March 20, 2013 - Msg 92839: Sorry yur ailin', Ro. Those UTIs can be a booger! Hope you are feeling better soon.

You are so right about the TAGS eps. I never, ever get tired of them and always seem to notice something new.

Yes, the sand does not hold the water and no matter how hard we tried to keep those flower beds going in the summer, it seemed impossible, even with added soil. I am tired of living in a sandbox, for certain.

Its a nice day here, too...dry and breeze from the northeast so i was able to hang out three loads of laundry to dry and they smell fine today. I am tired, though and need a nap. I seem to have a leak in my CPAP mask and didn't sleep well last night..when that happens, I really feel it. Early to bed tonight.

Better git..still have to take down some clothes, finish dinner, take a shower and teach Erin's class at church tonight. Maybe i should take a catnap in there somewhere..

Boo
March 20, 2013 - Msg 92840: Nice of ya to sweep Boo!

Did y'all see that Andy's wife is tearing down his first house that he bought with his first wife and where he raised his kids? The house they shared together will remain. Not sure what to think of that.

Last night I watched Barney's Choir as it means the beginning of spring! Our Bradford Pear trees are in full bloom! They are so stinky.

We've had a lot going on, but we have a roof over our head and too much food in our bellies so we are fine.

I'll chat with y'all later. Today is Bryson's birthday. My baby is 15! Dinner is at the hibachi place if y'all want to come. :)

Blessings,
Lucy
March 20, 2013 - Msg 92841: Lucy, Andy's Wife #2 a woman scorned? Sounds sorta like my experiance...#1 tore down the play house on stilts that I had built for the kids. Problem was O'l Goob built it to last, so it was not to easy to tear down. I guess it was therapetic for her. Glad to have provided so much therepy for her!..haha Enough on that subject!

Nobody is singing old 14A around here...Cold!

Don't know if anyone got the news about the kid who shot the 6 kids at a school in Chardon Ohio, they sentenced him in the 3 deaths, he got 3 life sentences but it was his court antics that were bizzare, he wrote "KILLER" on his shirt and gave the families the "finger" and some crude comments and was laughing and smirking the whole time when the families got to speak their minds. I'm thinking if he was in Texas the taxpayers wouldn't be paying his tab for life! Right Boo & Romeena? Ohio has the death penalty but he was tried as a juvenile even tho he did a Big Boy crime. I'm thinking prison justice may just catch up with him...Who's smirking then??

G-F....
March 20, 2013 - Msg 92842: I read about the kid yesterday, G-F...wow.

Hey to Lucy, glad to hear things are going ok. Happy Birthday to Bryson. Can you believe my Sean will be 18 in 2 weeks?

Better git goin'! :)

Boo
March 20, 2013 - Msg 92843:
"Welcome sweet springtime, we greet thee with S#NG!"
March 20, 2013 - Msg 92844:
RO- Some Bactrum usually does the trick for my wife's UTIs.
Also, yes, I agree about the "fine tuning!" ha Like after seeing Aunt Bee's Medicine Man at least 20 times, I just now noticed the cigar bloopeer.
BTW, I also enjoy The Twilight Zone on ME-TV.
It comes on at 10 pm here. As I watch them these years later, they are not so much "scary," but rather "thought provoking." For example, in one recent ep, a neighborhood of friends suddenly became 'uncivil' toward each other when they thought a Russian a-bomb misstle was heading their way. Very valuable lessons from the pen of Rod Serling.
Lucy- Happy BD to Bryson!
ASA- I did the "Barney version" or 14-A above. ha
GF- I pray for that boy! Hopefully he will find the Lord before he finds prison justice. Seems like pure evil has got him!
BOO- you did some "spring cleaning" on the porch. Good job! (:
Prayers,
MDC
March 21, 2013 - Msg 92845:
Oh, and you all hear that the prez limo broke down in Israel?
Someone put in gas instead of diesel! OOps! (:
http://michellemalkin.com/2013/03/20/blame-the-sequester-presidential-limo-israel/
MDC
March 21, 2013 - Msg 92846: They put gasoline in a vehicle intended for Diesel huh? And these are the folks who will be running our healthcare? Lord help us!

Lucy, glad y'all are hanging in there. I know these are tough times. I like your up beat attitude. Happy birthday to Bryson.

Hey G-F, Is your back giving you problems buddy? Prayers for you to get feeling better.

Snowing and blowing here this morning. So much for spring. Oh well, it will eventually get here.

Sorry you're ailing Romeena. Better drink some cranberry juice. But maybe you can't drink that because of other issues. Anyway, I hope the Doc got you your needed prescriptions and you get better quick.

Boo, there is an old saying in real estate. Location, Location, Location. Our extension agent uses that same premise for gardening. Compost, Compost, Compost! It takes time, but adding compost to your soil will help in water retention, even a little.

Better get going. Hope the snow doesn't stick.

Asa
March 21, 2013 - Msg 92847: Thanks Asa, we added truckloads of compost to this place. It helped in the garden...guess we need more in the flowerbeds. There is a place near us that sells compost...lots of it and we have used lots. Bruce is thinking of removing everything from the beds, putting in more soil and compost and replanting. Not an easy job.

I still have a little of the headachey/fuzzy-headed feeling this morning but much better than yesterday. I thought I would be going to bed early but Sean came in last night from his job cleaning the church and was having a tough time. I ended up staying up till 1 talking and praying with him. I pray the doc can give us the right med for him today because the one he is on is causing the Tourette symptoms to be bad again. The boy just has zero self-esteem and I don't know how you fix that. He has to somehow find the courage to get out there and try so that he can have a sense of self-accomplishment but he has a social anxiety that cripples him. I get at my wits end sometimes, not knowing what to do for him. He is about to turn 18 and many of his problems seem to be getting worse instead of better. Things take time, I know, and I am trusting in the Lord.

Well, guess I will finish the coffee, make sure Erin is on track with her schoolwork, and clean up around here. I don't think I will be doing any laundry today. :)

Boo
March 21, 2013 - Msg 92848: Good morning, porch! I declare, Asa, your education was worth every penny. You're right about the cranberry juice. I love it, and usually drink some every day. I especially like to mix it almost half and half with club soda. Makes for a wonderfully refreshing, fizzy tart-sweet drink, and it's good for you. The club soda lets me have more volume without drinking too much juice and making my blood sugar go up. As for the prescription, my doctor was surprisingly cooperative, ordered the antibiotic, the pharmacy delivered it, and within two hours of taking the first dose, I was feeling better. It's amazing how quickly an antibiotic starts to beat a UTI down.

Also, Asa, you're absolutely right about the compost. It's wonderful stuff. It loosens my clay soil, but it will add substance to Boo's sand and as you said, make it retain water much better. My rule around here is simple. If at all possible, nothing organic leaves the property. Now, I have to make exceptions to that. I don't have a chipper, so large limbs and such have to be taken away, but anything that can be chopped up and composted remains on site. Sure is cheaper than buying fertilizer! Most of the composting just happens where it falls, like the chopped clippings from the mulching mower. Eddie mows the fallen leaves and lets them discharge into the flowerbeds, where they serve as mulch in the winter, and by spring they have composted down, and disappeared into the soil. I also have a rotating compost bin, a gift from R2, and I make finished compost in that, to be hand-applied to flowerpots and spread over the rose island.

It's so pretty out there this morning. It's chilly at 54°, and the sky has a high, hazy cloud layer, but the sun peeks through now and then, and more and more color is showing up in the yard. I just spotted a yellow iris blooming on the west fence. It's not a hybrid, it's an old-fashioned iris, what my grandma would have called a "flag." I'm not sure where it came from, but I think it's one I more or less stole from a clump I saw blooming outside an empty house. As I recall, the rhizomes had multiplied until they were literally climbing over each other, and I just broke a couple of them off and made a little room for them to expand. Irises don't mind being thinned, in fact, they need it. I've done that little trick several times. In return, I've broken "pups" off my own clumps and handed them to perfect strangers who have stopped to look at them. We flower people are weird.

Well, guess I'd better go get dressed. I hear Eddie's leaf-blower out front, he's cleaning my porch and front patio, thank goodness. I need to go say "howdy" and pay him, and I'm sitting here in a ratty old nightshirt at the moment. I have to go to the bank too, so may as well get ready to face the day. Blessings, everyone! --Romeena


March 21, 2013 - Msg 92849: Asa, The "back brace" problem is the load o'Goob got on his sholders right now, my plate beyond overflowing and I don't mean with buscuits-n-gravy either...But I know others have it worse so I'll tuff it up and put on another layer of "Armor All" for now..

G-F....
March 21, 2013 - Msg 92850: Turns out sean's appointment isn't until tuesday so more time to pray.

I don't know why I am feeling so down in the dumps today. Sometimes you just feel like the weight of the world is on you even though you know it isn't. Erin told me the other day, "Mom, you never take a day off"...and she's right. I should set a better example for her and take better care of me. Its funny how you get set in your ways and its hard to change...but change, I should.

Its warm here today but not too hot. Hope we get some rain soon so the wildflowers will start popping up. :)

Boo
March 21, 2013 - Msg 92851: Sorry you're feeling poorly Boo. I hope you ain't got the pip. And I pray for Sean. I'm sure that is weighing on you heavy. Bless your heart. Try and get some rest.

G-F, sorry with whatever burden you are carrying my friend. But you will be in my prayers to feel of His love and concern for you. Remember, the Lord won't place more on us than we can handle. So hang in there buddy, and fight the good fight.

Glad you're feeling better Ro. My Dad would get those UTI's in his later years. I learned along other things, for much older people, a UTI can cause some delusions. I remember the first time he was seeing things and people that weren't there, we were afraid he was losing it. But the Doctor found he had a UTI, treated it, and he improved greatly real fast after that. The Doc. said that was not uncommon with older patients.

Well our snow down here in the valleys wasn't much (hooray) but it sure got cold. A cold noth wind blowing. Brrrr.

Better get going I reckon.

Asa
March 21, 2013 - Msg 92852: Hey Folks

It's been difficult getting nonlinear lately, computer trouble.

We have gotten at least 18 inches of snow since spring sprung. I enjoy winter but I really love spring.

Well...posting from this kindle with my fat fingers is a bit of a work out so I'll sign off for now.

Peace an Prayer's,
auh2o
March 21, 2013 - Msg 92853: Well, look who dropped in! Auh2o, it's good to see you. Computer troubles can surely be annoying, and we miss you when you're not around. Hope things get to working better real soon.

Asa, you're right about older folks and troubles with UTIs. The truth is, it's probably because UTIs tend to cause a high fever, and it's the fever that makes old folks see and hear things and get confused. Bring the fever down, and they clear right up. I didn't have much fever with this, just 99.8, but I surely didn't feel very well. Ached all over, just wanted to curl up under a blanket and be left alone. I'm much, much better today, actually feel really fine.

I just got back from a fish fry at the church. It was our regular Third Thursday gathering, so we had entertainment as well. Two young women, twin sisters (not identical) about twenty years old, and very talented. Both play the violin, though the instruments became "fiddles" in their hands. They played great old "fiddle" tunes - Wabash Cannonball, Orange Blossom Special, Cotton-eyed Joe, Red River Valley (they sang with that one) and lots of good old Country gospel songs as well. They were really good, and everyone enjoyed them a lot. Now get this - they're college students, taking 21 hours this semester, and they both have 4.0 GPAs. Amazing.

Well, I'm tired. Think I'll go cuddle Toye Starr for a while, and watch a little TV, then off to bed. See you folks in the morning. Blessings! --Romeena

March 21, 2013 - Msg 92854: Glad you dropped in, Auh2o. I was beginning to worry. Hope you and the family are doing ok.

Thanks for those words, Asa. :) I spent some quality time with my brother and his wife this evening and that was nice. I even dried a load of clothes at St. Susan's.

Better go...Erin needs help with rounding numbers in the billions.

Boo
March 22, 2013 - Msg 92855:
BOO- then just DO IT! Take a day off, set an example for Erin, be good to yourself; but for the love of Mike, DO IT! haha Just havin' some fun with ya. Prayers continue for Sean.
Very tired tonite, so I'll just say, "partin' is such sweet sorra, it seems like days til it be morra." (:
MDC
March 22, 2013 - Msg 92856: Ok, ok...I do it...just not today (too much to do today). Maybe tomorrow.. but probably not. ;)

Woke up too darned early again this morning and eyes feel like they have sand in them. When are they going to stop this darned time change thing?! Daylight savings doesn't even make sense anymore. It's turning me into a major grouch. I actually said a couple of cuss words yesterday. That's not like me at all. Oh well...better luck today.

Having a family dinner over here tonight. St. Susan is bringing the bar-b-q and I am making the potato salad and beans. Might make a cake...not sure yet. My brother and his wife head back to California tomorrow so we are getting all the family together tonight. It should be lively with everyone present.

Well, think I will get up and start getting some things done. I am really glad its Friday.

Boo
March 22, 2013 - Msg 92857: Pass the Mulberry Squeezins....I'm gonna need them.

Boo
March 22, 2013 - Msg 92858: No mullberry squeezin's Boo. Bad for your liver!

Asa
March 22, 2013 - Msg 92859: :( A little hard cider then? Pretty please?

Boo
March 22, 2013 - Msg 92860: Where is everyone today? Hope Ro is not still feeling badly from the UTI.

Boo
March 22, 2013 - Msg 92861: VICKS!! (it had to be said)

Boo
March 22, 2013 - Msg 92862:
Howdy porch family.....Gonna be a wet weekend here in SC.

Boo....can you still walk after all that hard cider? I know you asked Asa for a "little" but I'm sure you got some stored away for special holidays:)

Praying Ro is feeling better.

You all have a great weekend.
Love and prayers
-REV.
March 22, 2013 - Msg 92863: "VICKS"! anything like.."MEAT"!..Just wondering Boo,..You may have to ask the "Sisters" for a little sample of their receipe from their flower makin machine..Since Wednesday was Spring, ya should be able to get some "Spring Tonic".
This is not gonna be anything like South Texas Families gone wild is it? I dont want to hear about any streaking or skinny dip'in in you're duck pond, even tho Spring actually has arrived in S. Texas.
You guys remember to act like somebody! But have Fun!
Cussin' too? Bernie thought you were haning out the laundry and said:....Sheet! That's what I heard from the hens in the hen house...;)
I'm just say'in....

G-F.....
March 22, 2013 - Msg 92864: Yea, maybe it was "sheet" that I said, G-F...or maybe not. No cussin' today, though. :)

VICKs is really hard explain, G-F. You would have to go way back in the archives and read up on it. Its just something we say around here now and then. Feel free to join in.

Boo
March 22, 2013 - Msg 92865: Oh, and yes, I am still walking REV...hic!

Boo
March 22, 2013 - Msg 92866: SHAKEDOWN!!! (:
March 22, 2013 - Msg 92867: http://www.cantonrep.com/news/x846073630/Ohio-prosecutor-indicts-Punxsutawney-Phil
March 22, 2013 - Msg 92868: Why is everyone blaming poor little Phil for the error in the prediction of the arrival of Spring? If the skies were cloudy, he couldn't possibly have seen his shadow, and therefore would have concluded that there would be an early Spring. And whose fault was it that the skies were cloudy that day? Why, the weatherman, of course. He's the villain. Let's get our facts straight here, people!

I'm feeling much better, and thank you all for your concern. Makes me feel loved! I'm glad to be feeling good again, because I've surely got a lot to do around here.

Boo, what is it about DST that bothers you? I don't even notice the difference, except that it's later when it finally gets dark. It just means more usable daylight in the evening. If your family follows a rigid mealtime schedule in the evening, and you eat at 5:30 or 6 pm, by the time you finish there's still some daylight left to enjoy. I like that. As for me, I eat when I'm hungry or not too busy, so I can putter outside until 8:30 or so, and then come in and eat. There are a few advantages to living alone, I guess, though if I could have my Dale back, I'd toss all those advantages in a heartbeat.

Well, guess I'll go watch a little TV. Got to pick David up from the airport at 11, so can't go to bed. I wouldn't have anyway, I never give up until at least midnight. I've been that way since I was a kid. My parents used to come in and take away my flashlight, where I was reading under the covers in bed!

Everyone have a restful night, and Boo, I'll pray that you won't wake up too early in the morning. Sleep is so important! Blessings! --Romeena
March 22, 2013 - Msg 92869: Well you ARE loved, Ro! Glad you're feeling better. I am too. I had a great visit with my brother and his sweet wife this evening...good food and the love of family. Can't beat it.

Ro, the only thing that bothers me about DLS is the first couple of weeks of trying readjust to getting up earlier. I will be ok after awhile. Seems like it was harder for me this time than usual. I do like the longer days, though.

Thanks for those prayers, I need some good, uninterrupted sleep tonight. :)

Boo
March 23, 2013 - Msg 92870: Good morning gang...hey Boo,possum,Romeena,asa,GF and Rev...and all....race fans its gona be a good weekend...Denny on the pole...here at work to try to keep the lights on...till 6pm...ok...let me get some b-fast cooked...yall come by...prayers...SPOT
March 23, 2013 - Msg 92871: Morning all.

Cold on my end of the porch this morning. 25 and clear. Yesterday was wild spring weather. We get these little squalls that come over the lake, and will snow like mad, but just for a few minutes, and then the sun is out and it's all over until the next one hits. Yesterday as I left work it was snowing like crazy, and the sun was shining. Actually very pretty. And to see the clouds hanging on the mountains is just spectacular.

Hope you got some shut-eye Boo. I think I struggle more with the time change in the fall than in the spring. Probably because I prefer that extra hour at night. After the fall switch, the first week is hard. It seems like the work days are twice as long.

Glad you are feeling better Romeena. It's funny how we are all wired so different. My wife is like you, a night owl. Me, I'm a morning person. I can almost jump out of bed early in the morning and be ready to go. Good mood. Good energy. Good thoughts. But as the day wears along, I begin to slow down. And by evening I'm pretty much done. My wife, on the other hand, must wake up slow and easy, and ease into the day. But as the day rolls along, she gets more and more steam. Well, that used to be the case. Not so much anymore. Sad to see. :(

Well being it's gonna be cold here all weekend, I fancy trying something new in the kitchen. I just don't know what though. Then again I've been craving chinese food as of late. There is a mandrian place not far from us we like. Order some take out tonight. There is usually enough there for 4 or 5 dinners. Hmmmm, I might have to study on this today.

Gotta take my wife up for her monthly infusion this morning. So I take my portable dvd player with me, and a few of my TAGS dvd's, and watch them in the car. She is usually an hour or more, depending on how fast they can find a vein. I'll go get me a loaded breakfast buritto from Carl's Jr., and chow down on that while watching TAGS. All in all, it's a fun morning.

Hope y'all have a blessed day.

Asa
March 23, 2013 - Msg 92872: Mornin' SPOT and ASA. Well, I didn't wake up until 8:40! :) I am kind of a night owl like Ro. Never seem to get to bed before 11:30 or 12. I try but it just doesn't work. I worked night shift (11-7) for 10 years and loved it. I drag out of bed early in the morning and have to drink a cup of coffee, sit at the puter and get the cobwebs out of my head before I am awake. I guess we are born one way or another. Mom tells me that when I was 5 and had to get up for kindergarten, she would have to pull me out of bed, still asleep, set me on the sink and put water on my face to wake me up...and then I wasn't exactly cheerful. ;)

More cold weather, ASA? I heard last night that we are going to get a front tomorrow that will take us into the 40's again at night..that's cold for a Texan. The weather during the day will be wonderful...in the low 70's and sunny.

Asa, last night at our family dinner, my potato salad and baked beans were good but my sister's briket looked like a big leather shoe. hehe We ate it, but it was a little bit like briket jerky. I guess she put it in the oven and cooked the heck out of it. I like the way we can discuss food and cooking with you now, Asa. :)

Well, its saturday and I am going to take it easy. Bruce and sean are putting up a crossfence in the back to seed an area for grass. We have to keep Thelma lou out of it for a few weeks to let it take hold and grow, then the fence will come down. She needs more grass to graze on back there and we are considering getting another rescue donkey to keep her company. I think she gets lonely.

Better find my way to the couch to watch my favorite Saturday morning show on the Food Network, Pioneer Woman Cooks.

Hope it goes well for your wife this morning..may they find a vein the first try. I love the way you describe your fun morning, but watch out for those loaded burritos...they don't call 'em loaded for nothing. Make sure you open a window a little. ;)

See ya'll later.

Boo
March 23, 2013 - Msg 92873:
Now I woke up early and cant get back to sleep...so do I have "Boo-syndrone?" LOL
ASA- you two are like C and me, same kind of biologicl clocks, only not in our stomachs! ha
Anyways ya all have a great Saturday!
Yes, spot good weekend of racing, and
even better, Palm Sunday coming up.
Prayers,
MDC
March 23, 2013 - Msg 92874: Good morning, er, afternoon, porch! Boo, I'm glad you got to sleep late this morning. I beat you, though. Toye Starr and I didn't emerge from our bedroom until after ten, and we were in bed by 12:30 last night. Wow. Sure felt good, though.

I've got pond problems. The string algae has just taken the thing over, with great floating mats of it on the surface, and strings at least four feet long waving out in the water. It's hateful stuff, like green hair, and it clogs all the pumps and generally makes a mess. I snag as much of it as I can with a net, pull it to within reach, then get my hands in it and wad it up into balls and pull it out, but it seems to grow as fast as I remove it. I guess I'm going to have to resort to a chemical. I have some Algae-Fix, which will probably knock it down a little. Guess I'd better go put some in there.

Also, think I've got a leak in the liner. I probably mentioned this earlier. The water level has dropped about three inches, and we had some rain last night. The pond should be nearly full. Oh, dear. That's going to be hard to locate!

It's cold here, at 52°. I know that doesn't sound very cold, but it's very cloudy, still and just looks cold. The critters are all holed up, too. I've seen one bird flying, and one little squirrel nose poking out of a nest box, and that's it. I think they're expecting something, and I trust their judgment. Well, guess I'll go dose the pond with Algae-Fix before the clouds open and the rain falls on my head! Ugh. Not a fun day. I like sunshine!

I'm looking forward to tomorrow, though. Our pastor has been doing an ongoing study in the book of Daniel, and it has been fascinating. What a rich, prophetic book Daniel is, and so encouraging to read when things aren't going well. Then after church, Eloise and I are going to another Fair Park Music Hall Summer Musical. I'm not sure which play we're going to see, but I don't care. I just love stage plays! I think it's "Sister Act", but am not sure.

Prayers for you and your dear wife, Asa. Blessings, everyone! --Romeena
March 23, 2013 - Msg 92875: Sorry, MDC...maybe you caught it from me...take a nap today.

Ro, that pond is such trouble for you...do you think the enjoyment is worth the problems you deal with?

It is warm here but raining a little. I like it when it is cloudy and rainy outside, though.

Been taking it easy and watching my favorite saturday cooking shows. I didn't even get out of my pj's until noon. Time to get a few things done now, though. Not going to do much. I really needed a day of rest today.

Boo
March 23, 2013 - Msg 92876:
Hello gang......this has been one stressful weekend.....I ask you all to please keep me and an unspoken situation in your prayers. I would appreciate it more than you know.....PLEASE. It's something that I'm not at liberty to share but God certainly knows. I know that God doesn't give you more than you can handle but this is tearing me to pieces.
I love you folks....and Jesus does too!
-REV.
March 23, 2013 - Msg 92877: Oh no...so very sorry to hear it, REV. Will most certainly be praying. Your porch family loves you and will be thinking of you and lifting you and the situation to God.

Boo
March 23, 2013 - Msg 92878: You got em Rev, my friend. We love ya!

Asa
March 24, 2013 - Msg 92879: Good evening, porch. Boo, I know it sounds like the pond isn't worth the trouble, but really, it is. The fish are so beautiful, and I've really enjoyed watching them grow. Landry's little Goldie, who was about 3 inches long when we got him, is now about 9 inches, and is just gorgeous. The others are growing too, and by next summer, I should have three very pretty koi in there, surrounded by a bunch of bright, energetic goldfish. I don't do very much of the harder work on the pond now, there's a girl who comes once a month and cleans the pumps and filters, and dips out the settled debris. She does a good job, but it's the nature of string algae to just appear suddenly and proliferate like mad. I put some Algae-Fix in there this afternoon, which should slow the stuff down considerably, and then Jamie will clean it all out next week when she comes. Truly, it's worth it. The whole thing is so pretty, and is really just the centerpiece of the whole back yard.

REV, you know you have our prayers. I can't imagine what has you so distressed, but I'll be praying that God will fix it, and soon!

Blessings, friends! --Romeena
March 24, 2013 - Msg 92880: Prayers for REV and his situation.
March 24, 2013 - Msg 92881: Still praying, REV.

Well Ro, if you have help with it then that would make it worth while. I'm glad you enjoy it.

Got to get ready for preachin'. We had a blustery cool front blow in this morning and left a little rain. Just what I like.

Boo
March 24, 2013 - Msg 92882: Good morning, porch! Boo, that cool front blew through here on its way to you. It's 44° outside right now, very cloudy, has rained some, and the wind is still blowing a lot. I'm trying to figure out what to wear this morning, because Eloise and I are leaving immediately after church to drive into downtown Dallas to the Fair Park Music Hall to see the play. Oh, it's "Mary Poppins" that we're going to see. Should be fun. They have a little bistro in the building, and if you get there early you can get a nice little table and have lunch. Nothing fancy, but they do make a good chicken salad sandwich. The problem is finding something warm enough for getting from the car to the building, but not bulky and in the way once inside. Oh well. I'll find something.

Prayers continuing, REV.

Blessings, porch! --Romeena
March 24, 2013 - Msg 92883: REV...Know that your Porch Friends are here for you we will keep your situation in our prayers.
We all need "Holy Back Supports" from time to time I'll share mine with ya Buddy!...

Boo, Your sister must be getting her meat from "Diamond Jim's" hopefully she did not get a whole wagon full of the stuff!

Asa...Just be sure you keep the car windows rolled down a bit after eating that buritto ;)

Romeena, My post about Phil being indicted, it was just in fun by a prosecutor in Southern Ohio. He wanted the death penalty but when Ohio's own "Buckeye Joe" got it wrong also he felt leanlency and decieded to drop the case.
Any rate, we are tired of cold & snow...Maybe if we all sing Old 14-A REAL loud it will come..
TOM you start us off...meeee theeeey!!

SPOT, Are you ready for todays race? I'll still cheering for "Old Man River" #55 Mark Martin, he is a inspiration for all of us over 55 (except I think he's 54?) any rate ya'll have a GREAT day!

G-F....
March 24, 2013 - Msg 92884: I think every one is some where's else today....
March 24, 2013 - Msg 92885: Romeena & Boo, Check out this link I think you will like it..I'm not sure what the difference between a wild deer and a "farm" deer is but "Dillie" seems quite content on being a part of the family. This deer family is about 1/2hr away from me. And I thought Bernie,Thelma Lou, & Torry Star had it made. When they wake up in the morning and say..."Morning Deer" they really mean it...

G-F....

http://www.dilliedeer.com/index.html
March 24, 2013 - Msg 92886: Howdy, porch. Just got home from seeing "Mary Poppins" at the Music Hall in Dallas. It was a fantastic production, really memorable, and I'm so glad we got to go. The lighting, sets, staging and special effects were wonderful, and of course, the cast was stellar. Really worth the money. Best part for me was about a half hour before the end, when the woman sitting in front of me got tired of her sleepy, whiny kid and got up and left! Gave me a clear and unobstructed view of some of the most spectacular special effects of all. Lucky me!

Boo, I'm sure you know that I was aware that Phil's indictment and your report thereof was all in fun. So was my recommendation that we blame it on the weatherman!

You know, driving home from dropping Eloise off just now, I came to a conclusion. The face of America is changing, and not necessarily for the better, or at least it's changing where I live, and I know why. It's due to the heavy influx of illegal aliens. Now before someone gets upset with me, let me explain. A good while back, I made some reference to someone "looking like an illegal" and someone - I forget who - asked me just how one manages to "look illegal." Well, the question took me back for a moment, because it's hard to explain. I gave it my best shot, not sure how clear it was. The point is, those of us around here understand it perfectly, though it really is hard to explain. Well, this afternoon I noticed some things that made it a little clearer for me. First of all, it has absolutely nothing to do with race. It has everything to do with culture. Lifelong Americans of Hispanic ethnicity look, live and work pretty much like everyone else. I have neighbors of that description. One is a schoolteacher, very cultured. One is an investigator for the FBI. They are both my friends. They are no different than any other Americans.

Those who are here just newly out of Mexico or South America are easy to identify. First of all, they go everywhere in groups. You never see just one woman in the grocery store shopping. There will always be two or three women together, usually accompanied by at least one man, and always accompanied by several children. Second, the children are allowed to run amok, in the grocery store, in restaurants and even in the hallways at the hospital at 3 a.m. Rarely, if ever, are they corralled and made to "behave" according to our standards.

On my short drive home, I saw no fewer than three dogs narrowly avoid death by car, because they were roaming freely, into the street and out again. Some Americans may permit that, but most keep their pets at home. Latinos fresh from South America do not, because they don't do it at home. They will be shocked when Animal Control picks up their dog.

You can spot the very newly-arrived, because when you drive by their home there will be two or three cars parked on the front lawn in the evening, and several men perched on them, drinking beer. This ends as soon as neighbors complain. The point is, this is a cultural thing for them. It's what they do at home. It's their version of sitting on the front porch visiting.

I guess the point to this little commentary, aside from making the point that the differences are not racial, is that eventually these differences are going to bleed over into our culture, and America will be changed. Whether for the good, the bad, or just indifferent, I don't know. I do know that if I run over one of their puppies, I'm going to be extremely upset.

Blessings! --Romeena
March 24, 2013 - Msg 92887: Wow, G-F, that is just the neatest thing! Thank you so much for sharing it.

Oh, I should mention - when I said the play was worth the money, that was misleading. Eloise and I received the tickets from David and Brittney for Christmas. I think I've mentioned this, but just in case - they gave us each four tickets to Summer Musicals. We've seen "Catch Me if You Can" and now "Mary Poppins." Next, we'll see "Sister Act", and last of all, we'll see "The Lion King." A very creative gift, and something we'll enjoy all year long. Good kids!! --Romeena
March 24, 2013 - Msg 92888:
HI ALL, I treated my wife to a Sunday brunch today at the Wrigley Mansion here in Phoenix. It was her birthday yesterday, but we did the celebrating today. It was one of Wrigley's 5 homes around the country, and it has been beautifully restored into a 5 star restaurant/museum. Beautiful view of Phx from atop a small hill. Here is a link:

http://www.wrigleymansionclub.com/
I also posted on FB.
The food was excellent, from scrambled eggs to prime rib! I am a blessed man to be married to this sweetheart of mine! (:
Race fans- not too keen on the outcome, but that's life.
RO- Sounds like you had a great time today.
Regarding your other comments, I can truly say that I know what you mean. But I am actuallymore concerned about the "other" changes in the prevailing winds these days .
REV- my prayers continue brother. God bless you and yours.
Good Sabbath to all,
MDC
March 24, 2013 - Msg 92889: MDC, Did that dinner come with a pack of "Double Mint" gum too? I agree with you on the race..Don't care to see either of them Bush Bro's. win! #55 had himself a rough day, but next week is Bristol I think so they all will get dizzy going around that 1/2 mile track. I think that race is more like a demolishion derby than anything else.

G-F
March 24, 2013 - Msg 92890:
HA, good one GF, I shoulda checked under the table for some of their ABC gum!! teehee
mdc
March 24, 2013 - Msg 92891: Phil's report, Ro??...I think that might have been someone else's comment. Wasn't me. :)

Thanks for sharing, G-F.

Sounds like a great time, MDC.

Boo
March 25, 2013 - Msg 92892: Prayers Brother Rev..what a race...Jr in points lead now!..hey possum?..Boo,asa,G-F,MDC,Romeena...seems like the porch is missing a bunch..prayers for the missing...well at work to keep the lights on today,,,windy here and wet...got a broke pole crews are working on now...ok...let me get this pot of coffee going...fry up some links and a fried egg....prayers SPOT
March 25, 2013 - Msg 92893: Morning Porchters.

Hope y'all had a blessed weekend.
Happy Birthday to Mrs. MDC. MDC, I hope if the menu was in French, you didn't just point to something and say "I'll have that". Last time you did that you ended up with snails and brains. :)

Sounds like you had a wonderful time at the play Romeena. I understand what you are talking about. It seems our culture is coming under attack from every direction. We have lost our way, and it breaks my heart to see our Country dissolving right in front of us. Very predictable I suppose, but heartbreaking non the less. :(

My continued prayers for G-F, Rev, Sean, and whoever else needs them.

Asa
March 25, 2013 - Msg 92894: Morning porch, hope all is well.

checking in for a minute from work. It is cold, windy and snowing on my end of the porch. March has been a mix of Bipolar weather around here. I am ready for spring and warmer temps which are hopefully on its way!


went to church yesterday but that was the only time I was was out and about all week end. We had our Easter music program yesterday. Everyone did a great job. Next Sunday will be sunrise service and then the regular service at 10:15 am. Sunday school at 9 am. Guess, I will need to get my Easter frock all pressed and ready to go for the big day. I remember as a little girl, we always had a new Easter dress, new shoes, new socks and even a little hat to wear to church. It made the day seem even more important we when wore our new clothes to the service. Not sure if folks still do that or not. I have generally followed that same tradition with my kids and now even as young adults they still want to have something new and fresh to wear for Easter service.


breakfast menu: scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage,
gravy, biscuits, apple butter, jelly. coffee, tea
somebody bring the paper please.

Prayers and blessings all around.
Big Maude
March 25, 2013 - Msg 92895: Sorry, Boo, you're right. It was G-F. What was I thinking??

MDC, I knew you would understand what I was talking about, because you're waist-deep in the problem, just as we are here in Texas. Now folks, don't misunderstand me. I've lived with the Latin influence in our culture all my life, and it's part of who I am. I speak a fair brand of Spanish, and I love the language. I love the food, the architectural influence, and even some of the music. I love the warm and friendly people. I hate the smarmy way this sounds, but I have many, many Latino friends. We have always had a pleasing blend of the two cultures, but lately, it's not so pleasing. I think it's due to the "class" (for lack of a better word) of people who are coming in now, and the overwhelming numbers. It's like an invasion here in the south. It's pretty annoying to be standing in the grocery store and hear an overhead announcement made in Spanish. If you don't speak the language you don't know if they're advertising a special or telling you there's a fire and you need to get out. I understand, but you see lots of pretty confused folks standing there looking at the ceiling, where the speakers are. We have always had illegal immigration, but it was a slow trickle. It has become an overwhelming flood, and instead of making efforts to control it, our government is catering to it. I have a friend who lost her job as a bank teller because she's not bilingual. I'm sorry, but this is America, and that's not fair.

Yes, MDC, the "other" threat is very real, and probably much worse. Just ask Dearborn, Michigan.

Blessings! --Romeena
March 25, 2013 - Msg 92896: You have a friend who lost her job as a bank teller because she wasn't bilingual? Crazy. I hope they are planning on teaching spanish to children in public school, starting in kindergarten. That is very unfair to your friend.

Boo
March 25, 2013 - Msg 92897: Yes, it's unfair, and it's happening a lot. Check the employment ads. Many specify bilingual. That, in itself, in this country, seems unfair. Try posting an ad that says "Spanish speakers need not apply" and see how quickly the ACLU will be on your case. But you can post an ad REQUIRING Spanish and that's okay, I guess. That's a gray area, I'll admit, because in some cases Spanish is really nee4ded, like in a health clinic or something. But to fire an existing employee because she's not bilingual is not fair. In my friend's case, it's sort of a neighborhood branch bank, and the demographics of the area have changed to heavily Hispanic, so she's out of a job. Actually, the point is not that the area is Hispanic, but that it's non-English-speaking Hispanic. That's the point.

I also have a teacher friend who tells me that her class is about 98% Spanish-speaking. She has one student who speaks only English, two or three who are semi-bilingual, and the rest speak either no English, or very limited English. Try teaching in a classroom like that. I realize I may sound harsh or prejudiced here, but truly, my concerns are valid.

Those people risk life and limb to get here and then find they can only get bottom-rung jobs, because they have no command of the language. Many have valuable skills - there are some very talented Mexican stonemasons, among other things. However, they don't have enough English to apply for a decent job. Plus, without a valid green card, they can be picked up and deported at any moment, and employers don't want to risk that. It's not fair to the workers. If English was an absolute requirement, and we would quit posting translations for them in every place from the DMV to the grocery store, they would learn it. My friend who works in my landscaping is not legal, but he's working hard to learn the language, and is requiring his three little girls to speak English, even at home most of the time. Good for him! He has learned a lot, his girls are fluent, and his wife is learning, a bit more slowly because she isn't out and about like George is. He teaches me Spanish and I teach him English. He's a good student! I contend that by not practically forcing these folks to learn English, we're condemning them to a life of menial jobs, forever. Push them a bit, they'll learn because they must, and then they have many more options.

I think it's grossly unfair to mainstream non-English-speaking children in our schools. It slows everything to a crawl, which is not fair to the English speaking kids, and divides the teacher's time, when they don't have enough time as it is. I believe we need to put kids of all ages who come here with no English into a year of English-immersion classes. When they are fluent, test them for grade level and then mainstream them. We're doing them no favors as it is.

Well, I'm sorry. Actually, no, I'm not. I feel really strongly about this, and I wish our government would wake up, quit trying to pacify everyone, and just say, "This is America. You're welcome here. Assimilate, become one of us, or go home." The Canadians have done it for years, but of course their culture is pretty much like ours, and they nearly all speak English. English is the global language of commerce, and is spoken to some degree in just about any major culture in the world. To insist that these little Latino children learn English is to do them a favor, and their parents as well.

One other thing. I think if I was a Vietnamese immigrant, or Thai, or an Eskimo or whatever, I'd be picketing City Hall, demanding that my language be recognized and translations posted for my convenience, like they are in Spanish. I'd demand a bilingual teacher for my children, and I'd want my bank teller to speak my language. After all, what's fair for one should be fair for all. --Romeena
March 25, 2013 - Msg 92898: Its interesting, Ro, that you have so many more illegals in your area than we do. You would think being so much closer to Mexico we would be in the same situation but we aren't. I wonder why not?

Well, G-F, you will not believe what my husband handed me a little while ago. It was a package of mayberry cobbler mix that he has had in his truck for awhile! He forgot to give it to me. So sweet and kind of you, thanks!! I will try it soon but can't promise that I will share any with Thelma or Bernie. ;)

Just got back from town and finishing up my annual appointment with the waffle iron and other stuff that shall remain nameless. Hate it. AND I have to get a sono on Thursday due to what is probably a cyst on an ovary that has been bothering me. Prayers, please. :)

You know, Ro, when I was in the dr's office today i started looking around the place. Now this used to be the "posh" clinic on the south side of town and was built new and high tech 19 years ago...you should see it now. Yuck. The old furniture needs cleaning and nothing, not a thing has changed in 19 years...the couch smelled bad that I was sitting on. I couldn't help but wonder if they just can't afford to update anything. It was depressing. I imagine that the majority of the patients they see now are medicaid patients. I struck up a conversation with a young woman, anglo, about 20 who was pregnant with her 3rd baby and was single, living in a trailor park. It was pretty safe to say that medicaid was paying her bills. Things have changed, that's all I can say.

I'm beat...wish I could just call it a night but its only 6pm!

Boo
March 25, 2013 - Msg 92899:
How about a quote-a-thon as we approach Easter...
BARNEY: Hello Floyd, this is Barney Fife. Who's in the chair...well
get rid of 'em. I'm coming over and I'm ready for action.!
That's right I want the works. Shave, haircut, witch Hazel,
O.D. cologne, toliet water...If it smells I want it.

March 25, 2013 - Msg 92900: Boo, Maybe SPOT can send ya some of those Georgia peaches too, that mix makes a fine cobbler! The muffins are good but using with some peaches and Ice cream on top...Goooood as Andy used to say....

G-F....
March 26, 2013 - Msg 92901: I may just make the muffins, G-F...we'll see. I am going to have to figure out what to put in the crock pot for tonight. Sean has his appointment with the phych doc this afternoon over in corpus so that will take up a big part of the day. "The man" never did come to fix the dryer yesterday and is supposed to come after 5 today. I guess we will see. My laundry is really piling up now and you all know how I hate that! ;)

Better finish the coffee and do something productive.

Boo
March 26, 2013 - Msg 92902: Prayers for your sono Boo, and for your visit today with Seans Doctor. Hopefully they can get him on some meds that'll help him.

Boo, I think you gave me the tireds. I was dragging around bad yesterday, and even worse today. Didn't get a lot of sleep last night, so I know that's gotta lot to do with it. Sure wish I could crawl in a hole for a few hours nap. Oh well.

Asa
March 26, 2013 - Msg 92903: Thank you, ASA! So sorry you are feeling tired. I can certainly relate, but I slept better last night and although I woke up before the sun came up, I was able to go back to sleep for awhile. I hope you get some energy. Do you drink coffee? I find that sometimes one cup of coffee (no sugar) will really help me in the afternoons. Do what i do and focus on that wonderful moment at bedtime when you can fall into bed and go to sleep! ;)

Better go put a meatloaf in the crockpot...that sounds kinda gross, doesn't it? Its all I have time for today, though.

Boo