My husband is a practical joker..

My husband is a practical joker..

He is constantly saying things…  In another world, he would be called what he is… a liar…  Yes, a liar.. but because he does it jokingly… people say he is a practical joker.

We have in our garage a sign, that one of the bus drivers brought to his 50^th birthday party. It says…. I AM GULLIBLE… it is because he was always pulling things on her… he would tell her, that he was flagging her bus.. that she will have to go get another one, while hers is out of service..   and then after she got all her personal thing out of the bus, and cushions, she asked him.. which bus should I go to….  Of which he would say to her..  “what’s wrong with your bus?”  After the second time, she would know he was joking with her… Several pranks like that, and her believing him.. she made the sign… 

The kids… he will call one of them.. and tell them.. I am just 10 miles from your house, my truck broke down.. or I ran out of gas, can you bring me some gas.. and etc…  They don’t fall for it anymore..   so they call his bluff.. and the famous words that are said by all my kids is… PUT MOM ON THE PHONE…  One time we really were broke down about 9 miles from home… He called our daughter to go to the house and get our truck and bring it out to Sagle, the town we were in..  He told her 3 times.. and with a follow up of..  I am not kidding.. I need the truck to tow the car home.. She too, as been educated… because he said.. OH, FINE.. DON’T BELIEVE ME..  HERE SHE IS..  of which I told her, that it was a fact that we were broke down..  But she wasn’t going to leave the house, until she talked to me first. 

Oh, by the way… this does not work well in reverse..Because one day.. while he was at work.. I was talking to him and told him I was out on Hwy 95 with a flat tire.. and couldn’t get the trunk open.. He was a little upset and was asking his boss if he could go help me.. and I started laughing.. he said what is so funny..  I told him first.. I was not on the hwy… that I was in fact at home… THAT IS NOT FUNNY.. I told him it was, because HE HAD CALLED ME..   AT HOME…  He was not happy at all..  told me, well. Just wait one of these times you will be broke down.. and hung up..  When he got home, he reminded me that it was NOT FUNNY..   I asked him what the difference was, between him pranking the kids.. and me doing it to him.. I DON’T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT..

I told him.. one of these days it was going to get him in trouble..  that I can’t and won’t stand up for him when he is lying..  I told him, one of these days he is going to get stop by a cop, and the cop won’t believe him.. and look at me.. and I am going to say..  I AM SORRY OFFICER, BUT HE LIES SO MUCH.. I CAN’T TELL WHEN HE TELLS THE TRUTH…. Ha ha ha….  He didn’t think that was funny…

Watch some day he is going to get stopped and he is going to either cringe when the officer ask.. or he will tell them… don’t ask her.. she lies.. lol

What to write?

I would say something about the weather.. but that would be bad karma.. and karma is a horrible master

Well, being almost the end of January.. we can say maybe good bye January… but nah,   still got 2 more days..

I am surprised my mail box hasn’t started filling up with catalogs.. Seed catalogs..  that is..  The gardeners wish list.

But not one has arrived.

Even with snow all around in piles.. and frozen ground in the morning..  it is still hard not to think about Spring.. With what flowers will I want to get this year.. what color should I decide on.. or play it by ear..  Last year it was the year of mulch and bark … this year I want color.. 

What about you?  have you got gardening dancing in your head as you endure the winter months?

I just don’t care anymore

I just don’t care anymore…

Really… I …. Don’t..... care.... It might seem cold hearted to people who hear me say that… but it is true....... and you know what... it is liberating…  The freedom is great..

Like everyone else, I cared.. I worried.. I tried to help… and some times held hostage because someone who does something or say something to punish me for not doing things their way.   Children throw fits… I don't know what you call it with adults..  fits too?   The ones who will tell you... well if you won’t do it my way.. I am leaving.  Or fine..  I have had it .. I am leaving the store... you can do what you want....I am gone..   You look and think.. WHAT THE HELL? 

Well, not any more..  I……DON’T..... CARE....  you want to throw a fit.. go for it.. you want to leave.. go for it...  You want to do something stupid…. go for it... not my luggage to carry for you anymore… Not my rodeo.. not my horse to ride.. Your choices.. your way… go for it.. I...DON’T ,,,,CARE...

You want to argue about your politics, find some one else.. yes, your ideas are different than mine.. your views are different than mine… I give you that.. but it sure isn't worth arguing about..  I don't think less of you, for your views.. so go for it..  But if you are looking for some one to dominate  with your views… I am out..   I….. DON’T CARE…..

You know… Mrs. Trump might have had it right with her jacket… you know the one that everyone raised hell about..

Mrs. trump jacket ….. with " i really don't care" on the back? Wonder if I could find a cap with that on it..

It is liberating because you no longer have to worry about others problems.. 

Sitting on the stone wall with Mom….

Sitting on the stone wall with Mom….

On facebook there is a thing that pops up every so often.

It is called.. who would you like to sit with for an hour, that is in heaven.   

My first thought was my Aunt Harriet.  Because she was my go to person for life..  Seems my life followed a lot of hers.

We are the only females of our family that moved to the West Coast.  I look a lot like her.. Which means I follow the family line on my father’s side.   Also as I aged and would talk to her, she would give me advice. Advice of how things came into her life like that.. and how she handled them. Giving good advice of what to stay away from..  and what to embrace.    She also was good advice on health.. the maladies of life.. women’s lives..  She would tell me.. Oh, yea, I remember that… don't sweat it .. it will all turn out good.   I sure miss those talks. It has been over 12 years.

So I thought she would be the one of choice, to find out how did she get thru her 70’s and 80's. When I see the question, she comes to mind first… Sure miss her..

But the other day, I thought.. you know.. maybe the one I would like to sit with… would be my mother...  Never thought of her before, as we always locked heads…  My mother was an only child of a only child… so she did know how to handle two kids. And she knew how to always get her way. She ruled the house… no matter how many years we were gone from home.. My brother got more than I did.. as he lived near by.. So he knew her whims..   Being I lived on the West Coast, I wasn’t in the every day stuff..   I did venture back for 4 years.. and surprisingly things went pretty well.  It was after I came back out West that things got touchy.    Especially after my husband died.  She thought I should have moved back to the East coast..  But I had a 16 year old daughter.. in school yet.. It was bad enough she lost her Dad… wasn’t going to move her away from her friends.. So I stayed. Told Mom that I would think it over after my daughter graduated.

She wasn’t happy with that.  Also I started a job.. I hadn't had a job for about  20 years.. so that too meant I was staying..  We also had bought a place before my husband died.. so I had bills to take care of..  So the two years were kind of tender…. her wanting me back East and me staying to take care of business.   Long and short of it was, she got mad, wouldn't talk to me for 4 years… then she broke her leg, was put in the hospital.. and was going into a nursing home.   I went back there while she was in the hospital.. I only had the weekend..   so spend all of one day with her, while Dad and my brother went places.. We had a great time.. She cried when she saw me… telling me what a fool she was ... for the past 4 years.. I told her that it was ok. this now...  We talked all day about a lot of things… And then my brother, wife, and son with girlfriend... with my Dad came in.. I backed off to let everyone be around her.. after all I had her all day to myself…   About 4 minutes into this.. my mother looked at me and said some things.. angry…to me.. I am not going to go thru that here..  the main thing is.. things went back down hill from there… I left and went to the waiting room and told Dad to take as long as he needed.   About an hour later, we left.. We went back the next morning as I was flying back home at 3pm.   She was in a great mood.. Nothing about the day before.. and then she asked me.. if she was going to die…  I told her that was up to the guy upstairs… no one knows the answser..  I bide her good bye.. and went home..  She passed away about 6 months later. She went to the nursing home but raised so much hell, that Dad took her home.. (so typical her.. lol) I believe God kept her alive those 6 months.. so she could train Dad to take care of himself.. She told him how to run the washing machine.. how to cook for himself.. to cook his favorites.. and how to grocery shop.. Then in February she left.

So why would I want to talk to her.. as we pretty much said everything?   Well, some of it was how she left things before she got sick and then as she was before she left… 

So sitting on the stonewall… next to her..  I would give her a hug… (she was who she was.. but bottom line she was my mother) .... if she wanted to ask what did I want to talk about.. I would ask her…   So you directed what you wanted in life, before and after you left earth….. how did that work out for you?  Did it all work out the way you wanted?  Or would you had changed anything in hind sight?  After many years.. I figured it was ok.  Just made me stronger. How do you feel?

See when it comes to my mother.. I have no regrets.. It was .. what it was… and I dealt with it..  I am strong because of my mother. Dealing with her, strengths one…  If I could get thru that.. I could get thru life...... and I have... But just curious…. "so Mom, how did all that work out for you”? Oh, one more thing..  you remember you said you were an athiest? But your cats, dogs and horses went to heaven??? So which is it..  did you find out there is a God after all and heaven for humans?  And isn’t the song that you loved..  HOW GREAT THOU ART? True?

PAPERS, PAPERS, PAPERS EVERYWHERE.

PAPERS, PAPERS, PAPERS EVERYWHERE.

I hate paper work.. and it is the season for it.  I have put it off for a week or more..  Usually I have it all done.. but with being sick.. I just wasn’t in the mood for it.. and when it comes to paper work for taxes.. you got to force yourself to be in the mood.

So yesterday, I sat in the middle of the living room floor and stacked papers in different piles…  Keep, Shred, garbage,

All of them were coming out of the folder that I keep all year long.  It is a huge folder with 15 or so slots.. one for each month and a few others…

One is marked TAXES… which is suppose to be only for those that I will need at the end of the year..   So why do I sit there and go thru each and every paper?  Each receipts, that we got for any money we spent on anything..   groceries, bills, dr. dentist, vision… or just what ever.  And I would love to tell you, that I am so good, that I make sure every paper to do with taxes is in that one slot.. marked TAXES…. I am not.. every year, I go thru and each year there is any where from 8 to 20 pieces of paper that got skipped and it is  in the month it was paid.

So  piece by piece… each and every one of them.. finding receipts for insurance, dr. dentist, vision… and most of all.. the meds we buy that WE pay for..  See the first month of the year.. one of them is $365!!!!… then there is every 3 months.. of 3 months worth of supplies… and then there is the DOUGH HOLE OF MEDS.. that hit us this past Sept. So back to paying full price… which we can’t  afford 3 months worth. So we do it month by month.. $159 worth monthly with the raise to $165. in Dec. Just for the one.   Then matching up the receipt with the paper work.. (as the paper work has why we get socked with the big price..  

So there it is.. the pile of med. Receipts, the Dr. receipts, the dentist, vision, insurance payments monthly..  and also other

payments …. And then there is the little receipts for those checks that were refunded, over payment… and etc…All lest than $100..most under $30… And then there is the still coming in … income papers… and money from a local electric company that we had used over the years .. 30 years ago.. and we are finally getting our dividends.    Putting them all in a open folder..  

Then there is the piles of old receipts for electric, water, sewer, phone, garbage… all of them are useless now. So into a grocery bag they go, to be shredded . I am jealous of the bigger towns 45 miles from us… because a truck comes around to bank parking lots and picks up bags and boxes of paper to be shredded for free…  We don’t have that.. I don’t even have a burn barrel..  so sometime thru the year, I sit and feed my big shredder until it gets warm… I am 2 bags behind as it is now.. 

So there I was.. paper, paper, paper everywhere..   The good news I got it all done and put away, just before the King, and lil man and mom got back from Spokane.  

I still have to go thru the open folder and arrange the papers and total up each, and then make a sheet of paper for the tax guy, so he can go down the list.. of what it is.. how much did we spend… is it tax related……. As the taxes keep changing and this year more so… If it wasn’t for a tiny trust fund that able me to retire 15 years ago… I could do these taxes myself…   because it is pretty basic… this is how money came into our household… this is what left.. and so now tell me how much do I owe you??

Long gone are the deductions for union dues, clothes and boots allowance for work, taxes, mortgage payments, interest rates..  Each year he says.. nope, we can’t do that one.. nope you didn’t make enough money for that one.. 

Then it is  .. see you in a week.. to pick it up… and drop off the check for him..

  Ah, you got to love it… tax time.. paper, and more papers.. I use to total up Walmart, Costco, Yokes, Home Depot… but not this year.. too depression to see where we spent too much money… $3, 000 to $5,000, at Yokes… depending on how well the King did hunting….. Costco over $800 and we only go there 4 times a year… and Walmart and Home Depot… don’t want to talk about it..

Funny how we age….

Funny how we age…...

You have heard children… or maybe you might remember you saying... I am 4 , and almost a  half... with 4 fingers showing…  

Then there is I am almost 16.. which means getting a drivers license.

Then we look forward to first 18, hopefully getting out of school and being on your own..  a job.. adult hood… 

At 21, we find out that first drink we waited for, wasn’t all it was cracked up to me...

Then we are 29 until we are within an hour of turning 30… in my day, no one wanted to be 30... after all the saying was.. Don't trust anyone over 30.   and then you stretch 30 for all its worth.

Then there is the gloom and doom of 40 and 50… over the hill of them.. and teasing by your friend about you getting old.

60 seems to come without problems.. after all you are just a couple years from retirement.. hopefully the kids are gone from the house… and grandkids are starting to show up...

70.. still not too bad.. and you are lucky enough, hopefully to be retired.  Maybe traveling..  maybe doing something that you thought at the age of 20 you like to do, but you didn’t have the money to do it... start a small business.. maybe part time work during the winter  or even Spring.. before summer hits. Or doing just what you darn well feel like

Mid way.. towards the end of the 70’s, you start joking about pushing towards 80.. You don’t feel in your 70’s because we seem to be healthier than our parents in their 70’s… 

So it is pushing 80….Yep, I am pushing 80… next year.

Come the 90’s .. you step up proud and loud if you are healthy.. claiming each year.. Yep, I am 94… with pride.. 

Bring back the times of fun tv…

I have found a show on FOX TV.. it is called the

COOL KIDS…  The Cool Kids with Vicki Lawrence as Margaret, Martin Mull as Charlie, David Alan Grier as Hank and Leslie Jordan as Sid.

Now maybe because I worked in a “health care facility, it appeals  to me…  but this show is more about assisted living type place.. It is a hoot… I guess it was on last season and I am catching the second season… but I love it…

When talking to my daughter about it… and she thought it was cute too…  I was telling her, I was watching an ad for the Carol Burnett Show cds… and how they were showing some of the shows parts.. And how much I enjoyed sitting there….laughing…  And thinking, how much I miss old televisions like that..  Where you relaxed.  There were no political agenda… there was no swearing.. just enjoyable time watching and laughing..  We both decided that even though there is 30 years between us… we still enjoy good shows.  We miss really funny shows..

HELLO 2019, now where is 2020…

Well, 2019, has started out not good.. and if the old saying of a bad beginning, is a good ending.. then we should have a wonderful, terrific ending of the year..

The very first day… of 2019 … found the King and I still sick.

left over from Christmas afternoon….

And then… our little sweet little man.. was in his grandmother’s garage, running after her… when he slipped on ice in the garage… and down he went.. breaking his femur bone.    So off to the local hospital and then an ambulance ride for mom and little man to Spokane.  But now with  the dr. of the ER…remarks about how he was turning it into the CPS… as this is….THE WORSE BREAK HE HAS EVER SEEN…  with a few other added remarks.

You have to understand.. this is a first time mom… with a son who she worships.. heck the whole family worships this kid… CPS???  WHAT THE HELL? …. 

Mom heads to Spokane, Dad is shortly behind her, scared out of their mind.. of what has just happen to their son.  The good news is the doctors and etc at St. Heart where wonderful..  great staff, that put mom and dad at ease... talked about the possibilities and the pros and cons of the break and treatment…. They came up with the idea of pinning it.. instead of a body cast.. Knowing how active 2 and half year olds are.. they figured that was the best deal.

Next morning he was prep for the surgery..  went thru it, great. Everything worked out well… He came out of ICU and into his room… That was Wednesday…  by Friday they had discharged him with instructions.. of weight bearing.. how much and how little.. and they figured he would be walking on it by a month later.  But with still the call into the CPS..hanging over their heads…  Which will be this week for the inspection and etc.  

While mom and dad are over tending to our lil guy, in Spokane… his grandmother and I separately did research once we knew exactly what it was…. There the many sites.. Mayo Clinic and such..  we found out that … it is a VERY COMMON BREAK AMONG  CHILDREN…AND….  LOW IMPACT BREAKS..  meaning that it doesn’t take much.. hence the fall on the ice..   We pretty much came up to the same conclusion…… the local doctor needs to go back to school… for what he termed the THE WORSE BREAK HE HAD EVER SEEN..   is actually a very COMMON among children.

Personally I think they should be a complaint put against the dr… for scaring the new parents out of their wits…  worrying about their son…. Only to find a threat of losing him by the drs words… That is my humble opinion… They never should have gone thru all of that…  there were no bruises, no other things wrong.. and when told of how it happen.. he still raised his voice and put in the complain.

But life is what it is.. and this too shall past…  Lil man is doing well, being spoiled worse than he already was.. adults playing games, adjusting things around him so he can enjoy having to sit on the couch.  He is suppose to be barely weight bearing… but someone needs to tell that to lil man, as he is trying… he is gentle with it.. as it is still a little painful. But he is the typical 2 and half year old.. full of piss and vigor.

So here we are, 8 days into the new year… that was a hell of a start…  but also so sad news of distance relative.. who have passed  on… and as the rest of us try our best to get healthy again.

Also the post office decided that my box is not of the free kind.. See those of us, who live in the grid of a town that does not have door to door mail.. get a free box.  We are in that group….. but it seems when they moved my box to another area, to get me out of the way of the window…8 years ago…. they gave us.. a non free box… meaning it is slightly bigger than the free box…  With the new audit of all contract post office it came to light, that mine would cost me $72 or change to the free box…  we chose to get the free smaller box…  Do you have a clue.. what it is like to change your mailing address.. ever by just a few numbers?  I have some idea, but I think I am going to be learning soon, how bad that is..

If this is the opening of 2019… then can I look for 2020?