Family Matters or Headline News

It was time to get a family update which is always interesting especially right now. Court dates were involved, emotions ran high and as is  typical with this family, certain members respond immediately on an emotional level and what better place to broadcast but on Facebook.

 

It still amazes me that Facebook is where one rushes to  vent  their rage and frustration. I've seen this done on blog sites too. Once in print it's impossible to retract.

 

Writing is a great way to vent but publishing it at large is an act of a fool.

 

Love struck men and women baring their hearts and souls; public mourning that drags on and on, these posters stumble along shameless in airing their most private matters.

 

An audience eagerly awaits their postings; these same people enjoying the pain, anguish and anger would never concede to doing this themselves though they are quick to offer their support. This encourages future postings and the foolish provide continued entertainment void of any embarrassment.

 

I've often wondered about the motives of the readers. Is it a matter of superiority? Reading the ramblings, disjointed  thoughts and rampant with bad grammar and multiple typos the reader feels no threat. The poster projects a persona which is childlike and nobody fears a child. Thankfully,  there is usually someone that cleans up after this messy child.

 

.....and we eagerly await the next chapter.

Copy and Paste, A New Lifestyle

I am writing this in a Word Document. Writing it directly to the Blogger site has become something of a pain lately. I’ll copy and paste this to the Blogger site upon completion. There are a few reasons why I have had to resort to doing this. Mainly it’s “SNAFU” thing. Blogger can’t keep up with the speed that I type and I’m forever waiting on it to catch up and yesterday I posted something only to come back later and find the corrections I had made on it were not there along with half of the post. Several paragraphs were missing and Blogger is supposed to automatically save as you move through it. Corrections are your own responsibility to hit the “Update” icon after proofing.

Most bloggers I know do their print on a Word Document and transfer it to Blogger. I’m of the lazy ilk and now I pay for being lazy. There was nothing earth shaking in the paragraphs that were missing from my posts; it is just aggravating. My proofreading still leaves too many typos but it is especially aggravating to note the ones I corrected were never updated on that page.

Typing in a Word format at least notifies you immediately of misspellings which can be corrected as you type.

Here’s to Word…and me remembering to use it in the future! Copy and paste time!

Changes

Ok, so yes, the weather man did predict wind and possible tornadoes yesterday afternoon. As the night deepened into a black shield, the wind rattled the chimney flue and the gutters occasionally beat a rhythm against the house when it was approaching from just the right direction. Occasionally I would peak out the door to make sure Dorothy wasn't streaking across the sky. The full moon was shrouded by clouds that moved quickly across it's face causing visibility only possible by the weak street lamp on the edge of the neighbor's lawn.

Finally  around 2200 hrs I gave up on my tornado watch and ate an Ambien. Twenty minutes later the roof could have sailed skyward and I would have been oblivious. 

0500 arrives and I glide down the hall  heading for the coffee pot. As my usual routine, while the coffee is dripping I empty the dishwasher of the clean dishes and store them in the cupboard, pour a cup of coffee and head to the nearest television to tune in to the news channels. 

Soon the time arrives to go to Carrie's house to collect her for school. Today is picture day so Carrie is dressed in a dress. The bodice is bright pink and black stripes that encircle her horizontally, the skirt short, solid black with layers and again horizontally attached. She doesn't look happy. She wants to wear a uniform skirt beneath this dress. Modest Carrie worries that during her day of school she might bend over and expose her underwear. Much unlike her mother that flashes the mailman (see yesterday's post) Carrie wants some pantie insurance. Her mother shows her how to crouch down without bending over. From the look on Carrie's face, she is not buying this as a guarantee.

The bus collected Carrie; she had tied her hooded sweater around her waist as if this would protect. I drove home, changed my hair color and scooped up a uniform skirt, a pair of black cotton shorts and a pair of black leggings. I called to the hubby, "I'm off to the school to take Carrie some cothes.

Carrie was called to the office. I offered one of the  three choices of clothing. Shorts, uniform skirt or a pair of leggings, she chose the leggings. She begged me to stay for lunch. It was only 0845 and lunch is not served until 1030hrs. A  1 1/2 hr. wait, I tried to explain that it was too long to wait. She pleaded and I caved. For the wait I spent it at a McDonald's across the street. A breakfast sandwich, a cup of coffee and my iPad kept me entertained until Carrie's lunch break.

My morning was shot. I had a few things I wanted to get done. I've decided to march my hair back in time so I stopped at CVS and picked up a box of Lady Clairol. Yep, I washed the grey right out of my hair.

The husband and the daughter never voiced an opinion when I decided to let it (my hair) grow out. 4 hair cuts later and I was Au naturell.  Days would come and go when I would question whether I was happy with the color. Eventually I came to realize if I had to question it, I didn't need to keep it.

After 15 minutes, the grey was gone. I questioned the husband "So? What do you think about the grey being gone?"

"Well", he said, "it depends on what you are going for."

"And", I questioned, "what does that mean?"

"Well, if you're going for 'old' you could have kept it grey." he said.

My hubby, the coward, never voiced his opinion during the year I had worked on getting it to nature's color. Smart man. The daughter felt the same way but didn't want to say anything either. My best friend since grade school did not have the same hesitation nor did Carrie. Both have been telling me in the nicest way they preferred a color..any color but grey.

Now I'm questioning my husband's usual response when I ask him "Does my butt look big in this?"

Do we really expect them to be truthful when asked that question? Doubtful.

I'm outta here to watch the Arias trial being televised. Another trial much like O.J's, Scott Petersen, and Casey Anthony's. Our justice system in action.

(Note: When I posted this yesterday, there were more paragraphs on it that I now find are missing!...and reconstructing them is almost impossible for me to do. Once written, it's gone to paper never to reappear in my brain again!)

damn you Blogger!

The Postman Beeps Twice

The mailman arrives daily but the time he arrives is never related to any schedule. I've noted him passing just after daybreak and other times well past dusk. To be sure you get it mailed on the day you place it in the mailbox you will have to do it the night before.

 

Our postman is very generous in his duties and if you have a package that is too big for your mailbox, he will walk to your door, ring the bell and leave your package on your doorstep thereby saving you a trip to the post office to pick it up. This only applies to patrons who don't have a big mean looking boxer dog hanging out in their yards. The daughter has one of these.

 

That same daughter lives in a cul de sac. Most of her neighbors are gone to jobs during the day so the cul de sac is quiet with very little traffic. I am usually the only one passing around it between 8AM and 5PM.

 

The daughter was lazing around today in an old  short T shirt, underwear and a sleepy look. Usually if I stop in to drop something off, no intention of making it a visit, I pull into her driveway and beep the horn a few times. I wait for her to get from her bedroom to the front door where she swings open the door and steps out on the deck in answer to my horn blast. 

 

Around noon today she was in her bedroom in that same old short T shirt, underwear and the sleepy look was accompanied with a book. She was studying and was adverse to being interrupted. Louie, the boxer,  was in the yard.  Faintly she heard the "beep, beep, beep, beep" of a car  horn and assumed it was me. Impatient with having to break her studying she marched to the door, swung it open and stepped out onto the deck with a scowl on her face. Midriff bare, book in one hand and bikini panties she assumed an aggravated stance. 

 

The postman standing in her driveway stood arm extended holding a package. Oh oops!  Standing in her T shirt and underwear and frowning face, she yelped and backed quickly back into the house to slip into something a bit more appropriate for a visit from the postman.

 

In the future I was instructed to ring her telephone to let her know I was in the driveway. I only wish I had been around to witness the look on her face and on the postman's face. Priceless!

 

 

 

Jockeying Around

We have some spring weather visiting this week. In preparation for her visit the remaining leaves that littered the front porch, walkway and carport have been lifted skyward and onto someone else's property with the mighty leaf blower.

 

Both the roadster and the truck acquired a new shine along with the sun's, chrome wheels sparkling and window glass water spot free. Yesterday was a beautiful day to just hang out.

 

Saturday we drove by the Jockey Lot. It was late afternoon and the crowds viewed from our quick drive by were huge. I turned my head toward the husband and said "hey, let's go tomorrow".

 

Sunday after breakfast, showered and dressed, coiffed and sparkling clean, we drove across town once again and visited that Jockey Lot.

 

A few steps into the first aisle, I knew this was a mistake. Rows and rows of new junk. Boxes of socks, ribbons and bows, booths with lamps sporting long hanging crystals, balls and baubles on a bright shiny "gold" base and rows of old Cd's, and vinyl album.

 

I watched in dismay as a couple in cowboy boots, jeans, tattoos and a few piercings inquired about the price of that lamp. At this point I was more interested in them then the lamp this lady was so enthralled about.

 

The smell of grease down row 11 overpowered the knock off perfume counters and the booths showing off homemade scented candles.

 

Row 11 boasted picnic tables, the guests enjoying hot dogs, funnel cakes and burgers. Tall drinks in paper cups sweated water leaving circles on the wood topped tables as their owners sipped them, washing down their food and attempting to keep their children from spearing each other with the new weapons they discovered after consuming their  "chicken on a stick"  

 

The Jockey Lot leaves a lot to be desired in the way of shopping but the people watching experience is priceless. I like the piercings. Maybe "like" is not the correct word. Why in the world would anyone put a hole there and then decorate it with a ring?  Long graying ponytails on half bald men surely must be making a statement only they are privy to.

 

Through the chatter of the lot a voice rolls out of the loud speakers. A soft voice welcomes everyone and proceeds with this message:]

 

"This is a "no pants low zone". We do not allow pants hanging below your underwear. No one wants to see your boxer shorts or your underwear. Should you have a problem following this rule, we will have security escort you from this lot. Thank you"

 

 

 

An hour spent wandering the lot and gawking at everything and everybody and it was time to escape.

 

I was convinced it was now my nap time. The husband was waiting on the chicken fried steak and potatoes I had mentioned earlier that would be our dinner.

 

It all sounded good when I promised that early in the day. By dinner time a Big Mac burger would have been acceptable.

 

We had the chicken fry....and an early bedtime.

The Name Game

She skips away and over her shoulder she says "Nanny, you can't call me 'Baby Girl'. Only my Poppy calls me that!" and away she goes.

 

A few hours later I call out "Hey Boogie! Where are ya?" I hear her footsteps fall as she walks down the hall having just left her bedroom.''

 

The phone rings and upon answering it I hear her mother's voice "Where is The Cheesecake?". I turn and hand the phone to Boogie, Baby Girl and The Cheesecake all wrapped into one.

 

By birth and on her birth certificate it reads "Carrie Lane Elisabeth and her last name which I will omit here. Seldom does she hear these names. Of course the school she attends uses her first name.

 

Sometimes I'm Nanny and sometimes Nana and at times "Mama". I answer to all three.

 

 Poppy is just Poppy.

 

My grandmother used to call me Shauna. I have no clue where this came from. I used to call my daughter "Dawnie".

 

Calling Carrie "Boogie" came from the times we danced around the coffee table when she was 3yrs old emulating the monkeys dancing in the movie  "The Jungle Book". We were booging..and she would giggle and beg me to put on that DVD each time she visited. We danced a lot when she was 3.

 

 

  The name game is one of the things that  make a family unique. Years from now when these names are used, Carrie will relate to her unique group of people that loved her so much they had to rename her something special that applies to only them.

 

I love ya Boogie!

January 2013, This One For History

Occasionally I scroll back through the years via my blog, this one you are looking at right now, to compare this date with what was happening in my life a year prior to now...or in the same month a year ago, two years or three.

 

Prior Januarys' have been slow apparently. Slow as far as activity in the oil industry and I'm hoping that this is what is happening this January. Everyone in the exploration and recovery part of the oil industry is sitting around waiting...waiting on that call that they are needed to go offshore or to a land rig. Most of this crowd are the new oilfield. They have never been through an oil recession and the money that has been rolling in has not went into a savings account but into expensive trucks, boats and luxury travel trailers,  and high end homes.

 

We keep a low profile and a savings account. We save much more then we spend, shop sales and keep our vehicles until they no longer want to perform at a secure level and might leave us stranded in our travels. The husband just purchased a new Dodge 4X4. We don't count it as a personal purchase but as a business one. This is how he makes his living. He charges handsomely for driving this vehicle all 

 over the USA and by the time he replaces it with a new one, the mileage money it has earned would pay for 3 new ones. One is all he needs and we don't hesitate to visit the Dodge dealership. We write them a check, paid in full and are good for another 6 years....hopefully.

 

The husband takes excellent care of this vehicle and on trade in, the old one is in showroom condition. I'm always saddened to see the old one go and if not for the 160,000 miles on it, I might have snatched it up for my own use. It still ran perfectly.

 

Back to history. I scrolled back through my old posts and found historically,  this time of years is slow in the "patch".

I'm hoping this is exactly what is happening. There has been so many new homes built here lately as the oil industry has been on a huge upswing. We wait and watch and prepare for the bad times. Been there..done that. We have watched the patch disintegrate and not return for 5yrs or more. It wasn't a pretty sight.

 

There is a glut of natural gas on the market right now so drilling for new is at a standstill and our Gulf is mainly a producer of natural gas. Land rigs are also slowing down unless they are oil producing. The fields in North Dakota are on draw down and folks are beginning to lose their jobs there too. On the flip side, the workover rigs are booming. The only action that hasn't slowed down is keeping the wells already drilled in a time when the prices were up, operating.

 

It has been said that Lafayette is so diversified in the job industry that a slow down in the oilfields would not cause a disastrous economy as what happened in the late '80's but the oldtimers tread lightly. The real money in this town is still in oil from all the support companies be it trucking, transportation, rig suppliers, salesmen, etc. This is a rope, soap and dope town.

 

It's slow right now. I'll be watching Baker Hughes for the rig count, something everyone in the oil industry watches. The count has steadily declined in the past months and continues through January. The analyst predict 2013 a slow year. I'm watching and watching and keeping the purse strings a little tighter. This might be a lesson to the next generation of young men in the field.

 

If you have made it this far in this post, you are probably bored to tears. It wasn't meant to be an entertaining post so I can't apolgize for it. I'll reel back to it a year from now to determine if this January is just a slow month or the beginning of a real slow down in the industry. I'm hypersensitive to this I know but I watched the disastrous events of the '80's.

 

On the upside, we have time to replace the fascia board on this house and do a few house repairs in this down time.

 

I'll be back; maybe on a lighter tone?

Smoked

"hey, I'm going to take a little nap before we head out"

I said to the husband as I headed for the bedroom.

Adjusting the television in the bedroom to the grilling of Hillary Clinton by the senate, I tried to sleep. Occasionally the bedroom door would ease open, the husband would enter to get something from his desk one time, and one time into the master bath closet. He thought he was being quiet and I kept my eyes closed and let him think that I was sleeping so as not to initiate conversation; after all I was in here to take a nap.

Drifting in and out of sleep, and on one of the occasions of being on the cusp of going back to sleep I noticed an odor. Was that the smell of barbecue? He can't be barbecuing. We're supposed to leave within the hour. What IS that smell?

Swinging my feet off the bed and to the floor, I stood and headed for the bedroom door. Not only did the smell of barbecue get stronger but the hall and living room had a cloud hanging about 3 feet from the ceiling. I moved on down the hall to the kitchen where I found more clouds floating over the breakfast bar and the dining room table. The barbecue smoke smell was stronger here.

Checking out the stove and seeing nothing amiss, I went looking for the husband. When asked why the house was full of silver clouds and what about the smell of barbecue, he explained about the hot dog he had cooked.

"surely you didn't eat it did you? Wasn't it a little burnt, I asked.

His answer was  "No, I like mine like that.

"Blackened?" I said.

"yeah, just like that " he says.

During this time the smoke alarm never issued a warning?
 

The husband was off to the store to pick up a new alarm. While he was gone, I opened all the doors to the house and let the odor fly away out the window.

You see, just a few weeks ago I left the heat on under a pan on the stove. The smoke alarm did not sound and I was in bed. I woke the next morning to a pan that had melted on the stove and it took over two weeks to get the smell of burnt metal out of this house.

Of course I got "The Lecture" from the husband about burning the house down, carelessness..and on and on. In answer to that I asked "And who pulled the battery out of the smoke alarm?"  Total silence.

The smoke alarm is attached to the ceiling just a few steps down the hall from the kitchen and it's very sensitive. So sensitive, in fact, that the husband removed the battery so he wouldn't have to deal with it when he was in the kitchen frying something at a high temperature. I blame the burnt pan on him since it only stands to reason had the battery been in the smoke alarm, I would have woke up and prevented it's melting and the house smelling like a smelting plant. That's my story anyway.

Later that same day I bought a new battery and installed it. It squealed when I placed the battery in it but as the days passed and occasions arose where it should have sounded, it remained silent. I was worried and mentioned it to the husband and he smiled and nodded and ignored. I'm beginning to  suspect that he doesn't listen to all of what I say.

This episode spurred him to take himself to the store to get a new smoke alarm. While he was gone I searched the garbage cans looking for that scorched hot dog. I just knew there was no way he could have ate that hotdog if it was what caused this house to be filled with that much smoke. I couldn't find it.

He returned from Walmart to find all the doors and windows open and a fresh breeze flowing  through the house. He had the new smoke alarm and while he installed it I questioned him again about his hotdog story. He was being too evasive and by now I needed to hear a better explanation much the same way he questioned me about the burnt pot a few weeks earlier.

And now, as Paul Harvey would say, the rest of the story.

Apparently it wasn't even a hotdog. It was a brat and we all know that brats are more like a sausage with lots of grease in them. He had cranked up the electric burner and wanting grill marks on it, he laid it directly ON the red hot element.

I can now understand why the house was filled with greasy smoke and how the "hotdog" was edible. It was the grease from that brat on that hot element that caused the smoke while putting those pretty grill marks on the brat. He likes the grill marks. 

The new smoke alarm is in place and just as sensitive as the previous one. This one performs two actions. A parrot like voice screams "Fire! Fire!" while a shrill alarm shrieks in the background. Carrie's breakfast of pancakes set it off this morning and they were cooked using a skillet, unburnt and tasty not in need of grill marks. 

We might have to move that alarm farther away from the kitchen.

Carrie is spending the day with me. Congested, a runny nose and a tissue strewn sofa, she sits in front of one of the laptops watching You Tube videos. The husband is 80 miles away at his spud meeting. (A spud meeting is where all the participants involved in drilling a well gather together to discuss their part in the operation. The word "spud" comes from the start of the drilling when the drill bit bites into the surface of the ground....the spudding of the hole.)

He should be back this afternoon and Carrie should be collected by her mother around the same time.

Meanwhile I'll be looking for a new place to hang the smoke alarm.                                           

Carrie and the Mustache





Dressed in her black T-strap exercise shirt and the black stretch exercise capris, dance bag clutched in her hand, she completed her outfit by wearing the above pictured sun glasses. They are borrowed from one of her mother's friends and will have to be returned some day so Carrie wears them as much as possible. She always gets a reaction from people and she loves it.

Yesterday afternoon was her dance class and off we went, sunglasses attached to her face. After the class she wanted to stop at Mickey D's. I agreed.

"Nanny, I wanna go inside." she says.

"Carrie, let's just go through the drive through. I want to get home. You can eat your sandwich at home."

She pleaded and I kept questioning her about why she wanted to go inside. She wasn't interested in eating her sandwich inside but just ordering it was enough. More questions followed about this and finally she says " I want to wear my sunglasses inside."

Inside we went. The cashier at the counter starts to take our order, looks down and spots Carrie with her sunglasses and breaks into a big smile.

 "Kewl sunglasses!" he says to her and of course Carrie beams. Another employee passes behind the counter, stops and looks and grins.

 "Hey, I like your shades!" and Carrie beams again.

 She is having a great time with her funky glasses and politely murmurs her "thank you".

We gathered up the sandwiches and left. Carrie was satified with her public exhibition; we headed home.

I love hangin out with Carrie!

She did mention to me this morning while waiting on the bus,
"Nanny, I will be 8yrs old on the 8th of the month of October. I don't want a party. I want to go somewhere."

She is referring to the trips we take on Ted's birthday every year. We usually go to Galveston for a few days and one of them is spent at the water park.

I'm going to suggest to the daughter that we take her to Disney World but it will have to be an Easter trip or a spring trip as she will be in a school session. Maybe a trip to Destin, Fla. for a week right BEFORE school begins? Undecided at this time and I won't mention it to her until it's decided where to go. Carrie never lets you forget a promise.

It was  a good day here to clean out the roadster and shampoo her skin. We are leaving for the casino this afternoon for some blackjack and dinner.

It's time to wash my skin now and I'm outta here!

Restless

The inauguration is over. The critics have spoken and I had to grin as they dug deep with their pettiness regarding the First Family. I teased and massaged their comments and they were none the wiser. I had fun but now I'm restless. A game of "tweaking the idiots" has become a bit boring. I might need more of a challenge or a different location.

Where would I go if I could leave tomorrow? I've thought about this and ruling out a trip abroad, as more "work" is needed on convincing the husband  we need a 12 hr flight in a non smoking jet hurtling through the sky flown by a hungover pilot to arrive jet lagged and haggard, but I'm workin on it. I haven't pushed it really. I like to travel in the spring and fall and depending on where I'm going, mid summer and mid winter is out of the question. Off season gets you some travel while kids are in school and parents are bound to their homes and college kids are pursuing their degrees. 

I still have my eye on Spain and Portugal for a trip abroad. I could sign up for one of those "herded" trips but that is just not my style. I have no style. I free fall when traveling. No rooms are reserved, no tour guided trips and transportation is whatever is available although a Euro Pass is acquired before boarding a plane. I love train travel and the husband is hesitant about renting a car. Trains, subways and foot powered travel, a backpack with a couple bottles of water and a loaf of bread and we can go all day. We usually have a plan on what we are going to see that day but it's a very loose plan and occasionally just laying around in a park watching the traffic was enough.

Being "herded" by signing up with a tour that is arranged by a travel agency seems like more work then play. Up at a preset time each morning, breakfast together with your fellow travelers, load on a bus..get dropped at a tourist stop and load back on the bus for another drop in contrast to the way we do it. We meander through the streets after having a continental breakfast of breads and spreads, hopping buses or subways but mostly walking among the natives surrounded by their native tongue. Cushioned in our own world of knowing only the English language we can only imagine what the conversations going on around us are about. Occasionally we would hear an American couple in conversation, smile and nod and move on.

Occasionally we would stop for directions and after much hand waving and repetition, showing them our travel book and pointing to the pictures, we were waved down a path directed to our destination. I vowed after that trip, that I would be extra attentive to anyone visiting the USA and needing some attention. Traveling amongst the natives of the country you are visiting is the only way to go for us.  Guided tours are just too structured or at least at this stage of my life. Another 10 years and I might appreciate being driven to the front of the Acropolis or to the front gates of Vatican City but for now I prefer as much foot travel as possible.

Finding a place to sleep was an adventure as we had no room reservations in any of the cities and countries visited but we always managed to find a clean affordable room within dragging suitcase distance from the train station. I'm all about having an adventure and if you schedule your train trips you can sleep on the trains traveling between countries. 

I'm restless and I need an adventure so I proposed a trip to the husband that doesn't involve an ocean. A trip across the west to the southern most tip of California following the coast all the up the state and into Washington and crossing back across the northern part of the west. I'm homesick for the Rockies. This would be a spring trip. I don't relish fighting the snow and the cold right now.

It's time for another cup of coffee. I'll be picking Carrie up in an hour to take her the two blocks to her bus stop. I do this not because Carrie needs the ride but to spend a few minutes with her. Recently she has been spending more time at home. She has friends in the neighborhood that now visit to play the WII or jump on her trampoline. She is becoming more independant much faster then I like but then that's the way of a child. I knew we should never have let her go to school. That was her first move away from us being her center of attention. Was learning to read and write really that important?

I'm off to get dressed and get that next cup of coffee.

Subterfuge

sub·ter·fuge

/ˈsəbtərˌfyo͞oj/

Noun Deceit used in order to achieve one's goal. A statement or action resorted to in order to deceive.

Synonyms evasion - ruse - trick - dodge - artifice

Between watching the inauguration yesterday and checking on Facebook, I was one busy girl. I watched Facebook yesterday as people would post some comment not incriminating themselves but "lead on" comments to get their "friends" to start bashing the President. Someone actually posted a video with the caption "Michelle Obama eye rolls and shakes her head while Boehner was telling a joke to The President" ..no sound accompanied this video so there was no way to tell what was being said. Another blasted her for no manners..elbows on the table...and still a bunch of women commented on her "ugliness". I read these comments from all these Christians and reaffirmed my standings on having no religion. I'm frightened that should I ever enter a church these judgemental people might just be seated beside me and their viciousness might be transferable.

 

These people are so much fun to play with on Facebook. My dry comments, I'm sure, leave them scratching their heads and wondering if I'm agreeing with their nastiness. Usually I can only carry this off for a few replies while waiting on the steam to build behind them and then the dry evaporates and my comments become a bit more clearer to them.

 

The ones starting the thread had not the cajones to voice their nastiness..but left it to the ones following to carry on with comments that were clear as to how they felt. These are people that instigate confrontations while keeping themselves above the fray they initiated.

 

It was interesting to see and I throughly enjoyed playing their game.

 

Salute to our President. I'm so proud to have an articulate, well educated, loving famiy man in our White House!

 

 

 

Big Day for the USA!

Inauguration for the second term of Barrack H. Obama. Long live democracy and a democratic election that by majority rule, we the people have made a statement and extended this President's term. It's time to show your patriotism and as G. Bush said when our military invaded a country under false pretenses, "if you don't support our troops, you don't support our country" and based on this statement.."if you don't support our President, you surely are not supporting this country" only follows in that vein.

I heard this morning people condemning the media for broadcasting what Michelle Obama would be wearing. I'll just betcha these same people watch the TV show "Keeping up With The Kardashians" and if they don't, I don't hear condemnation for it being broadcast. All those years of mind numbing coverage of Paris Hilton and Nicole Smith and these people are condemning coverage of Ms. Obama's clothes and new hair style?  ...and how unattractive she is?

Really? I'm sure those making these statements will never get a phone call from Vogue or even Mad Magazine. You have to dig deep to be so unchristian to others with their petty assessments. What are these pillars of their community teaching their children?

I'm done with my little rant. I just shake my head, roll my eyes and smother a giggle. You have to have a sense of humor around these folks. I don't think they get out much.

Dip, Slip, Duck and Hide

A whole day of football or at least that's what the husband did today. I alternated between watching a little of the game and trying to watch then end of the documentary on the History Channel about the Presidents.

 

Watching current events are beginning to make my head ache. The right wing nut jobs that are buying up all the ammo and guns are boosting the economy and making the gun manufacturers richer then they were and that's saying a lot. The excuses for owning those semi automatics range from our "rights via the second amendment to protecting themselves from enemy attacks. I'm astounded and saddened at the same time. I had no idea we were so addicted to weapons. Inflaming those right wing nuts, can only lead to violence and I fear for those targeted as taking away their "rights".

 

Tomorrow the President will hold his inauguration. All those that profess to be patriotic, I assume they will be watching. What better way to exhibit your support for this country.

 

It is very easy to recognize when someone is inciting others to deny their allegiance; to take a poll which they know will justify their own feelings while camouflaging their racism. Innocently asking "who will be watching the inauguration tomorrow" was done with ulterior motives. Let's get a poll out there in public while never offering your own views even when the question is broached back at the one poling others. It's a form of subtle affirmation. We used to call it "stirring feces" though another word was used instead of feces.

 

It's the sneaky ones we must be aware of. Sweet on the surface but with a heart of bitterness and hate which is bound to find its way to the surface, bubbling gently and oozing out to stain what it touches. I do believe it was called "two faced" for a good reason. When I recognize it in a person I give a wide berth, and steer well clear of them. They tend to use others to do their evilness so they can maintain the facade of specialness that is very important to them. The old saying "You can fool some of the people some of the time and all of the people some of the time but not all the people all the time" applies to this type of person. It will make the person very angry and vengeful when they know they have been revealed and discovered. It's a dangerous time to be around them. I suggest you get far away and keep it to yourself once you have made that discovery. It is safer to do no confrontation; hiding is your best bet. That's my POA or "plan of action" when I uncover these types. I drop back very quietly, and stay out of the way, low profile, avoidance and usually they pass on by to another target. I refuse to be involved in their games. Being a scapegoat for someones entertainment is not a game I'll play.

 

I've swallowed my Ambien so I might have to reread this tomorrow and scan for redundancy and typos. My fingers are getting slow, my eyelids are getting heavier. I might have to find the bed while I can still walk  and not crawl there. Night all!

 

 

Turley and Everett Wrage, William E. Wrage and Hawk

Post for family history and will not be of interest to anyone other then the families mentioned here.

Found on a message board on the web:

Joseph Soll Turley's Family
Getting back to our branch of our family, my oldest brother, Jay, had two sons. One drowned when five years of age by a cave-in on a bank of the river in Highwater. The other, Jay Bradford, born September 4, 1905, is 6' 8" tall and is in the real estate business, whom I brought to the family reunion three years ago. He has a handsome son, 6' 3", who is a script-writer for TV Westerns and lives in West Los Angeles; he has two grown daughters. Jay also had two daughters and each 6' 1 ¾" tall and one of them, Rosalinda, has a son 6' 10" tall and a daughter 6' 4" tall; both former basketball players. His youngest daughter has several grown children, all married, living in northern California. She is only 5' 7" but with a heart as big as all outdoors. Specifically look at this statement about Jay Bradford: he has two grown daughters. Jay also had two daughters and each 6' 1 ¾" tall and one of them, Rosalinda, Why would you say Jay has two grown daughters and Jay also had two daughters? That's why I think the second Jay with two daughters is referring to Jay Bradford's father Jay.

This is Alice Rosalind Turley Wrage's and William Claus Wrage's daughter:

ZITLAU, JACQUELYN WRAGE Born June 21, 1937 at Paradise Valley Hospital in Chula Vista. to parents Everett Claus Wrage and Rosalind Turley Wrage. She graduated from Aurora-Hoyt Lakes High School, class of 1955. She toured the United States with the All-American Redheads women's exhibition basketball team. She graduated from Kelsey-Jenney Business College in San Diego and worked for San Diego Gas & Electric Company from 1962 to 1974 in various secretarial capacities. She toured South America with the Harlem Globetrotters organization in the early 1960's as a player in a women's exhibition basketball team. She married Walter A. Zitlau in November 1974. Preceded in death by her parents Everett and Rosalind Wrage, husband Walter A. Zitlau, and brother William Wrage. Survived by her sister and brother-in-law Gerrie and Bob White of Oceanside, and numerous nieces and nephews. A Memorial Service will be held on June 13, 2009 at First Lutheran Church, 867 South Lincoln Avenue, El

(and more of Alice Rosaline Turley Wrage's family)
FROM: Joy on DATE-May 7, 2009 2:14:15 GMT-DATE MESSAGE: Jay's sibling:

Alice Rosalind Turley Wrage, b. Jan. 26, 1912 in Santa Fe; m. Evert Clause Wrage March, 1935

Social Security Death Index about Everett C. Wrage Name: Everett C. Wrage SSN: 561-03-4892 Born: 2 Jul 1908 Died: 4 Mar 1991 State (Year) SSN issued: California (Before 1951) Florida Death Index, 1877-1998 about Everett Claus Wrage Name: Everett Claus Wrage Death Date: 4 Mar 1991 County of Death: Brevard State of Death: Florida Age at Death: 82 Race: White Birth Date: 2 Jul 1908

CHILDREN: California Birth Index, 1905-1995 about William Everett Wrage Name: William Everett Wrage Birth Date: 13 Nov 1938 Gender: Male Mother's Maiden Name: Turley Birth County:

San Diego California Birth Index, 1905-1995 about Jacquelyn Diane Wrage Name: Jacquelyn Diane Wrage Birth Date: 21 Jun 1937 Gender: Female Mother's Maiden Name: Turley Birth County: San Diego

U.S. Public Records Index about Everett C Wrage Name: Everett C Wrage Address: 2123 Warwick Rd, Melbourne, Florida 32935-1101 (1992) California Voters Registration San Diego County 1938 Roll 25 Precinct 22 Wrage, Everett C - 4138 Banning, Ocean Beach, Frmr. Dem.

Wrage, Mrs. Rosalind - 4138 Banning, Ocean Beach, Hw. Rep. Social Security Death Index about Rosalind Wrage Name: Rosalind Wrage SSN: 556-36-4908 Last Residence: 32935 Melbourne, Brevard, Florida, United States of America Born: 26 Jan 1911 Died: 29 Mar 2003 State (Year) SSN issued: California (Before 1951) Cajon, Calif.

and more family information from Alice Rosalind Turley Wrage's side of this family.

http://www.geocities.com/~wallyg/L548omnerturley.htm

Willie Jo Hawk Benson (Daughter Of JoAnn Cool Wrage Hawk and William E. Wrage)

Birth:	Jul. 23, 1964 Hot Springs Fall River County South Dakota, USA
Death:	Aug. 3, 2010 Gillette Campbell County Wyoming, USA
Willie Jo Bensen Graveside services will be held at 2:00 p.m., Tuesday, August 10, 2010 at Greenwood Cemetery in Upton, Wyoming. Visitation will be held from 4:00-7:00 p.m., Monday, August 9, 2010 at Gillette Memorial Chapel. Willie Jo Benson of Gillette, Wyoming, passed away Tuesday, August 3, 2010 at the age of46. Willie Jo Benson was born July 23, 1964 in Hot Springs, South Dakota and lived in Newcastle, Wyoming. During her life she lived in 26 of the 50 states, and had the opportunity to meet many different people and learn their cultures. She attended schools in several states before moving back to Newcastle with her mother and brother. Willie then moved to Cheyenne, Wyoming where she completed grade and middle school and started high school. She then moved to and graduated from high school in Lodi, California. On June 12, 1987, Willie married Chad Benson of Upton, Wyoming. Chad and Willie had two children, Chad and Chelsie. Willie enjoyed reading and gardening as well as camping and fishing with her family and friends. Another hobby she enjoyed was finding quotes with her mother. An old German proverb - "Charity looks at the need, not at the cause" - is used to describe how Willie lived her life. She was always helping anyone in anyway she could, even if she did not know them. As a child she would often bring home and care for animals in need. Willie and her brother, Steve, would sell lemonade to raise money to help provide for the animals. Willie especially enjoyed being around and caring for children. She had the love and patience to capture their interest and involve them in various activities that she organized. Willie's enormous heart was evidence of her belief that "every charitable act is a stepping stone toward heaven." -Henry Ward Beecher. Willie Jo's step father: NEWCASTLE, Wyo. - Vern E. "Chief" Hawk, 75, Newcastle, died Saturday, Sept. 19, 2009, at home. He served in the U.S. Navy. Survivors include his wife, JoAnn Hawk, Newcastle; his children, Crystal Coles, Houston, Peggy Hawk, Jacksonville, Ore., Willie Benson, Gillette, and Steve Wrange, Newcastle; seven grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren. Cremation will take place. The family suggests memorial contributions to Corpus Christi Catholic Church Special Fund William E. Wrage Key Facts Name Social Security Number (SSN) Social Security Number (SSN) previously assigned to the deceased. 471-40-8571 Age at Death 43 Date of Birth November 13, 1938 Date of Death May 01, 1982 About William Wrage William Wrage was born on November 13, 1938 and died on May 01, 1982 at the age of 43. This person last resided in , in County. William Wrage was assigned the social security number (SSN) of: 471-40-8571.

Sibling Love

Another sunny day but still sweater weather but gratefully it didn't rain. I spent the morning tiding up the house a bit and the remainder of the afternoon watching the clock. The daughter and I were making the drive to the small berg of Lydia to deliver Carrie into the hands of her father. She will spend tonight, Saturday night and Sunday with him.

 

Sometimes the daughter and I reminisce about the children and usually a humorous story will be retold and one I never tire of is as follows:

 

Elise, now a junior in high school was sitting at the table doing her homework. Her mother walks into the room and announces to her "The school called today."

 

At this announcement Elise jumps up and starts babbling about how it wasn't her fault and proceeds to spill her guts on what had happened at school. Her mother nods, smiles and says "Thanks for the info but the school called wanting to know if I would assist them next week on a field trip."

 

Elise drops her head and sinks quietly back into her chair to finish her homework.

 

Fast forward two years and her younger brother Ted is sitting in the same chair doing his homework. His mother again walks into the room and announces "The school called today" at which point Elise comes tearing down the hallway screaming a warning to her little brother "Don't answer, don't answer..it's a trick! It's a trick!" thereby saving her brother from the same embarrassment she had suffered years earlier. What are sisters to do but protect their little brother and Elise has always been good at that. To Ted's credit, he loves his sister and together they both are very loyal to each other. It's a pleasure to watch them together and is how it should be with siblings. Hopefully it will continue for the rest of their lives.

 

Ted is now in his second semester of college. He continues to live at home, works part time and visits his sister at her apartment often. They enjoy each other's company and the six years difference in their ages is no longer a gap that hinders their interactions and activities as it did when they were younger.

 

Carrie, the caboose in the lineup of children is yet another 12 yrs younger then Ted. Her siblings pass on their protection to their little sister. She loves them dearly and will quickly cancel her plans to spend the evening with me should she get an invitation to spend time with her sister and brother and that is as it should be. Loyalty is passed down the line and that is as it should be too. They have been taught well and I believe they will maintain this relationship with each other throughout their life.

 

I'm off to watch a little television and grab an early bedtime. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Down side from Hump Day..

Ok so it's Thursday and if I had a job I would be rejoicing. The unemployed, I prefer that to saying "retired", count the days of the week differently then those still sloughing along toward a paycheck and the weekend.

The weekends now mean to me to stay out of the stores and do my shopping on week days. The traffic on the streets and in the stores on weekends is only something I do when I forget what day of the week it is. Usually a few minutes into a weekend drive the first clue is all the car smash ups which is another reason to stay off the weekend highways.

Today the sun burst through; something we haven't seen for weeks now. Not only did the scenery look highlighted but smiles were everywhere. It might have been my imagination but the people around me looked brighter. I dragged out the pail and scrub brush and bathed my car. Seldom does it ever have mud  on it and but after two weeks of rain it was definitely time for a bath. It is still a bit nippy out but the sunshine causes one to overlook the chill.

 

 I can hear the whir of the neighbor's lawn mower. Clothed in a heavy coat and jeans, he pushes the lawn mower down the piece of property adjoining our houses. Why? We woke up this morning to a heavy frost; ice on the car door caused it to creak and crack when I pried it open and now I'm listening to a lawn mower?  Maybe the sunshine triggered the need to mow. It hasn't hit me yet. I'm standing firm on mowing starting in May and even then I'll complain. I'm not missing summer yet. What's the rush? Sweat, heat and humidity...bah..I don't want any.

Ultimate Guide To The Presidents is on the History Channel again tonight. I watched it last night, glued to the broadcast I detest reality shows; it's a shame more  U.S. citizens don't watch the History Channel instead of Fox's Faux News and those asinine brain dumbing down reality shows.

And on that note, I'll shut this down and finish watching this program.



 

 

 

 

 

I Could Have Made The Walmart Photo Gallery

I've mentioned the weather on here and though I try not to dwell on it, I have to reiterate.."it's damn cold here!"

 

The one pair of sweat pants I own is a navy blue with elastic around the waist and cuff. The stuff around the waist can no longer be considered elastic. I should have pitched them years ago which would prevent me from grabbing them on cold mornings when I want to make a quick trip to Walmart.

One hand is used to hold them up which leaves me struggling to get anything done. I headed to Walmart with one goal. New sweatpants. All through the store I wandered, one hand hiking up my sweat pants as I felt them creeping over my hips and southward. All I could envision was those pictures of those Walmart shoppers splayed all over Facebook wearing the most outrageous attire and shopping oblivious as to their appearance. I  have not collected on my 15 minutes of fame which is due, I've heard, to each one of us  I surely don't want it to be on Facebook in the Walmart shoppers collection of photos with my pants around my ankles.

 

I am now the owner of two new pair and I managed to not make a spectacle of myself. I'm saving my 15 minutes of fame for something more noble then exposing myself in the "walk of shame at Walmart".

 

The first thing I did on returning home was to peel off those navy blue sweat pants and stuff them deep into the garbage pail. My lovely new sweat pants with matching T shirt doubles as sleepwear for those cold mornings when I have to get out of bed early and get Carrie to the bus stop. I can now use both hands to accomplish tasks...life is good.

 

We had plans to go out for lunch but after having a little discussion on where to go, the husband suggested going to Earl's for a "take out" lunch. He made the trip alone. I've already braved the elements and the elements haven't changed much since my trip this morning. Rain continues to fall in a fine drizzle and the temperature hovers at 37 degrees. We haven't seen the sun in a week and I think that must be the worst part. The days are just dreary, wet and cold. It beats mud, snow and heat. I'll take what we have for a winter day.

 

 

I'm warm and fed and that must mean it's nap time?

G'night!

 

Ya Wanna Do Anything Today?

...and the answer is "don't think so!" It's wet and cold and those combinations are not something I want to challenge by leaving the house. I have beds to make and closets to clean. I've kept the closet chores for just such a day as we are having and it appears that I will have most of the week for closet days.

I've contemplated a trip to North Carolina to see my sister and brother in law. Sis and I have talked about it and she is most encouraging. I watch the weather channel and driving through snow to get there keeps me grounded here. The husband won't have another job for 10 days so we have the time to make the trip and not have to hurry there and back but I think I would rather wait until spring. Spring and fall are my favorite time of year to travel; before it gets too hot and before it gets too cold.. 

Carrie spent the night again and again she started with the "I miss my MaaaaaaaaMa..." and again I had to tell her she wasn't being taken home. I'll be grateful when  she gets through this stage and returns to her normal self.....and to be continued later....those beds need some attention.

1900 hrs.
Naps and nightmares in full daylight and that's been my day. I didn't leave the house until it was time to collect Carrie and take her to her dance class. An hour was spent in the parking lot of the dance studio watching the rain splatter off the hood of my car. Huge puddles of water made the gravel parking lot an obstacle course for both the cars and the children trying to exit or enter the building.

I was going to moan and groan about our weather until I phoned a friend in Wyoming and she explained the 30 degree below weather that was blanketing parts of that state. I suppose a little rain, puddles and 40 degree sunless days aren't gonna kill me.

I'm going to find some Ibuprofen for this sinus headache listen to the rain.

Red Heads With a Basketball

I was meandering around the web this morning and as usual for me, one thought led to another, one link to another and I found myself here: REDHEADS and here: ALL American Redheads

ZITLAU, JACQUELYN WRAGE Born June 21, 1937 at Paradise Valley Hospital in Chula Vista. to parents Everett Claus Wrage and Rosalind Turley Wrage. She graduated from Aurora-Hoyt Lakes High School, class of 1955. She toured the United States with the All-American Redheads women's exhibition basketball team. She graduated from Kelsey-Jenney Business College in San Diego and worked for San Diego Gas & Electric Company from 1962 to 1974 in various secretarial capacities. She toured South America with the Harlem Globetrotters organization in the early 1960's as a player in a women's exhibition basketball team. She married Walter A. Zitlau in November 1974. Preceded in death by her parents Everett and Rosalind Wrage, husband Walter A. Zitlau, and brother William Wrage. Survived by her sister and brother-in-law Gerrie and Bob White of Oceanside, and numerous nieces and nephews. A Memorial Service will be held on June 13, 2009 at First Lutheran Church, 867 South Lincoln Avenue, El Cajon, Calif.
Mentioned here is my ex sister in law. Jackie was 6ft. 5inches tall and the last time I saw her was in El Cajon, California. She was married to the president of Pacific Power and Light and lived in a beautiful home nestled into the hillside with a great view of the beach.

I shall never forget that visit. Her home was especially equipped for a woman her size. The kitchen appliances and sink was elevated to a height that made it comfortable for her to cook and impossible for me to see into the pots on the stove. Even the toilet was designed for a very tall person. My feet barely touched the floor. Lilliputians had nothing on me.

This huge glass fronted home sat into a niche in the hills above the beach with each home below hers at a lower level providing an unhindered view to the ocean. It was the law that houses couldn't be built to block the view of the houses farther up this hill.

Just up the beach was San Diego. This was in my early years of "hitting the road" and seeing California was a dream I had had all my life while tucked away into the hills of WV. The next years of my life would be spent traveling the entire USA, crisscrossing the country, living in one place for no longer or less then six months. It was a great way to see the USA. I've never been enamored of a two week vacation. It's just not long enough to actually get right with the natives. The work I did provided me the time to live amongst the locals, attend the gatherings and parties; observe the regional  culture and explore the surrounding areas.   

I'm always amazed at the people that will travel to Europe and neglect traveling through our on USA first. After years of moving around the USA, I made that trip to Europe and spent 21 days exploring which was not long enough. 
I want to return; there are so many more countries to see and my gypsy blood sings out. My husband doesn't have the same lust for travel. I'm nudging him gently toward another trip abroad. On my bucket list is Spain and Portugal.

 For now I find myself in Louisiana. I've never believed in the word "permanent" as it has seldom seemed to have applied to my life and I like it that way.

It's a wonderful evening to be indoors as the rain is still falling and so is the temperatures. I'm watching for snow. It's possible as the temperatures are now at 37 degrees, wind is howling and it's only 1700 hrs. I will be staying up late in the event it snows so I can run up and down the street screaming to the neighbors to "come see!" We don't get to see snow often here and a town crier is needed when it does happen.

I'm waiting patiently for the husband to sing out "Dinner is ready!" I can't begin to express my gratitude that the husband likes to cook and that in case he doesn't feel like cooking, fast food joints are just a few minutes away. Am I blessed or WHAT?

Night all..........

and before I go...another video..the reunion:
Redheads Reunion 2010