Every four years, the talking heads claim that this election is the dirtiest ever, that the language used is harsher than in years past.  That got me to thinking.  Is that true?

I’ve been reading old newspapers at GenealogyBank.com, concentrating on the Texas Revolution and Davy Crockett.  Davy was quite a character.  He had huge numbers of admirers, but also some detractors.  I’ll discuss him more in depth in later posts. Today I want to highlight this March 25, 1835 column in a Nashville newspaper.  The original thoughts were published in the Washington City Globe, under the Union section.

Davy and Andrew Jackson fought Indians together in younger days, but parted ways by 1835.  Jackson served as president 1829-1837.  Below is a transcription of the newspaper article, as I can’t post an actual picture of the copyrighted column.

“But as Davy Crockett has now become the favorite with those Nashville journals, we must expect them to repay the northern supporters of the President with insult.  They republish the letters of the Tennessee clown, who is made to father all the silly conceits which the Jack Downing letter writers of the Bank prepare, to throw ridicule and contempt on the President and the northern Republicans.  When the Nashville prints thus openly take such a person as Crockett into alliance, – a tool of the Bank who is taught to pronounce the President a tyrant and to wish his ribs turned into a gridiron in hell, &c, &c – we think that not much confidence is to be placed on their professions of friendship to the President.  And he would certainly be unwilling that those should give tone to public opinion in Tennessee, in regard to himself, who take their key note from Davy Crockett.”

Wish his ribs into a gridiron in hell.   Today these words would probably be interpreted as a death threat and Davy would already be deep in the bowels of the Secret Service.  Also see some North and South separation creeping in, and name calling on both sides.:Tennessee Clown. President a tyrant. Tool of the Bank. Such a person as Crockett.

I’ve got some more reading to do.  Talk later.

Today is the beginning of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  You know, when the world is pink-tinted and throngs of women (and some men thrown in) walk the streets of America to raise money for breast cancer research and treatment.

I bet that every reader here today can tell a breast cancer story.  You are a survivor, you had a cancer scare, you have a relative that has gone through cancer-hell, you lost your best friend to the disease.  I’ve had 5 immediate female relatives and several good friends fight breast cancer.  Some are survivors, some fought till the end.  I’ve done what I can to help but often wonder if there is more I could contribute.

About a year ago I discovered The Love/Avon Army of Women (AOW).  Here’s what they do:

“The Love/Avon Army of Women (AOW) is a unique program of the Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation, a 501 (c) 3 non-profit breast cancer research organization. The program is funded through a grant from the Avon Foundation for Women.  The AOW provides an opportunity for men and women to take part in breast cancer research studies aimed at determining the causes of breast cancer – and how to prevent it. The AOW is a groundbreaking initiative that connects breast cancer researchers via the internet with women who are willing to participate in a wide variety of research studies.  The goal of the Army of Women is to recruit ONE MILLION MEN AND WOMEN of all ages and ethnicities, including breast cancer survivors and those who have never had breast cancer.”

So want to know what you can do?  The AOW wants all kinds of people to join with them in researching and preventing cancer. Young, old, thin, overweight, moms, singles, male, female, cancer survivors, never-had-cancer folks, all colors of the rainbow, healthy eaters, junk-food eaters, those on hormones, those not-on-hormones, menopausal, peri-menopausal, still-having-period-gals.  You get the idea.  The AOW wants YOU!  When you sign with the Army of Women, you are NOT signing up for a study.  You are volunteering to be placed in a database, to be sent invitations to participate in studies, or let others who would qualify know about the studies.  Participants will be involved in important research to discover THE CAUSE of breast cancer – how to stop it before it starts.  You are FREE to say yes or no to any study, and there is no cost to you to participate.  These are also not clinical trials.

I joined the AOW and  I get periodic emails asking questions to see if I qualify for a study or if I know someone who might be interested in participating.  Sometimes the study is just an internet study, sometimes the AOW is looking for people in a certain geographic area, sometimes the study is a physical study like a blood test or swabbing your cheek.  Here are some current studies:

The Milk Study: Using Breast Milk to Screen for Breast Cancer and Assess Breast-Cancer Risk

Sleep, Circadian Hormonal Dysregulation and Breast Cancer Survival

Yoga for Breast Cancer Survivors: Effects on Fatigue, Immune Function, and Mood

Combination of Low-Dose Anti-Estrogens with Omega-3 Fatty Acids for Prevention of Hormone-Independent Breast Cancer

1,ooo,ooo.

The Army of Women

is asking for this many volunteers.

Please consider joining The Army of Women and spreading the news to your family, friends, co-workers, blog readers.  Here are ways for you to help:

• Join AOW today

• Recruit for AOW

• Tweet for AOW using #WritePink

• Update your Facebook status with: “I signed up to STOP breast cancer before it STARTS.  Have you?  Join today at www.armyofwomen.org, then copy and paste this status update as your own”.

• Share YouTube videos. One Voice Million in the Mirror Walk in the Park

Please join me by joining The Army of Women today and let’s gang-up on breast cancer.

With special love to Mom, Grandmother Ethel, Grandmother Myrtle, Pam, Aunt Adelle, Patricia, Brenda, Syl, Jill.

All writing property of LoneStarLifer. 2010.

I blogged about a book written by a woman who had cancer in her family here.  And did you know there is a special cleaning service for those going through chemotheraphy, no matter what kind of cancer.

The newest thing in wedding cake!

Last week, I asked my readers to go vote for my dear friends The Royers as their cafe was nominated for a big honor.

Thank you to all who voted and tweeted to help the cause.  Royers Round Top Cafe did not win the ultimate title of People’s Platelist.  That was most disappointing to me.

Royers caters weddings. This is a lip-smacking menu.

But, they are winners in my book and in my heart.  Entrepreneurial, generous, kind, loyal, bakers of the pies I love and crave.  You are WINNERS in my eyes, Royers.  (Big J, Little J & I got to sell pies in front of the cafe last Sunday, and I’m selling again this Saturday.   It’s crazy time in Round Top, otherwise known as Antique Week. I would never sneak a bite….)

Welcome to Royers Round Top Cafe

I offered to send a reader who helped with the voting a pie, and the winner is:

abitnerdy

If you did not win a pie, I’m sorry.  I wish I could ship a pie to everyone who commented.  But YOU can order a pie and have it shipped to yourself or someone you think needs a pie *and who doesn’t*.

All photos and writing property of LoneStarLifer. 2010.

Royers did not ask to do the pie giveaway and did not provide the pie that is being shipped to the winner.  I am paying for it with my very own money.

Well, hello there. I’ve been away, having a little nervous breakdown. My virtual eyes were bigger than my virtual tummy. Just substitute Snail Mail Notes, blogging, Facebook, Twitter, work, home, couponing, start of school with sports/homework and photography for a Sunday church potluck of roast, ham, turkey & dressing, mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, jello salad, homemade rolls with butter, cherry pie, peach cobbler with ice cream, chocolate cake and cheesecake, and you get the idea of how overwhelmed I was feeling. I think I will still be slow to jump right back in to the blog, but I have missed writing and hearing from you, my readers and commenters.

A Royers spread. NUM NUM!

I hate to jump right back in and ask a favor, but I have some dear friends who need your help. I’ve written about Royers Round Top Cafe (in Texas) on this blog before, and I still love ’em today. They are one of 18 finalists from around the country who are nominated for ABC Nightline’s People’s Platelist. You can vote once a day between now and Sunday. I KNOW, I am so so so behind on this. I would really appreciate you running over to the ABC site and voting for Bud Royer and Royer’s Round Top Cafe.

Royers at night

Now here’s the fun part. One of my lucky readers is going to win a fabulous Royers pie which will be shipped to you. Leave a comment below this post telling me you voted for Royers Round Top Cafe. This is ON THE HONOR SYSTEM since I can’t check, so I am trusting you!

*You can have 3 entries for voting, Friday, Saturday, Sunday.

*You can also leave more comment entries by tweeting about this contest. Be sure to come back here and leave a comment, showing when you tweeted.  Tweet something like:  PLZ Vote for Royers Round Top Cafe for ABC Nightline’s People’s Platelist. Best. Pie. Ever. http://bit.ly/aqjc1K

*One more way to enter: go to Royers website, check out their pies and come back here to comment and tell me what kind of pie you would choose if you win.

I’ll be back early next week to announce a winner, and a WINNER you will be if you get a pie delivered to your front door!
Sorry, this is US residents only.

All writing and photos property of LoneStarLifer. 2010.
I was not compensated in any way for this blog post.  The Royers do not even know I am writing this blog post, and I will pay for the giveaway pie myself.  I’m just doing this ‘cuz I love ’em.

Bud the PieMan

Thanks to those of you who were nice enough to read my review and enter the book giveaway.  I wish I had a book to give each of you as I think you would enjoy it.  Buy your copy or check the library, but do put this on your reading list.

The winner is:

Donna Albert

I’ll be in touch on how to get your book to you.  Thanks, again, to all who entered.  Check back with LoneStarLifer as I will be having more reviews and giveaways.

All photos & writing is property of LoneStarLifer. 2010.

I Faces photo challenge

BUT, I love this picture of Little J as this is his first time playing in the Gulf of Mexico and he was so enjoying racing the waves.  The water may not be as pretty as Florida or the Caribbean, but the smile on his face says it doesn’t matter.

See more beach fun at I Faces

All writing and photos property of LoneStarLifer. 2010.

A very young *young is relative* mom with a very young son.  I bet we have 100 pictures of Little J before he’s two months old!  And that was before digital cameras.  I’ve been going through the pictures, sorting and throwing away the duds, getting ready to send another batch to ScanDigital for scanning.   Why did I keep dozens of bad pictures, thinking I had to keep every shot that was taken.  I kept this one because I was having a GOOD HAIR DAY!

That little baby just turned 13 and started 7th grade.

For you younger mothers, let me share something from my heart.  You are stronger than you ever imagine you could be.  You WILL get through these days of scattered toys, spilled milk, temper tantrums, too little money and too little sleep, too many diapers, putting in and taking out of the car seat.  Take every giggle, every wet smooch, every book time, every quiet moment of love, every this-little-piggy-went-to-market and tuck them away in your heart.  Pull those treasures out and run your fingers over them when you think you cannot go one minute longer.  The past 13 years have alternately sped by and drug on, but each day is 24 hours and you don’t get that time back.

Little J, I am proud and honored to be your mommy.

P.S. If you are ready to start digitizing your photos, please give ScanDigital a try.  And even better…here’s a coupon code to get $20 off $100 of services.  Get ready.  Here’s the code. Rf448378

All writing and photos property of LoneStarLifer. 2010.

Look for more fab Wordless Wednesday posts here:

All writing and photos property of LoneStarLifer. 2010.