Ruthie In The Sky

Ruthie On The Road, Update

noreply@blogger.com (Ruthie In The Sky) — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 11:18:00 +0000

I was cold...shivering, teeth-chattering, fingertip-stinging, my-butt-is-freezing COLD!

It is like that, during the Winter months, in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

I woke up in a small town in Northern Iowa, yesterday. A woman who works at a convenience store in that town, drove me to Sioux Falls and dropped me off on the I-90 ramp. Five minutes after she left, I started feeling it. And as the minutes passed by, I just got COLDER.

The wind was part of the problem. According to the National Weather Service, the wind chill was frozen at -20F when I stood by that Interstate highway, yesterday. The N.W.S. is forecasting the same temperature scenario for today...here in Mitchell, South Dakota.

I might be on a bus, today. If it works out, I will be very happy. The bus will take me part of the way across South Dakota. That is the farthest that I will travel today. This latest cold snap will prevent me from going any further.

Wish me luck.

About Braden, Charlie And Choice

noreply@blogger.com (Ruthie In The Sky) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 07:48:00 +0000

2/10/12: THE EXAMINER: IT'S ALL ABOUT BRADEN AND CHARLIE

I am in Northern Iowa, now and today I will head into South Dakota. And I am very grateful to the people who chose to help me. I traveled across many miles and stayed safe and warm at night.

I proclaim the small city of Blair, Nebraska to be the nicest town that I've interacted with on this trip. I declare Cortland, Nebraska and Holstein, Iowa to be the worst.

And that's how it's been...as I've hitchhiked across the "Heartland"...an up-and-down yin and yang. Some folks have been friendly and some people have been poisonous.
There's been no in-between.

The Wasteboro aka Westboro wacko red necks from Kansas are up in arms, again. And considering the way that they're thinking, they might as well have their heads (depending on which one fits where) up each other's ass. Considering their obsession with that particular activity, I may not be that far from the truth.

Those media-hounds are planning to hang-out and raise a ruckus (and a sign or two) at the funeral for the Powell boys, Charlie and Braden. Wasteboro swears that what happened to those two beautiful boys is the direct result of God's wrath. They claim that God is angry about Washington State's relaxed stance toward same-sex relationships.

So they're going to stage another one of their protests...in the wrong place...and at the wrong time. They can't help themselves. Wasteboro isn't just wasted...it's stuck on stupid.

This time, however, there is supposedly a new wrinkle in the rub: If Wasteboro incites bad behavior at the funeral, they'll be arrested. That is, if they don't get their heads pounded and run over by some pissed-off bikers, first.

The Wasteboro group is obviously comprised of jack shit fools. And they still haven't figured-out, how to flush their wrong attitude, down a drain into oblivion. They see no reason to do so. They don't recognize what they're doing wrong.

Never mind the fact that Charlie and Braden died a horrible death along with their monster father. Forget the fact that Josh Powell chased his boys into a room and attacked them with an ax. Dismiss the reality that the boys died in a storm of pain and fear. Yeah, that's just a minor detail, isn't it, Wasteboro?

No, it isn't.

Which brings me back to me.

I have met both good and bad people on the road. A family that I know, in Kansas, is very different from me, in a number of ways. But they didn't pass by me when I was standing cold, on the road. They fed me and let me sleep in their house. When I got sick, they made sure that I got safely to a hospital that was miles away, in the middle of the night.

But when I was on the road yesterday, many people ignored my shivering and just drove by. It was close to sunset before I finally got a ride that brought me six miles into the next town.

The young man who brought me in from the cold didn't do it because we are kindred spirits. He is Native American and very different from Ruthie Rader. He did it because he knows that an ice cold spot is no place for anyone to be. Especially at night.

We all have choices to make, every day: We can write-off someone or treat that person with respect. We can stop and give somebody a ride. Or we can wave and then drive by that person that's standing in the cold air. We can love children or put them through a horrible death. And we can stand solemn in the presence of God and celebrate two innocent lives at a funeral. Or we can attempt to mar that occasion with disgraceful behavior. We can choose to stand at a sick friend's bedside or disconnect when that friend is in his or her most vulnerable position. Yes, we all have choices to make, every day.

And today, before the sun comes up, I pray that YOU will make the choices that are best for you and everyone else around you. Hug a child, visit a person who is sick, counsel a friend, give the gift of your heart to someone who is grieving...

...And if you happen to see me, standing on the shoulder of a road...stop and pick me up. Because I guarantee: For every good choice that you make, today...ten more will be made for you.

Because God makes choices, too.

Josh Powell: A Point Made? (Updated)

noreply@blogger.com (Ruthie In The Sky) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 06:42:00 +0000

2/10/12: FOX NEWS: POWELL'S COMPUTER REVEALS INTEREST IN INCEST

VERY DISTURBING 911 TAPES:

The first conversation, between the Case Worker and the 911 Dispatcher, shows just how pathetic and worthless the Case Worker was in this situation. She should be fired and never allowed to have an occupation like that, again.

The 911 Dispatcher: DITTO!

She, possibly named Elizabeth, should NEVER have let go of the children's hands! She should have gauged Josh Powell's mental state, from a safe distance, before releasing the children to him.

AND, knowing the situation (the "high profile" details) the CASE WORKER never should have gone to that residence without another adult.
_____________

Josh Powell: Now the World knows his name. But I wonder why nobody ever had him committed to a mental institution?

It was obvious to me, two years ago, when I watched the so-called "Blue Cap" impromptu interview, that Powell was mentally ill. So why didn't someone, close to the situation, take matters-in-hand and prevent Josh Powell from having any contact with the two boys? Why?

There will always be excuses for the official lack of intervention. But there will never be a satisfactory explanation. It's as if the ones who were supposed to be responsible for those kids had blinders on. And so they never saw how serious Josh's mental state really was.

Until it was too late.

Let this be a lesson: If there are indications, that something is seriously wrong with a parent, then intervene. When children are in a potentially bad situation, take action. Because when it comes to kids, a parent's wrong behavior is never something that every other responsible adult should just ignore.

THE OREGON TRANSFORMATION WEBSITE

noreply@blogger.com (Ruthie In The Sky) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:15:00 +0000

OREGON'S UNPAID BILLS/THE OREGON TRANSFORMATION WEBSITE.

Believe it or not, the above-listed article actually exists.

It does because the situation in Oregon is so bad.

Yes, it is.

One of the reasons why, is spread out for the public to see, every day, on West Burnside Avenue in Portland, Oregon.

You want to see where some of the money is going?

Take a walk down by the Burnside bridge...then Union Station...the rest of China Town...then up to Powell's book store (assuming that it's still there)...

...and you will see a disaster. And then there's the OTHER side of the bridge.

The creeping cancer is spreading. Oregon can no longer contain it. Nor can the State afford it.

Sure, a big building was transformed in downtown Portland, in a foolish effort to improve the situation. It isn't working. And neither are the people who utilize it.

I visited Portland last Fall. And I noticed one significant change: The problem has gotten worse.

But the mess isn't limited to Portland, anymore. It exists all over the State.

Now I'm wondering: Is the Oregon Transformation website ALL that Oregonians have left to hold onto?

If that's the case, the good citizens of Oregon better hang on for dear life.

Charlie And Braden Powell, Funeral Arrangements

noreply@blogger.com (Ruthie In The Sky) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 04:20:00 +0000

NOTE: I regret that it took me so long to correct this information. I was on the road all day so I was unable to get back online until now:

[ A funeral service will be held for Charlie and Braden Powell on Saturday, February 11, beginning at 11 a.m. at the Life Center Church, 1717 S Union Avenue in Tacoma.

The service was initially planned for The Church Of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Puyallup, but the family agreed to move it for two reasons -- to a venue large enough to hold the expected number of attendees, and to a venue where television cameras could broadcast it. The family wants the broadcast so mourners in Utah who can't travel to Tacoma can watch the service.

The public is encouraged to carpool to the funeral service.

There will be a private family burial on Monday. ]

--Information Courtesy of KING 5 News, Seattle, Washington

A Guest Book, where you can leave words of comfort to the family, is included at the above-listed link.

Private Message

noreply@blogger.com (Ruthie In The Sky) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 01:21:00 +0000

PRIVATE MESSAGE:

Some people just prefer to remain Anonymous.

Ruthie On The Road, Update

noreply@blogger.com (Ruthie In The Sky) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:04:00 +0000

I was almost frozen to the spot, just outside of Lincoln, Nebraska, when he pulled his "soccer mom" wagon over and offered me a ride.

A local cop had checked on me awhile before that and I shooed him away.

But THIS guy didn't match the vehicle that he was driving. And I swore that I'd seen him before.

He was wearing a bandanna, wrap-around shades (on a very overcast, snowy day) and a black shirt from Sturgis. Old tattoos ran the length of his arms and he had the air of someone who was trying to pull something off. And he did.

Almost.

It took several takes before I put it all together. But I never let on that I did.

He drove me all the way from Lincoln, Nebraska to this community near the Iowa border.

He dropped me off at the local truck stop and said goodbye. I smiled as I walked away.

I walked a quarter-of-a-mile down the road and then turned and assumed the position.

A County Mountie spotted me but didn't intervene. Then, about five chilly minutes later, a local cop did.

I guess the "powers-that-be" decided that I should have one decent memory before I leave Nebraska. So, tonight I will sleep in a comfortable bed at this nice hotel.

I consider it to be a nice send-off. Thank you, MIB.

For Dan:

The Face From Hell

noreply@blogger.com (Ruthie In The Sky) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 23:45:00 +0000

Just in case you want to throw darts at them...

These links lead directly to new photos of Casey Anthony:

MURDERER #1

CHILD KILLER #2

AWAITING CONDEMNATION #3

Photos courtesy of Brianne Chantal.

Follow the links on the photos and ask her where SHE got them.

noreply@blogger.com (Ruthie In The Sky) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 03:35:00 +0000

In Memory Of Andy Gabrielson :

2/05/12: STAR TRIBUNE: REMEMBERING ANDY

Re: "Missing Baby Lisa: My View"

noreply@blogger.com (Ruthie In The Sky) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 00:08:00 +0000

I checked my tracker, the other day and discovered a new spike in my blog hits. For some reason, a whole crew of people were checking out a message that I posted last October. The words (and edited photos) posted under the title, "Missing Baby Lisa: My View" and published on Wednesday, October 26, 2011 never elicited one single comment, when the post first went up.

And the post still hasn't brought in any comments. But it sure pulled in quite a few hits, recently.

I don't know why.

It appears that the hits originated from a link on Facebook. Now, if anyone knows why...please enlighten me. Thank you.

Ruthie On The Road, Update

noreply@blogger.com (Ruthie In The Sky) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Today was for watching Crime TV, eating pizza, drinking Diet Pepsi (ha!), painting my nails and updating my playlist on Rdio.

Tomorrow will be a challenge. But I am determined to just get out of Nebraska. THIS STATE SUCKS!

I will be happy when I am finally able to say, "Nebraska...No-more-of-ya...Buh-Bye!"

:^P THBZzztt! ***

Ruthie On The Road, Update

noreply@blogger.com (Ruthie In The Sky) — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 05:22:00 +0000

A major storm roared across Eastern Nebraska, today. And I had to get to my bank. What happened next, is detailed in this email to Cortland, Nebraska:

ACCUWEATHER SNOW TOTALS

LINCOLN, NEBRASKA JOURNAL-STAR STORM UPDATE

[ To The Community Of Cortland:

I am sending this to you because I want you to know what happened to
me in your community, today.

It was both bad and good.

But it is the level of distrust, permeating the entire experience,
that I want to focus on in this email.

I don't assume for one second that you or anyone else in Cortland is
really going to give a darn about what I
write here. But I'm going to send this email, anyway. And a copy of it
will be put in my blog, because it will give
my readers something to think about.

I am looking forward to reading their reactions to this email to you.

I had to hitchhike to Lincoln, today. But when I started, in Beatrice,
a city police officer intervened. He contacted a deputy
from Gage County. The deputy came and decided to drive me as far as he
could. I'm sure that he meant well because despite
the weather, it was crucial that I got to the bank, today.

On the way to Cortland, he had to stop and pull a woman's car out of a
snowbank. I was well-aware of what I was
facing.

He dropped me off at the Sinclair gas station in Cortland and then
left. The woman standing behind the counter didn't smile
when I walked in the station store. And there wasn't a shred of
kindness in her eyes.

I was under the gun to get to my bank in Lincoln. I had two-dollars in
my purse. Hundreds of dollars were waiting
for me at my bank. I was standing in a gas station, in the middle of a
snow storm and that woman could have be-
haved in a totally different way. But she didn't.

And what she did next is something that she should be ashamed of: She
told me that I couldn't use the phone to
call the Lancaster County Sheriff. She wouldn't let me call anybody.
She just blew me off in as rude a manner as
I've never seen in years. Then, she glared at me and told me that I
could use the phone outside. I told her that I
didn't think that I had enough money to make a call out and she said
that she didn't care.

It gets worse.

I walked out of the station store, intending to find another business
where someone might be more helpful (since
she obviously wanted me to leave) and noticed some folks pumping gas.
I started to ask them if they were going
to Lincoln, and the woman came storming out of the store and yelled,
"You can't ask the customers for a ride!"

There I was, standing in the blowing snow, in an unfamiliar place,
with a pack on my back and a cane in my hand,
and I heard those words come out of her mouth.

I couldn't believe it.

It's obvious that woman is an ugly human being. There is no other
description for her.

It was about 12pm by this time and the storm was in full-swing. I
walked out to the road and struggled up the road
(backing into the snowbank when traffic went by), covering my face
against the freezing cold, and looked around
for a place to go.

I finally saw a fire/rescue truck from another community and flagged
it down. The men bundled me into their truck
and drove me over to the Cortland Volunteer Fire Station.

I talked to the people there and did my best to convince them that I
was really going to my bank to get some money.

In the end, I took a cab the rest of the way into Lincoln. And I paid
an $85 fare.

I got the impression, while I was in Cortland, that nobody trusted me
or really cared what happened to me. To them,
I was either someone to be hated or dealt with like an inconvenient nuisance.

Thank God (literally) that your community is unique. Cortland,
Nebraska now has the dubious distinction of being the
most mean-spirited town that I've ever visited. And I bet that I am
not the only person who feels that way. ]

Ruthie On The Road, Updated

noreply@blogger.com (Ruthie In The Sky) — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 02:15:00 +0000

*SNOW RADIO*

KLKN-TV WEATHER (LINCOLN, NEBRASKA)

______________

Lovely.

And when the storm hits full force, I will be walking down the road with my thumb out. I have no choice.

I've got to hitchhike out and take care of some business on Saturday. That's just the way that life goes, sometimes.

Right now, I have a nice room to rest in. Hopefully, I will end up in another one before the end of tomorrow. I am looking forward to watching the New England Patriots win the Super Bowl on Sunday.

If I make it through this month, I will be in a better position to settle down for the rest of the Winter. And if I am really blessed, I will eventually gather the fragrant blossoms of Spring in my hands, again.

I understand death, now. I almost met it, recently. I almost died.

I'm thinking that I am going to die before I reach sixty-years-old. That is probably going to be my fate.

I love life. But I realize that I've been fortunate to have enjoyed such an amazing ride.

Now I just want to tone down the noise and enjoy the music.

Maybe that's what we should all do: Dance to the low spark of another day.

Just dance.

And twirl slowly around...a few more times...before we say goodbye.

Re: Lisa Irwin: Clips Of Crapola

noreply@blogger.com (Ruthie In The Sky) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 21:19:00 +0000

Dr. Phil Clip #1
Dr. Phil Clip #2
Dr. Phil Clip #3
Dr. Phil Clip #4
Dr. Phil Clip #5

Deborah: "We didn't compare stories and tell each other about how we felt until days later....our daughter was missing, the last thing we're going to do is talk about it."

_______________

Deborah Bradley made me want to vomit, today. And I was disgusted by Jeremy Irwin as he sat there like a guilty goon.

The two of them mouthed the words that their attorney, Joe Tacopina, told them to say. Bradley and Irwin were coached. That fact became obvious as I watched the couple interact with Dr. Phil.

Will Baby Lisa Renee Irwin ever come back?

Not as long as her parents, Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin, continue to find someone else to hide behind. You see, that's the real problem here: Baby Lisa isn't hiding...her parents are.

Re: Lisa Irwin: "We're So Excited..."

noreply@blogger.com (Ruthie In The Sky) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 20:15:00 +0000

KMBC LIVE UPDATES FROM TODAY'S SHOW

DR. PHIL'S PAGE FOR TODAY'S SHOW

"We are so excited about it," Bradley said about the television appearance. "We cannot wait for it, for her face to be all over television again and reach different people."
___________

"But it is in no way a cold case," Young told NBC Action News in an email. "It is still actively being investigated."

Read more: HERE.
___________

RAW VIDEO: Jeremy Irwin talks about missing daughter Lisa Irwin

RAW VIDEO: Debbie Bradley talks about missing daughter Lisa Irwin

And there you have it: The Pre-Dr. Phil Commentary At The Door.

But do you think that after the interview is aired, tomorrow, someone is going to come racing back with Baby Lisa in his or her arms?

It would be the right thing to do.

After all, Deborah Bradley is so "excited" and can't wait to have her daughter's face "all over television again."

By golly..Debbie's gonna be a ce-le-brity again! Oh, goody!

Maybe she should go chew on one of Baby Lisa's toy rattles for good measure.

And what's up with Daddy Jeremy, hmmm?

He seemed rather nervous in the above video, didn't he?

Almost guilty, even.

Jeremy, you pathetic fool, why don't you just drop the phony pretense and tell the truth?

I don't want to see Jeremy, anymore. And I don't want to see Deborah, either.

I want to see Lisa Renee Irwin, safe and sound.

I want to see HER while you, Jeremy and you, Deborah, vanish into prison cells...never to be seen on television, ever again.

Ruthie On The Road, Update

noreply@blogger.com (Ruthie In The Sky) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:18:00 +0000

It will be a yin and yang day, today. There is a major snowstorm that is moving closer to where I am. I have the Weather Channel on the TV in this motel room. And I am sitting by a window with a woodland view...that will eventually display snow, snow and more snow.

But on the plus side, I am warm and safe, right now. And although I will have to hitchhike out of here, tomorrow, I will eventually land in a nice, warm place, again. Yes, God smiled on me (and so did my bank) and now I will be able to take much better care of myself.

Heh-heh-heh.

I am waiting to watch the "Dr. Phil" show this afternoon. And I will continue to count my blessings and be thankful for the fact that God has given me another day.

Have fun, today, everybody...PEACE.

Ruthie On The Road, Update

noreply@blogger.com (Ruthie In The Sky) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 10:33:00 +0000

I got very sick the other night.

I got nauseous and my head started to ache. And I knew that I was in trouble.

Although I didn't want to bother her, I finally woke up my friend Juli. She drove me to the ER, where they told me that I was perilously close to having a stroke.

Then I was poked by or connected to every medical device that's available at that hospital.

The medical staff flurried around me like birds while a machine took my blood pressure every fifteen minutes.

In typical hospital fashion, they took some of my blood and gave me several medications. I got two pills, one IV and one big hypo in the butt.

My blood pressure remained sky-high. Then it slowly began to level-off.

I stayed in the hospital emergency room for the rest of that night.

Two nurses woke me up in the morning. Then another nurse brought me a breakfast tray.

I felt so much better.

Now I hope that the blood-pressure medication that was prescribed to me will work. I also hope that the medication won't cause any nasty side-effects.

Please think good thoughts for me, okay?

Ruthie On The Road, Update

noreply@blogger.com (Ruthie In The Sky) — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 19:51:00 +0000

I am back at the Addam's Family house, where I plan to stay until Wednesday, when I will move into a place in town.

Right now, I am drinking a long-neck beer and enjoying the fact that I am not out on the road. If someone asks me if I want to go out somewhere, I am going to remain seated. I got enough fresh air, yesterday and I don't want to go ANYWHERE, today!

The sun is shining through the stained glass and the older girls are discussing today's extra-curricular school activity. I will sleep in this huge, old house tonight...safe and warm and with one of the resident kittens.

This is my break time. I am grateful for it.

Yesterday, I was appalled by the behavior and the lack of intervention by the locals in a particular section of The Sunflower State. I sat for hours, at a lonely highway junction point, and watched the traffic go by. People in their vehicles stared at me, glared at me or thought "beware" of me...but nobody stopped their rig and picked me up.

Even a lone State Trooper drove by and ignored me.

I sat on my pack, pulled the hood of my jacket over my head and shivered.

Finally, a young woman stopped and got out of her banged-up SUV. She came right over to me and put out her hand.

"Do you need some help getting up?" she asked. I smiled and held my own hand out to her.

"Yes" I replied and a climbed into her vehicle a minute later.

She gave me a bag with two bananas and a clump of white grapes in it, before she dropped me off by a long bridge.

Five minutes later, a guy in oil-stained overalls, stopped his car and picked me up. He told me that he had some errands to run and showed me the list.

When he finished his business, he bought me a meal at Burger King and then drove me another fifty-miles to the Addams Family's front door.

I am going to go and clean the main bathroom as soon as I finish drinking my second beer. I work well that way.

Have a great evening, everybody...burp, wink, smile.

You too...over there in England. You know who you are.

But guess what?

So do I.

Ruthie On The Road, Update

noreply@blogger.com (Ruthie In The Sky) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 22:38:00 +0000

Tonight is just different. I'm sitting in the corner, with my right boot on the table and my laptop balanced on my right knee. I'm listening to rock and ignoring the stupid Republican debate that some dumb ass truck drivers have decided to watch.

Mitt Romney is pitching his woo to the American public again and I bet the truckers are Mormon and drive for Doug Andrus. I haven't asked them. When I'm stuck in a driver lounge, at a truck stop, like I am tonight, I make a point of ignoring everyone.

The local cops made arrangements for me to stay here and so I don't want to get into any confrontations. Besides, about half of the guys in this place are probably idiots. Therefor, it wouldn't take much to get them inflamed. Their brains don't turn on when their trucks turn off. If you know what I mean.

Some of the drivers don't trust me and think that I work for some government agency. When one of the drivers asks me about it, I tell him that the Feds couldn't pay me enough to put up with what I have to deal with.

I should be off the road, for awhile, if not longer, next week. I am in Kansas and I intend to remain here for as long as I can. I'll update you as soon as I know what my long-term status is going to be.

Ruthie On The Road, Update

noreply@blogger.com (Ruthie In The Sky) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 01:00:00 +0000

A zipper broke on my backpack, last night. And this morning, I took a bath in a semi-clean bathtub that is situated in a room with the dimensions of a broom closet. I didn't even have a wash cloth to scrub up or a towel to dry down with! Geez.

I finally left the land of addiction after the President of the Chamber of Commerce bought me a brand new backpack. It's larger, black and sits comfortably on my shoulders. Thank you, Sam! :^)

Then a lady with a big heart, decided to drive me back to Kansas, today. So she did.

We went to a shelter in a Southern Kansas city and decided that it wasn't going to work for me. So she brought me back out to the highway and cut me loose.

I put out my thumb, and five minutes later, an elderly man slid his fancy white car to a stop on the paved shoulder. He had a beautiful smile and must be close to ninety-years-old.

We discussed farming as the miles unrolled past the rural Kansas pasture land. And when I finally stepped out of the car, he handed me a fifty-dollar bill. I gave it back and asked him to take me to a motel. He drove another fifteen miles and got me a room for tonight.

-ME, IN THE "DALTON" ROOM-
-PHOTO/EDITS BY RUTH RADER-

I ate, watched a little TV and now I'm on line. I will microwave some popcorn and read the story, hanging in a frame on the wall, about the Dalton Gang. Apparently, they once hung-out around here.

This bed is comfortable and topped by four fat pillows and a thick, homemade quilt. There is French lace on the window, coffee in the pot and a large print of sunflowers in a field, on the wall behind me.

I see justice balancing itself out, tonight. And I deserve it. Yeehaw.

Ruthie On The Road, Update

noreply@blogger.com (Ruthie In The Sky) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 03:32:00 +0000

I got a great thirty-mile ride from the couple that I met last night. They dropped me off by a bridge in another town.

I walked across the bridge, intending to sit on the guard rail on the other side, when my eyes noticed the sign.

"DO NOT PICK UP HITCHHIKERS IN THIS AREA"

"Oh, geez" I thought and my shoulders sagged.

"There must be a prison around here." I thought and kicked the bridge railing.

Then I sighed, cinched the pack straps tightly around my shoulders and walked right past the sign, with my thumb out.

A man from New Mexico stopped his SUV and picked me up. He was a consummate rule-breaker, anyway.

And ten-minutes later, he proved it.

We started talking as he sailed his rolling craft out of the highway harbor. Then the flash of red-and-blue lights flashed through the moment and broke the mood.

After an exchange of "...your proof of insurance" and "...here's my license" and "...this is a citation, sign here"...we rolled back out on the highway, again. Only this time, my driver carried a $170.00 speeding ticket in his wallet.

Something about him started to feel wrong. I couldn't identify it...but suddenly I didn't want to be around him, anymore.

I finally asked him to drop me off at a rest area.

He did.

Fifteen-minutes later, after I freshened-up and cleared the on-ramp, my second ride arrived.

The old man was driving a raspberry-tinted minivan. When I glanced at the van's dashboard, I noticed a full-sized bird's nest sitting there. He is a kind of an "inside the vehicle" hoarder and, with the exception of himself, I'm not sure what else I sat next to on that ride.

We finally drove through Amarillo and then continued on into the Texas Outback Wilderness.

Tonight, I am in a small-town Texas city using this wi-fi connection...in a rehab center.

A deal was struck this evening and I am now in a private room with my own bathroom and free wi-fi. A lady served me dinner and my laundry is now done.

I'm going to keep myself separate from the "residents", for the most part, tonight. Unless, of course, they want to discuss the positive points of legalizing marijuana.

Ruthie On The Road, Update

noreply@blogger.com (Ruthie In The Sky) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 04:28:00 +0000

UPDATE:

I walked out of the rest area in Northern Texas this evening, toward the highway traffic and the setting sun. I was tired, hungry and not sure where I would spend the night.

The caretaker at the rest area gave me some information and some snack crackers, to take with me.

I was grateful for that and for the wide-open wi-fi that the Department Of Transportation provides for free, at the main rest areas in Texas. Wi-fi can be very helpful and important on the road. Oregon provides it at some of its rest areas and I really think that all States should follow suit.

A young man in an older model van, stopped, backed almost all the way up the on-ramp and offered me a ride.

Next, he helped me get a motel room and a meal. I feel much better now and I will sleep and bathe before I head back out on the road, again, tomorrow.

The storm that hit while I was on the road, yesterday, was vicious. While it didn't hit with as much force as it did in Alabama, it hit hard! Before the trucker rescued me, yesterday, it became almost impossible to walk or even stand up, straight! My heavy pack only added a small amount of stability to my larger frame as I attempted to make my way through that high wind.

Tumbleweed, as big as German Shepard dogs, flew into me and cut the skin on my face. My glasses got caught in one ball of tumbleweed and the wind nearly sent the weed, and my specs, rolling down the highway!

The truck driver and I had some fast decisions to make. The weather up north was bad but it was much better, down South. So, in the end, we decided to take me all of the way down to Wichita Falls, Texas.

Now I am making my way back to a small town area in Southern Kansas. The journey will take me out of Texas, across the Panhandle of Oklahoma and back into Kansas. I hope that someone puts the wind back into its bottle and buries it in one of those Kansas wheat fields.

I watched flock after flock of geese heading across the Kansas sky before I left that State, yesterday. When I left the rest area in Texas, this evening, I saw a huge flock of them, again...all honking happily, in a field on the other side of the highway.

It reminded me of how far I've come in a very short amount of time.

Oh, how this roadie runs!
______________

The following, quoted text is from an email that I just sent to a woman who is linked directly with the provider-system in Southern Kansas:

"Both the other guest and I left the shelter, yesterday
morning, at 7:30am.

We chose different destinations, so we said our goodbyes and split-up
at the railroad tracks.

From there, I continued on, alone.

I walked and walked to the highway.
That was quite a hike, in itself.

And I estimate that I reached there (being slow, carrying a heavy pack
and walking with a cane) at about 9:30am, yesterday
morning. I didn't get a ride down the highway until 1:30pm, yesterday afternoon.

A man picked me up, just before that wind storm hit, and drove me all
of the way to a small town in Kansas. He was a strange guy
but harmless...he just didn't have a whole lot to say.

He dropped me off at the edge of the town, at the height of the wind storm
and drove away.

A trucker from Texas picked me up and drove me all of the way to
Wichita Falls, Texas, last night. I was planning on stopping
in ________ Kansas but the reception that I got in the last little Kansas town was not
cool and so I've decided to wait until this Tuesday to deal with the
provider-system in the ________ area.

We thought that Wichita Falls would be able to offer me shelter. They
didn't. They were full and so the Sheriff brought me
over to a local truck stop, where I spent the night, last night. I am
still in Texas...typing this out to you on my laptop...at a Texas rest
area where the DOT provides free wi-fi.

I had the last driver drop me off here so that I could take a break. I
have been on the road, struggling to get back to Kansas, since
6:30am this morning. I'm tired and hungry but I will get back on the road,
soon.

I am hoping that ________, Kansas will be able to keep me for awhile.

Meanwhile, I obviously believe that the shelter that I left, yesterday, should have just
kept me there until Feb. 1. I have a plan, I just need a
place to be.

Isn't that supposed to be the whole point of providing the shelter in
the first place?

I bet there's nobody staying at the shelter that I left, yesterday. But
if anybody is, I bet the sum total of people only amounts to a handful.

If I would have been allowed to stay at that shelter and ate
like a normal person and was treated with respect...then that shelter
could have
contributed to making some significant and positive changes in my
life. Instead, I am going to have to go back out to the highway,
here in Northwestern Texas...and hitchhike my way back...in my
continuing search for a decent four walls and a roof...until Feb. 1."

The Picnik Is Almost Over, Update

noreply@blogger.com (Ruthie In The Sky) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 00:18:00 +0000

UPDATE: This is what is happening in the forums, now. The discussion headlines speak for themselves. There are quite a few discussions, now. This is just a recent sample:

THE GROUP DISCUSSIONS

Fotoflexer.com is a very simliar site to Picnic. wwww.fotoflexer.com [1 Update]
Say NO to demolition Picnik ! [1 Update]
Why is Google closing this amazing program???? [1 Update]
What would you recommend instead of Picnik ? [1 Update]
Now that Piknik is closing in April, what is replacing it? [1 Update]
How to find the collage tab on the home page [1 Update]
My "most recent uploads" have all disappeared sincce last night!! It used to be last 100 pics, now only allowing 3?? [2 Updates]
Please, please, please don't go away! Why? Why are you closing? Where can I go now? [1 Update]
how do I get the premium? [1 Update]
το Picnik κλεινει τον απριλη , θα ανοιξει παλι? αν οχι θαθελα ενα ιδιο προγραμμα με τις ιδιες ικανοτητες κ με χρηματα δεν με νοιαζει [1 Update]
Don't close! [1 Update]
WE WANT ANSWERS!!!! [1 Update]
Does anyone knows the real reason Picnik is closing? [2 Updates]
What now? [2 Updates]
Please transfer features to Picasa and Google + [2 Updates]
Are the features and editing tools of picnik going to be available somehow through Google now??????? [4 Updates]
it would be nice if you would answer some questions [2 Updates]
______________

Picnik, the nifty photo editing service that is linked to Google, announced (yesterday) that it is packing up and going away.

Many people are disappointed and I am one of those people. I have been a customer of Picnik for some time now and I wanted to remain as one.

What concerns me now is what Google is going to do after Picnik has closed. This is a copy of the comment that I sent to the Picnik discussion forum, this morning:

"Like many other people, I was shocked by what I saw yesterday when I tried to use Picnik.
And it reminded me of when I opened Lala and they announced their closure.
In Lala's case, Apple took over and killed it. Then they tried to send us all over to iTunes. I
never went. In fact, they credited me with tokens for iTunes which I never used. I waited it
out and finally signed-up for Rdio and I've been happy there, ever since. But the memory
remains and I see it happening all over again. Evidently, Google (Big "G", double "o"...Go
as they grow...dontcha know) is up to something and, as usual, is making sure that we,
the paying consumers, will be the last to know. Just grab your shots and hope that Google
doesn't do what Yahoo did when they sent their photo department over to Flickr: Pay or you
only get to access 200 of your photos at a time. Just remember, you've been warned. I'm
betting this is all about money...this is the Internet...isn't it always that way?"

I think it is poor form for Google to leave us all in confusion, right now. So far, they have not offered an alternative.

*Sigh*

Shelter: Holding Back More Than It Gives

noreply@blogger.com (Ruthie In The Sky) — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 16:52:00 +0000

Something isn't adding up, here.

But I'm going to get answers. You better believe that I will.

I am staying at a shelter here in Southern Kansas, right now. And I am totally disgusted.

The shelter only allows individuals to stay there for six days...and then each person has to move on. But that isn't what is concerning me.

The shelter doesn't allow smoking, drinking or drugs on the premises. Obviously, that's not what is bothering me, either.

The problem is more complicated than that. And I am going to explain it in this post:

1.) Food. Either there isn't enough or we aren't being given enough. Either way, we aren't getting what we need while we are staying at the shelter. I noticed that problem right away. And I am really pissed-off about it.

If the shelter can't or won't provide proper meals to it's guests, then it shouldn't be in operation.

Last night, a different staff person came on duty and when he said that dinner was ready...we all just stared at our plate. He took one small hamburger bun, split it, covered it with a medium amount of hamburger meat in Man which sauce and gave it to us. We each got a small serving of chips and green beans, along with it.

All of us left the table, still hungry.

The staff person won't allow us to access food, other than what he provides, at all.

If I thought that I could get away with taking a photo of our so-called "dinner", tonight, I'd snap a shot and post it here. But I probably won't be allowed to do so. This will most likely be related to the staff person's unreasonable, asinine behavior.

2.) The Staff Person. He is one of two people who oversees the nightly operation of the shelter. Neither one of the men (there are no women staffers available for female guests) are on my good list. But the weekend guy is definitely the worse of the two.

He is a misogynist. And I am the only female there, right now. The other guest is male and is as kind and considerate as the staff person is not. There is no excuse for that.

Each day, the male guest has walked with me to get coffee at Mickey D's. And when I walk up to the restaurant, he always opens the door for me. He is polite and very aware of what is going on at the "house", right now.

He keeps saying, "Us roadies have got to stick together."

The staff person calls us "clients" and speaks to us as if we were children.

Every morning, I get out of bed and get ready for the day. We are only allowed to use one of the bathrooms in the house. So, I get up at 5AM and do what I have to do, so that the other guest can use the bathroom at 6AM.

Last night, the staff person yelled at me and said: "You better not go wandering all over the house if you get up at 5AM, again. You just use the bathroom and then go back to the room and stay there."

(Right now, I can see some of my friends reading this and reacting)

I recently stayed overnight at the "Hill House." See THIS POST . And the couple there made darn sure that I ate very well and was treated with total respect.

They had only known me for an hour before they invited me to stay, overnight. But they never yelled at, insulted, demeaned or lectured me. They both trusted me and addressed me as an adult. I guarantee you that I behaved like one.

Before that, I stayed with my friends in Northeast Kansas for five days. And when I left, even the cat missed me.

Nobody needs to tell me how to conduct myself in a motel, a private home or in a shelter.

The animosity that the staff person delivered to me was obvious. And I have to go back there, tonight.

However, both the male guest and I are planning on leaving tomorrow...a day earlier than we actually have to. This is because we are both tired of being hungry...and disrespected.

No shelter is worth that.

3.) No ADA-Compliance. The male guest sleeps downstairs and there are quite a few steps that lead downstairs. It is a steep set of steps, too. I have trouble making it down and back up, again.

I sleep in a room, upstairs.

I have to go down those steps every time that I need to use the bathroom. My friends in Northeastern Kansas, let me sleep on the couch in their living room. They knew that it would be easier for me to use the bathroom on the main floor rather than climbing the stairs to the bath and bedrooms on the second floor.

Ironically, a perfectly good bathroom, at the shelter, is located RIGHT NEXT DOOR TO WHERE I SLEEP. But only the two staff members get to use it. I don't.

Despite my left foot and my cane, the staff men have never offered me the option of using that bathroom on the main floor.

Obviously, there is something very wrong with that.

Suffice it to say, the shelter holds back more than it gives. And I doubt that it began that way. I am also wondering where the money, that has been allocated for the shelter's 2012 budget...is actually going.

Straight From The Deck

noreply@blogger.com (Ruthie In The Sky) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 19:36:00 +0000

This is priceless. It really is.

My friend just created a new video that features a tarot card reading. And that reading is for...um...gee...how shall I put this?

Uhhh...that woman who swore that she knows where the missing baby Lisa Irwin is. The so-called "psychic" who created a minor stir awhile back...and then disappeared.

The woman who grabbed her "fifteen minutes of fame" and then came back for seconds and thirds.

The one who wouldn't know an honest clue (because she really doesn't have one) if it sat down beside her.

Yeah, that woman.

Enjoy the video, y'all. I sure did: