Manners never go out of style.

Manners never go out of style.

I had the GGboys yesterday..  and we were doing things around the yard and then inside..  We were coloring pictures.. The boys were making their own.  I have a cheap design coloring book.  I call it a pablum book,  you know, when you can do something with out thinking..

When one of the boys decide to share a color with the other.. I asked the receiver .. what do you say..  He looks at me for a minute and then he said.. Oh, thank you..  I told him good..  then I turn to the other one… and said.. and what do you say?  He just looked at me..  I said.. how about “you welcome”..  So he said it.  This went on several times over borrowed colors.. to getting water for one of the boys..   Then out of the blue I said.. you know..  when young boys say thank you and you welcome..  grown ups think that is pretty special that you say that..  As not many say that anymore. It is the polite thing to do.. The oldest said.. yea, Mom has us say thank you to others..   I said how about to each other..  He looked at me, like I was crazy..  I said.. well, when you do something nice for someone..  don’t you like it when the person tells you thank you/? He said.. yea, I guess I do.   I told him. Being polite is a nice way of being nice to others.  Let’s them know you appreciate what they did for you..  So off and on thru the rest of the art time.. I would hear one say to the other as a marker flew by me.. THANK YOU……  YOU WELCOME… and I smiled..

Manners never go out of style.. and we as the older generation need to let them know that.

HELLO … GOOD BYE.. JULY

HELLO … GOOD BYE.. JULY

Wow, here we go.. on the downhill side of 2024…9 days left of July making it only 4 more months of the year..   I know we have a month of temper heat of practicing for HELL, left.. but with the weather we are having.. who knows what it will be.

But will say it is a scary 4 months left..  Some where soon there is the Democratic Convention… and that is a mess.. The powers that be in that party are not so sure they want to stick with Joe.. and if they decide to not go with him.. WHO are they going to find crazy enough to put up against the massive snowball of hell called Trump..   Now remember I have no horse in this election.. I AM NOT A DEMOCRAT… AND SURELY NOT A REPUBLICAN EITHER..   Neither of those two do I want in the White House. But what do I know..    the 300,000 suppose citizens of the USA.. are either crazy about one or the other.   But I do like that Trump did not find another old dog to go the route with him. His running mate who use to hate him, decided he would go with it at the age of 39.   But got to have someone better than Cook  OR wait for God to do it.. to get to see what Vance can do.  So we all just sit here and watch…  Is anyone handing out popcorn while we watch?

 

Only in America… or the Ugly American…

Only in America… or the Ugly American…

Is it only in American that citizens.. every day citizens,, not military, not jungle fighters, not gangs…   I am talking about the every day Joe or Jill that goes to work each day.. 

Is it only us..  who get feed up..  angry,  disgusted or mad at someone about their opinions, or way of life, or what ever that sets these people off….  Grabs a gun and goes and kills someone.  Kills them because they are so ticked off at their way of life, what they said, what they think, how they treated them..  you just get a gun and kill them.. and while you are at it . kill others with them.  At the work place,  in a hotel.. looking down at a bunch of people who are listen to music…  in a grocery store.. in a church… in a school?

Are we the only mentally challenged that we can’t figure out how to talk to some one.. or even ignoring that person?  Just because someone said something to you.. just because you don’t like their politics?   ARE WE THE ONLY MENTALLY OFF BALANCE? TO THINK THE BEST THING IS TO KILL?

Now maybe I don’t read the papers enough..  don’t read on line enough, read about over seas, be it Europe, Asia, the mid East? England, Ireland and etc..   but I don’t recall someone just grapping a gun to kill people just out of anger. 

Kill for countries. Like Russia to grab land..  Kill because they don’t like their dictator, Or one religion against another.. But just one individual against another..   even ones they know thru the media but have no clue what or who they really are.  Just because they disagree.   

WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH US CITIZENS.. THE SAD THING IS..  THESES ARE 8% OF THE COUNTRY… the rest are good people.. they disagree with you, but they walk off, because you aren’t worth arguing with..  or might even tell their own side, but let you have your side too…  that is who the REAL AMERICANS ARE..  but they are not the ones the media shows the world..  which make or encourages more  to become like the loud obnoxious ones.

More and more I am glad (I think) won’t be around to see this mess.. the destroying of America..   But I fear for my grand children.. and especially my great grandchildren.  Who may never know what it is like to walk down a country road barefooted.  To listen to the birds..  to hear the wind whip thru the trees.. To trust..  to trust anyone..  I guess I grew up and raised my kids just in time to see the good life. 

AND WE THOUGHT THE SLAVES WERE IN THE SOUTH..

AND WE THOUGHT THE SLAVES WERE IN THE SOUTH..

While searching for some information on something else, I came across this ..  Being I was born and raised in the Newport, R.I. area, it was of interest to me..   As all the time growing up.. I did not ever hear of this..    I heard there was a rich man’s house that was near the waterfront of the bay… which there was a tunnel under ground to the house and buildings he had. Used by rum runners… to go to the man’s property without notice.  I did hear something about it later in life..  That it was the tunnel to bring in slaves,  to take out rum.  But in my time of living there, I never saw the tunnel opening.. Even tho Mom and Dad had a boat. But we rarely went up bay, we went out towards the ocean and over to Jamestown.   Anyway..  like my title says… WE THOUGHT SLAVES WERE IN THE SOUTH..

So read this and see what you think..  maybe google it. I did. 

 

Slave trade[edit]

Newport was a major center of the slave trade in colonial and early America, active in the "triangle trade" in which slave-produced sugar and molasses from the Caribbean were carried to Rhode Island and distilled into rum that was then carried to West Africa and exchanged for captives. In 1764, Rhode Island had about 30 rum distilleries, 22 in Newport alone.

Slaves were trafficked illegally into Rhode Island, breaking a 1787 law prohibiting residents of the state from trading in slaves. Slave traders were also breaking federal statutes of 1794 and 1800 barring Americans from carrying slaves to ports outside the United States, as well as the 1807 Congressional act abolishing the transatlantic slave trade.

A few Rhode Island families made substantial fortunes in the trade. William and Samuel Vernon were Newport merchants who later played an important role in financing the creation of the United States Navy; they sponsored 30 African slaving ventures. However, it was the DeWolfs of Bristol, Rhode Island, and most notably James De Wolf, who were the largest slave-trading family in America, mounting more than 80 transatlantic voyages, most of them illegal. The Rhode Island slave trade was broadly based. Seven hundred Rhode Islanders owned or captained slave ships, most of whom were substantial merchants, though many were ordinary shopkeepers and tradesmen who purchased shares in slaving voyages.^[17]

Newport was inhabited by a small group of abolitionists and free blacks. Reverend Samuel Hopkins, minister at Newport's First Congregational Church, has been called "America's first abolitionist".^[18] Among subscribers to Hopkins' writings were 17 free black citizens, most of whom lived in Newport.^[18] This community of freemen, including Newport Gardner, founded the Free African Union Society in 1780, the first African mutual aid society in America.^[19]

 

Let me tell you now, incase I am not around…

Let me tell you now, incase I am not around…

Everyone worries about getting older…But let me tell you how it really is..

When you are from 0 to 30..  it is the usual stuff.. and no one really worries about those ages..  even 40’s and 50’s.. but 60’s seem to scare the hell out of most…  It is easy..

50’s is like being 20 accept you have a brain… yes you thought so at 20.. but you really didn’t… other wise you wouldn’t have done the dumb things you did..   At 50, you know better.. but you know how not to endanger yourself for the most part.. because you actually thought it out.   You might still do it.. but with less danger.

At 60’s You find out you can really say the things you want to say and people mostly will still be your friend. And if they don’t.. by this time you don’t care.. It isn’t you try to be mean..  you might soften it a bit.. but you will say it like you think it..

At 70’s is so fine, you are starting head into retirement IF YOU WANT TO..  IF you are lucky and I was… you can still do a heck of a lot of what you want to do..  As physically you are still pretty darn active… 

80’s is the pits… AND IT IS HELL TO GET OLD… you can still get around .. but it is a lot slower, your strength is in the toilet.. and you end up asking for help..  and some times you have to pull the “I’m 80 now, you know  card…   lol..  enjoy yourself.. 

Oh, yea… your patience’s with stupid people went in the toilet too.

Family … we are family…

Family … we are family…

Had the pleasure of having number 3 son and his family visit us for the 4^th of July. They have 4 children.. ranging from 11 to 26, I think?

It was a great time for us .. for sure.. and it also was for my local daughter and granddaughter with her sons.

It started out with a simple cook out, on the night they arrived.

On the next day  was a bar-b-que at our house… there was a beach day the next day …followed by pizza with a pre birthday for the GGboys. And then the final morning,  a good bye breakfast with them all.. except the granddaughter and GGboys.. as we did it pretty early, so they could get on the road back home.. 8 hours away.. 

When you get older, you really appreciate the kids coming to you, instead of all the traveling for us.. 

Life keeps changing…

Life keeps changing…

Tomorrow is the 4^th of July… One of my pass favorite holidays.. better than Christmas, and Thanksgiving or my birthday…  I love it because I love parades… I love fireworks… and of course a bar-b-q, as well.

But this year.. I am only half hearted into it.  Not going to the parade as my legs can’t take the walking anymore.  I always got there an hour before it started.. Be it the one in Sandpoint, which is the bigger of the two..  Or Clark Fork, which is a sweet old down home town of a parade. And smaller.   I have taken my camera to both of them..  Alternating each year. And then I would post them on my Facebook, so who ever didn’t get a chance to go, could see what there was in the parade.  But this year, my heart isn’t in it.

We are going to have a bar-b-q at our house.  But that is mostly because one of my sons and his family are coming up for the holiday..  So we are having the old fashion type. And I am looking forward to that. Already started some of the prep work.   4^th of July bar-b-que is like Thanksgiving.. there is a few prep work that need to be done a day or two before.. And then the morning of.. it is put the meat on.. And finish the prep work.   We will have his family of six.. They are my youngest grandchildren.  From 11 to 24 (I think). This year is extra special.. as I almost lost this son just a month and half ago, to a heart condition.. He is bouncing back.. he had similar trouble 3 years ago..  Being I have already lost one daughter to heart problems..  this hit home.  His family and us, are so very grateful that it turn out well.

They will probably leave in the early evening to go see the fireworks or maybe they will set off their own, rather than fight the crowd.   Me? Not so much..  It just doesn’t seem the same.. All the fireworks that I have gone to over the years… last 30 to 45 minutes. The last time we went to town, and waited with the crowd for 3 hours… for it to start.  It is at the beach.. which means no parking for the fireworks.  So it is park in town and walk down to the beach. So lacking for space to sit for those who show up late.  We use to have a back road we could sit at and see the show… But that back road has filled up with private homes.. blocking the view and not happy about strangers in their neighborhood.  Anyway, the time we went down to the beach.. like I said a 3 hour wait for it to get dark enough.. We got there and it was 7pm..  they did not start the fireworks until 10pm.  I know because I had looked at my watch to see what time they finally started..  But the worse of it was… it was OVER.. and I looked at my watch…  11 minutes after 10…  3 hours for a 11 minute show.. I was done.. so done..  So no more fireworks.

So 4^th of July isn’t what it use to be.  Also the best part of parades in the past was the marching bands… and there aren’t hardly any of those anymore.. if they in fact do have one.   Sad..  guess I am just getting too old for parades anymore.

It is that time of the year again.. school reunions..

It is that time of the year again.. school reunions..

We get a yearly notice for joining the class reunion for our school, no matter what year it is.. I think it is called “for all years”.. No wait, I see they changed it.. it is for all those who graduated 50 + years ago.  So while this year is not OUR year..for the 5 or 0…we are still invited to join.  Probably because there isn’t enough for each class to have much of a showing.. Some died, some are disabled, and some just don’t go to them..  I am more of the last bunch. But also I live in Idaho.. and the school is in Rhode Island. 

The school I graduated from.. is now a  middle school. They moved the high school into a new building about 4 miles away. And not that building they figure is too old and they are trying to decide to savage the good parts.. or just build a new one..  See it was the class of 1958 that graduated first from that new building.  Our class of 1957 was the last class of the ancient school that even my parents went to.. and it was old when they went.

There is 3 more years before we get to really celebrate.. and that will be 70^th year reunion.

I wish they would have the head of the group have a booklet of WHERE ARE THEY NOW.. so we can see who is still with us. I would guess with ours being 68 years this year.. there aren’t a heck of a lot of us left.  The average age being 85. I was a young one.. I graduated at the age of 17… just barely 17.. two months before. Where most of my class mates turn 18.  

There is probable about 4 or 5 of 1956.. and older.. and ours is probably has maybe 10 at most. 

There is so little of us.. that they have throw us in with the Catholic church schools.  I don’t know if they are still running or not.  I should google it.   St. Catherine’s for girls.. and DeLaSalle for boys.. Ours was and still is Roger’s High School.   Oh and the dinner is $35 a piece..  and for me and mine?  Well, you have the plane ticket from coast to coast..  then the hotel, then food, and rental car..  Pretty expensive for me..   I will pass.

A day of many emotions…

A day of many emotions…

On this day, 1960…late at night..  my first child was born. She came in with red hair..  And she was a true blue red head from the get go..  which made the next 57 years  interesting..

She was the joy of her father and myself.   She was later joined by 7 more siblings over the years..

On an evening in May… in 2017….  I lost her to a heart attack on her front lawn.  Leaving behind.. two sons and a daughter of her own..who blessed her with two grandchildren..  Ava the love of her life.. her shadow in all things of life..  And God blessed her just weeks before she left.. with a grandson.   Julie was a family person.. totally..  Not only her own blessing who she love with all of her heart…..  but also  she tried to rule the rest of her siblings with love..  But even more important than her siblings.. she as a mom figure to many.. a mentor.. with her first husband though their church .  A good share of them came to her celebration of life..  and I truly pray she heard each one of them as she sat on the edge of the cloud to watch us all praise and laugh with her.

She got to live a full life..(but not enough for all of us)  She spread so much of God’s flowers around the city parks of Longview.. that won her praises.  There is a bench with her name on it.. in one of the park gardens.  

She and her second husband had many family dinners to celebrate family.. and he show her the world in their travels.. 

I share my heartfelt lost with all those who knew her.  And I am grateful that God got us closer just 2 year before..

She definitely lived up the adage …  GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN.. 

 

Still kicking butt.. and getting it done..

Still kicking butt.. and getting it done..

This past weekend.. I got it done..   Saturday was especially good.

I weed whacked the front yard, the side yard and 99% of the back yard.. (just didn’t do up by the garden.. figured that was the King’s job, as the garden is his baby.)

Then I pulled weeds..  Then I looked at the red brick patio we just had redone.. and thought how bad the little areas on each side of the steps were. There is a large box garden about 2 feet by 2 feet. On each side. Those were fine. There is a area about the same size in front of one of the boxes, that flowers were growing...  But along side of each box was a mess.  So I got down on my knees and pulled weeds.. LOTS OF WEEDS.. There is a devilish red plant that has cute yellow flowers. BUT IT IS A WEED.. AND IT COVERS EVERY WHERE.   The good news they pull out really easy..  After I got the weeds out.. I pulled all the rocks pulled out of there on to the red brick tiles.  I found some black fabric that is thin..  it is suppose to keep the weeds out of your garden.. THEY LIED..  Anyway.. I cut a piece to cover it.. and then I took a black garbage and ripped it down, so it was one long unit.. I put another garden fabric down.

Then I raked all of the stones back on to the black area.  It covered about 80% of the area.  I had some pea pebbles rock left over from the patio job.. I spread them on the front area of the section.  It looked great.. Then I put some flower pots there.. and my little Dutch girl..  Found my turtle that is solar.. and put him there too.  

Then I started on the other side. And to be honest with you.. I really thought about doing it another day.  I had gone in and drank some ice water.. and stood there as I drank it at the back door.. and thought WHY NOT..  I can do this.. So back out..  same thing.. Pulled all the weed out. Which were a LOT harder to pull than the other side.  I pulled off the rocks…  did the 3 layer deal, and then raked the rocks back on.. but there wasn’t anywhere near the same amount of them.. so I pleaded with the King to go get me. 2 bags of river rocks.. and 6 bags of pea pebbles rock.. And he did.. Bless his little pea picking heart.   I put the two bags of river rock in the second area..  Then took the pea pebbles and put them in.  While I was at it.. I open the rest and spread them across the side of the red brick patio.. so they matched the hot tub area and the  near the boxes..  Then I  got my Portuguese Lady.. and a small metal wire  wheelbarrow put in a pot.. and it was good to go. Got out a few of my solar kids.. and I was done.. 4 hours later and so TIRED.. SWEATY AND BEAT.   Headed to the showers..  

So at 84.. still kicking butt and getting it done..