A Nod to a Wonderful Blogger for a Necessary and Timely Blog

I'm taking a page from the years I worked in the corporate world where we were encouraged to shamelessly steal ideas that were smart, beneficial and timely. Rather than shamelessly stealing it, I choose to call it shamelessly sharing. That's my intent today - to share.

 

I don't know anyone who could have stated the need for this blog in any more of an urgent or honest way. If you don't read anything else today, read this. There are those in our lives that we hold so dear and so deep in our hearts that we cannot ignore the dangers they can encounter on any given day. As parents, grandparents, friends we have to do our share to send them out our doors with all the ammunition we can get our hands on to ensure their safety.

 

The name of the blog site is Color Me Inspired, the blog title is '911 Emergency' and the blogger is Nicki.

http://nickicarm.blogspot.com/2012/02/911-emergency.html

 

[ Next, I'll be back with more Spring Cleaning adventures. ]

 

Golf, Politics and Beyond

:Not Doing So Well with that Whole 'Spring Cleaning' thing.

OK - Sunday I got things done. Not so much for Monday and today (Tues.), though.

 

Yesterday I went back to bed and slept two more hours. I sat down after my coffee and started reading - I'm still reading Chris Matthews' new book about President Kennedy. Then I started getting stuff prepped for a roast chicken and some roasted vegetables. The kitchen looked like I'd set off a bomb in it and it took me forever it seemed to just get it back into reasonable shape. There was no cleaning the wine shelf, so cleaning the two wire shelves and certainly no cleaning out the cabinet that holds the cans and other staples.

 

Today, wasn't any better, but I do have a bit of an excuse - it was absolutely gorgeous outside. I tackled that darned Norfolk Island Pine tree that bit the dust in my dining room. I talked to it, I re-potted it with a good mixture of soil and even had it sitting in a nice humidity bath to give it extra humidity. It just leaned more, dried out more and got to the point of being very hard, with dried out needles. It had to go.

 

So, I took it outside, cut it within 6 inches of its life - IF there's any life left - and planted it in the corner of the yard. It can't hurt. I doubt it's coming back to life, but I just couldn't bring myself to trash it . . . poor baby. I thought we had bonded - I guess not. I talked to it all the way home from the store the day I bought it and it told it things like what a nice addition it would be to my house and how much it was going to like living there and how pretty it would be with a few decorations on it. So much for TLC.

 

Anyway, I ended up spending too much time outside getting all that cleaned up, washing the stones and drying the large pan that was holding them. Oh yeah, while all that was going on I was fixing a big pot of beef and vegetable soup. After finishing all the tree mess, I made some good tuna salad and some egg salad. . . which led to another big clean up.

 

So much for the Spring Cleaning chores. I hope you guys are doing better than me. Tomorrow's another day and I'll once again plan on getting started on the house to have it ready for spring and summer. I said I wouldn't beat myself up when things went south, but I didn't expect to be heading south on days two and three.

 

I'll keep you posted. Let me know how you're coming along if you decided to come along with me on this mission. It's not too late to join me. If you don't know what I'm talking about, just read the last blog I did  . . .   http://hamptonroads.com/2012/01/day-1-spring-cleaning-begins-winter-day-wanna-join-me

 

/Golf, Politics and Beyond

Day 1 - Spring Cleaning Begins This Winter Day - Wanna Join Me?

I hate Spring-cleaning, and I hate it so much I skip it altogether, some years. Many years, actually. Not this year, though. THE MR. and I had to bite the bullet last night and buy a new dishwasher. No, I couldn't make it without one - well, I could make it, of course, but not as a relative happy camper. And, we all know what that means - when Mama's not happy, not many others in the house are happy, either. After 3 days of doing ALL the dishes I pretty much silently said, 'screw this' and told THE MR. we had to go get a new machine. Now. They had the one I wanted at the hhgregg warehouse and we could pick it up today - THE MR. is off on that adventure as I type this.

 

So, since I had to clean out where the old machine had been, I had him pull out the refrigerator, too, before he left so I could deal with whatever hell lies beneath and behind where it sits. I wasn't as bad as I imagined.

 

To get me through the cleaning of both spaces (where the dishwasher had been and where the fridge usually sits) I had to play a game of sorts and do something fun while cleaning. On top of the counter was the new Coffee-Press my son and daughter-in-law gave us for Christmas that I keep in the box. Why not put this cute little pot in action and enjoy a couple cups of coffee intermittently as I climb in and out of the tight spots I have to clean? Sounded like a good idea, and that's what I did.

Photo: That little space under the counter is what started this whole adventure ('adventure'? really?)    >>>>>>>>

 

And, then I decided why not get my spring cleaning completed this year before spring actually gets here. That way I can spend my days out in the yard helping THE MR. get his new flower bed in action and filling his new planter (remember? I thought he was going to plant me in it.) So, that's what I am going to do.

 

For the next several weeks, probably into mid March, I'm going to be a home-body exclusively. I'm going to clean a closet or clear out cabinets or rid this house of the dozens of little widgets/what-nots and so on that fill way too many little cubby holes. How does all this mess accumulate? I have no idea.

 

Want to join me? Oh, not here at my house, although your help would certainly be welcomed  - but, you can stay at your house and clean. I'll keep you up to date on what I do that contributes to me keeping my promise of doing something that relates to 'spring-cleaning' every day, and not just routine picking up and straightening up.

 

When you think about it, if we break up the chores and don't put too much pressure on ourselves to accomplish TOO many things a day, I think we might be able to avoid what often times sabotages our good intentions and goals.

 

Today is day one for me. I'm starting on the kitchen since I had no choice. Today, I'm cleaning behind/under the fridge, the top of the fridge where a whole dust-bunny hutch thrives, the space where the dishwasher goes and underneath the sink. That's it. Those are tasks I know I can complete today.

 

Tomorrow, I'm taking on the next places in the kitchen, starting at the top - the wine shelf over-top the sink, the toaster-oven and microwave that sit on the top two shelves of my wire shelves. If I have time, I'll tackle the narrow, stand-alone cabinet where I keep my cooking staples. I know that will be all I can possibly do tomorrow AND also get the 3 tubs of clothes washed that I need to do. If I don't get that cabinet cleaned out where the canned goods and staples are kept, I won't beat myself up - I'll just start with them on Tuesday.

 

How about you? Come on -  jump on board with me so we'll have the big jobs done before spring gets here, and be able to do all things we love so much WITHOUT a lot of . . . 'I really need to get that drawer cleaned out', or 'boy, I should skip golf (or whatever) today and work on those two hall closets.' I know that for me, if I can accomplish this de-cluttering and get the deep/heavy cleaning done, I'll be much more likely to be able to keep the house in good shape without it taking me a lot of time each day.

 

Let me hear from you here, as a comment, or email me at  golf-politics-beyond@cox.net   I'll post your email without using your name, unless you tell me to use your name.   WE CAN GET IT DONE.

 

Cool! I think we'll be a lot of help to each other. So, I've finished my break and my last cup of coffee and I'm off to take on those bunnies on top of my fridge. Wish me luck - I hear they don't bite; I should be OK.

 

/Golf, Politics and Beyond

 

Funny thing about this song - I hear it and it haunts me for days . . .

I was reading a Face Book post today from Anne Rice (the novelist) and she was talking about the song, BARBARA ALLEN sung by Art Gunfunkel and how much she liked it. For me, though, it's a different Garfunkel song (that he wrote) that is my favorite, BRIGHT EYES, from the old, animated movie, WATERSHIP DOWN.

 

 I can't see this clip and hear the haunting vocals of Art Garfunkel without being useless for the rest of the day. The song and the images all but rip my heart out of my chest.. Sorry, I know that sounded overly dramatic, but I watch the videos from this movie with Garfunkel's vocals in the background and I turn to putty. (Pathetic, I imagine, but true. ha)

 

Do you remember the movie, the song? Give this clip a look and listen, and let me know what you think. Or, tell me what other songs/music combine with scenes from movies to render you 'useless for the rest of the day'.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MODq81_cDKI

 

"Bright eyes, burning like fire

Bright eyes, how can you close and fail?

How can the light that burned so brightly,

Suddenly burn so pale?

Bright eyes.."

 

 

Golf, Politics and Beyond

Local Attacks on a Woman's Right to Choose.

If you live outside of Virginia think twice before making a decision when you think VA might be a nice place to live. If you are a member of the GOP's far, far right, evangelical gang, you might find this a fun place. If not, you might want to keep on looking. 

 

http://hamptonroads.com/2012/01/va-senate-panel-oks-requiring-ultrasound-abortion

 

For a party which screams its love of small government, the VA GOP leadership seems to be doing their damnedest to creep into every private place that they can - both literally and figuratively.

 

They want to go into bedrooms to determine WHO we love. They want access to our doctor's office to STOP the distribution of legal drugs because - OMG - it could be BIRTH CONTROL, such as the 'morning-after-pill'. And, now they want to visit our wombs because they think any woman who seeks an abortion must have an ultrasound, to hopefully make her change her mind. They have absolutely no regard for what a woman has been through to make such a decision, and they no way of knowing what her circumstances are.

 

Here's a thought - why don't you folks find a nice psychiatrist to visit and see if the two or you can figure out what your preoccupation with other people's body parts is all about. Did your Mom not love you enough? Was your potty instruction not proper? Surely there is a logical reason that makes you so darned interested in every woman's reproductive organs.

 

Here's another thought. Why not spend some time going into those private places that men have. Why not make a law forcing a man to have a vasectomy if ANY woman he's impregnated has or has had an abortion? Since it's primarily men who are so outspoken in attempts to repeal a woman's right to choice, I suspect they'll never go after their bud's body parts. It's the OUCH! factor, don't-cha-know. That, and the WE ARE MEN, THE CREATORS (beating on chests) factor.

 

Why must it always be the uteri and ovaries you people assault?

 

If you GOP-ers see this as a 'Lefty Rant' you might be somewhat smarter than I thought.  And, no, I have no second thoughts about it.

 

/Golf, Politics and Beyond

 

 

'Snail Mail,' as it's called, Puts a Big, Big Smile on My Face.

I pulled a large business-looking envelope out of the mailbox yesterday and let out a long, disgusted sigh. I figured it was yet another company trying to sell me health insurance. A lot of those envelopes have landed in my mailbox since I started approaching a certain age. Geesh!

 

Turning the envelope over I found a stamp and some familiar handwriting that made me smile from ear-to-ear.

 

When we visited with my son's family at Thanksgiving I took Dylan two sheets of new postal stamps that had all kinds of Pixar cartoon character's on them. I told him that he could send me anything he wanted to, and I would especially like to get some pictures from him and Logan and his big sister, Megan, that they had drawn.

 

Needless to say I was thrilled to find this picture.  I love the hearts on it and  the red and white petaled flower Dylan created with some cool cut-outs. I'm thinking Valentines Day is just around the corner and this picture will replace the Christmas one he drew that's in a frame. I love this!

 

So, here's a special 'Thank You' note for my favorite little boy. He's doing so well with sounding out his words I think he will probably be able to read this note with very little help:

 

DEAR  DYLAN,

I  LOVE  THE  PICTURE!  THANK  YOU  SO  MUCH  FOR  MAKING  IT  FOR  ME.  WILL  YOU  TELL  YOUR  MOM  I  THANK  HER  TOO,  FOR  MAILING  IT? 

I  CAN  TELL  THAT  YOU  SPENT  A  LOT  OF  TIME  ON  THIS.  YOU  GOT  THE  PETALS  TO  THE  FLOWER  JUST  RIGHT  AND  THE  HEARTS  TOO.  I  WILL  BE  PUTTING  IT  IN  A  FRAME  FOR  VALENTINES  DAY.

THIS  MADE  ME  SO  HAPPY  AND   I  REALLY  WANT  MORE  FROM  YOU  SOON.

MAYBE  YOU  CAN  GET  MEGAN  AND  LOGAN  TO  MAKE  ME  A  PICTURE,  TOO.

GRANDPA  AND  I  LOVE  YOU  VERY  MUCH.

 I  HOPE  YOU  ARE  HAVING  A  LOT  OF  FUN  IN  SCHOOL  AND  LEARNING  MANY  NEW  THINGS.  SEE  YOU  SOON.

LOVE,      GRANDMA

 

 

 

/Golf, Politics and BEYOND  (via Grandma)

 

 

The President's on a Roll, and Sounds Pretty Good, Too.

President Obama ditty of Al Green's song is a hoot; and he's not bad on vocal imitation, either.

 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/20/obama-al-green-apollo-theater_n_1218070.html

 

You go, Mr. President! You made me laugh first thing this morning, and I appreciate that from anyone.

 

/Golf, POLITICS and Beyond

The President Wants to See Betty White's Long-Form Birth Certificate -

If you haven't seen this short video message from President Obama to Betty White on her 90th birthday, here it is. It drew a big smile and chuckle from me. Click the link, and then click the big arrow in the frame where the president's sitting at his desk:

 

www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/17/obama-betty-white-birth-certificate_n_1210544.html

 

/Golf, POLITICS and Beyond

Luke Donald: "It’s not that hard, be ready when it’s your turn. . . "

In the Virginian-Pilot's SPORTS section today, a short quote from his Twitter tweet showed up from professional golfer, Luke Donald:

 

"It’s not that hard, be ready when it’s your turn. Slow play is killing our sport.” 

 

Here is his short blurb in its entirity:  http://epilot.hamptonroads.com/Olive/ODE/VirginianPilot/LandingPage/LandingPage.aspx?href=VmlyZ2luaWFuUGlsb3QvMjAxMi8wMS8xOA..&pageno=MjM.&entity=QXIwMjMwMQ..&view=ZW50aXR5

 

Well, major kudos to Mr. Donald! I'm thrilled to hear him say that and I'm glad he stated it so simply. I know he was speaking to professional golfers who he competes with on the PGA tour; but, the amateurs on world-wide golf courses, every day should steal that remark and make it their mantra to play by, also.

 

Mr. Donald suggests the (pro) golfers 'sort it out', regarding slow play. When you think about it, though, there's very little to sort out - pro or amateur. It still boils down to having already determined what club to use, having it in our hands, taking a practice swing if we need it, glancing down the fairway at the green and (Voila!) BAM! - hitting the ball. 

 

It's neither hard nor rocket science.

 

Thank you, again, LD. With golf season coming up, it needed to be said.

 

/GOLF, Politics and Beyond

 

A Bit of the Macabre in the Back Yard on New Year's Eve

 

As a result of the great weather THE MR.'s been hammering away out in the back yard for two days now. Curiosity being what it is, I took a walk out there a while ago to see just what he was up to.  Above is what welcomed me. What's this, I wondered.

 

  A few moments later to my surprise, I turned around to find this  >   >   >

 

"It's a planter." THE MR. says.

 

Hmmm. What's he going to plant? What's the hatchet for? And, the shovel . . .

 

Should I be concerned? Is this his version of 'American Gothic'? Did he mean 'planter', or 'plant-her'?

 

To all of you who have stopped by here in 2011, I thank you for reading 'Golf, Politics and Beyond; and for all the interesting and thought provoking comments. Even when we disagreed, vehemently, I was glad to see your comments.

 

I wish each of you a safe, healthy, fun-filled 2012. It's looking like the new year will be quite interesting, indeed.

 

See you in the new year . . . I hope. Still wondering about that  . . . planter . . .

 

/Golf, Politics and BEYOND