CAN'T GET THAT SONG OUT OF MY HEAD: Journal

Happy Birthday, Mom

Sun, 03 Aug 2008 13:48:11 GMT

HAPPY 91ST BIRTHDAY, MOM!

Yes, today is my Mom's 91st birthday. I wish I could be in Arizona to celebrate with her, but it wasn't meant to be, I guess. I did receive a call from my retired brother, who lives in Kentucky, and his wife, who are out there with her now.

She was born in 1917 on the Saskatuwan (sp.) prairie in a small homesteaders cabin. Her parents and older brother had move there, from Michigan, to try to make a go of it homesteading the land. They only stayed a few years before going back to Michigan. The years there were harsh---the bitter winters and the dry, lonely summers were too much for them. But her mother did take some pictures of them when my Mom was just 4 or 5 years old. My grandmother apparently developed the pictures herself out there in the wilderness. My mother has many tales from the old days with their sleigh in the winter months and just horses and buggys the other times of the year.

My Mom met my Dad, who lived only about 15 miles from them, after they were out of High School. My Dad's family owned a hardware store in Centreville, MI, so my Mom was familiar with the name, but had never met him! All those years they'd lived so close and didn't know each other! I was lucky to have both sets of grandparents so close in proximity.

Both my brother and I were adopted because my Mom could not have children. We were lucky to be able to travel to Europe and Mexico during my youth and have so many educational advantages. My parents were married almost 50 years when my Dad passed away from colon cancer back in 1978.

Longevity seems to run in my Mom's family as her father lived until he was 96, passing away on Valentines Day.

So, Happy Birthday, Mom (even though she'll never read this, as she doesn't have a computer)! And thanks for all you've done for me over the years!

xxxxxoooooxxxxx

Back Home Again...

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 14:22:48 GMT

Ahhhh. Home again! Gee and we missed that quake---but it was not felt up this far. It sure opens peoples' eyes as to the coming of the "big one." Makes you want to go out and get more food stored and prepare for the power being out for an extended period of time.

At any rate, our trip was good, but LONG yesterday. When we got back to our car (to travel the final hour home), the battery was dead. Upon calling AAA, the guy came within 15 minutes and attached a nifty yellow charger to our battery and VOILA! All worked great and we made it home at about 1:00 in the morning. The dog and cats were thrilled to see us and all look well and happy.

Now comes the viewing and editing of the visual memories we collected. It all seemed to end too soon---we could have used a couple more days to see it all. But it's good to be home.

We have to get M ready to go to his YMCA camp on Sunday and I have to sift through the mulititude of calls from people with out-of-tune pianos---so the work never ends! Great to be home!

Leaving today...

Tue, 29 Jul 2008 11:51:36 GMT

Well, our journey is almost over. We are due on the plane early this afternoon.

Visited Hollywood Studios at Disney yesterday along with part of the Animal Kingdom later in the day. Rode the Tower of Terror (based on the old Tower Hotel and Rod Sterling's Twilight Zone story) and the Rockin Roller Coaster--one of the fastest rides in the park. Saw the Indiana Jones Stunt team and the cars and motorcycles go through their paces in another stunt show. Then we seeked out the Yetti at the top of Mount Everest and ate dinner at the Yak and Yetti restaurant.

All in all, an exciting day, with not enough time to check out all the neato shops with all that Hollywood trivia.

Was thrilled to see Charlton Heston briefly appear in a History of Hollywood ride as well in his roles of Ben Hur and Moses. Go Chuck!

Glad to be heading home and my own bed again, though. My feet are glad too...

Epcot!!

Sun, 27 Jul 2008 11:36:25 GMT

Yesterday's trip to Epcot was amazing. We did everything from experience a car testing ride to a trip through the gardens of the future where all the plants are suspended in air with their roots hanging down (then they just spray the roots with nutrients and boy do they grow!). It looked funny to see pumpkins and tomatoes hanging down away from the plants that were creeping along tubing above you! We also visited all the "countries of the world" and had lunch in France. Then we escaped back to our room for an hour or so before going back and having dinner there before watching the fireworks display. That experience was one of the finest shows I've ever seen. It told of the evolution of the earth with fire and was absolutely stunning to the end. After hitting the gift shops we came back and fell into bed about 10:30! My feet didnt' really hurt, but boy were they tired!

Today we head for the Magic Kingdom. The small bits of rain we are getting throughout the day are welcome! Now it's bright and sunny...time to slather on the sunscreen! Ta ta for now...

Today it's Epcot

Sat, 26 Jul 2008 11:25:12 GMT

We had a big day yesterday at the Judo Junior Olympics here in Disney World. There were about 900 contestants there and the competition was a double elimination-- lose two matches and you're out. Our son, M, fought hard, but the competition was really tough and he came away with nothing but memories. He got pinned in both his matches by kids who seemed older and more experienced than he. They put him in with other kids born in 1995, but since he was born so late in the year (after Christmas), he is still 12, and I feel most of his competition is already 13. Boy, kids mature physically a lot at that age. He is big and mature for his age, but he IS still 12. Anyway, he worked hard and just ran up against kids who were more experienced.

So, it's off to Epcot today. We had rain last night, so things are clean and fresh to start out. Because there is a 40 percent chance of rain today, I'll take my poncho and hope I won't have to use it. The rain does cool it down some, though, for which I am glad. It's been super muggy here. We are staying at the Coronado Springs Resort in Disney World. It is an enormous complex, complete with a Mayan Dig Site swimming area with a giant through-the-rocks slide and other fun stuff. We enjoyed the swimming pools yesterday, but will try to hit the park water slides in the next few days. Looks like lots of fun ahead!

We made it!

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 13:58:42 GMT

Well, we made it---through the delays in Denver and the lightning storms on our way to FL. Kind of scary with all that lightning outside our plane windows! But as we approached Orlando, things calmed down. All dry and warm here. We finally got to our room at about 2 a.m. Will keep you all informed as best as I can as to our days here---but most of it will probably have to wait until we return!

Just wanted you all to know we made it safely! Boy, this place is BIG!

Heading for Florida!

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 14:16:16 GMT

Well, tomorrow is the big travel day---when we take off and fly across country to Orlando, Florida--to Disney World! Yeah, I know about the hurricanes, but I'm still excited. So much of the park is under cover anyway. Actually we're going mainly for the Judo Junior Olympics, where our 12 year old will be competing. They expect about 1000 kids to be there, so it will be crowded! Then after the matches on Friday, we'll have three days to explore the park.

So, I may not have much of a chance to make many entries this next week, but I am taking my laptop, and I expect our hotel will have WiFi, so I might be able to manage at least ONE.

Just keep your fingers crossed that the hurricanes keep their distance while we're there and don't hamper our efforts to leave next Tuesday.

See ya!

Happy Birthday, Son

Sun, 20 Jul 2008 15:42:07 GMT

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SON!

It's so hard to believe my son, S, turned 24 yesterday! He's not a baby anymore....but he'll always be mine! I know I'm remiss about getting this up in time, but I was so engrossed in getting the Allan Sherman thing out, by the time I remembered, it was too late.

So, hope you had a happy day, S, and that you didn't have to work. He's down in San Diego with the Navy and sometimes has to work weekends. He seems to love his legal work although I still can't get over the fact that he chose law instead of music or drama. After transferring some old VHS tapes to DVD the other night, I realized what a HAM he was in front of a camera. He should have pursued acting! But he seems happy in his current status, so that's what counts.

Last week he threw his first big party at his NEW apartment and since I haven't heard how that went yet, I'm sure it was a great success. S is such a people-oriented guy and everybody's friend.

So, here's to you, you OLD thing, a big HAPPY BIRTHDAY KISS! XXXXXOOXXXXX

Happy Birthday FRIEND!

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 14:17:13 GMT

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CAROL!

Yeah, it's that time again, buddy! You can't escape it---birthdays happen!

Carol and I go WAY BACK---. After graduating from High School, my family left Michigan and moved to Illinois, where I went to college. I finished my first year and Carol and I planned a vacation (just the two of us---no PARENTS) up to northern Michigan. We drove her car and went on a grand adventure together. Since I was a great Charlton Heston fan, we went searching for his place in St. Helena, where we combed the woods for a day or so. I don't think we really expected to find his cabin in the wilds, but it was fun. Then we stopped by and surprised Arnie (a friend from High School) who was working in a newspaper office in a tiny town in MI, did some sightseeing and headed for Machinaw City. The lake looked rough enough that Carol said, "No way are we taking the ferry over to the Island!), so we stayed on the shores of the lake in a motel and tried to take on-the-sly pics of each other with our little brownie cameras (she got a great one of me in curlers!). As we drove around near Charlevoix, we stumbled upon a deserted CASTLE out in the middle of nowhere! Well, you can bet we got plenty of pics of THAT (today that castle has been redone and is a beautiful bed and breakfast type place, but then it was just like ancient ruins---weeds and no one for miles around it). After we left, we actually got lost and found we were going in circles. Well, that made us laugh so hard,we had to pull over. Finally we got out of the viscious circle and found a place to eat (me with my mound of black olives and Carol with her plate of raw carrots---still yucking it up). All in all, it was a grand trip---one we'll never forget---that we still smile about. Little did we know it was the first of many adventurous trips we took together. Someday, I hope Carol and I can take another trip (just the two of us) and make new memories!

Thanks for the fun we've had and the times we've been there for each other through good and bad. I look forward to many more! Have a great day and, no, you don't have to tell us how old you are!!!

Eye Trouble

Sat, 05 Jul 2008 14:09:15 GMT

We had a nice time at the BBQ we went to yesterday (the 4th), but had to leave early. Our 12 year old son, M, had gotten some dirt in his eye BEFORE we left for the picnic and although we tried to flush it out, it hurt him so at the event that we trundled him off to Emergency. Luckily, it wasn't too busy and we got in and out in about 2 hours. They did pull a small black dot of dirt from his eye and said he had a small abraision, which was what hurt so much. Then, it was nearly impossible to find a pharmacy open to fill the eye drop prescription. They said he should be back to normal in about a day. It did hurt him some last night before bed, but he slept all night. Thank goodness it wasn't anything too serious. But I know from experience that eye pain is one of the worst!

Surprisingly, there were NO rogue fire works last night! They were banned, but I was certain someone would try to set some off in our little area here. But it was quiet and the dog didn't go crazy! Hope it will be tonight as well. We still smell some smoke from fires to the north of us, but the skies seem fairly clear and sunny. Hope your holiday was happy and relaxed!

Happy Fourth of July!

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 14:57:55 GMT

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!

Here are some interesting observances of this holiday in its early years from Wikipedia:

In 1777, thirteen guns were fired, once at morning and again as evening fell, on July 4 in Bristol, Rhode Island. Philadelphia celebrated the first anniversary in a manner a modern American would find quite familiar: an official dinner for the Continental Congress, toasts, 13-gun salutes, speeches, prayers, music, parades, troop reviews, and fireworks. Ships were decked with red, white, and blue bunting.
In 1778, General George Washington marked Independence Day with a double ration of rum for his soldiers and an artillery salute. Across the Atlantic Ocean, ambassadors John Adams and Benjamin Franklin held a dinner for their fellow Americans in Paris, France.
In 1779, July 4 fell on a Sunday. The holiday was celebrated on Monday, July 5.
In 1781, the Massachusetts General Court became the first state legislature to recognize Independence Day as a state celebration.
In 1783, Moravians in Salem, North Carolina, held the first celebration of Independence Day in the country with a challenging music program assembled by Johann Friedrich Peter. This work was titled "The Psalm of Joy".
In 1791 was the first recorded use of the name "Independence Day".
In 1870, the U.S. Congress made Independence Day an unpaid holiday for federal employees.
In 1941, Congress changed Independence Day to a paid federal holiday. The residents of Vicksburg, Mississippi, celebrated Independence Day for the first time since July 4, 1863, when the Siege of Vicksburg ended with a Union victory during the American Civil War.

Here's another holiday I never knew existed (although I seem to remember seeing it on the calendar last year and wondering about it):

Constitution Day (or Citizenship Day) is an American federal holiday that recognizes the ratification of the United States Constitution. It is observed on September 17, the day the U.S. Constitutional Convention signed the Constitution in 1787.

The law establishing the holiday was created in 2004 with the passage of an amendment by Senator Robert Byrd to the Omnibus spending bill of 2004. Before this law was enacted, the holiday was known as "Citizenship Day". In addition to renaming the holiday "Constitution Day and Citizenship Day," the act mandates that all publicly funded educational institutions provide educational programming on the history of the American Constitution on that day. In May 2005, the United States Department of Education announced the enactment of this law and that it would apply to any school receiving federal funds of any kind. This holiday is not observed by granting time off work for federal employees.

When Constitution Day falls on a weekend or on another holiday, schools and other institutions unofficially observe the holiday on an adjacent weekday. This was the case in 2005, when Constitution Day was generally observed on Friday, September 16 and 2006 when the holiday was observed on Monday, September 18.

So, enjoy the Fourth and all the food and celebrations and remember the word "moderation" when it comes to drinking anything alcoholic. Drive carefully and enjoy the weekend!

Just stuff...

Sun, 29 Jun 2008 14:48:50 GMT

Not much happening here lately. The smoke is still here and is predicted to remain through Monday, but it is better---you can actually see more than 50 yards in front of you now. However, if I'm out in it for long, I start to get itchy eyes and headaches. The sun peeked through some yesterday and you can almost see some blue sky this morning. They say the lightning is headed to the north of us. WHEW.

Hey, my Detroit Tigers finally won against the Royals yesterday, putting them at 500% now and not dead last in their division! Go, you Tigers!

I'm not going to be putting out a short story for a few days (weeks) because I am concentrating on getting my current manuscript ready to send to the Publishers. So, if you want to read any of my stories, just click on their titles above and read away. I promise that once this manuscript is out and things get back to normal here (THAT could take a while!), I'll get right on a new story.

Enjoy your weekend and stay safe and well.

Nearby fires...

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 14:03:45 GMT

The sky is still hazy with the smoke from neighboring fires. Yesterday afternoon it was so bad, it looked more like a heavy fog than smoke. True, the sunsets are beautiful, but I'm willing to sacrifice that sight for some clean air again. Unfortunately, the Walker fire (which is 20 miles north and east of us and at last notice was over 1,400 acres) is still going and one of the Mendacino fires are all sending smoke our way. We had to keep our windows closed last night, in spite of the heat, and just resort to our portable fans to circulate our air. I hate leaving the animals out in it, but they don't seem to mind the smoke. The cats would just as soon come in and sleep on the bed, but the dog seems happy under the house where it's cool. Just our luck they'll finally get control of some of the fires and the next band of storms will bring more lightning and new threats. That is scheduled for this weekend, from what I hear.

Well, at least our pool is up and running and with plenty of water in our own well, we have kept our lawn green, even though all the neighbors have the brown lawns. Just keep your fingers crossed the lightning doesn't come our way.

All Stars picks...

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 13:54:52 GMT

Well, they were supposed to announce who made All-Stars in our Little League yesterday. And, of course, M did NOT make it, even though he was the best hitter on his team (got a hit it nearly all the games---often more than one hit), got the most RBI's and made very few errors at 3rd base or in the field. The reason he did NOT make it was because he is NOT a coach's son. Yes, you read that right. Whether the coach's sons play well or not, they always make it and the other players are left out, regardless of their statistics during the year. Since we have three coaches, all their boys made it, even though there wasn't more than a handful of actual hits among them all year and they made the majority of the errors in the field. So UNFAIR....all the politics involved. Last year, it was the same thing. However one boy DID make it (from our team) who wasn't a coach's son, but he was one of only two boys were made the All-Star team (drawn from four teams) who wasn't a coach's son.

I've been keeping my fingers crossed and hoping M would make the team since this is his last year on the 12 and under leagues--he goes up to Juniors next year (13+) and will be down at the bottom of the barrel again...lots of bench sitting. At any rate, I was proud of my boy---he played hard and well and made a big difference in the team this year. But I just had to vent----all the politics that go on, even at that level, is totally WRONG in my opinion. Maybe I'm just a frustrated Mom... (That's me and my hubby right there in the background!)

Sad News...

Mon, 16 Jun 2008 14:48:17 GMT

I got some sad news yesterday evening. My ex-husband, father of my older son (the one in the Navy), Donald J. Harris, passed away at the age of 75. His sister called me last night to tell me and try to get ahold of my son. I had just talked to S on the phone about an hour before she called with the news, so I had to turn around and call him back with the bad news. It was not un-expected as Don's health had not been good lately, leaving him weak and volnurable. Apparently the flu was going around there and I expect he may have contracted it at some point.

Don was a very talented musician. He played drums all his life, winning several awards in San Diego for Jazz Drummer of the Year back in the 60's. He also played tympany with the San Diego symphony during those years. Although he was an exceptional drummer, his love was the vibes. He spent several years in the Navy andwhen he finally wanted to leave the military, he was offered the Navy Band, the USNCT Navy school band, and the then US/Canadian Navy band. But he turned them all down to start his own civilian band, Arrangement 70. He traveled for years with them all across the country, finally settling back in San Diego, then Santa Baraba, and finally back home to Montana.

I was always amazed at his talent for writing musical arrangements for bands, as he did those years we lived in Montana. He led a small 6 piece dance band, The Polished Brass, for which he wrote over 100 arrangements of all the great standards with a few rock and country thrown in. He also wrote a few full jazz band arrangements for a community Missoula jazz band in the mid-80's. One of my favorites was a jazz take on the old Mickey Mouse theme song. Boy, did it swing!

I will certainly miss Don, as he was my best friend for many years. But we have a wonderful son, which he was very proud of, to carry on his name. So long, Don.

New short story coming...

Sun, 25 May 2008 15:25:49 GMT

Well, tomorrow is officially Memorial Day, a day to remember all the soldiers who have fallen in war. This past year, my mother's friend, Frank, passed away. He was a navy pilot in the Pacific during WWII. It is sad that so many of our WWII soldiers are deceased as their stories bring that part of history alive for our children. We baby-boomers are a direct result of that war and remember the aftermath well, but to our children and theirs, it is just dry history.

Starting either tomorrow or Tuesday, I will be posting a short story I wrote several years ago. I entered it in a contest and they sent me an Honorable Mention certificate. Since then, I have re-edited it some and am splitting it into a few parts. It's not nearly as long as the others, but it is, in part, based on a re-occurring dream I've had. Since I wrote the story, though, the dream has quit. Perhaps it needed to be told to disappear. The house I describe in the story is very similar to one my grandmother had when I was growing up. The house is still there (to my knowledge) and was one of two in the small town in Michigan that was built before the Civil War and used as an underground railroad. How cool is that??? The first president of the Phillipines owned it at one point and left many books in the library, which I have today. This house was always special to me and I used to dream about what it might have been like to live in it during its youth. Hope you'll like the story and remember the story itself is pure FICTION.

Have a safe and fun holiday!!

Take me out to the ballgame...

Thu, 22 May 2008 13:30:04 GMT

M had a heck of a great day in baseball the other day. His little leagure majors team (the Mets) beat the A's 9 to 8. He got a double, a triple, a single, two walks and hit out at first and got 4 RBI's. Then he also made a spectacular throw from center field to the catcher and put the guy out at home! They put him in at shortstop for an inning and he did great! It was his first time at that position (he usually plays 3rd or right field)! Then they let him pitch near the end (with a guy on 1st and one of 3rd) and he struck out one guy and the last batter hit a fly to right that was caught! So M was flying high last night! The team went wild in the dugout at the win (they've only won 4 games all year), but even if we win our last two games, it won't be enough for the playoffs in June. They sure played hard and well! I'll be sorry to see the end of the season now that they're playing like a team...

Hope you all liked the short story that ended yesterday. I'm thrilled to get so many hits on this space but disappointed there isn't more FEEDBACK from you readers---hint, hint, hint... But thanks for being there anyway. So what kind of story do you want next? Come on, I want some ideas of what you like....

Last night's dream

Fri, 16 May 2008 13:42:07 GMT

You can have all the doubts about regression being real that you want, but I think our dreams are directly related to our past lives. For many years now, I have had similar dreams about Charlton Heston---no, not "fantasy" dreams but realistic dreams about meeting him in his home. Always in the dreams he has been gracious and eager to talk about his films and theatre work and ALWAYS in his dreams are his wife, Lydia. I am always astounded that he is so friendly and open in talking with me and always there is a grand piano in his house (which I always ask to tune!). I feel strangely connected to him.

However, last night the dream came to me again, but this time it as really different. This time he was a very YOUNG and vibrant Charlton Heston---like from BEFORE his film career. This time, instead of that wavy sandy hair, he had a long "butch" haircut that looked shaggy. I couldn't help asking him about it; if it was for a special performance or what. And he just laughed and asked if I wanted to touch it. An when I did, it was like silk; so soft and fine! How strange. And in this dream, Lydia tried to contain a dog that looked like an Akia/husky type that was growling and menacing towards me. He never bit me, but followed me around and was threatening. However, Chuck was so happy and vibrant in this dream, that I was glad for him. I'd never seen him this way---laughing and jumping and running around like a kid. Perhaps his spirit is young again and he is thrilled to be gone from his tired body and young again in the other world.

When I awoke from this dream, I remembered so much of it, but was so disappointed that I woke up. I hope it is a sign that he is happy and content in the other world!

Hot one today...

Thu, 15 May 2008 13:30:55 GMT

Right now it's 72 outside at 6:20 in the morning...probably the coolest it will be today. Yup, we're having a heat wave today! It's predicted to get up to 100 where we are, which is pretty unusual for this time of year around here. Today will be the day to crank up the AC for sure. The house is wide open now and I'm revelling in the cool breeze. Ahhhhh!

Saw Oprah on Thursday when she had the guy on who did hypnotism and regressed people back to before they were born. I've always been fascinated with this concept and was amazed by how far he could make some people remember. I'd sure like to have this done, as I often wonder whose spirit I may have and what I may have done or seen. The show was truly amazing because the doctor managed to hypnotise most of the audience in the short time he had and several people had mind-blowing experiences. Apparently there will be another show sometime in the near future that will be part 2 of this, telling more of the stories from the audience.

Have any of you seen the movie/musical of ON A CLEAR DAY? The show is about just that same thing---regressing in time to a former life. People used to think you were nuts if you even talked about it, but I guess there is enough evidence out there that it is possible that now we can find out more. Being a writer, I often wonder why I come up with the story ideas I do and now I'm convinced perhaps they are experiences I've had in the past that just need to be told. What do you think?

Stealing home....

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 13:25:12 GMT

My 12-year old son, M, has certainly been busy lately. He's been in the throes of baseball practice and games and recently had quite an unusual experience. Picture it: our team was behind 4-2 in the last inning and M was up at bat. The pitcher for the other team, John, was whizzing in his fast ball. M stood up there, ready to belt the ball, when he got HIT by one of John's fast balls right in the left buttocks. He hobbled around for a moment or two before limping off to first base. Well, that must have rattled pitcher John, because he started throwing wild pitches, walking player after player until M was on 3rd base. Then a player hit a pop fly to first and was out. The next player was walked again and as he set off for first, M came trotting into home (as the players before him had been doing), not realizing the bases had NOT been loaded. I heard our coach shout to him, "Hurry on, M!" as he sauntered into home. Just one step before he touched home, the other side realized that the ball was live and he was NOT another walked in run. But by the time they tagged him, he had crossed home and was headed for the dugout. That was the most laid-back steal I've ever seen!!! The coaches at third and home said they really sweat it out because he was taking his time. (He had thought the bases WERE loaded!)

Well, M really did well this past Sunday at a judo tournament in Santa Clara, taking FIRST PLACE in his weight division! WOW, that's only the second time he's had a FIRST! Got a great tall trophy too! Way to go M!!!

Stay tuned tomorrow for part 3 of BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR...

Kids do the darndest things....

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 15:03:12 GMT

No, this isn't about Candid Camera. I have to take a moment and brag about my 12 year old son, M, who did something amazing the other day.

One day a couple of weeks ago, he got off the Transit bus (there are no school busses that go to his charter school) at the stop. It was an earlier bus because they got out of school early for teacher meetings. A young boy (1st grader) got off at the same stop and there was no one there to pick him up, so my son walked him the 2 miles or so home (we live in a subdivision far from town, where every house has at least an acre of land with it). Our house is only half a mile from home, so M's used to walking home. Since I was working and not going to meet him at the corner, he took it upon himself to see that the young boy made it home before coming home himself. Apparently his parents forgot about the early out and were happy M had walked with him. They gave M a ride home from there. M didn't even know this kid (his first name only) but couldn't just walk away and leave him.

How many 12 year old boys do you know who would take the time and effort to see this kid home? I'm so proud ! Most of his friends and peers would have laughed at the younger boy or ignored him. And M is not even a boy scout!

Just another holiday?

Tue, 01 Apr 2008 14:11:58 GMT

Hey, this is a GREAT holiday! What other time do you really get to LAUGH a lot! Anything that makes you laugh can't be all bad. Yeah, some pranks can be bad, but it they hurt someone, they aren't pranks---they're stupid!!! Here is some old fashioned fun with two guys that used to be one of the funniest teams ever---BOB AND RAY:

WIDEN YOUR HORIZONS
How to Use Paper Clips
(Recorded off WOR Radio, circa 1976)

(theme music up) BOB: And welcome again to our public service feature, Widen Your Horizons. Today our subject is How to Use Paper Clips, and here to guide you beginners along the way is Mr. Burton Y. Grepsy of the Tender Care Steel Wire Products Company. (music out) Mr. Grepsy, we are honoured to have you with us, and to tell you the truth, I never dreamed that the majority of our fellow Americans don't know how to use a simple thing like a paper clip.

GREPSY (Ray): Well, I know it seems strange to people like ourselves who are in the over age group. Over 20, that is, over 20 age group. We grew up in an era when paper clips were a low priced item and every home had at least a box or two of them lying around, but of course that's no longer true among the lower and middle classes.

BOB: You mean that paper clips are now a luxury for most people?

GREPSY: Yes, percentage-wise, the cost of paper clips has gone up even more than medical care. The standard 10 cent box of just a few years ago, has almost quadrupled in most locations. Frankly, we look for the price to hit 50 cents by 1980. And our children can expect to see one dollar paper clips by the turn of the century.

BOB: Boy, I can see how many many of our young people are going out into the business world with no previous experience in using your company's product.

GREPSY: Yes, that becomes increasingly common. And of course, it's pretty scary for a kid on his first job to be told to use a paper clip when he's never seen one before.

BOB: Yeah, that certainly would be a traumatic experience. Why don't you just go ahead with your lecture then, sir?

GREPSY: Thank you. Now, the first thing you beginners should do is hold the clip at the top, just as I'm doing here. And then, what you do.....

BOB: Uh, Mr. Grepsy. You're going to have to describe what it is you're doing, because our audience can't see you holding that clip there.

GREPSY: Well, can't you just tell one of your cameramen to zoom in on my thumb and index finger? BOB: No, no, this isn't television, it's radio.

GREPSY: Oh, golly! Oh boy, I'm not sure I could describe in words what a paper clip looks like even.

BOB: Well, can't you just say it's a length of thin steel wire formed into two loops, one inside the other?

GREPSY: Well now, that is a good way of describing it. I was going to say it looks like two little Indianapolis Motor Speedways, you know? Only one is even littler than the other. However, I think your description is easier for the average person to visualize.

BOB: I think that's true. Especially if the person doesn't know what the Indianapolis Motor Speedway looks like. But go ahead, anyway.

GREPSY: Well, the first thing the beginner has to notice is the place on the outside of the outer loop where the wire comes to an end. Now that's the spot where you can slip the top of your second paper clip through. And of course, that automatically connects the two clips together.

BOB: That's interesting, but why don't you take these sheets of paper and get right to the heart of the subject?

GREPSY: Well, I am getting to the heart of the subject, so please don't chime in.

BOB: All right, I just thought you were getting off onto something else there.

GREPSY: Well, I'm not. Now, once the beginner has linked the first two clips together, he'll immediately notice that the wire also comes to an end on the outer loop of the second one. So, you just follow the same procedure as before to connect the third clip to the second one. And then the fourth to the third, and so on.

BOB: Mr. Grepsy, I know I promised not to interrupt, but would you please tell me what the point is of linking paper clips together like that?

GREPSY: Well, I'd be happy to explain. That's the point I was coming to. When you've made the chain long enough, you link the last clip to the first one. And that makes a nice bracelet, or even a necklace, for the ladies. Men can just leave the two ends of their chains unconnected, and let the thing run from keys in their pocket to a belt loop, or a vest button.

BOB: Well, what about using paper clips to fasten papers together?

GREPSY: Well, I didn't know you could do that with them too!

BOB: Why do you think they're called paper clips?

GREPSY: Gee, I don't know. I don't usually take questions from the audience like this. I think maybe I'm getting in over my head here. I'll try to send one of our vice-presidents over later who knows more about the history and the naming of the product.

BOB: Okay.

GREPSY: Goodbye.

(sound of running footsteps)
(door slams)
(theme music up) BOB: You've been listening to a lecture by Mr. Burton Y. Grepsy, on the subject of How to Use Paper Clips. I hope you'll join us soon when we'll have a chance to learn still another valuable skill on our next edition of Widen Your Horizons.

(theme music up and out)

Well, that's about it for now, the website is in a state of flux, as you know. More later.

Until then, this is Ray Goulding reminding you to write if you get work...

Bob Elliot reminding you to hang by your thumbs.

Up and moving around...

Sat, 29 Mar 2008 14:25:42 GMT

Well, I'm back home and actually putting weight on my new knee. I'm really surprised to be able to do that much so soon. But, as was pointed out to me, it is a synthetic knee, so putting weight on it won't hurt it at all. What hurts are the bones that have been manuveured and shaped. I'm still floating on some drugs, but they now have some pain meds that do NOT make you sleepy, so I'm not quite so much in a fog all the time.

Baseball opening day (for our Little League) is today and my son, M, plays the opening game at 1:00. His team is the Mets again this year and this will be his last year in the Majors because he is 12. When he turns 13, he'll be pushed up to the Juniors and then it's on to High School Baseball when he is 15 or so. Therefore, this is his "senior" year in this league, so it should be a good one for him. He's bigger and stronger and smarter this year, so it should be a record year. I think they'll play him on 1st or 3rd base and as a pitcher (although he's not a 'power pitcher' like so many of them) sometimes. His batting has improved a lot since he's stronger and way past being afraid of the ball.

I love baseball season and no mere knee replacement will keep me from seeing the games!!! HA!!! Can't wait for the Detroit Tigers to start playing this year---hope they go all the way this time!!!

back home...on crutches!

Sat, 15 Mar 2008 15:11:39 GMT

Greetings from my gimpy world! Had my knee surgery yesterday and the Dr. said I should have a knee replacement. My knee was so messed up he was amazed I could handle the pain like I did. I'm so lucky that there have been such advancements in knee replacement that this surgery is commonplace these days. Will probably have it within the next 3 weeks. I'll just get healed from this scope surgery before they go in again---I'll be a PRO with crutches at this rate. But if it dispells the pain, it will be worth it. Don't know much more at this point because I'm still groggy from the drugs they gave me. Will go back to have my three stitches out on Monday (St. Patty's Day) and he will be able to explain things better then.

HOWEVER, the normal ache is gone now---of course the novacaine-like drug he put in my knee hasn't worn off yet---so that is a relief. The drugs will wear off sometime today or tomorrow. I have plenty of pain medication I can take, but hopefully it won't be too bad.

The new crutches they gave me are amazing. They are light as a feather and fit to my size. Piece of cake! And since it is my LEFT knee, I can drive soon too. So, I'm a happycamper now. I'm not really surprised about the new knee prognosis (not like the Dr. is!), because I've been dealing with such pain it had to be more than just a small tear.

Enough about my leg. I'm back home and doing GREAT! Will add a new song on my music now...

On the go...

Thu, 13 Mar 2008 13:34:18 GMT

Whew! Been on the move this past week. Tomorrow I am scheduled to go in for my knee surgery. It's just a scope---quick in and out---so I'm no worried. Just want to get it done and over with! I won't know how to act with the pain gone...

Went to a small Judo tournament this past Sunday in Cupertino. My son took 2nd place in his weight class! He had excellent matches and almost beat the guy who always takes first. I know he's going to do that one of these times---each time he gets closer. The only thing I don't look forward to at these tournaments is the drive time to get there and back. 3 hours from where we live, then 3 more home.

Then Tuesday I took a load of kids into San Francisco to the Exploratorium. This is not just a museum---it's a giant hands-on science fair! There are hundreds of exhibits with everything from the senses to disecting eye balls to dna experiments. The kids AND adults have a ball here. It's the walking all day that killed me. And that was afer the long drive to get there (another 2 1/2 hours there and back).

Yesterday was a day of rest, sort of. I had my writers' group togo to in the afternoon and a piano to see in the morning, so I was busy. Today should be less than that, even though I have to drive to the next town to see my Dr. and get ready for the surgery.

Hope you all had a good week and will be geared up for some good weather for the weekend. They're saying we could get some rain, but it's hard to know.

You won't believe it...

Thu, 06 Mar 2008 14:36:12 GMT

You just won't believe this: I went to my DR. yesterday because a couple of months ago, he put me on Lipitor, the cholestral drug because my bad cholestral was (as he said) "twice as high as it should be --- it was around 150. He had said my good cholestral was OK. He had me return yesterday since it has been about 2 months since I started the drug. A month ago I got a blood test to check if the Lipitor was causing any liver problems. WELL, yesterday, he looked at the report and couldn't believe his eyes. My bad cholestral went from 150 to 53! Now I could believe a 30 point drop but a 100 point drop???!!!! That seems TOO good. I still think there was some mistake at the lab the first time. I admited to him that I had been remiss on taking the drug every day---I took it more like every other day (when I remembered). I have been lifting at the gym and still watching my fat intake, but that kind of drop was a shocker for sure. When he told me months ago I had cholestral problems I couldn't believe him since I had NEVER had a problem there. He insisted it could happen "just like that" but I still had to shake my head. Now, don't get me wrong---I GLAD it dropped so much---but I just wonder about the lab and all. Has anyone every heard of cholestral dropping that much?

The Bugs...

Tue, 04 Mar 2008 14:23:22 GMT

Yech! Spring is definitely here. The bugs are out in force. In the heat of the day, our driveway is virtually covered with flat, flitty bugs that fly. They have red under their wings and land on everything and everyone. When I walk down the driveway, there are so many of them, they crunch under my feet. We have a big silver maple that hangs over the drive and I wonder if that may be where they live. AT ANY RATE, I had a horrible dream about them last night! I dreamed they would land on you, then burrow under your skin and eat you alive. My husband had to wake me up---I was getting too agitated. Then I'd go back to sleep and start thinking about them all over again. I finally found a spray that would kill them, but they multiplied so fast I couldn't keep up with them. And you couldn't tell if anyone had been infected with them until they either died or were cut (then the bugs would crawl out of their skin instead of blood). No, I don't like horror stories at all, but this would make a great one, wouldn't it. I don't think I could do it, though, because I think it's already been done. Wasn't "THEM" about bugs??? Just thinking about it all makes my skin crawl!!!!

Happy Springtime!!!

Continuing adventures of my Knee....

Wed, 27 Feb 2008 14:36:17 GMT

Can you believe it??? I finally have a date set for my knee surgery. I talked to the new Dr. yesterday and he set the "scope" surgery for the 14th of March. Wow, that's only two weeks from now. This Dr. really clicked with me and told me that I needed to get this procedure done and that I'd be out on those tennis courts again before long. I like that kind of thinking! I've really missed not playing tennis .

Yeah, I see that the midwest is getting snowed on again. I hate to brag, but spring appears to be on our doorstep around here---warm (could reach 70 this week!) and sunny. Oh, we'll probably get a little more rain yet, but even at this early hour, I hear a bird chirping outside in the dark. And those Frogs!! They won't shut up! There must be a whole gang of monster croakers out there that sing constantly with their deep Ribbits!

Just to let you know...I'm working hard on getting a new story started that will run here next month some time. I actually have TWO started but can't decide which one to put out first. Also, next month is my first book signing for THE RAT. I already have one review on Amazon! So, if you have read it yet, please feel free to comment there! I'd really appreciate it!!

A storm a coming...

Fri, 22 Feb 2008 14:55:34 GMT

They're saying this is going to be a big one on Saturday---maybe up to 5 inches of rain! Yes, we need the rain, but not all at once!

Nothing too exciting around here. Met a nice lady at a retirement home in Napa the other day---she was 90 and very alert and spry. She came to watch me tune the piano and listen to me play afterwards. Come to find out, she lived in Montana most of her life; grew up in Helena (the Capitol), then moved to Whitefish. We had fun comparing notes about the Big Sky Country. She reminded me of my Mom with all her stories and vigor. So good to see such "with it" older folks! Gives us all HOPE that we can be that way some day. And the stories you can learn about how life was for them back then. They are priceless! If your parents are still alive and elderly, we should all take note of those stories and save them for future generations to hear. That's where tape recorders and video cameras come in. If you are looking for stories like that, just visit a rest home or, better yet, a "retirement" home (the people there are more ambulatory). Those folks are always glad to have visitors.

So, if you know an older person, write them a letter or send them an email and keep in touch with them! They are a valuable asset to our society.

Have a great weekend and stay warm and dry!