Earth Day!

"Earth Day: The History of A Movement

Each year, Earth Day -- April 22 -- marks the anniversary of what many consider the birth of the modern environmental movement in 1970.
The height of hippie and flower-child culture in the United States, 1970 brought the death of Jimi Hendrix, the last Beatles album, and Simon & Garfunkel’s “Bridge Over Troubled Water”. Protest was the order of the day, but saving the planet was not the cause. War raged in Vietnam, and students nationwide increasingly opposed it.
At the time, Americans were slurping leaded gas through massive V8 sedans. Industry belched out smoke and sludge with little fear of legal consequences or bad press. Air pollution was commonly accepted as the smell of prosperity. “Environment” was a word that appeared more often in spelling bees than on the evening news.  Although mainstream America remained oblivious to environmental concerns, the stage had been set for change by the publication of Rachel Carson's New York Times bestseller Silent Spring in 1962.  The book represented a watershed moment for the modern environmental movement, selling more than 500,000 copies in 24 countries and, up until that moment, more than any other person; Ms. Carson raised public awareness and concern for living organisms, the environment and public health.
Earth Day 1970 capitalized on the emerging consciousness, channeling the energy of the anti-war protest movement and putting environmental concerns front and center. "

Thanks to and to read more go to: http://www.earthday.org/earth-day-history-movement

For fun freebies check below at the site provided:
http://dealspl.us/product/celebrate-earth-day-with-some-great-freebies-and-deals

Many days a week is earth day, here at home with our conservation of things from recycling to using a rain barrel to composting, not driving unnecessarily and I would like to believe that most of you do too; that is realize that cutting emissions from your vehicles, not tossing things aside, but finding either reuses for them or sharing them with others etc.

It is so wonderful to have a day set aside for a reminder, but by now we all know the benefits of being cognoscente of how we should treat our home, the only one we have, earth.
A slow battle to change our ways has been initiated and for some reason our progress to date is not showing to be that significant… but we cannot stop!

Still people are weighing the reasoning for trying to change things, sadly; saying things as we won’t be here when it all changes for the worse.
But is it not true that why would we want to leave such a selfish legacy to our children’s children and all the future generations that should be able to drink water, breath air, and not fear for their lives?

We are the caretakers for them all.

Just a thought; you see being cavalier about our human race’s future seems callus to me.

On that note of much quote, allow me to be the very first to wish all of you a very happy good night and ask you all to kindly count all your blessings and share all your overages with you know who and we will too!

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

 

Denial is good for the soul?

Or is that the brain, psyche, emotional well being, ability to cope, a defense mechanism to deal with what life may throw at you at any announced or non-announced given time in you personal history in this life?

Sure there are several circumstances when denying something has a deep integral affect on you as thinking, loving, feeling, caring, and human being becomes necessary. And to most who have this ingrained, hereditary or self taught by example or trained to deal with everything, self controlled type people.

Everything from death to horrific injury to horrible illnesses to love lost, to heaven knows what there could be next when life has a way of changing up and down things in our very existences, hmm?

You know I have tried, time and time again to join those special people that I can be very envious of having that ability to put their personal woes on the back burner and get on with life no matter what!
It's not that easy for me, sadly.
I love all those martyrs and as I just said I am so very jealous of how they all manage to be so very, very good all of the time no matter what!

 Sure I can go for an hour or two, maybe, but days, weeks, months, forever?

 Nope, I hurt and I walk funny, so I do try to not fall with the aid of equipment meant for that purpose...and that is my give away that I am not up to par with some, but not as bad as many.

It's just that when people cannot see what you are dealing with, and say unhelpful things like Gee you look fine or are you sure you can't do this or that? I want to slap them silly, but it would hurt my hands too much and so I say things that I recall; like what I used to say to my Mom, that I wished she felt as good as she looked, but she never did. In my head, to think to myself that is what they really meant and wished for me too.

Everyone has their own threshold of coping mechanisms with pain and emotional control abilities, but gosh I wish I had more in my repertoire to base ‘denial’ living by.

Maybe it has to do with my honesty issues. I believe, to a fault to always tell the truth and anything else is wrong, even that thingy people say for some that it is better for ‘them’ not to know, ya know? To me a lie is a lie and it is difficult to forgive that from anyone, but especially family or friends; is that so wrong?

But it is a code that I do think is best to follow, simple and concise that honesty is the best policy, and so that is why I have not been able to successfully be able to be in denial about my Multiple Sclerosis.
And believe me when I said that I have tried.

I have attempted walking without any aids at all, and all that got me was bumps and bruises bouncing into the walls that I tried using to help me instead. My legs go numb and painful, and hands, hips and you name the body part and it goes into spasms too. I have reduced my intake of meds for such things to nearly null in spite of all this too!

Denial a simple smallish word meaning: refutation, rejection, rebuff, contradiction, disagreement, defiance, denunciation, dissent, disclaimer, refusal, repudiation, rebuttal, veto, turning down, renunciation, disavowal, disowning, abjuration, and forswearing.

Yep, I have visited this area of my discontent many times before.
As usual, I was set off with people not complaining about their lot in life and doing things that I can only imagine, wish to do... when by all that is real and logical should be impossible for them to do too...!

And so yes again that is what has triggered this, Polyannas that make the rest of us contending too with life's bad jokes, and them coming up smelling like capable flourishing roses when by all rights it should be impossible for them to do what they are doing! G-d bless them all…

That is why I now realize that for me to continue and to fail constantly any attempt to do it with any style and grace, i.e. denial; I am now stating here tonight that I will not do it, since I cannot lie to anyone else and especially to myself! So there with a great big tongue sticking out of my rather ample mouth, okay, not so ample but enough room to be able to still do that! And ha to all of that!

On that note of sharing way too much, as usual, allow me to be the very first to wish all of you a very happy good night and ask you all to kindly count all your blessings and we will too!

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

*Author’s note to all and self: I am thrilled that I can see again! Don’t get me wrong, life could be worse, we all know that! I am just reiterating that no one should have to pretend they are well when they need assistance; no shame should go with any illness or any disability or need for help; I’m just saying...

One can never give up is the lament of the world of positivity, and mine too!

Holidays that are co-existing...

Passover: "One of the Jewish religion’s most sacred and widely observed holidays, Passover (Hebrew: Pesach) commemorates the story of the Israelites’ departure from ancient Egypt, which appears in the Hebrew Bible’s books of Exodus, Numbers and Deuteronomy, among other texts. Jews observe the weeklong festival with a number of important rituals, including traditional Passover meals known as seders, the removal of leavened products from their home, the substitution of matzo for bread and the retelling of the exodus tale."

Thanks to: http://www.history.com/topics/holidays/passover

"Easter, which celebrates Jesus Christ’s resurrection from the dead, is Christianity’s most important holiday. It has been called a moveable feast because it doesn’t fall on a set date every year, as most holidays do. Instead, Christian churches in the West celebrate Easter on the first Sunday following the full moon after the vernal equinox on March 21. Therefore, Easter is observed anywhere between March 22 and April 25 every year. Orthodox Christians use the Julian calendar to calculate when Easter will occur and typically celebrate the holiday a week or two after the Western churches, which follow the Gregorian calendar."


Now for the connection of the two:
"The exact origins of this religious feast day’s name are unknown. Some sources claim the word Easter is derived from Eostre, a Teutonic goddess of spring and fertility. Other accounts trace Easter to the Latin term hebdomada alba, or white week, an ancient reference to Easter week and the white clothing donned by people who were baptized during that time. Through a translation error, the term later appeared as esostarum in Old High German, which eventually became Easter in English. In Spanish, Easter is known as Pascua; in French, Paques. These words are derived from the Greek and Latin Pascha or Pasch, for Passover. Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection occurred after he went to Jerusalem to celebrate Passover (or Pesach in Hebrew), the Jewish festival commemorating the ancient Israelites’ exodus from slavery in Egypt. Pascha eventually came to mean Easter."

Thanks again to: http://www.history.com/topics/holidays/history-of-easter

So now we know why we should all get along!

Love and peace are important each and everyday of the year and we should realize that we as human beings are more alike than different, even if we were VIVA LA Difference!

On that note of unity for all peoples to love and accept one another, allow me to be the very first to wish all of you a very happy good night and ask you all to kindly count all your blessings and share all your overages with you know who, and we will too!

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

Men, men, men...

Narcissistic Crazy Cardinal continues his... what is it that he is doing?

Many men are proud of their looks and somehow know what colors look good on them and others are NOT into preening. Hubby is the latter, but since he heard that red is a color that women like on men I have noticed he does wear his, ' red shirt'  more often with or without me along...hmm?

But if the truth be told, and it has been said by the fashion industry that red, or be it, Cardinal red, does look well on both men and women of any season, meaning: winter, spring, summer or fall, in other words their coloring.

Than could it be assumed, shame on me for assuming anything that this loony bird is just admiring what comes naturally or is it an ongoing war with another Card that he thinks he sees, of exceptionally good looks that miffs his better judgment?
Gosh, if he could only talk; wouldn't that be great?

He has been at it for a couple of months now, before the official spring was here and we all know that spring is the season for mating, and so perhaps it as simple as that... the reflection in the garden mirror is a suitor for his own love's heart, and he is semi-politely telling him off?

At first we did have a fear of him harming himself but since this is a constant daily thing, and rather amusing and he has not shown any wear or tear, literally or otherwise we have decided to leave the mirror where it is.

After all it has been there for nearly ten years and this is the first time that Hubby and I can recall anything of this 'nature' occurring so why not let things ride or in his case fly!
No, I do not feel mean at all.
For he is not hurting himself and if any of you have had domestic birds as pets/family members you too must know that they do love mirrors in their cages; it is entertaining for you and them alike.

On that note of our interesting little guy causing us to enjoy looking out of our windows more often, allow me to be the very first to wish all of you a very happy good night and ask you to kindly count all your blessings and we will too!

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

Poke, poke, poke...

Sure innuendo is common with "the poke", and people may use it for other than what it is intended, but nothing is that clear cut...at least not on Facebook. Some believe that there is a sexual connotation involved with its use, but since it is just a simple word with admittedly much hyperbole I still cannot understand how some make it more than what it actually is... "to poke". Before Facebook it meant to: 

poke ¹  (pōk)

v. poked, pok·ing, pokes
v.tr.
1. To push or jab at, as with a finger or an arm; prod.
2. To make (a hole or pathway, for example) by or as if by prodding, elbowing, or jabbing: I poked my way to the front of the crowd.
3. To push; thrust: A seal poked its head out of the water.
4. To stir (a fire) by prodding the wood or coal with a poker or stick.
5. Slang To strike; punch.
Thanks to: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/poke

After Facebook:

 https://www.facebook.com/help/219967728031249/

The official definition from Facebook themselves is:

"What is a poke? How do I poke someone?

People poke their friends or friends of friends on Facebook for a lot of reasons (ex: just saying hello, getting their attention). When you poke someone, they'll receive a notification.

To poke someone:

1. Go to your friend's Timeline
2. Click on their cover photo
3. Select Poke"

Many seem to make it up as they go, all the rules for Facebook, and I have been on FB  for  several years now and I suppose there is much to learn. But I refuse to imagine things that are so ridiculous.
It would seem odd to me, being a heterosexual longtime happily married woman that so many women seem to poke me that it would be for anything other than to get me to look at their timeline postings, not for sex, at least that would be a dead end for them in my case. My profile states my personal info, and married is there too.

Although, there have also been a couple of men who have poked me as well, but I never once took their pokes for anything more than to get my attention to see something that they may have posted on their timeline.

Lately, I seem to have been noticed by two women that have too much time on their hands that they poke me all day long and I must admit it is a bit annoying.

I finally asked the one gal if she was retired too, who was relentless, why and she declined a direct answer or any definitive answer at all on that particular question.
The other one I haven't asked yet, since hers is not so constant.

But somehow I feel there is more to it with these women who are young and gainfully employed me would think?  Why would they waste so much time annoying an older woman with such silliness; for the fun of it?

Well, if that's it than I suppose I am acting like an old curmudgeon, who somehow I wanted to grow into since I sadly have the characteristics down fairly pat in so many areas.

 On that confused note of all that we FB friends hold near and dear, allow me to be the very first to wish all of you a very happy good night and let me ask all of you to kindly count all your blessings and we will too!

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

Our electric bill went way down...

Now some might say that's great, and don't get me wrong, because it really is.
The problem is that we have no idea how that happened?
Since we have not signed up for any discount programs or brown out options and usage use type things that Florida Power and Light might have on their menu.

The only time those discounted programs work is when you have a family of more than two at home and work and have a lifestyle that doesn't require you to be in on the weekends when they used to suggest to do laundry and nights or early in the wee hour mornings, or you don't have a medical issue that without air-conditioning or heat affects your well being for a few hours, ya know?
Or have a financial need.

And these days we don't meet any of those criteria and for that last one we never did.

Sure when we were all out of the house for hours at a time, or had tons of laundry that needed to be done for us and our little darlings as often as can be!

We are pretty much home bodies these days, and you all know that, and why.

So we run our utilities for our needs whenever they need to be run for this or that, so that is why this much lower bill is baffling and we would both love to know how we did do it to recreate it every month!

If anything we have been eating at home more, and our whole home is electric including our oven and stove, water heater, washer and dryer and air-conditioning and heater...
Nothing has changed.
I do laundry when we need it, and that is when our hamper is full.
It is not that big, and we usually have two loads, one white and one darks, and then of course sheets weekly.

That is why I am mystified.

Ah, sweet mysteries of life...

Now with this tiny house we have had bills higher than two hundred a few times, and this place is only 1100 square feet, but mostly they have been about fifty or seventy-five dollars a month less than that, but the bill that just came was ONLY a little over ninety-seven bucks!

In our larger homes we had three to four hundred a month bills in those all electric homes, which most expect but that was nearly twenty years ago also... when things were cheaper and we did subscribe to a timer on the water heater and some brownouts trying to manage those higher bills.

Wouldn’t it be great to repeat that lower bill monthly?

One month our water and sewer was around seventy-two bucks, normally around eighty-two, but a couple of times over one hundred!

Mostly due to having to refill the pool or pond due to evaporation, but then it has to be really low to go that high got that?

Taxes go up , rarely down, but ours actually have due to the housing market, but just a little, which helps with insurances that we must always have like homeowners/hurricane and of course we have flood and even sinkhole! Not to mention boat and car of course!

It all adds up, so when something has the good sense to go down in cost, I want to know how to clone it and to continue it that sounds fair, hmm, wouldn’t you?

On that mystifying note, allow me to be the very first to wish you all a very happy good night and ask you all kindly to count your blessings and we will too!

And next time be here or be square, ya hear!

Time marches on and so must we...

The surest way to feel down is to go to your old high school site that posts your deceased alumnus.

No, I am not that maudlin it is just that one of my old friends online mentioned this person who just passed and I thought he might be listed there, the most recent.

Sadly, in Paramus where I did attend school from kindergarten through my sophomore year of high school and then we moved to Emerson where I graduated from two years later, so most of the people that I reunited with online in Facebook are from there. We actually lived there from when I was a year and half old till I turned sixteen that last summer before my junior year at Emerson Junior Senior High School.

Funny how I remember so distinctly that first impression I wanted to make in my new school.
My ole friend with the Mom that had glaucoma and heart condition we're still friends even then, we had met in junior high at the age of thirteen. And we used to do each others hair color and sometimes cut, but more hair color in those days.
And it was just a day or so before the new school year had started in my brand new to me school so everything was a very big deal making that first impression.
So I colored my naturally enhanced with what was called silver drops that were put into the Clairol ash blond to keep it from turning a brassy blond. But after it had been applied and wash and dried apparently I had put too many in, trying so very hard not to want to have that brassy fake blond look, hypocrisy all the way, hmm?  At its finest I might add.

No one there would ever know that I wasn't a 'natural' blond, ever; that is until I confessed years later...

Any-who, all those silver drops made my hair, look BLUE!
Now if it was today I suspect it would be considered a fashion statement but in those days the only ones with blue hair were very cute old ladies!

So in my mind and my dear ole pal's it was a disaster!
I had paid for the dye with my own money from work, at Dad's Eclipse on Saturdays and between buying my great first day dress and all my funds were low...
And so I asked Mom for a loan to send dear ole to walk down to the drugstore for another dose of Clairol ash blonde to try to repair the damage, and Mom hesitated, but came through!

Dear ole went and came back and even though it said that you should wait at least a month, we both threw caution to the proverbial wind and chemically exposed me to a science project repair job!

And thank heavens it worked!
It was the best color ever.
I was told near graduation after making friends with other gals, that they thought it was so pretty.
A beige blond, and no one knew but me and dear ole knew the difference.
I wore my blue dress with my sophisticated hair-do, and many thought I was new teacher I was also told years later... funny, don't think that was the look I was going for... oh well, such is life, hmm?

Over those two years I was there, at Emerson Junior Senior High, I made friends who were partially responsibly for me getting to know Hubby better, but that story is for another time and day.

It was fun being nominated, just nominated for campus queen, and dear ole was too at our old high school, odd how that worked out that neither of us got it. We told ourselves that the BIG breasted gals who won that was the real reason, and now that sounds sexist to me and mean spirited.
Although, gosh, these days I would surpass that criteria, and so much more of me too!
But, ha, that's NOT good!

On that silly note of whatever floats your boat, allow me to be the very first to wish all of you a very happy good night and ask you to kindly count all your blessings and we will too!

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