Coming out of Mexico we spent time in Arizona and New Mexico. It was hot and we rode with the windows down. I had paper dolls cut out and sometimes they would blow out the windows. I sat on the right and Randy sat on the left. There was a dividing line and woe to him that crossed without permission. I also had a large comic book with the life of Teddy Roosevelt. I can still remember things about him to this day. We stopped pretty much anywhere we wanted in the camper and sometimes we stopped at camp grounds so I could swim. Dad bought me an Indian Doll with a beautiful beaded white dress. And don't tell anyone, but sometimes Randy and I would sleep in the camper while we were driving. Coming back to go into California we were stopped and told we had to get rid of any fruit coming into the state. We had bought a lot
of oranges and had to eat them before crossing. Dad headed for the coastal road that goes along the Pacific.
One of our first stops was Fisherman's Wharf. Here we had shrimp and other delicacies at a Chinese place. The table was full of food and we were sitting by the ocean. We continued up this road. It travels sometimes right on the ocean edge and sometimes a little way in. It also is sometimes even with the coast or rises hundreds of feet above. We were on our way to the Red Wood Forest. There was a camping area to the right of the road and my parents thought it looked good to stop. I was allowed to walk over the road to the other side. The cliffs went straight down, it was quite a sight. I came back and was helping with dinner when suddenly mother let out a ear piercing scream. She realized Randy was gone. The immediate reaction of the campers was to run across the road and look down. My heart was in my throat as I realized Randy could have gone over the edge. It was a long hard half hour or so, before he was found. The campers scoured the country side. Finally someone brought him to my mother. This was not the first time he had done this on the trip, but even my Dad was rattled. They bought one of those harness's that were popular at the time and unfortunately for Randy he had to be contained. That night everyone sitting around the fires talked of Sputnik coming around. We sat there a long time waiting for it to come into view. Some saw it. I think I saw it once. The next morning Dad bought a newspaper and read the story to me. I saw the picture of Sputnik. Man had entered space.
Monday, May 30, 2011
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Randy and Me - Story's From Our Childhood
My brother Randy passed two years ago on June 6th. 2009. Last year I told about what happened and how God took care of Randy and I during that time. Now I would like to share some parts of our childhood that were a little different from probably your childhood. But, I look at them as experiences that made us who and what we are inside.
Our Dad, was unusual in some ways. He decided to take me out of school for one year and travel. He said I would learn more in that year than I would learn at school. It is true, I remember very vividly things that happened that year and I can't tell you my high school teacher's names. He sold two houses he had bought in La Mesa, California and decided we would travel. His first idea was he had seen a sail boat in the harbor and wanted to buy it. He was a seaman, he had been in the Navy. We went to see this boat. This was not a little boat. It was big. We went inside and saw the living quarters. They were very nice and everyone would have their own sleeping quarters. The kitchen and front part were beautiful. Did I mention it was a very big boat. My parents came home, driving in the car my mother started getting funny about it and asked questions like, where are we going with this boat?? and why are we going with this boat?? the questions got worse like are you going to kill us in this boat?? It was not going well. Women are like that. They see another side of it. Dad, we will go places we have never seen before. Mom, yeah, if we get there in one piece. What about storms at sea?? Dad, no answer. Mom, what if something happened to the children.?? Dad, no answer. Needless to say you can see the way it was going, we did not buy the boat. I was kind of glad because frankly, it was scary on the boat, it moved sideways and up and down. I wasn't happy about that either.
A few days latter, a camping trailer pulled up into the yard. It was a fairly nice trailer. It had a bathroom, kitchen and could sleep six, and it did not move up and down and sideways. I could handle this. I went into the house and brought my beautiful tea set from my aunt Kay and put it in the trailer. That was something that was definitely going. It took several days to pack up and Mom bought a lot of can goods and such. The refrigerator even had a freezer, so we filled that up. The reason we had so much food is we were going into Mexico first and we would not drink their water or eat their food. We had gone into Mexico on several day trips and had bad experiences. Actually, to this day that is what I do if I go there. It's instilled.
This is the first time we traveled further into Mexico. We followed the highway that went down the Pacific Ocean. Sometimes we could see the ocean and sometime we couldn't. Dad had at first thought of traveling all the way down Mexico, but had changed, or had his mind changed by my mother, I don't know which.
I remember after traveling for several days we finally stopped and stayed near the ocean. There was no one around us. Actually, Dad became a little nervous, because he realized we looked pretty rich compared to Mexico standards and stated worrying that we might be robbed or something. We stayed here for a while and I made friends with a little Mexican boy, but we could hardly say anything to each other. We didn't understand each other. but we had fun swimming in the ocean. I look back at how much freedom we had as kids compared to others. But I would play in or near the ocean all day long. I learned to get on a board or inner tube and come in on a wave. I didn't know you call it surfing. When I think about how I would go into the high waves and swim back it makes me shutter even today. I would have never let my kids do that at my age. I was somewhere near eight. I still enjoy swimming and try to swim different places, just so I can say I swam there. I have driven my husband nuts over this.
We finally left there and stayed somewhere near a bay, I could not tell you the name of the bay. In the center of the bay was a platform, and of course the idea was to swim to the platform. I never thought about I was swimming in deep water. I still like to swim in deep water, if it is fairly clean. It really is amazing they let me do this day after day. The thing I remember most was one day there was something swimming in the water with me. It was large with two eyes, it was flat with two large flaps on each side. It did not harm me and swam with me quite a way. My Dad, did see it and started calling me to come in. I came in wondering what he was all upset about. He said it was a large sting ray and we left the next day. I really had no concept of this until one day a few years ago we went to Florida and saw one in a sea show. Then I realized what I had been near. They can sting you severely and even kill.
We were done with Mexico and went on with the next leg of the journey.
Our Dad, was unusual in some ways. He decided to take me out of school for one year and travel. He said I would learn more in that year than I would learn at school. It is true, I remember very vividly things that happened that year and I can't tell you my high school teacher's names. He sold two houses he had bought in La Mesa, California and decided we would travel. His first idea was he had seen a sail boat in the harbor and wanted to buy it. He was a seaman, he had been in the Navy. We went to see this boat. This was not a little boat. It was big. We went inside and saw the living quarters. They were very nice and everyone would have their own sleeping quarters. The kitchen and front part were beautiful. Did I mention it was a very big boat. My parents came home, driving in the car my mother started getting funny about it and asked questions like, where are we going with this boat?? and why are we going with this boat?? the questions got worse like are you going to kill us in this boat?? It was not going well. Women are like that. They see another side of it. Dad, we will go places we have never seen before. Mom, yeah, if we get there in one piece. What about storms at sea?? Dad, no answer. Mom, what if something happened to the children.?? Dad, no answer. Needless to say you can see the way it was going, we did not buy the boat. I was kind of glad because frankly, it was scary on the boat, it moved sideways and up and down. I wasn't happy about that either.
A few days latter, a camping trailer pulled up into the yard. It was a fairly nice trailer. It had a bathroom, kitchen and could sleep six, and it did not move up and down and sideways. I could handle this. I went into the house and brought my beautiful tea set from my aunt Kay and put it in the trailer. That was something that was definitely going. It took several days to pack up and Mom bought a lot of can goods and such. The refrigerator even had a freezer, so we filled that up. The reason we had so much food is we were going into Mexico first and we would not drink their water or eat their food. We had gone into Mexico on several day trips and had bad experiences. Actually, to this day that is what I do if I go there. It's instilled.
This is the first time we traveled further into Mexico. We followed the highway that went down the Pacific Ocean. Sometimes we could see the ocean and sometime we couldn't. Dad had at first thought of traveling all the way down Mexico, but had changed, or had his mind changed by my mother, I don't know which.
I remember after traveling for several days we finally stopped and stayed near the ocean. There was no one around us. Actually, Dad became a little nervous, because he realized we looked pretty rich compared to Mexico standards and stated worrying that we might be robbed or something. We stayed here for a while and I made friends with a little Mexican boy, but we could hardly say anything to each other. We didn't understand each other. but we had fun swimming in the ocean. I look back at how much freedom we had as kids compared to others. But I would play in or near the ocean all day long. I learned to get on a board or inner tube and come in on a wave. I didn't know you call it surfing. When I think about how I would go into the high waves and swim back it makes me shutter even today. I would have never let my kids do that at my age. I was somewhere near eight. I still enjoy swimming and try to swim different places, just so I can say I swam there. I have driven my husband nuts over this.
We finally left there and stayed somewhere near a bay, I could not tell you the name of the bay. In the center of the bay was a platform, and of course the idea was to swim to the platform. I never thought about I was swimming in deep water. I still like to swim in deep water, if it is fairly clean. It really is amazing they let me do this day after day. The thing I remember most was one day there was something swimming in the water with me. It was large with two eyes, it was flat with two large flaps on each side. It did not harm me and swam with me quite a way. My Dad, did see it and started calling me to come in. I came in wondering what he was all upset about. He said it was a large sting ray and we left the next day. I really had no concept of this until one day a few years ago we went to Florida and saw one in a sea show. Then I realized what I had been near. They can sting you severely and even kill.
We were done with Mexico and went on with the next leg of the journey.
Friday, May 20, 2011
Netanyahu to Obama-Let Me Tell You The Facts Of Life
Obama's message backfires on him. Netanyahu turns the meeting into a father-son discussion. It was sometimes tense and a lot of frustration as Netanyahu let Obama have it. "While Israel is prepared to make generous compromises for peace, it cannot go back to 1967 lines." Netanyahu
Continuing " Remember that, before 1967, Israel was all of nine miles wide. It was half the length of the Washington Beltway."
"And these were not the boundaries of peace, they were the boundaries of repeated wars, because the attack of Israel so attractive." Netanyahu
Key to the settlement , if it ever happens, is the fate of Jerusalem and Palestinian refugees. Netanyahu said. Palestinians will not be allowed to settle in Israel in any peace plan. "It is not going to happen. Everyone knows it is not going to happen." And I think it is time to tell the Palestinians forthrightly it's not going to happen."
Netanyahu took over the discussion, with tenseness and frustration between them.
The President and Hillary broke all the rule books on this one with telling Netanyahu about the speech right before it happened. Netanyahu tried to get the 1967 boundary out of the speech before it was given creating quite a stir before it was given.
You could say diplomacy was down the drain, incurring the wrath and anger of Netanyahu. Obama could entitle this one how not to bring a visiting leader to America.
Netanyahu will address Congress Tuesday and will give, with further notifications I am sure, of what Israel will not do. Israel is a land that is blood stained and bought, no one is going to take it away from Israel
Continuing " Remember that, before 1967, Israel was all of nine miles wide. It was half the length of the Washington Beltway."
"And these were not the boundaries of peace, they were the boundaries of repeated wars, because the attack of Israel so attractive." Netanyahu
Key to the settlement , if it ever happens, is the fate of Jerusalem and Palestinian refugees. Netanyahu said. Palestinians will not be allowed to settle in Israel in any peace plan. "It is not going to happen. Everyone knows it is not going to happen." And I think it is time to tell the Palestinians forthrightly it's not going to happen."
Netanyahu took over the discussion, with tenseness and frustration between them.
The President and Hillary broke all the rule books on this one with telling Netanyahu about the speech right before it happened. Netanyahu tried to get the 1967 boundary out of the speech before it was given creating quite a stir before it was given.
You could say diplomacy was down the drain, incurring the wrath and anger of Netanyahu. Obama could entitle this one how not to bring a visiting leader to America.
Netanyahu will address Congress Tuesday and will give, with further notifications I am sure, of what Israel will not do. Israel is a land that is blood stained and bought, no one is going to take it away from Israel
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Newt Racist Because Food Stamps Have Risen?
Is this going to be the new cry from the left? I hope not. I hope we have all risen above this. Newt made a good reason why you should not vote for Obama in the election. It is the old cry are you better off now or before the last election. That is all Newt was referring to. In 2009, 33 million people were on food stamps and now 44.2 million people are on food stamps. In fact I read another article that nearly 47 million people are on food stamps. Clearly Newt was speaking to the fact people are no doing better now than two years ago.
But other's including Chris Mathews jumped on the band wagon saying the remarks had a hint of racism in them. I had a similar experience with a neighbor when I was referring to some policies I didn't agree with the President was doing. She became angry and said I was racist, I didn't like his color. I made no reference to his color. In fact, I have some great black friends and I have a love for black people. I thought it kind of funny in that she is on food stamps herself. I ended the conversation by asking her if she were better now than before the election and she had to admit she was in worse shape now.
That was all Newt was referring to. This is going to continue throughout the campaign I am afraid. I prefer we keep color out and deal with the issues. But I am afraid, it ain't gonna happen.
But other's including Chris Mathews jumped on the band wagon saying the remarks had a hint of racism in them. I had a similar experience with a neighbor when I was referring to some policies I didn't agree with the President was doing. She became angry and said I was racist, I didn't like his color. I made no reference to his color. In fact, I have some great black friends and I have a love for black people. I thought it kind of funny in that she is on food stamps herself. I ended the conversation by asking her if she were better now than before the election and she had to admit she was in worse shape now.
That was all Newt was referring to. This is going to continue throughout the campaign I am afraid. I prefer we keep color out and deal with the issues. But I am afraid, it ain't gonna happen.
Sunday, May 15, 2011
What Happened to Huck?
My journey into writing started after I met Mike Huckabee. There was a greeting to Mrs. Reagan on Ronald Reagan's birthday. Huck wanted us to write something to her. His site sent me to twitter. At the time I had no idea what I was doing. When I got on twitter I wrote a piece about Reagan, somewhere I have the piece, and tried to send it back to Huck's site. Something went wrong and, yes, I lost my tweet. I have to idea what happened to it. Frustrated I turned off my computer. Did I mention I did not know what I was doing? The next morning I got back on my computer and went to twitter, and there was a message from Karl Rove. Somehow he found my tweet and said he would follow me. I think he does that for others also. I thought, well if he liked what I wrote maybe I could write. I started writing about Obama, because I was scared of him and what might happen, In fact, everyone was scared of him and what he might do to this country and we still are. I found a blog I had started about a year before for my website, connected to twitter. The website failed because I had a problem with Ebay. Anyway, the blog all started with Huck.
I don't know what Huck's future is. I don't know what my future is with the recent loss of my husband. The thing I do know that Huck is right about the things the left is putting out about him. I have even told friends of mine, if he runs they are going to shred him to pieces and they have already started on the stations in Chicago. No doubt he has heard them himself. I think probably given we know the truth about what happened with the policemen, it is more than likely he could survive. And there are other things we now know about him. But he does not want to find this out for himself. Being a husband and a father, it is only natural he wants to protect his family. And thus he has reached the conclusion, not to run. As probably any decent person would reach the same conclusion.
I have written before, politics in America have become disgusting, dirty, and you think it can't get any lower but it does. I also have written how can we be the light to the world for democracy and have such disgusting elections. Our politics have become so bad that a decent man like Huck, who could have the presidency in the palm of his hands, refuses to run because it isn't worth what it would put him and his family through. This is where we are in America. If we are to survive we must clean up our politics because no decent person will run and put his or her family through it.
I don't know what Huck's future is. I don't know what my future is with the recent loss of my husband. The thing I do know that Huck is right about the things the left is putting out about him. I have even told friends of mine, if he runs they are going to shred him to pieces and they have already started on the stations in Chicago. No doubt he has heard them himself. I think probably given we know the truth about what happened with the policemen, it is more than likely he could survive. And there are other things we now know about him. But he does not want to find this out for himself. Being a husband and a father, it is only natural he wants to protect his family. And thus he has reached the conclusion, not to run. As probably any decent person would reach the same conclusion.
I have written before, politics in America have become disgusting, dirty, and you think it can't get any lower but it does. I also have written how can we be the light to the world for democracy and have such disgusting elections. Our politics have become so bad that a decent man like Huck, who could have the presidency in the palm of his hands, refuses to run because it isn't worth what it would put him and his family through. This is where we are in America. If we are to survive we must clean up our politics because no decent person will run and put his or her family through it.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Mayor Daley's Corrupt Legacy
Why is there so much unhappiness about Mayor Daley, one who has achieved such great gains in and for the City of Chicago? Despite all the good things, there has always been this cloud of corruption that huddles around him. The amazing thing, so much bad could swirl around him and yet he was never involved?? Even his friends and family would fall into corruption, but he himself was never stained. He always acted like he was beyond belief this could happen under him. How could it happen, and he had no idea it was even happening.
The scandals and cronyism were right under his feet, he never knew any of it. How many press conferences we have sat through and he would declare his innocence. It was almost comical at times and yet it was quite serious.
One moment came in 2004 when Chicago Sun Times came out with the Hired Truck Scandal. It eventually came to 49 convictions, 31 of them Chicago Employees. The city had to eventually spend 12 million to compensate the victims of City Hall's rigged hiring system.
Another in 1997, the resignation of Ald. Patrick Huels, after his company had received $1.25 million from a trucking company magnat Micheal Tadin. Tadin had received a $1.1 million city subsidy to cover a 1 million IRS problem.
In 1999, members of Duff family-which had political ties to Daley and organized crime, the Chicago Tribune exposed they defrauded the city $100 million in contracts earmarked for minorities and women.
More to come the list is endless.
The scandals and cronyism were right under his feet, he never knew any of it. How many press conferences we have sat through and he would declare his innocence. It was almost comical at times and yet it was quite serious.
One moment came in 2004 when Chicago Sun Times came out with the Hired Truck Scandal. It eventually came to 49 convictions, 31 of them Chicago Employees. The city had to eventually spend 12 million to compensate the victims of City Hall's rigged hiring system.
Another in 1997, the resignation of Ald. Patrick Huels, after his company had received $1.25 million from a trucking company magnat Micheal Tadin. Tadin had received a $1.1 million city subsidy to cover a 1 million IRS problem.
In 1999, members of Duff family-which had political ties to Daley and organized crime, the Chicago Tribune exposed they defrauded the city $100 million in contracts earmarked for minorities and women.
More to come the list is endless.
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Another Milestone - Mother's Day
Monday, the day after Mother's Day marks the 8th month since my husband's passing. You would think mother's day would not be that hard. But it is. Because he always remembered Mother's Day in regards to our family.
My husband was very proud and happy with the family God gave us. He would always say he couldn't believe the beautiful children we had and how wonderful they were.
On Mother's Day, which was always on a Sunday he would already be gone to church by the time I awoke. When I got up there would always be flowers and a card in view when I walked into the kitchen. Usually it was laid on the kitchen table. Sometimes there would be a note for a corsage to be worn for church being cooled in the refrigerator. Or sometimes the corsage would be sitting on the piano bench at church with a gift. The card always said something to the effect, to the mother of my children, and something about that God had brought us together. Then sometimes the message of what would happen in the day to celebrate.
All this didn't hit me until a little while ago, none of this will happen tomorrow. Yes there are plans for the children and I, and I don't know what I would do without those plans. But getting through the day will be hard. Those special remembrances will be missing. I told someone the other day, I love him more now, than when he was here.
The milestones keep coming, and one by one we get through them. Somehow we will get through our first year. But you can't remove the remembrances of these special days. They are with you forever.
Have a great Mother's Day, and if you still have one another, treasure that time together, because you never know just how long you have.
My husband was very proud and happy with the family God gave us. He would always say he couldn't believe the beautiful children we had and how wonderful they were.
On Mother's Day, which was always on a Sunday he would already be gone to church by the time I awoke. When I got up there would always be flowers and a card in view when I walked into the kitchen. Usually it was laid on the kitchen table. Sometimes there would be a note for a corsage to be worn for church being cooled in the refrigerator. Or sometimes the corsage would be sitting on the piano bench at church with a gift. The card always said something to the effect, to the mother of my children, and something about that God had brought us together. Then sometimes the message of what would happen in the day to celebrate.
All this didn't hit me until a little while ago, none of this will happen tomorrow. Yes there are plans for the children and I, and I don't know what I would do without those plans. But getting through the day will be hard. Those special remembrances will be missing. I told someone the other day, I love him more now, than when he was here.
The milestones keep coming, and one by one we get through them. Somehow we will get through our first year. But you can't remove the remembrances of these special days. They are with you forever.
Have a great Mother's Day, and if you still have one another, treasure that time together, because you never know just how long you have.
Monday, May 2, 2011
What Makes an Osama bin Laden?
Looking at the pictures of his house I was shocked by the views inside the house. They build it up like, Wow, a million dollar house. I had to look at this. I saw the pictures in shock. Because inside the house it looked like poverty, like a man who owned very little. What happened to this man? What twisted his thinking to kill 3,000 Americans on 9-11?
He came from a wealthy family. A large family with strong family values. Yes, Muslims do believe in strong family units and they are instructed in the traditional man wife relationship. What turned him away from the life of hard work and family to death and destruction? I have been thinking about this since last night. It has been inside of me most of the day. What Happened?
In the end he has a house. a large house, but what is that if you are a prisoner in that house. He could not enjoy a normal life. He was on the run. The pictures looked to me like a solitary life, a lonely life even disowned by his family after 9-11. This twisted thought life had taken everything from him.
Why did he not surrender given the chance? Could it be possibly he wanted out. Could it be he wanted to be caught? In reality he had nothing. Nothing left even to live for. He had no life, no family, no hope.
What is this ideology that turns their life to destruction rather than creation? Can we stop this wave of ideology from getting to others. If so, it must come from their own. We can't reach them. What a wasted life and what despair. He was I believe of all men most miserable.
And it isn't much happier where he is now. There is a special place for someone so destructive of life, and the world is much better without him.
He came from a wealthy family. A large family with strong family values. Yes, Muslims do believe in strong family units and they are instructed in the traditional man wife relationship. What turned him away from the life of hard work and family to death and destruction? I have been thinking about this since last night. It has been inside of me most of the day. What Happened?
In the end he has a house. a large house, but what is that if you are a prisoner in that house. He could not enjoy a normal life. He was on the run. The pictures looked to me like a solitary life, a lonely life even disowned by his family after 9-11. This twisted thought life had taken everything from him.
Why did he not surrender given the chance? Could it be possibly he wanted out. Could it be he wanted to be caught? In reality he had nothing. Nothing left even to live for. He had no life, no family, no hope.
What is this ideology that turns their life to destruction rather than creation? Can we stop this wave of ideology from getting to others. If so, it must come from their own. We can't reach them. What a wasted life and what despair. He was I believe of all men most miserable.
And it isn't much happier where he is now. There is a special place for someone so destructive of life, and the world is much better without him.
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