Week of 10-27-14 chatter

Yes, I got the notifications working. Thanks Glenda

Maureen, hearing you describe yourself as a "raking fool" gave me a chuckle.  I've got a silly visual image of you furiously zooming around your yard, raking in 100 directions, leaves flying all around you -- while maybe wearing a jester's hat or something on your head!  

I'm going to have to look into that notifications thing, as well as the settings area.  Haven't spotted those yet.

For the past month, we've thought DH's niece and her husband were arriving tomorrow night for a 4 day visit.  I thought it was weird they'd arrive late on a Saturday, when they usually arrive on Fridays (flying out after they get off work).  But, DH was certain that's what they told him.  Well, last night they texted him saying, "See you tomorrow!" and he realized his mistake.  So, my plan to have all day Saturday to do all the housework and prep just became maybe 2-3 hours of time after work today.  I am not happy!  I think I will be skipping some of the cleaning tasks on my usual list this time!

I have that weird age perspective when I think of my age versus my mother's age.  When she the age I am now, I thought she and all my friends' parents were OLD.  But I do think that each generation is a younger "version" of 50, 60, 70, etc. than earlier generations.  One day a person who is 65 will look like today's 35 year-olds look.  Between hair dye, botox, plastic surgery, better diets and high fitness lifestyles, older generations look younger all the time!

@tacran

One day a person who is 65 will look like today's 35 year-olds look.  Between hair dye, botox, plastic surgery, better diets and high fitness lifestyles, older generations look younger all the time!

For the most part, yes, but you still can't disguise the wrinkly neck and thinning skin on the back of the hands.

I shouldn't have read the article about the 3 year old boy in Pennsylvania who was killed by his mother and her bf beating him to death. It sounded like his short life was nothing but such abuse. I hope the adults rot in hell for this. Little boy, you have your angel wings now.

I've had a hectic week. I can't wait to go home - 12 minutes, but who's counting?

Oh, what a tragic story!  I hadn't heard about that.  What the heck is wrong with some people?  Any kind of domestic violence is horrible, but violence against a child is truly beyond comprehension.  I get so sick to my stomach when I hear things like this.  I don't understand why a tiny little child has to experience that kind of suffering.  To think that he may have never felt a gentle hand on him other than the doctors or nurses who delivered him.  So, so sad.  I sure hope there's a heaven for angels like him.  

What really baffles me is why the universe behaves this way.  Just yesterday a friend told me of a coworker who had to deliver her first baby, knowing he had severe defects that would prevent him from surviving outside the womb. He only lived 30 minutes.  The parents are devastated, obviously.  Yet there are other people who beat a 3 year old to death?  I just don't understand why things happen this way.

Deer season opener  this weekend, so Jr and I are staying in.  Some can not tell a John Deere tractor from a buck, and Jr can flash white when running.  We tried yesterday at a different WMA, but I stepped out into a 30mph wind filled with sleet, so we went home.  I am a fair weather hunter.

Weather man needs to be replaced.  He is forecasting plowable amounts of snow this weekend. 2 to 10 inches.  Need to get more beer today.  

Going to start up the table saw and work on some Xmas gifts.  As my brothers and I enjoy full contact cribbage, I thought a few custom cribbage boards would be nice.  I made a prototype this spring but just haven't had the time to follow up.

This box is for my youngest grand daughter.

Snuck in a shot of Jr, as he kept jumping in the way.

Jackie and Charles—good thoughts and continued prayers continuing from here

Callie, I am glad you are on the mend. Continued positive thoughts and prayers for you, too!

(((Glenda)))

Doug, home crafted cribbage boards—what a wonderful gift! That was the first card game I remember learning how to play. It’s a serious game around here, too. I learned to play euchre when I was in high school/college but haven’t played that in years.  I saw the snow-cast for MN—please don’t send it this way!

I didn’t read the story about the little boy in PA–I ditto all that Tracy wrote. I don’t get it, I just don’t get it. And, I am sure there is a special place for the little ones didn’t know goodness in their short lives here, and I just bet many of our dogs at the Bridge are there to help.

Got my flu shot Thursday afternoon and had major side effects—which I’ve never had before with a flu shot. I actually had to call in sick on Friday. Thank goodness for our departmental secretary who up to date on all these procedural things, because I just don’t remember them if I don’t use them regularly.

@FrisbyPI

Jackie and Charles—good thoughts and continued prayers continuing from here

Callie, I am glad you are on the mend. Continued positive thoughts and prayers for you, too!

(((Glenda)))

Doug, home crafted cribbage boards—what a wonderful gift! That was the first card game I remember learning how to play. It’s a serious game around here, too. I learned to play euchre when I was in high school/college but haven’t played that in years. I saw the snow-cast for MN—please don’t send it this way!

I didn’t read the story about the little boy in PA–I ditto all that Tracy wrote. I don’t get it, I just don’t get it. And, I am sure there is a special place for the little ones didn’t know goodness in their short lives here, and I just bet many of our dogs at the Bridge are there to help.

Got my flu shot Thursday afternoon and had major side effects—which I’ve never had before with a flu shot. I actually had to call in sick on Friday. Thank goodness for our departmental secretary who up to date on all these procedural things, because I just don’t remember them if I don’t use them regularly.

As a former teacher I saw too much (even way back then).  But two of my students (5th grade) ultimately wound up married then divorced.  They had a little girl together who bounced back and forth in visitation/split custody.  The 'father'  had grown up in a horrifically abusive family.  (It was the only time I actually had to report to the authorities).  He had the little girl for the weekend, lost his temper because she soiled herself (during punishment)  and he killed her during his tirade.

I'll say this as my point -- neither parent came from a loving home.  In fact the two homes were polar opposites but neither loving, and neither good.  

I'll only say this -- that little 3 year old?  I'd wager my last dime this child was simply the last in a whole string of victims.  "Victims" who NEVER learn to deal with their anger, who never learn to do it right.  This sort of abuse goes on and on and on.  

I'm excusing no one.  There's no logic.  There's no 'reason'.  And often there's no end.  People may learn to hide it ... but it seems rare that they overcome it.

My background isn't quite that bad, but my Dad's is.  And honestly -- it is completely incomprehensible to people who never knew abuse like that.  I comprehend it -- only too well.  But honestly I think it makes it even more difficult to understand WHY they don't get off the darned merry-go-round.  Why -- when they've known abuse -- don't they say "I will NEVER do that to my kids".  I've had to come to the conclusion that it's because it's never one big decision -- it's a million day to day ones.  

Be **really** glad that you can't understand this.  Be really grateful that it's incomprehensible to you.  Because it's awful.  In this day and age, we have more press -- years ago such things were often never prosecuted -- "she fell down the stairs",  "he fell out of his crib".  

I'm glad I never read it.  The load I carry knowing this little girl died and I had input into both parent's lives -- and oh I worried about both of them, but there was little I could do..  I tried.  But  I have to remind myself I did what I could.  

Oh Callie that is so awful. Not at all any fault of yours. Just as you remind yourself, you did what you could and that is all anyone can do. So sorry that you have something like this that you have to keep thinking about.  Tracy, the picture that you had in your mind of me raking just cracked me up. Now I've pictured you, having thrown things hither and thither, in your hurry to get your house cleaned. Will have to get the link to my pictures of the leaves and post it here. You guys were talking about trimming cats nails, well I guess practice makes perfect, as I do quite well with my 6. The four I raised since kittens, I handled them a lot every which way and trimmed their nails often. Okay Tracy, I can see your minds response to the "every which way" :0  I really think that is the reason they are so good about it. It's not that they like having the nails trimmed. I think they truly hate it, they just don't try to scratch or bite, they just try to wiggle themselves out of my grip on them. Just the one of the other two gives me any problems. He will get annoyed after a bit and I have to let him go. He doesn't like being held at all. He is getting much better about it though. I do remember cats I used to have though that were awful about it....like I said practice makes perfect.  I've had somewhere in the vicinity of 20 cats over my life time.