2012 is here!!

Susan Sarandon calls the pope a Nazi? Hank WIlliams Jr compares our President to Hitler?

I realize these 2 are people who don't live in the real world where real people have real problems but seriously?  Who do these people think they are?   Comparing a person you don't agree with with the deadliest leader in our memory is ludicrous.  I hate it when people can get press bites because of their celebrity and then say something so careless.  Fate alone has decided that these 2 moderately talented people don't have to have real jobs, get to have all the $$ in the world and for some reason get media attention.   Maybe they should think before they speak.    

October 17 is Haboob Day!!

A haboob (Arabic:"هَبوب", "strong wind") is a type of intense duststorm carried on an atmospheric gravity current.   


Yesterday about 545, we had an official Haboob in Lubbock!!   I was sitting in my house, listening to the wind howl and watching the puny dust go by when all of a sudden it was almost completely dark and the wind kicked up and  I looked out to see this:

1 block from my house   10-17-2011

I did not take this picture but this was the sight out my back door.  It went on for a few minutes and blew on somewhere else.  The weatherman said they had a wind gust st the station of 74.   I have never seen anything like this and others interviewed in the paper from the Dust Bowl area said they had not seen anything like it since 1935.  It left as fast as it came but it was a doozy of a dust storm!!

Tommy Tuberville and Texas Tech Game

I went to the Texas Tech football game last night and now officially think Mr Tuberville needs to find a new job.  I have asked all of my doubter friends to give him a chance but last night he lost the title of Coach in my eyes.  I am an alum who will always bleed red and black and will always root for any Tech team in any situation but I will not support a coach, an administration or a system that leads us BACK to mediocrity!  We spent too many years in the middle then we spent years at the top and I like the top and I hate losing!!  I've got my guns up and will hope for the best and that includes a new coach with a heart to win!!

The only good thing about the game is that I got to spend it with my friend Holly (from college) and her daughter Lindsey and son in law Conner.  Here most of us are (Conner is taking the picture):

Me, Holly, Lindsey and the Masked Rider on Midnight Matador  Oct 15,2011

Separated at birth

George Strait  1981

Ian Kinsler 2011

It's been a pretty good day...

Brunch at Cracker Barrel with Deb...pecan pancakes.

Great visit with Donna, Danny and Dorothy...Hmmmm...It appears to be "D" day !!

Fair food and Grand Funk with Lorraine.  Great time as usual.

Tech came from behind and won by 1 point.  Even an ugly win counts.

Texas A&M lost at home to Okie Lite.  Congrats Cowboys.

Tomorrow is not a workday so I can sleep in.

Thanks God for such a blessed day!!

They were 'Some Kind of Wonderful'

Lorraine and I went to our annual fair freebie "I can't believe they are still alive" 98 Kool rock concert and saw Grand Funk Railroad.  I have to admit I did not know many of their songs and did not even realize 'Some Kind of Wonderful' belonged to them.  But the music was good...and loud...and everyone had a good time.  And we got to eat fair food which made it all good too.   As with most of the 1969 bands these days, most are not original but the drummer who was a major ham and amazing is original!!   I mention this every year but  people who have been on the road for 42 years fascinate me.  In the picture below, sadly, we cant see him because he is hidden by the light.

So here is their promo pic which I swiped from Google.  He is the with with the big gray hair:

The striped pants scare me though.

And I read in the paper that Homer Simpson calls them "The best rock band of all time".   Its an honor that no other band can claim and that says something, right?

Separated at birth?

They are even almost wearing the same shirt!!

Simon Helberg, Big Bang Theory's Howard

Bobby Sherman, Teenage hearthrob of my  dreaams

This needed to be posted:

Thats all.

Recipe ~~ Broccoli Salad

Dressing:
1 C Miracle Whip
1/4 C sugar
1/4 C chopped onion
1 T white vinegar
Mix and set aside.

4-6 C Broccoli Florets, raw
5 slices fried bacon
2 oz sunflower seeds
4-8 oz shredded cheese

Mix broccoli into dressing, refrigerate overnight.

Mix in bacon 2 to 4 hours before serving, refrigerate

Add sunflower seeds and cheese immediately before serving

Separated at birth ?

Wizard of Oz, Frank Morgan

Clockwork Orange looney toon Malcolm McDowell

F

Where were you?

Tomorrow is the 10th anniversary of 9-11, the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and wherever else they were heading when the heroes in Pennsylvania stopped them.  It's one of those days that you will always remember where you were when it happened.  I was at work, at AT&T and my friend Jason came in and told us about the 1st plane.  We went to the lounge to turn on the tv just as the 2nd tower was hit.  We started out stunned at whatever mistake had been made by the 1st plane to utter disbelief as we figured out that someone had done this on purpose!!   As the stories rolled in and the news played the pictures over and over, our world changed forever.  How could someone do this on purpose?   Why?

I guess its the days that change the world that you remember where you were.  My dad spoke of Pearl Harbor.  I was in the 1st grade when John Kennedy was shot.  I remember thinking even as a 6 year old, who would shoot our President?   I remember the deaths of Martin Luther King and Robert Kennedy but not as clearly.  I remember the day Elvis died.  And I will always remember those planes hitting those towers.

The world has changed a lot in the last 10 years and sadly most of it has not been for the better.  We went after Saddam Hussain and Osama Bin Laden and now they are both dead.   But we are involved in wars that stem from this incident and have lost way too many more American lives.  Our distrust for the people from the middle east has escalated.  No one can honestly say they don't have a little resentment for the guy who owns the 7-11 or "Bob" at the other end of the tech support call, even if we don't know exactly where they are from.  I know I tend to judge the entire culture and Islam by this incident.  I'm not saying it's fair.

The New York City first responders will forever be defined by this incident.  All first responders everywhere I think.  They are seen as heroes who do their jobs everyday for little pay or glory and sometimes too little respect.  I think the recognition and appreciation of what they do every day is a little star next to the cloud.

One of the second graders at my school asked me the other day why there was a flag on the calendar on Sept 11 and I realized as a 7 year old she probably had never heard about this day.  Yesterday our principal played "Proud to be an American" and my junior high bus students sat quietly and listened but I have to wonder what they know.  I read that in Japan, Pearl Harbor is not taught in school.   They are taught that we attacked them.   Let's never let that happen here.  Our future generation needs to know what happened on 9-11-01...about the attacks and about the heroes.  And about the mettle of Americans who lived through it all and came out of the smoke proud of their country and who still believe in the American dream.

I am a team player. Really.

It's been awhile and I'm not sure why I have not posted but no apologies...just lazy.  Not sure if I am un-lazy now but ...

Ok, at work there is a social committee that costs $40 a year and everyone is expected to join.  They use the money for, among other things, a small birthday gift, presents for the principal and asst principal, shower cakes, monthly stuff in our boxes, funeral and hospital flowers.  Other than the principal gifts, none of this applies to me. There will never be a funeral of an immediate family member.  If I die and don't get flowers, I'll be ok.  There will be no one left behind to write a thank you note.  No babies, no weddings.  My birthday is in the summer.  I don't care if I don't get a special treat in my box.   I'll donate to the principal gifts but am not going to do the social committee and I feel like I will be seen as a non-team player.    For 34 years of working I have contributed and the only thing in return was flowers for Mom & Daddy's funerals (after 'no flowers please' in the obits.  I think they are a waste of $$...give to the foodbank.  Another story..).   I have had no babies but have participated in seriously 100 or so showers, between babies and weddings.   Nothing for me.
And I am tired of giving.   Am I being selfish?  Probably but ...don't care.  Not participating.

Am I wrong?

Grayson, 1 year old

Grayson with his number

Crawl Grayson Crawl!!

Grayson and his Daddy

My Pool is a Money Pit

Pool                          230
Chemicals                 130
Stronger pump          220
Pool Vacuum            120
----------------------------
Total so far               600

Water bill to come:    ??????

Ack!!

Hot Hot Hot

Its June 17 and it was 107 today.   Gonna be a long summer!!

Turtle, passing through

I saw this little guy walking through my backyard a few days ago.  Alas, he just stopped for a photo op and moved on.   He was probably a celebrity turtle even though he was not wearing sunglasses and did not have a body guard.

Well, the Weiner resigned

His wife came home yesterday and today he resigned.  Can you just imagine that conversation?   Oh, the groveling, the I'm sorrys, the tears.  It would have been a sight to behold.    Oh, to be a fly on the wall at their house.

I realize I have posted about this a lot but it just touched a big nerve.  If we don't have integrity, honesty, morals, what are we?  I'll never meet the Weiner so it really does not affect me other than to make me mad.  Not just the above but he's stupid and only sorry because he got caught.  What suckers he has played his wife and family and district for.  Asshole.

I think Casey Anthony will be found not guilty...

She is guilty...no doubt about that.    I have not watched every word but this is a circumstantial case.  Casey is a horrible mom, a liar of the first degree, cold as ice.   If you asked her how many pennies were in a nickel she would lie to you.  How a human being leaves HER CHILD in a bag in a field to be chewed on by animals is beyond my brain.  She deserves to be found guilty because she is.   But....I'm not sure I could find her guilty knowing the death penalty is on the table with the evidence in front of me.  If it were just life in prison I would ring her up without a doubt.    See, the thing is, I don't believe in the death penalty.  It's too easy.   She should be in prison for the rest of her life, no doubt.   And I don't mean air conditioned, cable and internet prison.  I mean chain gang.  She should spend 12 hours a day, 6 days a week digging a hole in the hot sun, only to refill it and then dig it again.  She should eat bologna and grits and tuna casserole.  She should have a roommate named Bertha who hates child killers.  And if she did something to abuse Caylee then that should be done to her everyday.  Burn a kid with an iron?   At 2pm everyday someone comes to your cell to burn you with an iron.    I'm not soft on crime.  I just am not sure I could make a decision to put someone to death on the evidence.

We'll see what happens but I'm glad I'm not on the jury.

The first Chef I loved

I love the food network.  Love Guy.  Love Bobby Flay.  Love, love, love Paula Deen.   But the first chef to win my heart was this one:

The Chef of my Dreams

The first time we met was in about 1964...I remember this because Cathy was still living at home and we lived on Davis street in Bagdad.  It was a party of some kind....birthday, graduation...something.  I remember mom making a few pizzas and there was a case of cokes in bottles.  You have to understand that the reason this made such an impression was that we did not eat this food or drink cokes.  And I remember it being the best thing I'd ever tasted.  I only got a slice or 2 because I was 7 and Cathy & Jo were 18 & 17 so I really was not invited to the party.  I had to eat and go.   

Later, when I had my own apartment, I could buy this and add stuff to it and it was even better.  Even back then this was marketed as a pizza, not a pizza maker or a pizza kit (the stage between pizza and pizza maker).    I don't make them much but I did today:

My Pizza Today

Thanks Chef!!!    It's lunch time!!

Weiner update

Now we find out that the BIG WEINER tweeted all his body parts, not just the underwear covered ones.  Ugh.
 
Oh, and his beautiful wife is 3 months pregnant!!  And it appears she is turning to her boss Hilary Clinton for advice on the Weiner.   Oy.   Give me a call Mrs and I'm sure I'll give you a different answer.   Heck, I'll give it to you without a call.  Run!!   Take the BIG WEINER for all he's got.  And tell him to resign.

White Collar line

Best line of the series so far:

Mozzy, discussing their escape plane, to Neil:   "Think of it as a Kardashian.  What it lacks in refinement, it makes up for in cargo space"

Weiner is a weiner

NY Congressman Anthony Weiner has had a hell of a week.   First, he sent out a picture of himself in his underwear to a young woman he followed on Twitter.  Then he claimed it was not him, his Twitter account was hacked.  Then after he was literally tracked down like the horn dog he is, he finally admitted it today.  He cried--yep, cried--as he apologized to his wife and their families and his constituents--but refused to resign.  Just one more person that was elected by the people of our country with no morals,no judgement and the mistaken belief that decency doesn't matter anymore....he is a congressman and he can do what he wants and then cry when he gets caught.  Empty apologies.   Not at all sorry he did it, just sorry he got caught.

Weiner!!!!

RIP James Arness

I bet you've never heard ole Marshall Dillon say
Miss Kitty have you ever thought of running away
Settling down would you marry me
If I ask you twice and beg you pretty please
She'd of said Yes in a New York minute
They never tied the knot
His heart wasn't in it
He just stole a kiss as he road away
He never hung his hat up, at Kitty's place  ---Toby Keith


'Gunsmoke' was a large part of my growing up years.  From the late 50's through the early 70's, CBS on Monday night was tuned into 'Gunsmoke'.   Our hero was United States Marshall Matt Dillon from Dodge City Ks.  He had a couple of deputies over the years, Chester, played by Dennis Weaver and Festus played by Ken Curtis.   His closest friend was Doc Adams, played by Milburn Stone and his girl was Miss Kitty, the owner of the Longbranch Saloon, played by Amanda Blake.   At the beginning of the show, they said their names when they showed the stars' pictures and the last was always "And James Arness as Matt Dillon".    It's not important now but I still hear the voice when I think about it.  I don't hear voices all the time by the way.  


Marshall Dillon had an amazing sense of what was right and what was wrong.  He had compassion for his prisoners too, he saw them as people first.  He did not tolerate injustice or lynch mobs.  If a person was guilty, he did his duty.  He was someone who would be a good friend I think.  He was a lousy boyfriend...he strung Kitty along for all those years but I guess he was just afraid of commitment.  


He was 6'7" !!!    And his brother was Peter Graves from 'Mission Impossible'


I guess James Arness must have known his days were coming to an end because he posted on his website this letter:                                (source www.jamesarness.com)




Hi friends,

I decided to write a letter to you for Janet to post on our website in the event I was no longer here.

I had a wonderful life and was blessed with some many loving people and great friends. The best part of my life was my family, especially my wife Janet. Many of you met her at Dodge City so you understand what a special person she is.

I wanted to take this time to thank all of you for the many years of being a fan of Gunsmoke, The Thing, How the West Was Won and all the other fun projects I was lucky enough to have been allowed to be a part of. I had the privilege of working with so many great actors over the years.

I was honored to have served in the army for my country. I was at Anzio during WWII and it makes you realize how very precious life is.

Thank you again for all the many letters, cards, emails and gifts we received from you over the years. You are and always have been truly appreciated.

Sincerely,
Jim Arness




Mr Arness, sir, you too are and always have been appreciated.   May you rest in peace.

Casey Anthony Trial

Well, I'm home for the summer and HLN has the trial on all day and I've watched some of it today.  The prosecution is still presenting it's case.  They have played tapes where Casey has lied over and over while being interview by police about her missing little girl, precious Caylee.  We have Casey's  mom cry on the stand about her missing granddaughter.

 Today, we saw the lead investigator on the stand and he's doing pretty good.  The defense attorney's first question is whether the detective went by another name.  What???   Then they escorted the jury out and discussed that there is a website devoted to the detective where he had responded to posts.  Even though he really said nothing about the actual case, he responded that Caylee needed to be in everyone's prayers.  The defense wanted it to appear that he had been blogging about the case.  Wrong.   His "alias" was his screen name. Ok, this is shot one?      Fire up old sparky.    Second?   Did the detective ask about the pool or the smelly car? Why?   Now, for the 1st time, Casey is not claiming a kidnapping, etc...now Caylee drowned in the pool and her dad covered it up.   Huh?   Uh, no, the detective did not check the pool.   Why would he?  He did not look for a link to Jack the Ripper or  check for alligator footprints because it was never implied that they were problems either.   Defense attorneys are the scum of the earth.  Let's just make stuff up, true or not.  This story doesn't work, lets try another.   Her defense attorney is a liar.   Liar, liar, pants on fire.  As an old coworker would say, her underoos are ablaze.

I've found it.

My place of complete bliss.  The middle of my pool.   Hmmmmmmmm.   Big sigh.

All that Heaven Allows--The Movie (Spoilers)

I had never seen 'All that Heaven Allows' til today and I really enjoyed it.  It stars Jane Wyman as Cary, a widow with 2 kids in college, living in a small town with people with small minds, apparently well off and lonely.  Her best friend is Agnes Moorehead.   She has a nice house, belongs to a country club full of gossips and does not own a tv (hey, it was important in the movie!!).   She meets and falls for her gardener Ron, played by Rock Hudson.  He lives on a tree farm, remodels a mill house for Cary and has fun friends who accept Cary and the romance without question.  Cary is not so lucky.  Cary's "friends" talk behind her back about the difference in age (in reality, JW is 8 years older than RH) and the difference in their stations in life.  And her spoiled kids make their disapproval clear while planning their own lives.  She finally comes to her senses only to find Ron injured after a fall.  The last scene shows him waking to welcome her home.    

I read that the original script had his fate ambiguous, left him in a coma to let us draw our on conclusions.  I'm glad they had the happy ending.  I like happy endings.   A major pet peeve of mine concerning movies is them leaving them ambiguous.  Its as if they can't think of an ending.  It's the writer's job to come up with the ending, good or bad, not my job.

Anyhoo...just have to say Rock Hudson at 30 really was a gorgeous man.   I don't care about what we now know about his private life now.  He was a hottie.

Good movie!!

Hill Street Blues and Capt Furillo

As many of you know, I am a huge Netflix fan and I tend to watch a lot of old TV shows more than the movies. Back in 1981 (I had to look it up) NBC ran the first "ensemble" drama, 'Hill Street Blues'.  It was forward thinking for it's time, even if Lucy Bates did have to wear a skirt uniform.  She was the only named female character although there were a couple of other women visible.  Undercover officers had long hair and tight jeans and facial hair and Mick Belker (Bruce Weicz) allegedly bit people.  Amusing guest stars included the actor who played  Douglas Neidemier from 'Animal House' in an occasional roll as an officer, David Caruso as the leader of the Irish gang and Dennis Franz of 'NYPD Blue' fame as a precursor of Andy.  And Captain Frank Furillo was played by Daniel J Travanti.   Capt F had a shrewish ex wife played by the creator's real wife and a hot girl friend public defender played by the gorgeous Veronica Hamel.   His crew also included an token Hispanic lt, a nutso swat team leader, a wimpy police negotiator and a wise old sgt who called him Francis.   I enjoyed the show when it was on and even though I've only watched the first 5 episodes again, I liked it this time too.

After I watch anything movie or tv wise, I normally go to IMDB to check out the stars...after 30 years, if they are still alive, what they look like, etc.   That brings me to my Daniel J Travanti observations.   He is alive, 71 years old, never married, rumored gay, a recovering alcoholic who has had a slow and steady career.   I always liked the actor.   I have deep sadness for gay actors of that generation...being out would have ruined his career (if it's true and I don't care).   So he had to hide who he was.  I read an interview where he called his alcoholism a "disease of loneliness and secrecy".    What a sad, sad statement.

I'm not gay but I have friends who are and I'm ok with that.  It's none of my business who any of my friends sleep with.  I work really hard to accept people for who they are, without judgment.  I don't always succeed but I try.  And I don't care if DJT is gay...but am sad if he had to lead less of a life because of it.   I always think of 'Brokeback Mountain' and of both characters but especially Heath Ledger's Ennis who had to live the rest of his life without love (except for daughters) when he lost Jack.   It is the saddest thing I can think of.

Boy, that was a trail from Hill Street to Brokeback.   I have a strange mind sometimes.

Chinese Blogs

In my reading of blogs, I normally get in a rut of running blogs or gardening or infertility but as I go "next blog" and have hit a to of Chinese blogs.  Should I put stupid comments in English just to annoy them like they do me?

Ready for Summer

I guess I'm ready...today  I bought a pool!!!!   This one:

It's not fancy and right now it's only 1/2 full and I have to get the chlorine stuff tomorrow so no telling when I'll be able to get in it.   I do hesitate to think what my water bill is going to be this month...Yikes!!!   But I have wanted a pool for a long time and even though I can't really afford it I bought it anyway.  I can hardly wait.

Then I bought a bathing suit for the first time in 15 years.  It is a 2 piece with a little skirty thing and I don't look like a sausage in it.  So I am ready for my first pool day, no doubt!!   

My cousin Holly sent this...it was at her Grandparents ranch

For William and Kate

The Bishop of London's Sermon

29th April 2011

“Be who God meant you to be and you will set the world on fire.” So said St Catherine of Siena whose festival day it is today. Marriage is intended to be a way in which man and woman help each other to become what God meant each one to be, their deepest and truest selves.

Many are full of fear for the future of the prospects of our world but the message of the celebrations in this country and far beyond its shores is the right one – this is a joyful day! It is good that people in every continent are able to share in these celebrations because this is, as every wedding day should be, a day of hope.  

In a sense every wedding is a royal wedding with the bride and the groom as king and queen of creation, making a new life together so that life can flow through them into the future.

William and Catherine, you have chosen to be married in the sight of a generous God who so loved the world that he gave himself to us in the person of Jesus Christ.

And in the Spirit of this generous God, husband and wife are to give themselves to each another.

A spiritual life grows as love finds its centre beyond ourselves. Faithful and committed relationships offer a door into the mystery of spiritual life in which we discover this; the more we give of self, the richer we become in soul; the more we go beyond ourselves in love, the more we become our true selves and our spiritual beauty is more fully revealed. In marriage we are seeking to bring one another into fuller life.

It is of course very hard to wean ourselves away from self-centredness. And people can dream of doing such a thing but the hope should be fulfilled it is necessary a solemn decision that, whatever the difficulties, we are committed to the way of generous love.

You have both made your decision today – “I will” – and by making this new relationship, you have aligned yourselves with what we believe is the way in which life is spiritually evolving, and which will lead to a creative future for the human race.

We stand looking forward to a century which is full of promise and full of peril. Human beings are confronting the question of how to use wisely a power that has been given to us through the discoveries of the last century. We shall not be converted to the promise of the future by more knowledge, but rather by an increase of loving wisdom and reverence, for life, for the earth and for one another.

Marriage should transform, as husband and wife make one another their work of art. It is possible to transform as long as we do not harbour ambitions to reform our partner. There must be no coercion if the Spirit is to flow; each must give the other space and freedom. Chaucer, the London poet, sums it up in a pithy phrase:

“Whan maistrie [mastery] comth, the God of Love anon,

Beteth his wynges, and farewell, he is gon.”

As the reality of God has faded from so many lives in the West, there has been a corresponding inflation of expectations that personal relations alone will supply meaning and happiness in life. This is to load our partner with too great a burden. We are all incomplete: we all need the love which is secure, rather than oppressive, we need mutual forgiveness, to thrive.

As we move towards our partner in love, following the example of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit is quickened within us and can increasingly fill our lives with light. This leads to a family life which offers the best conditions in which the next generation can practise and exchange those gifts which can overcome fear and division and incubate the coming world of the Spirit, whose fruits are love and joy and peace.

I pray that all of us present and the many millions watching this ceremony and sharing in your joy today, will do everything in our power to support and uphold you in your new life. And I pray that God will bless you in the way of life that you have chosen, that way which is expressed in the prayer that you have composed together in preparation for this day:

God our Father, we thank you for our families; for the love that we share and for the joy of our marriage.

In the busyness of each day keep our eyes fixed on what is real and important in life and help us to be generous with our time and love and energy.

Strengthened by our union help us to serve and comfort those who suffer. We ask this in the Spirit of Jesus Christ. Amen.      

Royal Wedding

Kiss on the Balcony

Today was the royal wedding day of Kate Middleton and Prince William with no last name.   Even though he does not have a known last name, he is second in line to the British throne, after his father Prince Charles.  There was a ton of hype and it was on tv for about 8 hours, beginning at 2am US central time.  I did not get up to watch, I recorded.  Thank goodness for DVR's!!   And if we missed it during the day, just about every channel is doing a highlights thing tonight.

Almost every guy I know does not understand the fascination with a wedding for a couple from a country we are not part of and that we don't know personally.  All I can say is that it is a girl thing and I am a girl.  Every little girl at one time dreams of marrying a prince and wearing a fairy tale dress and today we got to live through Kate.  She is the daughter of a "commoner", a much bigger deal in England than here, an the Prince chose her.   He could have made an offer of marriage to just about anyone he wanted and he chose her.  There is something magical about that.   They started as friends and dated for like 9 years, went through a couple of breakups and at the end of the day, found their way to today.   And the cool part was that they appear to be really in love, having learned from the disastrous marriage of his parents that it takes love and friendship and respect to make a marriage.  I have high hopes for this one.  They are already millions of miles ahead of Charles and Diana.

Wow

Her dress was gorgeous and perfect for what today was about.  No bare shoulders but not the Diana disaster either.  It fit her perfectly and she was regal.  Hair down, earrings from her parents, tiara from the gram in law, the queen.  Her maid of honor was her sister, Pippa.  Her prince was in uniform, his little brother by his side.
According to the professional lip readers (!!!) while Will and Harry were at the front of the alter, Harry turned when Kate was almost there and whispered to his brother "Wait til you see her".    And then when Will did see her he whispered "You look beautiful", words every bride wants to hear from her groom.  And then he joked to his future father in law something like "I thought we were going to have a small family affair".  There were plenty of smiles during the hour long service with lots of stuffy clergyman and one really cool named the Right Rev Richard Chartres who knew them and spoke from his heart.  And of course, a ton of really boring music.  But finally we got to see them leave in a horse drawn carriage, a surprise ride in Prince Charles' vintage Aston Martin with Prince William driving and Kate in the passenger seat of the 2 seater car.  There were balloons and a "just wed" sign on the back, probably the work of Prince Harry.    It was quite amusing on the dvr when they came driving out of Buckingham Palace grounds...no one appeared to know a thing about it!!   And most special, 2 kisses on the balcony.

I think the stuffy British monarchy got a big shot in the arm today, full of promise and hope.   A nice wedding overall.    And I was just watching on tv!!

It's Jackie Robinson Day

A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives.
Jackie Robinson


Today is the 64th anniversary of the day Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier to play in Major League Baseball.  In 1997, MLB retired his number league wide. The number 42 It will never again be issued to another player.  Today, only Mariano Rivera wears the number and that is because he wore it before the retirement date.

Every player on all teams today wore the number 42 in his honor.   Its a pretty cool thing to do.

42

Budget Crisis

Everyone except Donald Trump appears to be in one.  I paid $3.62 a gallon for gasoline, a cool $50 out of my pocket.  Groceries are going up.  Insurance premiums are going up.  There is talk of big cuts at school.  I think I'm safe but I have no senority so....

Last week our esteemed congress got into a pissing contest between Republicans and Democrats and almost got to a point where they were going to let the government shut down.  To the point where our military would not be paid after about a week.  Are they friggin kidding me?  How about we pay the military and not pay them?   What planet do these morons live on?  They did pass a temporary stopgap deal and our government is still in business for now.

Today our Prez had some info for us on how big the deficit is and about us borrowing money from China.  He spoke of cuts in transportation, education and fostered fears of cuts in medicare, medicaid and social security.  I did not necessarily get his solution although, best I can tell, it has something to do with change.

I have a couple of budget suggestions.  No one will listen but what the heck.

1.  People have to work for welfare.   I know there are disabled people who need a hand and there are times when others need a hand too.  But most are taking handouts and they need to be given only a hand up.   It worked for FDR and can work now.  Cut the transportation?     Why?  Need a pothole fixed?  Bridge rebuilt?  We are already paying able bodied people.  We need to just give the able bodied person the location so they can go out and earn that check.

2.  Instead of even thinking ever again about not paying our military,  how about we bring our troops home?   I understand the 9/11 argument but we are going to have to figure out that we can no longer be every savior in every situation.    If the people in the middle east want to blow each other off the planet, why are we trying to stop them?    Our troops are spread too thin.  I want them home.  I want to feel safe in our country and I want the money we spend over there used over here for minor things like education and most of all I want our troops home, out of harm's way.

Given a little more thinking, I think I could come up with more.   Just waiting for the call asking my opinion.

My friends Linda & Michael

Linda & Michael Harvey

I used to work with Linda.  She fell in love with Michael in high school.  I have always joked that I never could see how he ever even got up the nerve to approach her over because he is so quiet and shy and she is so outgoing.  She always said she just saw what she wanted and went for it.  I really, really like this picture!!

Linda Lael Miller and my Nook

I have discovered a new author but I'm not sure I'll continue reading her books.  I was attracted to her books because a customer from Walgreens recommended her and I found a 3 book series in NookBooks called "The Creeds of Montana" and it told of 3 brothers separated by anger who trickled home to find peace in their lives.  The first was pretty good, the second was pretty good but the third was different.  I enjoyed the story on all 3 but there was a huge difference in book 3.   While books 1 and 2 were somewhat graphic in the "sex" scenes, book 3 was downright raunchy.  I don't necessarily consider myself a prude but book 3 was..well..practically porn!!  I managed to skip forward to get back to story and did finish the book but am now debating whether to keep reading the author or not.   I'm pretty certain if I do, I'll be visiting the library.

And while on the subject of Nook....I like it a lot but what is the point if the price of the Ebook is the same as the paperback?   Seriously, there is no savings from paper alone?

George Strait

Still looking good

We went to see George Strait at the USA on March 26, 2011 and we had a great time.  Thanks to my friend Annie for sharing these pictures...hers were MUCH better than mine.  Jumbotron was about all I could get.

He's still got it.   Big Time.

Looking real good here too!!

Bradley Cooper

Just watched him on 'Inside the Actor's Studio' and don't like him much.  Loves the F word and is dating lemon puss Renee Zelweiger.  Don't think I'd like to meet him.


Oddly, after I wrote above, I went to see CNN and found that the F monster and the lemon puss have split.  They are termed "one of Hollywood's most glamorous couples"...hmmm.   I actually don't think that Renee is a bad actress but she looks like she eats lemons all of the time.

Albuquerque

Went on Sunday to Albuquerque with Judy and Dale for a little R&R and some gambling.  Judy (and now me!!) has a friend named Cecil who lives there and Cecil's partner Mike works for the Casino chain and Mike got us an amazing deal at the Sandia Resort, a gorgeous hotel:

Sandia Resort & Casino

My room had a fantastic view of the mountain.  This is what the room looked like:

The Room was beautiful

We played in the casino at the hotel and also at Mike's casino.  We shared a couple of meals with new friends and I got to spend more time with great friends Judy & Dale.  No one came home rich in money but we are all rich in what counts: New friends and old, the ability to laugh and relax and the blessings beyond comprehension.

I'm so ready for spring!!!

I made a new banner...kinda springy....ice melted, water flowing, trees turning green.   It won't be too much longer.  Right?????

To quote Don Henley...ok, paraphrase Don Henley...

My prison is walking through this world all alone.

Blog on ipad

I think I can blog from here. Now we'll see if it works.

Aunt Allene & Uncle Harold

First I need to say that my family was not much for pictures.  I think in older days it was expensive and time consuming to get film developed.  We all had school pictures every year and one set of professional pics when I was a baby but most others were hit and miss or later in our lives.  I have a nice digital camera and a nice film camera but still don't do a lot of pictures.   I take more of things than people even now.   That being said, the pictures of my aunts and uncles and grandparents are rare.

Here is a picture though of Aunt Allene & Uncle Harold:

Aunt Allene & Uncle Harold at their house in Colorado

Aunt Allene is my daddy's youngest sister.  She was born about 1923 and was a baby when their daddy died in 1924.   She was one of those tall, pretty McCombs girls, skinny as a rail.  She married Uncle Harold in about 1946 or 1947 I think.  They never had any kids.  Uncle Harold was a cowboy and for some reason, they left Texas and moved to a ranch near Alamosa, CO and lived there all of the time I was growing up.  When we lived in Arizona, they would come every summer and spend a couple of weeks with us and it was a time we all looked forward to.  Mom because Aunt Allene was probably her best friend.  They would can and cook and walk and laugh.   Daddy was daddy.  Whatever was good with him.  He & Uncle H hung out but they were guys.  And every night we'd play cards.  They had taught Cathy and Jo and they taught me and they taught Steve.   And I remember once in AZ I'd made Uncle H a birthday cake with green icing and the correct number of candles.  It was a burning, green porcupine.  And he gushed over it.    Later when we moved to Texas they just rerouted.   With all great props to all of my other aunts & uncles, these 2 were my all time favorites.

Uncle Harold played the guitar and played with a band in the 30's & 40's and played a little with Bob Wills.   Not touring or anything, but jamming.  When he died I got his guitar.  Here it is:

Uncle Harold's Guitar

Yesterday, I took it a show by the International Vintage Guitar Collectors Association and they were buying old guitars but if you did not want to sell, they would tell you what it was worth.  I would never, never sell it but wanted to know something about it.  It is a Harmony L1917, sold by Sears Roebuck between 1946 & 1959 and was relatively inexpensive.  They told me it was worth $125 now and the guy said it was a "wall hanger" that you hung up next to a picture of whoever played it and enjoyed the memories.   Mine will be a "floor sitter" but the idea is solid.   I think it is a beautiful guitar and I will cherish it forever.

Aunt Allene died my freshman year of college, in 1975.   Uncle Harold had always had health problems and died a couple of years earlier.  Because their house was part of his job, she had to leave her home.  She ended up coming to Spur and buying the house Uncle Raymond and Granny lived in and moved in with them.  Even though she had my mom and hers and her brother, it is my belief to this day that she did not want to live without Uncle Harold and she died of a broken heart.

  I loved them both dearly and miss them even now.

On the Town

'On the Town' was a movie musical old school, released in December 1949.  It followed 3 sailors--Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra & Jules Munshin on shore leave in New York for 24 hours.  They want to meet as many girls and see as many sights as they can.  Gabey (Gene Kelly) sees a picture of 'Miss Turnstiles' Ivy Smith(Vera-Ellen) and follows clues on the poster as to where to find her, thinking she is a big celebrity.  He is helped by a 'lady taxi driver' Brunehilde Esterhazy, played by Betty Garrett and a girl they meet at the museum, Clare, played by dancer Ann Miller.  In their search for Ivy, they sing and dance their way through New York City.  It's an amazing musical if you are a musical fan and I certainly am.

Alice Pearce played Brunehilde's roommate Lucy Schmeeler, a great character name.  She would later be remembered as playing the first Alice Kravitz on 'Bewitched'.  She died in her 2nd season on 'Bewitched' at age 48 of ovarian cancer.

Today, Betty Garrett died.  She was the last member of the cast and she was 91.  It is amazing to me that an entire cast of a movie can be gone.  Unless someone finds 'On the Town' or watches 'All in the Family' where Betty Garrett played a neighbor, an entire generation will never know her talent because she will never appear on screen in anything new ever again.

A sad side note, Vera-Ellen was a dancer who appeared in several movies over a 12 year period and was said to have been severly anorexic to keep her small frame.  In this movie and later in 'White Christmas' she wears high necked dresses, reportedly to cover a wrinkles on her neck, a side effect of poor nutrition.  She also lost her only child to SIDS and developed arthritis at an early age.  She died in obscurity at age 60 in 1981.

Rest in peace, cast.  Thanks for entertaining me.

The Wizard of Oz

When I was a little girl, once a year, on a Sunday night, Danny Kaye would come on NBC and introduce 'The Wizrard of Oz' .  The next thing we knew, Dorothy was singing 'Over the Rainbow' and mean Miss Gulch was taking Toto to the sheriff and the house was flying through the air.  Then a fact that I never knew until I was grown up is that once Dorothy got over the rainbow, the movie became a color movie instead of black and white.  That was probably because we only had a black and white tv til I was grown up.

As a little girl  with a boy's name, I was teased and, at the time, did not like my name so much.  I did eventually outgrow the hate.   One thing that made me feel better about my name is that Glinda, the Good Witch of the North was played by Billie Burke and she was gorgeous.  That Sunday night was a night where it was ok to be a Billie.

And was I the only person who was scared of the flying monkeys?   They always looked very mean.

And I always wanted shiny red shoes.

Can you guess that it was on tv tonight?

Million Dollar Listing

Just when I think Bravo TV can't get any better, I discover another new show.  This one follows 3 LA realtors as they compete and sell the big houses.

Madison.    The most likeable of the 3.  He's in  love with Lauren, the one that got away but he dates guys mostly now.  He thinks if Lauren was available, he'd be straight.    He's clean and looks great and he's the one I'd do business with.










This one is Josh.  He's 21 and lives at home with his parents and has a strangely close relationship with his grandmother who dresses like Yetta on 'The Nanny'.    On the first show I saw, he was kind of offended that she is leaving her vast fortune to charity and not to him.  But when he wants to get away, he and gram go to NY.   He needs a shower, a razor, a wardrobe and some manners.  Would not be doing business with this one, as entertaining as he is.   He gets 2 pictures because...well...one of his clients was a little offended about the way he dressed to discuss an offer.  And Josh could not figure out why.

In negotiations

What's wrong with the way I'm dressed?

And last, but not least....

Chad.   This person is 33 years old.  He pays $600 every 4 weeks for this haircut.  And when he gets stressed, he goes shopping for tennis shoes.   His mommy makes red velvet cakes for his clients.  He has a girlfriend named Victoria who deserves an Emmy for keeping a straight face.  He is a neat freak, keeps everything in baggies and keeps wanting Victoria to move in with him.  She is almost out of excuses so she may not be on next season.    He and Josh have a running feud.


How Bravo finds these people is a mystery.  It's not a good show but yet another example of how I have to watch a train wreck, even if it is disguised as a TV show.

Ok, sometimes God just hits you in the head.

I get a daily devotional everyday from my friend Connie, who happens to be my next door neighbor Kim's mom.   So I guess Connie is my neighbor-in-law.    She had found this and forwarded it on and boy oh boy does it fit!!   It is amazing how God answers prayers from all that have been praying about my move decision (including me!!).   Wow is all I can say.

Thank you Connie for being in my life.

A blind boy sat on the steps of a building with a hat by his feet.  He held up a sign which said: "I am blind, please help."  There were only a few coins in the hat. 

A man was walking by. He took a few coins from his pocket and dropped them into the hat. He then took the sign, turned it around, and wrote some words.

He put the sign back so that everyone who walked by would see the new words. 

Soon the hat began to fill up.  A lot more people were giving money to the blind boy. 
That afternoon the man who had changed the sign came to see how things were.  The boy recognized his footsteps and asked, "Were you the one who changed my sign this morning?  What did you write?" 

The man said, "I only wrote the truth. I said what you said but in a different way." I wrote: "Today is a beautiful day but I cannot see it." 

Both signs told people that the boy was blind. But the first sign simply said the boy was blind. The second sign told people that they were so lucky that they were not blind. Should we be surprised that the second sign was more effective? 


Moral of the Story:  Be thankful for what you have.  Be creative. Be innovative. Think differently and positively. When life gives you a 100 reasons to cry, show life that you have 1000 reasons to smile.


Face your past without regret.  Handle your present with confidence.  Prepare for the future without fear.  Keep the faith and drop the fear.  And remember: God IS in control!