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 |  It's about adventure! Life, Scouting, Family, writing what else is there? |
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WELCOME TO: GEMINI RISING   UPDATED INTRO 25 OCT 2021: Just a little about me. I've been married for 30 years in NOV this year!! and currently live in Southern California, but I grew up in New Hampshire. I've got 2 boys in their teens. I work as a 911 dispatcher for LAPD. I enjoy my job a lot. I love to write, but since I've been so involved with the Boy Scouts program since 2015 (now Scouts BSA since girls were invited to come on board) I haven't written much. I hope to get back to more writing soon, as I'm scaling back my BSA commitment. Update on this: I was able to get out 2 stories that were previously published. The update/publishing is going slow. I like to get out in nature, take walks around Castaic Lake, drink coffee and watch football. Here's a little bi about my zodiac. GEMINI: Gemini, the sign of the Twins, is dual-natured, elusive, complex and contradictory. On the one hand it produces the virtue of versatility, and on the other the vices of two-facedness and flightiness. The sign is linked with Mercury, the planet of childhood and youth, and its subjects tend to have the graces and faults of the young. When they are good, they are very attractive; when they are bad they are more the worse for being the charmers they are. Like children they are lively, and happy, if circumstances are right for them, or egocentric, imaginative and restless. Their good qualities are attractive and come easily to them. They are affectionate, courteous, kind, generous, and thoughtful towards the poor and suffering - provided none of the activities resulting from expressing these traits interferes too greatly with their own lives and comforts. Geminians can be successful in many walks of life though their general characteristics tend to make them unreliable. They are often skilled manipulators of language, in speech and writing, and may be: debaters, diplomats (though in politics they are more interested in theory than practice), orators, preachers (brilliant rather than profound), teachers, authors, poets, journalists, or lawyers. This is me. I am a Gemini. Pure, Raw, passionate. The NEW focus of this blog is to share my adventures, book reviews, thoughts, opinions, and writing adventures from actual writing, writing/editing tips, marketing, research. I'll get there.  Find me at: WEBSITE: http://www.stephanieburkhart.com FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/StephanieBurkhartAuthor GOOD READS: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4031660.Stephanie_Burkhart YOU TUBE CHANNEL: http://www.youtube.com/user/botrina?feature=mhee Previous GRATITIOUS Warning, that I decided to keep in case I post about something that might offend.  WARNING I intend to be open, honest, and forthright. No topic is off limits from religion to you name it, I'm going there. If you think you might be offended...back up now - this blog isn't for you. For those who "dare"  check out the "Gemini Rising..." |
| Last Saturday, the family had a day off. It was going to be hot in Santa Clarita, and Castaic Lake was closed (since it is the command post for the Lake Fire) and we needed to get out. We've been a good little family since COVID restrictions hit. We don't get out much, but there's not much to get out to. Here in So Cal, especially LA County, a lot of things are still closed. Nail Salons/Hair places can only operate outdoors. Restaurants can do take out or offer outdoors patio dining. (That's tough because it's HOT and not a lot of ppl want to eat outside in the searing heat) School are closed and are online ONLY. The Pac 12 is not playing fall sports which in include football, so no college football. Our typical day is: I go to work, do physical therapy, (on my knee, this is my last week) go home, eat dinner. Watch TV, do housework, read a book, go to bed. The boys go to school online, and hang out at the house. (The one plus is that Joey is signed up for a Volleyball clinic so we got out of the house last night) -- The bowling alley is closed. There's no boy scouts. Everyone wears a mask and even at work they preach social distancing. sigh... If anything, it's mentally draining. The amusement parks are closed. The only thing open is the beach. So last Saturday we said, let's get out of the house and go to the beach. The good thing about the beach is that it's usually 10-15 degrees cooler than the searing heat of Santa Clarita. It was nice because it was off the cuff and nothing was planned. We just went with the flow. We left around noon and our first stop was the Outlet Malls in Camarillo. As we cruised through Ventura, we discovered a rally on the corner of a park. People were wearing red, white, and blue, waving flags. There were two banners -- back the blue and Trump. It was heartwarming to see since I'm a 911 dispatcher and a veteran. The Outlet Malls were packed. Some stores had waiting lines outside of the establishment so as to mind social distancing. We found some athletic shorts that my son liked and then it was off to the local seafood place. The local seafood place is in the Ventura Harbor and it's called Andria's. The fish there is very fresh. I split the meal with my husband. We had a mixed platter with beer battered fish, calamari, scallops, and shrimp. Yummy. My fussy son got chicken nuggets and fries from a place close by. The temp was 82 but it was humid so it felt hot. We ate outdoors, so it was a tad hot for us (but not as hot as it would have been in Santa Clarita!!) Afterwords we crossed the street and put our foot in the water. On the beach, it felt much cooler. I love the water. I'd love to live in Ventura (or Catalina Island) when I get old and retire, but it probably won't happen. Next we go, we'll plan a tad better and be a bit more organized, but not bad for a spur of the moment pack up and go. I'd love to hear what you do to stay cool or what stuff is open in your part of the USA. Have a good one Steph |
| I cannot believe how fast time traveled from the 11th of AUG until now. I was hoping to update my blog between now and then 2-3 times, but heck, I'm happy to have a second or two do catch up with you all now. SCHOOL So, my youngest started 9th grade. High school, right? Exciting, right? Nope. Here is SoCal, my son is starting school online. Initially he was very apprehensive and nervous, but on the first day of school everything seemed to work out and he is now on a schedule. Then the next best thing happened. He was Zoom Bombed!  The Assistant Principal called me. I had no idea what a zoom bomb was!! (it's when someone uses a class's zoom link that isn't the classroom, shows up and uses cuss words or other obnoxious and unprintable words) -- I guess you need a least 2 ppl to zoom bomb. One to give out the link and the 2nd one to zoom bomb. And too boot the Zoom Bomber has been using names of kids in the class and even used my kid's name!!I was upset. Joey was upset. We had NO IDEA what a zoom bomb was. Great. Now we gotta deal with this zoom bomb madness. The "hopeful" news is that the school assistant principal is on the case I think they've identified who one of the zoom bombers are. Crossing my fingers. My oldest starts college on Monday at the local community college. He's got English, Math, Counseling 150, and Intro to Theater. Not all classes are loaded in Canvas. And he has to pick up the English book curbside. Hopefully Monday isn't a $hit Show. NEW RELEASE I have a new release!
 READING: I'm reading "Me" by Elton John. I was never a fan of his music, or his outlandish costumes, but I'm enjoying his memoir. It's gritty and raw and honest. A NERVOUS CONFESSION... I'm also reading "Live Free or Die" by Sean Hannity and "Too Much and Never Enough" by Mary Trump. Very divisive titles by very divisive authors, but I'm a political science junkie and I want to read both sides of the story. Don't shoot me. Don't threaten to TP my house or call me names. Don't call me stupid or ignorant. Quite honestly, I have my own personal political opinions which I keep to myself for the the most part as I have no desire to stir the emotional pot, especially with all the COVID drama going on. I need to keep my blood pressure down... SPEAKING OF BLOOD PRESSURE it's not good. I was on meds for my BP in APR, it leveled out and the doctor said I could get off it.Well, it's back up so I'm on them again, though I must admit, my body seems better adjusted, though the effect isn't as quick/fast/dramatic as before. I am on weight watchers but I've been "maintaining" since April. I am going to modify my diet a tad and focus on a low carb intake. We'll see how that goes. I'm taking garlique to help out, and I probably should get new blood work done. Next time I go to the doctor's I think. HOT August has been hot. Thank goodness we fixed the AC last November! Castaic Lake is closed since its a Command Post for the Lake Fire. So, that's all the stuff going on since I last wrote. I've been following the Basketball playoffs and the Red Sox but the Red Sox sux. Pitching is B.A.D. We're bottom dwellers. But I'm a fan 4 life so... go Sox! Been watching Hard Knocks, but gosh, it's kinda boring. I like the Chargers' coach, Anthony Lynn as he comes across really down to Earth and real. Sean McVay is really football smart, but gosh he's a FuFu. I can't relate to life at the McVay house. Stay cool my friends.And drink Dos Equix. |
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I wish I was a genealogist. Why? Because then I would have answers to my past that would help me explain the following photo: Dispatch Riders (or Despatch Riders) were used by the British in World War I and World War II as messengers to deliver urgent orders or communications from headquarters to field units. In World War II when men were in field units, the British used WRENS as Dispatch Riders. WREN stands for Women's Royal Navy Service (WRNS) . As men were out to war, the service drafted women to be dispatch riders with the important mission of delivering orders/communications. They worked in all kinds of conditions from the Blitz to bad weather. The women who were initially selected needed to have knowledge of motorcycles, how to ride one, and how to provide maintenance on a motorcycle. They were usually well known competition drivers from local racing circuits. As the war grew on, they selected untrained women and would train them up. Their work during the Battle of Britain was praised since traveling during those conditions where dicey to say the least. The bike this dispatch rider is on is a BSA 250cc, which is a common bike of the time. The photo is dated 10 May 1941. An article about the dispatch riders that share some information on their background and heroism can be found here: https://www.motorcyclistonline.com/female-dispatch-motorcycle-riders-world-war-i... Why do I wish a genealogist? Because the women on the bike looks just like me.  I'm a tad older in this picture, in my 30's, but you can see the resemblance. When I saw this picture I was stunned. A co-worker found it on a Pinterest board and shared it with me. We were both floored. I was able to find out a date on photo, the type of bike, and from what's she's wearing, determined she was a British dispatch rider, but that's it. I want to know more!! I did 23andMe about a year and half ago and found out some interesting things about my genes. I'm 44% Eastern European from Poland and Ukraine. Not surprised. My mother's family came from those areas. From what I've been able to find out, My maternal grandmother's parents, Michael and Petronella (from Ukraine) left in 1913 to come to America so Michael wouldn't be drafted into the Russian army (World War 1) . They settled in Massachusetts and my grandmother settled in Hinsdale, NH with her Polish husband. I don't know his story at all, but would interested to learn it. My father's side has a rich Canadian history that can be traced back to the "Daughters of the King" (Fille Du Roi) where Louis XIV (14th), wanting to increase the French population in Canada, sent approximately 800 young women with dowries he provided them to Canada to find a man and start a family between 1663-1673. According to 23andMe, I am 15% French/German. (Interesting side note, according to 23andMe, my German comes from Nord Rhine Westphila -- the area where I was stationed when I was in the US Army 86-88.). My French comes Normandie. I'm 15% British/Irish. When I was little girl, I once asked my Granny (my father's mother) where she was from. She said, "I don't know. I'm a mutt, I'm little from here and there." Me: Are you Irish? (because St. Patrick's Day was around the corner and I wanted to wear green.) Granny: Maybe a little, I don't know. Come to find out, Granny was a lot more Irish -- and British -- than she thought!! 23andMe says I'm from all over Britain, but the big "hit" is in the London area. I'm 2-3 generations removed according to them, which sounds about right if one of Granny's parents (or both) had British roots. I would love to know the woman's name in the picture. Where is she? Is she in London? Who are her family? Is she a cousin of mine? Why does this woman in the picture look remarkably like me? Ah... it's something only history -- and a genealogist can tell me. |
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I love gyros. We have a Greek church and restaurant in town and a festival. But... I'm not there. 
