect the membership. Every member now has to be approved, and they are on moderated posting for a period, so we have to approve each post. Let me tell you, this is a group that likes to SHARE!

So, I've been doing housekeeping duties at the Group rather than blogging. But, if I was blogging, I'd just be talking about my gardens, so you might not have missed anything.

I just wanted you to know that I miss visiting your blogs, and I'll be back soon.

I received a Mother's Day gift today. I was lured out to the kitchen by DH to see a beautiful basket, wrapped up with shiny paper and a big gold bow. He told me it was a Mother's Day gift from Ed and Defer.

Ed and Defer are the cat and dog.

Each year, I get sweet notes from them with paw prints and a bit of doggerel (what else??). Frequently I get flowers, but this year they filled a beautiful basket with things their mother would enjoy: unusual cheeses, flat breads from Trader Joe's, English Toffee, and WINE!!! They managed to find a full-sized bottle of Frog's Leap Vinyard Zinfandel! What sweethearts!

It isn't every Mom who's furry kids treat her so well. *S*

I hope all of you who are celebrating Mother's Day this weekend are as fortunate, and that you have a great day!

A number of years ago, as my siblings and I began to age, it became apparent that they had a problem. We now have four generations of family who range from new born (April 26) to 87. THere are mothers in three of those generations, and it won't be too many years before there is likely to be a mother in the fourth generation.

At some point my sisters announced that THEY were mothers, and they were planning on staying home and let their families celebrate their Motherness.

So, time passes and their daughters grow up and have families, and somewhere along the line THEY announce they are mothers, and THEY are going to stay home and let their families celebrate their Motherness. (Sound familiar??) Where we had one generation miffed because they were being ignored, now we have two.

I'd like to have a little sympathy, but it's hard to dredge up. I'm not sure where we got the idea that because one is a mother, one can ignore the fact they they HAVE a mother. Since I am the one who has never had children of my own, I'm the one who always celebrates Mother's Day with my mother. We have a standing date now to go to the brunch at Pappadeaux's for Cajun food. My step-children spend the day with their mother, and DH, my mother and I go out to brunch.

I have no idea how other families handle this little problem. It seems to me that they could all go out to dinner. Or....they could sleep in late, gather later in the day and let the men cook a casual meal. Or, they could spread the celebration out over a couple of weekends or days. There must be some rational way to celebrate the day without leaving anyone out. Right??

If you know how, share it with us!

Happy Mother's Day, all!

I've been focused on getting the herbies settled, and getting the gardens in shape this spring, and realized that I had forgotten to do the Spring organization INSIDE the house.

It used to be, in times before air conditioning, and when houses were huge and had staff to manage them, that curtains and rugs were changed for the hot months, and the furniture might be covered with lighter weight slip covers. They used lighter colors and lighter fabrics in an effort to cool the house down. I don't go that far, but we do change to a different set of table linens, and the curtains and throw rugs are washed.

I'd like to point out that I'm done with most of that, but what I haven't gotten to is the change of wardrobe. I store off season clothes in huge plastic bins in the basement. Last night, DH schlepped the bins upstairs for me, so one of my chores in the next couple of days is the changing of the guard.....er wardrobe.

I take my mother to an exercise class three mornings a week. I had on long jersey pants and a long sleeved T-shirt yesterday, and I thought I was going to melt! Of course, tomorrow, the high for the day is supposed to be 63, so I'll have to leave a few warm things in the closet.

And....I'm testing the air conditioning today! So, maybe I need to keep a sweater, too.

My doctor assures me that exercise is good for me. In fact, she was specific about kinds.....resistance, cardio, weight lifting. I was quick to assure her that I DO exercise. Three days a week I go to a morning class, and it's led by this wonderful, goofy, loveable incarnation of SATAN!

Lynda has spent her life in the pursuit of things physical. Specifically, she has learned almost every Asian exercise method, and what she doesn't know, her husband does.

We were skeptical at first when she came to lead our class. We didn't quite know what to expect. She kept a smile pasted on her face for the first year as we adjusted, and then we began to tease her, and she started teasing back.

She's slipped a lot of yoga into our cardio session, in the stretching and balance exercises. I've learned to pose like a tree, or something like that, and surprisingly, having to rise up to my toes is making my feet MUCH healthier!

We use lightweight poles for arm exercises, and 2 to 7 pound weights. We have two types of resistance bands: a small ring, and what looks like an elastic jump rope. We stretch almost every part of our bodies during warm up and cool down, and Lynda is likely to add two pound balls, basket balls, bean bags or anything else she can find into the mix to get us to use our muscles in a variety of ways.

She must feel that she's been successful in her efforts, because lately she's been slipping new moves into the routines. I've found a number of muscles I didn't know I had, and a few I wanted to forget about.

And through it all, she just smiles this inscrutable smile. I think that when she is wound up and can't sleep at night, she plans which muscle mass to attack the next day!

I SO wish I could make the world right.

We have a friend who is having so much trouble getting a job that he is close to being homeless.

The beheading of Nicholas Berg has shocked me to the core.

Our unstable economy refuses to settle and grow, and it's impact is horribly widespread.

A number of diseases, like tuberculosis, have returned with vigor, and are resisting our attempts to eradicate them.

And the list goes on and on.

What can I do as one person to make the world better? Keeping myself off the lists of the needy isn't enough. Beyond making contributions, and saying my prayers........what can I do?

You know how that saying goes......Everything I've learned, I learned from....

In this case, the sentence ends...."my sister."

We were gardening this weekend, and took a brief break. I have NO idea how we got on this subject, but she taught me that I need to be wary of "BUTT DROP."

My God, please don't tell me that one more thing is going to happen to my body, much less my butt! If my butt drops, I'm going to need a WAGON to carry it around.

As we age, why couldn't we have problems like having TOO MUCH hair on our heads.....and NO hair on our upper lips? Couldn't God have been kind and given us svelt bodies as a reward for making it to old age?

At least Sis gave me the low-down on which Land's End swimsuit to buy, and she warned me to order the long-torso version. It pains me to think what the experience of trying on the regular version might have been. (wincing)

I wonder what else I'm going to learn from my sisters?

Jamie, who got it from T, who stole this from Tara, or maybe it was Whtetigr. If you wish to play along, answer these questions in my comments section. You're welcome to swipe this from me. I'll just say you got it from one of the others. *G*

1. Who are you?
2. Are we friends? and if not: do you want to be friends?
3. When and how did we meet?
4. Have you ever seen me IRL and been too freaked out to talk to me? If you only know me online...Have you wanted to reply to write things to me and been too shy to?
5. Would you give me a positive friendster testimonial?
6. Give me a nickname and explain why you picked it.
7. Describe me in a word, phrase, film, or album?
8. What was your first impression?
9. Do you still think that way about me now?
10. What reminds you of me?
11. If you could give me anything what would it be?
12. How well do you know me?
13. When's the last time you saw me?
14. Ever wanted to tell me something but couldn't?
15. Are you going to put this on your LiveJournal / journal and see what I say about you?

This has been an incredible week! We've tried to pack more into it than would fit, but the high point of the week came on Thursday, about mid day.

We had a call Wednesday evening, and Dear Husband's only daughter and youngest child thought maybe she was in labor. About eleven at night, her husband called to tell us that she had been admitted to the hospital, and was being given an epidural.

We slept through the night, ready to leap out of bed when the phone rang, but no call came. (I was optimistic. After all, this IS her first baby.) By noon I was beginning to worry, when we received a call. They were going to do a C-section. More waiting.

Early in the afternoon we heard...Mother and baby are doing well....and so was the father! No name yet. The men of the family have been calling her "Baby IT," a play on one possible name. Luckily, her mother has the family sense of humor!

This is our second grandchild. Our grandson just turned 18, and will be graduating from high school this weekend. We're blessed with wonderful kids!

My mother and I go to a Park District exercise class together. It meets three days a week at 8:30, and runs for 45 minutes. I was excused from class on Friday because, for the third year in a row, we were hosting the class to a brunch.

Just last Friday we hosted a brunch for our exercise class. Luckily, it was a pot luck, so there wasn't an inordinate amount of preparation involved, but it took some time. I wanted everything to be perfect, and we fell far short. Mother Nature has given us so much rain, that the gardens are bursting, with flowers AND weeds. I tamed what I could, and resolved not to worry about the rest.

Today, we are in the midst of preparations for a tea for my mother's Empty Nesters group. I rose a little early to get a start on cleaning the kitchen. I fed the birds and watered the herbs that I still need to plant. I ironed the table cloth for the dining room and put it on the table and then we ran for exercise class.

After class, we grocery shopped, and once the groceries were put away, I ironed the white embroidered cloth that sits on point over the burgundy table cloth, and replaced the Waterford hurricanes and cut glass bowl. It's a relief to know that one room is ready to go.

I've had the same quilt on the wall in the great room for some time, and Friday I realized that I have another that might make a pleasant change. When DH is home this evening, I'll get his help making the swap. The new one is slightly darker, and the colors are more organized and less scrappy. It's a Friendship Star quilt, for those of you who recognize quilt patterns. The background lattice is shaded in light cream colored fabrics in one direction, and medium ecru fabrics on the other diagonal. I'll see if I can't get a picture of it, once it's up.

This afternoon, I have to use a hoe on the weeds in the herb garden, and pull up some volunteer oxeye daisies so that our guests can make it up the sidewalk. And, I need to bring in some peonies and lilacs for vases throughout the house.

Tonight, I hope to make cinnamon streusal muffins, and some cookies. And, if I'm lucky, I may get some strawberries dipped in chocolate. We'll offer several different varieties of hot tea, iced tea, coffee, and some soda pop.

It's supposed to rain tomorrow. I wonder if it will be cool enough for a small fire in the fireplace??

This is what my life is like for two days in May. Normally, I'm in the office, but we take advantage of the chance to entertain when the gardens are at their peak. I know this sounds like a bucolic version of Donna Reed's life as a '50s housewife, but believe me.....it's only for a few days! When the heat hits, I'll desert my gardens (though I'll snarl a lot about WEEDS!), and I'll return to my office life, so enjoy the gardens with me, for now.

I fell yesterday. I was at my nephew's home, for his daughter's fifth birthday. As I started to step out the back door, I turned to answer a question, and I think my dress shoes slid on the doorstep. I landed on my knees, and my horrified family all rushed to my assistance. I needed to calm them down so that I could get up....there were six or eight hands under various parts of my body! lol

I didn't hurt my knees, but every other muscle in my body is talking to me about it's part in trying to keep me from falling. I knew what I was going to feel like, so I was good, and went to exercise today! I'm sure Lynda is helping me go into old age with more grace.....er.....comfort.

Yesterday, I stopped at a McDonalds. I've found that I have favorite McDonalds, and also ones I won't ever patronize again. This was one of the latter. I don't understand how some of them can stay in business when it takes them longer to serve a cup of iced tea than it does a sit down dinner! I was really ticked. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to understand that you ask a client to pull forward until their order is ready, when you have others lined up behind them. AND, don't you think it would make sense to place an employee who is conversant with English at the drive up microphone?????

Last Sunday, I was working on the yard with my sis....remember...the gift of time? Well....in a very spastic move, I turned the wheelbarrow over on it's side, and it landed on my foot. I think I might be loosing my toe nail. Damn!

I'm going shopping for summer clothes on-line. Think there will be any left? It's not even June, and we're already starting to see end of season sales. I haven't bought a thing to wear for vacation, and they are already talking about FALL clothes. Jeeze....you have to order things a year ahead and PRAY that you don't change sizes!

Did you know that Texas is the only state to join the union by TREATY....and that they have the right to fly their state flag at the same height as the United States flag?

Gas yesterday....plain old regular gas, was TWO DOLLARS AND TEN CENTS! What the heck is going on?? Why do the refineries keep saying the cost is due to a delay in shifting over to summer blends? Do you suppose that they don't know summer comes every year at this time?? This sure feels like price gouging to me!

IN a month or so, remind me to talk to you about unions. I have a LOT to say!

What's this? See here for details.

When I was a child, there were billboards everywhere. You couldn't get into the car and make a short trip without seeing dozens of them. And, when the contract for the advertising was up, if the owner of the billboard didn't have a new client, the message would weather, and ultimately, begin to shred, and you'd see layers of previous advertisments begin to peek through.

In 1970, the Federal Goverment passed the Highway Beautification Act, in response to Ladybird Johnson's efforts to protect scenic highways. States were required to adopt stringent billboard laws on "federal aid" highways, or loose federal funding. Most states rushed to enact anti-billboard laws, but Illinois dragged its feet.

So, for the past thirty years the Illinois courts have been flooded with cases of contested signs. The district courts have disagreed, reversed themselves and been overridden by higher courts as case after case has been argued. Ultimately, with the help of federal appeals courts, it has been decided that home rule cities have the right to control billboards along federal highways.

The Illinois Highway Advertising Control Act of 1972 allows billboards along federal aid highways to 1,200 square feet in area, 30 feet in height and 60 feet in length. Signs may not be closer together than 100 feet in incorporated areas.

So now, rather than dozens of signs, cutting off our view past the roadway, we have huge towers, with signs the size of small apartments, standing sentinel along our federal highways

I don't understand just why Illinois was so unwilling to follow the lead of other states to clean up our roads. There must have been one heck of an advertising lobby, or a HUGE bribe somewhere, for them to have dragged their feet all these years. It's disgusting that the first thought in my mind is "bribe," but the actions of our officials leave little else to the imagination.

Of all the signs along the road, my favorite had to be the Burma-Shave signs. Signs in groups of six began appearing along the roadside in 1925. At their peak, there were 7,000 Burma-Shave signs marching across America. 1963 was the last year a new Burma-Shave sign went up. Here's an example of their homilies:

On the curves ahead
Remember sonny
That rabbit's foot
Didn't save
The bunny
Burma Shave

I wonder what the State of Illinois would have to say about the Burma-Shave signs?

This is part of a chain of posts linked together by word association. The previous link in the chain was here. If you want to write another link here's what to do: Find a word, phrase or theme from this post to inspire your own and go and write it. It's that simple. Try not to write something that's similar to this post. That way the subject of the posts along the chain will vary. E.g. if I write about going to the doctor's, then don't talk about the last time you were ill, instead describe how you used to play Doctors and Nurses with the girl next door. Get the idea? Your post can be in any style you want. Copy this paragraph and tack it onto the end of your post, updating the link to point here, then leave a comment here that points to your new post.

Our social obligations for the Spring have come to an end. At least....the more formal ones. Today we held a tea for the members of my mother's Empty Nesters group. Just seven people attended, but they were the most gregarious group I've ever seen! I visited with them as they came in, and answered some questions about the house and my quilts, and then begged off to go work in the office. I figured my Mother deserved to be the center of attention.

Mother had picked up some deli-made cookies at the grocery store, and I had intended to bake some muffins for her, but I ran out of time. Instead, I visited a more upscale bakery and brought home a dozen two-bite sized cup cakes, some raspberry ribbons, raspberry tarts, and strawberries. An hour before the tea, I learned how to dip strawberries in chocolate for the very first time.

The group obviously had a great time. I could hear their chatter from my office, all the way across the house. Mother offered tea, and iced tea. They declined coffee or soda pop, and when I returned to see them off, I couldn't resist a little teasing. There was not a strawberry to be seen, there was one cupcake left, and three raspberry ribbons. "What did you do? Lick the plate???"

It was a joy to be able to share our gardens with a knowledgeable group of gardeners, and the comfort of our house with good friends. In return, they gave us the gift of their time, and we are feeling very fortunate.

I was at the store today and struck up a conversation with the woman bagging my groceries. I told her that I envied the fact that she is bilingual.

DH and I both had a year of Spanish in high school in addition to two of Latin. I can remember the opening conversation in the SRA module for Spanish I, and I quoted it to my bagger, who looked confused. I explained that it was the first thing they had us memorize....a conversation between two friends. "Hola, Isobelle....."

She told me that her son, who is bilingual, had taken Spanish in school and was getting poor grades. It seems that his teacher had a Castillian accent, and her son was unwilling to adapt to it, from the dialect he had learned at home. When he finally wised up to the waste of time, it was too late, and he'd lost a year of study.

DH hopes to sail again in water deeper and bluer than that of Lake Michigan. He picked up a book that gives him phrases to use should he need help repairing a diesel engine in a port where only Spanish is spoken. It seems to me that he needs to know how to say...."It's broken. It won't go. How much to fix it?" and that should get him by, but you know that he'll memorize the names for motor parts, figuring that it will be cheaper if he does his own labor.

How do you say "carburator" in Spanish???

Today we are observing Memorial Day in the USA. We acknowledge those men and women who have served in the military to protect the freedom which we hold so dear. They chose to serve and we recognize their fear, pain, loss, courage and honor. Those who have served have guaranteed us our freedom of speech, knowing that some would speak against their efforts.

Thank you, each one of you, who have fought on my behalf.

We not only recognize those who have lost their lives in war, but also those who have served and returned. I'd like to thank my aunt, for her service in the WAVES as a Lt. Commander during World War II. And my brother, who served in the Navy during Viet Nam. And my youngest sister who retired as a Lt. Commander in the Navy, and her husband, who was a Major in the Air Force. Thank you for your service, for all you did to protect and continue our freedom.

And let me not forget the next generation, my niece and her husband and her brother, who all served in the Air Force, and my nephew, who served in the Army. We are blessed with people who were willing to serve. And we were blessed that they came back to us safely.

Well, not intentionally. Just busy, I guess. So, I'll bring you up to date on what's been happening in my life.

Until recently I though where I lived was safe. The fact that it isn't was brought home to me recently when someone tried to break into our garage. Morgan Quitno compiled these figures on which states are the safest, or the most dangerous

Obviously the far Northeastern corner of the US and the north central states have something to tell us.

What really ticks me off is how far down the list you find Illinois!

Defer came to us almost sixteen years ago. My sister found him abandoned with his liter-mates alongside the road in rural Indiana. We were building a new home, which was not finished yet, and my mother was going to be moving in with us. My sister said, “Mother needs a dog!” Despite my misgivings, we agreed that my sis would keep the dog until we were able to move into the house, and then we would make the trip to collect him.

Mother named him Defer, as in D fer Dog. Oddly, some people don’t get the joke.

Defer is part Beagle, part German Shepherd. As a young adult he weighed about 50 pounds, not quite as big as a Shepherd, and larger than the average Beagle. He had Shepherd coloring, and his ears, which were longer than a Shepherd’s ears, flopped over at the middle. He looked like a Shepherd with a Beagle butt. He was incredibly intelligent, and very willful, and minded having to be confined to a leash.

We live within city limits, so several times a day, the leash would come out, and we’d go for a walk. Every now and then, Defer would escape from the house, and he would run across the fields, visiting all the spots that had been calling out to him. His tongue would loll out, and his coat would be muddy and wet from visiting the lake. He’d grin at us as he ran by, his eyes shining with the pleasure of running free. As a young dog, he’d be gone three or four hours before he came home, pads torn from the run. The next day, he’d snooze as he recovered.

As the years passed, he escaped less frequently, and his runs became shorter, but that didn’t stop him from the occasional dash out the door. He began to respond to our “Big Dog”voices, stopping in his tracks, and letting us hook up his leash, and then he finally began to come when called.

We took Defer to what we laughingly called “Doggy Social.” We took the dog training classes with him, and he learned exactly what he could get away with. Unfortunately, we were not very good students. He would sit, stay (for a bit) and even do “DOWN,” IF there was food in your hand, or a treat in the offing. He never learned to roll over, and he never deigned to fetch or catch. All that was beneath him, even for treats.

He was always amazingly agile. He’d lay down with his legs straight back, or he’d settle in with both his hips opened out. We took to calling him our “froggy doggy.” Another nickname that popped up was “Deefy-Doofer.”

Defer was a gentle dog. He was incredible with children. My nephews would ride on him, and he’d let them grasp his ears to stay on his back. He never hurt a single child. We had a boy visiting us who was afraid of dogs, and had become accustomed to Defer. One night he was with us, and I cautioned him not to touch Defer’s paws, because they were very sensitive. As soon as I turned my back, this child reached for Defer’s feet, and Deef responded by growling, and whirling his head around to wrap his jaws around the child’s arm. My heart dropped…..I was afraid he’d have to be put down for harming a child, but there was not a mark on the boy’s arm. Defer simply stopped him, and the boy learned a lesson about paying attention.

Defer has been our early warning system. Until this past year, his hearing was acute, and he could hear things before we did. As a result, there were frequent spates of barking, but we didn’t mind. No one got near the house without the alarm being raised. I’ll never hear the testing of the sirens on the first Tuesday of the month without seeing Defer in my mind’s eye, his muzzle raising to the ceiling, joining the song of the siren with a Beagle howl.

We have a wonderful UPS man who drives one of their largest trucks. He would ring the doorbell and Defer would charge the door, barking viciously. I’d slip out through the narrowest door opening, not willing to risk a confrontation. Defer mellowed as he aged, and one day I decided it was time for them to meet. I opened the door, and Defer charged past the man, totally ignoring him. It had all been an act. The UPS man got in the habit of saying “Hi, Defer, Bye Defer” as he flashed by.

Sixteen months ago, Defer had a stroke, and then a second stroke. We were sure we would loose him both times, but he pulled himself through. He was a bit slower, and a little less stable on his feet, but he was still a full member of the family. We slowed our steps to accompany him, and he became my ever-present shadow. He’d move from room to room with me, resting outside the door to my office as I worked, and following me whenever I left the office for more than five minutes.

Our bedroom had been a pet-free zone from the time we moved into the house. My husband, who is more allergic to the pets than I am, declared that it would be so. He is also the person who announced that Defer would be allowed to sleep at the foot of our bed when it became clear he needed the security of the pack at night. As the months passed, I discovered that when I had to be away from the house, Defer would go to snooze near my side of the bed. I could always be sure of finding him there when I returned from exercise or grocery shopping.

Over the past six weeks, Defer became picky about what he ate. He began refusing one type of food after another. We tried several different types of dry dog food, several different types of wet dog food, several types of wet cat food, only Friskies, and then only Friskies seafood, and then not even Friskies.

As a young dog, Defer developed a taste for cat food. He would bark to let us know that the cat was waiting to come in, early in the morning. I think they had a deal. Defer made sure we let the cat in, and in return, the cat was supposed to leave half his food for Defer. After the strokes, Defer could no longer reach the cat food dish which was on the end of a table, but he frequently stood there looking longingly toward the plate. Cat food is too high in protein for a dog, but when the dog is refusing everything else, you give him cat food.

And when he refuses even his beloved cat food…..you cook hamburger, chicken, steak, ham…..anything that might tempt him.

I didn’t think I was a dog person. If you had asked me any time in the past fifteen years, I might have said that I was a cat person, but Defer has made a place in my heart. He’s turned around three times, and plopped down for a long stay. I’m sure you’ll forgive me my tears. I’ve just lost my furry kid.

A good friend, knowing how I feel about loosing Defer, sent this to me. I don't know who the author is, or I would willingly give them credit. It reminded me of what you come to learn when you choose to be the companion of a Beagle. THis cheered me up, and I hope it will give you a smile.

Creation, According to the Beagle

On the first day of creation, God created the beagle.

On the second day, God created man to serve the beagle.

On the third day, God created all the animals of the earth to serve as potential food for the beagle.

On the fourth day, God created honest toil so that man could labor for the good of the beagle.

On the fifth day, God created the tennis ball so that the beagle might or might not retrieve it.

On the sixth day, God created veterinary science to keep the beagle healthy and the man broke

On the seventh day, God tried to rest, but He had to walk the beagle.

Do you find that you make plans for a weekend and then find life rearranges them for you?

This past week was undoubtably the week from Hell. In addition to loosing Defer, a good sized tree gently folded itself over onto the corner of the house over our bedroom. It seemed to me that the skylight had become rather shaded by leaves, and I mentioned it to DH. He, of course, had the good sense to go out and LOOK....and found the tree leaning on the roof.

He spent Wednesday evening cutting off the smaller branches, and as much of the trunk as he could reach. There's still a portion of it waiting for his attention, but he needs to bring a taller ladder home to be able to do it.

Meanwhile, good soul that I am, I got the rider mower out to start doing the mowing. Normally that's DH's job, but he was otherwise occupied. I got the pocket lawn right in front of the house done, and started a strip along the east side of the driveway, when the mower deck started to shudder. DH checked, and the blades are still there, but one of them is probably bent. I called the mower service and they are running TWO WEEKS behind. They won't even be here to pick it up until June 25th! Meanwhile, the grass is growing so fast that I can hear it.

Sooooo.....rather than going shopping for clothes and new shoes, I'm going to check out the rental place to see what it costs to rent a lawn mower. I expect to get my exercise in the next few days. We have easily an acre and a half of grass to mow, maybe two.

In all fairness, DH has had to give up a day of sailing to work this morning, and he plans to work on clearing up the downed tree branches. So, I'm not alone in this.

God works in mysterious ways. As I was sitting here, moping about the mowing, he let me get a glimpse of a deer passing through the shadows of the grove outside my window. Then, she came back to dine on the leaves on those branches that have to be picked up. Maybe it won't be so bad to be outside after all.

Sunscreen, here I come!

My mother will be returning this afternoon from a week-long visit to my youngest sister's home. They've kept her busy from what I've heard. Last night she participated in a Relay for Life as a cancer survivor. I'm sure she will have lots to tell me when they arrive.

My youngest niece, BB, will be coming for a stay. We haven't had a chance to plan what we'll be doing. We were chatting on YM and I asked what she wanted to do, and she said she wanted to visit fabric shops! She's thirteen, and that wasn't the answer I had expected, but I'm dleighted to have a niece who loves fabric as much as I do! *G*

BB is adept at creating clothing and accessories without a pattern. I am totally unable to move forward without a pattern, so this amazes me. I don't know anything about design, but I've had a lot of experience making clothing. When I was in college, and in my twenties, if I needed clothes I had to make them. So.....we'll spend a morning at at least one fabric shop, maybe more, and then see if we can't create a skirt the old fashioned way.

The Chicago Shakespeare Theater produces several shows in the summer for children. The flier came through this week, and I had hoped we would find something for BB, but the production doesn't start in time. And....it's Peter Pan. I wonder if a 13 year old would enjoy Peter Pan. I do...

We'll have to sit down and talk about what we can do in Chicago. Beyond the museums, and Navy Pier, there are neighborhoods to visit. She might enjoy seeing our small Chinatown. We've taken her to Blue Man Group. It's going to be difficult to top previouis visits, I think!

I just had the chance to visit my e-mail this evening, and discovered a message from WichiDude. He was checking in to see if I was okay. I assured him that I was fine, and would stop by his blog later this evening.

Then, I stopped by my own blog to start surfing the links and discovered that I had been archived......and there was nothing to read! So...I figured I better check in with you all.

Visiting with a thirteen year old niece.....

I had the pleasure of visiting with my youngest niece this week. This is the first time she has spent a week with us alone. Last year she was here with her sister.

We shopped, cooked, layed out blocks so I could put a quilt top together, watched TV, played UNO, ate ice cream, and went to exercise. We had planned a trip to Chicago, but we ended up making a skirt instead.

I had the pleasure of attending a bridal shower for the girl who is marrying my youngest nephew. My sister and her daughters created an incredible spread of finger food for the houseful of women, and we watched as the bride-to-be opened her gifts.

But, the highlight of the day was the collection of babies present. The oldest was about seven months old. He's built like a little tank, and is at the point where everything goes into his mouth first.

The second baby is about two months old. I got to hold him for at least ten minutes before he was whisked away into the arms of the next admirer. He was thinking about crying as I held him, but I aped the attention that his daddy gave him and he settled right in on my shoulder.

And, we had a little girl who was newborn three weeks ago, a month premature. She looked like a little doll, and everyone lined up to play with her!

I really hope this is all contageous. There's nothing more satisfying than holding a new baby. *G*

At the shower today, there was the most amazing collection of food, that I needed to post a list of it. Four women worked together to load the table. The theme of the layout was "Hawaiian Wedding," so there were fish nets, shells, flowered leis, and things to make you think we were having a meal at the beach.

There were slices of cucumber on thin slices of cocktail rye bread, with a bit of fresh dill, and some cream cheese.

Meatballs with the chili sauce and grape jelly sauce.

Hot crab dip.

Fruit on skewers: Pineapple, watermelon, strawberry and grape

Vegetable roll ups.

Chicken salad roll ups with a bit of strawberry, and chive, and a flour tortilla.

Gorgonzola and walnuts with apple slices.

A couple of other dips that I was too full to try, and at least five kinds of crackers.

Broiled shrimp, that were lightly seasoned, and had a creamy dip.

And a plate of crudites: red pepper strips, carrots, grape tomatoes etc.

I know that I'm leaving something out, but I can't remember what it could be.

There were several kinds of punch, and I really should have had more than half a glass of the alcoholic version.

Women do amazing things with finger food. It was wonderful to chat with my family, and have beautiful food, too!

The following post has been sent to me a dozen or more times in the five years I have been on-line. I think it's a superb way to assess a life. It may not be totally complete, but it sure gives you a way to measure your growth in a variety of ways.

I don't know who originally penned these thoughts, but I'd be more than happy to give them credit fo their work. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have.

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE
....one old love
she can imagine
going back to...
and one who reminds
her how far she has come...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE
....enough money within her
control to move out and
rent a place of her own
even if she never wants
to or needs to...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE
....something perfect to wear if
the employer or date of her dreams
wants to see her in an hour...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE
....a youth she's content
to leave behind...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE
....a past juicy enough that
she's looking forward to
retelling it in her old age...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE
....a set of screwdrivers, a
cordless drill, and a black
lace bra...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE
....one friend who always makes
her laugh.... and one who lets
her cry...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE
....a good piece of furniture
not previously owned by anyone
else in her family...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE
....eight matching plates, wine
glasses with stems, and a recipe
for a meal that will make her
guests feel honored..

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE
....a feeling of control over
her destiny...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
....how to fall in love without
losing herself...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
....how to quit a job,
break up with a lover,
and confront a friend
without ruining the friendship...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
....when to try harder... and
when to walk away...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
....that she can't change the
length of her calves, the width
of her hips, or the nature of her
parents...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
....that her childhood may not
have been perfect...but it's
over...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
....what she would and wouldn't
do for love or more...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
....how to live alone... even if
she doesn't like it...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
....whom she can trust,
whom she can't,
and why she shouldn't
take it personally...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
....where to go...
be it to her best friend's kitchen table...
or a charming inn in the woods...
when her soul needs soothing...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
....what she can and can't
accomplish in a day...
a month...and a year...

Everyone who has ever traveled and stayed overnight in a hotel or motel knows that they put a basket of sample soaps and shampoos out for the traveler's convenience. If you've forgotten your shampoo, you're likely to find a sample that will hold you until you can purchase your favorite brand.

Usually, there is a little stand or tray, or sometimes a basket to hold the items, and the more you pay for the room, the greater the number of samples, and the more amenities.

Is there anything as vicious as a summer cold? I suppose, when I have a better perspective, I could come up with a few .......war....famine....pestilence.....drought.......

But right now.....the summer cold tops my list.

We had a lovely weekend. DH sailed and I went to a bridal shower. We both attended a wedding reception. The weather was lovely, and it seemed as though the pall which had hung over us for the month was finally lifting.

Monday, DH went to work, and by the time he came home, his voice was in the basement, with that nasty, croupy sound. I ignored his surliness because he is so rarely rude. I knew it was a sign of just how bad he felt.

Well....now I know how he felt, first hand. Yesterday afternoon, my throat became scratchy. My sinuses started to drain. My voice dropped almost as low as DH's. I'm sick. I feel rotten and life needs to go on. I just want to stay in bed.

Chicago celebrates the Fourth of July a day early. I'm sure those of you who do not reside in the United States of America know that the Fourth of July is an important holiday for us. We celebrate the founding of our country on that day.

But...something odd has happened. Over the past 35 years or so, it seems that it has become politically correct to celebrate near that date. When the Fourth falls on Saturday, Sunday or Monday, we have a three day weekend, with Monday off. I'm not sure what the government does when it falls on one of the other days. Perhaps government workers get the Fourth off, as well as a three day weekend.

I suspect that Chicago changed its celebration to the Third as a matter of convenience and economics. It allows people to come into the city for the fireworks and picnics, and still participate in their home town's celebration.

Still, I wish we focused on the Fourth, and what it means. More than anything, I regret that our convenience days mute the reason for the holiday. I worry that in some areas, it's not cool to be patriotic. Sunday, I'll be thinking about all those who have lost their lives to keep us safe, and I'll celebrate the country that gives us amazing freedom.

Join me, won't you?

Yeah....I bet you thought I was going to talk about the Fourth of July, didn't you??

Actually, I was sitting here, envying those of you who can imbibe....especially those of you who can imbibe and still type!

We all have them to one extent or another. I have a list of them which is growing by leaps and bounds. Last year, when DH's daughter was getting married, and we thought wedding guests would be visiting between the wedding and the reception, I had a three page, double spaced list of Mine, His and OUR chores.

About two-thirds of the chores got done. Now, I've started another list.

It's astounding how differently auditors go about their jobs.

We have a business, so we have a worker's compensation insurance policy. Each year, you guess what your payroll will be. The insurance costs so much per $100. Your payments are determined, and then spread out over the year. At the end of the insurance term, an auditor comes to determine if you have underpaid, or overpaid.

Normally you receive a letter requesting payroll information, and certificates of insurance for sub-contractors. They will also look at quarterly reports to the feds to see if the material you are giving them adds up.

Sooooooo.....the last auditor was just a bit different. I'm used to one of the more experienced auditors, who breezes in, enters the bottom line from the four quarterly reports, makes the necessary deductions, hit's enter, slams the lid on her laptop and is out the door in ten or fifteen minutes.

This year we got a junior Big Bird look-alike who was new to the job. I had pulled reports off the computer as requested, but he was not satisfied. He made me kill a tree so that he could have the annual report BY EMPLOYEE! What a jerk. At least he didn't keep me for ages.

Last year....or maybe it was two years ago, we got hit with audits from the union, the state revenue department and insurance I had become the PRO at preparing for audits. The worst was the Revenue auditor. He looked through three years of job folders. It took him all day. I gave him the uncomfortable chair. It was the least I could do to express my opinion about being audited.

I hope next year they send the speedy auditor!

For the past month, I've had a goal in mind. As things kept going bad around us, I would say to myself "In just __ days, I'll be going to Maui." Things have finally settled down here. We've had lovely visits with two of my nieces, and my cold seems to be improving a bit each day, so the mantra hasn't had to repeated quite so frequently.

Tuesday morning at 0:dark:30 six of us will put our sleepy bodies into a limo for the trip to the airport, and by 7:00 we will be taking off for Hawaii. It will be my first visit. We're going to attend a family wedding.

Ten of us will take the same plane. We'll meet another eight of them, who will fly out two days early. My Aunt, my Dad's sister, must be turning in her grave to think of so many of us all on the same plane. I never worried about things like that. I figured it was superstition, and the statistics support the idea that flight is the safest form of travel. Still...someone had to fill in for Auntie, so I was the one who voiced the thought.

Other than attending the wedding, I have a few things on my agenda. I want to sit in the shade of a palm tree, reading a book, and having someone bring me refills for my iced tea. I want to walk along the water's edge each day. I want to fly over to Oahu to see the Arizona Memorial. Other than that, I don't have any particular plans. We will only be gone six days and five nights, so I plan to have the most laid back visit I can manage.

There are a truly amazing number of people who don't give a rip what they look like in a bathing suit. Now, I should tell you that I am a plus size woman. I have always thought that it would be a disservice to the world to be seen in a bathing suit.....even one that managed to suck me in and cover me up. But, I can honestly say that I looked fine compared to some of the beached whales I have seen on vacation.

There's something really odd in the vacationer's mentality. They seem to leave their fashion sense at home. I saw women in the oddest outfits. Those who normally have a realistic idea about what looks good on them will wear see-through "cover-ups" that were meant for 16 year olds. And a pareau or sarong was really meant for a well proportioned woman. Just because it wraps around you doesn't mean it looks lovely.

We have just returned from a trip to Maui, and this is one of the very few things I can complain about, so you have to know that trip was awesome!

If we call out the fashion police, I'll have to diet before I can return. Actually, that's not a bad idea, and a LOT of incentive, because Maui is lovely. I hope each of you gets to experience it.

1. Lack of assigned seats prior to arriving at the airport.

2. Incredible lack of space on the airplane for a 10 1/2 hour fight.

3. Stepping out of the shower the first afternoon to discover there were NO TOWELS. (I know....I should have checked before I got into the shower!)

4. The mirror on the bathroom door was never cleaned, and the light on my side of the bed needed a new three-way bulb. (I KNOW.....I should have told housekeeping.)

5. Parking in Lahina and Ka'anapoli is a joke.

6. The restaurant where we ate after the wedding, needed to be more realistic about how long it would take ONE waiter to take the orders for 21 people. At the very least, two waiters should have been taking care of our group, and four would have been even better. When the food came from the kitchen, four of them handled delivery, and were very confused about where most of the plates were going.

7. Sunday night, when we landed at L.A. we overheard the pilot informing his superiors that he would NOT be flying the same plane on the next leg of our journey. Apparently, the plane was having rudder problems. Hmmmmmmmm......actually...this should have been entered under "The Good." Any pilot who wants to save my life can't be bad.

Okay, compared to "The Good," you can see that I really had to work to find something bad in this trip. It was an exceedingly glorious visit, and I really hope to get the chance to go again.

1. Hawaii is the cleanest state I've ever visited!

2. The trade winds blew in the day we arrived and stayed through all but our last day there. Thank you, God, for trade winds!

3. The person who handled the rental arrangements for our car at Avis gave us incredibly clear directions, complete with landmarks. Even better, it only took us about ten minutes to get through the entire transaction, and she was pleasant the entire time. I suspect that Avis DOES try harder.

4. The view up the mountain each morning when we woke.

5. The amazing variety of blooming shrubs and flowers.

6. The gorgeous birds.

7. The heart stopping view out over the ocean from Ka'anipali on the west side of Maui. The restaurants where we dined each of the evenings had a view of the nearby islands and the setting sun, and it was heavenly.

8. My first try at parasailing!

9. Snorkling. (I didn't do it...DH did...and said it was great!

10. From the time we landed, to the time we left Maui, we experienceced the most amazing service. I've heard the phrase "service with a smile," but Maui is where you truly experience it.

11. The curved shower rod.

12. The shower with two shower heads.

13. Breakfast at the Plantation House.

14. Dinner at the Hula Grill.

15. The wedding on a rough spit of land where an old lava spill tumbles into the ocean near the Ritz Carlton.

16. The luau....and the late twenty-something guy who was the lead dancer.

17. Walking along the edge of the surf before going to bed.

18. The cost of Hawaiian 100% cotton fabrics.

19. The open-air structure of our hotel....the winds blowing through, and the incredible waterfalls and pools that we walked past every day.

20. Getting Leid.... (old joke)

(yawning) I'm just starting to get over my jet lag....but it might take another day or so.

We're just back from a trip to Maui to attend a family wedding. It was my first visit, and we had a wonderful time. I have a lot to say about the trip, and you can see the "Cliffs Notes" in the entries below. I'll expand upon them when I have just a little more time.

If you haven't been to Hawaii.....start saving! Everyone should go at least once. And....when you go, plan to stay more than six days. Our trip from Chicago to Maui wasn't bad, but the trip home was a killer. We really wished we had planned to stay longer to make that flight worthwhile.

You'll note that this entry is NOT categorized as "From the Kitchen." I suppose it has to do with a kitchen, but not with MY kitchen.

I'm still in rapture from our visit to Maui. I suspect that you will all be thoroughly tired of my comments before the week is over, but when you've had such an incredible trip, it's hard not to share your experiences.

The first night in Maui, Dear Husband and I went to dinner alone. That alone should tell you that it was wonderful....just the two of us, and no one grousing about having to eat at a place not of their choosing.

We went to the Hula Grill. On the plane to Maui, there was a young man who was a feast for the eyes, and he was wearing a T-shirt from the Hula Grill. So, I wasn't exactly prepared for our experience.

The Hula Grill is perhaps twenty, maybe thirty feet from the Pacific Ocean. There is a section where the tables are set up on sand. You can walk in from the surf for a meal. Right next to that, is an elegant house, for lack of better words, with an open lanai. We sat on the lanai and let the trade winds blow over us.

Our waiter was friendly, well informed and there when we needed him. He described the specials and we mulled over our choices. We needed to eat, but neither of us wanted to overeat. The solution was to share soup and salad, and each have an entree.

The soup was fabulous. I'm trying to expand my soup repertoire, and one of the soups I'd like to learn to make is a tortilla soup. The Hula Grill offered a Fish and Corn chowder that is the best tortilla soup I've ever had! I wish I had begged for the recipe!

The soup was a mildly spicy tomato base, rather like a salsa that had been run through a blender for just a couple of seconds. It had chunks of tuna that were firm and bite-sized, a little bit of corn, some black beans, a sprinkle of toasted tortilla strips and a sprig of cilantro as a garnish. It was so good we almost licked the bottom of the bowl!

We both chose the fish special for the night. The plate had been dressed with a Lobster Miso Coconut sauce and four ounce cuts of herb grilled Ono and seared Ahi were laid over a small mound of ramen noodles. A fall of Shrimp Salsa decorated the area between the cuts of fish, and a fan of Asian green beans (identical to tiny haricot verts) finished the plate.

It was heavenly! Everything was done to perfection, and it satisfied all our senses. We were replete without having overdone. While we chose not to do dessert, we saw one of the signature desserts delivered. It's an ice cream sandwich made with macadamia nut brownies and vanilla ice cream. It must stand four to five inches high and is easily six inches long. They decorate it with drizzles of red raspberry sauce. It's the kind of thing you order when you plan to make dessert your entire dinner!

There's a lot to be said about having someone else prepare your meal. I can tell you.....if I'm ever in the Hawaiian Islands again, I'll be sure to return for another helping of the Hula Grill!

The Farmers Market is one of my favorite places to shop. That's why it's so unusual that we have not visited one this year, especially since vegetables are so important to our diet now.

I'm thinking about making a list of vegetable dishes that I can accomplish quickly on a week night, and then creating a shoping list for next Saturday. I don't want to miss any more of the sessions, since they only meet once a week.

July seems to be a busy month for us for birthdays. Two sons and a daughter-in-law have July birthdays. One nephew, a nephew-in-law, a niece, my former sister-in-law and my grandfather were also born in July.

But...and I hope I've made it in time....I want to wish my oldest sister Happy Birthday today! I hope it was a wonderful day, and that you heard from all the kids. Happy Birthday, Sis!

When I weed, I need some mental diversion. I started my weeding marathon on Saturday, and was listening to WGN 720 AM Radio as I worked. Just before noon, the Paul Harvey Report came on. One of the last segments caught my attention. I've copied the facts down to hand to any of my young relatives who might have doubts about going to college.

If you do not graduate from high school, you are likely to earn an average of $18,826 per year.

If you graduate from high school, that figure jumps to $27,280.

If you go to college and earn a B.A. you will earn an average of $51,194.

If you earn an advanced degree, you are likely to earn an average of $72,824.

I'd say those statistics are pretty compelling when it comes to deciding what you want to do with your life. GO TO SCHOOL! Get an education, if only to raise your earning potential. I can think of a lot of other reasons for getting an education, but being able to make a decent living isn't all that bad.

The current Federal poverty line for a family of four is $18,850. If you happen to live in San Francisco, you'd have to hold down more than THREE minimum wage jobs to meet the minimum standard of living for a single parent with a toddler and a preschooler: $69, 241. Not all places have as high a cost of living as San Francisco, but the point is, without at least a high school education, you are guaranteed to be living at poverty level.

So, talk up education. If finances are tight, use the Internet to find sources of grants and funding. There are an amazing number of grants out there waiting for the student with the right interests. Surf....you'll see. And meanwhile... tell the kids to hit the books!

This week, it was my duty to take my mother to visit her only nephew.....my only cousin. He was quite ill, and was being cared for in a nursing facility. He had asked to see her, twice, so we made the trip on Friday morning.

I bitterly regret that I had not kept in touch with him. I was shocked to see what the past eight or ten years had done to him. Communication was difficult. Emphasema had taken away his ability to project words. I talked to him about recent changes in our lives, and showed him a picture of my new granddaughter.

Our visit was brief, and I hoped to arrange a second visit when his wife or my sister (the nurse) were present, to help us understand what he was saying.

Unfortunately, my cousin passed away this morning.

He is the first of my generation to die. His passing is making us all reflect on the time we have left, and the things we have put off. We were about twenty years apart in age, and were not close, but still.....he was my only cousin. I wish I had made a greater effort to know him.

I'll always remember him for his ascerbic wit, for remarkable talent with a camera, for an intense interest in the family history and genealogy, for extensive knowledge about the petroleum industry, for his successful efforts to improve the quality of the fire department in our home town, and for raising incredibly smart children and grandchildren.

I hope he is trading cracks with St. Peter....free from the pain that has shrouded the last years of his life.

I got a fair amount accomplished this week, and had some downtime, too, but I couldn't seem to make it to the computer.....

I've never felt the need for a hen party, until now. I just discovered a company in England (and another in Midwestern USA) that provides a butler in the buff for your hen parties.

Wouldn't it be lovely to have someone to open the door for you, and to see to it that your friends had something to drink?? And the clean up.....what a deal! You wouldn't have to go around after the party picking up glasses and dessert plates!

I really need to pay closer attention to conversations.

Yesterday, DH's son and his wife came to visit, before she returns to Japan to teach English as a second language. In his hand was a very large Swedish Ivy plant.

It seems I must have volunteered to babysit the plant while she is away, but for the life of me, I don't remember the conversation!

DIL tells me that Son#3 has killed off several plants in the past few years. He waters once a week whether the plant needs it or not.

THIS was where I started paying attention. You see, by the time the plant got to me, it was wilting, so as she is talking to me, I have filled a large container with water and DOUSED the plant. Right.....I'm supposed to take care of this plant, and see to it that its in condition to return to her.

I could be in trouble.

I will be barbequed by an angry dragon



How will you die? Take the Exotic Cause of Death Test

Stolen from billy.....who stole it from bogie.....etc.

I have to tell you....this sounds better than being impaled by a rod of frozen urine expelled from a jet liner....

If you've been reading my blog, you will know that my only cousin has passed away recently. Family and friends gathered for his wake and funeral, and it was a good send off. But, there's just one little thing that has bothered me.

My cousin was in the Navy, so when it came time for his burial, the Navy sent two men to do the flag ceremony. The ceremony is very touching, with the solemn attention to the folding of the flag, and the slow-motion salutes. At one point, one of the men bent over, hit a switch, and we heard a recorded performance of "Taps."

I suppose that no one else in the gathering gave it any thought, but I minded that Taps was not a live performance. I was a band director for eleven years. In my opnion, there are some places where a taped recording is inappropriate, and a funeral is one of them.

I've been pondering just how many trained musicians would be needed to play Taps in all the cemeteries where former members of our Armed Forces are being laid to rest. Although the Armed Forces have 500 buglers available, last year an average of 1800 veterans were buried each day. Arlington Cemetery is the only burial ground where taps is played live for every burial.

The Armed Forces felt that recorded music was inappropriate, and rather than supply trained musicians, they chose to purchase 4,000 "ceremonial bugles." The bugles have a computerized chip imbedded in the bell which plays Taps. Unfortunately, some of the men responsible for the use of the ceremonial bugles need to be instructed in how to hold a bugle.

In my surfing, I discovered that Tom Day, of Berwyn, Illinois, has founded "Bugles Across America" to recruit civilian musicians to play taps at funerals. Day has gathered 3,000 volunteers, who have performed at 36,000 funerals in the past three years.

This seems like a much better way to deal with the increased need for buglers. I'm sure the military has prioritzed their expenses and that some may see a bugler as an inappropriate use of their funds, but I think we need to honor those who served on our behalf. Surely the presence of a trained bugler to play their final Taps is not too much to ask.

I was reading over at Broad at Bat's blog today. Her entry for August 4th is very introspective. I had to make myself read all the way to the bottom.

I know that sounds bad, and it has nothing to do with the quality of her writing, and all to do with my ability to play "ostrich" about my own situation.

Being introspective gives me the willies. If I took the time to look into my heart, or my mind, I might actually figure out what drives me, and it that's GOT to be scary! On the other hand.....I'm getting to a point in life where it might not be a good idea to drag my feet on this.

The power of positive mental attitude. Who used to talk about that? Was it W. Clement Stone? I can't remember, but it seems to me that our physical health has got to start with a healthy mental attitude about life, and our place in life.

Somewhere, my healthy attitude has gotten set aside, or lost along the way. I'm willing to admit that I HATE exercising for the sake of exercise. Give me something to do that disguises the exercise, and I don't mind so much, but exercising because I know it's good for me sucks pond water! And yet, I know that's just what I have to get myself to do. So....WHY have I waited so long to embrace that issue? See, what I mean about introspection? Do I really want to know if I have a death wish, or if I'm just terminallly lazy?? Gives me the willies....

I've been reading a series of books by Janet Evanovich. The main character is Stephanie Plum, who has lost a job as a lingerie buyer and had to turn to her cousin for a job. Unfortunately, Cousin Vinnie is in bail bonds, and he hires Steph as bounty hunter. She's totally unprepared for the job in every way. She's bailed out by a cop and a fellow bounty hunter again and again. Between having her cars blown up, and loosing her man repeatedly, she shops for Tastykakes......in every flavor.....by the pound. As I read about her eating junk food, or going to her mother's for dinner (read: comfort food), one part of me nods in agreement. I can understand exactly how she feels. Another part of me is going....."DON'T EAT THAT!" I feel really schizophrenic, and Evanovich must have read my mind before she wrote several of the scenes.

Okay....you just saw a prime example of my ability to play ostrich. I neatly detoured off the subject of introspection, and put the focus on a fictional character, moving it away from myself. I've been doing that for too many years to count, and I think I've just hit the wall. Pardon me while I bang my head against it for a bit.

Do I want to be healthy? YES
Do I want to be healthy enough to eat appropriately? Well....yes....sorta.
WHY am I not running to embrace a healthy lifestyle. Okay....ya got me there.
I really don't know why, and I need to find out.

It's time to quit pretending that I'm Peter Pan, and accept that I am an adult. And....it's time to make adult choices. The question is.....where do I start?

No, I havn't been off introspecting all this time. I seem to need some organization in my life, and I've been working on it in bits here and there.

It started with some work in the gardens. During the growing season there is work needed in the gardens on a daily basis. When I'm away and miss a string of those days, I have a lot of catching up to do. I've made a good start, but there's always more to do.

Pay close attention here. I'm only going to say this once:

The following two posts are prime examples of how I write when I have had about four hours of sleep and my head is practically falling onto the keyboard with the need for a nap.

Since I am still sleep deprived, it took me a few moments to determine just what was wrong.

Disregard the following posts, or if you can't do that, don't worry. I just need sleep!

I am here to tell you that you can't skip exercise for six weeks and then return, assuming that you could pick up where you left off.

I thought that my gardening would have kept me in shape, but I was wrong. My exercise guru manages to work more muscles than I do gardening, and I can feel every little one of them.

I'll just be over here.....applying Ben Gay.

Dear Husband and I were watching the Leherer Report on Chicago's PBS station, WTTW, this evening. When our troops went to Iraq, WTTW began showing pictures of the men and women who have been killed in the line of duty. They show them in silence, giving you enough time to read their name, rank, service, home town, and age. It's incredibly moving to see pictures of these young people, and think about the families they have left behind, and the lives that will never be lived. What an incredible loss.

We have it wrong..... We should be sending our old men to war, not our babies.

The flu has hit here. I came down with it late Sunday night and am just getting over it now. Unfortunately, it's moved on to my Mother. We've been doing a lot of sleeping here, and sitting around bundled up in quilts.

Saturday, Dear Husband stayed home from the boat. We went to the Farmer's market at 7:30 to pick up shears and knives that had been sharpened for us, and then went on to haircuts.

We stopped at the meat market and chose enough items to carry us through the week. He wanted to try the cabbage rolls (they don't do much for me), and he plans to marinate kebob meat. We've already had parmesan/garlic chicken breasts and there's a rolled pork roast for a family gathering later this week.

We had breakfast before we returned home. I had some watering to do, and I worked on mail, and then we went to Dear Husband's FORTIETH high school reunion. I'm still marveling about that. How could 40 years have passed since high school?? I still feel about 30 in my mind, so I'm SURE 40 years couldn't have passed.... Well, actually, it hasn't been forty years for me, but it won't be long.

At any rate, one of his classmates invited everyone to her home, and about 60 people showed up. There was a lot of picture taking and sharing, and the meal was served about 3:30 under a tent. Picnic food: chicken, ribs, potato salad, beans, coleslaw, corn muffins, and a cake. We took soda pop and iced tea. A good time was had by most.

Last week, I ordered three cubic yards of cedar mulch. I found a place that had such a good price on delivery that I ordered a better grade of mulch than I would have origionally purchased. Sunday morning I started spreading the mulch. It will take a while because we are into some rainy weather. I was pleased to get two chrysanthemums planted and I worked on the mulch. There's something about finishing off weeding and mulching....it gives such a clean look to the beds.

I'd like to make a quick trip to the nursery, and pick up some daylilies. There's a spot that's been weeded that is just calling out for them! The strip where I planted ornamental grass and Joe Pye weed is coming along nicely. I'll need to put regular weed eating on my list of chores from now on, to keep that stretch looking nice.

So....I spent this morning in the office. It was a quiet way to recuperate from the flu and still get something done. Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, organizing the mail, paying taxes, cleaning off the desk...it all gave me a sense of accomplishment.

Maybe we all need some quiet time to organize our lives.

Perhaps you call it "dinner." I know there are regional differences in naming this meal, but I'm talking about the meal that is served at the end of the working day.

When I was a kid, it was possible for us all to gather for dinner at 5:30. Wednesday night church choir practice, or weeknight activities at school like band or play practice, football games, or dances all were scheduled late enough that you could have dinner with your family and then head off to evening activities.

We timed our clocks by Dad's return home, and knew how much time we had left until we were expected at the table. We had a formal dining room, and also a more casual kitchen table. On Sunday afternoon at 2:00 we always ate in the dining room. Breakfast, lunch and Saturday meals were usually in the kitchen. As my youngest sister grew, we ate in the dining room more and more.

We were not assigned seats at the table, but we always took the same seats. My Dad sat at the head of the table and Mother sat to his left. My brother, the only lefty, sat at the end of the table where his elbow wouldn't bother anyone. Dad served the meat and passed the plate to my mother, who added vegetables.

I think my brother might have been served first, because I've heard it said that my father rarely got to eat his own meal before my brother was ready for seconds. I don't know how much of that is the truth, but he WAS a growing boy. *G*

Dinner was the only time during the day that our family came together. There's a range of 19 years between my oldest sister and my youngest, so there were quite a variety of schedules to organize to accomplish that, but it was assumed that you would be at the table. We talked about what had happened during our day, and discussed the plans for the weekend.

This is on my mind lately because we have slipped into more casual dining. Frequently, I prepare a meal, everyone comes together to fill their plate, and then we all drift off to our own corners. We watch evening news or read books during the dinner hour, and there's no time for conversation.

One of my nieces is a single mother of two boys. They live within ten minutes of us, and one day I suggested that she and the boys should come to dinner. It became a standing invitation. When Tuesday rolls around, she calls to make sure we are "on" for the night, and arranges to bring a dessert.

While we are at the table, we talk about what's happened in our day. We encourage the boys to talk, and their mother prompts them to use "good" manners. The boys carry food to the table, and their mother occasionally helps with last minute food preparation. The boys get to see Dear Husband and me work together, and they get to know one of DH's sons. AND, they get to interact with their great grandmother.

When dinner is over, we get out the UNO cards and play three very fast and dirty hands of UNO. My mother takes no prisoners when playing cards, and always sits next to the older of the two boys. He is resigned to being handed every draw two, and draw four in the deck, and takes it with good grace. He's delighted when he has the chance to give back as good as he gets.

The sense of community that we have as a result of our time together is what dinner should be about. I want those boys to know us. I want them to see the give and take in adult relationships, and I want them to see that it's possible to have a pleasant time without resorting to TV or game boys.

I know that this family dinner is good for my mother, as well. At 87, she needs the contact with her family, too. So.....how is it that we have slipped away from the practice? Now that we don't have young ones in our midst, we seem to have lost track of the fact that everyone needs interraction. Perhaps we drifted away from the table to save me having more linens to wash.....or to save the extra dishes that had to be cleaned. Or maybe there was something special on TV that drew us, to start.

This is just one person's view, but I think we need to re-establish the old-fashioned dinner hour. We need a place where we can talk about what has happened during the day, to congratulate family members on their successes, and to help them when a problem arises. It's a great place to teach a kid civics or charitable activities. And it's a good way to keep up with what's happening in your children's lives.

It's time to return to the table for supper.

My mother is a member of the Empty Nesters group at her church. They are collecting items to send to our troops, and I wanted to share the list of items with you. It's amazing what little things can help make their stay more comfortable.

I need your help. I'd like to find sources who might be willing to donate some of these items, but I'm a total rooky at this. Are there stores who do NOT donate, and are there stores who would be likely to donate? Should I contact manufacturers rather than going to retail stores? What do I need to have with me, other than the list of goods needed, to make my pitch successful? I assume that I need to provide the name and address of the church, and a contact. What else should I provide to make my request a success?

I'd appreciate any assistance you can give me. This is a worthy cause.

We FINALLY got some rain! We've had gray days off and on for the past month, interspersed with gorgeous sunny ones, and NO RAIN! We got the gray skies, but all the storms have gone north or south of us.

So, last night about 2:00 there was a great crashing and flashing around us, and there be rain! We needed it. I've been putting down mulch, and I had to water first because the ground was drying up.

I'll have to walk the grounds to see if we lost any trees last night. The storm came through fairly fast and furious.

And, in the dark, my first thought was.."I need to check on Defer." Of course, he's gone, but for the last fifteen years I had a dog who hid from lightening. His favorite place as a pup was under my computer desk, and in his later years, he chose our bedroom. I'm glad he's spared the storms now.

So....this weekend....more mulching! I know that most of you consider that drudgery...but I'll take it over sailing any day! *G*

I don't care for the term EX-husband. I have one of them, and I prefer to refer to him as my "former" husband. I guess that makes DH the "latter' husband. I supposed I could call Mr. Former "the JERK," but I've tried to play nice in public.

Anyway, today I was thinking about the fact that I have EX-relatives. My brother and his FORMER wife divorced, and it put me in a difficult position. I like the woman he was married to, the mother of his children, and I like the woman he IS married to. It's very difficult to know just what to do about it.

I tried to keep in touch with his former wife, and found that was uncomfortable. I wondered if she felt I was a reminder of all that had happened, and it occured to me that perhaps I was hurting her by keeping in touch.

And, my present sister-in-law may see my relationship to the former Mrs. as being a slap in the face.

What to do....what to do? Are we supposed to close ranks and support our siblings, no matter what they do? Does that mean we cease recognizing the parent of our nieces and nephews?

I wonder if Emily Post has written about this. Perhaps I need to surf on "Divorce Manners."

I have to admit, when my former husband kept in touch with one of my sisters, it really ticked me off at first. Then I realized it was probably a good idea to have a conduit, and I worked at letting the matter drop. I wonder if I put my siblings in the same position I'm in now?

Duh....

Never let it be said that I think on my feet....

Isn't science amazing!? There isn't a day that goes by where I don't read something new, from black holes and charming quarks, to astonishing information about how our body works, headlines on cloning, and new information on disease prevention.

We live in an amazing time. My grandfather had one foot in the horse and buggy era and the other planted firmly at a time when men rode rockets to orbit the earth. I can not remember a time when my family didn't have both television and radio bringing information into the house.

So, you can imagine my amazement at the latest breakthrough in technology. I was grocery shopping. I picked up carton of eggs, and lifted the lid to make sure none of them was cracked. On each egg was a line of red print saying "Use By Sept. 24."

That's just incredible! Scientists have tinkered with hens and found a way to get them to print out freshness dates when they lay eggs. They must be using nanotechnology to line the pigment up in the shell, but I can't figure out how they change the date. I guess I'll have to do some surfing. Maybe they have engineered it so that chickens have a computer chip passed on to them when they are just a yolk.

I bet the chickens are strutting around thinking, "It's Tuesday. We get extra grain on Tuesday." Or, "Four more weeks, and they'll let me out into the yard!"

I wonder if they try to warn the turkeys when Thanksgiving is coming, or if they keep it to themselves.

It's a great invention. Now we'll never have another stale egg again.

Or, rather......rideabout. At 87, my mother finds traveling through the farmland in the Fall to be very satisfying. She is tired of seeing the constant upheaval from construction in our area, and complains that every inch of the world will be blacktopped over in her lifetime.

So, at least once a year, and sometimes more frequently, we load ourselves into the car and take off on a trip. Yesterday's trip was a bit longer than she had expected, but we came home wit a vehicle so full that we couldn't have stopped at one more shop.

We took off west out of the Chicago suburbs and when we hit the farmland, we turned south. Our first stop was at a huge farm discount store, to buy birdseed. We crossed over the Kankakee river and traveled a little further south before turning east.

One of her grand daughters lives in the area we were visiting, so we made a stop. I had a plate of Chocolate Almond cupcakes with fudge frosting to drop off, and we wanted to visit Granddaughter's shop. She has wonderful country items, and she creates clothing and housewares with applique. We tried to buy her out, but she had a couple of thing left by the time I pulled Mother out the door.

On their recommendation, we had lunch at "The Polka Dot Diner." It's a fast food place that has both a drive up and interior seating, and the theme is 50s and 60s TV and movie memorabilia. Mother thought she was ordering a club sandwich, and ended up with a burger with bacon, lettuce, tomato, and mayo. They were forgiven, when she pronounced the onion rings were excellent!
We were surrounded by James Dean, Beaver Cleaver, Rickie Nelson, Superman, Elvis, and a horde of other personalities.

Our next stop was a Ben Franklin store. We used to call them "five and dimes," meaning that the items cost a nickle or a dime, but in times of gross inflation, that term no longer exists, and unfortunately, most of the Ben Franklin stores have disappeared too. I shopped for Halloweeen decorations, and Mother bought two red hats, seven yards of blue plaid flannel, and three huge pots of chrysanthemums.

She was flagging at that point, so we loaded our finds into the car, and headed home. My car made one brief detour. All on it's very own, it turned into the parking lot of a quilt shop I had never visited. Since we were there, I HAD to go in, but it was a sign of how tired she was, that Mother chose to stay in the car. I made my stop very brief, and we finished our "walkabout," driving home amid thousands of cars all seemingly headed to our house.

It was a really pleasant day. I'd like to do a couple of shorter versions of that trip for her, and we'll do at least one, possibly two longer trips before winter closes in. We have a weekend trip to visit my youngest sister and her family in October, and I'm contemplating a trip up into Wisconsin to a town that has THREE quilt shops. Sounds like heaven to me.....farmland and quilt shops!

....seems to have gone on a walk-about of his own.

We have this deal. He gets to go out as early in the morning as he can con someone into opening the door. He comes back for breakfast anytime from ten minutes later to 9:00 a.m. From then on, he's in and out like a yo-yo. And close to 2:00 in the afternoon, he's in for the day.

This hasn't seemed to be a hardship on him, particularly as he's aged. He's gotten to like the comfort of a snooze in the sunlight, where he didn't have to worry about enemies or predators sneaking up on him. He's taken over my chair, and wants to take over the table where my computer sits.

So, today, we had errands to run. The cat (Ed, is his name, after Edwin Scissorhands), went out early, and has not been seen since. We've called him every 10 or 15 minutes for the past few hours....and NO CAT!

Now, every other time this has happened, it's been a glorious day (like today). He never disappears in the middle of a snow storm, or when we're getting 17 inches of rain. I shouldn't be worried, but I am. I can't help wondering if he's been hurt or run over.

He's probably adopted a second family.....one who has a better brand of cat food. Or maybe there's a pretty little lady cat down the path.......

Darn cat! I wonder where he is!

UPDATE: He's home. He was gone long enough to scare me, but when I walked out at 9:00 to call him, he came running to me as though nothing had happened. Darn cat!

I'm one of those rare women. I really don't care to shop. Well.....I don't care to shop for anything other than quilt fabric. But, today was a day of errands and shopping.

Dear Husband is trying to get in all the sailing he can before the ARR!! is brought in for the winter. We know that it will be craned out October 9th, so there isn't a lot of time left, just a few weekends, really. We went out to breakfast early, and then he drove to Lake Michigan, and I went to the Farmer's Market.

I picked up veggies to get us through the next four or five days, and six bright sunflowers. I stopped at the bee keeper's stand, and bought some almond flavored lip balm, and two body bars. A few booths down, I picked up two more cedar planks for grilling salmon. Peaches from SW Michigan, and mini portobellos, and I was loaded down. I hate to have to make two trips, so I called it quits and headed home, filling the gas tank and stopping at the ATM on the way.

Mother was scheduled for a perm. We decided to make a stop at the quilt shop, on the way to the salon. I needed fabric for backing and borders on the batik quilt, and some fabric to make a pink and white quilt for one of my nieces. Mother bought a wild velour for a robe, and material for a 1930's reproduction quilt. WOW! Has quilting fabric gotten expensive!

So...I dropped Mother off for her perm, and then started my errands:

Bath and Body Shop for shower gel (I'll be smelling like a peony for a bit.)

Michaels's (OOOPS....gone out of business sale....nothing left but fixtures!)

Hobby Lobby (Silk flowers for a wreath, candles)

Car wash (Car wash....what else??)

Meat Market (Pork roast, flank steak, cordon bleu chicken)

For a woman who doesn't care to shop....that was more than enough. I still have most of it to put away. It was a great day. I've got enough fabric to hold me for a day or two, I can finish the Fall wreaths, and I'll smell pretty when I shower. What more can I ask?

The City of Chicago has amost 2000 surveillance cameras, and will be adding another 250 by 2006. The cameras are currently set up at O'Hare International Airport, in public housing overseen by the Chicago Housing Authority, on the city transit lines, in parks, and in schools. These cameras will be tied into the 911 center.

The cameras will be checking for bags abandonded in stairwells, for movement in areas off limits to citizens, for a person falling, and for erratic behavior, among other things.

Mayor Daley was quoted as saying "We own the sidewalk. We own the street and we own the alley." Since these cameras are only in public areas, according to Daley, there will be no invasion of privacy.

In designing the system, representatives studied how the casinos and hotels in Las Vegas used their surveillance cameras. The Pentagon, and London have similar systems. When cameras were installed on the streets of the west side of Chicago last year, drug trafficing cut back, and there were fewer calls to report the sale of drugs on the street.

I'm torn. I can see both sides of this issue. As a law abiding citizen, I don't mind being watched in a public place. If this were to give law enforcement a leg up on detering the incredible incidence of crime, and it seems to function that way, it should be a good thing.

But.....I worry that this could be the start of the slippery slope. If we are observed as we walk to work, or as we drive past certain intersections, will someone eventually create software that will track our activities? I know that it's possible for lawyers to petition the tollway for records showing that someone has used the IPass on a certain day, at a certain time, so we can't be far from it.

How do you feel about it? Give up a little freedom to cut back on potential terrorism and make our streets safer? Or....no cameras....no loss of freedom, but greater risk?

I had a little time to myself this afternoon, and I spent it visiting blogs. I have a short list of blogs that I follow, and I still have time getting to them all regularly. So, it was a pleasure today to check in with everybody, to see how you all are.

Dr. D.....Happy Birthday late, hon. I'm glad to read that your roof held despite all that Ivan threw at you.

WichiDude....Coongratulations on a year of blogging. I thought you had started blogging before I did, so I was surprised to see it was your blog anniversary. Keep up the good work.

Blue Witch has been adding to her foul...er fowl collection. Go see the pictures.

Jamie was sending shouts to missing friends (me included), and they've celebrated Q16's birthday.

Desiree has interviewed for a job, and they are going to sell their house and move.

Bogie and WS are back from a trip to Niagara Falls, and she's more than busy pet sitting.

PJ has been out living life and painting bedrooms. He's working on starting a paintball business, but found the time to blog and let us know he's among the living.

Broad at Bat is making lists, and saving them, and remaking them, and saving them.....

billy is off on a road trip, or will be soon.

RedEagle1 ( who hosts my blog ) is the mom of three boys, and her middle son just learned to water ski!

Legomen IS.....off drinking.

Essay, at Stupid Angry Canajun, has been goaded into recycling newspapers, and is caring for a multitude of creatures while her significant other is away for the weekend. Go give her advice! lol

-=e=- has a DREADFUL post on self dentistry....

Mad Bull and his folk came through the hurricane okay, and kept us posted on Dr. D.

Ms. Roberta has suggested that some of us may need an amnesia pill. to forget political goings on.

Jim at Parkway Rest Stop linked up to a site with complaints about New Jersey tollway collectors that was eye opening.

I still have a few more of you to visit, but I want to thank you all for continuing to visit, even though I have occasionally come up missing this summer. It's nice to have a feeling of connection.

A for real storm, not one of those man made things. We've been without rain for weeks. I've been schlepping water to all the container plants, and talking myself out of hooking up the hose. We really NEED the rain, but it's going to come in hard and fast. What we need is a gentle rain.

The day started sunny and hot, and gradually the cloud cover has come in. It's rather still right now....the calm before the storm. One of the sites I visit online is the NOAA radar for our area. Based on their information, I'd say the hardest early storms are going to hit north of us.....LOOK OUT WISCONSIN! But, we should see some of that rain, and a bit more, through out the night.

I was a bit under the weather this morning. I think it's mostly due to allergies; I feel this way each Fall. I spent a quiet morning in the office, tidying up loose ends and getting ready to make a back-up of the company files for the CPA. I need a day to house clean, or maybe that should be "office" clean. I have some filing to do, and I want to pitch some things, and reorganize others.

What I'd really like to be doing is sitting in a comfy chair, wrapped up with a quilt, a mug of apricot tea at hand, and a good book. But, my eyes are scritchy, and I suspect I'd just fall asleep in the chair. Maybe if I blog for a bit, I can stave off snoozing.

I'd like to fall asleep later tonight to the sound of rain on the roof. I miss that sound.

Do you have one family member you call first when there's a problem?

I have three sisters and a brother. Two of my sisters are older than I am, and so is my brother. The family falls into "girl, girl, boy, girl, girl" formation.

My oldest sister (the nurse) is the one I call when there is a family problem. Unfortunately, right now she is in Australia. She's a jet setting Gramma. Her daughter, and her daughter's family are living in Australia, and my sis has been visiting for a month so that her daughter and son-in-law could attend a conference. I can reach her by computer or by phone, but she'll be home on Sunday, so I hate to ruin her visit.

My second sister was admitted to the hospital Monday night. She is in extreme pain, and the doctors don't seem to be able to pin down exactly what's causing the problem. It could be a pinched nerve, or something having to do with spinal nerves. At any rate, she couldn't deal with the pain and they admitted her to the hospital. She had an MRI and a procedure on Tuesday that didn't work, and today they have added steroids to the morphine drip that she's been on since Monday.

I would try almost anything to avoid surgery, but she's been in so much pain she wants the doctors to take the surgical approach. It sounds to me like they don't know WHAT to cut.....so I hope they find some alternatives for her.

Normally, I'd be chatting with my oldest sister, trying to find out what she knows about the situation. As a nurse, she usually has a different take, and certainly more knowledge, and it can be reassuring to talk with her.

So, we are in "wait and see" mode, hoping for a miracle to make my sister comfortable.

When you prepare dinner, how long on average does it take you?

I was listening to the radio, and this was being discussed. On average, it takes us close to 45 minutes to prepare dinner. We are now eating mostly fresh veggies and salad, in addition to meat. Salad preparation seems to take the most time, with veggies eating up the rest. And, now I'm getting more help in the kitchen preparing dinner than ever before, and it STILL takes us around 45 minutes.

I use a crockpot occasionally, and we also have a wok. But we eat a lot of soup in the cooler weather, and soup takes time to make.

There are a number of cookbooks out there that feature 30 minute meals. I rejoice when I find a 30 minute meal that is tasty. Unfortunately, a lot of them taste terrible. My palate has passed the point where I see a TV dinner and go "YUUUUUUUMMMM!"

I don't mind giving up casseroles for healthier eating, but I'm surprised at the time it's taking us in the kitchen. How long are you willing to spend on meal preparation?

What's with men and applesauce??

Is it unmanly to eat applesauce?

Is there some rite of passage where a male child stops eating applesauce to show the world he has become a man??

Last night we prepared an antipasto. There were sliced meats, cheese, a variety of peppers, pickles, olives, tomatoes, cucumbers, romaine, eggs, crusty bread and assorted dressings. In addition, I put a dish of applesauce, and one of canteloupe on the table.

Of course, there was too much food, so there was fruit left over. I was talking to Dear Husband about eating up the left overs and he agreed, until I mentioned applesauce.

I swear he has a male union card, and it's written in the by-laws that any member caught eating applesauce will immediately be ridiculed and ousted from the union, to the accompaniment of loud jeers. They probably let the air out of your truck tires, too.

My mother is addicted to butter!

We happen to be out of butter for the first time in fifteen years. We normally have a back up box of butter, and as soon as someone touches the back up box, Mother announces that it's time to go shopping.

Well, somewhere along the line, we used all the butter, and now I'M in the dog house. It seems that it is MY responsibility to make sure that we always have butter! (snort!)

When we go grocery shopping we both have lists. I'm surprised that butter doesn't head her list. I'm not sure why I'm the bad guy here, but I'm not going out to buy a pound of butter right now. It will have to wait until tomorrow, and I bet I will hear about this for the rest of my life!

and the way my family communicates.

Second hand, I have been told that my sister has been released from the hospital to go home to her cat and dog. Apparently, she is on some type of drug, in pill form, for pain management. She is not on steroids. I don't know if she is still on morphine.

A friend is going to take her to the library so that she will have something to occupy her mind as she sits and waits for this problem to abate. I wonder if I need to make meals for her, of if the effort of reheating a meal will be too much?

I need to heat up the grapevine and see what her kids are doing to help. Wouldn't you think, with something as serious as this, that someone NOT on drugs should be involved in making decisions about what Sis is doing?

I suspect that there may be blessings in growing older alone, but this is not one of them. When you are ill, you need someone you trust to help you make sensible choices. In our family, Sister #1 probably holds that position, and it's a good thing she's coming back from Australia soon!

It's come to my attention that most of us are not spending enough time when we wash our hands.

Here's a tip to help you. As you wash, sing "Happy Birthday" to yourself twice. If you're going to be doing food preparation, sing it four times.

The Canadian Center for Occupational Health and Safety suggests that you wash your hands:

after using the washroom (includes changing diapers),
before and after eating or handling food,
after touching raw meat, poultry, or fish,
after handling garbage,
visiting sick people,
handling infected animals.

To prevent the spread of germs, avoid touching your eyes, mouth or nose.

The U.S. Center for Disease Control gives these guidelines for hand washing:

First wet your hands and apply liquid or clean bar soap. Place the bar soap on a rack and allow it to drain.
Next rub your hands vigorously together and scrub all surfaces.
Continue for 10 - 15 seconds or about the length of a little tune. It is the soap combined with the scrubbing action that helps dislodge and remove germs.
Rinse well and dry your hands.

Two other suggestions to consider, take off your rings, and be sure to clean them occasionally, and when preparing food, use a one-use, disposible towel or paper towel to dry your hands.

And, I'm sure that my dermatologist, if she read this, would say: USE HAND LOTION if you are washing your hands when you will not be preparing food.

Do you remember your first kiss?

I have to admit, I can't remember mine. I can guess who my accomplice might have been, but for the life of me, I can't remember the kiss. Underwhelming, huh??

Can't you just see me sending a note to each of the boys in my graduating class, asking if THEY were the lucky one? On second thought, that might be in bad taste. I wouldn't want to hurt their feelings if they fondly remember the kiss. After all, I could have been a terrific kisser! Besides, I don't need to tell half the class that my memory is already going.

Kissing is a GREAT activity! I was appalled when Henry Fonda asked Katherine Hepburn in "On Golden Pond" if she wanted to "suck face." It's not the sucking part, or technique that bothered me....it was the offhandedness of the remark. I'd make a comment disparaging old guys here, but Broad at Bat is teaching me to be careful about dropping generalizations about guys. Besides....I know that I should take the comment in the sense of humor, fondness and familiarity that it was intended.

So...to that anonymous guy who started me off on a lifetime of great kisses, thank you.....and so sorry I can't recall the moment. ; )

Although my blog roll is on the small size, I read a fair number of blogs. I try to visit some of the blogs that my friends have listed on their blogrolls, now and then. There's certainly a lot of variety out there.

I have political opinions, but I don't care to have a political blog. While I have a sense of humor, the things that tickle me are not easily shared in a blog. The bloggers who I really envy are those who are able to share their personal thoughts and problems. I'd like the depth of discussion that might result, but I'm uncomfortable with the idea of hanging my laundry out for all to see. And, it could be really upsetting to make my life public, and find out it's trivial and uninteresting.

So, my blog has become more of a daily journal, a record of the repetative tasks that flow through my life. Even I find it dull some days.

I'd like to be able to spin a yarn like Scherezade, or write like one of a dozen authors. I'd like to have the diplomacy, empathy and wisdom of a person like Jimmy Carter, and the mature beauty of Sophia Loren. I'd like to understand economics, and philosopy, and be multilingual. I'd like to be as creative in problem solving as my husband, and as confident in crisis as my oldest sister. I'd like a large dose of determination from my youngest sister, I'd like to have gorgeous gardens that flow from one into another, and enhance the land, and I'd like to know, that when I pass away, I won't be forgotten in a day.

Instead, my days are filled with weeding, bookkeeping, cleaning, meal preparation, and the running of errands. I've been waiting for a time when my obligations eased to allow me to fit other things into my life, but it seems that maybe I shouldn't wait. Maybe the time I spend blogging should be put to use improving the quality of my life. Variety is the spice of life....and I need more spice.

A little allspice, anyone?

I think every home must have a story that the inhabitants, if asked, would say was the most memorable thing about the house. In our case, it might be the raccoons.

Two...maybe three summers ago, I hired two handymen to do some outside work on the house. I needed to have the dormer over the front door repainted, and I wanted to have a gutter repaired.

Well, Dear Husband came home and found them at work, and I had to admit that I had hired some help. A few days later, it rained, and it became apparent that we now had a leak in the roof....perhaps in the location of where one of the men had been standing, and the gutter could still be improved.

DH went out to the front of the house, and ripped out the soffit, announcing that we would leave it open to determine where the leak was.

A year later, a lady raccoon found the open soffit, and discovered that she could make a nest between the brick wall and the drywall in my mother's sitting room. That spring we could hear her babies calling for their dinner. When she scritched her fleas, her feet would thump against the walls. We could hear her run across the roof. Later that summer, we took up viewing posts in the dining room, and watched the acrobatics as she left the wall, and curled up onto the roof. She used the valleys of the roof as her personal highways, and taught her children to follow her.

I assume that she hibernated in the wall that winter. We talked about the need to lure her out and close the soffit. I probably talked about that a LOT as she chewed her way through the rigid insulation, and began pulling out yards of fiberglass insulation. Each morning I would look out the front door and find wads of it festooning the newly emerging perennials in the sidewalk garden.

Then, we realized we had TWO female raccoons....two PREGNANT raccoons.

DEAR HUSBAND....we NEED to CLOSE the SOFFIT! DH would nod his head in agreement.

So....the raccoons found their way into the attic. One night, I was sitting in the "green room." That's the area off the kitchen where we have shelves of plants, and it's where we eat informal dinners. Over my head there was an incredible fight, with high pitched screaming and thuds. The raccoons were establishing pecking order, and territory. Evidently one took the corner over our closet, and one found a nook at the edge of the great room, and they must have divvied up the green room as a straightaway to the exit. Their choices were astonishing! They instinctively chose places where we couldn't get to them.

A month or two later, we could hear the babies trying to scramble up the slope of the cathedral ceiling over the great room. Those little suckers were cute little balls of fur....but I wanted them OUT of my house!

Dear Husband heard about it regularly, as the raccoons pulled more and more insulation out of the house. It was a warm summer, and the attic is hot, despite the fan and the vents. Every now and then I'd catch the raccoons snoozing near the opening of the soffit......a foot hanging over the side, and gentle snoring competing with the bees.

So...last month, DH finally cut a temporary patch for the soffit. We were agreed that the babies were old enough now to survive outside. We felt it was necessary to give them adequate time to find another home before winter set in.

I know you wonder why I didn't just call an exterminator. I did. Actually, I called a "trapper." I didn't want to kill these animals. Their habitat has been eaten up inexorably. Houses have marched across the fields and into the groves that were their home, and we had one of the few places left that seemed a refuge. I didn't expect them to become our dependents. At any rate, the "trapper" wanted $50 to visit and scope out the situation. Then, he wanted $35 a piece for each raccoon he caught. AND.....he would have to kill them once he caught them. We figured there were nine of them. The money wasn't the issue. Killing the babies was.

My soft-heartedness came to an end when we started hearing stories about how dangerous they were to both pets and human health. It was time for them to go.

It's quiet above me tonight. The soffit will have to be opened so that insulation can be blown into the attic, and we'll have to paint, and clean. I'm glad they are outside where they belong, but I miss them.

It was the right thing to do, if only to give Dear Husband a little peace.

Wednesday, September 22, is our wedding aniversary. We've been a couple for twenty years, and have been married fourteen of them. We plan to celebrate in a low key way. Our favorite restaurant is about thirty minutes east of us, and we'll pack Mother into the car and head off to dinner. No dancing, no huge party, no gifts (at least, I don't think there will be any gifts.)

Hmmmmmmm....I wonder if I should be looking for a gift tomorrow? What can you buy a man who has almost everything he wants other than a sixty foot sailboat? He can't sail a 60 foot sailboat by himself....so that's a moot point.

Happy Anniversary, Dear Husband! My gift to you tomorrow is not having to eat my cooking! *G* Have a great day, hon.

Well, actually, I won't be roving....but making a trip to my youngest sister's for the weekend. Roving would imply that I am going to wander. Even though I plan to take a new route, I still have a definite plan, and destination in mind.

Dear Husband and my mother and I will be making this same trip in mid October. I don't usually make the trip more than twice a year, and sometimes just once. So, when Younger Sis asked me to visit, I had to think twice about it. The answer, of course, was...WHY NOT??

I'm home!

I had a wonderful weekend with my youngest sister and her family. They had a ton of stuff planned and we filtered through it and settled on one thing here, and another thing there, and it turned out to be a laid back visit that was still jam packed.

This is the view of the herb garden on the North side of my home. I leaned out the window one day, early last May and snapped this with an instant camera.
The garden has been in place for about 15 years. The trees and shrubs to the west have been encroaching, and I cut some of them back this summer.

If you look carefully, you can see the tips of the fern fronds at the bottom right of the picture. The ferns fill the area where the back wall of the garage joins the house. The faint line from the right of the picture that runs across the bottom of the herb garden, is the path the chipmunks have worn through the grass to the bird feeder.

The front right corner of the garden has garlic chives, a chrysanthemum, regular chives (the pink blooms), oregano and winter savory. You can see day lilies in the bottom left of the garden. In the center box, a dame's rocket is in bloom with more chives, and the rest of the area is waiting for basil, rosemary and several other herbs to be planted. The arbor holds a deep purple clematis that is just beginning to leaf out.

The veggie boxes are covered with plastic. I have a weed that I couldn't kill off any other way, so I tried solar heat for the summer. We'll see how things turn out next spring.

And all the way to the back is Dear Husband's pride and joy, the Arr!! It's a 32' Bayfield cutter that is moored in Lake Michigan during the summer, and boards with us the rest of the year. Any time you can't find DH.....check the boat!

I want to thank Stu for starting the "View" meme. I have wanted to post this picture all summer and he gave me the incentive to work with my stepson to get it scanned. If you have a view from your home that you would like to share why not join us? And thanks go to Blue Witch, too, for sharing Stu's meme with us.

UPDATE: Stu's meme is called the Skyline Project.

As I traveled to my sister's in Indiana, I had a portable tape recorder with me. When something caught my eye, I made note of it. The drive was interesting.

Faces in trucks with neatly trimmed white beards. A LOT of guys in the rural area have decided that beards are "in," and it seems a lot of them happen to have white hair! There were one or two I would have liked to stop and chat with! *G*

Tonight, my quiilting bee meets. I'm just about ready for them. I have some of my Halloween decorations up, and candy corn to put out as treats. There are candles to be lit, and dishes to ready for dessert.

I really need to cut out some pieces for a pumpkin applique that I started the last time we met. THEY would have finished it that night....and I'm still futzing around with it a month later. I love the look of applique, I just don't like to do it, and all but one of this group are experts at applique! Just my luck.

The only problem is, I can't keep my head up. I was working in the office until almost one o'clock last night, and now the need to catch up on my sleep is overwhelming. If I get up and move around, I bet I can catch my second wind.

Blue Witch wrote at length last Friday about changes in the retirement rules in the UK ("More pensions" Friday, September 24). Once again, I have great empathy with her subject matter, especially since Dear Husband and I are much closer to that point in our lives.

I had so much to say to her about it, that I felt it would be more appropriate to write it here, and link to her comments.

For the past ten years or so, we have been receiving notices from the Social Security Administration telling how much we had paid into the system, and how much we would be likely to receive a month should we retire at 62, or perhaps 65. In the past couple of years they are now telling us what we would receive should we choose to wait to retire at 70!

The government never intended Social Security to be a complete retirement package. They have always talked up 401k retirement plans, and savings, and any prudent person has investments to augment those. Unfortunately, the stock market wiped out a lot of those investment gains, and those who were in for the long haul, are running out of time when it comes to rebuilding those funds.

At the same time, the Federal Government is realizing that the Baby Boomers are nearing retirement age, and they are beginning to worry that there won't be enough money to pay their claims. Their response: encourage them to work longer!

So....these notices show you how much MORE you would earn if you worked until you were 70. They don't tell you that you HAVE to work that long, but the graphics showing what you would earn at 62, 65 and 70 are pretty convincing.

There are several catches to this line of thinking. First, it's one thing to assume that I might continue to do paper work until I am 70. As long as I get my sleep, and I can see my monitor (Thank you for LARGE FONTS!!!), I could keep working. However, Dear Husband is an officer in a construction company. He is NOT going to be able to deal with the extremes of heat that Northern Illinois throws at us much longer. He might choose to take a job that pays a lot less than his present job, in order to stay inside more. So, Catch #1 is the physical ability to continue at your job.

The statistics the SSA sends us assume that we will continue to earn as much, or more, from now until we retire. It doesn't, perhaps can't, take into consideration changes in employment (Catch #2). And, in our experience, those our age who change jobs, tend not to move up in salary. We have friends our age who would be happy for a run of the mill job, let alone one with a golden parachute.

And....Catch #3....I seriously doubt that by the time I retire there will be one red cent left in the treasury to pay my Social Security. My Federal government sees fit to GIVE half a billion a week to five countries who are at the top of the list as recipients of our foreign aid: Iraq, Israel, Egypt, Afghanistan and Columbia. I have NO idea how much more we pay to the rest of the world. It's a shame we are being taxed to support a world that doesn't like us, rather than providing health care for our own poor.

So, we're pretty uncomfortable about the idea of retiring. It will come one day, but I suspect it won't be soon, and it might be a lot later than we'd like.

Blue Witch....good luck revising your plans. I'd really like to know SOMEONE who retired by fifty!

I've been casting about, wondering what I wanted to write about. There's a lot on my mind, but most of it is trivial nest making, and it isn't the thing to inspire great posts.

I have to tip my hat to billy who can make a blog entry out of not having the time to blog. I teased him about his absence in the blog world lately, and I got a lovely letter, and then found he had blogged about visiting my blog. *G* I can use all the help I can get in terms of links, but he was linking to a blog that has been too darned quiet lately.

So...first, I want to say to billy.....I totally understand, hon. We all have other things that demand our time, and most of them rank higher in importance than our blogs (unfortunately). I'm sorry I made you feel bad with my comments. More to the point, I should have said I missed you, but I understood. (I'm still waiting for Dr. D's comment on your comment about packaging.)

Secondly, I want to THANK billy, for giving me something to write about in my blog! lol I have unabashedly stolen his idea and repeated it here. *G*
Maybe things will pick up here when gardening season ends. No....what am I thinking. We'll be headlong into the holidays by then! Well...maybe in the new year I'll find time to write.

Until then....be patient with me.

Isn't there a song in "My Fair Lady" that starts out that way? ...where Eliza's father is getting married and he's celebrating before he has to go to the church?

Well, in a few more hours it will be my birthday. I expect this one to pass quietly; this is not a milestone birthday. I generally don't care to go clothing shopping, but I may take some time to pick up some new clothes for this fall.
Dear Husband asked me what I wanted for my birthday, and beyond a few new quilting books, I didn't have any suggestions.

It's supposed to be rainy off and on tomorrow. The storm is on its way in now. I don't mind the rain, but I wish I had made better use of the good weather to get some yard work done. If the rain keeps everyone out of the stores while I shop, so much the better!

Soooooo....I'll just be off quietly celebrating over here.....

The time has come for the Arr!! to be hauled out for the season. Dear Husband is going to spend the night on the boat so that he can get an early start on Saturday morning. He wants to be at the front of the line at the crane, where they un-step the mast. Then, he can motor down the Chicago River to the boat yard, where the boat will be craned out onto the trailer.

Normally, boating season goes to October 15th, but we asked Dear Husband to join us on a visit to my sister and her family in Indiana next weekend. The boat yard announced the day the crane would be set to take down masts, so he didn't have a lot of choice about when the boat would come home. If he misses the crane on Saturday, he'll have to join a flotilla of sailboats going down river, which is a lot more work.

Flotillas gather so that they can all go through the bridges at the same time. The City of Chicago used to open a bridge for any sailboat that wanted to pass, but a number of years ago, Mayor Daley changed that practice. Now, the river fills up with sailboats waiting for the bridges to open. It can be dangerous when the river is clogged with small boats. They are obligated to yield the right of way to commercial vessels and government vessels. You have to give way to tour boats, tugs, and fire-fighting boats. So, if DH has the option to motor down the river ahead of the pack, that's his preference.

Saturday afternoon, he'll make it back to our corner of the world, and he will very carefully back the Arr!! up our driveway, and settle her in the north 40. He'll have to back up close to 300 feet, with a gentle bend about half way. Right at that spot, there are trees on either side of the drive. It's quite a process, getting it settled for the winter.

Over the next month he'll unload the perishables, and anything that won't winter over well on the boat. The bilges will have been emptied, and he'll pour a couple of gallons of cheap vodka in to winterize them. Maybe by Thanksgiving, I'll see him again. Home is the sailor, home from the sea.

Welcome home, Arr!!

It's an absolutely spectacular day! One of those perfect Fall days where the sky is a clear blue, and it's cool, but not cold. The sun warms you when you walk or work and everything feels RIGHT!

I dragged my mother to the Farmers Market this morning. I wanted to pick up gourds and pumpkins and corn to use as decorations, and we needed to drop a gift off. The man who sharpens knives refuses to let my mother pay for his services. He flirts with her as he pumps the treadle for his wheel, and she loves the attention. And this year, he sharpened my pruners and knives and wouldn't let ME pay him. So, I chose two bottles of my favorite wine, and wrapped them up, and added two jars of Mother's home made chili sauce. This will be the last time she sees him this year. He wanted the chance to wish her well for the winter, so I'm glad we went.

I stopped at McDonald's and got Mother settled with a cup of coffee while I went next door to have the car washed. Then, we went to a local nursery to pick up a bale of straw and play with their nine week old Australian cattle dog. What a sweet pup!

I plan to use the rest of the day to get some outside chores done. I want to repot a couple of things, and get a few last minute plants into the ground. It's a good day for it.

So, I hope you're having a wonderful weekend, too! Catch ya later!

We had an exceptional visit today with Cop Car and her Hunky Husband, Bogie's parents, and WichiDude's in-laws.

Cop Car called on Friday when they made it into the Chicago area, and we agreed that we would meet at one of our favorite restaurants for brunch. I gave them directions, and we discussed how much time they were likely to need, and we rang off. What we didn't think to do was to describe ourselves so that we would be able to recognize each other in a busy waiting area!

It didn't matter. I called HH's phone to see if I could catch them, and as I was turning around, here was Cop Car, ready to give me a hug, should I be the right person. We had a lovely meal, chatting and getting to know each other. I was told that I was unkind to walk her past two tables of dessert on the way back to our table. *G* After the meal, Cop Car rode home with us, and HH took our map, so he could join us later.

Not only did she bring me two red bud trees, but she graciously allowed me to show her just about every quilt in the house! That takes patience, and we swapped stories as I put out quilt after quilt. She's seen the almost-completed top that I talked about at the end of January. I'm working on the borders now, so it should be ready to be quilted soon.

Cop Car brought us gifts, among them a jar of Bogie's salsa. I was teasing about that at Bogie's blog, but we're glad to have it. We bird watched, and she tried to hear our chickadee's song, so that she could tell us what kind it was, but the birds were quiet just then.

We chatted away the afternoon, and then went to dinner at an Italian place. I have to be reminded now and then to let others have a chance to talk, so it was a good thing that dinner tasted great. Thanks for dinner, Cop Car and HH! We called it a night just about the time I started complaining about the political debates. They needed to find their way back to the motel for an early start in the morning.

Guys, I had a lovely time. You helped me stretch my birthday celebration over several days, and I really enjoyed your visit. We'll have to make a serious effort to head out your way so we can visit again.

Yummmmmmmmm!!!!

I'm having lunch, and I need to thank Cop Car and HH for it! Usually the term "leftovers" has a terrible connotation to it, but that's not the case today. I'm eating Country Rigatoni. I was served so much last night that I brought at least half of it home, and I'm happy to tell you that this is one of those dishes that's even better the second day!

Thank you, both for a great dinner, and even better company!

I never talk about politics. I feel that you could elect any of the people who have run in the past few years, and they would, for the most part, be carbon copies of each other. I'm not sure why we even have a two party system. No candidate wants to make a statement that could loose him votes, so there's very little discussion or debate of solid issues. I'm astonished that the present candidates have agreed to have four debates. I'd like to see the list of requirements that had to be met before the debates could take place.

If you could create the candidate of your choice, what issues would he have to address? Here's a list of some topics that matter to voters:

Our presence in Iraq, Afghanistan, Bosnia etc.
Homeland Security
The Economy
Affordable Health Insurance
Social Security
Pro Choice or Pro Life
Gay rights
Prayer in School, "God" in courtrooms and on money

What issues must your candidate support? Recently I heard a man say that he'd like the candidates to explain why we spend half a billion a week to support five other nations, when his family of six had NO health insurance.

Supporters of the war in Iraq have various reasons for us continuing to be a presence. Some want to see a democratic government installed, and others want to be sure that they can get the oil they need for business. Some want to prevent Iraq from being a stronghold for terrorism, and others want to free those who have been terrorized by their own government. For whatever reason, this is a HOT issue.

We will always be a nation divided on the subject of abortion. I fail to understand how someone Pro-Life can justify killing doctors who perform abortions. While I doubt that I would have ever been able to have an abortion, I strongly believe that a woman should have the right to determine what happens within her body. And, having said that, I'd work to prevent women from using abortion as birth control. I know, I'm conflicted on this issue, but I think of myself as Pro-Choice.

Gay Rights is another hot button. I'd like to know just how many gay people there are in the U.S. Either there is a lot of them, or they have just become very vocal about their treatment by the government, and I can't blame them wr wanting change. I don't understand how the government can refuse them the same services and benefits that heterosexual couples have. The constitution doesn't support the rules the government has put in place.

The DJ I listen to in the morning said that Homeland Security is most important. He feels that you have to be alive for any of the others to matter, so he ranks that as his most important choice.

I'm still trying to decide. I'd like to take bits and pieces of all the Presidents who have served during my life, and some who served before I was born and roll them together into the perfect candidate. I want someone who is honest, moral, strong in the face of adversity, a great diplomat, and good at foreign affairs. He or she would have to find a way to care for the poor in our own country, to educate anyone who wanted to go to school, and make health care affordable. He'd have to find a way to keep us safe from terrorists, without closing us off from the rest of the world. And he would have to resist the pull of power. "Power tends to corrupt; absolute power corrupts absolutely." Lord Acton.

Unfortunately, the paragon of virtue I just described doesn't exist, so I have to choose from lesser candidates, and it means that I'll have to sift through the issues and decide which of them are most important to me. It's going to be another tough election.

Our exceptional Fall weather has broken at long last. We've been enjoying the color change and moderate temperatures for the past few days, and finally we are going to see some rainy weather.

The sky is gray and cloudy. We're not quite to the "overcast" stage yet, but they tell us it's coming.

I refuse to complain. We need the rain, and some of us need the solitude that a rainy day brings. If my mother could have her way, it would be 78 and sunny all the time. I like the occasional stormy day that draws the world in, and slows it down, and I like the snap of a cool Fall day.

I'm savoring the green just outside my office window. The magnolia has just begun it's change to a buttery yellow. You can see the lighter color interspersed amid the deeper green. The forsythia is still going strong, but the poison ivy climbing the tree further down the lawn has gone yellow.

We have a beautiful maple tree that we are loosing. The bark is split up the trunk, and either it has suffered from a lack of water, or from an infestation. It still has one branch showing it's fiery Fall plumage. This will be it's last Fall.

I hope that where ever you are, you are enjoying these days as much as I am. It's lovely out there.

Earlier, I told you that my birthday celebration had been very low-keyed. It was, but what I didn't know then was that it would go on for five days! *G*

Friday, the eighth, was my birthday. Since Dear Husband had to be away, I chose to have a lazy day. I left the office early and went shopping for some new sweaters. Since we didn't have to worry about a big dinner, Mother and I had BLT's and then I sewed on my quilt, and watched a movie and organized some shelves, and I talked with my sisters, as, one by one, they called to wish me a Happy Birthday. I know that sounds like a pretty poor celebration to most of you, but it was what I wanted to do!

Saturday, was more of the same, with a trip to the Farmer's Market thrown in. We got some yard work done, and had Minestrone for dinner. I missed exercise on Friday, so one of my exercise buddies called and sang "Happy Birthday!"

Sunday, Cop Car and HH came to visit, and we chatted the entire day away!

Monday, I had to go back to work, and it felt like business as usual, but there was one last HURRAH coming.

Tuesday, we have a standing date for dinner with one of my nieces and her two boys. We fix a more complex meal than usual, and sit at the table, and practice our manners and talk about the news of the week.

Yesterday, we'd returned late from an appointment and I had to rush to get a turkey breast ready to cook. At that, dinner wouldn't be much later than usual, around six. They arrived an hour early, complete with a bouquet of flowers, a yellow cake iced with chocolate fudge frosting (YUUUUUMMM!!!), and the most wonderful card I think I've ever received. It had a list of things an Aunt is...or an Aunt does. We talked about how difficult it was to find cards that said the right thing, and my niece told me that had she not found this card, she would have written all those same words down on her own. I'm so fortunate to have this girl in my life!

So, I've stretched my birthday out for five days, made new friends, visited with family, and had a lovely time. Thank you, to all who participated!

We're going traveling again. Dear Husband, and my Mother and I, will recreate my trip from three weeks ago. We're going to visit my youngest sister and her family for the weekend. Niece #1 is a freshman this year. Her high school marching band is in a competition on Saturday, and we hope to see them perform. Niece #2 turns fourteen in a few days, so we have a birthday celebration, as well.

We'll be off through the newly harvested fields, taking the back route to central Indiana. Luckily, #2 son is cat and house sitting, or the trip could be really odd. I can just see the cat pacing back and forth meoowing lemmie "OOOOwwwwwwwwwt." At least #2 son is better mannered!

I'll be back to catch up on blogs and find out what you've all been doing, later this weekend. I hope you have great weather!

Well, we made it home safely. The weekend with my youngest sister and her family was a pleasure.

Friday, about 11:00, Mother, Dear Husband and I had lunch at Chili's and then started our drive to Central Indiana. We took a variation on the route that we've been using for the last 15 years or so, and were there half an hour earlier. The fields are not completely stripped clean, but the harvest is pretty far along. My mother enjoyed the view, and marveled again, and again, over the distance between the farm houses in that part of the world.

Friday evening we had a quiet night with the family. Sis made chili and we'd stopped at a local bakery and bought them out so that we would have "bread and butter" gifts. (Pun intended. *G*) We tried the cheese bread, a loaf of cinnamon bread and cinnamon buns for breakfast, a raspberry creme kuchen, and three pots of jam. (Note....we did NOT eat all of that! Some of it was shared with friends and some was frozen.) My sis made a carrot cake, so DH could have one piece, and not have to take the entire cake home. (That was part of his birthday present.) We gave Daughter #2 her birthday gift, so that she could share it with her friends. October is a busy birthday month for us.

Saturday, we had brunch at home and then went to see both of the girls in the Class C District Marching Band Competition. I have a lot to share on that in a later post, but I'm happy to say that their band is going on to the State competition this coming weekend.

It was a bitterly cold day. We took extra coats, gloves, a blanket, and cushions to sit on. The kids, especially the color guards, were inadequately covered, and it was windy, and starting to rain by the time the contest was over. They get a lot of credit for toughing it out under difficult circumstances.

The kids went with the band to dinner, and the adults had dinner out, too, NOT with the band!

Sunday morning, we had breakfast, and then packed up for the return trip home. I figured my sis and her husband had enough to do, so we didn't linger.
On the trip home, we fine-tuned the route once again, and made it home in four hours, despite a 15 minute delay at a McDonald's, getting iced tea. (We ran afoul of the church crowd.)

It was a good thing we came home early. Dear Husband put me to work right away. I had to type two proposals and do all the attendant paperwork. We had scheduled a visit on Monday with the CPA's assistant, so I was chained to the desk for the day. I needed to go to exercise, but there wasn't time for everything that needed to be done. I even put off grocery shopping!

I'm glad we went, and I'm glad we're back safely. I really enjoy this annual outting.

The old computer.

For the last six months or so, I've had two computers sitting on my desk in the living room. We kept the old office computer as a backup when we switched from Gateway to Dell. The Gateway runs on Windows 95 and is a dinosaur compared to the one I use now. I plan to save some of the files to disk, and then move them to the new personal computer. Then I can clear off the clutter where I work in the living room. It will be nice to have the wires out of the way. A little elf told me that there are devices that you can use to corral all the cords, to keep them tidy. That sounds like a great item for my Christmas wish list.

I left the computer running the other night, when I went to sit with DH and watch a TV program. The new computer fan really makes a racket, so I'm thinking about what I could use to create a short screen that would block some of the noise. I don't want to box the computer in, or it will overheat, but maybe I can redirect some of the noise. Maybe I can cover a square of rigid insulation with fabric, or a quilt pattern that would fit in with the rest of the decor.

Tomorrow, October 26th, is Dear Husband's birthday. I won't go shouting out his age, but I can tell you than neither of us are spring chickens any more. (Now, THERE'S and idea for a blog. What the heck is a "spring chicken?")

My niece and her boys come to dinner on Tuesdays, and then we play UNO and have dessert. Tomorrow, dessert will be one of Dear Husband's beloved pies. He doesn't care for cake, so we traditionally do birthday pie. His pie of choice would be lemon meringue or coconut cream or banana cream. My niece is providing the dessert, so she will choose the kind of pie.

Some time in the next week to ten days, we'll go out to dinner to celebrate, but Tuesday, we'll celebrate with family. UNO anyone??

Yeah....I bet you thought I was going to talk about my exercise class. Heck, NO!

On Sunday, I got waaaay too much exercise visiting the Antiques Market with my oldest sister. She was here about 6:45 in the morning. I'm guessing, because I was still getting ready at that point. I came running out of the bedroom at 7:00 to find her chatting with Mother, waiting on me. Luckily, she wasn't bothered by the short wait.

She drove, and we took off for the Market. We made such good time that we were there about 15 minutes early, but they let us in anyway. It was nippy to start. I bought hot apple cider for both of us to sip, and gave her my gloves to use until the sun warmed up a bit. The day turned out to be glorious, and we shopped so well and long that we had to make two trips back to the car to leave packages and layers of clothing that were no longer needed.

I bought TWO quilts. One will be a gift, and the other is for me. I found a depression era quilt that is a variation of the Boston Commons. I have to look up the variation name. This one is square rather than rectangular, and other than a little sun fading in the corner, it's in good shape.

I found a medium sized wooden bowl that appealed to me. I found sets of crochetted and embroidered pillowcases to give as gifts, and to use on my own bed. I found a bone china cup and saucer, and tea napkins to give as a Christmas present, and a delicate cup and saucer for myself.

Mostly, I just enjoyed spending the day with my sister. We're both busy women, and it's not easy to make the time to go off and do things together. Luckily for me, she doesn't take being busy as an adequate excuse for not doing fun things, so when I mentioned the Market's last session for the year, she wrote it into her calendar.

What pleases me the most is that we are going to be together again this coming weekend, along with my youngest sister. It should be a great weekend! I plan to window shop, to point out all the great places to eat, and fight to get a word in edgewise!

And THIS time.....I plan to take my Ibuprophen with me! *G*

Dear Redeaglespirit1,

You're SO RIGHT!!! For a long time I've fussed about not being able to blog every day. I bought a small tape recorder so that I could tape ideas when I was somewhere I couldn't write them down. I thought that if the ideas were available, I would be able to post at least something small every day.

Welll...it looks like that's just not my style. Usually I make the time to post on the weekends, but one of my stepsons was working on our computers this weekend, and then I was away on Sunday, and by the time late Sunday evening rolled around, it just wasn't going to happen. Actually, I would have been happy to go to bed without dinner on Sunday, I was so worn out from spending the day with my sister.

So, here it is, Monday, past my bedtime, and I finally made the time to blog. I must be in good company, if you went a week without posting. *S* I know you all understand about the rest of our lives occasionally getting in the way. This week I have to start putting the gardens to bed for the winter, so I expect to be away again. Btw....go visit Bogie....and see all the stuff SHE has to do to get ready for winter! Maybe you could laugh at her pun about putting the gardens to bed. (I ignored her.)

I'll save up a week of comments and be back. I want to tell you about "Lucifer's Hammer" and pumpkin carving, and scarecrows, and Halloween. And I know that other things will come to me over the weekend.

Have a great week!

I posted tonight, but MT must not love me.

Yes....I've been away longer than usual. I've been saving up things to share with you while I've been chained to my office desk. Hopefully, I'll get the time in the next few days to write a bit more.

We are already into November and I've barely scratched the surface of my Fall gardening. The Herb Garden is just about ready for winter, but it's the only garden that has received any attention.

If you have iris, now is the time to add a gentle fertilizer. Go buy a bag a alfalfa pellets, the kind of thing you might feed bunnies. Sprinkle them around your pods of iris, and let them deteriorate over the winter. They'll feed the iris and you'll have the most spectacular blooms you've ever seen.

I need to cut back peonies this weekend, and the plants in the container gardens. The pots need to be emptied and cleaned for storage in the garage over the winter. I want to insulate two roses and a pot of herbs that I'm going to try to store in the garage, too.

Saturday, we plan to attend a wedding reception late in the afternoon, and then go on to dinner with the kids, to celebrate Dear Husband's birthday. We're a little late with that celebration, but this was the first time we could gather. Sunday, one of my nieces is coming for a visit in the afternoon. So, I should be able to do some gardening during the mornings.

So...while my mind dwells on gardens and celebrations, the filing calls me. I'll be back soon.

Last night as our quilting bee was coming to a close, I asked the members if they had all voted. I received a resounding "YES!" I should have known these ladies would have been johnny-on-the-spot to see to their obligation as a citizen.

What interested me was that they are all rabidly Democratic! Wait...I don't mean that in a bad way. When I graduated from school, I was a Democrat, and over the years, as a businesswoman, I have gradually become a little more conservative. You could describe me as a person who votes the man, or the issue, NOT the party.

So, I was amazed to find that these women were all aggressively Democratic. They span years from 40 to 66 and are all college educated. The older ones remember what it was like to live through Viet Nam, and one of them marched against the war in Washington. Another is a walking textbook of statistics on Dubya's first four years, and the youngest member lost sleep election night, hoping that Kerry would make it.

My mother, who is a Republican, announced this week that she had, for the first time in her life, voted for a Democrat. I assumed she meant Kerry, but it's possible that she was speaking of Barak Obama, who has been elected as one of our Senators. I wish she had been present as we discussed politics last night, because it would have been enlightening to learn how she looks at the world. While she has never missed the chance to vote, I have never heard her make a political statement.

I've known my quilting friends for YEARS.....more than twenty years, for most of them, and I never knew how they felt about politics. I'm really glad I asked!

MAXIMA mea culpa!

The wondrous woman who hosts my blog was born on Halloween. I know that fact. I've known it for ages. Somehow, when October 31st came around this year, I forgot to send her my best wishes.

How embarrassing! Mortifying! How RUDE of me!

Okay....enough breast beating.

T.....I love you, girl, and I'm dreadfully sorry about missing your birthday. I hope you painted the town red, ate all the chocolate you wanted, and danced the night away!

Happy Birthday, hon!

Yes, we voted. Dear Husband went during the work day, and I drove over to the polling place with my Mother. Like Wichi Dude, I probably should have posted this on Tuesday, but it was on my list of "......when I get back to the computer" subjects.

Mother was rather funny about the subject. There was NO thought of not voting, but she announced on Monday that we would have to go EARLY because she had to get back to see Johnny Depp on the Oprah show.

She was rather ticked when I announced that to the members of the exercise class. Tonight, she said that she didn't understand why people thought that someone who is 88 (or almost 88), shouldn't be interested in the opposite sex. I told her that I didn't understand it either. I was right there with her, watching Johnny Depp!

So....we've voted. Not everyone we voted for made it into office. You win some years.....and you loose some years.

NO, not the little bugs that drive you wild when you're sailing, or gardening. I've been thinking about how much of the time I do work that has little to show for it.

Tuesday, was one of the rare days when I didn't have to leave the house. I spent the first hour cleaning the kitchen, and the rest of the day I alternated between moving loads of laundry through the washer and drier and cleaning up stacks of work in the office. My niece and her boys joined us for our weekly dinner, and when they left, I went back to work in the office. At 2:00 in the morning, I finally crashed for the night, after creating the envelopes for the invitations to my Mother's open house.

Everything I did NEEDED to be done. I didn't get everything done that needed to be done. And except for the fact that we had clean clothes, and you could see the counters in the kitchen.....there was no evidence of the long day I had put in.

It's difficult to have a life where there is so little to show for your efforts. I used to be able to proudly point to children who were becoming musicians as a sign of my efforts. And, at one time in my life, I churned out quilts.

It's said that if you want something done, you should ask a busy person. They seem to be able to squeeze in one more thing. Maybe I need to force the issue and add one more thing to my week, and then one more, and one more after that, until I can list my accomplishments.

Or, perhaps, I need to find a way to be satisfied with the work I do. After all, caring for your mother is an honorable job. Keeping your husband out of jail, by filing federal quarterly reports is a commendable job.

Still....I'd like to be a little less "faceless."

We live in an interesting area west of Chicago. Fifteen years ago, we built a house at the end of what was a row of "farmettes." As nearly as I can tell, that means long, deep lots that may have been used to keep horses or farm animals, or perhaps to have small veggie farms. Our land had been purchased in the 1930S by a couple who started a nursery. The remains of the nursery can be seen in the grove behind our house, and the evergreens on our lawn.

My husband is addicted to puns. In all fairness, I have to say that I love them too, but we like different types of puns. He is likely to go for the quick and dirty, the most obvious, hit them over the head, BAD sort of puns, while I tend to like the long involved stories that need to be read or at least told by a master story teller.

My mother has been living with us for the last fifteen years, and this week, I discovered that DH has swayed her over to the dark side.

We were driving home from an errand, and we saw a sea gull perched upon a light standard. It was so perfectly situated that it looked like it was a statue. As we drove by, Mother turned to me and said "I can't decide if that was a boy or a gull."

Ba-dump bump!

What did I do to deserve this??

My sister sent this to me today. It's one of the best e-mails I've ever received on the subject of friends, and I want to share it with you.

I don't know who wrote it, but I'd LOVE to give them credit for a wonderful message about sharing our lives with our friends.

I'm one of those people, those old fogies, who believe that you shouldn't celebrate Christmas until you have celebrated Thanksgiving. It disturbs me to go to a mall in mid-October and see it dressed for Christmas, and to see them hawking merchandise on the basis of it's "gift appeal."

I can understand towns and villages wanting to get the decorations up while the weather is still reasonably warm. I can deal with that sort of thing as long as the decorations are not lighted until the day after Thanksgiving.

I know....I'm a grinch. But it seems to me that we have lost the entire point of the celebration of Christmas in the overflow of merchandise and garish decorations.

I'm a hoarder.

I don't intend to be one, but it seems that I am. My niece was helping me organize the pantry this evening, and she brought to my attention the fact that I have enough candles to light most of Illinois.

I love candles, especially this time of the year. I love the pumpkin spice scented ones and those that are spiced apple scented. I like the warmth of the flame, and the homey feeling they give the house.

I was cleaning shelves in my clothes closet on Sunday. We have one of those closet organizer systems, and the shelf on the top seems to be a tiny bit short. It rests on pegs that you can use to change the height of the shelf, and every now and then, if you touch it just right, it will slide off the pegs, and dump everything on you.

Well, on Sunday, it did just that. Everything slid past me and hit the floor as I grabbed for the shelf. Everything landed safely except for a bottle of Eucalyptus essential oil. The bottle is tiny, but the oil packs a punch. Some of it spilled across the back end of two pairs of slides, and some of it dripped onto, and into the carpet.

My beloved SUV had to go in for repairs this week. When I turned on the heat, the entire dashboard shuddered. I suspected I knew the problem, but I wanted to be sure it wasn't something under warranty.

When they opened the hood, they found one of our free-loading mice had made a home in my air filter. Of course, now I have to check our other vehicle, for the same problem.

The paradox came when I traveled through the dealership to pay my bill. A long hallway connected the section where the repairs are done, and the sales area where the cashier resides. Halfway down the hall, there was the loveliest scent in the air, and then petroleum odors closed in again. I thought I had imagined it, until I retraced my steps. In the midst of all those "manly' smells, the three women who worked there had made a little oasis in the ladies room.

The door was ajar, and I could smell either the scent of the soap, or perhaps a hand lotion. What made me smile, was that the door was directly across from the parts department, and the men were lined up, sitting on leather stools, waiting to get the parts for their repair jobs.

I wonder if they were taking their time because they liked the lovely scent wafting over them, or if they needed a break from all those "manly" smells!?

Well, we are two thirds of the way through Fall. We've had the most amazing season this year. I'm still waiting for the frost that will do in the last of my plants. I take heat every day from my mother, who wants me to go out and kill off living plants that have grown out over the sidewalk. The brick holds the heat of day and staves off the lighter frosts. These plants clearly understand the benefits of decorating the brick with their arms. You have to be careful where you place your feet as you come up the walk.

Last week we moved a bale of straw to the covered entryway, and set a mum and some pumpkins on it. We also cleared the containers of spent plants and moved some of them to storage, swept the sidewalk, and generally tidied everything. The entryway is ready to welcome visitors, unless we have our killing frost in the next week. Unfortunately, I can see myself outside doing yard work the day before Thanksgiving!

It's been a dry year. We had plenty of rain in late Spring, and then gradually things dried up. We'd have a week of gray days, but no rain, and then we had unremitting sun for a month. Finally, this week, we are getting the gentlest of rains. It isn't enough, but we'll take what we can get. I hope that the trees and shrubs get enough to drink before the ground freezes.

So, I'm still thinking in a Fall palate. I want to dress my tables for Thanksgiving in rich pumpkin colors. I have teasel and milkweed pods and cattails to use as part of my floral decorations. My candles smell like pumpkin pies rich in cloves and ginger. Let's hope the weather holds just a bit longer until we "gather together to ask the Lord's blessing."

I've been concerned that there was something wrong with our cat, Ed. He's the one named for Edward Scissorhands, thanks to wicked claws.

Ed is an indoor-outdoor cat. During the summer he'd like us to acknowledge that he is an OUTDOOR cat....but we compromise on the subject. Generally we let him out from whoever is awake first in the morning, until about two o'clock in the afternoon. Most days he tests his freedom, by asking to be let in and then back out a dozen times. Finally....close to 2:00, we get tired of the game and refuse to open the door for him. That's his cue to slink off and take a nap in the safetly of the house. Other days, he refuses to return until much later in the day, as if to say "I'm in charge here; I'll do as I please!"

So, last week, I finally made an appointment with the vet. I was concerned that Ed looked as though he had lost weight, and thought maybe he needed his quarterly visit to be wormed.

Normally Ed is a tough cat, but when we get to the vet's he becomes a sissy. This trip, he pushed his face between my arm and my hip and hugged my body. I think he figured if he couldn't see the doc, she couldn't see him.

The doc was surprised at how he looked, and that made my heart sink. But, when she weighed him, he hadn't lost any significant weight since August. Because we were both disturbed by his appearance, she decided to do a bank of blood tests on him. We'll find out the results tomorrow night. If there had been anything serious, they would have called us on Tuesday.

I hate to admit it, but Ed is about 64 now. It doesn't seem that he's been with us that long, but he's about 12 in human years. The chart I was reading says that makes him older than I am. Perhaps what we are seeing is the result of a well lived life. I certainly hope it's nothing more!

BFI, the company who picks up garbage for my town, needs to have someone encourage them to institute a "The Customer is Always Right" policy!

We live between two subdivisions, and every time there is someone new assigned to our route, they miss our garbage. Of course, it's MY duty to call them and let them know they failed to pick it up.

This morning I called, and was told (repeatedly, by a machine) that their hours were from 8:00 to 4:00 Monday through Friday. Unfortunately, it told me that at 8:00, 8:01, 8:02, 8:03, 8:04 and on, until I had to quit calling them at 8:10 so that I could get to exercise.

When we returned home, I called them again and had to play 20 questions. Each of the questions was phrased to show us just how sick they are of STUPID people who call them. What day is your Pickup Day? Tuesday. I just told you that it wasn't picked up yesterday, and yesterday was TUESDAY! What time did you have the garbage out at the curb? 5:00 a.m., even though you don't pick up the garbage until later in the day. Did it have the proper stickers on the bins? Yes! Did you use an authorized bin? We use your bins for recycling, and our own bins for garbage. This was the garbage you missed, so no, it was not one of your bins. What's your address (in a very bored tone)?

This woman lead me right to the edge of violence. Every word from her mouth implied that we had screwed up in getting the garbage out to the street. They NEVER admit that their people could have erred!

Now, I'll probably get in trouble for complaining about their service on my blog, and they'll give me someone else's garbage, while leaving ours behind, again!

If your business requires that you have to work with the general populace, you need to get real about how you interact with them. I can tell you, when the contract comes up for renewal, I'll be encouraging the committee to look into other service providers!

If you read Essay's blog, you'll understand when I tell you that my Peeves rating was "VOLCANIC!"

The rain has moved in. It's been gray all day, and was misting as we came home from errands around noon. The sky darkened through out the afternoon, and around 4:00 I realized that it was raining. We should have rain off and on into the weekend. It was 60 degrees today, but by Sunday, we should be down into the low 40s.

As we drove home, we passed the last of the corn fields to be harvested. The resident Canada geese were gleaning the fields. The farmer had made his first pass over the field, leaving roughly the bottom 12 inches of the stalks behind. Eventually he will disk the crop and turn it under, but for now you see a rough stubble. The bodies of the geese were hidden by the stubble, but you could see their necks sticking up out of the field. There were so many geese it looked like the farmer had planted another fast growing crop.

I learned yesterday that you should never wait until three days before a holiday to shop for a new table cloth.

I have a lovely table cloth, in the right size, in a wonderful Fall Gold shade, but there were no matching napkins left. Instead, I ended up with eight wonderful napkins in gold, russet and green that bring a lot more color to the table. Some lessons are felicitous, but I didn't think that was how my shopping trip would turn out yesterday.

I found two table cloths in a reasonable price range to cover a long banquet table. Unfortunately, there weren't matching napkins for either of them. Then, I found these great napkins, but there was no matching table cloth in the right size.

I looked at every set of gold napkins in the place before I finally realized that the table would be prettier with the additional color. I'll add flowers in fall colors, and candles, and we should have a lovely table.

I hope your Thanksgiving plans are all coming together well!

To my blog family, I wish you all the happiest of Thanksgivings, even those of you who may not celebrate Thanksgiving tomorrow. The idea is the same worldwide, even if we choose different days or ways to celebrate.

Tomorrow 27 of my family will be here to share a meal and say thanks for all that has happened in the past year. Dear Husband's youngest kid gave birth to our beautiful granddaughter. One of my nephews married, a niece had a baby boy. My god child also had a little boy this year. We feel very blessed.

I have pumpkin bread in the oven, and my Sicilian husband is making lasagna, which is his contribution to our meal. The element on one of my ovens has died, but we've found clever ways to get around the problem, and I know that our meal will be incredible. I come from a family of wondrous cooks.

I hope you have something for which you can say thanks. It doesn't have to be something big. It could be the smile a child gave you, or a rose from your sweetheart.

I'm glad that I met Cop Car and Hunky Husband and have been voted into their family. I'm glad Dr. D. and Mad Bull came through the hurricanes safely. I'm glad for Desiree that things seem to be working out for them. I'm glad that Stephanie came home to recharge, and that the boy is doing fine, Billy. Jamie, I'm glad that I haven't heard any stories about a mother in the Dallas area going on a rampage! lol

I'm looking forward to catching up with you all on Friday. I hope you all have a great Thanksgiving!

Are you a sale maven? Do the words "the day after Thanksgiving" bring joy to your heart? Then get your rest tonight. The BIG sale day of the holiday season is upon us.

I won't be joining you. Personally, I'd rather go to a mall on a Tuesday morning at 9:30, when not another soul is around, other than the sales people. I don't like the hunt or the crush, and I don't need to know that I ripped the very last Baby Bumpkins out of another woman's hand, to win the shopper of the day award.

That doesn't mean I don't like to make purchases for less. I'm not convinced that you can't save just as much on other days of the year. The traffic alone is enough to make me shake in my boots. The thought of all those accidents just waiting to happen, and all the road rage, is all I need to keep me firmly planted at home.

So, tomorrow, when all of YOU are out there, braving the crowds, I'll be at home working on quilts. I'll finish the Thanksgiving clean up, and I might even start some of the holiday decorating, but I WON'T be shopping.

I'm giving my feet a rest, and having a mental health day too. I encourage you to give it some thought. Let's start a "Down with Shopping the Day After Thanksgiving" society. You have my permission to buy as many gifts on-line as you want prior to Thanksgiving. In return, you promise not to shop the day after Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving dinner is over, and the last of my family have left. About 90%, or maybe more, of the cleanup is done, and I have the first of two loads of table linens in the washer. The rental chairs have been collected, the recyclables gathered, and the dishwasher is running as we speak. Most of the dishes were hand washed by my nieces, but I'm cleaning up the dessert plates and a few pans.

It was lovely! One of my nieces said that this is the most incredible meal our family has during the course of the year. I think it's because everyone rises to the challenge and brings their finest recipes. As a family, we love to try new recipes, so there are always too many appetizers and desserts. We have food left over for days of meals, and I have to surf for ways to use up leftover ham.

I got to see parts of my family I haven't seen for several years, and I played with a one year old who wore me out just watching him. I love Thanksgiving.

Thank you, to my family, for making it such a wonderful day.

Friday morning, I went to my computer to check my mail, and discovered that it wouldn't boot up. It would get part way into the process and then stick, beep a signal at me, and then start all over again. I didn't have the faintest idea what had happened since the night before. When I'd closed the computer down and gone to bed, it was working.

Luckily we were expecting number three son to visit, and he's been given the IT position in our household. So, I practiced my patience. His first question was, had I added any new programs, or had I deleted anything the night before. Nope. I told him that I was having some problems with the computer recognizing my DSL line, but otherwise, there was nothing I could tell him that might guide his search.

He tried booting up, and noticed that an error message was being displayed for one second. He rebooted repeatedly, getting one word of the error message at a time, until he could determine that the problem had to do with the keyboard. We swapped keyboards and, sure enough, it booted right up.

I contacted Dell, and they were willing to order a new keyboard for us, but they needed several pieces of information. It took me until today to supply all the information, and I can expect a new keyboard in five to seven business days.

Their response was very timely, but five to seven business days if the keyboard is in stock, seems to be pretty slow service. I'm lucky that we have several computers in the house, both new and old, so that we can swap parts.

It's a bit awkward, having to go back to an older keyboard, but it works. I'm relieved that I was only out of contact a day or so.

Thanks #3 Son! We appreciate your expertise.

Dear Husband earned his halo today. He took the day off. I think this is the first time in 18 years that he has not gone to work the day after Thanksgiving. Since it was raining, it was a wise choice. He was spending a lazy day until I came back from my errands.

"Sweetie, could you give me a hand bringing up the Christmas decorations?"

I bet he made a dozen trips. I'd go through a box or two, and hand him what needed to be taken up the stairs, and he'd make the trip. I need to spend a morning downstairs repacking the Halloween and Thanksgiving decorations for the year, so that when the Christmas stuff goes back down, it won't be so difficult to reorganize it.

Dear Husband has been muttering that he shouldn't sit and watch TV after dinner. My solution to that is to have him join me in the basement, organizing what needs to be saved, and collecting what needs to be thrown away. I think he's delayed that chore because he knows that he will get to carry the trash upstairs.

Wait until he discovers that I have five or six boxes of mismatched mugs downstairs. I've been saving them incase we should ever open a coffee house. Maybe it's time to learn to make coffee.

We need a conveyor belt! I think I'll go browse on e-Bay....

My mother will be 88 very shortly. I've probably said that fifty times in the past six months. It's amazing to me that she will be EIGHTY EIGHT!

About six or seven years ago, Dear Husband and I went to New Orleans for a few days rest and relaxation. We had dinner in a fabulous restaurant called "The Courtyard of the Two Sisters." We enjoyed our elegant dinner so much, we returned for lunch the next day. Ever since, I have been trying to persuade my mother to hop a plane for two days and a night in the Big Easy to celebrate her birthday at the "Courtyard."

This year, she announced that if she made it to ninety, she wanted to celebrate in Paris! I like a woman who thinks BIG! *G*

Since we are not going to Paris this year, Mother has decided to do an open house. Two of my nieces work for a major grocery chain, and they are organizing trays of finger food from their deli and bakery departments. One of my sisters and her daughters will be coming for the weekend, and she'll organize the flowers and give me a hand getting ready. I'll be adding things like shrimp trays, beverages, and holiday decorations.

To that end, we will begin decorating tomorrow. I have ornaments to hang from the chandelier, and I'll swap Christmas themed wall hangings for those that normally cover our walls. I have evergreen swags and bows to put up on the carriage lights, and I plan to buy garland to drape at the front door.

I have one wreath, but I need four more. I use a lot of dried flowers and weeds when I make up wreaths, and sometimes I add silk flowers to the mix. Most of it is pretty understated and mellow. We'll put up a tree in Mother's sitting room, but the tree in our living room will have to wait until closer to Christmas.

I've tried for years to get Dear Husband to trim the roof line with white lights, but it's never going to happen. We finally resorted to hanging the icicle lights in the front windows, and some years an angel made of grapevine, covered with tiny white Italian lights, greets our visitors.

So, tomorrow will be the start of our decorating season. Just call me Martha.

I'm participating in my very first eBay auction.

I read a magazine titled "American Patchwork and Quilting." Last year, they asked their readers to donate a 10" square block of any pattern made in pink and white. The aim was to sew the donated blocks into quilts and auction them on eBay, to raise funds for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.

The readers rose to the challenge, and the magazine has received more than 25,000 quilt blocks! Hundreds of quilt guild members, quilt designers, quilt shop owners and others volunteered to assemble the blocks into quilts. Batting, backing, setting fabric and time were all donated, and nearly 500 quilts will be put up for auction.

In the few weeks that the auction has been running, they have already raised $25,000. The auction runs until December 31st, with new items being listed every week. ALL of the money raised through the auction will go to research. None of it will be kept for administrative expenses.

I have never participated in an eBay auction, but I think this is an exceptional place to start. I've bid on two of the quilts, and I have about eighteen hours to go to find out if I've won either or both of them. I have a five year old niece who is addicted to pink. I can't think of a better Christmas gift for her. She will be cozy, snuggled into her own pink and white quilt, and when she is older, I can tell her the significance of the gift. It's definitely a Win-Win situation!

This is an exceptional way for women to show solidarity. Women pieced blocks, women quilted the quilt tops, and the result of their efforts may one day save women who are facing breast cancer. That doesn't mean we discourage men from participating. We hope everyone will help in some way to wipe out this dreadful disease.