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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 4 JULY 2019: Just a little about me. I've been married for 27 years and currently live in Southern California, but I grew up in New Hampshire. I've got 2 kids, a 17 yrs old and a 12 yr old. Both are boys. Nuff said. 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. 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, scouting 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 TWITTER: http://twitter.com/StephBurkhart 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..." |
| I can't!! Where did it go? The last 9 days have been a blurr... I go to work, go home, eat, watch TV go to bed. I haven't been anywhere interesting and when it's payday, Wednesday, I catch up on my errands and go to Costco!! I  Costco. I still need reviews on my short stories so I can book marketing sites. So here is a gratitious plug:
Here's the blurb: Night of Magic…Samhain—Dark…Dangerous…Powerful…The year is 800 A.D. on the Emerald Isle, and Prince Jasper is determined to regain that which has been lost to him. Five years past, Princess Aithne was taken from her father, Prince Jasper, by the forces of the Other World. On Samhain, the veil between the worlds is thin, and can be breeched more readily—especially if one walks amid the ceremonial bonfires. When Princess Aithne disappears, her father vows every year to bring her back. He tempts many champions with a chest of gold, but only one man can succeed. This year, Finn is determined to lay claim to that treasure, but to do so, he must tempt Fate. Will he survive his journey to the Other World to bring the princess back? Will he dare follow his heart? Or will greed determine what lies in store for him on this NIGHT OF MAGIC? Much thanks for your support. Every review is one step closer to my marketing goals! FUNDRAISING IN COVID Fundraising for the boys has always been a thing. When they were in elementary school, teachers would send home a list of items/supplies they needed for the classroom. Us room parents would pitch in and I even volunteered in the classroom to help out. If anything I was irked because CA taxes are SKY HIGH and it broke my heart that after all the TAXES I pay, teachers still dont have $$ for supplies for their classroom and they have to ask room parents. Of course, I support, especially at the elementary level, just sad. BUT... since school is online, fundraising from schools is practically non existent which is kinda nice, however Joey's high school is still food fundraisers. I don't mind supporting them either because usually when I get home, I am practically out of energy and don't have the stamina to actually cook a meal. Boy Scouts is still fundraising. Right now they have a popcorn & Christmas wreath fundraiser. I don't mind giving them a shout out on my FB page. Still, popcorn is expensive and I hate sounding like I'm begging. haha. The Christmas wreaths are nice though. If anyone is interested in supporting, let me know and I'll send you a link. Boy Scouts have been good for my boys. Andrew is an Eagle Scout. Joey is Star right now. I like the protocols they have in place now with youth protection. Well, that's all I have. Looking forward to tonight's presidential debate! Smiles Steph |
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| Well, September is here. Things come, Things go. As usual, I'm a bit poky getting around to my blog, please forgive. (Though I am impressed that that I haven't been entirely negelectful and I'm finding time to pop in from time to time) Just sharing some misc thoughts about the world and events around me this September. SOCAL Well, things are pretty much still shut down here in SoCal, and I'm in LA County. Our county is in the Purple tier, so we are very resticted. No movies, No bowling alleys, Halloween is "not recommeded" bit isn't prohibited. I'm a tad "drained" from the restrictions. I go to work, I go home, I eat, I sleep. If I have a day off I do my errands and I go walking. Missing USC Football. COVID sucks. What else needs to be said? HOPE, HONOR, HEAL VIRTUAL 5K WALK September is National Suicide Awareness month and LAPD partnered with Hope, Honor, Heal to host a Virtual 5K to bring attention to suicide awareness. They used the "Just Move" app to record your progress. I signed up to do it and took my 13 yr old with me. We walked 5K's around Castaic Lake, but we did after work. I'm glad to walk and bring awareness to this issue. (FYI... I am a 911 Dispatcher for LAPD. I take 911 calls for the city of LA as well as talking to the officers on the radio.) Here's a video by LAPD. FIRES The air quality sucks. As usual, California is on fire. But just so you know, it's fire season and California is always on fire. It burned last year, and the year before that, and the year before that too. My governor says the number one reason is because of climate change. Now this is a divisive topic, and I don't mean to stir up the dust here. But I found this guy, Bijorn Lomborg out of Sweden, who makes a lot of sense. Climate Change is real, but it isn't quite the force some think it is. Here's Bijorn's Article: https://nypost.com/2020/09/14/sorry-solar-panels-wont-stop-californias-fires/?fb... So Bijorn is my climate change guy. I believe part of California's problem has to do with the lack of forest management. Causes for some of the most recent fires have been lightening and a gender reveal party. While I believe like Bijorn, that the climate makes a favoritable enviornment due to the hot conditions and dry heat, the lack for forest management has made California a tinder box. I say give Bijorn Lomborg a read and see what he says rings true to you. OUt of all the things I've read and watched, Bijorn rings true to me. READING I've been a bunch of political books trying to round out my thoughts and ideas. I read Mary Trump's book and I just finished reading Don Jr's book. I know, more division. Sorry. What's the saying? Knowledge is power? Well, I'm working on my knowledge. Also reading "The Great Influenza" and "Carnegie's Maid." I like the historical stuff, can you tell? WRITING It feels good to be back writing. Mind you, it's slow, but due to COVID restrictions, I'm finding time. I am working on updating an "older" tale. It was published in the Victory Tales Press "Stimulating" anthology back in 2010. It was called "Christmas in Bayeux." Victory Tales Press went out of business in 2018 and it's taken me a bit to start to get my stories back out there. Here's a little preview of "new" scene: *** "But if the stock does well, it will earn you money."Annabelle buttered one side of her crossaint. "What did Marchand say?" "Buy." Noel let out a long breath. "He says Amazon is the future." "Have you asked your friend?" Noel raised an eyebrow. "Oh, you mean Aiden?" "Yes." Author's note: In 2010, the year the story takes place, Amazon stock was between 100-114 dollars a share. Hard to believe, but true. ********** Hope September has treated you decent. Smiles to all Steph   |
 There are just events that happen which are burned into our memories. They may fade over time, but the emotion you feel years later is still strong. For the older generation who fought in World War II, Pearl Harbor is that day. (The Greatest Generation, 1901-1927) For some, JFK's assassination is the moment. (the Baby Boomers) For others, the Challenger destruction, moments after launch in 1986 is another. This is a moment that hasn't faded and powerful emotions can have me in tears in seconds. (Generation X) Another moment was when American Airlines Flight 11 and United Airlines Flight 175 struck the Twin Towers. American Airlines Flight 77 struck the Pentagon. United Airlines Flight 93 crash landed in Shanksville, PA after the crew and passengers fought back and attempted to regain control of the Airplane which was headed toward Washington DC. (the Millenials) 9-11 still resonates with me. I was in the military from 86-97. In Feb 2000, I was hired as a 911 dispatcher for LAPD. I was 19 months into my new career and 3 months pregnant. I woke up, went downstairs, and turned on the TV. The north tower was ablaze. I watched the second plane crash into the south tower and my heart sunk into my chest. What was wrong with the world? I thought. What kind of world am I bringing my child into? I didn't even now the sex of the child at the time! (Nowadays my son is 18. The world has changed - its different from my growing up years and his experiences growing up are different from mine.) I still wonder to this day what kind of world I brought my boys into and if I gave them a solid start to tto live in this world. I gave Roll call training today. It was supposed to be about terrorism in LA, but I blew through that and spent a bunch of time on 9-11 and the events that lead up to that event. For me,its personal. We will never forget. My remembering this event and honoring it (like we do the anniversary of D-Day) we think about what's important in our lives. Our families. Our jobs. Our way of life. I challenged the shift to just spend a moment or two in silence. Say a prayer for those lost their lives, and their families. Do one kind thing today. I think UA Flight 93, who knew the danger they were in and tried to fight back, would appreciate that small gesture. I will never forget their heroism or the bravery of every person on every flight,the unsuspecting people in the twin towers just getting to work,and the courgeous firefighters, police officers and port authority officers who responded. |
 I think we all enjoy having the first Monday of September off. It’s a nice break since the last holiday was the 4th of July. That’s a long span not to have a holiday. So, what’s Labor Day about? It’s dedicated to the American worker and all they’ve done to strengthen the nation, help make America prosperous, and boost the overall well-being of the country. While the origins of the holiday are debated, what we do know is that one of the first Labor Days came about in the 1880’s out of New York City, and the intent was to celebrate with a picnic. By 1894, 23 states celebrated Labor Day. The first Labor Days involved a street parade with floats and exhibits that embodied the strength and Esprit de corps of the trade or labor unions. After the parades, there would be festivals, picnics, amusement to help entertain workers and their families. I, for one, enjoy a good autumn festival. Today there are “Highland Games” that take place in the fall, State Fairs, Apple festivals, etc… Labor has contributed to the high standard of living in America, and the worker deserves to be acknowledged for their contributions. I think that’s the heart of the holiday that we shouldn’t forget. Labor Unions were very important when they first formed. Labor Unions were formed in the private sector for manufacturing jobs. They helped establish fair practices. Labor Unions not only negotiated fair wages, but also for the 8 hour work day, and benefits from sick time to holiday pay. Labor unions helped to protect workers. They helped to do away with children laborers as well. Labor Day is now approximately 125 years old. It’s still considered the unofficial end of summer, as schools usually back up after the holiday. But do unions do the same thing now in 2020 that they were conceived to do in the 1880’s? The times have changed since 1880’s and now. The Industrial revolution is over and now there’s a technical revolution. What makes a Union successful in 2020 is the ability to successfully negotiate contracts. There are public unions and private unions. Public service unions have grown while private ones have gotten smaller. Public unions focus on retaining good pay, good benefits and job security. Public sector unions also have a political influence. Private unions have declined due to the jobs market declining in certain jobs such as health care, restaurants, and hospitality as well as manufacturing. As for the holiday, I would love see America get back to basics with parades and festivals. (which would definitely be challenge in 2020 due to COVID) What makes the holiday special for me is the day off to relax and appreciate all the benefits I have due to the hard work of laborers before me. So, for Labor Day 2020, I’ll be BBQ in my backyard, share my Labor Day flowers with you all, and read a good book. I might even go shopping at Target. It's the little things that make the holiday special. |
| 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. |
| LIVING IN JULY -- BBQ So, it's summer time and summer is known for BBQ. And thankfully BBQ is something you can do in your backyard, especially with COVID. If anything, learning to cook, experimenting with your cooking, and developing cooking techniques is a way to pass the time during COVID. Here in Southern California, with it the temps slowly climbling, I don't like to eat a lot of heavy foods, as they make me feel full and bloated in the heat. I much prefer BBQ'ing my meats. BBQ is short for Barbeque. And BBQ is about cooking your food on a grill using slow, circumvented hot air with the lid closed. There are all kinds of grills you can use: charcoal, gas, wood chips, etc. I think it's easy to confuse BBQ and grilling as grilling is a technique in which you cook with the lid up and direct heat on the bottom. I use a combo of both. So I grill and I BBQ. haha. My favorite things to grill are pork ribs, hot dogs, sausages, and steaks. I don't mind grilling grilling shrimp or fish but they require a bit more prep. Chicken is always a challenge as it does grill well, but if you prep it right, I can put it on the rack above the flames, put the heat on low, and turn every so often. Costco has been selling a lot of short ribs recently and so I came up with a marinade recipe that impresses the boys. SHORT RIB MARINADE veggie oil EVOO -- I use a fufu Garlic Oil from https://olivehillfarm.com/ (I like to support local, and while not local, local, (they are a two hour drive from my house) I can get them to mail me the fufu EVOO so I'm happy. My favorites are garlic and basil olive oils. minced garlic soy sauce fish sauce cilantro green onions 1 jalapeno I usually eyeball the marinade. It's so much funner that way. It's "Asian" inspired with a touch of Mexican but it comes out wonderful and it really flavors the meat. Anyhoo... just thought I'd share as it ain't easy living in a COVID word, but BBQ'ing and grilling is something that you can do when trying to stay busy. Do you have any tips, receipes, etc...you'd like to share? |
| It's a been a busy week with a lot of drama. Lucky me. There's work drama that had me stewing in my tomatoes. I'm kinda over it, but it's lingering and I'm hoping for the best and I shared my frustration with my work peeps so not feeling like going over it again. MASK DRAMA Then there's the ya gotta wear a mask at work. Believe me, I've no issues. I'll wear my mask. I got my mask back in March. It's a cotton mask with a NE Patriots design on it. I wear it everywhere. Well the darn thing has started to slink down my nose and show my nostrils and my supervisor keeps yelling at me to put the thing over my nose. I was getting mad when I realized, that the mask is "old" (only 3 months) and it's probably a little saggy. Lucky me. So I went to my mask lady and bought a whole bunch. I got a USC mask, a LA Clippers mask,and a happy fruit mask. Once I wash them, They are getting rotated and I'll retire my 3 month old mask. Until then, it's back to my Survivor buff from Ghost Island because it's always reliable. haha. What kind of mask(s) do you use? COSTCO I get paid every 2 weeks on Wednesday. Payday! I LOVE  payday! So every payday I go to Costco. They got everything you need in bulk. Shopping patterns have changed a bit. When the boys were young-lings, I bought diapers. Now, I need a meat aka steak, water, paper towels and toilet paper. I am MYSTIFIED at how they sell out of toilet paper and paper towels every day. How does that happen? And then don't get me going on Lysol and Wipes. I can't find them at Costco. I can find Wipes at Smart N Final and I have to pay my co-worker to get Lysol aka like the black market or the Hob in District 12. I guess I should troll Amazon more often for the Lysol. I just saw that I can get a 2 pack for 33.00 and have it delivered by 28 JUL. haha. HOWEVER, I just broke down and bought a portable UV light off of Amazon. It's suppose to arrive today when I get home. I like to troll the book section in Costco because you can always find a gem there. And I like to get my work jeans there. They sell Gloria Vanderbilt pants there which I find fit me well. I like the shrimp packs, and the vitamins section. They have good dips there, too. I like to get my raspberries there, too. Of course, I'm a sucker for free samples which have been lacking thanks to COVID. And we've gotten some nice TVs and printers from there. I pay for the Executive Membership because I usually buy enough through the year to pay itself off. Any Costco fans out there? What do you like to buy at Costco? WRITING I was able to update one of my short stories, "Young Witchcraft," which I'm thankful, for. Since I have extra time since I'm not scouting. I'm hoping to update my writing. I'm trying to find a home for a couple of stories/novels that lost homes when Victory Tales Press and Desert Breeze went out of business. My progress has been slow since I've got a bunch of other stuff to do, but it's nice to find time here and there to work on it. THE HOUSE The other "big" thing I did this week was coordinate with All Bright Painting to get the exterior of our house painted. We've owned our house for 20 years and it's time. The paint job is looking a little haggard. A lot of other houses in the neighborhood have painted and they look fresh. We look old. So... we got our estimate (5995.00) and saw the color lady who updated our colors and took the "pink" out of the paint. Not sure what happens next. I'll sure I'll find out next week. But it is exciting to think the house will look fresh again. We got an estimate to stain our patio cover which was 6700.00 (more than to paint the house!!) so Mr. Bee decided to do it himself. Him and big boy Bee are sanding today. Well, that's my week. How was yours? |
| It's been a busy week. I've been meaning to check in sooner but time got away from me. MY LIFE Well, it was another work week for me. Thankfully didn't have to work the non-emergency line this week. The non-emergency line is tough and it's like balancing a fine line between empathy and apathy. The previous week I took a phone from an older lady. It went like this: Person Reporting: There are two hispanic ladies walking down the street with their dogs and not wearing masks. ME: Where are you? Are you socially distancing? Are you safe? PR: Yes, I'm in my car. I want to report them. They're not wearing masks. ME: (Keep in mind I have to follow the policy where if there is a chance the police are going to get the bad guys, I send. If not, I don't. At the most, this is a non coded call for police service and depending on how busy the area is they may not get there in time and it's not a crime, all the police can do is ask them to put on the mask, but if they don't want to, they don't have to). ME: Are they still walking? PR: Yes. ME: This is a civil issue. The officers won't be able to respond and mind you, if they do, all they can do is ask them to put on the mask. They don't have to. PR: What do you mean they don't have to? ME: There's no plenty for them. There's no fine, there's no jail time, it's a civil matter, not a crime. PR: Well, I want the police to come out. ME: I'm sorry, but in accordance with policy and procedure... PR: My husband's a lawyer, they threatened me. I know my rights. ME: What did they say to threaten you? PR: They called me a bitch for asking them to put on their mask.They made a criminal threat to me. ME: Ma'am a criminal threat is if they said they would kill you. Did they say that. PR: No. ME: Then there's no criminal threat. PR: Humph. And she hung up. This type of call is mentally draining to me. I know COVID is rough. I know people are scared. I really have no words. Rationally, I understand both sides. I know what the right thing to do for me. All I can say to you is be safe. Do the right thing that will keep you safe. My trainee showed up so we hit the ground running worked tied frequencies. Tied frequencies are very busy so she has to be able to work at a busy pace. We're almost there. HOME When I'm not at work, I'm at home. I usually get home around 3ish. I have to do my physical therapy exercises, cook dinner, which quite honestly, I never feel like doing because I'm usually mental toast by the time I get home and I just want to eat, watch TV, read and sleep. Chores like mopping the floor and laundry are usually set side for my days off. READING Currently I'm reading "Aging Successfully." Its a tad dry but it's interesting. Gives me perspective as I continue to age. It's important to have a good diet so I'm on weight watchers forever until I lose the weight. Since COVID and the safer at home orders started, I've maintained. I haven't gained, I haven't lost. A tad frustrating. Clearly I need to meal plan better, but it's hard when you are a mental veggie. SONGBIRDS AND SNAKES I re-read Mockingjay. I loved the Hunger Games series. I'm currently reading Songbirds and Snakes and I wanted to re-read Mockingjay for clues. I have a theory, but there are a lot of theories. Maybe I'll tackle them in another post but I'm convinced Katniss is Lucy Gray Baird's granddaughter. Now to prove it. If you the series, read the books, have a theory, I'm ready to hear it. So it's the start of another week. Usually I'm on vacation during July but thanks to COVID no vacay. Maybe in December I can take my vacation? Wishful thinking... |
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mess!! I'm going to write a book: "The Lost Year" -- come Jan 2021 (only because I don't want to miss out what OCT/NOV/DEC will bring. Lordy knows what 2020 will do to Christmas!! 
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