Bye-bye Blog

Dear Minka, Theresa, Quilly and Wanda, I love you ladies and have enjoyed our chit-chats. I'm leaving Blogsville. Thank you for making me feel welcome. I wish happy days ahead for you all. Most of my hobbies seem to last four or five months and then I go on to something else. I really feel those stained glass side lights, for the front door, are calling me. It's a six month project, so I'll maybe get 5/6th of them done before I quit that (kidding).

To everyone who dropped by , "Thanks". Bye-bye.............Judy

OOps!

Oops!.......I forgot something at the end of the last post........................................................
:) :-) :) :-) :) :-) :) :-) :) :-)

DON'T FORGET TO................

This is not a time of life when I thought I'd still be learning new things. I imagine, it's because I have forgotten so much, that I now have room for more. Sure, it's a cliche. But, when it hits you between the eyes, (ya, the frontal lobe area) that a lot of new info is being packed into your brain..........aren't you going to ask yourself, "How does all that fit in there?"? Of course something had to come out to make room for new stuff. You don't become aware of this knowledge until the second download. That occurs sometime after 55 or 60 years of age.


From the outside, other people see just the old stuff being forgotten. Well, they're not alone. I also wondered how that half eaten slice of bread (slathered in butter) got between the folded towels in the linen closet. And it's still a mystery to me how my six year old great-nephew was sent the e-mail telling what I bought him for his birthday, and, his Mom, my niece got the e-mail asking HIM what he would like for a gift. But, that turned out O.K. His Mom said she will take the theatre tickets and I can get him a diamond ring. Oh, they'll work it out in the end......If my brother and sister-in-law get an anniversary card on his birthday, and a birthday card goes to their son on their anniversary, it's fine. Two special occasions and two cards. Perfect!


I don't really mind forgetting where household things belong. It's often a nice little surprise to find a bag of marshmellows already melted, in the oven, when I just decided to make crispy squares. But, I was really snarked when the popsicles were there too.


There are some things we should, with G-G-Garfield's grace, never forget. Our elderly neighbour was standing outside talking to his own son and my Hubby. He looked at my husband and asked, "Whose your friend?" Now that's just rude! And did you ever wonder why Gramma keeps all those photos on the fridge? They're put there for identification purposes. I'll check the neighbours fridge, if I don't forget. Maybe they have mixed up the pictures.


The best part is......................................is................................uh.......
.........is you forget the dumb stuff and replaced it with BLOGGING names. The next best thing is, the youngsters (thirty and forty- somethings) don't know it's coming, ha-ha-ha, so we are one up on the kids. It actually IS possible that we have forgotten more than they have ever learned. Makes us REALLY feel that wisedom has come with age. There's lots more to be written on this subject and when I remember it, I'll pass it on to you.

IS BREAD MAKING AN ART, A TALENT, OR JUST DUMB LUCK?

A few years ago, my wonderful parents bought me a bread making machine. Years before that, I made bread many times from scratch just for the joy of it and for that wholesome yeasty smell that comes with homemade bread. I slowed down to a stop when I forgot to add the melted butter one time, and attempted to add it at the end. The dough was formed and I was trying to squeeze liquid grease into a glue ball. When I threw the whole batch into the garbage, I looked like the Michelin Lady with white walls. (Recently that was brought to mind by Theresa's Therm-m-m-mo-what's-it. I bet she looks better and isn't covered in white goo when that superlicious cheesecake is finished.) Time to get that bread machine out of the "hardly ever use it" cupboard. It's only been two years; I should have put it in the "use occasionally" cupboard.





Bend. . . .pull. . . .bend some more. . . . twist. . . .I didn't realize I was so far out of shape, that getting an appliance from the back of a bottom cabinet would be a work-out. Guess I should put my "hardly ever use it" cupboard in a more convenient spot. I might want to use that food processor paraphernalia in there some time.



Wouldn't you think the recipe book for the machine would be either with the recipe books or with the bread machine? After the last bread making fiasco, I was probably feeling a little frazzled and illogical. What do you think of when you can't find a recipe? Of course, Martha Stewart and computer. Well, I found out Martha doesn't have a recipe for EVERYTHING. What was I thinking? Using a bread maker would be like opening a can of spaghetti-o's for dinner, to Martha.....a definite, "No-no." I'm sure she doesn't even own a can opener.



I was on the fifteenth page of "Every Recipe in the Civilized World" website when I found ONE I could use in my West Bend machine. Sure sounded familiar. It was a, "Go." Measure accurately it warned. Do they think home co-ordinators are idiots? I know how to measure. A warm and fuzzy feeling came over me as I placed all ingredients into the pan and lowered and locked it into position in the machine. It would be ready in 3 hours and 10 minutes. I had clothes to fold, blah-blah-blah, and a draft for a future blog to write............................Two and a half hours later, Hubby says, "Is the dough supposed to be touching the window at the top of the machine?" "Oh, yes! It puffs up beautifully because of the yeast." says the Master Bread Maker. "Is it supposed to be smashed up against the window and forcing the door to open?" OMG! It looked like a small mushroom cloud had formed after a dough bomb had exploded. The mixture had risen over the pan edges and continued up and up some more until it looked like a giant's nose smushed (yes, smushed...flattened...SMUSHED) against a window pane. A very pale giant's nose. After a flurry of pot holders, knives, wooden spoons and burned fingers, the (to be kind) "loaf" lay on the counter. But, not undamaged, because it had taken over five minutes of cutting, scrapping and man-handling to force it out of the hot, very hot pan. After hacking off the top gluey one-third, the baked two-thirds at the bottom looked, well, not like something you'd buy at the bakery, but of a quality more akin to what a six year old would do in an Easy Bake Oven. (but, not as good)

Hubby and I checked the settings on the contraption, reread the recipe obtained on the website and started the search again for the manual/recipe book. It was in the third most logical place to look..........on the baking ingredients shelf, hidden behind the all purpose flour, the only book on the shelf. Thank goodness. I was all set to pay $12. for a new one that, in the mean time, I had found on eBay. We would have had to wait another week or two to savour the warm, soft texture and aroma of homemade manna. After comparing amounts of ingredients, he found the culprit was..... the yeast. Apparently, the two TABLESPOONS listed in the web recipe made a "giant" difference compared to the two TEASPOONS written in the original recipe book. We'll vouch for that! "Let's try this again." said Hubby. This time, we'll measure accurately, (if the recipe is accurate) as the web recipe said.

M-m-m. Warm.....delicious, lathered with sweet butter.....fragrance still lingering in the air. What a great midnight snack!

There is the obvious moral, "Don't believe everything you read." There's another, "It's more fun to do things with a friend." (and things taste better, too.) Thanks, Hubby.

HE'S BACK. LET'S GO SEE WHAT HE HAS TO SAY.

Now that Morgan is back in Amsterdam, I can fully relax. I'm sure these tense muscles, that have pulled my shoulders up to my ears, can be taken care of with a soothing massage. My voice, which has reached a whole octave higher than it was, will need voice therapy the doctor says and this itching rash will likely disappear with the cream he has given me. I hope I haven't pissed off too many people with my short temper over the last two weeks. Thank God that lady I clobbered in the doctor's office is not going to press charges. Hubby has been very understanding. He's going to rip up the papers he brought from the lawyer's office, as long as I never mention these last two weeks again. Now that Morgan is back in Amsterdam, I can fully relax. It's a Mother-thing.
............................Judy

This is THE END...

This is THE END..........of the previous blog..........I didn't know there would be a part two until I looked again at the draft notes..........I promise I will not return to the subject of the SARAH BRIGHTMAN concert again. I do confess that the blogs are taking longer to compose than the entire concert.

Did I mention that the "moon" and "star" that formed the exceptional "stage" are Arabian symbols? You knew that already. On several occasions, chanting and musical instruments of the Middle East were used dramatically to instill the Harem theme. The thundering drums made a huge de(oops) impression.

There was an unforgettable vision when Sarah cast shadows of multiple angels on a gauze-like veil across stage front. She wore feathers, two feet long, on her finger tips and dangling from the entire length of her arms. It created the appearance of a huge winged bird...without a doubt...angelic, angelic, angelic, angelic.

I haven't said too much about singing, only two words are necessary...Sarah Brightman...or one...spectaculicious. She raised lovely melodies, like "Dust in the Wind" and "A Whiter Shade of Pale", to the divine. Of course, "Phantom of the Opera" selections contributed to the musical bliss. While Sarah sang "Nessum Dorma", standing on the high end of the curved arm above the stage (moon), it turned left and glided out into the audience, bringing her really up close and personal and w-a-a-ay up above their heads. Previously, I referred to two groups of musicians adding to the harmonious atmosphere; one was a rock band and the other, a full philharmonic orchestra. (something for everyone)

Then, there was the simplest of things.....like walking. I notice walking. (Ladies, check out the John Wayne gait in a movie sometime; and the number one walker, Jeff Goldblum, in the last two minutes of "Independence Day") Gentlemen, you'll want to check out the Sarah Brightman strut and swoon.

I'll write again about music some time, but, this concert is fini. The doors of the MGM Grand are closed.

A Little Bit of Heaven

A few days ago I received a little bit of heaven in the mail. After rushing to get through most of the days work, I put the eagerly awaited new video in the player and proceeded to see if it was as good a performance as I had imagined each time I player the CD. SARAH BRIGHTMAN, one of my three favourite female vocalists seemed to be singing just for me. While listening to the HAREM CONCERT - Live in Las Vegas over and over, I had choreographed the entire concert in my mind. Having heard it so often, I knew the voice would be magnigicent. I suspected the concert would be a dream.....it was much more than that......it was a little bit of Heaven. Without a doubt, the most beautiful spectical I have ever viewed on a stage.

And speaking of stages, this one was unigue. A huge three-quarter moon connected to a large eight-sided star by a runway about forty feet long...all outlined in lights. The runway jutted out into the audience, situating the star in the middle of the people. On stage right, or rather moon right, an arm arched high above and terminated at the centre, still twenty feet above stage (moon)...again outlined in lights. Two orchestras were visible, where you would expect the back of the stage would be and they lowered and would rise when featured.

Sarah appeared, mystically, in the centre of the star, wearing yards and yards of sparkling, shimmering, sequined froth-like, white netting waving constantly in a gentle breeze. She sang "Harem". She soon dropped the glowing accessory from her shoulders to display a gorgeous, silver-white, bespeckled, very short, very sexy bustia and pant set. Hidden from our view, under the afore mentioned webby froth were thigh-high, silver, very high heeled boots. Her long, black, curling hair was crowned with a halo resembling sparklers that were held motionless in space. A jewel hung from a delicate chain, onto her forehead. The colour of her dazzling outfit was changed magically by the twelve white and rainbowed spot lights focused on her.

It is enthralling how she often began an aria and joined it to a modern song as if they were written that way. She combined the Madame Butterfly aria with It's a Beautiful Day and just knocked me out.

At various times she seemed to be floating on a magic carpet.....she swung on a swing lowered over the audience.....she was raised into the air on invisible wires, while trailing billowing, silken gauze around her.....rose petals were tossed onto the audience by harem girls (who themselves had about eight costume changes). The ceiling then began to rain rose petals, millions of rose petals floated everywhere.....another time confetti drifted from ceiling to floor for minutes on end.....a veil of water appeared spritzing straight up, twenty-five feet, from the floor and moving back and forth like the Dancing Waters in Las Vegas.....breezes, fog all added to the intensely beautiful spectical.

Sarah's costume changes were often done, unnoticed, on stage; adding a golden komina or dropping flowing capes to reveal a new sensual outfit in black or gold. She was unseen only at times when the eight harem dancers entertained with exquisite arm, hand and, of course, hip gyrations. The longest she was off stage for the entire concert (2 hours) was ninety seconds.

Arrogantly, I tell myself I would have added gigantic drums on stage in one song and a whirling dervish-like costume and skirt and spin, for the dancers, in another. (in my dreams) I've already watched my new DVD twice.

There's so much more to tell, but, honestly THIS is the short version. I hope you were able to stay the course and I especially wish you the joy of seeing this exeptional production.

EH?

Thghuot tihs was inintersetg.....
How wreid is tihs?
Aoccdmig to a rscheearch at an Elingsh uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in
waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are. The olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht frist
and lsat ltteer is in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a toatl mses and you
can sitll raed it wouthit porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae we do not raed ervey
lteter by istlef but the wrod as a wlohe.
Amzanig!

Old Stuff and New Stuff

The old stuff is one of The Ice Queen's blogs. Remember the little painter in Minka's Thursday mystery, around the middle of April? I wanted to put in one of his pictures as my hint. Alas, it has taken this long to get an idea of how to put a picture in my blog. I still don't know if I can put one in someone else's. This is the new part......... Hence, the date below, showing no blog at all. It's not going too well.

This is my favourite picture (excluding his posters) that Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec painted. It is called Young Woman at a Table - Poudre de Riz. The little red box contains the poudre de riz, the rice powder used to make ladies faces very pale...............So, here she is (the painter's lover, Suzanne)..............Fanfare and drum roll, please............. LOL

Hey, Suzanne. You're supposed to be down HERE! Well, you had better stay put, girl, because the last time I got you on this page, you were sideways........................J.D.

My Home

Home is not just a place where you hang your hat. Home can be a very complicated word. It is like the pebble that you toss into the pond. The ripples formed show us how home life expands outward to others and how our love of home, colours our world and extends (love, hopefully) to our neighbourhood, city and country.

I want to tell you about my home, not the walls and furniture of my house, but my extended home, my hometown. As with many towns, it began as a small settlement, in 1780, because of it's proximity to water. It was first called "The Twelve" because it was located on the Twelve Mile Creek. (As a very young child, I recall throwing stones into the wide creek, from an old iron bridge, and having a special ring that my Grandma gave me, slip off my finger and disappear into the gently flowing waters of the creek. My Grandparents lived one house away from these waters. My youngest Aunt would take me down the hill to watch the water every time I visited.)

By 1798 it was called "Shipman's Corners" because Paul Shipman built an Inn on the main mud road, which is now called St. Paul Street. The Paul part stuck, but the Shipman part didn't. Ten years earlier Robert Hamilton built the first goods store here and later the town was named after his wife...ST. CATHARINES. Funny how in those days "Saint" was put in front of so many names of places and streets. I guess it was wishful thinking.

Business started to boom when the first Welland Canal was built in 1824. It was only about 15 feet wide because that was boat size then. The canal was dug behind St. Paul St. and eventually ran over 20 miles. Second and third Welland Ship Canals have been built since then, to accomodate the huge ships of today. St. Catharines became the hub of industry and commerce for the entire Niagara area.

In the 1840's and 50's this was the end of the Underground Railroad. Thousands of slaves from the U.S. south, found their way to freedom, thanks to generous folks in local churches.

The Welland Canal runs parallel to the Niagara River. Both now join Lake Ontario to Lake Erie. If you're contemplating a visit by boat, take the canal route. You won't servive the river. Passage from one lake to the other is impossible because of the gigantic Niagara Falls and class 5 and 6 (deadly) rapids.

My city is boxed on all sides by lovely countryside......Lake Ontario on the north, the Niagara Escarpment (it's the water of the Niagara R. falling over the Escarpment - a World Heritage Site - that formed Niagara Falls) on the south, the Welland canal on the east and gently rolling hills covered in vineyards and soft fruit (apples, peaches, pears and cherries) farms on the west. The lakes give us our temperate climate, which is perfect for the delicate crops grown here. Winter temperatures rarely go to -15C (close to zero F) and summer weather is hot, up to 38C. (in the 90'sF) The land then flattens a bit and if you drive around the tip of L. Ont. you'll find Toronto. It's a lot closer if you row across the lake, but you'll be really tired when you get there.

In St. Catharines and area you can skate (inside) all year round, enjoy all the water sports, go antiquing, go carting, stock car racing, go to a gorgeous gambling Casino, enjoy many, many wooded parks, and go hiking and biking on endless trails along the lake, the escarpment and the canal. The Falls and the most beautiful town in Canada, Niagara-on-the-Lake, are only 15km away. Our big city-wide events are the Multicultural Folk Arts Festival in the spring, the Royal Canadian Henley Regatta in June, The huge Grape and Wine Festival in the autumn and the Ice Wine Festival in the winter.

We are home to very highly rated educational facilities...the world reknowned Ridley College, Niagara College and Brock University, the only University to have a Bachelor of Science degree in Viticulture (wines and wine making). University tuition is subsidized by the government.

Population is 138,000 and the average salary is $35,000. The average home price is about $160,000 to $175,000.

I love this place and as I wrote all these wonderful things about my city, I began to love it even more. I can't think of one thing undesirable about St. Catharines. Oh, someone did say they saw some hookers on Queenston St. a while back. I try to close my eyes when I drive down there. As for the rest of my city.......It's all good!

FULFILLING BLOG RULES? I thought there were no rules!

Upon reading some older blogs a few days ago, I saw that one of the guys mentioned RULES. One of them was to tell a few weird things about yourself. I like that idea. Another was to tag six people. I don't have to think about that one long at all...No way! I don't even pass on chain e-mails; even if they tell me I'm cursed unless I send the e-mail to relatives, friends and enemies. If I'm to be reprimanded for that, then send the Blog Police. Hahaha. You have to find me first.

I'm not the weirdest person you'll ever meet and certainly not likely to make anyone blush. I'll aim a little lower than weird...maybe just strange, or silly.

*** The first thing I remember wanting to be, when I was about four, is a pilot. It's a little strange that both my husband and my son are pilots, not me. But, I did take ground school with hubby.

*** I learned at a young age, that I better stick to the straight path. I played hookey three times and got caught all three times. Weird...or unlucky? ....... HEY! I heard that. Who said, "Just plain dumb." Well, I learned the value of planning.

*** While standing at the bus stop, at the age of five, I heard my Mother gasp and lean toward my aunt to quietly tell her something. They snickered and I had a bit of interesting information. As we stepped onto the bus, I announced to the driver, "My Mom forgot to put on underwear!"

*** Not weird, just embarrassing - I've tossed my cookies in a car, in a single engine plane and in the long grass behind the midway rides. So! Hasn't everybody?

*** When I dream of loved ones that have passed away, on waking, I never fail to feel that it was great to see them and that we had had a good visit.

*** I always see both sides of an argument.

*** There is an old saying, or myth - We all turn into our parents. Years ago, I jokingly suggested to my sister that if I ever turned into our Mother, she should get a gun and shoot me. Last week I told her to buy the gun.

It's Good To Forget

She had been quietly reading, stretched out on the couch, when she remembered something in the kitchen. She lay the book on a suede, rust coloured cushion and bounced up, the book sliding to the floor. Looking down she was already moving in the direction of the foyer......she stood there. If she had had a balloon above her head, it would have been empty. She was up for a reason, but, what? It seemed to her she was headed for the kitchen. In there, she did a 360 turn and saw nothing that tweeked the lazy brain. Hmmmm. The solution? Go back to the scene of the thought....the book. Picking it up, the light bulb came on. Ah! Back to the kitchen. Returning, with a buttered piece of toast in her hand, (How could she forget food?) she picked up the book and settled again on the couch. What page had she been on?

Forgetting is good. It's almost the only exercise some people get.

Trying New Things

Well, last night I typed for over an hour thinking, the whole time, that the effort would be wasted. Surprise! It was the first time anything in Blogville has worked for me on the initial try. Check out my favourite book and author list (if you can find it). It's about 3/4 finished. Scroll way down to the end of this page and there it is. Ya, I read a lot until I started a blog. The placement, of course, will have to be changed. Baby steps. I keep going back to it thinking it may have disappeared. My confidence in new things is building slowly..........Judy

"It was the best of times and the worst of times."

It may be slightly bastardized, but, who's first to tell me where my title comes from?

The title refers to BLOGGING. It frustrates me so, that I want to stick my finger in the Blog Monster's eye. Then, a few minutes later, I want to put it/her/him on my lap and pet it/her/him. That happens when I realize that there are people out there, really nice people, that are helping me with points I don't yet understand about this blogging or are making me laugh about everyday life because of their talent for writing.

The best of blogging is that it brings minds together, no geographical boundries, no age limits. As Minka advised, two posts ago, we don't even know, sometimes, if we are sharing ideas or silly nonsence with females or males, not to mention the high or the mighty, the couch potato or the professor. Imagine SNARK being four or five people! (A day or two ago, one of the Snarks used the pronoun "we" and my ears perkled up........no they didn't "perkle".......they perked up. Perkled ears sounds like it hurts.....And Morgan had an idea of the conspiracy.)

This is certainly an undistinguished blog, but, since it's about blogs, maybe it is bloggable...................J.D.

Someone else in Blogville watches TV?

The Ice Queen's cute nephews (I wondered what they had done with Minka and thought that might be a smoke belching crematorium in the background.) and lucky, little lamb led me to a new blog. Who is this Snark person who, also, is willing to confess he watches TV? He strengthened my resolve and made it possible for me to further confess my love of "Globe Trekker" and (I'm sure I'm blushing. Oh, it's probably only a hot flash.) "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy". I have nothing to say in my defence. But, "Eye" confirmed my belief that I need a gay guy as my second hubby, should the occasion call for it. I believe that every woman needs a wife to really enjoy the luxury of marriage....................J.D

Bad, more bad, worst...(What comes next?)...yesterday, at my house.

Yesterday was not a good day for me. Something as simple as a ringing telephone started it off. It was a mid-morning call from someone who hasn't really talked to me for ten years. (I tried, early on, to no avail.) It left me feeling unsettled. Bells, rings and beeps haunted me the remainder of the day.

The gentlest of chirps, notified me that the two hour and fifty minute movie that I'd been changing from VHS to DVD had been a waste of time and had to be redone. Within seconds another buzzzz told me that a DVD backup I was making had stopped midway, once, and then again, causing me to ignore and then forget the intervening buzzer that told me the dryer load was finished. You know what happens to clothes when they are left in the dryer too long. It gives a reason for the iron to chime in to let you know it's hot enough to use. After that I thought I needed a change of pace and thought of i-tunes.

For the next forty-five minutes the clicks and pings kept telling me, "You can't get there from here!" Hubby walked in and asks why I'm using Google and not the i-tunes icon. Sometimes you just don't have time to stop and think and common sence can be so annoying. Three "unaccepted" beep-beeps later I just changed the damn password. By this time I'm becoming a little hyper. Hubby walks in and calmly writes the ID and password in a little black book containing all such forgettable info in our brave new world. He's saved the day again. Has the tide turned? I actually find a song and singer I've been looking for. Further investigation tells me that the artist.....is dead. Will this day ever end?

Two more r-r-r-rings from everyone's most hated wage earners, the telemarketers and I feel like falling to my knees. But, I knew if I did, I'd have to press the screeching "panic button" that advises that I've fallen and I can't get up. A third r-r-r-r-r-ring phone.....this one telling me a friend has broken her ankle. OMG Is it bedtime yet? The clock chimes-chimes-chimes-chimes-chimes five o'clock. Too early for bed, but, just in time to make some comfort food. I grit my teeth while the stove, oven and microwave all growl at me, "I'm done". "Me too." I say under my breathe.

Then....................believe it or not.................the door bell rings. Guests, that we expected tomorrow, appear cheerfully at our door. What to do? We laugh. We all enjoy gumbo, rolls and salad. Friends and laughter...what great stress relievers.

The day became officially "worse" when I missed taping 24, one of the top five.

Ten o'clock. How about a little bit of blogging before sleep? Fifteen minutes later.....no bells or whistles and no comment published on Quilly's "Dessert" blog either. That's when impatience kicks in. Go check Quilly's blog and you'll see that the only way to end a day like this is with a laugh.

How's your week so far?..............................J.D.

TV or not TV

I'm going to put myself on the line and come right out and say it. I love watching TV. Blogging fits in well because I like to have something to do with my hands while watching. I never use my brain while blogging. In the past it's been crafts and now it's blogs. Most of my viewing pleasure comes from the fact that the stories are 180 degrees from everyday life. I think everyone, except government agents, police officers, horny doctors and wandering wives/husbands say that. All of those activities would give me a heart attack, so it's safer to watch TV. Ya. That's the ticket. I'm watching TV for my health. That's the reason and I'm sticking to it.

My favourites are usually comedy/drama, heavy on the comedy. Yet I will not watch the half-hour comedies that tell me the appropriate places to laugh by adding laugh tracks. Grey's Anatomy and Desperate Housewives are in the top five of most human and non-human viewers. (Don't your animals watch with you? I read that this was a sign of unintelligence in cats and dogs. Of course, that does not apply to persons.) These will both have you shouting at the screen....."No, don't marry her. Marry Izzy."......"Susan, don't run outside in a towel. The door might accidentally cl---. OOps!"

For all out suspence (maybe not...we all know that Jack Bauer will save the day, the President, the girlfriend and himself) and for excessive excitement, you can't beat 24. It's like the old movie theatre serials.....one life threatening event after another ( Jack just saved his daughter...and now the wife is missing?) .....one catastrophic hour after another (Jack just saved the city from a huge bomb...and now we find out six more are hidden in the city?) The adrenaline keeps your heart pumping. I told you it was good for my health. And all this happens in one day.....hence the 24.

Then there is the CSI series. They find a winner and they copy it (CSI - LV) over (CSI - Miami) and over (CSI - NY) and over (NCSI ...that's Navy). They each try to outdo the others in the gore category. Want to get up close and personal at an autopsy? These are the shows for you. The best of the lot is MIAMI. It has David Caruso and the most beautifully shot scenery.

Another interesting show is.............no hisses or boos, please...............The Apprentice.
You sure don't watch this to see "The Donald". The draw is that the applicants have two days to plan, organize, advertise and rent venues to pull off different events each week. Thus showing the boss, who has the intelligence, imagination and all round good looks----Oh, I mean talent to be his apprentice. e.g. create a business involving dogs.....or make a one minute TV commercial for a new Proctor and Gamble product.....or arrange a golf tournament for Toyota executives.....or plan, prepare and serve a ten course banquet.....or with no money - beg, borrow or steal everything you need for a BBQ tailgate party before a football game. Does this theme tickle your fancy? Sorry. It's over for the season.

That (plus or minus the Datelines, 20/20s, and Frontlines) is my top five. Number six you ask..................everything else.................J.D.

An Apology

As soon as I remember how I put this red background here, I'll change it. I can't read it and I know what I said. Sorry about that.

blogging Time

I've never been a complainer, but, again I'm going to say, I can't get to my blogging time if you folks keep being so darn interesting. I love the puzzles, brain teasers, especially pictures, so I better start putting more effort into this.

It's the supper hour and I haven't even taken anything out of the freezer. No, we can't have left-overs.....that was yesterday. Maybe the Colonel wouldn't mind making supper tonight. I try to avoid him because of the oil and grease, but it's been a couple of months. So, I think that's just the ticket for tonight. I wonder if hubby would mind going to get it. I'm busy blogging.

Can't blog tonight.....Grey's Anatomy is on. It's one of my four "can't miss" TV shows..............J.D.

Right as rain and ranting

Today I'm feeling right as rain and it is. (cloudy and 12 degrees)

When I went to Morgan's blog, I mistakenly forgot where I was for a minute and started to rant when I saw the word "President". Now that I got that off my chest, I feel even better. No time to rewrite, so go to "Wandering Consciousness" if you care about how I view Mr. Bush.....if not, here's a joke.....What is better than God, more evil than the devil, poor men don't have and rich men don't need?...............Nothing.

Just a quick note to say I'm having trouble commenting on other blogs. Don't know why. Hope it's short-lived.

Morgan, about chicken soup..........it goes with being sick, like love and marriage, like old folks and rocking chairs. I'm glad you, at least, had a can of soup in the house.

Cry

Cry, cry when loved ones die.
I can't explain, so don't ask why.
Your tears and time will wash away
The sorrow that you feel today.........If only that was true, we'd cry an ocean for you, Virginia Tech.

Virginia Tech...why? Who can answer?

The sadness must be overwhelming for the families, classmates, friends and the entire campus in Virginia where the horrendous murders of innocent people occurred today. I believe there are many reasons, I can think of, and many that I probably can't even imagine. Could we start with a flow chart and use my reasons.....then YOU add further reasons.....and YOU add more thoughts and so on? It's going to make me feel a little better to get some of this off my chest......the perpetrator.....his parents.....lack of security.....human inhumanity.....guns.....gun manufacturers.....lobbiests for those manufacturers.....lack of legislation to control guns.....campaign contributions (millions) made TO those legislators, BY gun makers and the National Rifle Association (U.S.A. tops the list for school and campus killings)..... money.....violence in all media including music and childrens games.....acceptance of violence.....violence within families.....lack of responsibility by all of the above persons and, no doubt, you can continue the flow. But, I'll tell you, it didn't make me feel any better. I would value all ideas and love to know to whom it could be sent for consideration. Are my ambitions too lofty?

Three? Who's this Video person?

Minka pointed out that I actually have three blogs. I am a saver of words, so I can't bring myself to delete Video Mom. But, I finally figured out how she got there. My hubby (not wandering and entirely unconscious.........kidding! He wanders to his wood working shop all the time.) helped me in the beginning of my blog-quest and HE wrote that and signed me Video Mom. I love movies, we both do, and our collection numbers over 800. So, I guess the name was appropriate, but, I changed it. There will definitely be more about movies later.

The wandering, wascally wabbit weturns!

I was clicking here and there on my blog and found some interesting things. Firstly, I have TWO blogs. The OTHER one has the same wording, but with no spaces. Secondly, hidden there was the wascally wabbit that went missing the day after Easter. He and his lyrical story are saved. Thirdly, I'm not brimming over with patience. Who knew?

When I'm told, in writing, that comments will be posted in a few MOMENTS I expect to wait about one minute. One minute equals a few moments. Doesn't it? Wait...wait...wait...patience used up. I must have done something wrong. When in doubt, redo.....hence two blogs. I'm learning something new all the time!

Try, try again

..........so I forge ahead with no confidence whatsoever.

Why is it that all my creativity takes place or comes to mind at night? I'm not a day person. I think it has to do with the time of day you were born. I arrived in the early evening and that remains the best part of my day. Mornings are useless to me. I don't perk up after a cup of coffee. It takes me several hours and a small mid-day snack to face the day. Last night I thought of three interesting things to put in my journal. None had to do with rambling on about nothing to say. Now (near noon) I can't verbalize or even think of the topics I wanted to talk about. Years back all my writing, both poetry and prose, was done at night. At times I'd wake up in the middle of the night to jot down ideas. ( a comical reminder to my surgeon to be extra careful in the morning.....or a rehash of a water fight my son had at his first job when he was fifteen...too young for a driver's license, so I drove him at odd hours. No problem. I was awake anyway.) I should take my blogging machine up stairs at night, where and when, all my words seem to be................J.D.

SNAFU

I'm still SNAFUed. Lost two posts this week. All that wisdom and wit.....gone forever. And this probably will be too. But, no wit here, just complaints. My fleeting thoughts on the Easter egg hunt will be especially missed. Both posts were varified as going into my blog. I haven't been doing this long enough to be able to loose two. I'm almost bloggless and I may be unbloggable!

HELP

HELP..........It's clear that, as of ..today, Thursday, March 29, I still need..........HELP.......... J.D.

It's true that you should ask a busy person to help if you need something done. He or she is usually so organized that fitting in one more job is no problem. My time is my own, so I can't even organize my purse. (but I try to make it a practice to create a decent meal for my husband each evening.....that really cuts into my personal time. But, he's worth it.) I therefore don't get a lot done.....lots of time to enjoy things I like to do. So why can't I get to blogging more often (question mark). LOL I can't find the question mark!!! Ha-ha. I have an old laptop and it's in French (now do you know what country I live in.....question mark) and I guess the French question mark is a different shape. Hubby can't find it either. LOL I'm very inquisitive! I need that question mark!.................So don't ask me to do anything. I have no time while I'm looking for the devilish squiggle and later I may be out computer hunting (period)

New Blogger.....J.D.

This blogging thing could be a full time job. If I want time to pass quickly, I sit in front of the computer for ten minutes and suddenly two hours have passed. If I want time to slow down, I make a cooked pudding and stand stirring (one hour) for the "fifteen minutes" it takes to boil.
I checked out a few blogs.....don't you think I look like Minka's Mom?...........................J.D.

Not just another pretty face.....

Aaah Huh!!! You thought I couldn't do it, eh? (Can you guess where I live?) One baby step at a time. What do I do next? LOL.....O.K. I am just another pretty face. Help! Oh, is this the part where I tell you about myself?
If I could do anything my heart desired I would be a backup singer for a huge star. That pretty much takes in travel, singing and lots of spare time to read, write and watch Grey's Anatomy. But, I'm also lazy, so in my next life I'll probably be a piece of sheet music floating in the wind.
More later...................J.D.