Sunday, July 31, 2011

WALK? OR RIDE? WAYS TO ENTERTAIN YOUR DOG


This is Willie Dog Pratt. He's my 12 year old golden retriever with a summer haircut. He's a very young 12, you wouldn't know he was that old except for his white face. I got him from a rescue organization in 2007. He's been a great dog. Willie and I go for a walk every morning. Sometimes it's just up and down the cul de sacs in our neighborhood for 30 minutes, other times we walk on the nature trail, and some days we go to the park with a lake and ducks. There are a lot of distractions there though, so I don't head that way often. We stay healthy by walking, walking, walking.

The neighbors directly behind us have two golden retrievers and a bernese mountain dog. For those of you unfamilier with that breed, they're a gorgeous dog and can weigh up to 120 pounds. I never see these dogs being taken out for a walk. Instead, the neighbor lady loads the three up into the car, opens the windows (each dog gets a window) and slowly drives them around the neighborhood and out onto the main street. I think she drives around a large block making only right turns, and isn't gone long.

I laugh every time I see her big gray car going slowly through the neighborhood, each dog's head hanging out a window. I do feel badly for the dogs. They're big, working dogs and should be out getting exercise. One day I walked by with Willie and the neighbors grandchildren were in the front yard. They asked to pet Willie so I stopped. Son the neighbors came out and we talked about our dogs. They were surprised Willie was as old as he is, and I told them I attributed it to his regular exercise. They said one of their goldens was terribly arthritic and it was hard for him to walk. I saw them one time after that, walking one of their goldens. That was the only time.

I think my choice is the better way to go.

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

HOMELESS IN THE OC

Each day, I drive by numerous homeless, or supposedly homeless folks on my way to and from work or play. Fullerton, California is a good place to be homeless. On the coldest nights, it isn't very cold. There's a park nearby in Anaheim that has become a home base for many homeless folks. They stand on the major street corners, near the freeway on and off ramps, with their cardboard signs claiming they are homeless, out of work, disabled vets, trying to feed children, needing just a few dollars to carry them over, hungry, etc........ Yes, I'm one of those people that hand my money out the window of the car. I always have and I always will. A little voice in my head says, "There but for the grace of God goes I." I think that voice is my Grandma Grace's. She always helped those that were down and out.

I'm not naive. I know some of those folks are scammers, and some others could get a job if they really tried. I also know there are mentally ill folks out there, too. But it isn't up to me to sort them out.

I want to know their stories. I would love to sit down and talk to them, one at a time, and really find out why they're there, living in the park on La Palma in Anaheim, and "working" at the 91 Fwy. and Lemon and Harbor Blvds. I'm considering taking a notebook, and a few $10.00 bills and striking up conversations.

The truth is, people love to talk if they know someone is truly interested in them and willing to listen. I'm truly interested and willing to listen. I'm a good listener. I've been told that a lot. I listen, keep secrets, and I don't judge. I just listen. Maybe I'll do it.

Monday, July 25, 2011

Personal thank you to my Doctor



It was all in a day's work

To her

Snipping the diseased part

Of my body



Little did she know

The change

Her day's work would make

On my life



I'd become imprisoned

Caged

Unable to live life as I'd

Known it



Chained to my home

The bathroom

Unable to do what

I wanted



She assured me she could do it

She'd done many on her own

She had no doubts

Neither did I



Here I am fifteen years later

Able to live

To  do

To create

To enjoy

To travel the world

To help others in need



I hope she stops every now and then

And knows

The impact she's had

On me.

Sunday, July 24, 2011

Boomers and Jerry Springer: The Opera

I bought tickets to the Chance Theater at a silent auction for the last three plays in the 2011 season. The first one was JERRY SPRINGER: THE OPERA. I enlisted the hubby to go, and asked Tom and Amy if they would like to go, too. Amy said yes so I got two more ticket to the Sunday matinee. We planned to meet Scott and Georgia, our friends and honorary producers of the play for dinner following.

I, having watched a Jerry Springer show or two in my lifetime, kind of knew what to expect...or thought I knew. Amy and I sat next to each other, and the guys sat next to each other. It's sort of a boomer thing. Don't ask. Anyway, the show started out in typical Jerry Springer fashion. The air was blue with foul language. Dysfunctional folks were on stage. The first skits were the "I have a secret" type. There was the usual "I want to be a pole dancer", "I'm having an affair with your best friend AND with a transexual at the same time, but I still love you and want us to be together", but the final skit was a little over the top. A handsome young man and a pretty young woman, very obviously in love, come out and the handsome young man reveals his secret. It seems he wants to be the "BABY" in the relationship...literally. He wants to suck on a pacifier, wear diapers, poop his pants, and have them changed by his fiance. EWWWW! Up until now, Amy and I are yucking it up, finding the whole thing pretty funny. It was then I noticed "hubby" and Tom weren't laughing very much. Intermission came and I found out just how much they were offended.

I don't know about me. I suppose I should have been more offended than I was. It seems as I get older, I'm less offended than when I was younger. I thought it was a hoot. Oh well. What do I know.

Scott and Georgia met us for dinner, having already seen the play twice. They greeted us with, "Are you guys still speaking to us?"

Friday, July 22, 2011

I FORGOT WHAT I WAS GOING TO POST!

Oh yeah, now I remember. A big problem with us boomers is that we can't remember from moment to moment. I've been out of town for a week. My husband was gone for four days. We missed our friends, so today I called Amy to see if she and Tom wanted to meet at the Harbor Mexican Cafe for dinner. She said "sure, we'll meet you there at 6:30". Later I received a message from Amy saying that SHE'D FORGOTTEN that she'd made arrangements with her girlfriends for dinner tonight and she'd have to cancel our dinner. Even later, my husband (he who must remain anonymous), talked with Tom who was surprised we'd even thought about having dinner at the Harbor Mexican Cafe. He thought the Harbor Mexican Cafe had closed two weeks ago. Funny thing...it had...then it reopened...then it closed again...now it's open again for real! I had sent Tom emails providing him with updates during the crisis, but HE FORGOT. Anyway, my husband and I had dinner. I had meant to call the Tom and Darlene to see if they were available, but I FORGOT! Just as well. My husband ate, almost fell asleep during dinner, and now he's snoozing in the recliner chair while I'm typing
away. However, I forgot why I was posting. I think it had something to do with my new hobby, painting. But maybe it had something to do with my 99 cent books on Amazon.

Also, I sent a picture to post, but I FORGOT HOW TO DO IT!

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

TEHAMA GRACE: HOME AGAIN, BOOMER STYLE


My son, Bill and I just returned from a week visiting Tehama Grace country. My mother, brothers, nephew, niece, her husband, and her children live in the area around where Tehama Grace was set. Bill and I had a great little vacation. Along with seeing all the family, we visited Sutter Buttes, the ranch country around Elk Creek, the Sundial Bridge in Redding, Mount Lassen Park (thank you brother Larry for arranging the road to open through the park the day before we all took our tour). We also made a few trips to Chico, California, one of my favorite places. We ate at Madison Bear Gardens, bought fruits and vegetables at the Thursday night street fair, and Bill visited the Sierra Nevada brewery several times!

Driving home, it occurred to me that going to Orland, Chico, Vina, Elk Creek, reminded me of my childhood in Iowa. I love the peace and quiet, the farmland, animals in pastures, birds singing, and sitting on the front porch in the evening petting the front porch kitty. It soothes my soul.

Interesting boomer aside...I purchased my cemetery plot while there. I know, I know, kind of creepy, but the cemetery is almost sold out. It's on a small hill, outside of Orland, California, and overlooks pastureland filled with cattle. Stony Creek bubbles slowly by. As a girl, I visited my Uncle Tom and Aunt Grace when they lived in Orland, before my parents moved there. I rode horses over that land, swam in Stony Creek, and dreamed of my future. My Dad is already buried in Graves' Cemetery. So is Uncle Tom and Aunt Grace.

On a lighter note...TEHAMA GRACE is now available as a 99 cent ebook from Amazon.com. I hope you enjoy it. This book is appropriate for all ages. Remember, you can download the Amazon Kindle application onto your computer, smart phone, ipad, and multiple other devices FOR FREE. And my books are all just 99 cents! Such a deal! (Except for Let Them Eat Cake, which is still under contract with the original publisher. It's worth the money, though. Good book if I do say so myself!)