Old Post

There wasn't any email that was outstanding this week...
but came across an old post of mine, I forgot I did..
So maybe you will get a kick out of it...and can answer it
on your blog if you have one.


Friday, March 30, 2007

Marianne's Challenge
Marianne of Slight Detour challenged her readers to
complete the following with their own stories. Being I didn't
want to clog up her comment area, I chose to answer here.

Best Never Told Smoking Stories
Two for one. The first one, was my neighbor pal and I smoking
straw for starters. We didn't want to go straight into smoking cigarette,
so thought we try straws. Not good. Got sick, her father found us
behind his garage, and I think he said something to the fact of burning
down the garage with our matches, it was hard to understand him,
when you are sick as a dog.
Second one, was when my father found out I smoked. Well, I think
puffing on them, would be a more accurate description. So he decide I
should smoke in front of him. I had bought a pak of Pall Mall ..reds.
For those who are young, that is a straight cigarette with no filters.
I bought that brand as my mother smoked them and figured if I
got caught I could past it off as my mothers. Which goes to show
I was not a smart child, as when I got caught, I was accused of
stealing her cigarettes. And of course we all know that children lie,
so no amount of protesting on my part was going to change their minds.
First Dad, started out with one cigarette. Then when he caught on that I
didn't inhale, he told me I had to inhale if I was going to smoke. It was a
waste, not to inhale. So he showed me how to do it correctly. You inhale,
long and kind of kept it in the lungs for a little bit, and then you let it out
slowly. (Oh, come on now, in those days, everyone inhale and blew it out
slowly, and made circles and etc.. this was not child cruelty......yet).
I say yet, because, I was almost done with my cigarette and kind of holding
my own.. just a little heady... then my father dropped the next foot.
He litup another cigarette, and handed it to me. I told him no, thanks, o
ne was good enough for me. Oh, no, a real smoker has a few.
As I was getting thru the second one, I was trying to find an escape
route. As I was drawing out the last one of the inhales.......
Dad lit another, I begged off, saying I was fine. 2 was just my limit..
I know I had to be glowing green by this time. He told, me no, a true
smoker ...smokes one right after another... all day.. and handed me #3,
after about two inhales, I really couldn't tell you what he was saying,
as I was heading for the escape route outside, and throwing up on
the lawn. I decided smoking wasn't for me. Sadly, I figure out that
cigarettes calmed the nerves and started at the age of 31.
And finally gave them up for good at the age of 48. It was a financial thing.
It was either a monthly product for women or cigarettes. After thinking
about how I could use the filter after I finished the cigarette, that I decided
I had gone over the edge and quit for a month. Then the next month and the next
and etc. Even though they cost me 88 cents for my last pack. And they cost 3
times that now or more, and I know they are not good for me at all...
I still crave one ..once in a while.. especially if I have had a few drinks.
Hard to explain.. it was kind of a private, quiet time for me.

Best Never Told Food Stories
When I was a teen, I was left in charge of my kid brother (who was 4 years
my junior) on Friday nights. I guess it was kind of a date night for them.
They went out to dinner. It was my job to make sure I fed my brother dinner
and kept him out of trouble. The funniest one was when I made him hamburgers.
As I was cooking the meat, I had laid out the bun, put mustard, mayonnaise
and ketchup on the buns, then closed them while I finished cooking the meat.
As I swung over the first pattie to put the meat into the bun, .....two of the buns
were gone. I put the meat in the one bun. And asked my brother, what happen to
the buns. He laughed at me and said I already ate mine, so I finished first. ha ha
Thinking this was funny. So I had decided to wait about 2 hours before I told him,
he ate his without the meat. lol... I don't think I should go into the time I told him
that Exlax was chocolate candy.

Best Never Told Report Card Stories
Report card time wasn't bad until I was in the higher grades. And by that
time, I had my kid brother. His always seem to be worse than mine, so I
had him go in first with his... and then I would show up half hour later with
mine. That way, mine didn't seem so bad.

Best Never Told Lying Stories---
now tell the truth I never was good at lying. Not to say I never ever did.
I am sure I must have slipped a few white lies in there. But the main reason '
I decided to give up lying, was memory. Even as a kid, I wasn't really good
at memory. And if you tell a lie, you have to remember exactly how the story
goes. And because I couldn't get that straight...and got whipped for it,
I decided the true was the best way to go. I could always remember the
truth. And facing the music, I found was easier. You got your punishment
and it was over. Instead of waiting weeks for the parent to figure out the
lie, and knowing any day it would happen. Fear is worse than punishment.

Ok, I have met the challenge of Marianne's...
anyone else want totake up the challenge? Let me know and
I will check out your blog to see how you answered.

MEMORIAL DAY...

This is the real Memorial Day.... I know because I was
raised that this is the day... I also had twins on this day.
So it was a memorial day for me.

So HAPPY 41st BIRTHDAY,
B...BRAT... AND WOUNDED MOOSE

For my health???

I mention that my daughter gave us for Christmas
a Wii. It came with a sports DVD. And we had a blast
playing bowling, tennis and golf. And some baseball.
We still play off and on. With the weather nicer and
daylight savings we don't play as much.

I, then bought myself the Wii Fit. And I have been
working out with that, for about 5 months. I have been
doing each day except for the day I work and Sunday.
So 5 days a week. While I haven't lost any weight, I
gave gain a lot of my balance. It has Yoga, Strengthen,
Acrobatics and then some balance games. Skiing, jump
skiing, several other balance games. All fun. It last about
50 minutes for me to go thru the whole thing. Well, the
ones I can do. As I don't do well with standing on one foot
and lifting the other one in front or back. I have tried them
but only about 6 times. Even as a kid, my ankles were weak.

Then for my birthday, my daughter got me another game
for the Wii. It takes a pad and you jump, switch feet, (kind
of like the old game that you put your feet on different colors
from the 1970's) and then you run on a track on the screen,
or you are in a cave in a cart on a track and jumping logs
and stuff. I have played it 4 or 5 times.

Then this weekend she brings over the newest one called,
Active personal trainer. I started that one on Tuesday.
It has Bob Green from Oprah, and there is two types of
exercise. There is the one where you can built your own
exercise, and there is the 30 day training. I chose the
30 day training. Figured maybe if I am accountable, I will
work harder and maybe, just maybe I can lose weight.

I started Tuesday, and the running about killed me. The
rest was doable. Work the daily lights out of me, but
doable. The running part, it tells me I am too slow. So
step it up. On Wed. it was different exercises but still
the running. I am telling you, that after both days, I was
so sweaty I had to head to the showers. And I have
muscles that ache that I didn't know I had.

My daughter called last night to see how I was doing.
I told her(before I even said hello), "you do know that
you are not my beneficiary, right?" That the King is. lol
She said, "that bad, huh?" She does the hard one, I am
doing the easy one. Easy by their standards, not mine.
She is 30 years younger than me.
But today, I burnt off 173 calories and got two trophies
and a Gold medal. Yesterday only a Bronze.

Who knows, I might lose weight if it doesn't kill me, first.

HERE COMES THE JUDGE?

President Obama has nominated a woman for
the Supreme Court. A Hispanic woman.
Which all sounds nice. I am sure there are
a lot of women who are glad to see another
woman, being the one we have in place now
is close to the possible of leaving..

One of the things that bothers me, isn't that
is she liberal or conservative, or a woman or
a man. But the fact that they are saying she
should be a shoo in because the Democrats
will out vote the Republicans on this.

I would hope that both sides would look at this
woman's track record. What have been her
rulings in the past. Not to be voted in on a
party line.

I don't care if the person is male, woman, or
even gay. I don't care if the person is white,
black, or even purple,red,or orange.

I want a person who is fair, and knows the
laws of the land, and can judge if the case in
front of them, is what the law meant.

They are not there to make laws, that is Congress's
job. The Supreme Court's job is to make sure that
law is upheld. To understand that law, and if the case
in front of them are within that law.

So sent up some one understands that, who is fair,
and not judge for the job, not because of gender, or
race. But the one best for the job.

Trees and plants

I forgot this picture, yesterday.
But I missed an opportunity to
take a picture looking up in the
tree. It is hollowed out and what
keeps it from falling is beyond me.

I am so beat. We went to a place called
THE FARM out on Selle Road. Before we
knew it we had $29 worth of plants.

Then we headed to Wally World to get
more soil. And happen to see a few plants
we just had to have. Then the real work
starts.

We stopped by the Dollar Store to pick up
some kids pails, that we made in to the
upside down plants. Like you see the tomatoes
on television.

By 4:30 pm yesterday we dragged our worn
out bodies in the house. Sat down and drank
lemonade. And the King fell asleep, so I decided
to get a post done for the morning, Before I head
to the showers.. As I have to
work early today. I hope I can stand up.

Memorial Day Weekend Drive

We headed out to the wide open roads...

In Troy we came across this camper... The King thought about it, as it had its own brick

fireplace in side... and we surely could have traveled in style... This was near a yard sale, and I got some Russian soup that was so good there...

Then off of Bull River Road we came to Ross Point/Cedars park

Hard to tell, but this is the water flowing fast down the hill

There was snow still there in spots.

a Y in the trees....

This little gal was truly amazed at how tall the trees and how wide..

Remember, the King is 6 foot... and a big guy...

stump on its side...

back on the road again... heading for home

Hope, Idaho

and of course our mountian... and we are as good as home...

Beautiful trip, wonderful company, and got to see friends as well....

3 day weekends...

I have decided to take 3 day weekends...

for the summer...

the weather is just too great

to miss.

even Misty is looking for bugs in the grass....


Misty enjoying the sunshine on her face...

So if anything unusual or very interesting,

comes up, then I might put it up here for

the weekend.. Friday to Sunday...

Other wise I am going to enjoy the summer.

The Thief...

It comes in the silent of the night, or perhaps in the daylight.
It has no prejudice. It takes the young as well as the old, no age is safe.
It takes all religions, all nationalities,no sector escapes.
It seems to surround us. If we don't have it, we know someone who does.
In fact, you may know many who do. And even family members are effected.
It is the most threaded word and when you hear it, you
might not hear any words after it.
It tears at the heart and soul of friends and family.

Yet gives those who are attacked by it, seem to gather great courage,
to the point of helping friends and family thru the hard times.
While we hear of those who survive, we also know many who did not...
it still tears at our very soul...
It robbed us of a family member last week, still hurting all of us.
We never understand it.
And it surrounds us.
I have church members, neighbor, and friend.

When it is you, in the little room, and the person
tells you it is so, all the rest of the words are mumble.

The word is CANCER

Sandpoint, we hardly recognize you...

I am sure those who have lived here for more
than 30 years, feel that way. And surely those
who come home for reunions this summer will
think that.

We have a fairly drab looking town. A lot of
brick, brown, grey's siding and etc. With a sprinkle
of color in the business signs.
But now we have color, boy, do we have color!!!

And there are so many changes.
This is must have caused a stir 28 years ago or more,
when they changed this. Now we take it in stride.

And we go from this...

to this...

We are are still divide on the plus of it.
Most of us, hate it. Too tall, too big... but
slowly we are getting use to it. Another 5
years and we'll take it in stride. And new
comers won't know the difference.
We already have people who don't know what
Harold's IGA or the Hair Hut is. And think the
Panhandle Milling is a strip mall area.

And now the latest splash. Colorful is an
understatement.

I liked the sign...


In 10 years people won't even remember what it was,
and who knows what it will look like by then. As we, who
have lived here over 20 years and the natives know,
restaurants come and go...

And then we have the bypass work being done and our
soil, roads, and etc. are changing.... and there are those
who think our traffic will look like this...



Instead of like this...


This is before and after the hold up on the bridge area,
as they rearrange the bridge approach. About 8 minutes
difference.

There are more changes than I have here. The west
entrance of Sandpoint is different. The north side of
5th Ave is completely changed from the railroad, feed
store, for sale lot and etc. that has been there for ever..
and now a 3 block worth of strip mall.

Is this for the good or the bad? It is all in the eye of
the beholder.

JeanieS did a story on parts and how her Mechanic guy had her getting parts and helping
with parts for a vehicle he was restoring.... I could sympathize with her, as my husband as
has a restored project going on.. for years... She also said she almost slipped and said her
garage, but she doesn't have one, as it is full of her guys... parts and etc. So this is how I
answered her story.


Ah, Jeannie, don't hold your breathe… we have been a proud owner of a 1947 Ford pick up. It came with a faded yellow paint job. It sat in a friends garage for 3 years. It has sat in our garage, and been torn into pieces, for 7 years. The box is up against the garage wall, the cab is across the garage wrapped like a baby in a blanket, it is finally…finally painted. The fenders are upstairs in the garage. I don't know where the bumpers are, I suspect they are under the platform that the cab is on. And the flat head engine is swing on a chain from the ceiling. The trannie is on the floor in the corner. And the frame is outside of the garage. And I am still waiting. And every year we have the Lost in the 50's, I tell him, next year, I want the truck in the parade. This year, I told him, I want the blanking truck done, I didn't want to have to ride in the parade Grandma Clampett style in my wheelchair in the back of it, with my grandson waving my hand for me… So don't hold your breathe, but threaten him with bodily harm if he doesn't get it done before you are wheel chair or walker bound.

Oh, I had a garage... we have a small one car garage that came with the house. Then he built a 24x30 big garage for him, kept telling me when he got HIS garage, I could have the dumpy one. Made all kinds of reference about the dumpy garage that belong to Cis.... THEN the big garage was done, I could hardly wait for my garage to be empty, I had all kinds of plans. One which was parking my car in it during the winter and not have frosty windows. I waited 3 months.. things were moving awful slow. Then they stopped after 6 months. I thought what happen, didn't seem like much was moving. Then came the bad news... HIS garage was the mechanic garage.. the dumpy garage was for wood work. Work to be done on the house. (oh, don't even start me on that one). I told him, NO WAY... he promised me my garage. Well, he went out of town 2 years later for some classes for a week. It took me 4 days with the help of my grandson, and 18 wagon loads that went to HIS garage, and stacked in a row..8 feet long and 3 feet tall... before I got my garage cleaned out. I actually had a FLOOR... I re arranged things in MY garage. The look on his face when he open his garage... was too funny. I got to park my car in the garage two winters in a row... but in the summer he uses it as a catch all. As I protest, he tells me, he will move it tomorrow... you know tomorrow never comes, because it becomes today.... so every fall, I clean it out again..

I miss the old newspapers

While yard saling this weekend with my sister-in-law, I came to

this one box.. I would have loved to have taken home the whole box.

He had promised many of the papers to someone else. But he did

tell me, he would let me have any 3 of the Spokesman Review I wanted.

I chose 3 of which two were 1945 and one was 1955.

As I read them, a sadness came across me. And I said to my

s-i-l, you know what is sad about these papers, is the comparison

of the ones we get now. So look at these papers and tell me what

made me sad, and what the difference is...

Here is June 1, 1945

Here is May 18,2009

which kind of surprise me as isn't this the anniversary of Mt. St. Helens's blow?

Ok, here they are side by side, can you tell? No, it isn't the color...

And no, it isn't because the newer one is thinner, (I was surprised by how much)

Ok, now I have folded them... look, can you see the difference now?? just looking at the
top of the pages?

The difference that sadden me was the amount of news. Looking at the bottom one you

can count 9 different stories... the newer one? 2 not counting the promo on top.

There is 4 inches just for the headline. Guess there isn't much news today.

It is the same story inside... column after column of news...

Second had 17 articles of news...and a quarter of the page was ads in

the old one. The new one, had 2 and the rest of weather. half a page of

weather. Local, national and world weather.

Back page had 13 pictures of mostly to do with funerals of our

service men. From France to USA, pictures of the dead and etc.

It is after Memorial Day.

New one had one article and 3 continue articles and 1/4 ads.

best email of the week

Grandma's Hands

Just look at the picture above for a minute.

and then read below...

I was privileged to take a photo of "Five Generations of Women"

shortly before my 93 year-old Grandmother passed away last year..

The photo shown below, features the hands of my

Grandmother, Mom, Sister, Niece and Great-Niece.

While I can't take credit for the idea, I was so happy to have

had the suggestion & capture this moment. It inspired a friend of

mine to do something similar, which turned out so beautiful it

became a special keepsake, prior to her father's passing.

GRANDMA'S HANDS A must read through to the end please!!

Grandma, some ninety plus years, sat feebly on the patio bench.

She didn't move, just sat with her head down staring at her hands.

When I sat down beside her she didn't acknowledge my presence

and the longer I sat I wondered if she was OK

Finally, not really wanting to disturb her but wanting to check on

her at the same time, I asked her if she was OK.

She raised her head and looked at me and smiled.

"Yes, I'm fine, thank you for asking," she said in a clear voice strong.

"I didn't mean to disturb you, grandma, but you were just sitting here

staring at your hands and I wanted to make sure you were OK.

" I explained to her."Have you ever looked at your hands," she asked.

"I mean really looked at your hands?" I slowly opened my hands and

stared down at them. I turned them over, palms up and then palms down.

No, I guess I had never really looked at my hands as I tried to figure out the point she was making. Grandma smiled and related this story:

"Stop and think for a moment about the hands you have, how they

have served you well throughout your years. These hands, though

wrinkled shriveled and weak have been the tools I have used all my

life to reach out and grab and embrace life."

"They braced and caught my fall when as a toddler I crashed upon the floor."

They put food in my mouth and clothes on my back.

As a child, my mother taught me to fold them in prayer.

They tied my shoes and pulled on my boots.

They held my husband and wiped my tears when he went off to war.

They have been dirty, scraped and raw, swollen and bent.

They were uneasy and clumsy when I tried to hold my newborn son.

Decorated with my wedding band they showed the world that I was married

and loved someone special.

They wrote my letters to him and trembled and shook when I buried

my parents and spouse.

They have held my children and grandchildren, consoled neighbors,

and shook in fists of anger when I didn't understand.

They have covered my face, combed my hair, and washed and cleansed

the rest of my body.

They have been sticky and wet, bent and broken, dried and raw.

And to this day when not much of anything else of me works real well

these hands hold me up, lay me down, and again continue to fold in prayer.

These hands are the mark of where I've been and the ruggedness of life.

But more importantly it will be these hands that God will reach out and take

when he leads me home. And with my hands He will lift me to His side and

there I will use these hands to touch the face of Christ.

I will never look at my hands the same again. But I remember God reached

out and took my grandma's hands and led her home.

When my hands are hurt or sore or when I stroke the face of my children

and husband I think of grandma. I know she has been stroked and caressed

and held by the hands of God.

I, too, want to touch the face of God and feel His hands upon my face.

Lost in the 50's ..2009 ..Parade

The parade off with a bang...

Crosley

Idaho 4x4 wheel bus

Nash Met.

Desoto

Pachard

Is the Marilyn and James Dean?

Even the Powerball

down below is the car show.......