Always loved this Dean image--because of HD and his spirit. Also, because I am old enough to remember Rosie the Riveter image from WW II. We lived near Detroit at the time and my mother had four brothers In the service. Thanks Puddle--great spirit lifter.
Speaking of seeing… This morning I noticed Mizzen craning her neck and staring up at the ceiling. Sure enough…first spider of the season. And now, thanks to puddle, I'm expecting the first fly in about a week. LOL!
Spent a good chunk of this day putting up wallpaper in our living room. We are actually good at doing things like this together. Had a really tense moment when the paper tore at a tough spot, but with perseverance it came out great! So grateful we bought really good quality paper.
Warm, rainy here also--but waiting for sunshine. Handy Helper took my car to dealership for its annual exam. All good to go with a new battery. Not having a a conk out on the way to Puddle or to-ing and fro-ing to the new doc in the next town over!
Ah, puddle, your kiddle is one of the Best Ever! <3 Super glad to hear your car runneth!
We topped 60F today!!
While I was in town (two towns from here), I heard and saw Redwinged Blackbirds and saw a pair of Turkey Vultures riding thermals. All good signs of Spring! :-)
More wallpaper got put up tonight. We are making progress. Almost have one wall done. It's going to look pretty great in here!
Off to Estes for errands. Puddle, Peter Hessler has a new book, mostly nonfiction stories from China. It's called Strange Stones. We have a friend who collected them: stones shaped like animals, plants, maybe with beautiful mineral strains in them. Anyway, the book is great reading. I got it from the library.
the CBS interview was better, but really, we don’t need the publicity.
Right in my laboratory. Just before I head to Cuba on a mission trip. This could be trouble for me. Of course I’m nowhere to be seen. I had to lay low.
His sense of humor is more like my Dad's than anyone else I've ever known. Very dry, and never sarcastic. I'd think he was a reincarnation except they over lap by about five months.
I thought you might enjoy a little Vermont ramble, so here is the link to my album "April so far" which I will be adding to as the month progresses. Feel free to peek in any time. :-)
Sorry--been AWOL because the last half of "As Time Goes By" and "The . . . Yaya Sisterhood." Didn't sleep, either.
Had actually avoided the YaYa movie for years, 'cause I loved the book so much and I didn't see how they could possibly make a decent movie out of it. I was wrong: the book and movie are not the same, but both are marvelous!!!
I always love your movie reviews, Puddle. The Netflix subscription my kids give me for my birthday every year is one of the joys of my life--nights that is. I get the discs and I love that they are replacing the old discs with new ones which have lovely photos on the top. I may add the Ya-Ya movie to my queue now. Thanks.
Bill and I watch As Time Goes By over and over and over. I gave the whole series to him for Christmas a few years ago. Best thing I ever bought. :-)
Had a bear of an evening at the Library. Grrr. The people were great, my immediate supervisor, though, was in tense mood when I arrived and it never abated. Egads. It sure makes for a long night when it's aimed at me. I need to figure out how to respond in a way that is respectful yet makes her back off. I'm not sure that latter is possible. Could be the only way to change the situation is to exit, i.e. quit. I don't want to quit, but I sure wouldn't mind being home. Ha!
NW VT is expecting 75F on Monday (=What!?!=) and 3-8" of snow on Tuesday night, with a high on Wednesday of 39F. So that means we're getting Summer and Winter next week. What happened to Spring?
Will we really get snow? Does 75F mid-April suggest we'll have 100's come July? Will I need to buy my first ever air conditioner?
I know, Listener, winter and summer in a couple of days?! Today 75 degrees here, tomorrow, snow predicted. How to figure this?
A friend gave us a daffodil last Easter. It's up and blossoming. So nice.
I'm sorry that Kathleen Sibelius is still being criticized. Mistakes will always be made, and the quota was met. I wish we wouldn't be so hard on people who serve in government. It's a difficult job, and when there is integrity and enormous effort, that should be praised. Sometimes I think we assume that people in government are to meet our satisfaction, and if they don't we criticize them harshly and sometimes unfairly. Just my take.
There's a new series coming up this Sunday, called The Years of Living Dangerously with David Cameron who produced Avatar. It's supposedly about the environment. I'll let you know since I hope to watch it.
I think Hillary has just passed her first campaign test! A woman from the audience threw a shoe at her and she responded with a few funny remarks and continued on....
I agree Pat about Kathleen Sibelius. Unfortunately, we are still at the point where women are more subject to criticism than men...
"And what if Sanders does run? Since he already has substantial national recognition, it will be very difficult to deny him access to the televised debates. So, if and when we tune in, we might actually hear something about the problem of the country’s drift toward an oligarchy of billionaires and corporations buying elections. Or about how we could have rebuilt our highways five times over on what we’ve spent on the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars. Or a call for a national jobs program to rebuild the infrastructure. Or a Medicare-for-all, single-payer program to supplant the Obama’s administration’s Affordable Care Act.
If Sanders runs, we may not agree with him on everything. And we will almost certainly have issues that we wish he would speak to or emphasize more. And yet the difference between him and the Biden/Clinton/Kerry/Obama mainstream Democratic Party point of view will likely be obvious across the board. A left point of view will enter the discussion in all sorts of places it usually doesn’t, well beyond the debates themselves.
I love Bernie--but there is no way he would win a Primary. If he runs as an independent there is no organization in place to back him. He is far too valuable in the Senate to chance losing that seat--as it is withElizabeth Warren.
I think Hillary can handle any more shoes that come her way!
Life is complicated, isn't it? I actually like Ashley Judd in YaYa. At the same time remembering how Edwin felt about her. She was in his production of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. And quit early. Which shut the whole production down, and cost everyone their jobs. His view was that the injury was fake. I think if he'd met her at a party he might have actually done something. . . . So I can't watch her without that as an overlay.
Thanks for that Puddle. It is an insider's peek at a performer. Will remember when I watch the Ya Ya movie.
Yep, life is complicated and seems to get more so as we get older. I guess by then we have all developed our own coping mechanisms for the unexpected or unwanted things that come our way.
Supposed to be 80º tomorrow. *Way* too hot for early April. Wondering if Global Climate Change means the loss of the middle? No spring, no fall, just winter and summer? No April and October, just January and July?
Hi Puddle, I agree, extremes, not just in months or weeks but days. It was 74 yesterday, went for a hike in what's called The Devil's Backbone, jagged and columned rocks over red buttes. There were lots of people walking, biking, even riding horseback, and people repairing damaged trails from all the rain in fall. So many were friendly, saying hi to Molly, calling her buddy.
Today, cloudy, cooler. Tonight and tomorrow snow predicted. HUH?! We are in climate change and as David says, this may be the new norm.
Went to Daz Bog poetry session today. It's wonderful, all the individual poems. There were 7 of us, just the right size group for examining poems, responding, and some conversation on the way.
Seems a logical pattern...in Texas climate there is basically winter and summer, very little of the long, lovely fall and spring weather of Michigan..Sunny here in GSO today. I have been penned inside for the last few days -- pollen, pollen. pollen wipes me out. This too shall pass.
WOW! Such weird weather going on all over. It was glorious here yesterday.
Burt and I went to the King County Democratic Central Committee's convention. Burt really didn't like being dragged out as we were going to be discussing the platform, people flagging what they didn't like, then lots of discussion and voting.
Burt usually comes off as a mild mannered, easy going person. But when there are things being proposed that are not in the interest of either people or the party, he really can be passionate and eloquent in his speaking.
He got up to speak against using nuclear power (can't believe that people actually still support it) and a few other things. And cleared up some very ambiguous wording that, unfortunately, could not be removed and replaced (rules???? oy). So by the end, everyone realized what was MEANT to be said, but because of rules, could not be changed so the whole thing had to be struck.
After the meeting, the chair of the platform and resolution committee came up to him and asked that he please consider being on the committee.
I was so proud of him. I thanked him for speaking out and he thanked me for dragging him, kicking and screaming, into the process. He so needs to be a part of our political process, but he hates the bickering that goes on. Us Democrats are a bunch, aren't we. But, always in the interest of what's good for the community and mankind.
It looks to be a glorious day again today. Going to spend it with my faux grandkid making a special dessert for her mom's birthday then going to some sort of sporting event that only she and I want to go to. Her because she loves it. Me because it gives me a chance to have her all to myself for some chatting.
Have a wonderful day, you all. many hugs and kisses all around.
Yes, it's coming around, political participation needed. I'm glad to hear of your and Burt's involvement. I've come to think that the right wing, the Republicans are simply not viable in any way whatsoever. Ten years ago, I would have tried to find some way to at least have a discussion. Not so now.
We just heard from a friend in Estes Park who began the Dean Meetups. He asked if we would like to start meeting again. Yes. We have to do that.
I'm reading Al Gore's The Future: Six Drivers of Global change. It's too important to all the inhabitants of planet earth not to engage, to do our best to have a future. Some huge changes will have to take place, and I wonder if we can do it. Water and topsoil resources, land, food, so many essential issues need to be addressed with sustainability as a goal.
I'm right behind you, Pat. 77F predicted for tomorrow, then 35F for a high on Wednesday. Precipitation overnight Tuesday is expected to be snow from 9pm on, too, so I guess we have to make hay while the sun shines.
Hi, we just finished watching Years of Living Dangerously on show Time. As David remarked, it's Al Gore writ simple, which is needed. Thomas Friedman, Harrison Ford and others narrate and report. Friedman is investigating whether the drought in Syria was the main impetus for war; Indonesia is burning off its rain forest and planting palm trees for palm oil. There is no protection for the national park nor stopping the burning. In Plainview, Texas, the slaughter house closed, and 2400 people lost their jobs. Drought was the reason they couldn't raise cattle there.
It's a good program, addressing climate change caused by humans directly. It has the feel of a documentary. It's necessary, I think, because Gore's book is so dense with research and information, most people won't read it.
I'm glad that this program has debuted. It is a series. We're in for some dangerous and difficult times if we don't address these issues.
Well, good night friends. I just wanted to report to you.
Interesting discussion, folks. I loved the comment about Democrats and our diverse opinions. How right and appropriate. How else can we be the Big Tent.
Thanks, Puddle for the doctor wishes. Will keep you posted as to what interesting plan he devises:)
Super Whoop-Dee-Do! Yes, I will need surgery on the lesion on my tongue and to have left lymph gland removed because of potential future problems. Anesthetic will be delivered through a fiber optic thread to get it to me safely. But, GOOD NEWS it will not be until after the early part of May. SO--Puddle, continue to save the first week-end in May for us. We will be there with flying colors!!!
Best wishes, Pat. Cataract surgery has become very safe and most helpful. I have had both eyes done and later some laser work to do a small correction. Not uncommon After you heal you will be very happy you had it done, I believe. We have come a long way when one was hospitalized with head immobilized for ten days! Will be thinking of you.
Lucked out on our timing, Puddle. Part of it is evaluation of spinal x-rays taken today and a later meeting with the anesthesiologist. Add to that the Doc will be out of town for a few days--and we have it made! I am very grateful for Medicare, my university BC/BS tweaked a bit for the better by the ACA. I can' imagine having to take on this cost myself.
As someone who is only allowed to eat because of the genius of the surgeon David Jones, believe me, modern medicine can and does make huge differences in our lives.
As I write this, a line of heavy rain is approaching (Wind Advisory and Flood Watch in effect), and tomorrow night we are expecting maybe 3" of snow. It will melt off by the end of the week, so early on Easter morning we're expecting a fresh dusting of snow ~ I guess to make everything the liturgically correct colour. Ha!
Pat, my prayers are with you for the cataract surgery. Shirlee makes an excellent point about the way it used to be done vs now…! It's still surgery and that is never an easy thing to do, least of all when it's on such a sensitive and vital part of us as an eye. May your team be top notch; may your butterflies behave; and may your healing be swift and complete. ♥
Looks like this time around with the phone line, about twenty other peeps are in the same boat with me. And we STILL can't get a repairman before the 23rd. . . .
Gosh, puddle. They say we're supposed to have 6 careers in our lifetime. I wish I could become a phone line repair person and be your personal repair peep! ♥
Today's edition of the National Nurse Newsletter featured the Vermont Legislature's recent passage of a joint Resolution in support of the National Nurse Act. I wrote a blurb for it from the perspective of a grandmother, and Nurse Teri included a photo of me with three of my Grands. Well! Here's the best part! She sent me a note today to thank me and to let me know that the very first response she had to the News was from Howard Dean! :-D The Guv is very pleased that Vermont came through again. (This is the second supportive Resolution that they've passed!)
Just returned from cataract surgery. The clarity! Yes amazing. The surgery itself took about 8 minutes. Now my better eye is cloudy in comparison to my left that has received a new lens. It lasts a lifetime, I was told.
Thank you dear friends for your support, advice, and good thoughts. I am thrilled. I was thinking on the way home of Milton's poem on his blindness, which was the case before such amazing technology, skill, and knowledge. I am so blessed.
Someone here, Puddle as I remember, was asking about other favorite movies. Horton Foote, who wrote the screenplay for "To Kill a Mockingbird" has some fine movies. "TenderMercies," "A Trip to Bountiful," "1918." Foote's home was in Wharton TX and most of his movies are a loving, but clear eyed look at life in and around a town like his. Robert Duvall was in many of his movies.
Wharton,Tx is a county seat town and is about 30 miles inland from the coast. (Geography lesson:)!
What lovely news to come home to! I am so happy to hear it went well, and quick, and that you already have the benefit of the surgery! WOW!
We broke a precipitation record here today. Previous record for April 15th was 1.41" in 1942. We're already up to 1.51" and it's 9:30pm. So much rain today that the water was over the road in a bunch of places. The fire department was on scene in one place 3 miles from me, where the river was raging along its banks and flooding a road; they were making sure it was safe for folks to cross and ready to close it when needed. It's 2 miles from my house to work, and there was water level with the road when I was driving in. It would have gone over the road, but that the precip turned to snow first. We had an inch on the ground when I got home around 8:20pm. Lake Champlain is reaching flood stage too.
Bright, sunny, and very clear day today. Thank you for your good wishes. I go in for a post op this noon.
Here's the poem "On His Blindness" by John Milton.
What happens with cataracts without this technology, I'd eventually go blind. These synthetic lenses should last for a lifetime. What an amazing technology!
On His Blindness
When I consider how my light is spent Ere half my days in this dark world and wide, And that one talent which is death to hide Lodg'd with me useless, though my soul more bent To serve therewith my Maker, and present My true account, lest he returning chide, "Doth God exact day-labour, light denied?" I fondly ask. But Patience, to prevent That murmur, soon replies: "God doth not need Either man's work or his own gifts: who best Bear his mild yoke, they serve him best. His state Is kingly; thousands at his bidding speed And post o'er land and ocean without rest: They also serve who only stand and wait." John Milton
Ah, Pat. Isn't the surgery just amazing?! I was thrilled with mine as well. don't remember if I mentioned that they corrected one eye to 20/20 and the other eye to 20/40. One for distance, one for reading. Cut my prescription for my readers from 3.00 to 1.25. Love it.
Same here, Puddle. I have had my two little space heaters on--bedroom and living room all day. BUT, we lucked out on the surgery schedule. Pre-op day is Wednesday after we return and surgery on Tuesday of the following week! The day before pre-op is Primary day in NC. Can't miss that. Stop the worst of the Repubs anyway, I hope!
Shirlee, I am very pleased for you that the timing works out so beautifully!
puddle, sending you warm thoughts and many mercies!
I'm rather tired tonight. We've been going full tilt on renovations and today we decided to slow it down a little. Hurrah! Plan A was to be done by our anniversary on June 28th. Somehow we got going so fast that it would have been largely done by Mother's Day…! The level of energy out and focus that pace requires was wiping us out. Fortunately, sanity has prevailed. LOL!
Still feel cold, but the day is bright an warming.
Talked to Thankful for about three hours last night. What a lovely friend she is, and has been! She sez Hi! to ya'll.
My phone line, BTW, will let me talk, but is having a helluva time downloading info from the nets.
Have to do a major wardrobe search--was checking last night for the dress I planned to wear for the Shirlee Meetup, and evidently sometime I don't recall, I moved things around. . . . Can't imagine I boxed it up, but there ya go.
Whatever you wear you will be beautiful, Puddle. My tights are getting well worn and just across the street I found some colorful, easy to wear tunic dresses. I thought I would let you be the judge:). Brenda will be In slacks and a colorful top--guaranteed. So--we can give the folks in the Hampton Inn lobby an eclectic fashion show!
Hmmmm--because of the way I heard it on the radio, I mistooked the lady with the shoe and the lady with babies in shoe boxes to be the same. They're not. Just more insanity than it's easy to take in. . . .
Quick drop in. Listener, thanks for asking. The post-op was great. The eye pressure is 18, whatever that means, and it's just where it's supposed to be. It takes a month to heal and I'll have another post-op exam in two weeks.
As I sat in the patient's room, I was amazed at the technology and machinery. Sheer genius to have designed and manufactured the equipment and devices that can measure the eye. And the skilled doctors, nurses, the medicines, we have come so far. For all the ill humans do, the efforts and research to heal, improve, and help are stupendous.
I elected to keep my near sightedness, though they worked on my astigmatism. There were choices, and I took the more cautious one.
Some of my favorite movies are the Lord of the Rings Trilogy, The Year of Living Dangerously, Les Miserables to suggest a few.
So refreshing to pop by here and see how everyone is faring. Everyone sounds good, and there's even a Thankful hallo? This is a good day!
Add to this that the coworker who is so abrasive went home early (pre-arranged). I also learned that the cause of her recent tension and snakiness is that her ex-husband's congestive heart failure (on top of lung cancer) has progressed so that breathing is difficult. They are frustrated that the docs don't seem concerned. I don't know how much of it is that the docs are frustrated that he won't stop smoking or drinking (alcoholism) and won't consent to some hospital stays. Not sure how much they can help him just with meds (and I say this as a former chaplain on a cardiac unit who also companioned a patient who was dying of lung cancer). He's her ex, but she only divorced him hoping that would cause him to stop drinking. He didn't.
Anyway, it always helps to know. It doesn't mean it's okay that she gets snarky, but it makes it understandable.
Tonight I got to thank in person my town legislators who were instrumental in passing the VT Resolution in support of the National Nurse Act. That was so much fun to do! :-) I also wrote them thank-yous earlier today.
Still slogging through the Al Gore book, The Future: Six Drivers of Global Change, but the information is astonishing. Just in bio engineering of the human genome, plants, animals, pharmaceuticals, if ever change and evolution were in doubt, the research and conclusions Al Gore makes refute that.
Listener, I had a dream that we bought an old small house, and I looked all around thinking how much we'd have to do to renovate it, and said we should break the contract. I think your redecorating had an influence. A smile here.
I'm hoping we'll have a Democratic landslide. The health care law now has 8 million people and 35% are those younger than 25. Yea! I hope Democrats will show some spine and laud it. I'm dismayed and disgusted with the lies, ideology, and propaganda of the Republicans, the denial of the common good. It's cooperation that has produced more good than any competition ever did, so I've read.
Just finished Julian Barnes' book, Levels of Life, that is so sad in his grief over his wife's death that I had to put it down. He so illustrates grief that it becomes an affirmation of sorrow that the reader has known, and finally a catharsis. A beautiful book.
Guess with this spring by fits and starts has put me in a reading mode.
A couple more films I've loved: Pan's Labyrinth, The Life of Pi, And About Schmidt.
A couple more films, the 1962 Cannes Film Festival winner, the ballet cinema, The Lovers of Teruel, I loved so much I sat through the second showing. I found it on the Internet and ordered it.
Lots of good movie choices here, Thanks folks. Today is our Danish exchange student's 63rd birthday. It is a joy that we have kept in close contact since she was 18! Time to call her now and wish her a happy birthday!
Have a grand time, Barb! And let's all not forget that this is the 18th of April! The day Paul Revere took his famous ride--you know the 18th of April in '75..... I remember this only because it is also the birthday of our Danish exchange student who was with us from August 1969- August 1970. It was a wonderful year for our family-- Called to wish her a Happy Birthday--her 63rd--how can that be? Time does fly!d
101 comments:
And, Mr. Dean would be the first!
Great picture, Puddle!
Always loved this Dean image--because of HD and his
spirit. Also, because I am old enough to remember
Rosie the Riveter image from WW II. We lived near
Detroit at the time and my mother had four brothers
In the service. Thanks Puddle--great spirit lifter.
That's so true! LOL! Thanks!!!
Speaking of seeing…
This morning I noticed Mizzen craning her neck and staring up at the ceiling. Sure enough…first spider of the season. And now, thanks to puddle, I'm expecting the first fly in about a week. LOL!
Sounds like Spring is spronging.
Per Burt:
Spring has sprung
The grass has riz
I wonder where the flowers is
Spring is hiding.
Where's it biding?
Don't look down,
the ground is brown.
Maybe soon
a dandelion will bloom
though I can't be sure
maybe winter's still here.
A smile for you all.
Spring is in the air
Now poetry has a flair;)
Found a spring thing on ebay:
http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/MTYwMFg4ODc=/z/NDsAAOxyjxlTOKOF/$_57.JPG
Beautiful,so you, Puddle. Hope your purchased it.
Snow tonight here, aarrgghh!
Ya. I did. One of those things that spoke to ma heart, lol!
That is beautiful, Puddle. Exciting colors and patterns.
Ah, Spring's a certainty,
I have that on the authority
of two sagebrush buttercups
I saw as I was hanging up
the laundry.
Like green yellow buttons
with minute blade-like leaves
they popped up in the pine tree duff
and for me that was enough!
Yea, Spring!
Cool! A poetry slam!
A happy day and may hugs all around.
My first things in flower are the coltsfoot. Just flowers, the leaves follow. Then in about two weeks, the lionstooth.
Spent a good chunk of this day putting up wallpaper in our living room. We are actually good at doing things like this together. Had a really tense moment when the paper tore at a tough spot, but with perseverance it came out great! So grateful we bought really good quality paper.
Pat, I love the lightheartedness of your sagebrush buttercup poem. Thanks for that. ♥
Kiddle's packing for a week's work trip to Cuba. Some peeps from his church are going to help rebuild a church in Havana. He sounds excited.
Hurrah for Kiddle!!!
Cool, sweet, rainy spring day!
Warm, rainy here also--but waiting for sunshine.
Handy Helper took my car to dealership for its annual exam. All good to go with a new battery. Not having a
a conk out on the way to Puddle or to-ing and fro-ing
to the new doc in the next town over!
I started the car the other day, with great fear that it wouldn't, since it hadn't been since before Christmas! Started like a dream!
Whoop-de-doo--we are ready to celebrate, Puddle!
Ah, puddle, your kiddle is one of the Best Ever! <3
Super glad to hear your car runneth!
We topped 60F today!!
While I was in town (two towns from here), I heard and saw Redwinged Blackbirds and saw a pair of Turkey Vultures riding thermals. All good signs of Spring! :-)
More wallpaper got put up tonight. We are making progress. Almost have one wall done. It's going to look pretty great in here!
It was 60 here yesterday as well. Burt even got out and swept the patio. Sure looks nice. I hope everyone has a good spring like day!
Hugs all around.
Good Morning. Beautiful day today.
Off to Estes for errands. Puddle, Peter Hessler has a new book, mostly nonfiction stories from China. It's called Strange Stones. We have a friend who collected them: stones shaped like animals, plants, maybe with beautiful mineral strains in them. Anyway, the book is great reading. I got it from the library.
Have a good day, friends.
Got an email from the kiddle (I'm still laughing):
http://video.foxnews.com/v/3442205465001/new-navy-technology-could-change-the-way-we-fight-live/#sp=show-clips
the CBS interview was better, but really, we don’t need the publicity.
Right in my laboratory. Just before I head to Cuba on a mission trip. This could be trouble for me. Of course I’m nowhere to be seen. I had to lay low.
Signed,
Your anonymous family member
My five are going to love " your anonymous family member"--:)
Oops that was me--noanon
His sense of humor is more like my Dad's than anyone else I've ever known. Very dry, and never sarcastic. I'd think he was a reincarnation except they over lap by about five months.
One psyche passing into another on the way?
Today, Mizzen & Spinnaker turned 2 years old! :-)
Today I found three Tulip and one Daffodil poking up in my sunniest garden!
Today I saw a flock of American Robins (not the Canadian Robins we've and all Winter)!
Today we had thunderstorms at 4am and Spring Rain all day!
Today the interior of my MINI Cooper got detailed!
A great day for signs of Spring! :-D
puddle….LOL!
Spring day with a sudden spring shower--just as I was
coming back across the street to The Lofts! Back to sunshine now. Love to all.
I thought you might enjoy a little Vermont ramble, so here is the link to my album "April so far" which I will be adding to as the month progresses. Feel free to peek in any time. :-)
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10152428937691754.1073741930.637766753&type=1&l=b1bc25db38
Howard Dean sighting:
http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2014304070035
I can't believe they used such a poor photo. And I'm so sorry I didn't know Howard was speaking!! I was about 5 minutes away at the time, too!
Sorry--been AWOL because the last half of "As Time Goes By" and "The . . . Yaya Sisterhood." Didn't sleep, either.
Had actually avoided the YaYa movie for years, 'cause I loved the book so much and I didn't see how they could possibly make a decent movie out of it. I was wrong: the book and movie are not the same, but both are marvelous!!!
I always love your movie reviews, Puddle. The Netflix subscription my kids give me for my birthday every year
is one of the joys of my life--nights that is. I get the discs and I love that they are replacing the old discs with new
ones which have lovely photos on the top. I may add the
Ya-Ya movie to my queue now. Thanks.
Bill and I watch As Time Goes By over and over and over. I gave the whole series to him for Christmas a few years ago. Best thing I ever bought. :-)
Had a bear of an evening at the Library. Grrr. The people were great, my immediate supervisor, though, was in tense mood when I arrived and it never abated. Egads. It sure makes for a long night when it's aimed at me. I need to figure out how to respond in a way that is respectful yet makes her back off. I'm not sure that latter is possible. Could be the only way to change the situation is to exit, i.e. quit. I don't want to quit, but I sure wouldn't mind being home. Ha!
What other movies have folks here loved?
Some of mine are:
Miss Potter (about Beatrix Potter; a beautiful movie!)
Ladies in Lavender (Judi Dench and Maggie Smith together!)
While You Were Sleeping (such great dialogues!)
Pride and Prejudice (the version with Kiera Knightly as Elizabeth Bennett)
Anna and the King (with Jodie Foster as Anna)
Other old TV Shows I still appreciate, include:
The Courtship of Eddie's Father (very dated time period, but oh the dialogues between father and son! Beautiful!!)
Northern Exposure (especially the episode The Great Fish)
The Carol Burnette Show
M*A*S*H
NW VT is expecting 75F on Monday (=What!?!=) and 3-8" of snow on Tuesday night, with a high on Wednesday of 39F. So that means we're getting Summer and Winter next week. What happened to Spring?
Will we really get snow? Does 75F mid-April suggest we'll have 100's come July? Will I need to buy my first ever air conditioner?
Good Morning,
I know, Listener, winter and summer in a couple of days?! Today 75 degrees here, tomorrow, snow predicted. How to figure this?
A friend gave us a daffodil last Easter. It's up and blossoming. So nice.
I'm sorry that Kathleen Sibelius is still being criticized. Mistakes will always be made, and the quota was met. I wish we wouldn't be so hard on people who serve in government. It's a difficult job, and when there is integrity and enormous effort, that should be praised. Sometimes I think we assume that people in government are to meet our satisfaction, and if they don't we criticize them harshly and sometimes unfairly. Just my take.
There's a new series coming up this Sunday, called The Years of Living Dangerously with David Cameron who produced Avatar. It's supposedly about the environment. I'll let you know since I hope to watch it.
Have a good day, friends.
I think Hillary has just passed her first campaign test!
A woman from the audience threw a shoe at her and she
responded with a few funny remarks and continued on....
I agree Pat about Kathleen Sibelius. Unfortunately, we are still at the point where women are more subject to
criticism than men...
I
common dreams snip
"And what if Sanders does run? Since he already has substantial national recognition, it will be very difficult to deny him access to the televised debates. So, if and when we tune in, we might actually hear something about the problem of the country’s drift toward an oligarchy of billionaires and corporations buying elections. Or about how we could have rebuilt our highways five times over on what we’ve spent on the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars. Or a call for a national jobs program to rebuild the infrastructure. Or a Medicare-for-all, single-payer program to supplant the Obama’s administration’s Affordable Care Act.
If Sanders runs, we may not agree with him on everything. And we will almost certainly have issues that we wish he would speak to or emphasize more. And yet the difference between him and the Biden/Clinton/Kerry/Obama mainstream Democratic Party point of view will likely be obvious across the board. A left point of view will enter the discussion in all sorts of places it usually doesn’t, well beyond the debates themselves.
Go, Bernie
Throw more shoes at Hillary
Sea
I love Bernie--but there is no way he would win a Primary.
If he runs as an independent there is no organization in place to back him. He is far too valuable in the Senate to chance losing that seat--as it is withElizabeth Warren.
I think Hillary can handle any more shoes that come her way!
Life is complicated, isn't it? I actually like Ashley Judd in YaYa. At the same time remembering how Edwin felt about her. She was in his production of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. And quit early. Which shut the whole production down, and cost everyone their jobs. His view was that the injury was fake. I think if he'd met her at a party he might have actually done something. . . . So I can't watch her without that as an overlay.
Thanks for that Puddle. It is an insider's peek
at a performer. Will remember when I watch the Ya Ya movie.
Yep, life is complicated and seems to get more so as we get older. I guess by then we have all developed our own
coping mechanisms for the unexpected or unwanted
things that come our way.
Lol! Kinda supports my belief that the teaparty and the left puritans are closer to each other than either is to the rest of us. . . .
Retweeted by Small Penis Gun Club
Top Conservative Cat @TeaPartyCat 24m
Fox News tonight: One hour on the American hero who threw her shoe at Hillary Clinton because of Bengahzi-IRS-fast&furious-umbrella-gate.
Supposed to be 80º tomorrow. *Way* too hot for early April. Wondering if Global Climate Change means the loss of the middle? No spring, no fall, just winter and summer? No April and October, just January and July?
Hi Puddle, I agree, extremes, not just in months or weeks but days. It was 74 yesterday, went for a hike in what's called The Devil's Backbone, jagged and columned rocks over red buttes. There were lots of people walking, biking, even riding horseback, and people repairing damaged trails from all the rain in fall. So many were friendly, saying hi to Molly, calling her buddy.
Today, cloudy, cooler. Tonight and tomorrow snow predicted. HUH?! We are in climate change and as David says, this may be the new norm.
Went to Daz Bog poetry session today. It's wonderful, all the individual poems. There were 7 of us, just the right size group for examining poems, responding, and some conversation on the way.
Glad to be here.
Yes, of course, why not, and okay, 3 inches of snow and still coming down. Merry Christmas.
Seems a logical pattern...in Texas climate there is basically winter and summer, very little of the long, lovely
fall and spring weather of Michigan..Sunny here in GSO today. I have been penned inside for the last few days --
pollen, pollen. pollen wipes me out. This too shall pass.
WOW! Such weird weather going on all over. It was glorious here yesterday.
Burt and I went to the King County Democratic Central Committee's convention. Burt really didn't like being dragged out as we were going to be discussing the platform, people flagging what they didn't like, then lots of discussion and voting.
Burt usually comes off as a mild mannered, easy going person. But when there are things being proposed that are not in the interest of either people or the party, he really can be passionate and eloquent in his speaking.
He got up to speak against using nuclear power (can't believe that people actually still support it) and a few other things. And cleared up some very ambiguous wording that, unfortunately, could not be removed and replaced (rules???? oy). So by the end, everyone realized what was MEANT to be said, but because of rules, could not be changed so the whole thing had to be struck.
After the meeting, the chair of the platform and resolution committee came up to him and asked that he please consider being on the committee.
I was so proud of him. I thanked him for speaking out and he thanked me for dragging him, kicking and screaming, into the process. He so needs to be a part of our political process, but he hates the bickering that goes on. Us Democrats are a bunch, aren't we. But, always in the interest of what's good for the community and mankind.
It looks to be a glorious day again today. Going to spend it with my faux grandkid making a special dessert for her mom's birthday then going to some sort of sporting event that only she and I want to go to. Her because she loves it. Me because it gives me a chance to have her all to myself for some chatting.
Have a wonderful day, you all. many hugs and kisses all around.
Yes, it's coming around, political participation needed. I'm glad to hear of your and Burt's involvement.
I've come to think that the right wing, the Republicans are simply not viable in any way whatsoever. Ten years ago, I would have tried to find some way to at least have a discussion. Not so now.
We just heard from a friend in Estes Park who began the Dean Meetups. He asked if we would like to start meeting again. Yes. We have to do that.
I'm reading Al Gore's The Future: Six Drivers of Global change. It's too important to all the inhabitants of planet earth not to engage, to do our best to have a future. Some huge changes will have to take place, and I wonder if we can do it. Water and topsoil resources, land, food, so many essential issues need to be addressed with sustainability as a goal.
And so it begins again.
"Always we begin again."
I'm right behind you, Pat. 77F predicted for tomorrow, then 35F for a high on Wednesday. Precipitation overnight Tuesday is expected to be snow from 9pm on, too, so I guess we have to make hay while the sun shines.
81º today, 26º predicted for Tuesday night, though no snow. The heat today has a distinctively summer feeling to it.
Hi, we just finished watching Years of Living Dangerously on show Time. As David remarked, it's Al Gore writ simple, which is needed. Thomas Friedman, Harrison Ford and others narrate and report. Friedman is investigating whether the drought in Syria was the main impetus for war; Indonesia is burning off its rain forest and planting palm trees for palm oil. There is no protection for the national park nor stopping the burning. In Plainview, Texas, the slaughter house closed, and 2400 people lost their jobs. Drought was the reason they couldn't raise cattle there.
It's a good program, addressing climate change caused by humans directly. It has the feel of a documentary. It's necessary, I think, because Gore's book is so dense with research and information, most people won't read it.
I'm glad that this program has debuted. It is a series. We're in for some dangerous and difficult times if we don't address these issues.
Well, good night friends. I just wanted to report to you.
Doctoring mercies today, Shirlee! ♥
BTW, got my coltsfoot in bloom, and some minor bulbs in the garden. . . . And the peepers never got snowed on, lol!
Interesting discussion, folks. I loved the comment about Democrats and our diverse opinions. How right and appropriate. How else can we be the Big Tent.
Thanks, Puddle for the doctor wishes. Will keep you
posted as to what interesting plan he devises:)
Talk to you all later S.
Super Whoop-Dee-Do! Yes, I will need surgery on the lesion on my tongue and to have left lymph gland removed because of potential future problems.
Anesthetic will be delivered through a fiber optic thread
to get it to me safely. But, GOOD NEWS it will not be
until after the early part of May. SO--Puddle, continue to
save the first week-end in May for us. We will be there
with flying colors!!!
Ah, Shirlee, sounds like a good projected outcome, and possible. And the timing is wonderful. . . .
♥
I'm glad, Shirlee, that there is a corrective and that you'll be able to visit before the surgery.
Today, bright and sunny, snow melting.
Tomorrow, I go in for cataract surgery on my left eye. Send me your thoughts.
Best wishes, Pat. Cataract surgery has become very safe and most helpful. I have had both eyes done and later
some laser work to do a small correction. Not uncommon
After you heal you will be very happy you had it done, I believe. We have come a long way when one was hospitalized with head immobilized for ten days!
Will be thinking of you.
Lucked out on our timing, Puddle. Part of it is evaluation of spinal x-rays taken today and a later meeting with the anesthesiologist. Add to that the Doc will be out of town
for a few days--and we have it made! I am very grateful
for Medicare, my university BC/BS tweaked a bit for the
better by the ACA. I can' imagine having to take on this
cost myself.
Ah, Pat, heart will be with you!
As someone who is only allowed to eat because of the genius of the surgeon David Jones, believe me, modern medicine can and does make huge differences in our lives.
*** It's gone! All our snow and ice is gone! ***
As I write this, a line of heavy rain is approaching (Wind Advisory and Flood Watch in effect), and tomorrow night we are expecting maybe 3" of snow. It will melt off by the end of the week, so early on Easter morning we're expecting a fresh dusting of snow ~ I guess to make everything the liturgically correct colour. Ha!
Pat, my prayers are with you for the cataract surgery. Shirlee makes an excellent point about the way it used to be done vs now…! It's still surgery and that is never an easy thing to do, least of all when it's on such a sensitive and vital part of us as an eye. May your team be top notch; may your butterflies behave; and may your healing be swift and complete. ♥
♥ Shirlee! What wonderful news for you. I am glad for your reprieve and for the good news of prognosis!
And now I can smell the approaching rain. The wind just shifted and I can smell warm earth, and the distinct scent of water. Ahhhhh.
Looks like this time around with the phone line, about twenty other peeps are in the same boat with me. And we STILL can't get a repairman before the 23rd. . . .
Gosh, puddle. They say we're supposed to have 6 careers in our lifetime. I wish I could become a phone line repair person and be your personal repair peep! ♥
Today's edition of the National Nurse Newsletter featured the Vermont Legislature's recent passage of a joint Resolution in support of the National Nurse Act. I wrote a blurb for it from the perspective of a grandmother, and Nurse Teri included a photo of me with three of my Grands. Well! Here's the best part! She sent me a note today to thank me and to let me know that the very first response she had to the News was from Howard Dean! :-D The Guv is very pleased that Vermont came through again. (This is the second supportive Resolution that they've passed!)
Longtime Dean Blogger, Liane Allen of Vermont, needs a little help:
http://www.gofundme.com/GreenPlanetHeroes
Pat, by this time, your cataract surgery should be done. You will be thrilled at the results. Amazing surgery at this time in our lives.
Heal quickly!
Getting ready to visit the daughter and grand at the end of the month and there is SOOOOOOOOOOOO much work to be done, both at home and at work.
Loves and hugs all around.
Pat, ♥
Cold, windy, rainy. Below freezing tonight. Have turned two heaters back on, after a week of none. Feels like a setback.
Just returned from cataract surgery. The clarity! Yes amazing. The surgery itself took about 8 minutes. Now my better eye is cloudy in comparison to my left that has received a new lens. It lasts a lifetime, I was told.
Thank you dear friends for your support, advice, and good thoughts. I am thrilled. I was thinking on the way home of Milton's poem on his blindness, which was the case before such amazing technology, skill, and knowledge. I am so blessed.
You are welcome, Pat--so glad you can now see all your
beautiful country more clearly--and continue to give us
your poetry.
Someone here, Puddle as I remember, was asking about other favorite movies. Horton Foote, who wrote the screenplay for "To Kill a Mockingbird" has some fine movies. "TenderMercies," "A Trip to Bountiful," "1918."
Foote's home was in Wharton TX and most of his movies
are a loving, but clear eyed look at life in and around a town like his. Robert Duvall was in many of his movies.
Wharton,Tx is a county seat town and is about 30 miles inland from the coast. (Geography lesson:)!
{{{ {{ { ♥ P ♥ A ♥ T ♥ ! ♥ } }} }}}
What lovely news to come home to!
I am so happy to hear it went well, and quick, and that you already have the benefit of the surgery! WOW!
We broke a precipitation record here today. Previous record for April 15th was 1.41" in 1942. We're already up to 1.51" and it's 9:30pm. So much rain today that the water was over the road in a bunch of places. The fire department was on scene in one place 3 miles from me, where the river was raging along its banks and flooding a road; they were making sure it was safe for folks to cross and ready to close it when needed. It's 2 miles from my house to work, and there was water level with the road when I was driving in. It would have gone over the road, but that the precip turned to snow first. We had an inch on the ground when I got home around 8:20pm. Lake Champlain is reaching flood stage too.
Good Morning,
Bright, sunny, and very clear day today. Thank you for your good wishes.
I go in for a post op this noon.
Here's the poem "On His Blindness" by John Milton.
What happens with cataracts without this technology, I'd eventually go blind. These synthetic lenses should last for a lifetime. What an amazing technology!
On His Blindness
When I consider how my light is spent
Ere half my days in this dark world and wide,
And that one talent which is death to hide
Lodg'd with me useless, though my soul more bent
To serve therewith my Maker, and present
My true account, lest he returning chide,
"Doth God exact day-labour, light denied?"
I fondly ask. But Patience, to prevent
That murmur, soon replies: "God doth not need
Either man's work or his own gifts: who best
Bear his mild yoke, they serve him best. His state
Is kingly; thousands at his bidding speed
And post o'er land and ocean without rest:
They also serve who only stand and wait."
John Milton
Ah, Pat. Isn't the surgery just amazing?! I was thrilled with mine as well. don't remember if I mentioned that they corrected one eye to 20/20 and the other eye to 20/40. One for distance, one for reading. Cut my prescription for my readers from 3.00 to 1.25. Love it.
I'm colder than the temp would suggest. And I'm tired of being cold. I *want* some consistent spring, damnit!
Same here, Puddle. I have had my two little space heaters on--bedroom and living room all day.
BUT, we lucked out on the surgery schedule. Pre-op
day is Wednesday after we return and surgery on Tuesday of the following week! The day before pre-op is
Primary day in NC. Can't miss that. Stop the worst of the Repubs anyway, I hope!
Pat, I'm eager to hear how your post-op went.
Shirlee, I am very pleased for you that the timing works out so beautifully!
puddle, sending you warm thoughts and many mercies!
I'm rather tired tonight. We've been going full tilt on renovations and today we decided to slow it down a little. Hurrah! Plan A was to be done by our anniversary on June 28th. Somehow we got going so fast that it would have been largely done by Mother's Day…! The level of energy out and focus that pace requires was wiping us out. Fortunately, sanity has prevailed. LOL!
Still feel cold, but the day is bright an warming.
Talked to Thankful for about three hours last night. What a lovely friend she is, and has been! She sez Hi! to ya'll.
My phone line, BTW, will let me talk, but is having a helluva time downloading info from the nets.
Have to do a major wardrobe search--was checking last night for the dress I planned to wear for the Shirlee Meetup, and evidently sometime I don't recall, I moved things around. . . . Can't imagine I boxed it up, but there ya go.
Whatever you wear you will be beautiful,
Puddle. My tights are getting well worn
and just across the street I found some
colorful, easy to wear tunic dresses. I thought
I would let you be the judge:). Brenda will be
In slacks and a colorful top--guaranteed.
So--we can give the folks in the Hampton Inn
lobby an eclectic fashion show!
Hmmmm--because of the way I heard it on the radio, I mistooked the lady with the shoe and the lady with babies in shoe boxes to be the same. They're not. Just more insanity than it's easy to take in. . . .
listener's question about favorite movies. . . .
Favorite Movies Zorba, Gone With, Never on, Black Orpheus, The Crying Game, 最后皇帝, Thelma and, Fantasia, Last Tango in Paris
Hi friends,
Quick drop in. Listener, thanks for asking. The post-op was great. The eye pressure is 18, whatever that means, and it's just where it's supposed to be. It takes a month to heal and I'll have another post-op exam in two weeks.
As I sat in the patient's room, I was amazed at the technology and machinery. Sheer genius to have designed and manufactured the equipment and devices that can measure the eye. And the skilled doctors, nurses, the medicines, we have come so far. For all the ill humans do, the efforts and research to heal, improve, and help are stupendous.
I elected to keep my near sightedness, though they worked on my astigmatism. There were choices, and I took the more cautious one.
Some of my favorite movies are the Lord of the Rings Trilogy, The Year of Living Dangerously, Les Miserables to suggest a few.
A nice bright day today, though still cool.
So refreshing to pop by here and see how everyone is faring. Everyone sounds good, and there's even a Thankful hallo? This is a good day!
Add to this that the coworker who is so abrasive went home early (pre-arranged). I also learned that the cause of her recent tension and snakiness is that her ex-husband's congestive heart failure (on top of lung cancer) has progressed so that breathing is difficult. They are frustrated that the docs don't seem concerned. I don't know how much of it is that the docs are frustrated that he won't stop smoking or drinking (alcoholism) and won't consent to some hospital stays. Not sure how much they can help him just with meds (and I say this as a former chaplain on a cardiac unit who also companioned a patient who was dying of lung cancer). He's her ex, but she only divorced him hoping that would cause him to stop drinking. He didn't.
Anyway, it always helps to know. It doesn't mean it's okay that she gets snarky, but it makes it understandable.
Tonight I got to thank in person my town legislators who were instrumental in passing the VT Resolution in support of the National Nurse Act. That was so much fun to do! :-) I also wrote them thank-yous earlier today.
BIG NEWS IN VERMONT!!!
Yesterday the VT Senate passed a bill that would require a no-strings-attached GMO Labeling law. It passed 28-2 and is expected to be agreed to by the House and signed by Gov. Shumlin. wOOt!
http://mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSBREA3F1KP20140416?irpc=932
They are even going to set aside some fund age for the expected Monsanto lawsuit. Awesome!
See how strong people can be when they've had a big dose of Dean over the years? ;-)
fund age = fundage with a computer adding some spacing.
Good Morning,
Still slogging through the Al Gore book, The Future: Six Drivers of Global Change, but the information is astonishing. Just in bio engineering of the human genome, plants, animals, pharmaceuticals, if ever change and evolution were in doubt, the research and conclusions Al Gore makes refute that.
Listener, I had a dream that we bought an old small house, and I looked all around thinking how much we'd have to do to renovate it, and said we should break the contract. I think your redecorating had an influence. A smile here.
I'm hoping we'll have a Democratic landslide. The health care law now has 8 million people and 35% are those younger than 25. Yea! I hope Democrats will show some spine and laud it. I'm dismayed and disgusted with the lies, ideology, and propaganda of the Republicans, the denial of the common good. It's cooperation that has produced more good than any competition ever did, so I've read.
Just finished Julian Barnes' book, Levels of Life, that is so sad in his grief over his wife's death that I had to put it down. He so illustrates grief that it becomes an affirmation of sorrow that the reader has known, and finally a catharsis. A beautiful book.
Guess with this spring by fits and starts has put me in a reading mode.
A couple more films I've loved: Pan's Labyrinth, The Life of Pi, And About Schmidt.
Have a good day, friends.
A couple more films, the 1962 Cannes Film Festival winner, the ballet cinema, The Lovers of Teruel, I loved so much I sat through the second showing. I found it on the Internet and ordered it.
Also, Avatar was enthralling.
Lots of good movie choices here, Thanks folks.
Today is our Danish exchange student's 63rd birthday.
It is a joy that we have kept in close contact
since she was 18! Time to call her now and wish her
a happy birthday!
I'm off to San Jose to visit my daughter and grand for a week. Tomorrow, we go hiking, Monday we do fishing. What a blast.
So I won't be back here until I get back. Many hugs to all.
Have a grand time, Barb! And let's all not forget that this
is the 18th of April! The day Paul Revere took his famous
ride--you know the 18th of April in '75..... I remember this
only because it is also the birthday of our Danish exchange student who was with us from August 1969-
August 1970. It was a wonderful year for our family--
Called to wish her a Happy Birthday--her 63rd--how can that be? Time does fly!d
Beautiful day--warm and overcast but definitely spring.
Barb, have a lovely time. And, Pat, glad this is working so well for you.
listener, good that you got enough information to lighten your experience with her. . . .
I need a slender balloonist with piercing blue eyes. . . .
Nice messages, Puddle, and a grin at the blue eyed balloonist.
Wish us all a spring, renewal, and love.
Bright new spring thread.
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