HUMMINGBIRDS

Well, these hummingbirds are just going crazy.   It seems like Ted fills the feeder and I have to make more food.   Our back yard looked like we had some good sized insects flying all over it yesterday.   AND my kitchen window needs to be washed every day.   It doesn't GET washed every day but needs it.

We have one male hummingbird that controls one feeder.   It hangs out inside an arbour we have and we plant hummingbird vine on the arbour so if we are gone they will still have some food.

Well, this male wasn't letting ANY other bird on that feeder OR the vine.   I finally couldn't stand it so thought I'd go take a hand at this.   Didn't intend to hurt him or anything - they are way too beautiful for that - but this male was tooooooooooooooooooo controlling.

So off I go out the back door.    The birds pretty much ignore us but when he saw me coming he did take off.    I stook there waiting for the females to come drink when SOMETHING came VERY close to the back of my head.    YUP...there he went.    He was going to let this old woman know who was really boss in the back yard so I let him.    HE didn't touch my hair but dive bombed very close to it.

I should know better than to mess with nature.   I finally decided those silly females needed to take a class in LIBERATED WOMANHOOD and teach that male a thing or two but THEY have to decide that for themselves.

FIVE YEARS LATER

Five years ago today Hurricane Katrina came on land at Bay St. Louis, MS.    Ted and I saw this little town that December and I will never forget how I felt that day.    We had missed the turn off of I12 to go into Slidel and I told him to just go on and we'd stop on our way home.    When we started back to Baldwin I couldn't stand to see anymore and asked Ted not to stop.

When all this happened I, like EVERYONE else, wanted to help.    I started calling the Red Cross.   They had shelters set up in Franklin and other places in Nashville and I wanted to be a part of whatever was being done.   BUT...I had not been trained by the Red Cross.   Since then I have had some Red Cross training  and realize if you have not had that training you cannot really help.  

It was driving me nuts.    We had talked of going down to UMCOR Sager Brown in Baldwin, LA for a long time but they were always full when we could go.   I did get on line and they were needing help but their rooms were full so I asked if they had camping facilities.    They did so we loaded up our little pop-up camper and  went down the first two weeks of December.

Once there I felt so useless.    We were filling plastic bags with tooth brushes, combs, wash cloths, soap, etc.    I felt like I SURELY could be doing something more helpful.   Then on Thursday night a minister spoke of his feelings and how he had been thinking the same things I had, then realized that someone had to buy that soap, someone had to get it to Baldwin, we were packing it and someone would be taking it into New Orleans or Mississippi where it was needed and handed out to someone that had lost everything.   Somehow it all made sense and I began to want to go as a LONG TERM VOLUNTEER.

Ted shared that he, too, wanted to come back as a LTV.    So...we got the information but they really wanted us to stay two to three months at a time.   Well, no way was I going to do that.   They would feed and house us but that was just too long to be gone from home.     I told Jan we might be able to come for a month and she said to go ahead and fill out the papers and see what happened.

We came home about the 15th of December and didn't expect we'd be called.   Then New Year's Day Jan called early that morning asking if we could come down for a month - the month of February.   Perfect.   We leave to go back the end of September and that will be our 7th trip down to work as LTV'S.    We now stay six to eight weeks but this trip we will be there ten weeks.  

I think of the people that are there now.   Kathy was the Outreach person - she is now the Director, Bill and Dianna were running the Dispatch office.    They had sold their home in Arkansas, put all their furniture in storage and were planning on doing Mission work.   They were the Dispatchers for all the trucks we sent out every day for MONTHS.   Now they are over all the volunteers, assign our work jobs, set up where we stay and how long we can come for.   Bob and Barbara were just volunteers at first and now she is the Outreach Director as it has expanded greatly and Bob oversees the jobs on local housing.  

It's a WONDERFUL place to go, we LOVE it and as long as our old bodies are able to function in the jobs they request us to do we'll probably go back year after year.

Last year we received our 5 yr. pins and I'm proud of that pin.   It represents something I can do and LOVE doing for someone else.  

We are hoping none of these Hurricanes come on land that are out in the Atlantic now churning away but if they do we will do what we can to help get supplies where they are needed.  

CRAZY NEIGHBOR

I was sitting at my sewing machine putting the binding on a quilt I've been trying to finish when someone shot a rifle - way too close to the houses in our neighborhood.   

We have this one neighbor that is really harmless, a little crazy at times, but basically he really is a good neighbor.    HE used to drink a lot but guess he quit that and started going to church with his wife.   That's always a good sign, right?

He's a hunter and my first thought was he shot a snake.   That would of been fine with me since two rattle snakes were found in our neighborhood last summer.

BUT...the shots are continuing and it sounds like he's shooting into an old fashioned wash tub or something metal.    Hope he didn't get angry at his truck.  

He's the guy that had the two hens and a rooster one year.   They were just beautiful - all brilliant colors of green, wine, and white. They were also illegal to have them in our neighborhood.    The rooster used to wake us up and I kind of liked hearing that but then that same rooster thought he could herd me around my own yard.    WRONG.    AND...that very same rooster came over to our house one day and was brazen enough to walk up the front walk and THOUGHT he was coming up on my front porch - WRONG AGAIN.

I called this neighbor and told him his chickens were beautiful but if they shit on my front porch we'd be having chicken and dumplings for supper.    He said, "I hear you" and the chickens disappeared.

I suppose later today Ted will wander over there and find out what was going on.   Not to worry for our safety.   I'm huddled in my house safe and sound and whatever he's doing he will finish soon.

Shopping

I very seldom just "GO SHOPPING" but I did yesterday.   Well, had lunch with a friend too but this is about shopping.

I found a gift card Kim had given me to Borders this Spring.   I had forgotten about it and so yesterday went in to see what I could find. 

Was looking for the CD of Brian Williams and hoped they would have some.   They did and it was so cheap I had half the card left.   So...began looking.

Before I left I had the CD, a large tube of promegranite lotion (marked half price), a card for a friend, AND a book.   (Of course I went over the card a bit but we won't tell anyone).

Then I had a card that a friend of Connie's had given me at Target.   It still had some cash left on it so went to Target.    Couldn't find what I was looking for but did find a small waffle iron.   We usually just bought the one's you toasted and I can't eat them.   NOW...we have a REAL waffle iron.

I came home feeling like I had really done something.   And  I had.

CUBS GAME 1950

Forgive me Kim, but your blog today brought tears to my eyes.   In the year 1950 (most of you can't even remember that far back) I went to Chicago for a week to visit brother Bob and his wife Gert.

They both worked so I was left in their little apartment (and I mean LITTLE) all day watching their T.V. that was about 6" square.   BUT...my mom and I didn't have one at all so this was pretty neat.   I was informed when I walked down the hall to the bathroom NOT to speak to anyone.  Now I came from central Illinois and had a whole town as my playground and we spoke to EVERYONE.

But...I did as I was told and they also said if ANYONE knocked on the door NOT to open it.   This was a new world for me.

On Thursday of that week they said I could go to the Cubs game if I wanted to.  They lived about 2 blocks from Wrigley Field and Thursday was ladies day and I could go for a quarter - that's .25 cents in American money.     Did I want to?    DOes  - well we all know what bears do in the woods, right?

So...on Thursday I took my .25 cents and walked to Wrigley field.   Today I have a problem understanding how you could walk alone in Chicago if you were 13 years old but could not talk to anyone in your apartment building.   Oh well. 

I had just the best time.   They played Philidelphia and had been loosing but won that day.   When Harry Carry sang "Take Me Out To The Ball Game" on your SONG OF THE DAY, it brought tears to my eyes remembering how much I LOVED seeing that game and how VERY MUCH Bob loved those Cubbies.  Jim did too and so did Uncle Bill and they all hoped they'd live to see the BIG DAY when the Cubs win BIG ONE.

Oh, I almost forgot.   When the game was over and I was walking home some great big man stepped on the side of my sandal and it broke so bad I had to take it off.    I kept walking beside him waiting for him to apologize.   He never did.    I still had a good time.

WORS

I know, I complained about the words we have to type in at the end of the blogs when we leave a message before but they do DRIVE ME NUTS.

The other day I figured if I had to type the darned things in I was going to see what their meaning was because I had never heard of any of them but that didn't mean they WEREN'T REAL WORDS.

Well, in a week I haven't found ONE that IS a real word.

Wouldn't you think they could be a little more creative and put some very rare words in that would help us increase our vocabulary?   

Who does this?    I want to make a complaint.

KATRINA

We just finished watching Dateline with Brian Williams and 5 years after Katrina.   It was quite a program.  There were many things shown that I never saw at the time this was news.   I am exhausted, sad, and angry.

I cannot believe we did not have SOMEONE in our government that could help these people.     Many had no way out, no transportation and none was provided.

To see all the one's that died and the unbelievable filth in the Super Dome was just unbelievable.   This is America, Land of The Free, Home of The Brave.    Where were we?

Toward the end of the program Brian was talking to Michael Brown, at that time Fema Director.   I could not help but wonder HOW he got that job and what he had been doing.    Then here comes good old George W stumbling along telling everyone they are doing a good job.   When he said, "You're doing a heck of a job, Brownie" to Michael Brown I wanted to spit.   I hope they were both watching. 

New Orleans IS coming back.   Some parts never will and some people did not either.    I cannot imagine living through that HELL.    I have to say I'll look at New Orleans a bit different after seeing this program.

Let's NOT ever let something like this happen again.    We ARE AMERICA, LAND OF THE FREE, AND HOME OF THE BRAVE.  

Musings from an ANGRY old woman tonight.

BIRD MIGRATION

Well, I don't know that we have other birds migrating through Tennessee (I expect we do) but the Hummingbirds have begun traveling SOUTH - by the DROVES (whatever that is)

I have had feeders up since the beginning of April and had to fill them maybe every 3 to 4 days.   Now I'm having to fill them twice a day.    I've increased the amt. of sugar they get for their long flight and THEY LOVE IT.

I LOVE watching these little monsters.   They are the most beautiful, graceful, dainty, mean, viscious, bird alive I do believe.   Some of them early on this year looked like they had been through a hurricane.   Very thin and ruffled feathers.

When we lived at the lake we had our bird feeders on wires from the deck railing out to the trees.  This was wonderful.   We could sit on our deck and watch them and sometimes you would see them preen themselves.

I hate to think of them not being here but they will be back.

One Senior Couple's conversation on a book.

I found the other evening I had nothing to read when I went to bed.   So searched the book case for something to help get me to sleep.

Yesterday Ted and I decided to drive to Lewisburg TOGETHER (this is rare) and get all our errands run at once.   On the way I was telling him I had picked up the book Grapes of Wrath and was reading it but decided I'd already read it.

He started talking about it and I said, "Oh, no, the Mother died in childbirth.  He said he guessed he'd have to go back and read the beginning of that book because he didn't remember it that way at all.  

Secretely this pleased me no end because he ALWAYS remembers movies and books whereas I might not so easily.

He asked me where they were when she died and I told him in the middle of the forrest in the dead of winter with no food and he had no help in delivering the baby except their two older children.

He finally said, "You were reading Pillars of The Earth" which, of course, I had been.    I think maybe it's closer to nursing home time for me than I want to admit.

I just wonder how many other Senior Citizens have these kinds of discussions - if any.    I have often wondered about Ted's mom and dad.    We seem to get more and more like them in many ways in our older years.    I used to think Ted's dad was the funniest man I had ever known, now when Ted does the same kinds of things I don't think they are near as funny.

Well,  just some more musings.

Cleaning Drawers

With the anticipation of a move within the next year and our commitment to UMCOR Sager Brown this fall, I wanted to go through some drawers and clean out things I didn't need.

I have a problem throwing things away.    Especially cards people have given me telling me all the things that really aren't true but I like to hear them anyway.    The cards the Grandkids make me are just not negotiable in that department.   

My sewing table is an old credenza from an office I worked in in Nashville.   I LOVE that old table.  It weighs about 1 ton, is scarred up and has nicks in the wood, but has lots of drawers and a cubby hole where more darned stuff can be tucked away.

I did some drawers in an old computer desk earlier this week and by gosh I did get rid of a bunch of stuff.  BUT...this evening I came in to the sewing table with good intentions of CLEANING out all the old STUFF I don't use.

SO...out came the first drawer.   There were scraps of fabric I use to check the stitches of my serger.  That was easy enough.   I have TONS of fabric I can use for that.   BUT...here are all these snaps, bra hooks, (of course I am always mending my bras), elastic for all the slacks I make - AHEM!!!!   Now those things are not something I want to have to go clear to Nashville to replace so of course they were returned.  

Then there is all the magazines I used to take with crafts in them.   I've probably had some of those for 10/15 years and I just MIGHT need one of those patterns one of these days.   Especially if we DO end up in Illinois in the dead of winter and I need something to do.  SO...they went back in the drawer too.

I still have four drawers and the cubby hole to clean out.   The only thing I can attest to tossing is the scraps of fabric.

I remember when Jill was a little girl.   She had this really neat closet her dad built with shelves back in the corner.   That girl could get more darned stuff in there.   I would get her and we'd go in with the intention of cleaning out all unused books, etc.   Somehow she always convinced me she MIGHT need those one of these days and they usually just got straightened up and put back.   Wonder where she got that from?

My top left hand drawer  of my funky old sewing table is really clean and neat anyway - just like Jills' shelves were.

Wonder how far I'll get tomorrow.   Then there's the closets.  Oh, let's not go there.

California Trip - Part II FINAL CHAPTER

I went to California on Friday to see my sister-in-law.   She had some friends of Jim's she wanted me to meet so she had invited them to lunch on Saturday.   Then I thought we were going to go to Menlo Park on Sunday to see her daughter and family.

BUT...when I got there Maria was all excited about an anniversary party the two brothers that own Google were having.   One of the brothers and wife had been married for three years and were inviting several ( maybe 200 or so) friends to a farm they bought to help celebrate.

Maria's son-in-law went to school at Stamford with one of these men so they had been invited and asked if Maria and I could come too.

It didn't sound like such a big deal to me but Maria wanted to go and she's just someone I cannot say no to. 

So...after the company left Saturday we loaded up a few clothes and took off to spend the night at Dorothy's house.

This was just the most fun.   To have a whole evening AND a day to watch those two little blond girls.   They are 26 months old, blond curly hair, and both strong willed.   Basically good kids but they both have a good set of lungs and know how to use them when something goes wrong.

We went to eat dinner at a restaurant that sits across the road from the Bart and they girls LOVE the train.   So do I.  We sat on the deck outside and this was a treat too.    After dinner there was a fountain close by they always walk to and the girls dip their hands in.  I didn't think it was the cleanest water I'd ever seen but their mom and dad seemd fine with it.   Then one of them proceeded to wash her face.   I really thought that was a bit much and her mom got her to quit, looked at me and said, "That's why she's never sick".    Probably true.

Well, the celebration the next day was just great.   They had built a BIG (and I mean BIG) barn where they had some inside games planned in case of rain (it never rains in CA).  They could also feed all these people in there and the meal they prepared was unbelievable.   Steak, corn on the cobb, salads, pies, wine, lemonade.  If they didn't have it I bet they would of found it somewhere.

The farm is 6 miles from the ocean and high on a hill.   They had a truck bed filled with straw bales where you were to have your picture taken.   I opted out of that as didn't think I wanted to make a spectacle of myself trying to climb up in that truck bed.   The girls decided to drive the truck and looked like they were really preparing for the day they can both have a car.   Thank you Lord I don't have to witness that!!!!!

There were real trapeeze artists there with all the equipment and you could go up and fly around on ropes if you so desired.   I ALSO decided not to do that.   :)   Later these people put on a real show for us.  I'm thinking that might be fun to have for our party next summer.     Haven't asked Ted yet if we could invite them or not.

Oh, I forgot one of the best things.   When you first walked up you had to sign in as this was INVITED GUESTS only.   When you did they had a table with BIG tubs full of cowboy hats for you. Everyone was to take a hat and keep it if you wanted.    I wore one all day but decided I didn't want to fight it on the plane coming home.    Now I wish I had it back.   Oh well.

They had a craft area for the children, face painting,  relay games where you get to push your kid, head first like a wheel barrow.   That's always fun.   Especially if you are the parent.

ANYWAY...it was a fun day and if Mark had sent me his resume he might of gotten a job too.    :)

California Trip - Part I

I had a great trip to California this week-end.  I can't decide rather to tell you about the twins and the incredible Anniversary party I went to for one of the Google Owners or the plane ride home.    Think the plane ride home wins.

We had a VERY funny Crew.   Mark might want to be a Steward on Southwest.   He'd fit right in only he might have to clean his act up a bit.

They were giving us instructions and when they came to the part about how to get the vest on they said "If you have any trouble ask one of the screeming Steawardesses"    All kinds of little "funny"  things.   When she brought our peanuts and pretzels she said, "Steak or eggs?"   

One of the passengers in the rear was kind of noisy and we all figured he was either drinking or on something stronger.   Well, about 30 minutes out of Phoenix we hit a small (thank God) air pocket and the plane dropped a little.   Scared the beejeevies out of me and that guy made a noise that was kind of scary.  Even the pilot took no time to tell everyone to PLEASE TAKE THEIR SEATS AND FASTEN THE SEAT BELTS.    Some turned around to see what was going on  in back but it quieted down and we were all fine.

After we landed this guy gets on his cell phone and calls his wife and asks her if their baby has been born yet.  Then he yells, "NO BABY YET"   "EVERYONE SAY HELLO TO JANE"     The whole plane yelled "HELLO JANE".

Then he proceeds to sing ALL of the song for Gilligan's Island.   Everyone was laughing and after that he tried to get everyone to sing Kum by yah and people booed him.    It kept everyone entertained while all the ninnies that carry their luggage on board get it from the overhead and we could finally get off.

Good to be home.

Tomorrow I'll have Part II

MOVIE

We watched a movie the other night with Andy Griffith in it called "A Face In the Crowd"    I had seen a documentary about him and never had seen this one. 

IT started out pretty good.   Several big name stars were in it.   One was particularly interesting - Walter Matthau (I know that spelling isn't right, sorry).    I didn't recognize him when the movie started but he was very young and even handsome.

Well, the movie went downhill pretty quick.   We did watch it all but glad he didn't continue making that kind of stuff.  

Walter is one of my favorite actors.    He was above and beyond great in Grumpy Old Men and Grumpier Old Men.    Two of my favorite movies.

I saw Walter in person one time in Chicago.   He and Dan Daily (my screen love) did "The Odd Couple".  I was there for a PTA Convention (of all things) and a couple of friends and I went to see the play.   I LOVED Dan Daily.   He could dance all night.

After the play one of the friends said, "let's go see if we can get backstage and see him".    I didn't think they would let us in but by gosh they did.    He was very tired and probably had had a good stiff drink or two by the time we got in there but he was so sweet and kind and made me feel good that I hadn't picked a read nerd to idolize as a girl.

My feet hardly touched the street on the way back to our hotel that night.

More musings from this Old Lady

GNO

Just read Kim's blog about GNO and what fun it was.   I don't mean to copy but it stirred a few times I've been out with GIRL FRIENDS, even took a trip to Hawaii once and man, that's the ultimate.

There were three of us that had horses when we were in high school (100 years ago) and I thought it would be fun for the three of us to meet somewhere.   One lived in California, one up by Chicago and of course I was here in Tennessee.  

Well...the one in California asked if anyone would be interested in going to Hawaii since she had a time share?   Are you kidding?   I had my ticket before she could change her mind.

She also asked if we cared if she invited her cousin.   That was fine.   She and her cousin and even the other gal had $$$$ in their family which I did not, but was still able to go along.

We were to meet at the airport in Honolulu about 6 p.m.   BUT...the one from California had had to have an engine replaced or something and did not show up till almost midnight.   No cell phones in those days and the airline did not inform us of the delay even though we asked MANY times.

By the time she got there we were beyond funny, we were probably VERY obnoxious and about as tired as we've ever been.

We rented a car and got to our hotel about 2 a.m. and when we saw it I thought I was in a dream.   It was the penthouse on top of a hotel ON Wakaii (sp) beach.  We had a key to get out onto the beach.   NO ONE WAS THERE when I got up and went for an early morning walk at 5 a.m.

We spent three days in Honolulu and saw the big surf we all see on T.V., the WWII Museum that just made us very sad.   Saw how the Hulla (sp) dance was done and even participated in practicing with about 200 other people.   You could see Diamond Head from our room and one of the girls and I walked up to the top. 

Then it was time for the real vacation to start.   WE flew to Maui and on the short flight over our HUNK of a steward asked if we were part of a tour.    We all laughed, saying "NO", we ARE the tour, that we had all gone to school together 40 years ago and decided on a get-away.

We stayed in a condo on Maui at the top of a hill and could walk to the beach although we only went swimming one afternoon.

We went snorkeling, whale watching, to a pineapple plantation and if you have never eaten pineapple right off the plant, let me tell you there is NOTHING as sweet.  

We took a bus trip to Hanna, one of the last native areas with black beaches and a drive up to it that is incredible.   It's only about 35 miles up there but the road winds around and around and across something like 30 bridges.   The flowers grow like we saw in Ecuador.   Impatient flowers that grew 3 and 4 feet high in the wild with waterfalls that took your breath away.

One of the gals had gotten some bad salad the night before at dinner and was about as sick as I've ever seen anyone.    She was miserable but that didn't keep the rest of us from enjoying this wonderful trip.   We took a helicopter back to Maui and what a ride that was.    I got Ted to take a helicopter ride in Gatlinburg once, thinking it would be the same - NOT.   Man, I was scared to death when we got out of that one but the one in Hawaii was just an incredible ride. 

I'm so glad I did this.  We had a really fun time and I got to see a place I never would of otherwise.  AND it was with ALL GIRLS.   Sorry guys but we can have fun, even without you.

CHANGED PLANS

When I got home from taking the kids to the airport Ted told me he and his brother had talked and decided NOT to go to South Dakota this month.   At first I was a bit disappointed but my back is not completely better yet and Ted's brothers wife has a lot of health problems, to say nothing of his brother being on oxygen 24/7.    SO...we are home ALL of August and will leave the house on the market.

One time I went to Seattle to visit Mark and family and Ted called that he had sold our house.   It wasn't even up for sale then.   SO...I'm hoping when I get to California next week-end he calls that he has sold this house.

Then I will pack, sell, give away LOTS of things and get me a little old truck and head to Normal, Illinois where I can bug another daughter.  

I've worn out three of the four kids here in Tennessee.   Mark bailed out a few years ago by moving out to the East coast.    Hmmm?     Wonder how long before Kim decides she should really move back to Ecuador or Chicago.   Both places she knows I probably would not come to very often.   

Just musing here.

Just Thoughts

Took Mark, Jordan, and Suzette to the airport a little while ago.   Hate to see them go but they have their own lives.   Mark and Suzette are not married anymore but very good friends and that's good for Jordan.  She had a good time but she's ready to go home.   We'll miss her but we, too, have lots of things to be doing.

I always hate it when one of my kids leave after a visit.   The house seems so big and empty and lonely.   It's crazy when they are here as our house is not very big but we seem to have a good time.   I would NOT want any of them to move home - not that I don't love them but they are all adult now and have their own way of doing things that I would not want around me ALL the time.   I, too, am sure I'd do things that they wouldn't want around them ALL the time.

It is still an empty feeling for awhile after they leave.  

When I got home Ted said he had called his brother and more or less cancelled the trip to South Dakota this month.    I think Ted needs to see his brother but maybe he will decide to go out later on the train.   He won't fly and doesn't feel like he wants to drive all the way to Seattle alone and I'm not able to ride that far right now.

SO...we are home most of August and had thought we'd be gone a good bit of it.    I'm not sorry.   I have a lot of things to do here and now will have time.   Our whole year seems like we have been in a hurry and glad for a breather.

End of a good visit with a red headed granddaughter and a short visit with Mark.