Good bye January.....

Only one day left of this month.  11 more

months to go.

This month has brought stagnation here in the

upper northwest.  We usually have feet's of snow..

yet here we are with bare ground for the most part.

Only snow in the berms that were plowed up,

from last month.

As we start to count down the months.. we are

heading to Spring..  and hopefully cabin fever

won't be as bad these next two months.  And

hopefully some snow for the mountains.

So much to do.. I really should be going thru

the file cabinet and get rid of old , or store

what is needed, into boxes for the garage.. just

in case.  But I don't feel like doing that...and

have put it off for over 5 years .... or more.

So let's hope I am more ambitious in February.

Hello February.. you are a stepping stone to

Spring...

It takes a village...

I wrote a post many years ago about it takes a

village.  It had to do with a young lady, Erica

Curless getting married.  And at the end of

the post with pictures, there was what seem to

be the whole town of Dover surrounding her

with her new husband. As probably 80% of

the invited were from Dover.  Dover, which

is where she grew up. Her dad happens to be

the mayor...... It took a village. ..

Then years before, there was a man, Paul Perry

born of Dover also, but he lived in Sandpoint.

Sadly he passed away from cancer. But before

he left this earth, some one had asked him if there

was anything he needed to be done for him and

his family.  He mention he had hoped to have

his house and garage painted before he passed.

No sooner said than done.  In 5 days, the crew

from the bus shop where he had worked for

about 20 years... volunteers came. There were

about 30 people, who came on any one of those

days. About 8 of the committee who came daily.

The committee was able to get the paint from

a local store to gave good prices and free brushes

and etc.  Those 38+ people.. sanded down the

house and 2 and half story garage, in 2 and half

days. The other 2 and half... they painted the

2 and half story house and garage. There were

not to be forgotten.. the crew who could not do

the painting and scraping.. who did landscaping

work and cooking for the workers.  Paul sat

on the deck looking at all the finish product. His

family had a bar-b-que for all those who helped.

My main job was taking pictures.. which I put on

a cd as well as a book of all those who worked

each day.  It took a village.....

Now we come to 2014.  The word passed as fast

as the fire (facebook)  that took the barn of Erica's

parents, Randy and Gail.  The barn and up to at

least 19 sheep and babies... Such sadness.... but

before the day was over... the Curless's facebook

was full of sadness,  changing to encouragement

and offers of help.. Count me in was the call.

And count me in.. they have done... Offers of taking

some of the sheep that remained... help of shelter

for those who are about to be born...  And by

evening... pictures of new arrivals.. showing life

goes on.

Each day, offers, of poles, of wood, help, metal

for roof...osb, labor. coming in daily...

workers vehicles filling the field. Each day, friends,

family and even friends of friends..arrive to help.

And the help of cooking for these workers.  By next

week, it would not surprise me to see a sheep barn

looking out over the valley below.

Once again, Bonner County showing that they

might fight about the little things.. but they come

together for their people.  To say the Curless

are overwhelmed, I think is an understatement.

The Curless have been there many times over

their 50 years of marriage.. for others.. and

now those are there for them..

It takes a village..

Generation lost....

We all hear about the Baby Boomer.

Heck we have heard about them forever.

Baby Boomer this, and that...

I thought I was a baby boomer.. but found

out I was born 5 years too soon to be one.

So what the heck am I?  Maybe the

Greatest Generation that Tom Brokaw

wrote about. But no, I am not that either.

So I went to Google to find out what am I?

There were only really two sites that would

even address my generation.  As most only

wanted to talk about Baby Boomers, or

Millennial's or Generation X or Generation

Y and the up and coming Generation Z.

But these two sites had a name for my age.

THE SILENT GENERATION aka Lucky Few.

What the hell is that? Lucky Few? Silent

Generation? Really? I have never heard of these

terms...

The Silent Generation, also known as the "Lucky Few", were born 1925 through 1942.^[20] It includes those who were too young to join the service during World War II. It includes most of those who fought the Korean War and many during the Vietnam War.

According to these guys, I just missed the Baby boomers by 3 years.

The Baby Boomers are the generation that was born following World War II, generally from 1943 up to the early 1960s, a time that was marked by an increase in birth rates. The term "baby boomer" is sometimes used in a cultural context. Therefore, it is impossible to achieve broad consensus of a precise date definition.^[21] The baby boom has been described variously as a "shockwave"^[22] and as "the pig in the python."^[23] In general, baby boomers are associated with a rejection or redefinition of traditional values; however, many commentators have disputed the extent of that rejection, noting the widespread continuity of values with older and younger generations. In Europe and North America boomers are widely associated with privilege, as many grew up in a time of affluence.^[22] One of the features of Boomers was that they tended to think of themselves as a special generation, very different from those that had come before them. In the 1960s, as the relatively large numbers of young people became teenagers and young adults, they, and those around them, created a very specific rhetoric around their cohort, and the change they were bringing about.^[24]

 

Even took more words to explain the Baby Boomers.

But I guess I should feel lucky, at least

it isn't just a letter, like X.Y.Z.  And what about the next

one.. will they start with numbers being they ran out of

letters?

Well, I am bummed out.  Silent, Lucky Few... that is

like nothing...

No snow....means fires in the summer....

I don't know which is worse... the no snow

or the way too much fog and overcast.

Most rather not have the snow, as you

have to shovel that.  Doom and gloom,

you don't.

Personally, the doom and gloom is worse.

I think I rather have a foot of snow and sun.

I don't mind shoveling snow.. as long it isn't

constantly every day..and over 4 feet worth.

But snow and sun looks great, makes me

feel great. The snow makes the earth look

clean. And the sun.... anytime of the year

boost my body and attitude up.

Also the scary part of no snow and there

hasn't been any for weeks.. is bad news for us

in the northern area...  No snow means

low or no water table for the summer.

Wells dry up, forest fires are fast and many.

City's limiting your water usage. The fires

is the scariest part of all. Thousands of acres,

and some times forest workers, smoke jumpers

and etc. end up losing their lives.  People lose

their homes... and sometimes it even gets to the

towns. 

So I am hoping and praying for snow in February

and March and part of April..  We will just deal

with it.. it is the way we do things up here in the

northern end of the states.    

looking back a couple years ago blog post...

THURSDAY, JANUARY 14, 2010

Growing up with Bucky

I was told that there was a little girl of 4 or 5 that was a great little horse girl.

That in the early Spring when show horses are taken out for practice, she could

handle any barn rat. A barn rat was a horse that went from point A, which is where you were riding, at a full gallop, straight across the ring to point B, which was the barn/stable. This little girl didn’t have enough strength I guess, to turn these horses as they went for a full gallop across the ring, and over the short gate and into the barn. Yet within 5 seconds later, she and that said horse came flying back out that barn, across the corral and over the short gate and back to the ring. I was told that.

This was NOT the same 8-year-old girl who later, after not riding for 2 years, was given a pony to ride in shows. A couple of practices and off they went to the horse show. His show name was Mighty Mouse because he was gray like a mouse, with black mane and tail and a black stripe from that mane to the tail. Also had black legs with a couple of white stockings. (for those who are not horse owners, that is the white on the lower part of the leg, going to the hoof.) Mighty Mouse and said young 8-year-old girl, were taken into the ring and let go. Now neither the pony, (who was about 14 hands high, taller than a Shetland, yet smaller than the average horse) nor the girl were fond of being here with a bunch of people standing and sitting around this big ring… with no short gate.After a few rounds of the ring Mighty Mouse lived up to his barn name. Which was Bucky. And he earn this name well. After a few attempts of trying to handle this little dynamite of a guy, to no avail… the girl started to cry, “I want out of here”. After the 3 times, the judges signaled the mother to take the child and pony out. The look on my mother’s face reminded me of the words of Jim McKay on Wild World of Sports, the agony of defeat. See my mother was a great horsewoman. Riding American Saddle Breds, 5 Gaited horses, and Jumpers. So her head hung low. And I was banished from ever riding in a show again.

The summer went by and Bucky and I became friends. Leading to my mother’s hope that maybe there was a chance yet. Especially after seeing the Spring come and go, with Bucky and I having a few times of disagreements of who was going to win the barn rat race. And my coming out on the topside 99% of the time.

So by the age of 10, she decided that Bucky and I would become jumpers together. She would have us practicing over and over. First with the regular routine of times around walking, two times around the ring, trotting, and then two times around cantering… then reverse and the same again.After we had that down pat, she brought out the jumps. First starting with the cross section ones, which was about 18 inches high… Bucky and I thought this was fun and we did well. There were 4 of them around the ring… So then it came to the straight cross bars. They were about 2 feet for starters. As the days went by, we were doing pretty well, until she got to the 3 foot 6 inches ones… then Bucky and I were not always on the same page. As we gallop towards the jump, I would lean into the mane and rise up a bit on to the wither area. About 2 feet from the jump, Bucky decided he didn’t want any part of this, so skidded to a stop. Some how, it is a little harder for the rider, who thinks we are going over, to stop too, and thus, goes over the pony’s head and in to the jumps. Of which the horsewoman’s commands come swift, of “get back on that horse now!”

Bucky and I went thru this process over and over, days and days, mostly going over the jumps. Then they were raised to 4 feet. Bucky took one look at that, and he knew he wasn’t going over…. We galloped towards it, and I knew I wasn’t going over it, if Bucky wasn’t, as that jump sure looked awful high. So Bucky swerve and I was glad. The horsewoman was not amused. After trying about 4 times, she decided she would show us how to do it. She board Bucky, galloped around the ring, coming around the curve and headed down to that jump. I don’t know if I wanted Bucky to do it or not. Because if he did, that meant I was going to have to. He didn’t. He swerved… and the horsewoman almost went off.

Back around, whip in hand this time, full gallop, towards the jump, and at the last second, Bucky decided he had enough, he bucked and then stopped. The horsewoman flew across the jump. I did not laugh… because I didn’t want the results of that. She got back on, rode him around, brought him back to me, jumped off, handed me the reins, and told me that we (Bucky and I) would never make it in shows. Bucky and I were glad…

Bucky and I got along great. We use to go out to the backfields, and he would graze on the grass, I would lie back on him and watch the clouds go by. We rode over in the tree nursery, and sit by the creek. We had great times together.

But showing was never one of them. Mom gave up on us.

Mom sold Bucky, and I did show a couple times. I rode for some people on their horse, in western pleasure classes. Much to my mother’s disgust, as she hated western style.

Entertainment out my front window

This is why I love squirrels

 

 When there wasn't any snow on the ground, he buried some
 in several places in a small patch of grass. 

 This is called his swing the feeder, hoping for seed to fall to the ground..

 And when that fails, it is hold on with one foot, and grab what you can with the others

 and when the hawk shows up.. it is hiding time... 

Bumming around....

This weekend the outlaws came to visit.

So we bummed around.. first separately,

(men /women) and then Monday together.

Second hand stores are the main call of affairs.

|Looking for Idaho goodies to sell in her Washington

store.  So we made the rounds on Saturday and

Sunday.

Having lunch and the usual stuff...

The guys went where guys go.. guns shops,

hunting, fishing and etc..

On Monday we all jumped into the pickup and

headed to Bonner's Ferry.  Not a lot open with it being

MLK day.

But did find an antique shop that fit the bill...

Lots of walking around, from one cubby hole to

the next.. seeing things that were in our homes when  

we were kids..

And lots of stuff, we call junk, but it is all in the eye

of the beholder.

And of course a trip to Bonner's Ferry isn't complete

with out a stop at the Mennonites store. First the store

itself, and then next door to the restaurant side.  The King

and I were smart.. rather we were still kind of full from

breakfast. So we ordered half sandwich and he had ice

tea and I had a latte.  But the Outlaws had a full nelson

sandwich.  Boy, were they surprised when they got it...

See a full nelson sandwich up there..  is about 8

inches across. Need less to say one ate half.. the other

ate a quarter and asked for boxes...  They make the

best sandwiches.

Had heard about the Border Patrol new building..

which is rumored to have Homeland Security inside

as well. It is a complex of many building with green roofs.

I was kind of disappointed... as I had heard it was a 3 story, block/block size. It is several buildings of varies sites.

With a rather tall large chain link fence around it..

We headed home, and even with the overcast day, there

was sunshine the closer we got to our town.. making a

enjoyable and beautiful view drive. 

This is me.....

.

I came across this picture recently.. and thought

yes... This is me.. what I feel inside... I know

I blogged years ago.. how I always felt younger

than what I am. 

Because of good gene's, I have been able to be

young as I got older.. don't get me wrong.. as I

have said in the past.. I am what I am.. I am a

73 year old woman, who is knocking on the door

or 74, in 3 months.  And the old woman in the mirror

each morning... I know is me..

I don't dye my hair.. it is what it is.. the wrinkles

show life well worn. And most of them are laugh

wrinkles.

It is just I have felt younger than my age for some

time.  I felt like I was 28 when I was actually in

my 40's and 50's.. and then later, after 60, I changed

it to 48.

Don't know what the 8's have to do with it.

I am very blessed to be as agile as I am. Again, good

gene's. My father's side. He died at 82 after doing a

summer of haying. My aunt, his sister, passed at 88.

Still dancing to music, and life itself.. So it goes

with the life of the family.   So here I am.. as you

can see at 48... and that is where my mind set is..

except my mind fails me from time to time. And

some mornings it is like 98..

SO  this picture represents me... it the me I see,and feel,

when mirrors are not around..

And as you can see those laugh lines are earned..

Leaving you laughing..

Spies and Privacy.....

We had a don't ask....don't tell association with our

government until the end of the 60's. It was Vietnam

war thrown in our living rooms nightly that the people

saw war.  Before, the only association we had with war

was what was written in the newspapers (and that was

mostly what the government allowed for security reasons..  

LOOSE LIPS SINK SHIPS era) and Uncle Joe/ brother

Fred, or Harry or the neighbor's son, Manny.. going over

seas to war, and never came back. Or came back a

changed person. With WWII ending in 1945 and the

Korean being a policing not war, and kept low keyed.

The kids who went to Vietnam were drafted and

riding on the war stories of the bravery from Uncles,

brother's and neighbors who gave high lights of war.

And then of course, the movies kind of glorified the wars

as well. It was when they got there after a peaceful 20

years and playing war games at the different bases,

that they came to face of the war. The blood and guts of it.

The body bags they help load up as they exited the

plane that brought them there. And that is when the

American people came face to face part of it.

And they protested. They didn't want to  go over there,

they didn't want their son's going over there. So

they became draft dodges, running to Canada.

So where am I going with all of this? Why am I confused? I am confused because of the past year of the people who are horrified about the secrets of the government. That we are spying on everyone. And more than anything, spying on Americans.

So let's take the easy part first. Spying on other nations.

Since Snowden, other nations are screaming about who,

what and when of spying on them.

Give me a break. Why are they upset? They protest too

much. Why? Because they have been spying on us since

we have become a nation. And on each other for 100's of

years. Germans, Russians, Africa  and so many other

countries. they have been spying on each other as well

as on us. How else have they gone to war and won, some..

certain areas.. since the 1600's, 1700's, 1800's, 1900's

as well as the 2000's. 

Ok, we got the easy one out of the way. Now about the

spying on our own. We are a complexed and multiple ideals nation. We don't have 100% honest, "USA, is the greatest

nation ever", citizens.  We have so many different radical

groups in our nation. There are groups in the western part

of our nation that the East Coast have no clue are alive and

well. Groups who "say"  they are just protecting themselves

and the family. Yet given a chance.. if they thought they could

pull it off would try to over throw our government. 

Think Tim McViegh and his group. The Montana Militia

and those alike. Heck there are more than I know about.

These are home grown groups, our own born and raised

here in good old USA, people.

Then you have the ones who come here to do bodily

harm to America. World Trade Center building group,

the Boston marathon bomb guys. How long where they

here? Years. So, yes, we need spying on the citizens.

And if it take them finding those, by tripping across my

stuff too.. so be it.. I understand it is upsetting to you, the

hard working guy/gal who goes to work each day.

Plays  on your days off.. and only just want to pay your

bills and have enough to raise your family. And would

never do anything against this great country of ours.

But sadly, you are not the only one in this nation.

So if they have to observe your neighbor, who is making

bombs in his basement.. so be it.

Oh, yea.. some of you.. a lot of you.. including myself.. don't scream PRIVACY.. when you are splattering your life across the internet. You do know .. not only is your nation watching and reading ... but also some creep in African or another county is watching you too.

CLOSED FOR REPAIRS..

My computer is in the shop...

In November, I was given a advent calendar,

but I had to down load Adobe Air in order to

operate it.  Usually when I download something

I check it back and forth for anything extra.

Making sure it isn't signing me up for anything.

But somewhere along the way, I didn't see one.

As my computer has been in dated with pop ups.

I down load a well know pop up blocker and it

is worse.  I have pop ups, ads, and pages open up

faster than the page I am after. Everything has a

line or two with in a sentence that is underlined..

And up pops an ad.. I have more pop ups that a

dog has flea in mid July. 

So into the shop it goes.. Don't know how long

this will take.. So won't be around for a while.

All I can say is be safe out there.. always make

sure you don't hit something or uncheck something

that will get you.  

Meanest Mom....

Unfair, yes.

See if two children are fighting.. and I stop it,

ask who started it.. both children would say the other

so I punished both of them..

I use to send my kids out to the woods to get their

own stick to be spanked with.  I used the time they

were gone to calm down... Marv and I use to laugh

abut the stick that they come back with. As it usually

took them about an hour to find one.. and then come

home with a willow like one..

I would ask them, are you sure this is the one you

want me to use? One day, I took some play doh... and

smacked it with the willow to show them the difference..

and then I take a  slat and do the same.. when they

saw the slice in with the willow and not with the slab,

which stayed on top... their jaws dropped.  And their

sticks got bigger. See they never knew what the

difference was, as they never got hit by a stick.

Not that they never got spanked.. but those spanking

were with them over the chair hanging on to the legs

of the chair, and me swatting their butts with my

hand.. It was more the idea of it.. than the actual

deed.

Mental cruelty? maybe...

We rarely ever went thru this routine.. as like I said

it gave me time to calm down.  And by the time,

they got back... I did what I did every time they

got in trouble.. and I am sure they much rather

have the spanking. 

What was worse than a spanking?  THE TALK.

I would sit them down and talk to him, or take

them outside and walk with them as we talk.

How what they did, had consequences. And

if you want to have friends.. real friends.. then

you want to be nice and not a trouble maker.

How people will perceive them by their actions.

and it went on, and on... and on...  Well, to show

you an example.. one of my son's had done some

thing.. and we had a circle driveway... so the talk

went on as we walked the circle..   A friend of ours

walked by back to the garage.. and said.. Hey, I

don't know what you did...but it must be really

really bad... this is your 12th round... and laughed. 

My own kids have done their correcting in their

own way.. being I wasn't in the area.. I'm not

sure how it went.. mostly time outs in the corner.

Which they got too..

One son had a great advise he gave his son...for

him to ask himself.. "Would I do this if Dad was

here?  If that answer is no.. then DON'T DO IT.

Great advise.. wish I had used that one.

I found this old email.. guess it goes along with these
thoughts... 

Someday when my children are old enough to understand the logic that motivates a parent, I will tell them:

I loved you enough...to ask where you were going, with whom, and what time you would be home.

I loved you enough...to insist that you save your money and buy a bike for yourself even though we could afford to buy one for you.

I loved you enough...to be silent and let you discover that your new best friend was a creep.
I loved you enough...to make you go pay for the bubble gum you had taken and tell the clerk, "I stole this yesterday and want to pay for it."

I loved you enough...to stand over you for two hours while you cleaned your room, a job that should have taken 15 minutes.

I loved you enough...to let you see anger, disappointment, and tears in my eyes. Children must learn that their parents aren't perfect.

I loved you enough...to let you assume the responsibility for your actions even when the penalties were so harsh they almost broke my heart.

But most of all, I loved you enough...to say NO when I knew you would hate me for it. Those were the most difficult battles of all.

I'm glad I won them, because in the end you won, too. And someday when your children are old enough to understand the logic that motivates parents, you will tell them....

Was your Mom mean? I know mine was. We had the meanest mother in the whole world!

While other kids ate candy for breakfast, we had to have cereal, eggs, and toast. When others had a Pepsi and a Twinkie for lunch, we had to eat sandwiches. And you can guess what our mother fixed us a dinner that was different from what other kids had, too.

Mother insisted on knowing where we were at all times. You'd think we were convicts in a prison.

She had to know who our friends were, and what we were doing with them.
She insisted that if we said we would be gone for an hour, we would be gone for an hour or less.

We were ashamed to admit it, but she had the nerve to break the Child Labor Laws by making us work. We had to wash the dishes, make the beds, learn to cook, vacuum the floor, do laundry, empty the trash and all sorts of cruel jobs. I think she would lie awake at night thinking of more things for us to do.

She always insisted on us telling the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.

By the time we were teenagers, she could read our minds. Then, life was really tough!

Mother wouldn't let our friends just honk the horn when they drove up. They had to come up to the door so she could meet them.

While everyone else could date when they were 12 or 13, we had to wait until we were 16.

Because of our mother we missed out on lots of things other kids experienced. None of us have ever been caught shoplifting, vandalizing other's property or ever arrested for any crime. It was all her fault.

Now that we have left home, we are all educated, honest adults. We are doing our best to be mean parents just like Mom was.

I think that is what's wrong with the world today. It just doesn't have enough mean moms.

PASS THIS ON TO ALL THE MEAN MOTHERS YOU KNOW.
(And Their Kids !!!!!)

Boomer generation? Next up....

Everyone is writing about the Boomers, who

came to age in the 1960's.  We have all the

memories of the 60's coming up.. with last

year's memory of the Kennedy shooting. And

soon they should be bring up the shooting of

the second Kennedy.. Robert.. but that is still

4 years away.   But in the mix, is the shooting

of Martin Luther King. We seem to remember

the tragedies more than anything else.

The 60's were starting to become complicated.

Before John Kennedy got shot we were still

a fairly quiet nation. We had gotten over the

Korean war which was not a war but a policing.

As they call it. And Vietnam was looming in

the side lines. But the shot of Kennedy seemed

to open a Pandora box. People started questioning

everything..  Rock and Roll which started with Elvis

from the 50's, starting to pass on to the Beatles.

Young people were becoming loose in their thinking

and actions.. But still had respect for their parents

who they really didn't agree with in the past.

But the memories of the next generation... the 70's.

That is coming up next, which everything gets looser,

is going to be interesting..

See the 70's were the hippies, "the don't trust anyone

over 30" generation. There were protestors, of war,

and anything else.  The communes of young people

living together in groups.. some of them in the woods.

Making their own village.  Children being born of

unknown father's, just some one in the commune, after

all they shared food, clothes and anything each had.

Children who had names like numbers or words, not

the names of the past of Ed, James, George, Mary,

Melissa, Betty and etc.  But Phoenix, Fire, 4, or after

stars, meaning the kind in the sky.

The leaving the country, heading towards Canada,

to get out of the draft. Public burning of draft

cards.  Parents and their children

losing contact with each other for years..

And the rotting of our government, with Watergate,

and great distrust of the government by those who

were not busy raising children.  And rock and roll,

turn into ROCK .. heavy rock.. yet not metal rock

yet.. The shooting of college kids by National

Guard at Kent College.   Sad times indeed.

Yes, it will be interesting to see how the media

remembers the 70's... wish I would be around to

hear that one.. but the likely hood is slim, and even

if I am, will I have the memory to understand.

For me?  the birth of my last child on Earth day,

a beginning for great times to come.. for me personally.  Great times, but some sad ones as well. but over all. Good ones.  

Vacuum mechanic

I feel like a soldier with a gun in boot camp..

You know where they have to take it

all part and know each part? And replace

all the pieces so it is in a working order.

Last week, it was my vacuum cleaner.. it

wasn't picking up stuff.. so got the manual

out and proceeded.

I thought it was just the filters.. Oh, no

can't be that easy.  But when I saw how

dirty the filter were, I really wasn't that

surprised.  So that meant taking other

parts apart.. First starting with the hose.

Nope seems cleared to me. 

So on to the brush assembly. Much more

involved.  Got that cleaned out, and put

back together.. still not picking up..

Knowing the brush area is completely

clean, I went back to the hoses, even

though I could see that it was clear..

Blew in there.. NOPE.. not clear.

Found a brush that bent so snaked it in.

Ah, ha.. leaves.. memory clicks in.. yep

I was cleaning up dead leaves below one

of my hanging plants, that I am baby

sitting.  After much pulling, prodding,

and pushing with a broom handle from

the other end.. WA LA... CLEAR!!

PAPER WORK, PAPER WORK...

The beginning of the year means........TAXES...

It is going thru the folder with all the receipts and etc.

As you can see the paper are all over the place... stack

here, a stack there...

What to throw away and what to shred?  Took me 4 hours

of going thru it all.. I had one folder that had what I need for

taxes.. but had to go thru all the other receipts incase I threw

it in the wrong folder.. Which I had .. There were 3 doctor ones and one pharmacy.

While going thru all of it.. and then shredding it.. as if I didn't

have enough to do.. I decided to total what I spent at the 4

different stores we go to the most..  All I can say is WOW..

Also it gave me a view of some of our bigger purchases. Some I thought we got in 2012 instead of 2013.

So I put all the important non tax papers in the folder and put it away.. And have all the taxes related ones to the side for tomorrow...  One day at a time..

Drink allowance for men and women....

I have a burr under by saddle.. a spur in my side...

I was watching the news and they had a report about

how much Americans are drinking.. That they consider

we all drink too much.

The CDC recommends no more  than two drinks a day

for men and no more than one drink a day for women.  

Even those who drink less than 8 drinks a week,

might be in the health danger zone if

they consume too much alcohol in a day: five or more

drinks for men, four or more for women.

Now granted, there is a lot of alcoholism out there.

Drunk drivers, crime and domestic violence to name a few. 

But they weren't after the real drinkers.. They were

worried by you and I who have a few drinks.

Now for me a wine bottle would last me about 6 months.

Unless the King is using it for his fish smoking brine.

And mixed drinks.. well, I like a margaritas with Mexican

food.  And I am here to tell you.. the liquor stores would

go broke if they depended on me.. And I don't do bars.

But even so.. for them to say.. a man's limit should be 2

drinks a day and women's 1... well, I AM INSULTED.

First of all, why do they allow the man to be more?

Surely doesn't mean they can handle it better. We

have seen it on both sides.. To me it is a matter of

weight, on who can handle it better.. even that isn't

a guarantee.

I surely hope the government is not going to start regulating

that as well...  Because if I have a glass of wine with my

Italian dinner.... and then decide to have one after.. and someone wants to turn me in for that.. there will be hell to pay.

If my husband is outside in the summer, mowing lawns for

us and our neighbor.. and works on his truck.. and drinks

3 beers during the day..

no one better say anything.. because there will

be hell to pay... 

Why can't people just mind their own business...

.

Pictures from around the neighborhood...

The past month has been such great picture taking, breath taking sunsets.. Only trouble with that is.. when you have night after night of them..  each one, still I stand in awe as I look at it.. and I still take picture from time to time.. but figure people are getting tired of seeing my sun set pictures..

Also I tried the balloon, food coloring, balls again this year.. Did some beautiful ones last year.. but had them in my front yard..... and my neighbor couldn't see them from her house..

So this year, I started them out in my back yard and then transferred them over to her yard on Sunday night.

I try to keep things interesting and entertaining in her back yard. Which faces our side yard.  I have put spin wheels, solar lights and etc. See she has been fighting cancer for 7 years. Thru many treatments.. and a lot of times, for long stretches, she doesn't leave her house. 

She looked out in her yard, Sunday night as my husband was leaving her house... She smiled and then told him.. I never know what to expect 

it starts out with pinks and blues..

Then turns orange... and deeper as it goes down behind the buildings... 

These are the balloon, food coloring, balls of this year.
they are darker than last years... behind you see the solar lights and spin wheels..   Took down most of the stuff
because of winter...

in my yard.. and then she laughed..    And that is what life is about...

laughter..  

Memories...the good and the poor...

Over the weekend, my daughter had been going thru a lot of her old pictures.. many I gave her.. and many she took as well...

She had been posting them on Facebook... A lot of them of

her dad and his family.. He passed away when she was 16

in 1986.

So posting these pictures has not only given her pleasure but also has given her aunts and cousins (that she hasn't seen in over 20 years).. pictures of their love ones.. The grandparents .. of my daughter.. (so mom and dad, for her aunts)  Great pictures of  my daughter's Uncle Jim, who passed away.. way too long ago..So this has been a great day for them to see some pictures they never saw before...

Also among them, are pictures of my mother, my grandmother (so her great grandmother) which is where I got not only my nickname, but also my legal name.  Some pictures of my children and grandchildren when they were kids themselves.  as 90% of them are adults with children of their own.  All of this is wonderful..  and kind of sad. Sad as it is when you are in your 70's and see yourself at 17.. and even 30's... and wonder where that gal went to.. because it sure isn't the one that shows up in the mirror each morning.

Then there was the discussion.. over a prom picture.. and to my amazement.. I have had this memory in my mind for over 50 years, of a very good friend.. my longest time friend... double dating to the prom. BUT I was WRONG... it was her sister who I went with..  Where did  the memory get twisted?  Her sister and I went to school a long time as well. but I was never as close to her as I was and am.. to my long time gal pal, Alice..   Kind of shakes up your memory bank..

wondering how many other things are twisted over the years.

The good news is.. ALICE still is my friend.. who I feel honored that she has stuck it out with me over all these years.  Even after we strayed for a few years... (I was always moving every 4 years) we still picked up right where we left off.    Thanks, Alice for straighten my memory out.. I can always count on you.. lol 

 prom... not bad for a dress made of of 2 grain sacks.. white and red checkered.

 My name sake.. or maybe I should say I am HER name sake..

 in my 30's.... in Ellensburg..

 dunking for charity at the fair grounds in 1987 Bonner County fair..

the horse woman in my life...she taught me well.