The Times are A-Changin'

Here in the midwest we enjoyed Spring on Saturday. By Sunday it was colder and overcast but Easter was a brilliant day, for all the right reasons - faith! Here we are on Tuesday with the temperatures rising and it seems as if I'm destined to get outside and start the seasonal yard work. The dogs have all been out for HOURS rather than MINUTES and that's a great sign. Not only do they get more exercise, they are getting groomed longer, and are toning up their muscles as they romp, they sleep splendidly each night. It was 6:45 a.m. when we arose this morning, a far cry from the usual 5 or 5:15 a.m. I probably look better too :-)

Still, how about some snaps of what was hiding under the snow which graced us with its presence a week ago yesterday?

 This one is a Lenten Rose and I wasn't sure it would be blooming in time since Easter was early this year. It came through though!

This is everyone's spring favorite, the mighty crocus. We have very few of them left as I think the critters dig under and eat the bulbs. Not our critters of course - the ones which live outside. When we see a blossom pop up we're delighted.

Both of these were spotted just a couple of days ago when I was outside shaking dog hair out of throw rugs that had been used to collect mush and mud being tracked in over the last week. Anyone relate to that? I'd write more but there are floors to scrub, dog treats to bake, and thanks to give!

P.S. Here's a shot of 2 of the 6 in residence. Photo was taken less than a week ago. Little White Dog (Harmony Victoria) is wearing her new "peace sign" tee shirt. Baxter Cyclone wants to make something of it. She apparently wants to keep the tee shirt on and to herself.

One Full Moon, Eight Dogs, and a Strange Cat

4 a.m. is not a great time to get up. Especially true if there's no sound reason to do so, it tends to make one need more make-up and feel hungry at odd hours. I wish we had a turkey to put in the oven and roast.

Nonetheless, here I am. OK, it's 5 a.m. but I have been awake for an hour, composing this in my mind.

There's a full moon and the dogs know it. All 8 of them (ours plus 3 visitors) and their additional personalities. We know there's a good dog/bad dog for each of them. Who else shows up on these full moon nights? I'll tell you. One new strange, stray, long-haired black cat. Lovely. Just what we need - another reason to be territorial.

And, we all know dogs will go back to sleep instantly, as soon as they get what they want, usually kibble, out, and a little attention. Then they lick themselves inappropriately, drop over on your personal space, and start with what gets us every time, "Oh, look how cute! He's dreaming." or "Aren't her little dream whimpers sweet?" Uh-huh.

But I'm up. I did mention that, didn't I? Short of making coffee or taking a dog for a drive to an all-night store to get the abovementioned turkey, there isn't much else to do other than write in the blog. (Sorry, don't take it personally.)

Actually when you read this you should count your blessings that we haven't crossed paths in some other way. If I go out somewhere today I know at least I, and probably others, will write notes to me and pin them to my shirt so that when I get home I can read them aloud to the four-legged culprits. They all start something like this:
Your person was not in the best of form today. Perhaps a nap, providing a little more sleep, would be beneficial. She seems a bit disturbed and grumpy.

Do yourself a favor. If you see a crazed female who needs a makeover, trolling the grocery store as if she has the blind nibblies, and perhaps even talking to herself and wearing her tee shirt inside out, give plenty of room when nearby.

Beware, one full moon, eight dogs, and a strange cat can play with your mind.

A House Divided

...cannot stand. How ironic that this was said by the very man who financed the house in the street, Lincoln. See November 21st blog posting, please.

The chatter and clatter continues. Most recently the alderpeople decided to vote down what is now $279k to put in a foundation. When this first started I had heard the cost for the foundation was to be $150k. But, the economy sucks so I can understand the price change. The contractor may not have more work lined up yet.

The day after the vote to withhold the funding the radio was a-buzz with people yammering about this topic and showing how well-spoken central Illinois residents can be - not. If there is money to dish out, and I doubt there is, it should go to grammar rehabilitation programs. But, I digress.

So now what, we wait for the house to implode, crumble or reach a destination on its own? The folks who own the lot and structure face $1000/day fines from the owner of the moving firm if the "wheels" aren't returned by the 15th. They can't move it back where it came from as that land is quickly becoming a lovely plot of concrete with tasteful striping.

I say, re-route the street around the house, swapping the lot for the asphalt area, or just shorten the block. It's really not a busy through street at all and it would just extend the Lincoln tourist area. People need to walk more anyway. It'd be good for everyone.

So this Maisenbacher house won't be open for guests till things settle down and now the governor has thrown his propeller beanie hat into the mix by keeping his rarely kept word and closing down state attractions. Another house issue crops up in conversations all around town. That would be the now closed Dana-Thomas House in Springfield. It's a Frank Lloyd Wright design/construction and the Christmas highlight for many who annually trek there to see the house lit only by candles.

Frankly (no pun intended towards the late Mr. Wright), Bloggo should have just shut down the governor's mansion. No one lives there nor has anyone lived there since Hot Rod became governor. The tours are very limited and rarely annual journeys. That would save a lot of money in energy costs and staff costs. The wife likes Chicago and he's on a short leash we think. I like the city too but I live here. It works.

As for me and my house? Well, we remain in place and open for friends and relatives and the occasional wandering stranger.

Butt Measurement

That got your attention!
Well, if I had taken such a sensitive measurement at the beginning of August and again at the end I suspect there would be a bit of a spread. I am a confessed couch potato.
Olympics - watched 'em
DNC convention - watched it
RNC convention - plan to watch it
Even the dogs are beginning to think the television is another family member. After all, we pay a lot of attention to it!

But (no pun intended), the fact is, for the first time in ages I, like so many seasoned voters who regularly went through the motions of punching holes in IBM cards or pulling levers, sense the country is breathing excitedly about the opportunity we have. This is exhilarating. I look forward to learning who will be the VP nominee for Republicans so I can start to make my Ben Franklin list.

If you don't know what that list is, you may still have used one...it's listing all the pluses/pro's on one side of a paper and the negatives/no's on the other and see how they look side by side.

Bush wasn't ALL bad. Unfortunately we have some BIG issues he faced and/or brought on during his terms. I do like that he has convictions. I also think he's been ready to go back to the ranch for a couple of years.

The two new teams - well, I'm still not sure. It's hard to look at the energy behind one and yet not fully understand how we could do all that is being touted as the plan. Looking across the row I see too much "living in the past" and no sense of what reality is.

Throw 'em in together. Make 'em divvy up the work and budget. Oh, that's what Congress dies. HA! The fact is that the country is more complex and population is so large that one person really has her/his hands full. The president is a figurehead. The candidates need to stop saying "I will..." and start admitting "We will work towards..." "We are putting together a team now to begin working on..." "The long term plan is being implemented by a team...". A leader on either side needs to admit it takes a lot of believers, volunteers, dedicated staffers - all sorts - to get the pendulum swinging, the dinosaur up and moving, the energy flowing.

Anyway I look at it - it's great to see so much involvement, interest, and appreciation of our freedom of choice!

Where Did I Put My Blog?

Okay, the blog is where it always is. But what about the *^#) password? Well, who needs it? Finally my request to "recognize" me out here, has been granted by My Machine, or theirs. So now when I go somewhere, like that will happen with gas being liquid gold, I will need to dig out the password if I want to blog (will I?). There's just no pleasing some people.

Speaking of which (people, pleasing, blog - take your pick), I am VERY pleased to announce the publication of my WISH LIST. After all, isn't that one good reason to keep a blog: letting everyone have a piece of your mind? I could write it down and use it as a bookmark or something equally as vapid. But, here's the whole world, able to tune in and hear me out, only with their eyes not their ears, at this point.

So, blog WISH LIST ta-da!

1. More people with personal relationships with God
2. Improved personal relationship with God for myself
3. Less talk on my part
4. More action on my part
5. Better understanding of all the "other guys"
6. No more whine-y Americans

Am I dreaming? No, I can actually do something about the first 5 which is a sign of advancement or maturity. A few decades ago I would have yearned for "World Peace" and "End Hunger" - both which are awesome but lofty and apparently unachievable. My inspiration, FYI, would not have been "Gee, what will I say if I am a finalist in the Miss Anything contest?"

While making lists, how about one that addresses the title of this article? Where did I put my blog?

1. On the back of the toilet
2. Near the phone
3. In the car
4. Where it belongs
5. Left at the library

Oh, that would be my glasses, my car keys, my purse, the book I am reading, a myriad of other things. If you are nodding now you're in the same world of hurt I am in. Clearly my blog, like the force, is with me.

Junior High School

These past few days of listening to the "women's movement" leaders harangue the rest of us, who often are already liberated, about not voting for HRC because she is a female, has taken me back to Jefferson Junior High. Most of us recall it was the beginning of real groups of girls, linked together, books slung on hips or backs, arms intertwined (we could do that then without criticism or concern), whispering about boys. Has NOTHING changed? These ladies, if it is safe to call them that, are stuck in time and habits. Instead of English Literature and American History they strap on notebooks or laptops with rhetoric stored. And, they don't whisper publicly, they yammer.

Come on, women. Don't vote for someone because he or she is one sex or the other. Vote for stability and ability. Regard for potential is what we must consider for no one candidate has yet been tested as President. Bragger's rights may go to one candidate and the victory to another. So be it. When the new President steps into a meeting room with foreign dignitaries and non-dignitaries, or with non-foreign dignitaries or no-dignitaries (that's about everyone except the UFO passengers) we don't want that person to recite a litany of "I did, I have, I was..." but instead to discuss what will hold this world together longer.

It ain't about the outfit. It ain't about the grades, the boyfriend (husband), house, friends, hair, jewelry, books written, clubs, secrets kept or told...It ain't Junior High. Change was a big player in that age group and change is mentioned in the 2008 campaign. Make sure it's not the same kind of change. Voting is a brain thing. Use yours.

Did you ever notice...and more

...in advertisements or published photos featuring women that the women have their mouths open often? Not just a teensy bit but wide open, gaping. Check Oprah (bless her little heart): the covers of her magazine, habitually featuring her image, proudly display the inner workings of her mouth. Perhaps the casinos are the worst. That's because they do so many billboards.

Regardless, I have theorized that these are not flattering. Duh. Furthermore, perhaps the images are to make the woman's face look, what, thinner? If the intent is to express surprise, joy, excitement or some other uplifting emotion which then leads to reaching for the wallet or checkbook - ahhh, FAILED. We don't walk around with those expressions. They are not natural.

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OK, that's number 1. Next is a funny, as we used to say in "the day". Seems I chose to do a lot of baking, cooking, and candy making this year for the holidays. Two nights ago, rather than blogging, I made fudge; 4 chip fudge as it was listed. A full fridge meant the fudge chilled outside, covered with a slide on lid (this is important), stored under a chair. Shortly after my #1 guy "turned in" I heard racket on the front porch. A quick holler to the back of the house brought a response - man with guy - and I reported that someone was trying to enter the house.

Now, this is the holiday season and I had very appropriately covered the viewing hole in the door with a decoration thus preventing me from checking it out indirectly. I went for the direct look by opening the door. I saw a tail.

That meant opening the door further. A opossum was trying to knock the pan (remember it is covered) around so the lid would come off. Alas, no such luck. The fudge now is known as opossum fudge, the gun put away, and we had a good laugh about the variety of outcomes that this could have had.

If you just read this, while eating a piece of the fudge I made, be assured the lid was securely in place when the opossum left the porch.

Well, it's kinda funny.

Lastly, I'm considering suggesting to a couple of close friends that this be the last year we exchange gifts. We don't need them, as we've said each year. We went to consumables but this year that changed back to keepables. So before we have to give each other little magnets that state "Go now or forever hold your pee." or some other clever reminder of tending to our ages maybe we should cease. Or maybe there's a market for those messages and others and we could make a killing.