Please stop by http://journals.aol.com/fasttrack58/FootprintsintheSand/ and give your support to Linda and her family. Their family pet cat, Kirby, is doing poorly. He's part of this family and they are worried sick about his condition. I know they'll all appreciate your kinds words.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Photo of the month~January
Photo of the month - January
Just what we all need, another photo challenge but this one from Martha at http://journals.aol.com/lifes2odd/perception/entries/2008/01/31/photo-of-the-month---january/628 is a little different.
Here's the idea. On the last day of the month, we can post our favorite photo that we've taken each month. There's no theme, no rules. Just post your favorite photo and leave a link to it here. I'll post the links to all who participate here the first Sunday following the end of the month. There's no time limits to when you post, but if you want your link on the entry for other participants to see (and hopefully visit) please post before 6am on that Sunday following the end of the month. That's it!
Again this new Photo Entry Challenge is from; http://journals.aol.com/lifes2odd/perception/entries/2008/01/31/photo-of-the-month---january/628
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Mine has to be one I took during our snow days here in western Washington. Linda
I hate this to be my only subject, but.....
........Interstate 90 remains closed since yesterday afternoon when another avalanche buried two cars. The people in those cars were rescued and are ok, but the back up on both sides of the mountain pass continues to grow. They said on today's noon TV news that it will be at least another 24 hours until the pass re-opens.
For those of you that are not familiar with this highway, Interstate 90 is the main highway across the upper portion of the U.S. from the west coast to the east coast. There was one trucker they interviewed that had a load of stuff bound for New Jersey. So you can see it's a very important highway here in the U.S.
Several other passes over the Cascades are closed indefinitely, too. What's happened is that the temperatures have risen slightly, and the snow coming down is very heavy and wet. Making for slipping and sliding snow. I feel sorry for the ski resorts...no one can get to them either. They are loosing thousands of dollars with these closures.
Here in my neck of the woods, it's about 40* with wind and rain. Dark clouds tell me it's going to continue for awhile.
I was checking on Royal Caribbean's web site, using the cruise reservation number and found they upgraded our cabin from the lower level, outside cabin I requested, to a larger outside cabin on deck 9 (not a balcony cabin however). I'm just wondering if the movement of the ship will be more pronounced up there and will it make me seasick? I know there are some super cruisers out there, so what do you think? I think I'll be buying some Dramamine and I guess it works better if you start using it several days before you board....is that right?
Well, I'm off here to start going thru "summer clothes" and see what fits and what doesn't. Until next time.........Linda
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Two Cars Buried
They opened Interstate 90 at 11am Wednesday morning and about 3pm another avalanche came down and temporarily buried two cars. According to the news reports the people in those cars were rescued. The pass has now been closed again and they say it will not open until at least Thursday morning. Oh what a night mare for those who have to travel that route and also for the State Patrol people up in that area and the Department of Transportation workers.
Latest from KOMO TV in Seattle; http://www.komotv.com/news/14904061.html
Tonight the temperatures are up a little, about 37 degrees with heavy rain and lots of wind. Oh I hope I can remember these days when we are sweltering in the heat of summer.
Finally Open
Interstate 90 is opening for at least a short time. The snow is coming down so fast, they are expecting there's just a short window of opportunity to move the traffic thru. The pass has been closed for 28 hours...causing a huge financial impact on commerce in this state and the states beyond.
If you check out web cam #6 you can see the trucks & cars moving thru a thick blanket of falling snow.
Update on Interstate 90
If you look at the web cams associated with the following link. And click thru the cams.....#6 shows the line of some of the semi-trucks backed up, waiting for the road to open. It seems strange to see no traffic moving along the highway.
A Big Mess On Interstate 90
Snoqualmie Pass (Interstate 90) over the Cascades has been closed since Tuesday morning due to dangerous avalanche conditions. There are hundreds of trucks lined up on both sides of the pass waiting for the 70 mile stretch of highway to re-open. There was a large avalanche of snow that came down onto the highway Tuesday morning, narrowly missing several vehicles. The wet snow continues to fall only contributing to the possibility of further avalanches. The Department Of Transportation has purposely triggered some avalanches to try and stabilize the condition but they still feel it's unsafe to re-open the pass. At least those semi truck drivers have sleeper cabs, a lot of them with all the comforts of home (in a compact space, however) so other than wanting to drive their routes, seem to be doing well.
Our snow is gone now. We did have some flurries Tuesday afternoon but melted shortly after it fell. The temperatures are still hovering around the freezing level, so snow could fall again anytime, if the conditions are right. Eastern Washington is apparently buried in snow. They city of Spokane has already used their "snow removal" budget for the year and there are still at least 6 weeks where heavy snowfall is possible. South of me, in south western Washington and including Portland, Oregon are also experiencing heavy snowfall problems.
Schools in some of those areas are closed and roads are closed or considered treacherous. In looking out my window this morning, even though it's still dark out there, I can see the road is very shinny. Of course there are no measures taken in here, such as sanding the roads, so I imagine it's like an ice skating rink out there. A lot of neighboring kids walk thru the park on their way to the school just outside the back gate...I hope they are careful where they step this morning. It's slippery out there.
Barbara and I went to see the movie "Mad Money" yesterday. It stars Diane Keaton and Queen Latifia. It was ok...nothing to "write home about." We wanted to see "27 Dresses" but it wasn't showing at a good time. We both had stuff to do around noon and the later showing was too late. With the weather like it is, Barbara wanted to be able to get home before it got dark. She always drives to my house and we go to the theater just up the street from me because we like it the best.
Well it's "Hump Day" for those of you going off to work each day. So have a good day and remember once it's over, you're on the downhill slide to the weekend.
Until next time.........Linda
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Another Wonder Dog
I wonder if I can teach Gabi to put on a performance like this? Enjoy this great You Tube Video ! Linda
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pgWD6F-paE4
Monday, January 28, 2008
20 Ways to Maintain A Healthy Level of Insanity
Thanks to my friend Debra for this one;
1. At Lunch Time, Sit In Your Parked Car With Sunglasses on and point
a Hair Dryer At Passing Cars. See If They Slow Down.
2. Page Yourself Over The Intercom. Don't Disguise Your Voice.
3. Every Time Someone Asks You To Do Something , ask If They Want
Fries with that.
4. Put Your Garbage Can On Your Desk And Label it "In".
5. Put Decaf In The Coffee Maker For 3 Weeks . Once Everyone has
Gotten Over Their Caffeine Addictions, Switch to Espresso.
6. In The Memo Field Of All Your Checks, Write " For Smuggling Drugs".
7. Finish All Your sentences with "In Accordance With The Prophecy ".
8. Don't use any punctuation.
9. As Often As Possible, Skip Rather Than Walk.
10. Order a Diet Water whenever you go out to eat, with a serious face.
11. Specify That Your Drive-through Order Is "To Go".
12. Sing Along At The Opera.
13. Go To A Poetry Recital. And Ask Why The Poems Don't Rhyme?
14. Put Mosquito Netting Around Your Work Area And Play tropical sounds All Day .
15. Five Days In Advance, Tell Your Friends You Can't Attend Their Party Because You're Not In The Mood.
16. Have Your Co-workers Address You By Your Wrestling Name, Rock Bottom.
17. When The Money Comes Out The ATM, Scream "I Won! I Won!"
18. When Leaving the Zoo, Start Running towards the Parking lot, Yelling "Run For Your Lives! They're Loose!"
19. Tell Your Children Over Dinner, "Due To The Economy (and gas prices) , We Are Going To Have To Let One Of You Go."
20. And The Final Way To Keep A Healthy Level Of Insanity ....SendThis MessageTo Someone To Make Them Smile
It's called therapy.
Snow Pictures Requested By KING TV in Seattle
I was watching the noon news on KING TV from Seattle and they were requesting snow pictures from viewers today. So I sent them one of mine and they just notified me that they are using it in their collage of pictures from around western Washington. You all have already seen mine but here's the link to KING TV and some other snow pictures (along with mine) if you're interested.
Monday Morning Question
What is your screename? How did you choose it? What does it mean to you?
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Well my screen name is; Lsfp1960 and it does have meaning to me. All those who went to high school with me figured it out right away and said "gee why didn't I think of that?"
My maiden name was Smith (and my married/divorced name starts with an "S" also) and I graduated from Franklin Pierce high school in 1960.
Thus~ Lsfp1960. Now you know~
JLand Photo Shoot #127
To play visit Krissy at; http://journals.aol.com/fisherkristina/SometimesIThink/entries/2008/01/28/jland-photo-shoot-127/1517
This week's JLand Photo Shoot will begin today (Monday) and is due on Saturday, Feb. 2, at 11 PM EST. That's Saturday night for those of you who are getting confused!
Our subject this week is:
Old
You may interpret this any way you like. Suggestions: trees, people, antiques, etc. This week we are going to have a rule. You can snap the photo this week, or you can pull out a photo that you have taken in the past. But please make sure it is a photo that you have taken yourself, so you can showcase your photography. That's the only rule. Thanks so much! :)
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Sitting here at my computer as I read Krissy's photo shoot subject for this week, my eyes immediately fell on the oldest thing in my house.
A doll that belonged to my grandmother (my dad's mom). Grandma Smith was born in 1894 and I have a picture of her holding this doll when she was about 6 or 7 years old. When I was little and went to her house, I used to play with Mary, had a doll buggy with her in it...outside, even remember it tipping over and the doll spilling out. Oh my gosh, it makes me sick to think about it now. Mary is a Floradora doll made in Germany. She has a china head, shoulders and hands with a kid skin body, stuffed with sawdust. She even has little white teeth.
Her beautiful eyes used to open & close but the mechanism broke so when she went to the doll hospital many years ago, they made it so they stay open all the time. She also had a human hair wig but that's been replaced with a more modern wig. She stands 20 inches tall.
A co-worker made her a dress about 6 years ago and little pant-a-loons and she has little black felt shoes. For many years, I kept her wrapped up in a baby blanket in a drawer. But now she's out where I can see her everyday and remember my dear grandmother who gave me this precious gift on my 21st birthday.
They Finally Got It Right!!!
Happy Monday! Woke up to snow today~they've been predicting it for days. And from what I hear this isn't the last of it. Oh, am I ever glad I didn't have to go to work today !!!! The first time in over 45 years, I could stay home on a snowy day. I love it but hate to drive in it. When I was working, I had to be at work at 7am, so was always out there in the dark plowing thru it. And there is no way I could get from my house to work without going up and down hills. Sometimes it was a real challenge. I hope you'll look at the pictures in the "larger" format to get the full effect.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
You asked for it, you got it ! Entry #2
AOL told me there were too many characters when I did this in one entry, so here's the last of what you wanted to see.
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#10-Carol wanted to see my house. This picture I actually took today. It's much prettier in the summer when the shrubs and flowers are blooming. It faces the south so the big cedar tree next to my driveway does a good job of shading it in the summer.
you can tell I live in the northwest, there's even moss on the asphalt driveway. LOL#11-Jeanie asked to see the are I live in & where my computer lives. I have my computer in one far corner of my living room (the coldest corner I might add) so I can see the T.V.
the double wedding ring quilt was made in 1939 for my dad by my great grandmother. It was stored carefully for many years & never used so is like brand new. I love it, hanging right there by me. Special family pictures all over the wall to my right.
as you can see, I have a clear view of the TV from my computer.
the double wedding ring quilt was made in 1939 for my dad by my great grandmother. It was stored carefully for many years & never used so is like brand new. I love it, hanging right there by me. Special family pictures all over the wall to my right.
as you can see, I have a clear view of the TV from my computer.#12-Mandy wants to see my kitchen (see # 9 in previous entry) and my bedroom.
My bedroom is quite small. And yes I do make my bed immediately, once my feet hit the floor. You can see Gabi's blanket across the end of my bed, where she sleeps at night.
My bedroom is quite small. And yes I do make my bed immediately, once my feet hit the floor. You can see Gabi's blanket across the end of my bed, where she sleeps at night. #14-Carrie wants to see in my refrigerator. By the way Carrie, I want to take this opportunity to publicly forgive you for being a Packers fan! LOL
See Carrie, just the usual stuff.
See Carrie, just the usual stuff.#15-Ally wants to see whatever I'm willing to share. Well Ally, you just about saw it all. Hugs to you !!!
#16-Sylvia wants to see what's here and there on my walls. So I'm going to first take you down the hallway to the two bedrooms and the main bathroom.
Mostly grand kid pictures on this side. The poster however is from my 60th birthday party. Everyone that came, left me a message. I love it & will probably never get rid of it. The little basket on the left is full of silk blue bonnets from a 1987 trip to Texas.
This shelf holds my collection of Boyd's Bear resin figurines. It's surrounded by more grand kid pictures.
This is my grand parents wedding certificate from 1909. Very precious to me. The little picture to it's right is my other grandma when she was about 2 or 3 years old.
The picture above the light switch is my mom's 1939 graduation picture from Nurses training at St Elizabeth Hospital in Yakima, Washington. The picture above it was taken at a high school reunion. This is a group of us that all went to the same grade school.
Back in the living room is a book shelf. On the top is my Shirley Temple doll (reproduction) and the doll my mom had when she was a little girl.
Mostly grand kid pictures on this side. The poster however is from my 60th birthday party. Everyone that came, left me a message. I love it & will probably never get rid of it. The little basket on the left is full of silk blue bonnets from a 1987 trip to Texas.
This shelf holds my collection of Boyd's Bear resin figurines. It's surrounded by more grand kid pictures.
This is my grand parents wedding certificate from 1909. Very precious to me. The little picture to it's right is my other grandma when she was about 2 or 3 years old.
The picture above the light switch is my mom's 1939 graduation picture from Nurses training at St Elizabeth Hospital in Yakima, Washington. The picture above it was taken at a high school reunion. This is a group of us that all went to the same grade school.
Back in the living room is a book shelf. On the top is my Shirley Temple doll (reproduction) and the doll my mom had when she was a little girl. So that's it folks...you've seen almost every corner of my house. If there anyone else out there brave enough to do this?
Cold and slightly sunny here today. Will summer ever get here....I wonder. Linda
You asked for it, you got it ! Entry #1
Remember folks, I live in a mobile home. Very little storage, and lots of small, weird spaces.
#1-I knew Robin would be first & she didn't disappointment me. LOL She wants to see my closet. My closet is horrible. It's long and narrow with 3 rods for clothes, one behind the other. If I want something in the back I almost have to take most of the clothes off the front rod to get to the middle one or back one. The shelf above the rods hold wrapping paper and several different sized tote bags.
you can see how narrow it is..just slightly wider than the width of a regular interior door.#2-Kathy wanted to see Gabi's bed and favorite toy. I bought her one of those pet beds when she first came here but she wouldn't use it, so I took it back. She does have her pink blanket on one end of the sofa & most times sleeps there or on her blanket at the end of my bed. She's too sophisticated to play with toys, so I bundled them up and gave them to a thrift shop.
the toys are gone~she wouldn't play with them.#3-Barbara wanted to see my favorite spot in my house; that would be behind my computer or my end of the sofa. However if I sit at my end of the sofa, Gabi sits on me.
I get the end of the sofa closest to the wood stove.
crawling up on my shoulder, purring all the way.Thinking to herself, I got mom right where I want her.
she does this everynight, if I'm sitting there watching T.V.#4-Barbara in Texas wanted to see my medicine cabinet or food pantry. There is no medicine cabinet in either bathroom. Just a big mirror on the wall above each vanity. But the vanities have storage so all the Band-Aids, etc are in the vanity drawers. I have very little storage for food items so actually have it in various places, including canned food under the bed in the second bedroom.
kitchen food storage, above stove top.
also use 1 bottom cupboard in the dining room.#5-Lori wanted to see what's hiding under my bed. Believe me there's a lot of stuff under there. For me it's another storage area. What you'll see in the picture is a big bag of fiber-fill for stuffing a pillow or soft toys.
#6-Missy wants to see my underwear drawer. Missy, your wish is my command! LOL
#7-Betty down in California wants to see my favorite shirt/sweater. During the winter months, around the house, I'm in a t-shirt with an old flannel shirt over it & sweats, socks & slippers. But on these cold days when I go out in public, I love to throw on my beautiful egg plant colored sweat shirt(under a jacket) from Hoonah, Alaska. We visited that precious Native American village on my first Alaskan cruise in 2006.
back to my end of the sofa. LOL
my stove top area, microwave (1977 model, still works great) in the left corner and then the sink.
kitchen sink area, I do have a window over my sink that looks out to my porch and carport. Clean dishes on right side of sink waiting to be put away.
next to my stove top & behind these bi-fold doors are my washer & dryer.
across from w & d are the double wall ovens, next to the fridge. I mainly only use the top one. I have a cart in front of the bottom oven with more food stuff & things that won't fit into the cupboards. It's on wheels so I can roll it away if I need to use the bottom oven.
looking down the street in front of my house, mobile after mobile.
looking down the street that I can see out my front window. I live across the street from an intersection, so there's a lot of cars going by here.
#8-Monica here in my home town wants to see my favorite place to un-wind (especially back when I had a bad day dealing with a supervisor that we both had before she quit and I retired).
back to my end of the sofa. LOL#9-Marie (the chef over in the U.K.) wants to see my kitchen and my neighborhood. Believe me Marie, my kitchen leaves much to be desired~it's very small, hardly any work space but other than a dishwasher it's got a stove top, fridge & wall ovens...all I need to make a meal. My neighborhood consists of row after row of mobile homes, all different sizes and colors. There's 160 spaces here in this mobile home park. They are all different.
my stove top area, microwave (1977 model, still works great) in the left corner and then the sink. kitchen sink area, I do have a window over my sink that looks out to my porch and carport. Clean dishes on right side of sink waiting to be put away.next to my stove top & behind these bi-fold doors are my washer & dryer.across from w & d are the double wall ovens, next to the fridge. I mainly only use the top one. I have a cart in front of the bottom oven with more food stuff & things that won't fit into the cupboards. It's on wheels so I can roll it away if I need to use the bottom oven. looking down the street in front of my house, mobile after mobile.looking down the street that I can see out my front window. I live across the street from an intersection, so there's a lot of cars going by here. That's all they'd allow so will finish in entry #2..........Linda
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Mobil Phone GPS Tracking
Try out this mobile phone tracker, it's great, using a satellite map track any connected mobile phone with coverage anywhere in the world ! When you enter the number do not use any dashes or spaces. Log on to; http://www.satellite-gps-locator.com
Another Cruise?
How about a 4-night one that leaves Los Angeles on March 3rd. Ports of call; Catalina Island, San Diego & Ensenada, Mexico then back to Los Angeles ?
It's booked~should get the cruise documents in the next couple weeks! I'm excited but plan to take my bottle of Gator Aid and Dramamine in case there are rough seas. This time it will be on Royal Caribbean's "Monarch of the Seas."
Weather Forecast~Ugh !!!
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The deep freeze continues here in the Pacific Northwest. My Saturday morning weather email from KOMO TV in Seattle. "Dear Linda, | ||
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Friday, January 25, 2008
Another Great Movie
We watched another great movie tonight, based on a true story...the movie is called "Radio" (2003).
"A small-town high school football coach (Ed Harris) befriends an illiterate, developmentally disabled man (Cuba Gooding Jr) nicknamed "Radio," who has always been the target of jokes and teasing. Although their friendship raises eyebrows at first, Radio's growth under the coach's guidance ultimately inspires the local townsfolk. This film is based on the true story of the life of James Robert Kennedy."
This film was excellent~another one suitable for the whole family. Running time is 1 hour and 49 minutes.
It's almost midnight and the temerature is down to 21 degrees again. The electric blanket is on and is calling to me. Until next time.......Linda
What do you want to see?
Got this idea from Robin, who got it from a couple other journals. What do you want to see in my house, neighborhood or nearby?I'll do my best to grant all wishes on Sunday afternoon. (That is if I get some requests)
It was a bright sunny day today, but I imagine it was also bright and sunny at the North Pole! That's what it felt like~woke up to 20* again this morning. They are saying (once again) we may have snow this weekend. We'll see.....Linda
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
And The Winner Is ~
It's Erica. Erica has two journals, both Private at this time. She has emailed me with her address and the birdhouse valance will be in the mail soon. Congratulations !
And thanks to all who participated. I really didn't think 11 people would be interested.
So now, does anyone else out there have something to raffle off? Let the raffles begin..........
A Touch of Spring
When I was at Trader Joes last week, they had these little pots with three daffodils in tight bud, for sale. I couldn't resist, as daffodils are probably my favorite flowers. And unfortunately they are not around very long, each spring. Two of them have opened and the third one is about to open. I just wanted to share this little hint of "Spring" with you. Most of us are living in deep freeze right now. It was 20* on the big thermometer outside my kitchen window this morning. And several hours later it's still only 27*. There are some people (who shall remain nameless) living in the southeast part of this country, running around barefoot and in shorts. Why can't it be like that all over ?
Meanwhile, I will just enjoy my daffodils and think "SPRING."
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Call For Support !
Monica's little 2 year old grand daughter has been rushed to a hospital on the east coast. Please remember little Amelia in your thoughts and prayers. Monica is here on the west coast~it might as well be a million miles away for a grandma when her little grand daughter is seriously ill and across the country. Please remember this dear family. Linda
Last Call for the Birdhouse Valance
The big drawing is Wednesday (January 23rd) evening. I have 7 names in the hat so far, so if you think this will fit somewhere in your house (it's 58 inches long) and you'd like it free of charge, leave a comment for me and I'll add your name to the hat. I'll be contacting the winner by email for their mailing address after the drawing. Linda
Monday, January 21, 2008
JLand Photo Shoot #126
I hope to see lots of photos this week also. The subject is going to be a fun and interesting one.
This week's JLand Photo Shoot will begin today (on Monday) and is due on Saturday, Jan. 26, at 11 PM EST. That's Saturday night, for those of you who are getting confused!
Our subject this week from Krissy is:
Black and White
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I dug back into the archives for this one. Back about 50 plus years. A black and white picture that I took of my, then little brother (he's 6'5" now) lounging in the pasture with one of our many black and white heifers (Holsteins).
Molly Visits Gabi~A Video
I also took a little video of the two of them. It was really funny to see their reaction to each other. Both live alone with their people, so aren't used to other animals.
Molly Visits Gabi
My friend Susan stopped by this afternoon with her little dog Molly. She was here once before with Molly and Gabi didn't seem to mind. There was no hissing, or fluffed up tail~ nothing ! Last time, I didn't have my camera handy but today I did. It was interesting to see both of their reactions. Indifference, I guess that's all I can say.
Monday Morning Question
What were some activities from your childhood that make you smile? For example: miniature golf, climbing trees, lying on your back looking up at the clouds, staying out till the street lights came on, looking for four leaf clovers. From Krissy at; http://journals.aol.com/fisherkristina/SometimesIThink/entries/2008/01/21/monday-morning-question/1507
Wow, this is a hard one for me~so many wonderful, carefree times. I know one thing was riding my bike back and forth to my friends houses. After the 4th grade I lived in a rural area, so there was no one "just next door." Barbara was at least a half a mile away and Joni about a mile and a half. So there was lots of peddling going on. (Gosh no wonder my knees hurt now.) And Krissy mentioned laying on your back and looking at clouds~Barbara and I used to climb up on our chicken coop with blankets and pillows, it had a lean-to type roof and we'd lay up there looking at clouds and hiding from my little brother. We also would gather as many kids as we could in the summer, and play baseball in the pasture. Or was it more like a "dodge the cow-pies" and baseball mixture? I had lots of chores as a kid but my folks also let me play and just be a kid, too.
When I got older, we would take the bus (it came like every 3 hours) and go to town. That was before malls, when there were stores downtown like Woolworth's, Kresse's, Leeds Shoes, Penney's, Sears, Lerner's, etc. It was a big deal to go off on the bus and spend a few hours window shopping. Of course since the bus ran each way only a few times each day, we had to watch the time...as a missed bus would have been a disaster.
I'm happy I grew up in the innocence of the 1950's. Life was good...no gangs, drugs and hey...no cell phones for our mom's to call and check up on us. LOL
P.S. I just remembered~as a teenager the highlight of my life was getting dropped off at the roller skating rink by either my dad or someone else's dad for and afternoon or evening of roller skating (not roller blading...those weren't invented yet). There was even a real organ with someone playing the music for us to skate to. It was great~the place to see and be seen on a Saturday late afternoon and evening.
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Dem Cheeseheads
Thanks to my old buddy Jan for sending this one to me.
Two Norveegen Wisconsinites walk into a pet shop in La Crosse. They head to the bird section and Sven says to Ole, "Dat's dem." The owner comes over and asks if he can help them.
"Yah sure, ve'll take four of dem dere little budgies in dat cage up dere." says Sven. The owner puts the budgies in a paper bag. Ole and Sven pays for the birds, leave the shop and get into Sven's pick-up and drive to the top of some big cliffs and stop at Old Grandad bluff
At the bluff, Sven looks down at the 500 foot drop and says, "Dis looks like a grand place." He takes two birds out of the bag, puts them on his shoulders and jumps off the cliff. Ole watches as Sven falls
all the way to the bottom, killing himself dead.
Looking down at the remains of his best pal, Ole shakes his head and says: "By yumpin' yiminy, dis budgie jumping is too dangerous for me."
VAIT!!! Dere's MORE!
Moments later Knute who's been to the pet shop too, arrives at the cliff. He walks up to the edge of the cliff carrying another paper bag and a shotgun. "Hey, Ole. Vatch dis." He takes a parrot from the bag and throws himself over the edge of the cliff.
Ole watches as half way down, Knute takes the gun and shoots the parrot and continues to plummet down and down until he hits the bottom and breaks every bone in his body. Ole shakes his head and says, "And I'm never trying dat parrotshooting either."
BUT VAIT!!! Dere's MORE, you betcha!!
Ole is just getting over the shock of losing two friends when Lars appears. He's also been to the pet shop and is carrying a paper bag and pulls out a chicken. Lars grasps the chicken by the legs, holds it over his head, and hurls himself off the cliff and disappears down and down and hits a rock and breaks his spine.
Once more Ole shakes his head...."First der was Sven with his budgie jumping, den Knute parrotshooting.,.and now Lars hengliding....."
Retirement Days
Thanks to my longtime friend Barbara for sending me this one~she knows I love cruising. What a temptation!
My wife and I were on a cruise through the western Mediterranean aboard a Princess liner. At dinner we noticed an elderly lady sitting alone along the rail of the grand stairway in the main dining room. I also noticed that all the staff, ships officers, waiters, busboys, etc., all seemed very familiar with this lady. I asked our waiter who the lady was, expecting to be told that she owned the line, but he said he only knew that she had been on board for the last four cruises, back-to-back.
As we left the dining room one evening I caught her eye and stopped to say hello. We chatted and I said, "I understand you've been on this ship for the last four cruises".
She replied, "Yes, that's true."
I said, "I don't understand" and she replied, without a pause, "It's cheaper than a nursing home".
So, there will be no nursing home in my future. When I get old and feeble, I am going to get on a Princess Cruise Ship. The average cost for a nursing home is $200 per day. I have checked on reservations on a Princess and I can get a long term discount and senior discount price of $135 per day. That leaves $65 a day for:
1. Gratuities which will only be $10 per day.
2. I will have as many as 10 meals a day if I can waddle to the restaurant, or I can have room service (which means I can have breakfast-in-bed every day of the week).3 Princess has as many as three swimming pools, a workout room, free washers and dryers, and shows every night.
4. They have free toothpaste and razors, and free soap and shampoo.
5. They will even treat you like a customer, not a patient. An extra $5 worth of tips will have the entire staff scrambling to help you.
6. I will get to meet new people every 7 or 14 days.
7. T.V. broken? Light bulb need changing? Need to have the mattress replaced? No Problem! They will fix everything and apologize for your inconvenience.
8. Clean sheets and towels every day, and you don't even have to ask for them.
9. If you fall in the nursing home and break a hip you are on Medicare; if you fall and break a hip on the Princess ship they will upgrade you to a suite for the rest of your life.
Now hold on for the best! Do you want to see South America, the Panama Canal, Tahiti, Australia, New Zealand, Asia, or name where you want to go? Princess will have a ship ready to go. So don't look for me in a nursing home, just call shore to ship.
PS: And don't forget, when you die, they just dump you over the side -- at no charge.
PS: #2~the picture of the ship I've used in this entry is the very beautiful "Vision of the Seas" belonging to Royal Caribbean. My floating home for 1 week in August 2006 and again for 1 week in August 2007 cruising both times from Seattle to Alaska. It's a fabulous experience, everyone should try it at least once. Linda
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Birdhouse Valance
It's 58 inches long and I've had it on eBay twice and it hasn't sold. So now I'm offering it free~if you would like it, indicate that in your comment and I'll put your name in the hat and next Wednesday evening (Jan 23rd) I'll pull a name out of the hat and whomever I draw out gets it. I bought a new valance for my kitchen window so this birdhouse valance is up for grabs. If no one wants it, I'll put it in the donation box for the thrift shop....... Linda
Call For Support
Please call around and offer condolences to my Journal land friend Barbara, down in Texas. They just lost their beloved dog, Tiny, to congestive heart failure. Tiny has been part of this family for quite awhile and they have had Tiny to the vet for treatment several times the last few weeks.
Hugs to Barbara, Rick and Eric as they mourn the loss of their "furr baby" Tiny.
Friday, January 18, 2008
Movie Recommendation
I just watched one of the best movies ! The title is "Freedom Writers" and is based on true events of a young teacher who inspires her at-risk students. Some of these kids were in horrible homes situations, some were in gangs and many had friends that had been killed on the street.
I would recommend this movie to watch as a family for those of you who have teenage kids, as a glimpse into the lives of kids who succeed, even though they do live in desperate situations, because they have a teacher who cares and she instills in them a desire to step out of the trap they are in at home and in their neighborhoods.
The movie is Rated PG-13 and has a running time of 123 minutes. It was one I rented from Netflix. Linda
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lejN7Ulh10s
http://www.apple.com/trailers/paramount/freedomwriters/
http://www.freedomwritersfoundation.org/site/c.kqIXL2PFJtH/b.2259975/k.BF19/Home.htm
A Whacky Forecast
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Just got this weather email from KOMO TV in Seattle, I immediately went out and got some wood up on the porch for the wood stove. I do see the "S" word down in about the middle of the forecast. But, I don't care~it's winter so "let it snow !!!!! " "Dear Linda, | ||
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| Sincerely, KOMO 4 Weather Producer Scott Sistek" |
Friday Footnotes
This gray and white cat has been sleeping on my park bench out on the front porch for over a week now. He/she disappears about 7pm and is back again about 8am. It doesn't beg for food and I've decided not to offer it any, because it really needs to go home for food. I wouldn't dare let it in the house because 1st of all I don't know it's health condition and it might harm Gabi (or vice versa). It sleeps on the blanket I have on the bench and doesn't appear to be afraid of me, but I don't directly approach it either. When I have to walk by it, I speaking softly and it just watches me, then puts it's head down and goes back to sleep.
I was at the main Goodwill store yesterday looking for yarn and knitting needles. Of course when I'm on a mission for a particular thing, they don't have it. (I've seen them there a hundred times in the past). So I went over to Hancock Fabrics and bought some needles and a pretty rosy/pink yarn. I'm still determined to learn to knit and have printed out the directions for the "Magic Scarf" available on Google. I did however find some treasures to put on eBay. So that always makes me happy.
Today I must clean this messy house and finish getting things together in order to have my taxes done. I haven't received the W-2's yet but I want to be ready when they arrive. I called today and made an appointment with my tax person for the first week of February.
The sun is finally shining here this afternoon. Yesterday it was cold and gloomy all day. It's supposed to be rainy and windy all weekend and then sun again all next week.
There have been a couple small earthquakes at Mt St Helens this past week. One day there was a rather big plume of steam coming out of it. I think the web cams nearby are out right now but I found one that's showing the steam plume out of South Carolina. Thanks to them for keeping up with our mountain. http://www.wcbd.com/midatlantic/cbd/news.apx.-content-articles-CBD-2008-01-18-0014.html. Here's another one from Portland, Oregon; http://www.kevision.com/helens.html
Thank you all for the kind comments in regards to the passing of my friend Judy's father. I will pass them on to her next week.
I hope everyone has had a wonderful week. And that you get to do something fun this weekend. The movie "27 Dresses" is out, I may go see it. Barbara is busy all weekend but I don't mind going alone. Maybe Saturday.......
Until next time, Linda
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Sad News
I heard from my friend Judy tonight that her dad passed away this afternoon. He was little Peyton's great grandpa. This family has gone thru so much since Peyton arrived on the scene October 28th, 2-1/2 months early.
I'm happy to report that Peyton is doing very well. She's up to 6 pounds and is very healthy.
But please pray for Judy and her family. It's been a rough few months for her especially. And her elderly mom is now left alone and doesn't want to leave their large home. Judy would like to get her moved closer to her home. Right now her mom is 15 miles from her in each direction. Thanking you all in advance for your good thoughts and prayers for this dear friend of mine and her family. Linda
It's Almost 5pm and It's Still Light Outside
Have you noticed ? The days are slowly getting longer. It's about 4:45pm as I write this and there's a beautiful sunset going on outside my kitchen window. Another day when I wish I were 120 miles to the west of here...... at the beautiful Pacific Ocean.
Don't be fooled by the sun however, it's less than 40 degrees out there.
Had a Wonderful Tuesday
My friend Dianne and I spent the day together~actually it was sort of a day arranged in honor of my birthday. So yesterday we took off and headed across town to the waterfront area to Dukes Chowder House. I had a coupon for a free meal (for my birthday) so it would be a cheap lunch for me. She was going to buy my lunch but I wanted to use the coupon before it expired. The weather was beautiful, very cold but bright and sunny.
The last time I was at Dukes with Barbara, the wind was blowing and the water was very rough. Yesterday it was almost like glass. This is a big body of salt water by the way, called Puget Sound. We had a wonderful lunch with a seat by the window. There was a lot of seal activity out in the water in front of the restaurant and of course boats of all sizes and shapes going by.
After lunch we headed in another direction across town and went to Trader Joes. We both love that store, well doesn't everybody who has one nearby?
From there we went out to my end of town to Target. For those of you who shop at Target...you know that little section where everything is one dollar? Well, I found a little book called "Knitting for Dummies" and I was so excited. I want to learn to knit, and places like JoAnne's charge $40.00 and up for a 1 hour class. I'm going to look for needles and yarn at the Goodwill, so I won't have a lot of money invested if it doesn't work out. Dianne said she wanted to give me a gift card for a birthday gift and gave me the option of which store I preferred~I chose Target. So that was very nice.
By the time we got back to my place it was nearly 4:30pm and she had to rush off to fix dinner for her husband. So I brought in some wood and got a fire going in the wood stove as the temperature continued to drop below 30 degrees.And settled in to watch a movie from Netflix. My 1 month free subscription is about to expire, so I have to get the movies in my que watched before January 28th.
I finally broke down and put my electric blanket on my bed last night. I haven't been sleeping well, waking up cold so I guess it was time. I keep the thermostat at 60 degrees most of the time (trying to keep the heat bill down) and at night I turn it down even lower. The last few nights Gabi has been kind of restless too, so I think she may have also been cold (however she does keep her fur coat on at night.) Well, let me tell you, I turned that electric blanket on and we both slept well. She never moved from her spot on the end of my bed all night (as far as I know anyway).
Today the weather is still cold here. It was very foggy this morning but now at about 12:30am the sun is shining thru. I'm going to go out in the car to Curves but then I need to come home and get something constructive done around here. Until next time, Linda
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
AOL Journal Land Photo Shoot #125
Thanks to all of you who played last week! We had our largest turn out ever with 25 participants! Let's continue the fun this week.
This week's photo shoot will begin today (on Monday) and be due on Saturday, Jan. 19 at 11 PM EST. To play, visit Krissy at; http://journals.aol.com/fisherkristina/SometimesIThink/entries/2008/01/14/jland-photo-shoot-125/1501
Our subject this week is:
The letter "T"... begins with T or find an object resembling the letter
To enter this photo shoot, please post your submission by copying and pasting your full entry URL into Krissy's comment section.
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I was out and around today, and for once I remembered to take my camera. So these are my "T" entries. Also saw lot's of trucks, a train, a large trailer and also saw a couple real "turkeys" at lunch. I think they'd had too much to drink. But figured they wouldn't want me to take their picture. Linda
Monday Morning Question
From Krissy at; http://journals.aol.com/fisherkristina/SometimesIThink/entries/2008/01/14/monday-morning-question/1500
Have you ever lost a family member in a store or public place? Have you ever been lost yourself?
I don't ever remember being lost myself, except looking for a business or someone's home in an area I'm not familiar with.
But...about 32 years ago I had a very hyper-active son and lost him several times in department stores because he would get away from me and hide under the racks of dresses, coats or what ever. I would be freaking out and when I finally cornered him, he'd be giggling because he thought he'd tricked me. Well, that only happened a couple times (3 at the most) when I tricked him~ I began leaving him home with dad or a babysitter when I went shopping. I decided if he couldn't behave like a little gentleman, he could stay home!
Note: He's grown up to be a fine man~now 36 years old. And if we go shopping together, he stays right with me. LOL
Monday, January 14, 2008
January 13, 1950
The worst blizzard in the city's history hit that morning. Winds roaring at a steady 40 mph blew the snow into 5 foot drifts. Waves 20 feet high crashed over roads near the waterfront, boats were torn loose from their moorings~later smashing against rocks along the shore, trees toppled and by noon the temperature dropped to 12 degrees.
The article in the paper said that police cars were sent to local schools to take the kindergarten students safely home. But what about the other kids.... the kids in 3rd grade? The kids that were just barely 8 years old and lived 10 blocks from the school. That was my position that day.
Fortunately, my friend Patty (she was a year older and in the 4th grade) was with me as we trudged, for what seemed like hours thru this storm after we were released from school.
In later years my mom talked about that day, she was home alone, my dad was at work, there was only one car but mom didn't even know how to drive then, so it didn't matter that she had no car. Mom was so upset...as the storm worsened she called the school~no answer. After releasing the kids, apparently the staff left too, making no calls to the parents...they just put the kids out walking to fend for themselves.
I do remember when Patty and I finally reached my house and came up the steps my mom opened the front door and she was sobbing. She had been so afraid, not knowing where I was. She related the rest of the details years later; she brought both of us in the house, turned the heat up (the power apparently did not go out) to get us warmed up. She called Patty's mom and told her that Patty was at our house and was safe. Mom said she'd feed us lunch and then when Patty was warmed up and her outer clothes dried out, she'd walk her home. Patty's mom was home alone with two little ones, so it was impossible for her to leave. Patty lived about 3 blocks away, but it was to the corner, down the hill and then turn left at the corner and go about 1/2 block. Easy when the weather was mild butthis was a day of heavy snow & wind. When she got Patty fed and warmed up, they took off, leaving me home alone. I remember mom saying that she kept slipping and falling into the snow as they were going down the hill to Patty's street, and Patty kept falling into drifts and mom would have to pull her out. She finally got Patty home and then had to make that trek back to our house by herself. In recalling this part of the day, she said the whole trip took over 2 hours.
Until this article came out in our local paper, I couldn't remember what year it happened. And when I realized that it was January of 1950, my heart skipped a beat. My dear mother survived this ordeal when she 3 months pregnant with my brother~he was born June 6, 1950.
All I know is that if schools put children out like that now, there'd be some heavy duty lawsuits. In those days people didn't think about that. And most kids are bussed today anyway.
Why they didn't just keep us there is beyond me. It was a huge building, I'm sure there would have been enough food to feed us until the next day when the storm died down. And the next day was Saturday, dads with cars could have picked us up. Well, we survived to tell about it~I forwarded the article to Patty (now Pat) who lives in Texas. She emailed back that she remembers that day very well. I'm sure all those who were of school age and living here in town, will never forget that day.
Saturday, January 12, 2008
There's been plenty of time~ A poll
It's been over two weeks since Christmas. There are three people that I know very well, who received very nice gifts from me and I have not heard one word from them...not a "thank you," not a "I hate what you gave me," ~ nothing !!!!! To my knowledge these people are still alive, I haven't heard that any of them broke both their arms...which tells me they can still pick up the phone and make a "thank-you" call or write a note. I've been wanting to put a poll in my journal and this subject matter came to me today as I passed near the home of two of these people.
Thanking you in advance for your participation.......Linda
Football in a snow storm !
Unbelievable playing conditions !! Hat's off to all the players and spectators at this game !!
The Game Has Begun
The Seattle Seahawks and the Green Bay Packers have begun their play-off game. They are playing in Wisconsin, it's 31 degrees and snowing. And in the opening kick-off Josh Scoby, one of the Seahawks, was injured enough to be carted off the field for X-rays and a thorough exam.
All of these players deserve encouragement, they are playing in horrible conditions.
I'll leave the game on, but I'm going to the store to do a little grocery shopping and get my car gassed up. More later.......Linda
GO SEAHAWKS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Friday, January 11, 2008
Round Robin Photo Challenge
Find the Blog spot at; http://roundrobinphoto.blogspot.com/
It's a brand spanking New Year, and it's time for a brand spanking new challenge to usher in 2008 with. So, what comes to mind when you think of the new year? Here's a hint... Woo Woo...that's right... our very first challenge of the year is "Railroads!" Trains take us here, trains take us there, and they are darn photogenic while doing so. Have you taken the "A" train lately? How about the subway? Do you have a nifty steam train in your favorite park or recreational area? How about a train of historical significance nearby? Even if the only train you connect with is Thomas The Tank Engine, it can be photographed for this challenge. Anything Railroad related counts!
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My contribution to this Round Robin Photo challenge, the subject; Trains
Saturday's Battle At Lambeau Field
The Seattle Seahawks have arrived in Green Bay, Wisconsin to beat the stuffings out of the Green Bay Packers. !!!! The winning Seahawks will eat a hamburger at Skip's Diner in Green Bay before flying back to Seattle.
GO SEAHAWKS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I Highly Recommend !!
I just watched the best movie; "Amazing Grace" based on a true story, the life of William Wilberforce, an 18th century English politician who fought for the abolition of slavery. Despite staunch opposition, Wilberforce waged an aggressive campaign using boycotts, petitions and slogans. He also championed other causes such as the S.P.C.A. He was a friend of John Newton, the man who wrote the hymn "Amazing Grace." In his late 30's he married 20 year old Barbara Spooner in May of 1797. They had 6 children. On July 29, 1833, at the age of 74, William Wilburforce died, having been in ill health for many years. He is buried in Westminister Abbey.
This movie was released in 2007, so is available as a rental. Again, I hope everyone will rent and watch the very moving film.
March of the Penguins (Emperor)
Thanks to former co-worker Carolyn for sending this to me this morning. I need a laugh!
Too funny! The look on the gal's face at the end is priceless !
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Yellow, Pink & Green
I found this at the Cybersalt website, I think we can all relate;
Mujibar was trying to get a job in India.
The Personnel Manager said, "Mujibar, you have passed all the tests, Except one. Unless you pass it you cannot qualify for this job."
Mujibar said, "I am ready."
The manager said, "Make a sentence using the words Yellow, Pink and Green."
Mujibar thought for a few minutes and said, "Mister manager, I am ready."
The manager said, "Go ahead." Mujibar said, "The telephone goes green, green, green, and I pink it up, and say, 'Yellow, this is Mujibar.'"
Mujibar now works as a technician at a call center for computer problems. No doubt you have spoken to him.
Monday, January 7, 2008
Photo Journal Alert
Please go visit my friend Robin's Photo Journal. Her husband got transferred to Flordia with the U.S. Air Force recently and she's down there just a snapping away with her camera.
You can find this special journal at;
http://journals.aol.com/robinngabster/TheWorldthruMyEyes/
Don't forget to add it to your alerts.
Monday Photo Shoot #124
From Krissy at Sometimes I Think; http://journals.aol.com/fisherkristina/SometimesIThink/entries/2008/01/07/photo-shoot-124/1490
This week we have a brand new logo made by Valerie! To my knowledge, this photo shoot has been the longest running in JLand, hence its new name! A new name and a new look for a new year! Thanks to all of you who have played along since this photo shoot's inception (2004), and I hope you continue to get enjoyment for a long time to come!
This week's photo shoot will begin today (on Monday) and be due on Saturday, Jan. 12 at 11 PM EST.
Our subject this week is: a close up (interpret this to be as close as you like)
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Here's my entry...a sun-stripped cat
Little Johnny (He's At It Again)
Little Johnny's at it again..... A new teacher was trying to make use of her psychology courses. She started her class by saying, "Everyone who thinks they're stupid, stand up!" After a few seconds, Little Johnny stood up. The teacher said, "Do you think you're stupid, Little Johnny?" "No, ma'am, but I hate to see you standing there all by yourself!"
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Little Johnny watched, fascinated, as his mother smoothed cold cream on her face. "Why do you do that, mommy?" he asked. "To make myself beautiful," said his mother, who then began removing the cream with a tissue. "What's the matter?" asked Little Johnny. "Giving up?"
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The math teacher saw that little Johnny wasn't paying attention in class. She called on him and said, "Johnny! What are 2 and 4 and 28 and 44?" Little Johnny quickly replied, "NBC, FOX, ESPN and the Cartoon Network!"
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Little Johnny's kindergarten class was on a field trip to their local police station where they saw pictures tacked to a bulletin board of the 10 most wanted criminals. One of the youngsters pointed to a picture and asked if it really was the photo of a wanted person. "Yes," said the policeman. "The detectives want very badly to capture him." Little Johnny asked, "Why
didn't you keep him when you took his picture ?"
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Little Johnny attended a horse auction with his father. He watched as his father moved from horse to horse, running his hands up and down the horse's legs and rump, and chest. After a few minutes, Johnny asked, "Dad, why are you doing that?" His father replied, "Because when I'm buying horses, I have to make sure that they are healthy and in good shape before I buy.
Johnny, looking worried, said, "Dad, I think the UPS guy wants to buy mom ."
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