Rose glasses

I have been accused of seeing the human race
thru rose color glasses. Meaning I rather see
the good than find the bad, undesireable side.

I don't think I work at this. Just I rather
see the good. And wonder why some one
would rather think something unpleasant
about another person. Why does a situation
have to have a downside looked at first?

Am I mellowing in my old age? Being an
old spitfire in my younger age, first to
take up the banner, to ward off the
evils of unjust. Flamethrower of sorts.

Now I look before I leap,
I think, is this my problem?
Is it my business? And usually
it isn't. It is not my job to
keep the peace, or to make
things fair. It is everyone's
job to take care of their own
problems. And we aren't
really needed to take up the
torch.

You know this has brought a
lot of peace in my life. Why I
thought it was my job, I don't
know. It was the caretaker
in me, I guess. You know, to
help out, to solve the problem,
to protect. I have found out
it is not my job. And to only
help out if ASKED, and then
make sure to support, not do
the task.

After all, we have enough on
our own plate to take care of
each day. And this all leads up
to having a heck a lot more
fun. Laughter, that truely is
the best medicine.

So enjoy the weekend. Go
have fun. Enjoy life to the
fullest.

What does it all mean?

What does it all mean?
Grinders, Cabinets, Stuffies, Bullrake,
when is dinner? well, it is at noon of course...
because the one at night is Supper.

Who was one of the first states to be into coffee?
Washington with Starbucks? No way..

Way back in the 30's and 40's there was
coffee syurp, coffee ice cream, coffee milk,
ice coffee and coffee at resturants was served
with cream, which we jokingly said we like a
little coffee with our cream. But you have to
ask not to have cream in your coffee
if you want it black.

Also we disliked travelling more than 10
minutes from our home town. It was so bad,
that a lady in Wakefield moved to the town
where her son lived so she could be closer to her
grandchildren... she moved to Woonsocket.
About half an hour drive. Oh, yea and we
have a lot of unpronounceable names.
And we hate changes. We rather cuss
the rut than have to change it.

Where else do they have pot hole derby's?
And Victory Day is a state holiday?
And most of the population moves to
Florida after the age of 60.

Oh, and do you know what Stuffies are?
And that they are made with Quahog?
And what a Quahog is?

Grinders, Cabinets, Stuffies, Quahogs,
bullrake, what does this all mean?
Grinders are Subs here in the west,
Cabinets are milkshakes,
Stuffies are made with Quahogs,
(which are big clams) that are mixed
with a stuffing mix, put back in to the
clam shell and baked.
Almost as good as lobster. Bullrake is a
rake that you drag across the bay floor
to get the Quahogs. With handles about
10 feet long. Real talent to handle those babies.

What do these have in common?
They are all traits of being a Rhode Islander..
One that is born to a native Rhode Islander .

And that is why I like Idaho, because so
many of these traits are here too. And that
is why I only end up in CdA about 2 or 3
times a year.

Baldy Mt. Rule

The Baldy Mt. Rule doesn't apply this year.
Not unless my side is the only side that doesn't
have snow.

Baldy Mt. Rule, for those who don't live in
Bonner County, is that you don't plant
anything until Baldy Mt. snow is gone.
Especially tomatoes.

This year has been definitely weird
weather year. After all, how long
has it been when we only get two
serious snow storms in a winter's
time. How many times do we have a
no snow February? And if we do, it
means March is going to be a big
snow month. We had one kind of
serious snow storm. Serious snow
storms are ones that last a couple days.

As we got our wonderful warm
weather, and raising our planting
urges, we look at Baldy Mt.
Do we dare? We, who have
lived in Bonner County for
more than 20 years, know
we are tempting the elements
if we try.

It is like being a Chocolatecoholic,
the temptations are great.
The sun is there, no wind, all
the right conditions. Baldy Mt.
is even clean. But you know in
your soul, you should not.

I did do my hanging baskets.
But I ushered my baskets to
the greenhouse last night.
Even with out its door, there
will be protection from the
wind, and hopefully the
tempts won't dip too bad.

With the forecast of 30's for
evenings and 50's for days,
winds up to 45 mph, nope
this is not the year to use the
Baldy Mt. Rule.

Summer time and the living is easy

FEVER... FEVER... FEVER......


sunshine fever, summer fever...
It has started.....
lawns mowing...b-b-q's cooking,

Yes, Spring is here
and hopes of Summer
coming right behind.

Summer is the best time of the
year to me. It has Memorial Day.
The beginning of outside cooking,
Women get a break from
the cooking part. They still do the
set up. But men are now kicking
in with their share. Ah, the smells
of the neighborhood b-b-q.

And the Father's Day picnic.
If the weather is holding, it
is time for the kids and grandkids
to run free thru the park, under
the watchful eyes of parents and
grandparents.

Then there is the 4th of July.
My favorite holiday. Outside
all day. Parades, bands,
kids running with balloons.
Fireworks at night time, that
brings out the child in everyone
of us.
And if you don't have a tan
by this time, then you are
sunburnt. A sign you aren't
outside enough.

And the garden, sifting thru
the fresh dirt, is good for the
soul. But the down side
of that is the weeds to come.
But the flowers are your reward.

Ah, hello, spring/summer,
the answer to my cabin
fever. I am so ready.

weather alert

Are you ready for snow. Yep,
I think it is going to snow.
See I think I tempted the elements.

First of all, last week I had Ken
till the garden and I got my hanging
baskets out and lined up waiting
for dirt and plants

And then, on Friday, it was 75,
I clean out the greenhouse
and got it ready for my plants.
Then got my yard furniture out.
Went around and clean up all the
old branches that I had cut off
the roses.


On Saturday, I got out all my summer
clothes and put always all my winter
clothes.

If that doesn't tempt the elements, I
surely will be surprised

The Call of the Sun

Oh, this is way to hard to do... sit here and
blog today...I feel the call of the sun... garden
work, warm sun.

I walked twice today. Once with my fast
walking partner and now I have a new
one... she just got over knee surgery
so the therapist says start walking. She is
my slow walking partner. We walk to the
Post Office together Monday
thru Friday, except Tuesday when I
work. It is going really well for her.
She is gaining speed.

But as I walked, I see people getting
their garden tools out. We got our
garden ready for planting. So need
to get out in the green house and
clean out the final junk. Get the
chairs out on the deck.
Yesterday, I got my windchimes out.

YES!! finally good weather. Yard work,
soft warm soil... good for the soul.
Can't sit here any longer....
Have a good weekend..

Remember relationships are compromising deals

Remember relationships are compromising deals.
Some times it is in your favor, some times it isn't.
Give and take. Just make sure it goes both ways.

This isn't just in the male ....female relationships.
It pertains to others. Friends, and even your children.
Some times it hurts, but you got to remember.
You are you and they are they. So unless it is against
you personally, you have to let go of the hurt, and
let them be. Give them the space, and you too. You
don't have to fix everything. Sometimes that is hard,
I think,especially in the adult children relationship,
it is harder. Because we are use to having our words
mean something. And when an adult child deems what
you think or say as null and void, that hurts. And in
the marriage that can be true too. While we are in
tune to each other, it does not mean we think exactly
alike at all times. And we have to honor that in a relationship.
Be it spouse, adult child, or friend.

We have to understand that everyone is entitled to
their own opinion and it doesn't have to be yours.
And when this comes out with you on the short end
of the stick....try to remember.. at some time and place
you, too, will be the one with who will not agree with
some one else's words of wisdom.

Yes man or Honesty..ask

When a friend is talking to you about a problem
they are having, and acts like they want your
input. You got to ask..do you want a yes man or
honesty.

Because if you do an input and it isn't what they
wanted to hear, it can get sticky.
I always want honesty so I take for granted that
my friend does too. And that isn't always the case.
Some times they want just a sounding board.
And the sounding board they want, is the one that
agrees with them. Hence, yes man.

Guess it goes to the fact that I have been not
really good with tact. I don't mean to be tactless.
I think it goes with my logic thinking.
Everything is logically. So if asked, I think
logically they want the honesty.

So I asked my friend this morning as we were
walking, and she was getting quiet after telling
me a problem she had and how she handled it,
and gave me the idea that she wanted input.
I looked at her and said, I'm sorry. Did you want
honesty or a yes man. Yes man, she asked? I said
yes man is the one who agrees. Well, I guess I
was expecting the yes, man, she replied. But I
guess what I want is honesty. But I don't want
to talk about this anymore.

So tread lightly when
you are listening. Try to listen to what the talker
wants. If you don't know... Ask.

And 50+ years later, I still remember

I had a wonderful teacher in 7 and 8 th grade
who use to show us for entertainment that numbers
are bendable. How to check your multiplication
by drawing an X and putting numbers in the X to
check your answers... Also one day he asked for
a series of 9 numbers... which he wrote on the
black board. And then he asked for another 9
which he wrote under the first 9. Then he said,
well, lets see, I guess I will put up 9 more... and
he took his time thinking (as if he was in great
thought) of numbers to put up there. Then he
drew a line under them.. and quickly add them
up. In less than 2 seconds. How did he do that?
Well, he took the top number on the right and
made the answer 1 less than that number. And
then copied the rest of the top line and when he
got to the end... he added an extra 1....making 10
numbers for the answer? So how did he come up
with that? And be correct. The secret was he had
us put up the top 9. Then the second 9. and when
he put his numbers in... what ever the number
was above on the second line, his number with it
had to total 9. So if it was a 8...he would put 1.
If it was a 5 then he would put 4 and etc. Thus,
canceling out itself so to speak. Which would make
the top number on the right, be one less. So if
the top number was 7 ..he would put 6 for the
first number in the answer... and then write the
rest of the top line. Got it? It was neat. And
we thought he was the wisest of men...
Vincent Pelletier.... a man of French
descendent, and proud of it and from just
across the border in Massachusetts. A wonderful
human being, who was loved by all the students.
You could always tell who goofed off in class.
Be it talking when you weren't suppose to or not
paying attention. Which they got rapped across
the head with a eraser, so if you had a yellow
stripe on your head, you had being goofing off.
On occasion, when a boy, as it always seem to be
boys he try to show the errors of their ways,...
he would have them against the wall, run their
hair around his finger, and pull up, and have them
looking in his eyes, and he would whisper something
to that boy, and that boy would be the best kid for
the rest of the day. lol... All of which is illegal today.
But he was the most beloved teacher of all time, at
Berkeley Peckham School in Middletown, R.I. ...

Do you believe in Miracles

In October I sent this email out to my friends.... and at the end is the update for it.

Do you believe in Miracles
October 10, 2004
No, I am serious... do you believe in miracles? Think about it for a minute. Have you seen one? Do you really believe? Let me tell you something I heard today.

I am basely a cynic when it comes to life. Not with God, just life. I believe in God. I know he does wondrous things. I know people have come back from almost dying because of him. People come out of coma's because of him. People heal because of him. But never been around some one who really has had a miracle.

I have a friend called Pam. We became friends when I took care of her when I was working. And then I went to see her after I retired. Even when she moved to an Assisted Living place. I would show up once a month. Bring her orange roses. Her favorite color I found out when I brought her one while I was still working.

Pam had cancer... also because of a bad blood transfusion she ended up with Hep. C. Over the course of the past year, Pam's health has decline. But Pam could always find a silver lining. She is a Christian. She went into depression this pass Spring. But a dog called Zoey came to Pam and brought her out of it. Every time I go see Zoey and Pam, she would have a smile on her face no matter what. And she was in the 4of July parade with her electric wheel chair, with Zoey. She also decide to do something for others. So she join the Cancer Society to help them. She gave them the cd's she had left of hers to sell for money. I forgot to tell you... just before Pam started to get sick, she did a cd in Nashville. I am one of the lucky ones who has one. But she got ill before she could promote it.

About a month or so ago, Pam decided to try homeopathic health. She was bloating up, and she was sure it was her disease that was doing it. Figured she had nothing to lose. To make a long story shorter.. the stuff the gal gave her not only took the bloating away, but she felt better than she has for years. Her legs stopped aching after about a couple of weeks. Along with this, she has participated in prayer group. A heavy prayer group.. Daily...

She was feeling so much better that she went to her Dr. to get a slip for swimming therapy. When her Dr. saw her, he asked her what she had been doing. When she explained, he told her that was voodoo and to stop. That those people are just setting you up for failure. They will let you down. When she protested and he saw she wasn't going to change her mind, he told her to get out of his office and not come back. He wasn't going to be her Dr. anymore. Several days later, her electric wheel chair broke down. So she was using the regular one. She was with her friends doing her daily prayer and they were heavily in prayer, when she had to go to the bathroom. The girls continued to pray. She was sitting there and one of the girls asked her what did God's voice sound like. She said, I guess softly. Then a voice, told her to stand up and walk in to the room to join the girls praying, without saying anything. She thought, right... as if I could.. (remember she had not walked in years) The voice got more forcible... and told her to GO NOW... WALK.. walk in and don't say a word. She stood up, went to take a step and did not fall. Then she walked into the room without saying a word. When she got to the bed where the girls where still praying, they looked up and their mouths fell wide open. Pam has been walking for 6 days now. Her son came to see her the next day and he cried. Everyone can't believe it. She knows it is God. God's Grace. I know this because she called today to tell me. Also her recording studio is going to produce a cd with her singing gospel. When this comes about..(it takes quite a bit of time) I will let you know. I am going over to see her tomorrow.

October 11,2004,
I took purple roses over to Pam, as I couldn't find orange. She was sitting in her big overstuffed chair. I went to the dresser to put the roses in the vase. I turned to see Pam raise up from the chair and walked to me. We hugged and cried. What an overpowering feeling. I am so happy for her. She is so full of plans. Can't wait to sing again. Can't wait to start her cd. It was so wonderful. We had a great visit. She is going to continue with her therapy.
Praise God, and could you say a prayer for Pam for her continuing good health?Thanks and God Bless... "

Now for the update..
April 18,2005..your prayers must have worked.
Pam moved out of the Assisted Living right after the first of the year. I saw her at Wal-mart, walking around with one of her many friends. She was shopping for her new apt. at her friends home.
The next time was this past Friday, there was a beautiful picture of her and Zoey in the Sandpoint Paper with the title...

Cancer Survivor Pamela Faye Huston and her therapy dog Zoey pose for a picture. Huston a survivor of cancer of more than 30 years and became involved with the Cancer Society Relay for Life last year, when she volunteered to sing the National Anthem.

And she is going to sing it again this year plus some other thru the night, in June for the Cancer Society Relay for Life night. Also the article said her new cd went to press last Friday, April 15, 2005. It will be called YOU HEALED ME So if you see it in the stores... buy it... Pam has a wonderful voice. Yes, Pam is miracle, Zoey is her champion. Pam is just a down to earth wonderful young lady. I am truly blessed to be counted as her friend.