To 2008 - A Much Better Year

Has it ever occurred to you that human beings are the only creatures that allow their children to come back home. A fact I truly appreciate as I sit in my father's house looking for a job. Lots of people tool around the park in golf carts. A woman a street over had her golf cart stolen two nights ago and I feel so bad for her. She and her small dog rode around all over here, even over to the strip mall a half mile or so to the grocery store. Now what? She can't walk it. And last night, Dads 3 wheel bike was stolen. His bike was old, desparately needed painting and not worth much, so why steal it? A crime spree has hit LaPlaza Park.

Weather has been great the last couple of weeks. Although a few days it was mid eighties. A little to warm for me, so I went to the pool. (I know it is a dirty job, but somebody has to do it) And Wednesday, the high is projected to be 49 degrees!!!!!! What a change. I will look forward to that. I miss winter. (Yes, I said I missed winter). I don't miss the ice and Indiana has had a fair share of that this year. But I do miss the cold and the snow.

There is a park right down the road that is absolutely filled to capacity each weekend with family fun. One family brings their Potbelly Pigs with them. They are on a lead and everything although they drop it and let the pigs wonder around. Dogs jump back thinking they are the weirdest looking dogs they have ever seen, I'm sure. Oddly enough, I have never seen a dog bark at them. Especially herding dogs, I would think nature would tell them to round up the stock. We use to have a little sable Sheltie that would try to herd the kids playing basketball in the park behind our house. The boys would come to the door and say, "Rocky is trying to herd us again, will you put him inside?" That was back in the day when my children were little. I am proud of all my kids. They have grown to be responsible adults and very good parents.

Hollywood Squares wisdom: When aked, "According to Ann Landers, is there anything wrong with getting into the habit of kissing a lot of people? Charley Weaver responded: "It got me out of the army."

Have a safe and Happy New Year!!!!! Hopefully, 2008 will be a good one.

An Attitude of Gratitude

Well, it is official. An 8' alligator was seen going back into the lake that sits behind the pool here where I live. (People, keep your dogs in!!).

I have been reading a Blog of a man that is a recovering alcoholic and each day he posts the things he is gratful for. He has been 1490 days sober and 900 days without a cigarette. I do admire his strength of will. Hell, I can't even stay on a diet. And that is just my vice, reduced, not totally done away with. It makes one think of all the things we are greatful for. I am grateful for:

1. My children and every one of my precious grandchildren.
2. My friends.
3. Puppies with their unconditional love.
4. TV remote controls!!!!
5. Living in a country where I have free will.
6. Personal Hygiene!!! Back in the stagecoach days, I am amazed they didn't have zero population growth. Can you imagine the upleasant smell. People took baths only once or twice a year and summer is summer. That is why brides carry flowers, to help mask the smell.
7. Audiobooks. I use to be on the road anywhere from 2 hours to 6 hours a day. I got hooked on Books on Tape (Or CD's now) and I still am. Love, Love, Love!!!!
8. Rain storms.
9. Spellcheck!!!!
10. Cool breezes. (There is only 3 things wrong with Florida. June, July and August)
11. Fresh red grapefruit. There are trees all over this place and neighbors are always saying, "Help yourself, we won't eat any. And I do)
12. Airconditiong, home and car!!!!!!
13. Laughing so hard your face hurts.
14. CHOCOLATE!!!!!!! Remember, a balanced diet is chocolate in both hands.

Hollywood Squares Wisdom: When asked "When a couple have a baby, who is responsible for it's sex?" Charely Weaver responded, "I'll lend him the car, but the rest is up to him."

Palm Trees With Christmas Tree Lights???????

Now all we need is an alligator with a Santa Claus beard and red hat to make everything truly bizzare. We actually had rain last night and we needed it desparately. There weren't any tropical storms this year and not much last years. Water levels are very low. What kind of place rejoices when tropical storms come thru? The thought terrifies me. They had tornado warnings last night in Pasco county which is the next county over. (Am I back in Indiana?) Sunny and breezy today, but the breezy part is nearly pulling the lights off the roof.

The writers strike is taking a toll. They were showing the picket line and Robin Williams was marching with the writers and he held a blank sign. He said with his writers on strike, he didn't know what to say. I laughed so hard I nearly wet myself.

Back in the days of the Mayflower:

1. Bread was divided according to status. Workers got the burnt bottom of the loaf, the family got the middle and guests got the top, or "the upper crust".
2. Baths consisted of a big tub filled with hot water. The man of the house had the privilege of the nice clean water, then all the sons and men, then the women and finally the children. Last of all the babies. By then, the water was so dirty you could actually lose someone in it. Hence the saying, "Don't throw the baby out with the bath water."
3. Those with money had plates made of pewter. Food with high acid content caused some of the lead to leach into the food, causing lead poisoning deaths. This happened most often with tomatoes. So for the next 400 years or so, tomatoes were considered poisonous.
4. Lead cups were used to drink ale or whisky. The combination would sometimes knock the imbibers out for a couple of days. Someone coming down the road would find them, take them for dead and prepare them for burial. They were laid out on the kitchen table for a couple of days and the family would gather around. They would eat, drink and wait to see if they would wake up. Hence the custom of "holding a wake".

Observations

The Tampa Bay area is filled with hundreds of fresh water lakes. So many businesses have small lakes on their grounds. Earlier this year I worked a temporary job at Bank Of America and they had three lakes within the complex. The view was breathtaking. It was so hot in July, I told one of the girls I worked with that we should go down to the lake and dangle our feet in the water. It would be cooling. She looked at me like I had turned green and spoke in tongues. Marilyn, she said, this is Florida. If there is a body of water, any body of water, you ASSUME there are alligators in it because there is probably at least one. One who might think the dangling toes are a treat especially for him. She smiled when I looked out across the lake. Honey, she said, when you see them, it is already too late. You will never out run one. (Yeah, I thought, especially if you are missing your dangling toes!) Then when I got home that evening, I went to the pool. Behind the pool is a small lake. And low and behold, there was a "beware of the alligator" sign and I had never noticed. I have since seen several signs stating "Don't give food to the alligators" I think it should read, "Don't BE food to the alligators".

I had a job interview yesterday and as I was leaving, I was intent looking in my purse for my sunglasses. (Yes, surprise, surprise, sunshine and breezy) and I miss stepped. I felt my ankle pop as I hit the pavement and I was so glad "grace and dignity" were not prerequisite to employment. I left them, along with about two layers of skin from my knee on the concrete. And I ripped my pants. By God, I had better get that job. Did you ever wish the ground would just open up and swallow you whole. I'm sure that would have been a kodak moment.

Hollywood Squares wisdom: When asked, "You've been having trouble going to sleep. Are you probably a man or a woman? Don Knotts replied "That's what's been keeping me awake!!!!"

Car Repairs YULK!!!!!!

Well, my car left me stranded at the local Rally store after I stupidly turned off the engine to go in and get a fountain coke. When, upon my return, it would do nothing. It gave no sound at all. Oh, oh. I've been there before and it wasn't good. So I called for a tow. It did start before the truck got there, so I canceled the tow and drove "directly to the dealership, passed go and did NOT collect $200". (For you Monopoly fans)



At the dealership, my worse fears were realized. NEW STARTER!! Thank God for extended warrenties. The total bill was $365 (for a starter mind you) but my portion was only $107. And one is between the rock and the hard place with needing a starter because you ain't going far without one.



It is, surprise, surprise, sunny and breezy today. High of 75 degrees. Got the doors and windows open. But by evening, it is hotter in the house that it ever was outside. That is when you utilize the screened porch.



I ran across this in my old emails the other day and being a child of the 1960's, I laughed.



Signs You Have Grown Up



1. Your houseplants are alive, and you can't smoke any of them.

2. Having sex in a twin bed is out of the question. (And laughable)

3. You keep more food than beer in the fridge.

4. 6 am is when you get up, not when you go to bed.

5. You watch the Weather Channel. (God, I am old)

6. Jeans and a sweater no longer qualify as "dressed up"

7. You're the one calling the police because those %&@# kids next door wont't turn music down

8. You don't know what time Taco Bell closes anymore.

9. Sleeping on the couch makes your back hurt.

10. You take naps.

11. A $4.00 bottle of wine is no longer "pretty good shit".

12. You go to the drug store for ibuprofen and antacid, not condoms.

13. You feed your dog Science Diet instead of McDonald's leftovers.

14. You hear your favorite song in an elevator.

Holiday Resolutions

People are running all around, putting up holiday decor. Dad has been working on it all day. The neighborhood looks like a "winter wonderland" minus the winter part. Another weird thing.

Soon, we will all be planning the big weight loss stragety. And some of us will be more successful than others as we try to reduce our spare tires. (Although mine is more like the tire of an 18 wheeler). I have the tae bow tapes, bodyflex tapes, walk off the pounds tapes and a total gym. And the one thing I have come to, painfully understand is, just having them doesn't work. You actually have to USE them. That is far more effective. Bummer!!!!!!

I think Jay Leno speaks for me when he stated, "Today, there are more overweight people in America than average people. Therefore, overweight people are now average. Which means you've already met your New Year's resolution." Does this mean I can ditch the sugar free cookies???????????

It's Saturday!!!!!!!!!!!

Another strange thing about Florida is the weather. When I was in Indiana, on Thursday, you rush to the Weather Channel to see what weather the up coming weekend is going to be. And in Florida, you already know. Monday, sun and breezy, Tuesday, sun and breezy, Wednesday, sun and breezy, etc, etc, etc. Now is that boring or heaven? Just know Saturday and Sunday are replicas of the rest of the week.

Thanksgiving was a quiet affair here. And I missed the noise and commotion of lots of family around. Being of sound mind, I did not venture out to the stores on Black Friday. At noon in Tampa, the TV was showing the malls and there were lots of parking places and no waiting in lines. Perhaps it was not as successful as hoped. I think at noon, everyone was home taking a nap as alot of the stores opened at 4am. One store here opened at midnight.

Maya Angelou once said, "I've learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage and tangled Christmas tree lights" I know we will all be facing that in the next few days. Unless you all did what I did a few years back and bought a tree with lights already on it. That, by golly, it the better mouse trap!!!!!!

As you probably noticed, I love quotes. And frequently use them. Hollywood Square Wisdom: When Charley Weaver was asked "If you are going to make a parachute jump, at least how high shoud you be?" He responed, "Three days of steady drinking should do it"

Yikes!!! 34 Days Till Christmas

My mind must be in some parallel universe because I see people (not dead) Christmas shopping in shorts! Weird. This is going to take some getting use to. The weather is more like 4th of July, not Christmas. Although I don't have to let my car warm up before I go somewhere and I don't have to worry about a scraper in the car.

Another strange thing about this Christmas holiday will be no children, no grandchildren and no leftovers for a week. Dad and I are going to have a small turkey roll for Thanksgiving, sweet potatoes and a vegstable. Plus pumpkin pie, of course. Then perhaps pepto bismol, depending on just how much we eat. I snicker at the people who eat enough food at Thanksgiving to support the population of a third world country, then say they are going to walk off the dinner. Honey, they'd have to walk to Canada. Twice!

In the world order of pet preferences, there are marked differences. If a dog jumps in your lap, it is because he is fond of you. If a cat does the same thing, it is because your lap is warmer.
Some people say cats are smarter than dogs. I tend to think that may be true, because you certainly can't get eight cats to pull a sled thru the snow. My preference has always been dogs.
Unconditional love on the end of a wagging tail.

Everyone have a safe holiday, and one of the many things I am thankful for, is each and every one of you. Hopefully soon, I can be thankful for gainful employment.

Happy Thanksgiving Eve Eve

We went to Mugs N Jugs last night, and for those of you who don't know, it is a little Karaoke Bar and Grill. So many people were there. That place is a gold mine. There is a 14 year old girl named Vanessa Quillao and she has been singing there since she was 7. (Remember the name, she is going to be BIG!!!!!!) A local record producer has noticed her and is working with her. She had a free concert last week at Mugs N Jugs and the group that sung back up for her just signed a million dollar contract with this same producer. (Act 3 watch for them) She was great. The next Hannah Montana! It is all very exciting. She is a cutie patutie.

Weather has been warm. May go up to the pool today as it is going to be mid 80's.

Have you ever thought about the fact when a baby comes into this world crying, every one else in the room is laughing? Perhaps we should live our lives like that. Laughing while the rest of the world crys. Not laughing at, laughing inspite of. Just a thought.

Hollywood Squares wisdom: When asked "Do female frogs croak? Paul Lynde answered "If you
hold their little heads under water long enough"

So My Learning Curve May be Really Big

The learning curve rears its ugly head. I already have duplicate entries. Good thing I'm not an "old dog" and I can still learn a new trick.

Weather is going to be mid 70's today (I know, its a dirty job but somebody has to do it). Hopefully I can be a member of the gainfully employed soon. I have an interview tomorrow. Seems to be alot of jobs here, but the pay can be a real issue.

Hope to post some pics soon. Just have to figure out how. (There lies the rub)

As I get closer to 60, I can begin to idenify with this article. "Perks for being 60"
1. In a hostage situation, you are likely to released first.

2. No one expects you to run - anywhere!

3. There isn't much left for you to learn the hard way.

4. Things you buy now won't wear out.

5. You can live without sex but not your glasses!!!!!!!!!!

6. You get into heated arguments about pension plans.

7. You quit trying to hold your stomach in, no matter who walks into the room.

8. Your secrets are safe with your friends because they can't remember them either.

9. Your back goes out more than you do!!!!!

Just something for you all to look forward too.

Now I am High Tech!!!!!!!!!

Well this is my first endevor in the blogging world. I think I can post things my family, way up yonder in Indiana, can read and keep up with the hustle, bustle life of their mother. (Okay, hustle, bustle may be a bit optimistic, but you get the idea).



Things about me: I am a person with a zaney sense of humor and a healthy zest for life. I prefer a quiet dinner at home with friends or family to a glitz filled social gathering. I like conversation and intelligence. I am spirtual without being religious. I appreciate affection and tend to mother the people in my life.