Meanderings in Peyton Place

When Push Comes To Shove

2009-08-26T07:55:00.003-05:00

Denise had been at her job for nearly fifteen years. When she started, it was just herself and the boss’s wife supporting a then half a million-dollar company. Now a decade and a half later, at close to seven million, she managed six others and had seen a lot of changes. She was even introduced to clients as the General Manager a time or two by the owner himself. But as time tells all, when a title is just a title it means little.

Over the years Denise had watched newly hired superstars get cars, expense accounts and perks too numerous to count. Outlay of cash was never in question if it were to ease their efforts; make their divisions more profitable. However, each time she would ask for upgrades in software, a new computer for one that had long ago outlived it’s usefulness it was like pulling teeth. She watched one or two of the other managers get compensated with “at cost” work around their homes. She had the company do work on her new home, that she paid for and after 13 years and 3 different attempts to resolve the issue of her front steps, they continued to pitch and sink and were now unusable. Was it a small thing? Yes, but small things over time add up.

On one occasion she had taken her car to a garage for inspection. The mechanic told her it would not pass. This was broke, that needed to be replaced etc. the entire bill would be around $2,700.00. She hadn’t been having trouble with her car and was suspicious. She brought it home and talked to her husband, who was usually less than supportive but on this occasion said he would take it to his mechanic and see what was going on. The outcome was significantly different. $2.45 for a new bulb and a turn or two of a wrench to tighten up the O2 sensor. She was enraged.

In restaurants it was her husband that was chatted up by the maître d’, if she dined alone she was stuck at a table in the corner by the kitchen. Taxi cabs, forget about it. She stood in the rain more times than she could count while the other guy got in the cab sporting a condecending grin.

The ultimate insult was when her husband left her for someone else. During her divorce he had the nerve to ask why she was surprised, afterall the other woman was a huge success in her field and she was no more than a glorified secretary and was obviously, after 15 years was never going really make anything of herself. That was the crushing blow, the catalyst of things to come.

Still groggy from the the anethesia a line from Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein came to mind. “When I found so astonishing a power placed within my hands, I hesitated a long time concerning the manner in which I should employ it". Sliding a hand under the hospital sheets for the first time, Dennis touched himself down there and smiled. Now he had his future firmly in his grip. His new job starts on Monday.

The Comeuppance

2009-08-20T09:38:00.004-05:00

At this intelligence, in which he seemingly evinced little interest, Mr. Bloom gazed abstractedly for the space of a half a second or so in the direction of a bucketdredger, rejoicing in the farfamed name of Eblana, moored alongside Customhouse quay and quite possibly out of repair, whereupon he observed evasively: "Everybody gets their own ration of luck, they say."

Four bodies had already been found. Weighted down, wrapped in sheets, their throats garroted by a burgundy ascot and dumped in the harbor. Judging from the condition of the women they had been there for some time. It would take time to identify them but Bloom’s instincts told him they were some of the missing prostitutes.

Across the channel at the end of the pier Mr. Bloom could see his nemesis Horace Blackstone III. Horace had always lived his life to suit himself and his dark pleasures. He had enough money to buy his way out of trouble. Drunk and disorderly, petty larcenies were just a few of the offenses skirted, all bought off with daddy’s money. This time would be no different, Horace thought smugly.

Bloom looked up just as another body was deposited on the pier. Cheryl Morgan, this one was still in good enough shape for him to recognize. She was a pretty girl and much to young to have ended up at the bottom of the harbor. She had no family, no one to morn her death; she was just another prostitute who paid for her sins with her life. When Bloom looked back to where Blackstone had been standing he had evaporated along with the mornings mist.

Mr. Bloom walked into the Haberdashery on Gold Street. He had a hunch. The ascot was of an exceptional quality and fabric. It wasn’t off the rack. Although the ocean water and rotting flesh had degraded the fabric he hoped Mr. Singer could identify it and more to the point who it had been made for. It was mere moments and Mr. Bloom had his answer. Stuffing the soggy ascot in his pocket he walked straight to Blackstone’s Brownstone. The maid informed Bloom that Mr. Blackstone was not in nor did she know when to expect him. Bloom turned away from the door and walked back along the waterfront. Something was off. He scanned the ships in the harbor, not sure what he was looking for. Just then the clipper Lucks Lady sailed out from behind the Eblana. Standing on the bow was Horace, smiling from ear to ear giving Bloom a vigorous wave. Blackstone was getting away with murder. But what he didn’t realize, due to his grandstanding, was that he was only inches away from the bow of the frigate Comeuppance. The jolt sent Blackstone tumbling ass over teakettle, catching him as he tumbled in the bowline. Now it was Blooms turn to grin. Blackstone swung, hung by the neck, bouncing against the sides of the boat. Luck sure is a fickle mistress.

The Torcedores

2009-08-13T14:44:00.007-05:00

Since the age of eleven Lucho had worked in the factory hauling tobacco leaves off the carts as they pulled up to the dock. Now at seventeen, with his newly discovered talent he had ascended the ranks and had been given the title of Torcedores, expert cigar roller. It was a big deal. Many of his relatives worked there too, his father, two uncles and three brothers, all just laborers. All of them, with the exception of Lucho belonged to the Federacion de Grupos Anarquistas de Cuba and fought against the Caudillo, Gerardo Machado. It wasn’t that Lucho didn’t believe in the cause but he had seen first hand the some of the “accidents” of those who did belong. In his own way he thought of himself as a talisman, being the only one not in the Federacion and being the owners favorite Torcedores, so far his family had escaped any overt retribution and he wanted to keep it that way but he also wanted out. Out of the mediocre existence that his family had lived in for generations but most of all out of Cuba.

Each evening Lucho would walk to meet his best friend outside the gates of his home. They would make their way down to the cantina where they would entertain the rest of the patrons. Lucho played his guitar while his friend would croon for the ladies. There they thrived. He and his friend were complete opposites on the outside. Lucho came from humble factory workers, his best friend the son of the Mayor of Santiago. Lucho was not what some would call attractive but he was no slouch either, he could pass in the daylight. His friend on the other hand always had a bevy of beauties buzzing around him. On the inside though, the playing field was far more level. It was their love of music that erased their socio-economic differences and made them equals. It was also their desire to find a better life that kept then tight. They spent hours talking about the what if's.

Lucho would never forget that morning in June 1934, the day the factory burnt to the ground. An "accident" was the official report. As he walked towards the charred remains the air was thick with smoke; pungent, acrid, it smelled of Machado. At that same time, three blocks away the Caudillo’s men arrested the Mayor, stripped him of his office and stole most of their property. The family it was reported was being deported.

Lucho ran the three blocks to his friend’s home just as the gates swung open. He ran straight into the front end of the Mayors Cadillac V-16, which knocked him on his ass, nearly knocking him out. His friend, his best friend, the one he thought he might never see again, stuck his head around the open back door with a smile a mile wide. Not a word passed between them, just seconds. Lucho scrambled to his feet and jumped in. He would write his folk on the way to Miami.

Pulling his Coconut Fedora lower on his forehead Lucho, Desi and the rest of the band walked onto the stage and the crowd erupted. But with the passage of the years Lucho Abril Marroquin was to tell himself that of all the instructive experiences of that morning the most unforgettable had not been either the first or the second accident but what happened afterwards.

500 Words#2-A Little Early

2009-07-30T16:36:00.004-05:00

I am taking tomorrow off from work. I contacted the all powerful OZ and he said I could have the sentance a bit early (Thanks Dive) as I will have limited access to a comptuer over the weekend. So here is my contribution.

The Stranger

The whistle snuck up on him as he walked down Reflection Street, a tune from his twenties, “We all fall in love, but we disregard the danger, something, something, something, why were you so surprised that you never saw the stranger? Did you ever let your lover see the stranger in yourself” Then, suddenly, with great clarity and precision, he saw Bartleby's window and the blank brick wall before him. The whitewash that obscured the view inside was the glaringly similar to his own outlook, the blankness of the wall, not unlike his heart. Bartleby’s had succumbed to the inevitable and gone out of business. Leaving an empty shell of what had once been thriving, alive and magical. Those similarities to his life pissed in his ear as he wandered home.

She had come into his life unexpectedly, a coworker, no one special. Oh, how wrong he’d been. She shook him up, his insides liquefied. He was no longer in control of himself, no longer solid and no longer blank. She tore away the veil of his run-of-the-mill life and she had seen him for the man he was and as no one else ever had, not even himself. She has awoken the stranger. That year they spent together, the promise they made to each other while coupled on the sofa that Labor Day afternoon were real and deep and at the time, life altering for both of them. She had moved him, touched him, consumed him and oh how she made his teeth rattle!

But his life was set. The job, the one he had been chasing for year was finally his. After all a job is what defines the man; at least that is what his father had always told him. It was at the core of his self-esteem. His family; the status quo. A stay at home wife who no longer acknowledged his needs or most of the time his existence, two great boys, a sprawling house in the ‘Burbs, a couple of dogs and a the brand new sports car. You know, all that things that humans are supposed to accumulate to measure their worth. From the outside it worked. The twelve plus hours a day he spent between work and commuting left little time for a home life, which, since her he had come to realize was exactly why he kept those hours. It all came down to less awake time. Less time to be bored, less time to think about the life he had worked so hard to create and that had turned so unbearably mundane. The house, his stuff, the outward manifestation of his success, he was finally better off than the Jones. For once his dad was proud. But she was always on his mind and just hearing her voice could send shock waves to that place that lay dormant in his everyday life, sending him on a wild ride of heat and heart. To her and only her he’d showed the stranger, with her and only her, he had been alive.

He never intended for it to happen, he never expected he would have to make a choice. In the end, when that choice had to be made, he like Bartleby’s took whitewash to his heart, rebuilt his wall, moved the dog and settled into his recliner, because when all was said and done, for him it was all about the stuff.

500 Words- Ok really 556

2009-07-28T09:22:00.003-05:00

Well, count me in on this one at least. Here goes...

And again next day a thinly populated sky, losing its blue to the heat, would melt overhead, and the car inside would be a furnace when we got in again, and the road shimmered ahead, with a remote car changing its shape mirage-like in the surface glare, and seeming to hang for a moment, old-fashionedly square and high, in the hot haze. As the road crawled away we continued to chase it down. Mile after mile, the air clawing its way down our throats trailing its aridness into our chests and absorbing what moisture remained in our lungs. The confinement of the car was intolerable for Lo. I could see it in her eyes, that is, when she would look my way. The window being her constant companion, she very rarely took her eyes off the brownness that seemed to absorb the life around us, let alone speak. This bareness was taking its toll. The insufferable length of time caged in this heap of rusting metal was seeping into her, seeming to incinerate what was left of her fragile frame. As the cars ahead shifted shape in the burning heat of the day so did Lo.

As we plunged through the cleavage of Twin Mountains just outside of Sapulpa the heaviness that had weighted us down began to lift. Mile after mile of nothingness had crushed itself against our bodies like apples in a press, leaving behind bruised flesh darkened by the blistering sun that spit on our skin as we hung out the windows trying to catch some relief from the furnace in which we rode. Just as the wipers stripped away the murk that collected on the windshield, the gradual greening of the roadsides gave me hope that Lo too would brighten. She never spoke much anyway, but the 200 miles of silence was loud. I knew her well enough that I took no offense, knowing it best to keep my thoughts to myself. Her tongue being pointed, adding the nothingness of our drive would lend a sharpness that I was not likely to recover from. The heat always took its toll on her.

So, I drove and she sat, quietly mulling whatever thoughts tripped around her skull. With her it was impossible to tell exactly what was in there and the fact that when she did open her mouth you were never sure where the conversation would land you, I usually just went along for the ride. Not unlike our trip thus far. Odd comments, disjointed to the moment seemed to be her favorite way to pass the time. Randomness, not unlike the way we had met was the force behind her thoughts. She did it to amuse herself. If my car had not broke down, in that town, on that day, at that hour, just as she was ending her shift at the diner, I would be in LA. Alone. But randomness insinuated itself upon me that day, stripping away what anyone would consider an ordinary life. If anyone had told me six months ago that I would fall this hard, this fast and this deep for a woman I had literally bumped into on the street, in a shit-hole little town on the outskirts of life, I would have thought them mad.

For Dive and Katie

2009-06-22T08:16:00.001-05:00

God Bless

Before They Are All Gone

2009-06-22T08:00:00.003-05:00

My mother and I spent an enjoyable friday evening with HIM

There is something to be said for singing along with the man who wrote this.

Just Sharing

2009-06-12T09:43:00.004-05:00

May 29, 2009 was my parents 50th wedding anniversary. As is customary with a milestone of this magnitude most families would have had a big hurrah for this great event. Most families is not what we are. As most of you know my dad has Alzheimer's as did his dad. We have a photograph of my grand parents on their 50th anniversary and at that time we were just beginning to hear about the difficulties my Noni was having with my Big Pa. Looking at the photograph now, knowing what was brewing you can see the difference in cognition in his eyes. When we, myself and my brothers started discussing what might work, my mother was included as she is really NOT a big fan fare type of person. She simply stated that she didn't want a picture of them like "THAT". No big party, a small cookout with only family would surf ice. So, that is what we did. Three hours of celebrating for 50 years of dedication. Somehow it seems piddly and so very insignificant for the sacrifice and devotion my parents have given not only to their three children but also to their blood and marriage-included grandchildren.
So, I wrote this for them, printed it and had it framed-of course it took three frames.
It made my mom cry in front of people which pissed her off and my dad laugh in a spot or two.
Just thought I would share so you all wouldn't think I have left the planet. Sorry it is long and you all know I have no grammar skills!

Mom and Dad
Five decades now have sang their song
Some years seemed quick and some were long
From a chance meeting one day on the street
Grew a great love, so strong and so sweet
Each year has brought change to both their lives
He her husband and She his wife

Their journey together had just began
When off to Huntsville they both ran
He to serve our great nation
And in those first years came a new “Creation”
They named him Paul, their first born son
From that day on he was the One
A few years there and home they came
They’d make a life where the streets were the same
The same as they ran when first they met
Where their family ties were strong and set.

He worked in a shop to support his new wife
She in the Halls helping bring forth new life
Friends were made and life went fast
In another year, a new chapter cast
A baby girl, they name her Leslie
Her Big Pa John became quite testy
He did not like the name they picked
But she won him over lickity split

They found a new home with room for four
On top of a hill but still close to the shore
Between both of the Grand Parents this little house sat
With them close by, they helped with this and with that
In no time at all that house was a home
They all settled in and the kids could roam

Life had it’s own rhythm, it’s ebb and it’s flow
The kids getting older, teeth now out in a row
The kids went to school, they played down the street
Then came the day a new sibling they’d meet
It was boy, his name was Jason
Now off to the doctor, daddy did hasten.
Three kids is enough the house grew much tighter
So they’d pack off to the Camp where the air was much lighter

They spent summers at camp where the children could play
And a big fuzzy puppy joined the family one day
Sugar, dear Sugar was that sweet puppy’s name
They hugged her and kissed her, they pulled till she came
She followed the kids and kept them from harm
Each night she’d curl up in one of their arms.

Now a family of five with a Nonie and Nanny and Pas Big and Little
This family was growing, busting out in the middle
The City grew scary, no place for the kids
So off to the country they moved, yes they did.

No home for some months and kids starting school
They both wondered if they’d been taken for fools.
The house finally ready with moving day here
Again thoughts of doubt filled their hearts with great fear
It rained and it rained down the living room wall
And the sides of the house were going to fall.

With strength and with courage they worked long and hard
And the kids, they grew taller than the weeds in the yard.
Not just for the country did they all move
You see He had a new job that was set to improve
Improve their lives and their ways to enjoy,
The growing up of their girl and their boys

Years spent working and the land he did tend
Made him quite happy, him and his friend
Together they planted rows of green beans
The corn stalks grew tall, the kids can’t be seen
Turkeys and chickens were also the rage
Many of them often escaping their cage

Years flitted fast and His mind kept on moving
His name will live on in the Hall –Patent Pending
The children now older and heading off in all directions
She grew more restless looking at life’s reflections
To fulfill a deep need, a want, a desire
Magna Cum Laude is to what she'd aspire.
Fulfill it she did with much strength and devotion
What she has learned there could now fill an ocean.

Work for him ended but fiddle he did
Making memories and goodies for each of his kids
Furniture, houses and boxes he built
Never stopping to notice His legacy quilt.
She found her joy, her peace, her desire
For many a year her job was her fire

Marriages, births, divorces and deaths
It happened it seems in just a few breaths
Grand Children are here, now you’re Pa and Granny
Where not long ago there was a Pa and a Nanny

Life moves so quickly, not stopping, not caring
Moving swiftly in swaths of life as it’s tearing
Parents are lost but never forgotten
Children are spoiled, some cute and some rotten
They’ve loved each of them not matter their stage
It just gets a little bit harder with age

Fifty years had gone by in the blink of an eye
Then again it depends what you see, from what side

Euphemism

2009-04-06T11:15:00.005-05:00

Each morning as I head to work and each night on my way back home I pass this certain spot. I have been watching with amazement and little girl giddiness as they progress in their effort to build and remodel this and that around their home each day. I muse of their busyness and work weary little hands. They toil relentlessly trying to make sure the each piece of the landscape is just so for themselves and their little ones. They do all this in the middle of the night with only the stars and sometime the moon to illuminate their task. Each morning I see how busy they have been the night before. What perseverance it must take to keep-on-keeping-on! They do, night after night. They must, they are parents, a husband, a wife who have loved ones to provide for and to protect. To give them shelter and sustenance. There is always work to do when you have a family. I try to keep this thought for myself and apply it to my own days and nights. (When the radio in your car doesn’t work you have a lot of time to think! Just try to keep clear of the voices.)

Then one morning you wake up, head out the door like every other morning for the last few months and as you round the corner THIS is what you see....

Maria had left me a comment back in March that she misses my posts…

I am afraid this kind of sums up how the last 4 months of my life has been. So, until I can pull myself out of my funk and things start to turn around I just can’t. Life seems futile at times. This is one of those times and I am having a hard time shaking it.

I do stop by and visit each of you and try to comment when I can. I will continue to do so. I really enjoy being part of this special little group and look forward each day to catching up with all of you.

Pru

Global Warming My ASS

2009-01-16T09:04:00.001-05:00

The thermostat in my car that was sitting in the driveway of my home read -28F when I got in to go to work this morning. Looks like a two bottles of wine night.

The best Christmas Present Ever

2008-12-24T10:49:00.000-05:00

Ok, may that wasn't the best I could do!

2008-12-24T09:34:00.001-05:00

Be safe out there!

Yep this is the best I can do.

2008-12-24T09:26:00.004-05:00

To all of my favorite Blogger, accept this as my well wishings for a glorious Holiday Season.

XXOO
Pru

Two of My Favorite "Things"

2008-09-16T10:47:00.009-05:00

Today is a great day if you ask me. Go ahead ask me why. Ok, I will tell you, today Lindsay Buckingham came out with a new CD, Gift of Screws. It is similar to his 2006 release Under the Skin, in a few instances. Time Precious Time is very much like Not Too Late (2006) in it's picking style and crescendos, but hey if you stop and picture that beautiful man stroking each string effortlessly making that guitar writhe in ever increasing adulation, hell it is easily forgiven Bel Air Rain from Screws and Shut Us Down from Skin are similar as well. Did You Miss Me is a very nice track as is Love Runs Deeper. Gift of Screws the title song is pretty rockin’ a bit B-52ish if you listen close. I like it when Lindsey makes animal noises. All in all, it’s a good effort for his second CD in as many years. I will take anything that man has to offer. "Lindsay

Secondly, another favorite of mine, Ray Lamontange a native of Maine who has only been on the world radar since 2004 with his debut CD Trouble (which I bought the day after hearing the title track) is finally set to release his third CD Gossip In The Grain in October. His single, You Are The Best Thing is catchy, upbeat but with Ray’s unmistakable gravely intonations. I am very anxious to get my hands on this gem. His second CD Till The Sun Turns Black, was just that… black and very, very soulful almost cavernous in it’s ability to suck you into it’s depths. I already have enough trouble keeping up my sunny disposition so I wasn’t too thrilled with this CD. I am hoping that this new CD follows suit in its emotional journey from the single. "Ray LaMontange

A bit of trivia about Mr. LaMontange.. he became a singer because of Stephen Stills and his song Tree Top Flyer. It was hearing that song one night that made him decide to take up the guitar and sing. Thanks Stephen for lighting this man on fire.

Go ahead and take a listen I think you will like both.

Childhood Memories

2008-08-21T08:54:00.007-05:00

After reading "Maria's post and having salivated over Dive's new cooking adventures I will share with you my Grandmothers recipe for Eight Layer Dinner. As a little girl of 4 or five I can remember going to her very tidy, almost sterile house every Sunday for dinner, after church of course. The moment her door opened we were welcomed in, almost dragged by our noses by the smell of her cooking. This is a very easy recipe and it is done in one pot so clean up is a breeze. You also get all of your food groups at once. Give it a try I think you will enjoy.

In a large Ducth Oven ( I use a 8 quart Ducth Oven)
Layer #1-Dice 4 med/large Potatos into the bottom of the pot. Season with salt and pepper.
Layer #2-Slice in rings 3 large onions-salt & pepper
Layer #3-Slice in rings 3 large green peppers-salt & pepper
Layer #4-1 cup of uncooked rice-I use Jasmine rice-salt & pepper
Layer #5-1 1/2-2 pounds lean ground beef 85% works well and adds a good flavor. Spread over the top like a lid and salt & pepper
Layer #6- 1 large can of diced tomatoes, spread evenly over the ground beef and you know the drill- salt and pepper.
Layer #7- 1 can of tomato soup mixed with one can of water poured over the top. I usually use a knife to pry the side so the liquid gets down in the dish.
Layer #8- 8 strips of raw bacon. I usually crisscross them so they look pretty and salt and pepper.
Cover and bake for +/- 1.5 hours at 350F. Depending on the rice, you might have to dig a bit to see how it is doing. Uncover and crank the oven to about 450 to crip the bacon. Take out and let sit for 20-30 min. before serving.
You may think that salt and peppering every layer ist overkill but trust me, I have tried to cut it down and the difference in the end product is not the same.
Well, have a go and let me know what you think. Next time maybe I will share her Drunken Potroast recipe. Oh my!

To My Daughter -Milestones

2008-06-13T10:39:00.005-05:00

I will be leaving the office today, in fact in 20 minutes to start the preparations for my daughter’s next milestone. Tomorrow at 10:00 am she will be graduating from High School. Not so long ago I was dropping her off at the sitters for the first time and later meeting said sitter at the hospital because her big brother had left the cellar door open and she had taken a terrible tumble down the cellar stairs in her walker. Oh, many tears I must say. Fortunately there were not any long-term scars or worse from her trip.

Then it was the first day on the school bus. Watching her in her little dress trying to climb up on that 1st big step was hard. I had wanted a little girl and the Midwife and my mom, who was an OBGYN Nurse both, insisted she was a he. HA HA! to them.

Then all the woes of High School, boyfriends- “Scary Monsters and Super Creeps” driving miles to AAU basketball games and pick up from late night dances. Sometimes I truly believed she hated me. The drivers license and speeding ticket fiasco and now it is all in the past.

She is a very bright spot in my life, heart and soul. She and I have gotten very close over that last year. Closer than I ever expected or hoped, you know how teenagers are. She shares a lot with me now and we hang with each other and really enjoy each other. I am so proud of her. She managed to complete all her required credits (and then some) and has officially been out of school since March. She is still waffling about what she wants to do but that will come.

Today and tomorrow I will just savor her achievements and glow with love and admiration.

Congratulations Haleigh! YOU DID IT!!

Love MOM.

It's My Birthday, It's My Birthday

2008-06-05T15:31:00.006-05:00

Dear Blog Pals,

I can't believe it's been a year already since I talked about being "Five Years From Fifty". It has been quite a year indeed. I really don't have time to do a year in review right now but I will be back tomorrow and fess up. I will have a glass of Cab Sav for each of you this evening to be sure!

I will leave you with a two pictures.

This one you have seen before of the beautiful, sleeping, sweet new baby Seamus when I first brought him home.

This one is last week's welcome home from the same sweet, DEVIL! That's the stuffing from one of the pillows on my couch!

Good Night All!

Thanks for reminding me M Benaut.

2008-04-09T13:44:00.006-05:00

While strolling through Adelaide Daily Photos complements of M Benaut I noticed his picture of some very strange looking trees in his post of 4/4/08. My mind immediately went skipping back through time to a visit I had made to Ohio. I was there on business and found myself a bit lost on the way back to my hotel. While trying to remember my way I came across this field and in it stood the following. I thought it was one of the weirdest, remarkable and silly things I had run across in a long time. Hope you get a giggle.

It is an art/sculptural piece by Malcolm Cochran in 1994 with funding from the Dublin Ohio's Arts Council and is a tribute to Sam Frantz, who developed hybrid corn in the area from the 30’s through the 60’s. These ears of corn are over 7 ft tall if I remember correctly and there are 109 of them. Quite a sight.

R.I.P. Tigger

2008-03-27T11:07:00.004-05:00

Today, in one hour I have to take my 17 year old pal to the vets where they will send him off to his quiet rest. I love him. That is all I can say right now.

Sometimes I am Smucking Fart!

2008-02-01T12:59:00.000-05:00

As you all have figured out by my posts on music, I spend a lot of time listening to many things. Since I have met Dive, even more so! I finally figured out how to put an audio stream on my blog. I have selected 45 songs that make me smile, cry, giggle, scream out loud, well you get the picture. I will change them up when I can. I hope you enjoy.

PS.. that lovely old man is fine. He just had a low blood sugar issue!

Occasionally You See The Face of Humanity

2008-01-23T15:40:00.000-05:00

Last evening I made my usual stop at the grocery store on my way home from work. It seems that everyday there is something that turns up empty or low in the pantry and fridge. Some of you know how it is with teenagers in the house. We consume (not me mind you) on average a gallon of milk a day! Let’s not talk about the 3-4 boxes of cereal, cartons of frozen waffles and peanut butter. Tonights stop is for paper towels and trash bags, so far! Anyway, as I wandered around the isles of the grocery store I noticed at one of the registers a small gathering of people. One young man was on a cell phone, two or three others were standing near him and looking at the isle between two of the registers. As I got closer I could see Kim, one of the regular cashiers and the front-end manager. Kim is always making small talk; she is full of life and has the most amazing, blazing red hair. She was kneeling on the floor cradling an old man in her arms. His head was leaning in the crook of her arm with the rest of him sprawled on the floor. He was ashy, breathing shallow and speaking very softly. Kim was speaking to him and also to an elderly lady who appeared to be his wife. The ambulance arrived and they determined they would take him to the hospital. I was in the check out as this was going on. I watched as one of the EMT’s (Emergency Medical Technician-for my British Friends) spoke to his wife. Anyone who watches people often can read things on peoples faces that most people never notice. As this EMT asked the wife for his date of birth, medical history etc. I watched her relive moments of her life with him making it difficult for her to focus on what the EMT was asking her. They brought in the stretcher and because of his location between the isles, they asked if he thought he could stand. He nodded, but with his eyes closed and his breath a bit labored. One of the other EMT’s tried to get into the isle to help but Kim waved him off and helped him up by herself. Kim is no taller than 5 feet and just a bit of a woman. She walked with him to the stretcher, asked him his name, told him she would pray for him and kissed him on the very top of his head. It is important to notice this type of thing. The norm seems to be to go about your everyday noticing only the assholes that you have to deal with. Usually it is because they are in your face or in your space. It is nice when you are treated to a bit of humanity.

A Man, His Penis and Barry Manilow?

2008-01-16T14:16:00.000-05:00

Dive,
Honey,This one's for you!

Go Here

or Here

Now who says it isn't cute?

Whose Knuckles are Draggin?

2008-01-15T13:14:00.000-05:00

I’ve not much time but did want to address not just Dive but also Maria’s post of today, from a slightly different perspective.

“Right-wingers are evolutionarily retarded.” “exposure to anything remotely advanced in the way of evolutionary traits such as individual freedom, civil rights, women's rights, workers' rights, social empathy, sharing, sexual freedom, charity (I mean real charity, not tax write-offs) … causes them to band together, bare their fangs and screech like the frightened apes they are.” “It exists outside their scared little group and must be pathologically hated and feared in that it doesn't embrace the right-wing group ethos of sexist misogyny, bigotry, racism, homophobia, greed, profiteering, warmongering, religious intolerance and pathetic bunker mentality …”

A lot of the people on the “right” believe in GOD. It’s a belief system Dive, whether you think it is right or wrong. With that belief system comes some basic rules for living ones life in the manner of Christ. You know this because you have mentioned the Beatitudes in a previous comment on my blog. Most individuals who have this belief system also know enough to believe what they believe and let GOD sort it all out in the end. “Judge not lest you be judged”. It is how I choose to live. Do I have a 100% track record? No, I am human and in that we are faulty. If taken that ALL people have the right to believe whatever they choose, how can you fault anyone for those beliefs? How can any “enlightened” individual sling nasty monikers at anyone? If in fact those who believe in all those traits you malign the right for not believing in are move evolved, why the rant?

There are injustices against one group or another served up all over the planet every hour of every day. You cannot lump an entire political group into the adjectives you described above. It’s not fair. America is not all of those ugly things. There are many decent, tolerant people who live here and vote Republican but like anything else the negative gets the most coverage!

I can say that many problems arise with these issues because those of us who do have a Divine belief system get tired of being told what we can or cannot believe by those who hold different views. We are told over and over through protest marches, legislative doings and the media that it is us who are in the wrong and we must change. Sure there are fanatics out there who make a bad name for us, but they are a small % of the group.
I might suggest that we are becoming the minority and perhaps it is time that we file for “minority status” so we can become a protected group and Hate Speech can be then addressed for what it is from this side of the issues! Belief is an individual freedom. We are forced to accept things in the public sector that goes against those beliefs and we are expected to shut up about it otherwise we are sexist, bigots, and homophobes. How is it that “we” must be tolerant but those who live lifestyles we may not agree with don’t have to be? Big deals are made of redneck, homophobes etc but seldom do I see it coming from this side. Mostly I hear rants, pointing fingers and hurling insults coming from the supposedly more evolved side of the fence. Seems a bit two faced doesn’t it? If you believe you are more evolved because you believe in individual freedoms in all aspects of existence, why do you point a finger at anyone else that believes differently from you? Because I may not believe how you believe it somehow makes me less of an evolved person? You rant about non-tolerance but you are not tolerant of those who don’t believe as you do.

Perhaps your knuckles are still draggin brother!

Oh Boy... I am really a GUY!!???

2008-01-10T13:05:00.000-05:00

The New Hampshire Primary According to Prudence

2008-01-07T14:14:00.000-05:00

Ok you asked for it. Here is Dear Prudence’s take on the Primary and those who are trying to woo me.

First of all let me say that I am a registered Independent. I like that about our State. As you have all heard “We” are the ones everyone is clambering to impress. So far, not so impressed. There have been political adds running here since last winter. It is just an annoyance. How long can you really pay attention when it is rammed down your throat for over a year? If I see Hillbillery on my television screen one more time I will toss it out the freakn’ window.

Saturday night was a creature double feature here in NH with a Republican debate followed by the Democrat debate. Yes I made it through the Repubs before the last of the wine kicked in and told me to go to bed. However, even sober I would not have watched the Dems because of the deep-seated distain for the “smartest woman on the earth”. I am sick of hearing about her 35 years of experience. That is such a load of shit.

But I digress; here is Dear Prudence’s take on Politics in New Hampshire, USA

Let’s start with Republicans

Huckabee-Twofaced, Bible Thumpin’, lying, dirt slinging as usual Politician. He can say what he wants about being an outsider, check his record on clemency sure looks like the norm to me. I dislike anyone who uses their faith as a tool to persuade and delude people.

McCain- He is a Liberal in Republican clothing. He was the Co-Author of the Amnesty Bill that the citizens’ of this country said no to.

Mitt Romney-He is the former Gov. of our next-door neighbor, Massachusetts or as we in NH like to call it Taxachusetts. He and I agree on many issues and I do like the fact he isn’t really a Washington boy and that he has actual business experience. After all America is one big business.

Fred Thompson- He shouldn’t have stopped acting cuz the real guy is a bore. He has no chance and will be done by South Carolina. He had nothing to add to the entire debate. Not even a funny line.

Rudy-Well he did fine while he held NY together after 9/11 but that is all that is coming through. Yes he is very vocal about Illegal Immigration and I am with him on it, however, he is running an add here that could be used as a movie trailer. It contains nothing but scare tactics to trick voters into thinking tomorrow the world is coming to an end and it is all Muslims that are going to make it happen. It is really quite scary to watch and the way is shot and how they used background music to add to the hysteria.

Ron Paul-He was at least amusing. He is off his freakn nut but has the right idea on minding our own business and fixing our economic infrastructure- but he is too “out there” for anyone to take seriously. I do agree with him on many points- here are a few
Would you roll back tax cuts that were supported by the Bush administration?
No. I would seek to broaden the tax cuts by pressuring Congress to repeal the Sixteenth Amendment and permanently end the income tax, and I would also seek the end of any taxes not expressly authorized by the Constitution, including the death tax and payroll taxes. My administration will work with Congress to end the IRS.

Should the federal government have a role in seeking an end to poverty? What would you do, specifically, to deal with poverty?
The misguided federal 'War on Poverty' has proven disastrous to our nation. Federal intervention only resulted in more poverty, as the welfare rolls grew while employment shrank and mothers were encouraged to have children out-of-wedlock because the more children they had, the bigger the check they got from the federal government. I propose getting the federal government out of the way of private charities and institutions that wish to deal with the impoverished, and I want to end federal regulations and subsidies that restrict businesses, discourage renovation and expansion, and further the plight of the poor. Eliminating many taxes and regulations will allow businesses to hire more workers, and make it easier for impoverished areas to be renovated with private and corporate money. True compassionate conservatism means letting individuals, churches, and other groups, not indifferent federal bureaucracies, provide help.

Do you support the No Child Left Behind program? Why or why not?
"No. No Child Left Behind leaves all children behind by tying the hands of teachers and encouraging them to teach to the test instead of educating their students. It only more deeply involves the federal government in controlling schools and children's lives.

I would bet he will fade out after tomorrow. Just wish it was wrapped in a tighter package!

So as you can see I am not wooed by any Republicans so much that I have made up my mind.

Now for the Dems

Hillbillery- Guess you don’t need to ask my opinion. Any woman who would continue to stand by her MAN while he behaves the way he does deserves NO RESPECT or my vote, in my humble opinion. Beside think about this.. if “SHE” were to get in and stay for 2 terms we would have 24 years of Bush/Clinton. Who in their right mind who actually is looking for CHANGE would want to go down that road. Talk about Washington Insiders!

John Edwards- He is the other canidate for CHANGE just ask him. Of course he started that mantra after Barack got going. He claims he is not one of them. He is all about being different from the rest but did you know -"Edwards home totaling 28,200 square feet of connected space. The main house is 10,400 square feet and has two garages. The recreation building, a red, barn-like building containing 15,600 square feet, is connected to the house by a closed-in and roofed structure of varying widths and elevations that totals 2,200 square feet. The main house is all on one level except for a 600-square-foot bedroom and bath area above the guest garage. The carbon footprint of his home is the same as roughly 28 Habitat for Humanity homes." Wonder howmay carbon offsets he's bought since he built that mansion? None I bet! Don’t get me wrong, I have no problem with him spending his money the way he wants but Do as I say, not as I do has never sat well with me. He is more of the SAME.

Gravel, Richardson and Kucinich are not worth getting into as they will be pulling out soon.

That leaves you know who-Obama. He is definitely charismatic, carries himself well and does not seem to be One of the Boys. “From the beginning, we've run this campaign the right way -- without negative attacks or distortions, without taking money from Washington lobbyists or PACs, and without listening to the cynics who said it couldn't be done.” That is the truth. Not one negative attack add, at least as I have seen. I would like to vote for him for those reasons. Perhaps it is new blood we need but I am afraid the usual Washington pack of hyenas will eat him up in his 1st 100 days. It would be nice to think about “Vertical Politics” and not the usual party dogma. Although he is talking raising taxes and letting ILLEGAL immigrants stay, is he the lesser of all evils?

So, I guess until I walk into that booth and close the curtain and I am still unsure. You will have to wait until tomorrow to find out. Yes I will tell you. I am not of my parents’ generation where it was a big secrete.