Livin' the life and having some laughs along the way.
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So for some reason the festive mood has been lacking in my soul. Been working on it, though. After a fun few days with family for Thanksgiving, spirits are coming up to an almost ready to pull a few things out to decorate. Been watching Christmas movies on Netflix to put myself to go to sleep at night. That combination seems to be helping. Now to get the body to cooperate.
Christmas gift ideas were bumped around during the Thanksgiving holiday in Dallas. After we returned home my not so nimble fingers did their thing. Now all but about five gifts are on the way to our home. Now just to get the body in gear with the spirits moving around us all. I even pulled one box I could reach down and had a look in side. Angels and wiseman.
Watching the Rockefeller tree lighting program is fun, too. Though singing in the rain might be more appropriate than let it snow. I still need to get the Hubby on board with all this lower level of excitement. Cause this man is one low level of excitement about Christmas. Now contacts with folks in another state or country on his radio, that is something about which he gets excited! And that is one of the things I love most about him. But... someone still has to help me reach the high boxes.
The other thing that is part of the aging is looking and accepting reality. Less mobile limbs can be more prone to fall from a ladder. How much decoration is really needed to get a feeling of celebration. A celebration of the birth of a child that brought a radical message to the children of Israel. That message spilled over into the world of the Gentiles. Then the believers worked to spread the word by what ever means necessary. Yep, co opted every single tradition found along the way.
Now to commemorate the birth the US Christians insist on trees in every mall. Appropriate greeting of Merry Christmas. Special cups at Starbucks. Lights everywhere and as many gifts under trees as our maxed out credit cards can buy. There are, also, the drives for food, gifts, clothing and other things to help those less fortunate. That last sentence is probably the most important thing to remember. Not just probably. It is the message brought by that little baby boy. As well as so many other prophets, persons of thoughts and sages through eternity. If the world would all just listen, accept and act.
One organization certainly works toward this goal, Habitat for Humanity. I think that's all I want for Christmas. a donation to Habitat. Cause folks need a home.
Life brings challenges in relationships with family members. For some folks these challenges rear their ugly countenances at family gatherings during holidays. I am fortunate to have a family that manages to avoid these confrontations. Maybe we just sit on our feelings or do we not really have them does not matter to me. This past week proved to be pretty much the same.
My part of the family arrived at my sister's home while she was away at her oldest's home for thanksgiving. Next evening Sis and her husband arrived and had dinner waiting on them. I had spent the day making 7 pies, 3 dozen cookies and 2 batches of hot roll dough. Son had prepared the evening meal for all of us. That meal was the beginning of 3 days where food was the main feature ..... that is how Thanksgiving rolls. At least one to two days of preparation, the day and at least one day to two days following of leftovers.
Every other year our Thanksgiving feast is followed the next day by a bonfire. BIL stacks the tree branches that fall into his yard in a pile. It is enough wood to have a fire that burns most of the day and into the evening. A hot dog roast followed by smores is the fare for the evening meal. Or leftovers if you do not want hot dogs. This year Hubby had smoked a pork tenderloin. The loin covered with homemade barbecue sauce added an alternative to the turkey and ham.
By the time we left on Sunday morning, there was little more than some ham and turkey left to freeze. None of the 2 dozen sweet rolls, nor 6 dozen dinner rolls. One pumpkin pie was uncut along with 2 pieces of apple pie was all that was left of the 7 pies I made. Sister had brought one pecan pie (no left over) and an apple strudel ( half left). Amazing just how much food 3 teen boys can put away and still be thin as a stick!
There was much for which to be thankful other than the bounty of food. Time spent with great grand niece and nephews, playing basketball with grandsons, sharing long held secrets about our youthful antics with my sister, and spending a weekend with little political talk. Laughing with and at grandchildren antics. Watching a soccer match in which bonus granddaughter was a player rounded out the family activities we had the joy of sharing.
We drove by the home we had build as young marrieds in 1967. We met the current owner who still loves the house as much as we did when we lived there. Hugged the same neighbor that built the house next door. Billie had taught me how to make coconut pies. I still use the same recipe. Even had time to put Christmas flowers on my folks' graves. Yes, much for which to give thanks.
Peace to all as we now move to the upcoming series of holidays. May they be filled with joy for each of you.
Well, the holidays are upon us here in the States. Thanksgiving is being a stretch this year as I am just not in the mood for the holidays. Traveling to my sister's house can be a lot of fun. Not feeling it this year. Just. Not. Feeling. It. This. Year. Nothing about my sister or the company. Just. Not. Feeling. It. Cooking for kids that are picky is another challenge. I'll make rolls and cinnamon rolls. They will eat those. And that is about all. Ham. Pumpkin pie. I may buy ready made crusts this year. That means a little less time standing.....
Then Christmas is staring us in the face. Christmas gifts for people that already have more than is needed for existence. At least one grandson gave me an idea of what he wants. A pair of Chubbies shorts. Okay. Now I need to know color and style. Somehow that takes all the fun out of surprising someone with a gift. . . . I miss the surprises in life.
Hubby is very pleased with his cataract surgery results. I seldom see him in glasses now. The second eye will be taken care in December. Then his eyes will be better than new! However...... he was just chewing on some food last week and a tooth cap fell off. Fell off into his mouth. He visited the dentist. With dental insurance, a bridge which is the cheapest option other than just pulling what is left of the tooth is more than the total of the eye surgeries. And repairing the badly chipped windshield.
Maybe things are just sort of piling on right now is why there is no excitement for the holidays. But I do not think so. I have felt this coming for some time. Just too much effort for such a short time. A day or two to put up decorations that will stay up maybe 4 weeks. I met a lady in the parking garage Saturday evening. She was struggling with packages. She was preparing to help her mother decorate for Christmas. The mother can no longer do it for herself but sort of demands her daughter do it. I said, "And when you finish it isn't right, not the way it once was done." The lady's eyes lite up and she replied, "Exactly".
Some of us old folks (me) get cranky. We want to be young and we attempt to regain that youth by doing or having someone do it for us the way it was when we were young. I watched it with my aging relatives and now with my contemporaries. I do not want to spend what is left of my life attempting to be something I no longer am, young. Or attempt to mold others to do the things I never accomplished.
Well, nothing like a little blogging to clear the mind and soul.
If you come to this blog, you already know I am a person that believes that all are created equal. Not all are treated equal nor have an equal opportunity. I check on facebook to see about a young boy named Rowan who is in the fight of his life for his life. Click here to read of his plight. His mother makes posts when she can as to what is happening with him as he fights. His is a heart rending yet hopeful saga.
With facebook I check on family members spread across the US. A cousin with an aggressive form of colon cancer diagnosed this week. My three sisters usually check in so I know their status. Nieces, nephews and their extended families which includes five children one year or less in age. Sweet faces posted of those little cherubs. Friends that live hundreds and some thousands of miles away can be touched through facebook.
Unfortunately the political posts just do not seem to be stopping because of the general atmosphere in the US. The protest marches are lessening. Now we have teens shouting, 'build the wall' and carrying Trump/Pence signs at women's volleyball tournaments. Their 'white' school was playing a predominately Latino school. My nephew who is a minister posted the incident. He noted the school should be banned from the remainder of the tournament as an example. His post and opinion set off a firestorm of comments. Not the least of which contained the thought that the athletes need to just not be such wussies. Only the language became disgusting so I noted the language was unacceptable on a public post.
Another few posts had my comments adding to the whole, nasty mess. I finally just 'clicked' away from facebook. I opened my email and there was the monthly newsletter for the Honorable Senator Ted Cruz. Now I am all worked up again. He is gloating over how the US is going to get rid of all the horrid things the President Obama forced upon the Citizens of Texas. One of which was about guns which he stated as 'the right to bear arms and protect our homes'. Really. Guns being limited in Texas. NOT! Texans can open carry in college classrooms. Texans can carry assault rifles to BLM marches. Openly carry..... Kindergarten teachers are allowed to carry in classrooms if they choose. Really.
Cruz spoke of how we had God given rights as his opening and then he rejoices in eliminating Obamacare and every other thing that I feel has helped marginalized people. "I had the opportunity to reflect on the need to restore our Constitution and the rule of law," wrote Cruz. The icing came for me when he spoke of the late Judge Scalia. Yes, he dared to speak of that seat that has not been allowed to be filled by President Obama. You know that part of the Constitution that says a president submits to Congress a name and the Congress then acts upon the submission? Submission was done and Congress refused, yes, refused to even take the name up on committee. So much for the Constitution and rule of law, Sen. Cruz. More like the laws that you choose to obey or enforce to suit the desires of the alt right, Tea Party and every other far right group in the USA.
Dear Lord, help me be peaceful enough to go to sleep..... and heal sweet Rowan.
Funky 1. I do not dance a lot anymore, pretty much not at all. In my youth I could frug, bop, twist, shimmy, belly dance, stroll, pretty much any pop dance that came along. I tend to listen to coffeehouse type music or oldies these days. My hubby listens to music all over the spectrum. I do not listen to music while walking as I find the need to hear the surrounding noises. Noises such as approaching vehicles. Yeah, not much funky music going on around this body this week. Maybe this is the problem.
Funky 2. Ok, I am eighteen, yes one eight, days away from 70 years of age. That is definitely squarely in elderly territory. I still wear shorts cause it is hot in Texas. It is edging toward 90 degrees today. I tend to dress less than funky. A lot less than stylish, way below funky. More like Nothing binding a n y w h e r e. So unless funky means showing cellulite, varicose veins, no bra, or knee replacement scars this meaning most assuredly does not fit.
Funky 3. Well, I shower on a regular basis and do laundry. I do not like to wear clothing multiple times without cleaning. Thereby avoiding smelling funky. Just do not stand to closely if I have just returned from walking 6200 steps in one hour. Funky would be a nice description of the air immediately surrounding me. I no longer smoke so that does not apply. I do have the old age propensity for an inability to contain flatulents. So while that does apply, that still does not really describe the feeling I have.
funk1
fəNGk/
informal
noun
noun: funk; plural noun: funks; noun: blue funk; plural noun: blue funks
1.
NORTH AMERICAN
a state of depression.
"I sat absorbed in my own blue funk"
synonyms:
a (state of) depression, a bad mood, a low, the dumps, the doldrums, a blue funk
"he was in a funk because his wife ran out on him"
BRITISH
a state of great fear or panic.
"are you in a blue funk about running out of things to say?"
synonyms:
a (state of) depression, a bad mood, a low, the dumps, the doldrums, a blue funk
"he was in a funk because his wife ran out on him"
2.
BRITISHdated
a coward.
verb
BRITISH
verb: funk; 3rd person present: funks; past tense: funked; past participle: funked; gerund or present participle: funking
1.
avoid (a task or thing) out of fear.
"I could have seen him this morning but I funked it"
synonyms:
a (state of) depression, a bad mood, a low, the dumps, the doldrums, a blue funk
"he was in a funk because his wife ran out on him"
Origin
mid 18th century (first recorded as slang at Oxford University in Oxford, England): perhaps from funk2 in the slang sense ‘tobacco smoke,’ or from obsolete Flemish fonck ‘disturbance, agitation.’
Funk 1. This may be getting closer to the real emotions that are surrounding me. My last mentor aunt's passing, my oldest sister's aging and missing the beauty of the colors of fall. Not to mention the obvious political climate in the US. Seeing a person such as Bannon being an adviser to the president elect is so like having a Himmler in Our White House..... Deportations, walls, hate crimes.
Which brings me to
Funk 2. Yes, it is there amid the 'giving our President Elect Trump a chance' to do something. A deeply seated fear of the hatred that has been loosed in the halls of power of these United States. The Timothy McVeigh's being validated to do their will with our United States and Our government. Half of the voters are in a sort of mourning and fear. Panic has gripped many of the folks that are not straight, white men. Gays, trans, feminists, immigrants of all kinds whether legal or not!!! You know, any one not a straight, white man or woman hanging on the arm of a straight, white man with a string of children behind them.
Funk 3. Today's devotional spoke of remaining silent when being in the presence of mourners. As stated above a great number of our nation's population are mourners indeed. Some are expressing the sadness and fear by joining in protests. Others like me are members of the old guard. The ones that know this is not necessarily the time for protests. That makes us appear as cry babies and playing into the hands of the bullies. The protests will not stop President Elect Trump from being inaugurated. But the feet can be held to the fire as we have done before with Nixon, Reagan and W. Clinton. As Suffragettes did. As NOW did. We may not have gotten an equal rights amendment but walls were broken down in my lifetime. The glass ceiling has a pretty good crack in it....... And, God willing, there is 2020.
Funk 4 and 5. Will I be a coward and be silent out of fear of reprimands? Will we folks from another time remain silent as the middle of the road Germans did as the Nazis took over their nation? We must take a bit of time just for evaluation. To get together a plan. All the while signing every petition to request a denial of approval of men such as Bannon in our government.
So, for the time being, stay cool and say a prayer for the US. A few more of these posts and I will be out of this bloody funk!
Monday, yesterday, Hubby had a cataract removed from his left eye. Today, we returned to the doctor's office. She declared he was doing just great! We are now working toward a second surgery for the right eye after our US Thanksgiving. Hubby had cabin fever this afternoon so he went to the INR check by himself. From there he stopped to visit another ham operator.
Tonight we are just watching the run of the schedule on CBS. NCIS, Bull and NCIS New Orleans. Pretty laid back which feels good after a lot of running around for the last 10 days. And the lack of political crap is restful, too. Well, there is still plenty of political, like who the President Elect is choosing for his inner circle. I can sign a petition for now. Gotta figure out what else I can do.
The super moon was out last night as I was walking the parking garage. A young lady in what appeared to be a cheerleader outfit was on the top floor stair landing. A fine camera was attached to a tripod. Photo after photo was being taken. I chose to just enjoy the beauty without the camera to obstruct the view.
Guess I will say good evening. Need to go get a few of those steps in as I did little else today. Ya'll have a good night.
There always is a last one. The last cookie. The last piece of cake. The last of the bargain priced items. Seldom is there an unlimited supply. Unfortunately this is true of families, too. Both maternal and paternal siblings and spouses are dead on my husband's side of the family. My Mom along with her 8 siblings and all but one spouse are gone.
My Dad who was the oldest of four children had three sisters. The first of Dad's sisters, Amelia, was always called Sis. Aunt Sissy died in 2012 in her 96 th year of life. Dad's second sister, Tommie Morine, died in infancy being only two months old when the great influenza pandemic of 1918 took her. Billie Frances was Daddy's baby sister being about 15 years younger than Daddy. She died last week at the age of 87. That was it, the last of Ed Rogers' kids.
It was not the last of PawPaw Rogers' legacy nor of the three children that survived into their 80's and 90's. At the memorial service on Saturday, there was row after row of grandchildren and their children and their children's children. That did not even count the ones along the West Coast from California to Washington state that could not attend. Nor the ones scattered across Oklahoma and Texas. There are over 100 of us now.
My sisters and I were asked to tell some of the stories about the fun times we had with Aunt Billie. It was not hard to search for material. What was hard was sharing the best of them. Aunt Billie was a divorced, single Mom in the early 1950's. That carried a stigma in the Bible Belt south. She never let it hold her back. She worked her way up from being a secretary to being an Executive assistant to the likes of Clint Murchison Jr., the founder of the Dallas Cowboys. She worked in the halls of power in the 1960's and 1970's Dallas, TX.
After her second marriage to A. G. she became a civil servant. They moved to the Greenville area and again Aunt Billie moved up the ranks. Her bosses were not the captains of industry now but the Commanders and Colonels of the Air Force. She felt great pride as she worked in this highly secret job. Always respected by the men and women with whom she worked. Ms. Billie was her moniker for 30 years. One day a young colonel came to her desk with a request. "Granny Billie" is how he greeted her. "That very day I turned in my resignation" she later recounted to me. Yep, the young Colonel got an earfull from some of the other folks that held Ms. Billie in such high regard.
In the last two years as Aunt Billie's mind became less reliable it was some of those same Colonels and Commanders that came frequently to check on her. They brought groceries. They gifted a Life Alert bracelet and the monthly fee paid for Ms. Billie. They even visited when she was in the nursing home in her last weeks of life. Just as she had served them, they served her.
Aunt Billie was the aunt that saw me as an emerging adult. She showed me great amounts of trust. She was my mentor as a professional woman. I aspired to be Aunt Billie. But more that all that she loved me. And I still love her. May her soul rest in Eternal Peace.
The majority of persons that vote in the United States have elected Donald Trump to be the next President. I penned the following a few weeks back after yet another 'friend' basically called me an idiot for my political views.
things
I've been called on facebook because I am and always have been a liberal
Christian:
idiot
Depraved
baby
killer
anti
military
unAmerican
a
communist
a
socialist
not a
Christian
liar
gullible
and the
list goes on and on
We
each have the right to our opinions.
We each currently have the right to express them in open formats. As persons of faith or morals, the name
calling and judgement from anyone seems to lack a basic respect of
others. Now most of these words were
not directed at just me but liberals in general. Here I am, this is my face, the face of a
liberal. You know me well enough to
call me friend and I, likewise, say the same of you. Do I represent my faith in such a way that
you consider me the embodiment of the devil incarnate? Surely for the sake of our nation we can
disagree without being disagreeable.
It appears that with the election of Mr. Trump as the president, name calling is now a very acceptable thing to do. I was raised if you could not say something nice you need say nothing at all.
Texas climate for the most part is hot. While the mild winter weather makes the southern part of the state attractive for 'snow birds' it can be boring. The leaves on the trees outside our patio are just looking less green. No bright reds, oranges and yellows as we had in my adopted state of Missouri. Nope, the leaves just look tired. Some are falling making small piles in the entry way but no color.
Cape Cod, Oct. 19, 2005
Younger Sister has just returned from a trip into the Northeastern US. There where sugar maples, red maples, sycamores, black tupelo, sumac, etc. mixed with evergreens painting a vibrant landscape. We saw that beauty in 2005. Here are a few photos from that trip.
Cranberry harvesting, Cape Cod, Oct. 20, 2005
Beaver Lake, Maine, October 25, 2005
Maine sea coast, October 25, 2005
October 12, 2012, Southwest Missouri countryside
10/12/2012, Missouri
In 2012 after a busy year of remodeling and a knee replacement for each of us, we took a self guided wine tour in Southwest Missouri. We stopped for these fall scenes.
final backyard photo, Oct. 31, 2013
In 2013 we moved from Missouri to Texas. We spent the day before Halloween watching the movers load the moving van. Then during the night Hubby's mom was sent to the hospital. Hubby went to the hospital and I went to the house to get the last of the items loaded. We met for the closing and he told me his mom was not going to make it this time.
We spent the night in the hospital at her bedside. About 8 AM I turned to take this photo. When I turned back to her bed, she was gone.
November 1, 2013, autumn colors from 8th floor, Springfield, MO.
Five days later we headed for the different life in Texas. We passed through northern Arkansas where the colors were just at the edge of brilliance.
Following Hubby's Jeep as we head for Texas, Nov. 7, 2013
For a comparison of the October and November fall colors the following are shots from the roof of the parking garage at our apartment complex. Can you find any color other than green?
Round Rock, TX, October 21, 2016
Here are a few colored berries, 10-21-2016
Yes, that is a sunbather in a bikini, 10-21-2016.
Today, 11-5-2016, has been cloudy with intermittent showers. The tree across the street is losing its leaves. The color is just a dull green as they fall. The oak leaves at the top of the picture are beginning to turn brown at the edges. This photo was shot from my easy chair. The bougainvillea is still in bloom. Temperature was in the low 70 F. Fall in Texas......
Thanks for stopping by for a chat! You Statesiders roll those clocks back an hour!
Last evening I had just finished up prep for our dinner and was allowing the main dish to 'sit' for a few minutes before eating. Just enough time to take the garbage to the big compactor in the garage. Upon my return down the hall, I met Hubby moving at Hubby high gear..
"Where are you going?" I queried.
"DJ and Bonus grandaughter are cornered by a rattlesnake!" was his response.
I grabbed my purse and caught up to him at the car in the same garage. Off we went to 'rescue' dog and Bonus GD. And the reason we were barreling across town was because Son called just as he was entering the ramp for his flight to Europe. DIL was out shopping for a party dress for Bonus GD who had too much makeup homework to make a shopping trip. We were the closest to her. I had this vision on Hubby in a Super Duper Man outfit and me as Wonder Fat Woman. We are not svelte people.
While Super Duper is driving Wonder Fat is texting with Bonus GD and DIL. That gave us enough additional info to know dog and Bonus GD were not trapped. They were safely behind closed doors. The accelerator was not pressed quite as closely to the floorboard and blood pressures declined from full heart attack to minor stroke levels. By the time we arrived the culprit snake was not to be found. It was dark and even Super Duper was in no mood to hunt for trouble. He did retrieve Bonus GD's sneaker that sneaky DJ, the dog, had carried outside.
Bous GD shared the back story for the call with Super Duper and Wonder Fat. DJ started going out her doggie door but just barked and pulled back into the breakfast nook. She continued to do this till the Bonus GD decided to check. By this time she checked DJ is upset to the max and shaking vigorously. Every time the dog stuck her head out the doggie door a cicada sound would start up. Bonus looked out the family room window overlooking the patio. There near the door was a rattlesnake. A rattling rattlesnake. Yikes!
Texts and phone calls started and that brings us back to where I met Hubby in the hall. It was good to be standing in the breakfast nook with everyone calming down. DIL arrived with party dresses. A quick chat and then we all had to look outside one more time. Still no sneaky snake .... Byes and hugs that everyone was okay. Then it was time for us to head back for our dinner. The main dish had definitely sat long enough now! It was like a celebration the nothing serious had happened to our little family. And still no snake seen this morning.
This morning I was preparing to go to the Dallas area to assist my oldest sister with some packing and sorting. She is 80 + years old and moving out of her house to live with her middle child. Her oldest son who had lived with her had died last November. She had held down a 5 day work week till 3 weeks ago. She has just finished having each of her eyes operated on for cataracts. Younger Sis contacted Older Sis and our niece to decide if Oldest was ready for help.
Long story, short, Older would like to have Younger and I help go through her dead son's belongings. This time last year she was spending all day sitting outside ICU. Mike, my nephew and her son, was in final stages of his body's system failure. There were hopes for a kidney transplant. He was too sick and passed away November 23. He had lived with Older Sis on and off for about 15 years. This was just 9 months after our mother had died. A tough, tough year for Older Sis. And now she is ready to go through his stuff.
Oldest finally decided she needed a few days to get herself sort of together. That is a huge understatement. Healing cannot be rushed. Healing of eyes, healing of wounds, healing of hearts. We three sisters will gather on Monday and begin the process of helping our Oldest move to the next step of healing. Cause that is what we do for each other. Fat or Skinny, Old or Young. We, my husband, my sisters, my family stand arm and arm, side by side, day or night against what ever life throws our way.
