Red Head Mom

Post Noel and Boxing Day musings

2011-12-26T05:25:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas. In some places the 26th is Boxing Day. Here I'm calling it TG no more Carpenters on the radio day. I cannot fathom playing the same songs to the point beyond saturation but for me if I never hear them again I will be fine with that. Too much of any one thing breeds contempt. This year there were the almost sadly traditional scenes of Zealous shoppers getting into trouble over the it item for the year. As if that were the point. This year our family was far away and only vis the genius of Steve Jobs were we able to see and hear some of the morning excitement. When technology brings us close and eases the sting that the miles bring on a holiday you can believe its all a part of Gods plan. I don't think he was too excited by the pepper spray in line for the gadgets but we are all fallen short of the glory of God here. Will any of the excitement and joy of the day, the peace of a sleeping and waiting house or the love and warmth given via the scents of food prepared with love hold much into the new year? I can only send that hope to everyone else. If only a flicker of it sits inside each heart there will be a little more light in the cool hard start of another year. God Bless us, every one, no exceptions.

2011-11-14T07:25:00.001-08:00

Is there no understanding in the space we call the web, that for some of us, there is a business space and there is a friend and family space? I am not saying if you post something you wouldn't put on an interstate billboard, you should be conceded, but silly family and friend photographs belong on a Facebook page, as much as they belong in my family room. So, I am posting on Facebook and here, on this blog that this is the same as my home - NOT my office. That is a different place in cyberspace, just as it is in the physical world. If you are here, if you are on my Facebook page, please understand, you are in my family room. Sometimes it's a little messy with projects and family life. It is not a grey and black, button down blouse/shirt and tie sort of place. If that is a problem, sorry. You are my guest and I will be hospitable, but in my family room, not stuffy.
That's for the office or the formal living room, if I even have one in my next home.
Bienvennue
Reb!

Fortune Favors the Bold

2011-10-17T08:14:00.000-07:00

Fortune Favors The Bold

Or, if you told me what I’d be doing for the next few months, I’d doubt my sanity.

When I started the adventure, back in January - I was simply glad to be going somewhere warm, where not knowing where I was would be expected and normal.

The iPhone and the Garmin became friends and guides to many a small adventure and discovery as I learned Dallas just a bit

Re-Connecting with my dear friend Pam was a bonus beyond all measure. Dallas was hot and dry and a good antidote to my aches. I missed my son and daughter, my daughter-in-law and my grandson but seeing them grow and stand on their own two feet was some consolation. In addition, I got to spend a lot of time with my sister-in-law Amy, her husband and Packer fan, Mike and my niece and goddaughter Zoe and her little brother Anderson.

At this point, I must again thank Steve Jobs for making my science fiction dreams into a very tangible reality. I adore face-time on the iPad - now I can still see my family from time to time.

So, what did I do, really?

I read a lot, I walked and I tried a few new and interesting activities. I found myself the Easter Bunny at the Grapevine Mall - yep forty plus pounds of polyester fur and giant ears. If you’ve never worn a giant costume like that, you should think about trying it. The reactions from the tiny babies to the seasoned folks were priceless - and the teenagers! 99% were just for fun and only a few babies cried! I also got to ride the mall train - a lot.

At the same time I worked on getting in with a Funeral Home as an assistant, that was less successful but I have not given my profession a pass. I joined a few groups to stay in touch with the field, and low and behold, I was chosen to be interviewed about my profession. The result can be found here: More Magazine - Death and the Maidens

The heat was intense this summer, but it really only kept me in at the peak of it most days, but still 40+ days of 100+ heat. Yes, it’s a dry heat, but my freckles grew freckles!

Before I knew it, it was August. Time to pack up life in Dallas and get set for the big trip.

Not just Australia, but New Zealand too. Hey, if you are flying 12+ hours on the longest leg in the air, you might as well make the most of it.

But that adventure deserves a post or two all of its own.

A Little more Love from Texas - Road Trip Style

2011-02-11T11:46:00.000-08:00

Texas means a different cuisine to my family. Not that we aren't adventurous in Minnesota, just that there are things here that just aren't the same where the snow gets higher than my waist for months on end.

In point, BarBeQue (BBQ) - is a different animal here, and we have a seriously devoted daughter to the finer adventures in a culinary fashion - so with her advice we found a wonderful, nearly hidden gem of Fort Worth - Off the Bone Barbeque http://www.offthebonebbq.com/ This was one of the best moments of the entire trip while Rachel and Paul were with us. This petite eatery, just off I 20 and 820, was just honored in Dallas Magazine as the Best! - great news. The location does not jump out at you, it's not overly shiny or corporate, just friendly and clean. You can enjoy your tasty meats with their sauce, but they are served "dry", but still moist and bursting with deep flavors that just fill your mouth. Portions were generous but not ridiculous and a bargain for the price. The smiles on the faces of my family, and the instant removal of the hungry grouchies were more than compensation enough for putting up with "Ms Garmin" and her strange sense of direction. (She first took us on dirt side tracks to a bar straight out of a bad biker movie...We didn't stop!) The Garmin gremlin will be fodder for another post. Food for our family is more of an adventure, a gastronomic theme park even, when we travel. If at all possible, we avoid the national chains and fast food. (One notable exception, in France we found the sandwiches at the gas stations on the Autoroute to be delicious and budget friendly) Thanks to the family toys - ie - IPhones, we found that article on the internet and then got the address, phone and even directions (Yeah! Google maps!) However, having a good guidebook and a paper and pencil are still handy when technology has an occasional fail! So we haven't gone paperless yet, but the car clutter is definitely down.

Another amazing meal was shared Sunday morning with Amy, Mike, Zoe and Anderson at the

Twisted Root Burger Company. We dined at the West Ellum location. http://twistedrootburgerco.com/wordpress/

Here is that spot's philosophy in their own words:

Three chefs, sick of eating frozen, tiny, and under-seasoned burgers, opened a real burger joint to make it the way they do at home. Fresh and seasoned meat, hand-battered buttermilk fried stuff, fresh-cut sweet potatoes, homemade pickles, in-house made Root Beer, homemade ice-cream….even homemade condiments. It’s like eating at our home!

It was even a chance to dine outside! - but the snow was waiting....

Road tripping with young adults

2011-02-03T08:41:00.000-08:00

When your children are young, you pack a car with snacks and maybe books on tape, before there were DVD's or VHS's for your car...We even talked a lot. Imagine that - actual conversation. Thanks to I Phones and I Tunes....We can choose to share or choose to slip into our own musical worlds while we drive. It's a good thing we seem to share a lot of the same musical tastes.

Stops are another thing - my goal was to enjoy the journey and visit my family on the way to rejoining Steve. They wanted to get to the Warmth of Dallas as soon as possible. So, they toured Downtown Chicago and had to kill some time there...

(Not impossible, but without a car...) Meanwhile I was able to get my mom out for some errands and to visit with my father's sister, my Aunt Lois. It was great to get to visit and to get the two of them together. I'm a grandmother myself now, and it's beginning to be apparent that time is passing and precious. I don't take time with my family for granted as I put myself on a path of adventure, but also away from some of those I love the most. Saying that, even those hours in the car are precious. Today, it's snowing in Dallas (Yes, I told God my plans...and I am sure he's getting a good chuckle at this moment) So I'm savoring the time to write this and

say GO PACKERS - I love you Dad...

avoiding Texas drivers!

On the Road at Last

2011-02-01T10:44:00.000-08:00

After many months of searching and speculating, on January 2nd my husband left for training with the VA Travel Corps in Phoenix. The next three weeks at home were filled with packing and a few very special moments. I attended the 6th birthday party/concert for 89.3 The Current with Rachel on that last Friday, Saturday was our Saddle Club dinner and Sunday a dear friend and her husband had their son baptized. Sad to leave my son, his wife and my grandson, but it was time. On Monday Jan 22nd I left to join Steve in Dallas TX. This first leg of the journey, took me to my childhood home of Chicago. I visited with my brother and his family, checked in with my mother, who is doing better than expected and spent the first night on the road. I am lucky to be traveling with my daughter and a friend of her and my son's - Paul; so we share the driving duties.

Central Illinois - Miles and miles of Miles and Miles - I57 is sparsely populated - I55 goes south via Springfield and St. Louis. We chose the faster, sparser route to Memphis (Cue Paul Simon and Marc Cohen singing Graceland and Walkin' on Memphis)

Yes.

I had to see Graceland this trip.

As a child, I had spent many an after-school afternoon watching Elvis movies on television in Chicago.

Anyone else remember those days of afternoon movies from 3-5?

Elvis week was always well promoted and I'd talk with the other girls about moms who watched with us. I'd seen some of his specials on TV in the 70's and occasionally heard him on the radio. He was a little before my time, but I still knew who he was - that he had a daughter- that he met the president. His wild jumpsuits, his peanut butter and banana sandwiches, his group of friends ( it was a new concept back then) all were part of the culture of growing up in my part of the south side of Chicago.

Then he died.

He died rather young, with a little girl and I would guess a broken heart after his divorce. The sadness for a lot of our mothers was a visible, tangible thing.

The only time I have felt anything like it was at the death of John Lennon. I'll never forget the sight of one home's picture window on my bus route for school. It was a velvet Elvis, oversized, with a large candle always lit. It stayed that way for over a year. I don't know who lived in that house - but everyone knew who lived at Graceland.

My father, an aviation buff even knew of Elvis's planes and pilots.

When Graceland opened to the public, a seed was planted in my brain. The house was more than just a spot where he lived. It was the center of his universe, his family, his work. It had become a sort of continuing representation of his talent, his soul if you will. I became immensely curious to see it.

Photographs and mentions only fueled my curiosity. It sat and simmered until my first brush with Memphis - in 1988 I was driving north with my husband and son after finishing our active military duties in Texas. I wanted to stop, not sure what he'd think about my desire to see the Jungle Room for myself. We kept going.

The route for this trip was a happy accident of the route on my IPhone - I noted that to add Chicago as the first stop - took us through Memphis.

I was going to see Graceland for myself.

Or Else!

Let's Hear it for the Boys and Girls

2010-11-11T06:33:00.000-08:00

This takes me back, to a time and place where my husband and I found ourselves in service. We were newly minted married and newly minted members of the USAF. My brother would later serve in the US Navy. Back then, the feminine members of our armed forces hovered at 10 percent, today we approach 15 percent, and one of the delightful or thought provoking news items this year was an announcement that the BDU's the everyday uniform for service members was finally coming out with WOMEN'S SIZES - I don't have a lot of pictures of me in that outfit - Think greenish balloon. It's always better to feel professional in something that fits, without a couple of trips to a tailor! I know, I tried. The men and women of our armed forces are every day standing up, putting their lives on the line. They understand the concept of freedom better than anyone who has not served, because they surrender it completely for their training and induction into the service, and then they live under a much more severe code of conduct and justice for the duration of their military careers (Article 15? anyone) No service is perfect, no person is either, but the willingness to work towards that goal, to work together under the harsh conditions, strict rules and separation from friends and loved ones gives each and every present and former service member a core of strength our nation must not forget. Today our veterans get a few thanks from restaurants; consider adding yours as well. Any day you meet one, "Thank you for your service" might be the sweetest words he or she might hear all year.
In Honor of my Father, USMC, USAAC, ILNG
Semper Fi

Just Say NO

2010-09-29T09:20:00.000-07:00

The leaves are changing here, I can hear the marching bands practice on the field across the street. When the lights come on, sometimes I walk up the hill and look at all the pageantry on the football field. The Cheerleaders here have bright orange as one of their colors. Bright Orange - a warning color - is that a future for guys who cheer too? I was at my 30th high school reunion, and someone had found old, film footage of our pep rally and highlights of our surprise run to become Illinois State High School Basketball champions in 1980. One of the best things was two of our football players joining the cheerleaders with their wild acrobatic moves. Title X has killed a lot of male gymnastic programs now, so if you love to throw your body through the air with impossible twists - and are male, you have cheer leading and the circus- right? So how does Just Say NO figure in here. In the 1980's it was a catchphrase, not always appreciated, but we knew what no meant. NO meant stop, don't start, period. I heard it from parents and teachers all the time. No one in authority wanted to be my friend back then, just my respect for them - and then they for me. That became the basis for a lot of great relationships. A young man, 11, in Ohio has learned the hard way, that no is a thought in short supply. When I cheered and when I was in the stands, cheering NO NO NO, WE WON'T GO, had power. "Hey Hey Hey, let's have a happy day" just has no power. As a kid, I knew there were big no's, things you just didn't do - and a little tease, OK, but to the point of hurting, physically hurting someone, that was a no. When a girl broke up with you, no was no, no stalking. No, it cost too much meant save or choose something you could afford, not just open a charge account. No was a border, a baseline to turn you toward another course. I learned NO first from my parents and then my teachers. It was not fun, it was disappointing, sometimes it made me angry. It taught me there are rules, things you just DO NOT DO. It gave me a base to stand on and build on. Now, do parents still say NO, or do we bargain and avoid and worry over having to say that to our children? Do they know, from parents words and actions, that there are things that are off limits, things you NEVER do, things that are WRONG?
No, that is probably not the case for a lot of young people. No's early hurt, but they teach, dealing with them moves one toward maturity.
Who tells this generation what NO means?
To the young man in Ohio, I hope you cheer loud and proud, I hope you can do a back-flip soon. I hope when you have a cheer with NO everyone understands.
Gonna Stop NO
Gonna Fight ON
Gonna WIN
YEAH YEAH YEAH

Rebekah ( Cheerleader in 1976 )

I got to do something wonderful today!

2010-06-05T09:13:00.000-07:00

I got to do something really wonderful today. I got to wake up with my best friend, confidante and lover - my husband.

Marriage certainly has its ups, twists, turns and even down days - but I have been blessed to spend the majority of them with him - not missing him.

While college students - we knew he was facing a year abroad - France.

One September I put him on a plane, with the cliche in my head - "If you love something, set them free. If they return to you it's real - if not, it never was.."

Probably the hardest moment. I could not, would not chain him.

Even for Iowa, it was the longest scholastic year of my existence. Ever.

Cliche or not, in May we met, after only exchanging snail mail - and the first thing he did, after kissing me was propose.

In Paris

(Swell the romantic music - it plays in my head each time I remember it)

I was remembering that day - because of those I see in real life and even in the tales told by the many writers online, in what I call tales of the heart - more commonly known as Twilight Fan Fiction.

I see dear ones to me approaching marriage - and I want for them all the sweetness I have found and more.

I see other dear ones, currently separated, either by circumstance or foolishness, some will know the rapture of a reunion, others will not.

So why do I read those tales - Emancipation Proclamation by Kharizzmatik, (Blogspot)or the University of Edward Masen by Sebastien Robichaud?(fanfiction.net)

In real life, I can only pray to ease the ache I see. I cannot and will not meddle. I will listen, as some did for me that year.

In the written tales I can hope the authors take a note from Jane Austen - she would write for happy endings and bright futures - control where real life can give us naught.

Hug your love - let them know

Steve - you are my happy ending and happily ever after!

Once Upon a Snowy April Sunday!

2010-04-29T15:33:00.000-07:00

I can't believe how much the sky today looks like it did 26 years ago - but it's a lot warmer. April 29th 1984 was the day I began my real life with my real love! What began as total confusion as to who was Frank and who was Steve, to friendship, to love, to letting go as he went off to France for a year,to wonderful letters and a courtship via snail mail! a proposal in Paris! Service in the USAF, 2 darling children,a daughter-in-law, a grandson, a house, 12+ exchange student children, 3 political campaigns,
moves, trips, dinners, laughter and loads and loads and loads of love
Thanks Honey
I can't wait to see what the next 26 years bring.
Your Red Head!

Birthday Wishes and Realities

2010-04-15T21:57:00.000-07:00

I'm older - yes for all of us above ground and breathing - that happens every day. On the day I mark another rotation of the sun. I got one of my Birthday wishes - I got to be inspired and receive the gift of hope. I attended the Sarah Palin- Michelle Bachman Rally in Minneapolis. I's been quite a ride the past few days, the dismantling of NASA, the looming dread of April 15th make my special day a little nerve racking. The words on that stage re-kindled my faith in Americans. I learned there was a name for the spirit I assumed we all got from our ancestors - who jumped onto rickety contraptions, without radio, internet, GPS - and sailed across dark cold waters, away from every comfort,every convention, family, friends, heck even favorite foods - Just for the chance at a freer, new start in a place where you were allowed, even encouraged to do, go , be as much as you could. The name I learned in school was American Exceptionalisim. We are made up of those with the guts! to go. No old world con-strictures on your future. If your dad was the local cobbler, you weren't forced to follow - you might be a baker, a doctor,- Lincoln was a self taught man, from the cabin (I've been to Salem, IL !) to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. I wish for someone who has sat at the kitchen table with the checkbook and bills, who drives the highways THEMSELVES, to take the reins of our country. Hearing first from our Governor, the only other man who had gotten down on bended knee (asking for my vote! for Pete's sake at the state convention) before me. He reminded me of how far we have come. Sarah Palin reminded me of the basic wisdom and how important it is for every "one" to serve in government - not just those who attended law school and have been groomed since birth It is our citizenship at stake these days - the country I grew to love is growing strange to me.

Ahh Spring - Season for Change

2010-03-27T15:51:00.001-07:00

Actual Sunshine! Yes I know that it exists-but a normal March would mean Spring in theory more than practice. This year we have a lot of grass and warm temperatures, indicating change is in the air - almost time to put away the heavy boots. Change is in the air for my country as well. The changes I see on the horizon are not fluffy clouds and gentle zephyrs - they seem like angry wall clouds, harbingers of trying things to come.
I worry that many have lost their way in America, lost their path to adulthood with all it's joys; and responsibilities. I grew up with the image of the shining city on the hill, the place where responsibility and self determination were the guiding principals - if you chose to do something stupid - you paid the price. The training began on the playground.
I recall the days of the tall slide, can you remember them? before we had the lawyer approved, shock absorbing surounded, playscapes - we had real jungle gyms where if you went too far beyond your limits, you risked an injury. Those tall slides, the kind that the little kids waited to go tandem with you on? There was always one jokster who had to -jump off - or try standing - or something else? They got the broken arm, etc and we got the lesson, now we pamper and protect our young so much that at 26? or more they cannot fathom leaving the nest? They never faced a small risk, they got a trophy for showing up and heaven help their first supervisor - there are no trophys and gold stars for just showing up at work.
There is great honor in responsibility, great freedom in making your own way, and then having the choice of giving back - and how you give back. There is only frustration in having to wait all the time to see what you will get. Having it taken from you is not the same, think about the bully taking your desert - or you sharing it with your first crush - get the picture?
Let's get back to competition, for in the challenge is the energy to meet or exceed the goals. No one wins all the time - but the best are found and rewarded, and those who compete also earn their own honor. Competition also implies a choice of when to compete and when to support the competitors.
As the parks hopefully fill with children, this year let's start leaving the nanny state behind. Anyone want to race to the tall slide?

Cuddly Star

2009-12-12T17:23:00.000-08:00

That's right - Cuddly Star - well if that isn't an impossible image, I mean a star is a hot ball of gas, far far away (Even some Hollywood - type stars would fill that bill) Ha Ha, that is my Christmas Name according to a website. I guess I would like to be a "Cuddly Star" someone who, even though gained some notoriety could be seen as approachable and friendly,maybe someone to have lunch with. Oprah - no, Mary Steenburgen Yes, Elizabeth Reaser & Meryl Streep - Yes, Sarah Jessica Parker would be a maybe. In the real world, Sarah Palin - yes, Hillary Clinton and Nancy Pelosi - no, But I'd like to think the lady who was and may still be in charge of HP would be a yes. My point in all this rambling is simple. There are two ways to get 'fame' it can be thrust upon you, like a lottery win or surviving an accident - or being discovered doing the wrong thing with the wrong person, etc - or you earn it via hard work, good works, talent, doing the right thing. The question then turns on your character - can you handle it with grace, can you smile at a reporter, thank them for their interest and let then know you are not going to grace that question with an answer. In the face of today's headlines, grace good humor and manners are in short supply. I like to live by the words of Mark Twain - "Love your enemies - it'll drive them crazy. Hope that helps when you get the one person you didn't want to get in the office/club exchange for the Holidays! Merry Christmas one and all and to all (no exceptions!) Good Night

Eternal Sunshine of the Reset Mind

2009-11-15T21:22:00.000-08:00

Greetings Readers
I'm sorry I haven't been here in a long while - I was on my way to an event in late September, when I was rear-ended. Due to the height of one car and the placement of my rear bumper, I got a good whack in the back of my head - presto! by 24 hours post accident I was slurring my speech, dragging my feet and forgetting - well forgetting a lot of things. I didn't work or drive for almost a month. The good news, I can speak well again and pick up my feet, the downside is I still have to find another vehicle (man I miss that Dodge Minivan!), get my full balance back, my ankle still aches. I have found that rather than a return to normal; I am dealing with what I call the new normal - my short term memory is not dependable ( sorry again to all the folks I've mis-dialed) I have a horrid compulsion to smoke (!?) and my fuse is no longer a slow burn time delay - I can be a bit sharp. It is like ordering a soda, having it arrive and after you take a sip, you frown, thinking cola but tasting root beer - it's good but it is not what you expected. I have spent a bit of time re-reading favorite books, there is comfort and familiarity - and sometimes a surprise!
I am a firm believer that everything happens for a reason, and If this was to shake me up, and give my dear loving husband a fresh wife - well that is how I came up with the title of this post. I now have such an appreciation for those who are recovering from injuries great and small. I had few marks on the outside, but I felt like I had been in a blender on frappe for too long. I am so grateful the help arrived quickly, that my grandson or anyone else was not riding with me - that I have a good team of doctors and a good lawyer too. I hope this never happens to you. As for me, each new day truly has a sense of adventure too.
I promise more musings in the days to come
The Red Hed Mom
Reb

Pleasant Valley Sunnydays

2009-09-17T05:24:00.000-07:00

Blue Skies,

fair winds, moderate temperatures; these things make it almost possible to ignore the problems surrounding our families, friends and even our country. It's hard to believe the changes just one year can bring. It hit me on September 11th and it hasn't gone away. When I look back to the feeling in the country a year ago, it seems that there was more energy and less anger. When the announcement was made that the recession was over, I heard a lot of nervous laughter, and someone I was with said "For who?"Government and the major media like newspapers and television seem to be operating on the premise - if it's not broke - we can brake it and complain. The one thing that really got to me yesterday was an article in the Minneapolis Star and Tribune on all the charter schools in Minnesota. These public schools with specific purposes in mind (Language, science, arts, classical education, etc) seem to be working with parent and teacher control (NOT a big district bureaucracy) but that is now bothering the "experts and administrators" WHAT? oh I'm sorry if parents having the ability to get their children into a school that suits their child better than the big box education is a problem for them, but involved parents make for better educational outcomes. To me this is just another symptom of us vs those little ones (us vs them just doesn't do it justice) that seems to be the attitiude of those who are in 'public service' This is America - where doing it yourself, closest to the situation used to be the norm - this is not the hope and change we need.

2009-08-05T22:25:00.000-07:00

Ah August, can the state fair be far away? So, I'm hearing all about the new Supreme Court Justice, and the health care plans and the cash for clunkers on the news, on the radio, on the Internet. The good part of the news - according to someone in the car business, the clunkers are UBER clunkers, really good to get them off the road, the bad news the program is a bureaucratic mess......none of my vehicles qualify anyway - and I don't usually buy brand new cars. As for the confirmation of the new justice - if a republican does vote for her, I wouldn't count on their re-election. Actions have consequences, no matter how hard science or government try to remove them, actions speak louder than words, but we seem to be able to ignore either fact when it suits the circumstance. I am just one voice, one consumer, one person who occasionally goes to a doctor - and I prefer that information to be secure, unshared unless I agree to it, with our decisions being just that, not via committee, official, administrator, etc etc etc....

I have to wonder for all the folks who voted for hope and change, if they realized what the change was that the administration is hoping to achieve.

I remember when I was growing up, I thought republican and radical were sort of the same thing - OK there weren't a lot of republicans in Chicago, still aren't. I can't be silent as I see my country on a path to a place the founding fathers were RUNNING and FIGHTING to be free of. I do not want a nanny or a parent or a czar making my life choices for me. I guess my childhood musings on radical and republican were simply ahead of their time.

I do hope for change

I hope my health insurance can be as competitive and consumer friendly as my auto insurance

I hope my health care will be as convenient as I need it to be, as private as I want it to be.

I hope to have good information to base my health care choices on.

I hope cap and trade once again means guys will trade their baseball caps.

I hope congress remembers that it is not their money they are spending now....it is their children's

I hope they remember their people are not inside the beltway, but in their district.

Keep the change

Reb

\\\\\\\\\\

Bread, Circuses, Sound and Fury

2009-07-09T23:05:00.000-07:00

Ah nothing like summertime to put our senses in a haze and have things slip through our fingers. So many pieces of my childhood are now gone, Ed McMahon, (Hi OOH) - that was my signal for lights out or else!, Farrah (yes, I had her hairdo in the 70's) and Michael Jackson ( I am old enough to remember watching the animated cartoon show of his family on Saturday mornings) I see the President is busy, all over Europe and making sure his family has a good time too. Minnesota got a new Senator, or at least one in name, since NY and CA money seemed to fund his campaign and that is where he was living over 90% of the time for the past 30+ years, while our dear sweet Congress wants to be sure we can't afford a TV and a computer on at the same time (Cap and Trade) Hey, it's nice outside - who is watching the news anyway (I'm guilty too, I just listen to the radio in my car) So hopefully all the fun and fest of summer won't completely blind us to the world around us. I feel fortunate, to have to be inside at work this year when so many folks found their employment had vanished almost overnight. This summer feels so different from last - edgy, as if we are all watching the big fireworks display, waiting for the dud to detonate on the ground - or make too big of a noise. So we enjoy the weather, eyes wary as if waiting for the big storm to break. Hopefully not for a while, hopefully we can all come through this and maybe remember what is truly important to us. What that IS is truly your choice. I keep thinking of Mother Theresa, her famous quote: " I know God will only give us what we can handle - I just wish he didn't trust me so much." I don't have any sage advice for days like these, just drink water, put on your sunscreen and have some fun. Where I am, summer is not a long term visitor, enjoy her presence right away - you never know when Autumn will invite herself in early

Warm at last

2009-06-24T22:44:00.001-07:00

Found myself sitting in the yard. watching the dogs play and enjoying the warmth of the sun, no jacket required - and that is saying something these days. I find myself avoiding the news - no news is good news is actually TRUE in my world. Every time I catch a headline or a scrap of a major newscast I think I am reading a book - the trouble is I think we are all living in a world beyond our imaginations of just a few years ago. I have my faith, so I am sure things are as they must be - I can't imagine the greater purpose, I just try not to get too worked up over things I cannot change - and do what I can to keep things from getting so out of hand. Watching my grandson play I realize I cannot just sit on the sidelines and wait for my chances at the polling place. So, it's just a phone call or an email - I don't think the silent majority can just sit by. I have been a few other places, and I don't want the USA to stop being the USA, but just another country, too self absorbed and lost to reach out for the best and brightest, for freedom to really exisist. I don't want the liberty and opportunites for all our children, male and female to be compromised by one administration. I promise I will get a post up on being a candidate. In the litteral sense, time to stand up and get busy. This is my country and I'd like to keep it the land of the free and the home of the brave!. I am sure the hammock I was sitting in might not meet the "saftey standard" but it was comfortable. Smile - folks will wonder what you are thinking.

Until I post again

Reb

Ah Summertime - Commencing on Decoration Day

2009-05-25T21:07:00.001-07:00

For those of you who don't know what twilight - the book and or the movie - is, the title of the blog is a tip of the cap to the main male character - Edward. I too think of myself as a twimom....but on this day, I recall the hard work and sacrifices made by all of our citizens who left the familiar comfort of their community and family and took the oath to defend Our Consitution - a group of ideas, not a king, or a place exactly - but the very idea that we are free, joined together in free choice and that this should not perish from the earth. I was reading on the difficulties in protecting our American Flag from being used as one saw fit in protest (Stepping on, burning,....) I recall being informed while in basic military training (USAF 1985-1988) that our flag is considered as one of us - the only object given "personhood" , that makes the free speech article hard to swallow ( we don't burn people, or stomp on them as a general rule) Makes one think a bit....for me it makes it easier to defend, no King, no land, just people and the idea of freedom.

Thanks again to any and all who put up their hand and gave their promise. God Bless you all

Reb

2009-05-13T18:05:00.001-07:00

Test

25 years and not one taken for granted

2009-05-11T08:26:00.001-07:00

I've been working on a different post, but life has it's own rythym and God has his own plan....remember how to make him laugh? Tell him YOUR plan. Seriously it was glorious last week celebrating 25 official years of mostly bliss, worth every minute! of the ups and downs that make up a marriage. This past week I have been reminded to seize each day - no gurantees as I was reminded in the work I do (Funeral Director) and my own dear husband, who is now in the hospital. He's ok so far, but we will learn more today. This might be oft repeated, but hug your kids and dear ones, let your parting words reflect your heart - not just the fleeting item of the moment..

Bless you all

Reb

Bad news, wait and see.

2009-04-22T22:48:00.000-07:00

So, what do a$400 plus sudden vet bill, old bushes and opportunity have in common - not much on the surface, I am sure; but if you can pardon the pun and dig a little deeper, a few life lessons and the opportunity to have something of. First, that pesky vet bill. Seems Maverick got too close to a piece of loose metal in the barn and voila`! lots of stitches in his nose and a chance for my daughter to get her real career goal uncovered and a plan for the future made. For years I heard her say that there was no way she could ever think of becoming a veterinarian - no to the blood and injections and all that went with it - then she had to deal with her own horse's rather messy and gory injury and assist the vet with the repair and the follow up care - and presto - the truth came out that she really did want to care for the animals AND SHE COULD! praise to her 4H coach who did the final convincing - that if she could get into vet school - Rachel could do it too! So I figure my vet bills will shrink - in about 10 years! Maverick, if you are left with a scar it will be a proud one! Oh and those bushes - one day this week my husband was working out and decided that removing those old bushes counted for just as much of a workout as going to the gym - presto - I can now work on re doing the front of our home and I can see! without the older bushes. So, just when you think something is a big problem or a pain - just wait to see what becomes of it. I am constantly surprised when a problem one day is just the beginning for something better.

Reb - future DVM Mom!

all posted

2009-04-19T06:31:00.000-07:00

New week, new resolve.

January is too hard for real resolve, sure the calendar said new year - but I don't feel it until I have to confront the winter's crud collection in and around my home. YIKES! so I am resolving to tackle one area at a time - and let the family in on the 'fun' and lighten up around here (ok, there's a change I can believe in) Not just me personally ( I got a few trainer session for my birthday [yes I asked for them]) but the stuff around here too. Someday I will have to leave this house (hopefully for warmer climes) so, why keep what I don't like, don't use or WANT to use - Somethings I do like and use, just not everyday.

Susan Boyle is my inspiration!

See it and help vote here : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnmbJzH93NU

Real Chick Flicks - NO 3 hankie tales alowed

2009-04-16T05:25:00.000-07:00

Ok ladies!

Admit it if you are with me - sure, I might say how I love "Sleepless in Seattle" - but my #1 Chick type e chick flick is "Ever After" Drew Barrymore rescues as much as she is rescued thank you very much! But if you want to really turn my head, give me a good action adventure any day of the week - Some of my favorites, after of course the Star Wars Movies: The last Boy Scout, Lethal Weapon series, The Die Hard Series, True Lies, The Italian Job, The Bank Heist with Clive Owen.....the list goes on, heck I even loved Unforgiven by Clint Eastwood (Come to think of it, I like a lot of his movies) So HOLLYWOOD - give me strong men with equally feisty women and I know you can make the box office sing. This summer holds promise - Star Trek, X men Origins, ect Bring on the popcorn!

Reb

Lost in Winter- Finding Spring!

2009-04-15T21:10:00.000-07:00

So today the porch was opened and I think the rest of the family ate there. It's a rite of spring for our family. A welcome sign of a positive change - not just change for change. I don't like much of what is coming out of government lately, but life on a personal level should not be impacted - every day, however tax day is impossible to ignore. I find myself avoiding the daily "news" on the TV, the radio in the car is enough for me. I have to confess, along with all my fun in the Star Wars universe, I have also become enamored with the works of Stephanie Meyer (Twilight) So I've been reading a lot more than writing - but my resolution for my 47th birthday is to seek more balance in my life - so - More Writing!

Here's to spring

Reb!

Still waiting Still Hoping Still Here

2009-03-08T21:28:00.000-07:00

Where did the holidays go - where did I go - well offline for a while, all the work, finding a new job, watching the news, and then not watching.....just aren't enough hours in the day to get all done that I want. I am still waiting to see if I have a voice in the Senate - or an complete set of anti voices, I do still have hope, maybe we can just vote over and joy of joys, I get to keep the job that started out as a 90 day lets see how we fit situation! Voila it's going well. I wish I could say the same for my country. I feel the dark times encroaching and so, I refuse to dwell in the gloom. I choose how much and what news I seek out and I will keep a positive attitude, that my countrymen can and will wake up - including the President ( I know that's a fat chance, but he was all about hope and change - so I can hope he can change) I'm prepping for a road trip next week - and I hope to have more musings and more time in the near future!

Remember

Hope and Change

Bests

Baby, it's cold outside!

2009-01-15T10:31:00.000-08:00

COLD yikes cold enough that my hand hurt grabbing the aluminum scoop for the dog food this morning (we store it in a metal can in the garage) It's not just a coldness in the atmosphere - it is downright chilly in the mental outlook as well. I get the feeling that a lot of people are feeling the 'chill' in the economy, in their personal freedoms and the future. Here is hoping for an early spring!

Stunned

2008-11-18T11:56:00.000-08:00

So, I'm finally on the road to really having all the tools for my job search ready to go. It took a while to get over being stunned by my situation. I am sure it is a more common affliction this fall than in the past few years. The entire county is going throught some interesting times. Guess I can too.

Well now what?

2008-11-04T22:49:00.000-08:00

Early Wednesday morning and I'm still waiting to see who will be in the Senate from the state where I live, Minnesota - I guess I don't feel much like a Minnesotan tonight until I see who comes out on top. We just elected a pro business mayor, and an anti business president - I don't see this working very well. I'm really worried - Obama now needs to actually do something - and what he wants to do will change America - into another country. Biden was right; I remember back in the 1980's shortly after Regan was elected - the old AP teletype machine was equipped with a bell, to note when something came in on "the wire" and needed our attention - one bell meant a scheduled report was in, three bells was breaking news - that night someone at AP leaned on the bell and didn't let up for at least 30 seconds - The hostages were being freed ASAP - because Tehran did not want to "test" our new President elect. There are no more AP wire bells - and I don't think there will be time to ring them anyway. I fear the next big strike is around the corner - and I do not think the president elect has the capacity to deal with it. Biden was right, our main mass media is a JOKE. Bette Davis had the right line for our situation. "Buckle Up, it's going to be a bumpy night.

Back to the Future?

2008-11-01T23:28:00.000-07:00

This weekend I went back to my Alma Matter - aka the U of MN for the 100th anniversary of the Mortuary Science program that is part of the Medical school. It was good to take a step back and see where I started. Met some more of the wonderful graduates and this years crop of students. It's a good feeling to still feel that the "dismal profession" is my calling. Now I just need a place to practice. I just want to care for families the way I care for my own.

It's good to be back

2008-10-31T19:50:00.000-07:00

Wow,

Time really does fly - or at least pass when you do not have a computer at your disposal. First the hard drive went on the fritz, then the trackpad and keyboard, and finally the motherboard began to behave erratically - giving me maybe 5 minutes on line every few days.... and it was summer and we got busy and......came October and one grim Wednesday, bam! I was a part of the statistics - now a seeker of a job, no longer employed. That was also the day my sister-in-law called and asked if I would like to have her old mac, and voila! I am now back in the computing world...so much has happened - like getting a few ladies to vote FOR this November, like Sarah Palin, Barb Davis-White for congress, ect; the roller coaster known as our stock markets, and the "Being There" nature of our presidential race this election. All I know is this is not the kind of discussion of the issues I want in my candidates. Tonight is Halloween and I just want to see the kids on this American Tradition and eat a bit of candy....more later

Reb

Grandma - with a kick

2008-07-12T13:04:00.000-07:00

So,

Now I am a Grandma! = that being said I have not put my hair into a bun or gotten a floral print dress, I did buy a stroller to keep at my place(Ok, the kids are living here while they finish school) but I have not checked my sensibilities at the door - if anything they are stronger now than before - I have two generations to be wary for; the condition of the Nation is not something I can ignore. We have kept rewarding behavior that is detrimental to our country and harmful to our citizens - we might call ourselves a nanny state but we are not a good nanny. We were a nation of strong, free peoples, possessed of a sober mindset, anxious to engage our talents and work towards a better future for ourselves and our family. Our priorities were in order - and being selfish and absolute personal freedom and happiness were not our paramount goal. The "ME" generation shattered all that - tossing out lots of good habits with a few bad ones. I am very tired of the whining that goes on - in every facet of American life, a little griping about this and that, but everything is now a disaster, a federal case and no one stands up to do what is required of them by themselves, they wait the disaster declaration or the arrival of FEMA so they can complain more. BUCK UP CITIZENS - each of us each day either makes this place a good one to be - or complains!

I am going to choose to see the best in my surroundings - and do my best to "tidy up" where I can.

Reb

Bye Bye the slow boat.....

2008-06-05T05:26:00.000-07:00

Once upon a time you could send things to friends around the world - if you had patience - for only a little $$ - that's gone and I am trying to see if there are any alternatives for our exchange student - HAHAHAH - I want to get some of his things headed home, but there does not seem to be a good way to do this....and now with the legislation in congress set to double the cost of just about everything (ie if energy goes up that high - everything but my salary will follow) I see my world and my opportunities shrinking in possibilities. I'd like someone to vote for.......

Oh well, at least it should hit 75 today!

Reb

When you wish upon a star - or work really hard.....

2008-05-28T23:18:00.001-07:00

your dreams can come true. I just learned that a friend of mine has received a book contract, so now I don't want to disturb the "working author" I'm to the point in life where my daydreams are being changed and shaped. I wouldn't mind being an "AUTHOR" but I know that I need a big visit from a muse, and here is quite enough for me at the moment. Here on the home-front we just adjusted the living spaces to accommodate the newest arrival - my son's fiancee and soon my first grand-baby will arrive in July as long as all goes well. That is just one of the moderators of my dreams. I've tried not to be a parent living via my children, just seeing them have opportunities and chances. Sometimes seeing your child achieve a dream is as big as your own dream - as long as it is wholly their dream. One of my co-workers got married last week, another watches as her husband's band is doing well. If grief shared is grief lightened - is joy shared joy increased? I think so. As the news goes grey and gloomy - I prefer to seek the joy in others lives to have that increase. I wish everyone a bit of good news to hear today.

The Rainbow Bridge

2008-05-18T23:17:00.000-07:00

Tonight our family had to send one of our dear members over the "Rainbow Bridge"

Rambeau, our faithful Golden Retriever began to act strangely agitated this evening , panting and pacing while indoors, calm only outside. The vet confirmed our worst fears, that this was a non recoverable cerebral event, so before Rambeau could suffer more, we sent him over. It's a hard thing to do, but I know he was a great member of our family and always will be.

Rambeau

I will miss your muddy pawprints

Warm cuddles on cold nights

Sleeping with my babies when thunder filled the skies

greeting all who came to our door!

Rest Well

Momma

Best Part of my day

2008-05-04T07:12:00.000-07:00

Smiles
yep, not the thank yous, not the times at work when all goes well, not anything I can think of thrills me as much as the wide eyed smiles of the 'kids' (of all ages) when my friends in the SW groups show up and costume. I was an assistant for our folks at a promo shoot for the upcoming museum exhibition and some of the staff mentioned that this was the best friday they'd had in a while. Someone mentioned that this had been a tense week and now everyone was in a good mood (Hey - WHO knew that DV could bring smiles) Even the weather was great yesterday at least no rain or snow and the sun was out. Back to work in a few hours, hope your day too is a great one, and you can make one folk smile!
Reb

Travel Tips

2008-04-06T06:31:00.000-07:00

I'm going to call this one - When ya gotta go - but not so much dough!

I found a great deal on Travelocity? - hey, who knew - The Hyatt Summerfield suites in Schaumburg IL had some iffy reviews - but they were months old and indicated the hotel was under renovations - well the work is done, the lobby is elegant, modern but not stiff - very comfy, great rooms, great breakfast and great customer service - a few minor glitches but in the end it saved me a little money - the in room remote wasn't 100% working so I couldn't buy a movie - Dang! I'll stay here again with the kids or better yet, the hubby

More on adventures in Chicagoland later!

have a good Sunday

Reb

The nail that sticks up

2008-03-31T20:41:00.000-07:00

The nail that sticks up...... how we end that sentence is one of the things that sets Americans apart from other places. In Japan, the answer to that statement is - "Must be hammered down." Fitting in and confirming is high on their list of cultural expectations. Here, we might say - makes a great place to hang a tool, or a picture or even your hat. It might make us ask - Why is that nail sticking up? do we need a repair? or is there a design flaw? - or whatever. Most of our ancestors were WAY out of the box thinkers, heck they hopped out of the box, over a big pond and many couldn't look back. That took a lot of determination. That took lots of courage, self reliance and acceptance that their actions would not fit into the usual definitions. What, you might ask; brought up this train of thought? - The events of last week at Forest Lake high school - or rather the lack of an event. When I read on the district website that the event was canceled over, and I will quote from the website "Despite what is being circulated via the Internet, local and national media, and even gossip around town, the real reason for the cancellation of this event came down to student safety and maintaining our educational mission." From the Forest Lake Schools website: http://www.forestlake.k12.mn.us/
Ok, student safety - In a country where demonstrators have near free reign to demonstrate as a right in our constitution, what does it say about us when the school is afraid for what might happen. On the point of our educational mission - when do you teach how this country works?, when and how to demonstrate? How to handle being a holder of a controversial, maybe even out of the box idea? No, those lessons were overlooked again, along with respect for those who answer the call and serve. Honor, duty, country - things bigger than the needs of one, who can serve to lift all, those are important lessons that seem to have lost their place in classrooms where zero tolerance means no right or wrong, just punish everyone in the hope that this will fix the situation. As a parent I realize that the lessons I taught and continue to teach will have to be reinforced at home. School isn't what it used to be, and that nail won't be used or investigated - now it will just be hammered down or covered up.
Just my .02

What a week

2008-03-14T21:42:00.000-07:00

TIGF - only my F is really a saturday and I am glad to see this week end. The former Gov. of NY did the right thing and stepped down. 'Nuff said.

What was he thinking?

2008-03-10T21:54:00.000-07:00

It's a busy week and a busy day - but I still caught a few moments of one man's comments on the situation with the Gov. of NY - he (the man giving the comment) claimed he was a democrat and was "fine" with what the Gov. did.....oh but if his wife did it he would divorce her in a minute - HOLD on here - can it be true that it's ok to just break vows and laws? and think that it is just a private matter? This is a man who set out to be a LEADER of his state, and his own wife and kids can't trust his word? Doesn't anyone still think that their word is important - that when you make a promise - or put one hand on a Bible - or take an oath - your word is your bond, your honor. Where did that go, how did we get here? I'm praying for his wife and children, and for grace for the Gov. I've taken oaths, sworn testimony and I felt the power and the duty that I was bound to - a thing greater than myself. My faith and my family are both high callings in my eyes - and my public duties and oaths as well

Please send some global warming

2008-03-08T08:43:00.000-08:00

Nothing like a single digit morning in March - I've read the reports, seen the models and I think that there is a higher power than man holding the themostat for the planet.

My two credits......

2008-03-07T19:53:00.000-08:00

From my photo you can see that I have a hobby. That's not why I am writing - I just want to have a place to speak my peace and maybe you'll agree - or not and that's fine. That is the point of America and freedom - with no offense taken - at least that is the America I grew up in. I finally started this blog after encountering the comments of Mrs. Obama on the subject of corporations. I can honestly say there are times I really like corporate America - when I have a migrane and - that big ol' drug corp. - came to my rescue like a Knight in white armor! Or where I work where the size of our operation allows me to offer some very nice services that would be pretty impossible without the back up that size offers. True, there are abuses - but there is no nirvana or perfect person on the entire globe - So, Mrs. Obama, we simply disagree. I respect your right to your opinion, I do hope you can offer the same.