The Voice of An Angel

Just a quick entry to let you all know I got Barb's (http://journals.aol.com/mastersblynn/ConfessionsOfAnAngelWaitress/) C.D.  I played it today in the break room while I was eating my lunch.  It has some great songs on it and if you haven't got one.....contact Barb at; mastersBLynn @aol.com ,   I'm sure she can help you out.

Last week all of us (160 spaces) in the mobile home park, where I live,  were notified that on Tuesday May 30th the power company would be installing new underground cables and the power would be out from 8am until 8:30pm.  Ok, I think...I work from 7am to 3:30pm so I can get up and get out of here before they shut the power off.  And when I get home at 4pm, it's still light, I can feed the cat, I can't vacuum but I can sweep the kitchen floor. Oh..I better plan on going out and getting something to eat.  I had the whole evening planned out.  So I came home, changed clothes, fed the cat, swept the kitchen floor and took off for the local Mexican place (no..not Taco Bell).  While on the way to the restaurant, I got a call from a friend and when I mentioned my "no power dilemma" she said "well when you're thru eating...stop by."  So I did.  I stayed there until about 8pm then left, stopped at the store got a gallon of milk and headed home.  It was about 8:45pm when I turned into the main entrance of the park and I knew I was in trouble.  There was this huge trench along the front of the clubhouse and about 30 people standing around with the power guys gazing into the trench.  I drove on by, heading for my place and then it dawned on me that none of the coach lights at each mailbox were on. Ok...so they'll probably get the power on any minute.  My first order of business when I got in the house was to round up the flashlights and check to see if my battery clock was set to the right time.  I brushed my teeth and quickly washed my face not wanting to use too much warm water in case the power is still off in the morning  so I can take a shower before work.  Anyway, I usually read before going to sleep, it's a long time habit.  It's really difficult to lay in bed reading with a flash light balanced on your chest.  Finally I gave up and turned out the light (flash light that is) and went to sleep.  During the night I woke and found the power had been restored, so I reset my clock radio (I must remember to put a new battery in it) and went back to sleep until 4:45am when I normally awake on work days.   I have two lights (one outside light and one in the living room) on timers...you know, so they go on and off at certain times.  This morning I reset the timers and off to work I went.  When I came home this afternoon it was soon obvious that the power had been off again.  The outside light was on and it's not supposed to come on until 8pm.  Sure enough I checked with my neighbor and he confirmed my suspicions, the power was off four hours again today.  So I reset my clock radio, the timers and hopefully that's the end of it.   One thing I know, I would never have made a good pioneer, my gosh they didn't even have flashlights.       

Thanks again Barb, for letting us know about your CD, I love it.   Until next time...Linda

PHOTO SCAVENGER HUNT # 77

The entries for Photo Scavenger Hunt #77 will be due on Sunday, June 4, 2006 at 11:00 PM EST from Val at; http://journals.aol.com/valphish/ThereisaSeason/entries/1728

Category:  Nature Scene

Place the link to your entry in the comments section below.  Thanks for playing!  Have fun! xox

I know tulip season is over but I love them so....I took this picture the end of April 2006 at a bulb farm in Puyallup, WA.  They are just a memory now until next Spring, so I'm glad I have some pictures.    Linda

MONDAY MORNING QUESTION

Monday Morning Question from;

http://journals.aol.com/valphish/ThereisaSeason/entries/1729

What is the strangest thing in your refrigerator?

I just checked it out and there's really nothing in there that's out of place.  I have the usual food items in there.  Now, I do keep the bread in the fridge....is that strange?  I do it because, especially in the summer when it's warm, bread tends to get moldy and I get real upset when I want a piece of toast and the bread is covered in mold.  I find if I keep it in the refrigerator, it may get slightly stale but at least it's not moldy.   I have no fishing bait in there like my journal buddy, Jan, over in the U.K. that's for sure !   

Today, being Memorial Day...I wanted to do something special on that theme.  But, then in thinking about it....I decided everyday should be Memorial Day.   We should never forget those who have given the supreme sacrifice for our freedoms.  I dare say there are some countries, even in this day and age, where people can not get on line and express themselves in a public forum like our Internet journals.  Even the freedom to disagree with or bash our public officials is an act that brings imprisonment or death in some countries.  We take so much for granted at times.  Let us never forget that "Freedom Is Never Free."       I do want to mention and honor the 137 military service members from the state of Washington or from bases in the state who have given their lives in the global war on terrorism.   I think especially of their families and friends who's lives will never be the same because of their loss.         Linda    

 

 

Memorial Day Weekend Saturday

It's rained on and off all day, but it's not really cold. Just drizzle.... I dragged friend Bob out to a movie this afternoon.  We went to the Grand Cinema (small privately owned theater here in town) and saw "Kinky Boots" based on a true story of a faltering English shoe factory that found a way to become successful once again rather than closing up.  It was good...touching and also funny at times.  On the way back we stopped and did some shopping at the Goodwill Outlet.  I had stopped there the other day and they were getting tons of used books.  They sell hardcover books for 50 cents and soft cover and kids books for 25 cents each.  I found some that were brand new, still in their cellaphane wrapper.  They also sell all clothes, etc for $1.39 a pound.  I found several new towels, amd some of those wonderful flour sack dish towels, all decorated with embroidered  little designs. I'll just wash them with bleach and they'll be fit to use.  

I am so excited...waiting for me on my front porch yesterday was a package from Qwest (the local phone company). The box contained my high speed modem and directions for getting it going.  It's a partnership between Qwest and AOL and costs the same as my monthy AOL.  I can now log on in about 4 seconds and emails and journal entries with pictures open immediately.  Before I could do my nails waiting for some entries to open.  All this and my phone is not tied up because...well I don't understand all the techinal stuff but I can now be online and use the phone at the same time. 

I'm so proud of my journal friend Jan in the U.K.  Her journal was featured on the U.K. AOL opening page.  If you don't already read her journal be sure and check it out.   http://journals.aol.co.uk/jeadie05/Serendipity/    She's a delightful lady!        Way to go Jan !

Well, I'm full of popcorn but need to make a salad or cook some broccoli so I have something healthy in my belly this evening. So until next time......Linda

Monday Morning

 

 Just a brief entry before I head out to work.  The 80 degree weather is gone for awhile, followed by 60 degrees and rain.  Last night there was quite a thunder storm, with a house just a few miles south of here being struck by lightning.  They had a small fire but the local fire department soon had it out.  They say we're 1 inch behind in our normal rainfall for May...so there's just 3 more days to make that up. 

 

Happy Monday to you all....Until next time, Linda

Saturday

Friday was actually overcast and finally cooler than it had been earlier in the week.  When I got off work at 3:30pm it was actually beginning to rain and continued thru the evening.  When I got home, I moved all the hanging baskets out from under the porch roof so they would get a good soaking.  Well, the rain didn't last long, in fact this morning everything was dried out again.   Today it was cooler than earlier in the week but sunny.  I WANT RAIN !!  Sunday afternoon, I'll be watering everything.

I went to lunch today (Red Lobster-yum) with a group of former co-workers. We all worked at a little hospital here in town that doesn't exist anymore.  We get together every few months.  One of group, Denise,  is moving away, back to Pennsylvania so it was the last time she'll be able to join us unless we can catch up with her when she comes out to visit.  We always have such a good time...it's nice to "catch-up."

After I left the Red Lobster, I delivered an Avon, mailed some bills and stopped at Safeway and bought few groceries.  I also filled up the gas tank ...it was only down to not quite half full but I figure if I wait until it's almost empty, it costs too much. I guess I'd rather take care of it in small increments.  Anyway, I found some for $3.10 a gallon at a Shell station near my house.

This evening, I had an evening out with Connie, one of the nurses that works in the office where I work now.  One of our mutual friends works part time at the Boys & Girls Clubs Bingo.  We have talked about going to bingo when our friend Jan was working to surprise her, so tonight we did it.  Connie is going to retire the end of July and move to Ohio, so we figured time was slipping away.  Well, this was my first time to go play Bingo and it was fun.  I was very tired & thanks to Connie I managed to keep up with the numbers.  I only put out $10.00 for cards so didn't have too many to watch but it kept me on my toes.   I'm happy to say this first time Bingo player won $62.50.  Had I got the $20 packet of cards, it would have been $125.  But that's ok.  There was one win of $500 but I wasn't the one to win the big bucks.   Anyway, our friend Jan was very surprised when we came strolling in...what was really funny was, Jan was one of the gals I had lunch with earlier today and I gave her no indication that I'd be seeing her later in the evening.

The late night newscaster is reporting that Mt St Helens blew off a big steam cloudtoday.  Since it was clear and sunny the plume was seen clear down in Portland, Oregon.  This next week is the 26th anniversary of the big eruption.  I certainly remember that Sunday afternoon, all those many years ago.  Even tho most of the ash went over the Cascades to eastern Washington (and of course in the area around the mountain) we did get ash, here in the Puget Sound area, even tho we are north of the site.

I wanted to tell you that I finished reading the newest book by Oregon author, Jane Kirkpatrick.  It's titled "A Clearing in the Wild" and was just released in April.  It is so good...I highly recommend it to all of you out there.  It's based on a true story of a 1850's religious community living in Bethel, Missouri that decided to relocate in the west.  The one thing I love about Jane's books is that most of them tell the story of those who came to the Oregon, Idaho, Washington area's from the east side of the Rocky Mountains.   In this latest book the first group (the scouts) that come out to research the area come to Fort Steilacoom (Still-ah-come). The present town of Steilacoom is approximately 6 1/2 miles from my front door.   These dear folks then traveled on to the Willapa Harbor area, which is south east of here off the Pacific ocean.  Jane does a wonderful job of describing the living conditions and hardships these people had to put up with.  I still can't even imagine how awful it was.  I know how cold and wet it can get in this part of the country, especially in the winter. And of course they had none of the things we do to make their lives easy.   Anyway, if you are interested, you can order this book directly from Jane.  You don't even have to make a trip to the book store.   Her web site is; http://www.jkbooks.com/

Finally (and then I'm going down the hall with my book and my kitty) I'm happy to announce that AOL is finally offering High Speed in my area.  I got a card in the mail today and immediately called them up.  I should be getting the thing-a ma-jig in the mail in about a week.  It's a partnership between AOL and Qwest, my phone company and costs the same as what I'm paying now.  I'm sure it will make everything much faster for me and am anxious to get it working.  Anyway, it's very late (the gals over there in the U.K. are probably up eating their Sunday breakfast) so I'm off to bed.  Until next time...........Linda

They Are Blooming Again

I posted this picture in my journal a year ago, but then only about 2 people read it, so I decided to drag this one out again.  This is a row of rhododendrons that grow at the entry to the mobile home park where I live.  That's my car, a Toyota Rav 4, parked next to them so you can see how big they are.  And of course they are even bigger this year because like any plant they keep growing.  They are so beautiful....I wish their blooms lasted longer than just a few weeks.  The two I have in my yard are also blooming right now as well as my white azalea.  The state flower for Washington is the wild rhododendron, and they grow like weeds in wooded areas.  The one pictured above is not a wild one...I guess you could say it's been domesticated.  

It was hot again today, up in the 80's.  I don't do well in hot weather, so I'm already complaining and it's not even June.  I know one thing...the flannel sheets are coming off this weekend !! I about died last night, I did get the bedroom fan out and got it going otherwise I would have been totally miserable.

Well, I need to get the dishes done and go out and water and then it's down the hall with my book and my kitty.   Until next time,   Linda