Tuesday, March 31, 2009
last day of March
march can't decide to go out as a lamb or a lion here. it's been spitting out a few snow flakes and then the sun peeks out for a while... for a couple of days now. we didn't get too much snow from the big storm last Thursday. about 6 inches. mostly it was the wind that made it terrible. P's school was closed on Thursday and Friday. So she has an extended spring break. Atleast my creek isn't flooding me out like up there in North Dakota! wow, that's a lot of water. my motorcycle battery came the other day. waiting for spring to finally decide to be and stay here. can't wait to get out and ride again.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Law of the Garbage Truck
One day I hopped in a taxi and we took off for the airport. We were driving in the right lane when suddenly a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver slammed on his brakes, skidded, and missed the other car by just inches! The driver of the other car whipped his head around and started yelling at us. My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. And I mean he was really friendly. So I asked, 'Why did you just do that? This guy almost ruined your car and sent us to the hospital!' This is when my taxi driver taught me what I now call, 'The Law of the Garbage Truck.'He explained that many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger, and full of disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it and sometimes they'll dump it on you. Don't take it personally. Just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on. Don't take their garbage and spread it to other people at work, at home, or on the streets. The bottom line is that successful people do not let garbage trucks take over their day. Life's too short to wake up in the morning with regrets, so...Love the people who treat you right. Pray for the ones who don't. Life is ten percent what you make it and ninety percent how you take it! Have a blessed, garbage-free day!
Friday, March 20, 2009
Happy 1st day of spring!
Not too bad of a day. 50's and cloudy. but hey, no snow! the warm up is coming
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
A carrot, an egg & a cup of coffee
A carrot, an egg, and a cup of coffee...You will never look at a cup of coffee the same way again.
A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for
her she did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up; she was tired of
fighting and struggling. It seemed as one problem was solved, a new one arose.
Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire.
Soon the pots came to boil. In the first she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in
the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil; without saying a word.
In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them
in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out
and placed it in a bowl.
Turning to her daughter, she asked, "Tell me what you see."
"Carrots, eggs, and coffee," she replied.
Her mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they
were soft. The mother then asked the daughter to take an egg and break it. After pulling off
the shell, she observed the hardboiled egg.
Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled as she tasted its
rich aroma. The daughter then asked, "What does it mean, mother?"
Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity: boiling water.
Each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being
subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg had been fragile. Its thin
outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside
became hardened. The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the
boiling water, they had changed the water.
"Which are you?" she asked her daughter. "When adversity knocks on your door, how do you
respond? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?"
Think of this: Which am I? Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity do I
wilt and become soft and lose my strength?
Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid
spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened
and stiff? Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit
and hardened heart?
Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that
brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor. If you are like the
bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you. When the
hour is the darkest and trials are their greatest do you elevate yourself to another level? How do you
handle adversity? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?
May you have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials to make you strong, enough
sorrow to keep you human and enough hope to make you happy.
The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most
of everything that comes along their way. The brightest future will always be based on a forgotten
past; you can't go forward in life until you let go of your past failures and heartaches.
When you were born, you were crying and everyone around you was smiling. Live your life so
at the end, you're the one who is smiling and everyone around you is crying.
A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for
her she did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up; she was tired of
fighting and struggling. It seemed as one problem was solved, a new one arose.
Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire.
Soon the pots came to boil. In the first she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in
the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil; without saying a word.
In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them
in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out
and placed it in a bowl.
Turning to her daughter, she asked, "Tell me what you see."
"Carrots, eggs, and coffee," she replied.
Her mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they
were soft. The mother then asked the daughter to take an egg and break it. After pulling off
the shell, she observed the hardboiled egg.
Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled as she tasted its
rich aroma. The daughter then asked, "What does it mean, mother?"
Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity: boiling water.
Each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being
subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg had been fragile. Its thin
outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside
became hardened. The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the
boiling water, they had changed the water.
"Which are you?" she asked her daughter. "When adversity knocks on your door, how do you
respond? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?"
Think of this: Which am I? Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity do I
wilt and become soft and lose my strength?
Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid
spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened
and stiff? Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit
and hardened heart?
Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that
brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor. If you are like the
bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you. When the
hour is the darkest and trials are their greatest do you elevate yourself to another level? How do you
handle adversity? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?
May you have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials to make you strong, enough
sorrow to keep you human and enough hope to make you happy.
The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most
of everything that comes along their way. The brightest future will always be based on a forgotten
past; you can't go forward in life until you let go of your past failures and heartaches.
When you were born, you were crying and everyone around you was smiling. Live your life so
at the end, you're the one who is smiling and everyone around you is crying.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Baby's Bday
Friday, March 13, 2009
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Tuesday, March 03, 2009
visiting Arizona

went down to Arizona for the weekend. visiting family. sunny warm weather. it was 97 on sunday! walked around the neighborhood. looking at local wildlife... people... flora... homes for sale. sometimes it's fun to look at them. there are little quail birds running around. listening to each other call. and right now it smells very nice. all the citrus trees are flowering. Mmmm.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Senior Don Gato


remember this one from grade school?
Senior Don Gato
Oh, Senior Don Gato was a cat. On a high, red, roof Don Gato sat. He was there to read a letter, Meow, Meow, Meow
Where the reading light was better Meow, Meow, Meow.
Twas a love note for Don Gato.
I adore you, wrote the lady cat
I adore you, wrote the lady cat
Who was fluffy white and nice and fat. There was not a sweeter kitty,
Meow, Meow, Meow
In the country or the city, Meow, Meow, Meow.
And she said she'd wed Don Gato.
Oh, Don Gato jumped so happily! Then fell off the roof and broke his knee, Broke his ribs and all his whiskers, Meow, Meow, Meow
And his little Solar plexus, Meow, Meow, Meow.
Aye Carumba! cried Don Gato.
Oh, the doctors they came on the run Just to see if something could be done. And they held a consultation, Meow, Meow, Meow
About how to save their patient, Meow, Meow, Meow.
How to save Senior Don Gato.
But in spite of everything they tried, Poor Senior Don Gato up and died.
Oh, it wasn't very merry, Meow, Meow, Meow
Going to the cemetery, Meow, Meow, Meow
In the country or the city, Meow, Meow, Meow.
And she said she'd wed Don Gato.
Oh, Don Gato jumped so happily! Then fell off the roof and broke his knee, Broke his ribs and all his whiskers, Meow, Meow, Meow
And his little Solar plexus, Meow, Meow, Meow.
Aye Carumba! cried Don Gato.
Oh, the doctors they came on the run Just to see if something could be done. And they held a consultation, Meow, Meow, Meow
About how to save their patient, Meow, Meow, Meow.
How to save Senior Don Gato.
But in spite of everything they tried, Poor Senior Don Gato up and died.
Oh, it wasn't very merry, Meow, Meow, Meow
Going to the cemetery, Meow, Meow, Meow
For the ending of Don Gato.
As the funeral passed the market square, Such a smell of fish was in the air!
As the funeral passed the market square, Such a smell of fish was in the air!
As the smell of fish created, Meow, Meow, Meow, He became reanimated, Meow, Meow, Meow!He came back to life, Don Gato!
long cold winter

It's late fall and the Indians on a remote reservation in South Dakota asked their new chief if the coming winter was going to be cold or mild.
Since he was a chief in a modern society, he had never been taught the old secrets. When he looked at the sky, he couldn't tell what the winter was going to be like.
Nevertheless, to be on the safe side, he told his tribe that the winter was indeed going to be cold and that the members of the village should collect firewood to be prepared. But, being a practical leader, after several days, he got an idea. He went to the phone booth, called the National Weather Service and asked, 'Is the coming winter going to be cold ?'
'It looks like this winter is going to be quite cold,' the meteorologist at the weather service responded.
So the chief went back to his people and told them to collect even more firewood in order to be prepared
A week later, he called the National Weather Service again. 'Does it still look like it is going to be a very cold winter?'
'Yes,' the man at National Weather Service again replied, 'it's going to be a very cold winter.'
The chief again went back to his people and ordered them to collect every scrap of firewood they could find.
Two weeks later, the chief called the National Weather Service again. 'Are you absolutely sure that the winter is going to be very cold?'
'Absolutely,' the man replied. 'It's looking more and more like it is going to be one of the coldest winters we've ever seen.'
'How can you be so sure?' the chief asked.
The weatherman replied, 'The Indians are collecting firewood like crazy.'
Always remember this whenever you get advice from a government official!
Since he was a chief in a modern society, he had never been taught the old secrets. When he looked at the sky, he couldn't tell what the winter was going to be like.
Nevertheless, to be on the safe side, he told his tribe that the winter was indeed going to be cold and that the members of the village should collect firewood to be prepared. But, being a practical leader, after several days, he got an idea. He went to the phone booth, called the National Weather Service and asked, 'Is the coming winter going to be cold ?'
'It looks like this winter is going to be quite cold,' the meteorologist at the weather service responded.
So the chief went back to his people and told them to collect even more firewood in order to be prepared
A week later, he called the National Weather Service again. 'Does it still look like it is going to be a very cold winter?'
'Yes,' the man at National Weather Service again replied, 'it's going to be a very cold winter.'
The chief again went back to his people and ordered them to collect every scrap of firewood they could find.
Two weeks later, the chief called the National Weather Service again. 'Are you absolutely sure that the winter is going to be very cold?'
'Absolutely,' the man replied. 'It's looking more and more like it is going to be one of the coldest winters we've ever seen.'
'How can you be so sure?' the chief asked.
The weatherman replied, 'The Indians are collecting firewood like crazy.'
Always remember this whenever you get advice from a government official!
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Girl Scout campfire flashback

remember this song? ...
RUNNING BEAR (J.P. Richardson) Johnny Preston (Mercury , 1959)
On the banks of the river Stood Runnin' Bear, young Indian brave On the other side of the river Stood his lovely Indian maid Little White Dove was-a her name. Such a lovely sight to see, But their tribes fought with each other So their love could never be.
Runnin' Bear loved Little White Dove With a love big as the sky Runnin' Bear loved Little White Dove With a love that couldn't die
He couldn't swim the raging river 'Cause the river was too wide He couldn't reach Little White Dove Waiting on the other side. In the moonlight he could see her Throwing kisses 'cross the waves. Her little heart was beating faster Waiting there for her brave
Runnin' Bear loved Little White Dove With a love big as the sky Runnin' Bear loved Little White DoveWith a love that couldn't die
Runnin' Bear dove in the water Little White Dove did the same. And they swam out to each other Through the swirling stream they came As their hands touched and their lips met The ragin' river pulled them down. Now they'll always be together In that happy hunting ground.
Runnin' Bear loved Little White Dove With a love big as the sky Runnin' Bear loved Little White Dove With a love that couldn't die
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Happy Valentine's Day
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
A walk in the woods
home sweet home
Sunday, February 08, 2009
New Mexico
spending the weekend in New Mexico....just because. the whether was very nice on Saturday. Today is a different story. snow. yep snow this far south. just can't get away. lol! New mexico is very friendly. We will be marking it on our list of potential retirement areas. went and got my hair cut at a local place. the guy that cut my hair was very informational. he's lived in the denver area and even in Hawaii. He said he loved the people of Hawaii and thought he'd never find anywhere else he wanted to put down "roots"... til he came to New Mexico. He's been here a few years now and loves it. And my hair cut turned out very nice too! I've always been interested in Native American histories and this state has a lot of history! we'll have to come back in the summer and explore more.
Monday, February 02, 2009
Happy Groundhogs Day!
Well, looks like we have made it to February! this year is moving along. The sun is out and it is cool and breezy today. I think the marmots will see their shadow out here. so... six more weeks of winter. is that how it works, lol?!
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