End of the year.....2016

This is my last blog post of the year…

2016 has had its up and downs..

We had great joy, of the return from Hawaii.

Our grandson, who went there 5 years ago.

And he brought with him, his girlfriend, who

we all have come to love as much as we love him.

Then in July, they added another joy, a little boy.

who is the apple of their  families eye..

With this year, also comes sadness. With the

lost of the King’s friend of 40+ years.  And

3 months of 10 days at a time.. helping his

family take care of his business.

Also the lost of a blog friend of mine. Who I

greatly admire. A woman who spoke her

mind, loved animals, and the Democratic

Party.  I never got to meet her, but love

hearing from her.  And reading her blog

when she was active.  So long, Lorraine

Conners.   

And good bye to another Lorraine,
who I worked with for 10 years. 

Laced thur our sadness, as been smiles, as

we got to visit family, and watch a son get

married in August…

And then of course there is the nation divided

with the new election, which has to be the

worse election of my lifetime.  And now we

wait until 2017, to see how this is all going

to play..

Luckily, the year ends …for us … on an upbeat

note… as we have news of another addition to

our family in May of 2017… a little boy, who is

busy with his mom, our granddaughter,  now building up muscles, growing strong  bones, practicing smiling,

as he has a sister who is anxiously waiting, and

grandparents who are excited as the parents. And

great grandparents to meet. 

One from the past.. last year.. and still true

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2015

Thru the Valley of fat... lead astray by husband...

Forgive me for I have sinned...

I have walked the thin line between Christmas and New Years day.
But I have fell in the alley between, pulled in by my sinful husband..

and lead to the unspeakable of cheeseburgers, he has tempted me with his store bought candy (like we needed more) 
Ah, but we will repent next week as we go in to the deep depth of limited food.

For nothing of sugar will reach our mouths.. No pasta, no potatoes, shall tempt out souls... Yea though the valley of sweetness will surely call our names, we shall walk no further. 

For our lettuce shall sustain us.

As well as our broccoli and cauliflower, shall hold us up out of the murky
valley of fat.  May water and black coffee aid us in our journey of the thin bodies we desire.  

Why do people travel during December?

People go on planes across country

during the holiday.. WHY?

Do they like sleeping on the airport floor?

Every year it is the same deal… snow storm,

Ice storms..  it is the nature of the season.

Why do people think they can beat this?

Sorry I have no piety for these people.

You are gambling with your belongings

and your life…. Yes, you will make it?

Nope, you will be sleeping on the floor

in the airport 500 to 2, 000 miles from

your home.. and you are not going to

get back in time for work.  Or you will

be mid way.. and by the time you get

to your designation.. it will be time to

turn around and go home.

What made you think you had a chance?

It is 90 to 10 chance.. 90% chance you

will not succeed.

People are crazy..

Glad it is over...

I don’t know about you, but I really don’t

enjoy Christmas until about 1pm on Christmas

Day.

I hate the shopping of it.. The buying gifts,

and hoping it is the right one and etc.

The grandkids and great grandkids are easy.

The gift I give them, is the right size, (I think)

the right color (green)  and always fits.. It is called

money.  The youngest ones I send dollar bills.

They open the card and see all the ones and think

they are rich.. And then when the sales come

on, the parents take them to the store to see

what their money will buy.

I have 99% of my children trained to NOT buy

us anything for Christmas.  I keep telling them

that Christmas is for kids.. so to spend on

their children and then grandchildren.. That is

where it is at.  And finally they are listening..

All I want is a card.. That is it..  And a call if they

aren’t busy.    And luckily, that is what I get.

But over all.. to me, it is WHEW, it is finally over.

and maybe I will mosey down to the store this

afternoon to get a few things from the grocery

store..  Still not going to Walmart, until maybe

tomorrow..  The frizzy should be over by that

time..  That is until next week, when they drop

the prices 50% to 75%.... Even then I stay away

until that afternoon.. Figured if it is all bought out,

then I didn’t need it anyway..  

To.... day.. is.......

Today is my brother’s birthday….

He would have been 72.

Each year, I use to write a short note

to him..  in the past 6 or 7 years, except

for last two years. We passed one card

back and forth between each other.  I for

got who bought it first and who send it back.

I want to say I sent it.. and he sent it back

with his words on it. And I returned it with my

words, and that is how it went. I still have it..

and I will get it out today.. and read it ..by myself…

as I have done in the past two years.  See he

passed away in July of 2014.  I was kind of

pissed off.  As I had so many things to say..

so many pranks or jokes.. see he would have

been 70.

I don’t know why I started to write the note in

with the card… but it might have been because

after 60 he was getting concerned   about getting

old.  So each year, I would write a note

how it was to meet each of those years.

Especially at 65. See I am 4 years older.  

So I told him.. 65 was nothing but a number. Just

an opening of Medicare for him.. but being that

age was no big deal.. He will get out of bed just

like he did the day before.  That if anything it is

a little more fun…

If you click on 2014 on the left side and scroll

down to the 23th..   you will see..

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2014

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

It was what 70 was going to be like.. broke my heart

he didn’t make it.   I wanted to tell him so much as the

years have gone by.. what it was like to be 75… in 3 more

years…  What a blast 75 was.. and so much that I did.. and

the celebration with my children, grandchildren and great

grandchildren.   Wanted to say .. come with me.. there is

so much more to see…   But God had other plans…

So today, his wife Dickie, his daughter Diane and his son

Roy along with their children.. will remember him with

great sadness of what more that could have been…as they

had so much more to show him.

They keep the memories of the good times.. the laughs.

and friends (oh, so many friends.. Sammy Campo is the 
closest and Bono, his brother in law.. more like a brother
by another mother... will help them thru this time of the year…

Oh, Roy, there was so much more we wanted to show

you… and while God was ready… we were not, even

though we had a long good bye.. 

CANCER ….. IT IS STILL DAMN YOU TO HELL..

Miss you bro.. 

Last minute rush.....

We have Christmas just 3 days away..

The last push for shopping… hoping

you got the item the person will like.

Lots of parties up to and on the day.

Young couples trying to get to all the

relation’s houses..  not hurting anyone

feelings.

Hopes and prayers that certain gifts

make it in the mail or watching for

the UPS or FEDX truck driving up.

Watching tracking thru each of them..

praying that gift will get to the person

in time.

And with Christmas and then New Years

on the weekend..  there will be no extra

day off.

And then it is all over on Monday… back

to work to finish out the year… Some taking

the week off..

So I will take this time, to tell you all.. that I

wish you the Merriest of Christmas.. may it

be joyous and full of laughter with your friends

and family…                               

What I didn't know about the Electoral vote,

Actually what I don’t know about the

Electoral vote could fill a book in itself.

But these are a few things I didn’t know..

That it isn’t done a week after the election.

(giving a week for recounts)

While I knew the people who were from

each state, were of the party .. Guessing

if your state has 4 votes.. then they pick 4

from each party.. and dismiss the ones

that don’t apply… such has with Idaho

having 4, and of course went Republican.

So, therefore, the 4 democrats are let go.

Had it been the other way around.. the

4 Republicans would go.  And these are

chosen at the caucus or primary  times.

At least I think that is how it happens.

But did find out that if… one doesn’t like

the person for the party they are in.. they

do have the right to vote for someone else.

BUT, in some states or a lot of them.. if

that happens… they can kick that person

out and put in another who will vote

correctly… or tell them they are out of

order, so the person votes for whom they

are suppose.

I was also under the mistaken idea that it was

the common person who got voted to be a

Electoral voter.  NOT… while there is some

issue saying no one holding office or working

for the government can be a voter.   But then

on the other hand they say most of them are

chosen by how important they are in the party.

Also we see that ex-presidents can be one, as

Bill Clinton was one this year.  Very confusing.

Also when I found out that they didn’t vote

a week later but in fact, a month and half

later… I just found out.. that isn’t the end

of it either… It seems that this year, even

though the voting was done on December

19^th… and it is public voting.. (everyone

knows who they voted for) there is still

yet another hurdle…  It seems that on

January 6^th of 2017!!  CONGRESS has

to count the votes?  What, the ones where

everyone got to know who voted and for     

whom on December 19^th, isn’t good enough?

I don’t know about you..but I am getting

A headache from all of this…

Come on January 21, 2017.. let’s get this

whole circus over with, and let the new

clowns in.                                    

Why isn't good news... newsworthy?

Each night we watch the local and national

news… 90% of the adult population does.

We see anger, we see killings, we see the

sour and the bad side of things.. it is a constant

part of our news.  Every day…

Yes, we are getting a little breathier with the

holidays coming.  So you see some goodwill

to all… at least that is the sales pitch.

But come January 2^nd, we will be back to

the sour side of life.

But what about the good side of life? Why

doesn’t that sell papers, or bring ratings to

the stations, so that they want to cover it.

Who knows.. maybe just maybe there are a

lot more good news than bad.  Just bad news

sells. 

There are things going on daily, that rarely

get a mention in the paper or heaven forbid

the television news.

Once in a blue moon, Oprah or Ellen, show

us people who are out there.. passing food

out to the homeless.. or passing blankets, or

finding some good to do for others. 

There are people out there who do good things

on a constant base…   we have one place here,

that has a spaghetti feed for the Lion’s club

Toys for Tots every year.. She also has had

many of dinners for raising money for some

one who lost a house, who has cancer, who

has something go wrong in their lives.. That

their friends come up with an idea and this

woman opens her restaurant for those fund

raisers.  Not only does this woman do such

things.. but now her adult daughter, takes

over the stove on Monday nights.  The regular

hours are from 5am to 2pm.  But on Monday

night.. at 4pm to 7pm, it is open to all.. for

free..  Soup and bread, and I think a salad.

all free.  Every Monday…  Just so those who

don’t have the money to go out, who don’t

have a place to go for dinner, who can’t afford

it.. but also they encourage other to join them.

Then this past Thanksgiving.. just like last

Year.. they open their place up for a free

dinner ..  and this year they added clothes.

They did a drive for donated, gloves, boots,

coats… and were over whelmed with the

generous customers… and it took Thanks

Giving and a Monday night soup before

they were all gone. 

I know there are others.. in your town, I am

sure there are people who do such things.

Teen kids who go out of their way to help

others who are less fortunate… not just

once, but time and again..  Why aren’t

these the good news we hear.. on a daily

basis????   

Isn’t good news worth seeing?  They say they

give us what we want.. they show it, we watch

it,  so therefore we must want that kind.   Sad..

sad indeed. 

Simpler times, even in movies...

As I watched the movie called SOUND OF MUSIC,

last night…I was thinking about how it was so nice

to go to the movies in the past. Even the King mention

it.

The King and I, as we watch the previews on television

or the ones that come on Netflix… have said a couple

of times.. how it seems like the movies are getting

more violent.  And as we look thru the choices, it

is hard to find something new that isn’t so violent.

I like movies that make me laugh… and I also like

true stories… The King likes westerns, and we

both like ones about kids that do well.  We just

aren’t into stories of people beating or killing

each other.  He likes a thriller from time to time..

Guess our common ground is the comedies.

I heard years and years ago.. that as the nation goes

the movies go the opposite.  That during wars we

had more comedy and musicals.. and when the

wars were over, we did thrillers and cops and robbers

type..  Well, if that is true, then we must be over

joyed with happiness

What do I want for Christmas....

I ashamedly stole this from Facebook,

but it says it better than I could..

 My children each year ask me the same question. After thinking about it, I decided I'd give them my real answer:
What do I want for Christmas? I want you. I want you to keep coming around, I want you to bring your kids around, I want you to ask me questions, ask my advice, when you think you need it,  ask for my opinion, ask for my help.  Tell me about your job,  I want you to continue sharing your life with me. Come over and laugh with me, or laugh at me, I don't care. Hearing you laugh is music to me.
I spent the better part of my life raising you the best way I knew how, and I'm not bragging, but I did a pretty darn good job. Now, give me time to sit back and admire my work, I'm pretty proud of it.
Raid my refrigerator, help yourself, I really don't mind. In fact, I wouldn't want it any other way.
I want you to spend your money making a better life for you and your family, I have the things I need. I want to see you happy and healthy. When you ask me what I want for Christmas, I say "nothing" because you've already been giving me my gift all year. I want you.

I also tell them, that Christmas is for kids.. to spend their money on their own or grandchildren.... 

How about you?  What do you want for Christmas?

I am just an observer... a baffled one...

Being I did not vote for either of the main

candidates in the presidential race.. I don’t

have a pony to ride in this pull and tug of

recount and etc.

I just sit back and observe the carrying on

of each side…

One of the ones that baffles me is the people

who voted for Trump.  90% of them are still

sticking with him..  but the other 10% are

having, maybe buyers remorse.

A lot of them are getting a little antsy over

the choices of cabinet members. Which are

filling up with big time business men with

still strong ties to Wall Street and also the

military men who have been chosen or mention.

When Trump said he was draining the swamp,

I guess they thought it would be Wall Street,

as well as Washington, D.C.

So to see so many big CEO’s or former ones,

it is a bit disconcerning for them.  

I have to ask them.. what did they really expect?

Donald Trump is big business.  Trump Towers,

All the other companies he has been involved in,

plus golf courses and etc.  Even though he is said

to not own much anymore.. he is one of the top

dogs, his friend are top dogs, in business.

This man has not put gas in his own vehicle, if

he ever did… surely in the past 40 years. He has

no clue how much gas cost by the gallon.  He

might know the cost of building a building… but

he has no idea how much groceries cost for the

week for a family.  I doubt he knows how much

utilities are a month.  

He has always been arrogant, that you saw for

all the years.. he has been in the news and mostly

on the show he had called The Apprentice.  He really

doesn’t know how to deal with the common man or

woman.  He is surrounded by wealth..   So why do

these voters think he would not put those like him

there?    

That baffles me…

If I had known that grandkids were this much fun, I would have had them first...

That was on a sweatshirt that I saw years ago.

Should have bought it..

See this Christmas ornament is one of my

grandsons.  And today he turns 21… 21..

Where did the time go?   They are all growing

so fast.  He is in the lower end of the 19, but

still…

As they have all grown up and now having

children of their own.. well, half of them

do… it is neat to see them go thru it and

watch my children, become grandparents.

Grandparenting is the greatest … as you get

to see your kids deal with their children. The

best revenge you will get on your own kids.

But BABY, IT'S COLD OUTSIDE...

Baby, it’s cold outside..

But baby, you will freeze out there..

to borrow from an old song, that

has been going thru my head for

past two days.. and it really will

be this week as the promise of

5 above to 0 each morning…with

teens for day temps.

The nice thing is.. the King is

enjoying what I have enjoyed

for 13 years… and that is…not

having to go to work in this weather.

Each night for the past 13 years, in

the winter.. I watched it snow.. and

watch the ice form on the roads and

smiled…    I didn’t have to drive to work.

Now the King, sees the snow, and hears

how the temps have been and will dip..

and laughs..  We also have a police scanner

radio, which also has the school buses

radio station.   He loves listening to them

talk in the early morning.  And he laughs.

Bus broke down?  Bus won’t start? 

Now he sips his coffee and laughs.  And

once in a while.. he will call his old boss

and tell him, how he is enjoying his hot

coffee that morning..  and laughing.

Good thing his boss has a good sense of humor.

This and that....

 This is the mountain view from our living room.

Which is a great interest in the past several

months..    See our grandson got a job in May.

And that is where he is working..  Helping build

this lodge up on the top of Schweitzer Mountain.

It would be great to go up and see what he worked on.  Or maybe they will run the lift, like they do on the other hill, and he can go and show us everything.

Got to be a great view.

On Facebook they have a thing that pops up

from time to time…  called people you might

know.  The purpose is to get you to click on

them and have them be your friend on Facebook.

Once in a while,  while bored, I will click thru them

to see if I know these people.   Below their name

and picture it has a number of mutual friends.

So if it is 2 or more, I will click on to see who

the mutual friend are, because I don’t know the

person in the picture.   I have found it interesting

to see who these people are that I know.  As it

has come up several times.. with two people that

I do know.. and who are my friends on Facebook.

What is so interesting is.. I didn’t know my 2

friends knew each other.  As they are from two

different parts of my life.. So never associated

them together, as they are so very different.

Yet these 3 people know each other. Interesting

guess we are just 6 degree away from each other

after all. 

A day of sadness

This is a day of sadness for our nation...... 75 years ago Pearl Harbor was bombed.  

Last year it became a day of great sadness to our family...  as a member lost her battle to
depression...  

We miss you still .....  

This is the season that is worse for those who suffer from depression... so keep your eyes
open, check to see what the warning signs are... ask mental facility about what those sign are. 
And ask how you can help your love ones. 

Getting ready for the 25th

Christmas cards filled out and sent…. Check..

(I do them just before Thanksgiving and

send them out the day after). I keep hoping

as I check after Christmas there will be a

few less.  As I make a list who I got them from,

that way I know who to send to next year.

Sadly there are some who have passed. It is

like that when you are our age.

Got all the goodies made up and put in their

baskets……..check ….

90% of them, the King has delivered.

I let him to be Santa. This weekend they

will be all delivered…….check

Got the gift cards bought… but have two more

to go.  So that one will be checked off soon.

Lights put up last weekend.. check …

Yep, I am just about ready… providing some

one doesn’t decide to throw a wrench in the

works and give us a gift..  We will be done.

Check .

Off to a rough start on the Challenge month....

I lasted 2 days.. then slipped. And on the 4^th

day I flew off the wagon… First one a slip

about someone in a video on Facebook.

With the remark.. stupid is as stupid does.

Then on Sunday, I flew off the wagon of the

Challenge.  A friend who has such curly

hair it is considered an Afro like. Posted

a picture of himself, after his wife used a

hair straightened on him.  Which startled

a lot of his friends.. and were quite verbal

about what it looked like.  Not in a positive

way.. and I was just as loud and strong

as the rest.  And then it hit me… this was

so full of negativity… like I said… I flew

off the wagon…  So went back in, apologized

and told him it is his to do what he wants..And

removed my negative remarks.

And I climbed back on to the wagon. And figured

it out real fast.. this is NOT going to be easy.  

Nope, not easy, as words slip out fast.. be it

said or typed.

But I got this.. I can do this.. yes, I can.. I can

do it dang it…....

(only 26 more days…lol)  

The Challenge...

While out there, in the not so cold, Wednesday. I was

thinking.. how peaceful it was out there, and

how the world has gotten so hateful. 

I decided to challenge everyone.. just for one

month.. For the month of December starting

today.. each day, use positive remarks

for everything and everyone.  No negative

remarks… at all..   It can be done if you try

hard enough.. and if everyone around you is

up to trying this.. we can have that drop in the

bucket I talked about… 

What do you say.. can you meet my challenge? 

Great day for yard work.... lights

So we got the tote out and it didn’t go so bad.

The King help with the first line.. which went from

one side of the yard, across the front and down

the other side. Not bad for a one line .. ok, it

was a connected line of 4.

But then the King disappeared. So I got another line

ready, and went backwards from the other. Going

back down the side and across the front.

The driveway side had enough older lights, I

filled in an area with an angel on the half gate..and

a wreath wrapped with lights on the other side of

the gate. Not bad for 4 hours of work. (King never

did show back up.. he was installing.. get this..

thumb warmers on his 4 wheeler. Yes, I said

thumb warmers!! woost)

Also last night I did a project I saw on Facebook.

Where you hang bulbs with a string in the window

and that went well… what do you think?