GOOD BY FEBRUARY

GOOD BY FEBRUARY  

Good bye, Olympics  and hello March.. and hello March Madness…  just when the King and I thought we would be getting our channel back… it will be short lived.

We have been trying to remember to watch our game shows which were transferred to the afternoon.  And it also is in competition with another game show that the King likes.

And trying to find the news.. is it on at 4 or was that 3? Or is it at 10pm.. 

The good news is that basketball usually is shorter. I don’t remember if they have two games on each night or what.  Or is that during the day.. But we might get national news at regular time.. or not..

With all the snow we have been getting , it has been shoveling. for me.. and pushing for the King, with the 4 wheeler… of snow.. and watching tv..as there is nothing to do outside. So it is either movies or old westerns.. And trying out other channels for news.

Hopefully the snow lets up and maybe even have Spring peeking thru in a week.. maybe? Well, maybe?

The First Generation of Guns...

The First Generation of Guns..

I think we have what will be known as the first generation of parents to send kids to school and wonder if they will come back.  Words of regret said in a heat of anger.. JUST GET DRESS AND EAT.. Get out there before the bus gets there!!  That will ring hollow in their minds… if something does happen.

We send our sons and daughters off to war.. Grandchildren.. and expect that the worse can happen… and pray that it doesn’t.  We know it is a possibility when we are fighting a war some where.

But our children?? No, we have always thought until recently, that they were safe in school… they were safe in a church… but no longer..  We are becoming like the rest of the world … where no one is safe. And the worse of it all.. the enemy is us.. not another country.

Nowhere seems safe anymore.

And having teachers have guns?  How can we think a teacher is prepared to shoot, when the man who did have a gun at that school.. stayed outside when he heard the shots and the 17 killed?  AND HE WAS AN OFFICER..  A teacher goes to college to learn how to teach.. not to shoot another human being!

Shine, shine that silverware

Shine, shine that silverware…

As a kid.. one of my jobs as I turn 10 was to clean

Mom’s silverware… twice a year… Once for Easter and once for Thanksgiving..  Which the last one lasted long enough for Christmas dinner.

Now that might not sound like such a big job.

But you got to understand my mother and her family.

They were big into the full fledge silverware.. Because the word silverware does not just mean forks, knife and spoons..   There is a total full fledge gambit.

There is the said silverware.. but there was also, serving spoons, forks, (setting for 12) and there were salt spoons,

And the desert spoons and forks. And the salad forks.

Oh, we aren’t done yet… there is the serving dishes holders.. It is a silver thingie with tiny legs and a top all that were sterling silver.the glass bowl sits inside of it. Oh, yeah, forgot to mention all of this is STERLING SILVER.. and it isn’t unless it says so.  And if it didn’t say so, it wasn’t own by the Kaull family.

We are still not finished here… as we have the platter that the turkey sits on, and the smaller platters, and there is the bread plate and there is the salt and pepper holders, and there is the teapot and the platter or what ever (it surely had a name of its own) that the teapot sat on.. and then there is the sugar bowl with top.. and the spoon that goes with that.. And the creamer…  I think we are finish.. at least I can’t think of anything else.  Each November around the 15^th, it all came out of the closet, and put on the sink counter and the kitchen table.. stacks of it..   And when each piece was done, it was put on the dining room table.

And one does NOT wash it after you are done getting the tarnish of the year off.. and then rinse and let sit. It has to be not only dried .. each piece.. but dried well. Polished.. So not to get any spots on it.  (with the master sergeant better know as Mom, checking each piece.) This was usually a 2 day job.  Use to drive me nuts as she didn’t use all the pieces.. especially at Easter time.. but each and every piece had to be done..   As a child… I HATED THIS CHORE..   I almost said job, but job you usually get paid … but child labor doesn’t pay in the home for the family.  And this was far from the only chore that I had. So it isn’t one of those deals where one does chores to pay for room and board.

When I grew up and moved back home to be closer to the folks because of my husband’s health and for them as well, as they were getting older… I got hooked in to the November ritual. Which by the way, after I left home, the Easter cleaning was dropped. AND it seems that only a few used pieces were done for Thanksgiving.  Humm… Some how it didn’t seem so bad when I did it as an adult. It was like visiting my childhood… and I didn’t HAVE to do it.. But it was highly recommend, if you know what I mean.  And some of them were pretty dark..  as she brought out ALL of the silverware..  after all… Cis knows how to do this.. lol.. and it still takes two days.

So Monday night, brought back a lot of memories of those days..   As I had inherited (no, thank God, not the silverware, .. my brother and sister in law inherited that) … but a trophy that Mom has won in 1949 I think it says..  I have had it for ….oh, my gosh…. 27 years. I use to put half dollars in it.. and a couple years ago, I decided to put it up on the top of the cabinets in my kitchen…. And like anything else in my house.. everything over 6 foot tall seems to get forgotten.  I got it down Monday afternoon.. and GOOD GRIEF, my mother must be rolling in her ashes on the farm.

IT WAS BLACK!!! With tarnish. 

So out came the silver polish.. barely even touched it.. have some Tarnish remover.. that didn’t even faze it.

Ok.. back to the polish.. Wright polish.. been used by Mom for YEARS.. still hardly anything.. And yes, I use the most important of all removal.. that I used well over the years.. good old ELBOW GREASE…  for those who don’t know what that is.. it is where you put on your polish and rub like hell.. hard and fast and harder yet.. keep going..  Yet that didn’t faze it much either.  Ok.  Google, what can you give me..  Tomato ketchup.. nope, what a joke that was.. lemon and lime soda.. yeah, right… filled it up with that.. and again hardly anything.  Tooth paste they said.. nope… Then one I had heard of.. and I did do it with something one time..  That is boiling water, put a sheet about 2 feet long of silver foil, (can’t spell the hard to pronounce word) in it.. and then 4 tablespoons of baking soda and let soak … in a not metal pan..

That believe it or not.. actually works.. You have to be kind of fast.. as you let it soak.. for about 10 minutes, and then turn it.. back and forth.. and pour it in.. Oh, I guess I didn’t tell you.. this trophy is a pitcher.  I loved it as mom use to make Kool-Aid and put it in there when we were kids.. and with ice it would stay cold for a long time.  So that is why I asked for it.. plus it has about our horse HOLY SMOKE winning the championship of jumping. At an old stable, called Mayfair that no longer is in Middletown. A stable own by friend of my parents…Charlie Walker. The place where my mother worked in her 20s and met my father… So it has a special meaning to me.  So I was glad that my brother let me have it after the folks past away.

Any way.. at 1pm on Monday it was a black piece of silver and this is what I got it to look like after hours and lots of ELBOW GREASE.. along with the combo of baking soda, boiled water and silver foil.

NOT AGAIN….

NOT AGAIN….

I hate blogging about another shooting… What is there to say that has not been said before?

Disclaimer: We have guns in our house.. My husband hunts.  We have them for protection as well. While here in my little town.. we have not had home invasions…but there have been several in Spokane. Which is 75 miles from us.. Border of Spokane Valley, it is about 55. And other crimes from there has been seeping towards our town. So it is a concern.

But my thoughts are not on that, so much as I am about the fact that nothing is done..  As pointed out by many, is …. The Congress person say.. we don’t want to say anything now.. after all the families are hurting. So congress person.. WHEN is it proper time to talk about it. After all Sandy Hook was how many years ago? And all the others between.  AND YOU STILL AREN’T TALKING ABOUT IT.

What is the answer.. again, I don’t know. But there surely has to be something done… And Congress rescinding Obama’s law of mental checks for gun owning.. is not the way to do it.. My friends who also own guns.. want to protect EVERYONE’S  right to own guns.  I am sorry… BUT NOT EVERYONE SHOULD OWN A GUN.   And I know that having a law that prevents the mentally disturb, the domestic violence person.. will NOT stop it all.  But at least it would deter some.. Something is better than NOTHING.  So let’s start at something.

The NRA has fought for over 40 years, bought and paid for each of the Congress person who votes in their favor.  But surely… surely .. they can not be happy about children especially, being killed. And because they have the heads up their arses…in their rights to protect gun owners.. they are part of the problem.  NRA: If you don’t want all your guns taken away.. then DO SOMETHING.. come up with a better plan. To protect the hunters and alike.. yet keep the children and mass killings from happening anymore.

Because some day.. some day… NRA… all guns will be taken.  And that is not right for the 90% of the people who don’t kill others. Who have a good reason to own a gun..

And you know who I am maddest at?  It isn’t Congress.. but us.. you and I.. because we keep voting in these Congress people, when they refuse to do something.. Your Congress person votes to protect NRA???  Then vote them out.. Find someone who uses common sense.  

Traveling thru the land...

Traveling thru the land….

I use to fly.  I don’t anymore.. too much hassles and way too much money…

But one of the things I love to do when flying was look out at the window.  I always requested a window seat. In those days you could… and being most want an aisle seat, it was fairly easy to get one. 

What I liked about it.. was looking down over the land.. Seeing so much farming land. Especially when I was going across the mid-west. There is also so much unused land.. like mountains and lakes. Yes, there were a lot of homes around the popular lakes, but there is still some lakes that one would have to hike into.   I hope all those places are still in natures hands.  As I haven’t flown for 10 years or more.

When we traveled from Idaho to Wisconsin about 10 years ago.. it was so beautiful to see so much farm land in not only North Dakota and Montana, but also in Minnesota, Wisconsin as well.  Corn fields, oh, my gosh… as far as the eye could see. We travelled across on hightway 72 I think.. not the busy highway 90. I can only imagine Indiana and Nebraska.

And every time we go to see the kids on the coast of Washington, it is so great to travel on highway 90 from Ellensburg to outside of Spokane. Field after field of produce.. A lot of the farmers have signs hanging on their fence with what ever is being grown in there.  From alfalfa to peas, potatoes, corn and onions.

It saddens me, when I see a farm go to the wayside into housing or malls like they have over in Tri-cities in Washington.  We really need to keep our lands free and open.  We need it for the fresh air, we need it for the products that are grown there and keep away from foreign products. Especially when we can grow them right here in the USA.

I seen it happen in my home state. I lived on an island called Aquidneck with 3 towns… Portsmouth, Middletown and Newport.  The first two being farming towns.. but no longer as true.. as so many of them have been turn into the housing and mall areas.. when the children of the farmer isn’t interested in farming. 

Mental Illness ...Step away from the dark ages about mental health.

Step away from the dark ages about mental health.

People need to get out of the dark ages about this subject.. stop treating it as a shameful disease... to be hidden, not talked about ... there are many you might know..that suffer in quiet because of the reaction they get from others... this thinking has to stop.

In the olden days… people were kept in a room for no one to see.. never seeing out side during their whole entire adult life.  Some even starting younger and being set away, never to be talked about again.

Even the Kennedy’s who went on to be a champion for mental health…  had one of their sisters  institutionalized  and electric shocks done to her.. eventually being mindless by their father.. Who did not understand mental health.  And was afraid of her embarrassing her family.

Now days, depression is everywhere.. in your family, on the news… even movie stars. Especially those in the lime light, who have chosen suicide , as brought light to the disease.

It takes a LOT of PATIENCES… to understand.. or try to understand… as it is not easy to understand. You can feel helpless… we did when one of ours was going thru it for the 5th time in 20 years.. and finally took the final step ..suicide.  Leaving us heart broken, because we couldn’t fix it for her.

Second over blown day of the year

Second over blown expensive day of the year.

Christmas being the first one.

Each year there is the day of guilt… Guilt because you have to prove to some one who says they love you… that you love them. The one who gets the dirty end of the stick is the guys. I mean.. the words should be enough. And to be honest with you.. don’t know why we need a special day.  But to have a guy feel guilty that he didn’t say it enough, didn’t say it convincing enough, that he has to give gifts.  Jewelry, fly the gal away for a special place, is the high end. But flowers are pretty spendy as well… If you are lucky you might get off with a card and flowers or candy or both.

Yes, I am talking about Valentine’s Day. Tell me, what do women get the men?  Boyfriend .. husband?  Does he get a new car from her? Or a set of expensive tools? A diamond ring? Or necklace? Or taken out to a very expensive restaurant? That the women pays the bill? None of the women I know do that. I sure the heck didn’t do that. Ever.

And for those who have read my blog over the years, know how I feel about it. I am not a candy person..  And my husband KNOWS not to buy me flowers. Why should he pay $40 to $60 for a dozen roses that he can buy any other time for $9.95?  Rip off…

So what do we do.. well, if we think about it.. and happen to walk by a card display of Valentines card, we pick one out … and give it to the other to read.. and that is what cards we do.. and then we put them back.. After all, what the heck are you going to do with the card after? I have about 10 or more cards somewhere.. with my cards from my kids for birthdays and etc.  And then we buy some stuff to make a dinner together at home. That is it folks.

See he gives me flowers during the year.. when he sees I have had a rough time.. or just because he saw them and thought of me.. “just because flowers”.. Which is the very best of all.. and they don’t cost an arm and a leg.  And we tell each other every day.. at least once but more than likely about 4 or 5 times a day, that we love each other.  Be it on the phone before we say good bye.. when one of us leaves the house with out the other, and some times.. just come up and hug each other and say it.

So what do we need a day to make us guilty? Because with my husband.. I never feel guilty nor does he feel guilty that we don’t say it enough. We KNOW the other one loves just as much as the other.

So count us out.. we don’t need any one or company to do it for us. 

What a wild game...

We watched the Super Bowl game this year. We had guest over for lunch and we played a game called Mexican Train. Then they left… we had put on the Super Bowl game so the guest could watch. As the King does not like football at all and thinks Super Bowl is a waste of time. BUT.. there really wasn’t anything on, so he started to watch it.

Next thing, I hear him cussing at the game.. and then yelling at the referees. He ended up watching the whole game.. And he was happy with the Eagles winning, I gathered, this man who says he doesn’t like football.. doesn’t like Tom Brady.. and laughed when he got sacked. For a guy who doesn’t not like football, he sure caught on pretty fast. 

It was a good game. I hate lop-sided games. And this was a really tight one.

This is a throw back Thursday posting...

WEDNESDAY, MAY 25, 2016

Fridays are not for me..

An old, old writing…

Found this among my paper work,

It was written in 2002, before I

Started writing a blog. And while

I was still in the work force. It’s title is:

Count me out next Friday….

I have decided I am not doing Friday’s anymore.

They just don’t work for me.

And it is a good thing I am not a believer of other

powers besides our Lord. Or I would be a nervous

wreck by this time coming Thursday’s.

Now you might think I am jumping the gun here..

But these last couple of  Friday’s have given me something to

think about. That maybe Fridays just don’t like me.

Which that is ok too, as I not fond of Monday’s

myself. 

What lead up to this thought is…

Last Friday, I called about my check..(never leave to chance about your automatic deposits) And sure enough it was there.. BUT only $81 worth.. it seems they over looked my vacation pay. And they have to mail it out as they only have one time only to deposit. Now that didn’t not make sense to me, but no sense going there anyway. Oh, I could have gone to pick it up.. 4 hour drive?? NOT.. so anyway, I went on my merry way, figuring that is not a problem. Just an annoyance.

At 1;14 I walked into my place of work, for a meeting that was planned last month. It was cancelled.. no word last night or when I left that morning at 6am.  You see I go to bed at 7am.. so to get back up at noon to go to a meeting that is mandatory is irritating… and just an annoyance. 

So I went to Wal-mart to look and buy some dishes that I really like. And they are a service of 8 for $20.. nice lighthouse dishes. I bring them home and wash the plates and dry them and put them in my glass cabinet. And then the little plates and cups.. so proud am I… then I get to the bowls.. 3 are broken… sigh… another annoyance. I take the bowls with box and receipt, to Wal-mart and the sweet little darling behind the counter tells me.. I have to go home and repack the other dishes and bring them back and she will trade me a new box. I asked her with all the nicety that I could muster up, you really don’t want me to go back home and take the dishes out of the cabinet and repack them and bring to the store. Oh, yes, she replies sweetly, it is store policy. My reply was NOT.. surely there is someone for me to talk to higher than you.. and I am still hanging by threads to my nicety. The other young lady who also is behind the desk ask what was going on.. when I asked for the manager by name. She told the sweet child to let me go get a new box and remove 3 good bowls and give them to me. She is a little upset but agrees. I go get the box, which by now I am wondering why did I have to go get the box, I didn’t break the dishes. Why me.. and this dang box was heavy and I was having to walk half the store with it. I get up to the desk and she takes the bowls out of the box, wraps them, and makes out paper work and has me sign it… all while she is complaining about how they would have to throw away the good dishes now that I have the bowls. Well, if she was trying to make me feel guilty.. ah ha ha.. you can never make a mother guilty. That is our specialty. We major in that. And I knew they would put them up the for display and sell them as single.

I get home.. and Ken’s time is not going any better. He order a propane tank. .. has been lining up this for 2 weeks. They put him off his 2pm appointment to 5:30pm. Small annoyance.. they get here

And I call him as he had to be at the church at 5:30 to set up for Awana. They look at the spot and the tubing and say to me.. oh, we can’t install this tank today. That tubing is illegal.. and who sold this tubing to him? The very same company that is delivering the tank. When Ken asked for the tubing and what tubing he should use… they gave him that one. Not the wrapped one which he was suppose to have. Now my mother did not raise any fools here…I looked a them and then him driving in.. and say.. glad it is you guys who are telling him that. I left. I went into the house.  Ken and the blue air followed him in to the house.. and the back out. They gave him the wrap and he had to redig up the tubing. Major annoyance.. Now that is just one Friday!

This Friday, last night… I almost made it thru it a without incident. In fact, Friday gave me the false feeling that all these were well. I work the night before as they need coverage for one of the gals who had an accident. So worked Thurs. came home Friday. Slept a little.

Ken came home.. he was sick.. he was fine by noon. Except his leg hurt. I went and got some money and took our grandson down to the sub store, he get his sandwich and went home. Everything is good. They go to Awana looking sharp.

In my mind the sound of them returning home from Awana. Then a blood curling scream from our grandson.. Ken yelling and crash of glass sound all in one moment time. Now I don’t know about you.. but to be woke up like that… I just can’t stroll out and say.. hi, guys, what’s up?

I ran out asking as I went. .WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE??

They both looking towards the dining room, eyes like saucers.. and I slowly looked over there.. to see my new dishes… on the floor.. broken in what appears to be a million pieces. I now have a service of 8 plates, 8 small plates 1 bowl,..2 cups.. oh, yes, my other favorite dishes.. that was near them.. well I have 8 plates..8 small dishes..2 bowls and 2 cups. I looked at it and I said.. well, THE LORD GIVETH AND THE LORD TAKETH AWAY.. and started to pick up the big pieces and Ken got the garbage can from outside. And the vacuum cleaner… that is when I decided maybe Fridays don’t like me…so next Friday.. count me out.. I am sleeping thru . So you all have good Fridays   and I will see you on Saturday..

I retired the next year.. and Friday’s decided to leave me alone.