April  21, 2017     

 It has  been a long time since I have posted on my blog. I find that life can be very busy and quite overwhelming, sometimes.  Most of the last months of 2016 found me fighting that nasty flu that was going around....I even ended up in the emergency room on Christmas Eve.   I was unable to catch my breath.  It was quite scary!    Fortunately, I was one of the very few patients there so, the attention that I received was superior!

     But I feel great now, and can actually sit at a table and do some writing on my laptop.  It feels so good to get back into the writing niche.  😄

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     Enough of my maladies

  
    

November 13, 2016 New President (GULP)

Well, we have a new president....Sigh...........I think it will be an interesting 4 years.

I am adding my post from Facebook from this morning, in an effort to lift my spirits and perhaps your too!

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This morning I was drinking my coffee and listening to the news and I started to cry..... We Americans have a bit of a mess going on here. And for whatever reason, I got up and went to my living room window and right there......At that very moment....A beautiful American Eagle flew by! I swear that he looked at me! What a beautiful bird! Now I don't see many of them flying around here because I am pretty close to the airport, but this morning there was this one.
And then this song jumped into my head......

I love this song! And everytime I hear it - I sing along.....In case you like to sing along I have added the lyrics. It is a good pick me up!

If tomorrow all the things were gone
I’d worked for all my life,
And I had to start again
with just my children and my wife,
I’d thank my lucky stars
to be living here today,
‘Cause the flag still stands for freedom
and they can’t take that away.
I’m proud to be an American
where at least I know I’m free,
And I won’t forget the men who died
who gave that right to me,
And I gladly stand up next to you
and defend her still today,
‘Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land
God Bless the U.S.A.
From the lakes of Minnesota
to the hills of Tennessee,
Across the plains of Texas
from sea to shining sea.
From Detroit down to Houston
and New York to L.A.,
There’s pride in every American heart
and it’s time we stand and say:
I’m proud to be an American
where at least I know I’m free,
And I won’t forget the men who died
who gave that right to me,
And I gladly stand up next to you
and defend her still today,
‘Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land
God Bless the U.S.A.
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q65KZIqay4E

Not everything will go the way we want it to go. But, I find that my love for this country will give me the strength and courage to stand up for the rights of freedom that we OWN. And that is democracy. No matter who is president.
"And I'll gladly stand up NEXT TO YOU and defend her still today, for there ain't no doubt, I love this land!!!! God Bless the USA!!!"

God Bless the U.S.A. by Lee Greenwood

PLEASE be respectful of each other, even if you're not from this great Country!! Thanks, and enjoy the video!

YOUTUBE.COM

My Granddog Monte

Yesterday, My son's ex-wife and I (And Josh by phone) had Monte in the emergency clinic because Monte was having trouble standing and walking. We knew that it meant that things had gotten a lot worse. It turned out that his back legs and back had just gotten so weak that he couldn't stand or walk. We knew the end was coming, but we didn't know that it would be this soon. My son had left for a trip to Vegas on last Friday Morning and was unable to return in time to be with us as we gently put our beloved Monte to sleep. 
As we consulted with the doctor, we had Josh on the phone. It was so hard for me to know that my little Buddy was dying and Josh was across the country only able to communicate on the speaker phone.
Fortunately, he was in no pain, but the discomfort of not being able to walk or any of the other functions that dogs do made us all agree to put him down. His blood counts were so low that the doctor told us that he would most likely be gone in a few days.
My heart is broken and my tears are flowing, but I know that our decision was the way it should be.
He died in our arms, gently, quietly and tenderly with us at his side. I miss him so much...
I spent the night with his little brother Caesar, who appears to be very confused about Monte's whereabouts. He was there with us when Monte was put down. He sat so quietly....never gave us a peep as we cried and Monte died. 
This morning he awakened and was happy to see me, but wouldn't go outside without me. I guess we all have to get used to a big change in our lives.

Global Warming, Leonardo DiCaprio, and the Republicans

A friend of mine said that after she watched Leonardo DiCaprio give his acceptance speech for the Oscar he won and heard his comments about Global Warming really happening and not to take this planet for granted prompted this thought "We haven’t heard this much sanity from the GOP....And that they need to start sounding like DiCaprio....take notes republicans....cause your crazy train is going off the rails!

And I wrote….

Actually, sadly, the Republicans train derailed about 8 years ago. And the Republican's leading candidate is what happens when the only candidates left comes from the remains of a train derailment. Having said that, I sincerely hope that the Republicans learn from this and can remember that they are here to work WITH the Democrats and compromise when needed.....not Filibuster!!

Let us remember the words of Abraham Lincoln at Gettysburg which began with :

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that ALL MEN ARE CREATED EQUAL.

And ends with:

THAT THIS NATION, UNDER GOD, SHALL HAVE A NEW BIRTH OF FREEDOM -- AND THAT THE GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLE, BY THE PEOPLE AND FOR THE PEOPLE SHALL NOT PERISH FROM THE EARTH.

So this government of ours is not for the benefit of just those in office with their 6 figure salaries, and special Health Care and their cars and paid vacations and more, but OF the people, BY the people, and for God's sake, FOR the people.

They work for us and we pay their salaries to work things out and fighting and finger-pointing and name-calling and other 5 and 6 year old type acts of anger and belligerence have no place in the House or the Senate. 

 And certainly not in the Presidency.

Just thoughts of Abe and me and asking for prayers for the right thing to happen in this election.

If Ever There Was an Extremely Important Time to Vote..........

During this time of Primaries and Candidates trying to encourage us to 

throw our support behind them for a chance at being the President of the United States, I want to take the time and make an effort to encourage everyone who happens to be reading this small piece of my life, to do research and  listen and find out what each candidate stands for.  Find out if what they are saying is/can be an untruth or if you feel that they are sincere in their words.  This is a vital election year and you have the right to give your shout-out to the candidate of your choice.

For all you ladies, the ability to vote has not been given to us easily.  Just as it was a long battle  for us, it was also a long time for the "Blacks" to be able to use the privilege to vote.  Both were sad and unforgiving times in our history.  However, it is time to exercise our freedom to vote and do our best to ensure the correct person is given this honor.  

There are a lot of candidates and it is our responsibility to vote for the candidate that we truly believe will be the best for America.

Having said that: I want to pass on a bit of  insight on the past history of voting and and how it all came to be.  Susan B Anthony was a young girl when she started collecting signatures for women and Blacks to be able to vote.  Her work took the rest of her life and she did this all for the  people who were not given the right to vote.  Please read a bit about Susan B Anthony and understand that the Right to Vote is truly an honor and a privilege.      

*   *   *

Susan B. Anthony  played a pivotal role in the women's suffrage movement. Born into a Quaker family committed to social equality 1866, they initiated the American Equal Rights Association, which campaigned for equal rights for both women and African Americans. 

In 1851, she met Elizabeth Cady Stanton, who became her lifelong friend and co-worker in social reform activities, primarily in the field of women's rights. In 1852, they founded the New York Women's State Temperance Society after Anthony was prevented from speaking at a temperance conference because she was a woman. In 1851, she met Elizabeth Cady Stanton, who became her lifelong friend and co-worker in social reform activities, primarily in the field of women's rights. In 1852, they founded the New York Women's State Temperance Society after Anthony was prevented from speaking at a temperance conference because she was a woman.  

In 1866, they initiated the American Equal Rights Association, which campaigned for equal rights for both women and African Americans. In 1868, they began publishing a women's rights newspaper called The Revolution.

Anthony traveled extensively in support of women's suffrage, giving as many as 75 to 100 speeches per year and working on many state campaigns. She worked internationally for women's rights, playing a key role in creating the International Council of Women, which is still active. She also helped to bring about the World's Congress of Representative Women at the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893.

When she first began campaigning for women's rights, **Anthony was harshly ridiculed and accused of trying to destroy the institution of marriage. Public perception of her changed radically during her lifetime, however. Her 80th birthday was celebrated in the White House at the invitation of President William McKinley. She became the first non fictitious woman to be depicted on U.S. coinage when her portrait appeared on the 1979 dollar coin.
People like Susan B Anthony had to fight long and hard, sometimes getting hurt  or losing their lives.  Don't let these people's lives be lost or their efforts be in vain.  Honor them as they have honored us.

(**And here in the years of 2000+ we sadly still have the similar mentalities of people claiming that the Gays are doing the same to the Institution of Marriage ...)

How Smart and Wonderful Cats Can Be....????

On facebook, a friend of mine had displayed a video of cats and how smart and loving they are.  I love my cat but had a few issues with some of the lauding of the wonders of the world of cats...and I wrote this:

     Who was the one who decided that these unique but somewhat evil beings fall into a "pet" category? I think that pets should look at their owners in a most adoring fashion and give all that they can to make their owner smile. ?
      ok....that might be a bit much. But is it too much to ask to be able to sleep the night through to (at the very minimal!) PAST 4:30 or 5:00 AM? 
     He is all over me, ranting and raving that he hasn't eaten in days and that he feels faint and is gonna pass out (which I find to be a rather preferable choice ...) .      And then he looks at me with those big Brown eyes and (To coin a phrase from Rascal Flats) "I Melt". And the next thing I know is I am on my way to the kitchen to fill his food dish. He keeps moving in and out between my feet as I try to walk, until I almost trip...(again with the evilness) ~sigh ~ Eventually he is finished with the plate of food and he leaves the kitchen. I pick up the plates and clean up the mess of kibble all over the kitchen floor (he is a bit of a voracious eater) and I turn to find him. 
     I suddenly realize there is a very strange noise in my apartment. What can it be? I looked around the living room, and realized that "Stormy" (my cat) wasn't in the living room on the couch watching TV as he normally does for the KARE 11 news. Where the heck was he?....Probably under the bed......So I walked into the bedroom, and there he was...but, not under the bed, but in my bed....and sleeping under the covers with his head on my pillow. And that "sound" I heard??? Silence.... He was sound asleep in the middle of my bed and under my covers and snoring like an old man!.........
     So I go back into the living room and crawl onto the couch and fall asleep. I wake up an hour later and here is the sweet little cat sound asleep on my chest. Ya gotta love them!