Behind the scenes with Red Skelton and Bob Harris...

As I have mentioned in some prior post on my blog, I was raised on Depot St. and many my age, maybe a year or two older or younger, also lived on Depot. So we are now known as the "Depot Street Gang". We all in one way or another keep in touch. We all went our separate ways and on to our separate lives after high school and college, but we are still entwined with love and friendship. Imagine we always will... would hate to think it would change. We have lost a few through the years but pretty much the gang is still intact.

One of the gang was Bob Harris. Any Duke fan knows Bob, as he is the "Voice of the Blue Devils" and has made us proud for 30+ years. Bob worked for a few years at our local radio station ,WZKY, and I always loved playing bingo that the station did and Bob always called out the letters and numbers. That was a long time ago, as my youngest son was just a baby at that time.

Keeping in touch is part of that happiness I mentioned yesterday. The only thing I know of better than a true friend is my dog. They are there when one of us is down on the bottom and there with us when when we are on the top. Sorta puts friends and dogs in perspective.
I wanted to share this email I got from Bob after I had sent him this about Red Skelton.

Red Skelton's explanation of ThePledge of Allegiance

I always liked Red. He was a favorite of mine, but knowing very little about him other than what I saw of him on tv.
It would be well worth your time to listen to the above. Now to the up close and personal contact of Red and Bob.


Hey Claudia,

I hope you are doing well on this last day of July. After a couple of days off, I'm "back in the saddle." Red actually did a record of this in the early 70's. I have a copy of it and remember playing it on WZKY for several years while I was there. I met Red in September of 1982 in Knoxville at the World's Fair. Duke was playing Tennessee in football and we stayed at the same hotel he did. I did an interview with him for the game. He came to Raleigh about five years later and had us come back stage after the show. We got a Christmas card from him for about 8 years. He was a truly amazing and talented man.

I asked him how he handled all the travelling he had to do and his routine was unbelievable. The first thing he did every morning was write his wife a love letter. After breakfast he wrote the outline to a short story. On Saturdays, he would select the best of the 5 outlines and write the story. After lunch he would compose a piece of music on his keyboard that he carried everywhere. He drew two clown pictures and signed them for me that weekend in Knoxville. Truly impressive. I tell the story, not to impress anyone with the fact that I met him, but to let people know something you would not read in the newspaper because it was beautiful, and not some kind of dirt.

After we recorded the radio interview, I told him how much Phyllis loved him and he had me call her at home since she didn't travel with me. She wasn't home, and that afternoon in the lobby of the hotel he called me over to a little shop and told me to pick out a parasol that she would like, since he didn't get to talk to her. I refused twice, but picked one after he insisted. He had her name painted on it and she still has it. See what I mean. A true gentleman.

Love you, my Depot St. friend.

bh

(Email used with the permission of Bob Harris---God Bless you Bob!)

Until tomorrow, God Bless!

Laugh, Love and Live...

I love to laugh, I love most anything funny. I am just happy!! Other than existing, I have no more reason than anyone else to be happy. I have always heard that people without good sense were happy. If that is the case, why this late in life would happiness just jump on me.

Happiness is not given to you, nor is it earned.To me It is a way of life. You cannot buy it, nor would you want to. I sorta think that happiness is in reality a blessing. Blessings come in many ways and none of mine came in a monetary form, but from love and giving and taking and caring, family, friends and foes. All make me happy.
You get out of anything - just what you are willing to put into it.

I can hardly get out of the bed in the mornings, takes me a good hour and a half to unstiff my body and get my wits together and yet I am happy about that! Just doesn't seem fair or right to me. I hope this continues because I can literally get happy over getting mad for a few minutes. That is just not logical, but that is the way I deal with life. Not saying it is good or bad, or is it for everyone, because it is just me and unique only to me I suppose.

Granted, without the aid of my prescribed medications, my life would be alot more painful, put me a little closer to the edge, so I am grateful for doctors knowing what one needs for their particular ailment. I think too now, I have more time to be happy and have more time to reflect on life since I don't have to be at work at a set time and worry with someone else's problems all day for a meager wage. I have a full day of nothing but 'time". How I use it even staggers me. I mostly do what I want to do as opposed to doing possibly what I should do or ought to do. Maybe happiness lies in between there somewhere. A day is 24 hours regardless of whether you work a job or stay home.
Happiness comes in different ways. Our bi- weekly visits with our youngest son makes me happy, a kiss from Roxy makes me happy. She is without a doubt the biggest kisser I know of. I remember when I was looking on the internet at dogs after we lost Scooter, the love of our life, when I ran across Roxy and her picture, it told a little about her and one thing that really impressed me was the comment about her loving to give sugar. WAS that ever an understatement! No wonder I call her sugarbugger. Oh yeah, she makes me and my husband happy.

Life has surely had it bumps, but I have managed to endure and I do not dwell on the bumps, but I try to look at the mountains I have climbed and only by the grace of God I can be happy ! For these ailments may have humbled my mind and my body in order for me to find happiness. Until......hopefully tomorrow...
God Bless!

A blank mind...maybe...

I have days like this one, where my mind is not going a million places at once. I just draw a blank when I try to think. Today is one of those days. It could be because I have actually done some things worthwhile today and it erased my mind of nonsense. In other words I must be thinking clearly if I am getting a blank. At least in my world...
With the help of my husband I managed to change the comforter, sheets and pillow cases on the bed and even went as far as dusting the dresser and the chest of drawers, where I removed "Hi" written on it. I have yet to convince my husband that if he would not write "dust me" or "help" on the pieces of furniture that he does, that company folks just might not notice the dust as quickly. I thought I had him broke, til I saw his artwork again today. I also got my meatloaf prepared and now all I hafta do tomorrow is pop it in the oven. I also cooked a pot of pinto beans. Jeff will be home tomorrow and he loves meatloaf. So tomorrow's dinner will be a meal to his liking.
... P A U S E...
Scuse me but the doorbell just rung. Telephones and doorbells are two things I dislike. Company just left and I came and started work on here and bless Pat the doorbell rings, but it was just my friendly Fed Ex man with my LLBean order.
Most all of my jobs when I worked consisted of answering a phone along with other duties. The last 8 years I worked, I learned to dislike having to answer a telephone. I want to use the word hate, but that is much too harsh, even for a telephone. As with everyone things come in bunches, if one calls comes in, be shore another will be a coming. Same with company. I can say I do enjoy company but not back to backers, but I cannot say I like telephones. Sorta like the cell phone I have that no one but my brother thought I just have to have. He took me and his wife and got us one the same day. He programmed it and showed me how to use it. It is sorta like my cane that was just about impossible to keep up with or remember to use. I do turn it on occasionally and call an out of state friend, but most of the time it is on the bar- I guess gathering dust along with everything else....
I am sharing the following with you because I can relate so well to it and the way I think it probably will relate to some of you folks.


Subject: Are You Ready For The Nut House?

It doesn't hurt to take a hard look at yourself from time to time, and this should help get you started ...

During a visit to the mental asylum, a visitor asked the
Director what the criteria was which defined whether or not a patient should be institutionalized.

"Well," said the Director, "we fill up a bathtub, then
we offer a teaspoon, a teacup and a bucket to the patient and ask him or her to empty the bathtub."

"Oh, I understand," said the visitor. "A normal person
would use the bucket because it's bigger than the spoon or the teacup.

"No," said the Director, "A normal person would pull the plug. Do you want a bed near the window?


(soley done for the purpose of humor ) Thanks Todd & Malinda

God Bless!

A good morning after a bad night...

I got a little less than 5 hours of sleep last night and I had such big plans for today. With my mind in one direction and my body in another, I never seem to get all those things done that my mind thinks I can do.
Being in need of some new bedroom shoes, I saw that Belk had them on sale for half price and since I do like wearing this particular brand, I planned in my mind last night to run over there today and pick me up a pair. The last pair I got I had driven out of town just to get them because our Albemarle Belk did not have the style that I wanted in them.
I got the bedroom shoes this morning. With much effort I made myself go. It had been so long since I had been to Belk. They had changed stuff around and I had to hunt for just where the bedroom shoes were. They were also having a doorbuster sale, so I meandered around all the sale racks. I used to do that every Friday night when I worked. Go shopping for my weekly R&R.
After so many falls in the past few years, I have concluded that clogs or flip floppy type shoes are not for me. I wish I had known that before I got so many pairs of them. I later realized that each of my falls I was wearing the clog type shoes.
So after the really bad ankle sprain as a result of my last good fall, I decided I needed a shoe that was enclosed. I liked the ease of just slipping into a clog or shoe without a back on them so I bought me some dress shoes in that style as well. I was wearing a pair of the dress shoes to a doctor's appointment in Concord during the time of my falls. I was waiting on the elevator when one came available right next to the one I was waiting on, so I hurried right out of my shoes to the next elevator. After returning to retrieve my shoes, I decided then and there, they are just not reliable on ME or I was not reliable in THEM.
I have given several pair to my wonderful friend and neighbor, Pearlie, because she and I wear the same size shoe and she does not have any damaged leg or foot like I do. I had much rather someone get some wear out of them than to sit in the closet.
I will admit my weakness is shoes when it comes to shopping, whereas, some like pocketbooks or maybe both. I can carry the same bag for as long as it will last.
As a matter of fact, I am waiting on a pair of shoes I ordered from LL Bean a week ago today. Normally they would have been shipped and delivered by now, so about Wednesday I gavem a call and they told me they were swamped with orders for backpacks for back to school, so like I told the nice lady, it ain't like I gotta have them right now, just was afraid my order had gotten lost in the shuffle. I told her I can wear my sandals I got from them til my other shoes get here. Hard to beat their prices, no tax and free shipping and sent to your door. That is my kinda shopping.
The good hubby says he will take me to the grocery store today since I ain't up to par today, so he has just gotten home from his R&R and I just know he will be wanting some supper later so I guess I will head out for the grocery store. As you know, that is one of many things I highly dislike having to do. So until..... have a great day and stay cool!
God Bless!

Being a woman takes too much maintenance

I am not like most women. Not just the fact, that I am taller than most women my age. I am proud to say I am 6 feet tall and glad LL Bean has medium tall pants just for me... Since I live a simple life, I treat myself simple. Some things I have to do just because I am a woman, like take premarin for them hot flashes, cook meals and what chores around the house I am physically able to do. Other things are just too time consuming, so I do not put on makeup everyday and hanging out around the house, most likely I have on my favorite pair of ole Lizs' capris, a teeshirt and sandals. I do like my Birkenstocks and my newest addition to my sandal family, my LL Bean sandals .Those gawd awful Rainbows that I hate are at my hairdressers on the For Sale rack!
I do get a wild hair once in a while and have my hair colored or hairlighted. I have some well earned gray hair, mostly around my face. That being the last place a woman wants to have gray hair. There is a remedy for all these woman problems if one chooses to do them. I can roll with the punches with most of women's freebies of life, but those hot flashes is just more than I had bargained for.

I am a simple dresser. I am a casual dresser; just as often as the occasions permit and fortunately more and more events are becoming casual. For many years you always dressed in your Sunday best when you had to go for a visitation at the funeral home or even a funeral you had to attend. That too, has become a bit more casual.

For casual I like to wear teeshirts and polo shirts with either capri's or shorts in the summer and sweaters and slacks in the winter. I especially like kaki as anything will go with a pair of kakis. When I do have to dress up, suits are my preference because they are comfortable and practical to wear. I do not like dresses although I do have them. I am just a suit person.

I was at the beach once with my my beach bum friend and I noticed her legs needed shaving, so being the nice, outspoken woman that I am, I told her she needed to shave them. She quickly told me she couldn't, that was the only way she could keep her stockings up on Sunday.
Enough said...... We all have our oddities and the good Lord sure blessed me well with them.

I ain't never had real thick eyebrows, but just enough to know they were there. Today my beautician suggested I get them waxed! I have heard of this new fangled way of plucking yo eyebrows, but I had never given a thought of putting myself through such an ordeal. But.....I am down in Alicia's book to be waxed next Thursday!! Now that should make for a heck of a good blog, if I don't chicken out fore then. As you all know by now, I like to live on the edge. At least I have matured enough that I don't take nor I am I offered many dares anymore, but when I was very young, you just didn't use the word dare around me or it was as good as done. Some of the dares would too make for a good blog maybe one day.

If a night comes when I get a good night's sleep, will be the day that just maybe I will have a good blog for you good folks. Until then, take care.
God Bless!

Some things people do ...

As part of my usual routine, I always read the Charlotte Observer early in the morning. Living in the Charlotte area, some of it contains local stuff of interest in it along with the world news.

One front page article on the local and state section really caught my eye and in reading, it kept my attention. It was a column titled "Mom led her kids on thefts". As I read on I found that she would in the dark, early hours of the morning, she would rouse her four children, ages 7-13 to go on adventures.

She would take them looking for unlocked doors at public buildings. As I read on and on, I quickly saw that she was not doing this based solely on need. Although they would at times get necessities, like toilet paper, gauze and even Gatorade. But when it read of computers, computer chairs and many others not needed for survival were taken, I could hardly believe it.
First, that she would involve her innocent children into doing this, but most important, the impression and long term damage she is or will have left these children with for her actions.

I was raised very modest. We always had a home, food, love and all the necessities, but very few of the extras that others had. My mother never worked during my brief years with her. She received what we learned to call mama's VA check. Whatever we needed or possibly wanted we were always told we will have to wait on the VA check.
Although that has now been over 50 years ago, I can still remember PO Box 113 and I still remember the combination. Suppose it was inbedded in my memory bank of my brain.
We didn't have a lot, so when our house burned when I was 8 and we lost everything we had, we had not lost much. The family Bible with the burned cover and smoked pages and smokey smell did survive. In my opinion that was not just a coincidence....
I was at the open air market that my Aunt and Uncle ran when the fire trucks went out that day. The town being so small, where everybody really does know everybody, I just jumped on my bicycle and headed out. The closer I got I could see black smoke and then even closer this 8 year old saw her first house fire. It was mine. My house.
The house was small and the fire pretty much spread so fast that the firemen couldn't really do much. I do know one was trying to keep my screaming, crying mother from going into the burning house. I think that hurt me lots more than the fire burning my house right before my eyes.

We had our clothes on our back and since it was on a school day and I had just gotten out, we did not lose our school books. What a relief, I had written many notes in mine. My mother being a woman who believed where there was a will, there was a way, so we didn't skip many beats until we had a new home. They didn't do poundings back then like they do now. Oh, poundings would have you everything you could need foodwise to supply your hunger needs for quite a while.

My mama managed to get us our necessites when the VA check came. It took her a while to get what she needed to make the home complete and certainly without having the thought of "taking something" that was not hers like the lady in the newspaper article possibly did. IF it were for need for those children, I can remotely understand, I would not condone it, but it sure would make me have a better understanding the manner of her actions.

That winter mama got me a new red coat. I loved that coat and ironically, it was a fire damaged salvage coat. That didn't make me no difference, I always loved that red coat that kept me so warm. She also got me and my brother flannel lined blue jeans for the winter and I can remember how good they wore and how warm they were. I would skip down the sidewalk just like I was the richest kid in Ellerbe.
Having said we always had what we needed, but not always had what we wanted. Once when we lived beside a school teacher, their daughters were my friends and one of the girls, Joann had this really neat pair of shoes. Since we lived in the sandhills there was plenty of sand and Joann's shoe soles would leave little patterned prints when she walked in the sand. For what ever reason I thought them was the coolest and neatest shoes I had ever seen. Being the kid I was I wanted a pair so bad! I wanted to tell my mama, but I just knowed she could not afford to get them. My kids wants were so strong that finally I told mama I wanted me a pair of shoes like Joann so bad.
At that time we did not have no car, so we always caught the bus behind the Firestone service station on the days the bus came through. After the next VA check came, mama said I think we will catch the bus and go to Rockingham and see if we can find you some of "those" shoes. AND.. that me and mama did. Ya know, I have no idea of what we may have had to do without that month because of my shoes or if we just had to charge more at Wilson's grocery store or mama had to charge the medicine she could get at the local little drug store, but I know that mama wanted me to have those shoes, but not bad enough to do wrong to make me happy.

May God Bless the children of this charged mother and may their character not be marred from the experience. God Bless this mother, give her the help she needs.
I had only 14 short years with my mama, but I do have memories of a loving mother, although she suffered from cancer the last five years of her short 46 years without the miracle drugs for pain, etc. we often times take for granted now days. Thank you mama for them shoes.
God Bless!

It is so true...One person can make a difference...

One Person
The following is adapted from a story that is reported to be true, as told by Leah Curtin R.N.,
in "Nursing Management Magazine."
One Person... can make a difference.
Dr. Frank Mayfield was touring Tewksbury Institute when, on his way out, he accidentally collided with an elderly floor maid. To cover the awkward moment Dr. Mayfield started asking questions, "How long have you worked here?"
"I've worked here almost since the place opened," the maid replied.
"What can you tell me about the history
of this place?" he asked.
"I don't think I can tell you anything,
but I could show you something."
With that, she took his hand and led him down to the basement under the oldest section of the building. She pointed to one of what looked like small prison cells, their iron bars rusted with age, and said, "That's the cage where they used to keep Annie."
"Who's Annie?" the doctor asked.
"Annie was a young girl who was brought in here because she was incorrigible-which means nobody could do anything with her. She'd bite and scream and throw her food at people. The doctors and nurses couldn't even examine her or anything. I'd see them trying with her spitting and scratching at them. I was only a few years younger than her myself and I used to think, 'I sure would hate to
be locked up in a cage like that.' I wanted to help her, but I didn't have any idea what I could do. I mean, if the doctors and nurses couldn't help her, what could someone like me do?
"I didn't know what else to do, so I just baked her some brownies one night after work. The next day
I brought them in. I walked carefully to her cage and said, 'Annie I baked these brownies just for you. I'll put them right here on the floor and you can come and get them if you want.' Then I got out of there just as fast as I could because I was
afraid she might throw them at me. But she didn't. She actually took the brownies and ate them.
"After that, she was just a little bit nicer to me when I was around. And sometimes I'd talk to her. Once, I even got her laughing. One of the nurses noticed this and she told the doctor. They asked
me if I'd help them with Annie. I said I would if
I could. So that's how it came about that every
time they wanted to see Annie or examine her, I went into the cage first and explained and calmed her down and held her hand. Which is how they discovered that Annie was almost blind."
After they'd been working with her for about a year-and it was tough sledding with Annie-the Perkins institute for the Blind opened its doors. They were able to help her and she went on to
study and became a teacher herself.
Annie came back to the Tewksbury Institute to visit, and to see what she could do to help out. At first, the Director didn't say anything and then
he thought about a letter he'd just received. A
man had written to him about his daughter. She
was absolutely unruly-almost like an animal.
He'd been told she was blind and deaf as well as 'deranged' He was at his wit's end, but he didn't want to put her in an asylum. So he wrote here to ask if we knew of anyone-any teacher-who would come to his house and work with his daughter.
And that is how Annie Sullivan became
the lifelong companion of Helen Keller.
When Helen Keller received the Nobel Prize, she was asked who had the greatest impact on her life and she said, "Annie Sullivan." But Annie said, "No Helen. The woman who had the greatest influence
on both our lives was a floor maid at the
Tewksbury Institute."
History is changed when you ask:
What can someone like me do?
Read more about Johanna (Anne) Sullivan: Johanna Sullivan
Smile.... God Bless!

Life is full of choices and decisions...

Today has been a special day for me, in more ways than one. I already knew this, but got myself reaffirmed today that our walk through life is poked full of choices and decisions. Neither of which I take lightly nor do I like to have to deal with. I just now had to make a choice.

My mouse was acting up, as wireless ones do when their little battery gets weak. It jerks from here to yonder; reminds me of a bull in a china shop and it gets on my only nerve left, really, really bad!
Since it hasn't been that long since replacing mouse's battery, I still had to figure out if the batteries needed to be replaced or possibly the ball needed washing. Both of those possibilites happening at the same time never entered my mind....until...after I took the lesser of two evils and washed its little ball. Using a Q- tip dipped in alcohol will put a cleaning on a ball. I threw the black tipped Q-tip in the waste can, put my shiney, clean ball back in and you got it! I had to scurry around and find me a battery. Tho' I was never a girl scout, I was prepared! After the cleaning of the ball and replacing mouse's battery, I am gliding right along now.

Choices are most often made for reasons; some because of a necessity and others for the sake of happiness. We all makem. I have made many, some good and some not so good. I hate to have to choose colors-- which color shoe to buy, which color blouse to buy. Although in the final anaylsis, it didn't make a hill of beans difference in the first place. Decisions and choices are very similiar. Now, more than ever I make more choices because there is less damage done if I make an "uh oh". A decision sounds serious to me and I just don't go there. Therefore, as I have mentioned before I cannot like decisions.

I actually made a wise decision early on in my life and that was to register and go vote that year. I did just that .And bless Pat I voted for Richard Nixon and just look what a mess I made. I been jinxed in decison making ever since then. It didn't make me not vote anymore, but it made me more attentive to the fact that I wanted to vote for the person and NOT the party.

For all of us that have chose and decided, we have to continue doing both, again and again. But for the grace of God, when we make bad decisions or choices- that may or may not affect others, -we do have the privilege of a free will and the grace and goodness of God's forgiveness for us. What more could a person want.? May your day be as bright as you choose to make it.
God Bless!

I have gone to the cats...

The adage, "it has just gone to the dogs" has been around for years. I know of people and things that have done just that. I am by nature more of a dog lover than a lover of cats. My husband and I are on our third dog during our 39 year tenure of being husband and wife. Our first dog, Cindy, grew up with our sons, so she was a family dog. When the empty nest syndrome set in after both our sons were grown and then on their own, we got Scooter, the love of our life. Scooter was our dog. He liked the visits from our sons and liked all people and loved to have company over so he could meet them and give them a sugar handshake. Scooter was sorta like my late mother tho' when the company left. I would always sing his little song, "When the storm is over, sweet will be the day". The same song my mother used to sing everytime company left during the 14 short years I had with her before her death. I have been known to sing it a time or two myself in the last few years.

I have found lately that I have lots of friends that love cats and it can't be all that bad cause they are very much similar in many ways to myself. Now I like a little kitten, but once they get to be cats, that is another story. I have one friend in California that her cat, named Katrina, earns her name from the Hurricane Katrina. She literally attacks my friend. My friend is a devoted animal lover as she loves Katrina enough to withstand the scratches and most likely scars from Katrina's many attacks. Surprise attacks too, not brought on by anything!
I also have met a blogger friend from Belgium who has a passionate love for cats and I commend her for that. Them little suckers needs love too, ya know?
Another friend of mine in Maine was telling me about her cat. It made for some good reading and an awfully good laugh so I will just share her email with ya'll. I am sure that Polly will not mind in the least. I personally ain't up to surprises when I am lucky enough to get some sleep, so Gattina my friend, I am backpeddling a bit on what I had told you earlier about possibly getting our newest and bestest dog Roxy a feline playmate. btw I am adding your link to my site so all the many other cat lovers can see your beautifully done cat blog.
I happily share this email and hope you see the humor in it that I did.

unedited...(.compliments of Polly from Maine...my dear friend!)

Hi Claudia,

Sorry you arent able come come this summer..fall would be fine lol

I just moved out to the camp on Sat. It is really beautiful there. First night was a night from hell though. My cat Sophie did her usual...found this tiny mouse about half hour after I went to sleep and caught it and I didnt want her to eat it as she eats half, throws up and I step on the remains on my way to clean up the vomit. Then she goes up into the loft, jumps up onto the counter then the fridge but never takes the same way down. How she comes down, she jumps down onto my bed (doesnt matter I might be trying to sleep) "PLOP" Since she likes to fly thru the air, I think I will get her a paraschute and drop her off the Empire State building! She did this three times that night. But I love her and she is a lot of company. Anyway I couldnt seem to get to sleep and was up and down until one am, then she had me awake at 6. Last night was better and I slept like a log.

I am on office duty this afternoon and going to leave in 15 minutes so thought I would write a few lines. Then Doug is coming up to supper. I get lonely evenings if I dont plan to have someone over. Nice weather here. Hot..would make you feel right at home.

Thank you for the funny emails. I enjoy all of them. I especially liked the pink dots..facinating..
Hugs, Polly



There is no moral to this story. I just stuck to the facts my dear friends.
God Bless!

There is just some things I will never understand..

that I do live the simple life. It makes all things less complicated and at my age and health, that is of utmost importance. I have not always lived that way. I was always the worrier. I could handle a crisis far better than I could trivial things and never have liked to make decisions; whether they be large or small ones. Just not to my liking. There are so many little things in my life that I just do not understand and little things in general that just bug the puddin outta me! I too, have learned and use the adage, "not to worry over things I cannot control".

I got bugged this morning. Part of my mornings and lately, too much of my life, is spent on this computer. I was beginning my day of coffee, checking my emails and visiting my many sites as usual. There was something different this morning at one of my top spots. I always like to read the comments as well as the blogs of the many places I roam around while having my coffee. This morning I noticed almost every comment at one of my top spots had been "removed by the blog administrator". It sparked a bit of curosity to say the least. That blogger had received highly acclaimed comments in blogsville, as I had read them before their oblivion, therefore, I was totally confused. Now if they had been improper; as in the use of vulgarity, etc. I could and would understand. I thought shucks, this outta be good! So I proceeded to read the ones of the few that were left. They were comments centered only on the blogger herself. All those mentioning visiting their blogs and the usual introduction type stuff were the ones zapped. I was completely disappointed!! Totally speechless, cept to myself. Yeah I had few zappers in there, but also I remember seeing maybe 1 or 2 of mine left. I am still wondering why???

I want you good folks to know that my comments are open for you to comment as you please. I will not allow vulgarity nor the use of my Saviour's name taken in vain, other than that- you have free reigns on my blog. I do not, nor will not be so vain that I cannot take constructive and destructive criticism. That is what comments are for. ( A written note intended as an explanation, illustration, or criticism of a passage in a book or other writing; an annotation). That is the definition of comment! Put that in yo pipe and smoke it! A peace pipe of course. :) I am what I am and I kindly thank the faithful few that read my blog and I also appreciate your comments. I may not be the smartest blogger, but I love people for who they are and not what they have achieved or can do for me. You folks are the best and good day to the rest!
God Bless!

Chaos in the Middle East and religion...

Many are troubled over the events happening in the Middle East. All the cable news networks are forcing it on us and their intentions are well, as most people are interested. I am interested in Beirut Lebanaon for one reason, I have a wonderful Lebanese friend that I have known for nine years and he happens to live there. His welfare is my only concern.

No one should be concerned if they could realize that this is just the beginning of what will be in due course, the end. Peace will come in the form of a person capable of convincing "the people" that we now have peace. He may not be born yet, or he may be amongst us now. He will be the anti christ.
Fullfillment of the Bible must be followed and must be met, we are doing just that, so need for me to get all worked up when All things are possible to those that love the Lord.

I choose to ignore it, see it as it really is and chuckle at those unknowing politicians that speak about achieving peace. Ignorance is truly bliss.

In closing I will share with you an excerpt from an email from a very dear family member. It is quite appropriate for the times we are living in.

***********************************************************************************

"I do feel sorry for many people, there are lots of really good people who just don't see how simple the gospel really is!! And, no matter how good you are, you are lost without trusting the gospel...cause it takes perfection to enter Heaven if you're going to do it on your own".

After the Rapture(when the true believers are taken home), this Anti-Christ
(he will really pretend to be The Christ) will make a 7 year contract with Israel
and their enemies guaranteeing peace for that time. The whole world will be amazed
at his ability. After 3.5 years he will claim that he is God and demand worship. Many
will be deceived. He will turn on Israel, breaking his contract, and persecute them
with all his might. But, God will protect Israel from him supernaturally, and Jesus
will return. At this time, all Israel will be saved, as they will recognize their King the
2nd coming unlike the 1st!

"True Christianity isn't a religion. Religion is rituals and ordinances where a man tries to make himself acceptable to God; whereas true Christianity is God making man acceptable to God. All it requires is faith, trusting that Jesus died for our sins, was buried, and rose again!"
The Gospel of the grace of God is found in I Corinthians 15:1-4.


Little said, much meant! God Bless!

For those that do not know, you should after this blog...

Do ya'll ever get tired of getting emails with attachments that you hafta click on over and over again. I think my highest count was 7. I detest it! Not the persons that send them, but the fact that I really don't like to overwork my clicker when not necessary. I also detest emails with headers from 999 forwards. There is a remedy for this.

There are IMO a hidden TOS (terms of service) in emailing too. Although be it-- only common sense and common courtesy, I think folks either do not know better or just don't care.Am I suppose to be impressed with whom you email with or intrigued even more when the next click has another friend with ALL of their emails friends addresses? It is annoying and none of the names on the list impress me in the least. So if left to impress, it failed to do so. If left just because you do not know any better, then you are excused. Others may just be lazy and click forward and say the heck with it!

I am gonna help ya 'cause I hesitate to give a good friend an emailing scolding. I actually think I have enough addresses of folks in the US that I could start a website consisting of emails from all of our states, but that sounds sorta like work to me. Due to sheer laziness that I spoke of earlier, rather than type out the proper way to forward emails, I will use one already done so elegantly by an old and dear high school friend from TN. It reads:
FOR EVERYONE WHO SENDS E-MAILS -

Do you really know how to forward e-mails?
50% of us do; 50% do NOT. Do you wonder why you get viruses or junk mail? Do you hate it? Every time you forward an e-mail there is information left over from the people who got the message before you, namely their e-mail addresses. As the messages get forwarded along, the list of addresses builds, and builds, and builds, and all it takes is for some poor person to get a virus, and his (her) computer can send that virus to every e-mail address that has come across his computer. Or, someone can take all of those addresses and sell them or send junk mail t! o them in the hopes that you will go to the site and he will make five cents for each hit. That's right, all of that inconvenience over a nickel! How do you stop it? Well, there are two easy steps:

1) When you forward an e-mail, DELETE all of the other addresses that appear in the body of the message. That's right, DELETE them.

Highlight them and delete them, backspace them, cut them, whatever it is you know how to do. It only takes a second.

But you MUST click the "Forward" button first, then you will have full editing capabilities against the body and headers of the message, which contain everyone's e-mail address.

If you don't click on "Forward" first, you won't be able to edit the message at all

2) Whenever you send an e-mail to more than one person, do NOT use the To: or Cc: columns for adding e-mail address.

Always use the BCC: (blind carbon copy) column for listing the e-mail addresses.

This is the way that people you send to only see their own e-mail address. If you don't see your BCC: option click on where it says To: and your address list will appear. Highlight the address and choose BCC: and that's it, it's that easy.

The sole intent of this blog is to maybe help someone know how to keep others from over using their clickers. God Bless!

But for computers and blogging.....

I would never have found out what I could have been or what I should be . I was just walking my dog, although the heat is intense today and it was a struggle, I, along with Roxy did enjoy the birds as she is fascinated with them and airplanes. Anything with movement she is in awe of. She loves the butterflies and even the bumble bees. When she nears the bees I just say "nasty" and she quickly goes on to bigger and better things. She has taught me to enjoy and notice the beauty we have, even in our backyard. It was so hot, yet the feel of the outside was wonderful and the slow pace of walking and watching her enjoy this wonderful creation that only God could have made was worth the few beads of sweat.

I also thought how much I have enjoyed my computer over the years and my recently started blog. I thought that if only I had enjoyed school and college and had been as dedicated and spent the time with it as I have and do with my computer, I could have been somebody. Anything I wanted to have been when I finished high school was in my reach. I had the same opportunity as my brother; as we both had full scholarships to any state college in North Carolina through the VA since our dad was killed in service. Thankfully and fortunately, my brother did just that and got his degree from NC State University in Raleigh. He went to work and recently retired after 41 years of service with the company he started with fresh out of college. Oh, I went to college. I went to Appalachian which was a teacher's college. There was no way I wanted to be a teacher! So for two years I pretended, then I quit. My brother literally took me and enrolled me in a business college in Charlotte. All the opportunities were there too, but they really didn't thrill me. I guess that was the most fun I have ever had in one year! I of course played on the basketball team, hung out at Spoon's Ice Cream, Hawthorne Center and met what I thought was the love of my life. That too failed. The highlight of my year there was getting to play a ball game in Park Center, which in the 60's was quite a big thing!

Whatever you do, you must apply yourself and I have sure done my share of applying myself with this computer, but although limited on what I am able to do physically, as far as house work, I have not applied myself enough and I have let the computer control me vs me controlling the computer. I told my husband that I needed to do this or that, but I know my angina will kick in, but if I do it and I have an attack, I can at least know I tried. That is what is known as soothing your conscience.

I am finishing with this note. Although I did not succeed as far as education, I did well with my family. My husband and both sons are college graduates, so they give me all the help I could possibly need. Thrown in with lots of LOVE!
God Bless!

Today was Doctor day...

Today I had a rescheduled doctor's visit because I forgot to go to the one I had last week. I just flat out missed it. I might add that this is a first for me. I forget a lot of things, but have never forgotten an appointment with a doctor. I guess it could be my age or the type of haphazard lifestyle I have created for myself since I have not been able to work for the last few years. I have no routine, no where to be at any given time most days. I have too much free time, so I should be able to remember the important things. I have always thought I was an organized person and most often had to be, in order to do the type of work I did. I never liked a messy desk, I had a place for everything and everything in its place. Have I passed over to sheer sloppiness?

When my doctor walked in I told him to make himself comfortable so he would feel like he was getting his monies worth. He sat down on his spinning stool and I started telling him what I wanted him to know, then he did his usual not much of anything stuff. He did think I needed a pneumonia shot as with COPD he thought it just might be benefical to me. My breathing is not up to snuff so he wants to get my oxygen level checked. Someone will come out and put something on for me to wear overnight. I know there must be a simpler way, but since he is the doctor I listened. He told me, "you like to live on the edge, dontcha?" Yep. He thought I should be more interested in quitting smoking than getting my oxygen level checked. I agreed as usual. He had already lectured me about smoking as he has for the last 13 years and I told him, you act just like Kevin. He laughed, because he knew Kevin had told Moo time and time again about her annoying, nasty, deadly habit. I told him since I had always lived on the edge, that if I find out that I am at the point that I need oxygen, then I will quit smoking. Not that I am advising anyone to follow suit, but I do not want to be on oxygen; therefore if I am told I need it, that will definitely motivate me to quit. I don't think my life needs anymore baggage to carry around. I am getting dependant on my inhaler and it has been faithful and good to me, so just maybe I can get by with it and stop smoking. Only time will tell or possibly that thingy on my finger overnight.

And I didn't even get my pneumonia shot! I guess he is getting forgetful too.
Running late, low on Gatorade and again about down to the hubs. So until...... God Bless!

Beach Memories and stained glass...

I love the beauty of stained glass. I never see stained glass now without having some fond memories of my friend, Brenda. We have been friends for years.

The year was 1993 , the year that I was out of work due to the closing of the detached office that I worked in. The office closed in April and I had plenty of free time on my hands. Brenda and her husband has owned a beach home for many, many years so she asked me to go with her to the beach a week in June following a wedding in my family. I was delighted as I love the beach.

Actually we took along another friend of ours, which before the week was over, we wish we had left at home. :P It was the first of 10 trips that summer to the beach. We hung out, stayed up late, drank margaritas and played the stereo wide open just like we were teenagers and free again. Brenda worked at that time at a music store and she had the top of the line in stereos and speakers. (Not when I was with her, but police had been for loud music in the past). We were kicked back one night and I had drank a few margaritas, but Brenda liked that potent stuff, but that was ok.

Brenda said I wantcha to hear a good song, so out of her hundreds of cd's she finally found the cd of K.T. Oslin and finally it got to "the" song, simply titled, DoYa'. It hit my liking as fast as my first margarita did! She turned the volume up so loud that normal speakers would have roared or blown out , but not these. The only thing happening from the sound was the vibration of the nice hardwood floors. From that song , that night, Do Ya' was played each and every time my feet hit the sand of North Myrtle Beach. Whether it is my memory or the margaritas; I had a bad back at that time too and best I remember I was lying on the vibrating hardwood floor and Brenda was walking on my back. She had just enough of her drink of choice to think it might help it. Her husband always knew when for her to stop her kind of drinks; she always had a clue, her tongue musta got thick cause she slurrrrrred her words alot.
BUT......that night he wasn't there.

I know you are wondering what in the dickens has this got to do with stained glass. Oh it does. Her beach house had the most beautiful stained glass window between her kitchen and dining room. It was of a sea gull. I liked it so good, we looked North Myrtle over for a sea gull charm for my necklace. We found one and Brenda bought it for me. She also had a large stained glass window in the bathroom across from the "Queen's Chambers" where I got to sleep when I went down. Other times, it was she and her husband's bedroom. The window was so colorful and in the daylight it would blow your mind. Hence, my love of stained glass.

Later that year we already had central air put in when we replaced our furnace, but we had a large window unit in our den still in place. I had an idea! We had the a/c removed and we closed the opening with a stained glass window. The only problem is, the other side of the wall and window is the garage. But I get the enjoyment of being able to see it from the inside.

Needless to say we went to the beach many, many more times through the years after the 10 trips in 1993. I am not sure, but the last time we went, I got severe chest pain and scared the snot out of Brenda and have not been asked to go as often since. Brenda had shared earlier with me, that she had a fear of having good friends because she was afraid they would die on her. Having said that, it was on my return from that beach trip with the chest pain, that I found I had angina and I was only having an attack, just had no nitros to take for it. Maybe I need to tell Brenda I found out what was wrong. I sure do need a trip to the beach. Maybe a margarita and some peanuts. But only one margarita next time.

Love you Brenda. God Bless!

Most likely....my blog's biggest fan.....

Today is a good day. Not that all days are not good ones when you get this far in life. Family is very important to me so every other Sunday we always look forward to our youngest son, Jeff, coming home. We look forward to seeing him and talking about what, if anything new is going on in his life. He likes Moo's cooking of course and always seems to enjoy what I have because I will admit, I make sure when it is his Sunday that he has some or all of his favorite foods. Jeff of course we get to see more often as he just lives in Charlotte and can get home in a short period of time. Our oldest son, Kevin, and his family live in Cleveland, Ohio and that takes planning and time so the visits are not nearly as often as mama's would like.

I don't know whether it was Jeff or Kevin or both that started calling me Moo but I do remember the year. It was the summer of '86 when I had my first back surgery. The boys still think I scheduled it to be just when school got out so I would be out of work all summer recuperating. They would put nothing past Moo.
The surgery left me with what they called "the moobear shuffle". Back surgery will cause alot of weird movements, so the name moo and moobear stuck and became quite common to hear. It even graduated to "bigger and better" and thus, moobearski was included. I answer to all three as I am always called one of the three. Never mom or mama. Jeff asked why I didn't name my blog Moo's Place.....just didn't think of it at the time. :P

We always played sports with our sons, we took them to ballfields and of course Moo always played in outfield and ran the balls up. Yes, I had my own glove. We played tennis and basketball together. Even after they became adults, Moo would go along and play tennis and basketball. Jerrell wore his knees out playing softball until he was 41, so his knees would not allow him to play after he got older. Jerrell taught school and coached the first 14 years of our marriage and when school was out in the summers, he would take the boys out to the school gym and they played basketball. They always had fun summers with Dad. He fed them well and kept them entertained. He made them homemade potato chips as they called them. He sliced the potatoes wafer thin and fried them to a crisp, one by one. As I told Jeff today, each day of life will become a memory and I am glad they have fond memories of their youth. I remember when me, Jeff and Steph first started playing tennis and Jeff was really not that good.....or at least for the first two weeks. Almost overnight he got flat out good and gave me and Steph a good run for our money. Steph would beat him some, but Moo had really excelled that day to get a win under her belt with Jeff. They were taught by their dad and I to do whatever you do, do it the very best you could and give it your all. We went to play one day that was an extremely hot day. We had played for a while and Jeff and I were at the net picking up balls and he said "Moo, I don't know how you have so much stamina at your age". I said "son when I play with you I have to have stamina" or I might as well have stayed home. Oh yes, that stamina is now a memory for me.

Over the course of the years, again I had to have back surgery in '98. It was a sad year for me. I could no longer go with my grown sons anymore and play the game I loved dearly, basketball. My guardian told my coach when I was in high school that she didn't think I would go to school if it wasn't for getting to play basketball. Tennis came along later and I learned to love and enjoy it. All good things must come to an end. And end it did!

Jeff calls me Mooblogski now that I have this blog and reads it faithfully. His dad kiddingly told him that Google was going to change their name. To what??? Moogle of course. Kevin is a very busy man and has a tight schedule so he told me he has to catch up on the weekends. I guess I can understand, because I think researching for help in curing cancer, diseases of the blood and heart are far more important to him than reading Moo's blog. Yes, Kevin, I am proud of you son! Love you.
Jeff works for Hearst Corp. in the Hearst Towers, recently built in downtown Charlotte. He is a returns analyst. Although he is only on the 29th floor it still bugs me.

So Jeff, this one is for you son. You make me proud too! Moo loves ya. God Bless!

I may have this dislike of grocery shopping beat....

All my life I dreaded the thought of and the actual process of going to the grocery store. Now in my old age, I can no longer hurry and have recently acquired patience. Something that I did not inherit, nor ever forced myself to use.
I thought patience was for the meek. I finally gave in to it as a last resort in my battle with anxiety.

I left out with my usual grocery list and a couple coupons and my bottle of water. Some stores make my mouth dry and grocery stores are the worst. In fact I have a bottle with me on any venture out that involves the movement of my vehicle since it causes dry mouth too. Dunno if it is my medications or just one of many weird things about me. Today was no different than usual, just a few different items needed. I always spend too much time talking now, as opposed to when I worked; whereas I could be in and out in of the store in 30 minutes on a good day. I can't pass someone I know without stopping and chatting a while. Pretty much all the workers know me by name as I live nearby and shop regularly every Friday and then Mon-Thurs I am usually found in there getting something that was on my "forget" list. I have a few vendors I like to attack when they quit carrying a product just about the time I get to really liking it or just down right addicted to it. Of course they blame the managment. Today I thought I was going to get the candy man for not having one single piece of butterscotch candy in the store, BUT it was the tater chip vendor and I had no beef with him. I got to the bread isle and was hoping the Pepperridge Farm bread man was there again, but not this time. But the discontinued bread I wanted was there! When they did carry it, they only left 2 loaves for the whole store for the entire week. I had attacked him several weeks back, so lo' and behold today there was 3 loaves. Miracles do still happen.

Frances the Jack of all trades girl was working the isle so I told her about it and she said sometimes customer complaints did work. I will say this for the sake of you knowing, I always attack in my usual comical and nice way. I told Frances that I was still working on the fish and the crowder peas. I had to attack management with those tho. Since the manager and I went to school together I just told him like it was. Bush has even got beans I cannot pronounce and they quit carrying crowder peas! I do not like canned beans, but in a serious case of don't wanna cook much, I have been known to throw in a can of Bush crowder peas as I find them to be the only and best canned bean I have eaten. Flounder is a favorite fish for us, so they of course quit carrying them. They got fish that grosses me out to look at them. Us southern folks were raised on flounder if we were lucky southerners. So my husband drives to one of two nearby towns to purchase our stock of flounder that the same chain has there, but cannot have here. Once in a while they put on a "trial teaser". They will carry plenty of it for about a month, then they discontinue it again. Now that does irritate me!

I am going, going, gone. God Bless!

Retired?....or just because?

Not knowing any stats, I have to assume there are about as many of us that don't work a public job, as there are the stay at homers. I paid my dues and worked most all the years after I finished high school and diddled around at a couple colleges. I later married and still there was a need to work. I always seemed to luck up and got jobs for the most part that I really enjoyed. Some jobs I left by choice and others by circumstance. I always did clerical work as that was what I started out doing. Fortunately for me, I worked long enough at one place that in 3 years I can reap some benefits in the form of a monthy retirement check. After 31 years having a detached office here in Albemarle, that company phased out all the detached offices gradually. I still had that jinx.
Had it not been for public work, I have always felt I would be worthless and now that I am unable to work, I was right all along.

The last day I was able to work was in December 2001. I am now on Social Security Disability and have been since August 2003. Although I am 62 now, it will not convert to Social Security until I am 65 , but I will keep disability payment amount, which is always greater than the social security amount would have been. I was told in my award letter that I would get my check in direct depost on the 3rd Wednesday of each month, which is a crock. It is put into the account at 1 minute after midnight, therefore, I am really getting it on the third Thursday of each month. They like to complicate things and me and adjusting don't go well together. The good part about working, except for my salaried jobs was getting paid weekly as some months had five weeks and I liked that! But..... now it is pure chaos. First I feel like I am getting cheated out of a week of work and it is soooo confusing. I know no one does their affairs the way I do mine. I do not nor should I write checks. So, my husband withdraws my $ on my payday and hurries home to watch me count it. I like to divide my wad out into weeks; that way I get a payday every week. A good way for me to budget myself. For whatever reason, this coming check I saw it having 4 weeks and then 6 weeks the next month. WHOA, I had to get my husband in on this and of course he had me totally messed up. I listened to him as I always do, then I do it the way I want to do it when all is said and done. After two days of he and I trying to show the other that "they" were the one wrong. we came to the conclusion that we both were.

FYI amd MOO I never had really given much thought about legalizing marijuana. That is until I saw a report on tv about the benefits of its use on the merits of its medical value. A lady was seizure free from the use, chemo receievers had less side efforts and cancer patients in general had less pain using marijuana when deemed of medical value by a physician. Having said that, there are 32 states that recogognize marijuana's medical value.

I have come to the conclusion that the government has not legalized the use of marijuana yet because they just haven't found a way to tax it.

I am outta here. Good day, God Bless!

Confusion ?

You can sorta tell I ain't having a good day.................................



With age you have more hindsight because there is so much more behind you then. Should I have even started a blog? I stay confused, but out of common courtesy and consideration I do try not to confuse others in the process of living. If any of you folks ever see something weird or just plain out of place, be ye not surprised! Just ask my husband if confusion should not have been my middle name. My apologies to Rat for experiencing that with my post yesterday and possibly others, unlike Rat, bears his soul. I still love you Rat!
There is a "behind the scenes" in blogging so bloggers can correct any boo boos and edit any left out constructive stuff. There are codes for this and codes for that as I have previously noted in my blogging; that you best know where that code goes, as well as what it does. Since I fly by the seat of my pants most of the time, I do alot of things spontaneously and most times having no idea why I am doing it, nor what it is I am doing to start with. That is called Trial and Error. I spend a lot of time in the Edit mode and then sometimes editing is just not enough. My blog for some reason is having a hard time loading my title on what will be the post below this one after I get this one published. Having seen all the obtions behind the scenes, there is one I never respected that much I suppose-- until TODAY. It is short and sweet. Simply said, DELETE BLOG and it never phased me before when I saw it, but don't think it didn't light up yesterday and today. By nature I am not a quitter which is probably why I am where I am today. Therefore, I ignored that option today. Since I have not committed myself to have to post everyday, I am still here and thinking back to my friend recommending a blogger help book, titled Blogging for Dummies. Apparently there are many other Claudia's in blogville and going through the same feelings or lack of that I am. When you start at the bottom you can only go up, so hang around and one day it just might get better. If not, what have we lost? Until.....God Bless!

Laughter is good medicine...

I live to laugh and laugh to live. As we all do, some emails we get are worth reading, but the ones I like the most are the ones that gives me a chuckle. That happened this morning and I think all "women" can relate to this. I want to share this with you. Sent to me by best friend, Paulette. Have been there, done that, almost.....


When you have to visit a public bathroom, you usually find a line of women, so you smile politely and take your place. Once it's your turn, you

check for feet under the stall doors. Every stall is occupied. Finally, a door opens and you dash in, nearly knocking down the woman leaving

the stall. You get in to find the door won't latch. It doesn't matter. The dispenser for the modern "seat covers" (invented by someone's mom, no

doubt) is handy, but empty. You would hang your purse on the door hook, if there were one, but there isn't - - so you carefully, but quickly,

drape it around your neck, (Mom would turn over in her grave if you put it on the FLOOR!), yank down your pants, and assume "The Stance."

In this position your aging, toneless thigh muscles begin to shake. You'd love to sit down, but you certainly hadn't taken time to wipe the seat or

lay toilet paper on it, so you hold "The Stance." To take your mind off your trembling thighs, you reach for what you discover to be the EMPTY

toilet paper dispenser. In your mind, you can hear your mom's voice saying, "Honey, if you had tried to clean the seat, you would have KNOWN

there was no toilet paper!" Your thighs shake more. You remember the tiny tissue that you blew your nose on yesterday - the one that's still in

your purse. That would have to do. You crumple it in the puffiest way possible. It is still smaller than your thumbnail. Someone pushes open

your stall door because the latch doesn't work.

The door hits your purse, which is hanging around your neck in front of your chest, and you and your purse topple backward against the tank of

the toilet. "OCCUPIED!" you scream, as you reach for the door dropping your precious, tiny, crumpled tissue in a puddle on the floor, lose your

footing altogether, and slide down directly on the TOILET SEAT. It is wet of course. You bolt up, knowing all too well that it's too late. Your bare

bottom has made contact with every imaginable germ and life form on the uncovered seat because YOU never laid down toilet paper - not that

there was any, even if you had taken time to try. You know your mother would be utterly appalled if she knew, because, you're certain, her bare

bottom never touched a public toilet seat because, frankly, dear, "You just don't KNOW what kind of diseases you could get." By this time, the

automatic sensor on the back of the toilet is so confused that it flushes, propelling a stream of water like a fire hose that somehow sucks

everything down with such force that you grab onto the toilet paper dispenser for fear of being dragged in too. At that point, you give up. You

are soaked by the spewing water and the wet toilet seat. You're exhausted. You try to wipe with a gum wrapper you found in your pocket and

then slink out inconspicuously to the sinks. Now, you can't figure out how to operate the faucets with the Automatic sensors, so you wipe your

hands with spit and a dry paper towel and walk past the line of women still waiting. You are no longer able to smile politely to them. A kind soul

at the very end of the line points out a piece of toilet paper trailing from your shoe. (Where was that when you NEEDED it??) You yank the

paper from your shoe, plunk it into the woman's hand and tell her warmly, "Here, you just might need this." As you exit, you spot your hubby, who

has long since entered, used and left the men's restroom. Annoyed, he asks, "What took you so long, and why is your purse hanging around your neck?"

This is dedicated to women everywhere who deal with a public Restroom (REST??? - You've got to be kidding!!). It finally explains to the men

what really does take us so long. It also answers their other commonly asked question about why women go to the restroom in pairs. It's so the

other gal can hold the door, hang onto your purse and hand you Kleenex under the door.

Good Luck!!!

Author- Who Knows?

¶ One Month of Blogging ¶

I have reached a teeny milestone in my quest to become a blogger and what a ride it has been. I have enjoyed it so much or I would not be composing this post today. I have found very quickly that there is much to learn and so little time to do it. It reminds me of remotes and aliases that I use in being a channel opertator on mIRC. It takes a bit of concentration and lots of determination. I also know that some days are just not the right day to be going out on any limbs. Today is one of those days. Due to lack of sleep, I am down to the hubs . My mind is boggled and my body is weary so I did today what I do best. I have cooked! Cooking is one of my least favorite things to do, right up there with grocery shopping. I was wanting some potato salad today! I have a friend, Paulette, that makes the best I have ever eaten. Having been raised on beans and taters my husband does not like change in recipes or anything else! Therefore, I have to fix it "my" way in order to keep him on my side. His favorite meal is "my fried flounder" so I fried the fish last Monday since he was on vacation and I needed him on my side the rest of the week. :P~
I spend a lot more time making my rounds to my friends sites than I do working on mine. I never know what I am going to do or say until I click on create. It shows most times too. I owe it to myself to try to share a little of something or not much of nothing most every day. I don't intend to miss many days, but I will be sure to miss a few days to keep from appearing perfect. Yeah right!

I gave myself these roses for my anniversary. Good Day. Until tomorrow. God Bless!

If at first you don't succeed.......

You 'spose to try and try again if you don't succeed, but I don't know how many tries is enough. I guess I am not smart enough to give up, but I certainly feel the backlash of not having doing just that today. It is also late in the day and my engine is sputtering as it does most days 'round this time of day. This morning my new friend and fellow blogger told me how to make my ball go round and round. Marge is ~~ mama mouse~~ and for some reason I wanna call her~~ mighty mouse~~ and that she was today. I opened my email this morning and there was an email from Marge. She had found the solution of the revolving ball. She was kind enough to show me the code. I had to alter it a bit to fit my way of using pictures. I do not use URL's for my pictures that I use in my post. After entering the code she provided and not using any URL, but the code for where the picture was located, I proceeded to follow her detailed and easy to follow instructions and low and behold when I clicked preview that little blue ball was going round and round. I was thrilled that she took the time to research it enough to find a way to help me. Thank you my friend! That is the kind of folks I have met on my short time blogging. She and I are close in age, but as Clara says, she has got us beat by a few years. If I am not mistaken, Marge along with Rat, are helpers at the blog help site. I have found the site to be helpful. Rat has a site he just started to help bloggers with questions. He is quite versed in blogging. Stop in at Most Frequent Blogger Questions and Rat just might have the answer already there for your question. He is a busy man, but still takes the time to email and shoot the bull with me.
Tomorrow will be back to work day for many; at least in my area. Jerrell has been off for ten days but will return to work tomorrow. I have enjoyed our vacation time together and looking forward to the next holiday which I think will be Labor Day.
Kevin will be calling soon and I need to grab me some Bryers and kick back in my cliner and consider myself done for the day. Well done at that. Until tomorrow. God Bless!

You never know til you try

...RESTFUL, PEACEFUL LIGHTHOUSE SUITS MY FANCY BETTER anyways...
(Courtesy of "Two Minutes with the Bible")

This is spose to be going round and round. If it isn't.....then play like it is! That is sorta the way I am right now. Going round and round and reading different folks blogs. I have come to the conclusion that there are some really smart and funny folks in Blogsville. No way I could or would tackle much more than I have already. At least it would have to be in moderation or near total shut down mode. I prefer right now to enjoy other's beauty and that I have done today. I start my day with Bro Mike's site to get my morning inspiration. Drop by Sallys and see how her moving preparations are coming along. Just naming a few, I wander on to mama mouse's place and then to clara's corner and see all the pretty pictures and some reading. I drop in on Johnny in the UK for his latest news and of course I make it to Rat's place and get my laughs for the day. I always have good intentions and usually do what I say I will do, so the first day that comes 'round that my "thinker" is turned on, I am going to add these good folks links to my website so if anyone visits here they can also move on to bigger and better things and enjoy these folks sites. There are times when some folks just click and bingo you have a new friend. Nothing better than friends. From all walks of life, some are very smart, all are kind, some know the ropes more than others and some even wear the same shirt everyday, but each one are unique in their own ways and that's what makes the world go round. My world just seems to be going round a little faster than I would prefer. So if my little thingy up there doesn't go round and round, I am just thankful that I had the desire to try. Until.....

God Bless!

I gotta be me

Yesterday was one of those days that I just did not get the time to blog. But that's ok as this is not a job and I can and will procrastinate as I often do. I have had many jobs in my life time and have been known to quit a few along the way. In the beginning of my determination to start blogging, I told myself that if and when it became a job and not a pleasure, then I might quit.
I am not a writer by an means. In fact, I am a lady of few words. I grew up in the 50's and I was very shy and continued to be shy until I got well into my late 30's.
Shyness is a miserable feeling. I rank it along there with being homesick. Makes your heart and whole being just miserable. I don't know where we were going or why but I was in the backseat of a car and think we were going to check on mama putting us in an orphanage. Anyways, I had always attended the First Baptist Church in our little hometown then. Just outta the blue, that preacher asked me if I was a "staunch" Baptist? He may as well have shot me with a slingshot. I was bashful and since I knew I was a Baptist at that time, I had no idea as to what in the daylights did "staunch" mean. I was so scared I didn't say anything back. The reason I remember it so well is because it put me on the spot and as a shy youngster I was horrified.
Being homesick is a real sickness and I went through a lot of that when mama would be gone for weeks and weeks in the hospital at Walter Reed. I would go outside at night at Aunt Maie's house and sit on the doorsteps looking at the heavens and thinking I wonder if those same stars are over Walter Reed where mama is.
I started blogging not realizing maybe some folks other than my kin folks and friends would ever even read it. I have no titles, no fame, no political interest other than my freedom to vote so I really have little to offer. I did win the spelling bee in the 8th grade. That was my last year in our little town cause mama died prior to my starting the 9th grade. The memories are implanted in the "pleasure" part of my brain's memory bank. Very, very sentimental to me. So, in 1990 I was invited to a class reunion of what would have been mine too if mama hadn't died. Oh I was so excited... until I got there. I felt like I had a sign around my neck saying "It wasn't my idea to invite you" as I did not feel welcome. They had not had to walk in my shoes or I don't think they would have been so blatantly rude. That was the last and only class reunion I have ever attended.
I also made All State in basketball my senior year; as well as played on the East-West AllStar Girl's Basketball team for North Carolina. Other than being a tad over 6' tall , I am just an ordinary peon.
I enjoy each and every comment I receive on my blog, they all are welcomed and all having merit in their opinions and I thank you. I have to be me....Sure I see things I might wanna do or have on my blog. It might happen one day. I choose to be me, because as we all know, there are the good, bad and the ugly. This ole dog can still learn new tricks, but only if she wants too and it also takes longer. I love that freedom and with having age-- lots of times, been there, done that, applies frequently.
What you see is what you get and I thank God for allowing me to be myself and making new friends along the way in such a short period of time. For anything that starts, it has its stops now and then and that is the where I am today. Finished my blog! Good day. God Bless!

WHAT I have learned today...

This has been one of the busiest days I have had on my computer in quite some time. It began last night and continued today. Why you ask? Fun, just pure ole timey fun with new friends and fellow bloggers. One thing I have learned in my short time of blogging is that true bloggers are good folks and will offer you help in a New York minute. Although I am a "newbie" at all this blogging stuff, I was able to help one of the helpers today. Thank you Ron for our many talks today. "Rat" is a blogger- helper at the help site, as well as keeping, I think I counted, 4 blogs going. He is from Chigger, Texas; can't say that I have ever heard of it and knowing "Rat" he might be from Tim Buck Two. Along the way I met Michael, a retired English professor from New Jersey. I highly recommend Michael's blog as it is very spiritual and makes for some rewarding and moving reading. His blog is Bro. Michael-G's Prayers and I know he will just be delighted to have you visit his website. He needed some help getting him a site counter and luckily I was able to help him. I cannot forget MamaMouse either, a great blog she does have. She is very creative, so drop in and visit her site as well at ~~MamaMouse's Chatter~~ cause I know she will appreciate it. Blogging these few weeks has brought me so much joy and the chance to meet some wonderful folks. I have met more nice people in one day blogging than I did in almost a year of message boards. Reckon bloggers are just a better breed of people is the way I see it. They are out to help folks rather than hurt them.
Ya'll will never believe what I also learned today. For all ya'll LL Bean customers, I found out today that LEON LEONWOOD (L.L.) BEAN sewed leather uppers to rubber overshoe bottoms in 1912 to keep his feet dry on deer hunting trips. He sold a few pairs to friends and neighbors and as word spread, orders for his boots came pouring in. He turned it into an outdoor clothing business. Source of this information came from Jerrell today. He read it in his "Uncle John's GREAT BIG Bathroom Reader book, better know as Jerrell's "throne" book. Just full of useless knowledge that all men need to know. Since I am a regular LLBean contributor, it makes me look forward to wearing my new LLBean boots I ordered recently when it gets winter time.
I am amazed at how I retain all this knowledge long enuf to tell you all about it.
Today is normally hump day but since most folks are on vacation this week I guess it is just Wednesday. Another good day that the Lord has made!
Until later, God Bless!

It's emails like this that makes my blogging worthwhile...

I received this email today and I am sharing with you. Thank you Merle!
God Bless!

Dear Claudia

I have just visited your site. I am just starting to search the web, etc. And I think that I would also like to have my own blog but are not so sure of how things work and what are the costs involved. You write very well and I am not sure if I would be any good at it. How do you know whether and how many people read your blog?

Kind regards

Merle Martin
38yrs
female
Leo
Housewife
Cape Town, South Africa

A Very Good Day

Today is possibly a first for me, I have just now sat down at my computer long enough to read my emails. I started some research last night about 9 p.m. which is late for me to be on the pc. I was looking for a way to tell if my 63 year old flag was made by the widely known flag maker Annin & Co. This flag is proudly displayed in a flag box made my husband. It draped the coffin of my dad who was killed in 1943. Since Army issued flags were made by Annin, I am assuming this flag was as well. Without having to unfold the properly folded flag, I have looked and all I can find is a Stock # and dimension of the flag, which is 5' x 9½'. I don't give up easily, so if the sun comes up in the morning, I shall continue my search. Along with the flag search, I am gathering information on the 10th Mountain Division of which my dad was with when he was stationed at Camp Carson, Colorado. So far it has made for some interesting reading. I never liked history in school, but I cannot get enough of it now.
That also reminds me of my son, Jeff, who we were pleased to have for lunch today. Jeff majored in History in college and his sophomore year his dad told him that he might as well not go to college if he was only going for a degree in history. Thankfully, Jeff changed his major and got a BS in Math. He has learned alot about the world through having a map of all the countries on his new shower curtain. He has learned from showering where many countries are located, the cities, etc. Makes Moo want a new shower curtain.
As always, it was a joy to have him home and talk and visit with him. His dad and I had a good time with Jeff as we always do. Later in the afternoon we had a pleasant, but surprised visit with one of Jerrell's uncles. He is the youngest of the 13 children and one of the only two remaining. He is only 10 years older than Jerrell. He shared some "memories" of the ones gone on and the hilarious things that some of them did. He is so much like Jerrell's late dad, not only in looks, but in the way he talks and even his shape and mannerisms. He left and I felt so much better having had that time to spend and share many laughs with him.
I am now winding down and just before hitting the cliner. Soon it will be 8 on Sunday night and Kevin will be calling. I look forward to hearing about their two week business/vacation trip. Also interested to know if the quest for a beach house at Hilton Head Island, SC is still on. I will be sure and tell him that Hilton Head is in progress of passing No Smoking in all restaurants and all businesses, which will be a plus factored into their decision making. Oh, we don't mind. We can go outside.
Tomorrow will be here soon. Until...... God Bless!

To Blog or Not?

MY 5 NEW BOYFRIENDS

I am seeing five gentlemen every day. As soon as I wake up, Will Power helps me get out of bed

Then I go to see John.

Then Charlie Horse comes along, and when he is here he takes a lot of my time and attention.

When he leaves, Art Ritis shows up and stays the rest of the day. He doesn't like to stay in one place very long, so he takes me from joint to joint.

After such a busy day, I'm really tired and glad to go to bed with Ben Gay.

What a life!

Oh yes, I'm also flirting with Al Zymer.

P.S. The preacher came to call the other day. He said at my age I should be thinking of the hereafter. I told him: "Oh, I do it all the time. No matter where I am in the parlour, upstairs, in the kitchen, or down in the basement, I ask myself: "Now, what am I here after ?"