Archive for Hurricane

{ October 23, 2008 @ 3:51 pm } · { Achmed, Beach, BIRDS, HALLOWEEN, Home, Hurricane, Politics, Thursday, Treats }
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[this week, 13+photos of eclectic choices -edition #80]

“SILENCE!!!!—— I ….”

I was still recouping from last Friday Night on Sunday!! The Jeff Dunham show actually began on time [usually when we attend these 'concerts' they make us wait, but not this one]. The bank center where the event was being held was packed. We had pretty good seats, but not front row. By the time I got into ticketmaster, the front rows were taken already. But we had section B, floor, row two and seats 12 and 13 near the stage. And luck was on my side, we had no one to the left of us…so, we were very comfortable. Believe me when I say it was elbow to elbow. It was like squirming sardines, packed so close.

And loud. But, don’t get me wrong, I love loud when it comes to having fun. And this was fun! So much fun that I ached halfway through the show. I haven’t laughed this hard and this long for soooooooo long. And the concert lasted hours! It started shortly after 8 and went to about 11:30/11:45!! When we got home afterward, we were tired. No, Exhausted— But, truthfully, it was a good exhaustion [I'll be trying for days now to get back to normal].

First, the Guitar Guy. If you follow Jeff Dunham, you know now that Achmed sings with the Guitar Guy. Brian Haner. He and Achmed sing a version of a Christmas song “Jingle Bombs”. Well, at eight, on stage comes Brian. And he can really play the guitar. He had me so hyped up. He actually played a Guns and Roses…’Sweet Child of Mine’. Loud enough to probably break a few eardrums…but wow!!! And his comedy routine while playing was a hoot!!! He entertained us and played his guitar about 20 to 30 minutes. About a ten minute break then before the star Walter, Achmed, JEFF comes on stage. Okay…Bud and I go out and get a beer. Nice and cold and icy. It hit the spot.

…back to our seats! Lights dim…anticipation of an hour of gut splitting laughter ahead!!

On stage comes Jeff! He does a new stand up routine about his three teen-aged daughters. That was very funny. A short synopsis you want? Well, if you have a daughter, you know what he’s talking about….boobs appearing, dating, cars. He described how ‘evil’ his wife was while he was out on the road with his show…they bought their daughter an used car for her 16th birthday. Wife tapes a lot of the girls’ lives for Jeff since he’s on tour a lot. The car…daughter pumping gas for the first time…wife videotaping…Jeff telling us the whole spiel! Funny!!! He then, gets us riled —and to our delight, out comes Walter!!!

Then…

He’s such a grumpy ol’ man, you just gotta love the guy! Walter has been around a long time and knows all about life! You just can’t disagree with his attitude! He’s right on. His way of thinking is just too good. And so often his statements make you just say “YA!!! You’re so right Walter!” “Way to go!” “More, more!!!” His routine was quite eloquent if I may say so. I loved the part where he tells Jeff that he has suspicions of the fact that Jeff needs to be watched. The reason, he has been to his house and he has seen all the shooting missiles. All encased. [remember three daughters and a wife at home!] And that they have to be missiles!!! He has seen the tiny fuse [the string] on each and every one of them!!! [of course if you'd been there, you'd know that he was talking about the use of tampons...all over the house! Guess you had to be there....

On to my favorite---

Walter goes back into his beloved trunk, and on stage comes my most favorite. The unbelievably appealing dead terrorist....Achmed!! I yelled, stood up, and whistled to his entry! I just love the guy. Did I say he's adorable? Yes indeedy, he IS!! And with the 'new' routine -that Jeff informed us all will be shown on Comedy Central during the holiday months on cable- it'll be about the holidays of course. And to my ultimate delight, Achmed had his Santa hat on. You see, he's a terrorist that has remained 'alive' but botched his mission....he is so funny!! I laughed and laughed. Some new, some of the more usual routine, but all so refreshing to see them 'live and in person'!!!! Of course by the end of this segment, which ran about 40 minutes maybe...Achmed calls for the Guitar Guy, and sings his ever so popular Jingle Bombs!! [to the tune of Jingle Bells] I’ve seen and listened to this song for so long, I can mouth the words, I love it that much—

    Dashing through the sand
    with a bomb strapped to my back.
    I have a nasty plan
    for Christmas in Iraq.

    I got through checkpoint A,
    but not through checkpoint B.
    That’s when I got shot in the ass
    by the US Military…

    Oooh, jingle bombs, jingle bombs
    Mine blew up you see.
    Where are all the virgins
    that Bin Laden promised me?

    Oooh, jingle bombs, jingle bombs
    U.S. soldiers shot me dead.
    The only thing that I have left
    is this towel up on my head.

    I used to be a man,
    but every time I cough,
    thanks to Uncle Sam,
    my nuts keep falling off.

    My bombing days are done.
    I need to find some work.
    Perhaps it would be much safer
    as a convenient store night clerk.

    Oooh, jingle bombs, jingle bombs
    I think I got screwed.
    Don’t laugh at me because I’m dead
    or I’ll kill you…

    [a deep guttural voice now] I KILL-L-L YOUOUOU!

It’s just amazing to actually know that Jeff is doing this…in fact, just a couple of times, I glanced over to see Jeff and his throat moving in rhythm…it boggles the mind how a ventriloquist works his voice like that through tight lips. Amazing. I know, I know…I KNOW that I actually think that Achmed is real!!

After Achmed’s hilarity, out comes Peanut!! Peanut is another favorite. He’s just so hyper, with his ‘act’…you find yourself becoming over zealous yourself. And of course Guitar Man comes out during the skit…more laughs and aching sides. I just didn’t want it to come to an end. I knew the show was getting ready to close, and I remained rivited to my seat….Jeff closed the act. The stage was cleared. Standing ovations and cheers and whistles! “Good Night Corpus Christi!!!” Only to have Jeff come back to more cheers and applause. He boughs, gives his thanks, and then, brings out ………

….Bubba J! After the roaring crowd settles down in their seats, the show continued for a few minutes with Jeff saying he’d do this: Which was the familiar routine with Bubba. And as it commenced, those of us who have watched the Dunham show over and over could give Bubba’s answers from our memory…it was a hoot. And let me tellya, the show began about five minutes after 8 in the evening, and it wasn’t over until after eleven!!! We live just a few miles from the downtown area, about 10 minutes at the slowest time [I can drive home from downtown on a GOOD day with no traffic in 5!]….we didn’t get home until about ten minutes after midnight! The show, tho long, I could have stayed and watched more. It was just marvelous. Funny, laughter, —-the best in comedy!

In Political News:

In Texas, one of many states here in the USA, registered citizens can vote for President and local candidates along with bonds and propositions for the county, early! Here in this state, early voting began October 20th. Bud and I decided that we’d get our voting done and avoid the crowds on November 4th. Ummmmmm, I don’t think so!!! We arrived close to the poll’s opening time, and there was a line already! The two of us ended up, in line, over an hour…it took us about 2 hours Tuesday to get through the line, get recorded on the books/county computer…and vote. But…afterward, we were happy to have it finished!!

Weather update

At last, hurricane season is coming to a close for us here on the Texas coast. The Gulf waters are quite a lot cooler now, much less chance of any storms coming in…at least BIG destructive storms. Altho hurricane season doesn’t officially end until November 30th, as long as the waters stay cool and begin to get a lot colder as the nighttime temps continue to drop lower and lower, so does the chance of storms coming in from the Caribbean.

It’s been the most beautiful few days around here. Cool nights, crisp Autumn mornings, then the sun rises—but, the inferno has subsided! Long gone are the days of 100+ degrees in temps. Highs are now in the low 80s to mid 80s. Nearly perfect for me and Bud. It was such a wonderful day yesterday that we grabbed our books, hopped in the car and drove over the JFK causeway to the island and went to the beach to just laze the day away! [a sloppy lookin' ol' lady dressed in her misshapened tank top...but hey, what'dya expect being on the beach and all? ---a princess? roflmao!] I sat and soaked up the rays, listening to the surf and gulls as I read my book…Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand. Yep, folks, I’m STILL reading this book. It’s taken me all summer, trust me. I’m on page 800 and something, and yet over three hundred pages remain unread! I’m determined to finish this book! It’s VERY good.

Of course, in time, the beach calls me…I always have the urge to walk along the shore and look for shells, and watch the water fowl. This photo is quite a distance from where we parked the car. Bud stayed and read his book [he's reading something on the famed Jack the Ripper saga], while I strolled…I came upon one lone ‘adult’ sea gull and a brood of babies! I didn’t want to disturb them, the photo is a long shot! They were all soaking up the warm sun too! So cute, and sooooo fat! I gave them wide berth and detoured clear around them so they wouldn’t have to fly off with their mistrust of a human.

As I continued making footprints in the sand, I kept my eye out for ‘the perfect’ shell. Granted this area of beach, called Luby Park, always has a lot of remnants of sand dollars. I am always hoping to find a ‘whole’ one without any breakage. They’re so fragile, and break easily. Then, again, there is foot traffic AND vehicles traversing the beach here…so, you’re lucky to find any unbroken ones. Yesterday was a great day when we arrived. Low tide! Lots of shells. And about a mile out from where we parked, there was one. A very tiny one…but it was whole! Unbroken. Yay, me. They’re good luck you know. [the sand dollar here that I found is only about the size of a U.S. quarter] I treated it like a precious stone as I continued walking. And it did make it home in the afternoon…all completely whole!

Back to the car after about an hour walking and combing the beach. I dropped all my goodies that I found. I also picked up a nice-sized piece of driftwood. And more shells. The wood was heavy and soaked with water…but once it dries out, of course I have my mind in high gear, figuring out what ‘art’ project I can come up with to make use of it. This photo is of a heron just a few feet from our beach chair. I love the sparkling water beyond the bird.

Ahhhhhhhh, it was a perfect day. A lazy, wonderful, relaxing day.

- – -

Note: Since this is such a LONG Thursday issue today, I’ll forgo the Halloween treat hand outs and double it tomorrow.

{ September 26, 2008 @ 6:45 am } · { Home, Hurricane, Show-N-Tell, Wasps }
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A couple of weeks ago, we, as y’all know who follow my blog, took everything that would have been blown away if the hurricane would come our way as once predicted….for safe keeping in our garage. This windchime made of bamboo and coconut shell was one of them. Then, after hurricane Ike’s wrath and the evacuation notice was lifted from our area, Bud and I began taking things back outside and replacing them from where they came in the yard. Well, this particular chime was hung on the garden implements hanger [shovels, rakes, edgers...that hanger]. And it was forgotten. The garage is our ‘smoking area’ as we don’t smoke in the house. While out there several times we noticed wasps. And the dampness of the season, we just assumed they were coming in from the garage door when it’s opened and getting trapped. But, after a while it dawned on me that perhaps there was a wasp nest in there…and searching high and low, I couldn’t find one. Yet, they still [the wasps] would be seen on the garage door windows now and then. I asked Bud, “Have you seen where they are coming from? You don’t suppose that there is a nest in here and I cannot find it?” So, we started once again looking in all the ‘dark’ areas that they like when building the nests. I spied the windchime and told Bud to open the garage and take it out back. I then stopped and said “No, wait…those wasps have been here showing themselves about the time we brought stuff in from the hurricane warnings.” “Maybe it’s up in the coconut part.” Bud said, “No, they were in here before we brought stuff in.” As he said that he reached up and lifted the shell part toward him to have a look see…..And there she be!!! As big as the coconut!!! And they started swirling and buzzing out—–Bud rushed outside with it, and I was smashing them that flew to the garage floor with my trusty fly swatter. LOL….I took some flying insect spray from aloft and followed him outdoors, and sprayed the inside making it nice and foamy—-He carried it back to the back yard and hung it from our tree…I said to him: “This is gonna be my show n tell for Friday”. He laughed and said “Just like the good ol’ school days, huh?” I said “Yep” —-

{ September 25, 2008 @ 3:01 am } · { BIRDS, Home, Hurricane, P J, Photography, Politics, Ship, Thursday, YARD }
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NOTE: My friend P J? Who lives near Galveston Island…the one that evacuated from Ike to return —and the Prayer Circle I started here, remember? Well she has added some photos of what they found when they returned to their home last week. Go and say hi to her….Tell her Anni sent you! She’d appreciate it, I’m sure!!!!!!

LIFE after IKE
[this link should open in a new window]


Edition 76

Just cleaning out my drawers ummmm, err, photo file. So, thought instead of just deletin’ ‘em, I’d make a Thursday Thirteen from them for this week, then to file 13 they go [hmmmmm, coinky-dink don't you think? File 13 being 'trashing' them ---and Thursday THIRTEEN?]……

It’s a conglomeration of stuff! All with mouseover captions.










…~End Thursday Thirteen
[click HERE for comment link if you want to skip my Constitutional Thoughts below]

I saw this on the Yah** News headlines today –• Laura Bush: “Palin lacks foreign policy experience”.

- – -

Also, I read another blog yesterday [I will not link the blog since it's not my intent to debate the issue - but I will say it was a blog of one of my commentors yesterday] about McCain-Palin and Obama-Biden tickets. The two aforementioned [McCain and Palin] –American. Then, below that, and photos of Obama and Biden, there was “Kenyan”…Obama is NOT Kenyan. He was born in Hawaii…two years AFTER it became the 50th state! Now this got me to thinking that somewhere I had read that McCain, to some, is NOT ‘natural born American’ either. Which got me up to doing more research on the Constitution’s Presidential Qualifications. Of course, no where in the Constitution does it actually specify what ‘natural born’ means. And there have been a few amendments made since 1868. Perhaps there are qualms on both men! Being that Obama’s father was not American, but yet McCain’s birth certificate states Panama Canal Zone. But see, to me, that he has TWO American parents, and being no doubt a Navy base, would at least entitle John to be declared American by birth. Obama, born in Hawaii, with one parent as an American…would also be American by birth…but neither ‘natural born’ as in Continental USA. —Your guess is as good as mine. This is confusing. But, back to the blog that I visited, Obama is definitely NOT Kenyan, nor is he Muslim. After I read this, and another at Snopes, I think I became MORE confused than before I did a search. I always considered “Natural Born Citizen” to be a birth within the 50 USA states.

- – -

From Wikipedia:

    “The constitutional wording has left doubts about whether those born on foreign soil are on an equal footing with those whose birth occurred inside the country’s borders, and whether they have the same rights.”[2] Though every president and vice president to date (as of 2008) has either been a citizen at the adoption of the Constitution, or else born in a U.S. state or Washington D.C.,[3] a number of presidential candidates have been born elsewhere.[4]

    Barry Goldwater, who ran as the Republican party nominee in 1964, was born in Arizona while it was still a U.S. territory. Although Arizona was not a state, it was a fully organized and incorporated territory of the United States.[5]

    George Romney, who ran for the Republican party nomination in 1968, was born in Mexico to U.S. parents. Romney’s grandfather emigrated to Mexico in 1886 with his three wives and children after Utah outlawed polygamy. Romney’s parents retained their U.S. citizenship and returned to the United States in 1912. Romney was 32 years old when he arrived in Michigan.

    Al Gore served as Vice President (which has the same constitutional qualifications as President), and was the Democratic party nominee for President in 2000, whilst having nonetheless been born in the District of Columbia.

    John McCain, who ran for the Republican party nomination in 2000 and is the Republican nominee in 2008, was born at the Coco Solo U.S. military base in the Panama Canal Zone to U.S. parents. Although the Panama Canal Zone was not considered to be part of the United States,[6] federal law states: “Any person born in the Canal Zone on or after February 26, 1904, and whether before or after the effective date of this chapter, whose father or mother or both at the time of the birth of such person was or is a citizen of the United States, is declared to be a citizen of the United States.”[7] The law that conferred this status took effect on August 4, 1937, one year after John McCain was born — albeit with retroactive effect, resulting in McCain being declared a U.S. citizen.[8] However, the question as to whether or not he is a citizen from birth cannot be answered by this law because (1) it took effect after his birth and (2) it does not state that the person’s citizenship was acquired at birth, only that they are a citizen by means of the law’s establishment (and, hence, at the time the law takes effect). Indeed, the law in 1936 stated that all persons born to two US citizen parents outside the “limits and jurisdictions of the United States” are citizens at birth. The status of Mr. McCain’s citizenship at birth nonetheless remains questiond by some.[9

{ September 20, 2008 @ 10:01 am } · { Hurricane, PHOTO HUNT, USMC }
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CATEGORY: “ROAD”

This photo was taken on one of our trips, when we were either on our way up to the Grand Canyon or on our way to see the aspen trees change or somewhere [LOL]…we went too many times to recall just when and on what trip…I can’t remember. But I do recall pulling off the ‘road’ to get a picture of this because Erik is a former Marine Corporal of USMC. And their mascot is a bull dog. The logo you see a lot is “Chesty” the bull dog…and along with this you see the term Devil Dog. The Marines are sometimes called the Devil Dogs. At the time I thought it was cool……

Devil Dog Road
Arizona
circa about 1998 or so

- – -

Chesty the Marine Bull Dog

And an update on Erik and Houston.

Erik just got back to Houston yesterday afternoon, and his auto and house are okay… YAY!! I was worried to a frazzle that his house was broken into and stuff stolen. He said it stinks like nothing he’s ever smelled before…a week of no power and his frozen foods rotted….His car [another thing I was worried about] —it’s an expensive model! —was okay. He said some water seepage can be seen inside on the carpets of the car’s floor and the back leather seats are water damaged…[I imagine he left a window open a crack for heat combustion, not knowing a storm like Ike was heading to Houston] but everything is okay. Still no power in his complex/zip code. But has running water. —I couldn’t get anyone that could get in there to check the area while he was out of the country…they needed IDs to get in the gated community. [it was patrolled heavily I guess] I’m relieved.

{ September 18, 2008 @ 3:00 am } · { Bras, Home, HUMOR, Hurricane, P J, Thursday }
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Thursday 13 below the update

UPDATE ON P J in Galveston Texas area:

    I talked with her Wednesday morning, and she told me her house is still standing! Prayer is strong, thanks everyone! She was very upbeat; telling me that it stinks in her house, that she didn’t realize mold could grow so quickly. Also, she added jokingly that two neighbors’ mail boxes were in her yard and down the street someone else’s boat was in their yard…she said “Why couldn’t the boat have landed in HER yard?” A little bit more: The refrigerator in her house was blown over but the magnets on the door remained attached. Bottom of the house structure was flooded. The neighborhood was condemned for a couple of purposes…to keep the city from being sued I’m sure —anyway, the electricity is expected to take 3 weeks for it to be up and running…the water/sewage will take approximately 2 months. Best thing of this outcome is…she, her husband and kitty family are okay. They have a place to stay for now, and her corporate office is going to provide a rental for them until their house is once again livable!!!


Edition 75

Men, Boobs, Bras and Laughter –all rolled into a Thursday Thirteen +1
[ps check the guys' facial expressions too! Typical pigs of them.]

- – -

Ever notice how all of women’s problems start with men?

10] MENtal illness,

11] MENstrual cramps,

12] MENtal breakdown,

13] MENopause…………

………And

BONUS – When we have real trouble it’ s HISterectomy!!!!

{ September 13, 2008 @ 10:02 am } · { Beach, BIRDS, Home, Hurricane, PHOTO HUNT }
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CATEGORY: “Wild”

This series of photos is what it looked like around Whitecap Beach on our Padre Island [about twenty miles from us] the morning BEFORE Hurricane Ike hit landfall about 200 miles north of us near Galveston and Houston. I’m thinking that Ike is the SIZE of Texas to be sure. On any given ‘normal’ day there are miles and miles of beach –probably about 1/2 city block wide from seawall to the gentle ripple of the waves of the Gulf. Not Friday morning! I’m posting this while we still have power and the computer is operable, so my guesstimation is this activity is probably about 12 to 18 hours BEFORE the hurricane hits the Galveston/Houston area.

As I tried to catch up on those who have visited me within the last couple of days, I’ve just not been online much, preparing for the worst, and Bud and I brought in everything from the yard ,stored them all in the garage…many many indoor preparations also in case of flooding and such. Now, the hurricane warning has been lifted from our area, and we are under Tropical Storm Watch. Still we could get winds at 60-70 miles an hour and heavy rains. But not of hurricane strength. Keep all who live in the Galveston Houston area in your thoughts as this rages through.

The 1st photo was media coverage…when we got to the shoreline they were taping the sea as it churned and whipped abnormally high surf. The remaining photos are taken as Bud and I walked the sea wall. At one time, as I was leaning close to get a shot looking down, I got drenched! The seas churning wild…

So wild and untamed is nature….
[mouseover captions and can be enlarged]

Also, Bud being a Navy guy from long ago, and on ship on seas rougher than what we witnessed taught me a couple of words. Wild concept! LOL No not those two words, but while we were walking and I was dazzled by the rough seas…looking out to the horizon I saw tall, TALL waves shoot up into the sky, and hammer back down. But I kept saying “ooooo, look at that, awesome…you wonder if there is a word for that?” Well, he told me. The high waves jutting up with spray is “SPUME”…and the fine mist that shoots across your face from the wave is “spoondrift”. Hmmmmm. I was impressed. And of course, me being me the competitor, I had to look it up when I got home on the ‘net….

spume

    foam or froth on the sea

Spoondrift

    spray blown up from the surface of the sea
    Spray blown from the tops waves during a gale at sea; also, snow driven in the wind at sea

{ September 11, 2008 @ 3:00 am } · { AWARD, Crime, Hurricane, Thursday, Trivia, TV }
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First and foremost today, I would like to tell you ALL of my great appreciation for the thoughts and caring you’ve shown in your comments and emails about our safety during the Hurricane Watch and Ike! Thank you all…you’ve touched my heart! Truly. The outlook NHC map for today — Also, for those that I’ve contacted, your award is below.

Edition 74

Dubbed “Trials of the Centuries”
[all bold are links - opening in a new window]

1] Harry K. Thaw [1906]
2] Sassco & Vanzetti [1920s]
3] Leopold and Loeb [1924]
4] Scopes ‘monkey’ trial [1925]
5] Lindbergh kidnapping (1932)
6] The Nuremberg Trials (1945)
7] Adolf Eichmann trial (1961)
8] Klaus Barbie trial (1987)
9] Imelda Marcos racketeering trial (1990)
10] Nicolae Ceausescu trial (1989)
11] O. J. Simpson murder trial (1995)
12] Slobodan Milošević trial (2002-2005)
13] Remember USA’s times Trial of the Century? (see #11) The dubbed title of the murder trial? Ummmmm, the superstar hero of football fame? You know the guy, right? He was in the news along with his drama stars for lawyers? Reminiscent of a night time soap opera? Well, jury selection begins again. Soon another trial begins. Again. And again, it’s gonna be HIM!

I’m wondering just how much coverage he’s going to receive on the networks and from the press…again!

God help us.

Already there seems to be gobs of hoopla over this:

The stakes are high. Simpson and Stewart have pleaded not guilty to the charges, which include burglary, coercion and assault with a deadly weapon. A robbery conviction would mean mandatory prison time. A kidnapping conviction carries the possibility of life in prison with the possibility of parole. Four of the men who accompanied Simpson — C. C, W. A, M. Mc. and C. E. — pleaded to lesser felony charges and agreed to testify for the prosecution. But Simpson defense attorney Y*le Galant*r got Al*xander to admit that he would have slanted his testimony in Simpson’s favor if the price was right. “Al*xander offered to sell his testimony to the highest bidder,” Galant*r said as he prepared for trial. He promised to expose troubled backgrounds of the witnesses lined up against Simpson. “This is a cast of very nefarious characters,” Galant*r said. “And the truth is, these items were not memorabilia. The law has always provided a right, dating back to our founding fathers, to recover personal property.” I think: “Nefarious characters?” Oh my. I need to get my legal pad out for this one. And take notes!! It’s like it’s going to be the Wizard of ummmmm, Vegas? And the wicked warlock nefarious! And I’m sure that L*fetime Network is trying to buy the rights so they can produce a top rated made for TV movie as I type. I’m awaiting this with bated breath….NOT!!
Could this be our #13 -Trial of the new century?
[photo courtesy of Y*hoo News]

~…end Thursday Thirteen
[to skip awards below, COMMENT Here]

In the last week I’ve received some marvelous gifts. I call them gifts because they are given to me from the heart. My peer bloggers think of me in a way that makes me feel good…good all under! And I love each and every one!

Now these two following just made me speechless humbled! On a day like yesterday, like no other, you made me honored. Both of you. And I give thanks….

On Monday storyteller handed me this:

- – -

On Tuesday morning I received this:


Kristine Kate at Life and Love honored me with this beautiful award, and she left me speechless with her comment for her reason gifting me with such honor. I copy what she had on her blog. And because of the way it’s presented to me, I am going to pass this one on! [translation follows]*

Thank you, thank you! You have certainly humbled me with your thoughts of me and your kindness!!

Kristine posts:

    “They all are charmed with the blogs, where in the majority of its aims are to show the marvels and to do friendship; there are persons who are not interested when we give them a prize and then they help to cut these bows; do we want that they are cut or that they propagate? Then let’s try to give more attention to them! So with this prize we must deliver it to 8 bloggers that in turn must make the same thing and put this text.

    I want to present this award to my following blogger friends along with the reasons:

    1. You
    2. Will
    3. Have to
    4. Visit her
    5. To see
    6. All the other bloggers
    7. - My favorite blogger!
    8. She bestowed this gift!!

    Thanks! I’m glad I met all of you once in my life journey…”

As this last award’s statement, I am wanting to pass –pay it forward to those who have brought me laughter, joy and friendship through blogging. Tho I don’t visit some on a daily basis, I find myself returning over and over again because their style of writing in their blogs is always rewarding!! — This, on to eight as asked of me, I choose:

    Mary for her friendship and loving generosity
    Charlotte for her compassion, and spirit
    Denise for her inspirational strength & powerful messages
    Gattina for her wit and charm
    Jen for her devotion to family & Down-to-Earth blog [private]
    Mary for her American Pride and meme work
    Diane for her joy in cooking! Not to forget her quick, jocular way
    Pea for her generosity and loving blog style

I can only do eight?

Wait! Don’t go…One more! Please!! I love storyteller’s style also. I can’t leave her out. I love her poetry and haiku. There are so many others. I’m hoping that these eight I chose will do the same and pass this on to others that I know would be on my list too!

*to translate the gift from Portuguese to English, it means:
“This blog invests and believes the proximity”
[meaning, that blogging makes us 'close' -being close through proxy]
A LOVELY sentiment!!

I’ve also added from Blogger’s Gadget/Widget page elements the “Followers” of my Blog. It’s on my sidebar. If you’d like to sign up to follow my blog…just click away!

{ August 31, 2008 @ 2:46 pm } · { Hurricane, Mutterings, SUN. SNIPPET }
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Play along with your subconscious; Sunday’s Word Association.
Join here.

I say … and you think … ?

1. Groceries :: Staples
2. Deodorant :: Ban
3. Psychic :: Phenomenon
4. Cherries :: Jubilee
5. Spooky :: Movie
6. Yogurt :: With fruit on the bottom
7. Kitchen :: *Witch [ sorry, paganistic probably, but I'm getting in the Halloween spirit! *link ]

8. Nothing personal :: huh? Is that comment directed to me? Okay….how ’bout “No offense taken.”
9. Be nice :: I try to be!!
10. Delivery :: Pizza dude’s here!! Yay.

~…end Mutterings
[click here for commenting if you want to skip the Hurricane update found below]

After just days since the third anniversary of America’s disaster….not only from the devastating storm, Katrina, but the joke called FEMA—New Orleans is in line for another!! This morning as I type this the wind speed out there in the Gulf, the wind/rain/upcoming disaster is called Gustav!! The winds? It’s clocked at 125 – 150 miles per hour encircling the eye of the storm….heading to the USA. Traveling north/northwest at 16 miles per hour. I just read the by-lines on the online news that New Orleans has already put out a mandatory evacuation alert! As the images below show, Gustav can hit anywhere between central Mississippi and the Houston Galveston, Texas area. But! –when it comes to Mother Nature, this monster can turn…and go more to the east…or more to the south/southwest. No one knows for sure until it hits! An online friend I know who lives in the Galveston area, I remember just recently had to evacuate for Rita a little over a year ago, stated:

    It is very humbling watching a storm this size enter the gulf, hard to explain the feeling. Earthquakes and tornados are also horrid natural disasters, but you do not have to watch them hurling toward your house for days on end. So far, we are not in evacuation mode, but have supplies and a plan of course…prayers for all in the path, Gustav looks like a monster.

But my question is: If what I read just minutes ago about how New Orleans is making the evacuation mandatory, they state that there is NO shelter around and in the city available…then, it goes on stating that if they find people who don’t leave the area, they will be arrested? Ummmm, just where will they house them if no shelters are there? Huh?

Since we’ve relocated to the Texas Coast, I so understand her above statement. Just in the three years living here, we have experienced ‘close calls’ with Rita [Corpus Christi DID evacuate --but she turned toward Houston in the last 24 hours of the predicted path], Emily -she was too close, but went more in an westerly direction and hit Monterey Mexico, and this year, Dolly…tho it came to land near Brownsville/South Padre Island area. We felt the effects of the last two mentioned…flooding and heavy accumulation of rain/water. As you can see, where I live, Gustav is not in the predicted path. At least so far…

Another online friend from Michigan has a daughter in law who is a paramedic. She, with much admiration from me, left her safety and loved ones in Michigan to travel to Louisiana to be there for the victims…assisting and volunteering to be of aid to anyone in need! I so admire this strength and the human heart of such kind!

I send out prayers for all…

Gustav at 4 AM check point…
125 Miles Per Hour Sustained Winds
16 MPH travel time
Projected Path…somewhere between Monday and Tuesday morning –landfall

Then, there is Hanna.
60 MPH sustained winds
Traveling at this time…west/northwest
12 MPH
Its path is directed to hit landfall somewhere between the Florida coast and North Carolina.

I thought I’d add this also. Besides Gustav and Hanna now being Hurricane strength and Tropical Storm strength respectively –the NHC also shows us two other probable/possible formations…at this point the yellow has up to 20% chance of cyclone formation while the orange just off the African coast has a higher percentage…up to 50% chance of forming into a tropical depression.

Depression, so aptly named.

- – -

As I finished and clicked publish, this little item popped up on my computer…we are now under flood watch because of Gustav…

{ August 8, 2008 @ 12:52 pm } · { Home, Houston, HUMOR, Hurricane, Show-N-Tell, Tintype }
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My show n tell tintypes are below this update on Tropical Storm Eduoard that hit Houston area —

I just have to share this….be prepared for the worst that could happen in my son’s life!!!! So, Wednesday evening I got this email from our son in Houston. It was sent the day after the Tropical Storm, Eduoard. And the subject line on the email was Damage From the Storm. It was late and I was in the process of shutting the computer down for the night so I could watch the 10PM newscast and go to read afterward. I had talked with him Tuesday evening as he drove home from work in the heavy rain. He sounded okay and was calling it, jokingly, ‘the worst storm ever’. Keep in mind the guy has lived through hurricanes in Japan while serving the U S in the Marine Corps. You know, the tough, strong…the few the proud? And during those hurricanes overseas, he survived them while sleeping in pup tents and out on maneuvers. Okay…he’s strong. He’s rarely scared of anything. Tough.

While I was reading, my mind wandered. I was thinking of the email that I didn’t open because the computer was partly shutting down and being cleaned out with the computer file cleaner that I do nightly. And it was a document file with the photos embedded. I didn’t, at the time, want to stop the cleaning out and then go to Programs and open Microsoft Works Word Processor. Thinking at that moment “I’ll do it in the morning”. As I lay there in bed, after reading, in the dark, I was thinking…oh lord, I bet his apartment got a lot of water damage, or a tree in the complex broke and fell on his section of the complex…going through the roof…and flooding. [He just bought all new furniture and a plasma TV, etc. etc. etc.] Everything was damaged by wind and then rain coming in!!! The word is catastrophizing! Conjuring up the worst situation ever in my head!!

Well, the next morning, Wednesday, my .exe file wasn’t working properly or I clicked on the wrong thing or something. Somehow the .doc wouldn’t open. I called him at his office and he wasn’t there. Tried his cell phone and he didn’t answer so I left a message. He does a lot of traveling around the south part of Texas for his job as investment advisor…so, in turn, he never returned my call during the day.

I get home from the beach, and finally, I got Word to open. And I could now view the damage from Eduoard. I was expecting the worst. I have to admit I was anxious, not knowing what I would see….

It was one photo. The damage. The whole shebang of what the storm and the wind damage was like for him……….

ROFLMAO!!! I’m sorry to report that his prized possession – now extinct, was reported a total loss. Call the paramedics [withdrawals]…contact the insurance company….file a claim!!!

[The turd...he really had me going!! I had visions of all kinds of loss. But I'm happy to say, I got a big kick out of his humor!!!!]

~…end of Eduoard Saga
[comment link below my show n tell for this week]


Join Here

We oftentimes go to the art museum. Art being a favorite subject of mine. One time just a few days ago, they had a special exhibit where the artist took photos of local ranch hands [young and old] and transformed his work onto tintype enlargements. The old style photos. Done with modern equipment. It was fascinating. Beside each ‘new’ tintype, the ranch hand, in their own words, described what ranching was to them. I remember one younger girl said “It’s like being in your own world…able to take your favorite horse, go out onto the ranch land and be one with nature, no worries of anything…just be yourself”. Sounds good to me.

So, this exhibit got me to thinking about what I have—

Inside this plastic bag, under a plastic covered photo album page is a family heirloom treasure for me. Now, granted, I only know who ONE is…the others are all ‘alien’ to me, I still treasure having them in my possession. You see when both parents died, my youngest older brother ‘inherited’ the family albums. Which is okay by me, since he’d be the one to carry the family name on through more generations [he had one boy...and that boy, my nephew has had three sons and still going *You wonder if they know what's causing all the births? LOL*] Anyway, at one time months after dad died, Bud and I were with my brother, just talking. And one thing lead to another – you know how it is; the family albums came out. During our gab session and reminiscing of the ‘good ol’ days’ we came upon these. I remember mom showing them to me and telling me they’re all kin. I was young and I looked at these tintypes and thought to myself….they look like bandits from the old west; the kind you see in movies and Gunsmoke!! Well, when my brother opened the page and I saw them, I pleaded with him to give me just the one that meant more to me than I thought for him. There were less than a dozen of them, but like I said, “They’re kinfolk.” He ended up giving them all to me…..




Oh, and if you’re interested, the right column, 2nd one down is [now I hope I get the generation correct] my Great Great Grandmother, Ann. My great grandmother named her child after her grandmother, Ann [the tintype]. When I was born, my mother named me Ann after MY grandmother – but added the “i”. And then, you guessed it, I named my daughter after HER grandmother [my mom] Irene. Nifty, huh? Confusing when doing genealogy work? Yes!! Most definitely.

The others, I have no idea who they are [the one to the left of Ann looks like my uncle tho, Arlo - so I'm sure they're ALL related to me somehow]…but the bottom right reminds me of the REAL Butch Cassidy [the famous train robber in history...you don't suppose?.....] *kidding

{ August 4, 2008 @ 9:00 am } · { Home, Hurricane, MON. MOMENT, WORDS }
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Mothers of Brothers has graciously given us a Fun Monday Challenge this week:
    So here is your Fun Monday Topic: Wordly Wise Words are our building blocks, our stepping stones, and, for many of us, our salvation. We string them together so quickly at times, we often lose sight of how precious they are. So tell us about your favorite word… or if you can’t pick just one, tell us about a few. Are there certain words that feel good the way they roll of your tongue? Do some words make you feel smart? Or silly? Or happy? Which words do you find yourself selecting to put in your posts? Since this response could be a short one, feel free to poll your family and friends and include some of their favorite words as well. If you think a definition is required, please share one. Please keep the words rated G for all audiences. Any language is acceptable, but please provide a translation. And stick to real words as opposed to ones made up along the way. We then challenge everyone to visit the posts on Monday and try to use other bloggers’ favorite words in your blog next week. We can’t wait to expand our vocabulary!


Ummmmm, wrong way, José! Yep! You guessed it….

First off, I never used to use this word; never! No, the word I’ve never used is not never. It’s ‘stupid’. And I picked it up from dear ol’ Bud! To him, everything that isn’t stupid, is. Now I hear myself speaking this word a lot. When I watch a ball game and the batter stands there in the batting box and lets a perfect strike come over the base by the opposing pitcher; without moving a muscle in his body – just watches the friggin’ ball sail right over the top center of the home base…”what a ‘stupid’ move that was!” Or out driving, someone cuts in front of me I’m either thinking or yelling through the windshield “Stupid driver!” Or I turn the light switch on that’s right next to the disposal switch on the wall….instead of the disposal [which I wanted to turn on]….”Now, that was stupid move Anni!” Reading the editorials in the newspaper…”Hmmmm, what stupid people in this country”. Or politicians’ mudslinging capabilities, “That’s stupid! Why don’t they get out on the campaign trail and tell us what they’re going to do for us instead of these silly, stupid insinuations of the opponent!?!” Almost daily this past year…”People are stupid to think that this price of oil isn’t a hoax…they want the billion dollar profits and the companies are NOT going to leave all that behind. Are we stupid or what?” Truthfully, I wish I could break the habit. And I’m trying. I’d much rather use synonyms of stupid:

    absurd, addled, anserine, asinine, blockish, bovine, brainless, brutish, clod, cloddish, crass, cretinous, dazed, dense, dimwitted, dizzy, doltish, dopey, dull, dumb, dumbbell, dunce, fatuous, foolish, footless, foppish, hebetate, idiot, idiotic, ignorant, imbecile, imbecilic, imperceptive, inane, insensate, irrational, irresponsible, lethargic, loutish, meaningless, moron, moronic, oafish, obtuse, oscitant, pointless, purblind, senseless, silly, simple, simpleton, slow, sluggish, stultifying, stupefied, torpid, unintelligent, unwise, vacuous, witless, worthless…

They all sound much more like an educated person, right? And I am continually mocking my husband before the word even forms on his lips!—I butt in and quote the ever over-used word…STUPID before he blurts it out. And doing this, it’s not changing him one iota either; he continues to use it several times a day.

Now, my most favorite word to read and hear is SABOTAGE. I just love the ‘ring of this word’ and how it flows off the tongue. But in all actuality, there is no sabotage often enough for me to use it. Boy howdy, when I do get a chance, it’s always there on the tip of my vocabulary, gray-matter dictionary. And I’ll jump at the chance!! Oh, and conspiracy and theory. Two more I like to hear, read, and speak. In fact they go together well…someone else thinks so too…’cause there is a movie of the same title!! Both are quite pertinent of today’s times. There always seems to be a theory AND conspiracies amidst our lives.

Yet, as Mrs. Gump always says: “Stupid is as stupid does”.
I do like Frank Sinatra’s “Something Stupid” tho…
“And then I go and spoil it all by saying something stupid like I love you!”

STUPID:

  1. lacking or marked by lack of intellectual acuity
  2. dazed: in a state of mental numbness especially as resulting from shock; “he had a dazed expression on his face”; “lay semiconscious, stunned (or stupefied) by the blow”; “was stupid from fatigue”
  3. a person who is not very bright; “The economy, stupid!”
  4. unintelligent: lacking intelligence; “a dull job with lazy and unintelligent co-workers”

Next Week’s Host
~…end Fun Monday
[scroll below hurricane update for comment link]

Texas, and the coastal state of Louisiana are now under Tropical Storm Warning once again. In less that two weeks. We have another one out there in the Gulf, nearing landfall! This time, so far, the storm’s path isn’t predicted to go farther West and hit my section of the coast…it’s forecasted to make landfall near Houston/Galveston area. This time, it’s where my son lives!!


    Tropical Storm Edouard

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