Cottonjin

Mardi Gras week I was sick as a dog and I did not drink anything, I did however have a peanut butter sandwich or two from the batch number with the verboten numbers. If what I had was salmonella...YUCK...if it was a transient stomach, double yuck, whatever it was I wished I had partied so there would have been a reason for feeling so bad. Of course I got well. I have been to Jackson, MS twice in the past week, will go again on Thursday...hubby had some weird thing happen to his surgery site...so they are going in and "fix that" tomorrow...six hours of driving for a 2 hour visit is not fun, dogs are being good about it...yes, dogs, adopted a stray just before Thanksgiving, some one dumped the poor little guy off down by the creek, and he followed us home...I get the blame cause I petted him...though my fierce husband, said go home so patiently, I think the pup thought it was an invite!

At any rate Red Dog has joined us, and he is a total character, he is part Golden Retriever, part Hound with a bit of Chow for good measure. Sweet, lovable and goofy describes him, and smart enough and large enough that since the 1st week, not accident one, which is a real blessing when training a pup. His is now taller than Mrs. Murphy, she has lost 10 pounds racing and tearing about the yard with him, that's right gals, get you a younger man that likes to frolic and watch those pounds melt away!

That's about all that's happening in my little swampy world.

What can I say, the temperature was moderate, and lovely...too cool for my spoiled bones to want to swim in the pool, but great for hot tubbing! There was such joy, happiness in the air, even with all the pre-wedding weirdness, making sure tux fit, getting the liquor, preparing the food, gathering the flowers, getting the music right, hanging the disco ball, and co-ordinating what seemed like hundreds of details, a wonderful file, known as the bitch box, had the lists, recipes, to-dos, that got posted daily with sticky notes on doors, mirrors, dashboards; all came together to be one of the most memorable weddings I've attended in a long while. Lots of love, caring and work went into making it a wedding that everyone that attended will always remember.

Most of the guests were from a group of women that still hold get togethers, long after high school, and were known as the P A girls (P A standing for Port Alberni, the quaint mill town that Lynn grew up in., most had been friends since grade 1 or 2)
The gentleman that gave Lynn away was her old neighbor, Jim Rutherford, he was 90 years young, danced with everywoman at the reception, and out lasted me, who quietly slipped off at 11:30, with dancing still going on in the loft.

The loft was decked out wonderfully, checked by the fire marshal, all the flowers came from Ann Marie's gardens, which were abundantly prolific. Plants from a local nursery, adorned with Christmas lights twinkled, fabric panels adorned with shell dangles floated, the servers were relatives and students of the hosts.

The food was great, native grilled salmon, grilled chicken strips, salads, desserts, veggies,
sausage roils, mini quiche pies, nibbles and bits, and two cakes. No one left hungry...and the only reason I stayed up, was to let all that I ate settle down...oink, oink.

The brides looked great in their matching tux, and a happier couple is hard to imagine. The wedding commission was great, turned out she was an old friend of Rick Kallstroms+and he was going to recommend her to perform the ceremony, but Ann Marie had all ready asked her.

Ann Marie and her husband John hosted the event at their 5 acre farm in Sydney, BC. Ann Marie teaches music, at her music school in the converted bottom section of her barn, it has several sound proof studios for students to practice with instructors...each room is specially designed, with double doors for the grand piano room, there is also a grand piano in Ann Marie's living room. Lots of wonderful fresh food served, the only time we ate out was in Port Alberni, when Jim took us out to dinner on Thursday evening.

I tasted the blackberries, Marian berries, sweeter than black berries, a pale raspberry that is just beginning to ripen, apples, strawberries, it was just an enchanting home and farm. Some people may love their large luxurious homes, but the charming log home, and warm hospitality were greatly appreciated. So was the lovely blue skies and pleasant temperatures. And for some reason, all of the Canadians I met thought the US was bonkers to elect Bush a second term...hadn't he made a big enough mess the first time out?

Glad to be home in my own warm bed.

Well, I'm hoping they rounded up all the wild ones! At any rate bright and early...I mean disgustingly early, I'm off to BR airport to jet away to Victoria,BC...excited but apprehensive this time, usually some says plane ticket and I'm ready to go, this time with all the stuff you can't take, I'm annoyed...yeah, yeah, better safe than sorry, I wonder if the Nazi's told the Jews that as they hustled them off to concentration camps...I really don't feel safe with their crazy restrictions...just figure that the higher power that watched over me...will be there again this time. Should be fun, am packed into one carry on sized bag, that I will check...that way I'll just need to worry about essentials, and make a stop at a drug store before or after we reach our destination. Will be cousins I've never met..from US and Canada...as well as some I know...or least email. Should be lots of fun. I have a couple of fast moving Grisham books to pass the time, ones I was gonna read, but set aside...now, I can read on plane. I am unhappy about not being able to bring my own water...I like my friendly reasonably priced stuff...now I have to hope that the airline provides enough so the old kidneys don't get weird.

Hubby will stay home with the dog, I have asked him each week if he wants to go...and the answer is no, too long to sit around, he'll be just fine at home. So, the fridge is stocked, he has a few coins, so he won't starve. And plenty of dog food and treats for the spoiled Mrs. M.

These bumper stickers were compiled by Jerry Paull, a former Methodist
minister in Lakeside, Ohio, who writes: The following actual bumper stickers
are now on cars. I didn't write any of them. I'm only the messenger. If they
make you laugh, good. If they make you cry, good. If they make you angry,
that's good too. If you don't want to read them, hit the delete button.


BLIND FAITH IN BAD LEADERSHIP IS NOT PATRIOTISM

IF YOU'RE NOT OUTRAGED, YOU'RE NOT PAYING ATTENTION

IF YOU SUPPORTED BUSH, A YELLOW RIBBON WON'T MAKE UP FOR IT

POVERTY, HEALTH CARE, & HOMELESSNESS ARE MORAL ISSUES

OF COURSE IT HURTS. YOU'RE GETTING SCREWED BY AN ELEPHANT

BUSH LIED, AND YOU KNOW IT

RELIGIOUS FUNDAMENTALISM: A THREAT ABROAD, A THREAT AT HOME

GOD BLESS EVERYONE (No exceptions)

BUSH SPENT YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY ON HIS WAR

PRO AMERICA, ANTI BUSH

WHO WOULD JESUS BOMB?

IF YOU SUPPORT BUSH'S WAR, WHY ARE YOU STILL HERE? SHUT UP AND SHIP OUT

FEEL SAFER NOW?

I'D RATHER HAVE A PRESIDENT WHO SCREWED HIS INTERN THAN ONE WHO SCREWED HIS COUNTRY

JESUS WAS A SOCIAL ACTIVIST -- THAT IS A LIBERAL

MY VALUES? FREE SPEECH. EQUALITY. LIBERTY. EDUCATION. TOLERANCE

IS IT 2008 YET?

DISSENT IS THE HIGHEST FORM OF PATRIOTISM -- Thomas Jefferson

DON'T BLAME ME. I VOTED AGAINST BUSH -- TWICE!

ANNOY A CONSERVATIVE: THINK FOR YOURSELF

VISUALIZE IMPEACHMENT

HEY BUSH! WHERE'S BIN LADEN?

CORPORATE MEDIA = MASS MIND CONTROL

STOP MAD COWBOY DISEASE

GEORGE W. BUSH: MAKING TERRORISTS FASTER THAN HE CAN KILL THEM

KEEP YOUR THEOCRACY OFF MY DEMOCRACY

DEMOCRATS ARE SEXY. WHOEVER HEARD OF A GOOD PIECE OF ELEPHANT?

ASPIRING CANADIAN

CORPORATE MEDIA: WEAPONS OF MASS DECEPTION

DON'T CONFUSE DYING FOR OIL WITH FIGHTING FOR FREEDOM

STEM CELL RESEARCH IS PRO LIFE

HATE, GREED, IGNORANCE: WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION

HONOR OUR TROOPS: DEMAND THE TRUTH

REBUILD IRAQ? WHY NOT SPEND 87 BILLION ON AMERICA?

FACT: BUSH OIL

1999 - $19 BARREL 2006 - $70 BARREL

THE LAST TIME RELIGION CONTROLLED POLITICS, PEOPLE GOT BURNED AT THE STAKE

I'LL GIVE UP MY CHOICE WHEN JOHN ROBERTS GETS PREGNANT

HOW ON EARTH CAN 59,411,287 PEOPLE BE SO DUMB?

Remeber to vote so that we can maintain our independence.

Ladies & Gentlemen:

Less than one short week until the Litmus Vinyl takes the stage at Summerfest...and we're so excited that we can't wait!! We wanted to remind all of you to come on down to the Leinenkugel's/US Cellular Emerging Artists stage at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday 7/1/06 to rock out with us at the biggest music festival in the country. Send this e-mail out to everyone you know and send them down with your endorsements, as we promise a show to remember!

A new development also has the Litmus Vinyl playing on top of an English-style double-decker bus on Friday night. Mitre shoes, an English soccer, rugby, and cricket shoe company is looking to expand their line to fashon shoes and has asked the Litmus Vinyl to work with them. If you're out on Water Street or across the river on Old World Third Street, keep your eyes peele= d for a big, red, open-top, double-decker bus with the word 'MITRE' on the side...we'll be stopping in front of a bar (tentatively Brothers) at either 9:00 or 10:00 p.m. to play a set of music from the top of the bus. We understand that there will be free Water Street Brewery beer on the bus...check out www.litmusvinyl.com and www.myspace.com/litmusvinyl for additional details as we get them this week. You'll also be able to check out www.mitreshoes.com in the near future to see videotaped footage of the Litmus Vinyl on our Friday night and Saturday afternoon adventures, so that should be good times as well.

So, our biggest gig yet, our first corporate sponsership, and our first ever gig on a moving venue...catch the Vinyl on our way up, and we guarantee you won't regret it!! See ya' Saturday (if not sooner)...


the Litmus Vinyl, Chad, Seamus, Reed, Jess, Bill, & Sean

Finally read the Client- John Grisham...stayed up 1/2 the night...the man can keep me turning pages.
The Sixth Commandment - Lawrence Sanders...oh yeah, wonderfully creepy
F is for Fugitive - Sue Grafton Good read
Payment in Kind - J. A. Jance Seattle mystery, very good twists
Odds on Miss Seeton - Heron Corvic, a bit of a female Inspector Cloisseau. her screw ups actually save the day.
And now currently in the midst of Flint - Paul Eddy a female spy tale...interesting.

Call from the VA hubby has another neurology appointment next Monday, not sure what this means, hopefully nothing major, it was just supposed to be look at MRI, arrange for surgery and voila, good as new...doesn't seem to be happening...arrrgggghhhh.

Then Oldest daughter called to wish her Dad a happy father's day, torn achilles tendon, a game of duck, duck goose gone bad is what she told the ER doctor, that will require her having surgery...perhaps my cousin wasn't far from wrong when he called and asked if this was HOSPICE SOUTH...his house being HOSPICE NORTH.

My son is working many hours, he called to wish day a happy day, and actually got to see his kid about 1 1/2 on father's day, those 5pm to 5 am shifts are killers, the pay fortunately or un- makes the damned ridiculous hours worth it.

My baby child has found a job she might even stay with, West Marine, great hours for retail, 5 days a week, assistant manager, with decent pay and benefits, and good people to work with.

Just cause they turn 18 you don't stop worrying, try to be sympathetic, bite your tongue when you don't agree with their decisions, and basically be a caring parent. When they need someone to listen, you listen, and hard as it can be don't say "I told you so!"

Ken Follet-Code to Zero-a real page turner
Gail Tsukiyama- Women of the Silk - interesting slice of Chinese life
Peter Mahle- A Year in Provence-Fun visit to France
Peter Mahle- Toujours Provence- More of the same with much humor.
David Guterson- Snow Falling on Cedars - Awesome story about the Pacific Northwest, and the prejudice felt by Japanese Americans during after WWII.
E. Annie Proulx - Accordion Crimes - Fascinating travels 100 years in the life of an squezebox.
Now to see what else is on my shelves, that I've benn gonna read, but haven't gotten round to it...one thing about being retired and not traveling, you can tour the world in books, though I'd really rather be touring the world.

My friend Paul sent me this message from Kabul, Afghanistan, he is a long time peace activist, working to help bring the basic rudiments of democracy to the country with training classes for provincial leaders and elected officials. Thought some you might enjoy his take in things there, though the loss of his friends is sad.

"Discussion at dinner on Thursday inevitably turned to the
deteriorating situation in the South here -- Helmand and Khandahar
provinces -- which was on the front page of NYT four days ago. One of
the people at the table posed the rhetorical, "what do you expect?"
And then went on to describe how in the past year the US has put
something like US$1b into those two provinces...seemingly in order to
fulfill a prophecy of how bad things can get. Armaments, uniformed
personnel, poorly conceived programs, and mountains of unaccountable
cash have stimulated little more than resentment, disappointment,
corruption, and successful recruiting programs for the Taliban.

One question that needs to be asked is "Where is peace in that kind of
mindless policy?" Well, that question ought to be the domaine of
investigative media, policy makers and elected representatives. At
least the Times asked. Few are willing.

But there is another question to be asked: "What are the viable
alternatives?" You may recall the name, Tom Fox. He was the American
member of Christian Peacemaker Team who was kidnapped in November and
murdered in Baghdad seven weeks ago. Tom was from my Quaker
meeting... a friend as much as a Friend, and I was a member of his
support team at Langley Meeting.

Tom Fox's message: small, personal, thoughtful gestures -- ones that
show caring, build relationships, and allow all of us to listen and
understand. He accomplished some amazing things. Risky, yes, as we
know now. But perhaps not nearly as risky and reckless as the present
alternative course.

His passing helps keep things in perspective here."

Now I don't particularly support churches sending folks in to convert folks, but knowing many Quaker Friends, they don't "recruit" they do good things because they need doing...they don't car if you join them at meeting or not, they just hope by helping folks in difficult situations, that their lives will be easier and the world will be a better place. Not bad thinking for anyone in my opinion.

I guess I'm just perturbed by the mindless government spending, the billions in pay offs, kinda of like giving the school bully your lunch money so you won't get hurt, there has to be a better way, and people need to demand that we as a country find it. Throwing tax dollars at drug lords, and slum lords, and pompous power seeking fatherless people, is not the way to world peace. I'm not sure what is, but I am sure that foolishly giving funds to bullies problem is NOT THE ANSWER! We have kids in this country that need an education, they need real learning, they need help now, I for one think money spent on educating Americans is a way bigger priority!

There are a few things I really care about, one of them is health, everybody's health, because it is something we all need to maintain to enjoy life.

The US senate is working on eliminating certain mandatory health care items from your basic insurance, one if them is mammograms.

These should be part of every mature woman's annual check-ups, we all know the jokes, they"ain't no FUN" but they do save lives, currently I 4 living relatives because of them, and several friends who have survived the dreaded beastly big C, and one cousin dead at 51, because she didn't see the need for mammograms until it was too late, she was married to an OB/GYN doctor, she had a masters degree in Education, she knew better. That's not the way it works.

Please go to this American Cancer Society web site and let your senators know that you do not want them to support a stripped down health care bill that eliminates mammograms as required from coverage under the bill in question.

Save Mammograms and OPPOSE S.1955.

http://action.cancer.org/UM/T.asp?A5140.57015.11.1.367664

Call your Senator Now
at 1-888-NOW-I-CAN (a toll-free call)
right NOW to get connected to your
U.S. Senator's office.
It takes less than five minutes.

Thanks, Jinn

Quiet weekend, no rain, so it was out to water the plants each day, they say it was the driest March since 1840 in this area, which is great for home builders, house fixers and the guys fixing roads, but it is not great for the anything else. We're supposed tio get rain in March and April, not torrential downpours, just nice old ordinary rain!

Got started on the recommended book, looks like it will be a keeper, or perhaps a gift to someone who gets bitten by the wanderlust bug, why don't we travel when we are young like the Europeans and Australians? I think the idea of making some money, banking it and then hitting the road until it runs out is great.

Perhaps that is why my younger brother is such a pain, he opted to do those things, travel, bike, see the world, and do it all again, then I realize that he waited to almost 40 to marry, he has no kids, no cats or dogs to care for, he can! Still haven't forgiven him for sending mother wish you were here cards, when she could have been there, and I could have had a break in my care taking duties, but mother said he talked too much and bored her.

Once I longed to live the hippy life, get a van, and travel the country, hubby, said no way, not responsible, but we were young and I felt responsibility would come soon enough, being grown-up is such work!

Now that I am mature (ahem) I still want to travel, hopefully my partner heals enough to do that; otherwise all my travel will be of the arm chair variety. I have the van now, plus a zippy little toyota that isn't a gas hog, has seats that can be configured in many ways for traveling comfort, and 90% of the time they sit in the drive way!
It's spring, the gypsy blood that is in my soul wants to travel, see spring arrive all over America, all over the world!

The book arrived, this weekend is mine to read about her adventures. There are a couple more that I ordered that have creative stuff so I'll be in hog heaven for what is supposed to be a rainy weekend, still nothing but a few sprinkles, I want a gentle spring rain!
Taleked for 3 hours last night with my California cousin, she is handling her mother's death fairly well, it is really difficult not share victories and sorrows after 50 ot 60 years of having that luxury.

Your Birthdate: September 24

You understand people well and are a natural born therapist. A peacemaker, people always seem to get along when you are around. You tend to be a father or mother figure to friends, even to those older than you. You enjoy your role, and you find that you are close to many people. Your strength: Your devotion Your weakness: Reliance on others for happiness Your power color: Lilac Your power symbol: Heart Your power month: June

Are they kidding LILAC? Now I love the blossoms in the spring, the color looks good on the varied shades of blooms, but on me> In a room I am in...aaaagggrrrrrhhhh
I run screaming away in claustophic hysteria, I shall have to study this lilac thing, verrrry interesting, Natasha!

Heart, yes, I'll admit I have more than my share of heart boxes, trinket collectors, one day soon I'll line them up on my dresser, and see how many I have, now they are scattered, but for some reason the organizing bug has bit me, and the like items are at least all moving to a room where they can hang out with their friends.

As most of you know, I am spiritual, but not religious, but this cracked me up because as a former teacher, I'm sure you have one or more of these annoying responses to a lecture.

Why Teachers Weep


Then Jesus took his disciples up on the mountain and taught them,
saying:

"Blessed are the poor in spirit, Blessed are the meek, Blessed are the
merciful, Blessed are you who thirst for justice, Blessed are you who
are persecuted, Blessed are the peacemakers . . ."

And Simon Peter said, "Do we have to write this stuff down?"

And Phillip said, "Will this be on the test?"

And John said, "I'm sorry. Would you mind repeating that?"

And Andrew said, "John the Baptist's disciples don't have to learn this
stuff!"

And Matthew said, "Huh?"

And Judas said, "What does this have to do with real life?"

Then, one of the Pharisees, an expert in the law, said, "I don't see any
of this in your syllabus. Do you have a lesson plan? Is there a
summary? Where is the student guide? Will there be any follow-up
assignments? How will this affect the bell curve?"

And Thomas, who had missed the sermon, came to Jesus privately and said,
"Did we do anything important yesterday?"

And Jesus wept.

One of the local television stations in South Louisiana actually aired an interview with a black woman from New Orleans.

The interviewer was a woman from a Boston affiliate. She asked the black woman how such total and complete devastation of the churches in the area had affected their lives.

Without hesitation, the woman replied," I don't know about all those other people, but we haven't gone to Churches in years. We gets our chicken from Popeye's."

The look on the interviewer's face was priceless.

Still very dry, where are the spring rains, no rain dance though. last time we got 14 really earth sogging inches of the stuff! Watered plants, trimmed porch plants that went outside last week to catch some forecast rain, haa, the goldfish pond was down 3" and it isn't all that deep to begin with, the 1/2 barrel fountain was down even more, Mrs' M has been drinking out of it. Made a new tug rope for her today, a tee shirt that wasn't good enough for re-sale, was cut up, braided and knotted, we got plenty of exercise then she took the tug pull swimming, just a bit too chill to play with a wet rope!

Rosemary is doing well, new parsley is taking off and a window box is ready for the basil that I started in the window of the spare room, needs to be a little warm than 39 at night for me to set it free.

Finished the mallard clock that needed wood burning, still debating on whether it needs a touch of color. Now on to the Halloween vest I started 3 years ago, about time to finish that up!

I like this retirement stuff!

So if you want to see a miserable pup, Mikey check out http://www.myspace.com/doodlegoob Wonder if my daughter wants to help me with spring cleaning? Nah, would probably affect her creativity!

Ahh, what a beautiful south Louisiana day! Strange thing this morning, wonder if they busted the neighbor kid( yeah so he is about 42 now) military looking helicopter circled and circled, no lost children, but since the noise of the chopper was driving Mrs Murphy wild, we went outside, waved to a guy in the thing, and it continued to circle, I called the Sheriff's Office wondering what the heck was happening, they said they hadn't a clue, but neighbor kid and friend were crawling about in the wild tangle that separates my house from the back door neighbor, strange cars about, will probably hear about it on the nightly news.

Corned beef and cabbage tonight...once a year is about all I can handle for that stuff, but it is afterall St Patricks Day!

Will call in a bit and see if alkie bro is coming out of his grand fall, oh how he frustrates me, the talent that is wasted! Heck, at least the girls tell me that he has served as a great example of why they don't want to get sh**-faced every weekend, also has worked on his kids!

Another Florida trip in April, a Nova Scotia trip, I hope in May, early June, we shall see how it all works out. The BC journey, may have to get creative on that one, wanna go, sounds delightful, want to be there for my cousin, perhaps there is a Sr bus pass that'll get me there and back cheap, there is supposed to be a great youth hostel there, and a cousin or two!