Moving Day Tomorrow

Tomorrow, I will be moving from where I am at lot 152 across the street to lot 144. I may be there permanently if gas prices don’t come back down. It will be quite a bit of work since I have stuff on top of my refrigerator. I have 3 12-packs of soda on each side of my entry door and a few more by my second bed. They will have to be put on the floor. I’m going to just unhook my computer and scanner and put them and my TV on my bed. There are a few things on my cabinets that will go either in the cabinets or in the sink. There’s some stuff in the bathroom that will go in the tub or in the sink. For the short distance I’m moving, I don’t think it will matter. It’s not like I’m confident enough in my driving that I’ll be whipping the camper around.

First thing in the morning, I will:

• Put down my TV antenna
• Dump my tanks and thoroughly clean them out
• Unhook and wash the sewer hose, etc. and take it and the thing it rests on across the street
• Move everything in the camper to a secure place
• Turn off and close my overhead fan
• Put my hitch back on the truck
• Get the level out of the truck and put it in the camper
• Unhook the clean water hose, screw the two ends together so nothing gets in and take the hose across the street
• Unhook the hose I use fro cleaning my tanks and sewer hose and screw the two ends together so nothing gets in
• Unhook the electric and feed the cord into the camper
• Turn up the stabilizer jacks and move the yellow plastic things they rest on across the street
• Hook up the camper to the truck
• Remove the wheel chocks
• Pull out the camper from lot 152
• Back the camper into site 144 (this may take some time as I will probably not get it right the first time or two or three)
• Make sure the camper is level
• Chock the wheels
• Wind down the stabilizer jacks onto the yellow plastic things
• Hook the outside door so it won’t close
• Close the screen door
• Open and turn on the overhead fan
• Hook up the sewer hose
• Hook up the water
• Hook up the electric
• Put everything in the camper back where it was
• Go to bed, go directly to bed, do not pass go, do not collect $200

I think this new spot will be much better and no one has it reserved at any time in the future, unlike the site where I am now.

Until next time…

My Cousin Anita

Today, I got word that my cousin Anita passed away. Though I didn’t see her very often, since she lived in NY and I lived in Florida, she has always been one of my favorite cousins. She was 6 years older than I and, for a time, babysat my brothers and me. I think I mentioned before that she’s the one who taught me to play Heart and Soul on the piano, as well as that classic Nobody Likes Me, Everybody Hates Me, Guess I’ll Eat Some Worms.

When I was a sophomore, my friend Anne Lewis, who lived up in Presho next door to Anita’s mother (my Aunt Kitty), and I rode our separate buses to school, walked right through the school, and rode the city bus to visit Anita one day. She just had her oldest child Danny at that time and he was in a playpen. Later, we rode the city bus back to the school, walked through the school and caught our separate school buses home. Please note: this is not an endorsement to skip school – think of what we could have learned that day.

She loved to fish and she loved her family. I know they would appreciate your prayers.

A Matter of Scale

Today, I watched a video that demonstrated the scale of what President Obama is proposing to take from the federal budget. You can see it at:

http://www.economicpolicyjournal.com/2011/02/visual-analogy-to-obamas-100-million.html

It sounds like a lot until you see this demo.

Perspective

Since playing Scrabble so much, I’ve become convinced that the computer is making up words. Yesterday, I had made the word SKIP. HARD1 added the word LANE. I thought this was proof … no way is there a word SKIP…LANE. Imagine my chagrin when I later realized it was the word SKI…PLANE. Yet, SKIPLANE is certainly a word. But I still think they make up words when it suits them.

Right now, HARD1 is beating me by an average of 84+ points and I have won only 10.47% of the games I play. It gets discouraging sometimes, but I’m determined to play better. I guess I already do. I went from an average of 203 points per game to my current 84+. If I can just keep up progress at that rate, it won’t be long before it’s only a 40-point average. Yeah, right!

Until next time…

Some Pictures

As promised, I want to let you see some of the pictures of Rubix Cubed, the band Esther and I went to see last night. Check out their website – there’s music and videos and lots of info about the group:

http://www.rubixcubedband.com/fr_home.cfm

This picture is of my sister-in-law Esther changing batteries in her camera.

Here are my nephew Steve aka Bender and Mickey. It’s hard to get a picture of Mickey that’s not blurred because she is constantly moving. I wish I had her energy.

This is a fair picture of the group: Steve aka Bender, Mickey the singer and dancer, Magnum the drummer, Crockett (on bass guitar) and Lost Boy David (on Keyboards).

 

This picture is pretty good, but Magnum the Drummer is not visible.

On the balcony above the band area were two very excited RubixCubed fans.

I hope you get a chance to see this group sometime. It’s worth whatever it costs and whatever distance you have to drive.

The event, called Pinot Noir, was for the benefit of Joshua House. I hope to get to the third annual which should take place next year.

I started my writing prompt for yesterday, well, yesterday, but didn’t finish it until this morning. I’m going to use it for today’s, which I haven’t yet started.

Writing Prompt: The last time…

The last time Gordon saw him, his father smiled and waved just like he did every other day as he left for work. Gordon knew he’d see his dad at the basketball game after school, even though his dad had a big meeting in the city that day. Since his father’s job as insurance agent allowed him some flexibility in his schedule, he never missed a game. Whether his mother would show up was another story. It was tough for her because her boss demanded she be at work even more than her regular hours.

Gordon’s dad had always been supportive. He spent a couple of hours a week playing GHOST with him. That had really improved his basketball skills. His dad worked with him on practice layups until Gordon finally got it. He also encouraged Gordon to shoot at least 50 foul shots every day. As his dad said, there was no excuse for missing a foul shot. No one was trying to block you or grab the ball. Many games had been won or lost with good or bad foul shots.

Looking at the clock, Gordon decided he’d better get to school before he was late. He grabbed his backpack, yelled goodbye to his mother and raced through the garage door. His bike was not there. Then, he remembered he’d forgotten to take it out of the back of his dad’s car the previous night. Now he would really have to hustle.

That day – and what a day it had been – was September 11, 2001. Everyone in school was talking about how some planes had flown into the Twin Towers and another at the Pentagon.

Nobody at school really knew what was going on, but whatever it was, it wasn’t good. Many of his teachers had obviously been crying. This was something he’d never seen before. He guessed he’d have to ask his parents about it. When he’d seen the pictures on television, it seemed like something out of a movie. It didn’t seem real, but he guessed it was.

When he walked into the auditorium, he was excited and pleased to see his mother sitting on the bleachers. He waved at her. When he noticed she was crying – just like his teachers had – he ran over to her. She told him the bad news. His dad wasn’t going to make it to his basketball game. In fact, his dad wasn’t going to make it home at all. His meeting had been on the 99^th floor of one of the Twin Towers. His mom had spent the whole day trying to find out whether his dad had survived. She hadn’t contacted Gordon before that because she didn’t want to worry him unnecessarily.

At first, Gordon wouldn’t believe it. He got angry with his mother for making up such a story. But, in his heart, he knew she was telling the truth. Everything in his life was going to change. If he had known it was the last time he would see his dad, would he have acted any differently? He didn’t know, but he felt he could have said something or done something to show his dad how much he loved him. At that point, Gordon realized we never know when we will see a loved one for the last time.

Until next time…

A Shorter Than Usual Post

It’s 11:23 PM. Except for about an hour when I took a nap, I’ve been away from home most of the day. This morning I drove to Brandon and had brunch with Esther. This evening, Esther and I went to an event in Hyde Park called Point Noir. RubixCubed, the band her son (and my nephew) Steven is in, played there and did a great job.

Tomorrow, I promise pictures. I took quite a few videos, which came out really well, but would never publish them without their permission.

Until next time…

More Amazing Earthquake Pictures

You can see more amazing pictures of the earthquake in New Zealand at:

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/see-amazing-view-of-christchurch-seconds-after-earthquake/

There is panoramic view of the city of Christchurch just as the quake hit that is incredible. And be sure to watch the YouTube video that’s embedded in the article.

The Roommate

Today, I went to AMC and saw the movie The Roommate. I wasn’t sure if I would enjoy it, but it was actually quite interesting … and creepy. It starred Leighton Meester, Minka Kelly, Cam Gigandet and Frances Fisher. The only place I’ve seen Leighton Meester before was in the movie Country Strong with Gwyneth Paltrow and Tim McGraw. Minka Kelly has been in the TV shows Parenthood and Friday Night Lights. Cam G. was in Burlesque and Easy A. The movie is a bit spooky at times and keeps you on the edge of your seat. There is some violence, but you see more of the results of the violence than the actual violent act. I enjoyed it, but I’m easily entertained.

Best Buy

I ran into my cousin Richard at Best Buy on my way home from the movie. Then, when I got home, I laid down. My allergies have been terrible. I know some of it is his cats, but I think it’s also the high pollen count.

Writing Prompt

No writing prompt results tonight. I just couldn’t do it. You’re all probably bored with them anyway. At some time in the future, I do want to finish this prompt: Once in the midst of all the recklessness.

Scrabble

I’m still playing Scrabble since I can do it lying down. I’ve won 3 of the last 14 games, so I do have some hope that I’m getting better. I continue to see words I’ve never heard of and find difficult to believe are real.

Now, it’s time to take some more Benadryl and go to bed.

Until next time…

Fleebaggers

Conservative writer Michelle Malkin has designated as Fleebaggers the state legislators who are leaving Wisconsin rather than staying and doing their job. She has once again used humor to make her point. These cowardly Democrats have left their posts so the legislature cannot change rules and bring the state into the beginnings of fiscal discipline.

Earthquake in New Zealand

I’m sure you’ve all heard of the earthquake that devastated New Zealand. As of this morning at 5:30, there were 75 deaths. There were also more than 30 victims trapped in the city’s  Pyne Gould building. Rescuers are hurrying to get them out, but as you can see from the following picture (from TheBlaze.Com), it’s a real challenge.

Here’s another picture from Christchurch, NZ – I hope there was no one in the car.

You can read the whole story and see some remarkable pictures at:

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/nz-earthquake-death-toll-rises-to-75-as-rescuers-struggle-to-save-buried-survivors/ 

Anyone who has ever read books by Esse Summers (I read some of her books probably 30 years ago) has read about some strange happenings in New Zealand by way of earthquakes. 

Judgment Day

Radio and Internet Preacher Harold Camping has calculated that Judgment Day is coming on May 21st even though Jesus said no one knows when this will occur. I wouldn’t put much confidence in this date since he figured it out before as September 6, 1994. What is more Incredible than anything else is some people believe him!

Writing Prompt: These are the pleasures I have known

What are the pleasures I have known?

I’d like to talk about them.

The outcome of a job well done

Pleases me and then some.

An hour with a special friend

Can really give me pleasure.

Add to that an hour or two,

It’s like a hidden treasure.

A full moon lighting up the night

Is a beauty well worth knowing

A sun that sets the lake on fire

With red and orange glowing.

The pleasure of a morning shower

I do enjoy immensely.

Warm water flowing over me

Pleases me intensely.

What pleased me most in my whole life

Was when my Savior cleansed me.

He took my sins and saved me soul

And with His Spirit filled me.

I’d never felt so clean before

When Jesus washed away my sins.

His righteousness and not my own –

Just as if I’d never sinned.

Now, I can’t wait to see Him come

With saints of old who’ve passed away.

What pleasure to look forward to

On that great glorious rapture day.

Until next time…

Another Tragic Loss

Another Fallen St. Petersburg Police Officer

Tragically, another St. Pete police officer has fallen in the line of duty. A huge block of the city has been shut down in terms of school bus pickup. Several schools have been closed. The person who shot 46-year old David Crawford, a 25-year veteran police officer, is still on the loose. One hundred officers are in the area of Tropicana Field, near which the shooting occurred, searching for this monster. Pray they find him and for his family.

I’m so thankful my brother Ray has retired from his job with the police department in Milan, TN .

A Night at Carrabbas

Tonight, my cousin Richard, my friend Karen and I went to Carrabbas for dinner. Richard had the Spaghetti and Meatballs, Karen had a special called Rigatoni al Forno and I had the Beef Filet Tips with Creamy Polenta. Everybody really enjoyed their food. Karen took 2/3 of hers home in a foam container. Richard and I took ours home in our tummies. Following are some pictures of the fun and food and funny people:

 

 

As you can see, I really enjoyed mine much faster than everyone else. Actually – if you can believe it - it was because they  talked more than I did. Heh! Heh!

Writing Prompt: Write about a tattoo

According to Wikipedia, “A tattoo is a marking made by inserting indelible ink into the dermis layer of the skin to change the pigment for decorative or other reasons.”

When you look at a tattoo, do you consider what the person who picked that particular tattoo was trying to say about themselves?

As I see it, there are a variety of reasons people get tattoos:

• To identify themselves with a particular group, e.g., with a gang or a branch of the service
• To decorate themselves and “improve” their appearance
• To memorialize someone who has passed on
• To honor someone
• To identify someone -- the most horrific example of this is the number tattooed on Jews and others interned in concentration camps
• To defy someone, like a parent or spouse, who would not want you to get a tattoo

Are there reasons not to get a tattoo? I can think of a few:

• You may not always want to be associated with a particular group
• You may decided the tattoo does little to “improve” your appearance
• You may find out the person you are memorializing “did you wrong”
• The person you are honoring is not as honorable as you thought
• You may not want to be identified – e.g., if you are a criminal, it’s a great way for someone to point to you as the perp
• You may regret your defiance and rue the day you got the tattoo

The main reason I wouldn’t get a tattoo is that I might not like it afterwards and it is an expensive and, I’ve heard, painful process to have it removed. Plus – sorry, all my friends who have them – I think they look tacky.

Until next time…

Unknown

I couldn’t believe I would have so much trouble looking up the movie Unknown on the Internet, but I did. There was a film by that name imade in 1927, one made in 2006, and the one in theaters now starring Liam Neeson, January Jones, Aidan Quinn, Diane Kruger and Frank Lagella. There are lots of car chases and lots of other action. If you like a movie that makes lots of twists and turns and that keeps you guessing, this is the movie to see.

One of the best parts about going today is that I ran into my dear friend Sue Damels and her husband Chuck.They were there to watch the same movie. They also enjoyed it.

It’s kind of late (8:56PM) and I’d like to go to take some Benadryl and bed now, but I really want to stay up late enough to see Harry’s Law, that new TV show starring Kathy Bates. In the meantime, I guess I’ll use several paper towels to catch the faucet in my nose.

Writing Prompt: Someone’s playing the radio

Someone’s playing the radio … talk radio. I know they are. It can’t just be conversation. There are too many commercial-like spots with musical slogans for it to be a few friends getting together.

Don’t get me wrong. I love talk radio and listen to it most of the day, but that’s different from hearing someone else playing it. It’s just loud enough that you can hear it playing, but not loud enough to hear what they’re saying. After all, I might have an opinion about what is being discussed.

Years ago, when you spoke of someone playing the radio, it usually referred to music. There was no such thing as talk radio. Oh, there were shows like Amos and Andy, Our Miss Brooks, The Lone Ranger, The Shadow, George Burns and Gracie Allen, Fibber McGee and Mollie, and … well, I could go on and on, but I won’t. Suffice it to say, it was very different from radio today, especially talk radio.

I think the first talk radio I ever heard was WHAM - 1180 AM from Rochester, NY. I may have the call letters wrong and even the number on the dial, but I’m sure the first talk radio I ever heard was from Rochester. At night, they would broadcast full power and reached all the way to Painted Post, NY, but we mainly listened to them while we lived in Victor and Canandaigua.

I don’t remember what they talked about with one exception: Was front-wheel drive better than rear-wheel drive? I think the only front-wheel drive car at the time was the Oldsmobile Toronado (manufactured 1966-70), at least that was the one this persistent guy would call about. He was evangelistic in his support for the car. According to Wikipedia, these were the first front-wheel drive cars sold in the U.S. since the 1930’s.

They were a big tank of a car as you can see from the images I downloaded from the Internet:

In any case, if you are playing the radio and it’s loud enough so your neighbors can hear, either turn it down so they can’t  or turn it up enough so they can understand what’s being said. Sounds that resemble  the adults in the Peanuts movies can be really irritating.

Until next time…

Oh Say Can You See

It’s been a beautiful day here: high 70’s and low 80’s and just enough clouds to keep the sun from heating things up too much. I think this has been my most enjoyable week yet here in my camper. The overhead fans keep the temps down and provide a nice gentle breeze. I’ve been doing a little work (as little as I can get away with) and have actually accomplished a few things.

The only drawback is my allergies. I took Benadryl yesterday morning and it knocked me and my allergies out. In the afternoon, I took a Claritin and was okay til a couple of hours ago. Now, I’m sneezing and my nose is running. I’m going to take another Benadryl and go to bed earlier than usual.

HARD1 continues to trounce me mercilessly, but I’m determined to get better. I downloaded some documents and bought a book for my Kindle that is supposed to make you a better player. I guess we’ll see.

Writing Prompt: Close your eyes. Write about what you see.

I see darkness. That’s pretty much it, though sometimes, if I am feeling stressed, I close my eyes to keep out distractions and remember places I’ve been where I have been most at peace.

Standing on the shore of Long Lake in the Adirondack Mountains in New York is one of my favorite memories, one that I can see with little trouble. Mark and I were there several times.

One of our favorite times was when we went canoeing up Long Lake with a group from a community college from Rochester. Twelve brave souls left civilization and paddled 12 miles north on Long Lake to places where there were no roads, there were no bathroom facilities and there were no buildings to stay in. Did I tell you it was raining the whole weekend? I learned you can’t dry your clothes at a campfire.

Even with the rain, that was one of my most fun trips ever, despite the fact that I dunked and ruined my 35-mm Minolta SRT 101 camera when I fell over in the water for no apparent reason – not out of the canoe. I was just standing in the water and lost my footing. Mark and I never tipped over our canoe in all of the hundreds of miles we paddled.

Another of my favorite memories, which makes it easy to imagine Long Lake when I close my eyes, involves a special weekend there with Mark, my brother-in-law David, my sister-in-law Esther, my niece Dawn and my nephew Steve. We swam in the cold water. We played tennis … very badly. We went to the dump to see the bears. Of course, it rained and we spent hours playing UNO in the motel room and listening to stories of the Dillenbeck boys growing up. Our favorite, and one we still rehearse often, concerns an overabundance of cats and what they did about it. I won’t go into detail. PETA would probably visit Mark’s and David’s resting places and picket.

Even with my eyes open, I can visualize the village of Long Lake and the view of the mountains from the shore there. With the eyes closed, I can actually see it better. It brings me great peace.

You can see pictures of and learn more about Long Lake at:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_Lake,_New_York

Until next time…

Just Barely

Today, after 14 games of Scrabble with HARD1, I finally won a game, but just barely. Maybe HARD1 is the one who had the Benadryl  or maybe I just needed to take Benadryl to beat him. At least, my nose isn’t dripping on my iPhone4 anymore. The score was 332-318 with me winning by just 14 points. I have now won 7.14% of my games with HARD1.

I may just not play anymore now that I’ve beaten him. I know it was just a fluke.

Actually, since I first wrote this, I have now played a total of 18 games and have won two (the second by 82 points). It figures out to 11.11% now.  He still beats me by an average of 130 points, so I don’t think I’ll announce a parade in my honor just yet.

I had a great nap this morning after taking Benadryl and may take some more if my eyes start itching and my nose starts running again. Boy, that’s annoying.

Writing Prompt – a description of the prompt is at the end of the blogpost:

Veronica couldn’t figure out what her mother was up to. She thought her grandmother might be in on it. She’d come home early from school and, as soon as she slammed the door, she heard a lot of scurrying and rustling around in her mother’s sewing room. When she tried to open the sewing room door, it was locked.

“Hey, Mom. Why’d ya lock the door?” She jiggled the doorknob and pushed, but to no avail.

Her mother and grandmother looked so uncomfortable when they finally opened the door and sidled through it. They had that look of innocence people get when they’re trying not to look guilty.

“Whatcha doin’?” she asked.

“Nothing. Just trying to straighten things up in there.” Her mom didn’t sound too convincing as she made sure the door was locked. Grandma just smiled.

“Come see what I made.” Mom said as she herded her toward the kitchen and away from the sewing room. It was an obvious attempt to change the subject but… well, she did it pretty effectively.

“Oh, Mom.” Veronica inhaled the spicy aroma of her favorite ginger snaps. The cookies her mom makes contain a little cayenne pepper for an added bite-back. They were Veronica’s very favorite.

When she reached for a handful, her mother touched her wrist. “Just a couple or you’ll spoil your dinner.”

“Aw, Mom,” Veronica protested. “How about three? They’re kind of small.”

“Okay, but no more than three,” Her mom shook her head as if she couldn’t believe she was allowing it. “Now, how was your final final today? It was the last test, wasn’t it? You don’t have to go back to school until graduation.”

“It wasn’t too bad, but I had studied really hard. Funny how it’s always easier if you study.” She fetched a glass and filled it with milk.

After she savored the last drop of milk and her last ginger snap, Veronica said, “So, Mom, what’s the big secret in the sewing room? I know you thought I’d forget if you showed me the cookies, but I didn’t.” She gave her mom a big grin.

“It’s nothing. We’re just moving some things around and don’t want anyone going in there and messing it up. Do I need to put up a sign saying ‘Keep out. This means you.’?”

Veronica was not convinced, but she figured she’d better not push it. She thought she might be able to slip down after everyone was asleep. Of course, it wouldn’t do her much good unless she had the key. She figured she would try to get it from her mom later. Besides, she had to get ready for Chloe’s party that night.

Graduation Day finally arrived. Veronica had never found a way into the sewing room.

Her parents were giving a big party. There was all kinds of great food and a band they had hired for the night. Rubix Cubed played 80’s music and were a favorite of her and her friends. She felt very blessed to have such a wonderful party.

When it came time to open gifts, her mother and grandmother handed her a large box wrapped in colorful graduation-themed paper. She hefted the box. It was pretty heavy, but the box must have held something soft. It had a little give to it.

She carefully took off the paper and found a patchwork quilt. She couldn’t believe her mother would give her something that was so ugly. The backing of the quilt was a pretty silver blue, but the patches used contained a variety of different patterns put together in what seemed like a very haphazard fashion.

Her mom and grandma looked at her, eagerly waiting her reaction. She didn’t want them to know what she really thought of it, so she smiled broadly and thanked them profusely. She reached for the next present, not noticing the downcast faces of the gift-givers.

“Oh, Veronica,” her friend Chloe said later. “What do you thing of your Milestone Quilt?”

“My what?” asked Veronica.

“Your Milestone Quilt.” Chloe was puzzled that Veronica didn’t know what it was. “I wish my mom had had the foresight and taken the time to create such a beautiful reminder of my growing up.”

Veronica looked more closely at the quilt. As she did, she recognized a lot of the patches. The central patches were made of what could only have been her christening gown. She saw pieces of the dress she had worn her very first day of school and the gingham shirt she’d worn her first day of middle school. She could hardly contain herself as she discovered “milestone” after “milestone.” The dress she wore when she broke arm. She was sure the pieces in the corners were from her first tutu. On the outside between the corners were pieces of her Brownie costume, her Girl Scout outfit, and her track suit. She couldn’t believe how much history was wrapped up in a single quilt.

Her mother must have planned this from the time she was a baby, but never said a word about it. Veronica just figured those old clothes had been given away or discarded. She never knew her mother had been putting them away for almost eighteen years.

Tears filled her eyes as she thought of her ungratefulness. She hurried over to her mother and grandmother and hugged them both.

“Today it was proven that I have the best mom and grandma in the whole world. Thanks so much for the beautiful quilt. I’ll be able to use it to tell my kids about my growing up.”

The prompt was: Write about a quilt or a blanket but putting it on top would have given away the story.

Am I Blue?

Yesterday, I spoke about the fun I’ve been having playing Scrabble. Last night, I changed my opponent to the most difficult computer player. Believe me, things have changed. I have been soundly defeated eight times and barely defeated twice (once by 20 points and the last time by 17 points), but I have been defeated in all nine games by an average of 146.3 points. Can you tell I’m keeping track?

I am being exposed to words I’ve never heard before. I’m going to keep playing this guy (his name on the game is HARD1, not to be confused with the oft-defeated NORM1) because it can only improve my Scrabble skills. So, if you see me walking around looking defeated, just know it’s not real defeat, but only I’m a sore Scrabble loser.

Juliette’s Doggie’s New Home

Here is a picture of baby Juliette’ dog’s (Montana) new home:

Writing Prompt: Blue – the color or the emotion

Blue is my favorite color. Blue is not my favorite emotion.

The color blue brings me great pleasure unlike the colors yellow or orange. Anyone who knows me knows that I think people who buy yellow vehicles, especially the yellow used on vehicles by the transportation department, should be stopped and slapped. Blue, on the hand, is pleasing to the eye.

Oh, there are some shades of blue I like better than others. The year I graduated from high school, my mother had a robin’s egg blue and white 1957 Ford Fairlane 500. (The actual name of the color was Starmist Blue, but that doesn’t tell you much.) What a gorgeous car, not only because of the blue, but because of the nice lines. This was when fins were popular and this car had fins in spades. Compared to car’s today, it was built like a tank, but it was a one of my favorite cars of all time. Too bad I wrecked it. It looked like this before I crashed it:

The fins show up better in this view:

 

Wrecking that car made me blue - the emotion not the color. This was in the days before seat belts were routinely put in cars and I took a curve a little too fast. This caused me to slide in the seat and I couldn’t get to the brake or steer properly. But, as I said, that car was built like a tank and, even without a seatbelt, it protected me from any serious injury.

Anyway, when you think about blue, think about me – the color not the emotion. I am almost never blue.

 

Until next time…

Another Exciting Day

Today, instead of washing dishes, I did my laundry. Don’t you wish you could enjoy the same adventures i do.

Writers Weekly

I got my Writers Weekly email today. They are the ones who sponsor the writing contest. It looks as if results may be delayed. Angela and Richard’s daughter and her boyfriend were in a head-on collision. They are being cared for by the Hoys so some of their writing responsibilities have been put on hold. If you want to read the very moving story of what happened, check out

http://www.writersweekly.com/

Scrabble

I’ve been playing a lot of Scrabble on my iPhone4 and mostly winning (41 of 45 with 1 draw or 91%). I guess it’s time to take the next step up in harder opponents, but if you know me, you know I HATE to lose.

There are three levels of player Easy, Normal and Hard. I’ve been playing the Normal one (called Norm1). Oh well, I guess if I start losing too much, I can go back to Norm1.

Writing Prompt: Open the box.

“Quick, Johnny, open the box.’ He was shaking it and listening to its contents, but for some reason just wasn’t opening it.

“What do you think it is?” he asked.

“The only way we’ll find out is if you open it.” I tried to grab it but he was too fast for me.

“Who do you think it’s from?” He peered at the return address label even though he couldn’t read anything except his name. He could tell the package was addressed to him.

“Let’s see,” I said, reaching once again for the elusive package.

He once again pulled the box back, holding it so I could see the return address label.

“It’s from Uncle Frank,” I said, squinting to make sure I was seeing correctly. “Why would he send you something?” I’m sure Johnny caught the implied “And not me.”

“I dunno,” he said as he carried the package over to the kitchen table and set it down as if it contained a dozen eggs.

He tried to push the string off the package, but was unable to do it. I reached in the junk drawer and found the scissors. “Here, try these.”

His fingers were so small he couldn’t make the scissors work right. I snatched them from his hand and quickly cut through the string.

He turned the box over the where the brown paper was stuck together with tape and lifted one edge of the tape, gently pulling it out so it wouldn’t tear. How different we are: I would have ripped the paper off the thing, whereas when Johnny got done the paper would be as intact as when Uncle Frank was wrapping it.

Inside the paper was a shoe box, tied together with more of the string Uncle Frank had used on the outside. Rather than let Johnny fumble with this string, I quickly snipped the string in two.

“What do you think it is?” Johnny looked at me, seeming almost afraid to look inside.

“Just open it,” I said.

He grasped opposite sides of the top and gently lifted the lid. Inside the box all you could see was more of the brown paper Uncle Frank had used to wrap the outside of the package.

By now, I was about ready to forget it all and just stomp off, but I’m glad I didn’t. Johnny reached in the box and lifted the contents using the ends of the brown paper. When he pulled back the brown paper, he revealed a number of sandy seashells individually wrapped in white tissue paper. A book about seashells was in the bottom of the box. Inside the book was a note from Uncle Frank.

He said he had picked up the shells himself while visiting Sanibel Island in Florida and that Johnny was to share them with his sister. We oohed and aahed as we unwrapped each shell from its tissue cushion. We looked through the book until we were able to identify each one.

In that box was the greatest treasure for two kids who had never been out of North Dakota. Those shells brought us as much warmth and sunshine as Uncle Frank enjoyed while he was walking on the beach picking them up.

Until next time…

Flowers

Today was a very quiet day. The highlight of my day was washing my dishes. What an exciting life I lead. Oh, I did go to Publix too. And that’s that.

Writing Prompt: Someone gave you flowers

Why do flowers appeal to us so much? Is it their color, their enticing aroma, their delicate form? Or is it that they are a reminder of life and how life comes from death?

Consider how a flower develops from a seed or a bulb. These seeds and bulbs must first die before the plant can grow and the flowers develop.

In faith that a flower will grow, we dig a hole in the ground, place a seed or bulb in the hole, cover it with dirt and wait. Oh, we don’t normally sit there near the planting point and wait for the miracle of growth to happen, but if you are like me, you check for a shoot coming out the ground even before you expect it to happen. You visit the site often, eagerly awaiting that first indication that new life is on its way, that first tiny disturbance in the soil that hints something is happening underground. And you do a little dance when that first green shoot appears.

Eventually, the beautiful plants come to life and flowers are produced. Flowers eventually produce seed so that the cycle of life can begin again. We are blessed that our Creator designed plants in such a way that each flower produces many seeds, that it is not one-to-one relationship.

So when someone brings you flowers, enjoy them. Inhale the alluring aroma, feast your eyes on the rich colors, appreciate the lines and shapes of the various flowers, but remember that without the seed or bulb dying, there would be no flowers to enjoy.

Thank whoever gave you the flowers for the reminder.

Until next time…

It Did Not Go to the Moon

Nope, it did not go to the moon. I was beginning to think I would never find the cover to my bathroom light fixture, that it may have gone to the moon, the place where some ancients believed was the destination of lost items.

I found the cover in the second drawer of the little plastic 3-drawer cabinet I keep on my bathroom cabinet. And, yes, I did look in there before. Apparently, it became invisible as soon as I opened the drawer. I must have snuck up on it today because there it was right on top in the front of the second drawer.

By the way, I’m confident it became invisible because I looked in there several times and couldn’t see it.

Swiffer Mop or Sweeper?

Today, I decided my camper floor needed to be mopped. I sweep it several times a day because of the dirt I can’t avoid tracking in no matter how many mats I wipe my feet on. At this point, it’s four, if you count the mats on my two steps.

Today, I decided to use my Swiffer Mop. I knew I had a brand new bottle of cleaner for it and an unopened package of the cloths you attach to the bottom.

Alas, the brand new package was for the Swiffer sweeper, not the Swiffer mop. I was still able to do a fair job, but not as good as it would have been if I had the right cloth.

Using Up My Gigabytes

Much of the day today, I have spent watching TV shows on my computer. I get just a few TV stations so I miss some of my favorites, such as anything on CBS. Today I watched two episodes of NCIS LA. I watched two episodes of NCIS yesterday. I’m allowed 10 Gigabytes per month which resets on the 16th (tomorrow). Since I’ve used just a little over 5 Gb, I’m trying to use up the most I can before midnight. I think I’ll watch Bones next.

Writing Prompt: Write about a brief encounter

Wow! Just so you know how weird I am, when I saw this prompt, my mind immediately went to a different meaning of brief than one might expect. No doubt you were thinking of the obvious: a meeting with someone that did not last long.

Did you even consider it might mean an encounter with a lawyer’s brief or with underwear? I guess that just shows you how my mind works.

In this instance, though, I am having a very brief encounter with this prompt – ending right now!

Gotcha!

Until next time…

The Night Sky

TEMPS AND WHY I MOVED TO FLORIDA

Well, I was laughing the other day about the temperature in Florida compared with the rest of you poor schmucks who lived north of us. As you can see below, Thonotosassa, FL temp at 5:02 this morning was colder than any of the other places I routinely check. Now, who’s laughing? By noontime, though, it was another story.

Place	Temp /5:02AM	Temp/12:19
Thonotosassa, FL	36	68
Corning, NY	46	48
El Paso, TX	39	46
Johnson City, NY	44	44
Lawrenceville, GA	42	57
Lexington, NC	37	63
Milan, TN	49	57
Sunnyvale, CA	51	51
Ulysses, PA	44	38

 

Campsite Improvement

The manager of the park delivered a brand new picnic table to my campsite today -- freshly painted green and very sturdy. And I don’t think I have to worry about tipping over even though it’ll only be me sitting by myself most of the time. Of course, I rarely eat outside, but may have to take it up now that I have such a nice table.

I may even have to break out my unused HIBACHI and cook out. I’ve got some hot dogs in the freezer and they are best when charcoaled.

 

Writing Prompt: Write about the night sky.

"When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him,the son of man that you care for him (Psalms 8:3,4)."

In this Psalm, when David "considered" the heavens, why did he specifically mention the moon and stars, but not the sun? After all, without the light and warmth from the sun, all life as we know it would cease to exist. Even the moon, which he did mention, depends on the sun for its light.

Since the sun and moon appear to be about the same size in the sky, David probably had no way of knowing that the sun is four-hundred times larger, in diameter, than the moon. However, he had to be aware of the difference in the intensity of light and heat produced by each. He had to know that the sun is more powerful. Why, then, would he overlook the sun, when he "considered" the heavens?

Although we will never know for certain why David framed his words in this way, the obvious explanation is that he wrote this Psalm at night or at least after observing the night sky. Since David was a shepherd, much of his work took place after dark, when the flock was at its most vulnerable. Picture David, standing guard on a cold, crisp night, looking at the heavens. Without the distraction of man-made lights or the sun, David saw the moon and stars and was filled with awe by the beauty and immenseness of God's creation.

In contrast, the sun masks the enormity of the universe and acts like a spotlight for the earth. During the day, its bright light illuminates so many earthly, mundane objects, that we rarely look up at the sky. When we do, the sky, whether clear or cloudy, is like a screen that hides the depth and breadth of the universe.

The sun with its bright light enlarges the people and things around us, until we lose sight of exactly how small and insignificant we really are, especially in comparison with the heavens, the moon, and the stars.

Is it any wonder that David, when considering the heavens, had trouble understanding why God would pay any attention to the tiny, disobedient creatures running to and fro on the earth? Even more amazing to him was that God cared about them.

When I think about the night sky, I think about Mark. He spent a lot of time looking at the night sky not only with the naked eye, but also using binoculars and one or more of his two telescopes. If I weren’t out there with him, he would often rush into the house shouting, “Come look! You can see the moons of Jupiter” or something like that. Viewing the night sky and trying to find objects requires a lot of patience and hard work. Mark was a devoted astronomer and “considered” God’s heavens quite often. He marveled at the vastness of creation and how they declared the glory of the God of creation.

Take some time to check out the night sky in your area. If you can find a place where ambient light is non-existent or very low, you’ll gain a whole new appreciation of the majesty of God.

Until next time…

Just Go With It

Today, Karen and I went to AMC to see the movie Just Go With It starring Adam Sandler, Jennifer Aniston, Brooklyn Decker, Nick Swardson, Nicole Kidman and Dave Mathews.

What a romp! Sandler plays a plastic surgeon who wears a wedding ring even though not married because he’s found out it’s a good way to pick up women and he doesn’t have to worry about making a commitment to them.

Jennifer Aniston plays his assistant who steps in to help him when he finally meets the girl of his dreams (Brooklyn Decker). This girl won’t have anything to do with him because she thinks he’s married. Jennifer, who is the divorced mother of two, pretends to be his soon-to-be-divorced wife. He bribes the kids to pretend to be his.

The story is a bit bizarre, but the movie is hilarious from beginning to end. It was over too quickly. (Actually, since I had a large Coke Zero, I would have been a lot more comfortable if it had been about 15 minutes shorter.)

I didn’t recognize Nicole Kidman or realize she was in the movie until I saw her name on the movie web site. I knew I knew her, but just couldn’t place her.

The two kids were unbelievably talented actors. We’ll see more of them, I’m sure

This afternoon, I had a wonderful nap, which is why I don’t feel a bit sleepy, but I’ll still probably go to bed early anyway and read or play Scrabble.

My iPhone Scrabble game is amazing. It has a feature which I turned on by mistake (called Teacher) which will show you where you could have made more points with the same rack of letters. I’m learning a lot from it and am coming across words I’ve never heard of. And I thought I was well read. NOT!

Until next time…

Morning

 Writing Prompt: Write about your morning.

Morning is my favorite time of the day. I guess I’m a morning person. You have a whole brand new day to look forward to. You can plan or not. I find it doesn’t make much difference

My morning was a little unusual today. I had breakfast with some friends at Ben’s in Brandon. We used to meet for breakfast about once a week when we all worked together and even for quite a while after we all got laid off.

It’s always great to see good friends and catch up on the news, on what’s going on in their lives.

This morning, we spent quite a bit of time talking about phones. Yep, you read correctly: phones. Sue and I both have iPhones, Don and Sandy have Android phones, John and Sherry want an iPhone, but I don’t know about Dianne. Joan wasn’t there for that most of the conversation.

We all passed around our phones so everyone could see our neat pictures. I took some video with my new iPhone. Incredible! Sue had a phone with a “My Charger” case which gives her an extra FOUR hours of battery time, but I just got my Otter Box Defender case and figured out how to put the phone in it, so I guess I’ll just have to keep a charger on hand wherever I go.

The food at Ben’s is excellent and everybody had something different. I had a pecan and bacon waffle with home fries and onions. It was absolutely scrumptious, but all I want to do now is take a nap. Obviously, I ate too much.

On the whole, this has been my best morning in quite a while. And, guess what! I have another morning to look forward to tomorrow.

Until next time…

Why I Moved to Florida

This morning at 6:32, when I woke up, I checked the temps in some of my favorite places and was reminded why I moved to Florida. (Did I tell you how much I love my new iPhone?)

Place	Temperature
Thonotosassa, FL	50 degrees
Corning, NY	MINUS 8 degrees
Johnson City, NY	MINUS 8 degrees
Lawrenceville, GA	32 degrees
Lexington, NC	18 degrees
Milan, TN	4 degrees
Ulysses, PA	7 degrees

 

The Eagle

Today, I went to see the movie The Eagle, a film starring Channing Tatum, Jamie Bell and Donald Sutherland. I must admit to having some misgivings about the movie, but I found it very interesting. For those of you who are Jumper fans, Jamie Bell played Griffin in the movie.

Marcus Aquila, played by Channing Tatum, is a Roman centurion assigned to Britain. He distinguishes himself in battle, but is troubled because his father, who was also a centurion, led 5000 troops into northern England and nothing was ever heard from him or them again. This brought shame to the family name and caused the Romans to build Hadrian’s Wall to keep the people from the north from coming into Roman-occupied Britain.

The story may depart from history quite a bit, but it made for an interesting story and spoke greatly about courage, loyalty and honor.

 

Writing Prompt: This is how my heart was broken.

Isn’t it ironic that this prompt should come on February 11^th?

Forty-four years ago today, Mark and I were married in the Christian and Missionary Alliance Church in tiny Ansonia, PA. It was a snowy, cold day, but we didn’t care. We spent many wonderful years together until he passed away on December 4, 2002. On that day, my husband, lover, dearest friend and companion went to be with Jesus. Of that I am sure.

My heart broke. I still miss him every day, though I don’t talk about it much, but special days like this one are much harder than others. Anniversaries bring to mind all of the good times we had together and some of the challenges two strong-willed people faced getting along together.

Yes, my heart was broken and yet I rejoice that he is free from the problems of this world, he is free from pain and sorrow, and that I will see him again. It’s hard to believe it’s been almost nine years since he left. Whenever I’m feeling down, I just remember his smile and his hugs. He was a great hugger.

When I’m trying to make decisions, I still hear his voice, and sometimes I listen, just like when he was alive.

Yes, my heart was broken that day, but the Holy Spirit isn’t called the Great Comforter for nothing. And, as 1 Corinthians 15:19 says, “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.”

Until next time…

Lunch with Esther

Today, I went down to Brandon and met Esther for lunch. Her foot doctor is in Brandon which allows us to get together once in a while.

Juliette 

My cousin Ethelyn sent me a couple of new pictures of her great-granddaughter. She is just too precious.

 

 

My New iPhone 4

I sent the following in an email to my sister-in-law Rose, who also has a new iPhone:

I just love this new phone. This morning I figured out how to get weather for someplace other than Cupertino, CA (it was the default place for weather - I deleted that entry). Now I can instantly see weather for Thonotosassa, Corning, Lawrenceville (GA), Milan (TN), Johnson City, and Ulysses, PA. When it's 63 here and 1 degree in Corning, it really makes my day. I think it said JC was 3 degrees this morning when I checked, but it was almost tropical at 13 the last time I looked. :)

 

Writing Prompt: You hear church bells in a distance

You hear church bells in the distance and you know you are late. St. Michael’s bells are never wrong. You dash out the door, slamming it before you realize you’ve left your keys on the kitchen table. It never pays to hurry.

Now, you ask yourself where the rock is that hides the spare key. The vegetation in the flower bed has gotten out of hand. You push aside a croton, then a hibiscus bush, but don’t see the rock because there are so many leaves on the ground. It never fails: all dressed up and having to dig through rotting leaves to find a key. Finally, you find it and turn to go back up the steps. As you turn, you trip over a skateboard Jerry left outside. Now, your clean and neatly creased trousers are grass-stained and wrinkled, to say nothing of the fierce pain in your knee.

You shake yourself off, run into the house, grab your keys and set out again. You decided you’d better take the car instead of walking. You move Fred’s bike out from in front of the garage door and punch in the code on the security panel. Nothing happens. You re-enter it and the door finally goes up.

You get in the car, start the engine and back out of the driveway. As you’re heading down the street, you notice the gas warning light is blinking. Jennifer obviously forgot to fill up the tank…again. Considering the way the beginning of the day has gone, you are not surprised when the car starts to sputter and finally dies.

Not wasting any time ranting and raving, you open the car door, lock it, and rush down the street on foot. Finally, you reach St. Michael’s where you laugh as you spy the sermon topic posted on the church sign: “Haste makes waste; plan ahead so you don’t get behind.”

Until next time…

Kindle vs iPhone4

This morning, I caught myself trying to tap my Kindle screen. I realized I was treating it like my iPhone4. How soon we get used to things. I really am enjoying my iPhone, though like all new technical objects, there are moments of frustration here and there. The Speaker feature is wonderful. According to those I’ve spoken with, it's very clear and easy to understand.

Christmas at Longhorn

My nephew Chris’s girlfriend tagged me in a photo on Facebook today. I, of course, copied the picture so I could have it in with my photos. The picture was taken at Longhorn Steakhouse and includes from left to right: my nephew Chris, my nephew Greg, my sister-in-law Kathy, some old feeble-minded lady, my brother Jeff, and Kathy’s mother Grace. Isn’t it a great picture? The only problem is that Sabrina, who took the picture, isn’t in it. I thought she had one taken by the waitress, but my feeble mind may not have that right.

 

Writing Prompt: Write about a wild-eyed dream

What exactly is a wild-eyed dream? Is it a dream that leaves you wild-eyed? One that frightens you so much you have to sleep the rest of the night with the lights on? If that were the case, wouldn’t the prompt be “Write about a nightmare.”

I’ve had my share of nightmares, especially when I was a child. There were two recurring dreams I had. In one, there was a wildfire and I could see it moving toward me over the hills near my home. I would run and run as fast as I could, but it would keep pace with me. I don’t know if that had anything to do with my fear of a burned-out house down in Tioga, Pennsylvania, which we used to pass when my dad would drive us to see my uncle and his family or my grandparents. Since that house was burned out before my father left us, I would have to have been younger than seven years old.

My other recurring wild-eyed dream of the nightmare variety involved some soldiers parachuting into the field behind and around my house. In short, we were being invaded. Why I dreamt that I have no idea. I just remember dreaming it many times.

The other possibility of a wild-eyed dream would be defined as something you never thought you could do in your life. My husband Mark and I shared one. We dreamed of traveling out in the southwest and seeing all of the beautiful sights we had read about. Well, that was a wild-eyed dream that came true. We flew out to Las Vegas and made that our central location. We got a terrific package involving hotel, the flight, and some attractions for a very reasonable price.

And this is one instance where reality was better than anything we could have dreamed. We saw nearly everything we set out to see, notably Yosemite Park, the Roy Rogers Museum in Victorville, CA, the Grand Canyon, the Meteor Crater, the Petrified Forest, Bryce Canyon, Zion National Forest, the Painted Desert, the Hoover Dam, Lake Meade and, of course, Las Vegas itself. It was one of the best vacations I’ve ever had.

I’d love to re-visit these sites and may be doing that before too long, I hope.

Until next time…

New iPhone 4 Arrives

Today, my new iPhone 4 arrived. I had an awfully hard time activating it because the MEID (whatever that is) had not been entered into Verizon’s system. Once that was taken care of, my phone was activated with no problems. In order to get the whole thing done, I had to borrow my cousin Richard’s cell phone because I couldn’t have my old cell phone on when I was trying to activate the new one.

This phone is incredible, but I need some serious study time to know how to do everything.

It’s kind of late in the evening (actually early morning) to be doing this blog, but I got so sick around 7:30 pm, I had to lie down. After I had a nice nap (it’s now about 1:38 am), I decided to turn on my computer and post this blog.

Once again, I’m having to walk sideways to go from one end of my camper to the other. I think I finally have everything from my old house except my down jacket. Considering that it’s 39 degrees outside, maybe I should have brought that out too. When I woke up, it was 55 in the camper. I turned up my little heater and it’s now 64.

Hopefully, I’ll get everything taken care of today.

Well, I think I’ll take another nap. I hope I can sleep until daylight, at least.

The Sound of a Train in the Distance

A Restless Night

Last night, I probably got about two hours of sleep, if that. I don’t know why I couldn’t go to sleep, but it may have something to do with an excess of Sun Drop and Coke Zero. As of today, I am restricting myself to ONE caffeinated beverage.

It rained gently in the night and it’s raining gently right now. There doesn’t appear to be any possibility of the weather clearing even though the weatherman said it would. We’ll see, I guess.

Well, I was wrong about the weather. It was beautiful for a couple of hours, but now it’s raining again.

iTunes and My New iPhone4

Apparently, my new iPhone4 will sync with my computer using iTunes. You can download music to your phone and use it like an iPod. Of course, my big problem I have almost 50 Gb of music and books in my iTunes. My iPhone only has a capacity of 32 Gb. After some research, I decided the best way to enjoy music on my iPhone was to set up a special Playlist folder just for it. I spent quite a bit of time picking out music and adding it to my Playlist folder. This folder takes up almost 3 Gb, but I was pretty selective. I had a great time doing this, playing music and singing along as I went through the tedious job of creating the playlists and moving the songs there.

Tonight for dinner, I warmed up some chili. I put a hot dog in the chili as I was warming it up. It worked great.

Writing Prompt

Prompt: “Everybody loves the sound of a train in the distance. Everybody thinks it’s true.” Paul Simon

I’m assuming that the quote is from a Paul Simon song, one I have never heard of, or if I ever have, my feeble old mind has forgotten it.

Until I was a teenager, we lived about a quarter of a mile from a pretty good-sized train depot. During my teens, we lived about 300 yards from that same depot. But, you know, trains are like chiming clocks in that after a few days or weeks, the train can go by and it doesn’t register with your conscious mind. It just becomes a part of the background of your life.

Now, however, I occasionally hear the sound of a train in the distance and must admit it has a certain appeal.

I think the sound we usually hear is the horn blaring a warning to “Get off the tracks!” There may also be the clatter of the wheels as the train passes by.

Why does everybody love this sound? Trains have a certain mystique about them. They paint a picture in our minds of travel to exotic places, people traveling in luxury while they dine with intriguing strangers, and even the thought of masked gunmen robbing the poor and defenseless being confronted by Roy Rogers or Gene Autry (boy, did I date myself on that?).

Do you love the sound of a train in a distance? Have you ever thought why?

Until next time…

A “CHILI” Sunday

I woke to a wet and cold morning and decided to make a pot of chili. It turned out great. I had two bowls for my brunch.

CSI and Gil Grissom

I watched last week’s episode of CSI (Las Vegas), but after 33 minutes of a 43 minute show, I got a message saying the video was not available any longer. I went back just now and watched the ending, even though I had heard from Karen what happened. It was great seeing Gil Grissom on the show, even for just a few minutes.

Verizon iPhone 4

I got an email today that my iPhone 4 had been shipped. According to the FedEx website, it is due to arrive on Tuesday, but I don’t think I’ll be able to activate it until Thursday. That doesn’t mean I won’t try!

Writing Prompt: Write about a stranger

Whenever I think about the word “stranger,” I am reminded of Hebrews 13:2 (NLT): “Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it!”

When do we get a chance to show hospitality to strangers? In this day and age, is it safe to take this verse to heart? What exactly does stranger mean? The simplest answer is a person I do not know, have never been introduced to, someone I meet by chance.

But, there have been times when people I have known for years act in such a way that they seem like a complete stranger to me. When confronted by unusual circumstances, they are transformed into someone I do not recognize. I don’t think Hebrews is talking about that type of stranger.

With the economy faltering, all sorts of people are now standing at corners with their hands out. Are these the strangers to whom we are supposed to show hospitality? Somehow, I doubt it.

Yes, we are supposed to show compassion to others, but should we invite these poor people into our homes and show them hospitality? As a woman living alone, I would certainly not. I hardly show hospitality to the people I know and love. :)

My late husband Mark used to carry McDonald’s coupons to pass out to those who hold up signs saying they are hungry. To me, this seems like a good idea. At least, they’ll be able to get something to eat. But, knowing how many of these folks have drug and alcohol problems, I don’t thing it’s wise to give them money.

I’m sure you have been confronted, as I have been, by people at gas stations saying they have run out of gas and just need a couple of dollars so they can get enough gas to get home. I must admit to having given a few dollars, on occasion, in these circumstances. Still though, I don’t think these are the strangers spoken of in Hebrews.

Who, then, are these strangers? I think we first have to consider to whom the author of Hebrews (probably Barnabas, according to Gene Edwards) is speaking. Is it an individual or is it the ecclesia, the church, the body of believers? The verse just before this (Hebrews 13:1) says, “Keep on loving each other as brothers and sisters.” Surely, this is not addressed to an individual, but to a group of brothers and sisters.

Even in New Testament times, the world was a perilous place, probably even more then than now. In case you have ever felt guilty, as I have, about not showing hospitality to strangers, I don’t think we need to. I think this admonition to entertain strangers is not to individuals, but to the church.

Of course, we could spend hours discussing what “church” in this instance means. In any case, let’s say it’s a group of people who love the Lord who meet together to worship and fellowship. That might include some of the people who gather together in church buildings from time to time. I think they are the ones who should be showing hospitality to strangers. They are the ones who might be entertaining angels without being aware of it.

Until next time…

Mourn for Hena

On Drudgereport.com today, I read about Hena, a 14-year old Bangladeshi girl who was raped by her 40-year old relative. The punishment: a fatwa was issued ordering Hena to receive 100 lashes. She collapsed after 80 lashes and finally perished from her injuries.

Words escape me. If nothing else, this demonstrates that Muslim women are considered second-class citizens. Actually, not even that. The pervert relative and those issuing and carrying out the fatwa should be the ones who received the 100 lashes.

When will people see Islam for what it is?

Brunch with Esther and then a Movie

Esther called and told me she’d be in Brandon this morning. We decided to have breakfast/lunch together. I had breakfast (Belgian Waffle, bacon and eggs) and she had lunch (Chicken Pistachio Salad). All was delicious as I expected.

I asked if she had seen The King’s Speech. She had not and since I wanted to see it again, we did just that. As you know if you follow this blog, I have seen the movie before. It was just as good as I remember and I was just as moved as before. If only we had a leader like George VI here in this country. After all, you can learn to overcome a speech impediment, but changing a person’s essential character is something else entirely.

My Writing Prompt…

Prompt: “When I woke up the next morning…”

When I woke the next morning, it was gone. I know it was there the previous night, counted on it being there when I awoke, but it was not to be. “Where had it gone?” I asked myself, but had no answer.

Perhaps this has happened to you. You go to bed with a resolve that the next day will be different, but you awake and all of your good intentions have somehow disappeared overnight. You decide that you can wait until the next day to make the changes you would really like.

It’s a vicious circle and, let’s face it, somewhat discouraging. Surely, we should have more discipline than what we display when we allow ourselves to – dare I say it? – PROCRASTINATE.

Say after me: “I solemnly vow that I will do what should be done when it should be done and not delay doing it.”

I think that’s great and, starting tomorrow, I’ll do just that.

February 4, 2011 - Lazy Hazy Crazy Day of Summer (Oops…Winter)

This is for Friday, February 4, 2011. I thought I published it, but apparently I goofed up somehow.

It’s is currently 80 degrees here in Florida. I know telling some of you that is like rubbing salt in raw wounds. There’s a gentle breeze blowing and the sun is evident, though there are quite a few puffy clouds in the sky, enough so the sun doesn’t feel too hot.

Kathleen’s Kindle Gone…

Kathleen’s 2nd Kindle Working Great

This morning, I packaged my old Kindle and took it to the Truck-stop of America where there is a UPS drop-off box. Before that, though, I had to go see my cousin and use his printer. I don’t have one now – they take up too much space and most of the time I don’t need one.

I was glad to get the new one and have already used it a lot. I’ve already played 11 games of Scrabble and have won 8 of them, giving me a win percentage of 72.72727%. I sure like the 100% a lot better. But, I’ll keep at it, though I know I can never again get to 100%.

I’m currently reading Body Double by Tess Gerritson, which features characters you’ll see in the TV show Rizzoli and Isles. I’ve read a couple of other books featuring these characters. This one really takes place earlier than the others I’ve read. They are terrific books.

I’m also reading a print book titled The Silas Diary by Gene Edwards. It’s a fascinating book, one of a series based on characters found in the book of Acts. It really makes you think.

My Writing Prompt

Prompt: Write about a black and white photograph

I have a lot of black and white photos, but one of my favorite is one taken when my mother was a little girl. Of course, all of the photos taken when she was little were black and white photos. After all, she was born before Kodacolor, the color negative film marketed by Kodak between 1942 and 1967. Even Kodachrome, the color reversal film, was not on the market until 1935.

Mom did not have as easy a childhood as that portrayed by this particular black and white picture. It is said that a picture is worth a thousand words. In this instance, I think it’s true and I’ve included the picture at the end of this piece.

Mom was the youngest of eight, nine if you count her half brother. He was born to my grandfather’s third wife long after Mom and all of her siblings were grown up and gone.

In this picture, Mom is sitting on the hood of her dad’s car. My aunt Ruth is sitting on the front bumper while my aunt Lana, with a huge smile on her face, is leaning on the shiny front fender. My uncle Paul, who is the youngest of the boys, is balanced on the running board, while my uncle Bert leans on the hood. My grandfather Pierson, dressed in long-sleeved white shirt and tie, is leaning on the open window of driver’s door.

Mom didn’t remember this picture being taken and I never thought to ask anyone a number of important questions. In fact, the picture raises more questions than it answers: Why were they all dressed up? Who took the picture? Where was the picture taken (we think maybe Lamoka Lake)? Where were Uncle Ike, Aunt Iona and Uncle Kenny? Was one of them taking the picture? My mother’s mother died shortly after Mom was born, so her absence is explained.

They look like such a happy family and I think, even with all of the hardships, they probably were. I know they all loved and respected each other. They loved to spend time together.

In later years, Mom and her three sisters used to meet once each week to play cards: penny ante poker, Euchre, and a number of games I don’t remember. My cousins Richard and Ethelyn and Mark and I were often lucky enough to join them. Nobody won a lot and nobody lost a lot, but we sure did have a lot of fun.

In a very real sense, this is a snapshot in time, one that appears, at least, to captures happy times. I sure hope so.

Until next time…

Replacement Kindle

Today, I received a replacement for my Kindle via FedEx. My old one is to be returned via UPS. Weird, huh?

The little square around my 5-way switch came off my Kindle when I dropped it. I didn’t notice it at the time and since I dropped it in the parking lot of the AMC Regency Theater, there was no going back to look for it. The Kindle worked anyway. I was just afraid at some time I might get something into the inner workings of the unit that would eventually cause it to malfunction

Since I had a two-year warranty on the Kindle, I called Amazon and they sent me this new one. They have everything archived and keep track of all of the stuff I bought from them so it was pretty easy to download it to my new one. Fortunately, I didn’t have to go without my Kindle for any time at all. I use it so much, especially since I have been playing Scrabble on it.

However, it did destroy my statistics from my Scrabble games. That was okay for the first game, since I won and it showed me winning 100 percent. I lost the second game so it wasn’t as much fun to see the 50%. I just won the third game so I’m at 66.6666666% now. Hopefully, my percentage will just keep going up (but I doubt it).

iPhone 4 from Verizon

Today, I pre-ordered an iPhone 4 from Verizon. I’m looking forward to exploring all of the apps and learning how to use it. Of course, there will be some frustrations as there are with any new gadget. I’ve contacted my nephew Greg to find out the name of the protective case he got for his. My nephew Chris has one protecting his iPhone and he said he dropped it on a hard surface from shoulder height and the phone was not damaged.

Considering what I did with my Kindle, doesn’t that sound like a good idea?

Also, I will have to get a new Bluetooth headset and asked Greg about that as well.

Writing Prompt: These are the things women know about love

I don’t think women know anything different about love than men or at least that the truth about love is not dependent upon your gender.

Love is not some nebulous feeling that sends us into paroxysms of euphoria. Rather, love is an action verb. If we count on the “feeling” of love, we will always be disappointed; it is so momentary and fleeting. It is this kind of love that can leave or be destroyed in a relationship.

True love is honest and trustworthy and faithful, no matter how we feel. True love acts in the interests of the one who is loved, even if it is at the expense of the one loving.

No other words have ever been truer about love than those found in one of my favorite passages about love found in I Corinthians 13:4-7:

⁴ Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud ⁵ or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. ⁶ It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. ⁷ Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

This is love we should all strive to have. This is what love is all about.

Until next time…

Six Days of Creation

Today, I watched another hour-long DVD from Answers in Genesis. This one was titled Six Days of Creation and deals with whether those six days are six literal days and how not believing in the six literal days is undermining the authority of the Word and the influence of the church.

Ken Ham makes a very good case for six literal days. He doesn’t say this, but if your God is so puny, he can’t create everything in six literal days, then you have a problem.

By the way, if anyone wants to borrow any of these DVDs, just let me know and I’ll send them to you.

127 Hours

Now we go to a completely different issue of time. This morning, I saw the movie 127 Hours, the true story of Aron Ralson. You may have read about the incident this movie is about. Aron Ralson, played by James Franco, is a hiker, who goes out one day without telling anyone where he is heading. He takes a tumble in a crevice and a huge rock pins his right arm against the way. He tries all sorts of things, but can’t get his arm out. After 4 days or so, he finally cuts off his own arm when he realizes he will die if he does not.

The movie was very good, though some of the language was a little blue for my liking. I imagine you’ll cheer at the end since most of the people in the theater did.

Prompt: Find your way in a city

In order to find my way in a city, I find it helps to lay out a map of the city and note the major streets, particularly the four-lane. I check the naming of streets. Are there streets like First, Second, etc? You have to be careful, though, in case there are avenues named in the same way. Watch for any streets where the name changes along its length. One street in Rochester, NY, changes its name FIVE times. Also, make a note of any one-way streets, or two-way streets that turn into one-way streets.

In addition to looking at a map, I find that when I am in a new city of any size, it’s a good idea to take a bus tour of the city if it is offered. This worked very well for Mark and me in Toronto, Ontario and Nashville, Tennessee.

Of course, it doesn’t hurt to know someone in the town who will take you around and show you the best way to get from one place to another.

For me, the best way to find your way in any city is by referencing eating places. Perhaps, it is the combination of signage and name recognition that make you remember how to get somewhere based on an eating place. However, I’ve always thought that of all senses, the sense of smell stimulates memory more than any other. And, in a good eating place, the food that is cooked will probably make your mouth water.

Realtors will tell you that the smell of baking bread will enhance your chances of selling a home. You can close your eyes, you don’t have to touch anything, you don’t have to taste anything, but unless you run around with your fingers pinching your nose, which would look pretty silly, it’s almost impossible not to notice a smell. Of course, the same is true regarding your ears, but I doubt what you hear would generally bring a place to mind.

Perhaps, you’ll be like me, though, and find that the best way to find your way around the city is to get lost and have to find your way back.

Until next time…

Answers in Genesis

My Truck Service

This morning at 7:15, I arrived at Jarrett-Scott Ford to have my truck serviced. Everything was okay with the truck. Since I have almost 17,000 miles on it (can you believe it?), a front-end alignment was recommended. So, they did the LOF, rotated the tires and aligned the front end. I’m now good for a few thousand more miles.

Answers in Genesis

Last night, I watched a DVD from Answers in Genesis called Answers 1. This morning I watched the third video in the series. I somehow managed to miss the second video when I bought them.

These videos give thoughtful, concrete answers to a lot of questions about creationism vs evolution. I have a number of their other videos that I’ve had for a while, but have never watched. I’ve set a goal to watch at least one a day. They’re very informative and interesting. Ken Ham, who is featured in quite a few of them, has n amazing Australian accent. I could listen to him all day.

I also watched their video Godless in America, which speaks about how 2/3 of children growing up in Christian homes and in our churches are leaving the church. They’ve also written a book about it called Already Gone.

Did you know that Charles Darwin is buried in the floor at Westminster Abbey? Seems an odd place to lay the father of evolution to rest, doesn’t it?

Julie Schenecker

Have you heard about the Tampa mom who killed her 13-year old son and 16-year old daughter, supposedly because they talked back to her. Whenever something like this happens, the natural response is to assign blame.

In this case, I think a lot of tragedies like this happen because of our callous disregard for human life. Think about it. In this country alone, there are approximately 3,700 abortions performed per DAY. Divide that number by 24 hours and there are a little more than 112 abortions performed every single hour. In my opinion, legally allowing the taking of a completely innocent human life has demonstrated that we just don’t care about life.

No one would have stopped Julie Schenecker from killing those two children while they were in her womb. How is doing it later any more immoral or illegal? Just THREE week’s after conception, a baby’s heart starts beating.

If we start protecting innocent, unborn babies from being murdered, perhaps we will begin to see a reduction in the type of murder that Julie Schenecker has apparently admitted to.

My Writing Prompt

Prompt: Write about a kiss

A kiss can heal a hurting heart.

A kiss can stop the crying.

A kiss can play a loving part,

When one we know is dying.

 

A kiss can say, “I love you, dear.

You mean the word to me.”

A kiss can make it very clear

There’s naught but you for me.

 

A kiss placed on a baby’s head

Can sense a coming fever.

A kiss can ease a person’s dread,

Can be a great reliever.

 

A kiss can say, “I’m sorry, hon.

I didn’t mean to do it.”

A kiss can help an injured one

To see how to get through it.

 

A kiss, a precious gift of God,

To help me tell my friends,

“My love for you is wide and broad,

A love that knows no end.”

Until next time…