Have you ever thought.....why am I me?

Maybe I’m an odd one, I don’t know….I’ve never really discussed this particular subject at length with anyone. When you were a child did you ever sit and think about yourself…..what makes you YOU….and furthermore, why ARE you, you? This is frustrated thinking because, of course, you have no real answer. I used to throw that one out at my mom once in a while….”mom, why am I ME?”….. and watch as her eyes would glaze over. She would mumble something that was so unimpressive that I never could remember what it was. It wasn’t, however, the answer I was seeking.

Now I am in the last third of my life and feel like I’ve learned a lot, not only from books but from experience. I tend to still think of that same age-old question and have come upon a quasi-answer…..for lack of a better word. I think that from the moment of birth we join a network of souls. Every single soul has a purpose, some have more than one purpose, but we all have a purpose and each one is important. The main purpose for each of us is to help each other. Ah, but not in the sense that you’re thinking…..not digging into your purse for an extra dollar or helping someone with their yard work. No, this kind of help is on the spiritual or emotional level. And it’s all planned way ahead of time….its part of the network, the soul or souls you’re pre-destined to help…its all part of an interaction and your part is as important as an ingredient is to any recipe. You may never see them again after you’ve helped them or you could end up forever friends.

Just think for a minute about the news articles you read depicting the story of ..…..the total stranger who popped up at just the right time to save the toddler who fell into the lake…or the stranger who happens upon a vehicle accident and pulls the passengers out of a burning vehicle. Now, not nearly as physical but every bit as important in the total scheme of things is ..….the lady at the check-out who took so much time writing her check and holding up the line it made you run 15 minutes later than usual and because of that you avoided being involved in a horrible accident that occurred on the highway. (actually she held up the whole line for that amount of time, thus altering the fates of all in the line) The incident can be monumental and receive public acknowledgment or it can be something minute that only a few know about….but each occurrence is equally important….and I believe, predestined. We call these helpful heroes who save lives Angels and they are indeed, just as much as the person who affects our lives by making us late or early or take an alternate route home, but I also believe it is all planned from the very beginning and very much part of the network.

My daughter, during one of the low points in her life, said to me, “mom, I am in so much pain and I feel like such a failure because I’m unable to do things I once could do, I don’t understand why I’m here…I don’t feel like I have a purpose and fear I may end up being a burden”. Wow, what an awful thing for her to feel and equally awful for a mother to hear. I told her my philosophy and actually pointed out 2 or 3 instances in which she was very beneficial, on an emotional level, to souls she hardly knew. In one case a person could be dead now if it hadn’t been for her and that person did relay that information to her, most gratefully.

I don’t know if I’ve written this well enough for you to get what I’m trying to say….but if nothing else, I’ve given you some food for thought. I look at things differently than I did 30 years ago. Now, if something happens to interfere with my schedule or makes me run a little late, I just take it in stride….knowing that I will be exactly where I’m supposed to be, at the time I’m supposed to be there. In the meantime, enjoy each and every day. Have a wonderful Mother’s Day tomorrow and if your mom is still around, give her an extra special big hug. If you’re a mother, I hope your day creates some wonderful memories and no matter what…….keep smilin’. .

Eye Candy.......

everywhere.....just everywhere. Green grass, trees leafing out and the flowers....oh the flowers. It amazes me how these delicate looking flowers can withstand the brutal winters we have here.....hidden underneath the soil, sleeping and waiting for the sun's warmth to entice them from their sleep to poke their heads above ground and explode in gorgeous colorful beauty for all to see. I love summer but this time of year is special. Its rebirth....and anyone who slows down long enough to absorb the beauty of it is rewarded with a calmness.....something soothing for our busy minds.....a time to take a deep breath and just sigh and say.......oh yessss.

Everything outside is perking up and I love it. Today I awoke at 7 a.m. to a very dark morning. I let the dog out and heard the rumblings of thunder and then saw a few flashes of lightning. I got her safely back inside and within five minutes we had a thundershower. A nice soaking one that does the plants and grass so much good. I looked at the dog and she looked at me and we decided mutually that this is Saturday.....and Saturdays can be what you want them to be if you don't have to work. So we went back to bed and snuggled under the comforter and listened to the rumblings of the thunder and the rain pattering on the roof before dropping back to sleep for a couple more hours. These are the occasions that I experience a sense of well-being and thankfulness. Thankful for the blessings that I have, that I'm warm and dry and safe.

Its been cloudy and rainy all day and the same is forecast for tomorrow. I don't mind because I know we need it to make everything out there grow. I checked my peony bush and right on schedule, the ants are frolicking all over the buds, encouraging them to open up and expose their beauty for all to see. You know peony bushes are fussy. This particular one belonged to my best friend and next door neighbor. When she moved out of state, she told me I could have the peony bush that grew beside her front door. Another friend dug a hole close to my front door which faces the same direction as hers and walked over to her house, dug up her bush and brought it over here and plunked it into the hole by my door. This was in November. I don't really have a green thumb even though I love plants and some of my green thumb friends told me that peony bushes are finicky and it would probably not bloom for a couple years since it had been moved. So I prepared myself for it but was pleasantly surprised when it did bloom, right on time.

Now this has always been a funny story with me because it was as if the peony bush didn't realize it had been moved since it was facing the exact same direction and apparently my friend plunked it down into the new hole the same way it was taken out of the old one. Anyway, it bloomed and I picture it opening its buds and taking a look around only to be shocked that it had been moved while it had been sleeping. After gasping in horror, it promptly lifted its leafy skirts, curled up its roots and refused to bloom for two years afterward, being all indignant over the move. But finally it got itself calmed down and back on track. It has doubled its size and has bloomed every year now for 18 years. This picture is a few years old and doesn't really do it justice, but you get the idea. Its just beautiful.

Another best kept secret.....

I've always had pretty good skin....but this winter has really played havoc on me and my skin. I started getting dry patches on my legs close to my ankles. I hate this. When I lay in bed at night I can feel the roughness and it drives me insane. So I decided to utilize the Internet and see what I could find to fix this problem.

In the course of 5 months I have used so many different products that say they will fix dry skin ("guaranteed"......HA). I have paid as much as $40 for 1.5 oz. of product. Now I realize I could have even gone higher and found products twice that price, but I simply refuse to spend that kind of money.

Low and behold I came across an old stand-by that I used 10 years ago and had forgotten about. I didn't have ultra dry skin back then or it would have left a bigger impression on me and I surely would have remembered it. This is the best kept secret for sure. Queen Helene's Cocoa Butter Cream. I bought it at Wacky-mart back then for about $4 for a HUGE jar.....15 ounces. I just replenished my supply by going through drugstore.com and it was $5.79 with free shipping. Still a bargain. But the main thing is that IT WORKS. It works, it works, it works. I may have to use it every night for a while....maybe forever....but it works.

So, I'm all about saving money and therefore am passing this info on to you who may also suffer from dry skin. I am in no way getting paid to tell you about this.....its just my own observation. This is not fancy cream, it doesn't smell like French perfume....but it works and that's all anyone really wants. Try it, I know you'll like it Keeping yourself up doesn't have to be expensive.

Now.....on another note. I watched Avatar last night. I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. I did not have the 3-D version and I still enjoyed it. To think this came out of the imaginations of so many people.....I am amazed. I think this is suitable for kids over 10, even though there is some battle going on. There's no nudity and I don't think there is any profanity.....I got so wrapped up in the film...if there was, it slipped by me. I will watch it again this weekend with my family. Its really very good if you like this kind of movie (Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, ....fantasy type movies).

I cried yesterday.....

I cried because I just don't understand. Nothing will ever make me understand cruelty. I cannot understand mean-spirited people.....what makes them tick....how can one find happiness in making someone else sad.

A couple posts ago I wrote about my journeys through Blogdom and the many different emotions I feel while on those excursions. I've been reading this one certain blog for quite some time now and she is one of the most awesome women I've come across. This is the woman who brings me down to earth when I'm feeling sorry for myself.....when I'm the guest of honor at my own pity party and I feel neglected or whiney over something that has really no substance at all. The Nie Nie Dialogues is written by Stephanie Neilson, a woman who was, along with her husband and a pilot, involved in a plane crash. The pilot was killed but Nie Nie and her husband survived with burns over large areas of their bodies. Nie Nie, I believe, had them over 80% of her body. She does not look the same as she did before that fateful crash, but inside, she's the same loving wife and mother and she's beautiful.

She's been through countless surgeries and is in constant pain. Her faith in God and the love for her family gives her strength. She is brave beyond words. She finds joy in almost everything.

Yesterday in her post she writes an open letter to a cruel woman who has apparently been sending her mean and hateful emails. Since she didn't divulge the complete content, I am guessing it was about Nie Nie going to the beauty shop recently to get her hair fixed and nails polished. Apparently this mean-spirited woman thought she was spending donated money for that. I'm not sure but all I do know is that it was mean and it was unnecessary. And the post implies that she is sending these types of emails frequently. It hurt Nie Nie and it was uncalled for. If I could have driven over there and carefully....oh so carefully....given her a hug and told her how much she is respected and loved, I would have done so. But Nie Nie answered her questions with class and dignity because that's just the kind of person she is.

How can someone be so cruel? Unfortunately, there are a lot of them out there who take delight in doing cruel things. It takes the kindness of hundreds to wipe out the cruel deed of just one person. Do they think of that as power? I can only pity them. I know that eventually they will experience the cruelty themselves....brought full circle. In the meantime, lovely people like Nie Nie have souls that shine amid all their challenges and this cruel woman cannot extinguish that light. To say Nie Nie is admired and loved is an understatement and I just hope that she can block out this unnecessary hurt and keep remembering that. I would recommend all of you go read her story. She's even been on Oprah!

In the meantime, don't forget to do your Random Act of Kindness. The smallest gesture is ever appreciated by those in need. When you look in the mirror do you like WHO you see? If not, then make some changes until you're happy with you and I'm not talking about physical beauty either.....but you knew that, didn't you? Big hugs.

Armchair Critic....some movies

I've been looking at some movies here recently and have read two books so I will give you my opinions.

New Moon....second of the Twilight series. I'm not a fan. I got the first movie out of curiosity because I did not read any of the books. I didn't care for the first movie that much, finding too many mistakes in it (which is a past-time of mine....looking for errors that the directors should find. ) Anyway I got the first movie and it wasn't horrible, but it wasn't good either. My granddaughter, however, loved it. So I got the second movie for her more than anything. It was even worse than the first one. Actually, this one made the first one seem excellent by comparison. They leave you totally hanging at the end....making it a movie with no ending. A shameless promotion to keep buying their movies to find out what's next. It's reminiscent of a TV soap opera. My advice is not to waste your money. However, they are so popular.....I can't understand exactly why....but their popularity seems to hold.

Then I watched The Blind Side with Sandra Bullock. I hesitated with this one because I thought it was all about football and it really wasn't. I guess it was about the capacity to love more than anything. Based on an honest to God true story with actual pictures of the people involved at the ending, its a movie well worth your time. It was excellent and I can understand why Sandra Bullock won the award for this one. You won't be sorry you watched it and will want to see it again.

Next up is The Princess and the Frog. OMG.....what a delightful movie! Its just as much for adults as it is for kids. Lots of music and feel-good scenarios. The plot line is a good one too. There is one small sad part that very young kids may tear up over so use your own judgment over whether it may be too sad for your child. Its the death of a firefly, one that plays a pretty prominent part in the movie but they even turn that into a feel-good occurrence. This is another great movie.....another Disney one, of course.

Then there is Sherlock Holmes. You know Robert Downey Jr. is an excellent actor and you either love him or hate him in movies. The original Sherlock was always quite droll but never really got himself involved in anything strenuous or any kind of fighting other than using his wit and intelligence. Sherlock has been reinvented. I like this new Sherlock.....a lot. He's not only super intelligent but he can hold his own in a fight too. There are bits of humor here and there that make his character and Jude Law's Dr. Watson most likable. The movie was very good and I really liked the fact that everything was explained.....how the crime was committed or how the escape was managed...etc. I think they are on to something here and I hope that many more Sherlock movies grace our screens. I don't think you'll be sorry for watching this one at all.

The last movie is an old one. I don't know how I missed this one. I had read the book but somehow managed to miss the movie. It, too, stars Sandra Bullock, along with Samuel L. Jackson, Matthew McConaughey, Ashley Judd and Kevin Spacey. A Time To Kill. This is a powerful movie that revolves around the attempt murder and rape of a 10 yr old black girl in the deep south, Mississippi. It causes all sorts of problems as the perpetrators are two white men who are caught and must face justice for their crime. This movie is not for the younger set, obviously. It will leave you changed...... I know it will affect people differently, depending on your background and where you are from. It has a message to deliver. A powerful one. It made me cry and I'm not sorry I watched it.

The books I read are Breathless by Dean Koontz and A Dog's Life, An Autobiography of a Stray by Ann M. Martin. Breathless was just ok as far as I'm concerned. Koontz has certainly written much better books but this one was light reading and ended upbeat while basically setting itself up for more stories to come based along these same lines and/or the same characters. A Dog's Life was good. It was easy and fast reading, meant basically for the younger set (10 and up) , I'm sure. It intrigued me because it was the story of a dog's life told from her point of view, she was the narrator of the story. Anyone who is an animal lover will love this book. You can finish it in a day.

Well, that's it. Hope I was able to help you out if you were wondering about certain movies or these two books. I have pre-ordered Avatar so I will be watching that when its released. I hope its as good as I've heard that it is. Have a great up-coming week everyone. And....of course.....remember to ......Keep Smilin'!!

In the Land of Introspection.....

I once mentioned that I have been just about everywhere through my books. I don't travel much physically....but oh, I have been so many places on a mental level. I am a voracious reader of not just books....but magazine articles, websites, newspapers and blogs as well. Just a glance of my blog roll tells you how my interests go from one extreme to the other.

In blog reading, I have experiences that lift me up and make me emotionally misty-eyed and I also have journeys that snap me back into reality.....making me so thankful for the life I live and grateful that I don't have the challenges that some do. A lot of the blogs I read revolve around places that are so perfect to me that they seem dream-like. How I wish I could lead that sort of life.....to have the land, the home, the gorgeous views of nature.....feeling humbly at one with this wonderful planet. But just as quickly as I feel myself drowning in self-pity, I travel onto another blog and am in awe of how someone can deal with such immense challenges and still be thankful for the little blessings.

Blogdom as I call it.....has helped me grow up. Yes, even at my age I needed to stop and take some time to appreciate what is uniquely me and mine. At the age I am now I know that there are so many things I will not accomplish or possess. My desire to own a ranch is but an unfilled dream and my chances of finding my soul-mate lessen as each year passes. I've come to accept that I will only have one rocking chair on my deck as I watch the fireflies during the evening. In the past I wallowed in self-pity over some things but now I realize that this is the hand I've been dealt and its really not a bad hand. I've been given many wonderful blessings and some unforgettable friends, not to mention an interesting career and a comfortable retirement.

Do you find yourself doing this as you meander through Blogdom? Being envious on the page of one blog and then in awe of another author's courage and optimistic attitude as you travel to a different blog location. Just knowing that if you had to face such challenges, you would surely fail. Seeing all the talent whether its through photography, running a farm, a business, or raising kids while juggling a career is inspiring. The pure joy from stay at home moms radiate from their words. Yes, they're tired....but its a labor of love. Some of the things created are truly amazing. Everyone has a talent.....no matter what you may think. We truly are a melting pot not just of race and spiritual and cultural beliefs but in our ability to accept the hands we've been dealt and carry on with dignity and courage......and that good old standby; a sense of humor. No one's life is perfect and if you read long enough, you find that out. Its the old "walk a mile in my shoes" philosophy.

I love taking my journeys and this is just a blanket 'thank you' to each of you for teaching this old gal that she still has some things to learn about life and about herself. A generous dose of introspection is good for the soul.

Where did March go?.....

I can't believe that the month of March is gone already. It just seems like it was only a couple days ago that the calendar page for February was torn off.....now March will join it. Time flies, there is no doubt about it.

Today my neighbors were outside pushing their little 2 year old on a brand new swing set they had put up. When did she get so old? Seems like it was only yesterday that mom was still in maternity clothes. Before you know it she'll be heading out the door on the way to her prom.

My co-worker took a little vacation to sunny Florida for a week so I had to work every day, Wednesday through Friday last week and Monday through Wednesday this week. This old butt is hanging pretty low to the ground about now.....I'm not used to working every day like that. But its over and I made it.....I made it and am alive to brag about it. LOL Sorry I let my blog come to a complete stand-still but some nights I was so tired I just came home, let the dog out and back in and then went to bed. Pretty exciting, huh?

This week was sort of a strange one though. It was quiet for the most part. I even noticed a difference in traffic. It was like a lot of people were out of town.....and maybe they were. But the warm weather has finally arrived. The big sign along the highway said it was 77 as I drove past it on my way home. I know it may not stay for long and I also know that we could still get a snowstorm....that's happened many times before.....but they are predicting a high of 79 on Friday and that's music to my ears!

You know I'm always reading something and I just love to share unusual things I read so I'm going to tell you a nutshell version of something I read yesterday. They have found that honeybees have a sense of smell as good as any tracking dog and they've also found that they can be trained and furthermore.....its far cheaper to train them than a dog. They are fast learners too. They have found that if the bees are 'conditioned' to think that the smell of explosives is a food source, they will stick out their little tongues in anticipation. Scientists have figured out a way to enclose them in a device (not harmful to them or to the handler of said device) and when the device is "scanned" over a person (say at an airport for example) if there is any hint of an explosive odor, the bees will react and set off an alarm in the device. Their conditioning lasts for a couple weeks, then they have to be re-trained but it only takes a day or so to train them again. Amazing, isn't it? One article I read said that they are thinking of putting this to use at airports as early as next year. Read one article about it here and another article here. (both are short)

Well, tomorrow is April 1..... so you all be good....no nasty tricks! Above all, keep smilin'.

Thank you!!.....another award!

My dear friend, Linda, of The Good, The Bad, The Worse has given me another award. I want to thank her from the bottom of my heart for this......my friends mean a lot to me and to be included in a Circle of Friends makes me feel very special. So thank you again, Linda, and here are the rules that accompany this sweet little award:

First, you post about your award, advising who gave it to you and create a link back to their blog.

Then you list five things that make you happy.

Last, pass along this award to five bloggers who make you smile.

Five (more) things that make me happy:

1. Although I know my children and grandchildren aren't things, they make me happy when I see that they are happy.
2. Close, loyal friends and the bond we share.
3. A really, REALLY good book.....one that you don't want to put down. I've read more than a few that fall into that category.
4. Being greeted at the back door by my dog enthusiastically and lovingly even if I've only just walked outside to get the mail.
5. My faith in God and the peace that comes with that.

So, I pass along this Circle of Friends Award with much love to the following bloggers who have made me smile and in some cases, laugh out loud. I hope each of you will accept this award and pass it along.

1. To Dana of Life is Good. Dana is so talented and so funny. Her posts have made me grin, snicker, laugh out loud and almost pee my pants. Yep, she's that good.
2. To Jamie of Everyone Thinks I can Fix It. Jamie is definitely within my circle of friends and she puts a smile on my face because I so enjoy chatting with her. She makes you feel so at ease and comfy.....you feel like you're in the same room with her.
3. To Soul of Soul Survivor. Soul is an extremely talented writer with the ability to make you feel like you were sitting at the kitchen table, drinking coffee and chatting. Some of her stuff is really funny....some of it really deep and we all know that only the talented can go from one extreme to the other and do it well.
4. To Smocha of Cats on the British Counter. I love how this woman writes and she's made me laugh out loud more times than I can count. If you were going out and about and she was in your group, you just KNOW that you're gonna have a fun time!
5. To Christine of Real Men Don't Watch American Idol. Christine is hilarious in her 'tell it like it is' posts. Her sense of humor is unique, terrific and rated "R".

I hope each of you will accept this award and pass it on. I wish I could have given it to everyone on my blog roll, but past experience has taught me that when you do that, everyone gets all shy and they don't want to take it. Keep smilin' and remember that laughter is the best medicine of all.

An Award......Happiness

Smocha, of Cats on the British Counter, gave me this award. Thank you very much for thinking of me. Your blog makes me happy too.

The rules that come with this award are as follows:

1. When you receive this award you must thank the person that awarded you in a new post.

2. Name 10 things that make you happy.

3. Pass this award to other bloggers who make you happy.

So here are my 10 things, in no particular order:

1. The sweet smell of puppy breath.
2. The sounds of crickets and frogs on a warm summer evening.
3. A comfy couch, excellent coffee and a good book.
4. Watching horses run across a field with tails and manes flowing in the breeze.
5. Snuggling against you, the little grunting noises a contented newborn baby makes.
6. The delightful smell of freshly cut grass.
7. The sound of an old wooden screen door opening and closing...(squeee, creak, squeee, bang, thump, thump)
8. Having enough guaranteed income every month to cover my expenses.
9. The wonderful fragrance of freshly washed air right after a thundershower.
10. A close friend, good conversation and hot coffee.

I pass this award along to the following bloggers that I look forward to visiting because they truly make me happy in various ways. Some for their love of animals, some for their love of other people and some for their love of life....just plain and simple LIFE. Each of them have broadened my horizons and awakened a spirit within me. I'm glad I found each of you and in some cases, you found me....but I'm the better person for it. Thank you to each of you for that.

So, in no particular order: I pass this along to 8 Bloggers that make me happy.

1. Jamie of Everyone Thinks I Can Fix it.....(such a strong lady who has her priorities straight)
2. Linda of The Good, The Bad, The Worse....(Oh, Linda just makes me grin and giggle and is a terrific FRIEND)
3. Gypsy of Teardrops and Rainbows....(my Pisces soul-mate from down-under)
4. Joy from Joy of Six.....(another true soul-mate....someday we'll have coffee and chat)
5. Sheryl of Ain't For City Gals...(A city gal would surely curl up in a pool of tears...awesome blog)
6. Mikey from The Horseshoeing Housewife....(one awesome lady who can do Anything!)
7. Grace from Hope 4 Grace....(she's found the secret to Happiness and is such a terrific role model for her children)
8. Karen from Life is Good (she truly finds good in everything)

I love you all. Enjoy your award and please pass it on.

'Tis the Season.....for skunks

My friend, Jackie, had a birthday just a couple days before me and her sweet little dog brought her a nice present.....she had gotten herself skunked! Jackie had an old recipe for removing skunk odor on hand. What's different about this one is that it actually works!......and you don't have to do anything exotic like using gallons of tomato juice either. She told me that maybe I should post this so anyone needing it can take advantage of this little miracle concoction. So with Jackie's permission, here goes. Copy it down and keep it.....you never know when you might need it and the skunks are coming out of hibernation now.

SKUNK ODOR REMOVAL RECIPE
Buy a quart of hydrogen peroxide (3%) at the drugstore. Add to this 1/4 cup of baking soda and one teaspoon of liquid soap (or dishwashing detergent). Bathe your dog or cat or yourself....whoever got skunked.....in this solution, then rinse in plain tap water. That's it. Obviously you double or triple the recipe to accommodate the size of the one getting bathed. I hope none of you have to use this, but feel confident that it works if you do. *Note: Do not save any leftover mixture in a sealed container as it may burst due to the bubbling qualities of the peroxide.*

All our snow is gone now, even the huge piles that were shoved to one end of the parking lots. My hairdresser told me yesterday that we have snow forecast for this weekend. Living here as long as I have, I know that we've gotten some impressive snowstorms in April before so I'm not surprised, just disappointed. I am sooooo ready for spring this year.....actually I think I say that every year. LOL

Big Anticipations.....

A whole lot of years ago when I was dispatching, the Township let the State use the Township garage as a distribution point of tree seedlings. People had signed up weeks previously to pick up a designated amount of them which they would, in turn, plant. It was and is a good thing for our environment. Most of these people were new to the program and signed up because they wanted to do their share in helping to replace trees.

The time to distribute was set up for a Sunday morning because it was felt that would be the least busy time since the Township offices were closed. Nothing was open but the police and fire departments. It was my shift that Sunday morning and one of the officers on duty and I watched with keen interest as people started coming into our back parking lot. They were coming in droves and coming in big rigs. Dump trucks, stake trucks, pickup trucks, vans and station wagons with huge trailers. Each of them would report to me and ask where they could pick up their trees. Most of them were picking up 250 but some were picking up 500 or more. They would ask if they should back their rigs up to the garage door to make loading easier. Stifling laughter, we would advise them to check in at the garage first before they moved their vehicles. We watched as they walked into the garage and came out carrying a flat with all 250 trees in it; this flat could easily fit in the trunk of an ordinary car.

As time went on it became more and more ridiculous, then it turned into hilarious. The officer and I could barely contain ourselves with each huge truck pulling in. After a while we felt almost......but not quite.....ashamed of ourselves. We tried so very hard to maintain ..... to at least offer some semblance of professionalism but we would collapse in gales of laughter after each person went out the door and headed toward the garage. We held our sides as we watched them get back in their huge rigs with only a small flat in their hands. The looks on their faces was absolutely priceless. Oh I know it was an honest mistake. When you hear the term, 500 trees....you immediately think BIG.

Its been 30 some years since that happened and I still smile a crooked little smile when I think about it. Whenever I see that same officer and ask if anyone needs to pick up any trees we both burst out laughing. I've often wondered how big those trees are now if the poor little things survived. I'm in no way making fun of the people who plant trees for our environment or for any other reason.....God Bless them. I'm just making fun of the situation......I guess its one of those things where you just had to be there to get the full extent of how funny it all was. It sure did put smiles on our faces for a very long time.

Armchair movie reviews.....

Ok, well its been a while since I've reviewed some movies for you.....simply because I haven't really watched any. I had my nose stuck in books and reading blogs.

But here goes. First movie is an older one; THE PIANO with Holly Hunter and Sam Neill. This movie won the Academy Award the year it came out, which I can't remember right now. Also Holly Hunter won best actress for her portrayal of a young mute woman. This is basically a love story set back in the early 1800's in another country which is pretty darn primitive. Her father marries her off to a man whom she's never seen or met and she travels to his home where she and her young daughter will live with him. Her biggest love is her piano and it makes the trip with her. Probably a lot of people would get bored with this movie as its not that fast-moving and there isn't much action, blood, gore, fighting, etc. I liked it because it portrays a woman being forced into a circumstance of which she has no control.....her bravery is amazing. The living conditions are awful....with mud up to your knees and you have to co-mingle with the tattooed, loin cloth wearing natives whose lives are deeply influenced by their superstitions and beliefs. Its an interesting movie and an unusual love story. Some of the landscape is just breathtaking. It does have full frontal nudity of both male and female so make sure no kids are around when you watch it.

The second movie is PRECIOUS starring Mo'Nique and Mariah Carey sans makeup and/or any enhancements. Both of them pleasantly surprised me with their acting abilities. This is a raw movie. Not suitable for children or even young teens as far as I'm concerned. No nudity but the language is laced with obscenities and its used a lot. The subject matter is incest. I can't say that watching it made me a better person for they offered no guaranteed workable options for those who live like this and I am getting the idea that there are many more living this way than I ever dreamed of. Its depressing in one way but uplifting in another because Precious wants her life to be better and she knows she has to be educated for that to happen. Instead of sitting back and just collecting welfare and stagnating like so many in her situation do, she fights for something better. Even so, you know this is not a ....."and they lived happily ever after" type of movie. You hate Mo'Nique's character (mother of Precious) in this movie just like you're supposed to.....she is a true monster and you want her punished but realize her only punishment is having to live with the memories. She doesn't perceive things as a normal mother would. You won't come away from this movie feeling happy. What you will feel is a question in your mind.....how many people live like this, how can it be stopped and no wonder social workers are so cynical.........they've seen and heard it all.

Seeing that made me crave something uplifting and in a hurry so I grabbed THE HANGOVER, which I had been told is full of belly laughs. The movie is full of crude jokes and obscene actions plus male and female nudity. Obscene language as well as gestures. Its about the exploits of 4 guys in Vegas for the Bachelor Party of one of them. In my mind, I felt it was a genuine "guy movie" and probably every guy out there will absolutely LOVE it. The plot was pretty good though, throwing a bit of a mystery in there and it held my interest so it just wasn't a T&A type movie. It basically condones infidelity and the ....."whatever happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas" .....mentality, which doesn't set well with most women, me included. It was ok but in my opinion it wasn't as funny as my favorite stand-by....Planes, Trains and Automobiles.

Finally.......DRAG ME TO HELL. I quit looking at scary movies a while ago.....there was just TOO much blood and gore. They have overdone it horribly and it's ruined the scary movies for me. I got this movie and watched it because I read that there was some comic relief in it so I thought I'd give it a try. It wasn't bad. It had a pretty good plot. She works for a bank, old gypsy woman is losing her house to foreclosure and begs bank for yet another extension. Its her job to tell the old woman....sorry, but no can do. The old woman gets mad and puts a curse on her. So all these strange and scary things start happening to her and she finds out from a medium that she only has 3 days to live under this particular type of curse. So she sets about to find a way to counter-act it or reverse it somehow. The special effects are pretty good and even though there are a lot of parts that make you go.......ewwwwwww.......there really isn't a lot of GORE. And yes, there are a few parts that are a tad funny so it lightens things up a bit. Not a bad movie, just don't watch it while you're eating supper. No nudity and I don't think the language was bad but some words may have slipped by me.....I'm almost getting used to hearing them in movies anymore.

Well, kids, that's it.....my reviews. Hope you find them helpful. If you watch any of these, I hope you enjoy them. Keep smilin'.

Idea For a Great Girl's Party.....

Well, as its been said.....if a bunch of women get together and start giggling, then you know something good is up. If you get a bunch of fun-loving women together, mix in a few drinks and you've got the recipe for a really good time with lots of laughs.

My fun-lovin' friend, Jackie, who is a hoot, sent me this clip. She wants to play this at her next all-girls party. Although neither of us know any of the women in this clip, we sure would like to as they look like a whole lot of fun. That's our story and we're stickin' to it.

Anyway, this might be a fun game at an informal bridal shower if any of you are planning to host one of those. Go here and view it. It takes a bit longer to load than you-tube and its about 4 and a half minutes long. You don't have to watch the whole thing to get the idea of what's going on......but the laughter is infectious.

And you men.....don't cop an attitude about this.....you will notice that this is being done with NO hands and an impressive length.....er...ahm.......pole. So, go check it out and have a giggle for today....just listening to them all laugh is enough to make you walk around with a big smile on your face.

Ahhhhh.......as Jackie would say....."life is good". And as I often say....... Keep smilin'.

'Tis the Season.......for potholes

Around these parts this time of year is "pothole season". Some roads get so bad its an actual obstacle course to drive it. Nothing worse than driving along and hitting a pothole that you didn't know was there. Many times I've feared a bent rim or a tire disintegrating before my very eyes.

The people on the road commission work very hard in all sorts of inclement weather to make sure our roads are halfway decent.....but they can't be everywhere at once and potholes sometimes go without repair for quite some time. That's in the best of times. With the economy the way it is, the cutbacks taking place - less money - fewer workers due to lay-offs.....and the road commission getting their funding through tax dollars....well, you do the math. I think our roads may suffer for quite some time.

The only good thing you can say about potholes is that if you live on the street that has them, it certainly does slow the crazy speeders down. The speed limit on my road is 25 mph because I'm within sight of a school. A block away its 35 mph but everyone does 50 at least......except during pothole season. There is an area right in front of my mailbox that gives way to a big pothole every spring. After a while, I get used to hearing the 'thunk thunk' every time a car passes over it and when bigger vehicles (like school buses or beer and wine trucks) hit it, it actually makes the dishes in my hutch rattle.

A few years ago I watched the road commission workers in front of my house repairing this pothole of which I speak. I made it a point to go outside and yell a THANK YOU to them. Actually, I yelled, "Thank you, you guys are AWESOME". They waved back at me, smiling, and took twice as long repairing it and the repair job lasted much longer than normal. I absolutely know that they appreciated my acknowledgment of their hard work. Have you ever thanked a worker for doing an awesome job? I've been known to pass out cans of cold pop to them on a hot summer's day. Why not? A little bit of kindness gets you remembered and being remembered in the right circles for the right things will sometimes get you extra little niceties ...... like having that worrisome hole in front of your house repaired and repaired well. But, if not......it sure does make you feel good to compliment someone knowing how much its appreciated.

Most of the little things cost absolutely nothing to give out.....like compliments or a smile. I smile at everyone I see, even if I don't feel that well or that jovial. 95% of the people I smile at will smile back at me. Now how awesome is that? I've often ended my posts with "keep smilin' " and I really do mean that. So go do it and see how many you get back. In the meantime, be careful of those potholes......bent rims are nothing to smile about.