Rose glasses

I have been accused of seeing the human race
thru rose color glasses. Meaning I rather see
the good than find the bad, undesireable side.

I don't think I work at this. Just I rather
see the good. And wonder why some one
would rather think something unpleasant
about another person. Why does a situation
have to have a downside looked at first?

Am I mellowing in my old age? Being an
old spitfire in my younger age, first to
take up the banner, to ward off the
evils of unjust. Flamethrower of sorts.

Now I look before I leap,
I think, is this my problem?
Is it my business? And usually
it isn't. It is not my job to
keep the peace, or to make
things fair. It is everyone's
job to take care of their own
problems. And we aren't
really needed to take up the
torch.

You know this has brought a
lot of peace in my life. Why I
thought it was my job, I don't
know. It was the caretaker
in me, I guess. You know, to
help out, to solve the problem,
to protect. I have found out
it is not my job. And to only
help out if ASKED, and then
make sure to support, not do
the task.

After all, we have enough on
our own plate to take care of
each day. And this all leads up
to having a heck a lot more
fun. Laughter, that truely is
the best medicine.

So enjoy the weekend. Go
have fun. Enjoy life to the
fullest.

What does it all mean?

What does it all mean?
Grinders, Cabinets, Stuffies, Bullrake,
when is dinner? well, it is at noon of course...
because the one at night is Supper.

Who was one of the first states to be into coffee?
Washington with Starbucks? No way..

Way back in the 30's and 40's there was
coffee syurp, coffee ice cream, coffee milk,
ice coffee and coffee at resturants was served
with cream, which we jokingly said we like a
little coffee with our cream. But you have to
ask not to have cream in your coffee
if you want it black.

Also we disliked travelling more than 10
minutes from our home town. It was so bad,
that a lady in Wakefield moved to the town
where her son lived so she could be closer to her
grandchildren... she moved to Woonsocket.
About half an hour drive. Oh, yea and we
have a lot of unpronounceable names.
And we hate changes. We rather cuss
the rut than have to change it.

Where else do they have pot hole derby's?
And Victory Day is a state holiday?
And most of the population moves to
Florida after the age of 60.

Oh, and do you know what Stuffies are?
And that they are made with Quahog?
And what a Quahog is?

Grinders, Cabinets, Stuffies, Quahogs,
bullrake, what does this all mean?
Grinders are Subs here in the west,
Cabinets are milkshakes,
Stuffies are made with Quahogs,
(which are big clams) that are mixed
with a stuffing mix, put back in to the
clam shell and baked.
Almost as good as lobster. Bullrake is a
rake that you drag across the bay floor
to get the Quahogs. With handles about
10 feet long. Real talent to handle those babies.

What do these have in common?
They are all traits of being a Rhode Islander..
One that is born to a native Rhode Islander .

And that is why I like Idaho, because so
many of these traits are here too. And that
is why I only end up in CdA about 2 or 3
times a year.

Baldy Mt. Rule

The Baldy Mt. Rule doesn't apply this year.
Not unless my side is the only side that doesn't
have snow.

Baldy Mt. Rule, for those who don't live in
Bonner County, is that you don't plant
anything until Baldy Mt. snow is gone.
Especially tomatoes.

This year has been definitely weird
weather year. After all, how long
has it been when we only get two
serious snow storms in a winter's
time. How many times do we have a
no snow February? And if we do, it
means March is going to be a big
snow month. We had one kind of
serious snow storm. Serious snow
storms are ones that last a couple days.

As we got our wonderful warm
weather, and raising our planting
urges, we look at Baldy Mt.
Do we dare? We, who have
lived in Bonner County for
more than 20 years, know
we are tempting the elements
if we try.

It is like being a Chocolatecoholic,
the temptations are great.
The sun is there, no wind, all
the right conditions. Baldy Mt.
is even clean. But you know in
your soul, you should not.

I did do my hanging baskets.
But I ushered my baskets to
the greenhouse last night.
Even with out its door, there
will be protection from the
wind, and hopefully the
tempts won't dip too bad.

With the forecast of 30's for
evenings and 50's for days,
winds up to 45 mph, nope
this is not the year to use the
Baldy Mt. Rule.

Summer time and the living is easy

FEVER... FEVER... FEVER......


sunshine fever, summer fever...
It has started.....
lawns mowing...b-b-q's cooking,

Yes, Spring is here
and hopes of Summer
coming right behind.

Summer is the best time of the
year to me. It has Memorial Day.
The beginning of outside cooking,
Women get a break from
the cooking part. They still do the
set up. But men are now kicking
in with their share. Ah, the smells
of the neighborhood b-b-q.

And the Father's Day picnic.
If the weather is holding, it
is time for the kids and grandkids
to run free thru the park, under
the watchful eyes of parents and
grandparents.

Then there is the 4th of July.
My favorite holiday. Outside
all day. Parades, bands,
kids running with balloons.
Fireworks at night time, that
brings out the child in everyone
of us.
And if you don't have a tan
by this time, then you are
sunburnt. A sign you aren't
outside enough.

And the garden, sifting thru
the fresh dirt, is good for the
soul. But the down side
of that is the weeds to come.
But the flowers are your reward.

Ah, hello, spring/summer,
the answer to my cabin
fever. I am so ready.

weather alert

Are you ready for snow. Yep,
I think it is going to snow.
See I think I tempted the elements.

First of all, last week I had Ken
till the garden and I got my hanging
baskets out and lined up waiting
for dirt and plants

And then, on Friday, it was 75,
I clean out the greenhouse
and got it ready for my plants.
Then got my yard furniture out.
Went around and clean up all the
old branches that I had cut off
the roses.


On Saturday, I got out all my summer
clothes and put always all my winter
clothes.

If that doesn't tempt the elements, I
surely will be surprised

The Call of the Sun

Oh, this is way to hard to do... sit here and
blog today...I feel the call of the sun... garden
work, warm sun.

I walked twice today. Once with my fast
walking partner and now I have a new
one... she just got over knee surgery
so the therapist says start walking. She is
my slow walking partner. We walk to the
Post Office together Monday
thru Friday, except Tuesday when I
work. It is going really well for her.
She is gaining speed.

But as I walked, I see people getting
their garden tools out. We got our
garden ready for planting. So need
to get out in the green house and
clean out the final junk. Get the
chairs out on the deck.
Yesterday, I got my windchimes out.

YES!! finally good weather. Yard work,
soft warm soil... good for the soul.
Can't sit here any longer....
Have a good weekend..

Remember relationships are compromising deals

Remember relationships are compromising deals.
Some times it is in your favor, some times it isn't.
Give and take. Just make sure it goes both ways.

This isn't just in the male ....female relationships.
It pertains to others. Friends, and even your children.
Some times it hurts, but you got to remember.
You are you and they are they. So unless it is against
you personally, you have to let go of the hurt, and
let them be. Give them the space, and you too. You
don't have to fix everything. Sometimes that is hard,
I think,especially in the adult children relationship,
it is harder. Because we are use to having our words
mean something. And when an adult child deems what
you think or say as null and void, that hurts. And in
the marriage that can be true too. While we are in
tune to each other, it does not mean we think exactly
alike at all times. And we have to honor that in a relationship.
Be it spouse, adult child, or friend.

We have to understand that everyone is entitled to
their own opinion and it doesn't have to be yours.
And when this comes out with you on the short end
of the stick....try to remember.. at some time and place
you, too, will be the one with who will not agree with
some one else's words of wisdom.

Yes man or Honesty..ask

When a friend is talking to you about a problem
they are having, and acts like they want your
input. You got to ask..do you want a yes man or
honesty.

Because if you do an input and it isn't what they
wanted to hear, it can get sticky.
I always want honesty so I take for granted that
my friend does too. And that isn't always the case.
Some times they want just a sounding board.
And the sounding board they want, is the one that
agrees with them. Hence, yes man.

Guess it goes to the fact that I have been not
really good with tact. I don't mean to be tactless.
I think it goes with my logic thinking.
Everything is logically. So if asked, I think
logically they want the honesty.

So I asked my friend this morning as we were
walking, and she was getting quiet after telling
me a problem she had and how she handled it,
and gave me the idea that she wanted input.
I looked at her and said, I'm sorry. Did you want
honesty or a yes man. Yes man, she asked? I said
yes man is the one who agrees. Well, I guess I
was expecting the yes, man, she replied. But I
guess what I want is honesty. But I don't want
to talk about this anymore.

So tread lightly when
you are listening. Try to listen to what the talker
wants. If you don't know... Ask.

And 50+ years later, I still remember

I had a wonderful teacher in 7 and 8 th grade
who use to show us for entertainment that numbers
are bendable. How to check your multiplication
by drawing an X and putting numbers in the X to
check your answers... Also one day he asked for
a series of 9 numbers... which he wrote on the
black board. And then he asked for another 9
which he wrote under the first 9. Then he said,
well, lets see, I guess I will put up 9 more... and
he took his time thinking (as if he was in great
thought) of numbers to put up there. Then he
drew a line under them.. and quickly add them
up. In less than 2 seconds. How did he do that?
Well, he took the top number on the right and
made the answer 1 less than that number. And
then copied the rest of the top line and when he
got to the end... he added an extra 1....making 10
numbers for the answer? So how did he come up
with that? And be correct. The secret was he had
us put up the top 9. Then the second 9. and when
he put his numbers in... what ever the number
was above on the second line, his number with it
had to total 9. So if it was a 8...he would put 1.
If it was a 5 then he would put 4 and etc. Thus,
canceling out itself so to speak. Which would make
the top number on the right, be one less. So if
the top number was 7 ..he would put 6 for the
first number in the answer... and then write the
rest of the top line. Got it? It was neat. And
we thought he was the wisest of men...
Vincent Pelletier.... a man of French
descendent, and proud of it and from just
across the border in Massachusetts. A wonderful
human being, who was loved by all the students.
You could always tell who goofed off in class.
Be it talking when you weren't suppose to or not
paying attention. Which they got rapped across
the head with a eraser, so if you had a yellow
stripe on your head, you had being goofing off.
On occasion, when a boy, as it always seem to be
boys he try to show the errors of their ways,...
he would have them against the wall, run their
hair around his finger, and pull up, and have them
looking in his eyes, and he would whisper something
to that boy, and that boy would be the best kid for
the rest of the day. lol... All of which is illegal today.
But he was the most beloved teacher of all time, at
Berkeley Peckham School in Middletown, R.I. ...

Do you believe in Miracles

In October I sent this email out to my friends.... and at the end is the update for it.

Do you believe in Miracles
October 10, 2004
No, I am serious... do you believe in miracles? Think about it for a minute. Have you seen one? Do you really believe? Let me tell you something I heard today.

I am basely a cynic when it comes to life. Not with God, just life. I believe in God. I know he does wondrous things. I know people have come back from almost dying because of him. People come out of coma's because of him. People heal because of him. But never been around some one who really has had a miracle.

I have a friend called Pam. We became friends when I took care of her when I was working. And then I went to see her after I retired. Even when she moved to an Assisted Living place. I would show up once a month. Bring her orange roses. Her favorite color I found out when I brought her one while I was still working.

Pam had cancer... also because of a bad blood transfusion she ended up with Hep. C. Over the course of the past year, Pam's health has decline. But Pam could always find a silver lining. She is a Christian. She went into depression this pass Spring. But a dog called Zoey came to Pam and brought her out of it. Every time I go see Zoey and Pam, she would have a smile on her face no matter what. And she was in the 4of July parade with her electric wheel chair, with Zoey. She also decide to do something for others. So she join the Cancer Society to help them. She gave them the cd's she had left of hers to sell for money. I forgot to tell you... just before Pam started to get sick, she did a cd in Nashville. I am one of the lucky ones who has one. But she got ill before she could promote it.

About a month or so ago, Pam decided to try homeopathic health. She was bloating up, and she was sure it was her disease that was doing it. Figured she had nothing to lose. To make a long story shorter.. the stuff the gal gave her not only took the bloating away, but she felt better than she has for years. Her legs stopped aching after about a couple of weeks. Along with this, she has participated in prayer group. A heavy prayer group.. Daily...

She was feeling so much better that she went to her Dr. to get a slip for swimming therapy. When her Dr. saw her, he asked her what she had been doing. When she explained, he told her that was voodoo and to stop. That those people are just setting you up for failure. They will let you down. When she protested and he saw she wasn't going to change her mind, he told her to get out of his office and not come back. He wasn't going to be her Dr. anymore. Several days later, her electric wheel chair broke down. So she was using the regular one. She was with her friends doing her daily prayer and they were heavily in prayer, when she had to go to the bathroom. The girls continued to pray. She was sitting there and one of the girls asked her what did God's voice sound like. She said, I guess softly. Then a voice, told her to stand up and walk in to the room to join the girls praying, without saying anything. She thought, right... as if I could.. (remember she had not walked in years) The voice got more forcible... and told her to GO NOW... WALK.. walk in and don't say a word. She stood up, went to take a step and did not fall. Then she walked into the room without saying a word. When she got to the bed where the girls where still praying, they looked up and their mouths fell wide open. Pam has been walking for 6 days now. Her son came to see her the next day and he cried. Everyone can't believe it. She knows it is God. God's Grace. I know this because she called today to tell me. Also her recording studio is going to produce a cd with her singing gospel. When this comes about..(it takes quite a bit of time) I will let you know. I am going over to see her tomorrow.

October 11,2004,
I took purple roses over to Pam, as I couldn't find orange. She was sitting in her big overstuffed chair. I went to the dresser to put the roses in the vase. I turned to see Pam raise up from the chair and walked to me. We hugged and cried. What an overpowering feeling. I am so happy for her. She is so full of plans. Can't wait to sing again. Can't wait to start her cd. It was so wonderful. We had a great visit. She is going to continue with her therapy.
Praise God, and could you say a prayer for Pam for her continuing good health?Thanks and God Bless... "

Now for the update..
April 18,2005..your prayers must have worked.
Pam moved out of the Assisted Living right after the first of the year. I saw her at Wal-mart, walking around with one of her many friends. She was shopping for her new apt. at her friends home.
The next time was this past Friday, there was a beautiful picture of her and Zoey in the Sandpoint Paper with the title...

Cancer Survivor Pamela Faye Huston and her therapy dog Zoey pose for a picture. Huston a survivor of cancer of more than 30 years and became involved with the Cancer Society Relay for Life last year, when she volunteered to sing the National Anthem.

And she is going to sing it again this year plus some other thru the night, in June for the Cancer Society Relay for Life night. Also the article said her new cd went to press last Friday, April 15, 2005. It will be called YOU HEALED ME So if you see it in the stores... buy it... Pam has a wonderful voice. Yes, Pam is miracle, Zoey is her champion. Pam is just a down to earth wonderful young lady. I am truly blessed to be counted as her friend.

Practice in frustration

Am running late as I went down to the local Fantasic Sam's
Got my finger put in the light socket, so now the hair is curled.
Figure this one should last long enough until August when I
plan on having my hair cut for Lock of Love.

Yesterday was a practice of frustration.
First part of Feb. one of our household
went into the ER and then ICU and then
after release came back for two days of testing.
I can not say enough of how well we were treated.
The staff was excellent.
But their bookkeeping is the pits.

End of Feb. we got the standard bill with
the stamp on it saying this is not a bill, we
are contacting your insurance company.

March, we got a bill. Listing two different codes.
Which is standard, and understandable.
With the two different codes they had a list
of services and the deductions of the insurance
payments. Each code had our share of the bill
listed at the end of the code area. And then
neatly at the bottom is the combo of both
code's and what we owed. We had just got
our state income tax refund (the Lord giveth
and the Lord taketh away), so we paid it in full.
Thinking that the hospital and insurance company
and settled all of the bill. WRONG!!.

3 days later we got another bill just like the one
before except it only had one of the codes on it.
With the same amounts. So I called and asked them
what was going on. The nice lady on the other end
explain, that the second one was suppose to be sent
out first but got crossed in the mail with the first one.
Are you still with me here? So I told her, then (and she
explain to me about the two codes) we are even, right?
We owe 0..right? She said yes.

Jumping forward to April, another bill comes in and looking
like the first one. With a sum owing of $48.88. I get out the
First bill and it looks the same. So I called. After 5 minutes
of conversation sounding like Abbot and Costello's Who's
on First..... she says I should come down and talk to the
other bookkeeper. That she is busy right now, so can't come
to the phone. So I gather up all my bills, I compare all of them
line for line. The new one is almost exactly like the first one.
BUT, in the middle of all these is a new charge. Two of them
actually. I am confused as why weren't these on the first
bill that I paid. The dates are within the first billing. But I
gather them and go down to see the other bookkeeper.

When I arrive, the one on the phone with me before, says
I told you she was with a client for you not to come down
right away. I told her she had told me about the client, but
she didn't say not to come down. The long and short of it
was that the extra charges were the reason why the new
amount. And while I hated that... and the answer to why
they didn't have it on the first one (it just happen that way)
What really got my blood boiling was to be inform, there
was more to come. Why? Seems they are waiting to see
what the insurance was going to pay for the ER part.
EXCUSE ME? That is not on this bill? Why not, it was the
first part of the visit. And they said.....because that is a
different code and the insurance had not addressed that
part yet! What the heck, do the insurance assign a different
person to each code? And if one of their personal is slow, I
get the bill as it comes? I felt like I was getting the old
pea and shell game. Frustrations...of life.
They said they were sorry, as I was leaving. I looked
at them and said, I am still smiling... but I don't know if it
was smiling or gritting my teeth.

Make mine Mocha

As I was finishing up my walk this morning
with my friend, we stopped at a local latte
drive thru. Walk thru for us. As we were
waiting for her to make the latte's, the
subject turn to the "when did you have
your first espresso /latte". I had to stop and think.

Oh, I know, 1958, one of my childhood
friends took me to a coffee house inEl Cajon,
just outside of San Diego. It was a beatnik
coffee house. (is that spelt right? doesn't
look like it.) Anyway, they had
expresso coffee. It was really black
and in a tiny cup. Now you got
to understand, I was a country girl
and not use to such places. When we
ordered our coffee back home, it
came with cream in it, unless you told
them not to put it in it. And it was
a big cup.
The coffee house was something else.
We ate some chocolate ants and there
was a guy who strummed a guitar as he
walked around the place, singing... A Ring
with no end" And we thought we were
worldly. lol...

Lost memories

Today is shuffle day. That is what I call trying
to clean up an area, project. Shuffle because it
seems like all you do is shuffle it to another
part of the house. And if you are really
lucky, you get to throw some of it away.

Today I came across some pictures. Old
pictures. So I am going to send some of
them away as the family of the people or
even those who sent me the pictures can
use them to make albums for their kids.

But my thoughts went to what about
the pictures of people who I have lost
track of over the years. It is a shame
to throw away the pictures. Their family
might like them. But have no way of knowing
where they are now. Their names are
too general so can't use the white pages.
And I don't know if they live in the area
that I left behind any more. And of course
my kids don't know or remember these
people. So they will throw them away easily.

Also, reminds me that some of these pictures
don't have names on them. Some of the ones,
the kids might hang on to if they knew
the names. So have to do that. Put that
in another box. Did this years ago for
my mother. She had 4 very large boxes
of pictures. It took almost a week and
half of working on them for 5 hours each
day, to get through them. And my brother
and his family probably threw them away
as they are people from my mother's child
hood but not relatives. What a shame.

Even in my possession is a letter.
It was written in 1822. The letter is
from one brother to another. Both
of them work on ships out of
Newport, R.I. Two different ships.
It is address to one of the brothers,
with the Captain's name. Ship 6 is
stamped on it. It is hard to read because
of the old type of writing. But it
is sign with "your loving brother".
Their last name is in our family, but
I doubt them may be related. But who
knows. I guess because my mother
had it and the name is on my father's side.
Will have to ask my aunt to see if she knows.
But if I can't find the relatives, my thoughts
are, how sad that I have the letter and my kids
will throw it away. Unless they have the sources
at that time to find out who these brothers were
and how they are related to us.

Well, I am off to figure out my new phone.
My grandson will be coming over today, so
he can program it for me. Some times I
yearn for the old days, when you just got
a phone and plugged it in.

Moving/ yard sale the good stuff

In an e-mail yesterday with a fellow blogger,
the subject of moving came up, which reminded
me of pass moving projects.

When married to my deceased husband, Marv
it seemed we moved every 4 years. Not
intentional. It just worked out that way. Most
of it was job related. At the end it was health
related. But we use to joke about all we had
to do was whistle and the furniture would
gather up and jump on the trailer or truck.
Wish it was that easy.

Ken and I moved into this house 7 years
ago. And every so often he threatens to
sell out and move. But both of us agree
on one thing. If we do, the new owners
get everything. We will take our clothes
and leave.

Over the years we have gathered
good stuff. Some call it junk. But it is in
the eye of the beholder. Also I have
found you can not have a big enough
yard sale to get rid of all your good stuff.
One time when Ken and I had the
granddaddy of all yard sales. It was
called ANYTHING FOR A BUCK, and we
ran it for a week (it took that long to get
rid of all of it, we had an acre full). The
hazards of having a yard sale together is when
you are taking things out to the yard. You see,
your husband will bring back in 5 objects of
every 1 object he takes out. And if he brings
out 5 objects to fill that space, it will be your
things. So the tug of war goes on.

While Ken did pretty well with that
yard sale, he not do well with the one
that followed. We had put things in a storage.
(motel for your GOOD STUFF) and we decided
after one robbery and paying good money monthly
for keeping GOOD STUFF for years, was dumb.
So we had a storage shed sale. I was working,
so it was left up to my husband to do the sale.
My daughter had offered to help. The long and
short of it was, when she got there at 5 to 9am
she found many buyers taking things to their
vehicles, not much left to sell for the rest of the
day. Good buys? no, he was tired of the whole thing
as the buyers were there at 8:30am, and he was
giving things away with the stuff they had bought
to get it over with.
Next time my daughter and I had a yard sale
we sent him out of town.

By the way did you know that GOOD STUFF
breeds in your closets and drawers? I sure
don't remember getting all this junk, I mean
GOOD STUFF

And the pot continues

After posting my bit this morning about Pot Luck
Dinners, I decided to see what I could find.
I went on Google to see if I could find anything
on a Pot Luck ban. And found just what
I thought I would find.. Nothing.
In fact, what I did find, that everything
that came up with a ban of any kind
had a pot luck dinner to over come it.
have a good day... and don't forget
your dish for the pot luck...
We will be meeting under the
3rd tree from the Roman nose
rock... lol

Pot Luck Dinners

This weekend my husband and I went to Elmira for
brunch after church. While there, I saw the
Boundary County paper. Boy,is that thing thin.
50 cents for it. Makes Spokesman Review even
more of a bargain.
I read one column, and I don't know if it was a
tongue in cheek type write up or not. But it sounded
like he was serious about a new law. I had a very
hard time believing it.
The law was to ban Pot Luck meals. Now really,
it can't be serious.

Pot Luck has been with the United States since
the Pilgrims. They probably had it on the ship
coming over. They did have a famous one which
we celebrate each year. It is called Thanksgiving.
The Pilgrims brought food and so did the Indians.
Hence, the beginning of the first well know Pot Luck
dinner. Where would life be with out Pot Luck dinner?
Even in the stories.. Stone Soup. It was a Pot Luck
dinner. Everyone brought something and the bums
had the stones.
This article said even in Minnesota had the law and
they put in the exception of schools and churches.
Well, if in fact it is a law, they used a little bit of
common sense. But I find this too much government,
if in fact it is true. They said it was because they
wanted to protect us from the unclean kitchen of
some people, that could have results on others being
sick. First of all, only Martha Stewart has a perfectly
clean kitchen, I suspect.

Second of all, I want the government to tell us .....
how many people died because of Pot Luck dinners.
As I never have heard of one. So be sure to
invite me to the Pot Luck ... and are we going to
have to go underground to hold these?
Count me in... I will bring a dish and stand guard
at the door while everyone eats.

Mindless

As I sit here with my senior citizen perfume on,
( that is ben gay, for you young ones) wondering
how long this elbow thing is going to last, I find
myself mindless.

When I was thinking about what Dave had said
about me starting my own blog, and my reply to
him, about being lazy and not having enough to
fill a blog daily. (which is why I don't do weekends)
I wonder has it happen? Am I finally after a couple
weeks, mindless... empty headed? At least for
just today? Nah, just I have so many things
I am suppose to be doing, and can't seem to
get my mind around that.

So for lack of an interesting subject and I don't
want to bore you with my chore/honey-d0 list
(yes, woman have those too) ... I will get it started.

And Monday, start with fresh words to toss
around to see if anything interesting
enough to share comes to mind and
hopefully with some humor.

So have a great weekend.... get your seeds out
and start thinking gardening.

Gas Prices

Yard work yesterday.....
tennis elbow today...
Well, that is the pits.

Also, my husband
went by our gas
station as they were
putting up their new price
of $2.37...and then I
read this mornings
paper and see that is
higher than everyone.
Usually our gas station
is the last one to change
the price. So can only
imagine what Sandpoint
must be.
With this being Spring break
my daughter took a couple
days off to do some things
with her son. So she called
and said, I don't want to waste
this gas... I am going to Cda.
Do you have anything you want
to do there? So we made a
list and off I go in an hour.
This is really sad. To make
just going to Cda a big
project. And to think in
the 1970's my friends and
I were going to start walking
everywhere because gas rose
to 32 cents

Yard work versus work in the yard.

What a beautiful day, overcast yet
warm. Good yard work day. So the
grandson and I clean, remove straw,
cut some of the old branches on bushes.
He hauled 15 loads of straw and junk
from the front, side and back yard. I
raked. I am beat.
But can't wait until I can
get serious about work in the yard.
There is a different you know.
Today's yard work, is tedious, back
breaking from raking, all those moves
I haven't done since last fall.
Now work in the yard, is running the dirt
thru your fingers and your soul. That is
the part I like best.
Then there is that dasterly, weeding.
Try as I may, I have not figured out how
to get out of that part.
I want to get the garden done so bad
that I had my husband take the rotiller
out yesterday. One swipe thru the garden
proved him right and me wrong, (gosh, I
hate that part) it was too wet. Almost sank
in the garden.
I have a shirt that tells it
all.... it says... PLAYS IN DIRT.
but I guess that is left to another day.

I am 65 today.....

Now I did not look forward to this.
You know how when you were 13, you
were looking for 16. 16 so you could
drive. You counted the years.. 14?
Only 2 more years. and etc.

Then there was 21.. yes, at 16 (finally)
you only had 5 more years to 21.
21 you were adult ...21 you could drink!
Looking back, that was a wasted thought
wasn't it. A milestone just so you could
drink. I had visions of my girlfriends and
I going to tie one on. Well, at 21, I had
one child and was 4 months with #2 child.
Went out and had one drink with my
sister-in-law. I waited 5 years for this?

We didn't want to be 30, that was for
sure. We didn't trust anyone over 30, so
you didn't want to be 30. 30 came and
went. And who cared if you trusted some
one over 30 anyway. Besides by this time
I had 8 children. I was too busy to trust
anyone any age.

40 was good. I walked 3 miles to my
folks house, just to see if I could.
And walked back home. 40, the kids
were getting to be young adults, and
of course teens.

50 went by so fast, I forgot I turned
50. I had been a widow for 4 years.
And was working double shifts, double
back shifts.

Then 60 came along. The kids had
a party for me. Only surprise birthday
party I can ever remember having.
It was great. After a few weeks,
started thinking about life.
Then figured out my family were
long lifers. So I had at least another
20 years and I decided to live until
I died, and not just wait to die.

So here I am 65. Today. Funny
I don't feel any different than
yesterday. But now I am a
bonfided Medicare person.
So I watch my Social Security
check go down $78.20 a month
to pay for that. Also had to do
some fast shuffle to get
supplement insurance.
But what I really want to
know is:
Where is the big Social
Security check for over
$1000 a month that the
newspapers say the average
retiree gets? Where is the
RV and the travel money
that they say the average
retiree does? Is this one of
those things we said as kids,
I thought they said trains
instead of brains, and I took
one? Therefore, missed the
boat? Guess so, but heck,
it was a heck of a ride, and I
am still enjoying the ride.
So 65, be dang!! Hot dog
life is a blast.

FRIEND

FRIEND....FRIENDS....
Notice that the word end, is at the end of the
word...because if you truly are a friend ...you
are there to the end.
This past weekend my husband and I were
guest at a 65th birthday party. It was a small
gathering, which was to me a little unusual for
this lady. She is well known for her fabulous get
together. Usually 20 to 30 people attend. Some
times she has theme parties. She is a fantastic
cook. Even though, it is a sideline for her..catering
that is. You still are blown away with what she
cooks and how she cooks.
I love this woman, like a sister. She is to me,
what every woman WANTS to be like. I told
her, she has a kiss-ass Bette Davis attitude.
When you walk into this lady's house, the place l
ights up like sunshine with her smile. No matter
who you are, she is so happy you are there. She
makes you feel like you are the most important
person there. Hugs are given, asking you how you
are and meaning it.
Her home is a collection of so many articles.
Some might consider it cluttered. But we, her
friends, look around to see what has she added.
It is a collection of her life. Places she has been.
So vast, it would take two blogs to tell you about
them. I love looking at the pictures and different
articles. She has a great sense of humor and a
wonderful deep laugh.
And on this night we all celebrated the
wonderfulness of this lady,and her step in to
the Medicare bunch. But my husband, his brother,
and wife and myself, were different from the rest
of the group. You see, they were not just friends
like we were. The rest of the group, have been her
friends for about 60 some odd years, friends, she
went to school with. Grew up within blocks of each
other. Went to school with each other. Some admitted
they had left the area, only to return. So here on
that night, the night before the actual birthday, this
wonderful woman visited with all of us. Cooked for
all of us, and shone in the great friendships of many
years. We all have friends..at least I hope so. But
how many of us, have the privilege of friendships
of 60 years. It not only speaks well of the lady, but
her lifetime friends. All of them delightful. All of them
60+ young. All of them great wonderful stories of
their lives that filled the room. The things they have
done, and where they went. These people are my
age group. While I have travel around the country
in my years, these people not only traveled, but
they lived their lives to the fullest in their travels.
And as their lives have braided over the year, they
still have so many more years they are planning
wonderful things to do. They remind me of my
father's saying: "Got places to go, things to do,
people to see" Oh, yea, she does a fantastic
impression of traveling with little boys, taught
to her by her grandson.
So HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SUSAN... and thanks
for the journey of the night with your life time
friends. You all truly live like my signature
I use in my e-mails.

"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave
with the intention of arriving safely in an
attractive and well preserved body, but rather
to skid in sideways, Champagne in one hand -
strawberries in the other, body thoroughly
used up, totally worn out and screaming
WOO HOO - What a Ride!"

And they say Mondays are bad

Two years ago while I was still working,
I had two rough Fridays in a row... so I wrote this...

Subject: Count me out next Friday

I have decided I am not doing Fridays anymore.
They just don't work for me. And it is a good
thing I am not a believer of other powers
besides our Lord. or I would be a nervous
wreck by this coming Thurs.
Now you might think I am jumping the gun
here... but these last 2 Friday's have given
me something to think about. That maybe
Fridays just don't like me. Which that is ok
too, as I am not fond of Monday's myself.

What lead up to this thought is...
Last Friday, I called about my payroll check
...(never leave to chance about your automatic
deposits) And sure enough it was there...
BUT only $81 worth.. it seems they over
looked my vacation pay. And they have to
mail it out as they only have one time only
to deposit. Now that did not make sense to
me, but no sense going there anyway.. Oh,
I could have gone to pick it up... one way,
4 hour drive???NOT.. So anyway, I went
on my merry way, figuring that is not a problem
..just an annoyance. At 1:14 I walk into my place
of work, for a meeting that was planned last
month. It was cancelled.. no word last night
or when I left that morning at 6am. Another
annoyance...
So I went to Wal-mart to look and buy some
dishes that I really like. And they were a service
of 8 for $20.. nice lighthouse dishes. I bring them
home and wash the plates and dry them and
put them in my glass cabinet. And then the little
plates and cups.. so proud am I... then I get to
the bowls... 3 broken bowls... sigh... another
annoyance. I take the bowls with box and receipt,
to Wal-mart and the sweet little darling behind
the counter tells me... I have to go home and
repack the other dishes and bring them back
and she will trade me a new box. I asked her
with all the nicety that I could muster up, you
really don't want me to go back home take the
dishes out of the cabinet and repack them and
bring them to the store. Oh, yes, she replies
sweetly, it is store policy. My reply was.. NOT...
surely there is someone for me to talk to higher
than you, and I am still hanging by threads to
my nicety.The other young lady who also is behind
the desk, ask what was going on when I asked for
the manager by name. She told this sweet child
to let me go get a new box and remove 3 good
bowls and give them to me. The sweet child is a
little upset but agrees. I go get the box, which
by now I am wondering why did I have to go
get the box, I didn't break the dishes. Why me..
and this dang box was heavy and I was having
to walk half the store with it. We get up to the
desk and she takes the bowls out of the box,
wraps them, makes out paper work and has
me sign it... all while she is complaining about
how they would have to throw away the good
dishes now that I have the bowls... Well, if she
was trying to make me feel guilty..ah ha ha...
you can never make a mother guilty. That our
speciality... we major in that.
Then I get home... and Ken's time is not going
any better. He order a propane tank... has been
lining this up for 2 weeks. They put him off his
2pm appointment to 5:30. Small annoyance...
They get here and I call him, as he had to be at
the church at 5:30 to set up for Awana. They
look at the spot and the tubing and say to me...
"oh, we can't install this tank today... that tubing
is illegal"... and who sold this tubing to him??...
the very same company that is delivering the tank.
When Ken asked for the tubing and what tubing
he should use... they gave him this one. Not the
wrapped one which he was suppose to have. Now
my mom did not raise any fool here.... I looked at
them and then him driving in.... and say.. glad it
is you guys who are telling him that...and I left.
I went into the house. Ken and the blue air
followed him in to the house... and back out. They
gave him the wrap and he had to redig up the
tubing. Major annoyance....Now that is just
one Friday...

This Friday, last night... I almost made it
thru it with out incident. In fact Friday gave
me the false feeling that all things were well.
I work the night before as they need coverage
for one of our gals who had an accident.
So I worked Thurs. came home Friday,am.
Slept a little. Everything is good. Ken and our
grandson,went to Awana looking sharp... Being
I didn't get much sleep, I decide to go to bed
early.. I mildly hear in the background of my
sleep that Ken and Michael was home.
And then blood curling scream from Mike...
Ken yelling and a crash of glass sound all in
one moments time. Now I don't know about
you... but to be woke up like that... I just can't
stroll out and say hi, guys, what's up?
I ran out, asking as I went,
WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE????...
they both looking towards the dining room,
eyes like saucers... and I slowly looked over
there....... to see the last bowl of my new dishes
falling to the floor... broken in what appears a
million pieces. I now have a service of 8 plates,
8 small plates, 1 bowl...2 cups...
Oh, yes, my other favorite dishes? that was
near them... well, I have a set of 8 plates, 8 small
dishes, 1 bowl and 2 cups.. I looked at it.... and
I said... THE LORD GIVETH AND THE LORD
TAKETH AWAY...(believe me I don't know how
I remained calm) and started to pick up the
big pieces and Ken got the garbage can from
outside. And the vacuum cleaner.
That is when I decided maybe Fridays
don't like me... so next Friday ... count me out..
I am sleeping thru.... So you all have a good
Friday.... I see you Saturday...

P.S. now that I am retired.... Friday and Saturdays are my friends... every day is. lol