Mind, where art thou?

When I put up a post, I figure it is
done correctly. I make sure I use spell
check so I don’t miss spell words. I
put it on my Microsoft word so if Blogspot
decides to act up for the day, it isn’t lost.
All I have to do is, copy/paste it.

I reread it to make sure it is what I want to say.
So where the heck was my brain? The words
are not misspelled, but the usage sure is
messed up. Watch instead of watching. There
instead of their, and such.

And do I go back and correct it? the answer is
yes, if I find it. But the damage is done, who goes
back a day, or week, or so, to reread my post?
And after how many years? Almost
6. I wonder how many others are out there in my
blog land. Maybe it is just as well, not to think of it.
So here is crossing my fingers that there isn't one here.

Tijuana

I read recently that the town of Tijuana is a shell of its’ former
self. That most of the buildings are boarded up. The sleezy
bars of yesterday and may other types of tourist attractions
are gone. All of this because the drug cartels have used it for
a battle ground, and tourist don’t feel safe with bodies laying in the
streets at night.

Which made me think of the days, years and years ago,
that I spent in the little town of Tijuana. Mostly going
over with my ex-sister-in-laws while they got their hair done
or went to the dentist. Both costing only a small percentage of
what they were done in the USA.

My first visit was more of an adventure because it was at night.
And yes, there was a vast difference between day and night in
Tijuana. I went over with 2 girlfriends and 3 guys. One of the
girls was going with one of the guys, but the other 4 of us were single
and free. Just went as a group. The others had been there before.
But they were taking this naïve 18 year old girl from R.I. to see the
sights. And sights they were. As we walked around the streets
trying to decide which bar we wanted to go in, we were proposition
by many Mexican men and women. The women for the obvious, and
the men were trying to get us
to go into darken places.. One offer to get us a divorce cheap… and when
we said none of us were married, then he switched it to he could get us
married really cheap. Another outside of a bar which was loud and lots of
lights, we had one tell us to come in to see the show. And when we shook
our heads no, and walking away, he shouted out “but you got to come
in and see my sister.”! We finally decided on two
different bars. Some of them were famous of back room shows, and
rumors of sex with ..well, let’s say you don’t want to know. We stayed
clear of those, but there was lots of men going in. The two we decided on
were funny. The comedian who was funny, with women who came out
to strip, the drinks flowed fast and furious. But they were watered down
as we could drink 3 and feel like we were drinking flavored water. The
second was not as much fun. And believe it or not, we 6 American of
age 18 to 22, decided to take in a Bugs Bunny movie in Mexican language ..
Too Funny … and we were back across the border by 11 pm. Real party people we were.

The day visits were shopping for gifts, or hairdresser and etc. We
had to have special insurance for over there, or we could lose our cars.
In Mexico, Mexico rules… So we were careful.

I left California in 1965. So my next visit was almost 40 years later.
We took the trolley to the border, walked across and I was flabbergasted.
It look like a shopping mall in the states…we all walked thru the many
shops and bought some things. But then we went about 3 or 4 blocks
deeper and found old Tijuana. The donkey on the
street offering pictures and the restaurants with sidewalk tables
and Corona beer. We went to one building and it was about 3 or 4 stories.
One, which was in the basement. We were walking from shop to shop
in the basement, when my husband stood outside of the store and us girls
went in. We looked at several pieces of jewelry, my cousin, aunt and I.
When my cousin told the man no, after 4 times of being asked to buy
something, he piped up and pointed out to my husband and said….
“go out and ask your father to buy it for you.” Of which we came
out of the store in hysterics, to the bewilderment of my husband.
See he is 6 years younger than my cousin. My cousin said she
didn’t know if she should be flattered or should the King be insulted.
Lol.. but it has given us years of ribbing for him. She writes her
cards to him… to aka dad..
or signs them aka as daughter after her name.

So to hear that Tijuana is mostly boarded up is sad… i
t sure was an eye opening education for this kid from the East.
And I am sure many, many from California.

Mid-week blahs...

Well, are you feeling the global warming yet?
I don’t think it has gotten to the North states
yet. At least the ones on the East Coast surely
don’t feel it… Now if someone said we were
heading to the Ice Age… then we would have
believers every where. Even the Southern East
Coast knows the Ice Age.

I was watching Good Morning America
this morning, while reading my paper.
George what’sname had two people to
Talk about Obama’s speech. Talk about the
odd couple. I know he chose, or someone did,
a Republican and a Democrat… but Donna
Brailze and Christine O’Donnell? Surely the
Republican party had a better person of choice.
O’Donnell giggled thru most of it… only being
serious when they talked about how unfair the
MSNBC reporter Keith Olbermann was to her.

I have to admit I am a fan of Brailze’s. She is
A dieheart Democrat, but putting that to the side,
She is a fair and common sense thinking Democrat.
I don’t always agree with her, but I do like her style.

1960 Icon

We women over 60, have lost an icon over the
weekend.. Most of us see him lately on commercials
with his wife.

But in the early 1960’s we ran to the television
during the day, when we heard his voice.. Much like we
did when the “It’s Howdy Dowdy Time” song came on when
we were kids. .

By the 60’s we were young mothers, who was trying to
regain our girlish figure…meaning pre-baby time. So
we would make sure we were in front of the television
in our shorts and top or pedal pusher pants and top.
And we would watch and do as he said… jumping jacks,
skipping in place, touch the floor… we did it all for the
half an hour….

And then when we would see him years later swimming in
the harbor, towing boats behind …one for each year he was..
We remember those days back in 1960’s when we obeyed his
words of encouragement to us… and saw it wasn’t too later for us yet.
Because if Jack could do it, so could we…

And as we watch his commercial with his wife with their veggie
blender, telling us we weren’t out of the woods yet, and at the
age of 90+ he was still going like a Timex watch….

Well, the Timex watch stopped ticking this weekend, at the
age of 96. God Bless… Jack Lalanne… can’t think of jumping
jacks without remembering those days in the 60’s.. and as Jack
would sing at the end of his shows….

It's time to leave you. Let's say goodbye.
These precious moments just seem to fly.
Now here's my wish for you….
May the Good Lord bless and keep you, too..

Politicians and Sports reporters.....

Politicians and Sports reporters

Political and Sports reporters must think we are stupid.

We listen to a political speech and then there is a reporter
who tells us what we just heard. They take it piece by
piece and tell us what that means…

Sportscasters are the same.. But they tell us at half
time AND after the game. We get a play by play,
telling us what we saw and how the player should have
played it.. Isn’t that a little much? I mean, really, the play
Is done, it is over, it can’t be undone… so what is the point
of telling us how it should have been done.

I was going to watch 60 minutes on Sunday night. I figured
the Jets game was going to mess up the timing of it, but
the game was over… Finished, Done… And the Jets did not win.
I thought, good, now we will get to see most of what is left of 60
Minutes. NOT… because the POST game came on.. with the
sportscasters dissecting each play, over and over… Don’t they
get it.. the game is over.. Those who were Jet fans, do they really
think they hung around to watch the Post game conversation? How
their team lost.. Rub it in by old players and coaches? I don’t think so.

Maybe I don’t understand because I am not a dye in the wool fan.
Or a guy (they are geared different than women) We, women, watch
and when it is over it is over. We are thrilled if it is our team.. and
bummed out if it wasn’t. And sure the heck don’t wait around to
hear how bad it was.

So off to the Super Bowl, Wisconsin against Pennsylvania. Bring it
on, and bring on the commercials… and half time show. And leave
the post game home..

Pittsburg Steelers vs Green Bay Packers… which will I pick,
Don’t have a favorite… I just like a close game.. which it should
be after watching today's games… Both were way ahead in their game
until at the end… and then almost lost it..

The What the Hell Clock

The King got a nice gift from his best friend.
In fact Gord was our best man at our wedding.
Now the gift, a clock is a nice gift, but it gives
us a jump when the hour rings off…

See each hour has it's own wild animal sound.
There is ducks, turkeys, questionable deer, moose, elk and
one sick sounding squirrel.

So we will be sitting at the dining room table,
reading a paper, eating, or what ever… when
the hour rings out… of which catches us by
surprise as we have both said at different times….
WHAT THE H?? Oh, the clock.. hence the
name.

Now the first day or so, it has been cute and funny
as we each see the other catch in the WTH stance.
Now we got to see if we get so use to it, we don’t
notice it or will the battery for the sounds mysterily
falls out.

Sunshine...in many forms..and sources...

Here is some sunshine that came into my life just a
mere couple of days ago. After I had written about
having the blues, that evening these beautiful flowers
arrived. What a wonderful thoughtful person. Now
granted she is my daughter… #4 in the line up of my
children.. She is one of two of my children, who actually
reads my blog. And she is the one who reads it most
often. So when she saw that Mom was having a blues
day, she did a thoughtful thing…

Most that know me, know that I don’t want flowers when I
die. I want them when I am alive. I don’t’ want them because
a commercial day says send flowers… the best flowers are
the ones that show up unexpectly. Such as these were.
And the King also will come home from the grocery store
with a single rose…. Just for nothing except he saw it
and thought I would like it.. Or if he sees I have had a
rough day, he will buy one to lighten my day… Same with
my youngest daughter who has done the same on many
of times. I have a friend who has done that as well…

I am one lucky woman… to have such thoughtful people
In my life. Hope you have some like these in your life.

Today I am heading outside, I don’t know what I am going
to do out there, maybe dream of what I can do in a few
mere months… as Spring is over the horizon…

but todaythe sun is shining brightly… and I want to enjoy it…

Guns vs Mental

There is the call of arms as in every aftermath of tragedy.
Those who stand up for the 2nd Amendment and those who
want more gun laws. But if they would improve on the laws
as they stand now.. enforcing them, with a few more items of
who should be on the no sell list.

But seems like we should have the call on the mental impaired.
So far each one of the shooters has mental problem before they
did the horrible thing.

We have the Arizona incident… the sheriff or police were involved with
this man on several calls. The college he was at, and another incident or two.
So why wasn’t he put on the list of “person of concern”? The man who hit
his neighbors in Bayview, Idaho, had been involved with the sheriff several
times before he decided to walk into his neighbor’s house. Yes, I realize
that he used a hammer and one doesn’t need to get a permit to use a
hammer (nor should we) . But surely there were warning signs.
Isn’t there a way to have such a person valuated? Then there is the young man who went into the Virginia College… and shot people, he too, had been involved with several calls of concern before he went off the deep end.

Why don’t we have a list of those who should not be owners of guns,
who have been in trouble, contacted by the sheriff or police over such
things??? Shouldn’t that list be on the do not sell guns to persons list
along with spouse abusers?

Seems like mental illness is the last on the list of concern for most
people. And one of the first departments of cuts when the government
cuts their budget.

So in my humble opinion, we should have a list of mental problems for
gun dealers to use. And we should have a legal evaluation for those
who show such signs of violent acts. When their thoughts are bouncing
off the walls of normal thoughts, and have violent intent… we should have
a program for the safety of all… them as well as us.

Ignorance...drives me crazy

I think Ignorance is what bothers me the most.
There is stupidity, and just being dumb. But
Ignorance just bugs the hell out of me. To the
point I don’t know whether to slap the person to
bring them to their sense, or just walk away and keep
as far away from them as possible.

Stupidity … foolhardy, lacks common sense
Folly……Idiocy
Dumb
Dull-witted Dumbfounded

Ignorance Lack of knowledge Unawareness but
especially and mainly those who are aware and don’t care
type of Ignorance. Those who refuse to believe the truth
and pass on their own ignorance as truth knowing full well
it is …well, a lie……And people believe it.

The Optical words here is…. THOSE WHO ARE AWARE
AND DON’T CARE TYPE OF IGNORANCE.. Now those
are the ones that drive me crazy. They will take their known
lie and act like it is gospel… and when you show them the
errors of their ways, they get pompous and say, well that is
a liberal idea… or you got it from a liberal twisted magazine,
television … you fill in the blank. Or accuse me as being a
Liberal. Which is not the truth… nor am I a Conservist either.
If I am called anything, I guess it would be a Centralist.

The ones they call the birthers are a class act of this ignorance.
No matter how many times, no matter how many ways you try to
get across to them how ridiculous this is… they will spin it back
and forth with no facts involved. Barring all common sense.

But it isn’t just in politics that this goes on. It goes with old
time legends, or just the day to day truth they don’t like, and
will spin it their way… and it isn’t logical. Especially when they
deny any real resource. But then again, I guess that is what
is so frustrating to me.. as I tend to think everything logically.
Truth is truth. Fact is fact. Black is black and white is white.
And those who insist on making grey out of white drive me crazy.

Almost a Century....

When this picture was taken it was 1994.
The year my Dad passed away… at the mere age
of 82.

We were at a car and tractor show, my brother, dad and myself.
We had Dad get up on the tractor, so we could take a picture of the
two of them…..as it was built in 1912, The
same year Dad was born.

So today, the tractor is still going strong but Dad is not.
And they both today would be 99 years old.

Which reminds me of a saying Dad would say…
“In another 100 years it won’t matter”. It was his saying
when people would get upset over something simple

The Smoking Hammer...

We had a terrible thing happen locally around Christmas time.
A man walked into this neighbor’s house and hammer the occupants
there. One of which died a day later.

This person like a lot of deranged, was in trouble before hand
and the sheriff had been called several times… yet nothing was
done about legal evaluation . Which seems to always come
up after damage is done…

But then again, it seems one of the first cuts in any state budget is
Mental Health Departments. And it could get worse with more cuts
coming..

But what bother me about the article in the paper this morning, was
the headline of he was pleading innocent. Now I could understand
if he plead guilty by insanity… BUT INNOCENT? Innocent of WHAT?
He was there.. he held the hammer and slammed it into their bodies.
Even by his own admission, when he called the sheriff’s office to say
he thought he killed someone…

NOW WHERE DID INNOCENT come
into play here? It is as good as a smoking hammer.

I'VE GOT THE BLUES..THE WINTER BLUES...

I was doing pretty well for a while… don’t usually
get them really bad until February…but this gloomy
day with blowing snow seems to be enlarging on my
Winter blues.. I also have S.A.D. (sunlight deficiency)
where I feel like a wet dishrag.. No ambition at all.

I just assume curl up with a cup of tea and a book.
I need to get some bright lights in this house… and
it is the reason why I like this house is the windows.
With out windows I would go nuts.. I see the earth houses
built in a hill, suppose to save electric as they are
warm in the winter and cool in the summer. But I
would lose it for sure.. with out daylight.. I have to
have lots of daylight… and sunlight preferred…

SO… I’VE GOT THE BLUES… THE WINTER BLUES..
SPRING WHERE ART THOU????

Too Bummed out to Blog?

I know it is Tuesday and I didn’t blog yesterday…
But even if I didn’t have company, I don’t think I would
have blogged anyway…because I don’t really feel like it
today.

This weekend or at least weekends like this one that just
passed, but takes the stuffing out of people like me.
Yes, I am upset like all the rest. Yes, I asked why?

But when I see the picture of the young man in the paper,
I have got to say, I am not only upset with him even in his
demented state of mind… but also with the Media…
To me, the picture says it all. There he is in his orange,
with a big smile on his face… like he got what he wanted.
MEDIA COVERAGE..

He doesn’t have the demeanor of say the Unbomber, (which
by the way, his lawyer has stepped up to the plate to be a lawyer
for this mental case.) No head bowed like one usually is… when
someone thinks the government is taking over his mind, and other
claims by this person. No anger of say, like McVieght, but it appears
to be the, I am enjoying all of this attention. Sad on so many
levels..

This is going to be a long haul. Taxpayer’s money down the tubes.
More Media than what I want to even think about. I wish there was
a way the media could tone it down.. no pictures, only a mere
mention of the name. More on the poor people who have suffered the
most. The family of those who died.. And also, wish that the Media
could be fine for putting out false information. How horrible it must
have been for the Congress woman’s family who didn’t live close by…
She is dead, she is alive…she is dead… she is alive..
For the love of God, Media… back off, find
out information BEFORE YOU ANNOUNCE IT.. And be fine heavily if
you don’t. Professionalism when out the window that day.

This is definitely an Illegitimi non carborundrum day…heck a whole week
Illegitimi non Caborundrum worth.

Who says Real Men don't Sew???

We usually celebrate New Years Eve, New York style.
We say HAPPY NEW YEARS!!! at 9pm our time, as
that is New Years on the East Coast in Time Square.
And then head to bed.

But this year it was different… we stayed up the whole
time, in fact we didn’t go to bed until 1 a.m.
You see I got something special for the King.
As you can see in the picture he is sitting in front
of a sewing machine.

We were walking thru the store 4 days before Christmas,
and as we went by the sewing machines, he said, I sure
would like to have a sewing machine. I asked him what
would he do with it.. and he said, sew, of course. Like
what I asked. He said well, deer bags for one thing. He
got a good deal on some mattress covers and thought
he could make them out of that. So the next day I went
down and bought it. As I had no clue what to get him before that.

Come Christmas morning, he got it, and was thrilled. I gave
him some quilt squares to get the feel of the machine. And
he filled bobbins with two colors and he was ready. Took him
to Ben Franklin’s and got some material with fish on it. He was
horrified when we got home and he saw $25 for the material.
They made a mistake as it was $4.98. I told him
that was just for 1 yard and he got 4 yards. Then it dawn on
him that it would have been over $40 if he had got his first choice.

So there we were… on New Years Eve. Measuring windows in
his camper (his job), I made a pattern of sorts… and he cut it, and
then he sewed them each. 8 windows worth. This is a breeze he
said as he started to sew… but then about half hour into it. I heard
some cussing and some sewing machine rage… seems his thread
started to gather and bunch up… and he was far from happy. But
after figuring it out, he was back on his merry little way. He did a good
job. They say real men don’t sew, don’t bet on it…He has a lot more
patience than I have. I have 0.

Now he says he is going to make me a outfit.. I am scared.. Very
Scared…

Happy Birthday, Toni…

A Year at Facebook....

After a year at Facebook, I think I have figured it out..
Facebook is real life soap opera…..
Or like an accident that is happening and even though
you don’t want to look , you do..

About 2 years ago, l actually I started out very limited. I had a
family member who would send pictures and she was a
member of MySpace and Facebook.
So it was easier for me with dial up, to go there and look at all
their pictures.. and not have to wait an hour for them to download.

Since thing Face book has become a thing of joy and of sorrow.
I have got to see my grandchildren by my children’s Facebook.
I have reconnected with some of my grandchildren. Even got to
see my latest Great Granddaughter Ava.
I have more contact with some of my friends.. So it does have
it’s positive side of it.
But I have also seen part of my family fall apart thru Facebook.
Heart breaking…

Being a fairly private person, it blows my mind to see so many
people share their private lives on Facebook. So much drama,
much more information, than one wants to see… hence, the looking at the accident syndrome.

Winnie Kelly J....

Sad news in Christmas cards

When you get to be my age, some times
Christmas cards aren’t so jolly… and I got
such a card is one I got this year…

They are from the family of a dear friend.
A family who slightly knows you, but not
enough to write to you… And I understand that.

This year, I got my first family Christmas card with “I
am sorry to tell you but Mom passed away in Sept.”
I sat there staring at the card and the funeral card in
my other hand.. Such sadness. Feeling so bad for her
family, as I know they are a very close knit family.
I sat there for a long time… with a tear running down
my face one at a time, off and on, as I thought about
our lives in the past.

See I went to work for my first real job (babysitting, work
as a balloon sales person at parades for a family friend and
working in a fruit stand in the summer didn’t count.

It was the Naval Exchange in Newport, R.I. There was two
different sections in one large room. She was in one and I
was in the other. She had been working there a year before
me. As I was getting use to my desk and what was required
of me.. and I would hear this laughter. Such a laugh. One of
those that gets others laughing too. Very contagious.

We became fast friends. Ended up being 3 of us. Carol, who
graduated with me… and Winnie and I. Winnie was such a
kick. It was always fun when we were together.

We went to Providence (29 miles north of Newport) to an
Ice show. We were coming home, dropping off Carol first.
When we heard bump bump…flat tire. Being country girls
we knew how to change a tire, but it started to snow. And
snow hard. We got to giggling and out and out laughing that
a guy came out of the house and helped us change the tire.
I think he wanted some sleep.

The 3 of us went to see I was a Teenage Frankenstein. I think
it was Michael Langdon in his teens. We were sitting behind
these 3 10-12 year old boys. Who were kind of smart mouthed
to us just before the movie started. So when it got to a really
scary section of it… Winnie nodded her head and pointed at the
boys, and we all reached forward and put our hands on the shoulders
of the boys, who let out a scream and raised out of the chairs a foot.

Later that night we were cruising up and down Broadway as teens do,
The 3 of us in Winnie’s car.. when we saw 3 guys we knew from our
school days. So we stopped and they jumped in the back seat.. We
took one round at Broadway and headed out of town to Portsmouth.
(about 3 miles from Newport) and headed to a cemetery. We parked and
started telling the guys about the movie, and when we got to the part about
the cemetery, one of the guys said … lets’s get out of here, and told Winnie
to start driving… as they kept glancing around the headstones. Sissies…lol
We took them back to town to drop them off.

We use to have more fun the 3 of us… and over the years when ever I
happen to be back in town, be it 5 years or 11 years… as soon as I walked
into her kitchen, it was like I was there yesterday…

Winnie worked for the Navy Library for about 30 or more years.. she was a
great mother who had so much fun with her kids.. 3 boys and 2 girls. Loved
her grandchildren… they were the pride of her and Al… She and Al loved each
other as much as the day that she passed away, as the day they got some 50+
years ago….
Going to miss ya, kid… Going to miss your laughter, your twinkle in your eyes,
and the warmth of your home…God Bless….

BEYOND HOPE....

As we head into the year 2011, we all wonder is our country
beyond hope… I surely hope not… there are so many buzzing
talkers who give us constant negativity, it is like hot oil coming
over the wall at us. All of which I got to ask, then where is your
plan? I was taught if you complain without a solution, then you
are part of the problem.

We sure have enough talking heads on radio and television
complaining about how our government is run. We have enough
Congressmen, telling how horrible it is in Washington, D.C. And
how it is the other parties fault…

Well, I am sure looking forward to see how those figure out 2011.
When the Congressperson starts this year… what great things are
THEY going to be doing to get this country back on track. I am not
holding my breath as I saw how those Republicans handle things
for 6 years during Bushes’ time. And I don’t recall anything productive
during that ttime. If anything, with all the problems we have seem to
be from that time.. I know in the spring of 2001 just after Bush was
sworn in, my stock was cut in half… in half… and that was 6 months
BEFORE 9-11.

So Mr. And Mrs. Congressperson, what are YOU going to do about
the jobless country we seem to be heading to, according to you? As
any head way is put down by you all. What solutions do you really
have, or are you part of our problem?
And talking heads…. What will your show be about, when your wonderful
selections aren’t any better than those who left?

I sure hope you don’t leave us BEYOND HOPE…. But like the community
there is hope before that… Hope, Idaho…

Happy New Year !!! 2011