Monday, April 20, 2015

Behind the Mirror

We have one of those medicine cabinets in the bathroom that sits above the sink. It acts as a mirror and when you open either side, there's your stuff.

The left side as you face the medicine cabinet houses my husband's items. The right side holds my things.

We are apparently obsessed with our teeth, not stinking, shaving, and having headaches, for the medicine cabinet is full of toothpaste, floss, shaving cream and razors, deodorant, and acetaminophen.

On my side, you'll also find some tea tree oil, sweet oil, and hand lotion.

I'm not sure what that says, other than we clean our teeth and I occasionally dabble in alternative medicinal treatments.

When I first started writing stories for publication, and even later in continuing education classes the newspaper infrequently offered, we were always told that when we interviewed, we should (a) do it in the subject's home, and (b) excuse yourself at some point and ask to use the restroom.

Once in the restroom, we were to examine the medicine cabinet and see what was inside. We were also instructed to look around the house as discreetly as possible, noting pictures, candles, collections, books, animals, dirt - anything that might flesh out a story and give a little life to the subject about whom we were writing.

I don't recall ever once looking in anyone's medicine cabinet - not my style, really - but I know there are reporters who do. It's a good thing to remember if you're ever interviewed for a story and the reporter asks to use the restroom.

Most likely, they're looking at the things you think are hidden behind that mirror.

Sunday, April 19, 2015

Sunday Stealing: Books!

From Sunday Stealing

Book Preference Meme

1. Science fiction, fantasy or horror?

A. Fantasy
 
2. Hardback or trade paperback or mass market paperback?

A. Paperback, usually.
 
3. Amazon or brick and mortar?

A. I use both.
 
4. Barnes & Noble or Borders?

A. Well, Borders is out of business so that pretty much leaves Barnes & Noble.
 
5. Bookmark or dog-ear?

A. Bookmark, usually, though I have been known to place a very tiny little dog-ear on a page. Not often, though.
 
6. Asimov’s Science Fiction or Fantasy & Science Fiction?

A. Isn't this like the first question? Fantasy.
 
7. Alphabetize by author, alphabetize by title, or random?

A. Mostly random with a little bit by subject matter thrown in.
 
8. Keep, throw away or sell?

A. Keep or donate to the library.
 
9. Keep dust jacket or toss it?

A. Keep dust jacket.
 
10. Read with dust jacket or remove it?

A. Obviously, if I keep the dust jacket, I read with it on the book.
 
11. Short story or novel?

A. Novels.
 
12. Stop reading when tired or at chapter breaks?

A. I stop reading when my husband says it is time to go to bed. Or at chapter breaks. Or when I fall asleep reading. Or when I've finished the book.
 
13. “It was a dark and stormy night” or “Once upon a time?”

A. Both.
 
14. Buy or borrow?

A. I buy print books but borrow audio books from the library.
 
15. Buying choice: book reviews, recommendation or browse?

A. Generally browsing, but I use all three methods.
 
16. Collection (short stories by the same author) or anthology (short stories by different authors)?

A. I'm not really a big fan of either.
 
17. Tidy ending or cliffhanger?

A. A tidy ending is preferable.
 
18. Morning reading, afternoon reading or nighttime reading?

A. I generally read novels at night, but I read all day long.
 
19. Standalone or series?

A. Either.
 
20. Favorite book of which nobody else has heard?

A. The Steerswoman, by Rosemary Kirstein

21. Favorite genre series?

A. Fantasy and mystery.
 
22. Currently Reading?

A. Factory Man, by Beth Macy. It's a nonfiction book. I'm listening to King and Maxwell, by David Baldacci.

Saturday, April 18, 2015

Saturday 9: Neon Lights

Saturday 9: Neon Lights (2013)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) Think of a neon sign you pass by often. What does it say?

A. "Open." But then we have this big neon star on Mill Mountain in Roanoke.


A picture of it all lit up is at this link.

 2) In the video for this song, Demi Lovato spends a great deal of time in the water. When is the last time you swam?

A. Probably 2012, when we went to the beach.

3) The song encourages us to "look up at the sky." OK, we will. How does the sky look where you are today?

A. It's mostly cloudy. Well, it was last night when I answered these questions, but this morning at 7:50 a.m., the sky is a wonderful blue with a little haze.

4) Demi is a contributing editor for Seventeen magazine. When she was in junior high school, Crazy Sam eagerly awaited each new issue of Seventeen. When you were younger, what magazine(s) did you read regularly?

A.  True Story. My mother brought it home with her from the grocery store. I also read (and still read), Reader's Digest.

5) Demi is an investor in the company that makes Texas Tea, a bottled beverage available at Whole Foods. Do you have any tea in your kitchen right now?

A. Yes.

6) Demi is currently on tour, performing halfway around the world in Australia and New Zealand. Have you ever had a job that required travel?

A. No.

7) Demi had a recurring role on the show Glee. That show's series finale aired last month. Is there a show that's no longer on that you miss?

A. Xena: Warrior Princess, Buffy: The Vampire Slayer, Star Trek: Voyager, and Cagney & Lacey.

8) Fast-growing fast food chain Chipotle reports that their top sellers include a burrito bowl with steak or chicken, salad with chili-corn salsa, and a soft taco. Which of these would you order?

A. None of the above. (I have never eaten at Chipotle.)

9) What beverage would you like to enjoy with your burrito bowl, taco or salad?

A. Water.

Friday, April 17, 2015

The Son I Never Had

I'm not sure why this figment of my imagination has been on my mind in recent weeks. Perhaps the news has caused it, with all of these stories of women being persecuted over miscarriages or being denied medication they need because someone else thinks they have the right to stand in judgment of their situation.

I walked in those shoes, a very long time ago, when we spent six years trying to have a child. I know what it is like to be unhealthy and not whole, and to feel "less than" because you're not able to function like a woman. It's bad enough to be female - in some eyes, you're not even human - but to be unable to produce a child, that's akin to being about as close to nothing as one can be in the minds of many. I have felt it keenly over the years.

But in my mind, for many years, there has lived a little boy. Well, he's not so little, now. He's grown up in my head as the years have passed. Had all gone as planned - and things in my world don't go as planned - this little one would have been born on September 22, 1988. I would have loved that date, since it is also Bilbo and Frodo Baggins' birthdays.

We would have named you James Joseph Firebaugh - James after your father, and his father, and his father's father and on down the line many generations, and Joseph after my father's father. I would have called you J.J., something your father probably would not have liked but he would eventually accept.

Our whole lives would have been different with your coming. I'd have quit my job at the law office to stay home with you, and began my freelance career much earlier. I hope I would have continued working on my bachelors degree, if only to show you how important education is.

I'd have read you stories every night, from the first day I brought you home until you finally made me stop when you were seven. We would have had a collection of Little Golden Books, and I'd have made roaring noises when I read Where the Wild Things Are. You'd pretend to be frightened and giggle when I reached over to tickle you.

When you were two months old, I left you in care of your daddy so I could go chase down a story for the local newspaper. He promptly bundled you up and took you for a ride on the tractor. He thought I would not know, but he can't go anywhere without getting grease on something, and I'd have seen the spot on your blankie. You would have been daddy's boy, for sure. You'd follow him around the farm and by the age of four, you'd be able to tell me the difference between a New Holland and a John Deere tractor, or a Case and an International backhoe. You'd have loved your Erector set and Lincoln Logs, because building things was a joy for you.

You'd know a little about computers because your mom used one, but fortunately you'd be young before they became a big thing. By the time you were 12, though, in the year 2000, they'd be all the rage.

Your grandparents on both sides would have doted on you. Your Granddaddy Firebaugh would have had you working on the farm as soon as you could lift a hammer. Your other granddaddy would want to bring you into his company. Heir apparent, he'd call you.

Being your momma, though, I'd want you to go to school and find your own way. Paths are never simple, even yellow brick roads, and while someone would be there to catch you if you fell, for the most part, I would want you to follow those bricks to wherever your heart led.

Growing up, you'd have had cousins to play with. You'd be the eldest and their leader, but you would have played nice because I'd have taught you to do that. You'd also be a polite young man, because saying yes ma'am and no sir are the right things to do. You'd love the earth because your daddy does, and you'd love the world because your momma does.

We'd take you to Williamsburg where you'd be bored by the history but fascinated with the horses pulling carriages. You'd like the military museums at the Civil War battlefields, but you'd tire of them quickly.

When you turned 10, you told me to stop kissing you goodnight. So I waited every evening until you were asleep, and then slipped in and touched my lips to your forehead. You never knew how much I watched you.

At 12, you played football in middle school. Oh, your dad was so proud, watching you run. You would be a big boy, with your father's height, so you were a blocker. You'd make way for the touchdowns. But sports would not be your passion. Instead, you'd be a 4-H leader, and then an officer in the Future Farmers of America. Your calves would win awards for whatever calves win awards for.

Your classmates called you Joseph. After your high school graduation, you'd ask me to call you Joseph, too. And I would do that simply because you asked.

In 2000, your grandmother died, and J.J., you cried. She loved you and gave you many gifts, and your heart broke to think she was gone. Her loss would draw you closer to your remaining grandmother and grandfathers, as well as your great-grandmothers, until they too, were gone.

Because you had lots of relatives, you would learn a lot about love and much about loss. You'd understand people in the ways of an old soul, and I would love that about you.

I would have watched with pride as you graduated from Lord Botetourt High School, third in your class. By this time, you'd have been accepted into the college of your choice. You weren't going to be a farmer or businessman. You were going to be an architect, but you'd spend your summers helping your dad on the farm.

And then here it would be, now, and you'd be a 27-year-old man. You'd have just made partner in a start-up architectural firm in Richmond, where you would now live. Maybe this coming June you would have come to me with a lovely young woman on your arm, and said, "Mom, this is the love of my life."

I would have been so proud of you, J.J., had you actually been born. I'd have been the best mother I could have been. I would have made mistakes - all parents do - but I would have loved you.

Thursday, April 16, 2015

Thursday Thirteen

A little information about adhesions, which is what doctors say has caused me to become disabled by pain.

1. Abdominal adhesions are bands of fibrous tissue (aka scar tissue) that can form between abdominal tissues and organs. Abdominal adhesions cause tissues and organs in the abdominal cavity to stick together.

2. Adhesions may be filmy or coarse, thick or thin. They may be small enough to join individual muscle cells, deep within a structure. Or they may grow so large that they stretch down the torso from neck to waist, bending a person forward so s/he literally cannot stand erect.

3. Abdominal surgery is the most frequent cause of abdominal adhesions. Of patients who undergo abdominal surgery, 93 percent develop abdominal adhesions.

4. Other causes of abdominal adhesions include inflammation of an organ such as cholecystitis or appendicitis, peritonitis, foreign objects left inside the abdomen at the time of surgery, bleeding into the peritoneal cavity, or inflammatory conditions such as pelvic inflammatory disease.

5. Good doctors take steps during surgery to try and minimize the formation of adhesions. Some of these may include: shortening surgical time, keeping the tissues moist, gentle handling of any tissues or organs, and using starch –free and latex-free gloves. Several surgical products have also been developed to try to help prevent adhesions from forming during surgery. Film-like sheets are sometimes used between organs or body surfaces after large, open surgical procedures.

6. In most cases, abdominal adhesions do not cause symptoms. When symptoms are present, chronic abdominal pain is the most common.

7. In areas where adhesions impose on pain-sensitive structures, they can cause constant or recurring pain. They may also pull into structures distant from the original tissue trauma, causing distant dysfunction or referred pain – pain experienced in a part of the body other than the source of pain. Adhesions are often the cause of the unexplained or complex pain patterns in many chronic pain patients.

8. At the sites of where abdominal adhesions occur, the intestine can twist on itself, and the twisting may obstruct the normal movement of its contents (particularly in the small intestine).

9. A complete intestinal obstruction is life threatening and requires immediate medical attention and often surgery.

10. Abdominal adhesions cannot be detected by tests or seen through imaging techniques such as x rays or ultrasound. However, abdominal x rays, a lower gastrointestinal (GI) series, and computerized tomography (CT) scans can diagnose intestinal obstructions.

11. In western medicine, surgery is the only way to treat abdominal adhesions that cause pain, intestinal obstruction, or fertility problems.

12. Surgery to treat pain from abdominal adhesions generally fails because the surgery causes more adhesions.

13. Physical therapy has helped some people who have adhesions, but it is a time consuming, painful, and costly process.


Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while and this is my 391st time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.

Wednesday, April 15, 2015

The Wise Old Squirrel


Monday, April 13, 2015

Shots of Spring

Redbud Tree


Forsythia


Anemone


Birch tree (?)


Dogwood

Sunday, April 12, 2015

Sunday Stealing: Sizzle

From Sunday Stealing

The Sizzle Says Meme


1. If money were no object, what would you be doing with your life?

A. I'd be going to doctors in a major city to try to get well, I suppose. And if that was successful, I wouldn't mind traveling and seeing some of the world.
 
2. Money is just that - an object, so why aren’t you doing it?

A. Because I don't have it.
 
3. What’s better: horses or cows?

A. We raise beef cattle on a farm, so cows, of course.
 
4. What do you think the secret to happiness is?

A. Wanting what you have and loving yourself for who you are.
 
5. When was the last time you had a dream that you either remember well or did not want to awake from? Can you share a bit?

A. I tend to have nightmares or night terrors. According to my journal, this was the last dream that I wrote about:

I dreamed my mother was screaming at me because I wasn't working, that I needed to find a job, that everyone was a better person than I could ever be because I wasn't working, and there was a big huge black snake writhing across the kitchen floor, and I was screaming for someone to help me, and I ended up opening a window but it was a big long drop to the ground. All I could see was darkness and I couldn't even see the bottom of the hole I was falling into.
I woke in a cold sweat, breathing heavily.
 
6. When you were a little kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?

A. At various times I wanted to be an archeologist, a geologist, and the person who discovered what was behind the Bermuda Triangle. I also wanted to be an astronomer so I could study aliens. Mostly, though, I wanted to be a writer.
 
7. Complete this statement: Love is . . . higher than a mountain, love is thicker than water. Wait a second, I think that's an Andy Gibbs song. Oops. Something more original? Love is the epitome of humanity, and the savior of morality. How's that?

8. Can you tell a good story?

A. I am a writer, so I hope so. I think I write stories better than I speak them orally, however.
 
9. Can you remember your last daydream? What was it about?

A. Since the new season of Game of Thrones comes out tonight (April 12), I have been spending some time in Westeros, imaging various outcomes to remaining characters.
 
10. If you were to thank someone today, who would you thank?

A. I would thank my husband for putting up with me, my physical therapist for sending me a funny but caring email reminding me of what I am supposed to be doing this weekend, my friend Brenda for having lunch with me, and my friend Teresa for coming by to see me Friday.

11. If you could be anyone's mojo, whose would you want to be, and why? (For those you do not know what mojo is, it's personal magnetism; charm.)

A. I can't imagine why I would want someone else's mojo. However, I think Oprah, Ellen DeGeneres, and Stevie Nicks are all charming. Maybe I could have something that wraps up the three of them?



Join in the fun with Sunday Stealing at the link above. It's a hoot.

Saturday, April 11, 2015

Saturday 9: Time

Saturday 9: Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is? (1970)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

I can't believe that song is from 1970. Dang, I am old.


1) This song asks, "Does anybody really care about time?" How about you? Do you pride yourself on being punctual? Or don't you really care?

A. I am a punctual person. I am on time 99 percent of the time, and if I'm not, it's because something horrible has happened. One of the reasons my editors like to work with me is because I meet my deadlines. 
 
2) The lyrics refer to a stranger asking the time. When is the last time you conversed with someone you didn't really know? What did you two talk about?


A. A lady I did not know recently spoke with me in the grocery store about the price of Lipton tea.  I frequently have to ask strangers to help me reach things on the high shelves in the stores; they are usually obliging and I thank them profusely for the assistance.

3) According to the Top 40 tracker Tunecaster, this song knocked Tony Orlando and Dawn's "Knock Three Times" out of the #1 spot on the charts in January 1971. Are you familiar with "Knock Three Times?"

A. "Oh my darlin', knock three times on the ceiling if you want me. Twice on the pipes (clink clink) means the answer is no." Yes, I am familiar with the tune. I have played it on my guitar before though it has been a long time.

4) Chicago is not only the name of the group but also of the midwest's largest city. Chicago is the proud hometown of such luminaries as Bill Murray, Michelle Obama and Derrick Rose. Does your town have any favorite sons or daughters?

A. Wayne Newton is from my nearest city. Mary Johnston, a famous novelist from 1899 to the 1930s, is from my county. She wrote To Have and To Hold and about 30 other novels. She was also active in the suffragist movement. She was the first woman to ever address the Virginia General Assembly.

5) The group Chicago was originally known as The Chicago Transit Authority, after the city's public transportation system. When is the last time you were on a bus or a train?

A. We took a bus tour when we went to Asheville in 2008. That was the last time I was on a bus. The last time I was on a train was in 1980 when I was on a trip to Europe and I took a train from Madrid, Spain to Paris, France.  Just to be complete, the last time I was on a plane was in 1993, when we flew to Orlando, Florida.

6) Four of the original seven bandmembers are still with the group … after 48 years! What's the longest you stayed at the same job?

A. I have been a self-employed writer since 1995, so that would be the longest I have worked at a single occupation. Otherwise, I worked as a legal secretary for about 12 years, but not at the same law office. I generally only lasted about two years at a law office before I had to leave before I strangled someone.

7) Lead singer Rob Lamm confessed that, at times, being in a band has been hard for him because he is by nature a loner. How about you? Are you more introverted or extroverted?

A. I am introverted. When I take the Myers-Briggs test, I am always introverted. I usually test as either an INTP (Introverted, intuitive, Thinking, Perceiving) or an INTJ (Introverted, intuitive, Thinking, Judging). I tend to be right on the line on the last part of the test, pretty even between the "P" and the "J." If you're interested in your Jungian personality, you can take a free test here. I used this in the journaling course I taught at the community college and found it to be accurate.

8) This summer, Chicago will be touring with Earth, Wind and Fire. Have you seen/will you attend any concerts in 2015?

A. I have not seen any concerts so far this year and have no plans to see any so far, though Bill Maher is coming to our area and I would like to see him.

9) Random question: What's the last mess you cleaned up?

A. A mouse got into the pantry last week. I threw away everything in the pantry, the mouse is no more, and the hole the little vermin came in through has been stuffed with steel wool and patched over. First time we've ever had a mouse in this house, and hopefully the last.



Saturday 9 is a nice little meme with no rules. Join in at the link above!

Friday, April 10, 2015

The Clothes We Wear

story keeps popping up on my Facebook page about a guy who wore a Polo shirt to a meeting that the President of the United States attended as well.

I am frequently upset at the ugliness blasted by various personages toward the office of the president. These people mean disrespect to the current office holder, but they are also disrespecting the office and the position when they do that.

President George W. Bush was not my favorite president, but I was never disrespectful in my comments toward him. Because no matter how much I may disagree with the holder of the office, the person is still the President of the United States. And while we have no monarchies and we're all supposed to be equal, let's face it - that office, the person holding the title, whomever he or she may be, deserves our respect and politeness.

The poor fellow in the Polo shirt thought he was going to an auditorium full of other people, apparently, and did not realize he was having a one-on-one meeting with the President of the United States.

What would I wear to meet the President of the United States in a one-on-one? Well, nothing in my closet. I would have to go out and purchase something, as I do not own anything I consider nice enough. I would, I think, want a nice business-suit like skirt and jacket, with a bit of a frilly blouse, perhaps, preferably in black. Hose, of course, and new shoes, too. Because of my terrible ankles and flat feet, I would have to go with some kind of nice dress flat, I suppose, as opposed to heels. Heels would be better, though.

My husband would wear either a business suit or perhaps his dress blues from the fire department. I love the look of his dress blues so I would probably encourage him to wear those. I think he has earned the right to wear those in front of someone important.

Of course, now if I were going to a big crowd of people to hear the President of the United States speak, then I have things in my closet that would be okay. Skirts and blouses, or even nice pantsuits. So I understand how the guy in the Polo shirt ended up underdressed in a meeting with the President of the United States since he thought he was going into a big auditorium and not having a one-on-one discussion.

What I don't understand is (a) why it matters so much that it keeps coming across my Facebook page and (b) if it does matter so much, then why are all of these other slights and disrespectful comments not as important as wearing a Polo shirt to a meeting.

Because frankly, I hear and read comments about the current President of the United States that are appalling. Ill-mannered doesn't even begin to cover it. They are beyond disrespectful - the comments are mean, hateful, bigoted, and racist. These people have turned the sanctity of the office into a farce, and I don't know how the next President of the United States, whoever that might be, can begin to bring the décor and honor back to the office title.

We are no longer a polite society, if we ever were one. I'm afraid we reached the pinnacle of the current incarnation of humans some time ago and we're on a downhill slope now, one that will end with our doom as we destroy ourselves. It begins with me, when I don't hold the door open for a little old lady (though I normally am a very polite person) and it ends with the push of a button that sends missiles and bombs raining down on nations.

I don't see it as a stretch, really, to go from a Polo shirt to total annihilation. I think we're almost there as it is.

Thursday, April 09, 2015

Thursday Thirteen #390

Thirteen things in my refrigerator -

1. Blackstrap molasses. This is a dark, viscous molasses. The namem is an Americanism dating from the 1870s. First known use is in a book by detective Allan Pinkerton in 1877. Unlike refined sugars, it contains significant amounts of vitamin B6 and minerals, including calcium, magnesium, iron, and manganese; one tablespoon provides up to 20% of the recommended daily value of each of those nutrients. Blackstrap is also a good source of potassium. Blackstrap has long been sold as a dietary supplement, being touted as a health food or superfood. (From Wikipedia)

2. Hickory syrup. This is made from hickory tree bark as opposed to tapping a maple tree.

3. Blackberry Wine. I don't drink and someone gave me this bottle in 2012 when I received my masters degree. It has been in the refrigerator, unopened, ever since.

4. Bread and butter pickles. The only kind of pickles my husband will eat.

5. Peas. Green peas, to be precise, left over from supper last night.

6. Blackberry preserves. Goes good on bread or biscuits!

7. Grapes. Probably from Guatemala or someplace.

8. Eggs. They come from chickens!

9. Yogurt. I like the Fage brand best.

10. Aloe Vera Juice. I use this for my stomach. It tastes very tart and I usually drink about two measured ounces when I use it. I down it all at once.

11. Probiotic. Something to help combat the medication I take.

12. Black cherry concentrate. This is to help with my husband's gout. He says it works, though he prefers the actual juice. I keep this on hand in case he has a gout flare-up and we don't have any juice in the pantry.

13. Jasmine rice. I love the smell of this when it is cooking. However, this kind of rice is not the best for you, so we eat it sparingly. It has a high glycemic index.


You'd think I could have come up with something better for my 390th Thursday Thirteen. Oh well.

Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here. I've been playing for a while and this is my 390th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.

Wednesday, April 08, 2015

The Storm

One of my favorite memories of my maternal grandfather involves the weather.

A storm blew up; it was probably a Saturday or Sunday afternoon, because he would have been at work otherwise.

He and I sat on the back stoop, looking out over the trim yard and at the fence and house beyond. The wind blew my strawberry-blond hair around my face, and made his cigarette smoke race away from us like a train chugging down a lengthy track.

Grandpa did not often sit with me, or spend time with us grandchildren, really. He worked hard at his job and he made money on the side as a TV repairman. He could be rather gruff and stern. I was partially afraid of him and partially in awe of him.

But this day he sat companionably with me as the storm came. The wind brought the scent of rain. Lightning began its play in the sky. We watched in silence, each of us looking at the clouds and listening for the thunder. It was then he taught me to count the seconds between the thunder clap and the lightning. "That's how far away the lightning is," he said.

A forked blast of lightning sticks in my memory. It was an unusual twist, different enough to bring a remark from my grandfather. He took my hand, then. Big fat rain drops began to fall, and he led me inside.

Tuesday, April 07, 2015

Vacant





For all of my life, the "truckstops" at Exit 150 (which once was Exit 142), served truckers as they drove up and down Interstate 81.

In November, it closed because the state took the property and buildings via eminent domain. The business was in the way of renovations to the exit.

Exit 150 is Botetourt County's main entrance. There are other ways into the county, but unless you're from these parts, you can't find them. Exit 150 is an intersection of Interstate 81, US 220, and US 11, all major highways. The exit has been a problem for all of my adult life, with traffic from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. backing upon onto the interstate and forcing traffic into one lane before they "fixed" the problem in the late 1980s-early 1990s. But the fix was only a bandage, and after the supervisors approved the installation of the Pilot station across the road, the truck traffic became a beacon of congestion. With trucks turning right and left, taking wrong turns, turning around and blocking four lanes at a time, driving at Exit 150 became nigh impossible at times.

That doesn't mean, though, that I think what the state did was right. I don't think the proposed "fix," which begins this spring, will fix the problem. The "fix" includes a roundabout on a major thoroughfare that I fear will create confusion for most drivers and cause an ambulance to be in constant attendance.

Also, closing the truckstop has created a new problem as truckers now gather at the Pilot station, which has much less land and space. Now tractor-trailers back up on US 11 and the police are issuing tickets to force truckers to move on. But truckers are under federal restrictions as to how much they can drive and for how long. They're caught in a bad situation.

The county is losing tax revenue, as well, though it is *not* the vast amounts of money that some citizens believe it to be. Even so, it is some, and in this day and age, every dollar matters if services are to be continued. 

Improvements at Exit 150 have been talked about for 30 years. I hope this time the construction work is more than the bandage that long-ago design proved to be.

Monday, April 06, 2015

Random Q&A on a Monday

1. What movie has the most surprising ending ever?

A. The Return of the King doesn't have a surprise ending, but it actually has three endings, which was a big of surprise.
 
2. What are you currently angry at?

A. Myself for not being able to read my body signals better.
 
3. What do you have issues with?

A. I have issues with the way the political sphere in the U.S. has turned. I find much of what is going on to be very scary. I do not understand how people can be so intolerant of others. I have a hard enough time controlling my own life, so I don't know how these people think they have time to control someone else's. Leave people alone and we would all be better off. Stay out of everyone's bedroom and let women control their own bodies.

4. There is a nuclear war and your fallout shelter has room and supplies enough for two. No one knows about the fallout shelter but you. Who do you choose to take in (Remember, the person you choose is the only person you will know in 5-15 years when you can come above ground again)?

A. The obvious answer is my husband, but I would hope I would be noble enough to give up both of our places and place a young man and a young woman in there. They may be the last hope of the survival of the human race, and I cannot have children.
 
5. Do you have any fillings?

A. Yes.  

6. Are you afraid of a global nuclear war?

A. I am. I think anyone who watches politics should be afraid that some leader will decide to use nuclear weapons in some form, leading to retaliation. 

7. If there was a global nuclear war would you expect to be a survivor?

A. No. I can barely survive now as it is.
 
8. Have you ever swam in the ocean?

A. Many times.
 
9. Have you ever built a sandcastle?

A. Many times.
 
10. What would be the best season of the year to get married?

A. Whenever you're in love and you want to do it.
 
11. What are 2 things that the perfect doctor would do?

A. Listen, and spend as much time with you as you need.
 
12. If someone you loved was seriously miserable for a long period of time what would you do to help cheer him or her up?

A. I would listen to the person, spend time with him/her, offer hugs, and try to be there. I would accompany him/her to the doctor if necessary, go with him/her on a trip if that would help, and check on him/her frequently to be sure the person was okay.
 
13. What was the best year of your life so far?

A. I really don't know. Probably sometime between 1996 and 1999.
 
14. Does the weather affect your mood?

A. Yes. It also gives me migraines.
 
15. If you were on death row (if you don't feel evil enough to really ever get there, imagine that you have been wrongly accused and wrongly convicted) what would you want your last meal to be?

A. Shrimp and a hot fudge sundae. I love shrimp but have developed an allergy to it. If I'm going to die anyway, I may as well eat something I haven't had in a while. I also don't eat milk products; hence the sundae.
  
16. Do you eat red meat?

A. Occasionally. Maybe three times a month.
 
17. Is truth sometimes stranger than fiction?

A. I have found that to be the case. As a news reporter, I occasionally ran across stories that certainly were stranger than fiction.
 
18. Have you ever looked in anyone's wallet that wasn't yours?

A. Only my husband's, and that was when he asked me to fetch something out of it.

19. What is one thing that will happen to you less than 24 hours from now?

A. I will have lunch with a friend.

20. What age would you want to stay forever?

A. I am well past that age, but I think 35 was a good age. I was relatively healthy but old enough to have wisdom.

Sunday, April 05, 2015

Sunday Stealing: More or Less

Happy Easter if you celebrate.


From Sunday Stealing

The More Or Less Meme


Three things (more or less) . . .

. . . you cannot live without.

My husband, though he is not a "thing," water, and food.

. . . you CAN live without, but cannot seem to part with.

Chocolate, books, and music.
 
. . . you wish to accomplish this COMING week.

Physical therapy/exercise, lunch with a friend, and working on my flower bed.
 
. . .  you have accomplished this PAST week.

Physical therapy/exercise, cleaning house, and paying bills.
 
. . . on your holiday (or non-holiday) 'wish list.'

A trip to the Grand Canyon, visiting the pyramids in Egypt, and exploring England, Scotland, and Ireland.
 
. . . you would like to change about yourself.

My weight, my chronic pain, and my fingernail-chewing habit.
 
. . . you like about yourself.

I'm smart, loyal, and funny.
 
. . . you should be doing right now instead of what you ARE doing.

Cleaning the house, reading a book, or shopping.
 
. . . in your life that could use a little more organization.

My closets, my office files, and my use of time.


Join up with others at the link above to read more Sunday Stealing answers.

Saturday, April 04, 2015

Saturday 9: Easter Parade

Saturday 9: Easter Parade ("In Your Easter Bonnet") (1933)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) This song is about a special Easter hat to be worn with your "Sunday best." Will you be getting dressed up this weekend?

A. I don't think so.

2) Sam is not crazy about hats because she cannot stand "hat hair." Do you have a lot of hats or caps?

Me with my
bridal hat.

A. No. I have a few ball caps but I seldom wear them. When I was in high school, I had a horrid leather hat that my mother hated that I wore. And I married in a hat instead of a veil. I refused to be married in a veil.

3) This song was inspired by New York City's Easter Parade. Does your community host a similar event?

A. The local parks and recreation department has an easter egg hunt, and some of the churches have events. I am not aware of any easter parades.

4) On April 6, President Obama and Michelle will host lucky children for the 137th White House Easter Egg Roll. Which are your favorite eggs: colored hard-boiled eggs, chocolate marshmallow eggs, or plastic eggs with coins inside?

A. Actually, my favorite is the original Cadbury crème egg.

5) How about Peeps? Would you rather have yellow chicks or pink bunnies?

A. I don't like Peeps.

6) The biggest chocolate Easter egg was made in Italy,  measured 34 feet tall and weighed a staggering 15,000 lbs. Do you thinks it's possible to have too much chocolate?

A. Yes, I'm afraid it is. A diet consisting of mostly chocolate would be quite unhealthy. Even I couldn't even 15,000 lbs of it. Though I might give it a try.

7) Jelly beans are also popular this time of year. A 2013 poll tells us that red is by far the favorite jelly bean color, with yellow a distant second. Do you have a preference?

A. I don't like jelly beans, either.

8) We've been talking a lot about sweets this morning. The only holiday that generates more candy sales is Halloween. When do you eat more candy: Easter or Halloween?

A. I have no idea. I've never considered it.

9) Easter is considered the season of rebirth. What makes you feel refreshed or rejuvenated?

A. A good sleep. Interestingly, hard work well done can also make me feel rejuvenated. Or at least tired but happy.


Check out the link at the top to read other Saturday 9 players' answers. Join in, if you like! The more the merrier.

Thursday, April 02, 2015

Thursday Thirteen

Happy April, and happy spring! I don't know what to write about today, so let's see what comes out, shall we?


1. I don't like spiders, snakes, and mice.

2. I'm not fond of stink bugs, ants, or roaches, either.

3. I do like puppies, baby calves, and fawns.

4. I like the idea of leprechauns, unicorns, and griffons.

5. I think the hidden object video games that are currently popular, particularly the ones with a story line and additional puzzles, are rather like those old King Quest's video games. Does anyone remember those?

6. I dislike it when people lie to me. If you can't tell me the truth, then say nothing at all.

7. The grass is not greener on the other side. It's just greener where the fertilizer has been spread.

8. April showers bring May flowers that we like to pick. Here the rain drops on the roof top. You can hear it drip drop drip drop drip! That is a song from elementary school that I remember singing. Do they still have music classes?

9. A friend recommended that I try some cream called Two Old Goats for aches and pains. Yes, really. That's what it is called. My husband and I have had some laughs over that title. He wants to go into the store and ask "Do have any cream for two old goats?" and point at himself and me.

10. The most interesting thing on my desk right now is a bottle of Bach Rescue Remedy. This is homeopathic tincture that is supposed to relieve stress. It is made of flower essences and brandy. I strongly suspect it is the brandy that actually relieves the stress.

11. The best book I have read so far this year is The Signature of All Things, by Elizabeth Gilbert.

12. We hope to have a small garden again this year, but so far we are moving slowly with the prep work. For one thing, my husband can't get the tiller to start.

13. A large forest fire is burning in the northern portion of my county. Windy conditions have hampered firefighting efforts. Be careful out there!



Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here. I've been playing for a while and this is my 389th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.