A Sad Day

For My Friend Sarge

As most of you know, Charles "Sarge" Cordle has gone home after fighting the valiant fight with cancer.  His many bouts of cancer were caused by the infamous Agent Orange that he was sprayed with, as were so many others, during the Viet Nam war. 

I cannot begin to put on paper what I'm feeling in my heart, but so many, many people have done so eloquently, I'm thankful it wasn't up to me.  As I've said before, I never knew it was possible to love people you've never met, such as Sarge and his beautiful bride, Bonnie, or Miss Bee, as she's known by affectionately.  I guess it's because we all feel safe amongst each other, and have shared our thoughts, hopes, dreams, and disappointments, sorrows and griefs.  When you let someone into your life in this manner you become vulnerable.  But Sarge?  He called it as he saw it, never shirking from opposition, whether it be politics or a enemy armed with a gun.   

He fought for our country and was vilified for it.  When you see a vet, please thank them and let them know you appreciate them.  Sarge, once again, thank you, my friend.



It's a New Year...

This has been floating around, and I think it is too cool!!!  If you haven't seen it yet, be sure to enlarge it to get the full sense of what the photographer was doing! 

Well, today I am the proud owner of an iPad 2.  Hallelujah!  I had a couple of gift cards, enough to get a Kindle or Nook.  I got to thinking that I have a lot of "junk" gold (that sounds goofy!).  Broken chains, one earring of a set, stuff I don't ever wear, so we went to a reputable pawn shop to sell it.  I figured I'd be lucky to get $150, maybe $200 if I was extremely lucky.  Would you believe just how lucky I was?  $553!  So, I am now the proud owner of an iPad 2!!!  Miss Bee, I hope I have as much fun with mine as you do with yours.

I know it's been a long time since I've blogged much, but I truly miss all of you, especially the ones I don't visit on FaceBook!  I am not going to say one blooming thing about blogging frequency, since that always gets me in trouble.  Let me just say that I really enjoyed visiting you all and getting caught up, somewhat.....

I tried to link to Miss Bee's blog - and I can't remember how to do it!  I know they've changed stuff around a lot, but good gravy!  Please forgive me, Bee.  I will try to get back up to par.  Sheesh.  Scary.
Which reminds me, I finally went to the doctor today.  I've been without my thyroid meds for a couple of years now...remember my doctor who died in her boyfriend's chimney?  Anyway, I saw her replacement.  Wow.  What a doll!  When I explained that I didn't have insurance she reassured me that they would work with me, and if I needed anything at all, she'd do her best to get it done, and I really believed her!  I turn the big 6-5 this year, and will get Medicare (if there's anything left by November), and will go with Kaiser like Wally has.  He really loves the Senior Advantage program, and their services are really close to us.  So I will become a real, honest-to-goodness fogie! 

I don't want to use up all of my thoughts now.  They will have died by loneliness by the time I post again if I'm not careful....

Love ya!

The Old Homestead

The House That Dad Built

This is where I grew up.  Imagine a row of eucalyptus trees (a wind break) going down the side of the property, and instead of tract houses, fields of alfalfa.  We had an acre behind us, with some chickens, and then orange groves all around.  I know I wrote about my pet hen, Nancy, well, this is where we did our roaming.

The house was built in 1951.  My brother came in 1954.  Even though I was a very young bride (17), this is the place I still call home.  My roots are here and I feel close to my parents when I visit.  My brother and his family still live here and it looks great!  My mom and dad planted the huge Sycamore tree in the front yard that is showing off by thrusting it's roots through the driveway and sidewalk. My brother planted the liquid amber that is the only sign of autumn in Orange County.  It hovered aroud 75 degrees this year at Christmas.   

I don't miss the traffic, but I sure miss this house.

Veteran's Day 2011

  Brennan Newberry's NASCAR entry

I guess every person in military who's had the opportunity to do this has!  Robby looks so young here, it was about two years before his death.  Never would have thought when he was a little guy, that one day he'd be sitting in the palace of a despot!    For all of you who have served, enjoy this photo, because without our troops despots would be reigning all over the world!

Commercials! And Other Stuff

Along the Kern River at Hart Park

Thanks for your responses to my request.  Commercials can be so wonderful - consider the Super Bowl phenomenon!  But more often than next they're guaranteed to make you reach for the remote.  I think our local commercials are the worst but some of the nationals are pretty bad, too.  The silliest ones are for "enhancements," Zestra and Cealis (sp) are the worst, especially the folks sitting in bathtubs out in the middle of a cornfield!

We tend to like the ones with animals, but my favorite is the baby stockbroker in the crib.  He's in trouble because he tried riding the dog and mom took his laptop away. It's very clever and the baby is adorable. I can't begin to tell you the name of the brokerage house, though!
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Have any of you seen DIY "I Hate My Kitchen?"  Well, that's how we feel about this mess.  My former son-in-law gutted our kitchen at our previous house, put in all new cabinetry, new counter tops, new appliances, etc. It was gorgeous!  So moving in here, with the pretend wood paneling was disheartening, to say the least!

My present son-in-law finished the new cabinet fronts for the kitchen. (My daughter has kept the cabinet shop open). As I've been peeling away layers, there are at least two different types of wallpaper involving ugly little red teacups and orange flowers.  They previous owners left a lot of wallpaper that they'd used in the den.  It's not bad - better than the fake paneling for sure!  It looks kind of like grass cloth which I've always liked and it's back in style again.  So I tried papering over the ugly mess of teacups.  It looked pretty good for awhile - until it started peeling off.  So, I tried glue.  Nope, didn't work, either.

So, our SIL is going to put new backing up which we can either tile over or paint.  Instead of dark pretend paneling, it will be crisp and light!  I can hardly wait!  A couple of years ago we bought all new appliances but the kitchen still looks shabby.  We replaced the indoor-outdoor carpeting which was in all the bathrooms and kitchen.  Who wants carpet in the bathroom?  YUCK.  Painting over the pretend paneling is hard work.  It takes 2-3 coats of Kilz and you've got to get in all the little grooves which eats up paint brushes like crazy.

Next, we'll replace the counter tops which are laminate butcher block - charming - with a newer grade of laminate that really doesn't look too bad.  But that will have to wait a bit.  Doing things in bits and pieces has driven me crazy.  I want to wiggle my nose and just make it all happen, but I haven't had any luck in that department!

Anyhoo, I'll be happy just to get this part finished.  One step at a time...Patience.

Where Did Summer Go?

I wish I could say I took this photo, but I'm using the PC instead of my laptop and haven't moved my photos over here.  Can't honestly say I know how!  My old reliable VAIO is about ready to bite the dust.  It takes me ten minutes for it to open, and I get a Shockwave crash notice everytime I try to do anything!  The PC loads really fast but my back can't take too much of this chair.

I have no news - good or bad - which is of itself good news.  It's been hot but tolerable.  The cooler has cut our bills in half since we're not having to use the A/C.  We had a few really humid days so we cranked it up then but not enough to hurt the wallet.  It's so nice to be cool and not quaking in fear of seeing the next electric bill!

We're having trouble with feral cats.  Some sweet little old guy across the street feeds them.  They have one litter after another, and it breaks my heart.  The problem is they drive my dogs nuts.  They walk the fences tormenting them and sit outside the fence or sliding glass door and stare at the dogs.  The worst part of it is when my birds see them.  Good gravy!  Our Nanday Conure (parrot) is so loud I'm sure everyone in the park can hear him!   And I'm not just whistling Dixie!  It's like an air raid siren going off...  So it falls on us to keep the zoo quiet so we don't disturb our neighbors, even though it's the cats' fault!  I'm going to call the "Cat People," and see if they trap and release or will take them and find families for them.  I wish people would be responsible pet owners.  Sheeesh.

So how is everyone surviving the political mess?  I watch as much on TV as I can stomach, then find something else to do.  I have gotten so mad I've actually thrown stuff which scared the dogs to death.  As Glenn Beck says, I have blood shooting out of my eyes!  In today's newspaper there was a blurb that LA voters will have to vote on a bill making porn producers provide condoms for their "performers."  Now, isn't that just ducky.  I will admit I saw a smattering of an X-rated flick and had to bleach my eyes.  But waste time and money for a bill?  ARGHHH. 

I don't have a clue who I will back in the elections.  They start so soon that everyone is absolutely sick of politics - it's no wonder they can't get people to show up at the polls.  I don't really like anyone running so far.  Perry reminds me of a used car salesman - there's just something about the guy I don't like.  Have to wait and see how many skeletons start popping out of closets.  

I have homework for you all.  I really enjoy Sandee's Wednesday post where she posts a question.  I have one for you.  What is your favorite current commercial and your least favorite?  I'll post mine after you all post yours. 

Happy Wednesday!

A Sad Birthday

I haven't gotten back in "the groove" as I'd hoped.  It's been hot - who doesn't know that!  I've been fretting too much and worrying too much - about things I can't change.  Lots of unnecessary wheels spinning around and they're smoking! 

You've all been very gracious about our loss.  I cannot thank you all enough for your kind words and wonderful expressions of sorrow.  My daughter and her hubby received Robby's personal belongings from the base, along with his car.  I haven't spoken to them recently but saw it posted on FB.  I can imagine it wasn't easy going through all of the things he had with him, especially since he'd been away from home for 3, almost 4 years. 

Today Robby would have been 22 years old. 



The Bible Says Life is But a Vapor....

"The wind is blowing forward, forward and forward. Out of this day, into the next, out of this week, into the following one, and from this year into another. Try as we might to hold onto the sycamores, and whatever familiar landscapes surround us, gradually we lose our grip and are swept forward into a river of tomorrows."

-----Herb Benham, The Bakersfield Californian

A Posy for Your Thoughts

These are in my daughter, Corinne's yard...

My parrot, Spanky (Nanday Conure)
He hates the camera! 

I typed a post the other day, re-read it and dumped it.  No particular reason, I just thought it sounded "lame."  Then I got to thinking, I'm not getting graded on what I post.  Although there's always the chance you won't want to come back and read any more posts!  I think since I started out blogging to work out some issues, I still have the feeling that I need to be writing essays or about some super epiphany that unlocked the key to my existence.  Okay, I think we all know that's not gonna happen, so here goes nothing.

I used to be a very good speller.  Nowadays I find myself typing along like mad only to find words underlined in red and I have absolutely no idea why!  I'll retype and it's still wrong.  Sometimes I'll figure it out or just give up and use another word. Or I'll forget words and can't remember the word I'm looking for.  My cousin assures me it happens to her, too, so either we're both losing our minds or it's just more of this crappy aging process!!!

I was out working in the yard the other day and had a "heat thing."  I made it into the house, aimed for the chair, missed, wound up on the floor and the next thing I remember is Wally sitting with me on the floor with cold rags on my face and neck.  I should know better.  I wasn't outside very long but I haven't been doing the amount of yard work I'm used to doing.  I had heat prostration years ago while doing yard work, and I've got to be careful.  I tend to go full bore and get spent quickly.  Anyway, I'm fine.

The dogs are finally starting to play!  We got Sophie for Homer since Katie died, and he was used to having a play pal.  Sophie was so sick and undernourished when we brought her home she didn't feel like doing much other than sleeping, eating and getting loved.  Within the past couple of weeks, they've been chasing each other through the house, but tonight they really put on a show!  Sophie was spinning in circles and leaping in the air.  Quite entertaining!

Loving Big Brother as usual but especially liking Rizzoli and Isles!  I've read most of the books by (okay brain, kick in!) can't remember author's name but I'm sure you know who I mean!  The TV show with Angie Harmon is actually very good...

Leah posted on FB that Robby's headstone had been placed.  I was surprised it was so soon.  The guy from the mortuary actually took a couple of photos and sent them to Bob and Leah!  I thought that was exceptionally nice. I'm going to take some flowers over for them.  It just still doesn't seem real.....

Well, do I get graded for this mess?  Hope not!

My Blog-lite!

Our new dog, Sophie.  She's a rescue from the pound. She's a real sweetheart.

Since these photos were taken, I think she's gained a pound or two!

Here are some of the roses in my garden....

All of my well intentions of blog-lite!  I've been having a migraine festival that comes and goes. I keep trying to come up with something cute and clever - ha, ha.  So, nothing........

My granddaughter, Ashleigh, had her birthday yesterday!  She's now the ripe ol' age of 24. My birthday is today - and I don't really care, but I'm the ripe ol' age of - choke - 64.  I don't feel a second over 75, at least.  Funny, I don't think of myself as being 64 but my body sure looks like it!

I'm still working on the blog-lite stuff but in the meantime, here's a link:  Life is but a vapor..

And Roses for all!!!

Levon!

Dear Levon,

I don't know how to contact you, but I am so happy that you left me a comment!  I have been worried that something might have happened to you, and I understand that things may have been rough for a spell, but I am just SO glad to know that you're here and I hope you'll reach out again. I have missed your posts and hope that you'll feel up to posting again soon.

I plan on listening to the songs you suggested.  Music is a large part of who I am as well.  Thanks for your musical offering...

Dear friend, please post or comment again soon!

Blessings,
Gracie