I am late today....

I am late today because Blogspot would not let me
in this morning.... so gave it up...

Had to go get my hair done anyway. Which was my second
trip down there. As yesterday they only had 2 workers. So was
overloaded. As I returned today, there were only 3...the usual is
minimum of 4. I guess one of the things that the economy has to
do with as well... Not enough people have extra money for having
their hair cut and etc. I have cut mine down to twice a year and
having it cut the in-between times. Use to have it done every
3 months when I was working.

I noticed that one of the products line is half price. There was
a discount if you used cash instead. She explain that doing ATM
cards take 2 days for it to get into their account.

This isn't a mom and pop individual shop. this is a well known name
shop that you see the ads on TV... It's gotta be the hair....

Guess things are tough all over...

Checking out the Fair...

Last night the King and I checked out our local fair.
It is one of the last ones that does not charge to go there
other than the parking and that was only $2. And it was
for a good cause.

My first place was the photos. Then the quilts, and on
to the kids entries… Then there is the flowers and veggies.

I love to see what the kids take pictures of. What was in their
minds as they were taking the picture and was it easy or hard?
With photos you have still life or objects (is that the same?) and
then there are the by chance photo’s. The one that is unexpected
as you are snapping away. Some you think you have a great picture but still blows
you away when you actually see it came out well. One such picture was
by chance, yet not. There is one of a deer on the run, that seems like it is
floating above the flowers. It was done by Barbara Tibbs. Barbara travels
just about every where with camera close at hand. So when she was surprised
by a deer, she was ready. And the deer did not disappoint her, and she caught it
in a breath taking picture… If you go to the Bonner County Fair, you have to
check it out.

There are so many pictures there. We met a young lady who got one of the
grand ribbons… A young teen who had such a great picture. As did Kathrine
Kinne with her pictures, among them her younger sister in a series. And of
course, Toni Britton did not disappoint either. She has been taking pictures
for several years seriously. She has a great collection of flowers and nature
scenes on her blog. And at the fair, there is a beautiful Iris picture as well as
her favorite subject, Cats…. So you see the eye of the photographer has no age limits…

The quilters out did themselves… the kid’s projects were amazing. And the
beadwork of Laura Tibbs, sister of Barbara was beautiful. And the vegetables
were not as plentiful as in the past, but there was some great veggies there.
My friend, Lorraine Allen did well with her spaghetti squash, and some
of her canning projects. Especially the tiny, tiny pickles. And Marianne of
Slight Detour did not let us down either.

And the much ado about the Republican table? Well, it look pretty plain
to me. Two people who sat there didn’t look very happy. I am sure there
must have been something there, (I didn’t get up close and personal) but
what was mostly visible was campaign signs that you see at any corner in town.
The Democrats had a cut out for people to put their faces thru.
It was a Spanish/Mexican couple front. The two people there were a little
busier.

So in my humble opinion, much ado over nothing….
Dogwalking Musing mention today about a new party that is starting
to hit the ground running …. So got to go check that out… at
http://www.modernwhig.org

2, 4, 6, 8, who do we appreciate/hate?

Seems the country has the cheerleaders chant a little backwards..
2, 4, 6, 8, who do we hate.

Let me count the ways…
We know the country hated Catholics for years. After all why was it against politics to elect a Catholic until John F. Kennedy? Seems it had something to
do with them not listening to the people of our country and would only listen to the Pope. So all of our laws would change. And we would all be turned into
Catholics.

I can remember stories as I was growing up how the Irish were hated. They came over here as legal slaves. They borrowed money to get here, and the expense kept up with everything they needed and were charged for, so therefore couldn’t get out of their jobs or lives. That the Irish were just drunken thieves.

And of course we all know about the blacks being owned and some person’s property. And to even start on the hatred for Native American’s who actually owned the land and were pushed or slaughtered for the Europeans to have land.
And the Japanese that were sent to camps during the war.

There are those who suffered in the United States, the hatred of Jewish people. not even counting the Nazi’s of Germany. The people were afraid of the Jewish owning the country between those of money and those who were lawyers.

And as a child, I was threaten with the fact that I could be kidnapped by the Gypsies…
The Italians because every Italian is mafia... Gays, the way people act you think it was
catchy, if they are friends or touch a gay person.
So the Muslims are just another one in the line of hatred.

I am sure there are many out there, that I have either forgotten or didn’t realize.
Yep, American the land that loves to hate…. Of course we come from Europe and African and etc. and they have done a pretty good job of their own.

Yes, FDR you were right….. we have nothing to fear, but fear itself…

Sadly this is only 15% of Americans but they are the loudest...

Take this Job and Shove it....

The song by Johnny Paycheck was on the top 10 for weeks, and
who knows maybe even months, and still resounds from time to
time.

Who of us of the work force, hasn’t thought that at least once and
actually many times. And to be fair, even housewives have thought
it. Some have actually ran away… I know I sent a friend many years
ago, into fits of laughter when he caught me talking to myself. I was
on the floor scrubbing with a brush some extra heavy dirt or stains.
and mumbled aloud to what I thought was myself…. “I am going to break
out of this joint one of these days”.

So when we see in the media that some one has finally reached the breaking
point, we understand. We might not have had the guts to go for the gusto, or
have the moxie to do it. But we all understand… and we all have different breaking
points. Some of them stretched to the max due to survival. Some
who can’t take it anymore but can’t put their families in jeopardy. Or in this day
and age, are so grateful for a job in a jobless market, that endure all kinds of
abuse in the workforce. Sadly some bosses know that.

What is the breaking point? That changes from person to person. I think
the younger ones are the bravest about breaking out. You would think
when 6 teens walk off a job all together, that maybe you have a manager
problem. Some chose a quieter way by “retiring” from the job. Those lucky
enough to be able to do so. Some go postal, as the word goes…

And some trudge along in their thankless job, and silently say YES, when they
hear some who says take this job and shoved it and goes down a plane chute with
a glass of beer…. I know there was a gal who was our hero, because she was again
being brought on the carpet for petty things, and being embarrassed in front of
fellow workers…. To finally reach that point of no return and said…”
F__k YOU… F__K YOU…and walked out the front door with her head held high….
With bosses who stood there with their mouths agape.
And when they yelled after her, “You come back here, or you will never work here
again”… and she repeated her phase…. With more on the YOU.
She was our hero for some time…
I know some will say that the language was over board...but some how saying..
the hell with you, didn't quite cover it for her...

I am proud of myself...

This is the before picture......

After 8 years the pond is dead... the first two years were wonderful. The first
year we dumped in 50 orange and black baby fish... the black were the first to
go.. ended up in the second year with 2 black and about 20 orange. The years
since we ended up with one hardy soul. He made it thru two winters with 4 feet
of snow on top of the pond. the pond frozen across the top, yet he survived.
So now he has a new home. The pond has been ripped out.

And all the stones that were around it.... are now......




are now a stone wall..... it took me about 2 hours from start to finish. I started
with weed whacking all the grass that grew around the area. I put down black
plastic to keep the weed at bay. And then I started to make my stone wall...
And here is the raw draft..... and it is sturdy.


I still have to move the blueberry bushes at the left. And thinking of making a stone
step up to the garden beyond. Also have bulbs there to transplant.... and of course
got to find dirt to fill the hole....

But at the age of 70 and doing it all by myself...with no help what so ever... I am
proud of myself. And those rocks were heavy.

I Hope We Are Strong Enough

In general, I think the Mosque in New York is ok. I don’t really have a
problem with it. After all I am from the state that was started just for
the freedom of religion. It has the oldest synagogue in the USA.

Also at first I thought it was across the street from the twin towers,
when in actuality it is 2 blocks away.

I also knew that there were a lot of Muslim people killed on 9/11 in the twin
Towers as well as some of the rescuers. And here is a site that you can
go to and read about that… there were over 60 of them.
http://islam.about.com/blvictims.htm (thank you Thom)

Those who say, would you put a Nazi sign next to the Holocaust Memorial,
the comparison doesn’t match. I have a no problem with a German store being next to it. But Nazi no. It was Jihad and terrorist that took down the towers,
who were Muslim. Just as it was Nazi’s who killed the Jewish, who happen to
be German. So blame the radicals not the religion or the nationality of the terrorist.

What I don’t like is the hatred that is rolling with this. I understand the hurt of the
families of those who died there. I understand that. But there are Muslim families
who also lost their family members. And then after that, was harassed by
people and even the government. One of the stories you will read at the site above, is how one young man’s family was harassed as the government tried
to see if he was one of the terrorist. It wasn’t until later when they found the
his body next to another with a medical kit, that the family found out he was a hero like they thought. He was a med student and a EMT. Hopefully the government officials apologized to his family.

All of this reminds me of Franklin D. Roosevelt saying…” we have nothing to fear,
but fear itself. And it is hard not to fear when you read about how the men who actually did do this, planned this mess in a Mosque. So do we have enough faith
to believe that this Mosque will not be used for that? I hope so. Not only for the people but for the country as the Freedom of religion is tested. We have had this
Constitution for over 200 years. We have added to it. Hopefully we are still strong enough to not to take anything away from it.

For another great post on this subject, check out my nephew’s blog.
http://finklepussraves.blogspot.com/2010/08/islamic-community-center-why-so-serious.html

if clicking doesn't work, go to the left side and look for
TG's Raves and Rants

I. HATE. CAR. ALARMS...

I was basely locked out of my car yesterday…
The night before, as I was heading to bed, the
King said, put the alarm on your car. I had parked
it closer to the road than normal. So being I just got
out of the shower and too lazy to go out and lock it..
I took his keys and pushed on the alarm. The lights
blinked, so that meant it was alarmed.

See my keys, I took off the alarm gadget. I hate that
thing and it really ticks me off when the King uses it
with his key. We are walking away and I hear the beep,
and then a second one.. and as we are 10 feet away,
another. Really irks me. (damn city people, I mumble,
knowing full well it is my husband).

So in the morning, I decided I would drive down to the
Post Office that is about 3 half blocks away. I push on the alarm
button but the lights don’t light up. Hummm…. I tried the lock
and sure enough the stupid alarm starts off… I slam the door shut,
pushing the button, nothing but horn blaring. Across the street
from us is one of Litehouses plants. And of course some of
their workers are out there. And my neighbor comes out too.

Picture dumb looking grey/white hair woman who is red faced and
ticked off to the max. I step away as nothing is working and
the alarm stops. So I stepped in front of the car, push button, nothing
nothing at all. No headlights blinking… suppose to be a sign that
the alarm is off… Nothing at all. I look inside… push button and
see a red light blinking… AH HA.. it is off… open door… NOT OFF.
Slam the door… walk away… stops…

Seems like I heard that if you put the key in the ignition, the alarm
goes off… THEY LIED…

So I walked to the post office… the dog and I… we needed the
exercise anyway… maybe that was God’s way of telling me that.

Sandpoint Fly-in on Saturday

They were wide...............................
They were old...........

Someone said they thought this was a Quest plane, but they usually have a huge

Q on the tail...

They come by land or sea......

Young and old....

This is the support group, they would lead the planes thru the crowds to the spot where

they would anchor down.

This was on the plane below... the tail looks like a hand....

The color doesn't show up as well here...but this is a very dark purple plane

They came in all colors, but this one had them all ...

They were lined up on one side about 30 planes to a side....

That was with them this close

My favorites are the old ones...this one was giving rides for $$

This one was the same age as me.... built in 1940

This group flew over the crowds for about 20 minutes before they landed.

This motorized bike was so fast, I could find out what the brand was..it is like the

orginial Harley Davidson, but couldn't get close enought to verify.

An older couple went for a ride...The King wasn't interested...lol

Even old cars came to the show

Some times you just got to stop

Every once in a while, you come across something and you got to stop and take
a picture...

Planning for the future, or lack of....

One of the things on the agenda when you get to be 70
is the line up things, to make it easier for your family.
Meaning like wills, trust funds, even funerals.

I don’t think there is any way to make it go smoothly.
As death and funerals are like weddings, if anything can
go wrong, it will. But at least I can try to have some things
lined up. So I decided to start.

One of the hard things is, find a lawyer that you like and
trust. Which isn’t as easy as it sounds. As there are different
lawyers for different needs. And to me, I have to at least like
this person, besides trust them. I want to know what my options
are, then have them tell me how to do what I want to do legally.
So someone can’t reverse what my wishes are.

So where do you start? Phone book? After all I have kept my
nose clean so to speak, and have not had a need for any lawyer.
Some friends have favorites but they don’t seem to be the will/trust
type of lawyers. I can’t afford a big time lawyer. So when I see a
fancy office and all kinds of pretty ladies walking around busily, it
doesn’t encourage me. I want a no nonsense, no frill, just the legal
knowledge for what my needs are.

Heck this seem harder than the paper work that I want to do.
I would do it myself…but you know what they say about having
yourself for a client…
And also I want to find one local so I don’t have to travel to
go see the lawyer.

Maybe I should Google how to pick a good lawyer for what
you need.

Silent Heroes

Every small town has a silent hero.
That is the city/town clerk.

One doesn’t think about what that
person does. Just that she is there,
to take your complains, walk you thru
the permit system the individual city/town
has. And any other questions you have
about your city/town.

While that person has to come to the job
with some kind of skills, there is so much
more to the job. In fact, I really doubt there
is an accurate detail job description for the job.

That person not only is there in the office to
take care of city/town business, but is also
required to attend meeting with other clerks.
And so many meetings that have something,
even a small amount, to do with your town/city.
They also have to keep up with the State rules,
regulations and new laws.
Most of these clerks put in overtime and hardly
ever put in for the pay to go with it.

So next time you go in to your city/town hall,
Tell the person behind the desk, THANK YOU.
For all you do for our town.

And for the City of Kootenai, that would be
Mary Luzmoor.
So THANK YOU, MARY LUZMOOR, for not
only being there for the Mayor, the Council and
the City of Kootenai, but thank you for all the behind
the scene work you do,like for the Celebration of
Kootenai’s 100th Birthday!!

Addicted...yard sales

I have to admit, I am kind of addicted to yard sales…
I have tried my best to be good. And of late I have done
well. I had not gone yard saling, for over a month.

But today I was weak. And I gave the Murphy’s Law
excuse. I don’t really need to go, as there is nothing
I need. So it would be a waste of time.

Bam, I went today, with my daughter. Up and down the
streets of Sandpoint we drove. And sure enough we found
them all… The Veteran’s were having their Annual and
then several of the neighbors thought they would cash in
on their crowds.

But I scored…. I got for free, 3 flower vases, a cat coffee cup,
3 cork do hickies, that you put hot pans on, on your table.
And I got 4 place mats and a clear glass mug with an elk on
it.
For 25 cents I got a book for the King about making sausage.
I got for 50 cents apiece, 2 shirts and a set of short white curtains.

And for one dollar apiece, I got 2 Queen size sheets sets,
a new pair of jeans, and a glass bowl type cooking dish with a lid.
And 4 Festival of Sandpoint wine glasses.
1 Queen size Spring flowers comforter for winter.

For $3, I got large gravy
bowl, with top and ladle that is made of stainless steel. With a great
design on it.

And one complete set for my guest room bed.. shams, sheets,
Comforter, and pillows, with duster to boot… for only $8.
All this for less than $20…. Great day for yard saling….

So many subjects, but

So many subjects to write about, but none of them of
great interest. So many things to do or yet to do, but
have to wait… So many thing to do and not wanting to
do them…

It is kind of a hurry up and wait. I have some financial stuff
coming and I have to get some of it started next month.
But then have to wait until next year to put it in force. I am not
a person who waits well. I like getting things done and on to the
next thing.

Seem like summer is slipping away so fast. I wanted to go swimming.
I go swimming when it is over 90. But when it is, I can’t go. When I
can, it is in the 70’s. I have a lot of the yard work done, but there was
a project or two, I wanted to start but no money until next year. I have
been waiting on this project for about 10 years. The King wants to
wait and do the whole thing at once. But if we had started at one
corner and worked around… I could have had it done by now. I just
might start it this winter by myself. One piece at a time.

Then there is the job I have postpone for a couple years. Going thru
my files. I really need to do this. I have attempted a couple of times,
but I hate it so much, I would only get some of it done. I have left it
for the summer. I have told myself, I would do it on a rainy day. We
sure had enough of those the first 6 months… then I said I will do
it in the winter as I am stuck in the house anyway. Here we are 5
years later and it still isn’t done. Normally I am a hurry up and get
it over type of person. But this sure has brought out the procrastinator
out in me.

Quarter Horses Owners, be not ashamed

I have been around horses before I was born. I think
our mother had us two when she did, so we didn’t
interrupt her horse showing each summer.
Our weekends, as we were growing up was haying
and horse shows.

Back East it was 90% gaited or jumpers with 10% western.
When I moved to California it was the other way around.
90% western and 10% English saddle. And pretty much
the same in Washington state. In Washington I mostly
went to rodeos. And the Quarter Horse was king. There
were a few of the other breeds there but 2/3rds was
Quarter Horse. I even owned a few myself. Even though
I preferred Morgan’s.

For those who are not up with horses and breeds, think
cowboy horse. As most of them were Quarter Horses. And
they have been used for 100’s of years for chasing or herding
cattle. A proud horse with head held high. Only one who held their
higher maybe the Arabian Horse.

So imagine my surprise when I attended a horse show about
2 or 3 weeks ago with my friend Virginia. Because what I saw
surprised me, no, really shocked me. I didn’t say much as I
didn’t want to look like a hick. And then Mardette Lewis joined us.
Now Virginia Tibbs and Mardette have over 50 years of horses
under their belts each. Raising them, having their kids ride. In fact
the reason why we were there that day, was because two of
Virginia’s daughters were showing.

I listen to Virginia and Mardette talk, and finally I got brave enough
to ask “what is up with these Quarter Horses? Why do they have
their heads down like slaves who are forbidden to look their masters
in the face? And what is with the gaits? The walk is a mile an hour and
the jog is 2 miles an hour and the lope is 3 miles an hour, with a rocking
motion. And the horses nose 2 feet from the ground, what is with that?”

Well, did I get an ear full from both of these ladies. Seems they hate this
new thing that has come up in the past years of showing. Seems some
judge (who I swear must have hated Quarter horses) gave big prizes
to those who horse rode like that. And there for every one started to
train their horse to do the same. What sadistic judge would have a
proud horse, such as the Quarter horse ride and be judge like that?
Be it across the plains, or fields or a rodeo ring, a Quarter horse gallops
at full speed with head up, maybe nose pointed out, but head raised.

Quarter Horse riders of horse shows, stand up for your breed,
And for the love of a horse, stand up for your horse. This is NOT natural.
It is inhumane, it is cruel, and it is NOT NATURAL. Quarter Horse owners,
be not ashamed, nor let your horse look like he is ashamed. Stop this
insanity.

For some reason blogspot only published part of my post, so had to
re do it...

Blank page

for my

blank mind

The Days of Computers and Teens

I am so lucky I was raising my kids when I did.
The computers were just starting to get small
enough for desk. And pretty new to all, and the
kids interest was peaked. And parents were truly,
mostly in the dark. I know I tried, by reading the books
the kids brought home, but I got left in the dirt by week
two. And they were making their own programs with
blocks and symbols and stuff I never saw before.

Nothing like it is now. Where you open your laptop,
desk top, or even blackberry and there the programs
are. The new “apps” that I can’t even start to begin
to know what they are.

Now parents content with Ipods, Ipads, Droids, and all
the rest of the electronics available now. And like anything
else, with great things that these bring, there is heartaches and
scary things for parents to worry about. While there is great
knowledge out there at their finger tips, so is the evils of it.
The predators, the viruses, the spams, and the crooks who
have kept up with all of this electronic stuff…

Even the elderly are affected by it. As they marvel at the pictures
of great grandchildren they get to see in an instant, only to have
some low life brings them down with viruses or tricks to get their money.
Having them lose out on their money one way or another. As most
can’t afford another $300 and up for a new machine, say nothing about
their bank accounts drain because they believe what they read.

And with teens, there is so many ways to destroy their lives. If
the crooks don’t get them, and then there are the bullies. If it isn’t their
class mates it is the parents of their classmates. And a mere slip
of a picture posted is out there in cyberspace to embarrass them
for the rest of their lives. Once information is let loose out there, it
is rare that it can be erased.

Even we as adults should remember that, especially when we are running
with places like Facebook.