Throw back Thursday....Rokon's Staff

, JULY 29, 2005

Rokon's Staff

I have always loved cats. Dogs are
cool but I like cats better.

I use to have a sweet male cat
that was black. He was a sweet
heart, who greet me as I came home
from work in the morning. He
would hear my vehicle drive up
and jump up on the back of the
couch that was near the door.

He got use to eating at 5 am or 6 am..
Either the King was going to work and
would feed him before I got home.
Or if the King was off, then he ate
when I got home. But on the rare
weekends that I had off, which meant
no one was up at 5 or 6... he would
be ready to eat. He could not get us
to wake with him meowing, so he came
up with another plan. We had touch
tone lamps.. So he would rub back and
forth until it got up to the high beam..
And it is hard to sleep with lights in
your eyes.But then we lost him to
leukemia, about 5 years ago.

At the end of December last year,
I ended up going to the animal shelter
to JUST LOOK at cats. My grandson
had been after me to get another cat.
He has two and loves cats also. So after
quite a bit of persistence, I said I
would go just LOOK.

I had looked at many in several
rooms. Not finding any I really could
get attached to. I went in with the
mind if I got one I would get a male.
In the final room, I saw a smaller cat
...black.. she latched on to me. As I
was petting her, I thought I would like
to have her. So called the King. He was
not receptive to the idea. But he had
gotten a hunting scooter the Sept. before.
I was not crazy about that and told
him so. So I reminded him about the
scooter and that I had not given him as
much of a bad time over that, as he was
over the cat. So he said, fine... but it is
YOUR cat (remember this) and it is
your problem..Get a good litter box. So
went to the counter and signed up for
her. And they were having a discount
on cats.

My grandson held her as I sign up and
drove home. He was thrilled. Now for
a name... When the King came home,
he looked at her and said what did you
call her. And is she fixed? I told him yes,
she was fixed. And her name is ROKON..
Now we both have ROKON'S that the
other isn't fond of. You see that is the brand
name of his hunting scooter.

So here we are now 8 months later. And
Rokon has us trained well. My other cat
was a house cat. Rokon decided that
was not to be for her. She likes to hide in
the grass. She comes and goes as she
pleases. The old screen on the front door
serves her well for going in and out. So we
have to shut the door if we want to keep
her in. And she protests greatly. Never seen
a cat's mouth open so wide.

And at night? Well, she comes
strolling in...if it pleases her. When
it pleases her. She has come up on the
back deck, gets 4 feet from the door
as I call... and looks at me, then as if to
say.....NAH, I don't think so, maybe
later. and walks off. Even with the King
(remember who told me it was MINE
cat?) calls for her... "here baby doll, here
baby".... Some times she comes in for him
and sometimes not.

Now she has decided the other side of
the road has taller grass than we have
and is more fun. I have done everything
possible to discourage this. As I
don't want her to be roadkill. She loves to go
in the culvert under our driveway.

And one night when I decided not to play
her game and left her out ... well, she came
in at 5am telling me what she thought of me..

They say that people own dogs,
but cats have staff... sorry to say..
but in our house... we are Rokon's staff...

Black Cloud over Bonner County

In the last 3 days of our last weekend....

4 people died in 3 different accidents.

We started off with a woman whose car

was found wrapped around a tree up on

the Priest Lake road.  And she is dead.

Then up next... an impatience young lady,

passed a semi, only to just miss a mini van

and hit head on a loaded dump truck. The

truck ended up sliding into the mini van.

By some wonderful miracle, the people in

the mini van survived with only bumps and

bruises... Same for the dump truck driver.

Sadly not the young ladies car load. She was

airlifted to a hospital and her two passenger

died.

We barely got finish reeling about this great

sadness, when another lady who was also

impatient and decided in a merging lane, to

pass another merging vehicle, to end up

across the other lane and head on into the

coming car with her truck.. with two young ladies...

which the car behind them.. could not stop in time,

so rear ended the car.  The lady who decided to

pass.. sadly paid for that decision with her life. 

The rest are in various injuries.. The young lady

driving the car, has two broken legs.  She just

signed a sports scholarship this early summer.

All of this is so sad.. and one has to ask WHY?

WHY or WHAT was so important that these

ladies couldn't just wait a few more seconds?

The one passing the semi, was only a couple

thousand feet from a double lane where she

could have passed with ease.  If the lady had

been a little more patience, the traffic would

have blended well and she would have been

traveling across the bridge at a fast pace of

50 mph.   And the lady who hit the tree.. I don't

know..

But the fall out for all the remaining families of

the dead and injuried?  Was a few minutes worth

it?  I am not blaming these drivers, after all of

us at one time or another have been impatient,

and passed.  So far we have had the good sense to

make sure we had the room to do so.. and that

is why we are still here to read and me write this.

For the love of God, people.. think about it..

Some try to blame the road.. but it really comes

down to the decision of the driver... who makes

a bad choice.. and destroys so many peoples lives.

Too bad each time we go down to get our driver's

license, we weren't made to sit and watch what

has happen to these people.. and who all it involved.

The accident is only the beginning of the ripple.

What you want in and out.. sign your name, take

your picture and out.. TOO BAD.  TAKE THE TIME,

WE ALL NEED TO TAKE THE TIME.. being driving

or just in life.  And by the way... you know that friend

of yours, you haven't talk to lately.. or taken some

time with?  Maybe you better.. you just never know.   

Package from home state...

No matter where you move to.... there are certain reminders of the place you use to live as you were growing up. 

Certain foods.  For me it is lobster, clam cakes, stuffies,

pistachio ice cream, awful awful's at the Newport 

Creamery. 

So when the subject came up on Facebook a couple weeks ago

Some one gave me a site to go to. And sure enough

there were several things of interest. 

These are what peaked my interest. 

As you can see there is clam cake batter. 

Black Pearl clam chowder

Newport Creamery Wicked Good Chocolate fudge topping

and most important of all.. 

CHOPPED CLAMS.. which

happen to be Quahog clams.. 

Quahog clams to make STUFFIES. 

The memories of Stuffies comes from a time my brother brought to my house about 2 gunny sacks of Quahogs.  Quahogs are about
3 times the size of cherry clams. 

We had his 2 children and his wife... and my 5 children, husband
although he wasn't much help...  

My brother steamed the clams, and he and  I grind them with a Portuguese sausage and onions, adding spices and bread.. making
a dressing so to speak.. And then his wife packed the clam shells
full of these clam dressing. And the kids wrapped them in foil,
and placed them on a flat cookie sheet.  It took us a couple of 
hours to do all of this..as we must have had about 50 or more clams by the time we got done.. I say my now deceased  husband wasn't much help, because he thought we were crazy... so he walked around with a beer in his hand, telling us how he wasn't going to be eating this stuff... called Stuffies.  My brother even offered some
clam juice for his beer.. no way.. 

After we were completely done.. and had cooked up a batch of
the stuffies. we sat down with a huge platter full of Stuffies. 
and Marv still saying... no way... I finally talked him into at least trying them.. told him if he really truly did not like it.. I would finish it... Well, he ended up eating 6 stuffies... 

Good times.. good memories.. ... and my sister in law sent me
the recipe for the Stuffies.. so some time this week.. I am going
to make some... see if they come out as good as I remembered. 
Sure wish I had the clam shells as that helps the flavor. 

The new game in town....

How many of you have bought a subscription

for a magazine and the following year get

a notice of an AUTOMATIC renewal?

This year I have gotten 4 of them.  And I know

I did not click any automatic renewal.

You see when you are in your 70's you don't

do automatic renewal of anything.  Not unless

it is something for the whole family.

See, each year, I look at it as a blessing..

At 70, you start to see the fuzz mark on your heel..

the expiration date.  Not clear yet.. but you know

it is coming.  If you are lucky, it could be 10 years

if not.. it could be next year or even next month.

You don't dwell on it... but you don't make long

term plans. Especially magazines that your relatives

don't want to be stuck with..

So I have written across the notice NO.. NO..  DO

NOT RENEW..  explaining to them.. that I don't do

automatic renewals...because I don't know if

I will be here next year...

Only one I have renewed... See the others are mostly

ones that I ordered in order to help my great

grandson with his school subscription drive.. and it

is hard to find any ...one wants to read anymore.

So watch your opting for a magazine, you might be

signing up for an automatic renewal.

These I remember....

Respect

Common Sense

sensibility

graciousness

Yet all of these words that I was raised with..

that we lived by ...

have slowly fading away from society.

There is enough of the underlying of people that

aren't in the news, that still try to live by these.

But less and less are.. as they see the people in the

media, especially those in sports and music and etc.

The young lady who was caught licking off a donut

at a donut shop.. her apology rang hallow.

You see Kanye West get up on the stage and denounce

the winner of an award... because HE thought someone

else should have gotten it.

This weekend another who lost, tweeted remarks

of how she didn't get to win or get nominated

because of another person..  What happen to

gracefully congratulating the person who won.

Talk about sour grapes...

We all know that respect and common sense left

the building years ago.  And sensibility, I think,

that left right behind respect and common sense.

It seems to be fashionable to put others down,

make fun of those less fortunate.  

Those born in the past 15 or 20 years have

only seen and heard this new way of being..

Sadly so... and no one seems to want to teach

the difference...or they get laughed at trying.

Still enjoying our summer....

This has been such a great summer...

You already saw the family reunion in June.

Which it just came to my attention, that we..

my own direct family... we have never had a

family reunion...  We have gotten together in

sections.. Meaning my 4 sons and my youngest

daughter and I have gotten together for a birthday,

wedding and such.. but this is the first reunion

with not only my own kids, but grandchildren

and the great-grandchildren.  Have to do again..

maybe in a year or two..

Also this year has had visitors.. Our granddaughter

who didn't get to make it to the reunion came with

her family.. One of the cutest little boy and her

husband stay at her dad's and my daughter's... and

we got to have a couple visits and celebrate her

birthday..

Also the weather has pushed forward our garden to

turbo speed. Squash is coming so fast, I can hardly

keep up..  And now the tomatoes are coming on

at lightening speed.   So we have been eating and

freezing the vegetables left and right.

With all the stuff in the news about the dangers of

GMO's food.. it is good to know that your own

garden, not only has great tasting food but safe as

well.

Well, I got to go get ready for the next visitors.

Our son and his wife are coming in this weekend..

It is his 30th class reunion... ... 30th!!!!!!! how is

that possible.. 30 years ago I watched him walk

across the stage to get his diploma with a great

smile on his face and a skip in his step as he left

the stage?  30 years ago .. already?  WOW..

Loonie mail

It looks like there is a new group of loonies

out there in never never land...

I got this post card in the mail... it has a

internet site to go to..but not going to do that.

Don't want anything come close to me in this

bunch... don't want it on my computer that

I went to their site..

As you can see, there isn't a lot of information,

but a lot of weirdness.  Are they left over from

the group that killed themselves in San Diego

a few years ago.. You know where they found

a bunch of guys in bunk bed, dead... waiting

for the mother ship to pick them up?

Actually it is scary to know there are such people

out there, like this.. and the other scary part is

that they vote too...  At least I think they do?

They bombarded our county with these.. and hope

it is the last I hear from them.. 

Says "Survival is not possible on this continent, You

must evacuate now!!!...  but didn't say where we

are suppose to evacuate to? Asia? New Zealand?

after all it say you can't survive on THIS continent.

Didn't say anything about the others.. Figure it

should have said survival is not possible on this

earth.

And the space ship on the back was a hoot!!

Pretty spendy card too.. glossy heavy paper.

Wonder how many went to the garbage or

shredder?

Preview to retirement...

The King has some surgery done a week ago Friday.

So that meant he was home for a week.  Which gave

me a preview of what retirement will be like next year

when he walks out of the door for the last time on

May 31. Or if he makes it an even week.. June 3rd.

But in all fairness, I had it easy... See the first 5 days,

he was hurting too much to get into any trouble.. And

I was in nurses aide  (old nurses aides never really get

to retire) mode.  Then the last 4 days, actually weren't

too bad.. as we did some fun stuff.  Went for a ride

in his convertible, to Blanchard, (haven't been there

for about 15 years).. had lunch there at a very nice

restaurant. It was mom and pop type.. but very clean

and good tasting food.. with reasonable prices.

Also did yard sales on two day. And a birthday

celebration for one of the grandkids.

Next year should be a little easier than this was as

he really couldn't do much.. Nothing on the honey-

do-list and not any on his own list..  But next year

he has a lot of projects he wants to get done.

One of the bigger ones is to finally get his 47

Ford done.. He is so close to getting it there. Once

he gets the wiring mastered, he will be in the easy

lane.  And one of our son's is coming over to help

with that.

Also we want to travel some as well. See the kids,

go fishing with the kids, and of course a week at

the beach would be in line too.

He will find out, like I did, that you are busier

in retirement than you were when you were working.

With better working habits.. like stopping for a cup of

coffee when ever you want to.

So this retirement may not be so bad after all.

The Happy Group

Some say that the elderly are a happy group,

and that it is because they are retired.

And that is kind of true, but not the whole truth.

You see, we were like all of you under the age

of 60.. everything bothered us.  The government,

our bosses, the kids, the neighbors.. well, you

know how it is.. Protests, screaming at others.

But those of us over 60 and especially over 70,

finally figured it out.. NO ONE REALLY GIVE

A RATS.... about anything the average person

problems.  So why stress yourself out over some

thing no one cares about.

If you can change things what is one thing.. but

those of us in the older group, finally caught on.

The President doesn't care about you and I.

Congress sure the heck doesn't care about you

and I. They only care if they get in office.  And

you and I aren't the ones who get them in.  That

is the big money that baffles us with money, ads

and lies and false promises to get us to vote for

them.  Once they are in.. it is the citizens?  what

citizens?  It is all lip service.

They make laws for us. We have no input. I don't

know when the citizens of the United States  lost

control. We can't vote on ANY law, or policy's.

So really why worry about it.

Same thing is for State. But we do occasionally

get to vote on a policy... but most of them are

done by the people we send to our local

capital.  Same is true of our local county and

city officials.  99% we don't have a clue who

they are, and what they really believe.. and

then it is what the advertisements tell you.

And once in a while the debates.  But that is

short, so you really don't know any of them.

So we vote on faith or what our neighbors

tell us if they know the person.  So you vote

and hope for the best.

But we learn there is hardly anything we can do

about anything except our own direct lives.

So we learn to go with the flow.  Live each day

with as much enjoyment as we can manage. We

let go of our children's problems if we are smart.

After all our parents did.  And the grandchildren?

That is their parents problem.

You can sympathize, feel bad for those, but 99%

is out of our hands... so why stress out about it.

I tell people I have 4 rules/questions....when it comes

to others...

1. is this my problem... and 99% of the time it isn't.

2. do I want to help, and 99% of the time you shouldn't

    (and it turns out just fine)

3. Am I financially responsible for this? 99% of the time, no.

4. Do I want to give money for this?  99% of  the answer

      is no... because if you do, it doesn't help, it postpones things.

Once you figure it out that you should not get involved in

others problems.. it is air lifting for you.  And you are happy.

You go do things that makes you feel happy. Travel, garden

work, help our kids with projects.. Have fun.

You don't go protesting anymore.. you don't argue politics

with friends and others anymore.  Or argue about

religious stuff anymore.  After all, why? what does it do?

stress you out?  And what does stress do? Ruins your health.

So you shake your head when you see other stress out..because

they haven't learn the secret to being happy.

No there is still some stubborn ones, who still stress out

and argue.. but we are the ones with the smiles.. 

Runaway

Sure, at one time or another, we all have wanted to

run away... but have you ever run away?

where and how and how many times?

Somewhere around the age of 8, I got upset

with my mother.  And I ran away.. allllllllll

the way across the field.. Which was about

5 or so acres.  I didn't do a very good job

of it. After all, I didn't run away a lot. And

I really didn't know anyone who had run

away.  So I walked across that field like

a big shot... got to the other end.. where

the highway was.. and sat down in the grass.

Sat there for a while.  Laid down and

watched the clouds ago by.  And sat up

again.  About that time Mr. Armbrust

who own the motel there across the

stone fence, came out and waved.  And

it dawn on me.. I forgot lunch, heck

I forgot anything to eat or drink. And

even tho it was summer, I didn't bring a

blanket either.  I am thinking this was not

a good plan.. So I got up and went home..

AND NO ONE HAD MISSED ME!!!.

What a bummer. But I wasn't mad anymore.

The next time. well, actually I didn't run

away.  But was caught talking about it.

There I was, on my hands and knees scrubbing

the floor at the age of about 35.  I was disgusted

with the kids.. I was disgusted with the old man.

I was disgusted with life.. AND as I scrubbed

really hard in my anger... I said.. "You know, 

I am fed up, I am going to run away after I

finish this floor"... only to be wakening up

from my little world, with laughter.  It was a

friend of ours, who came in to use the bathroom.

He said, after he got finish laughing... so when you

go, can I go with you?  I said sure...and we both laughed.

I don't remember any of my kids wanting to run

away. I am sure they thought it, but none acted on

it.  Or if they did, maybe like me.. no one noticed.

The cool of the evening

Lately the King and I have been sitting outside

on the deck. The weather has been in the 80's

which seems cool compared to our recent temps.

of 95 to 110.  Which in itself is rare for us.

Especially in June. And early July.

With the quiet of the neighborhood, with a

few barks from the neighbor's dogs... it is

quiet.

So our new entertainment has been watching

the hummingbirds.  We usually have 2.. but

this year we have had up to 6.

The King has even named them.. there is Black

Bart, Greenback, Peewee, 'the twins", and Red

Baron. 

About 6:30....7 pm.. they come  swooping

in and there is a little competition some

times. And we figured out that Black Bart

is not a social one. As he loves to chase

off  others, even tho there is 4 different

feeders out there. The "Twins" like to duel

from time to time..  but run back the same

feeder together. PeeWee is the more social

of the bunch. He will find something to

perch on and watch us.  The others flit from

place to place, flowers, feeders and etc.  But

Pee Wee will sit for up to 15 minutes. Red

Baron only graces us once or twice a week.  

Guess we are officially old people.. as we

entertain easy.. 

This is Greenback

and here is Peewee

one of the twins, looks like Peewee but bigger. 

 unwelcome visitor..

The elusive RED BARON

 BLACK BART...  maybe should be called Grinch..as he is mean 

Why is it?

"It's about time, it's about space...

it is all about the human race...."

I can not only remember those words.. but they

come to me every so often.. about twice a year

or more.. Yet, I haven't heard them for.. what 30

years or more?

Do you remember them? Do you remember the show?

Or who the stars were?  I do..  I hope if I am

ever in a contest and they play those words and ask

me.. I hope I will win a couple thousand dollars ... because

so far it is useless information... and I can't lose the little

ditty.

And I can't remember what I had for lunch yesterday.

What really upsets me is.. I can be somewhere and think

WOW..that would be a great blog subject.   But later

that night????  I got NOTHING.. NOTHING AT ALL.

Unless I happen to write myself some notes on it.. which

happens about 10 per cent of the time.. 

We have to be the most stupid people...

We are either the most stupid people or we

flat don't care.

We have had over and over for years and years

of crude, insensitive, boorish, hurtful, behavior.

This nation and I presume others have it too, but

we see it on our media sources daily.  Facebook,

elections lies, stories in the paper and on the news.

There is judgmental people, who criticize  people

constantly.  Too fat, the way one wears clothes,

people are different so they are either bullied and

or beaten. We read it daily, we see it reported on

the news daily. And we are in horror when we read

it and are disgusted by it.

Yet, no one, none of us, either collectively or

individually, do anything about it.  When we

hear it, we are embarrassed by hearing it or

seeing it. Yet rarely do we speak up for those

who are being picked on... Why is that?

I am not pure white on this myself.. I have found

myself, not saying anything.. when I hear it,

afraid of the fall out?  I don't know.  I know a

few years ago, I made a real effort to stop quick

judging. Especially vocally, but also internal

as well. Giving everyone the benefit of the doubt

they aren't like I perceive.  Besides who am I to

judge?  

Why do we as human's feel it is acceptable?

Why doesn't society try to change?  Is it so

big, and gone on so long we feel we can't

turn the tide?   I find it so disheartening.    

What is in the news?

In our local area, the number 1 story is the fires.

Justly so, as we have so many of them, that our

valley is filled with smoke from the many

fires around our area.  Some are close ..20 miles

as the bird flies... or the other two that are in the

other direction about 40 miles as the bird flies.

And not counting the one just over the Canadian

border and over in Spokane. We have even made

the national news on Good Morning America and

the nightly news.

But other news is mostly about the Rebel flag.. and

even Facebook has many voicing their views on it.

And the over kill of canceling Duke of Hazard

because they have the Rebel flag on top of the

car.  Even rumors of the man who owns the original

is going to paint over the Rebel flag and put the

American flag.  So much over kill.  I might agree

with the one on the capital flag pole in South

Carolina. But even that one should be up to the

citizens of that state. 

But what happen to the international news?

Did ISIS take a holiday?  That would be wonderful

if they did..  but it seems we are playing too much

time on trivia stuff, when there is a lot more

troubling things to worry about.  

The good times of summer with side effects...

Here we are enjoying the joys of 4th of July.

The joys of the parade, picnics and fireworks.

All joyous time....

But with a black cloud over it.  Some years are

dry, but this year is especially dry. So campfires

and fireworks are usually down sided.. but there

is always those who don't think the rules are for

them..  And of course Mother Nature doesn't

help much either. With lightening...

We here in Bonner County, are in the mist of

several fires. There is two by Priest Lake,

which is about 30 miles as the bird flies from

us.. and then there is the one that has made

national news... the Cape Horn fire near Bayview.

So far over 8 houses have been lost and a lot of

people fearing for theirs. As just a quick shift

of the wind and it could take out a village.

Washington State ... in Wenatchee area, had that

very thing happen to them last month. A fire they

figured they had a handle on, with in minutes shifted

with the wind and lost of houses and hundreds of

acres of land lost. And flames whipping local business

on the edge of town.

Our valley has a smoke hue to it.. and firemen

have been working around the night trying to get

it in control. Both fires are sending smoke our way.

And our hearts go out to those who have lost their

homes... and the ones who are finding shelter to

stay with their animals as they wait to see if their

house is next.

So stay safe out there.. and whenever dealing

with outside fires.. keep in mind, it doesn't take

much to lose control.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY.... G.B.W. 

It is summer time and the living is easy...

Well, kind of.. seems like it goes crazy fast,

or slows down to nothing...

4th of July has been my favorite holiday. No present,

which makes it great for starters.. but there is good cheer,

parades, picnics and fireworks.  

So usually on the go thru the whole time.. but this year,

not so much.. It was a 3 days holiday for the King, as the

school district decided to honor Friday for the 4th, being

it fell on Saturday.  

The kids went out of town to be with other siblings.

And had a great time.. in-laws didn't come up this time.

So we were left to our own choices.  So we did the

Sandpoint parade.. we had our own cookout.. which was

ate in, as it was too hot to be outside.  And we passed on

the fireworks.. See the local one only has 10 minutes

worth. After sitting for 3 hours waiting, so we could have

a good seat, and it lasted exactly 10 minutes, about 6 years

ago. Well, I have decide that isn't good enough to back

the car out of the driveway.   

So Friday and Saturday was laid back.

Sunday, was a little more busy... we had breakfast with

friends, stopped by to see another one we hadn't seen for

a year.. and then in the afternoon, said good by to my

Dr. who retired.. A 29 year association of trust. Not

easy starting over, when you are my age. But have been

lined up with a woman Dr. Which will be new.. as in all

my 75 years, I have never had a woman Dr.  She seems

nice enough.  

So that ends the big weekend of the 4 of July. Which is

kind of mid way of summer it seems like. Starting with

Memorial Day in May.. and ending with Labor Day in

September.  In this fast lane of life.. it seem that with summer

almost half over.. is faster than I want to go.