Oh Well Why Not?

Well I'm back.   Didn't expect to write again so soon, but life does smack you in the face sometimes.   \

I was tooling around the news section and came across an article about five chihuahuas taking a bite out of the law! I realize most people would laugh at this notion that a dog that size could kick ass.

I am living proof that they can and they will.  Don't let their deceptively small size fool you either.  I do believe these dogs could bring down an elephant if need be.

My sad tale began many years ago, somewhere in Queens, in of all things...a Pet Shop!  I had a close friend that owned a Pet Shop, it was a really neat place...filled to the brim with all kinds of pets from shiney scaley fish to white rats in a tank.  Just my kind of place.

Well, my dear friend became extremely ill, had to be hospitalized for quite a while.  He was so worried about his shop, his pets....so I offerred to run the shop for him, until he recuperated.

Ok, folks - looking back I meant well I really did. Since I was and still am an animal lover I was very familiar with the care of fish, cats, dogs, lizards etc.  However, this also meant I had to feed, clean and ewww "touch" certain things that I had never done before. Think Rats! Snakes...very large Ignauas..(they can hurt ya).

Oh, I also had the store open for business.  My friend Bill also ran a dog & cat babysitting service in the back of his shop (he had an exercise garden in the back also).  That's where my problem started.

One morning in walks a lady with two little tiny Chihuahuas, oh I say "How Cute!" Reaching to take them to put them in the back, I nearly lost my hand.  The woman assured me that they would calm down once she left..ha! Those little monster yipped, yapped and yelled all day long....nothing stopped them.  Now I had to feed them, I had to let them out of the cage for exercise..which meant taking the little critters outside in the backyard to romp. 

Romp? Hell.  They made a beeline for my ankles and never let up. To save myself and get these creatures back under control I had to use a broom (a soft broom if there are any Peta people out there) to push, prod them back into their repective cages.  Since my Momma did not raise a fool I did not let them out of the cage again until their rotten Mother showed up to claim her "precious babies".

That article today really brought it all back to me....actually loved those days......

New Years Reflections

I guess in the scheme of things our little planet seems very small, just a mote in God's eye, when you compare the scope of the whole universe to our little corner of the sky.

Looking back over this past year, my heart is saddened by the calamities that have befallen so many people. I know that someone wrote a book "Why bad things happen to good people"...but sometimes I just wonder if there is a ryhme or reason to any of it.

Each life is precious, at least to the owner or loved one of that life.  I thought my heart was wrenched out from the Tsunami, thought I could cry no more...until Katrina.  There are events in one's life that are so moving, so catastrophic, so life changing that they are never forgotten.

Of course I remember the usual, marriages, births, deaths.  However, forty some odd years later, I can tell you where I was standing, what I was doing, who I was with, what I was saying and feeling when Kennedy was associated.  The same goes for the walk on the moon, hiding under my desk for air raid drills in public school, watching Marilyn Monroe sing "Happy Birthday Mr. President", the Beatles first American appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show...oh, it goes on and on...memories to hold forever.

I've been trying to find some good memories from this past year...and it's been a hard push to do so.

The only major one I've come up with is that the human spirit seems to be indomitable, refuses to lie down and cry uncle!  It screams at the perverse universe...Gonna pick myself up, dust myself off and start all over again.

Maybe we humans do have a chance.

 

Happy New Year to all my friends out there in J-Land,

may this coming year be good to you & yours.....

                         Toodles,

                          Sandi

        

 

 

 

 

Just Photo's of the Bags....

 

These are some of the bags that I wrote about yesterday, they look a little "plump" because I have them stuffed with paper to sit upright on the display table.

They are fun to design and kind of take on a life of their own as we work on them.  I've found all these neat little pocket critters recently so I've been putting them into the front or back pockets....like a little pocket pet.

I had one that was so cute too..I put all little assorted kitty buttons on the front pockets and then drew in paint the paw prints, plus things like Meow...Here Kitty, Kitty..Scratch...Purr.  I have to do another one like that.

The one with the Smiley face is cute too, I wrote Be Happy and Smile..together with the painted on Smiley Faces on the back pockets.

I"ve seen a lot these done a differently from ours. I didn't like the lining in some of them...I think the denim holds up better without it and it also will be easier to launder without a liner.  I've had an old hobo style denim bag for over twenty years and it takes a beating and looks great.

In the Seventies I wore handpainted denim jeans with a personalized zodiac (Aquarius) down the pants side leg...I wish I had saved those pants! Everything seems to come around again...well, I still have my paints & brushes so I guess I am going to be painting again.

It's funny, I've been searching for old denim jeans for the bags...name labels mind you, but I feel like the "denim Queen of Pinellas County".

Well, it is fun when people buy them.  With crafts it's like your own creation, one of a kind object....your little baby and you swell with pride when you send one off....

 

 

Tis The Season to Scream At Everybody..tra la la la

Oh...the flying pig has nothing to do with this story.

I just get a kick out of seeing it fly!

Anyway for the fourth consecutive Sunday, my sister and I have joined the other 2,000 sellers at our friendly neighborhood huge flea market.

The last two weekends we have been battling dipping temperatures and bouts of chilling rain.  Maybe my brain has turned to mush, that's why I'm laughing at a unbelievable creature flying...I've turned silly.

We have had some luck with selling our denim bags though. The teen girls seems to like them a lot and to be perfectly honest I've seen quite a few adult ladies putting the bag strap on their shoulders - just to see the fit. I'll put some pictures up to show you...on the next entry.  I forgot how to inbed the picture here in the text....God, short term memory loss....

Well, what I really wanted to write about was the chaos that occurred at the Flea Market. We were sitting behind our table and all of a sudden we hear someone shout "F......you...you stupid...b.....h" and on and on..he just did not stop.  A poor woman was trying to do parallel parking by her spot where she was selling and could not quite judge how far she could move back.....this idiot guy just wanted her out of "his" way - didn't care that she was being careful.  The way the covered areas are built you could back right up into a crowd if you overshot your spot.

Well, guys, I'm not your normal shy violet smelling Grandma....the guy was screaming & riding his horn right behind us.....I told him to have himself a Merry Christmas in spite of himself and that he should be ashamed of himself.  He, of course, macho gunned his engine and roared off - never a cop around when you need one.  He was speeding in a people walking zone....can you believe that? Why loose yourself because of not getting instant gratification and having to wait for someone else to move for all of two minutes.

Oh, and if you guys think I'm picking only on men...not so....today was a uni-sex day when it came to tempers.

About an hour after the first ruckus, we hear a woman yelling at the top of her lungs. I look over by where they have a people trolley stop, there is a lady with two little kids sitting there waiting for the trolley.  The screaming is coming from another woman who has driven her car up on the wrong side of a divider for the Flea Market. She was attempting to back up and turn around (there was no room to do this) and in doing so almost hit the woman and kids on the bench.

Again, this woman was totally wrong and gets into a screaming match with the Mother.  I was incredulous watching the driver get out of her car and lift the chain barrier across the hood of her car and slowly she inched forward letting the chain slip higher on her car. Finally she was able to get through to the other side (the side she was supposed to be on in the first place).  She had to have scratched the hell out of her paint job!  She had to have the last word too....it was a raised finger salute to the poor Mother!

What is it? The holidays brings out the worst in people?  Gotta remind myself to stay away from the post office.....hmmm full moon this week...

Relationships

 For some reason I like this little clamshell guy...maybe because he reminds me of most of us.  Hiding in our shells, afraid to reach out and touch someone else.  Hesitant to interact on any level that might be construed as - wow...a "serious" relationship.

Women today complain that there are no "good" men out there...that they are either sex freaks, mama's boys, or gay.  I don't know about that.   I think you have to put your time into a relationship and it goes both ways.

Think about it, you meet a guy or girl you are at your best, all dressed up - or as my Momma used to say "cleaned up well".  You also are on your very best behavior, watching what you say and what you do...by all means pick up the right fork!  God forbid you should spill anything at dinner.  Yep...you are just about perfect - and that is what is all wrong.

Perfection in a relationship is a killer - it's not real.  It lacks the basic nitty gritty of life itself....real life sometimes gets dirty, painful, full of angst.  It's at that point where you want your relationship to be - in a place where you know someone has got your back!  That your "rock" is right there with you, going nowhere always steadfast.

Sort of like Angel & Buffy, or Spike & Buffy (hey, she's not stupid) hell, all the great lovers in history. Granted sometimes they burnt out quickly - but oh my...what a glorious flame.

Steadfast, that the kind of relationship I wish my two sons would find.  It's the only kind that lasts.  It's the only one worth any kind of sacrifice....that rarity called real love.

PS..I did sneak hubby and I up there - after 25 years I thought we would qualify as definitely "steadfast", although there were moments...LOL

 

Marching to the Beat

I came across a cute little story...maybe this one will make up the previous anti-Christmas story.  

 It seems in Japan, they are becoming worried that their captive penguins are gaining too much weight from inactivity.

  Just for giggles I had to put The Penguin of Batman fame up for view too - looks like he could do with some marching too!  

 In order to survive the really cold temperatures nature has given the penguin the ability to add weight easily during the winter months...providing better insulation against the cold.  

 On a side note, I'm in Florida I don't need all this extra insulation....whatever is Mother Nature doing to me?

  So what does one do?  I know....let's make them March! After all walking is good for the soul among other things.

   I guess it helps that in the wild they do follow one another in a precision line that would rival the Broadway Rockettes.

  I just think this is so cute, I love Penguins

Deck The Halls With Heads of Barbi?

Well I had a great picture of this to give you a visual impact of this event.   Evidently, I am not allowed to use that photo...that's okay I think I can graphically describe the goings on.

It seems the Christmas Grinch is alive, well and living in a mansion in Manhattan.

He and his family of Grinchettes have put up a horrific Santa display, complete with a huge Santa holding a bloody axe and a decapitated head, as blood drips everywhere.  Cute, huh?

As if this wasn't enough to make any 6 year old go crying for their Mommy, the Grinchettes decided to add the addition of decapitated Barbi heads, hanging from their outdoor tree.  

Yes, Virginia, a tree does grow in Manhattan but believe me you are not going to want to see it this year.

Maybe I'm reading this wrong but I feel this is beyond Goth....way, way beyond.

When interviewed Mr. Grinch, surrounded by his publicity loving Grinchettes, spoke eloquently concerning his hatred of the commercialization of - would you believe - Christmas!  Mr. Grinch explained that was the whole reason for their display.  He and his little family of Grinchettes believe the business of making money has ruined Christmas.  Their display is meant to show how big business has killed Christmas.  

You know what I think?  I believe that his display is an affront to anyone of good faith that celebrates Christmas.  I can see someone walking down the Grinch's block, happy child in tow...on their way to see Santa.  Good lord, that display would be worth seven years of therapy for some child, maybe even an adult or two!

Whatever were these Grinches thinking?

***Added footnote...thanks to Dragonrose the site she found allowed me to copy the pictures so they are added up above....thanks rose.....Sandi

Gift From Nature

I just watched a very interesting news program that really lifted my spirits.  It seems that some scientists abroad have discovered a very common garden plant may hold the key to stopping leukemia.

   This is a plant that I have growing, right now, in my garden...it is bright, colorful and many times when I looked at it I rejoiced in Nature's beauty. My friends, they have discovered that the simple coleus can do the most remarkable thing...stop the process of cancer progressing.

  Now, there is something that bothers me...they also said that Europe has had this particular drug from the plant for a while...our wonderful (big brother) governmental agency has not given "approval" for this to be used here in this country.

  Granted they were using this drug for treatment of asthma and other ailments. Why, do we always seem to be behind the cutting edge on pharmaceuticals?

  I just hope that this is not something that will be "shelved" for a while, especially if the larger pharmaceutical companies find that using something from "nature" doesn't cost an arm & a leg to manufacture. If they can't make a profit I really believe they would pass on a cure for cancer and that is so shameful.

  Money seems to make the world goes round, will this too be tabled?  I hear so many people who are sick, needing medical cures....I hope they follow through on all this.

 Nature itself has given us a gift and may yet save us in spite of ourselves.

  Anyway, I for one am going to watch, wait and see what happens to this.

  On a lighter note I am doing the happy Hamster Dance...I have my DSL back in full force. I still don't know what happened, it had to be Verizon's screw up somewhere....but I redid all the wires again, plugged in the modem and blessed be...it finally worked. 

 The techs were telling me to go to Dell...it wasn't the computer it was the signal that Verizon was sending someone didn't do something right and it cost me about 3 weeks of aggravation and a definite hatred of dial up.

I listen intently to the music as it fills my mind with wonderful pictures of a time that has only just passed.

Twenty-five years have passed, so much history has happened...I truly believe that John would of been amazed at the changes. The cold war ended, the wall came down, China opened it's doors, the Russian Bear caved...oh so much during these twenty-five years.

Yet, John strived for peace, that did not happen. War, in all it's brutality, still exists on so many levels. I believe he could see beyon

Once Again Into The Fray

PLEASE DO NOT BUY/USE ANY PRODUCTS THAT ARE ON THE ABOVE ROTTEN BANNER AD..AND PLEASE TELL YOUR FRIENDS TOO...THANKS.   Well, a fire breathing Dragon might have better luck getting through to the powers that be at AOL.   If nothing else, a well placed breath of fire might be an incentive to bargain.

I know from reading the board, and the great article that Dornbrau found that "we" are really not customers of AOL, at least in their minds. We having signed on the perverbial dotted line became unknowingly victims, errr "members" of an elite duped group.  This group believed that paying for a service, meant a service would  be rendered as per what was shown to be expected in the beginning. 

Not realizing that this was a "growing" period for said company...complete with beta programs, more willing vic..err..members were found to participate, this only increased what AOL was able to offer.  Not the first in history that someone has actually built the coffin that they are buried in. Helpful bunch, weren't we?  Newbies on the block? Hell...yes we'll help them...tell them J-land is a great place to be, wonderful community, great people...great journals. Made us feel like a crock of crap....

Oh, I just had a wonderful thought...I have an Ebay Store...I think I need to advertise over there too......

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HATE BANNER ADS PLEASE DO NOT BUY ANYTHING FROM SPONSOR

FIRE ENGINE RED...GOOD COLOR FOR A HOT MOMMA....

DO NOT BUY/USE ANY PRODUCT ON THE ABOVE BANNER AD!!!

This will not switch back now...tried to put another picture up there that Lahoma made couldn't get it to work....gremlins...

There it goes...just a bit smaller.  Wow, we had quite an exodus from J-land..that's very sad.  I cannot for the life of me understand how people can be so miserable as the higher ups at AOL.  For several years now they have done everything they could to try to improve, build up readership...a community spirit if you will.  In one fell swipe they have destroyed several years work and any creditability that AOL had.

I keep on hoping that there will be someone who realizes what a fiasco they have created and will correct this situation.  You have to remember that all the people who left have not stopped bad mouthing AOL....IT WILL EVENTUALLY AFFECT YOUR BOTTOM LINE - even if it takes a while for it to happen....I think Google, and all the rest of the BIG kids on the block are watching you very closely right now.  Can you feel their breath on your back?

If I could do a little "real magic" right now....I would point my magic wand and the dunce who thought this plan up would be sitting in a corner facing the wall wearing a duncecap! 

I also am sending letters of complaint to every ad sponsor, making them aware of the awful fiasco that AOL has created by ignoring the needs/wants of it's paying customers.  I do not think that they will be too happy to part with their advertising dollars...on a lost cause. DO YOU?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Has AOL Lost It's Mind???

Lord Love A Duck....see the hand waving "Goodbye"??? Too many of the journalist's that I admire, that I read, that I LOVE are leaving!!

I think the executives who came up with this advertising ploy had best refigure what they are going to gain from this.  Customer satisfaction is a valuable commodity and right now you have about 99.99% of J-Land mightily pissed off!

I can understand that AOL needs capital to work it's wonders...however, in this instance...you will be the loser.  Every single journaler who is forced to leave will bad mouth AOL at any given situation.  This is a public relations nightmare!

I like peace, I like harmony....I would give you this scenario...grandfather in the existing journals, do not touch them - anything that was created before November 2005 would be grandfathered in and not have banner ads on them.  Anyone starting a new journal would, including anyone who is adding a new journal to their portfolio.

I believe this would work, I also believe that the older journalers who stuck with AOL through thick & thin would agree with this.

Ok....AOL...WHAT DO YOU SAY???

 

Freedoms

This seems to be my week to rant....I swear I don't look for these things, they fly in my face...

It seems that several major cities that have passed no smoking bans in bars, restraunts, office buildings, public buildings etc., are not totally happy with their successes.

The moral right has now decided that the outside air should be "smoke free" along certain beaches, parks and now 10 to 25 feet away from whatever structure bans smoking.  Smokers are being hounded worse than the drug pushers.

When I was teen I remember watching a movie that showed books being burnt because they had "wrong information" inside of them, people being watched constantly at home by their TV's and I remember an old lady hiding in a car in a junk yard trying to smoke a cigarette...so she wouldn't be caught.  I don't know if this was The Big Brother movie or not...it just made such an impression on me.   I fear it's all coming true.

I don't smoke.  I did. I stopped. Myself. When I was ready to.  Granted smoking is bad, but so are a lot of things that people do.  Why not regulate people jumping out of perfectly good airplanes? So many die each year...if you (the righteous right) stop them -wow- you'd be saving lives.  Oh, rock climbing is pretty dangerous too, as is scuba diving, jet skis too - boy, I could keep you guys busy for a year.

I'm totally pissed. How dare these people presume to dictate how we all should live? If the "silent majority" doesn't speak up...our rights, our freedoms will be gone.  Even the right just to be.

 

American Girl

Sometimes I cannot believe what I read in the news.  This is one of those times.  We have a very large pro-life organization calling for a national boycott of the beloved American Girl Doll.

Why? Well, it seems the little hellion is up to no good.  Evidently she's been sneaking out to play with her Lesbian & Gay friends, shunning abstinance-only programs and the biggest horror of all.....supporting pro-choice.

Just where has she been hanging out? Well, that hell raising corner of Girls, Inc.   I, mean, my goodness to golly..what will happen next?  They are even selling bracelets that give these little girls the will to actually say  "I Can".

We know where that will lead, don't we.

Poor Barbie with all her tatoo's lost, but then again we all know that Barbie really is a bimbo...everyone on the right side knows that.

I guess the trio of evil should beware...The American Girl Doll, Girl's Inc., and Mattel. 

Hey, you guys, have you investigated The Boy's Club lately?  Huh, huh...inquiring minds want to know....oh, I forgot...the little boy's club becomes the big Boy's Club - no room for girls.

Hey, ladies anyone got a good size hammer for that glass ceiling?

 

 

 

Spooky Story

This was a story that I had done before, but felt it would be fun to retell for Halloween...

It was a cold, miserable night...the winds were howling, pushing the trees against the roof of the little cabin in the woods. Slivers of rain poured in torrents off the sides of the roof, every lightening bolt made the occupants of the cabin jump. The storm had knocked out all power in the area so they had to make do with candles for light. The fireplace added a glow to the room, but still there was a gloom that draped itself around the little cabin.

Four people huddled together, sitting in front of a roaring fireplace, seeking warmth. They were all young very alive and bored to death.

Seth, a nice looking young man of about 20, turned to Angie, a pretty girl of about 18, asking "Ange, don't you have something we could play? Take our minds off this storm? Damn boring just to sit."

Angie smiled, turned to the other girl, asking "Sabrina..where did we put that one board game? You know, the one where you ask the board questions and it answers you?"

Sabrina started to get up. She was a real beauty with dark flowing hair, pleasant smile "oh, let me look, just a minute I'll find it" turning on her flashlight as she exited into the next room.

The other young man in the room started to get up saying "wait a second, I remember seeing it when we loaded in the supplies right before Josh left with the van, it's in the kitchen".

.Sabrina turned to him and said "Oh, Tony you notice everything how do you keep it all in your head?"

Within minutes the two of them returned bantering with each as couples tend to do.

Sabrina held the game in her arms, "where do you want to play?" , she asked the group.

They pulled a small cocktail table over by the fireplace so they could see better and opened the game. They started to position the pointer shifting positions slightly so that all four would be able to lightly touch the pointer surface.

A sudden burst of lightening illuminated the whole room casting hideous shadows of imagined creatures against the walls, just at that moment the pointer zoomed to "Goodbye".

"Hey! Come on guys, don't fool around ", said Angie.

Tony, Seth and Sabrina looked at one another and said in unison "No, wedidn't do anything..we didn't move it really"

.Angie said, "Ok, let's start again but really concentrate this time please".

This time the board seemed to have a life of it's own, it was moving easily on the different letters, first an R, followed by A J I R A P O O R..

"Hold it, hold it", Seth shouted ...it's spelling out a name! Raji Rapoor..look! Sure enough it was."

"Oh", groaned Sabrina " I know that name". "A few years ago, there was a horrible murder committed in our town...they found this poor young man's body murdered and his head was missing!!"

Tony said, "yes, I remember that...they never did find his head did they?"

Sabrina shook her head no.

The others looked at each other and Angie said "Well guys the board is evidently trying to tell us something...unless one of you is doing this..why don't we continue and see what else it will say?"

They started to play again, this time addressing the board as Raji, asking who he was, what had happened on that terrible night years ago? The answers started slowly coming off the board one letter at a time...Seth had opted not to touch the pointer this time, but instead to write down all the letters that were flowing off the board.

It started with an..I W A S M U R D E R E D B Y A R I V A L M Y W I F E A R R A N G E D I T...M Y H E A D I S I N A B L A C K B A G A T U R D O O R..

Then the pointer just stopped. Nada, Nothing, no movement. The group breathed a deep sigh jointly.

Seth said, "Yum, guys...err..we have a problem..ummm."

" Come on spell it out, what's wrong?", Angie wanted to know.

Seth handed the paper that he had been writing on to Angie, she started to read it and her face went totally white.

Sabrina grabbed the paper, saying "okay, a jokes a joke but it's not funny anymore" She looked down at the paper and it said:

I was murdered by a rival, my wife arranged it, my head is in a black bag at ur front door.

Tony, either out of bravery or stupidity, reached the front door first
gingerly opening it - there sat a black bag.

"I'm not opening that bag" , Tony said.."in fact, I'm out of here."

The rest of the group grabbed their coats and ran for the door.

In their haste to exit the door, Sabrina tripped and fell directly on the dreaded black bag.

"Oh, my God!", she yelped as she fell....not wanting to touch what she knew was in the bag. The rest of the group turned back to help her...Seth reached her first, pulling her upright and away from the bag.

"Oh, no, no, no", she moaned..."I touched it!

"A sense of calm descended upon the group, they gathered around their friend to try to soothe her.

Angie said, "Listen, I don't know where we were running to, .Josh won't be back until tomorrow with the van".

"Yeah, we have to wait, it's too far to walk, especially in the dark" said Tony.

"Let's go back inside where it's warm and bright at least", said Angie. Sabrina let herself be led back into the cabin, she felt herself being lowered into one of the overstuffed chairs, she closed her eyes and let herself drift.

Sabrina drifted into an uneasy sleep. She dreamt she was on the edge of a vortex that kept spinning closer and closer bringing her to a gaping maw in the center of it. She found herself peering into the ragged opening as free floating heads came flying out of the darkness at her.

Tony motioned to the others to come into the kitchen. "I didn't want to get her anymore upset, but I noticed something funny about that bag".

Angie and Seth said almost in unison .."What??"

"This is really messed up but I swear that I saw the bag move a bit!"

Angie said, "Oh, no - nothing could be alive in there could it?" "Now I'm scaring myself silly".

Seth said, "well, you know what we have to do, don't you?"

The other two shook their heads...no, no,no, but Seth continued, "we have to and I mean HAVE to open that bag."

"Okay, if we do it..we do it together, but first I want to get something", said Tony. He reached around Angie, opened one of the kitchen drawers and pulled out a huge butcher knife. "Now, I feel better", he said.

The threesome slowly entered the living room heading even slower for the front door stepping nearer, nearer and nearer with each passing second.

Tony, again, was first at the door .he grabbed the door handle, turned it and yanked it wide open, all in one fell swoop, not giving themselves time to even think about it. Standing in front of them was a tall, gaunt figure of a man dressed in total black holding THE BAG. Angie almost fainted with fright, Tony stepped back a bit and Seth's heavy breathing belied his steady gaze at the man in black.

"Oh, MY!!" said the stranger "I didn't mean to frighten anyone, I'm so sorry, it's just that my automobile broke down and I'm trying to find help".

Tony gathering his wits about him asked "Who are you and what's in the bag?" Now Tony was not painting a pretty picture standing there with a butcher knife poised ready to strike, but the man in black started to tell his tale.

"I'm a traveling salesman, I've covered hundreds of miles today, normally I would be pulling into a motel just about now and resting" "But, my office had received a call telling me to come out on this route that there was a customer near here that really needed our merchandise. Do you know where 7235 Wells is?"

Angie, Tony, Seth and a now awakened Sabrina looked at each other before answering "Whew!! why that's our address, right here, said Angie".

"Who asked you to come here?", asked Seth.

The man in black replied "He said his name was Raji Rapoor". All four gasped together at once..

"What's in the bag????", asked Sabrina.

The man in black replied, "my samples of course"

."Samples of what???", asked Tony

"Small headstones..in minature to illustrate what the finished product will look like to my clients", said the man in black....

The four friends decided not to spend the night even if it meant they had to walk miles to get home, in fact they decided never to ever go back to the cabin in the woods....ever.

PS. Right before they left they threw the Ouija Board and Pointer into the fireplace...the dying embers caught the board quickly. If you listened hard enough you could hear a soft moaning...saying....my head, my head...ohhhhhh

Wilma

Well the storm has passed.  Replaced now with heavier gusts of cold wind blowing down from our Northern neighbors. At 3 a.m. this morning the wind was howling, the rain was beating against the roof, the windows, the door...sleep was impossible. A few miles away they had issued a tornado warning which does nothing to assauge the worry.

Hubby did decide not to try to get to work during this storm...so I did get a few little browny points for that one!  Yes, try crossing the very tall Skyway Bridge during 60 mile an hour gusts....he would to, it's called living on the edge in Florida! Anyway I lucked out..they closed the bridge...beat him to the punch. 

This is one storm that will not die.  I just watched the news and the weather man said that Wilma will be headed out to sea in the Atlantic...however...by Friday they expect it to be bearing down on England at 65 MPH.   So please all my English buddies be aware that some tropical heat is coming your way.

Leave it to my hubby...because the weather is dipping so low he now wants the heat on in the am and his long johns! Hell, we just had 89 degrees with 90 percent humidity who knows from winter clothes?  He just bought battery powered heat socks for hunting I think he better plug himself in. LOL

Everybody please stay safe....

Stolen Childhood

My friend in England ran this heartbreaking poem about a lost child.

My name is Jamie
I am but three,
My eyes are swollen
I cannot see,

I must be stupid
I must be bad,
What else could have made
My daddy so mad?

I wish I were better
I wish I weren't ugly,
Then maybe my mommy
Would still want to hug me.

I can't speak at all
I can't do a wrong
Or else I'm locked up
All the day long.

When I awake I'm all alone
The house is dark
My folks aren't home.
When my mommy does come
I'll try and be nice,
So maybe I'll get just
One whipping tonight.

Don't make a sound!
I just heard a car
My daddy is back
From Charlie's Bar.

I hear him curse
My name he calls
I press myself
Against the wall.

I try and hide
From his evil eyes
I'm so afraid now
I'm starting to cry.

He finds me weeping
He shouts ugly words,
He says its my fault
That he suffers at work.

He slaps me and hits me
And yells at me more,
I finally get free
And I run for the door.

He's already locked it
And I start to bawl,
He takes me and throws me
Against the hard wall.

I fall to the floor
With my bones nearly broken,
And my day continues
With more bad words spoken...

”I'm sorry!", I scream
But its now much too late
His face has been twisted
Into unimaginable hate.
The hurt and the pain
Again and again
Oh please God, have mercy!
Oh please let it end!

And he finally stops
And heads for the door,
While I lay there motionless
Sprawled on the floor.

My name is Jamie
And I am but three,
Tonight my daddy
Murdered me.

This poem brought tears to my eyes. No child should feel this ever.  As a people, as a nation we love our children...but so many are hurting behind closed doors that it should shock our very souls to the core.

Maybe it's because I've gotten older, more sure of myself.  I'm not afraid to say whatever it is that needs to be said.  Is that becoming a woman "of a certain age"?  Then again, my hubby tells me that I've never been one to hold back on my opinion too much anyway.

We had gone food shopping, while standing in line for the check counter the woman in front of me yanked her little boy right off the floor by his arm.  Granted this woman had a newborn in a carrier in the shopping cart, plus another little girl about four and the boy looked about two, she definitely had her hands full.

I really thought this woman was losing it. I couldn't help myself..the idea of standing still and watching her start to whack at this little one just upset me so.  So, I said "You really need to control yourself...stop for a minute..and think...you are ten times the size of him...yanking his arm could put him in the hospital with a dislocated arm, over what? A tizzy because he wants a cookie?"

I had oreo's in my cart, I opened the package knelt down and handed the little boy one...he stopped bawling, his Mother (thank goodness) calmed down and actually thanked me.  I tried to keep it light with her...I told her that the kids grow so fast, that what is annoying her right now she will wish for when they leave the nest.

Other people have told me that I should just mind my own business....nah! not my style.

Anyway, Jeannette from Jeannette's Jottings feels very strongly about getting the word out about child abuse, especially with the Christmas Season coming up.  So please feel free to reproduce this poem, pass it along - the more people who read it, the more aware we all become.

Uh Oh

Now really.   Are there any diehard Smurf haters in J-land?  Being little and blue is not easy.  But I do believe that the Dutch have gone too far.

Blowing up Smurfdom to kingdom come is NOT a good thing.  Mushroom houses on fire, little smurfs lying dead, or running for their lives on fire?  Baby smurf..bawling it's eyes out for it's dead Momma.

Lord what were they thinking? I hope their kids don't see this on their TV's..I know a couple of adults this would traumatize.

My hubby has a "secret" collection of these little blue friends...from when he was much, much younger.  I haven't had the heart to show him this ad ...don't want him to lose the Smurf's as a "happy" place!

On a serious note, our State once again has to be on the outlook for this darn Hurricane. They came on a little while ago and announced that it had in just a few hours increased it's winds to 150 MPH.  Whew...so once it clears Cuba...it looks like anywhere from Tampa on down is a target.

They say the arrival would be sometime Saturday evening.  My problem is that I'm supposed to be doing a show with my sister during the day to help her sell her corsages and my "pet" rocks.  If it heads this way I can't see us doing the show...people would be evacuating.

Joe & I would have to leave our house, cause we are in a very low area.  We are lucky that my Mom & Dad's house is in an area that never gets evacuated..it's one of the highest spots in St. Petersburg.  So off to Mom & Dad's we would go...that's if Joe will leave the house, last time he wouldn't. Men can be soooo stubborn.

Anyway we shall see what happens....

 

 

Ye Gads Another One

Well, it seems Florida is on another "hit" list..when will this end?  They are running out of names...pretty soon it will be Alpha/Beta etc.  We still have about one month left to the hurricane season, so who knows what's to come.

I'm still having fun with gifs...love my monkies. I tell you for the computer challenged when you finally learn to do it the correct way...it's like a freaking lightbulb went off...Now I have to remember how do I get the picture inside of the text?....It never ends.

 

Halloween Story

  There is a house, in a certain place, that still scares me to this day. Bear with me and I'll tell you why.  From a child's point of view, the house was huge, with great stone pillars that upheld a second level porch. There were a row of dark blackened windows that faced the road. No one could see in and no one appeared to look out of them ever. 

 The whole place was set quite a way back from the road, lined with gnarled stunted ugly trees. These trees almost formed a dense wood leading up to the front of the house. Yet, the house itself appeared huge, almost overbearing in size.

 Just walking by it, especially late at night, your steps became quicker.   The house itself was a eerie dark gray, with varying shades of lighter gray where the sunlight had bleached it. It was a foreboding house so of course the neighborhood kids had a lot of fun with it.  Especially at Halloween, they would pick some new kid and dare them to run down that dark tree lined path, up those rickety steps and use the door knocker.

All the while yelling at the top of your voice "Trick or Treat".   My family had just moved into a house on this block, so of course, I was the "new" kid.  Now, prior to Halloween, I had found occasion to walk past this old house...actually I kind of ran by..quickly. 

 It just gave off such a ghastly feeling to it, as if it could come alive and suck me into it's double front doors.   You never saw anyone come in or out of the house during the day. Yet, exactly at sundown every day without fail..you would see soft candlelight shinning through some of the darkly covered windows.

We all wanted to know "who" lived in that house.   Well, on Halloween I was given my chance. Lucky me. The "guys" thought the "new kid" should be the one to be brave enough to dare to climb those steps and use that door knocker.

   Gee, I wanted to be part of the "group" so bad. My fear of the house was so very palpable I almost couldn't breath. I was dressed, appropriately enough, as a ghost. My mother had sacrificed an old white sheet so that I could use it to complete my outfit, I thought I looked pretty cool.

  After meeting the group, hearing the Casper the Friendly ghost jokes, it was time for me to take on the "house". The guys had given me some stick pins to put into the doorbell as a prank which of course would be the trick.  

I started down that darkened path, filled with moving shadows that seemed to be reaching for me. With heavy heart I turned to see the group waving me onward...telling me just go. 

My legs were getting heavier with each step, as I neared the steps of the house I felt an evil presence.  I saw a quick movement by one of the downstairs windows, just a brief movement of the curtain.   Oh, God...I'm climbing the stairs, I'm almost to the door..the wooden porch is creaking under my weight making sure I did not approach silently. 

 I reach to ring the doorbell and as I do the door flies open!  A aged hand grabs my arm and yanks me into INTO the house! All I hear is a crackle of laughter telling me "aha..caught you now!" 

 I think I must of passed out from fright.   I came too and found myself tied to a chair set right by an upstairs window. 

 I could see outside, I saw my friends and then Oh, my God I saw myself..in my costume, running back to my friends...no, no, it's not me...I'm here. I'm here...That was over twenty years ago and I am still here....

Playing with Pictures

Have I mentioned that I hate spiders? Creepy crawling critters, make me jump all atweeter.  But I thought this one was cool the way it moves....Lahoma you created a monster....just in time for Halloween!

I have tried for over one year to make my addled brain understand the ins and outs of making pictures actually move in my journal. 

I have a young niece who zaps around on the computer like a pro...wonder how the grandbabies will be on their computers as they have been playing on one forever.

My Mom won't touch a computer, my Dad kinda looks interested but is going to follow Mom's lead and feign disinterest. 

 Even though I come to this point in my life late...I am so glad that I learned to do this. I think journaling is one of the finer things in life. And I have met such interesting people out there in Jland...wonderful, humorous, delightful people who have enriched my life by letting me peek into their life a little.

testing

  Hey it works......

Earthquake

This past week has been filled with one sad moment after another.  There was one reporter who was standing by a collapsed school talking about the 150 little ones buried beneath the walls now...as he was giving his report, another person was handing down one backpack after another from the collapsed building. I sat in disbelief looking at lost hopes & dreams in colorful packs that had somehow survived and their owners had not.

I do think the whole world is going mad.  We have raging fires in California, killer hurricanes in the Gulf, Flooding in South America with torrential rain, floods in the eastern part of the States, early blizzards out West, not to forget that awful Tsunami...now this terrible earthquake.

What frightens me also is the fact everytime there is a major earthquake on the other side of the planet...within months we have one on this side...I guess kind of a pressure valve going off.

I've paid attention to quakes ever since I lived through some rough earthquakes in Japan - I mean I literally got tossed out of bed onto my butt...that's how strong the shake was.  It cracked our home's foundation (it was repaired) things fell down inside the house. Living through it can put the fear of God into you rather quickly. I can't imagine the fear that these people have after this quake, and then all the after shocks.

I know help will come to them, I know life will go on...it always does.  Just the pain of the injured, the haunted faces of those grieving for their dead...the small children with the large vacant eyes - it is almost too much to bear.  I pray that it settles down in that area for a while...let them heal. 

Oprah

  I had time today to watch the  Oprah Winfrey Show.  She is taking on the scum of the earth...child molesters.  From what I've seen of her these last few years she is a lady that puts her money where her mouth is.

    I cheered her when she started her Angel Network, mostly for the relief in the awful war torn area's of Africa, helping the most helpless - the children.  

 Then I saw her reaction to the terrible devastation left by Katrina in her wake.  Oprah put her whole network to work to try to help the survivors of the disaster. I admired her tenacity. 

   But what she is doing now is beyond anything I have ever seen a TV host do.  She is working with the FBI and posting the ten most wanted child molesters each week on her show.  It has only been a few days and they have captured two TWO of these monsters already with a third being in the process of.

  I live in a state that these perverts evidently like...Florida.  The case of the little girl in Sarasota rang too close to home for my liking.  Carlie Brucia was an 11 year little girl who should never have come to the end the way she did, I cried many a tear over her.

  She was abducted only 3 blocks from where my little niece lives, she's nine.  She loves to ride her bike, she likes the freedom to run to a friend's house to play....what should her parents do?  Keep her in the house, stop her from playing? Take her childhood away in fear of her being targeted by a pervert?

  I am in complete agreement with Oprah....the scum need to be run down to earth not our kids.  She is giving an award of $100,000.00 to anyone who can help the police/FBI capture these fugitive men.  Today, two women shared in the reward for one of the captured child molesters. 

 But the biggest joy was the fact that the victims parents were present to thank them for giving them the relief of knowing that their tormentor was once again in police custody.  Imagine someone doing this to your family and they are still out there...I cannot imagine.  

  Today, Oprah said she, herself, had come full circle. She was molested as a child, it affected her life to a great extent...she has overcome a lot in her life to be where she is now.  This is something that is close to her heart and I do believe that this may give us a leg up on trying to stop the madness of child molestation..  

 You know, quite frankly, I don't want to hear..."Oh, they have a sickness, they are ill...you know it's mental state, their Mother's/Father's mistreated them".....guess what?  I don't care, to me - it's an excuse that holds no water. To me, if you have an over powering need to hurt a child...go die somewhere...that's how I feel.  It may not be politically correct, but it would damn sure be expedient!

  We need to have a master computer for all these sicko's so that they cannot easily jump from state to state as they have in the past.  I hope that some sort of legislation can be done in this regard...I think that would also stop the arrogance that these men have been showing for years.

  So shout it out sister....NO MORE!!

Life Path

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<font face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif" style='color:black; font-size: 14pt;'>
<b>Your Life Path Number Is 3</b></font></td></tr>
<tr><td bgcolor=#FFFFFF>
<center>
  <font color="#0000CC" size="+6">
  3  </font>

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<font color="#000000">

Your Life Path is one that emphasizes expression, sociability, and creativity as the lesson to be learned in this life.

You are among the entertainers of the world, bright, effervescent, sparkling people with very optimistic attitudes.

 

You possess the most exceptional creative skills: normally in the verbal realm, writing, speaking, acting, or similar endeavors.

The lesson to be learned with a 3 life path is that of achievement through expression.

The bright side of this path stresses harmony, beauty and pleasures; of sharing your creative talents with the world. Capturing your capability in creative self-expression is the highest level of attainment for this life path.

 

You are warm and friendly, a good conversationalist, social and open.

A good conversationalist both from the standpoint of being a delight to listen to, but even more importantly, one who has the ability to listen to others.

You are always a welcome addition to any social situation and know how to make others feel at home.

 

Your reative imagination is present, if sometimes latent, as the you may not be moved to develop you talent.

Your approach to life tends to be exceedingly positive, and your disposition is almost surely sunny and open-hearted.

You effectively cope with all of the many setbacks that occur in life and readily bounce back for more.

It is usually easy for you to deal with problems because you can freely admit the existence of problems without letting them get you down.

 

You have good manners and seem to be very conscious of other people's feelings and emotions.

Life is generally lived to the fullest, often without much worry about tomorrow.

You are not very good at handling money because of a general lack of concern about it.

You spend it when you have it and don't when you don't.

 

On the negative side, a 3 may be so delighted with the joy of living that the life becomes frivolous and superficial.

You may scatter your abilities and express little sense of purpose.

You can be an enigma, for no apparent reason you may become moody and tend to retreat.

Escapist tendencies are not uncommon with the 3 life path, and you find it very hard to settle into one place or one position.

Guard against being critical of others, impatient, intolerant, or overly optimistic.

 

Typically, the life path 3 gives an above-average ability in some art form.

This can encompass painting, interior decorating, landscaping, crafts, writing, music, or the stage, or all of the above.

You are apt to be a happy, inspired person, constantly seeking the stimuli of similar people.

Your exuberant nature can take you far, especially if you are ever able to focus your energies and talents.</font></td></tr></table>

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<a href="http://www.blogthings.com/lifepathnumber/">What Is Your Life Path Number?</a>
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Tagged - 23rd Entry

Well I got tagged by Mara...this game is being played all over by Journalers...I know a couple of people over in England got tagged already so this thing has gone global.

What you do is go into your archives and find your 23rd Entry..scroll to your 5th line entry...and put it here:

Mine said....Seabiscuit & War Admiral.

It was an entry about my Dad being the first person to "break" both Seabiscuit and War Admiral in the early 1930's. 

The strange thing is....the only reader or only comment that I got on this particular entry was from Mara. Isn't that funny?

Now I have to "tag" five people to do this too..guess what you're it!!

Mzgoochi
Jayda30
Astaryth
Cherry2Sweet2Eat
Dcmeyer420

 

Then go tag another five each...we shall tag the world....LOL     Sandi

Bullies

Normally I try to keep myself upbeat, not to dwell on things I cannot really change. I never could stand a bully..so of course, when faced with a grown-up bully I fight back.   For the past year I have seen another journaler manipulate, lie, twist facts..anything..to get her ignorant points across. Unfortunately, she has been spewing her hatred of certain people for months on end. After several months of her constantly pounding home twisted facts several people started to believe the lies. So now this twisted soul had a following...some are people that I had respected at one time.    Today was a day that I was totally dismayed by the fact that my friend had to literally "bare" her soul to prove she was not a fraud or a liar. It took courage for her to do it, and it reaffirmed to me just what a strong soul she has.   Cancer is no laughing matter, it is not to be toyed with, made fun of in any way..to do so reveals such an evil in a person as to be considered pure filth.   So to those of you who have no patience for all the nonsense on the boards, I apologize for my part in this...but there was no way to ignore the hurtful slings & arrows aimed at my friend.   

Saturday Six

week's "Saturday Six" questions.  Either answer the questions in a comment here, or put the answers in an entry on your journal...but either way, leave a link to your journal so that everyone else can visit!  If you don't have an AOL journal, you can still play, but of course you'll at least need an AOL screen name, which you can get for free with AOL Instant Messenger, to be able to leave a comment here.  To be counted as "first to play," you must be the first player to either answer the questions in a comment or to provide a complete link to the specific entry in your journal in which you answer the questions.  A link to your journal in general cannot count.  (Again, if you're playing for the first time, please be sure to say so in the comment!)  Enjoy!


1. When is the last time you took a vacation and went basically nowhere?  Was it as relaxing as previous vacations where you have actually planned a trip?

1. Leaving my last job was a vacation in itself. But almost all my vacations have been spent up with my children, loving my grandbabies for the last eight years. Four kids under age 7? Relaxing? I think not! I love kids...bring em on. The monkey and I are ready.  My last planned trip was to my sister's in Washington State...just beautiful country.  I enjoyed myself  totally, it was a chance to reconnect with her, see her life from her view and she allowed me to unwind from my own life turmoils. So I have to say that my planned trip was much more relaxing.

2. Take this quiz:  Which historical lunatic are you?

2. Ye Gads..I'm the idiot Charles the IV of France.

a blithering, blubbering, babbling king..oh my.

3. READER'S CHOICE QUESTION #64 from Jaymi:   What is your favorite book from childhood and why?

3. I always loved The Jungle Book. The fact that someone could speak to the animals amazed me at a young age.  I always wanted to do that...hubby swears some animals do talk to me..at unusual times. Our resident Peacock will poke it's head around the corner at me, as if to say "Hello there..what are you up to today?"..and don't get me started on our Opposum..it thinks it's human, comes to the back door and wants in. Last time it brought it's kids...like "Here I am I'm moving in!"

4. READER'S CHOICE QUESTION #65 from Hannah:  What book character do you most identify with and why?

4. This one is difficult. I read too much. I used to love the Angelique series of books. It was written by a husband/wife team and they wrote so well. They had both perspectives male/female views interwined within their stories...I just fell in love with the characterization of Angelique. I still have all my copies...now I have to go and reread again....just because I can!

5. READER'S CHOICE QUESTION #66 from Holly:  What do you think is an appropriate gift to a party?  What do you consider a quality Christmas gift from an acquaintance to a party or get together, a friend, and a GREAT friend?

5. I would think a combination of decorative cheeses and wine would be appropriate for a holiday gift. It would serve as a nice gift for a party. A gift for a friend requires more thought..whatever your friend is into..a special book, a special puzzle etc.  Your knowledge of your friend should be put to good use in choosing the proper gift.  A very good friend is in itself a gift.

6. READER'S CHOICE QUESTION #67 from Judi:  If you had to make a choice for the rest of your life between food and sex, which would you choose, provided the following conditions: If you chose sex, you would never feel hungry, but just wouldn't be able to enjoy a nice meal or the tastes of good food or drink; if you chose food, you would no longer have the physical intimacy and pleasure, but you still wouldn't feel deprived of it.  In other words, whichever one you choose to give up will be a series of pleasures you'll never be able to experience firsthand again.

6. Oh, I can tell this one's answers are going to be interesting.  Hmmm...well, you can live without sex but you can't live without food. Now I know most men would rather die than give up sex....women, on the other hand are different story.  Not that I intend to give anything up...but faced with this type of situation...I would have to choose food.  I love to cook..always have..always will. 

Come play too at...http://journals.aol.com/pattboy92/PatricksPlace/entries/1290 

Tagged!!

 

Oh I have to admit it. I've been bad. I've been avoiding playing this game...and I really don't know why.

Anyway I got tagged by Lahoma, Courtney, Imperfectlyavg & if I forgot anyone else I apologize...here goes:

7 Things I Plan to Do Before I Die:

1) Finish writing the novel I started
2) Open My Own Flower Shop
3) Learn to Drive
4) Learn to take good Photos
5) Attend my Grand-daughters Weddings
6) Hold my Great-Grand babies
7) Love More

7 Things I Can Do:

1) Draw and Paint
2) Write Poetry
3) Write Stories
4) Gardening & Growing Plants
5) Pottery Casting
6) Gourmet Cooking
7) OOAK creations

7 Things I Can't Do:

1) Drive a Car (never learned how)
2) Climb high mountains...breathing problems
3) ignore someone I love
4) Shut up when I'm under verbal attack
5) Give up
6) Lie
7) Hate

7 Things That Attract Me To The Opposite Sex:

1) A sense of humor, wit and intelligence
2) Of course, a rock hardbody doesn't hurt
3) Rippling abs, thighs...whole nine yards
4) A masculine image with a hither come yonder look.
5) Eyes that peer into your very soul and set it on fire.
6) A man that only had eyes for you and let's you know it.
7) Someone you can count on..white knight in shinning armour..saves the day. Good Lord I've created a Ken doll! Bad Sandi!

7 Things I Say Most Often:

1) Hmmmmm
2) Oh, well....
3) Holy Crap!
4) Ugh..I've heard this before...
5) Say What?
6) Damn...sometimes double Damn
7) Jeeze....

7 Celebrity Crushes:

1) Patrick Swayeze
2) John Denver
3) Fabian
4) Sal Mineo
5) Elvis
6) Nicholas Cage
7) John Travolta

7 People I Want To Do This....well, I will try the following but I don't know if they have been picked as yet:

1) madmanadhd
2) anarchitek
3) chaispice1023
4) glopsblink
5) hestiahomeschool

Gave up on the others....Sandi

 

 

 

 

 

Four Years Later

Four years have passed. Time does not ease the pain.  I'm drawn back to that day like a moth is drawn to a candle flame. It plays over and over across my mind - like a never ending movie show.

I can tell you where I was, the horror and fear that I felt....nothing is faded.  Perhaps it is just as well, to have it fade would somehow not be fitting for this particular day of days.

I say a silent prayer for those that are gone, and for those whose lives were ripped apart on that bright oh so bright day in September, 2001.

Lord bless us all.....Sandi

Bits & Pieces

As I watched the T.V. seeing all the devastation spread across such a wide area...the people faces...the desperation...I could not help but write the following:

Bits and pieces hang waving  high in trees.
Life treasures so carelessly tossed.

 Faces staring blankly in two's and three's.

Stumble along intently seeking relief,

looking for the lost.

  Gentle people old, young - hearts melted.

 Lord help the children such grief did I see.

 Wring their hands at such a sight.

 Mighty men try with all their might to rescue the most.   Scenes of devastation as the city is lost.

 Nothing could stop it, nature gone wild at such a cost. Oh, my heart weeps at what I must view.

 The City with soul shall rise again, as a Phoenix from the ashes nothing less will do.

  Oh, ye Gods of fate one would go and one would stay. How high will the count go?

 Believe me I don't want to know.

Dear Lord there has to be a better way.

Hear our prayers for better days. 

A Nation of Grief

It's hard for me to put into words the feelings, the emotions that I have felt this past week as I watched the drama play out in the storm tossed area's of our country.

 I feel the vast majority of moral minded Americans felt sickened, betrayed and humbled by what they were viewing.  There is no worse feeling in this world than to want to be able to physically help someone and not be able to.

Sitting here, shouting at the T.V. "Get them off the roofs!" "Get more boats!" For the love of God...do something. 

Ok, I know that all cities are supposed to have an emergency plan for evacuating in case of a dire event.  Well, I personally think a lot of different things came in to play.

1) It was the 29th of the month, a lot of the residents are on either Social Security or benefits that come in on the first of the month...they had no money to leave.

2) A certain percentage could possibly of left, but wanted to stay to protect their "stuff"... I've seen it happen here in Florida too..people consider their "stuff" more important than their lives.

3) Absolutely no concern from the city or state government as to how the poor would leave other than head to the Super Dome.

4) Super Dome was understaffed, and not set up for 30,000 people they truly believed it would be about maximum 10,000.

5) There should of been buses commandeered from Grey Lines to travel tour buses to get the people out of the inner city.

6) It all comes down to preparation. They were not prepared for this at all.

7) The Federal government's response was slower than thick molasses poured on a winter's day...it was shameful.  The greatest nation in the world could not respond within hours? It took five to seven days? Someone's head should roll.

8) If they couldn't be reached by the roads, Paratroopers could of been dropped into the parking lot at the Dome to )believe me) instantly restore civilization within. That could of been done within hours of the storm's end. Then the food/water etc...heavy drops kept coming.  Chaos would not of reigned, some people would not of died...it just took planning.

9) Heaven Above...New Orleans sits on water, in water...send boats...little boats, big boats.  The Cruise liners to house people that was a no brainer but it took six days to do it. Hell, my folks made it to Alaska on a cruise in less than six days.  Hello?

10) Well, I have a thought, maybe some people won't like it too much but here goes....

The Federal government owns all kinds of houses that are being foreclosed, are in foreclosure....why not take those and offer the houses to people who lost their houses? These houses of course are all over the United States..it would mean that people would move permanently into a new area. It would spread the displaced people out and not concentrate them into one state...like Texas so they would not become a burden.

I know this would only take care of a percentage of the people, but it would be like the old time "Land rushes" that they used to have...remember the land giveaways of the old west?

I think it could work. I also think it would give these people something to look forward to in the future.

I've read a couple of blogs from abroad and people are shaking their heads over our response and I can't blame them one bit. I wanted an instant Hollywood ending to the story, John Wayne comes riding in and saves the day.  Harrison Fords conquers all. Mel Gibson finds a way to stop it.  Even Johnny does good, don't even get me started on Patrick Swayze....I need a Hero...

Hurricane

  My heart goes out to all.  I know so many people are weeping over viewing the terrible scenes of the people up there that have been affected by this awful tragedy.   I sat, watching on Tuesday, hearing the pathos in the reporter's voice as he reported that people were beyond themselves for news.  News of when the relief was coming, news about where they were going, anything that would connect them to the outside world.  Their radios, the batteries died...cell phones weren't working, they felt lost, alone and cut off.  That feeling alone was causing chaos in the Dome and the streets.   As we have had to so often in the past, pack up due to an impending hurricane, my husband had purchased two hand cranked, solar powered radios.  They have come in handy, last year we were without power for five days.  At least, we were connected because of the radios.   The company that sells them is C. Crane &  Company, a California based company.  I took a chance and immediately emailed C. Crane corporate offices and asked if there was any way that they could donate their radios to the hurricane effort.   I had not expected a reply.  This morning when I checked my emails this is what I found:     Dear Sandra,

We appreciate you taking the time to write our company. We have donated some Free Play Life Line Radios to the Red Cross to help the victims of the hurricane.

Please let me know if I can be of further assistance.

Patty Guidry, Customer Support Specialist
C. Crane Company Inc.        Boy did that make me feel good.  C. Crane Company has my business from now on and I will rave about this company for a long time.  This is a company that shows what they are made of..and not just the almighty bottom line.  If you ever needto purchase a solar powered anything...please check them out. Good companies need to be held onto like precious jewels.    

         

Good Lord Panning for Gold In them thar hills...

Well the folks made it home safely. Of course, they are tired but it is a good exhaustion. One that you feel after running a good race, or climbing a high mountain..accomplishing something.

My sister Charlene and her husband Bob did a marvelous thing by taking them on this terrific trip. I doubt they would of gone themselves at the ages they are..yes, years ago..they would of hopped on a plane, ship or whatever and took off. However when you are approaching your 90's running swiftly into the unknown is never really a good thing.

My folks had me on the phone for over an hour as they regaled me with all the tales of the frozen north. It was a remarkable adventure for them and they loved every minute of it. The raved about the accomodations on the cruise ship, they felt that they were treated like royalty.  My father told me that Alaska is one of the most beautiful places on earth and he has seen quite a bit in his lifetime. My Mom raved about the plantlife hills abundant with heavy greenery, wild flowers everywhere.  She even brought back seeds. Alaskan flowers adapting to Florida? If anyone can do it..she will.

Hopefully, I will get to see them this week and I know they took a lot of pictures.  I believe Pat, who they were visiting also took digitial pictures so I'm hoping I can get some down loaded and I'll show them at a later date.

Oh, and guess what? They went panning for gold! They had a lot of fun with that...of course, they came home with a little bit of glitter in a vial...but it is gold.

Oh, did I mention that today is my Dad's birthday? He was born on August 29th, 1915 right about the start of World War I....Happy Birthday Daddy!

Who Would You Be?

The Paladin
You scored 42% Cardinal, 25% Monk, 52% Lady, and 56% Knight! You are highly moral but also don't shy away from using force if your lord commands it. You are honourable to the point that you would readily sacrifice yourself for a noble cause. Your name will be the subject of tales and song for generations, however their concentration will be less on your deeds in life as on your martyrdom.

You scored high as both the Knight and the Lady. You can try again to get a more precise description of the Knight or the Lady, or you can be happy that you're an individual.

My test tracked 4 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender:

You scored higher than 50% on Cardinal You scored higher than 50% on Monk You scored higher than 99% on Lady You scored higher than 50% on Knight

This was fun....I "borrowed" this from Patrick's....have fun playing....I'd rather be an individual anyway....

The Who Would You Be in 1400 AD Test

Patrick's Saturday Six

1. Besides your parents or siblings, what family member do you most resemble?    

I believe I look alot like my southern grandma Lee, she was very blonde, turning platinum as she aged.  She had beautiful legs that stayed beautiful throughout her life...hardly any broken veins. She had a well rounded body that was wonderful to snuggle up to for comfort.  Her facial skin remained soft with very few wrinkles, as mine has.  Happy to have her genes.

 

 

2. Check out this interesting website:  Is your hometown newspaper featured?  What is the top headline of that paper or the one closest to you?

Yes, The Saint Petersburg Times...although I miss "The Daily News" from New York.....the News's headline is about a former policeman turned soldier who died in Iraq.....it is becoming too frequent a headline....death of a young person filled with so much promise, lost to us.

 

3. If you knew it was completely tame and there was no danger, what zoo animal would you most like to pet or come into physical contact with?       You are talking to the wrong one here.  I've held and handled Alligators (mouth taped of course), huge turtles, all sorts of large birds....petted a Panther....but it would have to be a monkey...I love monkies...so cute.  Actually, I love all animals....

 

 

4. Take this quiz:  How weird are you?

The test said I was 40% weird...just enough to know that I'm weird but not enough to know how not to be.  Doesn't everybody sleep naked? Ben Franklin believed in it for health reasons...LOL

 

5. Which of the following causes more stress in your life:  your spouse, your kids, your boss, your co-workers, your friends, your parents or other relatives?
Well, my last boss was a complete piece of work.  She could aggrevate the dickens out of a saint.  You know the type, one that "wants" you to take on a project, call it your own..but rides  rough shod over you so that you can't take a step or a breath without her right there!   Once I left that job...my stress level has gone down significantly.   Recently, my youngest son crashing his car...that put me into stress mode big time.  But, on the whole I try for sanity sake to limit over reacting to situations....I figure I'll live longer that way.
6. You find an old lamp containing a genie:  the genie decides to give you a single improvement for yourself, mind or body.  It must be something to improve within you and no one else.  What would you ask the genie to fix   Oh my! This one is easy....I would ask to be 17 again and know what I know now.   It is often said that youth is wasted on the young......I just know that I would have so much fun, I would take more chances, run farther and love longer....oh imagine....