The Media and Disasters

The many Hurricanes over the years.



I don't understand why all the fuss.
I feel bad for the people in N.O.,
which why isn't Alabama and Mississippi
people on the news? They lost their
homes too...They had no food and etc.

But over the years, the coast gets
hurricanes, and the middle of the
country gets tornados and people are
shown on roof tops being rescued, in
each case.

Every year we have this...
In Kansas, Indiana and etc. as well
as Florida, South and North Carolina...
And never get the media blow out like
this. And this isn't even the first
hurricane that ever hit New Orleans.
It is not even the worse one that hit
there, as Camilla was just as powerful
I believe. So why the media hype???

One reason I have heard.. is ...
if you are thinking about N.O.
then you aren't thinking about Iraq...
if you are watching Bush and that
is where the newsmen are, after the
hurricane... then you aren't thinking
about Iraq...

You know that could be possible.
After all they claim Clinton started his
stuff overseas to get the pressure off
of him and Monica...

I do know that, God did not do it to
punish us... because we gave Gaza strip
away...we have had hurricanes since before
there was an Israel. God did not do it
because N. O. is a city of sin.. (other wise,
there would be no Hollywood, LA and a
few others, too many to mention.)

Bush did not do it. The Republican party
did not do it. Nor the Democrats either. ...
the levees weren't done because some one local
either didn't get the message that it was important...
or some one use the money for something
they liked better... who the heck knows ...
but that can be hashed out later.... and
fix it then

But one thing for
sure...hurricanes JUST HAPPEN...
it is science, get over it.

As you can see from the map above,
that is going around on the emails...
Get use to it... we have had a lot
of them (and this map shows the
ones just since 1950) we will be having
many more... and the more we build
the more damage there will be.

If you don't like Hurricanes live in
Minnesota.
If you don't like Tornado's live in
Maine.
If you don't like snow blizzards and ice
storms..live in upper Texas..

Or live where you like and prepare for
the local disasters. It is science. It is
just the weather.

On Line Quizzes

I saw this on another blog. And so I took
it... and here, below, is the quiz and my
answer I got back.

Which makes me wonder. Do
these come out like horoscopes?
General and every one gets the same
one? Or it can be bent around, so
you find yourself in it. Somehow.

After all, what are they going to say
you are an idiot and don't belong
on line. Or in other cases, your
opinion doesn't mean any thing.
We just have these so you will
go to our site and we get paid
for you hitting our site.

And we like sheep, follow thru.
I will admit it, I am a sheep.
I am a sucker to see how I
rate on different views. Or
what kind of person I am
type quizzes.

Just like horoscopes, "you will
have a fairly good day. People will
listen to you... and of course when
I was working... Don't lift anything
heavy, gave my fellow workers big
laughs. After all that was our job.

So while I am a sucker for a quiz.
I will pass this on to you... and you
can see how you do.. Don't be surprised
if you get the same as I did.
You will see my thoughts on it..in red.

Your Blogging Type is Confident
and Insightful***
see the *** that is their LOL...
You've got a ton of brain power,
of course I do..just can't remember
what I did with it.
and you leverage it into brilliant blog.
yes, and that is why you are here reading
Both creative and logical, you come
up with amazing ideas and insights.
Again, that is why you are here..LOL
A total perfectionist, you find yourself
revising and rewriting posts a lot of the time.
Oh, so not true.... I write... I ship it...I
pray a lot...

You blog for yourself - and you don't care
how popular (or unpopular) your blog is!
now that is true...because I learn a long
time ago, not to sweat the small stuff..
but grateful as hell, that people do like
this blog, tho.

Here you go... try it for you now.
What's Your Blogging Personality?

http://www.blogthings.com/whatsyourbloggingpersonalityquiz/

Girls Lunch...

Over the past couple years, there is a
group of gals who get together for lunch.
In the winter we try to make it once a month.
But then there is the holidays... and summer
well, you know how it is... family coming
and going...Vacations and etc.

So our lunches together are a hit and miss
kind of deal. But each time it is a great
gathering of stories, laughter, and just
catch up time.

We talk about our kids, because we
each probably met the kids at one
time or another. They were teens or
less at the time. So now they have
children of their own. Making all
of us grandparents now. Some of
us great grandparents. We talk
about what we are doing now
in our lives. Some of us are still
working..some are working part
time, and some have made it to
full time retirement.

The one thing we all have in common
is the place where we all worked
15 years ago or more. It is the oldest
of the still working nursing homes.
They are called health care centers
now. Some still work there, some
work for the competition that came
in to town 8 years ago. Some are
doing home health.

After we get finish catching each
other up with our lives and pictures,
there are the tales of how life
was when we all worked together.
The memories of fun time, sad times
and the great people we got to meet
and take care of.

So many times people come in to
your lives, especially at work place,
and leave. Some are scarily a
memory. And others are close
to the heart. And others are still
close to our hearts, even if they
have gone on before us..way before
their time.

So here is to the memories...
here is to the laughter ....
for we are the rowdy
bunch, laughing in the
corner of the restaurant
still blending our lives
together...

And The Name of the Wind Was CAROL

It is 1954, in August, I believe…
mid hurricane season. . We are
expecting a hurricane. And I am 14.
What do I know about hurricanes????…
all I know is they have a heck of a
wind and rain storms. And of course
there are the stories each time,
of THE BIG ONE… meaning 1938.
That was before they gave hurricane’s
names. And it really was a big one.
It flooded Providence to the first floor
of some of their big buildings. The
Atlantic Ocean just flowed up the
Narraganset Bay and into downtown
Providence.

Years later they built gates up by
Providence…Hurricane gates.
After I left I believe. So that doesn’t
happen anymore. I wonder if they
ever had to close them? I think after
I left they had a few good ones in the
1980’s. We, old time Newport County
people were wishing they would have
one huge hurricane and take down all
the waterfront condos that were
allowed to be built. We knew if there
ever was a really big one of the 1938
strength, that those condos would be
gone. And we could walk the water
front again. As we did as children…
but it never has happen.

But this is 1954, and my mother has
woke me up early. Hurry, feed the
horses and come with me, she says, as
she is throwing things into the pick
up truck. . We jump into the old
1948 Ford pickup and start heading
for Newport, the town near us. We
lived in Middletown. We had a boat
tied up at the docks of Newport.
Mom was afraid it wasn’t tied down
well enough and we could loose her.
The MaryJo. She was 26 feet long.
She was an old lobster boat. But she
was lots of fun for us. Fishing, swimming,
and just riding around the islands.
Dad worked for the government at
Quonset Point, and he was there
battening down the hatches on the base.

So we headed down Broadway, but the
traffic was getting bad so Mom decided
to take one of the back roads. As we
are driving down, the wind is whipping
around us. The rain is so hard it is hard
for the wipers to keep up. Then we heard
a loud bang and the ground shook, but
Mom kept driving. I looked out the back
window and a saw the loud noise was
from a huge tree that fell across the road.
Well, we have to keep going now… we
can’t turn around. She cut across the
town and trees are falling across the
streets and along side of the streets on
the sidewalks. We make it down the wharf,
where the MaryJo is. We park to the side,
and run down the dock with rope. I
jumped down to the first boat, and hold
it against the dock so Mom can climb
down. We pulled the MaryJo over to us.
And then boarded her. Throwing out
ropes and anchors as far away from the
docks as we can. We anchored her down
4 different ways. By this time the water
is raising. And some of the other boats
are coming close but not knocking on her.
Satisfied that we had her secured, we
ran and jumped on the boat near her as
it came back around to us. Then pulling
that boat to the dock we stepped off on
to the dock as the boats were almost level
with the docks.

Debris was flying every where from the
top of the buildings. We ran to the
pickup and back up to the street between
the 3 story buildings. Hiding next to
them. We sat there for an hour. Watching
the debris flying everywhere. Pieces of
the roofs, objects that once were laying
on the docks were flying like kites around.
We watched as 77 year old, Ernest
Coggeshall stayed with his 109 foot fishing
boat. He was of the old standard where
the Captain went down with the ship. His
son Ernie, had arrived as we were backing
in next to the building. So he sat with us,
and watched his father. It was too late to
join him, the wharf was under water. We
watch boats that broke loose from the moorage,
that sail by. Bobbing like a fishing bopper in
the rough waters. All of them went by the
end of the dock. Luckily never coming to
the harbor part, near the dock, as they surely
would have broken the boats tied there. The
howling was so loud it was hard to hear
each other talk. So we sat in silence a good
share of the time.

And then as quickly as it came, it left.
One minute such howling, so much wind,
things were flying sideways, rain is
going sideways… and then SILENCE…
almost too quiet.

We got out to check the damage.
The water started to go down. Still high,
but at least you could walk the wharf.
Ernie walked down to go out on the tip
to see if he could join his father. Ernest
brought the Viking along side, and threw
the ropes to Ernie. So he could tie the
boat back to the dock. On the next wharves
was a sailboat stuck with a piling up
thru the middle and the water leaving it
up high and dry.

Mom and I drove home to the farm going
around cut trees. And as I went around
picking up wind blown objects in the yard.
My brother went back with her to the dock
so they could check on the MaryJo.

There was a lot of damages. I don’t
remember there being a FEMA at that time.
I know we didn’t get any money to fix the
roof on the barn and the house. Dad just did it.
And help the neighbors with theirs.

That Ticking is Summer Running Out

I am having a hard time settling in
to do my blog. It isn't because I am
brain dead, althought that, too, could
be debateable. But it is sunny out.
I know it is just a matter of time
and Winter will be here. And doing
yard things will be nil.

On my walk this morning it was so
great to see all the people getting
ready for the day. (maybe because
I don't have to work anymore, except
for Tuesday morning that is). But the
gal was doing her jump rope exercise
while she waited for the stream of
customers to start at The Bongobrew Hut
And the purple coffee wagon drove by
heading to her next company parking
lot. People still being polite about
walkers walking across the street and
drivers wanting out on to the highway.

It is a little brisk this morning, but still
really nice out. No snow on the mountains
yet. Kind of an Indian Summer so far.

The garden died last week. We had 3 frosty
mornings where the grass was white. And one
of them was about 28. Good bye leaves on
the squash plants, good bye tomatoes plants.
Grab the last of the squash and green tomatoes.
Now to dig it all in so winter can do its magic,
for us to start again next Spring.

Still many more chores to do before it is
too late. Got the grapes to pick yet, but
they are waiting for the next really good
frost, so they can be sweet. I like them
a little tart, but the King likes them sweet.

So I am off, got the washer going, and the
yard waits for me... Winter doesn't wait.

You Got to Have a Plan

If you have to assist your parent in
finding an Assisted Living Facility,
(further to be identified as ALF)
you have to have a plan.

The first thing you need to do is to
pick out an adult child for the caretaker .
This gives the ALF a person to contact
in case there is a problem with the parent
or parents. After that you try to pick an
ALF nearest this adult child. Most of the
ALF’s have been built in the past 15 years,
so most of them look pretty nice. But you
want to check them out for several things.
You want to know what the rules are and
what the lay out is. Rules are, can your
parents have a car if they still drive. Is the
parking area safe. Can an out of state adult
child stay at the ALF for short stays? Some
of them have a room that can be rented. Do
they have a patio? Can your parent do
gardening? Do they have actives for the
parents to attend if they chose to? Does
it have a private dining room for special
occasions. Like a birthday party or an
anniversary, incase it is easier to bring
the party to your parents than it is to take
your parents to the party. Is there a large
community living room for visiting with
other residents? Check and see if they have
their own bus that takes the residents to
the shopping malls, or doctors. Do they
have clothes washing and dryer room for
residential use. Do they have maid service?
To change the sheets on the beds and clean
the apartment? If your parents have special
needs you need to check to see if the ALF
can help with those needs. Some times one
parent will need assist in and out of a wheel
chair or help with showering.

You want to know price. Not just the monthly
price but is there any other cost that could
be added for extra services? GET IT IN
WRITING. ALF's start at about $1,200 a
month. Then depending on what is needed,
on how high it can go.

The rooms are pretty standard. You have
a bathroom, bedroom and a living room
that is motel room size. You have a micro
wave so you can warm up food. And a
refrigerator that is slightly larger than
the micro wave. This is to keep snacks in.

Now to furnish your parent’s apartment.
You will have room for one bed, and a
dresser. Maybe two dresser, if they are
side by side. Check for closet space so you
will know how much clothing can be
brought over. The bathroom space is
usually big enough for toothbrushes,
hair brushes, and medication. Some have
drawers for extras. And an area for 4
towels and about 6 washcloths. The living
room area usually has enough room for a
small couch, 2 chairs and a coffee table
and a television.

Your parent’s personal belongings will
be downsized. So, as mention, check the
closet to see how much clothing you can
bring. Small clothing, of course, can be
put in the dressers. Also you will need 2
sets of bed changing. 1 while the other is
in the wash. Check the living room to see
if there is enough room for a table. So if
the parents want to write letters, do a
puzzles, read books, or a hobby, that they
will have room.

You are ready to move Mom and Dad in
to their apartment. Now for the hard part.
Going to their home and decide what can
go and what can’t go into the apartment.
And it gets worse. See after you get them
settled into their apartment you are left
with the job of taking care of their worldly
possessions. Years worth of possessions.
There are books, clocks, many pictures,
say nothing if the parents have had hobbies.
Such as a train set, quilting, sewing,
knitting, crocheting, collection of some
kind of items. Trucks, tractors, emblems,
stamps, tools and etc. The big question is
what to do with all these things that your
parents love. If you think this is easy…look
around your own home. If you are told you
can only take 10% of your possessions with
you and the rest if left behind. What do you
take? And what do you do with the rest?
Storage? How much is the storage going to
cost and who is going to pay for it? Who is
going to be responsible for cleaning it out
later? Yard sale? You are selling the home,
so have to make decisions with your parents.
It is their possessions, you include them in
the discussion of what to do. Not important?
Well, look around again… do you want
someone else telling you what to do with
your things? Or not even asking you, and
decide for you …what you can have and
not? Only the cruelest of child would do
that to parents. And you have no idea
how hard it is for these parents to say
goodby to their home. No idea …So be gentle,
be understanding, be patience …
you will need lots of that. And you may
see or hear the broken heart, even though,
they know this has to be done. Even though
they could live 10 more years, to them this
is the beginning of the end.

Try to understand, even though you have
no idea what it is like for them… Because
in 20 years it could be you with your children,
deciding what to do with your things.

Watching TV with the King

The King and I have different opinions
on what to watch on TV. Once in a
while we will agree on a show. House
and Boston Legal are two of them.

But for the most part we are worlds
apart on our likes of shows. I tend to
go towards comedy or news magazine
type. Like Primetime, 20/20, Dateline
and 60 minutes. And then it depends
on the subject they have. When I sit
down to relax, I want to be able to laugh
or be educated to a point.

We have joked over the years, my
daughter and I, as we walk by the TV
as he is watching. “Yep, 3 of the actors
have passed on years ago, so this is his
show”. He likes the old shows. Two of
his favorite stations is TVLand. And
the Men’s Channel.

The Men’s channel during daylight
hours has hunting and fishing. He
doesn’t like me watching that with him
because I make fun of the guys who
whispers after they have shot their prey.
Like what is going to happen, the deer
get up and run away? And my eyes glaze
over after about 10 minutes of fishing.
See Hunting and fishing is like watching
baseball and etc. I enjoy the sport when
I was doing it… but watching someone
else doing it, is not as much fun.
Football is the only thing I can get into
watching and even that is starting to wane.
I am getting to be a Super Bowl watcher
now. But he likes Bonanza, Gunsmoke
and alike. So I have been leaving him to
his choices and I blog surf.

He mentioned that I rarely watch TV
with him much anymore. So last night
I shut down the computer and went to watch.

Is it me, or are the shows either boring
or violent? I could care less what someone
is doing in their lives, so reality shows
space me out. The best I could do was
Survivor and even that one isn’t so interesting
anymore. And the first year of Apprentice.
But now they have Invasion, Lost, Medium,
Ghost Whisper, Reunion, and several others
that look like they would scare the bee gees
out of me. The King is looking forward to
some of them. I do like Cold Cases, but it is
far and between finding something to watch.

Maybe I can read while he watches TV.
Well, at least we still have House and
when we can find it…Boston Legal (they
switched it to Tuesday and then it hasn’t
been on the past week or so.) The King has
pickup the phase on that show too.
“Don’t be a mansy pansy!”

Signs of Fall

I saw frost on the pumpkin this morning.
Went out and got my paper and the grass
was white. Not snow, just frost. But that
is bad enough. Even as I started my walk,
the frost was still on the shaded areas.

I have seen the geese rounding up and
heading South, for the past 4 days. You
will see about 8 of them, and then they
circle and there are maybe 20 of them.
So it is all a matter of time.

Even the Red-wing Black bird were
gather in the fields of Coldwater Creek
lawn near the parking lot.

As I put on my sweatshirt that I have
been wearing lately on my walks, I
wondered if that was going to be enough.
And getting my winter clothes out, well,
I am just not into that yet. Call it denial,
but just the thought of giving up the
warmth of summer is not in my thought
process yet.

Still have lots to do in the yard to get
ready. Disconnect my umbrella girl
fountain and bring my wind chimes
down. Find a place where it makes
sense to me next Spring to find them.

Already did the bulbs of fall. Got to
get the grapes off the vine before it
freezes really well.

Seems like the year is flying by. But
am looking forward to the fall colors
that all ready have started. And even
winter. I hope we have more snow this
year. More snow than freezing days.
Snow seems too keep the house warmer
and it looks nice in the yard.

I am a four season gal.

Towing

The subject of towing cars came up
recently. I hate towing cars and I really,
really, hate being the one towed. Over
the years I have been the one who is
being towed. When my deceased
husband Marvin use to go get a car
that he bought to fix up for resale,
I was always the one in the back car.
I really, really hated that. No control.
And most of them had no brakes, so
that was really lovely. I was scared to
death that I would hit his truck. And
several times he brought me into the
driveway, kind of fast and then kind
of swung out of the way so I could direct
it towards the garage. Of course always
coming to a quick jerk, as it got to the
end of the rope. I would say I had to do
this at least 20 times in the 17 years
we were married. Then one day….
I was to tow him…

We had gotten 4 more inches of snow
when we lived in Vay one winter. Making
berms around our circle driveway about
3 feet tall. . Our friends, Chris and Gary
came over with the grader to plow. I was
to move the Pinto. Pinto starts right up.
Let it warm up for 5 minutes. Get in and
moves slightly. Back wheels spin. But
goes no where. Maybe the brake is stuck,
Marv says. Stepped on the brake, nothing
happens. So towed it back wards. Front right
wheel drags. Brake has stuck. So he
hammers on the drum. Still nothing.
So told him I would tow it to the garage.
As I would have no idea what to do to get
it to break loose. And Marv did.
Hooked on with Marv behind the wheel
and I started off. Gary says maybe a small
jar will loosen it. Nope.

So I started for the garage. I watched
in the mirror for hand signals from Gary
or Marv. Nothing. Figured it didn’t let
loose, so I continued to the garage. Doing
10 mph. I headed there, around the corner
and down the straight stretch. Watching
in the mirror for hand signals. Then half
way down the straight stretch….a hand
signal. So I stopped. I walked back and
asked Marv if it had let loose. Blue smoke
and fire came out of his mouth. Fire in
his eyes. Seems when I went around the
corner he lost control of the car. Steering
wheel whipped out of his hands and the
car went up the side of the snow bank like
a sled(must have been before I looked back)
and down and back and forth from side
to side, (I thought he was trying to shake
the brake loose) then straighten out. He
was ranting so much I got to laughing so
hard, I had to hang on to the car. This didn’t
help his sense of humor. Gary who was
watching all of this, laugh so hard, he had
tears in his eyes. He said as the car moved
quickly back and forth, he could see
Marv’s hands go up as to give up trying to
steer. Marv’s eyes open wide, and then
fire in the eyes, and the mouth going in
what appeared to be curse words.
Then he could hear Marv, as he got out
of the car, discussing my state of
sanity and saying I wouldn’t never, ever
tow him any where ever again. Just the
mention of me towing anything sent Marv
into a full discussion mixed with cuss words. .

Some men just don’t have a sense of humor…..
I laughed all the way to the house…
ah, sweet revenge….

The Name is the Game

Sweetie decided he wasn’t too keen
on the name of Sweetie in my blog..
He wants to be known as THE KING…
You know like King of your Castle…
But you know the old saying, A Rose
by another other name is still a Rose.
So he can be King, but he is still my
Sweetie….

We have had names for each other.
But not your usually cutiest names.
These developed over the years. And
some times it has back fired on us.
No, they aren’t bad names.

When I am driving, The King is never
happy with how it is going. He thinks
I brake too soon and I am going to
wear out the brakes. Or he thinks I
wait too long and some day I am going
to hit the brakes at the last minute
(his estimate) and there won’t be any
brakes and I will fly thru the intersection.
(I guess from hitting them too soon
too many times).

Then, there is when we are approaching
the highway from the on ramp. We get
up to the top and he will yell
“HIT IT MARGARET”. Because he
doesn’t think I am going fast enough.
Where did he get this? Did you see a
commercial years back with the
4 old ladies in the car, when the front
passenger, yells “HIT IT MARGARET”?
I don’t remember what the commercial
was for, but THE KING, remembers
the punch line.

Then there is Darla. I hope it is a
short for Darling. But he has called
me this for years. And many times…
So many times, others have heard it.
In fact, our neighbor moved in to her
new home in the Spring a couple years
ago. He had helped her off and on with
different things. He had more to do with
her than I did, because I was working, so
there for, during the day I was sleeping.
She heard him call me Darla… so it
came back to bite him in the butt.
When Christmas came around, she
brought something over to show her appreciation
for all the things he did. Yep, it was
addressed to my husband and Darla.
I made him explain what my real name is.
We have had a good laugh over it now.

Then about 17 years ago THE KING
was unemployed for a month. So we
went to the Employment so he could apply
for unemployment. He came to a
screeching halt because they wouldn’t
talk to him with out his Social Security
number. Yes, he knew it by heart, but
they wanted prove… paper prove. And
being he had not put in for benefits before,
they had no record of him. So we had
to go home (at that time 25 miles away)
to get his SS card. As we walked out of
the office and he is on one side of the car
and I am on the other side….. I yelled
over to him (remember THE KING is
of Portuguese decent) …..
WELL, JOSE, IF YOU HAD BROUGHT
YOUR GREEN CARD, THIS WOULDN’T
HAVE HAPPEN…
He looked around to see who could see
us, and said thru clinched teeth….
I’m going to kill you….. and we laughed….

So this is Margaret/Darla and Jose…
telling you to have a great day.