My boys have been sending me stuff to uplift me.
They knew I had been feeling down and had been starting to be afraid.
One of the things Matt sent was the link Craig's List
and an ad he had placed in keeping with the changes
he's making in his life.
I liked the Haiku page on Craig's List so I wrote one.
Later, I learned that I didn't follow the rules. Oh well...
MOM'S FIRST HAIKU
Old skin. Old bones.
If I could trade
I wouldn't go back!
The Supreme Court is messing with State's Rights again.
This time it was not to protect the equal rights of the individual, nor to promote the general welfare.
They did not vote to insure our unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
This decision protected the right of Oil Companies and Auto & Truck manufactures to make more profit!
In California we enforce strict emissions standards for a reason.
We want to breathe!
It's VERY HOT here! I am ready for it to cool down.
The breezes are coming from the wrong direction and the world smells.
The smell is coming from the nearby refineries. I wish we lived closer to the ocean today. I always want to live closer to the ocean. We are not that far, but we don't usually take the time to drive a few miles and just be there. Now that is just plain silly.
Last weekend, some dear friends drove down to see us and take us to lunch. After lunch we drove a few minutes further ... stayed for awhile overlooking the blue water, feeling the heavenly breeze and smelling the unique scent of the sea. Every time I do that, i wonder why I don't go over more often. Just to be there. It's not that far. Maybe this weekend.
CHECK OUT HOW TO BE A GOOD WIFE.
Thanks, Heidi for sharing this gem.
Hard to believe some of us actually believed this stuff.
Brain washed.
.........
FINALLY
I had to pass on something shared by a classmate in an e-mail today....
"All of us could take a lesson from the weather.
It pays no attention to criticism."
An interesting conversation began while I was sitting with my mouth wide open in the dentist's chair. My dentist wondered out loud; "Where is the hottest place on Earth?" I wanted to answer, but both she and her assistant's hands were in my mouth at the time. I grunted. I was thinking about the core. She then said; "I guess that would be at the molten core at the center of the earth." I grunted in agreement.
But then I thought, that was not on the earth. That is in the earth. She and the assistant continued to work. I tried to keep my tongue out of the way. But was dying to add my two sense.
So I am thinking about the hottest temperature. I knew I had heard that it has gotten to be 120 degrees in some places. So I write 120 with my hands. She said "One hundred. I couldn't make out the rest?" I write a big 20 in the air. She gets it. I'm thinking. It must get hotter. I think I once read that it was hotter somewhere.
The dentist continues musing. "It must get hottest in the desert. But maybe it is in the tropics around the equator." I'm thinking it probably feels hotter in the in the tropics. The dental assistant gives her opinion. She suggests Death Valley. "Yes, it must be the desert. Probably the Sahara." the dentist says. She talks about people baking in the desert and tells me about a program she once saw where a woman was a survivor of an air crash in the desert near Death Valley. Though out the strange conversation, I continue to add my ideas. Unfortunately they continue to be indecipherable.
I am finally able to speak for a moment. I say "People in the desert wear clothing that completely covers their bodies. Maybe the dry heat doesn't feel as hot as places where the humidity is great." She agrees. We talk a little about humidity. But then the three of us kept discussing where it could be the hottest.
I say. "I wish I had my computer. We could find out the temperature at the hottest place on earth in an instant." She says "Yes."
By now my tooth is now repaired. I am at a point in my life when even old fillings are even going. We say our good byes and I leave the office. But I am now obsessed with a desire to know the hottest temperature & place on Earth. I have a few errands to run. Before I leave the parking lot though, I call Pete and ask him if he knows the answer. He was at Physical Therapy. He suggested Death Valley. Wasn't sure about the temperature.
I run my errands and forget about it until a little bit ago. The clock said it was 10:37 PM. I get up from bed and come into my office. I check Google. First hit, I find it. Very cool!
I love it that someone else starts thinking about some little obscure things the same way I do. I can't wait to call my dentist tomorrow and tell her the answer.
By now if you have read this far, you have probably Googled it for yourself, but in case you haven't, the hottest place on Earth is El Aziza, Libya. The hottest recorded tempurature is 136 degrees fahrenheit. Death Valley comes in second with 134.
I started this yesterday, but now it's tomorrow. Even though the post time says it is yesterday. Why does it do that? There is the Moon again. I can see his face. Just like the illustrations out of a nursery rhyme. Oh Oh, there I go again. Better stop.
Heidi always has something interesting to say.
And, she always says it economically with just a few words.
I wish I could do that!
See what she has to say
about the feelings generated by seeing the movie
Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind.
This is Pete's pick for our next movie.
I guess I'd better bring lots of kleenex.
I'll let you know what we think.
.........
Michele recently told us in The Horror and the Irony that they turned off the TV. She has been telling me that she wants to continue, at least in part, to keep the TV off.
Even though Turn Off The TV Week is over.
More power to her.
Not easy these days.
Mister P ran! No, another Mister P. He just has a good strong name. He's a pretty neat guy too.
My Michael tells us about buying a CD after hearing a clip of it by linking to Boing Boing. I checked out this neat site and found the Lady Ready Chair. This made me laugh.
That's all. Time to watch some mindless TV. Of course, I always think there is something good in this stuff.
(A sure way to stop the tears.)
Needed:
One crying child
One small glass jar with a tight lid.
Method:
1. When encountering crying child, first make sure he or she is all right.
2. Apply healing kisses.
3. If this does not make it all better, grab a jar.
4. Place the jar just below the child's eye.
5. Attempt to catch 10 tears.
6. Once you have collected exactly 10 tears, tightly close the lid.
7. Put in a safe place and wait until the tears form into a diamond.
Rules: Strict compliance necessary for favorable results.
1. All ten tears must be naturally occurring.
2. All ten tears must come from the same occasion.
....Tears may not be accumulated over time.
3. Tears may not be brought about deliberately for the purpose of making a diamond. No use of any method or irritant to deliberately generate tears allowed.
4. No Acting to produce tears allowed.
.......................
Catching Tears
Today we spent the early part of the day packing boxes for shipment to Ghana. The boxes were filled with donations collected by members of our Spiritual Family and generously given by many kind people. Everything packed is checked, sorted and counted. The donated goods are then boxed by type, and the excess air suctioned out. The boxes are then sealed and labeled by content.
This is the last time we will get together for this purpose until after the summer trips are taken. At least, that's the plan. About 100 more boxes were packed today.
It's always fun to do anything with these wonderful people. There is always much food and laughter. I especially enjoy seeing the children do their part.
Today after the last box was packed and the floors had been cleared of clutter, a few of us were doing some last minute clean-up in order to return the home to a state of normalcy.
Three little girls started playing in the now empty family room, with two exercise balls belonging to the owner of the home. All of a sudden, one of the girls started crying. No other adults seemed to be around.
I went over to the child. I am a Mom after all. The little one told me that her sister had bonked her in the head with a ball. Her sister's apologies were not enough to bring an end to the tears. I gave the child several quick Grandma style kisses on the sore noggin, but they didn't seem to help. Then I remembered the Tear Jar.
I told the little girl that I would be right back. I couldn't find a jar, but grabbed a plastic cup and held it up to one of her eyes. I asked her to try to get 10 tears into the cup. If she could, we would find a jar and put them it. She and her sister were intrigued.
I explained the theory and enlightened them to the rules. Answered their ingenious questions. "No. Tupperware or other containers will not work!" The tears must be sealed in a glass jar.
Unfortunately, she was unable to get out even one more tear to drop into the glass. Never fails.
I have attempted to make a diamond this way many times. In all the years, neither my boys nor the granddaughters or any other child could sustain the flow of this precious liquid long enough. Not through lack of trying.
OK. My clip-on bed lamp broke.
I went out to buy a new one.
No luck.
I started calling around.
No luck.
(You used to find these inexpensive items in every store.)
So, I checked online.
I found some dealers.
I ordered four because they only last so long and you never know.
Good.
A few days later, I receive an e-mail from the dealer.
They are out of stock.
The manufacturer has discontinued this item. OK.
I look again, find another dealer and ordered four. Slightly different style.
The lamps arrived today.
I put the three back-ups in a cabinet.
I take one of the lamps out of its box and prepare to put it on the headboard. A label needs to be removed from the lamp.
The label says:
CAUTION: Handling the cord on this product will expose you to lead, a chemical known to the State of California to cause (cancer, and) birth defects or other reproductive harm. Wash hands after handling.
I threw caution to the wind, clipped on the lamp, put in a light bulb and plugged it in. I did wash my hands after completing the task. Am I in danger?
...............
I CAN'T BELIEVE I AM EXCITED ABOUT GLASSES!
Today, I went by to pick up my new extra-light spectacles with Silhouette frames with Varilux blended lenses. They cost a pretty penny. But, since until now, I have had to keep three sets of spectacles, I guess it's worth it. I wish I had them last week when I had some sort of eye infection. I have them on now. They take a little getting used to. Moving on
SPEAKING OF GLASSES
When I was in Junior High the time came when I could no longer see the blackboard sitting in the front row. My mother took me to the eye doctor. Dreaded glasses were ordered. In the 50's we wore black horn rimmed frames with pointy edges. I hated them. For many years I wore them only in class and when we were at the movies. I would whip them off immediately after and walk around smiling and waving to everyone, just in case. I got to know people by the way they moved, by the unique rhythm of their bodies. In those days, it WAS generally accepted that "Men don't make passes at girls who wear glasses."
It got harder and harder to see. No mind. I was a teenager and too interested in boys to want to don these awful things when I didn't have to. When I started to drive at 18, my license had the statement: "Must wear corrective lenses."
I met Pete during my second year of college. I was 19. We started dating. I think I started to love him when the day he said of my glasses. "Put them on and keep them on!" Of course, I didn't at first.
Today was Earth Day.
Did you go outside to look around at the jewel that is our home?
I was out, but didn't take much time to really look at the geogeous day....Stayed busy with errands and such.
It's too bad that we often forget, in our busyness, to take a few moment to just appreciate.
It is dark now. But i can see the crescent Moon with Venus just above it. Bright and Beautiful. I guess we are suppose to see Mars too, but I can't see the war planet. Maybe that's a good sign.
If you know where to look you might see this. I don't know where to look. More reasons I need to take an astronomy class or at least join a club. And, maybe get a telescope.
...With a little help from my friends,
I'm finally coming out of the blue funk I was in for too long.
I was lost in a web of fear, self doubt and worry.
But I am better now.
In fact, the Light is shining brightly on this rainy day here in LA!
Funny, how easily we can slip into gloom
when everyone else is seeing the sun.
More Later.
OK. I'm catching up on reading other people's blogs.
Following Mike's links, I look at his friend, Joe's new blog, I was interested in what he had to say about his co-workers.
This led me to check out something that was said on my new favorite TV show, Wonderfalls. I link to the website and follow comments, only to learn that FOX has cancelled this wonderful and unique new show. I am yelling "NO! NO!" Pete checks to see what's wrong. I tell him.
Since I have always been one to talk to inanimate objects, I was thrilled to see something like this on TV. I LOVE WONDERFALLS! I am bummed! So now I have another reason to be mad at this network. I want the DVD of the season, but hate the thought that FOX might earn some more money when I buy it.
.............
Heidi, in Blood and Rain, tells us that there is a word for the amazing smell that follows a rain. It is petrichor (PET-ri-kuhr), meaning "the pleasant smell that accompanies the first rain after a dry spell".
She also tells us about her first experience with giving blood. The first time I gave blood I had an experience like the fainting woman. The nurses weren't very sympathetic in the Sixties.
At that time, I had no fear and wasn't concerned about having blood taken. I wasn't afraid, and it never occurred to me that I would get light headed. Pete and I were already married, and he gave blood routinely.
I volunteered to give blood at work and sat comfortably while it was being drawn. After eating the cookie and drinking the milk I was given, I got up to go back to the job. The world spun around in ways it's not supposed to. Everything started to fade. An awful afternoon.
After that, I never wanted to give blood again. But, with Pete's enthusiastic urging, I tried again 20 years later. I went in with some hesitation, but wanted to face my fear for a good cause.
Everything was fine while the blood was being drawn. Relieved, I got up to go. The world started spinning. Embarrassed again! A couple of weeks later, i got a call from the Red Cross. The person on the phone told me that my blood was unusable and not to give blood again. They wouldn't give me any information about the problem, but did tell me to go see my doctor. I did. He couldn't find anything amiss.
I never found out what was wrong with my blood ... or why I got so dizzy. I've never attempted to donate blood again. There is a part of me that feels some relief that they don't want it, but there is another part of me that feels like a failure because I can't.
Pete is a regular giver. Over the years, the Red Cross has called him numerous times. He is O Positive, and his blood contains a certain factor that is good for premature babies. (By now he has given around 8 gallons.) This makes me proud, vicariously.
....
One more of my favorite products has been discontinued. Darn.
....
On a happy note...
I received a call tonight from someone who did not know that about my recent injury. I was able to laugh about it. And, i was able to go to See's to get some Easter goodies and to the market. Pete drove. We had a good dinner.
Pete is getting better and stonger and it looks like he will be able to go to Sri Lanka and Ghana after all.
A relative called with good news and an uplifted manner. That made me happy.
It is great to feel happy again. I hope this lasts. I've been down for a while. Maybe, it's the Chocolate. That's it! I haven't had any Chocolate for a long time. Or, maybe it's the Sugar. I was Sugar and Chocolate deprived.
It makes me so mad!!!
They keep discontinuing or changing all my favorite products.
This has been going on for a couple of years.
I don't know if these companies are having financial trouble
or they just don't think they have a big enough share of the market.
It's a shame because once a company loses a loyal customer base,
they have lost a great deal.