Motherkitty

Winter weather

2010-12-03T16:59:00.009-06:00

2010 November 21 17:28 Sunday

Was it a cat, skunk, or possum who came to eat at my house?
Friday, November 26, 2010

Red sky at night, Sailor's delight;
Red sky at morning, Sailor's warning.
Friday, December 3, 2010

For all you sailors out there, tomorrow will be a good day weather-wise. For the rest of us, stay warm. Hope it doesn't snow on you.

An exercise in futility?

2010-10-11T17:20:00.004-05:00

Is anyone listening? Why am I keeping this blog up and running?

I used to write on this blog because it was pleasurable to remember and write about my life as I was growing up. I enjoyed keeping up with the lives of my friends and family. It was fun to post pictures of our daily lives and to include jokes and cartoons to illustrate my posts.

But now I'm rethinking the reasons for continuing this blog. Is it an exercise in futility? Who really cares what I have to say anymore? Is anyone listening to what I have to say?

Today I'm frowning. I don't know how I will feel tomorrow, but I hope it's a better day. I also hope I don't decide to end this blog because I probably have more to say to this world before my life is ended. But, I don't know if I want to share anymore.

What's cooking at grandma's?

2010-10-10T09:31:00.005-05:00

It's a beautiful fall day and I'm off work. I'm also feeling a little ambitious and decided to put my culinary talent to work in the kitchen.

Ingredients for my masterpiece include onions, garlic, celery, carrots, ham, split peas, potatoes, and various seasonings. This should give you an idea of what I'm cooking.

Homemade Split Pea Soup

Right now it's simmering on the stove and will be ready for lunch. I can smell it cooking and I'm starting to drool. What could be better than something homemade in grandma's kitchen?

Some of you may not like split pea soup, but for those who do, want to join me? All are welcome and there will be plenty (because husband already said he's not going to eat it).

After lunch, I'm going out and work in the yard because it's beautiful outside. I hope you are all enjoying this gorgeous Sunday, whatever you have planned.

A Very Special Homecoming

2010-10-01T21:19:00.004-05:00

Today is our high school's homecoming. The festivities began yesterday with the usual homecoming parade. Today (Friday) and tomorrow are the county's Pumpkin Festival with all kinds of activities planned. Tonight was the high school's homecoming football game (we are winning) and related activities.

Since our kids graduated way back in the late 1980s, husband and I haven't been involved in school activities. We live next to the school, so in a way we are privy to all the comings and goings on that take place. In fact, you can hear the announcer loud and clear in our house during the game and the lights from the football field light up our back yard.

Today we had our own special homecoming. Because this is now officially Fall, I developed a real taste for homemade chili. As I was driving home from work today, I was talking with daughter and mentioned that I was going to make chili and kidded her about coming over to share it with us. She just laughed it off and said there was no way they could come visit. Later on in the afternoon, after I had finished my bowl of homemade chili and husband and I were enjoying a movie, I received a call from daughter and she asked if there was any chili left and what were we doing this evening. I thought she was kidding. We just laughed and laughed. We hung up and not two seconds later I hear kids running into the house and start screaming for me. Well, what to my wondering eyes should appear but darling daughter and her three young'uns all fired up and begging for bowls of chili. I just stood there with my mouth down to the floor. I was stunned.

They had driven 70 miles to surprise us and to eat my chili. How's that for the ultimate compliment to my cooking?

I love my family more than life itself and spending precious time with them is absolutely the best. I wish everyone I know could experience the joy we felt today with their surprise homecoming.

All I can say is:

Sunday Sunset

2010-09-19T19:15:00.007-05:00

Day is done, gone the sun,
From the lakes, from the hills, from the sky;
All is well, safely rest, God is nigh.

The older I get, the more nothing changes

2010-09-17T15:33:00.006-05:00

I just had my six-month lab and check-up at the doctor's. This has been my ritual for many years now. They check my weight, take my blood pressure, take my temperature, check my O2 levels and heart rate and then calculate my BMI. What has changed? I've lost some weight, I'm fairly healthy, especially for my age, and my good and bad cholesterol levels are excellent. Not bad for someone who's 68, still working, still active, and eats what she wants. I think I'll live to be 100.

I've given up a lot of my bad habits (except a couple): I quit smoking almost 10 years ago, I don't drink (because of the medication I take), I limit my caffeine intake, I limit desserts and other sweets, and I don't eat in between meals.

I do confess, however, that I'm still overweight because I love to cook and I eat what I cook. Being overweight causes problems, the biggest of all (pardon the pun) is that my joints feel the extra weight.

I try to take each day as it comes. But, I find myself thinking more and more about the past the older I get. This is partly because I'm into genealogy, I'm sentimental, I'm family-oriented, and the older I get, I find that we repeat our mistakes and nothing basically changes.

Being almost 70 has allowed me certain privileges. I find myself having senior moments more and more. When they happen, everyone laughs, including me, but nobody tells me I'm getting old to my face. I can wear panty liners without having to explain why. (I make it a point to know where the nearest bathroom is wherever I am.) I can take off my glasses and lean into my computer screen to see better because my trifocals get in the way and I can't bend my head back far enough anymore.

The best part of getting older is that the grandkids love to sit on grandma because I'm so soft, cuddly, and warm.

They say that 70 is the new 50. Don't believe it. When you get to be 70, you're still 70, and nothing is going to change that. Life goes on, and the older I get, the more nothing changes.

What Dedication!

2010-01-16T16:01:00.007-06:00

Dr. Sanjay Gupta

This is the face of a true American Hero -- one of many who are working tirelessly and altruistically to ease the burden of the overwhelmed and afflicted in Haiti.

I awoke in my comfortable home early this morning to a report on CNN from Haiti. During the night, U.N. workers forced doctors and nurses to abandon a medical treatment tent because of an alleged threat of violence. The only people who courageously remained to treat the wounded were Dr. Sanjay Gupta and a medic. They had practically no supplies because the doctors and medical personnel were forced to take their supplies with them when they left. And, the generator in the tent failed during the night because of a lack of fuel. But, Dr. Gupta and the medic, my heroes, remained to care for the people who would have surely died without their care.

I am certain there are many more instances of this type of heroism being carried out during this crisis. This act of dedication and unselfishness brought an ache to my heart though. I wish there were more of us just like Dr. Gupta in this world. Maybe a lot of hatred, anger, revenge, murder, bigotry, envy, ignorance, and torture would vanish like a morning fog if we thought more of others than ourselves.

I wish I could give a hug to all those brave souls who are doing what I wish I could do to help the poor people of Haiti during the aftermath of this tragic disaster. This virtual hug will have to do. Dr. Gupta, please accept my thanks for all you do for others.

Baby, It's Cold Outside in Kentucky

2010-01-05T11:56:00.001-06:00

I just can't seem to get warm lately. I've tried everything, including layering my clothing and wearing socks in the house -- something I don't like to do. We've even added an extra blanket to the bed. I've started drinking more hot tea and going to bed earlier. Gives us an excuse to cuddle more. This weather, however, is just a taste of what's coming. After all, it's still early in the season.

Last year, at the end of January, we had an ice storm to outdo all ice storms. We were out of power for nine days. Made life interesting, but we managed with what we had. We're really not looking forward to any ice, snow, sleet, blowing winds, falling trees or power lines, frosty the snowman types, or icy roads, but you K.N.O.W. it's inevitable.

I just want to get on with winter and look forward to nice, warm springtime weather. You remember that, don't you? That's when it's warm enough to go outside without a ginormous coat, muffler, gloves, hat, boots, and face mask. That's when your nose hairs don't freeze the minute you inhale and exhale. That's when you don't have to start the car 20 minutes before you have to leave so the windows will defrost. That's when you don't have to keep the snow shovel and ice scraper handy just in case the weather does something nasty. That's when you don't have to be concerned your water pipes will freeze or your furnace will break down just when you need it the most. That's when you don't have to worry whether the tip of your nose and/or your ears will fall off from frostbite.

Spring -- that's when you can actually see flowers and plants popping up from the warm, moist ground. That's when you can look forward to opening the pool for the season and enjoying a BBQ out on the deck. Ah, bliss.

Oh, oh, I'm back in the present and my feet are still cold. Are we headed for another ice age? No, they're just predicting some snow for Thursday -- that's the day I have to go back to work. Will somebody please help me find my ginormous winter coat, muffler, gloves, hat, boots, and face mask?

Happy Birthday Son

2009-11-28T06:53:00.001-06:00

Make a Smilebox slideshow

BFFs

2009-08-10T16:33:00.006-05:00

A picture is worth a thousand words. These BFFs are my latest "rescue" kitties. Ice-D was rescued during last February's mean ice storm and Punkie was rescued when he showed up on my next-door neighbor's vehicle tire surrounded by two barking dogs.

Ice-D, trying to take a nap after teaching Punkie how to get out of the cat door

BFFs (Best Friends Forever)

Anyone want a kitten? I have two very nice, cute, fluffy babies, free to a good home.

P.S. Yeah, yeah, I K.N.O.W. I'm absolutely nuts for keeping so many cats. And, no, I'm not a hoarder -- just a cat lover.

Happy Birthday To My One And Only Sister

2009-06-16T16:37:00.014-05:00

Today is my big sister's birthday. I wish I could be with her today, but she lives on the west coast and I live in the middle.

We were both born in the early 1940s so our memories of the era are shared. We have a lot in common, but in retrospect, we are quite different people and personalities. She was always the dominant, big sister, and I was the one who got chased around the house and teased with all sorts of bugs and worms that she dug up or found. (I still have a life-long neurotic fear of bugs and worms.) My sister is the master gardener, but I was the one who was always asked to do her English homework. She could work on anything mechanical and I loved to go to dances and parties. She still can do anything mechanical and can build lots of things. I am the memory-keeper of the family because I love genealogy and history.

We both love to read, but her attention span is about five seconds long. She multitasks so ferociously that I get a headache just thinking about all the things she takes on at the same time. I would rather work on one project until it's done to perfection then go on to something else. Sister knows how to decorate and I live in a jumbled house filled with memories.

She loves to travel and get together with lots of family. I love to stay home and be with just a few at a time. She likes only a few pets, and I will adopt every cat that comes to my house. No, I'm N.O.T. telling how many cats I'm feeding each day.

The one thing in common we share is our love and friendship. We talk one or more times each day. If I couldn't talk with her each day, I don't know what I would do with myself. She's my anchor.

My wish for her on her birthday is much love and happiness.

I Remember Mama

2009-05-06T17:01:00.008-05:00

This is how I remember my mother. She was always sewing something for someone. I would sit at her knee, watching her for hours, as she created her magic with her old Singer, a needle, and some thread. I own that old Singer now and feel her presence every time I use it.

This is also how I remember my mother. The year was 1989 and the occasion was my parents' 50th wedding anniversary. My Aunt Mamie hosted a Sunday morning brunch for a large party of family and friends at a very nice hotel in Chicago. Pictured is my mother Sara, me, and my sister Karen.

Since that wonderful day in 1989, a lot has changed. Our mother and our father are no longer with us -- she passed on in 1993 following open heart surgery and he died in 1994. My sister and I are both grandmothers and look forward to many happy years with our families. My sister and I don't get to see each other very much, but we have the pleasure of speaking to each other on a daily basis.

As we get together with our families this Sunday to celebrate Mother's Day, please know that I wish each and every one of my women family members and friends love and happiness. Please also remember the grandmothers, aunts, and cousins who are no longer with us.

While we honor all our mothers
with words of love and praise.
While we tell about their goodness
and their kind and loving ways.
We should also think of Grandma,
she's a mother too, you see....
For she mothered my dear mother
as my mother mothers me.
Author Unknown

Sam and Clara (my mother's parents), 1952

Rebecca (my husband's mother)

I wish I could say that this is how I remember my mother-in-law, but she disappeared with no trace in 1945. This is the only image we have of her as an adult. Rebecca, wherever you are, we wish you love and peace, and wish we could celebrate this Mother's Day with you in person.

Scary Stuff

2009-04-26T21:01:00.007-05:00

Have you read this book? It's one of my favorite Stephen King books and I've read it probably a dozen times (and seen the movie). My doctor, in fact, is reading it right now. It's all about a super-flu that becomes a pandemic and kills off most of the people in the world in a matter of a few weeks. Are you scared yet?

You should be. Because that's what happening in the world today with the Swine Flu epidemic in Mexico that's spreading everywhere, including the United States.

Even if you've had your flu shot for this season, you can count yourself out of luck because this is a new strain, baby. No vaccine to cover this one.

My advice to you? Cover your mouth (maybe your face) when you cough and/or sneeze, keep out of large crowds, no kissing on the mouth, and wash your hands all the time. If you see someone who appears sick, run do not walk away from them fast.

Are the pigs trying to get revenge on us for using them as a food source?

Above all, if you have plans to vacation in Mexico, forget about it. Not only do they have drug wars, Montezuma's Revenge, killings, kidnappings, and bad water, they are now serving up the super-flu free of charge.

Don't forget. Stay home, stay out of crowds, keep away from anyone who has just come back from Mexico, and above all, wash your hands all the time. Be sure to read The Stand.

By the way, during my recent hospitalization, I kept a bottle of hand sanitizer on my bedside table. I used it very frequently (like every time time I coughed, sneezed, or spit out something nasty from my lungs). My doctor commented that this product was pure alcohol and acts like Napalm if exposed to an open flame. That's also scary.

From Dennis

2009-04-21T02:56:00.003-05:00

Motherkitty may come home Tuesday. The doctor felt she was ready when he saw her on Monday at noon (4/20/2009).

From Dennis

2009-04-19T04:37:00.016-05:00

0300

Motherkitty has been sick for a couple of weeks. The week before Easter Sunday she went to the doctor and he gave her an antibiotic for a bad cold. She went to work Saturday (the day before Easter) and was told to go back home because she could not breath. She went to the doctor again Monday and he put her in the hospital thinking maybe she had pneumonia. Tuesday the doctor said she had pneumonia and prescribed breathing treatments. She had a strong reaction to the breathing treatments and they let her rest for a day. Thursday the doctor restarted the breathing treatments with a extremely mild dose and that is still working on the congestion in her lungs. She may go home Monday but her stamina has been hit hard (she feels like she has been run over by a truck).
She is catching up on her reading. She is reading Duma Key by Stephen King.

Surprise!!!

2009-04-10T11:29:00.008-05:00

Happy Birthday, Mom!!!!

yes, I hijacked your blog to wish you a happy birthday :). Hope you feel better soon. Wish we could have come to visit this week.

love you,

Allison

2009-03-20T11:27:00.003-05:00

Happy Birthday, Darling Eliana

2009-03-14T11:41:00.012-05:00

Today is our granddaughter's 5th birthday and we wish we could be with her on her special day. But, daughter and kids are all sick and the party's been canceled. We hope we will be able to see her next week on my off day from work so we can celebrate then. Meanwhile, let's skip down memory lane to see how our Eliana has grown through the years.

March 14, 2004, Birth Day

March 2005, 1st Birthday

June 2006, 2nd Birthday

March 2007, 3rd Birthday

March 2008, 4th Birthday

March 2009, almost 5 years old

We wish you a very happy 5th birthday, our little monkey. Love, Grandma and Grandpa

Passages

2009-03-09T12:46:00.015-05:00

My, how time flies. Today marks the 13th wedding anniversary of our daughter and son-in-law. When husband and I were married 13 years, our son was already 11-1/2 and our daughter was 10. Allison's children are only 7, 4, and 21 months. As we mark the passages of time, we are reminded of those who went before us and those who will come after our passing. Hopefully we will still be alive when our beautiful grandchildren begin to mark their own passages, such as graduations, marriages, and children of their own. I would love to be a great-grandmother -- but all in good time. Both of us intend to live a long time because we know the future will be as interesting as the past.

Husband and I have changed a great deal since we met in 1967. Husband was a long-haired hippy, straight off a commune in northern California and I was a professional working girl (weekend hippy) from Chicago. We met and our lives changed forever. I even grew my hair very long in the early days of our marriage and was known to wear some pretty hip/funky clothes.

Once we started having children, however, we both changed. We both cut our hair, for instance, and polyester became part of our lives.

1974, Laurel and Tom, Allison 3 and Eli 4-1/2
Married December 15, 1968 (6 years)

1989, Laurel and Tom, married 21 years, Allison 18 and Eli 19-1/2
(At my parents' 50th Wedding Anniversary Party)

March 9, 1996, Wedding Day
Allison and Jason

May 15, 2004, Wedding Day
Eli and Aprilyn

December 13, 2008, our lovely children and grandchildren

December 14, 2008, Tom and Laurel
Our 40th wedding anniversary party

March 5, 2009, Allison and children

We've all aged (gracefully we hope), put on weight, and added some grey to our hair. Husband only wears Hawaiian shirts these days and I'm still working (he's retired).

Our children have been a blessing to us over the years. Our grandchildren love us almost as much as we love them. My heart swells and my eyes tear up when I see them.

We wish our daughter and son-in-law many more happy years of marriage on this special occasion. Their marriage ceremony was captured on video and we can go back and revisit the joy of the occasion whenever we want.

If we are lucky enough, based on family longevity, we will still be alive when daughter and son-in-law celebrate their 40th anniversary. Wouldn't that be something to behold?

You Are Loved!

2009-02-13T18:42:00.006-06:00

I am sending this little bit of love to all my friends and especially my family on this very special Valentine's Day. Since I'm suffering from a nasty cold and bronchitis, and I don't want you to get sick from contact with me, I'm sending a virtual hug to those I love -- and you K.N.O.W. who you are.

Here it is Friday the 13th and true to form several things have gone wrong for me today. What has gone right, however, is this little bit of heaven and mood elevator from darling daughter Alipurr which arrived today. It came just in time to make me feel especially loved. Husband has been plying me with chocolates all week (I let him have some too for being so nice to me) and doing double-duty trying to make me healthy, but this was a super surprise that arrived late this afternoon.

Thank you daughter for being so sweet, thoughtful, and loving. I feel better already. Thanks to my sweet grandchildren for calling to see if I was getting better and thanks for the sloppy kisses last Thursday. Thanks also to Natasha for the lovely letter in which she professed her love for me and wished me a Happy Valentine's Day. Thanks to my sister, the desert gardener, who has been faithfully checking up on me every day (sometimes several times a day). Thanks to Susie for your kind words of encouragement. Thanks to Sandy, especially for three nice phone calls in one day -- hope you and Jimmy have a loving day tomorrow spent doing something nice for each other. Thanks to my son and daughter-in-law for keeping in touch and always having nice things to say. Thanks to my personal physician for the prescriptions and the two nice shots in both hips (ouch). I'm really feeling better already.

And finally, thanks to my wonderful husband for being so patient with me all week. I don't want to make you sick by kissing you on the lips so this will have to do instead.

Kittenyarn Guest Post

2009-02-09T21:26:00.008-06:00

that's right, folks....back in December we snuck into Motherkitty's house, posed her mugs and fruit and then had some breakfast, and then we blogged about it :)

kittenyarn

And Motherkitty said,

2009-02-04T15:47:00.002-06:00

"Guess what? The electricity is back on."

And so the kids and I screamed Yay!!!! for about 5 minutes, we were so happy.

Thank you, God for taking care of my parents and keeping them safe, and getting their electricity back on.

I love you mom and dad

see you tomorrow,

kittenyarn

(and yes, mom, that is the closest you will ever see me do any cheerleading)

Family Ice Storm Update

2009-02-02T16:44:00.003-06:00

This is Motherkitty's daughter, Kittenyarn. I was able to talk to Mom and Dad on the phone and they are ok, even though they still have no electricity. They have a gas water heater, so they can take a shower. They have a gas stove, so they can use the burners to heat the house in the daytime, and also to cook.

They have been helping neighbors with food and letting them sleep over at their house. My mom has gone back to work on some days. They have a grocery store open so they can get some food/supplies.It is still pretty bad though.

Most of the people in their town and county remain without electricity. For most of last week, they also had no water. The water is back on, though, so that is good.Here where I am, my electricity was off from Wednesday morning til Friday afternoon, if I remember correctly. Everyone is doing ok, and my dad just wanted me to post an update. Please direct any questions to Kittenyarn's comment section.....thanks for your support and prayers for my family and the people affected by this storm

Happy 2009

2009-01-03T19:51:00.009-06:00

I want to wish all my friends and family a very Happy New Year -- 2009. Even though there are so many terrible troubles in the world today, I feel confident that everything will work itself out in the end. My hope for the new year is for peace, good health, and prosperity for each and every one. My message -- stop fighting and start loving.

40 years of wedded bliss celebrated 12/15/08

We were so happy that our son and daughter-in-law made the trip from San Diego to spend two weeks with us and to explore Kentucky.

Aprilyn and Eli

Also celebrating with us were daughter Allison and kids (Jason joined us on Christmas Day).

Following an anniversary dinner at one of our favorite restaurants complete with family and friends, son and DIL (as a special anniversary present) took us to Memphis for a two-day, fun-filled excursion to play tourist. While there, we were treated to a luxurious stay at a fab hotel and trips to Graceland, Beale Street where we gorged on Memphis ribs and other goodies, BB King's Blues Club where we were treated to authentic, down-home blues, Sun Records Studio where Elvis and other notables got their start, the Rock and Soul Museum where we were entertained for hours with all types of music, and a visit to the Gibson Guitar Factory. After checking into our hotel, we rushed over to the Peabody Hotel to watch the parade of the famous ducks from the lobby pond, down the red carpet to the elevator, and up to their penthouse suite. Memphis was terrific but boy was it C.O.L.D.

Note to readers: they were going to take us to St. Louis but we quickly decided to go South because St. Louis was socked in by an ice storm.

It was wonderful having all our children home at one time. We had a terrific Christmas and it was a pleasure cooking for everyone. The turkey and all the fixings were the best.

One of our presents was a new digital camera. We were shocked and delighted to receive it. Now all we have to do is learn to use this beauty.

Hope your holidays were as pleasant as ours were.

AETHEIST SIGN

2008-12-07T11:23:00.007-06:00

During this holiday season, would anyone dare to declare the above is true? How difficult would it be for the average person to state categorically that the tenets of the major religions of the world are nothing but made-up platitudes invented to control and oppress people?

Since nobody has come back from the grave to prove that there is an afterlife, how can we as intelligent beings rely on faith alone to answer this question?

Because there haven't been any major "miracles" lately, comparable to those in the Bible, how can we continue to believe that a god in heaven is capable of performing them? If there is, why hasn't this god shown us that miracles can ease the suffering of millions of people around the world?

I have a difficult time believing in the goodness of a god who allows an innocent 34-year-old man, who is just trying to earn a living, to become crushed to death by Black Friday idiots at a New York Wal-Mart rushing in to find a Christmas bargain. I also found it difficult to watch a YouTube video of the resuscitation efforts recorded by a laughing black woman at this unfortunate event.

I have a difficult time believing in the goodness of a god who allows millions of children worldwide to suffer and die from disease, famine, and murder.

I have a difficult time believing in the goodness of a god who allows women worldwide to be cruelly tortured and dominated by sadistic men.

I have a difficult time believing in the goodness of a god who allows murder all in the name of religion.

I have a difficult time working with people who shove religion down my throat even though it is illegal to harass co-workers based on religious beliefs.

I have a difficult time getting into the "spirit" of the season because so many have told me that if I'm not on the right side of religion, I'm just not right in this world.

I would love to believe there is an omnipotent being who loves us and looks out for us, but all I can say is, "where's the beef?" Show me the proof and I will be first in line.

For those who absolutely need to believe in a god, you are free to do so. For those who live their lives in fear of committing a mortal sin and going to hell, you are free to do so. For those who believe they were born in sin, you are free to do so. For those who hate in the name of religion, shame on you and may you go to hell, if there is one.

I would prefer to treat others with the love and respect they deserve and be treated the same in return. I would prefer to live in a world free from hatred, fear, and murder. I would prefer to bring happiness to those less fortunate than I. I would prefer to love my neighbor and live in peace.

Giving thanks for all we have

2008-11-12T14:39:00.009-06:00

Now that the presidential election is over, we can now concentrate on the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday, a time for giving thanks for all that is good in our lives.

Thanksgiving is also a good time to post Norman Rockwell’s series The Four Freedoms, inspired by Franklin Roosevelt’s speech to congress in January of 1941, and published in the Saturday Evening Post in 1943.

"In the future days, which we seek to make secure, we look forward to a world founded upon four essential human freedoms."

"The first is freedom of speech and expression -- everywhere in the world."

FREEDOM OF SPEECH

"The second is freedom of every person to worship God in his own way -- everywhere in the world."

FREEDOM OF WORSHIP

"The third is freedom from want -- which, translated into world terms, means economic understandings which will secure to every nation a healthy peacetime life for its inhabitants -- everywhere in the world."

FREEDOM FROM WANT

"The fourth is freedom from fear -- which, translated into world terms, means a world-wide reduction of armaments to such a point and in such a thorough fashion that no nation will be in a position to commit an act of physical aggression against any neighbor -- anywhere in the world"

FREEDOM FROM FEAR

Our nation and the world at large would be a better place to live in if President-elect Barack Obama and the members of Congress would do all in their power to ensure these four freedoms are guaranteed to everyone -- everywhere in the world.

"In the future days, which we seek to make secure, we look forward to a world founded upon four essential human freedoms."

-- Franklin Delano Roosevelt, 1941

Giving thanks to those who serve

2008-11-11T09:54:00.014-06:00

On this day we honor all United States military veterans, both men and women, who have served our country so honorably and nobly, during times of peace and war. We thank them for our continued freedoms and for their heroic sacrifices.

Thanks to my husband and my son for their service in the United States Navy. I am so proud of them both. Thanks to my Uncle Al who gave his life in April 1945, just as the war in Europe was ending. You can read about him here. Thanks to all my cousins and nephews, and my cousin's daughter who was just promoted to Captain in the U.S. Navy, for doing their duty.

One of my previous posts about Veteran's Day is found here.

We must continue to remember all those who have died in the name of freedom and oppression throughout the ages. My dream for the future of this country and for my grandchildren's future is for everlasting peace and an end to hatred. May we experience this in our lifetime.

Finally, my best wishes are sent to President-elect Barack Obama who is destined to take over the reins of this country on January 20, 2009. Hopefully, by next Veterans Day, our troops will see an end to all hostilities overseas and will be returned to their loved ones. God Bless America.

This date in history: Kristallnacht

2008-11-09T10:27:00.007-06:00

Kristallnacht

A massive, coordinated attack on Jews throughout the German Reich on the night of November 9, 1938, into the next day, has come to be known as Kristallnacht or The Night of Broken Glass.

The attack came after Herschel Grynszpan, a 17 year old Jew living in Paris, shot and killed a member of the German Embassy staff there in retaliation for the poor treatment his father and his family suffered at the hands of the Nazis in Germany.

On October 27, Grynszpan's family and over 15,000 other Jews, originally from Poland, had been expelled from Germany without any warning. They were forcibly transported by train in boxcars then dumped at the Polish border.

For Adolf Hitler and Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels, the shooting in Paris provided an opportunity to incite Germans to "rise in bloody vengeance against the Jews."

Read orders to the Gestapo regarding Kristallnacht

On November 9, mob violence broke out as the regular German police stood by and crowds of spectators watched. Nazi storm troopers along with members of the SS and Hitler Youth beat and murdered Jews, broke into and wrecked Jewish homes, and brutalized Jewish women and children.

All over Germany, Austria and other Nazi controlled areas, Jewish shops and department stores had their windows smashed and contents destroyed. Synagogues were especially targeted for vandalism, including desecration of sacred Torah scrolls. Hundreds of synagogues were systematically burned while local fire departments stood by or simply prevented the fire from spreading to surrounding buildings.

About 25,000 Jewish men were rounded up and later sent to concentration camps where they were often brutalized by SS guards and in some cases randomly chosen to be beaten to death.

The reaction outside Germany to Kristallnacht was shock and outrage, creating a storm of negative publicity in newspapers and among radio commentators that served to isolate Hitler's Germany from the civilized nations and weaken any pro-Nazi sentiments in those countries. Shortly after Kristallnacht, the United States recalled its ambassador permanently.

In Germany, on November 12, top Nazis, including Hermann Göring and Joseph Goebbels, held a meeting concerning the economic impact of the damage and to discuss further measures to be taken against the Jews. SS leader Reinhard Heydrich reported 7500 businesses destroyed, 267 synagogues burned (with 177 totally destroyed) and 91 Jews killed.

Heydrich requested new decrees barring Jews from any contact with Germans by excluding them from public transportation, schools, even hospitals, essentially forcing them into ghettos or out of the country. Goebbels said the Jews would be made to clean out the debris from burned out synagogues which would then be turned into parking lots.

At this meeting it was decided to eliminate Jews entirely from economic life in the Reich by transferring all Jewish property and enterprises to 'Aryans,' with minor compensation given to the Jews in the form of bonds.

Regarding the economic impact of the damage from Kristallnacht and the resulting massive insurance claims, Hermann Göring stated the Jews themselves would be billed for the damage and that any insurance money due to them would be confiscated by the State.

"I shall close the meeting with these words," said Göring, "German Jewry shall, as punishment for their abominable crimes, et cetera, have to make a contribution for one billion marks. That will work. The swine won't commit another murder. Incidentally, I would like to say that I would not like to be a Jew in Germany."

Copyright © 1996 The History Place, All Rights Reserve

The pogroms marked an intensification of Nazi anti-Jewish policy that would culminate in the Holocaust—the systematic, state-sponsored murder of Jews.

The word ‘Jews’ is scrawled on the exterior wall of the destroyed synagogue in Buehl. The synagogue was burned during Kristallnacht. The Hebrew inscription over the entrance reads: ‘I shall make for them a holy place.’ Buehl, Germany. Circa November 1938. — USHMM #98603, courtesy of Stadt Buehl Stadtgeschichtliches Institut

A man surveys the damage to the Lichtenstein leather goods store after the Kristallnacht pogrom. Berlin, Germany. November 10, 1938. — USHMM #73909, courtesy of National Archives and Records Administration, College Park

The faces of evil

LEST WE FORGET

Here, kitty, kitty, kitty

2008-11-07T18:11:00.007-06:00

Here's what I found out on the deck this evening, calmly eating my cats' food. This little stinker didn't even run away when I opened the slider to get his picture. Isn't he cute? Didn't even spray me. I think I'll keep him.

(click to embiggen)

Skunks
By Linda Chew

Skunks are stinky, but they are pretty

Sometimes they look like a kitty

White stripe up back, the rest all black

They’ll make their home under a shack

Don’t give a skunk anxiety

He’ll begin to pee . . . and pee

Putrid is that wretched smell

So you’ve met a skunk, I can tell

Now you’re stinky, as stinky can get

Do not worry --- do not fret

Take a bath in tomato juice

Oh, let that stinky smell get loose

Victory is Sweet

2008-11-04T23:41:00.004-06:00

President-elect Barack Obama, November 4, 2008

Yes, we can!!!

American is Beautiful, full of opportunity not only for white people,
but for everyone regardless of race, creed, or plain simple-mindedness!

Happy Halloween to all my ghouls

2008-10-31T15:41:00.007-05:00

I guess you are all surprised that I'm posting A.N.Y.T.H.I.N.G!!! I'm sure you thought I had fallen off the face of the Earth or that I had stopped blogging completely.

Well, thanks to husband and daughter Alipurr and their persistence, I am herewith posting -- just for you. I had intended just to add a picture or two, but decided it would be rude not to say something -- an excuse, sorry as it is, for not posting in about three months. So, here's me, saying I'm sorry for not posting. I still read your blog posts and I occasionally comment. But I've been a slacker and for this I offer my apologies.

Here's what is adorning my little table next to the slider in my kitchen.

We brought a few potted plants in from the deck so they wouldn't be killed with the first frost. I am very surprised that my Christmas cactus is now blooming and there are buds all over the plant. Very pretty. We also brought in our two pots of aloe. One of the pots had a lot of new shoots and husband decided to separate and re-pot them. I now have a table full of aloe plants. Want one?

Finally, although I refuse to discuss politics on my blog, I urge all those who have not voted early in this important election to vote for your choice on Tuesday, November 4. Remember, if you don't vote, don't complain.

I will leave you with this scary thought.

Happy Halloween, ghouls.

Unexpected visitors

2008-07-26T15:45:00.004-05:00

As I was looking over my potted plants on the deck yesterday, I spotted this gorgeous little visitor in my parsley.

My visiting youngest granddaughter spotted this Monarch Butterfly caterpillar and immediately wanted to hold it. We had to explain to her that you couldn't touch it but that it would eventually become a beautiful butterfly. Little One is a true nature lover and has no qualms about picking up and touching any living creature, including slugs and bugs. (Ugh.)

Husband and I were very happy that daughter alipurr brought the three rugrats to visit. (Long-hair daddy was off on a boys-only trip to go whitewater rafting.) We had lots of fun during the two days they were here. Alipurr and little fencer boy returned home on Friday afternoon because she had a meeting and the two girls had a sleepover with the grandparents. Daughter came to retrieve the girls today and they went home shortly after lunch.

A good time was had by all during this short visit. We are looking forward to Dancer Girl's upcoming birthday and our annual pool party. I really enjoy having visitors, especially when they are unexpected!

UPDATE: Sunday, 07/27/08 I was anxious to see how my beautiful caterpillar was doing this morning so I made a beeline out to the deck. I was very disappointed to see that there was NO CATERPILLAR on any of my plants. Darn. Maybe a bird got it -- don't know. It did eat all the parsley leaves on the plant and all that is left is bare stalks. I was planning to make a photographic record of its progress to a cocoon. So much for good intentions.

Zap and a whiff of ozone

2008-06-22T15:22:00.007-05:00

We had a special visitor last night.

It was the hand of G-d delivering a death blow to our house, our satellite system, televisions, pool pump, and who knows what else.

Both of us were sleeping when it happened but our neighbors were standing on their patio watching the storm when they heard a very loud clap of thunder and then saw the lightening and a giant puff of smoke arising next to our pool. Our neighbor friend kindly called to tell us we had been electrocuted. When I innocently got up around midnight, I found a nice note from husband on the bathroom counter telling me about our visitor. I also found two of our three TVs offline.

After arriving home from work this morning, I spent quite a bit of time on the phone calling our insurance claims office, the satellite company, the electrician, and our friends to tell them the pole which used to hold their basketball hoop in back of their house next door was lying on the ground in a million splinters. I guess they also had a visitor in the night.

Apart from the uncertainty of what was damaged, we are experiencing withdrawal symptoms because the satellite repairman won't be able to come to the house until next F.R.I.D.A.Y. What on earth are we going to do until then without television? Will we actually have to start talking to each other?

We experienced a similar situation in February during an ice storm when our electric line to our house was downed and we were without power for a week. We survived that mess and I guess we will survive this one also.

I keep telling myself that things couldn't get worse, but maybe I'm wrong.

I will know more after the insurance adjuster and the electrician get here tomorrow. In the meantime, I have lots of books to read and we can also listen to the radio. This reminds me of when I was growing up in the 1940s and 1950s -- before we had a TV. Now I'm dating myself, aren't I?

Flowers, flowers, everywhere

2008-06-20T12:38:00.015-05:00

Some of the lovely colors of my garden this spring.

First Day of Summer

2008-06-20T11:26:00.014-05:00

Today is the first day of Summer, 2008. Instead of being able to work in the yard or go swimming on my day off, we are faced with:

It's okay, really, because this lovely, gentle rain has given me an opportunity to hang around the house and do some things I've been meaning to catch up on. This morning I actually made a nice breakfast for husband. Then, I got busy and made this:

I had some Georgia peaches (purchased from the Farmer's Market on Tuesday), a package of organic strawberries, and some nice raisins. Mix them all together with a bunch of secret ingredients and you get a lovely treat for a relaxing, rainy day at home.

Pie Song
Michael, movie soundtrack and album

Pie
Me oh my
Nothing tastes sweet, wet, salty and dry
all at once o well it's pie
Apple!
Pumpkin!
Minced
an' wet bottom.
Come to your place everyday if you've got em'
Pie
Me o my
I love pie

So, if you're in our neck of the woods, come on down (as Drew Carey's announcer likes to say) and enjoy a piece of Motherkitty's homemade pie, me o my.

Yesterday was another sweet day, spent with daughter alipurr and the grandkids.

Alipurr

Little Fencer Boy (enjoying some guacamole and rice)

The highlight of our visit was a ballet recital at the University. (Both girls had been enrolled in a week-long ballet class and the girls and their classmates were very proud to show off what they had learned to the parents and visitors.) Both girls are very graceful and talented and we wouldn't be surprised if they continued to dance throughout their lifetime.

Little One, getting her ballet slipper shoelace tied

Dancer Girl, doing what she does best

Before we left daughter's house, we were presented with this video, purchased by daughter at her local library for $1.00. We watched it last evening and, surprisingly, it was wonderful. I actually remember watching this live-action performance (on NBC) in 1960 featuring Mary Martin as Peter Pan and Cyril Richard as Mr. Darling and Captain Hook. The video was in great condition and I can't wait for the grandkids to see it. They will really enjoy all the singing and dancing as much as we did. Not at all like the cartoon version. (You couldn't even see the wires used to make everybody fly!)

Clap if you believe in fairies.

Tomorrow it's back to work for me. In the meantime, I'm going to enjoy myself in spite of the rain.

Happy Mother's Day

2008-05-10T08:57:00.005-05:00

I think of my mama every day of my life and I miss her so much it still makes me cry. I think of her when I'm sad and I think of her when I'm happy. I dream of her a lot and know that she is still with me since her death 15 years ago. She watches over me to keep me safe. If only . . .

If only she could have known my children and how they have made their way in this life. If only she could have known my grandchildren and seen how beautiful they are. If only she could have seen how my husband and I have stayed together these past 40 years. If only . . .

I think of my husband's mama and how he and his sister have never known her all their lives. I think of my aunts and how I miss them. I think of my grandmother and how special she was. If only . . .

I think of how special all the women in my life are and have been. I wish them all well and hope they feel the love of family and friends as I do. For those who will be alone tomorrow, I wish them peace in their lives. I wish I could envelope them in a giant hug. If only . . .

I think of what we women have experienced in our lifetimes and it amazes me how strong we are. Historically, we have a woman who is running for president of our country. There is a woman aged 41 who is expecting her 18th baby (I hope she has a discount card someplace for all the diapers she needs and her husband has good health insurance.). I think of all the mothers in Myanmar who are suffering right this moment and all the children who have lost their mothers in the recent cyclone.

I wish all the children in the world could know and love their mothers but there are so many who will not.

Let us think of all the mothers around the world as we celebrate Mother's Day and know we have a common bond. Mothers make this world a more beautiful place. Mothers make such wonderful memories for us. Mothers teach us and mothers love us. Mothers labor to bring us into this world and mothers feel our pain when we hurt. A mother's touch is more precious than diamonds and rubies, and a mother's kiss can heal wounds better than modern medicine.

I have a wound in my heart and I would give all that I have for my mother to come and kiss all that hurt away. Mother, I hope you know that you are loved and you are missed.

Happy Mother's Day to you, mama, and to all the women I know, especially my lovely sister and daughter. I am lucky that I am able to speak to both of them every day. They make my life so special.

If only I could hug all my female bloggedy friends. Since that's impossible, I will send you all a virtual hug and hope your Mother's Day is a very happy one.

From Tom

2008-05-09T19:45:00.001-05:00

Motherkitty is spending the day baking and frosting cakes for Relay for Life. The girls at Walmart asked her to volunteer and she accepted.

I am spending the day working out some kinks in one of our printers. I am sure I'll have things thoroughly screwed up by late this afternoon. The last time I work on Motherkitty's computer I erased her drive.
5:30 pm -
Motherkitty just got home and she said she baked 45 cakes today for Relay for Life. She gets a round of applause from all of us.

Dirty-minded individuals

2008-05-02T03:39:00.005-05:00

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Some people just have dirty minds -- dirty in the sense that they w.a.n.t to look at racy pictures. And, my sitemeter will prove this point.

A while back I posted a Maxine cartoon that featured some hunky-looking studs with no shirts on. I receive the majority of hits on my blog for this image. From people all over the world. I guess that when people Google nekkid men, my blog pops up as numero uno. So much for having a clean blog (rated G) with no cuss words.

So, what do you think of this?

I am using this image (of a plain, old hot dog) to prove my point. I will probably start getting a massive amount of hits by any number of perverts just to see this image. (Whoever photoshopped this did a great job.) What do you see when you look at this? I don't think I will ever be able to eat another hot dog in this lifetime without seeing this image in my mind's eye.

I have to admit that I have not posted very much this year. I'm sorry for that. I'm now working almost full-time and most days I don't even have time to read blogs let alone post anything. Most days I'm so tired when I get home that all I want to do is get some sleep.

Here's a big "hello" shoutout to all my bloggedy friends. I hope you have a wonderful Friday. We are going to see the daughter and grandkids on my only day off this week. Oh happy day.

I promise that I won't be such a stranger. I also promise that I won't post any more "dirty" pictures that titillate and cause the scumbags from all over the world to crawl out from under their rocks.

Baby sister's birthday

2008-03-16T11:06:00.010-05:00

What makes for a successful birthday party for a four year old? Throw together a mixture of a large space decorated for a unicorn party, then add in around 15-20 little kids (and their parents), lots of noise and excitement, decorations, an inflated swimming pool filled with lots of balloons, helium-filled balloons floating everywhere, finger foods, cake, crafts, lots and lots of presents, and a pair of sleep-deprived parents and other assorted relatives. And, what do you get? Two hours of unadulterated F.U.N.

Balloons in a pool

A play castle

Crafts

A rainbow cake

Lots of presents

A grammy having fun with the kids

Little brother in awe of it all

Getting ready to open presents

The birthday girl opening presents

Happy fourth birthday, little sister.

Everyone enjoyed themselves at the party, so thank you, daughter and son-in-law, for inviting us. A good time was had by all.

Happy 12th Anniversay

2008-03-09T11:03:00.008-05:00

March 9, 1996

The occasion of our daughter's wedding was truly joyous. We were blessed with the company of family and friends, many of whom traveled all across the country to share in our happiness. This date will remain as one of the highlights of our lives, not only because we were able to be part of this union, but because of the presence of those we love most.

Over the years, daughter and son-in-law have given us much joy. And, they have further blessed us with three beautiful grandchildren who we love with all our hearts and soul.

We hope your anniversary is filled with love and joy, and we wish you many more happy years together.

Feeling sorry for myself

2008-03-07T12:43:00.011-06:00

Last Saturday I was feeling completely down in the mouth. I had wanted to get out of the house, do something, go someplace, see others, anything other than sit looking at each other. Husband, on the other hand, didn't want to budge because he thought he would have to spend some money (he knows me too well).

So here I was, sitting in my van alone outside my pharmacy while I waited for a prescription to be filled, feeling completely sorry for myself. While I waited, I decided to call my daughter Alipurr to see what she was doing. During the conversation, she kept asking the most inane questions, such as "where exactly are you" and "what are you fixing for dinner." I told her I was thinking of driving out of town to run an errand, but she kept saying that this errand could wait and that I didn't need to travel by myself.

Suddenly, out of the corner of my eye I glimpsed a green van pull in next to me. My, I thought, that looks just like daughter's van. As I was just about to say that very thing to daughter,

Surprise, surprise, surprise

There she was sitting grinning down at me. With my mouth dragging on the ground from total shock and surprise, I approached her window. I could barely speak -- all I could do was cry, for what could be better when feeling sorry for one's self than have daughter come visit with the grandkids.

And, boy, did we visit! We ate, we played games, we ate, we worked puzzles, we ate, we watched DVDs, we ate, we chased after the baby, and finally, we ate. Those children were bottomless pits. It seems that every 15 minutes I was fixing something for the munchkins to nosh on. (In between, we washed a lot of dishes.)

Baby brother, eating

Little sister, eating

Dancer girl, eating

Baby brother, following in his father's footsteps

After two days, we were all pleasantly exhausted. It was a great visit and we so enjoyed having daughter and her three young'uns come see us.

Do I still feel sorry for myself? No. What a great surprise. I could use more of these unannounced visits. It's great for chasing the blues away.

Thinking of you

2008-03-06T09:01:00.011-06:00

The popular idiom "absence makes the heart grow fonder" will hopefully make you feel kindly toward me because I have not been blogging on a regular basis lately. As you can tell, I have been absent not only in spirit, but my heart just hasn't been in the mood to blog. I'm not depressed and I'm not tired of blogging. I just find myself wanting to keep my thoughts to myself.

That's what I've been doing quite a bit lately. Thinking.

It's an awful thing to have your mind always racing, always going, night and day. Some of the things I have been thinking of are:

Life and death -- How tenuous and fragile are our lives? My blogging friend Susie just lost her dear grandpa who was almost 100 years old. She loved him dearly and I am so sad for her. I, too, miss my dearly departed loved ones and would give anything to spend just one day with them again and to tell them how much I love them.
Politics -- How can we, the people, stand the rest of the year listening to the endless politicking? This campaigning process began with an unusual excitement not seen since the 1960s and with some of the candidates inspiring us to get involved. When I see what has come down to the wire, I am more turned off than turned on with all the dirty politics and endless rhetoric. Do they think we are idiots? Do they think we will buy into their lies and false promises? We were told change is in the air but all I can smell is the same old crap coming down the pike. Poor U.S.
Economy -- Are we, the people, headed for a depression the likes of which this country hasn't seen since the 1930s? I thought that when husband and I retired we would continue to live our lives as we had done for years. When we both worked, we had enough discretionary funds to purchase whatever we wanted, to go where we wanted, and to do what we wanted. We didn't live like the high and mighty, or our rich relatives, but we weren't doing too badly either. Now, thanks to our current lame duck, we are all in a terrible mess economically. And, it isn't comical in the least. Husband and I now find ourselves living month to month and our fingers are crossed that catastrophe isn't lurking around the nearest corner. We were almost on the brink with our recent ice storm and loss of power for a week, but fortunately we bounced back with no major problems, thank you very much. We now appreciate the usefulness of candlepower.
The price of eggs -- How much more can our food budgets stand? This is the richest nation in the world but we almost can't afford to buy groceries anymore. There are only two of us in the house, and we don't eat steak very often, but we now find that you can't walk into the grocery store anymore without spending $250.00 or more on a week's worth of food. The economists are predicting $4.00 per gallon gasoline by this summer and our lame duck says that he didn't know that. How stupid can an oil man from Texas get?
Chop suey -- What has happened to goods Made In America? My dishwasher, which was purchased less than a year ago and is still under warranty, started making a funny noise in the last two weeks or so. I called the repairman and he promptly determined that I not only needed a new pump, but also a new spray arm. When asked where the parts to my fabulous, relatively new stainless steel G.E. dishwasher came from, the answer was CHINA (of course). Is anything manufactured in America anymore? I don't dare purchase toys for my grandkids because they may be contaminated. I don't dare take heparin because it may be contaminated. I don't dare feed my kitties canned cat food anymore because it may be contaminated. I suspect all my medicines are counterfeit and contaminated. Why? Because greedy American businesses have sold out, because of trade agreements, and have sent all our manufacturing plants to China, or India, or Mexico, or any place other than in the good, old U.S.A. There is no government oversight anymore for the products we purchase. There is no control over anything coming into our ports. There is no control over any ingredients that are put into our food. We are doomed.
Our enemies --

Politics is war without bloodshed,
while war is politics with bloodshed.
Mao Tse-Tung

I really must stop thinking or I will get a headache.

Dirty-minded folks

2008-02-06T20:15:00.001-06:00

I know, yeah, I really know! I have not been posting at all lately. As I said in my last post about a month ago, my poor mind is blank. I cannot think of anything interesting to blog about and everything seems so mundane -- nothing to write home about.

That is, until just now.

I have been noticing lately, when I check my sitemeter, an increase in the number of hits I have been receiving every day. When I checked my entry pages, I found that most of the hits were looking for an image. Stupid me. I thought they were looking at this. What they were really looking for was THIS.

I was getting paranoid that my personal image was traveling around the Internet (I guess in a way it was) or that people found me really interesting and wanted to know more about me. What they really were looking for was a bunch of half-nekkid, hunky guys. What perverts! That's the last time I'll show anybody a Maxine cartoon containing a picture of hunky guys! I guess I also should watch my language or I'll really get some weirdos hitting on me.

Writer's block (or why I've been such a blockhead about blogging)

2008-01-08T21:43:00.000-06:00

I've tried, honestly I have, but the words just seem to vaporize before they leave my brain. I just can't seem to blog about anything, no matter how trivial or how earth-shaking. It's not as if we haven't been doing things. We have. It's just that nothing feels right to write about. As a matter of fact, everything seems silly. "Who would want to read this silliness?", I say to myself. Thus, the writer's block.

My head is completely empty and I can't think of a thing to write about. We've gotten through the holidays and I've been suffering from the dreaded coccooning syndrome. You know, where all you want to do is bundle up, sip on a cup of nice, hot tea, read a good book, or numb your brain with a lot of television.

It's not as if I haven't been reading your blogs all this time. I have. I keep up with all of you on a daily basis. Sometimes I even visit more than once a day, just to reassure myself that there is life outside of this house.

Gads, I dislike winter so much. I want to be outside doing things -- working in the yard, swimming in the pool, riding around seeing the sights. We haven't even had any snow or ice to break up the monotony. It was a freaking 69 degrees F. yesterday and today we had cold, grey rain with tornado warnings all day. This is January, isn't it? So, where's winter? Is this all part of global warming? Al Gore, don't come knocking on my door. I watched your movie and I paid attention. I agree with you, and husband and I are doing our part to reduce our footprint on the planet. But, it's still difficult to cope with this weird weather.

Maybe that's what's wrong with me!!! Global warming. I should go take a bath in ice water or something to cool myself down. Then maybe my writer's block will go away and I will be able to blog again.

I can finally eat again!

2007-11-28T17:10:00.000-06:00

Thanksgiving at our house was a delight.

We had great food, good company, and the gift that keeps on giving -- a nice stomach virus. Our eldest granddaughter, Dancer Girl, was feeling puny while at our house from Thursday through Sunday, and by Sunday night, so was I. Today is the first day I'm finally starting to feel normal again and can eat. Daughter and our other granddaughter also had mild bouts of the upset and thankfully are feeling well now. Baby brother, son-in-law, son-in-law's brother, and husband never did get sick which is a good thing.

Thanks to my good friend Susie of Susie's Space, I was able to set my Thanksgiving table with items from the give-away I won from her.

Aren't those turkey napkin holders cute? My kitchen was redolent with good smells from the food and from the cinnamon and spice potpourri. (This picture of my holiday table was before all the mountains of food was passed out and the gorging began.)

During the past couple of days I was unable to digest anything other than Jewish penicillin (chicken soup) with some white rice and bits of turkey. It must have worked because today I was actually hungry. Yes, I was finally able to eat something substantial. And what did I make but this (recipe compliments of Rosa of Living As Rosa):

This is a recipe for a fabulous beef stew from The America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook. Out of necessity, however, I made a few minor changes. My stew was served on a bed of mashed potatoes and included chopped celery and canned peas instead of frozen peas. Also, I didn't have any tomato paste (used tomato ketchup instead) or bay leaves so I omitted them. I'm sure these alterations to the original recipe changed the flavor slightly but all in all the stew was delicious. Thanks, Rosa, for the great recipe. I took your advice and sliced the carrots thinly and they cooked up just fine. I have added this recipe to my favorite recipes binder.

Now that the Thanksgiving food bacchanalia is over, we can concentrate on the upcoming Christmas and New Year's gorgefest. What's on your menu?

Blogging under duress

2007-11-23T13:53:00.000-06:00

Daughter + 3 are here visiting and she is making me write this meaningless post (all the while standing over my left shoulder). Do I feel as if I'm in prison? Yes, I do. She's making me do this, especially when I'm in the middle of COOKING for tomorrow's big dinner. We are having our "official" Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow. Yesterday we ate at daughter's in-laws' house, so today I'm cooking for us for tomorrow.

I've already been chastised because I wanted to make this with yeast that was totally expired (can we say 2003?). She also is making me rewrite this until I tell the truth about the yeast. Bad mama.

So, I'm off to the store to purchase some good yeast so I can make my bread for tomorrow.

In between being poked in the shoulder by daughter, one granddaughter MESSING with my mouse while I'm trying to write, another sitting on my cedar chest begging me (over and over and over again) to help her feed the fish in the fish tank, and baby brother coughing, sneezing, and tooting all at the same time right next to my head -- it's been an interesting afternoon. If there's any typos in this useless blog post, it's all daughter's fault. (Insert daughter laughing hysterically.) I wish she would stop poking me in the shoulder.

I forgot to tell you how we were all awakened at 1:30 a.m. by daughter who plunked baby brother on me all the while dancer girl was puking all over her sister in the other room. Bad grandma -- I probably fed dancer girl too much chocolate last night. Husband was nice enough to wash all the bedding and clothes while daughter bathed her.

Anyway, I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and didn't exceed your caloric limits too badly. I'm planning on making several pumpkin pies so we should easily exceed ours.

Kitty computing

2007-10-27T10:33:00.001-05:00

There's a cat that lives in my computer. I found her here this morning. Do you think she was bothered by my computing?

I kept wondering where all the white fur was coming from and NOW I KNOW!

Halloween treats

2007-10-27T09:28:00.001-05:00

What's Halloween without a black cat?

and a "trick or treat" surprise?

This wonderful package of treats was received this morning and, boy, was I surprised!!!! Thanks so much to Susie of Susie's Space for sending this sweet-smelling bundle of goodies. As you can see, enclosed were the six hand-made turkey napkin rings (they are soooo cute) I won in Susie's giveaway. Also enclosed (a complete surprise) was a beautiful pair of decorated socks, a package of apple spice and cinnamon potpourri, a pumpkin votive candle, a package of fall napkins, and a fall hand towel, all wrapped in orange paper and tied with a beautiful fall ribbon. Won't my Thanksgiving holiday table look bright and cheery with all these goodies? I am overwhelmed by Susie's thoughtfulness and kindness. Thank you, dear friend.

As we get ready to celebrate this holiday next Wednesday, I hope all your little goblins and ghoulies are looking forward to having some sweet fun.

Praying on a Sunday

2007-10-21T12:42:00.000-05:00

Prayer is the act of attempting to communicate, commonly with a sequence of words, with a deity or spirit for the purpose of worshiping, requesting guidance, requesting assistance, confessing sins, or to express one's thoughts and emotions. The words of the prayer may take the form of a hymn, incantation, or a spontaneous utterance in the praying person's words.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prayer

This is what we saw this afternoon right outside our kitchen slider. This was the biggest one we have ever seen and we don't know if it is a female or a male. I wasn't going to ask either.

Do you think our friend came to pray for us or to prey on us?

Dawn's early light

2007-10-21T07:04:00.001-05:00

Good morning, Sunday. The Earth says hello.

Blogging with kitty

2007-10-21T04:55:00.001-05:00

Here I was late last night, wracking my brain searching for something interesting to blog about, when persistent Tiger Lily decided she would "help" me. It was a bit awkward because she kept pushing my keyboard and then my mouse so I couldn't move it properly. I picked her up several times and finally made her go some place else to sleep. And then Blogger started acting up and wouldn't let me post any pictures and I finally gave up!

It is now early Sunday morning -- when I should be in bed -- seeing if Blogger has fixed itself. It has and so I blog. I also tried to download a very cute kitty video that daughter-in-law had sent, but Blogger just wouldn't accept it. Blogger sure is getting picky lately.

Our area of the country has been under severe drought warnings all summer. We've had restrictions on outside burning and outside use of water. We are not having quite the extent of the problem that several states in the southeast are having but it's still pretty bad. Luckily we have received some rain in the past several weeks but are still about 11 inches shy of normal precipitation for the year. On Wednesday and Thursday we were under tornado warnings but the really bad winds skirted around us. Other areas were not so fortunate for which I am truly sorry. I did manage to get a few shots of the storm that came through on Wednesday afternoon.

Can you see the rainbow?
We could see both ends but it was too big to capture in one picture.

O say, can you see? Our flag was still standing after the storm.

I managed to send some of our rain over to Susan of Patchwork Reflections. I hope it helped. As we were driving around the past couple of days we noticed that the fall colors were finally showing up. It's been in the 70s and even the 80s lately and it's hard to believe that Halloween is almost here.

For all the mothers out there who are getting ready for Halloween, I offer this.

And, finally, here's for the rest of us revelers.

Happy Halloween everyone.

Smile and the world smiles with you

2007-10-11T08:03:00.001-05:00

Thanks so much to dear friend Susan of Patchwork Reflections for this lovely award. Yes, most days I'm smiling, especially when the grandkids are around. Some days I'm grumpy (ask husband) but all it takes is reading a post from some of my bloggedy friends and I have found my smile again.

Now, if I could figure out how to put this thingy on my sidebar, I would really smile. Maybe some kind soul could help me.

I also present this award to my equally smiley friends

Alipurr of Kitten Yarn
Sandy of Abandoned in Pasadena
Heather of Nurseblogger
Kerri of Colors of the Garden
Sweetie of SweetieTime
Rosa of Living As Rosa
Susie of Susie's Space

I think I messed up already. I was supposed to add a little name game with the following letters:

Make someone smile today
Otherwise they might be sad
Take the sunshine from the sky
Help those you know feel glad
Every time you smile
Run and jump and play
Keep your heart happy
It's a brand-new day
This is my happy wish
To all my bloggedy friends
You make me happy, so smile like a fish

Fancy feet

2007-10-10T19:31:00.001-05:00

The following picture and cutline appeared as part of the lead story (on the front page) of daughter and son-in-law's local paper today. Granddaughter was so proud and happy, she called us this evening to excitedly tell us she was on the front page of the paper.

“Dancer Girl,” 6, demonstrates a lunge during her father "J’s" modern fencing class for children ages 6-9. The class is held Tuesdays at 3:30 p.m. as part of “L” Sword Arts training.

Our eldest granddaughter is so graceful and talented. In addition to weekly ballet and piano lessons, she is also learning the art of fencing from her instructor, her long-haired daddy, who just opened his own fencing studio. Dancer Girl and Little Sister are also being home-schooled by daughter Alipurr. And, boy, are those girls smart!

Daughter + 3 just spent a long weekend with us and we had a wonderful time doing all sorts of wonderful things, including playing footsie.

Alipurr + 3 (ages 6, 3, and 4 months)

Everybody loves mommy

Baby Boy enjoying his first taste of cantaloupe

We had a great time visiting with daughter and her three young'uns. The weather was just perfect and we were all pleasantly tired by the time we took them home. The picture with granddaughter fencing was taken by the newspaper that afternoon. She doesn't look tired, does she? Grandma and grandpa took it easy today!!!

Can't wait to see them again really, really soon.

Come out, come out, wherever you are

2007-10-03T06:27:00.001-05:00

Haven't all bloggers done this? Lurk and skulk around the Internet and scores of blogs, always looking for something and some place interesting, perhaps even a little titillating? I know that I have done this perhaps every day since I started blogging. I'm guilty as charged.

Thanks to Moogie of Moogie's World for bringing this to our attention. That sound you hear is me breathing a sigh of relief because I don't have to feel quite so guilty anymore about visiting your sites and not leaving comments as frequently as I've should. In the future I promise to stop being such a lunkhead and actually comment on your wonderful posts. So, for all my fellow lurkers, come out, come out, wherever you are, and join the throng of fellow delurkers -- even for just today. Feel free to leave a comment, if you're so inclined.

On a sorrier note, what is happening to time? Yesterday was a perfectly beautiful day -- warm, sunny, with everything looking and feeling just like summer. My potted flowers on the back deck are still really beautiful and our tomato plants are putting out blossoms and setting fruit. Husband and I even broke a sweat as we were working outside. This morning I awoke around 5:30 a.m. and it was DARK AS WINTER outside. And, it was actually a bit chilly as I opened the slider to let in the kitties for their breakfast. I like the changing of the seasons and the colors of fall, but I don't like winter any more with the cold, snow, ice, sleet, and short days. Brr, makes me shiver just thinking about it.

Such a pretty scene, but who likes to shovel snow and actually have to get out and work/drive in bad weather? Maybe it's because I'm getting too old to have to put up with winter. My bones like it to be really warm outside. No wonder birds and some animals migrate south. Their bones must like it warm outside also.

With all the beautiful weather we've been having, the signs are everywhere that the end of the year is fast approaching. First Halloween, then Thanksgiving, then Christmas, then New Year's. Yikes, are you ready for all that?

I was watching The Lake House with Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves the other day and in this fantasy film there was a period of time when Sandra Bullock was in the year 2008 while Keanu Reeves was in the year 2006. I thought that was a bit odd but then I thought about how we are going to have to start writing 2008 on all our checks, documents, and correspondence in just a few months. When I was a kid I used to fantasize about what I would be doing in a particular year. I would dream about 1980 or the year 2000 and wonder about what great things I would have accomplished or how rich I would become. Snort!!! Now that it's almost 2008, I'm still wondering what my situation will be in, say, 2025 or 2050. Will I even be alive to see if we make it to Mars and beyond?

Time -- it's like quicksilver. It's elusive, it never stands still, and tomorrow gets here faster and faster as we get older and older.

If I could save time in a bottle
The first thing that I'd like to do
Is to save every day
Till Eternity passes away
Just to spend them with you

-- Jim Croce, Time in a Bottle

Thoughts on a sunny Sunday

2007-09-30T11:14:00.000-05:00

My daughter Alipurr recently admonished me because I haven't been blogging. As a way of making amends, I submit this post for your enjoyment and to let you know that I'm still here amongst the living.

The following are real answers on a Bible knowledge test. Makes you wonder what people are being taught not only in school, but in churches as well.

Noah's wife was Joan of Ark.

Lot's wife was a pillar of salt by day and a ball of fire by night.

Moses went to the top of Mount Cyanide to get the ten commandments.

The seventh commandment is "thou shalt not admit adultery."

Joshua led the Hebrews in the battle of Geritol.

Jesus was born because Mary had an immaculate contraption.

The people who followed Jesus were called Decibels.

The epistles were the wives of the apostles.

One of the opossums was St. Matthew.

Salome danced in seven veils in front of King Herod.

Paul preached acrimony which is another name for marriage.

David fought the Finkelsteins which is a race of people who lived in Bible times.

The Jews had trouble throughout their history with unsympathetic Genitals.

A Christian should have only one wife. This is called monotony.

Then there are my thoughts on why I haven't been blogging.

I've been busy
I've been lazy
I've been away
I've suffered a brain fart and couldn't think of anything interesting to write about
I've been shy
I've been swimming
I've been working out in the yard a lot
I've been skulking around others' blogs and not leaving comments
I've been skulking around others' blogs and occasionally leaving comments
I've been stubborn about writing even though family members have urged me to do so
I've been depressed
I've been going through a phase
I've felt untalented
I've felt like nobody would be interested in ANYTHING I had to say
I've felt that my life is b.o.r.i.n.g

There have been times when I've wanted to scream at the world, and all the nut cases in it, to stop acting like playground bullies. I've wanted to blog about this.

There have been times when I've done something interesting (to me) but have felt it was too trivial. I've wanted to blog about this.

There have been times when I've hidden in the house (not agoraphobic by any means) and have not wanted to see people. I've wanted to blog about this.

There have been times when I've been disgusted about my looks or my weight or my health but felt it would be an invasion of my privacy to discuss it. I've wanted to blog about this.

There have been times when I've felt anger and this anger caused me to not share my feelings with anybody. I've wanted to blog about this.

There have been times when I've felt unworthy to share my thoughts with others. I've wanted to blog about this.

There have been times when I've wanted to share my feelings about my parents, sister, and other family members but was afraid of hurting peoples' feelings or sounding like a petulant child. I've wanted to blog about this.

There have been times when I've wanted to discuss family secrets but feel these secrets are nobody's business. I've wanted to blog about this.

There have been times when I haven't felt like putting on a happy front (while blogging) but wanted to let it all hang out. I've wanted to blog about this.

In the end, I've just been silent. I guess that's my way of coping with things that are affecting my life right now. None of these reasons for not blogging have changed my opinion of you, my fellow bloggers and friends. I love reading your blogs and reading your thoughts. Sometimes I wish I could be as open and honest as some of you but I guess I'm afraid of alienating you and having you change your opinion of me. That's important.

In the final analysis, the old adage "use it or lose it" comes to mind. Once you get out of the habit of blogging on a regular basis, it becomes harder and harder to sit down at the keyboard and express yourself. All I can say, though, is I'm still here, I'm still visiting your sites, I'm interested in you and what you've been up to, and I'm still interested in the world around me.

I will leave you with this final thought. Everyone should try blue Jell-O at least once in their lifetime.

Sunday blessings

2007-08-19T19:27:00.001-05:00

Husband and I were surprised yesterday with an unexpected visit from Sandy and Jimmy. They decided to just get on their bikes and come see us. They also surprised us with a bag full of hibiscus seeds from their garden.

We will start the seeds early next spring and hopefully we will have enough plants for a large flowerbed. I love the look of these flowers.

We were also blessed late this afternoon with blessed RAIN.

Our ground was so dry, it literally sucked all the moisture up as fast as it poured down. It was wonderful. We had not received any real rain for over a month and everything was dry beyond belief.

Following our brief rain, we were blessed with a horde of hummingbirds coming to our feeders. They have been really scarce this year but all of a sudden we had at least six buzzing around one of our feeders. Of course I had to grab my camera in the hope that I would get a few good shots of these ruby-throated beauties.

Seeing all these beautiful hummers (my absolute favorite birds in the world) was a big thrill and was the icing on my wonderful cake of a day. Such a nice day -- spent with good people, enjoying each other's company, sharing a meal and good conversation, swimming with husband. What more could a person ask for? MORE RAIN.

An ode to joy

2007-08-12T14:15:00.002-05:00

Fresh peach pie (before)

Fresh peach pie (after)

Fresh peach pie with French Vanilla ice cream (before eating)

Husband purred while eating this once-a-year treat. Yum, yum.

This and that

2007-08-01T09:41:00.002-05:00

Grandma was so bad, taking baby boy into the pool for his very first swim. Grandpa is looking on and daughter was anxiously watching poolside to ensure baby was safe. (What could be safer than a baby in a grandma's arms?) Baby boy is now two months old and is growing by leaps and bounds. He's a very sweet baby and we love him very much just like we love our granddaughters.

Daughter + 3 spent last Wednesday through Saturday morning at our house. A very good time was had by all. We swam, we baked cookies, we made lasagna, we ate, we watched movies, we played games, we worked puzzles, we talked, we laughed, we watched videos of the kids at play, and we generally had a very good time. Thank you daughter and grandchildren for coming to visit. We enjoyed spending time with you.

On a sad note, Sandy and her gang were unable to visit this time as planned because nephew Brian was hospitalized for several days. We are very happy that he's feeling much better and is now at home recuperating. We hope to see them all very soon. We missed them so much.

Husband and I have been busy with our solar heater project. Phase II looks like this:

We installed edging and mulch consisting of shredded tires dyed red (I guess to look like cypress mulch). We are short several bags and will be going back this afternoon to get the rest of what we need. Did I mention previously that this project was turning into a money pit? I can see the end of Phase II is near but I fear Phase III will really be expensive. We plan to build a shelf for storage and enclose the whole thing with lattice panels. Hopefully we will have this completed very shortly so we can go on to other outdoor projects.

We are off tomorrow to attend Dancer Girl's sixth birthday party. Daughter is having the party at her local pizza joint which boasts a play room for the kiddies. Should be a lot of fun for everyone.

Happy birthday, Dancer Girl

I'm in a strange mood

2007-07-25T08:10:00.000-05:00

Strange things to ponder:

What if the hokey pokey really is what it's all about?
What if you're in hell, and you're mad at someone, where do you tell them to go?
Do vegetarians eat animal crackers?
Do witches run spell checkers?
Do you need a silencer if you are going to shoot a mime?
When cheese gets its picture taken, what does it say?
When cows laugh, does milk come out of their noses?
When they first invented the clock, how did they know what time it was to set it to?
How come wrong numbers are never busy?
Why are hemorrhoids called "hemorrhoids" instead of "asteroids"?

Now that I've got you thinking a little, here's some strange actual British signs (for your enjoyment, of course).

Spotted in a toilet of a London office: Toilet out of order. Please use floor below.
In a laundromat: Automatic washing machines: Please remove all your clothes when the light goes out.
In a London department store: Bargain basement upstairs.
In an office: Would the person who took the stepladder yesterday please bring it back or further steps will be taken.
In an office: After tea break, staff should empty the teapot and stand upside down on the draining board.
Outside a secondhand shop: We exchange anything -- bicycles, washing machines, etc. Why not bring your wife along and get a wonderful bargain?
Notice in a health food shop window: Closed due to illness.
Spotted in a safari park: Elephants please stay in your car.
Seen during a conference: For anyone who has children and doesn't know it, there is a day care on the first floor.
Notice in a field: The farmer allows walkers to cross the field for free, but the bull charges.
Message on a leaflet: If you cannot read, this leaflet will tell you how to get lessons.
On a repair shop door: We can repair anything. (Please knock hard on the door -- the bell doesn't work.)

By golly, it works!

2007-07-23T08:37:00.001-05:00

My husband happily informed me this morning that the new solar heater for our pool actually works. (I already knew that because I had it on all day yesterday before I swam in nice 88 degree F. water in the afternoon.)

It had gotten down to around 59 degrees F. last night so the pool water was around 84 degrees under the solar blanket. brrrrrr

At 8:21 this morning, this was the outside temperature (the top reading).

(Click on pictures to make larger.)

At the same time, this was the reading outside on the platform:

I am so relieved that we apparently didn't waste our money and the darned thing actually works as advertised. We shall see, however, how much longer in the season we can really swim before we turn into icicles.

Now that you are all thoroughly bored over my enthusiastic ramblings about our pool, we shall go on to a much more enjoyable topic: more company coming.

Yes, on Wednesday of this week daughter + 3 will be the first arrivals of the day. Then we can expect Jimmy and Sandy, and son Brian, Reva, and son Brandon. On Saturday, our son-in-law will be arriving for the day. We will have the pleasure of everyone's company until they all have to take off on Saturday. And won't we have fun doing all the usual things -- eating, swimming, laughing, talking, watching movies, playing with the kids, and maybe some visits to the Amish? Who knows what we will do.

Sandy and company will be arriving on motorcycles so our yard will again look like we are holding the Sturgis rally here. The Little Sturgis rally was held last week starting on Thursday, and all we could hear and feel for four days was the deep, throaty rumble of cycles as they passed through our one-horse town. The Little Sturgis rally is held in Sturgis, KY, which is 23 miles down the road. Our town is the last place for bikers of all kinds to gas up, use the bathroom, get a cold drink, eat, or just rest before they hit the infamously rowdy biker scene down the road apiece. Yep, you see 'em dressed all kinds of ways. Especially cute are the ones you KNOW are weekend warriors trying to look so hip. Some even sport tattoos and wear leather.

And for those who plan to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Summer of Love, wear your helmets:

If you're in our neck of the woods this weekend, y'all come on down. The food'll be good, the water warm, and the company mighty fine. There'll even be a place for your bike, if you're so inclined.

Our quest for heat

2007-07-20T14:27:00.000-05:00

Excuse No. 1: Why I haven't been blogging

Husband and I have been working on something for the last several weeks. This project (another of my brilliant ideas that was a "I want vs. I need" project) began as a small investment and has subsequently turned into a money pit.

The project I'm speaking of is the purchase and installation of a solar heater for our pool.

Prior to actually purchasing this relatively inexpensive device, we pondered about whether we wanted it, what the benefits would be, and where we would put it. You have to have a southern exposure with direct sunlight for at least six hours a day for it to be useful. Our southern exposure is shaded by a very large tree. So, we had to come up with an alternative location.

We finally decided that the most effective way for it to work would be to build a 4 foot by 20 foot platform that was at least as high as the pool. This ensured that the solar panels would receive the most amount of sunlight all day. After deciding how we wanted to build this platform, we made a basic list of the lumber and supplies we needed. Then we measured, re-measured, placed stakes for corners, and made sure everything was square and level. It was hot, sweaty, hard work.

Then I called the "call before you dig" number at the telephone company because our telephone line is allegedly buried in our yard and apparently lies directly under our platform. Meanwhile, we rented a one-man auger -- the back breaker -- to dig the eight holes for the posts. We only had one day so we had to get this portion of the project completed and return the horrible machine. Boy, were we glad to get that baby back to the rental store. That done, the "call before you dig" lady showed up on Monday. To our complete surprise, our telephone line was actually buried under our pool and under our deck steps. Ugh!!!

Husband finally got everything connected per the instructions. The next problem resulted when he actually turned the pump on again. One hose completely blew and all the other connections leaked. Back to the plumbing stores to get new connectors and valves.

To make a long story very short, the project is now complete. My hunky pool man worked like a dog and this is the result of all his hard work.

This has turned into a "Rube Goldberg" project. The end result definitely DOES NOT look like the picture on the box or online when we originally researched this.

Our pool pump now looks like this.

We have PVC hoses and valves snaking everywhere. It should be really interesting when we try to use the weedeater in this corner.

Here is husband making one final adjustment.

Phase 2 of this project involves building a shelf the length of the platform and enclosing the entire thing. This will be used for storage of our pool and gardening supplies. We will get this done when our money train rolls into the station after the first of the month.

I've procrastinated enough today so I guess I will get off the computer and do something useful. Time to go swimming.

My hunky pool man

2007-07-07T05:01:00.001-05:00

Some people are lucky that they have a hunky guy come over to clean their pool who wears a sexy bikini and brings them mai tai's as they lounge around.

This is what I get.

Oh, well. At least I don't have to contend with a lot of bugs and other gunk while I swim. I guess I could go get my own drink and maybe one for my hunky pool guy.

You can come over and swim with us if you're in the neighborhood.

Let freedom ring

2007-07-04T04:43:00.001-05:00

The Star Spangled Banner

Composed by Francis Scott Key,
"In Defense of Fort McHenry", September 20, 1814
Congress proclaimed it the U.S. National Anthem in 1931

Oh, say, can you see, by the dawn's early light,
What so proudly we hail'd at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, thro' the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watch'd, were so gallantly streaming?
And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof thro' the night that our flag was still there.
O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

On the shore dimly seen thro' the mists of the deep,
Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,
In full glory reflected, now shines on the stream:
'Tis the star-spangled banner: O, long may it wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion
A home and a country should leave us no more?
Their blood has wash'd out their foul footsteps' pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

O, thus be it ever when freemen shall stand,
Between their lov'd homes and the war's desolation;
Blest with vict'ry and peace, may the heav'n-rescued land
Praise the Pow'r that hath made and preserv'd us as a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our cause is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust"
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

Whatever you do, wherever you are, and whoever you are with, I hope you have a safe and happy Fourth of July as you celebrate our day of independence. Let those from around the world who wish to take this freedom from us know that FREEDOM WILL FOREVER REIGN IN THE LAND OF THE FREE AND HOME OF THE BRAVE!

Long day's journey into night

2007-07-03T15:05:00.001-05:00

My sister and I

My mother and father
July 3, 1993
Photo taken the night before mother's open heart surgery

This is one of those days that causes my heart to contract and my eyes to tear up at the drop of a hat. I'm thinking of this day because 14 years ago my mother prepared to go under the knife to repair a faulty mitral valve and to have bypass surgery.

I remember I had a bad feeling about this surgery in the pit of my stomach. It was almost like standing on the edge of an abyss and barely keeping my balance, otherwise I would fall into a bottomless pit. The wheels were in motion for the surgery and I was helpless to stop it.

I remember spending the day with my mother in the hospital. I washed her hair, because she asked me to. I lovingly applied lotion to her hands and feet. I petted her, I hugged her, I talked with her, all the time fighting off the dread I felt.

Early on the morning of July 4th, my sister and I were allowed to accompany our mother to the holding area as they prepped her for surgery. We talked and laughed and tried to keep our spirits high. My mother stoically remained in good humor and as the nurses wheeled her into surgery, she called back to us that she would see us very soon.

After she was gone, all I could do was cry and cry. I was inconsolable.

My sister, brother-in-law, father, husband, and I waited for hours in the waiting room. Finally, her cardiologist came out to see us and to tell us that she made it through the surgery with flying colors. I knew my mother was a strong woman, but for an 83-year-old to go through open heart surgery and to survive was an amazing feat.

Over the next few hours we waited patiently in the family waiting room until they allowed us to go back to see her. My father took one look at her, broke down, and was taken home. He said he wasn't coming back to the hospital until she was better.

My sister and I were allowed just a few minutes each hour to see her. It soon became apparent, however, that mother wasn't waking up or responding. Extreme measures were taken but she still was not waking up. We thought she was having a bad reaction to the sedatives she was given.

The next day a CT-scan was done of her brain. Her doctor showed us the film. I took one look at the mostly black areas of her brain and decided that nothing further could be or should be done for her. No more tests, no more medications, and she would remain NPO. She did, after all, have advance directives that stated nothing would be done if she became brain dead.

My sister and I remained at the hospital 24 hours a day for the next 10 days. On July 13, 1993, our mother finally, mercifully, gratefully, left this life. She was at peace.

I will forever remember her death all the days of my life and hope I never have to go through what she experienced.

I will also forever remember my mother as the sweetest, kindest person I have ever known.

Mother, rest in peace

Visitors in the garden

2007-07-03T05:57:00.000-05:00

We had a wonderful contingent of visitors last weekend from these folks.

And also these people.

We knew they were approaching our house when we heard the rumbling of their cycles. Soon we saw this.

Husband and I were so excited to welcome Jimmy, Sandy, daughter Sharon, and her son Zac. They arrived late Friday afternoon in the rain, all decked out in their rain suits. By Saturday, it was very hot, no rain, and we were able to have a fun-filled day. Lots of friends joined us, I grilled out, we swam, we talked, we baked in the sun, we had an absolute great time. They even got me a little tipsy from the Australian white wine our friends brought. The only downside was that daughter and her family were unable to join in the early 4th of July celebration because Little One was running a temperature and they decided to stay home. Oh, well.

Our guests stayed until Sunday morning and then got ready to leave.

Of course it was raining -- again -- so they donned their rain gear

And planned their route

Sharon, leading the pack out of our driveway

Followed by Sandy, who was trying to catch up to Sharon and Zac

We all had a wonderful weekend, despite a few little glitches. We ate plenty of good food, shared some good memories, shared some good laughs, looked at some old family photos, and watched a very funny movie which was all about stopping to smell the roses before it's too late.

Husband and I were looking forward to lots of red, ripe tomatoes from our garden to serve to our guests. I kept checking the garden in the days before they arrived but could not find any. Husband had planted more than a dozen plants -- Early Girl's, Rutgers, Roma's, and Sugar Sweet cherry tomatoes. We were disappointed to say the least.

Early Girl Tomatoes

After our guests left, we discovered some half-eaten green tomatoes lying on the ground and animal tracks in and around the garden. Ah ha, I said. Now I know why we have no tomatoes. Mr. or Mrs. Deer has been coming to the organic vegetable market and having a feast every night. This fellow has even been eating the new shoots from our Kentucky Pole Beans! Yesterday, as we walked around and checked the garden again, we found little piles of deer poop and more tracks.

Around 3:30 this morning, I decided to go out on the deck to see what I could see. I wrapped up in a blanket and sat out there (freezing my tootsies) for more than 45 minutes. But our deer was a no-show.

At least we know they are eating good produce. Meantime, we have found a nice Amish family that has an organic vegetable market. Got lots of yummy veggies from him last week and plan to continue to visit on a weekly basis to fill in what Mr. Deer is eating out of our garden.

We love having visitors. So all visitors to our garden are welcome, whether they are two-legged or four-legged. If you're in our neck of the woods, stop by any old time. Our door is always open to those we love.

A visit with daughter + 3

2007-06-11T16:06:00.001-05:00

Husband and I traveled to see daughter + 3 today and we had a lovely time. Husband took the girls to the library for the summer reading program and this grandma had a great time playing with the baby. Daughter and I decided to keep a weekly record of baby boy's growth so here are the first two installments.

06/03/07

06/11/07

As you can tell, baby boy certainly loves his mommy's milkies as he seems to be gaining nicely. He is such a sweet, even-tempered baby and is such a pleasure to hold and rock. I spent a bit of time rocking him in the rocking chair until he fell asleep. This is the same rocking chair that I rocked my babies in (daughter now has possession of it). I told the girls about some of their mother's antics when she was their ages. They thought those stories were better than chocolate cake.

Being a grandmother is so much fun. I can appreciate my grandchildren and love spending time with them. They are good children and fun to be around as they are so enthusiastic (read that to mean they laugh at our corny jokes and funny faces, put up with a multitude of hugs and kisses, and tell me how much they love me). I know that one of these days they will say, "Oh, grandma, I'm too old for (that)" or "Grandma, I can do it myself" or "Grandma, I'm too busy to come visit you." For now, I will cherish these precious moments and hope that I can leave our grandchildren with loving memories of their grandma. And their grandpa can teach them a thing or two. I will also try to teach them some songs that my mother taught me, how to cook and bake, and maybe even how to sew. Maybe we will even be around long enough to see them through college and as they start their adult lives. If we are lucky, we will even get to see a great-grandchild or two.

For all you grandmothers out there, I give you this:

Happy birthday, Alipurr

2007-06-05T03:33:00.001-05:00

Alipurr, your dad and I send you our very best wishes on your 36th birthday. You are a wonderful daughter and we love you very much. You received the very best birthday present in the world this year, a new baby boy. Here is a little look down memory lane to when you were growing up.

Newborn, birth day, June 5, 1971

One year old, 1972

Three years old, 1974

Six years old, riding Pokey Dennis, 1977

24 years old, graduating university magna cum laude, 1995

25 years old, wedding day, March 9, 1996

36 years old, birth day, June 2, 2007

Alipurr, you've made us proud over the years and have provided us with a lot of love and joy. We know this has to be the best birthday of your life. We love you very much.

Congratulations, Alipurr, it's a baby boy!

2007-06-04T15:07:00.001-05:00

I know you are all dying to see this little fellow, so here's some pictures. Baby boy was born on Saturday, June 2, at 2:21 p.m. (after about a 3-1/2 hour labor). He weighed 7 lbs. 8 oz. and was 19-1/2 inches long. Mother and son are doing fine. The rest of us are trying to adjust.

Mother plus 3, approximately 3 hours after delivery

Baby boy, about 25 hours old, and his great-grandmother Nana

Mother, father, and baby boy arrived home this afternoon and the grandparents came home (to rest and relax). He's a real cutie and we are very proud of him already. He's very alert and is trying to look around at everything. Don't know if he can really focus yet, but he's trying. The girls and mom have been talking to him for 9 months so I'm sure he recognizes their voices.

The girls are so excited and are kissing and loving him already. It's difficult for them to understand that he needs to sleep a lot because all they want to do is hold him, kiss him, examine him, pet him, and play with him. I don't think they realize that it will be quite a while before he will be ready to play with his big sisters.

The father, of course, has busted all the buttons off his shirt he's so proud of his "big" boy.

Well, now that the grandparents (us) are home, I think I will go out and mow the lawn. It's up to my knees already. (More pictures to follow.)

No baby yet!

2007-05-29T14:00:00.001-05:00

Well, we are still waiting. Daughter Alipurr is "nesting" and doesn't want to be disturbed at the moment. She said they would call when she got to the hospital. We are being patient and keeping ourselves busy. I carry my phone next to my body so I won't miss THE CALL.

When we were in Berea two weeks ago, Sandy gave us this quilt to give to daughter for new baby boy. It is beautifully hand-stitched and so cleverly made. Daughter and girls loved it and thank Sandy and Jimmy for their thoughtfulness.

Isn't this lovely?
Sandy has good taste and both girls wanted to keep it for themselves.

While I was in and out running errands today, I noticed some flowers in my yard that were blooming. As soon as I got back into the house, I grabbed my camera and started shooting some pictures.

The first lily to bloom

Can you see the Early Girl tomatoes?

Stella D'Oro Daylilies

Pink and white begonias and yellow and orange marigolds
(can you see the beautiful orange butterfly on the marigold?)

Petunias

White Astilbe

Red Astilbe

Dusty Miller and Moss Rose

White begonias, pink geraniums and moss rose

Finally, I will leave you with this bit of cheese to lighten your day.

A pregnant lady was in an accident and she woke up in the hospital. She noticed she was not pregnant anymore and asked the nurse what happened to her baby.

The nurse said, "You have two healthy babies, a boy and a girl!" The lady said, "Oh, I must name them," but the nurse said, "You were unconscious, so we called your brother, and he named them!"

The lady said, "But he's as dumb as a box of rocks! So what are their names?"

The nurse said, "The girl is called "Denise." The woman replied, "Well that is a pretty name, so what did he name my boy?"

The nurse replied, "Denephew!"

Remembrance

2007-05-28T08:21:00.001-05:00

This is the day we remember those who lost their lives in combat over the ages.

My Uncle Al died in World War II in April of 1945. I really don't remember him and I only found three pictures of him.

Uncle Al, Miami Beach, Feb. 1940

Uncle Al with my grandparents and aunt, Miami Beach, around 1940-1941

Uncle Al with his daughter Elaine, Hammond, IN, 1942

Uncle Al was born in Toronto, Canada, in 1918. He emigrated to the United States with his father Jack in 1937 and they lived on the south side of Chicago. He was friends with my dad and my Uncle Morrie. I guess you could say that he was responsible for introducing my mother and my Aunt Lil to their future spouses. He also had family who remained in Canada. They still have large annual reunions and members of the U.S. branch of the family attend.

In my mind, he didn't look like a soldier -- he looked more like an accountant with his mustache and his glasses. I just can't imagine him fighting, shooting his gun, and killing people. I was only three years old when he died. I think of him often and how his death changed our family. My aunt said that he was the love of her life. When my mother died, I found some letters that he had written to my parents when he was in the service. I still have them. My aunt remarried after Uncle Al's death and subsequently had two children with Uncle Mickey. If Uncle Al had lived, I would most definitely have different cousins and my aunt would still be married to the love of her life. If he had lived, he would now be 89 years old.

Today I am also thinking of those other family members who are no longer with us. My mom and dad, of blessed memory, my grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins, friends, and many acquaintances. Oh, how I miss them all and wish I could see them just one more time.

I was reminded the other day how tenuous our short journey in life really is. I read an obituary about a woman I knew. She was a practicing psychologist who came back to her hometown to care for her mother after her father died. She gave up her home in Nashville, her friends, her practice, and everything she knew to care for her mother during her mother's last years. This woman stayed here after her mother died to live in her childhood home. She died the other day, all alone, at 12:50 a.m. There were no surviving family members. This woman, who once invited me to be her friend, was a year younger than I am. The obituary said there would be no visitation or services, just a graveside prayer by the minister.

I am reminded today that the wheel of life is constantly revolving. We are expecting a new grandson any day now. His generation takes the place of the previous generation. My hope is that my grandson will never have to fight in any war and his parents will not have to experience the agony of losing a son in a battle of wills.

I feel great sorrow for all those parents who must live the rest of their lives without their precious sons and daughters who died in war and with those sons and daughters mutilated all in the name of freedom. How can we forget any of them, on this or any other day?

We honor our fallen heroes on this day, lest we forget.

Tap, tap, tap

2007-05-27T06:15:00.000-05:00

Baby boy, grandma wants you to come out and play! I'm ready and waiting.

I'm on pins and needles!

2007-05-22T19:04:00.001-05:00

Have you ever experienced "baby fever?" I'm so excited about this new baby boy that daughter Alipurr is having (momentarily -- her baby ticker says "ten days"), I can't think clearly. (Sue, I may not be blogging regularly, but I'm still here.) My husband, the saint, is just barely putting up with me and daughter is laughing at my nervousness. I guess you will all just have to bear with me until this little guy decides to come out to play.

If you have read Sandy's blog, you will know that we just got back from a weekend visit. What a terrific and fun time we had. We were able to visit with all the family, enjoy lots of great meals out (no cooking!!!), and enjoy a lot of laughs and good times.

(Double-click each picture for a larger view.)

Our wonderful hosts, Sandy and Jimmy, with husband

Husband was taken on a motorcycle ride on Saturday. I am a little afraid of motorcycles and I had to refuse. Sorry, Sandy.

What I did during our visit was buy several pieces of stained art glass which is a passion of mine. Here are the pieces I purchased at the art fair Sandy and I attended.

What's in a name? that which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet

-- William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, 1594

A little Jiminy Cricket garden art for my friend Saundra

who was so kind to take care of my kitties while we were out of town

A little peace for my hippy husband

A Star of David for me

Ocean's Breeze -- a fantastic art piece that Sandy
purchased for me during our last visit

This was the most wonderful thing we brought home --
a gorgeous walnut bowl that nephew Brian made
and presented to husband and I

This was the second bowl he ever made
and we are so happy to be the proud owner
of this lovely work of art

Thank you, Jimmy and Sandy, for a wonderful visit. The next time we see you we will have a new addition to our growing family. I can hardly wait.

Unusual visitors

2007-05-06T14:31:00.000-05:00

I was talking to my sister in Las Vegas on the phone this afternoon discussing, amongst other things, unusual birds who have visited our gardens this year. She just had a Hooded Oriole arrive at her house.

Suddenly, taking me completely by surprise, this little guy landed on my hummingbird feeder and proceeded to take a nice, long drink. I didn't dare get up to get my camera because I was afraid of scaring him away.

Even though these birds are in the same family, you can see how they differ in their coloring.

We have several hummingbird and seed feeders in front and in back of our house, positioned so we can watch the birds wherever we are. I find I am constantly filling my feeders because we have attracted so many lovely birds. We're also always on the lookout for unusual feeders and try to position them where our cats can't get at the birds.

Unfortunately, I have been "blessed" with some good hunters and have already been presented with several "gifts" from my kitties. I wish they wouldn't do this, but you can't take the wild hunter out of the domesticated animal if they are allowed to go outside when they want to.

Alleycat (14 years old) and Dolly (one year old) watching me
while I was working in front of our house

This is the way my kitties should be -- content to stay inside --
but I know that's not going to happen.

The "art" of relaxation

2007-05-05T13:47:00.000-05:00

Thank you Susie, Susan, Sandy (how's that for alliteration?), Cristal, Cheyenne, and Alissa for your encouragement and kind words. Miss Susie, especially, you are such a dear heart. I'm sending you a huge Motherkitty hug for what you've done.

One thing I've learned is when you're down, if you're blogging, you're not out. All you have to do is reach out a hand and a warm hand of friendship will be extended.

What more can a person expect?

Where, oh where, have I been?

2007-05-04T20:45:00.000-05:00

I've been home, with husband, piddling around the house. We're watching our pennies because gas has gone through the roof and we expect it to get worse. We filled up our van today and it cost $44.00 for 15 measly gallons of gas. We've been working on the garden and the yard, trying to overcome all the damage from our April frost. Things are looking better around here but we're still pretty disappointed. I noticed some of our irises were blooming today.

We have several other varieties planted in the same patch, but these are the only two colors that bloomed. We had a few Paperwhites to bloom but nothing like they usually do.

Thanks to those who have asked where I've been this past month. To tell you the truth, I faced a hurdle and just couldn't get past it. I think I'm better now, so thanks for thinking of me.

(Double-click on pictures to enlarge.)

Daughter Alipurr at her baby shower on April 28
Only about 28 days to go before Baby Boy is welcomed to this world

Little Sister and Dancer Girl were very helpful
in helping mommy open her gifts

Both girls couldn't wait to play with the pull toy
we got Baby Boy

Daughter had a great time at her shower and many of her friends attended. She received some really nice (and useful) gifts for the baby. We were very happy to see the girls again. They had been sick quite a bit since the middle of March and the shower was the first opportunity we had to see them since then.

Husband has opened our pool for the season but it's still too cool to swim. I can't wait. I'm looking into getting solar panels to heat the pool and extend the swimming season. Although Spring is my favorite season of the year, I also love the hot summers spent swimming and lounging around the pool on our deck. (So, if you come to visit us, that's probably where you'll find us.)

Some of the annuals we planted yesterday in front of the house

To tell you the truth, I was actually at a place where I thought about shutting down my blog for good. I asked myself if I wanted to continue, and the answer was no, I didn't want to stop blogging. I took a little time for myself and now I'm back -- a little worse for wear -- but still sane. I hope you will continue to visit me (during my hiatus I didn't stop reading your blogs but I might not have left comments) and I will continue to visit you. After all, where would I be if I didn't blog? I would be all alone with husband and seven cats and that ain't good for my temperament. Ask husband. He can tell you how grouchy I've been lately.

Just before it started raining (again) this evening

A birthday present from a good friend

2007-04-11T10:55:00.000-05:00

A very dear and long-time friend (you notice I didn't say "old" friend) sent me a beautiful birthday wish today and included was this photo. Friend and her husband had joined us for Thanksgiving last November, and during the course of serving up the feast, she took this picture of me.

So, for those who thought I looked like this:

This is what I "actually" look like:

Here I am, barefoot but not pregnant, in my kitchen wearing the apron my darling granddaughters made for me. The meal turned out great and everybody had a wonderful time.

BTW, in approximately 51 days husband and I will be grandparents to a new baby boy. Daughter alipurr is feeling wonderful. Can't hardly wait for the big event.

Holy cow, where did the time go?

2007-04-10T18:15:00.000-05:00

When I get older, losing my hair, many years from now,
Will you still be sending me a Valentine, birthday greetings, bottle of wine?
If I'd been out 'till quarter to three, would you lock the door?
Will you still need me, will you still feed me,
When I'm sixty-four (sixty-five)?

Hmm------mmm---mmmh.

You'll be older, too. Aaah, and if you say the word, I could stay with you.
I could be handy, mending a fuse, when your lights have gone.
You can knit a sweater by the fireside, Sunday mornings, go for a ride.
Doing the garden, digging the weeds, who could ask for more?
Will you still need me, will you still feed me, when I'm sixty-four (sixty-five)?

Every summer we can rent a cottage in the Isle of Wight if it's not too dear.
We shall scrimp and save.
Ah, grandchildren on your knee, Vera, Chuck, and Dave.
Send me a postcard, drop me a line stating point of view.
Indicate precisely what you mean to say, yours sincerely wasting away.
Give me your answer, fill in a form, mine forever more.
Will you still need me, will you still feed me, when I'm sixty- four (sixty-five)?

by John Lennon/Paul McCartney

Actually, this song is a little behind the times because I passed 64 last year on April 10. Last year on this date I also had a total knee replacement (a very happy birthday present to me).

I guess having arthritis and joint replacements are signs of the times, but I would rather not have to replace all my joints because of wear and tear.

Getting old is for the birds. You have to sit on the side of the bed and rest just to get up in the morning. You have to take too many pills just before bedtime, and diuretics cause you to visit the bathroom too many times to count. You have to wear pads or diapers because of accidental leaks. When you go on a road trip, you don't consult a map, you map out where all the bathrooms are along the route. You have to count calories so you don't gain weight. You have impaired vision so you have to turn on too many lights to see. You have ringing in your ears and can't hear as well so you have to turn up the television a little louder. Your hips have spread (along with everything else on your body) so you have to buy larger clothing. You have to stop eating all those things that upset your stomach and give you acid reflux, belching, and flatulence. You have more and more "senior" moments (or brain farts) and can't even remember your husband's/wife's/children's/grandchildren's names, or you start to go somewhere and can't remember where you are going to or why. You go out to lunch and take home half the food to eat at dinner.

The worst, however, is looking as old as you feel. You may think like a young person, but somewhere along the way your body has betrayed you. You know you're getting old when everybody starts looking like babies or you think they are too stupid for words. How many of you watch Jeopardy or Who Wants To Be A Millionaire and you yell at the television (contestants) because you know all the answers and these little smartalecs who got advanced degrees at some fancy university can't even answer the questions?

You know you are getting old when you have Medicare as your primary insurance. You know you are getting old when you actively look for senior discounts. You know you're getting old when you have to go to the early matinee at the movies because if you're out past 6:00 p.m. you're afraid you'll fall asleep at the wheel driving home. You know you're getting old when you want to go to bed when it gets dark outside.

Finally, you know you're getting old when getting cozy with the hubby is too much trouble and you would rather sleep alone because he snores, tosses and turns all night, or hogs the bed.

I figure I'm going to live another 25+ years (all the women in my family are long-lived) so I hope things don't get any worse for me than this. Maybe if I eat right, get plenty of rest, exercise regularly, keep my blood pressure and cholesterol low, laugh a lot, and think positively, I will enjoy the remaining years of my life. Most of all, I would hate to lose my sense of humor because getting old is really for the birds.

You know you're getting old when you stoop to tie your shoelaces and wonder what else you could do while you're down there.
- George Burns

Holy cow, the wheel of life just clicked another notch.

If only it were this simple!

2007-04-05T14:30:00.000-05:00

An al Qaeda guerilla, desperate for water, was plodding through the desert when he saw something far off in the distance. Hoping to find water, he walked toward the object, only to find a little old Jewish man at a small stand selling neckties.

The Arab asked, "Do you have water?"

The Jewish man replied, "I have no water. Would you like to buy a tie? They are only $5."

The Arab shouted, "Idiot Jew! Israel should not exist! I do not need an overpriced tie. I need water! I should kill you, but I must find water first."

"OK," said the old Jew, "it does not matter that you do not want to buy a tie and that you hate me. I will show you that I am bigger than that. If you continue over that hill to the east for about two miles, you will find a lovely restaurant. It has all the water you need. Shalom."

Muttering, the Arab staggered away over the hill. Several hours later he staggered back, near collapse. "Your brother won't let me in without a tie."

The moral of the story is love thy neighbor. If this doesn't work, buy a tie.

Following the dogwood trail

2007-04-02T20:11:00.000-05:00

Husband and I spent a pleasant afternoon doing a little shopping, eating lunch out, and following the dogwood trail in Paducah, Kentucky. The weather has been so funny lately -- actually too warm for the season -- that the dogwoods bloomed too early. The dogwood festival is scheduled for the end of April, but the trees are in full bloom now. So, we decided to take advantage and drive the trail now rather than later.

The driving trail begins at the courthouse in the downtown area. Dogwood trail signs are posted along the route and all you have to do is follow the signs and the arrows. The first part of the trail took us through the Lowertown section of town. This is an artist enclave and all the old Victorians are slowly but surely being reclaimed, renovated, beautified, and loved. The result is awesome.

Baby giraffe, outside artist's studio

Mama giraffe, looking in the window

Driving the dogwood trail was an awesome way to spend an afternoon. There were so many beautiful yards to see and a lot of folks were out getting ready for the festival. Their dogwood trees are lighted so those who drive the trail at dusk or after dark can see them highlighted. They were really beautiful to behold.

Redbud tree in our yard

I hope you enjoyed seeing some of the pictures I took during our drive. It's just too bad that these beautiful trees don't keep their blooms all summer long.

I just love springtime. Now it's time to get our fishing licenses and go catch some nice fish. That's how I really love to spend a day out on the lake.

April First, or All Fool's Day

2007-04-01T07:23:00.000-05:00

Isn't this a cute picture by Norman Rockwell? (Double-click for a better view.) Can you find all the anomalies? I believe old Norman was playing a joke on us, don't you think?

Here's an interesting story I just read.

KFC has been a part of our American traditions for many years. Many people, day in and day out, eat at KFC religiously. Do they really know what they are eating? During a recent study of KFC done at the University of New Hampshire, they found some very upsetting facts.

First of all, has anybody noticed that just recently the company has changed its name? Kentucky Fried Chicken has become KFC. Does anybody know why? We thought the real reason was because of the "FRIED" food issue.

It's not.

The reason why they call it KFC is because they cannot use the word chicken anymore. Why? KFC does not use real chickens. They actually use genetically manipulated organisms. These so-called "chickens" are kept alive by tubes inserted into their bodies to pump blood and nutrients throughout their structure. They have no beaks, no feathers, and no feet. Their bone structure is dramatically shrunk to get more meat out of them.

This is great for KFC because they do not have to pay so much for their production costs. There is no more plucking of the feathers or the removal of the beaks and feet. The government has told them to change all of their menus so they do not say chicken anymore. If you look closely, you will notice this. Listen to their commercials. I guarantee you will not see or hear the word chicken.

I find this matter to be very disturbing. I hope people will start to realize this and let other people know. Please forward this message to as many people as you can. Together we can make KFC start using "real" chicken again.

I had some Kentucky "fried chicken" a few weeks ago and noticed the following, but because we were hungry, we ignored good, common sense.

This is what I discovered:

An unusual amount of "fat under the skin
A high "grease" residue inside the skin that you could drain
The breast meat had a "brown" as opposed to "white" color
A feeling of gastric distress after eating the chicken

NOTE TO READERS: This is just a joke, folks. Hope you all have a happy April Fool's Day.

Oh, mother-in-law, where art thou?

2007-03-28T20:53:00.000-05:00

Rebecca, circa 1940s

This is the only image of an adult Rebecca that we have ever seen. Rebecca is my husband's and my sister-in-law's (Sandy of Abandoned in Pasadena) mother. She mysteriously disappeared in 1945 after dropping her two children off at their grandmother's house. They were only about three years old (husband) and 10 months old (sister-in-law) at the time. The story as we have been told is that she allegedly went to shop for furniture and that's the last anybody saw of her. She never came back. The family never heard from her again. Her father hired private detectives to look for her at the time but no trace was ever found.

We have all been looking for Rebecca for many years. None of her family can provide any answers as to what happened to her. With the advent of the home computer, I have spent more than ten years searching online resources hoping against hope for some trace of her or a hint of where to look. Other family members have also looked and searched, but they also have had no luck.

About ten years ago I contacted the Social Security Administration seeking information about Rebecca. After a series of correspondence, I was told that they had no evidence that she was deceased. I took that to mean that she was still alive. I even wrote a letter for them to forward to her if they found a home address. My first mistake was assumption -- the assumption that she was really still alive and the assumption that she would receive my "poignant" letter and feel compelled to contact us immediately. (She never did.) My second mistake was to beg the bureaucrat at the Social Security Administration to have pity on us and give us the information we wanted to know. But, this was not to be. We never did find out if she really was still alive and we never did find out if they delivered my letter. They told me not to write to them anymore and they said they would not deliver a second letter. They said that all information was protected and confidential (because she was not listed as deceased).

There is a painful ache in our hearts because we feel we will never know the answer to the question.

There will never be closure because most everybody who would and should know is dead.

There will never be a final resting place.

Our children will never know her. I wish she could know all the wonderful people who are members of her family.

The worst part is my husband and sister-in-law feeling abandoned and lost all these years. They do not know what their mother was like and they do not know what she looked like. Others may or may not have pictures of her, but they are reluctant to make copies of these pictures. My husband and sister-in-law do not know why their mother really left or if she went on to another life. They do not know if she's planted under a tree in some garden.

Her disappearance is the most profound and painful mystery of our lives.

I wish I could fix this. I wish I could make it all better by finding the answer. I wish I could put my arms around my mother-in-law and say we've missed you terribly.

Rebecca was born on March 31, 1922. If she is still alive, she would now be 85 years old. Rebecca, we wish you a happy birthday. If she was here, we would have a big party for her. We wish we knew where to send the invitation for her to attend her party. I wish I could tell her happy birthday. If she's not alive, maybe she can hear me up in heaven.

Sunday drivers

2007-03-25T16:23:00.000-05:00

Husband and I had itchy feet today so we decided to go out for a Sunday drive down by the lake. The first thing we noticed when we stopped at our local convenience store to get something to drink was the temperature. It was about 84 degrees F. and you can't get any better than that. The next thing we noticed was the abundance of others out for a great day in the sun, especially the number of bikers. We followed three all the way to the lake and must have passed about 50-75 on the road.

Seeing all those bikers made me think of the Steppenwolf song, Born to be Wild, which was popular in the 1960s.

Get your motor runnin'
Head out on the highway
Lookin' for adventure
And whatever comes our way
Yeah Darlin' go make it happen
Take the world in a love embrace
Fire all of your guns at once
And explode into space

I like smoke and lightning
Heavy metal thunder
Racin' with the wind
And the feelin' that I'm under
Yeah Darlin' go make it happen
Take the world in a love embrace
Fire all of your guns at once
And explode into space

Like a true nature's child
We were born, born to be wild
We can climb so high
I never wanna die

Born to be wild
Born to be wild

© MCA Music (BMI)

The day was glorious and our first stop was our favorite lake access and we decided to take the walking trail. This is what we saw.

Folks fishing from the banks

Boaters racing to the next good fishing hole

Looking down at the lake's edge from the walking path

I wonder if anyone heard this tree fall

While walking the trail, we came upon some people we know. I used to work at the hospital with the wife and the husband works here (see below):

This is the Kentucky State Penitentiary, also known as
The Castle on the Lake (double-click for a better view),
which houses some pretty nasty characters

After driving for several hours, we took a long, circuitous route home. Along the way, we checked out some pretty nifty houses on or near the lake that we dream about maybe living in if we ever win the lottery. Finally, we came upon some more bikers who looked like they were maybe born to be wild. What do you think?

All in all we had a very pleasant day. We just finished supper and husband is watching NASCAR. He says, "You can't get any better than this. Thanks, dear."

Spring has sprung!

2007-03-23T14:18:00.000-05:00

Unwritten rules of gardening ... by David Hobson, www.gardenhumour.com

The best way to garden is to put on a wide brimmed straw hat and some old clothes. And with a hoe in one hand and a cold drink in the other, tell somebody else where to dig.

Compost is best aged a little like a fine wine. I mean, would you prefer to drink a nice 97, or something that was made last Thursday.

When weeding, the best way to make sure you are removing a weed and not a valuable plant is to pull on it. If it comes out of the ground easily, it is a valuable plant.

A weed is a plant that has mastered every survival skill except for learning how to grow in rows.

Spring does not arrive until the ice is out of the compost heap.

Winter does not arrive until the ice is IN the compost. Until then, all bets are off.

Any self respecting rock will break at least one shovel before accepting its new home.

A good compost pile should get hot enough to poach an egg, but not so hot it would cook a lobster.

Gardening requires a lot of water most of it in the form of perspiration.

Every garden is unique with a multitude of choices of soils, plants and themes. Finding your garden theme is as easy as seeing what brings a smile to your face.

Submitted by Master Gardener Andy, Gettysburg, Pa.

Well, Spring has finally arrived in my yard. After "encouraging" husband to get the John Deere ready and fired up, I mowed the weeds down. Now the yard doesn't look so wild and wooly and maybe some nice grass can grow in place of some of the weeds.

Here's something I found growing in the lawn. These cute, tiny flowers were white with yellow centers. I don't know what they are but I imagine if our yard was a field, the ground would be blanketed with these beauties. (Double-click on images for better view.)

After I finished mowing, I found some things actually growing and getting ready to bloom.

Red Bud Tree (our two trees are turning pink overnight)

Purple and White Irises

Paperwhites

White Dogwood (with French Lilac bush in background)

Lillies

Live Forevers

Little Robin Redbreast sat upon a tree;
Up went Pussycat, and down went he.
Down came Pussycat, and away Robin ran;
Said little Robin Redbreast, "Catch me if you can."

Little Robin Redbreast jumped upon a wall;
Pussycat jumped after him, and almost got a fall.
Little Robin chirped and sang, and what did Pussy say?
Pussycat said naught but "Mew," and Robin flew away.

And finally, for my friend Sue, this might be a solution to your squirrel problem.

So, now you know. My yard and flowerbeds are filled with weeds, but it's organic and full of useful earthworms. I may not have the most picture-perfect landscape but it continues to be a work in progress. I always say, maybe this year . . . When that happens, I will take a picture of it. I guess I forgot the basics of perfect gardening (as listed above). Maybe my sister, mrsgreenthumb, will come and help me one of these years.

In the meantime, I will continue to mow down the weeds and compost the grass clippings and chipped up branches.

Pardon me while I go blow my nose. Spring has sprung and the pollen is flying!

So this is where babies come from!

2007-03-14T11:55:00.000-05:00

My husband's Aunt Virginia sent this little gem. So, I'm sending it along to you all in the hope that it will bring a smile to your lovely faces (unlike the little girl on the right below).

A six-year-old boy told his father he wanted to marry the little girl across the street. The father, being modern and well-schooled in handling children, hid his smile behind his hand.

"That's a serious step," he said. "Have you thought it out completely?"

"Yes," his young son answered. "We can spend one week in my room and the next in her's. It's right across the street, so I can run home if I get scared of the dark.

"How about transportation?" the father asked.

"I have my wagon and we both have our tricycles," the little boy answered.

The boy had an answer to every question the father raised. Finally, in exasperation, his dad asked, "What about babies? When you're married you're liable to have babies you know."

"We've thought about that, too," the little boy replied. "We're not going to have babies. Every time she lays an egg, I'm going to step on it!"

A thought for Sunday

2007-03-11T16:49:00.000-05:00

Man's Best Friend

This fundamentalist Christian couple felt it important to own an equally fundamentally Christian pet. So, they went shopping.

At a kennel specializing in this particular breed, they found a dog they liked quite a lot. When they asked the dog to fetch the Bible, he did it in a flash. When they instructed him to look up Psalm 23, he complied equally fast, using his paws with dexterity. They were impressed, purchased the animal, and went home (piously, of course).

That night they had friends over. They were so proud of their new fundamentalist dog and his major skills, they called the dog and showed off a little.

The friends were impressed and asked whether the dog was able to do any of the usual dog tricks as well. This stopped the couple cold as they hadn't thought about "normal" tricks.

Well, they said, "Let's try this out."

Once more they called the dog and they clearly pronounced the command, "Heel!"

Quick as a wink, the dog jumped up, put his paw on the man's forehead, closed his eyes in concentration, and bowed his head.

We're all mutts!

2007-02-27T09:03:00.000-06:00

I was doing some genealogy work on ancestry.com yesterday and came to a startling realization. We're all mutts! No, I didn't say nuts. I said we are all a conglomerate of nationalities because of our families trying to assimilate here in the good old U.S. of A. Let me explain.

I have been involved in genealogy since my kids were in high school. (My son and daughter haven't been in high school in almost 20 years. Oh my goodness.) Anyway, as a junior year project, the kids were supposed to document their family trees going back at least three or four generations. This class project for both kids has turned into an obsession for me. I have documented at least eight generations going back to my great-grandparents and going down to a lot of grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren in our family. In fact, I have documented more than four sides of the family -- my mother's, my father's, my husband's mother's and my husband's father's sides of the family. It all gets very complicated and wouldn't be possible to keep it all straight if not for computer programs and sites like ancestry.com. (For more on my genealogy pursuits and family history, go here.)

When we ask what nationality others are, most people would say, I'm Irish, I'm German, I'm French, I'm Canadian, or something like that. In reality, all our families are becoming more diluted and complex with each generation.

In the old days, like married like, otherwise, it was taboo. Today, anything goes. Just yesterday I watched two movies where the beautiful tawny-skinned upper-class girls were engaged to, falling in love with, or marrying white guys. This made for some funny movies but, in fact, it's indicative of real life. Last month my cousin's daughter married into a family whose father is Jewish and mother is Indian. In my family, every one of the aunts and uncles married nice Jewish boys and girls. Their children, however, are a different story. Each of my cousins "did their own thing" as far as choosing their mates and their children are going a step beyond assimilation. I'm Jewish of Russian, Polish, and English descent married to a Mexican-American. My son is married to a Philippine-American and my daughter is married to an American of Scotch-Irish descent. And my grandchildren are a conglomeration of all this mix. We are your typical American family.

If you are fan of the Harry Potter books and movies, you will be familiar with the phrase "mud bloods." This derogatory term means someone of mixed heritage (i.e., wizard and non-wizard). And yesterday, on CNN, there was a story about the Rev. Al Sharpton and his probable ancestry to the southern segregationist Strom Thurmond. I think Mr. Sharpton was pretty upset and is going to demand DNA testing to prove or disprove this connection.

Speaking of DNA testing, what about that Anna Nicole Smith's paternity issue? The only loser in that deal is going to be the baby who is being played like a ping pong ball all over money.

As far as the rest of the world is concerned, I say get over your differences and get on with life. Stop fighting and killing and start living. Who cares if you're a different religion, ethnicity, or race. Life is short and in the long run, we're all still mutts.

Finding a Chinese Jew

Sid and Al were sitting in a Chinese restaurant. "Sid," asked Al, "are there any Jews in China?"

"I don't know," Sid replied. "Why don't we ask the waiter?"

When the waiter came by, Al asked him, "Are there any Chinese Jews?"

"I don't know sir, let me ask," the waiter replied, and he went into the kitchen. He returned in a few minutes and said, "No, sir. No, Chinese Jews."

"Are you sure?" Al asked.

"I will check again, sir," the waiter replied and went back to the kitchen. While he was still gone, Sid said, "I cannot believe there are no Jews in China. Our people are scattered everywhere."

When the waiter returned he said, "Sir, no Chinese Jews."

"Are you really sure?" Al asked again.

"I cannot believe there are no Chinese Jews."

"Sir, I ask everyone," the waiter replied exasperated. "We have Orange Jews, Prune Jews, Tomato Jews and Grape Jews, but we have no Chinese Jews."

Blessed grandparents' day

2007-02-24T07:41:00.000-06:00

Husband and I were invited to spend the day with our daughter and granddaughters, so off we went early yesterday morning. We had not seen the girls for about a month because of bad weather and illness. So, it was great being able to hug and kiss everybody again (without fear of getting sick).

We were all very glad to see each other. Our grandson-to-be is now at 26 weeks 1 day gestation (only 97 days until his debut into this world). Daughter continues to feel well for which we are all so very thankful.

Early signs of Spring were everywhere. Daffodils were popping up all over daughter's yard and the trees looked as if they were ready to bud out. I hope we don't get any more icy, snowy, cold weather, but in our neck of the woods, unpredictable weather is the norm rather than the occasional occurrence. All in all, we spent a very pleasant day together. We talked, laughed, looked at bunk beds and mattresses for Little Sister's upcoming 3rd birthday (March 14), had a light lunch, ate doughnuts fresh from the bakery, played games, and enjoyed each others' company. Just before 3:00 p.m., Little Sister climbed into my lap, proclaimed that I was her "favorite" grandma and promptly fell asleep in my arms. Oh my goodness, it almost brought tears to my eyes.

Little Sister, just waking up from her nap, with a smile on her beautiful face

We went home a while later and arrived home pleasantly tired. We enjoyed the day very much and thank daughter for inviting us to spend the day with them.

This morning we received an invitation to attend Dancer Girl's gymnastics competition next Saturday. She will be performing her first floor routine and maybe on the uneven parallel bars. How exciting for her.

We were also invited to Little Sister's birthday party on March 17th. My, she is growing up so fast and no longer seems such a little baby. Both girls are pleasant, articulate, and entertaining. As grandparents, we feel blessed being able to share their lives.

I have almost finished the baby afghan I am crocheting for our newest grandchild. While the girls were showing us how neat their room was, I photographed the afghans I had made the girls when they were babies. I thought I would share these photos with you.

Dancer Girl's afghan

Little Sister's afghan

Daughter has stored these afghans away as keepsakes for the girls. When they were babies, they loved to snuggle down with these soft afghans which in turn made me very happy. I will publish a picture of baby boy's afghan when it is completed.

We can't wait to see the girls again next Saturday so we can feel blessed again!

You know you're a homeschooler's grandparent when . . .

You're the life of the party, even when it lasts until 8 p.m.

You're very good at opening child proof caps with a hammer.

You're usually interested in going home before you get to where you're going.

You're good on a trip for at least an hour without aspirin.

You're the first one to find the bathroom wherever you go.

You're awake many hours before your body allows you to get up.

You're smiling all the time because you can't hear a word they're saying.

You're very good at telling stories, over and over and over and over again.

You're aware that other people's grandchildren are not as bright as yours.

You're so cared for - long term care, eye care, private care, dental care.

You're not grouchy. You just don't like traffic, waiting, crowds, children ...

You're positive you did housework correctly before your mate retired.

You're sure everything you can't find is in a secure place.

You're wrinkled, saggy and lumpy - and that's just your left leg.

You're having trouble remembering simple words like ... ah.

You're now spending more time with your pillow than with your mate.

You're realizing that aging is not for sissies.

You're anti-everything - anti-fat, anti-smoke, anti-noise, anti-inflammatory.

You're walking more (to the bathroom) and enjoying it less.

You're going to reveal what goes on behind closed doors - absolutely nothing.

You're sure they are making adults much younger these days.

You're in the initial stage of your golden years - SS, CD, IRA, AARP.

You're wondering - if you're only as old as you feel, how could you be alive at 150.

You're supporting all movements - by eating prunes, bran, oats and raisins.

You're a walking storeroom of facts - you've just lost the storeroom.

You're so proud to have found Third Age online.

You're a grandparent and you're having the time of your life!!!

Kitty camouflage

2007-02-17T07:27:00.000-06:00

I awoke early this morning and the first thing I did was check our snow situation outside. The weatherman said we are to expect anywhere from a dusting to up to four inches today. As I peeked out at a very cold landscape, I was surprised to see less than an inch on the ground. While I was taking a few snaps out the kitchen slider, my famous singing duo, Dolly Parton and Loretta Lynn, decided to do a little exploring.

Dolly likes to dance and make kitty footprints in the snow

Can you see me?

Loretta says, let me in, mommy, my feet are cold!

I never tire of watching my cats explore their world. They have birdies to stake out at the feeders, mice, moles, and other varmints to capture and bring into the house, and they have each other to attack and play games with. I think their lives revolve around those activities imprinted upon their DNA, activities that were forged by their feline ancestors who hunted and roamed the jungles, tundras, and wilds of the world long before man came along. We have domesticated and tamed the species but you cannot remove those characteristics that are intrinsic to their nature -- claws, whiskers, pads, nose, eyes, ears, tail, fur, purrs, hairy tongue, and teeth -- all used to prowl, kill their prey, stay alive, procreate, and lie in the sun after a feast.

These characteristics are also what makes these creatures so endearing to us. Some people are dog lovers (okay, if you must) and others are cat lovers. Some are cat haters and don't trust cats because of their natures. One thing all of us must admit, however, is that tame or wild, cats are beautiful and sleek, interesting to watch, and fascinating to interact with. Their intelligence is unique and you can almost believe they understand what we are saying to them. I know mine do.

Some of my kitties' relatives playing in the snow

After a little romp outside in the cold, some nice breakfast, a quick trip to the freshly cleaned out kitty litter pans, my little darlings are camped out in the warm house taking their morning siesta. What a life!

French Kissing

2007-02-14T10:20:00.000-06:00

For all you lovers out there, here is the definitive information you really need on how to French Kiss. (I guess people need instructions on how to do most things in life, so maybe they need a how-to on how to kiss your lover.)

Happy Valentine's Day to all my lovely bloggy friends. Hope you spend the day with someone you love, whether they're real, furry (as in pets), or imagined.

Baby boy

2007-02-13T12:35:00.000-06:00

When I viewed daughter alipurr's blog this morning, I noticed her lilypie.com baby ticker showed that she was now pregnant 24 weeks 4 days. I was a little curious to see how big baby boy would be now so I googled fetal development and saw this.

The normal human gestation period is 40 weeks, and I suddenly realized that daughter was fast approaching her third trimester. Development of her baby will be amazing during the next three months and daughter's body will be changing rapidly to accommodate baby's increased size. I know that there have been babies born at this stage who have survived, but we hope that our newest grandchild remains safe, warm, and protected in mother's belly just where he belongs.

This reminds me: I MUST FINISH baby boy's afghan now because later will be too late.

Happy Valentine's Day to all my favorites on my favorite links list. Hope you receive warm, sloppy kisses from someone you love.

Word cloud

2007-02-13T11:44:00.000-06:00

Daughter alipurr had a word cloud on her blog so I also did one just for fun. What do you think? Does this jumble of words exemplify my way of thinking? I would say that these words are words that I cherish the most and tend to use when I write, such as love, family, husband, daughter, sister, wonderful world, and, of course, happy.

If you would like to make your own word cloud, go here.

When I logged into my blog today, I was forced into converting to the "new" blogger. I was a little nervous because I certainly didn't want to lose my links or my posts. I have read comments from several people who said they lost their blogs when they converted. Happily, husband stood by my side and walked me through it with no problems. Don't be surprised if my blog skin changes some time soon. I feel in an adventurous mood.

Shhhhhh, silence is golden

2007-01-31T20:00:00.000-06:00

Sometimes words become too much and people might say things they regret later on. So, the best policy for now is, shhhhhh, silence.

Birdies at my feeders

2007-01-28T10:24:00.000-06:00

We had about an inch of snow early this morning which was quite a surprise and unexpected. I went about my business, went to the store for food, and filled my bird feeders. My feathered friends squawked mightily when I took the feeders into the house to fill, but were soon back happily feeding after I returned to the house. I then sat at my kitchen table, drinking a cup of tea, and watched my birdie friends eating their breakfast.

Some of my early morning visitors included:

Chickadees

Downy Woodpecker

Mourning Doves

Red Headed Woodpecker

Sparrows

Yellow Finches

Juncos

Robins

While I walked back and forth to the house with the feeders, my favorite kitty, Tiger Lily, watched from the sidelines. As soon as I went back into the house, she jumped onto the top of the covered chipper-shredder under the big Hackberry tree (with the bird feeders hanging from several lower branches) and took a flying leap to the nearest branch with a feeder on it. She thought she would catch a little birdie who might innocently come to the feeder to get a snack. But, she soon realized that this was not going to happen. So, it was jump down and back to the house to watch. Sorry, kitty, no birdie today.

The sun is out now and I fear our beautiful first snow of the season will soon melt. The skies are blue and there is a dusting of puffy white clouds scudding across the sky. As I sat drinking my tea and watching the antics of the outdoor wildlife, What A Wonderful World was playing on XM radio. The beauty of it all almost brought tears to my eyes. My thoughts were, no matter how down and out a person can get, all you have to do is look around you to see the wonderful, beautiful world we live in. Everything else disappears into the background noise and clutter of our lives. We in America are truly blessed. My wish is that others around the world would just stop what they're doing and watch the birdies, kitties, and drink a cup of tea. We would then have peace in our wonderful world.

What a wonderful world

2007-01-28T10:11:00.000-06:00

I see trees of green, red roses too
I watch 'em bloom for me and for you
And I think to myself, what a wonderful world.

I see skies of blue, clouds of white
Bright blessed days, warm sacred nights
And I think to myself, what a wonderful world.

The colors of a rainbow, so pretty, in the sky
Are there on the faces.of people going by
I see friends shaking hands sayin' how do you do
They're really sayin' I love you.

I hear babies cry, I watch them grow
They'll learn much more than I'll never know
And I think to myself, what a wonderful world

The colors of a rainbow, so pretty, in the sky
Are there on the faces of people going by
I see friends shaking hands sayin' how do you do
They're really sayin' I love you.

I hear babies cry, I watch them grow
You know their gonna learn
a whole lot more than I'll never know
And I think to myself, what a wonderful world
Yes I think to myself, what a wonderful world.

Lyrics by Louis Armstrong