The Craftsman pliers walleye!

Our son-in-law, J. P. Jones was a semi-professional walleye fisherman, was on the TRACKER fishing team, former President of the Nebraska Walleye Association and a really good fisherman. He frequently appears at sports, boats and vacation shows in the midwest giving demonstrations, showing off the TRACKER boats, etc.

ESPN had already taken shots of John fishing and catching walleyes, but after viewing the tapes, the producers of the show wanted more footage of John casting and "setting the hook" etc. So, he and our daughter, Lisa, went to a nearby lake to tape. John, figuring this would be a quickie, put a weight and lure on the line, cast out and promptly gave the rod a good pull - setting the hook.

Unfortunately, what he set the hook into was a sunken tree limb - snap went the line and the only "lure" that John had taken onto the boat. He hadn't planned to actually fish so didn't have his tackle box on this "trip" - result--no other lures.

But our John is a resourceful young man - he took a pair of Craftsman pliers from his back pocket and attached it to the line. Ok, so far, so good. He cast the pliers out and they made a nice ker-plunk as they hit the water. Then, John had his hands full!

The pliers opened up and gave him more of a fight than most walleye's do - they dove, swerved, bent the rod, went under the boat as the opened pliers were reeled in. All this time, John is laughing like crazy, not expecting this kind of action at all. Lisa is filming this from shore and is laughing so hard she was having trouble keeping the camera level.

John managed to land his Craftsman (pliers) and they presented the tape to ESPN (but didn't tell them about the big strike...they just let ESPN assume that they released the "fish")

The end of the story is that John has some of the best fishing action he has ever had on tape. The ESPN people will cut and splice shots of him casting and "setting" the hook, "fighting" the fish (pliers), and then show him bringing in and netting a nice walleye that he had caught when the ESPN guys were with him.

If you ever see John P. Jones from Nebraska on the sports network (ESPN) and he is casting out and battling the best fighting fish you ever saw, you'll know "the rest of the story".

John made me promise not to tell this story - but you guys won't say a word will you!!!!!

My New Car "Abie" Lincoln

Ken decided that due to increasing gas prices, it was time to replace our old  pickup truck with a newish pre-owned vehicle.  His heart was set on a 2009 Lincoln...I think he reveres Lincolns from when he was a kid...only the rich drove Lincolns or Cadillacs. 

Anyway, we now own a 2009 silver Lincoln MKZ....it is a nice vehicle and gets 19+ mph in the city and over 30+ mph on the highway.   BTW, what is the big deal for advertising the great mph on the highway...we live in the city, I haven't driven on a highway since last year when we drove to Naperville, IL to visit our daughter and family.  We want something that gives us great mpg IN THE CITY!!!   We wanted something that didn't suck gas like it was a Pepsi cola on steroids when I drove to the grocery store, went shopping or just plain drove around town.

The Lincoln MKZ was purchased last Friday....Ken is not usually stubborn about things but getting this new vehicle was one thing he was determined to do.  I am a worry wart and didn't want to face car payments when our income (retired folks here) was teetering on income-in and income-out being pretty close together.  

The car (I call it "Abie"...after Abraham LINCOLN) is very nice and has a whole bunch of buttons that we, especially me since I am the main driver, have to acquaint ourselves with.  Case in point...driving Abie home from the dealership (me driving...it is now MY car) , Ken sitting in the passenger seat, started pushing buttons on the console. 

Suddenly, I have flashing yellow emergency lights on the dashboard.  "WHAT DID YOU DO????"....push another button and a swerving  little orange car pops up next to the flashing lights. The Lincoln then decided that English was no longer the language of choice, and my mph appeared in km (kilometers?)....push more buttons and it wants to know if we want English or French (car was assembled in Mexico...but French is it's native language).....all I wanted was to get off the highway before  Ken pushed something else....he was hoping if he pushed the right button "Abie" would recognize the touch of an English speaking person.  No such luck. About this time, Ken took the "how to" instruction manual out of the glove compartment.  I suppose that if you are a person who buys lots of NEW vehicles, or are teenagers, you understand the language of new cars.  We aren't either.  We drove home with km, flashing warning lights and swerving little orange car all doing their thing. 

On Saturday, we drove back to the dealership ... our salesman came out to the car and we went through the buttons...I still don't know how they all work...but we're in English mode now and that's a step forward.  Somewhere in the system "Abie" holds the secret of how many miles I can drive before running out of gas, how to get my seat to either warm up in winter or get cool in summer and what the buttons on both sides of the steering wheel control.

Did you ever see the commercial where a lady and her husband (Bob Newhart) are standing next to a beautiful new car and she is pushing buttons on her remote trying to open the door?  She says something like "whats wrong with this remote???".....he leans over and says, "you're trying to open this car and we drive that station wagon over there".

Duhhhh, that's exactly what happened to me. I played tennis with some friends on Tuesday  (only had the car a few days) and they wanted to see the interior.  I walked up to the shiny silver car and pushed the remote button....nothing happened.  I pressed it again...nothing happened.  Oh great, what do I do now.  

My friend Mari, said to me (after she stopped laughing)  "Jean, your remote button won't work....you're trying to open my Lexus".....yep, her silver Lexus was parked next to my silver Lincoln.  

Note:  

I am still not familiar with the buttons on the console, there are waaaaay too many of them.  Plus, when I need one I am actively driving the car....why are the windshield wipers, fan, and assorted buttons located in the right side of the console hidden under the radio and disk player?  To see them, I have to bend over and decide which is which.  Then I am a danger to other drivers since I have now  taken my eyes off the road.  

My thoughts were that this car was obviously designed by guys....those who have short, sturdy fingers and fingernails.   The trunk only opens 1/2" to 3/4" when I push the "open" button.  It does not have a handle, slot or anything to grasp to open the trunk.  You have to slip your fingers under the trunk lid and lift it up.  Want to guess how many fancy fingernails I have sacrificed doing this.  Plus, we live in Nebraska...we have SNOW....the little 1/2"- 3/4" crack is hard to find when fumbling through the accumulated snow..  And, since it is usually frozen down, it doesn't want to open anyway.    

I took Abie to our local dealer to see what could be done...answer..nothing!  He said that "they" found that if the trunk opens too far it could be caught by a gust of wind, blow open, hit the owner/opener in the face and cause an injury resulting in a lawsuit.  I'm not sure who would be sued...possibly the manufacturer.   He also pooh-poohed my idea of putting a little silver handle or knob on the side of the lid.....  "Over the years the necessary hole in the trunk could rust - the car's value would be depreciated"  I'm sure that "over the years"  there may be rust elsewhere on the car which would also cause it to be "depreciated"....duh...  

He suggested that I attach a piece of microfiber belting to the inside of the trunk lid and when closing the trunk leave a tail of the belting hang out.  Therefore, giving me something to open the trunk with.    

Yeah sure...I've put that suggestion on the back burner.

Here Kitty Kitty

We have a nice-sized flower garden in our yard, complete with a pond with a little fountain.  It’s Ken’s pride and joy.  Every year we stock it with goldfish and once in a while, a tadpole or two.  The fish are fun to watch, and will come to the surface if you twiddle your fingers on the edge of the water.

Unfortunately, this has been their downfall.  We start off with two dozen goldfish, the ones that survive the summer are put into our family room fish tank to grow bigger for the next summer season.  By the end of this summer, there were only about 5 or 6 goldfish left…we’ve seen a raccoon several times during the year (I even caught one in a critter trap..but released it…we were trying to catch the rabbits that have eaten our hostas and other flowers down to dirt level) I had always blamed the demise of  the goldfish on the raccoon.

However, this morning, I looked out of our kitchen window and saw a big cat on the back fence..at first glance, I thought, “oh my gosh” there’s a baby mountain lion”….four years ago a big, fully grown mountain lion, aka Puma was taking up residence in our neighborhood park.  He is now living in the Henry Doorly Zoo cat complex.

Anyway, this turned out to be a large, beautiful tan and black Siamese cat.  I could see that it was wearing a collar, so I know it was not a feral cat…it jumped off the fence and walked around the edge of the pool…ha!  Bet I know where our missing goldfish went….kitty breakfast. 

I walked onto the back deck and called, “here kitty” and up he came.  He stayed around for a while but decided to investigate the rest of the yard.  I don’t know if he was a neighborhood cat that is allowed to roam or if he had escaped from home and was exploring.  He didn’t have a name or license on his collar so there was no way to find out who he belonged to.  And, he definitely did not want to come with me into the house…I didn’t want to be scratched or bitten so didn’t force the issue.

Edward Rosewater School, Omaha, NE – Class of 1952

If you’ve ever attended a College World Series (CWS) game in Omaha, Nebraska, you’ve probably seen my grade school, Edward Rosewater.

It’s on 13th Street, just opposite the entrance to the Henry Doorly Zoo and close to the "Zesto" ice cream store that is ALWAYS talked about by CWS commentators (I think they get a discount every time they mention "Zesto" on the air!)  A big ice cream cone from Zesto was always a "must have" when we walked home from school ... $.20 bought a good-sized cone in those days.

 Edward Rosewater School, was named after an Omahan who is credited for creating the first Omaha Board of Education and was regarded as the father of Omaha (NE) public schools.

Rosewater was the editor of the Omaha Daily Bee, had a reputation for always being "aggressive and controversial" and was influential in Nebraska politics as one of the leaders of the state Republican Party. During the American Civil War, while serving at the White House telegraph office, Rosewater was responsible for sending out President Abraham Lincoln’s “ Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863.

I LOVE my old school, although in 1985 it was converted to apartments. I think of the thousands of kindergarten to 8th grade student’s running (excuse me) walking through it’s halls. Whenever I drive past it, I remember the wonderful teachers I had, the great friends we all were, and the love for America and the American flag that was instilled in us. I entered kindergarten at Rosewater when I was 5 years old (1943) and graduated in 1952. My kindergarten teacher was Miss Brown (all the teachers were called “Miss” if they were single or not). We learned social skills…how to not fight over a toy (yep, we actually had toys in kindergarten), played house in the little play kitchen complete with dishes and pans and discovered that being the “mother” had a lot more responsibilities than we ever knew about.

We napped on our little rugs every afternoon and learned that the teacher was “boss” even if our mother’s thought we were special and above reproach. Miss Brown gently but firmly molded us into good kindergarten citizens. I was in school during World War II, and patriotism was strong at Edward Rosewater. We stood each morning before class, put our hand over our heart and recited, “I pledge Allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation, indivisible with Liberty and Justice for all” .  "Under God" was added in 1954, two years after we graduated.

To this day, I can’t watch our Flag in a parade, hear a patriotic song or recite the “Pledge of Allegiance” without getting teary eyed. Can’t help it….this is my country.
Next time you are watching a sports program TV or are at an event where the National Anthem is sung or watching a parade when the American flag is raised or is carried ...look around you. Those people with their right hands over their hearts were taught that many years ago in school......and haven't forgotten.

Note:  United States Code, 36 U.S.C. § 301, states that during a rendition of the national anthem, when the flag is displayed, all present except those in uniform should stand at attention facing the flag with the right hand over the heart; Members of the Armed Forces and veterans who are present and not in uniform may render the military salute; men not in uniform should remove their headdress with their right hand and hold the headdress at the left shoulder, the hand being over the heart; and individuals in uniform should give the military salute at the first note of the anthem and maintain that position until the last note; and when the flag is not displayed, all present should face toward the music and act in the same manner they would if the flag were displayed.


However, this statutory suggestion does not have any penalty associated with violations. This behavioral requirement for the national anthem is subject to the same First Amendment controversies that surround the Pledge of Allegiance.


Miss Reilly, our Principal (“always remember that the Principal is your “Pal”….well sometimes anyway), would call a school assembly every Friday afternoon and each class from kindergarten to 8th grade would sing. We learned all the verses to “The Star Spangled Banner”, “America the Beautiful”, “America"  (My Country Tis of Thee), and every patriotic song she could think of.  We sang the songs of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, Marines and probably some I can't remember....and we sang with gusto! 

My brother Bobby, was in the Navy and at every Friday assembly, Miss Reilly would ask us to think about those who are fighting for our freedom. I don’t remember if she asked us to say a prayer for them, but at that time, she probably could have.  I know my nighttime prayer always ended with “Please God, bring my brother Bobby home safe”

This is my kindergarten class…we must have been warned not to smile....I'm not in it. I don't remember why not..

Several of the kids left Rosewater after kindergarten.….the neighborhood Catholic school, St. Rose, didn’t have kindergarten so the Catholic kids started kindergarten at Rosewater and then transferred to St. Rose Catholic School which was just down 13th Street from Rosewater.

I believe this is the 2nd and 3rd grade combined class ...me, second row, 2nd from the right.


Finally, our graduating class of 1952.

In 2012, we had a small class reunion of the Edward Rosewater graduating class of 1952.  Not all were able to attend, but those who did, had a great time seeing friends and classmates that they HAD NOT seen since 1952.  

Model Trains and Model Railroading....not just a hobby

Why is model railroading a great hobby for kids?

FAMILY/ INDEPENDENCE – a kid hears “NO” a lot.  A model railroad puts kids in charge of powerful locomotives.  Trains run when the kids want them to and the track, scenery and buildings are ones that they helped to choose. Model railroading bonds parents, grandparents and children.  The whole family will enjoy building and running the railroad thus building lasting memories.  

DECISION-MAKING/ ACCOMPLISHMENT – – many kids lack opportunities for accomplishment.  Not every child is a basketball, football or any other sports star. Model railroading gives them a chance to build something unique that impresses everyone who sees it.  A model railroad is a solid real-world achievement. Choices on the model railroad will bring immediate results.  Wrong choices cause derailments and problems.  Right choices make the trains run smoother or make the layout look more realistic. 

IMAGINATION/CREATIVITY – before one actually builds a railroad, one dreams about it.  A layout helps a kid to build a world that matches their dreams and wishes.  Learning how to make dreams real, one step at a time. 

PERSISTENCE/COORDINATION – running a model train is a hands-on activity.  It improves eye-hand coordination and building structures, scenery and operating accessories teaches small hands to be accurate.  Kids see the power of steady working.  A little effort applied at regular intervals creates noticeable and exciting progress. 

SHARING/COOPERATION – by operating the trains with family members or other kids,  a child learns how to cooperate and share.  They learn the value of teamwork. 

PHYSICAL SCIENCE/ELECTRONICS – when operating heavy trains at a fast speed, one gets a hands-on education on how things move.  Inertia, momentum and friction play their part in keeping an engine and cars on the track.  Kids get a solid grounding in how electricity works to move a train around a track.  Run the train too fast on a sharp curve and the train derails.  They learn how electricity affects them in their daily life. 

TRANSPORTATION/ECONOMICS – by running a realistic freight operation a child learns how our economy works.  Raw materials must be transported to factories, the finished goods must be carried to market.  A model railroad teaches economics by actually doing it. 

TECHNOLOGY/ARCHITECTURE – steam locomotives were once considered high tech.  By becoming aware of the changing face of America through the operations and equipment of different eras, kids learn how one high tech’s advantages replaces another. In  building houses and factories, a child learns about structures and usage . 

SAFETY- real trains are tremendously powerful and heavy.  A child who knows nothing about trains and railroad tracks has no idea how dangerous they can be.  Model railroading teaches respect for trains, train tracks, the potential danger and an understanding of the signals that warn of approaching trains.

To My Children

To Lisa, Christine, Jeff and Nancy

I've made mistakes being a Mom, more than I'd like to admit. I am not perfect at all. But I'll always be there for you, to hear you, to cheer for you, to laugh or cry with you, to protect you with my life and tell you things you don't want to hear.  

I will love you even at those times when you don't love me. No matter how old you get, no one will ever love you more than I do, because I am and always will be your Mom.

Photo taken in 1975

Grandpa's Hands

    

  
Bernice and Kenneth Boicourt were my husband's parents, Madeline and Leo Dobrovolny were my parents, MarieCaklova Dobrovolny was my Dad's mother, my grandmother and Julia Ann Miller was my mom's mother, my grandmother.
      

Sometimes, a poem or story causes me to remember and miss my parents and grandparents who have passed away. Tears begin to fall as I think of the love that filled their homes. And I cry because my own children and grandchildren never had the chance to love and be loved by them.

GRANDPA'S HANDS
By Melinda Clements
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Grandpa, some ninety plus years, sat feebly on the patio bench. He didn't move, just sat with his head down staring at his hands.

When I sat down beside him he didn't acknowledge my presence and the longer I sat the more I wondered if he was OK. not wanting to disturb him but wanting to check on him at the same time, I asked him if he was OK.

He raised his head and looked at me and smiled. "Yes, I'm fine, thank you for asking," he said in a clear strong voice.

"I didn't mean to disturb you, grandpa, but you were just sitting here staring at your hands and I wanted to make sure you were OK" I explained to him.

"Have you ever looked at your hands" he asked. I mean really looked at your hands?"

I slowly opened my hands and stared down at them. I turned them over, palms up and then palms down. No, I guess I had never really looked at my hands as I tried to figure out the point he was making.

Grandpa smiled and related this story:

"Stop and think for a moment about the hands you have, how they have served you well throughout your years. These hands, though wrinkled, shriveled and weak have been the tools I have used all my life to reach out and grab and embrace life. "

"They braced and caught my fall when as a toddler and I crashed upon the floor. They put food in my mouth and clothes on my back. As a child my mother taught me to fold them in prayer. They tied my shoes and pulled on my boots."

"They dried the tears of my children and caressed the love of my life. They held my rifle and wiped my tears when I went off to war.They have been dirty, scraped and raw, swollen and bent. "

"They were uneasy and clumsy when I tried to hold my newborn son."

"Decorated with my wedding band they showed the world that I was married and loved someone special. They wrote the letters home and trembled and shook when I buried my parents and spouse and walked my daughter down the aisle."

"Yet, they were strong and sure when I dug my buddy out of a foxhole and lifted a plow off of my best friend's foot."

"They have held children, consoled neighbors, and shook in fists of anger when I didn't understand."

"They have covered my face, combed my hair, and washed and cleansed the rest of my body. They have been sticky and wet, bent and broken, dried and raw. And to this day when not much of anything else of me works real well these hands hold me up, lay me down, and again continue to fold in prayer."

"These hands are the mark of where I've been and the ruggedness of my life. But more importantly it will be these hands that God will reach out and take when he leads me home. And with my hands He will lift me to His side and there I will use these hands to touch the face of Christ."

I will never look at my hands the same again.

But I remember God reached out and took my grandpa's hands and led him home.
When my hands are hurt or sore or when I stroke the face of my children and wife I think of grandpa. I know he has been stroked and caressed and held by the hands of God.

I, too, want to touch the face of God and feel his hands upon my face.

Disorder in the American Courts

These are from a book called Disorder in the American Courts and are things people actually said in court, word for word, taken down and published by court reporters that had the torment of staying calm while the exchanges were taking place.

ATTORNEY: What was the first thing your husband said to you that morning?
WITNESS:   He said, 'Where am I, Cathy ?'
ATTORNEY: And why did that upset you?
WITNESS:   My name is Susan !
 _________________________________________________________________
ATTORNEY: Now doctor, isn't it true that when a person dies in his sleep,
he doesn't know about it until the next morning?
WITNESS:   Did you actually pass the bar exam?
____________________________________

ATTORNEY: The youngest son, the 20-year-old, how old is he?
WITNESS:   He's 20, much like your IQ.
___________________________________________

ATTORNEY: She had three children , right?
WITNESS:   Yes.
ATTORNEY: How many were boys?
WITNESS:   None.
ATTORNEY: Were there any girls?
WITNESS:   Your Honor, I think I need a different attorney. Can I get a  new attorney?
____________________________________________
ATTORNEY: How was your first marriage terminated?
WITNESS:   By death..
ATTORNEY: And by whose death was it terminated?
WITNESS:   Take a guess.
___________________________________________
ATTORNEY: Can you describe the individual?
WITNESS:   He was about medium height and had a beard
ATTORNEY: Was this a male or a female?
WITNESS:   Unless the Circus was in town I'm going with male.
______________________________________
ATTORNEY: Doctor , how many of your autopsies have you performed on dead people?
WITNESS:   All of them. The live ones put up too much of a fight.
_________________________________________
ATTORNEY: ALL your responses MUST be oral, OK? What school did you go to?
WITNESS:   Oral...
_________________________________________
ATTORNEY:  Do you recall the time that you examined the body?
WITNESS:   The autopsy started around 8:30 PM
ATTORNEY: And Mr. Denton was dead at the time?
WITNESS:   If not, he was by the time I finished.
______________________________________
ATTORNEY: Doctor, before you performed the autopsy, did you check for a pulse?
WITNESS:   No.
ATTORNEY: Did you check for blood pressure?
WITNESS:   No.
ATTORNEY: Did you check for breathing?
WITNESS:   No..
ATTORNEY: So, then it is possible that the patient was alive when you began the autopsy?
WITNESS:   No.
ATTORNEY: How can you be so sure, Doctor?
WITNESS:   Because his brain was sitting on my desk in a jar.
ATTORNEY: I see, but could the patient have still been alive, nevertheless?
WITNESS:   Yes, it is possible that he could have been alive and practicing law

Favorite Bumper Sticker

  Thanks to those who fought for us in the past and those who are fighting for us now, ENGLISH is still OUR language!

Gullible Ole Me

OK, usually I am fairly intelligent and guard my credit card numbers with care. But, I fell for this ad on the internet.

You’ve seen it lots of times both on the internet and on TV.  A before and after photo of someone, often from your own area, (really doubt that) who has lost 25 or more pounds by taking a special berry … usually in any form. The berry diet is probably a great help in losing weight (although I haven’t as of yet) and has many genuine, honest sellers. This did not happen to be one.

The scam is the “try it free” offer.

I clicked on “try it free”, gave my credit card number for postage and handling and off it went. Unfortunately I did not read ALL the fine print on the site…be careful...if it mentions their monthly recurring billing….GET OUT… I should have clicked, clicked, clicked all the links until I found it.

I got my first bottle in about two weeks.  A few weeks later, I received another bottle (I honestly thought the company had made a mistake and sent me two bottles instead of one)  When  my credit card statement arrive I was in shock!  WOW! I had a charge of $79.95 plus four Foreign Transaction Fees! Several weeks after that, I received a bottle of colon cleanser.... I didn't order any colon cleaner????? 

I called my credit card company wanting to know what was going on!

The Bank of America representative was very helpful, telling me that this scam happens often, you have to carefully read those Free Offers. The berry scams and many others offer a free trial of their product, but they ask for your credit card number for postage and handling. Stupid me, I typed it right in.

Somewhere in the fine print, they tell you that if you cancel within 14 days the free trial item is yours. If you do not cancel within 14 days,you will automatically receive a new bottle each month.  But, you receive the first bottle shortly AFTER the 14 days have passed, and whoops, you are now in their system and your credit card is billed, in my case it was $79.95 plus four Foreign Transaction Fees.

I called my credit card company, Bank of America, immediately and said...."what is this?"  The representative said to call the number shown on the credit charge and tell the person who answered that I wanted everything cancelled and to ask for the agent’s name, ID number and a confirmation of cancellation number. He said that often there are other companies attached to these “free offers” and more things may arrive. However, I would not be responsible for any charges made after the date I cancelled the account (which I didn't know that I had)

I called the phone number listed on the statement and had no problem canceling my “account” and as the BOA representative suggested, asked for the agent’s name, ID number and a confirmation of cancellation number. Obviously from her voice and pronunciation, I could tell this person was not from the U.S. - I asked where she was located and was told that she was "in Florida" but would not say anything else.


Just to be safe, I cancelled that BOA account and was given a new account number.

Now I sit and wait for my next statement….and mentally call myself many unkind names for falling for the scam in the first place.

Songs and Memories

You're listening to the radio when suddenly "that" song comes on. You know the one ....it was "your" song when you were dating that special person. You stop what you're doing and the memories come flooding back.

I am back in high school, walking down the halls of South High School in Omaha, Nebraska. I remember the joy of seeing my special guy and holding hands as we talked on the way to our next class. Somehow I knew that he was the "one". We dated throughout high school and spent many evenings in his car, parked in "lover's lane" (with about a dozen other cars) and listening to Johnny Mathis, Pat Boone and other crooners of our era.

We've been married for 54 years and that song can still bring tears to my eyes.

My special song is The Twelfth of Never  by Johnny Mathis.

The Twelfth of Never

You ask how much I need you
Must I explain
I need you oh my darling
Like roses need rain

You ask how long I'll love you
I'll tell you true
Until the twelfth of never
I'll still be loving you

Hold me close
Never let me go
Hold me close
Melt my heart like April snow

I'll love you 'till the blue bells forget to bloom
I'll love you 'till the clover has lost its perfume
I'll love you 'till the poets run out of rhyme

Until the twelfth of never
And that's a long long time
Until the twelfth of never
And that's a long long time

(I'm crying ... this song always does it)

What was yours?

Oh yeah, we're Seniors....and proud of it!

My Thought of the Day

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Its FREE and all you do is watch the dollars flow into your Paypal account...(oh yeah, you do have to have a Paypal account)

22 ADULT TRUTHS...admit it...you've done that!

1 Sometimes I'll look down at my watch 3 consecutive times and still not know what time it is.         2. Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you realize you're wrong.         3. I totally take back all those times I didn't want to nap when I was younger.         4. There is great need for a sarcasm font.         5. How the heck are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet?         6. Was learning cursive really necessary?         7. Map Quest really needs to start their directions on # 5. I'm pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.         8. Obituaries would be a lot more interesting if they told you how the person died.         9. I can't remember the last time I wasn't at least kind-of tired.         10. Bad decisions make good stories.         11. You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you know that you just aren't going to do anything productive for the rest of the day.         12. Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes after Blue Ray? I don't want to have to restart my collection...again.         13. I'm always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asks me if I want to save any changes to my ten-page technical report that I swear I did not make any changes to.         14. I keep some people's phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to answer when they call.         15. I think the freezer deserves a light as well.         16. I disagree with Kay Jewelers. I would bet on any given Friday or Saturday night more kisses begin with Miller Light than with Kay.         17. I wish Google Maps had an "Avoid Ghetto" routing option.         18. I have a hard time deciphering the fine line between boredom and hunger.         19. How many times is it appropriate to say "What?" before you just nod and smile because you still didn't hear or understand a word they said?         20. I love the sense of camaraderie when an entire line of cars team up to prevent a jerk from cutting in at the front. Stay strong, brothers and sisters!         21. Shirts get dirty. Underwear gets dirty. Pants? Pants never get dirty, and you can wear them forever.         22. Even under ideal conditions people have trouble locating their car keys in a pocket, finding their cell phone, and Pinning the Tail on the Donkey - but I'd bet everyone can find and push the snooze button from 3 feet away, in about 1.7 seconds, eyes closed, first time, every time.

The Grey-Haired Brigade

They like to refer to us as senior citizens, old fogies, geezers, and in some cases dinosaurs. Some of us are "Baby Boomers"getting ready to retire. Others have been retired for some time. We walk a little slower these days and our eyes and hearing are not what they once were.       
 

We have worked hard, raised our children, worshipped our God and grown old together. Yes, we are the ones some refer to as being over the hill, and that is probably true. But before writing us off completely, there are a few things that need to be taken into consideration.     

In school we studied English, history, math, and science which enabled us to lead America into the technological age. Most of us remember what outhouses were, many of us with firsthand experience. We remember the days of telephone party-lines, 25 cent gasoline, and milk and ice being delivered to our homes. For those of you who don't know what an icebox is, today they are electric and referred to as refrigerators. A few even remember when cars were started with a crank. Yes, we lived those days.     

We are probably considered old fashioned and out-dated by many. But there are a few things you need to remember before completely writing us off. We won World War II, fought in Korea and Viet Nam . We can quote The Pledge of Allegiance, and know where to place our hand while doing so. We wore the uniform of our country with pride and lost many friends on the battlefield. We didn't fight for the Socialist States of America , we fought for the "Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave." We wore different uniforms but carried the same flag.    
 

We know the words to the Star Spangled Banner, America and America the Beautiful by heart, and you may even see some tears running down our cheeks as we sing. We have lived what many of you have only read about in history books and we feel no obligation to apologize to anyone for America.     

Yes, we are old and slow these days but rest assured, we have at least one good fight left in us. We have loved this country, fought for it, and died for it, and now we are  going to save it. It is our country and nobody is going to take it away from us. We took oaths to defend America against all enemies, foreign and domestic, and that is an oath we plan to keep. There are those who want to destroy this land we love but, like our founders, there is no way we are going to remain silent.  
   

It was the young people of this nation who elected Obama and the Democratic Congress. You fell for the "Hope and Change" which in reality was nothing but "Hype and Lies." You have tasted socialism and seen evil face to face, and have found you don't like it after all. You make a lot of noise, but most are all too interested in their careers or "Climbing the Social Ladder" to be involved in such mundane things as patriotism and voting.        
 

Many of those who fell for the "Great Lie" in 2008 are now having buyer's remorse. With all the education we gave you, you didn't have sense enough to see through the lies and instead drank the 'Cool-Aid.' Now you're paying the price and complaining about it. No jobs, lost mortgages,higher taxes, and less freedom. This is what you voted for and this is what you got. We entrusted you with the  Torch of Liberty and you traded it for a paycheck and a fancy house.     

Well, don't worry youngsters, the Grey Haired Brigade is here, and in 2012 we are going to take back our nation. We may drive a little slower than you would like but we get where we're going, and in 2012 we're going to the polls by the millions. This land does not belong to the man in the White House nor to the likes of Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid. It belongs to "We the People" and "We the People" plan to reclaim our land and our freedom.

 We hope this time you will do a better job of preserving it and passing it along to our grandchildren. So the next time you have the chance to say the Pledge of Allegiance, Stand up, put your hand over your heart, honor our country, and thank God for the old geezers of the "Grey-Haired Brigade."

     

      ~Author, Anonymous, a Grey-Haired Brigade Member

     

A Very Determined Squirrel

We have an abundance of squirrels in our neighborhood since we have two large oak trees in our yard providing acorns plus neighbors on both sides of us with bird and SQUIRREL feeders.

We feed birds and enjoy watching their antics.  The yellow and black finches are our favorites and we sit on our deck and watch them on the cylinder bird feeder.  We also have a suet feeder, a hummingbird feeder and our newest purchase a decorative feeder that attracts smaller birds.  What falls onto the ground is dinner for the mourning doves, cardinals and robins, plus an assortment of little brown birds that seem to come and go in flocks.  So far the fat little hummingbird feeder hasn’t had any visitors.

But we have a problem with the MANY squirrels climbing onto the previous feeders and basically chewing them to pieces.  This new metal feeder seemed to be squirrel-proof.  It hangs on a 5’ long metal rod attached to the tree limb by a chain and is 6’ from the ground.

This morning I looked out of the kitchen window and saw…..a SQUIRREL hanging on our new feeder upside down, enjoying the corn, saffron and sunflower seeds. I don’t know how he/she managed to get onto the feeder….my thought is that it was investigating the new feeder,  tried to hold onto the metal rod and accidentally slid down to the feeder.   If animals can think to themselves, this squirrel’s first thought was probably  “whoops”.

After taking some photos, I went to find Ken to show him our visitor.  But by the time he came into the kitchen the squirrel was gone.  I am really disappointed that I didn’t see how he got off the feeder…couldn’t climb up the skinny little rod, was too far from the tree trunk to leap, so the only alternative was to drop onto the ground.   

For once I don’t begrudge a squirrel stealing food from the bird feeder….it provided me with a nice morning's entertainment.

Mom Raised Me Right...Thanks Mom!

I was RAISED - I didn't just grow up.

I was taught to speak when I enter a room, say please & thank you, to have respect for my elders, lend a helping hand to those in need, hold the door for the person behind me, say excuse me when it's needed, and to love people for who they are, not for what you can get from them! 

I was also taught to treat people the way I want to be treated! 

If you were raised this way too, re-post this. Sadly, many won't, because they weren't, and it shows~

(This is a family photo our daughter Christine and her family.  Husband David and sons Mason, Connor and Hayden)

Win Prizes at a Carnival or Fair

You CAN win at a Carnival Game

Try these hints at your next visit to the State Fair or carnival.....up your chances against the carnival's odds!  You are aware that many of them are "fixed" in favor of the carnival...right?  They are there to bring in money....not to send you home happily carrying a stuffed animal or plastic bag with a live goldfish in it.

Balloon Dart Throw

The balloons are under-inflated, and the dart tips are dull. Don’t hurl the darts straight for the balloons, loft them in an arc for a better chance. Most people aim for the middle, so the game operators will often hide the "good prize" tags behind balloons on the outside edges.

Milk Bottle Throw

The bottles used in this carnival game are often made with leaded glasses making them very heavy. The secret to winning the milk bottle throw is to aim at the base of the bottom two containers rather then at the intersection of all three bottles.

BasketBall Free-Throw

The basketball is over-inflated, the hoop is smaller than regulation size and often an oval shape rather than circular. The backboard is made of plywood and is very bouncy.   Do not try to rebound the shot. Use a high arc underhanded granny shot.  Ever wonder why so many kids end up with a prize?  Underhanded granny toss.

Milk Can Toss 
Aim for the back of the rim and toss the ball underhanded by gripping the ball on top. Give the ball some backspin as you release it give a little flick of the wrist so the ball starts spinning backwards in the air.  The ball will hit the back rim and the backspin will dump it into the milk can.

Test of Strength…the King of Carnival games
The object is to hit a pad with a mallet and ring a bell.  To “win” aim for the center of the pad. Remember, the center of the pad is the sweet spot. Make sure the face of the mallet hits the pad squarely. Swing the mallet like you were splitting wood.  Have your strongest hand towards the head of the mallet and your weaker hand as close to the handle edge as possible.  Bring the mallet up and over your head and as you swing down your strong hand will slide down towards the end of the handle.  This gives you more control and balance.

Water Guns / Balloon Races 
First clue:  Some guns have better water flow then others, some targets are more sensitive then others, and some compressors have better airflow then others.  The only way to know for sure is to observe a lot of games and see which ones win more often.  

Second clue:  Make friends with  the carnival worker, he can almost assuredly tell you which stations were most likely to take home the prize.

Hummingbird Moth

Our red Bee Balm flowers have gone wild...now I read that we should cut them in half so that they stay a nice size.  Well, too late for that, they are 4 to 5 feet tall and are the very favorite flower of a whole bunch of big yellow and black bumblebees. I don't know if bumblebees collect necter from them and create honey like the little honey bees do. I would suppose so, but I'll have to check my favorite "go to" place, the internet.

Yesterday I watched several hummingbird moths sampling the Bee Balm flowers.  At first I thought they were  baby hummingbirds.....although I have never seen hummingbirds in our area.  They hovered over the flowers just like hummingbirds, thus, I suppose, the name, Hummingbird moth or hawkmoth. They are about the size of my thumb and their little wings beat frantically.   I looked them up on the internet and found that there are several species....since this little guy never was still and I didn't have a camera (photo here was from the internet) I don't know what species they were.  I had never seen one before, and between watching the bumble bees and the moth, I spend a good half hour in the garden.

Later I found that they emerge from eggs laid by green caterpillers, probably on the honeysuckle vine which was planted last year.  New vine, new visitors to the garden.