Happy Valentine's Day

February 14th is here and I forgot to buy my sweetie a card or gift. He has always been more thoughtful than me. Thankfully he greeted me first thing with a warm "Happy Valentine's Day" and confessed he had done the same thing. We just had our 41st anniversary and I have had 14,965 days when he has proved his love for me. He still says he loves me often.
The love of my life has hundreds of thoughtful ways he shows his love too. Last night when I got home from babysitting, dinner was ready. He keeps my computer humming and my car clean. He is a pillar of strength in difficult times. He is more optimistic than I am and a man of faith. Eventually our ashes will be shelved in a columbarium in the Minnesota Veteran's Cemetary in Little Falls, MN, but we will live on forever eternally. Jon is the guy who turned my heart toward accepting Jesus years ago. Now that is a lasting valentine. Consider it yourself. This life is just a test. We were designed to last forever. We were designed to live in paradise. If you have put your hope in politicians, your money or even yourself, all will let you down. Put your heart in His hands.

Mr. Peanut Goes to Washington or Is It Jail?

I am probably violating a copywright putting this picture on my blog. I wonder if they were pushing it by creating this peanutmobile. Ever seen the Oscar Meyer Weinermobile?

No put down of Planters Peanuts intended. They are a reputable company and NOT to blame for the scandel over tainted peanut products. The latest news is the offending company with the dirty conditions in the plant has gone bankrupt. T he recall all list is extensive. I checked it out today.

http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/peanutbutterrecall/index.cfm

Nuts

A couple decades ago a peanut farmer from Georgia was elected President of the United States. I don't think that would be as easy now. Peanuts, that all-American food, are suffering an image problem. It is only one peanut butter producer that has contaminated food, but an uneasy public is busy checking labels to avoid contracting a deadly disease. Most brands including Skippy are safe.
We have associated peanuts with baseball games and healthy snacks. Peanut butter is synonymous with kid's lunches. Peanut butter is a staple food in our pantries and an inexpensive protein source. Americans have been known to carry a jar of peanut butter in their suitcases when traveling to exotic places--comfort food when the local cuisine overwhelms them. We indulge in chocolate covered peanuts and Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and tell ourselves this is a healthier choice. Just when we are anguishing over our depleted 401K accounts we are hit with a peanut butter disaster.
Yesterday we watched coverage of senate hearings concerning the actions of those responsible for distributing the contaminated food. Instead of answering the senators' questions the guy invoked the fifth amendment.
Who would have every imagined the CEO of a Georgia peanut butter company would be taking the Fifth Amendment like a Chicago gangster in Senate hearings? To me, claiming the Fifth Amendment seems less respectable than claiming our First or Second Amendment rights. A journalist claiming a right to free speech often seems valorous. An individual claiming a right to bear arms equates as patriotic to some, but claiming the right not to self-incriminate is perceived as being guilty and "lawyered up" by most of us.
I don't mean to denigrate the seriousness of the accusation that the peanut butter company knowingly peddled deadly food and people died. That would be an unthinkable thing to do. I just wonder who has caused the most mayhem to our society, they financiers who stole our money and ruined our economy or the guy who brought down peanut butter?
This situation is harder for me because the accused CEO has the same last name as my mom.

Is It Still Water -or- Lake Hammond

We have had rain and warm temperatures the past few days that have made a good dent in our snowpack. When I got up this morning I checked the back yard to see if more of the accumulated water had drained away. The ground is still frozen and a lot of ice keeps the melted snow and rain from soaking in. We have a small lake. It is "still water" in the backyard. Fitting because we live in the town of Stillwater.

Over the years I would occasionally listen to a jazz radio show originating from Minneapolis on public radio. The longtime host was one "Lake Hammond". I thought his name was strange. Who would be named Lake? I discovered my error years later. His name was Leigh Kammen. Leigh is pronounced "lay". He wasn't named after a body of water after all. The ears can play tricks on you. Good to see things in writing for clarification.

Do you think Leigh Kammen, now deceased, would mind if I name the body of "still water" in our backyard Lake Hammond in his honor?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Jazz_Image

"Writer's Blog"

A friend and blog reader emailed today asking if I have "writer's block". Yup. I do. It seems like I have been too cynical and unable to think of how to put a spin on daily life. What has been funny? I have been considering slipping away into the ethersphere. There are millions and millions of bloggers in the world whose only reader is their mum. I am an orphan and no mom to read mine.
Okay, I'll try to catch up on news in my life.
I now have a little one named after me. Cici delivered twins on Feb. 1st. A boy and a girl. Seems to be a lot of that going around lately. Mom and little ones are doing fine. They are named Jane and Johnson. I am honored. The Johnson name is a little unusual. He is named after the guests in my sister and brother-in-laws B&B at their Texas ranch who stayed up all night keeping vigil as the mother sheep labored and delivered. Cici is a ewe and the little lambs are just that---little lambs.
I have been thrilled to hear updates on Jane. "She dances" according to Carolyn. Sounds like a well-adjusted little lamb to me. Imagine my horror when I realized she might become someone's Easter dinner! Not to be. My sister said they will keep the female lambs as breeding stock.
Johnson's future is not as bright. One has to be realistic when you are in the agriculture business. You can't keep everyone of them as pets. In the meantime, I look forward to hearing about the progress of Baby Jane.
We now have three months of winter behind us and only three to go. It can still be cold in April. Last year it was also unseasonably cool in May but I chose to not dwell on that. It is February, the shortest month. The days are noticeably longer. It was -12 this morning but a warm-up is starting today. We should be 40 degrees warmer in the afternoon tomorrow. Back at the ranch where little Jane is frolicking, it was in the 70's yesterday. No wonder she is dancing.

Eight is Enough

A California couple just delivered octuplets. It was a surprise because Drs. had only known about seven babies. I suppose it doesn't matter much if there are seven or eight. They will be overwhelmed any way you look at it.
The news said the mom is planning to breast feed. Unless she looks like a pagan fertility goddess, good luck with that. Life will never be the same.
Having twins in the family, my hat is off to parents of multiples. I can't even imagine caring for five, six, seven or eight babies. Even if you can handle it financially, you would never sleep. Everything changes. Where do you get a vehicle that you can easily load and unload eight cars seats? How big is your garbage bin to handle all those discarded diapers? Where in the house would it be quiet? Mommy time would be just a dream and you would probably be too busy to have more kids.
Our daughter has always been a very organized person and she has had her work cut out for her with two newbies. They are four months old and just beginning to sleep through the night.
The Guiness Book of Records lists a Russian woman as birthing the largest number of children -- 69. She produced many multiples including four sets of quadruplets. The Tsar supported the family. What goes around comes around. Russia now is encouraging an increase in the birth rate. They have a holiday dedicated to it. Take the day off and snuggle. Hopefully this will produce in nine months. They have financial incentives for having more babies in sharp contrast to India and China's policies of one child.

Forever In Blue Jeans

Shoeless Ro. Another trait passed down from Mary's side of the family.....long toes. My dad had them and passed them to me and I to Mary and so on. I don't see a little toe on his foot.