AWAY

I will be fluttering away from my computer for a couple of weeks. Maybe we both need a break from each other lol. I still don't know what illness it has contracted. Hopefully when I'm ready to boot it back up in two weeks, it will be ready to be booted!

I'll have lots of things to talk about and pictures when I return, so stay tuned...

In the meantime, I hope everyone stays safe and warm while I'm away.

Totally Frustrated

I've been jinxed. I bragged at BlueRidgeGal's blog that I like Vista. Sigh.

I have been fighting with my computer all day. I power up and all seems fine. I do one thing. It does it. Then it goes into stupid mode. I've done all the cleanups I know how.

Will try again tomorrow but.. know I would be checking your blogs and making my usual very insightful, totally helpful, invaluable, sometimes histerical, always gripping comments if I could...

And Gal... I may be asking you more about Apple very soon...

Thinking back

I got my first full time job after I graduated from High School in 1970 (yea, yea, yea... do the math). Anyway, as I was working on W2's today and saw what I had made working a part-time job, I had to think back to that first job.

The job was with the State Department of Health as a Clerk/Typist. Thinking back, I'd have to say I probably pissed my fellow employees off. I actually liked to type and it didn't seem like work to me at all, so when break time would come, I'd wave everyone on and keep typing. Well I did that until my supervisor called me into her office and told me that breaks were mandatory. That was insane to me! So I quietly filed out with the others for 15 minutes every morning and 15 minutes every afternoon for my "mandatory" break. Of course, we had a lunch break too. As in many offices, there were the talkers and there were the workers. I was definitely one of the workers... which got me another sit down with my supervisor. It turned out I was working too fast. There wasn't enough work to go around and they didn't want to admit that to the powers that be, so I was asked to "slow down". How is that for bureaucracy at its best. Remember, this was 1970. We had no computers. Actually most of us didn't even have electric typewriters. We were typing on old manual typewriters and everything was in triplicate with carbon paper in between each sheet. We had correction tape for errors but usually if we made an error, we'd have to start over.

What really prompted me to write this post, though, was the wages. My first paycheck was for $305.00. Not too bad? That was for a MONTH of work! And let me tell you, I thought I was in high cotton. That was a fortune to me. It was plenty to live on since I still lived at home. What did things cost in 1970?

A gallon of gas was 36 cents.
A first class stamp cost 6 cents.
A dozen eggs cost 62 cents
A candy bar cost 10 cents
A loaf of bread cost 25 cents

Ahhhh, the good ol' days.

Why Old People Break Body Parts

Don't crack a rib laughing at this one... I almost did...

I felt so bad laughing, but laugh I did! I hope nobody got seriously hurt in these mishaps.

Say Bird Feed!

I was sitting at my kitchen table, catching up on some paperwork and this little guy flew to the bird feeder and just sat there looking at me. I believe he is called a tufted titmouse (anyone? am I right?) Anyway, I didn't think much of it and kept on working. I looked up again and he was back, just cocking his head, looking at me. I said "Hi Lil' Buddy" but he didn't answer me back. Birds can be rude that way sometimes. So then I asked if it was OK for me to take his picture. (I learned from Iggy that you must always ask first). He nodded, so I grabbed my trusty little camera and snapped his picture. He posed quite nice for me, didn't he.

Humbled

I began blogging a little over a year ago. It was kinda intimidating at first. I was like, who would want to read about my life or what I am thinking. It didn't take long to discover the world of blog is very liberating. It became a replacement of chat for me after a very good chat friend, Jopete, passed away. My chat heart seemed to die with him and the magic of chat was gone. It was replaced by the magic of blog. Some read the morning paper with their first cup of coffee each morning. I rush to the computer to read the blogs.

Originally I would read blogs of people I had chatted with over the years and they would read mine. It was really cool to get a glimpse into their everyday lives and to share mine. Little by little I have peeked into other blogs and am fascinated at the diversity of all my blog friends.

I have known Intenseguy through chat and blog for quite sometime. I admire him greatly. His blog is full of information, laughter, interesting pictures, silly pictures, deep thoughts, silly thoughts, and sometimes raw emotions. He holds nothing back. So to receive the Best Blog of 2008 Award from him is humbling. Thank you Iggy.

As I mentioned, I follow quite a few blogs. A young man stumbled into my blog recently and was kind enough to leave a comment. Of course I wandered over to his to check it out. What I found was a pretty cool dude. He loves heavy metal music but respects other's preferences and is addicted to traveling. He recently did a post about his softer side, admitting he loves Dolly Parton's music to the chagrin of his fellow band members. I think A.Kichu definitely deserves the award.

I've chatted with Ausgrl for quite sometime and loyally follow her blog. I never know what to expect when I go there. It may be weeks with no post and then boom there will be some deep thinking post or a cute story about her family. Check her out sometime. You might even catch a new post. You deserve the award Aus.

Two more blogs I never miss are Chicagolady and Ladystyx. Both of these ladies are sometimes wacky and blog about their life and what they think about things. You two made my 2008 and deserve the award.

We all snore...

I admit it. I snore. The kids love telling stories about how when they were little I'd take a nap in the middle of the day and embarrass them when their friends were here because my snoring was so loud. The grandkids make fun of me too (hmmm, maybe that is why they call me silly grandma lol) Jim snores, too. But the kids don't tell stories on him. It seems it is ok for dad to snore but terribly funny that mom does :o

This morning while eating breakfast we heard this "noise". Jim looks at me. I look at Jim. His eyes were open and so were mine. But darned if that noise didn't sound like snoring.

Then we look over at our precious dog. He is curled up in his bed under his trusty bath towel.... snoring. We knew then that our little Whiskey was definitely the perfect dog for us, the snoring King and Queen.

Here is what he looked like...


This is how our little Chichuahua likes to sleep, totally covered up in his bed under a bath towel.



Wake up sleepyhead, you snoring mut you!

Color Me Stupid

I wrote the previous post about Calvin and Hobbes very quickly this morning right before I was leaving to take my dad to the St. Louis Airport. I hit publish and ran out the door. So I picked up dad and am heading down I70 and finally have time to think. And I think - what was I thinking! That wasn't Hobbes with Calvin! What is that little girl's name? I just know it wasn't the goofy tiger. I literally laughed out loud at myself and dad wanted to know what was so funny. Now how do you explain to a man who has no concept of the internet much less blog that I blogged a stupid. Now that just wasn't possible. So I made some nonsense up and slapped myself on the forehead.

The funniest part is that five comments have been left by five very dear people. And I'm pretty sure all five knew I had pulled a dummy and all five of you were too nice to point it out to me. What am I going to do with you all!!!!!!!

Does anybody know the name of the little girl???? I've never been a cartoon follower of any kind, just the occasional reading the Sunday comics, so I have no clue...

OK, I swear off of comic posts - I PROMISE!!!!!

Calvin and Hobbes

According to the email that I received this cartoon in, this cartoon is 15 years old...

Calvin is trying to sell lemonade at $15 a glass. Hobbes is outraged. Calvin explains it is because of supply and demand. Hobbes points out there is no one else buying. Calvin says he is President and CEO of the company and he DEMANDS an exorbitant salary, etc. Hobbes points out the lemonade is lousy and Calvin says he had to cut expenses to stay competitive. Hobbes says she could get sick and Calvin says he's have to charge more if he followed health and environmental regulations. When Hobbes refuses to buy the lemonade Calvin goes to his mother and says he needs to be subsidized.

Now we know the rest of the story: Our banks, car manufacturers and government officials learned everything they know from the cartoon book of Calvin and Hobbes.

(Sh)IT HAPPENS....

2009 started kind of rough for me.

Let me explain. My jammies pants are the comfortable, loose, wide legged kind - the kind of jammies I would wear all day long if I thought I could get by with it because they are so comfortable. You know what I mean...

Well.....

New Years day I wake up, stretch, and swing my legs over the side of the bed to greet the new year.

Ut oh.

The big toe of my right foot got caught in the left hem of my jammie britches.
Big Ut Oh.

I went flying. My right hand and knee hit the bed side table and my head hit the glass door that leads outside. Can you say ouch?

I am glad to report the crash woke Jim up, although he had no clue how to untangle me from the mess. Fortunately my pride was the worst thing hurt. How I kept from inflicting major injuries on myself is beyond me.

So I figure this was an omen for the new year - Shit is going to happen but I am going to get through it just fine!!!!!

Welcome 2009

Here is wishing a wonderful 2009 to all my blog friends.



I can't think of a better way to start the year than to post some pictures of those who are near and dear to me.

Our oldest daughter, Tessa, and her husband Bill. James (3), Emily (10), Cara (8) and Anna (6)

Son, Greg, and his wife, Alicia. Reagan (13 months) and Allen (5)

Daughter, Julie, and her husband, Doug. Austin (3) on Julie's lap. Cody (11), Dakota (7), Travis (12)

All of our grandkids in the same place at the same time. Nothing short of a miracle.

We didn't get a picture of Jim and me for some reason. I guess that could have something to do with us being behind the cameras lol. That's ok, though - you know he is special to me.

Dad handled the Christmas well, even though I know he missed mom very much. We all did. Every year before we open presents the older kids read the Bible Story of the Birth of Jesus "The Christmas Story". Before we read the story this year, we spent a minute talking about Great Grandma. The one thing those who were old enough remembered was she was a spry little lady and a "neat-nic". She couldn't stand to see the floor cluttered with Christmas wrapping. So, every time someone would throw a piece of wrapping paper on the floor she would jump up and pick it up. Drove us all crazy at the time. What I would give to have her driving me crazy again, picking every piece of paper up!