These days, mid-March is known for "ides," "green stuff" and "madness." But growing up in the hinterlands near Philly, March 19, was St. Joseph's Day. Bigger, in fact, than St. Patrick's Day. Our teaching nuns were the Sisters of St. Joseph, so March 19 was their collective "feast day." We always got the day off school, no matter how many snow days we'd already racked up.
These days, St. Joseph's Day resonates with me because not only is it "Spring Eve," but it's the day the fabled swallows return to the Mission in San Juan Capistrano. Just like my calendar-marking hummingbirds, the swallows follow some implanted bio-rhythm that signals them the precise day of return. A famous song was written (before I was born, lol) to commemorate the annual event.
"The miracle of the "Swallows" of Capistrano takes place each year at the Mission San Juan Capistrano, on March 19th, St. Joseph's Day."
190 comments:
"These days, St. Joseph's Day resonates with me because not only is it "Spring Eve,""
Ivy, I love this post - and that pic is gorgeous (and catchy - what a great header).
Good, we can think of this as Spring eve. Spring holds so much promise in my mind - the ultimate season of hope.
The birds seem so active and noisy (beautiful noise) this year. I'm really enjoying them and all their chatter (obviously listening to it as I speak :).
"There are no Azaleas blooming yet"
.... almost everything is a little late this year (except the birds). Nature is so much more in tune than we are. I'm going to 'try' to follow her example and go with the flow.
"She doesn't have all that other "noise" to drown out her psychic abilities. I think that is why they are so psychic. "
Last time we talked about living in the present, I started to (finally) understand what that means more clearly. Like you said, Maggie is focused on this very moment (actually focused on this second would be more accurate). Now I know that's what they mean by cutting down on the mental chatter that never lets up. We're so busy thinking about the past, and worrying about the future, it's a wonder that we can function at all.
It's not that we should 'disregard' the past or the future, it's just that if we focus on the present (after all, the past is 'already' a permanent part of us), then the future will be good 'because' we're doing what we 'should' be doing at this very moment.
I think that's what that control issue thing is about too (one more thing I didn't really get until lately). Instead of trying to control what isn't here yet (or isn't here anymore), concentrate on the only thing you can control, which is right now.
There's never any guarantees about the future. Now is all we've got. Glad you and Maggie brought that up this morning Carol. Reading what you said a bout Maggie re-emphasized to me the importance of right 'now'. When you're only 'being' right now, then there's no time to waste on guilt and worry (at least that's our ultimate goal). Thanks for reminding me girls.
So glad you like the post, Chloe. I had fun making it.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (from the 'Self Reliance' essay, 1841)
* "But man postpones or remembers; he does not live in the present, but with reverted eye laments the past, or, heedless of the riches that surround him, stands on tiptoe to foresee the future. He cannot be happy and strong until he too lives with nature in the present, above time."
... almost a 170 years ago, and Emerson already knew what I'm just starting to get. I read lots of Emerson too (he's one of my favorite people). Just goes to show that you don't see things until you're ready to see them.
... (either that, or you can't teach an old monkey new tricks. :)
Solar, Glad to hear you haven't completely disappeared. That's a lot of hours to be working. When do you sleep?
Good thing you love working - I couldn't put in that kind of hours.
Hope we see you here this weekend.
... and hope we see Coreen too!
Ivy, take care of that shoulder - glad it wasn't torn.
Carol, you and Mag enjoy your day off (except I'm sure she won't enjoy the Doctor visit).
Jan and Mary, Hope to see you two around this weekend too.
Carol,
Check out the dragonfly at Marie Winn's place...
Emerald Dragonfly
Apparently, there's a dragonfly field guide in the works. Once I read a "lifestyle" story in one of my newspapers that stated when bird-watchers have identified and listed all the birds they can, they move on to dragonflies. I can see that happening. lol
Ivy, I love your post. Really resonates with me. My oldest son was born 50 years ago today. In case you are wondering, I was 3 weeks shy of my 19th birthday. I had married just out of high school. But as is the case for many young marriages, mine only lasted 3 years. I just e-mailed my son. He and his wife are celebrating in Phoenix with friends they have known since college. I just wrote him and sent him the links you linked above on the post. The interesting thing is that the swallows begin their journey from Goya Argentina and we lived in Argentina for 3 years in the middle 1960's - not Goya, but Rosario. I definitely want to make the trip to San Juan Capistrano soon. I told my son in my e-mail, maybe we should have named him "Joe" He wrote back that he likes his name better.
Ivy, you have made my day. Thank you so much.
Hi folks,
Here is a link to the song "When the Swallows come back to Capistrano" by the Ink Spots on Youtube. This song brings a tear to my eye as I can hear my dad sing this song when I was but a little child. Sorry it is not in blue.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4-52FsYV98&feature=related
Pat Boone sang this song too, but I like the Ink Spots better.
Another great post Ivy. I looked in Wiki to see if there was anything I could pray to St Joseph for like I do St Christopher and St Anthony. I'm not Catholic but I borrow stuff from them. Remember I'm of the church of the Big River. We use the cafeteria plan to select what works for us. We borrow from who and whatever we want. Ya'll are members also.
St. Joseph is the unofficial patron against doubt and hesitation. I could use his help often.
I use St Christopher for safe trips but I underestimated what all he can help with.
He holds patronage of things related to travel and travelers: against lightning; against pestilence; archers; bachelors; boatmen; bookbinders; epilepsy; floods; fruit dealers; fullers; gardeners; for a holy death; mariners; market carriers; motorists and drivers; sailors; storms; surfers[8]; toothache; and transportation workers.
And St Anthony has frequently helped me find my lost stuff.
Don't poo poo all this stuff, even Targ talks about the power of prayer and I'm not too proud to ask for help.
OMG Jan, Billy is the big 5 0. Boy, am I feeling old now. Tell him Happy Birthday from Aunt Carol.
Maggie was a good girl at the Doc. She seemed to enjoy the outing even though it was to the Doc. She's good with him. None of this screaming shit. He tells me she's got my number and yes she does. I don't want the neighbors calling animal protection when they hear her blood curdling screams when I try to do anything with her. I don't worry about her little showing her teeth or snapping at me behavior. I laugh at that.
I also had to go get a new lawn mower battery, put it together and put it on the charger for a little while. I'm following instructions, which I seldom do. I hope when I put it in, my lawn mower starts up.
Ya know it wouldn't be so bad to do all these outside chores if stuff would just work like it should. It's all this getting things to work again that really zaps my enthusiasm.
At closer inspection, my azaleas and bridal wreath are budded and fixing to bloom. When is Peter Cottontail due in?
Ivy,
Absolutely delightful post for this day....
we are enjoying this 'spring tease', and for me, it means driving with my window open finally...& naturally (old)r&r music on the radio & we have 2 of the best oldies stations out of NYC & Hartford,CT...
It has been a fantastic couple of days here, just touching 70, at least one more to go...then back to reality....but spring is definitely about to pop....
And in honor of St. Joseph's day, today is the
day Italians eat 'zeppoles', well maybe just one....
Zeppole di san guiseppe
Carol, Peter will be hopping in on April 4th...
And you can 'borrow' any of our saints you want to...in addition to Mary, I always liked St. Theresa....
And to everyone enjoy the 'spring weekend'...
You know the two Mary's, not my sister, are always at my side.
Somethings was working today. I got my lawnmower purring like a kitten but I can't use it because my neighbors motorcycle has me blocked. He's off working somewhere. He's suppose to go with me this afternoon to move it. Hope he can get it started. If it's not too late I can mow my clover.
Coreen, I'm afraid this weekend ain't going to be too good. It's suppose to rain tomorrow and turn cooler again. Upper 30s at night. Enough already!
Thank you all for your responses to the post. I was hesitant about putting up something "religious." Then I remembered it's about taking what you like and leaving the rest. Today was a great day...albeit not a perfect one... but your comments, along with the ideals of my program - served to make it the best day possible and one for which I feel entirely grateful.
Ivy, I too am grateful for today. It was a good day for me too. I taught a class this afternoon and the studnets (mispelled -but like the word anyway) were lovely. I had a case study that they worked through and they did great - and it was Friday afternoon - I am most grateful.
Carol, so you feel old! I am now at the age where I am just glad to be here and not in too much pain.
Carol
"I got my lawnmower purring like a kitten but I can't use it because my neighbors motorcycle has me blocked"
Isn't that just how life is? - you get something working or going and something comes along and blocks what is working. You just have to laugh. Like Gilda Radner said many times "Its always something"
Coreen, never heard of, or had "zeppoles" They sound a little like a donut - are they sweeter than a donut?
Ivy, never worry about putting up something "religious" I agree we can all take what we want from a post - or not.
We had an interesting day here. Our temps have been getting up in high 60's/low 70's lately during midday. It was warm at noon when I went to my office. When I left at 4:15 it was cold. We may have snow again.
I agree with everyone here - a very pleasant Friday.
Ivy, I too enjoy the religious posts. There's always such a meaningful message and sense of peace in them. I try to learn something new everyday, and all you guys here help me tremendously with that. I feel grateful also.
"When the Swallows come back to Capistrano"
Jan, Thanks for linking that song - I hadn't heard it before. It's beautiful.
"Ya know it wouldn't be so bad to do all these outside chores if stuff would just work like it should. It's all this getting things to work again that really zaps my enthusiasm."
I agree Carol. The hard work is always getting things set up and ready to go. After that, the task can even be enjoyable, as well as giving you a great feeling of accomplishment.
That genealogy show is on NBC again now...
Lisa Kudrow is discovering her family's story during the Holocaust...
All four of Hubs' grandparents came from Czarist Russia. His dad's mother got out sometime before WWI. I tried to pump her for stories one time, but she suddenly couldn't remember any English.
I got my lawnmower out and back here and I mowed and weedeated the yard. Made it before the rain tomorrow. A good day's work.
There are some things better left in the past Ivy.
No, Carol, with all due respect I don't agree. The stories have to be told, or their pain will be re-enacted, even subconsciously.
For healing, there also has to be the giving-and-receiving of forgiveness, and you can't do that without sharing the stories.
In the middle of the 'Who You?' show, they ran an ad for their Tuesday show,
'Parenthood' which I've gotten involved in against my better judgment. That doesn't bode well. Hubs said he heard a report on NPR that NBC's ratings are even more in the toilet since the Olympics. They could cancel the entire network anytime.
I like the Thursday night NBC shows. I don't think there is much good on any of the Networks.
Last night, I finished my book, "Wicked, The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West," by Gregory Maguire. The story was pretty good, actually, at least until the end when that silly Dorothy showed up. She ruined everything. lol
Anyone here ever traced your genealogy?
There's that hallelujah song again on the genealogy show. I love that song and it keeps popping up. And if I have to spell that word a couple more times, I might learn to spell it without looking it up on Google.
I noticed the song at the end of the show, Carol, but I don't know where I heard it before, or if I did. Where else do you recall hearing it?
My family's genealogies have been traced, but I'm not the one who did it. My cousin did my mother's side.
Also, I read a bunch of stuff on a web page that traced the family of Jackie Kennedy. My father's line connects with hers on her father's side...there I recognized the phenomenon of identical twins went farther and wider than what I had previously known...that felt "real" to me. I also noticed some information that was wrong...facts are only as good as the people who report them.
I see that White House is back on our map and flashing. Weird name for a town. The reason for the name:
"A typical stop along the way was a white, two-story house built by Richard Wilks in 1829. The house was a popular stop for lodging, food, and changing out horses. During this time, houses were rarely painted white, particularly in this underdeveloped area. The stage coach drivers began to call this stop and the surrounding area White House"
Population in 2008 was 9,891.
It would be neat if our visitor would drop a line.
Ivy, Jan linked that song on Youtube here one day. I listened to it and fell in love with it. We've talked about it a couple of times.
Our little star map has introduced me to a lot of towns around the US. I like to look them up on Wiki. It's been a neat learning experience.
My favorite Hallelujah is the one Jan linked. One of the singers was a world idol winner. My lazy link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2NEU6Xf7lM
The Canadian Tenors did it well also and they were really nice to look at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tubL9EaiztM
Does anyone besides me peruse a catalog website called Signals? There are many "inspirations" there. Search their tee shirts for this one...it even has a graphic of an Adirondack chair...lol
"Sometimes I sit and think; sometimes I just sit..."
That song makes the hair stand up on my neck.
Now I can't locate the tee-shirt I was trying to link. But there's plenty of other cute ones...Carol and Mary, there's one that says, "Sisters: Emotional Tech Support." lol
I do miss my sister.
I found a t-shirt that Jan would like but it's too late.
It says....Those who can, do. Those who can do more, teach.
Carol,
I will go back and listen to the song links. Perhaps it was discussed when I was "scarce." The genealogy show makes me realize how important the Census can be. It is disturbing to me that certain "agendas" are scaring people about participating in the Census. I don't know if they are right-wing or left-wing that are doing it, but in any case, imo, it's "unpatriotic" to conspire against the Census.
How long has your sister been gone Ivy? How many years different in your ages?
Your so right Ivy. The Census just helps your community get the resources it needs.
Carol,
It's going to be eight years next month. She was three-and-a-half years younger than me. I am the oldest of us, and we were the only girls. Twin boys in the middle.
Ivy, was your mom tougher on you than she was on the rest of your siblings?
Carol,
I'm not sure about the word "tougher." I was tough enough on myself, she didn't need to do it.
Last night when I completed "Wicked" I wasn't sure I would be willing to pick up the next book in the trilogy. Mainly because I was thinking "I didn't get it." I didn't get what turned the plucky green girl Elphaba from a defender of Animals into a person green with envy over a pair of sparkly shoes. But I figured it out by today. It was lack of forgiveness - living in a culture of grudge-holding. It brought her to soul-awareness, but wouldn't allow her to find redemption. The subject of the sequel ("Son of a Witch") is apparently one of her "sins." More will be revealed. The series is "Harry Potter for grown-ups." I'm off to it...lol
Maggie was so funny tonight. At night when I turn off the TV, Maggie knows it's time to go to bed. If there is a toy in the room she grabs it and takes it to bed with her. She doesn't play with it, she just puts it in the bed.
Today I bought a purple bunny at Walmart for Easter. I put it in the window looking down on the river as my Easter decor. Maggie kept taking it out of the window thinking it must be her toy. I would put it back. She finally left it alone.
When I was getting ready to head to bed, Maggie headed over to the bunny in the window. She looked at the bunny then looked at me. She did that a couple of times. I said, OK you can take the bunny to bed. She got up into the window and grabbed the bunny to take it to bed. The bunny is almost as big as she is so she had to drop it and pick it up a couple of times to get it down the stairs and into the bedroom. She put it in the bed with us. Her's so cute.
Carol, what a cute story about Maggie and the bunny. I can just see Maggie looking at you and then the bunny.
We had a strange night tonight. Our 8 year old granddaughter stayed with us today. I had to work so she and John hung out - they went to Costco and out to eat. She also went out to eat with us tonight. We had told her parents we would bring her home after eating. They live about 25 miles from our house. Lo and behold, John and I both forgot our phones. Her parents also decided to go out and eat and tried to call us to say they would pick her up at our house. We did not know this so took her home and nobody home. So we called them from her house and made decision to drop her off at the restaurant where they were having dinner. We got home and I realized I had left my purse at their house. So we drove back to her house and picked up my purse and just got back home. We are both exhausted.
So good night all.
I'm sorry Jan, but let that be a lesson to you. Brought to you by AT&T. The moral of that story is, don't leave your cell phone at home. We used to live peacefully without those phones on us at all times. Remember that time in life? It wasn't that many years ago. Now, it's almost life threatening not to have one on you. And they seem to know when you left them behind.
I don't know how we got along without them, Carol - a life full of inconveniences.
I remember hunting for pay phones when we moved to Texas, they were few and far between. Then I'd find one, and it refused to dial the prefix I was calling, without a few dollars in coins. If I did get the coins, it would take them and not make the call anyway (and kept the coins, of course). I finally give up. (In Ca. the phone booths actually (usually) worked (and there were plenty of them - here they were few and far between, and then when you did find one, they were un-repaired junk.)
Jan, sorry to hear you had such a frustrating (and exhausting) evening.
What a sweet couple you and John are. He sounds like a wonderful partner.
This was linked over on TM:
NY Times Reporter Confirms Obama Made Deal to Kill Public Option
"This should be big news. Even while President Obama was saying that he thought a public option was a good idea and encouraging supporters to believe his healthcare plan would include one, he had promised for-profit hospital lobbyists that there would be no public option in the final bill."
NY Times Reporter Confirms Obama Made Deal to Kill Public Option
.... politicians are so slimy, that it makes me physically ill.
With all the deals that might be going on with the industries involved in health care, I don't think any health care reform should pass. It just could be that any health care reform bill that includes all these deals will just scalp the taxpayer.
It's all smoke and mirrors people.
I stayed interested in politics when I thought it was just the Republicans who were corrupt. Then when I realized they are all corrupt, I just couldn't trouble my mind any longer.
Speaking of politicians, this was also linked over at TM:
"Rep. Stupak and Catholic members of Congress, I have one question for you: Whom do you trust to speak for the Catholic faith? The bishops who covered up the sex scandal in the church, ignoring the cries of victims, while rewarding those with "habitually foul behavior" with ever-bigger parishes and positions in the hierarchy? Or the sisters -- the women who nursed your sick grandparents, who taught your children to read, cooked meals for hungry people, who started schools on the prairies and established hospitals in far-away jungles? When it comes to being pro-life, you best listen to the ladies. " http://www.huffingtonpost.com/diana-butler-bass/memo-to-bart-stupak-liste_b_505991.html
I should have known better than to start my day reading over at TM. I've been avoiding the news (and with it all the lies of politicians) and then I had to run across these stories. Just when I'm trying to de-slime my life. Big mistake - but I'm redirecting my focus 'now'.
I see that nasty little weather system heading our way Chloe, the one that will ruin our weekend. They now have our highs for tomorrow listed in the upper 40s. That's nuts.
Whew Chloe, that was close!
Carol, I just looked and see that. 34 tonight and a high of 55 tomorrow. Rain too. Wow!
Every time I think Spring is here, Mother Nature sets me straight. There's even going to be some wind tomorrow. Oh boy, here we go again.
I was reading a little from something yesterday that talked about how hard migration is on the birds. It said many of them die from starvation. I stopped reading, because it's so hard for me to think of these things.
How can we help, but 'catastrophize'.
... oops, my weather report must be a little off again. Apparently it's worse than I thought.
"...I thought it was just the Republicans who were corrupt. Then when I realized they are all corrupt, I just couldn't trouble my mind any longer."
.. yep, what a rude awakening that was.
Carol, That story about you, Maggie and the purple bunny rabbit was so cute. Those are the really important things. Those kinds of visuals can keep you going for days.
Emma was standing in the kitchen with a little short broom a few days ago, trying to sweep like she see's gamma do. It was so cute, and that visual stayed in my mind ever since.
'We decide' what's important and what's beyond our control. Focus, it's all about focus.
Sorry to hear your taste of spring is not staying....but it sounds like you are all well on your way...with your plants budding & all...just starting to see a few buds on the
early blooming white cherry trees, but not on the majority yet...
Azaleas don't usually come out til well into April/May, if the spring is not rainy...the forsythia will be one of the first to be a sure sign that spring has sprung....& there is an early blooming lavender azalea or rhody, that comes up first...I had one but not much luck with planting lately....
Jan,
Yes, zeppoles would be like dougnuts (deep fried) but sometime ricotta cheese is mixed as well...they would be sold at an Italian bakery
at this time of year (St. Joseph's day)....
And another Italian thing is pizza fritte...which is fried pizza dough sprinkled
with powdered sugar...alway sold at any Italian
festival here....we have it on Good Friday....
As far as the 'census' reporting, the problem
is not necessarily with the short form, but there is also something called american community survey, which is exceedingly intrusive...I know, they actually sent me one
last fall...it contains questions about mortgage payments, property taxes,utility costs, travel time,
health insurance coverage, & more...all of which I did not answer....& yes they actually called me twice & said I did not complete all the questions...& I HAD to....I told them they
got what I was going to supply, nothing more...
& when they insisted I had to provide all the answers the conversation was less than amicable...you can check with aclu about the
dilemma they face, since they talk about protecting individual privacy rights v. the
census using these surveys to do whatever they
claim they use them for & its intrusive nature....
Needless to say I am one that considers the
survey a violation of my privacy rights...beyond the # of persons living in a house there is no definitive answer about what must be included in the census reporting...
Chloe, what a cute picture that would have been of Emma with the little broom.
Yes, my John is a sweetie. He entertained our granddaughter yesterday - they went to Costco while I taught a class and on top of that he drove us back to get my purse - I could not drive as my DL was in my purse.
Zeppoles sound delicious. We have an italian pizza place - I may have to check them out today to see if they have any leftover ones.
Our weather has turned today. It is snowing like crazy and I hear I-40 is closed due to accidents. This is the heaviest snowfall (here in the valley) we have had this winter. We may be able to build a snow person.
Chloe, we have only rec'd the short form. No invasive questions as yet. I wonder if they do a random selection of people to do the invasive one.
Chloe, thank you for posting that link about the Catholic Sisters. It is just another good example of the wrong gender leading the world. I have two Catholic DIL's and I love them dearly but I am fed up with the way the Catholic church has covered up and continued to move the priests who have committed crimes against children and youth. My middle son's first wife is Catholic also and one of her brothers was molested by a Catholic priest. That brother is listed as a sex offender here. I have never been told why. He is the uncle of 2 of my grandsons. I just hope and pray they were not victims.
Coreen, it seems there are several cultures who like fried bread dough of some kind. "Fried bread" is popular with the Native American groups here. They fry a piece of bread the size of a small pizza and put meat of some kind on it with tomatoes, beans and a picante sauce. They call it an "indian taco."
Chloe, it would be hard to give up my cell phone. Last night is just an example of how much easier our lives are now with cell phones. Of course, the other side is we never have "down" time from the rest of the world.
As far as the health care reform...my instinct
is that it will pass, regardless if it is a benefit to the 'majority' of people....in the end it will certainly fall on those that do pay taxes to cover the costs, which contrary to the deceptive tricks being used to claim it
is revenue neutral, will increse the burden
on most...with little benefit to them...the original problem was that the majority of americans do have health insurance, from one source or another (usually through their employer) but the runaway costs have crippled both businesses & those that pay direct like small-business owners....& most people were looking for the politicians to provide some relief to these ever escalating costs...but instead it appears that the costs have not really been reduced & if the true #s & timeframe for implementing this HCR were honestly stated, we, the taxpayers, will again be expected to pay more one way or another.... with little if any reduction in the costs to each of us personally & likely no better coverage ....
Curiously, do each of you have health insurance now & are you happy with your plans....other than possibly increased costs/through higher premiums/co-pays, etc.
For me, my coverage has been fine, but the costs have doubled in the last 5+ years to $1500+/month (& I only go to the dr. once a year fortunately) & I pay it myself...
Since until recently most of those employed have not seen the escalation directly in their paychecks..it has only become more known as employers have tried to get the employees to pay more toward the costs that the issue is even considered....but all the rhetoric from the administration has left me totally disgusted & confident that these guys are not in the least interested in assisting the taxpayer....
Always remember when someone is spending 'other people's money' its really easy to do it...there is simply no accountability to stop them (until the damage is done---& then only sometime.
The financial industry is an excellent example of the OPM syndrome...they did not risk their own money, but OPM...but benefited
many times from OPM while the other people got
well 'screwed'....
Carol,
The purple bunny & Maggie...deserves a quick pic...
Ivy,
here is a link to the song "Hallelujah" by the Canadian Tenors and Celine Dion.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jq5jewJEni0&feature=player_embedded
Ivy, this is the group that I believe recorded "Hallelujah" for the movie Shrek.
http://www.mahalo.com/stub/leonard-cohen-hallelujah
This song was written by Leonard Cohen, a Canadian.
Some music moves me - and this music does that. The first time I heard it was when Jason Castro sang the song on Idol.
O man.!! Diablo Mio...U pinks are at it again.....Leave U alone and you all go back to self help books..hall mark cards, and wishful thinking.....Back to " Boot Camp" FALL IN.!!
All in a straight line......Stomachs in Chests out (pic please ) and repeat after me..sing out:
I don't know but Ive been told Solars exercise routine is worth its' weight in gold...one, two, one, two, THREE, FOUR.!!
I started a small project, and had to work long hrs...it might turn into something else..but things have not changed that much...some work will be coming in now-and-again. The housing market won't come around for a while. What I did was to break down what we can do, and see where that particular service might be needed. I looks like there is not too many septic sewers system installers in certain parts of Indiana...should be a goo filler until I can get the government work that i think I will get...
Read most of the post that I missed ...very nice, in total....
Glad that we put in all those hrs...little left to do now...and it can be done in the snow that started to fall again t oday...no big deal...but it would have been if it fell two days ago.....not sticking to anything other than the grass....too warm.
Jan,
I hope your son's birthday ended as beautifully as it began. You made my day yesterday too.
Your story about your son's birth and your early and short married life with his father reminded me also about a story of my late sister (she's on my mind for some reason). Following our father's death, and then throughout her teens, she was very unhappy in our home, especially when as the youngest, she was left there following us older ones going off to college and then our mother's remarriage. Her rebelliousness led mom to "let her" get married shortly after her 17th birthday. By her 18th birthday, my little sister was waddling through the last trimester of pregnancy with her first baby. I went to her place to visit for her birthday and we took a slow walk around the block on that bright spring day. "Remember," she said, "when I used to dream out loud of 'running away' on my 18th birthday." "Yeah, I replied. "Well look at me now," she laughed. "Can't run too fast or far now, can I?"
I learned from my sister to laugh through the insanity. lol
Oh Solar,
We thought we were on the right track with you when we went through the Dr. Perricone and fish oil capsules discussion. Where did we go wrong?
Hi Solar, good to see you back with us. Love your exercise routine. I just got back from a good walk - but I don't know about that "chest out, stomachs in" routine and as for that pic - ha :)
John was watching a TV show of some older ladies doing yoga with chairs - now I can do that.
Jan,
One of my yoga-12 Step-friends shared with the group about accidentally showing up to a "Chair Yoga" class instead of her usual Power Yoga sweat session. She was miffed, but stayed anyway since she'd made the trip. By the end of "Chair Yoga," she was humbled and admitted, "This is where I belong." lol
Ivy, I love the story of your sister and her pregnancy. Your dad must have died when you and your siblings were pretty young.
My brother died young (MVA) and left 4 children, 2 were still teens. The youngest was a boy and his girlfriend became pregnant when he was only 18 and they married. Their marriage lasted about 5 years. Of all my brother's children, he has had the toughest time. The 3 others all finished college and are doing well but he has struggled, especially emotionally.
Ivy, nice post...at first I thought that it was that movie the "birds" and had to duck...kidding of course...I always like St. Joesphes day for the same reason...Spring....
Chloe, Emma is starting to walk and all...that is great..and she will be doing all of the things that u do....another phase in the circle of life for her..they will come more rapidly for her now..and I agree with the others...need some new pics.!!
Did they play the Hallelujah song during the Winter Olympics opening ceremony? That might be where I remember it from.
Yes, Jan, we were all young. My sister was only nine. It affected her the most. When she died young herself, her saddest knowledge was the effect she knew it would have on her own youngest daughter, then aged 7. It's been hard on everybody these last eight years.
The toughest part of growing older for me is the loss of agility.
Ivy, it is saddest when a parent leaves young children.
I missed some of the opening ceremonies - but I would expect they would have had that song - all those who wrote and sang it are Canadians.
Ivy, my thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. Your sister was so young, as are her children.
My brother has been gone over 20 years now and when I go back to my home town, it seems like it was only recently that he died.
I brought home the new season of "Peeps" yesterday. Orange ones. So cute staring up at me through the cellophane. Always reluctant to open a new package because you can't space out eating them. They start turning rock hard as soon as you open them.
Peeps stay soft for a long time if you keep them unopened. Last year's purple ones were still okay until those Christmas ants showed up. Even then, the ants didn't get inside that package, but I was put off by the image they'd been crawling over the package even on the outside.
Ivy,
Fish oils and all supplements are fine; I have been taking a Multi-vitamin all of my life. Im sure that it has helped me, but with out the exercises..it would not be enough for what I need, what we all need is to keep the salt intake to the barest....same with the sugar intake...but it does not take place of what the body, and mind need....to have a work out routine...over doing it is not good either tho...so Im going to get some rest today, and tomorrow...not exercises...back to work on Monday.!
Jan,
Been enjoying the family information..thanks
Getting sick and tired of talking about this health care reform bill....knew that he sold out a long time ago...just get it over with.! That goes the same with this new bs of what is being call the jobs bill, and the finance reform bill...they all don't make a dent in the reasons that they happened in the first place.!!!
I think that we all have been had...just like we did when Bush took us to Iraq....
Thanks, Jan, and same to you. There are times when the memories are more fresh than others. I think that happens for many people when the season of the loss comes around. I can get lost in the "if only's," but that is no way to live.
I am lucky to have wonderful health care. I go to the doctor whenever I want. I pay out-of-pocket for anything I want that's not covered. I don't let insurance dictate to me how and when to care for myself or my family. I am spoiled and lucky to be "arrogant" today.
But I still want the health care bill to go through, no matter what it takes, or how much retooling it takes to make it work. Not just for me, but for everyone. My sister died of no health care. Early diagnosis would have saved her.
Okay, I am doing an intervention on myself right now...Walmart therapy, that's my ticket. lol
Chloe,
Great that U found that u can't influence the future about worrying about it.!! Yes we need to take care of the present...the future is only a few seconds away from the past...it is not real...since we can never know how to control time....the past is about memory's; they keep the mind alert as to what is needed for us to make the best decisions that we can, in the present..The only thing tho..is that I would not use any word like "focus" or discipline, or similar constricting deceives that will make us feel guilty when we all sometimes don't live up to them...what I say, is to just roll with whatever is happening..and make them better, working to make them better, takes care of the future..I know what u meant....but what im talking about is not putting on any more pressure than we need to do on ourselves...
Ya'll been chatty today. Nice change. I just got back from doing some shopping. I need your advice or maybe just sympathy.
Ya'll know of my two neighbor guys. I love them and hire them often to do stuff. Even when they just want to do something I pay them because I know they have been short on work lately.
They have this tree cutter guy friend. They sometimes work with him. For a month or so now, probably longer, he's been dumping all his tree debrie across the street from my guy's camp which is spitting distance from me. They have been burning this shit. It's not so bad if the wind is going in another direction but when it comes my way, it smokes me out. My camp is not air tight and if I have any AC or heat on, it really sucks it in. It makes me gag.
A couple of weeks ago, I asked one of the guys how long that burning was going to keep up. I told him it was making me sick, gives me a whopping headache. He told me that they were tired of it also. Well today, that tree guys dumped about 4 huge trailers full of tree stuff to burn.
I went shopping and the entire time, I was fuming over it. I got home and the smoke is rotating in all directions including coming my way. I called the other neighbor, not the one I had talked to but his roomy. I got a little testy with him.
My question is, do you think I should have to put up with some idiot dumping his work related trash out here to burn and for us to breath?
"I still want the health care bill to go through, no matter what it takes, or how much retooling it takes to make it work. Not just for me, but for everyone."
Ivy, what you have said here - is exactly how I feel also.
Carol,
I would tell my friends that their friend is doing a lot of harm to U and would appreciate them telling the tree cutter friend to stop his shit....if not...then U will have to call someone a give them the license # of his truck and they can make him stop...have to go get a few things...for work next week...later.
I am one of those fortunate ones who has insurance through my work and I now have Medicare. I still pay out of pocket for care I need. I paid $8,000. six years ago for braces and other dental work. My insurance paid $1,500. of that. I was happy to pay it because the alignment of my teeth were going to result in loss of some of my teeth if I did not have the work done. I would rather drive an older and cheaper model car and do without new furniture, but have good health. These are my choices.
Unfortunately, many people have to choose between paying a mortgage or putting food on the table and buying their needed medications or health care.
Carol, I would not want to put up with that either. It is affecting your health. Is it legal to burn stuff out there? If your neighbors are not willing to do something about this, I would call the sheriff.
Jan, I'm not sure if there is any law against burning out of the city limits unless there is a burn ban. It's been so wet that I doubt that would be the case. I hate to get into it with my neighbors. I like those guys. I put up with it for a while but I did let them both know today. Hopefully they will stop this after they have burned off this big load. They might feel obligated to the tree guy because he gives them some work. They can now just blame it on me.
My insurance is still with the University. It's a state group policy I kept after I retired. I'm lucky to have that option. It's cheap but doesn't cover much if you have a serious problem, I found out. I do have a cancer and intensive care policy that is separate, with Conseco. Both parents died from cancer.
Carol, I would not like to offend my neighbors either. I hope your guys go to bat for you. If it is wood chips, they should bag it up and bring it to colder country and sell it. Gosh, wood here costs a bundle (no pun intended). If it is just scraps of wood, that sells to for fire-starter.
In the meantime Carol, you have my sympathy. Poor little Maggie has to deal with the smoke too.
I'm really more concerned with her Jan. She chokes so easily. They may try to burn when I'm gone but Maggie is still stuck here. I'll know because when that smoke gets in, it stays in the house. I just hate to have conflicts with neighbors, especially ones that I like.
It's cut up pine trees. Piles of them.
Chloe, did your temp just drop like a rock?
Carol, You're not really going to report your neighbor. You're going to report the company that is dumping the trash. I'd say, next time this happens, make the call. Ask the Sheriff's office who you should report it to. Whether burning there is legal or not is not the point. You may be able to burn on your own property (we can out here), but you can't take your trash (including pine tree's) and burn them on or near someone else's property. You're not being unreasonable Carol. Just tell your guys (nicely) to tell their friend that you have no choice but to call the authorities, if he does it again.
Your neighbors will get over it.
Carol, It's cold and windy and 42. It rained earlier, but didn't start getting cold until it stopped raining. Two days of this, and we should be getting back to normal.
I can take anything for two days. It'll be in the 70s again by Tuesday.
Jan, That is some story about your DIL's brother - and worrisome. I had never thought beyond how horrible it is for these kids to have been molested by priests. They'll grow up and 'possibly' do the same thing to other innocents. Another consequence, and it can theoretically just keep on going.
"..... we never have "down" time from the rest of the world."
I have no trouble not answering mine if I need down time Jan. I even turn it off, if necessary. Of course, that's usually when I'm home. If there's an emergency, they know to call the home phone too.
Solar, It was good to see you here today, but dang, I didn't get here at the right time.
Glad you're getting the work you need (for the time being), and glad that the weather has been cooperating too.
We miss you here though.
I'm glad you're getting some work Solar. Just let us know you're OK and we'll be OK. Not like we can call to see if you are OK.
I sometimes just hate my cell phone but I can't get away from it. I had 15 calls today from the jail. If I'm in the shower, in the bathroom, have my arms full of groceries or doing anything else where I'm tied up, that dang phone rings. It's a curse.
Unclear about the burning of the debris...are
your neighbors that you like allowing someone
to dump stuff on their property & then burn it...if so, & it is permitted by your area's ordinances, you may only get
relief if you convince your neighbors that it
is toxic/noxious fumes affecting you, with the hope that they would be understanding.
Unfortunately, depending on their relationship with the tree person, discussing it with them may result in creating hard feelings that can not be resolved in the future.
Since you spoke with your neighbors, hopefully
the matter will be resolved amicably. It is a
delicate situation when you have to confront
neighbors with problems. I hope in your case,
your neighbors are reasonable as to your concerns.
If the person is dumping on someone else's (or town/public) property & burning it, that could be a violation of local ordinances, which you could find by speaking with your local town
officials....zoning or the mayor/selectman?
office before you decide how to proceed & whether to 'report' the tree person to your local police/sheriff dept.
That tree guy is doing it with my neighbors permission. He may not have anywhere to dump the stuff. My neighbors may feel like they need to because he give them some work at times. I hope they can just tell him that I'm the one complaining. The wind will soon be more out of the south and it will come right my way. I wouldn't be complaining but it's like I have my face right in the fire. When it gets in the camp, it can be fine outside and inside it smells like a forest fire.
I just hate having to be the bitchy neighbor.
What would you chose, the Oscar or the husband/boyfriend? Being that I'm single, you might be able to guess which one I'd chose.
That is, if you are an actress.
It seems it is sometimes impossible for women to have any great achievements and have or keep a man. Sometime even moderate achievements won't let it happen.
If you are wondering what I'm talking about, I heard on that entertainment program tonight about how the last 8 or 9 women who won Oscars lost their husbands or boyfriends.
Here's something that seems weirdly perfect for a slow Saturday night at the Ponder Place.
Inch worm, Inch worm
"Inch by inch, life's a cinch."
P.S. Hubs 'n me were watchin' "Dirty Jobs" on Discovery.
Carol, Meryl Streep has gotten several awards, and she's still married to the same man.
People in that business are in and out of relationships constantly. They can usually take their pick of partners, and often do. What you said I think would not just depend on the woman, but the man too - in any relationship, He'd have to be confident enough to not feel threatened by her success.
A lot of extremely successful people are married to their career. That's a choice they made somewhere along the line. It can work though - it has so far for Angelina and Brad. And Tom and Katy, so far. And for countless others. I think it just depends on the couple and whether or not they want the same thing from the relationship. Either it works or it doesn't.
In the entertainment business, it's probably like everyone else, it usually ends because of infidelity. (... which is what just happened to Sandra Bullock - but he was fooling around quite a while before the whole Academy Award thing happened.
IMO, if they want to be with 'someone', they will. And if they would rather be alone, they will be too. There's nothing real mystical about relationships. It's just that some people don't choose a partner that's capable of being loyal.
I think people in the public eye are no different in many ways than the rest of us when it comes to relationships. For those who are in the public eye, their relationships are played out in the public also -sadly for them.
I used to buy live worms to feed my aquarium fish (when I used to keep those.) They had to be kept refrigerated and, of course, that repulsed my family. So they wouldn't have to look at them, I'd hide my worms in a brown paper bag and labelled it in large in marker, "WORMS." No one but me would ever touch that bag. Eventually, I learned that I could hide ANYTHING in a brown paper bag, and no one would touch it if it was labelled "Worms." It became a great way for me to save brownies, cheesecake, cookies, anything I wanted to have later for myself without worrying about poachers.
P.S. Now you know what kind of nutcase I really am...lol
Actually, it's pretty busy here tonight. I assume you are talking about Sandra Bullock. I feel so bad for her. It seemed like her husband Jesse James was one who had actually beaten the odds of relapse into the ego-grabbing addictive-behavior cycle. I admired them as a couple, and I liked him on Celebrity Apprentice precisely because he resisted falling into the ego trap of celebrity. Really sad.
Yep Ivy, that's who I was talking about. I like Sandra. She seems so down to earth but I couldn't see her with Jesse. He looked more like that slut puppy he was fooling around with. I guess that's that bad boy thing that some women like.
I might can use that worm charming skill you linked. Only thing is that I've gotten used to these Canadian cold worms now. They are big and juicy and I can cut them into many pieces and catch a bunch of fish on one big worm. Cutting them doesn't kill them and yes, I do feel bad about doing it.
Now those regular earth worms seem so puny. I also have worms in the frig. It does kind of put other people off when they see it but ya gotta keep them in there or they die. They can't stand the heat. Mine are in little insulated boxes.
When I think of relationships in the public eye, It is the Clintons who best come to my mind. I was living in Arkansas when Bill was givernor of Arkansas and when he was elected President. The stories flourished there of his sexual adventures and their relationship. The stories went like this. She followed him to Arkansas where they married. She was more in love with him than he with her. She was certainly his equal or greater when it came to intelligence and political savvy. His sexual escapades were told far and wide in AR. He had lots of protection from the people who worked for him - most notably another woman - older and wiser, and not one of his lovers. He was kind of a nerd in high school and not especially popular with the girls but very intelligent and a leader among his peers. He set his sights early on becoming president of the U.S. after meeting John Kennedy. When Bill met Hillary, I think he knew she could help him achieve his goal. I do believe that he truly loves her - but in the beginning, he needed her more for her political skills than loved her. After their daughter, Chelsea was born I think, for each of them, their love for her was the bond that kept them together through all of the mess he created. I think Hillary was in denial for years about his sexual escapades, but finally, the ordeal with Monica forced her to face his betrayals. I think Hillary's decision to stay with Bill was a well-thought out one. Yet, in the end I do think theirs is a love story.
Forgive all this speculation into someone else's relationship. What do I know? I don't walk in their shoes. I only know what the newspapers and tabloids and various tell-all books tell me. At the end of the day, the only story I know is my own - or not.
I'm kind of curious how you ended up running across that worm material. Were you bored?
Ivy, I love your story of the worms. I am LOL. Now, you will have us all keeping worms in our refrigerator for something. I am sitting here thinking, what will gross out .... that he will not bother to look in the bag!
Our wind finally shifted here and the temp dropped like a rock. I could feel it in my bones before it got here. Amazing how you can tell the weather with your bones when you get old.
You know that song "Mothers don't let your sons grow up to be cowboys." Well I say, mothers don't name your sons full names of famous people. I am thinking of Jesse James (why did his mother and father name him that) and John Wayne Gacy (who was a seriel killer of the worst kind).
I'm pretty sure if you had a bag labeled worms in your frig Jan that John would just have to look.
I am off to rent a movie at the Red Box at the grocery.
Carol, you are wrong. John can't find anything in the refrigerator. Before I leave for work, I will take him to the fridge and point out the foods that are available for him for lunch. One time I had some little chicken bits like skin and other stuff in a little plastic baggy for the dog. When I got home the little baggy was missing.I asked John if he had seen it. He said "I had it for lunch." That is when I began pointing out to him what was for him.
LOL Jan. Don't put any worms in the frig!
He might think it is lively pasta. Whole grain pasta.
No chance you would ever find worms anywhere in my house...
But as far as an oscar vs. a guy, well, think about it...it is really really hard to win an
Oscar (most don't ever even get nominated)while finding a guy is a lot easier, especially if you are part of the Hollywood
scene...no one ever seems to be alone for long...so winning an oscar is probably the better choice....
Sounds logical Coreen.
No worms, no lizards, no snakes, what do your cats do for entertainment Coreen? I guess they have those little fuzzy balls on a stick.
Mentioning the Clintons...true story
a long time ago, 1970...I knew Bill...he ran the senatorial campaign for a guy here in CT, & spent a lot of time in Stratford, working with the local Dems, with whom I was working as well.... though I really did not remember that it was Bill Clinton that I walked the neighborhoods with knocking on doors, one of the women who was the heart of the group, where everyone gathered at her house at the time...reminded me of it recently...& though she said she even had lots of old pictures of us together, including Hillary, I never got around to asking her if I could make copies & just a couple of weeks ago, Sylvia passed away....I really didn't remember it was Bill Clinton who I knew way back then...all I remembered was spending a lot of time with a guy named Bill who was from the south & went to Yale....I guess I should have asked for the
pics...
My cats do not go outside...2 wandered into my yard & found a home, the other was at the Easton animal shelter...they have lots of toys,
mostly catnip mice, & yes fuzzy balls, but
no reptiles...the closest they get to outside
is the screened porch....
One of them, kit-kit, the black cat, to my
shock has a 22 bullet/cartridge in her left hindquarters which my vet found when he x-rayed her last year(but she walks/runs just fine)...I was dumbfounded when he showed me the x-ray....some vile person shot at her long before I found her, needless to say, I have cursed that sob, whoever it was that shot her...
Sorry I wandered off in the middle of a conversation. Coreen, there are no gross worms in my 'fridge now. My turtles are easier to feed than the tropical fish were. lol
Your Bill Clinton story is a good one...sorry about the lady who passed away, and sad too that you missed getting the photos if only just to refresh your memory.
Carol, there was nothing on tv tonight while we were fixing dinner, so Hubs and I ended up with "Dirty Jobs" on Discovery. It turned out to be interesting and informative, and one of the segments was worm grunting. Worm-finding has something to do with fishing, so I thought of you.
Saw a sign today at the fish market...it said, "I love the change of seasons...from Hunting to Fishing..."
I was baffled that someone as spectacular as Sandra Bullock would choose a person who "looks like that." But if the last few years have taught me anything, it's not to judge a book by its cover.
I rented "The Time Travelers Wife" An engaging movie. I read the book a couple of years ago. Brad Pitt was an executor producer of the movie. Brad gets into the movies with a paranormal twist.
Coreen, Kit Kat must be an amazing cat.
Coreen, it is too bad you did not get the pictures of you with Bill Clinton. John had a hand-written letter Bill wrote to him when Bill taught law at the Univ of AR - related to some work they did together. John wishes he had the letter now.
That's neat Coreen. Do you know any of your friend's family that you could ask to see her pics? I have a hand written card from Hillary she wrote me back around 1993. I think I still have mine. Sniff, sniff, she could have been president.
Seems several of us got a piece of the Clintons. Bill didn't get a piece of you, did he Coreen? I bet he liked blonds back then. I bet he still does. Maybe he even has some pics.
The moral of that story is, like Solar always says, don't wait, ask for pics right away.
So you were already into politics, back when you were young. Lets see, when I was 20, politics was not something I spent a lot of time worrying about. Hey, there's someone here I can ask. Jan, did we ever think about politics in 1970. We were Sophmores in Nursing school.
Actually 1970 is when I met Jan. I didn't know anyone in college my freshmen year. I barely passed my freshmen year. I didn't want to be in college. None of my friends went to college. They all got married. I felt cheated. Remember, I was following mom's path.
I didn't know how to study. I got thru jr. high and high school just carrying all my books back and forth, along with a clarient. My theory was, no pain, no gain and I got some whopping muscle spasms back then. I thought just sleeping with my books would do the trick, learning thru osmosis. It must have worked since I did get into college. I don't remember any SATs. Good thing we didn't have to take them or I probably would be working at Mickey Ds right now or doing lawn service.
It was actually Jan who taught me to study. We had our little study/social group. 70% social and 30% study. That was good enough. Jan, going back to college later in her life, was afraid of failure and that excelled her to the top of our class. I, on the other hand, was afraid of success. By being a member of the group, I did learn to study. By my last year in college I had straight As and never got anything lower after that, in my grad classes. I think that was pretty good for a ADHD, semi retard, kid. When I was teaching, I used to tell my students, if I can do it, you can do it.
I don't know Ivy, it might be that the cover of the book could give you a clue. Jesse seemed to pick another book with the same cover.
And I still can't understand why Tiger and John Edwards could pick the books they picked without even considering that those sleazy books were going to be published all over the airwaves at some point in time. It's a lot to ponder.
Just starting the last of our 'spring tease'
days, buds are showing up on the forsythia & the bleeding heart is out of the ground as well...sure signs that spring is itching to pop very soon...
As far as celebs & their choices of partners,
noticed this piece aboout successful women
actresses & their less than successful relationships....Carol was this possibly what you saw/heard....not sure what the true cause
of failure would be, but like I said, winning the Oscar would seem to be a much harder accomplishment than keeping a partner....
And no, I don't know Sylvia's children to ask
if I could see/copy the pics of Clinton et al,
so lost forever....And Carol, without question,
he always liked blondes.....way back then Hillary was not blond...she had brown hair, wore glasses & dressed well like not particularly fashionable....(Sylvia reminded me
of that as well when we spoke about those times) & yes way back then I did enjoy politics, now it is just a spectator sport, since I have no confidence in any of them....
How oscars ruin a marriage
And I know spring is almost here, since only 2 weeks to go and it is time to 'Play ball'...NY Yankess open at the Red Sox on Easter Sunday, April 4th....and all things will be well...
Guess what I just discovered? Today is "World Pome Day!"
"The purpose of the day is to promote the reading, writing, publishing and teaching of poetry throughout the world and, as the UNESCO session declaring the day says, to 'give fresh recognition and impetus to national, regional and international poetry movements.' "
World Poetry Day is 21 March
OK Ivy, now where's our pome for the day?? It had better be perky.
I just finished doing 5 hours of online CEUs. I'd rather take a beating, well, maybe just with a wet noodle. I do feel a little less guilty now. Not much else to do today with the temp now at 41, a windchill of less and overcast and dreary outside. What a waste of a Sunday.
And Coreen, whether any of you guys agree or not, there are men who are threatened by women who are independent and have achieved much of anything. Probably a greater population of them in small towns. I think I mentioned the guy who I dated who spent so much time trying to prove he knew as much as I did about cardiovascular medicine. I was a cardiovascular clinical nurse specialist at that time. He worked off shore and taught SCUBA diving. He took one of the cardiologist out and spent the entire dive school grilling him on stuff so he could come home and see if he could out do me. I certainly never flaunted anything I knew with him. He constantly felt the need to one up me.
Most of the other guys I dated wanted to make me into someone who was very subservient. I can do a little subservient but only when I chose to be, not when forced to be. Now I did know guys who were not that way. They were happily married. Jan's husband at the time was a great example.
Even the docs around here were that way. Now, they would be happy to screw someone who was not subservient but they were married to women who were.
I'll have to admit that I did once date a guy who I would consider evolved. I really liked the guy but he was short, fat and I wasn't physically attacted to him at all. Call me shallow but there just has to be a little of that chemistry to go along with the other good stuff. I'm telling you guys that my choices stunk. Actually one of them literally did. Bad BO problem. I couldn't get past that either.
And there just may be some things, Chloe, that we are predetermined to have to live with. I seem to be noticing that more and more, as I examine life and people. It may not make sense to us now. I don't know what predetermines it. Maybe we predetermined this prior to coming down to earth school. Haven't exactly worked it all out yet.
OK guys, today we had a Washington star flashing. Not White House but the real Washington. Not the PNW Washington but the other one over by the real White House. Might be Obama checking in. Yes, I do have a touch of delusion of gradeur. Insanity is not that bad once you get used to it.
Maybe Craig got curious about your Fish Camp, Carol. Owning one on the St. Johns River is his dream, you know. lol
I've been busy cleaning out kitchen drawers while Hubs is working on taxes. Drawer-cleaning is good therapy. Maybe later for poetry. To me, any day can be Pome Day.
It's too cold and rainy to go out anywhere, not even to clean up the porch or put up the hummer feeders. I just heard a clap of thunder and the dogs don't like it.
There's a movie trailer out for a new Julia Roberts movie that I didn't even know was on its way to a theater near me. It's based on the memoir, "Eat, Love, Pray." Another book that I've been dusting on my bookshelf while trying to locate one of those "round two-it" thingy's. Anyone here read it? I've heard so many good things about the book, and the movie trailer looks wonderful. There was a Diane Lane movie, "Under the Tuscan Sun." This has that feel to it.
Hope this is a good link to the trailer, if you are interested. If not, you can google to find one, I'm sure. I apologize in advance if you get some annoying Swiffer Sweeper commercial instead of the movie trailer. lol
Eat Pray Love not Swiffer Sweeper I hope
Right now, we have a bright sky with pouring rain and THUNDER. Here's what making me lol...Meg is sleeping through it, not even lifting her head...has she lost her hearing? But the other two starting jumping excitedly on Hubs' legs...He says to them, "What do you wanttt???" I figure it out in a flash...TREATS! They remember from last year!!! Dog memories are incredible. lol
"jan said...
The toughest part of growing older for me is the loss of agility."
Jan,
When you said that yesterday, I agreed with it. I also think to add "stamina" and "eyesight." I miss those too! lol not
Ivy, yes, being able to thread a needle and read small print without glasses.
Ivy, did your dogs get treats while hubs was doing taxes?
Sorry to hear about your weather Carol & Ivy - probably Chloe too.
We had our crummy weather yesterday. Today, it the sun is shining and it will be up in the 60's. Hard to believe we had snow yesterday.
Carol, I had to learn how to study in college too. I did not study in HS - could not figure out a use for all those courses - except Home ec - and now I don't like to cook. When I began college at 27 I was super motivated. I wanted to be a nurse. I laugh now b/c at the end of my first 6 months as a hosp nurse - I didn't like nursing any longer. It was culture shock. Nurses in the hosp had no respect and no power. We were just handmaidens for the docs. Nursing at that time was a big disappointment. Going for the masters degree and teaching nursing made a difference for me. It really helped me to get a different view of health care, especially in the hospital. Now, I would not trade what I do for anything else.
Carol, Do you remember that you and Katy and I started out with a study group and we did very well. We managed to stay on track. It is when all the others in our class joined us that it became a party - nevertheless, you and Katy and I managed to carve out time to get our studying done.
I am off to search for a pome.
Ivy, I could not find any book of pomes in my home library. So looked on line. Pomes by Walt Whitman are some of my favorite. So this pome is for you. You have posted such great pics of spiders.
A Noiseless Patient Spider
A NOISELESS, patient spider,
I mark'd, where, on a little promontory, it stood, isolated;
Mark'd how, to explore the vacant, vast surrounding,
It launch'd forth filament, filament, filament, out of itself;
Ever unreeling them--ever tirelessly speeding them.
And you, O my Soul, where you stand,
Surrounded, surrounded, in measureless oceans of space,
Ceaselessly musing, venturing, throwing,--seeking the spheres, to
connect them;
Till the bridge you will need, be form'd--till the ductile anchor
hold;
Till the gossamer thread you fling, catch somewhere, O my Soul.
Walt Whitman
This pome is for all of you- and me.
That is a marvelous pome, Jan. Never read it before. Thank you for teaching it to me. I'm going to write it in my book of pomes. I keep a special notebook of favorite pomes in which I enter them hand-written. Hand writing not only makes them more "artful" to me, but also gets me to better remember them. Funny thing too, I thought about "Charlotte" today, and wondered what happened to her.
P.S. I just got tired of my spell-checks trying to correct the word "pome," so I added it as a correct spelling to the dictionary. lol
Ivy, I am glad you like the pome. When I saw the title, you came to mind. I like it too. The last part really spoke to me about the time in my life I was searching and seeking something to hold onto.
I think we have all adopted the word "pome" as the correct spelling.
Something soothing from today's yoga affirmation message. The "turbulent world" has been getting to me today. Thunder was just an apt metaphor. Hubs keeps turning up the volume to hear the minute-to-minute on the health care bill drama. I keep coming in and turning it off. Yes, I want the bill to pass Congress, but I feel like saying, "Wake me when it's over."
"Balance Emotions --
We all have moments of insecurity—moments where we really dread something to come. During these moments, examine your feelings, which can lead you to a sense of solace.
But that's easier said than done. How can you move smoothly from fear and anxiety to insight and freedom? One technique is paying attention to sensations and the feelings that accompany them. Each time you focus on your breath, each time you relax and listen to your feelings, you open yourself to the present.
When you simply witness your feelings instead of reacting to them, you allow your life to unfold organically and you open a doorway to greater sympathy and understanding. Most important, you develop your capacity to be free in an often challenging and turbulent world."
I've always been enchanted by that word "gossamer." Always puts me in mind of sprites and fairies. Also, dragonflies. Their wings are "gossamer."
Jan,
"Noiseless Spider" now officially in my "Book of Pomes."
:)
P.S. Spell-check wanted to say, "focally." That too. It STILL doesn't like "pome." I'm going to have to get rough with it. lol
Anybody watching 60 Minutes story about the mirror-image tennis-playing twins? The story focuses on the synchronization of their very movements and even thoughts. I have always believed it's that way with my brothers...I recall instances of them chewing their food in synch...lol
Nice pome and readings folkes. So Ivy, the dogs still remember the thunder treats. I couldn't fool Maggie. She's still scared and it's carried over to any other loud bangs like gun shots and fireworks. Funny thing is that if it's on TV it doesn't bother her. Neurotic dog.
It's still cold and very windy outside. Maggie and I have been cuddled up on the couch watching The Proposal. I borrowed it and a couple of other movies from a friend. Couldn't find anything on the TV. It only got 43 on Rotten Tomatoes but I really liked it. It seems that when the critics like something, I don't and when they don't, I do. I guess I'm not normal, just like Maggie.
Ivy, I never even heard of mirror image twins until you told us about your brothers. That's pretty interesting.
This movie watching on a cold day sure works up an appetite. I've had 2 single bags of OR popcorn, some broccoli, a baked potato, Gold Brick egg, and still hankering for something else. Idle hands are the fatty's workshop.
Interesting stuff about identical twins. I have not known any ID twins but am fascinated by what I have read about them.
Carol, you have mentioned a couple of times about my influence on your studying when we were in school together. You surpassed me in grad school and in teaching physical assessment. I think you memorized Bate's book. I took some PNP courses in Texas and thought about completing the program but had a rough time with assessment skills. I remember wishing you were there to help me. I finally realized the practitioner path was not for me.I really enjoyed doing research and I like teaching it too. I always had a difficult time with the skills part of nursing. I hated starting IVs and was never good at it, and never wanted to put down an NG tube. I did put some down in newborns. Community nursing was my best bet.
Ivy, I like what you just commented.
"One technique is paying attention to sensations and the feelings that accompany them. Each time you focus on your breath, each time you relax and listen to your feelings, you open yourself to the present."
I learned this in a mindfulness class I took a year ago. I have been fighting anxiety for years. The technique you wrote about is great but I still have trouble with this when I am truly anxious about something. 99% of the time the anxiety is about something work-related. I am wondering if - after I retire- If these anxious moments will happen.
Jan,
An anxiety attack can sometimes feel like a heart attack. I started getting them after my sister died. They would wake me up in the middle of the night. I finally took a class to learn how to deal with them...breathing is the first line of defense.
Ivy, It is amazing what the loss of someone close to us can do.
I had anxiety attacks when my mother died and I was going through a divorce at the same time - over 20 years ago. I went to a therapist and he would have me try to write what I was feeling during the anxiety attack. That made it worse. I seldom have anxiety attacks now. My anxiety is usually just my reacting to something going on. In the Mindfulness course I took a year ago, the teacher stressed to be aware of what is going on and focus on what the feeling is and where it is coming from, but to not make judgements about it. An example of making a judgment is to think that I am overreacting. She said making these judgements only makes anxiety worse. I find this really helps - just the focus on breathing and the awareness makes a difference.
I think people who are extroverts can talk out their anxiety with others but I cannot. I find that I pull inward and try to deal with it by myself. If I try to talk about it with someone, It just gets worse for me. This is one of the ways I know that I am an introvert.
Morning. I see that health care reform has passed. Now what does that mean for us? Anyone care to try to figure that out? I didn't watch any of the war yesterday, instead I watched feel good movies. That improved my health.
Jan, I suffered anxiety and panic attacks over the years also. Because of my hyperthyroidism, I have taken a beta blocker that decreases the heart's response to sympathetic stimulation for years. Keeps the heart from racing. The biggest problem with anxiety is how it makes your heart race. If you can block that response, anxiety is not so much a problem.
Some have even used beta blockers to help with the fear experienced when giving speeches.
Buenos dias....los veo mas tarde.!!
I'm happy for the passage of health care. Now Miss College will have the chance to continue with health insurance after she graduates in two months.
But judging by the friction among the personalities on "Morning Joe," and on other shows, it is not the end of the war of words. I hear some people comparing the bill passage to civil rights, and others who are ridiculing that idea. I'm on the side of recognizing the similarities over the differences. The similarities I see have most to do with the uncivilized behaviour of the opponents of health reform: they moved easily and readily into mob-rule, into physical and verbal intimidation, and "acting out" violently as a response to not getting their way. Spitting at members of Congress, taunting them with racial and sexual epithets, booing and hissing, shouting "baby killer" in the chamber of Congress, threatening violence in the halls of Congress. What could be your stake at opposing a reform - any reform - to turn yourself into a beast on TV?
Solar, buenos dias. What is your week looking like?
Carol, When I was having anxiety attacks, my heart would race too. That was back in the late 1980's. The heart racing was the worst when I was I was in front of the class teaching. In 1990, while in recovery for a D&C my heart started racing like that and I wound up with a left bundle branch block and was in CCU for a couple of days. They never could figure out what happened. After several tests they decided I had not had an MI. I had just moved to LR when that happened. I started getting some counseling shortly after that and gradually over the years the anxiety attacks almost completely stopped. One doc I saw prescribed Zanax. I may have taken 2 or 3 but decided that was too risky. The only reason they did not give me beta blockers was that at rest my heart rate was about 50. I was swimming a lot then. After a heart scan where they inject dye and then scanned my heart, a cardiologist said I had some kind of congenital heart defect. I don't remember what it was. I had an XRay about 10 years ago and I have an enlarged left ventricle and the echogram was abnormal but I decided at my age I would just live with that. I had a series of cardiac tests a couple of years ago and my doc who is the chief of medicine at the Univ hosp said everything looked good - but still have LBBB. Go figure. I think that all the exercise I have done all my life must count for something.
Ivy, I am glad for the passage of the health bill. John has one son (45 y/l) who has worked all his life in television and film making but his work has not always been steady. He has not had health insurance for 2 years and was just diagnosed with MS. Now, maybe he can get some health insurance.
John just read a statistic to me. 7 1/2 student suicides per 100,000 in the big 10 schools. In 2006 it was 11 1/2. This has come after the report of several recent suicides at Cornell.
Hi Ho, Hi HO
Ivy,
Realy liked some of your 2:48 post yesterday.......hope to have a little time to comment..
Chloe...where R U? Dang...ditto...for m issing you..while missing U. Been concentrating on this small project. Only have a cpl of workers now...and need to be on the job daily...
Jan,
Looks like another busy week and hope to build on it....feels kinda nice having some thing to do for a change....things are not going to get any better for a lot of home builders..they need to pivot and try new things....what im doing now..is something totally new to me, well not totally, but things that I have not done for a long time...
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