Carrot Cakes and Happy New Year Wishes

Our youngest made a carrot cake for dessert on Christmas Day. It was her grandmother's recipe. The grandmother who was so close to her and who died this past February. It was bittersweet for her making the cake. She did it justice for sure. It was a very delicious cake and I can attest to that by showing the extra pounds that have appeared all over me. The rascal left the cake here.

I'd been over to the house the week before Christmas to help my husband clear out drawers from some furniture our oldest was going to take back with her. We found two portrait photos of his father tucked away in drawers. His dad was a very handsome young man and was still pretty good looking at age 93. He passed away, too this past year on March 30th. Our daughter called last night to tell us the furniture fit perfectly in the gate house and even the drapes that had been laying out and were "new" fit perfectly.

It is a new year nearly and decisions must be made regarding their property. My husband was an only child and there were no other family members to inherit. We have talked about selling the houses, but in the economy this year it doesn't seem wise to just dump them to the first rehaber who makes an offer. I think the best thing to do is to get them in shape to lease. Many people can't get a down payment on a home loan, but need a place to live. Getting a deposit for a lease is much more do-able. I have property that is leased and it is nice to have a little extra each month. Wasn't so nice to not have it leased for nearly a year in 2010, though.

All in all 2011 hasn't been a year to remember fondly. It was full of pain, loss, and despair at one time. I'm looking forward to 2012 and pray it will be a much better year than 2011.

Wishing all of you a wonderful new year filled with joy, wonder, and good health.

This is somewhat early, but it is going to be a busy weekend and I might not make it back before 2012. Stay safe and for gosh sake do not drive after drinking. Around here there will be a "No Refusal" policy toward anyone suspected of dui. There will be nurses to draw blood and if you have been drinking you will be arrested, thrown in jail, and your name published. I guess if you are having a diabetic issue they will get you help. No excuses for driving under the influence in Texas.

Siku

This little guy is so cute! 



The video was on the news this morning and it was a nice way to start the day. Today was the day to get the root canal that was started before Christmas finished. All went well and in a few weeks I'll have to get a crown. Always thought I needed one.

Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas or holiday break. We did. All our kids were able to come home for Christmas day and they did all the work. That was a super plus! The food was delicious and there was plenty of it, too. We bought a ham for breakfasts and sandwiches during the holiday and it came in very handy. For our dinner we had a pork roast and an eye of round beef roast with mashed potatoes, broccoli, green beans,and asparagus. There were lots of pickles and olives, too. For dessert we had a homemade carrot cake made by our youngest daughter. She used her grandmother's recipe for the cake. It was sort of like having my mil here...sort of.

Several friends dropped by in the evening to visit and share gifts. It was a very nice day and everything fit and everyone liked what they received. It probably doesn't get better than that.

How did your family celebrate the holidays?

Carlson School of Management Flash Mob, Deck the Halls

Merry  Christmas, everyone.  It has been a busy, busy time here in Texas.  Hoping to get back to blogging soon!  This is so fun and I'll bet you can't watch and not smile.

You might be an engineer or married to one if...

Today is a cool rainy day and we have not been doing much at all.  The TCU football game is on tv and I've been surfing the web.  There was a story on yahoo news or somewhere yesterday that had information about finger length ratios between the index finger and the ring finger (2D:4D) and health issues.  I started telling hubby about this story and knew when he got the millimeter ruler out that there would be measuring going on.  I've been an engineer's wife for so long that it just seems natural to me that if we read about something dealing in frivolous math we must try to replicate it, if possible.  We are a measuring family.  It turns out his index to ring finger ratio is over 1.03.  I don't know what my ratio is, because he left to look in the refrigerator.

ps-TCU just about skunked 'em TCU-56 UNLV-9
Go Frogs!

I have a page in the works about the bird and squirrel feeders and the denizens thereof.  Will get it up maybe tomorrow.  However, it is supposed to be colder and even rainier tomorrow and there MIGHT be some snow or frozen precipitation between Sunday and Tuesday.  What joy!  We don't have cold weather that much and snow even more rarely.  Stay warm.  I'm getting ready to go to the store for milk, bread and some really good cheese for grilled cheese sandwiches.  We already have some fire roasted pepper tomato soup.  There will no doubt be a large crowd at the store.

Found out my stepmother's surgery went well and there were was no spread.  They sent her home the day of the surgery, my things have changed!  Yikes!  She was very sore later, bless her heart.  We were all so blessed and thankful for the good news.

Giving Thanks

It's nearly turkey day and there really is so much to be thankful for...or for which I am thankful.  And grateful, too.  We have a roof over our head and some cash laying about and an email that has made the rounds several times says that is richer than about 75% of the world's population.  There have been times when I stood in the middle of our local Kroger and thought about the abundance and variety of foods there.  It boggles my mind to think of the technology that has gotten all that food to my store just down the street from where I live.  I've told y'all I'd not have made a pioneer woman in the rough and rowdy past, and I'm here to re-emphasize that statement.  No pioneer stock under my roof.  We won't be standing in line to colonize the moon, but we will stand in line to get groceries.  We are down to earth folks and simple things make us happy.

We are meeting at our daughter's home for Thanksgiving.  I'm grateful for that, and everyone will be here for Christmas.  My half sibs and I have made up after a falling out last year.  Their mother has a lump in her breast and will have surgery tomorrow.  Hopefully we will all have one more thing to be grateful for.  Having health is one of the basics, and without it life is so difficult.

Here is wishing all of you a very happy Thanksgiving day with family, if you have some or friends if you don't, or spending some down time on your own doing something you want to do just for yourself.

Occupy Dallas' Occupation May Be On The Skids

I really don't know what to say about these protesters. They aren't very articulate in their desire to exercise their freedom of speech. It is more like a massive whine and they don't really know what to say. They want other people's money and the right to camp on city property. I just did a google search for what their goals are, but could find nothing concrete.  Even a reporter for NPR had little luck figuring out their goals when he tried to interview them at their "anarchy table".

Douglas, this morning's spokesman, was no more articulate at noon than he was this morning when the TV station interviewed him. There was another interview later when I'd have thought he would be more wide awake. The other protesters I've seen haven't had much to say for themselves, either. I feel embarrassed for them really.

Busy Days

This has been a very busy weekend. Today is hubby's birthday and we went to see "Puss In Boots" with our son and his family then out to eat with them. Both were much fun. I discussed with our grandson what he might want for Christmas and finally suggested he make a list and email it to me. Actually he doesn't have much of a clue what he does want this year. I've saved all of the toy catalogues that have come out with the newspaper so far this year and am going to take them with me the next time we get together. It will be fun going through the catalogues with him.

I think I'm going to take a whole bunch of pictures of hubs this week. It seems he just doesn't make it into many of them anymore. I got a few of him on the trip to San Antonio a couple of weeks ago, but he is sort of the "invisible man" from taking all the family pics. He is really handsome and photogenic. I'm not that good at the quick cute smile or holding a smile while there is camera surgery going on. Kids might get a snap of their dad for Christmas.

Yesterday we met my cousin for lunch and then some shopping...for sure one of my poor husband's favorite things. *L* I found/bought a beautiful knitted throw for those days when it is rainy and cold...yeah right. It was 84F and sunny here today. Anyway, my reasoning on the throw was the cost of the yarn plus the cost of my time, + the cost of a therapist when I got halfway through and made an unfixable error and had to start over was much less than the cost of the finished throw. Yea...I think like that sometimes when I really want something.

Stand Back Y'all...He's All Our's Here In Texas

Oh mercy!  Rick what were you thinking?  Oh yes...you weren't or couldn't is more like it.  It is ok...I can't remember all those silly facts either...but then I'm not running for public office.

Thanks to WFAA news for getting this video out so quickly.

I did whut?

After re-reading the post below I have to admit I did not participate in any of the protests during the 60s and have always lived here in Fort Worth.  Maybe I got a little carried away with myself.  *L*

Get A Mirror Occupy Wall Street Protesters

I received this in an email over the weekend and it pretty much sums up how I feel about the Occupy Wall Street folks. I've lived through the riots in California in the 60s and the Chicago 7 disturbances during the same time and Mayor Daley. The sixties were filled with love, drugs, and rock and roll, as well as, a lot of demonstrations against the Establishment and the Vietnam war, when the protesters confused the soldiers with the war. It was a sad thing, but it happened and we learned from it. 


Here is what was in the email:

This column by Mary Beth Hicks, a New York Times columnist........

"Call it an occupational hazard, but I can’t look at the Occupy Wall Street protesters (or any of the other "Occupy" morons around the globe....) without thinking, “Who parented these people?”

As a culture columnist, I’ve commented on the social and political ramifications of the “movement” - now known as “OWS” - whose fairyland agenda can be summarized by one of their placards: “Everything for everybody.”

Thanks to their pipe-dream platform, it’s clear there are people with serious designs on “transformational” change in America and Canada who are using the protesters like bed springs in a brothel.

Yet it’s not my role as a commentator that prompts my parenting question, but rather the fact that I’m the mother of four teens and young adults. There are some crucial life lessons that the protesters’ moms clearly have not passed along.

Here, then, are five things the OWS protesters’ mothers should have taught their children but obviously didn’t, so I will:

1.) Life isn’t fair. The concept of justice - that everyone should be treated fairly - is a worthy and worthwhile moral imperative on which our nations were founded. But justice and economic equality are not the same. Or, as Mick Jagger said, “You can’t always get what you want.”

2.) No matter how you try to “level the playing field,” some people have better luck, skills, talents or connections that land them in better places. Some seem to have all the advantages in life but squander them, others play the modest hand they’re dealt and make up the difference in hard work and perseverance, and some find jobs on Wall Street and eventually buy houses in the Hamptons. Is it fair? Stupid question.

3.) Nothing is “free.” Protesting with signs that seek “free” college degrees and “free” health care make you look like idiots, because colleges and hospitals don’t operate on rainbows and sunshine. There is no magic money machine to tap for your meandering educational careers and “slow paths” to adulthood, and the 53 percent of taxpaying Americans or Canadians owe you neither a degree nor an annual physical.

While I’m pointing out this obvious fact, here are a few other things that are not free: overtime for police officers and municipal workers, trash hauling, repairs to fixtures and property, condoms, Band-Aids and the food that inexplicably appears on the tables in your makeshift protest kitchens. Real people with real dollars are underwriting your civic temper tantrum.

4.) Your word is your bond. When you demonstrate to eliminate student loan debt, you are advocating precisely the lack of integrity you decry in others. Loans are made based on solemn promises to repay them. No one forces you to borrow money; you are free to choose educational pursuits that don’t require loans, or to seek technical or vocational training that allows you to support yourself and your ongoing educational goals. Also, for the record, being a college student is not a state of victimization. It’s a privilege that billions of young people around the globe would die for - literally.

5.) A protest is not a party. On Saturday in New York, while making a mad dash from my cab to the door of my hotel to avoid you, I saw what isn’t evident in the newsreel footage of your demonstrations: Most of you are doing this only for attention and fun. Serious people in a sober pursuit of social and political change don’t dance jigs down Sixth Avenue like attendees of a Renaissance festival. You look foolish, you smell gross, you are clearly high and you don’t seem to realize that all around you are people who deem you irrelevant.

There are reasons you haven’t found jobs. The truth? Your tattooed necks, gouged ears, facial piercings and dirty dreadlocks are off-putting. Nonconformity for the sake of nonconformity isn’t a virtue. Occupy reality: Only 4 percent of college graduates are out of work. If you are among that 4 percent, find a mirror and face the problem. It’s not them. It’s you."

Just be glad I'm not your mother for sure, you all.

Halloween Tricks and my 555th post Wow!

Parent's were challenged by Jimmy Kimmel to tell their children they had eaten their Halloween candy.  Oh my!  There was a great deal of justifiable drama!  Poor little guys.

Wow! This is my Five Hundred and Fifty Fifth post!

Fall wardrobe selections

I love this time of year.  The temperatures are cooling down and people have no idea how to dress.  I've seen some really bizarre outfits in the past few weeks.  Ladies with shorts and a really heavy cardigan that comes down to their knees or a heavy coat is not an infrequent sight these days.  It is like some of the younger girls just want to wear their new fall coats.  Guys sort of grin and bear it when they go out in clothing that was appropriate in August when it was 105F and now with the north wind blowing and the temp in the 50s they sort of look as if they are gritting their teeth and hoping they can make it to the car quickly.  However, they are the ones who come out looking like fashionistos when it warms up to 80 something and ladies are looking for places to ditch the goose down jackets.

The clothing confusion should clear up soon when the temperatures settle in to something approaching normal.  Right now we are on the temperature roller coaster.  This afternoon it was 78ish and then a really strong cold front came in it dropped to 48F with a 40mph wind making the wind chill to feel like 40 degrees.  I can hear the wind whistling around the front door!  The weather people are predicting a frost and maybe a freeze for tomorrow night.  Heaven knows what folks will wear to school and work in the morning.  God love 'em.

Do you have a particular outfit combo that just sends you into giggles or just causes you to smile tolerantly?  For me it is the shorts and long sweaters.

Emily Morgan and San Antonio

We are back from our trip to San Antonio this past Sunday through Tuesday.  We stayed at the Emily Morgan hotel.  It was very nice and so beautiful.  Our room overlooked the courtyard of the Alamo.  That gave us some chills thinking about the battle of the Alamo 175 years ago.

Emily D. West was a free woman of color who was born in New Haven, Ct.  She signed on with James Morgan to be the housekeeper at his hotel.  She took the name Morgan as many did who were indentured. 

According to legend she caught the eye of Santa Anna, the Mexican general who won the battle of the Alamo.  According to one source I've read in the past few days she was a Texian spy and had gotten word to Sam Houston's army about where Santa Anna was.  The battle of San Jacinto, where Santa Anna was, only lasted between 18 and 45 minutes according to some sources.  I'm wondering who had the stopwatch.  After the battle of San Jacinto Emily West Morgan wanted to return to the US, and who could blame her.  However, her papers showing she was a free woman had been lost at San Jacinto.  She asked a Mr. Moreland to ask for a replacement passport for her to be able to return to New York.  This time period was before the Civil War.  The legend goes that she is "The Yellow Rose of Texas".

Will post some pictures when we get them downloaded from the camera.

The Ultimate Waterslide

I saw this over at Kate's and wanted to share it with my couple or three readers. Thank you so much for taking the time to comment!  Really.



This is something else!

Fall plants and food

Fall is a great time of the year.  The mornings are crisp and cool, and after the heat of the past summer, it is very welcome.  As soon as the weather cooled down to 90F we headed out to the local nurseries and bought yellow mums and ornamental cabbages.  This past week we bought a flat of 50 pansies.  They look perky for this season and will make it through the winter. 

I'd thought the past winter was a mild one, but my cousin reminded me how her water pipes had frozen when the temperature was below freezing for a week, actually 100 hours.  However, I will give her the entire week since her water pipes were frozen.  She used to live in Alaska and so has better coping skills about freezing weather than we do.  She didn't like it one little bit I can tell you that.  I would have flown to Jamaica or something, but she stuck it out and managed well heating water for baths and all.

This fall I am planting ornamental peppers and hoping they will return next year.  We used to have a whole flower bed of them where we used to live, but for some reason I haven't been successful at this house.  Maybe I didn't work hard enough at getting them to flourish.  You can eat the ornamental peppers, but it isn't recommended.  They are really hot.

Time to make dinner for us.  Ham and scalloped potatoes sounds really nice with some broccoli.  Yum!
It is supposed to get much cooler after Tuesday of this coming week.  Maybe it will get cool enough to make cornbread.  Double yum!

Science Class for Today

You may recall from a Mechanics course that the period of a pendulum is proportional to the square root of the length of the line suspending the weight - i.e., the longer the pendulum, the slower it swings.

Harvard students built a device with a series of 15 pendulums in a row, each one slightly longer than its neighbor, then set them in motion and filmed the result.

The resulting patterns in this short video are quite fascinating to watch.

The above words were from an email sent me from a good friend. I don't know if he wrote them or not, but he could have.

Cooking Class or the Turkey Testicle Festival

This is something I had no idea about.  Who would have thought to deep fry these, and you fry them until they float.  Who knew.

It's Raining It's Pouring...

Hello heavy rain!  Overnight we got 4+ inches of cold rain.  Our pool is nearly running over and hubby just got back from checking the overflow tube.  He said there is a lot of water pooled around the tube so it is not draining like it used to do. 

It rained so much last night the baseball playoffs were postponed.  They resumed play around midnight and the score remained the same as it was before the rain delay: 3 to 2. The Texas Rangers won the first game against Detroit.  It is up in the air if they play the second game today.  Unbelievable!  We have been in the middle of the most severe droughts ever and now it is pouring rain in time for the baseball playoffs.  Go figure.

This morning there was a small geyser of water coming from the street and running toward our neighbor's house.  My husband called the water department and they are here now repairing.  The guys from the water department had a bullhorn and said we would have low water pressure for 4 to 6 hours.

My cousin and I were planning to go to lunch and then shopping for plants today, but I'm thinking  it isn't going to happen.  We are getting rain!, so all outdoor activities need to stop, at least for a while.  A nap curled up on the sofa with something snuggy sounds too good to be true, and I can do that since a shower would take forever at this time!

I can't believe this!  Rain and cool weather at the same time!  Oh yes, it is raining in Austin for the first time in a year and they have flash flood warnings.  How about that!

When it rains a LOT like this is promised to do, we say God got all our prayers at once.  I don't know if that is true, but whatever caused this lovely rain: Thank you!

Goodbye Steve Jobs. 

While reading some of the co-founder of Apple's quotes this morning I saw he used the word "grok".  I hadn't heard that word in decades.  Back in the '60s it was a phenomenon and means to completely and totally understand something or someone.  Robert Heinlein coined the word in his book Stranger in a Strange Land written in the 60s.

Grok is a word used by computer geeks now to mean they completely understand how their program works.  That is how the Iphone was developed.  Simplicity and understanding.

Rest in peace, Mr. Jobs.

What Has Happened to Plain Old Common Courtesy

We didn't watch the Republican debate and missed what happened. A soldier who asked if openly gay service people would be allowed to serve now that "don't ask don't tell" has been instated was booed. Why didn't any of the Republican candidates rebuke the audience? Why didn't the audience allow the soldier to ask a question without being bullied?

The right wing has gotten so out of control they think any bad behavior is just ok. President Obama was called a liar during his State of the Union speech. Members of Congress twitter during Presidential speeches.

An anti-bullying bill has been signed by New Jersey's Chris Christie (R) that is said to be the toughest in the nation, but is opposed by social conservatives. 

I just don't understand when the rudeness began and why has it been tolerated for so long.  I'm hoping for a return to social kindness again.  Or at least some tolerance and crabbing in private.

What a Great Idea

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Last night on the NBC nightly news there was a story about a food bank that requires the people who use it to step up and give, as well as, take. The store has clothing and shoes along with fresh and canned food. Everything in the store is free, but the patrons are required to pay a $50 yearly fee and to donate time working in the warehouse, and attend a finance class to teach them to manage their money in a productive way. The man who started the program lost all of his money when he was 40 after years of alcohol abuse. He wants to help others learn what it took him a long time to figure out. What a great idea.

The Living Bridge

Settling

I've been reading Larry McMurtry's books this past summer. I'd read Lonesome Dove and the one after that, but not the two prequels to them. After reading the first book I have no idea how the West was settled at all. It wouldn't have been by me for sure. I believe all the situations he set up in the books. When I was doing some genealogy research a number of years ago I got all caught up in Colonel Jack Hays. He was a relative of my husband and he was one of the first Texas Rangers. I found the book about him in a small used book store after I'd read the copy in our branch library. I bought it for my father in law for Christmas that year. Captain Jack was something else and his friend and fellow ranger was Samuel H. Walker, the co-inventor of the Walker Colt handgun. There are Walkers in my family and there have been Sam Walkers and I had a grandfather who was a Texas Ranger, so that led to my reading a number of books about Texas militia and wars. How cool would it have been for him to be one of my ancestors and Captain Jack to be one of my husband's. Well, it was not to be. Sam Walker was killed before he could sire any of my ancestors. Oh well, a brush with greatness was fun and my husband is still a descendant of Captain Jack. There are portraits of both of them at the Ranger Hall of Fame in Waco.

One of the books I read about Sam Walker's adventures during the Mexican war told about the Texas prisoners being marched to Mexico City. A great distance from anywhere in Texas. Actually I think they caught him twice and made him walk. I guess it was a good thing I was born a girl and a century later. I'd not have made a good pioneer woman.

Captain Jack and his band of Rangers chased and killed the Comanches around San Antonio and central Texas until it was somewhat safer for settlers. Actually not all that many were killed.  The Comanches were wonderful fighters, great horse thieves, and could blend into the environment so well they couldn't be seen until it was too late.  Many a settler or ranger found themselves afoot when the Comanches were around.  It was not safe at all back in those days for many reasons, but the Comanche braves were a big part of it. Part of my family settled around Austin and while reading books about early settlers in that part of Texas there were a number of stories about families who were brutally killed by Indians. If there had been anywhere else to go but into the wildness that was where these people were trying to make a new life, I would have stayed where I was or gone back to where I came from. I would not have made a good settler, but I'm glad they did. I'm also glad my ancestors settled here finally. I love it in Texas, even if it is still sort of wild. 

Things that make your ears go "huh?"

I got my husband to run into Target this afternoon to buy the new Tony Bennett cd that came out today while it was on sale. (it is really a good one) Then I drove around in the parking lot at the grocery store while he ran inside to pick up some things for dinner. While driving in circles in the parking lot I heard this song on the radio and it cracked me up. It is a song by Joe Diffie and is called "If The Devil Danced in Empty Pockets, He'd Have a Ball In Mine". I was listening to a real country music station and this is a real honky tonk song. Made me wonder why the heck we pay for Xtortion Music radio that doesn't really understand country music and from what I've seen the other genres that much, either. This is something I need to discuss with hubby; we could save a bundle. I have every cd we have ever owned on my Ipod, so that should get us anywhere we want to go with music all the way. Anyway, this little song took me back a few years and put a smile on my face.

If The Devil Danced In Empty Pockets
Diablo motors had a hell of a sale, downtown yesterday,
Word got around, no money down, take years and years to pay.
When I got there the lot was bare, but the salesman said hold on.
For a little cash, I gotta two-tone Nash out behind the barn.

If the Devil danced in empty pockets, he'd have a ball in mine.
With a nine foot grand, a ten piece band and a twelve girl chorus line.
I'd raise some loot in a three piece suit, give 'em one dance for a dime,
If the Devil Danced in empty pockets, he'd have a ball in mine.

Well he said friend it ain't the end let's see what I can do.
If you own a home, I've got a loan, tailor made for you.
Then above the racket a voice in my jacket said, "I'll tote the note."
The devil made me do it, talked me in to it, and that was all she wrote.

If the Devil danced in empty pockets, he'd have a ball in mine.
With a nine foot grand, a ten piece band and a twelve girl chorus line.
I'd raise some loot in a three piece suit, give 'em one dance for a dime,
If the Devil Danced in empty pockets, he'd have a ball in mine.

They say debt is a bottomless pit where the devil likes to play.
I'd sell my soul to get out of this hole, but there'd be hell to pay.

If the Devil danced in empty pockets, he'd have a ball in mine.
With a nine foot grand, a ten piece band and a twelve girl chorus line.
I'd raise some loot in a three piece suit, give 'em one dance for a dime,
If the Devil Danced in empty pockets, he'd have a ball in mine

The Thunder Rolled

Finally we got cool weather yesterday. It was such an abrupt change it felt like early spring all of a sudden, not fall, spring. The wind was almost chilly. We went to the garden center of my choice and bought some plants to help cheer our sun bleached/dead landscape vegetation. Mums, marigolds, ixora (bright orange flower), a blue one and another one and we had a good time. Everyone there was sort of quiet and subdued. It has been so hot for so long and yesterday was about 25 degrees cooler than it had been the day before.

And then...

And then this afternoon late...there were clouds and there was thunder and lightning and finally it rained and rained and rained. Well, only an inch where I live, but oh my it was a wonderful sound to hear the sound of rain and feel it splash up on the patio onto my leg and face and all parts in between. It was a soft slow rain and not a wild gully washer that runs off right away. If there hadn't been lightning I'd have gone out and danced in it...well, not so much danced as hobbled, but I'd have been in it.

They have been showing on the news large cracks in the ground that people could step into and break a leg. They are trying to fill the ones on baseball fields and soccer fields with dirt for now. Where we have a stone path from our backdoor to the driveway the stones have pulled apart more than 2 or 3 inches from the soil shrinking. Hopefully, that is behind us now.

When it first started to rain it didn't smell like rain. It smelled like dust for some reason...like that reason would have been over three months of dust without rain to wash it away. We have been on a strict watering schedule of 2 times per week, and still will be until lake levels refill. One of my daughters lives in Austin and it hasn't rained there since last October, nearly a year now.

Anyway, that is why I haven't been around the past day or so. We spent all afternoon out yesterday and believe me when it started to rain we were both outside grinning like possums.

Things that make you go hmmm...

For all your taxidermy needs...hmmm

Video Interuptus

Last night was one of those nights where I could not get to sleep no matter what I did. In a last ditch effort to nod off I turned on the tv. Roger Daltrey was on Leno and was about to sing "Pinball Wizard" He began to sing and I was getting all into the song and suddenly silence and an infomercial came on! It was such a shock. This afternoon I found the same video and when it began to play there was a sudden silence when it froze. Maybe I was not meant to hear this today. I'm off to take a nap. I've still not slept.



Roger Daltrey - Pinball Wizard 2011 by IvorTheEngineDriver

Tony Bennett's new cd Duets II has a duet with Amy Winehouse, among many others. It is such a shame she could not control her substance abuse, whether that was what killed her or not. She had a beautiful voice and they both seemed genuinely pleased to work together.

Sizzle

*sizzle* Today's high was 107F. Happy Fall. One hundred and seven degrees Fahrenheit...today, September 13th. There is hope of a cool front tomorrow evening. Please, Lord...and I still haven't found the rain stick, either.

*sizzle2* Our governor, Rick Perry, did mandate that 12 year old girls have the Gardisil vaccine against HPV, but it is not a law that girls get the drug here. Saner heads prevailed about that one. Some girls got the vaccine before parents got upset and called a halt to the nonsense. Then it all went away, until the other night when Michelle Bachmann got ahold of it again. At least that is what I thought. In my opinion that is one immunization that has not proven itself and should not be used indiscriminately.

I do think it is essential the vaccines that have been around for a very long time should be given to children. Whooping cough is making a comeback and it is a disease that had been eradicated in the US until recently. When I was growing up polio was still a real scary disease. I have a friend who was stricken with the disease and has begun to have post-polio syndrome. When the polio vaccine came out I was in the third grade. My mother was so conflicted about whether or not I should be vaccinated, because she, too, had had a mild case of it. Later when the Salk vaccine was being given to adults when I was older and on my own, I got my sugar cube with the vaccine on it. By the way, I got a flu shot yesterday. Have you gotten yours yet?

September 11, 2001

In memory of those lost in the 9-11-2001 attacks on our country

and to the innocence lost at the same time

How Cool is That

The burning sun has modified its intense heat for the past few days and it was so nice I just said No to spending time posting on this blog. We got out and enjoyed the dry cool temperatures of the days and in the spirit of the past few cool days I'll stick with this same vein of relaxation. It is starting to warm back up again, half of Texas has burned up and there is no rain in sight for the next week. So, if you are a little down about remembering 9/11, need something to take your thoughts off of where and when you might get another job, or anything that's got ya down here is a sweet little video that made me smile today.

And the Heat Goes On with a Spin and a Twist

Now there is tropical storm Lee in the Gulf of Mexico spinning around to go along with all of the crazy weather we are having. It will impact New Orleans the most...can't they ever catch a break? It won't help us with the drought we have been experiencing, but maybe it will help the Houston Galveston area some. Our daughter lives down there.

And then there is this bit of happy news from the Dallas news service that the much anticipated cool front combined with easterly winds from the tropical storm will make our already tinderbox fire status even worse. Oh mercy!



I think a lot of people really don't understand how huge Texas really is. One of my friends had a relative come here to Ft. Worth to visit from the New England area, and told Judy she was going to run up to Amarillo for coffee with a friend that morning. Her reasoning was that it was just a little ways on the map. We all burst out laughing when Judy told that story. It is a 342.2 mile drive or six hours to Amarillo as calculated on Google maps from here to there. But that might have been before they increased the speed limit.

We live up in North Central Texas in that busy looking mess of red sort of on the right of the map. Houston/Galveston is down on the curvy part next to Louisiana, and Austin is sort of in the middle. That is where the youngest lives. It is a really fun town or was when she lived there before. I hear that 6th Street is much calmer these days. Anyway, hopefully you can sort of know where my family is and when I tell you about weather conditions you won't have to worry. I'll be letting everyone know if it rains or gets cool here! By the way the fires are west of us...fairly close but no danger to us. Our son and his family live just a little southwest of us. Amarillo is up in the panhandle part way northwest of us. See Google map linked above.

Burning Down North Central Texas!

The East coast is inundated in water from hurricane Irene, and Texas is burning, and burning.

Just a few months ago there was a huge fire out by Possum Kingdom Lake that took a number of very expensive homes and now it is on fire again. As I've told you all summer long it has been hot and dry this year, well, it has now reached epic REALLY HOT AND DRY status all over the state. So far at least 39 homes in the Wise County and Palo Pinto county area have burned and the fire has restarted this afternoon in the 104F temperature and low humidity and increasing winds. Sections of those counties are burning like infernos.

It has been so hot and dry this summer that staying inside has been a blessing, at least if the a/c was working. Reading quietly has been a pleasurable pastime even if watching tv was more pleasurable. I read after going to bed at night all year long, and this has been a good year for reading.

Early in the summer I read either a Texas Parks and Wildlife or Texas Highways ,magazine and there was an article about John Graves. It was so interesting I bought his book, "Goodbye to a River", which was a very interesting book for a native Texan and anyone interested in conservation, for that matter. He took a canoe trip down the Brazos with a dachshund pup in late fall and early winter, which around here can start anytime from October to January. We never know when it will get cold around here. I'm thinking this winter may come sometime in December around Christmas, it has been so durn hot. That book set off a revived interest in Larry McMurtry's books. I'd read Lonesome Dove after the tv series years ago and had picked up a copy at Half Price books once when they were having a sale. After reading "Walter Benjamin at the Dairy Queen" it just seemed natural to order most of the rest of his books.

"The Sound and The Fury" by William Faulkner stymied this summer's attempt in the first chapter. I'm thinking Cliff notes will be something that might help me get through it. I know it was conquered in the past, because I've read all his books, but the first chapter of that book must have been easier for me then. Maybe youth makes a difference or something. Do they even publish Cliff notes anymore? I've only bought one in my life.

Has anyone read any good books to get us through the winter? It is never too early to stock up.

Pioneer Woman Cooks on The Food Network today

Sending all good thoughts and prayers for friends on the East Coast where hurricane Irene is starting to batter homes and beaches. Take good care of yourselves and your families.

Today is the day Pioneer Woman's first show on the Food Network airs. She has published one cookbook and has another that will be coming out soon. I have our tivo set up so I can finish getting the house ready for my daughter and her friend who are coming up from Austin to visit.

There are so many talented bloggers who are witty, funny, erudite, and just plain smart. I salute you all. You make my time on the internet so much fun.

Birthday Rain

Yesterday was my birthday and we had a fun time of it. Dinner was at our favorite barbecue place and then to the movies to see "The Help". It was a fun time, because we were like kids trying to make the movie in time. We ate our meal in a hurry and watched some clouds containing rain try to make it to where we live, then rushing to the theater. The movie had started when we got there, and we had to grope around in the dark to find a seat, but it was ok.

The sage has been blooming for a couple of days and it is a predictor of rain. Many don't believe and call it foolishness. Happened to me the other day. A woman quite rudely said it rained after the plant bloomed. However, it did rain in Dallas and on the other side of Ft. Worth within a couple of days. It hasn't rained at my house yet, and I've lost my rain stick!

It frequently starts to rain again around this time of the summer. I call it my birthday rain. I'm so happy to see it.


Texas sage blooming and a picture of a rain sticks. If you see mine, please tell it to come home. I miss it. Well, actually we hadn't noticed it was gone until yesterday.

Conjunctions

This morning I was reading an article in the newspaper about our Governor Perry's position on insurance for those who have none. The author of this article began many sentences with "And" or "But". A bell rang in my brain from long long ago about the use of conjunctions and starting a sentence with them. Half a century ago we were taught not to do such a horrible thing. Thus, began a google search for information regarding this subject.

I found one site that said the use of a conjunction to begin a sentence was a little informal, but perfectly fine to use. Another site was more conservative and was much like the English classes of my youth, yet they too gave permission to use "And" or "But" at the beginning of a sentence. The song "Conjunction Funtion" had a bit of information, but it didn't help me a whole lot. However, when all the hoorah was going on about the country defaulting on the budget, my postion toward those who were blaming President Obama for the whole thing hadn't heard "I'm Just a Bill". The President doesn't originate bills. Bills orginate in the House of Representative and then go to the Senate and from there to the desk of the President who can veto if he chooses, before the bill can become a law.

Are there any subjects from your school days that come back to haunt you from time to time? Grammar is iffy in my writing skills, and I hope it doesn't bother you. Ellipses are a personal favorite to indicate thinking on my part... However, that is not their function, which is to indicate the omission of a word or sentence from the original text.

Oh well, this is getting too deep and will probably give me bad dreams tonight.

Dear Diary

Dear Diary,
Just moved to Texas!

Now this is a state that knows how to live!!
Beautiful sunny days and warm balmy evenings. It is beautiful. I've
finally found my home. I love it here.

June 14th:
Really heating up. Got to 100 today. Not a problem. Live in
an air-conditioned home, drive an air-conditioned car. What a pleasure
to see the sun every day like this. I'm turning into a sun worshipper.

June 30th:
Had the backyard landscaped with western plants today. Lots of cactus
and rocks. What a breeze to maintain. No more mowing the lawn for me.
Another scorcher today, but I love it here.

July 10th:
The temperature hasn't been below 100 all week. How do people get used
to this kind of heat? At least, it's kind of windy though. But getting used
to the heat is taking longer than I expected.

July 15th:
Fell asleep by the community pool. Got 3rd degree burns over 60% of my
body. Missed 3 days of work. What a dumb thing to do. I learned my lesson
though. Got to respect the ol' sun in a climate like this.

July 20th:
I missed Lomita (my cat) sneaking into the car when I left this morning.
By the time I got to the hot car at noon, Lomita had died and swollen up to
the size of a shopping bag, then popped like a water balloon. The car now
smells like Kibbles and Shits. I learned my lesson though. No more pets in this
heat. Good ol' Mr. Sun strikes again.

July 25th:
The wind sucks. It feels like a giant freaking blow dryer!! And it's hot
as hell. The home air-conditioner is on the fritz and the AC repairman
charged $200 just to drive by and tell me he needed to order parts.

July 30th:
Been sleeping outside on the patio for 3 nights now, $225,000 house and
I can't even go inside. Lomita is the lucky one. Why did I ever come here?

Aug. 4th:
Its 115 degrees. Finally got the air-conditioner fixed today. It cost
$500 and gets the temperature down to 85. I hate this stupid state.

Aug. 8th:
If another wise a_s cracks, 'Hot enough for you today?' I'm going to
strangle him. Damn heat. By the time I get to work, the radiator is
boiling over, my clothes are soaking wet, and I smell like baked cat!!

Aug. 9th:
Tried to run some errands after work. Wore shorts, and when I sat on the
seats in the car, I thought my a_s was on fire. My skin melted to the
seat. I lost 2 layers of flesh and all the hair on the back of my legs and a_s . . . Now my car smells like burnt hair, fried a_s, and baked cat.

Aug 10th:
The weather report might as well be a damn recording. Hot and sunny.
Hot and sunny. Hot and sunny. It's been too hot to do shit for 2 damn months and
the weather man says it might really warm up next week. Doesn't it ever rain
in this damn state? Water rationing will be next, so my $1700 worth of
cactus will just dry up and blow over. Even the cactus can't live in this damn
heat.

Aug. 14th:
Welcome to HELL!

Temperature got to 115 today. Cactus are dead. Forgot
to crack the window and blew the damn windshield out of the car. The
installer came to fix it and guess what he asked me???

"Hot enough for you today?"

My sister had to spend $1,500 to bail me out of jail. Freaking Texas. What
kind of a sick demented idiot would want to live here?? Will write later
to let you know how the trial goes.

Yummy doughnuts

Grow your own doughnuts with this instructional video.

Hey Pearl...

Just read your post about the unmade beds and just wanted to tell you that ours is not made either. This has been a slow week and only the sheets and pillows were tidied. The heat is our main excuse even though the house is air conditioned.

Anyway, your blog would not allow me to post on it, so just decided to put it here.

It is a miracle!

Hallelujah! A cool front just came through! It dropped the temperature a whole bunch! We even got a little mist for a few minutes!

Our grandson and his parents are coming over to swim and dive in our pool later. The water will feel warmer now. TJ's 10th birthday is tomorrow and he will be partying with his friends all weekend. We are going to their house on Sunday for dinner and fun.

Back to praying for rain again

hmmm...well, we all asked for a tropical depression/storm for rain and we got one, but Texas sucked it dry in 2 hours, literally. Tropical Storm Don came ashore and and just fell apart. Weather forecasters had never seen that happen. They were mystified by the whole thing. That is just how dry it is here. We are getting desperate for rain. Crops are dry in the fields and the ground is cracked. The cotton crop in south Texas was in danger of being ruined by Don, but my guess is they just got a little rain shower out of the poor thing. Anyway, we are now forecasted to have even hotter temperatures and no rain in sight.

We water the yard just to keep some of the shrubs alive. So far we haven't had water rationing...yet. Our Texas sage, also known as the barometer bush, has not bloomed once this year that I know of. They bloom before or right after it rains. I'm looking forward to seeing the purple flowers again.

How Hot is It?

The heat goes on and on. Yesterday hit 106 and today should be about 105, and we haven't had rain in I don't know when. A small to medium tropical disturbance would be so welcome...not a huge hurricane, but a tropical wave...or maybe a small hurricane that came right up here into the Metroplex. I get how hot is it jokes daily and the weather people are telling jokes about how hot it is. Such as this ice cream truck that came to grief.

I heard on the news the other day that rabies is on the rise around here because of the drought. Animals are forced to come closer in to get water and food and they are bringing their illnesses with them. They would welcome some rain and cooler weather, too, not the ones with rabies so much, though.

The horror in Norway was so very sad. My best friend has family there and has told me how beautiful and safe it is when they visit over there. One blog titled her thoughts about it as "Innocence Lost". Our innocence has been lost for so long that it takes a lot to shock us, but that massacre did me.

Last Monday we were able to go to meet with my knitting group. It was very good to see them and catch up with everyone. I haven't knitted in a good while and hope I remember how. *gasp*

It is time for lunch now and a tuna sandwich sounds good. Hubby is over at his parent's house cleaning off the carport roof. He is going to be putting it on the market soon and having an estate sale. He should be home soon and will be hungry.

Not much going on here these days...

Wish I had a good joke or some funny You Tube for you, but it has been pretty calm around here. It has been hotter than heck and dry as can be, but hopefully October will come soon. This year hasn't gone as fast as last year. Hope all is well with you guys.

Two Dogs In a Restaurant

My cousin sent me this You tube and it is so funny I laughed right out loud. She has two dogs very much like these and they give her a laugh or two everyday. They are goofy giant dogs.


video removed because it was so large

Step On A Crack..

Thank all of you for your concern and I wasn't in a car accident or anything. It can happen without warning Compression Fracture of a Vertabrae. I was looking to try to figure out how long it will take for the mess to heal. I've heard that surgery is not really the best way to go. I had just finished sweeping the patio last fall when I experienced the most awful pain and it has been downhill from there for a long long time. I still hurt a great deal, but am able to walk some without the walker.

A couple of docs told me it might be a parathyroid adenoma, a non malignant tumor of the parathyroid gland. I went through a bunch of unreal tests last Tuesday that showed some small black areas. I sent an email to all my kids and cousins. It is a cartoon so as not to overly alarm them. Parathyroid Symptoms. I haven't made up my mind about what to do, but am sort of leaning in the direction of nothing right now.

I cannot tell you how much I love my husband these days and what a wonderful man he is to take me to all the appointments (I don't drive anymore because of the pain meds), he helps me with a shower, and getting dressed. He is a super guy. I knew that, but he really has come through during this time.

Days of our lives

Things are a little better in my little world of illnesses. I have 7 fractured vertabrae so I've not been running around much lately...or much of anything else for the past few months. I know a LOT about tv, though not soap operas.

Hope everyone is happy and healthy and hopefully I'll be better soon.

Only In Texas

ONLY IN TEXAS ...

Texas Beer Joint Sues Church In Mt. Vernon, Texas.

Drummond's Bar began construction on expansion of their building to increase their business. In response, the local Baptist Church started a campaign to block the bar from expanding with petitions and prayers.

Work progressed right up until the week before the grand reopening when lightning struck the bar and it burned to the ground!

After the bar burning to the ground by a lightning strike, the church folks were
rather smug in their outlook, bragging about "the power of prayer", until the
bar owner sued the church on the grounds that the church . . ."was ultimately
responsible for the demise of his building, either through direct or indirect
actions or means."

In its reply to the court, the church vehemently denied all responsibility or any
connection to the building's demise.

The judge read through the plaintiff's complaint and the defendant's reply,
and at the opening hearing he commented………

"I don't know how I'm going to decide this, but it appears from the paperwork
that we have a bar owner who believes in the power of prayer, and an entire church congregation that now does not."


True Story
Another odd thing happened last night that involved my rx medication for rheumatoid arthritis. I had gotten confused about when to take it and asked my doc when I was
there last week. He told me one pill in the morning and one at night. I said okie doke and yesterday morning I took my pill. Last night I had several pill bottles of other meds on the night stand and to be sure I had the right medication I read the label it said, "Take 5 tablets by mouth every Monday." That was alarming to say the least, so I got out the bottle from the last prescription and it said, "Take 2 tablets by mouth on Monday morning and evening only every week." I'm seriously thinking of changing pharmacies.

This morning I'd been reading an email from Kroger, a grocery story around here, and they had a little game with it, so I played. Then I was offered a whole bunch of coupons so I checked them to get them to print. My husband brought my laptop in the office to print them and this printed.



Did Someone Lose a Cat?

"Until one has loved an animal, part of their soul remains unawakened."

(Anatole France)

I'm pretty sure it is going to be one of "those" days...all day long.

Away for a While

Last Thursday my Mother In Law passed away. She will be missed by so many. Even in the midst of the Alzeimer's she had a cheerful disposition. She didn't know why she was happy, but she was and that was good enough. It has been very difficult for my husband and there has been so much to do. I'll be back after things have calmed down around here and the kids have gotten home safely and we have gotten some rest.

Well, we got a WHOLE bunch of COLD and we are going to get LOTS more!

It finally got here last night and of course I had to stay up and listen, check wunderground, open doors in case it might be sleeting and I couldn't hear it, and turn on the flood light in the back yard in case it started snowing and I might miss something. I finally heard some sleet, but was getting tired so went to bed happy. There was a very strong gust of wind and a limb fell just as I was getting into bed. At least it was a small one and it gave me something to nag hubby about. We will deal with it when it gets warmer. It wasn't like last year when the huge limb came crashing against the breakfast room window. That was spooky. Later in the night there was a giant crash of thunder/sleet that woke both of us. Tonight it is supposed to get down to 8F tonight...that is super cold for here. We did get about an inch of snow and that made it all worth it.

So, we have had a calm day watching Egypt get rid of Mubarak, well sort of...in 9 months or so, I think Egyptians might be pretty cool the way they protected the ancient artifacts. We spent time watching cars and trucks get turned around on the freeway and wondered how a dune buggy worked so well on ice. We spent time baking cookies, and hubby made taco soup for dinner.

All in all it was a restful day, and I got the dreaded pt exercises done this afternoon. At least I don't have to get down on the floor. It is the small things that make life good.

HOLY COW! IT IS GOING TO GET COLD HERE! WE'LL SEE ABOUT THE SNOW EVENT THAT IS SUPPOSED TO ACCOMPANY IT!

We are supposed to get rain, sleet, snow and gosh awful cold temps! The weather guy said it would be below freezing for more than 84 hours. The upside is the day of the Super Bowl it will be back up to 59 degrees. Texas weather. At least we will have weather that Green Bay and Philly are very familiar with.

Alas, here is another health update. I'm still going to pt and am so freakin' sore it is unbelievable, but she told me at some point it will go away and I'll be very happy. No kidding!

We are all snugged in and ready for the ice and cold. We only have to worry about losing electricity. Our heat is gas, but the blower is powered by electricity. We may have to get creative with sheets and stuff and live in the den with the gas fireplace for heat. Too bad I bought a queen size bed that weighs at least 2 tons, so we won't be dragging it in here. I'm calling dibs on the sofa and he can have the chair, but I'm flexible on that. I just got out of the chair and have changed my mind. The sofa is MINE...and it is raining outside! yay! I'm worse than a child about snow now that I don't have to drive in it.

Old Pictures

Abe,

I should be asleep, but when I dropped by your blog and saw your picture it reminded me of my promise that if I had time I'd post the picture of my great great grandmother. Here she is.

IT IS CRAZY MOVIE TIME AT MY HOUSE

Last Sunday we went to the movies, my favorite pastime, getting ready for the Oscars night bonanza. It has been a slow year for us to be up to date on the best movie, or actor, or gaffer. However, I did love "The King's Speech" and hope Colin Firth wins best actor. I've adored him since Bridget Jones' Diary". I'm sure that spurred him on to even greater heights in his career.

I do want to see "The Black Swan" before it leaves the theaters. It just seems that Natalie Portman should be seen on the big screen. Princess Leia's mother just should be seen in all her glory even if she does have "swan flesh" in one of the previews I saw. yuck

I can hardly wait to see Javier Bardem in the movie I don't even know what it is called. Talk about your snub. He was nominated for best actor, but I have no idea for which movie. Guessing it isn't the two I've seen so far. I may even forgive Christian Bale for his rudeness earlier this year if his performance is good enough in his movie. I'm just getting started this year...so cut me some slack for a while, please.

I LOVE movies and have collected a number of DVDs and I love music, too. I have some cds, too. Gah...do I have cds. Tonight I was looking at some movies they have at Red Box and ironically the movie was called "Red". It looked pretty good. I even liked the way they ended "Medium" the other night. The "Ghost and Mrs. Muir" reference was perfect.

My husband and I like to play "What did that guy/girl play in??" He is getting a lot better than he used to be. I may have to give it up or sharpen up. Tomorrow is grocery day, bank day, and general running errands day. Have a good one! Thursday is back to physical therapy. After last week's sessions my back, hip, and just about everything was hurting so much I couldn't get myself out of my bed or do much of anything. My therapist told me on the phone Monday she will help me get better. right. See ya'll later.

It Is SNOWING!! Finally we are getting some snow!

We have been hearing for days how we might get snow, but more probably rain, but maybe snow...maybe a little bit of it. Right now it has finally started snowing and it is very pretty and is starting to accumulate on the glass table on the patio. Those of us who were born in Texas, and especially in Fort Worth are crazy as bats when it comes to snow. We have to make a trip to the grocery store to lay in enough food to last until the middle of summer and all the while knowing in reality the snow will be gone in a day or two at the most. Children dream of a snow day and their parents have nightmares about snow days. It is a busy time for everyone. My husband and I made the required trip to the store yesterday, so we are stocked up. He has started making chocolate chip cookies.

To make everything perfect we are supposed to get some freezing rain/drizzle/fog on top of the snow/sleet. I can't remember I've listened to so many forecasts this weekend. I do know this; I will not be driving tomorrow. Last Thursday was lunch with the girls day and I thought it would be very brave of me to drive to the restaurant. I haven't driven the new car yet and we've had it since September 9th. If you have been with me for a while that was the time my arm was broken. I've become overly cautious in this period of random near death experiences. So, back to the luncheon, as I was driving home in my little trustworth Avalon when I had a blowout on the back rear tire. Scared the holy crap out of me! I was able to avoid hitting anyone else or winding up in someone's living room. I got the car off the main road and parked in front of a house and called my husband who has become more AAA inclined. It took hours to get my sweet little car home with its foot fixed. I was so rattled that I nearly nodded off to sleep while at physical therapy later that afternoon for my back/ribs/spine. When I get upset a nap is a requirement, but I made it through. Physical therapy has made a world of difference in the pain level the muscle spasms caused.

It is snowing a lot now and I think it is time to go watch the miracle of snow. I'm wishing you a peaceful wonderful Sunday afternoon filled with happiness and small or large miracles. To leave you with a happy thought, my grandson asked for a robe for Christmas. He has never shown any interest in wearing one, but his best bud has a cool green one. I couldn't find a green one, but did find a plush blue furry one that he now sleeps in at night. He loves it as much as the PS3 Santa brought. My dil dropped a hint about a Lego police station he LOVES it, too. Gramma scored this year and must stay on good terms with the dil at all costs. This past year has been a good one in that we have become closer.

Happy Sunday...it is a snow "hurricane" outside now.

Wishing you a Happy New Year

Happy New Year!! Hope yours is a fabulous year!

We are planning to spend time with family and friends watching the TCU game. Go Frogs!