Left Nest, went West and Came Back

Left the nest on May 24th and headed West.  The photo to your left is not our car but a neat idea!!!

Before you ask and shake your heads, yes we drove and while gas prices were interesting, most places were cheaper than here. For example, the lowest we found was $3.59 and the highest $4.14, mostly we were able to pump in the 3 dollar range...which ain't too shabby!!!

It amazes me that no matter where you travel, there is a repeat of names for streets, counties, roads, etc.  I mean, come on, we half expect each town to have a Main street, right?  But when the same names show up in different states, it makes you wonder "what, they couldn't find their own damn name?"  However, we only saw one Cobbledick Road -- interesting!!!

It was in either Michigan or shortly after we crossed into Wisconsin, that a Moose was literally running along side our car.  Oh honey,you know we let it run wherever it wanted -- ever see what a Moose can do to a car -- total wipe out!!!  It was just after we got in Minnesota that we began seeing rest stops that had outdoor toilets.  One really got our attention as it had a huge pipe sticking out the top to which my darling husband said, "now that is some exhaust system!"  We suspect its a heater as it does get cold Minnesota and even shitters need some heat!!!

Speaking of weather -- once we left NY it got nice here and we drove in rain and chilly stuff until we got to our son's place and then, we brought them one day of sunshine.  Most of the time it was rainy and chilly.  As we needed sweatshirts and/or coats, the locals were quick to assure us it was not that cold (bull -- 45 is cold in my book).

The real purpose of our visit was to witness and help celebrate our oldest grandson's graduation from High School.



Here is a photo board his Mother made and we all got to enjoy at his graduation party as well as a DVD with songs and photos of him from day ONE.

The party was wonderful,his parents did a bang up job and whilst it was chilly, they had plenty of food and even a portable heater under the tent for us clowns who found the weather cold.  As for Kyle, he was gracious, attentive and very appreciative of everything. Greeting his guest, spending time at each table, willing to endure the numerous photo requests and just beaming with a huge smile.  Perhaps the most exciting thing is his excitement about attending college in the Fall.

Okay, not to bore you too much I shall end here with the fact that we are back from our trip, thanks kids for a wonderful time, to Jim and Luella thanks for the great dinner on Monday and to make the end of trip complete. Came home to discover  our hot water heater has bit the dust and needs to be replaced - hello vacation world!  The next blog will contain more pictures of the "night crawler Seller and hockey tournament in Fargo.  For now, here's a photo of the youngest grandchild, happy to see his grandma.

I miss you Grandma!

Having seen photos of me and having lost weight, it is clear I need new clothes.  My tops are literally hanging off me and I look like a slob...or someone with no attire sense at all.  So along with getting potty soil and plants (for my flower pots) I seriously need to buy clothes that fit....ya think!!!



Travel Season Ends

Yes, folks, after six weeks, lots of hotel room time and laughter, I am finally back home and loving every second of it!

Gotta tell ya, the last week was the worse!  By the 6th week, the thrill of hotel living, shopping, Jersey traffic, etc was wearing a tad thin and while this was a nice hotel, close to the shopping Mall, it was ONE room and limited space drove us bonkers. I sometimes wondered if they could of crammed anything else into this room: king size bed, TV cabinet (huge),small refrig; baby crib, night stands, two awkward computer desks/tables, one chair with foot stool (wheels missing) and this awkward couch bench, a bathroom and closet.  I mean, this was one cramped area for three people,one being an 11 month old who needs room to walk, play and explore!

We had been somewhat spoiled while staying in Resident Inns because we either had two rooms or one HUGE room with a kitchen, sofa, lots of space and breakfast was included every morning in the main office area and four nights a week, dinner was served (not the greatest but trust me, I have had worse).  The only issue I have with some of these places is they need to learn to speak English and I mean speak English

Big boy or small crib?

Way to get into portable high chair!

Now the last day was the worse and I mean, the freakin worse.  Flat tire, 70 minute wait for the truck, then some nitwit thinking we'd drive back to NY on a donut (no way asshole), then, not one new tire but two (both were bald and probably never would have past an inspection) and them of course, an alignment.  Finally Kel is back to the hotel, having forgot her room/entry key, I had to let her in...no big deal. Doesn't take us long, and we are ready to load up the car.  Keep in mind, we had half packed the night before but with the tire business, this was undone and now packing everything again was the game.

She had called to inform the hotel staff that due to car problems, our check-out would be later and they assured us this was fine, very understanding,etc. So, we haul stuff out and know we need to make two trips. Well, shit and double shit, they deactivate our card keys and now, Kel hikes around to the front to inform them, personally, eye-to-eye that we need to get back into our room, etc.  Finally everything is packed and we are ready to leave NJ -- it is now nearly 3 pm and we had initially believed we'd be on the road by noon. 

For the first time, I was so hungry that I would have eaten a stale donut if I could have found one so; I asked Kel to stop at any fast food joint and get me something to eat. She did just that and while I love chicken, this stuff was so oven hot, it was sometime before I could actually eat it..coleslaw was good tho!!  And the ice tea (which we would share) would certainly test our bladders!

It was in the mid-60s when we departed Jersey and we stopped in Warrensburg to stretch our legs and feed the baby (okay, we also changed his diaper) and when we opened the car door, that 33 degrees and wind definitely let it us know, you are back in NY and its COLD!!!

It would be close to 10 pm when we pulled in my driveway and would begin unloading the car.  "Mom," my girl says, "don't open your door, the light will wake up the baby!"  Hello, do you expect me to climb thru the window?  Finally she recognizes how stupid that remark was and we start to laugh, now the baby is awake, not happy and crying...oh good, I'm outta the car, headed into my house and she can listen to him for five minutes while she drives to her house...love it!!!

Okay, seriously, this has been a fun experience and we did lots of neat stuff, learned about and watched a ten month old graduate into an 11-month old and witness many changes in him as he explored and discovered new things (thankfully he is not talking because his first words might be a shocker).  Yes, I would do it again, but not anytime soon!  And with some major changes firmly established.

So now I am home and slowly resting up.  My sister called to say "keep December 5-6, maybe even the 7th, open...details to follow."  Bus tour to NYC and this includes seeing the Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall and hiking around NY ciTAY.  That means some Christmas shopping and dining.  Oh, by the way, while in Jersey I had three meals at Bobby Flays burger Palace and man, that was fantastic.

Smile!

Bobby Flays pickle -- he loved it!

Reading the paper with Mom

Last Week

Yup, we are finally on the last week - the rains and miserable weather wasn't as bad as the reports indicated on TV.  I mean, yes it rained, and yes, it was windy and some trees went down but we woke up to blue skies sun and well, it was chilly.

No longer enjoying the accommodations of a Resident Inn (which means, no kitchen, no separate bedroom, etc)--now we have a king size bed, crib for the baby, and a bathroom. We had to request a refrigerator and its the size of a college dorm fridge -- cute as hell but somewhat worthless.  And as we have no kitchen, that means, we need to head to the dining room to heat up meals for the baby -- sweet shit, this is a pain in the royal ass.  However, the nice part is we are well within walking distance of the Mall and that means, some place to hang out and go see the pets in the Pet Store, etc. Hey, its only one more week, we can do this (we both are sick of hotel rooms).

When I get back I shall enlighten you all on the Retro-Gym, ya let your imaginations run wild, Kinder College and other highlights that will have you rolling on the floor.

Here's another video -- bulldozer wasn't as much fun as the apple car -- he was a tad scared.

Okay people  have a great weekend, snow in Killington, Vermont -- just a lovely dusting (6 to 8 inches)

Jersey Sights

Okay, I've been in Jersey for three weeks and this has been something else.  I have taken my grandma babysitting on the road --- hotel sitting is definitely a challenge.

Here's my boy driving the Apple Car -- he's a darn good driver too.  Yes, this has been a fun outing and wonderful travel experience, too bad he is too young to realize just how much fun this truly is and all the wonders he is seeing.

As we hang around the hotel room (rain makes for very long days), we learn new things.  Like how to drink thru a straw (this took 10 minutes to learn); how to turn around and slide off both the bed and sofa vs head first into the floor (ouch); and we are learning that "NO" means no...something about cords fascinates him and makes me nervous as hell.  Mama doesn't like the idea of slapping his hands (okay, electrocute yourself) but slowly NO is getting the message across and being moved from the cords helps too.

Oh the trash cans via washer/dryers...this was seen on the Jersey Shore -- some restaurant and I thought it was a truly clever idea...no landfill for those suckers and the practicality is wonderful.  Ya the color ain't bad either, eh?

Oh look at all that water!

I love this sand -- diggin for something?

Wait I found something -- seashell???

It is so much fun watching his discover and explore and we both loved the beach, as did his Mama.

Grammie had her moments too...

Okay, enuff for now -- back to Jersey for another two weeks and then the travel shall end.  Clint will soon head to daycare and only stay with me two days a week.  However, I need a sister-get-together before the weather gets nasty, so Syracuse better be ready as I plan to visit and gossip with my sister until the cows come home (we don't even have cows anymore).

Oh, one last thing and if I offend anyone, forgive me, but Jersey's workers are damn hard to understand.  Its not just the busted English, its the damn inability to open their mouths and enunciate words.  What's up with that anyway?

However, I like Jersey and the folks are nice...traffic is a nightmare but I ain't driving so no whining from me!

Like my hat?  Me neither!!!

Let the baby drive, it makes for a quieter ride!!!  Oh wait, he can't reach the gas or brake -- no problem, we ain't moving anyway!!!

Well, you all have a great 3-day weekend, I sure as hell did.  Slept in my own bed and had the love of my life beside me, life is good. 

Back to Jersey tomorrow, hope they are ready, we shall be!!!

 

 

 

 

Dada likes this one -- he missed his little boy and this weekend he has spent considerable time with him.  Hey, Mama got some rest and that is good too.

Oh well

I have no freakin idea why the spacing on this blog keeps happening, I may need to get some technical assistance because this is really stoopid.

How ya like the size of this turkey?  I was in Jersey last week and while we saw turkeys, trust me, none this size nor anyone riding them!

Jersey is a fun state and while I explore various areas and check out various places I gotta tell ya, shopping is nice as there is no sale tax --ya, no sales tax.  Traffic is a bit hairy at times but I ain't doing the driving so as a passenger I get to sit there and hold the "oh shit strap."

Much warmer in Jersey and when we got back to NY it was like -- omg we hit the cold front.  Stopped to get gas, let the baby out of his car seat and man, that wind hit us and we were grabbing sweatshirts as fast as possible and yes, we put warmer clothes on the baby too.  He wasn't all that interested in walking around, hold me, wrap me in a blanket or better yet, just let me stand on your seat for awhile, my butt is numb!!!

So you all have a fun week -- as for me, headed back to Jersey for more fun and adventures...different part of the state this go around, so more things to explore. Hope the zoos are open, love going to the zoo.

It Never Ends

CHECK YOUR RECEIPTS BEFORE LEAVING ANY CASHIER'S STATION!!!!!



THIS COULD HAPPEN ANYWHERE. CHECK YOUR RECEIPT BEFORE LEAVING THE STAND. I'VE SEEN PEOPLE DO JUST THAT.






PASS THIS ON TO YOUR FRIENDS, KIDS, LOVED ONES.






It happened at Wal-Mart (Supercenter Store #1279, 10411 N Freeway 45, Houston, TX 77037 a month ago.



I bought a bunch of stuff, over $150, & I glanced at my receipt as the cashier was handing me the bags. I saw a cash-back of $40. I told her I didn't request a cash back & to delete it.



She said I'd have to take the $40 because she couldn't delete it. I told her to call a supervisor. Supervisor came & said I'd have to take it! I said NO! Taking the $40 would be a cash advance against my Discover & I wasn't paying interest on a cash advance!!!!! If they couldn't delete it then they would have to delete the whole order.



So the supervisor had the cashier delete the whole order & re-scan everything! The second time I looked at the electronic pad before I signed & a cash-back of $20 popped up. At that point I told the cashier & she deleted it. The total came out right. The cashier agreed that the electronic pad must be defective. (yeah, right!)



Obviously the cashier knew the electronic pad wasn't defective because she NEVER offered me the $40 at the beginning.



Can you imagine how many people went through before me & at the end of her shift how much money she pocketed?



Just to alert everyone. My coworker went to Milford, DE Wal-Mart last week. She had her items rung up by the cashier. The cashier hurried her along and didn't give her a receipt.



She asked the cashier for a receipt and the cashier was annoyed and gave it to her. My coworker didn't look at her receipt until later that night. The receipt showed that she asked for $20 cash back. SHE DID NOT ASK FOR CASH BACK!



My coworker called Wal-Mart who investigated but could not see the cashier pocket the money. She then called her niece who works for the bank and her niece told her this.



This is a new scam going on. The cashier will key in that you asked for cash back and then hand it to her friend who is the next person in line.



Please, please, please check your receipts right away when using credit or debit cards!



This is NOT limited to Wal-Mart, although they are the largest retailer so they have the most incidents.



I wonder how many "seniors" have been, or will be, "stung" by this one????



To make matters worse ...THIS SCAM CAN BE DONE ANYWHERE, AT ANY RETAIL OR WHOLESALE LOCATION!!!




CHECK BEFORE LEAVING THE CASHIER'S STATION!!!!!



THIS COULD HAPPEN ANYWHERE. CHECK YOUR RECEIPT BEFORE LEAVING THE STAND. I'VE SEEN PEOPLE DO JUST THAT.

******************

Home for the weekend and then, back to Jersey -- warmer there too.  Could not believe how "chilly" it was when I arrived back here yesterday, hells bells, where is my sweatshirt.

Gotta tell ya, a ten month old in a hotel room for a week is truly a challenge but thankfully we do not stay in the room all damn day. There was a Mall nearby so we hiked over there and found a pet store, which he loved. Then when his Mama was working, which was rare, we visited the Bergen County Zoo. It is near the end of the season, so many exhibits were closed but its still a nice zoo and again, my grandson loved the train ride. Keep in mind, he is now walking, so you have to make time for him to walk about too...all that sitting and being carried gets damn old damn quick. Hey, lucky for me he is a good baby.  Trust me, I a have traveled the world with kids and when they are easy travelers it is so much nicer.

More another day...keep smiling....life is good.

Hello from Minnesota

Hi folks,

Yup, we made it to Warroad, Minnesota and lemme tell ya, my youngest grandchild did great on his first airplane ride...in fact, he was a superstar.

The long drive from Winnipeg (about 3 hours) was most enjoyable because two grandkids came with my son to pick us up and immediately under took the role of entertaining Clint...who by now was damn sick of being confined and just wanted to get down and crawl around.

Here's all four grandkids....love the bike as the prop, don't you?

I will write more when I get back, but rest assured this has been a blast and many memories have been made.

Another Trip

Yup, planning another trip...first airplane ride for my newest grandchild and because we had such an early morning departure, we plan to spend the night at a Hotel in Ottawa -- ten minutes from the airport--hurrah!!!

Granddaughter and uncle preparing for a short bike ride.  I girl needs help in the shoe department if she plans to ride bikes very often,eh?

Maybe I can convince uncle to take me on a ride while out there. Years ago I rode alone but that was way too many years ago.



So, as we endure the countdown prior to departure its the normal crap...laundry, sorting, lists and wondering "am I taking too much? Do I really need this outfit?  Wait, what about this?"  As for me, over the years I have realized that less is best.  Most places have washers n dryers, so I can wash my clothes and packing so much that never gets worn just makes for a heavier bag -- screw that!!! So my motto is "go light,"and I'm definitely attempting to do just that!!!

I know my son will read this so listen up:  Don't forget your passport, the kids birth certificates (as I understand they are coming with you too) and the car seat for Clint.  We'll stop to eat somewhere on the trip from Winnipeg to Warroad...my treat -- order that steak I dare you, just dare you!!!

Ta-dah---last load of laundry in the dryer -- now if the shit would fold itself I'd have it made.  Going to my daughter's for dinner, so no cooking being done here today..wow.  Yup, life is good.

Generally speaking, you aren't learning much when your lips are moving.

Again, let me remind you BEER is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy!!


Okay, everyone smile and remember, you're on this side of the dirt and life is good!!!

Saratoga

Last week was kinda a trial run for Clint and I.  We went to Saratoga with Mommy so she could attend the SUNY Cap Conference but more importantly, this was his first real long road trip.

Soon he will depart with his parents for a trip to Maine [and I get to house sit instead of kid sit,much easier I suspect]-- and in the Fall, Grammie shall accompany Mommy on high school visit in New Jersey...While she does her thing, Clint and I shall do our thing, which means, lots of stroller hikes and finding quaint places to explore.  I suspect by then, he will be walking...he's about had it with this crawling number.  He is fast but even he knows, two feet move faster than two knees!

Now take a look at this birdhouse?  I put this one facebook and many asked if it was mine (they are so kind) but one gal wrote "great, even the freakin birds got government housing!"  Even more amazing was throughout this park, which was quite huge, there were various bird houses and quite elaborate at that...lucky damn birds.

The other thing was lots of freakin ducks.  I mean, the ducks are the main attraction at this park for damn sure. They are everywhere, wait, near the water and to be honest, there isn't alot of duck poop, I mean you can walk about without stepping in shit (which is good).  Clint was pretty impressed with them, finally something smaller than him!

Saratoga is a nice city/town/village -- lots to see and do and easy walking around the town -- did I say "easy?"  Yes, the downhill walks were delightful, but coming back up the hill, pushing the stroller definitely was a workout I had not prepared for so I found a new route so I could avoid that freakin hill.  I still had a hill to get over but not as steep and offered me other sights to enjoy as well.  Including the reality that if I had turned left when I left the hotel, I would have walked to Dunkin Donuts, Stewarts and Pizza Hut...instead I went right and headed downtown to all the quaint little shops!  In fact, when I did stop to eat, thinking the baby wouldn't mind, as soon as my food arrived, two bites and he was ready to move on -- okay, lesson learned.  Buy shit to go and eat in the freakin park!!!

All in all folks it was a fun outing and although I came home exhausted, it was a good exhaustion (is there really such a thing?).  I always have a good time and yet, once home I need my catch up rest and my own bed -- oh hell, I also need my chair naps!!!

Did you hear about the guy who wouldn't go out with his wife because she was a married woman?

Ya same guy who thought Moby Dick was a venereal disease.

And finally let me leave you with this thought: some days you're the bug and some days you're the windshield.

So keep smiling and remember, life is good as long as you're on this side of the dirt.  Nobody has told me about the other side!

First Place

I know, hockey season never seems to end but in Minnesota it’s a bread of life. This past weekend the “kids” had their major tournament and the Jr. Islanders, whom our Grandson plays for, took first place. Wow, this is really wonderful and the entire team deserves a big WELL DONE!

As for me, the cold is slowly leaving and while I thought I caused this cold considering I got wet loading the car and elected not to change clothes, I learned yesterday that my sister also had a sore throat and she wasn’t in that car! We now blame it on the cold Gulf water. Of course my other sister, who was in the car, blames me—you pick who brought on this damn cold.


Also today I resume my RBS duties – oh, you forgot all ready – retirement baby sitting! I did miss the little guy but the break was welcomed too. Truly had a blast with my sisters and the road trip was fun too. We realized that with each driving 4 hour stretches it worked out much nicer and neither was totally exhausted when we stopped for the night.


We stopped in Georgia at some quick food place to get something to eat and of course, stretch our legs too. Now we must have lost our hearing or forgot how to grasp southern words because taking our order was anything but simple. We could not understand the gal and she could not understand us. I guess we were supposed to know that Number One, small burger, came with fries and a drink. It does NOT say this on the sign but regardless that is how it works!

As Sissy ordered first, she paid for two drinks and two fries and I got to buy my own burger – thanks Sis. What made it worse was the burger was not that good and although hungry it was a challenge to consume this sucker…I did but she could not!!! We need to purchase a southern language book so we can avoid these challenges in the future!!!

Almost time for my grandson to arrive and I’m ready to spend the day with him too. Hey, you all have a good day and congrats to Alex and the Jr. Islanders on their first place win…WAY TO GO!!!

Hello

It really is a challenge to post via an iphone so this will be a rather short message.  Bascially just wanted you all to know that I am alive and well.

Florida was/is wonderful and the warm sun, sandy beaches, cold beer and sisters are amazing.  We certainly are having a good ole time.

The "Road Trip," is more fun that either of us imagined too. We quicky discovered that we needed to switch drivers every 4 hours and that kept both fresh and alert.

Anyway, lots of fun stuff to share but after I get home...keep smiling...life is good (hey, still on this side of the dirt).

Sarasota Bay

Siesta Keys are sunset -- so pretty

Be Good

Just thought I'd drop ya note or two because I'm headed out tomorrow -- those Florida beaches are calling to me and the beer is bloody arse cold!

This is gonna be one helluva of road trip and yes, it shall be fun.  Oh hell, we'll survive this -- sisters can do anything, right?

So while I am away, you all just have a good time...you can always go back and read old posts if that amuses you or if I get ambitious, have access to a computer, I can update this blog while on the road...hells bells, anythng is possible these days.

By the way, for those interested, NO I am not taking my pet rock...that little witch snapped at me and is being punished!

Keep smiling and remember, we're on this side of the dirt and life is GOOD!

Noradakota

Ole is a farmer in Minnesota . He is in need of a new milk cow. And hears about a nice one for sale over in Nordakota (that would be North Dakota for you non-Scandahoovians out there).

He drives to Nordakota, finds the farm and looks at the cow. He reaches under to see if the cow gives milk. When he grabs a teat and pulls....the cow farts.

Surprised, Ole looks at the farmer who's selling the cow, then reaches under to try again. He grabs another teat, pulls, and the cow farts again. Milk does come out however, so after some discussion with the cow's current owner, Ole decides to buy the cow.

When he gets back to Minnesota , he calls over his neighbor, Sven, and says, 'Hey, Sven, come and look at dis ere new cow I yust bought. Pull her teat, and see vat happens.'

Sven reaches under, pulls the teat...the cow farts.. Sven looks at Ole and says, You bought dis here cow over in Nordakota, didn't yah?'

Ole is very surprised since he hadn't told Sven about his trip.

Ole replies, 'Yah, dats right. But how did yah know?'

Sven says, 'My wife is from Nordakota.'

Panties on the Plane

To funny

Panties On A Plane

Three large black Southern ladies were getting ready to take a plane trip for the very first time.

The first lady said, 'I don't know bout y'all , but I'm gunna put me on sum hot pink panties beefo' I get on dat plane.'

'Why you gonna wear dem fo?' the other two asked.
The first replied, 'Cause, if dat plane goes down and I'm out dare laying butt-up in a conefield, deys gonna find me first.'

The second lady said, 'Well, I'm a-gonna wear me some floessant orange panties.'

'Why you gonna wear dem?' the others asked.

The second lady answered, 'Cause if dis hare plane is goin' down and I be floating butt-up in the oshun, deys can see me first.'

The third lady says, 'Well, I'm not gonna wear any panties.........

'What? No panties?' the others asked in disbelief.

The third lady says, 'Dat's right girlfriends, you hears me right. I ain't wearing any panties cos, honey, deys always look for da Black Box first'

Fair Day

Yup, today I shall head to Gouverneur and the county Fair. I haven't been there in a couple years so it shall be fun to see the improvements (hopefully) and this go around, be a spectator and not a worker -- wow!

I admit it, I am one of those idiots who truly does enjoy the fair and even when having to spend months prior to it getting things organized and what have you, and then the week of staying there the entire week, well, it did take its toll but it was also alot of fun. No, I was not employed by the fair board, I worked for Cornell Cooperative Extension's Youth Development program.

Then as now, I am amazed at all youth learn and do throughout the year and show us during the fair season. Plus, these youth do considerable community service projects as well. This is the kind of stuff our communities should read about in our newspapers and watch on TV, instead we get all the bad stuff and that has many thinking all youth are problems -- not true.

So, I plan to spend the day at the Fair and have a good time, which is not hard, its all attitude and I retain the positive attitude constantly. One thing I shall attempt to restrict myself is fair food -- its good but man, it can pack on the pounds. However, I shall also do quite a bit of walking so a few "goodies" shall be allowed (so sayeth me).

Its gonna be a beautiful day -- we had that horrible storm and rain last night, so now, according to Andy, we got a few days of good weather -- hurrah!

Thought for the day: I was once walking through the forest alone. A tree fell right in front of me --- and I didn't hear it.

THINGS I LEARNED IN FLORIDA...

I have been a tad remiss in that I failed to share with you the things I learned while in Florida. Ya, I know that was a couple months ago and while I visit there at least once a year, I do feel sharing things learned is a great way to keep us all informed - duh! So here goes:


1) A possum is a flat animal that sleeps in the middle of the road.
2) There are 5,000 types of snakes and 4,998 of them live in FLORIDA.
3) There are 10,000 types of spiders, and all 10,000 of them live in OCALA, FL.
4) If it grows, it'll stick ya. If it crawls, it'll bite cha.
5) "Onced" and "Twiced" are words.
6) It is not a shopping cart, it's a buggy.
7) "Jaw-P?" means, "Did y'all go to the bathroom?"
8) People actually grow and eat okra.
9) "Fixinto" is one word.
10) There is no such thing as lunch. There is only dinner and then there is supper...
11) Iced tea is appropriate for all meals, and you start drinking it when you're two.
We do like a little tea with our sugar.
12) Backwards and forwards means, "I know everythin' bout you."
13) The word "jeet" is actually a phrase meaning, "Did you eat?"
14) You don't have to wear a watch, because it doesn't matter what time it is. You work until you're done or it's too dark to see...
15) You don't PUSH buttons, you MASH em.
16) You measure distance in minutes.
17) You switch from heat to A/C in the same day.
18) All the festivals across the state are named after a fruit, vegetable, grain, insect or animal.
19) You know what a "Dawg" is.
20) You carry jumper cables in your car - for your own car.
21) You only own five spices: salt, pepper, Texas Pete , Tabasco and ketchup.
22) The local papers cover national and international news on one page, but require 6 pages for local gossip and high school football...
23) You think that the first day of deer season is a national holiday.
24) You find 100 degrees "a bit warm."
25) You know all four seasons: Almost summer, summer, still summer, and Christmas.
26) Going to Wal-Mart is a favorite past time known as "goin' Walmartin" or "off to Wally World."
27) You describe the first cool snap (below 70 degrees) as good hog killin' weather.
28) Fried catfish is the other white meat.
29) We don't need no dang Driver's Ed... If our mama says we can drive, we can drive dag-nabbit.
30) You understand these jokes and forward them to your FLORIDA friends and those who just wish they were from FLORIDA!!!!!

And this is why we live in NY and only Visit Florida LOL

Number UNO

Hey, aren't you proud to be a New Yorker?

Come on, we are number ONE for the worse cities for road rage, finally pushing Miami down to number 7 -- damn, we are so competitive and now we are Number ONE!

I’m not sure what in hell the weather is gonna do today. It’s currently 60 degrees, overcast but not raining, not even a sprinkle at this moment, so maybe it will dry up and the sun will somehow break through and allow us some warmth. Pretty damn bad when you discover you need to wear socks in the middle of June!

Nestle has recalled a bunch of their cookie dough products after 66 people in 28 states got sick with E. coli. This is serious. Nestle is begging you not to eat their products raw or cooked! Normally, the heat would kill the bacteria, but Nestle isn't--huh. If you have a bunch of Nestle cookie dough in your freezer, you can return it to your grocery store for a full refund. This weekend the grocery stores are totally going to be full of single depressed ladies trading in their unused cookie dough for Snack Wells.

Jon & Kate – who in hell cares! Each is being accused or cheating on the other, both want what is best for their kids and the media is eating this up like this is major news and will solve world issues. Ye gads! Honestly I don’t give a rip….move on to something else, even K-FED getting paid to watch his own kids is more entertaining than this shit.

How about this Susan Boyle business? First off I think she has an amazing voice and I was shocked she did not win but hey, that’s life, deal with it. I do think all the pressure and spotlight was overwhelming and we tend to think she cracked up because of how the British refer to their hospitals – mental wards. It was a flippin hospital folks, nothing more and nothing less! She was not admitted to some psycho-ward. She was exhausted and hounded by the aggressive British media, she needed a safe haven. Then she goes on tour and takes another day off and again, she is accused of screaming at her cat and other mindless made-up nonsense that makes her sound like this babbling idiot, with learning disabilities but still this amazing voice. Holy dog tear, leave the woman alone and let her sing…at 47 years of age, she is truly an inspiration to many and that is wonderful – go Susan!

Did ya hear – oh this will make your heart thump a bit –the cacao tree (make sure you spell that correctly) is battling a virus in the Ivory Coast, the world’s largest producer, where crops could be down 33 percent according to New Scientist. So what in hell does this mean? Well, don’t think we have an endless supply of chocolate, Mate, this could up the price considerably and we might be a tad stingy about sharing our piece of chocolate in the near future!

Oh the fish above – that’s Reggie – my Beta fish and newest pet. Well, my pet as I don’t have any pets. I figured a fish was easy and works for me. Actually my sister has a Beta, has had one for months, Matty and she was just having way too much with this fish for me to think this should remain a solo act so I got one too. Now who knows if they’ll ever visit each other again – they are aggressive fish and definitely prefer to swim alone – hence don’t add any fish to their tank or they’ll kill’em? Damn, who wouldn’t want a Beta based on that fact alone?

Oh, for sometime I have been debating and/or mulling over the idea of getting a kayaka. Well, my sister had a good question-- HOW THE HELL DO YOU GET OUT OF THEM? Think about it -- after trying this out,[beach the sucker and then climb out] I've decided canoes are much nicer and easier, thank you very much!!!

Have a nice weekend and keep smiling!

GRADUATION

I have, over the years participated in and/or witnessed many graduations. Such as High School, college, tech schools, military schools, FBI Academy (no sheet), Training Schools and so on, but nothing, and I mean Nothing tops a Kindergarten graduation!

If you have not witnessed one of these, you have not had a full life. This is so amazing, fun, entertaining and delightful to watch you’ll surprised yourself with just how much you enjoyed yourself. The kids sport the infamous mortarboard head gear, which they find difficult to keep in place causing them to “mess with it” constantly. They have to stand or sit while this and that is taking place, mostly hearing their remarks as to what they enjoyed the most about kindergarten. This ranges from recess-to-math-to-reading-back to recess! Finally they get to perform and sing various songs for us and these are delightful and man, do they sing – top of the lungs singing mind ya. Eventually, they get in line and walk to the Principal to get their certificate. After the ceremony, everyone heads to their classroom to get the real certificate and photos with the teacher.

Then its home for the real party or at least that is what transpired for my granddaughter. As presents were opened, she needed help with one (damn plastic wrap) and her mother said, “This is for kids 3 years and up.” Without skipping a beat Ella replied, “I AM UP!” So for the next hour or so it was watching her unwrap gifts, having a delicious meal, taking loads of photos and eventually wrapping up a very special day, one I was so glad I did not miss!

Weather-wise, northern Minnesota was having lousy damp weather just like upstate New York. I think we had one non-rainy day and the sun actually shone all day, temps in the 60s and folks were in shorts and claiming it was hot. Hot my arse, the breeze off those lakes was damn chilly in my book! But it was dry and folks were outside, mowing lawns, planting gardens, flowers, even attempting to tan a bit -- it was truly a sunny day for everyone (except me who was still chilled).

Now with all the rain, there is considerable flood warnings and a guy who lives in Lisbon, ND, claims he lives between two dikes and so far, he is fine, no flooding and he has no issue with anyone. However, some clowns feel Minnesota should pay taxes for these dikes or some such shit and as the dikes are in ND, Minnesota is not overly inclined to want to pay taxes for them. Gee, they aren’t as dumb as some folks think, are they? Ya, and you thought dikes were what?!

So between graduation, flood warnings, rain and high winds, I got to enjoy my grandkids including getting them up, fed, dressed and out the door in time to catch the school bus, then watched my grandson play baseball, my granddaughter at her dance class, and of course school award ceremonies. In-between these events I thoroughly enjoyed hanging out with Sheri and Dean. Even the grandmothers got to do lunch with no grandkids and that was cool and fun, thanks again Lu. On Sunday, it was BBQ time at the Cass house and man; Jim can grill up a steak that just melts in your mouth.

Of course, you do realize the exercise and diet was shot completely, right? I ate more red meat on this trip than I have eaten in years. And of course the beer was going down easily too and had more of them than I needed but what the hell, its vacation, right? Oh ya, they held a gun to my head to make me eat this red meat and drink all those beers too. Damn kids!

Now I need to check out my emails, MySpace, facebook and all other sorts of information places, however the most important thing to do is watch the French Open. Yes, tennis matches – what in hell did you think I meant? Don’t answer that.

So, while the rain continues to pour down and make us all bonkers, find something to keep you smiling, okay?

LITTLE GIRL ON A PLANE

A stranger was seated next to a little girl on the airplane when the stranger turned to her and said, 'Let's talk. I’ve heard that flights go quicker if you strike up a conversation with your fellow passenger.'

The little girl, who had just opened her book, closed it slowly and said to the stranger, 'What would you like to talk about?'

'Oh, I don't know,' said the stranger. 'How about nuclear power?' and he smiles.

" OK, " she said.... 'That could be an interesting topic. But let me ask you a question first. A horse, a cow, and a deer all eat the same stuff - grass - . Yet a deer excretes little pellets, while a cow turns out a flat patty, and a horse produces clumps of dried grass. Why do you suppose that is?'

The stranger, visibly surprised by the little girl's intelligence, thinks about it and says, 'Hmmm, I have no idea....'

To which the little girl replies, 'Do you really feel qualified to discuss nuclear power when you don't know shit?

Yes, I am back from my latest trip and lots to share, including the story of a man in North Dakota who lives between two dikes and is quite proud of this accomplishment. But for now, I am off to Curves to exercise and back into my daily fitness routine. Vacations are nice but mine screw up my weight loss big time -damn beer.

More Later....come on back and get a few giggles..

GETTING WARMER

Hey, don’t shoot the messenger but it’s supposed to hit 59, maybe 60 degrees here in Warroad, Minnesota. Like us, they too have been having some lousy, damp, chilly and down right cold weather lately. So these temps are greeted with high expectations.

I left New York yesterday, nice drive to Ottawa and West Jet flights are fantastic and great personnel. When I arrived in Winnipeg, it was overcast and a little chilly but not bad. My son greeted me with this huge smile on his face and when I said he looked tired he replied; “well, I had to carry your bike on my shoulder and had a head wind the entire way here. But we’ll have the wind to our backs going home!” Ya like that’s gonna happen -NOT!

Trips always have their moments and we had ours in Winnipeg. This is a lovely city and if you are careful, you can drive through it or around it with little trouble. Like any city rush-hour traffic is a bloody nightmare and of course, we were in the thick of it yesterday. To make matters worse, some “thing” or “one” hit a traffic post and knocked that light out of commission, so now we got two cops directing traffic. Not bad, eh? But wait, the pole was blocking half of the two lane highway, so now cars had to merge and get around this pole. Why didn’t they just pick up the pole and move it to the side? Bets me, must have been union cops, can’t do that work and if they were waiting for city maintenance to get there, lots of luck, it took us 45 minutes to get passed this mess!

My job this morning was great fun. I got to get the grandkids up, fix them breakfast (bowls of cereal, real impressive, huh?), make sure they washed their hands and face and brushed their teeth. Then it was get dressed for school, check out book bags and take what you supposed to take and then, have them outside to catch the bus. Oh man, this was easy and I was so proud of myself – then I happened to look and my grandson forgot his homework papers and the note asking that be allowed to ride the bus home today. Holy sheet – one day and I screwed up all ready. I gotta do better with this grandma work, eh?

Tomorrow is the big Kindergarten graduation and trust me; my granddaughter is all set and ready for this event. She has even instructed me where to stand or sit to get the best photos. As this ceremony takes place in a gym, it’s a lousy photographic area and a challenge to get anything other than “orange” looking photos! Well, I shall do my best and then, download and share will all of you.

That’s it for now – have a great day, keep smiling and more to follow soon.