Tumultuous

Which we all know means turbulent, confused, chaotic, disorderly, riotous, and noisy, is it over yet?

Each new year brings different things for us to obsess over or not…but when effects happen to us personally we would have to be heartless, senseless and cold as ice not to feel what is going on around us.

Closing our eyes doesn’t make it go away, ignoring it doesn’t either.
I began to write a used to be common lament of this tame season of “Lazy hazy days of summer’, but for some reason it sounded wrong and so simplistic and non relatable at this point in all that we as a nation and world has gone through; it appears to be only a distant memory of what once was, long ago in a land far away in a different time continuum…
Little did I realize that one of Star Trek’s opening lines would appear in my vocabulary in the year 2011?
It would be considered almost funny if it wasn’t so sad and prophetic in its own miserable way.

Gosh, my mind spins nightly on how to talk about mundane things, which I still consider relevant, but it seems almost irreverent with all that is going on in this world that we all know and love.

Could that be crazy, to some, that the guy, the reverend, who predicted us and our world’s demise could have been right?
The second possible day of the Apocalypse is scheduled for October, if I recall that I believe to be his next prediction, hmm?
NAH! I won’t give into such beliefs.
No matter what the earth is trying to say; it needs us.
But does it; as much as we need it?

I won’t succumb to this negative way of thinking, what good would it do?
Like everyone else I bet though it may have crossed your minds?
No?
Than I am just as crazy as that soothsayer of doom…but I can’t be!
NO!
I want to continue, in spite of all my own problems in life I want to be!
I love it here!
And no one and no thing has any right to change that for me or you!
Smile in the face of doomsday!
Change your mindset and then your mind and all will follow!
And if not…
You will perish in your own negativity of thinking and be all alone for others with positive thinking will survive and go on, and on, and on… but there is one thing that you can do…


Do you want to know what that is?

CHANGE YOUR MIND! It’s easier than changing your clothes or living situation, and it doesn’t hurt at all…!

Yep that’s all there is to it…. How about that?

Now that I have solved the problems of the world I can sigh a big sigh of relief and say as Marlo Thomas once said years ago, “Tomorrow is the first day of the rest of your life!”
PS: I say, so is each day.

Sure, why not?

On that note of why I love you guys and want to help somehow with this wee brain of mine, allow me to be the first to wish you all a very happy good night and to ask you kindly to count all those blessings you have and share those overages and we will too!

And next time please be here or be square, ya hear?

Outings today!

Yes, the type that you go out into the world and accomplish what you set out to do!
First stop was to the Tractor Supply store to buy our wild bird seed, it is usually a bargain there. But to our dismay the price had gone up by three whole dollars from its usual $8.99 all the way up to $11.99, for the thirty-five pounds we get every few months, shocking!
Originally we were going to buy two bags thinking to save on the gas money since it is quite a distance and a bit out of our way, but due to the price increase Hubby only bought the one while I waited in the air-conditioned car with cooling vest and all.

Second stop was over to Lowe’s for our use of the coupon they mailed to us for our weed and feed, two dollars off of Stae Green for five thousand square feet. With all our this and that’s in the yard, gardens, pool, pond, patio, dock etc. our small quarter acre lot has gotten smaller grass-wise over the years and Hubby prefers it that way; less to mow and fertilize too. But we also needed some insecticides organic is how we roll, since we don’t want any to harm the environment or Skipper. You see we seem to have a bit of ants and snails too. Hubby made a home remedy for the ants of boric acid and honey but the problem is way too large apparently since it did not work. My old way of handling snails is a pie tin of beer, yes, they drink it and fall in and drown, but Hubby did not want to give any up for that purpose since he drinks it not that often, mostly wine with me, and he keeps it mostly on hand for number one son and the occasional neighbor or two that wander over.

Next stop was for lunch at Panera Bread, I was pleased to see that they also carried salads and soup besides their array of specialty of artisan sandwiches. I had a half Greek salad and cup of tomato soup with unsweet iced tea, and Hubby had a Cuban sandwich although with chicken instead of the usual way and made similar to a Pannini with his second cup of coffee for the day. You see, I decided since it was not that far from Lowe’s and on our way to our last stop Sam’s Club and we hadn’t been there before and so we thought that it might be fun to try it out. And also, now many may think this is odd but since one of my cousins that I am on the outs with said that they did not like it!
But it was very good and we vowed to go back again.
It very well might be our answer to the leaving of our other healthy fair Crispers.

Sam’s Club was our last stop before home to pick up our tri yearly pick up of paper goods in those large capacities of non-perishables.
Coffee too this time, but our water back up was still good.
Wine is reasonable there too and so we did purchase a few.

We arrived home around two and Skipper greeted us as if we were gone for a year not just about three and half hours; as we were.
Ah… canine companions gotta love em’! And we do, BIG TIME!

On that thought of how do we love thee… our dear sweet four legged pals… allow me to be the first to say have a very happy good night and to count those blessings and to kindly share those overages and we will too!

And next time please be here or be square, ya hear?

PS Oh that’s right, Hubby just reminded me that we also went to ‘Sharpsville’, as Hubby euphemistically calls the recycling location for the sharps needles that I use for my Copaxone and for some of those insulin ones too, that was our first stop and they make sure that you are local and so I got to use my new official I.D. for the very first time; how about that? They give you a new container when you give them your full one, WOW what a deal. And I guess with their caution about who they receive things from I suppose they want to make sure that out-of-towners are not contributing to our recycling program? What? Who knows…

International!

Have you ever thought much about what you say daily to people you interact with?
Now, years ago ending a sentence with a proposition would have been a definite no, no, but somehow today it’s, OK, HUH?
Sorry, I became sidetracked.
Speaking daily with co-workers, friends, family and the like is somewhat considered interpersonal interactions, correct?
And therefore not heard too distantly away from where you hang your hat, meaning at home,and work or somewhere nearby that realm, right?
Daily you may get on to your personal techno marvels that are from phones to notebooks to iphones to computers to pads to, oh I don’t know, whatever is out there that I can’t seem to keep up with, oops another preposition, but placed within my ideas…so OK, OK?(Author’s note the first was also supposed to be the word ‘preposition’ but to be honest when I reread it I couldn’t stop laughing and so I left it in, better, hmm?)
As anyone knows on this planet that might not live under a rock or behind a lead wall or in a hidey hole what-have-you that access is KING or QUEEN to the world at large, ABSOLUTELY, A NO-BRAINER!

You may believe that no one is listening, but don’t you believe that at all!
The world is! Listening, that is.
And so shout it to the world what you think or hush your mouths… whichever works for you and your identifier personality needs…some like me are fearless or some may say just simplistically stupid, but we don’t care either way, because we are we!
What we have to say to be heard by the masses counts and by all intense knowledgeable ways to find out…YES, they are there and know and hear and read it all!
Yep, when you profess to be an open book on this magnificent piece of technology; we really are.
Now, that either scares the stuffing out of you or it takes you a minute to register it and might make you proud as punch or lemonade or wine or whatever makes you feel that way, ok?
Let’s face it not every word is a jewel that I spew, LOL!
Hard as I may try to entertain and inform it is not always there in my wee brain to access so quickly.

Oh the title, ‘International!’ it was chosen to prove my point which I suppose now would be a good time to get around to it, hmm?
The point is, now how shall I put this, hmm, well, nightly I have many loving, dear, and intellectually brilliant succinctly genuine selective in reading material astute cautiously optimistic but occasionally pessimistically, tremendously happy, or deviately miserably sad and well connected or vaguely disconnected, people from all walks of life openly that chose to read and then systematically discuss the reasoning of the why this has occurred in their lifetime which appears to be a miraculous happening with worldwide retributions with other planetary concerns!

HUH? DOUBLE HUH!
TRIPLE HUH!

Let’s face it, all I was trying to say is that oddly enough people from as many as ten countries read my blog weekly and I am thrilled to pieces!
Now if that translates as odd internationally let me just say to you that it means that I AM VERY HAPPY YOU READ MY BLOG AND THANK YOU TO ALL!

Now allow me to wish all a safe Labor Day weekend and for me to wish you an early very happy good night and to ask you to kindly count all your blessings and to share those overages and we will too!

And next time please be here or be square, ya hear?

PS JOBS FOR EVERONE! AND THE MARKET WILL RISE TOO……TO
200000; For EVERYONE TOO! ONLY IF…

New or Old the Truth be Told...

Why do things change?
Why is the old way not the good way?
When will they stop having new and improved?
Why not old and just right?
Is good, not enough?
Why does it have to be better than good?
When was the last time you felt that everything was all done?
Not that you had to go and do it again and again, like laundry, the bed and dishes?
Have we always been wanting more of everything or have we ever been content with just the right amount?
Why is human nature the only way we react to things?
And if we don’t, are we considered animals?
Geez, animals are many times nicer than us, aren’t they?
They never insult others or talk back or tell you that you are too happy, or too sad or too self involved, do they?
When was the last time that you didn’t have something to do or somewhwere to be later?
Or when was the last time that you did have anything to do or somewhere to be later?
Have you been able to hear what your family said?
Have you been able to see why they said that?
NO, no one can see why they said it… unless they read lips, but that’s something else and has no purpose in this discussion, hmm?
Have your listening skills been compromised these days by too loud music or because you have had too many techno gadgets sticking out of them at any given time of the day?
Do you feel overworked and under appreciated and do you feel under worked and over appreciated?
Do your ears hang low? Do they wobble to and fro?

NO?

Then you’re good…! But me, that’s another story… dud dump bum…
Relief is on its way and laughter may follow all of us if we learn that we can make the most of all these things in life or make them not that important the choice is yours!

As I write tonight we are on the cusp of the hurricane season, meaning the worst is not over yet, Katia is in the Atlantic heading towards no one hopefully and a possible Lee, sorry buddy, in our Gulf of Mexico possibly developing with its eye on the mid-Gulf states…
We, Florida, seemed to be, so far, not of our usual fanfare of being upfront and center stage for most summer weather systems’ productions, but we have still months to go… historically, since November 30th is the end of the season. And I do believe it to be the law, although we had one year where it was a broken law and went on until January I think that was not that long ago either, 2005 or 2006?

Not funny and this was supposed to be… oh well, the best laid plans of men and mice… but wait…I AM A WOMAN, NOT A MAN OR A MOUSE and so that could be to blame for the explanation of me going off track, oh wait… That’s JUST ME and MY WAY! I'm good too! LOL!

On that re-noted trial of being not too serious, which I have on occasion been accused of doing too much of, who me? Do you believe that?
Allow me to be the first to wish you all a very happy good night and to ask you kindly to count all your blessings and to kindly share all those overages and we will too!

And next time please be here or be square, ya hear?

So A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words?

You betcha!

Nightly we have been bombarded with the reality of what some ignoramuses called hype and blown out of proportion weather system sweetly referred to as, ‘Hurricane Irene’!
Lovely gal once long ago now a tremendous pain in all the innocent victims’ rear ends, lives, properties and you name it, and all their lost memorable possessions!

Sadly, not only did many of these people not have insurance in the form of the flood type, which we are required here to maintain where we are, but to be fair we do live on a saltwater canal… and they don’t. Many live in landlocked areas such as the folks in Vermont. And some live in areas that have had nothing like this happen in over a century, so why bother paying for something that you may never ever use, huh?
And to add insult to injury, FEMA needs a rain check; pun intended, on paying out the claims since their bottom line is now at 800 million with the horrendous year we have been having and so far a few states claims have been over a billion in losses and needs from the Feds!
Gosh talk about timing!
Why we never ever know when these awkward weather disasters are going to happen or we would have all planned better, hmm?

Now is the time for the Americans to realize we need each other to survive, since our version of ‘Big Brother’ is not copping to the job at hand since monies have not been previously used wisely in many of our tiny minds who seemed to have life always so honky dory and never ever have any difficulties in life and so they cannot understand when money might be tight or that not all future problems can be planned for?
It takes a village of co-operation and sweat equity, boy are they words to live by these days, huh?
Volunteerism is where the biggest efforts should be placed front and center stage, right?
Monies too will be a BIG Necessity in enabling rebuilding and buying what is needed to make lives whole once again…
Giant concepts of Habits for Humanity in multitudes!
As well as engineers with the know-how to replace roadways, bridges and frameworks of cities and towns… our infrastructures need to be seen-to. Now where did I hear that before? Why the whole idea might even create future jobs? Geez that sounds familiar too… I know I heard that somewhere before…hmm… if I could only remember…
I do believe it was in a campaign speech or some such thing, but I could be wrong since I have been wrong before, but who knows… any-who…
Better late than NEVER, we need to put folks back to work and trying to be one who does try to make lemonade out of lemons this could be the vehicle for just that… what you ask?
WHY JOBS MY FRIENDS!
Once the shock of the devastation has passed, which will take forever but can be tamed with purpose of life with the need to be productive and have control once again… your lives will be whole and renewed with the reality of accomplishment of tangibility!



On that note of HOPE please folks we have been there and so I speak from experience do not give up, life will eventually get better since it cannot get any worse!
Allow me to wish you all a very happy good night and to ask you to kindly count those blessings and share those overages and we will too!

And next time please be here or be square, ya hear?

PS And also know one thing and that is that we all care and are here for you!

Today I would like to go slightly off topic and...

Discuss something other than devastation, OK?

Besides it's not like talking about it is going to change any of it, is it?
Neither will wishing it away.

Today we had a gentle rain on and off all day.
Which was conducive to contemplating …oh I don’t know… the meaning of life?
Nah, nothing that deep for this wee brain, but thoughts still manage to go through it daily, heaven knows what though…bud dump bum…!

I must admit that today was a bit of a goof off day I did do a load of wash and dried it too…boy that sounds hard, but not really, we have a washing machine and clothes dryer right in our laundry room! HA!

I did prepare my own breakfast and so did Hubby but we cheat on occasion and both had Carnation’s Instant breakfast in chocolate of course, but in mine I emulsified a half of banana… simplicity at its best and healthy too since it was made with fat free milk and was the sugar free variety!
Lunch was left over chicken which also was a do it yourself sort of meal, Hubby had made an open faced sandwich with the homemade gravy I had made when the raw chicken became a whole baked one a couple of days ago.

Have you ever read how much sodium is in cream of mushroom soup?
Well, we had bought mushrooms in the produced department and with the sodium free bouillon, a bit of extra virgin olive oil, and a smidge of I Can’t Believe It’s Not Margarine light, a pinch of fat free sour cream, garlic and onions thickened with a wee bit of flour it all came together with a dash of sea salt and pepper too! Healthy gravy, lower in fat and sodium, Ta Da!
Yesterday, I added yolk free noodles with additional bouillon to half of the left over gravy with carrots, mushrooms and more onions and garlic chopped chicken pieces with more water to make homemade chicken noodle soup!
Any-who, my chicken chopped up I used in soft taco roll ups with additional veggies and hot sauce and fat free sour cream, hmm so good…

Dinner was made together by us; with grilled salmon with green goddess homemade dressing: recipe: fat free sour cream, light mayo, apple cider vinegar, tarragon, chives and scallions, also rosemary potatoes: recipe: tossed in rosemary, olive oil and garlic powder and salad romaine and tomatoes and mushrooms with more homemade dressing: balsamic and extra virgin olive oil with sugar substitute, garlic powder and basil.

All healthy and quite delish!

I know this might not be what you were all that interested in but as we all know no matter what happens in life to us or ones we care about…life will always go on…
So when we harp on things that we cannot change than we are not helping the situation…volunteering and donating is how to help…but when neither is possible…
Help others by informing is my hope to do some good…

Although the Red Cross has said ten dollars can help and I am more than sure that if you want to ask them what else that they need they will tell you!

On that idea as a possibility allow me to be the first to wish you all a very happy good night and to ask you all to count those blessings and to kindly share all your overages and we will too!

And next time please be here or be square, ya hear?

Pure wetness without ulterior motives is rather nice...

Gosh that could sound slightly seductive or a wee bit sexy, but no it is a weather commentary…ha!

We are having a bit of rain here with no motives of destruction with its presence.
Refreshing as it should be; without any wrath.
Sorry, that it is not what I understand is still going on in the northeastern realm of our country.

Too much wet stuff is still causing negative and unnecessary roughness and way too much water in the form of flooding!

Sadly, the death toll has risen much to all our dismays. The most recent count was up to thirty who died before their time in their prime. They’re still five million without power and ten thousand flights had been cancelled and most airports have not gotten back up to speed with rescheduling as of this writing.

The only good that I have heard come from our northern brethren is that the heat wave has seemed to abate somewhat and without power at least now many can open their windows with temps in the sixties and seventies?

My younger cousin wrote on my Facebook page that although she is living in Brooklyn NY logistically it is impossible to get into Manhattan NYC to go to work with the subways not online yet and that her boss was not at all sympathetic and did open today even so. And so albeit not a matter of life and death but to be sure an economic concern that is more than likely shared by millions who did not suffer the extremes of the storm’s devastation…but need to make a living too!

Bits and pieces are coming in slowly of personal experiences.
Many know a person in the areas impacted by all that has/is still happening.
Small anecdotal snippets I am sure will be fascinating as time goes on over the next several days or weeks to us to relay to get a more up close and personal idea of what is going on…

Trivia for any of you, who might live under a rock, today was the sixth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina!
It appears while looking back that the most destructive hurricanes in our recent history of late anyway did occur in August Andrew, Charley, and Katrina all devastating August hurricanes. And now by size alone, Irene, may very well go down into the history books too.

Daily we tell ourselves to be prepared in life for whatever we get thrown in life, but in truth we all procrastinate a little, don’t we?

Truth be told millions of us were scouts as children and we all memorized that motto to be prepared, but as adults many of us have forgotten and now we know that we should have remembered and swear that next time we will!
It does appear that many who did listen to the authorities in the long run are happy that they did. Being safe instead of sorry in these many cases have proven to be logical and cautious, although the ones with no evidence of their own problems will never realize how important that others heeding the advice was for them!

On that note of it could have been so much worse if people did not listen allow me to be the first to wish you all a very happy good night and to ask you to kindly count those blessings and pray for all those in the flood raging areas still dealing with the aftermath and share those overages of blessings because they really need you to… and we will too!

And next time please be here or be square, ya hear?