Is there something wrong with this headline? “Brandy Sued for $50 Million in Fatal Crash.”

If I had struck that poor woman’s car the family couldn’t sue me for that amount. They can try but I am not worth that much and my future earnings are dismal. It is like hitting the proverbial lottery.

People are so quick to put a dollar amount on human life. It is going to get to the point that the government is going to cap this by declaring what a human is worth.

How much is my mother worth? In fact how much is your mother worth? Don’t get sentimental I want dollar amount. My mom would say she isn’t worth a plug nickel but as I type this and look at her I am calculating her value.

She is the only one in the household that can cook
She is the bookkeeper and even though I could take that role over I will still hire an accountant.
She gives me professional advice on what is right and left
She is my psychiatrist and personal advisor
She is my personal trainer
She is my alarm clock, even though I put her on snooze

The point I am trying to make is when is enough enough? If someone intentionally sets out to harm or kill someone then I would change my mind. This person jumped into her vehicle without malice and caused an accident that took the life of another person. It was an accident. She needs to be held accountable for her actions and she needs to face justice like anyone else. Accountable does not mean financial gain.

Family Story

I realized that I have been picking on Scott with the family stories. The two tales I told about him were the Rhino Beetle or God Spoke And I Listened and Yes Mother! I feel it is time to pick on my oldest son, Rusty aka James. I have always called him Rusty but now that he is an adult he has chosen to go by his legal name, James.

It was just Rusty and I for the longest time. We lived in Springfield, a rather large city which was great since I didn’t know how to drive. We walked everywhere. We walked to the grocery store, we walked to pay the bills, and we walked for the fun of walking. When Rusty was about 2 ½ years old he was picked up by the police. No he wasn’t the youngest fugitive or criminal on record, he was taking a walk at 2:00 a.m. He told the police officer his name and showed him where he lived. He even told the officer he was taking a walk. You can imagine my surprise when I was woken up by a happy kid and one angry police officer. I was told I would be having a visit by a CS worker. The next morning the CS worker showed up along with a different police officer and she asked me why my son was out of the house at 2:00 a.m. Rusty tried to tell her he was going for a walk and I just looked at her and said “I have no idea.” I was asked if I kept my house locked at that time and I showed both the CS worker and the police officer the dead bolt, the regular lock, and the chain lock on the front door. I even showed them the iron bar I used to lock the glass sliding door. The police officer asked Rusty how he got out. My son first unlocked the dead bolt, and then unlocked the regular lock; he then took a broom and popped the chain lock. Yes he was a regular Houdini. I was told by the CS worker to correct the problem by the next day or she would have to take Rusty into custody. I honestly didn’t know what to do and after they left I started crying. I was seriously considering nailing the door shut but Rusty was also good with tools. To my relief the same police officer showed up later that afternoon with two new locks. It was a chain lock but it required a key to open it. He installed the chain lock for me, and then he put a lock on Rusty’s bedroom door. I felt kind of bad at night when I put him to bed because after good night kisses and hugs I had to lock him in his bedroom but he never got out again. What I find ironic is my little Houdini grew up to be a Prison Guard.

Maybe I Should Quit While I Am Ahead

Do You Even Know What a Blog Is?

You got 1/8 correct! What the heck are you doing at Blogthings?

How Much Do You Know About Blogging?

I love my birthdays. More so these past 4 years. Hannah I have stepped foot in a few places that maybe I shouldn’t but I did. Life is taking chances and being careful. I know that you and Robert went a couple of places you shouldn’t but you were protected by your mom and a cab driver. If I didn’t take a chance and seized the opportunity then I wouldn’t have seen the sights that I have seen. I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to experience the things that I have experienced. I would have sat at home blowing out candles instead of climbing the temples in Xunantunich or discovering that Cahal Pech is a place without ticks.

I even drug Robert, Scott and you with me on these adventures so all of you could experience, taste, see these sights. It is pure magic.

I would even kayak Lake Peten again and experience the rush of almost falling off of the temple in Tikal. In all honesty driving the RV is far more stressful than those two experiences. It is becoming easier in time though.

I am sitting right on the border of Mexico. If I sit in the driver’s seat I can stare at the mighty river separating the two countries. Even though I don’t like border towns I am going because it is there. I know it will be much different than the time Scott and I crossed the border from Belize to Guatemala.

I met my neighbor, a delightful woman who confessed that if she had to she would drive her motor coach. We shared a few laughs, talked about our dogs, and she gave us the names of a couple of places to explore.

I am having some problems with Surely Not. I wonder if it is because she is old but she now likes people. She will greet them and demand to be petted. Yet she is absolutely aggressive towards dogs. It used to be only the bigger dogs now it is all dogs in general. She will attack them. During our walk I started the fun job of disciplining her knowing that I was being watched. We passed two snorting excited pugs, she went for them but I managed to press the button on her leash thus stopping her in her tracks. She flipped around and started barking at me! I reeled in her, carefully because of her throat problem and scolded her, very harshly. When the pugs passed I released the button and she was given the extra length to prance. Along came a mix breed and again I pressed the button to control her. When she started lunging and snapping I used the command “hush” and she stopped. She looked at me and was not pleased but she hushed. A lady came out of her RV and asked me if I was the dog whisperer. She said she had been watching me and was impressed that it took only one severe scolding to control her. Little did she know that when we got back to our little house on wheels Surely turned her back on me and refused to have anything to do with me for about an hour. She is becoming a very grumpy old lady with bad breath, a bad attitude, who snores constantly but I love her anyway.

Hannah I saw this on the beach at Baffin Bay, our last stop. I took this picture with you in mind. It will compliment the “Butterfly On A Turd” photo I accidentally took and haven’t lived down yet. You can call it “Getting A Head On The Beach.”

HELP

I received wonderful advice. Advice that makes sense and I will value it. In fact I saved it. Problem is when I created my blog layout I lost her. "Somebody older than you" PLEASE send me your blog address. I want to come back.

It is the Wiz

My mind has been wandering, that is the best and only way to put it. I am not open like Barb (a trait I admire) and I am not as eloquent as the rest of the blogs that I enjoy reading. I am sometimes taken aback by how many people do respond.

My old life, the life before wheels, I worked, I went home, and I took care of family. That is it.

I remember when I was married and my mother saw and understood my unhappiness. She would say “either shit or get off the pot.” Not exactly poetic or deep but it was truthful. I remember June 1^st, fifteen years ago and receiving a phone call that my brother had taken his own life and how the floor just dropped out from under my feet. My daughter remembers that day and says “it started off with you being happy, happier than I have seen you. Then you answered the phone and fell to the floor.” His untimely passing became my salvation. Less than a week later I threw everything I could into one laundry basket, called my mom, and walked out of the door with three children and didn’t look back. My brother left his unhappy marriage, his demons in the closet by locking himself up in a garage with a running car and I didn’t want that to happen to me.

I escaped the unhappy marriage but I have never been able to rid myself of my demons.

They come back, periodically and when they do I get moody, withdrawn, depressed. I have never been a people person. Professionally I am great with people; personally I want to avoid people. I wore two masks like many do.

I dated once, came close to giving in and taking the route most couples do. I then had to make a difficult decision and went back to being the person I was and back to the life I had been leading. I did not date again. The few friends I had passed. Death is not uncommon with me and not uncommon with my daughter. It is one of the saddest things we share.

So I am in one of my moods. It will pass and things will return to normal. Even though I am not sure what is normal is. If someone could define normal I would greatly appreciate it. I will think about happier times, find something humorous to think about, and keep on keeping on. I am so thankful for the life I have chosen.

It has open many doors for me, gave me new places to explore, and has given me the opportunity to meet people both on line and off line.

We will be moving on tomorrow. We are heading for the border. Every February I run away from my birthday. I think to myself if I can get across the border then my birthday doesn’t count. I discovered Central America and have been going there for three years every February. Because of a situation that I can not discuss at this time, my vacation money went to a very deserving family member. So the next best thing to do is head for the border. I will be stepping out of American soil in February and I will stay 44 for the fourth year. If I find Belikin beer or rooster beer I will be sitting on my little patio celebrating my success at defeating yet another birthday. Adios until tomorrow evening.

Warning Warning

King’s Restaurant – Riviera Texas

We had heard rave reviews of King’s Restaurant and decided to go there for supper Saturday night. When we arrived we were greeted, cordially by the hostess and informed that it would be 45 minutes before a table would become available. That was fine with us; in fact we were anticipating a wait. Exactly 45 minutes we were called in. We had to wait 15 minutes for a waiter and he was surly and couldn’t talk but he mumbled well. He mumbled so well we couldn’t understand him. We placed our order. Exactly 45 minutes later our food arrived.

The reason why we didn’t go home and make a sandwich was the impromptu show was so entertaining. King’s Inn caters to large groups, so we were not being singled out. We sat and watched with envy as the larger groups were given their drinks and refills. We watched in amazement as groups of people would come in after us and was served promptly and with happy smiling waiters. Groups of four or less were ignored. Their orders were taken but the orders were obviously ignored until the larger groups could be taken care of first. I watch as one table walked out. I chuckled when our neighbors made a point of taking a plateful of shrimp off of a recently vacated table and the hostess went ballistic. She reprimanded them for violating health codes and such.

We were so hungry by the time we got our food, served by our surly mumbling waiter, that I couldn’t tell you if the food was good or not. We left a scathing review and (sorry Scott) no tip.

When we were told to visit again I said “No thank you.”

Idle Conversation

I was cleaning out my basement two days ago and overheard this conversation from my neighbors, father and son.

His Son – "Dad, I smell gas."

Older Gentleman – "Better check the god damn tanks."

Older Gentleman opens a compartment located under his travel trailer and proudly displays two rusty old cylinders.

Older Gentleman – Son, I figured this out myself. You see when one tank goes empty the other one will take over.

Older Gentleman reaches into his overalls, pulls out a pack of Marlboro cigarettes, takes one for himself and gives one to his son. They stand there, with their unlit cigarettes dangling out of their mouth, admiring the older gentleman’s handiwork.

Older Gentleman – "Now if they are leaking….. You have a light son? Ain’t no way in hell these puppies could leak. "

His Son hands him a lighter. They both light up.

Pepper grabs dog and mom and runs for the hills.

Sarita Texas

King’s Ranch versus Kenedy Ranch




We decided to visit the Kenedy Ranch based on the fact that it is not so heavily advertised. Kenedy Ranch museum is located in Sarita Texas. A town so small you will pass it if you look down at your gas gauge. The Kenedy Museum is located inside the beautifully restored building of the Kenedy Pasture Company. The museum has beautifully painted murals, statues and the wonderful history of the Kenedy family. We thoroughly enjoyed our visit.

Friday Feast

Appetizer
If you could take lessons to learn any musical instrument, which would you want to learn?
The harp

Soup
Have you ever mistaken a person for someone else?
Yes, but it has been a long time and I can't recall the situation.

Salad
On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being highest, how well do you keep secrets?
I'll say 8.5

Main Course
What's the closest you've ever been to a dangerous animal?
Does an ex husband count?

Dessert
When was the last time you lost your patience?
This week when I discovered the missing sewer hose.

I'm Back

When I asked my mother where she wanted to go next, she said “just get me out of the city.” Little did I know that the middle of nowhere existed in Texas and it only took 4 hours to drive there.

We arrived in the nick of time. I had to set up camp in the rain and wind. The wind ended up being around 30 to 40 mph. It was amazing. To conserve our precious propane we didn’t put out the slides. From the time we arrived to this morning it rained and it blew.

When I open the door I was greeted by a glorious sunrise and clear skies. I put up the satellite and locked onto a signal. I then went out to empty the holding tanks. That is when I got the surprise of the day.

My sewer hose and all connections were gone.

Who the heck would take something like that? Not unless they needed them in the worse way. I kept the sewer hose in a plastic container and in the same plastic container were my worm clamps.

I keep the basement doors locked with the exception of the place I keep my sewer hose. I don’t lock that because who would want to take a sewer hose? I was so wrong in that decision. Obviously there is someone who needed it or maybe they have a strange fetish. All I know is I had to go Wal-Mart’s to pick up a new sewer hose. I also discovered a new meaning to full hook-ups. Water and electric only. I am so new at this game. It has gotten to the point now when I call for a reservation I ask if they have water and sewer hookup, if they have electricity, and does cable tv mean more than 3 channels.

Despite their new definition of full hookups I really like it here and they do have a dump station so all I have to do is break camp and drive a short distance.

After I went to Wal-Mart’s I grab the GPS and typed in “HAIR.” There is nothing like depending on a mechanical device for advise. Mom and I came out of there with hair! Not only did we have hair but it was styled. We looked like women. I was beyond estatic.

We are going to have one more day of sunshine and then it is back to rain, clouds, and winds. I will have to put the satelitte down and do without the internet. We will be moving on Tuesday and I don’t have an itinerary yet but we will be heading west.

Enjoy the pictures.

First of all this is not Pepper! This is her daughter, Hannah. Mom called me today from the middle of nowhere. Apparently the middle of nowhere exists in Texas. She currently has no T.V. or internet right now and will be posting when the weather lets up. She thought y'all might be worried about her so she has sent me as your messenger.

I come in peace.

She informed me that there is a view of the ocean from their RV. Who would have thought that the middle of nowhere had an ocean? And Pelicans? Yes, pelicans. She said there are hordes of them.

If I get any more messages from her I will let y'all know.

By the way thank you for the comments concerning my first publication.

Friendship

I wish that I could experience the relationship that my daughter and her best friend, Denny had. It was truly special.

The only way you would know that Denny was ill was her lips would sometimes turn blue, she got to use the elevator at school, and there was no PE for her. Denny lived her life to the fullest. She had three siblings all stricken with the same illness but their condition was not as severe. As far as I know they are living in Iowa and doing fine.

Denny and Hannah would spend hours daydreaming, giggling, and doing the typical teenage girl things. Throughout their relationship Hannah knew that the time she had with her best friend would be short. You just don't think about it until it happens. Denny's passing left Hannah devastated.

As Denny's illness progressed she was placed in an alternative school. Denny's friends soon disappeared and it became only Hannah. When Denny could not climb the stairs to Hannah's bedroom, Hannah simply moved her bedroom downstairs. They would spend their time playing monopoly, looking at architecture magazines and designing their dream home. They would paint each other toenails, practice putting on make up, and talk till the wee morning hours.

The only pictures I have of Denny (that is with me) were taken about a month before she passed. By this time the medications had taken their toll and I keep these photos tucked away.

Thank you for the comments on Hannah's letter. It really surprised me that she wrote something like this because her writings are very abstract. (In a positive way Hannah) It finally dawned on me that this is appropriate. Denny was with Hannah through out most of her teenage life. Hannah experienced a lot firsts with Denny and it is fitting that Denny be with her when she first becomes published.

Hannah I want 5 copies.... Autographed by you.

Hannah Is Published. - I Stole This From Her Blog

my first publication

Awhile ago I sent off a few of my poems to a literary magazine at my school. I did not question whether or not they would be published but sent them as a first step into the wondrous world of rejection. On the day I sent them off I sat down and proceeded to write a letter to Denny, my best friend in high school who passed away when we were 16. As I was collecting the poems to be sent off I threw in the letter as an afterthought. Oddly enough the letter has been selected for publication in the magazine. Because it is officially copyrighted now I am going to post it on my blog.


A letter to Denny 12/05/85-04/24/02
Written By Hannah Jane


It has been four years since you’ve passed.
I live in the city now.
It is always bright here.
Lights are always shining in my eyes.

It was raining the week before you passed and the roads to your house flooded.
You had two strokes or you would have seen the rain too.
Maybe you did.
My mother and I had to walk a few miles to reach your mother.
She was alone. Her house was filled with strangers but the room where your mother sat was empty. I walked over to her and put my arms around her and touched her hair the way you would have.
She smelled bitter and the ashes from her cigarettes speckled her face and hair.
I could hear surrender in her breathing.
Her spark never returned. It caught fire and ravaged her bones.
She died a year after you.
The doctors said it was bone cancer but I knew better.
The grief metastasized and ate her up.
After she passed your sister and brother moved away.
They are orphans. I no longer know them.
Before they moved someone set fire to your house.
Your prom dress was in there.

I learned to drive and my grandfather bought me a brand new car.
I drove to the top of your hill and waited for you.
You never came.
I graduated high school. When they called the names I kept waiting to hear yours.
It was never called.
I went on my first date after starting college. He picked me up in his beat up car and took me out to dinner.
At the end of the night he kissed me. My first kiss.
I raced up the stairs to my apartment and picked up my phone to call you.
I must have dialed the wrong number because it was disconnected.
It didn’t matter though. I made popcorn and talked out loud while I ate.
Did you hear me?

My grandfather is gone now. The last word I heard him say was, “help” but it was too late.
The house I grew up in is gone. The trees are gone too. Hermit’s Holler has been raped and its bosom still leaks milk.
The whippoorwills will cry,
“give me room, give me room”, until there isn’t any space left.
It’s someone else’s private property now.
I’m not allowed to kick the rocks and touch the ground I touched for 18 years.

When I hear other girls whisper and giggle it takes every particle of my strength not to dissolve.
I am jealous. Their laughter and words should be ours.

I will be graduating in two years. I will buy two hats to toss in the air.
I will throw yours first.
I wrote my first concrete poem and it startled me.
The words took the shape of you.
I have grown smaller since you saw me last. I lost the weight of my depression and now wear the lip gloss you put down when your lips turned cold.

I take walks with my dog and fiancée and tell them stories about the years you and I were blessed with.
When I have kids I will tell them these stories too. They will know who you are.
Your pictures will never be taken down and put away.

It is hard to move on.
I have been moving on for four years.
I am moving past your death.
I take you with me.

To Push Or To Pull

I went through all of the trouble to fill my propane tank but it was so cold and rainy the man only gave us 14 gallons which means we will be back in a couple of days. I was told to pick up a small electric heater. This heater runs on 12 amps we have 50 amps. To figure out how many amps divide the watts by 120 volts. I already knew how many amps it takes to run just the basic and I plug the heater in. It was running fine until mom said “you want coffee?” I said “sure.”

We blew something.

I check the breakers. I threw the main switch, waited, and turned it back on. Nothing. For $30 I had a man check our outlets and etc. We had no power to our outlets, refridgerator, and TV. After the man left I grabbed the manual for the RV. I had read it but it was all greek to me but it is comforting to hold something that has the answers even though you don’t understand what it is trying to tell you. Then I thought inverter, converter, GFCI outlet….. what I was thinking about I don’t understand but I was having these thoughts. The GFCI outlet is dead so that left the inverter, converter and I knew where they were located. I knew because the location was the only thing I understood when I read that chapter. So I went outside, opened the door and there it was. Whatever it was it was there. Yep there it was…..

I looked at it and I noticed two buttons. One was pushed in and one was pulled out. They were different. My mind was thinking that maybe the two buttons were suppose to be the same and what would happen if I pushed or pulled one of those buttons? Would the RV blow up? Would I short circuit something? When I decided to do it I thought to myself should I push or should I pull? What is on and what is off? Then I thought to myself if you turn something on you woulld push a button not pull a button. So I decided to push.

I went in the house and guess what? I had lights.

Hannah's Comment To My Breaker Problem

hannahjane said...

who thought a cup of joe
could cause your breakers to blow
but lo and behold
the voices told
you to push and not pull
and now your coffee cup is full.

a rhyme for you my dear.

A New Orleans Native -George Joseph Herriman

I received a comment this evening, actually it is morning regarding my clip art. You see I might not like watching cartoons but I loved reading a select few. I like Krazy Kat and hence I put a picture of Ignatz Mouse.

Now the cat is not Krazy Kat. I put another cartoon character on my page of a cartoon I liked and that is the Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers, artist Gilbert Shelton. The cat is actually Fat Freddy's Cat.

Krazy Kat has made an appearance once in a while but not Offissa Pupp. I think it is neat that someone recognized the characters I put on my page. Once in a while I miss having a brick tossed at me.

The weather outside is still to cold to go out and site see. Tomorrow I will have the fun of breaking down camp, moving the little house on wheels to the nearest propane station and filling up. Then I will bring it back to the same park and hook up. That is the most exciting thing we will do.

Hopefully the next place we travel to will be a little warmer and I can start posting more touristy stuff. It is nice though to curl up on the couch with Surely Not, and an old movie on the TV.

Hannah, one of the disadvantages of giving Grandma a digital camera is this

There is one weird thing I do that I have never mentioned is I sleep like a deceased person. I sleep flat on my black, my arms crossed, blanket over my face. The only thing missing is the pennies on the eyes. Some people might find this a little disconcerting but not my geriatric puppy, Surely Not.

As You Slide Down the Banister of Life, Remember - Adult Content

1. Jim Baker and Jimmy Swaggert have written an impressive new book. It's called "Ministers Do More Than Lay People.
2. Transvestite: A guy who likes to eat, drink and be Mary.
3. The difference between the Pope and your boss...the Pope only expects you to kiss his ring.
4. My mind works like lightning. One brilliant flash and it is gone.
5. The only time the world beats a path to your door is if you're in the bathroom.
6. I hate sex in the movies. Tried it once. The seat folded up, the drink spilled and that ice, well, it really chilled the mood.
7. It used to be only death and taxes were inevitable. Now, of course, there's shipping and handling, too.
8. A husband is someone who, after taking the trash out, gives the impression that he just cleaned the whole house.
9. My next house will have no kitchen -- just vending machines and a large trash can.
10. A blonde said, "I was worried that my mechanic might try to rip me off. I was relieved when he told me all I needed was turn signal fluid.
11. My neighbor was bitten by a stray rabid dog. I went to see how he was and found him writing frantically on a piece of paper. I told him rabies could be treated, and he didn't have to worry about a Will. He said, "Will? What Will? I'm making a list of the people I want to bite."
12. Definition of a teenager? God's punishment for enjoying sex.
13. As you slide down the banister of life, may the splinters never point the wrong way.

Yes It Brought Back Memories Deanie

I remember you crashing the jeep. A big spider was crawling on your arm because of that you lost control of the jeep. You missed going over a big ravine by inches. You crawled, bruised, battered and bleeding back to the house crying and when mom asked you where you hurt.... you said "get the spider out of my bra." You could have had broken bones, a concusion, or worse! but all you wanted was to get the spider out of your bra. Fortunately the spider suffered fatal injuries and you were fine.

Thanks Deanie For The Funny - I Edited Some Of It

I must send my thanks to whoever sent me the email about the rat poop in the glue on envelopes, because I now have to use a wet towel with every envelope that needs sealing. Also, now I scrub the top of every can I open for the same reason.

I no longer have any savings because I gave it to a sick girl (Penny Brown) who is about to die in the hospital for the 1,387,258^th time. BUT that will change once I receive the $15,000 that Bill Gates/ Microsoft and AOL are sending me for participating in their special e-mail program.

I no longer worry about my soul because I have 363,214 angels looking out for me and St. Theresa’s novena has granted my every wish. I learned that my prayers only get answered if I forward an e-mail to seven of my friends.

I no longer frequent KFC because of their chickens are horrible mutant freaks with no eyes or feathers.

I no longer shop at Targets since they are French and don’t support or troops. Heck, they don’t even support the Salvation Army. I will stay away from shopping malls because someone will drug me with perfume samples and rob me.

I no longer receive packages from UPS or FedEx since they are actually Al Qaeda in disguise.

I no longer wear cancer causing deodorant even though I smell like a water buffalo on a hot day. Pepsi and Dr. Pepper is banned in my home since the people who make these products are atheists who refuse to put “under God” on their cans. Chocolate milk is also banned from my home since it is made from "regular" milk rejected for containing too much cow's blood.*

THANK GOD for cell phones because the coin returns on pay phones have aids infected needles in it.

Thanks to all of the e-mails I have received about the big brown African spider that is lurking under the public toilet seats. Its bite will cause instant death when it bites me on the arse.

I also recently found out that a South American scientist from Argentina, after a lengthy study has discovered that people with insufficient brain and sexual activity read blogs with their hand on the mouse. Don’t bother taking it off now, its too late!

I wish I could post all of the warnings I receive via e-mail but it would cause Blogger to crash and burn.

I Am Late But Here Is Friday Feast

Appetizer: What comes to mind when you see the color orange?
I think of flowers, my favorite flower color.

Soup: Did you ever get in trouble while you were in school? If so, what was it for?
In seventh grade we decided to do a sit down to protest the hair and dress code. It lasted all of 15 minutes.

Salad: Which topping(s) make up your perfect pizza?
Italian Sausage, mushrooms and extra cheese.

Main Course: Do you believe in UFOs/aliens/etc.? Why or why not?
Yes, it is some what grandiose to think we are alone.

Dessert: What color is your bedspread/comforter/quilt?
I have green blankets and a green coverlet with frogs on it that I have to wrestle away from Surely Not.

Another Childhood Moment

My father had cerebral palsy. Growing up with a father with a handicap can be interesting. Especially when you are young and kids ask you the most stupid questions. One thing I was always asked was “does he have a job or can he work?” I talked to my dad about this and he told me to tell anyone who asked that question that he is retired. I didn’t know what it meant, it was a ten dollar word to a small child and sounded good. When I was in third grade, my teacher Mrs. Morgan asked her class what does your father do for a living. When it came to be my turn to describe what my father did I said “My father is retarded.”

Mrs. Morgan looks down at me, I remember the glasses and her pinched little face and said “what did you say?”

I said, and quite proudly too, “My father is retarded.”

Next thing I know I am in the counselor’s office being asked questions like “How long have you been mad at your daddy?”

Fortunately my parents straighten the whole mess out by explaining I was trying to say retired.

It Slices and Dices and its Only $19.95

I find it interesting how people make a living while living on the road. One couple is doing something that I think is GREAT! Since I am not a professional photographer and other reasons I am not going to do what they do for financial gain but to better organize myself. They create a CD for every state they go through. They take photographs, map places out, give details on where to go and what to do etc. I could do this to keep myself organized. Right now I have so many disks it is not funny and I am at a lost on how to organize myself. Since there will be time when we will be buzzing through states and not staying long I will do it by month. That way I can put my journal on the disk as well as photographs, brochures etc.

Also I was given two wonderful remedies for my headache. I did both of them so I cannot give credit to either one. I just wanted to say it worked and I am headache free.

It will be raining here for a week so we will be staying indoors so there will not be a lot of sight seeing. The plus side is I will be able to update my campgrounds and my blog and we actually have cable that has more than 3 channels. Yippee!

This seems like a quiet park, very nice and well kept. So we will be happier than we have sense. Later.

Weather

Mom and I were faced with a decision. To stay in Beaumont until Monday or take off earlier. Basically it was down to wind or wind and thunderstorms. We left this morning and made it safely to the RV park outside of Houston. I realize it is only 1 hour and 30 minutes but the winds were rough. It was the first time that Surely Not huddle up against my seat, vibrating, and staying very quiet. I guess she could feel the turbulance. We have arrived safely and Surely Not has calmed down. Now we are going to check on the folks back home who are going through a nasty ice storm.

Stay warm.

Found This Funny

Hannah I will make up a sentence like you did on yours. Okay here it goes I am Feminine,Devoted, all too forgiving but only in the fall and winter time in the afternoon when the moon is shining, metally passively HONEY.

You Are More Yin

Feminine Devoted Forgiving Fall Winter Afternoon Moon Time Passive Metal Honey

Are You More Yin or Yang?

You Are 20% Abnormal

You are at low risk for being a psychopath. It is unlikely that you have no soul. You are at low risk for having a borderline personality. It is unlikely that you are a chaotic mess. You are at low risk for having a narcissistic personality. It is unlikely that you are in love with your own reflection. You are at high risk for having a social phobia. It is very likely that you feel most comfortable in your mom's basement. You are at low risk for obsessive compulsive disorder. It is unlikely that you are addicted to hand sanitizer.

How Abnormal Are You?

The Thinking Meme

Thanks Mag

Here we go...like it or not....

1. If you had to choose one vice in exclusion of all others what would it be?
Smoking

2. If you could change one specific thing about the world what would it be?
Anything and all things nuclear.

3. Name the cartoon character you identify with the most.
I hated cartoons when I was little and have very little tolerance for them now.

4. If you could live one day in your life over again which one would it be?
The one day I felt truly loved.

5. If you could go back in history and spend a day with one person who would it be?
George Washington Carver

6. What is the one thing you lost, sold or threw away that you wish you could have back?
A picture of a certain person.
7. What is your one most important contribution to this world?
I am good listener.

8. What is your one hidden talent that nearly no one knows about?
Gee that one is rough. I can’t think of anything.

9. What is your most cherished possession?
It is a black tray that my daughter has now.

10. What one person influenced your life the most when growing up?
My mother

11. What one word describes you better than any other?
Nomadic

This One I Will Agree To

Your Rising Sign is Taurus

You are the ultimate rock - stable and centered. People turn to you in crisis and count on you for calm. Stubborn and strong minded, you can't be pushed around. You are also tenacious, and you always will stick with something difficult. A bit fan of nature, you're attracted to the beauty of the outdoors. And sometimes, you find it easier to relate to animals than people.

What's Your Rising Sign?

Hey Meander Puppy!

It's The World's Largest Fire Hydrant!

Interesting Billboard

I did a little research on the net and this is what I found. Sometimes you don't have much of a choice. The picture below is of Mr. Page stomping on kicking flowers on his wife's grave. That and what the jury found, I think the billboard is appropriate.

The Page case

A billboard on Interstate 10 in Orange County still stands sentinel to a high-profile criminal case that resulted in a sizable civil judgment against a suspect in a still-unsolved Vidor slaying.

Kathy Page was found May 14, 1991, in her still-running car, which was head first in a ditch.

The dead woman had been beaten and strangled.

Investigators identified her husband, Steve Page, as the prime suspect in the slaying, but two grand jury investigations concluded without an indictment.

Kathy Page's family, believing Steve Page killed her after she left him only two days before, brought the civil lawsuit against him.

After two mistrials, a third jury in October 1999 found in the family's favor by a margin of 11-1.

The jury awarded Kathy Page's relatives $200,000 after finding Steve Page financially liable for her death.

Kathy Page's father, who still hopes for criminal prosecution of his daughter's killer, has maintained the billboard expressing his displeasure with the investigation for years.

DARN I'm Good

The internet service the park provides STINKS!!!!!!!!!! It is either off or on or on or off. I have been working on my satellite, frantically trying to make it work. Guess what? It is up and running.

I am going back to Beaumont today. I will be able to start checking out my friends blogs so you will be hearing from me and expect pictures.

The Founder of Port Arthur Texas

The founder of Port Auther Texas was railroad pioneer Arthur E. Stilwell. Usually I don’t post history lessons in my blog because of the fear that my blogging friends would fall asleep or they will think a pop quiz is coming. This gentleman was unique.

Stilwell claimed that he had been visited in his sleep throughout his career by spirits, whom he called "Brownies." These beings, he said, had not only given him the plans for his railroads, the city of Port Arthur, and other business ventures, but had dictated to him 20 novels, books, poems, songs, and screenplays and had inspired his dedication to the causes of pacifism and world disarmament. "There is no doubt in my mind," he wrote, "that these messages come from the spirit world, and that this circle of spirits that communicates with me by this rare method is comprised of engineers, poets, and authors." In 1922 he said that he had kept his Brownies secret during most of his life for fear that people would think him a "nut." Perhaps this is why he called these influences "hunches" in his autobiography serialized in The Saturday Evening Post during 1927 and 1928. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, who wrote a two-volume History of Spiritualism in addition to the Sherlock Holmes stories, declared that no man then living had enjoyed greater psychic experiences than Arthur Stilwell.

When Mr. Stillwell pass away from cancer, his wife put on her Sunday best and calmly walked out of a window and met her maker.

Dirk

Dirk, I am a dog. My real name is Surely Not because my owner wanted a cat and I am Surely Not a cat. I am Poodle, Pomeranian, and Terrier mix. I became gray and wizen looking at a very young age. I could not help it, Dirk that I aged so fast on the outside. Yes I have the terrier ruff, Poodle hair butt, and the soft undercoat of a Pomeranian but I consider myself beautiful. I might not be the “Paris Hilton” of the dog world but I am beautiful, Dirk. My owner had me shaved almost bald to try to make me beautiful and you know something Dirk, it didn’t work.

All of my life I have been made fun of. I remember back in the day when I had a real house and was allowed to roam free, I would throw myself onto the porch in the most intimidating way. I would bark ferociously at people passing by. They would stop, look, and laugh but this was not a deterrent. I have the heart and soul of a German Sheppard, Dirk. I was the defender of the home. I am, and still am the Queen.

I know I am very nervous and neurotic. Small children and babies be it animal or human sends me into a doggie nervous breakdown. But WC Fields didn’t like them either and if some humans were honest like him you would be surprised at how many don’t like babies and small children, Dirk.

You know something, Dirk. A lot of humans look like their dog and in a round about way you are also insulting my owner…….

When I am on my leash for my morning constitutional people have stopped and said “what is that?” I have heard that several times. Yes I have been told I look like a rat and my owner’s mother calls me bat face but I have never in all of my life been told I look like an alien.

I am deeply insulted and hurt by this, Dirk.
You make an old dog wish for new teeth. Yes, Dirk I am an old lady. In human years I am either 76 or 105, either way that makes me old and you are insulting an old lady, Dirk.

If I had teeth Dirk I would bite you.

Click Here For New Pictures

The Ole Crawdad Home

Beaumont Texas

Now That I Have Your Attention

Click Here For New Pictures

Update

I have had a running headache now for over a week. I am thankful it is not a migraine but I am getting a little weary. I agree with Dirk it must be my sinuses but I am afraid to take anything for it. Antihistamines usually do one of two things to me. I will either pass out cold or I will be outside mowing the yard with scissors (extremely hyper). I will continue with my Tylenol and stop complaining.

Location:  Beaumont Texas

Texas

We made it to Texas. It took us twice as long because traffic on I-10 was backed up for 30 miles. Prior to that, the interstate was awful. I have dirt roads back home that were easier to drive on. Needless to say I was very happy to see the RV Park. I found out something important. When you leave Louisiana you do not leave behind the swamps and bayous. In this part of Texas they call it a front and back yard. The lots here are somewhat narrow and I missed the lot and buried 3 of my 6 tires in mud.

A month ago mom and I decided to enroll in Good Sam Roadside Service. So I called Good Sam and 20 minutes later the tow truck came. He didn’t leave until I was safely parked on my lot. I went out to thank him and sign my life away and I noticed a black mud pile in my yard. I said “what the heck is that?” It was a crawdad home. Back where I come from a crawdad’s home was under a rock in the lake. Here they build themselves a fancy mud mansion with a basement that is 3 to 10 feet below ground.

After the gentleman left I rolled up my pant legs and went out and hooked up. I was sinking in the yard. Fortunately the RV is on a concrete pad or we would be taking up residency beside the crawdad. I can see it now – there goes there neighborhood, darn Rvers.

After hooking up I tried to get on the internet but something is wrong with my internet. I think after hitting all those bumps something jarred loose. I will dismantle everything tomorrow and try to figure out what. Until now I will use the park’s internet. Not only is it free but it is hassle free.

Location:  Beaumont Texas

OKAY This Does Not Look Good

On the road to Beaumont

Yes Mother

As a single parent of three I needed all the support I could find. Naturally I turned to my parents. The majority of the time they were very supportive of me and I appreciated it immensely.

There was one incident though that caused me a great deal of stress.

It was when my dad told my sons that the best way to get along with women was to agree to every thing they say during an argument. I didn’t know he told them that until the day MAMA GOT MAD.

I don’t know what I was angry about (it could have been the duck in the bathtub) but I lit into one of my boys and when I was through with my speech and lecture, I said “do you have anything to say.” I remember hearing this “you right mother.” This made me feel pretty good. I thought to myself “gee maybe I finally made him understand.”

Scott I hate to pick on you but you seem to pick up grandpa’s ways pretty fast. I remember lecturing you and you said “yes mother,” “you’re right mother.” That is when I caught onto the little game being played and unfortunately it only made me madder. I said “you don’t have to agree with me all the time. I just want you to understand that your behavior is wrong.”

He said “yes mother.”

I think I gnashed my teeth and pulled out my hair. When I told my dad what the boys were doing, he just laughed. Which made me mad and he said “Yes Pepper.”

I was right all throughout the raising of my children, which, of course, only made me madder.

My father also loved to tell tales of his childhood. One of his favorites was when he was living in Kansas City Missouri. He was 17 years old and he asked his mother for permission to go to the Lake of the Ozarks to do a little fishing. She gave him some money and he and a friend were off in his Model A Ford or was it a Model T for a weekend fishing trip. Monday rolled around and he called his mother asking her to wire him some money. She said “Where are you?“ He said “Tampico Mexico.” Yep my dad went to the lake via Mexico. She sent him enough money to get home on and he ended up using it to spend a month in Tampico. During his roadtrip to Tampico Mexico the old car pooped out. His friend who was an excellent mechanic spied an old tractor in a field. So they hopped a fence, took a part from the tractor adapted it, and repaired the car. When he called again for money she sent him the exact amount of money for gas to get home on and told him no more. A few feet from his driveway, the car died again but this time it was because he ran out of gas. His mother, my grandmother was good. Of course Scott was there during this story telling and that is why he ended up in Michigan at the age of 17. Said he was spending the night with a friend.

On that note I will let you know that we are heading out tomorrow. We are heading for Texas…… not Tampico Mexico or Michigan.

Never Wear Your Sister's Underwear

I was reading Dirk's post on neighborhoods and that made me think of my own. I didn't have a neighborhood. No neighbors to speak of. My companions were my brother when he wasn't agitating me or burying my shoes in huge sand piles and my sister. I won't say anything bad or embarrassing about my sister since she reads this blog. She has a memory that won't quit and I am sure she can embarrass the heck out of me by telling some childhood memories. Summer was freedom. Winter was being cooped up all day and the most exciting thing was school. Since I didn't have any friends in school I was pretty much on my own during the winter months. Since my parents had a resort on a lake, I had to be resourceful and cute. To be safe, my mother made me wear a life jacket from the time I got up until the time I went to bed. To earn extra money I would go crawdad hunting. I started this at a young age and by the time I turned six I was a master at catching them. I sold them for fifty cents a dozen. An extravagant price in those days and that is when cute would step in. When I was six years old I was hunting for crawdads and I must have stepped on a mossy patch because my legs went out from under me and I landed in the water. I didn't want to bother my mother so I decided I would change my own clothes. When I got to my room that I shared with my sister I couldn't find any clothes. I did the next best thing. I put on my sister's underwear and then my life jacket and went back out. My sister is older than I and her underwear was big and they kept slipping off. Undeterred I continued my hunt. I was out all day long. My mother had to take me to the doctor's office and he said "how did this child get three degree burns on her butt? And that is the tale of how I burnt my arse severely. The moral of this story is "never wear your sister's underwear."

Mulate's

After touring the Acadian Village in Lafayette mom and I went to
Mulate's for dinner. Even though it was a little pricy the food was outstanding. It was the best meal we had in a long time. What is interesting is they papered the ceiling with business cards. It was a nice place to eat despite what it looked like on the outside.

Oh and I helped my human with her New Years resolution. A little Kahlua, Baileys in the old water dish. Woo Hoo I feel like a puppy again!

Thank you Hannah for the warm blanket you sent me. My human thinks you gave it to her but I know better. She is on her 4th day of a headache but she is planning to post some more pictures tonight.

Geese

I don't have a good relationship with geese. They just don't like me. My mother took these pictures and even though I don't like my picture taken I will share them with you. We were at the Acadian Village when this occurred. The first picture is the Goose. As you can tell I was strolling along minding my own business when the attack occurred. The last picture is of me getting ready to b***h slap the pest if he bit me. I will be posting post pictures sometime this evening.

Livingston Louisiana