Social Security
By Cynthia Woolbright
Apr 02 2008
When you talk of puppy love, you don’t usually picture the geriatric set. But in the Whidbey Playhouse’s upcoming production of “Social Security,” love is not only blind — but ageless.
“There must be something in the water,” sighs Trudy over the familial chaos around her.
Director Mary Lou Chandler is at the helm of this risque comedy about finding love at any age that will run April 4 to 26. “Social Security” focuses on trendy Manhattan art gallery owners Barbara and David Kahn (Dona Dausey and Ed Bennett), whose lives are upended when Bab’s Mineola housewife sister, Trudy (Mary Anderson), deposits their eccentric mother Sophie (Cori Siggens) on the couple’s doorstep while she and her husband Martin (Kent Peckenpaugh) head to Buffalo to rescue their sexually precocious college student daughter from a ménage à trois with two men. Barbara and David introduce Sophie to suave nonagenarian artist Maurice Koenig (Jim Siggens), who offers to paint her portrait and soon begins to brighten her life in ways she never expected in her twilight years.
“Everyone, as human beings are sexual people,” said cast member Cori Siggens. “The show is definitely for a mature audience that can laugh at ourselves and our sexuality.”
The laughs start from the get go from this cast of stage veterans with solid stage chemistry that is brought to life by a director with great enthusiasm for the show.
After falling asleep reading many scripts trying to pick season shows, director Mary Lou Chandler found “Social Security.”
“I was astonished to find that not only had I stayed awake through the entire reading,” she said, “I caught myself laughing aloud many times.”
Chandler said the show is humor with a huge message.
“You are never too old to find love and sex again,” she said.
Having experienced life with a live-in parent herself, the director said she can relate to Barbara and David’s predicament.
“It’s life in the sandwich years,” she said. “The playwright was able to bring out many things people will be able to relate to because you’re never too young or old to love.”
The play has been a “pure delight” for real life lovebirds Cori and Jim Siggens.
“It’s been very funny on the set,” Cori said. “We can always make each other laugh and rehearsals crack me up.”
The actress, who met her husband in 1998 and married him shortly after, said she could relate to Sophie’s experience of finding love later in life.
“I know what it’s like to become a whole person after finding someone to love,” she said.
This production, like countless other Playhouse shows before it, has been a labor of love with family members and friends filling the volunteer ranks building sets, sewing costumes, and coordinating things in front and behind the curtain.
“If it wasn’t for all these talented volunteers we wouldn’t be able to bring everything together,” Jim Siggens said.
Wednesday, April 02, 2008
Friday, March 28, 2008
WHA....?
Statement as of 11:57 AM PDT on March 28, 2008
... Snow Advisory remains in effect until 5 PM PDT this
afternoon...
And they call this SPRING? It is so cold right now that the poor hummingbirds are shivering at the feeders...and the bird juice is starting to freeze!!!
BRRRRRRRRR
... Snow Advisory remains in effect until 5 PM PDT this
afternoon...
And they call this SPRING? It is so cold right now that the poor hummingbirds are shivering at the feeders...and the bird juice is starting to freeze!!!
BRRRRRRRRR
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Dress Rehearsal
We had our press night tonight and a smattering of family members in the audience. We got plenty of laughs and a few raised eyebrows, but for the most part it went GREAT!
All is well here, I go in for more blood work tomorrow and the Dr on Wednesday, and maybe if they quit TAKING blood, I might HAVE some! getting old is getting really old!
All is well here, I go in for more blood work tomorrow and the Dr on Wednesday, and maybe if they quit TAKING blood, I might HAVE some! getting old is getting really old!
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
SPRING!!!
Yeo, At 9 something this evening, it will be spring!!! THANK YOU LORD! I am so tired of cold and grey and wet and dark. I am waiting for the bulbs to pop open. THe daffodils in San de Fuca are open in the fields, and I love driving by them. THey are my absolute favorite flower. Followed by Lilacs and Roses. The pollen is kicking my butt!! I cant breathe, and am not sure if it is because I have a lack of red blood cells again, or whether it is the alder pollen sitting in my lungs.
Our Play is going WONDERFULLY!! The characters are all off book now, and are having tons of fun with eath other, but the rest of the week I have to get really tough and keep them on course!! No cracking up!!1 (kinda like Carol Burnette and Tim and Harvey)
Next week i am taking pictures, as they will all be in costume and the lights will be ready! I will post when I can. (blogger is still being a butt with my edit bar).
Mike is doing better this week, and they are changing his treatment next week, so I am not sure exactly what will be happening. But Sherry said he seems to be holding his own right now.
Bob's Mother was taken off life support last weekend, and he was told she should go any time. She did, last night. So I am dealing with a boyfriend who will not admit his feelings, and realized that the mother he has neglected all his life, is no more. So he is stuffing his emotions in a sack and will not show any at all. NONE> Not even regular emotions. He goes into his MR. SPOCK mode. He will get though this, and I have offered my shoulder should he need it, but I expect not to see him for a week or two.
My health is shit right now! I have no energy, no breath, stomach hurts all the time along with the pain in my back. CHRIST! Getting old sucks a big green weeney doesnt it?
Well time for my nap before the rehearsal tonight. I think I will skip swimming tonight and save my energy for the show!
I will post when I have time.
Have a GREAT Easter weekend!!
Our Play is going WONDERFULLY!! The characters are all off book now, and are having tons of fun with eath other, but the rest of the week I have to get really tough and keep them on course!! No cracking up!!1 (kinda like Carol Burnette and Tim and Harvey)
Next week i am taking pictures, as they will all be in costume and the lights will be ready! I will post when I can. (blogger is still being a butt with my edit bar).
Mike is doing better this week, and they are changing his treatment next week, so I am not sure exactly what will be happening. But Sherry said he seems to be holding his own right now.
Bob's Mother was taken off life support last weekend, and he was told she should go any time. She did, last night. So I am dealing with a boyfriend who will not admit his feelings, and realized that the mother he has neglected all his life, is no more. So he is stuffing his emotions in a sack and will not show any at all. NONE> Not even regular emotions. He goes into his MR. SPOCK mode. He will get though this, and I have offered my shoulder should he need it, but I expect not to see him for a week or two.
My health is shit right now! I have no energy, no breath, stomach hurts all the time along with the pain in my back. CHRIST! Getting old sucks a big green weeney doesnt it?
Well time for my nap before the rehearsal tonight. I think I will skip swimming tonight and save my energy for the show!
I will post when I have time.
Have a GREAT Easter weekend!!
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Been really busy...
Finally finishing my CHristmas Afghan, So now I can finally put my Christmas stuff in the closet!! OK OK so Im late...
And getting the cast ready to take the stage for the first time....
Now to get them all off book and in costume!!
We open in THREE WEEKS!!! ACK!!!
Saturday, March 01, 2008
Gads, Saturday already?
I have been one busy busy old lady this week. I had no idea that it had been so long since my last post.
Mother of Neighbor (who lives three blocks away) came over to apoligize for her son. She also wanted to know what she can do to fix things. I listened and told her that I LOVE cats, (as she could tell by my bad mannered babies jumping on the table to head butt her.) But NOT on my bird feeders, and she agreed. I suggested that since she comes over once a day to feed them, that she keep them IN the house during the day, and let themout to roam at night if she must. THat way my birds and squirrels are safe. But that still leaves the cats very vulnerable to coyotes and owls. and cars. SO this week I have only had to chase cat out of my back yard once. Good thing. We will see what happens this coming week. Mama Kitty has been spayed and the boys have all been snipped too, so at least in their wanderings they are not making more feral kitties.
My cats do not understand why they cant go out when THOSE guys can. I just tell them that THeir mommie loves them. the others are not loved.
I went back to the Dr to have my blood work done after Septembers tranfusions and all of my numbers are WONDERFUL except for the one that counts...my hematocrit level is WAY down again. SO we are waiting for lab results to see if I have Iron poor blood, or anemia of some other kind, or if my stomach is still seeping blood. Meanwhile I am on Ferrous Carbonate or something like that, and vitamin b-12 and Calcium and D jeez, I get FULL just taking pills! I sure hope I just have to add supplements instead of another transfusion. I still dont have the LAST one paid for.
THe play is getting better and better, and we take the stage tomorrow night. THe set is almost finished, just details to putz with, and then major rehearsal time. One thing that hurts us by having to start blocking while we dont have a set is the physical constraints of the stage and or rhearsal hall. We will have to re-block some of the scenes, but at least we wont have to work on lines while we do that. It is so FUNNY!! Every night we crack up. Sure hope the audience does too.
I watched a Neil Simon movie today...MURDER BY DEATH. OH GOD!! It is pee your pants funny! I might recommend it to read for next years play committee. Such a spoof of all the old movie sleuths! LOLOLOLOLOL
My back has been in horrible pain this week. I can barely walk, but as soon as I get in the pool, I have instant relief!! SO I do what I can for arobics, and modify the ones that hurt so that I am getting excersize but not straining the muscles that are hurting. My spine is really piching the nerves that run down both legs right now. SO much fun!!
TIm only has two more months of work release then he is home! Dont know for how long, as I know he will get antsy and want to get back to Orcas Island. (GRRRRRR) But Hopefully he will have learned his lesson. He has finished his Chemical dependancy classes and is going to meetings once a week, and will have to continue that while he is on his 9 months parole. THen he is free and clear and on his own to make his own choices once again. LORDY I hope he remembers how to make them the RIGHT way!
Well gotta run, put a load of clothes in the dryer and then one into the washer and get my hair fixed, as we are going to go see The Vienna Boys Choir tonight! I am really looking forward to that.
HAve a nice week ya'll...and for those that Lurk, go read toraa@blogspot.com he is a norweigian who lives in Oslo. Interesting blog too. I would have put the link there like you are sposed to, but blogger has hidden my edit bar again, so you will have to enter it in manually.
Mother of Neighbor (who lives three blocks away) came over to apoligize for her son. She also wanted to know what she can do to fix things. I listened and told her that I LOVE cats, (as she could tell by my bad mannered babies jumping on the table to head butt her.) But NOT on my bird feeders, and she agreed. I suggested that since she comes over once a day to feed them, that she keep them IN the house during the day, and let themout to roam at night if she must. THat way my birds and squirrels are safe. But that still leaves the cats very vulnerable to coyotes and owls. and cars. SO this week I have only had to chase cat out of my back yard once. Good thing. We will see what happens this coming week. Mama Kitty has been spayed and the boys have all been snipped too, so at least in their wanderings they are not making more feral kitties.
My cats do not understand why they cant go out when THOSE guys can. I just tell them that THeir mommie loves them. the others are not loved.
I went back to the Dr to have my blood work done after Septembers tranfusions and all of my numbers are WONDERFUL except for the one that counts...my hematocrit level is WAY down again. SO we are waiting for lab results to see if I have Iron poor blood, or anemia of some other kind, or if my stomach is still seeping blood. Meanwhile I am on Ferrous Carbonate or something like that, and vitamin b-12 and Calcium and D jeez, I get FULL just taking pills! I sure hope I just have to add supplements instead of another transfusion. I still dont have the LAST one paid for.
THe play is getting better and better, and we take the stage tomorrow night. THe set is almost finished, just details to putz with, and then major rehearsal time. One thing that hurts us by having to start blocking while we dont have a set is the physical constraints of the stage and or rhearsal hall. We will have to re-block some of the scenes, but at least we wont have to work on lines while we do that. It is so FUNNY!! Every night we crack up. Sure hope the audience does too.
I watched a Neil Simon movie today...MURDER BY DEATH. OH GOD!! It is pee your pants funny! I might recommend it to read for next years play committee. Such a spoof of all the old movie sleuths! LOLOLOLOLOL
My back has been in horrible pain this week. I can barely walk, but as soon as I get in the pool, I have instant relief!! SO I do what I can for arobics, and modify the ones that hurt so that I am getting excersize but not straining the muscles that are hurting. My spine is really piching the nerves that run down both legs right now. SO much fun!!
TIm only has two more months of work release then he is home! Dont know for how long, as I know he will get antsy and want to get back to Orcas Island. (GRRRRRR) But Hopefully he will have learned his lesson. He has finished his Chemical dependancy classes and is going to meetings once a week, and will have to continue that while he is on his 9 months parole. THen he is free and clear and on his own to make his own choices once again. LORDY I hope he remembers how to make them the RIGHT way!
Well gotta run, put a load of clothes in the dryer and then one into the washer and get my hair fixed, as we are going to go see The Vienna Boys Choir tonight! I am really looking forward to that.
HAve a nice week ya'll...and for those that Lurk, go read toraa@blogspot.com he is a norweigian who lives in Oslo. Interesting blog too. I would have put the link there like you are sposed to, but blogger has hidden my edit bar again, so you will have to enter it in manually.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
GRRRR
Well i just spent twenty minutes getting chewed out by my neighbor that leaves his cats outside all week. He came home on Friday and then left again and was gone all weekend, leaving the cats locked out of the garage. My daughter came up this morning, so I sent her over to open the garage about 6 inches and prop it up so they could get in and eat, and get away from the coyotes. I Just DO NOT understand people that will not take care of their animals. Now mind you, they are NOT underfed. They are fat and healthy, but they CRAVE human attention, which they dont get except from the neighbors. THey are also treating my bird feeders as their own personal Hors d'oureve tray! Needless to say, all the squirrels from last year are gone. Even Lola that appeared last week for the first time in months, almost got caught by Cotton their black cat. she screamed, and ran up the fence just one claw away from LUNCH! (Whew). I know I know! They are only doing what they were born to do, but I do not live on a farm, and neither do the neighbors anymore, they now live in a community with only 10 feet away from each others yards. THey need to keep their animals under control. I have 4 cats that never get to go outside. God I am pissed. I only had the cats welfare at heart, and I get chewed out for messing with his house! OK Dude! Gloves are off! Next time I call animal control, they can trap them all.
Poor babies.
There, I feel better, I have ranted.
Poor babies.
There, I feel better, I have ranted.
Monday, February 18, 2008
YEEEOOOOWWWCH!!
I got my electric bill on Saturday and almost shit a BRICK! 398.00!! I knew I was behind but not THAT much! It had my last payment on it too, but It shows that I have used way more than this period last year! It has been cold, but I cannot imagine using that much! It is normally 80-90 during the summer and 125-140 during the winter. I turned off everything I could find, and I have even gone to the energy saver, squiggly light bulbs! I turn off my computer every time I am not here, and do not sit in the Living room that often. YIKES!! Talk about a one-two punch!
Today was absolutely GORGEOUS out side, but I had things I had to do INSIDE, so could not get out and enjoy the sunshine! I plan on hitting the deck tomorrow! I stepped out with Sadie this morning about 4AM and just marveled at the sky! It was crystal clear and you could reach out and touch every star up there! THe Coyotes were even feeling their oats and were howling and yipping all night. Sadie sure does not like to hear them them that close to her fence!
The days are starting to grow visibly longer THANK GOD! It is getting light at 700AM and getting dark around 6PM I LOVE the Long days up at this latitude!
I am in the middle of rehearsals for SOCIAL SECURITY, so you will not be seeing me on here very much until it is off stage. Just warning you! I get a chance to peek at you all every once in awhile, so keep watching!
Today was absolutely GORGEOUS out side, but I had things I had to do INSIDE, so could not get out and enjoy the sunshine! I plan on hitting the deck tomorrow! I stepped out with Sadie this morning about 4AM and just marveled at the sky! It was crystal clear and you could reach out and touch every star up there! THe Coyotes were even feeling their oats and were howling and yipping all night. Sadie sure does not like to hear them them that close to her fence!
The days are starting to grow visibly longer THANK GOD! It is getting light at 700AM and getting dark around 6PM I LOVE the Long days up at this latitude!
I am in the middle of rehearsals for SOCIAL SECURITY, so you will not be seeing me on here very much until it is off stage. Just warning you! I get a chance to peek at you all every once in awhile, so keep watching!
Thursday, February 14, 2008
It's gone again!
Once again my edit bar is missing! I wish I knew what I did to fix it last time.
I went in to lap swimming tonight and did aerobics all by myself and swam about 6 laps. I really needed it tonight. My back is so bad right now that I can barely move. Swimming helps it feel sooo good for an hour or so.
Went straight from there to rehearsals for my play. It is going to be soooo funny. I just finished blocking it tonight, and next week we will start character developement. What a hoot it is.
My Brother got some good news and some bad news yesterday during chemo. THe invasive cancer has shrunk, but it has also invaded his colon in two spots and that is NOT good. THey are going to continue treatment as before and hope for the best.
John Hancok got back to me about my annuity beign short. NEXCOM is all of it's infinite wisdom told then I was 62 three weeks ago, and that I needed to draw Social Security, so they dropped 500 out of my monthly allotment. Sure wish they had sent me a letter or something telling me that was going to happen. I thought I had until I was 65.6 nope,gotta do it now. So I signed up on line and should find out something soon. I will be drawing just over 1000 from SS and I lost 500, so I will be a tiny bit better off, but not great. sure was hoping it would be a LOT so I could breathe. Story of my life.
Oh YEAH!!! LOLA is back! She looks kinda shop worn though, and is really watchful for cats, but she ran right up the post and sat on the feeder and chomped away on sunflower seeds. SHe was back today, so maybe she will continue her foraging in my yard. I Love to watch the wild life out my bedroom window,
Hopefully now I can go back to sleep. I was dozing off and then woke right up. I hate that. off the try anyway!
I went in to lap swimming tonight and did aerobics all by myself and swam about 6 laps. I really needed it tonight. My back is so bad right now that I can barely move. Swimming helps it feel sooo good for an hour or so.
Went straight from there to rehearsals for my play. It is going to be soooo funny. I just finished blocking it tonight, and next week we will start character developement. What a hoot it is.
My Brother got some good news and some bad news yesterday during chemo. THe invasive cancer has shrunk, but it has also invaded his colon in two spots and that is NOT good. THey are going to continue treatment as before and hope for the best.
John Hancok got back to me about my annuity beign short. NEXCOM is all of it's infinite wisdom told then I was 62 three weeks ago, and that I needed to draw Social Security, so they dropped 500 out of my monthly allotment. Sure wish they had sent me a letter or something telling me that was going to happen. I thought I had until I was 65.6 nope,gotta do it now. So I signed up on line and should find out something soon. I will be drawing just over 1000 from SS and I lost 500, so I will be a tiny bit better off, but not great. sure was hoping it would be a LOT so I could breathe. Story of my life.
Oh YEAH!!! LOLA is back! She looks kinda shop worn though, and is really watchful for cats, but she ran right up the post and sat on the feeder and chomped away on sunflower seeds. SHe was back today, so maybe she will continue her foraging in my yard. I Love to watch the wild life out my bedroom window,
Hopefully now I can go back to sleep. I was dozing off and then woke right up. I hate that. off the try anyway!
Friday, February 08, 2008
WHOO_HOO!
I Have an EDIT bar again!! WHOOT!!! And right at this moment I have No pictures to post! I will have to rectify that post haste!!
I now have a Cast!! We held auditions Sunday and Monday and Had our first read-through on Tuesday. What a HOOT!! we laughed oour asses off!! This is going to be a fun cast, a fun play! This puts a whole new spin on getting OLD! SOCIAL SECURITY by Andrew Bergman. Stay tuned!! I have to finish blocking the first act before Monday night, but then It will all be stage work. It will most definately keep me busy for the next 2 months!!
I have not been swimming in a week and Man can I feel it. I hurt so bad I can barely walk! Wednesday it was so cold out, and the wind was whipping gusts over 50MPH the lights were blinking, so I stayed home, hunkered down with the lanterns ready. Did not want to come home from swimming and walk into a dark home.
Living in the Boonies is nice except that I am Terrified of the dark! (YEAH YEAH YEAH I know!) I AM!! I see all kinds of boogie men in the shadows. I think that is why I have so many animals. THey will keep me safe.
All except Sadie, who spooks at doors moving in the wind, then jumps on the bed, and sits on my head! SERIOUSLY! She does! SHe tries to get between me and the wall, and if my head is in the way, too bad. Her Butt will be planted firmly on it! I throw her off and investigate and usually find that it is Schroeder chasing a toy mouse or a toilet paper roll behind the bedroom door, and when it moves, Sadie spooks.
Today is the first time in a while we have been in the 40's! But it is pouring rain down here, and snowing blizzard conditions in the passes. We have had more avalanches this year than any time in memory! The latest one took out a million dollar home on the side of a mountain. (No I am not sympathetic. They built where nature DUMPS! STOOPID!!)
I spent all day Monday with my Brother in the ER. Sherry called and wanted me to go babysit him as he was up all nite puking, so I did, and he just could not stop...every hour...so I made him go in and the pumped him full of potassium, and electrolytes, and pain killers, and then around 300 they sent him home to see how he managed. He has still puked, but not as often. We go in on Monday for his last Chemo for awhile. (We think) Then he should start to get better for 6 weeks thenmore chemo, then another CT scan. Dear Lord I hope this works for him. He is too young to die of Cancer! and If he is going to, then let it be quick! I know that sounds bad, but he is in such misery, and does not tolerate discomfort well at all. I love him so much, but I dont want him to stay like this. He is very frail.
I called Tim last night and told him I was staying home this weekend, and he was cool with that. He understands and seems to be doing well at his job, and is keeping legal! (THANK YOU GOD!!)
Donna is all pumped upover the Wash State Caucuses this weekend. I voted absentee so am forbidden to go to the caucus. Wash Sate has such WEIRD primary rules. If you are Democrat, you MUST attend a caucus in order for your Primary vote to count. If you are a republican, You do NOT have to attend, but almost 1/2 of the delegates will be alloted at the caucuses. We Caucus on the 9th and vote in our Primary the 19. SOOOO STRANGE! And you have to declare a party for your voice to count in either party. Now come the General election in Nov you can vote whomever you want! I think it is time to get involved in Local state government! We gotta change some things.
One last wonderful thing that happened...(NOT) My retirement check is short over 500 dollars. I live right on the edge anyway, so this really slapped me upside the head. I did turn 62 last month, but I did not think I had to register for SS until I was 65. My annuity goes down and SS kicks in then. But I dont know why I was shorted, and neither does John Hancock! Oh PLEASE let it be a mistake! THey are researching it. CRAP if it isnt one thing it is another. THat 600 dollars we are spossed to get to STIMULATE the economy?? Bullshit.. It goes toward DR Bills. No stimulation here. PAH!!!
I now have a Cast!! We held auditions Sunday and Monday and Had our first read-through on Tuesday. What a HOOT!! we laughed oour asses off!! This is going to be a fun cast, a fun play! This puts a whole new spin on getting OLD! SOCIAL SECURITY by Andrew Bergman. Stay tuned!! I have to finish blocking the first act before Monday night, but then It will all be stage work. It will most definately keep me busy for the next 2 months!!
I have not been swimming in a week and Man can I feel it. I hurt so bad I can barely walk! Wednesday it was so cold out, and the wind was whipping gusts over 50MPH the lights were blinking, so I stayed home, hunkered down with the lanterns ready. Did not want to come home from swimming and walk into a dark home.
Living in the Boonies is nice except that I am Terrified of the dark! (YEAH YEAH YEAH I know!) I AM!! I see all kinds of boogie men in the shadows. I think that is why I have so many animals. THey will keep me safe.
All except Sadie, who spooks at doors moving in the wind, then jumps on the bed, and sits on my head! SERIOUSLY! She does! SHe tries to get between me and the wall, and if my head is in the way, too bad. Her Butt will be planted firmly on it! I throw her off and investigate and usually find that it is Schroeder chasing a toy mouse or a toilet paper roll behind the bedroom door, and when it moves, Sadie spooks.
Today is the first time in a while we have been in the 40's! But it is pouring rain down here, and snowing blizzard conditions in the passes. We have had more avalanches this year than any time in memory! The latest one took out a million dollar home on the side of a mountain. (No I am not sympathetic. They built where nature DUMPS! STOOPID!!)
I spent all day Monday with my Brother in the ER. Sherry called and wanted me to go babysit him as he was up all nite puking, so I did, and he just could not stop...every hour...so I made him go in and the pumped him full of potassium, and electrolytes, and pain killers, and then around 300 they sent him home to see how he managed. He has still puked, but not as often. We go in on Monday for his last Chemo for awhile. (We think) Then he should start to get better for 6 weeks thenmore chemo, then another CT scan. Dear Lord I hope this works for him. He is too young to die of Cancer! and If he is going to, then let it be quick! I know that sounds bad, but he is in such misery, and does not tolerate discomfort well at all. I love him so much, but I dont want him to stay like this. He is very frail.
I called Tim last night and told him I was staying home this weekend, and he was cool with that. He understands and seems to be doing well at his job, and is keeping legal! (THANK YOU GOD!!)
Donna is all pumped upover the Wash State Caucuses this weekend. I voted absentee so am forbidden to go to the caucus. Wash Sate has such WEIRD primary rules. If you are Democrat, you MUST attend a caucus in order for your Primary vote to count. If you are a republican, You do NOT have to attend, but almost 1/2 of the delegates will be alloted at the caucuses. We Caucus on the 9th and vote in our Primary the 19. SOOOO STRANGE! And you have to declare a party for your voice to count in either party. Now come the General election in Nov you can vote whomever you want! I think it is time to get involved in Local state government! We gotta change some things.
One last wonderful thing that happened...(NOT) My retirement check is short over 500 dollars. I live right on the edge anyway, so this really slapped me upside the head. I did turn 62 last month, but I did not think I had to register for SS until I was 65. My annuity goes down and SS kicks in then. But I dont know why I was shorted, and neither does John Hancock! Oh PLEASE let it be a mistake! THey are researching it. CRAP if it isnt one thing it is another. THat 600 dollars we are spossed to get to STIMULATE the economy?? Bullshit.. It goes toward DR Bills. No stimulation here. PAH!!!
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Snow and MORE snow
We have had a LOT of snow and cold and freezing rain down here at sea level or as they say on tv...the LOW LANDS. But what we have as rain down here, turns into SNOW in the mountains. We have 5 cross cascade passes in Washington State, and 4 out of 5 of them are closed right now due to snow. This is very unusual. Snoqualmie Pass is our lowest pass, at 3500 feet and is the major cross cascade pass. I-90 crosses here. Right now there is so much snow up there that the WSDOT is working around the clock trying to keep the avalanche danger down. for the past 48 hours there have been two MAJOR natural avalanches, shutting down both directions of the pass. Normally when this happens, Stevens US 2 is open as is White Pass, US 12. North Cascades SR 20 closes in November and reopens in spring. And then there is I-84 at the Washington Oregon Border. right now, ALL are closed except US -12, which is restricted to small vehicles only. WHEW! this leaves us isolated again. We have a lot of freight using the interstates, E-W and they are all lined up on both sides of the pass waiting for snow removal to finish. Latest word is MAYBE 4PM. MAYBE not until tomorrow morning.
Snow is not unusual for us, but the HEAVY snow is! in the pasat week they say the pass has gotten 4-6 FEET of new snow. And more on the way. In the lowlands, we are getting rain, and sleet. The temperatures down here are hovering around 38-40 F.
At least right now the wind has stopped. We are having sun breaks, and while the sun is out, the rays are very warm. The cats all have a window or a piece of furniture and are stretched out soaking it up.
THe birds have cleaned out the feeders over the past two days, so I need to fill them back up and replace the suet for the chickadees, the kinglets and the woodpeckers. THe Juncos love the millet and the sunflower seeds. The doves eat anything.
My new neighbors have 4 cats that they let run outside all the time, so needless to say I no longer have my squirrels visiting. I miss Lola!! :(
I will say that these cats are soooo friendly. THey crave attention. THe owners are only here on the weekends, and they have a cat door in the garage door, so they can go in and out and get out of the weather, but there was only mama and 3 kittens in July, but now the babies are grown and they are still here. They are all named after motorcyles! mama in Jawa, and the babies are Apprello, Cotton, And Indian. And they RUN towards you when they hear a human voice. I feel so bad for them, and I love kitties, but I DONT let my cats out AT ALL, and I dont want them in my back yard! I may have to sic Sadie on them.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
On to SOCIAL SECURITY
I am getting ready to Open Auditions for my Play SOcial Security which opens in APRIL 2008. I have not directed in over a year, so this is going to be a time consumer for awhile.
This is the story of 2 sisters, one of whom is married to a NEW YORK Art Dealer, and the other is married to a Long Island Accountant. MOTHER lives with sister # 2, and is being sent to live with Sister # 1 because there is a crisis in Sister #2's family.
THis is a very funny play, with Mom coming into the elegant apartment of Sister #1 complete with curlers, walker, dirty housecoat, and a case of Sour balls of which she only half finishes, then spits them everywhere.
Enter Maurice who is an elderly Artist, and Love Blooms between Mom and Maurice, which also rubs off on Sister # 1 and her husband. Love and Sex and relationships between all family members are looked at in this two act comedy by Andrew Bergman.
I will be very busy between now and May huh?
In order to publish pictures, I had to download PICASA (which I did not want to do as it takes up TONS of space, and found all the pictures that I thought I deleted off my hard drive!) and then open it, find the photo I wanted and then click the blog this button, which then opened my blogger dashboard, had to sign in and then save as draft and then edit and write and publish. It used to be so easy, now there are a lot more steps to go through, but at least I can post pictures again.
(WHEW!!)
CRITTERCHICK...YOU ARE SORELY MISSED!!!! :(
Sunday, January 27, 2008
testing....
HMMMMMMM Just might have backed into a bandaid!
The eagles are returning and pairing up. I took this one in Adak, AK>
Saturday, January 26, 2008
STILL BROKE!!!
Or rather brokEN!! I have been reading the questions that other people havee asked and it appears that blogger does not bother answering their emails. If Blogger was taken over by GOOGLE and GOOGLE is making money hand over fist, and is listed as the number one place to work, maybe one of their CEO's should take a real hard look at what their tech guys are REALLY doing, to make it such a great place to work. Obviously it is not CUSTOMER SERVICE!! I think If I was in charge, I would make it MANDATORY to answer all emails within 48 hours! AND NOT BY MACHINE EITHER! A PERSON! I have liked Blogger for 5 years now, and had no reason to want to change, but I just may have to think about this again. are any of you having a problem commenting on Blogger? On MY site? (I know I did on OTHER peoples who were using the Blogger comments. I use Haloscan. Quite a few blogs are missing too... interesting reading there. click on help and read...(Not that it really HELPS you, but at least you know you are not in this soup alone!!!) GRRRRRRRRRR
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Miss Granola has been busy!!
Ya'll need to go over to DOnna's place at http://chemystery.livejournal.com and look at the wonderful yarn she has been spinning. I would put the magic link and a purtty picture up here for you all to see but dumbass BLOGGER still has no edit bar on my posting page. I have tried EVERYTHING. I cant even switch from compose to html posting anymore. just plain old vanilla. Any way, please stop by Donna's blog aka CHEMYSTERY aka omnipotentbenevolentempress. She does not update often but when she does.....
Mean while, I am trying out different squares to make an afghan with, and can't find the one that strikes my fancy. THis one will be for ME! I am getting a used sofa next month, and it is dated, so it needs an afghan over it. Can't wait.
It has been so darned cold here for us. In the 20F nights and 30's days. BRRRRR Needless to say I have not gone swimming this week. I would be a popsicle driving home. I know, bad excuse...I will go back Monday. I Promise!!
Mean while, I am trying out different squares to make an afghan with, and can't find the one that strikes my fancy. THis one will be for ME! I am getting a used sofa next month, and it is dated, so it needs an afghan over it. Can't wait.
It has been so darned cold here for us. In the 20F nights and 30's days. BRRRRR Needless to say I have not gone swimming this week. I would be a popsicle driving home. I know, bad excuse...I will go back Monday. I Promise!!
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Schroeder
I would love to post a picture of my Baby boy, all grown up with a full coat grown out, but stupid BLOGGER won't give me back my edit bar so that I can!! SO until it does, you get plain vanilla posts!! GRRRR
Schroeder has calmed down somewhat since his "operation" but he still bites when ever I pet his tummy and anywhere NEAR his "package" place. Not little love bites either, big CHOMP BITE MOMMIE bites. He does still want his loving at night though. AS soon as I turn off the evening news and start reading my book, he jumps up and lays on the book and purrs so sweetly! then I slowly move the book over, and he quickly plops on it again. Loves this game he does!!
Tonight, I heard MOANS coming from the living room, and it sounded like someone was dying. I jumped up and ran in to see what was going on, and he SCREAMED! and promptly barfed up his first fur ball! Talkabout a sissy boy!! once that was over, and he realized that he would live, he looked at me as if to say...WHAT!? and slowly walked away looking back over his shoulder at the tiny little barf ball he spewed out. Boys are such sissy's aren't they?
Schroeder has calmed down somewhat since his "operation" but he still bites when ever I pet his tummy and anywhere NEAR his "package" place. Not little love bites either, big CHOMP BITE MOMMIE bites. He does still want his loving at night though. AS soon as I turn off the evening news and start reading my book, he jumps up and lays on the book and purrs so sweetly! then I slowly move the book over, and he quickly plops on it again. Loves this game he does!!
Tonight, I heard MOANS coming from the living room, and it sounded like someone was dying. I jumped up and ran in to see what was going on, and he SCREAMED! and promptly barfed up his first fur ball! Talkabout a sissy boy!! once that was over, and he realized that he would live, he looked at me as if to say...WHAT!? and slowly walked away looking back over his shoulder at the tiny little barf ball he spewed out. Boys are such sissy's aren't they?
Saturday, January 19, 2008
GAK!!!
STILL no edit bar on here!! I guess they dont answer their support mail!!
I just want to put a picture on my post!!
Well today is PLAYDAY and I am READY!!! Now I need to figure out how to get this spray adhesive off my hands. We have a hard decision to make cutting these twelve down to 5!
A Bad Year For Tomatoes
Christmas Belles
It Runs In The Family
Leading Ladies
Glorious
Cover of Life
Night Watch
King O' The Moon
Gypsy
Kiss Me Kate
Peter Pan
Fiddler on the Roof
THe musicals are the hardest, as everybody wants them, but nobody wants to direct them as they are all hard to do. I would like to see Kiss Me Kate or Gypsy, and MAYBE Peter Pan.
And for the Non-musicals
Cover of Life
Night Watch
King O' The Moon
But I only have one vote. It will ultimately be up to the board to decide, once the members vote and narrow it down, and the call for directors goes out. If no director is interested, then we pick something else, and that is how the directors get what they want to do! Screwy I know....
I went up and spent the day with Tim yesterday. He is getting restless. He is allowed to go to work, and back and NO WHERE ELSE. He can go shopping with me, but He has to put down exactly WHERE we will go before we leave. Since we dont know Bellingham that well, it is hard. We went to Vallue Village and Goodwill to find some work clothes, and then McDonalds drive through. He is starting to think all these rules are stupid...and that will be where he fails if he does! I told him I dont care if they are stupid or not, STAY LEGAL!!! and you can still think they are stupid, but DO THEM! (Shithead!) Cinco de Mayo is his release date, and the parole officer is coming to inspect my house on Tuesday! Now why am I worried I wont pass inspection? HECK I DONT KNOW!!
I need a new camera! My wonderful Sony cybershot, has lost the flash! It goes off, but just barely lights! takes GREAT outdoor pictures, but not indoors. WAHHHH!! I Loved my SOny! Now I want a SOny SLR Digital! 10.2 Megapixels. Will I get it? RIGHT!!!! not.
It has been right on the verge of snowing for a week. 36-40 but not 32!! Darn!! I want snow!!
I come home tonight and tomorrow I clean house and get ready for the Parole Officer, then I can relax and get ready for AUDITIONS for Social Security Feb 3-4! THen I will be busy until April 24! then relax again, until Tim comes home. THen I can get my honey-do list ready for him to work on! Lots to kepp a strong son busy for awhile. New roof, new woodpile, new garden, clean garage....HEHEHEHEHEHEHEH
I just want to put a picture on my post!!
Well today is PLAYDAY and I am READY!!! Now I need to figure out how to get this spray adhesive off my hands. We have a hard decision to make cutting these twelve down to 5!
A Bad Year For Tomatoes
Christmas Belles
It Runs In The Family
Leading Ladies
Glorious
Cover of Life
Night Watch
King O' The Moon
Gypsy
Kiss Me Kate
Peter Pan
Fiddler on the Roof
THe musicals are the hardest, as everybody wants them, but nobody wants to direct them as they are all hard to do. I would like to see Kiss Me Kate or Gypsy, and MAYBE Peter Pan.
And for the Non-musicals
Cover of Life
Night Watch
King O' The Moon
But I only have one vote. It will ultimately be up to the board to decide, once the members vote and narrow it down, and the call for directors goes out. If no director is interested, then we pick something else, and that is how the directors get what they want to do! Screwy I know....
I went up and spent the day with Tim yesterday. He is getting restless. He is allowed to go to work, and back and NO WHERE ELSE. He can go shopping with me, but He has to put down exactly WHERE we will go before we leave. Since we dont know Bellingham that well, it is hard. We went to Vallue Village and Goodwill to find some work clothes, and then McDonalds drive through. He is starting to think all these rules are stupid...and that will be where he fails if he does! I told him I dont care if they are stupid or not, STAY LEGAL!!! and you can still think they are stupid, but DO THEM! (Shithead!) Cinco de Mayo is his release date, and the parole officer is coming to inspect my house on Tuesday! Now why am I worried I wont pass inspection? HECK I DONT KNOW!!
I need a new camera! My wonderful Sony cybershot, has lost the flash! It goes off, but just barely lights! takes GREAT outdoor pictures, but not indoors. WAHHHH!! I Loved my SOny! Now I want a SOny SLR Digital! 10.2 Megapixels. Will I get it? RIGHT!!!! not.
It has been right on the verge of snowing for a week. 36-40 but not 32!! Darn!! I want snow!!
I come home tonight and tomorrow I clean house and get ready for the Parole Officer, then I can relax and get ready for AUDITIONS for Social Security Feb 3-4! THen I will be busy until April 24! then relax again, until Tim comes home. THen I can get my honey-do list ready for him to work on! Lots to kepp a strong son busy for awhile. New roof, new woodpile, new garden, clean garage....HEHEHEHEHEHEHEH
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Still broken
I am beginning to think my computer is possesed! It turns itself on and off in the middle of the night, almost like someone else is controlling it. I cant get to my gmail page at all. I have to check my gmail through outlook express which is fine, but I cant delete the spam folder and some emails are legite and get sent to the spam folder. I can get to google, but not gmail. It is so weird! and I no longer have ANYTHING above this compose box....NADA no html, no link icon, no camera icon, to fonts, colors NOTHING. And of course as with anything that is widely popular, the help desk is non existant.
DO NOT PATRONIZE BLOCKBUSTER!!!!! THeir ability to help you out if there is a problem is less than satisfactory. I had tried their FREE on line for a week promotion, and obviously gave them my bank account number. (????) so for 6 months they have been debiting my account for 19.98 every month. Now mind you I have not USED them except the very first WEEK which was FREE. I have a bad habit of not looking at my bank statement, and when I did this week, I noticed a debit to blockbuster. I went back and checked the rest of the statements and sure enough there they are. every month since July of 2007! I called, waited for 20 minutes and finally got a nice young lady who said it was my fault for not following up on the debits. Yeah I KNOW that, but you also have no record of me ever renting a movie in the past 7 months either. so she would only refund me 3 months worth, and refused to give me to a supervisor or a manager. SO I AM BOYCOTTING BLOCKBUSTER for taking advantage of the sick and infirm, and possible mentally challenged Senior citizens! (ok, that MAY be a stretch, but that is what I felt like after dealing with the nice young lady who will one day be an old fart too!) GRRRRRRRR
DO NOT PATRONIZE BLOCKBUSTER!!!!! THeir ability to help you out if there is a problem is less than satisfactory. I had tried their FREE on line for a week promotion, and obviously gave them my bank account number. (????) so for 6 months they have been debiting my account for 19.98 every month. Now mind you I have not USED them except the very first WEEK which was FREE. I have a bad habit of not looking at my bank statement, and when I did this week, I noticed a debit to blockbuster. I went back and checked the rest of the statements and sure enough there they are. every month since July of 2007! I called, waited for 20 minutes and finally got a nice young lady who said it was my fault for not following up on the debits. Yeah I KNOW that, but you also have no record of me ever renting a movie in the past 7 months either. so she would only refund me 3 months worth, and refused to give me to a supervisor or a manager. SO I AM BOYCOTTING BLOCKBUSTER for taking advantage of the sick and infirm, and possible mentally challenged Senior citizens! (ok, that MAY be a stretch, but that is what I felt like after dealing with the nice young lady who will one day be an old fart too!) GRRRRRRRR
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Is it just ME?
Does anybody else have a problem trying to post pictures on Blogger? THere used to be an edit bar right under the title box, just above this post box. There used to be an icon with a camera, and I would click on that and up would pop another box to direct my picture into. Now there is nothing!!!! has not been for about 3 weeks. Oh WAIT, there was once that it popped up but not since. I am getting really pissed!!!!
Next subject...On CSI, And WIthout a Trace and NCIS they show the director, or cheif or whomever, sitting in their offices, alone and drinking alcohol. Now I don't know what Navy they are writing about in NCIS, but the NAVY I worked for that was totally against the rules!! ANd any police dept I know of would not allow drinking on the job either. Are they taking poetic license or have times really changed?
I think my hair grew about 1/8 of an inch...HURRY!!!!
I have been in severe pain this week. my back is soooo sore. I got into the pool Yesterday and instant relief! I spent an hour and a half working out. I will say that the instructors have been different, and the workouts really different, so they may be doing something that is not good for my back.
I am almost done with the PLAYHOUSE creating that I have been doing this week. I just have the posters to finish, and I am ready for the 19th! (Whew)
I also am getting ready for auditions for my show. Feb 3-4 and then I will have a cast! Whoo-hoo.
I apent all weekend moving all my JPEG files off my hard drive onto CD's, wow, That really made a difference, but now I cant find anything. I guess I really should do this once a week or so, and ORGANIZE them into sensible folders huh?
I made a crock pot full of Split pea soup, using left over ham, and Onions, and I cooked it on Low for 24 hours, and then I looked. OH GOD!!! It is brown, and burnt, and scorched, and lumpy like really bad baby poop! I smelled it all night long, and really wanted some and some corn bread. I threw it out. Guess I will go make some scrambled eggs. sometimes I just can't cook! othertimes I cook really really GOOD!
Or I could go bake a cake...Chocolate! WIth Chocolate frosting!! Yeah, that's sounding really good. wonder if I have a cake mix....
Next subject...On CSI, And WIthout a Trace and NCIS they show the director, or cheif or whomever, sitting in their offices, alone and drinking alcohol. Now I don't know what Navy they are writing about in NCIS, but the NAVY I worked for that was totally against the rules!! ANd any police dept I know of would not allow drinking on the job either. Are they taking poetic license or have times really changed?
I think my hair grew about 1/8 of an inch...HURRY!!!!
I have been in severe pain this week. my back is soooo sore. I got into the pool Yesterday and instant relief! I spent an hour and a half working out. I will say that the instructors have been different, and the workouts really different, so they may be doing something that is not good for my back.
I am almost done with the PLAYHOUSE creating that I have been doing this week. I just have the posters to finish, and I am ready for the 19th! (Whew)
I also am getting ready for auditions for my show. Feb 3-4 and then I will have a cast! Whoo-hoo.
I apent all weekend moving all my JPEG files off my hard drive onto CD's, wow, That really made a difference, but now I cant find anything. I guess I really should do this once a week or so, and ORGANIZE them into sensible folders huh?
I made a crock pot full of Split pea soup, using left over ham, and Onions, and I cooked it on Low for 24 hours, and then I looked. OH GOD!!! It is brown, and burnt, and scorched, and lumpy like really bad baby poop! I smelled it all night long, and really wanted some and some corn bread. I threw it out. Guess I will go make some scrambled eggs. sometimes I just can't cook! othertimes I cook really really GOOD!
Or I could go bake a cake...Chocolate! WIth Chocolate frosting!! Yeah, that's sounding really good. wonder if I have a cake mix....
Monday, January 07, 2008
Another boring Monday...
Actually I have been busier than heck trying to get everything done that I need to do around the house, and for the Playhouse. My computer also slowed WAAAAAAY down, and I have been working night and day trying to get it to go faster. I tried de-fragging, but it didnt need it, I ran all the virus checks, spyware etc, re-booted, did scan disk, yadayada. I kept getting an application hang! I have no idea what causes that...old age?
I finally got the idea to remove ALL of my JPEG files (tons and tons) and copied them all to cd, and then deleted them off my hard drive. I run a little faster now but I am still crossing fingers. I tried to restore, but I could not go back any further than Jan 1, and it was running slow then too, so..........I need a resident geek!
I did not hear from Tim this weekend. :( see how soon they forget about their mommies? I got a collect call every Saturday, but this weekend was sposed to be his first 20 hour Pass, and he did not call. DEAR GOD PLEASE KEEP HIS ASS OUT OF TROUBLE!!
I got a years pass to the swimming pool for Christmas, so I have no excuse now for not going.
I also had my hair cut. SHORT! REALLY REALLY SHORT!! TOO SHORT!! I look like a Dyke!! :( It sticks straight up in the back just like alfalpha on OUR GANG. AH well, it will grow, and it is easier to wash the clorine out of now. Just a big big change for me. IT WAS Shoulder length, and now the LONGEST part is 2 inches!!
For those of you that do not read Phyllis' blog, My Brother Mike had a clean brain scan!! THANK YOU LORD! So all we are dealing with is the abdominal cancer, and the treatments.
I certainly hope this year gets better and better!
On to cleaning house!!
GREAT JOB IOWA!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Brent you done good)
I finally got the idea to remove ALL of my JPEG files (tons and tons) and copied them all to cd, and then deleted them off my hard drive. I run a little faster now but I am still crossing fingers. I tried to restore, but I could not go back any further than Jan 1, and it was running slow then too, so..........I need a resident geek!
I did not hear from Tim this weekend. :( see how soon they forget about their mommies? I got a collect call every Saturday, but this weekend was sposed to be his first 20 hour Pass, and he did not call. DEAR GOD PLEASE KEEP HIS ASS OUT OF TROUBLE!!
I got a years pass to the swimming pool for Christmas, so I have no excuse now for not going.
I also had my hair cut. SHORT! REALLY REALLY SHORT!! TOO SHORT!! I look like a Dyke!! :( It sticks straight up in the back just like alfalpha on OUR GANG. AH well, it will grow, and it is easier to wash the clorine out of now. Just a big big change for me. IT WAS Shoulder length, and now the LONGEST part is 2 inches!!
For those of you that do not read Phyllis' blog, My Brother Mike had a clean brain scan!! THANK YOU LORD! So all we are dealing with is the abdominal cancer, and the treatments.
I certainly hope this year gets better and better!
On to cleaning house!!
GREAT JOB IOWA!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Brent you done good)
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