Is Anything Made In America Anymore?

Is there really much of anything that we consume that is still being made in America? Very little, I assure you. If you don't believe me, then go check out the labels on the majority of your clothing. China. India. Thailand. Mexico. Canada. Indonesia.


I was recently surprised to find that the potato flakes and potato powder we consume in this country is 90% from foreign countries like China and India. What? I thought it just couldn't be true. What the Hell is wrong with this country and those who make such decisions? Are we incapable of sustaining ourselves? When I think about China and all of its injustices, it makes me want to puke. Seriously. And yet, I cannot seem to get away from anything made by them.


Has our country really come to this? I spent a couple of days going around the house trying to find something made in America. Of the few items I found, I discovered the majority of those companies are now defunct. Yes. How sad is that?  They couldn't pay their taxes was the most common reason, along with bankruptcy for various reasons. Am I the only one confused by this?


We have a higher unemployment rate nationally than ever and yet, nearly everything we consume is made elsewhere. Am I the only one that sees something wrong with this picture?

There are plenty who will disagree and say that it's mainly decorative items that come from other countries. I beg to differ. Many of the packaged foods and spices we eat are from China as well. I bought a large container of peeled garlic for making my chow-chow and hot sauce and was shocked to see the Made In China sticker on the container. As are most of the toys your children play with. How about batteries that we use every day? China, mostly. My Olympus digital camera? Indonesia. I realize that this country must do a certain amount of trade, but it seems to me that it's gotten out of hand.

Yes, there are many things still made in America, but they don't come cheap. So, the upshot of this whole deal is that as Americans we want to pay less for more. Unless you don't worry about the price you pay for something, you'll probably have mostly made in China items. As consumers, I believe that we are the ones who ultimately brought this whole thing to be. Since we wanted better prices for basically everything, companies have sought workers in other countries because they are willing to work for less than the average American on minimum wage pay.

So, if America's minimum wage workers want to work for less, perhaps there is a light for them at the end of the tunnel. However, I highly doubt those companies will come back to the U.S. because they know they can't get workers for so cheap. Sooooo... would you rather be out of work making nothing or would you rather work at a lower rate? Those are the choices.

Today we pay as much for a car as a huge custom built home cost when I was young. Everything in this country has risen in cost and it's going to end up costing us a lot more than just our hard earned dollars. If we don't learn how to live on less, it will soon be so out of control that only the very elite will be able to afford anything actually made in America. And if you really want to live cheaply, then you might want to consider moving to another country...

Where Oh Where Has My Wind Chime Gone?

So, I was out watering the few plants still outside this morning and noticed that one of my wind chimes is missing. It's not really one of my favorites, but a golf gal pal made it for me (it's actually the ugliest one I have) so I've been looking around to see if it had fallen to the ground somewhere. That tends to happen a lot when the West Texas winds really get going. You never know where things left outside might end up. Why, they might even end up in Lamesa which is 45 miles west of here, then again it might just blow back into town the next time the wind blows. That's how crazy it can get out here during high winds. Being the true flatlands, there is just nothing to break the wind (a little play on words there).... like hills, mountains, valleys, rivers, whatever.



Anyway, I was about to give up my search when I just happened to look up at a plane that was flying overhead and there it was in all its sad glory, hanging from the limb of a Live Oak tree. Apparently, the wind had been blowing hard enough to swing the odd, crudely made wind chime from its original hook, defying gravity and wrapping several times around the tree limb. Just another oddity in what I call my daily life.





Oh, and did I mention that after 24 years of having a Shake (wood shingle) roof, we changed to a composite when we got the new roof several months ago? Now, the Live Oaks dropping acorns on the roof sounds like World War III is going on outside. It never dawned on me that there would be such a difference, but it IS LOUD! Of course, Mr. Snoots is mostly deaf, so he thinks I'm nuts since he can't hear it. *Sigh...*

And did I ever mention how much I HATE Live Oaks? They do nothing but shed leaves and acorns and it's a constant mess to clean up. When we eventually move, I don't ever want to see another Live Oak. I might not even want to see another tree. Period. Ever.



Frankly, this is only fueling the fire inside me that I need in order to get this house ready for putting on the market. Although a gargantuan project, I now have a huge fire in my belly to get the Hell out of here....

Lady Bird Johnson... What She Did For Texas And National Highways

There is nothing I love more than driving down to the Hill Country of Texas during any time of year, but particularly so during the spring and fall months. The main reason is for the breathtaking color you experience there, with Bluebonnets and thousands of other wildflowers. As a matter of fact, you'll find wildflowers lining the highways that cross this great nation, thanks to the widow of Lyndon Baines Johnson, our 36th President of The United States.

Upon their retirement, the Johnsons returned to Texas, living in their ranch house in Stonewall, not far from Austin. The former First Lady immediately involved herself in her community. She led the Austin Town Lake Beautification Project, a local effort to create long trails for residents who wanted to walk, hike and bicycle along the Colorado River there, and to plant flowering trees along the path. This continues to be the most popular running spot in Austin, to date. She encouraged similar activity around the state, establishing the Texas Highway Beautification Awards. She not only hosted the annual award ceremony but handed out checks from her personal account to the winners.

Understanding her place in history, she also began the task of editing what would become her memoirs, A White House Diary (1971), drawn from the hundreds of hours of her daily taped recollections as First Lady. In December 1972, the Johnsons deeded their ranch house and property to the National Park Service. As other presidential couples had also arranged for, they maintained the right to live there for life. Ironically, Lyndon Johnson died of a sudden heart attack just a month later. In time, Mrs. Johnson would serve as the honorary chair of the LBJ Memorial Grove. Located along the Potomac River in Washington, D.C., the park borders the one named for her.


Lady Bird Johnson, while she was still alive, became a living legend in Texas as well as in Washington D.C. Her greatest legacy was her Beautification Act of 1965 (AKA: Lady Bird's Bill). Her vision was to protect every single species of wildflower throughout North America and her success went far beyond mere beautification. She grew up loving the outdoors and the beauty of natural plant life in a town located on the Louisiana-Texas border. As First Lady, she made it her mission to protect and preserve the native plant life all over America, not just in her native Texas.

Lady Bird always worried that the word beautification would not command the attention her pet project deserved, but she proved herself to be a major mover and shaker in a world of mostly male politicians. When she set her mind to it, she always got what she wanted. The result has been the beautiful highways of America and the wildflowers that adorn them each year in the spring and fall.

I'm not sure if the policy extends to other states, but here in Texas there is a wildflower seed exchange that goes on by the Department of Highways, throughout the state. After mowing the sides of highways, each county sends their seeds to all the other counties, for distribution along those same highways. Eventually, it will be gorgeous all over Texas wherever they have had rain the previous year. Rain of course, is the prerequisite here.

Prompted by her concern that native plants and indigenous wildflowers were rapidly disappearing from the American landscape, on her 70th birthday in 1982, Lady Bird Johnson created the nonprofit National Wildflower Research Center. She made a personal donation of sixty acres of land near Austin, and $125,000; matching gifts flooded in, establishing a $700,000 endowment and the center opened the following year. She served as chairman of the board of directors. In 1988, Lady Bird Johnson co-authored with Carlton Lees the book, Wildflowers across America, donating all proceeds to the center. In 1992, to mark her 80th birthday, the LBJ Foundation Board of Directors created the Lady Bird Johnson Conservation Award. In 1995 the center expanded into a new forty-two-acre facility. In 1998, the center's board unanimously decided to rename it the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.


Death
11 July 2007, her Austin home. At 94, she lived longer than any other First Lady except Bess Truman. She is buried on the ranch next to her beloved husband, Lyndon Baines Johnson.


If you ever get a chance to go to Austin, don't miss going to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Research Center. And, if you go in the Spring, you'll also be able to experience the breathtaking views of acres and acres of Bluebonnets along Texas highways. You'll be so thrilled that you did.

I'm In The Throes Of My Yearly Canning Project.... During The Best Golf Week Of The Year

As anyone who reads this blog already knows, I usually have a garden every year, from which I *can* (even though it's a jar) various items to give as Christmas presents. However, since the fox family was just so adorable this last summer, as many of you know, I canceled planting this year in lieu of enjoying the fox pups grow and play. I can honestly say that it was worth it. I see Felicia occasionally now sitting in a warm spot on the cinder block fence, hidden by the overgrown trumpet vine. She seems serene by herself but also lonely in a way.

So, I wasn't even counting on doing much canning this year aside from the hot sauce I made and entered in the Austin Hot Sauce Festival at the end of August. Frankly, I'm growing weary of it after 26 years, even though I have always loved doing it. You can imagine my horror delight when I opened the front door last weekend to find a huge bag of green tomatoes.

Hmmmm.... It was obviously left by a fan of my Chow-Chow, right? So, I spent a couple of days going around to farmers markets buying the other veggies I needed for Chow-Chow and finally got down to business on Wednesday. Unfortunately, I realized that I'd forgotten to buy sugar, so back to the store I went. Thankfully, I remembered that I needed more jars while I was there. Before I made it to the check out I remembered that I also need more canning salt. At this point I was thinking that my brain is functioning just fine, thank you very much.

I then decided that if I was going to be making the Chow-Chow anyway, I might as well make more hot sauce so that all of our Christmas gift recipients can have one of each, so off I went in search of the rest of the items I would need for that undertaking. Good. I was done, so I proceeded to the checkout, paid my money, and headed home.

I knew it was a full moon by the way people were driving... You know. Like they were in a dream or on the FREAKING CELL PHONE. Okay, they were on cell phones, most of them. One was just a complete moron who probably shouldn't even have a drivers license. It took forever for me to get home because everyone was acting like we were in a slow motion movie or a time warp. It was truly weird. They just passed a new law here that states you cannot talk on cell phones while in school zones. I saw countless people on their cell phones in school zones. What good is a law if it isn't enforced, right?

Just as I pull in the driveway I remember that I'd also needed to get more cilantro for the hot sauce and by this time I was getting annoyed as Hell with myself. I promptly turned around, cursing under my breath and headed once again to the store. I went in, got the damn cilantro and headed back home, which proved to be amazingly uneventful.

Needless to say, I got off to a rather slow start, considering my failing *gathering skills*, but picked up steam later on. I've now gotten several cases of Chow-Chow finished as well as two more cases of hot sauce, with only one more case of each to go. I'm hoping to get that finished up Monday. Then I can slap the labels I made on the jars and be done with it.

So, I'm a bit absent during this. However, I am still posting once per day, as promised. Is November almost over yet?

Swearing Makes You Feel Less Pain.... Music To My Ears

That muttered curse word that reflexively comes out when you stub your toe could actually make it easier to bear the throbbing pain, a new study suggests.

Swearing is a common response to pain, but no previous research has connected the uttering of an expletive to the actual physical experience of pain.

"Swearing has been around for centuries and is an almost universal human linguistic phenomenon," said Richard Stephens of Keele University in England and one of the authors of the new study. "It taps into emotional brain centers and appears to arise in the right brain, whereas most language production occurs in the left cerebral hemisphere of the brain."

Stephens and his fellow Keele researchers John Atkins and Andrew Kingston sought to test how swearing would affect an individual's tolerance to pain.


Because swearing often has an exaggerating effect that can overstate the severity of pain, the team thought that swearing would lessen a person's tolerance.

As it turned out, the opposite seems to be true.

The researchers enlisted 64 undergraduate volunteers and had them submerge their hand in a tub of ice water for as long as possible while repeating a swear word of their choice.

The experiment was then repeated with the volunteer repeating a more common word that they would use to describe a table.

Contrary to what the researcher expected, the volunteers kept their hands submerged longer while repeating the swear word.

The researchers think that the increase in pain tolerance occurs because swearing triggers the body's natural "fight-or-flight" response.


Who knew?

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,...est=latestnews

The FLDS Splinter Sect Is Back In The News With A Child Abuse Suit... Time For Another Rant From Snooty

Of course, we knew it would happen again, eventually. A 38 year old male sect member. Raymond Jessop, of the splinter FLDS group here in West Texas is on trial for child sexual abuse (married to a 15 year old girl who bore his child). That, my friends, spells child abuse. Furthermore, it was learned in court recently that the girl had been *reassigned* to him from his brother, so she had clearly been *trouble* for the sect from the start. Testimony today was pretty earth shattering for residents at the Yearning For Zion Ranch, as if they thought this day would never come.

Not only were sexual abuse allegations confirmed by the testimony of a former female member, but illegal accounting was being done as well. We all know they are responsible for a great portion of the welfare scams to date. Since the many wives of one man can't be legally married to him, the women file for welfare and food stamps. They've been quietly bilking the welfare system for quite some time. The time for it to all stop is long past due, don't you agree?

The Salt Lake Tribune has been covering the process of the trial with great interest and offering blow by blow coverage, which you can find online HERE.

One of the saddest aspects of all this is obviously, the children. But, it also casts a shadow on the Church of Latter Day Saints, who have absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with any of the fundamentalist splinter sects. Nor do they support them in any way. So get that straight right now. I think most Mormons are more horrified by all this than I am.

Somehow these fundamentalists were able to basically fly under the radar for far too long and I'm always satisfied to see one of these men getting their comeuppance. I do hope they enjoy their prison sentences and may they be rewarded for their efforts while in residence there...

This next part in bold is what I wrote when all of this first started, back during the week of May 23, 2008: 


I was sickened to the point of nausea upon hearing tonight's news about the Third Court of Appeals Judge in Austin who ruled that all of the authorities involved in removing the children from the compound, did so without proven cause. Which means children and mothers will be returning to their cozy little (ahem!) inbred homes.


Am I missing something here? Is it not illegal in this day and age to practice polygamy? Since when did it once again become acceptable for very young girls to marry and have sex with a much older man who already has a harem of wives? Are we actually spinning back in time? This whole disgusting situation gives one pause to ponder. Oooops! Silly me. It's all under the umbrella of Freedom of Religion. Hmm... I wish that made me feel better about all of this, but it fails to do so. You know, I've seen these women and their children at the local grocery stores from time to time, but never had any idea this is the kind of regime they live under.



I mean you can call me crazy or blind if you'd like, but has anyone ever noticed how much all of those people look alike? Hello. There's a valid reason for that. Uh-Huh. It makes me remember back when HBO had their series Big Love on for a couple of seasons. Honestly, I watched it out of morbid fascination and got hooked. Because I thought it was just TV, as usual. Huh-Uh. Nope, it depicted these people on a very realistic level, especially after what I've seen in the news.


The inbreeding is obvious, even if they had not all been dressed alike with the same hairdos. (That alone is so creepy it makes my skin crawl.) The men don't all look the same or dress the same. Which leads me to believe that their whole lame system is based on degrading women and reducing them to nothing, in order to control them. Clothing as control. No individuality as control. Taking new wives as control. Being *reassigned* to another husband as control. Constant pregnancies from the early teens as control. Making them work like horses as control. No personal money as control. The list goes on Brothers and Sisters. The list goes on.

On one episode of Big Love I recall hearing Mary Kay Place's character trying to explain to one of the other wives' children how everyone was related and I have to give her a ^5(high five) for even remembering the lines for her character. The top of my head was on the floor trying to recover. It was mystifying, really, because the list was long. Unbelievably. Long. But this is merely *small stuff* compared to the real life version of the story.


Next, we have the massive amounts of money this sect has acquired by collecting welfare aid from the government. Those would be our hard earned dollars at work, Ladies & Gentlemen. Are you feeling warm & fuzzy about this yet? In Arizona alone, last year $8,000,000.00 was received in aid for these unwed mothers and is referred to by cult insiders as "Bleeding the Beast" which is primarily bleeding the U.S. Government of as much money and aid as they possibly can. It is in their doctrine. They even consider this act to be virtuous and that it is owed to them by the government for the past injustice of making laws against polygamy. Well, D-U-H. Polygamy was the practice of unenlightened, uneducated, ignorant and uncouth people. It is so difficult to believe that this kind of archaic practice is even in existence in this day and age. That is why it changed in this country. It is wrong, whether disguised as a religion or not. Old men having sex with 13 year old girls is wrong, is it not? Don't answer because it doesn't matter. I. Think. It's. Wrong.


I remember Dateline doing several pieces in a series on catching child predators. Old men who met what they thought were young girls, over the internet, came to a house to meet them and they each got busted on TV as well as by the law enforcement officers. I must admit that I cannot see a difference here. Dirty Old Men and Young Girls. Same difference.


Old Men. Young Girls. NoNoNoNoNoNo!! A Million Times No. Oh, wait! I forgot that they are protected under the Freedom of Religion part of the First Amendment. Now, I've carefully studied the First Amendment and I cannot find the place where it says it's okay to have multiple wives (ie: a harem) and have sex with underage girls, making them pregnant with their own nephew or niece. I almost forgot that our Forefathers had no earthly idea that such injustices would come to be, through their efforts to create a free country. Trust me when I say that today there were corpses turning over in their graves, all over the country. The corpses of the great men who founded this great country, with some of them giving their lives in order for us to have such freedoms. If they were alive to speak as to the true meaning of the First Ammendment today, they would be horribly shocked & ashamed by what has happened to such an important thing as the original intent of this document, that took them so long to complete with such insight & precision.


So, what part of all this am I not understanding? I challenge anyone to help me understand this entire train wreck, because I know you can't. I know you can't because it is wrong and deep down inside, those people know it. You know it. I know it. It. Is. Wrong. Period.


I am a huge believer in the First Amendment rights, but NOT when it involves children having sex with old men and having babies out of wedlock who also bilk our government out of millions of dollars every year. Perhaps I am, indeed, not the brightest crayola in the box, but I don't get it. I don't care if it is doctrine taught from birth or not. I don't care that they say it is their religion. That's merely a manipulation of words. Plain and Simple.


So, the upshot of this post is that I think that Third Appeals Court Judge had a good long look at the entirety of this situation and, realizing the overwhelming aspects of trying to sort out such a gargantuan mess, decided that it was better to just let them go back and inbreed together until it kills them all. If that is truly the case, then she copped out and took the easy road. I applaud her for bailing in the face of something concerning human decency. What a wimp!



Otherwise, I just want to say Shame on that Third Court of Appeals Judge in Austin. I mean, what's next? That it's okay to have sex with animals in public? I'm certain that you could find a good argument for that as well, huh? Surely there is some little hole somewhere in a document, that you will find. Maybe next you can free serial killers from jail. Sounds like it's right up your alley. Which I hope they find their way to.


Oh Dear. It seems I have have gone off on yet another rant. Oh well. Deal with it.



If you would like to read the Supreme Court of Texas ruling, you can go HERE. If you want to read my second post about this subject, you can find that HERE. Also, I nearly croaked when I discovered this FLDS web site. 

A Movie That Shouldn't Be Missed.... How About You

If you've been reading this blog for a while you know of my fondness for British movies. I can't seem to get enough of them and I love their humor.


Last night I had the great fortune to be searching for something to watch when I stumbled across the most delightful British film called How About You. Ten minutes into the movie I was wondering what I was thinking when I decided to watch it, but I continued and I'm so thrilled that I did.


As it turns out, it's just my kind of movie and had I turned the channel in search of something better I might have missed this deliciously charming movie. It has an outstanding cast of brilliant English actors including Joss Ackland, Vanessa Redgrave, Brenda Fricker and Imelda Staunton (of Harry Potter fame). But, the real star is the young woman who comes to care for this eccentric group of strangers who just happen to all live in the same house, Hayley Atwell. She's an up and coming actress who is sure to rise to fame, so I'll be keeping my eye on her.


This movie will not only give you an insight to aging and the elderly, but to your own aging issues as well. It's a beautifully written story and it's beautifully portrayed by some of the best in the business. It will warm your heart unless your heart is unable to be heated.


It's never too late to learn how to love life and living....

You can see a video teaser to this movie HERE. Trust me when I say you won't be disappointed. Out of 5 stars, I give this movie 3-1/2 stars...

Fred And Bessie (The Bevos) Have Made Another Appearance At My House....

Yes, it's true. Just when I'd almost forgotten about my bovine friends, I received a package from Fred and Bessie! Apparently, they are alive and well in Oklahoma with my blog friend Flea, which is where they originated. They sent me these wonderful Christmas  note cards with their picture on the front (because they are stars, you know).




While here, they discovered that they actually liked Mexican hot sauce. A lot. They also liked Mexican beer. Naughty cows.





I had the most wonderful time when they came to visit me last year, even though I was responsible for them getting inebriated, getting arrested and thrown in jail, and allowed them to golf cart surf.  Hey, they survived. And Fred's bandage was from his trip to England to visit Jeri over at In The Gutter.





Admittedly, I threw caution to the wind while they were visiting and those two crazy bevos had the time of their lives, I tell you. Of course, they had a hangover or two (which my *cleansing cocktails* cured), but they were still ready to get up and go somewhere, every day during their stay with me. What troopers they were!






Fred and Bessie loved the golf course and thought they could stay there and graze forever, but time marches on and they finally had to be on their merry way to the next recipient.





I had to send Fred and Bessie on with a LOT of baggage, I assure you.



When I had been in San Antonio a week or two before their visit, I bought them some souvenirs, which they loved! Then, we went one day to have lunch with Janie (of Sounding Forth) and she brought them even more souvenirs.


I bought all things from Mexico and Janie had gotten all Texas things, so it was perfect!








I love having guests visit, especially Fred and Bessie. I was so sad to see them go, as was our crazy cat, Trouble. She was depressed for weeks after they left to visit someone new.




Anyway, I just want to thank those crazy cows Fred and Bessie as well as their master, Flea, for the lovely Christmas note cards!

You've Got To Stand For Something Or You'll Fall For Anything....

Country Western songs have the greatest titles, don't they? This is one of my favorites, although I can't really recall who it was that sang it. The first time I heard the song I knew that this would be something I would pass on to my children with great fervor, and I did. Or at least I think I did. I tried to anyway. I can tell you that both of my children are VERY opinionated and still alive, so I guess it worked to a certain point.

Still, I think it's a key issue in the education of one's children. Of course, you don't want to raise delicate little flowers and then send them out into the world to be eaten alive by all the greedy monsters out there. Therefore, one must, at a certain age of understanding, make one's children aware of the horrors dangers that lie beyond the securities of home. I'm not saying you have to traumatize them with tales of the world's evils or anything. I'm merely trying to say that you just can't shelter or protect them these days. Knowledge is power and if you're overprotective, you're not doing them any great favors. Children these days are much savvier about their world than we were at their age, and yet so naive in many other ways. I believe that they very often don't believe the images and stories they see on TV and in movies, so it's not real to them.

For instance... Do you remember playing *jacks* and *hop-scotch* in grade school? I don't think they even do that anymore, which is a shame. It seems as if everyone is just training their little future athletes, computer wizards or brainiacs these days, whether the child likes it or not. I can honestly say that I'm glad we spent summers doing nothing more than eating Popscicles, sweeping the driveway for a quarter, rescuing baby birds, catching fireflies at night, having water balloon fights against the guys and playing *Kick-The-Can* until our parents called us to come home, often followed by gentle threats to get us there. Those were times when we could actually allow our minds to rest from all the school work done during the other 9 months of the year.  It just seems like there is so much pressure on kids these days. It's a competitive world out there and they know it.

I remember a time when we still said the Pledge of Allegiance in school with shining pride in our country. Our teachers got a 3 month paid vacation every year, which made them work just that much harder during the school year. Those were times that we were still allowed to say prayers in school without persecution, detention or expulsion.

We had a music teacher that taught us all the important songs of patriotism and taught us to square dance (as if we were going to need that skill someday). How many kids can sing America The Beautiful and The National Anthem all the way through these days?



Of course, there was a lot of injustice in the world back then, but there still is. All we've done is trade off here and there for this and that, with nothing truly changing. If my generation succeeded at anything, it was to at least raise awareness of the injustices that were once swept under the rug.

The government is still trying to get all up in our business, demanding more taxes than ever, and trying to control more of our personal time. Women still don't make equivalent salaries to men (in the majority of cases) for doing the same jobs, and in most cases are still the main caregiver of the family. Women just work more than ever now. Children are still abused physically and sexually and often murdered. Automobiles are no safer than they have ever been. Crime continues to rise and there is only one commune left in America (thank goodness... that was never a very good idea). Wars still rage on and there is still an overabundance of hatred in the world.

Honestly, I'm beginning to think that my generation (yeah, the ones who burned our bras, wanted pot to be legalized and wanted peace in the world) are directly responsible for this. We didn't know what the Hell we were doing except when we protested against the Viet Nam War (okay, we didn't know then either). Otherwise, we were merely idealists and romanticists who had no real clue as to the effect our actions would have on the future, albeit ultimately not our original intentions. I'm only speaking for myself, of course. Then, we grew up and went on to live mostly productive lives while raising families. We conformed, really. How on earth did that happen?

The fact is that none of us has even an inkling as to what our future holds or the impact our actions will have on that very future. So, back to my title. You've got to stand for something or you'll fall for anything. In summation, it all boils down to the reality that we should always be careful what we stand for... for we will surely see it come to fruition.

Procrastinator Extraordinaire....

Has anyone noticed lately that I am... ummm... here? I do recall that I was going to spend all of my time getting the guest house and the main house ready to put on the market by Christmas. Hahahaha! What a pipe dream that was!

It suddenly turned colder approximately a whole month early this year. I've been forced to switch over my winter clothes a month early (Oh, the horror!) as well as spending the better part of the day preparing plants to come inside for the winter. None of the plants like to come indoors for the winter because they all know. They've obviously heard from their plant friends how I tend to neglect plants during the colder months, often allowing them to meet an untimely demise. They were so scared they were shaking. Really! Besides, I'm sure they have seen the dead carcasses of their plant friends when I have to toss them out in the spring.

That's not to say it won't be 85 degrees again anytime soon, because it will. It will probably be on Christmas Day, when we want warm weather about as much as a root canal. We haven't had a white Christmas since the children were teenagers which would make it approximately 8 or 10 years ago. Actually, I think there was a white Christmas the last time we went skiing for Christmas, but we were already gone so we missed it (which basically means it never happened).

So, not only is the weather hampering my progress around here but it's also preventing me from playing golf as well. And... what am I doing? I'm blogging away while watching my ass grow in size, realizing I'm not accomplishing much of anything at this point. I am, however, growing less fit by the day because I'd rather work on the guest house than get out in the cold and exercise. It wouldn't matter, really. I just hate to exercise or clean out anything. Oddly enough, I don't seem to be able to get much of anything done these days, which includes the main house, the guest house, scrap-booking or exercise. I am, however, caught up on my ironing which is nearly unheard of in my world.

While the guest house does have an air conditioner, it does not have a heater (that works anyway). It can get bitterly cold out there in that tiny space. I know. I'm just making excuses, aren't I? I seem to be doing everything I can to avoid doing that which I really need to be doing. Procrastinator extraordinaire. That's me. I suppose you could say I'm honing that particular skill. Not that it needed honing. I've been sharpening my procrastination skills since I could talk.

 I'm assuming that what I really need to do is work on those *cleaning out* skills that I claim to have....

Now That I've Got All This, What The Hell Am I Supposed To Do With It?

I'm probably making a huge mistake, but I decided to do the NaBloPoMo *thing* this month, just to see if I can actually stick with something for an entire thirty days. It should be interesting to see if I really can keep up with this challenge. In the back of my often blurry mind I keep questioning whether or not anyone would want to even read my blog every day for 30 days. I guess we'll soon find out, won't we? Well, here goes nothing!




Ever since my daughter graduated high school and then college, I've been collecting scrapbook items that I like. I've bought several kits that included scrapbooks, tons of paper and embellishments, a number of different types of cutting scissors, inks, and stamps. I've bought so much that it could literally fill up the trunk of most cars. Still, nothing I've purchased has inspired me to begin this undertaking. I mean, where does one begin when one's children are grown, gone from home and your memory of time frames eludes you?






So, I decided to start by writing about it in hopes of finding some grand formula and/or solution to go by. So far, I'm still right where I began so many years ago. I am a creative person, so where is all that creativity? Has it left me for greener pastures? Hopefully not. I've looked at dozens of blogs about scrapbooking in search of the perfect ideas, all to no avail. Trust me when I say you can waste a lot of time looking at those web sites without ever fully understanding the technique. I've become quite frustrated about this and am truly on the verge of taking it all to a professional, but then it wouldn't be done by me. I suppose that's out then.





I've accumulated at least a dozen large boxes of pictures over the years, which should be enough to keep me busy cutting, pasting, writing, and embellishing for the next several years. Still, my dilemma lies in the fact that I just need a good jump start but cannot seem to find it.

So, I'm going to ask my readers for a bit of help. Where is a good place to begin? Do you just throw a couple of pictures on a page and throw down some embellishments? Do you put those inside the plastic jackets or not? Do you frame every picture? Do you write about every picture? Do you frame invitations? I know. I have a lot of questions. However, I have no desire to take one of those classes at Michael's Arts & Crafts. I want need to be inspired, but so far it's been like an empty well. Nothing. I need suggestions!

Once Upon A Midnight Dreary.... It Turned Into Halloween!

I found this hilarious list online about what to say to Trick-or-Treaters to confuse them. Of course I've never done any of these things (okay maybe the last one but only after 10:00 PM when the kids get to be too big), but they made me laugh:

20 Ways To Confuse Trick-Or-Treaters

1. Give away something other than candy. (Toothpicks, golf balls, bags of sand, etc.)
2. Wait behind the door until some people come. When they get near the door, jump out, wearing a costume, and holding a bag, and yell, "Trick or Treat!" Look at them, scratch your head, and act confused.
3. Fill a briefcase with marbles and crackers. Write on it, "Top Secret" in big letters. When trick-or-treaters come, look around suspiciously, say, "It's about time you got here," give them the briefcase, and quickly shut the door.
4. Get about 30 people to wait in your living room. When trick-or-treaters come to the door, say, "Come in." When they do, have everyone yell, "Surprise!!!" Act like it's a surprise party.
5. Get everyone who comes to the door to come in and see if they can figure out what's wrong with your dishwasher. Insist that it makes an unnatural "whirring" sound.
6. After you give them candy, hand the trick-or-treaters a bill.
7. Open the door dressed as a giant fish. Immediately collapse, and don't move or say anything until the trick-or-treaters go away.
8. When you answer the door, hold up one candybar, throw it out into the street, and yell, "Crawl for it!"
9. When you answer the door, look at the trick-or-treaters, act shocked and scared, and start screaming your head off. Slam the door and run around the house, screaming until they go away.
10. Insist that the trick-or-treaters each do ten push-ups before you give them any candy.
11. Hand out menus to the trick-or-treaters and let them order their candy. Keep asking if anyone wants to see the wine list.
12. Get a catapult. Sit on your porch and catapult pumpkins at anyone who comes within 50 yards of your house.
13. When people come to the door, jump out a nearby window, crashing through the glass, and run as far away from your house as you can.
14. Answer the door dressed as a pilgrim. Stare at the trick-or-treaters for a moment, pretend to be confused, and start flipping through a calendar.
15. Instead of candy, give away colored eggs. If anyone protests, explain that the eggs are the only thing you had left over from Easter.
16. Answer the door dressed as a dentist. Angrily give the trick-or-treaters a two-hour lecture on tooth decay.
17. Answer the door with a mouthful of M&M's and several half-eaten candy bars in your hands. Act surprised, and close the door. Open it again in a few seconds, and insist that you don't have any candy.
18. Hand out cigarettes and bottles of asprin.
19. Put a crown on a pumpkin and put the pumpkin on a throne on your porch. Insist that all of the trick-or-treaters bow before the pumpkin.
20. Dress up like a bunny rabbit. Yell and curse from the moment you open the door, and angrily throw the candy at the trick-or-treaters. Slam the door when you're finished.

Happy Halloween!

Have Photo Booth Will Travel.... Say Cheese!

Of course you need to know about this! That way, you can practice your facial expressions and even plan crazy group photos before you ever get there. You wouldn't want to be caught off guard making ugly faces, now would you?


I first heard about this wonderful new *toy* for parties and weddings in the Fall 2009 Issue of Texas Monthly's Fashion magazine. The entire magazine consists of a mere 72 pages but really packs a *whollop*, with this cool website included. It's called boothBOOTH. This hip young company with a fun idea for entertainment has bases in Austin as well as Dallas and they travel to wherever you are (within reasonable limits). You can find their blog here. You'll spend hours laughing, ooooohing and aaahhing over the pictures they have on display from a variety of occasions, ranging from birthday bashes to weddings.


The instructions go like this:

1. Get in.

2. Sit down.

3. Push button one time.

4. It will take 4 pictures, 4 minutes apart.

5. Get out!

6. Photo strip will print in 1 minute.



What boothBOOTH does is, they show up wherever they've been booked, with a photo booth, props and lighting. It's up to the guests to be creative and inventive with their pictures and there are four per sitting.


Anyhoo, while our daughter was in Dallas for OU-Texas football weekend she went to a huge party out at Eddie Deen's Ranch (south Lamar in Dallas) where they had a photo booth and her pictures are so adorable. She's with her friend that she went to Europe with after they both graduated UT a few years ago (before she moved out to lala land).


I doubt that it's the same photography outfit, but the pictures are excellent! We are so having this for the next big event we're a part of....

My Daughter's Idea Of Sightseeing While I Take Pictures....

Oh look, there goes The Whiskey-A-Go-Go...











There goes the best Liquor Store that has 24 hour delivery (how does she know that?)












Touring Beverly Hills at 35 MPH....








Was that a house or a hotel?










I've always wanted to see the Beverly Hills Hotel but this is all I got....









It's hard to take pictures when you're flying past.......








The whole tour lasted perhaps 10 minutes.......

Don't fret about blurred pictures.....










Or pictures of basically nothing......










You've just had a tour of Beverly Hills for crying out loud!

A 2007 Movie "Funny Games" Review... With Spoiler Alert

~SPOILER ALERT~

There's a movie that has been making the rounds on all the cable channels for the last several months called "Funny Games", starring Naomi Watts and Tim Roth and is truly the most terrifying movie I have ever seen. It made me sick to the point of wishing I could throw up... with a real life kind of terror. I've never liked watching anything that makes my heart pound like there's a small elephant jumping up and down on it and gives me that horrible gut-wrenching feeling of impending doom.

This 2007 film is directed by Michael Haneke and is actually the remake of a film he'd made in 1997 that was not a big hit, of the same name. Admittedly, Haneke is what the industry considers a brilliant director, otherwise I would have never been drawn into this movie in the first place. It took me a total of 6 times before I could watch it through to the end. Even then, I had to DVR it so I could speed through parts I couldn't handle emotionally.

While Haneke may be trying to convey the message to us that we are not safe anywhere (and that means anywhere), he also manages to draw the viewer in to both the young family and the young psychopaths, allowing both points of view (like one of the young psychos talking into the camera asking the audience if they wanted to see more). It's truly the most disturbing and unsettling movie I've ever seen, or hope to see again. I had no idea that this director's interpretation of funny games was such a far cry from mine, which I believe, is what initially captures you. I saw it on the movie marquee, saw that Tim Roth and Naomi Watts were the starring roles and suddenly there I was. Like a little lamb being led to slaughter,  I watched as the movie began to unfold and by the time I was slapped with the first of this family's horrors, I had to see the end.







One of the scariest aspects to the trailer is the amount of YouTube hits it's received. Apparently our society is becoming completely desensitized to violence. It's becoming the kind of society I'm not so sure I any longer want to live in. This is some deeply creepy stuff here people. I strongly urge parents of teens to use utmost caution. No sense filling young minds with this kind of violence while they're still young and seemingly innocent.

This movie just truly leaves your entire being raw from its violence, unlike run-of-the-mill Hollywood films of violence. There is no escape. There are no happy endings. There is also no sleep after you watch it either. I still get a sick feeling in my stomach when I even think about it. It's one of those movies that you honestly won't shake off anytime soon.

It taught me a very valuable lesson though. Read what a movie is about before you decide to watch it while trying to go to sleep. This movie gripped me to my inner core and I was deprived of revenge or redemption, as well as several nights of sleep....

You really don't want to go there. Just my honest opinion....

Can You Imagine The Possibilities For Injury And Pain? Maybe Even Nirvana?

Anyone who has been reading this blog for a while knows how obsessed I've been with trying to get close up camera shots of hummingbirds. Of course I could get one elsewhere, but I want to achieve a perfect picture on my own, wasting spending hours on end in that pursuit. I want pictures of my hummingbirds, right?


Mr. Snoots said he came dangerously close to buying me this particularly interesting item for my birthday, assuring me it didn't need an electrical outlet. (He's not allowed to buy me anything for any occasion that requires an outlet.) I only wish I were joking, but the ugly truth is that he seriously debated getting this for me. Are you ready? Are you sure? Uh-Huh. Okay, hold on to your panties, thongs and *what-evers*.



I present to you  the Wearable Eye To Eye Hummingbird Feeder:










Instead, he bought me this and I've been in sheer Heaven:





Still, I'm not sure I might not have preferred the contraption above.....

Happy 32nd Anniversary Mr. Snoots! It's Been Quite A Ride Mi Compadre....

Okay, here it is our 32nd wedding anniversary and today I gave you a card that was maybe 20 years old. I'm really sorry, my love. I bought you a really funny and cool card, but somehow misplaced it. However, I assume you're used to me and my ways by now and you know I'll find it by next year, right?



I hope you know that I would have left the house today to get you another card, but my blog friend Lauren over at The Mental Pause Chronicles had a horoscope thingy up on Monday, so I followed the link and read mine that said to be careful this week because some crazy drunk might try to run me over, so I was really afraid to leave the house. I was especially afraid because yesterday a girl was killed on my route to the grocery store at exactly the time I would have been en route to said grocery store, as you well know. I really am sorry that I was afraid to go out today. I'm also afraid of getting the swine flu, which seems to be running amok, locally. I know I'm getting to be somewhat paranoid but I know you'll stand by me, right?



I know you still love me because you brought me flowers and made me a lobster dinner in spite of the crummy card you got from me. This is, alas, what marriage is all about... forgiving the little things and looking at the bigger picture. Two wonderful children who don't live at home any longer and thirty-two years of wedded bliss... or something vaguely resembling that. You know what I mean. It hasn't all been roses, but we have survived to make it last longer than any of our friends. (Does that say something about us or our friends?)



Anyway, in sickness (remember that weekend you'd been w/ the frat bros in Vegas? and I'd been in Mexico w/ the wives and we both came home sick and had to fight one another for first dibbs at the toilet?) and in health (remember the day you called me after your 6 month check at the doctor's and said, "The doctor says I'll live another six months" and I freaked out and started demanding you tell me what was wrong and you said it was nothing but a joke? I thought I'd die. Or kill you first. Then die.



One year I was in the depression of miscarriage and you stood by me. You helped me stay strong, even though there were others to come that we were yet unaware of. Two more, to be exact. Then, we were finally blessed with two beautiful, funny, intelligent children.



There were years I was too busy with the kids to pay you much mind but you still stood by me. You would rock them to sleep and tell them stories, which gave me a few desperately needed moments of quiet at the end of days I thought I'd go stark raving mad.



There were years that my family was trying to rip my guts out with their bare hands, making me crazy, but you still stood by me and defended me. Then you made them go away and leave me alone. You. Are. My. Hero.



There were years of plentiful money and flowing oil and gas, but then the lean years came with the bust of the early 1980's and we stood strong, although often weakened by the twists and turns our lives would take. We were never sure of how we'd handle it all, but we knew we still loved each other.



There were even years when we doubted the strength of our love and our marriage, but somehow managed to make it back to love. I thank you for surviving that time with me.



The year your parents both got diagnosed with cancer, was probably one of the toughest years we ever had to bear. We lost our best friends, didn't we? We spent that year taking turns driving them to chemo and taking care of them. We buried your mother in February, then buried your Dad on our wedding anniversary that year. Needless to say, we didn't celebrate the union of our marriage that year. Still, we stood together with what strength we had left.



Not long after that, our son took a foray into the deadly world of drugs that lasted 8 years and there were times I thought I'd die, but you stood by my side, helping me to remain strong, knowing what we had to do. We nearly lost him, but with the help of God, and each other, we were able to finally reclaim him. So, I guess the teenage years were oddly the worst of years with son and the best of years with daughter, although he has more than made up for it now, huh?



When my best friend *Suze* died suddenly, you stood strong for me although I know it couldn't have been easy. It was a hard year for me to get through, but you still stood by me in all my madness.




It has never been an easy road with me, has it dear? Well, it hasn't been an easy road with you either, Mister. What it has been is a journey of discovery, of ups and downs, of good times and bad times, of arguments and problem solving, soccer trips and basketball games, of having money and not having money, baseball games and football trips, cheer-leading practice, PTA meetings volunteering until we were weak with exhaustion, late nights when the children were sick, girl scouts, karate lessons, mind expanding slumber parties until we wanted to strangle all the kids, yard work, neglecting yard work, summers at the lake, skiing every winter, Six Flags every summer, Schlitterbahn several summers, Sea World, sports camps, summer camps, birthday parties, holidays, box seats at the Angels games in summer, carpool and homework and all of the other filler that goes in between. You of all people, know that there are far too many things to list. Yet, you still stand beside me through it all.



Then at long last, we were once again alone, both wondering if there was enough left to pick up the pieces of parenting and the toll it had taken on us as a couple. There were so many years that we passed one another coming and going with one child or the other, headed in opposite directions. There wasn't time for much else, was there? Somehow, we found that there was a glimmer of a spark that still glowed between us and we were able to get that sucker going again, weren't we?


It might not be the mad passionate love of our youth, but it's the only love I want Mr. Snoots. Just your love. Just you.
You and me, my love. Until we get too old to help the other. Until that time arrives, let the good times roll, baby! 

I am yours, forever and always.....

Our Last Night In Santa Monica... With A Bonus Celebrity Sighting

After the exhaustion brought on by touring Disneyland and the California Experience, we were headed to a restaurant/bar in our daughter's hood. It's called Baby Blues Barbecue, located in West Hollywood. I'll apologize ahead of time for the quality of my pictures. The place was dark (duh, it's a bar) and I tried shooting with and without the flash, to not much avail.



Guess what we started out with? Yup. That's right... Martinis. Dirty martinis that were the best we'd had, I believe. SD had a dark brew of some unknown (to me) name.



Since we were all tired to the bone, we skipped an appetizer of any kind and dove straight into ordering dinner. However, look at these sauces they have on every table. The Porno Sauce is the XXX hot sauce and yes, it was HOT! I think it was vinegar in the Grey Goose bottle.



SD ordered the Beer Braised Beef Brisket, which didn't appeal to me in the least, but she really likes it. All our meals came with a side of cornbread, which was old and had been kept in the warmer too long. I was very disappointed.




Mr. Snoots ordered the Fried Gulf Coast Catfish, which he said was good, but not the best he's ever had. He said the creamed spinach was okay, but nothing to crow about, as was his feeling about the stewed tomatoes. I think SD and I ordered the same side of Fried Okra, but it tasted as if it had been sitting for a very long while. Fried Okra cannot sit too long under a heat lamp or it becomes tough and stringy. This okra was definitely tough and stringy.




I was glad that I chose the Barbecued Shrimp. It was fresh and cooked perfectly. I love it even better when it's served with lime. So, that was a treat. However, I ordered the side of mashed potatoes, which, alas, were also old. Apparently, this would explain why the bar side was more crowded than the dining side of the restaurant.




While there, I did notice a jazzman who plays horn having dinner with a friend, but I still can't think of his name. He's famous in the world of jazz. Anyone recognize him? I'm sure I'll come up with his name someday. Where's Vinyl Villager when I need him? He loves jazz. However, this wasn't my *celebrity sighting*.




Anyhoo, the next morning we had an early departure and needed to return the rental car, so we left the hotel VERY early. It was all worth it, trust me. I finally had a bonified *celebrity sighting* at the airport, and I was able to take a couple of very discreet photos of this, one of my favorite *food celebrities*. We even ate at his restaurant while staying in Santa Monica. Yes, you guessed it! It's Wolfgang Puck, who was getting on our plane to go to Vegas (which is where we changed planes).



I even had an opportunity to sit next to him on the plane (which hubby urged me to do), but I was too chicken. I really should have sat next to Wolfie, but I just plain lost my nerve. I could just hear him telling people about the annoying little West Texas housewife that chattered non-stop, so I didn't go there. Oh well. At least I got my proof in pictures...

Mom And Pop Snooty Go To Disneyland At 57 Years Old...

Well, it nearly cleaned our clocks, I assure you. First of all, we decided that we'd get up early (it doesn't open until 10:00 AM this time of year), left the hotel by 8:30 AM, we drove to SD's place, grabbed her, and let her take the wheel. Thank goodness! I get a bit manic in Big City Traffic. She says she's got it *all figured out* about how to get there and park, yada, yada, yada. We stopped at some fast food place and grabbed a quick, disgusting breakfast then headed to Anaheim in early morning traffic, which took us roughly 1 hour and 45 minutes to complete the 40 mile trek, Oh. Yeah. That certainly did a lot to get me excited. Or not. My main goal was finding a restroom before I popped, since we'd left the hotel so early, with the hopes of arriving at Disneyland right at opening time. BWAHAHahahahaha. California Dreaming alright.

Of course, once we got off the freeway/interstate thing we all started getting mildly excited and I thought I'd just wait until we got there to find a ladies room. Right? It couldn't be far now. Right? *Insert maniacal laughter here.*

Then, we were there, or so we thought. We were so close we could see some of the rides and knew that we were all only moments away from the place we'd dreamed about our whole lives. Wrong. Apparently the girl child/genius (that would be SD) took the wrong turn, where we were then stuck in two, one-way traffic lanes (going the same direction), with no way to escape and find another route. No. Way. Out. After an hour or so of bumper-to-bumper, 5 MPH, I was ready to hang myself from the nearest light pole or tree or whatever. I was beyond the point of being choosy. I was on the brink of a total breakdown. It was, by then, 11:45 AM.



Have you ever otherwise seen a speed limit sign that stated 14 MPH? Oh, sure. I've seen signs for 5 MPH, for 10 MPH, for 15 MPH and so on. I was in awe of this sign since we never hit a top speed of 5 MPH. I wonder how much it cost the state for those signs? We were in this car line for more than an hour and I was having difficulty understanding WHY.

We finally arrive to find a half empty parking lot with each car having to stop at the ONE GATE in order to be waved through without paying, by a friendly security guard. So, why did it take so freaking long? Sheeple. Sheep People. HELLoooo. Just amazingly moronic sheeple. I should have been in shock, but at my age, I've seen so much, I knew it would be human stupidity in the end. I was not disappointed. But, by that point I was on a mission to find a ladies room. And Quick. Admittedly, we were among the sheeple that decided to take the route we did.

Now, we chose a Monday to go because we thought with school in session in most parts of the western world, and the fact that it wasn't a holiday, would most likely present the least amount of *Sheeple*, right? Wrong again. I don't believe I've ever seen so many people in one place in my life. So, we ultimately parked on the wrong side and had to walk all the way through Downtown Disney to eventually reach the front gate.



Suddenly, we find ourselves in another line that was merely for having purses and bags checked for weapons and inappropriate items not allowed inside the park. Frankly, the way they checked my purse, I could have brought a flask of vodka or something worse. Once we finally get through that line, we see the entrance in the far distance... with more long lines. At. Every. Open. Booth.

Three hundred dollars and several hours after we left the hotel, we finally arrived at the place we'd dreamed about since we were little kids and Walt Disney first started out. Disney is not for the frugal or the tight-fisted. It is outrageously expensive but I won't elaborate now. Maybe never. I just feel sorry for today's young parents.


Anyway, the first order of business was The Matterhorn Bobsled. The line was 45 minutes to an hour long, so our sweet daughter stood in line while I went with Mr. Snoots to the designated smoking area. When we got back, it was only another 30 minutes of waiting for the ride. She did it because she said I used to always wait in the next line while she and our son rode another ride. She never forgets anything. We probably should not have let Mr. Snoots go on the bobsled. After that, he didn't care to go on any more rides until we crossed over to The California Experience park, where he also only rode one.



Next we all three went on the Finding Nemo Submarine which is basically quite tame (lame?) and not nearly as exciting as the submarine rides in The Cayman Islands, but really good for parents with little ones. Still there were some parts that might scare little sheeple. When I saw the long video that showed the progress of making the Nemo Submarine ride, I thought "Wow, how cool is that?" Trust me, it's not that cool. It doesn't really look like anything you saw in the movie, which I truly adored. Next, we discovered that The Indiana Jones Adventure AND Pirates of the Caribbean were temporarily closed, with no explanation. It turns out that the Sailing Ship Columbia and Davy Crockett's Explorer Canoes are only in operation on weekends and select seasons only. Hmmm... something tells me here that we got screwed out of a big part of our Disneyland Experience. For the same price as those who don't get screwed.


Also, the monorail had a 2 hour wait time and Mr. Toad's Wild Ride had like a 1-1/2 hour line waiting to get in. At that point, we decided to scramble over to the California park and it was the best decision we'd made all day. There, we found there weren't as many sheeple and the ride lines were like 20 to 30 minutes each. That meant we weren't constantly having to dodge wheelchairs, little princesses and sheeple who seemed to have no clue as to where they were or what their name was or where they were going. As you first walk in, all the restaurants are there (where we ate heartily) and we were even able to get beer and margaritas. Their *fine dining*, as it turns out, is really just slightly glorified fast food, but edible. That was a bit disappointing.


As soon as we'd finished our meals and drinks, we decided to go on the California Screamin' rollercoaster. Probably not the most winning idea of the day. I didn't know it had a loop-de-loop, so that was a fun new thrill for me. Or Not. Don't ask me why I didn't leave my hat and purse with hubby. Thankfully, I didn't toss my lunch on myself or anyone else. I just kept my eyes shut tight, screamed bloody murder, and held on with every strength of my being. I also kept wondering how long the damned ride was going to go anyway. Enjoy the picture. I was completely terrified.



The next attraction after that was the Mickey's Fun Wheel ferris wheel. That sounds innocent enough, doesn't it? It scared the holy crap out of me and the young couple SD and I were riding with were very entertained by my screaming when the ride started. I might or might not have yelled a few bad words from time to time (not really, but I did have to restrain myself). It was almost as bad as having no bladder control. Then, I settled down and thoroughly enjoyed the view for oh, about 5 seconds. I prefer the view from solid ground, I believe.


We then moved on to the Maliboomer, which is similar to an elevator dropping you to your death. Several times. Once again, I closed my eyes tight, screamed, and held on for dear life. While on this ride, we spotted the one we wanted to do next. The Golden Zephyr, which is a bunch of rockets that swing around on a carrousel and lift you high into the air. Just my speed. Of course, by the time we walked over to it, they had closed it for temporary repairs. Another ride we were deprived of. Drat!


The next ride we came across was the Mulholland Madness mini roller coaster. Not a big deal in the least but was scream inducing at the start. We stood in line behind this couple who slobber-french-kissed the entire wait through the line, only stopping long enough to move up and begin again. I don't think I'll ever be able to french kiss again after my 30 minute education seminar on french-kissing with slobber dripping everywhere. I'm still having nightmares.


At this point we were all beginning to show obvious signs of fatigue, so we decided we'd do just a few more rides, then head back to civilization.


Our next ride was the Hollywood Hotel Tower of Terror, which was the best thing we'd experienced yet. They take you inside and tell you the story of how it all happened to reach the status of the Tower Of Terror and that you are now going to experience what those who disappeared experienced. Oh. Joy. Mr. Snooty looked at SD and me as if to say "What have you gotten me into?" I was really scared but, I was trusting Disney to not kill me. Yay! We survived! Believe me when I say that this ride is truly *hair raising*.




After that, we headed back over to Disneyland thinking the crowds had cleared, but it had only gotten worse due to a parade of some sort that we had absolutely no interest in, so we skipped through that area like a bunch of little kids. Fast. We dodged people and small children as if we were experts. Actually, by that time we were.




We found that several of the rides we wanted to take were closed (only running during the weekends) so we found the Jungle Cruise and convinced Mr. Snoots to come along, which made a total of 3 rides he agreed to go on. I'm sure it was much more exciting (back in the day) when it first opened but it's pretty *jickey* now. Good for primary school children or just a chance for parents to rest for a few cool moments. A bit of a snore, really.



At last we came to The Teacups. Agreed that it would be our last ride, SD and I waited in line just like all the other parents with little kids. Oh, wait. Maybe we just felt like little kids in line with little kids. Actually, it was so much fun that we wanted to go again but there were so many little kids & their wards waiting that we decided against it.


It appeared that our wonderful Disneyland Experience was indeed almost over. Done with. Kaput. After a 30 minute hike back to the location of the car, we knew it was all over but the whining. That's my job folks. It took us approximately 45 minutes to make the same drive back to West Hollywood. Go figure. It was around 7:00 PM.


When it was all said and done, I realized that modern day Disney has set things up so as to make the whole *experience* easy and fun for those who stay at their surrounding Disneyland accessible hotels or live nearby and are season pass holders. Otherwise, my friend, you go to the back of the line where there are no perks. Yes, you can purchase what they call a FAST PASS, which only works on a select number of rides (of which most were closed during the week) and only operate on the weekends this time of year. Thank goodness we didn't buy into that scam. offer. I think we saw 3 rides all day that accepted FASTPASS. Ooooh! There's a bargain at $19.95. All it does is allow you to ride the attraction once again after riding it the first time, enabling you to cut in front of all the hot, sweaty tourists and *little ones* that have been waiting in line for an hour. Woo Hoo! Nope. Unable to go there.




In most cases, I discovered that you had to go to more than one place to get what you wanted to eat and/or drink. Otherwise, you were forced to just order whatever they offered. In the California park, it wasn't much better and many of the places were closed. I was just thankful to have a frozen margarita, even if it tasted suspiciously like a virgin margarita. They even made me show my ID. Give me a freaking break! I'm not Benjamin Button, for crying out loud. At my age, it's not in the least bit flattering to be asked for my ID. However, I'm sure the kid was told to check everyone's ID, even grumpy old ladies....

Something To Just Make You Feel Good This Weekend....

This is a video that was filmed in the Central Station of Antwerp (Belgium), involving more than 200 dancers. It's one of those videos that just make you happy to be alive and sort of renew your faith in the goodness of mankind.

Enjoy.

Also: Snooty Daughter made a 163 on her LSAT. Woot! Woot! Way to go daughter!!!!!!!!!

Sightseeing Santa Monica On Foot, Sunday Brunch And BOA For Dinner...

You can click on any of the pictures to see full size, so click away...

On Sunday our daughter had a soccer game she couldn't miss and was likely going to play another after that (if they won, which they did), so we were on our own for Sunday. That meant I could take my sweet time getting ready without anyone getting mad at me or irritating me by constantly prompting me to hurry.



We had reservations for Brunch at The Penthouse Restaurant which sits atop the lovely Huntley Hotel. It was also the first day of Restaurant Week in Los Angeles and surrounding areas. We had rather forgotten about that little bonus.



During Restaurant Week in L.A., every chef is scrambling to put out their very best cuisines, with a Restaurant Week Special Menu. Of course, you can still order off the regular menu if you don't find something you like, but you'd be crazy to pass up the amazing food at affordable prices. Everyone offers affordable delicacies during RW.



So, having forgotten this, we were quite pleasantly surprised when our savvy waitress reminded us of this fact, then brought us the additional RW menu. We both ordered from that menu, which was amazing.



Since we were on vacation, Mr. Snoots ordered a vodka martini up, while I was bit more adventurous and had the Aperol Smash which consists of:


(Hand Pressed Green Grapes & Fresh Local Organic Mint Kissed With Ketel One Vodka, Aperol Italian Bitters & Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice), which was quite pleasant.

Mr. Snoots had the Caesar Salad and the Salmon, which were both truly delicious. I chose to order the Sirloin Burger with Arugula, tomatoes and crispy fried onions, served with the most delicate little french fries ever. I almost ate the entire burger, which is unusual for me. I usually can't finish a burger of any size.



For dessert (which is included in the $22.00 Brunch Special) Mr. Snoots had the Molten Chocolate Devil's Cake (with dark Grand Marnier chocolate) and I chose the Vanilla Creme Brulee (with Madeleines and fresh fruit). It was a total food orgasm, trust me. And the views! The views from atop the Huntley were more than spectacular. They were truly breath taking.



Aside from the fabulous food, I was absolutely certain that the guy sitting behind hubby was a famous rock star. Did I consume any martinis? Well, ummm, yes, I did. So, you might not want to believe me on this celebrity sighting either. However, go ahead and click on the image for a larger view. Perhaps you recognize him. Apparently, martinis impair my vision as well as my already sketchy ability to spot actual real celebrities. Anyone recognize him? Yeah. Me neither.



Once we were finished we went walking around the Santa Monica Third Street Promenade, which I found to be a delightfully cutting edge, trendy area filled with great eateries and places to shop. They also have all these incredibly beautiful multiple topiary of dinosaurs that were also shooting fountains, which truly fascinated me. We did a lot of *window shopping* and *people watching*, with which we were more than happy.



I refrained from taking any photos of the crazy street people because it's just really so sad and tragic. There are so many of them. Besides, Mr. Snoots really doesn't like *sightseeing* so to speak. Nor does he care for shopping. He cares about food. And naps. And football. And golf. And his family. And his business. And his politics. And an occasional surprise in entertainment opportunities. He does not like shopping. It uses far too many brain cells and naps preserve them. Perfectly logical.



It wasn't long before the martinis forced us to retreat to the hotel room for naps. Whew! What a splendid light bulb above my head that turned out to be. By the time our dinner reservation at Boa arrived, we were thoroughly refreshed, so we walked and it was gorgeous outside with the cool ocean breeze.



We originally had reservations to eat in Malibu at The Chart House but decided we didn't want to drive the 6 miles to Malibu. Santa Monica cleverly achieves pulling you in and keeping you. It has so much of everything, everywhere. Everything is cutting edge, upper end and interesting. Besides, we had eaten at BOA Steakhouse when we were there last year and it's been voted the best Santa Monica steakhouse many years in a row, so we stuck to the *tried and true* since we had to beef up for Disneyland the following day. We all three needed sustenance and a good night's sleep if we were going to survive Disneyland and California Adventure in one mere day the next morning.





I ordered the petite filet mignon with the Bernaise sauce, as did SD, and it was true perfection. The hubby decided to have Oh! - the petite filet mignon rubbed with blue cheese. It was clearly a night of comfort foods to prepare us for the largest amount of exercise (in one day) that we've ever had. This, of course, cracked our daughter up. She said, "Oh, do we know two people who could use a gym membership for Christmas?" Ha. Ha. Very funny my girl.



Oh and the dessert was divine, but we were all so full that we only shared just this one. How cool is this?



Anyway, SD drove back to her apartment in West Hollywood and we walked back to the hotel to watch 'The Proposal' (another suggestion of SD's), which is a total hoot and and a half. Definitely worth the watch. Sandra Bullock at her funniest and best. I laughed even harder than I laughed at The Hangover. I actually even stayed up until the end, which is more than I can say for Mr. (Party Animal) Snoots. He was already sawing logs ten minutes into the movie. Sure, it's a *chick flick* but it's still worth a watch for the laugh factor.



Stay tuned to see if we actually make it to Disneyland and The California Experience... It could happen.

California Dreaming... It's All About The Food

When we travel, it always seems to be about the food. And the drinks, of course.

Friday night we had dinner at Ocean Avenue Seafood where a friend of SD's is a bartender, so we went early to have drinks at the bar with David. He made us all a drink that he invented called Purple Rain and was quite delicious. However, being the creatures of habit that we are, we went back to martinis once we were seated at our table. Honestly, David has such an infectious personality and he's a splendid bartender.

We had a lovely view of the ocean at sunset and the dinner was quite delicious.



Mr. Snoots had the Wild Oregon Sand Dabs and they weren't what any of us expected. They were very fishy tasting. Go figure. It was fish.




Our daughter chose the Sesame Crusted Wild Hawaiian Big Eye Tuna with pineapple rice, steamed vegetables and an Aisian Vinaigrette, which was excellent.




I decided I needed some beef, so I ordered the 8 oz. filet mignon served with sauteed wild mushrooms and garlic mashed potatoes. It was cooked to perfection... the second time. The waiter didn't hear me right the first time and thought I said Medium Well instead of Medium Rare. I felt like *the mumbler* on that Seinfeld episode.




Really, we just loved the place, in spite of the way the food turned out. The manager came over to us to personally apologize, but it wasn't necessary. We all still had more than enough to eat and otherwise the service was again impeccable.




The next day, we went to breakfast at Jinky's again because I had to have the Eggs Benedict again. I wasn't disappointed.




Mr. Snoots wanted to stay in the room and watch college football on Saturday, so SD and I went to one of her favorite places, called Hamburger Mary's, for lunch. It reminded me of a lot of the places in Austin. I had a great appetizer for lunch of Spinach/Artichoke Dip with chips and I love that stuff (too much).




Afterward, we went to Loehman's to shop and I bought SD and I some lovely new things. Then, she took me to a place on the Third Street Promenade where I was able to buy $5 leggings, which thrilled me to death. Let me just say that we saved Mr. Snoots a ton of money. I sincerely hope that he can see it that way.

For the next stop, we had to scramble back to grab her things at the apartment so that we could get back to the hotel and she could change there. She took me on a quick sightseeing tour, which was so fast I was barely able to take a shot.SD's idea of sightseeing is basically at 30 to 40 MPH. Since it was Saturday night, we had reservations at Wolfgang Puck's Chinois on Main Street.




It turned out to be one of the best meals we had the entire trip. The service was also the best we received the entire trip. The strange thing was that we had read a great number of bad reviews, but we found it to be total perfection.




We started out with Deep Fried Soft Shell Crab served with  Fried Spinach and a Wasabi Sauce that was truly scrumptious.




Next, we shared the Moo Shu Shell With Pork Belly and Julienne Vegetables with a Hoisin Oolong Tea Sauce. I wasn't wild about the texture, but the flavor made up for that and was incredibly delicious.




Next, we shared the Chinois Chicken Salad, which was so good that I can't even begin to describe it.




We shared the Sczechuan Beef with Spicy Shallot Cilantro Sauce, which was quite delicious, as well as pleasing to the eye.


Last of all, we shared the Shanghai Lobster, which was amazing.



Once we were finished, SD had to run off to a party so we walked back to the room and watched a really funny movie called The Hangover on Pay-Per-View. If you like to laugh at the ridiculous situations people can often get themselves into, then you should definitely watch it.

To Be Continued....

A Troll Tried To Pop My Vacation Fantasy Bubble...

Yes, it's true. My bubble was popped when a thoughtful and considerate *anonymous* commenter informed me that Huey Lewis was, alas, in dear old Scotland, playing the links. That, of course, completely cancels out that particular *celebrity sighting* on our first evening out in Santa Monica, while dining at The Lobster on Santa Monica Pier. Okay. He/She was a spoilsport and completely stuck a sharp pin into my cozy little fantasy bubble. Meanie. I'm glad I'm not like that. I prefer to make people happy, but I guess it really does take all kinds, huh? I just cannot imagine doing or saying something like that and raining on someone's parade. However, I have heard of these things called airplanes that can transport someone between two destinations in amazingly short time. But, whatever.



Once we arrived at the Burbank airport and drove to the hotel in Santa Monica, we knew this trip was going to be a totally different experience than last time. However, we should have flown into LAX, which would have been so much closer. Unfortunately, I'm scared to death of LAX for some insane reason. Our hotel was *on the beach* which means you're like a block away from the huge beach at the Boardwalk at Santa Monica. Our room was very nice and well appointed, so we were happy there. I loved that they had robes for you... definitely not your typical Holiday Inn. The pool was nice enough, but it was getting too cold at night to allow daytime swimming, unless you're in the middle of hot flashing. Thankfully, I wasn't... for once.

We were starving upon arrival so we walked around the corner to Ivy-At-The-Shore, which I told you about in my last post. Totally wonderful. I think we both had the fried soft shell crab and it was as good as it gets. We had devoured every little morsel before I thought to take a picture. Duh.


Once we were finished with our late lunch, we drove into West Hollywood to meet up with SD at her office (cubicle, really) and meet a few of the folks she works with. Then, we followed her to her apartment (which we had not seen) and it's really cute. These three girls are all so savvy and their apartment reflects that. After that, we didn't use the car again until we went to Disneyland



That night, we dined at The Lobster which is located on the street side edge of the Santa Monica Pier and has fabulous views of the ocean, so we walked from the hotel. Their wait service and their food was impeccable. I had the lobster tail *house specialty* (which I forgot to take a picture of while in my star gazing mode) while Mr. Snoots and SD had the whole steamed lobster. SD's roommate had the Lobster and Manila Clam Chowder, which looked divine. And of course, they served delicious martinis. The martinis may or may have not had anything to do with my two celebrity sightings at The Lobster. Frankly, I can't say, for sure.









I think I've finally decided that it wasn't Helen Mirren that I saw. This picture should explain why. However, she and her husband have lived in the Hollywood Hills since 1986, so it made perfect sense at first. Go ahead and click on it. You know you want to... Wait a minute! Now that I look again, I think it really was her that I saw.




When I saw Jennifer Anniston, I said, "Honey, look! It's Jennifer Anniston!" Mr. Snooty's reply was, "Who's that?" Yes. It's true. She doesn't star in any 1940's or 1950's western flicks with Roy Rogers or Audie Murphy and I don't think she's ever been on the food network, so why would he know who she is? Obviously, no celebrity sighting validation there either.



The best part about Santa Monica is that you can walk everywhere and hopefully kill a few thousand fat cells or knock off a significant amount of calories consumed, in the process. I loved not having to get in the car every time we had to make a reservation. As much as I ate while there, I actually lost three pounds on the trip. Woot! Woot!


Anyhoo, we put Mr. Snoots to bed after dinner and then the girls and I walked to The Ivy for after dinner cognacs, which was fun. They had lovely little vases of fresh roses at every table in the bar and restaurant. By then, the girls had to put me to bed. I was a tired puppy after so much excitement in one day, for an *old phart*.



The next morning, Mr. Snoots and I found a lovely little breakfast spot on the Third Street Promenade called Jinky's, which we really liked, so we walked there several mornings in a row. I loved their Eggs Benedict and fresh fruit that much. We were also able to sit outside and *people watch*, which was a real hoot, trust me.







We met SD for lunch at a place called Blue Plate Oysterette, which is just down from The Ivy. We sat at the bar (or lunch counter) because the place was packed and were we ever thrilled that we did! We were able to watch the entire kitchen staff as they skillfully did their jobs, which was really quite exciting. The owner was there to oversee things and you could see that there was an amicable rapport among the staff. We started out with FRESH British Columbian oysters called Fanny Bay oysters, which were tiny and delicious, just how I like them, especially with the freshly grated horseradish. I had the Fish and Chips for my entree, made from scratch, and it was heavenly. Mr. Snoots had the Mussels in Garlic Sauce and SD had their delectable fish tacos. They also had a lovely selection of tap and bottled beers.



Also, our waitress was absolutely adorable and one of the best servers we've ever had. Wait staff in Santa Monica is as good as it gets, literally everywhere. It's probably the most competitive field out there, besides the TV or movie industry









Afterward,  we walked down to the Santa Monica Pier and looked around. SD took a picture of me in front of Bubba Gump's, where you can slide into Forest Gump's fake shoes while sitting next to his suitcase and box of chocolates. Do you see where my purse is? I actually got up and walked off without it. For maybe 40 seconds. When I turned around to go back, a nice man and his son were looking in my direction, holding my purse. Whew! Disaster avoided.








The whole Santa Monica Pier is very touristy so we didn't last too long. I did find a straw hat there that I really liked, so I bought it to wear to Disneyland. I actually made it home with the hat still in tact.

To Be Continued....

Rest In Peace Uncle Bob... The Ultimate Cool Cat Hipster, Jazzman & Master Skier....

We received the news yesterday when we arrived home from our trip that our favorite uncle (Mr. Snooty's Dad's oldest brother) had passed away at the age of 86. He was always considered the *black sheep* of the family, which instantly made him my favorite uncle. He was born in 1923, did a stint in the U.S. Navy during WWII, he was a graduate of the Univ. of Oklahoma and Columbia University (where he met and became friends with Jack Kerouac). Uncle Bob was also an excellent and successful oil and gas geologist.



Uncle Bob was the oldest of four brothers and one sister, being tagged as the *black sheep* because he divorced his first wife, drank bourbon, smoked cigars, and was a bit of a wild man back in the day. He also lived with a wonderful woman for something like 40 years, who was at his side when he passed. Of course, that's why I was immediately drawn to him. He was quite the character and was close friends with the likes of Hunter Thompson, Dirty Bertie Cross, and Ralph Jackson, all considered to be part of the *Beat Generation*. He was about as cool a cat as I ever knew, and I knew a lot of them through my mother, The Brown Recluse.



We both shared a mad passion for jazz and skiing, so we were kindred spirits from the get go. His absolute favorite jazz pianist was Ralph Sutton, who actually lived in Denver during the same time Uncle Bob did. From what I understand, they knew each other for years. He authored several books that were filled with his *witicisms*, while others were about geology, with a twist of humor added, and we have them all. I will treasure them until I die and hopefully, my children will treasure them as well. Bob never had children of his own.



At one time he literally owned Four-O-Clock run in Breckenridge, CO. He eventually sold the land, but kept a condo there for many years, which we were invited to use many times, and did. You could actually ski in and out from his place and it was the most amazing condo and location ever. Uncle Bob was an avid skier and even though he actually lived in Denver, he never failed to come and ski with us.



This picture and the next are from February 1978, four months after Mr. Snooty and I married.



He always tried to make me laugh when we skied because I made such a big deal about all the guys being able to *retreat to the trees* while I had to go inside to take care of business. It was like he made it his mission to make me giggle, which always made me feel like I was special and that he accepted me into the family, even though it was annoying at the same time. He always cracked me up. He always smoked lovely smelling cigars, even on the mountain while skiing. The man was a total riot to be around, even in his later years. He had something of a *dry ice* wit and I adored him.





I apologize for the quality of this picture but it's the best I could do in my post vacation mode. I've been in and out of bed all day due to total exhaustion.

Eventually, he and the love of his life sold their properties in Denver and Breckenridge and moved to Montana, where they lived very happily for many years before his demise. When he was in his 70's, he (and his lovely companion) skied the Canadian Cariboos by helicopter, which has been a lifelong dream of mine. There is even a book about their experience, which is one of my great treasures. He was just SO SPECIAL and I will truly miss him until I die....



Honestly, I was in bed all day yesterday, trying to recover from the trip. So, I hope to get a post up this week. I just felt that Uncle Bob deserved a little lip service.



Oh... And can I just say FUCK CANCER? Well, I just did, so there. I'll even say it again. FUCK CANCER! It's the scourge of the earth and I hate it, hate it, hate it!

Can I Just Admit Right Here That I'm *Star Struck*? Santa Monica Celebrity Sightings And I Behaved....

Frankly, I'm embarrassed for myself. We arrived in Santa Monica today around 2:00 PM, checked into the hotel, and walked around the corner to have a late light lunch at Ivy-At-The-Beach. During that time, I had a brief affair with the 9 month old baby boy of some rock star who was sitting at the table behind ours with his adorable wife. Hey, I'm just glad I can still hold some strange man's attention during lunch. It was pretty intoxicating, or perhaps that was the effect of the lovely Patron Margaritas. Whatever. It was FUN!

Since we arrived in SM I've seen Jennifer Anniston turning her slick little black car onto Ocean Pacific Drive from Colorado Street, sat at the table next to Huey Lewis during dinner at The Lobster AND had a Helen Mirren sighting during dinner as well. (I must tell you here that if she & I ever met, we'd be immediate friends, I'm sure and that doesn't sound *stalker like* at all, does it?) I can't imagine why I'm having trouble going to sleep!

All this and driving in L.A. traffic has given me insomnia, big time. Did I mention my tummy, it turns out, will never be made of iron? I absorb all of my stress into grinding my teeth and making my stomach churn, which is not a desirable way to go through life. (Must try to change this sometime soon...)

Apparently, I just can't handle the fast lane of life any more and of course, I'm the only one still awake. Go figure. Uh-Huh.

My daughter said Huey Lewis was so *checking me out* during dinner, right? As if.... Honestly, we were close enough to have held hands. I'm fairly certain he was staring at the big red mark on my neck though, wondering WTH? Vampire bite or what? Yes, unfortunately he was on THAT side of me. Actually, I have to tell you that he is gorgeous even though he's beginning to show some age. How is it that men can age so well? He really is a very attractive man. Maybe I'm a *groupie* at heart... Nah! I'm just sayin'....

I'll see if any of my pictures turned out when I get home, Sadly, I can't do pictures on this laptop. What am I saying? I can barely type on this damned thing in the dark, much less do anything even slightly complicated. I have to be vewwy, vewwy quiet because Mr. Snoots needs his beauty sleep so he can keep up with us tomorrow. You know. While SD and I ride bikes on the boardwalk and he finds a bar where he can watch us. What. A. Man.

And NO! You can't have him.... He's all mine.