Frankie and Slim

Frankie and Slim
Happy New Year

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

SERENDIPITY


Granny Annie in a garden of grandchildren.

Front row, Ryan, Granny, Beth and back row Dillon. Of course the camera hogs are all in the front and sweet, giving, loving, smiling Dillon taking the backseat again. If you ever pay attention to sibling placement how difficult is it to know that Ryan is an oldest child, Granny Annie is the baby of her family and Beth is the baby of her family? That means, of course, that Dillon is the sacrificing middle child.

Ryan is now freshman at OU, Beth a high school sophomore and Dillon a high school senior. I am a "senior" too, having just turned 65. These are my son's three children.

I cannot remember where this photo was taken and do not remember another photo booth ever producing a Polaroid shot like this. My daughter came across this lost picture in some of her organizing this past weekend.

Monday, August 29, 2011

QUESTION OF THE WEEK 8-29-11


What does a blogger need to do to lure you in? Is it their illustration picture, their post title, a comment they made on another post or the first paragraph/sentence of their post?

(Are you more likely to leave a comment on a short blog post?)

(11:54 AM I am adding another thought to this Question Of The Week; If you get a new commenter and you, with limited time, follow their link only to find they have multiple posts, how to you determine which to read to return their visit?)

Friday, August 26, 2011

NOW I UNDERSTAND.

Visiting my grandmother I would always ask how she was feeling. She in turn ALWAYS said she felt wonderful. She would then smile and ask about me.

My mother would visit her mother later. Grandmother then had all kinds of problems and aches and pains. As mother shared grandmother's woes with me, I would say, "I was just there and we had a lovely visit and she said she was just fine." It really bugged me that my grandmother would not tell me how she was feeling and let me help her in some way. Why did she save this for my mother?

Yesterday our grandson called from college. He told us all about how much he is enjoying his new friends and his classes. We were happy and excited for him. After hanging up the phone I said to Ron, "Oh, I didn't tell Ryan about your medical report!" and suddenly it dawned on me. Grandparents wear a completely different face for grandchildren than they do for children.

This certainly explains why all of my grandparents are missed so muchl I was blessed to have four in my life until I was well into adulthood and allowed to forever be their protected grandchild never needing to hear "adult" concerns.


We are constantly learning.

OH, and I guess I understand this now too. Everyone tells me that since our AC was fixed, I keep the house too cool. Perhaps that is what Slim is trying to tell me also:)



Thursday, August 25, 2011

TWO LITTLE WORDS

"No malignancy".

We got those great results yesterday from Ron's tests on August 12th.

Still a journey back from the effects of the chemo and radiation but at least we see bright light at the end of the tunnel. Thank you each and every one for your wishes, thoughts, and prayers for Ron and for me.

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

WHAT CHURCH DOES HE GO TO?

I am a Christian but you don't have to be to be my friend. You do, however, need to be kind, considerate, sincere, helpful, loving, giving, tolerant, wise and willing to say that I don't have to be of your religion to be your friend either.

The first question my dad used to ask me when I found a new boyfriend was, "What church does he go to?" I later learned that question did not mean is he a Methodist like us. That question meant is this boy hopefully being raised in a home that is helping him develop a conscience.

I do not, and never will, like a politician who campaigns using his specific religion as a sign of who he or she is. I want a politician to campaign on examples of past acts to earn my vote. Don't wear a fish or a cross on you lapel and expect me to believe that you have a good heart. Instead wear a pin of your lifetime of outstretched arms telling me you are willing to embrace our entire country and not just those who share your religion.

Haven't we all learned by now that a person's religion is certainly not a window into their soul? We cannot define a person's heart by their religion but only by their example of living. Simply by saying that I am a Christian causes some people to immediately determine a lot of things about me that are totally off base.

Needless to say I strongly believe in separation of church and state but not separation of morals-ethics and state. Let's stop re-electing politicians who say they are religious but have committed a multitude of crimes and harmful and selfish indiscretions that simply lead us away from our country's agenda of being the greatest nation of freedom in the world.

Yikes! Give me a hand stepping down from this soap box will you? Thanks.

Monday, August 22, 2011

QUESTION OF THE WEEK 8-22-11




How do you feel about putting bumper stickers or other decals/emblems on your car to express your politics, religion or sense of humor?

(The only items we stick on our vehicles are permit items like a military base permit, triple A sticker and pikepass, Oh and we have one front plate that reads US Navy and one that reads Senior Chief.)

Sunday, August 21, 2011

EASY RECIPE FOR BANANA NUT BREAD

This is a quick and easy recipe for delicious banana bread. Never throw out an over ripe banana again. If you can't make the bread right away, put the bananas in the freezer until you have a moment to whip up a couple of loaves of this bread. Even people who normally don't like banana bread like this yummy treat.

1 box yellow cake mix
3 eggs
1/3 cup oil
3 to 5 ripe mashed bananas
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Mash 3 -5 ripe bananas in large mixing bowl.
Add 1 box yellow cake mix, 1/3 cup vegetable oil, 3 large eggs (or 4 small eggs), 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts. Blend well and pour into two greased and floured loaf pans. Bake at 350 for 30 to 35 minutes. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Pop bread out of pans onto cooling rack and let sit for at least 20 minutes before cutting. Serve with a little butter or whipped topping.

I have made this bread twice this week so I thought of sharing the recipe with you. Don't ask why, it just seemed the thing to do. Enjoy:)

Thursday, August 18, 2011

OKAY HERE'S THE DEAL

How might I learn to venture outside the realm of my comfort zone? My life was burdened by 32 years in banking, plus volunteer organizations, boards of directors, neighborhood associations. The safety of our rural life, my spouse, our family is my panic room. Yet friendly interaction with new people tends to call me out.

It is a fifteen minute drive to my monthly meeting of the LAVFW (Ladies Auxiliary for the Veterans of Foreign Wars). The first thing I think about is that it needs to be changed to the SAVFW (Spouses Auxiliary) which you see pegs me as a boat rocker. (I keep my mouth shut because I want to belong).

The second thing that stirs my rebellious brain is why does this meeting take two hours? Every meeting begins with our President (who has served three terms) attempting to follow the orders of procedures out of a book. How many terms does it take to finally learn the procedures? The lengthy interruptions during this meeting usually deal with aside comments about the failures of some member who is not in attendance to defend herself. (I keep my mouth shut because I want to belong).

This last meeting our post president was very unkind regarding the organization's new State President. It seems this State Pres. is a successful career person with computer knowledge and skills and wants to get every branch of the LAVFW to become savvy enough with computers to allow reports to be sent on CDs to the various posts. A great idea...yes? no? I seem to be the only computer literate person in the room as the remainder of the gals cluck their tongues at such nonsense. I am a total duck out of the frickin water. I don't keep my mouth shut this time and have regrets as I am greeted by stares. "Mars, I'm from the planet Mars" I want to say.

Yet, these women are hardworking volunteers who give of their time to veterans and to serve the local communities. They sacrifice to make, gather and deliver necessary items to our veterans in hospitals and nursing homes. They promote scholarship opportunities for children in our local schools. They make donations to families of veterans who are in need. They give support and encouragement to veterans like Ron who have medical concerns.

Our small group has around 40 members with only about 15 average participants. I cannot help but feel that many who do not participate may stand back because they don't blend with the ideas and opinions of the small active group that seems to control the meetings and the direction of the group. (Ever heard the term "click"?) Rather than try to change the group for wider acceptance, they opted to not attend or participate. I am close to making the same decision.

It is important to me for some reason to have some activity outside the confines of my protective bubble. Yet it is also stressful. Any ideas on why I am doing this to myself? Any ideas on why I can't simply relax and enjoy the differences and accept the others as I want them to accept me?

(I don't have to worry about my fellow members of the auxiliary reading this because none of them have computers.)

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

CHANGE OF STYLE TO FARM EXECUTIVE

DON'T LET THAT SWEET FACE FOOL YOU.

TAKE A GOOD LOOK AT THOSE HORNS.


Yesterday I was sharing a little food treat with the goats to try and keep them in the back field. They get excited about their sweet feed and got a little pushy. Tandy Kid, once a cute cuddly baby, is now a selfish old billy goat and got a little demanding for his share and more. He butted me and I threw the bucket and when I did, I broke off a fingernail... to the quick. OMG!

Why would a C.F.G.H. (chicken farmer goat herder) try to have nice long polished fingernails on the farm? Today they all go (the fingernails, not the goats). So far, far away from the days of corporate dress, polished nails, panty hose and fancy hair-dos.

Referring to yesterday's post, I definitely took the road less traveled in 2000 when I gave up banking for rural life. And would I trade this life now? Not a chance:)

Monday, August 15, 2011

QUESTION OF THE WEEK 8-15-11


When you come to a fork in the road, do you take the "road less traveled" or the high traffic road?
(And has such a choice made a monumental difference in your life?)

I shall be telling this with a sigh,
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I --
I took the one less traveled by,
And that as made all the difference.'

from Robert Frost's THE ROAD NOT TAKEN

Thursday, August 11, 2011

PAINTED WITH A WIDE BRUSH

We have been painted all our lives with labels. Wide life-labels that cover large groups of people. We start out lumped in with children then students then adults. I took on other labels such as wife, mother, banker, divorcee, grandparent, wife , unemployed, chicken farmer and since my last birthday, Senior Citizen.

This seems to be the final one.
I shall now and forevermore simply be lumped with all those over 65 as a Senior, an elderly person, conjuring images to a younger stranger that I am now a member of the tottering, feeble and infirmed with no history or information worth sharing.

This label easily confuses my brain that still sees me as an inquisitive child, a poet a writer, an artist full of love and laughter. Very simply a forward thinking human being still discovering each new day with a mixture of distress and delight.


Looks like Dora's got it right. Let's just paint all ages with a wide brush as "Explorers".


Dora The Explorer

Monday, August 08, 2011

QUESTION OF THE WEEK 08-08-11


If you HAD to watch the same movie once a week for the rest of your life what movie would you pick?


(Give this some thought before you answer. It is about more than your favorite movie, it is about what movie you could tolerate that much and never grow tired of. I believe my pick would be THE COWBOYS with John Wayne)

Sunday, August 07, 2011

HONORING


....and all of our gallant military men and women serving around the world.

click for article

Friday, August 05, 2011

BRITISH SELF ESTEEM

Is it possible that the British have greater self esteem than those of us in the United States? I watch movies made in the UK and see very normal people as actors. They have skin blemishes and muffin tops and don't have their breasts hanging out all over the place. They do not look like they all just popped out of Barbie and Ken molds and they can actually act. I much prefer their shows these days to our own. Why can't we use regular people in our movies and television and give our children a chance to realize they look normal instead of giving them inferiority complexes and the desire for tons of plastic surgery and enhancements?

Thursday, August 04, 2011

CAPTAIN HOOK

Here is a picture of our beautiful granddaughter Hope and beautiful daughter Chelle. They were getting ready to leave after another difficult weekend of helping me organize our home. Chelle's new nickname is "Captain Hook" because she has managed to install more hooks in hidden places to contain robes, towels, hats, brooms, etc. You name it and there is a hook for it and I am definitely in hook-heaven with hard to locate items now at my finger tips.

Wednesday, August 03, 2011

LIPSTICK SISTERS

"Happy Birthday Elenore, July 31, 2011"


I seemed to delight my sister with her birthday present this year. The above sketch has a great deal of meaning for both of us. First it was sketched from the last picture we took in one of those photo booths a few years ago. (Is there anything more fun that posing for those five shots?) Second, my sister is a lipstick fanatic. Stepping outside your front door without lipstick is a sin in her eyes. Thus the sketch title, Lipstick Sisters. ''

Love you Elenore and am so happy you liked this:)



Hope you got to comment on Monday's QUESTION OF THE WEEK about coincidences?

Monday, August 01, 2011

QUESTION OF THE WEEK 8-01-11



Is there such a thing as coincidence?

What coincidence or series of strange coincidences have occurred in your life recently? Numerous things have miraculously fallen into place for us these past few months and it is difficult to define any one of them as mere coincidence.