traveling...

We went to see our out laws over the weekend...

As we were traveling back, I could look at the beauty

of the landscape.

Although I did miss one opportunity of some shots

of the rock type hill side.. I was to enthralled with

the beauty of it... and also my thoughts each time

I watch them as we fly by at 65 mph.  And that is,

what it was like when the Indians had the land.

The sight of an indian up on the top of the ridge,

looking across the valley, which we were traveling

across.  Or was the valley full of trees?  And was

there other Indians on the ridge across the valley?

Is this where smoke signals were sent?...

What ever it was, in the land of 200 years ago,

the beauty is still there, but different. The openess

of it it all.

What is the old saying, pictures say a thousand

words?  So I will shut my mouth and let the pictures

do the talking

 Misty sleeping thru the trip...

 On my lap 

And then their was 15

Those who notice things, will see there has been

an addition to our family, by the top line.

Number 15 great grandchild. The sweetest looking little guy.

With lots of hair.

This year we have added two great grandchildren.

The other one is a sweet little girl. 

It seems to be the year of the babies, as I see so many

additions on Facebook. So many of my friends have

become  grandparents this year.. Baby pictures all

over Facebook.. which is wonderful to see all those

sweet faces..

Which I think ever person over the age of 40, who

has become a grandparent or those who became

great grandparents... we thank Facebook for being

there.  Those of us who don't live close .. get to see

our new grandchildren almost instantly, with hours

at least. Instead of waiting months, like it use to be.

If the parents took a picture at all.. Now they all have

phone camera's.. so instant fame.

A day of celebration...

Today, is Marianne Love's birthday.. she writes the blog called Slight Detour... so those of you who know Marianne, go over tell her happy birthday... http://slightdetour.blogspot.com/

I also have a daughter who turns 54 today...

A friend has a birthday today as well.. Happy Birthday,

Ethel Balch.

And also .. it is my brother and his wife's anniversary today.

They celebrate 48 years a marriage... he was able to pull

off what our parents, nor I have been able to do.. 48 years

with one wife.  Their partnership has been a strong one.

Don't get me wrong, they have been the typical couple..

of arguing and making up... like a lot of the rest of us. But

they are in it for the duration..  They have 2 children.. a

son and a daughter. They have 4 grandchildren..

Their lives have had the bump in the roads over the years.

As my brother has a heart condition.. and she had her

time of health issues as well..  They have been each others

rock.  So the words in sickness and health has meant a lot

in their years.. 

Thank you Mrs. Richardson, for being great wife to my

kid brother...

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, MR. AND MRS.G. L.  RICHARDSON.

Still holding my own..

As a kid, I lived on a horse farm. That meant cleaning stalls,

running wheelbarrows up a ramp, and dump and back to the

barn again.. for a refill.  It means, bucking bales, by the time

I was a teen, as we had switched from loose hay to baled

hay.

Over  the years I have smashed cars with one of my husbands as we ran a scrap iron business. Smashing vehicles to the size of card tables... and then loading them up on a semi to transfer to Seattle to the shredder.  My job was to line up the smashed vehicle so it loaded on the semi even.

Did bucking bales of my own.. (when I bought them,

did not do the haying from scratch like when I was home) and carrying 50 pound bags of feed for horses, chickens

and etc.

I also helped my husbands over the years with working on

different cars, and carrying heads around.

So I have been able to hold my own.. and this weekend

showed I still go it.  Actually it started Friday.

Our washer dryer unit (all in one) crapped the bed, went

south or what ever you call it. We moved it out on the

deck, so we could take it apart to see what was up.

The motor is burnt ..after 16 yeas, I can't complain.

That was on a Monday night.  By Tuesday we had

bought another to replace it, to be delivered today..

so I wanted the old one off the deck.

By Friday it was still there.. so figured I would move it

to in front of the garage. That way when they deliver the

new one, and take the old one, it is already to go.

The easy part was getting it off the deck. I just laid it down,

(yes it was heavy) and then scooted it to the edge and over,

tilting it at the end.. and off the deck it was.  I got the dolly,

but that was the end of the easy part. I put the dolly in, but

forgot .. it is gravel.. so the wheels sank. So with moving the

unit from side to side, I used the front panel of the unit to

get  the wheels up on to it. That worked for about 3 feet.

So it was walk it thru the gate. Then up on the dolly again,

and a quick trip to the edge of the garage. Whew.. I

still got it.. Sweating like a pig, but it was done.

One Saturday, we both went over to our neighbor,

who is fighting cancer and weed whacked her

whole lawn.. (it is 2 lots) with the King doing the heavy

stuff with the mower like whacker, and me doing around

the house, with the electric carrying one.. It took about

2 hours.

Then we worked on getting the 47 Ford frame back into the

garage. Which might sound easy, but it doesn't have a

steering wheel on it, so not so easy.. that took about 45

minutes, with pushing... taking a jack and moving side

ways, and back. The King thought he could do it himself,

but it became apparent that would not do.. So I helped.

I could actually push it by myself as he tried to stir the

wheels... I still got it.. Not bad for a 74 year old broad.

Don't get me wrong.. my grip is nowhere what it use

to be.. I might be able to push and pull but my lifting

is limited. I can still carry a 30 pound bag of dirt, or

25 pound bag of rocks.. but can't lift much over

the height of my waist.

Which I feel very blessed that I still got it...

  

The King would be proud, as my bone intensity is

still good.. to get that, you would have to see the

commercial of the father and son watching the mom

outside lifting heavy bags into a wheel barrow...

and the son asked the father.. aren't you going to help her? 

The father replies.. no, she needs to build up her

bone intensity. .. The King thinks that was hilarious.

It is all about physical fitness...now I need to work on

my walking. 

Siblings...

I have a younger brother.. Well, actually I also have an older half sister, who  I didn't get to meet until I was in my 50's. She is from my father's first marriage.

But my brother and I were raised together... I am 4 years older than he is.

We  were the usual siblings.. Fought like cats and dogs as we grew up, yet I was protective of him.  From time to time, protecting him from the sadder side of life in our family.  Even bullies that followed him from school.. It was the old saying.. I can beat up my kid brother, but don't you touch a hair on that kid's head.  I can remember him telling some bully,  "wait until my big sister hears about you!"  You will see..

I left home at 17 after I graduated from school. Went to Florida to

watch over my grandfather, until my mother found a friend to do it.

I head to San Diego, California, where my aunt who was like a mom to me..lived..  Got married and had a couple of kids, when my kid brother was sent out to me by my parents... He was suppose to go in the Army, but I put him back in high school.  That is where he met the parent sister.. lol... He ended up moving back home, and got married, himself.

I moved my family back to R.I. for 4 years.. and had a great relationship with him and his family.. And then I moved back West, as my husband was in pain everytime it rained.. and R.I. had a lot more than Idaho did.

The years passed along with our parents.. and our relationship got rocky for a while. But the past couple of years  it has been on firmer ground.  I would write in my birthday card to him, what was going on with my life as I got older, so he would have a clue of what was up.. also telling him getting old was not so bad as we had heard.. Kind of being the big sister still, protecting..

Now my brother has some serious health issues. I have started to

call more often.. and find myself, I wishing I could still protect him

from the holes in life.. Guess one never gets over being a big sister. 

The names i have been called...

Over the years I have had many adjectives used to describe me.

But the two that get me in the most trouble is.. 

Aloof and no tact.

Aloof because I chose not to get involved in others problems. Or I have let people, my children mostly, live their own lives as they so chose.  This has gotten me praises from in-laws.  As a mother in law, I refuse to get in the middle. I will let the person vent, but I don't give advise.  Even when asked... I will tell them they have many choices.. might even give them 3 or ask them... what choices do they think they have. But for the most part, I just let them vent.

Once in a while telling them, the person they really need to share this with is ... their spouse or parent.

I chose not to hover over the families. I love them all dearly. And when we are together, I am very happy, and love to listen to them all talk and share different things going on in their lives. But I never judge ... even if it is something I rather they didn't do.  I didn't like my parents telling me how or what to do, and I didn't like it when my in-laws did the same.  

But after all these years I have two of

the 8, who have share the thought, that they thought I didn't care. That I should have been there to walk them thru their problems. But even when they were young, I use to let them handle their problems with their friends and etc. If it was more involved, then I walk by their side as they handled it, not in front of them.  So I guess ... I am aloof.

Now tact... well, I have a way of looking at things logically. And tend to say things as I see them.. I don't know how to flower them up, dance around the subject... Basically .. it is what it is. I never do or say things to hurt anyone.. I will hold off, if I think the person can't handle the truth (as Jack Nicholson said.).  So I am tact less.

But don't ask me a question, if you don't want an honest answer.

Kicking Direct TV to the curb....

Almost a month ago we kicked Direct TV to the curb.

Got tired of the rates going up, them changing the channels

with no prior notice, or dropping a channel without notice.

We used the smallest unit they had.. which I believe it has

125 channels..  but in that count is the music channels we

don't listen to... also we don't do the religious, nor do we do

the sports channels.  So that cuts out a lot.. and of course

you can cross off the commercial (like QVC?)selling

channels as well.  Actually I think we watch about 20

channels off and on. ABC, CBS, NBC, PBS, FOX. 

And we watched regularly A&E, DISCOVER, NATIONAL

GEOGRAPHY WILD, and some hunting channel that

the King found. Occasionally CNN, TCM, and AMC.

And that is about it.  That is what? 11 channels.. so guess

it is less than 20. For that we were paying $75 a month.

We now pay nothing. We have an antenna on top of our house from the time before Direct TV. We have the possible of 14 channels or maybe more. but there is 7 of those we wouldn't watched as they are 51.1 thru 51.7 and are religious. I say we have the possibility of it as with all the wind storms we have had over the past 2 and half years, the antenna has shifted over a bit.  Right now we get two channels all the time and a couple others if the weather is right. CBS and NBC.. So we need to go up and turn the antenna slightly. Be nice to have a rotator.

But we haven't gotten around to do it.. because we have been too busy. 

Having just the two channels hasn't been bad actually. It is

the channel 4 series. That is ABC, which also cares the METV ...Memories Entertainment TV. Which carries, just about any 1960 show you want to see. Bonanza, Big Valley, Dragnet, Gillian's Island, Rifleman, Mod Squad, Adam 12, and etc.

I refer to it as the dead actor channel, as we have spent

our time asking each one of us... is he or she still alive??

So we are saving $75 a month. And it isn't so agitating

when the King falls asleep most of the time in front of the tv

and paying $75 for that.

And if we get bored?  We can read a book or play games. 

Strange bedfellows....

I think there is a saying about strange bedfellows.

 “politics makes strange bedfellows". I believe it is.

And in Idaho they surely do.

They had a convention last week, that started Thursday

I think..not sure... but it ended by Saturday.. they say.

It ended abruptly.  It got so bad, that they shut her down.

They were throwing out delegates left and right.  The saying

by one of them to the women.. calm down, breathe and refresh

your lipstick, which could not have gone over well.. I was surprised

that it didn't make the headlines and the social media. They seem

to eat their own.

Then you have the dye in the wool tea party who isn't fairing

very well of late, so they decided to switch to the Democrat side,

and they figured they could straighten out the Republican party

that way.

As I read that.. I thought...WHAT?  How does switching in the

middle of the stream straighten out another party? That just

doesn't make sense... but then again.. none of the parties

make sense to me anymore.

I would give up voting, but I like pissing them off with my votes.

Especially when I vote "none of the above"  which being we

can write in, still in Idaho, I get that opportunity.

Yep, POLITICS SURELY DOES MAKE STRANGE BEDFELLOWS.

Just when you think Idaho politics can't get any worse, they

show us, oh, yes we can.. and lower the bar. 

Living in Idaho with Republicans..

For those who live outside of Idaho, our Republican party is...

what is it the kids say... complicated.

We have 5 Republican parties here in Idaho...

We have the so right wing, that they believe that Jesus should be our Governor.

And sometimes I think our Governor thinks he is the one.

Next we have the new influx that most states have now.. the TEA PARTY.

Then we have two in one, because they can't get along... and that is the RONALD REAGAN Republican (there is two parties there).

I don't know how to tell them apart.

Don't know if they know how to tell them apart... guess it is by members names.. but if you are an outsider.. well ... good luck.

Then lastly we have the center Republicans.. they are the ones we

are all familiar with from the past... they became center because the

other 4 are so wild... These are probably better known as the common sense Republicans by those over 50.  These are probably not liked by the rest of the group, because these center type, are known to play nice with others for the good of the citizens.. Now that is a concept.

Some of the group, and it is hard to tell which side they are on, have

been quoted as saying...

 "just hold on, take a breath and go refresh

your lipstick"  to a group of their women delegates. 

"Clearly clearly stacked these committees to give the tin foil hat caucus majority control of the convention"  (quoted in the Daily Bee) by Ken Burgess.. 

All this is about fighting over who should and should not be

a delegate.  And meaning if they throw out some of the delegates, they have to refund some of the money.. which could come to an embarrassing moment when it comes to paying for the place they are all gathering..

These wonderful minds.. NOT.. want to have it so the state legislatures appoint our US senators... not letting the people do it..  

I sure hope they will let the citizens vote on this.. because if they decide on their own..  Well, to say it won't be pretty, would be an understatement.

Oh, yea, one the platform up for debate is to have platform that would state that Idaho schools should all be REQUIRED to have bibles.

I would say that politics was exciting in Idaho, but I think the word would be more like scary..    I read a book recently, that told that Idaho started out as a Democrat state... interesting... 

Now they are a rarity ...

Walking thru Kootenai

This is why I live where I do.. this is our town.. not a big town

but our town.. full of trees... a walking town with

an occasional vehicle... and school buses

during school time... 

 even Misty likes walking and checking out to see if other dogs have gone this way..
which they have...

we are small enough to have 15 mph speed limits and no

one minds..

 Sprague Street... looking south

The school and town put these trees in about 4 years ago... near the school yard.

 Down First Street

 This is across the side street from the school   Hope Street

 Humbird Street

I love this time of the year...

I love this time of the year.. especially in

this part of my yard. 

It is finally coming together. I have changed this

area about 5 times over the 16 years we have been

here.  I had a white stone path going thru the

middle with a circle in the middle.. But just couldn't

get any thing to grow in and round it.

The fence line was a problem as well. I had two grape

vines there for 3 years. At first they wouldn't do hardly

anything.. and then they took off... literally... up the

fence, over the fence across the neighbors yard.. laying

out grapes all over the place.  Tried to get them to stay

on our side...but if I cut it.. it would shrink to almost

nothing.  Finally gave up, dug them up (you would be

surprise how long their roots were..)and gave them away.

Got a bottle of wine 3 years later.

Then a little over 5 years ago, we added 3 more bushes to

our snowball bushes..they are in the middle of the two

snowball bushes.... they were on each end and put them

there about 15 years ago.  And also have a lilac near our

bedroom window.

As you can see... the snowball bushes are going like gang

busters. The lilac bush is doing great this year.. and so are

the newer bushes finally filling in the rest. giving a great

buffer for the neighbor and us.  Now if I can get something

going down the rest of the fence line in the back yard it will

be great.

Even the hostas and the dahlias are doing well too.  so

there is all kinds of color.. but as you can see, it won't be

for long.. there will be just all the green, but that is ok too.

Even all the blossoms that have flown off the snowball

bush ..all over the yard.. is pretty to..  Even the gate is

hiding beyond the lilac and the snowball bush.

Even the King enjoys this time of the year... sitting on the deck.. looking out over the lawn and  garden, after a full day. 

And now a word for the graduates..

This past week, maybe the week before and some even

next week.. is full of graduation services.

So here is my 2 cents worth... In my humble opinion.

Welcome Graduates... especially those of you who are

graduating from high school..  Welcome to the real world,

welcome to adulthood.

From this day forward, you can no longer blame your parents

for anything that you do, or happens to you. Because now it is

up to YOU to decide what you are going to do.. Some of you

will pick something you might want to do the rest of your life.

But that can change too.  You and your life changes.. your

ideals and direction may change... and that is just fine.

I suggest you find a job this summer that is in the line of

what you want to do the rest of your life. Get in on the

ground floor. If you want to be a nurse, then be a nurses

aid for the summer.  If you want to be in construction, get

a grunt job for the summer in that profession. They are

always looking for labor workers.  This will give you a idea

of how it is.. and hopefully keep you humble as you get the

education to go higher in that profession.  

You would be surprised how many nurses became teachers instead...

after two summers of nursing homes.  It also gives you an idea of

what branch of that profession.  Nurses become elderly care, or they

decide to be in the ER. Or in the nursery at the hospital. 

Construction workers, find out that welding is their love, or maybe

a heavy equipment operator, or supervisor.  And etc.

But from now on, it is up to YOU to decide what you want to do.

Your parents might help, but it up to you to research and find

a way. There are so many sources out there .. there are bosses who

might make an impression on you and will help you, by directing

you in the right way to go that route.. there is school counselors

who will point out grants that are out there for you.

You might want to think trade school over college, so you are

ready for the job market when you get out.  College may not

prepare you for the job market anymore than you are right now.

Oh, you will have the paper work, but no experience, and a lot

of employees don't want someone with just paper work. Also

college is far more expensive.. So don't get into one of those

huge student loans unless you plan on spending your hard

earn money for the next 20 years paying it back.  No ride is

for free.  

Trade schools are far less expensive.. but you have to watch

the fine print.. and make sure it is in the print, not the hand

shake part of the deal.. Find out if that school has a good

track record for jobs after graduation?  If they say they

guarantee you a job after.. get it in writing. Every time any

recruiter promises anything.. be it military or civilian.. get

it in writing.. insist on it.

So there you are.. the first day of you being in charge. What

are you going to do?  Oh, and don't ask Mom and Dad not

to tell you what to do, unless you have your own place to live,

your own job.. and not taking money from them.  As long as

you leave a string attached, they have bitching rights...

The world is out there, the only thing that will stop you, is

YOU... lack of ideas, lack of ambition, lack of researching.

Nothing is out of reach if you want it bad enough.. just don't

lean on someone else to make it happen for you.

Good luck, I know you will do well.. it just might take you

a couple of times to get in the right grove.. but it will work.

Keep trying.. remember Hershey who made chocolate, failed

7 times before he made it... Failure is just a stepping stone to

the right direction.. now you will know what not to do next

time.

Now find that summer job.  Job equals independence. Job

equals power over making decisions of your own.  And

sometimes it is a little job for starters.. it is a stepping stone.

I have faith in you.. so get out there and tumble with the rocky

road, it isn't all smooth.. but it sure worth the ride.

Find something you have a passion for.. and it doesn't make any

difference what gender you are ... go for it.

cis 

And the race starts..kind of..

There is a lot of talk about who is going to run

for President in 2016.  Right now, that is what

it is all about.. talk.  

But if one is not.. why is one talking to Diane Sawyer

for an hour about one's life.  Would it be testing the

waters?  See how people react to the show?

Frankly, I am glad they aren't doing anything more

than talk.. it seems like the election season is forever

anyway.

So far, those who are talking.. Clinton, Cruz and a few

others.. both sides... are scary.. Surely there has to be

someone who has common sense, and doesn't carry

extra baggage.

Most with that.. don't want to run.. they don't want their

lives dissected, their families dissected. Lies thrown

around and no one cares that they are lies or not, just

as long as it sells papers, and causes a media freezy.

The rest scare the hell out of us. And then you have

the corporate that will spend all kinds of money to

buy the candidate of their choice, not ours.

Elections have never been pretty, but if possible,

they have gotten worse.     

My Cup Runneth Over..15 years.

I found the folded paper.. one that the King had in his pocket

15 years ago... See he kept it there until he was ready, as he

was scared he would forget the words..

1/3 of the way thru the vows... he sang to me... these words he

found on a soap opera he use to watch.. and it was during a wedding. He wanted to sing it to me, in our wedding..

.

this is what was on the paper...

my cup runneth over words from All my children..

Sometimes in the morning when shadows are deep
I lie here beside you just watching you sleep
And sometimes I whisper what I'm 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'm fondest 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
And so, in this moment with sunlight above
My cup runneth over with love, with love, with love, with love.

His best man was crying, I had tears and so did the kids.

It was sang softly, but fully...  my man.. my King..

So here we are 15 years later, still together, giving

each other a bad time.. laughing, and serious times.

We work together.. if it is a project, people would

shake their heads at the nickpicking.. But they know

we love each other. 

He frustrates the hell out of me, from time to time.. and

I surely do to him as well. I tell people he loves me,

treats me like a queen ... even when I act like a bitch.

I know he is always there to cover my back.. and I am

always there for him as well..

So HAPPY ANNIVERSARY MY KING...

And the sky opened up... and down came the hail...

We had our own water fall.. this one at the deck area.. and 

then we had another one.. in the front. 

 it started to hail......

Went and took some pictures out the front door... came back to the back deck
about 3 minutes later... and this is what it looked like...

  that is not white rock in that garden.. that is hail... below..