Justaskjudy

I am stuffed to the gills and I know that later I will heavily regret eating raw onions. They do not like me at all! Ordinarily we would have a deck and pool full of friends and family today, but all three children are off to their own devices, as are the grandchildren. That doesn't bother me, since I am still bagged from the weekend wedding work.

Have you had a celebration or special meal today? What was it?

I forgot to mention that on the long gravel road up to the wedding site this weekend, someone had posted a sign along the way saying:


"Drive Slow"


Written under that in magic marker were two words I loved:


"use adverbs"



You should know that at least two of the people who live on that road are college professors. I was appalled at the sign and very happy at the graffiti!

 

 

 

This sheet music was published in 1925 and the original owner dated it August 29th, 1925. The cover includes a WV State Flag and a depiction of the State flower, which is rhododendron.

Here are the words of the chorus:

" West Virginia's scenic grandeur
Is a boon to every eye;
For her mountains, tall, commanding,
Shoulder out the very sky.

Peaceful vales and virgin forests
Rolling Hills and gorges grand;
Nature's wealth and beauty garnered
In my lovely native land.

Judged by all her varied beauties
West Virginia stands the test;
Many gems of God's creation
You will find upon her breast;

Endless change o'er all the region
Keeps the heart and eyes aglow;
You see nature's grace and glory,
Posed in everlasting show!"

It makes me homesick to read this. Some of the most beautiful scenery in the land can be seen in West Virginia. It is indeed - almost Heaven!

There may be none of you as dumb as I was about that process, but perhaps my experience can be a lesson to you if you are as clueless as I. Don't wait 12 hours!

As usual, click to enlarge. Guess who's back in the scanning business? Yesterday I broke down and bought an all-in-one. I am heading into 4 very busy days, however, so I may not have time to use it.

"If you would tell me the heart of a man, tell me not what he reads but what he rereads." by Francois Mauriac, quoted in Light from Heaven by Jan Karon

The only clue that there may be more to the property is the large gate to the left rear of the white house, and the 4 huge rolling garbage cans that go out by the street every week. If you saw those 4 cans, and didn't know how many people live there, you'd think they had thrown one heck of a party!

The food is always ordered from Ellis Barbecue of Wilson, NC. You can read about NC barbecue here:

http://www.visitnc.com/experience/no3_nc_food/food_xp_nceats_bbq.asp

3. My new van is still great! The Sirius radio still perks along everyday. I wish I knew how much longer there was on the subscription. I surely will miss it terribly when it expires. One channel plays strictly blues and old-fashioned rhythm and blues, on which I grew up. I love it!

4. My boss and I have three weddings this weekend. All of them start at about the same time, which makes delivery and set-up tricky, to say the least. I will have to deliver at least one of them by myself, and it makes me proud that he trusts me to do that on my own. Of course, I have been doing and delivering wedding flowers for 24 years in my business, Tickle Your Fancy, so I have plenty of experience.

5. Nothing tastes better than an icy cold beer on a hot night when you are tired. I have had some of those frosty mugs - you know the kind you freeze upside down - for several years and one by one they are all going bad. I should have replaced them little by little, but I haven't, and now I can't find them anywhere. I wonder why they were found nearly everywhere until this year?

6. Some people in my neighborhood have become concerned about some of the yards; people are not always as diligent as they once were in picking up fallen limbs and branches. They have mounted a campaign to get people to clean up their yards and put the debris out by the street, and they will hire someone to pick up the trash and haul it to the dump. We are fortunate to live in an area with many trees, but with that perk comes branches down and fallen leaves. In a neighborhood of 71-2 houses, maybe 40 of them have at least started their trash collections, and the rest have done nothing. I suppose you cannot force people to clean up their yards, but when it is a group effort, one would think that people would have all the incentive they need to comply.

I just found this story about a home, belonging to Frank Pritt which will top all sales records if it is sold for the asking price.

Can you believe I went to high school with this guy? I have a photo of me taken with him at the last reunion, but since my scanner is broken - I can't show you! Darn!

Go read about it!

http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=oddlyEnoughNews&storyID=2006-05-17T141805Z_01_N16134326_RTRUKOC_0_US-LIFE-HOME.xml&archived=False

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Picture this: an older guy seated at the breakfast table with his missus.

He says: "Ok! Ok! I'm just an old curmudgeon!"

The wife says: "You were a curmudgeon long before you were old. "

Are you tired of all those sissy-ass "friendship"
poems that always sound good, but never actually
come close to reality? Well, here is a series of
promises that really speaks to true friendship:

1. When you are sad - I will help you get drunk and
plot revenge against the sorry son of a bitch who
made you sad.

2. When you are blue, I will try to dislodge what
is choking you.

3. When you smile - I will know you finally got laid.

4. When you are scared - I will rag on you about it
every chance I get.

5. When you are worried - I will tell you horrible
stories about how much worse it could be and to quit
whining.

6. When you are confused - I will use little words.

7. When you are sick - Stay the hell away from me
until you are well again. I don't want whatever the
hell you have.

8. When you fall - I will point and laugh at your
clumsy ass.

This is my oath...I pledge it till the end.
"Why?" you may ask, because you are my friend.


Remember: A good friend will help you move. A
really good friend will help you move a body. Let me know if I should bring a shovel.

On Saturday night I was flipping channels on TV and up popped Val Kilmer in "Top Secret". How did I miss this when it came out in 1984? It was almost over, but since I have always thought Kilmer was easy on the eyes, I stuck around until the end. If you can get past his icky hair style, this one is worth killing a few hours on a Saturday night when you have nothing else pending.

Did you know that Kilmer can sing? I sure didn't. He plays an Elvis-type rock and roll singer turned international espionage agent. There are spoofs galore, of Blue Lagoon and other movies of that era.

Read about it here: http://www.fastrewind.com/
You'll have to scroll down the menu for the listing.

On another note: do you believe that in just 2 short weeks we will be at the half-way mark for 2006? Where has the time gone?

Dinner & Movie


After 21 years of marriage, my wife wanted me to take another woman out to dinner and a movie. She said, "I love you, but I know this other woman loves you and would love to spend some time with you."


The other woman that my wife wanted me to visit was my mother, who had been a widow for 19 years, but the demands of my work and my 3 children had made it possible to visit her only occasionally. That night I called to invite her to go out for dinner and a movie. "What's wrong, are you well?" She asked. My mother is the type of woman who suspects that a late night call or surprise invitation is a sign of bad news. "I thought that it would be pleasant to spend some time with you," I responded. Just the two of us." She thought about it for a moment, and then said, "I would like that very much."


That Friday after work, as I drove over to pick her up I was a bit nervous. When I arrived at her house, I noticed that she, too, seemed to be nervous about our date. She waited in the door with her coat on. She had curled her hair and was wearing the dress that she had worn to celebrate her last wedding anniversary. She smiled from a face that was as radiant as an Angel's. "I told my friends that I was going to go out with my son, and they were impressed," she said, as she got into the car. "They can't wait to hear about our meeting."


We went to a restaurant that, although not elegant, was very nice and cozy. My mother took my arm as if she were the First Lady. After we sat down, I had to read the menu. Her eyes could only read large print. Half way through the entries, I lifted my eyes and saw Mom sitting there staring at me. A nostalgic smile was on her lips. "It was I who used to have to read the menu when you were small," she said; " Then it's time that you relax and let me return the favor," I responded. During the dinner, we had an agreeable conversation-- nothing extraordinary but catching up on recent events of each other's life. We talked so much that we missed the movie. As we arrived at her house later, she said, "I'll go out with you again, but only if you let me invite you." I agreed.


"How was your dinner date?" Asked my wife when I got home. "Very nice. Much more so than I could have imagined," I answered. A few days later, my mother died of a massive heart attack. It happened so suddenly that I didn't have a chance to do anything for her. Some time later, I received an envelope with a copy of a restaurant receipt from the same place where mother and I had dined. An attached note said: "I paid this bill in advance. I wasn't sure that I could be there; but nevertheless I paid for two plates -- one for you and the other for your wife. You will never know what that night meant for me. "I love you, son."


At that moment, I understood the importance of saying in time: "I love you," and to give our loved ones the time that they deserve. Nothing in life is more important than your family. Give them the time they deserve, because these things cannot be put off till "some other time."

Somebody said it takes about 6 weeks to get back to normal after you've had a baby . . . Somebody doesn't know that once you're a mother, "normal" is history. Somebody said you learn how to be a mother by instinct . . Somebody never took a 3-year-old shopping.
Somebody said being a mother is boring . . Somebody never rode in a car driven by a teenager with a driver's permit.
Somebody said good mothers never raise their voices . . Somebody never came out the back door just in time to see her child hit a golf ball through the neighbor's kitchen window.
Somebody said you don't need an education to be a mother . Somebody never helped a 4th grader with his math.
Somebody said you can't love the 5th child as much as you love the first . Somebody doesn't have 5 children.
Somebody said a mother can find all the answers to her child-rearing questions in the books . . Somebody never had a child stuff beans up his nose or in his ears.
Somebody said the hardest part of being a mother is labor and delivery. Somebody never watched her "baby" get on the bus for the 1st day of kindergarten . Or on a plane headed for military boot camp.
Somebody said a mother can do her job with her eyes closed and one hand tied behind her back . . . Somebody never organized 7 giggling Brownies to sell cookies.
Somebody said a mother can stop worrying after her child gets married. . . Somebody doesn't know that marriage adds a new son- or daughter-in-law to a mother's heartstrings.
Somebody said a mother's job is done when her last child leaves home . Somebody never had grandchildren.
Somebody said your mother knows you love her, so you don't need to tell her . . Somebody isn't a mother.

I received this in email in February. Part of it has been posted before - but I thought we all might need a reminder.

I don't know the details, but the cat came down about 5:oo pm yesterday, as reported by the kid who lives next door. Once he learned how to come down, he waited until there was almost no one around and did it all by himself. We still don't know where he belongs. Thanks for all your concern!

http://www.rosie.com/2006/05/12/frannie/

Fred First, a blogger who writes


http://fragmentsfromfloyd.com/

has just had a book published. It is titled:


"Slow Road Home - A Blue Ridge Book of Days"

I received my copy recently and have been slowly reading it, so as to prolong the pleasure. I think this book will be one I read again and again.


If you treasure language written in smooth, rolling cadence; if you value poetic phrases that make you think about something in a way you never have before, then please go to his web-site, read about the book, and order one for yourself.

NOTE: I am going to update the cat up a tree post shortly.

If a dog was the teacher , you would learn stuff like:



When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.

Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.

Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure ecstasy.

When it's in your best interest, practice obedience.

Let others know when they've invaded your territory.

Take naps.

Stretch before rising.

Run, romp, and play daily.

Thrive on attention and let people touch you.

Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.

On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass.

On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree.

When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.

No matter how often you're scolded, don't buy into the guilt thing and pout..! run right back and make friends.

Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.

Eat with gusto and enthusiasm. Stop when you have had enough.

Be loyal.

Never pretend to be something you're not.

If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.

When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently.

I got this photo yesterday from the Astronomy Site of the Day.


This is a rock which is being pushed up atop Mt. St. Helen's, and it grows about a meter a day. Scary!

What a monolith. Enjoy reading about it.


http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap060509.html

I forgot to show you this one before. I was blown away by this panda topiary. Believe it or not, it is all live material. The white part is some sort of succulent. I don't know what the black part is; there was no one around I could ask. It is too bad I couldn't get a better shot of it. 

my statcounter turned to 40,000. I am amazed. I started the counter on June 3, 2005, at midnight. Thanks to all of you who stop in regularly.

of the season, but hopefully not the last! 

 

A very elderly gentleman, (mid nineties) very well dressed, hair well groomed, great looking suit, flower in his lapel smelling slightly of a good after shave, presenting a well looked-after image, walks into an upscale cocktail lounge. Seated at the bar is an elderly looking lady, mid eighties). The gentleman walks over, sits alongside of her, orders a drink, takes a sip, turns to her and says, "So tell me, do I come here often?"


An elderly gentleman had serious hearing problems for a number of years. He went to the doctor and the doctor was able to have him fitted for a set of hearing aids that allowed the gentleman to hear 100%. The elderly gentleman went back in a month to the doctor and the doctor said, "Your hearing is perfect. Your family must be really pleased that you can hear again." The gentleman replied, "Oh, I haven't told my family yet. I just sit around and listen to the conversations. I've changed my will three times!"


Two elderly gentlemen from a retirement center were sitting on a bench under a tree when one turns to the other and says: "Slim, I'm 83 years old now and I'm just full of aches and pains. I know you're about my age. How do you feel?" Slim says, "I feel just like a new-born baby." Really!? Like a new-born baby!?" Yep. No hair, no teeth, and I think I just wet my pants.



An elderly couple had dinner at another couple's house, and after eating, the wives left the table and went into the kitchen. The two gentlemen were talking, and one said, "Last night we went out to a new restaurant and it was really great. I would recommend it very highly. The other man said, "What is the name of the restaurant?" The first man thought and thought and finally said, "What is the name of that flower you give to someone you love? You know... the one that's red and has thorns."Do you mean a rose?" Yes, that's the one," replied the man. He then turned towards the kitchen and yelled, "Rose, what's the name of that restaurant we went to last night?



Hospital regulations require a wheelchair for patients being discharged. However, while working as a student nurse, I found one elderly gentleman--already dressed and sitting on the bed with a suitcase at his feet--who insisted he didn't need my help to leave the hospital. After a chat about rules being rules, he reluctantly let me wheel him to the elevator. On the way down I asked him if his wife was meeting him. I don't know," he said. "She's still upstairs in the bathroom changing out of her hospital gown."

He didn't like the casserole
And he didn't like my cake.
He said my biscuits were too hard...
Not like his mother used to make.
I didn't perk the coffee right
He didn't like the stew,
I didn't mend his socks
The way his mother used to do.
I pondered for an answer
I was looking for a clue.
Then I turned around and smacked the shit out of him...
Like his MOMMA used to do.

You can turn painful situations around through laughter. If you can find humor in anything, even poverty, you can survive it.
--Bill Cosby--

A magazine recently ran a "Dilbert Quotes" contest. They were looking for people to submit quotes from their real-life Dilbert-type managers. These were voted the top ten quotes for in corporate America, circa 2004:

1. "As of tomorrow, employees will only be able to access the building using individual security cards. Pictures will be taken next Wednesday, and employees will receive their cards in two weeks." (This was the winning quote from Fred Dales, Microsoft Corp. in Redmond WA)

2. "What I need is an exact list of specific unknown problems we might encounter." (Lykes Lines Shipping)

3. "E-mail is not to be used to pass on information or data. It should be used only for company business." (Accounting manager, Electric Boat Company)


4. "This project is so important we can't let things that are more important interfere with it." (Advertising/Marketing manager, United Parcel Service)


5. "Doing it right is no excuse for not meeting the schedule." (Plant Manager, Delco Corporation)

6. "No one will believe you solved this problem in one day! We've been working on it for months. Now go act busy for a few weeks and I'll let you know when it's time to tell them." (R&D supervisor, Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing/3M Corp.)


7. Quote from the Boss: "Teamwork is a lot of people doing what I say. (Marketing executive, Citrix Corporation)


8. My sister passed away and her funeral was scheduled for Monday. When I told my Boss, he said she died on purpose so that I would have to miss work on the busiest day of the year. He then asked if we could change her burial to Friday. He said, "That would be better for me." (Shipping executive, FTD Florists)


9. "We know that communication is a problem, but the company is not going to discuss it with the employees." (Switching supervisor, AT&T Long Lines Division)

What's your favorite?

Scroll down for close-ups.

 

 

Sent to my email by Hope, who doesn't have a blog, but should!




Investment tips for 2006...for all of you with any money left, be aware of the next expected mergers so that you can get in on the ground floor and make some BIG bucks. Watch for these consolidations in 2006.

1.) Hale Business Systems, Mary Kay Cosmetics, Fuller Brush, and W.R.Grace Co. will merge and become: Hale, Mary, Fuller, Grace.

2.) Polygram Records, Warner Bros., and Zesta Crackers join forces and become: Poly, Warner Cracker.

3.) 3M will merge with Goodyear and and become: MMMGood.

4. Zippo Manufacturing, Audi Motors, Dofasco, and Dakota Mining will merge and become: ZipAudiDoDa.

5. FedEx is expected to join its major competitor, UPS, and become: FedUP.

6. Fairchild Electronics and Honeywell Computers will become: Fairwell Honeychild.

7. Grey Poupon and Docker Pants are expected to become: Poupon Pants.

8. Knotts Berry Farm and the National Organization of Women will become: Knott NOW! And finally...

9. Victoria's Secret and Smith & Wesson will merge under the new name: TittyTitty BangBang

Here I am again, without any ideas for a post. So I'll just ramble on for a bit and maybe something interesting will come to mind........LOL