Proud to be an American

My nephew, serving in Afghanistan, holding the star portion of the flag on this mountainside. They did not exactly retake this hill, but did climb up as part of training they were doing with some of the locals. JR graduated from West Point in 2009 and I could not be more proud of him!

Not so fast, people!

In watching the news this weekend, and even some before, there is again a huge push (no pun intended) to get Chris Christie into the race for the presidency for 2012. I am a fan of his on some issues, but Chris is totally off the mark on others. One of the radio shows I watch/listen to plays some sensual music when they talk about Chris Christie and his fiscal policies, but when he goes off on the goofy stuff like ‘global warming’, illegal aliens not being illegal, and tightening gun laws, the music stops. He would be a one-hit wonder, I am afraid, and not a worthy enough opponent. Might even be a ‘frying pan into the fire’-type of situation. I am thinking that perhaps political insiders are pushing this as a ‘bait and switch’ maneuver. Never mind his weight, which I think is a non-issue. Does Taft come to mind?? It was not a problem, as far as I am aware, in those days, but then they didn’t have instant publicity and live footage of events. Our society pays far more attention to symbolism (or appearance) over substance. (“It’s society, isn’t it, Jerry? Oooh, I hate society!” George to Jerry, on “Seinfeld”).

My blankets felt nice and snuggly warm this morning as the low temps were in the 50’s last night, and I kept my patio doors opened while I slept. That might account for my sore throat, now that I think about it…Not only is my throat raw but I am nursing a tired back. I think I must be getting old, although these two maladies are not necessarily age related, or age exclusive. I know kids with sore throats! The other night I swept the floor in the kitchen which seems to have been too much for my back…can that be true??? Come on…really? Most of the afternoon I rested it and hope I can return to normal activity soon.

Monday is a busy one for me with Bible study, lunch, and then Ladies’ Group in the evening. We are having a used book sale at church and Judy reported that it seemed like the proceeds have been good after the first day. We are asking 25 cents for soft covered books, and fifty cents for hard covers, with the proceeds going to the “Friends of C****” program. I only took two soft covers over and, of course, did not buy anything from the stacks. Last year after the Great Flood, I went through many of the books, the kids’ books and such, too, and sent them to the yard sale at Christ Lutheran. Kids’ books are quite popular at these sales and I saw many going out the door of the Fellowship Hall before and after worship at GS. My books which were cast offs I gave to Mary Lew and she told me a week ago that she has read every one of them!

Recent sunrises have been so spectacular and I have to wonder if it is because the humidity is lower. The colors are sharp and, if they had an odor, would be pungent. Many folks are just loving the cooler weather but as you know, I am a huge fan of hotter weather.

I am not sure how I feel about the publicity being shown to the protestors at Wall Street. If no one is looking, perhaps it will go away. On the other hand, the nation needs to see what our ‘future’ looks like in action. The millionaire actors and activists are going down to the site to urge the crowd on, who are supposedly protesting corporate greed. They likely have no clue what they are opposing, and not one of those actors appear in movies for free! When asked what they are marching against, the kids often say, “I don’t know…I was just invited to come down to protest…” It’s cool to do this, “second generation protestors”, I have heard them described. IF the Unions (who actually organized these protests: Stephen Lerner, of SEIU fame, planned this current protest) are so opposed to greed, why do they keep making demands for more for their members? When is greed not greed? It makes me think about how estranged couples kill the one that is dumping them. “If I can’t have her, no one can!” This comes down to a 10^th Commandment issue, I believe.

Lunch was so delicious after church, with one of Judy’s granddaughters joining us. Morgan was a little sweetheart, getting her uncle Mike to play tic/tac/toe with her while we waited for our meals. Terri T. was with us as well. Chili’s offers a trio appetizer that I like for my meal, choosing the mini-burgers, chicken tenders, and potato skins. Half came home plus some of Terri’s extra onion strings. I didn’t want to eat them for lunch because I had to help my upstairs neighbor, Nancy, with saving some files on her computer and did not wish to breath onions on her! The Jags lost, sadly again, but the Packers won. Makes for a good day over all!

New In Town

Earlier today I avoided watching the movie called “Pay It Forward” because I just was not in the proper state of mind. Instead, I opted to watch “Law and Order” reruns while I worked on the Palace Press. The movie is such a good one but the ending is quite painful so I watched something ‘lighter’, like cops ‘n robbers!

Tonight, now that I am done watching the national news, switched on “New In Town”, a movie supposedly taking place in New Ulm, MN. Linda and I went to see this movie when she was here a couple years ago and oh, how we laughed! We were in this movie!!! Part of the premise is that the ladies are scrapbookers and that is exactly what we two ladies were doing before we went to the movies! 

We had met Kelly T. at Scrap ‘n Stuff to work on our stuff. “Are you a scrapper?” Ha! While the movie is funny, it also is an over-caricaturizing of the homes and people of “up north”. Just like the movie “Fargo” did many years ago…I used to have salesmen and vendors come into the office to tell me how that lady talked just like me, or the other way around. Thanks! At Sprint, some suggested I sounded like the mom on “That 70’s Show” which I had never seen. Or Bobby’s mom on some cartoon. I am the caricature! Now that I see it again, well….It was funnier watching it with Linda, in the moment!

Doors are open front and back all day today with the temperatures reaching only the high 70’s today. When I went out to the pool to meet Marlena for a while, I noticed most of my neighbors also had their doors open for ventilation. It felt so good at the pool, not in the pool, of course, but in the chairs around the table. Marlena had a card for me to sign for Mary Lew who is getting a new knee installed. I wrote that I might not recognize her with a new knee….I hope she gets the joke. Marlena also gifted me with a coffee table book about the Muslim terror attacks on 9/11. She had extra copies and one day when we were talking about it, heard me express a desire for such a book. I did not know she had these and was so glad when she offered one to me. I have a couple DVDs of the events of those days but the book will be great.

After I got the newsletter done, I went around to deliver to the ones who do not have internet or cannot open the file, and found my downstairs neighbor had come back from rehab. My goodness, he was gone a long time! He had dropped his keys at the mailbox and could not reach from the wheelchair so I got them for him, and gave him a welcome home smooch and hug. His daughter had wondered if he would ever be able to come home and sure enough, there he was!

Since it was cooler outside, I decided to warm my house by making some ribs in the oven plus baked potatoes for my dinner. Martie had left some wine here the last time she was over so I poured some in with the meat. Love that smell! It’s like bread baking or similar---yum! Yes, I ate at home today.

Last night Judy J. and I went to Janet’s house for an Oktoberfest party. We had good food, including home-baked apple strudel made by Lonnie, from church. Lots of the people were Navy folks, friends of Lonnie and Renee’s who have welcomed my friends into their fold. Oh my… Another couple from church were there too, from Mandarin/Julington area, a long ride for them! One nice couple Judy and I were friendly with are teachers from Orlando, the man formerly being Janet’s principal when she still taught in MI. She said when he walked into the classroom, she thought he was her student, not her boss! Nice people! Judy and I took leave after a reasonable amount of time and when our tummies were nicely filled.

We got ourselves back to Fleming Island without hitting any deer, each of us with our plates of goodies to eat later. She was going to have hers today but I had a piece of spice cake and a slice of strudel before going to sleep! The giant pretzel made for a salty breakfast, as the chunks of salt soaked into the bread. It was good, make no mistake, and less messy than the one I ate last night. Someone supposedly made them, which I never knew you could do at home. I need to get out more!

Who has better friends than do I?

Let me get a drink first….ah…there, I am good to go now.

It is a gorgeous day out there, with the blue sky dotted with puffy clouds. A snowy egret is perched on the breakwater and earlier, about half-dozen manatees were also enjoying the day. Not quite 90 degrees yet but I guess this is as good as it gets.

My timing is a bit off, though, as I slept later than usual this morning. I missed most of the morning news program I enjoy, but during the night, I remember seeing the news break that the Muslim terrorist was killed in Yemen. I wonder which card he was in the Most Wanted deck…

As I was lying in my bed last evening, watching TV and listening to my radio program, I heard something else. Yes, the familiar sound of water, the moving kind and not from outside. I went in search of the sound, and heard it best in the guest bathroom as well as in the kitchen. From above…I sent both Travis and Jessica a text message asking them if they had water running or could hear it. Travis got back to me to say he could hear it, thought it was coming from above. Again, the empty unit! Ah! He was going to check the baby’s room after Fletcher woke up, where, I, of course, would have torn wildly into the room to find the source.

Sometime later, as I paced mentally and sometimes physically, Jessica sent me text message asking what I wanted earlier. I filled her in on my concern and she investigated, finding that the chain inside the toilet was tangled, and hence, the water sound. I am like a dog with this hearing water thing! Travis had trouble determining the problem but she pitched in to get it resolved. Now, I can sleep, at nearly 2:00 a.m.. So sleeping later this morning was not unexpected.

After Bible study yesterday, where we celebrated my friend, Ed’s, birthday with cherry turnovers (yes, Mom, your favorite!), I headed to Palm Coast for Marian’s memorial service. I wanted to make sure I arrived in plenty of time, allowing for a nice visit with Bonnie F., my friend formerly at Victory. She is the secretary at Christ the King now, totally running the show, as I knew she would. The last time I saw her was at the Worship Conference and we did not get to say good-bye when we left. We made up for it on Thursday.

I did get to spend time with the pastor, too, such a nice guy. He went in and played the piano while waiting for folks to arrive, thinking it would be any minute. Well, that didn’t happen, as I got a message from Justin telling me they were running late. He was a passenger so it was out of his control. He also asked me if Bonnie would be there so he could hug on her. She loved that!

When they did eventually arrive, he immediately hugged Bonnie, and then me! Some of the folks got lost coming from Orange Park, since they were not familiar. I went to sit in the church, sanctuary, waiting to begin, while everyone else mingled in the narthex. Justin came in where I was and I showed him around. He couldn’t figure out why the baptismal font is basically in the rear of the sanctuary, wondering if they dragged it forward when there was a baptism. I had watched one of the video-casts when a baptism took place and the congregation stood and turned toward the ‘baptistery’. Sharon was placed in the church to sit down as her knees were hurting so I sat with her and read her the Bible passages from the service folder while we waited.

Tina was late in arriving, bearing the urn/box of her mother’s ashes and a photograph for display. Pastor got out some nice wood columns for them to be placed next to the Paschal candle. He asked her if we were waiting for anyone else and she said, “No” at first, forgetting her husband and mother-in-law were still coming. About 20 minutes or so late, we began the service, which included no music or singing. This made me sad, but as Pastor assured me, he was able to make the service quite meaningful for all in attendance. And he did. We had 18 people, one of whom was a friend of Christina’s. I was able to listen once more to the service as it was posted on the church’s website last night already. This link was forwarded to some folks ‘back home’ whom I knew would like to hear it.

The rest of the family went over to Tina’s house for a luncheon and gathering, I believe the first time that Harv, Barb, John, and Mona would have been there. Not sure about Nancy or Sharon, though, but it might have been their first visit as well. I went home, after chatting some more with pastor, Bonnie, and meeting the new father, Vicar Hoff. He has a newborn at home, and his baptism is this Sunday. I will get to watch, from my home! As Bonnie and I enthusiastically discussed our time at the Worship Conference, Pastor teased to the vicar, saying, “Listen to these worship gurus…!” I told him about the danger of having a little bit of knowledge, and I am quite dangerous!!!!

My dear friend, Judy R., and I have been planning to call each other, but didn’t get to it, as we need time set aside for calls such as these. Since I had an hour car ride home, I called her, but had to leave a message on the machine. Rats! Later, when I was at home, my phone rang, showing me Judy was calling. It turned out that she had some time and decided to call me, and when she went to get the phone, saw that I had called her. Cool beans!

She was excited about attending a seminar for church librarians and got to hear Prof. Daniel Deutschlander speak. She asked if I heard him yet and I told her how I was going to pick him up from the airport for the pastor’s conference a year ago, but my car was acting up. Didn’t want to strand the keynote speaker on the side of the road, right? I told her I have the book, The Theology of the Cross, and she said that was what he used for his lecture. She bought the book and is braced to get into it. He admits the first couple chapters are slow going, and that’s as far as I have gotten. Guess I have to pull it out and get going again. I will be a Deutschlander guru, too!

Before we hung up, she told me how glad she was to see that the publishing house brought back her ‘absolutely most favorite of all’ book of prayers, for those dealing with stress. She used to have several copies and has given them to folks who had a need of them. Now she can restock her supply. Like the dear, dear friend she is, as I drove to meet Martie for dinner, Judy read me several of her favorite prayers, including one which brought me to her mind, dealing with grief. I have just the best friends, that’s all there is to it!

It was that type of day...

"Hold thou thy cross before my closing eyes;

shine through the gloom and point me to the skies.

Heavens' morning breaks and earths vain shadows flee;

in life, in death, O Lord, abide with me."

This is nuts!

In catching up with the radio programs today, it is ridiculous to hear the reports and clips of the people being lead in chanting, protesting something about which they have no clue. One group of repeaters even chanted back ‘thank you all for coming out today…” not even realizing the ‘indoctrination portion of the meeting had ended. The protestors at Wall Street, when asked, according to some, knew they were there to protest something but were not clear exactly what. One pathetic graduate student played for the cameras, simulated sobbing over Chase Bank taking back his parent’s house, stopping mid-sob to properly spell his name for the reporters, and then crying again. Upon further investigation, it turned out his parents, both with extended degrees and employed, actually are selling their home in a short-sale. Street theater at its finest, or at its worst, as the case might be.

*****

Well, sadly, Justin was unable to join us for Trivia last night as he was kept longer helping his father get some things ready for visiting houseguests from WI. The origin plan was that he would have been done in time, come over here to take a shower and change clothes before going to Trivia. He expressed some concern about getting everything done today, besides working with the lawn guy, and I hope he did without getting an ulcer. Justin called me Tuesday while driving back from a jobsite to tell me about a lovely neighborhood with condos and townhouses. He is always thinking of me in that regard, but he agreed the neighborhood is too far off the beaten path for me. Cannot cramp my style by isolating myself, but it’s cool, anyway.

At first, when he gave me a quick call to tell me he couldn’t make it, I thought I might stay home, too, but changed my mind. Last week I was not able to visit with Stephanie or the others because of having two teams so I decided I would go to chat with my friends. What fun we had! Somehow or another we squeaked out a nice 2^nd place victory. On the one hand, there were fewer teams playing, and on the other hand, we had less competition. Nice!

Every one of us brought something to the game last night, and the host told us, to comfort us, that no one got the final question correct. Not even the sports DJs we were up against got the sports question right----whew! I do know this---if Justin had been there, he would have known the answer to the Greek mythology question. Oh well….He won’t be there next week either because he has to babysit for his soon-to-be stepsister. My frequent diner’s card from Johnny Angels is full so my meal next week is on them!

Today I got a delayed phone message from my friend, Cindy, who called me as I drove home from Trivia. Since I was talking with Mom, her call must have gone to the machine, and got lost in outer space until today. Anyway, she was right behind on I-295, and said I was her guiding light on her way home. That was so nice! She also thanked me again for directing a family from church to buy her daughter’s car. So glad it worked out for them all.

Another call, or rather, message came later than it was left, and this was after I had reset my phone because it was acting strangely. Apparently it was choking on phone messages!

We are expecting a cooling trend this weekend, but Friday is still looking to be in the low 90’s. I wish the weather would stay nice while the in-laws are in town, although they will likely think that 79 IS nice weather. For me, an extra blanket might be needed---well, not quite but it will certainly feel quite different. The biggest difference we Floridians will notice is the decreased humidity which has been extraordinarily high in these recent weeks. Perhaps then I will be able to close the door to my laundry room---the door is so swollen that it is now too large to fit the opening!

Today I had lunch with my friend, Brenda N., at Steak ‘n Shake, next door to her work. She teased me for ordering the single slider burger instead of the larger one that comes with the special. She usually orders a turkey club sandwich which is quite a good-sized serving, made on Texas toast. I do like the fries there and ate every bit of my meal. She recently lost a dear friend to a traffic accident in the Bahamas and she filled me in on the details, etc. Annie’s car was hit two blocks from home, broadsided by a police car which was going ‘at a high rate of speed’. That’s how quickly things can change. Her friend was active in her church at Freeport, an Episcopal one, and will be truly missed there, and by Brenda, here.

After lunch, I took my car in for an oil change and asked the man if there was a way they can check the power in my battery. Some times when I start my car, it acts as though it has to think about it first, and then decides to start it. This concerned me, as I remember how Justin's car just quit running that night on the way home from Trivia and had to be towed off JTB. Scary! And I don't want that happening to me. Therefore, besides fresh oil and other fluids, I have a new battery to power me down the road, with some confidence. The technician promised me the car would pop right off with every start, and it did just that when I started it tonight. Yay!

Flowers!

My friend, Diane, who also invests for me, came over last night and brought me a wonderful bouquet of flowers. She is just a dream of a friend and we always have so much to talk about when together, not the least of which is my finances. Two hours flew by far too quickly and I hated to say good-bye when the time came. Enjoy my flowers with me!