Sounds like some bloody book title, doesn’t it? And yes, it is raining, hell; it’s been raining half the night, including a few thunder-bumpers to make life interesting! One can only hope that June will see us with warmer temps, sunny days and a few rain showers to keep gardens and flowers growing!
So what does June have in store for us? First on June 14th we have Flag Day and please, fly our nation’s flag proudly. Then on June 15th we have Father’s Day. Did you know this is the one day when most collect calls are made – isn’t that amazing? That’s gotta make a Dad proud as hell, don’t ya think?
Oh yes, June is also High School graduations and then we can watch college grads and high school grads all looking for employment – can you say Wal-Mart! There was a time when many a young lad (and Lass) worked on farms, helping with all the harvesting and haying but those days are long gone. Some farms still hire folks for seasonal work but that depends on the weather and prices, which will determine if they can hire any outside help.
And of course with the June delights comes the summer vacations – well, the end of the school year at least. Many people are discovering that gong anywhere this summer might not happen. There is little doubt that before much longer gas will be $5 a gallon and that alone makes things tight. And food prices are going up as well. And you wonder why more and more folks are planting their own gardens this year. Hey, I even have two tomato plants and hope they survive and produce a tomato or two! [Yes that is spelled correctly the plural is tomatoes]
So while you are stuck inside because this rain doesn’t seem to be letting up, you could read a book – novel idea, don’t ya think? Watch TV which you’re gonna do anyway or perhaps work on that Christmas picture puzzle. You could clean the house, polish the silver or dust the bookcases, end tables, etc – oh such lovely possibilities, makes ya wanna puke, doesn’t it?
Oh let me give you a tennis update – you know you are interested – just humor me. Both Serena and Venus Williams are out of the French Open. Man, they played poorly yesterday and well, the price was you’re done, bye-bye. As memory serves, we have at least one American male left in the draw but that could be wrong. American tennis players do not do well on clay – and baby it shows!
California Vintners in the Napa Valley area. Which primarily produces Pinot Blanc, Pinot Noir and Pinot Griglo wines have developed a new hybrid grape that acts as an anti-diuretic. It is expected to reduce the number of trips older people have to make to the bathroom during the night.
The new wine will be marketed as Pino More.
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Friday, May 30, 2008
Grill Cleaning – Yuck
Now I want to make this perfectly clear, cleaning a grill is not turning it on and letting the fire burn off leftover food! While that is certainly done and necessary, and even a brush over the grates are helpful this does not constitute grill cleaning!
Only a freakin male would design the “guts” of a gas grill where stuff drops, piles up and has its own design but is damn near impossible for a human hand to reach for cleaning purposes. So you have these piles and you want them gone, maybe men don’t see such stuff?
You got these –I’ll call them pipes which when ignited, flare up and provide heat to the racks above them, okay? However, stuff does collect under these pipes and its damn near impossible to reach this junk. Sorry, I do not own a $400 gas grill, mine is a simple, Sears gas grill that set me back about $200. I also have a charcoal grill which I also enjoy using and after this gas grill cleansing number, may use charcoal from now on!
Okay, you can and should remove the racks; it makes it much easier to clean both sides once they are out of the grill itself. And there is usually some kind of metal tent to help distribute heat, which also need to removed and clean, because once again, stuff falls through the racks. Perhaps you prefer the word “grate?” Either one it’s what you cook the stuff on, did that help the mental picture?
This is the easy part and I have a good grill spray that you apply, it foams up and you wait and then, eventually hose off and it sparkles (well, it’s clean, how’s that). It’s the damn inside of the grill, where the gas flows thru those pipes that are causing me considerable grief. I want that clean too. I mean, you can brush, scrape and using a damn rag remove considerable droppings but it’s not nearly enough –there are still lots more that should be gone. You could spend hours slowly scraping, wiping, brushing and removing this stuff OR you could do what I did.
Oh ya, you can see it coming, can’t ya? I sprayed the inside, let it foam up and waited and then, grabbed the garden hose and sprayed the living hell out of the inside of that grill! Man, did stuff fly out, thru bottom openings, the sides, up in my face, onto my clothes and so on, but it was out of the grill and that was the plan [yes, now I had to wash the patio – at least it didn’t fly onto the deck or I’d of been washing that too].
Did it work? Well, the sucker is clean but whether or not it’ll fire up remains to be tested. I gotta let it dry thoroughly and then, fire it up. I truly believe grills need this kind of thorough cleaning a couple times during the grilling season, so be prepared to get dirty and spend some quality time cleaning that bloody damn grill.
Now I’m ready for some beer –oops, Beer Can Chicken grilling! If the gas grill won’t work, I’ll use charcoal. I’m gonna design my own gas grill real soon and everything will be dishwasher friendly – save a lot of time cleaning the sucker!
Only a freakin male would design the “guts” of a gas grill where stuff drops, piles up and has its own design but is damn near impossible for a human hand to reach for cleaning purposes. So you have these piles and you want them gone, maybe men don’t see such stuff?
You got these –I’ll call them pipes which when ignited, flare up and provide heat to the racks above them, okay? However, stuff does collect under these pipes and its damn near impossible to reach this junk. Sorry, I do not own a $400 gas grill, mine is a simple, Sears gas grill that set me back about $200. I also have a charcoal grill which I also enjoy using and after this gas grill cleansing number, may use charcoal from now on!
Okay, you can and should remove the racks; it makes it much easier to clean both sides once they are out of the grill itself. And there is usually some kind of metal tent to help distribute heat, which also need to removed and clean, because once again, stuff falls through the racks. Perhaps you prefer the word “grate?” Either one it’s what you cook the stuff on, did that help the mental picture?
This is the easy part and I have a good grill spray that you apply, it foams up and you wait and then, eventually hose off and it sparkles (well, it’s clean, how’s that). It’s the damn inside of the grill, where the gas flows thru those pipes that are causing me considerable grief. I want that clean too. I mean, you can brush, scrape and using a damn rag remove considerable droppings but it’s not nearly enough –there are still lots more that should be gone. You could spend hours slowly scraping, wiping, brushing and removing this stuff OR you could do what I did.
Oh ya, you can see it coming, can’t ya? I sprayed the inside, let it foam up and waited and then, grabbed the garden hose and sprayed the living hell out of the inside of that grill! Man, did stuff fly out, thru bottom openings, the sides, up in my face, onto my clothes and so on, but it was out of the grill and that was the plan [yes, now I had to wash the patio – at least it didn’t fly onto the deck or I’d of been washing that too].
Did it work? Well, the sucker is clean but whether or not it’ll fire up remains to be tested. I gotta let it dry thoroughly and then, fire it up. I truly believe grills need this kind of thorough cleaning a couple times during the grilling season, so be prepared to get dirty and spend some quality time cleaning that bloody damn grill.
Now I’m ready for some beer –oops, Beer Can Chicken grilling! If the gas grill won’t work, I’ll use charcoal. I’m gonna design my own gas grill real soon and everything will be dishwasher friendly – save a lot of time cleaning the sucker!
P.S.: I came back to let you know the gas grill is working fine, water did not hurt those pipes and now all I need do is add some oil to the racks/grates and I'm good to go -- clean grill - hurrah! And for the male who designed this grill, you cannot use this cleaning method, you figure out a way to get your hand under those pipes and clean all that yuck out!
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Define OLD
'OLD' IS WHEN... Your sweetie says, 'Let's go upstairs and make love,' and you answer, 'Pick one; I can't do both!''
OLD' IS WHEN... Your friends compliment you on your new alligator shoes and you're barefoot.
'OLD' IS WHEN... A sexy babe catches your fancy and your pacemaker opens the garage door.
'OLD' IS WHEN... Going braless pulls all the wrinkles out of your face.
'OLD' IS WHEN... You don't care where your spouse goes, just as long as you don't have to go along.
'OLD' IS WHEN... You are cautioned to slow down by the doctor instead of by the police.
'OLD' IS WHEN... 'Getting a little action' means you don't need to take any fiber today.
'OLD' IS WHEN... 'Getting lucky' means you find your car in the parking lot.
'OLD' IS WHEN... An 'all nighter' means not getting up to use the bathroom.
AND'OLD' IS WHEN... You are not sure these are jokes?
OLD' IS WHEN... Your friends compliment you on your new alligator shoes and you're barefoot.
'OLD' IS WHEN... A sexy babe catches your fancy and your pacemaker opens the garage door.
'OLD' IS WHEN... Going braless pulls all the wrinkles out of your face.
'OLD' IS WHEN... You don't care where your spouse goes, just as long as you don't have to go along.
'OLD' IS WHEN... You are cautioned to slow down by the doctor instead of by the police.
'OLD' IS WHEN... 'Getting a little action' means you don't need to take any fiber today.
'OLD' IS WHEN... 'Getting lucky' means you find your car in the parking lot.
'OLD' IS WHEN... An 'all nighter' means not getting up to use the bathroom.
AND'OLD' IS WHEN... You are not sure these are jokes?
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Scotch vs. Water
Scotch with two drops of water. A lady goes to the bar on a cruise ship and orders a Scotch with two drops of water. As the bartender gives her the drink she says, 'I'm on this cruise to celebrate my 80th birthday and it's today...'
The bartender says, 'Well, since it's your birthday, I’ll buy you a drink. In fact, this one is on me.'
As the woman finishes her drink, the woman to her right says, 'I would like to buy you a drink, too.'The old woman says, 'Thank you. Bartender, I want a Scotch with two drops of water' - 'Coming up,’ says the bartender.
As she finishes that drink, the man to her left says, 'I would like to buy you one, too.' The old woman says, 'Thank you. Bartender, I want another Scotch with two drops of water.' 'Coming right up,' the bartender says.
As he gives her the drink, he says, 'Ma'am, I’m dying of curiosity. Why the Scotch with only two drops of water?'
The old woman replies, 'Sonny, when you're my age, you've learned how to hold your liquor. Holding your water, however, is a whole other issue.'
The bartender says, 'Well, since it's your birthday, I’ll buy you a drink. In fact, this one is on me.'
As the woman finishes her drink, the woman to her right says, 'I would like to buy you a drink, too.'The old woman says, 'Thank you. Bartender, I want a Scotch with two drops of water' - 'Coming up,’ says the bartender.
As she finishes that drink, the man to her left says, 'I would like to buy you one, too.' The old woman says, 'Thank you. Bartender, I want another Scotch with two drops of water.' 'Coming right up,' the bartender says.
As he gives her the drink, he says, 'Ma'am, I’m dying of curiosity. Why the Scotch with only two drops of water?'
The old woman replies, 'Sonny, when you're my age, you've learned how to hold your liquor. Holding your water, however, is a whole other issue.'
OLE GEEZERS
'Geezers' are easy to spot: At sporting events, during the playing of the Star Spangled BANNER. Old Geezers remove their caps and stand at attention and sing without embarrassment. They know the words and believe in them.
Old Geezers remember the Depression, World War II, Pearl Harbor, Guadalcanal, Normandy and Hitler. They remember the Atomic Age, the Korean War 1950-55, The Cold War, the jet age and the moon landing, the 50 plus Peacekeeping Missions from 1945 to 2005 the Jet Age and the Moon Landing, not to mention Vietnam.
If you bump into an Old Geezer On the sidewalk he will apologize. If you pass an Old Geezer on the street, he will nod or tip his cap t o a lady. Old Geezers trust strangers and are courtly to women. Old Geezers hold the door for the next person and always, when walking, make certain the lady is on the inside for protection. Old Geezers get embarrassed if someone curses in front of women and children.
Old Geezers have moral courage. They seldom brag unless it's about their grandchildren. It's the Old Geezers who know our great country is protected, not by politicians, but by the young men and women in the military serving their country.
This country needs Old Geezers with their decent values. We need them now more than ever.
Thank God for Old Geezers
Old Geezers remember the Depression, World War II, Pearl Harbor, Guadalcanal, Normandy and Hitler. They remember the Atomic Age, the Korean War 1950-55, The Cold War, the jet age and the moon landing, the 50 plus Peacekeeping Missions from 1945 to 2005 the Jet Age and the Moon Landing, not to mention Vietnam.
If you bump into an Old Geezer On the sidewalk he will apologize. If you pass an Old Geezer on the street, he will nod or tip his cap t o a lady. Old Geezers trust strangers and are courtly to women. Old Geezers hold the door for the next person and always, when walking, make certain the lady is on the inside for protection. Old Geezers get embarrassed if someone curses in front of women and children.
Old Geezers have moral courage. They seldom brag unless it's about their grandchildren. It's the Old Geezers who know our great country is protected, not by politicians, but by the young men and women in the military serving their country.
This country needs Old Geezers with their decent values. We need them now more than ever.
Thank God for Old Geezers
WAL-MART INTERVIEW
A manager at Wal-Mart had the task of hiring someone to fill a job opening. After sorting through a stack of resumes he found four people who were equally qualified. He decided to call the four in and ask them only one question. Their answer would determine which of them would get the job.
The day came and as the four sat around the conference room table, the interviewer asked, 'What is the fastest thing you know of?' The first man replied, 'a thought.' It just pops into your head... There's no warning.'That's very good!' replied the interviewer.
'And, now you sir?', he asked the second man. 'Hmmm... let me see, a blink! It comes and goes and you don't know that it ever happened. A blink is the fastest thing I know of.' 'Excellent!' said the interviewer. 'The blink of an eye, that's a very popular cliché` for speed.'
He then turned to the third man, who was contemplating his reply. 'Well, out at my dad's ranch, you step out of the house and on the wall there's a light switch. When you flip that switch, way out across the pasture the light on the barn comes on in less than an instant. 'Yep, turning on a light is the fastest thing I can think of'. The interviewer was very impressed with the third answer and thought he had found his man. 'It's hard to beat the speed of light,' he said.
Turning to Bubba, the fourth and final man, the interviewer posed the same question. Old Bubba replied, 'After hearing the previous three answers, it's obvious to me that the fastest thing known is DIARRHEA.' 'WHAT!?' said the interviewer, stunned by the response.
'Oh sure', said Bubba. 'You see, the other day I wasn't feeling so good, and I ran for the bathroom, but before I could THINK, BLINK, or TURN ON THE LIGHT, I had already crapped my pants.'
Bubba is now the new greeter at a Wal-Mart near you! You probably will think of this every time you enter a Wal-Mart from now on!Have a good day!!
The day came and as the four sat around the conference room table, the interviewer asked, 'What is the fastest thing you know of?' The first man replied, 'a thought.' It just pops into your head... There's no warning.'That's very good!' replied the interviewer.
'And, now you sir?', he asked the second man. 'Hmmm... let me see, a blink! It comes and goes and you don't know that it ever happened. A blink is the fastest thing I know of.' 'Excellent!' said the interviewer. 'The blink of an eye, that's a very popular cliché` for speed.'
He then turned to the third man, who was contemplating his reply. 'Well, out at my dad's ranch, you step out of the house and on the wall there's a light switch. When you flip that switch, way out across the pasture the light on the barn comes on in less than an instant. 'Yep, turning on a light is the fastest thing I can think of'. The interviewer was very impressed with the third answer and thought he had found his man. 'It's hard to beat the speed of light,' he said.
Turning to Bubba, the fourth and final man, the interviewer posed the same question. Old Bubba replied, 'After hearing the previous three answers, it's obvious to me that the fastest thing known is DIARRHEA.' 'WHAT!?' said the interviewer, stunned by the response.
'Oh sure', said Bubba. 'You see, the other day I wasn't feeling so good, and I ran for the bathroom, but before I could THINK, BLINK, or TURN ON THE LIGHT, I had already crapped my pants.'
Bubba is now the new greeter at a Wal-Mart near you! You probably will think of this every time you enter a Wal-Mart from now on!Have a good day!!
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Hello Tuesday
Hopefully everyone had a lovely weekend, enjoyed your time off and even though Monday was a bit “damp” all in all, a good weekend, weather-wise!
For some reason I just never associated yard/garage sales with the Memorial weekend but holy cow dung, there were many of them and in almost every town, village or countryside you traversed. Ya, I know one person’s junk is another person’s treasure, so be it. I know when we have one of these, which I assure you are rare, I just want to get rid of stuff and unless it’s really something that deserves a firm price, I’m pretty much open to a reasonable offer.
As for me, I went to Syracuse and my sister was kind of enough to take me to this great camera store. Let me back up, before I went to Florida I had purchased this rather expensive camera bag and yes, it held all my equipment and also most of the junk I carry in my purse, thereby reducing this to one bag, okay? In short, I hated the damn thing – ya, I know I bought it but-----! I hauled it around Florida and all that but I knew it was destined to the photo closet real soon. I mean, I have other equipment this bag will work nicely on but not the bag I want to travel with, okay?
So I had gone on-line and found this camera bag and nearest store, which was Syracuse and hence, why I was there. Got the bag and then, as I was in my element, I asked about lenses. Now I got a beautiful digital SLR for Christmas with two lenses but always liked having a macro lens. So, when the sales clerk showed this macro lens, for a digital camera I was sold! I don’t think I walked out of that store I floated --- I was one happy camper. Unfortunately I did not have my camera with me, so I had to wait until I got home to try out the new bag and new lens [ya that was poor planning].
In the meantime, Sis and I hit a few other stores. Now neither of us is into this huge shopping scene. We usually know what we want, go to the store, get it and get out as fast as possible! However, we have been on this kitchen gadget kick for months. The stranger the gadget the better and sometimes we are hard pressed to know what in hell this gadget is used for or what its purpose is. However it is fun and can get damn expensive, but we’re good shoppers and stay away from the pricey stuff!
Back a few months ago I had purchased a potatoe ricer – makes great mashed potatoes and it took my sister, husband and I to actually “rice” a bowl of potatoes. Odd as it sounds, we found squeezing this handle and pushing cooked potatoes thru the blade extremely hard. Well, we discovered the cause when we decided to rinse the blade off and realized we had both blades in the damn ricer -- talk about dumb shits, that was us but we sure laughed at our stupidity! With just one blade to push pototoes thru, it was much easier work and nicer looking mashed potatoes!
Like I said we are into kitchen gadgets and have a blast finding them and even more fun using them! Of course you do realize any cooking or initial work with something new is always more enjoyable if one sips a bit of wine or has a glass of beer, right? Lately beer has tasted real bitter to me, which irks me beyond words because I do like beer, but I am finding wine is pleasant substitute [I think I owe Sis two bottles?]. Oh new gadget -- next time, keep ya wondering!
Yes, I did the cemetery run on Monday and flowers have been planted and everyone is resting comfortably. I must say, cemeteries were well maintained and looked nice on this weekend and for the most part, the South Russell cemetery is well cared for and I thank those caretakers.
So we begin the last week of May 2008 – wow, it doesn’t seem possible, does it? I mean, in some ways May has flown by and in other ways, we wonder if we’ll ever see dry, warm weather! Hey, you ‘all have a great day, okay!
For some reason I just never associated yard/garage sales with the Memorial weekend but holy cow dung, there were many of them and in almost every town, village or countryside you traversed. Ya, I know one person’s junk is another person’s treasure, so be it. I know when we have one of these, which I assure you are rare, I just want to get rid of stuff and unless it’s really something that deserves a firm price, I’m pretty much open to a reasonable offer.
As for me, I went to Syracuse and my sister was kind of enough to take me to this great camera store. Let me back up, before I went to Florida I had purchased this rather expensive camera bag and yes, it held all my equipment and also most of the junk I carry in my purse, thereby reducing this to one bag, okay? In short, I hated the damn thing – ya, I know I bought it but-----! I hauled it around Florida and all that but I knew it was destined to the photo closet real soon. I mean, I have other equipment this bag will work nicely on but not the bag I want to travel with, okay?
So I had gone on-line and found this camera bag and nearest store, which was Syracuse and hence, why I was there. Got the bag and then, as I was in my element, I asked about lenses. Now I got a beautiful digital SLR for Christmas with two lenses but always liked having a macro lens. So, when the sales clerk showed this macro lens, for a digital camera I was sold! I don’t think I walked out of that store I floated --- I was one happy camper. Unfortunately I did not have my camera with me, so I had to wait until I got home to try out the new bag and new lens [ya that was poor planning].
In the meantime, Sis and I hit a few other stores. Now neither of us is into this huge shopping scene. We usually know what we want, go to the store, get it and get out as fast as possible! However, we have been on this kitchen gadget kick for months. The stranger the gadget the better and sometimes we are hard pressed to know what in hell this gadget is used for or what its purpose is. However it is fun and can get damn expensive, but we’re good shoppers and stay away from the pricey stuff!
Back a few months ago I had purchased a potatoe ricer – makes great mashed potatoes and it took my sister, husband and I to actually “rice” a bowl of potatoes. Odd as it sounds, we found squeezing this handle and pushing cooked potatoes thru the blade extremely hard. Well, we discovered the cause when we decided to rinse the blade off and realized we had both blades in the damn ricer -- talk about dumb shits, that was us but we sure laughed at our stupidity! With just one blade to push pototoes thru, it was much easier work and nicer looking mashed potatoes!
Like I said we are into kitchen gadgets and have a blast finding them and even more fun using them! Of course you do realize any cooking or initial work with something new is always more enjoyable if one sips a bit of wine or has a glass of beer, right? Lately beer has tasted real bitter to me, which irks me beyond words because I do like beer, but I am finding wine is pleasant substitute [I think I owe Sis two bottles?]. Oh new gadget -- next time, keep ya wondering!
Yes, I did the cemetery run on Monday and flowers have been planted and everyone is resting comfortably. I must say, cemeteries were well maintained and looked nice on this weekend and for the most part, the South Russell cemetery is well cared for and I thank those caretakers.
So we begin the last week of May 2008 – wow, it doesn’t seem possible, does it? I mean, in some ways May has flown by and in other ways, we wonder if we’ll ever see dry, warm weather! Hey, you ‘all have a great day, okay!
Friday, May 23, 2008
3-DAY WEEKEND
Bet you have been waiting all week for this weekend, right? And we all have traditions we carry out during this weekend, right? However, let’s not forget what this holiday commemorates -- U.S. men and women who have died in military service to their country. Get on your knees and thank them for the freedoms you enjoy to this day and keep supporting our military personnel.
In our family Memorial Weekend was also known as the “cemetery run.” Usually Sunday but it could be Saturday or even Monday, Mom and Dad would get flowers, water can, digging implement and we’d be “asked” to join them. Over the course of time, you learned to have a reason not to go but I am glad I went. I probably would have a hard time finding these resting places on my own today and of course, now I visit my parent’s graves as well.
My mother detested plastic flowers on grave sites – she claimed this to be very tacky and we’d tell her; “when you’re thar (pointing at the ground) we’ll really tick you off and bring plastic flowers and you won’t be able to do a thing about it!” She would give us that LOOK and say, “don’t count on it, I’ll rise right up and smack you side the head!” Hey, I believed her and as much as I would love to see her again, plastic flowers and slap side the head isn’t my idea of seeing Mama. So, I take real flowers and plant them every year – I tried perennials but they don’t seem to last either.
Along with these pleasurable outings, it’s also a time when many head to camps and prepare them for the summer visits. Meaning cleaning them out, hauling in stuff; i.e. wood, bedding, grills, pots and pans, chairs, games, movies, and in some cases, you even haul the boat and park it near the lake or pond too. In some camps there is electricity close at hand so TVs go to camp too as well as DVDs and videos. I never really understood that concept; I mean having a radio keeps you current on local and national events. Why in hell not just enjoy nature and her sounds, why glue yourself to some black box?
Whatever Memorial Weekend is a busy weekend and if the weather is decent and all things are in order, it’s time to take that first boat ride too. Doesn’t it just make you want to rush to camp and begin work NOW! Oh, not that excited about it, are ya? Okay, do whatever you can to enjoy three days off and if that means shopping, go for it – hell, shop for lower gas prices okay? Fire up that grill and enjoy a good meal, invite family and friends over and have a good time, what the hell, it’s gonna be a long haul until the next 3-day weekend, which happens to be the 4th of July!
In our family Memorial Weekend was also known as the “cemetery run.” Usually Sunday but it could be Saturday or even Monday, Mom and Dad would get flowers, water can, digging implement and we’d be “asked” to join them. Over the course of time, you learned to have a reason not to go but I am glad I went. I probably would have a hard time finding these resting places on my own today and of course, now I visit my parent’s graves as well.
My mother detested plastic flowers on grave sites – she claimed this to be very tacky and we’d tell her; “when you’re thar (pointing at the ground) we’ll really tick you off and bring plastic flowers and you won’t be able to do a thing about it!” She would give us that LOOK and say, “don’t count on it, I’ll rise right up and smack you side the head!” Hey, I believed her and as much as I would love to see her again, plastic flowers and slap side the head isn’t my idea of seeing Mama. So, I take real flowers and plant them every year – I tried perennials but they don’t seem to last either.
Along with these pleasurable outings, it’s also a time when many head to camps and prepare them for the summer visits. Meaning cleaning them out, hauling in stuff; i.e. wood, bedding, grills, pots and pans, chairs, games, movies, and in some cases, you even haul the boat and park it near the lake or pond too. In some camps there is electricity close at hand so TVs go to camp too as well as DVDs and videos. I never really understood that concept; I mean having a radio keeps you current on local and national events. Why in hell not just enjoy nature and her sounds, why glue yourself to some black box?
Whatever Memorial Weekend is a busy weekend and if the weather is decent and all things are in order, it’s time to take that first boat ride too. Doesn’t it just make you want to rush to camp and begin work NOW! Oh, not that excited about it, are ya? Okay, do whatever you can to enjoy three days off and if that means shopping, go for it – hell, shop for lower gas prices okay? Fire up that grill and enjoy a good meal, invite family and friends over and have a good time, what the hell, it’s gonna be a long haul until the next 3-day weekend, which happens to be the 4th of July!
Thursday, May 22, 2008
News and Booze
OMG the headlines this morning are enuff to make a body sick. First, we are finally done with American Idol and David Cook won – hurrah. Now can we resume normal programming, please? The only part of this show that I truly enjoy ARE the auditions in the beginning… now those are funny and ya gotta love watching Simon and hearing his comments. Randy drives me nuts with his “hey dawg,” and Paula – is she really that weird or is she acting – airhead personified!
Now it appears with gas at not just $4 a gallon, hell we had to add a few pennies to make it even more fun $4.01…we get slammed with more costs. Seems American Airlines is gonna charge ya for baggage check-in – what the hell is that all about? Don’t’ we pay enuff to fly on this damn plane and now you want us to pay you to check in our luggage which they'll probably lose [Q.If they lose your luggage will you get the $15 baggage cost back?] Hey, can we bring the trains back?
But wait there’s more with airlines – we have known (been told) driving the speed limit saves gas, right? We don’t always follow that rule because we are just speed-idiots but if you do drive the speed limit you DO save gas. Well, now the airlines have learned this and they are doing the same thing – who’d of thunk! So you arrive two minutes later but they saved millions in fuel – and they still want to charge us for baggage? They got ya coming and going. If you say, "okay, I'll just carry my luggage on," now you will need to insure you have absolutely no liquids in your bag, that means, no shampoo, conditioner, nail polish, etc. See? They get ya no matter how clever you think you might be -- interesting, eh?
Now this cutting back on car production which Ford motors is already doing will probably catch on in other car industries real soon too. Why produce all these cars when folks cannot afford them? It’s a good move but hard on those employed by Ford – they need those jobs but hey, join the employment market – life is life, deal with it!
Happy Birthday to the Brooklyn Bridge – 125 years old – wow, she’s looking good for her age, eh? Imagine something built that many years ago and still standing –damn we had some smart builders, didn’t we?
So tell me, how is your day going so far – enjoy all this wonderful news and wondering if its all this a dream? More like a nightmare but if we all
are somewhat forced to just slowdown and stop whining and realize we can be part of the solution; we might actually discover we can enjoy this slower pace and we don’t need all this expensive stuff to be happy. Hey, hanging out with our kids and actually talking to each other, isn’t really all that difficult or bad after all.
Oh the topic line was news and booze and so far no mention of booze, eh? Well, a nice glass of wine or cold beer is always a welcomed way to end the day. Or you can have a cup tea or coffee, I'm not saying booze is the only drink that relaxes -- but hey, do your own thing, you are an adult, you make the call! Just don’t get crazy and think you need to drink the entire case or bottle, save some for another day, okay?
Have a good one….yup, you know I will!
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
WHITEN YOUR TEETH
Oh I gotta share this with all of you and believe it or not it does work. Here’s a berry good way to whiten your teeth without costly treatments at the dentist or kits from the store.
Crush a strawberry, mix it with half a teaspoon of baking powder, smear it on your teeth with a toothbrush and leave it on for five minutes. Finish by brushing your teeth with toothpaste. Then repeat once a week.
OMG I did this but used baking soda and it work –now I’ll try baking powder – ye gads.
Anyway, some beauty expert says the malic acid in strawberries rids teeth of stains from coffee, red wine and dark sodas (what in hell is a dark soda?). Hey it might be as effective as those costly whiteners but it sure is cheaper and let’s face it’s a fast, cheap way to a bright smile.
Crush a strawberry, mix it with half a teaspoon of baking powder, smear it on your teeth with a toothbrush and leave it on for five minutes. Finish by brushing your teeth with toothpaste. Then repeat once a week.
OMG I did this but used baking soda and it work –now I’ll try baking powder – ye gads.
Anyway, some beauty expert says the malic acid in strawberries rids teeth of stains from coffee, red wine and dark sodas (what in hell is a dark soda?). Hey it might be as effective as those costly whiteners but it sure is cheaper and let’s face it’s a fast, cheap way to a bright smile.
IGNORANT VS. STUPID
Years ago Department of Defense Schools [DoD] did not like to hire military wives or husbands, who were certified teachers to teach in overseas schools. First off, they wanted a five-year contract and most military families tended to be reassigned every 15 months or sometimes you stayed 4 or 5 years at an overseas base/post. Students taught in DoD schools were American military children and Embassy kids as well as some local children, especially those whose parents worked for the military.
DoD teachers were paid well --- I don’t know how the formula worked or how this was done exactly, but many young teachers would cheerfully sign these contracts and loved being in a foreign country. After a few months these same people wanted to explore the country and travel around Europe, Asia or wherever. Hey, who could blame them, this was a chance of a lifetime and weekend and holiday travel was always rushing and not really seeing all you wished to see and do. As I understood it, some deduction was taken from their salaries to discourage this kind of behavior but it was never so much that it stopped it from happening and hence Subs were called and they too were paid quite well too. Hey, whatever worked, teachers toured and Sub’s taught, it was that simple.
Come on, we all know how were reacted to a Sub, right? Most of the time (if your memory is still intact) you blew these people off. They were nothing more than room monitors and usually said and did little other than take attendance and say; “okay, read chapters 4-6, and oh ya, there’s an exam scheduled for next week, so you might want to use this time to study.” But occasionally a Sub would be there more than just a day or two and now, you really had to do more than just be a room monitor.
Lesson plans are made and approved and even if not yours, as a Sub you do your best to follow them. The only thing you got going for you is your own method of implementation (within boundaries and guidelines of course). My thing was to bring this sign and put it right in the front of the classroom: STUPID IS FOREVER, IGNORANCE WE CAN FIX. And just watch kids read it and mull it over and even listen to their muttered comments. Oh man, some of the comments were precious and some cannot be written here even today!
The point of this somewhat winded dissertation is that all too often we mistake stupidity for ignorance. Look, it is quite simple, if you are stupid there isn’t much we can do about it, but if its determined the reason for this so called stupidity is ignorance, then we can do something. Many times it’s the latter because nobody took the time to show, teach, explain, help or encourage kids to do this or that; it was just easier to label them and move on – sad but true!
Names hurt and sadly stick with you for a lifetime. Luckily some can and do overcome the names and prove that name totally wrong, others never recover and carry that sick name all their lives. All I am suggesting is that we look a bit deeper and don’t brush kids aside thinking they are stupid when in essence they are ignorant because nobody has shown them differently. Amen!
Now on a lighter note, what would you say or do if someone said to you; “My favorite color is clear!” What? You expected some philosophical question here – give me a break – this is a bloody blog, not a classroom!
Oh come on, laugh, smile or giggle and don’t tell me you won’t be using this line – it’s just too damn cute not to use (thank you Troy).
DoD teachers were paid well --- I don’t know how the formula worked or how this was done exactly, but many young teachers would cheerfully sign these contracts and loved being in a foreign country. After a few months these same people wanted to explore the country and travel around Europe, Asia or wherever. Hey, who could blame them, this was a chance of a lifetime and weekend and holiday travel was always rushing and not really seeing all you wished to see and do. As I understood it, some deduction was taken from their salaries to discourage this kind of behavior but it was never so much that it stopped it from happening and hence Subs were called and they too were paid quite well too. Hey, whatever worked, teachers toured and Sub’s taught, it was that simple.
Come on, we all know how were reacted to a Sub, right? Most of the time (if your memory is still intact) you blew these people off. They were nothing more than room monitors and usually said and did little other than take attendance and say; “okay, read chapters 4-6, and oh ya, there’s an exam scheduled for next week, so you might want to use this time to study.” But occasionally a Sub would be there more than just a day or two and now, you really had to do more than just be a room monitor.
Lesson plans are made and approved and even if not yours, as a Sub you do your best to follow them. The only thing you got going for you is your own method of implementation (within boundaries and guidelines of course). My thing was to bring this sign and put it right in the front of the classroom: STUPID IS FOREVER, IGNORANCE WE CAN FIX. And just watch kids read it and mull it over and even listen to their muttered comments. Oh man, some of the comments were precious and some cannot be written here even today!
The point of this somewhat winded dissertation is that all too often we mistake stupidity for ignorance. Look, it is quite simple, if you are stupid there isn’t much we can do about it, but if its determined the reason for this so called stupidity is ignorance, then we can do something. Many times it’s the latter because nobody took the time to show, teach, explain, help or encourage kids to do this or that; it was just easier to label them and move on – sad but true!
Names hurt and sadly stick with you for a lifetime. Luckily some can and do overcome the names and prove that name totally wrong, others never recover and carry that sick name all their lives. All I am suggesting is that we look a bit deeper and don’t brush kids aside thinking they are stupid when in essence they are ignorant because nobody has shown them differently. Amen!
Now on a lighter note, what would you say or do if someone said to you; “My favorite color is clear!” What? You expected some philosophical question here – give me a break – this is a bloody blog, not a classroom!
Oh come on, laugh, smile or giggle and don’t tell me you won’t be using this line – it’s just too damn cute not to use (thank you Troy).
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
THIS & THAT AND OTHER
HEATER AND AIR CONDITIONER
Yup, it’s that time of year to have our heating and a/c system checked over and out. Hey, I’m sad to report that I had to turn my heat on last night, well, early this morning. I was bloody arse cold! What is up with this damn weather anyway? Didn’t anyone tell Mama Nature it’s MAY! And what’s with all this rain – did she get the month’s mixed up again – I mean, isn’t it April showers bring May flowers? This woman is losing it – early dementia or something – ye gads!
Dollar-friendly Destinations
The economy is faltering, the euro is clobbering the dollar, and traveling to the far reaches of luxury is costlier than ever. But I did some digging and have good news: For every Barcelona, there's a Buenos Aires; for every Marrakesh, a Tunisia. And fear not: No one's about to suggest you strap on a backpack and call the Eurail office — or even make you ride a camel. These ten high-value destinations are every bit as chic and luxurious as their highfalutin counterparts, but they'll make your greenbacks fly a lot further. Are you ready for these “dollar-friendly destinations?”
Little Corn Island, Nicaragua
Buenos Aires
Portugal
Santa Cruz Valley, California
Jordan
Ho An, Vietnam
Barbados
Warsaw, Poland
Tunisia
Isle Holbox, Mexico
Boy, I’m excited to visit anyone of these places, how about you? Well, maybe not Vietnam, as a Nam Vet I’m still a little hesitant about going back there!
Rising Ripoffs
Thousands of cast iron manhole covers in cities across the country have been pilfered in the past year. Chicago lost 200 in one month, with 40 reportedly taken in a single day. This is not some prank, oh no, thefts of manhole covers increase as metals prices soar – boy, folks will go to any means to make money these days, eh? People have been known to fall in these sewer holes and get injured – six-foot fall is not funny. And even this doesn't stop clowns from taking manhole covers -- talk about sick, ye gads!
Many schools unlikely to meet education goals
The federal No Child Left Behind law says that by the 2013-14 school year all students must pass state tests in these subjects.[passing scores in math and reading]. And guess what, many schools aren’t even close to seeing this happen. So what happens?
Schools that don't hit testing benchmarks for two years in a row or longer must do things like provide tutoring, transport kids to better-performing schools or replace staff thought to be a part of a school's problems. [Tell me something, what other job can you name that after three years you are just about tenured for life? I mean you gotta do something really bad to get your butt fired --sorry, I can't think of any, can you?]. I know teachers work hard and our children are blessed to have dedicated teachers, so how about teaching and meet these educational goals!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Okay, have you have enuff of this round the globe news tidbits? Pretty wild, eh?
Don’t look now but I am seeing sunshine and as soon as things dry up a bit and it warms up a little, I plan to get outside. Need to run errands anyway and while out and about, I shall bring my camera and who knows, maybe I’ll find some interesting shots. [ By the by, why do we call it "run" errands? Why not "walk, stroll, crawl, skip," or some other word? It's always been run, odd, eh?]
Don’t look now but I am seeing sunshine and as soon as things dry up a bit and it warms up a little, I plan to get outside. Need to run errands anyway and while out and about, I shall bring my camera and who knows, maybe I’ll find some interesting shots. [ By the by, why do we call it "run" errands? Why not "walk, stroll, crawl, skip," or some other word? It's always been run, odd, eh?]
By the by, what's the gas price today -- in some places its $4....ouch! None of us are gonna be driving around sightseeing -- unless its on a bike! Good thing we all learned how to walk, as this may be our only means of transportation soon....walk and eat, drive and starve -- you can't have both!
Monday, May 19, 2008
CHANGE BONKERS
I know that change is necessary and without it, we’d still be in the dark ages. Not everyone embraces change easily and in some cases, change didn’t do much but add more work or cause more damage or the need for even more changes. Some alleged changes that drive me bonkers are advertisements or testaments that guarantee change. Here are two that really don’t even deserve this much attention. Oh come on, it’s Monday, gives ya something to chat about!
The first are those before and after pictures of folks who have lost weight! Are you kidding me! The before has the person relaxed, gut hanging out and baggy clothes and looking like they are miserable slobs, no self confidence, no pride in self and totally disgusted with their own persona. Now the after photo show this same person is sucking in their gut, wearing tight clothing and looking like they just won a million dollars, big ole grin on their face, standing up straight, full of confidence, pride and why, they are just above it all!
Hey, I am not saying they did not lose weight, they most likely did but not to the degree these photos want you to believe nor in such a short time frame. Come on, I can take a photo of you and make you taller, shorter, heavier, thinner, change the color of your hair and eyes, even zap a zit off your face and in some case, add a smile. So don’t think you can fool me with these stupid before and after shots. They are nice but very unrealistic!
The second item is hairstyles. OMG this is too damn funny. Women [and men, let's not get sexist here, men enjoy hairstyles too and change them as well] -- supposedly will allow this so called famed stylist to completely change their hairstyle. Again, changing your hairstyle is great and helpful on many levels. I mean some of these so-called changes include changing the color of your hair and even a new wardrobe. Hello, the new wardrobe is nice as it’s usually a freebie during these promotional sessions.
But the hairstyle itself is what cracks me up. Oh, they definitely compliment the woman/man and make her/him look entirely different, in some case very attractive, etc. BUT have you ever seen one of these women fix this style themselves? Can you imagine the frustration they enjoy attempting to duplicate this look – NOT!
So far I am thinking, I need a personal trainer who will put my butt on some machine, which I merely lie on and it does the work to tone my bod and rid me of this excess fat AND I need a hair stylist 24/7 to insure my hair looks good too! Okay, raise your hands, how many have these two individuals? Oh lots of hands went up, oh stop; you don’t have them, put your hand down!
Here’s my “little mind big thought advice” by all means try a new hairstyle, change is good. But watch the hairdresser closely, ask questions and learn as much as possible so you can duplicate this at home. If necessary stop back at the beauty salon and ask them what you did wrong. On the other hand, if you decide you dislike this style, fix it anyway you can and hope it grows fast and you can return to what you had before.
As for the weight business – diet pills don’t work. Save yourself lots of cash or if you are so willing to spend money, I got some ocean front property in Arizona I can sell you real cheap! [Arizona is miles from any ocean for those of you who hated geography]! Yes some changes in your eating habits does help, smaller portions, more fruits and veggies and best of all, exercise. Oh don’t get nervous.
You do know how to walk, right? Well, get out doors and take a walk – go around the block, slowly build up a nice pace and get that ole heart pumping. This is not a bloody race, but you need to move for a good 30 minutes. It’s amazing how much walking does for the body, you will shift that fat around, tone up those flabby areas and you’ll get some new energy too.
Now I happen to prefer a morning walk, I get energized and feel like doing more things after a walk. If I walked at night, early evening, I probably would have difficulty getting to sleep, as I would be revved up too much.
Hey I have nothing against diet programs, in my book Weight Watchers is really worthwhile, even if you don’t want to mess with the “points” you learn to “measure” the amounts you should use and that is good. It is amazing that instead of just pouring on say, olive oil, what a tablespoon accomplishes and we never realized it! We don’t need gobs of these things; a cup full of mac salad is plenty!
So there is my Monday whine and offerings, aren’t you glad you stop by to read this? Now I am gonna clean my refrigerator – oh ya, it’s time – heck, it’s past time. Have a great day.
The first are those before and after pictures of folks who have lost weight! Are you kidding me! The before has the person relaxed, gut hanging out and baggy clothes and looking like they are miserable slobs, no self confidence, no pride in self and totally disgusted with their own persona. Now the after photo show this same person is sucking in their gut, wearing tight clothing and looking like they just won a million dollars, big ole grin on their face, standing up straight, full of confidence, pride and why, they are just above it all!
Hey, I am not saying they did not lose weight, they most likely did but not to the degree these photos want you to believe nor in such a short time frame. Come on, I can take a photo of you and make you taller, shorter, heavier, thinner, change the color of your hair and eyes, even zap a zit off your face and in some case, add a smile. So don’t think you can fool me with these stupid before and after shots. They are nice but very unrealistic!
The second item is hairstyles. OMG this is too damn funny. Women [and men, let's not get sexist here, men enjoy hairstyles too and change them as well] -- supposedly will allow this so called famed stylist to completely change their hairstyle. Again, changing your hairstyle is great and helpful on many levels. I mean some of these so-called changes include changing the color of your hair and even a new wardrobe. Hello, the new wardrobe is nice as it’s usually a freebie during these promotional sessions.
But the hairstyle itself is what cracks me up. Oh, they definitely compliment the woman/man and make her/him look entirely different, in some case very attractive, etc. BUT have you ever seen one of these women fix this style themselves? Can you imagine the frustration they enjoy attempting to duplicate this look – NOT!
So far I am thinking, I need a personal trainer who will put my butt on some machine, which I merely lie on and it does the work to tone my bod and rid me of this excess fat AND I need a hair stylist 24/7 to insure my hair looks good too! Okay, raise your hands, how many have these two individuals? Oh lots of hands went up, oh stop; you don’t have them, put your hand down!
Here’s my “little mind big thought advice” by all means try a new hairstyle, change is good. But watch the hairdresser closely, ask questions and learn as much as possible so you can duplicate this at home. If necessary stop back at the beauty salon and ask them what you did wrong. On the other hand, if you decide you dislike this style, fix it anyway you can and hope it grows fast and you can return to what you had before.
As for the weight business – diet pills don’t work. Save yourself lots of cash or if you are so willing to spend money, I got some ocean front property in Arizona I can sell you real cheap! [Arizona is miles from any ocean for those of you who hated geography]! Yes some changes in your eating habits does help, smaller portions, more fruits and veggies and best of all, exercise. Oh don’t get nervous.
You do know how to walk, right? Well, get out doors and take a walk – go around the block, slowly build up a nice pace and get that ole heart pumping. This is not a bloody race, but you need to move for a good 30 minutes. It’s amazing how much walking does for the body, you will shift that fat around, tone up those flabby areas and you’ll get some new energy too.
Now I happen to prefer a morning walk, I get energized and feel like doing more things after a walk. If I walked at night, early evening, I probably would have difficulty getting to sleep, as I would be revved up too much.
Hey I have nothing against diet programs, in my book Weight Watchers is really worthwhile, even if you don’t want to mess with the “points” you learn to “measure” the amounts you should use and that is good. It is amazing that instead of just pouring on say, olive oil, what a tablespoon accomplishes and we never realized it! We don’t need gobs of these things; a cup full of mac salad is plenty!
So there is my Monday whine and offerings, aren’t you glad you stop by to read this? Now I am gonna clean my refrigerator – oh ya, it’s time – heck, it’s past time. Have a great day.
Sunday, May 18, 2008
BACK ACHE
Every get a backache and it was a good ache? Ya, I know that sounds stupid, after all a pain is a pain and there’s nothing good about pain, right? But when you actually “cause” the pain because of something you deliberately did [I mean you knew this was gonna hurt but you still did whatever because that is all part of the game plan, a little pain is for gain, right?], and you did things correctly and you still end up with an ache, it’s an ache you can accept, hence a good pain! Oh well, if you don’t follow this logic, it’s no big deal – silly me!
Boy do I have various names for this flower. But I am gonna settle on arrowhead – have no idea if that is correct. I do have the National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Wildflowers but damn, there are so many possibilities, I am just not sure. Hell, this could be chickweed for all I know. I just decided, it only has four leaves and that narrows down my choices. Regardless it’s a pretty flower and as far as I can tell, doesn’t have an over whelming smell. Of course it was a windy day and I was up wind, so that helped!
And then my store bought, all ready blooming flowers, which now sit in my flowerpots in the front of my yard. Hey, I was not going to do that seed business remember! I was done, had put away my tools and was merely catching my breath and wishing the damn pill wasn’t making beer taste so bitter as I would have liked a nice cold drink and wham, the rains came! Good timing, eh?
So for Sunday I think I shall just rest and relax—not do too much and allow the aches and pains to subside or something. I may head to Wal-Mart with my daughter and if so, look at rose bushes. During our military days and living all over the States (not to mention overseas) we planted rose bushes to make our yard look nice. Many military families have come and gone since that planting but on a visit to the base, a few years ago, we noticed the rose bushes still there and doing well. Hey, they could be replacement bushes but the mere idea that there are still there is sufficient, okay?
This morning my back aches and I should have taken a pill, had a few beers or whatever, but it’s a pain I can stand. This photo shows you what I did that brought on this lovely ache.
If you have never worked with a “claw” or cultivator, or this is your first attempt this year, then you understand why a pain is present. It’s not really so much the back per se but the back of the legs – imagine that! First off it took me a bit to figure out how to start the cultivator, I mean, start it – get it going. It’s not electric and one does need to pump a few knobs to get gas into the line, then pull the cord and hope it catches and whirls like it has a real purpose. Then, once going you need to hold this lever to make the blade turn and lordy, when they turn, watch out, dirt does fly!
All that aside, the ground has been prepared or it’s getting there. I still want to put some potting soil in and mix it up with the dirt and have myself a really nice bed of dirt. Then who in hell knows, I may buy some rose bushes and plop them in or try something else. Maybe those damn seeds that I read needed an over night soaking and pampering in separate containers will get tossed in and asked to fiend for themselves. I got nothing to lose, right?
All that aside, the ground has been prepared or it’s getting there. I still want to put some potting soil in and mix it up with the dirt and have myself a really nice bed of dirt. Then who in hell knows, I may buy some rose bushes and plop them in or try something else. Maybe those damn seeds that I read needed an over night soaking and pampering in separate containers will get tossed in and asked to fiend for themselves. I got nothing to lose, right?
Boy do I have various names for this flower. But I am gonna settle on arrowhead – have no idea if that is correct. I do have the National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Wildflowers but damn, there are so many possibilities, I am just not sure. Hell, this could be chickweed for all I know. I just decided, it only has four leaves and that narrows down my choices. Regardless it’s a pretty flower and as far as I can tell, doesn’t have an over whelming smell. Of course it was a windy day and I was up wind, so that helped!
And then my store bought, all ready blooming flowers, which now sit in my flowerpots in the front of my yard. Hey, I was not going to do that seed business remember! I was done, had put away my tools and was merely catching my breath and wishing the damn pill wasn’t making beer taste so bitter as I would have liked a nice cold drink and wham, the rains came! Good timing, eh?So for Sunday I think I shall just rest and relax—not do too much and allow the aches and pains to subside or something. I may head to Wal-Mart with my daughter and if so, look at rose bushes. During our military days and living all over the States (not to mention overseas) we planted rose bushes to make our yard look nice. Many military families have come and gone since that planting but on a visit to the base, a few years ago, we noticed the rose bushes still there and doing well. Hey, they could be replacement bushes but the mere idea that there are still there is sufficient, okay?
Yes, today many shall graduate from college and many parties will be held. Let's just hope everyone is smart enough to not drink and drive and has a good time and lives to see more good days. Congrats to all the grads and best wishes for a bright future.
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Aha Saturday
Oh man this weekend is gonna be busy. As I understand it, three, count’em THREE college graduations this weekend! If you don’t have a place to stay, forget it – you might as well pitch a tent. I believe every available hotel, motel and house has been taken with families planning to attend the graduation of son, daughter, sister, mother, father, husband, brother, uncle, etc.
Now it’s not just graduation you also got to wonder will I find a restaurant and get served fast? Forget it! And while on this topic, let’s show people North Country patience and allow them to “search” for roads and make us miss lights as they gawk about looking at who knows what? In other words, traffic will be ugly and we just need to be patient. Let’s face it, half these folks have no idea where they are going and following directions that may or may not get them to wherever they wish to go. Just smile and accept the fact that this happens every year and no need to get overly upset about it!
As for me, I need to get some more potting soil and pick up some already blooming plants. I was gonna do the seed number, hell I even bought the seeds. However when I read: “soak seeds in warm water overnight, then place in some container and cover with plastic and wait for sprouts, then you can transplant,” I tossed the seed packet in a drawer and said, “Screw that!” So I shall buy some plants and nicely plop them in my planter containers and that will be that, thank you very much. Ya, I’m such a gardener. (smile)
Actually my back yard, near my deck is doing quite nicely with plants. It’s the front that now needs work and that is what I shall tackle today. Hey, I may even get the “claw” and put it to use too. I think I should take a pain pill now and be prepared, whatcha think? Oh, just have a cold one handy and that shall suffice, good idea!
Recently I was put on some new meds (short term, thank goodness and not for distemper, so behave yourself) – and these suckers make beer taste bitter as hell. Well, believe me my doctor is gonna hear about this and needs to find something a bit more acceptable -- I mean, come on, a cold beer that tastes bitter, now that is just not normal, legal, or right!
So I am off to play in the dirt – so much fun. Have a good one and what the hell, just turn off the TV, don’t read the newspaper and forget about the news for a few hours and enjoy the wonderful weather.
Now it’s not just graduation you also got to wonder will I find a restaurant and get served fast? Forget it! And while on this topic, let’s show people North Country patience and allow them to “search” for roads and make us miss lights as they gawk about looking at who knows what? In other words, traffic will be ugly and we just need to be patient. Let’s face it, half these folks have no idea where they are going and following directions that may or may not get them to wherever they wish to go. Just smile and accept the fact that this happens every year and no need to get overly upset about it!
As for me, I need to get some more potting soil and pick up some already blooming plants. I was gonna do the seed number, hell I even bought the seeds. However when I read: “soak seeds in warm water overnight, then place in some container and cover with plastic and wait for sprouts, then you can transplant,” I tossed the seed packet in a drawer and said, “Screw that!” So I shall buy some plants and nicely plop them in my planter containers and that will be that, thank you very much. Ya, I’m such a gardener. (smile)
Actually my back yard, near my deck is doing quite nicely with plants. It’s the front that now needs work and that is what I shall tackle today. Hey, I may even get the “claw” and put it to use too. I think I should take a pain pill now and be prepared, whatcha think? Oh, just have a cold one handy and that shall suffice, good idea!
Recently I was put on some new meds (short term, thank goodness and not for distemper, so behave yourself) – and these suckers make beer taste bitter as hell. Well, believe me my doctor is gonna hear about this and needs to find something a bit more acceptable -- I mean, come on, a cold beer that tastes bitter, now that is just not normal, legal, or right!
So I am off to play in the dirt – so much fun. Have a good one and what the hell, just turn off the TV, don’t read the newspaper and forget about the news for a few hours and enjoy the wonderful weather.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Thursday
Lemme ask ya, do you have certain days of the week that you schedule things? I mean, I have some friends who make Wednesday there ironing day! Can you imagine knowing every Wednesday you’ll be ironing? Other friends have days for doing laundry, vacuuming the entire house, getting groceries, etc. I mean, talk about anal retentive – ye gads!I like to go fishing on Thursday’s because there are fewer people at the river and you (1) get the spot you wanted and (2) you can spread out and actually take up more space than you need too. [don't be confused here, I will fish any day but I happen to think Thursday is my lucky day, okay?]. I don't insist or say this is the only day I will fish -- it's not set in stone!
It’s always fun mentally checking off the items you want and should take when headed out fishing. Are you one of those people who actually make a list? I mean, paper list not the mental list we all make and half the time forget? My take on this is if you forget something, this is gonna make for one memorable fishing trip. I mean, if you are going fishing you sure as hell shouldn’t leave your fishing pole at home. You will need bait, you might want a worm rag (sorry, wiping worm guts on my pants just doesn’t appeal and rags work nicely. Also come in handy to hold fish while removing hook). It’s always nice to have a water bucket to toss your catch in (some prefer a stringer but I like the ole water bucket number). You’ll want a lawn chair or plop on the riverbank, me I’ll haul a chair. You’ll want a hat, sunscreen and bug repellent – or sit there and suffer (just don’t whine, okay). Plus an ice chest is always helpful, keeps drinks cool and snacks if you plan to be away awhile and tend to have lunch at the river!
The most important thing to bring is your FISHING LICENSE! I know that sounds silly but game wardens do patrol, stop and want to see this license and believe me, this is easier than paying a fine for no license! There’s probably other stuff but you get the idea. Fishing is a great outdoor activity and can be damn relaxing.
I love the river and I love to fish, so I am quite content to sit on the riverbank and fish. On the St. Lawrence you can sit there and watch huge ships pass by and, imagine all the things they have seen on the open seas. In essence, the water is a calming influence and just allows you to slow down and relax. Not bad if the fish are biting either….that definitely makes fishing even more pleasurable.
So that is my game plan today…sounds like fun, eh? I don’t mind fishing alone or with others, it’s all fun stuff in my book. A tad chilly today and I know the temp at the river is gonna be lower, so a sweatshirt and/or jacket is definitely a must.
You all have a grand day too, okay? If you can’t go fishing, at least get outside, even if on your front steps or back deck. Ya, need to suck in that fresh air and feel the weather on your body…I did not say, stand there and get cold or wet, just breathe.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Tell Me Again…
A St. Lawrence County man was fatally shot during a robbery attempt early Tuesday morning, according to Sheriff Kevin Wells. A 911 call sent deputies to 649 Porter Lynch Road in the town of Stockholm about 12:45 a.m.
Its no wonder folks take a break from news and I mean a break: no newspapers, news magazines, no CNN and when the local news comes on, switch channels even if that means watching cartoons. It really makes your blood boil and you just don’t understand why all this is happening and of course, you immediately blame the parents. Why if they had been watching their kids, none of this would have happened and oh ya, it’s low income parents we are hitting on too.
Hello, it does not matter what the family income, education level or whether it’s a single parent or two parents, young people do some of the damnest things today and sadly have little clue as to the consequences or how their actions affected others. Some of this drug induced, IMO, but mostly its just plain lack of respect and totally disregard for everyone and dislike for themselves too. In a word, THEY DON’T GIVE A SHIT!
Having said that, let me quickly say this does not apply to all youth. We got some really great kids in our communities and they do some fantastic work and will become resourceful, productive and responsible adults. We need to focus more on what they do vs the criminal element which gets front page headlines vs the kids who spend hours picking up trash, planting trees, assisting the elderly,etc. It’s about time the good stuff is the seller of news and not bad stuff!
Now that I have concluded my rant,I am going outside and play in the dirt. Gotta prepare the area for plants my sister is bringing and oh ya, we’ll probably spend some time with the infamous “claw “ too. Oh well, we got beer, so we’re good to go.
&&&&&&&&
“ A 9-year-old is charged with fourth-degree criminal mischief and sixth-degree conspiracy, while a second 9-year-old faces the same criminal mischief charge and a 10-year-old is charged with conspiracy. The youths were not identified because of their ages. State police said the boys broke off a pencil in the lock of the Sunrise Avenue library's front door, disabling the lock and causing $246 in damage. The youths' alleged activities were captured on a surveillance system trained on an ATM machine at the library.”
&&&&&
Hey, how do you like reading about this? The 9 and 10 year kids were not from here –thank goodness. But the Porter Lynch Road is way to close for my liking. Why? That is the road where our family farm is located and where I spent many a moment as a child and yes, I have fond childhood memories.Its no wonder folks take a break from news and I mean a break: no newspapers, news magazines, no CNN and when the local news comes on, switch channels even if that means watching cartoons. It really makes your blood boil and you just don’t understand why all this is happening and of course, you immediately blame the parents. Why if they had been watching their kids, none of this would have happened and oh ya, it’s low income parents we are hitting on too.
Hello, it does not matter what the family income, education level or whether it’s a single parent or two parents, young people do some of the damnest things today and sadly have little clue as to the consequences or how their actions affected others. Some of this drug induced, IMO, but mostly its just plain lack of respect and totally disregard for everyone and dislike for themselves too. In a word, THEY DON’T GIVE A SHIT!
Having said that, let me quickly say this does not apply to all youth. We got some really great kids in our communities and they do some fantastic work and will become resourceful, productive and responsible adults. We need to focus more on what they do vs the criminal element which gets front page headlines vs the kids who spend hours picking up trash, planting trees, assisting the elderly,etc. It’s about time the good stuff is the seller of news and not bad stuff!
Now that I have concluded my rant,I am going outside and play in the dirt. Gotta prepare the area for plants my sister is bringing and oh ya, we’ll probably spend some time with the infamous “claw “ too. Oh well, we got beer, so we’re good to go.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
CARDBOARD MEN
We need some humor, so here goes.
When Cardboard Men Come In Handy
A car gets a flat on the interstate one day. The blonde driver eases it over onto the shoulder of the road, carefully steps out of the car and opens the trunk. She takes out two cardboard men, unfolds them and stands them at the rear of the vehicle facing oncoming traffic.
The life like cardboard men are in trench coats exposing their nude bodies and private parts to approaching drivers. Not surprisingly, the traffic becomes snarled and backed up.It isn't very long before a police car arrives.
The officer, clearly enraged, approaches the blonde of the disabled vehicle yelling, "What's going on here?"
"My car broke down, officer" says the woman calmly"
"Well, what the hell are these obscene cardboard pictures doing here by the road?" he asks.
"Helllooooooo!!!!" says the blonde. "Those are my emergency flashers!"
When Cardboard Men Come In Handy
A car gets a flat on the interstate one day. The blonde driver eases it over onto the shoulder of the road, carefully steps out of the car and opens the trunk. She takes out two cardboard men, unfolds them and stands them at the rear of the vehicle facing oncoming traffic.
The life like cardboard men are in trench coats exposing their nude bodies and private parts to approaching drivers. Not surprisingly, the traffic becomes snarled and backed up.It isn't very long before a police car arrives.
The officer, clearly enraged, approaches the blonde of the disabled vehicle yelling, "What's going on here?"
"My car broke down, officer" says the woman calmly"
"Well, what the hell are these obscene cardboard pictures doing here by the road?" he asks.
"Helllooooooo!!!!" says the blonde. "Those are my emergency flashers!"
MARINE LIFE
(Farm kid’s letter home describes life as a Marine)
Dear Ma and Pa:
I am well. Hope you are. Tell Brother Walt and Brother Elmer the Marine Corps beats working for old man Minch by a mile. Tell them to join up quick before maybe all of the places are filled. I was restless at first because you got to stay in bed till nearly 6 a.m., but am getting so I like to sleep late.
Tell Walt and Elmer all you do before breakfast is smooth your cot and shine some things. No hogs to slop, feed to pitch, mash to mix, wood to split, fire to lay. Practically nothing. Men got to shave but it is not so bad, there’s warm water.
Breakfast is strong on trimmings like fruit juice, cereal, eggs, bacon, and stuff, but kind of weak on chops, potatoes, ham, steak, fried eggplant, pie and other regular food. But tell Walt and Elmer you can always sit by the city boys that live on coffee. Their food plus yours holds you till noon, when you get fed again. It’s no wonder these city boys can’t walk much.
We go on “route” marches, which the Platoon Sergeant says are long walks to harden us. If he thinks so, it is not my place to tell him different. A “route march” is about as far as our mailbox at home. Then the city guys get sore feet and we all ride back in trucks. The country is nice, but awful flat.
The Sergeant is like a schoolteacher. He nags some. The Capt.is like the school board. Majors and Colonel just ride around and frown. They don’t bother you none.
This next will kill Walt and Elmer with laughter. I keep getting medals for shooting. I don’t know why. The bulls eye is near as big as a chipmunk head and don’t move. And it ain’t shooting at you, like the Higgett boys at home. All you got to do is lie there all comfortable and hit it. You don’t even load your own cartridges. They come in little metal boxes.
Then we have what they call hand-to-hand combat training. You get to wrestle with them city boys. I have to be real careful though--they break easy. It ain’t like fighting with that ole bull at home. I’m about the best they got in this except for that Tug Jordon from over in Silver Lake. He joined up the same time as me. But I’m only 5’6” and 130 pounds and he’s 6’8” and weighs near 300 pounds dry.
Be sure to tell Walt and Elmer to hurry and join up before other fellas get into this setup and come stampeding in.
Your loving daughter,
Gail
P.S. Speaking of shooting-- enclosed is $200 towards a new barn roof and ma’s teeth. The city boys’ shoot craps, but not very good.
[I dedicated this story to my Nam roommate -- always a Marine]
Dear Ma and Pa:
I am well. Hope you are. Tell Brother Walt and Brother Elmer the Marine Corps beats working for old man Minch by a mile. Tell them to join up quick before maybe all of the places are filled. I was restless at first because you got to stay in bed till nearly 6 a.m., but am getting so I like to sleep late.
Tell Walt and Elmer all you do before breakfast is smooth your cot and shine some things. No hogs to slop, feed to pitch, mash to mix, wood to split, fire to lay. Practically nothing. Men got to shave but it is not so bad, there’s warm water.
Breakfast is strong on trimmings like fruit juice, cereal, eggs, bacon, and stuff, but kind of weak on chops, potatoes, ham, steak, fried eggplant, pie and other regular food. But tell Walt and Elmer you can always sit by the city boys that live on coffee. Their food plus yours holds you till noon, when you get fed again. It’s no wonder these city boys can’t walk much.
We go on “route” marches, which the Platoon Sergeant says are long walks to harden us. If he thinks so, it is not my place to tell him different. A “route march” is about as far as our mailbox at home. Then the city guys get sore feet and we all ride back in trucks. The country is nice, but awful flat.
The Sergeant is like a schoolteacher. He nags some. The Capt.is like the school board. Majors and Colonel just ride around and frown. They don’t bother you none.
This next will kill Walt and Elmer with laughter. I keep getting medals for shooting. I don’t know why. The bulls eye is near as big as a chipmunk head and don’t move. And it ain’t shooting at you, like the Higgett boys at home. All you got to do is lie there all comfortable and hit it. You don’t even load your own cartridges. They come in little metal boxes.
Then we have what they call hand-to-hand combat training. You get to wrestle with them city boys. I have to be real careful though--they break easy. It ain’t like fighting with that ole bull at home. I’m about the best they got in this except for that Tug Jordon from over in Silver Lake. He joined up the same time as me. But I’m only 5’6” and 130 pounds and he’s 6’8” and weighs near 300 pounds dry.
Be sure to tell Walt and Elmer to hurry and join up before other fellas get into this setup and come stampeding in.
Your loving daughter,
Gail
P.S. Speaking of shooting-- enclosed is $200 towards a new barn roof and ma’s teeth. The city boys’ shoot craps, but not very good.
[I dedicated this story to my Nam roommate -- always a Marine]
Monday, May 12, 2008
Spring Memories
Springtime is amazing in so many ways and that includes looking back at one’s childhood as well as looking at what is happening around you today.
I have mentioned this before; I am a farm kid and a “home made kid,” too. Our farm was not a huge operation by any stretch of the imagination but we sure as hell had a lot of work operating it! That manure pile that just got higher and higher all winter, now that spring arrived had to shoveled into a spreader and spread on the fields – whew, was that a stinky job! Naw we didn’t do the liquid manure back then, it was just plain ole shit!
Then when it was safe (meaning the snow was gone, the fields were dry) it was plowing time. My father had this tremendous need to “touch, feel and get his hands” on the land and equipment. I mean we had a tractor that you could attach a plow too and have only one person plowing up the fields. Not my Dad, he hooked up a plow that he walked behind, so he could feel the ground breaking up and walk in plowed rows. Us kids got to drive and that was not a quiet tractor, and Dad would yell for us to go in a straight line, aim right for the fence post and don’t go fast.
OMG this was boring as hell and we’d make up songs and sing as we slowly went up and down the field. You just got to imagine what it was like to walk behind that plow as it turned up the ground and hit rocks and jerked you around, this was no weak man’s work, this required considerable muscle and my father loved it! Many a time we never heard Dad yell for us to stop and looked back to see him laying in the dirt and plow dragging along doing nothing!
I won’t share with you the choice words he screamed at us to account for our intelligence and how we needed to look back more often. Suffice to say, his yelling was heard quite a distance and another sibling was soon replacing you on the tractor – thank God. But just because you were not helping with the plowing, you were not off the hook. Oh no, Mother had her own claim to fame when it came to spring-cleaning.
First was the desire to put up new wallpaper and she wasn’t always keen on scraping away the previous year’s paper (I think over the course of time, our rooms actually got smaller). And this was not simple work either, you had to cut the wall paper, slather it with glue (or paste) and carefully put it on the wall and hopefully the right side up and so one could not tell where one panel ended and another started and if you screwed up, well, down it came and more paste was put on and believe me, we had this paste all over us eventually!
Mom was also infamous for wanting every room washed top to bottom and I don’t mean just washed, hell, walls, doors, floors and even windows got scrubbed like they had some horrible disease or something. Plus anything that was not attached to a wall was removed, hauled outside and scrubbed clean as well. The only thing good about this process was you could only do one room per day and man, you found something else to do the next day if you were smart!
Ya, even plowing! But what always got me was once everything was cleaned, shining like a brand new penny, Mom would put down a carpet or area rug and you were hard pressed to see actually floor, so what was the bloody point? Oh the point was it was CLEAN!
Ah the good ole days of our youth – today we hire people to do this heavy-duty cleaning and as for plowing, hell, you'd be hard pressed to see anyone walking behind a plow these days. Plows today make 5 or 6 rows at a time vs. one row and lots of walking and guiding of a plow blade.
I have mentioned this before; I am a farm kid and a “home made kid,” too. Our farm was not a huge operation by any stretch of the imagination but we sure as hell had a lot of work operating it! That manure pile that just got higher and higher all winter, now that spring arrived had to shoveled into a spreader and spread on the fields – whew, was that a stinky job! Naw we didn’t do the liquid manure back then, it was just plain ole shit!
Then when it was safe (meaning the snow was gone, the fields were dry) it was plowing time. My father had this tremendous need to “touch, feel and get his hands” on the land and equipment. I mean we had a tractor that you could attach a plow too and have only one person plowing up the fields. Not my Dad, he hooked up a plow that he walked behind, so he could feel the ground breaking up and walk in plowed rows. Us kids got to drive and that was not a quiet tractor, and Dad would yell for us to go in a straight line, aim right for the fence post and don’t go fast.
OMG this was boring as hell and we’d make up songs and sing as we slowly went up and down the field. You just got to imagine what it was like to walk behind that plow as it turned up the ground and hit rocks and jerked you around, this was no weak man’s work, this required considerable muscle and my father loved it! Many a time we never heard Dad yell for us to stop and looked back to see him laying in the dirt and plow dragging along doing nothing!
I won’t share with you the choice words he screamed at us to account for our intelligence and how we needed to look back more often. Suffice to say, his yelling was heard quite a distance and another sibling was soon replacing you on the tractor – thank God. But just because you were not helping with the plowing, you were not off the hook. Oh no, Mother had her own claim to fame when it came to spring-cleaning.
First was the desire to put up new wallpaper and she wasn’t always keen on scraping away the previous year’s paper (I think over the course of time, our rooms actually got smaller). And this was not simple work either, you had to cut the wall paper, slather it with glue (or paste) and carefully put it on the wall and hopefully the right side up and so one could not tell where one panel ended and another started and if you screwed up, well, down it came and more paste was put on and believe me, we had this paste all over us eventually!
Mom was also infamous for wanting every room washed top to bottom and I don’t mean just washed, hell, walls, doors, floors and even windows got scrubbed like they had some horrible disease or something. Plus anything that was not attached to a wall was removed, hauled outside and scrubbed clean as well. The only thing good about this process was you could only do one room per day and man, you found something else to do the next day if you were smart!
Ya, even plowing! But what always got me was once everything was cleaned, shining like a brand new penny, Mom would put down a carpet or area rug and you were hard pressed to see actually floor, so what was the bloody point? Oh the point was it was CLEAN!
Ah the good ole days of our youth – today we hire people to do this heavy-duty cleaning and as for plowing, hell, you'd be hard pressed to see anyone walking behind a plow these days. Plows today make 5 or 6 rows at a time vs. one row and lots of walking and guiding of a plow blade.
Yup times change and advancements happen, so be it. Farming is hard work no matter what generation -- and if you don't think so , become a farmer and find out for yourself!
MONDAY
So you survived Mother’s Day, and you feel pretty damn good about yourself, right? Then, Monday hits and another exciting week for you to tackle and be challenged by, just what everyone wants after a nice, relaxing weekend. Oh come on, like you have a choice here – Monday does follow Sunday and before Tuesday, live with it!
For once (in recent weeks) I actually was over dressed for my morning walk and that just made me sweat even more. Hey, if sweating is a reducing agent (not saying it is or isn’t) I should be about a size 3 by next week! Hell, I’d settle for a size 12 at this point, and while you smile, let me assure you I am not that far from that size, so thar! Not close either but that’s another story!
Okay, as you have been so patient, how about some national tidbits? Oh just little news items that might interest you or even educate you? Good, because that’s what coming up next!
BISMARCK, N.D. - Four-dollar-a-gallon gas is good for business — if you run a bike shop. Commuters around the country are dusting off their old two-wheelers — or buying new ones — to cope with rising fuel prices, bicycle dealers say.
People foods’ that can kill your pet
For once (in recent weeks) I actually was over dressed for my morning walk and that just made me sweat even more. Hey, if sweating is a reducing agent (not saying it is or isn’t) I should be about a size 3 by next week! Hell, I’d settle for a size 12 at this point, and while you smile, let me assure you I am not that far from that size, so thar! Not close either but that’s another story!
Okay, as you have been so patient, how about some national tidbits? Oh just little news items that might interest you or even educate you? Good, because that’s what coming up next!
BISMARCK, N.D. - Four-dollar-a-gallon gas is good for business — if you run a bike shop. Commuters around the country are dusting off their old two-wheelers — or buying new ones — to cope with rising fuel prices, bicycle dealers say.
People foods’ that can kill your pet
It feels good to treat your pet to human food every once in a while. Those puppy-dog eyes are hard to resist as they watch you eat and try to convince you that they are starving! It makes you want to give them a taste of everything you eat. But beware: Giving in to those eyes and giving dogs human foods can actually harm them. Here are a few of the most toxic foods that can harm your pet:
Avocados, ,Beer, Nuts,Chocolate,Candy,Caffeine,Grapes and raisins,Onions,Medicine (that which is used by humans)
Tennis News
Djokovic rallies past Wawrinka to win in Rome and Safina beats Dementieva to win German Open -- thar don’t you feel better just knowing this stuff? Imagine in a few weeks it’ll be the French Open and even more Tennis updates – ya I can see your impatience from here!
Weather
You think we have bad or strange weather, feel for these folks: PICHER, Okla. - Crews and search dogs hunted Sunday for survivors or bodies in piles of debris after tornadoes and storms rumbled across the region a day earlier and killed at least 22 people in three states.
So another week begins and you might as well embrace it -- we don't get another holiday until Memorial day -- then, a 3-day weekend.
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Happy Mother's Day
Yes, Happy Mother’s Day – and I truly hope you Mama’s have a wonderful day.
It always amazes me that we knew all this stuff once but over the years we forget it and give it little or no notice. The first North American Mother’s Day was conceptualized with Julia Ward Howe’s Mother’s Day Proclamation in 1870. Despite having penned The Battle Hymn of the Republic 12 years earlier, Howe had become so distraught by the death and carnage of the Civil War that she called on Mother’s to come together and protest what she saw as the futility of their Sons killing the Sons of other Mothers. With the following, she called for an international Mother's Day celebrating peace and motherhood – it would take her own daugther and many more years before this would become a national holiday.
The United States celebrates Mother's Day on the second Sunday in May. I sure hope you didn’t forget and if possbile you will call your Mama and wish her a Happy Mother’s Day!
I would love to call my mother, hug her and just be with her today but that would be a tall order – she went “home” in 2002. However I do wish her a happy Mother’s Day, I do still love her and I miss her very much!
Like most, I too shall get phone calls from kids and even sisters. Yup, us gals tend to celebrate our passage into Motherhood and we get to laugh and tell stories on this day too. Best of all we get to reminisce – which is always a fun happening. Talking about what our kids did when they were younger, what they are doing now and of course, and our own childhood when we made things for our beloved Mother. Who can forget Kleenex corsages?
So for all the Mother’s out there – enjoy your special day – embrace it and for goodness sake, laugh!
P.S.: Ever notice that on Mother's Day more women are seen at Garden shops, nurseries, flower shops and collecting not just flowers to plant but garden seeds as well. It's like this is the time to get flowers and plant them and hey, along the way, we say thanks to Mom too.
Saturday, May 10, 2008
What is This?
Okay folks here is your mission (assignment or just a request) - what in hell is this?
Here's the guesses so far: morel mushroom, cattails -- see, nobody is really clear -- any ideas?
Ah, the weather -- now it does make for some nice sleeping, doesn't it. I mean it cools right down at night but you know what, I wouldn't mind it if it warmed up a bit more during the day. I truly am sick of donning a coat, even a light one or having to wear sweatshirts -- even long sleeved blouses are driving me batty. I want my arms to be exposed and feel the breeze, heat or sunshine on them, not be covered like we are chilled constantly. My Florida tan is nearly gone - damnit!
Oh well, headed to Minnesota next month -- maybe they'll have warm, sunny weather but then, maybe not. This silly state had over a foot of snow just three weeks ago -- strange, strange weather patterns.
So, have a good weekend, get outside and just enjoy yourself. Oh in case you wonder the additonal people and traffic is Potsdam today and this weekend -- Clarkson graduation -- now you know and can avoid...
Friday, May 9, 2008
Bounce This Along----
My mail carrier told me that the US Postal service sent out a Message to all letter carriers to put a sheet of Bounce in their uniform Pockets to keep yellow jackets away.
Use them all the time when playing baseball and soccer. I use it when I am working outside. It really works. The yellow jackets just veer around you.
1. All this time you've just been putting Bounce in the dryer! It will chase ants away when you lay a sheet near them. It also repels mice.
2. Spread sheets around foundation areas, or in trailers, or cars That are sitting And it keeps mice from entering your vehicle.
3. It takes the odor out of books and photo albums that don't get opened too often.
4. It repels mosquitoes. Tie a sheet of Bounce through a belt loop when outdoors during mosquito season.
5. Eliminate static electricity from your television (or computer) Screen.
6. Since Bounce is designed to help eliminate static cling, wipe your television screen with a used sheet of Bounce to keep dust from resettling.
7. Dissolve soap scum from shower doors. Clean with a sheet of Bounce.
8. To freshen the air in your home - Place an individual sheet of Bounce in a drawer or hang in the closet.
9. Put Bounce sheet in vacuum cleaner.
10. Prevent thread from tangling. Run a threaded needle through a Sheet of Bounce before beginning to sew
11. Prevent musty suitcases. Place an individual sheet of Bounce inside empty luggage before storing.
12. To freshen the air in your car - Place a sheet of Bounce under the front seat.
13. Clean baked-on foods from a cooking pan. Put a sheet in a pan, Fill with water, let sit overnight, and sponge clean. The anti-static agent apparently weakens the bond between the food and the pan.
14. Eliminate odors in wastebaskets. Place a sheet of Bounce at the bottom of the wastebasket.
15. Collect cat hair. Rubbing the area with a sheet of Bounce will magnetically attract all the loose hairs.
16. Eliminate static electricity from Venetian blinds.Wipe the blinds with a sheet of Bounce to prevent dust from resettling.
17. Wipe up sawdust from drilling or sand papering. A used sheet of Bounce will collect sawdust like a tack cloth.
18. Eliminate odors in dirty laundry. Place an individual sheet of Bounce at the bottom of a laundry bag or hamper.
19. Deodorize shoes or sneakers. Place a sheet of Bounce in your shoes or sneakers overnight. [I also like to place a sheet of bounce in each toe of shoes to keep shoes from smelling....it keeps closets smelling fresh not like shoes
20. Golfers put a Bounce sheet in their back pocket to keep the bees away.
21. Put a Bounce sheet in your sleeping bag and tent before folding and storing them. It will keep them smelling fresh.
Gee, you never had a clue as to the many uses for "bounce," did ya?
Use them all the time when playing baseball and soccer. I use it when I am working outside. It really works. The yellow jackets just veer around you.
1. All this time you've just been putting Bounce in the dryer! It will chase ants away when you lay a sheet near them. It also repels mice.
2. Spread sheets around foundation areas, or in trailers, or cars That are sitting And it keeps mice from entering your vehicle.
3. It takes the odor out of books and photo albums that don't get opened too often.
4. It repels mosquitoes. Tie a sheet of Bounce through a belt loop when outdoors during mosquito season.
5. Eliminate static electricity from your television (or computer) Screen.
6. Since Bounce is designed to help eliminate static cling, wipe your television screen with a used sheet of Bounce to keep dust from resettling.
7. Dissolve soap scum from shower doors. Clean with a sheet of Bounce.
8. To freshen the air in your home - Place an individual sheet of Bounce in a drawer or hang in the closet.
9. Put Bounce sheet in vacuum cleaner.
10. Prevent thread from tangling. Run a threaded needle through a Sheet of Bounce before beginning to sew
11. Prevent musty suitcases. Place an individual sheet of Bounce inside empty luggage before storing.
12. To freshen the air in your car - Place a sheet of Bounce under the front seat.
13. Clean baked-on foods from a cooking pan. Put a sheet in a pan, Fill with water, let sit overnight, and sponge clean. The anti-static agent apparently weakens the bond between the food and the pan.
14. Eliminate odors in wastebaskets. Place a sheet of Bounce at the bottom of the wastebasket.
15. Collect cat hair. Rubbing the area with a sheet of Bounce will magnetically attract all the loose hairs.
16. Eliminate static electricity from Venetian blinds.Wipe the blinds with a sheet of Bounce to prevent dust from resettling.
17. Wipe up sawdust from drilling or sand papering. A used sheet of Bounce will collect sawdust like a tack cloth.
18. Eliminate odors in dirty laundry. Place an individual sheet of Bounce at the bottom of a laundry bag or hamper.
19. Deodorize shoes or sneakers. Place a sheet of Bounce in your shoes or sneakers overnight. [I also like to place a sheet of bounce in each toe of shoes to keep shoes from smelling....it keeps closets smelling fresh not like shoes
20. Golfers put a Bounce sheet in their back pocket to keep the bees away.
21. Put a Bounce sheet in your sleeping bag and tent before folding and storing them. It will keep them smelling fresh.
Gee, you never had a clue as to the many uses for "bounce," did ya?
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Name the Flower
I’ve said it before, spring is my favorite season and I remain fascinated by this season. So much is happening and some of it goes by so quickly you actually miss it, damnit! These two photos really are marsh lands or wet lands – you can just start to see Lily pads popping and while there, I was nearly eaten alive by black flies – ugh, I hate those irritating bugs!
Now this year I seem to have a “need” or perhaps a desire to actually identify the flowers, trees and bushes that I see and this has become quite a pleasing challenge. The problem is, I may look at my Wildflower Guide and the flower and say, “yup that’s it,” but whom in hell knows if I got it right? So, I take photos and figure if I post them and my identification, if wrong, someone will surely correct me, right? So here is my first attempt – oh give me a break – it’s not that impressive so what?
A blue violet – that is what I say it is and I just found them in my yard – never saw them before but that doesn’t mean they were not there! It’s a pretty flower and quite eye appealing but hidden in the grass makes it bashful in my mind! Now here’s another one:
Okay, here’s my guess, “wood Anemone” or “Shepherd’s Needle.?”Well, this is my start – see, you can participate too, just make comments and help educate me, okay? Thank you so much!
HAGGIS
Haggis is a traditional Scottish dish.
Haggis is one of those national dishes that is both beloved and reviled by natives, and sometimes horrifies people who hear it described for the first time. And yes, I did eat haggis while in Edinburgh many years ago – probably so many that to actually describe the taste today is impossible.
Haggis is one of those national dishes that is both beloved and reviled by natives, and sometimes horrifies people who hear it described for the first time. And yes, I did eat haggis while in Edinburgh many years ago – probably so many that to actually describe the taste today is impossible.
Traditionally, a Haggis is made from the lung, liver, and heart of the sheep. These are mixed with oatmeal and a few spices and stuffed into the sheep's stomach. After being boiled, the Haggis is brought to the table with a great deal of ceremony. A piper ushers in the Haggis and all raise a glass of Scotch whiskey and "brrreath a prrayerr for the soul of Rrrobbie Burrrns!" It is then served with "neeps and nips," mashed turnips and nips of whiskey. I think you have to drink a lot of Scotch before you can truly enjoy this dish, but a party of Scots without a Haggis is simply not heard of.
Here's a recipe for the beloved Haggis of Scotland. In addition to the other naughty (read 'delectable') bits the lungs are traditionally included in Scotland but are omitted here as it's illegal to sell lungs in the U.S. (Any clues as to why, anybody?).
1 sheep's lung (illegal in the U.S.; may be omitted if not available)
1 sheep's stomach
1 sheep heart
1 sheep liver
1/2 lb fresh suet (kidney leaf fat is preferred)
3/4 cup oatmeal (the ground type, NOT the Quaker Oats type!) 3 onions, finely chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
3/4 cup stock
And NO I have never prepared Haggis myself – like I stated, I did eat some while in Scotland and to be honest, I was not impressed but then, like many foods, it’s an acquired taste! I just never acquired it, thank you very much!
1 sheep's lung (illegal in the U.S.; may be omitted if not available)
1 sheep's stomach
1 sheep heart
1 sheep liver
1/2 lb fresh suet (kidney leaf fat is preferred)
3/4 cup oatmeal (the ground type, NOT the Quaker Oats type!) 3 onions, finely chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
3/4 cup stock
And NO I have never prepared Haggis myself – like I stated, I did eat some while in Scotland and to be honest, I was not impressed but then, like many foods, it’s an acquired taste! I just never acquired it, thank you very much!
Haggis was "born of necessity, as a way to utilize the least expensive cuts of meat and the innards as well" In fact, in times of famine people would eat whatever it was that they could get their hands on, which is how all those fascinating ingredients became a part of Scottish tradition.
Now, not to spoil the fun there is NO haggis animal—and over the years a certain “stuffed thing” has been tagged a Haggis. Folklore suggests that thousands of years ago they lived in harmony with other denizens of the hills, Brownies and Fairies. So you take all this with a grain of salt and believe what you want. There are many who claim to be Haggis Heads but they are followers and supporters of the “Enter the Haggis” Band as well as other Celtic music.
Hopefull this gives you some insight into Haggis – tis an interesting subject, eh? And now, I am off to take photos of wildflowers and following Wiseacres suggestion I bought a Wildflower book and now, the challenge begins. So far I have managed to correctly identify blue violets that are growing in my back yard…hurrah! Hey, baby steps, remember, all learning is baby steps -- damn, some day I'll get to take a grown up step -- can't wait!
Have yourselves a grand day!
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
NOW AND THEN
What a difference a few months can make! This is the Norwood Boat Launch, on the TOP is how it looked this winter and on the BOTTOM how it looked on May 6th - wild, eh?
Same kind of deal with these photos - interesting to say the least, eh?
This particular creek holds special memories for me as this is where many of us Knapps Station kids gathered, made rafts and explored the "mighty" Knapps river (make that a stream). Our rafts were easy enough to carry over dry areas and plop down into another creek or stream running nearby and OMG the fun we had playing all sorts of games and of course getting wet and covered in mud as we dragged and splashed through these streams.Our biggest mission was to catch bullfrogs and yes, of course we ate frog legs and today you pay a goodly sum for this yummy food and we just whack'em and took'em home, fried up and ate'em. Real class act!
Needless to say parents were not too happy to see us coming home caked in mud, wet and smelly but hey, that's why we had bathtubs, right? Kids today have no idea how much fun you can have outside or the games and adventures you can dream up -- you can do almost as much as your imagination allows and man, we had some wild imaginations!
Come on, you can't tell me just looking at these photos and reading about my childhood memories hasn't stirred up your own. Fun to recall them, isn't it? And to think, you can drive to these place today and just remember what it was like during your childhood. Sadly some places have changed and the only thing you have is a mental picture of how it use to look but that's still a good memory to have and to share.
So get out there and see the outside world, relive your childhood --oh shit, don't start building rafts or splashing in mud holes -- damn, that would have your kids placing you in some mental hospital. Kids today just don't have our sense of humor or sense of adventure, they are too busy with computers and video games and loud music -- hell, they'll be deaf by 30 and bigger than a house because they have elected to sit on their arses all day, every day. So be it, we got our memories and we're gonna share and enjoy them, right?
You all have a great day -- warmer weather is just around the corner!
CELTIC WEEKEND – Part II
If necessary, click on this photo and get a larger version. Imagine wearing this clothing day in and day out – well, our ancestors did and I wonder if they froze as much as I was and I was wearing layers and had on shoes?It’s times like this, when you are reminded of where you came from and what it was like that you truly appreciate what you have – and no matter you can be proud of your heritage.
I am not exactly sure what the “thing” is being tossed but it looks like a rock with a ring thru it and it is some Celtic athletic sport. All I can say is if one doesn’t watch what they are doing, this “thing” could land on their head and that definitely would leave one hell of a bruise! The idea was to toss it up and over the bar – now bar tossing never looked like this, at least no bars I ever entered! Oh well, it’s fun to watch and quite a sport.Now sporting events, called “heavy athletics “ is a Celtic tradition. It is generally accepted that Scottish heavy events can be traced back to the 11th century, during the reign of King Malcome Canmore. Highland Chieftains held competitions to select the strongest men of the clan, as bodyguards, and the fleetest of foot for messengers. These events were continued virtually unchanged until the Battle of Culloden in 1746. This battle brought a sudden and cruel ending to not only Bonnie Prince Charlie’s wish to have Scotland become an independent nation, but it was to halt all and any clan gatherings. Gee, Bonnie Prince Charlie was a bit of a nerd, wasn’t he and spoiler of fun! Continue reading and you’ll learn more about the heavy sporting events and get an idea of what I witnessed and found so amazing.
Bullwood Caber – Teams have created the world’s largest caber, which is currently being evaluated by the Guinness Book of Records. So what in hell is a caber anyway? It’s a log – usually peeled of its bark, measuring between 16 and 20 feet long. And it can weigh any where from 85 to 200 pounds. In short, a caber is a telephone pole! It is the length and taper of the caber that provides the greatest challenge to Athletes. Hey, its no easy task to lift and run with a tree trunk balanced in the palms of your hands. Then you have to flip it end over end and have it land perfectly at noon high! Ya, they find this exciting and watching it is damn exciting…as for even thinking of doing such a thing, not on your life. Maybe a broom handle!
The Stone Put – oh this is something to see. Stones being plentiful and free, its not difficult to understand why Scots have been tossing stones for as long as there have been people to hit and as long as their have been Highland Games. You can do your own search for more info on this sport and yes, women tossed the stone about too and for the record, these are not wimpy stones, they weigh quite a bit too.
Hammer Throw –this are thrown to show or prove one’s strength and ability. The hammers used today have a round 16-pound metal head, attached to a handle, fifty inches long overall. The one who throws the longest wins and although I never did ascertain how many throws were permitted, obviously more than one. I just know that’s a lot of stone to toss but again, women were doing this too!
I wish I could remember all the folks I met, everyone was truly grand. But Michael and Janice shall forever be remembered – his Irish accent was lovely and although bands wouldn’t let him sing, he did have a pleasing tone! Oh yes, he definitely wore a kilt and was heard to say, more than once that "his arse was freezing!" He informed me the reason some women left our table was because I was a nerdy witch and I told him no, it was your damn singing, and this pleasant exchange, endeared us for life! Jan, his wife is a real sweet heart and together they were just fun people. You know what, everyone was great, I didn't met any that irked, annoyed or bugged -- and that is bloody damn amazing!!Okay, to sum up this weekend, and believe me there is more one could and should write about, however come to a festival and experience this yourself is my best suggestion! Or go online and do some research yourself -- it's well worth your time. Hey, I didn't write about them but I witnessed the Jousting tournament and that was really grand to see. Even the Vendors were good people, no junk to be found, all quality stuff, even kilts if you were so inclined to want one and lots of sterling silver in all sorts of uses; i.e. rings, ear rings, toe rings, bracelets, etc.
This ends my educational dissertation on this wonderful weekend. My daughter is all ready saying she wants to go next year! The Party House is gonna need an extension!
So that was my weekend and you can always do an Internet search to learn more about the Celebration of Celts. Now I shall prepare for my next trip, which shall see me heading to Minnesota to see my son, his wife and my grandchildren. Ya, gotta get my grandma fix. In the meantime, you all have a good week and yes, I shall update you on my tulips too.
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