11/11/2010 Lest We Forget

Our Veteran’s hold a special place in my heart. Can you imagine where we would be without them? I shudder to think.

IN FLANDERS FIELD

By: Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae

In Flanders Fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch, be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

It's the soldier, not the reporter who has given us
Freedom of the Press.
It's the soldier, not the poet, who has given us
Freedom of Speech.
It's the soldier, not the campus organizer, who has given us the
Freedom to Demonstrate.
It's the soldier, not the lawyer, who has given us the
Right to a Fair Trial.
It's the soldier who salutes the flag, serves under the flag and
whose coffin is draped by the flag,
Who gives the protestor the right to burn the flag.
~Father Dennis Edward O'Brien, USMC

Now go out and find yourself a Veteran and give him or her a big hug and say THANK YOU! They certainly deserve it.

11/9/2010 SPAM!

Up early this morning because its line dancing day. How a good crowd and 99% had to be there last week because we were dancin’ from the git go. I love days like this.

After dance class, my friend Marlene asked me to accompany her to her place because she had a gift for me. Marlene had called me during the summer to tell me she was in a special place and that it was somewhere i just had to go when I visited that state. Marlene was visiting a museum in Minnesota. She was in the SPAM MUSEUM! You can find out more by clicking on this link. http://www.spam.com/

And she bought something just for me! A SPAM coolie-cup!

Thank you Marlene! I love it!

In the afternoon I didn’t make it to pool walking. Somehow I had the idea that Bob and I were going to town. I was waiting around because he was puttering with this and that and finally at quarter to one I said to him, “What time do you plan on going?” and replied, “Go where???” I told him I though we were going to town and he said he no plans to go to town. I don’t know what gave me the idea that that was our agenda for the afternoon. So I did laundry instead.

Bob played pool for the first time this season and he had a good night in the pool hall. He won his games.

I played my first game of Mexican Train this season. I didn’t win

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30 Days of Truth - Day 20 - Your Views on Drugs and Alcohol

I’ve already made my views on alcohol quite clear. I have no use for it.

Ok, this is supposed to be 30 Days of TRUTH with emphasis on truth. I’m not going to be a hypocrite here. I have smoked pot. . It is what it is. I do not smoke pot anymore and haven’t for quite awhile now. I never, ever did cocaine, crack, crank, heroin or anything like that. Certainly not ones that involved needles!

My view on drugs today. If you sell hard drugs to little kids, you should go to jail for life!

However, I do think pot should be legalized. Pot is NOT a stepping stone to hard drugs. I am living proof of that. It never made me want to leap off tall buildings, it never made me believe I could fly or that I had superhuman powers. The worst effect I ever had was that I craved brownies, with walnuts. Or fresh out of the oven chocolate chip cookies with ice cold milk.

I have no problem with marijuana being legal but don’t use hard drugs and kids in the same sentence around me. That just doesn’t cut it.

This is my truth.

11/8/2010 ZUMBA MY BUTT!

Gorgeous day here in the desert. Low 80’s. Yes, we’re past our 90 degree days now…darn it. But hey, 80’s are just as nice.

I got to the pool around noon and by one the pool walkers arrived and we got started. I walked back and forth across the pool for one hour and moved to the deep end with my swimming noodle and just floated seven others. The wind had picked up a little so we moved to the hot tub. What a rough afternoon.

After the pool it was time to go bike riding around the perimeter of the park. This exercise stuff is hard work!

After dinner, I attended the last half hour of the first ZUMBA session here in the park. Dinner ran a little late so I couldn’t get there for the beginning. Oh. My. Zumba is a workout and a half! Just ask my butt! It’s exercise by salsa dancing. That’s the best way I can explain it. There was a good turnout for this first session. We’ll have this class once a week but I don’t know if once a week is enough though. The steps are easy enough but its such a good workout that I’m hearing that Zumba tapes are going to be bought and mini classes held around the park. Oh yeah, I would do this. The Zumba instructor has lost 54 pounds in the last year. I would imagine she is doing this more than once a week though. I’m going to look at tapes next time I go to town. Its a great workout and fun.

After Zumba class I went home to get the dishes out of the way and when I took the trash to the bin I decided to stop in and see Dan and Lin since I was close. You may remember these names from our Alaska trip. We stayed with them for a week in their yard. We talked over our summer travels and what we did. They got married. i couldn’t top that!

I saw Bob several times today but I don’t have a clue as to what he did. It seems every time I saw him he was either going into or coming out of our shed. He had stuff spread out all over the patio table but at the end of the day I didn’t see anything new and he didn’t tell me that something was fixed….so I don’t have a clue what he did. He’s happy, that’s all that matters.

I took some pictures the other night of our solar patio lights near our patio in the back.

Our house at dusk.

30 Days of Truth - Day 19 What is Your Opinion of Religion?

That’s a good question.

To be honest I am really struggling with this answer. Is the question asking do I believe in God? Then my answer would be ABSOLUTELY! Do I consider myself a religious person? No, I can’t say that I do. I don’t attend church every Sunday, in fact I rarely attend church. I have an inner fight with myself over this. I tell myself, this Sunday I’m going to attend church services. Then Sunday morning I don’t feel like getting up in time or I’m not done reading all the new status posts on Facebook and I tell myself that going to church doesn’t make me any more a Christian than sitting in the garage makes me a car. Then as soon as the service is over I berate myself with, “One hour? You couldn’t give Him one hour?” And next Sunday I do it all over again. Every. Week.

I go in spurts in reading the Bible. I don’t understand some things in the,,,,no, I don’t understand A LOT of things in the Bible and I get frustrated. I have a very good friend that I can ask to explain things to me and she can,,,in terms I can understand. Obviously the Bible is open to many interpretations. I can remember back in the day when I was in the National Guard if a regulation was unclear in any way a call would be put into the National Guard Bureau and we could ask the person who wrote the regulation what he meant. That can’t be done with the Bible. I’m thankful for my friend.

Do I believe in freedom of religion? Yes, all except for that one that says “kill the infidels”. That one I can do without.

I do think we are doing ourselves a great disservice by taking God out of everything. We’ve taken Him out of our schools, people are petitioning to get “In God We Trust” taken off of our money. We now celebrate an almost non denominational holiday in December. What happens if HE listens and takes Himself away completely? What then? Be careful what you wish for!

So my opinion on religion? I don’t know how to answer this anymore than I did when i started this. Actually, I feel its a very personal thing and I’m very comfortable with what I believe. I just wish I was just better at it.

This is my truth.

11/7/2010 They Are Streamin’ In!

Yesterday I told you that winter residents were slow to arrive this season. Well, I was wrong. Actually, some had arrived and I just hadn’t seen them yet but during my walk around the park this evening I saw quite a few that told me they had been here a week already.

Bob and i worked on our summer 2011 plans this morning. I filled out online applications for camp host positions in Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota. We’ll 4 to 8 weeks in each location in a state park. We are really hoping we get taken on for Custer State Park in South Dakota. From the website info there seems to be a lot to see and do there. We should hear in the next few weeks if we have summer positions in the areas we really want.

Pool walking is really taking off here in the park. If the interest keeps up like it is now we’re going to have to walk in shifts.

30 Days of Truth - Day 18 - Your Views On Gay Marriage

Hmmm…Gay MARRIAGE. Let me start first by saying I don’t like labels. It’s my personal belief that same sex relationships are not made by choice. I truly believe that there is a gene or something that makes you born of this sexual persuasion. Bob and I have friends, very close friends. both men and women, who are not heterosexuals. In a conversation one evening about 25 years ago this group got into the conversation of whether or not homosexuality was a choice or not. Our friend said, “Do you really think I would CHOOSE this for myself? To be teased, called horrible names, be discriminated against, to have to HIDE who I am in certain circumstances, to LIE because I wanted to go into the Armed Forces when I wanted to serve my country. Do you really think I would CHOOSE this?” I really think he changed the minds of some of those in the group that night.

That said, on the subject of gay marriage I think that a union can be entered into by two people of the same sex but I’m not really comfortable calling it marriage. I don’t know why I’m not comfortable giving the union that name, I can’t even explain it to myself, I just think it should be called something else. A Commitment Ceremony or something. To me, marriage is between a husband and wife, a man and a woman. Not a husband and husband or a wife and a wife. However, getting down to brass tacks, I think that same sex couples should be allowed to put their life partner on their health insurance. This couple I spoke of earlier has been together 31 years, just as long as Bob and I have. They are committed to each other, they are true to each other, they are life partners in every facet of life. They should reap the benefits of tax breaks, health insurance, being able to make medical decisions just as a blood relative or marriage partner can. From this standpoint, I would have to vote in the affirmative.

11/3 – 11/6/2010 Stone Spreading/Pool Walking

These past few days have been filled with stones and a wheelbarrow and a shovel for Bob. Finally, all the stone is spread to his satisfaction and it does look very nice. He’s put together a new step for the back patio, he’s made an outside lamp post for us that is light / dark sensitive, has added the electrical outlet for it and has cleaned all the grout in the bathroom. And in between all this,,,,he’s been looking for campgrounds in North and South Dakota for camp hosting jobs for us for next summer. Bob HAS to be busy. Bob can’t sit still. If he isn’t puttering or DOING he isn’t happy. The man doesn’t know how to just sit and relax. Actually, this probably is relaxation for him. No time frames to get things done, he can work as long or as little as he wants, at what he wants, when he wants.

And what have I been up to? I’ve been working on my tan. I go to the pool everyday and now I have taken up pool walking. Three of us, Diane, Bonnie and me walk back and forth, back and forth across the pool for 45 minutes. When done that we head to the deep end with our swimming noodles and bicycle for 15 minutes. In addition I’ve started working out with free weights. I’m not doing a whole lot there yet as this has just been going on for a few days now. I have no trouble falling into bed at night.

The park is starting to fill in now. The winter residents are arriving but it seems to most of us here that the season is getting a later start than usual. People are coming down later than years past and some that are usually here already won’t be arriving until after Thanksgiving. Its just a strange year so far.

Friday morning I went with Carl, Sandy and Carol to another RV park to help teach a line dance class. I was really worried there for awhile that these students just weren’t going to get the steps down but finally after about a half hour we got through a dance from start to finish. They picked up the second one in no time flat and were excited about what they learned. When we left we had the distinct feeling that they would be counting the days till next Friday when we do it again.

30 Days of Truth - Day 17 A Book You've Read That Changed Your View On Something

I don’t read anything other than novels based in modern times. It can be a love story, a mystery, a humorous book but nothing that has changed my mind or view about anything. I read for the pure enjoyment of it and its a way to pass time. I don’t read to get anything out of it. I don’t read to self analyze, I don’t read to decipher feelings I have,,,,I read just for fun, pure and simple.

This is my truth.

11/2/2010 Line Dancing Started!

There were many pairs of happy feet in the park today. Line dancing started. Ah yes, it so good to hear two steps to ten o’clock, two steps to two o’clock, side step, one, two, three, four, turn, scuff, vine. Yessiree, happy feet!

We had a good crowd this first day, I counted 34 participants. Quite a few newcomers so it was slow going at first but we got them all on the same page and after awhile and we were all in step for the most part. Of course there is that one gentleman who hears his own beat and its two faster than the rest of us so he’s always two steps ahead. But its ok, I can’t see him so he doesn’t mess my steps up.

This afternoon I went over to see Jerry and Phyllis. They are the oldest residents in our park. Or at least they have been here the longest. Jerry is 88 this month and Phyllis is 87 I believe. Phyllis has to keep busy and is always knitting something. Today she gave me two dish rags she knitted. I wasn’t sure about using knitted dishrags but I put one to use right away and I love them! I may never go back to store bought ones again.

30 Days of Truth - Day 16: Something or Someone You Could Definitely Live Without

No problem answering this one! Alcohol,,,,Hands down! I don’t drink. I used to when i was in my late teens and early 20’s, but not since then.

Alcohol kills, in more ways than one. Alcohol makes fools out of people. Alcohol gives false courage. Alcohol makes people say things they should never let pass their lips.

I have been hurt and hurt deeply by alcohol influenced conversations. Things I should have never heard and that I can’t un-hear now.

Alcohol is the one thing that I could definitely live without and would gladly banish from the earth if I could. It benefits no one.

This is my truth.

11/1/2010 November! Already!

Before I go any further I have a birthday greeting I want to send out!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

TO OUR FRIEND

DIANE!

I just can’t believe it is November already! But November it must surely be because the Christmas trees are up in the stores, Christmas music started playing on the radio today, Christmas cards are on the racks already in the stores and the toy commercials have started on TV. Yep, it must be November.

We started our day early today. We were up and waiting for the dump truck to arrive that was bringing our stone.

It arrived right on time.

We had already borrowed a wheel barrow and a hard rake so we were ready to get to work as soon as it was dropped.

It got backed into the side yard and stopped where Bob said he wanted it dumped.

The delivery guy started dropping….

Doesn’t look like much does it? That’s four tons? I thought for sure we ordered too little.

Bob got right to work loading the wheelbarrow time and time again and depositing piles all over our corner lot. I got busy spreading it out but soon found I couldn’t tell the difference where the new stuff started and the old stuff ended. Also, I wasn’t spreading it as thin as it should have been. Bob only wanted it an extra inch deep all over and i had areas that were much deeper than that. So I did what every good helper that isn’t quite up to snuff should do. I went to the pool. After being with Bob for 30 years now I have learned that there are things he would rather do by himself and this was one.

He didn’t get it all done today and neither one of us expected that he would. It turns out that four tons is a lot stone!

30 Days of Truth - Day 15: Something or Someone You Couldn't Live Without

Gosh these questions make you think. I thought of all kinds of things before I hit on the one that makes sense to me. My first thought was there is no way I could live without my Pepsi’s. But I could, I wouldn’t like it but I could. Remind me some day to tell you about the story when I was in basic training. I started thinking of materials things I wouldn’t want to give up but if it came down to brass tacks, hey, I got these, I’ll get more.

The one thing I couldn’t live without is freedom. I take my freedom in this country very seriously. I cherish it. I can’t imagine living with any kind of restraints other than the laws we have in place to protect us as a people. I don’t agree with all the laws but I know they were put in place with good intentions.

I can’t imagine not having the freedom to go where I want, when I want. To say whatever is on my mind. To write whatever I want in this blog.

I take this freedom so seriously because I give great credit to those who gave their all so that I may enjoy this freedom that I know. I can’t take it for granted and its something I never, ever want to be without.

This is my truth.