Politics!

Have you ever felt that you were the only sane one in your family, or extended one?

Forwards and chain letters or mail that needs to be passed on seems to always cause emotional reactions from one of the people you might pass it on to. I have asked people not to send them to me so I wouldn't be possessed to possibly send it on and take the wrath of some individual that I thought might enjoy the read only to find out that I am a radical or crazy or whatever they might come up with!
Funny it's never them in the wrong...only you!
Innocently, you thought, maybe with not much thought, but really just a small feeling that others would enjoy or want to read what was sent to you, and never had you been so wrong!
I have been hostilely told I am an extremist in some political venue when sending on something I thought was very profound or just damn interesting, when in reality I am a registered non partisan party member, so is my husband.
Not that I am A-political , but over the years I have felt that I would vote according to the person, not the party, and in this way it has prevented us from being bombarded by thousands of calls telling us to go out and vote, and to vote for their candidate. (PS we are on the DO NOT CALL LIST). Ha that has not worked for us.
I have always voted since I was of the legal age to do so.
In fact, in college, I wrote my journalism paper on giving the right to eighteen year olds to vote way back in 1969.
Years before it was passed into legislation in 1972.Not that this matters in the bigger picture of things.

I was so upset by the reaction of one of these such returns that I blocked this person from ever writing back to me and now I do feel safer.
But they did scare me.
The attack was so vicious and so hurtful that I must admit I was shaking!

With that said I do feel better, because I did promise my husband I would not retaliate to that person. Somehow I feel slightly vindicated by being able to vent here.

Gee blogs are therapeutic!
Who would have thunk it!

Moving on...

Today I must stop procrastinating and really get to my exercise program. My hip seems to be better, I hope. I really won't know until I try. Listening to our bodies is what we MUST do.

I am fortunate enough to have a mini gym with a treadmill, recumbent bike (birthday present), free weights (2 to 5 lbs. sets), and a swimming pool, no more excuses!
Walking is seriously out of the question due to me not being able to deal with the humidity; a product and true one from having MS.

Due to quitting smoking plus some pituitary issues I have gained quite a bit of weight and have been fighting the battle of the bulge for these last two years. Honestly, previous years when I quit I had a Yo Yo problem, but always lost fairly quickly when I put my mind to it. I quit six times before this longest one for almost 2 years now. Last longest was six months.

Having been a dancer for 12 years, cheerleader, swimmer with life saving plus certified aquacize instructor, and active bicycler(21 mile trips) as a young woman I do have the knowledge of what to do. Not to mention having gone to a professional gym for four years with trainers available to all. I also had been in physical therapy 14 times over the years... so when I say no excuses that is an understatement!

I definitely feel Nike-ish, in my head it is screaming, "Just do it!"
But my body is screaming, are you sure???

Who will win...
I'm the only one that could lose, which laughably is what I want to do!

Help world I do need some motivation.

Reading and sitting has been put on hold in spite of the fact we just picked up 7 books from the library on my b'day!
Counter productive, since sitting causes stiffness, causing pain, causing lack of movement, vicious cycle. I must find balance, sitting, moving, sitting, moving, and on and on.

My biggest problem is once I start reading I want to finish the whole book!
Another human flaw I am working on.
And who amongst us is perfect?

Anyway, these are my plans for today and when I seem to try to incorporate the exercise into my daily program it works the best.
My hip problem slowed me slightly, but I must get back to the real exercise program.

That's all for now, signing off...
Have a great day!

Happy Fourth!

Today proves to be another reason for us being here... in Florida of course!

This morning the sun is shining as usual in our, at the risk of sounding redundant our, 'Sunshine State'.

Locally, activities offered to celebrate this occasion are tantamount to a truly busy day if one wishes to partake in all the festivities, parades, bands, food, Freedom swim across the harbor, and the Coconut Races, homemade boats, hysterical!
Fireworks will be tonight at sunset over the harbor as always.

Whew exhausted just thinking about all the choices and all conveniently located within less than five miles of our home! Actually, we can see the fireworks from our dock right in our backyard!
Hope all of you have a very Happy Fourth of July and don't forget the real reason we celebrate.

Updates:From Blockbuster:"Thanks for contacting BLOCKBUSTER Online Customer Care.

I understand that you are still waiting for a new payment card. Once a new payment card has been received, please do not forget to update your billing information. There are a couple of ways to make the changes. One option is to update your information online. Simply log in and click on "My Account", and there you will see several sections that will allow you to change your personal information including your credit card, shipping and/or billing address, e-mail address, etc. The other option is to call us at 1-866 Monday through Friday 8:00 AM until 8:00 PM Central Time. and we will gladly make the changes for you.

Once your payment information has been updated, the system will then initiate another billing attempt within three days. Please feel free to contact us again if there is anything else we can do for you."

And they have sent us three new movies since!

Far as our trap working for the critter capture,we are still waiting, but have not heard anymore behind the walls sounds.
Could this mean he/she died behind them or has run from our garage (hopefully)? :-)

Many of the family and friends I have given a direct link to this site I have not heard from and hope this was not a presumptuous idea to give you all access, but you can email me to let me know if you have been here if you so wish.
I would enjoy reading yours if you chose to have one, they are usually free like this one, and work sort of like a diary, depending on how personal you wish to get.

I am trying to be generic, but with small insight and glimpses into the real happenings in mine and my families life.
Thin line between the two, but due to their privacy I will not cross it, and I do respect that.

Everyone have a wonderful safe day!

The Day Before Our Country's Birthday, Our 232nd!

Happy Day Before the Fourth of July!

I'm sure most Americans today are getting ready for that celebration in spite of the economy. Logically, we still have to eat.
And the entertainment, fireworks; are usually free!

That is when a community is doing them not you in your own backyard. Please America be careful, more deaths, lost limbs, burns etc. are caused by well meaning parents trying to have fun with their kids only to have these horrendous tragedies occur! My warnings come from me, a wife of a retired fireman and police officer and his horror stories that were relayed to me, and that is why I have mentioned them. Stay safe, but have fun!

Hot dogs and hamburgers the traditional menu are still not all that costly an expense. Although, according to all reports they are 16% higher in price.
Watermelon too is a mainstay for this time of year, and now supposedly an aphrodisiac. /:-) The rind, that is. All those delish salads, Cole slaw, potato, and macaroni! Red, white and blue desserts... strawberries and blueberries on a shortcake with whip cream, and you have a wow!

Anyway, when I was a child I thought the nation was celebrating my birthday, but just a few days late; since mine is on the first.I must admit, I was a very, very young child at the time.

Our youngest son was born the year of our bicentennial, and received a birth certificate that commemorated that!

So this is one of my favorite holidays, summer, eats, and loud beautiful colors in those sky displays!
Watch out for your four footed friends too, those noises seem to give even the most loving creatures the willies.

Celebration

Thinking about life...
And death...
Too many die too young, too soon, but never too old so we say. The older the better.

Although, with recent news accounts of Tim Russert's passing,just two months older than myself, hit and runs, hospital waiting room deaths all this proves to me we should celebrate each day! Not to mention all the other deaths of loved ones, two and four footed, in my past that I still remember.
One never knows, does one?

We should aim to be congratulated by Willard Scott and Smucker's on our 100th!

Yesterday was my birthday, but today I am still alive so that is a good thing!
Getting older has always been my goal in life, no really.
I have quit smoking,on July 11th it will be two years, and I do not drink even wine anymore. Some do feel it is good for you, but every week it changes.
Exercising at least three times a week for a half an hour or more, and eating plenty of vegetables and fruit. We have been told those things helps ward off heart disease and cancer. Just remember to wash those eats well to remove fertilizer and Salmonella!

Just think if we didn't get any older... we would get dead.
So hurray to getting older! And I am on a mission to become as old as I can get!

The only thing that slightly annoys me is at this time of the year is that my husband and I are the same age for the next four months until his birthday when he once again will be a year older than me, TA DA!
But that comment alone is ridiculous because it obliterates my previous one about getting older.
Theoretically I should be competing on the getting older part, and wish that it was me not him that had another birthday coming up.
But in reality my wish for him is for he too to get as old as possible!

We should live each day like it is our first on this planet with the open mindedness and the sight of a new born babe, curiosity should never end, finding good in all things, people included; should be part of our nature. Saying to live each day like it is your last seems to me to live with abandonment of concern for others. I prefer to try and think of others, and forgive ourselves as well as them. Life is too short for otherwise.
In other words see the glass half full not half empty. LOL. What an old cliche, sorry!
Now that I'm older she/me thinks I am wiser...NOT!
A work in progress is what I am like all of us, oops another stupid cliche.

PS Lunch yesterday was only fair, not that great! But we did go to Baskin Robbins for a real treat after of delish ice-cream cones, mine was Jamococa Almond, and my hubbies was Cherry Vanilla, and that was sooooooooo good! It was months since we had done that.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOps You IDIOT!!!!

Good morning!

And a weird happy birthday to me.
I basically started this momentous day fairly normally until I read my emails...
One was from my cousin who just so happens to share this birthday with me, wishing me a happy birthday; hers is the same day and same year would you believe?
Anyway, the next was my usual horoscope, and the last one was from Blockbuster telling me that my Sears MasterCard expires this month.
I have been with Sears since 1976, and they have always sent me one before it had expired!
I of course ran to get my wallet out of my pocketbook, and sure enough 7/08 that expiration date loomed up at me.
Quickly I wrote to MasterCard online, at their site that I did not have my new one and where is it? Blockbuster did not have it for billing our movies at home account.

My husband wakes up, and I tell him my dilemma.
He tells me his is good till 7/12, how can this be?
It's my original account, under my name that is; I should also be good till then!
He then says since the old one was still good when these arrived you put the new one somewhere else?
Damn!
He was right, and not that far either just in the back of my very same wallet.
All was well, and I could notify Blockbuster of my simplistic faux pas, and correct my mistake, and everything would be A-OK, right?
Wrong.

Next email came in from Sears MasterCard: "Thank you for reporting that your credit card was Lost, Stolen or never received. We have closed your account to prevent any further use. If the missing card is found or returned to you, please destroy it. There is no need to contact us. We have assigned a new account number, and your new card(s) should arrive within 10 business days. Balance Transfer checks and convenience checks will transfer accordingly.
If you have merchants that automatically bill your account, be sure to notify them of your new number.
Thank you for using our website." And yes, I do know this was done for my safety, but so fast? But what is my NEW NUMBER????

I didn't believe what they said, and foolishly tried to correct my mistake by going back to their website.
And I really did try to go back to their site and fix this mess, but the dye was cast, so to speak, and there was no turning back.
They wouldn't even let me enter their site!
But left me a 1-800 # to call, and so I did.
And was told by a human voice that it was too late, and that they would be sending me new cards and new numbers.
I asked about what to do about Blockbuster and they said they didn't know since they cannot get involved with a third party billing.
Now Blockbuster will probably discontinue our program because they have no billing info they can use!
Damn!

I could always try contacting them again, and tell them what has transpired, and ask them to be patient and wait for the info.. but would they?
Who knows.

And it is so ironic to me that this has happened, and that the human at the credit card company tried so carefully to explain it all to me, in terms a simpleton should understand... and I really did have to laugh since I did inform him that I was a retired credit manager from way back. LOL

Today will not be lost totally, silly to harp on things which we have not much control over is my motto.
My husband has promised to take me out to a new place for lunch, not new itself, but new to us, since we have not been there before.
It's always busy, means it is good, right? This should be fun!

The Day Before My Next Year Begins

Hello again!

Today was a mundane day.
Errands were run, shopping done, and bills paid easily online.

Already we are losing a new neighbor directly across the street from us!
Never got to know them, they consisted of a single male parent and child combo, both young around 25 and 3.

Sad how jaded we have become over the years; even when the economy was good we live in a very transient state. None of our neighbors seem to stay very long.

I should talk... this is our third home in this state, and our longest place that we have called home. Smallest too, but no kids in this one, due to our sons being grown men on their own!
Just right though; a 1100 square foot little gem for us a 2/2/1 on a saltwater canal, and we have a a pool, and a fish pond. All renovated to our specs in these last years preparing for retirement.

This home had the bare minimum when purchased way back those ten years ago. An overgrown 2/1 with a carport, and painted all blue, now I do love that color but not on everything including the walks, floors and driveway! Couldn't even find the canal back then; it was a jungle back there, no rhyme or reason to any of the landscaping! The house had been a rental for 8 years with obviously not much TLC; the price was right.

We are one of the old timers on this block, not just by age, but with not quite ten years in this home we have actually lived here longer than most! Although, our neighbor on the very end of the block actually may taken that honor, living here 30 years!
We moved in December 31 of 1998, New Years Eve.
Our intentions were seen in its potential as a retirement home.
So here we are, and here we stay longer than the others.
Till death do we part or hurricane destroys the land...we can always rebuild but it is waterfront, and who knows if the land would ever be destroyed; falling into the canal by storm surge. So we have been warned.
We bought because it had been through Hurricane Donna back in 1961, it was built in 1958. The fact it survived was a great selling point in my book. We are five minutes by boat to the harbor.
Fast forward 2004 August 13th, a Friday; Hurricane Charley was a direct hit, the eye, 140 mph winds, neighbors home destroyed,their roof hits our guestroom window causes our roof to fly off damaging inside our home, but still standing with us in it, block and stucco. Trauma. All new now!
Seems incredible to me to think that it was nearly four years ago, but our county is still rebuilding/recovering.
New buildings and homes are still a constant in spite of the economy.