May Desktop Calendar

This is a funny little frog that my sister found in a plant she brought home from the nursery. She quickly snapped a photo and I translated it into a pastel. It is one of my favorites and now hangs in my office. I hope you are enjoying spring as much as I am.

If you'd like to use this month's calendar as your desktop pattern for your computer please use the following instructions. If you have any questions you can leave a comment or email me at mooncrazy.debono@gmail.com

• Click on appropriate link. large calendar, 1024 x 680 or small calendar, 800 x 500
• PC users-right click or Mac users Control click, the image and select "Set as Desktop Background"

The calendar is now your background and all your files or shortcuts will be floating on top. You can rearrange them but not the background calendar.
Don't want it once you've selected it?
PC users:

• Select Start, Control Panel, Appearance & Themes, Change desktop background.
• If the image is distorted, select "center" under Position.
• To remove, select none and apply.

MAC users:

• Select System Preferences
• Desktop & Screen Saver
• Select a new image
• If the image is distorted, select "center" from the pull-down

My blog IS my bastard child

As always, I've been chastised for neglecting my blog. My only excuse is: this is not a publication, nor a job. I do it for the fun of it and if I'm busy with other projects, it will take a backseat for a while.

Eliminating any unnecessary visits to my site is quite easy; use a little free app like Bloglines. Just sign up and it will alert you to new published content on a variety of sites, doesn't have to be just blogs and it will make your life trouble free. Well, trouble free except for:

• the war in Iraq
• global warming
• price of gas
• the current regime
• coming election
• the state of education in California
  

Good grief, last year California ranked 40th in the nation. A little reminder for those of you graduating last year; we are a nation of fifty states. Take the time and read the last link. If that doesn't put a damper on your good mood, I'd love to take what you take.

Oh, and I have pickles for anyone who cares to come by.

Nothing normal here

This is my new custom-made window seat for my office. It is quite the multi-tasker. It holds my wine cooler, cook books, and two bottoms. I love it especially since it was made by my dear brother-out-law while there stopped here on their way to Jellystone. They'll be working up in Montana for the summer, but true to his word, he made my new seat. We were sorry to see them head off but they will have quite an adventure this summer.

We hope to get back into a somewhat normal pattern. What with my wrist injury and my beloved's health problems it has been non-stop doctors. I hope I don't see the inside of a waiting room until July--that's his next office visit. I promise to be quite careful where I step, too.

What is faster?

Why is waiting so difficult for me? Christmas, nine months of pregnancy, retirement; waiting on those things always make me itch. I'm the type that will open mail walking in from the mailbox. Can't wait that extra twenty seconds it takes.

Maybe it's the Internet that's made us so ready for instant gratification. Computers getting faster; have we ever said they work too fast? Instant communication. What, wait until someone gets home from work to talk to them? Nope, it's call their cell, they'll take time to answer. It is a bit productivity killer in the workplace.

I blame the food industry. Microwave cooking, fast food and instant pudding has made us a nation if impatient people. Bake a potato?

Waiting, it can make you a little nutty.

Looking back

When I have a lot on my mind I either post too much or not at all. I'm in the "not at all" stage right now. It's not that I don't like to post it's when I find it a chore I don't sit down and write. So, for now, let me just look backwards.

What I said a year ago and the year before.

It's amazing that the Imus thing took place a year ago. He is back on the air and I still enjoy hearing his guests, most of them. The ones I don't enjoy I have the power to turn them off.

Ode to the election

There once was a voter in flux
and her wallet a bit shy of bucks
with gasoline prices high and the real estate dry
her job's to find a candidate that won't suck.

Good Luck, y'all.

Vote for a great candidate

moar funny pictures


Na, Buddy dog isn't running for any office, though it's a great idea, he wants you to vote for him on I has a Hot Dog. Just click his photo and vote for him. It would mean so very much to the old doggy.

I'm in therapy

This shouldn't surprise some people but it's not the therapy some of you think I need. My wrist is in serious need of some help so my Dr has sent me off to some very kind ladies who twist and knead my wrist and elbows until I break a sweat. It's not at all what I'd expected. I was thinking hot packs and massage but I get series of exercises with some pummeling. They must work because I'm able to leave my brace off for longer periods. No pain, no gain.

After using my left hand/arm/elbow exclusively for some time now has made it quite sore. It really hurts more than the fractured wrist. The injection the bone doc poked me with did little to relieve the pain and for a few days I couldn't use either arm. I felt as though I had flippers. Therapy has at least gotten me back on track.

All of this reminds me that your life can change in a second. For me the time it took for my feet to leave me and my fat ass, as well as right wrist, to hit the floor. But, I keep hearing my mom, "… this too shall pass." and am thankful it wasn't any more serious.

Serious like the car crash last week. This is the second, in as many years, that I've been witness to and both in the San Fernando Valley. Yikes, it's like running red lights is a hobby with those people. Yeah, I know, they happen everywhere. That's why cities are putting up those blow-this-light-and-we-snap-your-photo cameras.

Just the sound of an accident stays with you for a long time. Nothing can compare with the screech of tires, scraping metal and breaking glass and you looking helplessly at this uncontrollable video being played out before you. Bless the human race; before the smoke cleared people were running to help.

How late do you have to be to run a red light.

Who knew?

Volunteering at the Getty Center gives all of us docents the opportunity to meet new people from all over the world. On a recent encounter with some lovely guests from outside the US my docent friend Dolores was asked a question.

Visitor: Was J. Paul Getty Jewish?

Dolores: No, why do you ask?

Visitor: He had a lot of money and Jewish people are always rich.

Dolores: Well, I wish someone would have told my father!

She's quick, that Dolores.

April Desktop Calendar

There's a twist to this month's calendar photo. It was taken by my darling and quite talented sister, Doodles. I'm still unable to draw so rather than skip a month I'm using a photo she took recently. I love it so much I'm also framing it for my living room in a space I've created. Thanks, sis.

Do check her blog for more photos and her posts about living full-time on the road.

If you'd like to use this month's calendar as your desktop pattern for your computer please use the following instructions. If you have any questions you can leave a comment or email me at mooncrazy.debono@gmail.com

I've changed the sizes a bit and removed the large image and replaced it with something a bit smaller, 1023 x 680.

• Click on appropriate link. large calendar, 1024 x 680 or small calendar, 800 x 500
• PC users-right click or Mac users Control click, the image and select "Set as Desktop Background"

The calendar is now your background and all your files or shortcuts will be floating on top. You can rearrange them but not the background calendar.
Don't want it once you've selected it?
PC users:

• Select Start, Control Panel, Appearance & Themes, Change desktop background.
• If the image is distorted, select "center" under Position.
• To remove, select none and apply.

MAC users:

• Select System Preferences
• Desktop & Screen Saver
• Select a new image
• If the image is distorted, select "center" from the pull-down

WH Press Briefing March 20, 2008

Well that was weird, I posted this a few days ago and it just popped in, three times. I think I've straighted it out. I'll let it speak for it's self. I hate Cheney, this current administration, and anyone else who thinks they can bamboozle the American people. (If you can use "bamboozle in three different conversations today, you will the grand prize.)

Who or what is art?

Question: Is that Art?
Answer: No, he only looks like your cousin, Arthur.

Question: Is that art?
Answer: Who the hell can answer that!

Being at the Getty Center I'm exposed to a wide range of art. Even though we are better know for our painting collection, the 9th through the 19th century, we've collected much more in the ten years the Center has been open and have some modern pieces. For one, the photo collection has grown immensely and now includes some prints from 2006, Luc Delehaye. We also have some very contemporary exhibits like the new works of Tim Hawkingson which seemed a big hit last year.

Sometimes I look at different art movements and wonder if the artist thinks, "… wink, wink, let's just slap some color on a canvas, add a huge price tag and pass it off as art to prove these suckers will buy anything with a famous name attached." But, I like Richard Serra's fluid bands of steel and Chuck Close's portraits. Can't understand conceptual or performance art.

All of this art is making my head swim. How to look at it, how to appreciate it, how to understand it. I found a website that does explain some of the art movements, Modern Art
but does little to help how to understand it. None the less, if you too are confused about what is art, check this site.

So why the angst? California Video is just open at the Getty Center and even though I'm not crazy about the exhibit it is the very beginning of an art movement assembled together to view and study. This experimental venture into video did not exist before 1968 and continues today with a piece created for the show. In 100 years people will look at this collection and because the Getty Center has conserved this block of work and will be able to see it from it's inception. I do have to remind myself how the Impressionist movement was quite radical during it's time.

Check the website for the exhibit California Video and you might find something that inspires you, or puzzles you, or just starts a conversation about art. And maybe that's what the artist wanted in the first place.

Does everyone have an idiot uncle, too?

Is your hate well placed with Obama's minister? What about Jerry Falwell's diatribe about immorality and anti-Christian's being responsible for 9-11? If you want to hate someone we've got plenty to hate. I hate the current administration for dragging us into this now five-year war costing four thousand American lives and one-half a trillion dollars. Imagine the country spending that amount of money here on education, infrastructure, or jobs. Someone has gotten rich on this conflagration and it isn't the soldiers fighting there, nor I doubt, the inhabitants of Iraq.

Two of my uncles are such bigots I wouldn't walk across the street to visit them let along fly to Indiana. Why? Because I don't care about them. They fill their lives with such hate it doesn't matter what else they do, they don't exist to me. What I've found about myself is I'm an "insulationsist." I keep close people who believe pretty much the same as I do. That might be wrong but it keeps me happy. I've long since tried to change anyone. They are who they are but I don't have to be around them. So, if I bust your chops for something you've said to offend me, consider yourself a friend.

As the elbow turns

Of course regulars here know I've just recently broken my wrist. Actually, a fracture of the distal radial which sounds so much more official. It has been four weeks and today I saw the Dr for another round of x-rays. It is healing nicely but at least two more weeks in the brace and as much physical therapy. I am looking forward to the therapy because after four weeks of not using my right hand it's as week as a hand in a cast for a long time; or maybe a kitten.

All this non-use of my right hand has caused my tennis elbow to flare up, again. My darling Dr. shot me up with something wonderful, well, for the time being. He told me it would feel good long enough for me to get home and far enough from him because in an hour it would start to hurt real bad and he didn't want to be anywhere near me. Smart guy. So he suggested to go home and take some drugs that way I wouldn't hate him. How could I hate this guy.

And, here is a little fun since I'm feeling a bit drugged, Loldogs.


see more loldogs are funny dog pictures!

Chilling

Twenty years ago on March 16, planes flew over the village of Halabja in Northern Iraq and dropped bombs loaded with the chemicals, tabun, sarin, VX, and sulfer mustard, killing over 5,000 Kurdish men, women and children. Some how being treated with crappy customer service doesn't seem so bad to me.

This info is from a blog called "can of worms." For your edification, class, please read his blog.

Prostitution, a victimless crime?

Are you f-ing kidding me? I am sick and damn tired of hearing some people say, "Why can't you just look the other way about this Call Girl thing ? It's just prostitution and who actually gets hurt. "

Who gets hurt? You think some 24 year old woman decides she has a knack and on a whim puts in an application. Most of the time it's a choice of last resort or, something like this in New York. Have a twelve-year-old daughter/granddaughter? Here's a quote from the article.

Authorities said Davis forced a 12-year-old girl to be a sex slave in 2005, confining her to a house in New York and transporting her to Connecticut to work up to 12 hours a day as a prostitute. He also was accused of recruiting a 17-year-old girl in 2006 with the promise of a cheap apartment, but when she arrived, investigators say Davis took away her cell phone and locked her in an apartment.

The bastard, in this case, got 23 years but don't think he was the only one doing this. There's big money and a whole lot of greed involved.

Human trafficking doesn't just happen in third-world countries it happens here in your neighborhood. Ever go to Craig'slist? In one recent case, two Chicago women were charged for selling girls as young as 14 years old on Craigslist. The girls were forced to have sex with 10-12 men per day, and the traffickers made tens of thousands of dollars.

Still think it's a victimless crime? Next time you think that way also try to envision your niece, daughter, granddaughter in that situation.

Meet some of our new feathered friends

This IS a chicken. I had to post this photo that sister Doodles took when we visited the Poultry Show in Bakersfield last weekend. You can read her post for more pix. We got a lesson on fine feathered birds and met some very nice people. None as fancy as this gal, though.

Von's Supermarket-agita for life

Agita, a perfect word in Italian to describe my feelings for my local Von's supermarket. Customer service isn't the perfunctory, Didyoufindeverythingyouwerelookingfortoday? Customer service is where you say to the customer, "I'm sorry you had to come back to the store to correct OUR mistake." I hope we can serve you better next time you return." And of course, this is spoken looking directly at the customer with some sort of, albeit fake, sincerity.

I don't shop at Von's because they have the lowest prices or a sparkling clean market, far from it. I go there because it is the closest option in my many options to by food.

My checker, trying to get done with the day, was so quick to ring me up she forgot to give me a substantial discount on a product I'd purchased, $9.65. I did think my bill was a bit high and putting my groceries into my trunk I noticed the mistake. If it had been any less, I swear, I'd have just gone home but I was irritated by her actions in the first place.

After I waited in the Customer Service line the guy looked at the receipt, looked at the ham, walked to the cash register and gave me my change. No apology, no smile, no kiss-my-ass-I-hate-all-you-people. He then stood there and watched me struggle to put the ham back in my bag. I still do have a broken wrist and a noticeable brace on my right arm. I had to ask for his help.

Mistakes happen, I'm well aware of that, and I'll even go so far as to say I should have been paying a bit more attention as she checked me out but for the love of all that's good, would it have killed them to be a little more cheerful?

Baking in Bako; no, not so much

Back from a few more days of camping. This time it was Bakersfield. Great weather as long as you don't breathe too deep. Yeah, not one of my favorites but favorite people were visited so it's all good. The Gypsy Caravan has settled into that section of the central valley until mid-May when they start their trip North to Alaska. If you sang the song; give yourself five points.

We did have fun; the fellas spent three days at the Nostalgia Drags, sister and moi antiqued, shopped, ate and I gave her the fifty cent tour of good ole Bakersfield.

My wrist is healing but still cumbersome to get things done. I did enjoy the rest for my wrist. We only cooked one night and darling sister did those duties. Now it's back to the real world.

I still owe a post on the previous camping trip to Ventura. We had a ball and I actually do have some snaps so watch for an up coming post.

Be prepared for ...

Unbearable Cuteness!

I know, all babies are cute but our little princess is monopolizing the cute here in the blog-o-sphere.

March Desktop Calendar

Funny thing happened besides my slip-n-fall, I created March's calendar ahead of time. I must have secretly known I'd be out of commission like pregnant women who clean their house before they go into labor. Anyway, here it is and it's even early. Don't get used to it because next month it will, most likely, be late.

If you'd like to use this month's calendar as your desktop pattern for your computer please use the following instructions. If you have any questions you can leave a comment or email me at mooncrazy.debono@gmail.com

I've changed the sizes a bit and removed the large image and replaced it with something a bit smaller, 1023 x 680.

• Click on appropriate link. large calendar, 1024 x 680 or small calendar, 800 x 500
• PC users-right click or Mac users Control click, the image and select "Set as Desktop Background"

The calendar is now your background and all your files or shortcuts will be floating on top. You can rearrange them but not the background calendar.
Don't want it once you've selected it?
PC users:

• Select Start, Control Panel, Appearance & Themes, Change desktop background.
• If the image is distorted, select "center" under Position.
• To remove, select none and apply.

MAC users:

• Select System Preferences
• Desktop & Screen Saver
• Select a new image
• If the image is distorted, select "center" from the pull-down

On a lighter note

Who doesn't like dogs and cats acting all human? I adore I can has cheezeburger. It lifts my spirits.

Things you can't do with one hand

Yeah, I'm still whining about my limited use of my hands. I'm not really a sit-and-watch-TV kind of person. I usually sketch or sew or fiddle with something if the TV is on so I'm about to go crazier than I already am.

Cooking is do-able but a real chore so I'm making casseroles, one dish meals I can pop in the oven. Yesterday I tried to do too much by putting a rubber glove over my brace and for that I paid dearly last night. Seems rubber only kept it dry. Who knew?

So here is my current list:

• open a can, really open anything
  
• slice anything hard
• lift anything hot from the oven (just don't ask)
• hold a newborn baby

Floss teeth was on that list but I found these nifty little "floss bows" that do the trick. For a while I was going au natural until I was asked if breasts can go feral, like cats. So, I've mastered getting my bra on without twenty minutes of rolling around on the bed; though I still need my darling companion to unhook me.

One positive is I'm reminded how much my husband does care for me. Friday at the market, after I closed the car trunk with my keys inside, I believe they fell out of my braced-hand unnoticed, my darling stopped what he was working on and came to unlock the trunk. No scowl, no lecture; just a hug. I must remember that.

Things you can do with one hand

You can type the name Barbara.

Well, with my left hand. Although I am a righty I have always used my left hand for some things. I can use a left-handed mouse with no problem. Typing is a challenge but I am getting better.

I did find out I could shave my legs with my left hand and brush my teeth. Washing my hair is easy but for a while it will have to be air dried. Make-up, nope. Lipstick, unless I want to look like a rodeo clown, will have to wait.

This, I remind myself, is temporary unlike the unlucky that come from the war and deal with far worse than this.

So, there's another thing I can do single-handedly, vote.

Vote your conscience.

Hey, watch this

Here is my new floor in my office. It's cork, a renewable resource. The tree is stripped of it's bark then in 9-14 years it grows back. During that time it does what trees do best, suck up all our crappy air and give us oxygen. So for the Green in me, I decided on cork.

Little did I know what a chore this would turn into.

First Lumber Liquidators might be inexpensive but the customer service stinks! My husband and brother-in-law, not new to any type of home improvement, had a devil of a time getting the floating floor to go together. It was supposed to "click" together with a gently tap of a mallet. The worked very hard and got it down in two days. When almost finished one of the panels did actually "click" into place like the instructions said, one!

So after the installation comes the sealing, polyurathane. Ah, a nice satin finish and now we need to wait three days for it to dry completely. Unfortunately I could walk on it and I say unfortunately because that's how I fractured my wrist. I'd love to say it was because it was too slick but I'd be lying.

When you start a sentence with, "Hey watch this" things only go downhill from there. In my socks, I slid across the floor, then down on my wrist. Jeeze, no wonder it's broken. I'm quite lucky it is only a small fracture and no cast but a removable brace for four weeks. After that the Dr said he'd re-xray then go from there.

This has put my continuing remodel plans back a few weeks. We should have everything out of the living room this weekend, maybe. The walls in the living room look great but I won't be able to hang and pictures for a while. Sigh.

Crack!

That is what I heard as I hit the floor. Right now I'm waiting to hear from the Dr. as to when they can set it. YUP! fractured. Good news, it's my right wrist so i won't have to brush my hair for a while.

Please let it be a cast I can take s shower with.

Pictures to follow. Typing with one hand SUCKS!

Stay tuned because when I can type I'll tell you the funny story how this happened. Let's just say, I'm old enough to know better.

Let the fun begin!

Is this the sweetest baby you've ever seen?

Our darling friends have a precious baby girl. She has a name but for now I'll call her "Princess". They are the happiest parents right about now, though probably not sleeping much.

Do enjoy kids; this is the best of times.

Hey sailor

To help me keep track of my walking miles I got a pedometer on Sunday. I read all the instructions, measured my stride and thought I had it dialed in. It seems like it's about 20% off.

Now if it were on the fat side I wouldn't even bother but it seems to not be counting enough. Huph! Can't have that so I wore in on our dog walk this morning and it said I went 11 steps. Wait a darn minute. It's damn close to a mile that trek we take so I examined the counter thingy again. Seems I've been wearing it too close to the middle of my body and the pendulum doesn't swing far enough. I've moved it closer to one hip and now it counts ten steps if I take ten steps.

I'm also swinging my hips a bit more, every little motion helps. So, if you see me walking down the street I'm really not trying to pickup anyone, just trying to count the miles.

Editor's note: This is unrelated by about a month ago my spell check on Blogger quit working. I apologize for an serious misspellings.

Walking towards a healthier me

For Lent, my sister is not giving up but adding. She has vowed to walk three miles a day until Easter. Now since I like to walk but sometimes need a challenge to motivate me I've decided to accompany her virtually until they get here next week.

Does this mean I've returned to the church? Nope it would take a whole lot of change in Rome before I did but it's more of doing something good for me. My darling companion is riding his bicycle more and I've been cooking lighter. Lent is only for forty days so we'll see how we do. At least it's forty days or exercise.

Social Security to aliens? Bogus!

Maybe on Mars but not here in the US.

Before you forward on e-mails take the time to make sure the information is correct. There are a few websites I use as a source to check rumors such as this.

www.snopes.com and FactCheck.org both are very reliable.

There has been an e-mail circulated recently about Social Security and immigration. It says that the Democrats are planning to give YOUR social security benefits to illegal aliens and for you to add your name to the list and forward it to many of your friends (make sure they are legal) and then off to the President. Check out this link about this e-mail.

It is a distortion of the facts by some Republicans. Nobody's proposing paying benefits to illegal immigrants, not until they become US citizens or granted legal status. And that is the same for guest workers as it is for people like Pauline, a friend that in the past few years has gotten her American citizenship.

The bill in question was passed last May with a bi-partisan majority. During the debate an amendment was offered to change current law to prevent immigrants from getting credit toward future Social Security benefits from taxes paid before they have legal permission to work.

Now here is the interesting part, The Social Security Administration has what is calls an "earnings suspense file" to track the amount of wages that are taxed for collection but not credited to a specific worker. SSA officials have said that the fund takes in as much as $7 billion a year. Where does that money go? It pays benefits to US beneficiaries. So, if you are collecting benefits now, some of that comes from illegal aliens who work, have taxes taken out and get no benefit or would not get benefit in the future.

Really what your Democratic representatives in Congress are doing is the opposite of what this e-mail states, they are protecting SS from retroactive payments.

Now, if your are still reading this, send this to your entire e-mail list. This is the type of information they'd love to have and they'll thank you for sending the truth.

Don't forget to vote!

Let thee without sin

If I'm in line at a market/big box store/confessional I have no problem chatting with people; I'm a friendly person. What I don't like is someone commenting on my choice of cereal/tomatoes/sins.

While stopping by Costco to buy some canned tomatoes the woman in front of me asked as she wrinkled up her nose,

"Do you know how much sodium is in those?"

"Is this a contest," I asked, "do I get a prize if I know?"

"Oh heavens no, I'm just warning everyone I see buying them", she says.

"So, that was a rhetorical question, you knew the answer but you just wanted me to look stupid?"

"Well! if you don't care about your health"

"I do care about my health but I've weighed the benefits of eating canned tomato and getting lycopene along with the sodium or eating frozen processed food and just getting the sodium. By the way, do you know how much sodium is in your frozen chicken breasts? Have a nice day."

People, if you find yourself wanting to help the world/your community/fellowman resist unless it's to vote the Republicans out of office.

Our fifteen minutes of fame

As most of my friends know I'm one third of the contributors to our family food blog, Peanut Butter Etouffee. Our little blog has been selected as one of Blogger's "Blogs of Note." Now this was a total surprise and though we love the popularity, we've had about 250 hits an hour, we are scrambling to get out all the "Thank You" e-mails. If you've never stopped by scoot on over and see what daughter lil bird has written about us.

We shall bask in this light for a while, at least for fifteen minutes.

February Desktop Calendar

February already? Where does the time go. Given my track record for publishing this year I should start on March's calendar today but since it is a leap year, February has 29 days this year.

If you'd like to use this month's calendar as your desktop pattern for your computer please use the following instructions. If you have any questions you can leave a comment or email me at mooncrazy.debono@gmail.com

I've changed the sizes a bit and removed the large image and replaced it with something a bit smaller, 1023 x 680.

• Click on appropriate link. large calendar, 1024 x 680 or small calendar, 800 x 500
• PC users-right click or Mac users Control click, the image and select "Set as Desktop Background"

The calendar is now your background and all your files or shortcuts will be floating on top. You can rearrange them but not the background calendar.
Don't want it once you've selected it?
PC users:

• Select Start, Control Panel, Appearance & Themes, Change desktop background.
• If the image is distorted, select "center" under Position.
• To remove, select none and apply.

MAC users:

• Select System Preferences
• Desktop & Screen Saver
• Select a new image
• If the image is distorted, select "center" from the pull-down

The price we pay

When I'm particularly stressed I have a CD of nothing but rain. Yeah, I know, boring but it honestly isn't. When I'm flying it's my favorite. It's on my ipod and it can seriously put me to sleep in minutes but tonight I didn't even need to plug in. Tonight I have my own rain. At times it's been storming, beating the windows, splashing down into great puddles and now it's a soft and gentle rain.

The rain, welcome to me, has some recently burned out hillside residents up worrying rather than enjoying tonight. Here in Simi Valley we were lucky to escape this fire season and rain will only green-up our hills rather than send them sliding down to crush our neighbors. That isn't to say it won't happen to us next year. With more homes being built in the hills I can't imagine we'd dodge that bullet many more years. But, until then I have my music, live tonight, and I'm enjoying every drop.

January Desktop Calendar

Welcome 2008 and any new visitors to my blog. I always try to get them up before the first of the month but hey, it's been fun New Year celebrating and shopping with my sister.

If you'd like to use this month's calendar as your desktop pattern for your computer please use the following instructions. If you have any questions you can leave a comment or email me at mooncrazy.debono@gmail.com

I've changed the sizes a bit and removed the large image and replaced it with something a bit smaller, 1023 x 680.

• Click on appropriate link. large calendar, 1024 x 680 or small calendar, 800 x 500
• PC users-right click or Mac users Control click, the image and select "Set as Desktop Background"

The calendar is now your background and all your files or shortcuts will be floating on top. You can rearrange them but not the background calendar.
Don't want it once you've selected it?
PC users:

• Select Start, Control Panel, Appearance & Themes, Change desktop background.
• If the image is distorted, select "center" under Position.
• To remove, select none and apply.

MAC users:

• Select System Preferences
• Desktop & Screen Saver
• Select a new image
• If the image is distorted, select "center" from the pull-down

Good bye old fella, hello handsome

As this year, 2007, slides into oblivion, it's time to think back about the good, the bad, and the ugly. Let's all hope twenty o eight will be a stunning year.

We lost a few friends:
Good bye,
Walker, Ken, Lois,

Made some new ones:
Hi,
Gail, Paul, Jeremy, Ken, Kathy

Connected with some old ones:
Welcome back,
Nikki, Darryl, Dorothy, Scott

• My sister and husband sold their house in Florida and took to the open road.
  
• My lemon tree gave forth green buds, flowers and finally this past week, lemons.
• I got to see my sister three times this year, three!
  
• The fires didn't come into our little valley, this year, but the wind did.
• Apple stock rose 134% this year, amazing.
• I started working in pastels and produced quite a bit. Down side, I sold nothing.
• My garden tour was successful and I continue to love giving tours at the Getty Center.
• Riding public transportation and walking became important.
• After 37 years of marriage, we both learned more about each other.
  
• We learned how to fill and empty a black water tank.
• I discovered I can has cheezeburger?

And the best thing about the upcoming year,

• There's only one more year to his presidency, crazy though it will be, one more year.

My new year's wish for all of you is happiness, prosperity and peace. We won't get the last unless you bitch to your elected officials so get out there next year and write letters.

For me, I only hope I can continue to continue for one more year.

The best of the season to you

Yes, I mean you, you who read this blog on a regular basis, you know who you are. This is the time we set aside to see old friends and family, take time to thank them; or forgive them, and think about those that have been in our lives and aren't anymore. Our time is so short on this planet, almost fleeting, so make sure you take a bit of time to say the things need saying.

Since I've seen way too much stress at Christmas time, mostly self induced, I've try ways to side-step the angst. Our family, albeit small, has a difficult time getting together so we celebrate the holiday when we can. This year it will be December 29. The actual day means little to me, it's the getting together that is important. I gave up celebrating the religious aspect of the holiday such a long time ago, as did my family, so we have no problem shifting the celebration.

This would all be different if our mother was still alive. She was the elf herself. She was always so excited about Christmas morning that if she spent the night, which she did on occasion, she'd be playing Johnny Mathis' Christmas music at five a.m. because she couldn't wait until we were all up. So now, even though she's been gone for a while, if I hear Mathis's Christmas Song, I know another angel got it's wings.

Merry Christmas!

Jimmy Hoffa, I think I know where he is

Freaky things seem to follow me around like a hungry hound. Last week, while Christmas shopping, we stopped in a Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf store for a mid-afternoon pick-me-up. While paying for my tea the contents of my wallet spilled out on the counter and before I could grab it, my drivers license slipped into an abyss. Seems there is a drivers license sized crack between the two counters and that's where my license went.

When I asked the staff person if they could get it out they assured me they couldn't. Huh? You must be able to. Nope. I was mystified but after I was sure no one else could get it out I hustled over to the DMV and $21 later my license was replaced.

Now I've asked a few friends who's fault this was, I was lobbying for it not being my fault, but I couldn't get anyone to agree with me. Like my sister said, it was just a freak accident that probably couldn't be reproduced if you wanted. I just want to be there when the coffee bar is removed, for whatever reason, and they tear out the cabinets. Who knows what else is down there.

What bastards!

Who am I ranting about, today? The auto industry. California, along with 16 other states, wants to write tougher auto emission standards regarding cars and trucks and the genius in Washington decided it would be better if all states were to work together. I agree we should all have the same laws but what's wrong with the tougher standards for everyone?

What a silly question. The the auto makers would actually have to act sooner and those big contributors to politicians might not contribute big anymore. Again, Bastards.

Washington fat-cats sleeping with the auto industry 1
Global warming and your children's future 0

Dichos

Words to live by

Mejor un minuto en la vida, que la vida en un minuto

Better a minute in your life, than your life in a minute

Happy Birthday

Lorna Eley

December 15, 1922
to
February 5, 2002

Happy Birthday, Momma. Thanks for everything from your loving family and friends. Your life continues in your children, grand child and all you touched.

Hello, Acme, I'd like to place an order

Move over Wile E. Coyotee here comes Jeff.

Don't Cheet on me

Because I think words are fun … I've found the Urban Dictionary. Not that they are the last word on words but they sure are one of the funniest.

Such as, Cheet

The orange dust that coats your fingers and lips after eating Cheetos. This is why you shouldn't eat Cheetos in public unless you have a wet-nap handy.

"I know you've been eating my Cheetos again - You've got Cheet all over your clothes!"

And, Hobosexual but I'll let you explore that one.

He's crossed the picket line

With the Writer's Strike heading into extra innings and more TV programs heading into re-runs you'd think there wouldn't be enough comedy writing here in Southern California. Wrong. At least wrong for this household.

This morning, as most mornings, my beloved, the pooch, and myself were watching the morning news from bed. A story about a, can't-even-remember-her-name, model aired with her reason for getting a breast augmentation. Seems she was quite flat chested and the butt of many jokes growing up. Sadly, I understand, as I was called "butter-ball" by my father when I was little. I can't even imagine why I'm not in therapy.

My darling took in the story then commented that she should do what I do. Confused, I am ample of bosom all on my own, I asked what he meant. Straight man is just one of my many job titles and it's the first of that definition, thank you.

"She should feed them like you do, he said." My quizzical look prompted the following. "That's what you're doing when you drop food on the front of your blouse, right?"

Rim shot, please.

T'is the season

My holiday season is shaping up nicely. My sister, sans her husband, will be arriving on the 25th. We are understanding of my brother-out-law being absent because he's back to being the Super Salesman while they are wintering in Arizona.

Prior to that we'll be attending a Christmas Eve pajama party with our extended family. I've even bought new jammies to wear. This should be fun. The dinner will be, of course, breakfast which has all possibilities. This same extended family will come to our house for Christmas day dessert. I love making the sweet stuff and I have a wonderful new recipe to try along with a few favorites.

Christmas, to me, is when we can all get together; not one specific day so we will celebrate with the whole family on the 29th. That means presents, food and mimosas. If our family had a crest there would be a flute of champagne laced orange juice surrounded by our names spelled out in Scrabble tiles on a field of pet hair. One can almost see the heraldic banner flapping in the breeze.

Sacrificed on the alter

Now I should have time to work on my blogs. My last attempt to sell my artwork this year was, no surprise to me, a bust. Venues where they have handmade baby bibs are fine but not for my work, evidently. Plus I had a very different area for my booth. It was in a church and I was up two stairs on the alter. Yikes, me, a heathen, on the alter. Bad juju all around. First, customers couldn't just walk by and look at my table, they had to look up. Then, even when I'd invite them up to see more of my work, they just didn't seem comfortable.

Having that bird's-eye-view I saw how many people shopped. They like to walk by, give the booth a sweep, then--if interested--they touch something. The only thing I sold were cards and I did twice as good at the Sr Center craft show. Why, because people could pick up the cards. Now, I'm not saying the crappy location had everything to do with it but it sure seemed like it was part of it. People seem to like my art, they are very complimentary but not enough to cough up some cold hard stuff.

Discouraged? Well, yes, a bit but I will regroup after the holidays and see if I can peddle my wares somewhere else. There's a gallery in Noho, North Hollywood, that might need some inventory.

Bye, John

Last December I'd written about John, our Red Kettle Bell Ringer that sat outside my local market. I even went so far as to have virtual Red Kettle on my blog. I'm passing on that this year because all year long I received solicitations from the Salvation Army. Enough. I didn't raise much money for them but they sent me lots of mail. What a waste of money.

This year there was a new bell ringer outside Von's. I knew it had to be bad news but I asked her where John was. "Sadly, he'd passed away this year, she said and lots of people were asking about him." I made a donation in his name but I am quite saddened by his passing. Though he was challenged many ways, he always had a smile and an upbeat attitude. When I'd see him outside on a chilly day I'd say, "John, aren't you cold? Oh, no, luv. I could be in worse places than this." Let's hope John is in a better place and if you're in a giving mood, don't forget the think of John as you put some money in the little red kettle.

Speak with your wallet for those who can't

This is not an endorsement for Taco Hell but in 2005 they ended a consumer boycott by agreeing to pay an extra penny per pound to Florida tomato pickers. One penny. Mickey D's got on board. This extra penny would go directly to the pickers. They make about $.77 a bucket. This is now only a dream to the pickers because Burger King, with headquarters in Florida, says no way. Now the tomato growers are ready to cancel the deals with Taco Bell and McDonald's.

Way to go, King. So if you pay the extra penny a pound to the migrant workers it could cost you about $250,000 a year. Chump change. In 2006 your execs made more than twice as much money as ALL, yes all, of the roughly 10,000 tomato pickers in south Florida earn.

On Nov 30 marchers protested at their headquarter.

So the next time you're hauling your kids to some fast food, think about what's it's costing the worker who brought you the tomato. If you spend money at their store you are condoning their policy of worker abuse.

If you'd like to contact them you can call or write. They don't accept e-mail communication. So I called them this morning to tell them their policies on paying Florida pickers are unAmerican and I'd never buy anything from them. After the phone rang at corporate headquarters, many many times, a somewhat harried receptionist transfered my call to Consumer Relations. I hope they register all these complaints.

Burger King Corporation
5505 Blue Lagoon Drive
Miami, Florida 33126

Corporate Headquarters - 305-378-3000
Marketing/Advertising Information Requests - 305-378-7200
Consumer Relations - 305-378-3535

LOL

You have got to love a vehicle, such as blogs, that gives you such satire.

lolgrims, go to it.

And for those of you that have not seen the inspiration for this site,

I can has cheeze burger

My hometown

We go to Hometown Buffet not for the food but because on Saturday's they give special treatment to classic cars. They let you park on the sidewalk in front of the restaurant and only charge us 7 bucks a piece. My beloved loves this. The food is marginal in the taste department but does have a decent salad/fruit bar and I can make my own root beer float. They used to have baked potatoes, which I love, but have discontinued that item lately. Now, I'm only setting the stage for the real story.

A few weeks ago, we had just come back from ten days camping and were tired, so we joined our other car (cheap meal) enthusiasts for dinner. It seemed way more crowded that usual and when we finally paid and went inside we saw the reason. A wedding reception. Yes, wedding reception complete with bride, in long white dress and groom, in tuxedo. The whole wedding party sat at a table by themselves while the guests, in various states of formal wear, sat in the tables in front of them. On the perimeters were the regular patrons.

Us peasants had to watch as the groom threw the garter and the bride tossed the bouquet. They cut the cake, complete with photos and then the bridal party filed, unceremoniously, out.

Let's hope this was the choice because the room they originally booked burned down. I did feel a bit cheated--there was no DJ to play, "Play That Funky Music, White Boy" or "YMCA"

December Desktop Calendar

December and winter are almost here but not quite. No, it's not December 1 I'm just a few days early.

• Click on appropriate link. large calendar, 1680 x 1050 or small calendar, 800 x 500
• PC users-right click or Mac users Control click, the image and select "Set as Desktop Background"

The calendar is now your background and all your files or shortcuts will be floating on top. You can rearrange them but not the background calendar.
Don't want it once you've selected it?
PC users:

• Select Start, Control Panel, Appearance & Themes, Change desktop background.
• If the image is distorted, select "center" under Position.
• To remove, select none and apply.

MAC users:

• Select System Preferences
• Desktop & Screen Saver
• Select a new image
• If the image is distorted, select "center" from the pull-down

Hope you enjoy this months calendar. Next month usually gets posted on the first or second day of the month.

Do you enjoy these calendars? I know a few people download it for their desktop. Let me know if you could use a different size.

Florida, give me your beach ... but nothing else.

Posting on either of the blogs has not been top of my list for a few months. I find myself distracted by a variety of things. We'd been camping then flew off to Florida for a wedding and although it was only five days, it took up space in my brain for planning.

The wedding was great and I'm not usually a fan of visiting relatives for an extended time. We all stayed at a large resort, had our own car, and met and socialized with relatives off and on, then had the big party at the reception. My darling companion and I had plenty of time to ourselves to explore the west coast of Florida, St. Petersberg specifically.

The west coast beaches have always been my favorite. Jeeze, I talked my beloved into buying a RV so we could spend more time at the beach. The beach we stayed on was so different and quite beautiful. St. Pete's Beach has long flat expanse of beach with very small waves rolling quietly in to the shore. At least that's what the surf was like when we were there. The sand is very different, as well. Almost white and so fine that it compacts and you can walk on it with little problem. In the surf line it's hard like concrete. The water was chilly but not as cold as Ventura the same time of year. Every morning there was a virtual rush hour with all sorts of people walking up and down the shore line.

One day we traveled into St Petersberg with the intent of seeing some of Georgia O'Keeffe's paintings. I was thrilled to see a brochure for The Museum of Fine Arts with my all time favorite painting of hers, The Poppy. When we arrived more than half of the museum was closed do to construction but to my delight, there in the gallery was this beautiful red flower. Ah, but that was it, one painting by her and nothing else. So we made a pilgrimage to see one painting. The weather was beautiful, the museum sits across the street from a small bay, so it wasn't wasted time in the least.

If this was the only time I'd spent in Florida I would have moved there in an instant. But, I know they have hurricanes, bugs and humidity. Hey, they even had traffic, nope, I'll still take LA.

Desert Camping

You can't really call this desert camping, we're at a lovely campground equipped two swimming pools, hot tub, full hook ups, and because it's before the "season" starts, it's cheap. My beloved has been stellar with the towing and the parking of the fifth-wheel and at this place, whew, it's made for much small trailers. The other two have not had that easy of a time. This is a much older park when trailers and motor homes were not 38ft and have big ass trucks that pull them. We all got parked and set up without too much angst.

We are all having fun and I paid for the Pomona Camping at the casino last night. Woo Whoo! I'm gonna try to pay for this tonight. Wish me luck

November Desktop Calendar

Leaves falling? Yes, it must be November.

Do you enjoy these calendars? I know a few people download it for their desktop. Let me know if you could use a different size.

• Click on appropriate link. large calendar, 1680 x 1050 or small calendar, 800 x 500
• PC users-right click or Mac users Control click, the image and select "Set as Desktop Background"

The calendar is now your background and all your files or shortcuts will be floating on top. You can rearrange them but not the background calendar.
Don't want it once you've selected it?
PC users:

• Select Start, Control Panel, Appearance & Themes, Change desktop background.
• If the image is distorted, select "center" under Position.
• To remove, select none and apply.

MAC users:

• Select System Preferences
• Desktop & Screen Saver
• Select a new image
• If the image is distorted, select "center" from the pull-down

Hope you enjoy this months calendar. Next month usually gets posted on the first or second day of the month.

The Clampett's are on the move, again

The time if finally here, I've been waiting for months. What with the truck's transmission falling apart and the big car show, it was iffy whether we'd get to go. But here we are taking the 5th wheel, with doggy, and heading out to meet my seester and husband in Pomona. They've been traveling with friends from Canada so I'm double excited to finely meeting Mr. and Mrs. Nutz. Do check out her Flickr. She has some wonderful pix of the Las Vegas area.

We have plans to see the Drags and do some other things I hope--like a bit of horse racing--but I'm afraid the Oak Tree Meet ends on Sunday the 4th. We need a "day stretcher" to fit in all the things we'd like to do.

After we leave Pomona we'll head to the desert and stay for another few days near Rancho Mirage. Mary is expecting us and we are planning an early Thanksgiving only without Big and Lil Bird. They are winging their way to London for a round of business. Maybe they'll have a pint of Guinness for us all. We'll miss them but I'd go if I had the chance.

The party's over

Los Doyers didn't make it to the playoff this year and that saddened me. The Red Sox swept the series to win the title; a little disappointed. Like I said before, I watched hoping a National League team would win. If the truth be told, the real reason I watched was those games would be the last baseball until Spring. "O, wind, if Winter comes, can Spring be far behind?"

Please don't think I'm in a down mood this morning because the other big event, our car club, the Roam'n Relics charity car show, was held in Moorpark, CA on Sunday and was a big success. They usually are. After twenty-eight years we know how to put on a big event. How big? Over 450 cars, too many spectators to count, and lots of money raised for our charities.

We won't count how many pairs of tired feet, weary backs, or draggin' asses we had; all the club members will be fine in a day or two. We never measure success by those things, we measure it by the faces of the kids and families we help all year 'round.

To all those street rods that packed High Street in Moorpark yesterday, we can't thank you enough.

I've become the Art Nazi

My first art sale was last Friday and Saturday and though I had fun and learned a lot, it suffered from a lack of too many of customers. Ya know, you have to say that part about I learned a lot. It's like when you're trying to get a date for a friend and you say, "She's real smart and a good listener, too." That being said, I actually did learn something, bottom line, they didn't like my prints enough to buy them. OK, so I'm disappointed but undaunted in my quest to sell something.

What I did find were some pretty nice people, they bought my handmade cards, and some pretty odd ones, as well. For those of you that don't personally know me I've always worked at some job or another that required quite a bit of customer service. Basically I can be pretty polite, when I want to, and when you're trying to sell something that's what you have to be. I do have grooves from biting my tongue but they are starting to heal.

An older citizen came up to my table and without any prompting shared with me why she couldn't buy any of my prints. I nodded and hoped she'd move one, no such luck. Then she went into some long winded story about how her husband can't lift his arms above his head to hang any of the art they already have and she showed me by lifting her arms way over her head. I knew this to be true because if he could lift his arms he'd have strangled her long ago. Then she proceeded to tell me what a creep her cousins boy was because he's been promising to come and hang the art. Still nodding, still hoping she'll leave since I had a small table and her wide ass was taking up space for real customers, and still biting my tongue. Ah, finally she moves on, relief.

Or so I thought. The next day she walks up and starts the whole conversation, again. When she gets to the arm lifting I stop her and say, "Since this is the same story you told me yesterday I assume everything is still the same." Yup she said and was off. I usually would have listened to her whole rambling and not said anything but, hey, it's MY business and if I want to be rude to people I can. If people can be selective about what they are buying I can be selective about who I sell to. No Art for you!

Breast Cancer awareness month

Most jokes about gender generalizations leave me cold but this one hits the nail on the head. Oh, I can't believe I used that lazy, hackneyed platitude but it was such an easy joke. That's what perpetuates gender stereotypes; jokes. So let's laugh a bit more at our selves.

The battle between the sexes--you know, like the war in Iraq--will never be won but we are so oddly drawn to humor we joke about anything. For me, I like the fact that I'm so different from my spouse. I don't understand all he does but after 37 years I've realized I don't need to. He'd echo the same if asked.

We are different. We are hardwired to handle problems and enjoyment differently which gives both sexes twice the ability to solve problems. As long as we listen to each other we'll survive.

And while I'm on the topic of listening, girls, listen to me for a moment, if you're over forty, make that appointment for your yearly mammogram. Most insurance companies pay 100% of the cost. Sure it's uncomfortable for a few moments but the pain outweighs the benefit. Just do it, then go buy yourself a new hammer, err, shoes.

To balance the stereotypes. "If men ruled the world"

• Birth control would come in ale or lager
• Garbage would take its self out
• Tanks would be easy to rent

… and so on, you know the drill.

That's not wind it's a collective sigh of relief

The winds have died down a bit here and though you can't see Simi Valley, we are under the blanket of smoke, we are now out of danger. The fire took the same path it did in '03 but stopped near Fillmore.

Our garage, car, and just about every closet you open smells like we've been smoking meat. After the horror story reports from San Diego, we'll take some smoke.

Nose full o'smoke

It is the season here is Southern California, the burning season. The winds are the major culprits but having homes built in canyons, albeit a beautiful areas, make protecting from the firestorms damn near impossible. The firefighters go way above their job title this time of year.

We just happen to live south west of the Canyon Country fire and although we do not live in a hilly area they are all around us. What we suffer from is the smoke. They winds drag the smoke, and sometime embers, across the canyons and into Simi. A few years back we had quite the scare as it burned a number of different areas here. It even shut down our annual charity car show it burned so close. With this year's show being held next Sunday we are all holding our collective breath.

Time to take a shower

This morning, about an hour before dawn, and the next few mornings is the time to see the Orionid meteor shower. They will be coming out the constellation Orion, one of the easier to recognize, and we saw quite a few this morning. Our morning sky cooperated with a clear view and the moon had already set so we enjoyed quite a treat.

As a bonus, Venus is still the morning star and it is spectacular in the predawn sky. Almost unnerving it's so large. Are those Venusians looking back at us?

When will it be over?

The baseball playoffs are only mildly holding my attention. I can't figure what team I like. The Rockies and D-backs had the unmitigated gall to beat out the Dodgers. Well, that's the way I like to think it happened.

None of the teams are concerned with my allegiance enough to say, send me a nice card inviting me to watch their games and root for them. You know, like those cards the magazine companies send you for years after you no longer subscribe. That would be a nice gesture. No, they are just assuming us fans of the game will care one way or another who wins. Which might be true. I guess I'd be rooting for a National League win and Arizona seems to have spunkier players though Colorado's team is hairier.

This does present a problem but with my sister and company back in Arizona for the second time this year and and it's looking like they may, at least for the winter, stay put for a while I could be leaning towards the Diamond Backs to take the Pennant this year. Who knows, I might be visiting Arizona and want to take in a baseball game and I'd be quite ashamed to say I didn't root them on in their hour of need. Such a conundrum.

I'm addicted to peace and quiet

Out of town for me can be as local as 25 miles at my daughter's or Palm Desert which is more than 150 miles down the road. It was the latter this week and a well deserved rest. I've been working hard getting items ready for the October Arts and Craft Sale and since my beloved was in Sacramento attending a car show I hustled my bustle down to visit Mary, my step-mother.

I had a bonus, her sister, Pat--always good for a laugh or three-- was also visiting and as an extra, extra, their brother-in-law dropped by one evening and stayed for dinner. B-I-L lives in Alaska but has a place just a few golf courses away. He'd brought his builder down to get ideas for remodeling his condo the two of them showed up with a bottle of wine and stayed for an impromptu dinner.

B-I-L is a former Governor of Alaska and is quite the story teller. It was an enjoyable evening and I slept until almost eight the next morning. Blame it on the wine. I passed for 8:30am coffee with the two Alaskans and walked the dog instead. Both of us were happy.

It was so quiet there, no traffic, no barking neighbors--no stress weekend. Now, back to work.

At the same location for two years

Two years? I've been ranting and rambling for two years? Looking back over the last two years it seems I've become less political in the posts. Crap, that worries me. Maybe I've just given up until we get the current administration out of office in November. Let's think about how we vote this year, folks. Can we stand anymore of this?

This is great, I don't have to remember what was going on in my life last October, I can just link back to the previous posts. Jeeze, a lot of stuff has happened. Anyone who says retirement is boring doesn't know the same people I do.

What was going on October 5, 2006 and October 5, 2005.

I'm smarter than my pants

It's not that I subscribe, one-hundred-percent, to the notice it's wrong to wear white after Labor Day it's just that I was raised by a mother who put clothes aways for the winter. I admit I always thought it not all that fashionable, as well. Stating this causes a conundrum of conscience for me.

All summer long I've searched for a pair of white slacks that I really enjoy wearing. Nice, expensive slacks and they were no where to be found--until this morning, while cleaning out a closet for the truck that comes to the neighborhood ever so often. There they were, just mocking, me hanging in the back of a closet, knowing full well it is September 24.

What's a girl to do?

Well, yesterday the temperature broke 90 with warm the rest of week so, Sherman, set the way back machine for August and hand me those pants.

October calendar

Not meant to scare, this pumpkin started out a friendly guy but somehow turned a little ominous.

Do you enjoy these calendars? I know a few people download it for their desktop. Let me know if you could use a different size.

• Click on appropriate link. large calendar, 1680 x 1050 or small calendar, 800 x 500
• PC users-right click or Mac users Control click, the image and select "Set as Desktop Background"

The calendar is now your background and all your files or shortcuts will be floating on top. You can rearrange them but not the background calendar.

Don't want it once you've selected it?
PC users:

• Select Start, Control Panel, Appearance & Themes, Change desktop background.
• If the image is distorted, select "center" under Position.
• To remove, select none and apply.

MAC users:

• Select System Preferences
• Desktop & Screen Saver
• Select a new image
• If the image is distorted, select "center" from the pull-down

Bring the champagne

No, we didn't sell the Tear Drop but we did find the need for something with facilities. There are places at the beach that require you to be self-contained and in the Tear Drop that means a zip-lock baggy. No.

We will be camping in November with sister Doodles and Company so we needed a shake down cruise. Thursday was the maiden voyage of (to be named) trailer and I hope to have pix from the beautiful blue Pacific later. It was a wonderful few days and no dead whales wash up on the beach.

Please sir, buy my painting

Ok, I'm taking the plunge. I'm going to put my work out there and see if someone wants to spend money for it. The local senior center is having an Art/Craft show next month and I've reserved a table. Right now I'm getting together what I think my sell, I'll know of the 19th and 20th of October. Will I be surprised? I hope in a good way.

Editor note: I'm also tinkering with the idea of using PayPal to sell prints online, we'll see.

Random thoughts

Can't say why but I woke up thinking of my grandfather this morning. He was my father's dad and died some time in the '80s. Not that I went to the funeral, I did not care for this man. Was scared of him as a child and couldn't be bothered as an adult. My grandmother I loved.

Howard Bryant was born in 1896 into the second family of his father's. That meant he had brothers old enough to be his father and uncles his own age. Odd family. The first time I read the definition for "gruff" I was sure that word was coined for him. He never once showed any affection for us grand kids, we were only noise makers in his opinion. I'm sure we were but we were kids.

When I was fifteen or so my mom and dad, living in Southern California, got a divorce. When my mom sent Christmas cards to our grandparents in Indiana, Howard sent them back. He'd disowned us. Imagine that, so you can see there was no love loss from me. So why would I even think of him now?

The only logical reason would be he could fix anything and was quite inventive, not unlike my dearly beloved husband. While the other grand kids got kicked out of Grandpa's basement workshop for asking too many questions, I just sat quietly on a stool and watched him. He always had pocket knife that he used for everything whether to whittle off the edge of a kite bow to make it fit or turn a screw.

He made beautiful kites. Oh, not for us to fly, we weren't worthy. He would show us how to fly them then take them back to his basement. He made one that had a semi-enclosed lit candle and it rose straight up until the candle blew out, then stayed hovering on the upper currents of air. No running required to get it aloft.

Don't you wonder what makes some people so mean? He didn't have a bad life, though died of cancer in his 80s. He saw all his five children grow to adults, have families of their own and acquire some amount of success. His wife was a lovely woman who never made a fuss about anything. He wasn't rich but had enough to retire on which gave him more time to smoke and work in his basement. I guess there doesn't have to be reasons for everything but trying to find them wakes you up at five a.m.

More rain?

The rain went from a gentle shower to a downright washout in less than twenty-four hours. Last night we had a thunder and lightening storm. That might be normal for some parts of California, but not here. More than once last night the entire bedroom lit up, I sat straight up in bed then heard the thunder. I thought someone had turned on the lights.

Today, while out shopping and in a large building, I heard the rain beating on the roof. More than a few shoppers made it to the window to see the sky open up and pour out rain. It flooded the parking lot in seconds. Now, the beautiful blue sky is dotted with puffy white clouds and weather report calls for something close to 80 tomorrow. I love Southern California!

The child has come

It is raining. That should be the whole post, there isn't much to say about rain except it is desperately needed here in Southern California. Fire season you see and we've not had any since March and we are 12 inches below what we need. March? Are we to thank El Niño? Will the baby stay for a while or toddle off without much more than a shower?

My office window is open and it's a gentle rain right now, so pleasing to my dry ears. Though it's cooler it's by no means cold so the sounds, and smells are wonderful. I do so enjoy the rain that's been absent for so long, I could listen to it for hours. Maybe I will.

Just be careful out there, the streets are wicked slippery from the accumulation of oil, now mixed with water. Do savor this wonderful rain as it will only be here for a day, then gone for who knows how long.

Camping in the wild

We usually don't need too many amenities when camping with the teardrop but a shower would have been nice on this last camp out.

We stayed at Montaña de Oro, a CA state campground just south of Morro Bay. The weather was gorgeous and the wildlife, so friendly. Well, maybe a touch too friendly. The camp is just about over run with raccoons and they have no fear of humans or dogs so they do exactly what they want after sun down. This little guy my beloved picked up at the local museum store. He was the best behaved of the lot.

We camped with about 35 other teardrops and had a great time learning new ways to cook. Quite a few do some cast iron cooking in Dutch Ovens and even gave a demo on Saturday morning. Looks fun and if I try it out I'll post on PBE.

When you camp and you are the only teardrop in the place you stand out, way out, and really draw a crowd. We all had to laugh because the first question people ask is, "Do you really sleep in that?" I'm thinking of having shirts made with the answer. Camping all together gives you a chance to look at some different ways people have put these little trailers together.

We met some new friends and saw some people we'd camped with last March in Lake Perris and everyone was hoping to make this a yearly camp out. I'd say yes to that. The one great thing about teardrops is they are all different; some odder than others, sorta like the people who own them.

To our darling kids!

What did he just say?

My tracking app for this blog shows what people Google to get to this site and there has been a number typing in "french benefits" so I thought I'd see what some of the other sites came up in Google.

One is called Eggcorn , a database of malaprops. A malapropism is the incorrect use of a word by substituting a similar-sounding word with different meaning, usually with comic effect. Egg Corn being one for Acorn. The site is very geeky in a linguistic sort of way and that appeals to me. I mean, I did read "Eats, shoots, & leaves."

Once, listening to NPR I heard the reporter utter this sentence.

"He left the court room followed by a phallics of photographers. Hmmm. Do you think he meant phalanx? What I'd like to believe is he just thought, "Look at all those "dick-heads chasing him." and somehow it stuck in his brain.

So back to this blogs name, French Benefits. I got the name from the following TV commercial that was drilled into our brains a few years ago.

Satirized in a an ad campaign for FedEx Ground:

In “Wrong,” a guy is chastised by his co-workers for being a source of misinformation. “Steely Dan is not one person,” berates one guy. “We get fringe benefits, not French benefits, it’s not the Leaning Tower of Pizza, and James Dean was an actor—Jimmy Dean makes sausages.” The guy is then told that he’s wrong by thinking that FedEx ground is too expensive. “So we don’t get French benefits?” he replies.

We do love her so

My sister and I have a darling aunt that is over eighty. I won't say exactly, she's a bit vain about her age, but be sure, she has hit the eighty mark. I call her every Saturday morning, it's a ritual. She's my mother's baby sister and since Mom's been gone I call her. I'm not sure she's a surrogate mom but I do enjoy talking with her. Very few, other than my sister, knew my mom as well as she did.

Auntie went to TJ Maxx the other day to look for bargains and in the lingerie section noticed they had a bra in her size. She's a tiny little woman and I guess it's a plus to find one her size on sale. She never tried it on and took it straight to the register where, while waiting in line, noticed the straps were studded with rhinestones. Wha?

When I asked her if she put it back she said, "Heavens no. You just don't find many $5.99 bras in my size. I took it home and took off the rhinestones."

Can you imagine what the the clerk thought about this old dolly buying a sparkly bra.

"Fair"ly sure this isn't healthy

This should be on our food blog but I'd be embarrassed to post it. We do lean toward the healthy side over at Peanut Butter Etouffee.

It seems the state fair circuit has gotten out of hand with fried foods. Here were the contenders for the Texas State Fair contest on Labor Day. I'm almost disappointed, our Ventura County Fair only had the usual stuff on a stick and deep fried. My late-friend Crystal, who performed at the county fair each year, always said, "If you deep fry it and put it on a stick someone will buy it." I'm sure she'd chuckling at this.

Deep Fried Latte
Fried pastry topped with cappuccino ice cream, caramel sauce, whipped cream and instant coffee powder.

Fried Cookie Dough
Cookie dough with chocolate chips, pecans and coconut, dipped in batter and fried. Other cookie flavors may be offered.

Zesty Fried Guacamole Bites
Small scoops of guacamole breaded and fried. Served with salsa or ranch or spicy ranch dressings.

Country Pride Peach Cobbler on a Stick
Peach cobbler with dumplings rolled in pastry dough and fried. Covered with brown sugar and cinnamon and put on a stick.

Fernie's Fried Chili Frito Burrito Chili and chili-cheese-flavored Fritos wrapped in an uncooked flour tortilla and fried. Toppings include cheese sauce, shredded cheddar, jalapeños, sour cream, hot sauce and onions.

B.W.'s Original Fried Banana Pudding
Banana pudding wrapped in a flour tortilla, fried and topped with whipped cream and powdered sugar or cinnamon.

Mama's Fried Sweet Potato Pie
Pie filling wrapped in flour tortilla, fried and topped with powdered sugar and cinnamon.

Viva Los Doyers

Tommy Lasorda, former manager of the LA Dodgers, turned 80 the other day and he's still on the team's staff. To honor him September 14 will be Lasorda Bobble-head Doll Night.

Not that I don't want to give Lasorda his due but don't tell me this doll is him; this is really a Bill Clinton doll they dressed in a Dodger uniform.

The our LA team is only three games behind Arizona and San Diego in both the Wild Card and the National League West. Yikes! They actually have been playing a bit better. At least Penny didn't self-destruct after the first bad inning last night.

Go Dodgers

Labor Day

Today we celebrate the social and economic achievements of the American worker. Salute to Trade Unions everywhere without them we'd still have child labor, unsafe work conditions and no eight-hour day. They have trained skilled workers in their trades and fought for increased wages and a better standard of living.

Of course we never would have had Jimmy Hoffa. But let's be thankful for something today; if you know a union-man or woman, they getting fewer and fewer these days, give them a pat of the back for a job well done.