Forever Young

In light of my recent "big event" the sentiment expressed in these lyrics rings even truer. The secret to eternal youth is not in creams and potions but in attitude. :)





"FOREVER YOUNG

BOB DYLAN

May God bless and keep you always,
May your wishes all come true,
May you always do for others
And let others do for you.
May you build a ladder to the stars
And climb on every rung,
May you stay forever young,
Forever young, forever young,
May you stay forever young.

May you grow up to be righteous,
May you grow up to be true,
May you always know the truth
And see the lights surrounding you.
May you always be courageous,
Stand upright and be strong,
May you stay forever young,
Forever young, forever young,
May you stay forever young.

May your hands always be busy,
May your feet always be swift,
May you have a strong foundation
When the winds of changes shift.
May your heart always be joyful,
May your song always be sung,
May you stay forever young,
Forever young, forever young,
May you stay forever young."

Report

Hi All
It's me reporting in from the other side...the other side of 80 that is.

December 17 came and went and all is well. My family took me out for a lovely birthday dinner at the downtown Capital City Club which was festive with Christmas decorations,huge tree and all. Complimentary eggnog in the "parlor" with finger sandwiches and pastries. We had a small private dining room for our group which numbered 10 including 4 grandchildren. I had black grouper, Belgium endive salad and ...hold on to your hats...gingerbread cheese cake. It was all delicious especially the cheese cake. A few sips of champagne for the happy birthday toasts and a wee bit of wine.

So another year has passed and I am now working toward 81. Somehow or other it feels liberating to have reached this grand old age. If I need to take my hand carved wooden cane with me when I go out walking or shopping I feel I am entitled. When I told the young man who did not stop his car in the crosswalk at the shopping center, " You are supposed to stop at the marked cross walk, he just smiled and said he was sorry and then he wished me a 'Merry Christmas". I bought this special cane on sale over 25 years ago at Neiman Marcus. Back then I did not need a cane but could not resist it's beauty.

Since November 22, our 58th wedding anniversary, then my birthday on December 17, on to Christmas Day, most of my special days come in a little more than one month, so I am celebrated out.

I am more than ready for some black eyed peas, turnip greens, cornbread, rice, (hopping John). Good old plain Southern food.

We always drop a dime(the same one, a 1935 Lady Liberty dime) in the blackeyed peas for good luck in the New Year. The dime cooks in the peas and the challenge is finding the dime before someone chomps down on it.

The turnip greens are supposed to bring prosperity. the green leafy texture I suppose.

Oh, and Buddy is growing like a weed and getting smarter every day. I don't know what we did with ourselves before we got him. I am convinced he will keep us young at heart.

HAPPY NEW YEAR to all.

Thanks for reading my blog
and

A great big THANKS for commenting.

Update

Buddy made it through his surgery (nip and tuck) just fine. We checked him out of the vet's office yesterday morning and he has been his old self ever since arriving back home.. You could tell he was overjoyed to be back with his own bed, toys, treats.

He has no restrictions on diet or exercize so he is raring to go for some good long walks. He also wants to play catch up with his game of chasing tennis balls down the hall here at home.

He had gained a whole pound since the last vet visit. 11 pounds and 11 ounces. I don't want him to grow too big so am considering putting a book on his head.
I want to order Buddy this cute, and useful yellow slicker raincoat with a hood attached. (He HATES GOING OUT IN THE RAIN) to take care of business. Mr C. thinks putting the raincoat on Buddy might take too long and the deed would already be done.

I think I will order it anyway.
What do you think?

Buddy progress report

Buddy is growing like a weed. Last routine trip to the vet, he weighed 10 lbs 14 ounces. Long legs and strong body. He is almost getting the hang of potty training..."almost" but at least it is better now that when we first brought him home. His worst bad habit is picking up sticks and tree bark outside and chewing on it. Bad for digestion I think. I sprayed bitter apple on sticks today and he spit stick out so maybe that will work.

Buddy is in here with me at the computer. He is carrying around an old pair of my white socks and exploring under the bed. His favorite TV program is "Football. Any team with red on their uniforms. I think he is watching football on TV to prove he is macho like Mr C. If Buddy breaks out a beer and starts scratching himself I will restrict his TV.

I am typing this real "QUIETLY" so Buddy won't be alarmed. Next Monday, December 7, "Pearl Harbor Day" Buddy is scheduled for a "SNIP" He will stay overnight at the vet and return home early the next day.


EXCERPTS FROM A DOG' S DAILY DIARY
8:00 am - Oh Boy! Dog food! My favorite!
9:30 am - Oh Boy! A car ride! My favorite
9:40 am - Oh Boy! A walk! My favorite!
10:30 am - Oh Boy! A car ride! My favorite!
11:30 am - Oh Boy! Dog food! My favorite!
12:00 noon - Oh Boy! Kids! My favorite!
1:00 pm - Oh Boy! The garden! My favorite!
4:00 pm - Oh Boy! Kids! My favorite!
5:00 pm - Oh Boy! Dog food! My favorite!
5:30 pm - Oh Boy! Mom! My favorite!
6:00 pm - Oh Boy! Playing ball! My favorite!
6:30 pm - Oh Boy! Sleeping in moms bed! My favorite

My Buddy

Western Union

I had a humorous experience with Western Union back in the '60's
A friend of mine entered the Pilsbury Bake Off Contest. Her recipe was for "Batter-Up Beef Pie" made with canned Dinty Moore Beef Stew and Pilsbury flour and so on.

She had my husband and I over to taste test it and it was not bad but we did not think she had a chance of winning.

Lo and behold Caroline did win the regional bake off and won a trip to Los angeles for the nation wide "Bake-Off. We were frankly surprised. One reason being Caroline looked like Eva Gabor and was very glamorous. Not your typical picture of a bake off winner.

The day of the Bake Off, we sent Caroline a dozen roses and a telegram saying:"Everything's coming up roses. Good luck.

"The next day, after losing the Bake Off, Caroline called Western Union to reply and said:"Roses dead. So is Stew"

The shocked Western Union Operator interrupted and said:"Oh I am so sorry. How did they die?"

(Easier to communicate in writing than over the telephone :))

Caroline did win a new stove and the trip to LA.....

My Buddy

I will be eighty years old on December 17 this year. WOW !!

I never dreamed of still being around this long. As a teen ager I used to count up and marvel at the year 2000 when I would be seventy-one. but EIGHTY ...That seemed hard to imagine.

But here I am and God willing and "the creek don't rise" I will make it as an octogenarian in December.

So what is an appropriate present for one who has achieved this milestone?

A diamond ring? No. Already have one. A new car. No, my ten year old Mercedes is still ticking along just fine. Fur coat? No. Too warm in Atlanta for the fur I already have.

Humm
What would be a swell present ?

Well,.... I don't have a puppy.

And "happiness is a warm puppy"

So enter "Buddy" my new friend.

He is an almost 4 month old King Charles Cavalier Spaniel. Light brown (red) and white. Blenheim. And just precious.

We got him two weeks ago and my life has been a whirlwind of housebreaking and learning the habits of a puppy after 18 years of life without a pet.

At times during the last two weeks I have thought of having my head examined for wanting a pet to raise at my age. But the pleasure of his company has more than balanced out the bother and messes that come with puppydom.

And Buddy makes me feel young at heart again .:)

Mr. Chancy and I are more than content with this new member of our family.

Buddy likes us just fine too.

Read about the King Charles Cavalier Spaniel breed here

http://www.terrificpets.com/dog_breeds/cavalier_king_charles_spaniel.asp

Octogenarian

I just checked on Mort R's blog "Octogenarian" and learned of his terrible recent automobile accident. His wife Sybil posted this:

"To the loyal readers of Octogenarian
This is being written by Mort's wife...About 10 days ago Mort was severely injured while driving his car out of his garage.He's had two back surgeries and has not regained mobility in one of his legs.It will take months of rehab before he's back writing on his beloved blog.I wanted to thank everyone for all of their wonderful comments over the years.They have meant the world to him and you have brought much joy to his later years.My family and I look forward to the day when he can return to working on his blog again. Sybil

If you are one of Mort's readers please go to his blog and wish him well"

http://octogenarian.blogspot.com/

click on title of this post for link

WW2

Living in a small college town in Georgia we were in no real danger during WW2 and never felt afraid. You have to know that back then we were not as mobile a society as we are now. If we traveled it was usually either in the car or on a bus. Airplane travel was not an ordinary occurrence as it is now.

People on both the west and east coast of the US were more aware of the threats from the enemy. In small inland towns we felt safe.I was 12 years old when the war started and 16 when it finally ended.

My three brothers were drafted. One saw overseas duty in Northern Africa with Signal Corps and one served in England, the Netherlands and later Germany. The third had "tough" duty in the Navy in Hollywood, Florida and then he was sent to Seattle, Washington in preparation to being shipped overseas when the war ended. They all three came home safely.

On the home front we went about our lives in a normal fashion but always concerned about those close to us who were away in the service.


A brief rundown of war time memories:

Ration Books, air raid wardens, saving foil from gum, High School volunteers picking cotton, V.E. mail, gas rationing,and rationing of sugar, coffee, News reels of the war at the picture shows, one pair of shoes, no silk stockings, painted stockings with seam drawn on back of legs. VE day, VJ day .Polio, March of Dimes, fear of polio infection from swimming pool and water fountains. .

We had blackout curtains, air raid sirens,neighborhood air raid warden, war bonds. . My brother mailed me a silk parachute from Germany,brightly painted wooden souvenir shoes from the Netherlands, English Lavender soap from London.

FDR fireside chats, Churchill, December 7 1941. VE day FDR death, VJ day, DDay I wore bobby socks and saddle oxfords, the songs "Bluebirds Over The White Cliffs of Dover", "Nightingale Sang In Barclay Square."

What are your wartime memories if any?

Down Memory Lane

Recently I have been reminiscing about my childhood. I think this was spurred by an old movie video I bought at our library branch's book sale. "Bright Eyes " with Shirley Temple, filmed in 1934.

I bought it so the grandchildren could watch it when they come over. The littlest one ,M, who is 9, reminds me of Shirley Temple. Same blonde curls and dimpled smile. I love and adore M,but when I was little I detested Shirley Temple. My hair was brown, stick straight, and cut in a Buster Brown hair style with bangs. I always wanted Shirley's curls. I wished and wished for blonde curls.

Once when I was about 6 the merchants in Athens had a "Shirley Temple look alike contest on the stage of the Palace Theater. My mother "curled" my hair with a curling iron and topped my "curls" off with a bow ribbon.I competed and lost. A tiny 3 year old girl with "stick straight brown hair" won the prize which was a new outfit.

Not long after that, my mother let her beauty parlor talk her into bringing me in for a "Permanent Wave." Now don't think of rollers, end papers and a solution. That is a "cold wave" and had not been invented yet. Think of a machine with wires and clamps,resembling an electric chair or some invader from outer space with tentacles. The wires and clamps were attached to my head-hair and the juice was turned on. I remember the smell of sizzling hair.

Boy, was I scared. Finally the ordeal was over. When I looked in the mirror I started crying. My hair had turned into a frizzy, scary steel wool mess.

I managed to "live" until I had had enough haircuts to get rid of the mess.

I never had another perm until the "Toni Home Perms" (cold wave)
came out and my girlfriends and I curled each other's hair.

Now, after all these years, my hair has decided to curl on its own. I suppose it is the texture of the grey hair that lives underneath all the sandy blond "Miss Clairol" I get now at the beauty salon.

Wait long enough and wishes can come true......:)


PS: This Thursday I have an appointment for a "body wave" which is what they call perms now. It is not that I am still desperate for curls at my "advanced age." My hair,especially on top has thinned and will do nothing but lay flat.

Wish me luck.:)

Atlanta Flood

Our son and his neighbor took this video from a canoe not far from their homes. It is of a neighborhood club with the playground and pool completely submerged. Their homes are on higher ground and are OK.

This is near the Chattahoochee River in the close in suburb of Vinings, Ga. The rains were unreal and came down in torrents. The river and the local streams all overflowed their banks.

Our townhouse is fine. No water. The sun was shining today. It rained for days and days. The Atlanta metro area got 19 inches of rain in 24 hours. A record.

Incredible.

I feel sorry for the people whose homes were flooded. And 8 people lost their lives.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHDWhwXtDew

There's Always Something

Yes there is:



But this is one I never expected.



I have a tendency to high blood pressure, hereditary I think, and I have been on two HBP drugs for some time now. The last time I saw my doctor, my BP was still too high so he put me on an additional drug, an ACE Inhibitor, Lisinopril.



I got it filled at Kroger for just $4.00 as it is on their list of less expensive drugs. The helpful pharmacist asked me if I wanted to know the possible side effects and I said yes. She told me that a common side effect of this drug, Lisinopril , is a dry cough.



I had been taking this medicine for about 3 weeks now and at night I did have a slight dry cough but I decided I would not concern myself with that and just popped in a Hall's Honey Menthol cough drop and went to sleep.



Then night before last I got up for a routine pit stop and decided my bottom lip felt strange. I turned on the bathroom light and sure enough my lip was slightly swollen on one side. Hmm, I thought could it be the cough drop or what?



The next morning when I woke up I could tell before I looked in the mirror that the lip swelling was worse.



I looked in the mirror and I was HORRIFIED



My cheek was swollen. My lips were swollen at least 6 times normal size.



I showed hubby and he said ice it and call the doctor.

I waited a couple of hours until the lip swelling had reached GIGANTIC proportion and then called and went right in.



I took the Hall's cough drops, a box of probiotics I had just started taking and the Ace Inhibitor pills because by then I felt it must be an allergic reaction to a medication. The meals I had eaten the day before was just normal standard food.



Dr G. took one look at me and the bottle of medicine, Ace Inhibitor, I had brought in with me and he said this is the culprit.



He said this only happens rarely maybe one in a thousand cases. But it was good I came right in because otherwise my entire face might have doubled in size. He said he rarely sees this sort of reaction, maybe once a year if at all. It is possible, also, to have airway swelling and constriction and breathing difficulity which I did not have.



He immediately gave me a cortisone shot and an anti allergy shot of some type and of course said to discontinue the Ace Inhibitor med. He prescribed oral cortisone for 4 days.



Today the lip swelling is somewhat better but not gone. I have a lingering hoarseness and feel a bit under the weather.



From what my doctor said this reaction can happen right away with Ace Inhibitors or years later while on the medication.



Just thought I would bring this to your attention if you are ever prescribed this medication. I would say,



"Just say no"



PS: I just read an article by a reasearch MD at Vanderbilt who said drug companies do not do enough follow up on side effects of drugs after they are given the initial FDA approval and released to the public.

And from
From WebMd.com:
"An allergy to ACE inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers can cause dangerous swelling of the face and of the throat that blocks airways, referred to as angioedema. "It's a generalized, sudden swelling, usually beginning around the lips and face, sometimes with shortness of breath and wheezing," says Jones. "It's life threatening. The patient needs to get to the emergency room."

Ancestors

Johann Adam and his wife Catherine traveled up the Rhine river to Rotterdam and there boarded the Griffin, a ship bound for the New World.



Their two small children skipped and shouted as they walked up the gangplank.



“Shush”, said Mama, you be quiet or they will throw you in the water.”


After 4 long weeks at sea they arrived in South Carolina to start a new life in the New World.


And almost 270 years later, here I am.

Little Red Wagon

Little Red Wagon

Bright red
Strong and sturdy
Childhood companion

Pull me
Please

Let ME pull it
Now

Look
I can walk
And pull

He toddled on
Short chubby legs

Up the
Steep,steep
Driveway.

I can do it
He said.

Up he went.
Slowly
Slowly

Pulling
Pulling

Uh Oh
Uh Oh

Little red wagon
Got away.

Look at it go......
Wheeeee.......
Look at it go......

Over the hill

Over the wall

On to the sidewalk

Below.

Is it broken Papa?

Run and see

Why no.
Landed on its wheels

Good as new.

Little red wagon
Strong and sturdy.

Little boy
Strong and sturdy
Too

chancy(janet)

"Fibrillations"

In the current New Yorker magazine there is this witty piece of satire about "health insurance"



That is ; I guess it's satire...could be true to life.



Excerpt below:






"Fibrillations
by Bruce McCall September 7, 2009

"Health Insurance;


"Welcome to the monthly newsletter about your health-insurance problems, not ours.


Note: Charges for the enclosed Supplementary Health Insurance Reminder will appear in your next billing cycle, for which payment is now past due.


Something to Think About: Contracting a serious illness can mean days off work just lying in bed, new adventures of the mind and body through medication, overdue personal attention from loved ones, and new friends in the hospital ward and the clinic waiting room.



And you may be the one who catches a disease that’s making world headlines and brings television crews to your bedside.





Sentences set in small type make a handy eye test.
If you can read this without difficulty, your eyes may be too strong and you will need the prescription drug Corneac R (dollarmycin-B) to return your vision to normal. Consult your pastor about the choice between sightlessness and personal bankruptcy.


Policy Updates
—All of you “Far Horizons” Fifteenth Tier Plan subscribers may now choose any doctor you like, who will then refer you to the list of approved cheap doctors, ex-doctors, doctors-in-training, and veterinarians.


—“Near Horizons” Sharing & Caring Plan members: Some misunderstandings about this plan have arisen lately. Sharing your hospital bed does not reduce the per-day costs of your hospital stay, and you will be legally liable if your bedmate contracts a communicable disease.




—Be sure to ask about the new “Invisible Horizons” Plan, providing discounts and a free ballpoint pen on hospital bills of more than a million dollars per week for any fifty-two-week period when you cannot get out of bed.
.
Explanation of Benefits
Skip this section. No benefits are included."

to read more go here:

http://www.newyorker.com/humor/2009/09/07/090907sh_shouts_mccall

Rest Well Teddy

Well, they laid Senator Ted Kennedy to rest.

The rainy day scene outside the old Mission Church in Boston as the mourners arrived, dressed in black and sheltered with almost identical large black umbrellas reminded me of one of my favorite French paintings of a rain scene, circa 1877 in Paris.

Painted by Gustave Caillebotte the people in this painting are walking down a cobblestone street in a fashionable section of Paris. Many are dressed all in black and they all carry large black umbrellas to protect them from the rain. The cobblestones glisten with light as the rain seems to be stopping.

http://www.artic.edu/aic/collections/artwork/20684

I wondered as I watched the crowds arriving at the Kennedy funeral "how did the hundreds of mourners, mostly dressed in black, know to carry almost identical large black umbrellas.
"Who got the memo out) ;)"

The events of the day went almost perfectly until the end when darkness descended over Arlington National Cemetery as the final minutes of the graveside service were plunged into almost total darkness.

The day's services and the transport from Boston to Washington D.C.had run long past schedule as night fell on the longest day. And yet, it was hauntingly lovely and powerful when the lone trumpeter outlined darkly against the sky played taps; the lighted Robert E Lee Mansion in the background.

The poignant voices of four of Ted's young grandchildren saying good bye to "Grampa" at the grave site was touching.

Now I have watched all 3 Kennedy brothers funerals. Remember Jack's sad cortege with the riderless white horse down Pennsylvania Ave. John John and Caroline.Bobby,Ted and Jackie.

But despite times of self destructive behavior in the ensuing years, Ted endured. He was a father figure for the 10 young Kennedy children who were lest fatherless after the murders of his two remaining brothers.


Teddy survived his brain tumor for almost fifteen months and he was mercifully given time to prepare for a "good ending."

Every detail of this day and last night's wake was planned by Teddy Kennedy himself and carried out with grace and dignity by his widow Victoria Reggie Kennedy.

SMOOTH SAILING TEDDY
AND
REST WELL.

Old Time Radio and TV

Suzzwords
Laughter is one of the best parts of life.It's what makes the hard parts easier to endure.
Friday, August 14, 2009

Suzz at Suzzwords struck a cord of memory with her post about an old time local radio show "Daddy Rabbit" I did not remember that show but I did remember this one:


MY MEMORY

I don't remember Daddy Rabbitt. But DO I remember Miss Debbie. She was a TV local children's show hostess in the Atlanta market. My four old daughter watched Miss Debbie everyday and was especially thrilled when Miss D looked in her magic mirror and, looking straight at the camera said....I see little Mary and Sammy and Joyce and Betty.

Oh how Jan ,my little girl, yearned for Miss D to speak directly to her thru the "magic mirror.

Well what do you know. Hubby and I went to a New Year's Eve party at a business associate's house. Lo and behold who should be there but Miss Debbie in PERSON. Nice attractive gal.

Early in the evening I spoke with Debbie and asked her to look for Jan in the "magic mirror "on tomorrow's show. she graciously said yes she would.

A good time was had by all.

Around eleven pm we missed Miss Debbie and we heard crying and moaning in the kitchen.There sat MISS DEBBIE DRUNK AS A SKUNK and slobbering all over her date.

I told hubby on the way home Miss Debbie won't even make it to her show tomorrow she will be so hung over.

The next morning we. (Jan, hubby and I) turned on the TV to Miss Debbie. There she was chipper, and perky and looking great as she held up her Magic Mirror and said

"I see JAN."


I guess"The show must go on"

Dog and Cat

WHERE DOG AND CAT CAME FROM

A newly discovered fragment from Genesis 3:25:

Adam said, "Lord, when I was in the garden, you walked with me every day. Now, I do not see you anymore. I am lonely here, and it is difficult for me to remember how much you love me."

And God said, "No problem! I will create an animal who will reside with you forever and who will be a reflection of my love for you, so that you will love me even when you cannot see me. Regardless of how often you are tempted to forget me, or be selfish, or how unloveable you behave, this companion will love you as I do, in spite of yourself."

And God created a new animal to be a companion for Adam. And it was a good animal. And God was pleased. And the new animal was pleased to be with Adam, and it wagged its tail.

And Adam said, "Lord, I have already named all the animals in thr kingdom, and I cannot think of a name for this new animal." And God said, "No problem! Because I have created this new animal to be a reflection of my love for you, its name will be a reflection of my own name, and you will call it DOG."

Dog lived with Adam and was a companion to him and loved him and obeyed him. And Adam was comforted. And God was pleased. And Dog was content and wagged its tail.

After awhile, it came to pass that Adam's guardian angel came to the Lord and said, "Lord, Adam has become filled with pride. He struts and preens like a peacock, and he believes that he is worthy of adoration. Dog has, indeed, taught him that he is loved, but perhaps too well."

And God said, "No problem! I will create for him a companion who will be with him forever and who will see him as he is. This companion will remind him of his limitations, so he will know that he is not always worthy of adoration." And so God created CAT to be a companion to Adam.

And Cat would NOT obey Adam. And when Adam gazed into Cat's eyes, he was reminded that he is not the supreme being. And Adam learned humility.

And God was pleased. And Adam was greatly improved. And Dog was happy, and wagged its tail.

And the Cat didn't give a shit one way or the other.

Bummer

Are you ready for a vent.

If not then read no further!!!

In addition to my two bum knees I have been having a problem with balance and pain and stiffness upon arising after sitting for any length of time. My internist, the best doctor God ever put on this earth,recommended I see an arthritis specialist. I went today.

This arthritis doctor was a real dud. His Physicians Assistant took all the info. Then Doctor came in with this greeting:

"Hello young lady and young man" ( I hate that condescending tone)

Within 3 minutes he determined that I did NOT have arthritis. He basically said that I was "OLD and OUT OF SHAPE" Duh !!!!!

He wrote script for physical therapy. He must have mentioned old or aged or in your 70's and 80's a dozen times.I was hopping mad before I got out of there.(I will be 80 in December)

DOPE!!!!

Will not go back to him..At least I don't have arthritis. How he could make a diagnosis in 3 or 4 minutes I don't know.

Holier than thou and abrasive.
Couldn't wait to get out of there.

I have an appointment to see another knee doc in September and between now and then I will work on loosing weight, walking and try to"heal myself"




PS:
I am going to drink the gin and throw away the gin and raisins.

Cheers

Reading jag

I have been on a marathon reading jag recently. I don't know why but at times reading seems to go smoothly and I just sail through books of all kinds.

I recently picked up several paperback books at our neighborhood library's $6 bag o'books sale. All the books you can stuff into a plastic grocery bag for just $6. What a bargain, eh?

In my bag I included an old classic that I had never read. "The Grapes Of Wrath". What the heck, I thought, even if I don't read it I had room in my bag.

The next book was "Revenge of a Middle Aged Woman" by Elizabeth Buchan.

Then there was "A Man In Full" by Tom Wolfe" which I had read a few years back but had forgotten most of the story.

The next book was also a paperback, "Durable Goods" by Elizabeth Berg. Another book, a hardback, was "The Commoner" a fictional inside look at lives of the last two Japanese women, both commoners themselves, who married successive crown princes of Japan and the hardships they both faced in adjusting to the cloistered life.

I included a few clunkers which I could soon see I would not enjoy. But later I will regift them to our library and they can be resold.

I was blown away by John Steinbeck's "Grapes Of Wrath" The story of the Joad family who were displaced from their sharecropper farm in Oklahoma during the dust bowl of the 1930's. As they made their way by truck with all their worldly possessions they encountered misfortunes. one after the other. But the hope of work and a better life on some golden farm in California kept them going.

From Amazon

"What can I say about the Joads that has not already been said in the past sixty-odd years? How could I have missed knowing them earlier? I read this story, with its "country speech" and "country ways" and wanted to take them all in. I wanted to comfort them all"

and "Revenge of A Middle Aged Woman"

"Living wisely is the best revenge for a London book review editor who loses both husband and job to her conniving assistant in this sophisticated and satisfying novel. Rose Lloyd is in her late 40s and has been happily married for 25 years when Minty, her "glossy free-ranging" young assistant, brusquely shoulders her aside. Husband Nathan, who is a deputy editor at the same newspaper, is decent and remorseful, but determined to start a new life, and Rose must pick up the pieces-which she does with commendable energy and resolve"

"Durable Goods"

"Durable Good's" is Elizabeth Bergs first book(she has since written many more) which is amazing when you read the stellar quality of this effort. Katie, a tender, blossoming 12 year old, steals your heart at first page and never let's go. Berg writes effectively in choppy paragraphs the feelings, the observations, the problems, the joys, the experiences of our Katie"

A Man In Full"

"The "man in full" of the title (the phrase comes from an old song) is Charlie Croker, a good-ole-boy real-estate developer in Atlanta whose sprawling South Georgia plantation, massive mansion in the best part of town, half-empty skyscraper tower named after himself, horde of servants, fleet of jets and free-spending trophy second wife have left him terribly vulnerable to bankers deciding the party's over."

What are you reading?

Slugs

Continuing with the theme of unusual uses for alcohol:

We had slugs that ate our hostas a few years back. At that time I was frequenting a current events chat on Yahoo. I commented about the slugs and an avid gardener from the UK gave me a plan to rid the hosta bed of slugs.

Cut a Coke can in half. Fill the half with beer. Prop the can up in a small hole in the hosta bed. The slugs crawl up to drink the beer and they get drunk and cannot crawl out. ;)

Cheers

(use cheap beer)

I wonder what other off beat uses of alcohol there are?

Addendum

I will NOT need fireworks tomorrow on the fourth of July. All I need do is open the fridge and take out the gin and raisins concoction, take a hearty tablespoon full and stand back as the fireworks go off in my mouth. "Stars and Stripes Forever" resonates behind my eyeballs.

Potent is hardly the word for it. the longer the mixture sits, the heartier it gets.

OLE!!!!!

And Happy July 4 to y'all.

Gin and Raisins

A while back Millie Garfield had a video on her blog "My Mom's Blog" which showed her preparing a "sure fire arthritis remedy". Gin Soaked Raisins. Since I have been having a problem, after I sit for any length of time, with walking and really bad stiffness and some pain , I decided to give Millie's remedy a try, thinking my problem might be arthritis.

I bought some golden raisins and a pint of Gordon's Gin. I put the raisins in a glass jar, just enough to cover the bottom of the jar. I poured in the gin. Just enough to cover the raisins and have about 2 inches of the gin over top of raisins. I shook the mixture and placed it in the refrigerator where it stayed for about a week until the raisins had plumped up and absorbed the gin.

In the meanwhile having the gin in the pantry and deciding that it smelled good and reading that gin is made from juniper berries, I thought, what the heck, I will take a tablespoon of the gin while I wait on the raisins to plump up. Hum, Not bad. Tastes like cough syrup. The next night I got out a small Waterford cordial glass, filled it with crushed ice and put in 2 tablespoons of the gin and sipped it. Not bad. And also the next night too, but added a lemon twist.

Meanwhile I researched the gin and raisins remedy on the internet and I came up with this information:



"Juniper Berries
Aunt Sophie came by a while ago with her secret remedy to vanquish arthritis. Aunt Sophie is, how can I best put it, of a certain age. This is a certain age that often has much in common with walkers, canes and wheel chairs; but Aunt Sophie is in great shape and is full of, as the expression goes, piss and vinegar, or, as I found, in her case, raisins and gin.“Have a few of these, every day,” was her command as she handed me a hand-packed container of her favourite concoction—raisins plumped to almost the size of grapes, redolent and swollen with Beefeater’s best. “Another bubbe-mayse,” I thought, as I munched some—a tale from the old country. But after a little research I decided this one might not be so far-fetched.The flavour of gin comes from juniper berries. These come from conifer plants, evergreens common in Europe and North America. New berries appear in the fall and can take two or three years to ripen. They are rich in vitamin C and terpenes, the essential oil which, in large quantities is manufactured into turpentine. During the Middle Ages the berries were kept in nosegays to help block the scent of the plague. For centuries, medicinal usage favoured using them in anti-inflammatory prescriptions. Hence, perhaps, Aunt Sophie’s arthritis remedy."

So here I am about 10 days later,(crossing my fingers for luck) feeling much better and able to sit awhile and then get up and walk without pain and stiffness.

Is it the gin and raisins.The gin. Or a combination including the 3 Advil a day I also started taking? Or is it just dumb luck?

All I know is, I hope it lasts.

Cheers, Millie

UH OH---

(this from our local paper. At least no one was living in it. But still.....what if you had gone shopping and came back to this.......

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Thursday, June 11, 2009


"Al Byrd of Sandy Springs got a phone call Monday telling him that his family home in Carroll County had been torn down. The steps remain.The three bedroom house was on a little road bearing Al Byrd’s family’s name.

It’s where all 10 Byrd children grew up, where they gathered to pray, where they lined up youngest to oldest for Christmas gifts, where they recall dad dispensing life lessons from the front porch. It’s where neighbors would walk over to eat watermelons, peanuts and sweet potatoes, and rehearse for the choir.

Now, all that’s left of the house are those memories — and a pile of questions — after the Carroll County home was mistakenly reduced to rubble Monday afternoon.

“It’s incredulous,” said a still-shocked Byrd, a retired Xerox executive who lives in Atlanta. “It’s not about money. This is about family.”

The man who did the yard work at the home, which no one was living in, called Byrd late Monday with the news. Byrd immediately hopped on I-20 and called the Carroll County Sheriff’s Department. He turned onto Byrd Trail — named for his family — in disbelief. Even the mailbox was no longer standing..

“Why did you knock this house down?” Byrd said he asked members of a Marietta demolition company Tuesday morning.

Byrd said a representative of North Georgia Container told him the company was hired by another company, Southern Environmental Services, to raze the home. And that company was hired by Fore Star Property, according to the sheriff’s department report.
None of the three companies responded to messages left Thursday afternoon.

Byrd was told paperwork and GPS coordinates led the demolition crew to 11 Byrd Trail. He said no company ever contacted him before leveling the house.

“If we were going to get rid of it, we would have done it after my father died in 1998,” Byrd said.

He suspects a house on the opposite side of railroad tracks was the intended target of demolition. It’s a wooden home with a green roof — substantially different than his three-bedroom family home.

Vernice Parham, who has lived on the street with two of her six sisters for more than 40 years, was home when the demolition began. “It hurt my heart,” she said. “I wasn’t raised up in it , but I was raised up near it,” Parham said. “I know we got a heavenly home. But we’ve got a Earthly home there.”

Byrd has hired a lawyer, but he isn’t sure what his next step will be yet. His only daughter is getting married on Saturday, and he doesn’t want to be distracted for the big event.

“I’m trying to compartmentalize this,” Byrd said Thursday afternoon. “I don’t want to put a pall on the wedding.”

Possessions

Today as I was reading the New York Times I ran across an interesting question:If you had to leave your home in a big hurry what one item would you choose to save. Or stated another way, what one possession do you love most of all ?

As I thought about all the "stuff" we have accumulated in almost 58 years of marriage in over six different houses, I wondered what one thing is most precious to me.

Not any of the books or knickknacks. Paintings collected over the years. Jewelry. Computers. Furniture. Silverware. Etc etc. It is all just stuff.

The one thing I would grab on my way out in a hurry would be:

The small, black and white photograph of my mother that sits in a silver frame on a bookshelf in my living room. It is a formal studio portrait type popular back then. She sits in a decorative wooden chair. There is a painted landscape background. She is pictured in a white dress, white stockings, her dark hair pulled back in a bun. Her own mother, a farmer's wife but an accomplished seamstress, made this dress with fine tucks adorning the bodice.

The date of the photograph would be about 1915 or so. At this time my mother would have been about 22 years old and teaching school in a one room schoolhouse in rural Georgia near Madison, Georgia. She was single, having not yet met her future husband, my father.

Many times since she died at age 91, I touched this photograph and blew her a kiss saying "Goodnight Mother"

I wish I had just an hour or two to sit down with her again and tell her I understand so much of what she went through as she aged. Now that I am approaching age 80, I better understand the aches and pains; the joys and trails of enduring to old age she talked about back then.

What would you choose to save. What one material possession do you love most?

My Cup Runneth Over

Remember the drought?



The one that enveloped the entire southeastern part of the US. The one that started the water wars between Georgia, Alabama and Florida? The water cops were out in full force. Neighbors were ratting on neighbors for watering lawns, gardens, flower beds.



Articles were written about conservation. Some even went so far as to collect the water in their showers in buckets and reuse it for outdoor watering. And many had expensive wells dug in their yards to bypass the official water sources and watering restrictions. Lush, green lawns were suspect. Signs went up "This lawn is watered using "WELL WATER"



Plans were made to plant cactus gardens.



Lakes Lanier and Allatoona were 12 to 15 feet below average levels. Florida said they needed MORE water released from Lake Lanier so the snail darters could survive. (We human Georgians wanted to survive also). Polititians fumed and fought.



Lake front lots were dry docks. It was HOT and DRY. PARCHED. It went on and on. Year after year. Almost to "dust bowl" proportions. the "Okies" among us were considering loading up the pickups and heading for California.



Then March, April and May 2009 came:



"Unusually active weather pattern brings frequent torrential rains to the Southeast. The last week of March and first week of April brought a shift in the large-scale weather patterns across the Southeast U.S., characterized by an active pattern with frequent low pressure systems moving across the northern Gulf Coast. Several of these systems were slow-moving, allowing soaking rains and thunderstorms to dump heavy accumulations of rain over the two-week period across most of Georgia, Alabama, and North Florida.. The widespread nature of the heavy rainfall has resulted in flooding of low-lying or poorly-drained areas and record or near-record floods on some Georgia and North Florida Rivers."



And according to WSB-TV Channel 2 meteorologist David Chandley



"Finally, the drought is OVER!.
As I track showers and t-storms across the southeast, I found this little nugget on the computer. For the first time in more than 2 years, the state of Georgia is drought free!! "







Oh. And by the way. about a month ago we had a soaker system installed for our tiny front yard and new shrubs.

Probably that did it and the heavens opened up and blessed us all with



Rain.

Beautiful Rain.

Wet wonderful water.

Rain.



cloudburst, deluge, drencher,flood, liquid sunshine, monsoon, pouring, raindrops, rainstorm, sheets, showers, sun shower, torrent, wet stuff.



Whoopee!!!

Twitter?

I don't have a clue. I do not know what Twitter is or what Twitter does or what I could do with Twitter. Why would I want to Twitter? Would Twitter show up on my cell phone? If it did who would Twitter me?
What would they say. What would I say?

Might I Twitter this:

Watched "The Office" and "30 Rock" tonight.
Watched new detective show "Southland"
Good show..hard to follow
Relatives coming for holiday.
Dick Cheney is making an a** of himself.
Again.
Your time is up Dick.
Went to library.
Checked out"Me Talk Pretty One Day"
Sprinkled rain today
Windy yesterday
Blew fern off deck.
Shocked that Adam lost American Idol
Chris cute but no star power
Kara almost did striptease on Idol
I hate tattoos.
Played bridge on net tonite.
Getting sleepy
Going to bed and read.
Nite.






.

US Senate.

Ok.
I know I have been pushing myself too hard for the last few weeks.

Maybe it is the spring time "nesting instinct" or perhaps I am a bit manic also.

Whatever is the cause, recently I have been on a house cleaning, fixing up, having repainting done, new landscaping in our tiny front yard. Activities which have me near exaustion


But today as I was reading the Yahoo News I realized I absolutely had passed the point of no return when I read this headline:

"CHRIST RUNNING FOR THE US SENATE"

what???

of course it read

"Crist running for US Senate" Crist being the present GOP Governor of
Florida.

But then I thought about the field day the press would have with rumors, scandals, inuendos, and so forth if CHRIST" were running for the US Senate. What a time for "swift boating" that would be.

In today's atmosphere even the most holy are not immune from slander.

Spring is for the Birds

Recently I have noticed numerous blog posts about birds building nests near the house. On porches, decks, garages, lampposts and so on.

For instance :
Golden Days Ginnie had this to say about her most recent bird nest find on her front porch:

"a bunch of leaves seemed to have blown together on top of a 3-tier wrought iron piece where I usually put fresh flowers in season.Imagine my surprise when I tried to move it and a startled little Carolina Wren flew out. She had been protecting her eggs and I quickly realized it was her nest."


This made me recall one of the most unusual spots birds have chosen near my home for their nest.

Once some years back my husband had left one of his golf caps on a baker's rack in the open garage. A bird built a nest in it and that tickled us. And hubby lost his golf hat for the duration.

Then another time prior to that I had gotten one of those KiaPet things as a joke gift for hubby. It was of a bald head with seed on top. I watered the KiaPet and the {hair) seed came in green and plentiful.We left it outside on the same rack. After the grass dried out another enterprising bird kept picking the dry grass from the Kia head to use for a nest.

And believe it or not we kept seeing a little bird flying in and out of a small hole in our gas grill on the patio. Yes. It was building a nest in the grill. And of course we couldn't grill until the wee ones hatched. Then we cleaned out the nest and covered the hole. We did not want grilled bird eggs for dinner.:(

Do you remember any unusual or fun places birds have nested near your home?

moirologist

This week's theme for the email "Word A Day" is, "There's a word for it".

I never thought about "hired mourners" but yes,
they do exist, and there is a word for it:





"A.Word.A.Day
moirologist
PRONUNCIATION:(moy-ROL-uh-jist)
MEANING:noun: A hired mourner.

NOTES:There are some things in life money can't buy, for everything else, there's Mastercard. With the right credit card you could even hire mourners for your funeral or find the right sentiment. While researching this word, I came across websites that offer "eulogy packs". One such site lists a "Mother's Eulogy pack" that includes "9 speeches, 3 poems, 3 free bonus". Only $25.95 -- have your credit card ready. Fathers go cheaper: $19.97.

. Professional mourners are not a new thing either -- there's a long tradition going back to ancient Greece and beyond. As late as 1908 a New York Times article reported on a professional mourners' strike in Paris."
------

What do you think? Sounds like an easy job and there would NOT be age discrimination so even I might qualify at age 79. And then I could attend the reception afterwards and enjoy the company and the food?

Or perhaps "wedding crasher" might be a more upbeat hobby? Just drop by the country club or hotel and find a wedding reception in progress and blend in for the food, wine, dancing and mingle either as "distant relative of bride or groom"

Life is dull around here ;)

FAST FORWARD

FAST FORWARD

I am all the ages I have ever been:


The little girl
with the buster brown haircut
who
adored her big brother.
He came
in the house
whistling and calling her
pet nicknames.


I am the teacher's pet
in grammar school
who loved poems
and
stories
and daydreamed
about movie stars
whose films
she saw
at the Palace Theater.
in Athens,Georgia
.
I am the
sister who
waited
for three brothers
to come home
from the war.


I am the distraught
young girl
whose pet dog
was run over
and killed
when he followed her
to town on
an ordinary Saturday.


I am the young woman who
went to work
at age
seventeen
at Southern Bell.
in Atlanta,
starting as an
operator
and progressing
to service representative
in four years.


I am the 21 year old
who met
the love of her life
on September 13
and married
him
on November 22,1951


I am the young mother
of a daughter born
in 1956
another daughter
in 1964
and
a son
in 1965.


I am the mom who
drove carpools
baked cookies
attended school plays
helped with
homework


I am the wife
who traveled
with her
successful businessman
husband
all over
the world

I am the daughter
who cared
for her own
mother
as she aged
and died
at ninety one

.
I am the grandmother
of six
who are
the light of her life


I am the 79 year old
woman
who loves
her husband
of fifty seven years
and wonders
how
in the
heck
did
she
get
so

OLD

and how
did
the
time
go.
whizzing by
So

DARN FAST

I am all the ages I have ever been.

The Free Spirit

Brownies for breakfast,
Her mom told her to eat brownies
for breakfast.

WOW

What a neat
mom.
Most practical moms would say:

"Of course not!!!


You certainly may NOT
eat
Brownies
for
BREAKFAST.
eggs,
cereal,
toast,
oatmeal,
orange juice,
but NOT
BROWNIES!"

But her mom said
eat brownies
for breakfast
cause you may be
too full
later in
the day
for dessert

(chancy)

Answering robots

( So many times when we call a business we get these dumb, impersonal answering robots. so turn about is fair play.)

"Subject: 86-year old lady's letter to bank...... Shown below, is an actual letter that was sent to a bank by an 86 year old woman."


Dear Sirs:

I am writing to thank you for bouncing my check with which I endeavored to pay my plumber last month..

By my calculations, three nanoseconds must have elapsed between his presenting the check and the arrival in my account of the funds needed to honor it.

I refer, of course, to the automatic monthly deposit of my entire pension, an arrangement which, I admit, has been in place for only eight years.

You are to be commended for seizing that brief window of opportunity, and also for debiting my account $30 by way of penalty for the inconvenience caused to your bank.

My thankfulness springs from the manner in which this incident has caused me to rethink my errant financial ways. I noticed that whereas I personally answer your telephone calls and letters, --- when I try to contact you, I am confronted by the impersonal, overcharging, pre-recorded, faceless entity which your bank has become.

From now on, I, like you, choose only to deal with a flesh-and-blood person. My mortgage and loan repayments will therefore and hereafter no longer be automatic, but will arrive at your bank, by check, addressed personally and confidentially to an employee at your bank whom you must nominate.

Be aware that it is an offense under the Postal Act for any other person to open such an envelope. Please find attached an Application Contact which I require your chosen employee to complete. I am sorry it runs to eight pages, but in order that I know as much about him or her as your bank knows about me, there is no alternative.

Please note that all copies of his or her medical history must be countersigned by a Notary Public, and the mandatory details of his/her financial situation (income, debts, assets and liabilities) must be accompanied by documented proof.

In due course, at MY convenience, I will issue your employee with a PIN number which he/she must quote in dealings with me. I regret that it cannot be shorter than 28 digits but, again, I have modeled it on the number of button presses required of me to access my account balance on your phone bank service. As they say, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

Let me level the playing field even further. When you call me, press buttons as follows:

IMMEDIATELY AFTER DIALING, PRESS THE STAR (*) BUTTON FOR ENGLISH

#1. To make an appointment to see me
#2. To query a missing payment.
#3. To transfer the call to my living room in case I am there.
#4. To transfer the call to my bedroom in case I am sleeping
#5. To transfer the call to my toilet in case I am attending to nature.
#6. To transfer the call to my mobile phone if I am not at home
#7. To leave a message on my computer, a password to access my computer is required. Password will be communicated to you at a later date to that Authorized Contact mentioned earlier .
#8. To return to the main menu and to listen to options 1 through 7
#9. To make a general complaint or inquiry. The contact will then be put on hold, pending the attention of my automated answering service .

#10. This is a second reminder to press* for English.

While this may, on occasion, involve a lengthy wait, uplifting music will play for the duration of the call..

Regrettably, but again following your example, I must also levy an establishment fee to cover the setting up of this new arrangement.

May I wish you a happy, if ever so slightly less prosperous New Year?

Your Humble Client"

The Bobby Soxer...Me

A lonely teen age girl sits in the dark listening to the new sensation, Frank Sinatra, as he croons a soft love ballad on his nightly radio show.


He signs off every program with these lyrics:


“Put your dreams away

For another day,

And I will take their placeIn your heart.


Wishing on a star

Never got you far

So it’s time to make

A new start”


She turns off the radio, takes out her bobby pins, dampens each strand of her Toni Home Permed brown hair. Then rolls it up in small, flat, pin curls.


She arranges her books for the next school day. Says a prayer for her three brothers who are serving overseas in the war.


Soon she goes to sleep hoping to dream of Frankie.




.

Tomorrow

I loved the musical "Annie" and especially loved the feel good song the little redhead sang:

"The sun'll come out

Tomorrow

Bet your bottom dollar

That tomorrow

There'll be sun!

Just thinkin' about

Tomorrow

Clears away the cobwebs,

And the sorrow

'Til there's none!



When I'm stuck with a day

That's gray,
And lonely,



I just stick out my chin

And Grin,
And Say,



Oh! The sun'll come out

Tomorrow

So ya gotta hang on

'Til tomorrow

Come what may



Tomorrow!

Tomorrow!

I love ya Tomorrow!

You're always

A day

A way! "



It's a beautiful, sunny, spring day in Atlanta, Georgia.

The daffodils are blooming their bright yellow

Heads off

The flowering crab apples

Are tossing their pink petals

On the ground like a spring snow.



AND



They're all gone.

The plumber is gone

The washing machine

Repair guy

Is gone

Carpet reinstallers

Gone

Carpet cleaner
Gone.

Finished and gone.

Just in time

As I was

Too tired to chew.

"Tomorrow" finally came for us and we lived through it all.
:)

Don't Read This

Unless you want to hear me whine.!!!



They say it comes in three's. Misfortune that is.

First it was my computer that died and our son had to take it home with him and administer CPR or mouth to mouth for a week until he revived it. It was DOA when he came to get it.

The second one was last Friday. And yes, it was Friday the 13th. Hubby, Sam, and our grown son were in the basement playroom putting together a Schwinn recumbent bike that Sam had ordered online. Sam cannot use the treadmill right now since he fell on some slick pine straw 5 weeks ago and broke a small bone in his foot. He is wearing a foot shoe cast.



As they were opening the bike box they noticed that the carpet in part of the playroom was wet about 4 feet out from the sofa and closet. Humm, they thought. Maybe the dehumidifier, which was not turned on had accidently started up, leaked and wet the floor.

They finished putting together the bike(no simple task in itself) then son went home and got his carpet cleaner machine and attempted to clean up the carpet stains. He came back over the next day to try and find the source of the water leak. He pulled up some of the carpet and discovered that the water heater in utility closet had a small, slow leak from the top down the side and under the baseboard into the room,(They had checked that before but it was such small leak from the top and not noticeable) I think it had been leaking for some time and we just had not seen it.

I went to the store to get Kitty Litter and they spread it on the bare floor . They had pulled up the carpet and discarded the wet pad underneath, trying to counteract the moisture. They turned on two fans and two dehumidifiers. Son drained the water heater so it wouldn't do anymore damage. We called the plumber who could not come until Monday. We only had cold water for two days. Brrr. I took spit baths. No shower.

The plumber came and replaced the water heater with a new one. When he finished I asked him to look upstairs at the hose connection for my washing machine as I thought it might be leaking. Plumber said the leak underneath the washing machine is NOT WATER but OIL. It was coming from the machine itself.( this is number three)

I called Sears Repair. They came today and had to replace the transmission etc. This came to a total of over $400. Luckily we had bought a 3 year service contract when we purchased the washing machine.(I had to overrule hubby at the time as he does not believe in extended warranties on appliances). So the repair cost nothing. Good thing as we had already spent over $800 on the water heater and plumber.

The basement playroom is topsy turvy with the carpet drying out. (almost dry now) Carpet guy coming tomorrow to take a look about reinstalling it later with new pad under part that was water damaged.)

Cleaning guy coming on Thursday to vacuum up kitty litter and to scrub up floor and baseboard to get rid of the mildew. (I talked to a water damage company and they said to use Borax detergent to clean up and it should be fine)



Now aren't you sorry you read this. but thanks for attending my pity party.

I found this info on PITY PARTY online:

"Pity Parties require the proper outfit, which is usually pajamas cause you dont get all dressed up during those feeling-sorry-for-myself moments. Also you should have no make up on or just the one from the night before; hair undone as well. It also involves tissues, comfort food such as ice cream; chocolate; potato chips; cookies; cake; and candy. Low fat food is banned Alcohol might or might not be allowed (if alcohol makes you go wild, no alcohol should be brought to the pity party in that case since the point is not exactly to have fun). The purpose of a Pity Party is to dump the pity ."

Keeping your computer screen clean

See below for a sure fire way to clean the inside of your computer screen.

http://www.raincitystory.com/flash/screenclean.swf

Hooray

HOORAY !!!!

My son brought my computer back today. It is all well and operating good as new.

What a relief, although I did notice I was slowly recovering from my computer addiction. But with the first whiff of "Bookworm" and "Blogs" my drugs of choice, I am hooked again.

Ahhh. How sweet it is.

What else can happen?

Last Friday I went to the Yahoo games site to play bridge. I played many, many years ago and I was picking it up well enough to play in the Beginners Room. I had forgotten a lot about bidding, however, so I decided to go browsing for a bridge site about Bridge Bidding.

The second site I went to seemed like a winner so I clicked "favorites" to file the site for later reference. Instead of being saved in "Favorites" it went directly to my internet files. I tried to delete it but no luck. Then a box came up that said " Trojan virus" from AVG internet security. It asked if I wanted to "heal" it or "isolate it". I clicked one then the other but I could NOT get any action. Then my computer started going crazy. Black to light screen then for about 5 seconds a soft porn site came up.

I quickly shut down my computer and went to bed. I could not sleep until 3am as I was so worried.

And sure enough when my son came over the next day he found out that I had a terrible virus
on my computer. It had crashed.

I am on Sam's computer now. My son worked and worked and after 5 days he was able to restore my computer. I will lose any information I had prior to August of '07 but I can manage.

He said if I had to buy a new computer he would get an APPLE. It seems APPLE does not crash as much.

Anyway, when my son brings the old computer back to me it will be all clean and he is putting a better security system on it.


Darn It

There's always something.

But I am SO THANKFUL for my smart son who is always willing to help out.

There's always something

What a fine kettle of fish this is:

The arthroscopic surgery for a torn knee meniscus I had last October has helped some but it is still not altogether back to normal. But I manage. My husband has driven me back and forth to the doctor. He has helped out buying groceries and many other ways too numerous to mention. I always told him " I owed you one" and I thanked him for all his help.

Well...... a week ago Tuesday, Sam, my husband, who is never sick, stepped out into our small front yard and was looking up to check out a maple that needs trimming when suddenly.........he slipped on the pine straw and fell off the curb, twisting his leg with his foot underneath.

Long story short... Very painful, I had him elevate his leg and foot and applied ice packs.... gave him Advil and a left over pain pill from my prior surgery. The next day I took him to the foot doctor. They x-rayed and he has a broken bone in his foot. They put him in a stiff post-op shoe boot and told him to stay off his feet as much as possible. Keep it elevated and for the first few days keep ice on it. Come back in 4 weeks.

He is being a good soldier and I am being a good nurse/helper. He will be fine and he can drive since it is his left foot. He misses jogging on the treadmill. He is a health and fitness enthusiast and goes to the gym at least once a week. Being inactive is not in his nature. He is doing fine but still has some pain in his foot as the healing takes place.

We can't blame his injury on age since our daughter,when she was 13 years old, broke the same bone in her foot. But I know young people heal quicker.


So I am back being the "chief cook and bottle washer" around here. My knee must take second fiddle now.It is my turn to repay Sam for helping me out. I do it gladly knowing that together we will prevail. In a few months we will be back to normal again.

Win One For The Old Folks

The Westminster Dog Show had a surprise winner this year. On Tuesday night a 10 year old chestnut colored Sussex Spaniel won Best In Show. His name is "Stump" and he is the oldest dog ever to win this prestigious competition.

In human years Stump would be about 70 years old but he looks and acts much younger and has a spring in his step any 50 year old human could envy.

Stump almost died 5 years ago with a serious illness. His life was saved by the vets at Texas A and M University where he spent 19 days recovering.

Stump came out of retirement this week to win his first show in four years. Owner-handler Scott Sommer decided last Wednesday to bring Stump to the big show, just for fun. and for old times sake.

The crowd at the Garden went wild when Stump won "Best In Show" thus becoming the top dog in the USA. Maybe the audience just liked rooting for the old guy.

Stump is an inspiration to all of us of a certain age.

Twenty-five Random Things About Me.

I recently read in the Washington Post about a fad that is zipping around on FaceBook. Some are "tagging" others to respond to this:





"Twenty-five random things about me."



I don't have a FaceBook page and don't plan to get one so I just thought I would post my "Random Things" here for your amusement.;)



Feel free to post yours here or on your own blog.

Consider yourself "tagged" :)





1. My father was 55 years old when I was born. He died whan I was 9 years old.

2. I had one brother, and nine half brothers, one half sister,( by three different mothers.) (Father's first two wives died.)

3, I was the youngest. Or as they say, the caboose. All but three siblings were grown and gone from home when I was born.

4. I don't like dark chocolate.

5. I color my hair.

6. I was teacher's pet in the sixth grade.

7. During the summer I was not allowed to go swimming in the public pool. Polio scare.

8. I knew my husband of 57 years for 6 weeks before we married.

9. I still miss my springer spaniel dog who died when our house was struck by lightening in 1991.

10. I have flown on the Concord super sonic plane two times.

11. I have gone up in a hot air balloon twice also.

12. A plumber's son stole my husband's Rolex watch but his dad returned it in tears.

12. I wanted to be a journalist.

14. Once over a period of 5 years I walked 3000 miles. Two miles a day.

15 . I lived in Washington D.C. at the Watergate condos for 4 years.

16. Sometimes I walked around and around the adjacent Kennedy Center overlooking the Potomac River.

17. I am a news and politics junkie.

18 I campaigned for Jimmy Carter when he ran for President.

19. I have traveled to, Mexico City, Paris. London, Ireland, Italy, Singapore. Hong Kong, Switzerland.

20. I have never been on a cruise.

21. Once as a teen I made a scrapbook about Frank Sinatra. "Ole Blue Eyes" was just starting out and had his own radio show.

22. On TV, I watched the first men walk on the moon

23. I loved Franklin D. Roosevelt. I saw him once in a motorcade.

24 I heard FDR's fireside chats on the radio. Years after FDR's death, I visited "The Little White House" in Warm Springs. Georgia. He died here while getting his portrait painted.

25. I was in a Shirley Temple look alike contest as a child. I lost. :(

Trying Something New

My Mother's favorite drink

She lived to be 91 and every day of her life she had to have her Coke. In Georgia, during her lifetime,it was known as "Co-cola"..and for years it came in those old fashioned, green glass bottles that kept it so cold, refreshing and frosty. Not like the cans of today.

After she entered the nursing home, when I would go visit her and take her a new sweater or new nightgowns, I always stopped by the cafeteria and dropped in my quarters in the vending machine and bought her a "Co-Cola". She was always so grateful and she enjoyed the refreshing taste.

I suppose "Coke" itself at that time was as old as Mama. She was born in Hall County Georgia,in 1893, and Coca-Cola was sold in bottles for the first time on March 12, 1894. It was sold at a few soda fountains prior to that.

Then in 1985 the Coca Cola company made a tremendous blunder.

"The Coca-Cola Company came out with "New Coke" in 1985. Coca-Cola, amid much publicity, attempted to change the formula of the drink. Some authorities believe that New Coke, as the reformulated drink was called, was invented specifically to respond to its commercial competitor, Pepsi.. New Coke was reformulated in a way that emulated Pepsi. . The commercial failure of New Coke came as a grievous blow to the management of the Coca-Cola Corporation.

It is possible that customers would not have noticed the change if it had been made secretly or gradually, and thus brand loyalty could have been maintained. Coca-Cola management was unprepared, however, for the nostalgic sentiments the drink aroused in the American public; some compared changing the Coke formula to rewriting the American Constitution."

As soon as New Coke came out I took one out to the nursing home for Mama to try. I did not tell her that "Co-Cola" had been reformulated and just asked her "How is your Co-Cola, Mama? She sounded and looked disappointed when she replied "It's all right"

Then I told her about the new version of Coke. She wanted to stick with the old standby that had served her well for almost 90 years.

I never again took her a "New Coke." She enjoyed the familiar taste of the original Co-cola too much to change. At her age she deserved to stick with the original.

At seventy nine

At Seventy Nine


When you get to be my age, you should not wish for a Happy New Year.

Instead, try for a Happy Tuesday.

Put down those green bananas, And reach for the ripe ones.

The green bananas will ripen by Thursday; Who knows what Thursday will bring.

If it's winter, do not long for spring.

Enjoy the bare branches and cold winds

While resting by a warm fire

With old memories.

A glass of old wine

An old cat purring in your lap

As you doze off into tomorrow.

The Inauguration

My husband and I watched the inaugural today from beginning to end. The weather cooperated for the massive crowds that had gathered in Washington. Icy cold but clear and sunny. Just think, it could have rained or snowed or sleeted but it was a fair day and everyone survived the chill.

I remember the day in January 1977 when Jimmy Carter was inaugurated President of the United States and we were there. Standing room only but close enough to the podium to see and hear all of it. Most of what I remember is the icy cold. So cold that the Potomac river froze over so solid that some were ice skating on it. But that day was sunny and clear also so we braved the cold and witnessed history being made.

We even attended a ball and watched as the first couple danced. The next day my husband and I attended a reception at the White House for President Carter and his wife Rosalind honoring volunteers from Georgia.

It was a thrill being in this historic house for the first time. I could not help but remember the "fireside chats" that Franklin Roosevelt gave via radio when I was a child during the depression. We got to peek in the Map Room where FDR gave these radio addresses or chats.

Later we went to several parties at the White House while Carter was president and once just before Reagan left office. No time could I believe I was actually there and not just dreaming it up.

I have high hopes for our new President Barack Obama and I wish him much success and happiness in his new home with his beautiful family by his side.



.

The magic of photo shopping

I had to laugh at the term "photo shopping" recently as it reminded me of my daughter in law’s mother’s birthday a while back

. She had just turned 70 and the party was festive with a band and a display of all sort of photos of her and her family over the years.

There had recently been a messy divorce and my daughter in law’s sister’s ex husband , Bert, had just married his much younger "honey"

When I looked at their family group photo taken outside I asked my son where is "Bert," the reprobate ?

My son replied:

"See that shrub ? I turned Bert into a shrub in the backgound"

My son had "doctored" "Photo Shopped" the family group photo

"Bert was now in the background as a small shrub. "

Serves him right.....>:(