Frankie and Slim

Frankie and Slim
Happy New Year

Monday, June 30, 2008

TIME FOR HEADLINES

As Jay Leno says, "It's Monday, time for headlines."

GRANNY ANNIE NEWS HEADLINES

"Today is Monday, June 30, 2008." (Elenore, repeat three times out loud.)

"Party goers, not hosts." (Independence Day approaches.)

"Granny has doorknobs!" (A fact, not a condition.)

"Riding lawn mower is fixed -- finally!" (Tandy, did you ever think it would be so?)

"Weed eater eats weeds" (Young man reports new back ailment.)

"Granny Annie mows down flowers." (It was an honest mistake.)

"Ron solves disappearing egg dilemma." (My hero!)

"Ron watched a two hour movie!" (I kid you not. Tandy witnessed it too.)

"Nothing wrong with ham -- They all simply ate TOO MUCH." (Waddle, waddle, waddle.)

"Granny Annie Has Lost Two Pounds!" (Yep, exercise pays despite ham breakdown.)

"Lessons In Love And Power." (Devotional theme of the week.)


Sunday, June 29, 2008

JOIN THE REVOLUTION


Extra, Extra, read all about The Quarterstaff Revolution. My spouse and my son are helping me get ready. The sticks are cut and the bark stripped awaiting special designs. This is so fun. Thanks Ronni Bennett at TIME GOES BY for this great information.
(Okay, I thought the stripes went up and down when I bought that shirt.)

PROUD TO BE A FAILURE


26

As a 1930s wife, I am
Poor

Take the test!

I failed THIS TEST and I couldn't be happier.

Saturday, June 28, 2008

HOPE-ISMS

We were having hamburgers.

Hope's mom asked her, "What do you want on your hamburger?"

Hope replied, "Just ham and cheese."

* * * * *

Hope was wearing a t-shirt with a picture of Snoopy on his dog house.

Her daddy said, "Look at old Snoopy sleeping on his dog house."

Hope said, "Snoopy isn't sleeping."

A surprised dad said, "What? He looks like he's sleeping to me. What's he doing then?"

Hope, "He's just laying bored".

Friday, June 27, 2008

WHERE'S HOPE?


Can you find Hope in the tree? Today is her birthday. She is 6!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY HOPE -- WE LOVE YOU
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CONFUSION

I have blogs on blog feeder, blog list, google reader, blog roll. I am very confused and need to eliminate some format. My favorite is the recent blog roll. It is set to show the ten most recent posts. But, if more than ten of my fav's post I might miss something, so I have to go to google reader and check, then I have to go to the list of feeds to see if I have missed anything there. I think I am going to have to get out the antique pencil and paper and make a single combined list to see what I've lost in the shuffle.

Anyone know what I'm talking about or am I in this confusion alone?

Thursday, June 26, 2008

OH THOSE CHICKENS

Savage Chickens is a favorite cartoon. Today's is especially good and I am posting the link for my sister and for Mary Lou because of their shingles. I am pretty sure they will both relate.

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

CONFESSION

The truth is, I liked the new RAMBO. Perhaps my exercise is going so well I think a woman my age or a man as old as Sly Stone could actually pull off the macho-macho stuff once again. His face was a bit puffy and his lower lip stuck out a bit too much but he still whipped many many bohunkuses. I believe he was better as an old John Rambo than he was as an old Rocky Balboa. I haven't seen old Harrison Ford yet in the new INDIANNA JONES but I have heard he doesn't pull that off too well.

NOT BECAUSE I WAS A BANKER

Do you reconcile your bank account each month? I do and I am a fanatic about it but not because I was a banker.

I did not have a checking account until I went away to college. My father began to receive the standard calls from his banker that my account was overdrawn....again. Finally on a trip home for the weekend, my dad sat me down and said, "I'm going to teach you one more time how to balance your checking account and if you don't learn this time, your account will be closed." The lesson was learned.

The personnel manager at my first interview for a job in banking asked me if I had any bank experience. I said that I could balance my checking account. The manager laughed, said that was better than most people, and I got the job.

It takes all of five minutes each month to keep your checking account balanced. If you fail to do that you can end up paying your bank huge fees. That makes your banker very, very happy.

Monday, June 23, 2008

ROOSTER HILL


THEN


NOW
This huge pile of dirt served, at first, as a political hill for the roosters. At the end of each day the winner of the climb would pose at the top of the hill and crow his lungs out. He fought his way to the top. Now weeds have grown all over the dirt pile and the new chickens use it for their hiding place. During the day I will look for my 30 Cloelles and won't see a sign of them. At dusk they will begin to pour out of their mountain and head back to the pen.
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Saturday, June 21, 2008

THE WONDER YEARS

My Wonder Years were from 1956 to 1960. I spent those years on the staircase peering into our parlor as my brother and sister had a house full of friends and everyone danced many nights away.

“Someday” I whispered to myself and wondered what my future held.

I wondered why my parents could be so mean sometimes.

I wondered if I would ever have as many friends as my siblings.

I wondered if I would ever be able to dance in front of people.

I wondered if Prince Charming would ever show up and sweep me off my feet.

I love Rock N’Roll oldies because they hold memories of adolescent dreams.

I was ten in 1956 and Ron was 17. We never met until our paths star crossed in 1999.

I did not know that I would be 52 and Prince Charming would be 59 when he finally showed up.

I was on my first visit to Ron’s property in Kansas and we were in his workshop when he turned on his radio and Waltz Across Texas was playing. He pulled me into his arms and began to dance me across the dirty wooden floor. Thus began my introduction to old Nashville country music of the Texas Playboys, Ernie Tubbs, Marty Robbins, Roy Acuff, George and Tammy, etc.

At last, my wonder years had arrived………to an entirely different tune.

THANK GOODNESS




Thank goodness for help from my friend at Urban Chickens. I have been trying to convice my family that you are not supposed to wash chicken eggs. The research has been done for me at his Californian's blog to prove my point and I am grateful.

The pictures here are of crocheted nylon net scrubbies that I make. They are for a multitude of uses and one of those uses is to gently wipe off chicken eggs. You then wash the scrubbies in the dishwasher or washing machine and they are ready to go again on cleaning eggs, or scrubbing your non-stick cookware, pots and pans, dishes, bathrooms, car windshields, boats, ceramics, dust lint off clothing, etc.

Thursday, June 19, 2008

SPEAKING OF MOVIES

Yes, I am a crier at the movies. That established, let us proceed with this true tale.

The children and I were a movie trio for many years. We attended appropriate and some inappropriate movies and vowed to always find something redeeming in each movie. The cost of going was a huge strain on our budget and we could never justify walking out. Well, that part has nothing to do with this story.

The children went off to college and poor old mama missed her movies. My son and daughter both raved and raved about a new movie called MR. HOLLAND'S OPUS with Richard Dreyfus. It was difficult being out of the movie loop so mustering up my courage, I attended this movie alone.

Slipping into the very back row of the theatre, I hid in the dark so nobody would know my life was so pitiful that I had to go to the show by myself. I had not prepared for the fact that, as stated earlier, I am a crier at the movies.

The tears started for many reasons. I missed my kids who were away. Memories of their band years overwhelmed me. I was an active band mom chaperoning and volunteering and staying actively involved with the kids. (MR HOLLAND OPUS is about a band teacher for those who don't know.)

Gushers of salt water squirted and poured down my face and I could not find a Kleenex. Not having purchased refreshments, there were no napkins. Snot was joining the avalanche over my lips and toward my chin. It was a mess -- until I did the only thing I could. I reached down and slipped off one of my socks. After soaking one sock, I got the other and managed to tidy up before the lights came on.

My biggest mistake was sharing this story. It is now a rating system for family movies. Was it a one sock or a two sock movie?

I hope you will read my story at the Elder Storytelling Place today.

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

BABY CARDINALS


We visited my sister today and were treated to this sight. They have this nest of baby cardinals in a hanging plant on their deck. There are three. The mama and daddy were both away so I could catch this picture.
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HUMAN STATUE OF LIBERTY


View the amazing story HERE.
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REPORTING IN

Yes, I am still exercising. Adding the exercise to my daily routine has cut into my blog time.

Boomer the kitten is still alive! The care of this precious kitten has also cut into my blog time. I'm so attached now if the sweet thing doesn't make it, I shall be traumatized for life.

My sister claims to be doing well in her recovery from Shingles. She just sounds so sad and I am searching for jokes to cheer her up. Singing "Shingle bells, Shingle Bells, Shingle all the way" to her didn't do the trick.

I need some Netflix recommendations. I've run out of selections for my afternoon viewing that really appeal to me. Yesterday I started another TV series, RESCUE ME. The first four episodes were interesting. I think I'll stay with it for a while but would love some good movie ideas.

Tomorrow another story of mine will appear on The Elder Storytelling Place. It is an amazing true story about my dad.

Housework is calling me and the cats, dog and chickens need my attention, so I'm off!
(Don't worry, I pay attention to Ron too:-)

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

THE WAITING GAME

We have three broody hens. Two are sitting on chicken eggs and one is on fourteen guinea fowl eggs. Yes, we have done all this before and our results were not the best, but it is said people can learn from their mistakes. We are expecting many chicks between June 30th and July 14th.

Monday, June 16, 2008

CRYING AND WATCHING OLD YELLER

Yesterday morning Slim and I watched OLD YELLER together. In the original story Old Yeller was a Black Mouth Cur. I explained to Slim that she was of the same stock and that's the reason she is so smart. She can do all the things Yeller could do if given the opportunity. So far herding chickens and protecting us from raccoons has been her common thread to Old Yeller. However I assured Slim that I knew she could protect us from angry bears, stampeding pigs, mean cows and even rabid wolves if the need arose.

Slim and I both cried at the end of the movie.

BARN CATS




We belong to a number of barn cats. Last week we were introduced to four new kittens. The grandchildren were here when we heard a loud howling and investigated to find Boomer, a single kitten with a huge voice. The hunt began and we turned up three more. Boomer's siblings are Furbie, Cutie and Willow. Boomer is definitely the runt and besides the fact that she is not growing well, she has some kind of eye infection. In the world of barn cats only the fittest survive. In the pictures Boomer is the one curled us with mama Dorothy. See Willow stretched out at the end and you can tell the great difference in size. Also, Cutie is pictured alone in the middle photo. I am doing what I can for Boomer and I am much more hopeful today that this little kitten will survive. (Furbie is not shown because that one won't hold still when I show up.)
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TODAY IS THE DAY


Joey graduates from high school tonight. We are so proud of this oldest grandchild. Round and round and round he goes, and where he will stop, nobody knows -- but these grandparents are guessing he will do great at ALL his future endeavors.
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Wednesday, June 11, 2008

POSITIVE STORIES PLEASE

My precious sister has shingles! While it is caused by a dormant chickenpox virus, it still is likely to run in families. I remember our mother having shingles and also grandparents. It seems the experiences for persons with shingles range from horrible to practically nothing. If you know a positive story about someone breezing through shingles, please share it. There has got to be an upside and/or easy side to this illness.

What have you ever done to help someone with shingles? I want to do what I can for my sister, but she seems to be faring quite well so far.

The very worst part for my sister is not being able to be around her pregnant daughter and daughter-in-law and her three grandchildren that have not had chickenpox. I do not like for my sister to be ill and yet my magic wand seems to have run out of steam.

My fitness update. I am riding 25 minutes a day on exercise bike. I am already feeling the results.

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

POLITICAL VIEWS

This markering is titled Michelle Painstaker by Eaghl, 2005
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I OFFER APPLAUSE

I heard John McCain's campaign ad last night where he says:
"Only a fool or a fraud talks romantically about war."
This is a great quote!

Searching the Internet for comments, I found persons attempting to destroy those words but they were not doing a very good job.

Today McCain is my candidate and I applaud these words. While he is not perfect, he certainly is better than the alternatives. We must hope he comes up with a good VP because some of the suggested ones could turn me away in a heartbeat.

I believe that Obama's win as the Democratic candidate and Hillary's making the finals clears up the issues of race and gender and now we need to get on with the business of looking at qualifications for the Presidency. I am okay with an experienced Caucasian male who wants to defend me and my family.

My problem first and foremost is getting in a line to trust ANY politician.

NOW WE ALL KNOW

You may have missed these posts, so I'm connecting you just in case. It has been amazing the number of people, including myself, who were not aware of this tidbit of information. (So far my daughter is the only person I told who already knew.)

I learned it first from Lucy

And then found the word being spread over at Cookie's Oven.

SCHOOL ANSWERING MACHINE MESSAGE

The outgoing message:

Hello! You have reached the automated answering service of your school. In order to assist you in connecting to the right staff member, please listen to all the options before making a selection:

To lie about why your child is absent - Press 1

To make excuses for why your child did not do his work -Press 2

To complain about what we do - Press 3

To swear at staff members - Press 4

To ask why you didn't get information that was already enclosed in your newsletter and several flyers mailed to you - Press 5

If you want us to raise your child - Press 6

If you want to reach out and touch, slap or hit someone - Press 7

To request another teacher, for the third time this year - Press 8

To complain about bus transportation - Press 9

To complain about school lunches - Press 0

If you realize this is the real world and your child must be accountable and responsible for his/her own behavior, class work, homework and that it's not the teachers' fault for your child's lack of effort: Hang up and have a nice day!

If you want this in Spanish, move to a country that speaks it!

THE LAWS OF ULTIMATE REALITY....

Law of Mechanical Repair
After your hands become coated with grease, your nose will begin to itch and you'll have to pee.

Law of Gravity
Any tool, when dropped, will roll to the least accessible corner.

Law of Probability
The probability of being watched is directly proportional to the stupidity of your act.

Law of Random Numbers
If you dial a wrong number, you never get a busy signal and someone always answers.

Law of the Alibi
If you tell the boss you were late for work because you had a flat tire, the very next morning you will have a flat tire.

Variation Law
If you change lines (or traffic lanes), the one you were in will always move faster than the one you are in now (works every time).

Law of the Bath
When the body is fully immersed in water, the telephone rings.

Law of Close Encounters
The probability of meeting someone you know increases dramatically when you are with someone you don't want to be seen with.

Law of the Result
When you try to prove to someone that a machine won't work, it will.

Law of Bio-mechanics
The severity of the itch is inversely proportional to the reach.

Law of the Theater
At any event, the people whose seats are furthest from the aisle arrive last.

The Starbucks Law
As soon as you sit down to a cup of hot coffee, your boss will ask you to do something which will last until the coffee is cold.

Murphy's Law of Lockers
If there are only two people in a locker room, they will have adjacent lockers.

Law of Physical Surfaces
The chances of an open-faced jelly sandwich landing face down on a floor covering are directly correlated to the newness and cost of the carpet/rug.

Law of Logical Argument
Anything is possible if you don't know what you are talking about.

Brown's Law of Physical Appearance
If the shoe fits, it's ugly.

Oliver's Law of Public Speaking
A closed mouth gathers no feet.

Wilson's Law of Commercial Marketing Strategy
As soon as you find a product that you really like, they will stop making it.

Doctor' Law
If you don't feel well, make an appointment to go to the doctor, by the time you get there you'll feel better. Don't make an appointment and you'll stay sick.

Saturday, June 07, 2008

A LITTLE CHILD WILL LEAD THEM

I ask my granddaughter Hope, on her last visit, to pick up something off the floor for me because, " I can't bend".

"Why can't you, Granny Annie?" Hope inquired.

"Because I am old and my bones ache."

"No," responded Hope, "It's because you don't run and jump and play."

Awe, the voice of knowledge from a five year old.

The exercise this week has made me a new woman. Why we forget the benefits of moving about is beyond me. I certainly hope that I keep this up and do not fall back into my old habits.

Friday, June 06, 2008

AND ARE WE YET ALIVE?

Last night we were expecting the storm of the century. My sister wanted us to come to their home (1 hour away) and spend the night in their basement. We appreciated the invitation and Ron would have accepted if I wanted to go. I could not abandon my dog, my cats, my chickens. (Sis did invite Slim to join us and that was awfully nice.)

This morning it appears we had some rain last night. How foolish would we feel if we were waking up in my sister's basement?

My dad used to love to go to the opening service at the Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church each year and sing some song by Charles Wesley, "And Are We Yet Alive?" Needless to say, those words are running through my head this morning as a response, "We are yet alive".

My only regret is that I'm not at my sister's being pampered with a lovely breakfast in her beautiful kitchen looking out into their woods. Now that would have been a win/win situation -- safety and pampering. I need more forward thinking in my stubbornness.

Thursday, June 05, 2008

MAMA SAID THERE'D BE DAYS LIKE THIS

Days with our children that turned into nightmares but miraculously had happy endings -- we've all had them. Our friend Jamie Dawn had one last week and lived (rather Taylor lived) to tell about it.

Wednesday, June 04, 2008

PERFECTION IN PEELING FARM FRESH EGGS


If you have ever attempted to boil and peel farm fresh eggs, you know it is no easy task. I have worked for several years attempting to try various suggestions. Even after I perfected the job, I attempted to improve what I had discovered. There is no improving perfection. Here is how to boil and peel fresh eggs. Do not waver from the directions under any circumstances.


1. Place eggs and water and 2 (two) Tablespoons of salt in pan covered with lid.


2. Bring water to boiling and reduce heat to simmer. Keep covered and simmer for 15 minutes.


3. Drain hot water in sink and run cool water over eggs. Drain cool water and place ice over eggs. Fill pan with cool water and leave eggs in water and ice for exactly ten minutes.


4. Lightly tap the egg on counter to crack shell all around and roll between your hands. Start the peel on the narrow end of the egg, being careful to catch that thin film. Once the peel begins you can slip the entire shell off the egg as if your are removing a little jacket.


5. Shout Huzzah!

AGREE OR DISAGREE THIS LAND IS OURS

It was a historical night filled with emotion and elation.

I felt the significance as Barack Obama took center stage to celebrate the forthcoming nomination as the Democrat's Presidential candidate. Excitement would have been felt if Hillary had been the one up there.

Why, you ask, would I generate such feelings in this display when I do not favor either candidate for President of the United States?

Because this great country of ours allows me freedom of equality in disagreement.


Tuesday, June 03, 2008

FITNESS GURUS

Next year when we go to Red Lobster for my birthday dinner we will sit in the same place we sat yesterday so I can measure my size loss. I hope to slide into the booth with room to spare. This time my fat midriff touched the table and I felt like in was squeezed into a highchair. (Well, I am the baby of the family.)

Sprinkle, Sprinkleshouse and OGO's Who Cares will be my FFE's (Fine Fitness Examples). They have inspired me with their determination. Sprinkle not smoking for TWO months. Keep up the good work and Huzzah to you! And, OGO losing 40 pounds. Again I say Huzzah!

Last night I rode my exercise bike two miles in five minutes. I repeated that this morning and will pedal two miles tonight. Gradually it is my plan to increase to a 30 minute, 12 mile ride daily.

It is time for me to start acting like a heart attack survivor again and not be so casual about my health.

Onward and upward with fingers crossed.

MARY AND JANET

Birthdays and Christmas are times you find out what is up with old friends. You know you are there for each other all the time, but you don't stop to touch base until a special occasion arises.

Many of my best friends are deceased. They died at very young ages and sometimes I feel like they died because they were friends with me -- like I was a jinx of some sort. Of course I know better than that but sometimes don't we all believe the universe reacts to our tiny speck of it?

I still have Mary and Janet as my friends the longest time. Mary was my best friend from college and lives in Texas. Janet was my best friend from elementary and junior high school and lives in Colorado.

Janet called first and since we don't talk often, I actually asked, "Whose calling?" Thankfully she laughed. We had a nice visit and I also received a beautiful card from her in the mail.

Mary called last night (as she does every year on my birthday) and Ron answered the phone. First that shocked her because he never answers the phone. When he does, he gets off the line as fast as he can, so he mumbled something to Mary and came outside to get me. Mary wanted to know if he was alright because he sounded out of breath. I told her he doesn't like to talk on the phone and she laughed and then she asked, "Are you outside playing basketball?" WHAT?

Ron had told her I was playing ball with the dog but she did not understand him and thought he said I was playing basketball. I asked her to hold that mental picture for the rest of our lives. "A vision of me," I said, " at age 62, outside playing basketball."

Monday, June 02, 2008

V J DAY to BABY BOOMER


V J Day, or the celebration day of Victory over Japan was held September 2, 1945. (Above photo reflects the goings-on of that day.) Thus, according to the reliable source of an old Doonsbury Cartoon, the period of gestation from September 2, 1945 takes us to June 2, 1946. It makes sense that today would actually be the first official day Baby Boomers were born. I say that as a First Official Baby Boomer reaching the age of 62:-)