Living Consciously

Another "Old" Joke

2012-01-29T14:25:00.000-07:00

I almost never remember jokes and I saw this one a week or so ago and it has stayed in my head. Maybe sharing it here will get it out of my head.

Mary, an older woman, calls her neighbor, Paul, and says "Please come over here and help me. I have a killer jigsaw puzzle and I can't even figure out how to get it started. I always start with the edges and that is just now working with this one."

Paul asks, "What is the picture supposed to be when it is finished?"

"Well," says Mary, "according to the picture on the box it is a tiger."

Thinking that can't be too hard Paul agrees to go over and help Mary.

When Paul gets there Mary takes him in and shows him the puzzle spread all over the table.

Paul looks at the pieces spread on the table and he looks at the box. He turns to Mary and says with a sigh"I don't think there is any way we will ever get these pieces assembled into anything that looks like a tiger. Lets just sit down and have a nice cup of tea and see if we can get all of these pieces back into the box."

I'm old enough to know that getting older is best faced with a little sense of humor and I'm glad to (hopefully) get this "old" joke out of my head.

What Would You Do?

2012-01-23T20:25:00.000-07:00

Image from Google Images

I have never watched the TV show What Would You Do? but I have seen enough clips from it on other shows to think that it is a show that I would not want to watch. They create scenes of people committing some kind of outrageous misbehavior or treating another person with some kind of horrible injustice and they film the reactions of the people that witness these scenes. I'm sure it is a good thing to see when people step in to try to stop whatever is happening but there is something about the scenes they create that kind of makes my stomach clinch and makes me so uncomfortable that I would not be entertained by the show.

I don't know why the show makes me so uncomfortable. Maybe because there is enough bad stuff that goes on that I don't see the point of artificially creating a bad situation for people to witness. Maybe I just don't like to see bad behavior.

It does make me think of a time when I did step in when I saw something that made me very uncomfortable. A lady was coming out of the bank across the hall from where I work with her two small children, maybe 2 and 4 years old or so. She was screaming at them as she drug one out by the arm and shoved the other one along with her knee. I watched her as she went to her car and continued screaming at them and shoving them. I got up and went out to the car and asked her if she was okay and if there was anything I could do to help. I told her she seemed extremely upset and could maybe use a little break. She stopped screaming and said she was fine and finished getting the kids in the car and left.

A couple of hours later my office phone rang and it was the woman with the kids. She had made the effort to find the number for my office and said she just wanted to call and say thank you. She said that I had made her realize how badly she was behaving and that she appreciated that I had come out and spoken to her. She apologized to me and said she had apologized to her children.

I think I got lucky with that one.....I could have just as easily gotten run over.

Are you likely to step in and say something if you see someone

behaving horribly toward another person?

I Haven't Been A Very Good Stage Grandmom Lately

2012-01-20T18:08:00.001-07:00

I confessed about a year ago to being a stage grandmom. My oldest granddaughter, Hope, who is 9, has been participating in a theater group since she was 6 or so and as a frustrated performer myself I love seeing her perform. Since she played Annie in the musical Annie in February and March last year I haven't done a very good job of reporting about her performances here as any good stage grandmom should.

At Christmas she played an elf and The Queen of Hearts in Babes in Toyland.

Her cousin Averi was also in the play and their

great-grandmother Molly got to come from Omaha to see them both perform.

Last summer she played a Sea Witch in Hans Christian Anderson.

Photos from Peanutbutterplayers.com

She also played a maid in Hans Christian Anderson.

She is currently in rehearsal for Once Upon A Rainbow.

She will be playing "the obnoxious sister."

Her director promised her that it wasn't type casting.

I don't know how long Hope will want to keep doing this but for now she loves it. It is a great outlet for her exuberant personality and I am having lots of fun playing the part of the stage grandmom.

Before and After

2012-01-16T15:27:00.000-07:00

My youngest daughter, Joanna, and her mother-in-law, Terry, ran a half-marathon in Phoenix on Sunday. I wasn't at all surprised that they did great, both finishing in under 2 1/2 hours. I was surprised at the before and after pictures. After the race they looked like they had just finished a walk in the park instead of a 13.1 mile run.

Before

After

They had planned to run a race in Denver in October but Joanna ended up with a fracture in her foot a few weeks before the race. She was very disappointed and not too happy to be wearing an orthopedic boot instead of her running shoes. Her husband Brandon's dad came to the rescue and for Christmas gave them the trip to Phoenix for the race on Sunday, so they got to have a short, well-deserved girl's get-away and got to run their race.

I think I looked more worn out after tracking them online than they did after finishing the race.

Way to go Joanna and Terry.

Luckily No One Was Hurt

2012-01-11T19:44:00.001-07:00

Early this morning a predicted 1-3 inches of snow was falling lightly as I was on my way to work...a little slick but no real problem. An hour or so after I got to work the light snow turned into a heavy snow. We heard a loud bang outside and looked out to see a very big Coca Cola delivery truck jack-knifed across the median, and another car up on the sidewalk, apparently in a successful attempt to avoid being hit by the truck.

This isn't the truck, but it looked about like this, leaning slightly and spanning all four lanes of the road.

Several amazing things happened. The first is that no one was hurt. The second is that before we could grab our coats and run out the door to help so many people had stopped and jumped out of their cars to offer aid that there was nothing more we could have done. The third is that as we watched out the window we saw the truck driver and the women who had been driving the car that went off the road walking around holding hands.

A couple of hours and a big traffic jam later the truck and the car had both been towed away and I was still thinking about all the people who had stopped to offer help and about the two people who had joined hands in relief instead of screaming at each other in anger.

It's A Good Thing

2012-01-08T17:49:00.000-07:00

It's a good thing I didn't make a new year's resolution to blog more often. If I had I would have already failed at keeping that resolution. Between going back to work after the holidays and family activities the first week of the new year has sort of flown by.

Most of the family activity involved celebrating the birthday of one of my granddaughters. EJ turned 4 on Wednesday but we started the festivities on Sunday with a family get-together which included cake and ice cream for EJ's birthday.

On the day of her birthday it was out to dinner at her favorite Mexican restaurant. She wasn't quite sure what to think of the giant balloon cupcake hat the balloon guy made for her.

On Friday she had a birthday party with her friends.

Her sister Hope and her cousin Anna were glad to help her celebrate again.

Her mom Joanna made a very cute pony cake.

Even with a little help with the gift opening it was all a little overwhelming.

For a girl with a birthday just a few days after Christmas I'd say she got well celebrated.

The other resolution it is good that I didn't make is to not do too many posts about family activities. That is another one that would have been broken quickly. The reality is that when I started a blog I started it as a way to help myself record and remember the events and activities in my life and a great deal of what I do and what is important to me involves family. It has become much more than that due to the wonderful and interesting people I have gotten to know through blogging and the friends I have made, but chances are that the family focus here won't change much.

On The Road

2012-01-03T20:12:00.000-07:00

There is a lot to look forward to in 2012. At the top of the list for me is that this year will have me on the road to retirement. As of July I will quit working full time. I have a hard time thinking of myself as "retired" but the idea of no longer working full time has a lot of appeal for me. I will have the opportunity to work, doing the same job, on a part time basis, when and where I choose, so I will probably do that at least for a while.

As with most any big change in our lives, I have some mixed feelings about this change. I know that I can fill my time but I feel a little challenged about how I will fill it in a productive way. I'm not an artist or a gardener and any attempt I have made at doing crafts has been mostly a disaster. I do have 7 grandchildren and spending more time with them and being able to share more in their lives is one of the things I am really looking forward to.

I guess I'll just try to look toward it in the best way I know how....with a little humor.

Retirement is wonderful. It's doing nothing without worrying about getting caught at it.

The money's no better in retirement but the hours are.

I enjoy waking up and not having to go to work. So I do it three or four times a day.

The trouble with retirement is that you never get a day off.

Now I need to go start looking for some hobbies.

Friday Fragments/Freewheeling Friday

2011-12-30T09:46:00.000-07:00

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It was back to work for me after the Christmas weekend and I am very much looking forward to another three day weekend. I have managed to get all of my Christmas decorations put away except for the few stragglers that always seem to show up. It is always fun to decorate the house for Christmas, but there is also a good feeling when I get it put away for another year.

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My 15 month old grandson, Beck, who was so smiley on Christmas was not so happy a couple of days later. He was with his family visiting Brandon's mom in Austin and ended up in the emergency room on Wednesday night with breathing problems. He got very good treatment and is feeling much better now. He did well with the breathing treatments they gave him but he really didn't like the hospital bracelet on his arm.....he kept pulling on it, saying "off." I am so thankful that he is better and they will be coming home from Texas today.

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The foot of snow we got a few days before Christmas is melting pretty fast now, but it was pretty treacherous to take Dodger out walking for a few days. Sidewalks were mostly shoveled, but there were some here and there that weren't.

The streets were plowed but still very icy in places.

Here is what saved me-Yaktrax. The are traction cleats that fit over the bottom of your shows or boots. I had gotten them last year for Christmas and used them a few times, but we didn't have much snow last year. They have been a life saver this year. I would highly recommend Yaktrax if you live somewhere that gets a lot of snow and ice.

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Now it is on to the new year with a family get-together for football and black-eyed peas on Sunday.

Go Broncos

I wish everyone a happy, healthy, good, rewarding, prosperous and adventurous New Year.

New-Fangled Gadgets and Old-Fashioned Fun

2011-12-26T20:16:00.000-07:00

My three oldest grandkids each got an iPod Touch and one of my daughters got an iPad for Christmas, so we had sort of a techie Christmas.

Along with all the techie stuff we had lots of old-fashioned Christmas fun, including new pajamas for all the kids on Christmas Eve, Christmas brunch and presents for everyone.

Through it all Beck kept flashing his new "smile for the camera" smile every time he saw me with my camera.

I have been absolutely lazy today and I have loved every minute of it. I hope everyone is getting rested after enjoying a very Merry Christmas.

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas

2011-12-22T20:27:00.000-07:00

When Dodger and I took a walk last night there was a beautiful, light snow falling.

This morning on my way to work I saw a lot of this,

and this,

and this.

By tonight there were beautiful Christmas trees decorated by nature,

and it was a little tougher to make our way around as we walked.

About 12 inches of new snow made it a pretty harsh day but there is no doubt that-

It is beginning to look a lot like Christmas.

Someone Is Not Very Merry This Christmas

2011-12-18T19:02:00.000-07:00

Image from Google Images

My daughter, Joanna, and her family moved to a new house last summer. Someone from out of town inadvertently sent some Christmas gifts for the kids to the old address. Joanna e-mailed the property manager of their old house and asked her to give the current resident her phone number and to ask if she would please call if packages came for them and she would come pick them up. This is the e-mailed response of the current resident at their old address.

I have an issue with this. They can process a change of address with the U.S. Postal service. I have better things to do than coordinate their mail. All first class mail has been returned to sender. This is how we managed our former address.

Joanna was a little, um, surprised by this response but she responded gracefully to the woman who refused to make a phone call.

I understand your frustration. We registered our change of address with the USPS effective when we moved, and while most things have been forwarded, some things (especially packages) slip through the cracks and end up being delivered to the old address. I was hoping that any packages that may have been sent to the wrong address would be able to get to my kids by Christmas. I respect your decision and we will hope that the postal service is able to get everything forwarded.

I hope you and your family have a blessed holiday season!

I also hope the woman can find a little Merry in her Christmas. Somehow her response made me want to to out and do something nice for someone.

Friday Fragments/Freewheeling Friday

2011-12-16T06:45:00.000-07:00

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I don't have a lot of news (well, not any really) to catch up on, unless going to work, going to kid's school programs and plays and trying to get ready for Christmas is news. They are all good things and it has been a good and busy week. Here is a little of what has been bouncing around in my head during the week's activities.

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It seems like I send fewer Christmas cards every year, which means that I will probably start getting fewer every year. I can remember my parents sending hundreds of Christmas cards each year. I do like getting cards from friends and family and I even like the Christmas letters that people send, though I have never written one myself. I especially like the cards with family pictures that so many people send these days. If I failed to get a card to you this year, oops and Merry Christmas.

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I borrowed this conversation between my daughter, Joanna, and her 3 year old daughter, EJ, from Joanna's Facebook page.

EJ : Mom, everyone is a grandkid to God, but I don't know who could be his wife. (Pause, deep thinking)

Mary, I guess.

Joanna: I thought Mary was Joseph's wife.

EJ: Oh yeah, if Mary was God's wife, that would be a bummer for Joseph.

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I think I have posted this before, maybe just last year, but I really like the "sentiment" that a friend sent to me in a Christmas card. I couldn't agree more about now.

Christmas comes but once a year

And when it comes it brings good cheer

The reason that it brings good cheer

Is that it comes but once a year.

Suppose it happened once a week.

I'd be too tired to write or speak.

But struggling with it one time yearly

I've still got strength to say sincerely

Merry Christmas

Football, Football and Finally the Christmas Tree

2011-12-12T08:43:00.001-07:00

All my kids and grandkids came over Sunday to decorate my Christmas tree, but first on everyone's minds was the Broncos game.

They weren't a very happy crowd near the end of the 4th quarter when the Broncos were down 10-0.

Another unbelievable overtime win by the Broncos, 13-10, certainly raised the "cheer" level in the room.

The little girls kept their distance from the football chaos with their own game in another room.

The tree finally got decorated. Some of the kids have gotten tall enough that a few ornaments now make it to the top half of the tree.

The group picture......never perfect but always fun.

The tree decorating is one of my favorite family events of the season, even though now that the tree is up I am reminded of everything else I need to get done before Christmas.

Do You Believe In Santa Claus?

2011-12-09T08:47:00.001-07:00

Image from Google Images

My 9 year old granddaughter, Hope, has probably had questions for a couple of years but she finally asked her mom the question this year...."Is Santa Claus really you?"

This is how my daughter, Joanna, answered. Much of it came from a letter she found on the internet, origin unknown, and some she added herself. I have edited it some for length. I like the spirit of this response to Hope's question.

I bet you have wanted to know for a long if I am really Santa. The answer is no. I am not Santa. There is no one Santa. I am the one who fills your stocking and leaves presents under the tree. I do it for you the same way my mom did for me, and the same way her mom did for her. (Daddys help, too). I imagine you will do it for your own children some day, and I know you will love seeing them run down the stairs on Christmas morning. You will love seeing them sitting by the tree with their small faces lit with Christmas lights.

This won't make you Santa, though. Santa is bigger than any person, and his work has gone on longer than any of us has lived. What he does is simple, but it is powerful. He teaches children how to believe in something they can't see or touch. It's a big job, and it's an important one. Throughout your life you will need this capacity to believe: in yourself, in your friends, in your talents, in your family and, most importantly, in God. You'll also need to believe in things you can't measure or even hold in your hand.

Santa is a teacher, and I have been his student and now you know the secret of how he gets down all those chimneys on Christmas Eve.: he has help from all the people whose hearts he has filled with joy.

With hearts full of love, people like Daddy and me take our turns helping Santa do a job that would otherwise be impossible.

So, no, I am not Santa. Santa is love and magic and hope and happiness. I am on his team, and now you are too.

Men.....Sheesh!

2011-12-05T18:52:00.000-07:00

The other day Doc asked me if we could turn the heat up a little because it was really cold in his office. One thing Doc never does is say anything about the temperature in the house. Another thing he never does, according to his own set of rules, is touch the thermostat in a house where a woman lives.

I, who am always willing to adjust the thermostat according to my own comfort level, said sure and turned it up a couple of degrees. Before long the rest of the house was getting very hot, but Doc said his office was feeling fine now.

Hmm? A wee bit of investigation on my part revealed that the window in Doc's office was open an inch or two and the heating vent in the room was closed. This is from a man who, as I have said before, is something of a home maintenance freak. I guess it is easier to decide the house needs a coat of paint or all the windows need to be replaced than it is to check for an open window in a cold room.

Men! Sheesh.

Window closed, vent open, problem solved.

It is 7 degrees right now with lows tonight below zero. I will be exercising my thermostat skills.

Friday Fragments/Freewheeling Friday

2011-12-02T08:43:00.001-07:00

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It has been a good week in many ways and a not so good one in others. Almost every night I have started (or at least thought about starting) a blog post, but never quite followed through with it, so I am (again) combining all my little thoughts in a Friday Fragments/Freewheeling Friday post.

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One of the things that has kept me from posting has been reading lots of other people's posts showing all the beautiful Christmas decorating they are doing in their homes. So far, I have done no decorating so as much as I like seeing what beautiful things other people have done it makes me feel a little deficient. I will probably do some decorating this weekend and my grandkids will come to decorate my tree on the 11th. The kids decorating my tree is one of my favorite family activities of the season.

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I recently showed a picture of my grandkids drawing names for Christmas gift giving this year. I think it is going to turn out to be a really good plan. They all seem very invested in getting just the right thing for the cousin who's name they drew. Eight year old Justin has already selected and wrapped the gift he chose for 1 year old Beck and placed it in the spot where their Christmas tree will be. I would love to hear the conversation between 3 year old EJ who is going to call her 7 year old cousin, Wil, to find out what would be the perfect gift for him.

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My good friend Carolyn found out this week that she has thyroid cancer and lung cancer. They were both discovered during a routine doctor visit for something else entirely. I am in awe of the courage and strength she is showing in the face of this diagnosis. I can only pray for her full recovery and that I can be of help to her in some way.

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Wouldn't it be interesting if Herman Cain's wife had a blog?

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Two women were having afternoon tea in a fancy restaurant. One of them looked across the room and said look at those two old women over there....that will be us in 10 years. You *&a;*#@, her friend responded, that's a mirror.

Grandmom's House Got Talent

2011-11-25T18:58:00.000-07:00

Is anybody out there or is everyone still out shopping? I did not go shopping today, except for a quick trip to Starbucks for a vanilla latte.....even Starbucks was a little too crowded today for me.

Our Thanksgiving was very good and everyone had fun with our Turkey Fiesta theme. I didn't do a very good job of taking pictures. I was probably too busy eating. Here are a few of pictures I did get.

Anna and EJ made quick work of licking the beaters after the whipped cream was done,

just in time to have a little more whipped cream on their pie.

Beck thought a little pie was a pretty good idea also.

All the cousins drawing names for exchanging Christmas gifts. There are just too many kids these days for everyone to buy gifts for everyone.

After the pies were pretty well taken care of all the kids went to the basement to create their own reality show, Grandmom's House Got Talent. They had everything from singing to magic tricks to juggling.

The two little girls had an act called "Jump" which I think was just that.....the two of them jumping. Fortunately, even full of sugar from all the pie eating, they were generous in judging one another's displays of "talent".

The pumpkin flan my sister-in-law made was wonderful.

Which reminds me there is some leftover flan in the refrigerator. I may have to go have just a tiny taste. Leftovers are the best!

Turkey Shoot and I'm Finally Getting My Ole' On

2011-11-21T19:37:00.000-07:00

I did get some some shopping and chores done over the weekend in preparation for our "Fiesta Thanksgiving" coming up on Thursday, but I have to admit I didn't do it all with a lot of enthusiasm or excitement. Some Facebook chatter today between some of those who will be here and are excited and looking forward to the planned non-traditional feast got me charged up and excited myself. I can't wait for the carpet cleaners to come and go tomorrow so I can start getting the tables ready and then begin the food preparation on Wednesday. I am especially looking forward to the pumpkin flan that my sister-in-law is planning to bring. Ole'!

Just in case I still have a craving for some traditional Thanksgiving fare after the holiday I'll need to get in touch with my 6 year old grandson, Wil. He won a turkey in a basketball "Turkey Shoot" at the rec center by scoring the most goals for his age group. He was a very proud "Turkey Shoot" winner.

I know I have posted the picture below before, but it is one I always have in my head as Thanksgiving approaches. It is the last picture I have of my dad, taken a year or two before he died on the night before Thanksgiving in 1965. I don't hold it as a sad memory but one that represents many happy family holidays. My dad loved sitting at the head of the table for large family holiday gatherings.

I hope everyone who celebrates the Thanksgiving holiday will have a warm and wonderful day with family and friends.

Noah's Ark

2011-11-15T17:45:00.000-07:00

Image from Bing Images

I stayed with EJ, one of my 3 year old granddaughters, for a couple of hours on Sunday afternoon. We spent part of the time I was there playing Noah's Ark on her mom and dad's bed. It was fun and I was reminded that the world of imagination is a pretty good place to spend some time.

I was Noah and EJ was Mrs. Noah. The animals were from her huge collection of stuffed animals. They didn't come in pairs, but we pretended there were 2 of each of them. Mrs. Noah fell in the water a couple of times, but she almost never got wet. If she did get wet all it took was one quick swipe with a pretend towel and she was totally dry. Mrs. Noah cooked and served 3 delicious (and nutritious) meals a day for us and the animals with nothing but a quick flick of her wrist. There never seemed to be any cleaning up to do. We woke up refreshed and ready for each new day after only 30 seconds of shutting our eyes and snoring a little. When one of the animals got sick a quick dose of imaginary medicine resulted in a total cure.

Later we made some cookies. We used cookie cutters to make cats and hearts. Due to a real world flaw in the cookie dough the cats and hearts turned into big blobs when the cookies baked, but somehow they still looked like cats and hearts to EJ and she thought they were the best cats and hearts ever.

I need to remember to step out of the real world and into the world of imagination more often. It is really a good place to spend some time.

Friday Fragments/Freewheeling Friday

2011-11-11T07:04:00.000-07:00

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Sometimes the weeks just go by way to fast. I am glad the weekend is here but I was sort of surprised to look up this morning and realize that it is Friday again. I have spent the week sort of buried at work and letting it stress me way to much. Yes, I am working on that.

This week is the two year anniversary of our dog, Dodger, coming to live with us. He came to us from a shelter as a one year old stray. Despite his sketchy first year, which he doesn't talk much about, he has turned out to be a wonderful dog for us. He is Doc's constant companion and has introduced Doc to things he would have never known about like dog parks and doggy day care. He keeps us moving and he keeps us laughing.

Dodger, looking his best after just being groomed. It takes him about an hour to get back to looking like his normal scruffy self again.

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I was also a little surprised to look up and realize that Thanksgiving will be here in less than two weeks. I will have about 20 people here for Thanksgiving dinner and 8 more for dessert so I'd better start giving it some thought. My youngest daughter has given it enough thought to decide that we are going to have a non-traditional Thanksgiving meal. We will be having a Mexican food feast instead of Turkey. I was a little "hmmm?" about that idea at first, but a survey of some family and extended family said it was a great idea.

(Does that mean that no one was ever really that crazy about the whole turkey thing?). We will have some traditional Thanksgiving pies to go along with our pumpkin flan for dessert.

Feliz día de acción de gracias

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A brief conversation between my youngest daughter, Joanna, and her daughter, EJ, before they were going to come meet me at Starbucks recently:

Joanna: Do you want to get ready to go meet Grandmom at Starbucks?

EJ: Well, I like Starbucks and you know I really like Grandmom, so sure.

A great compliment from a 3 year old who sometimes these days suddenly doesn't like things that she loved 5 minutes ago.

Six Word Saturday

2011-11-05T07:37:00.000-06:00

To participate in 6WS visit Cate here

Happy 100 year anniversary to Chevrolet

When I heard earlier this week that it was the 100 year anniversary for Chevrolet I didn't think much about it. Later I started thinking about the Chevys that had come and gone in my life over the years. It has been many years since I have had a Chevrolet but the first car I owned that was all my own was a 1966 Chevy Malibu. It looked about like this and I drove it through college and beyond.

I don't remember my family having a Chevrolet when I was growing up, but my best friend in high school had a Chevrolet Corvair. The Corvair was possibly one of the most dangerous cars ever made, but my friend and I fortunately drove it through many safe and memorable high school miles.

Also in high school I briefly dated a boy who had a 1956 Corvette. I don't remember much about him, but I sure do remember his car.

In later years after I had kids I drove several Chevy station wagons. They weren't too glamorous, but they bring back good memories of my young family. I had a special talent for getting from the front seat to the very back very quickly when my kids behavior required my immediate attention.

And who can forget, at least those of us of a certain age, Dinah Shore singing See The USA in your Chevrolet, with a big kiss thrown at the end of the song.

So for my Chevrolet memories I say happy 100 year anniversary to Chevrolet.

If You Are Taller Than I Am and Talking On The Phone You Are Too Old To Trick-or-Treat

2011-11-01T18:08:00.000-06:00

Kids, costumes, candy and, of course, Jack-O-Lantern pizza.....another fun Halloween has come and gone.

We had a cheerleader (yes, that is my Grandson), a pirate, some kind of spooky guy, and Minnie and Mickey Mouse.

Who knew Mickey Mouse was also a pianist?

While we were Trick-or-Treating we ran across these things laid out on the sidewalk. I have no idea what they were for, but the kids were sure it was some kind of trap and left everything alone. They were definitely put there on purpose.

I decided the fun was over for me when the "kids" coming to the door started being taller than I am and were too busy talking on their cell phones to even bother to say Trick-or-Treat. My daughter had some kids come to her door at 10:30....she just let the dog bark at them.

I hope everyone had a safe and fun Halloween.

Six Word Saturday

2011-10-29T07:19:00.000-06:00

To participate in SWS visit Cate here

Creativity was never my strong suit

I've read several blogs lately showing the really cute and creative Halloween costumes that moms and grandmoms have made for their kids and grandkids. I love seeing all the cute ideas people come up with but it leaves me feeling a little deficient in the creative talent department and it takes me back to my first attempt at creating a Halloween costume for one of my children.

When my son was 2 I came up with this creation made out of a paper bag, some paint and a few cotton balls.

I apparently thought it was so great that I saved it for my daughter to wear 2 years later, or maybe I made a new one....I don't remember.

Yes, they have seen these pictures and yes, they have given me a hard time about the way I dressed them up.

What can I say? For a young military family in the early '70s at least the price was right.

I'm sure my creativity gene will kick in one of these days.

Reverse Psychology.....Bah Humbug!

2011-10-26T19:16:00.000-06:00

In spite of my best reverse psychology efforts the snow came.

This is what I woke up to at about 6:00 this morning. I had to take the picture with my phone because I left my camera at my daughter's last weekend.

We lost one big limb from an Aspen tree. There were lots of big limbs down around town.

Oh well, what's the problem with a little snow if you can turn it into a big snow pumpkin.

Hope and EJ

The good news is that it has stopped snowing, it will be 60 degrees by Saturday and it will all be melted.

(Oops, I hope my reverse psychology talents don't suddenly kick in)

There's A Storm A'Comin'

2011-10-25T18:07:00.000-06:00

The TV weather folks are all agog. We are supposed to get our first snow of the season, starting tonight. Right now it is just raining, but they say the snow will come later and won't stop until it has dumped 8-10 inches on us.

I know what you are thinking.....you're thinking I'm a little off my blog mojo if I'm resorting to writing about the weather. Well, there may be some truth to that, but what I'm really doing is trying a little reverse psychology. If I actually talk about the snow that they say is on it's way, maybe it won't actually won't come. I might be left looking a little silly if I write about the big storm that never happens, but that's okay. The TV weather people will be looking silly right along with me and they have been known to be wrong before.

Actually, a 10 inch snow is not such a big deal here....it takes at least a foot or more of snow to get us really excited. The weather folks and even the news folks, on the other hand, are pretty excited about this one. I guess it is because it is the first of the season and they have been waiting a while for such "exciting news".

I will come back and let you know if my reverse psychology works and the snow doesn't come. If it doesn't work and I wake up to everything covered in white, well, I guess I'll be outside shoveling snow.

Time Flies And Then You "Catch Puberty"

2011-10-23T13:19:00.000-06:00

My immediate family's "Birthday Season" comes to an end with my oldest grandson, Jared, turning 11 today. I know it is not very original, but I have to say it anyway.....Time Flies. It seems like such a short time ago that he was just a little guy and my only grandchild.

He is now the oldest of my 7 grandchildren and we have both changed over the years, but time has been a little kinder to him.

Photo by Leah Valentine

He plays baseball, basketball, is a good student and has lots of friends. He is a pretty serious kid who is way too hard on himself when he can't do something perfectly.

He says he is not looking forward to "catching puberty". (I bet he and his friends have some pretty interesting conversations about that.)

He is a little "too cool" sometimes to participate in the shenanigans of his brother and older cousins, but he is always kind and protective and playful with the little kids.

He recently "confessed" when his mom found his name scratched into a window sill. He swore he couldn't remember doing it but it must have been him since it was his name. His 8 year old brother finally 'fessed up as the culprit.

Yes, I couldn't be prouder of this boy who was the first to teach me how much fun it is to be a grandmom.

Happy Birthday Jared!

It's October Again

2011-10-15T15:20:00.000-06:00

It's October again and I don't want the month to go by without a reminder that October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. We should all, of course, do a breast self-exam every month, but if you are not up to date on having a mammogram, please get it done this month.

I have written a number of times about my best friend who died from breast cancer nine years ago. We were best friends for over 40 years and I still miss having her in my life.

My friend in 2001

These pictures were taken in 1964. My friend was having a high school graduation picture taken and I fixed her hair and went with her to the photographer. We were the same age, but she was brainy and graduating from high school a year early. For some reason I decided to have my picture taken while we were there. The best thing about the pictures is that they provided us some laughs years later about our hairstyles and the serious looks on our faces. Maybe we were just trying not to laugh at our hair.

Whatever you hair looks like today, put a smile on your face and do whatever you need to do to take care of your breast health.

The Green Thing

2011-10-11T19:12:00.000-06:00

This isn't something I wrote or even thought of myself, but when I read it recently I really liked what it had to say. I wish I knew the origin so I could attribute it properly. I have shortened it some from the original I read.

The Green Thing
In the line at the store, the cashier told an older woman that she should bring her own grocery bags because plastic bags weren't good for the environment.

The woman apologized to him and explained, "We didn't have the green thing back in my day."

The clerk responded, "That's our problem today. Your generation did not care enough to save our environment."

He was right -- our generation didn't have the green thing in its day.

We walked up stairs, because we didn't have an escalator in every store and office building. We walked to the grocery store and didn't climb into a 300-horsepower machine every time we had to go two blocks.

But she was right. We didn't have the green thing in our day.

Back then, we washed the baby's diapers because we didn't have the throw-away kind. We dried clothes on a line, not in an energy gobbling machine burning up 220 volts -- wind and solar power really did dry the clothes. Kids got hand-me-down clothes from their brothers or sisters, not always brand-new clothing. But that old lady is right; we didn't have the green thing back in our day.

Back then, we had one TV, or radio, in the house -- not a TV in every room. And the TV had a small screen the size of a handkerchief (remember them?), not a screen the size of the state of Montana .

In the kitchen, we blended and stirred by hand because we didn't have electric machines to do everything for us.
When we packaged a fragile item to send in the mail, we used a wadded up old newspaper to cushion it, not Styrofoam or plastic bubble wrap.

Back then, we didn't fire up an engine and burn gasoline just to cut the lawn. We used a push mower that ran on human power. We exercised by working so we didn't need to go to a health club to run on treadmills that operate on electricity.

But she's right; we didn't have the green thing back then.

We drank from a fountain when we were thirsty instead of using a cup or a plastic bottle every time we had a drink of water.

We refilled writing pens with ink instead of buying a new pen, and we replaced the razor blades in a razor instead of throwing away the whole razor just because the blade got dull.

But we didn't have the green thing back then.

Back then, people took the streetcar or a bus and kids rode their bikes to school or walked instead of turning their moms into a 24-hour taxi service.

We had one electrical outlet in a room, not an entire bank of sockets to power a dozen appliances. And we didn't need a computerized gadget to receive a signal beamed from satellites 2,000 miles out in space in order to find the nearest pizza joint.

But isn't it sad the current generation laments how wasteful we old folks were just because we didn't have the green thing back then?

I am not lamenting our modern conveniences and I certainly have no wish to go back in time, but I thought this was thought-provoking in terms of The Green Thing.

Now I May Never Retire....

2011-10-07T10:16:00.000-06:00

Image from Google Images

I talk a lot about retiring, but so far it is all just a lot of talk. A recent conversation between my granddaughter, Hope, who is 9, and her little sister, EJ, who is 3, may keep me on the job a lot longer.

EJ is now going to the same preschool Hope went to. Mrs. G was Hope's favorite teacher and is now also EJ's favorite. EJ said that maybe Beck, who is 1, could have Mrs. G for his teacher when it was time for him to go to preschool.

Hope: Mrs. G might not still be there when Beck goes to preschool. She might retire by then.

EJ: What does retire mean?

Hope: It means when people get older they retire. They sit at home and watch TV and get plumper while they are waiting to go to the retirement home.

Egad! I think I will be going off to work now!

Mailbox Romance

2011-10-02T16:49:00.003-06:00

I know graffiti is usually considered to not be a good thing, but in this little saga in nearby Denver I find myself cheering for the brush and the paint.

Late last year someone started a romance between these two mailboxes who already seemed to be leaning one another's way.

City officials were apparently not amused and the mail boxes were painted over.

It is, however, hard to stop true love.

City officials tried again to stifle romance with their cans of paint, but new messages appeared., including

I'm here........I'm here too

More city paint, but true love triumphs again.

Images from Google Images

I don't know how this story will end, but I am voting for Mailbox Romance.

Mattress Surfing

2011-09-30T16:48:00.001-06:00

No matter how many toys they have kids seem to have the most fun with things they devise for themselves. My grandkids have of late picked up Mattress Surfing as their favorite sport when we have family get-togethers at my youngest daughter's house. At a recent party for my youngest grandson's first birthday, all it took was an old crib mattress and a long flight of basement stairs to keep the bigger kids entertained.

My pictures aren't great.....they were going too fast. Fortunately none of my fears about broken bones, etc., came to pass.

The birthday boy, Beck, left the Mattress Surfing to the big kids.

His first ever birthday cake was plenty of fun for him.

Plane, Trains, Buses, Toilets and Lots of Sights to See

2011-09-26T20:18:00.000-06:00

My trip to London was not a long one, but it was a good one. Between trying not to get run over by traffic coming from a direction I wasn't used to, trying not to start a fire with the power converter for my hair dryer, looking for toilets and in some cases making sure I had the right change to get into the toilet, I saw lots of sights and had a great time.

After a long overnight plane ride I got to my hotel at about 8:00 in the morning. Of course, I couldn't actually get into my room until about 2:00 in the afternoon, so I left my bag and started walking.

I walked around the neighborhood my hotel was in near Paddington Station, I walked through Hyde Park which was close to the hotel and around Notting Hill.

By the time I finally got back and got into my room I was exhausted and it took me about 2 days to learn how to make the room key work in the door. It took me another day to figure out I should leave the very heavy key at the front desk instead of carrying it with me all day.

I spent the next few days riding buses, trains, taxis, and of course doing a lot of walking and seeing as much as I could see. I hit a lot of the very popular sights including, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, The Tower of London and, of course, I made a stop at Harrod's.

I, fortunately, succeeded in not getting run over. The signs in the streets saying to "Look Right" or "Look Left" were great, but I needed one saying "look behind you because someone coming around the corner is headed right for you".

I did a lot of eating on the run, but I did have afternoon tea at Harrod's one day and a traditional pub lunch at a pub near Buckingham Palace on another day.

A trip to the bathroom in the pub after lunch took me up three flights of these stairs, but at least I didn't need any money to get into it once I got to the top. I often found myself without the right change when the need to use a pay toilet arose.

I read a lot of Henry VIII history before my trip so I enjoyed a train ride and visit to Hampton Court Palace.

The hotel staff was very friendly and wanted to say "Hi" to everyone.

Oh, and even though I didn't get invited to tea at the palace I did get to visit briefly with The Queen.

She was very friendly and it was nice to visit with her and she only charged me a pound to take her picture. She was a little taller than I expected.

Friday Fragments/Freewheeling Friday

2011-09-16T06:57:00.003-06:00

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Yikes! That is about all I can say about this past week. I have been playing catch-up at work from being sick on Tuesday and I have been playing catch-up at home because, well, because I am almost never caught up at home. I am even less caught up at home than usual because I have been spending too much time trying to get a new laptop up and running.....quite a challenge for the techno-deficient.

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In the spirit of catching-up I need to catch-up with some family birthdays.

My grandson, Wil, turned six on August 23.

My daughter, Jill and my son, Rob, celebrated birthdays on September 8th and 13th. This picture is actually from a couple of years ago because we sort of missed celebrating their birthdays last year and we haven't gotten together to celebrate this year (but we will).

Here's why we missed Rob and Jill's birthdays last year....my grandson, Beck, turned 1 on September 12. There is a family party for Beck on Saturday and I am sure Rob and Jill will be celebrated also.

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My friend, Sam, dropped by my office on her Harley to visit me last week. I have ridden a Harley and it is not an easy thing to do. I"m very impressed that Sam, who is about my age, rides her bike everywhere and is strong enough to keep it upright.

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I, sadly, have not yet heard from the Queen about coming to tea, but I'm still leaving for London this weekend. I'll be gone for about a week. If I get my new laptop to cooperate I'm sure I'll be checking in on blogs when I can.

If anyone has any tips about gate-crashing at Buckingham Palace, please let me know.

Class Reunions

2011-09-11T19:25:00.000-06:00

I have never attended a class reunion of any kind and I have never thought too much about it. A recent post by

Nancy at Blissed-Out Grandma about attending her class reunion made me regret that I had never been to one and made me determined to find out about and go to the next one.

After reading Nancy's post I did an internet search and found numerous sites dedicated to my graduating class showing pictures of past reunions, a list of the entire class with information about those who had submitted it, old yearbook pictures and other memories from our high school years.

Since I started looking and thinking about it I have been sort of obsessed with reading all of the information and going through the hundreds of pictures, both the old ones and the ones of the most recent reunion held in 2010. Since my classmates are all now around 64 years old, the recent pictures showed a group of people both the same and very different from the ones I last saw in 1965. It made me feel both old and young again at the same time.

The most sobering thing is that out of a class of 641 there have been 67 known deaths....nearly 10%. Several of those deaths have happened since the 2010 reunion.

High school was not the best time of my life, but it has been very interesting to travel back in my mind to a time that, I believe, leaves an imprint on all of us.

The next reunion won't be until 2015, but I really think I want to plan to go. I haven't kept up with anyone I was friends with in high school and my best friend died a few years ago. A lot of the others I was good friends with are "missing" but maybe some of them will turn up before the next reunion. I went from kindergarten through high school with a lot of people who were in my class and I would love the opportunity to reconnect with them.

If nothing else it will be a great motivation to lose a few pounds.

Have you gone to your class reunions? If so, what was the experience like for you.?

Another Year, Another Parade.....All In A Good Way

2011-09-07T20:02:00.000-06:00

Our little town's Labor Day parade is an annual tradition for my family. We have all gone to the parade together for many, many years and all my kids have been in it at one time or another. I didn't do a great job of getting pictures of all the kids together this year, but great or not here are a few of the ones I got.

Some friends of Joanna's very kindly bought balloons for all the little kids.

A lot of candy gets thrown to the crowd, so you have to be ready and you have to have a big bag. In addition to candy, this year they went home with footballs and full sized soccer balls that were thrown from floats.

Jill and Joanna always impress the kids by singing the fight song from their old high school when the school's band goes by.

Beck watched the whole parade wide-eyed and happy.

The big kids made sure the little kids got their share of candy and Anna dove right in to hers.

When she stood up we found out what she had been doing with her wrappers.

The years really go by quickly....Anna and Ellis have grown up a lot since their first parade 3 years ago.

Ours is not a fancy parade....it starts with fire engines and police cars and ends with city trucks and milk trucks with lots of clowns and bands and politicians in the middle, but it is a fun family tradition.

Summer Seven

2011-09-03T15:37:00.002-06:00

Joanna at The Fifty Factor has invited us to join her in a Summer Seven, a list of 7 off-the-top-of-our-head happenings of summer. As exciting as I know you would find my summer happenings, I want to update you on the summer of someone else who has had a very eventful summer Several of you have asked me about Addison, the now 7 year old son of my daughter's friend who was diagnosed with Leukemia when he was 5, in April, 2010. Addison has completed 16 months of chemo and still has 22 months left to go until he is cured. Addison's new motto is "I don't have time for cancer". Here are 7 of his many summer activities that show how true his motto is.

He was named the Leukemia Society's Boy of the year. With this title he has participated in numerous fund raising activities and speaking engagements. Addison is an actor who takes these events seriously and performs them perfectly.

Hiking with his family

Taking a little rest follow a fundraising "wellness walk".

There are good days and bad days and fatigue comes easily due to the disease and the medication.

Taking his sister, Madelene, to Asthma Camp.

Waking up from a spinal tap to greet his friend, Bella, who is also fighting Leukemia.

Participating in the "survivor lap" of a local Relay for Life cancer fundraiser.

All of these picture are from Addison's Facebook page "Help Addison Kick This Thing" which has over 1000 followers.

It is amazing to see how far Addison has come since the early days following his diagnosis and the beginning of his treatment.

Please keep this amazing and brave little boy and his family in your thoughts and prayers.

I Didn't Know This and Maybe it's Not Even True

2011-09-02T10:49:00.000-06:00

I don't know the source of this and I don't even know if it is true, but I thought it was an interesting piece of information for a Friday (especially one where I had nothing else to write about). I edited it a wee bit since this is a G-rated blog.

When people ask what you learned today .....

Manure . . . An interesting fact

Manure : In the 16th and 17th centuries, everything had to be transported by ship and it was also before the invention of commercial fertilizers, so large shipments of manure were quite common.

It was shipped dry, because in dry form it weighed a lot less than when wet, but once water (at sea) hit it, not only did it become heavier, but the process of fermentation began again, of which a by product is methane gas of course.. As the stuff was stored below decks in bundles you can see what could (and did) happen.
Methane began to build up below decks and the first time someone came below at night with a lantern, BOOOOM!

Several ships were destroyed in this manner before it was determined just what was happening

After that, the bundles of manure were always stamped with the instruction ' Stow high in transit ' on them, which meant for the sailors to stow it high enough off the lower decks so that any water that came into the hold would not touch this volatile cargo and start the production of methane.

Thus evolved the term ' S.H.I.T ' , (Stow High In Transit) which has come down through the centuries and is in use to this very day.

You probably did not know the true history of this word.

Neither did I.

I had always thought it was a golf term.

(Author Unknown)

I thought it was interesting that the way this word is used (and often over used) today evolved from such an innocuous beginning.

I'd Like You To Meet Fred

2011-08-29T19:26:00.000-06:00

I have "borrowed" a thing or two from my daughter's blog before and posted them here. That was easy enough and worked well enough for me that I am taking my blog filching a little farther afield in the family. Fred is my daughter-in law's Dad. He is also a great guy and a terrific writer. He doesn't write often but he writes very well. You can find his blog here: Upper Middle Age Guy, and you can often find Fred here, at a local lake paddling one of the many canoes that he makes himself.

Since Fred and I share something as important as grandchildren, a little blog sharing seems like a good idea.

This is a post Fred wrote last spring about ROAD RAGE.

Oh yes, there was a time when I would not easily forgive the fellow who cut me off or tailed my gate. It never led to fisticuffs but words exchanged were heated. The wife and kids would make themselves as small as possible, waiting for the storm to subside, while I used my horn, my lights, my loudest voice and my longest finger to explain to that poor fellow exactly what he'd gone and done wrong.

The over-reaction was one more trait I can trace right back to my old man; he drove mad, worked mad, watched TV mad, and often got very mad at being so mad. Some of that rubbed off on me. But then, somewhere along the way, I began to question the sense of getting angry at every stupid driver. Several things helped me change my ways. I realized that if I had gotten my behavior from my father, I was possibly passing it on to my kids. Duh. Then there was that incident right here in town where someone had expressed his displeasure with another driver's style and the other driver replied with "bang, bang, bang". And finally, somewhere between middle age and here, I admitted to myself that I was -- infrequently and totally accidentally -- a stupid driver!

I put away the loud voice and the longest finger and took on a new identity, replacing rage with age, and the wisdom that accompanies it. I looked back another generation to find a gentler role model, and found a good one: my father's father. He'd been feisty in his youth but turned the corner when his hair turned gray and became wise and patient and peaceful. Why not, I thought, be like him.

So now I drive the same routes but in a different way. I give people all the space they need to cut corners in front of me, I slow down responsibly when the guy behind comes dangerously close to my back bumper, I wait quietly for the guy ahead of me to realize that the light's turned green, and whenever somebody does something truly stupid I strain my brain and remember that time when I did exactly the same stupid thing.

Wish I'd wised up sooner.

If you enjoyed Fred's writing as much as I do you can read more at Upper Middle Age Guy .

Freewheeling Friday/Friday Fragments

2011-08-26T10:31:00.002-06:00

To participate in Friday Fragments visit here

A busy week of days at work and late nights (well, late for me is not getting home until 7:30 or 8), requires another quick catch-up post of some little pieces of my week.

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Our little town was just named #1 in Money Magazine's list of Best Places to Live.

Image from Bing Images

The town has grown from about 7000 to over 18,000 since I have lived here. There was a time when I always saw someone I knew wherever I went. Even though that is no longer the case, I still agree that it is a pretty great place to live.

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The Merriam Webster Dictionary has come out with the list of new words added to the dictionary for 2011.

Included in the list are these words"

Tweet-used as both a noun and a verb.

I have never Tweeted.

Helicopter Parent-parents that are overly involved in their children"s lives.

I don't know if I was a helicopter parent or not, but I'm working on being a helicopter grandmom, and enjoying every minute of it.

Cougar-an older woman that preys on younger men.

I have never been a cougar, but I was accused of it once when I patted my son's backside as I passed by him when he was playing in a band.

Bromance-a very close, platonic relationship between two men.

This, fortunately, doesn't apply to me.

Boomerang child-a child that returns to live in their parents home after graduating from college.

As we speak, mine are all happy and healthy in their own homes.

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A man and his dog

Doc was lying on the floor and I asked him why he was on the floor. He said that he wanted to take a nap and that Dodger was on the bed and he didn't want to disturb him.(Yes, he really said that) The next time I walked by, Dodger had joined him on the floor. (Not a great picture of Doc, but Dodger looks pretty cute). Those two always keep me entertained.

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I'm looking forward to a weekend of birthday parties and soccer games. I hope yours is a good one.

My thoughts and prayers are with those who are in the path of Hurricane Irene.

Freewheeling Friday/Friday Fragments

2011-08-19T08:28:00.000-06:00

To participate in Friday Fragmants visit here.

Just a few snippets from the week that was......

A conversation between my daughter, Joanna, and my granddaughter Hope (borrowed from Joanna's FB page)

Hope: Was I alive when Michael Jackson was alive?
Joanna: Yes, he only died a year or two ago.
Hope: Sweet! When I grow up I can tell my kids that I lived in the days of Michael Jackson!

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These little feet are about to be walking feet. My grandson, Beck, who will be 1 in September is taking a few steps. So far he can get to where he wants to go faster by crawling, so after a few steps he is back on his hands and knees.

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Dodger could choose to take a nap here...

or here....

or even here, in his own comfy bed.

I don't know why he chooses here....in the garage, on the concrete floor, by the trash cans, when it is 95 degrees outside.

As usual, I can ask all I want but he's not talking.

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Image from Google Images

I'm going to London to visit the Queen. Well, the invitation to tea at the palace has not actually arrived in my mail box yet, but there's time. I'm going to London next month for a week so I will be available if she wants me to stop by. I know she has been very busy lately with weddings and queen stuff and such, so I'll understand if she doesn't have time to find a stamp and put the invitation in the mail. I'm very excited and looking forward to my trip anyway and I'm sure I can have tea some place near the palace at least.

The New Kid

2011-08-15T19:25:00.000-06:00

My oldest granddaughter, Hope, started school today, the 4th grade. Her family moved over the summer so she started 4th grade in a new school as The New Kid.

She has been nervous but started the day with a positive attitude.

I'm sure it must have been a little hard walking in that door as The New Kid.

I talked to her after school while they were going for their traditional 1st day of school ice cream. She told me she had a great day, that she liked the school and that the kids were friendly.

After she got home, the brave 4th grade mask came off and the tears started.

I'm sure she will go back tomorrow with a smile on her face and her fears tucked deep in her backpack. I know from where I sit that it will get a little better each day and that soon it will be as "awesome" as she tried to pretend it was today.

In the meantime, I know it is not much fun for a 9 year old girl to be The New Kid.

Were you ever the new kid? How long did it take you to feel like you belonged?

Maybe My Crazy Day Wasn't So Bad

2011-08-12T08:34:00.000-06:00

Okay, maybe my recent Crazy Day wasn't such a bad one after all, at least compared to these guys.

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I hope your day is a good one.

Crazy Day

2011-08-10T19:35:00.000-06:00

Whew! Put some wine in that cup instead of coffee and this guy looks sort of like I feel tonight. It has been a crazy day.

First, I work in a brokerage and I am by myself in the office this week. The market volatility has not made it a fun place to be. Of course, nobody is blaming me for anything, but it is no fun talking to people who are in a bit of a panic.

Second, my daughter-in-law, Leah, took her kids for an outing in the mountains today. When they were leaving the place where they had stopped the car right beside them pulled out and hit a lady on a motorcycle. My almost 6 year old grandson, Wil, saw the whole thing . Thankfully, 3 year old Anna didn't see as much from her side of the car. Leah got out and sat with the woman, who was conscious and knew her name, while they waited for the ambulance. The woman had at least one broken leg but will hopefully be okay. Will has been telling his mom all day that he will never ride a motorcycle.

My son-in-law, Brandon, had back surgery today. He is now out of surgery and out of the recovery room and awake (sort of) in his hospital room. It seems to have all gone well and he should be fine after six weeks in a back brace with no bending or lifting. That will be hard when his two youngest kids are 3 yrs and 11 months old, both in the "hold me Daddy" stage.

And, of course, when I started to write this post Blogger was "unavailable" due to maintenance. Sigh!

Oh well, on the whole all is good and tomorrow is a new day and I'm sure it will be a wonderful one.

I Think I'd Better Pass On This Fashion Trend

2011-08-07T14:55:00.000-06:00

From what I have seen this summer both blue and black nail polish have become an increasingly popular fashion trend. There are blue and black fingers and toes everywhere.

Image from Bing Images

I am not above following a fashion trend here or there, but I think this is one I had better avoid. At my age blue finger nails or toe nails would probably look more like oxygen deprivation than trendiness. And black, well, let's just say that women of a certain age should probably avoid that look.

As much as I hate to seem behind the times I think that at my age, to avoid looking like I might be gasping for air, or worse, I will have to stick with red or pink polish, or maybe orange if I'm feeling really daring.

Do your wear "trendy" polish colors?

Boy, Have Things Changed

2011-08-03T19:25:00.000-06:00

Things sure have changed

for women

And for kids

Oops, I Haven't Been A Very Good Blogger Lately

2011-07-31T19:40:00.000-06:00

I am always a little sporadic about doing blog posts, but lately I've been downright negligent. I was called out on it by a couple of blog friends e-mailing me this weekend asking if everything is okay. Everything is fine. I have been a little busy, but mostly I have just been lazy. This is a little of what has been keeping me busy.

Sunday we had a family barbecue at Big Pappy and GT's (Keith and Terry). They are my son-in-law, Brandon's, dad and step-mom. They have recently moved from New Mexico to Colorado and it is great to have them here. The kids had a great time with water balloons and a Slip and Slide and I had a great time eating Big Pappy's barbecue.

Beck and Big Pappy

Speaking of Big Pappy, he is not only a great host and a wonderful cook, he is a very brave man. Today is the first day of the 3rd annual Big Pappy's Boot Camp. It should be called Big Pappy's Fun Camp. For this week he will have his 2 boys (he is a full time stay at home dad) along with my granddaughter, Hope, and another grandson, all 8-10 years old, for a week of fun. They will go to an amusement park, a Rockies Game, a water park and other activities that they will vote on. I haven't been invited but I may have to crash a day or two.

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The kid's Granddad and Gammy from Oklahoma were here this week and I got to get in on some of the fun of that visit. On Tuesday night we went to White Fence Farm, a fun family style restaurant with lots of activities for the kids on the grounds. Except for a few minutes of panic when EJ was lost briefly it was a very fun time.

EJ got lost when she stayed behind to close all the doors on these animal faces after this picture. She is a very tidy girl.

All's well that ends well, especially if you get cool glasses from the treasure chest.

EJ and Anna

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My son, Rob, has a fairly complex job. He is working on Maven, a project to build a satellite that will orbit Mars. This very short infographic explains what he does at a level I can understand....sort of.

What Does It Feel Like?

2011-07-24T11:21:00.001-06:00

Image from Google Images

I love seeing how excited the weather reporters on TV get about any kind of weather extreme. The excessive heat some parts of the U.S. have had this summer has them almost giddy. They have so much to work with these days that they not only tell us what the temperature is, they go even further and tell us what that temperature "feels like". I know it is some kind of calculation of wind and humidity and so forth, but just tell me what the temperature is and I can walk outside to see what it "feels like".

I can't get too excited about a "feels like" temperature, but it does make me think that there are some other things for which it would be great to have a "feels like" measurement.

Like maybe:

I lost 5 lbs, but it "feels like" 15.

I have a $10 bill in my pocket, but it "feels like" a $20.

I just turned 64, but it "feels like" 40.

I'm eating a rice cake, but it "feels like" a scoop of chocolate ice cream.

At the least I'd like to hear the weather reporter, someday, say that it is 90 degrees out, but it feels like 72.

What kind of "feels like" would be good for you?

Friday Fragments/Freewheeling Friday

2011-07-22T09:38:00.000-06:00

Another busy week has brought me to a Freewheeling Friday catch-up post, so I am linking to Mrs. 4444's Friday Fragments where lots of folks go to empty their heads at the end of the week.

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My grandson, Justin, turned 8 this week, celebrating with a family party on Sunday and a Rockies game on Monday.

Kids of all ages had fun with water balloons at the family party. I loved watching the older kids help the younger ones learn the art of tossing a water balloon.

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I probably won't win the grandmom-of the-year award for these pictures, but Beck loved this Starbucks cup and played with it for a very long time. I promise it was empty.

And it made him very happy.

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Here's something I won't be giving to my grandchildren......a breast feeding baby doll.....designed to teach little girls to breast feed. The little girl wears a halter top that has a sensor in it that causes the doll to suck when she puts it up to her chest. I think not.

Image from Google Images

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Our weather has been so changeable and crazy lately that even Dodger has had to put a toe out to check if he is going to be hit with stifling heat or heavy rain before he goes outside.

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My 9 year old granddaughter, Hope, had opening night of her summer play Hans Christen Anderson last night. She has worked very hard to perfect a wicked laugh for the Sea Witch character that she plays in one scene.

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If you made it this far thanks for sticking with me through this long, mostly family, catch-up post.

A Minor Dilemma

2011-07-17T13:18:00.000-06:00

This is not an earth shattering problem, but one I would like to figure out. I want to change hairdressers. The problem is I have known the woman who does my hair for over 25 years and I don't want to cause any bad feelings.

The short history is that that I started going to her shortly after I moved here and stayed with her for several years. When I started a job that was out of town I switched to someone who was near where I worked because I needed to be able to go at lunch or right after work and that seemed fine with her. When I started working back in town I went to several different hairdressers and ended up going to a girl one of my daughters had gone to high school with and stayed with her for many years. She eventually moved to a salon that was too far away to be convenient for me so I went back to the woman I started with here years ago.

We are not close friends, but have always been friendly and often run into each other at activities in our sort of small town. I have not been very happy with my hair since I started going back to her and would like to find a good way to make a change. Like I said, this is sort of a minor dilemma, but one I would like to resolve with no hard feelings.

I would love to hear some advice or how someone solved a similar dilemma.

Who Is Dodger Calling?

2011-07-10T16:01:00.002-06:00

Our dog, Dodger, doesn't spend too much time home alone. Doc takes him along pretty much everywhere he goes. Lately, because it has been so hot here, he has been left home a little more often. He usually doesn't get into any trouble when he is left alone, but lately every time we come home we find the phone in Doc's office off the hook. We can't help but wonder who Dodger has been calling.

It might be his ex-girlfriend, Sammie, who lives in the neighborhood. He has been sort of making eyes at her again across the open space.

Maybe he is trying to find an exterminator to do something about that pesky squirrel who constantly teases him from a tree in the back yard.

He might be looking for an agent. Some people at the dog park have started calling him Hollywood and telling him he looks like he should be in the movies.I've been afraid that would go to his head.

I wouldn't be surprised if he was calling Dog Protective Services to report us for leaving him home alone.

I hope he hasn't gotten hooked up with a pretty Poodle in Paris. That could get very expensive.

Since Dodger won't admit to anything we'll just have to wait until we get the phone bill to find out what he has been up to.

In the meantime I guess we will have to quit hiding the remote and let him go back to watching Pay-Per-View when he is home alone. It is probably cheaper than calling Paris.

Birthdays Aren't So Bad

2011-07-09T09:24:00.000-06:00

I love celebrating birthdays, other peoples birthdays. When it comes to my own birthday I always want to let it just sort of slide by. Thanks to wonderful family and friends it doesn't happen that way. My birthday was this week and I had a great day. I woke up to cards and gifts from Doc and Dodger. I went to work and got more gifts and the afternoon off. After a phone call from my son and his family who are on a camping trip I went to lunch with my daughters and their kids, made extra special with hand made cards from the kids. EJ was especially proud of hers (bottom right) which was so thick with paint it is probably still not dry.

After lunch I went swimming and to the ice cream shop and candy store with a couple of my grandkids. When I got home there was a package on my porch from my friend Betty at A glimpse into midlife. Betty, who lives in Paraguay, is so good that she managed to send a package from over 5000 miles away and have it land on my doorstep exactly on my birthday.Way to go Betty and thank you very much. The package contained this beautiful wooden picture frame. The frame swivels on the stand so pictures can go on both sides. Betty, who also has a birthday this month, is a special person and a great blog friend to me. I hope someday that she can land on my doorstep.

Last night I went out for a birthday dinner and to our town's Street Fair with my friend, Claire, and today I am going to a birthday lunch with my brother and sister-in-law. We'll have a family get-together soon where I will get cake and hopefully (hint, hint) a new picture of all my grandkids together.

Thanks to everyone for showing me that Birthdays Aren't So Bad.

Old Fashioned 4th

2011-07-05T19:28:00.000-06:00

Our holiday weekend was pretty quiet with Doc and Dodger going to the dog park and working in the yard a lot and me doing, well, not much. It ended with a 4th of July which felt kind of like an old fashioned day to me. I went with my daughter Jill and her family to their swim club, a club which has been around for over 50 years.

The pool had the feel of the kind of pools I went to when I was a kid. It even still has a diving board which Jared and Justin made good use of.

The boys played some water football with their dad, who showed great skill in catching the ball mid-air as he jumped off the diving board. He showed even more skill with some fancy dives.

There were pool games and "biggest splash" contests for the kids and lots of old-fashioned fun.

Later in the evening I went with my other daughter, Joanna, and her family to watch their town's fireworks.

Beck watched the fireworks wide-eyed, saying an occasional "oooh!"

EJ was all smiles and kept saying "I love celebrating the 4th of July."

I agree.....it was fun celebrating the 4th of July.

Panty Hose

2011-07-02T10:07:00.000-06:00

You remember panty hose, those not-so-comfortable leg covering things many of us used to wear almost all the time.

Thanks to Katie Couric and a few other high profile women, wearing panty hose has become sort of an old-fashioned thing to do. Sadly, panty hose became old-fashioned at about the same time that I looked down at my legs and noticed that little place just above my knees had started to look like it needed to be ironed. That was also about the same time that I realized that those creases around my ankles caused by wearing socks were starting to take at least a half day to go away after I took the socks off. And, sadly, a good sun tan on my legs is no longer allowed. It seems panty hose went out of style just when I really needed them.

I know, I know, it is very shallow to be swayed by the dictates of fashion. I guess I shouldn't worry too much anyway.....I'm probably old enough that a fashion faux pas would not be noticed at all or would just be considered quirky. I guess for now I'll just stick to pants and those, what are they called-oh yeah, trouser socks. I just wish those things came with control tops.

Road Trip

2011-06-25T14:44:00.001-06:00

Image from Google Images

I wrote most of this post over two years ago, but I am starting to feel this way again.

I wish my title meant that I am planning a road trip. Unfortunately it only means that I have been thinking about road trips a lot lately and wishing I was planning one. It's been a while since I have been on a road trip.....California to Colorado with my sister-in-law, Nancy

A good road trip is hard to beat. A good traveling companion, like the above mentioned Nancy, is a great plus. Whether alone or with someone, I love the "cocoonish" feeling of being in the car with nothing to be responsible for but putting the miles behind you. Good scenery or just one town after another, I love seeing things I've never seen before. I love having hour after hour to listen to old songs on the radio (and sing along if I'm alone) or listen to a book on a CD.. I love the time to talk with someone without all the normal distractions. And, there is no better excuse for eating junk food than a road trip.

I know, there are all kinds of road trips. Road trips with kids are in a class by themselves, but I bet most of us have memories of family road trips that were good, or at least memorable. I remember my Dad being stopped for speeding and having "words" with a policeman that I thought were going to land us all in jail. My kids learned that I could get from the front seat to the back of the station wagon or van with amazing speed.

My longest road trip was driving from Colorado to Belize.....seven days there, five days back and weeks in Belize in between. There were things about the trip that weren't great (a not-the-best traveling companion), but the road travel was an unforgettable experience. I tried to find some pictures from that trip, but I ran into some old Christmas candy, or maybe it was Halloween candy, in the closet and I got distracted and gave up.

As I said, I don't have a trip planned right now, but I may have to pull out a map and start planning.

Would You Look At That or Little Things Mean a Lot

2011-06-20T19:57:00.000-06:00

A work colleague that I have talked to a lot on the phone but never met in person came into my office today with a gift for me. The gift was a very cool little electric candle operated by a tiny remote control that turns it on and off, changes the color, sets the light to flickering or steady and sets it to turn off after after a set amount of time. It is even scented, and it was a very apt gift since we have a strict prohibition against burning candles in our offices.

A cool gift, but it meant so much more on a day that was stacking up to be hectic, bordering on stressful. It was a gift that allowed me to stop for a moment and appreciate someone's thoughtfulness. It was a gift that made me think about needing to show that thoughtfulness to others more often. It was a gift that made me feel good and made me want to do something to make someone else feel good. The giver said "oh, it's not much," but to me, today, it was a lot.

Freewheeling Friday

2011-06-17T10:47:00.001-06:00

Between baseball and, frankly, a little summer laziness I have been away from my blog for nearly two weeks. I thought that after that much time away I would be full of things I wanted to write about, but it seems like whatever little blog mojo I might have is a use it or lose it thing. Oh well, I can't let having little to say get in the way of a Freewheeling Friday catch-up.

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I have been going to a lot of baseball games and I have missed a lot of games since the schedules often overlap. What I haven't been doing is taking lots of pictures. I borrowed this one from daughter-in-law's Facebook page. Wil, who will soon be 6, is a first time Little Leaguer and he takes his baseball very seriously.

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A couple of things that happened this week showed me that even things that irritate us can give us something to be thankful for.

I missed a baseball game on Wednesday night because I got caught in a traffic back-up caused by a very serious wreck. Even though it was irritating to be stuck in traffic for over an hour and to miss the game, I was very grateful to be the one stuck in traffic and not one of those involved in the wreck.

Thursday morning at about 2 a.m. I was startled awake by the phone ringing. (The only good middle of the night call I have ever gotten was when Joanna called to tell me Brandon had been called up to the major leagues). This early morning call turned out to be a reverse 911 call about a missing little girl. The phone rang again about an hour later with the information that the little girl had been found. Even though it was irritating to be woken up at that time by a ringing phone, I was thankful that our town had made the effort and that the little girl had been found.

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My friend Sonia at Gutsy Writer has asked her readers to write a life list, a list of 10 things you want to do. I haven't come up with a list and I am wondering if it is because I have a waning sense of adventure (which I don't think is the case) or if I am just feeling a sense of contentment with my life right now. Of course, there are always new things I want to do and places I want to go, I just can't seem to come up with a list. Go visit Sonia to see some very interesting lists.

I Blame Baseball

2011-06-04T11:40:00.001-06:00

I have never been what anyone would call a prolific blogger. The truth is that I am more of a hit and miss bogger, but I usually come up with a post at least a couple of times a week. Lately I feel more like an almost never blogger.

I blame baseball.

My four oldest grandkids are all playing baseball this summer and it seems like almost anytime I am not at work there is a baseball game to go to. I am, in fact, missing a game this morning, but there are two more I could go to today. There are two Monday night, one Wednesday night.....and so on until sometime in July. I don't get to all of them by any means, but I love to go to the ones I can, which leaves me with little time for blogging or much of anything else right now.

When time and energy permit I will, of course, choose blogging over cooking, or laundry or any other chores, but if I don't show up here much for a while it is all baseball's fault.

Power Struggle

2011-05-30T11:13:00.000-06:00

When we adopted our dog, Dodger, about a year and a half ago we fenced an area outside of the garage. Two of my grandkids, who were 6 and 7 at the time, named the fenced area Dodger Park and the name has stuck.

They put signs all over the door with rules and information for Dodger Park. The kids, of course, have moved on to other things and most of their signs are gone. This sign has stayed up and Doc and I have not moved on.

We are still having a power struggle over who has the highest rank.....Boss or "genral".

Freewheeling Friday

2011-05-26T16:54:00.008-06:00

I've started a couple of post this week but starting them was as far as I got. Due to some Blogger problems and being a little lazy after being at work all day, instead of writing I opted to just read what all of you have been writing. So, that brings me to another Friday of playing catch-up with Freewheeling Friday.

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Sometimes it seems like my grandkids are growing up even faster than my kids did. My third oldest grandson, Wil, celebrated his graduation from kindergarten this week. He loves school, but I think he is glad for summer to be here so he can focus on his true love-baseball. He has surprised his coach in his first year of little league with his skills and knowledge about the game.

My youngest grandson, Beck, has struck fear in the hearts of his family by learning to crawl. No more putting him down on the floor and having him stay put. Nothing that belongs to his two sisters will be safe with this little guy on the move.

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My friend Belle at Tales From A Loser Who Is Sometimes A Winner at http://belle-goodmorninggod.blogspot.com/ has tagged me with this list of questions. I'm not very good at these but because I like Belle so much I will give them a try.

Do you think you are hot?

Ha ha ha ha. At my age, "hot" would not be on the list of words I would use to describe myself.

When was the last time you ate chicken?

You'd think that would be something I would remember but I have to honestly say that I really don't. I would guess it was in some kind of chicken salad....oh yeah, I had a chicken salad sandwich for lunch one day this week.

What songs have you listened to lately?

I had a Susan Boyle cd on at work for a while today.

Do you have a nickname?

Actually "Jeanie" is a nickname, but it is what I have been called all of my life. When I was growing up my mother called me "Ladybug"".

I think I may have skipped a couple of the questions, one because it required a picture and Blogger and pictures are giving me a little problem right now.

I am also supposed to tag 8 other people and answer some questions about each of them, but I don't usually like to tag people so I will say something about Belle instead. I met Belle when I read a comment she had left on another blog. I immediately started following her blog even though I had decided I didn't have time to follow any more blogs. It is always interesting to see what Belle has to say and her commenters are the best. I hope she will forgive me for not following the rules on this very well.

Update: I was also tagged for this by my friend Betty at http://glimpseintomidlife.blogspot.com/
Betty is a wonderful friend and her blog about her life in Paraguay is always so interesting to read. ..and I know she will forgive me for not following all the rules.

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I was going to talk about a couple of other things like my dental implant that is taking forever and is costing as much as it would to go on a really nice cruise, but the blog editor keeps changing my spacing and eating my pictures. I thing that means it is time for me to stop and just wish everyone a happy weekend.

A Three Birthday Week and Changing Fads

2011-05-21T14:56:00.012-06:00

Happy Birthday has been the thing to say in my family this week. We started out the week celebrating with my granddaughter, Anna, who turned 3. She had a great big cake and she took blowing out the candles very seriously.

Both of my littlest girls are now 3. I love seeing what good buddies they are becoming.

Friday was the day to celebrate with my youngest daughter, Joanna. A massage and pedicure, dinner out and a hug from her daughter, Hope, made it a special day for her.

Today was Hope's turn to celebrate turning 9, and Hope loves to celebrate. She started out with a roller skating birthday party with her friends this morning and has lots of plans with her family for the rest of her big day.

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It seems like around here the fad for Silly Bandz has given way to a fad for feathers in your hair. Lots of the little girls at Hope's party sported these feather hair extensions.

I asked one of the girls what they were called. She just looked at me, clearly saying "DUH" in her head and answered "feathers." I guess my brain is a little sugar-addled from eating too much birthday cake.

Women Drivers!?!?

2011-05-15T12:47:00.001-06:00

Doc has a couple of buddies that forward e-mails to him on a regular basis. The e-mails, at least the ones I see, generally fall into one of two categories, politics or the battle between the sexes. Doc and I don't always agree on politics and we, of course, fall on opposite sides of the battle between the sexes. He will occasionally forward one to me, saying something like "you may not like this, but it is pretty funny", or "it's a guy thing". (He always says "it's a guy thing" if I don't get something he thinks is funny and it really irritates me, but that is a whole other post.)

Anyway, I usually just read them, roll my eyes and delete them. He forwarded one this week titled "Women Drivers." I actually chuckled at some of these pictures.

I think I could laugh at these because I am a way better driver than Doc is. Really! Everyone knows it.

Who is the better driver in your family?

Freewheeling Friday

2011-05-13T14:46:00.006-06:00

Did the Blogger outage leave you feeling a little like the guy above or did you just get a lot of things done that you wouldn't have gotten done otherwise? From the posts I've seen since Blogger has been back up, I think lots of us felt like this guy, especially if you lost posts or comments.

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You can't blame me or my friend, Pam, from http://smilinggrammy.blogspot.com/ for the outage. We were nowhere near our computers when it started. We were in a coffee shop getting to meet for the first time. We had a great time getting to know one another in person and the only thing that could have made our meeting more fun was if our friend Betty at http://glimpseintomidlife.blogspot.com/ could have been there with us. The towns Pam and I live in are only 30-40 minutes apart so I'm sure we will get together again.

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My granddaughter, Hope, who will be 9 this month, was recently one of 3 kids selected from tryouts to be in a video for a traveling science museum produced by the Space Science Institute in Boulder. She had a lot of fun and did a great job in the video and was very excited recently when she was called back to do some voice-overs for the video. She was even more excited when she found out it was going to be done in a recording studio - "Am I going to be in one room with a big window that looks into the other room with all the people in it and they can talk to me through the speakers?!?!?" It turned out to be just like that, and she had so much fun (and she got a nice little paycheck).

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I hope Blogger finds all the lost posts and lost comments and that things keep working so we don't have to go through another blog withdrawl.

Not The Day We Planned, But Mother's Day Was Good

2011-05-09T17:30:00.019-06:00

My daughters and my daughter-in law and I had planned to start out Mother's Day early Sunday by doing a 5k charity run/walk together (I would have been the walker). Our plans changed when my son-in-law, Brandon (Joanna's husband) ended up spending Saturday night in ICU at the hospital. I spent the night with their kids and my other daughter, Jill, helped me with them on Sunday.

On Saturday afternoon Brandon started having numbness on one side of his body, starting in his eye and ending up in his foot. Against his wishes he was finally talked in to going to urgent care and from there was sent to the hospital emergency room. Many tests later, they ruled out MS, a stroke (very unlikely in a 35 year old), heart problems and some other serious problems. His symptoms were gone by about 9 p.m., but the doctors wanted to watch him in ICU over night and do additional tests on Sunday morning. The still don't know what caused his symptoms but he is feeling fine now and will meet with a neurologist tomorrow. You can read the whole story on my daughter' blog http://harphouse.blogspot.com/ here. She tells it much better than I do.

Even though they didn't get home from the hospital until about 3:oo Sunday afternoon we were all able to pull it together to do a Mother's Day picnic that evening.

Brandon was more than glad to be outside playing baseball with the kids instead of in a hospital bed waiting for another test. We were all very grateful that he was feeling fine and that so many serious things had been ruled out.

We even thought to take a few pictures.

All the moms
Joanna, me, Jill and Leah

I even got my annual picture with me and all my grandkids on the slide 2011

2010

2009

After a very scary night our Mother's Day ended with a lot of joy and gratitude.

Remembering My Mother

2011-05-06T08:39:00.004-06:00

This is a repeat of a post I wrote a little over a year ago on what would have been my mother's birthday. It kept coming to my mind as I thought about her this year with Mother's Day coming up, so I am sharing it again in her honor.

My mother in about 1960

It was the summer of 1960, the summer I turned 13. I went several days a week to a swim club to meet my friends. My mother drove me there and picked me up every time I went. I would go across the street to a toy store to use the phone to call my mother when I was ready to go home and wait there for her to pick me up. The owner of the store was nice to me. He made me feel grown up. He talked to me and said nice things. I started swimming and hanging out with my friends less and hanging out at the toy store longer before I called my mother.

At some point during the summer toy store owner asked me if I wanted to work for him there a few hours a week. I asked my mother if I could and she said no. She told me that I could not go to the toy store any more to use the phone. I was mad. I thought she was being unfair. I wrote "I hate Mother" on pieces of cardboard and put them all over the house. She turned them all over and wrote "I love Jeanie" on the other side and didn't come close to changing her answer.

My mother never went into the toy store, never met the owner who was nice to me, but she knew. He was being nice to me for a reason. He wanted me to work in the store for a reason. His reasons were not good. It was not until I looked back on the toy store owner's behavior years later that I realized what my mother knew when I was 13.

This Mother's Day my mother would have been 97 years old. She died at 51 when I was 18. I didn't get to have her long enough, but I was lucky to have her as long as I did.

And That Dummy Is Me

2011-05-03T19:13:00.000-06:00

I have never claimed to be a computer expert or a blogging expert, but I'm a little frustrated that after 2 1/2 years of blogging I still encounter blog (or Blogger) problems that I can't resolve. My current issue is that for about the last two weeks I can't get my own pictures to publish when I am using the updated Blogger editor. I can import them and they show up when I am writing a post but they don't show up on the preview or a published post. If I switch to the old Blogger editor the pictures will post but there are other things about the old editor that I don't like, including the way the published post looks.

I know there are formats other than Blogger that many people prefer, but I just don't have the knowledge or energy to try to make a switch right now. While I wait for a miraculous spontaneous fix, does anyone have any knowledge of what my problem might be? If you can offer anything I would really appreciate it....and keep in mind that any words you use need to be able to be understood by a dummy.

Speaking of pictures, do you have a picture of yourself in your profile on your blog? I have always had one and I changed it a while back because the one I had was a couple of years old. I had one for a few weeks that looked pretty much like a mug shot so I changed it again and I still don't like the one I have. I'm not looking to have a glamour shot, but I can't come up with a decent picture. I like to see a picture of the writer when I read a blog, so that is why I put a picture on mine. What is your opinion....picture or no picture of yourself on your blog and do you like to see a picture of the writer on blogs you read?

Freewheeling Friday

2011-04-28T17:32:00.005-06:00

Image from Google Images

I had a head full of things to empty out in a Freewheeling Friday post today, but they all emptied out prematurely when I got my mail yesterday. The only thing that has been on my mind since then is the letter I got from the IRS saying that I owe a little over $17,000 in taxes from 2009. Yikes! I don't know if it was the getting dizzy when I saw the fat envelope with the IRS return address or the fainting when I read the amount they said I owe, but one or the other pretty much cleared all other thoughts out of my head for a while.

Once I came to and actually read the letter I figured out that there was either an error on my 1099 or an error made by the CPA that prepared my tax return. It is all going to the CPA today, so hopefully it will get figured out soon. It will be a pain, but I feel confident that it will be resolved.

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Even a big tax problem doesn't begin to compare to the horror being faced by the people in Alabama and other southern states after the recent tornadoes. My thoughts and prayers are with them.

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I don't think I have gone quite as crazy over the royal wedding as some people, but I have enjoyed watching all the coverage from London, a city I loved visiting. When I was there a few years ago with my friend Patty, we walked from Westminster Abbey to Buckingham Palace. It was a wonderful walk on a beautiful September day. We took lots of pictures along the way. This is the one that turned out to be our favorite.

Easter 2011 and Confetti Eggs.....Again

2011-04-24T17:45:00.009-06:00

The weather was not very Easter-like, but it didn't keep us from having an Easter brunch full of family, food, fun, and the kid's favorite, confetti eggs.

A little cold didn't stop the Easter Bunny from hiding lots of eggs outside. Before we let the kids hunt the eggs we tried to get them all together for a picture. Trying to get all seven of my grandkids in the same picture doesn't always result in a great photo but it is always fun.

We finally let them hunt the eggs.

Once all the eggs were found, it was time for the real fun.....confetti eggs. (Confetti eggs are colored egg shells filled with confetti, very fun to break over the head of your brother, sister or cousin).

Beck watched it all and said "just wait 'til next year".

I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter.

A Rocky Mountain High Night

2011-04-22T18:04:00.001-06:00

Image from Google Images

I had a wonderful night last night. Thanks to my daughter, Joanna, I got to attend the John Denver Tribute Concert and his induction into the newly formed Colorado Music Hall of Fame. For a Colorado resident and a fan of John Denver, the night couldn't have been better.

The show was hosted by Olivia Newton-John, and featured performances by The Nitty-Gritty Dirt Band, Lee Ann Womak, John Oates, Michael Martin Murphy and others, all paying tribute by performing John Denver songs. John Denver's three children and both of his wives were there to participate in the tribute.

There were two highlights of the show for me, other than the main one of getting to go with my daughter, who remembered a John Denver concert being the first concert she ever went to. One was Lee Ann Womak (wearing the highest heels I have ever seen) doing a stunning job of singing Sunshine On My Shoulders, a favorite of mine. The other was when John Denver's ex-wife, Annie Martel, spoke following a film showing John Denver singing Annie's Song. She tearfully expressed what a beautiful person he was and with some humor told how he wrote the song in 20 minutes on a ski lift in Aspen.

A lot of the show celebrated John Denver as an environmental activist, which made the ending especially poignant. All the participants came on stage to sing Rocky Mountain High (our state song) and stayed on stage while the audience joined them in singing the chorus over and over again.

A real Rocky Mountain High night.

It Seems Like It Was Only Yesterday

2011-04-20T20:40:00.012-06:00

This is a picture of me and my oldest daughter, Jill, from about 22 years ago, the year she graduated from high school. She is now 39 and today she and her husband, Joel, celebrated their 15th wedding anniversary. I know it is trite to say, but I sometimes just can't believe how fast the years go by.

I just heard one of you ask, "If this is about her wedding anniversary, why this picture instead of maybe a wedding picture?" Good question. It seems that I am such a bad mom that I couldn't find a wedding picture. I know I have them, lots of them, I just don't know where they are right now. It must have something to do with the faster time goes the older (and more forgetful) I get. And it seems like just yesterday when she graduated from high school

I say they celebrated today, and by celebrated I mean that they spent the evening as they spend many evenings as the parents of two boys, at a kid's baseball game. This one was in 50 degree temps with occasional rain.

Happy anniversary to Jill and Joel.

I suppose I should offer to babysit so they can go out and have a more romantic celebration. I guess I just did.

It Could Have Been An Easter Bunny

2011-04-17T14:35:00.000-06:00

A couple of evenings ago when I was taking our dog, Dodger, for a walk I noticed an Easter egg laying in our front yard. I didn't think much about it, just thinking I would pick it up when I came back home. As we walked down the street I noticed that nearly every yard on the block had an Easter egg laying in the grass.

It was just dusk, with the moon coming up in the evening sky and I let my fanciful side go a little awry. I imagined that one of the little bunnies that live around our neighborhood (and make Dodger go crazy when we run into one on a walk) had been hopping from yard to yard with a basket of eggs spreading a little Easter cheer. Dodger, being the more practical one, just thought it was fun to have something new to sniff at as we walked.

When we got back home and I picked up the egg from our yard I found out that it was an advertisement for an Easter service at a church in the area. Pretty clever as an advertising idea, but not near as fun as a visit from the Easter bunny.

My Favorite Season Will Be Here Soon

2011-04-15T09:14:00.002-06:00

I love that spring is finally here, with summer and fall to follow, all really beautiful times of year. My favorite season, though, is just around the corner. My family has 12 birthdays between May and September so that means my favorite season of all, Cake Season. Throw in the possibility of a cake for Mother's Day, Father's Day or the 4th of July and that is a lot of cake.

Celebratory cakes date back to ancient times when the Greeks made moon shaped honey cakes to take to the temple of the moon goddess, Artemis. In the middle ages the Germans celebrated the birth of Jesus with sweetened bread dough. This practice later re-emerged in Germany in celebration of children's birthdays. As the art of baking developed through the ages it progressed to cake as we know it today some time in the middle of the 19th century. In our time cake has become an art form.

The world's largest birthday cake, weighing 130,000 lbs, was served in Las Vegas in 2005 to celebrate the Las Vegas centennial.

Our cakes won't be that big or weigh that much. Some of them may be works of art, others made from a box of cake mix and a can of frosting. Whether they are chocolate, strawberry or ice cream, they will all be a part of the important family celebrations that makes Cake Season my favorite season of them all.

Too, Too True

2011-04-11T06:42:00.000-06:00

I'm sure this has been all over the place, but it becomes more relevant every day. It is humor that is painfully close to the truth.

Thank you to everyone for the comments and e-mails regarding my previous post. Your concern and support is very much appreciated.

A Tough Week With Lots Of Questions That Have No Anwers

2011-04-08T11:19:00.002-06:00

My week at work started by receiving tragic news early Monday morning. A work colleague, a woman who does the same job I do in a different office, had been shot to death as she opened the office that morning. As the news and fear spread from office to office it became known that the primary suspect was the woman's ex-husband, a man she had been married to for 45 years and divorced from for about 4 years.

As the shock subsided and the sadness set in the questions started. Though we all have to deal with death, my work community is not, in general, a population that has dealt with this type of violent death. Many of us were aware that she had been dealing with threats from her ex-husband and had been taking all possible precautions. I've been told that she recently said that she was tired of living in fear behind locked doors.

How could this happen in a public area in an affluent community? What could anyone have done to prevent this from happening? How could a sweet, kind, lovely woman find herself in this kind of situation? Why, why, why? What if, what if, what if? The bottom line conclusion to all the questions about how someone's mind can go so wrong that they do something like this is that sometimes there are no answers.

My company has done a stellar job of supporting the other employees in the area, and more importantly they will support her surviving family in every possible way. They will do everything they can, but we will all be left with questions that have no answers.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-04-06T06:00:00.001-06:00

My grandaughter, Anna, almost 3

Springtime In Colorado......It's Enough To Make Your Head Spin

2011-04-03T15:32:00.002-06:00

I just read on my friend Betty's blog, A Glimpse Into Midlife about how they are just coming into fall in her part of the world in Paraguay, just as we are coming into spring where I live. At least we are supposed to be coming into spring. Our weather has been so crazy and changed so fast lately it is hard to know what season it is. Yesterday it was 85 degrees and I was wearing flip-flops and short sleeves. Today we are having a mix of rain, sleet and snow, the temperature is in the mid 30s and it is back to snow boots and coats. I shouldn't be too surprised. We have this seasonal schizophrenia nearly every year on Colorado before things finallly settle into spring and summer.

I took this picture last year, but it is very likely what things will look like tomorrow before things warm up again later in the week.

I guess I'll have to go with the plan I came up with last year.......wearing flip-flops inside my snow boots so I will be ready for anything.

Six Word Saturday

2011-04-02T08:11:00.000-06:00

Worry is a misuse of imagination

This is not an original thought and I don't know the origin, but I saw it on a sign this week and it has stuck with me as being a very useful thing for me to keep in mind.

To participate in 6WS visit Cate here.

Speaking Of Donuts.....

2011-03-30T18:22:00.001-06:00

Image from Google Images

Speaking of donuts, which I was in my last post, reminded me of when I was the owner, with a partner, of a donut shop and cafe. It was a long time ago and I was working full time as a paralegal. The attorney I worked for thought it would be a great idea for his wife, Sue, and I to buy this little shop.

Before you could say "huh" we were the proud owners of a donut and sandwich shop. She worked in the shop full time and I worked one or two days on the weekends. At least that was the schedule when our baker showed up at 2 a.m. every morning to make the donuts. The times when the baker called in sick or went on vacation were a whole different story. With no baker, it was up to Sue and I to go in at 2 a.m. and attempt to make donuts. Even though the baker (who we later found out was a convicted felon) had "trained" us both in the art of donut making, our middle of the night donut making escapades were pretty much a comedy of errors. With a lot of laughter and sometimes a few tears, we always got the dozens and dozens of donuts made and frosted and on trays in the display cabinet for a 6 a.m. opening.

All these years later, it is not the working every weekend, or the not quite getting our little business to yield a profit, or even the pain of getting up to go in at 2 a.m. to make donuts, that I remember the most about this venture. What I remember the most is how a broken donut, fresh out of the fryer, iced with a little bit of chocolate frosting, tasted so good at 4 o'clock in the morning.

Doc, Dodger, Donuts and My Diet

2011-03-26T11:17:00.000-06:00

Every Saturday morning Doc and Dodger get in Doc's truck and go out and about. I don't always know where they are going but one stop I always know they will make is at the donut shop. Before they leave Doc always asks me if I want a donut. Most often I use my best judgement and say no thank you.

It seems that my no thank you is not what Doc wanted to hear. Lately he has quit asking and just started bringing me a donut. Not just a donut, but my favorite donut, maple cake. Saying no thank you to a donut that is still sitting on the shelf in the donut shop is one thing. Saying no thank you to a donut being handed to me on a napkin is something else entirely......it is, in fact, pretty much impossible for me. I'll just say that self-discipline and will power in the face of temptation are not my strong suits.

Shortly after we got Dodger his vet and I got Doc to agree that donut holes are not a very good addtion to Dodger's diet. I'm afraid Doc may have had his fingers crossed when he made that agreement. When Doc came in with Dodger to bring me my donut a few minutes ago, I noticed Dodger licking off something around his mouth that looked a lot like sugar sprinkles.

Now I guess I have to figure out how to get Dodger down to the basement with me to do a little extra time on the treadmill.......right after I eat this donut.

First Dance Class

2011-03-23T19:13:00.000-06:00

My 3 year old granddaughter, E.J., went to her first dance class this week.

Photos from Making Memories Of Us

It was a little scary at first

All that toe pointing can be rough on a girl

Yes, I think I can do this

I Think My Computer Is Haunted

2011-03-21T18:00:00.000-06:00

Image from Bing Images

I'm not usually prone to fanciful thinking, so please don't think I've gone crazy. I think my computer is haunted. Really!

Lately, when I have had the sound turned up on my computer, from time to time a very evil sounding laugh comes out of the speaker. There is no pattern to when it happens, it just happens, sometimes several times in a row, and then not again for a long time. I know I am not the most computer savvy person around, but having some evil computer ghost laughing at me is really starting to make me feel ~~crazy~~ a wee bit uneasy.

I am sure there is some logical, non-spooky explanation about the ghost in my computer. If any of you computer gurus know what it is, please let me know.

Do You Remember Who Was Your First Follower?

2011-03-18T08:05:00.001-06:00

Image from Google Images

I started blogging as a way to help me pay more attention to my own life and to help me better remember family events and activities. I was pretty clueless about blogging. I certainly didn't expect it would ever be read by anyone but me and maybe a few family and friends. I had read a few blogs written by people I knew but I didn't really know a follower from a Frisbee in the beginning.

Over time I started reading some of the blogs that people I knew followed and started leaving a comment here and there. Then one day I had a follower! It was ChrisH at Diet Coke Rocks.

Chris

Chris, from New Zealand, is a beautiful, "tell it like it is" blogger, and she has plenty to tell. She is the mother of six and the grandmother of seven. She and her husband, Stew, are raising two of their grandchildren. She is a very talented and creative seamstress. Her unique way of expressing what is going on in her life and what is on her mind always makes it fun to visit Diet Coke Rocks .

I still write my blog for the reasons I started it. I'm not exactly overrun with followers and I appreciate each and every one of the followers I have and friends I have made. Every time I get a new follower I remember the excitement I felt that day Chris became my first follower. Thanks, Chris.

Do you remember who was your first follower?

Dodger Is In The Doghouse

2011-03-15T17:44:00.000-06:00

A couple of days ago when Doc picked Dodger up at Doggy Daycare the lady told Doc that Dodger had gotten a little too aggressive with another dog and it would probably be best if he didn't come back for a couple of days. For any of you that know Doc and Dodger you know how hard that hit Doc. It was like his child had been expelled from school for fighting. Doc has spent a lot of time and money to train Dodger out of the "street behavior" he had when he came to us as a stray from the shelter. Doc has done a very good job with the training and Dodger is almost always a gentleman at the dog park or any place else he and Doc go.

Because of Doc being a little limited in his activity following a minor surgery Dodger had been at daycare for 5 out of the previous 7 days. The lady explained to Doc that it is common for a dog to get a little aggressive when they come for several days in a row.....they sort of start thinking that they are the "boss". She even said that she could not bring one of her own dogs very often for that reason.

I don't know how much of that explanation Doc actually heard. He just heard that his boy had gotten in trouble and he was crestfallen. All they had ever told him before was what a good boy Dodger had been and how much they like him.

That was at the end of last week and they called from Doggy Daycare today and said they were sure it would be fine for Dodger to come back any time. I don't know when Doc plans to take him back, but when he does I'm afraid Doc might be that strange guy hanging around outside the building peeking in the windows....just to make sure his boy is behaving.

Six Word Saturday

2011-03-12T08:10:00.000-07:00

Japan is in our thoughts today

To participate in 6WS visit Cate here

Eek!

2011-03-09T20:47:00.001-07:00

We have a mouse in our garage. He is a pretty cute little guy and if we thought he was an orphan we would probably just let him stay for a while. Doc, who I have named head mouse rustler around here, doesn't have the heart to do anything like try to catch him in a trap.

The problem is that it is likely that he has a family somewhere close and if we let this little guy stay and play they will all probably want to move in and we will just have one big mouse party in our garage.

Another problem is that our dog, Dodger, goes outside through a dog door from the utility room to the garage and another dog door from the garage to outside. That means anything we put in the garage to catch or ~~kill~~ the mouse might also have a chance of catching our nosy dog.

I'm sure Doc will be shopping tomorrow for whatever kind of humane, dog safe, mouse rustling equipment he can find. In the meantime, I just hope that I don't get up in the morning to find a big 'ol mouse party going on in my garage.

Images from Google Images

To All The Dogs I've Loved Before

2011-03-07T19:36:00.000-07:00

No matter how little money and how few possessions

you own, having a dog makes you rich."

Louis Sabin

I have been lucky to have had lots of dogs in my life. They were almost all pretty good dogs and most of them were mutts.

My first dog, Happy, lived the good life that dogs lived in the old days. She was never fenced and wandered freely in the neighborhood, visiting and being welcomed into neighbor's homes at will. My parents got her as a puppy six months before I was born and she lived to be 14.

Trina was my first "child". We got her as a tiny puppy, a furry ball of white, right after I got married. When she was about 10 she went a little crazy. She started being so afraid of storms that she would hurt herself trying to get out of where she was and then trying to get right back in. A man that came to fix the carpet and woodwork she had destroyed during a storm offered to take her to live with him in the country. It was heartbreaking, but we let her go. My kids never did believe the story about Trina going to live on the "farm" but it was true.

There were a couple of dogs, Andy and Toby, after Trina. Andy was a stray, a spaniel mix, who came and stayed for a while and then just disappeared. We searched and searched but never found him. Toby was part poodle and part something else. The something else was part devil and we didn't have him very long.

Sasha, a Chow, was the sweetest, most loving roll-with-flow dog ever. (Well, there was the time she killed our friends rabbit when they were keeping her, but they said that it was a really mean rabbit.) She could shed her fur better than any dog I have ever known. She was always in the middle of everything the family did. She lived for 14 years and I will always miss her.

Dodger is the current dog love of my life. He is a scruffy, energetic boy who has us very well trained. Doc, who wasn't sure he wanted a dog, is now an expert on dog parks and doggy day care. The Doc and Dodger mutual admiration society entertains me every day.

Dogs' lives are too short. Their only fault, really.

Agnes Sligh Turnbull

Freewheeling Friday

2011-03-04T07:01:00.002-07:00

Today's Freewheeling Friday is mostly pictures. Doc had surgery on Thursday to remove a dangerous lesion on his cheek and he is not supposed to lift, bend, squat or do much of anything for a few days. That leaves me to do the best I can to take care of him and to do all the household chores that he usually does. (I can't remember the last time I unloaded the diswasher or brought in the trash cans).

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A couple of bumper stickers I saw this week that made me chuckle.

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My 8 year old granddaughter, Hope, will be done with her run in Annie after a couple of more shows. She has had a great time and done a great job.

I think she will be glad to be done with the wig and I think her mom will be glad for her to be done singing her songs from the show around the house all the time.

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These are growing in our garden right outside my office window. It won't be long until they are covered with snow.

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Doc's surgery went fine. He has stitches from under his eye down to his mouth and across his cheek. They say the scar will fade away in a couple of months. In the meantime we are hoping that it just makes him look rugged in a "yeah, but you should see the other guy" sort of way.

No More Charlie Sheen

2011-03-01T17:26:00.000-07:00

It seems like the media has traded in their obsession with Lindsey Lohan for a new obsession with Charlie Sheen, only this time it's an obsession on steroids. I admit that I'm a bit of a news junkie, but I have changed channels many times lately to avoid hearing any more about Charlie-boy.

Enough already! When a national newscast leads with this kind of story, even my news-junkiness takes a nose dive. Aren't there more important things to report, like maybe what is going on in Libya or what our own lawmakers are going to do to us next? I'd even rather hear more about the price of gas than hear another one of Charlies's rants.

Oops, I guess I just did a little ranting myself.....sorry, but thanks for letting me get it off my chest.

Do you agree that this Charlie obsession in the media is a little (or a lot) over the top?

It's Nice To Have A Friend Who Gets You

2011-02-27T15:29:00.000-07:00

I was talking to my friend, Patty, on the phone last night and we made a plan to meet for coffee today. We had to laugh at ourselves when we realized that we were both writing a note to ourselves to put by our computers to remind us of the plan we made. Oh, the joy of an aging brain, and the comfort of knowing you are not alone.

The good thing about a friend like Patty is that if one of us had lost our note and not shown up we would have just laughed about it and made a new plan.

It's nice to have a friend like that.