Widowhood

This is a long one
for the weekend.

Been going thru my files
and came across
this. Maybe it will help
someone else.

You see 20 years ago, I
became a widow.
April 17, 1986.
A year later a friend lost
her husband and I wrote
this and then I refined it
about 8 years later
for another friend. And that
was 10 years ago.
.........................................
What I learn by being a Widow.

Do not give away his personal things
for a minimum of 6 months, and year
if possible. If it hurts to see them,
then pack them in boxes until a year
later. There is need to give things away
maybe share in helping the grieving.
I don't know. But if you wait a year, you
give or sell things that are done with
your head and heart. Not just your heart
if you do it right away. I did not follow
this rule to the fullest and learn to regret it.

IF you are to give anything. ONLY what
your husband told YOU he wanted given
away, if anything ever happen. You will
be amazed at the people who will come
up to you and tell you or your children
that your husband said they could have
an item if anything happens to him.
Then there are the "helpful friends" who
will buy his things at a small price.
My husband had guns and he was a
mechanic-welder. I had offers of $25 for
a $300 rifle and $10 for a pistol.
"To help me out.”

If you really need to sell, get help
from someone who is NOT going
to benefit from it. I went to parts
stores that sold tools and
asked them. Told them of my lost
and that I didn't plan on getting rich
from these sales, but I didn't want to
be taken either. The owners were
very helpful. One large piece I wrote
to a dealer in Spokane, explaining
and they, too, were helpful.

Anger. About 3 weeks after my
husband died, I came home and just
the look of the yard, set me off. I was
mad. I was mad he left me. (as if he
wanted to die) I was mad he left me
with the whole mess. The yard was
a mess. Over grown. I worked in
Sandpoint, 25 miles away. Leaving
at 4 am and coming home almost 3 pm
was too much. I couldn't keep up with
the housework and the yard work.

We had been on disability with Social
Security. We had just three children
left. Two were to graduate in 3 weeks.
Our SS was to be cut that same month
he died because our youngest was 16
the day after we buried him. And SS
had decided to mess around with the
check. They would put in $3000 and
then take it out. I was going crazy.
If he were here I wouldn't be in this mess.
Damn him!! Why didn't he watch his
health all these years? For 3 hours I
swore, cried, and even wish it was me
instead. So there will be anger. Anger
at him, God, yourself. The “ if onlys”
that will drive you crazy.” If only” if I
had said. If only I had done whatever.
But this too will pass.

The nights. Days are usually fairly
full. I had started a job 11 days after
his death. It was good. I was kept
busy - too busy to think. The nights
were hard. Then I remembered
watching a late night show and they
had George Burns on. It was after
Gracie had died. He was talking about
how hard the nights were for him.
Then he slept in Gracie's spot. He said
it was a calming effect. First, there was
the smell. Then the fact when he slept
in his own place, he would look for her,
in her spot.But he didn't feel for or look
for Gracie, when he was in that spot. And it
wasn't natural for him to look at his own
spot. It worked for me also.
Maybe it will for you

Every wedding, birth of a grandchild.
You will be there thinking if only he
could see this. Then you got to
remember he is - just up above.
While there is comfort in that -
it isn't the same. There will be a
time when something real important
will happen and you will think, oh
gosh, wait until I tell him. Then you
remember you can't. With me it was
downtown and a friend had told me
of a mutual friend who had a heart
attack and died the night before. And
my first thought was how upset Marv
will be to lose this friend. Then to
realize they are together now.

It has been 10 years now for me. And
I have gone on. I have a very special
friend in my life. When Marv's face
faded unless I had a picture, I felt I had
betrayed him. But I still have him in
my heart and always will. He was my
husband, my lover, the father of my
children, and most of all - he was my
best friend. I miss him. Always will.
But I would want him to go on. I would
not want him to mourn me forever.
To be alone. And he did not want me
to either. We talked about it. We said
it would be our jobs, our children and
then whatever happens - happens.
One day at a time. Good Luck

After 6 to 9 months, some of your friends
will change. The women seem to feel
threaten when you are around, when
their husband is around. The same
women who had their husbands
helping you at first. They seem to be
uncomfortable. Like you would be
interested in their husbands. Fat chance.
Your husband is still very much on
your mind. Maybe they are thinking
of the old "gay widow" from the 1920's.

And some of the men. It is weird. I have
talked to some of my friends who have
been widowed. After a while some of
your husband’s friends may make a
pass at you. Myself, I was so out to
lunch, I didn't catch it. Then when I
caught on, I was embarrassed. Did I
say something? Did I do something
to get this reaction? Even had one say -
"well, you were use to getting it and
now you can't - so I, uh - uh, thought
I could help you out." When he said
"it", I was so dumb I didn't know what
"it" was. By the time he got to the
"help you out", I was sick to my stomach
and wanted to up chuck. I think I
mumbled something about I DON'T
THINK SO. And left.

My children were and are good to me.
Except at first I felt like they thought I
died too. They started talking about
getting rid of this and that. And finally
I had to put my foot down and say. I
will take care of things. I will decide
what goes and when. And when they
asked “well what are you going to do
with the tools. You can't weld. You can
only do limited mechanizing.” I told
them I knew people who did know
how to operate the tools and when
my car breaks down then I can have
them fix it with the tools. And I will
let them borrow the tools if they need
them in exchange, for the work. Which
brings up another. Borrowing of your
husband things. ALWAYS KEEP
TRACK OF WHO BORROWS, WHAT
AND WHEN. AND IF THEY BRING
THEM BACK. I lost a few tools as I
forgot who borrow and if they brought
them back. I made a list. One of
them was a $300 piece. Believe
me when you start asking if you
loan someone something, it
can get sticky.

A year later you will find out
you did do something unbelievable.
And when it dawns on you - you
will doubt your sanity. It is ok.
It was the stress of the time. I hid
3 expensive tools in an old shirt
under my bed behind some boxes
that I stored there. Found them
there. Could not remember putting
them there. A friend , who lost her
husband had hid a gun in
the basement behind a large box.
It was rusted when she found it two
years later. She thought she
had sold it.

The first Birthday, father’s day,
Thanksgiving and Christmas are
rough. After the second one it gets
easier to deal with. Then as the
years pass you really won’t think
about the day itself. But you will
find yourself bitchy, out of sorts.
And wonder why? Then you think
about what day it is and it will dawn
on you this is the day he died.
But life will go on. Keep yourself
busy doing things you like. There
is always the nay sayers who talk
behind your back. “Well, if I was in
her shoes, I wouldn’t be doing that
and the answer to that is LADY,
YOU AREN’T IN MY SHOES, and
Thank God you aren’t. There are
those who will stare at you because
you are laughing. Some times things
are funny in sad situations. It does
the soul good to laugh .

The main thing after all that is said
and done. Is to take it one day at
a time. EVERYDAY. You can not
live next week or tomorrow TODAY.

If you can-- sleep
on any major decisions.
Life will go on and so will you.
Just don’t live in the past, just
visit it from time to time......
Good Luck. If I can help, by
listening or answering any
questions....just ask.

Now almost 20 years later
I can tell you life will go on.
Life will be good. And some
times God will bless you twice.
He did with me... he gave me
the king, with whom I love
very much, and is good to me.

It doesn’t mean I have forgotten Marv.. Ken is in addition to Marv..

See Me..an Old Lady's Poem

I found this poem in the
paper many many years ago.
I had just started being an
nurses aide. So I kept a
copy of it. And from time
to time I would make a
copy and put it up on the
bulletin board at work for
all the new aides to see,
in hopes they would see
in the eyes and soul of
those they worked with.

I had heard several stories
of where it came from.
England, Scotland and
others. One it was found
by a son, another it was
found by the aides. But
it was signed with
anonymous on it.
I have seen it go
around the emails as well.
Still no author.
And no matter how many
times I read it, it still hits
my soul.
**************************
An Old Lady's Poem

What do you see, nurses,
what do you see?
What are you thinking
when you're looking at me?
A crabby old woman,
not very wise, Uncertain of habit,
with faraway eyes? Who
dribbles her food and makes no
reply When you say in a loud
voice, "I do wish you'd try!" Who
seems not to notice the things
that you do, And forever is losing a
stocking or shoe..... Who,
resisting or not, lets you do as
you will, With bathing and feeding,
the long day to fill...

Is that what you're thinking?
Is that what you see?
Then open your eyes, nurse;
you're not looking at me.
I'll tell you who I am as I sit
here so still, As I do at your
bidding, as I eat at your will.

I'm a small child of ten...with
a father and mother, Brothers
and sisters, who love one another.

A young girl of sixteen, with
wings on her feet,
Dreaming that soon now a lover
she'll meet.

A bride soon at twenty --
my heart gives a leap,
Remembering the vows that
I promised to keep.

At twenty-five now, I have
young of my own, Who need
me to guide and a secure happy
home.

A woman of thirty, my young
now grown fast, Bound to each
other with ties that should last.

At forty, my young sons have
grown and are gone, But my
man's beside me to see I don't
mourn.

At fifty once more, babies play
round my knee, Again we know
children, my loved one and me.

Dark days are upon me, my
husband is dead; I look at the
future, I shudder with dread.
For my young are all rearing
young of their own, And I think
of the years and the love that I've
known.

I'm now an old woman...and
nature is cruel; it's jest to make
old age look like a fool.
The body, it crumbles, grace
and vigor depart, There is now
a stone where I once had a heart.

But inside this old carcass a
young girl still dwells,
And now and again my battered
heart swells.
I remember the joys, I remember
the pain, And I'm loving and living
life over again. I think of the years...
all too few, gone too fast, And accept
the stark fact that nothing can last.

So open your eyes, people,
open and see, Not a crabby old woman;
look closer...see ME!!

Remember this poem when
you next meet an old person
who you might brush aside without
looking at the young soul within...
we will one day be there, too!

SHARE THIS POEM...
ITS SOMETHING WE ALL NEED
TO REMEMBER!!

I Guess You Would Have to be There

1,300 new homes not on the tax roll?

I am sorry I am ahead of my
self here.

Yesterday the Daily Bee must
have out sold itself. with it's
headlines.
"MARKET MAY SEND PROPERTY
ASSESSMENTS SOARING"

Now that is an eye catching
blood curling headline for every
red-blooded American home owner.

It seems the state thinks
Bonner County, even though
it boosted up its taxes last
year to the screaming
citizens. The state doesn't
think that is enough.
That Bonner county is out
of compliance in 19 areas.

But the part that has everyone
upset is the fact, we who have
own homes that are far less than
$100,000, are going to pay more
taxes because others are coming
here and building homes that
are costing over $300,000.

AND 1300 OF THOSE NEW
HOMES ARE NOT EVEN ON
THE ROSTER YET!!

And the Assessor says she doesn't
have enough help to assess these
houses. How many houses are finished
each day? How long does it take
to assess a house?

How many bedrooms, how much
square footage and how much
land. When you get a building permit it
tells how much you pay for the house to
build it. They put a worth on our
garage before we moved one bit of
dirt. I guess you have to be there.

So where does this leave mom & pop
who bought their place 20+ years ago
for $30,000? Now the lot they have
their house on, is worth three as much
than their home,if they are in Sandpoint.

Those of us who bought our homes
for less that $75,000 over 5 years ago
since the gold rush on land... what
about us. What about us who don't
want to sell? We just want the American
dream, of having our own home. It isn't
a manison, but we are happy. Will we be
taxed out of our homes?

And what about the other headline in
the papers? The one about the House
and Senate working on lowering our
home taxes? Is that just a ruse?

Well, after yesterday's Bee's headlines
surely the Senators and etc. will be
getting loads of emails, phone calls,
and letters of protest. Or will we be
like cattle and follow along until we
have to drop out of the herd.

Aprons

I got this neat email
about two days ago.
It is a little sentimental
of times gone by.
Something that our
grandchildren probably
won't see.
And Grandma's aren't
even what they use to be
anymore.
Hope you enjoy it as much
as I did...

The principal use of
Grandma's apron was to
protect the dress underneath,
but along with that, it
served as a potholder
for removing hot pans
from the oven.
It was wonderful for
drying children's tears,
and on occasion was
even used for cleaning
out dirty ears.

From the chicken coop,
the apron was used for
carrying eggs, fussy
chicks, and sometimes
half-hatched eggs to be
finished in the warming
oven.

When company came,
those aprons were ideal
hiding places for shy kids.
And when the weather
was cold, grandma wrapped
it around her arms. Those big old
aprons wiped many a perspiring
brow, bent over the hot
wood stove. Chips and kindling wood
were brought into the
kitchen in that apron.

From the garden, it carried
all sorts of vegetables.
After the peas had been
shelled, it carried out the hulls.

In the fall, the apron was
used to bring in apples
that had fallen from the trees.

When unexpected company
drove up the road, it was
surprising how much
furniture that old apron
could dust in a matter
of seconds.

When dinner was ready,
Grandma walked out
onto the porch, waved
her apron, and the men
knew it was time to come
in from the fields to dinner.

It will be a long time before
someone invents some
thing that will replace that
"old-time apron" that
served so many purposes.

Grandma's used to set her
hot baked apple pies on
the window sill to cool.
Her granddaughters set
theirs on the window
sill to thaw!

The Walk

It has no prejudices...
It likes the young as well
as the old..

It doesn't care what race
you are. It will visit anyone.

Over the recent years we
been told that there are
more survivors than not.

So the organization has
started a walking group.
For the survivors as well as
those left behind.

Some where that the left
behind can talk and the others
will understand.

What am I talking about?
Cancer. Across the country
there will be walks for those
left behind and for those
blessed to be survivors.

I have two people in my life
that are the left behind. One
lost a daughter, one lost a mother.
They are far, far, far from the unusual.

Do you have some one you lost?
Are you one of the blessed? Then
I hope you can do the walk in your
area.

The two that I speak of, have their's
in Ellensburg, Washington this
summer. The weekend of June 23rd.
If you don't have a walk to support,
perhaps you will think of going to
the sites below and help out my
friends with a small donation.

Bertie's Barefoot Bunch (the mother)
https://www.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=152522&lis=1&kntae152522=AB77E919409E476A84D5F0D25D2CC899&supId=122667073

Shelley's Butterflies (the daughter)
https://www.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=152522&lis=1&kntae152522=D6D23380E06F4D63923E700B1B771F89&supId=115464779

For those of you who do....
Thank you

Oh, no, caught opening the printer door. 

RAIN RAIN, GO AWAY....I WANT TO PLAY 

DON'T LOOK, THE STAFF GAVE ME A BATH 

With That I Leave You, Laughing

This past week, the subject
of laughter came up with a
fellow blogger.

Of which I had told her,
that my mission in life
was laughter.... That
many times as I am on the
phone, I will be talking to a
friend or my aunt. And we will
have a good laugh at the end.
At which time, I use my exit ....
"With that I leave you laughing" ,
"I love you, bye".

I even told her that I guess I
would want on my tombstone,
if I was to have one, and that
I didn't wish to have one. But I
guess I would have wanted...
"she cared.... she laughed".

I am not going to have a tombstone
as I am going to be cremated
and half my ashes will go to the
water, and half will to the
mountains where my heart and
soul will live. And my memory
in the hearts of my friends and
family.

And being I am going to
be set free by the wind to go to
those places, I can still have my
spirit watch over my friends and
family. So I can kick them in the
butt when they screw up...

and with that............
I leave you laughing, or at least
smiling, my friends....
I love you.....
have a good weekend

Who owns Whom?

Do I own the computer or
does the computer own me?

As we have all found out, by
first having computers.
Second, doing email and third,
some of us having a blog.
We can have the possiblity of
being a slave to the computer.

If you read a lot of blogs, you
have more time invested in it.
So do you own your computer
or does your computer own you?

Add to that, a cell phone. And
there are other electronic that
some people have. I do not. But
I do have the cell phone. I
am not a slave to that, as I keep
forgetting it on the table. Much
to the King's displeasure. I use
it to keep track of him in large stores.
As I get irrate going up and down
aisle trying to find him. He isn't
much better about it, finding me.
Cell phones saves on the nerves.

So as Spring comes, I find myself
letting go of the computer more
and more. Cutting down to about
2 hours in total. Most of it being
in the early morning with the blog,
and email.

During winter there isn't a lot
going on, so I end up checking
email and blogs off and on thru
the day. And after this past winter
where I connected often .....I was
wondering how I would do come
this Spring. After all blogging,
commenting and reading is adictive
of sorts.

I can honestly say, I own my
computer and it doesn't own me.
So far.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
BAYVIEW HERB

The Game of Zorro

The game of Zorro. It was
a game we played when
my kids were young. Well,
maybe I should rephrase that.

See it was a game I played on
my kids when they were real
young. One of my kids I swore
to secrecy, because he caught
me in the act. So I told him if
he was quiet, I would not play
ZORRO on him, ever.

You see in the 1970's they came
out with sample lipstick for Avon.
It was a little tiny lipstick about
an inch long.. We only had one
TV channel and that was only
when the leaves were not on
the trees. So for entertainment
we would pull practical jokes
on each other. Zorro came
to my mind.

So while the children were
so quietly asleep, I tipped
toed into their bedrooms and,
you guess it... mark the Z on
the foreheads of my children.
With exception of the one. Who
woke up.

I went to bed giggling and woke
the next morning, to laughter
and then yells.

See as each woke, the other would
see the red Z and laugh. And of course
the other saw it and laughed at
his sibling.

And then it dawn on them if their
sibling is laughing, THEY MUST have
a Z too. So the run to the mirror and then
the yelling. At first they thought it
was the brother who did not have
it. And were shocked that their
MOTHER would do such a thing.

After a summer of seeing if Mom
would play Zorro, they decided to
reverse the play. They decided on
the shortest of the children to be
the one to go do the deed.

Only trouble is Mother's have
radar, and I opened my eyes
just as the lipstick was coming
down. The child froze. The lip
stick froze. And I said... "don't
even think about it"

The child and lipstick disappeared.

Over the years Zorro appeared, but
the bigger the kid, the harder it was.
So Zorro rode off into the sunset.
To be talked about at family gathers,
for years to come.

Some days are Roses and some are Weeds

Today is a weedy day... I have nothing.
Usually over the weekend several
subjects come to mind, so that sets
me up for Monday and Tuesday.

But with the wonderful sunshine,
I have been thinking yard, not blog.
And today is my honest day of work.
So time is short... and I have nothing.

I had a few thoughts, but didn't write
down the magic reminder word.. so
my memory is empty. See my memory
is like a matchhead on fire. Quick to
flare up, and out like a light.

So go enjoy the day. Who knows how
many we will get before the Spring
time rains start.

So go... what are you waiting for?
There is no more here...Go!!

Blah Monday

I don't know if I am caught
between Cabin fever and
Spring fever.

I am looking outside.
See the sun, see the
frost on the ground.
I want to get out there
and do something. But
so far can't do anything.

I walked around the yard
and it is still underwater.
The grass is sticking up
thru it, so it is decieving.
But that is Kootenai.

We don't see dry ground
until May really, some
times June. We have
seen wonderful weather
in April and May. Get
excited, plant part of
the garden, only to see
it float away or worse
rot the seeds.

Last year we found all
kinds of flowers in one
corner. We didn't plant
there. They had all
washed down to that corner.

So I guess I will do house
work, job security don't you
know. Go for a walk when
it warms up a bit, and
keep planning what I will
do when it gets to be yard
time.

The Best View for some one from Sandpoint area 

second best view to a Sandpointer 

Accident on Hwy 200 about 10am 3/17/06 

Filling out reports 

Into the ditch 

Down deep 

Highway 200 view 

Truck deep in mud 

Happy St. Patrick's Day

This day can not go by without
me thinking of a day about 30+
years ago.

In my quest to make an Irish
meal for my, now deceased
husband, Marvin... I was making
an Irish Stew. While it was
cooking I decided to make
Shamrock cookies. Yes, green
cookies. To go with the rest
of the green food.

My best buddy was visiting.
Of course with our usual
wisecracking back and forth,
she said something of which
neither of us can remember.
But my reaction to that remark
goes down in our history of
friendship of over 30+ years.

You see I was rolling the dough
in little green balls, so I could
make the leave part of the
Shamrock. When she made
her remark, I threw the ball
at her. To my shock, and hers
too.... it landed on the
bridge of her glasses.
Thank God for glasses.
Some of it did reach her
eye. At first there was silence.
And then laughter.

So Happy St. Pat's,
Cherie

Points to ponder and Bottom of the Human Race

Points to ponder

New medical test that show
what your health could
forecast in the future...
will insurance companies
use it against you....
after all they get your medical
history... Life insurance, car
insurance, and health insurance.
After all your health can be a
factor in all of those.

School levies, will the public
vote them down punishing the
majority in order to punish the
few?? Or is it really about raising
prices?

And then there is the news report
of human race at their worse..
Men video playing by demand to
thousand of others, child molestation
ages 18 months to 12 years old.

In 10 states, Canada, and England.
Thousands watching as molestation
on demand, watching the video on
line, with the child screaming,while
being molested...

Be proud mankind, we have come
so far in this age of internet.

Sorry, but I think I am going to be
sick.

Life is Not Fair

Reading the Parade's wages story...
this past Sunday was disheartening
to say the least...

A Marine Sgt. listed at $22,000
RN Nurse at $45,000
Caretaker at $13,000

What is sad about this is the
fact that all three of these
job have life and death effects.

The Marine is protecting us.
The RN Nurse gives the correct
pill, always looking at the vitals
of a patient.
The Caretaker, constantly
on alert for any changes in
the person in her care. New
pain, blue fingers or lips, sores.
And yet they get paid under
$50,00... The Marine and
Caretaker under $25,000.

Considering that society thinks
of $125,000 being middle class.
These are underclass I guess.

Yet, a 12 year old actress makes
15 MILLION DOLLARS!!!!
Actors, actress, sport players,
make 1 to 15 MILLION DOLLARS.
And a certain radio show host makes
31 MILLION DOLLARS for talking crude
jokes, and what a lot of us consider
filthly talking.

Where is the justice in that? What
kind of upset down world we live in.
I know when I was a child there was
a saying... "the Rich get richer and the
poor have more children."
But this borders on ridiculous.
Heck, it is ridiculous!!

Also there is a new program on
TV. Miracle Makeovers. It is a
really nice show that has Drs.
helping people with horrible
defects. It is hard to watch
without having tears in your
eyes for the person and their
families.

As I sit there and watch for
a while, the thought that goes
thru my mind, is ................
Why is it, everyone with these
same problems don't get to have
the same operation or one like it?
Why isn't it the normal instead of
the selected few.

Don't get me wrong, I am so happy
for these people. It is great the
Drs. are helping. But what about
the others?

Life just isn't fair.
And you will probably say,
why should it be.....and my
answer would be why shouldn't
it be.

Monday the 13th??

Never was very good at
following traditions...
Yesterday was Monday
the 13th. My Friday the
13th, I guess.

First, I forget to go to
the monthly luncheon
that I go to with some
former fellow employee's.

Second, I send out an
email asking who else
forgot. And telling them
when the next one was coming
up, in April.

Then I had to resend the first
email, because I had the date
for the April luncheon wrong.

Then I had to send out an
apology email because... I had
used another email back
ground. I just erased the
letters off of it, replaced it
with mine about the luncheon.

It was a cute cat walking...
So why was I sending out
an apology? Because one
of our fellow former
employee, is the wife of a
minister... and you say,
"And so???" Well, it seems
when I forward the cat walking
removing their letters off and
putting my own on... I didn't
happen to see the kitten at the
bottom in a sling saying..........
now remember I sent this to
the minister's wife too.....and
of course he reads it and prints
it for her....
The kitten said...........
And the cat don't give a shit.

Boy, is my face red.

DEAL OR NO DEAL

I am sure you have seen the

advertising for the show, some

of you may have even watched

the show. During the Olympic

it was hard not to, as the show

was on every night at 8.

For those of you who haven't,

it is a show of greed.

They have 26 cases to open.

You chose one. For you to

keep. What ever is in that case,

is what you win. But you have

to open the other cases before

you can see what you won in your

case. There is two rolls of amounts

of cash listed. As you get each

case open.. it disappears from

the list. If you are lucky and get

all the ones on the left to disappear

then you have all the ones on the

right which go from 1,0000 up to

two million. But of course that

isn't the law of the averages.

They disappear off both sides.

You open 6 cases, then 5 cases

then 4 case and then 2 until the

game is over. After each set is

open, the guy up in the office

offers you money for your case.

The more big money left, the

more they offer you for yours

and if you get too greedy by saying

NO DEAL.. and you pick large

amount cases, then your offers

start going down. Some have

walked away with $5,000 after

being offered as much as $164,000.

Then to help you, they pick 3 or 4

of your family to help you decide.

Now I get a bigger kick out of watching

the King watch the show. As he sits there

edging the contestant on. But after they

turn down the over $100,000 deals, he

turns on them. Then he yell, it is the big

money in the case. See I told you...

And the offer goes down. And the guy

says NO Deal. Then the Kings starts

saying, you are going to lose...and sure

enough it goes down more. They will still

believe they can hit one of the two big

cases left, so say NO DEAL. Which the

King say, you deserve to lose, you are

going to lose. Once in a while he will

see them pull it back up to one of

the bigger offers and then DEAL.

Yep, watching the King is more

fun.

The Fading of S.E. corner of 5th and Oak

Here are some pictures of the
S.E. corner of 5 & Oak Street
Sandpoint, Idaho.
Soon all these buildings will
be gone.
Here are some of the buildings
as they get ready to be taken down.



Where everyone knew your name... IGA Restaurant

empty parking lot...  

Standing tall waiting for the end 

Hair Hut last days 2-4-06 

washers and dryers lining up like forgotten soldiers for the truck to take them away from the LAUNDROMAT
 

Sandpoint Cinema 4 saying good-bye 

The Wild Bunch

Now this is going to be a long one.
But with the weekend coming up,
figured you might have time for a
long story.

For some reason men aren’t satisfied with
working 5 days a week. Some have to
have something to keep them occupied
on weekends too. One of these was retired,
the other two had good paying jobs, so
it isn’t the money… I think it is because
they can play with the equipment. Tonka
Toys of the grown men.

This is the story of the Wild Bunch.
And takes place 20 years ago.
There are 3 main characters, Marv, Chris
and KT. The names have been changed to
protect the reputation of these men. These
3 were always the first one there, when any
one needed help of any kind. That is just
who they were. And mostly without pay.

They could be called the 3 Musketeers
as they were all for one and one for all.
But that name has been taken.
Or maybe the 3 stooges as the trouble they
get into, but that is too strong and that name is
taken too. They are more like Laurel and Hardy,
but then there was 3 of them. So I have named
them the Wild Bunch for lack of a better name.
These were honest, hard workers, fun and coffee
/beer drinking buddies
.
Let me introduce you to the Wild Bunch.

First is Marv. The oldest, smallest of the three.
And known affectionly by the other
2 as Dad. He has 40 years of experience in
welding and mechanic. Both diesel and gas.
Jack of all trade- of plumbing, carpenter,
electrician and willing to give anything a try.
Mastering most of it. Marv had been slowed
down because of a series of operations,
5 by-pass surgeries over 8 years.
Marv is the pessimistic of the 3. To him the glass
is half empty. And a perfect foil for Murphy’s
Law. His 2 main loves was hunting and
fishing and working on vehicles. He didn’t get to
fish very often but he made sure he got his
hunting in.

Next is Chris. He is the middle and tallest one.
He is Marv’s opposite. To Chris, the glass is half
full. Chris is the stabilizer to KT’s and Marv’s
impatience with working on vehicles. Chris sees
the best in everyone no matter who or what they
are. He is the calm in the middle of KT’s and
Marv’s storms, and when things go wrong.
By trade is a foreman on a railroad track crew.
He, too, is the jack of all trades and master of
most of them. His loves are his family and his
equipment and being with the 2 other Wild
Bunch guys. He also likes hunting.

KT is the youngest. He is tall and heavy
set. Has to take a lot of kidding about his
round belly. But don’t be fooled …this man
moves and moves fast. He has the impish
smile of a boy who got caught with his hand
in the cookie jar. By the trade, he was a welder
for the railroad crew. He, too, is a jack of all
trade. KT is the practical joker of the 3.
Chris and KT call each other Sonny. He
loved hunting and his mom.

The 3 are workaholics, will help a friend out,
and always have time for a small child.
Especially Rosie, Chris daughter. All have a
sense of humor, they can and do laugh at
themselves.
While they will go out of their way to help
anyone, anyone who tries to take advantage
of any of them gets the wrath of the other 2.
Now you know the Wild Bunch. Here are
their stories.






The Truck

The boys were working on the Studebaker
dump truck. This is an old truck, that Chris
bought, that looks like an old army truck.
They got it all scraped and sanded and ready
to be painted. Got the truck started and drove
it over to the front side of the trailer to the
steam cleaner. After steam cleaning the whole
truck off, they went to start it, to be able to take
it back to the garage. The truck wouldn’t start.
After many tries to start and failing they decide
to tow it with KT’s pickup truck. Being the
Studebaker is a 10 yard 20 wheeler, it is
pretty heavy. KT went around to the front of
the Studebaker and towed it towards the garage.
Half way across the yard the Studebaker started .
At which time Chris driving the Studebaker
pulls on the hand brake as hard as he could…
locking all wheels. Which brings KT’s pickup
to a fast halt. About throwing KT thru the cab.
KT jumps out and asks in good strong language
"what the heck are you doing?" Chris replies
in the most innocent voice. “It started.”
“So why did you stop so fast”, asks KT?
“I got it started so I didn’t need you anymore, Sonny,”
Chris replies innocently. Marv who is watching
all this is laughing so hard tears comes to his eyes.
It took them a month to get the new motor and
transmission in.

Studebaker’s First Load..

Chris and KT had promise a lady a load or
two of gravel. So after completion of the Studebaker
dump truck, they went to get their first job. KT
loaded the Studebaker to Chris’s satisfaction. Off
Chris goes to the site 10 miles away. Chris was so
proud. His truck with its first load. He smiled and
waved at everyone as he drove down the road.
Friends, strangers, he didn’t care. He was proud
of his truck with the first load.

He got to the lady’s house. She was so thrilled, the
first load of gravel. Chris was proud. He backs up
and goes to unload the truck. The truck bed won’t lift.
Too much gravel in the front of the bed of the truck.
So Chris tells the lady, he has to go back and unload
some of it. He drives back the 10 miles, not waving or
smiling at anyone, with his hat pulled over forward so
they couldn’t see his face. He unloaded part of the
load and returns to the lady’s place and this time the
truck dumps just fine. Chris is still proud of his
Studebaker dump truck.

Wrong job

KT gets a call from his brother. There is a logger
who needs a road snowplowed out. Up to the skidder
they said, pass the gates. KT who is always in a
hurry, calls the guy to find out who far up
the road, and was told almost a mile , but he
didn’t get the directions to exactly where the
road was. He goes with the grader about a
mile down the road. Up the Long Mt. Rd.
with his brother following in the pickup.
Plowing for about a mile and half. No
sight of the skidder or logs. So the brother
returns to the house to calls the man
up to find out how far up and where it was.
It seems it is not Long Mt. Rd. It is
the road that is about 150 feet from
KT’s drive way. The brother runs up that
road and sure enough he sees the 2 gates
described and the log piles and a skidder.
The Forest guys were probably wondering
what bunch plowed up the Long Mt. for
2 miles…. What bunch???
the Wild bunch, of course.

Another wrong job

The boys had gotten another snow plowing job.
A friend of theirs wanted her drive way enlarged
to a line of cars. And then wanted a particular car
pulled out of the snow bank on the other side. She
was going to sell it and needed it out of the snow.
So the boys go over and enlarge her drive way.
Then they plowed over to this car, and towed it out
for her. Leaving it in the driveway, so when she
got home it would be ready.

They called that night to ask her if she like the job
they did. She said, well it was ok, she guess. She
really like the enlargement of the driveway. But why
did they tow out the red car? She and her kids had to
shove out the blue car that she wanted to have out.
She never let them live that one down. She said if she
had to do it again, she would put a flag on the car, so
they would know which one it was. Lol…

The Wild Bunch, great guys who enjoy a good
laugh even if it was on them.

Rain, Snow, Wind and no Electric

I don't know how long we will
have electric today... will it
be off and on? We had two
outages since midnight here
in little K.

And since 6 a.m. It has blinked
three times.
So going to do a short one
for today. Also tomorrow's
is going to be a long one.
So will post this and turn off
the computer. Forgot to
before bedtime last night.
Luckily no damage. Was
about to go on this morning
but the electric went out before
I came in here.

So here it is ..short and sweet?

The King and I were thinking
about some of the things in
our house when we were kids,
or we did as kids.

Like the player pianos. Are
there any left? Most kids have
never seen them. There is always
the few kids who have done these
things or saw them. But very few.

How many kids still play marbles?
Walking barefeet on the roads?
Ride bikes for miles to a friends
house?
Know what a penny candy store is?
Have Grandma's who still wear apron's
that seem to wipe away tears besides
protection her clothes?
Boy, kids miss out.

That's it folks... turning off
the computer.. tomorrow
will be extra long.

Music

Working on a funny post for
Friday... so this is off the top
of my head for a filler.

After yesterday's reference to
a song in the past, I got to thinking
about my music taste and how
they have changed over the years.

My first records were 45's. And
I believe after watching the movie,
Rock Around the Clock with Bill
Hailey and the Comets, I ran down
and bought my first record. After
that I found Unchained Melody by
Al Hibbler and then of course Elvis.

But before my teens were over, I
had switched to country music.
Which lasted for 40 years. Starting
out with Ernest Tubb...and Waltzing
across Texas. I got to meet Mr. Tubbs
at a place called THE BOSTONIAN. It
was a dance hall in El Cajon, Ca. He
was on one side of the counter, where
they served soft drinks, and beer, and
burgers and etc. He asked me to pass
the sugar to him for his coffee. BOY,
those were the biggest diamonds on
his ring, that I ever saw in my life time.

Raising my children, even with
country music in our household, was
sprinkled with Go Go Girls, Kiss and
several others. And of course like my
parents not understanding Elvis or Bill
Hailey, I didn't understand them either.

What drove me nuts was the big
speakers. Which seem to drum the
sound into the walls and travel
down to where the living room was
and our bedroom. Swearing the
speakers were on 2 or 3, it sounded
more like 20 to me.

I found the best way to get the kids
to change some of their music was
to ignore it. If I didn't make a big
fuss about it, then it must not be
any good to them. Therefore
we survived their teens years.

To my amazement my mother
learn to like Elvis and recorded
his best television performance.
Also she hated my country music
yet died loving Willie Nelson.

My choice still vary. I love BB KING,
Dr. Hook, Johnny Cash has and will
always be a favorite. I like Libby
Roderick's... "How could Anyone"
Gene Krupa's drum solo's, the
Village People, Regis Philbin
and Ray Charles among some of
the ones I play. The King has
some rock and roll cd's, and
big band, that I like. But my
soul loves Rock and Roll, and
of course, Gospel.

Baby Boomers

Baby boomers.... where are
they going so fast? How they
are trying to stay so young...
botox, so many other things to
try to find the fountain of youth.
they are missing out on the
transition.

My mother use to sing this song
to me, when I was in my 40's
and she in her 60's. One of our
favorites, Dr. Hook.


I've got a couple more years
on you babe, and that's all I've
had more chances to fly, and
more places to fall.
And it ain't that I'm wiser,
it's only that I've spent more
time with my back to the wall.
And I've picked up a couple
more years on you babe, and
that's all. I've walked a couple
more roads than you babe
and that's all.
And I'm tired of runnin' while
you're only learning to crawl.
And you're heading somewhere,
but I've been to somewhere and
found it was nowhere at all.
And I've picked up a couple more
years on you babe, and that's all.
Now saying goodbye girl, don't never
come easy at all But you've gotta fly
'cause you're hearing them young
eagles call And someday when you're
older you'll smile at a man strong
and tall.
And you'll say I've got a couple more
years on you babe and that's all.

"Couple More Years"
These words were found at:
http://www.lyricsandsongs.com/lyrics/DR._HOOK.html

March 6th

From a Simple Mind

Going to try this out... I am
just a word tosser... but a lazy
one... don't know if I have
enough in my mind to do a daily
blog. So don't expect much...
posted by Word Tosser at 10:39 PM 0 comments

That was 312 post ago, and
7000+ people looking in ago.

Yep, it has been a year ago.
And it has been fun. Hopefully
I can still come up with things
to write about. I am not here
to set the world on fire. Not here
to change people's minds. Just
maybe have some thoughts that
might have others thinking... but
mostly to find the humor in life's
deals that are dealt out to all of
us at one time or another.

That was my mission a year
ago, and that hasn't changed
much. Don't like the soap box
part. So will work on having
less of that.

So HAPPY ANNIVERSARY
FROM A SIMPLE MIND.

Thank you Dave O and
Marianne L.
I, think, (smile) it was
the two of you who got
me to do this.

Hopefully it has been as much
fun for everyone, as it is for me.
As I try to do my motto....
"To do no harm"

Rokon and the Printer

I don't know what it is about my
printer...but Rokon can be any
where in the house, and can
hear it start. She flies thru the
house at top speed, to get to it
to watch and now has decided
to help the paper.
So I have had to close the paper
feed door when I am not
around. As you can see from
the 4 pictures below.

Did the printer start? Yes!!

I see the paper 

She thinks she has it... 

Trying to get the paper out... 

New Blog on my List

There is a new blog just
starting... I don't know how
often they will post. So I
guess this is one you will
have to just go and check
it out from time to time.

Many moons ago, I use to
baby-sit this young lady. Who is
now an adult with children of her
own. She lives in Alaska.
Well, a year or two ago, she
let go of her oldest and let her
go to New York to take come
classes for doing media type
things.

Then she came home for about
8 months. Did some local work
in media.. And now, she is
heading to Europe, actually she
already is there. And that is what
this blog is about. It is a blog that
mother and daughter write on from
time to time, so the other can see.
And even the sister/younger daughter
joins in.

Like I said they are in the
beginning, and if you are a
blogger you know how that
goes. Some people like myself ...
feels the need to post each day.
Some post as thoughts come by.
Some are a hit and miss, until
they get the hang of it. And that
is where I think .."Just Deal with
it Girlfriend" is at.

It is hard to let your 19+ year old
go to Europe with out her family.
A great deal of trust, in her and
the Lord. The same type of trust
that the Mother was given when
she ventured to Alaska many
years ago.

Good luck girls... All of you...
Will check back and see how
you all are doing. And
hopefully the pictures.
More pictures are at the
picture site she has listed.

just deal with it girlfriend!
http://justdealwithitgirlfriend.blogspot.com/

Reunions

This morning I was reading the
paper and also thinking how
the season of reunions is
getting near. You know
family, class and etc.

Next year is my 50th Class
reunion. I graduated in 1957.
Do I want to spend big bucks
to travel across the nation, to
sit and eat with people I don't
know and thought of me as
a nerd?

See our school was one of
3 in the area. We were the
public school, then there was
the two Catholic schools.
DeLaSalle for boys, and St.
Catherine's for girls.

Then our own school had 3
groups, the non-public names.
There were the Town people.
The Farmers,(which I belong to)
and the Clammers, who was from
the island.

Towners were Newport,itself.
Farmers were Middletown,
and Portsmouth. And Clammers
were from Jamestown, which was
a small island. The other 3 towns
are on the bigger island.

I am still in touch with two of my
class mates. One about 3 times
a year and the other on a daily
basis. We email. Both of them
are still on the East Coast. One
still in Rhode Island and the other
in N.C.

Last time I was there, it was
the 40th, and it went well.
The one before was 25 years.
That one was kind of weird.

I, by that time, was pretty
comfortable in my skin. But
when I walked into the hall, I
felt like I was back in High
School, with all the insecurities
of that time. And when I walked
out to the parking lot after... I
was back to my comfortable self.

Guess High School Reunions are
like that.

Burning the Midnight Oil

It is early morning and I
have worked for hours,
copying and pasting
and making an index
for my work.

I have fought with the
cat over the printer. For
some reason she is
possessed by my printer.

So tonight she decided
I wasn't getting the paper
out fast enough, so she
thought she would do it.

And when I went to get
the paper, she grabs the
paper with her teeth
and swipes her paw at
me.

But I am finally done.
And figured I would
enter my blog now
being I got errands
to run in about 7
hours, or so...

So here it is.......

To day is going to be short..
For I am going to go to
Fantastic Sam's and put
my finger in their electric
socket and get my hair
curly.

This short hair has been fun,
but now it is getting longer
to which it is driving me nuts.
I have cowlicks... in front,
in the back and on top.

Don't know how these came
about, as we had horses,not
cows.

If this comes out well... maybe
I will be daring like Bayviews, and
put my picture on this blog.
I will fore warn you... also
will try to have it so you can
print out large size, for scaring
the burglars, rats, and other
varmints.