Good bye... Dave Holmes

About 9 years or so ago... there was a blog started by a newspaper called the Spokane Review.

It was run by a man, Dave Oliveria, It was called No Holds Barred in the 

beginning... then changed over to Huckleberries Online. 

In the beginning there were several of us who read it and would

send Dave O.. our thoughts by email, because it was before you 

could comment on it.. And Dave used our comments from time to time. 

Then they open the door, and we could comment and we got to know 

some of the others that wrote. 

One such person was Dave... who called himself

CdA Dave

Over the years we got to know him for his wit,

his love of Beatles, and old music. Also

baseball, Mariners in particular. 

He also sent some great postcard type pictures

of Couer d' Alene, Idaho, to Dave O. to have

on his blog HBO.  

Ones that went back to the old beach, the rides that

were near the city beach, old hotels and other haunts. 

Then a couple of years ago, he sold his house,

and moved to the coast of Oregon. There he found

peace.. he took some wonderful scenic pictures of

the ocean. One of which is below of the sunset, 

which seem to be fitting, as Dave passed away

last fall.  We just found out. 

He closed his blog down as he figured he had

said all that there was to say.  And found more pressing

things to do.. like play music at a local bar that had open mike. 

Of course there were more pictures to take. 

Luckily he got to come back to CdA before he passed. 

He came back for his 40th class reunion. 

I used the earlier picture of Dave, that he had on his 

Facebook. He didn't like his face in public, although 

he did put one up on his Facebook page of a now 

picture taken not to long before he passed away. 

Huckleberries has that one for their post on the passing

of Dave... 

http://www.spokesman.com/blogs/hbo/2013/feb/27/atmospheric/

For those of us who are left behind.. we are 

richer in knowing Dave.. and we are sad 

that his life ended.. way too early at the age of 58. 

Thanks, Dave, for the memories. 

Sunset 2012 ... David T. Holmes

for those who would like to read his blog.... he was talking about deleting it.. I am glad he didn't get a chance to do so... now it is there forever, and everyone to read.. Going back to when he got the birds.. when his humor was at its peak, not to say the rest isn't..  Also there is his knowledge of music... and baseball.. Read and enjoy...
http://hklbrrypkr.blogspot.com/

You just can't fix stupid...

About a couple months ago, in the news was about a fire in the home of the singer Ozzie Osborne and his wife Sharon. How did this happen?

Well, they went to bed… and had left two candles still burning.  WHAT?

WHY would anyone go to bed and leave 2 candles burning?

Then sadly just a few days ago… a 3 year old in the town of Lind, Idaho…was burnt and died.

How did this happen?  Seems the family left a candle burning on their dresser near some clothes and diapers, as the child slept. WHAT??

WHY would anyone have a candle burning.. next to clothes and in a room where a child is.

THE REASON? You just can’t fix stupid… So sad… so preventable.  

THE GROUNDHOG LIED....

Each year on February 2^nd…in  Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, they  have a Groundhog, they named Punxsutawney Phil, who lives in Gobbler Knob,

(and we give this credence?) that they hold up in the 

air… and if he sees his shadow, then there is 6 more 

weeks of winter… And if he doesn’t then winter is for 

all sense and purpose is over or at least an early 

spring……  They do this each year..  and have for 

about 123 years…

They started in 1888, and there were a few missed 

and one was during WWII.

War clouds made it difficult they said???  And it seems 

that long winters were predicated the most.

Now I don’t believe this hogwash.. but one does not 

mess with legends.. but you got to wonder.. especially 

when you google it and find out that he has only be correct 39%....and those are not odds that I would want…

Face it.. the ground hog lied this year.. don’t believe me? 

As the East Coast.

Ask Kansas and those states around there.. and even in Idaho.. this is not an early Spring..  Besides… even if 

they say it is going to be winter for 6 more weeks, if he 

in fact, had seen his shadow.. that is just the mid March… which we all know.. Spring starts March 21^st anyway. 

Yep, hog wash…

Music makes the world go around.....

They say music makes the world go around.. but I guess that isn't true everywhere..

There are some young people who have come to the

United States from Afghanistan to play music… 

To Carnegie Hall…

Why is this so special? Because music is banned by the Taliban’s rule. 

48 children will play Afghan songs as well as some of Western countries.

Also we have certain religions in United States, who do 

not allow music. Amish, I believe is one.. and some of 

the ones here in Idaho,don’t allow radios or televisions. 

I don’t know if that includes all music.

I don’t understand this.. To ban rock, maybe even Jazz, Rap, and such

I can understand. But no music.. no music at all?  

Don’t mothers hum a lullaby to their children when 

rocking them?  Is that allowed? 

I can understand foreign countries banning western countries music. But why Classical? Or even their own music, I am sure it is beautiful to them as our Classical 

or ballads are to us. (yes, I realize that jazz, rap and 

rock is beautiful to some… after all it is all in the beholder.)  

I can not imagine a life without music… 

Where have all the good candidates gone?

To borrow from Pete Seegar…. Hope he doesn't mind my change of words..

where have all the candidates gone.. (to the tune of where have all the flowers gone)

Where have all the good candidates gone?

Long time passing

Where have all the good candidates gone?

Long time ago

Where have all the good candidates gone?

Republicans and the Democrats have picked them, 

every one,

And we are stuck with them…

When will we ever learn?

When will we ever learn?

I live in a flaming red state… where a Republican

has never met a Republican they didn't like..  That 

they vote them in, no matter how bad they are. 

Years ago, each one had some pretty great guys 

who ran and won. Those who cared about this country 

first and foremost.  Yes, they all were put down at 

the time they were in office… some even got shot… 

But they were good men.. who were more concern 

with protecting our country and its 

people. And not the party first and foremost.  

The Lincoln’s, Roosevelts’s, Kennedy’s, Truman 

and such. 

Now days, all we have is bumbling clowns… 

who are so far up the parties tail end, that they have 

forgotten that you and I are here, trying to make it 

in our own little world.  

We have congress people who have never really 

had a job. They have been in congress for 20 to 30 

years.  Some of them never have filled their cars up

 with gas… nor bought groceries.  Have accountants 

who do their paper work for them.. pay their bills 

for them. They don’t have a clue how to pinch a

 penny… give up one thing because they have other 

things that are priority.They say trillion like we say twenty.  

How can they relate to our problems? Our lives and 

what we can do and can’t do, other than them making 

laws against most of it.  And we have no control over 

them.. They don’t even have the decency to even 

mention cutting their wages, or even more important, 

their benefits.

They pass a law on healthcare that it 

is mandatory that each American HAS to

have, yet they exclude themselves. What is with that.. 

maybe they aren't Americans. They talk about how 

the elderly have to tighten up their budgets… 

schools have to do theirs.. and the military has to 

tighten up theirs.. Police, fire departments, hospitals, 

nursing homes… but why, oh 

why, is there never even a mention of their monies? 

When will we ever learn?

When will we ever learn?

Mouth in gear....

Elderly and children have some things in common..  One of which is saying what is on their mind.  No reserve… and that kind of last to the teens and early 20’s, but by 30, you watch what you say.

For 30 years you tip toe thru life… watching what you say as it can cost you your job , an relationship and etc…

Then at 60 it starts to come back again.. and by 70 you are back in full bloom as you were when you were a child.. because you found out that you don’t have to impress people anymore. You aren’t unkind.. (well, maybe over 80 you are. Lol, I remember my sister-in-law taking her 80 something grandmother to some kind of doings going on in the basement of the church, and a heavy woman came out of the church as the grandmother and sister-in-law were heading across the parking lot.. of which grandma said loudly.. LOOK AT THAT WOMAN.. THAT FAT WOMAN… My sister in law, bowing her head, hoping the woman did not hear what grandma has said and shhing grandma…) maybe 80 is the new 5 year old.  

We all have been in a similar position and hope and pray we do not do that to our children…then again… our children did their share of embarrassing us.. good luck with that.. ha ha..

Talking to your adult children...

When your children are adults your conversations change.. They change

from the structure of training and protection to regular general conversations…. If you are lucky.  And if you are smart…… and if you want things to go smoothly.

I try my best to keep that rule in mind. But from time to time, well, so far three,

that I am aware of.. I slipped up.  I think it also follows the gender line as well.

meaning father to son, and mother to daughter… Some times the conversation

can hit a button from the past.  Even though you aren’t aware of it. Meaning you

didn’t think how it was being taken. As you didn’t mean it as a teaching tool.

The conversation is the same you would have used with a friend, yet, somehow

it something gets twisted..  …

And unwanted advise is the worst. But when it is one of your children.. it can be interpreted as advice or push a button, that you didn’t realize you did.  But the adult child takes it as that and comes back with a remark that will surprise you… or leave you with, how did you come to that conclusion, feeling?

It is where you say something as an adult to adult, but it is taken as from Mom

(or Dad).

My Guy...

A Valentine to my husband.. the King of my Heart...

To the guy who makes every day Valentines Day…
Who is my calm, when I am in a storm of life.
Who stands by me, even when I am ranting and raving
about something in life..
Who makes me so proud of what you have accomplished,
especially in this past year.
Whose brown eyes sparkle like diamonds and smile so big,
as you pull some little prank on me..
And when I lean against you at church and hear your voice
sing the praises, it warms my heart to know.. you chose me
to be your wife.

So here are your words you sang so wonderfully on the day
we got married almost 14 years ago…

Sometimes in the morning when shadows are running deep..
I lie here beside you and just watching you sleep..
Sometimes I whisper what I am thinking of..
MY CUP RUNNETH OVER WITH LOVE.

Sometimes in the evening..when you do not see..
I study the small things you do constantly.
I memorize moments that I am fond of…
MY CUP RUNNETH OVER WITH LOVE.

In only a moment we both will be old,
We won’t even notice the world turning cold.
So in this moment with sunlight above…
MY CUP RUNNETH OVER WITH LOVE.

My guy who I so dearly love.. YOU MAKE MY HEART
AND CUP RUNNETH OVER WITH LOVE..
HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY,  Ken…

Did we step on our parents and grandparent values?

As I watch television.. be it the news, entertainment news or shows, I get more and more discussed with the younger generation in general.  I don’t want to say all of them, as that surely isn’t fair. There are a lot of youths, who do great things, not so much for themselves but others as well.

There is the teen who started a sandwich drive for the homeless, there are those who work with children and the elderly.  There Is even as young man of 15 years, named  Jack Andraka, who is a fifteen year old freshman in high school. He developed a paper sensor that could detect pancreatic, ovarian and lung cancer in five minutes for as little as 3 cents. (which makes you wonder how much the

Insurance and pharmacies will jack that price up.

He did his research at an University. Can you imagine how this research could change the face of cancer and promote early detection. As the article said.. just think… “that scientists spending millions of dollars to find more about cancer, a 15 year old finds out by doing a science fair project!  Jack's method is 168 times FASTER, 26000 times CHEAPER, 400 times MORE SENSITIVE, has 90% SUCCESS RATE. “
For those who didn’t read the article.. and have computers.. here is where you

can read about it..
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/Jack-Andraka-the-Teen-Prodigy-of-Pancreatic-Cancer-179996151.html

But others.. and a lot of them are held high in esteem by others young people.. No pride in themselves, no pride in their work.. couldn’t care less how others view them. In fact for shock value, I guess… they push the envelope to see how much they can get by with… With scanty clothes.. (I am no prude, but there is a

limit) and trashing things.. a lot of these are rock stars.. but that isn’t an excuse,

for rudeness, vandalism, and going half naked.

Maybe I am just getting old.. but common decency seems to have gone out the window.  

Did our generation make our grandparents cringe like I do now?

Lincoln's birthday and etc.

As a kid I use to get this day off… as well as February 22. Washington’s birthday… but I believe it was Nixon decided two day off in February,was too much.. and threw in PRESIDENT to combine both days. And the people must have like it, as it gives a 3 day weekend.. Which was part of

the deal.  I find it annoying., as the bank is closed and no mail, but then I am retired.  And when I was working, it didn't make any difference. As the company didn't give holidays off, unless you put in for it by the 15 of the prior month. And we didn't get paid time and half, as they decided to give us our birthday as a holiday. Which we still had to ask for it off by the 15^th of the previous month.. but we did get time and half if we worked it.   Now days, kids probably don’t even know it is Lincoln’s birthday.

I got a new camera… my old one was dying.. the connection didn't work on the computer anymore.. so had to remove the memory card (thank goodness it has one) and get my pictures.. the on and off switch is getting temperamental and

sucking the juice out of the batteries way faster than it use to..  So replacement time.. It is over 10 years old… in electronics, that is really old. And the new and improved is a learning curve.

So.. research.. got to keep it simple.. my brain is just not up to lots of new stuff.  I found what I would like.. best price was at Walmart.. and because it is this time of the year (new ones coming out end of March, lot of people are using their phones) prices are pretty low… running half of what I paid last time, this time with more power.. But Walmart was out….the salesman says order it on line and they will deliver to the store for free…  Nice idea.. but they were out of stock. So tried Best Buys.. they were out of stock… Costco.. out of stock.. finally I found 2 on Amazon.. ordered it fast.  AND TODAY.. it arrived..

Now I have to learn all over again. It may not be too bad.. as a lot of the things are similar to my old one.. I can only hope.. I did put it together fairly easy.. and then I decided maybe I should read the directions.  But so far, so good. 

TAXES, TAXES

Today, I have an appointment with the guy who does my taxes. Which cost little sleep last night..

It isn’t because I’ve done anything bad.. It is basely a cut and dry deal. The only reason why it is of concern is, do I have all my papers?You know your papers of proof to back up your information.

I start about the second week of January, getting it together. I do have a folder that I put papers and receipt over the year, for tax purposes. So it is mostly getting them in order…Then wait for the others to come in. 

Then the first week of February, I get it all lined out and I write up and sheet of what is that I have. So by Friday I figured I was ready to go… but then the mail brought one more piece of paper.. that I forgot.  It is a kind of worthless paper but it does matter to the IRS… it is how much I earn from my saving account..  And as any of you know, who have a savings account of the average person.. you are lucky if it is over $20 for the year.

So, knowing today was the day… I have second guessed myself thru out the night.. cat napping sleep.  I will be so glad to have this over.. and hope and pray the government owes me instead of me owing them.  And with the new

changes, I really don’t have a clue which way it will go.    

Coming out in the open

A while back I posted that I decided I would have a winter hobby.
So when my daughter asked what I would like for Christmas. I
told her a paint set.. So she gave me this really neat paint set with oils,
acrylics, water paints and pencils.  And about 7 canvases and an easel.

So since Christmas I have been painting my heart out.  Lol.. I actually started before I got the kit… I did a picture for my husband. But that one I copied.

The rest of them are out of my head. 

I did the first one for my brother-in-law for his birthday. I told him it was Garage Art.  And that is where it is suppose to be placed. He didn’t listen.. he has it in the house…. And for now is sitting on his fireplace. I named it..”My Man Cave – others call it outdoors”.

The second one, came to mind, so I did it for one of my sons and his wife.

They live near the lake and love it so…  so I named it … “My head is at work,-my heart is at the lake.”  They, too, I told it is Garage Art and has to be put out in the shop….. they too, did not listen.. and have it in the house.. (I am not getting far with this Garage Art deal)

The third one, I did for myself… as it was in my head before I started the other two. It is an abstract.

The fourth one, I made for my daughter… which is called “My bike – the road- my therapy… She too, has it in the house.. she told me, when I give them away.. I can’t tell people where to hang them.. lol…

Now I am going to start my fifth one.. for another son and his wife. I have decided on a name for it.. but it won’t be here, so it won’t matter.  And I have 2 more son’s to do yet and a daughter.  I have found I hate oils… messy, clean up is the pits. I do like acrylics. Fast drying, not so mess and easy clean up.

So how is my painting? Grandma Moses, I am not!!  In fact I think a kindergartener could put me to shame.. I think what saves my hide is, I have neat titles.. (I like them) and these people love me.  Lol…..

 

THE ONE FOR MY HUSBAND... it is one I copied out of a book

For my brother-in-law..MY MAN CAVE - OTHERS CALL IT OUTDOORS

for my son and his wife...MY HEAD IS AT WORK  -MY HEART IS AT THE LAKE

this one is mine... had it in my head for a couple of months.. the specks are blue and green

for my daughter....MY BIKE - THE ROAD- MY THERAPY... the purple on the bottom is her Harley's fender... the road from her view..

So get out your paints… if I can do it..so can you… for someone who can’t draw a straight line… it is amazing one can tell what it is.. but it is good for the soul. And if painting isn’t it.. then get an instrument and give it a try…

2013… the year to try something new… Who knows.. you might be good at it… and you will have fun.  

What do you leave behind?

In the past, when a parent passed away, there would be the reading of the will.

Sometimes it would be talked about before the parent passed away. A mother telling a daughter that she gets grandma’s dishes, and son is told that a special watch that a grandfather had, will be handed down to the son.

 

Of course, if there is the money, but as the economy goes, it doesn’t seem like that will be a fight anymore. If anything, the kids may be afraid of what Mom and Dad still owe.  And if there is a house still, it is in the new push of reverse mortgage?

 

I suppose there are still siblings who fight for what they think is theirs. And a will is not as popular as it was.  Probably it is safe to say that it is a 50/50 chance of there being one.

 

Most of us feel we don’t have much, so no one will want it.  Also as my sister-in-law’s daughter put it so applicably, “Mom, everyone’s stuff is only one day away from a yard sale, after you die”…. Lot of truth to that.  Mine will either go in the trash, or Goodwill.  Never been one for material things, so just have things that please me.. which means it probably won’t be pleasing to others.  The few things are sentimental to me.. but I doubt it will be to my children.  And they aren’t worth a lot of money, so yard sale will be poor.  Lol..

 

So what does one do with one’s stuff?  Use to be you saved records, some have old furniture.. but not many do collections anymore.. and they are replaced by modern things..  And with the family so mobile, grandparents are distance and barely known. So Grandpa’s watch or Grandma’s dishes don’t mean anything to the generation of now

 

So what do you have, that means so much to you..be it something that your parents passed down to you.. or something you purchase… that you will be passing down? And the person you have in mind to leave it behind to… will they want it… or will it become a yard sale item?

 

Myself, I put out the word years ago.. that I was downsizing my things.. and was there anything I had that they would like.. to say so now.. because it might not be here still when I die. And if I plan on keeping it.. I would put their name on it.

A couple spoke up.. and I gave it to them..  Sure helped out with my downsizing.. but I still have a lot to go.

 

Kids aren’t as sentimental as we are or were.

BEDSIDE MANNER....

Well, so much for bedside manner..

The latest in medical field is the doctor by computer.

 A robot wheels in a laptop type computer that sits on a

shelf of the robot.  On the computer you will see your doctor
or maybe a consultant doctor..  You will talk to him and he can see you and hear you as well.  But no touchy touchy…
So how does he feel your body part of concern? Well, that wasn’t addressed (no pun intended) in the video about this new devise.

This doctor on wheels, doesn’t even have to be at the hospital in question… in fact, they said.. he could be still at home.. (in his pj’s?) He might not even be in the same state..

Now I am not a real fan of doctors.. I try to stay away from them as much as I can.  You can’t be really sick if you aren’t at the doctors office, but you can get sick if you do go.. After all, who goes to see the doctor? Sick people of course… So do you go wearing a mask? I don’t know..but I bet the rest of the waiting room will give you lots of room…

I know, that my statement of you can’t be seriously sick, if you aren’t at the doctors office.. is silly.. and maybe even fool hardy.. but still not my favorite place to go. And if I do, then I must be half dead if I agreed to go. I am one of those people that the insurance people love, but doctors aren’t crazy about me. I only go if I can’t fix myself.

My downfall in this theory is .. my doctor is getting old. See I went in 2005, because Medicare said they would pay from me to go… as a sign up deal. Meaning, as far as I am concern… this is your before picture of health.. Which

I passed with flying colors..  So I didn’t show up until 2010…. When I heard that my doctor was going to retire.. and had cut his hours down to about 2 days a week and lots of vacation time..  So I figured I better show up before he decides to make it permanent. Now I love this doctor, as he lets me be me.. He knows I am not there unless, some one has forced me to go (employers mandatory check ups,) or I am seriously sick or injured.. and I can’t fix it myself.  His first question  is… well, Dr. Cis..what is going on with you, and what have you done so far. And that kind of relationship has worked well for over 28 some odd years.

But when I decided to go in for one more time.. figuring my next would be in 5 more years..(my average) and he would be gone. But … for some reason when they did the blood work.. platelets were included.  They weren’t in the past. I guess.. surely not for about 10 years or more.  And there it was.. yellowed highlighted the warning sign….LOW.. very low.. platelets … Which sent red flags.. and sent me  into many visits to another dr.  That doctor didn’t play the same game as mine did.  So I had to have several different test.. to see if something was eating the platelets.. (nope) and to see if I was producing them.. (yep)… and then the shaking of the head.  So a series of every 3 months and then 6 months.. of blood work.. still shaking the head as it moved up and down the scale ever so slowly but nowhere near normal. They had no clue why.. they knew what I didn’t have.. (like cancer, blood problems of any kind other than the platelets) so I once again took it into my own hands and said….thanks for your concerns.. and there are seriously sick people who need your time.. so I am back at my own doctor… every 6 months.. and going to a yearly… after all nothing is changing.. and I feel great.  

So to have a robot doctor come up to me and talk to me.. I don’t think so.. if the doctor can’t show up for me… then I won’t be there either. And if anything really serious come up… I already decided and told my family… that at this age.. I don’t believe in postponing the end results by torturing me.. to gain a month or two.

So good luck to all of you, who deal with Dr. robot..  

 

 

http://gizmodo.com/5978614/fda-says-its-ok-to-have-robot-doctors

 

GUNS - Apples, Oranges and Bananas

Guns-Apples, Oranges and Bananas

 

What apples, oranges and bananas have in common

is that they are all fruit… Like guns, they have different types ..

With guns you have…

The APPLES… which is usually a hand gun and is used by people who rob banks, stores and homes. Usually trained by others of kind and video of the past few years.

 

The ORANGES… are the ones who are saving up food and have their guns and usually bigger ones, because they are afraid of a government might try to take them over.. even our own government. They aren’t out to harm people but to protect what and who is theirs. Especially if the economy does sink and others try to take what is theirs. And there isn’t enough Gummi Bears to protect them. (will explain gummi bears later)

 The Banana’s are the ones who use both and run in to schools, churches, mall, and now theaters…who must be looking for fame, for the most amount of victims.

Which the media obliges them with that fame.  Kind of a pun intended with the name banana’s as we sane people don’t understand this thinking, and these are people who have mental problems 99% of the time.. people who knew them are not surprised they did it.

What all of these have in common is fruit types guns….  they kill people…

Then we have the Meat… which are the ones who hunt for food.. Be it deer, elk, moose,birds, goats, and etc… these do it for food…and don’t shoot people.. at least not intentionally.

So we actually have 4 subjects of kind.. all are edible, but not alike.. just like guns… all are used to shoot… but not alike..

And because of that… it will be almost impossible to find laws that fight some uses and control some, so the sane ones (depending on your view) the Oranges

and Meat can keep their guns.  

Then you have a separate bunch all together… the Gummi Bears.. they are the soldier, police office type who we like, because they try to protect  us from the Apples, Bananas, and Oranges (from other countries) diseases.

And that explains the reason why people can’t get together and come up with a sane, common sense laws to protect us all…