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 |  Yet another blog. Been here so long I thought I ought to blog again. Besides, it is fun! |
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I've decided to blog again. I can only hope it will last longer than the last one. (Hah) The main difference is I am beginning in the middle of July, in a severe drought, and we had a little rain today. Of course not enough, but anything is welcome. The smell of rain is so rare, and nice. I didn't realize how much I have missed it. I also cannot believe how chilly it is. Yet, I should believe it, as I was recently in what was supposedly summer in New Zealand (where I had to buy hats, sweaters and sheepskin booties), Australia and a bunch of other countries, which all were experiencing strange weather. A big shout out to my friends (you know who you are). I am fortunate enough to still be in touch with some of them. This brings up some other strange topics. I mean how some so-called friends just go dark on you...nothing, crickets so to speak, not a sound. It can be family too. Strange phenomena this is. Life is full of them. Today is my eleventh WDC anniversary. Gulp. There have been so many changes here I barely know where to begin. So I just began. And so I shall end for today. Time to go drink a cup of tea now. |
| Safely evacuated at 5:30 am. Being updated by Cesar. Will let you know more soon. |
| The Southern Cross is only visible below the Equator. We have gotten to see it recently. It is always an adventure to see, and this time was no different. We wanted to see some different islands on our 5th trip to the South Pacific. To this wish, it was granted by both Fakarova, French Polynesia and Manele Bay, Lanai, Hawaii. (When I lived in Hawaii Lanai was known as the Pineapple Island, now it is more known for the two resorts.) We thought Fakarava was similar to Rangiroa….both are great snorkel locations, and both are atolls. The best beach was in Lanai, Hawaii. The island has only 3,500 people and 2 Four Seasons Resorts and 1 other hotel (or bed and breakfast to be more accurate) is owned 97% by one man who bought the island from a Murdoch. (Okay, Ellison owns it, the former owner of Oracle.). Ours was the first cruise ship to be allowed access, and I am so glad I was on it. The gave us Koa Nut Leis to welcome us. The best beach of the trip was here, beautiful and untouched tide pools, and of course NO CROWDS. The folks on the ship seemed OLD to us…maybe it is because they had nothing to do except eat. We found breakfast to be the best meal. Lots of fresh fruits and yogurt. Of course you could order eggs any way you like, and often I had 2 poached eggs on dry toast. Plus the fact we ate outside and you do have a winner. Since I had drawn most places, I began to write a Haiku a day. It was mostly an impression I had looking out of the sliding balcony door. I may put them online at some point. There is joy to be found each day. I will leave you with one: Balcony is cool Clouds rush by faster than time Must be the ending. |
| Please, will you take my hand? I’ll lead you across the sand, I’m sure you won’t find it bland. Through the veil of a word now muffled heard, It’s the sound of Kurds. Thousands poisoned by gasses, where the time no longer passes for those dead men and lasses. There was no time for cries. Only time for lies From an evil regime’s blind eyes. The world should hear The children’s laughter so dear. But it's silenced now, choked in fear. So go ahead and laugh aloud, let soldiers dig among the crowd, just don’t forget their heads are bowed. The tears were gone and now return, with each shovel lifted, a little urn filled with bones of the chemically burned. No weapons of mass destruction? Then explain this past sick function, where innocence was at the junction. Where good met evil one more time to take the lives of just one kind, and it became the world’s to find. Again. I wrote this long ago, August 4, 2004, yet it seems it fits now. H-m-m-m. Maybe different somehow, yet not. |
| Making Lists…. I wish none of us ever had to make a list to remind us to a) do something, b) buy something, c) remember something or other. I guess we all should at some point. Living the life is not as easy as it once was…or so it seems. I forget why I started this, except I started to write something on a list and FORGOT what I wanted to write down. Sheesh. All I know for sure is I am writing a blog. (i)I think I am, maybe I am making a list.. See below. Nah, I am writing a blog. I AM. Don’t you sometimes want to be a Jetson and jet YOURSELF away? I know I do. Like today….Shall I make a list? a.) Water woes. b.) Water woes. c.) Blogging. Wait, did I say blogging? OOPS. Okay, now to begin…again.. We have been without water for 6 days. Thankfully it isn’t as hot, weather-wise…(as in past years). But you know the saying, "It never rains, it pours." Having said this, I got a call (I rarely answer a call who is not on my contact list, if it is important a message will be left) who left a message. I listened to the message, it was the electric co. asking, no…telling me, a pole needed replacing. Hmmm. Hey, what is a little water? I won’t ask Texas or Florida now. Surprise, I’m back. Worse for wear for sure, but hey, I am back and still alive. Here is my most recent list: 1. The water issue was settled on Friday last. 2. I’ve been to the doctor and changed my Advil habit to another, more effective one. 3. Been to an Island nearby…drove our boat. Oh, didn’t know I had one. 4. Gotten some dresses for the cruise I plan on going on. Yes, they needed hemming…so have gotten they done. 5. Caught up on some blogs I have missed. |
| It seems no matter what we do all roads lead back to the future. Like for instance: Didn’t we "duck and cover" once already? Did we not build bomb shelters already? Where are they now? We were watching a CD (yes, even those are now Blu-Ray CD’s…sheesh.) of the Ed Sullivan Show (the early Beatles) including the "old commercials." Huh. I did'nt know Anacin could be used to fight depression too…and I saw Pillsbury commercials for products we still use today! I’m talking Crescent Rolls, Buttermilk Pancake Mix and the likes. Wow! We also noticed the show "America’s Got Talent" is very much like The Ed Sullivan Show. Weird acts you would not see anywhere else. Before retirement we used to mark the passage of time by TV shows on a certain night. I see now, after retirement, we measure time by certain shows on certain nights. (Summer still stinks when you are watching TV.) I suppose any time you watch Dead People is a good sign you are still alive! Speaking of "Back to the Future", just got back from our County Fair! Talk about a theme, "Rooted in Tradition" was the tag-line. I suppose you could say the more things change the more they stay the same. We saw the old-time things like a Flea Circus. The only difference was we are older, and the man who ran it was a "Nuclear Scientist." The problem came when he said it was his father who retired from the same place my husband worked. Of course we let him dig the hole deeper…I mean what kind of people would we be if we didn’t? (Don’t answer this question.) While standing in line for the Ferris Wheel we noticed the mix of people…(the announcement over the loudspeaker was one I wish I recorded, but hey…it had something to do with confiscating weapons, not wearing "gang" affiliated tattoos or clothing…the announcement was in SPANISH. My husband remarked how expensive it was to buy a corndog…3 different prices 5$, !0$, and $15…for one. How does a family do it?. I hate to mention it, yet at nearly 1 dollar a ticket for the midway games, I feel lucky to have a red, happy face thing (small, a pillow in the shape of a bad emoticon?) made in the USA. Granted it was a consolation "gift" for missing a balloon with a dart. Oh well, at least it won’t die like the goldfish someone else won. So much for observations at our fair, I was lucky to last 3 hours and eat "watermelon deep fried on a stick" (heavy for balancing on a stick with arthritic hands) and a corndog without throwing up…like a kid we saw on a violent ride. Since when are rides so violent? I suppose it is a matter of perspective…once I began losing my layer of fat…uh-oh. In closing, I opened a furniture catalogue and saw a bed painted black. Ok an iron bed. What startled me was that I purchased an antique iron bed in 1989, and painted it black when I moved in 2004. Wow! It really does feel like "Back To The Future." |
| Today we will be going (again) to the cell-phone store. No, I won’t say which one, because…well I just won’t. We are not getting calls anymore…oh sure I get notified of a message, but no calls. I’m serious. At our stage in life each call is precious…maybe not precious but important, (at least to us it is). Can you tell we don’t get many calls? There are a few other things to do also…h-m-m-m. It is rough being retired!. There is a nap. Followed by lunch. Then a nap, and OMG it is wine time. Where does time go? Seriously, it rough to be retired. Why just yesterday we found out we are going to be Grand-Persons again. (Not caring for the Grandparent name we have changed it to Grand-Persons.). They had the unmitigated gall to ask what we think it will be, Boy or Girl? Personally I think it may be a pain-in-the-behind, but that was not included in the choices. I really have no idea. I/We hope they are going to be happy. (They have no idea what is coming…boy or girl… but guaranteed it will be a pain, either way.) I would like to explain the fact of replacing Grandparent with Grand-Person…you see we want to be known as NOT A PARENT with ensuing responsibilities, but rather to be known as we are, Grand Persons. Easy peasy huh!. (I may be dating myself using such a phrase…yet if you didn’t know by now…) In closing, lets discuss thermal imagery, i.e.: ultrasound. Did you know a simple ultrasound to determine what sex the baby is, could fry a baby’s brain? It is also related to Autism? That’s what we were told. Huh. Amazing what studies show since I was pregnant.. I only had an x-ray…is that what happened to my son? I’m so sorry son, but who knew? There is something to be said for NOT knowing…kinda like a present. Kinda. |
| Thank you for the well wishes and reviews. It is always a surprise to me to realize how long I have been here. This was the first blogging site, and the only one I blog on. Oh I left for a wider audience, but I have since thought better of it. Yes, I still go on a cruise now and then...yet I refuse to wear gowns anymore. Besides, I don't care. Ok, not fair, I DO care about how I look, just no more gown buying. Too much effort for me. I used to laugh at the early diners, now I AM ONE. I also go to sleep earlier, and get up earlier. No time to waste. I still have friends here...it keeps me on my toes. Literally. The fires are around me, makes it difficult to breathe, but still have my house and life. (Yes, this is in my gratitude diary.) As are many things to be grateful for...including friends. Let's try for another 13...shall we? |
| I have come to this conclusion. I can say this because I have trouble standing for long periods of time. Yes, I stand. I have a padded mat beneath my feet. Some days are easier than others, yet I know the shorter the blog, the more I can read. And comment. I used to blog daily…now I am good to make a couple of blogs a month! Really.. I do read blogs almost daily though. I say "almost" because on occasion I am away from my computer. Oh My Gawd. OMG to some. I am online intermittently, having given up on FaceBook and other forms of Social Media. I will admit to having some trouble keeping up with all the Tweets etc. So, I don’t bother.. I have enough trouble keeping up with the so-called news. I believe this is what it’s called now, though they seem to use the term "BREAKING NEWS" a lot these days, even if it isn’t. I have a gratitude diary I try to write in everyday. It helps me to find my priorities. I always begin with my husband. Corny, yet true. I am the first to admit some days are a list of 3, others a list of 8-9. We all are not perfect, even me! I guess age has nothing to do with blogging, it is more about being or thinking we are healthy! |
| I cannot understand takers. I’m talking about people who will suck you dry without giving anything back. Maybe I am old-fashioned, but I think one needs to respond once and awhile. Okay, there are givers and takers, and maybe broken people attract broken people. All I know for sure is the thought of this has inspired a card. I just asked my husband the question, his answer in a nutshell was, "If you are reading this you are broken," GAWD. Never ask a man a serious question, though he did point out I would need to "drill down" to find an answer. Great, what do I expect from an engineer? Besides, I don’t have time in this blog (nor my life) to explore all the answers. One thing I do understand is that being "short" has advantages….IF you have a sweet tooth. I peruse the isles of the grocery store because I like seeing what "new" products are being introduced. My husband has the sweet tooth in our family, I can walk by cookies, candies and the like without drooling. Him, not so much. I have found most couples have a sweet and a savory. Which are you? He is taller and gets all of the "yucky" stuff which I have to reach, which is not that difficult unless you have been doing it your entire life and now have a bad shoulder. Good thing there are people taller I can ask to reach something just out of reach. I used to stand on the bottom shelf and jump to reach stuff until it was pointed out I could hurt myself. Yes, I mean back-in-the-day. Now I reach with my left hand and still can’t reach, so I ask for help from the next person to pass by me. Fortunately they seem to understand and are very gracious. This may help explain why men don’t usually hang in a grocery store. They should though, it is COLD!. |
| There are many blog topics I can choose from. H-m-m. Okay, let’s begin with this: Father’s Day. I am not sure why we need a day to “celebrate’. Shouldn’t everyday be a mothers or fathers day? Who else guides us when we are young? (Or doesn’t as many cases are these days.) Why…. look around you. There are many angry people. Oh sure, some give the appearance of being happy, yet if it were so, I wonder why they are “seething” beneath the smiles. I am being left alone because my husband chose to go to Idaho to see one of his sons and a grandson. I had a choice to go, but I have been there before (twice), so my curiosity is satisfied. I know the grandson will not remember me (or his grandfather) until he is older. Having said this, I understand why my husband felt he wanted to see the child, and to be supportive. Expectations were high. Not so much now. Suffice it to say his son is very selfish. Also my husband wanted to meet and see the new girl in his son’s life. That’s being done now. Oh well. Now I would like to talk about the inequity of women needing to change their names when they get married. Sheesh, I have had name changes every time I got married. This leaves my son with a different last name. Who really cares when we change our name? I mean, gathering up all the paperwork is difficult. Perhaps the drivers’ license people care! HAH! Ok, maybe it matters if your spouse dies first but beyond that? I have amused myself today. Glued an end-piece on a railing, drawn some cards, pulled some weeds and …..well, I finished listening to a book. I now am having a glass of wine. Life is great! I have been eating healthy stuff too. You can never have too much protein when you get over a certain age. I grilled a mess of chicken tenders the other evening, so I have plenty for tonight. I do miss my husband and my dogs. This is the first time I am totally without a heartbeat in the house. Talk about alone. Enough of that, not many blog on the weekends, so I thought I should. Ta-da! |
| Ugh. I didn't get more than 2 hours of sleep last night. Oh well. I was ill yesterday, today not so much. I managed to meet some friends for breakfast at 9:00 am. Then we walked the park...(To be fair it was ART IN THE PARK! I am going to take advantage of this day...I read where someone else can"t. I heard a former cruise buddy of mine's husband died last weekend. I called her, because she knows I know. I have a new character...she feels "right" to me. Actually she answers to "HEY". |
| I was going to blog on a great topic, yet by the time I got the font right, a blank paper in….I forgot the topic! I suppose that tells us all something…just begin…somewhere. HAPPY DAY AFTER MOTHER’S DAY! This is what’s happening now. Perhaps I could write about the importance of laughter right now. The world, in general, is an angry place, yet there is little time left in our lives to spend on anger. We never know when we will draw our last breath. Spend time outside, observing what is left of nature, or look at the person you fell in love with and try to find the core again, or ….fill in the blank. It doesn’t matter to anyone else but you, so make you happy. I have discovered if I am “happy” so are those I come in contact with, and while I know it can be difficult some days… we have to try. Somehow. I draw cards…ok I paint them too. It makes me happy to do so. So does writing, especially when I remember what I want to say! My husband reminded me the topic I wanted to write about is: Packing. Yeah, packing. Dull, but a necessary part of any trip, business or pleasure. Where to begin? Divide wearings into day or night categories. Decide the toiletries you want (need) to take. Pack away! Just don't take too much! We have plans to go away in October, God willing and the creek don’t rise! |
| Blogging well is something you do, you practice, like nearly anything. Take music for instance. You practice scales over and over until Voila, one day “you have it”. Writing is like this too! How often do you say to yourself, “this would make a good blog topic”, only to forget what the thought was? I know it happens to me. Often. It makes me want to blog, at the time, I am sure. Yet like many things time marches onward without me doing a blog. For instance I had written a blog earlier in my head. Darned if I know what it was though. Practically a whole day has gone by now. Sheesh. Oh well, here I am grateful for this ability, no matter how lame it feels to me. By the way there is a blogger I find very interesting to read. I highly recommend her: Mia - craving colour   Ah yes, I remember now. Choices. Life is nothing but a million choices…some good, some are bad, yet they lead you to TODAY. Wow, this should tell us not to have regrets. There’s nothing you can do about regrets, except to realize they are a waste of time and bandwidth. (Another term used for space given to unproductive thinking, which we all do.) Nothing erases who you are. Nothing. |
| Wow…people either: a.) are not blogging anymore. b.) have a life. c.) think nobody cares. d.) forgot. e.) are elsewhere, like FB. I wish I could blog more often, but I have in the past. It isn’t I have nothing left to say, because I do. It is more like who cares? ( Besides, I made a sign which reads, “Only 15 minutes at a time.”) GAWD, this has to be spread out over coloring cards, drawing them, sending them, writing my son and having a fine life. I do get online in the mornings, but it always seems I have so much to do. ( I do.) We all have routines, yet I do wonder what drives them. I know the triggers for me, do you know yours? (No, I won’t reveal mine, and neither should you.) There are so many things to do each day, besides getting online. I know young people think it will not end…time…yet it does, when we least expect it. Perhaps we should take note of our priorities…before it is too late and you have regrets about NOT doing something. The things you lose shape your life, not wiping out all that came before it. Perhaps it is why I don’t blog as often as I used to. Hm-m-m. If you are the least bit curious I suggest you go to my portfolio, there are more than enough true life stories to be found. Isn’t it amazing when you have worked on a blog for days and then read another blog, or newsletter, or article which says basically the same thing? I know it has happened to me, but NOBODY says it in the same way, so I keep on writing it. De Ja Vu? |
| I am glad be able to say this, today my son turns 50. I fondly remember the day I turned 50…or do I? Things were way different then. I had a few dogs, a different husband, and a much different life. Yet that is looking backwards at something ( time and space) which will never be again. So onward I say. My husband wanted to see a movie the other night…from 1959. ( Remarkable in it’s timeliness.) “On the Beach” was a very apt movie in light of today’s issues, yet that is not why he wanted to see it. (That I know of.) I asked his mother if she remembered taking her kids to see the movie. Her answer was, “No.” However, she was interested in hearing about it. She is 95, so I can’t fault her memory. Today is supposed to rain according to a weather app I have. Okay, 40% chance, though it is gray outside from low clouds, so who knows? The app also tells me when (the time anyway) it should arrive. I am happy I only have the app when I am online, which means whenever I am away from home I have to rely on my eyes. Heaven forbid we revert to that! Well it may be the last rain of a traditional season, yet what is traditional what with Global Warming? Speaking of GW, how does one go about making plans? I specifically mean driving plans. It used to be easy, yet with population growth, weather and road conditions, arthritis etc. not so much anymore. My husband needs to see his mother in Texas, grandsons and sons soon. So much to do, so little time. He is in better shape than I, so perhaps ….nah. Hope you had a nice Easter, no matter what you do or call it. That was Cesar’s 29th wedding anniversary too. I have one coming up next month, though not 29 years. Six years. WOW! Time to go now. |
| WOW! It is April already. My how time flies...whether you have fun or not. (Just a thought.) Our electricity went out the other day around 4:30 pm. Did not get it back until the next morning around 7:06 am. The wind was VERY strong, but hey, what is a little electricity when so many others have no homes? I spoke with my former secretary yesterday since I noticed she has a birthday this month. There are many birthdays in April, my son is one and he will be…GULP…50. My secretary is not doing as well as many, and dialysis 3 x’s a week cannot be fun. Every so often I turn on the news…let me say local news, because they are not so fixated on the negativity. I digress. Okay, the reason I mentioned this is because my husband and I were mentioned (and bannered over our submitted photo) not once, but twice. Yes I got it on video. I may have a flip-phone but that doesn't mean I gave up my iPhone. ( The camera is handy even if I don't text.) Speaking of negativity, we have gone to flip-phones. Yep, no more “texting”. Yipee!! It is difficult to make people understand they actually have to CALL you now. To give you their undecided attention. It is shocking now to hear the phone ring...of course I don't answer it if I don't know you. But, if you leave a message I'll call back. I have a bit of a dilemma; to send or not to include chocolates to a hyper child for Easter. Of course it is not the only thing I will send. I decided not to include them. That's it for now. Whew, this blogging stuff gets tougher each year....errrrr day. |
| Why do so many people thank their mothers? What about fathers? Yes, I know mothers are usually the ones spending more time with the children… this would assume we are still living in the past. We are not. Perhaps it is wise to think about the contributions men have made to the family. (Now in the two working person environment, mothers.) They often worked long hours (and often away from home), lived paycheck to paycheck to provide a roof over your head, food on your mouth, medical services and clothing on your back…not to mention extras like holidays etc. So, why is it so many children do not appreciate their fathers’ contribution enough to warrant a mention? What about stepfathers? There are many who take on families for different reasons. Most are good ones, yet I am aware there are those with “ulterior” motives. For the purpose of this blog, let’s stick with the good step-fathers, those who provide money and guidance to other men’s children. I heard one person “thank” their stepfather. One. Think about it. You mean all the others either had dead fathers or none? Really. I know if I were properly raised by a stepfather I would acknowledge him in my “thank you’s”. Nobody can be here without a father of some sort. “Thanks for my life” doesn’t seem all that difficult to acknowledge. My husband has two children, one who thanks him for his sage advice, and another who doesn’t call or write. Both have children, one who shares his son, and the other who…we do not know. I have one child. He is in jail. I have a grandchild too. I have seen her once, on my birthday. I bet she would thank her mother for….h-m-m-m-m. Okay, I know she wouldn’t thank her dad. Maybe this is why people don’t thank their fathers. Nah. Too easy. |
| Recently my husband and I switched our iPhones for flip-phones. We had no problems doing so, except for withdrawal. (Well, okay we had some other problems like explaining to others why we had gone back to a simpler phone.) Yes, there was the whole learning curve with a new phone, yet it seems to happen anytime you get a new phone. We still have internet, just not “to go”. Telling people to call instead of text is…well, interesting. We have come up with a few ways to know it is time: You know it is time to get a flip-phone when: 1. You add telemarketers and misdialed phones to your contact list. 2. You can’t read or type a text. 3. You are retired. 4. You are addicted to your mailbox. 5. Your neck hurts. 6. You only use the phone to Google and take pictures. Besides, I was tired of buying different ringtones. |
| Why is it people "lob" their problems like a catapult to MY court? Just a text or an email can ruin a day (or moments) after receiving one...especially when you “check” your smartphone all the time. Yesterday was a prime example of this. I won’t bore you with the details, suffice it to say it was happening over twice….again. Since when did people stop leaving a message when they call you? I make it a practice not to call people back if they cannot leave a message. Isn’t that why we have that feature on our phones? If they don’t feel important to themselves, how am I supposed to feel when I get a call and they can’t even say, “I called you” on my messages? Ok, I do make one exception for a person I know who has difficulty even talking because of a disease. Since when do TV reporters make-up words? I can’t watch the (so called news) without a reporter seeming to make up descriptive words…isn”t that what college communication classes were for? Ok, so I spent over a week drawing a picture on a Valentine’s Day Card for my son in jail. I got notified that the card had glue. Ok, I know about cards with glitter, but glue?? Anyway, this is the second time I have gotten a card back, so won’t be sending any more. Did I mention I once got a whole letter returned because it contained a blank piece of paper I inadvertently tore off with the letter. Sheesh. I hope everyone has a great day...and it is gorgeous here, so I will! |
| Well it's Super Bowl Sunday, wahoo! I think I know who's playing, the Falcons against some team from New York. It's a very gray day in California, we have 100% chance of rain tomorrow. We went to the farmers market this morning and found lots of weird things to eat, like Paleo granola, and some dates and some shelled pistachios. OK, So not all of it's weird however some of it is. I suppose it depends on how you look at it. I managed to get a few Valentines cards sent off today, and now I'm trying to do a couple of birthday cards that are due later this week. To me it's more exciting than Super Bowl Sunday. I am stuffed with crab cakes, and not from the Super Bowl party...that hasn't even begun yet. I don't suppose it will begin for me, EVER again! You have a wonderful Super Bowl Sunday. I'm going to take a nap now. |
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