Crafty Cats

Frank Paynter posted an interesting lost cat story on Ronni Bennett's "THE ELDER STORY TELLING PLACE". It reminded me of this long ago happening.



Many years ago, when my husband and I bought our first, small house, we had a large lot with deep,Georgia, pine woods behind it.

Our tom cat, named "Tom" was a few years old back then and we let him out to have free reign of the woods while we were away at work.

When we returned in the late afternoon, early evening, it did no good to simply call "Here kitty kitty'. "Here Tom. Come"

Since we had no children back then we had spoiled our jet black tom cat by, (you won't believe this) thawing frozen fish and feeding it to him.

If it was not completely thawed we would cut the pieces with a sharp knife on a wooden cutting board. This made a high pitched screeching sound. Scrape, scrape the sound reverberated through the back yard as we stood on the patio and called.

Alerted by the delicious sound, like a bat out of hell,Tom appeared from the woods, jumped the fence and followed us inside for his "fish supper"

Many times afterwards we "called" Tom by simply scraping the empty wooden cutting board.

Dirty trick, I suppose, but it worked

5 minutes of rain today

and one clap of thunder. Then later in the day, another 5 minutes of rain. But hey, at least it is a start and the birdies got a good bath..

Maybe tomorrow we will be blessed with 15 minutes of rain.

STILL no rain

Can you believe it. Not a drop of rain has fallen around here since I do not remember when. We are in the city of Atlanta and the watering restrictions are fierce, but luckily we have a tiny yard with our townhouse. I do have impatiens and mondo and liriope that I must give a drink now and again.

We can only water one day on the weekend and that is from 12 midnight to 10 AM on Saturday. I have fudged a little since I do not get up early and I don't want to break my neck turning on the hose in the dark.

Oh Well... as they say.."it wasn't raining when Noah built the Ark"
You gotta have hope.

Update on the smoke-and planning a rain dance soon.

Our air conditioning was off from Monday night to Wednesday afternoon late (the compressor died) so I spent a lot of time outside on the porch and also had the doors open. I didn't think about the effects of the smoke inhalation but I should have since I have some asthmatic tendencies and besides, I am no spring chicken. So as of yesterday I am staying inside as much as possible. I am fighting hoarseness, sinus and the whole nine yards. BUMMER!!

Amazing isn't it? Here I am over 200 miles away from the wildfires and feeling the effects of the smoke.

From today's weather update:


"...SMOKE FROM THE SOUTHEAST GEORGIA WILDFIRES CONTINUES TO SPREAD
ACROSS PORTIONS OF NORTH AND CENTRAL GEORGIA...

WINDS ALOFT HAVE ALLOWED SMOKE FROM THE SOUTHEAST GEORGIA
WILDFIRES TO SPREAD INTO PORTIONS OF NORTH AND CENTRAL GEORGIA
THIS MORNING. VISIBILITIES WILL REDUCE FROM 1 TO 3 MILES AT TIMES
IN THE SMOKE. AS THE SUN RISES THROUGH THE DAY AND WARMS THE
GROUND...EASTERLY WINDS WILL INCREASE AND ALLOW THE SMOKE TO
DISSIPATE SLIGHTLY. HOWEVER...AREAS TO THE NORTH AND WEST OF A
LINE FROM PINEVIEW...TO MACON...TO WASHINGTON CAN EXPECT TO SEE
SMOKE ON AND OFF THROUGH THE DAY.

PEOPLE WITH RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS...AS WELL AS THE ELDERLY AND VERY
YOUNG SHOULD REMAIN INDOORS"

Click on this POST TITLE TO VIEW AN EXAMPLE OF A RAIN DANCE I WOULD
TRY IF I WERE MORE TALENTED AND AGILE.

Where there's smoke

You have probably read about or seen news reports about the horrific forest fires that have been burning in south Georgia and that have moved into northern Florida.

I had not realized the intensity of the fires and how far north the smoke could travel until yesterday, when in the early morning hours the smoke on the horizon near our home looked like dense, grey fog. The smell was awful. My eyes burned. And Atlanta is about 200 miles from the forest fires that have been raging in south Georgia for over two months.

All of Georgia is suffering from a terrible drought.

"MACON, GA (May 23, 2007) - The Georgia Forestry Commission is asking for every Georgian’s help in preventing wildfire this Memorial Day weekend. With a serious drought underway and record-breaking fires in south Georgia still burning, the risk of wildfire demands strict vigilance with all ignitable materials.

“I can’t ever remember a time when so much of Georgia was at class 5 fire danger,” said Alan Dozier, Chief of Forest Protection with the Georgia Forestry Commission (GFC). Class 5 is the highest level of measurable fire risk on GFC fire danger scales. “Our resources are stretched to the maximum with the south Georgia fires, so outbreaks anywhere else will present a real challenge. We need Georgians to pitch in and help prevent wildfires.”

As families begin spending more time outdoors this holiday weekend, fire risks can increase. Dozier advised extreme caution when enjoying campfires and cookouts. Fireworks pose a very high risk and are not advised. Lawn equipment on dry grass and the disposal of cigarettes should also be carefully monitored.

“Very simply, these drought conditions mean one stray spark can cause a ravaging wildfire,” said Dozier. “We want people to have an enjoyable summer, but it can easily go up in smoke if everybody’s not careful.”

Today an east wind blew in with a slight breeze that dissipated most of the smoke.
For that I am thankful.

My heart aches for those living near the fire area. They must be really suffering.

Please join me in praying for rain.

Mother's Day

When I was growing up the custom on Mother's Day was to wear a flower honoring our mothers. If your mother was living you wore a red rose or other flower. If she was deceased you wore a white flower. I do not know if this was just a southern custom or if was nation wide.

My father died when I was nine but my mother lived to be 91 years old. When she died I was 55. I was fortunate to have her for so long. She got to enjoy our three children and they were devoted to her. She lived with us for 13 years and we had a built in sitter when my husband and I went out.

Today, there is so much I would like to talk over with my Mother. Now that I too have grown old, I understand the aches and pains and concerns and worries that she had back then. When I was younger I simply did not have enough patience and empathy and for that I am sorry.

Now, every night as I turn the living room lights off I pass by my Mother's picture when she was a young woman of about 25, I blow her a kiss goodnight and tell her that I love her.

All I can do now is hope she understands.

"Scents" of smell

Roger B. on his most excellent blog, "There's Always Something" recently posted about some of his favorite scents:

This got me to thinking so I commented to Roger:



"Roger, this post conjured up so many glorious smells for me and yes, sometimes we are not appreciative enough of all our senses.

One scent that stayed with me for years was, indeed, "the scent of a woman." When my husband and I lived in Washington D.C. for 4 years we had an apartment at the Watergate. Claire Boothe Luce, the widow of Henry Luce who started "Time" and "Life" magazines, had two penthouse apartments there and we would sometimes ride the elevator with her. I always silently admired the lovely scent about her. Not too sweet, not overpowering, but just right.

Some years later, when we were back in Atlanta I started remembering the scent of Mrs. Luce's perfume and I wanted to duplicate it if possible. But how to find out. Claire Boothe Luce was now deceased.

I decided to Google her name and I came up with a book by Letitia Baldridge who was Mrs Luce's personal assistant for many years including when she served as Ambassador to Rome from the US. I found the book, and lo and behold. Ms Baldridge revealed that Mrs Luce wore the French perfume, "Joy" by Jean Patou. She mixed it with another lighter fragrance.

Amazing what one can discover with a "good Google"

My sweet husband bought me a bottle of "Joy" last Mother's Day and I mix it with "Cefiro" by Floris of London

Works for me:)"


(Check out Roger's blog by clicking on title to this post.)
...

What are some of your favorite aromas? Cinnamon apple pie baking in the oven, honey suckle on a summer's evening, a baby's skin after a refreshing bath...a fresh Christmas tree-------
or whatever

Dogs I have known and loved

In about 1937, as an eight year old I got my first dog, a brown and white beagle puppy. We named him Mickey after the cartoon character, Mickey Mouse. Mickey was an outside dog who ran free where ever he chose. No leash laws then and not much car traffic. He belonged to me and my older brother, Donald. When Donald went into the Navy during WW2, Mickey became my responsibility. He was a good dog and lots of fun He would sit on the front steps with me and at night we would gaze up at the clear, smog free sky and admire the Big and Little Dipper and all the bright stars twinkling above. Mickey was like a best friend for a little girl whose Father died when she was nine.

I did not have another dog until I was all grown up, married and my first child was born. When my daughter was about 4 years old, she started begging and pleading for a puppy. My husband and I looked in the newspaper and saw an ad for "Pug" puppies. I had never seen a Pug dog so we decided one Sunday to ride over to the seller's house and just "take a look" at the dogs. (you understand, we are NOT buying a dog, just looking). But of course we came back with an adorable little puppy. Who could resist those huge eyes and that curly tail. We named her "Lady"

Next there was a Collie dog we bought from my husband's secretary whose dog has just had a litter. I have to say this Collie was the dumbest dog I have ever known. She followed the children to school. She ran off and got locked in the unfinished basement of a house about 2 miles away. This was in a small town like suburb so we were not too surprised when one day "Lassie" came riding home in the back seat of a police patrol car. She was sitting up like the Queen of Sheba and enjoying herself immensely. It was pouring down rain and the policeman had spread his raincoat on the back seat to keep it dry and avoid wet dog fur and smell.

Then there was a precious little puppy that we named Sugar. She was a snow white West Highland White Terrier with a black button nose. We bred Sugar to a neighbor's Westie but it did not take. Later we bred her to another Westie and she produced two puppies which we gave away. Sugar was a real sweetheart. And smart too.

Our last dog was Mollie, an English Springer Spaniel, that my son chose for his sixteeth birthday. He spent many hours training Mollie and she turned out to be the best dog ever. Smart, obedient, fun, loyal. All the best attributes one wishes for in a companion dog. When our son went off to college, Mollie and I became inseparable friends.

Now I have grand dogs. Bella, the Havanese, comes to visit sometimes. When our daughter and her family are out of town we keep Bella and I pretend she is mine.

At my age a grand dog is the best of all worlds; just like grandchildren, spoil them and then send them home.

Are you a dog person? Tell us about it.

"Closet Disorder"

If you visited my home you would think I was the neatest, most organized person on the planet. You would not see any old newspapers or magazines on the floors or tables, no dishes in the sink, no crumbs on the counter tops. No clothes draped across the treadmill or chairs. All the wash is done and clothes immediately folded and put away.

But don't you dare open my closets. Disaster. My bedroom closet has been calling my name loudly every time I open it for several weeks now but I chose not to answer with action. Until this morning. I started to just rearrange the mess of winter and summer clothes and boxes and shoes but I got brave and took everything out and laid the clothes on my bed to sort our and make some decisions as to what to retain and what to toss.

So, now instead of tackling the job at hand I decided I should sit down at the computer and check out Ronni Bennett"s blog,"Time Goes By" and stop by and see what "Maya's Granny" is up to in Alaska after she was kind enough to comment on Driftwood. I also read about Rosie O'Donnell leaving(fired-let go) "The View".

I know my lack of action comes under the heading of procrastination and I should get busy, but I just looked out the window to see the sunshine and blue sky I am wasting by doing drudge work.

So what should I do? Go for a walk and leave the clothes and closet until tomorrow when rain is forecast?

Sounds like a good idea to me.

But what about all the clothes on my bed?

Nice weather at last

I hope all of you are enjoying some of this delightful springtime weather now that winter has finally retreated into it's dark den for good.

I trust I did not speak too soon as just about 10 days ago we were surprised with barely 25 degree nights and some sleet during the day which is unheard of in Atlanta in April. Now, however, it is sunny and calm with a temperature of about 75 balmy degrees.

The pink azaleas in front of my town house have finished blooming and the pansy bed which bloomed all winter has been replaced with multi-colored pink and white impatiens. I don't have quite enough shade for impatiens but I love them so I cross my fingers and do a lot of watering when the hot, hot days of summer arrive.

What's going on weather wise in your little corner of the world?

Youthanasia

I got a chuckle out of this definition in today's New York Times Style Magazine





"Youthanasia / (yooth en azhe) / n. / a neologism for the controversial practice of performing a battery of age-defying medical procedures to end lifeless skin and wrinkles; advocated by some as a last-resort measure to put the chronically youth-obsessed out of their misery: “My doctor was on the fence about youthanasia, but I whined so much that he finally agreed to perform my abdominoplasty, mammoplasty and rhytidectomy, all at once.” Think of it as mercy lifting"

Elder Story Telling Place

Check out Ronni Bennett's new blog, "Elder Story Telling Place," which she just started a little over a week ago. Ronni is one talented blogger and full of interesting new ideas.

Mick Brady, Cowtown Pattie, Tamar, Norm Jensen, Colleen Shannon and I have posted short stories recently.

Drop by when you can. (click on title for link)

PS: I posted this last year on Ronni's birthday and it reminds me of Elder Story Telling and also what an inspiration Ronni Bennett is for us all.
....




"Serendipity ...( The faculty of making fortunate discoveries by accident. )


One fine day I packed a picnic lunch and set out on a ramble to search for blogs and articles on "Aging." I wandered over to Google and quickly came across "Time Goes By," the blog on positive aging by Ronni Bennett. As I lingered there I came across a group of people, friends, comrades in arms gathered around a wise elder blogger. I pulled up a tree stump and sat down around the camp fire and felt the warmth of good fellowship as I read the diary entries and comments.

I lingered in the forest, absorbing the camaraderie, advice, issues, concerns, and just plain old fashioned horse sense. Soon I could no longer allow myself to simply lurk behind a tree on the periphery and read; I jumped in and commented occasionally.

From the central point in the woods of "Time Goes By" I followed the path that Ronni had pointed out in her links. This path has taken me to Japan, Scotland, France, England, the North, South, East and West of the US. I became acquainted with bloggers from all over the world. Still, I always come back to the incandescence of Ronni's "Time Goes By."

Thank you Ronni for sharing your many talents with us all and leading us into the realm of positive aging."

Wisdom Of Larry the Cable Guy

I LIKE NUMBER 21 BEST

The Wisdom of Larry the Cable Guy

1. A day without sunshine is like night.

2. On the other hand, you have different fingers.

3. 42.7 percent of all statistics are made up on the spot.

4. 99 percent of lawyers give the rest a bad name.

5. Remember, half the people you know are below average.

6. He who laughs last thinks slowest.

7. Depression is merely anger without enthusiasm.

8. The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese in
the trap.

9. Support bacteria. They're the only culture some people have.

10. A clear conscience is usually the sign of a bad memory.

11. Change is inevitable, except from vending machines.

12. If you think nobody cares, try missing a couple of payments.

13. How many of you believe in psycho-kinesis? Raise my hand.

14. OK, so what's the speed of dark?

15. When everything is coming your way, you're in the wrong lane.

16. Hard work pays off in the future. Laziness pays off now.

17. How much deeper would the ocean be without sponges?

18. Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines

19. What happens if you get scared half to death, twice?

20. Why do psychics have to ask you for your name?

21. Inside every older person is a younger person wondering, "What the heck
happened?"

22. Just remember -- if the world didn't suck, we would all fall off.

23. Light travels faster than sound. That's why some people appear bright
until you hear them speak

Yellow dust

Robert Brady at Pureland Blogger (Living in Japan) wrote about the yellow dust everywhere outside his mountain home in Japan:(click on title for link)

" Then I remembered all the yellow days in Tokyo back in the seventies when I lived there, the kousa days that came in early Spring, when the high winds lifted up the dust from the Gobi Desert in China and blew it all the way to Japan. I hadn't noticed it this far south before, but here it was, dusting everything a light yellow, including me."

Here in Atlanta, Georgia we have had the "yellow dust" of a different variety for about 10 days now. The pollen count has been over 5000's for many days and over 150 is rated extremely high.The pollen is from pine trees and also oak beech and several others. I have a problem with this pollen getting into my chest and making me extremely hoarse if I am out for any length of time.

But yesterday and today we had some wonderfully heavy rain which is washing away the yellow stuff.

Glory be to God for small favors.

Exotic Gardening

What's the most exotic plant you have ever grown?

I suppose mine would be an avocado tree that I grew from a pit. I stuck 3 toothpicks in the avocado pit and put it in a glass of water, suspended by the toothpicks, placed it in a sunny window and waited for it to sprout. Sprout it did and in no time it grew into about a 4 foot tall "tree". I took care of it tenderly and eventually planted it in a pot.

Now after reading this article below:

I want my own spaghetti tree:


"A plantation of 57 spaghetti trees imported from Britain as seedlings in 1957 has been destroyed by bushfires. "It's a heinous tragedy," said Australia's Prime Minister. "We will all have to eat baked beans this year."

Exactly 50 years ago today, broadcaster Richard Dimbleby showed BBC viewers a documentary film of a Swiss family picking spaghetti from a tree and placing it out to dry in the sun.

The BBC switchboard was swamped with callers wanting to know how they could grow their own spaghetti trees. "Place a sprig of spaghetti in a tin of tomato sauce and hope for the best," they were advised.


and this

Spaghetti Harvester

"On April 1, 1957 the British news show, Panorama, broadcast a segment about a bumper spaghetti harvest in southern Switzerland. The success of the crop was attributed to an unusually mild winter. The audience heard Richard Dimbleby, the show's highly respected anchor, discussing the details of the spaghetti crop as they watched a rural Swiss family pulling pasta off spaghetti trees and placing it into baskets.

"The spaghetti harvest here in Switzerland is not, of course, carried out on anything like the tremendous scale of the Italian industry," Dimbleby informed the audience. "Many of you, I'm sure," he continued, "will have seen pictures of the vast spaghetti plantations in the Po valley. For the Swiss, however, it tends to be more of a family affair."

The narration then continued in a tone of absolute seriousness:

"Another reason why this may be a bumper year lies in the virtual disappearance of the spaghetti weevil, the tiny creature whose depradations have caused much concern in the past."

Dimbleby anticipated some questions viewers might have. For instance, why, if spaghetti grows on trees, does it always come in uniform lengths? The answer was that "this is the result of many years of patient endeavor by past breeders who succeeded in producing the perfect spaghetti."


Blurry photo of Swiss family harvesting spaghettiAnd apparently the life of a spaghetti farmer was not free of worries: "The last two weeks of March are an anxious time for the spaghetti farmer. There's always the chance of a late frost which, while not entirely ruining the crop, generally impairs the flavor and makes it difficult for him to obtain top prices in world markets."

But finally, Dimbleby assured the audience that, "For those who love this dish, there's nothing like real, home-grown spaghetti."

From Eric Shakel's EBOOK
(click on link above in title)

Life's Little Annoyances

I bought my grown son a Tommy Hilfiger shirt at Macy's for his birthday. I brought it home, wrapped it in tissue paper and placed it in a Happy Birthday bag with a birthday card and a check. Son opened his present held it up to himself and pronounced it fine and dandy.

Then yesterday he called and asked if I had the receipt for the shirt. He had just discovered as he prepared to wear the shirt that hidden down underneath the collar was the security tag which cannot be removed except in the store itself. I could not find the receipt so I told him I would return the shirt for him. And besides, who wants to fool with returning your own birthday gift.

So I drove out to Macy's after picking up the shirt at son's house which was on the way. All went well; no security bells rang as I went into Macy's with the shirt. A clerk in the men's store removed the tag after which she reluctantly said "sorry about that"

What I don't get is why a polo type shirt that cost less than $50.00 requires a security tag in the first place. I can understand having those tags on expensive items like designer sunglasses or purses and high end women's fashions but a cotton shirt? To use the old cliche "Give me a break"

Anyway that was my "little annoyance" for this week.

What "little annoyance" have you experienced recently?



PS: I Googled "securiy tags" and found this info(click title above) about do it yourself removal of tags. I would not try this method but it is interesting to read.

BLOG QUILT

I visited Joy's blog "Joy of Six" and had a real funny senior moment when I read the title of her recent post "BLOG GUILT" that I want to share with you.

My comment on "Joy Of six"



"Talk about tired and stressed, when I clicked on your site just then and read the title of this entry(without my glasses on)...I read "BLOG QUILT" and I thought, Oh my what a neat idea, Joy has an idea for a "QUILT" that will weave many blog sites together into one beautiful whole...into a "BLOG QUILT"

Perhaps I am in the last stages of some rare blog disease or maybe my misreading the title of your post was because I just finished an interesting book"The Art Of Mending" by Elizabeth Berg. The main character in the story is Laura who is an accomplished quilter.

Anyway...do NOT feel blog guilt..instead just wrap yourself in this beautiful imaginary BLOG QUILT and go enjoy your family."


Click on the above title and go read Joy's post about "BLOG GUILT"












>

HAPPY ST PATRICK'S DAY

Irish blessings for you



"For each petal on the shamrock
This brings a wish your way
Good health, good luck, and happiness
For today and every day."

"May your blessings outnumber
The shamrocks that grow,
And may trouble avoid you
Wherever you go."



"Dance as if no one were watching,
Sing as if no one were listening,
And live everyday as if it were your last."

That's Not Nice

Since I was incensed by the recent comments of both Ann Coulter and Bill Maher I was interested to read this column in today's Wall Street Journal by Peggy Noonan discussing the lack of civility in our present political discourse. In my opinion it is one of her best.


And besides Peggy Noonan has some kind words for grandmothers.

(Actually, it was your grandmother who said "That's not nice." She's the one who probably taught you the wince. It is her wisdom, encapsulated in those three simple words, that is missing from the current debate.)



You can read it by clicking on the link above which will take you to "Opinion Journal"

But to save you the trouble here it is below.


"Our political discourse needs less censorship and more self-discipline.

Friday, March 9, 2007

Here is what has been said the past week or so that sparked argument: Bill Maher, on HBO, said a lot of lives would be saved if Vice President Cheney had died, and Ann Coulter, at a conservative political meeting, suggested John Edwards is a "faggot."

She was trying to be funny and get a laugh. He was trying to startle and get applause.

What followed was the predictable kabuki in which politically active groups and individuals feigned dismay as opposed to what many of them really felt, which was grim delight. Conservatives said they were chilled by Mr. Maher's comments, but I don't think they were. They were delighted he revealed what they believe is at the heart of modern liberalism, which is hate.

Liberals amused themselves making believe they were chilled by Ms. Coulter's remarks, but they were not. They were delighted she has revealed what they believe is at the heart of modern conservatism, which is hate.

The truth is many liberals were dismayed by Mr. Maher because he made them look bad, and many conservatives were mad at Ms. Coulter for the same reason.

I realized as I watched it all play out that there's a kind of simple way to know whether something you just heard is something that should not have been said. It is: Did it make you wince? When the Winceometer is triggered, it's an excellent indication that what you just heard is unfortunate and ought not to be repeated.

In both cases, Mr. Maher and Ms. Coulter, when I heard them, I winced. Did you? I thought so. In modern life we wince a lot. It's not the worst thing, but it's better when something makes you smile.





One of the clearest statements ever about the implied limits of legitimate political discourse was made by the imprisoned Socrates in his first dialogue with Crito, when he said, "That's not nice." Actually, it was your grandmother who said "That's not nice." She's the one who probably taught you the wince. It is her wisdom, encapsulated in those three simple words, that is missing from the current debate.
We tie ourselves in knots trying to explain why it is, or why it isn't, always or occasionally, helpful or destructive to use various epithets, or give full voice to our resentments. But the simple wisdom of Grandma-- "That's not nice"--is a good guide. (I should say that when I was a kid, grandmas were older people who had common sense. They had observed something of people, had experienced life directly, not only through books or TV. Almost all of them had religious faith, and had absorbed the teachings of the Bible. Almost all of them sat quietly at the kitchen table, and even when I was a kid they were considered old fashioned. They were often ethnic and had accents. As a matter of fact, all of them were.)

I think that as America has grown more academic or aware of education, the wisdom of Grandma has been denigrated. Or ignored. Or stolen and dressed up as something else. For instance, Rudy Giuliani's success in cleaning up and reviving the city of New York is generally attributed to his embrace of what is called, in academic circles, the broken-window theory. It holds that when criminals see that even small infractions are met and punished, they will understand that larger infractions will be met and punished. It also holds that when neighborhoods deteriorate, criminals are emboldened. People from Harvard won great prizes for these insights.

But all of broken-windows theory comes down to what Grandma always knew and said: "Fix the window or they'll think no one cares! When people think no one cares, they do whatever they want." There was not a single grandmother in America circa 1750-2007 who didn't know this. But no one wants to quote Grandma. She's so yesterday. And her simple teachings have been superseded by more exotic forms of instruction.





Fifty years ago, no one speaking at a respected political gathering would say, would even think of saying that Adlai Stevenson is a faggot. Nor would Arthur Godfrey or Jack Paar have declared on their television shows that we'd be better off if Eisenhower died. Is our discourse deteriorating? Yes, it is.
Part of the reason is that Grandma had more sway in the public sphere 50 years ago, which is to say common sense and a sense of decorum had more sway. Another part is that privately people felt they had more room to think or say whatever they wanted without being shamed or shunned. It let the steam out. We think of the 1950s as buttoned up, but in a way America had more give then. Men were understood not to be angels.

Our country now puts less of an emphasis on public decorum, courtliness, self-discipline, decency. America no longer says, "That's not nice." It doesn't want to make value judgments on "good" and "bad." We have come to rely on censorship to maintain decorum. We are very good at letting people know that if they say something we don't like, we'll shame them and shun them, even ruin them.

But censorship doesn't make people improve themselves; it makes people want to rebel. It tells them to toe the line or pay a price. People who are urged in the right direction and taught in the right direction will usually try to discipline and improve themselves from within. But they do not enjoy censorship from without. They fight back. They are rude in order to show they are unbroken.

This is human. And Grandma would have understood this, too.





I think the atmosphere of political correctness is now experienced by normal people--not people who speak on TV, but normal people--as so oppressive, so demanding of constant self-policing, that when someone says something in public that is truly not nice, not nice at all, they can't help but feel that they are witnessing a prison break.
As long as political correctness reigns, the more antic among us will try to break out with great streams of Tourette's-like forbidden words and ideas.

We should forbid less and demand more. We should exert less pressure from without and encourage more discipline from within. We should ask people to be dignified, hope they'll be generous, expect them to be fair. When they're not, we should correct them. But we shouldn't beat them to a pulp. Because that's not nice."

Ms. Noonan is a contributing editor of The Wall Street Journal and author of "John Paul the Great: Remembering a Spiritual Father" (Penguin, 2005), which you can order from the OpinionJournal bookstore. Her column appears Fridays on OpinionJournal.com.

Word A Day

I took two years of Latin in the seventh and eighth grades and about all I can remember is how to sing "Popeye the Sailor Man" in Latin.:) Some acheivement huh? At least my grandchildren are entertained by my "talent"

Latin does help with the understanding of other romance languages and with the grasp of word meanings as "Word A Day" points out below.

Did you take Latin in school?





I have posted previously about "Word A Day" but it has been some time ago and perhaps some of you missed it. This is an interesting free email service for those of us who love language and learning "new" words in a fun way.

Click on the link above and go to the site to sign up. You will enjoy it.

Here is a sample: today's email "Word A Day"

"According to a story, probably apocryphal, former US Vice President
Dan Quayle once said, "I was recently on a tour of Latin America, and
the only regret I have is that I didn't study Latin harder in school
so I could converse with those people."

Latin is a dead language. No people speak it as their everyday language.
The area south of the US is called Latin America because most of the
people down there speak Spanish or Portuguese, both derived from Latin.

Latin took its name from Latium, a region in ancient Italy. Various
dialects of Latin eventually blossomed into the Romance languages: French,
Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, and Spanish, while Latin itself faded away.

Fortunately, you don't have to travel to Latin America to use this
week's terms from Latin. They have been borrowed into English and are
now part of the language."


de novo (day NO-vo) adverb

Anew; from the beginning.

[From Latin de novo (from new).]

Today's word in Visual Thesaurus: http://visualthesaurus.com/?w1=de+novo

-Anu Garg (words at wordsmith.org)

"Living things were not created de novo, but evolved."
David P. Barash; Does God Have Back Problems Too?;
Los Angeles Times; Jun 27, 2005.


Lots of times you have to pretend to join a parade in which you're not
really interested in order to get where you're going. -Christopher Morley,
writer (1890-1957)

Discuss this week's words on our bulletin board: http://wordsmith.org/board

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Oscar night-----or 24 hours...on and on and on.

For lack of anything better to do I watched most of the way too long as usual Academy Awards show last night and I need to get something off my chest about Ellen Degeneres and her ageism remarks about Dame Judi Dench.

Degeneres said that Dench could not attend the awards in person as she is
"In England getting a knee operation. No that's not right she is getting her eyes done."

Later Degeneres said
"I made a mistake. Judi Dench is not getting her eyes done. She is getting a boob job."

Dame Judi Dench is about 72 years old and is a lovely, talented person who does not try to look like a much younger woman.


Degeneres remarks were in poor taste; disgusting and not the least bit humorous.

Don't mess with ELDERS on vacation.

Tourist Kills Mugger With Bare Hands
By MARIANELA JIMENEZ
Associate Press Writer

SAN JOSE, Costa Rica — An American tourist who watched as a U.S. military veteran in his 70s used his bare hands to kill an armed assailant in Costa Rica said she thought the attempted robbery was a joke — until the masked attacker held a gun to her head.

"I thought it was a skit. But then he pointed the gun at my head and grabbed me by the throat and I thought I was going to die," Clova Adams, 54, told The Associated Press by telephone Friday from the Carnival Liberty cruise ship.


The assault occurred during a ship stopover Wednesday in Limon, 80 miles east of San Jose, Costa Rica's capital.

Adams was with 12 American tourists who hired a driver to explore Costa Rica for a few hours. They were climbing out of the van to visit a Caribbean beach when three men wearing ski masks ran toward them, she said. One held a gun to her head, while the other two pulled out knives.

Suddenly, one of the tourists, a U.S. military veteran trained in self defense, jumped out of the van and put the gunman in a headlock, according to Limon police chief Luis Hernandez.

Hernandez said the American, whom he refused to identify, struggled with the robber, breaking his collarbone and eventually killing him. Police identified the dead man as Warner Segura, 20. The other two assailants fled.

"I was very scared at the moment," Costa Rican bus driver Roberto Frances Allen said in an interview in Limon.

"The bus was shaking and women were screaming," he recalled. "There were two shots and I heard him (Segura) try to fire more, but the gun didn't fire. Luckily, the tourists had forced his hand up and the shots hit the roof of the bus."

Afterward, the tourists drove Segura to a hospital, where he was declared dead. Sergio Lopez, a Red Cross auxiliary, examined Segura's body and said he died from asphyxiation.

Lopez also treated Adams for a panic attack.

"She was very nervous after the assault, but she had not been physically hurt," Lopez said.

The U.S. Embassy confirmed the account, but refused to release the name of the American who defended the group, citing his right to privacy.

Costa Rican officials interviewed the Americans, and said they wouldn't charge the U.S. tourist with any crime because he acted in self defense.

"They were in their right to defend themselves after being held up," Hernandez said. He said Segura had previous charges against him for assaults.

But Ligia Herrera Mendez, the mother of the dead assailant, claimed the tourists of took the law into their own hands.

"We want justice, this can't go unpunished, because they could have saved him," she said in an interview in Limon. "If this had happened in the United States, the suspect would have been detained and wouldn't have left the country."

She also acknowledged past problems. "I know my boy wasn't staying out of trouble, I knew that any moment I would get bad news."

Segura was buried Friday in the town of Liverpool, about 10 miles outside Limon.

The cruise ship delayed its departure until the group boarded the ship, The Carnival Liberty, which was set to return Sunday to Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Adams spoke freely with the AP until a man who identified himself as her fiancee said they didn't want to talk to the media. He said the group might release a joint statement later and hung up the telephone.

Officials on the ship refused to pass an AP reporter on to other members of the tourist group, and several attempts to reach Adams' room again failed.

Costa Rica has struggled with growing violence and crime in recent years. University of Kansas student Shannon Martin, 23, was stabbed to death in 2001 after she left a nightclub in Golfito, 105 miles south of San Jose.

Carnival Cruise Lines confirmed in a statement that one of the ship's guests had killed the Costa Rican assailant, but refused to name those involved.

"All of the guests involved, who had booked the cruise together as a group, have opted to continue with their vacation plans. Carnival is providing full support and assistance to the guests," the statement said.

___



___

"Mockingbird"

You won't believe what I am reading and why.

I was browsing in our neighborhood library the other day and I came across a book "Mockingbird" by Charles Shields. It is the unauthorized biography of Harper Lee who wrote "To Kill a Mockingbird" which was published in 1960. This was Harper Lee's one and only book which was a best seller and made into a movie starring Gregory Peck and is still in print and is read and taught in many schools.

Somehow I never got around to reading "To Kill a Mockingbird" and since I was interesting in the biography of Harper Lee I decided to read the original "To Kill A Mockingbird" first.

Of course most of you have read' or at least have seen the movie of "To Kill a Mockingbird" so you are familiar with the story of the children, Scout, Jem and Dill and their father Atticus, the lawyer, in the small south Alabama town which was patterned after Harper Lee's own childhood in Monroeville, Alabama.

In scanning the biography written by Charles Shields I was surprised to find that Harper Lee and Truman Capote grew up next door to each other in Monroeville. Capote was sent each year to spend the summer with his aunts in Monroeville and this is how they became friends. The character, Dill, in "TKAM" is patterned after Capote.

"Scout"(Harper Lee) was a tomboy and Dill(Capote) was somewhat effeminate. The two remained friends, even after Harper moved to New York and began work on her one and only book. Harper Lee even did a major portion of the research on Capote's best seller, "In Cold Blood"

I am about halfway through "TKAM" and then I will go back to "Mockingbird" and perhaps move on to "In Cold Blood"

Now you can see why I love browsing in the library. Many times it turns our to be a serendipitous experience.

Nap Time ?

Yesterday I took a delicious nap in the afternoon. I lay down on the small, red paisly sofa in my bedroom with my feet raised on the far end and a comfy pillow under my head; the book I am currently reading propped up on my stomach, "What Came Before He Shot Her" by Elizabeth George, an engrossing mystery that is totally unlike anything George has written before. I got half way through one chapter, rested the book on my lap and I awoke an hour later, refreshed and restored.

Do you ever nap?


The French do.

YAHOO NEWS



French health minister seeks nap study Wed Jan 31, 8:25 AM ET



The French already enjoy a 35-hour work week and generous vacation. Now the health minister wants to look into whether workers should be allowed to sleep on the job.

France launched plans this week to spend $9 million this year to improve public awareness about sleeping troubles. About one in three French people suffer from them, the ministry says.

Fifty-six percent of French complain that a poor night's sleep has affected their job performance, according to the ministry.

"Why not a nap at work? It can't be a taboo subject," Health Minister Xavier Bertrand said Monday. He called for further studies and said he would promote on-the-job naps if they prove useful.

France's state-run health insurance provider will send letters explaining the importance of good sleep. The Health Ministry's Web site offers tips on how best to get a good night's rest.

The ministry's online "Passport to Sleep" recommends cutting down on coffee, tea, colas, and athletic activity after 8 p.m., shunning TV time or working late in the evening, and listening better to the body's own sleep signals, such as yawning.

Bertrand said sleepiness causes 20 percent to 30 percent of highway accidents across France each year.




Copyright © 2007 The Associated Press

English language quirks

The English Language

I love English...can you read the following
sentences correctly the first time?


1) The bandage was wound around the wound.

2) The farm was used to produce produce.

3) The dump was so full that it had to refuse more refuse.

4) We must polish the Polish furniture.

5) He could lead if he would get the lead out.

6) The soldier decided to desert his dessert in the desert.

7) Since there is no time like the present, he thought it was time to
present the present.

8) A bass was painted on the head of the bass drum

9) When shot at, the dove dove into the bushes.

10) I did not object to the object.

11) The insurance was invalid for the invalid.

12) There was a row among the oarsmen about how to row.

13) They were too close to the door to close it

14) The buck does funny things when the does are present.

15) A seamstress and a sewer fell down into a sewer line.

16) To help with planting, the farmer taught his sow to sow.

17) The wind was too strong to wind the sail.

18) Upon seeing the tear in the painting I shed a tear.

19) I had to subject the subject to a series of tests.

20) How can I intimate this to my most intimate friend?

Scandalous remarks?

Senator George Smathers of Florida died Saturday at age 93. The following is an amusing part of his obit in the New York Times.***


"MIAMI (AP) -- Former U.S. Sen. George A. Smathers, a polished, dashing politician who forged friendships with presidents, waged war against communism, resisted civil rights legislation and was an early voice cautioning of Fidel Castro's rise to power, died Saturday. He was 93."

................

.
***"Scurrilous statements were uttered on both sides of the campaign, but the most famous remarks -- innocuous declarations delivered to less-educated audiences to appear scandalous -- may have never been uttered.

'***'Do you know that Claude Pepper is known all over Washington as a shameless extrovert?'' he was quoted as saying. ''Not only that, but this man is reliably reported to practice nepotism with his sister-in-law and he has a sister who was once a thespian in wicked New York. Worst of all, it is an established fact that Mr. Pepper, before his marriage, habitually practiced celibacy.''

The comments were recorded in a small magazine, picked up in Time and elsewhere and etched into the public's memories, but Smathers denied ever having made them. He offered a $10,000 reward to anyone who could prove he did, but no one could













>

The perfect pet

HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE A PET LIKE THIS ?










AP Copyright © 2007 The Associated Press.

Escaped chimp gets snack, cleans bathroom



"An escaped chimpanzee at the Little Rock Zoo raided a kitchen cupboard and did a little cleaning with a toilet brush before sedatives knocked her out on top of a refrigerator.

The 120-pound primate, Judy, escaped yesterday into a service area when a zookeeper opened a door to her sleeping quarters, unaware the animal was still inside.

As keepers tried to woo Judy back into her cage, she rummaged through a refrigerator where chimp snacks are stored. She opened kitchen cupboards, pulled out juice and soft drinks and took a swig from bottles she managed to open.

Keeper Ann Rademacher says Judy went into the bathroom, picked up a toilet brush and cleaned the toilet. Rademacher says the 37-year-old Judy was a house pet before the zoo acquired her in 1988, so she may have been familiar with housekeeping chores. Judy wrung out a sponge and scrubbed down the fridge.

It took a couple of tries, but the zoo sedated the chimp, who fell asleep on top of the refrigerator with half a loaf of cinnamon-raisin bread she had pulled out of the freezer.

The zoo veterinarian gave Judy a drug to bring her around. Rademacher says Judy was groggy but fine after the episode.

The zoo says there was no danger Judy would get out of the primate keepers service area and onto zoo grounds"

My not so excellent adventure

Caution: Not for the squeamish :)


The day after Christmas, December 26th, I had surgery for an abnormal parathyroid gland.

I had been feeling poorly, having trouble with stair climbing and arising from a low chair or sofa. I had fallen several times and generally felt something was amiss.

After several trips to my internist over a period of several months, and a number of blood tests, which all turned up "normal" I still was not much better. Not down and sick in bed but just punk and not feeling right.

I went back to my doctor and he ordered a repeat of the tests.This time the calcium level was somewhat high. With this information the doctor ordered a parathyroid hormone level test which came back highly elevated. Then I went for an ultrasound of my parathyroid which showed a bump on one parathyroid gland.. Next I had a parathyroid nuclear scan which showed the bump more definitively.

With this information my doctor said I needed to see a surgeon about removing the offending parathyroid.

A bit of educational info for you. The parathyroid glands, usually 4 of them, each no bigger than a pea, are located generally behind the thyroid but their function is entirely different from the thyroid itself. The parathyroids regulate the amount of calcium in our bodies and if one goes haywitre calcium is leached from bones and other cells of the body.

The day of my appointment to see the surgeon arrived in short order and my husband drove me down to the doctor's office. As I was approaching the surgeon's office I stepped up onto the sidewalk just outside his building and my shoe hit a crack in the sidewalk and I fell flat down on my face and nose. My husband said I fell like a tree that has just been felled in the forest. Straight down. Bam. I fell flat on my face, sunglasses and all. I hit hard. I just knew my nose was broken. Fortunately the sunglasses did not shatter or dig into my face. The security guard and my husband helped me up and I proceeded to the elevator for the surgeon's office where they gave me ice in a plastic bag to hold on my face and nose.

I interviewed the doctor about the surgery. It is a delicate operation as the parathyroid is near the nerve for the vocal cords. I was satisfied with the experience and compassion of the doctor so I made an appointment for December 26, the day after Christmas for the operation.

I had to go for another nuclear scan where they put dye in my veins so the offending parathyroid gland would show up clearly and then Dr W would know exactly where to make the incision. Hopefully he could do this with a minimally invasive operation but if anything was amiss with the thyroid or the remaining 3 parathyroid glands he would have to cut furthur.

Christmas came and went. On the 26th we arrived at the out patient surgery center of the hospital at 6 am and the surgery commenced at about 7:30 am.

It all went well and I woke up and we came home and I had very little pain. I declined the heavy duty pain killers and just took extra strength Tylenol.

A week later I went back and Dr W said I was doing real well and the surgery was fine "a text book case"The biopsy was fine. Just don't lift anything for about a week.

I am 3 weeks out from the operation and I feel much better. I just do not quite have my total strength back yet but I know that will take time.

So here I am blogging about my surgery....



As Lyndon Johnson said:

Wanna see my scar?? :)

It is only a small one on the base of my neck in front and will eventually completely disappear.

PS: I saw a nose doctor that same day of my fall and it turned out I did not break anything. My face was just badly swollen and bruised.

Puzzles

Puzzles, as in the jigsaw variety.



A friend of mine told me recently she got out a 500 piece jigsaw puzzle that she had bought a few years ago and over New Year's she and her husband decided to give it a whirl. They left it out on a desk in her sun room and every so often they would separately take a stab at working on the pieces.

It was a puzzle of New York City, Times square and the theater district and she said it was not at all easy. They had it all put together and finished in about 10 days of off and on solving. Then a neighbor of hers dropped by and saw the puzzle and told her that she and a group of her friends swap puzzles as they tire of doing the same ones over and over. This group is into 1000+ pieces puzzles.

I am intrigued by the idea of leaving a puzzle out on a table and slowly giving it a try even though I have never been a puzzle enthusiast.

I guess it is the idea that any puzzle solving is good for the ole noggin that has me thinking of buying one.

Do any of you out there in blogland enjoy complicated jigsaw puzzles?

It's never too late

I have always been appprehensive about returning a library book on time. That and running out of gasoline are too of my pet worries.


I wonder if any of us would have the guts to return a library book tha WAS THIS OVER DUE.
=======

Man pays library $171, 47-year LATE FEE.



"HANCOCK, Mich. - Robert Nuranen handed the local librarian a book he'd checked out for a ninth-grade assignment — along with a check for 47 years' worth of late fees.



Nuranen said his mother misplaced the copy of "Prince of Egypt" while cleaning the house. The family came across it every so often, only to set it aside again. He found it last week while looking through a box in the attic.

"I figured I'd better get it in before we waited another 10 years," he said after turning it in Friday with the $171.32 check. "Fifty-seven years would be embarrassing."

The book, with its last due date stamped June 2, 1960, was part of the young Nuranen's fascination with Egypt. He went on to visit that country and 54 others, and all 50 states, he said, but he never did finish the book.

Nuranen now lives in Los Angeles, where he teaches seventh-grade social studies and language arts.

The library had long ago lost any record of the book, librarian Sue Zubiena said.

"I'm going to use it as an example," she said. "It's never too late to return your books."














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8 BELOW

"8 BELOW"

We watched a movie last night on cable TV and I was on the edge of my seat for the entire length of the film. I highly reccomend it to any of you who like beautiful cinematography and tales of survival against all odds.

"8 BELOW" is the story of a team of Siberian Huskies who survive for months after being abandoned at the South Pole due to unfortunate circumstances. These dogs are amazing.

This is a Disney family movie that is way above average.



(from Internet Movie Data Base)
"Plot Summary for
Eight Below (2006)
In the Antarctic, after an expedition with Dr. Davis McClaren (Bruce Greenwood), the sled dog trainer Jerry Shepherd (Paul Walker) has to leave the polar base with his colleagues due to the proximity of a heavy snow storm. He ties his dogs to be rescued after, but the mission is called-off and the dogs are left alone at their own fortune. For six months, Jerry tries to find a sponsor for a rescue mission while his dogs fight for survival."



Of course if you are in a part of the country where you have been blessed with 6 feet of snow you may want to wait until summer to watch this movie..:)

New Year Thoughts

AT SEVENTY-SEVEN



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.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

The tree is down and the decorations packed away for another year. It is time to think about our New Year's Day dinner. Since it never varies there is very little planning involved.

MENU:

Blackeyed Peas, the dried kind that soak all night then are cooked with ham hock, a few cloves of garlic, chopped onion and various seasonings.)

Turnip or Collard greens (ham hock and onion)

Pork roast

Rice

Cornbread

We cook the blackeyed peas with a 1940's silver dime for good luck in the New Year. The same dime each year and no one has swallowed it yet.

The turnip Greens represent prosperity.

Mix the Blackeyed peas with the rice on your plate and you have "Hoppin John", an old southern tradition. Add hot sauce,Tabasco or Texas Pete to taste.

This plain meal tastes just right after the excesses of the holiday season.


HOPPIN JOHN


"This dish is thought to have originated with African slaves on southern plantations, and is essentially black-eyed peas cooked with salt pork and seasonings, and served with rice."

"There are several theories on the origin of the name, 'hoppin-john'; a lively waiter who served the dish at a Charleston hotel; a lame cook who hopped up and down while cooking it; and finally from a custom that children must hop around the table before the dish is served. It is traditionally served on New Year's Day in the Southern U.S., and is supposed to bring good luck during the coming year."











Link

MERRY CHRISTMAS

The tree is decorated, the presents are wrapped

The table is set with the good china, silver

And crystal wine glasses.

The Christmas red candles await the match

Which will bring them to shimmering light

Falling softly on family faces,

Bright with anticipation.

For just one day in time

We are children again.

EGGNOG CHEESE CAKE

FOLLOW UP TO PREVIOUS POST
HOLIDAY EATING TIPS

DECADENT CHRISTMAS EATING
Please post your own most decadent holiday recipe.

CAUTION I have not tried this. Proceed at your own risk.


Eggnog Cheesecake

Prep Time: 30 Minutes
Cook Time: 1 Hour Ready In: 7 Hours 30 Minutes
Yields: 12 servings

"A simple easy-to-make cheesecake served with a yummy Pecan Caramel Sauce. It's perfect for holiday get-togethers."
INGREDIENTS:
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 1/4 cups vanilla wafer crumbs
1/4 cup white sugar
3 (8 ounce) packages cream
cheese, softened
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened
condensed milk
3 eggs
1/4 cup dark rum 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 cup water
2 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup packed light brown
sugar
2 tablespoons dark rum
1/2 cup chopped pecans

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). In a large bowl, mix together 1/4 cup melted butter, wafer crumbs, and white sugar. Press firmly on the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan.

2. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk. Mix in eggs one at a time, blending well after each. Stir in 1/4 cup rum, vanilla extract, and nutmeg. Pour into the prepared pan.

3. Bake in preheated oven for 40 to 50 minutes, or until set. Cool for about 5 minutes, then run a knife blade carefully around the inside rim of the pan to loosen the cake from the sides. Cool in the pan to room temperature, then refrigerate until completely chilled. Remove from pan before serving.

4. In a small bowl, dissolve the cornstarch in 1 cup of water. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan. Stir in brown sugar and the cornstarch mixture. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, and add 2 tablespoons dark rum. Cool. Just before serving, stir in pecans. Serve sauce with cheesecake.

ALLRECIPES.COM

HOLIDAY EATING TIPS

Holiday Eating Tips


1. Avoid carrot sticks. Anyone who puts carrots on a holiday
buffet table knows nothing of the Christmas spirit. In fact,
if you see carrots, leave immediately. Go next door, where
they're serving rum balls.

2. Drink as much eggnog as you can. And quickly. Like fine
single-malt scotch, it's rare. In fact, it's even rarer than
single-malt scotch. You can't find it any other time of year
but now. So drink up! Who cares that it has 10,000 calories
in every sip? It's not as if you're going to turn into an
eggnog-aholic or something. It's a treat. Enjoy it. Have one
for me. Have two. It's later than you think. It's Christmas!

3. If something comes with gravy, use it. That's the whole
point of gravy. Gravy does not stand alone. Pour it on. Make
a volcano out of your mashed potatoes. Fill it with gravy.
Eat the volcano. Repeat.

4. As for mashed potatoes, always ask if they're made with
skim milk or whole milk. If it's skim, pass. Why bother?
It's like buying a sports car with an automatic
transmission.

5. Do not have a snack before going to a party in an effort
to control your eating. The whole point of going to a
Christmas party is to eat other people's food for free. Lots
of it. Hello?

6. Under no circumstances should you exercise between now
and New Year's. You can do that in January when you have
nothing else to do. This is the time for long naps, which
you'll need after circling the buffet table while carrying a
10-pound plate of food and that vat of eggnog.

7. If you come across something really good at a buffet
table, like frosted Christmas cookies in the shape and size
of Santa, position yourself near them and don't budge. Have
as many as you can before becoming the center of attention.
They're like a beautiful pair of shoes. If you leave them
behind, you're never going to see them again.

8. Same for pies. Apple. Pumpkin. Mincemeat. Have a slice of
each. Or, if you don't like mincemeat, have two apples and
one pumpkin. Always have three. When else do you get to have
more than one dessert? Labor Day?

9. Did someone mention fruitcake? Granted, it's loaded with
the mandatory celebratory calories, but avoid it at all
cost. I mean, have SOME standards.

10. One final tip: If you don't feel terrible when you leave
the party or get up from the table, you haven't been paying
attention. Reread tips; start over, but hurry, January is
just around the corner.

Remember this motto to live by:

"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the
intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well
preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in
one hand, martini in the other, totally worn out and
screaming,

"WOO HOO what a ride!"

Safety tips for the holidays

From a local neighborhood news letter, here is some sound advice for the serious crime problem that plagues is all,especially during the holidays.

PS(I love the last line)







HOLIDAY CRIME PREVENTION TIPS


DON'T GET RIPPED OFF
One thing you need to remember is this: Crooks don't take the holidays
off. Nope. Business as usual....in fact it's the busy season for most..

Enjoy the Holiday Bustle - But Be Aware

The end-of-year holiday season - with all its hustle and bustle - is
fast approaching. With all the distractions and activity, we sometimes
forget the basics for maintaining our safety on the streets and at
home. Opportunity is the criminal's key to crime. By staying alert and
following a few crime prevention tips, you can ensure a holiday season
that is both happy and safe. A primary factor in crime prevention is
being aware of our surroundings and potential areas of danger - thereby
closing the criminal's keyhole of opportunity.

Busy shoppers can be targeted for purse snatching and other forms of
street robbery. The malls are full of folks with money to spend. As we
speed along, focused on getting through our treasure hunt, a criminal
can size up a potential victim.

. Outside of the mall, stick to well-lit, well-traveled streets,
walkways and parking areas - for both walking and parking.
. Don't flash large amounts of cash or offer tempting targets for theft
such as expensive jewelry or clothing.
. Carry a purse or shoulder bag close to your body, not dangling by
straps. Put a wallet in an inside pocket of your coat or front pants
pocket.
. Don't fumble for house or car keys. Have them in your hand, ready to
use when you reach the door.
Here are some additional tips to keep in mind regarding the car or house
you've left behind while on your travels.
. ALWAYS lock your car and residence, even if you are away for only a
few moments.
. Do NOT leave valuables - gifts, cell phones, purse or clothing - in
open view in your car. Take valuables away with you, lock them in your
trunk, or cover them in an unobtrusive way.
. Leave lights turned on both inside and outside your residence after
dark. Criminals don't like bright places.
. If you will be away from home for several days, make arrangements for
someone to pick up your mail and newspapers. An overstuffed mailbox is a
sure sign that no one is home, and burglars are tempted to check those
envelopes for holiday gifts that might be enclosed. E-mail
steve.rose@sandyspringsga.org or ask for a SSPD House-Check form if
you're going to be gone.

'Tis the Season: Beware Of Purse Snatchers

The holidays are swiftly approaching. The stores are putting up their
decorations and purse snatchers are practicing their skills. The Sandy
Springs Police Department wants everyone to be aware that thieves look
forward to holidays as much as everyone else. Maybe more so! The
department asks women to beware of purse snatchers because they look at
women carrying pocketbooks as easy prey and fast money. The thieves know
that during the holidays, shoppers are distracted and are not as careful
as they should be when out.

Here are some things that can be done to thwart the would-be thief.

. Keep your purse close to your body.
. If the pocketbook has long straps, shorten them.
. If possible, avoid carrying a large purse when shopping. A fanny pack
is compact and more difficult for a thief to grab and run.
. Carry only the credit cards you intend to use, leave the others
behind.
. Avoid carrying large amounts of cash. Use checks or check cards.
. Use ATMs wisely. Have the card ready before approaching the machine,
and use one in a high traffic area.
. Be aware of the environment. Don't walk or park in poorly lit
areas. Don't take so-called short cuts through wooded areas.
. Have car keys ready before leaving the office, store or mall.
. If you believe someone is following you, cross the street, switch
directions, walk into a store or restaurant. If you are really scared,
yell. Don't be embarrassed. Your safety is more important. Make some
noise and draw attention.
. If you have a fruitcake, use it as a weapon.

WALL STREET JOURNAL'S ANNUAL CHRISTMAS MESSAGE

I am posting this Christmas Message early in case I doze off and it is 2007 already.






"In Hoc Anno Domini
Vermont Royster's annual Christmas message.

Sunday, December 25, 2005 12:01 a.m.

This editorial was written in 1949 by the late Vermont Royster and has been published annually since.


"When Saul of Tarsus set out on his journey to Damascus the whole of the known world lay in bondage. There was one state, and it was Rome. There was one master for it all, and he was Tiberius Caesar.

Everywhere there was civil order, for the arm of the Roman law was long. Everywhere there was stability, in government and in society, for the centurions saw that it was so.

But everywhere there was something else, too. There was oppression--for those who were not the friends of Tiberius Caesar. There was the tax gatherer to take the grain from the fields and the flax from the spindle to feed the legions or to fill the hungry treasury from which divine Caesar gave largess to the people. There was the impressor to find recruits for the circuses. There were executioners to quiet those whom the Emperor proscribed. What was a man for but to serve Caesar?

There was the persecution of men who dared think differently, who heard strange voices or read strange manuscripts. There was enslavement of men whose tribes came not from Rome, disdain for those who did not have the familiar visage. And most of all, there was everywhere a contempt for human life. What, to the strong, was one man more or less in a crowded world?

Then, of a sudden, there was a light in the world, and a man from Galilee saying, Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's and unto God the things that are God's.

And the voice from Galilee, which would defy Caesar, offered a new Kingdom in which each man could walk upright and bow to none but his God. Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. And he sent this gospel of the Kingdom of Man into the uttermost ends of the earth.

So the light came into the world and the men who lived in darkness were afraid, and they tried to lower a curtain so that man would still believe salvation lay with the leaders.

But it came to pass for a while in divers places that the truth did set man free, although the men of darkness were offended and they tried to put out the light. The voice said, Haste ye. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness come upon you, for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.

Along the road to Damascus the light shone brightly. But afterward Paul of Tarsus, too, was sore afraid. He feared that other Caesars, other prophets, might one day persuade men that man was nothing save a servant unto them, that men might yield up their birthright from God for pottage and walk no more in freedom.

Then might it come to pass that darkness would settle again over the lands and there would be a burning of books and men would think only of what they should eat and what they should wear, and would give heed only to new Caesars and to false prophets. Then might it come to pass that men would not look upward to see even a winter's star in the East, and once more, there would be no light at all in the darkness.

And so Paul, the apostle of the Son of Man, spoke to his brethren, the Galatians, the words he would have us remember afterward in each of the years of his Lord:

Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.


Copyright © 2006 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Settling in After Thanksgiving.

After a whirlwind day yesterday with turkey and all the trimmings, including the 4 grandchildren and son, daughter and their spouses partaking of the feast at our table; today,the day after, is a time of sitting and resting and savoring the memories of a day well spent. So I leisurely read the New York times from cover to cover and happened upon this poem that spoke to me;especially the line about Cleopatra and aging and the asp.







November 23, 2006

Op-Ed Contributor
Black Friday Reverie


By JENNIFER MICHAEL HECHT

Thanksgiving was my birthday this year
and I find two holidays in one is not
efficient. In fact, barely anything gets
done; neither the bird nor the passage
of the year is digested. Luckily, Black
Friday offers new pleasures while remaining
a stolen day; a day after. There is shopping,
the streets, or the hilarious malls, but I will
stay home with the leftovers and use

the time to rethink, turkey leg in hand like
a king. Pumpkin pie, solid soup of
pummeled end-of-summer. Chestnuts and
sausage chunks from stuffing plucked
regally, like an ape leisurely denuding
a blueberry bush of its fruit. Maybe I mean
Cleopatra's teeth accepting red grapes from
a solicitous lunk of nubility. Same image.
The hand feeds, the mouth gets fed. You

too? Mother ate turkey in the maternity?
Imagine, you not-born-in-late-Novembers,
if every few years a bird adjoined your
candles. Think, too, who comes to eat
that bird. Those whose faces look like
yours; those nearly-yous and knew you
whens; those have your same ill eases.
How's the sciatica? Fine, how's yours?
The world is old. Cleopatra might

have liked Black Friday. It's as engaging
as a barge with a fast gold sofa. She also
might have liked aging. At least preferred
it to the asp. Yellow leaf-patterned
sunlight dazzles the wall with its dapple.
It's all happening now, as I write. This is
journalism. No part of the memoir
is untrue. Though I probably will
go to the mall, if everyone else goes.

Jennifer Michael Hecht is the author, most recently, of “Funny.”

TomKat

I am down with the nasty beginning of a sore throat and cold.

(one of the grandchildren brought it to me last Tuesday "as a present" when I kept her)

Since I am sick and desperate for blog fodder, I will
post about the "Wedding of the Century" from the Washington Post.



TomKat Wedding: Believe the Hype

Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes and Suri Cruise in Rome on Wednesday. (AP)And so the circle of life continues to turn. Make way Britney and Kevin, we must now shove the wasteland of your dying marriage aside to make room for the pomp, circumstance and overblown hype that herald the union of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes.

As Celebritologists, we too have a vested interest in this marriage. We will be bold with snap judgments about Katie's dress. We'll speculate about the relative merits of her going barefoot or Tom standing on a box. We'll wonder if L. Ron Hubbard's cryogenic chamber has been shipped special to Italy to witness the commingling of Scientology royalty (like Dan Snyder and J.Lo) or if he'll only be there in spirit (like Oprah).

Before we I get too carried away (because I have to tell you, I was headed for an inevitable comparison with the "Beetlejuice" wedding scene), let's ground our expectations in a little reality.


A Bracciano shopkeeper adjusts a portrait of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes in her store window. PHOTO GALLERY: Prepping for TomKat (AP)First, set the scene. Peruse this pre-wedding photo gallery of the (reported) humble wedding site, an the 15th century Castello Orsini-Odescalchi, nestled in the quaint Italian village of Bracciano -- a town so beautiful that Pope Sixtus IV himself rode out the plague there. Perhaps TomKat will have similar luck escaping the paparazzi. (The castle itself has a Web site, but I'm prettily informed that it is "Impossibile visualizzare la pagina.")

Next, block out an hour to spend with Brides.com editor Theresa DiMasi, who will be online at Noon ET today to answer questions about Scientology nuptials and celebrity weddings in general.

Finally, join Oprah and the rest of the uninvited to toast the happy couple from afar. Or, if you're not in the mood, have a self-satisfied moment hoping this story about Tom being too pudgy for his wedding suit is true."


And so Mrs Cruise number three begins her 10 year reign (or so I have read.)

The baby is precious and her name is Suri Cruise. Her Dad was born in Syracuse.
Coincidence or planned?

Car Shopping

Do you remember some of the cars you have bought over the years; some that you grew to love and others you hated because they turned out to be lemons? Memories of our automobiles seem to cling to us long after they have met their maker.

The smell of a new car. The feel of driving the shiny new vehicle off the lot after you had signed the papers. The vow that you will keep this one dent and scratch free. And the disgust when you got that first scratch.

And did you have a very, very favorite car of all the ones you have driven?

I remember the yellow Buick station wagon with the "wooden panels" and the tan interior. I drove many car pools with my children and their school buddies ,delivering them one by one to their homes, lightly honking the horn to let someone inside know they were home. At times the crowd in the station wagon would get way too boisterous and I would threaten to pull over to the side of the road and just sit there until order was restored. A few times I did just that.

Many years later, when my son was grown, and we were discussing days gone by and car pooling, son said, "You know what Mrs N did when she drove car pool and she wanted to keep us quiet? She told us if we were good and quiet she would take us to MacDonald's and she did and we were. She bribed us"

I guess I should have tried the "carrot" approach more and not the "stick" :)

Then there was the green Plymouth sedan my husband and little daughter, our first child, bought when I was in the hospital after giving birth to our second daughter. Back then children were not allowed into the hospital to see the new arrival (germ conscious I suppose) so hubby drove the new Plymouth and my little daughter to the parking lot under my window and showed me the present. Kind of sad that this car turned out to be a real lemon after such an auspicious start.

We owned many Buick's, a Caddy or two. One caddy, a light blue one, hummed right along for a short while and then it started to have electrical problems and we took it in to fix the problem. The dealer's shop tried and tried to fix it under warranty and then charged us and charged us and it was never fixed. We bought another car and kept the blue Caddy as a spare.

When my hubby worked in Washington, D.C. for 4 years, we drove Ole Blue to D.C. and wheeled around the nation's capitol in it. We had tried to give it to our daughter or son when they turned 16 and could drive but they were not willing to "be seen driving a clunker."

Once I was driving our dog, Mollie, a springer spaniel, to the vet for something routine. I took her in Ole Blue because I did not want her toenails to scratch up my newer car as she propped her paws on the door and held her head out the window while taking the breezes.

We were within two blocks of the vet's office when Ole Blue stopped on a very busy road and would not start again. I had no choice but to turn on the blinkers, abandon the car, put the leash on Mollie, and proceed to walk to the vets office. After dropping off the doggie, I headed back to the car to figure out what to do.

Just then I noticed two men across the street from the vet. They both were work men who were in the lot and I asked them how I could get my car towed. They said they would help me. The older man was going to get his son to push Ole Blue with his pick up truck up the busy, busy Lindberg Drive and I was to drive and steer the dead car until we approached the service station which was across 4 busy lanes of traffic on the other side of the road. I was to quickly "TURN INTO THE SERVICE STATION", all the while praying I did not get hit. I said "No way". I rode side saddle while the young man pushed and the older man drove my car. I shut my eyes as we approached the service station with the truck gaining enough speed to push us in.

The mechanic at the service station said I would have to leave my car overnight so they could fix it. "How can I get home?" The mechanic offered to drive me home, as I lived only about 5 miles away. I told him I would have to walk up and go get my dog at the vet's. He said get in his truck and he would take me to pick up Mollie.

Mollie reluctantly hopped up into the front seat beside me and the mechanic.I could tell she thought I had lost my marbles. She was shaking and rolling her big brown eyes at me as if she thought she might have to protect me during this ride.

All went well. Mollie and I arrived home safely. I tipped the kind mechanic who had driven us. I vowed to never again drive Mollie anywhere in Ole Blue.:)
.......
PS:( some years later the electrical problem was fixed in our driveway in about an hour by our son's highschool friend who had recently graduated from MIT and was extremely handy.)

----------
With all the autos you have owned in mind, go and visit Claude and watch the video about old cars.

(click on title of this post and travel to Blogging in Paris then click "Watch This"

Where was I ?

This is what I did today. I was in the kitchen preparing to make Banana Nut Bread. I had recently used a recipe from the Land O' Lakes butter web site and I went upstairs to my computer to print the recipe again as I could not readily locate it in the kitchen.

I sat down at the computer and thought...hum...I will just check out a few of my favorite blogs and perhaps the news and read my email and fiddle around a bit.

One hour later I was merrily traipsing down the little yellow brick Internet road, enjoying many posts and comments and adding comments of my own and then;

I went back downstairs to the kitchen and remembered:

I did not even look for the recipe for Banana Nut Bread so here I am back at the computer and printing the recipe for the BN Bread

I might as well share it with you since I am here and it may be too late to bake the bread and besides. it is such a beautiful fall day here I think I will just go for a
wonderful walk instead

Oh Yes...Here is the recipe:






WALNUT BANANA BREAD


This banana nut bread is just like the one Mom used to make. It is a great way to use overripe bananas.


Preparation time: 15 min Baking time: 1 hrs
Yield: 16 servings


3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup LAND O LAKES® Butter, softened
2 eggs
2 medium (1 cup) bananas, mashed
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon


Heat oven to 350°F. Combine sugar, butter and eggs in large bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy. Reduce speed to low; add banana and vanilla. Beat until well mixed. Stir in all remaining ingredients by hand.

Spoon batter into greased and floured 8x4-inch loaf pan. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let stand 10 minutes; remove from pan. Cool completely.



TIP: Banana bread is best the second day. Wrap cooled bread tightly in plastic food wrap. Refrigerate overnight.

TIP: Walnuts can be omitted.

TIP: Use no-stick cooking spray that contains flour to easily coat loaf pan.

PS I use one more banana and more sugar andcome vanilla and a little cinnamon.

Small World ; Isn't it.

Some months back I had been enjoying reading Roger B's blog, "There's Always Something", when in response to something Roger posted about his home in Arizona, I commented about Atlanta, my home.

Roger emailed me and said "Atlanta?--- Perhaps you know several friends of mine who now live in Atlanta. I went to Vanderbilt University with them."

He mentioned 4 people that he knew in his college years at Vanderbilt. As you know the Internet is filled with probably a million interesting people like Roger, a retired minister. The odds of my knowing someone he knew over 50 years ago are what? A million to one? Atlanta is a city of close to 5 million souls now. And the odds of my happening upon Roger's blog among the thousands of blogs are also astronomical.



When I read the names I could not believe my eyes. My husband and I know all those Roger mentioned. One of the three men, was the father of my daughter's first boyfriend. The other is a distant cousin and a friend who belongs to the same golf club as my husband. The third, a woman, is a dear friend along with her husband, who is also a member of the same golf club.

Well, I emailed Roger and told him the news and he was speechless. He remembered one of them, BSH as the "prettiest girl at Vandy. She sat next to him in German class.
Roger later married a pretty coed from Kentucky.

None of these four long ago friends of Roger's are computer literate and have no idea what a blog is so I had not called and mentioned this remarkable coincidence to them. I did not quite know how to explain to them the sequence of events that had led me to Roger and his "blog." Then one day recently my husband was having lunch at the golf club with three of them and he mentioned Roger and the remarkable coincidence. They remembered him fondly and even recalled that Roger was the president of their fraternity pledge class.



I emailed Roger and told him how delighted his friends were to hear from him and they sent their best wishes across the miles and the years.

I still marvel at this turn of events.

What a small, small world we live in. We are all connected one to the other in some unexplainable, cosmic way.


(Six degrees of separation is the hypothesis that anyone on Earth can be connected to any other person on the planet through a chain of acquaintances with no more than five intermediaries)

PS: click on Title above to travel to Roger's blog

Remember to set your clocks back tomorrow night

This article from a British newspaper should make you feel less burdened when you reset all your clocks, microwaves,car clocks, watch etc. And besides we get an extra hour's sleep. :)






LONDON (AFP) - Britain puts its clocks back one hour at 2:00 am (0100 GMT) on Sunday giving most people a welcome extra hour in bed -- but two cuckoo clock enthusiasts will have precious little time on their hands.



Brothers Roman and Maz Piekarski have more than 500 clocks at their Cuckooland museum in Cheshire, northwest England.

And the task of winding back the mechanisms in the antique German clocks is going to take them all weekend.

"It is not as simple as changing a battery-powered clock because they are antiques, with all sorts of complicating factors," said Roman Piekarski, 54.

"It can put you in a real spin after a while, and I have been known to change dozens of clocks before realising I had already done them.

"It is a mammoth task but it has to be done, and it is a labour of love."

The museum, which hosts one of the world's largest collections of cuckoo clocks, also features clocks which mark the hour with quails, trumpeters and monks.

Meanwhile, those who suffer from the winter blues as British Summer Time ends and darkness sets in during the mornings and evenings are being given something to cheer them up.

A telephone helpline of "inspiring" sounds from the mountains and shorelines of the tranquil Lake District in northwest England has been set up to help those feeling depressed as the number of daylight hours dwindles.

It includes a reading of William Wordsworth's poem "Daffodils", the sound of Lake Windermere lapping against a jetty, the crisp crunch of leaves on a country walk, and Cumberland sausage sizzling in a pan.

Parts unknown

Karr left for parts unknown, dad says

By ADRIANNE MURCHISON
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Published on: 10/28/06

"John Mark Karr has apparently left his father's Sandy Springs home, driven away by pressure from neighbors, his father said Friday.

His departure came about a week after an e-mail announcing the arrival of Karr — the man brought back from Thailand as a suspect in the slaying of 6-year-old beauty queen JonBenet Ramsey — circulated through several neighborhoods in north Atlanta and Sandy Springs."


I received this email and we have all breathed a sigh of relief around here. Karr had moved in with his father who lives a short distance from two schools and near a park and children's playground. The neighborhood was truly agitated about Karr's arrival here in Atlanta. He was a short distance from my daughter and her young children and my grandchildren. Even though Karr had not been convicted of any crime, California dropped the child porn charges because they "lost the computer evidence" and, given the notoriety about the Jon Benet Ramsey case, and Karr's supposed involvement in it which later turned out to be untrue, we are all glad he is gone to "parts unknown"

Jimmy Carter

Goldendaze-ginnie has a post about a letter she sent to ex President Jimmy Carter and the gracious reply she received. Her post got me reminiscing.Click on title of this post to take you to Ginnie.


REMEMBERING JIMMY


My husband and I knew President Carter personally when he was Governor of Georgia and then later as President. Also I had made several campaign trips as a member of Carter's " Peanut Brigade, as his volunteer group was called
. .
We lived not far from the governor's Mansion in Atlanta during his years as Governor. Amy Carter, who was then just a little girl used to come to our nearby street on Halloween to "trick or treat". She was always accompanied by a state trooper, but she still looked frightened

My husband's company did some work for Governor Carter and later for President Carter so we were given passes to attend the Democratic Convention in New York City when Carter was nominated. Even from the balcony, for a political junkie like me, this was an occasion to savor history being made.

During the convention festivities we attended a reception for JC's mother and family at the "Windows on the World" restaurant in the WTC. We met and chatted with Miss Lillian and others. It gives me shivers now to remember this and the other tower were demolished on 9/11 by those suicide bombers.

We also were invited to a reception at the White House after the inauguration and to several parties during his administration..

What a thrill that was and like an out of body experience to actually stand in the East Room or the Map Room where FDR gave his fireside chats which I am old enough to remember.I had to pinch myself.

One party in particular was great. It was the Newport Jazz Festival performers . Beautiful night, wonderful jazz and Jimmy Carter and Rosalyn were hospitality itself. VP Fritz Mondale was there as was Merv Griffin and many, many others.


Another time during Carter's years at the White House was a Valentine's dance. Imagine me and Mr H dancing at the White House in the East Room.

Then there was a reception the year the hostages were being held in Iran. This was in October before the election in November. President Carter was hopeful that some good news would arrive before the election about the release of the hostages. But no. The hostages were released at high noon just exactly when Ronald Reagan was sworn in as President. I have always questioned such timing.

We also got to visit the White House once more while Ronald Reagan was President. We were in the reception line ; you told the uniformed guard your name as you approached the President. As I shook President Reagan's hand I smiled and introduced myself To President Reagan as JH from Georgia. He smiled and said "Well" That was his favorite expression back then. We have our individual pictures taken of us individualy shaking hands with RR.


Part of this time my husband was working in Washington for his company and we were commuting back and forth.This was a most interesting time of our lives and makes for most excellent memories.

How I narrowly missed the Federal Pen.

I remember when I first got my Social Security Card a long time ago. I was 14 and my two girlfriends and I wanted to work in a dress shop weekends in the summer. In order to be hired I had to be 15 so I ("lied" "yikes" )on my SS application. Back then a baby was not issued a SS number at birth as is the custom now.

OK. All the ensuing years I "worried" that when the time came to collect my Social Security and the government found me out I would be hauled off to the poky.

When the big day arrived my sweet husband took all the forms down to the local SS office for me ( he is 9 months older and had already signed up for himself, knew the ropes ). The helpful SS agent looked over all the forms and said that I could have signed up the preceding year. Hubby explained that there was a "mix up" in my birth date when I signed up many years prior. She looked at him as if to say "Yeah. Right. Your wife has been lying about her age to you all these many years?"

He produced my birth certificate and the agent corrected my DOB and all was well.

But I guess I narrowly missed the "Federal Pen


Now Hurry on over to Ronni Bennett's Time Goes By blog.

She has written a delightful piece on her experience signing up for Social Security and the significance of this act for her.

http://www.timegoesby.net/

Down memory lane

I was born in 1929, so the 1930's was the decade of my childhood. While reminiscing I did a Google search and came across this information which brought back many pleasant memories, especially of the radio shows we listened to and the movies and board games.

Do you remember any of this? I do.


"By the 1930s money was scarce because of the depression, so people did what they could to make their lives happy. Movies were hot, parlor games and board games were popular. People gathered around radios to listen to the Yankees. Young people danced to the big bands.

Franklin Roosevelt influenced Americans with his Fireside Chats. The golden age of the mystery novel continued as people escaped into books, reading writers like Agatha Christie, Dashielle Hammett, and Raymond Chandler.

Radio reached its zenith of popularity in this decade. In 1939 about 80 percent of the population owned radio sets. Americans loved to laugh at the antics of such comedians as Jack Benny, Fred Allen, George Burns and Gracie Allen, Amos and Andy, and Fibber McGee and Molly.

The soap opera dominated the daytime airwaves.Our Gal Sunday began each episode with the question, "Can a girl from a little mining town in the west find happiness as the wife of a wealthy and titled Englishman?' Many a woman's ear was glued to her radio every day in hopes of learning the answer. The heroics of the Lone Ranger, the Green Hornet, the Shadow, and Jack Armstrong, all-American boy, thrilled listeners both young and old and sold countless boxes of cereal.

News broadcasts by commentators like H. V. Kaltenborn and Edward R. Murrow kept the public aware of the increasing crisis in Europe. Franklin Roosevelt used the medium in his "Fireside Chats" to influence public opinion.

One of the most dramatic moments in radio history occurred on May 6, 1937, when the German airship Hindenburg burst into flames as it was about to land in Lakehurst, New Jersey. The horror of the incident was conveyed live by the reporter Herb Morrison. His reaction to what was happening in front of him still enthralls today.

On October 30, 1938, a twenty-three-year-old Orson Welles' broadcast on his Mercury Theater of the Air the H.G. Wells story War of the Worlds. Despite the disclaimer at the end of the program, the tale of a Martian invasion of Earth panicked a million listeners who mistook the play for a newscast. Such was the influence of radio in this its golden age.

Hollywood turned out movie after movie to entertain its Depression audience and the 30's are often referred to as Hollywood's "Golden Age". Movie goers wanted mainly escapist fare that let them forget their everyday troubles for a few hours. They swooned over such matinee idols as Clark Gable, Bette Davis, Greta Garbo, and Errol Flynn. They laughed at the likes of W. C. Fields, Bob Hope, and the Marx Brothers. America fell in love with the little curly headed moppet Shirley Temple and flocked to see her tap dance and sing to the song "The Good Ship Lollipop".

Busby Berkeley's elaborate dance numbers delighted many a fan. Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers tap and ballroom dancing across the screen enthralled the audience. Notable writers like William Faulkner and F. Scott Fitzgerald penned screenplays.

Not all movies were fantasy and lightness. The picture version of John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath brought to film the story of the Joan family and its migration from the Dust Bowl of Oklahoma to the agricultural fields of California.

One of the top money makers of all time Gone With the Wind debuted in Atlanta, Georgia in 1939. Walt Disney produced the first full-length animated movie Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in 1937."

Magnolia

Isn't this a pretty flower. I created it over at http://www.typogenerator.net/

When you go there this is what happens:

"how does typogenerator work?
the user types some text; typoGenerator searches images.google for the text and creates a background from the found images, using randomly chosen effects. then it places the text, using random effects too."

I kept playing around with typo generator using the word "magnolia" until I got this image