The Wild Ride

During my years as a newly wed teenager and living in a place without friends or family, I would be thrilled over anything. One day my ancient landlady (she was probably in her 70’s, but ancient to me) asked me if I would like to go on a little jaunt with her. Her brother and his wife lived in a neighboring town by the name of Tieton.

She was going to spend the day visiting with them. I jumped at the opportunity. She had an old one seated car with a rumble seat and it must have been 40 years old. One of the first cars ever made I am thinking.

When we reached the highway she put the pedal to the metal. It felt like we were going 90 miles an hour, but in that old car it was probably only going 50. I white knuckled it all the way because I thought we would go flying off the road any minute. She could hardly keep in on the road. I literally held my breath when we met another car. Will we ever reach Tieton I kept thinking.
I chewed my nails and prayed as I watched the fence post flying by.

I was a timid soul back then and would never have asked her to slow it down. There is an old song with a line in the lyrics being, ‘Coming in on a wing and a prayer’.

We were coming in on one wheel and a prayer. Or so it felt. We finally landed in Tieton without landing instructions.  Her brother came out to greet her and looked at me  and says, “My dear, you are a brave soul to ride in a car with Mae driving.” I said (under my breath), “yes, I know and I didn’t bring a change of underwear.

We visited with her brother and wife. It’s been so long ago I have forgotten their names. I don’t remember much about the visit except worrying about the ride home. The return trip was exactly the same. I felt so blessed to be able to climb out of that car and I never climbed in it again.

Mae lived to be 100 years old. She lived her last few years in a nursing home, just a stones  throw from our home so my husband and I walked up to visit her.

I asked if she remembered me and told her we used to rent from her and she lifted her head and blinks her eyes a couple times and said, “Yes, I remember you. You're the one that left your husband and ran away with that truck driver”. My mouth fell open and I looked at my husband and said, “I didn’t run away with a truck driver.” I could tell he was about to crack up so we said our good-byes and left. She had already fallen back to sleep.

It Won't Be Long Now

Chloe,  get your diaper bag packed.
You are going on a trip.

I'm all dressed up and waiting for you.



I've been waiting for a long time.

I can't wait to meet my parents.

I can't wait to show you my new teeth.

Books and Babies

Just when I was thinking nothing exciting ever happens to me. I had two nice things happen. Number one nice thing is my Great Grand daughter that is being adopted by Cora and Jim is really going to happen. Very soon!!!
They have approval to go get her and now need to set up a date. They have named her Chloe and we will soon be seeing many pictures of her I am sure.

The second thing to happen is a long story. At least a year ago I received an email requesting permission to use one of my blog stories in a book they were writing. You know how that goes. Is this for real?
So I wasn’t positive it was on the up and up, but I did respond and wrote a few more lines in the story. They said I would receive a copy. I put it on the back burner of my mind, but I thought of it a few days ago and was thinking, “ I knew there wouldn’t be a book, I guess their pipe dream didn’t work out”.
Imagine my surprise when I went to the mailbox a day or two later and there was the book. This is not just any old book, this is a real book. The forward is by Baroness Margaret Thatcher.

It is filled with short stories of folks that are 80 or older. It’s about what their life was like as they grew up. It is so interesting because the stories are from England, Germany, France and the USA. Many of the stories are how it was with them during World War11. And my story is among them, I can’t believe it. Oh how I would love to sit down and have a chat with each of them. They played the same games I did and some games I have never heard of. Most were much closer to the war than I was. How lucky I was to be and American during the war. They had some serious scary events happen to them.

The book is called “8000 Years of Wisdom”

http://www.amazon.co.uk/8000-Years-Wisdom-Octogenarians-Lessons/dp/1907016538/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1287069168&sr=1-1

The Sky is Falling

No problem, I was able to find a spot for the garbage can by the mailbox so I didn't have to play musical garbage cans after all. It was icy in front of my house, but I live a block from two schools and they get the sand trucks out in the school area's so it was fine driving.
I got another Vitamin B12 shot. I found out the reading on the blood test was -50. It should be at least 180. I hope these shots will end this problem for good. Some people need to take the shots the rest of their lives. That sounds like a long time, but at my age it may only be another week.

The adoption of the Great Grandchild from China is taking forever. I think the only thing left on this side of the pond is the travel approval. Do they only have one person working in that place or do they have stacks and stacks of adoption papers. Now they will take off for the Christmas holiday and maybe the whole week. Or it might snow and they would need to shut down the whole operation until it goes away.
I just reread this and I really am full of gloom and doom.
Cheers to everybody. Tomorrow is a new day and may your day be full of good news.

I ain't no Spring Chicken

Gloom, despair, and agony on me.
Deep dark depression excessive misery.
If it weren’t for bad luck I’d have no luck at all.
Gloom, despair and agony on me.

Oh woe is me! Every Tuesday morning I need to go someplace. Doctor appointments. Every weekend mother nature dumps a ton of snow on the driveway. My super nice neighbor always shovels off the driveway for me. The problem is that the garbage man comes on Tuesday mornings. There is no place to set the garbage can except at the end of the driveway because there are banks of snow on either side of the driveway, and we are not supposed to set it in the street. I need to be sure the can is out there early because you never know for certain what time he will show up. So I need to get it out of the way so I can back the car out, and then put the can back in the driveway. And then get in the car and go get the shot and come home and park on the street and drag the empty can back into the garage. Hopefully the can will be emptied by now, if not I have to get the car in the garage and then drag the can back to the end of the driveway. The appointment is for shots to help get rid of my extreme fatigue. I get fatigued just thinking about it all. I have had one shot and it wore off after a couple days, but I guess that’s why I am going to have four of them. To top it all off, I am scared todeath of slipping on the ice and busting my backside.
This is a true story. I wish it wasn’t so true.

Merry Christmas

Back in era of the twenties there was a comic stripe named Barney Google. I wonder if that is how Google got their name. Now the word google means to look for something. At least in my mind that is what it means. I think they should think about putting the word in the dictionary.

It’s not in my dictionary. I look in my dictionary so much the pages are falling out. Maybe that page fell out. I guess I could put that item on my Christmas list. If it not too late I would like a new dictionary for Christmas.

I like the word ‘Christmas’ and use it as often as possible. We should not say ‘merry Christmas’ because we might step on somebody’s toes. I guess I’m a rebel because I go out of my way to say ‘Merry Christmas’.

Merry Christmas Everybody !!!!!

Bring Back the Tap Dancers

Whatever happened to tap dancing? People love watching “Dancing with the Stars”
Now it’s “Skating with the Stars”. I love the rhythm of music and watching the foot work of the Dancer or Skater keeping time with the music.
Count Basie once said,."If you play a tune and a person don't tap their feet, don't play the tune."

It seems to be a natural feeling in all of us to feel the urge to move with the sound. I sometimes like to watch something a little more soothing and calming on TV than the wild antics of some of the skaters and dancers. You can’t totally relax to the music if you’re constantly worried about the dancer throwing their partner out into the audience. Give us a break and tone it down a little. I mean why should they risk their lives just to entertain us.

Tap dancing is much safer for the viewer and the dancer. Not to mention how much more relaxing it is. I think it’s a fantastic skill. Does anybody remember Fred Astaire or Gene Kelly. Do you know that Tony Curtis could also cut a rug. That must be an expression from my former life.

Did you know in the early days the slave trade in America caused a lot of panic when it was discovered that Africans could communicate with each other from a far distance with the use of drums. The article I read said the Africans were not allowed to use drums in their religious ceremonies. That makes me stop and ponder a bit. How would that go over today? What right wing or left wing decided it was okay to step on their religious toes and interfere with how they worshiped. We came a long way, Baby.

Anyway all this beating rhythm has created a multitude of different dances.
The British clogging steps combined their footwork with the Irish and created a style called “buck and wing, which became tap dancing. I never see any of it on TV. Maybe it’s there and I haven’t found it yet.
Little kids used to take tap dancing lessons and they loved it. Now it seems to be that Ballet is all that I ever hear about. Am I the only one that likes tap dancing?

The Sky is Leaking White Flakes

It's a winter wonder land in Yakima. I have enjoyed watching it fall out of the sky. Now it can go away. Tuesday I have to drive in it because I have a doctor's appointment. I finally found the reason for my exhaustion. I am extremely low on vitamin B12. That's all I know about it so far. It must be like a car being low on gas or oil. They can still run, but if it runs completely out they stop dead in their tracks. I don't want to stop dead in my tracks so I will be there for the appointment. I will start a series of Vitamin B12 shots. Better than being exhausted. It sure took a long time to find the cause. I go to a doctor on a regular basis so why did it have to get so darn low.

Remember Pearl Harbor

Photography

Come on in and look around. I have nothing interesting to report or talk about except this very cool blog I ran across. If you like photography you may also enjoy this. I guess it has some gloom in it, but sometimes a little gloom is is not a bad thing.

http://magiclanternshowen.blogspot.com/2010/11/what-goes-up.html

Another Day Another Scam

Adsense is a company that uses your blogs to advertise for others. You will get a few cents each time somebody clicks on the ads that are on your website. So I signed up for it. I let them use my blog to advertise many different things over the years. When you earn one hundred dollars they will pay you. You never make 100 dollars. I only made about 34 dollars in three years. Not a very productive way to make money if you ask me. So I mentioned to a few of my friends that it would be nice if folks would click on my ads. Now I began to make a few cents every few days and had earned $55.00 and I was happy about it. That happiness didn't last long. One day Adsense took their ads off of my blog and said it appeared that I was doing something illegal and I was no longer a customer. I don't remember the exact words, but it was words to that effect. What about the 34 dollars I had made before I became so illegal. I gave them free advertising space for three years or more. They can cheat us, but if we cheat them back.
Oh Well, Merry Christmas to them too.

Another Day another Rant

Not much of anything going on around here except the weather. Even the bears think it's too cold. It is now six degrees and the forecast is for 5 below zero. It snowed all day Monday.

They are still waiting for word on the adoption. There has been a delay and each delay seems to take another month or so. I don't know why it needs to be so complicated.

It snowed in Seattle and so they have called it a snow day for two days. That is one of the delays and now a holiday. The wheels of adoption move slowly.

Now I have my round of doctor's to go to. I am not sure why all this always seem to happen in the winter months. One week it's blood work. The next week it's the primary doctor. The next one is the eye doctor. Then the mammogram. I have to call them for an appointment so I will ask for March or wait until March to call. I wouldn't want to leave this out. In February I have the dreaded colonoskcopy. I don't know how to spell it and neither does spell-check. You never get too old for any of these things. I guess the older you get the more doctors you need to see.

It is 10 PM and time to turn out the lights. Goodnight all !!!!

The Wait Project chapter 20

Everybody listen up !!

They are not allowed to go get my cousin yet.

They need another document.

Can you believe it ??

I'm tired of this waiting game. I have my rocket ship

fired up and ready to go.

Always fasten your seat belt.
Chloe, I'm on my way.

I decided to wear my coat. It might be cold in China.

The Waiting is Over

I have an announcement !!!

My new cousin is coming soon

Her name is Chloe !!!

The new parents
Jim and Cora


Mommy and Daddy are coming for me !!

I will have my own private room.

I might miss my room mates.

Stop Smoking or Else

Ann Sheridan was a chain smoker for years. Died of esophageal cancer. She was 51.

Some things are easier to give up than others. I need to give up Pepsi Cola because it is too expensive for my budget. I gave up iced vanilla latte’s some time ago. That wasn’t too hard to do, but this Pepsi is a different story. Even though I only drink one can a day.

Many years ago I gave up a cigarette habit. I hated it, but just kept smoking and puffing away, but I did begin to pray that God would help me quit. Let me tell you something. God answers prayer, but maybe not the way we would like it to be.
So this is what happened:
One day I laid the little cigarettes down and never picked one up again. I didn’t pussyfoot around about it. I worked at that time and Margaret, one of my co-workers was always telling different folks that I just went home from work one night and quit smoking. She was so impressed about it, but it wasn’t quite as easy as she made it sound. It was a fact that I quit cold turkey and never touched another one, but I got a little cancer alarm and that was all it took. I had awakened from a Saturday afternoon nap and was coughing up blood.

This was before computers, so I dug out the medical book and one of the first symptoms of lung cancer can be coughing up blood. That was all it took. I slammed the medical book shut and went into high gear worry mode. It is Saturday, and I can’t call a doctor. You don’t go to emergency and tell them you think you have cancer. I even considered it because I wanted it taken out of me ASAP. I knew I would be the laughing stock of the emergency room if I showed up with my emergency case of cancer. So I cooled my heels and waited for Monday.

No cigarettes touched my lips again. I prayed some more. Sunday afternoon I took another nap and woke up with the taste of blood in my mouth. I put 2 and 2 together and rationalized that the blood must be coming from my mouth somehow. I finally found that I had a canker sore in my mouth and it was bleeding. I guess when I would go to sleep it drained down my throat and that was why I was coughing up the blood. I don’t even know if it was a canker sore, or just a hole that God put there temporarily. I got the message loud and clear from God. Quit smoking. I knew in my heart of heart that God was answering my prayer, by letting me know how I would feel if I really had cancer, but now I need to do my part. So I obeyed.

Great Grand Kids

A little girl waiting for her parents to come and get her.
Cora and Jim are expecting news any day that

lets them travel to China to pick her up.

Another picture of the little charmer. Cora and her niece, LeahAnother little charmer

This is all for now folks. Come back later to see
more pictures. My Great Grandma likes to show us off.

A Penny Saved is Not Much

Air Conditioning

My latest pet peeve is the games you have to play to get the most for your money when shopping for groceries. When a person lives alone it’s even harder to play their games.
Buy one and get one free. I only want one so why can’t they just say its half price. I cut out the coupons and remember this one doesn’t start until Friday. To use this one you will need to buy $10.00 worth of non-coupon items. It’s only $2.50 per pound, but you need to buy the family pack
I don’t have the money for the family pack. Or how about Coke and Pepsi. One time they put it on sale, but you can only buy one at that price. The next time it goes on sale, you cannot get the sales price unless you buy four cartons.

If it’s a dairy product, be sure to check the expiration date. Chances are it will only be good for a few days. I wish all the stores would carry spices in the smaller sizes. Why can’t they sell honey in packets like you get at Kentucky Fried Chicken. I buy the smallest size they sell, but always end up throwing out the honey because I can never use that much in one lifetime. I guess honey will keep for eons, but it turns to sugar and I think that may be the century it needs to be disposed of.
I am not much of a pro with this coupon business. I have only recently started paying more attention to them. I notice some people have big envelopes stuffed with coupons. I will always be an amateur in the coupon world.

What Do You Collect?

Why do people collect things? The collection can be anything from a particular piece of glassware to old milk cans. My sister started collecting cows when she was young. I think she must now have close to a million of those four-legged critters. These are not just any old cow. They seem to be black and white and made out of anything from paper to concrete. She has not received a surprise gift since it all started. She knows when the gift is opened, it will be another cow. A cow cookie jar, a cow flower vase, a cow plate, here a cow, there a cow, everywhere a cow cow. At one time they were in the dairy business so that might explain why it started.

My daughter collects Mickey Mouse figurines. I think it started when she was in highschool. For her College graduation gift, we bought her a Mickey Mouse telephone. It’s a real phone that still works and is in her living room. Not to give away her age or anything, it even has the rotary dial. When Mickey Mouse overran the house, she changed her collection to Thimbles. They take up much less room. There is a lighthouse thimble, a crocheted thimble, a Christmas tree thimble and the list goes on.
My son-in-law collects squirt guns. I sent him an email to authenticate the accuracy of my tale about his collection so I will include the return email.
Dear Editor and Chief,
The current count is 641 and rising (I hope).
My overall favorite is my Python, it is a remote control truck, that with the push of a button a snake head comes up and shoots water.
I have several old squirt toys that are from Occupied Japan, which means they are from the late 40's. Some older ones in the shape of a ship, airplane and locomotive.
Another of my favorites to use on people is a cell phone. You push the top buttons and water squirts out of the antenna. When you shoot people they always say let me see it. You give it to them and tell them to push the bottom buttons to get it to squirt, they always think "you fool, now it is my turn to get you. However, when you push the bottom buttons the water comes out the mouthpiece, you get to squirt them twice.
SIL

I have a collection of dolls. You know where they ended up. The top of the closet, the bottom of the closet, the dresser drawers, the garage, the guest bedroom has dolls decorating the entire top of the dresser and nightstands and I’m sure my many (2) guest must feel like they are in a wax museum when they spend the night. This collection probably stems from my childhood, when I didn’t get that Shirley Temple doll for Christmas.
What do you collect? Doesn’t everybody have a collection?