"Who Are You? Who, who, who who?"

 I did not get "A Hippopotamus for Christmas." I didn't ask for one, but I have been seeing some really cute Hippo videos, on Facebook. Those videos and a few other Internet "surprises" have me thinking. Just who and how has the world, specifically the Web, inserted themselves into my lifestyle, without my permission.

Ah yes, I occasionally click on something that peaks my interest. We all do. But then, low and behold, a similar ad or info blurb will pop up on my screen, for days. I don't like it. 

I am very careful about typing in answers to random questions. I know, that if I admit recognizing a metal ice cube tray, I'm telling my age. And those "you are a genius if you can see a certain letter series in a puzzle" is an ego trap, to get information. I'm onto those tricks. But, if I click on a certain crochet pattern, because it's interesting, who then sends me hundreds of patterns and yarn ads? I don't like these intrusions into my privacy.

If you dare to imagine that the cloud (whatever that is) doesn't know dozens of facts about you and your personal business, you're not in touch with reality. But, bottom line, there isn't much we can do about this particular issue. It's life, as we know or don't know it.

Be safe out there. I know those hippos are cute and the "3 ingredient recipes" are intriguing, but be aware. Someone, somewhere is tracking us and amassing information. Watch what you click on, for I know, almost certainly, that I am on a "hit list". A list of  "old lady, grandma, gourmet, book reader, crocheter, shoe shopper, Beatles fan, adventurous, hippopotamus lovers.

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Dear Lord. Keep us safe from our own stupidity. Your children are constantly in need of Your guidance and wisdom. Watch over us.

"Sleigh bells ring......"

 I would like to write that it is "Beginning to look a lot like Christmas", but it isn't. Today, is December 23rd. We are experiencing mild winter weather, here in Kansas City. Only about 45 degrees and not a drop of moisture to be felt. Gloomy, actually. Furthermore, it doesn't look like we will have a "White Christmas", this year.  I just took a peak outside, and all I see is overcast skies, bare tree branches and brown leaves on the ground. Ugly.

But, who started this idea about snow on December the 25th, anyway? You might reply that it was Irving Berlin, when he penned the seasonal tune, that tops most everyone's Holiday Favorites list. Not true (writes the self-proclaimed "Queen of Lyrics"). He was only "dreaming" of snow. 

It was in southern California, that Berlin wrote, his most famous holiday song, on a typically sunny and warm Los Angeles, day.  In 1941, he created this verse, as an introduction......"The Sun is shinning, all the grass is green. The orange and palm trees sway. There's never been such a day, in Beverly Hills, LA. But it's December 24th, and I am longing to be up North." At this point, Bing starts crooning.......

Maybe, it was Clement C. Moore, when, in 1823, he wrote "The moon on the breast of a new fallen snow, gave the luster of midday to objects below."?  Without a fresh snowfall, why else would Santa need a sleigh? Depending upon his location, Santa could have been just as famous for driving a Conestoga wagon, on a dusty road or poling a gondola, in a canal!

Could it be because of a Currier and Ives printed image?. Those gentlemen started drawing their iconic scenes around 1834.  Snow and sleighs, again. Old time memories.

We don't really need snow, to celebrate Christmas. The Shepherds, because of the latitude of Bethlehem, were not sitting in front of an igloo, watching their flock of sheep. But, I will miss it, this year. There is something about fresh, clean snow that brightens the Holiday scene. I just love a "White Christmas".

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Dear God. Faith is not about facts or even tradition. "Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen". Christmas will come, thank you God, with or without a few snowflakes.

   

L'Chaim

 The lively opening number of a popular musical, is the song, "Tradition". Holiday time is when many of us rely on the steadfastness of traditions. Not a day, or maybe even hour goes by, between Thanksgiving and New Years, when we fail to use the words....... "but, we've always done it that way." 

Traditions don't have to be reasonable, or make any sense at all. Some folks open gifts on Christmas Eve, while other families open their gifts on Christmas Morning. I knew of one family that started "gifting" early on the 25th, and kept at it all day long! They opened a gift or two, ate, opened some more, ate again, took naps, watched TV, ate, opened more gifts, and on and on........

Traditions are what give us continuity, from generation to generation. Familiarity helps us to cope with the cares and challenges of every day life. It's okay. Traditionally, Italian-Americans prepare a Feast of 7 Fishes, for dinner on Christmas Eve. That sounds tasty. In my hometown, crispy waffles cookies, called Pizzelles, were a great traditional holiday treat. And, depending upon the family's ethnicity, they were flavored with either anise or whiskey. 

My mother always gifted her children, with underwear, at Christmas. It was not a very exciting tradition. I never remember exclaiming, "Wow! Underpants, thanks so much, mom!" We were kids. We always got much needed, not wanted, new underwear.

In most families, the decorated tree occupies the same place, every year. These days, it's likely to be an artificial one, that comes out of a box, but it continues to be standing in the sames corner or in front of the same window, year after year. All the kids may be grown with kids of their own, but Santa Claus still comes to town.

Traditions, as the song says, are important. Without them our lives would be as unstable as a....... you've got it.....a "Fiddler on the Roof."

HAPPY HOLIDAYS.

"Is it Mary or Sue?"

 I had occasion to think about names this week. Let me start by telling you that my given name is Nancy. Ann. Doing a bit of research, Nancy is a derivative of Ann. So I guess my name is really Nancy Nancy. Nancy is a common name, just about everywhere in the world. Five towns in the USA, are named Nancy. Nancy is a sizable city in France. I once had a Sudanese lady, burst into a song, for me, about "Nancy." From the smile on her face, it might have had some rather risque Sudanese lyrics.

As parents, we all spent a considerable amount of time choosing names for our offspring. We chose good solid names, strong names and often chose to reuse the names of cherished relatives, to honor them. But, in reality, why did we bother? Only one, of my four children, chose to use the name that I called him, as a little one!

Owing to my experience as an elementary school teacher, I cautioned my "Fabulous Four" to please choose names, for your children, that will not encourage playground trouble. Fancy Nancy was pretty annoying, you know.  And don't, I added, make their names so long that they won't fit on one line of a Big Chief Tablet. No 6 year old wants to miss recess, because he can't finish printing his name. My children chose to ignore my suggestions, of course. 

Have you ever read the full name of some of the current Royals? They all have 4 or 5 given names. Why? Prince William is really William Arthur Philip Louis. And I think that his last name currantly Windsor, but it used to be Mountbatten, and before that Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. Can you imagine yelling, "William Arthur Philip Louis, go wash your hands!" ? Seriously.

To quote William Shakespeare (did he go by Willy or Bill?), "What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet." And, we've all heard the line.... "You can call me anything, just don't call me late for dinner."

Call me Crazy, if you must. Actually, Crazy kind of fits with my surname. A mild sort of alliteration, don't you think. I think I'll change my name to Krazy K. Kincaid.

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Dear God. You are known by many names. Right now, in our hearts, you are a little baby, coming to us soon, to save the world. We are honored by your Holy Name.

"Happy Birthday"

Are you having a birthday, today? I'm not, but I have two close family members, who were born on this day.....80 some years apart. That, and it's December, when we celebrate the birth of Jesus. Those events got me thinking about birthdays, in general.

Did you know that most births, in the United States, occur in the months of August and September? Actually, someone has figured out that the most popular date, for births, is September 9th. The least number of births occur on....you guessed it.....February 29th. 

Now, there is a fifty percent chance (at least) that if you get 23 folks together, in one spot, at least 2 people will share the same birth date....month and day. This fact makes for a clever party trick, crowd warmer or team builder. But, if you increase the number of gather-ees to 30, the stats will increase to 90 percent.

And, as I get closer and closer to yet another milestone birthday, I have considered forgetting my age, and stop counting, from now on. After all, as my mother cautioned me years ago...."A lady never divulges her weight or her age." Good advice, Dorothy Mae.

Then, there are the assumed facts about Jesus' birth. Probably not in A.D. 1. More like 4-6 A.D. Those dates are, due to historical facts, more accurate. And, the shepherds, near Bethlehem tended their flocks of sheep outdoors, only in the summer months. So, likely not cold December.

But, hey. Happy Birthday, Linnea and Happy Heavenly Birthday to her Great Grandfather, Mike. Happy Birthday Everyone.

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Dear Lord. We thank you for our family and friends. Life is a blessing.

 

"Never Smile at a Crocodile"

 Chances are....if you say you will never, ever.........you will!!!

1. Go in a cave or any other smallish place...again. (I visited Marvel Cave at seven years of age, and have had nightmares about it, ever since.The stairs, oh the stairs!) However, I did enter a cave, for yet again another tour, 60 years later. Went in, went out, and didn't cry once.

2. Get on and ride a Zip Line. (First time this summer.) I screamed a lot, but finished the ride safely.

3. Eat fish with the head attached. (It isn't so bad, if you don't look it in the eye.)

4. Go to the top of the Liberty Memorial Tower, in KC. (The guard rail is so high, you can't look down...just out. Not really too frightening, considering it's over 23 stories tall.)

5. Go camping again, now that I am in my seventies. (Did 8 days in a tent and slept in a pick-up truck bed, this summer. Lived to tell about it..)

6. Walk into a bar, solo. (My mother had warned me that "only hussies do that.") It was kind of satisfying. 

My point here is, you're never, ever too old to do something new or something again. Keep moving and enjoy life. Do something every day that makes you uncomfortable. It's going to keep you young and interested and interesting.

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                                                    Lord. I want to be Your servant.

"There would be such wonderful things to do."

 Do you have a special place? I'm thinking about a certain kind of geographical spot, that brings you good memories or warm feelings. Some place, from long ago that was and will always be, "your" place.

When I need some extra happy memories, my mind always goes back to the neighborhood park, of my childhood. When I was a kid, this place was magical. It had a couple of immensely tall metal "slippperyslides" and a round disk ride that more often than not, flung little riders, off into the distant grass! There were swings, too. Several different sizes, all with heavy wood seats. No seat belts, safety harnesses or guard rails for my generation.

My childhood park featured a small lake, that was once used to water mules that transported dirt and coal, for the coal mines in the area. When the land around it became a city park, the lake was used for fishing, in the warm months, and ice skating, in the winter.

As a kid, I recall visiting the park at least a couple of times a week. In the summer we rode our bikes to the park, and usually stayed there until we got hungry or it started to get dark. Nobody, ever had their parents drive them to the lake. You would almost always run into some kids you knew, already playing on the equipment, skating or fishing. It was a kids' place. We hung out at the park.

The worst thing that ever happened at the park, was a broken arm or two. I fell off of the tallest side, once, and lived to tell about it. Sometimes a kid would fall or jump in the lake. Usually, that ended in a spanking, for getting your clothes wet!

Now, through luck or fate, I have a similar small lake, in my backyard. It's a beautiful place to sit, to walk around and to just enjoy the outdoors. I love it.

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Dear God. Life involves a lot of ups and downs and twists and turns. Sometimes, we come right back to where we started. And that's just fine.You are our Constant.

"In Flanders Fields the poppies blow, between the crosses, row on row."

 Because, I regularly volunteer, at the only nationally recognized World War I Museum and Memorial, Veterans Day holds a very special place in my heart. I volunteer at this particular facility because I have always harbored a genuine love of history and family. My grandfather and his two younger brothers, were all veterans of WWI. They were the Wintle Boys of Pittsburg, Kansas. Tom, Harry and Walter. Veterans Day was first celebrated as the day that their war, WWI, ended. It was first called Armistice Day....11/11. The eleventh hour, of the eleventh day.

Then, as time passed and the "War to End All Wars" wasn't, we chose to set aside a day to honor all veterans, "Veterans Day".

The veterans of WWII are all but gone, now. My father-in-law, Stillwater Bill Kincaid, served in the Pacific Theater, of that war. John Cresap, my father Michael Keller, and others like Red Hines, Joe Tognascioli, Bill and Kay Scully, Bernice Williams and the three Stewart brothers of Mulberry, Kansas. All gone now, and all were veterans of WWII. One Stewart brother, Raymond, lost his life on the beach at Normandy, and my father's best friend, Jimmy McCarrens, lost his life on the battleship, Arizona.

Then, along came Korea. My friend Joe Carter is a veteran of that war. My childhood friends and classmates fought in the Vietnamese Conflict, and then came the Gulf Wars.  It seems the United States has always been involved in some type of conflict. Unfortunately, the Great War (1914-1918), was not the "War to End All Wars". 

But, veterans, from all eras, should be honored and celebrated. Don't ever forget those who fought and fight currently, for our right to live and thrive, in this nation. Don't forget to honor Veterans.

 In Flanders Fields

By John McCrae

In Flanders fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row,

    That mark our place; and in the sky

    The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

    Loved and were loved, and now we lie,

        In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

    The torch; be yours to hold it high.

    If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

        In Flanders fields.

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Lord, we are people, who should remember. We should remember and not repeat our mistakes. Remind us to listen and learn. Wisdom is so hard to acquire. We ask guidance, through Your Holy Name.

Love Always Wins

First of all, let me affirm that I am an American. I voted. I believe all people have value and that my beliefs are personal. 

For the last few months, I have read unpleasant comments and posts from many folks that I admire and love. The words these folks have written, have been extremely judgemental......mean and hurtful. From them, I've learned that half of the people in this country will "never again be respected". They've been called every vile name imaginable. The other half of the electorate, has been just as vocal, and their predictions have been dire.  Garbage has been thrown, by both sides.

Readers.....written words cannot be taken back. You just can't write something nasty and then say "I misspoke". Life doesn't work that way. Words hurt.

This election will have consequences. Let's hope for the best for our country! I'm concerned because I am now reading a lot of "na na na na nas------I'm going to be hoping for the worst!" Truthfully, that attitude is not going to help anyone in this country, or the world. It's time we all came together. Life is way too short, to harbor such a grudge.

I, for one, am going to try to forget what I have read, from both sides. We Baby Boomers have preached and preached about "no name calling", using your "positive words", and not be hateful. Just,"Let it Go", and try to become the best human beings we can be.

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Dear Lord, we need You. You are the only One in charge and it's time we begin to realize it. You are our Constant. Guide us.

"Be vewy, vewy quiet. I'm hunting wabbits."

All of us have memories of childhood experiences. And, often we never know when they will suddenly manifest themselves. to remind us of times long ago.

It's autumn, and today, I found myself in the country, in an unplowed field, next to a barbed wire fence. I had hopped out of the car to open a gate, for our car and driver.

The memory was of hunting, with my dad. Between the ages of 4 and 6, when my mother was at her day, job, my dad, a nighttime worker, was my main caretaker. He was a squirrel and rabbit hunter, and he took me along, with him. Maybe he thought I liked hunting. But, more likely, he didn't have anyone to take care of me. He was being the best parent he could be. So, a-hunting we would go.

I remember I always wore a wool, one piece, maroon colored snowsuit. It did not bend at the elbows, knees or any other joint, on my little chubby body. That itchy, cumbersome suit, made it impossible for me to climb through the barbed wire fence, that my dad tried to make me crawl through. This problem was always solved by him grabbing my snowsuit collar and hefting me over the fence, dropping me a bit roughly, on the other side. Then, I would watch as he casually and nimbly jumped over the fence. He made it seem so easy.

Next, we would find a place for him to take the perfect shot.  I was told to be absolutely quiet and sit (I couldn't do that very easily in my snowsuit, either) perfectly still. I did. And, I would watch for him to raise his shotgun. Invariably, I would then yell, "Wait." Because, I had to cover my ears, from the sound of the gun, firing. By that time, the rabbit or squirrel was long gone. Losing the shot never made him happy!

Hunting with my Dad, is not the best memory from my childhood. But, it's a memory, and I do believe that your experiences, good or bad, make you a stronger person. 

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Lord. Thank you for lessons learned, for fears conquered, for challenges faced. Give us the strength to be the best we can be. You are our Perfect Example.

"The Autumn Leaves drift by my window."

 We had our first freeze of the season, last night. Frost, that was heavy enough to linger until eight or nine o'clock. That's a sure sign that Autumn, has truly arrived. And, later in the day, as I drove North, along Ward Parkway, the leaves on the trees seemed to be instantly turning from green, to red and brown, as I passed them. Someone recently told me that the Fall Foliage colors, here in the Midwest, are nothing compared to those of the Maine and Vermont. Maybe, or maybe not. But, Holy Cow, no one can deny that the Ozarks are simply stunning in the Fall.

Fall is, and always will be, my favorite season. Kansas Citians do not boast about their cold winters or stifling hot, muggy summers. In truth we know that Minnesota, has harsher winters and Florida has muggier summers. We tolerate our weather, along with some normal complaining. But, we proudly expound about chilly evenings, fires in the fireplace, apple orchards, pumpkin patches and of course s'mores. 

Welcome Fall.

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Lord. Your blessings are many.

"A was once an Apple Pie. Piedy, Widey, nice Insidy, Apple Pie."

 One of the recurring themes in this Blog has been CHANGE. I'm a proponent of trying new things, experiencing new challenges and moving on. That's been my life, for almost three years now.

I've discovered that Change is constantly with us, whether we realize it or not. Take for instance, food. Tomatoes, to be exact. Along about February, buy a pretty, perfectly round, red tomato at your local grocery store. It's a beauty, but it doesn't taste at all like the home-grown one you had, in August. Seasonal Change.

Or, sweet corn. I bought ears of corn at Walmart, in July, for 33 cents, an ear. The corn was almost, to a kernel, perfectly formed. Whole ears of evenly sized, cream and yellow corn kernels. Never once was there a worm or unformed, unripe kernels. Well, it wasn't like that, when I was growing up. Every other ear wasn't perfect. Big, ugly worms appeared when you husked the ears. Half-eaten ears were common. And, it tasted like corn........not sugar. Nutritional Change

Finally, I have been thinking about apples. My mom had a very limited, choice of apple varieties. She could buy Jonathan (tart, named after Johnny Appleseed) for cooking or Delicious (sweet, pointy ends on the bottom) for eating or occasionally Granny Smith (I think they were green or maybe yellow skinned).  I looked up varieties of apples, on the Web, because the apples, at the store, had names that were totally foreign to me. Well, no wonder. Currently, there are 7,500 varieties of apples. Who knew? Apples must be big business. Change.

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Lord: Help us to embrace the changes in our lives. Your steadfast Love endures forever.

"Oh, the Lord's been good to me.

And, so I thank the Lord.

For giving me the things I need,

The sun, the rain and the apple seed.

The Lord's been good to me."

"Finding Nemo".......................................... and Harmony, too.

 So, I guess I am not through with the goldfish post, of last week. Previously, I wrote about the large aquarium, that stands in our basement. And, you might recall, it is of the salt water variety, with a number of fish and other things, living in it. We spend time watching them, every day. They are fascinating and quite calming to study.

But, were you aware that each of those little creatures actually has a distinct personality? If you have a dog, cat or multiple pets, you are aware that each one behaves in a particular manner. A couple of kids? Each one is unique. Correct? Well, fish have different personalities, too.

The clown fish (they are orange, black and white) are busy little things, that like to move around in pairs or groups.  Our large Marine Beta, hides during the daylight hours and prefers to swim about, in the dark. We have a Dragon Rasp that chugs about, flipping over tiny rocks and diving in and out of the live corals. About a hundred teeny, tiny starfish stick to the glass walls, and when disturbed, just float to another point, in the tank, and stick there. The bubble tipped anemone, seem to multiply overnight, waving at us continually.

Our Large Blue Tang darts around and swims about frantically and aimlessly, just like his look-a-like Dory, from the movie, "Finding Nemo". The large Zebra eel, just lazily moves around, but gets very aggressive, when he's hungry. He'll bite, so you can't use your fingers when you feed him.

A big red starfish is our newest creature. We have yet to find him in the same place, twice. But, we never see him move!

The point, that I want to make here, is these creatures look and act entirely different, from one another. Some of them swim in circles and others move up and down. Some, although they are alive, don't move at all. But, they all reside together, in the same tank.

What's wrong with the human race? We have the whole world, in which to live, and we just can't get along. Fish seem to have some traits, which we humans either don't have or maybe we don't develop them on purpose. Difference is okay. Let's all try to develop some patience, tolerance, and co-habitability. Can we listen to one another? Can we have different opinions? Can we all live in the same tank?

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Dear Lord. Show us how to live intentionally. Help each and every one of us to strive to make the world a better place.

"A Tree Grows in........."

 Every town, worth visiting has it's green space. Most folks when they hear or read the word Urban Park, they think of Central Park, in New York City. Central Park, containing 843 acres, made it's designer the most famous Landscape Architect in the world. In his career, Frederick Law Olmsted designed over 100 civic parks.

In Kansas City, we revere city planner, George Kessler (1862-1923). One of his contemporaries said he "waged a war against ugliness."  He is also known for having designed the St. Louis World's Fair, 1907. Kansas City's  Swope Park, all 1,805 acres of it, was designed by Kessler. Besides being huge, it contains the outdoor Starlight Theater, and a zoo. 

The city parks in my hometown, include Schangler Park (a real Train Engine), Lincoln Park ( a teeny train to ride) and Lakeside Park (The slide I fell from). I also remember visiting Shifferdecker Park, in Joplin (a very small roller coaster) and Riverside Park in Independence, Kansas (a zoo). Ottawa, Illinois, has a city park, that was the site of a Lincoln-Douglas Debate(1858). Winamac, Indiana, has a city park, located on an island, in the Tippecanoe River!

Parks, no matter their size, are important to a city kid. Even a small town kid. 

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                                            Thank You for the world so sweet.

"Baby shark do-do-do-do-do-do."

 

Years ago, everyone I knew had a pet goldfish or two. You could buy them at Kresse's, from a tank at the back of the store. They cost around a dime, each. Goldfish didn't last very long (sometimes they didn't even make it home). We either overfed them or underfed them. Their habitat was usually a small clear bowl, and we didn't change the water, enough. So, more often than not, "belly up" was a term we learned quite early in life. 

Well, an aquarium is quite different. It's a lot bigger, for one thing, and it needs, depending upon the type of inhabitants, salt or fresh water. It needs to be regulated for pH, and temperature. It needs machines, hoses and electricity to keep the water moving. And, any aquarium worth viewing needs lots of different species. Not just a few simple goldfish. 

So, in our house, we have an aquarium full of beautiful fish. Starfish abound. Gobis and clown fish, an eel and a Tang, all live in this huge tank. It also contains live coral, bubble tip anemone and soft corals. There is a shrimp and snails. It's a showcase, and it's so much more interesting to watch, than live TV or any current Sit Com.

The whole thing is like a small universe, constantly changing, right in front of you. I love it.

So, I don't know any poems about Aquariums, but I learned one, a long time ago, about goldfish. And, it still rings true. 

My darling little goldfish,

Hasn't any toes.

He swims around without a sound,

And bumps his hungry nose.

He can't get out to play with me,

Nor I get in to him.

Although I say,

"Come out and play!"

He says,

"Come in and swim!"

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Thank you God, for everything.

 

Who Really Cares?

 Is it fair? Is it fair to travel back into time and change a person's legacy? I mean, a hundred or maybe two hundred years from now, will it be important to know if, let's say Taylor Swift, wrote pornographic limericks in her spare time? (As far as I know, that is definitely not true. I made that up. Please, don't quote me.)

I have recently become interested in the literary works of Lewis Carroll, author of "Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass". I've watched a couple of videos concerning his life, his books and of another of his great skills, photography. He was a pioneer in the art of photography, taking pictures in the 1850s. One of those biographies, alluded to the fact that he enjoyed taking suggestive photos of young girls. Now, the photos are still there for us to see. Maybe they are a little bit odd. But, not one living soul remains around, after nearly 200 years, to give us the true facts.  And, if we knew the truth, would it change the fact that he wrote delightful, fanciful fiction?

Today, I read that Abraham Lincoln was probably gay.  Oh my, what difference does it make, whether he was gay or not? Did that have anything to do with him writing the Emancipation Proclamation? Or, for being a martyr, in 1863?

These days, very few folks believe all of what they see or read? "Just the facts ma'am", said Joe Friday. Stuff gets published today, that simply isn't true. And, with AI, a lot of what we see, isn't real. Changing history, isn't the best use, in my opinion, of our intellect.

Don't forget......"Judge not lest ye be judged." (Matthew 7:1)

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Good and All-knowing God. Remind us to mind our own business. Most of us have enough trouble trying to manage our own lives. Why do we insist on interfering with others, on another path? Why do we insist on trying to change the minds and hearts of those we know.....or don't know? Keep us on our own journey.

"...............a room in Bloomsbury."

 For the last two weeks, my friend and I have been living and traveling in a great big pick-up truck. It's been our transportation and our home. It's a great vehicle, but did I mention that it is Big! And, I am short.

I first noticed how big it was, when I tried to climb into the front seat. Thank goodness it has a handle that I can use to haul myself up into the seat. The floorboard of the truck, hits me at the top of my legs. Over the duration, I got pretty good at hauling myself up into the truck, but climbing out of the front seat was another matter. I'm past 75, I do not just hop down. I don't hop anywhere, so I learned to ease myself out of the seat and carefully, oh so carefully slide, without hitting my tailbone on the floorboard, to the ground.

I'd like to say that it became easier to haul myself in and out of the truck cab, as the days wore on. But, seriously it got harder. Maybe I gained some weight or maybe I just aged, but by the last couple of days, I was using two arms to grab onto that handle and I'd added several minutes to my slippery exit.

So much for traveling. Fortunately, we had a fine new bench to help me climb onto the lowered tailgate. From the tailgate, we had access to the inflatable mattress on the bed of the truck. Never having done it, I was skeptical about sleeping in a truck, but it was actually very comfortable. Cozy and warm, for those cold desert nights.

We had a really cool, second tent, that sat on the ground, and became the second room of our traveling home. The first room, was the tent over the truck bed. Two room camping is really first class. Having the tents attached to the Big pick-up, really helped during the winds and dust storms we experienced in the Nevada Desert. And, I will also give credit to my tent mate, who fastened all of our tents to the ground with screw-in tent pegs. And he brought his electric screw-driver to install them!

Getting a late start, towards home, we did end up sleeping a few hours, in the front seat of the Big pick-up. It has (and who knew such a thing still existed) a bench seat. A couple of pillows and a blanket and we were all set.

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Dear Lord. Thank you for presenting adventures. For allowing us to make choices. For keeping us safe.

"I like that old time Rock and Roll"...........

 In 1697, William Congreve wrote, "Music has charms to sooth the savage breast, to soften rocks or bend a knotted oak." It is clear to me that this gifted poet, did not live in today's electronic music world.

For eight days, recently, I was a captive audience, to some of the strangest noise that has ever been called music. Residing in a flimsy tent, in the middle of the Nevada desert, I listened, until the wee hours of the morning, to booming bass-rythmn notes, being blasted everywhere. People kept telling me how great the DJs were. What great music they played. I just couldn't understand, what they were talking about.

DJs play recorded music. Originally, it was vinyl records, then tapes and I surmize now, they make up disks of prerecorded music or something like that. Does one take lessons to learn that skill? Any way, in my opinion, it was awful. What kind of talent does it take to play recorded music? There is an old joke, where the music teacher asks a student, "What do you play?" The student says, " The radio." 

Life is a joke come true.

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Dear Lord. Patience is indeed a virtue. Help me to have patience.

Mistress Mary, quite contrary.

 "Happiness must be grown in one's own garden." When I read that little sign, in a backyard flower bed, I had one of those "A-Ha" moments.

How many of us are wasting time waiting for good things to happen? Then, we're constantly disappointed when they don't. Whoa, buddies. Truly, what we do and whom we choose to bring happiness to, grows and improves our own lives.

Listen up readers! We know that God has not promised us a Rose Garden. There are a whole lot of weeds growing in all of our gardens. Big, old, useless, prickly weeds. We have to keep weeding and pruning to make our gardens beautiful. Water and fertilizer are helpful, too. The people you know, or have yet to meet, have seeds of wisdom to share and tons of tips to make your garden a beautiful place.

I'm trying to tell you, that a beautiful garden is up to you. Get out there and make someone smile. A garden grows with love and care.

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Gracious Lord. We thank you for the opportunities You have given us. Life is a garden.

"Second Hand Rose, they call me Second Hand Rose....."

Today, I needed to make a trip to a local thrift emporium (That's Fancy Nancy Speak, for a second-hand store). I have been fortunate, in my lifetime, to be able to choose where I shop. That means, that I shop most anywhere I want (Sotheby and Tiffany, maybe not), but today, I chose to spend my dollars thriftily. Along with that information, I'll add that the county, in which I reside, is the most affluent county in the state of Kansas. Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift live near me, for Pete's sake!

Well who knew, that an absolute hoard of locals would be shopping at the local Thrift Store. Holy Magoaly! I couldn't find a place to park. I had to truly circle the parking lot until someone came out and left an open parking place. Inside, the store was busier than the local WalMart, before a three-day weekend. It was packed. Young folks, grandmas and grandpas, well-dressed matronly types and scruffies were all stuffing items into their carts. The clothing aisles were crowded and the housewares area was chaos.

I found just what I wanted.....a couple of colorful tutus, a Dracula Cape and a Darth Vader Mask (I just couldn't pass that thing up) and headed to the nearest line. This store takes cards and does "self" checkout. Will wonders never cease?

So, whilst driving home, I contemplated my experience. Locally owned department stores have all shut their doors in recent years. Macy's (who bought many of them) is nearly out of business. So, is JC Penney's. Shoe stores are practically non-existent. People are supposedly ordering more and more on line. From China, I'm told. Stores are empty, everywhere I look. So is this a result of the sad state of the American Economy? Or, are we, as a country, just changing our shopping habits?

Something to ponder, I suppose. Seriously, I'm going back to the Thrift Store, soon. They had some really cute stuff!

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Dear Lord. Remind us to take care of Your planet. Reduce, Reuse and Recycle are good words.

"If you're ever in a mess.....SOS"

 I want to write a few words about friendship. I read something recently, about friends. This particular article made the statement that "if you have been friends with someone for seven ears, you have made a friend for life." I agree with that, and what's more, when you are pushing 80, the friends that you have, who are still alive and kicking with you, are pretty damn golden!

True Friends, to quote another source, are folks that you can talk to, not necessarily every day, or even every month. They are people that you can just start a conversation with, and it seems like you only spoke to them a couple of hours ago. My friends and I can do that.  If you have forever friends like that, you are truly blessed. 

Facebook has, in my opinion been worth all of the "hacks", ads, and sales pitches that get dumped on you, delivered unannounced and unwanted. I have been able to connect with dozens of friends, through Facebook, that I would have otherwise lost contact with.  Well, yeah, it can be a bit of a pain sometimes, but the comments I get, when I post a photo, or answer a post, are worth a million dollars to me.

And, I make new friends, quite often. I am not shy and I love to talk to folks, as a volunteer at the WWI Museum and any new place I happen to be. That old Girl Scout song lyric, "Make new friends, but keep the old. One is Silver and the other Gold. A circle is round and has no end. That's how long, I"ll be your friend." So True.

"Friendship, Friendship, just a perfect blend ship. When other Friendships have been forgot. Ours will stilll be hot. Ladlie-ahdie-ahdie-ding-ding-ding."

Send me an email or text, sometime!!!! I'd love to hear from you!!!

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 Lord. I am so thankful for the wonderful friendships that I have made. Forgive me for perhaps not being a perfect friend, in return. Keep showing me how to be the best friend that I can be. Allow me to be there for others. Help me to guard against selfish thoughts, and put others first.

OSD

I have just been self- diagnosed with OSD. It's definitely not contagious and as far as I know, no one as yet, has ever succumbed to this rare disorder. I think I may have contracted OSD, from exposure to my family members, years ago. However, it may also be hereditary. It has been a bit of a distraction, since my very early childhood.

My earliest "remembry" of Obsessive Singing Disorder may actually have been learning the words to "Down Went McGinty". It's a marvelously goofy 1890's, Irish ditty, that my Grandpa Tom taught me. I must have been nearly 2 years old. Tom's brothers were are singers and his only sister played piano at the local movie houses. OSD came naturally to me, and I've pretty much always had it.

My mother and sister also were afflicted. My sister studied piano, for years, and played all types of music, and if there were words involved, I learned them. Music from the 19th and 20th Centuries, are my specialty. We had that kind of sheet music, at my house. Recently, I won a dollar, when I "Named That Tune", on a historic home tour. I could have sung it, word perfect, for the emcee, but the stunned look on his face when I gave him the title, stopped me! "My Wild Irish Rose", is a bit obscure. But, I could have belted out a couple of verses. Seriously, I would probably have known the title, and at least most of the first and second verses of anything, that man could have played. It's a thing with me.

Okay, I have never been a paid performer, but I can do a pretty good impression of Tina Turner, whilst whipping up dinner, most nights. "Rollin on the River" is great kitchen music. Elvis, the Beatles, the Beach Boys? Yeah, Yeah, Yeah. Lately, since I have returned to my roots, in Kansas, I have been recalling my Kansas related songs. I could begin with "Home on the Range", followed by the University of Kansas Alma Mater and Fight Song, four or five more, then end with "Over the Rainbow." Unfortunately, no one is interested in a concert.

So, don't be concerned. It's an odd sort of disease. I live with it. OSD, along with my other problem, OCRD (Obsessive Compulsive Recitation Disorder) will be with me, I'm convinced, to the end of my days. Actually, I think I am blessed. I have never been bored. I can always entertain myself.

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Lord: You have blessed each of us with particular gifts and graces. Grant us the ability to accept not only our own talents, but to appreciate those of others. Your world is a grand and glorious place.

"Toot,Toot, Toot, Toot. Yeah!!!!!"

 

As Paul McCartney wrote……“Baby you can drive my car…..” Now, I never believed he was singing to me, but, as it turns out, he was predicting my future. In our garage, we now have a car that “drives itself”. “Tess”, as I call affectionately call her, can now drive safely down the street, with a “Look, MA, no hands!” driver behind the wheel.

Now, don't worry, the driver must still keep his/her eyes on the road, full time. But, Tess can now stay in her lane, signal, pass and change lanes, stop and go, totally by herself. We get in the car, give Tess a destination, and Voila! She warns us of oncoming walkers, joggers and even deer, crossing the road. It's only a matter of time, before this technology is available to everyone who owns a car.

Never, you say. Well, let me remind you of this famous quote.

• "The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience." – Eleanor Roosevelt 

 Remember (well, some of you can remember), when we said we were going to stop driving if gas got up to a dollar a gallon? Or what about when coffee reached a dollar a pound? Well, we're still driving and drinking the java!

Life is a road well traveled, and it's up to us to make the most of our trip!!!!

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 Dear Lord: Why are we so reluctant to embrace change? We don't remain infants our whole life. We change, we grow. Nothing is constant, but your steadfast love. That endures forever.