We wish you all a HAPPY NEW YEAR...

Here we end another year.  Hope you

had more good than bad. Hope it brought

you good health.

This is the year that flew by. Not only

for us. .but others who talked about.

Why it seems like it flew by so fast

for all, I don't know.

I know as I was getting ready for Labor

Day, with having a cook out.. it seem like

I was just getting ready for 4th of July

a week or so before.

Let us all hope and pray, that the year 2015

is a better year for us all.  May we all enjoy

good health.. may the year be good to us.

And we all can hope and pray that the

Congress finds a way to be thinking of

us instead of them..  Hopefully they

do no harm.

The King and I wish you all a safe

and healthy new year..

See you next year.. on 1/5/15 

Another year shot to hell....

2014, be not proud.... We have had nasty elections,

but that is getting to be business as usually....

But there is the police related shootings.. Michael Brown,

Tamir Rice, and the choking of Eric Garner. The killing

of a dog who was inside of a truck, because the police

officer panicked. Even local.. the police shot and killed

a young woman with mental problems... 

We have police officers shot in their car as they eat

their lunch on the run in New York...another in Florida.

The beginning of those words might seem like I am

anti-police.. but I am not..

It is sad that the few, make it so bad for those who

work so hard to keep peace in a town. Who work

so hard with the public.. and now will have even a

harder job of it, with recent problems.. And now

some of the innocent police officers pay with their

lives. Breaking the hearts of families. 2 boys are

left with out a dad.. and a new wife lost her husband.   

             The good news is that the police departments nation

wide are taking another look at their training sessions and

trying to make changes.  While that is wonderful..

it still going to be a very hard job. When an officer

leaves his car, he never knows if he gets to return

to it.  So trying to juggle the new awareness, of

how to handle situations.. the bad element is still

there.  And families never know how much of a

good by will be at the beginning of  a shift will

be a permanent one.  Or yelling about police

officers deserving to die, effects those families

especially the children of those officers.

The ISIS killing the people of many countries (as it isn't

just our countrymen that are being beheaded).

There were many headlines we didn't want to know

about.. and there will be more coming. Some of

which, personally don't think the public has the

right to know everything.. and especially before

all the facts come in..

There is good out there. There are children who

are out there helping other children.. or pass

out blankets for homeless...

There are the hero's who jump in freezing water

to help those in trouble.

On the person level, there was sadness this year..

I lost two people who I care about. My brother, and

a friend.. yet there was joy, with the birth of two of

my great grandchildren.

And the King and I have our health and we are safe.

Let's pray that 2015 will be kinder. 

                                            

LOVE AND MARRIAGE...

I have to laugh.. they say the reason why

marriages don't last as long is because we

are living longer.

If that was true... then why is there couples

celebrating 60 and 75 years of marriage?

I know of a wonderful young lady who is

writing a book called

War Bonds: Love Stories From the Greatest Generation

(if you get a chance, look for it..it is coming out

in February, I believe) and the stories she tells ...

enough to fill a book and more.. .. about people who

met during WWII and got married after

one week ... because the man went

overseas to fight in the war. These people she

talks to are in their 80's and 90's.  The bond

is the bond between the couples.

You read stories or you watch on television

of caretakers.. husbands or a wife.. who is

still taking care of a love one, whose

health has gone down hill.. be it physical

or mental.  The care taker in their 70's,

even 80's.  Taking the words.. "in

sickness or health, until death due us part"

seriously.. and to heart.

Even the ones who can't physically take

care of their love ones, go to the health

care centers daily.. to be there all day with

their love one.. Some even moving in with

them, even tho they are still in good health.

I knew of such a couple, who celebrated

their 75th anniversary there.

So those who say those words.. oh, marriage

isn't lasting as long, because we are living

longer....it is hard to stay marriage for more

than 30 or 50 years. BULL... marriages aren't

lasting as long FOR SOME.. because they

aren't in it for the long haul.. 

Wishing you a Merry Christmas...

May you enjoy your families and friends.

May the boxes under the tree fulfill  your

heart's desire...

May you remember the reason why we

have such a day.. the birth of our Savior.

And be respectful of that.

May the weather hold, so families who

travel far and wide ... get to their destination

and back.

May your phone calls bring joy at the sound

of your love ones and old friends voices.

The King and I.. wish you a wonderful day..

full of laughter with all..

This is what I would have told you....

Today is my brother's birthday.. He would have

been 70.. Oh, I was praying he would make it

to this day.

We had for the past 4 or 5 years ... passed between

us a card. A birthday card.. don't remember who decided

to use the one card for both of our birthdays.. but we did.

Each year, we would add a few words to it for the other,

and send the card back across the country.. each time

as one of us received it, we would hang on to it and

make sure it went back.  I had envisioned it landing

with him at the end. After all I am 4 years older. But

I have it.. it ended up with me. And I will read all

of the words we both wrote ...today.. with tears.

Each year the words of so called wisdom that I would

write, was in tune with what I had talked to him about

as we grew older. Especially after he turned 50.

He had mention at that time.. how it was getting hell to be

old.  And being the oldest, I told him 50 was a piece of cake.

That it gave you certain rights.. that you can say your peace

without too many people getting mad at you. That when you

did, you still said it with respect for that person.. but you

no longer had to reserve your words, because you no longer

had to impress people.  That you can say how you feel,

as long as it was honest and not hurtful.

I told him health wise, we were in pretty good shape as our

parents went thru their 50's in a breeze.. That Dad had a

heart situation, but it was minor. And that he (my brother)

already went thru that, and could see, it didn't slow him

down. That life was still good, and to enjoy it.

When the card came into play, it was similar remarks.

How I found his age, and what I went thru..  But this

year.. he was turning 70. So I had some good stuff... so

I thought.  I knew he was fighting cancer.. and had been

for quite a few years. And while it slowed him down, he

was still in a good place over all.. UNTIL about my birthday.

In April, we talked about how life wasn't  quite fair.  We both

knew our mother died of cancer just months before her

74th birthday.  So we were more honest about what was

coming up.

But damn it Roy, you were suppose to make it passed your

70th.  I wanted to tell you, that 70, wasn't so bad. That you

slow down some. Your grip isn't as strong as it was years

ago. And how in your heart you still feel like you can do

anything, but your body says, not so fast. That most of it was

still doable.. but took longer.  How life as we watched it go

by us.. is not the same world we were born into..but  it  is

what we make of it.. And to just keep in mind.. to keep it

local.. meaning enjoy life with your family and friends and

try not to worry about what the others are doing to our

universe.. that it is the time to turn the baton to the next

generation.. and hope they do well.

But instead of me telling you.. what to expect.. YOU

taught me ... you taught me how to die with dignity.

How to take care of others while you did. To leave this

world of ours giving all of your friends and family, your

love and courage to do as well as you did.

So give Aunt Harriet a hug for me, and tell her I miss her..
give the old lady a kick in the ass, tell her to stop

bitching at the old man.. give the old man a hug from

me... and don't leave the light on for me.. as you know

me.. last minute annie... Love and peace.. and

I MISS THE HELL OUT OF YOU...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, KID...  

Trying to keep it light hearted....

I tried to promise myself, I would keep it lighthearted

until after Christmas... which is still not easy, with

what is going on just in our own nation, never mind

overseas...

Even here in my own little yard we have had some

dastardly deeds done. I know when I tell you about

it.. you will tell me and I know this is the way it is..

but that it is the rule of nature... trying to keep

within my promise, I will show you the dastardly

deeder.. (is that a word?)... but I won't show you

the deed itself... 

 I went to see what was going on with feathers in my yard.. and a sparrow hawk
with them.. he flew to the top of the tree next door.

 back to reclaim, after he went to the tree...

This dirty bird... killed my dove.. and it isn't the first

one.. he did one this spring time.. and the King

said he saw one in the ditch about a month ago.

The King wanted to get the bb gun out and shoot

him.. as he loves our doves.  But it is nature.. as

sad as that makes me..  So I have to go clean up

the mess he made, so hopefully the other doves

don't catch on why one of their mates isn't coming

back to the nest tonight.. But I am here to tell you..

rule of nature or not.. if I find him in my yard, when

there are doves here.. he is a goner.  Christmas

or no Christmas. 

Soapbox and lights...

I got a comment sent to me from an old post a couple of months ago.. I think it was listed under telephone books?.

They said they liked my blog and words .. (the usual of spam

lead in) it  was from a I NEED A JOB  Utube site) they asked

a question...but it was a valid question.  Even though I suspect it was more of a spam than real... I decided to answer it anyway.

They asked how did I center myself before I started typing up

my blog.  I answered the best I could with how sometimes I have

an idea and start typing and the rest is history..  Sometimes

I have an word and start typing and it fleshes out... and that I

type out on Microsoft Word and then transfer it over to blogspot.

Because I have typed it up on blogspot and hit publish and

POOF... it was gone.. really gone.. into never never land. And I had to think of what I wrote and do it again. Which doesn't always turn out well.  Also by doing it this way, I can play with it.. correct spelling, add words, take away words.. Then copy past the finish product to blogspot.. and if it fails.. I still have it to paste again.  Works for me. But also some days, I have nothing.. and don't know why I am still here.

Also I was asked why did I start a blog.. And my answer was

someone told me I could do it.. and I was up late at night and

bored... the words "you can do your own blog as easy as 1.2.3. and there I was...  But I said I tried it because, sometimes I have a lot to say.. and I try to keep it humorous as much as possible.

But it also it was my way of a soapbox... my soapbox, and no

one could knock me off of it.. They could make fun of me. They could tell how horrible I was.. but they couldn't knock me off it.

It was MY soapbox

One week away....

Only one week away.. Christmas..

7 shopping days left..

Glad mine is all done..  and to

be honest, I will be glad to get it

over with..

I guess I am a real bah, humbug, type

of Christmas person.. Like I say, Christmas

without kids around is kind of boring to me.

Most of my decorating is outside.. and today

was no exception.. We took down the lights

on the house this past summer, when we

painted the house. So today, I replaced them.

My daughter was over Monday and said it

looks kind of dark out.. even with the fence

lights and the hunting snowman.  Then it

dawn on me.. I forgot to put up the house

eave lights.  Worse was, I was beating myself

up, as I do all that in August.  Why you ask?

Because August is warmer than December.

So I was putting up the new lights. I figured

if I could use the broom to put the lights on the

old hooks that are up there, it should go pretty

good and I wouldn't have to go up and down the

ladder. 

That plan worked fairly well... Took about 45

minutes to get them all up.. And then I went

to plug it in.. OH, NO..  I have the female end

of the plug.. So back around, unhooking the

lights from the hooks.. about 20 minutes worth.

Reverse the line, and back to putting them up

again. This times it took about 30 minutes as

I was getting good at this with the broom.

Only to go plug in the lights.. and it is a female

plug..  you could hear me over the whole

neighborhood.  NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.

How could this be? I knew I had reversed the

line. Then I walked to the end to make sure the

other end had a female end.. and sure enough

it did.  (wish I had done that in the first place, sure

would have been easier on the nerves)... What

the HELL..  how can they have them hook in the

middle and end up with two females on the end.

So went to Home Depot.. No they don't have a

double end male plug.. suggested the electric

supply near my house.  The most patience young

man, who listen to my tale of woe.. and said ...they

don't make them, but I can make one up for you.

So after getting the ends.. and a short piece of wire..

he made one for me..

Back home. the King is home from work, and I explain.

He thought it was funny that I had removed it and redid

it.. until I reminded him.. of his saying.. INSIDE WORK

WOMEN'S WORK... OUTSIDE WORK MEN'S WORK.

And I just got done doing HIS work.. So I plugged it

all in.. and wa..la... I have lights.. and it looks good.

Now I am done.. 

God is Good...

This year has been a rough year for some of my

friends, with health issues.

But of late, so much good news... My friend's

husband is doing well after surgery.. Something that

could have been so much worse, yet, was so lucky

that it has turn out the surgery caught everything.

Another friend fought cancer early in the year. And

I saw her at Walmart yesterday.. She looks great.

Last time I had seen her, she was so thin.. and she

was one who really didn't have a lot to lose.. But

she looks so wonderful.

Another friend, who recently has been suffering

from heart problems, is doing better.. She actually

has had 3 heart attacks over the past 2 and half

years..  This last one was scary yet.  She works

for the school district where she has to climb

stairs to get to the class room.  They didn't have

a room on the ground floor that she could use.

The stairs were and are a hardship for her. But

she recently got work that she qualifies for

disability.. She has been trying for quite some time

but was told she had to be off work for 6 months

before they would say she was disable enough

for disability. She had to work, it was her only

income.. And welfare didn't bring in enough

for her bills.  But finally common sense has

won out and her last day at work is Friday.

A huge load off her shoulders.  She is far

from out the woods, health wise..but at least

she has a step forward.  And her son got

a part time job. Her young son has been

trying to get a job for a year.  So things

are starting to look up for her..

So God is good.

"I felt sorry for myself because I had no shoes,

until I met a man who had no feet"  Mod Squad

1968 

CANDY .... I AM SO SICK OF YOU..............

Here it is.. just 10 days away from Christmas Eve.

AND I AM SICK OF CANDY...

All my friends, who gave us bags, plates, boxes..

of candy... cookies, and all the other goodies..

I am sorry, but I am finally candied out...

Oh, the taste of peanut butter, peanut brittle,

and such things peanut butter... I never thought

I would say this.. but I am pretty sure I am

SICK OF PEANUT BUTTER...

They tasted so good.. the first one.. the second one.

even the third one.. but by the 4th days.. and the

6th bag.. I think if I see anymore, I will run as fast

as I can. Maybe that would be waddle..

 All of which just might work out well.. because like

everyone else, I am swearing off every thing sweet

after Christmas... I am not even waiting for New

Years Day or day after.. So this just might work

out well for my coming diet... 

Where are we going to put this stuff....

As we approach  Christmas, I try my best not to be negative.

But with the news in the paper and on television, it sure

makes this hard...  So hitting on a lighter note...

Here we are.. most of us have the Christmas tree up.

Mine is a flat on the wall type.. just don't have room

for a full tree..

And under the tree is filling up with boxes.. Boxes of

joy, and surprises... Some trees have more than others.

Some have huge amount of boxes.. 7 feet around the tree.

piled high and out in to the room about 4 feet. 

I always wonder when I see that... are they all for the same

household, or is most of them going out the door by Christmas.

And as they fill up that area... I got to ask.. where are they

going to put all that stuff.. after all the day after Christmas,

all of them are removed to be places somewhere. Closets,

counter tops and etc...

So what do they do? With the old stuff, that is in the way

of what is new. Yard sale boxes for the garage for spring?

Goodwill, or thrown away?  After all  the average home has

so much clutter, you got to wonder where does all that stuff

go? 

Odds and Ends

Was reading in Time magazine about calorie counting..

They quoted the calories in several items..

carrot muffin.. 540

green tea frappuccino 440

pecan chicken salad 1,080

vegetarian lettuce wrap 610

perfect margarita  340

all pretty good sounding foods...

But you know what this tells me?

It is better to be drunk than fat, if you are

counting calories.

What kind of stupidity does Hollywood

have. Sorry, I forgot it.. it is Hollywood.

But really, to make a movie about the

assassination of a world leader.. one who

does not like us in the first place and is

better known as a loose cannon... what

kind of idiots do that?  Oh, yea.. it is

Hollywood.  And I guess there is no

law against that.. just a moral one.    

And we know there is no morals in Hollywood

What is in a name?

In the months that you are expecting your child, you

play around with names for that child.  Some are

named after the father, or a family member.. Some

are doozy's  and in the 1960's and 70's there were

some real doozy's.  Some were numbers. Some

were just a letter.. and some where named after

the weather and some you just shook your head

over.

Mine were a combo of many ... first one was name

I liked and the middle name just sounded nice with

it.. and the spelling was after a girl I went to school

with.. but not after the girl herself.  Next one was

after my sister in law and my aunt.. two people

who were very important to me.  Next was a son,

so he got his father's name.. but not a jr. but II..

after his name.  Next up came a name I just like.

It was a comfortable name. And she got her

middle name from her grandmother's name on

my husband's side. Next up.. was a boy who inherited

both grandfather's middle names. But then I was

expecting twins.. Except when I came up with

a name. I didn't know they were going to be twins..

So when I found out the week before... I just split

the names between the two boys. Added a name

that went with the first name for the first one..

and then gave the second one the name of my

doctor.. Joking with him, that he only showed

up for the second birth.. (the dr. was at a

movie show with his family, when the first one

came).  Then the last child.. which I jokingly

said after 7.. I was going to call the child.. THE

END... but being I knew it was going to be the

last one.. I threw in 3 names.. First one chosen by

my husband, second name, I liked.. and the 3rd

one came from her grandmother on my side.

Two of those children, now... are not called what I

call them when they were born.. One chose to change

her name, due to being teased as a child. (the comfortable

name) And chose a Native American name... the other

one.. a son, did not chose to change his.. but was called

by his first name in school and it stuck. I called him

by the name I wanted in the first place.. (remember half

of the name he was going to get if he had been a single birth) .. 

So I have found out that if you want your child to be

called by the name you want... you make that name

is the first one name. With the daughter it was by her

choice.. and after many years of training.. I have it

kind of down pat.. with an occasional slip..  But with

the son.. I try to remember to call him by the short

version of his first name.. as family members do call

him that. Also in the professional line, he is called that

as well.. But in my heart,  and I refer to him a lot of times,

by his middle name... but I try my best not to slip up in

front of as everyone knows him by his first name.  

Although his brothers will refer to the name I like from

time to time.

So what is in a name... I guess and it should be... when

you become an adult, and not fond of the name your

parents called you.. you should have the choice to

be called what you want. What makes you comfortable.

But remember when you name your child.. better keep

the name you want first.. 

Christmas, Christmas, Christmas and I AM OUT...

Seems like each year the stores bring in Christmas earlier.

This year all the Halloween stuff wasn't out and Walmart

already had the Christmas stuff in the garden area.

Heading in to November was a real push on the Christmas

season.. Catalogs in the mail... emails coming in with the

newest Christmas stuff... say nothing of all the Black

Friday ads.

Rounding the corner coming into December.. I got my

Christmas cards done and ready to mail.. then mailed.

I was in full mode of cooking things for the baskets

we give out.  Stopping only to do the prep work for

Thanksgiving.. 

And now here we are in December.. we are only 2 weeks

away.. I have my baskets ready.. I have already gave 3 of

them to the owners... with 5 left.  3 of them are going out

on the 15th... and 2 on the 20th. It is only the 8th of

the month. And for all sense and purposes, I have it all

done.. But I have 15 more days to go...with nothing left to

do. Even have the King's Christmas gifts sitting in the

living room.. 

When you have children and grandchildren who live

near by... Christmas goes on until the day... the day

is the big final.... show time..  But without them.. it

is over.. I am done..... I am ready to move on to what

ever goes past that day..  As they say on Sharks..

I AM DONE.  Next... 

Don't get me wrong.. it is a great day.. great day with

family and some with friends as well.. Food, gifts..

feel good.. one of the rare days in the world ...where

people, well, most of them.. feel good about each other.

Have tolerance they don't have the rest of the year. Too

bad we can't bottle it and serve it all year.. minus gifts. 

OOPS... FORGOT

I got up early, got started with wash, and then
a few other things ...in the house duties...

Then it was time to put a few baskets together to
ship out to friends...

Then the mail, back and take care of the wash..
Then it dawn on me.. as it got dark...

OOPS.. I forgot to do my blog for today..
Guess mulit-tasking wasn't my thing today..
Sorry, gang.. next week will do better.

2014 where are you going?

I was at the council meeting, last night and as we

were all done and I was leaving.. I thought I would

be funny and so I yelled out... SEE YOU ALL NEXT YEAR.

But as I walked back to my car, I thought, you know that

isn't so funny...  It was true in just a mere 4 weeks.. it will

be 2015... I was just getting use to 2014.

In fact, it seems like it should be June 2014 and not December.

Where the heck did the year go?  I was just lining up my

ideas of what I wanted in the yard for this year.. and bang..

the year is as good as over.

Christmas is coming on so fast.  I got a lot of my cooking done for the baskets. I have made all those Chocolate Zucchini breads

from all those zucchini's that I shredded up in August during the hot weather.  Knowing that come December it would be a good smell and keep the house warm.  I have got the Christmas fruit cake cookies all made and packaged up in bags. I have the baskets lined up.  And the aggravation cookies are done.  Only have one more recipe to make and I am done. Just gathering it all up in the baskets and give away by the 15th.. and then I am done.

2014 was a none adventuring year.  Although I did have fun

going out on the boat fishing.. and out fishing the King the first time out.  He called it beginners luck... what ever.. it was fun.

Got to do more of it in 2015.. Also would love to get some

fly fishing in.  But other than that.. we just did the usual stuff.

But the summer flashed by our eyes.. not enough time to get

all those bar-b-que's done.  Of course the King's eyes surgery took a chunk out of it. But still.. One day we were doing the 4th of July, and then it seem like we were doing Labor Day.

To borrow a few words from Pete Seeger..

Where have all the days gone..Where have all the days gone,

long time passing? where have all the days gone, long time ago

Men's Logic

After shopping most of the day with my daughter

in Coeur d' Alene, we pulled in to my driveway.

I notice the neighbor's garbage cans in the

ditch.  I looked over to where oura would have been

but they were gone. I thought, good, the King

put them away.

The next morning I went out the back door and

there was one of our garbage cans, minus

lid in the back yard. Then I noticed the other

one was behind my car, near the garage door. 

I said something to the King and he said. Yea,

I got them  as far as the garage. I just looked

at him and ask why he didn't put them in the

container that was 5 feet away.  He replied.

"I got it to the garage, at least I did that much."

But I asked why not the rest of the way. "I was

cold, it was windy and I only had shorts on."

he said.    I shook my head, and said, so you

walked 35 feet with them, but didn't do the

last 5 because you were cold?  "Yep" he said.

"But at least I got them that far for you."

See in his mind, I usually bring in the garbage

cans, (come to think of it, I am the one who

usually puts them out there too). So he did it

for me.

Oh, why would I not get that. After all, this is

the same guy who will get up from the table,

take his plate and put it on the sink counter,

just 2 inches from the door to the dish washer.

And when I ask about that one time, his reply

was 'well, I took it off the table.