Rock a bye, Baby.....

I don't need to tell anyone over the age of 60, that sleep is a precious commodity. As most of us age, a good night's sleep, is often hard to come by. The ideal 8 hours of sleep per night, is (excuse the term) a pipe dream! The reality is more like 5 or 6 hours of sleep, per night. Actually, if I could manage to get 6 hours, of uninterrupted sleep, every night, I'd consider myself a lucky woman.

There doesn't seem to be any trick, I haven't tried. Melatonin, doesn't work. And, I've tried to drink a cup of hot tea before bed, to relax. That, just causes me to visit the bathroom, twice instead of my regular once. Climbing into bed, before or after 10 p.m., doesn't seem to matter. I still wake up around 4:30 a.m., or even earlier. And, once awake, I can't get back to sleep. 

So, this morning around 2:45 a.m., my sleepy-time was interrupted by a loud screeching and annoying buzz. My weather radio was going off. Severe storms were sighted in my area. Last year, about this time, I had begged my daughter to buy me an alerting radio. I needed it, I told her, to keep my "seriously hard of hearing" self, from being blown away, by a tornado. One appeared, via Amazon, right away.

Well, it's loud enough and it works. I got up and wandered around the dark house a bit. Then, I determined that severe storm prevention was not in my wheelhouse, grabbed a candle-lighter, for the candle near my bed, and tried to go back to sleep. Not possible.

It's going to be a long, long day.

Great God, we know that worry never achieves anything. It's useless and it isn't healthy. Remind us of the sparrow. You are our protector, at all times.

Happy Trails To You

...speaking of adventures, just recently, while driving in south Kansas City, I viewed some 200 year old ruts or swales, left by the thousands of wagons that traveled on the famous Santa Fe Trail. Now, it was not a surprise that the ruts were there, after all, there are "Santa Fe Trail" markers, all over the area. (Fewer than the number of "Hideout of Jesse James" signs, however. That man was everywhere!!!)  

The Santa Fe Trail, began in Franklin, in central Missouri. William Becknell is considered the founder of the the trail, and he made his first trek in 1821. Franklin is a tiny little town (markers say that there was both a New Franklin and an Old Franklin) on the North Bank, of the Missouri River. The trail crosses the river at Arrow Rock, and goes along the South bank, towards Independence. Independence is known as the spot that became the headquarters, for "outfitting" all of the travelers, on the trails.

Independence celebrates its history, of being the trailhead for 3 major trails, with a yearly celebration named SantaCaliGon Days. Each Labor Day Weekend brings thousands of revelers to this slightly bizarre combination of Craft Show, Fried Food Orgy and tacky Carnival. Attending once, is probably enough.

The travel on the trails peaked in the 1840's. In 1846, the United States Army used the trail to invade New Mexico. By 1863, railroads were beginning to span the county, and the trails ceased to be the best way to move goods and settlers.

According, to my quick and certainly not expert research, the life of the trail was a mere forty-some years. A very short lifetime, indeed.

Dear Lord:  Our life's journey may be long or short. Sometimes we wonder whether one life can make a difference. But, we must remember that we may never know, how our lives might impact our fellow 

travelers. Be kind. Be loving. Care. Help us to remember your commandments.

"Kodachrome gives us the nice, bright colors....."

As of today, I am halfway finished, sorting through my husband's collection, of photographic slides. For some reason, and I can't remember why, Scott insisted on taking slides, instead of photographs. His father did it, too, so maybe it was a hereditary thing. By halfway, I mean, I have looked at approximately 4,000 slides of our family, friends and the kid's sports teams. I've been huddled over a little, one by one, viewer for days, now. 

Before I started this process, I was tempted to just pile all 8,400 slides into a couple of giant trash bags, haul them to the curb on Tuesday morning, and call it a day. I told myself, no one had looked at these slides in, probably 30 years, and no one will, in the future! But, then I felt guilty and began to to tackle the chore.

The first slides were taken in 1965. Vacations, holidays (50 years of Christmas trees and kids opening packages), school programs, Halloween costumes, sports teams, and graduations. Scott took slides, all the time, until about 2010. Then, he switched to a digital camera.

My process, for dealing with these slides, is to view each one and put it back in the reel or toss it. Then when I finish, I will go back and cull some more of them. I have reduced this first 4,000, to three hundred, at this, the halfway mark.

I have come to the following conclusions: The photographer never takes his own picture, so I have very few slides of husband and father. All Christmas Trees, no matter what year, look pretty much the same. You can't distinguish one kid from another in a sports uniform, especially from the bleachers. Most scenery, although beautiful, isn't worth keeping, especially if there are four butts in front of the gorgeous view!!!!

Dear God. I know that I have to do, what I have to do. It's hard. Please, grant me the wisdom to make wise choices and live my life, in a way that honors You. 

5 Top Reasons Why the Super Bowl is Played in February!

 #5. Except for President's Day, sometimes Ash Wednesday, and Valentine's Day. There is nothing much going on this month. And, depending on whether your team wins or loses, you can be too sad, to buy your sweetheart something for Valentine's Day, or too hung-over, to go to the store! It's a marvelous excuse, for poor behavior!

#4. It's so cold, in most of the country, that you can't go outside. You have to stay in and watch the game. It's entertainment. And, by mid-February, even stupid TV commercials look Great.

#3. The Game gives you a great excuse to wear your weekend Sports Jerseys, every day for weeks.....and in this town, delay putting away any Christmas Red Clothing, until March!

#2. The Super Bowl gives you a great excuse to put off doing the taxes, until after it's played ......maybe, until early April!

#1. When the Super Bowl includes your hometown team, the whole city is involved in the pre-game Hype. It's fun. Every building, that can be lit at night, turns RED. The whole town is glowing like an ember! If you are not wearing RED, you're ignored. The Game is on everyone's mind. Everyone is talking about it. We are on a High! Happiness in the middle of Winter, is a good thing. Go Chiefs!