Indian Summer

I’m so enjoying a touch of Indian Summer (is that politically correct? If not I meant 'Native American summer’). I guess, I should just say I am enjoying the warm weather, but it doesn’t sound as good. Indian summer means a BONUS … EXTRA summer in fall.

The term Indian Summer is used when we experience a little revival of summer after it should have ended. The sky is usually cloudless, but hazy or even smoky looking especially looking toward the horizon.

There are several stories that tell about early settlers mistook the haze of the late New England autumn air for the campfires of Indians, thus the name Indian Summer.

For many of us in the Northern States we are seeing a “return to summer this week.”

Fall smells like golden leaves, a hint of winter’s chill and the last of the harvest.

Facts for Friday

1. The three most profitable sections in a supermarket: meat, fresh produce, and pet food.
2. Five percent of Americans think "espresso" is an overnight service.
3. Yum yum! A pound of houseflies contains more protein than a pound of beef.
4. Mr. Potatohead was the first toy advertised on TV.
5. Americans fill in 54 acres of crossword puzzle space everyday.
6. There are more than 35 million ex-smokers in the U.S.
7. Among other things, the ancient Greeks invented counterfeiting.
8. Twelve most-often-used letters in the alphabet: E,T,A,O,I,N,S,H,R,D,L,U.
9. McDonald's restaurants reportedly make about 40% of their profits from "Happy Meals."
10. In studies, kids who'd been breast-fed scored eight IQ points higher than formula-fed kids.
    
    

Lady Bugs

Free Lady Bugs

I've got plenty here and want to share with you. They don't need much in the way of food; just a drop of something sweet, maybe a hint of butter or fat, and they're happy as can be, will start a marathon party and invite all their little friends

can be easily coaxed into your car by leaving a window open overnight....

hurry....you must pick up here in Podunk.

Quote Me ?

I think I love quotes because they show how really powerful the written word is.

In one sentence a quote can make you question your choices, your life and the world

Admit it that is power.

Here are some of my favorite quotes:

-Experience is what you get when you didn't get what you wanted.-

-Brick walls are there for a reason. They are not there to keep us out. The brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something. The brick walls are there to stop people who don't want it badly enough.

-It is not about achieving your dreams but living your life. If you lead your life the right way, the karma will take care of itself. The dreams will come to you-

Randy Pausch- The Last Lecture

My one wish is that some day I would be so profound that some one would quote me.

Judge Judy-isms....

• "Umm is not an answer!"
• "Put on your listening ears!"
• "Do you know when your teen-ager is lying? - When ever their lips are moving!"
• "You ought to be ashamed of yourself!"
• "DON'T lie to me!"
• "BALONEY!"
• "Do I look like I need your help?"

I caught the feisty sassy judge on Larry King Live the other night discussing what we need to do about the "system" and sexual predators.. "They're just wired wrong..." She's outraged that rapist Phillip Garrido was let out of prison, free to snatch little Jaycee Dugard off the street and then keep her locked in a shed for 18 years.

Noting that the current system rewards convicted sexual assault criminals by saying.. "..and if you eat all your broccoli -- and eat your green beans.." we'll release you early for good behavior. BAD BAD IDEA! Judge Judy says,” They can't help themselves. We need places for people who can't help themselves. You don't put them back in the community; you put them where they can't hurt anybody." I think every one would agree with that. God Bless Judge Judy and her common sense. I hope some one is listening.

Flu vs Cold

H1N1 flu is about to be upon us and we need to be on top of information regarding it. Here is a comparison to the normal cold symptoms.
Know the Difference between a Cold and H1N1 Flu Symptoms:
Symptom
Cold
H1N1 Flu

Fever
----------------

Fever is rare with a cold.
Fever is usually present with the flu in up to 80% of all flu cases. A temperature of 100°F or higher for 3 to 4 days is associated with the H1N1 flu.

Coughing

----------------

A hacking, productive (mucus- producing) cough is often present with a cold.
A non-productive (non-mucus producing) cough is usually present with the H1N1 flu (sometimes referred to as dry cough).

Aches

----------------

Slight body aches and pains can be part of a cold.
Severe aches and pains are common with the H1N1 flu.

Stuffy Nose

----------------

Stuffy nose is commonly present with a cold and typically resolves spontaneously within a week.
Stuffy nose is not commonly present with the H1N1 flu.

Chills

----------------

Chills are uncommon with a cold.
60% of people who have the H1N1 flu experience chills.

Tiredness

----------------

Tiredness is fairly mild with a cold.
Tiredness is moderate to severe with the H1N1 flu.

Sneezing

----------------

Sneezing is commonly present with a cold.
Sneezing is not common with the H1N1 flu.

Sudden Symptoms

----------------

Cold symptoms tend to develop over a few days.
The H1N1 flu has a rapid onset within 3-6 hours. The flu hits hard and includes sudden symptoms like high fever, aches and pains.

Headache

----------------

A headache is fairly uncommon with a cold.
A headache is very common with the H1N1 flu, present in 80% of flu cases.

Sore Throat

----------------

Sore throat is commonly present with a cold.
Sore throat is not commonly present with the H1N1 flu.

Chest Discomfort

----------------

Chest discomfort is mild to moderate with a cold.
Chest discomfort is often severe with the H1N1 flu.

Baked Potato Soup.

This is with out a doubt the very best potato soup you will ever taste.

I use way more garlic and tons of cheese. Enjoy!

Baked Potato Soup.

INGREDIENTS

• 3 bacon strips, diced
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 2 large baked potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1 cup half-and-half cream
• 1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
• Shredded Cheddar cheese
• Minced fresh parsley

DIRECTIONS

In a large saucepan, cook bacon until crisp. Drain, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings. Set bacon aside. Saute onion and garlic in the drippings until tender. Stir in flour, salt, basil and pepper; mix well. Gradually add broth. Bring to boil; boil and stir for 2 minutes. Add the potatoes, cream and hot pepper sauce; heat through but do not boil. Garnish with bacon, cheese and parsley.

Complex World

Some one sent me this email and I thought I would post it here for all of you to enjoy. It cracks me up!

I thought about the 30 year business I ran with 1800 employees, all without a Blackberry that played music, took videos, pictures and communicated with Facebook and Twitter.
I signed up under duress for Twitter and Facebook, so my seven kids, their spouses, 13 grandkids and 2 great grand kids could communicate with me in the modern way. I figured I could handle something as simple as Twitter with only 140 characters of space.
That was before one of my grandkids hooked me up for Tweeter, Tweetree, Twhirl, Twitterfon, Tweetie and Twittererific Tweetdeck, Twitpix and something that sends every message to my cell phone and every other program within the texting world.
My phone was beeping every three minutes with the details of everything except the bowel movements of the entire next generation. I am not ready to live like this. I keep my cell phone in the garage in my golf bag.
The kids bought me a GPS for my last birthday because they say I get lost every now and then going over to the grocery store or library. I keep that in a box under my tool bench with the Blue tooth [it's red] phone I am supposed to use when I drive. I wore it once and was standing in line at Barnes and Noble talking to my wife as everyone in the nearest 50 yards was glaring at me. Seems I have to take my hearing aid out to use it and I got a little loud.
I mean the GPS looked pretty smart on my dash board, but the lady inside was the most annoying, rudest person I had run into in a long time. Every 10 minutes, she would sarcastically say, "Re-calc-ul-ating" You would think that she could be nicer. It was like she could barely tolerate me. She would let go with a deep sigh and then tell me to make a U-turn at the next light. Then when I would make a right turn instead, it was not good.
When I get really lost now, I call my wife and tell her the name of the cross streets and while she is starting to develop the same tone as Gypsy, the GPS lady, at least she loves me.
To be perfectly frank, I am still trying to learn how to use the cordless phones in our house. We have had them for 4 years, but I still haven't figured out how I can lose three phones all at once and have run around digging under chair cushions and checking bathrooms and the dirty laundry baskets when the phone rings.
The world is just getting too complex for me. They even mess me up every time I go to the grocery store. You would think they could settle on something themselves but this sudden "Paper or Plastic?" every time I check out just knocks me for a loop.
I bought some of those cloth reusable bags to avoid looking confused but I never remember to take them in with me.
Now I toss it back to them. When they ask me, "Paper or Plastic?" I just say, "Doesn't matter to me. I am bi-sacksual.." Then it's their turn to stare at me with a blank look.

Friday Facts

1. A snowstorm becomes a blizzard when the temp drops below 2o°F and wind speed hits 35 mph.
2. On an average day, 102 people visit the Dr. Pepper Museum in Waco, Texas.
3. Reindeer are the only species of deer in which the female grows antlers.
4. Istanbul, which sits half in Europe and half in Asia, is the only city on two continents.
5. Tchaikovsky reportedly committed suicide by drinking cholera-contaminated water.
6. People with heart disease are 2.4 times more likely to have a heart attack when they are angry.
7. There are more than 35 million ex-smokers in the U.S.
8. The flu was first described by Hippocrates, in 412 B.C.
9. People in Salt Lake City eat more Jell-O than citizens in any other state
10. The U.S. Congress didn't make "The Star Spangled Banner" the national anthem until 1931.
    
    
    
    

Wise old woman

Written by Regina Brett, 90 years old, of The Plain Dealer, Cleveland, Ohio

“To celebrate growing older” I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me…..It is the most requested column I’ve ever written.

1. Life isn’t fair, but it is still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste hating any one.
4. Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick, your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don’t have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It is more healing that crying alone.
8. It’s ok to get angry at God, He can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11. Make peace with your past so it won’t screw up your future.
12. It’s ok to let your children cry.
13. Don’t compare your life to others, you have no idea what their journey is all about.
14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye, but don't worry, God never blinks.
16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.
19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood, but the second one is up to you and no one else.
20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.
21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
22. Over prepare, and then go with the flow.
23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.
24. The most important sex organ is the brain.
25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?'
27. Always choose life.
28. Forgive everyone everything.
29. What other people think of you is none of your business.
30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.
31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
33. Believe in miracles.
34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.
35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.
37. Your children get only one childhood.
38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else’s, we’d grab ours back.
41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
42. The best is yet to come.
43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
44. Yield
45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift."

Insomnia

I stayed up all night because I obviously have nothing better to do; actually when insomnia comes calling you may as well get up and keep it company. Of course the television had to stay up too. Damned if I want to be completely alone. Well anyways watching the boob tube commercials really got me to wondering how folks in the old days did anything without help. I mean like going to the bathroom for one thing or eating fruit because God knows everyone needs fruit but why eat it? We have yogurt with microbes in it to make us “well you know” poop; we have water with fruit in it so we do not actually have to eat the fruit. How did our ancestors deal with hemorrhoids for crying out loud? I don't think they exploded and remember they used corn cobs for toilet paper! There are even bands you wrap around your gut that exercises the muscles because we are too lazy to actually get up and walk. We have cream to put on them and if that isn't bad enough people use the same cream on their face!

We have scooters to sit our asses on to grocery shop because we are too lazy to actually walk. Hell we even have sidewalks to get us to our plane so we do not have to waste precious energy by walking. North Carolina has an Aquarium with a moving sidewalk so you can just stand and watch the fish without having to spend any energy. We have microwaves so we do not have to cook real food, when we do use our ovens they clean themselves so we do not have to bend over and use elbow grease. Virtual pets save time and keep us from actually having to walk an animal, or feed it unless you feed it pretend food. Yes we are lazy, I wonder why?

Useless Information

1. The world's five smallest countries would easily fit inside of Walt Disney World.
2. Commonsense fact: Animals that lay eggs don't have belly buttons.
3. The Graham cracker was named after Dr. Sylvester Graham
4. Q: Which country drinks more Coke than any other nation on earth? A: Mexico.
5. Americans buy more candy at Easter than they do at Halloween.
6. Q: What do Cleopatra and John Wilkes Booth have in common?
7. no one knows where they are buried
8. Most popular junk food in New England: potato chips. In the Southeastern U.S.: cheese puffs.
9. Q: What U.S. symbol was first used as a television test pattern? A: A dollar sign.
10. Rocky Road ice cream was invented during the Depression as a "comment of the times."
    
    
    
    
    

I Wish

1. I wish to always be resourceful and move with the flow of life

2. I wish to be an eternal optimist.

3. I wish to keep being interested so I can be interesting.

4. I wish that I will never lose the twinkle in my eye.

5. I wish to always have a sense of humor.

6. I wish to always have a kind heart.

7. I wish to have a forgiving heart.

8. I wish to be in control of my happiness and not depend on others for it.

9. I wish for the courage to continue.

10.I wish to always be hopeful.

Ouch

Nonversation

We all know what a conversation is.. so I thought I would try to define a nonversation. I define it as: A completely worthless conversation, wherein nothing is illuminated, explained or otherwise elaborated upon. Sort of political speak.

I take part in nonversations all the time. And they go like this: (the names have been changed to protect the innocent)

Me says:

mornin

He says:

mornin

Me says:

busy?

He says:

nah.....just doing the puzzle

Me says:

Sounds like fun

He says:

puzzle

He says:

is a mornin wake up thing

Me says:

Routine

He says:

along with pills and coffee

Me says:

You are in a rut? Groove?

He says:

goove is more like it

Me says:

Ah I like groove better myself

He says:

also included the feeding of the livestock and the making of the bed

He says:

and a shower

He says:

and cleaning the kitchen

He says:

and that's about it

Me says:

I have a problem and you must promise not to laugh

He says:

can I chuckle quitely to myself

Me says:

No

He says:

snicker

Me says:

If you do I will get you back

He says:

will do my best

Me says:

This is a horrible thing darlin

Me says:

and more horrible is that I am telling it

Me says:

I have LOST my remote control for big TV in living room

Me says:

and no it is not in the freezer

Me says:

don't be a smart ass

He says:

oh my god!

Me says:

I know

Me says:

Will you be sending a Hallmark?

Me says:

I am so upset

Me says:

But at least I remember I have a TV

He says:

i will see if i can find one that is approperate to the tragedy

Me says:

How can this happen?

He says:

is down in the cushion in sparky

He says:

or under sparky

He says:

or near the phone

He says:

i sense these things

Me says:

it is no where to be found

Me says:

and I was so upset I humiliated my self and ask jimmy to stop by tonight

He says:

when did the elusive critter get gone?

Me says:

last nite when I couldn't turn it off

Me says:

had to actually walk across the freakin room and push a button

Me says:

ah.....and you are sure about sparky

He says:

he is a trick bastard you know

Me says:

I did not look under him because he is very heavy

Me says:

if he took it I am gonna be so pissed

This nonverstations went on for a half an hour. Nothing of any importance was said, no solving of world problems, no exchange of ideas, nothing but our morning routine. I find it very comforting to know I have some one to have a nonversation with every day.

You know you are too old to Trick or Treat

You know you are too old to Trick or Treat

When:

10. You get winded from knocking on the door.

9. You have to have another kid chew the candy for you.

8. You ask for high fiber candy only.

7. When someone drops a candy bar in your bag, you lose your balance and fall over.

6. People say: "Great Boris Karloff Mask," And you're not wearing a mask.

5. When the door opens you yell, "Trick or." And can't remember the rest

4. By the end of the night, you have a bag full of restraining orders

3. You have to carefully choose a costume that won't dislodge your hairpiece.

2. You're the only Power Ranger in the neighborhood with a walker.

And the number one reason Seniors should not go Trick or Treating...

1. You keep having to go home to pee.

No matter, have a HAPPY HALLOWEEN

Anyway.