I had my TV on all day yesterday, tuned into the Discovery Channel. Planet Earth was on from morning to night and it was a nice way to honor the diverse jewel we live on and share.
Monday, April 23, 2007
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Dixie Peach over in Germany had a thought provoking interview and offered to ask 5 interview questions to those bloggers that were interested in this meme. These are her questions and my answers.
1. I know you love horses. Is there one horse you owned or have ridden that stands out above the rest in your memory?
I've only owned a handful of horses but the one that still gives me a lump in my throat is my old Handsome Buck. He was Not the best looking horse in the stable. Matter of fact, when I met him as my daughter-in-law was looking for a horse for me to buy, she pointed out this pathetic bag of bones with not nearly enough tail and a couple of stray hairs in his mane and a tiny fuzzy forelock. He had been out in the middle of cow country and didn't have enough forage. There was no way I would consider buying him, but, oh ok, let's feed him some suppliments. As he was eating his bucket the second day he looked me square in the eye as if saying, "You're my lady now." I was sunk but still didn't consider buying him until several months later when he had started putting on weight due to my daily bucket. Once I saddled and bridled him all he wanted to do was please me. If I asked for a trot he just went right to it. If I asked for a canter, he went rocking-horse forward on the correct lead and would try to make a flying change if I could try to ask for it properly. We cut cattle one day and worked on our dressage another day. He was the ultimate pleasure horse and someone I had looked for and needed in my life without knowing it. He passed away a few years ago. A rare diamond in the rough.
2. How do you like to entertain - throw large parties or have intimate dinner parties with just a few people or something in between?
My very favorite thing is to have friends come for lunch. Bologna and/or grilled cheese sandwiches and peanut butter crackers, potato chips, root beer, Oreos. Evenings are best with a few friends, not the crowd. But if I have overnight guests then it’s a total par-tay like a rock star. Large parties are like endurance races.
3. "I really tried to fight it, but what the hell I like it..." is a favorite line of mine from a song. Do you have a bad habit that you probably should fight but you don't because you like it?
My bad habit is thinking about dieting, eating more sensibly, and not getting it done. I love ice cream too much. Oh! and cheese too.
4. You're out to dinner and seated at the table next to your is your favorite actor/actress/singer/sports figure/whatever. Would you approach that person and if you would, how would you do it?
I have seen, been close to, seated nearby some pretty famous people but I would never speak to them. The one exception was when I stood close to Doris Day and she spoke to me first. I babbled something incoherant and grinned at the floor.
5. What's your favorite cocktail?
Probably a Cosmopolitan but only maybe one per year and it has to have really smooth vodka. Or a nicely chilled California Chardonnay.
Plucked right from Dixie’s blog:
Now it's your turn to play if you wish:
Leave me a comment saying, “Interview me.” I will respond by asking you five questions in the comments here on this post so check back here. I get to pick the questions. You will update your blog with the answers to the questions. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.
(Thanks alot Dixie. This is a nice get-together)
1. I know you love horses. Is there one horse you owned or have ridden that stands out above the rest in your memory?
I've only owned a handful of horses but the one that still gives me a lump in my throat is my old Handsome Buck. He was Not the best looking horse in the stable. Matter of fact, when I met him as my daughter-in-law was looking for a horse for me to buy, she pointed out this pathetic bag of bones with not nearly enough tail and a couple of stray hairs in his mane and a tiny fuzzy forelock. He had been out in the middle of cow country and didn't have enough forage. There was no way I would consider buying him, but, oh ok, let's feed him some suppliments. As he was eating his bucket the second day he looked me square in the eye as if saying, "You're my lady now." I was sunk but still didn't consider buying him until several months later when he had started putting on weight due to my daily bucket. Once I saddled and bridled him all he wanted to do was please me. If I asked for a trot he just went right to it. If I asked for a canter, he went rocking-horse forward on the correct lead and would try to make a flying change if I could try to ask for it properly. We cut cattle one day and worked on our dressage another day. He was the ultimate pleasure horse and someone I had looked for and needed in my life without knowing it. He passed away a few years ago. A rare diamond in the rough.
2. How do you like to entertain - throw large parties or have intimate dinner parties with just a few people or something in between?
My very favorite thing is to have friends come for lunch. Bologna and/or grilled cheese sandwiches and peanut butter crackers, potato chips, root beer, Oreos. Evenings are best with a few friends, not the crowd. But if I have overnight guests then it’s a total par-tay like a rock star. Large parties are like endurance races.
3. "I really tried to fight it, but what the hell I like it..." is a favorite line of mine from a song. Do you have a bad habit that you probably should fight but you don't because you like it?
My bad habit is thinking about dieting, eating more sensibly, and not getting it done. I love ice cream too much. Oh! and cheese too.
4. You're out to dinner and seated at the table next to your is your favorite actor/actress/singer/sports figure/whatever. Would you approach that person and if you would, how would you do it?
I have seen, been close to, seated nearby some pretty famous people but I would never speak to them. The one exception was when I stood close to Doris Day and she spoke to me first. I babbled something incoherant and grinned at the floor.
5. What's your favorite cocktail?
Probably a Cosmopolitan but only maybe one per year and it has to have really smooth vodka. Or a nicely chilled California Chardonnay.
Plucked right from Dixie’s blog:
Now it's your turn to play if you wish:
Leave me a comment saying, “Interview me.” I will respond by asking you five questions in the comments here on this post so check back here. I get to pick the questions. You will update your blog with the answers to the questions. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.
(Thanks alot Dixie. This is a nice get-together)
Monday, April 16, 2007
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Changes
Ok, I'm not going to talk about this Imus business. Everyone else seems to be and they are much more eloquent writers than me. Somebody somewhere is saying what I feel. I can give you a hint though by telling you that way back in 1993 I got so angry about censorship that it was unhealthy. I'm talking about a narrow-minded, local TV station that refused to show NYPD Blue due to the nudity. Outraged is not even close to how angry I was at the "deciders" who thought it was much too nasty for my gentle eyes.
No, I'd rather talk about my sister, Susan, and her ability to change. She is the sister that can eat the same thing everyday for 9 months. She is the sister that almost passed out in the L'Occitane store when she learned that the lovely, light green Linden soap was not going to be produced anymore. She is the sister that influenced me more than our mother since she is the one born just ahead of me. I probably have many of her same rigid traits.
Her laptop, which I influenced her to buy, left her high and dry last week when the hard drive decided to blow up. She came back to me anyway for advice on what she should look at now. I have been listening to geeks and genius' about what units are providing good service at reasonable prices. So I gave her a few choices with the small Mac Book at the top of the list. When her old laptop mechanic called to say the hard drive was kaput she drove straight to the Mac store and simply bought the very one I suggested. The poor Genius helping her tried to explain why it was a good machine and have you ever used a Mac before? She responded that she had used a Mac before he was born, which turned out to be true. She had taught at Reed College in Portland in the early '80s and they had Macs...way back then. But that was the last time so this was a very big step.
Ok, I'm not going to talk about this Imus business. Everyone else seems to be and they are much more eloquent writers than me. Somebody somewhere is saying what I feel. I can give you a hint though by telling you that way back in 1993 I got so angry about censorship that it was unhealthy. I'm talking about a narrow-minded, local TV station that refused to show NYPD Blue due to the nudity. Outraged is not even close to how angry I was at the "deciders" who thought it was much too nasty for my gentle eyes.
No, I'd rather talk about my sister, Susan, and her ability to change. She is the sister that can eat the same thing everyday for 9 months. She is the sister that almost passed out in the L'Occitane store when she learned that the lovely, light green Linden soap was not going to be produced anymore. She is the sister that influenced me more than our mother since she is the one born just ahead of me. I probably have many of her same rigid traits.
Her laptop, which I influenced her to buy, left her high and dry last week when the hard drive decided to blow up. She came back to me anyway for advice on what she should look at now. I have been listening to geeks and genius' about what units are providing good service at reasonable prices. So I gave her a few choices with the small Mac Book at the top of the list. When her old laptop mechanic called to say the hard drive was kaput she drove straight to the Mac store and simply bought the very one I suggested. The poor Genius helping her tried to explain why it was a good machine and have you ever used a Mac before? She responded that she had used a Mac before he was born, which turned out to be true. She had taught at Reed College in Portland in the early '80s and they had Macs...way back then. But that was the last time so this was a very big step.
So, Susan has made the jump. It's all good. And I'm sitting in the corner, jealous as hell, sucking my thumb, wanting a new black Mac like hers.
Sunday, April 08, 2007
Easter Storm
Most days I wake up to a beautiful glow in the eastern sky that encourages me to get out of bed and go watch. Today started out with breezy wind, gray skies, and waves that look like we are on Monterey Bay. I don't think this is a named storm but it sure does remind me of last summer with all the hurricanes. Anyway, Happy Easter.
The thousands and thousands of Mexican campers came and played anyway, storm or no storm. They partied almost through the night until the cops came and shut them down. The music didn't wake me up but the sirens and the bip bipping of their sirens certainly did. 3am is a bad time to wake up thinking I'm in New York City.
Since the weather is so crumby I suppose the boaters and jet skiers will be heading back to their cities, leaving us to sweep the streets and get back to our seriously quiet little village. Tents will be folded and taco carts will be loaded on pick ups. I wonder if all that beer got drunk.
Since we 'Mericans are in general a religious bunch we understand and expect lots of church goers to make it to their chosen House of God on these holidays. Generally, Mexicans also consider this a family day with their barbecues and beer replacing our ham and Easter Eggs. And as far as I can tell the whole Easter Bunny and candy deal we have is only being adopted by a few Mexicans.
So, on this gray Easter morning I'm wishing you much beer, candy, eggs, baked ham, and barbecued steak.
Most days I wake up to a beautiful glow in the eastern sky that encourages me to get out of bed and go watch. Today started out with breezy wind, gray skies, and waves that look like we are on Monterey Bay. I don't think this is a named storm but it sure does remind me of last summer with all the hurricanes. Anyway, Happy Easter.
The thousands and thousands of Mexican campers came and played anyway, storm or no storm. They partied almost through the night until the cops came and shut them down. The music didn't wake me up but the sirens and the bip bipping of their sirens certainly did. 3am is a bad time to wake up thinking I'm in New York City.
Since the weather is so crumby I suppose the boaters and jet skiers will be heading back to their cities, leaving us to sweep the streets and get back to our seriously quiet little village. Tents will be folded and taco carts will be loaded on pick ups. I wonder if all that beer got drunk.
Since we 'Mericans are in general a religious bunch we understand and expect lots of church goers to make it to their chosen House of God on these holidays. Generally, Mexicans also consider this a family day with their barbecues and beer replacing our ham and Easter Eggs. And as far as I can tell the whole Easter Bunny and candy deal we have is only being adopted by a few Mexicans.
So, on this gray Easter morning I'm wishing you much beer, candy, eggs, baked ham, and barbecued steak.
Sunday, April 01, 2007
Visitors Are Bye Bye
There went March. All gone and all used up and all appreciated. All of my visits and all of our visitors were so much fun.
I learned that our island in the bay has tons of sea shells, but a few less now that Barbie has had her dirty way with it. She tried to sink our kayak with her bounty.
I learned that I don't like to jet ski in windy, wavy water. I think a lake would be a gentler ride for me. I tried to take Barbie over to where the dolphins hang out which might be about a 5 mile ride one way, but I chickened out and turned around before we got there. We were soaked by the time we got back home since the jet ski bounced over the waves and the water sprayed us the whole way back. Good machine, bad driver.
The cooking frenzy was more fun than I ever remember with such a good sized group. One night we made chicken enchiladas which were wonderful. We started that whole day by roasting a chicken. Perfectly delicious. Another night was different kinds of shrimp on the barbeque.
This is the week that brings all of the Mexican college students into town for their Spring Break. I believe there were over a hundred thousand kids last year that camped on the beaches and partied all night. We old folks just tuck ourselves in and let them have their fun. But, I bet my husband will insist on us checking out the action on Friday night like we did last year. I felt so completely out of place that I begged him to just turn the quad around and get me home.
I'm turning 59 in the middle of this month. Ho Hum. I suppose that's why I don't feel excited about driving a quad through a mass of drunk college kids. I'm probably older than their grandparents! Maybe I should be wearing a hairnet (winking at Dixie).
There went March. All gone and all used up and all appreciated. All of my visits and all of our visitors were so much fun.
I learned that our island in the bay has tons of sea shells, but a few less now that Barbie has had her dirty way with it. She tried to sink our kayak with her bounty.
I learned that I don't like to jet ski in windy, wavy water. I think a lake would be a gentler ride for me. I tried to take Barbie over to where the dolphins hang out which might be about a 5 mile ride one way, but I chickened out and turned around before we got there. We were soaked by the time we got back home since the jet ski bounced over the waves and the water sprayed us the whole way back. Good machine, bad driver.
The cooking frenzy was more fun than I ever remember with such a good sized group. One night we made chicken enchiladas which were wonderful. We started that whole day by roasting a chicken. Perfectly delicious. Another night was different kinds of shrimp on the barbeque.
This is the week that brings all of the Mexican college students into town for their Spring Break. I believe there were over a hundred thousand kids last year that camped on the beaches and partied all night. We old folks just tuck ourselves in and let them have their fun. But, I bet my husband will insist on us checking out the action on Friday night like we did last year. I felt so completely out of place that I begged him to just turn the quad around and get me home.
I'm turning 59 in the middle of this month. Ho Hum. I suppose that's why I don't feel excited about driving a quad through a mass of drunk college kids. I'm probably older than their grandparents! Maybe I should be wearing a hairnet (winking at Dixie).
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