Monday, March 18, 2024

"Look it up."

 Intelligence could possibly be measured by how many times a day one refers to "GOOGLE". Years ago, the Webster's Collegiate Dictionary and the World Book Encyclopedia, held all the general knowledge any one ever needed. Today, we have it all, at a simple click of a mouse!

Recently, the name Chouteau was dropped in a simple dining table discussion. I knew a tiny bit about Auguste Chouteau (his first name for instance) and the fact that he had been involved in the fur trading business along the Missouri River. But, my interested was piqued. 

Auguste Chouteau was born in 1749, in New Orleans. His mother, along with Pierre LaClede, moved the family up the Mississippi River. Chouteau and Laclede (Laclede County, Laclede's Landing,etc.) are considered the co-founders of St. Louis. Chouteau organized trade with the Osage Indians, along the Missouri and amassed great power and wealth within the region. After the Louisiana Territory was purchased by the US, he became one of the first Judges of the region. He died in 1829.

Lots of items, all over the state of Missouri are named for Chouteau....streets, schools, bridges, buildings, counties, clubs. Actually it's about the only French word, "Missourahns" pronounce correctly. Now thanks to a quick search on the Internet, you, informed reader, know all about him.

Here's a quote to think about......"there are two types of families. 1. Those who need a dictionary to get through dinner 2. Those who don't." Pausch

Never stop learning.

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All Knowing and Powerful God. You have given us free will to knowledge and truth. Teach us to use it wisely, for the good of the all.

Sunday, March 17, 2024

News from Hollywood

 I haven't been to an actual movie theater in years, but that doesn't mean I am not a fan of the cinema. No longer do I park myself in front of the TV, as I once did, eager to watch the unfolding annual Oscar Extravaganza. I just figure, one of these days I will see the movies, maybe on cable or something, that have been just released. I'll just wait until all of the hype mellows a bit.

I did get a chance to see one 2023 released movie, via a small screen airplane viewer. Trapped, and buckled in my skinny seat, I sat through the whole thing. Maybe, I missed the point (if it had one), but, frankly, I thought it was really dumb.

Last night, we happened across a really old thriller "Woman of Straw". The cast looked good, and we decided to give it a try. Excellent. Produced in 1964, and set in a Downton Abby-type country home, Ralph Richardson and Sean Connery fit the parts they played, nasty old man and his debonair nephew. But, surprise, surprise, I would have awarded a Best Actress Oscar to Gina Lollobrigida, for playing the title roll. At the time, she was just a pretty face and a gorgeous body. Who knew that woman could act?

Some movies, like wine improve with age. Maybe there is hope for "The Barbie Movie"?

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Dear Lord. We are blessed by many things. Sometimes we fail to see the forest for the trees. Blessings come in all sorts of packages, often as surprise.

 



Thursday, March 14, 2024

Gesundheit

 The last time that I had a rip-roaring, slug down both the DayQuil and NyQuil Cold Medicines, was way before the advent of COVID. I mean, weren't we all so worried about getting Covid, that we didn't worry about having a simple old cold?

Last week, when I began to feel a heaviness in my head, throat and chest, I was puzzled for a moment. What was happening to me? Within 24 hours, I developed a hacking cough, sore throat, headache and the normal surliness that goes along with the common cold. Now, almost a week later, I feel like I will recover sooner than later. Maybe a couple of more days and I'll be good as new.

 I don't know where I caught this bug, but my wise daughter is convinced that my cold was caused by stress. More likely, someone sneezed on me. Whatever the reason, as I stumbled through this thing, I  realized that help is there, friends and family, when you really need them. I was reminded that our lives are not meant to be perfect, we have to adapt to our situation and tomorrow is another day.

I would try to think of a few more appropriate adages, to close this post, but, I need to take my NyQuil and hit the sack.

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GOOD LORD; Thank you for answering our prayers.


Friday, March 1, 2024

Give me a "K"

I'm moving. For the past 45 years, my ranch style house has been my one and only home. I have enjoyed living there, but I am headed to a new place, in another part of town. Actually, in another state, but still in the metropolitan area. I'm headed back to my home state.

In spite of being the "Lyric Queen of the Universe" I know only two songs with Missouri, in the title or in the lyrics. "Shenandoah" happens to be one of them. The words repeat in every verse, "across the wide Missouri." Actually, the Missouri River is wide, but it can better be described at very muddy and extremely fast moving. The other is the "Missouri Waltz", played reluctantly by Harry Truman, every time he happened to walk in a room that contained a piano.  Apparently, it was not his favorite tune.

But, I am moving "Back to Kansas, where the great big Sunflowers grow". I will always be "A Sunflower from the Sunflower State". After all, I graduated from Kansas University and "I'm a "Jay, Jay, Jay, Jay, Jayhawk from up at Lawrence on the Kaw".  And one of my favorite songs (please have it played at my memorial service) is the Kansas State Song, "Home on the Range". 

Who doesn't appreciate "Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe" (Kansas towns)? And we have all listened to songs by the group, Kansas (They are from Topeka, by the way.). Kansas is more than a "Flyover State", and how about " Wichita Lineman" by Glen Campbell?

Anyway, I am excited to going "Back to Kansas". I have plenty to sing about.

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Thank you, Lord, for showing us new paths along our life's journeys.




Friday, February 23, 2024

EXTRA, EXTRA READ ALL ABOUT IT

The Headline read "US Craft lands on the Moon" The photo, under it, looked like a pile of jumbled and twisted cords and rods.  My un-scientific mind told me, "WOW, that's someone's crochet project. Why is it on the Moon?" Duh. It took me a moment to realize that "craft" meant spacecraft!

But, oh my, the possibilities. Piles and piles of twisted and snarled yarn stash, dumped on the moon's surface. Every crochet addict has a "stash" of yarn. Lots of yarn. Skeins purchased and unused, as yet. Holiday colors for a toddler's hat and scarf (only, the toddler started high school last fall). Pounds of short scraps and tiny balls of leftover yarn, in numerous drawers, all over the house. Just imagine, a corner-to-corner Afghan draped over the remains of the lunar module. Or a colorful granny square blanket on the lunar surface, awaiting the arrival of the next generation of Neil Armstrongs!!!!It's a cozy and warm picture.

Then, there are the crochet hooks. I have dozens of those little rods. Teeny, tiny thin ones and big fat thumb-thick ones. I buy them, lose them in under chair cushions, and buy more. An assortment is essential for my many projects. 

Obviously I am an avid, long-time yarn-crafter, and I am, you may be thinking, in need of a bit of rest and relaxation. "Poor old lady. She's gone off the deep end."  But, crafting is one way I relax. Crocheting is best done while watching TV. I am able to crochet while riding in a car or traveling by plane. My stitches are mostly even, when I crochet in the dark. And, most important, it's really not possible to snack, while crocheting, because both of my hands are occupied!. 

If I were to travel to the Moon, I would be taking along my latest crochet project. I'd work on it while traveling through space, and perhaps have it completed and ready to use, by the time I arrived.  Actually, I think I will offer my services to the Space Corps or NASA, as a craft instructor for the astronauts!!!

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Dear Lord, help us to focus on the joys of life. Troubles will always find us, but our blessings will always outnumber our sorrows. Be our guide and protector as we travel through this life.




Tuesday, February 20, 2024

Pride and Prejudice/Hop on Pop

I've been thinking a lot about books lately. I love to read, but I am not an accumulator of books. Oh yes, I have owned my share of books, but I don't really "collect" them. At least not hundreds of them.

Everyone should own some favorite printed books, touch them, reread them, keep and enjoy them. However, hoarding of books should definitely be discouraged.  Large quantities of books are called libraries, and they are generally found in schools, corporations, or public buildings specifically designed to house such collections.  Andrew Carnegie (1835-1919) built many of these Public Libraries. Such buildings have sprinkler systems to protect their highly flammable volumes. Large libraries are not meant to be kept in your large closets or in your spare bedrooms or attics. That's too much paper in one place. Folks, keeping thousands of books in your bedroom closet or in your attic, however big those spaces might be, is a fire hazard. Don't do it.

I'm not even going to mention, the smell of musty dusty volumes. let's just say, that they can be a health hazard. Public libraries have solutions for that, also. 

Lending Libraries have been around for over 200 years. Also, electronic books, like Kindles, tablets or even PCs, give readers a personal "ownership" of written material and take up a teeny tiny bit of space. On these tools, you can even enlarge or reduce the size of the print to suit your personal eyesight. You may have a whole library, in one small, even hand-held space. 

Holding onto books that you will never, ever read again, isn't practical. Knowledge is not determined by the number of books that you have read or own. Knowledge is how you put the words that you have read, to use. Step into the 21st Century and keep reading. But do it sensibly.   

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Dear Lord. Thank you for giving us an occasional "wake-up" call. Knowlege is a Gift of the Spirit. Help us to seek it. Wisdom is also a Gift. Remind us to use knowledge wisely.



Tuesday, February 6, 2024

Fluffy, Spot and Chomper

 I don't have any pets, and I haven't had any in a very long time. It's not that I don't like animals, and I truly wouldn't mind caring for a small dog or fish or something, someday. If you ask me, I would probably dog-sit for your fur babies. But actually, at this stage of my life, I'm having a hard enough taking care of me, myself and I. Presently, the three of us are struggling. 

In childhood I had, if I remember correctly, maybe one cat and one dog (at different times), and I can't even recall their names. As an adult, our family had only one cat (we found out we were all allergic to felines) and three long-lived, fairly well behaved, large dogs. Normal, I thought.

Well, maybe not so much. I have a friend who is crazy about bats. I don't know if she has any pet bats, but she often posts pictures of them, on Facebook. And, then I have another friend, who just adopted two tiny bulldog puppies. Two. And, I am so glad she got them. Judging by the photos she has posted on the Net, I was worried that she would become the mother of an orangutan!!

But the pet owner, of all times, is yet another friend, whom I have known from childhood. He has had, over his lifetime, an owl, goats, ducks, cats, dogs, dozens of fish, a turtle or two and, believe it or not, an alligator. That's an abbreviated list. I'm not going to list all of the pets his children had, but I do recall that his sister had a pony and his father had a pet monkey!.

Having a furry or scaley pet, is a necessity for some folks. I will appreciate and honor anyone's pet choices. I'd love to have a chance to meet all of them.......at your place.

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All powerful God. Thank you for giving us people and animals to love and care for. Teach us to appreciate all of your creations.