The Book...The Rope Walk The Movie...Quantum of Solace Dinner in our recreation room. It was the beginning of a very busy weekend!
BOOK LOVER:
I know you have heard me say this before...I loved this book. When I was teaching children I said that before I read them any book. They came to believe that I truly did love every book I read. Not true but still I did want them to think it was.
When I read The Rope Walk by Carrie Brown I was simply carried away by the words and did not want to skip a single one. Brown did a beautiful job of climbing inside the skin of a ten year old girl and a boy of about the same age that had been taken in by her family. The twist of the story is so smooth and absolutely believable that I fell in love with children and ached for their good intentions and flawed outcomes. Theo, the little boy in the story, reminded me so of those beautiful, excited children that jump from this to that without breaking the beat. The little boy was so full of imagination, fantasy and hard cold reality I wanted to take him home and love him. Alice, the heroine of the story, learned to love him too and began to think that she could not live without him in her family. She had lived her life without a mother in a house full of lively mischievous brothers and an absent minded professor for a father.
This is a recommended read and would be a wonderful gift for a teen girl or boy. (I just wish the cover did not feature the little girl. I think boys would find it to be a put off. )
MOVIE LOVER:
We saw the latest James Bond movie, Quantum of Solace, last night and I will have to admit I loved it. The action was so fast and furious it felt frenetic at times but Daniel Craig was so perfectly restrained. (The ultimate CHICK FLICK!!! :))
Then I went to see the American Girl movie here in our recreation room, "Kit Kettridge" is a movie written for children. The story that has enough depth to carry an adult along too. I am thinking of getting it for my granddaughter. I have not read the books.
It is Saturday night. It has been a great week and a wonderful Thanksgiving. We had a second turkey dinner with friends this afternoon. I could not believe we were sitting outside on their porch in the afternoon of November 29th. I do love Arizona!
Be well.
b
My Friend Carole...stories!
My friend Carole.... A sentence beginning with those three words will surely lead to a story.
Dear God, she said, please let the food be good!
Carole, we say, do you think that God is taking care of this kitchen?
Well, I certainly hope so. We're really hungry!
 Carole/Ken and friends on their 20th wedding anniversary.
My friend Carole gives control of her life over to God...a lot. Kitchens, golf courses and traffic are in the hands of a higher being.
Carole/Ken looking good after Carole posed Ken carefully (note arm on branch...kind of...and crossed legs...sort of!)
She has opinions and her husband Ken is privy to all of those. Well, actually, we are all privy to them. The ones I have learned to love are many. She hates fiber in a box but loves peanut butter on crackers. The thrift store has everything...all you need to do is dust a little and it will be fine. She loves even people that drive her crazy. "Oh no, I could never do that!" means just exactly that. Don't ask again. She won't do it ever.
She has a wonderful way of greeting new acquaintance. She will say, Where do you live? We want you to move near to us. It still amazes me that a gypsy camp has not been set up outside our resort...I am sure Carole has invited them.
When she talks about her other home, the one far away from the Arizona one, she refers to her little river cottage. Grandchildren and friends have come to view it as a play ground. She has all the toys to prove it. I have never been there but I want to go. I am afraid they will sell it and I won't see it with my very own eyes.
I have promised Carole that, when I win the lottery, I will buy her a new set of clubs. We both know it will never happen. If it did, it would probably ruin her game so I just don't buy tickets. She is using dead people's golf clubs. She really is!!! Her handicap is 23 so I think that the former owner watches over her golf game and helps with her score. She celebrates and cusses depending on the lie and the putt. Carole gloats (she says) and we all would agree. But that smile....how could you not love that smile.
My friend Carole....sigh!!!
b
Chapter XV...The Last Waltz I had the last waltz with you
Two lonely people together
I fell in love with you
The last waltz should last forever
They had danced the waltz the first time they met. The words to the song did not tell their story but the melody  held their memories. They had danced as one for so many years that they had both lost count. She knew that the day would come when they could only stand, holding each other. The soft touch of their hands would keep time to those beautiful, sad words.
So it was that the crowd stood looking on, grateful for all the years. Magic hung in the air. They knew no age. Youthful eyes watched in wonder as the couple danced the last waltz together. The light blurred and time stood still. One more dance before they walked away.
b
November 23, 1960...The day we were married!
We will celebrate today 48 years together.
The story is poignant...we are far from this place but we see it each time we go dancing in The Waiting Room for Heaven.
Arizon Inn...Tucson, AZ Arizona Inn Lobby
2008
All photos by Barbara Torris
Living in Tucson, AZ about 6 month of the year has allowed me to experience the best of two separate, diverse worlds. One is Portland, Oregon the other is my life in the Old Pueblo. While we have been coming to Tucson for many years, I am still discovering all the hidden treasures the city has to offer.
Rooms at the Inn are set in small clusters and look like small bungalows.
 
Last spring my friend invite me to have lunch at the famous Arizona Inn situated off Campbell Blvd. on East Elm Street and is very near the University of Arizona campus. It was one of those lunches that are unforgettable...served with style and elegance reminiscent of a bygone era. White table clothes and a gorgeous dining room created the perfect atmosphere. The old inn has been a favorite of Arizonans and tourist since the 1930's and was renovated in 1998.
As we were leaving I clicked several pictures around the grounds and one that I took from the street side of a private entrance was chosen by Schmap as a picture to be used for their guide.
(this is the image Schmap used) I was very complimented that the image I had posted on my flickr account caught their interest. You can see it with my name under the photo under the Arizona Inn listing on Schmap.
Schmaps information on the inn said:
You will feel right at home in this historical Adobe style inn, centrally located in a quiet residential setting. Built in 1930, then renovated in 1998, a wood-paneled library surrounds period furniture. Each room on two floors is individually decorated with fireplaces and patios are available in some. It is just minutes from the University of Arizona...
- Tel: +1 520 325 1541 / +1 800 933 1093 (Toll Free)
Tucson is one of those cities that seems to hide the best secrets in places where you would never think to look. A quick tour of the blocks around the Arizona Inn will reveal a neighborhood that looks back to a time when the Old Pueblo's center was small, intimate and charmingly old world. I would recommend it to anyone.
b
What do you pray for?
I was visiting with a woman the other day about her involvement in a yoga class. She returns to Mexico every year to teach a group of woman that have come to depend upon her wisdom. While she loves the trip every year, the journey has come to be more about the connection with others like herself. Her husband works at a golf course so they can play for free and they have lived in an RV on the beach. This year though, because of failing health issues, they have rented an apartment. She is returning to teach yoga.
Her life, like so many women, is about supporting those around her.  A step-granddaughter, a niece and her own daughter are the people that come up in every conversation. Meditation has become a healing art for her and is an integral part of her life.
We were standing in her kitchen talking with another friend about the mornings and the time they both spend alone thinking, meditating, praying. One has prayed in the mornings all of her life and is a lifelong member of the Catholic church. The other is also Catholic but she has turned to yoga and meditation has replaced her prayers...or at least she thought it had. It was when a family member was struggling, she realized that she was not clearing her mind and going to a place that made HER happy. Instead she was going to a place where her only thought was to somehow give her family strength and courage. She was, she discovered, simply praying.
That was only the beginning. It was what she was praying for that caught my attention. The language of prayer she employed held words like "outcomes" and "strength". In her words, "I cannot pray for the outcome...I do not know what is best or even if there can be a good result. All I can ask for over and over is that God grant us all the strength and courage to get through this." I thought that was very wise. A prayer for calm, strength, courage, peace are prayers that I think God will always answer...and the answer will be yes if we let it .
We are all faced with difficult times. It does not even matter who or if anyone is to blame. We can gather in market places and churches to pray for outcomes. There can be prayers for world peace or the release of a prisoner or the healing of a sick loved one. The list of humanity's need are so long that we cannot wrap our mind around them. We need to know that our wealth is and always has been in our hearts...not in our bank accounts. Some things are just simply part of life and death. I can honestly say that I believe the pleas that will be answered are those that ask for dignity, strength and humility. When we have those things we can find the wisdom act to change those things that can be changed. That is where the answers will be found.
b
Kidney Tranplant Needed! Can you help? The Stranger
Imagine this!
There is a stranger,
a good Samaritan,
a loving spirit that wants to help.
I am speechless!
I have a friend named Catherine that is in need of a kidney transplant. She has been on lists for this procedure for quite a long while and is scheduled to begin dialysis this next week. All her friends have sent an email to everyone on their mailing list and I posted about it on my blog, k*rtsy, and anywhere else that I could get my foot in the door. That was several month ago. I had not thought about the possibility that someone might even volunteer for quite a while.
The day before yesterday an email came my way. It was from a young woman, the mother of a 2 year old and the wife of a kidney transplant recipient. She would like to donate her kidney to my friend. My heart skipped a beat!
Did you know that there are 74,000 people waiting for transplants? According to Kidney and Urologic Disease Statistic Information Clearing House there were almost 18,000 transplants done in the United States in 2005. In the best of all scenarios the chances of finding an ideal match, a willing donor or a deceased donor are so slim that winning the lottery seems more likely. So we keep our eyes on those 18,000 success stories and hope.
I didn't expect to be telling this story...not this week and maybe not ever. Just imagine...a stranger is willing to try. She has the courage to send the email and make the effort. What more can I say. Humans never cease to amaze me.
b
Changes in the Waiting Room for Heaven!Dear Family and Friends,
The park always changes when the snow birds arrive. There is a great deal of laughter and everyone has been saving stories that need to be told. It takes a while for them to all settle in. Like the cranes that arrive in the south every year, the flock floats around for a bit before the wave settle and everyone goes about their business.
My friend m. has a brand new toilet brush. It is absolutely beautiful I am told. The most beautiful one in Tucson. She was the envy of everyone at the evening gathering and several friends wanted to know where she got it! I keep explaining to these people that I cannot be held accountable if I write about them. I can honestly state that I have never seen quite so much interest in the tool used to clean the urinal...ever!
I discovered that m. favorite toe nail fell off this summer and she had to have a fake one painted on for special occasion. A acrylic thumb nail that replaced the one that fell off after she slammed the thumb in the car door. Her fake nails helped her get through the occasion with a certain amount of dignity.
While we're on the subject of things falling off, when C.'s two front teeth fell out during the summer, she was getting ready to celebrate her birthday...a big one with lots of gifts...birthday that is. The dentist tried super glue and wires with no success. She attended the festivities with two teeth missing, freaking out friends and small children.
We are in the process of purchasing a new park model in the The Waiting Room. The sellers had lost the title, mailed papers back and forth to their representative. They called him during the dinner hour every night for three weeks. It was only after they had the paper work completed that the old title actually reappeared. While I don't know all the details, I do know there was cussing and frustration involved.
Mold was discovered in our flooded park model. My husband had thought he would take care of it himself until he realized that vapor locks, a hazmat suit, a mask and extremely hot weather was involved. We decided to pay someone to do it. It was the lesser of the two evils.
Every one is on a special diet it seems. Oats, flax seed meal, no eggs, no protein, no carbohydrates, no sweets, no wine and not much fun is to be had meal time. I think we have all come to agreement that living long is not all that much fun. We may opt for living less and loving life more.
The election is finally over and we are rejoicing big time. Friendships are enduring which is nothing short of a miracle. Other than the fact that I think that President Bush was wrong headed in most cases, I don't have much ammunition against the rapid fire bad mouthing of democrats. I was trying to think what it was the bothered me about the other party and I realized that I didn't like that they bad mouthed my party and hinted that I was ungodly and unpatriotic. Why do I have such a hard time telling people to stop, please? Sigh!
So I guess I had better sign off now. We have a new president elect, a new toilet bowl scrubber and my husband and I have moved, again. That should be enough change for one week.
Sending all my love,
b/Mom Scandalous Senior Citizens...sigh!!!!Scandalous
Sunday Scribblings
November 2 2008
Dear family,
I thought I should let you know how things are going in the park.
Here in the Waiting Room For Heaven RV Resort there are scandalous mysterious, surreal, and hilarious events....daily. I recently told a new arrival it is a bit like living in the twilight zone!
Just to give you all an update, we are still living in a RV resort where we own a little semi-permanent mobile home called a park model. As you might remember it is a little wider and longer that a motor home. A porch has been added on then enclosed. It is called an Arizona Room (Florida Room) and we use it in the winter to gather sunlight and entertain a crowd. Mine is now the home for my computer.
The "Waiting Room for Heaven" is a nick name I use. While many of us are younger, many of the older residents have been here for over 20 years. Their children come to visit and they look older than I do. Here we learn that age is relative and heaven is a short time away. Everyone lives as though there were no tomorrow. Personally I love it here. When you come to visit you will see what I mean.
With in a week a lot can happen in a group of people, a little old, acting a little young. This week the rumor is circulating that there is a prostitute in the park...all the women are wanting to know what she looks like. One person said she was blond and another thought her hair was black and she drove a Mercedes. The men just want to know where she lives!
My friend C. got false teeth this last summer...at a real dentist in the United States. The choices are limited when you are not near Mexico. When you live here you can go across the border and get fitted for false teeth or a new what ever you want. It is a real bargain I am told. We have good insurance so we don't need to go to Mexico...yet. The rumor in the park is that insurance companies are paying for medical expenses incurred south of the border. It turns out the insurance companies don't want to pay anymore than they have to, or so I am told.
Another friend comes from Missouri where his father bought his teeth and eye glasses out of a wooden barrel. The eye glasses where all thrown in as people died and the living would come and try them on until they found something that fit. The same applied to the teeth only the teeth were sorted out by the color of the plastic gums. The system seemed to work really well in Missouri...we may be onto something here.
Our park social director has lost a lot of weight and there is some discussion about what diet she used. There are those of us that think we know her secret...or at least who should take the credit/blame. There are several queens and kings in this place. Queen Whine and King Complain are prominent figures and they don't like the music/food/flowers/noise and Bocce ball! Thank heavens the rest of us keep them under control or the director might just fade away. I did tell you that the rest of us are without a flaw of any kind. We are perfect as an Arizona sunset.
There are two new convertibles in the park this year. The red one is our favorite although the white T-bird is not a bad car either. We are all very envious but still pretend we like the wives that drive them. We may need a ride one day and a girl does look good in a convertible.
The cocktail hour has moved to the corner behind our park model. We over look the tennis and pickle ball courts. We are not at all sure what pickle ball is but the court is absolutely gorgeous. Cactus wrens, flickers, quail and rabbits gather on the courts to feed on the huge cactus that hangs over the fence. We are thinking though that Pickle Ball has nothing to do with birds or pickles for that matter.
Someone went wandering down the middle of the street the other night to check and see if their friends had come in yet. They had on their pajamas. They said they had checked in every direction and there was not a light or a sound. No sooner had she stepped past her driveway than the security golf cart came zooming around the corner. People are going to talk when that leaks out...they will be suspicious that she is the lady of the evening everyone is wondering about.
Political ranting is the order of the day. It will probably be a good thing when November 4Th has come and gone. We haven't hurt each other yet and hardly anyone owns a gun. But still it could get ugly if it went on to much longer!
I hope you are all doing well. It is hot here but it will cool off into the 70's and 80's during this week. It has been over 90 degrees for quite a while now. When you come from the Portland, Oregon to Arizona, it takes quite a while to even figure out how to dress. A woman my age should cover up...the whole body. The neighbors should be spared the pain of seeing what you see in the mirror every morning. But if it is 90, your dignity tends to shrink in importance and comfort says "To heck with the neighbors!" Sigh!
Enough for today. Have a good week!
b
Sunday Scribblings...Her life would be perfect!Sunday Scribblings#134 -- "I don't like myself. I'm CRAZY ABOUT MYSELF!" -- Mae West
Quote: "Others are jealous of happiness most of all.
So when I brag,
I try to sound just a little sad...
it works out better that way." b 2008
The woman dreamed of a back fence. You know the kind. A visiting place. A space would remain without flowers so visits are possible when the neighbors are in the mood. The width of the visiting space on both sides of the fence would tell a lot about the neighborly relationship. She wanted a wide space, maybe an arbor that invited a few minute to share with another woman.
She yearned for the time when neighbors were forever...the house was bought when the children were young. A time when you knew who the neighbors were and could count on them being there...always.
If the neighbors were older and the time came when the house next door was vacant, she could choose a new neighbor and encourage a purchase. Like the house she lived in, the resident would be selected and guided to move closer. That was what she wanted.
She could see the sun filtering through the trees and the white picket slats. The back yard would hold a clothes line, always used on Monday. Zinnias would grow around the edge and Four-o-Clocks would bloom fragrant on a summer's eve. The garden at the back of the small garage would grow tomatoes and cucumbers. A swing would hang from the maple tree. Children and then grandchildren would swing, taking turns while the neighborhood boys played hoops in front of the garage. An old kitchen chair leaning against the house would welcome a few minutes of rest in the shade.
 The woman dreamed of a place like this. A fence, a swing, a clothes line, children and a garden. She needed to visit and watch and grow things in the earth. Her talent was to nurture that life. When evening came, the house would be beautifully inviting as she sat in its warm glow and wrote about people she had known and the stories they had to tell.
She thought she would not brag about her fence or her yard. She would want people to think she was humble. But in her heart she would know that her life was perfect.
b
Retirement Living and Small homes for Retirees in Arizona
I am in the dessert...back in the Waiting Room for Heaven.  We are early this years so we are waiting patiently for the rest of the people with appointments to arrive. Some will be along, some are not well enough to come and some have already kept their appointments. We love the serenity of this place. We are never lonely, we are never wanting for things to do and our friends are so close that we can just walk across the street to visit.
We have moved to a new home here. A home came up for sale at the end of our street with a view of the mountains and just across the street from the tennis courts and the pickle ball courts. We have set up a table on the east side of the home so we can eat breakfast in the early morning sun and have a cocktail in the shade in the after noon. It is very warm now...temps in the 90's during the day but they drop to 80 by 5:00. Perfect.
I have not been blogging so much. It has been a good break for me. Blogging can go from being an outlet to being an obsession...have you noticed? I needed to break the cycle and I will be back as soon as we move the computer down the street and find a home for it in the bedroom.
Theadora, the flamingo with lights inside and pink paint on the outside has moved with us.  We love her. She has lived at several homes but we are the ones that really love her. The other residents are sure we are nuts...was there any question. :)
So that is where we are. Tucson, AZ. 
Our park model will be for sale...these little doll houses are so affordable that middle class residents use them as second homes and those older folks on Social Security can afford a nice home in a secure gated community. Rincon Country East RV Resort (8989 E. Escalante, Tucson, AZ 85730 Toll Free 888·401·8989 Phone 520·886·8431) is one of the top rated parks in AZ. yet remains small and friendly. While part of the park is reserved for large motor homes a large portion of the resort is occupied by park models. We buy the home and then pay monthly rent to the owner of the park. We have a beautiful pool, a large recreation auditorium where dance with live music are held. There is a laundry and a coffee/mail room with residents gather morning and after noon for a visit with friends. We range in are from mid-fifties to over ninety. There is something for everyone.
Several models are for rent in this resort.  I pinch myself every day...we are so lucky.
b
btorris@gmail.com
What's My Style?
Sunday Scribblings
My Style
No baby pink for me!
I cannot wear baby pink! It is just a simple fact. Baby pink makes me feel weak and helpless. I don't like baby blue...it just make me feel...like a baby in blue. I don't want my yellow or green faded and pastel. I make me feel like I have washed my clothes too much.
I like bright colors, orange, red, yellow, black and pure while. There is no way to go wrong when I wear red!
Am I quiet and reserved? ...sometimes. I am very shy and regret talking to much if I get loud at a party. I am a good listener and get a lot of information in not very much time. I had to learn to look people in the eye. I had to learn to ask questions even when I did not want to hear the answer.
I love expensive clothes and beautiful department stores in big, loud and vibrant cities. I am not afraid...not anymore.
What is my style...classy I hope. At the very least I want to be stylish! Oh did I mention that I love to dance! :)
Enough!
b
The Telephone Fiction FridayFiction Friday: Write from the POV of an inanimate object involved in an action scene. The house sat at the bottom of the canyon.
It was where they lived.
A place that was
symbolic of this relationship;
silent,
alone,
distant.
Could the phone change all that?
The second time it rang more urgently. It was as though it knew that if they didn't move now, it would never be over. The quarrel would turn into a vow of silence and then there would be recriminations. The final thing that would happen in the house they shared would be the dead line. The phone would never came to life again.
The third ring told them both that it was now or never. She rose, touched the receiver then lifted it to her ear. It was the phone company. They said someone had called to have the phone disconnected. Was that really what she and her husband wanted or was it simply a mistake? She looked at him and realized that they needed to talk. No, she said, it was a mistake...the phone needed to stay connected.
bThe Dream City Lights, Portland, Oregon
winter, 2008
The cocktails are waiting on the tray that has been placed on the table near the window and there is laughter in the background. A beautiful woman is dressed in basic black. A group of guest sit talking about the latest book to strike their fancy.
The special guest that is to meet the dancing lady has not arrived so the party has not begun, not really.
She gazes around the empty room. The dream is so real. The time would be long ago when romance was alive. Tomorrow would not be guaranteed nor did it really matter. What was would always be more important than what might be.
b
A little flash fiction...127 words!
I tried for 100 but could not or maybe didn't want to cut any more.
Sunday Ramblings....internet travel! (websites of interest)I love it when I discover something I did not know about. You, on the other hand may not be as thrilled. It seems that I will need to share everything with you. I might write about the toilet bowl cleaner or the toothpaste I prefer. In most instances though, I try to find something that is worthy of your time. I know you all have a busy schedule!
The StumbleUpon toolbar caught my eye this morning. It has been up at the top of my home page just waiting for me to be bored. I clicked through "I like it", "No more like this", "Send to", "Reviews of this page" before I came to "Channels". Now that interested me a lot this morning. I was given a page of choices of things that might interest me. Writing, politics, quotes, Internet tools, education, literature and a couple more were checked off. When I did this StumbleUpon began compiling a list of things I might need to see. As I clicked on the tool bar one site after another appeared and they were ALL worth visiting.
One Sentence was the first. This is a website that allows the user to create a story using only one sentence. The trick here is to allow the reader to mentally fill in the "before" and the "after". Mine was:
When he asked, "Why did you tear the tool shed down?" the child answered, "I don't know...I needed one board for my fort and one thing led to another." Another site is titled simply One Word. The user clicks on the GO icon, one word appears and the writer is given sixty seconds. Aerobics for the writer it seems.
Word Perhect was the cutest site I came upon. Teachers should love this one. I chose to write about my bag where I evidently stored the telephone bill. I needed to write a note so it came out. Wanting my writing to be normal, I chose the messy option (mission accomplished!). The note was for a former roommate...the one that ran up the bill. This person was informed that they needed to pay the bill. They also learned that their room had been rented to the telephone man that came to disconnect the offending phone line.
My next stop of Precise Edit. Here I found a list of the 10 most overused words:
- there
- you
- if
- when
- as
- is
- very
- really
- so
- because
- (to be verbs) am, is, was, are, were
Each word was followed by a suggested alternative.
I suppose you all realize the Sunday Ramblings is my favorite reoccurring blog entry. This feature at StumbleUpon was just amazing. It is highly recommended.
Just thought you would want to know.
b
The most important list of all.... L-R Husband, Jack, me,Hollis & Mary Grace
My friend, Mary Grace, sent me an email this morning that included a "test for friends". It was a check list of events I have experienced that reveal things about myself. I completed it and returned it to her. After I did that I was suppose to forward it to someone else, several someone "elses" if I have lots of friends.
I am not a person that carries an image of myself as a person that people call a friend even though I feel like I am a friend to many. Does that make any sense? I really do like people. What is mine is yours (if my husband will let me give every thing away). So when I get an email like this I feel a sort of panic set in. I don't want to look bad or even to feel bad about myself. I don't have a list of 50 friends that I contact when the dog dies or my couch is on fire. I have come to realize that I need a list!!!
Then an interesting thing happened. I received a phone call from a friends...friends in Ohio. They were the second couple to offer to help us with a problem we have.
I have told you that we had a flood in our winter home haven't I? It seems that we managed to leave a situation that led to a dripping faucet which in turn flooded the kitchen, living room and hall, ruined counter tops and sub-flooring. We are told that it is a big mess. It has been a burden on our minds for over a month now.
Our friends Jack and Phylis called immediately and offered to take care of letting contractors in, etc. When our friends from Ohio called today to offer the use of their park model while we were getting ourselves moved in and straightened up, I was reminded once more that we do have a few friends around the world. Can you tell? I am smiling.
 Friends Gather
Waiting Room for Heaven RV Resort
(Rincon East RV Resort)
Tucson, AZ
I am thinking that the "Test For Friends" email was a message from an angel, maybe one named Mary Grace, reminding me of all those people that really do care. It reassures me to know that these friends offer their friendship because they know I will do the same for them!
I said I need a list. The list I am making will include all the wonderful things that happen to us because of the the people that are our friends. That is the list I need most of all.
Have a wonderful day!
b
Here's the test with my answers:
Friend Test!! Hit forward and place an X by all the things you've done and
> remove the X from the ones you have not. Answer the 30 questions at the end
and
> send it to your friends (including me).
> This is for your entire life!
> (no) Gone on a blind date
> (X) Skipped school
> (no) Watched someone die
> (X ) Been to Canada
> (X) Been to Mexico
> (X) Been to Florida
> (X) Been on a plane
> (X) Been lost
> (X) Been on the opposite side of the country
> (no ) Been to Washington, DC
> (X) Swam in the ocean
> (X) Cried yourself to sleep
> ( X ) Played cops and robbers
> (x) Recently colored with crayons
> (no) Sang Karaoke?
> ( x) Paid for a meal with coins only?
> (X) Done something you told yourself you wouldn't?
> (no) Made prank phone calls?
> ( no ) Laughed until some kind of beverage came out of your nose, COME ON THAT
> HAS HAPPENED TO EVERYONE
> (X) Caught a snowflake on your tongue
> (X) Danced in the rain
> ( x) Written a letter to Santa Claus
> (X) Been kissed under the mistletoe
> ( X) Watched the sunrise with someone you care
> (X) Blown bubbles
> (X) Gone ice-skating
> (no)Been skinny dipping outdoors
> (X) Gone to the movies
> (X) Gotten a speeding ticket
> 1. Any nickname? Barbie (very, very close friend)
> 2. Favorite Drink? Expensive Wine
> 3. Mother's name? A.B.
> 4. Tattoo? Nope
> 5. Body Piercing? no
> 6. How much do you love your job? My job is perfect...I don't go to work.
> 7. Birthplace? Oregon
> 8. Favorite vacation? Ko Samui, Thailand
> 9. Ever been to Africa? No
> 10. Ever eaten cookies for dinner? Yes, ofcourse
> 11. Ever been on TV? no
> 12. Ever steal any traffic sign? no
> 13. Ever been in a car accident? yes
> 14. Drive a 2-door or 4-door vehicle? 4 door
> 15. Favorite salad dressing? wine vinegar and oil (see 2. above)
> 17. Favorite number? 5
> 18 Favorite Movie? Gladiator
> 19. Favorite holiday? Valentine's Day
> 20. Favorite Dessert? pie
> 21. Favorite food? pasta
> 22. Favorite day of the week? Tuesdays :)
> 23. Favorite brand of Body Wash? n/a
> 24. Favorite toothpaste? Don't Care
> 26. What do you do to relax? write,read, drink-not necessarily in that order.
> 28. How do you see yourself in 10 years? Perking along...ignoring the bad,
enjoying the good!
> 29. Furthest place you will send this message? Ohio
> 30. Who will respond to this the fastest? Jan Hughes
> 31. Who won't bother to respond? Let's think positive...at least one or two.
Sunday Scribblings: Forbidden
Sunday Scribblings
Chapter XIV
Etta
Unnamed Story
Was there anything else that could be said? The conversation had led to a discussion which quickly turned into an argument and then she said it: I will not have it. It is absolutely FORBIDDEN.
As soon as the words passed her lips Oona knew it was a mistake. She had always been the master of passive control...the kind that was exerted without the other person actually knowing that they were being guided. When the child was young, Oona would say no when she meant yes. When the child was a teen, she would show dissatisfaction with something she was actually in favor of. She had used illness, headaches and hurt feelings to get her way.Oona knew the art of manipulation better that anyone should
But when it came to the most important thing in the world, she could not make the child do what she wanted. It seemed that when they grew up there was no control left. The child had learned at her knee. The child was stronger and far wiser than she had ever counted on.
So when it came to marriage, the one last thing Oona wanted to control, there was a wall. The child would do as she pleased...or maybe she was doing as the controller did not please. Spite is a poor reason to marry. But after so many pushes and pulls in her life the child didn't care...not any more. In this case she would marry, not because of love, but because her mother didn't want her to.
Anna married the sheep shearer to spite Oona. She was almost 17 years old. Then she lived with it for 60 years.
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Grandma's "Keep the Grandchildren Safe List" OR "Never let children play with hammers!" Brayden peeking
around the iphone
at Grandma Barbara
2008
October 1, 2008 
Deliberate
Intervene
Nourish My daughter and I had a discussion the other day about what Mothers should share with their children about safety issues for children. It reminds me of all those horror stories that the matriarchs of days gone by told women when they were pregnant. Grandmothers do the same thing...we want to tell about every accident that can or will happen. Then when the child is wounded we like to say I told you so. I know that all mothers and grandmothers know what I am talking about.
I happen to be one of those people that deliberate about whether the knives should be placed blade up in the dishwasher or not. I trip and fall a lot...clumsy is what I am. The mop pail is never left unguarded when there is a crawling or toddling baby in the house. While I do want to nourish my children's independence and try to increase their self confidence, I wish they could understand that I know a lot of bad things that can happen. I have seen, heard and experience a great deal. So where do I draw the line between what I think my children can be left to figure out themselves and what I need to point out. I am keeping in mind that they would prefer that I were just quiet and trusted their judgment. They don't want me intervening ever. It's hard being a grandmother, really heard.
So I thought I might make a list...a keep my grandchildren safe list of my very own and let you add or comment as you see fit. Here they are:
- Don't teach you child to unlock the door. (My husband did this.)
- Add a second lock really high on the door and keep it locked. (My daughter escaped during what was suppose to be nap time.)
- Lock up a wandering dog. If your child escapes they will probably follow the dog. (This happened too.)
- Wear straight hair. (Granddaughter burned on curling iron. She decided to curl her own hair at the age of 2))
- Don't take pills. (Grandson took dad's pills. It was not fun to have his stomach pumped and scared his father half to death.)
- Hide the airplane glue...children will eat it along with poop and soap. ( My son did this!)
- Don't let children play with hammers! OR Teach children that throwing a hammer in the air means it will come down...on their head probably. (Son did this too.)
- Always wear shoes when climbing tree. (Granddaughter=broken nose)
- Always wear shoes always. (slivers of glass in heel. Sock will not work...glass can go through and besides you ruin the socks right away.)
- Get the HANDS IN recording for all car doors. (Smashed body parts can ruin a vacation even. The children with the smashed body parts obeyed without question.)
- Never teach your child how to turn the water on and off. I guess this should be obvious but we get carried away with our teaching skills. (My husband did this. TOO.)
- Always keep a mop handy. (See above.)
- Babies and water just don't go together. If I were to have another baby I would not bath them until they were seven. That's what we have the dog with a leash for.
Let me just recap. You will need a mop, no hammers, no curling irons or trees, a closet full of shoes and a drawer full of socks, a lock mounted high on the door, dog leashes, and child safety lids for pills that reapply themselves. I don't know what you are going to do about the husband. I'll just have to leave that one alone. b Aging and the "times/era"!I came to work/the computer this morning still reeling. That means I am still very dizzy and wobbly. My husband loves the news in the morning and I have an ear infection! The combination of the two has left me less than well. I need a break from TV while the world is working this all out. We, like everyone else, are caught up in the "times/era" even though we are doing the same things we have done for all our lives. We have been retired for more than 11 years. So, while the rip tide of the money market is tearing us apart, we watch and wait. Through it all, we know we will be fine. I am not even angry anymore...I am just plain sick! Sigh!!!
We will leave for the desert on October 8. A flood (that's a big leak) in our park model has left us no choice. We are doing what we thought we would have to do. I hate to even think what it will look like...but I am still excited to be on the road again. Travel and the change it brings is what I have always been about. So here we go!!!
You need to read Sweetney this morning. She has a blog about punishment and children. "Spare the Rod" is the title. I think all mother's can relate to the idea that they are pushed to the limit by little children and, because they were probably spanked as a child, are tempted to do the same to their children. Take a look.
Have a good day. See you tomorrow!
b
Yesterday's post on my other blog ...the left side of my brain!
Sarah Palin, like so many women, didn't know how to say NO! September 29, 2008 Are they making us ill?It is hot here again today. I have an ear infection but am fighting valiantly...dizzy, dizzy dame!
The day passed with out much notice but I do not like to feel sick...I just don't get sick very often. We might play golf tomorrow...or not!!!
We are watching CNN live almost all the time now. I feel even worse as I watch people's retirement and investments slip away.
This is not some wild theory of science or political diatribe. This is people getting mad at Nancy Pelosi and then voting no because their feeling were hurt. Have they forgotten about us?
I am not sure but I think that the mess that our government has gotten us in and the inability of our representative to work together might be what makes me ill. I grew up with stories of the Great Depression and trust me, even if we are very angry with Wall Street or the Democrats or the Republican we do not want to go there. It was quite simply awful. So what do you think? Are they driving you nuts too? Are you feeling ill?
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Sunday Scribblings...the wedding!+link to a book review.The Road by Cormac McCarthy
This is a must read. My review on ...the left side of my brain.
Sunday Scribblings post in series called Etta. Today chapter is written as a very small scene in a stage play....just for fun.
#130 -- WeddingChapter XIII
the year: 1938
the place: small town American
setting: Oona living room
cast: Lutheran church group
(the whispers and mumbling in the backgroud.)
1st woman: pg! Can you imagine. Her mother is giving her a shower and she is pg.
2nd woman: I never did think that Oona should have sent her away to boarding school.
1st woman: We do have a high school right here in town! Can you imagine, them with a grandchild? Oona didn't even really like raising a child! (Leaning in closer)
2nd woman: Where will they live? Maybe Oona will let them live here at home.
1st woman: (catty) No, I suppose Mr. Eriksson will provide a house.
2nd woman: Maybe they will live in the old place, you know the one that Annali lived in before she...
1st woman: (shocked) Do you think so?
2nd woman: Well, maybe. It is a long walk to town but the milk train stops at the mine store crossing...they could ride it to town.
1st woman: How old is she anyway? I thought she was only 16.
2nd woman: Oona is saying they kept her out of school for an extra year when she was 6 but I don't remember that. (pausing) How did you find out she was pg?
1st woman: Well....I just assumed. Why else would she marry at that young age?
2nd woman: Oh!
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Fiction Friday...The Old Car
Have I mentioned how much I am enamored with my iphone. I wake in the morning, drink a cup of coffee and check to see what is going on in, say, China! Well it turns out, China was reading during the night. Sex in the RV Park got my son's attention...he lives in China. Poor dear was traumatized by the mention of "that word", wanted to hide in a closet and was probably going to have to take meds! He's 44!!!! I dissolved into laughter, again, just like I did when I read the blog that talked about the subject. He is so traumatized already that this may well push him over the edge. After all he does have me as his mother!!! :))))
[Fiction] Friday Challenge for September, 26 2008: An Old Car Write about an old car.
How To Play:
1. Check this page for the new challenge.
2. Write for at least 5 minutes.
3. NO EDITING
4. On Friday, post it to your blog.
5. Come back to Write Anything and leave the link to your post.
6. Visit other’s posts and leave constructive comments.
I have decided to stay with writing the unedited story and then editing it separately.
Chapter XII (rough draft...edited version below)
The old car had become a symbol of their life. It was purchased during the time when he was in control. Black, square, noisy. In the eyes of all that saw it, it was a thing of beauty.
Chrome was used sparingly but the windshield that protected them from the dust and dirt gave a glink of sparkle when they saw it coming down the road.
It was used for the trip back and forth to work and had taken Anna and the girls home more times than they wanted to admit. Oona never did replace the curtains on Anna's room...staying was not an option.
The new wore off as others made the change from horse drawn to gas powered. Mr. Eriksson opened the corner gas station/dry goods store sometime during that period and Oona took over the books without asking. The job at the mine was beginning to be uncertain as other's wanted a peek at the accounting. Mr. Eriksoon had a good sense of when to leave a position. He had done this before.
The only difference now was Anna. He had left town in other places but with Anna and May in his life, he could not do that. Oona saw her opportunity. She knew he needed his good name to be in business.
So the car now had a sign on the side...Eriksson's Gas Station and Dry Goods...and it was parked in front of the garage. Eventually cars from other places traveled through and the houses of prostitution shut down and the 7 saloon that lined main street shrunk to only two. Both had card rooms and one had a pool hall.
A movie theater sat across the street from the station and the drug store down the street. One of the 'aunties' that came to town married a druggist and they went into business. She too managed the books and collected money from those unwilling to pay. She was very very good at that sort of thing.
So when Anna went to the movies on Saturday afternoon, the boys gathered around. Her father watched as she walked down the street hand in hand with a girl friend followed by boys smoking and shoving each other into the street for fun. A pack of SinSins would be purchased as the pool hall. No one even looked up from their drinks or a game of pool. Card players in the back kept their eyes on their cards and smoke curled from ashtrays on the tables.
Oona never knew about this. Saturday was her sewing circle day. Mr. Eriksson did not approve but could not say a word. He was caught between a strong willed daughter and a wife that knew to much.
EDITED VERSION:
The old car had become a symbol of their life. It was purchased during the time when he was in control. Black, square, noisy. In the eyes of all that saw it, it was a thing of beauty. Chrome was used sparingly but the windshield that protected them from the dust and dirt gave a glink of sparkle when they saw it coming down the road. It was used for the trips back and forth to work and had taken Anna and the girls home more times than they wanted to admit.
But when Anna was almost thirteen and Buzzard had a crush on her, she used the car. It was very old by then but still attracted the boys. Even though she had never really driven it she did pretend to keep it clean. The boys would gather to admire her dad's car in front of the house. Some had one of their own but Anna didn't come with it. They wanted Mr. Ericksson's. In later years Donny came on the train to get a look at it. He tried to talk Mr. Eriksson into selling it to him. He stayed for the day and caught the milk train home that evening. Not even all his sheep shearing money could convince Mr. Eriksson to sell. The ride home on the milk train was a long and dreary journey. Donny went home with an understanding that, if Mr. Eriksson had his way, Donny would never have the car or Anna. Oona did not come outside but watched through the front window.
The new wore off as the car grew older and older. Others made the change from horse drawn to gas powered. Mr. Eriksson opened the corner gas station/dry goods store sometime during that period and Oona took over the books without asking.
The job at the mine was beginning to be uncertain as others wanted a look at the accounting. Mr. Eriksoon had a good sense of when to leave a position. He had done this before. The only difference now was Anna. He had left towns in other places for the same reason but with Anna and May in his life, he could not do that. Oona saw her opportunity. She knew he needed his good name to be in business. So the car now had a sign on the side...Eriksson's Gas Station and Dry Goods...and it was parked in front of the garage.
Eventually cars from other places traveled through, the houses of prostitution shut down as the 'aunties' went into other businesses and the 7 saloons that lined main street shrunk to only three. Two had card rooms and one had a pool hall and the last was a lounge of sorts. The Clown Lodge (as Oona called it) was in the next block and men swarmed in on Saturdays night between polkas. The woman remained sober and lined the dance floor as small children ran in and out the front door. Being in the bar business was a real "money maker" they liked to say on main street.
A movie theater sat across the street from the station and the drug store was down the street. One of the 'aunties' that came to town married a druggist and they went into business. She too managed the books and collected money from those unwilling to pay. She was very very good at that sort of thing.
So when Anna went to the movies on Saturday afternoon, the boys gathered around. She was only 12 years old. Her father watched as she walked down the street hand in hand with a girl friend followed by boys smoking and shoving each other into the street for fun. A pack of SinSins would be purchased as the pool hall. No one even looked up from their drinks or a game of pool. Card players in the back kept their eyes on their cards and smoke curled from ashtrays on the tables.
Oona never knew about this. Saturday was her sewing circle day. Mr. Eriksson did not approve but could not say a word. He was caught between a strong willed daughter and a wife that knew to much.
b
Malcom Gladwell's "Blink"...what we know without knowing! All the smiles are related
to Amelia. Do they feel good because they are smiling or are they smiling because they feel good?
According to the author of blink, Malcolm Gladwell, the smile may be the cause of the emotion...at least part of the time. When he was researching the book on "The Power of Thinking Without Thinking" he interviewed a scientist named Paul Elkman. It seems that Elkman along with Wallace Friesen (Unmasking the Face by Paul Ekman and Wallace V. Friesen) came up with a taxonomy of facial expressions. They began dissecting each facial muscle and learn to control it, putting all the information together in order to understand the root of emotional expressions in our face. What they found out was when they recreated the facial expression for worry, they actually felt emotionly down on that day. When they recreated sadness, or concern, or any of the 3000 facial expressions that denote emotions, they would, on many occasions, actually feel that emotion.
So, you say, why should I care. Well I think this is why. If we can look happy, even when we do not possible feel that way, might we not change our emotional state. Isn't it possible that depression might be alleviated by a "forced smile", a small turn up at the corners of our mouth. I don't know which come first...the chicken or the egg...but I do know that I can, in most cases, tell if a person is feeling depressed or extremely stressed by simply looking at the corners of their mouth. Just take a good look at Sarah Palin when she deals with the press. This is a very stressful time for her.
blink, a book about "rapid cognition", holds so many other insights that I cannot even begin to list them. I thought the Chapter called Paul Van Riper's Big Victory (find online account on Rense.com) along with Gladwell's afterword may well be most stunning parts of the book. I cannot summarize or interpret it. You just need to read it yourself.
Do I recommend blink? You bet your life I do. I was so late reading it. It came out in 2005 and the afterword was published in 2007. Malcolm Gladwell, in this book and in Tipping Point, has give us two book that touch on our everyday lives. They are in my library of books I go to when I need information on the human mind and how it works.
I give them both FIVE STARS!
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technorati tags:
Blink
Rapid Cognition
IIIWW Sex in the RV Park!
September 24, 2008 by thommyg 
Dissolve Trinket Zest I dissolved into laughter when I read the blog. They were discussion how much zest people that live in motor homes should display when making love. The question was, "should they move to a far corner of the park for a while or should they display a trinket on the door knob to warn everyone away?" The advice "expert" said windows should be shut and the noise should be held down. Just thought you would want to know!
After all, we don't want a crowd to gather while we are romping in our trailer. Sex in the RV Park!
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Wedesday...doing what I want!Since Three Word Wednesday has gone away I am at loose ends on this day. I just decided to do what I really want to do. Good for me!
I should be going to Curves...it still might happen. I have enjoyed just being at home, blogging and snuggling up with a hot cup of coffee. I don't even want to make the trip to my local SB for coffee. We will eat out this evening and Brayden baby is coming by in a few minutes. Why would I leave?
I have appreciated the continuing interest in this blog. I hope that my readers feel like they have come home...that is the purpose here. To feel at home no matter where you are...no matter where I am.
We will leave Oregon to go to our little park model in Rincon East RV Resort in Tucson, AZ (hi Gary!) soon. There was a flood in the model this summer so we will have a big clean up when we return. But even that cannot dampen my spirits as much as a rainy day in Oregon. The insurance company and contractors are trying to work it out. I will keep you posted. Thank heavens we are healthy and handy! We can, if all else fails, clean up the mess ourselves! But I hope it doesn't come to that!
The flowers on my back deck are so beautiful.  I have Impatiens ( Balsaminaceae) that are bigger than any I have ever seen. The picture above was taken early in the summer. Because they are in a hanging pot, the slugs cannot get to them. I hate to think that it might frost and kill them. I've never raised them here before so I don't know how cold it can get and still have them survive. I do have geranium survive from summer to summer. I just cut the back and in the spring they start growing again. (Yes I know...I am so cheap!)
I finished reading Blink by Malcom Gladwell which I will write about on the other blog. It is well worth your time.
Have a great day.
b
Sunday Ramblings...on TuesdayIn the neighborhood of man
We treasure those that are closest to us.
A next door neighbor,
Family and friends.
In the neighborhood of man
Our world can be as large
Or as small as we make it.
b
Our neighborhood is showing small signs that fall is coming. The farmers market we enjoy from May until the middle of October is shrinking each and every week. Apple, pears, gourds, fall flowers and art can hang on until the season is over. Music fills the air and crowds still gather. A patriotic few sit at tables all day long, gathering signatures for our up coming election. There is no glory in such tasks but where would we be without people like this. The two ladies standing were doing the work and the two sitting were checking their list. I always find it so interesting that it is usually women doing this kind of task. And to think women were not give the vote nationally until 1920.   My daughter-in-law Kim can always be counted on for some comic relief. Kyanna, her daughter and my granddaughter is playing on the freshman volleyball team at Glenco High School here in Hillsboro, Oregon. We love to go and watch.  Kyanna 
Bayden is spending the day with us so our iphone came out. Isn't he cute?
We have had easier weeks during our life. In the end though, pictures show what a joy it has been. All the other things become unimportant. I needed this reminder. I knew you wouldn't mind if I shared.
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