We have recently returned from what I can only describe as my "dream vacation". I have wanted to experience Greece and Turkey for as long as I can remember, and feel fortunate that the opportunity came when we were able to go. This trip met all my expectations. Aside from two days and nights in Turkey, (Istanbul and Kusadasi), all our cruising days were to various Greek Islands. Looking back over the two weeks, there are two impressions I am left with. One: The Islam religion is not in any way based on or condones violence or directives to overcome the world's people. Two: The Greek Isles are without doubt one of the most historical and beautiful places on earth, but the Greek people (and/or government) have lost interest in caring for these majestic surroundings.
The day we spent in Istanbul, we of course were guided to the Blue (Fatih) Mosque, which is a well known tourist destination. (99% of all Turks are Muslim.) Religious customs dictate that women cover their bare arms and everyone remove their shoes before going into the mosque. The men at the entrance provided shawls and bags for our shoes. (It's really hard to take pictures with a shawl around your arms.) The mosque was decorated in various blue-tile designs, hence the name. Learning about the Islam religion was what captivated me more than the beautiful building.
Around 610 AD, Muhammad spent time alone thinking and contemplating the mysteries of life in a cave near the town of Mecca. Muhammad was respected among his friends and family because he was always honest in his dealings with others. Toward the end of the lunar month of Ramadan, the revelations of the Qur'an began to be transmitted through Archangel Gabriel to Prophet Muhammad. He continued to receive these revelations for 23 years. The verses were memorized and written down, which is the same book Muslims read today.
Islam is the last of the three Abrahamic religions preceded by Judaism and Christianity. It is a religion based on revelation that believes in the One God and the guidance revealed by Him to the prophets. The prophets of Islam include Abraham, Moses, Solomon, Jesus, Muhammad and many others. All have been sent to bring the message to humankind of their creation by God and their eventual return to Him.
The five pillars of Islam faith are: 1)The recitation of the shahadah; "There is no god but Allah." This is the declaration of the belief in the absolute oneness of God, along with the second part of the declaration; "And Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah." 2) Obligatory prayer 5 times a day. 3) The giving of charity. 4) Fasting from dawn to dusk during the month of Ramadan.
5) The pilgrimage to Mecca once in a lifetime for those who have the means to undertake the journey.
Every serman given by the imam ends with this verse from the Qur'an: "Surely Allah enjoins the doing of justice and the doing of good to others and the giving to the kinsfolk, and He forbids indecency and evil and rebellion; He admonishes you that you may be mindful." (Qur'an 16:90)
(Notice there is no mention of the so-called "rewards" awaiting certain Muslims in heaven.)
This is certainly not intended as a soap box to preach religious tolerance, but like other religions that have experienced strife; whether it be the molestation of children or the publicized affairs of religious leaders, not all members (or clergy) of any religion should be painted with the same brush as those who have mis-interpreted or taken advantage of their positions.
I truly value my new-found understanding of a religion I had never had any exposure to other than the media depiction of some of it's members. I will now listen, (and hear) with new ears.
As far as my comment and message to those on the Greek Isles: Pick up the garbage on the streets and roadsides! Tear down or renovate the buildings that are falling to pieces at your feet. Pick up your cigarette butts from the sidewalks and gutters. Dispose of your garbage, wrecked cars and old appliances somewhere other than the street, alley, or your yard. You live in the most beautiful places on earth. Love your country as the rest of us do!!
Blessings to all...
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Diary of the Mad Gardener
I believe I am an agrarian by genetic predisposition. My maternal grandmother had huge gardens from which she canned enough produce to feed her family all winter. My paternal grandfather also was a prolific agrarian who fed not only his family, but several others. My father's parents were farmers who lost their land during the depression, but never lost their love of the land and its many possibilities. My father continued this passion by purchasing farm land early in his life and now enjoys the trips to visit his land much like a proud papa.
When we purchased our present home 20 years ago, one of the selling points was a large yard with a generous garden plot. I envisioned an annual crop of organic produce that would feed my family as well as additional family members. My father was equally excited to "help out" by planting half the garden with Red River valley red potatoes. (This ain't the Red River valley, dad.) After several mediocre potato harvests, he willingly gave up some space to other plantings.
After retiring from my full time job and believing I had ample time to tend a large garden, I embarked on a ambitious plan to feed the world....one family at a time. Last year's efforts were thwarted by several factors including a cool summer and an early freeze. This year was going to be different. I was going to stay diligent and prove to the world that I too had the agrarian blood in my veins. The following is a diary of this year's efforts....
When we purchased our present home 20 years ago, one of the selling points was a large yard with a generous garden plot. I envisioned an annual crop of organic produce that would feed my family as well as additional family members. My father was equally excited to "help out" by planting half the garden with Red River valley red potatoes. (This ain't the Red River valley, dad.) After several mediocre potato harvests, he willingly gave up some space to other plantings.
After retiring from my full time job and believing I had ample time to tend a large garden, I embarked on a ambitious plan to feed the world....one family at a time. Last year's efforts were thwarted by several factors including a cool summer and an early freeze. This year was going to be different. I was going to stay diligent and prove to the world that I too had the agrarian blood in my veins. The following is a diary of this year's efforts....
- Due to 2" of snow on May 6th, I didn't get any seeds in the ground until the week of May 16th.
- Measured all the rows and grouped the plantings according to their maturity schedule.
- Carefully calculated the timing for "already started" plants such as tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, and peppers. Can't lose everything to a late freeze.
- WOW !!! Finished at last and the radishes are already up! This is so FUN!!!
- WOW!!! The beans, peas, lettuce and a few other things I can't identify are poking out of the soil. Time to thin and start picking weeds.
- Picking weeds....how did I not know that there are types of weeds with roots to China??
- Boy that ND wind can really take out those weak little seedlings. Thinning the crops and continuing to pick weeds.
- OMG...something is eating my crop!!! I had fenced and built barriers to prevent rabbit feasting...they chewed through the fence and ate all the green beans!!! Oh well, I was going to plant a second crop anyway....damn rodents!
- Picking weeds...fewer rows to worry about. The rabbits have now eaten two crops of beans, most of the peas and started on my beet tops. Dan has purchased some nasty powder with bone meal, blood, and coyote urine...doubt it will upset the feeding fenzy of these toxic, reproducing, long-eared scavengers.
- Took a quick trip to Big Sky and when I returned the weeds had taken over. The only plants to survive are the leeks. It's no wonder farmers experience depression at a greater rate than shopkeepers.
- Spent 5 hours weeding so I could find the tomato and pepper plants. Couldn't get out of bed the next morning and have at least 300 mosquito bites.
- Damn squash plants have taken over 1/2 of the garden and I can't find those burpless cukes I am lusting after.
- How can weeds grow 4 inches in 12 hours??? I need a gun..anyone for rabbit stew?
- I think I will quit watering so the weeds will quit growing...
- Sure hope I get to taste a tomato before I Round-Up this whole freaking mess.....
- Come visit me in jail when I'm arrested for stalking rabbits with my Colt 45.
Monday, June 21, 2010
A Father's Day Gift to a Daughter
A long time friend of our family passed away last week. Helen Broten was 93 and up until the last week of her life, continued living on their family farm. Her long deceased husband and now her only son have been farming my father's land for 50 years. The funeral was this past Saturday, and my 80 year old father wanted to attend. It created a perfect opportunity for me to spend a long day with my father alone and without interruption from others.
Our journey began at 9:20 AM as I drove east on 94. He had many stops he wanted to make, so we left early so there was plenty of time to get to the funeral at 2:00 in Dazey. Our first stop was his home town of Courtenay. This little town has seen better days. There are very few people still living there and most of the buildings of my childhood have been torn down. The school, the gas station, where we always got a pop, the bar and liquor store my maternal grandfather owned and operated until his death, the house my father grew up in, and the Presbyterian Church where I had to recite memorized verses when visiting my grandparents. Most of the landmarks from my childhood no longer exist. The continuing saga of many small North Dakota towns. My father had a painting of the now demolished Presbyterian Church to donate to the town hall, so it was dropped off at the mayor's house and we proceeded to have lunch at the only business still operating in Courtenay.
Our next stop was the cemetery where all our family is buried. He wanted to remind me where he and my mother want to be buried some day. He asked that I not forget to visit on Memorial Day and keep things tidy after they were gone. Seeing the graves of my beloved grandparents and knowing that this small piece of land would be the final resting place for my parents, placed a lump in my throat that I can still feel. By today's standards, my grandparents were young when they died; 72 and 74. I feel fortunate that my parents have already outlived their parents and many other close relatives.
Our next stop was to view my father's land. He carefully explained where nature's markers were to indicate the beginning and the end of his plot of earth. He insisted that I drive through the field in my clean Jeep to view the tree in the middle of the field that was saved nearly 50 years ago at his father's request...another big lump. He reminisced about the purchase of the land 50 years ago and how much his father loved coming to help during harvest. He also carefully approached the topic of preserving the farm for generations to come...in other words, he was hoping that I, as executor of his estate, wouldn't sell it after they were gone. I assured him that I would love to hang onto such an important part of our heritage; for his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Another lump...
We reached Dazey in plenty of time for the funeral. My father was grateful we didn't have to sit in the church basement like he had to when Helen's husband passed. We arrived in plenty of time to sit in the third row in the well kept cool interior of the Lutheran Church in Dazey. Another small town with nothing left to offer a new resident or visitor. The funeral was brief, but at least the minister knew Helen and could speak well of what a wonderful lady she truly was, and she was a fine one! The small Norwegian church and its "church ladies" offered a typical small town funeral lunch along with the weak and transparent coffee that is the favored beverage of that area of ND. I can't understand how all those elderly people can drink coffee from the time they arise in the morning until they go to bed at night. I would spend the entire day in the bathroom and the entire night staring at the ceiling.
My father enjoyed seeing several old acquaintances and friends and of course we had to "come out to the farm" for more coffee and desserts. I was already on a sugar high and could have really used an ice cold beer about that time. We stopped in for a bit, but my father had other plans and soon suggested we hit the road. One more piece of his land to view and then a pit stop at his favorite lake; Spiritwood.
Here we both remembered childhood trips to the lake to swim and later, to attend Friday or Saturday dances. The lovely little resort where we stopped was for sale. The owners were worn out. Business was sporadic, they couldn't get employees and they too were getting on in age and wanted to spend their winters in a warm climate. Who will ever buy a remote resort on a ND lake where the nearest real town is 30 miles away? However, the beer was ice cold and tasted wonderful as it washed all the field dirt down my throat.
All too soon, we were on the last leg of our trip. Home to Bismarck. Dad borrowed my cell phone to call my mother and tell her he was on his way home and that he had missed her; and was there any dinner for him.
Saturday was one of the nicest days of my adult life and it was over in a snap. My dad reminds me that life is over in a snap...and I feel another lump forming.
Our journey began at 9:20 AM as I drove east on 94. He had many stops he wanted to make, so we left early so there was plenty of time to get to the funeral at 2:00 in Dazey. Our first stop was his home town of Courtenay. This little town has seen better days. There are very few people still living there and most of the buildings of my childhood have been torn down. The school, the gas station, where we always got a pop, the bar and liquor store my maternal grandfather owned and operated until his death, the house my father grew up in, and the Presbyterian Church where I had to recite memorized verses when visiting my grandparents. Most of the landmarks from my childhood no longer exist. The continuing saga of many small North Dakota towns. My father had a painting of the now demolished Presbyterian Church to donate to the town hall, so it was dropped off at the mayor's house and we proceeded to have lunch at the only business still operating in Courtenay.
Our next stop was the cemetery where all our family is buried. He wanted to remind me where he and my mother want to be buried some day. He asked that I not forget to visit on Memorial Day and keep things tidy after they were gone. Seeing the graves of my beloved grandparents and knowing that this small piece of land would be the final resting place for my parents, placed a lump in my throat that I can still feel. By today's standards, my grandparents were young when they died; 72 and 74. I feel fortunate that my parents have already outlived their parents and many other close relatives.
Our next stop was to view my father's land. He carefully explained where nature's markers were to indicate the beginning and the end of his plot of earth. He insisted that I drive through the field in my clean Jeep to view the tree in the middle of the field that was saved nearly 50 years ago at his father's request...another big lump. He reminisced about the purchase of the land 50 years ago and how much his father loved coming to help during harvest. He also carefully approached the topic of preserving the farm for generations to come...in other words, he was hoping that I, as executor of his estate, wouldn't sell it after they were gone. I assured him that I would love to hang onto such an important part of our heritage; for his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Another lump...
We reached Dazey in plenty of time for the funeral. My father was grateful we didn't have to sit in the church basement like he had to when Helen's husband passed. We arrived in plenty of time to sit in the third row in the well kept cool interior of the Lutheran Church in Dazey. Another small town with nothing left to offer a new resident or visitor. The funeral was brief, but at least the minister knew Helen and could speak well of what a wonderful lady she truly was, and she was a fine one! The small Norwegian church and its "church ladies" offered a typical small town funeral lunch along with the weak and transparent coffee that is the favored beverage of that area of ND. I can't understand how all those elderly people can drink coffee from the time they arise in the morning until they go to bed at night. I would spend the entire day in the bathroom and the entire night staring at the ceiling.
My father enjoyed seeing several old acquaintances and friends and of course we had to "come out to the farm" for more coffee and desserts. I was already on a sugar high and could have really used an ice cold beer about that time. We stopped in for a bit, but my father had other plans and soon suggested we hit the road. One more piece of his land to view and then a pit stop at his favorite lake; Spiritwood.
Here we both remembered childhood trips to the lake to swim and later, to attend Friday or Saturday dances. The lovely little resort where we stopped was for sale. The owners were worn out. Business was sporadic, they couldn't get employees and they too were getting on in age and wanted to spend their winters in a warm climate. Who will ever buy a remote resort on a ND lake where the nearest real town is 30 miles away? However, the beer was ice cold and tasted wonderful as it washed all the field dirt down my throat.
All too soon, we were on the last leg of our trip. Home to Bismarck. Dad borrowed my cell phone to call my mother and tell her he was on his way home and that he had missed her; and was there any dinner for him.
Saturday was one of the nicest days of my adult life and it was over in a snap. My dad reminds me that life is over in a snap...and I feel another lump forming.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
The Bucket Half Full
I loved the movie "The Bucket List". Not because of the characters or even that the story line was academy award quality, but, because of the message. What do I really want to do before I die? Or an even wiser question; What do I want to do while I'm still able?
Prior to making the retirement decision, I decided that fulfilling that bucket list would be a priority worth pursuing for the next several years...while still healthy and financially stable. Fortunately, good ol' Dan continues to slave away providing the income, but I soon learned that for the most part, the things I really wanted to do didn't take much money, simply more time. For the first time in my life...I had TIME.
Where to start? My first priority was to re-connect with old and dear friends and neglected relatives who had probably given up ever seeing or hearing from me again. My second priority was to give some of my free time to my church, community and other human beings who needed a little extra help. The third was to take some chances, be brave, and experience some adventures that would be challenging and educational, but most importantly, FUN.
2009 began with two weeks of skiing in Montana followed by two weeks of time with my parents in AZ via a road trip with my brother. We squeezed in a trip to Laughlin, NV and saw the Smother's Brothers and the Oakridge Boys. (I can detect your envy if you were lucky enough to grow up in the 60's and 70's.) Next, a trip to Florida to see a cherished friend, who I had met through my work, AND, my very first polo match. I even flirted with the star of the winning team from Argentina and got his autograph....remember the brave part I referred to earlier....
I certainly don't want to have this entry sound like the obnoxious Christmas letters you receive from people you hardly know, but writing this all down has revived the wonderful memories and emotions these adventures evoked. In the interest of most people's attention span, I will *bullet* the past year additions to the still mostly empty Bucket.
Prior to making the retirement decision, I decided that fulfilling that bucket list would be a priority worth pursuing for the next several years...while still healthy and financially stable. Fortunately, good ol' Dan continues to slave away providing the income, but I soon learned that for the most part, the things I really wanted to do didn't take much money, simply more time. For the first time in my life...I had TIME.
Where to start? My first priority was to re-connect with old and dear friends and neglected relatives who had probably given up ever seeing or hearing from me again. My second priority was to give some of my free time to my church, community and other human beings who needed a little extra help. The third was to take some chances, be brave, and experience some adventures that would be challenging and educational, but most importantly, FUN.
2009 began with two weeks of skiing in Montana followed by two weeks of time with my parents in AZ via a road trip with my brother. We squeezed in a trip to Laughlin, NV and saw the Smother's Brothers and the Oakridge Boys. (I can detect your envy if you were lucky enough to grow up in the 60's and 70's.) Next, a trip to Florida to see a cherished friend, who I had met through my work, AND, my very first polo match. I even flirted with the star of the winning team from Argentina and got his autograph....remember the brave part I referred to earlier....
I certainly don't want to have this entry sound like the obnoxious Christmas letters you receive from people you hardly know, but writing this all down has revived the wonderful memories and emotions these adventures evoked. In the interest of most people's attention span, I will *bullet* the past year additions to the still mostly empty Bucket.
- April 2009 - Skiing, and the realization I need to be in better shape!
- April-September 2009 - Fine Arts Festival volunteer
- May 2009 - Finally a big vegetable garden that I can take care of.
- July 2009 - Hosting my high school potluck for a 2 day slumber party.
- August 2009 - My first experience mountain biking in MT. WOW !
- September 2009 - Mountain horse trip with my favorite cousin in WY.
- September - Joined a bridge marathon group with a good friend. (a whole winter with bridge..yeh!)
- October 2009 - Napa Valley with friends. I do love wine!
- November 2009 - Thanksgiving in Steamboat with our kids/grandkids. (We made it a 7 day road trip.)
- December - The holidays at home and time to get everything done for once!!
- January 2010 - The longest month of the year...
- Feb. 2010 - Family skiing in Big Sky and an overnight with friend Mary in Billings.
- Feb. - A 16 day Thelma and Louise road trip to the southwest with dear friend Beth. (We hope to do this again this coming winter....
- March - another ski week, (I really do need to be in better shape next year!!)
- April - Finally a trip to Washington, DC that wasn't business related. Can you ever see and do everything you hope to?
Another bucket list goal was to see Neil Diamond, and it finally happened, too. I'm still humming "Sweet Carolyn". I loved every one of his albums, and by the way, he really is quite short and skinny in person.
Re-connecting with people, having a few new adventures, taking the time to plant more flowers and vegetables, and fulfilling a few dreams is slowly filling my bucket. I won't be jumping out of airplanes or bungy jumping off the Grand Canyon, but the list remains long and I hope I have the time and energy to see it through. Everyone should think about their bucket list and ask themselves, "What would you do if you weren't afraid?"
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Since retirement, I have had time to become a gardening fanatic. The flowers in the pots, and the seeds in the ground have given me a sense of purpose that almost replaces keeping my toddlers alive and well. Those two kids were forever challenging me with their unpredictable behavior and adventurous spirits; quite similar to the weeds in my garden. Nurturing and feeding to support growth and development. Similar principles used to achieve the same outcome.
I recall tracking the children's development with pictures and notations in their baby books. First word, first tooth, first use of the potty. One of my children went right from the diaper to the grassy area outdoors, same as my starter seedlings and the dog. (Our son still mentally calculates the distance between the nearest bathroom and the back yard.) I also recall tracking their schedules on my desk calendar. 5 years to kindergarten, 12 years until they can be left home alone for a grocery store run, 18 years until high school graduation, 22-23 years to college graduation and most importantly, the large red circled happy face on the day they left for summer camp; (two weeks of professional baby sitting...no guilt, they wanted to be there.) I now track the growth of my plants on a similar calendar; 12 days to germination, 18days - thin the rows, 57 days to maturity, start harvesting....
Our youngest child was just recently harvested. Yup, she graduated from college and will soon be on her own; paying her way, buying her own Clinique, housing her own mess. What a journey it has been raising and educating 4 children..eighteen years of used cars, college tuition and spring breaks, yikes!! What will I do with all the extra time and money? Buy more plants and get another dog...
I recall tracking the children's development with pictures and notations in their baby books. First word, first tooth, first use of the potty. One of my children went right from the diaper to the grassy area outdoors, same as my starter seedlings and the dog. (Our son still mentally calculates the distance between the nearest bathroom and the back yard.) I also recall tracking their schedules on my desk calendar. 5 years to kindergarten, 12 years until they can be left home alone for a grocery store run, 18 years until high school graduation, 22-23 years to college graduation and most importantly, the large red circled happy face on the day they left for summer camp; (two weeks of professional baby sitting...no guilt, they wanted to be there.) I now track the growth of my plants on a similar calendar; 12 days to germination, 18days - thin the rows, 57 days to maturity, start harvesting....
Our youngest child was just recently harvested. Yup, she graduated from college and will soon be on her own; paying her way, buying her own Clinique, housing her own mess. What a journey it has been raising and educating 4 children..eighteen years of used cars, college tuition and spring breaks, yikes!! What will I do with all the extra time and money? Buy more plants and get another dog...
Monday, May 10, 2010
Unexpected Mother's Day Gift
My Mother's Day gifts this year were the typical lovely fare; flowers, cards. books. etc. My Mother's Day experience, however, was something all together unexpected and delivered a dose of extreme gratitude as well as renewed faith in the infinite kindness and concern of my fellow man.
Husband Dan realized we were running short of the infamous cocktail and beer mixer, Clamato juice, and needed to make a quick run to the grocery store before the rest of our Mother's Day guests arrived. Borrowing our son John's Jeep that was sitting in the driveway blocking his way, he took off for the store. On his way back to our home, sitting at a stop light, the preciousness of life and limb took on a whole new meaning.
Speeding up the I94 exit ramp trying to make the light, came a large pickup. Upon executing the left turn, the driver lost control, came up on the median separating the lanes, and crashed into the Jeep sitting at the stop light. The pickup driver then jammed the truck in reverse, and sped off in the direction of another interstate exit ramp, which he took, again at a high rate of speed. Dan says the last thing he remembers was a large pickup grill coming at him. Now comes the best part of the story....wondering how there could be one??
The car in front of Dan immediately called the police after finding that Dan was OK. The car behind him containing a woman and two female teens, asked if he saw a license plate. All Dan could remember was Wyoming. The woman quickly turned around and went after the pickup. The man with the cell phone stayed on the phone with police until they arrived and stuck around to give a detailed statement. The lady in the chase car returned to say she had regretfully lost the pickup, and then departed from the accident scene. Just as the policeman was explaining to Dan that it was very unlikely they would apprehend the suspect, he received a call telling him the pickup had been found in a local hotel parking lot. Amazing : The lady who initially followed the pickup did not give up! She backtracked the route and exited where she thought he may have escaped. SHE WAS THE PERSON WHO TRACKED DOWN THE PICKUP, and then notified the police.
Dan had not taken his cell phone, so he finally called me from the police car to tell me what had happened. I fearfully suspected something had gone wrong, as he had already been gone for 40 minutes for a 15 minute errand. Soon, he limped the broken Jeep home, but thankfully, he was fine.
John's Jeep is 15 years old. He has had it for 8 years and never put a scratch on it. The odometer reads 157,000 miles. Due to its advanced age and mileage, we only carry liability insurance. The hit and run driver may or may not have insurance to cover the Jeep. The slime took off before he even knew if someone was hurt, so I doubt he would be responsible enough to carry insurance. John realizes it may be the RIP moment for his dependable car....and he can't afford another right now.
The silver lining you ask??
Husband Dan realized we were running short of the infamous cocktail and beer mixer, Clamato juice, and needed to make a quick run to the grocery store before the rest of our Mother's Day guests arrived. Borrowing our son John's Jeep that was sitting in the driveway blocking his way, he took off for the store. On his way back to our home, sitting at a stop light, the preciousness of life and limb took on a whole new meaning.
Speeding up the I94 exit ramp trying to make the light, came a large pickup. Upon executing the left turn, the driver lost control, came up on the median separating the lanes, and crashed into the Jeep sitting at the stop light. The pickup driver then jammed the truck in reverse, and sped off in the direction of another interstate exit ramp, which he took, again at a high rate of speed. Dan says the last thing he remembers was a large pickup grill coming at him. Now comes the best part of the story....wondering how there could be one??
The car in front of Dan immediately called the police after finding that Dan was OK. The car behind him containing a woman and two female teens, asked if he saw a license plate. All Dan could remember was Wyoming. The woman quickly turned around and went after the pickup. The man with the cell phone stayed on the phone with police until they arrived and stuck around to give a detailed statement. The lady in the chase car returned to say she had regretfully lost the pickup, and then departed from the accident scene. Just as the policeman was explaining to Dan that it was very unlikely they would apprehend the suspect, he received a call telling him the pickup had been found in a local hotel parking lot. Amazing : The lady who initially followed the pickup did not give up! She backtracked the route and exited where she thought he may have escaped. SHE WAS THE PERSON WHO TRACKED DOWN THE PICKUP, and then notified the police.
Dan had not taken his cell phone, so he finally called me from the police car to tell me what had happened. I fearfully suspected something had gone wrong, as he had already been gone for 40 minutes for a 15 minute errand. Soon, he limped the broken Jeep home, but thankfully, he was fine.
John's Jeep is 15 years old. He has had it for 8 years and never put a scratch on it. The odometer reads 157,000 miles. Due to its advanced age and mileage, we only carry liability insurance. The hit and run driver may or may not have insurance to cover the Jeep. The slime took off before he even knew if someone was hurt, so I doubt he would be responsible enough to carry insurance. John realizes it may be the RIP moment for his dependable car....and he can't afford another right now.
The silver lining you ask??
- Two citizens went out of their way to be helpful and took time away from their families on Mother's Day to get involved. They went the extra mile, literally, for someone they didn't know and would probably never see again, and for absolutely no personal gain.
- My husband and the father of four was uninjured and made it home in time for Mother's Day dinner.
- My faith in the goodness of others is once again restored...except for that d___pickup driver.
Stay tuned for the "rest of the story".
Friday, May 7, 2010
The Truth about Menostop
As middle age began creeping up, I started feeling sort of odd. Flaming internal heat would wake me up in the night and it would take a minute to realize the heat was coming from my own body. (Night Sweats) This internal inferno must be the reason everything is suddenly DRY... I also felt a bit foggy some days when trying to recall what I was supposed to be doing, or worse yet, where I was going. (Middle-age ADD) I knew what was happening, and I wasn't ready to give up my youth. My Dr. gave me low dose birth control pills to hold off the symptoms for a few years, but alas, all good things must come to an end.
There are dozens of articles everywhere about the signs, symptoms and remedies for this period of a woman's life, but no one dares publish or talk about the "rest of the story". There would be a massive group suicide of women over 50 if everyone knew the REAL TRUTH. Oh sure, the medical researchers tell us to avoid caffeine, alcohol, spicy foods, blah, blah, blah that may trigger these miserable symptoms. OK, shoot me now, I'm not giving up Starbucks or my cosmos.
Soooo, as a service to the world of women over 45, I have developed a menu of Do's and Don'ts, which will address some of the less published travesties of middle age.
There are dozens of articles everywhere about the signs, symptoms and remedies for this period of a woman's life, but no one dares publish or talk about the "rest of the story". There would be a massive group suicide of women over 50 if everyone knew the REAL TRUTH. Oh sure, the medical researchers tell us to avoid caffeine, alcohol, spicy foods, blah, blah, blah that may trigger these miserable symptoms. OK, shoot me now, I'm not giving up Starbucks or my cosmos.
Soooo, as a service to the world of women over 45, I have developed a menu of Do's and Don'ts, which will address some of the less published travesties of middle age.
- Buy stock in Carmex. (No, but it is good for your endlessly parched lips.)
- Start dieting now. (You will only be able to injest 600 calories per day for the rest of your life, so get used to it.)
- Find a reputable salon to do weekly waxes and lasar hair removal. (Mom, are you going to do anything about that mustache?)
- Drink only lactose-free milk. (Grammy, did you toot?)
- Buy "big game hunter" earplugs. (Any interruption of sleep may prove fatal for those around you.)
- Save money; turn off the heat and buy an industrial strength fan for your bedroom and bath. (Watching your makeup run off your chin and pushing your sweaty bangs off your forehead is not good for our already fragile moods.)
- Invest in a second ice machine. (Ice water is the new nectar of the gods.)
- You can no longer stand in lines or take guff from anyone. (Involuntary manslaughter still carries a hefty penalty.)
OK..nuff said.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Kathy Talk
There are hundreds of topics people could blog about, but I think I will avoid politics. There are certainly millions of others who have beaten this topic to death over the past year or so, and my opinions would not be appreciated by anyone. The political diversity that I experience in just my own family (and in-laws) is astounding and sometimes a bit scary. I think sticking to subjects I have become a self-appointed "expert" on might be more fun for me and any readers I might pick up. I don't have any PhD's on health/wellness, child psychology or human behavior, but I have given myself an honorary doctorate in common sense. (DCS) I will talk about such things as, The rest of the story on Menopause, Judgemental vs Opinionated, The Baggage on our Backs, Common Sense vs Logic, Fatherhood vs Motherhood, People who take themselves too seriously (and others who don't), and the Underachievers among us. Feel free to comment anytime. I'm over 50, so I don't much care what people think anymore or who likes me or doesn't. They say there is a new-found freedom in being this age. You're comfortable with yourself. (No therapy or plastic surgery is going to change who I am). You are not worried about getting a date. (I was alway mis-trustful of anyone who wanted to date me anyway; ..so.. what do they want??) Making a million new friends or keeping a million old ones is not always a good use of one's time...so be it. Good friends are hard to come by, so I think I'll just be grateful for the ones I have. Stay tuned!
The Creation of the Blog
I've always loved to write and recognize that I often have opinions on almost everything, (which often embarrass my children). Some of my thoughts are more in the form of questions; "How did this person ever get this job, when it's clear that they should really being doing something that doesn't place them in a position where they actually have to deal with REAL PEOPLE?". The perfect position for them would be mowing lawns at the cemetery. Other opinions may have to do with giving advice to those who seldom have a clue what they are doing;" No, it wouldn't be normal for your two-year-old to be able to prepare Sunday Brunch for his hung-over parents." Other opinions might be considered hypothetical ponderings; "Why would any child of mine think it was OK not to clean their bathtub for two years?" Yes, the bite of sarcasm often plays a role in those thoughts and ponderings. Things I see so clearly and others simply do not. So instead of shooting my mouth off, I will simply write about these concerns I have, therefore offending no one, ... or everyone. It's not my fault that so many folks in this world operate on only 2 cylinders most of the time...(Normal would be a minimum of 6.)
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