Friday, April 27, 2012

The Green Thing- Join in - The pool and a review - April 27, 2012

                                                   The Pool Where I Swim




Gosh, some days there is not a whole lot to write about and then again, other days there are.
 
I finally took the plunge, literally.  Went to the pool.  It was so hot.  I went and got my bottled water, stopped at the library, and it was so hot that as soon as I got home I changed and into the pool I went.  It felt so nice and relaxing.  If I wasn't afraid of drowning, I could have fallen asleep in there.  I can't find the exercises from the therapist to do, so I just walked and floated.  My back was hurting so much and I wasn't sure I could pull myself up the steps.  Still feeling really sore, but I am going to try to do it more often. The truth..  I am hurting really bad. ha ha
 
Product Review: Coppertone Spray....  Yuck.. When you are laying in the sun and even afterwards it feels sort of gummy.  I had to really scrub it off in the shower.  I would not buy that again.  I figured being I have to apply it myself and sure as heck can't reach my back, it would be good thing.  Not.  I may use it for my back to get rid of it, but that's it.  I will stick with my Bain deSoleil and regular Coppertone.  Is there anything that smells like summer like Coppertone.  Love the coconutty smell.  ha ha
 
An old high school classmate posted the following today, and I thought it was so cool that I decided to put it on here, and expand on it.
 
“The Green Thing"

Checking out at the store, the young cashier suggested to the older woman, that she should bring her own grocery bags because plastic bags weren't good for the environment.

The woman apologized and explained, "We didn't have this green thing back in my earlier days."

The young clerk responded, "That's our problem today. Your generation did not care enough to save our environment for future generations."

She was right -- our generation didn't have the green thing in its day.

Back then, we returned milk bottles, soda bottles and beer bottles to the store. The store sent them back to the plant to be washed and sterilized and refilled, so it could use the same bottles over and over. So they really were recycled.

But we didn't have the green thing back in our day.

Grocery stores bagged our groceries in brown paper bags, that we reused for numerous things, most memorable besides household garbage bags, was the use of brown paper bags as book covers for our schoolbooks. This was to ensure that public property, (the books provided for our use by the school) was not defaced by our scribblings. Then we were able to personalize our books on the brown paper bags.

But too bad we didn't do the green thing back then.

We walked up stairs, because we didn't have an escalator in every store and office building. We walked to the grocery store and didn't climb into a 300-horsepower machine every time we had to go two blocks.

But she was right. We didn't have the green thing in our day.

Back then, we washed the baby's diapers because we didn't have the throwaway kind. We dried clothes on a line, not in an energy-gobbling machine burning up 220 volts -- wind and solar power really did dry our clothes back in our early days. Kids got hand-me-down clothes from their brothers or sisters, not always brand-new clothing.

But that young lady is right; we didn't have the green thing back in our day.

Back then, we had one TV, or radio, in the house -- not a TV in every room. And the TV had a small screen the size of a handkerchief (remember them?), not a screen the size of the state of Montana . In the kitchen, we blended and stirred by hand because we didn't have electric machines to do everything for us. When we packaged a fragile item to send in the mail, we used wadded up old newspapers to cushion it, not Styrofoam or plastic bubble wrap. Back then, we didn't fire up an engine and burn gasoline just to cut the lawn. We used a push mower that ran on human power. We exercised by working so we didn't need to go to a health club to run on treadmills that operate on electricity.

But she's right; we didn't have the green thing back then.

We drank from a fountain when we were thirsty instead of using a cup or a plastic bottle every time we had a drink of water. We refilled writing pens with ink instead of buying a new pen, and we replaced the razor blades in a razor instead of throwing away the whole razor just because the blade got dull.

But we didn't have the green thing back then.

Back then, people took the streetcar or a bus and kids rode their bikes to school or walked instead of turning their moms into a 24-hour taxi service. We had one electrical outlet in a room, not an entire bank of sockets to power a dozen appliances. And we didn't need a computerized gadget to receive a signal beamed from satellites 23,000 miles out in space in order to find the nearest burger joint.

But isn't it sad the current generation laments how wasteful we old folks were just because we didn't have the green thing back then?

I also remember Charlie Chips (Charles Chips, but we called them Charlie Chips) They would come in a big can and when you ran out they would just refill your can...  

Stockings, not pantyhose, so that when you got a run in one leg, you didn't have to throw out the whole thing.  Just replace it with another one.

Opened windows instead of air conditioning - I can not live without air now...

Wax paper instead of plastic bags

Can you think of any other things we did "way back when"?  Let me know..

Until the next time.....
                                                        

Thursday, April 26, 2012

Come Home by Lisa Scottoline - April 26, 2012


Just an ordinary day in my ordinary life. I finished this last night and now am waiting to go to the library to pick up my next Virgin River series book.  I'll get it either tomorrow or Saturday.

This was such a good book. I could not put it down. I like her Rosato and Associates series, and have read a few other books by Lisa Scottoline, but this is by far the best. One of the best books I have read in a long time. The characters come alive on the pages, and being it takes place in Jersey and Philly, well...that's like being home for me..This is one book I would definitely recommend to everyone. I actually read it in one sitting. Yes I had sore eyeballs...ha ha

This is what someone had written, and I could not have condensed the book any better:

The plot was good - a pediatrician's ex-husband dies and her former step-daughter thinks he was murdered. The doctor then puts her life on hold to try to solve the mystery. It also addresses the special issues that blended families often deal with.

So, until next time.........................


Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Surprise Pictures ~ April 24, 2012

                                                                    Miss Beulah


                                                     Cheyanna and Cooler



                                                                   Jared and Cooler
 
 
 
Woke up to the sweetest little girl talking softly to me.  When I didn't move fast enough it became a louder howl.  I'm talking about my baby girl Beulah who just happens to be a beagle...
 
Then, I take her for her walk, my legs are buckling and I just pray they will keep me up.  I really don't feel like sitting in the middle of the road. ha ha.  Made it home and put up my coffee, gave Beulah her treats, and sat down to the computer to check my e-mail and facebook.  When I went to my e-mail, I got the best surprise.  There staring me right in the face was 4 pictures of my grandchildren.  What a wonderful morning this has been.  Beulah, Jared, and Cheyanna's big brown eyes looking right at me..  That is heaven on earth. I have the best grandbabies.  All 3 of them. I know every grandparent says that, but mine are so special and I love them like crazy.  Miss them so much.  Of course their mom and dad aren't to shabby either. ha ha.  I am so lucky and blessed to have the family I do.  Okay, before I cry lets move on..  ha ha
 
I have been reading like crazy.  As I have said before I found a new author and really like her style of writing.  She grabs me within the first few pages.  Robyn Carr.  I am currently reading her Virgin River series.  I started out with a few, then realized it was a series, so I am reading them in order now.  Read the first 3, put the 4th on reserve at the library, and am currently reading (as of today) Lisa Scottoline's new book "Come Home".  I love to sit outside and read.  Today will be a great day to sit out.  It is really cool. 52 degrees at 9:00 AM.  I love this cooler weather.  I know it won't last.  Perfect for a cup of coffee and a book.  It's also trash day.. Just remembered that, so I need to get it down there.  Just thought I would share that.  ha ha.  Things pop in my head and out my mouth, or in this case into words on a paper, or computer. ha ha. 
 
It is now hot out again.  I had on my jeans and the sun is beating down so hard I had to come back in.  Oh well, time for Beulah's supper.
 
Until next time....................

Thursday, April 19, 2012

If your happy ....Meds.....April 19, 2012

Crocheting with the ladies today.  We are the "Yarn Hookers".  The plan for next week is to take it to the beach.  I think that will be a lot of fun...Probably not much crocheting is going to go on.  ha ha.  My Tuesday group is the "Happy Hookers".  I am noticing a theme here. ha ha
 
All done with doctors and appointments this week..  Yeah..  Considering I have been going since Tuesday.  Played pin cushion, better known as blood work, Wednesday the family doctor and a bone density scan, and today, Thursday the kidney doctor.  I am doctored out.  ha ha.
 
I thought was really weird.  I had to have blood work done for the kidney doctor and the family doctor so I did it all at one time.  I always ask for a copy of my blood work.  I was looking at it, and there are some things that don't match up.  How can that be?  Sample blood, same time, and yet different numbers on some of them..  I think I will be calling the lab to find out why.  Just seems odd to me.
 
Got an invitation to Casi's college graduation.  I am really looking forward to going.  She is graduation Bethune Cookman College, and I am so excited for her. Of course I opened the invitation and SURPRISE.............................all these little graduation caps fell out all over the floor.  ha ha...  They are cute though. ha ha
 
Keeps looking like it wants to rain.  Hope it does.
 
Well, until next time.........................................
 

Monday, April 16, 2012

Happy Birthday ~ Happy Anniversary Don ~ April 16, 2012






Today is a  really hard day for me.  It would have been my husband's birthday and our 27th anniversary.  I am so thankful for Donna.  She called and we are both sharing the grief of him not being here to celebrate. 
 
Don never cared about his birthday.  He was more concerned with our anniversary.  He is the one who wanted to get married on his birthday.  He said that way he would never forget it.  And now it's me who will never forget.  I would give just about anything to have him here.  I miss him with all my heart and soul..  I don't think I will ever be complete again.  There is a part of me that will always be with him no matter what.
 
I know you watch over me from heaven.  If your watching right now, you see me wishing you were here to celebrate with me. I did pretty good today, but not so good tonight.  I will be alright, don't worry about me. I carry you in my heart always.
 
I love and miss you so much.  Between now and then till I see you again, love me.....
 
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Friday, April 13, 2012

Friday the 13th and Mr. Stone - Friday April 13, 2012

I know it's been ages and eons since I last posted on my blog.  Sorry for those of you that look forward to it.
I've been going through some medical issues and well... let's face it, that's just an excuse.
So, today is Friday the 13th.  This always reminds me of my old boss.  He was the BEST boss in the world.  I worked for him for 5 years and would still be there, but he sold it as he was getting up there in age.  This was in 1985.  His name was Mr. Stone.  Albert Stone.  The reason this Friday the 13th is tied to him is that he once told me he was born on a Friday the 13th and he has been the luckiest person since the day he was born.  He said how many people can go from a horse and buggy to a man on the moon.  And he was right.  His wife was just as nice as he was.
I was a receptionist/property manager for the real estate office.  I did property management on the homes we rented out (approximately 160) and did contracts, etc. 
When we moved to Florida I got a job at a hospital as a financial counselor.  Little did I realize how far it was from where I lived.  When we moved here, we had a dog and bird.  The dog came in the car ride to Florida and the bird flew on American Airlines.  (Should have just put our address on his leg and let him fly here himself. While waiting for his flight I picked up a newspaper and called about a job posting.  I went for an interview that day and was hired. Too far to travel, so I quit. I then got a job in the library but that only lasted a few weeks.  It was way to quiet for me....  I love libraries and reading, but this was really quiet.  Not to mention that I was married and the head librarian (male) kept hitting on me.  So, I quit. Then I applied at the real estate.  Well, apply isn't really the right word.  I went in for an interview, no resume, no application, just a one on one meeting and was hired. At the onset he told me that no matter what, my family comes first.  Never worry about calling in sick is one of them is ill.  I thought he was kidding, but he was dead serious.  I can remember another time that I called in well.  He asked me what?  I said I don't want to lie to you.  I want to go to the beach with some friends that had been visiting.  He asked a few questions about keys for some houses, and told me he would see me the next day. 
Then there was the time it was someones birthday and he always had a catered lunch for birthdays in the conference room.  To make a long story short, afterwards I went back to my desk and started typing.  He told me to sit on the couch and relax.  I did way more than that.  I feel asleep.  I woke up almost 2 hours later so embarrassed.  I asked him why no one woke me up and he said I was talking in my sleep and they were waiting to see what I would say.  ha ha...
Then there was the time I quit.  There was an agent that I really liked and he left to go to another real estate firm.  He begged me to go with him.  More money, blah blah blah.  I went in and talked to Mr. Stone about it and he said "The grass isn't always greener on the other side", but he wasn't going to hold me back, and wasn't going to advertise my job for a month. They had this gigantic going away party for me and I felt so bad.  I left on a Friday, started work at the new real estate office on Monday, and called Mr. Stone on Thursday.  He asked if I wanted to come back and I said yes. He said he would see me on Monday and I asked if I could start back the following week.  I needed a vacation.  He said that would be fine.
When I was going through my divorce he was there for me every step of the way.  He helped me buy a car, let me go in the back when I had to cry (which was very often),  He tried to buy out my ex on the property we had bought, and was like a grandfather to me.  He has been gone a long time, but I often think of him and miss him and his wife.  They were such good people. 
On another note- whoever took the last cup of coffee made the next pot.  Well, I broke 3 coffee pots.  He told me to do him a favor and never make coffee again.  ha ha..  He is also the one who told me "Honey, if you didn't have bad luck you wouldn't have any luck at all".
Friday the 13th has always been a good day for me thanks to a man named Mr. Albert Stone.  RIP
Until next time