We’ve spent the last four weekends with different clans of the family.  While I”m looking forward to my days off this week because I have absolutely no plans and expect to keep it that way, spending quality time with everyone has made it about the best month ever!  Dianne was back this weekend to visit the mother-in-law, Dave was down Friday night to help me hold the deck down with lawn chairs while “he” continued the lattice project on the side of the deck.  He and Dave put new tile in Avis’s bathroom during the day on Friday.  Last night Dianne, Dave, Christa, he and I and the critters had dinner at our house, lots of good conversation, then a movie and Dianne spent the night. 

I speak from experience when I say that a multitude of hurts can be healed with communication, understanding and perseverance.  I’ve not always felt like a welcome member of the family…lots of angst over the last 35 years but through it all we’ve all matured, we’ve all aged, non-birth members of the family (me) has figured out the family dynamics and knocked off the large chip that grew on my shoulder and it feels like they have figured out that while I was not born into the family, I sure was not going anywhere…I speak with experience when I say that it takes love and understanding on both sides to make it work..Did I mention maturing and aging and perhaps the biggest thing – respecting one another for who we are, what we want, where we have been and where we want to go!  I’m very lucky!

Until next time….

This is going to be the weekend for beautiful trees in Iowa especially in my “neck of the woods”….whatever that means…one of our TV weathermen says that nearly every night…I wait for it…wait for it…wait for it.

Seriously..”they” tell us that trees are not going to be golden this year because of the lack of water…well, they didn’t look out the window or they don’t live in Iowa…in my neck of the woods, most of the trees are golden..actually it seems there are some beautiful colors mixed in this year…do I say that every year?  With a beautiful tree season comes the freeking rutting season for deer.  Deer are already on the road a lot more after the fields are cleared which is understandable…but what buck was walking around one year and said…oh hey…I think I’ll start mating so my beloved can give birth to our little fawn during the coldest time of the year…Maybe it is just that the fields are clean and they can see that luscious doe meandering around in her own field and he thinks…mmmm she’s grown up over the summer, I wanna get me some of that – in deer speak of course…or maybe they are just frisky because it is cooling down and they can sprint and play with cars on the road and just run and feel good.

Supposedly the deer population in Iowa is thinning a bit..trust me when I say…not in my neck of the woods.  Enjoy the beauty!

Until next time….

In the last few months, I’ve “gotten back” my ability to read again…I could read…I just wasn’t reading books very often…I found an old Belva Plain book at my mother-in-laws house that I’ve been reading this week.  This is the first Belva book  I’ve read since Evergreen back in the early 80′s.  I just couldn’t get into her other books…but this one – The Carousel – took me awhile to get interested but it’s a good one…I’m near the end.  I love a book where you can say out loud…Wow, I didn’t expect that twist!

I voted absentee ballot last night.  I encourage you to vote this year…especially those who have complaining the most.  Seems those of us who yell the loudest get out there and vote…and those who just like to bitch don’t cast a ballot because they don’t care enough?  Just like to hear their head rattle when they talk?

According to NPR, scientists are saying Mars had running water at some point.
I have a problem with dinosaur displays – the ones where the dino is all put together and tourists walk around ooh and ah and take pictures.  There is no way I believe that they uncovered every single bone for these displays..nor do I believe there was an instruction manual for putting it together.  I hate when I feel someone is pulling something over on me.

Anti cat people – that is all you need to read. 
I needed traffic control device for the cats this morning as they were shooting around the house chasing each other and just feeling good.  I just wanted to sit down and enjoy it but I had to make my coffee and get moving.  A couple of my cats frequently try to cover up my coffee cup on the desk in the morning..they don’t like the smell and obviously think it smells like something that comes out of their bodies that they don’t like.  It always irritates me – STOP IT…GET OUT OF THE WAY…this morning I was cleaning the peanut butter knife and putting things in the dishwasher while my coffee was brewing and I thought…OMG did someone pee around here…after a little investigation, I realized it was my coffee I smelled…am I becoming one with the cats?  I really fear hair balls!

Until next time….

Dr Reed gave me a prescription for xanax at my last visit due to my anxiety issues…She is a stickler on not taking them unless it is absolutely necessary…she gave me a little “talk” about it – I’m sure she’s worried about a dependency issue although I’m not sure it is an addictive drug…I”m not too worried – the only thing I have been addicted to is cigarettes and sugar.  I’ve been cutting my little .25 mg pills into 4 pieces because it seems my anxiety goes into pre attack mode about the moment I turn off the TV and put my ear plugs in.  I feel it coming on and sometimes I’m able to breath and soul talk myself calm…but seems this little tiny bit of xanax at night does the trick.  I”m only waking up once in the middle of the night and that is exactly 30 minutes before my alarm will ring…grrr.  Anyway…I got up this morning and into the shower = where I do my best thinking = everything was good. 

He didn’t put water in the Keurig this morning which  mildly irritated me – meanwhile talking about him beating me one of the 4 games in the tournament Angry Birds…but by the time I walked out the door I was thinking wow…it could be a good day…by the time I got to my car, I was thinking…I really should be very happy…life is good and I’m on my way to the job I used to love and be addicted too.  I’m less than 2 years from retirement, life is good.

Catching up on world and local news this morning, I saw a blip about Elisabeth Hasselbeck trying to makebelieve she is a news person interviewing President Obama on the View.  A segment that was for Barbara’s birthday and light hearted, albiet a campaign appearance, I’m sure.  I cannot stand Elisabeth Hasselback…frequently wondering if she had  life skills and were older sans the arrogance if I would still have the reaction I have…no = obviously not..which led me to the big mouth, horse face bitch on The Talk.  They sure don’t like negative comments on their Facebook site over there on the Talk.  They really don’t care what you think about topics or the abrasive, obnoxious, loud Sheryl Underwood because they certainly quickly removed my negative comment..nearly faster than I could type it.  Oh. well… I practice my right to turn the channel when she is on…they just keep her shouting out inane things so there must be someone out there that doesn’t want to see her mouth wired shut – am I right?

That’s it…Until next time…bwa ha ha

I’ve Bean!  to the Bean in Chicago..

 What a blast.  While there, I tried to figure how, Why and How?  There seemed to be a lot of people there who had like mind! Millennium Park is an Oasis in the big city.  I wish I could say I was impressed with the face-fountain-stream – whatever it is…It could be a relaxing place to sit and just “be” but I spent a lot of time trying to figure out “why”. 

We walked several miles (up hill both ways) around the city.  We always think it is the way to really see things…at one corner, we had to detour a block due to Dune 3 being filmed and we got to pass by this eternal flame  commemorating the military and had to laugh at the way it was being used…. by pigeons.  I don’t like pigeons but this was quite humorous

It was wonderful visiting with our beautiful daughter  I love this picture of her.  She has a wonderful, genuine laugh that just makes me warm inside.

Back to work tomorrow *blech.  I’m going to enjoy every minute of this day!

Until next time….

Has it every occurred to you to call the police because a utilities repairman was rude to you?

I had a Cold Stone Creamery medium cookie dough ice cream extravaganza in a waffle cone for supper last night.

I’m perplexed at why higher end clothing seems to be made larger than lower end clothing.  I”m not talking about foo foo boutique clothing..just your run of the mill Chico or Von Maur?

Went to the doctor yesterday and she concluded than my anxiety level needs to be lassoed and feels that anxiety is manifesting itself with my physical symptoms.  She’s adjusted my meds.  That should be good news for all of you!

Off to Chicago tomorrow afternoon…I think Chicago pizza is in my future…I also get to see the Bean…finally..in answer to my adorable youngest daughter…No…I have never BEAN!

Until next time.

Things are different…not different in a bad way…just different.  My life is kind of like the weather in Iowa…wait 5 minutes and it will change.  I have learned so much about life in the last few years.  Things about minding my own business, not judging someone else’s actions, truly believing that everyone has a right to their opinion..whether it be politics, religion or just getting to know people better.  I’ve found that if you don’t judge and do accept people for who they are, life can be more fulfilling and happy.  That’s not to say I haven’t entertained the thought that someone was just bat POO POO crazy for an opinion..but I accept that this what they believe……. I’m actually to the point that I don’t care if you disgree with me nor I – you.  It feels very, very adult.  I don’t need to change their opinion and I don’t need them to change my opinion.  Healthy discussion is one thing.  Not respecting other’s opinions is quite another.

We have been traveling quite a bit.  Bloomfield, Indiana for a wedding, last weekend Kansas City and this coming weekend Chicago.  Also preparing for a trip to Italy next month with our Ecuador travel mates.  Christa and I have been buying some clothes in our attempt to fit in…although the brother in law tells me that no matter what I wear, I’m going to look like a tourist. merci beau coup…or something like that.

Until next time…

edit:  All this happy talk relates to those I know and those I know and love…other members of society..ya..not so much…I still think as a society – we are going to hell in a handbasket.   Sorry…but just my opinion.

I really need to back away from politics for awhile…I had a dream last night (seemed like I had it all night) that President Obama and his wife came to Iowa, stayed with us (in a house that I’ve never seen), we rode in the limo to a fund raiser…he and I had inside jokes with each other. 

There is also the guy in the skinny jeans which continues to haunt me since supper at IHOP in Ankeny last night.

Seriously.  He was prancing around smoking his cigarette waiting for his wife to come out of the restaurant.  I could not stop looking..it was like a train wreck.  I hate the hanging down, baggy pants look on men but, but not nearly as bad as I hate the skinny jean look on men.

Happy Labor Day to all of my able bodied friends out there who labor!!!! Live long and prosper.

Until next time….

Thanks to a Facebook acquaintance, I paused last night to soak in a private message he sent me on Facebook.  One thing that really grabbed my attention was the respectful way he approached me – not plastering hateful rhetoric on my Facebook – instead he sent me a private message two liner question.  He didn’t attack my values spewing hate, he asked me a simple question – then I answered him – and then he answered me…quite frankly, after the first question, the irrational psycho babble started steaming, but because I do have respect for him, I simply answered his question in 10 words or less…it was his second question that made me pause…I had clarity of the pro-life opinion.

“Should it be her choice after the baby is born? Why as a society do we call one choice and one murder?”

The rest of this blog will be in generalities and using Art’s question as my basis for the answer.  I know there are total irrational right wing religious fanatics on one end and “out there” left wing radicals who wouldn’t even stop to consider the opposing opinion.   

I do not like abortion because of the very nature of the subject matter.   I also do not like to hear about shakin’ baby syndrome on the news.  I hate to hear about the boys and girls who are sexually abused by adults and especially by priests.  In my job, I hate to hear kids screaming and crying in the background near hysteria because mom or dad are on the phone with me because they just beat their significant other in front of the child or beat the child.  I hate this. Do I think a parent who abuses and burns a child with cigarettes should be allowed to continue to parent this child just because they chose to bring an unwanted child into the world.  During the one minute of copulation, they made a human being.  Chances are they didn’t even think about the possibility of conceiving a child, but the sexual mechanics overwhelmed the clear thinking.  Happens.  Or maybe they are just uneducated or never learned consequences for their actions.  It’s rampant out there.  You, not in law enforcement, have no idea how bad some members of our society are.  But these are choices some members our society make.  There are two sides… ones who are sucking the life out of us and the ones who close their eyes to avoid looking at the ugly.

Point number 2.  My personal belief is that life does not begin at conception and actually does not begin in my mind until after the heartbeat begins.  So…while I do not support abortion…. I do support the woman’s right to choose to abort the fetus.  Now there are all kinds of what if’s.  I know the what ifs.  I do not discuss the what ifs because every what if is different…but if one of my daughters were raped or were going to die because of a pregnancy…I would absolutely support her choice to end the pregnancy.  If my child felt she can not abort a fetus, I support that decision. 

There are a lot of unwanted children out there surviving on their own.  Do I think these children should have been aborted.  No.  Do I believes that these women who had sex and conceived this child should have had the right to abort the fetus.  YES.  Do I think there are a lot of pro-life folks out there who are fighting for the life of the child because the process is too ugly… would they be willing to take on the responsibility of the child the mother doesn’t want…of do they just want to make the decision for the mother….would one of these pro life people change their opinion if THEIR child or THEIR life was in danger because of this unborn fetus.  You know they would.  Just ask a TV evangelists what they think about extra marital affairs and then ask how many of had them.  Our society does not practice what it preaches…it is one neighbor looking down on choices of the other neighbor.  If you are strongly opposed to abortion don’t have one.  Should we be teaching kids about birth control…YES .. do we really think that people are going to stop having sex … or kids are going to stop having sex just because they are told…would you?  If you are a male, you can have your opinion but you absolutely have no right to make the choice for the woman.  Abortion is not going to stop…it is just going to get uglier if it is not legal.  Should abortion be an alternative to birth control…absolutely not…but should it be Nina Brown’s decision if a woman chooses to abort this unwanted fetus….should a man be forced to be neutered because he is having sex without using protection or doesn’t want the child…does one really think he is thinking about this while he is in the process…In the screaming about women using birth control – where does the man’s responsibility start…why are we not hearing about the MAN and woman’s responsibility to use birth control…why are men of unwanted babies not held responsible to provide support to the mother and parent the child.  They are not.  This is reality.

Thanks, Art for respectfully asking the question and making me rethink my opinions.

Until next time….