February 29th

I read a blurb in the paper this morning reminding us those born on this day in 1928 will turn 20 today. Still not legal age. Happy Birthday Leapers!

The downside of a Feb. 29th leap year birthday is the scarcity of days to celebrate your actual anniversary. The upside? It is a unique experience although millioins of Americans must share it since there are only so many days in the year to be born.

One local restaurant is offering free dinner to anyone with a birthday today. Sounds like a win/win deal since most birthday celebrants will bring people with them.

Sleeping Accomodations

Picture titled "Redneck Guest Bedroom" is from one of those joke emails.

We have been planning a little redecorating in our bedroom and probably guest bedroom as well. We need to recarpet, paint, do the window treatment and reorganize the closet with one of those closet systems. I despise the painting, especially the ceiling. This is something I did easily when I was young. Jon would go out of town on business and I would surprise him by painting a room when he was gone. Now, I think about it for a year or two before it gets done. We hired the kids to do the last painting job.
There is a logical order to do these things. I started by cleaning out my closet. Amazing the kind of stuff that was hiding on the top shelves in there. I found an old pair of Jon's swim trunks that probably were there a decade. I also tossed a box of certificates of continuing education I needed for licensure with dates from the late 90's. You get the idea. It has been a while since I looked in those boxes. I have an unfinished needlepoint which I started when we lived in Minneapolis. We moved from there in 1983. The needlepoint matched a navy blue floral couch we got rid of eons ago. I also found Andy's graduation gown from 2004. Did you know kids have to buy those now? I kept it thinking it would make an easy costume for a party!! I have calligraphy instruction books and pens up there. That was a hobby of mine from the late 70's that I always mean to pick up again. There is a also shadow box filled with mementos from my early life. It contains a Shalimar perfume bottle--the first gift Jon gave me when we were dating. There are locks of hair from each of the kids first haircuts. My dad's 2 inch tall teddy bear is in there and a decorated Ukranian Easter egg I bought the first Easter we were married. There are two old tin type pictures of ancient relatives whose name I cannot remember. (maybe I should scan those)
As you might guess, I spent a bit of time on memory lane and did not start painting yet.
My rationalization is to wait until spring when I can open the windows to air out the paint smell.
I did the fun part of redecorating. I bought a new comforter set. My kind of project. Do the fun stuff first.

Putting Your Best Foot Forward

The kid was home last week to go to a job fair. He has an interview over spring break for a job after graduation. He dressed in his new suit, new shirt and tie and I took his picture. If you look closely at his right foot he has a hole in his sock. That won't show when he puts on his shoes.

We are all like that to some degree. We have our little imperfection. Sometimes we can cover them. God loves us anyway like I love this kid. Now if I could just photoshop this picture to straighten the picture hanging crooked on the wall behind him. I guess my flaws show!

Barry Bonds or Roger Clement's Dog Perhaps?

Do you think this dog has been eating "Ballpark franks"? Looks like a steroid case to me.

Sentimental Moment

I turned 63 today. Jon took me out to breakfast in the nearby town of Hudson. As long as we were close, he suggested running over to Somerset on a couple of errands. I wanted to talk to someone at the village office about reserving a pavillion at the park for our family reunion this summer. We were greeted by a detour sign (local traffic only) when we were just past the middle school. We wanted to stop at the village office (in the old Somerset Bank) so drove on. We parked in the lot by the village hall and could see three fire trucks blocking the street up a ways. When we finished our business, only one fire truck remained and the street was open to traffic. We drove up and saw firemen hauling hoses out of grandpa's house. (The house was sold about 30 yrs. ago and is divided up into rental units.) Jon parked down the block and I went back to take a look and talk to one of the firefighters. You could not notice fire damage from the outside except for broken out windows, but he said the inside was gutted. It looks like it will have to be torn down. I have so many warm memories of that place. My mom grew up there. My grandpa had a meat market & store adjoining the house. As a kid I loved to go there. My aunt Lu lived there most of her life until she moved into senior citizen housing. Now, I fear it will be gone. What remains is memories and family. I am glad we are having a reunion this summer in the hometown to share those memories.

PICTURE: my sister, myself and my grandpa outside his meat market.

Hail to the Chief

I risk offending some with this blog. While I have always believed we should respect the wisdom of the elderly, I think one of the candidates needs careful consideration. If elected and re-elected, he would be in his 80's when he finished his terms. True, he has a history or hard work and dedication. True, he has the support of some because of his environmental causes, but I think he should step aside. Ralph, for heavens sake, you are making the rest of us senior citizens look bad.

Ralph Nadar announced today he is running as an Independent candidate. I don't even think the Independent or Green parties are endorsing him. Of course for all those clamoring for "Change" this would indeed be a change candidate. Maybe they will want to take a look at him. See what can happen when the outcry is for change and some can't articulate what "Change" we need?

Mamas, Don't Let Your Daughters Grow Up to Be Cowboys

I grew up loving Gene Autry and Roy Rogers. I loved cowboy movies. Being a bit of a tomboy, I had a gun and holster. On our recent trip to Texas we indulged my former cowboymania by stopping at the birthplace of John Wayne, The Cowboy Western Heritage Hall of Fame and a museum in Gene Autry, Oklahoma. Then we continued on to real cowboy country--central Texas. Guys are quite likely to drive pickups and wear cowboy boots. My sister said when they go to cattle auctions expect to see women in denim, Stetsons and boots. Working cowboys or ranchers if you will. Our view out the Bunkhouse (named the Ark) was of black Angus cattle grazing and herds of wild deer. A couple of ranches up the road there are cattle roaming free range. This is romantic country. Another thing we found to be true. The stars at night are big and bright deep in the heart of Texas. Beautiful country.