"...An Illusion I Could Bear..." (in two parts)

When others asked the truth of me, I was convinced it was not the truth they wanted, but an illusion they could bear to live with.

Anais Nin, writer (1903-1977)

Part One: I've noticed lately, when I look in the mirror, I see 'an illusion I can bear to live with.' And then someone takes a photo of me and the painful truth is there before my eyes. Why is it so hard (when looking in a mirror) to see what is really there? And why does a photo capture the 'real' me, when I can't see it in the mirror?

Have you seen the site that depicts photos of people who shop at that big-box store "mart of Wal?" Only the oddest need show up, of course. I'm curious if any of those people ever just happen to see their photos and if so, do they wonder what in the world they were thinking to go out dressed (or undressed) like that?? Do they see themselves as other see them? Or are they just as blind as most of us?

Are you often surprised at your photos?

*******

The first rose of summer...so pristine...before the bugs and beetles take over. I have no idea what the rose has to do with the quote, but I like them both!

***

Part Two: Having said I would not watch the Oprah interviewing Rielle Hunter - I did. My opinion has not changed....she is in denial, and an obvious airhead. In her search for her "authentic self" (whatever that means) and her quest to live "the truth", she pursued and had an affair with a married man, lied about it, got pregnant, allowed suggestive photos to be taken of her (with her baby), tried to explain them away, and now says she doesn't think she hurt Elizabeth Edwards - and that Oprah would have to ask Elizabeth.

She doesn't feel that she wronged Elizabeth, because, in her words....."I didn't make a commitment to Elizabeth." No, of course, she didn't - but John did - and renewed his vows with her while knowing his mistress was pregnant with his child. In my opinion, the fact that she participated in helping John go against his commitment to Elizabeth is wrongdoing and very hurtful to Elizabeth and all the children. And it doesn't matter how Rielle explains that - it IS wrong (with a capital W). But apparently, it is "an illusion she can live with."

Don't get me wrong.....John is to blame as well. He has a lot of wrongdoing to answer for and any woman who gets involved with him is just asking for trouble. Rielle refused to answer Oprah's question as to whether she has an ongoing relationship with John now. It's ludicrous not to, and the look on Oprah's face as she asked "why not?" was priceless. Another "illusion."

The only reason I have any interest in this is because I met (and was hired by)Andrew Young and I was in the Edwards home twice during the time he was in the Senate. I never met him (or Elizabeth), and now that I know what he is capable of - I'm very glad of that. John, I am sorry that I ever supported your quest for the presidency, and that, is NO illusion!

Wedding Flowers

Recent weddings by Mel Day. I did the church arrangement on the wall stand, the mixed blue and white arrangement, the irises, and the groom's boutonniere, and Mel did the rest.

Wes, Jim, Oprah and Me

Tuesday on Oprah, there was a man named Wes Moore, who has written a book titled "The Other Wes Moore". He learned about a man who grew up in the same neighborhood, with the same name and got to know the guy years later - when he was in prison for murder. There were many parallels in their lives; deprived childhoods, no father, surrounded by drugs and crime, but the Wes Moore who wrote the book was saved by a determined mother and loving grandparents who sent him off to military school. He eventually became a Rhodes Scholar and has become very successful in his life. I am planning to read that book (which came out today) and maybe it would appeal to you too.

The second half of the program was about a man named Jim Killeen, who googled his name and found 24 other men named Jim Killeen - all over the globe. He corresponded with many of them, and eventually six of them decided to meet - in Killeen, Texas. They all felt an instant connection (with some more than others). One of them is an Irish Catholic priest, one is a father of eight, one is from Australia. There was quite an age range as well as ranges in weight and other stats. I thought several of them looked remarkably similar, although the only one who turned out to be distantly related to the original guy, does not. It was fascinating to me and I hope that the first Jim Killeen - the one who gathered them all together - will also write a book about his experiences .

You may remember reading my tale here about the time I first tried to join Facebook. It wouldn't let me join with the name (short version) I use daily, because there was already someone else with that name on Facebook. That intrigued me, so I sent her a message (she lives in another state) and found out through subsequent communications that she has a sister who lives a mere 20 miles from me. We haven't met yet, but I am hoping that we will this summer.

Having googled my names before, I know that there is a third one in Chicago and the fourth in Florida, and I suspect there may be more of them who simply haven't shown up on the webs yet. I would love to meet all of them and to get them all in one place like Jim Killeen did with his namesakes. Wouldn't that be interesting ?? Jim Killeen had a list of 30 + questions that he asked all of the men who cooperated with him. They didn't go into it enough for me on Oprah's show - because I would really like to know how they are alike and how they are different. I wonder if a chart could be developed to show how much and in what ways they are similar and where their differences lie and to what each difference could be attributed. I think I should have been a sociologist!!

Have you ever met or known of someone with your same name (who wasn't a relative?)

"A few minutes ago every tree was excited, bowing to the roaring storm, waving, swirling, tossing their branches in glorious enthusiasm like worship. But though to the outer ear these trees are now silent, their songs never cease. Every hidden cell is throbbing with music and life, every fiber thrilling like harp strings, while incense is ever flowing from the balsam bells and leaves. No wonder the hills and groves were God's first temples, and the more they are cut down and hewn into cathedrals and churches, the farther off and dimmer seems the Lord himself."

John Muir, naturalist, explorer, and writer (1838-1914)

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(I had a good video to put right here, but blogger had other ideas and wouldn't let it upload. Maybe later.)

The visit of our neighborhood women's group to the new North Carolina Museum of Art, which had its grand opening this weekend, ended with a view of a 'virtual' tree, which is projected on a large wall near the cafe. The tree is in motion, with branches "in glorious enthusiasm", just like the quote above. A dancer in front of it was part of the performance art which was taking place all over the museum and the grounds outside. I took 47 photos there on Sunday, and I will be sharing them with you over the next few weeks. We in North Carolina (and especially the Triangle area) are very proud of our art museum; considered the finest between Washington, DC and Atlanta. The new building was designed to show off our art to the best advantage and it is agreed that was fully accomplished. (The painting above is not from our museum.)

New Shoes for Mr. Kenju

Last week, we went to one of those large warehouse -type shoe stores, in search of a new pair of shoes for mr. kenju. I had a discount card entitling me to $20 off the price of any pair $49.95 or more. He wanted something like the one on the left; a slip-on and no ties to bother with. Since they don't carry many size 13 shoes, we had to settle for another type of Dock*rs, but they were nice looking. Mr. k started to throw the sales slip away, but I convinced him of the wisdom of keeping it until he knew for certain that the shoes were right for him. He wasn't wild about the color (he called it pumpkin) but they fit well and looked good with jeans and khaki pants.

After he wore them for 6 days, the stitching started to come out of the top of the shoe, so I asked for the sales slip and took the shoes back to the store. The clerk said I could search the aisles for another pair, and that I would get the $20 off. They didn't have another pair identical to the first one, but they had an acceptable substitute in black, with white stitching, and they were the same price as the original pair. So, off I went to the check-out counter. The clerk started the transaction - voiding out the first pair and then making the sales slip for the new pair. She didn't know how to get the discount to show up on the register, so she called a manager - who did it for her. Then she proceeded to mess up that transaction and had to start it over. Luckily I'm a patient person (up to a point.)

She got it all done - or so she thought - and told me that I would owe $21 and change. I asked her....

"If the new pair is the same price as the old pair, and you are honoring the discount card, why do I owe $21 more?" Her answer was "That's just the way it is."

So I said, much to the amusement of the people in line behind me, "If that's the case, just give me back the money and I'll go to another store for the shoes." She thought it over and decided I might be right. So she called the manager.....who was obviously chagrined by it all...... and once the manager typed in the discount code (for the third time) the sales slip printed out, showing that I owed nothing.

A word to the wise: read your sales slip carefully the next time you shop at one of their stores. (The name starts with a D and ends with a W.......and has an S in the middle)

What's In Your ..... Future?

Here's hoping you can enlarge the hands and learn your fate......LOL. I've known people who put a lot of faith into palmistry and astrology and other forms of fortune-telling. Books I have read about astrology make a lot of sense when you study the whole of them; unlike the simple columns in the newspapers or magazine articles. Any self-respecting astrologer will tell you that you have to know much more than just your sun sign. If you have your chart done by an astrologer, they will take into consideration your moon sign and ascendant, as well as the aspects to the other planets at the time of your birth - and now. However, some aspects of Astrology can affect everyone, particularly the planet Mercury.

This morning I read a blog post by a woman who told about how the fact that Mercury is currently retrograde is wreaking havoc in her life. When Mercury is retrograde, communications are interrupted. Here is a quote from the Scorpio section of AstrologyZone.com, regarding Mercury:

"Watch for misunderstandings and miscommunications with those close to you, for it will be so easy to pick up the wrong impression. This month and most of next, you will have to go the extra mile to be sure you are sending out and picking up the correct messages."

Yesterday, on my way to work, I failed to check my email before I left, since Mr. k was on my computer and he hates to be told to get off so I can use it. I missed a very important message from my employer, telling me to meet him at a hotel, instead of going to the shop. That small misstep is what Mercury retrograde can do - and it is much more obvious when you know to look for it.

Mercury in retrograde motion also means electronics will malfunction or outright die, and it is suggested that you not buy anything electronic while Mercury is retrograde, because there is a possibility it will fail or be unsatisfactory in some way.

"Mercury will be retrograde from April 18 to May 11 in your partnership sector, so life will slow down a bit during that time. If you have a significant other, you may go back to an old question that was never answered to find a new way to address the topic. Mercury retrograde is not all bad. While it is not a good time to sign any contracts, Mercury will give you a chance to find a better solution to an old problem - this time, better than any you had found before.

Do not buy anything expensive until after May 13 or you may find something wrong with the item, now or later. You don't want to be subject to a recall, or worse, see a nicer version of your product come out just after you buy it. Electronics will be the most prone to problems, so those are a big no-no to buy during a Mercury retrograde, but so are any purchases with moving parts." (I wonder how this might affect those who have bought new ipads.)

Many people poo-pooh astrology, but I am often surprised at the number of instances like those above that I become aware of when Mercury is retrograde. How about you?

Frankly Scarlet......

.....I don't have time to blog. (But that never stopped me.)

***

I was not expecting to work today - but a phone call this morning rousted me out of bed. The shop in which I work for holidays and in prom season needed me for boutonnieres and corsages. I offered them three hours, and they took it. So, off I went. I work tomorrow and Saturday at my usual spot - and I'm looking forward to it. Hopefully, I will have some good photos for you by early next week.

***

The photo was taken in the early 90's in Los Angeles. I was there for a convention, and part of the entertainment one evening was a group of celebrity look-a-likes, who mingled with the crowd. Clark Gable really took his part to heart; he enjoyed (extremely so) posing with all the women for pictures, and Marilyn Monroe hammed it up for the guys. There were several more of them, but I can't remember who they "were" or were supposed to look like. Have you ever met or seen anyone who looked so much like some celebrity that you mistook them for being the real thing?

Every time we are on vacation, I think I see someone famous. It has happened in every major city we've been to and usually, I was wrong about who I thought they were. But there was that one time in the Newark airport.......when I saw the guy who played the father on Good Times - John Amos. We were waiting for the luggage to arrive, and up walked this guy to get his bag. He had a hat on, but I saw his face in profile and full on - and it was him!! I nudged mr. k and said "There's that guy from Good Times....what's his name?" and mr. k said what he always does when I think I've seen someone famous - "you're crazy...that's not him!"

I know it was, because Mr. Amos has a very distinctive nose. I don't recall ever seeing anyone else with a nose like that, and since the guy was built like John Amos and walked like John Amos - it had to be him!! Mr. k laughs at me every time he recalls a time at Sea World in San Diego, when a woman I was with thought she saw Tab Hunter. This was back in the late 70's (before Tab came out of the closet). She took off after this guy - who was inexplicably running - which only made her more sure that it was Tab. She chased him for at least 10 minutes through the crowd; running all the way, and since she and I were companions on that excursion, I followed her. After the guy stopped running, and she realized that's not who it was at all, we walked back to where mr. k and her husband were standing and took a crap-load of flak over it. Mr. k said "What on earth makes you think that Tab Hunter is going to be a guest at Sea World and then commence to running through the crowds like a fugitive?" I had to admit he made a lot of sense (at least in retrospect.)

There was one time that mr. k can't tease me about though, because he was there and saw him too. We had driven a car into Manhattan, and we parked on a side street in a residential area. I was sitting in the car trying to find something in my purse, and I looked up to see Peter Jennings walking by the car. He was more handsome in person than he was on TV, and had he been alone, I might have called out to him. But he was walking with a very pretty woman, and I let them be. Now, I wish I'd said something and hauled out the camera. Lost opportunities.....*sigh*

Feast Your Eyes

Fuji chrysanthemum







Raspberry roses











Hot pink tulips








Light pink tulips










Miniature calla lilies




Thistle







Scabiosa

One is happy as a result of one's own efforts once one knows the necessary ingredients of happiness:

simple tastes, a certain degree of courage, self denial to a point, love of work, and above all, a clear conscience.

George Sand [pen name of Amantine Aurore Lucile Dupin], novelist (1804-1876)

I'm not sure I can say that I have a completely clear conscience, any self-denial or more than an ounce of courage, but I definitely DO have simple tastes and love of (my) work. Maybe two out of five ain't bad?!

***

The Flower Shuttle meets every Tuesday - you've read about it here before. I cannot sing its praises highly enough, nor can I tell you how much I enjoy being there - surrounded by flowers and by people who enjoy working with them and sharing them with others.

***

Laziness or maybe spring fever has reared its ugly head here in my home. I have no inclination to do anything about cleaning my house, or deck, or gardening - I haven't even cleaned the pollen off the deck yet. On Saturday, my younger daughter said that there was almost as much dust in the bedroom as there was pollen outside and I couldn't disagree. Today I forced myself to clean the master bedroom and bathroom. Thanks to whomever discovered the formula for End*st - I couldn't clean without it.

If it rains tonight (as predicted) the pollen will be gone - or merely displaced - through no efforts of my own. If only it would rain hard enough to clear the deck of the potting soil the squirrels dug out of my flower pots this winter!

***

In less than three weeks, my older daughter will graduate from nursing school. The decision to become a nurse came a bit later in life for her. She already has a degree in business, with a heavy concentration in accounting, but returning to that field didn't interest her. In spite of the fact that she has four children of her own, three step-kids (two of whom live with them), a husband, two dogs, two cats and a home to care for - she returned to school several years ago and will graduate mid-May with a B.S. in Nursing. Can you imagine how very proud we are of her? My heart will fairly burst with pride when I see her receive her pin and her diploma. I know how hard it was for her to find the time to study, and I know the dedication it took on her part - plus that of her husband - to make this happen. Way to go, Shannon - and Michael, thank you.

A guy who lives in the mountains above Golden, Colorado took these pictures recently. Sunday evening, 5PM, I was in the kitchen cleaning a crock pot. Turning to grab a towel, I noticed movement under a bird feeder in the backyard. What? Could it be? My first sighting of a mountain lion outside of a zoo/animal park? Wait.....there is another one.....and another one......and another one. A mom with three yearling cubs. They came right up on my porch. The mom and one cub almost immediately crossed in front of the sunroom and went under the deck (one level down). The remaining two cubs stayed on the porch for 5-10 minutes. I sat on the other side of the sliding glass door, shooting pictures of them. What an unbelievable experience!

Points to Ponder (Email Gems)

1. I think part of a best friend's job should be to immediately clear your computer history if you die. (LOL) 2. Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you realize you're wrong. (That never happens, does it?) 3. I totally take back all those times I didn't want to nap when I was younger. (totally!) 4. There is great need for a sarcasm font. (Amen!) 5. How the heck are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet? (I know how.) 6. Was learning cursive really necessary? (Sure) 7. Map Quest really needs to start their directions on #5. I'm pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood. (LOL) 8. Obituaries would be a lot more interesting if they told you how the Person died. 9. I can't remember the last time I wasn't at least kind of tired. 10. Bad decisions make good stories. (true!) 11. You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you know that you just aren't going to do anything productive for the rest of the day. 12. Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes after Blue Ray? I don't want to have to restart my collection...again. 13. I'm always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asks me if I want to save any changes to my ten-page research paper that I swear I did not make any changes to. (True!) 14. "Do not machine wash or tumble dry" means I will never wash this - ever. 15. I hate when I just miss a call by the last ring (Hello? Hello?), but when I immediately call back, it rings nine times and goes to voice mail . What did you do after I didn't answer? Drop the phone and run way? 16. I hate leaving my house confident and looking good and then not seeing anyone of importance the entire day. What a waste. 17. I keep some people's phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to answer when they call. (So true!) 19. I disagree with Kay Jewelers . I would bet on any given Friday or Saturday night more kisses begin with Miller Lite than Kay. 20. I wish Google Maps had an "Avoid Ghetto" routing option 21. Sometimes, I'll watch a movie that I watched when I was younger and suddenly realize I had no idea what the heck was going on when I first saw it. (LOL - like Chinatown!) 22. I would rather try to carry 10 plastic grocery bags in each hand than take 2 trips to bring my groceries in. 24. I have a hard time deciphering the fine line between boredom and hunger. 25. How many times is it appropriate to say "What?" before you just nod and smile because you still didn't hear or understand a word they said? 26. I love the sense of camaraderie when an entire line of cars team up to prevent a jerk from cutting in at the front. Stay strong, brothers and sisters! 27. Shirts get dirty. Underwear gets dirty. Pants? Pants never get dirty, and you can wear them forever. (I don't know who wrote this, but I want to see their pants after 1 week.) 28. Is it just me or do high school kids get dumber & dumber every year? 29. There's no worse feeling than that millisecond you're sure you are going to die after leaning your chair back a little too far. 30. As a driver I hate pedestrians, and as a pedestrian I hate drivers, but no matter what the mode of transportation, I always hate cyclists. 31. Sometimes I'll look down at my watch 3 consecutive times and still not know what time it is. 32. Even under ideal conditions people have trouble locating their car keys in a pocket, finding their cell phone, and Pinning the Tail on the Donkey - but I'd bet everyone can find and push the snooze button from 3 feet away, in about 1.7 seconds, eyes closed, first time, every time!

No Place Like Home?

My good friend Tiff wrote about some places she has lived, and she got me to thinking about mine. After college and technology school, I moved to VA to work in a hospital lab. My parents drove me there, along with all of my worldly possessions (which fit into their car trunk, with space for their luggage too) and found a room for me to rent in a private home across the street from the hospital. The landlady was a widow - a grandmotherly sort. It was a nice enough room, in an older home with large, sunny windows, quiet tenants, and the commute was easily walkable. BUT.... (there always is one of those, isn't there?) it wasn't much fun for a girl away from home for the first time, with no car and no cooking skills. I didn't have cooking/kitchen privileges anyway, so that didn't matter, but I had to eat all my meals away from home, which got expensive even with the hospital cafeteria discount.

The head of the laboratory was also a single woman, about 2 years older than I. She invited me to move into her apartment, which was the second floor of a private home, with an outside entrance. Since she had a car, we drove to work together and went shopping together - in fact - we went nearly everywhere together, which was nice at first, but got to be difficult later on. After we had lived there about 3 months, we were given reason to leave. Seems the landlords (who lived below us) objected to the fact that we went grocery shopping at 2am on Saturday nights and they didn't like the noise of our footsteps going up and down the outside staircase after 10 pm. (We tried to be quiet.) As twenty-somethings, we found that to be an intolerable rule, so we moved. We took an apartment on Shore Drive, across the road from Chesapeake Bay. It was a six unit apartment, with poor views (the apartment next door), but it was convenient to work and shopping and to the ocean and a beach - which is key - right? The night we moved in, we were exhausted. After tossing and turning for a few hours, my roommate got up to get a drink of water. She turned on the lights in the kitchen, surprising at least 1000 roaches walking all over the walls and counter tops, which then scattered back into the cabinets, baseboards, window moldings and floorboards. We screamed like little girls and didn't sleep another wink that night.

(I'm getting deja vu. I think I've told this story recently; maybe here, maybe not. If I'm repeating myself, please excuse me and move along.)

Suffice it to say that the new landlords got several pieces of our minds the next day, and they agreed to call an exterminator and contract with them for monthly service - otherwise we'd move immediately. When they sprayed our apartment, the roaches went next door and downstairs.....which made the neighbors unhappy, so the landlords had everything sprayed and it was okay from then on. It took us a week to clean everything out of the kitchen and get it sanitized (or so we thought - it still turns my stomach to think about it.)

Then, I met mr. kenju - or the man who became mr. kenju - and the relationship with my roommate went downhill quickly from that point. She was jealous. We tried to set her up with dates, but she was very picky. She was about 5'2" tall and not much to look at, but her dates had to be over 6' and very cute. Semi-cute , intelligent, polite and classy didn't mean much to her if the guy possessing those attributes was under 6' tall. (Sheeesh I say. Short girls ought to leave tall men alone so tall women can attempt to get them!) Anyway, she became increasingly hard to get along with and I finally reached the point where I'd had all I could take. A friend of mine in the laboratory owned rental property with her husband, and they offered me one of their apartments, at reduced rent. I pounced on it and moved in May. Luckily, it was fully furnished, since the only thing I owned was a sewing machine. Mr. k and I married that July, so I didn't live there alone for long.

Maybe it was harder for me to adapt because I lived at home until one year after I graduated from college. I'd never had a roommate until that first young woman in Norfolk, so I really didn't know what to expect. I was raised to be considerate of others, but with that woman - you could be crucified for looking sideways at her - and never know or be told why. (Sort of like my mom.....lol)

What about you? Did you ever have trouble with room mates?

Nature Bits + A Gift

This sight greeted me on Wednesday when I went out back with the camera. She lay there for 2-3 minutes and then ambled off to her sister, who was grazing nearby.

This morning, as I went out to go to work, the same two deer were grazing about 15 feet from my side garage door. I said good morning and they pretended to graze, but I know they were watching me closely. I hope they will continue that!

I saw this seed cluster on the deck and it made an impression on me. Most of the time we see these seeds lying singly on the ground. I don't remember seeing so many attached like this. I thought you should see it too.

***

You've heard me complain before about the keyboard that came with my computer. Nearly all the letters had some parts worn off and I had made little sticky notes with the letter for that key - lest I make even more typing mistakes than usual.

Imagine my surprise when I went to work today and learned that my employer's computer had been attacked by a "worm" and he had bought a new one. I was the recipient of his old keyboard, flat-screen monitor and scanner/printer - because the printer wouldn't work with Windows 7. Isn't that wonderful? I am already using the new keyboard (it's very uptown now, without the sticky notes) and mr. kenju's computer will soon be graced with the flat monitor. It will be fabulous to be able to get rid of the dinosaur of a monitor he has now, which takes up at least one third of the desk. He hasn't had his own printer before, so he will feel very smug, knowing he doesn't have to walk down the hall to use mine.

I'm not sure what I did to deserve the largess, but I will be eternally grateful. Thanks, Mel. You are one heckuva nice man.

Old Versus New

Plowing through the obituaries every day, just like my mom used to do, I came across yet another photo that didn't match the person. What I mean is the guy was 83 years old, but the photo used in the obit was of a very young soldier - probably 60+ years ago.

What do you think? Should people use recent photos? Or none at all? Or do what this man's family did and use an old, but favorite photo?

Mr. k and I have that conversation from time to time. We favor recent photos of the deceased, but we know that many people do not have a recent photo that they would appreciate seeing in the newspaper or online. My favorite photo was taken when I was a college junior; but how dumb would that look if it was used at my death (no matter how many more years I live)?

The only photo of me that I like from current times was taken in 2008, outside a Shoney's restaurant in the Charleston area, along with four local bloggers, three of whom I had just met. (Buzzardbilly, Evil Twin's Wife, Blond Goddess and Inanna). It was easy enough to (digitally) crop my face out of the group photo, and I use it as my icon (well, half of it). But since that photo was taken, I've aged two years and grown my hair a bit longer than it was then.

I know what I'll do!! I'm going to Charleston for a 'decade' reunion of my high school classmates this coming August. We will have to have another blogger meet-up and maybe the new photos taken will be good enough! I love killing two birds with one stone, don't you?!

Odds & Ends + $1,000 Bucks

Our weather has been so gorgeous the last few days that I haven't wanted to be inside. In fact, if I were lucky enough to own a laptop, I'm sure I'd be outside all the time - at least until the bugs discover how beautiful it is and the humidity comes roaring back along with the bugs. On Tuesday I put on a swim suit top and got on the lounge with a good book. Maybe the next time I go to the doc she won't tell me I am Vitamin D deficient, and I can lose some of this winter pallor (which makes me nearly the same color as my gray hair!) Update: I did get a mild sunburn!

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"Speak when you are angry and you will make the best speech you will ever regret."
Ambrose Bierce

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Did you know?

When you clean out a fish tank, use the water on houseplants. The nitrogen and phosphorous in fish droppings make aquarium water a great fertilizer.

Drop an egg on the floor? Cover it with salt, then sweep it up. There will be no slimy mess.

To clean phones, keyboards and remote controls without risking damage, just lightly dip a cotton swab in isopropyl rubbing alcohol and wipe around the buttons, using as much pressure as needed. Used in moderation, the alcohol will evaporate before it drips into circuitry. I do this: turn your computer keyboard upside down and rap the corner sharply against a firm surface. You might be surprised how much dust and grit comes out.

Brontology is the study of thunder.

The blue whale can produce sounds up to 188 decibels. This is the loudest sound produced by a living animal and has been detected as far away as 530 miles. (Gee, maybe even I could hear them!)

One month after Michael Jackson passed away, his Facebook Page became the first (by a big margin) to reach 10 million fans.

Honey is the only food that doesn't spoil. Honey found in the tombs of Egyptian pharoahs has been tasted by archeologists and found edible!

The second best selling game of all time is 'Jenga'. Jenga is a Swahili word, meaning "to build."

(Which make me wonder what is the BEST selling game of all time? Is it Scrabble or Monopoly?

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Perusing a magazine at the mammography office on Thursday, I saw an ad for a toilet paper holder by Kallista/Kohler. It has a rotating (swivel) arm, so that when you need to replace the roll of paper, all you do is rotate the arm upward, slip on the roll and rotate it back to the proper position. Now that seems like a great idea to me; one that is many years too late in coming. I tried to find a picture of it to show you, but the website doesn't include that one. Maybe this is why: the price was listed at.....starting at $997. At first I thought I had misread the decimal point, but it was at the end. Yes, that's right, almost $1k for a darn toilet paper holder. For that money, I could hire a kid to stand in the bathroom and dispense it for me, couldn't I?? It looked like a chrome finish, but for $1k, maybe it's sterling silver. Should be......lol

Written by Elizabeth George and published in 2006. I just finished this book and found it more interesting than I thought I might. It is the story of three disadvantaged children who live in London, England and the few years that precede the eventual downfall of one of them. Here are two quotes, with which I found myself agreeing:

"Even if you settle upon that permanently, you must still find a creative outlet for yourself. You see, where people go wrong when they set out in life is not exploring that part of themselves that feeds their spirit. Without that food, the spirit dies, and it's a large part of our responsibility to ourselves not to allow that to happen. In fact, consider how few psychiatric problems there might be if every individual actually knew what to do to keep alive in himself something that could affirm the very essence of who he is. That's what the creative act does, Joel. Blessed is the man or woman who knows this at a young age like yours."

And:

"The greatest sin is letting riches go to waste once you know they're riches. The difficulty is that most people don't know. They define riches only by what they can see because that's what they've been taught to do: to look at the end of things, the destination. What they never recognize is that riches are in the process, the journey, in what one does with what one has...."

Those lines are spoken by a man who is mentoring one of the children. It is sad that despite his attempt to steer the boy to a path of creativity and self-esteem, he fails. The boy can only see one way to insure the safety of his family - and it leads to his destruction.

My only fault with this book is that the idiomatic and slang language spoken by some of the characters is not explained, and the reader is left to his or her own devices to imagine exactly what is meant. I found that a problem in the early chapters, but as the book progressed, it became less so. When I read in the acknowledgments that Ms. George is an American who wrote in the voice of foreign children and teens of a lower socio-economic/educational level, I was impressed at her ability to capture the flavor of certain sections of London.

Before long, it will be beach and pool time (yay) and soon many of us will be on the yearly treasure hunt to find a bathing suit we can live with (or in). Since beach attire doesn't resemble the ones in the photo at left anymore (and in many cases, it's a real pity they don't), we have trouble finding something that minimizes our bad points and maximizes anything we have that may qualify as good. As we age, there are fewer and fewer points to emphasize and more and more we ought to cover up. Don't you find that to be true? Will you be shopping for a suit this year?

This old photo was in my parent's collection, but as most, it was not marked with names or dates. It is really too bad, since they are almost surely relatives - and we will never know who they are. Don't make the same mistake - label all your photos before it is too late.

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As usual, I had several more ideas for blog posts over the last 8 hours, but not one of them comes to mind now. How typical. By the time I get to a pen and paper to write down the idea - it has left my brain - never to return.

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The plumber had to be called yesterday. Mr. kenju thought he detected the sound of a drip under the house, and went down to check it out. He was right. My ears are so useless that I couldn't hear the leak, even though it was somewhat obvious through the air vents in the guest bathroom.

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Spring usually mobilizes me to get busy with heavy cleaning of the house. Ordinarily by this time of year, I have washed some curtains, cleaned windows (inside), polished the silver, and washed all the colored glass bibelots in the dishwasher. So far this year I have "Spring cleaned" exactly one thing - my kitchen window and the things that sit in it. I need motivation, but so far it eludes me.

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Yesterday I accomplished at least one thing of value. I went through several plastic bins of stuff/junk/memorabilia and found most of the Eastern Star photos and booklets I had promised to a woman in my hometown. I contacted her several months ago, asking if there would be any interest in this stuff my mom collected in the 50's. It turned out that the chapter my parents belonged to back then is having their 100th anniversary this summer - so my donation of memorabilia from the 50's is right on track. The best part is that she remembered my mom and dad. I will take the stuff to her this summer when I go back home for a visit.

Rest in Peace, Dixie...

You were a fine example of womanhood.

Back when Designing Women was on hiatus, and CBS was planning to cancel it, I wrote a letter asking them to reconsider. I guess a lot of other people did too, because CBS brought it back from the dead, so to speak. In thanks, they sent this letter, and at Christmas, I received this postcard from the cast. It is too bad that the letters were not signed personally, but appear to be copies.

(originally posted at Just Ask Judy in 2006)

Wisteria and Weddings ~ 4-10-10

The tossing bouquet and cake topper - awaiting the cake.

The bride's bouquet made by Mel.

As I told you, the wisteria is abundant this spring. I was able to get these photos because it was growing along the side of the church parking lot where I delivered flowers for Mel's wedding on Saturday. Wisteria grows wild here, and our roadsides are full of it now; hanging from trees and whatever it can find for support.

One of Mel's weddings was in Raleigh and the other one was in Durham. We usually deliver wedding flowers together, but since there was a scheduling conflict with these two, he sent me to Durham by myself. I am almost useless in Durham (it is hard to find your way around there) but thanks to Mel's good directions, I had no trouble at all.

From 2008

My 2008 Christmas poinsettia continues to thrive, although the conditions here are anything but those in which it usually grows. My dining room (its current home) is about 70-72* and dry as a bone. In Mexico and So. America, the usual habitat, it is, of course, very hot and humid as all get out!

I will put this one outside as soon as we have passed the last possibility for frost (ordinarily around May 15th). Maybe it will come back to its original color ..... fire-engine red!

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Being on Facebook has its advantages. I was just "found" by a cousin I haven't heard from in over ten years. She saw my name on the FB page of my high school class president. His wife was her childhood friend. My cousin lives in Florida and the class president lives in Pennsylvania and I am in North Carolina - but we all hail from the Charleston, WV area. Small world, isn't it? If you aren't on Facebook yet - maybe you should give it a try.

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Some very lovely rain fell last night and washed most of the yucky pollen away and we are extremely thankful for that. My sneezing, eye-itching and throat-tickling haven't stopped, however. One can hope that will come soon.

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Two lucky people in my family have just won an all-expense paid trip starting in Barcelona; where they will board a cruise ship and be taken to Valencia, Malaga and Majorca. Can you stand it?? I am most happy for them, but I would LOVE to be along on that trip!! Many years ago, mr. kenju worked for a company that took their top producers on wonderful trips every year. We got to go on their trips to 4-5 great places, and then, on the eve of going to the Costa del Sol in Spain, he quit that company. I mourned and mourned for weeks. I truly didn't see why he couldn't just hang on with that job until after that fabulous vacation!

Not to Put Too Fine a Point on It, But.....

The amount of pollen is HORRENDOUS this year! The last time I showed you these frogs, I thought there was a lot of pollen, but now it is as thick as flour, only yellow. The photo below shows the glass-topped table after I removed the frogs. Yuck. No wonder everyone has headaches and runny noses!

Our large glass-topped umbrella table is so thick with it you can barely see the table supports, and the pool cover and water tube - believe it or not - are jet black. You'd never know it by this photo, would you? I drew the smiley face to show you the color difference. On the lower left, there's some sort of animal footprint. A raccoon, maybe?

As much as I decry the pollen, I have to brag on the wisteria this year. I haven't gotten photos yet, but it is so gorgeous this year; plump lavender blooms hang gracefully and sway in the breeze, and in some places, the blossoms are so thick they appear to be a solid mass. I'll take photos as soon as I can find some in a place where I can stop and get the camera out. (Don't ask me why that is underlined up there - I have no idea, as usual).

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I will be working today and tomorrow, so commenting may be scarce. I am having trouble making comments lately; it takes for.ev.er for some blog's comment boxes to open, and by the time I click on over 100 blog posts nearly everyday, if I have to wait more than 7-8 seconds for the comment box, I give up, unless it is an imperative (in my mind) comment.