Since the holiday season is upon us, I should probably do some cleaning. I really don't know why, it's after the season that the house really needs cleaned, but there is a treasure trove of dead fly carcasses laying around, so I guess I will clean.
I've started in the kitchen....twice and have yet to make it all the way around the room. I had the grand idea to wipe off the cabinets. Once I started that, there was no stopping. I have discovered I should really remember that I'm not 5' 7", with long legs. No, when God was handing out legs I thought he said "eggs" and told him no thanks, I'd just get my own.
Being short means that I don't see surfaces above my eye level. Surfaces like the top of the frig, the open shelves that house my colorful dishes or the top of the range hood. Being short also means keeping frequently used items within arms reach. Starting with the cabinets meant dragging out the step stool. Dragging out the step stool meant getting above my eye level. Getting above my eye level meant I had obviously not been off the floor for some time.
Then, round two of kitchen cleaning. I decided to clean a small bookcase that sits close to my husbands chair. He always accused me of trying to get rid of him because I would re-arrange the furniture so often he didn't dare try to walk through a room in the dark. I have pretty much quit moving the furniture around and this bookcase has been sitting in the same spot for a long time.
This particular bookcase houses magazines that never get thrown away. There are car magazines that belong to him and woodworking and craft magazines that are mine. We don't throw them away because we may someday need inspiration for a new project. As I began to pull the magazines out, I realized neither of us had been whacked with the inspiration wand for many moons.
The cobwebs had been in the back of the bookcase long enough to have their own postal service. There was also another treasure trove of dead fly carcasses in there too. I had never given much thought to what spiders eat. Of course, they eat bugs, but I now know they only eat the insides, not the hard crunchy shell.
As I pulled things off of each shelf, I started to make three piles. His keepers, my keepers and a 'why on earth did I keep that' pile. I found numerous recipe cards of savory delights that I have never fixed so I decided to keep them for above mentioned inspirational moments.
I finally got to the bottom shelf. The very last item at the very bottom of the bookcase was a 2007 Cabela's catalog. I had no idea why I had a Cabela's catalog in the first place, but since I obviously hadn't cleaned (or moved) the bookcase for six years, I figured it was OK to forget why or where it came from.
The pile of throw aways is still in the middle of the kitchen floor. I got sidetracked with something I thought would be more fun, something like running the sweeper, but that didn't happen either because, really, running the sweeper is not my idea of fun. My husband was pilfering through the pile this morning. He was trying to act nonchalant about it but I know he was double checking to make sure there were no beloved car magazines in there.
Now time for round three. I must at least get the pile in a bag and out to the trash before I think there might be something in there worth keeping, something like the 1999 plat book that keeps waving at me every time I walk by. Then I will try and get around the rest of the room.
Then again, the handy weather app on my phone tells me the high for today will be 49 degrees and sunny. The thermometer, which is located on the north side of the house, is already showing 51 degrees. Now that's my idea of fun.
Saturday, November 30, 2013
Wednesday, November 27, 2013
The Insurance Debacle
Boy if'n this country ain't in a fine howdoyado. Seems like everybody's fightin' with everybody else. Folks is upset. They're upset with the government, they're upset with the economy and even the religious groups can't seem to agree on anything. Yesindeedeedo, times is hard, then there's this insurance thing.
Take for instance Mr. & Mrs. Wirip, (WhenItRainsItPours). They're probably not too different than millions of other Americans. They own their own business and have worked hard all their lives.
When the economy took a down turn, so did their business, but they still kept pluggin' away, finding other ventures and ideas to keep their heads above water. Since they were self employed they had to buy their own health insurance. Their premiums were over $600 a month with a $10,000 deductible. Soon those premiums went to almost $800 a month. They thought, "What to do?", so they called up their insurance fella and had the deductible raised to $15,000. That helped a bit and the premiums went back down to about $600.
Mr. & Mrs. Wirip were pretty healthy folk, but I'll be darned if'n they didn't both end up in the emergency room in the same year. Mr. Wirip had a bout with pneumonia in the Spring and Mrs. Wirip had a bad case of food poisoning come Summer. She told me she thought fer sure she was headed fer the Pearly Gates.
Those two mini vacations at the hospital totaled over $4000 and it wasn't long after that the premiums had crept back up to $800. Mr. & Mrs. Wirip made a grave decision to drop their health insurance. They crossed their fingers and said a prayer that they'd stay healthy long enough to get this new health insurance thing the government was touting.
Mr. & Mrs. Wirip got online to see what kind of health insurance they could get and found a plan that was pretty close to what they had, other than it had maternity benefits. Mrs. Wirip said if'n that happened, just take her out behind the barn and shoot her. They checked to see if'n they qualified for a tax break and sure enough, they did. Their premium was going to be about $95 a month.
Mr. Wirip got out the bottle of Bailey's to celebrate but Mrs. Wirip turned to me and said, "What is that old sayin'? If'n it looks to good to be true......."
Then there's Mr. Iiwfblthnlaa. That's pronounced,
(I wif bla thanlay) and stands for, IfItWeren'tForBadLuckThey'dHaveNoLuckAtAll. This poor guy just can't seem to catch a break. Several months ago he borrowed a truck to haul some rock. Mr. Iiwfblthnlaa accidentally backed into a telephone pole with this truck and wouldn't you know it, the pole broke.
The pole was still standin' but the wires it was holdin' up were a whole lot more droopy now. Mr. Iiwfblthnlaa was scrambling to make sure things didn't go much worse when all of a sudden, an 18 wheeler come roarin' down the road. That big ole' truck caught those droopy wires and all Hell began to break loose. Wires were snappin' off buildings and chunks of metal were flyin' by so fast that Mr. Iiwfblthnlaa didn't even have time to duck for cover. It was a mess.
To make a long story short, nine months later Mr. Iiwfblthnlaa got a surprise, and it wasn't a baby. Nosirree, nine months and three insurance companies later, Mr. Iiwfblthnlaa got a bill from the phone company for $26,000.
Let me tell ya, Mrs. Iiwfblthnlaa wasn't too happy cos' she wanted to know who he'd been talkin' to.
Take for instance Mr. & Mrs. Wirip, (WhenItRainsItPours). They're probably not too different than millions of other Americans. They own their own business and have worked hard all their lives.
When the economy took a down turn, so did their business, but they still kept pluggin' away, finding other ventures and ideas to keep their heads above water. Since they were self employed they had to buy their own health insurance. Their premiums were over $600 a month with a $10,000 deductible. Soon those premiums went to almost $800 a month. They thought, "What to do?", so they called up their insurance fella and had the deductible raised to $15,000. That helped a bit and the premiums went back down to about $600.
Mr. & Mrs. Wirip were pretty healthy folk, but I'll be darned if'n they didn't both end up in the emergency room in the same year. Mr. Wirip had a bout with pneumonia in the Spring and Mrs. Wirip had a bad case of food poisoning come Summer. She told me she thought fer sure she was headed fer the Pearly Gates.
Those two mini vacations at the hospital totaled over $4000 and it wasn't long after that the premiums had crept back up to $800. Mr. & Mrs. Wirip made a grave decision to drop their health insurance. They crossed their fingers and said a prayer that they'd stay healthy long enough to get this new health insurance thing the government was touting.
Mr. & Mrs. Wirip got online to see what kind of health insurance they could get and found a plan that was pretty close to what they had, other than it had maternity benefits. Mrs. Wirip said if'n that happened, just take her out behind the barn and shoot her. They checked to see if'n they qualified for a tax break and sure enough, they did. Their premium was going to be about $95 a month.
Mr. Wirip got out the bottle of Bailey's to celebrate but Mrs. Wirip turned to me and said, "What is that old sayin'? If'n it looks to good to be true......."
Then there's Mr. Iiwfblthnlaa. That's pronounced,
(I wif bla thanlay) and stands for, IfItWeren'tForBadLuckThey'dHaveNoLuckAtAll. This poor guy just can't seem to catch a break. Several months ago he borrowed a truck to haul some rock. Mr. Iiwfblthnlaa accidentally backed into a telephone pole with this truck and wouldn't you know it, the pole broke.
The pole was still standin' but the wires it was holdin' up were a whole lot more droopy now. Mr. Iiwfblthnlaa was scrambling to make sure things didn't go much worse when all of a sudden, an 18 wheeler come roarin' down the road. That big ole' truck caught those droopy wires and all Hell began to break loose. Wires were snappin' off buildings and chunks of metal were flyin' by so fast that Mr. Iiwfblthnlaa didn't even have time to duck for cover. It was a mess.
To make a long story short, nine months later Mr. Iiwfblthnlaa got a surprise, and it wasn't a baby. Nosirree, nine months and three insurance companies later, Mr. Iiwfblthnlaa got a bill from the phone company for $26,000.
Let me tell ya, Mrs. Iiwfblthnlaa wasn't too happy cos' she wanted to know who he'd been talkin' to.
Tuesday, November 26, 2013
Birth of Silver Cat
Since it is the season of the daily newspaper weighing in a little heavier each day from all the sales ads, I've decided to use today to do a little advertising.
Silver Cat Studio, Inc. is a business I started about six years ago. It didn't start out to be a business, it was just something to fill a need.
My Mother passed away six years ago this past September and I wanted some memory keepsakes, made with the flowers from her service, for myself and family. One family member knew somebody, who knew somebody, who did this very thing and made contact with them. That was when we found out it would be at least three months or more before we could get an order. Having just walked anew through the 'grief door' that seemed like an eternity.
I've always loved working with my hands to create something and I hadn't done anything for a long time, thought I was too busy. I decided I could make them myself.
It was a lot of trial and error but I finally came up with a recipe that worked. I began to do a few pieces for family and friends, through word of mouth, and before I knew it, the orders were coming in more frequently. Thus, Silver Cat Studio, Inc. was born.
Where did the name come from? That is another story in itself that I may share some day, but for now, I hope you enjoy the view. Feel free to share if you like, and thank you all for making this dream come true. All the beads in the following pictures are made with real flowers, unless noted otherwise.
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| Sometimes I get a chance to make "regular" jewelry! The center stone is a fire agate. |
You can find Silver Cat Studio, Inc. on Facebook or you can visit: www.silvercatstudioinc.com
Monday, November 25, 2013
Seriously?
There seems to be so much turmoil in our country right now. People are upset with the way the government is acting. Rumors fly, conspiracy theories abound and sometimes the facts get lost in all the hubbub.
I love a good conspiracy theory. Not just because they hold my attention like a good mystery novel, but because they make me think. They make me think that if there is just an ounce of truth in them, then they are worth investigating.
All the turmoil may be part of the biggest conspiracy theory to date. If everyone is all upset with the goings on in the government, it takes our focus off the little, subtle things. Things that are happening right before our eyes, but we are not paying attention to them.
Over the weekend I ran across an article that made me react with an eye roll and an uttering of a favorite phrase, "Seriously?" Then I read it again and my reaction was a much more sobering one, in fact, it frightened me.
The article was about a principal in a Portland, Oregon school who , and I quote, "picks up on the subtle language of racism on a daily basis." The connotation of racism was in the form of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich......Your turn to say "Seriously?"
The principal went on to say that Americans eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches but other students who may be "Somali or Hispanic might not eat sandwiches."
SERIOUSLY?
It gets better. Scarier might be a better word. Again, I quote from the article, "the school started the new year with "intensive staff trainings, frequent staff meetings, classroom observations and other initiatives," to help educators understand their own "white privilege," in order to "change their teaching practices to boost minority students' performance." end quote.
STOP the insanity train right now, I need to get off!
All this time, my eating of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich has been a "white privilege"? All these years I have forced fed my children with racist peanuts and jelly promoting their "white privilege"? Even the bread, the lowly piece of bread has been a "white privilege" used to fuel the terrible racist machine?
What am I to do?!?
I shudder to think of all the times we ate food that would have been considered out of our "white privilege" range. Does eating tacos, pizza, stir-fry, spaghetti or French bread make me a racist because I flaunted my "white privilege" when I consumed them? Or does it make me a traitor because I ate them in the first place?
Excuse me while I go flog myself and the rest of my family with a wet noodle. Wait, I can't use a noodle, they originated in China. Peanuts came from South America, jelly was used by the ancient Egyptians and bread didn't come from this country either. What on earth were we thinking eating foods that didn't originate from here in order to preserve our "white privilege"?
Sounds ludicrous doesn't it? I could go on and on with satirical comments about certain foods being a "white privilege", but that isn't the point I'm trying to make with this story.
My point is this. The best way to take over a country is to change the way the young people think. Feed them the substance of nutrition that takes away their right to think for themselves. Teach them that everything that has been good about this country is suddenly not true. Tell them that the higher powers, who direct their teachers what to teach, know better than their parents. Teach them nothing but basics because that is all they need to know. Put books in their hands that tell them how bad our president was treated because of his skin color and put his picture on the wrapper of their afternoon snack. Teach them that it's OK not to tell their parents what went on at school. Lead them down the path of least resistance, not the road less traveled.
No wonder home schooling is making a come back. Perhaps it's time to take back our children or at the very least, pay attention to what they are being taught.
If you would like to read the article for yourself, just Google 'Portland school sees racism in peanut butter and jelly sandwiches' or Joe Newby, Social Issues Examiner.
I love a good conspiracy theory. Not just because they hold my attention like a good mystery novel, but because they make me think. They make me think that if there is just an ounce of truth in them, then they are worth investigating.
All the turmoil may be part of the biggest conspiracy theory to date. If everyone is all upset with the goings on in the government, it takes our focus off the little, subtle things. Things that are happening right before our eyes, but we are not paying attention to them.
Over the weekend I ran across an article that made me react with an eye roll and an uttering of a favorite phrase, "Seriously?" Then I read it again and my reaction was a much more sobering one, in fact, it frightened me.
The article was about a principal in a Portland, Oregon school who , and I quote, "picks up on the subtle language of racism on a daily basis." The connotation of racism was in the form of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich......Your turn to say "Seriously?"
The principal went on to say that Americans eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches but other students who may be "Somali or Hispanic might not eat sandwiches."
SERIOUSLY?
It gets better. Scarier might be a better word. Again, I quote from the article, "the school started the new year with "intensive staff trainings, frequent staff meetings, classroom observations and other initiatives," to help educators understand their own "white privilege," in order to "change their teaching practices to boost minority students' performance." end quote.
STOP the insanity train right now, I need to get off!
All this time, my eating of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich has been a "white privilege"? All these years I have forced fed my children with racist peanuts and jelly promoting their "white privilege"? Even the bread, the lowly piece of bread has been a "white privilege" used to fuel the terrible racist machine?
What am I to do?!?
I shudder to think of all the times we ate food that would have been considered out of our "white privilege" range. Does eating tacos, pizza, stir-fry, spaghetti or French bread make me a racist because I flaunted my "white privilege" when I consumed them? Or does it make me a traitor because I ate them in the first place?
Excuse me while I go flog myself and the rest of my family with a wet noodle. Wait, I can't use a noodle, they originated in China. Peanuts came from South America, jelly was used by the ancient Egyptians and bread didn't come from this country either. What on earth were we thinking eating foods that didn't originate from here in order to preserve our "white privilege"?
Sounds ludicrous doesn't it? I could go on and on with satirical comments about certain foods being a "white privilege", but that isn't the point I'm trying to make with this story.
My point is this. The best way to take over a country is to change the way the young people think. Feed them the substance of nutrition that takes away their right to think for themselves. Teach them that everything that has been good about this country is suddenly not true. Tell them that the higher powers, who direct their teachers what to teach, know better than their parents. Teach them nothing but basics because that is all they need to know. Put books in their hands that tell them how bad our president was treated because of his skin color and put his picture on the wrapper of their afternoon snack. Teach them that it's OK not to tell their parents what went on at school. Lead them down the path of least resistance, not the road less traveled.
No wonder home schooling is making a come back. Perhaps it's time to take back our children or at the very least, pay attention to what they are being taught.
If you would like to read the article for yourself, just Google 'Portland school sees racism in peanut butter and jelly sandwiches' or Joe Newby, Social Issues Examiner.
Friday, November 22, 2013
My Opinion
Many moons ago, when I was in school, I learned something. It wasn't the usual things we go to school to learn like reading, writing and the dreaded math class. It was a lesson, that once I learned it, I never forgot it. I didn't necessarily take heed of the lesson at all times, but I knew the consequence of not paying attention to it.
The lesson was this: If I got in trouble in school, I was in much bigger trouble when I got home.
I think most teachers today would agree that this is not the norm anymore. It seems to be the exact opposite. If a child gets in trouble at school today, the teacher gets to experience an angry parent with an attitude of their child does no wrong.
Children are our most precious commodity. They are far more valuable than silver or gold. They are a gift to be cared for. They need to be loved and cherished. They need to be given boundaries. They need a routine and consistency. They need to be praised and encouraged to believe in big dreams and ideas.
Children are not things to be placed high on a pedestal or to be paraded around like a trophy because you did something special by giving birth. They are not better than any other children. Some may have more talent or more learning abilities or come from different levels of prosperity, but that doesn't make them better than anyone else.
They are not pets, like puppies or kittens. I've seen people pay more attention to their pets than their kids and sadly I've seen parents discipline their pets more than their kids.
Children were not given to you to be the center of your universe. They are given to be shaped and molded into the very best they can be. If you place them in a more important level than your spouse, you could be making a very big mistake. Our children are only with us for a very short time, sometimes it feels like 'a blink of an eye'. If you have spent nearly twenty years giving your undivided attention to only your children, you may find out when the empty nest syndrome hits, that your spouse has found another interest......and it isn't you.
If you are a single parent, and there are so many, don't make the same mistake. You have a life and need to show your children that you are important too. I read a statement the other day and it was the truest advice I have ever heard about raising children in one simple sentence....The best thing you can teach your child is how to live without you.
As parents, we simply cannot run around behind our children all their lives, making things right. We can't fight their battles and we can't always keep them out of harms way. Life happens.
It's probably a safe bet to say that there are prisons full of people that needed to be told "No" and a child that has been given no discipline is an empty shell. Children need discipline as much as love. They need to learn the difference between right and wrong, and when they do something wrong, to understand there will be consequences to experience.
I'm not advocating beating the snot out of them, but if all you do is yell, that is all they learn. If you give empty threats, children learn very quickly that you're "blowing smoke". When they learn you are in fact lying, then you have taught them to lie. If you let them watch crapola on television, then that is what they learn. If you curse at them and call them names, then don't be upset when they get in trouble at school for doing the same.
Opinions are like um........noses, everybody's got one and these are mine, it's just the truth as I see it.
The lesson was this: If I got in trouble in school, I was in much bigger trouble when I got home.
I think most teachers today would agree that this is not the norm anymore. It seems to be the exact opposite. If a child gets in trouble at school today, the teacher gets to experience an angry parent with an attitude of their child does no wrong.
Children are our most precious commodity. They are far more valuable than silver or gold. They are a gift to be cared for. They need to be loved and cherished. They need to be given boundaries. They need a routine and consistency. They need to be praised and encouraged to believe in big dreams and ideas.
Children are not things to be placed high on a pedestal or to be paraded around like a trophy because you did something special by giving birth. They are not better than any other children. Some may have more talent or more learning abilities or come from different levels of prosperity, but that doesn't make them better than anyone else.
They are not pets, like puppies or kittens. I've seen people pay more attention to their pets than their kids and sadly I've seen parents discipline their pets more than their kids.
Children were not given to you to be the center of your universe. They are given to be shaped and molded into the very best they can be. If you place them in a more important level than your spouse, you could be making a very big mistake. Our children are only with us for a very short time, sometimes it feels like 'a blink of an eye'. If you have spent nearly twenty years giving your undivided attention to only your children, you may find out when the empty nest syndrome hits, that your spouse has found another interest......and it isn't you.
If you are a single parent, and there are so many, don't make the same mistake. You have a life and need to show your children that you are important too. I read a statement the other day and it was the truest advice I have ever heard about raising children in one simple sentence....The best thing you can teach your child is how to live without you.
As parents, we simply cannot run around behind our children all their lives, making things right. We can't fight their battles and we can't always keep them out of harms way. Life happens.
It's probably a safe bet to say that there are prisons full of people that needed to be told "No" and a child that has been given no discipline is an empty shell. Children need discipline as much as love. They need to learn the difference between right and wrong, and when they do something wrong, to understand there will be consequences to experience.
I'm not advocating beating the snot out of them, but if all you do is yell, that is all they learn. If you give empty threats, children learn very quickly that you're "blowing smoke". When they learn you are in fact lying, then you have taught them to lie. If you let them watch crapola on television, then that is what they learn. If you curse at them and call them names, then don't be upset when they get in trouble at school for doing the same.
Opinions are like um........noses, everybody's got one and these are mine, it's just the truth as I see it.
Thursday, November 21, 2013
Drive-Thru Windows
Convenience is the name of the game. When we want it, we want it now and there is usually a convenient convenience store not too far away. Pre-packaged food is convenient, probably not the healthiest choice, but convenient none the less. Newspapers and packages delivered to our door are convenient too.
Then there is the drive-thru window. We can order items from pizza to medicine and have the convenience of simply driving up to a window to pick up our purchase. We can do our banking from the comfortable convenience of our vehicle without having to brave whatever the weather throws our way.
All these conveniences may cost us a bit more, but they save us valuable time and that's important because we are always in a hurry for some reason.
If grocery stores had drive-thru windows, that would actually save us money. There wouldn't be anything in the sack that you didn't want or didn't need and taking the kids shopping would be a less stressful experience.
Drive-thru windows at school would sure be convenient. Just think how easy it would be to drive up, pick up the kids, and drive off. No more trying to get to the school first to find a parking spot. Every parent and child could have an assigned number and things would go smoothly. Then again, getting home and finding out you have the wrong child might throw a wrench in the gears, kind of like getting home from the burger joint to discover they forgot to put the meat patty on the bun. In the case of the missing hamburger we can just call the restaurant and gripe, but if you have the wrong kid, it's probably a good idea to return them.
But in the over all scheme of things, most drive-thru windows work as planned and make our life more convenient.
Yesterday I used the drive-thru window at a pharmacy. It was raining and I was in a hurry, as were the five vehicles ahead of me.
I waited and waited, the lead car was still at the window. I began to get a bit snarky. Snarky happens to be the word of the day on my dictionary app. It means testy or irritable. I've had to use my dictionary app from the very first word on this blog. I never did get that "i" before "e" thing and you would think as many times as I have used the word 'convenient' I could spell it right....not so much.
Anyway, I'm feeling snarky because the line isn't moving. I can see the nice lady at the drive-thru window making several trips back and forth, but we are still not going anywhere. I thought about sticking my head out the window and yelling, "Hey! If you want to read the ingredients on the box, park the @#$% car and go inside!"
I decided that wouldn't be a very nice thing to do, so I kept my window rolled up. I could have easily turned out of the line, parked my own car and gone inside, but it was raining and I wanted the convenience of the drive-thru window.
Fifteen minutes later, I finally arrived at the window. I told the nice pharmacy lady what medicine I was picking up and watched her go to retrieve it. She searched the usual spot, and there was nothing there. She searched the top of the counter, still nothing. Then she headed to the back of the pharmacy.
It was at this time I had an enlightened moment. I leaned out my window and began to peck on the drive-thru window glass, trying to get her attention. She had just slipped out of sight, so now the other workers are looking at me like "Good grief lady, can't you wait?!?" I'm motioning for her to come back and finally one of the other workers came to the window.
She opened it and gave me an exasperated look. Sheepishly I told her to tell the other lady she could quit searching because I realized I had forgotten to call the order in. She smiled and said it was OK, they would go ahead and fill it, what did I need. Since it wasn't my medicine, I didn't have a clue. I hadn't taken the empty prescription bottles with me because for some reason I thought I had called the order in. By this time though, it's obvious I had only thought about calling the order in.
They all laughed, and I figured they needed to because the people who had waited as long as I had, could have been a bit snarky themselves. I said my good-byes, shrunk down in the seat and drove off thinking, "well, THAT was convenient."
Then there is the drive-thru window. We can order items from pizza to medicine and have the convenience of simply driving up to a window to pick up our purchase. We can do our banking from the comfortable convenience of our vehicle without having to brave whatever the weather throws our way.
All these conveniences may cost us a bit more, but they save us valuable time and that's important because we are always in a hurry for some reason.
If grocery stores had drive-thru windows, that would actually save us money. There wouldn't be anything in the sack that you didn't want or didn't need and taking the kids shopping would be a less stressful experience.
Drive-thru windows at school would sure be convenient. Just think how easy it would be to drive up, pick up the kids, and drive off. No more trying to get to the school first to find a parking spot. Every parent and child could have an assigned number and things would go smoothly. Then again, getting home and finding out you have the wrong child might throw a wrench in the gears, kind of like getting home from the burger joint to discover they forgot to put the meat patty on the bun. In the case of the missing hamburger we can just call the restaurant and gripe, but if you have the wrong kid, it's probably a good idea to return them.
But in the over all scheme of things, most drive-thru windows work as planned and make our life more convenient.
Yesterday I used the drive-thru window at a pharmacy. It was raining and I was in a hurry, as were the five vehicles ahead of me.
I waited and waited, the lead car was still at the window. I began to get a bit snarky. Snarky happens to be the word of the day on my dictionary app. It means testy or irritable. I've had to use my dictionary app from the very first word on this blog. I never did get that "i" before "e" thing and you would think as many times as I have used the word 'convenient' I could spell it right....not so much.
Anyway, I'm feeling snarky because the line isn't moving. I can see the nice lady at the drive-thru window making several trips back and forth, but we are still not going anywhere. I thought about sticking my head out the window and yelling, "Hey! If you want to read the ingredients on the box, park the @#$% car and go inside!"
I decided that wouldn't be a very nice thing to do, so I kept my window rolled up. I could have easily turned out of the line, parked my own car and gone inside, but it was raining and I wanted the convenience of the drive-thru window.
Fifteen minutes later, I finally arrived at the window. I told the nice pharmacy lady what medicine I was picking up and watched her go to retrieve it. She searched the usual spot, and there was nothing there. She searched the top of the counter, still nothing. Then she headed to the back of the pharmacy.
It was at this time I had an enlightened moment. I leaned out my window and began to peck on the drive-thru window glass, trying to get her attention. She had just slipped out of sight, so now the other workers are looking at me like "Good grief lady, can't you wait?!?" I'm motioning for her to come back and finally one of the other workers came to the window.
She opened it and gave me an exasperated look. Sheepishly I told her to tell the other lady she could quit searching because I realized I had forgotten to call the order in. She smiled and said it was OK, they would go ahead and fill it, what did I need. Since it wasn't my medicine, I didn't have a clue. I hadn't taken the empty prescription bottles with me because for some reason I thought I had called the order in. By this time though, it's obvious I had only thought about calling the order in.
They all laughed, and I figured they needed to because the people who had waited as long as I had, could have been a bit snarky themselves. I said my good-byes, shrunk down in the seat and drove off thinking, "well, THAT was convenient."
Wednesday, November 20, 2013
New Glasses
New glasses are, pardon the pun, a real eye opener. When a young person has to have glasses, those glasses open up a whole new world for them. They see things the rest of us have taken for granted.
I didn't have the need for glasses until forty something and for me they were a real pain in the wazoo. I was complaining about them to a friend of mine who had worn glasses since he was a young boy. He told me the first time he put them on was the first time he had ever seen leaves on the trees. He said he was so fascinated by the leaves that he could stand under a tree for the longest time, just "seeing" the leaves. After that, I tried to be more appreciative.
Eye glasses have quite a history. They were mentioned in ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs in the 5th century BC. The first pair were crafted in Italy about 1286 and since then they have gone through numerous useful and fashionable changes.
They have evolved from simple handheld models, to types that sat only on the nose. Somewhere along their line of evolution came the idea to attach arms to each side, to hook on the ears, and that kept them from falling off the face. It probably made finding them a lot easier too. Their frames have been thick, thin, metal and plastic in an array of colors. Now there are no-frame models with light weight lenses that are nearly invisible.
We can put a man on the moon but have yet to come up with a pair of glasses that are boy proof. My younger grandson recently got his first pair. His older brother already wore glasses and since he spent a great deal of energy yanking them off his brother's face, I figured he secretly wanted a pair too.
I stopped at his house the other evening and told him I wanted to see him in his new glasses. He told me they didn't work. I asked him what he meant by that and he said they didn't fit right on his face. "Get them anyway", I said "and let me see."
He retrieved them from the sanitary depths of his gym shoes. This location had nothing to do with the fact that they didn't sit right on his face. I was impressed that he actually knew where they were. He put them on, and sure enough, they didn't sit right on his face. One arm was on his ear, the other about three inches up on the other side of his head. He grinned like a Cheshire cat until his mother asked how they got bent. With that he shrugged his shoulders, said he didn't have a clue, set the glasses on the counter and left the room.
The new glasses were just as funny looking setting on the counter as they had been on his head. I was nearly in a state of hysteria, but since his mother was failing to see the humor of the situation, I went home.
I still do not like my glasses. Probably because God did not see fit to place my ears at equal distances from the top of my head and therefore my glasses are always sitting cattiwompus on my face. I spend a great deal of time looking for them and many times after searching high and low, I've found them on top of my head. My husband has told me, on more than one occasion, that if I would simply put them in the same place each time I take them off, I could easily find them. What fun would that be?
I must admit, they do come in handy. I can no longer see, in clarity, things that are up close and my arms are not long enough anymore, to hold at a distance, what I'm trying to view. I have also discovered that eyeglasses are good for something else. Something that I should really get a patent on before releasing this information to the public. People spend thousands of dollars looking for this miracle and it's been here all along, right in front of us.
Try this simple experiment. Stand in front of a mirror while wearing your glasses. Slowly, take your glasses off. Fine lines and wrinkles disappear, instantainioulsy!
I didn't have the need for glasses until forty something and for me they were a real pain in the wazoo. I was complaining about them to a friend of mine who had worn glasses since he was a young boy. He told me the first time he put them on was the first time he had ever seen leaves on the trees. He said he was so fascinated by the leaves that he could stand under a tree for the longest time, just "seeing" the leaves. After that, I tried to be more appreciative.
Eye glasses have quite a history. They were mentioned in ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs in the 5th century BC. The first pair were crafted in Italy about 1286 and since then they have gone through numerous useful and fashionable changes.
They have evolved from simple handheld models, to types that sat only on the nose. Somewhere along their line of evolution came the idea to attach arms to each side, to hook on the ears, and that kept them from falling off the face. It probably made finding them a lot easier too. Their frames have been thick, thin, metal and plastic in an array of colors. Now there are no-frame models with light weight lenses that are nearly invisible.
We can put a man on the moon but have yet to come up with a pair of glasses that are boy proof. My younger grandson recently got his first pair. His older brother already wore glasses and since he spent a great deal of energy yanking them off his brother's face, I figured he secretly wanted a pair too.
I stopped at his house the other evening and told him I wanted to see him in his new glasses. He told me they didn't work. I asked him what he meant by that and he said they didn't fit right on his face. "Get them anyway", I said "and let me see."
He retrieved them from the sanitary depths of his gym shoes. This location had nothing to do with the fact that they didn't sit right on his face. I was impressed that he actually knew where they were. He put them on, and sure enough, they didn't sit right on his face. One arm was on his ear, the other about three inches up on the other side of his head. He grinned like a Cheshire cat until his mother asked how they got bent. With that he shrugged his shoulders, said he didn't have a clue, set the glasses on the counter and left the room.
The new glasses were just as funny looking setting on the counter as they had been on his head. I was nearly in a state of hysteria, but since his mother was failing to see the humor of the situation, I went home.
I still do not like my glasses. Probably because God did not see fit to place my ears at equal distances from the top of my head and therefore my glasses are always sitting cattiwompus on my face. I spend a great deal of time looking for them and many times after searching high and low, I've found them on top of my head. My husband has told me, on more than one occasion, that if I would simply put them in the same place each time I take them off, I could easily find them. What fun would that be?
I must admit, they do come in handy. I can no longer see, in clarity, things that are up close and my arms are not long enough anymore, to hold at a distance, what I'm trying to view. I have also discovered that eyeglasses are good for something else. Something that I should really get a patent on before releasing this information to the public. People spend thousands of dollars looking for this miracle and it's been here all along, right in front of us.
Try this simple experiment. Stand in front of a mirror while wearing your glasses. Slowly, take your glasses off. Fine lines and wrinkles disappear, instantainioulsy!
Tuesday, November 19, 2013
Those Old Sayings
We all grew up with them. Upon our first encounter, we may not have understood their meaning, but after repeated use, the light bulb usually came on, we had an "Ah ha!" moment, and then used them ourselves.
Mother's favorite old saying was, 'the squeaky wheel gets the grease'. I had no idea what that meant and it conjured up a picture of an old wheel and a oil can, the small kind with a long narrow spout fixed on a small can. The oil came out by applying pressure to the bottom of the can with your thumb. Yes, I'm old, now a days, kids would picture a can of WD40.
I did finally figure out that if you griped, wailed or just raised a stink long enough, someone would appease you for either your cause, or just to get you to shut up.
If you ever want to make a lasting memorable impression remember this, 'actions speak louder than words'. This can go either way, you can make a fool out of yourself or you can perform an act of great kindness. Regardless of what it is, people will remember what you did far longer than what you said. I think too, we could add a couple of words to the end of it, 'actions speak louder than words, or money.' Your kids will never say to you, "Remember that time we spent $200?", but they will always remember the day you taught them to fish.
One of my favorites is 'it's not what you say, it's how you say it.' Take the following sentence: I didn't take the money. Now say that sentence five times, putting emphasis on one word starting with "I" then "didn't" and so forth. Each time, it takes on a new meaning. The next time you are all up in someones' face, wagging your finger and bobbing your head back and forth, remember that. Also, refer back to the previous paragraph because whoever you're talking to just quit listening.
Life is full of disappointments, like a card game, 'you win some, you lose some'. Disappointments build character and if we were to win all the time, we wouldn't learn a thing. 'The darkest hours are just before dawn', so 'look on the bright side' and remember, 'every cloud has a silver lining'.
'Some things are better left unsaid' and that is 'easier said than done'. Don't 'burn your bridges' with people because someday you may need them. Besides, if you haven't 'walked a mile in their shoes', you don't really know what they are going through and it might be best to 'let sleeping dogs lie'.
Let's keep passing along old sayings, before some yayhoo comes along and tells us they are not politically correct. They are words to live by and they make us think. If we stop thinking for ourselves then 'necessity being the mother of invention' will end up with 'all good things must come to an end'.
Mother's favorite old saying was, 'the squeaky wheel gets the grease'. I had no idea what that meant and it conjured up a picture of an old wheel and a oil can, the small kind with a long narrow spout fixed on a small can. The oil came out by applying pressure to the bottom of the can with your thumb. Yes, I'm old, now a days, kids would picture a can of WD40.
I did finally figure out that if you griped, wailed or just raised a stink long enough, someone would appease you for either your cause, or just to get you to shut up.
If you ever want to make a lasting memorable impression remember this, 'actions speak louder than words'. This can go either way, you can make a fool out of yourself or you can perform an act of great kindness. Regardless of what it is, people will remember what you did far longer than what you said. I think too, we could add a couple of words to the end of it, 'actions speak louder than words, or money.' Your kids will never say to you, "Remember that time we spent $200?", but they will always remember the day you taught them to fish.
One of my favorites is 'it's not what you say, it's how you say it.' Take the following sentence: I didn't take the money. Now say that sentence five times, putting emphasis on one word starting with "I" then "didn't" and so forth. Each time, it takes on a new meaning. The next time you are all up in someones' face, wagging your finger and bobbing your head back and forth, remember that. Also, refer back to the previous paragraph because whoever you're talking to just quit listening.
Life is full of disappointments, like a card game, 'you win some, you lose some'. Disappointments build character and if we were to win all the time, we wouldn't learn a thing. 'The darkest hours are just before dawn', so 'look on the bright side' and remember, 'every cloud has a silver lining'.
'Some things are better left unsaid' and that is 'easier said than done'. Don't 'burn your bridges' with people because someday you may need them. Besides, if you haven't 'walked a mile in their shoes', you don't really know what they are going through and it might be best to 'let sleeping dogs lie'.
Let's keep passing along old sayings, before some yayhoo comes along and tells us they are not politically correct. They are words to live by and they make us think. If we stop thinking for ourselves then 'necessity being the mother of invention' will end up with 'all good things must come to an end'.
Monday, November 18, 2013
Through Their Eyes
If you would like to get a new perspective on how small children see the world, give them a camera.
It can be the camera on your phone, they already know how to use it, or an old digital camera that you may have laying around. It could even be one of the disposable film cameras, the kind that has to be developed and you send the whole camera in, if those are still being made.
The images they capture are amazing. They are always looking up and from that angle, everything looks bigger.
The first time I noticed this was during Christmas several years ago. One of the kids had grabbed the camera and later, as I scrolled through the pictures, I was astounded. The room looked huge, the tree looked huge, everything looked bigger than it actually was.
When we tell a child not to be afraid of a dog that has come to greet them, imagine what that dog looks like from their vantage point. Even a chihuahua can look big when it strikes you at your knees and a golden retriever must look like a lion.
When I was driving a school bus, my oldest grandson rode with me quite often after school. My route had a great scenic view. There were fields of corn and beans and winding roads through the woods. There was always something to look at and usually some sort of wildlife to get a glimpse of.
One day, after we had dropped the last kids off, my grandson commented on a house we drove by. He said to me, "Gi, that house looks like the ones in Washington D.C."
Knowing he had never been to Washington D.C., I didn't have a clue where he was going with this observation so my obvious response was, "Washington D.C.?"
Being a true member of the male species, he replied with a one word answer, "Yeah."
I thought about the house for a moment and said to him, "Oh! Because of the pillars in the front?"
"Yes!", he answered, "Those are cool and the house is so big."
Always wanting to share my grandmotherly wisdom I said, "One reason the house looks so big is because of where it is located." Which happened to be on top of a hill. "The house is not very old and the trees are small. When you are my age, we need to drive by it and see if it still looks as big as you think it does now."
He thought for a moment and asked, "How old will you be when I'm your age?"
"92."
Without missing a beat he said, "Well, I'm driving then!"
Children are like sponges, they take in everything they see. They watch us like a hawk watches for a tasty field mouse. They observe how we live, how we handle situations of stress and how we treat other people. To them we are larger than life. We are the ones they look up to and as they grow, what they have witnessed will usually shape them into the person they become.
It might be a good idea, every once in a while, to get down on our knees and view things through their eyes.
It can be the camera on your phone, they already know how to use it, or an old digital camera that you may have laying around. It could even be one of the disposable film cameras, the kind that has to be developed and you send the whole camera in, if those are still being made.
The images they capture are amazing. They are always looking up and from that angle, everything looks bigger.
The first time I noticed this was during Christmas several years ago. One of the kids had grabbed the camera and later, as I scrolled through the pictures, I was astounded. The room looked huge, the tree looked huge, everything looked bigger than it actually was.
When we tell a child not to be afraid of a dog that has come to greet them, imagine what that dog looks like from their vantage point. Even a chihuahua can look big when it strikes you at your knees and a golden retriever must look like a lion.
When I was driving a school bus, my oldest grandson rode with me quite often after school. My route had a great scenic view. There were fields of corn and beans and winding roads through the woods. There was always something to look at and usually some sort of wildlife to get a glimpse of.
One day, after we had dropped the last kids off, my grandson commented on a house we drove by. He said to me, "Gi, that house looks like the ones in Washington D.C."
Knowing he had never been to Washington D.C., I didn't have a clue where he was going with this observation so my obvious response was, "Washington D.C.?"
Being a true member of the male species, he replied with a one word answer, "Yeah."
I thought about the house for a moment and said to him, "Oh! Because of the pillars in the front?"
"Yes!", he answered, "Those are cool and the house is so big."
Always wanting to share my grandmotherly wisdom I said, "One reason the house looks so big is because of where it is located." Which happened to be on top of a hill. "The house is not very old and the trees are small. When you are my age, we need to drive by it and see if it still looks as big as you think it does now."
He thought for a moment and asked, "How old will you be when I'm your age?"
"92."
Without missing a beat he said, "Well, I'm driving then!"
Children are like sponges, they take in everything they see. They watch us like a hawk watches for a tasty field mouse. They observe how we live, how we handle situations of stress and how we treat other people. To them we are larger than life. We are the ones they look up to and as they grow, what they have witnessed will usually shape them into the person they become.
It might be a good idea, every once in a while, to get down on our knees and view things through their eyes.
Saturday, November 16, 2013
Please Put It Down
If there really is such a thing as evolution, then in another hundred years or so, humans will be born without a face. They won't need a face because in place of the face, will be a cell phone.
It will probably be pre-set with a parent app so the new parents won't be bothered with such things as, well, parenting. The parents will be able to create whatever face they want their child to have and download it into the phone. They can choose eye and hair color and change it on a whim. If they think someone else's child is prettier or more handsome, they can instantly download a new image.
It won't be necessary to teach this child to talk, crawl, walk or run. There will be an app for that. Schools and socializing will become obsolete because all learning can be attained and downloaded in the wink of an eye. Just think how impressive it will be to let everyone know that your three month old can speak fluent French.
It really won't matter if they can speak fluent anything, because nobody will be paying attention.
Cell phones, smart phones or not-so-smart phones, such as the one I have, but that may have something to do with the user, are a wonderful accessory. They allow us to be only a click or swipe away from being connected to someone else. They are great if you are in need of help, or just want to chat with an old friend. We can play games, watch a movie or read a novel, all in the palm of our hand. But that's really all they are, a convenient accessory.
The other evening I had the opportunity to meet a new person. I already knew this persons' spouse and since my husband had gone over to their table to chat, I followed. I could see, from our table, this person was looking down in their lap and I figured they were on their phone. I stood at their table for several minutes, trying to make some conversation and finally gave up. This person never looked up from their phone, not once.
I witnessed a similar scenario one evening with a newly dating young couple. He was quite a handsome lad and she was very pretty too. She spent their entire evening together, with her eyes glued to her phone, while he chatted with friends. My thought was, "Sweetheart, if you want to keep that man, ya might want to pay him a bit of attention." They are no longer a couple. Was it because of the phone? I don't know, but if the person you are with isn't interesting enough to give them your attention, why waste your time and theirs?
This isn't a new phenomenon, but sadly it seems to be the norm and anybody who owns a cell phone has probably been guilty of the same behavior. There have been laws made, to forbid the use of cell phones in certain areas, because we have lost all common sense. There may have to be a law made that everyone with a cell phone will have to wear a helmet. This will be to prevent serious head injuries when walking into something or someone, while looking down at our phones.
We spend enormous amounts of time on our phones talking, texting or on some social media site, all to be connected to someone else. Then when we come face to face with real live human beings, we won't even acknowledge their presence.
Ralph Waldo Emerson said "The only way to have a friend is to be one." It's hard to have friends if you can't take the time to look, listen, talk or appreciate them.
It will probably be pre-set with a parent app so the new parents won't be bothered with such things as, well, parenting. The parents will be able to create whatever face they want their child to have and download it into the phone. They can choose eye and hair color and change it on a whim. If they think someone else's child is prettier or more handsome, they can instantly download a new image.
It won't be necessary to teach this child to talk, crawl, walk or run. There will be an app for that. Schools and socializing will become obsolete because all learning can be attained and downloaded in the wink of an eye. Just think how impressive it will be to let everyone know that your three month old can speak fluent French.
It really won't matter if they can speak fluent anything, because nobody will be paying attention.
Cell phones, smart phones or not-so-smart phones, such as the one I have, but that may have something to do with the user, are a wonderful accessory. They allow us to be only a click or swipe away from being connected to someone else. They are great if you are in need of help, or just want to chat with an old friend. We can play games, watch a movie or read a novel, all in the palm of our hand. But that's really all they are, a convenient accessory.
The other evening I had the opportunity to meet a new person. I already knew this persons' spouse and since my husband had gone over to their table to chat, I followed. I could see, from our table, this person was looking down in their lap and I figured they were on their phone. I stood at their table for several minutes, trying to make some conversation and finally gave up. This person never looked up from their phone, not once.
I witnessed a similar scenario one evening with a newly dating young couple. He was quite a handsome lad and she was very pretty too. She spent their entire evening together, with her eyes glued to her phone, while he chatted with friends. My thought was, "Sweetheart, if you want to keep that man, ya might want to pay him a bit of attention." They are no longer a couple. Was it because of the phone? I don't know, but if the person you are with isn't interesting enough to give them your attention, why waste your time and theirs?
This isn't a new phenomenon, but sadly it seems to be the norm and anybody who owns a cell phone has probably been guilty of the same behavior. There have been laws made, to forbid the use of cell phones in certain areas, because we have lost all common sense. There may have to be a law made that everyone with a cell phone will have to wear a helmet. This will be to prevent serious head injuries when walking into something or someone, while looking down at our phones.
We spend enormous amounts of time on our phones talking, texting or on some social media site, all to be connected to someone else. Then when we come face to face with real live human beings, we won't even acknowledge their presence.
Ralph Waldo Emerson said "The only way to have a friend is to be one." It's hard to have friends if you can't take the time to look, listen, talk or appreciate them.
Friday, November 15, 2013
Looking Forward
With the recent cold snap the trees have shed their leaves at a rapid rate. There has been enough frost to stunt the grass and as we push towards the end of Autumn, another season comes to an end. The season of yard work.
I miss yard work and I do most all of it, from mowing to weeding. It is so much easier to turn my back on a house that needs cleaned to go outside and work in the yard. I have a flower garden that is home to the one and only tree in our yard and it also sports a fish pond. During the good weather, the yard and my garden are my sanctuary.
Years ago when this yard was Mother's yard it looked quite different than is does today. She had numerous shrubs and lilac bushes. There was a grape arbor over the sidewalk that led up from the garage. Evergreens flanked the south side of the house and tulips and surprise lilies were abundant.
There were many trees in the yard. Three large maples graced the front. A walnut tree on the south along with a row of poplars and two bird of paradise in the back. On the north side she planted a red bud tree, from a sprout she had found, on the hottest day of July in the late 60's. Our neighbor at the time laughed at her and said it would never grow, but it did. She too, loved yard work.
When we moved into this house, my husband did most of the yard work and all of the mowing. Then something unusual began to happen. Things started to disappear. I discovered that if he could get the mower over the top of something, it was fair game. I found myself running behind him while he mowed, yelling loudly over the roar of the mower, to not mow over a particular piece of vegetation.
One day, after he had mowed, I was walking through the yard and I asked him what had happened to all the surprise lilies. He informed me he had "surprised" them. Since I was usually taking every step with him to prevent such catastrophic disasters from happening in the first place, I took over the mowing duties. He was fine with that because he likes to mow in straight lines, with no obstacles and this yard was anything but that.
Then the number of the trees began to dwindle. A man and a chainsaw can be a dangerous combo to a yard full of trees, but nothing gave him more pleasure than removing a shrub with a chain and a four-wheel drive pick up truck.
Always wanting to pass along my love of things to my children, I decided one day they were old enough to learn the joys of yard work. There was a hedge that grew on the north border of the yard along side of the alley. It was about five feet tall and in need of trimming. I armed my two young daughters with nippers and told them to go ahead and trim the hedge. About thirty minutes later, when I went to check on their progress, the hedge was about a foot tall. They obviously shared their father's view of yard work. Mother brought down an old photo one day to show the girls. She told them it was what the yard used to look like, before their father lived here. Little did she know, they too were accomplices in the yard crimes.
The yard has seen many changes over the 50 plus years it has been in this family and I'm sure the next 50 will bring even more. In the meantime, I will be looking forward to Spring and the arrival of a new season of yard work.
I miss yard work and I do most all of it, from mowing to weeding. It is so much easier to turn my back on a house that needs cleaned to go outside and work in the yard. I have a flower garden that is home to the one and only tree in our yard and it also sports a fish pond. During the good weather, the yard and my garden are my sanctuary.
Years ago when this yard was Mother's yard it looked quite different than is does today. She had numerous shrubs and lilac bushes. There was a grape arbor over the sidewalk that led up from the garage. Evergreens flanked the south side of the house and tulips and surprise lilies were abundant.
There were many trees in the yard. Three large maples graced the front. A walnut tree on the south along with a row of poplars and two bird of paradise in the back. On the north side she planted a red bud tree, from a sprout she had found, on the hottest day of July in the late 60's. Our neighbor at the time laughed at her and said it would never grow, but it did. She too, loved yard work.
When we moved into this house, my husband did most of the yard work and all of the mowing. Then something unusual began to happen. Things started to disappear. I discovered that if he could get the mower over the top of something, it was fair game. I found myself running behind him while he mowed, yelling loudly over the roar of the mower, to not mow over a particular piece of vegetation.
One day, after he had mowed, I was walking through the yard and I asked him what had happened to all the surprise lilies. He informed me he had "surprised" them. Since I was usually taking every step with him to prevent such catastrophic disasters from happening in the first place, I took over the mowing duties. He was fine with that because he likes to mow in straight lines, with no obstacles and this yard was anything but that.
Then the number of the trees began to dwindle. A man and a chainsaw can be a dangerous combo to a yard full of trees, but nothing gave him more pleasure than removing a shrub with a chain and a four-wheel drive pick up truck.
Always wanting to pass along my love of things to my children, I decided one day they were old enough to learn the joys of yard work. There was a hedge that grew on the north border of the yard along side of the alley. It was about five feet tall and in need of trimming. I armed my two young daughters with nippers and told them to go ahead and trim the hedge. About thirty minutes later, when I went to check on their progress, the hedge was about a foot tall. They obviously shared their father's view of yard work. Mother brought down an old photo one day to show the girls. She told them it was what the yard used to look like, before their father lived here. Little did she know, they too were accomplices in the yard crimes.
The yard has seen many changes over the 50 plus years it has been in this family and I'm sure the next 50 will bring even more. In the meantime, I will be looking forward to Spring and the arrival of a new season of yard work.
Thursday, November 14, 2013
Bugged Out
Back in 1979 there was a movie called The Amityville Horror. I don't recall the entire story, other that it was supposed to be based on a true event, but there was one scene from the movie that has always stuck in my mind. It was an upstairs window, full of flies.
My husband always says the only good thing about cold weather is there are no bugs. It makes him quite happy when he can drive his beloved chariot somewhere, usually very fast, and return with no bugs plastered on the front.
My studio, which is really my youngest daughters' old bedroom, but studio has a much snazzier ring to it, has four windows facing the south. It offers a great view when I need to take a break and reflect about what I'm working on. I can see fields and trees in the distance and my garden in the backyard.
Now that the weather has turned colder, the garden is bare and most of the fields have been harvested. The bugs have almost disappeared, except for two species, House Flies and Asian Beetles, which, around these parts, we all refer to as Lady Bugs. They really are not Lady Bugs, but they look like them and they stink.
Flies and Lady Bugs (aka Asian Beetles) do not like cold weather, they like nice warm houses. I don't know if it's because my house is old, but some how they find a way in. They gather on the south side of the house and plan their attack. My studio is now filled with them and the windows look like a scene from the above mentioned movie.
I think they spend all summer watching old reruns of Star Trek because they have learned the secret of teleportation. I have sealed every crack and crevice with caulking, or that wonderful foam in a can, and still, they find their way inside.
Once inside, they have nothing to do but try to get back outside. They fly around aimlessly, bumping into walls and off the ceiling or gather on the windows having forgotten their teleportation suaviness. Every so often, one will get whacked by a blade on the ceiling fan, sending his little carcass in a straight trajectory to the wall and that makes me smile.
They dive bomb my work space and if I ignore them, they do a kamikaze raid into my teacup or my hair. When that happens I grab my faithful companion, the vacuum and we chase them around the room and suck them out of the windows. Then we wait. We wait for it to get really, really cold and then we go outside and turn them loose. It is their just reward for turning me into a crazed bug killer.
If you see me outside, late, on a cold dark night, dragging the vacuum cleaner behind me, think nothing of it. I'm just a little buggy.
My husband always says the only good thing about cold weather is there are no bugs. It makes him quite happy when he can drive his beloved chariot somewhere, usually very fast, and return with no bugs plastered on the front.
My studio, which is really my youngest daughters' old bedroom, but studio has a much snazzier ring to it, has four windows facing the south. It offers a great view when I need to take a break and reflect about what I'm working on. I can see fields and trees in the distance and my garden in the backyard.
Now that the weather has turned colder, the garden is bare and most of the fields have been harvested. The bugs have almost disappeared, except for two species, House Flies and Asian Beetles, which, around these parts, we all refer to as Lady Bugs. They really are not Lady Bugs, but they look like them and they stink.
Flies and Lady Bugs (aka Asian Beetles) do not like cold weather, they like nice warm houses. I don't know if it's because my house is old, but some how they find a way in. They gather on the south side of the house and plan their attack. My studio is now filled with them and the windows look like a scene from the above mentioned movie.
I think they spend all summer watching old reruns of Star Trek because they have learned the secret of teleportation. I have sealed every crack and crevice with caulking, or that wonderful foam in a can, and still, they find their way inside.
Once inside, they have nothing to do but try to get back outside. They fly around aimlessly, bumping into walls and off the ceiling or gather on the windows having forgotten their teleportation suaviness. Every so often, one will get whacked by a blade on the ceiling fan, sending his little carcass in a straight trajectory to the wall and that makes me smile.
They dive bomb my work space and if I ignore them, they do a kamikaze raid into my teacup or my hair. When that happens I grab my faithful companion, the vacuum and we chase them around the room and suck them out of the windows. Then we wait. We wait for it to get really, really cold and then we go outside and turn them loose. It is their just reward for turning me into a crazed bug killer.
If you see me outside, late, on a cold dark night, dragging the vacuum cleaner behind me, think nothing of it. I'm just a little buggy.
Wednesday, November 13, 2013
It's a Family Tradition
The little girl watched as her mother prepared the holiday meal. The mother skillfully cut the end off a large ham, placed it in a pan and put it into the oven.
The little girl asked her mother, "Mommy, why did you cut the end off the ham?"
Her mother answered, "Because that is the way my mother, your grandmother has always done it."
The little girl trotted into the living room where her grandmother was and said, "Grandma, why do you cut the end off the ham before it goes in the oven?"
Her grandmother answered, "Because that is the way my mother, your great grandmother has always done it."
The little girl then went into the study where her great grandmother was sitting and asked again, "Great Grammy, why do you cut the end off of the ham before putting it in the oven?"
Her great grandmother looked down at her and said, "Because, my darling great granddaughter, it was the only way it would fit in the pan."
Tradition is defined as "the handing down of statements, beliefs, legends, customs, information, etc. from generation to generation, especially by word of mouth or by practice." That doesn't mean that all the 'traditions' handed down are truth carved in stone, it's just something that we keep passing along.
A few months ago I started my own tradition. Every Monday through Friday, when school is in session, one of my two oldest grandsons walk their dog. The boys alternate each day, one is very chatty, for not having been out of bed long, the other, not so much.
They take the same route each day which comes up the alley by our house. I watch for them and when they get close, I go outside with a treat for the dog. I break the treat into four pieces and it's a daily score card to see if she can catch each piece in mid air.
Their cat goes with them on this daily routine, which looks like a scene out of Homeward Bound, but she isn't interested in any treats. The dog however, turns into our driveway whether she can see me or not. She remembers and enjoys this five day tradition.
I don't know who I will be able to pass this tradition on to after I'm gone. Since my husband is not into pets, I rather doubt he will carry on this morning ritual. It would be amusing to see him standing in the pet section of a store though, looking for the perfect dog treat. Now that I think of it, it would be amusing to see him in a store, period.
With the holiday season fast approaching, there will be many family traditions carried out. Sometimes traditions are as simple as always going to a certain home to celebrate, or they can have elaborate rituals to mark the event.
Whatever yours is, enjoy it and pass it on to the next generation. If you don't have one, it's never too late to start. Make it somber, or hilariously funny.
If you don't know why certain traditions are always done the way they are, ask why. You might be amazed to find out you could have had an extra ham sandwich or two.
The little girl asked her mother, "Mommy, why did you cut the end off the ham?"
Her mother answered, "Because that is the way my mother, your grandmother has always done it."
The little girl trotted into the living room where her grandmother was and said, "Grandma, why do you cut the end off the ham before it goes in the oven?"
Her grandmother answered, "Because that is the way my mother, your great grandmother has always done it."
The little girl then went into the study where her great grandmother was sitting and asked again, "Great Grammy, why do you cut the end off of the ham before putting it in the oven?"
Her great grandmother looked down at her and said, "Because, my darling great granddaughter, it was the only way it would fit in the pan."
Tradition is defined as "the handing down of statements, beliefs, legends, customs, information, etc. from generation to generation, especially by word of mouth or by practice." That doesn't mean that all the 'traditions' handed down are truth carved in stone, it's just something that we keep passing along.
A few months ago I started my own tradition. Every Monday through Friday, when school is in session, one of my two oldest grandsons walk their dog. The boys alternate each day, one is very chatty, for not having been out of bed long, the other, not so much.
They take the same route each day which comes up the alley by our house. I watch for them and when they get close, I go outside with a treat for the dog. I break the treat into four pieces and it's a daily score card to see if she can catch each piece in mid air.
Their cat goes with them on this daily routine, which looks like a scene out of Homeward Bound, but she isn't interested in any treats. The dog however, turns into our driveway whether she can see me or not. She remembers and enjoys this five day tradition.
I don't know who I will be able to pass this tradition on to after I'm gone. Since my husband is not into pets, I rather doubt he will carry on this morning ritual. It would be amusing to see him standing in the pet section of a store though, looking for the perfect dog treat. Now that I think of it, it would be amusing to see him in a store, period.
With the holiday season fast approaching, there will be many family traditions carried out. Sometimes traditions are as simple as always going to a certain home to celebrate, or they can have elaborate rituals to mark the event.
Whatever yours is, enjoy it and pass it on to the next generation. If you don't have one, it's never too late to start. Make it somber, or hilariously funny.
If you don't know why certain traditions are always done the way they are, ask why. You might be amazed to find out you could have had an extra ham sandwich or two.
Tuesday, November 12, 2013
The Wonders of the World
The natural wonders of the world that this planet has to offer are awe inspiring indeed. Places like the Grand Canyon, Victoria Falls, and Mount Everest make us feel as if we have witnessed the hand of God at work on his masterpiece.
I always figured the main reason God gave us a brain was not just to use it to think with, but to use it to create. We can sit around and think about what we are going to wear or what we are going to have for supper, but we can also get an idea for something on a much grander scale. If we are motivated enough when the idea strikes, great things can happen.
Take for instance the man made wonders of the world. There's the Great Pyramid of Giza, the Lighthouse of Alexandria and the Taj Mahal, just to name a few. If you would like to see where all your money went every time you filled up your fuel tank, take a look at the Palm Islands located off the coast of the UAE in the Persian Gulf, somebody had a huge idea with that one. All these things were made because someone had a thought, used their brain and created their own masterpiece.
With all the man made wonders in the world, I would like to add one more to the list. It may not be as impressive to gaze upon as say, the Great Wall of China. It does not tower over a city sky line like the Empire State Building or span a great body of water like the Golden Gate Bridge. It does not house the beauty of the legendary Hanging Gardens of Babylon, but it ranks high among mans' greatest creations.
It is but a humble creation to the betterment of mankind. May I add to the list, the gas powered leaf blower.
There is nothing more gratifying than hanging onto an engine that is blowing air out of a narrow tube at speeds surpassing 200 mph. Nor is there anything more disruptive on a fine Fall Sunday afternoon than all of the neighbors firing up their leaf blowers in unison.
All kinds of greatness can be accomplished with a gas powered leaf blower. Four trees worth of leaves can be placed in a pile, in less than half the time it would take to rake them. The pile of leaves can be maneuvered into long rows for burning or if the wind is in your favor, they can be blown into the street to watch them travel into the yard next door. If burning the leaves, the leaf blower makes for a great bellows and can have the leaves totally engulfed in flames in short order.
Sidewalks can be cleaned of debris in a fraction of the time it would take to use a broom and it's even fun to clean the neighbors' sidewalk too.
If you can get a leaf blower on the roof, there is no better way to clean out the rain gutters. It is a good idea to make sure no one is standing on the ground watching, as there is a lot of unpleasant gunk in the bottom of the gutters. Gutter gunk traveling at 200 mph doesn't make bystanders happy when it lands on their head.
Not only do leaf blowers make our life easier, they keep us safe. You can use a leaf blower all afternoon, build some upper body strength and have zero blisters.
There could even be Leaf Blower Games added to the Olympics. Participants could show their leaf blower prowess by forming intricate designs with a pile of leaves. Even leaf blower races could be run to see who could blow a cardboard box the furthest in the shortest amount of time.
The leaf blower is a creation with endless uses. I've often thought of opening the front and back doors and using it to blow the dust out of the house. If I can figure out how not to blow the pictures off the walls, I just may try it.
For now though, I will sit back and admire this creation as it has gained fame for the list of man made wonders of the world.
I always figured the main reason God gave us a brain was not just to use it to think with, but to use it to create. We can sit around and think about what we are going to wear or what we are going to have for supper, but we can also get an idea for something on a much grander scale. If we are motivated enough when the idea strikes, great things can happen.
Take for instance the man made wonders of the world. There's the Great Pyramid of Giza, the Lighthouse of Alexandria and the Taj Mahal, just to name a few. If you would like to see where all your money went every time you filled up your fuel tank, take a look at the Palm Islands located off the coast of the UAE in the Persian Gulf, somebody had a huge idea with that one. All these things were made because someone had a thought, used their brain and created their own masterpiece.
With all the man made wonders in the world, I would like to add one more to the list. It may not be as impressive to gaze upon as say, the Great Wall of China. It does not tower over a city sky line like the Empire State Building or span a great body of water like the Golden Gate Bridge. It does not house the beauty of the legendary Hanging Gardens of Babylon, but it ranks high among mans' greatest creations.
It is but a humble creation to the betterment of mankind. May I add to the list, the gas powered leaf blower.
There is nothing more gratifying than hanging onto an engine that is blowing air out of a narrow tube at speeds surpassing 200 mph. Nor is there anything more disruptive on a fine Fall Sunday afternoon than all of the neighbors firing up their leaf blowers in unison.
All kinds of greatness can be accomplished with a gas powered leaf blower. Four trees worth of leaves can be placed in a pile, in less than half the time it would take to rake them. The pile of leaves can be maneuvered into long rows for burning or if the wind is in your favor, they can be blown into the street to watch them travel into the yard next door. If burning the leaves, the leaf blower makes for a great bellows and can have the leaves totally engulfed in flames in short order.
Sidewalks can be cleaned of debris in a fraction of the time it would take to use a broom and it's even fun to clean the neighbors' sidewalk too.
If you can get a leaf blower on the roof, there is no better way to clean out the rain gutters. It is a good idea to make sure no one is standing on the ground watching, as there is a lot of unpleasant gunk in the bottom of the gutters. Gutter gunk traveling at 200 mph doesn't make bystanders happy when it lands on their head.
Not only do leaf blowers make our life easier, they keep us safe. You can use a leaf blower all afternoon, build some upper body strength and have zero blisters.
There could even be Leaf Blower Games added to the Olympics. Participants could show their leaf blower prowess by forming intricate designs with a pile of leaves. Even leaf blower races could be run to see who could blow a cardboard box the furthest in the shortest amount of time.
The leaf blower is a creation with endless uses. I've often thought of opening the front and back doors and using it to blow the dust out of the house. If I can figure out how not to blow the pictures off the walls, I just may try it.
For now though, I will sit back and admire this creation as it has gained fame for the list of man made wonders of the world.
Monday, November 11, 2013
Thank-You
Today in the United States of America is a national holiday. It's not the kind of holiday filled with plastic yard ornaments, lights, candy or gift giving. Most schools are not in session, banks are closed and the government offices have a day off too. Many children are sleeping in, probably dreaming of spending the rest of the day playing video games. Many adults have an extra day of holiday shopping, with scores of sales being offered by the retailers who have chosen to stay open.
Today is Veterans Day. A day set aside to honor, remember and give thanks to those who have served and are serving in our military. Those who have put their lives on the line for our freedom and those who have paid the ultimate price.
I would like to say thank-you to all the veterans, present and past.
Thank-you for giving us the opportunity to live in a country where we can worship whom we choose, without having to be afraid.
Thank-you for allowing us to be able to wear our hair in any color or style that we choose and that goes for our clothes too.
Thank-you for giving us the opportunity to drive a vehicle and all the wonderful makes and models to choose from. Thank-you too, for being able to drive that vehicle from sea to shining sea without fear of border stops.
Thank-you for defending our rights to speak out, for our voices to be heard when others would have us be silent.
Thank-you for allowing us to follow the dreams of our youth.
Thank-you for allowing our youth to go to school.
Thank-you for defending our right to bear arms. I do not own a gun, but someday I might want to, and again, I thank you.
Mostly, thank-you for the freedoms this great country has to offer. There are far more people who have lost their lives trying to get here than those who want to leave.
This is just a simple list of thank-you's, things most of us have grown up with and take for granted. Take any one of the freedoms I have mentioned away and think about how life would be.
If you're a man, be thankful for those who have served. If you're a woman, be thankful twice.
Today is Veterans Day. A day set aside to honor, remember and give thanks to those who have served and are serving in our military. Those who have put their lives on the line for our freedom and those who have paid the ultimate price.
I would like to say thank-you to all the veterans, present and past.
Thank-you for giving us the opportunity to live in a country where we can worship whom we choose, without having to be afraid.
Thank-you for allowing us to be able to wear our hair in any color or style that we choose and that goes for our clothes too.
Thank-you for giving us the opportunity to drive a vehicle and all the wonderful makes and models to choose from. Thank-you too, for being able to drive that vehicle from sea to shining sea without fear of border stops.
Thank-you for defending our rights to speak out, for our voices to be heard when others would have us be silent.
Thank-you for allowing us to follow the dreams of our youth.
Thank-you for allowing our youth to go to school.
Thank-you for defending our right to bear arms. I do not own a gun, but someday I might want to, and again, I thank you.
Mostly, thank-you for the freedoms this great country has to offer. There are far more people who have lost their lives trying to get here than those who want to leave.
This is just a simple list of thank-you's, things most of us have grown up with and take for granted. Take any one of the freedoms I have mentioned away and think about how life would be.
If you're a man, be thankful for those who have served. If you're a woman, be thankful twice.
Saturday, November 9, 2013
Everybody's Got One
If it hasn't been used in six months, get rid of it. Those would be great words to live by. Just think of all the closet space that would be available if everyone followed that one simple phrase. It would make life much simpler plus make room for some new clothes.
Usually when an item is thrown out, or given away, two days later it's needed for something. With that in mind, I'm going to add to the phrase; If it hasn't been used in six months, get rid of it, UNLESS if fits in the junk drawer.
I would guess it's a pretty safe bet to say that anyone who has drawers in their house, at least one of them is the designated junk drawer. The junk drawer lets us hang on to items we just can't part with.
Every so often I clean our junk drawer. I empty its entire contents on the floor and sift through treasures to see if they are really worth keeping. I even organized it, placing similar items into plastic bags, to make the junk more readily accessible. That worked for a while until I discovered it was much easier to just open the drawer and drop new items in it, then slide the drawer shut.
My junk drawer is full of fascinating, someday they will be useful, items. In the back of the drawer I found rain ponchos, the kind that are folded up neatly and stuffed in a small plastic carrying case, about the size of a checkbook. Those will come in handy if I'm ever caught in a downpour, especially when they will still be in the drawer. Have you ever tried to re-fold a rain poncho? They never fit back into their handy carrying case so it's best to leave them in the drawer where they will remain neatly folded.
Another thing that will suffice as a junk drawer is a decorative bowl, or box. Place one of those on a counter or table and it will instantly fill with objects out of thin air. I placed a small bowl on my desk, for the purpose of always having a pen or pencil at the ready. It now contains a spatula, pliers, and a large serving spoon along with numerous ink pens, half of which no longer work. I don't know how the tools and kitchen items got in there, the bowl is just a vortex and consumes anything that gets too close.
My desk seems to be a junk drawer of its own making. It carries many items not needed for desk work. A tape measure, a bottle of 70% rubbing alcohol and numerous pieces of jewelry. The desk also has 10 cubby holes which serve the purpose of being mini junk drawers. They are dangerous indeed and one contains a small decorative bowl. Its function was to hold large paper clips, as I peer into its shallow depths I see key chains, a shell casing and a plastic eyeball.
Today would be a really good day to clean out all my junk drawers, bowls and boxes. But then again, the weather forecast is calling for highs in the 60's. Since it's November here in the great Mid West, those days will be few and far between from here on out. Rather than pilfer through the junk, I shall go outside and enjoy the sunshine, maybe do a little yard work. Besides, somewhere in this house is a stuffed animal missing an eye and it would be a shame to throw it out.
Usually when an item is thrown out, or given away, two days later it's needed for something. With that in mind, I'm going to add to the phrase; If it hasn't been used in six months, get rid of it, UNLESS if fits in the junk drawer.
I would guess it's a pretty safe bet to say that anyone who has drawers in their house, at least one of them is the designated junk drawer. The junk drawer lets us hang on to items we just can't part with.
Every so often I clean our junk drawer. I empty its entire contents on the floor and sift through treasures to see if they are really worth keeping. I even organized it, placing similar items into plastic bags, to make the junk more readily accessible. That worked for a while until I discovered it was much easier to just open the drawer and drop new items in it, then slide the drawer shut.
My junk drawer is full of fascinating, someday they will be useful, items. In the back of the drawer I found rain ponchos, the kind that are folded up neatly and stuffed in a small plastic carrying case, about the size of a checkbook. Those will come in handy if I'm ever caught in a downpour, especially when they will still be in the drawer. Have you ever tried to re-fold a rain poncho? They never fit back into their handy carrying case so it's best to leave them in the drawer where they will remain neatly folded.
Another thing that will suffice as a junk drawer is a decorative bowl, or box. Place one of those on a counter or table and it will instantly fill with objects out of thin air. I placed a small bowl on my desk, for the purpose of always having a pen or pencil at the ready. It now contains a spatula, pliers, and a large serving spoon along with numerous ink pens, half of which no longer work. I don't know how the tools and kitchen items got in there, the bowl is just a vortex and consumes anything that gets too close.
My desk seems to be a junk drawer of its own making. It carries many items not needed for desk work. A tape measure, a bottle of 70% rubbing alcohol and numerous pieces of jewelry. The desk also has 10 cubby holes which serve the purpose of being mini junk drawers. They are dangerous indeed and one contains a small decorative bowl. Its function was to hold large paper clips, as I peer into its shallow depths I see key chains, a shell casing and a plastic eyeball.
Today would be a really good day to clean out all my junk drawers, bowls and boxes. But then again, the weather forecast is calling for highs in the 60's. Since it's November here in the great Mid West, those days will be few and far between from here on out. Rather than pilfer through the junk, I shall go outside and enjoy the sunshine, maybe do a little yard work. Besides, somewhere in this house is a stuffed animal missing an eye and it would be a shame to throw it out.
Friday, November 8, 2013
Divinely Inspired
In the pre-dawn, pre-waking hours I have some really weird stuff going on in my brain. It's that time of morning when I'm not really asleep, but I'm not really awake either. I can hear cars going by, so I know I'm not sleeping, but I "see" things that are normally not in my bedroom, so I know I'm not awake.
The first time this happened I did have my eyes open and I was replaying an event that had happened the day before. It was like watching TV, everything playing out on the screen just as I remembered. As I was watching this show, I noticed something running along the bottom of the screen, like a news show, were all the current events are listed and run in a constant stream along the bottom. It was a picture of a book cover, complete with the title. It was a book I've been wanting to write for a long time and it didn't have a thing to do with what I was watching on the screen. Yeah, I know, weird stuff.
This morning it happened again. Since I've been on the subject of cats, I was thinking about old ladies with 99 cats. Why is it that practically every small town in this country has a story, and usually an old dilapidated house to go with it, about an old lady who had 99 cats? I didn't know the answer to this, but I always figured if I found myself alone in my later years, yes, I would be the old lady with 99 cats.
While I'm pondering this urban legend, I "see" a page in front of my face. It was like looking at the computer screen after doing a search on Google. There was a whole list of things on the page but a name jumped out in bold letters, Geraldine C. Battefeld.
Since I have never heard of Geraldine C. Battefeld, I begin to do some evaluations. What did I have for supper last night, pizza? No, that was the night before. Pizza makes for some great dreams, pizza dreams. When I have pizza dreams I can do amazing things. Usually I'm a member of a SWAT team. Oh yes, I can run, drop, roll and shoot with expert precision. When I shared this visual with my oldest grandson he ended up in a state of hysteria. That's OK though, I love pizza and I love my pizza dreams, I think it must be the mushrooms. Maybe there was some residual left over mushroominess in my system.
After getting up and seeing my husband off to work, I came into the office and fired up Google. My first entry was, 'old lady with 99 cats', maybe that is who Geraldine C. Battefeld is. I didn't find her name there, but there is a whole bunch of stuff about old ladies with 99 cats, so all the old stories must have some merit.
My next search was for Geraldine C. Battefeld. It seems that should have been my initial search, but I was secretly hoping she was the icon of old ladies with 99 cats and I had been divinely inspired. There was no such person in the search results.
Who is this elusive Geraldine C. Battefeld? I do not know. Maybe she is an old lady in the making and only has 50 cats right now. Maybe she is a real member of a SWAT team and has to keep her identity a secret. Maybe, and this may be it, she is the grower of the mushrooms. Geraldine C. Battefeld, fungi grower extraordinaire.
Who ever she is, she has been my inspiration for the day. If you know Geraldine C. Battefeld, tell her I said "Thank-you!"
The first time this happened I did have my eyes open and I was replaying an event that had happened the day before. It was like watching TV, everything playing out on the screen just as I remembered. As I was watching this show, I noticed something running along the bottom of the screen, like a news show, were all the current events are listed and run in a constant stream along the bottom. It was a picture of a book cover, complete with the title. It was a book I've been wanting to write for a long time and it didn't have a thing to do with what I was watching on the screen. Yeah, I know, weird stuff.
This morning it happened again. Since I've been on the subject of cats, I was thinking about old ladies with 99 cats. Why is it that practically every small town in this country has a story, and usually an old dilapidated house to go with it, about an old lady who had 99 cats? I didn't know the answer to this, but I always figured if I found myself alone in my later years, yes, I would be the old lady with 99 cats.
While I'm pondering this urban legend, I "see" a page in front of my face. It was like looking at the computer screen after doing a search on Google. There was a whole list of things on the page but a name jumped out in bold letters, Geraldine C. Battefeld.
Since I have never heard of Geraldine C. Battefeld, I begin to do some evaluations. What did I have for supper last night, pizza? No, that was the night before. Pizza makes for some great dreams, pizza dreams. When I have pizza dreams I can do amazing things. Usually I'm a member of a SWAT team. Oh yes, I can run, drop, roll and shoot with expert precision. When I shared this visual with my oldest grandson he ended up in a state of hysteria. That's OK though, I love pizza and I love my pizza dreams, I think it must be the mushrooms. Maybe there was some residual left over mushroominess in my system.
After getting up and seeing my husband off to work, I came into the office and fired up Google. My first entry was, 'old lady with 99 cats', maybe that is who Geraldine C. Battefeld is. I didn't find her name there, but there is a whole bunch of stuff about old ladies with 99 cats, so all the old stories must have some merit.
My next search was for Geraldine C. Battefeld. It seems that should have been my initial search, but I was secretly hoping she was the icon of old ladies with 99 cats and I had been divinely inspired. There was no such person in the search results.
Who is this elusive Geraldine C. Battefeld? I do not know. Maybe she is an old lady in the making and only has 50 cats right now. Maybe she is a real member of a SWAT team and has to keep her identity a secret. Maybe, and this may be it, she is the grower of the mushrooms. Geraldine C. Battefeld, fungi grower extraordinaire.
Who ever she is, she has been my inspiration for the day. If you know Geraldine C. Battefeld, tell her I said "Thank-you!"
Thursday, November 7, 2013
Being Mean
Cats are elusive creatures. They can be loving and cuddly one moment, distant and aloof the next. If you've ever stood outside and called a cat only to turn around to see them sitting on the porch railing, staring at you with a look that says, "Oh, were you talking to me?", then you know what I mean.
Anyone who has had a cat, or any other animal as a pet, knows that critters have their own personality. Let the experts say what they will, that animals are just flesh and blood with no conscious, no knowing of right or wrong, but, we pet owners know different. Our pets can be as important to us as a family member. They can be our friend and our confidant in troubled times and we learn how to 'read' them just like we do with people.
Most cat owners will agree that we don't pick a cat, the cat picks us. I have a new cat. I did not choose to have another cat, he just showed up. Thinking he would go on his merry way, I showed him no attention, but he stayed anyway. He's still a kitten but I would guess him to be about 3 months old and he has decided this is where he wants to be. I'm not sure why though, because the Queen is not happy.
The Queen has been sole ruler of the yard for over a year now and she likes it that way. She's old too, somewhere around 15 to 17 years, which is a pretty good accomplishment for an outdoor cat. She doesn't like this new cat, in fact, she hates this cat.
She has screamed at him from day one. I thought that would be enough to make him run for the hills, but still he stayed. She has savagely attacked him, even drawing blood, only to have him give her a wide berth to find a spot to lick his wounds.
This morning she was screaming at him again. My youngest daughter was here and what we witnessed is a testament to animals knowing right and wrong.
The deck on the back of my house is about six feet off the ground. It's not a very big deck and a couple of years ago I decided that the grill took up too much space. Not wanting to be running up and down the steps to cook something, I constructed a platform on the outside of the deck, suspended it with chains and set the grill on it. It has worked out quite nicely and has also provided a great spot for the Queen to sun herself.
The new cat was in the Queen's spot this morning. Not only was she screaming at him, she was throwing punches. The cover on the grill did provide him some traction, otherwise she could have knocked him off with the first blow. He desperately tried to hang on, but she wasn't finished. She continued to claw and slap him until he was completely off the grill and hanging on the side of the cover. What happened next was nothing less than pure meanness.
The Queen positioned herself on the edge of the grill, leaned over as far as she could and continued her assault until the little cat had run out of cover to hang on to and tumbled to the ground.
Now I know, some of you are rolling your eyes, thinking that's just the way animals are and maybe a bit of that is true. But, here's the thing, if I had been out there, she wouldn't have done it. She doesn't hide the fact that she doesn't like this cat, but as long as I'm close, she has quit knocking the snot out of him. This time she had waited, she didn't know she was being watched.
Bullying has become an epidemic in our society. I wish I could pass along the fortitude of this little cat to anyone who has been the victim of such meanness. To tell them that if they can ignore it long enough, maybe it will go away, or lose interest, but as humans, we sometimes lack that inner strength.
If you witness this lowest form of character, don't turn a blind eye, speak up. It could be the difference between life or death. It will not only give the victim a sense of worth, but may take the perpetrator down off their high horse.
You might even make a new friend, or in my case, a new cat.
The next time you want to be mean to someone, it might be a good idea to see who is watching.
Anyone who has had a cat, or any other animal as a pet, knows that critters have their own personality. Let the experts say what they will, that animals are just flesh and blood with no conscious, no knowing of right or wrong, but, we pet owners know different. Our pets can be as important to us as a family member. They can be our friend and our confidant in troubled times and we learn how to 'read' them just like we do with people.
Most cat owners will agree that we don't pick a cat, the cat picks us. I have a new cat. I did not choose to have another cat, he just showed up. Thinking he would go on his merry way, I showed him no attention, but he stayed anyway. He's still a kitten but I would guess him to be about 3 months old and he has decided this is where he wants to be. I'm not sure why though, because the Queen is not happy.
The Queen has been sole ruler of the yard for over a year now and she likes it that way. She's old too, somewhere around 15 to 17 years, which is a pretty good accomplishment for an outdoor cat. She doesn't like this new cat, in fact, she hates this cat.
She has screamed at him from day one. I thought that would be enough to make him run for the hills, but still he stayed. She has savagely attacked him, even drawing blood, only to have him give her a wide berth to find a spot to lick his wounds.
This morning she was screaming at him again. My youngest daughter was here and what we witnessed is a testament to animals knowing right and wrong.
The deck on the back of my house is about six feet off the ground. It's not a very big deck and a couple of years ago I decided that the grill took up too much space. Not wanting to be running up and down the steps to cook something, I constructed a platform on the outside of the deck, suspended it with chains and set the grill on it. It has worked out quite nicely and has also provided a great spot for the Queen to sun herself.
The new cat was in the Queen's spot this morning. Not only was she screaming at him, she was throwing punches. The cover on the grill did provide him some traction, otherwise she could have knocked him off with the first blow. He desperately tried to hang on, but she wasn't finished. She continued to claw and slap him until he was completely off the grill and hanging on the side of the cover. What happened next was nothing less than pure meanness.
The Queen positioned herself on the edge of the grill, leaned over as far as she could and continued her assault until the little cat had run out of cover to hang on to and tumbled to the ground.
Now I know, some of you are rolling your eyes, thinking that's just the way animals are and maybe a bit of that is true. But, here's the thing, if I had been out there, she wouldn't have done it. She doesn't hide the fact that she doesn't like this cat, but as long as I'm close, she has quit knocking the snot out of him. This time she had waited, she didn't know she was being watched.
Bullying has become an epidemic in our society. I wish I could pass along the fortitude of this little cat to anyone who has been the victim of such meanness. To tell them that if they can ignore it long enough, maybe it will go away, or lose interest, but as humans, we sometimes lack that inner strength.
If you witness this lowest form of character, don't turn a blind eye, speak up. It could be the difference between life or death. It will not only give the victim a sense of worth, but may take the perpetrator down off their high horse.
You might even make a new friend, or in my case, a new cat.
The next time you want to be mean to someone, it might be a good idea to see who is watching.
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
A Few Tips
Summer is far behind us now. School has been in session for a couple of months and we have made it through the time change from daylight savings back to standard time. The early dawn now has some light and by 5 o'clock it's beginning to get dark.
The trees have been glorious in their Autumn attire this year, but as the weather changes and the temperatures drop, so do the leaves. Winter is just around the corner and with it will come more weather changes.
When the seasons change from warm to cold, our driving habits need to change too. Having been in a driving occupation for the last 17 years, I'd like to share a few safe driving tips.
First and foremost, wear your seat belt. Not just because it's a law, but because it could very well save your life. Make it a habit, like brushing your teeth. If you don't brush your teeth, you should.
Put your kids in a car seat. I always thought the person who came up with the car seat idea either didn't have children or had never ridden with one screaming for sixty miles strapped in a car seat. Children are our most precious commodity and car seats keep them safe. It never ceases to amaze me how many parents I see riding around with their kids roaming all over the vehicle, if I did that with my grandchildren, I'd be in the pokey before noon.
If it's rainy, foggy or just plain dreary outside, turn on your headlights. Most newer cars have day time running lights, but that doesn't always mean your tail lights are on. Please don't have the attitude that if you can see, everybody else can see you. If your vehicle is dark, tan or silver it blends in perfectly with wet pavement. Having your headlights on will get you noticed and may save you from the idiot who just came off the exit ramp and wants to pull out in front of you.
There is a handle on the left side of the steering column in your vehicle. It's called the turn signal. Please use it. Most of us are not tuned into our psychic abilities well enough to know which way you are going to turn, or when you are planning to do so. It is a rare occurrence that you will wear them out by using them. Mother spent most of her time driving with one of them on all the time and they worked for years. Also, it's a good idea, every so often, to turn on all the lights on your vehicle and then walk around it to see if they are all working. Remember, there is a light on the rear license plate too. Having all the lights in working order not only helps you to be seen but can save you money by keeping you from being stopped by the police and getting a ticket.
This is a true fact, bridges really do ice over quicker than the rest of the pavement. It is an underwear changing experience to be driving straight ahead one moment and find yourself sideways the next because you are on an icy bridge. If you don't believe that, better put an extra pair or two in the glove box.
Driving a SUV does not make you invincible to road weather hazards nor give you super human driving abilities. It doesn't matter how many "wheel drive" you have when it comes to ice or heavy wet snow. Just last year I found myself about 50 miles from home when a nasty snow storm blew in. I decided to take a route less traveled to get home, thinking I would be safer from all the traffic on the interstate. The storm had already dumped 4 to 6 inches of super wet snow on the roads and 40 mph was my top speed, 45 and I would find myself sideways. I was on a straight stretch of road when I encountered a vehicle coming towards me and going a lot faster than I was. The next thing I knew, not only was it coming towards me, it was in my lane. I slowed down and watched as it drove off my side of the road and stopped. As I got closer the young driver of the sporty model SUV smiled and waved. Yes, her 4 wheel drive enabled her to get back on the road, but it didn't keep her from what could have been a serious accident.
Last but certainly not least, drive defensively, not distracted. Pay attention to what is going on around you. The number of people I meet, on a ten mile trip to Wal-Mart, who are looking down at their phones is unbelievable. It's one thing to be attached to our phones, but it is a sad state of affairs when a law had to be made for lack of common sense. Keep your eyes on the road, that text message or phone call can wait.
Driving is a privilege, a skill, even an art form. Be careful out there, take your time and pay attention. Winter won't last forever, but we want to keep you around for as long as possible.
The trees have been glorious in their Autumn attire this year, but as the weather changes and the temperatures drop, so do the leaves. Winter is just around the corner and with it will come more weather changes.
When the seasons change from warm to cold, our driving habits need to change too. Having been in a driving occupation for the last 17 years, I'd like to share a few safe driving tips.
First and foremost, wear your seat belt. Not just because it's a law, but because it could very well save your life. Make it a habit, like brushing your teeth. If you don't brush your teeth, you should.
Put your kids in a car seat. I always thought the person who came up with the car seat idea either didn't have children or had never ridden with one screaming for sixty miles strapped in a car seat. Children are our most precious commodity and car seats keep them safe. It never ceases to amaze me how many parents I see riding around with their kids roaming all over the vehicle, if I did that with my grandchildren, I'd be in the pokey before noon.
If it's rainy, foggy or just plain dreary outside, turn on your headlights. Most newer cars have day time running lights, but that doesn't always mean your tail lights are on. Please don't have the attitude that if you can see, everybody else can see you. If your vehicle is dark, tan or silver it blends in perfectly with wet pavement. Having your headlights on will get you noticed and may save you from the idiot who just came off the exit ramp and wants to pull out in front of you.
There is a handle on the left side of the steering column in your vehicle. It's called the turn signal. Please use it. Most of us are not tuned into our psychic abilities well enough to know which way you are going to turn, or when you are planning to do so. It is a rare occurrence that you will wear them out by using them. Mother spent most of her time driving with one of them on all the time and they worked for years. Also, it's a good idea, every so often, to turn on all the lights on your vehicle and then walk around it to see if they are all working. Remember, there is a light on the rear license plate too. Having all the lights in working order not only helps you to be seen but can save you money by keeping you from being stopped by the police and getting a ticket.
This is a true fact, bridges really do ice over quicker than the rest of the pavement. It is an underwear changing experience to be driving straight ahead one moment and find yourself sideways the next because you are on an icy bridge. If you don't believe that, better put an extra pair or two in the glove box.
Driving a SUV does not make you invincible to road weather hazards nor give you super human driving abilities. It doesn't matter how many "wheel drive" you have when it comes to ice or heavy wet snow. Just last year I found myself about 50 miles from home when a nasty snow storm blew in. I decided to take a route less traveled to get home, thinking I would be safer from all the traffic on the interstate. The storm had already dumped 4 to 6 inches of super wet snow on the roads and 40 mph was my top speed, 45 and I would find myself sideways. I was on a straight stretch of road when I encountered a vehicle coming towards me and going a lot faster than I was. The next thing I knew, not only was it coming towards me, it was in my lane. I slowed down and watched as it drove off my side of the road and stopped. As I got closer the young driver of the sporty model SUV smiled and waved. Yes, her 4 wheel drive enabled her to get back on the road, but it didn't keep her from what could have been a serious accident.
Last but certainly not least, drive defensively, not distracted. Pay attention to what is going on around you. The number of people I meet, on a ten mile trip to Wal-Mart, who are looking down at their phones is unbelievable. It's one thing to be attached to our phones, but it is a sad state of affairs when a law had to be made for lack of common sense. Keep your eyes on the road, that text message or phone call can wait.
Driving is a privilege, a skill, even an art form. Be careful out there, take your time and pay attention. Winter won't last forever, but we want to keep you around for as long as possible.
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
This Might Work
Thanks to a posting on Facebook this past Summer, I was able to witness something I viewed as a breath taking event. It was the International Space Station passing over this area.
I have now come to learn that the ISS passes over our area almost daily, but I didn't know that at the time and I was so excited that I had a chance to see it.
It was supposed to be visible about 9 o'clock in the evening and be heading ENE. I was armed with my phone and its amazing camera and had it set on video mode. I was going to capture this event so I could share it with those who share my enthusiasm for seeing things moving in the night sky. The sky was absolutely cloudless and the stars and planets twinkled in the blackness of space. I began to wonder if I would really get to see it since I didn't have a clue what to look for. I stood on the north edge of the deck gazing up into the vastness.
Standing looking straight up can make your neck hurt and make you dizzy at the same time, so I kept glancing at my phone, checking the time, to alleviate both symptoms. I was about to give up when there it was, the International Space Station, right over the top of my head! There was no doubt as to what it was, its light was huge, no way could I have missed that. I was so ecstatic I nearly dropped my phone. I calmed myself long enough to aim the phone into the sky and hit record. Then I watched as the ISS raced across the blackness. I was amazed at its speed and stood transfixed until it was out of sight, which unfortunately, happened faster than I had expected. I've since discovered the ISS travels over 17,000 mph, wow, that gives new meaning to "blowing your doors off".
After it was out of sight I remembered I had been videoing this monumental event, hit the stop button and ran inside to relive the entire moment.
Years ago, while my parents were on vacation, Dad took a picture. It was a picture of a body of water that was covered as far as the eye could see with Whooping Cranes. There was something about that visual that he wanted to capture for all time. That picture has been the source for hilarious entertainment since it was taken, because you can't see the birds. He was too far away, all you could see was water in the distance.
I tell you this because that is what my video of the ISS streaking across the black night sky looks like, black sky. I even went into the bathroom, shut all the lights off and played it again. Again, black sky and I had to admit I'd taken one for the archives of family entertainment.
My research about the International Space Station tells me there have been people from fifteen countries who have had the opportunity to visit it and study there. I wonder what it is like to be able to look down on this beautiful blue orb we call Earth, this place that was made just for us, and not see all the ugliness man has created on her surface.
Recently, scientist have released a study that there are over 8 billion earth like planets, orbiting a sun, in our solar system alone. That's more planets than there are people on Earth. Maybe we should all have our own planet for awhile and see how we like it, like being told to go sit in the corner of the universe. Maybe we'd learn that being alone isn't much fun and we'd be more kind and tolerant of our fellow man. Oh sure, there would be those who would put up a "no trespassing" sign on their northern pole, but I think the majority would come to realize, we really do need each other. Maybe then, we could all get along.
I have now come to learn that the ISS passes over our area almost daily, but I didn't know that at the time and I was so excited that I had a chance to see it.
It was supposed to be visible about 9 o'clock in the evening and be heading ENE. I was armed with my phone and its amazing camera and had it set on video mode. I was going to capture this event so I could share it with those who share my enthusiasm for seeing things moving in the night sky. The sky was absolutely cloudless and the stars and planets twinkled in the blackness of space. I began to wonder if I would really get to see it since I didn't have a clue what to look for. I stood on the north edge of the deck gazing up into the vastness.
Standing looking straight up can make your neck hurt and make you dizzy at the same time, so I kept glancing at my phone, checking the time, to alleviate both symptoms. I was about to give up when there it was, the International Space Station, right over the top of my head! There was no doubt as to what it was, its light was huge, no way could I have missed that. I was so ecstatic I nearly dropped my phone. I calmed myself long enough to aim the phone into the sky and hit record. Then I watched as the ISS raced across the blackness. I was amazed at its speed and stood transfixed until it was out of sight, which unfortunately, happened faster than I had expected. I've since discovered the ISS travels over 17,000 mph, wow, that gives new meaning to "blowing your doors off".
After it was out of sight I remembered I had been videoing this monumental event, hit the stop button and ran inside to relive the entire moment.
Years ago, while my parents were on vacation, Dad took a picture. It was a picture of a body of water that was covered as far as the eye could see with Whooping Cranes. There was something about that visual that he wanted to capture for all time. That picture has been the source for hilarious entertainment since it was taken, because you can't see the birds. He was too far away, all you could see was water in the distance.
I tell you this because that is what my video of the ISS streaking across the black night sky looks like, black sky. I even went into the bathroom, shut all the lights off and played it again. Again, black sky and I had to admit I'd taken one for the archives of family entertainment.
My research about the International Space Station tells me there have been people from fifteen countries who have had the opportunity to visit it and study there. I wonder what it is like to be able to look down on this beautiful blue orb we call Earth, this place that was made just for us, and not see all the ugliness man has created on her surface.
Recently, scientist have released a study that there are over 8 billion earth like planets, orbiting a sun, in our solar system alone. That's more planets than there are people on Earth. Maybe we should all have our own planet for awhile and see how we like it, like being told to go sit in the corner of the universe. Maybe we'd learn that being alone isn't much fun and we'd be more kind and tolerant of our fellow man. Oh sure, there would be those who would put up a "no trespassing" sign on their northern pole, but I think the majority would come to realize, we really do need each other. Maybe then, we could all get along.
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