Greetings

Good bye 2005

Hello 2006

Happy New Years everyone

Movie Theaters

Took my grandson to see Narnia,
Lion, Witch and Wardrobe...
And the movie was enjoyable.

I rate movies by
1. theater 2.video and 3..T.V.
Meaning that is where they should
be watched. Narnia was a 2.
I enjoyed being with my grandson
so that is why we were in the
theater. But being there, also
reminded me why I don't usually
go there.

When I go to the movies, I like
to go to the matinee show. It is
cheaper, and less people. But
it always makes me wonder.

After all there are 100 seats in
the theater. And on most
occasions, there is about
10 to 15 people in there. So
why do they sit in front of me?
I mean, right in front of me.
They could go to the right of me.
They could be several seats
below me. They could even be
across the aisle from me.
I have even tried to sit up higher
or lower but they still sit in front
of me. And of course the adult
sits in the chair right in front of
me. So I am missing 10% of
the screen. And they shift from
side to side.. This is why I don't
like go to theaters.

And yesterday was almost as
bad. Now there were a lot more
people there. Probably 30 or even 40
there. Lots of kids with adults.
After all this is kind of a kids movie.

The movie starts, and the talking
starts in the seats behind me.
Previews, so I am not too upset,
but then it is getting louder. As
if they are in competition with the
sound. Yakky yakky yakky.. After
about 15 minutes of this I finally
turn around and glared. I was about
to ask them to go get coffee and
have a nice chat, and let the
rest of us enjoy the picture. You
see they were too old women.

I know, I am an old woman too.
But at least I have the sense to
keep my mouth shut when I am
in a movie theater.

Christmas Lights

Last night I went out around town
to see Christmas lights. I use to take
my grandson around when he was 5
to 10 years old. Now he is 15.

I was downtown picking him up
when I decided to swing thru some
of the old neighborhoods. And to
my surprise there were very few
homes with lights. One of the pricier
neighbors had about 20% of the
houses with lights. What happen
to the competitions between
neighbors?

Sandpoint lost one of their top
house displays man this year.
A man called Hansen always had
quite a display. Grinch and everything.
We drove by and half of it was lit and
the other half was not. But it was nice
to see his children had set it up, as he
had passed several months ago.

But even the stores were lacking.
The downtown streets of Oak, or Main.
The park had hardly any. Jones Park
did have a nice trees. At least 5th Avenue
had their trees lit. Like ballerina on each side.

Even my own town isn't much for lights.
BUT, our street can stand proud. Only
3 houses out of the 2 and half blocks
doesn't have lights.

Sadly, next week, it will be dark again.
Until next year. Hopefully more people
will get into the spirit of it. I guess the
high price of electric bills has a lot to do
with it. We only leave ours on from
6 to 8 or 9 p.m.

Follow Up of Dec. 15

This is a follow up on my blog
of December 15, 2005
Why Do These Things Happen?

Judge Issues Order Allowing
Evicted Woman To Return Home
House Can't Be Sold Until Jan. 12
UPDATED: 7:19 pm EST December
23, 2005
PROVIDENCE -- An 81-year-old
Providence woman evicted from
her home for failing to pay
a sewer bill will be allowed to return
after all.
That's after a Superior Court judge
issued a preliminary injunction
Friday on behalf of Madeline Walker.
The order means Walker's Chester
Avenue house can't be sold again
before a hearing on Jan. 12.
Walker was evicted from her home
of 53 years earlier this month. The
house has since changed hands.
The case drew Gov. Don Carcieri's attention,
he found a lawyer to take up the matter.
................................................................................
All of which makes me wonder...
what happens next. First you got the
$500, if they didn't pay it before,
will they pay it now? After all she and
the family knew for 2 years or more.
No one acted on that.

Seems the lawyer for her, thinks
she wasn't mental able to understand
the whole thing. But the thing is, her
daughter did. So have to watch this
to see how it comes out.

Then, also, she got to move back
in her house for Christmas..(I am
sure it must be for the feel good
effect) But first it was Out and
then back In and what happens
if this doesn't come out in her favor..
back Out again? That seems kind of
cruel... and will some one donate the
money? Then, of course, there could be the
person who buys it but lets the elderly
woman stay until she goes to a nursing
home or dies. Interesting.

Day After Christmas Shopping Conversations

He….I know they are nice looking,
but do you really need 20 goblet
glasses of 4 different colors?
And where are you going to put them?
She… Oh, I will find a place, we
need them for our parties.
He… what parties?

Mom, can’t we go yet? All these tree
ornaments are boooooooooring.. I want
to go home and play with my toys.

Girl 1…. Oh, just look at these. Aren’t
these so beautiful?
Girl 2…. Yea, I guess, just don’t give
it to me next year…

Two girls watching a woman fill her
cart. Girl 1.. did you see that woman?
Girl 2.. yea, those are the ugliest plastic
glasses I have ever seen, and she must
have bought 30 of them.

Little boy walking by with his mother..
So, if I go around this store one more
time with you, you will clean my
whole room?

To the Guy Who Reads my Blog Daily

Thanks for the good times…
the Memories…
Biking to the penny candy store
at the end of Beacon Street.

Helping out with the seine fishing
net with the folks, and us catching the
blow porcupine fish that we played
with. That blew up when scared and
deflated when it wasn’t.

The trips on the Mary Jo, picnics in
Fort Adams cove… and Jamestown cove.
The trips to Prudence Island. The
Bluegrass Festival while we ate on the
Mary Jo. The many boat races we saw.
How we laugh now about how you got a
rope around your waist and I didn't when
the folks taught us how to swim, by throwing
us off the boat. We figured they were
saving the family name. lol

The huge Navy ships that we rode by.
And the day that our little boat motor
got caught on their side net as we pulled
away. After Dad telling them what kind of
fish we were catching and with what. .
The Mayflower replica that we got to board.

The many years of haying. The rides home
on the loose hay, on top of the truck. It is a
wonder we didn’t slide off and get killed.
The runs across the barn roof and jumping
on the haystacks. Drinking out of the water
pumps the farmers had.

The stories we told on Friday nights, when
the folks went out for the night. Some of
them funny, some of them scary…

For the times you came and got me, to
calm down your acquaintances that got
rowdy, or were bullies.

The years of dishes on Thanksgiving with
the folk’s friends over for dinner.
The years of trying to out guess
each other on what Santa brought
us.

The times we, as a family, killed the chickens,
You running the headless chickens down and
me plucking feathers..

The rides we endured to horses show all over
the states. What did we do, while she showed
the horses? The times we walked Smokey all
night long when he had green grass colic.

Lobster, quahogs and cleaning a gunny sack of
scallops and buckets of oysters with
our families together. Making of the Stuffy’s
That we made in an assembly line, with our
families combined….

The trouble we got into and we drove our
parents to distraction. The times you
squealed on me, and I on you. The times
we cried about before, but laugh about now.

Happy 61st Birthday, dear brother….

Count Down

Well, we are on the count down.
4 more days and this will be all
just a memory to be stashed with
all the rest.

My daughter brought over all
my share of our cook off of Monday.
And I was finishing last night,
the candied orange and grapefruit
peels. It is a thing my mother use
to make.

You cook the rinds until they are
almost clear. Then cool and then
peel out the white stuff in the peel.
Cut in stripes about 1/4 in. wide.
Then roll it in sugar and let dry.
The King saved the day, as he
got out the food dryer and they
came out well.

Then the bright idea of tipping
them in chocalate. Yes, that
sounds good. But I found out
that boiling the choc. chips,
did not make a dipping choc.
Then I tried microwaving the
choc. to see if I could get it
thinned. Well, I don't know
if I should tell you what
happened next...

You see, the King and I have
gotten sucked into a new
program... DEAL OR NO DEAL
And he yelled at me, come look
at this guy... he only has 4 boxes,
left and he is going for it.

I only left for a few minutes...
I think.... the down side of this
I had the biggest, hardest, rock
of chocalate in a ball in a bowl.
I should also say, it was the
biggest DRY ball.

I froze it. Named it 2 12oz. choc.
Someday, I will take it out
and figure out what to do with
it.

Only 4 more days... and no
more days of holiday cooking.
YEA!! Going to our daughter's
for Christmas dinner after
church...

The rest of it it is all downhill
heading for Spring.

The Wedding

Monday afternoon was a day to behold..
We drove up in the woods to a lodge
for a wedding of a young lady I have
known since she was in school with
my daughter over 20 years ago.

This young lady just got back from
Kuwait and decided to marry the
young man whom she has known
for a few years.

She picked the right place at
the right time. We drove up to
the lodge and parked our car.

We were about to sit down, when
it started to snow. Just lightly. You
know the soft, slow dropping thru
the air. The kind that pictures are
taken of ... And that is what this was.

Picture a very large log lodge. With
very big windows. And as the snow
was falling, a red sleigh appeared
coming up the path. Stopping in
front of the lodge. Out steps the
bride, in white and white cape that
covered her from her ears to
her feet. And her 7 year old daughter
in white as well, and a white cape
also. They step up the stairs,
and down the deck to the door.
They stepped into the room, with
snow sparkling in their beautiful hairdo's.

They were helped out of their
capes, and then the little
girl walked to the aisle and
started to toss white roses
petals for her mother to walk
thru as she and her father were
walking down the aisle to the
waiting young man. Who beamed
with love for this young lady.

The rest of the ceremony was
lead off with the asking of...who
gives this woman away, to which
the father says, I do, her father.

It was a lovely wedding, and
you could tell how happy every
one was. Her parents, brothers
and sisters join in, welcoming this
young man into their family as
they took pictures. And his
family did the same for her.

I thought back to the days, that
this young lady who honored me
with the title of Mom2, and how
she was an awkward teen, of the
8th grade, growing in all directions.
And Monday, her wedding day...
she is the Snow Princess who
come to claim her Prince.

What a lovely young lady she
has grown up to be.

May the world be your apple,
may life keep you both safe.
May your love last until you
are both old and grey and more.
God Bless you, Shelly and Mike.

SPRING IS COMING!!!!

I am dancing... yes, dancing for joy
SPRING IS COMING...no really. It is
coming. How do I know, because today
in the mail I got my Tomato Growers
Catalog. And we all know that Spring
is coming, when our garden catalogs
start, right?

Ok, if you want to be a downer, I guess
I will try not to be so excited. But with
seed catalogs, I start thinking about it.

I don't want to hear anymore about
the festivies of the week. No, this isn't
about the Christmas vs Holiday thing.
This has nothing to do with the
commercialism of Christmas and etc.

This has to do with the cooking bake
off of yesterday. I had 4 recipes, that
I made up the dough this past weekend
for yesterday. My daughter did at least
that many if not more. And she was
running candy thru during the waiting
for the cookies to cook. So if we say she
did 4 recipes of cookies, that is 8
different kinds, and 3 to 4 pans of each
recipe. That is 24 to 32 pans of cookies.
Times 16 to 20 each...


And of course you have to taste one to make
sure it came out. We started with one cookie
each to test. Then we switched to one half of a
cookie each to test. After 5 hours, it was you
taste it, ........no, you taste it... no, that is ok....
you tell me how it taste.
And then the candies as well. We called in the
expert taster, my grandson.

I don't want to look at another cookie or candy,
or anything sweet for a very long time.

Which is a good thing......
I got on the scale yesterday...
Not good... not good at all...

Short but not to the point

This is going to be a day on the run.
Starting with barely a cup of coffee
and then go.

See today, my daughter and I are
going to do a cookie and candy
bake off. We both have been
putting together, cookie dough
over the weekend. And this
morning we have 3 hours to get
them all done.

We started a year or two ago
with a day or two of baking cookies
and candies, for the holidays.
But this year has been running
away with both of us. Each doing
our own thing. Shopping, and all
that kind of stuff.

Then at noon, it is get ready for a
wedding of a friend. Her high
school friend, who I get the
privilege of being called Mom2.

This young lady just got back
from Kuwait, after a year of
service. And now she is ready
to walk down the aisle with a
nice young man at 3 p.m.

So, off I go...

I am not Politically Correct Anymore

You know I am really trying to
get along here. But I am really
getting fed up and becoming a
grouch. I have tried to be so
political correct and go with the
changing times. You know the
woman, man, person thing.

The not bragging about my
country so much, so I don't
offend people. But lately this
is getting really hard. The idiot
who couldn't get the law changed
about Under God thing, is now
trying to get rid of In God We
Trust off of our money. He must
have been reading the emails, as
there was one going around that,
said if they don't like the word God
then maybe they would turn all
their money over to the email sender.

From what I have heard, and I am
not the most educated person. But
I have read there is no where, no
law saying we are to keep state
and church separate. In fact I read
that the only place that has that
is Russia.. So why if that is a
fact, do we have people scream
it at the top of their lungs?
Isn't there any one with Common
Sense to stop all this? Is the
ACLU bending things to suit
themselves, and no one is
actually dealing with truth?

Our forefathers, put in a good
system. Why are we all a sudden
changing everything? All the buildings
in Washington DC have a bible
reference some where in the building,
etched in stone or wood. This is what
this country is founded on.

In the 1970's there was the saying,
Love it or Leave it.
My thought is, if all of our forefathers
system is so offensive to those who
complain... shouldn't they be finding
a country that they do like. We have
like this country just the way the
forefathers set it up. With God in
mind. I don't recall a state and
church thing. The closest I
remember is that our country was
basis on freedom of speech AND religion.

That we welcome all religions, and
that we were to be tolerant of each
others religion, not forbid it to be
seen anywhere. And if you don't have
a religion, then so be it. Don't put
us down because we do, we don't
put you down because you don't have
one.

I came from a town that was heavy in
Jewish population. It has the first
Syngogne in the United States.
No one in our school made fun of the
Jewish people. No one made a fuss
when the Jewish children didn't come
to school on their religious holidays.
They didn't condemn us for having Christmas.

So what the heck has changed in the
past 20 years and is getting worse.
Why can't we honor each others religion?

I heard that we try to destroy what we
do not understand. That what we do not
understand we fear, so we destroy it.
Is that what is going on?

So pardon me if I am not quite political
correct anymore.

Merry Christmas....

If I am not here, check the jail house...
I will be the one behind bars for saying
MERRY CHRISTMAS
and for those who don't like it...well,
I would tell you where to go, but you don't
believe in hell, so what would be the use...

Why Do These Things Happen?

Yesterday I was reading about
an 81 year old lady who was
moved out of her home of 50
years, in Providence, R.I.

As they said in the article, it
wasn't because of taxes or non
payment of a mortgage payment.
It was her sewer bill. Yes, sewer
bill. This started in 2003.

Now before we get to teary eyed
over this, some of it was hers and
her family's fault. Some of it has my
head shaking. She had 1 year
to come up with the money. About
$500 worth. She or her family. And I
wonder why her family didn't.

The part that makes my head shake,
is that first, it was June 2003 and she
paid half, $498 and leaving $500 left
to be paid. BUT they sold her house
Novemember 2003, to whom I don't know
and it was sold for $500. And they gave
her 1 years to pay that $500 and she
could have the house back. That is
where I wondered why her family didn't
pay it.

What I wonder is ... why was her home
sold for $500 just 5 months later? What
was the rush? Did they offer her payments?
Like $50 a month or what. And now she has
been moved out of the house, which
by the way the Governor is upset that this
happen over a sewer bill and she was ousted
around the holidays.

The Narragansett Bay Commission said they
sent her many notices. So for this, I can't
rant and rave, as she and her daughter had
plenty of time to fix this. Also it is now a
year past when she could have been ousted.

But what happens to the house? The new
owner, who is that? And surely they are
going to resell it, so what happens to all
that money? Houses in R.I. have been
selling for over $200,000 for years. Many,
many years, unless it is really a dump.
So just for sake of argument, the place is
worth $150,000 because it is over 50 year
old house (not old by R.I. standards) then
does the lady get any of this money? If not,
then this seems just wrong. Some one gains
$145,500 by buying a house for $500 sewer
bill? It is morally wrong, for sure. There is a
new law that was suppose to prevent this from
happening, but like all laws, by the time the
item got to be a law, it was watered down.
I am going to put the story site here. So you
can copy it to read all of the story.

But then again, the family never should have
let it get this far.

Here you go, for the rest of the story...
http://www.turnto10.com/news/5528367/detail.html?treets=pro&tid=2652716744813&tml=pro_12pm&tmi=pro_12pm_1_10550312142005&ts=H

Stuff

Stuff everywhere. We have photos in
frames everywhere. Some on the
tables, on the TV, and on the walls.
We have one form or another of
knick knacks on shelves, near the
TV, and even on my computer
desk here.

I had to clean up the table of pictures.
I stacked them in two piles, his and mine.
I found a place ..temporary... to put mine.
I placed the King's on top of his little
filing cabinet, under his STUFF. Well,
he found it last night, and had a small
teesy. "What the heck am I going to do
with them, he asked." Told him to leave
them there until after the holidays.

Put the knick knacks in a box. And
even with that I only have a few
Christmas things out. Cards, candles,
church, angels, just to name a few.

I have the boxes down in the garage
to bring all the stuff inside to put up.
But as I looked in the boxes, I thought,
I have half a mind to put them all back
up on the shelf. After all in two weeks,
I will just have to pack it all back up again.
And I am not looking forward to that.

I did get into to putting lights up outside.
More than we usually have. But didn't do
the big tree this year. Around the house,
across the front of the little garage, the
back deck, and fence.

Maybe I should start putting the decorations
out just after Halloween. Then it won't seem
like such a chore for a short time.

And the Artist was God

When the King and I were
heading to Tri-cities
this past weekend, we saw
the most beautiful sunset.

It was the most beautiful colors
of pink, peach, reds, yellows
and thru it was the sky behind.

Which was a pastel of blues
and greens like. And with the
plains of Ritzville and fields
along side of 395, it was
the most enjoyable scene
for an hour and half. Which
I thought maybe I might
be driving the King crazy
as I kept saying, Oh, look
at it, isn't it beautiful, as it
would change slightly.
But after about 30 miles,
he, too, was commenting
on it. I told him it would
almost be worth moving
over there just for the
sunset.

And why don't I have a
picture to go with this?
Because I stupidly
didn't take my digital
camera. And we were
in Tri-cities, when the King
said, oh, I have a camera in
the glove box.... Men.

Pet Peeves...

Going out to dinner from
time to time, there is one
thing that drives me nuts.

No, not the smokers. It
is children. Badly behaved
children. I know I will
get the Grouch of
the Year award for this,
but I wish there were
a separate rooms at
restaurants. Like they
use to have the no smoking
room, and the one for the smokers.

If I recalled many years
back they use to have
two rooms. One was
called the family dining.
That was for those with
children.

Don't get me wrong
I love kids. At the store,
at fair grounds, parks,
McDonald, Burger King,
and etc. .

But when I have to pay
the big bucks to eat in
a dining room. I want
QUIET. I don't want
Jr. kicking the back of
my booth. Or running
up and down the
room or around the
chairs, with mom
or dad in tow..some
times. I don't want
screaming. I want
QUIET. They use to
ask you smoking
or non-smoking when
you walked in. I wanted
to say, non Children,
please.

My kids never saw the
inside of a dining room of
a restaurant until they were
teens. We went to the
mom and pop type of
hamburger places. You
know the ones with
outside sitting. My kids
were normal messy kids.
And if they acted up, then
they were put in the car.
I didn't take them to dining
rooms because I wanted to
eat my food in peace. I wanted
others to eat their food in peace.

Now I will take that Grouch
of the Year award. Thank you.
Unless you want to wait until
I do the blog on people in
restaurants who use their cell phones.

Never have your Husband take your Picture

Being I got my hair cut today, I
wanted a picture so I could use it
for my MSN messenger picture...

So I asked King to take a picture.
I sit him down across from me and
said.... here I will take your picture,
so I can show you what I want.
I take his picture. Straight forward.
Just right, no bow of head, no turkey
neck... See this is what I want. The
following is what I got.

The first one is me telling him how
close I want the picture...He takes the
picture. As I am explaining, how I
didn't want the turkey neck view.

The second picture is where I try again,
and tell him, please do not take the
picture until I say ok. He took the
picture as I said that. The fourth
picture, well, it is as close as I know
I am going to get before I strangle him,
as he is laughing.

See yesterday, I gave up my hair
for Locks of Love. I have been growing
it for 14 months. So off it goes, which
was good. But what do I do with what
is left. This is what I ended up with
and I like it. So far I have had good
reviews on it. I can even spike it
if I wanted to. lol...

The picture for the MSN
Messenger? I chose another
that I took earlier, with
the camera on the Bronco.

This was an example of how it was to be 

I want it this size 

When I say ready, shoot 

Forget it, this is as good as he is going to get it 

Toy Prices

I look in the paper and see the prices
of toys for kids. I am amazed at the
prices. And thankful that I don't have
to buy for kids anymore. I just send
a card and some money to the
grandchildren. 99% of them live out
of state. So this way I know I got the
right size, it is in style, the right color
and the shipping is only 37 cents
(until the first of January).

But the other part I wonder about
was the kids themselves. If you pay
$399 for a toy, and then are
encourage to buy the $299 package
of accessories that go with it? Also
the games that go with it run from
$29 to $49. What do you do next year?
What is the kid expecting from you.
And only present? No, they refer to
presents, in the plural sense.

When I was raising mine, they got
clothes as their main presents. This
was replenishing the school clothes
time of the year. Then they got several
small items that were $5.00 or less.
The older the child the closer to the
$5.00 they got. And then there was
the big toy...$25.00.
Now times this, for each kid.

I know this added to my bah humbug
attitude that I had to hide from my
kids. After all how can you compete
with the other families? When they other
kids come back to school with the stories
of their great presents of stereo's and etc.
Then if you all visit on Christmas day... and
your kid breaks their kids toy...wow...
The paying a price that you never would have
spent for your kids. That is why we never
visited on Christmas day. Didn't want my kids
breaking others toys, or have their kids break
my kids toys. Beside you have all week to visit.
Christmas day is for your own family.

I do have to say, my kids were great. They were
always, and I do mean always, grateful
for what they got. They never sat there with a
long face on Christmas morning, because they
didn't get the latest greatest toy.

I know just because they make it, doesn't mean
the parent has to buy it. After all they make
Cadillac's and Rolls Royce's, but we all don't
drive them. But there is a lot more pressure
on parents by kids and ads. And when you hear
a kid say, "well it is only $400", like it was only
$5.00 well, I don't know about you, but I gringe.

King Kong and Me

When I was the mere age of 13, I believe,
my girlfriend and I went to the Paramount
Theater on Broadway across from the
high school in Newport, R.I.

We went to see...KING KONG with Faye
Wray. We put our hard earn coins down on
the counter, and picked up our tickets.
The 3 o'clock show. (got to be home to
feed the horses by 5). We got our pop corn
and coke. And sat down in the middle of the
theater so we could see it really well.

The theater goes dark, and all the previews
and newsreels run their gamut. Then the
movie starts. Loud music. Scary music.
We are eating our pop corn, as we watch.
The scarier it gets the faster we are eating
our pop corn.

HERE HE COMES, KONG... KING KONG!!
AND THERE GOES.......The two of us girls
out to the aisle, up the aisle, out thru the
doors almost taking them of the hinges.
Out to the daylight, still running.
You would have thought Kong was behind us.
I think it was at least 4 blocks before we finally
slowed down to a walk.

It took me 3 more years before I could watch
the whole movie. Then it was on a TV in my room.
The folks had given me a TV which was about
4 foot by 4 foot by 3 feet, which was at the end
of my bed. I sat on the foot of the bed, and out
came KONG...I flipped over on to the rest of the
bed, on to my glasses, and broke the hinge.

I wonder... will I be able to see the new one?
Do I want to? I will take my grandson with me.

Santa Day vs Christ Day

Christmas verses Christ Day,
or
Santa Day verses Christ Day.

Being Santa seems to be a non
judgmental icon,(so far no one
seems to be offended by him) after
all who can be mad at a man who
laughs all the time, and makes
people happy? He seems to be
taking over December 25, anyway.

And being if memory serves me
right, that there is no where in the
bible that says that Jesus was
born on December 25th, itself. .

How about having Christ Day
on December 27th. That is the
day us Christians can devote to
our Lord. The Jewish people have
Hanukkah, and the others have
their own day. This way we can
have our own day. No one gets
offended because everyone has
their own day.

Christmas, then could be
celebrated by everyone.
It actually should be called
PRESENT DAY. Not to be confused
with President day. But if that is too
much, we can have it be Santa Day.

So on the 25th of December they can
still have Santa. There still can be dinners
and presents, lots of presents, just like now.
There will be no religion, so no offense
taken. Heck we can even make it
the 3rd Sunday of December. And every
one can celebrate Santa Day. Jewish, Blacks,
Muslins, you name the religion, and they
can celebrate and buy more, and more
presents.

On Jesus Day, we can have prayer, and
meet with friends and family for dinner.
We can have fish and bread. (what a
wonderful change, after turkey for
Thanksgiving and Santa Day).

Do you think we can get Congress
to go for it? Surely they would be
pleased not to have their people
complaining about being offended.

And the card companies will be
thrilled. After all, another card day.
And Commerce will be thrilled
with all the money spent, as
everyone will buy. For everyone.

HAPPY SANTA DAY, you all.

Rokon and Outside

Rokon is sure disappointed.

We got her last Dec. And she was a
inside cat all thru the winter. Being
a kitten, she wasn't wise to the wonders
of the outdoors.

Then in the Spring time, and the weather
was about 40 degrees warmer, the King
took her outside to the see how she would
like it.

Well, she loved it. She ran all thru the yard,
the garden. She even ventured across
the street, in to the fields,much to my
displeasure. She would run thru the
culvert in our driveway. Especially if I
was trying to get her back in.

In short order she and the screen in the
front door met. The cat won and the screen
on the bottom became her cat door.
Coming and going to her pleasure.

Every morning she would dive thru the
back door, when the King would leave
for work. Any chance she got she flew
thru there no matter what time of the
day it was. And a couple times she
ended up staying outside over night.
Not making me a happy camper.

She is a delight, and has brought much
joy to our lives, but she is a typical cat.
She is in charge and we are her staff.

So here it is winter again. And she is
disgusted with us for putting down that
cold white stuff. Her first shot out of
the house last week, on to the deck, and
the fastest turn around seen in mankind
lately, she was in the house.

As you can see from the picture below,
she checks from time to time, to see
if someone has removed the stuff..
She can't understand what she did
to have this all occur.

Who dumped this stuff here?  

Inventions

Stebbijo's Choice blog yesterday
talked about inventions... Which
brought to my mind, one I had about
30 years ago. And everyone thought
for a moment when I mention it, and
then said Nah, never happen and laughed.

It would be timely to bring it up now, being
snow and ice and car accidents are on the
rise. So what is this invention idea I had?
No laughing, ok?

I had a vision, and I still think someday,
someone with power will come up with
the same idea I had 30+ years ago.

That is as each road that is upgraded, to
install a electric like wiring or plates
underneath the cement or paved roads.
Kind of like an electric blanket. And
then it would be powered by the electric
poles near the road. Every road has
power going down the roads, either
underground (now) and on the poles.
They would be turn on by a switch or by
the road temps getting below 30 degrees.

One naysayer said that would turn the
roads into flooding roads. I don't think
so, as it would be gradual and there
is the ditches, and etc. that would take
the water. I would think the money that
insurance could save by decrease of
accidents would more than pay for
the price to keep the roads warm,
no snow, no ice on the roads.

What do you think?
You can start laughing now.

Tomorrow is the Day 

More of This and That

Tomorrow the mountain will be alive with skiers


Tomorrow skiing opens up on the Mountain,
and all the skiers have been watching the
snow up there. Today we have sunshine, so
for the first time in almost 2 weeks, the
natives can see the progress of the
mountain covered with snow.

And someday I hope I can get
a camera with a zoom. So I
can get the mountain instead
of the local scene..

Shifting gears:

I decided to print out a series
of (in my opinion) best of my
blog. I am printing it out for
a friend of the family who does
not have a computer.

I would say I have about
2/3 of the blog in there.
After refining it and printing it
out. I have 188 pages!! Boy, that
is a lot of words. It looks like a
flaming manuscript.

The King, as he is helping me line
up all the pages, said.."Now, I
suppose you are going to make
this into a book and become
famous. And too rich to talk to me."

I about fell off the chair. Told him
Good Lord, no. No company would
buy it, and I would be embarrassed.
That he was stuck with me and to
be poor. lol...

Personalities

We have at least mainly, 2 different personalities.

One is the at home personality.

We have what we are like with our
family. Relaxed mostly. Usually
what you see is what you get...
inside and outside alike. You have
your way you take care of your house.
Neat freak, Martha Stewart type. Or
the house looks like the relax person.
Clean but cluttered. Especially if
there is young children in the house
hold. It is home.
Some like anyone to drop by, others
are the, please call first type. Some
are open house, some are private.

Then there is the job personalities.

This is usually the uptight you.
Or at least reserved you. You
know your job, you expect
certain things of your fellow
employee's and you know
your boss expects certain
things of you.
There are exceptions to this rule.
Some are happy campers, no matter
what. And some are real uptight
no matter what.

Then there is the blogger personalities.
That person is the inter you.
And the more unknown you are
to others, the more relax you are
to say what you want. The shy,
can talk to anyone. You relax,
and have fun... and then there
are some who are angry. So
they will let their hair down and
tell the world how it is, according
to them. I have found that
most bloggers have fun and
have a great sense of humor.

Those who have an ax to grind,
or on a soap box, leave me
shaking my head and wondering
why they are so angry.
Once in a while I do get on the
soap box myself. The When did
Children become Disposable,
is one. But for the most part, I try to
find the humor in life.
So what are we really like? Ask
8 people and you probably get
8 different answers.

As a blogger, I think I take life
lighthearted.
As a worker, I was serious, and
tunneled vision and accused of
being tactless, because I expected
the same out of others as I would
do myself.
As an everyday person, I am
concern about my friends, and
family. Hope to always be there
when needed. At home, I am
a cluttered person, trying to
reform... and play it loose.

Taxes....Gas or Mileage?

I read with interest this past
weekend that they are thinking
of a different way to get money
for roads and bridges repair.

The Government doesn't think
they are getting enough money.
They say they aren't getting
enough to keep up with the repair
prices. But I find that hard to
believe..after all they tell us all
the time, that more and more
drivers are hitting the road. More
and more families have 2 to 4 cars.
So as all those cars are gassing up,
aren't they getting all that tax money?

Seems in the works is a tax
on Hybrid cars. Now that ought
to just tick off the owners of them.
After all they went to those to save
money. Well, the government thinks,
that they should pay extra because
they aren't paying enough gas taxes.
Seems the government has figured
out that being they don't buy as much
gas, therefore not enough taxes are
being paid by them. But they use the
roads just as much as us gas hogs do.

Then there is the pay as you travel tax
they would like to pass instead of
a gas tax. Or maybe they want to
have both.

Seems Oregon has a voluntary GPS
installed in their vehicles and then pay
as you travel instead at the pump.

I am not sure how they do that. Do they
send you a monthly charge by what the
GPS tells them the miles you drove?

Will they give a break to the people
who commute to their jobs that are
50 or more miles away? Some how
that doesn't seem fair. The guy who
lives 3 miles from his job pays little.
And the guy who works in Spokane
or Coeur d' Alene, but lives in
Sandpoint pays thru the teeth...
or rather the GPS.

Then you have the Big Brother
attitude I am sure the people will
fight. While I don't go anywhere
of interest to anyone. Still the
fact that the government knows
where I am at....at all times.. well,
that kind of unnerves me. How about
you?

Monday morning after....

One..two....one ... two...
No, that is not an earthquake in
Sandpoint.That is all of us, trying
to lose some of those pounds we
put on over the weekend. I even
made it the full 2 and half miles on
my walk today.

After all we have Christmas coming
up. And if that isn't bad enough,
think food.... food everywhere.
Go visit friends.... have some
Christmas cookies.
Office party, got to have food..
pot luck food, and of course
seven kinds of cakes, pies,
candy, and all the rest. Then
the big dinner itself.

And it keeps coming. The stores
are full of it. And the worse is after
Christmas. Everyone is sick of food.
All the New Year diets coming up.
So you got to get rid of this food.
So you send home care packages
with your friends. You pack it up
and leave it at work in the break room
in hopes the MIKIE'S will eat it all.

Ah, yes, One...two.. one .. two..
jumping jacks, walking miles,
got to get rid of this weight.
All I did was take one tablespoon
of everything across the counter.
Then went back just for the
in-turkey stuffing, and yams, and
salad...just a little... But it
was just tablespoons. Trouble is
there was 35 different things to
take a tablespoon of. Filled up the
plate, those tablespoons.

BUT I was strong.... I did not
have any pie. Nope, no pie, cake,
or any of those... did I partake in.
That is until the next day, that is.

Well, can't type and do jumping jacks.
So here I go ...off to pound those
pounds off. One... two .. one ... two...
maybe if I do an extra mile of walking
this afternoon,..... do you think?

Good luck all you partakers of food.

Happy Thanksgiving Day

As many of you set out today and
early tomorrow, to go to enjoy your
Thanksgiving Dinner with friends
and family, please keep in mind, to
keep it safe.

We are heading out to have dinner
and times with old friends. Ones that
go back 30+ years. This is our first
non-family dinner. And with the lost
of one of my Head Chefs, this month,
from the past, aka Dad, my thoughts
will be with his family.

So I wish you all a wonderful day with
friends and family. Eat well, and count
your blessings.

And if the creek don't rise, and the snow
doesn't drift,
I will be back here early Monday morning...
tossing words again..

God Bless

3 Styles of Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving……Mom’s style

Many years ago, when my husband
Marvin was alive, we had moved to
R.I. And then there was the first
Thanksgiving dinner together at Mom
and Dad’s house. We went to sit down
at the table, and I saw the look on
Marv’s face. I whispered in his ear….
Outside in…

You see on the left is 3 forks… on
the left is two spoons and one knife.
You say WHAT? Well, it gets worse
for those of us, who use one plate and
one fork, one spoon and one knife.
There is a large plate, but don’t put
food on it. There are extras and after
all these years, I have forgotten some
of them. I am sure there is someone
who was raised like I was, who will tell
you all of them. Because they still use
them all. Me, I am a 3 utensil gal.

So what does Outside in, mean? It
means to use the utensil from the
outside and go inward. The first fork
is your cocktail fork. The second one
is the main fork and the third fork is
your dessert fork. But then again, there
might be a fourth fork. That one would
be between the cocktail fork and the
main fork. Because that would be your
salad fork. Got it? Cocktail fork,
salad fork, main fork, and dessert fork.
Now going over to the other side…
you have a large head spoon. That is
your soup spoon. And then your main
spoon. And of course every one has to
have a knife to cut with.
Then there is a tiny bowl with salt in it…
it has a teensy spoon in that. And if it is
really done up right, there is a tiny bowl
of water. To wash your fingers off. All
these are of course, as my mother would
say… are sterling silver.

But what about the large plate? Well,
that one is called a serving plate. You
NEVER EVER eat off the serving plate.
That is to sit each course on. First the
shrimp cocktail cup sits there, then the
soup bowl sits there, and then the main
plate sits on top of that..(that being the
second large plate.) and then to finish it
up, the desert plate or bowl sits there.
BUT never eat off the serving plate.
One of my uncle did that once.
Oh, what a rise that was. My mother’s
friend got up from the table and went
into the kitchen and said… Betty, do you
know what he did, of which … my mother
looked. Oh, the Horror of it all. And it
was the tale of many years later, Thanksgivings.

Thanksgiving Dinner was served as this,
year after year…and my duty as a child
and as an adult was to wash and polish
all that silver. Which, I hated with a passion
as a child. As an adult it wasn’t so bad, as it
was like polishing up an old friend. (my
real friends will like that phase). And this
is what was served.

Shrimp Cocktails,
Onion Soup,
Turkey, mashed potatoes,
mashed summer squash,
mashed turnips (my favorite)
gravy, stuffing,
Relish dish was 3 kinds of pickles,
black olives, green stuffed olives,
tiny pickled onions, stuffed celery,
green onions
Rolls.
Choice of pies, usually apple,
mince and pumpkin
Ice cream for the pies.

I am sure my brother could remember
more of these than I, as he attend more
of them than I did. He always lived in R.I.
Me, being the wayward child, only did
the first 17 years and then 4 more with
my family in the 70’s.

The other Thanksgiving is California style

Skip the cocktails and soup. But the
rest was pretty much the same. Oh,
yea, skip the fancy table settings.
And add about 10 more people. The
Chef? My Uncle.. better know as Dad
to all of those of us who shared our
meal with him.

Both dinners were quite filling.
Both great cooks.

My Home

Pretty much the same as
the California style. And in the past
18 years the Chef changed to the King.
He loves to cook. He does a great job.
Although the King cooks his carrots
and turnips together. No squash.

May you all have a great Thanksgiving…
great food, great friends and family and
many great conversations. And remember
you are adding to the memories of
Thanksgiving for your children and theirs.

Life is a Bowl of Cherries,But

Life is a bowl of Cherries….
But watch out for the Banana Peels

As I live each day since retirement,
I have spent it by having a positive
attitude and doing things to enjoy life.
Not that life is a bowl of cherries,
of course. We all know that there is
ups and downs in life. But I figured
I had it pretty well in hand. So when
I slipped on the banana peels of life,
I was surprised.

See last Friday, my daughter took me
to see the movie I WALK THE LINE.
The story of Johnny Cash. She, of course,
living with me 2/3’s of her life, knows
what a Johnny Cash fan I am. I use to
have over 48 of his albums. Back to the
days of Sun Records. Giving them away,
was hard to do. But I was going to be
moving again, and the records would
be in storage a long time. So do I keep
them in storage and have them ruin,
or do I give them away so they would
be save. I chose to keep them safe.
I don’t regret that, not even with the
knowledge that the Sun Records ones
would have a money value.

So there we were in the theater, watching
the movie. Being the fan I am, I know
he was not a choir boy. I knew he did some
not so admirable things in his life. I
really enjoyed his, or actually the actor’s
singing. The actor, did a great imitation
of him, singing and all. But as the end
of the movie came, and they had the read
out of when June had died and then 4
months later, Johnny died, (all of which
I knew) it started to hit me. We got up
and walked out side to the brightness of
the day, I felt sad. A lot of emotions hit
me all at once. One of appreciation of
my daughter surprising me, by taking me
to the movie. See she drove to the parking
lot of the theater on the pretense of taking
me to get a latte. As she got out of the car,
she said come on, we are going to the movies.
Hurry, it starts in 15 minutes. To say I am
shocked, and surprise is an understatement.
So her thoughtfulness, the emotion started.

On the way home, I told her it dawn on me
how much Johnny Cash and his music was
involved with my life. I started liking Johnny
Cash, when he was on the Tommy Dorsey
Show, which covered for Ed Sullivan Show
in the summer months. While all my school
friends were screaming over Elvis, I loved
Johnny Cash music. And it kept going thru
2 marriages, and even now. That the last cd
he did, still was heart felt in my heart.

Then as I walked into the house after telling
her how much her gift of love meant to me,
the surprise and the movie too, it hit me.
I found myself, in tears. The King asked
me what was wrong, and I couldn’t tell him.
You see the banana skin has laid me low.

I was facing my own mortality as well as
Mr. Cash’s. As I thought about how I
appreciated 50 years of his music.. it hit
me, that I too, am in my winter of life.
Something I don’t usually admit to others.
I guess because I don’t like to dwell there
myself. I rather think of what I can do
with this last 15 years, if I am lucky, rather
than think about the 15 years themselves.

I guess it goes back to the time I was
talking to a resident, who was weak from
the flu and losing her husband. So she
thought she came to the nursing home
to die. I asked her, did she want to sit
around and wait to die, or did she want
to live until she died. Which is what I
remind myself, when I hit these low spots
on the rare occasions.

And I chose to live until I die,
I chose to live it to its fullest,
and I chose to live it in humor.

P.S.
The resident checked out 2 weeks later.
And as she was packing her bag, she
called me in her room, gave me a hug,
and said Thanks. She and I knew why.
She chose to live life. I saw her a year
later at her sister’s wedding. She was
laughing and looked at me and winked.

Guest Commentator

Today, I am running a comment
from my niece in R.I. who read
Education on my blog. Because
I think her comments have merits,
I decided to run it today.

When I was in H.S. (1974-78) there
was a program which gave you
hands-on. The girls mostly went
into the nursing program and every
morning they went (by bus) to the
technical school for nursing. This
program gave them a grade in H.S.
and allowed them to cut time from
college also.
I am not sure what the boys did but
I think in was machine shop and auto
mechanics.

I do know what you mean regarding
a lot of adults returning to school and
somehow it does seem backwards.
Here is some thoughts:

Maybe when you have a child getting
up at 5:30 in the morning to catch a
bus at 6:45 to be in school at 7:15 and
then get out at 1:30 they are just too
tired to learn.

Maybe when the parent doesn't get
home until 5:30 they don't do homework
and the parent is too tired to check.

Maybe the parent doesn't understand the
homework.

Maybe the child doesn't understand the
homework and knows the parent doesn't
understand the homework.

Maybe the teachers don't have enough
authority over the children and therefore
don't care like they used to.

Maybe the classes have too many children.

Maybe the teachers have too much job
security and the Union protects them
too much.

Maybe the teacher thinks the student
read the assignment before class.

Maybe the student has a part-time job
and thinks he/she is rich.

Maybe the student is in the hole with
a car payment and insurance and
doesn't see the whole picture.

Maybe there isn't enough guidance
at the school level.

Maybe the students are thinking too
much of drugs,sex, and rock-n-roll
or maybe they are not thinking about
it but actually doing it.

Today I took my daughter to UMASS
to interview for an internship with
Disney. I am surprised at the many
opportunities students now have with
so many BIG companies! The interview
was very informative and I am so
impressed!

Here is how it works (more or less):
You interview like a regular job.
In about 2 weeks they extend and
invite (or not).

You go to Disney from January to
May living in the Disney Apartments
Disney pays you $6.40 per hour
while you work an average of 30
hours a week.
Disney provides the uniforms
Disney has a private college where
you choose a college course you take
while at Disney. The grading is either
(P or F) or grade, your choice.
You get Thursdays nights and Fridays off.
Free transportation to work, college,
shopping (Wal-Mart's) and other destinations.
Free pass to enter the parks.
Attend Disney enrichment programs on
subjects like: networking, time
management, job shadowing and such.
Disney extends the benefits to visiting
family members with 1/2 price on lodging
of choice and park tickets.

Then on the other side of the coin:
Her college in Quincy gives her 15 credits
for the internship with the completed
assignment of a daily journal, read 2
books with a book report on each, and
communication with the Disney contact.

The downside is the competition!
You can imagine (get it?) how many
students apply for this.

Another thing that I shake my head on
is the school bus issue. They say they
have to cut extra activities because of
the cost of running the buses. But there
is also a rule of the student who lives
within 1 mile (sometimes more) from
the school has to walk. Well, if that
child has to walk, why not have the child
who is bused ...walk 1 mile to a pickup point
where they meet many other children
who had to walk (that mile) and make
1 pick up (instead of 50) then drop them
off at the front door of the school. This
way you save $$ and time. The child
walks (overweight children in America)
and you know that every child has
walked at least 2 miles per day, the cost
of transportation goes down in the form
of money and time,there is money for
the extra activities and the child doesn't
have to get up at dark o'clock because
they need that school bus to pick other
children up at their front door.

This just seems to obvious to me, I must
be missing some details!

I told her that out here in our area,
that wouldn't work as our bus stops
can be 5 or more miles apart. But in
other areas it might be something to
think about. The other downside of
course is, predators, both kinds.
But she made some good points.

Rodney Dangerfield Town

We get no respect…. I live in the
town of Kootenai.
Sometimes I wonder if anyone
knows we are here.This election
time it really showed up.

Spokesman Review did an article
on the people, who had put in for
office in Idaho towns.They listed
Priest River, Sandpoint,
Ponderay, Clark Fork, Hope….
But not the Town of Kootenai.

So I wrote an email to the
“Ask the Editors”. But I happen
to hit the time when most of the
Editors were on vacation…so it
was a while before I got an answer.
Then it was “I will check and see.”
Then several weeks went by, and
nothing.

So I wrote again. Telling them
I wasn't mad at them, but
I thought we were the Rodney
Dangerfield of the communities.
Of which one of the editors,
did answer, explaining he had been
gone but he would pass it on to the
Idaho office and one of the Idaho
employee’s answered in the Ask the
Editor on line as well as an e-mail.

It was the reason, no one
running against anyone, so it really
wasn’t newsworthy. And she was nice
enough to apologize for not giving an
answer sooner.

Then they gave the results in the
paper. For, Sandpoint,
Priest River, Hope, Clark Fork
and Ponderay…
see anything missing?

So I wrote to the reporter who
did the article. And this was her
answer.

“Unfortunately, because of our
limited staff here in the Idaho
office, we don’t cover Boundary County
unless something really big is
happening, and as far as election
results go, we didn’t have the space
to list every town in North Idaho”.

“I will pass your feedback onto
editors, though, so they can keep it in
mind for next year’s election coverage”.

Do you see a problem with this? Do you
wonder why we feel like Rodney Dangerfield
of the communities? For those who are not
familiar with our area. The town of Kootenai
Is in BONNER COUNTY, not Boundary, like
the young lady reporter suggested.

And I have to tell you, our own local paper
doesn’t do any better. Even though they
brag that they are a local paper. That they
cover the local news…

I asked our Mayor one time why the local
paper doesn’t report on our council meetings.
After all they use the paper for the legal part.
And she said, they told her to call if we were
going to have something really important
to report. I guess it could be worse. They
could ask for the town to send in our own
articles about the meetings. Shh, I didn’t
say that… it may give them ideas.

You know maybe it is better being the
Rodney Dangerfield of the
communities after all.

Education

I have a friend who went back
to school to be able to keep her job.
That the school district put
demands on the job description,
that one would need more education.
This is just for teachers aides.
Not for a teacher. So this
isn’t even for the big bucks.

Anyway, she did excellent in school.
Great grades. I should ask her if she
did as well in high school 30 years
ago. But it got me to wondering….

Where would we all be today, if we
had applied ourselves to school as
we do today. Are we smarter today
than we were at that time. Has the
school of hard knocks made us
smarter? Maybe we should postpone
colleges.Or do we become more
experienced by the employment?

I personally am not impressed with
college’s. I think they are over rated
and under educating when it comes
to the first 2 years. I believe in trade
schools. (Drs. and Lawyers being the
exception.) Let’s get with the program of
what your job is going to be. Let’s have
classes in what you want to do for a
career. I like to see that started
in high school. Some of it is… I
understand they have a Health class
that heads you towards nursing career.
Last I had heard that they downsized
the auto mechanic classes.

The girls seem to have a better jump on
a job, than guys do.There was always a
business subjects for girls to become
secretaries or bookkeepers. But is
there welding for guys and girls and
the other types of jobs classes? But for the
most part, high school really doesn’t do
a lot of heading our youths towards
a job. And the discipline leaves a lot to be
desire in high schools now. I am not talking
about punishment. I am talking about
showing up for class on time. Dressing
appropriately, Respect for their elders,
meaning teachers. 60% of the class is lacking
all this. So when they go to be interviewed
for a job, they don’t make a good impression.

Some ways it seems things haven’t
changed. College first year. is almost a
repeat of your high school last two years.
In 1986, when one of my sons was going
in to college, to get an education of
computers and even the mechanic of
computers, he wouldn’t be able to touch
a computer for a year and half. To me
that was a waste of time. They should
start off where the kid wants to go job
wise. Trade School would have serve better.
As it was he dropped out, because he
had 2 jobs as well. Ended up getting his
education thru the service.

But I digress… how much more would
you have done, if you had asserted
yourself at the right time of education?
Could you have been a contender? Were
you not, because of your attitude, or
because all you could think of was the
freedom from the parents rules or worse
yet, the financial condition of your
life at the time. After all college and
even trade school, is almost as expensive
as a home now.

The Price of Toys

Toys

$399. for one toy…

I know… kids call it a game..
And a game it is… but
considering that this is mostly
For kids… it is a toy.
$399. and that isn’t counting
the games.. Which run
from $29.95 to $45.95 a piece.
Which is a 1 and half inch
by 1 and half inch, and little
thicker than cardboard.

I remember when my kids
were being raised..$25.00
was the top price for their
major gift. I sure feel bad
for parents who feed into
this frenzy.

Heck, that gift is almost
the same as my monthly
S.S. check!

While at Costco, I saw one
of the toys from my days.
TINKER TOY..The super
size was $29.95. It was
$9.95 when I bought it
for my kids.

Also the Chocolate fountain
that I wrote about before…
I saw it at Wal-mart. For
$28.95, don’t know if it is
the same brand or not. But
this seems to be a hot item
these days. You can use it for
caramel too.

Still a lot of money to pay
for something you will use
once or twice and then put
it in your cupboard, to be sold
at a yard sale 3 years later.

40...nice years

My number 4 child turn 41 last
Friday. Yes Veteran's day...
I joke about how I was a veteran
of having children when she
came along...... and it sure was
a memorial when I had the twins
on Memorial Day, 4 years later.

Any way I was thinking ... which
is a dangerous thing in itself, that
maybe that's reason in my mind I am
45... is because being in your 40's
is a good place to be in life.

No, it isn't because I want to be
younger. I am satisfied here at 65.
But 40 is a good time in your life.
In your 40's you have gotten rid of
all your wild times, and insecurities.
(at least I hope you have). And
life is starting to mellow out. You
have learn what to worry about and
not to worry about. How to address
the lumps and bumps of life.

With me, when I was in my 40's
I had some major upheavals. I
became a widow, I went
back to school to learn a trade
(Reg. Cert. Nurses Aide) and went
to work at the age of 46. After
many years of just being a Mom
and wife. I don't think I would
have handled it as well had I
been in my 20's or 30's.

And 40's as you are handling
life, you are still young enough
to enjoy life to the fullest. To have
the physical body to do the things
you still want to do. Dancing,
snowmobiling, horse back riding,
playing baseball, and all the good
things in life, with ease.

Yes, being in your 40's is a good
time in life. Maybe that is why
they said... Life starts at 40...

And here I told everyone life starts....
when your youngest one leaves home
for their own life. Come to think...
I was 48 when that happen.... lol

THANK YOU

Serving during World War II

Herbert Brownell
Everett F. Linekin
Harold C. Richardson
David Emanuel Hagstrom.


Serving during Korean War Time

Marvin K. Hughes
Charles W. Chalfant
Herb Huseland

Serving during Vietnam WarTime

Parker Linekin
Gary Gors
Sandee Millius
Dean Thompson
David Hudlet
Thomas Summers
Garlyn Tupper
Richard Garofalo

Serving Now
Shelley Sorrel
Stanley Worel
Blake Brown
Michael L. Austad


And to all of you other
Veterans who served, are
serving, and for all those
who lost their lives, so we
could live free.
Thank you....

Council and Discisions

Our little town is about 300+ people
in it.

But will be joined by 100+more
in just two new additions to our
town that annexed in. We have
another one that is promising 60
homes more for starters..

We are a very small town,
that is starting to burst at the
seams. Our council is not
going to have it easy. . We
have a lot of new contractor,
and some old ones who are
having a tough time adjusting
to what use to be the good ole
boys system and now has all
kinds of rules and regs. And the
council has to stay on top of it.

We will be losing a great brain
trust soon because of health.
The remaining 2 who have
worked hard for the town for
little pay, and the new gal, is
going to be great addition, will
have their hands full.

Then the Mayor watching the
town grow more than double
what it was when she first ran.
I know they have the best in
mind for the townspeople. But
it is hard to make everyone
happy.

I have been going to our council
meeting for about a year now.
My husband is just finishing his
4 year run. He was asked to step
up to the plate about a year or
so before that. Even he has said
it is getting so complex. With
new rules and regulations, more
consultants, newer laws, he felt
he was getting in over his head.
Just trying to represent your fellow
townspeople is not enough anymore.

That is 50 per cent of the job. The
other is to make judgments on
how much to bring to the town. What
is it that the townspeople want of
this town. There is commercial zoning
to consider. How much does the town
need? How much does the town want?
You can give a simple thing for someone,
and have it turn into a can of worms.
And while they like to help out those
who want to do more with their property,
they have to make sure it is safe.
They have to make sure, what seems
like a simple thing on one property,
but do you want it on every property?
Because what is good for one, has
to be good for all. And they want to
keep the community the nice small
town that we all moved here for, years
ago. Then there is the outside discisions
the new Highway200 Corridor Improvement
Project and the Urban Area Transportation
Plan, are these good for our town. Yes and
maybe no.. The council has to decide. The
townspeople have to speak up.

No, being a simple quiet little
community is not an easy job for
the townspeople nor the ones
they vote in.

No, Thank You, Not Me

When it comes to national scares, I don't
scare easy. And it is my mother's fault.

The frenzy over the bird flu brings to mind
the years of the 1950's. We were taught
to jump down and under our desk at a certain
tone that was given over the P.A. system.

I was in high school at the time. I really felt
sorry for one teacher we had. He would shake
at the sound of the warning. We learn later
that he suffered from shell shock from World
War I, Some of the boys and maybe
some girls were cruel, as they would slam
their books on the desk just to see him duck.

In the 1950's there were bomb shelter built
in people's back yards. I don't recall any in
friends of the family. But then maybe they
didn't talk about it. Because along with
the scare that the Russians were coming,
was the scare of your neighbors breaking
into the shelter and stealing your food and
water. So mum was the word.

I asked Mom why we didn't have a bomb
shelter, as it was on the news, in the
paper and magazines. (Life, was her
choice). She always had the attitude
that the Russians weren't coming.
A bomb shelter would do no good
if there was a bomb. As you had to
have air in a shelter. If you have air
coming in, so would the gases. So
you are dead anyway. So why bother.
Dad, seem to be in agreement, as he
never talked about it either. So we
went thru the 50's not really knowing
or caring about the threat.

Sadly, I was so absorbed with my
teen years, of horses, girlfriends,
boyfriends from afar, Coke, Pepsi,
smoking cigarettes, and Elvis, that
I missed out on the Korean War and
what it meant. We didn't have
any friend or family that was in the
war. Dad worked civil service since
before World War II, so life had
not changed. And by the time I
went to work for the Naval Exchange,
we were thru the war and living what
we now call the good times.

So over the years, when "they" say
beware, it is coming... what ever the
scare of the year is, I tend to just go
about my business. Even when we
had a flu scare a few years ago, I didn't
get a flu shot, even though they were
given at work for free. It wasn't that
I wanted to get sick. Just I have been
one of those lucky ones who usually
has good health. I don't usually get
colds. And it only is the last 5 years,
that if I do get one, I get the bronco one
and the best way to get thru it, endure it.
At the place I worked, I saw just as many
get sick that had the flu shot as the ones who
didn't. The residents, were guarantee to
be sick with in 2 days of the shots. Thus,
finding out that the shot only lessen the
effect of the flu, not prevented it.

The only time I had a flu shot was
the year before I retired. We were
told if we did not get a flu shot, that
we would not be paid for sick days.
As we brought it on ourselves by
not having a shot. Being I believe in
the Gods that will prove you wrong,
I decided to get the shot, even though
I didn't think I would get sick. As
the law of averages was not in my
favor. Never is. Murphy's law is
alive and well, in my life.

Even when we had the scare a
couple years ago, of Anthrax.
The country was gathering up
shots for that.

I was sitting in the back
of the room, at the in-service we
had on it, so I could bolt out the
door, if they decided to hand
out free shots. But they said
they didn't have any as there
was a shortage. Then the
in-service person who is of
good knowledge, told us that
on the food chain of life, we
in Idaho were on the low side.
Besides that Anthrax was all
over the field floor in Montana
where cows eat daily, for many
years... That was good enough
for me, no shots.

So any of you, who want the shot,
and if they are short, just them
you know a gal in Bonner County
who is going to refuse the shot, and
you would like to have hers...

Guess I didn't read the book
Chicken Little, well enough, or
too well.

Election Day 2005

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.....
START YOUR ENGINES!!

You have just slightly more than 12
hours to make your choice of
candidates. Every vote counts.
Just ask the ones who were running
for Governor in Washington State.
If you don't vote, then you have no
bitching rights.

There is a lot to vote on in other
cities. In our own little town we
have nothing ... none of the candidates
have anyone running against them.
I don't believe Bonner County has
anything running so we are
a peaceful voting town this time.

But I am going. It is my right.
And choice or not, I will vote
for those who I want in... and not
mark those who I don't. But in
this case, it is going to be a vote
of confidence in our council.

My husband chose not to run
this time. And the gal who is running
in his place is a good choice. So I will
go and mark my ballot. They
usually have about 31 that vote here.
Out of 300+ people... but of course
some of those are children.

I will be interested in how others did.
In San Diego, the mayor race. In New
Jersey, the Governor race, and New York
City, the Mayor race. And little more local,
how Mike Kennedy does. I have Dish
for my television viewing, so I see the
races back East. And some of them
have been the using dirty tricks.

Politics, if nothing else, is interesting.
So get out there and make your mark.
After all you could be in Iraq and
have to fight to get to vote. Be kind
of neat if we could get a purple finger
to show we voted...

Dreary Saturday

No, I am not going commercial...
but here I was, alone, on
a Saturday morning, (the King
and grandson out hunting)
and in the email I get this....

"Dream of it... hot fudge sundae
type machine." On a
dreary, rainy, overcast, cold day...
Hot Chocolate Fondue
Fountain ....On Sale....
A FOUNTAIN of CHOCOLATE...
oooooooooooooo,
sounds so good....

Life is not fair. How do they know
what kind of a day it is. To send this
alluring ad to my computer
Just happen to happen? I don't think so.....
And all that Chocolate!! never
have see so much chocolate for sale..
50 POUNDS!
Chocolate ... Heaven...

So I hit the DELETE button fast... well, not
too fast, had to do the blog you know...

Subject: Chocolate Fondue Fountain - On Sale Now!
Home. Chocolate Fountains Fondues > Chocolate Fondue
Fountain CFF-884
Reg Price
$99.99
Sale Price
$49.99(You Save 50%)
And look at this ...chocolate, I never seen so much
chocalate..
24 Hour Red Tag Sale Going on Now! Use Coupon
Code RED to get an ADDITIONAL 5% OFF
Buy Ten Pounds of Regular Chocolate $39.99
Buy Twenty Pounds of Regular Chocolate $79.98
Buy Thirty Pounds of Regular Chocolate $119.97
Buy Forty Pounds of Regular Chocolate $159.96
Buy Fifty Pounds of Regular Chocolate $199.95
Buy Ten Pounds of White Chocolate $39.99
Buy Twenty Pounds of White Chocolate $79.98
Buy Thirty Pounds of White Chocolate $119.97
Buy Forty Pounds of White Chocolate $159.96
Buy Fifty Pounds of White Chocolate $199.95
.

I am Woman, I am invincible.........

The question on some of the blogs...
was the question that Oprah asked.
Who are you?
Not what are you, but who are you?

As a young person I did depend on
what I was. Was I popular? No,
I was the class nerd without the smarts.
I was a farm girl. Folks didn't let us
do much like kids do today. After school
stuff. We had chores anyway. Did I look
ok, would people like me? All the young
insecure of what are we.

Then from 1960 to 1988, I considered
what I was... to who I was, all rolled up
in one ball. I was a mother. That was
an important job, lifestyle, and being
to me. I figured if I brought a human
being into this world, I should take care
of, protect, love and nurture that human
being, that was who I was. As it turn
out there were 8 to do so with. It was
a lifestyle of many ups and downs. I
know for sure I didn't do it perfect.
I am not even sure I did it well. But I
took everything in my being to do it
well. I had many obstacles thrown in
my path. I was tore apart thru the
journey, and I had a lot of joy in the
journey. I was mother, Mom
(most of all) and MOTHER!! and
MOM!!! many times. We all
made the journey, and then they
all went their own paths. To return
from time to time..
And that is what I wanted.

I tried my best to build a good
foundation under them. Giving
the lesson of honesty, stand up
for yourself, you can be what you
want to be, and most of all and
thru it all, I taught and showed
LOVE. The rest was up to them.
And they have done well.

Now they are on their own path.
And what am I? I am a wife,
mom, grandmother,
great-grandmother,
mother-in-law, sister,
cousin, niece and friend,
mostly in that order, but not necessarily.

But who am I? I am a woman,
I am love, I am mostly good health,
I am honest, I am considerate,
I am comforting, I am concern
about others, I am compassionate
and try my best to do my motto....
Do no harm... Not only am I this to
all others, but to myself as well.
It took me 65 years to be comfortable
in my own skin. To know my limits
and to stretch them from time to
time. I am not the cure for all the
problems of friends and family.
I can not fix all the problems of
friends and family. But I can be
there to stand with them to comfort
them as they go thru their problems.
With kind words and with hugs.
I am woman and I am invincible...
says the song. I don't think I am that....
but I do like myself.
Too bad it took me so long to find that out.

Autumn? or Winter?

Wondering....

What would happen if you left the
leaves on the ground in the fall...
for the snow to rot and dissolve like
mother nature does? After all who is
raking up the leaves in the forest?
Who is munching the lawns of the
forest?

I don't have trees that shed. I only
have one tree which is of the cedar/fir
family. That is the way the King wants it.
We had a small tree here when we
moved in. But the King dug it up and
donated it to our daughter who has it
now. It is a willow of some sort.

But what does happen in the forest?
Why is mankind determine to rake
and munch the leaves? Doesn't mother
nature have them fall for a reason?
Doesn't it protect the ground?
Just wondering.

And we have skier's delight... Snow
in the mountains... winter is closing
in on us...

E.F. LINEKIN 

83 Years...6 months...6 days....

Quite a lifetime.. and so much in it.
A childhood in Maine. That was so
packed full, I had no clue to that
part of his life. Until recently
in the past couple years when he
decided to write some passages of
that time.

I had only known the time I was
around him off and on over the years.
I remember as a child, he was so strict.
So strict that when my parents left my
brother and I in their care, he had us
Saying “yes, ma’am, yes, sir” “thank
you, ma’am and thank you sir”, "may
I please"by the time we return home
several days later. He and I laugh
about it over my adult years.

He was my hero, they came to visit,
our folks were gone somewhere.
And there was a large rat in our yard.
He picked up a pitch folk and threw it.
Like a spear, and killed that rat. I never
seen anything like it before, or since.

Over the years, he kept his own children
in line, and myself included. While some
of that was out of fear, fear of disappointing
him, a lot of it, out of respect.

He serve in the United States Navy, and
was so very proud of his time there. 26
years worth, if I recall right. Answered
to the name of Chief by his fellow shipmates.
Served on many ships over the years, served
in Vietnam. Taught on the base in San Diego.

This was a very proud man. He was definitely
Head of the house. (when his wife let him, lol)
He loved his wife more than the stars in the sky.
He had 5 children he was very proud of. And 7
grandchildren, and several great grandchildren.

Quite a legend in our time. We all have our
stories of our times with him. And now he
has left us. To be buried at sea. Just like
he requested. Our lives will have an empty
space to be filled by no other.

We will miss him so very much, each
in our own way. You see I was one of
the lucky ones that was gathered in to
the fold. He addressed his letter to me,
Oldest Daughter, which he wrote
just about every Tuesday to us all.
And I, the procrastinator, who wrote
too few. I will miss those letters, as
we talked about politics, the weather,
how the families were doing, and any
thing else. I don’t know what I will do
with the stamps, I save in the jar, to
send to him. As he was a stamp collector.

So good night sweet Prince, good
night Uncle Tiny, good night….
Dad
E.F. LINEKIN
1922-2005

Visiting Dinners

Visiting.... visiting dinners....

What ever happen to Friday or
Saturday night visiting... or sharing
a dinner and visiting.

Remember when we were kids, our
parents use to go to a friend's house.
The kids would head to the kid's bedroom
or basement. In those days, the
playroom was down there. And the
adults played cards, or games.
Or they just visited, drinking
coffee. Then about 9 or so, you
headed for home.?

Or you went for dinner and the
same? Some times it was
just the couple, most of the
time it was the whole family.
Most of the time the family
you visited was a relative.
An uncle or aunt. And the
kids were your cousins.

Guess that is something
that has gone to the way
side. This came to mind,
as we did two of these
dinners this past weekend.

One was friends who are
getting ready to leave
for the winter. The other
just invited us. It was
really nice, both times.

Seems to be a lost art. I
can't remember the last
one I did before this past
weekend. Years and years
ago. Definitely when my kids
were little.

Even getting in the car
on a Saturday afternoon,
or Sunday afternoon, and
go visit someone. Does
any one do that anymore?
I know I haven't. I wonder
why it all stopped.

Maybe people are like me,
I like staying home and
relaxing on the weekend
nights.

Happy Halloween Day

Halloween 1990

HAPPY HALLOWEEN....

This picture is of 1990. I
had the King drive me to
my work place. But he
refused to take me, if I
wore the head. He dropped
me off a block away so
no one would see me
put the head on. In that
short walk, I had more
people waving and beeping
their horns, and laughing.

I had cut the pumpkin
from the bottom instead
of the top. This took
quite a bit of thinking,
because I had to have
a pumpkin big enough
not only to fit my head.
But also big enough
I could cut the hole
in the bottom for my
head to fit thru. I have
a large head. And not
have the pumpkin break.

The rest of it was fairly easy
after I got it cleaned out,
as it was just like dealing
with any other pumpkin.
Except I had to remember
the mouth went near
where the hole was.
And the eyes near the
other end.

I had borrowed the King's
gloves, boots and his
Carharts coveralls.

It was so cool.Almost no one
knew who I was.. I danced
down the halls, waving to
everyone one. But twice
I was guessed. One was
a resident, who called me
by the name she called me
all the time...Helen. I must
have reminder her of a Helen.
The aides who were
near by, they couldn't figure
out who Helen was.

The other was my boss,Nani.
She didn't catch on until I laugh.
She said that was a dead give away.

It is weird the different takes
on Halloween. Some think it
is a great time for the kids. I
do. Love their costumes, when
they come to the door.

Others think of Satan, and
all evil things. Which brings
to me the stories I had learn
as a teen. I don't recall
who told me it, was it my
Pastor? But anyway, it
was a celebration. It was
started in Europe when they
would go to the cemetery
on that night, and bring
treats to eat as they visited
the deceased relatives. And
this would ward off the evil
spirits. So I was taught it
was a festive thing. A
celebration. Not the horrible
evils, that some like.
But I don't know how the
costumes came to be with
that. To ward off the evil
spirits maybe?

Anyway,
HAPPY HALLOWEEN
everyone

Halloween is Coming

Monday is Halloween... Trick or Treat
I have been thinking about it lately
because, of course we have to get
candy for the 6 to 11 kids that show up.
We try to buy candy we don't like, so
we don't eat it before the day comes.
But this year, I bought the kind we like,
and so far we have been pretty good.


We are lucky our neighborhood isn't
prime area, so the kids go to town
to the areas that have lots of candy.

We were talking about the costumes
that we used as kids. And for the life
of me, I don't recall one. I am sure
Mom must have made costumes
for us. She was very creative and
she was a master seamstress.

All I can recall of Halloween is
the grange. We use to go to
the grange and play games
like musical chairs, and bob
for apples. And being I loved
to swim, bobbing for apples
was easy for me, as I really
like swimming underwater.

I can barely remember my
brother going the door to door
route. He is 4 years younger
than I am. But can remember
him bringing home, what I
think was a pillow case
full of candy. And Mom eating
some of it. Dad too.

By that time I was into basement
parties at friends.
We didn't get to do the fun
things that our country
friends did. Turn over the
outhouse. We didn't have
them in our town. Or chase
the cows to the far end field.
Farmers got so they barn
their livestock during that time.

I am amazed at the teens,
older teens that show up at
our door. And more parents
are showing up with their
kids now. I am glad.

We always greet the callers,
as we love seeing the different
costumes. The little ones
are the most fun. But even if
it is a teen, who is dressed up
we are glad to see them.
It is the lazy ones who just show
up with the "just give me the candy
attitude" we don't like to see.

Will be looking forward to seeing
the bloggers post their little ones
in their costume on their blogs.

By the way, it use to be that the
Christmas stuff would be coming
out after Halloween, and as we
all know, it is already out. But
when I was at Wally World
yesterday, I saw........ a shirt
with a Shamrock on it...yes,
Happy St. Patrick's Day...
I could not believe it. It even
skipped Valentine's Day, surely
it must have been one of the clerks
April Fool's jokes... you know these
holidays are getting out of hand.