LOLA'S BACK!!!!

I am laying there this morning, the alarm had gone off at 7:00, and I could not get my eyes to open. They were all watery and burny... I sat up coughed and layed back down. I kept trying to get those eyes all the way open, but could not. As I was laying there listening to the doves cooing, and the chickadees twittering, I heard a CHIT CHIT CHIT!!! LOLA!!!!!!!!!!

Lola for those of you new to this site is a Douglas squirrel. Actually there are several, but unless I see them more than one at a time, they are all called LOLA! If I see two then the first is Lola and the second is Rita, then there is Sal, which can be either a he or a she as befits the backside of said squirrel.

This is Sadie's first Spring, so she chases Lola away from the feeder. She chases the birds away too, but they have caught on that she cant reach them so they come right back. Lola hasn't quite figured that out yet. Lola was running back and forth on the neighbors wooden fence just a chattering....

I picked up the binoculars and could not see a thing My eyes are so fuzzy right now. Pisses me off! I tried to rub the floaters away and just made them sting even more. I finally got a good look at Lola, and she looks nice and fat and healthy! Her coat looks full and colorful, and her tail was fluffy. I was worried about her since I have not seen her since the first of the year.

Must have been living off the nuts she squirreled away this last fall. I have corn cobs stuck into the fence about every 20 feet to entice her closer to the feeder. Hope it works. Sadie will be the kicker though. If she continues to chase her away she may not come back. Gotta figure this out...

The Woodpeckers and the Hummers aren't flocking like they did last year either. NOTHING scares the hummers, but I have only seen one or two of them this year. BOO!!! Must be the weather down south. California is getting hammered with rain and wind, so maybe that is keeping them down there.

HERE BIRDIE BIRDIE BIRDIE!!

PFFFFFHHHHHTTTTTTTT!!!!

I am in such a deep blue FUNK this week. I feel unloved unwanted, unuseful, un-funny! I may blog about it later, but right now I feel that if I did I would either be royally pissed or whine so much that you all would be turned off. SO I won't write today about it.

INSTEAD if you want to learn about differing life-styles, customs etc. Be sure to go to Robert Brady He has a whole week of posts on there about FIREWALKERS. THere are five installments complete with pictures. It is great!!! I read him every evening. His Love for his Family comes through so much, and his love for his new country does also. I say new, but he has been an ex-patriot in Japan for about 25 years now. I love reading his blog.

Another one to research is JoelHe has a wonderful way of writing, that just pulls you in. He links quite a bit, which I don't like, because I have such a difficult time downloading with our antique phone lines out here. (Still dial-up!) But he also writes about topics that get you thinking.

A great essay writer to go to and read once in awhile is USS CLUELESS He was one of the first blogs I read, when I first started blogging. I will admit some of what he writes I do not read. Most of what he writes is so far over my head, that I don't understand it, but every once in awhile he gives you another reason to re-think your stand on certain topics. He is all writing, and takes no comments.

I have to leave you with a funny that I have been saving for a rainy day...beleive me it is one today, both emotional and actual.

The Middle Wife...

How would you like to be this teacher? (A grammar school teacher from
Miami, remembers this Oscar-worthy birth tableau from one of her
students)

I've been teaching now for about fifteen years. I have two children
myself, but the best birth story I know is the one I saw in my own
first-grade classroom a few years back. When I was a child, I loved
show-and-tell.

So I always have a few sessions with my students. It helps them get
over
shyness and experience a little public speaking. And it gives me a
break
and some guaranteed entertainment.

Usually, show-and-tell is pretty tame. Children bring in pet turtles,
model airplanes, pictures of fish they catch, stuff like that. And,
never, ever
place any boundaries or limitations on them. If they want to lug it
to
school and talk about it, they're welcome.

Well, one day this little girl, Erica, a very bright, very outgoing
child,
takes her turn and waddles up to the front of the class with a pillow
stuffed under her sweater. She holds up a snapshot of an infant.
"This is Luke, my baby brother, and I'm going to tell you about his
birthday. First, Mom and Dad made him as a symbol of their love, and
then
Dad put a seed in my Mom's stomach, and Luke grew in there. He ate
for
nine months through an umbrella cord."

She's standing there with her hands on the pillow, and I'm trying not
to
laugh and wishing I had my camcorder with me. The children are
watching
her in amazement.

"Then, about two Saturdays ago, my Mom starts saying and going, "Oh,
oh,
oh!'" Erica puts a hand behind her back and groans. "She walked
around
the house for, like an hour, 'Oh, oh, oh!'"

Now the child is doing this hysterical duck walk; holding her back
and
groaning. "My Dad called the middle wife. She delivers babies, but she
doesn't have
a sign on the car like the Domino's man. They got my Mom to lie down in
bed
like this." Erica lies down with her back against the wall.

"And then, pop! My Mom had this bag of water she kept in there in case
he
got thirsty, and it just blew up and spilled all over the bed, like
psshhheew!"
This child is sitting on the floor with her little hands miming water
flowing away. "Then the middle wife starts saying 'push, push, and
breathe, breathe." They started counting, but never even got past
ten."
"Then, all of a sudden, out comes my brother. He was covered in yucky
stuff. They said it was from Mom's play-center, so there must be a lot
of stuff
inside there for him to do "

Then Erica stood up, took a big theatrical bow and returned to her
seat.
I'm sure I applauded the loudest. Ever since then, if it's
show-and-tell
day, I bring my camcorder, just in case another Erica comes along.
Life is meant to be lived .. enjoy.

Maps

All of my life I have had a fascination with maps. Road maps, Atlases, National Geographic Maps, topography maps, National Park Maps, all of them. When we were young, Dad would get orders from San Diego to Washington, or San Diego to Hawaii, or Hawaii to Washington, etc. In order to get there we all piled into our usually old beater car, and head North or South as the case may be. Phyllis Ann and I would have to fight over the backseat, and we each staked out our territory and the other was NEVER to cross the line. Dad would drive and Mom would read the Map. “There is a town coming up, Can you stop so the girls can go to the Bathroom?”

That immediately evoked feelings of I GOTTA PEE NOW! And of course the next town would not have an open gas station with a bathroom that Mom would use. We usually ended up bouncing on the back seat holding our hands between our legs and BEGGING Daddy to stop. He finally would, usually in the wide spot on the road so we could pee on the side of the road. (I was 5-8 Phyllis Ann was 2-5) We always wondered why Dad had to go before we could stop.

As we grew older, and could read, I got to see THE MAP. I learned how to fold it, and how to hold it so that I always knew the direction we were traveling. By reading along as we went, I learned the different symbols for towns, cities, Hiways and Places of Interest. I learned where National Monuments and National Parks were. On the backs of some of the maps were interesting stories about the State that we were traveling through.

As the years passed, and the traveling with Mom and Dad ceased, the travel with Husbands began. I always stopped and got a road map every time we entered a new state. Mind you, I could NOT re-use a map! Besides, back then, Texaco and Shell Stations all gave away FREE maps. I would write on these maps the places we stopped and the sights we saw. I would also write where there was and was not services. (I was through peeing in the woods)

Out of habit, Every time I would see a map, I would read it thoroughly. I would read the towns, and the cities, look at the place names and wonder how they got there. Whiskey Dick Mountain, Screaming Woman Creek, Bald Knob, just to name a few off the top of my head.

Because of this I was usually pretty good in Geography. I could name all the countries in Africa, I could name all the State Capitals, and I could name all the capitol Cities of the Countries.

This weekend, I was watching CBC, and they were re-running the finals for the Women’s Curling Championships. They were in Red_____ Canada. I grabbed the Gazetteer, and looked for a Red______ Canada. The only one I saw was Red Deer, Alberta. So I assumed that was it? This was late at night, and before you know it I had spent over 4 hours reading the Atlas. I noticed how blank Canada is above Edmonton. I then read across to the Eastern Provinces. I have never been there and wondered if I ever will. I also looked at the Tongas National Forest and saw how very vast it was, and how soon it will be destroyed if logging is continued at the rate it is.

I will spend hours reading these maps that I get. It is one way to get to know the places your friends have lived. I have maps from Germany, and maps from Sicily , Maps of Alaska, where I followed the Iditarod and circled all of the stops for two straight years. I have maps from Nevada, where I highlighted all of the roads I explored while I was there. I have the Island County map which was printed way before development started. I even have a Map of California before Interstate 5 was built!

When I am reading a book, the map of the area is right beside me, and I use it to check on the accuracy of the author. I take these maps on Airplanes, and look down and try to figure out where we are flying over. People have collections of teacups, and teddy bears, and License Plates, I have Maps.

A strange hobby I know, But it is enjoyable, and since I will probably never have the opportunity to visit any other countries, It at least helps me know where all of you live. So in all of your Garage cleaning, or household reducing you should come across a map of the state or Country that you live in, If you would Circle where you live and send it to me I will be even more enriched. The friends I have made have enriched me, and just knowing more about your countries would please me greatly.

MV KALAKALA

One of the Many icons in Western Washington is the Washington State Ferry System. With a Huge chunk of our real Estate across Puget Sound, The major way across the waters is by Ferry. Bridges are not Cost effective due to our extremely unstable Land Mass. We are sitting on Glacial Deposits, and the waters are filling the deep valleys scoured out by these Glaciers many eons ago.

The first settlers here knew that they were gonna have to have a means to commute to all of the Islands, and they had what was then called the Mosquito Fleet…Small Boats that ferried passengers and freight from one town to the other; Sometimes on the same Island.

When Automobiles became the method of choice to get to and from town, and to and from the town to the city, The only way was to drive around the sound, which could take several days. If there was a road. And if there was a bridge!

What was a perfect work around was to have a series of Motor Vessels that could carry cars from Island to Island. Several were built and in the 20’s a fleet of these vessels were started. For the most part, These vessels are Still in use today. Of course they have been re-worked, re-built, re-done and are in need of repair once more.

During the Retro era of the 1930’s there was a reconditioned Hull out of the San Francisco Bay that had caught fire and was burned almost to the water line. The Hull was salvaged and then re-fitted with the current style that it has today. This was the beginning of the MV Kalakala.




We in The Puget Sound region, call it The Silver Slug, because it looks just like our State Animal, The Slug. It ran back and forth across the sound ferrying vehicles and passengers across to the Olympic Peninsula. When the new generation of Super Ferries was built in the 60’s and 70’s, the Kalakala was retired from the fleet and sold. Through many evolutions it was eventually brought back to the Seattle Area, Battered, Beaten, Rusted, and at one time grounded. But she still had Life.





In Late 2003 it was finally sold on E-Bay for a nominal price. It was purchased by a gentleman that has intentions to restore it back to the glamour it had in the 1930’s and turn it into a Restaurant and Museum. An admirable plan. Unfortunately the Government has gotten in the way of a simple move to another location. It was blocked by people who were afraid it would become an eyesore. It was then decided to move it to another location, and that too was thwarted.

Today, the owner of the Vessel and the owner of the moorage came to an impasse, and the Kalakala was untied and left to float on Lake Union. The Coast Guard does not want to give it permission to pass through the Ballard Locks and into the Sound, to be towed to its’ temporary location, because there is a storm coming in. Since the intended location for the Kalakala is at Neah Bay, at the Western Entrance to the Straight of Juan de Fuca, and when ever there is a storm it comes blowing right into the Straight, The US Coast Guard was afraid it would turn into a 200’metal sail and be uncontrollable. They have a good point!

The last I heard it was going to be towed to the East end of the Ship Canal, and be anchored there until it is safe to be towed on to Neah Bay.

This whole venture is an admirable one. I can only hope that the new owner really does have the financing and the where-with-all to follow through with this plan. It really would make an excellent waterfront restaurant and Museum in downtown Seattle. If done correctly, it could also be a wonderful museum and testimony to the boats and ships and vessels that have plied the waters of Puget Sound.

I hope it comes to fruition. For further History and pictures, go to the MV KALAKALA website and read all about its history, from burned out hull to fish cannery to building, back to Vessel. It really is an interesting part of our history.

Changes

I am updating links And I am putting them in with their titles not your names. I was "told" that is the proper way to do it. So now I won't know who any of you are out there. But then neither will anybody else. If I have left any one out or have inadvertantly gotten your name wrong, please let me know and I will fix it. I still had DOn on there, and we all know he is in hiding right now, and won't ever be back...and Tina moved, but I still had her old address on there and now it is a porn site!! (Tina, SHAME) It may take me a few days to get you all in there correctly, There are a lot more of you than there used to be. Tkes me almost 3 hours to visit you all everyday now. I sure am glad I am retired!!

Quarter recall

WHO-HOO!! and Dorothy just sent me one!!! Yahoo!! You don't want it back now do you Dorothy?


BULLETIN WASHINGTON, D.C. - Hang on to any of the new State of
Arkansas
quarters. If you have them, they may be worth much more than 25 cents.

The U.S. Treasury announced today that it is recalling all of the

Arkansas quarters that are part of its program featuring quarters from
each state.

"We are recalling all the new Arkansas quarters that were recently
issued," Treasury Undersecretary Jack Shackleford said Monday. "This
action is being taken after numerous reports that new quarters will
not
work in parking meters, toll booths, vending machines, pay phones, or
other coin-operated devices". The quarters were issued in the order in
which the various states joined the U.S. and have been a tremendous
success among coin collectors worldwide. "The problem lies in the
unique
design of the Arkansas quarter, which was created by a University of
Arkansas graduate," Shackleford said. "Apparently, the duct tape
holding the two dimes and the nickel together keeps jamming the
coin-operated devices."

funny!!!!

THis is so true!!! and I imagine back then it was really the truth!!!

A little old lady from North Carolina had worked in and around family
dairy farms since she was old enough to walk... with hours of hard work and
little compensation.
When canned Carnation Milk became available in grocery stores (in the
1940s)
she read an advertisement offering $5,000 for the best slogan: a rhyme
beginning with "Carnation Milk is best of all...."
She said to herself, "I know all about milk and dairy farms...I can do
this!" She sent in her entry and about a week later, a black limo drove up
in front of her house. A man got out and said, "Carnation LOVED your entry
so much, we are here to award you $1000, even though we won't be able to use
your slogan."

Her entry was:
Carnation milk is best of all,
no tits to pull, no shit to haul,
no buckets to wash,
no hay to pitch,
just poke a hole in the son-of-a-bitch!

A-YEP!!!

I fell Yucky, Oh so Yucky, It's not ducky how Yucky I feel...

Really really bad still!!! THis crap sucks like a hoover!!! My eyes are almost cleared up, which is really nice, but the Virus has gone into my lymph nodes and my throat is so damn sore!! MY sinus is running water, which tickles my throat, which makes me cough, which hurts my throat, and then makes me barf!! This royally SUCKS!!

I have not been able to swallow, so I drug myself out to town yesterday got some chloraseptic gargle,(shudder) and some Theraflu for sore throats, and some hersey kisses. (gotta eat something you know) and some Metholatum for my nose. It is so dry that it is cracking and bleeding. SWELL.

I have not been able to eat, can't swallow, so I am not taking any of my meds, and no insulin! The bottom was falling out of my glucose levels, down to 39 and 44 so I figured id best cut back on my insulin. Im back up in the safe range right now, 129. I have no more Honey, so I have to chug the THeraflu down without sweet stuff. GAK. THen when I do that, within an hour I am so sleepy that I cant keep my eyes open. I wake up feeling much better for about an hour, then it starts all over again. Need to wait for a few hours though so I can take my nite time slug, and go to sleep.

Poor little Sadie has been so darn good!! She sleeps right on top of me the whole time I am in bed. Last night, I knew she needed to go out but I could not wake up enough to let her out. She was licking my face big time. When I finally hauled myself out of bed, and went to let her out, there was a nice big present right in front of the back door. MY fault again, not hers. SHe tried, Bless her little poopy heart. I cant leave her out because she barks at ghosts, and leaves, and the wind, and the wind chimes, and the neighbors get all upset. Otherwise she would just stay out until I was well. Cant have a doggie door, because the cats would get out and they are stupid. THey would be Coyote dinner in no time.

I need a maid.

Chemystery went over the top last night to Ellensburg to spend the weekend with her husband. I think it was more, I NEED TO KEEP AWAY FROM THE GERMY ONE!! Which is probably a good thing. I do not do sick well at all. I like everyone around me when I am sick. I do not like to be left alone. Do not know why, been that way all my life. Don't necessarily want to converse with them, (hell I couldnt anyway, no voice) just want them close so I know I am loved. or hated. So it is just me the cats, Sadie and Bea.

I am out of cat food, so I had to put down IAMS dog crunchies for them. It speaks volumes when Loki looks at me, looks at it, and then tries to cover it up... He'll eat when he gets hungary enough.

Well I am starting to shiver again, which must mean my fever is coming back. So I shall go drink some more yucky stuff and crawl under the Electric Blanket to keep warm.

I need someone to cuddle with...I guess I have to make do with the pillow...

Spring?

If you are ready for spring, Go to Northwest notes She has wandered into one of my favorite sites. The Sauk River is a tributary of the Skagit River, Which runs from British Columbia down through the North Cascades into Puget Sound right at Whidbey Island!! THe Sauk is relatively un-settled, or was the last time I was up there. It is natural and wild and gorgeous! And smack FULL of wild Steelhead!!! Great Fishing!!! You have not fished until you have had a wild steelhead hit your line, and then fought that sucker all the way into the net. They are big, about 5-10 lbs and OH MY GAWD they are good to eat!! THey basically are Sea-run trout but taste like Salmon!!

I got carried away, Sorry Fran!! Her blog is really a good indicater of the weather and the seasons and the country side around here. The Chilly Hilly that she refers to is a sponsored bike ride on Bainbridge Island that idiots ride in every year. It is usually COLD, WET and VERY HILLY!! THese guys get on the ferry and collapse!!! I guess it is sposed to be fun?

Check her out!

Yankee or Dixie?

I was surfing and found a blog called Sweetea, and decided to look. She has a quiz on there that tells you if your speak yankee or if you speak Dixie. I have been raised predominately in the Western Us and the South Pacific. I rated 50% Yankee...must be my Mother coming through...

CHITTERS

I was reading, or trying to, Leslie's post this morning and Started to write about vibrating patches of fur, and decided that is what I would post about today. Chitters is one of my 4 cats. I had come to this house with 1 cat, Rudy, who was the love of my life. My sister registered me with WAIF The local no-kill animal shelter. Bless her heart.

I was called to foster parent a momma cat and her kitties. I did, and decided that I would NOT get attached to any of the kittens. It was hard because kittens are my most favorite things in the whole wide world. Kittens from birth to grown. I love them when they are still wet and wiggley from the placenta. I love to pick them up and kiss them. I would be the happiest person in the world to just raise kittens. Alas, I always keep one!!

THis time even though I loved little Gordo, I did not keep him, He would ride on my shoulder all day and purr like mad. I did not need another cat so I told myself from the git-go that I would NOT KEEP ONE!

The day came to return them all to the shelter. I took them all back and put them in the litter cage, and walked away. I suddenly was stopped, by a little paw with claws in it grabbing onto my pant leg. I looked down and there in the bottom cage was the cutest litter of kittens I had ever seen!! Grey long haired tabby kittens. The Male kitten had ahold of my pant leg and would not let go. I asked to hold him, and I was hooked!!! He was purring as I picked him up, and was so loving, and SOFT. I picked up his sister and put her on my other shoulder and had stereo purr kitties!! they were both so fat and sodt and loving, that I had to take one home. So I took the Male. (they make better lovers)

I never name my cats until I have had a chance to see how their personalities work out. This one was a terror!! He would get into the trash and bring me all sorts of goodies. It was not unusual to wake up with a dirty meat diaper on my pillow. or a chicken bone, or a catfood can lid. He was something. I could not think of a proper name for him so I just called him you little SHIT!! for over 6 months, that was what he heard. YOU LITTLE SHIT!! When my Dad moved in with me, he thought that was a terrible name for such a sweet kitty so he shortened it to shitters, and then to Chitters. That became his name. Chitters, derived from YOU LITTLE SHIT. Looks better at the vets office too.

Chitters is a lover. He sits beside me at the computer every day, and usually positions his tummy over the mouse hand so he can get scratched. Chitters is the outcast from the others. He just stays by himself except when there is a fire in the stove. He can usually be found right beside me where ever I am, purring quietly. He is comforting when I am not feeling good. He is also the one who mourned with me when I had to have Rudy put to sleep. I came home devasted and sobbed, and sobbed, Chitters would hear me and come running right up to my face and pat his little paws on my cheeks as if to say. It's ok mommie, I'm still here.

He's not a little shit anymore!!

Virus

I have a nasty virus in my eyes which is causing my vision to blur badly. Since I am not the greatest typist in the world, I have to look at the keys so my nose is on the keyboeard looking at the keys, and It is very difficult to write. SO I'm begging off for a few days unti I can see again. Be back soon I hope.



And here is a post of the clan hogging the wood stove



And yes Loki sleeps like that all the time. Sadie and Lint were outside.

Penis's

So in one of those rare MOther/Daughter moments of bonding, Chemystery and I were talking about funny things and I said, "oh! you have to read Kat today." She is talking about Penis's! Chemystery said well I must confess, that of all your blogger friends, I like hers the best, and I read her quite often.

My Daughter marches to a different drummer and has all of her life. She refused to be miscarried when I was young and single and PG! She grabbed on and hung on for 101/2 months. Yep, that too was different. 6 weeks late she was! and THEN she didn't wanna come out...took me three days in the labor room to pop her out. She has been an independant little cuss ever since. If I said it must be this way, she would do it that way! Needless to say, I do not read many of HER blog friends. Belle dujour, clean sheets etc. She also writes erotica. Has a blurb on her blog that says DONT GO THERE MOM! I dont. There are some things a Mom just does not want to know.

ANYWAY, she is reading Kat's post about Penis's and laughing, and then we talked or I did anyway about only seeing two in my life and they were both the same. She cracked up and laughed at me. When I said that was pretty Normal I thought, she hooted and said no Mother it isn't. Well beings as how I am 58 I thought it was for someone my age. She laughed and said, "NO! you've been single for how long now? 20 years... LOLOLOLOLOLL" "Mom. That is sooo pathetic!"

Like I said, there are some things a Mother just.does.not.want.to.know!! She walked out still hooting at me!! So of those of you that are close to my age, How many have YOU seen?

Spring is Here!

GOD!! I woke up this morning with my eyes sealed SHUT!! yesterday they started itching rally bad, and leaking tears like mad! I was up about 3 times in the night rinsing them out with warm water. I look like I have been on a three day crying jag!! FROG EYES! All puffy and crusty and red!! yuck. Mr RIght surely woun't want me now!!

Jeff Rener on KING 5 weather said that tree pollen was very high yesterday...guess what is 60 feet out my bedroom window? ALDERS!! Lots of 'em! G R E A T !!!!!! Maybe I'll see you later and maybe I'll just FEEL you later!! ACHOO!!! sorry!! SNIFF!!! sorry....

one more funny...

An old man was sitting on a bench at the mall. A young man walked up to the bench and sat down. He had spike hair in all different colors: green, red, orange, blue, and yellow. The old man just stared. Every time the young man looked, the old man was staring. The young man finally said sarcastically. "What's the matter old timer, never done anything wild in your life?" Without batting an eye, the old man replied, "Got drunk once and had sex with a peacock. I was just wondering if you were my son."

My Blogging anniversary!!

One year ago today I went to my boss and said “I QUIT”! actually it was a little better said, but the jist was I am retiring, I am taking your money and heading out of Dodge!! Effective March 1st. I came home from that meeting and started writing in my Blog. I had no idea what I was gonna do, or how this was going to affect me emotionally. I had spent over 37 years working for the Navy Exchange, and it had always come first, before my family, my health or anything else.

I knew I was going to be embarking on a journey that would change me forever, and I did not know where it was going to lead me, nor what condition it was going to leave me in. I was to say the least, Scared Shitless!! I had always used the excuse “I cant afford to retire, too many bills” But NEXCOM came out with an offer company wide that the first 500 associates that qualified would get full retirement, benefits, and 25,000 in cash if they retired early and within the next 3 months. They called my bluff. I thought, and I cried, And I agonized, but then I added up all that I owed except my Mortgage, and All that I would need to live on and then plugged in what I would be getting from the buy out, and my retirement. OHMIGAWD!!! I can pay off EVERYTHING, buy a few items and still have enough to live on!!

I then started writing …I did not know what direction this blog would take, as I had seen several, but did not have anyone to “blog” with. I did not know if I wanted it to be a confessional, out there where everyone in cyberspace could see it, or if I wanted to keep it just a daily itemized diary so that I would know what I had done with my life after retirement.

The evolution that has transpired amazes even me sometimes. I am not completely a computer idiot, nor am I a Geek, but I can usually figure things out with time. What I did not know was the 4 letters HTML I learned, really quickly! I started the first week or so with a plain template from blogger, and as I walked around and saw all that was out there I of course got hungry for more!

I had just purchased a baby bunny and had no idea how to take care of it, so I goggled for info, and found a blog about Bunnies…only it was a war blog. I read her daily, and she did have some links to rabbit sites. Through her blog links I found Leslie, and through her, the rest of my friends, one way or another. All of this encouraged me to write more, link more, play more, blogwalk more, and to experiment more. I have changed my blog 3 times since then, and still have a few tweaks to do, but for the most part, I have taken the original blog template and dinked with it until it appeared the way it has. I still have not figured out how to get my 100 things from dreamweaver to my Blog. I have it all ready, just can’t get it out there. Thought about just starting another blog entitled “My 100 things” and just linking to it, but thought that was the chickens’ way out.

I have met so many people out there that have helped me fill the void. For the most part they are honest, forthright people who care about my blog and me. A few of them I am sure are using aliases for one reason or another, but I don’t care. They are who they say they are in my book. They don’t know that I am really who I say I am either, but those that care enough know.

This past year has been one of absolute wonder!! I did not know that there was such a thing as a stress free Holiday season!!! It really is wonderful!!! I went to the town Christmas Parade, and actually got to see it, I was not working the late shift at the store!!

I did not miss the store, well, yes I did, but not to the extent that I thought I would. I think I saw the handwriting on the wall a few years back, and decided that I needed to go. We were undergoing a hostile take over, without any one acknowledging it. The old people that grew up in the system were leaving like rats deserting a sinking ship and they were being replaced not from promotion within, but with outsiders…management people from The May Company, and Kohl’s and Carter Hawley Hale, people that for one reason or another were no longer working for these civilian companies. People that had no clue how the military worked or how to interface with the people that were left.

Change is good. I was not one of the troglodytes that resisted the changes, because I saw that most of them were good changes. When I started to worry was when promises made were not kept, and the people that had been working hard for the company were being sent to outposts to die, or were passed over for promotion.

I was sent to Fallon, Nevada as General Manager of the store. Good position. Good money, SHIT location. I was there for 2 ½ years and I was promised only 2 and a transfer back to the Pac NW. None of that happened. It took a family emergency and a serious downgrade to get me back home. That was when I knew that my time was done. When A company that you have given your all for will not go to the wall for you and keep promises that were made, then you know that the ones coming in from the outside are the chosen few.

I felt I had much more to contribute, but my family and my well-being took first place for the first time in my career, and with the offering in hand, I Retired!!

I have kept very busy with my hobbies, and my Theater, and do not regret my decision at all. There are more things that I could have done with more income, but I’m secure for a while, and I can continue to live here until taxes go up too high. My Car is fairly new, I love it and it is paid for also. The only hang up is my Health insurance, which is not the best, but still a lot better than having nothing. I can deal with it.

I do not have any extra money, so travel is out, unless it is fairly close, and I camp. I feel that I am very lucky to have been given this chance. I also feel that I am very lucky in finding all the Blog friends that I have all over the world. I travel to South Africa every Night, and Japan, and Scotland, and England. I travel to Canada twice a day and I go all over the US every afternoon. I enjoy the honesty and the humor that I find in all my blog friends. I feel like they are a part of my family now, even though I have not met them, and I laugh and cry with their daily posts.

I have learned that there are some very passionate people out there, when it comes to politics. I read both Left and Right newspapers, although I tend to lean RIGHT, I allow those leaning left to their own views.

I have met new family members when they have arrived, and I have mourned those that have left us. I hold my breath when one of my friends is Ill, and I give thanks when they get well.

I guess I will continue to blog along and see what the coming year will bring. Who knows, maybe Mr. Right is out there dying to meet a fat old woman with a great sense of humor!!

What book are you?

I was doing great not getting sucked in to any more of these damn quizes, but I am a sucker for BOOKS! I had to do it!!

You're I, Robot!

by Isaac Asimov

While you have established a code of conduct for many generations to
follow, your demeanor is rather cold and calculating. Brought up to serve humans, you
have promised never to harm them, to follow orders, and to protect yourself. Living up
to this code has proved challenging and sometimes even drives you mad. If you were a
type of paper, you would be pulp.


Take the Book Quiz
at the Blue Pyramid.

And I HATE Science Fiction!!

Reminiscing...

I was going through some of my old writing and found this. I was looking for the pictures that went with it, but I can only find the one I took, not the one Dad took. It is remarkable how Nature has taken over and filled in the spaces that man left behind. There are however thousands of dimples all over the tundra where tents and Quonset huts were at one time. You know just by looking that there were a lot of men living there. For the most part, the Navy has cleaned up a lot of the deserted buildings, and they have removed most of the deserted wharves except right in Adak City.

Yesterday Leslie wrote about needing a place to get in touch with herself. I used to (and still do) take a book of paper and a pen somewhere in the mountains or on the beach and just sit and write whatever popped into my head for 30 minutes. Sometimes it surprises even me. Sometimes I don’t want to keep it, and sometimes I do. This was one of those times.

Finger Bay, Adak, Alaska

Easter Sunday 1992

I’m sitting here in about the same spot as my Father stood 45 years ago, The day that he took a picture of the busy wharves and submarine docks that were once in abundance here. Now, I am looking out over a pristine finger of water; almost a fjord, and the wharves and docks are gone. Given way to age and a changing military environment. The concrete pads for the wharves are still here, and on the hill behind me are the few remaining Quonset huts that are protected by the historic register. There are a few piles of rotting timbers and rusting metal, but for the most part, this Bay has been reclaimed by nature. Signs of Man’s presence are still visible, but soon the tundra will cover them, and the winds and tides that shape these shores will eradicate any trace of the war machine that was once so present here. The quiet here is at times deafening! Broken only by the gurgling of the Raven on the high cliffs, and the splash of the sea otter as he flips to dive for his supper. Right now the remains of yesterdays’ snow is melting from the Tundra, and brown and black patches are poking through, leaving the low spots still covered with white. The water running down the cliff face has turned into giant icicles, hanging like frosting from the mountain. It isn’t really cold, only about 34 degrees, but the wind comes roaring down from the high peaks and freezes anything it touches. This land is so unforgiving. It’s harshness not readily apparent, but the tundra can be a killer in a heartbeat. It’s softness is very deceiving, for the soft covering of moss and grass can hide a deadly cavern beneath it, cut by eons of melting snow carrying abrasive volcanic ash. These islands were born of violence and are violent still. Evidenced by the almost daily earthquakes that shake us awake. Live volcanoes are a fact of life in the Aleutian chain, and within a 30-mile radius we have 3 active ones, and numerous geo-thermal vents that could erupt at any time. The term living on borrowed time really applies here, but not one of us is willing to admit that we could be vaporized in an instant...returned to the elements from whence we came.

For Don...

I was blogwalking, and one of my good friends said that he wanted to see more nude pictures on the internet. I promised him I would post a nude picture. SO forgive me dear friends, this one is for D. in NY! LOLOLOLOL





Courtesy of LINT's ass.

Yucky Day!!

Today is Bob's Birthday, SO since i KNOW that he will not use anything that I might buy him for a gift, I took him out to dinner. We went to the tacky cheap Mexican place down Island. GREAT FOOD. Dirty TOrn upholstery, walls are a mess, prices are fantastic, service is great and there is standing room only. Hole in walls are really good sometimes! Came back here watched CNN and then he left. It is too cold in here for him, and I am being a cheap skate with the heat and the wood!! I am almost out of seasoned wood, and winter is not over yet. I can always put on another pair of socks and crawl under the blanket. It is a cinch that he wont crawl under it with me, so he left for home. Bet you a buck he does not make it past the TYEE Restaurant and BAR!! i dont drink anymore, so When we go out he only has one beer, leaves early and then goes and gets tanked up. At least it isn't on my dime!!! The hangovers he can't blame on me either if he has one.

It turned really nasty today. Windy and rainy and chilly!! THe stars are out now though. so maybe tomorrow will be sunny and warmer. It's Deck season almost. I think the Alders are starting to push out their catkins, which means that the pollen will be covering everything, and my allergies will be raging!! i do love spring though. My Pussy Willows are almost popped out, and then I will prune the bush way back and also have a good bouquet of pussy willows to dry and have on hand.

THe Iris that I transplanted last Fall are poking their new fans up also! I thought I had lost them in the cold, but apparently not! TIme to start pruning the roses too. I want to get the front of the house looking pretty this spring. It is covered in weeds, and it is time to get out there and refurbish the look. Transplant the roses to the back yard where they will get better sun, and then dig up and replant all the front beds. I think I will put annuals along there, so they can be replanted yearly as the whim hits me. Right now I am into petunias, and other sweet smelling flowers. GOtta plant Sweet Peas next week too, all around the deck.

It will probably snow next week.

My dentist called this morning and wondered why I had not been in in a while, FUNNY YOU SHOULD CALL.....So March 1st I have an appointment to get my tooth fixed, and then start on the rest of the work that needs to be done. The knee well....we'll play that one by ear. Gotta have my teeth!! I can hobble with the knee can't eat with no teeth.

Well My fingers are frozen so its time to go crawl under the electric blanket and watch tv. See ya...

Pot-Pourri

Since It has been a long while since I posted anything this will be a mish mash of "stuff" A pot-pourri of topics. I blogwalked this afternoon, and caught up on everybod's weekend. Did not comment much, wanted to get through everybody first.

At Denny's I shamelessly stole this picture. I thought it put to words my feelings on Kerry quite well.



................................................................................................................................................

I also was sitting here and chomping on those cute little Brachs candy hearts, the ones with those little sayings on them...and broke a fricking TOOTH!!! Damn! Now I will have to get a crown instead of a new knee!! That just pisses me off!!

I got home last night about 1230 after striking the set of GODSPELL!! So now I go down into the annals of history. Sold 95% of the seats. Which is a really good sell through. I worked Box office yesterday, and had to tell everyone we were SOLD OUT! YES!!

The Show was fantastic last night. Judas in the 2nd act runs off stage and out the exit door and bangs it loudly. It is down about 7 steps. He waits about 10 minutes and then comes slamming back in. (He supposedly is betraying Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. ) Well last night he slipped and fell down those 7 steps, hit his head on the door which made the noise like he was sposed to, and just lay there. Only a very few of us saw what happened. I ran down the stairs, knee forgotten for the moment, and helped him up to the green room. We spent the next 5 minutes icing his foot and tying his lace up boots tighter. He made it back on stage for the cruxifiction scene, and was able to carry Jesus off, but there were huge tears streaming down his face from the pain. Bless his heart!! He is a Navy Corpman, and knew something was wrong, so right after curtain, we whisked him off to the hospital. THe Usher works with him and made comment about how she could not wait to see the accident report.

In the Military, any time an active duty person is injured, on duty or not, you have to fill out an accident report. We figured it would read something like this:

ACCIDENT OCCURED WHERE: Stairwell of the Pharisees temple

What WAS THE PATIENT DOING WHEN IT HAPPENED: Betryaing Jesus for 30 pieces of silver.

HOW MANY DAYS OF WORK WERE MISSED? Just the last supper! Made it back for the cruxifiction.

Yeah I know...We are sick Puppies!! He laughed too.

Anyway, I am done with the Playhouse until next season. GODSPELL is over, and I have nothing welse on my calendar...NOTHING>>> NADA!!!

When I retired this time last year my sister commented as I left her house, "well now I guess all you have to do is wait to die huh?" I will NEVER forget that remark. It has festered in the back of my mind for a year. GOD you don't s'pose she's right do you?...

I can't remember If I posted this or not, but If I did it is funny enough to do it again, If not....IT'S REALLY FUNNY!!!!



Three women die together in an accident and go to heaven.

When they get there, St. Peter says, "We only have one rule here in heaven: don't step on the ducks!"

So they enter heaven, and sure enough, there are ducks all over the place. It is almost impossible not to step on a duck, and although they try their best to avoid them, the first woman accidentally steps on one.

Along comes St. Peter with the ugliest man she ever saw.

St. Peter chains them together and says, "Your punishment for stepping on a duck is to spend eternity chained to this ugly man!"

The next day, the second woman steps accidentally on a duck and along comes St. Peter, who doesn't miss a thing. With him is another extremely ugly man. He chains them together with the same admonishment as for the first woman.

The third woman has observed all this and, not wanting to be chained for all eternity to an ugly man, is very, VERY careful where she steps.

She manages to go months without stepping on any ducks, but one day St. Peter comes up to her with the most handsome man she has ever laid eyes on .. very tall, long eyelashes, muscular, and thin.





St. Peter chains them together without saying a word.

The happy woman says, "I wonder what I did to deserve being chained to you for all of eternity?"

The guy says, "I don't know about you, but I stepped on a duck!"


LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL THe funniest clean joke I've seen in a while!!!!!

I wish the pictures had posted, but they didn't. too bad.

Heading to bed, I just got home from cast party and I am POOPED, and have to work at the Playhouse tomorrow, and then the last show and then strike the set!!! Gonna be a LOOOONNNNGGGGG Day. but then it's all over!!! WHo-WHOOO!!!!!

So much for sunshine!

I woke up this morning, bright eyed and bushy-tailed (don't go there Don) and early!! The sky was just turning a pretty pink. Since I sleep with my head out the open window, I exhaled and saw my breath. It was 28 degrees out there, and the Doves were feeding at the feeders. I watched the morning come alive, and the birds all wake up. I heard the mystery bird again this morning. I think it is some kind of Warbler or Thrush. I cant tell. I spent a few hours on enature.com listening to bird songs, still can't find it. Dang!!! Any Way Back to the sunshine. I went out on the deck and drank a cup of coffee, and just soaked up the warmth and enjoyed the birds. Sadie was right there beside me the whole time.

The past few mornings I have been visited by a female Downy woodpecker. Last year there were the males, both Downy and Hairy, but no females. and this year I have not seen either Harry or Mort! They both look alike except for the size. The Downey woodpecker is 1/2 the size of the Hairy woodpecker. I have the suet feeders full now, so They will continue to come back.

What I have not seen this year though are the Squirrels. I saw Lola AROUND THE FIRST OF THE YEAR, AND NOTHING SINCE THEN. (OOOPS Caps on) sorry...I think it is because Sadie is such a sassy little bitch...She barks at everything! She may have scared Lola and the others away. I hope not. I worked so hard to get them into the yard. Mariah never barked at Lola. In fact Lola could run right over the top of her and she would just lay there.

THe sun has been hidden by the cold front that is rolling in from the Pacific. THe clouds were very high and thin this morning, but it is gray and cold out there right now. It is s'posed to rain any time now, and clear through the weekend. Swell. Ah well, I am busy this weekend anyway, so it can rain all it needs to, then it can clear up by Tuesday and start getting Warm again. 'Tis Time. It is Spring. Or should be anyway.

I will have to make it over to the Skagit Valley next week and see if the flowers are blooming yet. We grow all sorts of Spring flowering bulbs over there, So many that we Export them to Holland so that they can Import them to US! Doesn't make sense to me, but that is the way it goes folks. The fields are GORGEOUS with Daffodils and Tulips and Iris's and all sorts of bulby plants.

Gotta get ready for Friday nights Sell-out!! See ya!

Oh What a BEEEUUUUTIFUL MOOOORNING!!!!.......

It is one of those JEWELS of a day in the Pacific Northwest, that helps sustain us through the rest of the bleary gray winter. The sun is out, it is fairly warm, 56 degrees, and there is just a hint of a breeze. THe skies are clear, you can see the mountains all the way around. Mt. Baker to the Northeast, Garabaldi to the North, Mt Rainier to the South, the Cascades to the East, and the Olympics to the west. It is Get out and get going weather. Unfortunately, I am feeling under the weather, and can not. The birds are LOVING it too. they are chirpping, and flying and twittering like mad. The bulbs are poking their little heads through the leaves, and the grass is starting the move to take over the yard.

There is a bird out there that is singing his little heart out, I can not see it, so I have no clue what it is. I have never heard it before. Maybe because I have not been here at this time of the year before. I have the windows open so I can hear them clearly. It is driving the cats nuts. They want out sooo badly, and My kitties don't go out. I know I am thought of as a Mean Mommie, because they can't go out, but they go right over the fence, and right into the woods, where THERE BE DRAGONS THERE... If they would stay in the back yard, I would gladly let them out. That would surely take care of the Rodent problem!!!

This is the last weekend of the show. Tonight we are almost sold out and friday and Saturday's shows are already sold out!! How way cool is that!!! I will be so glad when we strike the set, and I can just relax. I say that now, but I will be absolutely at a loss. No more deadlines? ARRGGHHH! What ever shall I do then?

I will be forced to actually clean house!! ARRGGGHHHH! I will be forced to actually face the yard work!! ARRRGGGHHH!!! I will be forced to take a hard look at my health! AAAAARRRRRRRGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!! Do I have the strength and will power to do all this? Probably not. WIll I? maybe! I need to get my knee and my back fixed so I can MOVE and then I can get my weight back down. I will NEVER be at my goal weight, I KNOW that. And right now, I am fine with that. But I do need to get rid of the 30+ lbs I have gained in the past two years. I would like to lose 150 lbs. That would put be below the weight charts. I am 6'1" tall, so I carry weight fairly well. It is all in my torso. WHich is NOT ideal for Health issues. I really need to get out there and walk 3 miles a day. That would help immensely. I will be getting a stipend for Directing this show, so maybe I will apply it to my Knees.

I'm happy when I'm hiking...
on the mountain trail.

I'm happy when I'm hiking...
da-da-da-da-da!

DA_Da-da-da-da-da-daaaa
da-da-da-da-da-

Good Lord! I can't remember the words to that song, and in Girl Scouts I sang it all the time.

Oh!! There's a thought!!! Maybe I can become a Scout Leader!!! Nah...I hate little girls...they are too noisey!!

Bugs...worms...viruses!

I just got a notification from my server Galaxynet that it appeared I was trying to send an email with a virus in it. Address came from me, but it did not!!! I just ran a virus check from Microsoft.com, and Mcafee, and PC Cillin and I am clean as a whistle. Galaxynet has Phaegis which blocks all outgoing and incoming bad guys. Really good stuff there. I wish I was as smart as these guys that develop these viruses. Can you imagine being able to screw up the worlds computers as a teenager? YIKES!!! Microsoft oughta hire them and pay them Millions just to develop vaccines for these things. It is far beyond my Ken to even change the layout of my blog much less screw with someone else's 'puter!

Supposedly the subject line has the word Hi as its subject. it attaches itself inside address books and sends itself randomly disguised as someone else. WOW!! and we cant cure cancer yet...

Showers....

How to Shower Like a Woman

1. Take off clothing and place it in sectioned laundry hamper according to lights and darks.
2. Walk to bathroom wearing long dressing gown. If you see husband along the way, cover up any exposed areas
3. Look at your womanly physique in the mirror - make mental note to do more sit-ups
4. Get in the shower. Use face cloth, arm cloth, leg cloth, long loofah, wide loofah, and pumice stone.
5. Wash your hair once with cucumber and sage shampoo with 43 added vitamins.
6. Wash your hair again to make sure it's clean.
7. Condition your hair with grapefruit mint conditioner enhanced with natural avocado oil. Leave on hair for 15 minutes.
8. Wash your face with crushed apricot facial scrub for 10 minutes until red.
9. Wash entire rest of body with ginger nut and jaffa cake body wash.
10. Rinse conditioner off hair.
11. Shave armpits and legs.
12. Turn off shower.
13. Squeegee off all wet surfaces in shower. Spray mold spots with Tilex.
14. Get out of shower. Dry with towel the size of a small country. Wrap hair in super absorbent towel.
15. Check entire body for zits, tweeze hairs.
16. Return to bedroom wearing long dressing gown and towel on head.
17. If you see husband along the way, cover up any exposed areas.


AND NOW .... How To Shower Like a Man

1. Take off clothes while sitting on the edge of the bed and leave them in a pile.
2. Walk naked to the bathroom. If you see wife along the way, shake wiener at her making the 'woo-woo' sound.
3. Look in the mirror, look at your wiener and scratch your ass.
4. Get in the shower.
5. Wash your face.
6. Wash your armpits.
7. Blow your nose in your hands and let the water rinse them off.
8. Make fart noises (real or artificial) and laugh at how loud they sound in the shower.
9. Spend majority of time washing privates and surrounding area.
10. Wash your butt, leaving those coarse butt hairs stuck on the soap.
11. Shampoo your hair.
12. Make a Shampoo Mohawk.
13. Pee.
14. Rinse soap off ansd get out of shower.
15. Partially dry off. Fail to notice water on floor because curtain was hanging out of tub the whole time.
16. Admire wiener size in mirror again.
17. Leave shower curtain open, wet mat on floor, light and fan on.
18. Return to bedroom with towel around your waist. If you pass wife, pull off towel, shake wiener at her and make the 'woo-woo' sound again.
19. Throw wet towel on bed.

OK...me too...

Sandals- peaceful, daydreamy, and thoughtful, you
often find yourself staring into space. When
you aren't out volunteering you are often just
dreaming away. You enjoy the company of
friends sometimes but enjoy peace and quiet.
[please vote! thank you! :)]


What Kind of Shoe Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla



cow- you are very contended with life and the way
things are. you are not often upset or
flustered. people can count on you to be
dependable and always on time. you don't like
change or trying strange things. don't let
that keep you from having a good time.


What Barnyard Animal Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla

?????

Something must be happening weather wise...or should I say ABOUT to happen? The birds are fluttering around the feeders in numbers that I haven't seen in awhile. Last time was just before a big storm. Do they know something We don't?

The Goldfinch are starting their morphing already also, the males are starting to get bright yellow splotches on their heads. The females are a bright olive green . Chitters is sitting thedre in the window trying like hell to get them, and they are teasing him like mad!! They even are clinging to the window screen while he bats and scratches at the window.

I LOVE teasing my cats like that. Gives them excersise and keeps the birds safe!

Yeah I know...I'm sick....

My Right TIT

Well, Since every body else is doing it....Here is mine!!!!!



Think I'll make it to a half-time show?

Finished

Well I THINK I am finished...I think. See anything that you thinks needs to be different? I cant figure out how to change the title. I wanted to make it bigger and fancier. But guess I'll just have to stick with the way it is!!! Took me all morning long to figure out where the banner was. It was still maroon, and I wanted it yellow and blue. I finally picked some weird color, changed a number and then peeked until I found the right area, then changed it to the right color!! So how'd I do with absolutely NO TRAINING?

Now I have to remember what it is I did and where I did it to, so I can change it again someday.

Lord of the Rings, Return of the King

Jesus H. Christ in a rowboat!!! Talk about a marathon movie!!!! I still have so many questions, Elves, Dwarfs, orks, dead dudes, men, Mastadons, hobbits, trolls, and good GOD a TON of horses!!! how did they get that many horses in New Zealand!! It was so loud it hurt my ears, and 4 freaking hours for a movie is waaaaay too long. I enjoyed it, but I wish to hell I could figure it all out. Dude dies, dude comes back to life. HUH? and none of the Elves had on little red hats and green tights!! They must have had to search the world for all of that Armour too!! Guess I'll wait until the videos come out and rent them all and watch them all at once. Maybe I'll get it then!

SAdie bug is so much better tonite. She still wants her Mommie though, and licks her tummy a lot, but she is doing fine. She still leaps off the porch though, and I cant get her to hold still enough to take her down the stairs myself. I need both hands for the stairs with this knee. She has her squeeky baby and is laying on her pillow right there, waiting for me to go to bed. Guess I'd better huh?

IN the mirror

Ok, This is as good as it gets folks... no makeup, but the hair has just been washed, dried and fluffed. I am taking this into the bathroom mirror...tried holding it out and taking it but I kept just getting my tits...and they dont look like Janet's!!

Here I go...

BEAR WITH ME FOLKS, I'm Playing again....I hope I don't screw this up...Stand by CJ!!

Poor Baby....

Sadie has an Owie!!! She got Spade today, and has a hole in her tummy! I left her off at 9:00 this morning and picked her up at 3:00. She was so happy to see me, but she definately was not feeling her best. She laid on the exam table, and wagged her tail slowly, licked my hand, and peed all over it. (the table, Kat) I took her home, with instructions to keep her calm and dont let her jump or run. OH SWELL!! That's all she ever does!

I put her in her pen to let her sleep, and she laid there shivering. I keep a cold house anyway, but she was kinda shocky I thought, so I got her and pulled her into bed with me turned on the electric blanket shoved her under the covers and just laid there watching tv and holding her until she got warm. She slept about 3 hours, I slept about 1. She woke up and I took her outside and put her on the porch, which she immediately LEAPED off of. Not a good thing. She whimpered and sat down and did not move!! I went back in and got my slippers on, and then walked her all over the back yard until she went pottie.

I had to pick jer up and bring her back in. Right now she is sleeping right over there on a messed up throw rug. Not too far from me. She has not eaten yet, and is sleeping much easier. I hate it when my babies hurt! With the boys it is just a tiny little snip, snip and its all over, (even though THEY think it is major surgery) but with the girls it is Major cutting and moving their insides around and cutting out the spare parts, then stitching from the inside out. Not fun. She will get better in a few days, but I will spoil her until she is....I'm just that way...

SHORN!!

After numerous years of letting my hair grow, and letting it grow out so there is no more color in it, I had it all cut off!! I needed a new look, and I may regret this later, but right now, it is short and feels good. It is about 3 inches long all over. I wanted a blow and go look, and I got it. It's cute, and now it is only two colors, grey and brown instead of 14 different colors from the sun and the perm and mother nature. Just a touch of curl around the face, the rest is straight. I have no curl naturally, and I have really coarse hair so it just falls forward and lays there. I can get up and shower, gel, and go. Whoo-who!! Since I have absolutely nothing planned for the next few months, I can look as casual as I want to.

Stayed home from the play today with the knee. When I got up this morning, I could not even stand on it. SO...rubbed gel into it and kept it up most of the day. It feels better now. At least I can get across the room without stumbling. I will go and tell the Dr I want it fixed NOW! I want to get out and walk, and explore! I want to try and get some of this weight off, and try to get off of insulin. Maybe I won't but I wanna.

Sadie bug goes in tomorrow morning for her "operation" She is so tiny still, and such a sweetie, I don't want her to hurt!! I also don't know how I am going to keep her still until it heals!! She never walks, she runs, ANd use the steps? Nah, LEAP from the top of the porch to the ground. SHe wears me out just watching her. She even jumps on the top of the couch and onto the floor!! She thinks she's a cat!!! ANyway, I am worried, as any Mommie would be when their baby gets a hole cut into her tummy and her parts removed! And Stitches!!! Poor baby!! No dinner from now on, and nothing to drink after Midnite. :-(

She is cutting molars right now, and chewing an anything she can find. MAinly the log tote! LOVES IT!! Must be the musty smell of rotting wood that turns her on. She has chewed the back off of my sheepskin slippers! (UGGS) and was heading for my daughters Clarks when I stopped her. Guess we gotta keep them all tied to the roof for awhile...

Storm Warnings

We had winds last night over 70MPH I was awake most of the night listening to them. The wind chimes were tinkling like mad, Even the ones out front were chiming away. Leslie would have gone nuts, I love listening to them. About 4:00 I heard a CRRRRAAAAAAACCCCKKKKKK CRASH! One of the alders out back broke the top off and it hit another tree on the way down. FOrtunately they both were in the woods so no harm was done to property.

THis morning I got up early to take Sadie in for her haircut and heard that the Bridge was closed. Hiway 20 goes over a two lane 200' foot high bridge that hooks two Islands together, It is the MAIN way on and off the Island. A 70+ MPH Gust hit a 40' Semi full of furniture, and crashed it into the guard rail, and since it was so windy, they could not get it righted for 8 hours until the wind died down.



That is the first time in memory that a semi has crashed on the bridge. He is soooo lucky, the waters below and VERY DEEP and SWIFT Moving, and no one survives the waters much less the fall.

Right now it is calm between storms, stars out amongst the clouds and COLD. The air smells so fresh and clean after the heavy cleansing rain we had yesterday. Even the birds were rejoicing in the freshness. I noticed As I was fillling the feeders that the tulips are popping up about 2" so spring can't be too far behind. I wish I had gotten my Daffodils planted like I wanted to last Fall. Ah well there is always next Fall, or the one after that...

Where have YOU been?

create your own visited states map
or write about it on the open travel guide

Now mind you most of these states have been just zipping through on the way to or from a Duty Station. But I have touched dirt in all of the colored states. And I have peed in both oceans!!! (That was my Mother's dream, to be able to pee in both oceans!)

Any body got a quarter?

Actually I am looking for an Arkansas quarter. I have all of the 2003 quarters except for Arkansas!! They used to be easy to find. When a new one would come out The bank would send us some in our 100,000 change fund for the store. So when one showed up in our till, we would ask who needed one, and sell it. Well I have had a dickens of a time getting any quarters out of these animals around here. So I need an Arkansas QUarter and then I can move on to 2004 and start collecting them. Then I will be on the lookout for Michigan. That one is due out right now. I only collect 1 of each state. I put them in this giant cardboard map I have. punch out the cardboard quarter and put in the real one. They will be worth something in a few years....25 cents!!! I need to get a Sacagawea dollar too. I had one but it is gone now...

I also am going to get a wall map of the world and post it on my door, in my office and pin where all my blog friends are at. I thought about printing out the bravenet map, but I want a big one anyway, so I will head for Barnes and Noble and get a good quality fiber one, so I can pin actual cities.

Haven't seen any of the new funny money yet either. The colored bills. Have you?

Moby...

I get all caught up in my high maintenance animals, Sadie, Bandit, Chitters, Ethyl, Lint, Loki and Bea Bunny But I have NOT posted about the least trouble of them all. MOBY!!! My Beta. He comes up top to visit when I tap on the bowl, and when ever the light comes on. I just have to remember to get filtered water for him every month or so, or his three story condo becomes a basement flat. Can't use water out of the faucet because the clourine is not good for him. I have no idea how long these fish last, but I have had him for 2 years now. and he is still looking good. 3 pellets twice a week is all he gets, and he lives on the algae in the bowl. If I put a picture of another Bets up to his bowl he freaks!!! puffs up his gills and attacks the bowl!! LOLOLOLOL Silly fish. Loki loves to sit on the table and just stare at him...so I had to move him to hte bookcase where there is no room for Loki. Pity. They kept each other company...

Where is the world is ....LOLA?

I have not seen Lola now for almost a month! I can't believe that the critters got all the squirrels...:-( They do not hibernate, but they don't like cold weather, so maybe they are all snug in a hole in a tree, waiting for spring, scarfing down all those peanuts they stashed this Fall. I am out of black oil sunflower too. I put peanut hearts out in the feeder, and cracked corn. The doves are happy as...Doves! And I have a lady Downey woodpecker at the suet feeder. The juncoes and the finches and chickadees are still hanging around but no pidgeons, no pine siskins, no goldfinches, and as yet no hummigbirds, although it is still a bit early for them. Last year I hung 1 feeder out on Feb 28 and had a hit right away. I will get them out tomorrow and see how long it takes to get hit.

I will have to brave the car and the steps and get into to Farmers Co-op for 50# of sunflower seeds, 50# of flyers choice bird seed, and 10 # of chick feed and millet. Then I will be ready for spring! I hear a bird I have never heard before, and I can not replicate it, I think it is a warbler, but since I cant see it I cant be sure. I have had a tiny greenish yellow bird come to the niger feeder, and I can't identify that either. It has a darkish green rump and lighter belly and a white ring around its eye, and is olive greenish yellow with a beak that looks like a pin. Narrow and thin. ??????

Bill? Leslie? Phyllis got me a membership in the local Audubon club, so after the show closes I will have to start attending meetings and learn more.

I certainly hope that Sadie hasn't chased Lola away permanently! I will try moving some feeder stuff over to the deck poles and see if that might help. Sadie can still bark at them, but not reach them at all, and there is plenty of cover too.

Well I need to go back and prop up the ol' knee and take another motrin. No more pain killers for me...Made me sickern shit! Don't like that feeling at ALL. Think I will fix a glass of cornbread and milk...CJ want some? YUMMY!!!

Monday blahs!

I came home from the playhouse yesterday, and wrapped my knee. It is hurtung so bad! I can barely walk anymore. I know that walking up and down the stairs at the Playhouse has to be irritating it. I left just before the second act ended. (I am expecting a total sell out now that the word is getting around! I wish you all could see the show. It is so good.) I dug out the pain killers and started popping them every 4 hours. I woke up this morning with a horrible headache, and an upset tummy. I came in here to blog and almost lost it! So back to bed I went, Gulping fresh air and sipping cold water. Managed to keep the water down, so I put the pain killers away. I just slugged in bed all day. watched a little tv and read a lot of book. My knee is burning like it is on fire. I do not remember pulling anything lately, but I know I do have a tear in my something or other tendon.Just to the left of the Right Kneecap. Hurts like friggin HELL!!

It is so funny...when I am not feeling well, ALL of the animals are in bed with me. sometimes even Bea...Ethyl is on top of me, Loki beside me on the right, Lint beside me by my legs, Sadie whereever she can find room, and Chitters is either in the window above my head, or sharing my pillow with me. It is a load of fun trying to turn over when you are pinned down by animals!! AND a knee that shoots horrible pains into you everytime you move it.

I finally feel good enough to eat some Tomatoe bisque soup and toast, so Hopefully the pain killers have worked their way out of my system. YUCK! I hate that "I drank way too much alcohol" feeling especially since I rarely drink. Vertigo I guess they call it...

I am still trying to figure out why my blog does not allow you to go clear to the bottom. I have deleted bravenet counter, nope, I put bravenet counter way on the bottom...nope. I left a big gap between it and the rest nope. HELP!!! I dont know where to look now. WOuldnt know what to look for even if I did know where to look. I'm still learning this geek stuff.

Sadie wants in, so gonna go back to bed...See ya in the morning...

Laundry Pup

I'm sitting here catching up on Blog-walking, and felt Sadie under my chair. I looked down and she was not there but over by the door. I looked again, and there with her head stuck through the leg of my underpants was Sadie, Looking very pleased with herself...I forgot I had sorted the wash before I left for the show.

Opening Night

WHata RUSH!!! Opening night was fabulous. The town is definately talking about this show!!! We had 4 ministers in the Buy-out show for Habitats for Humanity on Thursday, and they LOVED it. Last night one person said that his pastor recommended the show to him, so He came. He had seen it twice before back east, but this one far surpassed anything else he has seen!! wow!!

One of our main characters Karol, who is also our Choreographer Lost her Mother last night during the performance. So she will finish tonite and tomorrow, rush down to Texas to the Funeral and then be back for thusday nights show. That is so hard!! We knew her mom was not doing well and probably would not make it. She was very emotional during the cruxifiction scene, but it worked. What a trouper.

The house was almost sold out last night, and at the end there was a spontaneous standing ovation! I was floored!! THe cast was thrilled, and the Audience wanted to stay and chat all night with the cast. Unfortunately we had a cast party after the show, so that was late getting started. It was 13 miles out of town, in the woods, and it was really foggy. So here are twelve cars driving through the woods in the fog trying to find addresses on mailboxes that we could not see. Finally got to the party, and there were more people there than there were in the cast!! 1/2 of them I had never seen before.

Party was still going as I left about 12:30, but since I live 20 miles from town in the OTHER direction, I needed to get home before the snow started. I got home around 1:15, read a few blogs and hit the sack. I was drained!!! the Adrenalin rush had depleted my resources, and I needed to get those batteries recharged. I slept for about 6 hours and woke up ready for another night of Directing...LOVE IT!

Morning favorites...

Every Morning when I wake up, the first thought is Bathroom, then I let Sadie out, and head for the kitchen to make a pot of coffee. I have gotten to the point that I want my coffee HOT and STRONG!! I have switched to French Roast and Love it. It is so full bodied, and smells soooo good. I must have 50 coffee mugs in my house, but I use only 4 of them. About 12 years ago, I bought 5 Laurel Burch coffee mugs, that hold about 16 oz of coffee. The handle allows 3 fingers comfortably into it. Feels just RIGHT! Not many feel that way. When I get to the cupboard and discover that all of my favorites are in the dishwasher and DIRTY, I growl. I have no idea why, I just do. I guess I am a creature of habit, and hate to use a different style of mug. I have been looking ever since then for more of the Laurel Burch mugs, but I can't find the right ones. There are a lot of them out there, but they are not what I am looking for. I want the same style I have, short, straight, big handle, and pretty. alas.....I have to make sure I run the dishwasher every four days or so...Pity.



This one was in my office for 10 years, now I use it here...It's my favorite.

YES!!!!!!

SLAMMIN'!!!!! This lady writes rough reviews and hardly ever stays for the whole show, she stayed until the end, transfixed!!! WHOO-HOO!!!!!!!!!

Rockin' the gospel


By Marcie Miller
Prepare ye to be entertained. Whidbey Playhouse’s performance of “Godspell” is two hours of joyous celebration of the Gospel according to St. Matthew.
If you’ve been to Bible school, you know the plot. In this 1970s era version Jesus wears a Superman T-shirt, and the flower children-like disciples sport a rainbow of colorful costumes. In between songs Jesus alternately cajoles and chastises his followers, deftly weaving in familiar parables and psalms.
Mary Lou Chandler, in her directorial debut, along with Rusty Hendrix, has assembled an impressive cast for this upbeat musical, but it almost took a miracle.
The parts were cast and rehearsals began in November, but they still had no Jesus, which is of course, the main part. Chandler said she even considered casting a female in the role, as far more women than men auditioned for any of the 11 roles.
“I thought, ‘Is Oak Harbor ready for a female Jesus?’”
Then, rehearsals were interrupted by a fire in the light booth, and working around the Nutcracker production December.
“It was one challenge after another,” Chandler said.
One month into rehearsals, Fernando Duran answered Chandler’s prayers, and took the role of Jesus.
Duran is a professional actor who divides his time between his two loves — Hollywood and his family in Oak Harbor.
Duran said he was at first reluctant to take the role, having just performed two musicals. He told Chandler that if she couldn’t find anyone for the role, he would do it, but he was going to Arizona and wouldn’t be back until well after rehearsals started.
When he returned the role was waiting for him, and Chandler said he has fit right in with the cast.
“It just jelled the first night,” she said. “He was the catalyst that brought it all together.”
The role of Jesus requires both a strong singing voice, and a strong sense of religious conviction.
Duran has both, and preaches to his followers like he really means it. And he does.
He is a member of Living Word Church, and said he became a Christian at 13.
“Playing the role of Jesus is awesome,” he said. “I feel like God has given me a gift for acting, and now I’m giving back.”
Duran plays the charismatic leader well, and his disciples reflect their adoration in song, dance and celebration.
“Godspell,” by John Tebelak and Stephen Schwartz, was a huge hit in the 1970s, with more than 2,600 performances worldwide. “Day by Day” became an international hit, but it’s the prophetic “Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord” that will raise the hair on your arms.
In the Whidbey Playhouse production the song booms out from the back of the darkened hall, thanks to Petty Officer 1st Class Steve Curran, who plays both John the Baptist and Judas. As John the Baptist he lead the singing group from the back of the hall and onto the stage.
Curran, wearing a red “Make Love Not War” T-shirt, brings considerable acting experience to his dual roles, including productions at the Dillard School for the Performing Arts and Marquette University.
He jokes that he joined the Navy when he realized he was not a good enough waiter to make a living as an actor. His wife, Dawn Curran, is Godspell’s musical director.
One of the highlights of the play is a burlesque version of “Turn Back, O Man,” by Oak Harbor native Dulcey White Lovell. She has performed with Whidbey Playhouse since she was a child, and is obviously very comfortable on stage. She has developed a fine voice over the years, and belts out this tune while teasing the audience with a red feather boa.
Other cast members are Nicole Bouvion, Isaac Johnson, Destiny Kelly, Gwendolyn Oest, Karol White, who is also the choreographer, Kathryn Young, and Charisse Berner. Berner’s daughter Amelia, 7, makes her first Whidbey Playhouse appearance in a cameo role as a marionette.
Charisse Berner is familiar to many as the Oak Harbor School District director of curriculum, but she was a music teacher for 18 years.
Like many of her cast mates, Godspell has special meaning for her. In 1973 she was a featured soloist in a Bellevue Jr. High Choir’s recording of Godspell. While she has been active in music all her life, her last role was as Mary Magdalene in a high school production of “Jesus Christ Superstar.”
Godspell marks her return to the stage, where she plays guitar and sings a lovely version of “By My Side” with Karol White.
With work and family, the rehearsal schedule has been tough, she said. They have been practicing four times a week, three hours at a stretch since November, and the pace has picked up with opening night approaching.
At dress rehearsal last week there were only a few minor glitches, easily smoothed over by the enthusiasm and professionalism of the actors.
A special treat is the addition of a live band, with Dave Willis on bass, Bruce Hutcherson on drums, Judy Magison on guitar and Dawn Curran on piano.
Go to church on Sunday, but first go to “Godspell.” Both are good for your soul.
See the show
“Godspell” opens Friday, Jan. 23, at the Whidbey Playhouse, 730 SE Midway Blvd., and runs Thursday through Sunday until Feb. 14. Showtime is 7:30 p.m. Thursday, 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2:30 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $14 adults, $10 youth age 4 to 17. No children under 4 please. Saturday, Jan. 24, is Bargain Night, with all tickets $2 off. Groups of 10 or more receive a $1 per ticket discount any night.
Call the box office at 679-2237, or go to www.whidbeyplayhouse.com.

2nd try tonite...

I just lost everything I posted. And when I tried to go back it kept going to zonkboard, I DON'T WANT zonkboard! I closed it, came back logged in again to blogger.com and right back to zonkboard. I HATE SHIT LIKE THIS!!!!

What i was going to say is YAHOO!!!! I had a standing ovation!!!!! The cast was Awesome!!! even people who were kinda skeptical about me and this show were thrilled!!! I was told it was a 2-kleenex ending!....YES!!!!



The black man in the middle is Ike. He came back on sang his solo and left. He is so good!!




When he sings OH GOD I'M DEAD! The white rope lites around the basketball hoop come on and looks like a halo!! way cool!!

HUGE SIGH here...I am so relieved!

Galaxynet :: Home

Galaxynet :: Home

One last rehearsal....

Tomorrow we have our first full live audience. It technically is still called a dress rehearsal until Friday night which is the "Opening Night". Our Members get to come in and see it free, as do all family members of the cast and staff. They pay fifteen dollars for a years membership, which helps us fund a few things. We have 200 members. Most of them do NOT come that night. Being a member allows you to vote on the upcoming season shows and we have a potluck-business meeting once a month. But the Members night gives us a feel for what the live audience will be like. Gives us a chance to work around applause, boos, lighting cues, etc. They are very forgiving. Wednesday we are off, and Thursday is our "Buy-out" still technically a dress rehearsal, but we sell the house to non-profit orgs to use as their fundraisers. They buy the house for 600.00 and sell the tickets for whatever they can get. usually 10-20 dollars. there are 125 seat, so if it sells out, the charity can make a lot of money. Friday night we open, and run every Thur-Sun for 4 weeks. Then it is all over!!

The lighting cues still need a tweak, but for the most part, we are ready! Ike is back, although he keeps forgetting his cues, and can't dance, but he still sings. ANd Jesus forgot his first few lines tonight so He had to fake it. (You'd think Jesus would have some HELP from on-high wouldn't ya?)

I got to meet the man who almost was Jesus tonight. He backed out at the last minute before I could audition him. He is black has Whoopi-braids, and is GAY. now THAT would have stood stodgy Oak Harbor on it's Presbyterian ear!!! LOLOLOL

I took head shots tonite, for the Lobby wall, and need to get their Bios printed out on photo paper, then I am done!! I will have given birth to my first theatrical Baby. I have helped deliver babies lots of times, but this is MY first all by myself. I think I have something to be proud of. Time will tell!

Kenny's Poem

I have a friend who occaisionally sends me jokes, so when I got this I was expecting a punch line. It turns out he had just lost his cousin in Austin, Texas, that he was very close to, so he sat down and wrote this poem. It is very good, and he has given me permission to post it here for you all to read....

A Souls Journey
By Kenny Merrell

The departed no longer speak
Their silence echo through the room
Now living only in memories past
Just shadows in the gloom
Kept now within a special place
To visit now and then
At night, in bed, before we sleep
We bring them out again
Remembering
What event matters not
Just movement in the mind
Their spectral shimmer giving joy
Of what they left behind
A soul departs to meet it¹s fate
Life experience to atone
For slights and spites no longer felt
The outcome never known
The soul that lies within our mind
Is warm and comforting
If we could just bring it out
To measure life¹s meaning
The departed no longer speak
Their silent voice far reaching
Across a void of space so vast
On earth our time so fleeting
The touch of God upon our soul
The only comfort passing
The one true journey leaving earth
For life everlasting

He is Kenny Merrell and can be reached at kenneth@whidbey.net He is a wonderfully kind man, and makes a killer brisket!!! His wife is soooooo spoiled.

What next!!!

Last night was Press night, The rehearsal on Wednesday was excellent!!! The press comes in during a dress rehearsal to take pictures and hopefully give us good reviews and a lot of free publicity. I went in last night, and Steve the Surgical Tech in the Navy and also plays John the Baptist, came up and said Bad News!! I immediately thought he was called to duty and would not be able to be there that night. WOrse!!! Isaac, who plays the part of Lamar and sings ALL GOOD GIFTS solo, was in for surgery on his infected thumb and had a cardiac incident in the hospital. SO Ike is out. He had a minor but very important part in the play. OH CRAP!!!! Actually we can do it with out him, but it will not be the same. I am hoping that he will be cleared on Sunday and I can offer him a proposition. If he can walk on and sing his solo, and walk off, we can cover it with a note in the program. If not, I'll Punt!! I can sing it if i have to, but I don't do stage. The casr was FANTASTIC last night, they all covered Ike's lines beautifully and we faked his song. THe performance made me cry. It was so good!!! Fernando who plays Jesus, has grown soooo much in the role. He is great!! I am so proud of them all. They have grown into a family together. I wish you all could see it!

Sadie-Bug has not had an accident in the house in almost two weeks!! She comes and tells me she has to go and then runs out and does it. She is so cute. ANd such a LOVE. When she is tired, she will come put her feet on my lap and lay her head down for me to rub her ears, then she will yawn. I pick her up put her in her pen and out she goes. This is not to say that she only sleeps in her pen, she is after all a DOG, and that is their job...to sleep. She sleeps a lot, but her nap time is a special thing. It kinda tells me it is time for me to take one too.

I rented Pirates of the Caribbean tonight. Good movie, but I did not see the charm of Johnny Depp like others have. Must be too old. Going to see either Return of the King or The Last Samurai tomorrow night. I sure hope this third one ties it all together, cause I am so lost!!!

What's that you are saying Sadie? It's time for bed? ok...let me sign off here, and we'll go nite-nite.

See ya tomorrow.

Trueisms....Cowboy style

These are for all ya'll in TEXAS...Bill, Don. TX

Don't name a pig you plan to eat.

Country fences need to be horse high, pig tight, and bull strong.

Life is not about how fast you run, or how high you climb, but how well you bounce.

Keep skunks and bankers at a distance.

Life is simpler when you plough around the stump.

A bumble bee is faster than a John Deere tractor.

Words that soak into your ears are whispered, not yelled.

Meanness don't happen overnight.

Forgive your enemies. It messes with their heads.

Don't sell your mule to buy a plough
.
Don't corner something meaner than you.

It don't take a very big person to carry a grudge.

You can't unsay a cruel thing.

Every path has some puddles.

When you wallow with pigs, expect to get dirty.

The best sermons are lived, not preached.

Most of the stuff people worry about never happens.

Don't squat with your spurs on.

Don't judge people by their relatives.

Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.

Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older & think back, you'll enjoy it a second time.

Don't interfere with something that ain't botherin' you none.

Timing has a lot to do with the outcome of a rain dance.

It's better to be a has-been than a never-was.

The easiest way to eat crow is while it's still warm. The colder it gets,the harder it is to swaller.

If you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is stop diggin'.

If it don't seem like it's worth the effort, it probably ain't.

It don't take a genius to spot a goat in a flock of sheep.

Sometimes you get and sometimes you get got.

The biggest troublemaker you'll probably ever have to deal with watches you shave his face in the mirror every morning.

If you get to thinkin' you're a person of some influence, try orderin' somebody else's dog around.

Don't worry about bitin' off more'n you can chew; your mouth is probably a whole lot bigger'n you think.

Only cows know why they stampede.

Always drink upstream from the herd.

If you're ridin' ahead of the herd, take a look back every now & then to make sure it's still there with ya.

Good judgment comes from experience, and a lotta that comes from bad judgment.

Lettin' the cat outta the bag is a whole lot easier than puttin' it back in.

You can't tell how good a man or a watermelon is 'till they get thumped.

Never miss a good chance to shut up!


I had some of these framed and hanging in my office in Nevada!!

Whupped!!!

I am whupped!!! I have been at the Theater almost everyday for two weeks. I spent the weekend there trying to get lights aimed, and the cues set into the computer. Almost got it all finished and yesterday discovered that I lost them all. So now I have to start over with the cues. I hate this!!! I wish I knew what I did wrong so I would not do it again, I KNOW I saved the session, it just was lost!! ARRRRRGGHHH

On a good note...we had a fantastic rehearsal last night! Jesus has been working his lines at my insistence, and actually has emotions in them now. He is now saying the lines instead of spouting memorizations. He has slowed down, stops where needed, and puts depth into his emotions. We have not had a full cast though in quite awhile, due to one thing or another. THis happens when you have volunteers who are not getting anything out of this other than satisfaction and getting their egos stroked.






We are having a tiny bit of rebellion amongst the cast members also. THey are not liking the way the story ends. (no jokes now Don!) THey think that there should be a resurection after the cruxifiction, and the authors did not put one in. They did however write a new song and gave us the option of using it anywhere in the show we would like. So we are putting it in the very end just after the finalle, which makes it very anticlimactic. THis works as a form of resurection the way we are doing it, but I don't like it. I think we should just end the play the way it was written, and cut the song.
I will run it again tonite and if it doesn't work, I'll rethink the ending.

Press night tomorrow, and then 3 days off until Hell week. Next Friday we open, and then I can relax. I think. THen I can start my same old boring LIFE AFTER NEXCOM. Actually, I went into the Exchange yesterday to have my nails done, and listened to the complaints about the way things were going. I DO NOT MISS IT ONE LITTLE BIT!!! I walked out laughing! I don't have to listen to bitchy customers complain about the lack of service, or the lines at the registers, or the prices of the merchandise. (We had as many if not more associates than any department store outside, you stand in line at every single grocery store in town, and I save 8.5% at the minimum over outside prices, because there is no tax!) AH maybe life SHould be boring!!! (BIG SMILE HERE)...

SHOCK AND AWWWWWWW!!!!!

WOW! Everyone! THanks for all the wonderful warm wishes on my Birthday!! It was really nice to open Email and see all those e-cards coming my way SADIE even sent me one (wink, wink, Leigh) !!! But the REAL Shock is opening my comments on the last post and seeing my SON!!!! he was at a friends house who had a computer, so he tried my blog for the first time. I am still FLABBERGASTED!!! What a WONDERFUL Birthday present!!!! just to see his name on my blog!!! and he sent me a nice long email. SOunds like he is on the road to recovery...CROSSED FINGERS HERE.

Gotta run get ready for rehearsal, see ya And THANKS AGAIN!!!

MMMMMMWWWWWWWAHHHHHHHHH!!!

Hey Kids... WE HAVE US A SHOW!!!!!

I have been working night and day at the Theater, getting things ready for Opening night. The rehearsals have been long and hard. But as of last night, After the second whole show run through. There are only a very few tweeks left. The music is wonderful, the dancing needs a little work, and the lines need some memorizing, but over all, It is going to be good.

We are working straight through the weekend, and hopefully by Press night on Thursday all the kinks will be worked out.

I will get back to blogging and blo-walking after I get this show open. I miss you all.

test

I'm testing from work....

A present for Mommie...

So My Sweet little Sadie-bug wanted to go out in the worst way this morning. If a dog could cross their legs, she was...Bouncing in her pen and whining big time. As one grows older, ones bodily functions are more insistent that when you are younger. In my case when I wake up I have to pee....NOW! So I hurried up and did my business as Sadie is jumping and yipping right there in her pen. I get her in my arms and she is trying so badly to get down, and I open the back door. She LEAPS from my arms right into the 6 " of snow, and runs out to pee. And pee she did!! I left her out while I went to make a pot of coffee and turn on the computer, and get the Daughter up to try and get to work.

After about 15 minutes, I let Sadie back in, she ran in quickly and disappeared into the house. I came in to read my morning blogs, and Sadie was not at my feet. HMMMMMMMMM I get up to get a cup of coffee, and Sadie had an old dirty brown rag in her mouth. I reached down for it and noticed that that sock had tiny FEET!!! My dear Darling Puppy brought me a RAT!!! Not a mouse, not a vole, not a baby rabbit, but a RAT!!!!! I am jumping up and down and screaming at her to drop it, waving my arms and yelling. She just KNOWS that I am soooo PROUD of her!!! I finally get her to drop it and I went to get the dust pan to scoop it up in.

4 cats and it takes a puppy to catch the RAT!! Now I don't remember seeing it in her mouth when she bounded in, but SURELY it was there. I would hate to think she actually caught it here in the house!!! Nah....She had it when she came in....Really, she did....