IT’S ALMOST OVER

The holidays are all but over. The New Year begins tomorrow, so I’d like to re-examine the last ten days or so. Our joy began with the arrival of Victoria and Kevin. We admire them so much and are in awe of their accomplishments and the special time we spent with them is memorable for PP and I.

When Lynn, Rich and Rob arrived the special times continued. Our conversations were very revealing. Rob has a fulltime job and his second year at Harvard is on hold while he spends time in Africa.

Everyone was here again for Christmas Eve and there was much noise and turmoil. Everyone was boisterous and filled with the thrill of being together. PP and I received many gifts, as always too many but they were appreciated. Also we had an abundance of food with plenty of leftovers which leads me to tell you what has happened.

Because so many of the family brought food in plastic, I now own a vast amount of containers with matching lids. I think that means it’s going to be a great new year according to Chinese proverbs.

As usual we spent Christmas Day at Chris’s with all the traditional food she prepared and the assortment of cheeses provided again by Victoria and Kevin. The following day Jessica, our oldest granddaughter and her family arrived with our first great granddaughter. A curly headed beauty, she was the star of the occasion and for the first time she slept at her grandmothers overnight. Four dogs were also in attendance.

We are blessed to have nine grandchildren, six girls and three boys who enjoy being together.

Today we put away the Christmas decorations and the trees. The house is swept and I finally found the tablecloth I’ve been searching for.  So everything’s right with the world today, except for those damned Republicans.

I MADE A MISTAKE

Yes I’ll admit it. I made a mistake when I called the former Republican candidate for President of the United States, Senator John McCain a “Show Horse”. After his remarks on television today, I revised my feelings about him. He’s no “Show Horse” he really is a “Jack Ass!”

In future blogs, you’ll know of whom I speak when I allude to Senator J.A.

MAKING A DIFFICULT DECISSION

There was an article in today’s paper about a doctor in her fifties not wanting anymore procedures done on her cancer ridden body. She wanted to be alert and able to spend time with her family knowing nothing could save her.

After I read this article, I looked at the large painting above our living room sofa and thought about our very special friend Mary. We are blessed to have this picture because every time we were in Mary’s art studio, I would stand and admire it.

Mary had cancer about ten years before her death and when she was diagnosed again, she told everyone, including her children that she would not go through radiation or chemo again.

When we visited her in the hospital she looked wonderfully healthy as she told us she was refusing anymore treatment and was going into a nursing home until the end. I couldn’t understand this because she seemed to be normal in every way. She had convinced her children that this was what she wanted and they finally agreed not to argue anymore about her decision.

A short time later, we visited her in the nursing home. She was lying in her bed and seemingly asleep. My husband and I stood on either side of her and each took a hand, she opened her eyes and smiled at us and then closed them again. The medicine she was receiving kept her pain free. She knew who we were, but said nothing.

We had planned to visit again several days later, but our daughter called to say she had died. She was 76 years old.

Mary was a professional artist, but also a student of our artist daughter which is how we first met her. She became an important member of our extended family and attended many celebrations in our home and was beloved by us and many others.

She made the right decision for herself. I hope as we all grow older, we’ll be able to make the right decision as to our own care.

DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM?

My brother, who is close to 80 years old, tried to vote in the Ohio elections this week but couldn’t because he no longer had a driver’s license. Although he brought along his valid passport as identification, he was told he needed his birth certificate and verification of his street address like a utilities bill to the home where he has lived for over forty years.

He returned later to the same precinct and brought with him a folder containing his birth certificate, his baptism certificate, his first communion certificate, his marriage certificate and his honorable discharge papers from the United States Marine Corps.

When presenting this to the same poll worker, he said “now, do you know who I am?”

 

MORE OLD AGE STUFF

Yesterday I played bridge again. I arrived early and there was a woman I hadn’t met already there. She was filling in for someone and hadn’t played bridge in quite a while. She needed to know some of our rules and was very worried because she was 90 years old and wasn’t too sure of herself. I told her that quite a few of our players were already 90 and she’d fit right in.

Just then Dottie came into the room and I introduced them saying she was also in her 90’s. Dottie told her she is 99. Another came in and said she was born in 1923. At this the new woman put her face in her hands, laughing and crying at the same time.

I think sometimes people keep to themselves too much only to find there are people just like them everywhere.

 

TROUBLE AGAIN IN THREES

Everybody knows that troubles come in threes

Yesterday for the third time in three weeks, a friend has died. Two of the deaths were unexpected and the third person had been very ill.

Then, we found an infestation of tiny bugs in our pantry. After checking out such things on the computer, we got lots of information. I threw out many things containing wheat and sugar. I had been keeping flour in the refrigerator, but that wasn’t enough. I found a package of angel hair pasta which had bugs all through it. I figured that the easiest way to get rid of them was down the disposal, but the pasta, which I had broken up, caused the disposal to clog up.  Once again I consulted the computer. My husband, after much plunging had to remove the trap to free up the drain and that took up about an hour, (including recriminations)

In the meantime, two men came to fix our sprinkler system and found that the control valve for the whole system was probably the cause of our problem. The valve was buried near the water hose outlet; we had never known where it was. It required a lot of digging before being found and replaced. Cost over $350.00. That was our three in one day.

We had hired a company to fertilize our yard and kill all the weeds which are everywhere. The dead spots we found aren’t from chinch bugs, but because our sprinkling system had failed.

On Monday our yard will be sprayed and a new Heat Pump will be installed because of a leak in our air conditioner/ heating unit.

However, the worst thing happening yesterday was the news that our son’s home had seriously unknown water damage inside the walls of his house. Much work will have to be done there. Is this number two or three of the issues found by the contractor when their new flooring was installed?

MADISON TAKES A MEETING

Our granddaughter Madison at age 15 is tall, slender with long wavy dark hair and beautiful. She’s extremely funny, brilliant and at times acerbic.

Recently at a family gathering she asked me, no, she DEMANDED to know what I had done with her bicycle. I told her I had no idea what she was talking about. And promptly forgot about it.

Last week after getting up in the middle of the night to use the facilities, as is my wont, I couldn’t get back to sleep. I was thinking about some touch-up painting that needed to be done in our bedroom. That led to me remembering the day Madison’s mother helped paint the room. She brought along Madison who was about seven and her sister Samantha about five. Our older daughter also came to help out. So there were four adults and two children here.

As the painters were working, Madison took a survey.

SURVEY: If you were to have a meeting, what time would you like it to be held, one, two or three o’clock? The consensus of the adults was three.

If you were to have a meeting, where would you like it to be held, the living room, family room or screened-in porch? The screened-in porch won.

If you were to have a meeting, what would you like as a beverage? The adults chose beer and the others chose soda.

So a meeting was arranged on our screened-in porch for three o’clock when the painters would be finished. Madison said she would handle the refreshments.

THE MEETING: An agenda was announced as we all sat on our porch chairs at the stated time.

First, we would stand to pledge allegiance to the flag. A short prayer from Pap Pap would follow. Next, someone was to recite a poem from memory and another was to tell a funny story. We each had to participate in some way.

Refreshments would then be served after the BICYCLE race on the outside patio. All five of us were to complete a circle on the bike. That bicycle was actually a TRICYCLE and a wheel was broken, so no one could ride it and it was later donated to Goodwill.

When Madison left the porch to retrieve the refreshments, we all burst out laughing at the wonderfully funny experience.

And the mystery of the missing bike has now been solved.

BIG THINGS

Bad things usually come in threes, things like when a man you hired to paint your house collects money, then disappears which means you have to go to Small Claims Court and pay fees to sue the individual who cheated you to get your money back. You are then given a day and time to appear before the judge. You pay a process server to present papers to the “crook”, dress nicely for the court appearance. What happens?

We followed all the written instructions. We arrived in court at the appointed time and gave our names to the bailiff who tells us we are not on the schedule. We have a copy of our paid receipt, so she sends for our papers from the Clerk of Courts office. The judge receives our file and asks if the defendant, who has not appeared, has been served. We reply that he has, the process server had called us the week before to say she was going to the courthouse that day and would turn the papers into the Clerk’s office. We don’t have a copy with us.

The judge says he cannot proceed until he has a copy from the process server. We go home for our copy, returned to the Clerk of Courts Office for some clarification. No one can find what we actually have receipts for. The office supervisor says it must have been misfiled, so she keeps our copy.

I called the process server who told me she had personally hand delivered the notarized papers to that very same office supervisor!

So what happens when you follow the rules for a court appearance? You are made to look like a fool before the judge. Also, do you think we’ll ever get our money back?

IF PERRY COMO SAYS SO, IT MUST BE TRUE

Many, many years ago our oldest daughter told her two younger sisters that there must be a Santa Claus because she heard Perry Como read the letter “Yes, Virginia there is a Santa Claus” to his audience. She told them “if Perry Como said so it must be true”. At the time she was probably eight years old.

In the year 2013, there are many adults with the mentality of eight-year olds, who believe everything they hear on television and the radio. The ranting and ravings of Rush Limbaugh, Glen Beck, Ted Cruz, Bill O’Reilly, Rand Paul and the rest of their ilk shout out half-truths and innuendos to their clueless listeners who believe that if they say so it must be true.

The sad part of it all is that the people believing them are basically people with low incomes and the ones most harmed by the same ranting and ravings.

WHAT’S IN A NAME?

For a long time I’ve been disturbed about the made-up names given by extremely young Afro-Americans for their children. When you see such a name in print you immediately know it belongs to a black person

My feeling is if you want your child to have the good life, a parent should be concerned that anyone seeing their written application or resume will immediately have a prejudice knowing the applicant is of color.

Why am I writing this? An article in our local newspaper told the story of a 13-year-old boy shooting a 15-year-old boy. The shooter, who in custody is named Le’Genius Wisdom Williams. No picture is really necessary.

Maybe with good parental guidance, he might have lived up to his name and changed it when he became of age.

A RARE COMPLIMENT

Last month when I was playing bridge at our club house, an old friend came into the room to say hello. She hugged me, then looked at me and said “You really look pretty”. I laughed and told her that I had invested in some new make-up, which was the reason I looked good.

I came home elated because I don’t get that many compliments. I later wore my make-up to several family events, but no one said anything.

So, I was really surprised two days ago when a bridge player said that I really looked nice. I laughed and explained to her about my make-up.

I have always worn a small amount of make-up and only used the full amount when acting. I guess I’ll start wearing more, if it means people would really look at me.

 

I’M NOT ON MY KNEES BECAUSE I CAN’T GET UP

Today I polished the furniture and swept the floors getting ready for a visit with a daughter and her family. As I rested in my chair between chores, I remembered doing all those things every week for more than fifty odd years and not getting especially tired. It was my job to clean, cook and take care of the children

I have found in the last five years that I no longer want to do any of those things. I don’t cook as much, clean as much, scrub floors but I still have a lot of laundry to do. Ironing is an intermittent thing

While sitting in my chair, I remembered my grandmother who was always scrubbing floors on her knees and then thought of my great-grandmother. Grandma and Grandpa Short had fourteen children and lived on their farm until they were probably in their 80’s. The farm was sold and they bought a two-story home in town.

My brothers and I hated to go there. We always seemed to visit around seven in the evening, just in time for their daily rosary. It was necessary to kneel on the living room floor which was covered with linoleum and the rosary was very long. It’s possible that they never had carpeting anywhere, but I don’t remember any other part of that two-story house. Years after the great-grandparents were gone, we’d drive down the street and I’d point out the house which was near the Russian Orthodox Catholic Church.  I’m really glad I remember my great-grandparents and even how religious they were. My great-grandfather died shortly after they bought the house, I honestly can’t picture him too well, probably because he didn’t have much to say. I remember he stood very erect and she was very stern. We kids didn’t really like her.

Now we have a great-granddaughter who probably won’t have any memories of us, but we do have nine grand’s that can fill her in on the good things. Nothing bad please.

WHERE’S GEORGE?

On last night's news I heard George Zimmerman was stopped for speeding in Texas and in his car’s glove compartment was a gun. Some people were surprised that he had one, not realizing the gun was probably returned to him after he was found not guilty of killing Trayvon Martin.

The policeman didn’t give him a ticket.  

THE SCENIC ROUTE

Our home is in a community designated as a bird sanctuary. We also have a beautiful golf course which had been private but is now open to the public. With large trees and slightly hilly roads, our area definitely does not look like a typical Florida community with palm trees. We are fortunate to have a large library and many churches. Shopping is available in any given direction. We can drive to our local beach in less than ten minutes

I will admit the beach is very small and mostly unsanitary, so I won’t recommend it for swimming although you usually see people in the water who don’t know any better. It has well maintained picnic areas and restaurants on the water and there is a nice ice cream store nearby. That’s what old Florida looked like many years ago.

Now for the downside, there are about four main roads leading into or out of our community. One such road feeds onto a major highway. As we leave one of our main entrances, there is a red light. On the right side is a Wal-Mart on the left a K-Mart, directly across the street are some small establishments. A strip club, a barbershop and a pawn shop. In front of the pawn shop are several enormous signs saying they have guns and ammo for sale. Right next to them is a dilapidated building filled with donated clothing and things which are free to the poor.

On the Wal-Mart side is an area where the homeless congregate, men and women usually holding signs asking for money as you wait for the light to change. As you turn south on the highway, there is a small mall which has some nice stores, but slowly businesses are leaving.

Driving further south you see many strip malls which are half empty, so it’s really surprising that in our large mall many new business have opened up and we have three or four new hotels, too. I don’t understand why we have so many hotels.

That’s the scenic route and it will probably look that way for the time being unless someone comes up with a big plan to change it.  After attending a meeting of our county commissioners, I don’t have much hope that a good plan is in the offing.

THE MORAL PULPIT

According to national television news channels, President Obama used the Moral Pulpit not the Bully Pulpit to address the country after the death of unarmed Trayvon Martin by gun toting George Zimmerman who claimed his life was in danger.

Although we have a few close black friends, we’ve never had a discussion regarding how they’ve been a victimized by discrimination. After hearing the President’s own words, I feel guilty about some of my own actions, although I’ve never considered myself a racist, I also don’t believe any of my children or grandchildren are racists.

I do believe that Zimmerman purposely caused an altercation with Trayvon so that he could use his gun knowing he could get away with it in Florida and become a hero to his community after getting rid of a bad black guy. The message he asked be sent to his wife was “I killed him” and showed no remorse. It was probably to satisfy her because she had been frightened by something which had happened before in their neighborhood. He must have called her earlier and told her he would take care of the punk he was following. 

The prosecution in the case told the jury in its closing statement to use their common sense in finding a verdict. To a jury of piers who supposedly don’t watch television or read the news that must have been pretty difficult for a group of people who are used to walking around in a fog. Now they as well as George Zimmerman are in hiding.

Do you suppose the gun used in the killing was returned to George? It’s entirely possible he could make a lot of money by selling it on e-bay.

 

IT WAS A VIRUS

Last week a friend told us she was doing much better after being ill for quite a while. We asked what her problem had been. Turned out she had a virus which had been going around and her symptoms were continuous coughing and having no energy to do the slightest chores. Her doctor confirmed the virus.

For weeks I felt guilty because I spent so much time in my chair only getting up to do laundry or cooking, then feeling exhausted after doing them. I had gone to the doctor’s for my cough a week or so before and received an anti-biotic which didn’t help. I don’t think he had heard of this particular virus at that time. Our next door neighbor told me he had the very same problem.

I think I’ve been affected by my illness more than I realized. At my age it’s harder to get back in gear and although I have many things I want to write about, I don’t seem to have the energy to do much of anything.

Now I wish I complained more and felt less guilty.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                                     

 

 

I’M SHOCKED!

The Republican Party received only an $140,000 campaign donation for allowing a startup company with a track record of fines and violations from insurance regulators to take over nearly 60,000 policies from Citizens Insurance.

Surely Governor Scott could have held out for a lot more. After all an agent usually gets at least ten per cent of a deal, which in this case would be about $5.2 million.

DOING THE RIGHT THING

There were two letters to the editor of the Sunday Pasco Times, one from a Republican ecstatic about the non-vote on gun control and another Republican, both of whom attended the dinner honoring Marco Rubio. Rubio signed the stock of a rifle as he got a standing ovation from most of the Pasco County Commissioners.

It’s nice to know there’s someone attending a Republican Dinner who realizes the damage done by Politician’s beholden to the NRA. Are there any others of the Republican Party who feel that “It’s the Right Thing to Do” to vote for gun control, health insurance for all, raising taxes on the rich? That’s just on the national level. On the state level, do any of them feel “It’s the Right Thing to Do” to give raises to teachers, to stop lobbyists from controlling our state government, to stop trying to reform education by adding more charter schools (owned or partially owned by the same elected officials)? There are so many more issues both nationally, statewide and local that can be added to that long list

So far there are two people on the state level who come to mind, Mike Faisano and Jack Latvala. In reading about them and hearing them speak, I feel confident they’re trying to do the right thing.  But I’m not confident in ethical reform where the ethically challenged are the one’s put in charge of the hen house.

(this letter was edited before being printed in our newspaper. References to Rubio , the rifle, charter schools and our Commissioners were left out)

ONE WAY TO HANDLE A FRUSTRATING PROBLEM WITH AN UNRELIABLE COMPANY

This is the copy of the e-mail I sent to the Sod Farms President:

On March 21th, 2013 Sod Farms installed Bahia Grass in our back yard as well as installing Floratam St. Augustine grass on the side and partially in our front yard, our cost $1175.00

After watering those grasses daily for four weeks and 16 days every other day according to Pasco County rules and costing us over $300 for a month with another bill due soon, we discovered that the Bahia grass only sprouted weeds. The Floratam, however, flourished with the same schedule

My husband, Mister Nice Guy, called Frank and asked him to check it out, he replied he would when he was in the vicinity, after ten days or more he hadn’t come. We drove to your business with another request and Marie said she would come by on Tuesday which never happened. It was our impression she was told not to come.

On Wednesday, we again went to your business on Ridge Road and left pictures of the weeds and dead grass. Frank was not in, but the receptionist said she would have him call which he did that evening. After seeing our pictures, Frank called to inform us our grass was indeed dead and from what he could see that we had sprayed it with something which had caused it to die. We had done no spraying of any sort and I beseeched him to come to see it in person, he said he would not. I asked him to do the right thing and hung up in frustration as my husband continued with the conversation where Frank told him to call our pest control company which we had postponed before the grass was installed, saying we would for request service after everything was in order, so he hadn’t been here in all that time.

Frank requested that our pest control service call him. After coming and inspecting the grass, it was that person’s conclusion that the grass was indeed dead and most of what is green is basically weeds which was the result of bad grass. He said he could put some granules down which may help but agreed that what we have is a disaster. His boss told him they could not get involved in a dispute, so he couldn’t call. My husband called Frank, after talking with three people at the pest-control company and asked him to call us back.

In regaling this story to our son, he told of his own dead yard which after being re-sodded needed to be redone by him and his son, but he didn’t remember which company had done the work, but that it had refused any compensation for their loss.

 Yesterday, our daughter-in-law stopped to deliver something to us. We showed her “The Disaster” and she asked the name of the company which installed it. She then told us yours was the company which installed their bad lawn and was sorry she hadn’t known we were re-doing our lawn because she would have told us not to use you.

Today, I’ve come to the conclusion that we will never hear from you again.

Tomorrow morning, Tuesday, we are attending the usual monthly breakfast of our Beacon Woods Social Club which has about 200 members. Maybe 30 or more members will be in attendance, it varies every month. After eating, people with announcements are allowed to speak. On Wednesday of this week, we will also attend the monthly board meeting, where we can bring issues to the community. We also have a deed restriction office which deals basically with bad yards. I will also speak to that employee of our experience.

(True to my word I spoke to about 55 residents at the breakfast, the next evening I spoke to the nine members of our Board of Directors after which there was a discussion on dealing with such problems and how to spread the word. I also gave a copy to the employee who handles lawn problems which she had already heard about. The Communications Director in charge of our monthly news magazine sent to all residents which is also sent to out of state owners, asked me to contribute a letter-to-the editor bout our experience.)

FIRST RESPONDERS

After the capture of the younger Boston Marathon Bomber last evening, the first responders to the situation today were Senators John McCain and Lindsey Graham.  Surprise! Surprise!

Young Marco Rubio is still on the tight rope wire, bobbling this way and that way on everything, hoping not to upset any of the moneyed people he owes allegiance to. But don’t be distressed, they will be telling him what his position is any minute now.

In the meantime, the city of Boston and the rest of the United States have breathed a sigh of relief and the survivor will probably contribute lots of valuable information to the authorities. We’ll wait to hear from them, not the “Show Horses”!

WHAT THAT WAS ALL ABOUT

Some of my readers may not know why I posted the “romantic” story of my train ride which happened some 62 years ago.

I had put together a group which I called “Five Women in Black” and we performed excerpts from “Love, Loss and What I Wore” a play reading written by Nora and Delia Ephron. True tales written by women telling of their loves, losses and memories of the clothing they wore.

At the end of the performance, we five introduced ourselves by reading a memory of our own. Each personal story was unique and all our performances received raves from the audience of about eighty women.

 

A ROMANTIC  INTERLUDE 

 When I was nineteen I took a fast train from Pittsburgh to Baltimore to visit my father.  This fast train made very few stops and included a diner car where I planned to eat lunch.

Wearing my favorite outfit, a grey wool flannel suit, with a Chanel type jacket in gray and gold, over it I wore a long gold corduroy rain coat with a tie belt. My high heels were gray flannel with black leather trim. My purse matched and I wore a matching gold cap. I was carrying my square green Samsonite cosmetic case. You know, the one with a mirror glued on the inside of the lid.

I boarded the train and passed through the reserved car to the second car where I would sit. On my way through there were seated four or five Army Officers so I averted my eyes as I passed through like a nice girl would.

I had packed a book to read, but really wanted to see the scenery as we passed through places I had never been and eat in the dining car like in the movies.

I had no sooner settled when a Lieutenant came into the car and asked to sit with me. So I said OK. He questioned me, did I have a boyfriend? Yes, I said and was probably getting engaged at Christmas. He said he had a girlfriend in Pittsburgh, where he was from.

He told me he was a pilot and that I had probably noticed that he wasn’t wearing his wings. I hadn’t noticed. He then said that he and his friends were on the train because they were given special leave to attend the funeral of another pilot who had died in a plane crash and he had thrown his wings into his buddy’s grave. What a sad story.

He talked to me on and on, I really hoped he’d go away. The train trip was to be six hours or more long. The conductor announced the dining car was open. I said I wasn’t hungry hoping he would leave to eat, so I could go later. He stayed.

There went my opportunity to eat in a dining car. I didn’t get to look out the window or read my book. I really needed to go to the bathroom but was too shy to say so, so I sat there in misery.

He asked for my phone number, in case his romance or mine floundered, which I gave him.

When I got off the train in Baltimore, my Father was waiting on the platform. The officer got off to say goodbye.  I introduced him to my Father, they shook hands, I shook his hand and said goodbye. His friends were all watching out the window.

I told my Dad I didn’t know what that was all about and that I really needed to go to the bathroom. My Dad said I’ll tell you what that was about. He had made a bet with his friends that he would get to kiss you. He lost the bet.

The next day I woke up with a severe case of the hives. The only time I ever had them.

He also never called.

IT REALLY WASN’T THAT IMPORTANT!

For three days we couldn’t receive our e-mails. The problem was with Verizon according to all the messages we received from H-P. Knowing that important messages were not being responded to, we contacted our provider.

I now know which piece of equipment is the “router” and it has buttons, but not where the technician said they were. We have the “old” router.

After much coughing, (I have a cold which includes much coughing) the problem was fixed. The technician also gave me a Mexican recipe for the cough. (Honey, cinnamon and hot tea) I was delighted to have a technician who is also a “Doctor”.

At last I was able to access our e-mail account. I deleted about fifteen messages, none of which was personal and found out that after three days there were nothing we had missed out on.

SAD TO SAY I TOLD YOU SO

“Sad to say I told you so” would probably be the same words I could say to my brother in-law today. We were driving in his car in upstate New York and there were people lining each side of the road with signs saying “Honk, if you don’t want war”. I said “Aren’t you going to honk?” He said “no, because Sodom Hussein has weapons of mass destruction and we need to keep America safe.” I told him that Iraq had no WMD’s and they are not the ones responsible for what happened on September 11^th and I wanted him to remember that I told him this.  I had seen on television the grainy films that Colin Powell had shown to the United Nations Assembly as supposed proof that we should go into Iraq and get rid of the danger to the United States.

Our grandson in his senior year in high school removed his jacket at dinner where all our children and grand-children were celebrating Christmas Eve. He showed us the Marine T-shirt he was wearing, telling about twenty of us that he had signed-up and would attend boot camp at Parris Island after graduation. He was so happy to tell us and we all cheered for him, but also cried. He told us he would probably be sent to Japan after basic training.

The family also cried when we attended his graduation ceremony on Parris Island.  It was a very moving experience.  There were signs everywhere which said “support our troops”. I told our grandson that although we were against the war, it didn’t mean we did not support our troops. He said he knew that.

War came and he was sent to Iraq. He was stationed in Fallujah where in this different kind of war, he held his cell-phone in the air, so his mother could hear the flak going over his head and listen to the sound of war all around him

Every day, we saw pictures on the front page of our newspapers of Marines in their dress uniforms that were reported killed in action. The majority of them were 18 years of age and they all looked like our grandson and we cried at their loss.

Jeff spent a full year in the combat zone and now would be coming home. We were attending the Florida State Fair with his mother, when she got a call from Jeff saying he was back in the USA. We all hugged and cried.

To date, the estimates of persons killed in the war in Iraq go from 150,000 to over 1.2 million as a result of direct and indirect warfare.

MY VISIT TO THE EYE DOCTOR

 I had my Field Vision Test for Glaucoma. It’s a very intensive examination of my left eye which shows I might have a slight problem. I do take one drop every night at bedtime in just the one eye as well as another drop ten minutes later for an extremely dry eye. I’ve been doing this every night without fail for the past three years. In the morning I use the dry eye drop again, it’s in a bigger bottle.

Here’s how my day went. I got up put a drop in my eye before leaving with my husband for the appointment. Unfortunately, I used the wrong bottle, so I tried to wash it out with water. This was the only time I’d ever done that.

I explained to the technician what I had done, we both laughed but she said it was probably no problem. After the long ten minute tests on both eyes, I then sat in another dark room with about a dozen other people until being called to the room for vision testing and having drops put in my eyes. The technician left me because something wasn’t right on the computer and she had to check it out. She came back and said everything was OK. I was put again in the dark room with other patients until I was called in to see the doctor.

The doctor came in, I thought there was something the matter with him ‘cause he had changed in the six months since I had last seen him. He started looking at all the computer results then mentions his name (Dr. S.) and said he had done my cataract surgery. This was really weird because the person placing me in the room said my regular doctor (Dr. B.) would be in soon. So that’s who I expected.

Dr. S. looks at the computer for a few minutes then says he’ll be right back and left. Another employee came in a few minutes later and asked if I had seen the Doctor, I said yes but he left, she asked where he went. I told her he said something about seeing the computer person. She then asked if it was still cold outside, I told her it was when I arrived, but it may have warmed up in the two hours since I entered the building.

After a long time, the Dr. returned, said “Hello and how was I”, as though he hadn’t seen me five or more minutes before. He started to check me using “the bright light machine” before stopping and deciding the light bulb needed to be changed. He left again to hunt for a new bulb, replaced it and finished my examination. Told me I had a slight problem, but nothing to worry about and come back in six months.

 

 

 

HOW DOES HE DO IT?

I often wonder how George Bush can sleep at night. I read recently that he spends his time painting. Does he ever regret what he has been responsible for?

So many people are dead, so many men and women soldiers as well as civilians tragically wounded as a result of all the lies and half-truths perpetrated by him and Cheney and the rest of their crew. Cheney doesn’t regret any of it and said this week he would do it all over again. That’s rich, don’t you think or maybe I should I say that doing it over again would allow more money to flow into their own pockets.

Now we have another Bush wanting to be president. Bush’s’ one and two had each started two wars.  Jeb wants to be president in the worst way, which says it all. He’s already put his stamp on education in Florida with starting the FCAT and then there’s that policy in Florida to allow more Charter Schools to be opened. The state pays for them, but the owners get the money. Do you know how many of the members of the state legislature own these schools or have a partnership in them?

But to get back to George, you know the guy you’d like to have a beer with? Do you think he sleeps well at night? If he were an honorable man he’d never be able to sleep again.

 

ACADAMY AWARDS

This year we saw at least four of the movies nominated for the Oscars. The leading actors in “Silver Linings Playbook” were our favorites, so we were happy when Jennifer Lawrence won.

In the food section of our newspaper immediately after we had seen the movie, there were two recipes for food that the featured actor/mother was serving at a party. We had no idea what “Crabbies” or “Homemades” were.

We were going out to dinner with another couple this week, so we invited them for drinks before going on to the restaurant. Knowing they were movie buffs, I made and served Crabbies.

Crabbies are really good but very rich with a lot of butter and cheese. When you include the crab meat, it becomes expensive. I do have a great many of them left in the freezer, so I’m all set for a family get-to-gather.

Believe it or not, Homemades are actually homemade noodles that really don’t go with Crabbies which was remarked upon in the newspaper article. Served together it really doesn’t make sense.

WHEN WILL IT END?

Yesterday, I read a very small article in our newspaper.  Jeb Bush along with about five wealthy Cubans in South Florida held a fund raiser for South Carolina’s Senator Lindsay Graham. Can you imagine a fund raiser in southern Florida for Graham?

Then today again, LG showed up spouting his venom against Obama and Bengasi echoed by John (the loser) McCain.  Good Lord! Will they never shut up?

On a sad note, one of the lesser “Show Horses” Marco Rubio, the savior of his party, proved he is not a contender. I don’t think we’ll hear too much from him anymore. (Do you think his thumbs are abnormally long? They mesmerized me as I watched him)

NEW ORLEANS

The first time we went to New Orleans, we visited the Café Du Monde and I had my first taste of beignets and chicory coffee, I was hooked, couldn’t wait for a return visit to have them again.

Fortunately, we returned for a five day Elderhostel event in 2005 and learned more about New Orleans and their food. We visited a cooking school and ate a lunch cooked and served by its students. Heard lectures by and about local authors, listened to a Jazz expert explain the origins of the music and he even played the piano for us giving examples of various sounds. Every day we ate at various known and unknown places. All this took place in the days before Easter and before Katrina struck in August of that year.

I never think of New Orleans without picturing the French Quarter and if I was ever to return, I already know where everything is. I can visualize Lafayette Square Park, the Cathedral, and the book store owner who came out of his office to talk with us when he heard our conversation with his clerk. His store is on the hill behind the Cathedral and I’d love to visit it again.  Of course, I’ll not forget the Café Du Monde.

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QUOTE OF THE DAY

In a statement yesterday, Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina said President Obama is the person responsible for the deaths of Americans in Bengasi.  As one of the top two Republican Show Horses, he should stop making such ludicrous statements because they don’t make him a statesman.  Everyone knows from all his various sound bites that he’ll never be anything but an “old nag”.

Why do citizens waste their votes on politicians who only spend all their time on belittling people in the other party, who oppose other people’s ideas and can’t do anything constructive for their states or for the country?

 

 

 

 

 

ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT

Last night I happened to see the 1930 movie version of “All Quiet on the Western Front” starring Lew Ayers. This was an American movie about a German soldier in the First World War. He could easily have been an American soldier

Before, I had only seen the Silent version which had English subtitles for world release. One scene in particular that stood out for me was when Paul, the main character, leaves the hospital after visiting his dying friend and starts running with joy when he realizes he is still alive. He talks about how guilty he feels because he survived and his friend didn’t.

Lew Ayers became a pacifist as a result of the movie. When drafted, he declared himself a conscientious objector and served only with the Medical Corp and received medals for his efforts.

The original book by Erich Maria Remarque, which I had read, has become a classic which everyone should read, especially politicians.  You can now probably download it for free. Because I felt so strongly about this book, several years ago I bought it, along with other books, for my son and his family to read while on vacation.

If you’re not a reader, rent or buy the movie. You won’t regret it.

OUR LIBRARY

In the bookcase in our entryway there are various sections. One of the four sections has books on medical advice; another section is on the books written by and about members of our family, national magazines with articles about our artist daughter and a catalogue of paintings in an art museum done by a famous brother. I showed these precious items to our grandson, who was overwhelmed by his renowned uncles and aunts. My cookbook plus the printed version of my first year of blogs and my husband’s book “Seeking” are in another bookcase.

However, the most interesting section of the bookcase is what our granddaughter found on Christmas Eve, our collection of very old books some of which had belonged to my Mother and my Mother-in-law.

There are six books in all. Victoria became enamored with my personal favorite “Safe Counsel or Practical Eugenics” from 1928 written by several doctors and with special drawings. Every chapter is advice to the modern woman such as How to be a Good Wife, Childbearing without Pain, Other Sex Disorders and Perversions and detailing what makes a woman a “slut” such as wearing too much makeup. Vickie spent a great deal of time giggling at all the hilarious advice.

In the meantime, Kevin sat on the floor reading to us from the 1923 book “Toasts and Anecdotes for All Occasions”. He also took phone pictures of his favorites, maybe to use at a very elegant event in New York City.

My daughter-in-law was reading   “The Book of Etiquette” by Lillian Eicher dated 1924. Others in the old books section were a novel “Charles O’Malley, The Irish Dragoon” dated 1894 with very fragile pages and “Writing Magazine Fiction” dated 1948 belonged to my husband.

My other personal favorite “800 Proved Pecan Recipes, (their place in the menu)” was published in 1925. This was my mother’s only cookbook compiled by 5,083 housewives for the Keystone Pecan Research Laboratory. It was actually very useful because you could leave out the pecans when using most of the recipes. The cover is worn and the pages discolored but it contains recipes written on some of the pages in my mother’s own handwriting. Born in 1906, she would be 107 years old this July. It’s remarkable to know that all of my children and six of my grandchildren actually knew her. She was 96 when she died.

THE HORSES SHOWED UP

It seemed all the Republican “Show Horses” were in attendance at the hearings or should I say the big assault on Secretary of State Hilary Clinton. They prefaced their questions by first thanking her for her remarkable service to our country then accusing her of various forms of treason.

And guess what! They made it possible for her to give them a taste of what the Democrats have known for quite a while; she would be a great first woman President of the United States.

Some of the asinine statements and questions asked proved the opposition really made a big mistake. Anyone watching Marco Rubio and Rand Paul became well aware that these “Horses” were in no way thoroughbreds and should have been left in the barn.

THE LATEST SHOW HORSES

Two new show horses are now on the scene. Of course, they are now the darlings of the Fox News channels, namely Senator  Rand Paul of Kentucky and Marco Rubio, Senator from Florida.

The new nabobs of negativity are all over the news with their flair for spouting less than truthful views in order to attack the President and show how intelligent they are and what wonderful presidents they themselves could be. The Tea Party favorites will eventually land in the same place as Sarah Palin. You know, in Never Never Land.

AN ALL-AMERICAN BOY

I became obsessed with Lance Armstrong after reading about his overcoming cancer and watching news programs about the Tours De France in which he was the leading cyclist.

I found the sports television channel which was exclusively broadcasting each and every stage of the race. It was difficult, at first, to understand exactly what was going on. Such weird rules as well as weird uniforms. After a week or so of watching every day, I began to understand and could talk with friends I had found that were watching too.

Watching Lance and his teammates made me proud as an American to see the love among them. They all gave such energy to their sport. I learned about their equipment, their food regimen, how they handled a little problem of bladder control. (I didn’t need to know that part.)

I watched daily, enjoying the mountain views, the pastoral scenery, seeing the small towns and then the grand finish in Paris. I was so sorry when it all ended, because I had to wait ‘til next year for more.

I watched in awe as Lance won the race two years in a row. I was sorry it had taken me so long to appreciate his astonishing ability to overcome such odds after fighting cancer and raising millions for his Livestrong Foundation. Lance became my hero.

I tried to watch again the third year, but my passion was gone. The team had broken up and his teammates were scattered to various European teams. I really had none to root for. Lance tried, but it just wasn’t the same.

Now, I don’t want to see him on Oprah (even if I could get her channel, I wouldn’t watch) I don’t want to see or hear from him ever again. He was once my hero, but not anymore.

SHOW HORSE

Show Horse is a term used to describe a politician who always seems readily available to appear on any Sunday political program such as “Meet the Press”. The epitome of a Show Horse is Republican Senator Lindsey Graham or Republican Senator John McCain who seem to be ubiquitous and have formed an alliance where in tandem they attack the President and any other Democratic members of Congress when a television news camera is in their vicinity.  After attacking innocent Susan Rice, they started attacking fellow Republican Chuck Hagel. Next up will be Hillary Clinton.

Do they have aides ready with make-up and a powder puff whenever a camera is anywhere near them. Do they ever vote for anything that would be good for America? So far all I have heard from them is their negativity on anything our President has tried to accomplish since he has been in office after he defeated McCain.

How much longer will we have to put up with a Southern bigot and a cranky old man?

 

 

WHAT DOES A “NO” VOTE MEAN?

 

The US Senate vote for the bill to stop our economy from going off the cliff was passed with only eight of the one hundred Senators voting against it. Florida’s Marco Rubio, was one of those few which isn’t surprising.

Why? He was elected with substantial funds given to him by the Tea Party. He feels he could emulate Barack Obama and become President because of his impressive credentials. What are they? He’s Hispanic.

It’s possible that the Republican candidate for President of the USA in 2016 could be a young Floridian with a great background after he erases all the unethical things he’s done.