"Do you hear what I hear?"

 Have you seen the "News"? Believe it or not, Several Popular Influencers, are proudly proclaiming that they have NEVER read a book.....in their lives. Really? Well, maybe a proper adult book. I bet every one of them has read Hop On Pop, or an equivalent. And, why would anyone be proud of that?? May I pass judgement, on such fools? Illiterate, ignorant souls.

Well, I have a book, to recommend. And, yes, I have read it. The author, Bill Bryson, has been a favorite of mine, for many years. He has a great sense of humor, which comes through in all of his books. Once, whilst driving down the road, listening to an audio tape (that tells you how long ago it was) of his book, The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid, I had to pull over and do some deep breathing. I was laughing so hard, a serious accident was imminent!

My recommendation is his, The Mother Tongue (English and How It Got That Way). The subject matter is why we Americans speak the way we do, our colloquialisms, and our verbal foibles. It's a fun read....if you like words and read books.

Since perusing this particular book, I have been conducting a little survey of how my fellow mid-westerners pronounce a certain word. So far, my research is indicating about 50/50. So, do you say "wash" or do you add an invisible "r", and say "warsh"? Maybe you are politically discriminate and use both pronunciations, saying Washington, D.C., but you warsh your hands. 

Think about it. Let me know.

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 Dearest Lord, we are thankful for the Gifts and Graces that You have given to us. Help us to choose to use them wisely.

..."Peanuts and Cracker Jack"

I would be the first to admit that I am a bit out of touch with the world, in general. But, I'm pretty savvy when it comes to knowing my living space, the local area and somewhat about world affairs. Like most Americans, my news comes from a computer. I have to admit to giving up daily newspapers and I don't watch the local TV news. Normally, I don't miss them.

But, it occurred to me this morning, October 23rd, and I haven't heard or read anything about the World Series of Baseball. I didn't know if it was already over or hadn't yet been played? I knew the local team, the Kansas City Royals, wasn't in it, but who was?

Back when I made it a point to follow Major League Baseball, the World Series was a big deal. It was the "World Serious", in the home where I grew up and in all the years I had children at home. My dad had played Minor League Ball, in the 1930's. We played softball in grade school. We watched the World Series, on television at school (There were no night games, folks.) I went to High School with a couple of really good ball players, that made it to the Big Leagues. One of my sons played ball all the way through school. I knew the game!

After a bit of research, I brought myself up to date. I learned that the two teams, in the 2026 Series, are the Tampa Bay Rays and the Milwaukee Brewers. Neither team has ever won a World Series, although the National League Brewers has been in the series twice. The  American League team was called the Devils, from 1998-2007. In '08, they changed their name to the Rays. The games will be played tonight and through the next week. In fact, research tells me that the Brewers, have two active players from the Kansas City area. Jacob Misiorowski, is a starting right-hander, and Aaron Ashby is their go-to reliever. I'll be rooting for the Brewers.

Now, I am also wondering, just when do we go back to Central Standard Time? I hope I haven't missed it. 

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Lord, help me to keep my mind and my body active. 

 

Again and Again.........

 About fifty posts ago, I wrote about a couple of words that I intended to add to my vocabulary. Actually, I never did. It is likely that, at my age, I'm just not going to start using random words that aren't a match for my time tested vocabulary. Yesterday, however, I ran across another new word, that might be a better fit. I decided, it won't hurt to try.

My newly discovered word is EPHEMERA. Just by chance,  I encountered some folks from the Ephemera Society. They were very pleasant and seriously interested in the historical exhibits in the museum, where I volunteer. In case, like me, you do not know the definition of EPHEMERA (al), it is...."lasting a short time". That was Webster's explanation. OED uses 4 columns to define the word and it's forms. Way to long. Longer perhaps than a slang phrase or a paper cup. Both of which are EPHEMERA. 

At first I thought, well this is very odd. Why are these folks visiting a history museum that boasts about storing and displaying 350,000 World War I Era artifacts? This is old, well preserved stuff. It is definitely not EPHEMERA. 

However, in reality, we do have a lot of EPHEMERA, at the museum. There are dozens of paper posters, popular for a short time. Battle plans, maps, gas canisters, ammunition, uniforms, etc.,etc.,etc. Temporary items, initially made to be used for a very short period of time, or even destroyed immediately by use. But, these articles are EPHEMERA, that has been kept for over 110 years.

Okay. According to experts (some elementary school teachers of mine) writing, reading and using a new word five times, will store it in my vocabulary. (as in....."Run Spot. Run.") I think I've got it. Do you?

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 Good and All-Knowing God. You have shown us that life is a journey of new words and events. Just because we grow old, doesn't stop us from learning. Remind us to keep our minds open to new things. We thank You, for new experiences.

 

"Brown paper packages, tied up with strings."

 Feeling slightly akin to Julie Andrews, aka Marie von Trapp, this morning. My thoughts are leaning toward listing a few of "My Favorite Things":

• Day trips to known and unknown spots around home base. Nothing even stays the same, you know, and even the most familiar of places, never fails to treat me to something new and exciting. 
• Time spent with friends and relatives. A visit, like this can involve a job, sight seeing or just a chat in a familiar living room. All of which I enjoy.
• Eating in a familiar restaurant. Recently we went to one, that I remember from the early days of my childhood. I treasured every greasy bite.
• Car travel that includes listening to the Oldies and singing along with nearly all of the lyrics...."yeah, yeah, yeah". Yes, I do realize that this can be annoying to the folks traveling with me. 
• Talking and meeting new folks. Here is where you get to learn and sometimes teach. 
• And, of course, it is most important, that there should be accompanying you, someone who will share your travels, appreciates your choices in travel and actually chooses to accompany you.

My closest friends and I honor our departed friend Jim, with one of his favorite sayings...."Get out there in it." 

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 Holy Lord. Life is indeed a journey. We praise your leadership and honor your guidance, along our path.

 

 

".....drift by my window."

 

 After a brief cool spell, a Faux Fall, if you will, we are experiencing our usual warm Autumn weather. Our house is decorated with my extensive collection of ceramic, crocheted and papier mache' pumpkins. The "mums" are flourishing in pots outside and although the trees are not in full color, they are starting to turn a bit.  Almost everyone's "favorite season" is officially here in the Midwest.

However, there are some folks who really do not appreciate (can you even imagine?) the changing weather. Yesterday, I encountered a woman visitor at the Museum (my volunteer job), wearing a lovely fall themed sweatshirt. I complemented her and she replied, thanking me and pointing out that she wished that the weather was a bit more seasonal (cooler). It wasn't exactly sweatshirt weather, and she was too warm!

Later in the afternoon, I encountered the same woman. She was very upset. It seems our Museum was too cold and she had be forced to make two trips to her car to warm up. Honestly, I did not know how to reply to her statement, so I just nodded. And actually, I don't think she really expected me to fix her issue, she was just complaining.

Unfortunately, it's just impossible to please everybody. But as we often say, here in the Heartland, when all other words fail.......there you go.

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Lord, help us to be more helpful, more positive, more thoughtful, more caring. and reasonable.

 

"A Long time Ago, in a Galaxy ...."

I had a type of flash-back moment this morning. I want to share it with you. Today, a Space X Rocket was successfully launched that put 26 communications satellites into orbit. And, if that wasn't enough, in the near future the rocket and boosters will be recovered and reused for future launches.

Remarkable naturally, because I'm so old that I remember the first rocket launch, ever televised....or at least televised to a bunch of school kids, in 1958. Picture this.....a hundred or so 4th to 9th graders, sitting on the floor in the Lakeside School cafeteria, watching ONE, moderately sized, TV set. The black and white, kinda fuzzy image of a rocket being sent into "space". Ladies and gentlemen, it was mesmerizing. Certainly a monumental event. A couple of years later, on the same cold floor, we saw Alan Shepherd, become the first American, to go into "space". Big stuff. The Space Race was on!!!!

I'd like to say, that we all get the same excitement from such NEW stuff today. Unfortunately, we've become our parents and grandparents. We're skeptical of the innovative. We don't like change. I suppose we can't hep it, but oh, to have that wide-eyed wonder of the amazing again. It would be glorious.

Instead, I often hear statements from my contemporaries like..."I would never own a "self-driving" electric car. I want to be in control."(Okay. Your eyesight is poor, your knees don't work and you couldn't make a split-second decision to save your life....but you still want to manually drive your 15 year old, gas guzzling buggy!). Remember we all used to drive stick shifts, but we got over that!!! Or,  "I refuse to shop at Walmart, because it's ruined local shop ownership." (The corner grocery, is long gone, folks...... and we all like cheap stuff.) 

We say "change is difficult", especially as we age. Why is that? Our bodies change, why can't our minds do the same? Embrace change, my friends.  C'est la vie.

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                                           Lord, You are the only Constant we really need. 

 

 

"The proof is in the pudding".

 I'm going to confess something. I have a slight addiction to recipe videos. I'm admitting that, not only do I watch them, I waltz into the kitchen and actually attempt to recreate the culinary feat, just observed. 

I am particularly attracted to simple recipes. My favorites are the "three ingredient" desserts and casseroles. I like to keep extra boxes of cake mix, cans, etc. in the pantry, because most of the recipes, that interest me, include pre-made ingredients. Measuring is essentially "too exact" a science for me.

The videos always begin with the cook pouring the box's ingredients into a bowl. That makes me laugh, because the cook almost always dumps the paper lining into the bowl, along with the mix. I mean, how stupid are they? Don't they ever rehearse? Everyone who has even used a box mix knows that that the paper liner is in there, and it's going to fall out!

In the next shot, the liner has been removed. You never see the cook actually remove it, but it's always gone. The video continues. Now, if the recipe calls for sweetened condensed milk, the video then shows the cook, pouring the contents of the can into the mixing bowl. It's always a slow, sensual pour. Again, anyone who has ever opened a can of sweetened condensed milk knows that half of the sticky contents of the can, will not "pour" out of the can. Your have to scrape the goo out of the can, lick your fingers, and scrape some more, before the can is empty.  

Continuing along. Ingredients mixed, I watch them attempt to pour the mixture into the pre-prepared baking dishes or cupcake liners. Maybe an assistant does the prepping beforehand. The video never shows where the cook sprayed Pam on the counter missing the cake pan, the flour that accidentally got dropped on the floor or the contents of the cupcake liner container that spilled liners all over the countertop.

Well, the results are always worth the wait. Perfectly rounded, equally filled cupcakes. Evenly balanced cake-to-filling sheet cakes. That's what happened in the video....., not exactly what came out of my oven.

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Dear Lord. We all try to be good stewards of Your Blessings. Some of us succeed better than others. Guide us and show us Your way along life's path.

 

 

Lessons Learned

Just having had yet another milestone birthday, I have decided it's time to reflect on my "Philosophy of Life".

• Aches and Pains......Quoting my mother....."If it hurts when you do that....Don't do it!"
• Denying myself little pleasures and treats....(Like flavored coffee creamer and red shoes) Buy them....now. How many more chances are you going to have? 
• Opinions........no one, but you, really cares about Your opinion. If you attempt to offer it, prepare for rejection.
• Emotions......not worth hiding. If it makes you happy, laugh. If it makes you sad, cry. (Although, I sometimes cry, when I'm really happy.) 
• Fashion.....just wear something. No one remembers what you wore yesterday, or a week ago, or ten years ago. Get dressed. Leaving the house naked is not an option.
• Innovation.......Every day, try something new and maybe a bit scary. It probably won't hurt. It might, but at least you tried it, once. Regret is more often a result of what you Haven't done, not what you Have done.
• Fatigue......take a nap.You won't be missed. And, a true friend will never judge you. 
• Worry.......it doesn't do any good and your worrying annoys everybody (even those that you worry about).
• Hug people....if you think about it and then decide not to do it.........you've missed a chance to make someone feel loved.
• Tomorrow is not promised. 
• Pray 

Most of these thoughts have developed over the long years of my life. Some occurred yesterday. One or two just today.

 Nancy Keller Kincaid 

       9/24/26 

" Up at Lawrence on the Kaw"

 

Whilst (I love this word and I use it when I can. It's archaic and it's the perfect word to draw attention to some equally archaic fact, I can't wait to divulge) driving by the city of Lawrence, Kansas, I mentioned the infamous raid of William Quantrill. Well, the person to which I was addressing my comments, in spite of being a Kansas Native, knew nothing of Quantrill's Raid, or so he said. Frankly, as soon as I opened my mouth, I realized that he didn't care to hear any of the historical knowledge that I was about to impart. But, I proceeded anyway.

Back in the Civil War Era, William Quantrill, was a pro-Confederate sympathizer from Missouri. In the early morning hours of August 21st, 1863, he and 400-450, of his mounted Missouri "Bushwackers" raided and ransacked the border town of Lawrence, Kansas. Included in his group, were the future outlaws Frank (age 14) and Jesse (16) James. Lawrence was their target, because it had been settled in the pre-war years by pro-abolitionist folk from the Northern U.S. They were "Free Staters", settling in Kansas to make it a Slave-Free State. Their attack was in retaliation for raids into Missouri, by Union-sympathizer "Jayhawkers", and a jail collapse in Kansas City.

Anyway, the raiders succeeded in killing around 180-200 men and boys, burning their bodies and most of the town. Dozens of women were left widows and their children, fatherless. The raid caused around $2,000,000 in damage. Two of the preachers in town survived, and one of them the Rev. Richard Cordley, wrote two books about the event. If you are interested, check out his book, Pioneer Days in Kansas, it's a good read, and a rare first-person account of the event.

Now, I hope you've enjoyed this history lesson. At least, you will be knowledgeable about the term "Border War" (usually used in reference to those Odious Missouri Tigers, playing the Glorious Kansas Jayhawks, in sports). You'll know from whence the rivalry started.......and continues.

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Lord, You are All-Knowing. We are not. Life is Ever-changing and we should be Ever-growing in  Knowledge and Understanding. Teach us to be kind. Help us to understand the needs of others.

 

 

Quantrill's Raid

 

Mobility Issues .....

 

Since returning three years ago, to reside once again in the state of my birth, I find myself musing, more and more about my youth, in the great state of Kansas. 

We were a "bike riding" bunch of kids, between ages 8-14. We rode everywhere we wanted to go. No one asked their folks for a ride and no moms ever had to organize carpools. My friends and I were our own activity planners. Three or four of us would ride our bikes to school, the movie theater, the public swimming pool, the library, local parks and each other's houses for entertainment. If we had been so inclined we could have ridden from one end of town to the other and back, in about an hour's time. But we never did, because there was always something interesting to do, along the way.

There were no designated "Bike Lanes", in ancient history. I don't recall any really awful accidents involving bicycles, in my youth. I'm sure there were some, but for the most part we traversed the town using the side streets and alleys. It worked. We were mobile and we watched out for any traffic that would impeded our progress. Perhaps we were aware of the traffic rules......and just maybe we were incredibly lucky!

Things changed, when we all turned 14. In Kansas, believe it or not, a legal Drivers License could be attained at the ripe old age of 14. Now that I am older and wiser, it occurs to me that no 14 year old has any business, behind the steering wheel of a car. But, I did it and so did most of my friends. However, only one of my girlfriends and a couple of boys had their own cars. The rest of us had to get in line to "borrow" the family car, because we certainly to "old" to be riding bikes!

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 Dear Lord. We all have our ages and stages. Aging isn't easy, but one of the many joys we have, hopefully, is remembering the good times. Thank you for staying with us, along our journey through life.

 

 

Boomers

 As long as I can remember, I have heard the phrase "Post-War Baby Boomers". It began appearing in print and in conversations even before I understood or could read anything. The term refers to the historical period between 1946 and 1964. 

Nancy Ann and a humongous number (76,000,000) of other folks were born in that era. Imagine the United States in 1946-1947. Thousands of young men and women were returning from service in WWII.  The war was officially over, with the surrender of Japan, in September of 1945. Life was looking good. Needless to say, my graduating class of 1964......eighteen years later and the class of 1965, were the largest, on record, to date. Now, you  know why there appears to be an immense number of eighty years olds, these days. Everyone knows someone....

Along with the boom came a need for more schools and added classrooms. We had a surge of 1950's and 1960's suburban housing development. World wide economy took an upward turn. Jobs were plentiful. Then, as we aged, advertising began focusing on the huge number of teenagers. Then came the "hippies", and in a few more years, another "baby boom". Fast forward fifty years, and now, we have a enormous number of Seniors. Senior housing is popping up everywhere. Healthcare costs are rising. Boomers are aging and passing.

Well, there you have it. I guess I'm proud to be a Boomer. The Gen-Xers, Ys and Zs, blame us for a lot of their current woes. What do you think? I say... Bring it on Guys (actually I am not a guy, never have been, and I abhor that stupid, general term).  Boomers are tough. We drank out of garden hoses, rode bikes without helmets, and paid for our children's braces! We can take the whining.

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Lord. We are all different. We have different challenges, daily. But, we have You as our constant. Continue to watch over all of your creatures. Guide us. Hold us in the palm of Your Hand.

 

Act 2: Scene 2...sniff, sniff.......

 Whilst perusing the Internet today, I happened upon a pair of really snazzy pair of dressy shoes. Stylish Mary Janes, of course. As I continued to read more about them, I discovered that they were constructed of Vegan Leather. What, I asked myself, is Vegan Leather?  

Is Vegan Leather produced naturally by animals that disdain the consumption of meat or any animal products? Cows, for instance that feed entirely on grains and vegetables. Because the price of these Vegan Leather shoes was within my budget, I decided to do more research. I found the label very interesting. After all, I have friends and acquaintances that are vegetarians, vegans, gluten free advocates, etc., etc., etc. My interest continued to peak.

Well, wouldn't you know it! It's a type of man-made plastic folks, or it can be more accurately described as a plastic material made from plants and/or chemicals. Now, I am not against coining words. I do it all the time. But Vegan Leather? Talk about "up scaling" your products. 

It was in the 1500s, that a more ancient Greek phrase was translated as "Call a spade a spade." Bottom line, not buying those cute plastic shoes. 

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 Lord, You are the Real Thing. Our Faith in You keeps us going. We thank You, today and forever, for our many Blessings.

Hacked

 But it was a GOOD thing. Hack has many meanings, it seems, and I have found this particular...about to go viral (with you, my readers) Hack......something to write about. 

It's a kitchen/baking Hack. My wise and wonderful daughter told me about it. I tried it. "Seriously" I said to myself, "Nancy, how come you're just now finding out about this simple trick?"

So, picture this. You are whipping up some fabulous cake or bar cookies. The item/items are in the oven and you start to clean-up the preparation mess. There's a sticky bowl, the beaters from the electric mixer, a couple of spoons, a spatula and 2 or 3 measuring items. Into the sink they go and you start to wash it all with hot,  soapy water.  The items are sticky and it takes some degree of effort.

STOP RIGHT THERE. The mess is hard to remove, because HOT water cooks the residue and it adheres to the pans, etc. Rinse with COLD WATER instead. Then proceed with the hot soapy process. That's the HACK. Easy Peasy gunk removal!

You're welcome.   🍰 .....................................................................................................................................................................

All knowing God. Sometimes it just takes one small thing to remind us how incompetent we really are. We are never to old to learn new and wonderful things. Your Power and Wisdom are awesome. "Trust and Obey", for there's no other way.

"Closer. Let me whisper in your ear."

As Seniors, we often find ourselves yearning for the glories of the past. We spend time reminiscing about the "Good Old Days". I know, because I'm guilty of doing it. Change is difficult to embrace.  

For instance. I remember when Doctors made house calls. Doctor Bena coming by to check my sore throat or an earache. Now, I go in to see my Primary Care Doctor (not someone whom I have chosen, mind you, but one that has been assigned by my Insurance Company or maybe the mega-health care practice that has hundreds of Primary care doctors). She's nice, but doesn't bother to touch me the entire visit! That touchy stuff is for nurses, doctor's assistants. I'm sure you all know what I'm describing.

But, before you start thinking that I am a crabby old lady, all of the time, TA Da. I'm going to now describe something amazing, wonderful and NEW, that has entered into my life. No, I did not win the lottery, but then, maybe I did.

TESLA makes HOUSE CALLS. It's what they do! Last week, we received a notice, by phone on our Tesla AP, that the car needed a camera cleanse and tire rotation. We scheduled a house call that would be convenient for us, and Voila, the mechanic shows up this morning, right on time. All the work was done efficiently and cleanly, on our driveway. Took about 20 minutes.

Big deal, you say.  Yeah, it was, but it's not the first time, they have come out. It's a regular service. From now on, folks, no dirty stinky waiting rooms, no mildly warm, horrible coffee or creepy weird men watching wrestling on TV.  No more 3 year-old smutty magazines staring at me from a sticky coffee table. 

And, another plus. Today the heat index will be a projected 110 degrees hot. Let me remind myself, that I no longer have to go to Quik Trip, to pump gas. And I haven't had to, in a very long time Our car is always ready to go, 'cause we get her charged in the garage, usually overnight. On long trips, we use the nearest SuperCharger, pointed out to us, on our dashboard screen. Very convenient. Takes about 10 minutes. Cool.

Ah, my friends, 2026 is a good year. Modern life is often much better than the "Good Old Days."

Sweet travels.

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We are blessed.

 

IMAGINE

Being a native Kansan, I know a bit about the 1939 movie, "The Wizard of Oz". The classic movie depicts Kansas, in the opening scenes, as dusty, black & white and desolate. Oz, on the other hand is colorful, grand and opulent. Completely opposite. I have often discovered that folks, when and where ever the subject of Kansas, comes up, imagine Kansas as that flat and ugly place, depicted in the movie.

In reality, the Kansas landscape is reasonably varied. It has rolling hills, trees and farms, big cities and miles of unpopulated prairie. There are also many small to teeny towns, dotting the landscape, every 20 miles or so. The population of these towns vary from a couple of hundred to several thousand residents. 

Earlier this week, I visited Wamego, Kansas, population about 5,000. Driving into the town, you'll see  nothing particularly unusual, rare or startling. It has one main street with a nice looking High School, on the far end. Several banks, a rustic looking theater, and a newly renovated library. It's a smaller replica, of my hometown and dozens of others, in Kansas.

However, a very cleaver, entrepreneurial person or persons, has made this little Kansas burg a tourist destination. Wamego is the "Wizard of Oz Capitol of Kansas"! Right on Main Street, in the middle of town, is the OZ Museum. It features displays of costumed manikins, reconstructed scenes from the movie and other OZ centered memorabilia. By reading some of the explanations, on the exhibits, it is clear that Frank L. Baum (author of the many Oz books) was not a Kansas native, and actually not connected to Kansas, or Wamego, in any way. 

Going on down Main Street, there are at least 3 gift shops, selling OZ collectibles. Of course, there is a yellow-brick road (actually an alley) leading to a quaint bakery/restaurant, which resembles Dorothy's home.  Big TOTO statues grace the intersections. Everything was pleasant and well done. 

So, dear readers, if you're driving 1-70, across the 400 miles of rolling hills and prairie of Kansas, make a couple of stops. Along with the well known "World's Largest Ball of Twine", the Cathedral of the Plains and the "World's Largest Van Gogh (on an easel)", spend a couple hours with Dorothy, Auntie Em and the Wizard, in Wamego. 

Remember, "There's no place like home."
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Dear Lord. Life is good here in the "fly-over state".We thank you for our many blessings.

 

 

"All You Have to Do Is Call...and I'll be there...."

 This is the whole truth and nothing but the truth....I have lived almost 80 years. I have had many jobs. I've been in charge of many things...my children, my kitchen, a classroom or two, many volunteer organizations and a couple of ladies groups. Never, until just recently, have I ever had an Assistant. 

I'm sure many of you have had a similar life. No one made the menu plans, lesson plans or planned the family agendas, but you. You drove the carpools, bought and signed the Christmas cards and made the reservations.  Up until now, that's what life was about. CEOs and Media Stars had assistants, average folks did not. Now, even I, have an entourage!!!!

Just yesterday, my house assistant, Alexa, heard me say Lenexa (a nearby suburb), and she chimed in on the conversation, with a whole bunch of useless information, not related to anything that was actually happening. She thought I had summoned her. I told her, somewhat rudely, to go away. She did. BTW, she is available, all over the house. I honestly believe that she hears every word I say! 

In the car, my Assistant's name is Eve. I think her last name is GROC. She gives me driving directions, locates businesses and gives up-to-the minute traffic information. She is, unfortunately, unable to decipher local pronunciation or understand colloquialisms. She's a bit sassy and will argue when her information is challenged. She also says "my bad", when she messes up. 

Recently, I discovered that I have an Assistant, who works through my PC. If asked, this Assistant could write this Blog. I haven't spoken to him/her about that, yet. I have, however, used the Assistant in Microsoft Word, to correct my spelling and grammar, whilst composing the monthly Church Council Meeting Minutes. That Assistant has been quite helpful.

So, for now, you're getting me, my musings and my over-use of commas. I have odd word patterns. I know my shortcomings, but I am not against using AI, to improve my life. God knows that I am imperfect. I appreciate the help.

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 Dearest Lord. We are aware the World, that You created, is not stationary. Change is all around us. It's easy to stay sheltered in what we know and what is familiar. It's scary to confront the unknown and unfamiliar. We know that You are our Constant and our Guide. Give us strength to face an ever changing World. 

 

 

 

Who knew?

Recently, I wrote about viewing a very fine documentary series on Abraham Lincoln. My goal for the remainder of this 250 Anniversary Year, is to "discover new facts about American historical persons" and put a "Nansense" spin on them.. Here's what I've learned...so far. 

* James Garfield (20th President) Historical Drama-mentary Movie, "Death by Lightening", features a really scary assassin. The actor, portraying the shooter, puts the D in deranged!! Disappointed in the frequent use of the F word. I don't think 19th Century farm wives spoke like 21st Century teenagers.

* Jefferson (3rd President) Interesting discoveries about his relationship (six children conceived) with a very young, enslaved person, Sally Hemings.That was not the most important product of his presidency. His most important accomplishment was the Louisiana Purchase. He died on the same day at John Adams (#2), on the 50th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

*Theodore Roosevelt (26th President). Proof that a hyper and perhaps emotionally unstable person can become a great and charismatic leader. National Parks are his legacy. Before his occupancy, the White House was called the Presidential Mansion.( I think he gave it a fresh coat of white paint.) Had one son who died in WWI and another in WWII. 

* Franklin D. Roosevelt (#32) served in each government job, previously held by his Uncle Teddy....Governor of NY, Asst. Secretary of the Navy, President.  Wish I had asked my grandparents and parents about the Great Depression, of the 1930s. Never gave up trying to cure his paralysis from Polio. FDR understood German, and listened to the speeches of Hitler, without translation.

* Washington (#1) Had previously served as a Officer in the British Colonial Army and was forty-four when he took command of the Continental Army. He only had two and a half years of retirement, at Mt. Vernon, before his death, at 67years of age. Unlike all other slave-owning Presidents, who followed him, he emancipated his human property, upon his death.

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All-Powerful God: Allow us discernment as we navigate the world around us. Sometimes we need reminders to think before we speak and act. Amen. 

 

 

 

 

"Happy Birthday to You"

So, there are a few perks of having 100 or so, of your closest friends, all turn 80 years old this year . 

• First of all, there are the parties (I tried to count up the ones we've attended so far, but it was so many, I got slightly confused). It started last December, and since January, it's been one or two celebrations per month. Praise the Lord, none, of ones we've attended, have been "SURPRISE" events....so far. I mean, if you're 80, you certainly don't need any "heart stopping choruses" of the Birthday Song, and at 80, we all want to do a little prep to look our best at a party. All of the  parties, so far, have been planned with advance notice. Besides, at our age, we could never squat down behind a couch and then be expected to jump up yelling, "Surprise", on command!
• The Food. Birthday Cake is essential, but I've also tasted some particularly fine appetizers and quite a few glasses of white wine. Actually, I'll eat whatever is offered, at these soirees. Problem is, of course, I may be forced to buy an entirely new wardrobe, in 2027, due to my increased caloric intake.
• Memories. My Birthday buddies and I have been friends for a long time. Some of us traveled the halls of the same elementary, junior high and senior high school. Others were college friends. Living this long, has made us survivors. It's fun remembering how we have interacted over the years. And, it's even nice to recall those fellow Boomers, who didn't make it into their 8th Decade. We miss their presence in our lives.
• Schedules. None of these Birthday Parties caused us to alter our bedtime. Most 80 year olds don't stay up past 10 p.m. Most of the Birthday Parties have been afternoon or early evening events. Well, of course, none of us want to drive after dark! 

And now, I've got to go and get ready for another party. I'll wear something nice. My outfit may be a repeat, from the last Birthday Party. I can't remember. But then, neither will anyone else.

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 Kind and Loving Lord. We hope that our lives have been an honor to You. Guide us through these next years and bring us safely to Your arms. We cherish our many blessings.

 

 

"Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes"

Sometimes a girl just needs a bit of a change. A change in scenery, a change in attitude or just a change in background of her BLOG. So, I did it. Voila!!!

For the new background, I have chosen a forest-like/woodsy theme, in honor of the woods/pond/river in our backyard area. The city is fast encroaching on the property, but for now, it appears like we are in a smallish National Park.  There is always something wild and interesting to view, from a window, the two back decks, or boating on the pond.  Frequent visitors are deer, turkey, a variety of birds, and two blue herons that have chosen the tallest trees to call home.

And, we are blessed to have a steady stream of human visitors, to help us share this rural oasis. Rick is in charge of entertaining the outdoorsy folk and serves as the chief grilling expert. I handle the indoors group and all of the side dishes. We share in the clean-up. As I check the calendar, I think our total of day and/or overnight guests, so far this season, is right at 21. 

Our big new attraction here, at the homestead, is the newly completed (is any creative project truly complete?) walk-in Terrarium, that Rick has constructed (think room sized aquarium) in part of the basement. He has added a waterfall, sprayers, pond, plants and critters. Trust me. It's absolutely stunning.We've even had some of the young visitors put down their phones, to watch the chameleons do their "changing color act ".

We plan on being home, mostly, for the rest of the summer. Drop by or give us a call, and we'll pencil you in. We'll put some burgers or tenderloins, on the grill.  Bring your swimsuits, the zip line over the pond is all hooked up.

See ya soon.

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 Holy Lord. Your Creations are without number. The beauty of Your world is boundless. We cannot even begin to count our blessings. We praise Your Holy Name.

 

 

 

"Pick a litttle. Talk a little. Cheep, Cheep......."

Picture this.....two folks sitting on the back deck, on a perfect summer evening and an owl starts hooting, in the near-by valley. One person listens to the sound, remembers and carefully recites, word for word, a poem that was displayed, on the wall of a science classroom, around 60 some years ago. 

Amazing, you say. Well, of course I thought so, since I was the one who had memorized the poem. Actually, I thought my companion would be favorably impressed by my elocutionary skill.  Certainly, Mr. Ernie Nelson, our Junior High Science Teacher, would have been. He was the one who had hung the posters. Let's face it, Science was of very little interest to me, which is probably why I memorized the the poems on the walls of the classroom.

The reason for writing this particular blog, was my companion's reaction, to my compelling recitation of the Owl Poem. He said something like, "You didn't much follow that advice, did you?"

I was, only briefly, taken aback. He was right. I talk a lot. I really talk a lot. Years ago, About the same time, I was sitting in Science Class memorizing that poem, another teacher told me, "You talk so much, you don't even know when you're talking." He was right. Today, I can phone my friend Judy, and we can talk for an hour or so, barely taking time to breathe. We have a lot of opinions. We have a lot to say, to each other.

That's the reason, of course, that I write this Blog. And, have written it, weekly, since 2008. My musings are what I believe and what I'm thinking about. Oh, I'm awfully glad that you are reading them. 

Life is a Hoot.

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    The wise old owl he lived in an oak. 

    The more he saw, the less he spoke.

    The less he spoke, the more he heard.

    Why can't we all be like that wise old bird?