What matters most in life

Well, Jon is gone to Arizona.  He came by this morning between 7:00 and 8:00 AM to pick up Miles and he was planning on making it in two days. He plans to fly back for Thanksgiving and Christmas.  I don't blame him but I will miss Miles.

Molly did not want to go outside because of the rain but when Jon ad Miles were out there she jumped up on the door and pushed it open and let herself out.  That was new. I shall have to watch her.

Jon had a couple of insects which he had staying here but he did not come by to feed them.  Preying mantises (?) need to have food and I was just spraying water for them. I sort of felt badly for them but had not been paying much attention to them, we hadn't "bonded" really.

I am reading the second book in a trilogy and am enjoying it very much.
Deborah Harkness' first book was a Discovery of Witches and this one picks the story up and continues it.  So I read most of Sunday and last night I read late and woke up in the middle of the night and read some more.

I had taped the closing of the Olympics so I watched that this morning and read some more in the book.  Had to watch the Closer and Major Crimes and some other shows so I read during the commercials  (which is worse the political ads or the ones for erectile dysfunction.. eeeeuch.)  I will probably read late tonight also.

Molly has settled down she is glad to be able to sleep on her (my) bed again. She alternates between the couch and the bed.

 I got an e-mail this morning from a reader who had found a bad link on one of my posts.  The one on Frederick Douglass.  She was even nice enough to give me a new link to replace the broken one.  That was a first for the blog.  I was a) glad she called it to my attention and helped fix it and b) grateful to know that something I had put up here was still useful.  I sometimes wonder why I do this.  I think she helped validate my efforts.

That's all the news I have for now.  Thanks for stopping by. Hugs, j

Just A Reminder

Six months ago.

I have things I could write about but I didn't do much today. Bailey got groomed and I went to the grocery store for the first time this month. And I went to the foot doctor. My toe is still bleeding. I don't think it is ever going to stop. He said it looks good. Thanks for stopping by and be grateful we aren't dealing with the white shit. Hugs, j

Sunday Note

If I had done anything today I could tell you about it. But all I did was write two sets of minutes, finish my Scottish Rite Master Craftsman tests (that makes all 6 of them) and visit with friends on the computer and my nephew in person. Jon took Bailey and Max for a walk tonight. I printed some things for Lodge and basically had a relaxing Sunday. I even took a nap.

I am reading a good book and I worked on that a little and also read another book. Oh yes I also read my blogs and I am wondering if the computer has become a "time thief" for me. Perhaps I need to limit my time on the computer. Then I could read more and watch more TV. (Ha that remark was for Don). So if you are here I want to thank you for dropping by. Have a great week. I am off to bed soon. Always Remember That You Are Loved. Hugs jcs

Monday Movie/ Odds and Ends

Since this is "Old Farts" night at the movie I went to the movie. I would rather have been doing something else but this gets me out of the house and lets me forget some things for awhile. So I went down to Movies 12 and went to a movie. I chose to see Deception. The plot description is:

An accountant is introduced to a mysterious sex club known as The List by his lawyer friend. But in this new world, he soon becomes the prime suspect in a woman's disappearance and a multi-million dollar heist

I watched Ewan McGregor on Craig Ferguson the other night shilling for his new movie Deception. Hugh Jackman, Michelle Williams and Lisa Gay Hamilton are also in this sometimes slow moving but generally satisfying movie. Hugh Jackman gets the top billing in this film and he does a fine job but McGregor is really the central actor and I think he does an outstanding job. I really enjoy this actor. I first became aware of him when I saw him in Moulin Rouge with Niclole Kidman. I fell in love with the music in that movie even though I thought the movie itself was somewhat strange.

So I am glad I went. You can read a more critical review here if you are interested.

In other news
I started reading a book today that was given to me by a good friend. Great American Hypocrites (Toppling the Big Myths of Republican Politics) I have already discovered that I like the book and it is really opening my eyes to the hypocrisy of the party that claims to want to keep government out of our lives. It brings up how "false and deceitful and artificial are these 'Republican Values' and personality attributes that they concoct for themselves. This Old Democrat is going to enjoy this book.

I got my Scottish Rite Master Craftsman course and the book that came with it was fully worth the money I paid for the course. It is the Scottish Rite Ritual Monitor and Guide by Arturo De Hoyos. The book has 950 pages. It has a cover price of $65.00 and the course only cost $35 (plus shipping and handling.) My biggest problem is going to find the time to do it. I spend so much time blogging and reading blogs that I don't know if I will move through it very fast.

My friend Kurt has already done two of the tests. But then he is highly motivated. He calls himself nerdy but actually he is one of the coolest most genuine people I know. I have been giving him a hard time about getting me involved in this endeavor and I think he thought I was serious. I am such a merde. Teasing has always been something I like to do. Used to drive my students wild.

Jon was over so we could go up to Sprint to get his phone activated. He lost his phone at the Doolittle Prairie and bought a new one on e-bay. While we were there I got a new one for me. No reason except that I really didn't like the one I had. I told Jon what my grandfather once said when I bought something I didn't need. He said "A fool and his money are soon parted." I told Jon that I intended to spend everything I had. Anyway I really like the new phone. The young man at the Sprint store transferred all of my numbers to the new phone using bluetooth. Jon lost his contacts with his phone so he will have to rebuild his list.

I also got a hands free bluetooth device so I can wear it when I drive and be able to talk on the phone. I hate it when I see people driving slowly down the street with one hand up to their ear and not paying attention.

Then while he hung the new Bamboo shade for me I swept the porch and all that remains is to wash down the table and chair and put some plants out there and I will be ready to really enjoy the place. The reason for the shade is that the fellow who jives just to the south of me cut down the hedge and I lost all my privacy. People driving by on 13th street can see into my house. I am not a happy camper about that but they were his bushes.

Jon is riding his bike around. It takes him 17 minutes to get to work. He got a new seat for his bike and I was glad to see that he wears a helmet. I am so very proud of him. When he talks about the things at his job I can tell he has a good grasp of business and he has some really good ideas about how to run a food business. He is thinking that if he doesn't go to Purdue until 2009 he might apply for work at the Memorial Union. Gas is 2.49 a gallon (or $2.42) and it is very crummy.

The trees what flower are almost fully flowering right now. I am going to try to get some pictures of them. I go see the foot doctor tomorrow. I think I have been fighting this sore on my large toe for about a year. I would like for it to be healed, please.

I hope that everyone is having a good life. I am still fighting periodic bouts of sadness and I don't like that but there isn't much I can do about it. Always Remember That You Are Loved (unless your name is John McSame) - Hug someone - j-bear.

Thursday

I love Thursdays. We get a larger newspaper, the week-end is approaching and it is Lodge night. I gave "my" apron lecture in Lodge tonight and it was well received. We have a new Brother and that is always a good thing. All in all it was a really nice day. I took Jon home from Midas where he had taken his Van because of a tire problem. The "boys" rode along and when Jon got in the car Max jumped from the back seat where he usually rides to get into Jon's lap. He absolutely adores Jonathan and just worships him with his eyes.

I then did my usual looking around the Internet. Found out that you could type your telephone number into the Google search and it works like a reverse look up and gives you the name and a map to where the phone is located. I did it for my number and then did it for Ginny's Bruce but it evidently took me to the person who had the number before him. Fun feature but if you have kids it is kind of scary. Thanks to cousin Tracy for letting me know about this. I may use it when I get a number that I don't know on my caller ID.

Then I got an e-mail which told me about a You Tube movie which tells how the ancients may have built Stonehenge. You can look at it here. Then you can go to the guys site and learn more here.

The daffodils are beginning to bloom in the fron of the house and one of these days I will go out and take a picture of them to share.

I think it is incredible that there are over 900 "hits" on my counter at the bottom of the page. I know that many of them are mine when I publish the blog or edit it but still it is impressive to know that people find my poor musings interesting to look at. Did you know that you can make comments? Just click on comments below and drop me a note. Be nice. Also you can subscribe to the blog and have new entries sent to your in-box.

I enjoy doing this. Hope you are enjoying it also.