05/31/2023

Today, a day of happenings . . .

Off to the dentist at  pre-dawn. 

My thought was, "Don't like the 

dentist no how, so may as well get 

it over with a la down and dirty!"

Alas, we tend to leave the cabin

seldom, so why not do a grocery

shop?! And while we're at it, a

taco or two somewhere might be

just the ticket.

At home, post dental fears ahoy

means I need a treat. I'm only a 

kid after all. Methinks coffee ice 

cream would be perfect. Praise 

God from whom all blessings 

flow, there's no one to remind me

I'm not old enough to have coffee. 

What?! Ice cream for breakfast?! 

No way in hell that would fly!

A rather fun thing with which to 

end the day, the month . . . this

eve marks the end my 30-day 

promise of no drinks. I ever and

always appreciate that it turns 

out to be no big deal to give it

up from time to time.

I'm out of here . . . on my search

for some serious sinning. 'Tis a

going to the dentist requirement,

make no mistake!

05/30/2023

"There is a woman I want to 

be and until I reach that point,  

I have work to do." ~Unknown

One of the most amazing truths

I've ever come upon was finding 

out I'm still not there . . . 

 . . . wherever there is.

I've always questioned life, its

various meanings, purposes,

realities. Thought I'd have it all

figured out by now. Not so . . .

imagine my surprise!

One of the things that intrigues

me . . . I have more questions 

than answers. And yes, I realize

I'm among those many oldsters

who have said this.

Soooo . . . 

"Who do we ask? Who knows 

the answers? Who's been there, 

done that? Who can inform, tell, 

teach?"

My guess would be those elders

present in any tribe. I imagine

they have many an unanswered

question themselves.

Is this 'it'? Is this what life's all

about? Learning to question? 

Never getting the answers?

To quote my nephew Daniel . . .

"I'm confused, I'm going to bed!"

05/29/2023 - Memorial Day

Memorial Day, a federal holiday

in the United States for honoring 

and mourning the U.S. military 

personnel who died while serving

in the United States Armed Forces

from 1868 to 1970. Wikipedia

I fear Memorial Day has become

more of a time of family picnics 

rather than an honoring of our lost 

forefathers. Not quite sure how I

feel about that.

It is well worth remembering that

we are who we are today because

of them. Alas, 'tis easy to forget.

Albeit Memorial Day or Veterans 

Day, and/or my own feelings re

d) all of the above, I honor those

who have served. I am from a

military family and I will ever

and always honor mine own.

FAMILY MILITARY SERVICE:

FINO: Nicholas (Army), Bishop 

(Marines)

HOSKINS: Michael (Army)

JENNINGS: Samuel, Chester, 

Mervin, Stanley, Gene  (Army)

KAUFHOLTZ: Gerald (Air Force),

Melvin (Army), Russel (Marines),

ZAK (Navy)

KUKKONEN: Tony (Navy)

LEECH: Jesse (Marines)

MACLEOD: Jacob (Army)

MCGUINNESS: Ryan (Air Force)

SEYMOUR: Mike (Navy)

SHOVER: James (Navy)

VEATCH: Delton (Army), Homer

(Navy), Morris (National Guard),

Ray (Air Force), Shaun (Navy)

Veterans Day, a federal holiday

in the US observed annually on

November 11, honoring military

veterans of the US armed forces.

Wikipedia

05/28/2023

They, We and I

I'm ever so fortunate that I was 

able to know my grandparents 

well on both sides of the family.

My grandparents were WWI, my

parents WWII and I was Viet Nam.

I mention this for time placement

reasons. 

I do come from a heavy military 

background on both sides of the 

family, per se. I can only imagine 

the vast horror they must have felt 

as I  participated in bra burnings as

well as anti-Viet Nam war demos.

In this instance, I find myself 

pondering our people values from

each of these times. 

My grands as I tend to think of 

them, were all about THEY . . . 

 . . . "They need us, we will go to

their rescue. They have issues we 

can help with, so we will be there."

My perception of my parents era is

WE . . . 

 . . . "We are all one; let us help each

other. We will be over this weekend

to help with the apple picking and 

hopefully, you can come in a couple

of weeks to harvest our grapes."

It seems to me that my own time and

place is is heavily sprinkled with I . . .

 . . . "I have plans to travel this fall.

I intend to build a summer cabin for

some fun partying. I need my solitude,

my alone time."

I actually don't find anything wrong

with any of these. Still, my wistful

thinking tends toward an interlacing,

a melding of the three, a kind of

heaven on earth, if you will.

A balance would need to be sought.

Nonetheless, a time for they, we and

I could only add the wondrous to

wonderful . . .

Thoughts?

05/27/2023

Ever and always those hellos and

goodbyes . . . both to prep for one

way or the other . . .

I love the whole getting ready part.

Clean the house, change the sheets,

wash the last of the dishes, set the 

table, buy some fun food and maybe 

even cook a bit. 

I actually find myself getting more

and more excited as I finish one self-

assigned task after another. Sooooo

love that feeling . . .  "Company is

coming!"

It's especially wondrous when all

goes according to plan. You know,

nothing burned, the ice cream is

actually frozen, the food is perfect.

Then there's that amazing time 

when your friends surprise you 

w/dinner already made, the food

scrumptious, the afters perfect and

thoughts of a warm fire and lots 

of tales told out of school.

Looking back, I love those perfect

memories of little friends, adventures,

sleepovers, telephone calls. And now

today, I find myself most grateful I 

have a couple of sweet friends I can 

do all the same things with.

Life is good . . . methinks true

friendship is heaven on earth!

05/26/2023

"Grandma was 72 and didn't look

a day over 90." ~Janet Evanovich

Alas, methinks Janet may actually 

be talking about moi this 'round.

To one degree or another, we all

make some kind of effort to look

alright if not down right good. I

find 'tis only the gods who know

for sure. 

In my trad black, back and knee

braces on, I'm ready to party, may

even dance. And by dance, I mean

hit Safeway for the groceries I

forgot to buy at SAMS.

The thing I most love about aging

is learning to accept it for the gift

that it is. Remember the alternative

and it won't be an issue. Within the

confines of the obvious, not caring

so much about things that used to

be ever so important is also a gift.

So today, I'm enjoying coffee by

the fire, indulging in a new book

and sneaking a fruit plate.

Wow! So much fun . . . I dearly

love that one of aging's most

powerful gifts is that the small

things matter!

05/25/2023

"Note to self: All you have to 

do is show up. Be late. Be scared. 

Be a mess. Be weird. Be confused. 

Just BE there. You'll figure out the

rest as you go." ~Nanea Hoffman

I do know this bit of wisdom. Now,

following it is an entirely different

matter. I'm never late, but count me

in on scared, mess, weird, confused!

We all prefer to think, as we grow

older, that we've go this . . .  this

being all those things more difficult

to deal with from our younger years.

And, I would say for the most part

we all do pretty well. Alas, other

fears take their place . . . "How am 

I handling my elder years? My knee

still pains me terribly and I fell on it

six weeks ago. Am I losing my mind,

my memory? And, what's with all

this flatulence?!"

No, I'm not complaining, although 

may sound like it! Aging R O C K S! 

What's that old adage about a gift 

denied to many?! One just worries 

about being able to handle all those 

pesky deets that come with said gift!

Praise the gods no cain is needed yet.

Still, have to wonder why I've bought

six different ones I've liked at antique

stores. Go figure!

My fave look is that brace 'round 

heretofore mentioned knee nigh

onto reaching the hem of my mini

skirt!!!

05/24/2023

"Excuse me while I colour 

outside the lines. I've never 

been very good at staying 

inside of the box." 

~Stacie Martin

 

Methinks 'twas a good day

when the box was invented!

How else would we have

ever known just where to

find ourselves in order to

enjoy life at its fullest?!

My outside the box has

given me such amazing

experiences. HS in three

years, leaving home at 15.

Living, loving, bearing my 

children, building a home,

teaching in Olde Mexico 

for 20 years . . . now that's

outside the box!

Confession here . . . giving

away all my earthly goods

and moving into a 135 year

old cabin has been, not an

experience of a lifetime, but

THE experience of my life!

Must tell tales out of school

on this one at some point!

Still, I so enjoyed teaching 

23 years here in the U.S. 

My Mexican students were

a sweet segway from a life

I had loved to a new life I

was learning to enjoy.

Spring has finally arrived . . .

and I fully intend to see just 

what mischief I can dream 

up to get into. 

There absolutely must be a 

few naughties I can  get into

even at 100 plus years of age.

Pray, send suggestions . . .

05/23/2023

"Within you, there is a stillness

and a sanctuary to which you

can retreat at anytime and be

yourself." ~Hermann Hesse,

Siddhartha

How easily one forgets this

knowledge, this inner knowing

we all have. 'Tis a saving grace

that's been gifted us and we

simply forget its value and/or

to use it.

I know a couple of women 

who can actually still their 

souls when at a party or in a 

crowd. I so need to learn this 

bit of magic. I can do this pretty 

well when in a crowded market 

place with people I don't know. 

Alas, I find I am unable to do 

so when with family or friends.

Bottom line, I believe we tend

to forget our inherent need for

solitude and quiet. It's simply 

part of the mix. Our personal

needs span a vast distance . . .

We need family time, friends,

that bit of a party. We also need

quiet time. As a kid, my parents

were wise enough to give me

quiet time. Initially, I thought it

to be a kind of punishment. Not

so! 'Twas a true gift and how I

thank them for it.

 - - -

Hermann Karl Hesse was a German-

Swiss poet, novelist, and painter. His

best known works include Demian,

Steppenwolf, Siddhartha, and The

Glass Bead Game, each of which

explores an individual's search

for authenticity, self-knowledge

and spirituality. In 1946, he

received the Nobel Prize in

Literature. 1877 - 1962 Wikipedia

05/22/2023

"It ain't a race; take a space."   

~Michael Weist, SH285

Driving home today, we were

surrounded with such beauty

it was difficult to take it all in.

One of the delights of SH285

is you get to enjoy so many

different geological changes

in just a couple of hours.

We enjoyed plains, foothills,

mountains . . . all decorated

in blues, distinct cloud 

formations and all dancing 

in the rain and breeze.

There were countless bison 

and buffalo. We saw Black

Angus covering entire acres.

The calves were the cutest

E V E R! There were horses,

dogs and cats in the domestic

arena.

I swear, nervous wreck that 

I often am, I spent a delightful

and peaceful weekend that 

soothed my very soul.

Me thinks S285 needs to be

renamed, Heaven, and I need

to get my ass up there as often

as possible!

I'm promising myself a trip in

June, no matter what . . .

05/21/2023

One of the things I quite like in

Spanish is the distinction 'twixt

and 'tween . . .

amar y querer,  love and like.

The rule of thumb is that you

only love people and like things.

"I just love Anne; I like her 

interesting conversations. She

loves her man; methinks she

likes his car even better. They

love each other ever so much'

they like each other's company."

Whereas in English, we tend

to mix and match as we jolly

well feel at the moment . . .

"I just love your hair. I like

my neighbors a lot. Would

sure love to go out to eat w/

you guys. I love Mexican

food."

Obviously we don't love all

people in either language, so

how is that handled?!

In Spanish we say something

like, "´El me cae bien." which

is loosely translated, "He rubs 

me just the right way." May

not quite work in English, but

still allows for like vs. love

usage.

Obviously, there's no need to

get all tangled up in rules, but

I'd still rather say, "I love you

and quite like your blueberry

pancakes." rather than the other

way 'round . . .

 . . . right?!

05/20/2023

It's so different out here on the

plains. One truly doesn't seem

to be in Colorado.

I do love looking as far as the

eye can see. There is a not so

gentle wind blowing reminding

us who's boss! And, then comes

the rain. Naught gentle about it

either.

No electric or tech available.

One must entertain the mind

via conversation and reading.

Ever so glad I enjoy both. Still

as daylight dims, I must have

some thought as to how I can

read without the amenities.

Sooooo not going  to happen!

The towns out here are small.

I find them interesting. I'd 

rather enjoy going into the 

local market or even the pub. 

Can't help but wonder what 

they would be like.

Methinks a walk, pre wind 

and rain, is in order. Sweet 

little rocks to be found and 

God only knows how I love 

them.

Alas, I won't be able to go

far. That whole 100 years 

old thing is most likely to 

kick in. Stil, naught wrong

with a short walk.

So loving the sunrises and

sunsets out here. They're 

so different from what we

are used to.

Isn't it interesting how we

find beauty no matter where

we are?!

Feeling blest . . .

05/19/2023

"When did you stop dancing?

When did you stop singing?

When did you stop being 

enchanted by stories?

When did you stop being 

comforted by sweet silence?"

~Gabrielle Roth

Author Gabrielle Roth tells us

that the Shamanic answer to

depression lies sussing out the 

above questions. Certainly,

something to think about.

In my case, I think I haven't

danced since I turned 40. I

really don't get the cutoff date

as I used to love to dance.

The father of my children and 

I were a duet in Mexico for 

nigh onto 20 years. We even 

sang on the local television

stations. We sang for church,

parties, gatherings . . . and 

I don't think I've sung since 

returning to the U.S.

Speaking of music, I used to

play the piano for song service

in Mexico and I don't think I've

played the piano since I came

back to the U.S.

At least I have never, ever lost

interest in stories of any kind

and silence is still my best 

friend. Two out of four . . .

Doesn't that mean I'm halfway

there?!

Methinks there may be a certain

amount of unavailable energy

for song and dance. I have an

idea . . . I'll just double up on

the stories and silence and I'll

be right on top again!!!