just saying...

One week ago today, Tuesday, July 10th, 2012, at this same time of day, the temp was around 85* and eventually the day's high temp was 103*.

It is 10:45 a.m. on Tuesday, July 17th, 2012. The temperature is 62*.

Garden Update

On Saturday we blanched and froze some zucchini and yellow summer squash. We also shredded and froze more zucchini. We picked cucumbers and our spaghetti squash is growing (my sister turned me onto to this squash the last time I was back East).  Once the tomatoes start to ripen, we will have to start canning; there are soooo many.  Since June 23, our garden has grown!!! 

June 23, 2012

July 15, 2012

Thanks for stopping by...



OUR National Anthem

The following is a partial reprint of an article I read on Yahoo Sports. Bryan Luke sang like a true amateur. And, although he was very apologetic, practice makes improvement. However, this just adds to a long list of MY complaints about the way the National Anthem is sung. I call most of these personalized renditions or our beloved “Star Spangled Banner” warbling. In my opinion, our National Anthem should be sung AS WRITTEN. If you can’t sing it without warbling, do NOT do me the favor of singing it! Can you even begin to imagine “God Save the Queen” or “O Canada” improvised in the manner many singers use on our glorious anthem.

LUKE BRYAN:  SORRY FOR ALL-STAR NATIONAL ANTHEM
By David Brown
Big League Stew – Wed, Jul 11, 2012 4:33 PM EDT

"The Star-Spangled Banner," it has been said, is one of the more difficult songs to perform well under any circumstance. When you add degrees of difficulty such as a big venue, an important event and a vast TV audience watching at home, it only compounds the challenge.

And, boy, country music star Luke Bryan was not up to it Tuesday night at Major League Baseball's All-Star game in Kansas City. Not only was Bryan's singing flat and uninspired, but cameras caught him checking his hand for lyrical reminders, along with his watch for the time, as he plodded along for two excruciating minutes.

Bryan's performance was so bad, he apologized by making a series of statements via Twitter on Wednesday:

• Morning everyone. I really wanna explain the national anthem performance from last night.
• I had a few keys words written down to insure myself that I wouldn't mess up. I just wanted to do my best. I promise it was from the heart.
• If I offended anyone with my approach I sincerely apologize. Anytime I sing the anthem it is an honor and my heart beats out of my chest.
• I did check my watch because I knew the stealth bomber would fly over 2 minutes in and I knew a started a little late.
• Being a part of the all star game was amazing and I look forward to the next time I can perform the anthem. Thanks y'all. Love ya

The next time. The next time? No way. In the name of Enrico Pallazzo, no more singing at baseball games for you, buddy. …
It was a three-person race to find who had the worst outing at Kauffman Stadium: Robinson Cano in the Home Run Derby on Monday, Justin Verlander in the first inning of the game, or Bryan just before the first pitch. Even professionals can have a bad day. At least we can assume Cano and Verlander came prepared. …

It's for the best — safer, more humane — if we just ban good ol' Luke from ever singing the anthem at a sporting event ever again. Even NASCAR. And let's be real, here: Hank Williams and Johnny Cash already are spinning in their graves over how bankrupt country music is. Guys like Luke Bryan can't even hold Merle Haggard's beer. ...

The upside: Someone ought to be able to write a pretty good country tune about how sorry Luke Bryan was at (and about) his woeful All-Star anthem.

Off my soap box now… just had to get this off my chest…
Thanks for stopping by…

Sonora... again, at this time of year :D

Most years, when Major League Baseball celebrates the middle of its season with the Homerun Derby and All Star Game, we travel 110 miles southeast to Sonora, California. Our friend, Ed (a.k.a. Mr. Moose), is also a baseball fanatic.  And, during the past few years I have managed to sway the hubby-person, into the fold of those who enjoy a good baseball game. This year was a good one :D  

Ed has been an ardent New York Yankee fan.  Lately he just enjoys seeing a good game and all the new talent making the way through the ranks of the major leagues; although he still wears the tiresome old NYY baseball cap.   

Hubby is a fan of the San Francisco Giants. 

There was a bit of a controversy over two of Giants’ players who were voted to participate (Pablo Sandoval and Melky Cabrera), and over the Giant pitcher who was chosen to start the game (Matt Cain).  No one was denying that both Matt Cain and catcher Buster Posey deserved their places on the team. Many fans and sports personalities felt that R.A. Dickey from the NY Mets should have been chosen to start the game.  Sure the SF Giants fans “stuffed” the ballot boxes… just like the NY Yankees fans did – and the Dodgers, and the Angels and the Mets.  

And, to quickly recap … Pablo Sandoval hit a triple with the bases loaded; Melky Cabrera hit a single and then a home run for two runs and was dubbed MVP. I saw no more controversy.  Their National League won the game 8-0, which means the National League has homefield advantage for the World Series.

And, as a final note, there was the fashion statement. Some of the players made with the shoes they chose to wear. One of those players being Melky Cabrera…

We had a great time in Sonora... good company and too much good food (including Ed's famous lobster tails)... We were going to stay longer but the heat was getting a bit oppressive for three people in a 600 square foot house. Hubby and I decided we should drive home in the middle of the night.

The past few days have been soooo hot that warm water comes out of the cold water tap.  It was 105* yesterday and the a/c has already come on this morning (9:15 a.m.).  I am so thankful for a/c... so, so thankful.

Thanks for stopping by...

and we have ... ZUCCHINI !!

This is the garden that hubby was able to plant this year. I labelled the plants but the labels are difficult to see. Around the outside of the circle, starting from the bottom left corner (not labelled and almost out of the shot) is a cantaloupe plant, yellow crook-neck squash, cucumbers, zucchini, and spaghetti squash. There are also green onions and carrots in there some place. In the center are Roma tomatoes, cherry tomatoes and yellow bell peppers.  And my whirly-gig watering thingy that doesn't work any longer. So it has become a decoration... or something shiny to frighten the birds away (yeah, right).

The garden is smack-dab in the middle of our back yard, because we believe the original owner of this property had an above-ground pool there. Hubby has owned this property since 1985.

I took the above pictures on June 23rd... one week ago today. 

Last night this is what we discovered: 

A six-inch zucchini with many more in the offing. Zucchini is the most devious and deceptive of vegetables. I bet there are more this morning and this one has grown to nine inches by now.  Zucchini for supper (fried in a bit of butter, garlic and onions).

A very tiny yellow crook-neck squash and several more starting to blosssom. Hubby said that he has noticed we have a lot of bees and butterflies in the garden.  Hooray for pollination!!

The Roma and cherry tomatoes are also starting to show signs of becoming ripe. We only have one of each plant; but last time I planted tomatoes, I had so many I had to learn how to can... LOL
**********************************************************************

As I mentioned, on Wednesday I had steriod injections in my lower back, to help calm my inflamed sciatic nerve. The procedure was not as horrible as I imagined it would be. I was home by 11 a.m.  I did end up sleeping most of that day. I am not having any negative affects from the injection and will say that the ol' back is feeling pretty darn good.  Have to watch my blood sugar level as I am told that the steroid will tend to make it elevated.

Thanks for stopping by... have a great weekend

just a thought...

Tomorrow morning I am having steroid injections to help calm my sciatic nerve (it feels more like nerveS, at times... maybe it is?). 
I just talked with the surgical nurse. She says I will have a twilight-type anesthesia. Who is she kidding? I will be out for most of the day. Well, I will wake up and pee for them... and take a drink.
Hubby isn't sure he will be in any shape to go with me. He is not at his best early in the morning.  Chris says he can drop me off on his way to work and then pick me up and take me home after. 

So I will leave you with this thought to get us all through the next few days... LOL

The Rose Bush

In April 2008, our neighbors went away for a few days. We entertained their dog -- a sheltie -- while they were gone. For doing them the favor, which we really enjoyed, they presented us this rose bush. The pink/yellow and sometimes red flowers are beautiful.  We planted it next to the step down from our lower deck.  Mr. R (my husband, Richard) used Miracle Gro when he planted it.

One year later, it looked like this.

two years later....

three years...

and today...

This fall we will cut it back (a lot) and transplant it to a spot in the yard where it can grow and grow some more.  It will keep our other rose bush and our geranium company along the back fence.

It will fun to watch it grow again. 

Thanks for stopping by.... have a great weekend :D





HOOKOPOTAMUS 1

Yes, that is me.  I have discovered how much I enjoy crocheting.  It used to be that I would only crochet in the cooler months, but now it’s pretty much a year round thing. And it used to be that I would knit and crochet -- the knitting needles are gathering dust.  Dave Barry puts it so very well:  There is a very fine line between a hobby and mental illness.

This latest craze of mine started when my granddaughter fell “in love” with Panda bears.  I searched for a pattern that I could either knit or crochet a hat for her and finally combined a couple of patterns to create this:

Then I added funfur yarn and it became this:



SPORTS FANS EVEN ASKED FOR HATS:

New England Patriots

Chicago Bears       

Jacksonville Jaguars

Green Bay Packers

Cincinnati Bengals

AND THEN THERE WERE … THE ANIMALS: 

There are many more, but I won't bore you with ALL of them (LOL). I am so proud of these creations.  They were one-of-a-kind… the pattern was basically in my head.  And suddenly, it seemed, everyone had a “specialty” hat.  All kinds were seen around.  So I looked elsewhere, for projects. 

Look for "HOOKOPOTAMUS 2" coming to this blog soon...

Thanks for stopping by *wink*



Fathers' Day 2012

This is my dad.


He worked hard to make something of his life. He graduated from Perdue University with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering and continued on to get his master’s degree. He got a job at General Electric in Schenectady, NY and then was transferred to the transformer division of G.E. in Pittsfield, MA.

He and a friend designed and built a sailboat from scratch.

He met and married my mom. And when they found that they couldn’t have children, they adopted me and then my sister. My mom did not have to work outside the home. When I was little, Dad rocked me to sleep most nights. We were punished – even spanked. He sent my sister and me to college. He was what people would call a good provider. He saved money. He was mature. He made decisions that were reasonable and well thought out. He required that we respect him as well as other adults. At times, he was difficult to know and even more difficult to love. [I did not think of him as an affectionate person.]

He designed our home. We moved in when I was 4 years old -- and part of me still lives there. They sold the home in 1987 (I was almost 40). By that time, I was married, divorced and had three sons to care for.

He retired from G.E. in 1972. His retirement lasted 30 years. He and Mom became snowbirds.

In the end, this intelligent man succumbed to Alzheimer’s. In a sense, it was wonderful to see the joy in his eyes when he rocked his great grandchildren to sleep. And, it was sad to see the mind vanish.

He was a quiet man. He kept to himself. He wasn’t a social butterfly. He was opinionated and stern.

But he was my dad.

And I can now appreciate and love him even more for who he was.

Well, the LETTER may come to life again.  I have convinced myself that I have been busy. Actually, I have too much time on my hands.  So I now think that, on occasion, I just might stretch my fingers on this ol' keyboard again and tell you what is going on in my life.

HOWEVER, it is baseball season and I do plant myself in front of the TV to watch my favorite teams: SF Giants, Oakland A's, and Boston Red Sox.  Sometimes there is a Yankee game thrown in there for good measure. I have accomplished a lot of crocheting projects while watching these games.  Pictures will posted on an upcoming blog.

[Oh boy, I am thinking of more and more things I can write about - I better find my old notebook :D]

To catch you all up on what is happening... Hubby is still in remission from his cancer. He just celebrated the 4th anniversary of his stem cell transplant.  I see him finding more energy and stamina. This year he actually planted a garden for us. We can't wait to see more growth and vegetables on our table.

My oldest son still lives with us. He works for National Security as an account manager (in 3 years he has gone from being a "plain old" guard to being in charge of security at the Sacramento Convention Center to being an account manager).  The downside is his company phone rings at lot - at all times of the day and night. 

As I mentioned, I have been crocheting. My sciatica has decided to become a permanent pain in the arse, so I will have some cortisone injections on June 27th.  I'm a bit nervous about that.

The dog is still crazy.  She seems to enjoy being a mouser. I have tried explaining that title is usually reserved for cats -- she has NO concept.  If it runs, she chases.

Thanks for stopping by... I'll be back :D

WHERE WERE YOU...

Where were you when the world stopped turning that September day

Out in the yard with your wife and children

Working on some stage in LA

Did you stand there in shock at the site of

That black smoke rising against that blue sky

Did you shout out in anger

In fear for your neighbor

Or did you just sit down and cry

Did you weep for the children

Who lost their dear loved ones

And pray for the ones who don't know

Did you rejoice for the people who walked from the rubble

And sob for the ones left below

Did you burst out in pride

For the red white and blue

The heroes who died just doing what they do

Did you look up to heaven for some kind of answer

And look at yourself to what really matters

I'm just a singer of simple songs

I'm not a real political man

I watch CNN but I'm not sure I can tell you

The difference in Iraq and Iran

But I know Jesus and I talk to God

And I remember this from when I was young

Faith hope and love are some good things he gave us

And the greatest is love

Where were you when the world stopped turning that September day

Teaching a class full of innocent children

Driving down some cold interstate

Did you feel guilty cause you're a survivor

In a crowded room did you feel alone

Did you call up your mother and tell her you love her

Did you dust off that bible at home

Did you open your eyes and hope it never happened

Close your eyes and not go to sleep

Did you notice the sunset the first time in ages

Speak with some stranger on the street

Did you lay down at night and think of tomorrow

Go out and buy you a gun

Did you turn off that violent old movie you're watching

And turn on "I Love Lucy" reruns

Did you go to a church and hold hands with some stranger

Stand in line and give your own blood

Did you just stay home and cling tight to your family

Thank God you had somebody to love

I'm just a singer of simple songs

I'm not a real political man

I watch CNN but I'm not sure I can tell you

The difference in Iraq and Iran

But I know Jesus and I talk to God

And I remember this from when I was young

Faith hope and love are some good things he gave us

And the greatest is love

I'm just a singer of simple songs

I'm not a real political man

I watch CNN but I'm not sure I can tell you

The difference in Iraq and Iran

But I know Jesus and I talk to God

And I remember this from when I was young

Faith hope and love are some good things he gave us

And the greatest is love

The greatest is love

The greatest is love...

Where were you when the world stopped turning that September day ?

Personally, I had just completed packing for a cross-country move (from Massachusetts to California). We left for California on schedule on September 15th, 2001. We were in shock most of the time. What do I remember most about that journey? It rained a lot that week.

AMEN.

Thanks for stopping by...

One Year Later

With all the time that I have been away from you, my friends, I am sure you don't remember my post from just about a year ago.
http://carol-george.blogspot.com/2009/08/wild-fire-in-auburn-california.html
It was on August 30, 2009, that a wild fire destroyed the home and ALL the possessions of my mother-in-law and my brother-in-law. The have spent the last year living in a rented home not far from where they had lived. At the time I wrote the blog, I didn't include any pictures. This is all that was left. You might be able to make out the metal shell of my brother-in-law's Jeep on the left side of the picture.

Sixty-three homes and three businesses were lost in this fire. We have visited Auburn a few times since the fire. And slowly the neighborhood regains its footing. New homes are being built and happy faces breathe a sigh of relief as more and more families move back into their neighborhood. It is now less of a "cookie cutter" neighborhood than I remember it being before the fire.

This is the home (on the same lot) that my mother-in-law and my brother-in-law moved back into last Saturday, August 22, 2010. It is a few feet more in total square footage, but is basically the same foot print as the old home. Wasn't it nice for the clouds to cooperate for this picture?


The neighbors (to the right) were moving in on the same day. Lots of smiles at this end of the cul-de-sac. The neighbors went in a totally different direction with their new home. They went from a ranch-type structure to a 2-story contemporary home with four bedrooms (two master suites) and a full pool instead of a back yard. The variety of homes being built to suit the owners is quite obvious.

This is the deck -- sliders off the dining area. And they included the garden window for Mom's plants. They have been told that now is not the time to plant grass seed, but they could lay sod. The decision about that hasn't been made yet. You can almost see my brother-in-law standing at the sliders. The dog belongs to my husband's sister who came from Redwood City to line all Mom's kitchen and pantry shelves.

This is my mother-in-law sitting at her new dining table and showing off her new kitchen. I think she was ready for her afternoon nap. The woman will be 90 years young on October 11th. We are throwing her a grand party in her new home. The orchid is a housewarming gift. Did I mention, she loves her flowers and flower gardens? The rose bushes have been purchased for a few months... now it's time to plant them.

Thanks for stopping by. Have a great day!!

Biker Bar ??

I dropped by your house the other day

and was told you were down at your favorite biker bar

with some friends!

I wasn't sure where that was,

but was told I wouldn't have much trouble finding it.


Sure enough, I drove just a couple blocks and there it was...

Thought for the day: "When you have a lot of things to do, it's best to get your nap out of the way first."

Thanks for stopping by....

RABBITS, RABBITS, RABBITS

IT IS JUNE the FIRST.
Many years ago, I was on a bowling league with a lady who asked me if I ever did the "rabbits, rabbits, rabbits" thing when I got out of bed on the first of every month.
I had never heard of it. She explained that on the first of every month when she got out of bed she would hop on one foot and say "rabbits, rabbits, rabbits". It's supposed to bring you good fortune and $$$$$$$$.

Here is what Wikipedia told me about this...

“Rabbit rabbit white rabbit” is a common British superstition. The most common modern version states that a person should say “rabbit, rabbit, white rabbit” or simply "rabbit, rabbit, rabbit" upon waking on the first day of each new month, and on doing so will receive good luck for the duration of that month.

The exact origin of the superstition is unknown, though it has appeared in print at least as early as 1954 in Bromley, Kent, England, where it is most commonly said to have originated, though some reports place its origins even earlier, into the 1800s. Today it has spread to most of the English-speaking countries of the world, although like all folklore, determining its exact area of distribution is difficult. This superstition is related to the broader belief in the rabbit or hare being a “lucky” animal, as exhibited in the practice of carrying a rabbit's foot for luck. Some have also believed it is representing a jumping into the future and moving ahead with life and happiness.

So... rabbits, rabbits, rabbits....

may you shine and prosper during this month of June.

Thanks for stopping by...

THANK YOU... we miss you

For my children and grandchildren...

This is Dad’s/Grandpa Don’s final resting place.

He spent a year in Viet Nam (Marines).

Then he was in a medic unit of the National Guard

(out of Pennsylvania).

He is resting at Indiantown Gap National Cemetery.

RIP Don.

Hope your day is sunny.

Thanks for stopping by...

MEMORIAL DAY ~ 2010

Enjoy your holiday.

Thanks for stopping by...

Thank Goodness... I'm not

For this week’s TAKE THIS TUNE, Jamie has chosen a tune by Ray Stevens titled: I Am My Own Grandpa. Ray Stevens has done a long list of silly/parody songs… this one included. And I do like his musical comedy. Personally, my favorite is “Mississippi Squirrel Revival” – along with the video (cute kids).

This brought me back to what I was investigating when I stopped blogging back in August or September. I never knew either of my grandfathers very well. My father was a mystery to me as well. I spent a lot of time investigating what made them tick. Well, I may not have figured that out, but I think I understand my father and his father better for having done the investigating.


My father’s father (Grandpa Johnson) passed away suddenly of a heart attack when I was about 8 years old. I thought I should cry over it, but never really did. I learned a lot about him through a journal that my Aunt Micky (dad’s much younger sister) kept… actually, my inquiries prodded her to begin her writing again. The following is the last piece that she sent me. She is almost 90 years old and I have left it as she wrote it. Todd School for Boys was the academia and Camp Tosebo was the summer boys camp associated with the school.

TODD SCHOOL POLITICS

This all happened before I was born but they are stories that have been told in the family. My father, A E Johnson, came to Todd as a teacher after he graduated from Hiram College. When he married he was given West Cottage where my brother and sister were born. When the then headmaster left, the family was moved to the headmaster’s cottage and Dad took the duties as headmaster.

At one point Dad left for a year to find a new position. However he was lured back with the promise that he would run the school after Noble Hill retired. That promise was never fulfilled and my mother was very bitter about it

During this time Noble Hill’s son Roger attended the University of Illinois and married Hortence Gettys. My humble opinion is that had her eye on the school. Anyhow, when Noble Hill retired the school went to Roger and Camp Tosebo went to Noble’s daughter Carol. Roger did not yet have his degree so Dad had to sign official papers.

As far as A E Johnson’s presence at Tosebo, early in his career at Todd, he was given the choice of recruiting students or being on the staff of the new camp. We are all glad that he chose the camp.

As a young boy Orson Welles came as a student and became like a son to Roger Hill. Orson considered himself a genius and had some effect on the activities at Todd. There was a greater emphasis on dramatics.

Dad kept up the academic standards quietly. This side did not get the publicity that the dramas and athletics did. Dad also taught the printing. He also helped with the building of the stage coach and the barn for the horses.

I feel a little unhappy and cheated that my father’s memory seems to be forgotten in history of Todd School.

~Mildred Johnson Thomas~

My father passed away in 2002 at the age of 90. He had Alzheimers. He was a strict father and was closed to people on the emotional level. At some point I thought it might have been because my sister and I were adopted. He was closed emotionally to my children also. But when the disease set in and the great grandchildren came along, he had such a big loving heart I couldn’t believe it was the same man -- there were much less of the prior emotional inhabitions. That love had been hiding inside all along. In hindsight, I believe that he was never shown or taught to show his emotions. Men NEED to do this as well as do women.

I am still sad that I didn’t know these men better – that I didn’t see inside their hearts, and brains – before they passed into a brighter light.

So I tell those who matter that I love them... and I tell them as often as possible.

Thanks for stopping by... you have a great day and I will too.

A Pet Peeve -- comes to light

I have a new pet peeve.

Monday through Friday I take my son to work. It’s something I can do for him because I couldn’t do more for him while he was growing up (he is still “growing up” – aren’t we all?). Anyway, we always listen to the morning DJs (Dave and Susan) on a local country station. This morning’s topic made me extremely angry. Tell me what you think… please.

Dave went through a red light on Christmas Eve (he says it was 4 a.m.). The camera at the light took his picture and in the mail yesterday he got a ticket for $371 and the copy of his picture in his car running the light. Apparently in the two years that he has been living in the Sacramento area, he hasn’t bothered to get a California driver’s license either. Now he is panicking because he has to go to court to get all this straightened out. His first stupid move was to admit to anything on this public method of communication (the radio station). You just don’t do that. I couldn’t help myself; I sent him the following email:

“Dave... I listen to you and Susan every morning. Now, I may regret this, but here goes. Get over it! Pay the ticket and get over it! YOU made the decision to not stop for a red light and to not get a California license. All this crap is YOUR responsibility... not Susan's, not mine, not the little guy in my review mirror... it's YOURS. Attitudes like yours make it really difficult for parents to instill respect for laws that are made for ALL OF US. Get over it and get legal.”

I guess this has always been a pet peeve of mine, but now I have voiced it publicly. Why do those personalities who are in the spotlight (be it a radio personality or President of the United States) feel that they are above the law? It sure would make it easier on all parents if these human beings admitted they were human and owed up to their mistakes.

Mama always said: It’s easier to remember the truth than many lies.

Thanks for stopping by...

HAPPY NEW YEAR

NEW YEAR WISH

Perhaps a bit wiser,
a bit kinder, too;

a little bit braver,
a heart that's more true;

a touch of believing
I've not known before;

in joys I'm receiving
perhaps a little bit more.

A little more anxious
to reach out my hand;

despite hurt or problems
to still understand;

accepting the heartache
that life often brings;

a little more beauty
in life's simple things.

A prayer when I'm weary
as onward I trod,

a little more trusting,
believing in God,

'tis this I would wish
for within moments dear,

not a lot - just a little –
this wondrous new year.

~ Garnett Ann Schultz ~

Merry Christmas