THE END OF ANOTHER YEAR...2023

THE END OF ANOTHER YEAR.. 2023

Or as they say.. another one down the tubes.. and

A new one is here to louse  up for 365 days..

This year started out as normal..  doing the usually daily things..  You know where you can’t remember what all you did, but you were busy doing it..

This changed in April,  as one of the King’s long time friend ended up in the hospital.

We were the only ones to help as he had been estranged from his family for years. So we were the ones who sat in the room as the doctor explain to him, what his health issues were and what the end results were.. In this case..to let him know he had 4 to 6 weeks left to live.  As I watched him listening to the doctor, I could see the air leave him and his face…  well there is not explanation for that… as he listen to the 4 to 6 weeks part.

Long story short, it started the Kings months of work to get his land taken care of.. Meaning to cable off the driveway to lessen the thieves.  Putting up signs.  Of  “No Trespassing” and etc..  We were able to early in this process, find his son.  His son had moved a year or so before……  now here in December looking back, the King was able to get a lot done for his friend and his son.

July brought the end to his friend.. and stepping up more work on the place to protect it as the son lived in Washington.  About 4 hour drive. Because of prior commitments, the son wasn’t available to do things here..  so the King became his eyes and feet.   As the son got probate started..   Helping the son find paperwork that was needed and also found someone to buy one of the many vehicles on the property.

Now looking from this time in December, the King found another friend who is interested in buying the property as is..   And the King got one of the vehicles ready for the grandson to use as his was in a accident.

Also this year in August.. brought the King’s help of another friend.. taking care of haying season, on his friends farm.  About a months worth.

One day we were returning home from another town that our sister in law lives in. helping her..   and we got a phone call from the wife of the farmer.. She had gotten in an accident, and could not get her husband…. Could we please come down to where she was at. We did, arriving minutes after the time her husband did.  So after a few minutes of help transferring groceries out of one vehicle to the next .. we left.   As we drove away, I told the King… you know..  .. we can’t die.   He said WHAT?  I said.. we can’t die… too many people depend on us to help…  lol..

Following that up..  in October said sister in law, had to go in for day surgery.. I sat with her thru the time in the hospital… then the King came and got the two of us..  dropped me off to get our car..  He took her home..  I went up and spent 3 days with her. We watched lots of old movies and ate some junk food and laughed, while she got stronger.

So I guess you might say.. that the year of 2023.. was a year of helping others. Not a bad thing to do with your time. And the joy of December, was a new great grandson arrived

Nothing gets you out of bed faster than……

NOTHING.....  gets you out of bed faster than……  

Nothing gets you out of bed.. from a dead to the world sleep, 

like THE SOUND OF GAGGING.

You will have your eyes pop open, and your feet have already hit the floor before your brain actually knows where you are going..

Be it your kid… with you on a dead run to grab such kid and head to the toilet..

Or your dog that is in your bed.. or near it..  With you hitting the floor at a fast run with a grab like  catching a football in mid air..  running for the nearest door for outside.

And for me…  it is driving across a 4 lane highway.. getting to the ditch area in any freeway…..  because my daughter said…. MOM, MY STOMACH FEELS HOT..  

Yes, across a 4 lane highway…  stop at the ditch, jump out of the car and run to the other side,  open door, and grab that daughter out of the car.. (before seat belts, thankfully.)

WELL, THANK GOD THAT IS OVER WITH…

WELL, THANK GOD THAT IS OVER WITH…

If you have read this blog for the past 18 years.. you would know I don’t do Christmas very well..  I am a real bah humbug person…   So here we sit..  with another Christmas done and over with and in the books… for 2023..

So, today,  it will be dismantle all the decorations.. clean the house and get ready for the New Year..   And think back at the year of 2023…   there is a lot to be thankful for..  So my blog for tomorrow..  will be about that..

So for today..  I hope you all had a ball yesterday… with nice gifts, great family and friends gathering..  Phone calls from afar..   We had a nice Christmas.. We go to our daughter’s house for dinner at about 2 pm each  year..  Also a nice time..  And being at noon on Christmas day I start to relax…. With most of it over..  I get to enjoy everyone. 

Hope the same for you..

busier than a one arm paper hanger

 I have been so busy, that i met myself some coming...  as I was going...    lol

GOING TO WISH YOU ALL A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS...   

as you can see I am late posting..  hope you are as busy getting things done for Monday..

and just for the record...  I STILL HATE CHRISTMAS 

While Roman burns…. Nero plays the fiddle.

While Rome burns…. Nero plays the fiddle.

Meaning…..  while the nation is going to hell in a basket…  Nero (Congress) is playing the fiddle with waste of time and tax paper’s money.. with garbage like impeachment  of Biden… the Democrats are as bad as the Republicans.. 

Can you tell me of any laws or programs to help the citizens of this nation, that have been passed this year.. What has Congress done to protect their own state citizens as well as the nation?   They are so busy fiddling around finding dirty anywhere they can.. be it true or not…  anything to have another committee … Those committees cost US taxpayers big bucks..   And of course as in the past,  nothing gets resolved.  But millions went out the door for their pleasure of embarrassing the other party.. MILLIONS of your and mine money.

Maybe we should fire them ALL… (I haven’t see one that is worth a damn.) Take the media away from them..  no more interviews by the media..  no more daily news videos.

We could have congress shut down for a year and no one would notice except for the constant video’s of the Congress person face ever night on the news..

 

 

Here we go again…..

Here we go again….. 

Same problem each year… at this time..  with 12 more shopping days to go..

WHAT THE HELL TO GET EVERYONE… 

With every one, including the King and I… pretty much buying thru the year as you go.

So unless you are lucky… and the King and I aren’t..  you have a idea of a gift to get.  You know the person well, enough that you can buy something and know they DID NOT buy it on Black Friday or Internet Monday shopping.

I did give up giving to great grandchildren for Christmas..   I still give to them on their birthday… because that is spread out thru the year..  But with now 34 great grandchildren and 2  grandchildren left under 18…..  well, you can just imagine..  even if it is money. 

Everyone seems to think it is poor choice or class to give money..  I personally like it as a gift giving..  IT IS ALWAYS …the right color,  IT IS AWAYS.. the right size… AND  I can’t think of one person who doesn’t know how to spend it.. and that is a general gift card.  One store gift card can be hard as they may not shop at that store..  So if you can get a Visa or etc.. that is accepted at any store..  Then it is ideal.. Especially when they can use it at the after Christmas sales.. so get more for their buck. 

I truly, as of this year…  Refuse to even consider giving an actual give.. Already with thru the  …. JUST MAKE ME SOMETHING… gift.. That bomb twice..  funny how some who tell you that.. have a funny look on their faces as they try to say.. OH, THAT IS SO CUTE..   It isn’t.  or maybe it is just me..   The one year, I made stop air stoppers.. It was a skinny clothe bag filled with rice… that is 3 feet long..  You lay it up against your door and the air doesn’t get thru the area..   BOMBED…   then there was the year of … just make a Christmas ornament..  Oh, how cute… and I never saw them put them on the tree after that..    So let’s be honest with each other..  either give me a list of things you would like… or just give it up.. or lowered your ideals and take the gift card.. 

And that is my humble opinion, ladies and gents…  BAH HUMBUG… two more weeks before we can breathe again..

Oh, and the ho ho.. joy time……  again BAH HUMBUG..  ever seen the faces in the stores as they shop,   THOSE ARE NOT… HO HO.. MERRY CHRISTMAS AND JOY TO ALL, faces..

Maybe I should become Jewish.. they don’t do Christmas.. maybe doing Hanukkah.. would be better…  nah, I don’t want to steal another groups religious holiday just because I not happy with my own group’s.

Maybe I should do .. a count down of a blessing each day until it is over..  Let me see..

that is 13 blessings… ....I am blessed… because I have friends and family who seem to like me.. just the way I am.

 

 

Adding up…

 Adding up… 

We have added up another great grandchild over the weekend..   Saturday brought in a sweet adorable ( I know they are all adorable)  sweet boy..   this makes 34 great grandchildren for us now..  

21 boys and 13 girls..    enough for 2 baseball team  and coaches..   they range from 21 down to just born…  I think it might be more  with the 1 to 10 crowd  more than the over 10 crowd .. but pretty close.  And that is with 4 grandchildren who aren’t married yet.    Of course I started out with 8  myself. But one has no children.(she is 62 now) . and one has a daughter but she is gay.   Guess someday, I will have to rent a spot in a park, or a field of one of my kids.. and gather them all together.. but that is hard to do with some who are out of state..  And some have no interest., you know how it is in large families..    I am just glad that they are all healthy and safe.   Can’t ask for more than that.

 

 

 

 

 

 

How low can the Republican Party go ?

How low can the Republican Party go ?

I guess there is no limit.. It seems the bar gets lower and lower..  Not even going to address the Trump stuff.. This is the Congress..  The fighting among the Congress people is nothing new.. that is centuries old stuff.. 

But when they have a Congress person.. who is made up of nothing to do with  truth. His life as he presented it to his people in New York was basis on lies..  His life, his parents life…his schools .. his jobs… nothing at all is true.. All LIES… Now I am guessing no one in New York knew all this until he was elected.  Which is kind of weird.. don’t states and their parties vent these people.. well, guess not..  As he would have falling thru the holes of information..  But then after running.. and gets elected, it comes to light that he not only is bases on lies.. but he is a thief as well.  He took his campaign funds and used them for personal purpose.. Not just the fund giving to his campaign, but he also took the credit cards information from those donors, and took more money than they agreed to. To use for personal things..  fancy clothes, botox, and so much more..  

But when they all comes to light.. the Congress does little.. Some did  try at mustering out of congress. Twice… and then more came out.. so much more, that now he was an embarrassment to Congress … that even the public knew how bad it was.. Finally someone started his ouster once again.. . This time more Congress men are embarrassed by his acts that they want to put it to a vote.. 

And thank God the masses vote to get rid of him.. had to be 2/3 of the vote, which they got.  BARELY..  There were over 100 Congress persons who either voted to keep him, or chicken out and voted present..  WHAT THE HELL.. They wanted his vote SO BAD.. they wanted to keep him..  Because to replace him.. there could be a Democrat to replace him as it is a Democrat area..  How he does get elected.. I am guessing outside of the state put money up to make sure he got in.   But even if they do get a Democrat in.. the Republicans still have a 3 congressperson vote on their own side advantage.. But guess that is too close for them.. 4 is better.  

And then you have the new House Speaker..  that holy cow.. talk about a real one sided congressman..   the Republican party is sure going to hell in a basket more than any other year.. and the Democrats are much better..  I think it is time to clean out and send them all home to get a real job. And a age limit would be good too..

PET PEEVE # etc.

PET PEEVE # etc.  

We have antenna tv..  we don’t have cable or the other.. 

So we are held captive to the programs on the main  stations.. ABC-CBS-NBC…  

My biggest peeve is..  why do the 3 main channels have to have sports.. especially football on all 3 channels when there are soooooooooo many sports channels.. Even some of the over the air stations have a substation that plays sports.. why not put it on that?  Like NBC.. channel 6 has 6.2 which is sports and weather.. yet we are stuck with sports on 6.1

Every Saturday, we miss out on local as well as national news.  If they are broadcasting the news at a different time..  it is not said when..  once in a blue moon we might come across a local one..  in the middle of the day… like 2pm  or late 8:30pm..  we don’t stay up to 11 to hear it.. and of course National is lost completely.. 

Why is this?    Do these main channels have nothing else to put it on?  Diehard sports people have cable and etc.. and  watch on ESPN and etc. 

I wonder.. if we had someone broadcast the local news during the last quarter of the football game on ESPN..  how would the sports fans like that.? 

Christmas card List

Christmas card List

Nothing like a Christmas card list to let you know you are getting old.

I do my Christmas cards before Thanksgiving.. and then send them out the day before Thanksgiving.. That way everyone gets my card a couple days later…  One time someone asked me why do I send them out so soon.. Told them to get it over with.. for one..  and then I laughed and told them.. well, if I die between Thanksgiving and Christmas…  at least you get a Christmas card from me that year..  Some didn’t think that was so funny.

First off, more and more people are not sending them.. A lot of them are going on Facebook and sending out good wishes to everyone .. all in one swoop..   I can understand that.. as most have a list of 25 or more..  Times that with the 55cents.. it is still 55 cents isn’t it? …per card.. Say nothing about the cost of the cards..  if you buy a box, you might get off with $10.00 if you buy individuals for family that cost you $6.00 and up PER CARD.

So just Christmas cards alone is pretty spendy..  say nothing about the gifts. I don’t send my grandchildren and great grandchild gifts for Christmas anymore..  When you times the great grandkids.. (34 for me) and grandkids.. 3 under the age of 18.…well, it is way beyond our budget.   (So I gave that up when the greats pass the number of 25.   I still do birthdays, but that is spread across the year, so it is affordable, stretched out.)

But anyway.. just dealing with friends..  it is a sad state when you start to address envelopes for friends after you have gone across your list of who sent last year..  Several are crossed off the list, as we have lost friends over the past year.  That is when you are sad and wonder why are you out lasting them.. when you are older than the ones who passed.

 

Good by November..

I don’t do Black Friday…

I don’t do Black Friday…

I don’t do Black Friday anymore..  I have done my fair share.. the waiting in the line that is a block long and there were many after us..  at 4am.. as the Walmart was opening at 6am.. in Federal Way or was it Olympia Washington? Would go with my daughter in laws over on the Washington Coast…..I was mostly used  as a runner.. run after one item to grab it, before it was gone, while they went and grab another item before it disappeared…  And then rush to the next one and the next one.. That is after being crushed thru the doors of  Walmart with the rest of the crowd.. 

I did a better job local two years later..  I showed up at 6:15am.. all the people were in the store already.. running around from what was a wide aisle normally, but full of what was on sale..  Tv were down to maybe two.. out of the 6 foot pile that was there that morning. (we saw them getting ready the day before.(with high prices on them, so people wouldn’t buy them until the next morning)

As we walked slowly to see if there was anything of interest..  and most of the time, there wasn’t.  I found that they have several big items Usually big screen tv’s or computers..on sale.. the rest is the stuff they are trying to get rid of before the end of the year, usual junk. 

Now, I don’t even go.. wish my daughter and granddaughter well, and I sit home reading a book or doing something around the house…  Much more peaceful..

Beside a lot of the stores started advertising BLACK FRIDAY PRICES a month ago..  so it is not a big deal anymore.   The adventure of the hunt is gone..  even the paper has down sized their ads to little to nothing. What use to be like 20 ads pages.. was only 3 this year.. 

Like everything else, it not like it use to be..

 

Thanksgiving Memories

These 3 cooks are what Thanksgiving means to me.. 

My husband

My mother

and the most one.. is My Uncle Tiny...  

never a Thanksgiving passes with out thinking of them. 

 

Start of the holidays..

Start of the holidays.. 

We are heading into the long stretch of holidays… Thanksgiving…Christmas and New Years… Times of joy we hope. But I do remember for many years that some were times of fighting..  in family fighting. So many stories of a the different generations, gathering at the same table in the same house..  Some went off to make many memories. Loving memories.. and some were tales of battles between the generation or siblings. Mostly with grandparents watching..  children watching some times in horror.. While the inbetween generations argue hot and heavy thru it all.

Christmas comes with a week or so of good will.. Joy, wishing each other  MERRY CHRISTMAS  thru the times of shopping for that special gift. The dinners at work, the dinners of the family.. smaller gathers family.. Dinner with friends.  Some families who come from afar to be with ageing parents.  Many years ago, it was still about the gifts.. but it was more about the time together.. And the surprise of the gift on Christmas morning no matter how small.  Sadly that is not so these days.. it is about the gift, by who can buy the biggest gift.. the most expensive gift..  and the gathering is in the back ground…

When I had children still living at home.. we would stay home.. no traveling by the kids and I to family homes..   and I did not want family joining us. This was protection for my kids..  After seeing family gatherings at one home to have the visiting children…. breaking new toys of the children who lived in the house..  (yes, mine too)  I decided..  we would celebrate by ourselves..  to let the kids enjoy their bounty of the day… I encourage the father to go visit his local family, have coffee and enjoy his time with his family.. with out stress.. Just my thing. 

I keep hoping the holidays will be better.. and in some families it is still a great time of joy.. And if they can leave politics out of the day…it can be done. 

So I will break the wording.. of argument…   I am going to wish you all..

HAPPY HOLIDAYS…   (too long to list them all) 

I don’t understand hatred of Nationalities.. like Jewish and etc.

I don’t understand hatred of Nationalities..  like Jewish and etc.

I, once was told that we hate what we don’t understand..  Maybe in school we should have classes of learning about other nationalities.. not their nation so to speak, but the people who lived there at one time.      

I was raised  near Newport, R.I. area  (the town I lived in was Middletown) and we had all kinds of nationalities..   The three biggest were Portuguese, Irish and Italian.  Next came Jewish and then Greek.. and trailing up the road was, what was considered Yankee..  which was a gathering up the rest of the nationalities. Mainly English, and Norway, Sweden and etc.   I don’t recall many, if any Orient ones.

The Portuguese were mostly farmers..  the Italians were mostly fishermen, and the Irish were police officers..  Not all but there just seem that is the line of work that most did.  The Jewish were businessmen mostly.. Lawyers, stores owners, and etc.  Newport is the home of the first USA Synagogue. 

I don’t recall any hatred of any of the nationalities.  We also had quite a few blacks..   Middletown and Portsmouth being farming we didn’t have any black families that I am aware of.  Unless they were in the Navy, which Middletown and Newport shared with their bases.   Newport had quite a few, so I didn’t go to school with any blacks until high school.. 

Only prejudices I recall was when it came to marriage..  None of the different nationality like it when their children married out of  the different nationalities.  The harder one of the bunch was Greek..  We had in our high school class .. a Greek boy who married a Portuguese girl.. And it didn’t go well.   It was worse if it was a girl marrying a non Greek.. Didn’t want their children to have Greek blood and not a Greek name.

I am not saying they all loved each other..  but they tolerated..  had friends of different nationalities, but don’t recall any one hating each other.. If they did it was because of the person themselves… the man or the woman..  In schools, we all got along nation wise… great friends..  played football, baseball, and other sports..  worked with each other..  If there was a thicker line between them.. it was with the blacks.. there were blacks and whites that were good friends..  but not a lot of them.  

I was taken care of by a friend of my mothers, when I was under 12.. she was black, her husband was a chauffer for my great grandfather many years before..  I loved her to death.. so was the neatest lady.. and her house.. oh, God it smelt sooooooooooooo good..  she was always cooking.. if not cooking.. sewing.. I remember her dining room table, always having a sewing machine on it   iron board near by and something cut out and pinned on the table..  And next door was a girl my age.. so we palled around when we were young.. Then when I was in school, didn’t see Diane so much..But when I went to high school, there she was..  so happy to see her. She was so beautiful.   

But this hatred of Jewish people.. I don’t understand.  Mom and Dad had several and I worked for one of them.. he had a produce store in the Spring to Fall..  then he went to Florida in the winter.. beautiful wife.. she was French..  and delightful kids that I baby sat.  Only thing I remember in high school was they got a day off that we didn’t…  and of course they got Christmas off too.  But they got one of their holidays off..  no one was upset about that..

Why do we have this hatred that some are spreading.. These people who are being yelled at or worse, have lived here for YEARS… they aren’t here newly from Israel.   And then to stand in the roads and yell and scream at them..  I don’t care if you are from the Palatines.. if you feel that strongly, go back to your country and fight for your fellowman..  Not stand in a foreign country yelling your hatred at those who do not live in Israel.    Some of them never have. 

 Maybe we should learn about each other more..  if the adage is correct..  

DOES HISTORY REPEAT ITSELF??

DOES HISTORY REPEAT ITSELF??

I was reading my latest issue of Smithsonian… The story I read was titled…  IT CAN’T HAPPEN HERE..  which is actually a book written by Sinclair Lewis.  But the article is about much more..

The article was about two men of the 1930’s. Father Charles Coughlin an

Radio priest and his impressing of listeners with tales of anti Jewish… and how they effected our country.   Sinclair, due to his book on fascism and his wife the journalist who was a writer in Germany before the war.  She was kicked out of German after an unflattering article of about Hitler. Both were alarm at the rise of Nazism and now, how it was effecting the times of USA.

Father Coughlin was a radio priest  who had over 16 million followers. He was so popular that the minister in the area rescheduled services and high schools football had to be over before he came on. He called bankers and financiers SHYLOCK because they were mostly Jewish and he praised Nazi and Italian fascist.  There was the brown shirts who were German American Bund (not band) Then there was the Silver shirts.  Kind of a paramilitary militia .. started by a man called William Dudley Pelley. 

IT CAN’T HAPPEN HERE .. is a book written  by Sinclair Lewis who was concerned  about such men in the United States.. and with the reports from his wife who was the reporter in Germany, he decided to write the book.. which later became a play.. put on with several other plays… by the Federal Theater …(a government project to have out of work actors have a job during the depression).

It was a novel, meaning it was based on real life happenings.  It was based on the men like Coughlin..  It was about a Senator who was promoting a radical man like Coughlin, for President.. They promoted martial law, had militia  Minute Men type…..using them for overriding courts and Congress.  The book sold for over 300,000 copies and is still for sale.. they said.. Amazon had it on the top 10, 6 years ago..  The article  went on to after telling of the Government Federal Theater Project, that Lewis fears faded out on the public front…. Thankfully, it did not happen… but they also said not so much in France and Spain  of today.

They say that history repeats itself.   Scary times, my friend.. Be careful of who you believe in. 

YEP, SHE FORGOT…

YEP, SHE FORGOT… 

Yesterday seem to slip by ..  didn’t have ggboy to keep me in line I guess..  Dad stayed home, so did lil dude… Great one on one with the boys..  And Dad sure needed the day off after 3 months of 7 days a week. Thank heavens for a pour down raining day..

But guess that set off my errorous ways.. as I didn’t do the blog.. I didn’t do the wash… (there wasn’t much any way)   But I did clean off my dresser.. You have one of those .. you know the catch all? Well, mine was starting to get to be more that 6 inches tall.. and covered the whole thing..  Lots of papers, stuck there.. to look at later.. or keep if for just a bit to make sure I didn’t need it..  Took me about 2 and half hours.. to go thru all the stuff.. and veered a side line of going thru boxes and containers of different sizes and shapes.. with odd ball jewelry kept in them..  So downsize some of that..

Well, that is my excuse and I am sticking with it..  but as I notice how nice and organized my dresser is.. and so much nice spaces there..   I also looked over at a desk I have in there.. that is piled high..  BIG SIGH…  guess I should do that today… 

I take everything off of the item (dresser or desk) and put it on my bed..  some times piling it in different piles..  After the whole top is cleared and clean, I go thru the stuff and try my best to get rid of stuff…  Why do we hang on to things?  For supposedly we might need it later???  I have to get better at this..   If my family is smart...  they will just bring in the garbage can and dump all of it in and let go of stuff.. that I seem to think is important.. 

 

 

WHERE DID THIS YEAR GO?

WHERE DID THIS YEAR GO?

Here we go..  the ending of the year.. only 55 days left..  /summer is history..  fall is disappearing with lots of rain..  Hunting season is starting to fade away..  One comes the big last of 2023 holidays.

Thanksgiving and Christmas…   I look forward to Thanksgiving..but not so much Christmas…

Daylight saving was yesterday..  and as usual I went around about noon on Saturday and changed 90% of the clocks..  this year the King didn’t throw a fit..  He actually helped me do the taller ones..  We went to bed watching the end of a show, that ends at 9pm in the summer.. and the clock was reading 7:20pm.  Up yesterday morning and it was daylight..  that won’t last for long..   And of course it is about 4 something and it is getting dark in the afternoon.  

As the year winds down, I think back at what we have done this year..and it seems to be .. not much.  Guess this would be the year… so far.. of service..  Meaning helping others.  The King lost one of his best friends in July..  So we were helping him as he found out he was dying.. Going to the Dr. to find out why he felt so bad.. and falling… to be transferred to the hospital and then another one… and then that Dr. giving him 4 to 6 weeks..  and us watching as the air left his body with the news.. And in 5 weeks he was gone..  Then the King kicked in with service for his son.. He lives in a different state, so the King shut down his dad’s place..  putting cables across the driveway…  and now waiting for the probate to finish… some time this winter.  Then next year, going to help him get rid of all the stuff on the land..  So the son can deal with what he can.. 

In the meantime, I am babysitting what I call GGboy.. or GGboys..  that is our great grandsons who live local.  While Mom has gone to part time work.. I have been filling in.  The oldest is in school, so that is only on early out day, that I have him..  the little dude is here on Tuesdays and Thursdays… 

All thru this.. we got called out.. to help others..  one had an accident… another went in for surgery..  another needed help with his hay for 2 months…  I told the King..  you know… we can’t die… He said.. what do you mean by that?   I told him, because everyone seems to rely on us to help… ha ha… 

So with hoping these last two months of this year.. we are hoping for good health.. calm times even tho the world is not… and time to enjoy our friends… and family…

We are so pissed off…..

We are so pissed off….. 

We got a call yesterday from our pharmacy…  They are really great people.. They called to give us a heads up that the King’s med are not available.. at the dose he takes.  See about 6 months or more ago..  people who are overweight.. have claim… that Ozempic is good for losing weight. ..

Never mind it is a diabetic med.  Never mind that the diabetic needs it to live..   and they can do with so many other products.. and over weight is not necessarily life threatening..

WHY are Dr.s prescribing it for just overweigh people.?  Why are the pharmacy allowing that to happen?  WHY ARE HEALTH INSURANCE ALLOWING IT?  After all, if they run the diabetic over the rails over making sure a certain med is used .. other wise they won’t cover it..   why aren’t they question this for non diabetic people??

AND NOW THERE IS NOT ENOUGH FOR THE DIABETIC?  THIS IS SO WRONG ON SO MANY LEVELS..

Then to add injury to the insult..  The King went down to his dr. office and asked to talk to the dr. nurse..  see if he would write a new prescription for the lesser dose.. as they pharmacy won’t sell him the least dose … And found out that he has to make an APPT… to talk to the dr.. for the dr. to SEE him.. to determine if he can be on the lower dose as before… when he started. What a mess..  and like I said.. so wrong on so many levels..

Being of service…..

Being of service…..

Some times, unexpectly we are called to be of service to someone else of need..

My sister in law, was going in for gall bladder surgery ..  her son was going to be with her and help her at home… when she got home..  But Covid.. intervened..  Then his girlfriend stepped up and said not a problem.. BUT.. just days before..  she too, got Covid…    So I stepped up to the plate.. No problem ..  I told her.. I will be there..   After all I had told her husband when he was passing.. I would take care of her..  The King and I.. 

But then I thought.  Ok, I can do the hospital bit.. I will bring a book.. I can do this..  But then I thought.. wow, what if I am boring..  This poor woman would have to put up with me in her home for 2 days.. and a half..

When I was a kid, I only went for a over nighter with one girlfriend..  It went ok, but never had anyone to our house.. Mom didn’t tell me no, just it never happen for someone to come to my house.. Or me to go to another.  So would I be a good overnight guest?   An old broad like me..  boring? 

Well, no problem.. I keep her on the even keel of taking her meds on time, we watch tv.. we talked ..  we watch tv show of buying a house at different towns thru the nation..   Blazing Saddes, Harm’s Way, Blood Alley and many more..  We b.s. a lot…   and LAUGHED..  Talked about our childhood,… And the days and nights went by..  She was up and walking around..  She fixed her dinner…  She carried Belly Boo.. (a pillow, the hospital gives you, so you can cough, so you don’t feel like your guts are going to fall out) ..  We just had a nice time together.. Just the two of us.

Sometimes you volunteer and then second guess yourself. And wonder, how will it go.. will you actually be of a help..   Sunday at noon, I hugged her good bye.. She was doing GREAT… So see, being of service is a nice feeling… to help our fellow person..   Hope you get to do that too… 

Oh, forgot.. did some that late afternoon… for the other generation…  my daughter asked me to fill in with her and her grandchildren.. going to a church HOLLOWEEN party at our church..  The parents were both at work.

So off I went.. in a place of 200 plus of children and parents, and grandparents and me a great..  Wild and crazy time.. Kids playing games, getting candy rewards… And me thinking I am too old for this.. lol.. but it went well, and the boys had a ball.

I thought it came from????

I thought it came from???? 

Over the years I have quote what I thought…  was a line in a show on tv.. called the Mod Squad.. You know the one about the 3 teens who help the cops solve everything.  I remember one scene when they were in a hospital room with a friend.. and LINC… SAID..   I cried because I had not shoes until I met a man with not feet…   I had never heard that saying anywhere before or since..  AND YET.. it came up somewhere and gave reference such as these..  I was so surprise..   more of life that isn’t what you thought it was..

1.                www.goodreads.com › quotes › 745061“I cried because I had no shoes until I met a man who had no ...

Apr 6, 2016 · “I cried because I had no shoes until I met a man who had no feet.” ― Helen Keller

2.                genius.com › Ralph-mctell-streets-of-london-lyricsRalph McTell – Streets of London Lyrics | Genius Lyrics

“I cried because I had no shoes, until I met a man who had no feet.” – Helen Keller. Written in 1968, McTell presents a series of characters from the streets of London, all of whom survived WW2.

3.               People also ask

What is the quote I cried because I had no shoes?

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4.                www.goodreads.com › quotes › 6551909-i-felt-sorryQuote by Jewish Proverb: “I felt sorry for myself because I ...

“I felt sorry for myself because I had no shoes until I met a man who had no feet.” ― Jewish Proverb

 

All I can say is .. WOWSER!!

 

The story of the pennies…lesson learned

The story of the pennies…lesson learned

A few weeks ago, we were helping out our friend’s son. Our friend who passed in July…

We went out to see if we could find some important papers..  The son lives in another state.. we live 25 miles from our friend’s house..  So easier for us to do it..

While there we came across where he was collected coins..  We left the silver coins for the son to get…  but there was pennies.. and they were black. And disgusting.. So I figured.. what the heck, I will take them home and wash them up for him..  I brought them home, spread them across the outside table.. THEY WERE ALL BLACK.. barely could tell they were pennies.. So got some vinegar and salt and swished it around in a 5 gallon pail with the pennies…  I know it worked for my mother’s Revere cooper bottom pans.. This stuff did not phase it…  So went on google to find out how to wash and clean pennies..    Nothing that looked good to me.. there was some commercial type cleaner.. but these are pennies.. don’t want to spend …  So decided to go with Mom’s second choice..  cooper cleaner. 

Oh what a mess..  globbed the cream and smeared it all over the coins. As doing  it by toothbrush was not going to be fun.. and more labor than I wanted to invest in.. Besides the couple I did try.. hardly did anything.. I left it over night and swished back and forth.. filled up the sink with warm water to rinse it off..  Not much difference.. So figured.. ok.. I will just spread them on a towel and let them dry.  Some of them came out .. ok.. kind of.. the rest are not all dry with dry cooper cleaner on them..  I took a brush to them under the water..  Not much better at all..  So I dried them all.. Took a day and half.. in the sun..  to get them all dried..WITH DRY COOPER CLEANER ON THEM..making them now dark cooper and green. Again did the brush.. Loosing patiences that I don’t have in the first place.

I had spread them all over a large towel on the dining room table… and found out there was 972 pennies..  All of this for $9.72.. I am DONE..  LOL.

So I took them to the bank and asked if they had one of those machines that counts coins..  They did not ..but their main bank did in town.. so off to town to give it to them..  I explain the whole thing to them.. they open the container and said.. weeeell….. you see these are pretty dirty and they may clog up the machine..  so they need to be wrapped and then we can take them.. They sent me on my way… with wrappers for the coins… I looked at it … when I got home.. 20 wrappers.. a container full of dirty pennies.. 

And the saying … what  is the story… no good deed goes unpunished.. came to mind.

I loaded the pennies in a plastic container.. put a note on it.. to explain what happen.. and put them in my box I have for Goodwill… (when it is full, I drop it off)… let them get someone with more patience than me..

That was two weeks ago..  and every time I walked by.. that container nagged at me.. Was kind of upset with myself.. for giving up.

That was two weeks ago..  Saturday, I looked at them.. and thought .. I have the whole day with nothing to do but read… … how hard can this be?   So I took the plastic container out…  open it up..  .God that is a lot of pennies..

I put it on the table.. took out the wrappers..   and thought .. 18 wrappers ? 19 of them…. To fill..   I tried one.. and it did not go well..  I was ready to fold.   But I thought DAMN IT CIS… you surely aren’t going to fold on this..  what else do you have to do today.. at least start..  Then I went on line to see if there was an easier way to do this..  not really ..  there was some funnel thingies..  There was a guy who just put the pennies in.. looking like it was easy, but I already knew it wasn’t..   So went back to the table.. and looked at all those pennies..   Then came up with a plan  Just stack the pennies 10 to a pile..  a line of 5.. that is 50 .. and if you put the wrapper over the top and try to slide the wrapper over the pennies..   Nice plan.. it worked for the first 4…pennies, that is. Then I made sure the ten were lined up really well.. put the wrapper over and tapped VERY gently.. and they went in..  YAHOO.. whoa.. not so fast, there is 4 more piles to go..So slowly and gently.. I repeated it .. got it to do it in 6 minutes..  Ok, 6 minutes with 19 of them.. how long can that be.. I did not want to know.. So I started.. 

Every time I looked at that container I swore those pennies were breeding in there.. it didn’t seem like they were going down..   But then I remembered President Eisenhower’s saying..  DON’T LOOK AT HOW MUCH YOU HAVE TO GO…  LOOK AT HOW MANY YOU HAVE DONE…  So stop looking at the container..  (well, not very often) .. and keep going..  I was getting piles of the coins stacking up in wrappers..   One time when I look at the container.. I could swear it was not getting less… but then looked at the pile and there was $6 worth there.. 12 rolls.. YAHOO…. But still there was a lot left.. But started up again.. counting out 50 pennies in stacks of 10’s.. And two hours from when I started.. I WAS DONE…  I GOT THEM ALL.. 19 ROLLS.. $9.50.. YAHOO.. I WON.. I WON.. I said to myself.. 

Like life, if you just keep going.. your project/chore is done.. 

So what am I going to do with them?/  take them to the Bank on Monday am.. and get green backs with 2 quarters.. and send it to the son… See .. never give up.. And it was a great feeling when I got done..

The tumults times of the day and I can't understand

The  tumults times of the day…. The week.. and who knows how long. Last time it was 6 days… there is more buildings and etc.this time... so this time will take longer..

Israel is at war…  They quickly notified their enemy who cross their border and killed their children, woman and bomb the homes.. 

Some thought that. Oh ,no we will be going over and helping.. ISRAEL does not need our help..  Maybe moral support.. But mostly they want us to just stay out of it.. and all other countries as well..  This is between them and Hamas. Let’s hope it stays that way.

Israel’s armed forces have been very strong over the years and still is.. They have a Air Force that rivals ours..  some of that is due to the fact they are buying our planes.  Their Army also rivals ours.. maybe even more.. as they enlist men AND WOMEN..  and have for years.  All those 18 and over had to go into the service and learn how to protect the country.. Those woman are just as strong fighting as their male counter parts.. They have trained side by side with the men.  They have fought, side by side.. guns in hands.. FOR YEARS.  Each one had to do 2 to 4 years of training and duty before they could go on with their lives.  .. It was mandatory

The Israel Government has been a country to reckoned with as they have the attitude of .. you bomb us once.. we bomb you 5 times..  that is why they are bombing Gaza to the ground… This time anyway, they have warn the civilians to leave the area…as they will bring the whole area to the ground.. They are trying to make sure they can clear before..  something the HAMAS has not done.   Even worse they snuck in under the gate (where was the guard? Why have a  gate if not guard?)   and killed everyone… women where either killed or taken… babies were shot, set on fire… What kind of human can do that to a child? I know war is war.. but children.. babies?  How can any of these men of power (Putin) be ok with killing elderly, children… even children in hospital..  what kind of manhood is that?  How can you take pride in conquering.. from that?  I don’t understand..

The people feel bad for the Palestine’s … but these are not the civilian Palestines .. the every day, living ones.. these are the terrorist who have taken over part of their government and citizens..  HAMAS.

Because of this region, when it is war.. no human is exempted… children, women, elderly as well as any soldier type.  In fact the weak, more so.  They figure they are carnal damage..

With this type of attitude, this will be one of the worse wars yet.. Both this one and Ukraine … as they are both run by barbaric leaders… Hamas and Putin…There will be no winners of humanity in these wars.

What kind of person can not only bomb areas where children are.. but actually walk up to an area and shoot children..  bomb a children’s hospital.. what kind of cold blooded humans are they..   we think in the age of 2023 that the human race has improved..  there are parts of the earth, that is not true at all.  What kind of a man can follow his leader to shoot children.. Am I to assume he does not have children at home?  How can you do this with out thinking of your children at home..  What kind can follow a leader that would ask that of you?   And to be honest.. what kind of God do they have, that is ok with killing the weak..  Women, elderly, children and babies.. how can they be a threat to you and your country? 

I don’t understand.. it is more than my mind can handle…  I pray that some day, there will be human decency for ALL people.

We mourn for the innocent Israel citizens.. who that morning had not a clue that this was their last morning on earth..

 

Who handles the purse strings in your family?

Who handles the purse strings in your family?

Over the years.. thru 3 husbands..  I have been the one.. They made the money … the first two..  and I paid the bills, got loans arranged, got income taxes paper together and did the taxes for a while,, when it was simple.

And with this husband..  we both worked, but I am the one who handles the paper works.. meaning also the bank account.  With that I am the one who finds the sums that he wants to use to buy from our budget.

So far my bookkeeping had endured without problems..  I say so far, because I know there will come a day.. when I am going to need help before I go.. And that person of choice is my youngest. The reason she is, because she lives here..  It helps that she is also a bookkeeper by trade.  But I am sure my bookkeeping will drive her crazy until she figures out my system.. The system that works for us.

I have always paid bills first..  food second.. and if there is any left over, then we got to do something fun.  All 3 men have had good credit rating because of my attitude..  bills first..  It wasn’t easy at a few times.. But it was done.. So the first one walked away with top notch credit rating… The second one passed away with top notch credit rating.. and the one now.. he came with the lowest of low.. due to going into business with his brother, before  my time..  But thru hard work,  Skimping here and there, we brought him out 5 years later.. and now he has a top rate..  None of this was easy.. 

But I saw women who’s husband left.. or died and they had not a clue how to run the finances of their lives..  Didn’t even know what bank he was using.. That was scary..  I also decided to make sure my husbands  would not be in that position. 

The problem I found when my second husband passed away was ..  we had everything financially in his name..  credit cards, utilities, bank accounts were in his name.. and  cars were in his name..   So my first widowhood job was to find a way to get that into my name..  The credit cards would not let me continue in his name.. and as far as my name..  I had NO CREDIT RATING..  because I had no history of credit..  One of them.. I wrote to ,we had used them for about 5 years..  I told them if there was a way to see our payments, they would know I was the one making sure the payments were paid monthly.. usually in full..  I told them I had the cancel checks with my signature on them.. not my husbands.. So they decided to let me have one.. for .. $1000 .. credit line..  It took them a year to trust me.. Along with me paying .. I had gotten the utilities in my name as well, and they saw that record.

So I am trying to make sure my guy knows what is what.. I have everything in BOTH of our names.. so no matter who goes first, the other doesn’t have to fight the company to keep things going.   He hates doing book work.. I make him to it at least twice a year. 

But for backup, my daughter knows where the book is that I use to keep monthly track of each bill..  I have a file cabinet with the bank info.  I have a grab and run bag in the file cabinet..  so if we have a fire, there is the important papers or if I pass first.

So it is a good idea that BOTH of you know ALL of the financial information.  Which bills that need to be paid monthly.. where that income come from and where it goes.. in the year of 2023… there is no excuse for not both of you to know..   One can handle it..but the other needs to know where everything is.. and how to handle it … just in case.  And yes, I know there are spouses that would  or can not handle money at all..  That is sad.. you are a team.. and should work as a team.