Good Morning and Occasional Random Thoughts

February 3, 2012

2012-02-03T06:25:00.000-08:00

Good morning! It's a beautiful morning. It's brilliantly sunny out right now, though they say clouds will move in later. Today will be "only" upper 50s. That's pretty normal, and not bad at all! :)
Yesterday: It didn't turn out like I thought it would - what else is new, right? LOL! But it was still a good day. My chocolate order came, and it was SO much fun opening up everything. I still have a lot of organizing to do. We also didn't want to waste the warm day, so worked on the garden. It's almost completely cleaned and weeded, and ready to start planting. Even though it's tempting, we will wait for March to get started! LOL!
Today: This will be an errand day. I have to go pay the rent; dropping off yet more boxes of donations (because I keep cleaning out closets and drawers! LOL!); and then I'll be delivering chocolate orders, and an information packet to my first hostess. It'll most likely be early afternoon before I get started, so hopefully the "routine" house stuff will get done first. :)

February 2, 2012

2012-02-02T06:34:00.000-08:00

Good morning! It's a beautiful morning. It was overcast when I first woke up, but it's already clearing and looks like turning into a mostly clear sunny day. According to the news, "Puxatawney Phil" saw his shadow and thus predicted 6 more weeks of winter. Well, at around 70 today - we won't mind keeping this kind of winter!
Yesterday: I butstled around in the morning to get things done, so that I could leave and come home later to a neat house. DH had his clinic appointment, which actually didn't take very long. Then we went by a shop so he could check on the progress of his project. I took a book! LOL! By early afternoon, though, we headed on home. For some reason I couldn't get myself shifted into work-mode, so nothing much got done.
Today: Even though this whole winter so far has been ridiculously mild, we can't assume it will stay. So today while it's so nice, it's time to put the garden "to bed" - so that in another month we can start prepping it for another season! We learned a lot last year - this year we'll plant more tomatoes and fewer peppers! LOL!

February 1, 2012

2012-02-01T06:36:00.000-08:00

Good morning! It's a beautiful morning. The forecast is for partly cloudy, although at the moment it's clear and sunny. But .. it's February ... and today's high will be (in my area) in the low 70s!!!!!
Yesterday: It's a good thing I got the day off to a good start, because I fizzled! LOL! Once I finally finished doing "this and that" around the house, I went to the grocery store. By the time I got things put away, the nurse got here to make adjustments to the dialysis machine settings. And after she left - I did nothing! :) What can I say, I'm a morning person. LOL
Today: I'm trying again to get myself up and moving in the morning, and accomplish more. DH has his regular (weekly) check in with the nurse. Then we'll probably go by a shop where he has a business transaction going on, to check on progress. I believe I'll take a book today! LOL! I hope to get back home in time - and find some motivation - to finish a cleaning job. But I'm not counting on it. :)

January 31, 2012

2012-01-31T08:40:00.000-08:00

Good morning! It's a beautiful morning! It will be again unseasonably warm - upper 60s - and a clear sunny day.
Yesterday: I didn't quite get everything done I'd hoped; but all things considered, not too bad. We left early afternoon and took a load of trash by the dump, then went to town to pick up DH's new glasses. After that time was spent talking with SS & GF (over lunch at a local Dive), and then a bit of a business conversation at another place. By the time we were heading home the school buses were out (I normally try to avoid them! LOL!), so no more stops. I did dredge up a bit of motivation, and cleaned out several closet shelves!
Today: This morning (that's nearly over!!) has gotten off to a strange start. Usually getting on the computer is first - not today. So, dishes are done, house is straightened, and so forth. SS came by and I walked in the yard with him a bit; and I've also had a long busines conversation on the phone. I need to go make the grocery run I didn't do yesterday; and the nurse is coming this afternoon to change some settings on the dialysis machine. This will be a busy day! :)

January 30, 2012

2012-01-30T07:47:00.000-08:00

Good morning! It's a beautiful morning. Today will be upper 50s, and bright and clear. It's a lovely mild winter day; but not *quite* warm enough to be putting the plants in and out again.
Yesterday: I had a mostly lazy day, although I did manage to accomplish a few things. A lot of what I got done was catching up some paperwork and laundry. I even allowed myself reading time! :)
Today: I'm trying to keep myself on a reasonable schedule so home maintenance is balanced with "fun" stuff, and it's all coordinated around various medical appointments and routines. So far this morning - I'm behind schedule! LOL! Oh well, I do think it'll all balance. At least I (hopefully) know all of the February appointments and commitments - add in a LOT of birthdays, and my calendar is very colorful! :)

Pictures

2012-01-29T09:12:00.001-08:00

Carrots harvested in JANUARY 2012!

Adorable chocolate "tea set" found in a re-store.

Dining room ready for Valentines.

Gorgeous vase is Christmas gift from 18 y/o grandson!

January 29, 2012

2012-01-29T07:56:00.000-08:00

Good morning! It's a beautiful morning! It's bright and clear, but I haven't been outside yet. I believe it's supposed to be cooler today - maybe low 50s. That's still nice for January; but before tonight the plants will need to come back inside!
Yesterday: It was a super busy day, but turned out great. After my "false start" to the morning, I got busy and finished doing everything I wanted to get done. I even had time to just stop and rest up before the "next phase"! LOL! Then my new friend came, and we got started on things in the kitchen. My party was supposed to start at 1:00, but I think it was probably nearer 2:00, what with getting things fixed and people coming and going. We ended up with 17 adults, 7 kids (ranging from 8 to 15), and The most adorable baby in the world. :) We had some yummy and quite surprising chocolate treats, and the my friend stayed a long time going over paperwork. Then, we ended the day by DIL and myself taking DGD shopping (her late Christmas gift). What fun!!
Today: I have sort of claimed today as a "me" day. But, though the house is clean, there are still some things that have to get done (like catching up laundry, and bringing those plants inside before the temps dip below freezing tonight). I have to do some calendar updating too! We'll be heading into a Very Busy month!!

January 28 2012

2012-01-28T05:15:00.000-08:00

Good morning! It's a beautiful morning! Yesterday's rain moved on out by afternoon, and wind and sun dried up a large part of the dampness. Today will be mostly sunny and cooler, mid 60s, which is actually amazingly nice for the end of January!
Yesterday: The eye appointments ended up taking longer than I expected, so a lot of waiting. A good friend went by my house and fixed a plumbing problem. Yay! Then my friend went with me to run a whole bunch of errands. Last night I tried to keep working on a few "hot spots", but I flaked out too early! LOL!
Today: This afternoon is my chocolate tasting party! I am so looking forward to this - both the party, and the fact that so much of my family will be here. I got up early - and then changed my mind and slept another hour! LOL! But I have very little left to do to be ready. It's all good. :)

January 27, 2012

2012-01-27T05:04:00.000-08:00

Good morning! It's a wonderful morning. Right now it's pouring rain, and the wind is shrieking - but they *say* it'll have blown over in a couple of hours, and mostly dry off by this afternoon. Today should go into the upper 60s, maybe even low 70s, so plenty of drying power there.
Yesterday: Even though I slept late, once I got going I got almost everything on my "to do" list done. Of course, as usual, I put off vacuuming! LOL! But, I did get a lot of general cleaning done, so I'm satisfied it was a productive day.
Today: This morning we get to make up for being lazy yesterday, because DH and I both have "early" (well, 9:15 is early for us!!) eye appointments. Later this afternoon I'll be doing some last minute food shopping. Tomorrow is my chocolate tasting party, and I'm so excited about it! :)

January 26, 2012

2012-01-26T06:55:00.000-08:00

Good morning! It's a wonderful morning. It's still grayish out - I'm not sure if it's a bit foggy, or cloudy, or both. It'll most likely be clooudy all day, and maybe even sprinkles by afternoon. But it's going to be near 70!
Yesterday: I got a lot of *stuff* done! I got a few groceries (DH was out of apples - oh no! LOL!), and then got a good bit of "deep cleaning" done. The yard is also straightened a bit. There's not much can be done with winter-dead grass and plants; but it's so unnaturally warm, I brought some of my container plants out for a few days. I'm satisfied that I've managed to keep "clutter" under control - but the kitchen table is starting to bug me! LOL!
Today: I hope to finish with the dusting and vacuuming, and keep on with working on little "pockets" of clutter I keep deciding can be improved. It's a slow process, but I believe I will eventually have a home that is neat and clutter free without being "sterile", and will only require minimum maintenance. Yeah, I know, keep dreaming! LOL!

January 25, 2012

2012-01-25T06:06:00.000-08:00

Good morning! It's a beautiful morning. They're saying partly to mostly cloudy, but at the moment it's mostly clear and quite nice. We're back up to upper 50s, lower 60s. Even for NC this is odd January weather.
Yesterday: In the morning DH had an appointment, which as always took longer than it should have. Then just 2 quick stops for errands, and we were home by early afternoon. I finished up a few small projects, and worked a bit on cleaning and organizing my sewing room (a never ending task! LOL!)
Today: DH has gone off with his son for the day on a (rare!) excursion. I hope to get some areas cleaned while he's not underfo ... uh ... I mean while it won't disturb him! Yeah, that's what I meant! LOL! I have big plans for the weekend, so now it's "crunch time" for getting the house clean. It's neat and presentable now; but I can always find more dust somewhere! :)

January 24, 2012

2012-01-24T06:34:00.000-08:00

Good morning! It's a wonderful morning. It's still overcast a bit, but a lot of earlier fog is mostly gone now. They say it will gradually clear during the day, and we'll be back in the mid 60s again. This is turning into an unusually warm January - and sadly (for some of us), no snow!
Yesterday: I didn't do as much as I meant to. I guess I just got (yes, another) lazy streak. I did several of the things on my list, and the house is presentable. And I did get very draggy from getting up too early. :) (and of course it has nothing to do with habitually staying up too late! LOL!)
Today: I'm up early again, not as much as yesterday. DH has a fairly early appointment, which we'll be leaving for in a few minutes. Hopefully this afternoon I'll finish up the bits and pieces I didn't do yesterday.

January 23, 2012

2012-01-23T07:12:00.000-08:00

Good morning! It's a wonderful morning. Right now it's overcast and misty, but not as cold as yesterday. Even though the high today is forecast for low to mid 50s, it may vary widely across the state. We could end up close to 60; but it'll be cloudy and possibly rainy off and on.
Yesterday: I didn't push myself to get a lot done, but in the end I managed to anyway. I've been going around decluttering, and adding to a (very small) box of random things to go upstairs. I emptied the boxes of pictures that had been packed up before Christmas - my house feels better with my pictures of my family out! :) I stayed up too late, so I could watch AI - that was delayed a whole hour because of a game.
Today: I got up very early since the supply order was due in today. I got all the "morning routine" stuff done - and then took a nap (only half an hour) until he got here! :) Now everything is squared away (supplies, bed, dishes, laundry, etc.) ... I might just take another nap! LOL! Later on I'll finish up a (short) list of small projects to get done.

January 22, 2012

2012-01-22T07:46:00.000-08:00

Good morning! It's a wonderful morning. It's very gray out, but at the moment it seems the rain has stopped. The forecast ranges from low 40s to low 60s ... I think we're in the more southern area of that, so maybe 50ish. There may be drizzle off and on - a lovely day to stay inside! :)
Yesterday: I had a relatively non-productive day, but fun. I have been trying since last fall (after an unsuccessful attempt several years ago) to join a local Red Hat group. I have finally found one, and went to a luncheon. Even though I skipped the shopping (too damp and chilly), it was fun. And, I actually made a fair bit of progress on getting the sewing/computer room a bit cleaned up.
Today: I've started out lazy and will probably continue! LOL! I have a list of a few odd chores to tackle, but I have all day. I have a fairly busy week ahead, so I need to rest up for it. That's my story and I'm sticking to it! LOL!

January 21, 2012

2012-01-21T06:43:00.000-08:00

Good morning! It's a wonderful morning. Yesterday's morning sun turned to clouds by the end of the day, and it rained all night. This morning it's still very overcast, but I have spotted glimpses of blue. They say it'll stay cloudy and windy with off and on showers - but very warm, in the mid to upper 60s.
Yesterday: I had a very busy spell during the afternoon. I dropped off more donations (yay, more *stuff* out of the house!), got a hair cut, did a bit more grocery shopping, picked up some refills. I did do a bit more around the house, but after all that running around I mostly sort of vegged during the evening! LOL!
Today: I'm doing something new and different for me ... I'm going to a Red Hat luncheon. The group is going shopping after, but I think I might pass on that. I still have things to finish getting done at home. It's going to be an interesting day to say the least! :)

January 20, 2012

2012-01-20T08:44:00.000-08:00

Good morning! It's a beautiful morning. There seem to be a few "milky" clouds, but it's mostly bright out, and seasonably mild. Today should be upper 50s, maybe even low 60s if the wind stays fairly calm. It's great that it's mild and pleasant to be outside; but I'm still hoping for some "real" winter weather ... snow!! ... at some point. (not a lot, just enough to be pretty!)
Yesterday: With help, we all worked hard, and .. ta DA ... Christmas is packed away. I'm still finding odds and ends as I straighten areas, but very little (and I know where they go!!). Plus, the main rooms even got a good cleaning. The snowman collection has partially migrated into the living room; and Valentines is beginning to appear in the dining room. But right now, it still looks sort of empty! LOL! We also found time to make a huge trash/recycles run, and later go to town for some errands and a few groceries, so it was a busy day!
Today: This morning I gave myself "permission" to sleep late; so of course, everything else is late! LOL! But I did do a bit more decluttering early on, so the house is still nice and neat. I have a hair appointment later, and while out will take a donation run. With that, a huge amount of "stuff" will have left the house in the last few days. No wonder it feels so empty! :) This evening I'll start working on getting my family framed photos back in place - that will make the house feel "better" for me.

The landing no longer looks sad and empty. I LOVE LOVE LOVE the antique piece work mini-quilt my sister made for me for Christmas!!

January 19, 2012

2012-01-19T05:58:00.000-08:00

Good morning! It's a beautiful morning. It's bright and clear, and should stay mostly sunny today. For a change we get "normal" with a high in the low 50s; and hopefully not so windy!
Yesterday: A really lot got accomplished, and well over 2/3 of the packing up is done. I even had time for a mini-shopping excursion (dog food on sale! LOL!). And last night - as those who've known me longest will know I'm happy about) the new season of American Idol started.
Today: Hopefully today we'll finally finish packing up and putting away all of the remaining Christmas stuff. There are still 5 trees (2 "big" and 3 "small") to go up, and a lot more boxes - but there's space for them.

The dining room is on it's way to change over from Christmas to Valentines.

January 18, 2012

2012-01-18T07:16:00.000-08:00

Good morning! It's a beautiful morning. Storms moved in last night, and we got a lot of rain - and even some thunder! It was still raining early this morning, but now it's clearing out and will be a mostly sunny day. But, we're back to cold, only going to upper 40s today.
Yesterday: A lot of work got done yesterday. Many more boxes of decorations were packed, listed, and put (neatly!) upstairs. Several more trees went up as well. more than half done, which is probably a speed record for me! LOL!
Today: I have help again today, but also have some interruptions. I have errands to run, and DH has his weekly appointment this afternoon. I still hope to get the remaining clutter under control so that by tomorrow the remaining Christmas (except the snowmen, which are "winter" and not strictly Christmas) will all be packed away upstairs for the next 9 months or so. :)

It's hard to get a good picture, but there are 3 large and many many small trees upstairs. I think there are about 17 packed boxes, but I keep losing count. :)

January 17, 2012

2012-01-17T07:05:00.000-08:00

Good morning! It's a beautiful morning. There are some clouds, and I believe they will be building through the day; but it's not an all-over gloomy cloudy day. And now we're on the "up" of the see-saw with a high in the mid to upper 60s!
Yesterday: I did basically nothing at all. I spent a large part of the day (very unusual for me) wrapped in a quilt semi-watching TV. I did make a few half-hearted passes at packing things; and went to bed early. (well, earlier than usual at least).
Today: I finally feel rested, and hope my energy level holds out. A friend is coming to help, and it's time to get really serious about getting up Christmas. My house looks like a cyclone went through - I'm not really liking this "look"! LOL!

Progress is being made upstairs. The stair landing looks so sad and empty without one of my favorite trees, but it had to go up in order to have room to move everything else up.

January 16, 2012

2012-01-16T08:26:00.000-08:00

Good morning! It's a beautiful morning (and yes, it IS stil morning - barely! LOL!). Today has started out clear and bright, and cold. They're saying clouds will begin to move in by later in the afternoon, and we should have a high around 50ish.
Yesterday: All things considered, I ended up getting a fair amount of packing and cleaning done. Mostly, though, I had to assemble all the various gear for an overnight stay. We headed out late afternoon, with a stop for dinner on the way. DH had a new sleep study done (with, I might add, a most delightful technician taking care of the testing), so it was an unusually TV-free evening. :)
Today: The study ended shortly after 5:00. It took awhile to get everything squared away, but we were on the way home shortly after 7:00. Both of us came home and slept a few more hours! LOL! So the rest of the day will be getting the gear out of the car and set back up; and maybe even another nap! LOL! I doubt much else will get done; but who knows, I might rest up enough to find another little burst of energy. As of this morning, I officially have 98 readers!! Wow!! I wonder how long it will take me to find 2 more readers to "move up" to 3 digits? :)

January 15, 2012

2012-01-15T07:32:00.000-08:00

Good morning! It's a beautiful morning. It's bright and sunny and "crisp"! :) Today will be mid to upper 40s; and over the next week, apparently the temps will be up and down in about a 20 degree range. The wind, for now, has eased off.
Yesterday: I did manage to do some of what I planned; but mostly I had a pretty lazy day. The upstairs room is reasonably clean and neat, and I've started working on getting Christmas stuff put away neatly.
Today: I've already worked on some stuff this morning, but I don't expect to get a lot done today. Late this afternoon we'll leave for an overnight excursion, so getting all the required junk assembled might be an all afternoon job! LOL!

The bare beginnings of getting Christmas packed away ... 9 trees and 8 boxes and no idea how many to go (a lot!)

January 14, 2012

2012-01-14T07:01:00.000-08:00

Good morning! It's a beautiful morning. It's bright and clear now, and the clouds and wind of the last few days have moved on. Today will be around mid to upper 40s, which is "seasonable" for Januaryl.
Yesterday: I made myself a fairly long list; but I did almost everything on it! Yay! I got laundry caught up, a few random chores done, made a few important phone calls, and nearly finished cleaning the upstairs room! Yay! I even got some dinner going in the crock pot, so we ate a "real meal". :)
Today: In theory my "Plan" is set up so I have weekends "off" (other than the usual stuff, cooking, dishes, laundry). But today I do plan to finish the cleaning upstairs, and continue to work on packing up boxes to take up there. I just won't work all that hard at it! LOL!

My sister-in-law with her beautiful daughter, taken on the day of our niece's wedding. Happy Birthday Ann!!!!

January 13, 2012

2012-01-13T07:15:00.000-08:00

Good morning! It's a beautiful morning. My window is flooded with wonderful bright sunlight .. but it's very cold! The wind howled all night, though it has slowed a little bit now. It will only get to mid to upper 40s today, with a wind chill of around 20. Hello winter!
Yesterday: That might have been our last gasp of unseasonably warm (then again, maybe not!), so we got outside stuff done. Most of the lights and other decorations are packed up and put away for the year ... I did leave a few things out, just because it's so awfully dreary when they all go at once. :) Last night's wind knocked the deer over, but nothing is damaged. I even managed to get to town to pick up another med, and some more dog food.
Today: I hope I don't have to leave the house today! :) I've got to finish getting the upstairs room cleaned and organized, and continue to make a bit of progress with packing things up. It's sad to see all the pretty lights get turned off, but it's time. Of course, as soon as Christmas is packed, it'll be time to bring out Valentine decorations! :)
Are any of you superstitious? I was raised in a somewhat superstitious home. My grandmother was extremely so; my mother to a lesser degree (and my father not at all that I know of). Me ... not so much! LOL! So, today is Friday the 13th. It holds no fear for me .. because I've very often through the years had good luck either on the Friday or the Saturday following. So, I'm quite happily waiting to see what wonderful thing will happen today or tomorrow. :)_

These are some of the "puppies" that showed up in my yard last year and never left. There are 5 of them. Today is the first time the black one was brave enough to come all the way under the porch while I was still out there!

January 12, 2012

2012-01-12T06:43:00.000-08:00

Good morning! It's a beautiful morning. Yesterday's gloom is gone, and it's clear and bright for now. More clouds are due in, but they're saying no rain until at least late tonight. Today will be low to mid 60s ... a lovely day, and maybe the last warm one for awhile.
Yesterday: DH's appointment wasn't until nearly noon, so all the "usual" morning stuff got done. Since he had to wait on the doctor, a 15 minute visit took 2 hours. Thank goodness for e-readers! LOL! After that, a few quick stops meant dodging in and out of showers. It was late afternoon when we got home ... and I confess ... I did not go upstairs!
Today: As this could be the last "nice" day for awhile, I'm planning to try to get most of the outside stuff packed up. I don't know if I'll get it into the barn, but I guess ... sob! ... most of the lights will get turned off. I'll have a few stay on a bit longer, at least until the days start getting a bit longer so it's not so dark and dreary at night! :) I also have to fit in a run to town for yet another med that just got changed last night. Drat! LOL!

January 11, 2012

2012-01-11T06:22:00.000-08:00

Good morning! It's a wonderful morning. I got up to gray and wet, and the forecast is for this all day. But, it will be near 60, so at least not a "cold rain". According to the weather guru, we need the rain. :)
Yesterday: We had a busy day, but accomplished more than I expected. DH had to make a quick trip by the doctor's office in town. After that he went by the bank, we got some lunch, and he got a haircut. Then his DS took us home, took the car back to his shop and put a new alternator in it. I'm so relieved that's done - I think if I didn't take care of Big Blue (which I try very hard to do because I love that car), my daddy might haunt me! Yay, no more *squeal*! LOL! And, I got a bit more work done upstairs.
Today: There's yet another appointment, and it isn't until nearly noon. That makes the day longer, but can't be helped. After that we'll go pick up refills, and maybe get some groceries. If it's still raining by then, we just might use a Christmas gift certificate for dinner; and I'll get groceries tomorrow when the rain stops. :)

This is the beginning stage of the storage/packing project - getting empty boxes down so the upstairs can be cleaned and organized. Then all these boxes (there's actually about 2 dozen in this room) can be loaded with Christmas stuff and put away neatly. I hope! :)

January 10, 2012

2012-01-10T06:54:00.001-08:00

Good morning! It's a beautiful morning. The day started out a bit cloudy, but will probably be a mix of clouds and sun as it goes on. It will be warmer, around 60, than yesterday's chill. But tomorrow we may get cold and wet again, so today will be nice!
Yesterday: I did do a lot, just not what I thought I should have gotten done. I'm still working on cleaning and organizing the upstairs room; so I brought several more boxes down to sort out. Boy have I got a lot of junk!! LOL!
Today: DH has a brief appointment with medical vampires this morning. Then we'll go by the bank; and hopefully after that go get (yet another) car part taken care of. I hope I still have some motivation left when we get home to keep working on getting that room ready for storage! :)

I found this candle holder a year or two ago in New Bern. Tonight I finished up the bottle of wine (1/3rd glass) so I had something to put the holder in.

January 9, 2012

2012-01-09T06:55:00.000-08:00

Good morning! It's a wonderful morning. Well, it's chilly and damp; but they're saying we need rain, so that's a good thing. :) It will only be upper 50s today. Warmer was nice, but this is more how January is *supposed* to be!
Yesterday: I got myself busy and made a lot of progress on clearing and organizing the upstairs room. I have a long way to go, but any small progress is still progress! I even got laundry done AND put up.
Today: The supply order came very early (and without the notice we were supposed to get). So, I'm a bit "disoriented". I have no idea what today will hold at this point. I should get scheduled chores done and keep working upstairs. DH may want to go get some appointments (flexible) over with. I'd really just like to curl up with a blanket and a book! LOL!

January 8, 2012

2012-01-08T07:22:00.000-08:00

Good morning! It's a beaufitul morning. The forecast is for mostly cloudy; but so far it's still very bright and only a few thin clouds. It will be "cooler" than yesterday, but upper 50s still is quite nice for January!
Yesterday: It turned into a bit of an odd day, but still ok. I went to a birthday party in the afternoon; but because I didn't have the right time at first, I sort of wasted a bit of time. It's OK, it's the weekend! LOL! I did manage to get a tiny bit done on decluttering.
Today: Since next week will be a little busier than I expected, I will try to get a head start on a little bit of stuff. It's not time to take down Christmas yet, but it is time to get the storage area prepped. And, sad to say, I'm going to have to go through a lot of boxes and -- *gasp* -- let go of some decorations! LOL!

Winter tree and sky.

January 7, 2012

2012-01-07T07:44:00.000-08:00

Good morning! It's beautiful morning! So far it's mostly bright and sunny, with only hints of clouds. The forecast is for mostly cloudy; but it will be in the upper 60s! Here we go, the "normal" NC winter see-saw! :)
Yesterday: I actually got a lot accomplished, even though right now the house looks a bit like a disaster. I had my appointment in the morning, and go back in 3 weeks (to see if new drops are working). I got most of the daily chores done. Then my friend helped me bring about 30 empty boxes of various sizes downstairs. A few of the boxes weren't completely empty, but those have been sorted. Four of the boxes have gotten started, and I'm trying to keep similar stuff together.
Today: This afternoon I'm going to a birthday party. Then I will work on getting the upstairs better organized so that I'll actually have room to pack Christmas back up again. :)

Maggies favorite daily spot is looking out at the front yard.

January 6, 2012

2012-01-06T05:35:00.001-08:00

Good morning! It's a beautiful morning. It's bright and clear, and will be a much warmer day. It'll be mid to upper 60s and sunny all day - maybe my ice fountain will melt away! :)
Yesterday: We got everything done that was planned! Yay! Lots of trash got gathered up and dropped off, as well as a bag of recycling. We went by and paid the rent, and then finally rescued my (old) sewing machine. I didn't get anything else done, but it's OK. I did at least cook dinner (for a change! LOL!)
Today: I have an early appointment this morning. Later this afternoon I plan to do today's scheduled chores - vacuum & change sheets. Also, a friend and I are going to start bringing empty boxes downstairs. Sadly, it's getting nearly time to pack up Christmas decorations.

Oops, sorry, forgot to attach a picture and post this yesterday.

January 5, 2012

2012-01-05T07:08:00.000-08:00

Good morning! It's a beautiful morning. The forecast said cloudy to start with; but I must have slept later than I thought, because it's already quite clear and bright! The warm back up has begun, today will go to low to mid 50s.
Yesterday: It turned out a little busier than I expected; but since I planned nothing, I did it very well! LOL! We made it to DH's appointment on time, and were there longer than expected (to discuss some issues). Then we hit Wal-Mart for some groceries, and WalGreens for some refills. On the way home we dropped off a few things at a friend's house (per an "emergency" request while we were out). It was fairly late by the time we got home and got groceries put away.
Today: I already have laundry started. Since it's the first (well, nearly) of the month, today we'll go pay the rent. While out, we'll take trash to the dump, and *maybe* go retrieve my repaired sewing machine. I think it's been held hostage long enough! LOL! What else does or doesn't get done will depend on how long everything takes. :)

These are some bits of Christmas in my kitchen cabinet .. I'm thinking they just may stay awhile. :)

January 4, 2012

2012-01-04T06:53:00.000-08:00

Good morning! It's a beautiful morning. It's bright and clear, and will be "warmer" (mid 40s) than yesterday. The pond is almost completely frozen over now, but in another day or two it will thaw back out.
Yesterday: I did not rush to get anything done, but I did manage all the things I planned to do anyway. My "project" for the day was to clean the kitchen floor, which I did. I also managed to get off the computer long enough to do a few other odds and ends around the house. :)
Today: DH has a doctor appointment this morning, but that usually doesn't take very long (not clinic!). While out, we'll check for any refills, and probably pick up a few groceries. I don't have much else "planned", but if we get home in time I'll probably do some of the never-ending laundry. :)

I love the look of all the pretty jars of jellies and pickles!

January 3, 2012

2012-01-03T07:26:00.000-08:00

Good morning! It's a beautiful morning. It's clear and bright, and very cold! They're saying mid to upper 30s today; it's below freezing so far, and extremely windy. The ice mountain in the fish pond has begun!
Yesterday: I didn't quite do everything on my list; but the things I didn't finish are things I have all week to complete anyway. My "main chores" of cleaning the bathroom and watering the plants got done. Last night I put a big (frozen) baggie of leftovers in a pot and made soup .. it was very yummy!
Today: Because it's so cold, I will not be leaving the house today. I don't even know if I'll go get the mail! LOL! My "main" chore is to clean the kitchen floor; and I will continue to work on getting my calendar updated for the year. Since it's such a cold day, I *might* get ambitious and bake something. :)

January 2, 2012

2012-01-02T07:08:00.000-08:00

Good morning! It's a beautiful morning! Winter weather has truly arrived, as today will be mostly bright and clear - but only in the upper 40s! There looks like no chance of rain for another week (when, of course, it will "warm" back up again! LOL!)
Yesterday: The day was a odd mix of quiet time and frantic activity. All of the "company" was tired, so everyone but me slept very late. Once they all got up, there was a lot of confusion as all belongings were gathered to pack for their trip home. Wow, was that little car crammed full! LOL! After they left, it was quiet again, and I was very lazy. I decided I wanted to start the new year off being relaxed and calm! :)
Today: I am hoping to get myself onto a regular schedule of sorts, and not goof off on the computer all day. This is a good day to get started, so the "plan" for today is to watch the training video for a new (easier to use) computer program; finish putting away all clean laundry; put away most of the Christmas china (because it's cluttering the table now); clean one room (today will be bathroom), and water the plants.

OK, I admit, it's "fudging" a bit to copy-and-paste from my newsletter; but it still counts some, right?
Today is "National Motivation and Inspiration Day". So I'm really hoping to be both motivated to accomplish the things on my TO DO list, and inspired to create and maintain a comfortable home.

Maggie, of course, has other ideas. Every day I pick up the M&M toys and put them in a basket. Every night she pulls them out and scatters them somewhere in the house. then she lays around looking "innocent"! :)

January 1, 2012

2012-01-01T08:28:00.000-08:00

I had thought to follow the prompts for January for NaBloPoMo. But there are two issues with that. The first, of course, being that I am really horrible at keeping up with daily blogging. I want to. I always mean to. But I already spend too much time on the computer, and the days just get away from me. The second one being that I can't for the life of me figure out how to find the daily prompt! I keep clicking on different links, but nothing takes me there. So, I guess I'll just wing it!
There is also the problem that I'm having such a hard time seeing things on the computer screen. I'm desperately hoping new glasses are going to fix that ... appointment next week.

So, without a prompt, not sure what I should be writing about; only that I should. Since it is the first day of another new year, I think I'll "think out loud" about my goals for this year.

My biggest goal at this moment is to figure out how to make the curser behave; to learn how to use "Dragon" (and eliminate typing by hand which has become more and more difficult).

During the past year, I have done a lot of changing things around in my home. Some of it was for convenience, some for comfort, some just for fun. I think (for now at least) I'm pretty well satisfied with the arrangement. Well, I may tweak things from time to time, but doubtfully anything major this year. So, for this year my big goal is to be organized. These are the areas I plan to try to work on:
1. Keeping a calendar up to date, so I acknowledge ALL birthdays, anniversaries, and don't miss any appointments.
2. Making and sticking to a household schedule that keeps me on track on cleaning, detail organizing, and still allows for fun time.
3. Paying a bit more attention to *ME* - meaning time to do my nails, to read, to sew, to blog, etc.
4. Getting a budget in line with what is realistic, and learn to stick to it.
5. Do something every single month towards being better prepared for next year's Christmas.
6. Work harder on healthy eating.

I may think of more things, but that's enough to start with.

This is the Gorgeous quilt my sister gave me for Christmas, made from antique pieces of embroidery and patchwork that match a wall hanging she has. Beautiful and precious!

Blogging November 3, 4, 2011

2011-11-04T06:04:00.001-07:00

I don't know why I have such a hard time keeping up with this!

November 3rd:
"Can you listen to music and write? What song did you hear today?"
I rarely listen to music because the TV is usually on. If I can write with the TV on, I think I could write even better with music. But I have no idea what songs I've heard recently. Unless the one inside my head ("Mary Did You Know?") counts!

November 4th:
"When you are writing do you prefer to use a pen or a computer?"
Oh, definitely the computer. As my hands age, arthritis becomes more of an issue. Holding a pen for any length of time is hard. Typing becomes harder eventually, but not as quickly. Plus, back space is much easier than scratching out! :)

Blogging

2011-11-02T07:56:00.000-07:00

I had every intention of doing the November NaBloPoMo ... and here it is already the 2nd. Oops.

Yesterday's prompt:
"What is your favorite part about writing?"
For me, it's *trying* to get some of the zillions of thoughts that roam around in my head down into real words. I always feel like I have a lot to say ... but I don't seem to be very good at actually doing so.

Today's prompt:
"If you knew that whatever you ate next would be your last meal, what would you want it to be?"
What an odd question! To begin with, why would it be my last meal? Is it because I'm going to die? Or is it because I'm simply not going to be allowed - for whatever reason - to eat again? There's a lot of difference! For example, if I knew I was going to die, I'd feel free to eat something (for example, something loaded with onions) that might give me heartburn, but it wouldn't matter. On the other hand, if I wasn't going to get to eat again, I'd sure choose something that would stick with me as long as possible, but that would not give me indigestion. Either way, something chocolate! I'm thinking probably some kind of pasta - loaded with butter and cheese. :) Or maybe a Hibachi buffet!
Now I wish I hadn't started on this. I'd really love to go to Papa's (not PapaJohn) Pizza for some of their alfredo!!!

Changes

2011-10-24T15:44:00.000-07:00

I've not posted my Good Morning here since August 7th, when I changed computers and email addresses. I never heard any feed back, so I have to presume that no one noticed.
In the past year I have made many changes in my home and my life.
When I was growing up, I asked Mama what was her decorating "style" (being a snotty know-it-all teen, I was sure I knew all about decorating). She called it "early children". In later years she upgraded a lot. Well, I'm now there. Years and years of "make-do" and hand-me-downs have given way to a few nice things. I have made changes - big or small - to almost every room in the house. It also took living here more than 8 or 9 years to get to that point. Until this house, from the time I moved out of my parent's house I never lived in one place longer than 5 years.
Not in order by time line, the changes have been:
Starting outside, this year with the help of my friend we had a wonderful garden. It was (and still is) very productive! Lots of pretty things have been planted, and the yard is gradually becoming quite pretty.
Since last spring my husband has had to use a walker; and is pretty much unlikely to ever not need it. The steps were a hassle, so we needed a ramp. Well, if you have an "ugly" porch (just a cement slab), and have to build a ramp, you might as well expand it enough to have a real porch! Which I did, and absolutely love!
The first "room" is the back bathroom, and that's the one place no change has been made yet. I plan to buy a smaller profile sink to make the room more accessible for DH with his walker.
The laundry room now has the first brand new washer and dryer I've ever owned. Well, there's a year old now, but were bought new. I've also added a larger chest freezer.
In the den I replaced a falling-down entertainment center with a really nice wood 3 piece system, and also got a nice rug for in there (carpeting is yucky). Also last summer I replaced an ugly light fixture with a nice ceiling fan. Today I added some new curtains.
In the kitchen, of course there's little I can do. I won't buy new appliances in a rented house (not the ones that came with it). But I have added the most wonderful old hutch cabinet; I "upgraded" the kitchen table (vintage 50s style, huge and I love it); and today changed out the curtains.
In the dining room, I changed out an old beat up shelf to a very nice dresser. Even though it's "meant" for a bedroom, I changed the knobs and it's just perfect as a buffet. Last year I finally managed to replace old wood dining chairs with some antique ones that belonged to my grandmother (after replacing the seats and then cleaning and replacing the needlepoint seat covers).
In the living room I was given a nice cream colored wing chair. I found a nice recliner wing chair at a furniture store that was going out of business. I got a nice rug, and a pretty braided rug for the summer.
In "my" room I've made a lot of changes. I got a nice "real" desk (as opposed to a door across file cabinets). I inherited Mama's sewing table. I replaced a mish mash of plastic cabinets with a series of ClosetMaid cabinetry. I also got a very nice comfortable desk chair!
The bathroom doesn't have much I can do, but I did get a new shower curtain. :)
The bedroom has had a lot of changes. I replaced a series of unmatched open shelves with 3 large storage cabinets with doors. That alone was a huge improvement! I added a nice recliner for the days DH's not able to walk around the house very well. And, I gave away the old (big, heavy, but wobbly) bed frame and got a nice new smaller one, and even got new sheets, blanket, pillows, comforter, and bed skirt.
The guest room is still a room in progress. At one time, just over a year ago, I had a lovely guest room. But, I actually rarely have guests. I gave away a large dresser (matched the bed), and dismantled the bed. I still have to get rid of a box spring. The room now has 2 dressers (both antiques, one was my great-aunt's), a sleeper-sofa (so it can still be a guest room), a small scale recliner, and a bunch of other odds and ends. I have 2 large cabinets that need to be assembled that will go in there (and when they're done, things from the front hall shelves will be moved into the guest room/library so the front hall shelves can hold medical supplies).
All of the huge, heavy TVs have been replaced with smaller flat screens. And, I admit, I got some "toys", including a new sewing machine (because the old one is in the shop and after 3 weeks they still haven't gotten around to it).

Good Morning! Sunday August 7, 2011

2011-08-07T06:16:00.000-07:00

Good morning! It's a beautiful morning. Although the forecast is for partly cloudy, for now it is bright and clear. It will be hot and humid again though, with mid to upper 90s and possible showers. I'd be glad of rain - we got none from loads of storms crossing the state yesterday - but sprinklers going anyway! :)
Yesterday: Even though I tried to not plan a lot, I stayed pretty busy. After taking DH to dialysis, I did some grocery shopping (only meant to stop for a few things ... but I had coupons for things we will use ... what can I say? LOL!), then came home and logged on to my class. I also got the worst of the trash (if not all of it) bagged up and took it by the dump before picking DH up again. We went shopping and bought him some new shoes, and then went to Cracker Barrel for dinner (yay, no dishes - and - I resisted buying anything in the gift shop. Of course, that's partly because they had sold out of the cat clock I really wanted! LOL!!). Last night I did little but walk the grandpup and feed the yard pups (yes, they're back). It's been very funny watching the cat and dog. There have been no altercations; but they do a lot of "circling"! LOL! I think if they had time they might become playmates. OK, maybe not, but they'd at least tolerate and ignore each other. :)
Today: I won't get much done at home again, but I think after today will be my last "errand" day for awhile. I'm taking a friend to take her son school clothes shopping. Not fun! LOL! Later this afternoon DS and family will come through on their way home and pick up the "grand-pup". I'll miss her. But I'm NOT getting a dog! LOL!

Today is "Particularly Preposterous Packaging Day" ... "Professional Speakers Day" ... "Sisters' Day" ... "Herbert Hoover Day (Iowa)" ... "National Day (Cote D'Ivoire)".

uotes of the Day:
"Walking isn't a lost art: one must, by some means, get to the garage.
-- Evan Esar

Honor does not have to be defended.
-- Robert J. Sawyer

You can't help getting older, but you don't have to get old.
-- George Burns

Today in history:
In 1782, the Order of the Purple Heart was established by Gen. George Washington to honor Americans who fought in the Revolutionary War.

In 1927, the Peace Bridge opened between Fort Erie, Ontario, and Buffalo, New York.

In 1959, the satellite Explorer-6 transmitted man's first view of the Earth from space.

Today's birthdays include
- Carl Ritter, the German co-founder of modern geographical science, in 1779
- The World War I Dutch spy and courtesan known as Mata Hari (Margaret Gertrude Zelle) in 1876
- Actress Billie Burke in 1885
- British archaeologist and anthropologist Louis Leakey in 1903
- American statesman and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ralph J. Bunche in 1904
- Film director Nicholas Ray in 1911
- Comedian/producer Stan Freberg in 1926
- Actor Carl Switzer (Alfalfa in the Our Gang and Little Rascals movie comedies) in 1927
- Singer B.J. Thomas in 1942
- Humorist Garrison Keillor ( Prairie Home Companion ) in 1942
- Actor John Glover in 1944
- Actor David Duchovny (The X-Files in 1960
- Actress Charlize Theron in 1975

Everyone have a Great Sunay!

Good Morning! Saturday August 6, 2011

2011-08-06T05:55:00.000-07:00

Good morning! It's a wonderful morning. It's all gray and drippy ... yay! :) The high should *only* be low 90s, with scattered showers all day. Even with the humidity, it's so lovely to actually get some rain!!
Yesterday: I was not as productive as I would have liked, but a few essential things got done. My "grandpup" is here for a weekend visit; and the stray yard puppies seem to have disappeared. Hopefully, they "adopted" someone else's yard! LOL! I got out and got some bills paid, and a big pile of donated stuff given away. The afternoon was too hot and humid to be very energetic, but I did manage a few small chores in the evening.
Today: I have a few things to try to do today, though not a terribly long list. It's a dialysis day, and I'm hoping to carve out a couple of quiet hours to deal with a personal project; and after dialysis, planning to take DH shoe shopping and out to dinner. Of course, plans frequently change, so will see how it goes. :)

Today is "National Fresh Breath Day" ... "National Mustard Day" ... "Anniversary - Hiroshima Day" ... "Anniversary - Voting Rights Act of 1965 Signed" ... "Double Seven Festival (China)" ... "Independence Day (Bolivia)" ... "Peace Festival (Japan)".

uotes of the Day:
"If we couldn't laugh, we would all go insane".
-- Jimmy Buffett

"Laughing is the sensation of feeling good all over and showing it principally in one spot."
-- Josh Billings

Today in history:
In 1926, Gertrude Ederle of New York became the first American to swim the English Channel.

In 1996, NASA Administrator Daniel Goldin announced the discovery of evidence of a primitive life form on Mars.

Today's birthdays include
- English poet Alfred Lord Tennyson in 1809
- Hollywood gossip columnist Louella Parsons in 1881
- Alexander Fleming, the discoverer of penicillin, also in 1881
- Movie cowboy star Hoot Gibson in 1892
- Comedian Lucille Ball in 1911
- Actor Robert Mitchum in 1917
- Former airline executive Freddie Laker in 1922
- Artist Andy Warhol in 1928
- Actress Catherine Hicks in 1951
- Film director M. Night Shyamalan in 1970

Everyone have a Great Saturday!

Good Morning! Friday August 5, 2011

2011-08-05T05:30:00.000-07:00

Good morning! It's a wonderful morning. It's overcast, but the forecast is for partly cloudy and possible afternoon showers. Today will only be mid 90s, but probably humid with a front coming. Some rain would be welcome; but sprinklers are going, just in case. :)
Yesterday: I had to make a couple of stops on the way homek from work/dialysis last night. Evening "routine" lately has included moving sprinklers and checking on/feeding puppies. I didn't find much energy last night, but did get a few small things done ... and any small progress is still progress! :)
Today: I have a lot I'd like to get done; but I also have several errands I have to go take care of, so I don't know where things will end up. Some time this morningmy "grand-pup" is coming to visit for the weekend. I don't know how she and Maggie-the-cat are going to get along ... this could be "interesting"! LOL!

Today is "Homeland Thanksgiving Day (Croatia)

uotes of the Day:
"Education is when you read the fine print. Experience is what you get if you don't."
-- Pete Seeger

"I hope that while so many people are out smelling the flowers, someone is taking the time to plant some."
-- Herbert Rappaport

"Don't think there are no crocodiles because the water is calm."
-- Malayan Proverb

Today in history:
In 1833, Chicago was incorporated as a village with a population of about 200.

In 1858, after several unsuccessful attempts, the first telegraph line across the Atlantic Ocean was completed.

In 1861, U.S. President Abraham Lincoln signed into law the first federal income tax. A wartime measure, it was rescinded in 1872.

In 1884, the cornerstone for the Statue of Liberty was laid.

In 1957, Dick Clark's "American Bandstand" began airing nationally.

Today's birthdays include
- French novelist Guy de Maupassant in 1850
- Poet and critic Conrad Aiken in 1889
- Film director John Huston in 1906
- Actor Robert Taylor in 1911
- Astronaut Neil Armstrong, first man on the moon, in 1930
- Actor John Saxon in 1935
- Actress Loni Anderson in 1946
- Actor Jonathan Silverman in 1966

Everyone have a Great Friday!

Good Morning! Thursday August 4, 2011

2011-08-04T06:52:00.000-07:00

Good morning! It's a beautiful morning. I believe it's going to be one more very hot day, high 90s or even triple digits. The humidity is high too; but a "cold front" is approaching, so there's at least a chance of afternoon storms, and then perhaps a few days of lower temps (although still 90s).
Yesterday: I didn't get as much done as I hoped, but I still feel I got a fair bit accomplished. It was hot enough to get uncomfortable even inside with a/c running as soon as I start doing much moving around. I did manage to get a large chunk done on the room project of the week, and it won't take a lot more to be done with that.
Today: It's dialysis and work today as usual. I'm hoping to dredge up enough energy this evening to finish doing some straightening and maybe even (*gasp!*) run the vacuum. :)
Upcoming: Those of you who have been with me awhile know I tend to follow various "plans" this time of year, building up to Christmas. And no, for me, it's not too soon to think about that! LOL! I have a blog ( http://mychristmascountdown.blogspot.com/ ) that I've pretty much ignored for a long time. I'm going to get back to it to track my progress this year, if any of you are interested in floowing along. :)

Today is "U.S. Coast Guard Day" ... "National Underwear Day" ... "Revolution Day (Burkina Faso)".

uotes of the Day:
"The statistics on sanity are that one out of every four Americans is suffering from some form of mental illness. Think of your three best friends. If they're okay, then it's you."
-- Rita Mae Brown

"The first time I see a jogger smiling, I'll consider it."
-- Joan Rivers

"When we seek for connection, we restore the world to wholeness. Our seemingly separate lives become meaningful as we discover how truly necessary we are to each other."
-- Margaret Wheatley

Today in history:
In 1735, freedom of the press was established in the American colonies when John Peter Zenger, publisher of a New York City newspaper, was acquitted of libel charges.

In 1902, the Greenwich Foot Tunnel under the River Thames opened.

In 1958, Billboard magazine introduced its "Hot 100" chart, covering the 100 most popular pop singles in the country. The first No. 1 was Ricky Nelson's "Poor Little Fool."

In 2007 sports, Barry Bonds of the San Francisco Giants hit his 755th career home run tying Hank Aaron's all-time major league record.

Today's birthdays include
- English poet Percy Bysshe Shelley in 1792
- Scottish comedian Harry Lauder in 1870
- Queen Elizabeth, mother of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, in 1900
- Legendary jazz musician Louis Armstrong in 1901
- Swedish architect Raoul Wallenberg, credited with saving 100,000 Jews from the Nazis during World War II, in 1912
- Former UPI White House reporter Helen Thomas, in 1920
- Actor Richard Belzer in 1944
- Actor Billy Bob Thornton in 1955

Everyone have a Great Thursday!

Good Morning! Wednesday August 3, 2011

2011-08-03T06:25:00.000-07:00

Good morning! It's a beautiful morning. It's already quite warm, but bright and clear. We'll have another really hot day, maybe even up to 100; but then they *say* the heat will back off and we'll even get some rain! For today, hot and dry, and the sprinklers are going!
Yesterday: For being a dialysis and work day, I did pretty well. I decided to tackle one little project. It sort of "mushroomed" into a much bigger project! LOL! But, I have a couple of boxes of donations, and I found places for all the storage totes. Now I just have to find places for everything else! LOL!
Today: The only thing I have to go "out" for today is to go pay the rent. I hope to put some good time into my on line class this morning, and then finish my cleaning project this afternoon. That's very ambitious, but I have a goal in mind; and besides, I just want it done! :)

Today is "National Night Out" ... "Independence Day (Niger)".

uotes of the Day:
"There are plenty of good five-cent cigars in the country. The trouble is they cost a quarter. What this country needs is a good five-cent nickel."
-- Franklin P. Adams

"The trouble with having an open mind, of course, is that people will insist on coming along and trying to put things in it."
-- Terry Pratchett

"Today's public figures can no longer write their own speeches or books, and there is some evidence that they can't read them either."
-- Gore Vidal

"Ever tried? Ever failed? No Matter, try again, fail again, Fail better."
-- Samuel Beckett

Today in history:
In 1492, Christopher Columbus set sail from Spain for the New World with a convoy of three small ships -- the Nina, the Pinta and the Santa Maria -- and fewer than 100 crewmen.

In 1958, the USS Nautilus traveled under the Arctic ice cap.

In 2004, the Statue of Liberty in New York harbor was reopened to the public.

Today's birthdays include
- Elisha Graves Otis, inventor of the modern elevator, in 1811
- World War II correspondent Ernie Pyle in 1900
- Orchestra leader Ray Bloch in 1902
- Actress Dolores del Rio in 1905
- Band leader Les Elgart in 1917
- Author Leon Uris in 1924
- Singer Tony Bennett in 1926
- TV personality and lifestyle consultant Martha Stewart in 1941
- Actor Martin Sheen in 1940
- Actor Jay North in 1951

Everyone have a Great Wednesday!

Good Morning! Tuesday August 2, 2011

2011-08-02T06:22:00.000-07:00

Good morning! It's a beautiful morning. It's creeping back up again towards that triple digit mark; today will be upper 90s. It will be much drier (less humid) today. That means lower heat index, but also no chance of rain.
Yesterday: I didn't get to everything on my list; but then, I knew I had an unreasonably long list to begin with. I did get a lot done, and made fairly significant progress on the new "project room". In the evening we went to a friend's son's birthday party. I didn't get anything done after that, but I'm satisfied for now with what did get done. :)
Today: It's a dialysis and work day again. I will stop by the pharmacy on the way in to drop off a few refill requests; but they don't need to be picked up right away, so we can go straight home after work. If work isn't too crazy, maybe I can dredge up some energy to do a bit more in the project room tonight. Or, maybe I'll just keep watching SYTYCD! LOL!

Today is "National Night Out" ... "Anniversary - Signing of Declaration of Independence Official" ... "Colorado Day (Colorado)" ... "Independence Day (Jamaica)" ... "National Day (Macedonia)" ... "Youth Day (Zambia)" ... "Sisters Day".

Quotes of the Day:
"The author of the Iliad is either Homer or, if not Homer, somebody else of the same name."
-- Aldous Huxley

"Wear the old coat and buy the new book."
-- Austin Phelps

Worry is a misuse of imagination.
-- Dan Zadra

Today in history:
In 1776, the Declaration of Independence, adopted on July 4, was signed by members of the Continental Congress.

In 1870, the Tower Subway, the world's first underground railway, opened in London.

Today's birthdays include
- Singer Helen Morgan in 1900
- Actress Myrna Loy in 1905
- Actress Beatrice Straight in 1914
- Author James Baldwin in 1924
- Actor Carroll O'Connor in 1924
- Actor Peter O'Toole in 1932
- Filmmaker Wes Craven in 1939
- Actress Joanna Cassidy in 1945
- Actress Kathryn Harrold in 1950
- Actress Victoria Jackson in 1959
- Actress Mary Louise Parker in 1964
- Writer/director/actor Kevin Smith in 1970
- Actor Edward Furlong in 1977

Everyone have a Great Tuesday!

Good Morning! Monday August 1, 2011

2011-08-01T06:38:00.000-07:00

Good morning! It's a wonderful morning. It's starting out overcast, though the forecast is only for "partly cloudy". I guess that doesn't tell us which part! LOL! They're calling for 95, which means upper 90s for me. There's the ever present chance of afternoon storms; but it looks like we did get a bit of rain early this morning.
Yesterday: We tried to take advantage of it being not *quite* so hot. I took my friend to run some errands, and then we got out in the garden a bit. We also got to spend a little time watching the puppie's antics, though only from a distance. Even with the heat and missing a few days of watering, the garden is still producing amazing quantities, especially tomatoes.
Today: This will be a catch up day. I have a few odds and ends to catch up on, some "routine" cleaning, and hopefully get started (finally) on this week's project room. That all may depend on how my energy level holds out. :) Tonight we're going to a friend's son's birthday party. Maybe later it will just be a calm evening at home. :)

Today is "Girlfriend's Day" ... "Respect for Parents Day" ... "Rounds Resounding Day" ... "Anniversary - MTV" ... "Anniversary - World Wide Web" ... "Admission Day (Colorado)" ... "Colorado Day (Colorado)" ... "Emancipation Day (Bahamas, Trinidad, Tobago)" ... "Abolition of Slavery Day (Jamaica)" ... "Independence Day (Jamaica)" ... "Independence Day (Benin)" ... "Youth Day (Zambia)".

Quotes of the Day:
"Well, if I called the wrong number, why did you answer the phone?"
-- James Thurber

"This is like deja vu all over again.
-- Yogi Berra

"When they call the roll in the Senate, the Senators do not know whether to answer 'Present' or 'Not guilty.' "
-- Theodore Roosevelt

Today in history:
In 1498, Italian explorer Christopher Columbus set foot on the American mainland for the first time, at the Paria Peninsula in present-day Venezuela.

In 1790, the first U.S. census showed a population of 3,929,214 people in 17 states.

In 1831, the London Bridge opened.

In 1907, an Aeronautical Division was added to the Army Signals Corps, and this forerunner of the U.S. Air Force bought its first airplane, a craft built by the Wright brothers.

In 1981, MTV premiered with the Buggles' "Video Killed the Radio Star."

In 1994, Lisa Marie Presley confirmed rumors that she had married pop star Michael Jackson May 26 in the Dominican Republic.

Today's birthdays include
- Claudius I, born in 10 B.C.
- French naturalist Jean Baptiste Lamarck, known for his theory of evolution, in 1744
- Explorer William Clark in 1770
- Francis Scott Key, composer of The Star-Spangled Banner, in 1779
- Lawyer and writer Richard Henry Dana Jr., author of Two Years Before the Mast, in 1815
- Author Herman Melville ( Moby-Dick ) in 1819
- Activist and labor organizer Mary Harris Mother Jones in 1837
- Tennis Hall of fame member Jack Kramer in 1921
- Actor Arthur Hill in 1922
- Actor Geoffrey Holder in 1930
- Comic actor Dom DeLuise in 1933
- French fashion designer Yves St. Laurent in 1936
- Jerry Garcia, co-founder of the Grateful Dead rock group, in 1942
- Rapper Coolio in 1963
- Film director Sam Mendes in 1965
- Actor Tempestt Bledsoe in 1973

Everyone have a Great Monday!

Good Morning! Sunday July 31, 2011

2011-07-31T07:20:00.000-07:00

Good morning! It's a wonderl morning. It's very overcast, and I think there might be chances of rain today. It won't be as hot .. "only" low 90s. :) I've got watering going, just in case. It's very humid out and feels like it could rain ... but that can be misleading.
Yesterday: It sure was a busy day, with so much driving. And it was one of those days where things just kept going wrong. After picking DH up from dialysis, we had an early dinner out - it seemed the best thing to do on a day like that! LOL! After dinner I went in Big Lots for some light bulbs; and when I came out it was pouring!! Of course, it stopped before my house. Maybe today. :) Last night was a do-nothing night until time for bed.
Today: I *allowed* myself to sleep later, so I do feel a bit more rested. Now I'm trying to play catch-up! LOL! I have a lot of things to try to get done today; and I expect the garden will get a bit of attention too. Of course, if we actually do get rain ... scrap that plan and start a new one! LOL!

Today is "Feast of Saint Ignatius of Loyola" ... "Anniversary - US Patent Office".

Quotes of the Day:
"Never take the advice of someone who has not had your kind of trouble.
-- Sidney J. Harris

"A writer is a writer not because she writes well and easily, because she has amazing talent, because everything she does is golden. In my view, a writer is a writer because even when there is no hope, even when nothing you do shows any sign of promise, you keep writing anyway."
-- Junot Diaz

"People who are always making allowances for themselves soon go bankrupt."
-- Mary Pettibone Poole

Today in history:
In 1498, on his third voyage to the New World, Christopher Columbus discovered the island of Trinidad.

In 1792, director David Rittenhouse laid the cornerstone in Philadelphia for the U.S. Mint, the first building of the federal government.

In 1964, Ranger 7, an unmanned U.S. lunar probe, took the first close-up images of the moon.

Today's birthdays include
- Author and jurist James Kent in 1763
- Confederate Army guerrilla leader William Quantrill, in 1837
- Pollster Elmo Burns Roper Jr., in 1900
- Economist Milton Friedman and former TV talk-show host in 1912
- Columnist Irv Kupcinet in 1912
- Sports announcer Curt Gowdy in 1919
- Recording industry executive Ahmet Ertegun in 1923
- Actor Don Murray in 1929
- Actor Ted Cassidy in 1932
- Actor France Nuyen in 1939
- Actor Geraldine Chaplin in 1944
- Musicians Gary Lewis in 1945
- Actor Bob Welch in 1946
- Australian tennis player Evonne Goolagong in 1951
- Businessman and NBA team owner Mark Cuban in 1958
- Actor Wesley Snipes in 1962
- Actor Dean Cain in 1966
- Writer J.K. Rowling in 1965

Everyone have a Great Sunday!

Good Morning! Friday July 29, 2011

2011-07-29T05:49:00.000-07:00

Good morning! It's a beautiful morning. It's bright and clear, and today may possibly set yet another heat record. The prediction is for 104 (which makes it .. what, 106 or 107 here maybe?). The heat index is "only" around 110 (possibly up to 115) because the humidity is lower. Really??? LOL! Still no rain in sight.
Yesterday: With going to dialysis and work, as usual, not much got done at home. We did stop to pick up one last refill (for this week). I got a bit more tweaking done in the project room; I'm pretty much ready to leave it now and start another. :) Last night, just before dark, my wonderful neighbor came over and cut all the grass (weedeater and lawn tractor). And I have a LOT of yard! It looks so very nice (and green since I've been doing so much watering!).
Today: I have a very busy day! I'm rushing this morning to get watering, laundry, and other stuff done. Then late morning a friend and I are doing a bit of shopping (groceries!!). Then, late afternoon DH and I are heading for the coast. Our granddaughter is in a "rock concert" tonight, so we're going to that, spend the night, and head back home early in the morning.

Today is "National Chili Dog Day" ... "Anniversary - NASA".

Quotes of the Day:
"A mind, like a home, is furnished by its owner, so if one's life is cold and bare he can blame none but himself."
-- Louis L'Amour

"Oh, I don't blame Congress. If I had $600 billion at my disposal, I'd be irresponsible, too".
-- Lichty and Wagner

"The shortest distance between two points is under construction."
-- Noelie Altito

Today in history:
In 1836, the Arc de Triomphe in France was inaugurated.

In 1914, the first transcontinental telephone linkup was completed between San Francisco and New York City.

In 1981, Prince Charles, heir to the British throne, married Diana Spencer at St. Paul's Cathedral in London.

Today's birthdays include
- Novelist Booth Tarkington in 1869
- Italian dictator Benito Mussolini in 1883
- Actor Theda Bara in 1885
- Composer Sigmund Romberg (Lover Come Back to Me, When I Grow Too Old to Dream), in 1887
- Second U.N. Secretary-General in 1905
- Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Dag Hammarskjold in 1905
- Actor William Powell in 1892
- Actor Clara Bow in 1905
- Actor Richard Egan in 1921
- Bluegrass star Henry D. Homer Haynes, member of the Homer and Jethro musical duo, in 1920
- Former U.S. Labor Secretary and Sen. Elizabeth Dole, R-N.C., in 1936
- TV anchorman Peter Jennings in 1938
- Actor David Warner in 1941
- Documentary filmmaker Ken Burns in 1953
- Rock musician Patti Scialfa in 1953
- Country singer Martina McBride in 1966
- Actor Wil Wheaton in 1972

Everyone have a Great Friday!

Good Morning! Thursday July 28, 2011

2011-07-28T06:48:00.000-07:00

Good morning! It's a beautiful morning. We're going into a 3 day onslaught of excessive heat (for here that is), with a high today of 100 ... meaning possibly as much as 103 where I live. The morning started out looking overcast, but now it's clear and bright; and there's only a slight chance of rain. But, that's because the humidity is a bit lower, which is good! :)
Yesterday: I had a fairly busy day, although it got off to a slow start. I got pretty much all on my "to do" list done, and even took time for a phone conversation with a friend! :) I also took a bit of time to take some things over to another friend's house (that's how "recycling" works .. you take things you don't need any more to someone else's house! LOL!). This week's room project is 95% done; I only have to find homes for a few odds and ends, and give it a good dust-and-vacuum. I'm already planning out the next room! Just before dark I braved the heat and went out to the garden ... and in a very few minutes managed to find 6 giant cucumbers and a basket full of tomatoes! Wow.
Today: It's dialysis and work, so I don't know if I'll get anything done or not. We do have to stop and pick up one refill; it's nice that it is now right on the way home instead of making a detour. Hopefully tonight I'll finish tweaking stuff in here ... and maybe, finally, be able to sit down and sew a bit! :)

Today is "National Chili Dog Day" ... "Anniversary - Singing Telegram" ... "Anniversary - World War I Begins" ... "Independence Day (Peru)".

Quotes of the Day:
"One half of the world cannot understand the pleasures of the other.
-- Jane Austen, Emma

"A man is not idle because he is absorbed in thought. There is a visible labor and there is an invisible labor.
-- Victor Hugo

"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and it may be necessary from time to time to give a stupid or misinformed beholder a black eye."
-- Miss Piggy

Today in history:
In 1868, the ratified 14th Amendment was adopted into the U.S. Constitution, guaranteeing citizenship and all its privileges to African-Americans.

In 1984, U.S. President Ronald Reagan opened the Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

Today's birthdays include
- Beatrix Potter, author and illustrator of the Peter Rabbit stories, in 1866
- Surrealist artist Marcel Duchamp in 1887
- Comedian Joe E. Brown in 1892
- Singer/actor/band leader Rudy Vallee in 1901
- Conductor Carmen Dragon in 1914
- Former U.S. first lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis in 1929
- Peter Duchin, pianist, bandleader, in 1937
- Former Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori in 1938
- Former U.S. Senator and basketball star Bill Bradley in 1943
- Rock musician Mike Bloomfield in 1943
- Garfield creator Jim Davis in 1945
- Actor Linda Kelsey in 1946
- Actor Sally Struthers in 1947,
- Actor Georgia Engle in 1948
- Activist Terry Fox, who ran across Canada after his right leg was amputated because of cancer, in 1958
- Actor Lori Loughlin in 1964

Everyone have a Great Thursday!

Good Mornnng! Wednesday July 27, 2011

2011-07-27T07:03:00.000-07:00

Good morning! It's a beautiful morning. It was a smidgeon overcast earlier, but now seems to be bright and clear. The temps will be edging back up again. The forecast for today in upper 90s, which will put me at high 90s. No rain in sight, but the watering continues.
Yesterday: With work and dialysis, I don't count on getting much done, but it wasn't too bad anyway. We've changed pharmacies, and I'm really glad to no longer stand in line at Wal-Mart! LOL! I also did manage a little bit of working on organizing the project room, and it's coming along nicely now.
Today: I got a late start, but hope to have a busy day anyway. I *plan* to make significant progress on the room (need to finish by this weekend); today is an on-line class day; and I have afternoon errands to run. I hate having to go out in the heat, but I just can't work my schedule any other way. At least I can wait until late, since I know I won't do anything afterwards! LOL!

Today is "National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day" ... "Take Your Houseplants for a Walk Day" ... "Walk on Stilts Day".

Quotes of the Day:
"Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and he will eat for a lifetime. Teach a man to create an artificial shortage of fish and he will eat steak. "
-- Jay Leno

"Sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast."
-- Lewis Carroll

"The creative is the place where no one else has ever been. You have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your intuition. What you'll discover will be wonderful. What you'll discover will be yourself."
-- Alan Alda

Today in history:
In 1866, the Transatlantic Telegraph Cable was completed.In 1909, Orville Wright set a record by staying aloft in a plane for 1 hour, 12 minutes, 40 seconds. In 1921, at the University of Toronto, Canadian scientists Frederick Banting and Charles Best successfully isolated insulin -- a hormone they believed could prevent diabetes -- for the first time.

In 1986, Greg LeMond, 25, of Sacramento, Calif., became the first American to win cycling's most famous contest, the Tour de France.

In 2003 sports, Lance Armstrong became the second cyclist to win the Tour de France for a fifth consecutive year.

Today's birthdays include
- French novelist Alexandre Dumas the Younger, author of Camille, in 1824
- Baseball Hall of Fame member Leo Durocher in 1905
- Actor Keenan Wynn in 1916
- Television producer Norman Lear in 1922
- Actors Jerry Van Dyke in 1931
- Actor Don Galloway in 1937
- Singer/songwriter Bobbie Gentry in 1944
- Figure skater Peggy Fleming in 1948
- Actor/director Betty Thomasin 1948
- Singer Maureen McGovern in 1949
- Actor Jonathan Rhys Meyers in 1977

Everyone have a Great Wednesday!

Good Morning! uesday July 26, 2011

2011-07-26T06:30:00.000-07:00

Good morning! It's a beautiful morning. It's dreary and gray and damp - how wonderful! LOL! Today will be mostly cloudy and "only" low to mid 90s. The increased humidity means a fairly good chance of continued rain. Since the "hot stuff" will be back in a few days, I'm very grateful for what ever rain we can get now. :) The gardens are all very happy right now; and the weeds even more so ... the big garden in back is very nearly now a "secret garden", lurking behind a screen of weeds! LOL!
Yesterday: I had a very busy day, and actually managed to accomplish my main goals for the day. YAY! While the "room project" is not completed, I'm now down to filtering things into where they should be, which I can do a little at a time. I've very nearly removed everything from the living room that was temporarily in there ... now I'm very encouraged to finish this and move on!
Today: It's a dialysis and work day, plus there are refills to be taken care of. This evening I'll likely work on the room a bit more ... I'm (finally) motivated to get the sewing area organized. I probably should let that wait ... so I won't be tempted to sew instead of finish the organizing and cleaning that's still needed! LOL!

Today is "One Voice" ... 'Anniversary - Americans With Disabilities Act" ... "Ratification Day (New York)" ... "Curacao Day (Curacao)" ... 'Independence Day (Liberia)" ... "Independence Day (Maldives)" ... "National Day (Cuba)".

Quotes of the Day:
"Often we don't even realize who we're meant to be because we're so busy trying to live out someone else's ideas. But other people and their opinions hold no power in defining our destiny.
-- Oprah Winfrey

"Outer space is no place for a person of breeding.
-- Lady Violet Bonham Carter

'Beginning today, treat everyone you meet as if they were going to be dead by midnight. Extend them all the care, kindness and understanding you can muster. Your life will never be the same again."
-- Og Mandino

Today in history:
In 1788, New York becomes the 11th state of the United States upon ratification of the U.S. Constitution.

In 1847, Liberia became a republic and Africa's first sovereign, black-ruled democratic nation.

In 1908, the Federal Bureau of Investigation was born when a group of newly hired investigators were ordered to report to the Justice Department. It didn't become the FBI officially until 1935.

In 1984, "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson" became the first network television show to be broadcast in stereo. In 2005, the United States roared back into space as the shuttle Discovery lifted off from Cape Canaveral in the first launch since the 2003 Columbia
tragedy.

Today's birthdays include
- Artist George Catlin, painter of American Indian scenes, in 1796
- Playwright George Bernard Shaw in 1856
- Carl Jung, founder of analytic psychology, in 1875
- Novelist Aldous Huxley in 1894
- Comedian Gracie Allen in 1895
- U.S. Sen. Estes Kefauver, D-Tenn., who led the 1950-51 Senate investigation of organized crime, in 1903
- Actor Vivian Vance in 1909
- Erskine Hawkins, trumpet virtuoso, band leader, in 1914
- Storyteller Jean Shepherd in 1921
- Actor Jason Robards in 1922
- Movie producer Blake Edwards in 1922
- Children's author Jan Berenstain in 1923
- Baseball Hall of fame member Hoyt Wilhelm in 1923
- Filmmaker Stanley Kubrick in 1928
- Rock star Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones in 1943
- Actor Helen Mirren in 1945
- Tennis player Vitas Gerulaitis in 1954
- Olympic gold medal skater Dorothy Hamill in 1956
- Actor Kevin Spacey in 1959
- Actor Sandra Bullock in 1964
- Actor Kate Beckinsale in 1973

Everyone have a Great Tuesday!

Good Morning! Monday July 25, 2011

2011-07-25T07:59:00.001-07:00

Good morning! It's a beautiful morning. Although the forecast says "motly cloudy", so far it's mostly clear and bright. Today will be much "cooler" than the record-setting last 5 days ... only upper 90s! LOL! It's already humid, and there's again the chance of afternoon storms.
Yesterday: Once I finally made myself concentrate, I really got busy. I put together 4 cabinets, and began a bit of the daunting task of putting things back in their new homes. I still have more cabinets to do, but at least I'm seeing a glimmer of light in the tunnel! :) I also managed to do a bit of laundry, although I still put off folding sheets. Late in the afternoon, just before dark, I went out in the yard and filmed puppies playing. They were having a lovely time until they spotted me! LOL!!
Today: I plan to tackle the last of the cabinets and continue getting everything put back together. If I can finish re-organizing this room (this week's "project room"), I can stay on my self-imposed schedule. At some point I'll have to go do all the "regular" boring stuff like mopping and vacuuming. But once I finish the current project, I *should* be able to get back to doing some sewing!! :)
And ... just for those of you who *want* to know this ... Christmas is 5 months from today!

Today is "Birthday - 1st Test Tube Baby" ... "Constitution Day (Puerto Rico)" ... "Saint James Day (Spain)" ... "Republic Day (Tunisia)".

Quotes of the Day:
"Associate yourself with men of good quality if you esteem your own reputation, for 'tis better to be alone than in bad company."
-- George Washington

"Who knew that dog saliva can mend a broken heart?"
-- Jennifer Neal

"Associate yourself with men of good quality if you esteem your own reputation, for 'tis better to be alone than in bad company."
-- George Washington

Today in history:
In 1909, French pioneer aviator Louis Bleriot became the first person to fly a "heavier-than-air machine" across the English Channel. It took him 36 minutes.

In 1952, Puerto Rico became a self-governing U.S. commonwealth.

In 1965, folk legend Bob Dylan performed for the first time with electric instruments, so upsetting his fans they booed him.

In 1978, the world's first "test-tube" baby, Louise Brown, was born in Oldham,England.

In 1999, cyclist Lance Armstrong, having overcome cancer, became the first American on a U.S. team to win the Tour de France.

In 2004, Lance Armstrong won the grueling Tour de France bicycle race for a record sixth consecutive year.

Today's birthdays include
- Revolutionary War Gen. Henry Knox in 1750
- Artists Thomas Eakins in 1844 and Maxfield Parrish in 1870
- Actor Walter Brennan in 1894
- Actor Jack Gilford in 1908
- Actor Estelle Getty in 1923
- Actor Barbara Harris in 1935
- Folk singer/songwriter Steve Goodman in 1948
- Model/actor Iman Abdulmajid in 1955
- Actor Matt LeBlanc in 1967
- Louise Joy Brown, the first test-tube baby, in 1978
- Actor Brad Renfro in 1982

Everyone have a Great Monday!

Good Morning! Sunday July 24, 2011

2011-07-24T06:54:00.000-07:00

Good morning! It's a beautiful morning. It's supposed to be over 100 again today, and early this morning it was already very muggy out. Yesterday we *finally* got some rain (real rain, not just a passing sprinkle). It cooled things down at least 20 degrees, but right back up today. Another afternoon storm would not be so bad here, but I do hope there are no more of the damaging storms other people had!
Yesterday: I actually had a pretty busy day, and got nearly everything done I had hoped. I got to the farmer's market (corn is harder to come by now, because it's been so dry); I got caught up on my class work; and all the little decluttering chores around the house got done. The rain that brought the temps down made the evening nice even though still a bit steamy.
Today: I really hope today I'll get work done on my room project. It keeps getting put off for other things, but I really don't think anything else should be happening today. :) Gardening is sadly overdue, but that simply will not happen in triple digits heat.

Today is "Anne Hutchinson Memorial Day" ... "Cousin's Day" ... "National Drive-Thru Day" ... "National Tell An Old Joke Day" ... "Parents' Day" ... "Pioneer Day" ... "National Day of the Cowboy".

Quotes of the Day:
"My home is not a place, it is people."
-- Lois McMaster Bujold

"It is characteristic of all deep human problems that they are not to be approached without some humor and some bewilderment."
-- Freeman Dyson

"Don't simply retire from something; have something to retire to."
-- Harry Emerson Fosdick

Today in history:
In 1679, New Hampshire became a royal colony of the British crown.

In 1847, After 17 months and many miles of travel, Brigham Young led 148 Mormon pioneers into Utah's Valley of the Great Salt Lake.

In 1956, Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis performed together for the last time.

In 1969, Apollo 11 returned to Earth after the historic moon-landing mission.

in 2005 sports, cyclist Lance Armstrong won his seventh consecutive Tour de France.

Today's birthdays include
- South American revolutionary and statesman Simon Bolivar in 1783
- French novelist Alexandre Dumas the Elder, author of The Three Musketeers, in 1802
- Poet/author Robert Graves in 1895
- Air pioneer Amelia Earhart in 1897
- Actor Chief Dan George in 1899
- Artist Zelda Fitzgerald in 1900
- Writer John D. MacDonald in 1916
- Feminist and former U.S. Rep. Bella Abzug, D-N.Y., in 1920
- Comedian Ruth Buzzi in 1936
- Actor Chris Sarandon in 1942
- Actor Robert Hays in 1947
- Actor Lynda Carter in 1951
- Basketball Hall of Fame member Karl Malone in 1963
- Actor/singer Kristin Chenoweth in 1968
- Actor/singer Jennifer Lopez in 1969
- Actor Rose Byrne n 1979
- Actor Anna Paquin in 1982
- Television host Bindi Irwin in 1998

Everyone have a Great Sunday!

Good Morning! Saturday July 23, 2011

2011-07-23T06:08:00.000-07:00

Good morning! It's a beautiful morning. It's going to be yet another very hot day. It seems we're about to set an all-time record for number of days in a row with temps of 100 or higher. This is not necessarily a record we're happy to break! For years I've been hearing the term "global warming". Is that what this is? There will be chances of afternoon storms; there were some yesterday, but nothing at my house, so the watering continues!
Yesterday: I started out well, got all the things done I wanted in the morning. I made a bit of progress on my "homework". But, my plans of not going out got changed. I didn't need to take trash; but then DH decided he had to have a haircut. So, we went into town anyway. While he was at the barber shop I went on and got groceries. But by the time we got home and I got everything unloaded and put away, I was too hot and tired to do anything else.
Today: It's a dialysis day, but since I don't work today perhaps I'll get a bit done. I have no errands to run except a stop by the farmer's market (hoping for some more fresh corn!). I think perhaps my long stretch of afternoon to myself will be a good time to work on the class. I'll have to take the trash that didn't get done yesterday. I'd like to think by tonight I'll work on my project room - but I know having to go in and out will zap us, so I will just wait and see, do what I can. :)

Today is "Gorgeous Grandma Day" ... "Hot Enough For Ya Day" ... "Leo Begins" ... "National Day of the Cowboy" ... "Saint Apollinaris Feast Day" ... "Revolution Day (Egypt)".

Quotes of the Day:
"Money doesn't always bring happiness. People with ten million dollars are no happier than people with nine million dollars."
-- Hobart Brown

"There are several good protections against temptations, but the surest is cowardice."
-- Mark Twain

Today in history:
In 1829, William Burt of Mount Vernon, Mich., patented the "typographer," believed to be the first typewriter.

In 1962, Telstar relayed the first live trans-Atlantic signal.

In 1999, U.S. Air Force Col. Eileen Collins became the first woman to command a space shuttle flight with the launch of Columbia on a 4-day mission.

Today's birthdays include
- Detective novelist Raymond Chandler in 1888
- Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie in 1892
- Actor Michael Wilding in 1912
- Broadway restaurateur Vincent Sardi Jr. in 1915
- Baseball Hall of Fame member Pee Wee Reese in 1918
- Actor Gloria DeHaven in 1925
- Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Don Drysdale in 1936
- U.S. Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy in 1936
- Actor Ronny Cox in 1938
- Radio talk show host Don Imus in 1940
- Actor Edie McClurg in 1951
- Actor Woody Harrelson in 1961
- Actor Eriq La Salle in 1962
- Actor Philip Seymour Hoffman in 1967
- Film director Theo van Gogh in 1957
- Former White House intern Monica Lewinsky in 1973
- Singer Alison Krauss in 1971
- Actor Daniel Radcliffe in 1989

Everyone have a Great Saturday!

Good Morning! Friday July 22, 2011

2011-07-22T05:59:00.000-07:00

Good morning! It's a beautiful morning. It's extremely hot today - we're under an "excessive heat warning" today. I never even heard of that before! The"official" high predicted is 102, and could be a bit higher here (my house). Perhaps the humidity will spark some showers, but I'm not getting my hopes up! LOL!
Yesterday: As usual, on a dialysis and work day, I didn't get much done. I tried to work on a bit of decluttering ... and I wonder how I keep manage to get *cluttered*? LOL!
Today: There are a lot of things that need to be done, but other than getting rid of some trash I'll avoid going outside. I've got the morning watering going, and it will soon be done. No more watering will be done until late evening. The poor plants are looking wilty even with lots of water. I hope to get some "homework" done, and work on my current "room project". I sure hope I don't get a lazy spell today! :)

Today is "Pied Piper Day" ... "Rat Catcher's Day" ... "Spooner's Day".

Quotes of the Day:
"You've achieved success in your field when you don't know whether what you're doing is work or play."
-- Warren Beatty

"Just the knowledge that a good book is awaiting one at the end of a long day makes that day happier."
-- Kathleen Norris

"The reason lightning doesn't strike twice in the same place is that the same place isn't there the second time."
-- Willie Tyler

Today in history:
In 1587, the Colony of Roanoke was re-established.

In 1620, Dutch pilgrims started for America. Their ship -- called the "Speedhaven" -- set sail from Delfshaven, Holland.

In 1793, Canadian explorer Alexander Mackenzie reached the Pacific.

In 1933, Wiley Post completed his first solo flight around the world. It took him 7 days, 18 hours and 45 minutes.

Today's birthdays include
- Poet Emma Lazarus in 1849
- Painter Edward Hopper in 1882
- U.S. political family matriarch Rose Kennedy in 1890
- U.S. psychiatrist Karl Menninger in 1893
- Poet Stephen Vincent Benet in 1898
- Sculptor Alexander Calder in 1898
- Former U.S. Sen. Robert Dole, R-Kan., in 1923
- Actor Orson Bean in 1928
- R&B singer Keith Sweat in 1961
- Fashion designer Oscar de la Renta in 1932
- Actor Louise Fletcher in 1934
- Actor Terence Stamp in 1939
- Jeopardy! game show host Alex Trebek in 1940
- Actor/singer Bobby Sherman in 1943
- Actor Danny Glover in 1946
- Comedian/actor Albert Brooks in 1947
- Rock musician Don Henley in 1947
- Composer Alan Menken in 1949
- Actor Willem Dafoe in 1955
- Comedian John Leguizamo in 1964
- Comedian David Spade in 1964
- Actor Colin Ferguson in 1972
- Singer Rufus Wainwright in 1973

Everyone have a Great Friday!

Good Morning! Thursday July 21, 2011

2011-07-21T06:56:00.000-07:00

Good morning! It's a beautiful morning. It's going to be an extraordinarily hot day here (as apparently it is over much of the country, and even up into Canada). The prediction for today is 101, and as I've said before, we're normally 3 to 5 degrees higher than that. There is of course the possibility of afternoon storms when it's so hot and humid; but I'm not really counting on that happening! :)
Yesterday: It didn't turn out anything like I thought it would. I started out OK, getting "normal" morning things done; and I did make a start on my on line class. I got a refill picked up, and some grocery shopping. But after that, a good friend needed a ride and none of her family were available to help out. So, DH and I took her, waited, we all went to McDonalds, and then home. That took up all of the rest of the day!!
Today: It's dialysis and work today. I have no after work errands (how did that happen? LOL!), so hopefully I can get into the class tonight. :)

Today is "Liberation Day (Guam)" ... "Independence Day (Belgium)" ..."Legal Drinking Age Day".

Quotes of the Day:
""I have noticed that the people who are late are often so much jollier than the people who have to wait for them."
-- E. V. Lucas

"A moment's insight is sometimes worth a lifetime's experience.
-- Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr.

"All of us failed to match our dreams of perfection. So I rate us on the basis of our splendid failure to do the impossible."
-- William Faulkner

Today in history:
In July 1969, Neil Armstrong became the first person ever to walk on the moon; and astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin lifted off from the surface of the moon.

In 1970, after 11 years of construction, the massive billion-dollar Aswan High Dam across the Nile River in Egypt was completed.

In 2003, physicians at Vienna General Hospital in Austria say they performed the world's first successful tongue transplant on a human, a 42-year-old man.

In 2007, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," the seventh and final installment in the best-selling series, sold more than 8.3 million copies on its first day on the bookshelves.

Today's birthdays include
- Composer Chauncey Olcott (When Irish Eyes Are Smiling) in 1860
- Author Ernest Hemingway and poet Hart Crane, both in 1899
- Professional golfer Harold Jug McSpaden in 1908
- Canadian communications theorist Marshall McLuhan in 1911
- Violinist Isaac Stern in 1920
- Singer Kay Starr in 1922
- Actor/comedian Don Knotts in 1924
- Producer Norman Jewison in 1926
- Former U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno in 1938
- Actor Edward Herrmann in 1943
- Singer Yusuf Islam, formerly known as Cat Stevens in 1948
- Cartoonist Garry Trudeau (Doonesbury) in 1948
- Actor/comedian Robin Williams in 1952
- Actor Jon Lovitz in 1957

Everyone have a Great Thursday!

Good Morning! Wednesday July 20, 2011

2011-07-20T06:02:00.000-07:00

Good morning! It's a beautiful morning. It's quite warm already, and going to be very hot today. They're calling for high 90s, which will more than likely be over 100 here. The humidity is also higher, but that does give a greater chance of afternoon storms (prefer just the rain, but we'll take what we can get! LOL!)
Yesterday: Since it was dialysis and work, very little got done at home beyond "routine" stuff. I had to make 2 stops after work, but neither one took very long. I did not get the burst of energy I was hoping for! LOL! (for dinner, I cooked DH some chicken breasts ... but I had tomato sandwiches! Yum!)
Today: I have a lot of stuff I need to try to do today. I'd prefer not to have to go out in the heat; but the refills weren't ready last night so I'll have to go back (thinking of changing pharmacies!!). And, since my friend is "stuck" at home while her dad is in the hospital, I'll be taking some things to her. I hope to make at least a small chunk of progress on the current "room project". And ... like I needed something else ... today I start an on-line class (creative writing - maybe the newsletters will get better! LOL!)

Today is "Moon Day (Man's First Lunar Landing)" ... "Independence Day (Colombia)".

Quotes of the Day:
"I have always found that mercy bears richer fruits than strict justice."
-- Abraham Lincoln

"Statistics: The only science that enables different experts using the same figures to draw different conclusions."
-- Evan Esar

Today in history:
ToIn 1940, Billboard magazine published its first "Music Popularity Chart," topped by "I'll Never Smile Again" by the Tommy Dorsey orchestra with Frank Sinatra.

In 1968, the first Special Olympics Games were contested at Soldier Field in Chicago.

In 1969, U.S. astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin became the first men to set foot on the moon.

In 1976, the Viking 1 lander, an unmanned U.S. planetary probe, became the first spacecraft to successfully land on the surface of Mars.

In 1985, treasure hunter Mel Fisher located a Spanish galleon sunk by a 1622 hurricane off Key West, Fla. It contained $400 million worth of treasure.

Today's birthdays include
- Austrian monk and pioneering botanist Gregor Johann Mendel in 1822
- New Zealand explorer Edmund Hillary, who in 1953 conquered Mount Everest, in 1919
- Elliot Richardson, U.S. attorney general under U.S. President Richard Nixon, in 1920
- Actor Sally Ann Howes in 1930
- Actor Diana Rigg (age 72) in 1938
- Actor Natalie Wood in 1938
- Singer Kim Carnes in 1945
- Guitarist Carlos Santana in 1947
- Actor Donna Dixon in 1957
- Actor Sandra Oh in 1971
- Actor Omar Epps in 1973

Everyone have a Great Wednesday!

Good Morning! Tuesday July 18, 2011

2011-07-19T06:29:00.000-07:00

Good morning! It's a beautiful morning. Even though the intense heat is coming back, so far it's very nice out. I've been outside several times moving the sprinkler, and it's sunny but not hot yet, and just a touch breezy. The forecast is for upper 90s today (where I live, it could even go as high as 100), and with higher humidity so there's a chance of afternoon storms.
Yesterday: It was actually quite nice to not have to leave the house for anything. :) I spent too much time just "playing" on the computer. But, I also got the one big project I planned for done. I got "ordinary" stuff caught up too, so it was a pretty good day.
Today: It's dialysis and work, plus 2 errands to run after work. I'm hoping for enough of a spurt of energy to start the next phase of the current "room project". I'll just have to do the best I can. :)

Today is "Feast of Tammuz (Jewish)" ... "National Liberation Day (Nicaragua)" ... "National Get Out of the Doghouse Day" ... "National Hug Your Kids Day".

Quotes of the Day:
"Progress is the product of human agency. Things get better because we make them better. Things go wrong when we get too comfortable, when we fail to take risks or seize opportunities."
-- Susan Rice

"After the last of 16 mounting screws has been removed from an access cover, it will be discovered that the wrong access cover has been removed."
-- De La Lastra's Law

Today in history:
In 1848, "bloomers," a radical departure in women's clothing, were introduced to the first women's rights convention in Seneca Falls, N.Y. They were named after Amelia Jenks Bloomer.

In 1911, Pennsylvania became the first U.S. state to pass laws censoring movies.

In 1946, Marilyn Monroe was given her first screen test at Twentieth Century-Fox Studios. Even without sound, the test was enough to earn Monroe her first contract.

In 1969, John Fairfax of Britain arrived at Fort Lauderdale, Fla., to become the first person to row across the Atlantic alone.

In 1984, U.S. Rep. Geraldine Ferraro, D-N.Y., was chosen as Walter Mondale's vice presidential running mate at the Democratic National Convention. She was the first woman on a major ticket.

In 1996, the Summer Olympics opened in Atlanta with a record 197 nations taking part.

Today's birthdays include
- American firearms inventor Samuel Colt in 1814
- French painter Edgar Degas in 1834
- Accused ax murderer Lizzie Borden in 1860
- Dr. Charles H. Mayo, co-founder of the Mayo Clinic, in 1865
- Author A.J. Cronin in 1896
- Former Sen. George McGovern, D-S.D., in 1922
- Former CIA agent-turned-author Philip Agee in 1935
- Singer Vikki Carr in 1941
- Former tennis star Ilie Nastase in 1946
- Actor Anthony Edwards in 1962

Everyone have a Great Tuesday!

Good Morning! Monday July 18, 2011

2011-07-18T06:12:00.001-07:00

Good morning! It's a beautiful morning. Again it's comfortably cool outside, and sunny. Today the heat will start edging back in with low to mid 90s. The humidity will be up but only a little bit, so it won't be uncomfortable ... yet. That's coming! Still no rain in sight, but a lovely morning so far to go outside and water the garden. :)
Yesterday: It was a very busy day with a lot of running around; but in the end, a lot got done here too. Some gardening got done, and a lot more produce harvested. I finished the room project (my part at least .. DH has a lot of stuff to sort, but it's all "contained" in plastic bins for now). Last evening we took my friend again to visit her dad, and then we got some dinner before taking them back home.
Today: I actually don't know what today will hold. I have laundry drying and hope to get a lot of things put away. I have "ordinary" cleaning and decluttering to do, but not too much since a lot got done yesterday. I plan to start the next "room project"; but I may end up going to the hospital to wait with my friend while her dad has surgery (that simply might depend on how much "notice" I have, since it will be a bit over an hour away from here; and she will have family with her). Meantime, I'll keep plugging away at what I can. :)

Today is "Global Hug For Your Kids Day" ... "Mandela Day" ... "National Get Out of the Doghouse Day" ... "Constitution Day (Uruguay)".

Quotes of the Day:
"All power corrupts, but we need the electricity.
-- Unknown

"The secret of being a bore is to tell everything.
-- Voltaire

"It's kind of fun to do the impossible."
-- Walt Disney

Today in history:
In 1939, after a sneak preview of "The Wizard of Oz," producers debated about removing one of the songs because it seemed to slow things down. They finally decided to leave it in. The song: "Over the Rainbow."

In 1976, Romanian gymnast Nadia Comaneci became first person in Olympic Games history to be awarded a perfect 10 in gymnastics.

Today's birthdays include
- English novelist William Makepeace Thackeray in 1811
- Actor Chill Wills in 1903
- Playwright Clifford Odets in 1906
- Actor/singer Harriet Hilliard Nelson in 1909
- Composer, arranger, pianist Lou Busch (a.k.a. Joe Fingers Carr) in 1910
- Actor Hume Cronyn in 1911
- Comedian Red Skelton in 1913
- South African leader Nelson Mandela in 1918
- Astronaut-turned-Sen. John Glenn, D-Ohio, in 1921
- Gold medal ice skater Dick Button in 1929
- Singer Screamin' Jay Hawkins in 1929
- Journalist/author Hunter S. Thompson in 1937
- Pop singer Dion DiMucci in 1939
- Actor James Brolin in 1940
- Baseball Manager Joe Torre in 1940
- Singer Martha Reeves in 1941
- Publisher Steve Forbes in 1947
- Businessman Richard Branson in 1950
- Village People singer Glenn Hughes in 1950
- Country singer Ricky Skaggs in 1954
- Actor Elizabeth McGovern in 1961
- Actor Vin Diesel in 1967
- Actor Kristen Bell in 1980

Everyone have a Great Monday!

Good Morning! Sunday July 17, 2011

2011-07-17T07:09:00.000-07:00

Good morning! It's a beautiful morning! It is again, so comfortably cool out, with just a touch of breeze. Today should be mostly clear and bright, a little warmer (upper 80s); but also more humid, though no mention of rain again.
Yesterday: I had a busy day, though a lot of it was running around taking care of errands. I made it to the local farmer's market ... they had fresh corn this week. Yay! I did a few other errands, then came home and actually made a lot of progress on my "project room". When I went back again to pick up DH from dialysis, I went and picked up a refill. Last night I got some laundry finished, and even a tiny bit of decluttering.
Today: I got a lot of cleaning done early, and hope to finish the room this afternoon so I can start on another. Gardening will get done today, since the excessive heat is coming back quickly. I keep up with the watering every day, but when it's hotter I move the sprinkler more often to make sure everything gets a good soaking as early as possible. :)

Today is "National Ice Cream Day" ... "Wrong Way Corrigan Day" ... "Anniversary - Disneyland Opening" ... "Constitution Day (South Korea)".

Quotes of the Day:
"Economics is extremely useful as a form of employment for economists."
-- John Kenneth Galbraith

"When you are kind to someone in trouble, you hope they'll remember and be kind to someone else. And it'll become like a wildfire."
-- Whoopi Goldberg

"Even if you do learn to speak correct English, whom are you going to speak it to?"
-- Clarence Darrow

Today in history:
In 1938, Douglas Corrigan took off from Floyd Bennett Field in New York for a return flight to California but lost his bearings in the clouds, he said, and flew instead to Ireland. He became an instant celebrity and was forever after known as "Wrong Way" Corrigan.

In 1955, Arco, Idaho, a town of 1,300 people, became the first community in the world to receive all its light and power from atomic energy.

In 1955, Disneyland opened in Anaheim, Calif.

In 1975, three U.S. and two Soviet spacemen linked their orbiting Apollo and Soyuz spacecraft for historic handshakes 140 miles above Earth.

In 2008, the U.S. Library of Congress named Kay Ryan as the nation's poet laureate. Ryan, succeeding Charles Simic, is noted for philosophical yet humorous poems.

Today's birthdays include
- English clergyman and author Isaac Watts in 1674
- Financier John Jacob Astor in 1763
- Mystery writer Erle Stanley Gardner in 1889
- Actor James Cagney in 1899
- TV personality Art Linkletter in 1912
- Comedian Phyllis Diller in 1917
- Olympics movement official Juan Antonio Samaranch in 1920
- Actor Donald Sutherland in 1935
- Actor Diahann Carroll in 1935
- Musician Peter Schickele in 1935
- Supreme Leader of Iran Ali Khamenei in 1939
- Rock musician Spencer Davis in 1941
- Basketball Hall of Fame member Connie Hawkins in 1943
- Actor Lucie Arnaz in 1951
- Actor David Hasselhoff in 1952
- Singer Nicolette Larson in 1952
- Singer Phoebe Snow in 1952
- German Chancellor Angela Merkel in 1954

Everyone have a Great Sunday!

Good Morning! Saturday July 16, 2011

2011-07-16T06:33:00.000-07:00

Good morning! It's a beautiful morning! Really really lovely out, comfortably cool, breezy, sunny. If it would stay like this all day, I think I could just move the computer right out! LOL! It's only supposed to go to mid to upper 80s; the forecast is for "partly" cloudy, but no sign of rain.
Yesterday: It turned into a day with more "running around" than anything, but sometimes that just can't be helped. I got my hair done, took trash to the dump, picked up my friend. We got a bit done (she was in the garden, I was working on the room project), then went to visit her dad. (turns out he needs a triple by-pass ... prayers would be welcome!). Then we all went to Chick-Fil-A, and a quick bit of grocery shopping. By the time we got home, it was late .. again. Oh well.
Today: It's a dialysis day, which dictates a bit of the coming and going. I hope to fit things in between: I want to get by the farmer's market; drop off a new prescription to be filled; and get some more work done at home (while DH isn't here to be coughing in the dust I'll be stirring up! LOL!). I don't know if we'll be visiting the hospital again tonight or not, so trying to just "go with the flow" today. Y'all know that's hard for me! LOL!

Today is "National Woodie Wagon Day" ... "Toss Away the "Could Haves" and "Should Haves" Day" ... "Anniversary - District of Columbia Established" ... "La Paz Day (Bolivia)".

Quotes of the Day:
"Ninety-eight percent of the adults in this country are decent, hard-working, honest Americans. It's the other lousy two percent that get all the publicity. But then--we elected them."
-- Lily Tomlin

"As an adolescent I aspired to lasting fame, I craved factual certainty, and I thirsted for a meaningful vision of human life - so I became a scientist. This is like becoming an archbishop so you can meet girls."
-- M. Cartmill

"Those that think it permissible to tell white lies soon grow color blind."
-- Austin O'Malley

Today in history:
In 1769, Father Junipero Serra founded Mission San Diego de Alcala in California.

In 1790, the U.S. Congress designated the District of Columbia as the permanent seat of the U.S. government.

In 1935, world's first parking meter installed in Oklahoma City.

In 1951, J.D. Salinger's "The Catcher in the Rye" published.

In 1969, Apollo 11, the first moon-landing mission, was launched from the Kennedy Space Center, carrying astronauts Neil Armstrong, Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin and Michael Collins.

Today's birthdays include
- English painter Joshua Reynolds in 1723
- Mary Baker Eddy, founder of the Christian Science Church, in 1821
- Rights activist Ida Bell Wells-Barnett in 1862
- Norwegian polar explorer Roald Amundsen in 1872
- Baseball great and Black Sox scandal figure Shoeless Joe Jackson in 1888
- Actor Percy Kilbride (Pa Kettle) in 1888
- Vaudeville great Blossom Seeley in 1886
- Popcorn businessman Orville Redenbacher in 1907
- Actor Barbara Stanwyck in 1907
- Actor/dancer Ginger Rogers in 1911
- Actor Barnard Hughes in 1915
- Former Miss America/TV personality Bess Myerson in 1924
- Actor Corin Redgrave in 1939
- Tennis Hall of Fame member Margaret Court in 1942
- Former football coach and television commentator Jimmy Johnson in 1943
- Singer/actor Ruben Blades in 1946
- Violinist Pinchas Zukerman in 1948
- Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member Stewart Copeland in 1952
- Playwright Tony Kushner in 1956
- Cyclist Miguel Indurain in 1964
- Football Hall of Fame member Barry Sanders in 1968
- Actor Phoebe Cates in 1963
- Actor Will Ferrell in 1967
- Actor Rain Pryor in 1969
- Actor Corey Feldman in 1971

Everyone have a Great Saturday!

Goo Morning! Friday July 15, 2011

2011-07-15T06:28:00.000-07:00

Good morning! It's a beautiful morning. Today will be even "cooler" than yesterday, a balmy mid to upper 80s. It's wonderful out right now, makes me wish for time to play in the garden. :) The humidity is very low, so it'll be quite comfortable for a few days before the hot stuff returns.
Yesterday: It was dialysis and work, and not much of anything else. I'm very good at planning things on paper. But my energy level seldom matches up to the plans! LOL!
Today: I'm hoping to accomplish a lot while the weather is so great. I have a hair appointment mid morning; but in the afternoon I'm wanting to get some garden stuff done (pick a bale 'o 'maters! LOL!) and also, hopefully, some significant progress on the room project of the week (which my time is nearly up on!). :)

Today is "Buck Moon" ... "Saint Swithin's Day".

Quotes of the Day:
""It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt.
-- Mark Twain

"Computers can figure out all kinds of problems, except the things in the world that just don't add up.
-- James Magary

"Humor is a rubber sword - it allows you to make a point without drawing blood.
-- Mary Hirsch

Today in history:
In 1799, the Rosetta Stone, which helped decipher ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics, found in an Egyptian village by French soliders.

In 1806, Zebulon Pike began an expedition to explore the American Southwest.

In 1912, led by all-round athlete Jim Thorpe, the U.S. team took more medals than any other nation at the Summer Olympic Games in Stockholm, Sweden.

In 1965, the unmanned spacecraft Mariner 4 passed over Mars at an altitude of 6,000 feet and sent to Earth the first close-up images of the red planet.

In 1968, a Soviet Aeroflot jetliner landed at New York's JFK Airport, marking the beginning of direct commercial flights between the United States and the Soviet Union.

Today's birthdays include
- Dutch painter Rembrandt van Rijn, in 1606
- Poet Clement Clarke Moore, author of A Visit from St. Nicholas ( 'Twas the
Night Before Christmas ) in 1779
- Roman Catholic nun Frances Xavier Cabrini, the first U.S. citizen to be made a saint, in 1850
- British suffragist Emmeline Pankhurst in 1858
- Lyricist Dorothy Fields in 1905
- Country singer Cowboy Copas in 1913
- Irish author Iris Murdoch in 1919
- Writer Clive Cussler in 1931
- Actor Alex Karras in 1935
- Actor Ken Kercheval in 1935
- Actor Patrick Wayne in 1939
- Actor Jan-Michael Vincent in 1944
- Actor Terry O'Quinn in 1952
- Singer Linda Ronstadt in 1946
- Former pro wrestler and Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura in 1951
- Rock musician Marky Ramone in 1956
- Supermodel Kim Alexis in 1960
- Actor Willie Aames, in 1960
- Actor Lolita Davidovich in 1961
- Actor Forest Whitaker in 1961
- Actor Brigitte Nielsen in 1963
- Actor Brian Austin Green in 1973
- Actor Diane Kruger in 1976

Everyone have a Great Friday!

Good Morning! Thrsday July 14, 2011

2011-07-14T06:30:00.000-07:00

Good morning! It's a beautiful morning. Today will be dramatically "cooler" than the last few, only in the upper 80s. When I went out early to move a sprinkler, it was perfectly gorgeous! It's comfortable, sunny, breezy. We got a little bit of rain last night, but not much predicted for today.
Yesterday: We were all day long at clinics, mostly just waiting! When we did finally see the doctor (first appointment), it was at least our "favorite" of several. She's very pleasant, courteous, and actually remembers unimportant things about us (like that I have a lot of Christmas trees! LOL!). It was after 6:00 when we finally headed home, and we stopped for dinner (having had nothing but one chicken sandwich in the middle of the day!).
Today: It's a dialysis and work day, so still not much will get done around the house or yard. There's an over abundance of tomatoes out there, which I hope to at least grab a few of to share at work. Tomorrow will be a big harvest day again! LOL! Maybe tonight I'll start getting caught up on laundry. Or, maybe not. :)

Today is "Bastille Day (France)"

Quotes of the Day:
"An ignorant person is one who doesn't know what you have just found out."
-- Will Rogers

"Love is the big booming beat which covers up the noise of hate."
-- Margaret Cho

"When I was young, my ambition was to be one of the people who made a difference in this world. My hope still is to leave the world a little bit better for my having been here."
-- Jim Henson

"Lord, when we are wrong, Make us willing to change. And when we are right, Make us easy to live with."
--Peter Marshall

Today in history:
In 1914, Robert Goddard was granted the first patent for a liquid-fueled rocket design.

Today's birthdays include
- Austrian Art Nouveau painter Gustav Klimt in 1862
- Baseball Commissioner A. B. Happy Chandler in 1898
- Writers Irving Stone in 1903 and Isaac Bashevis Singer in 1904
- Cartoonist William Hanna in 1910
- British comedian Terry-Thomas in 1911
- Folk singer Woody Guthrie in 1912
- Gerald Ford, 38th president of the United States, in 1913
- Swedish film director Ingmar Bergman in 1918
- Actor Dale Robertson in 1923
- Actor Harry Dean Stanton in 1926
- Actor Polly Bergen in 1930
- TV news commentator John Chancellor in 1927
- Football star-turned-actor Roosevelt Rosey Grier in 1932
- Political activist Jerry Rubin in 1938
- Evangelist Franklin Graham in 1952
- Actor and director Eric Laneuville in 1952
- Film producer Joel Silver in 1952
- Punk rocker Bob Casale in 1952
- Actor Jane Lynch in 1960
- Actor Matthew Fox in 1966

Everyone have a Great Thursday!

Good Morning! Tuesday July 12, 2011

2011-07-12T05:32:00.000-07:00

Good morning! It's a wonderful morning. The forecast for today is "mostly sunny", but so far it appears overcast. It may be only hazy. It will be extraordinarily HOT today. The prediction is 101, and it's usually a few degrees warmer where I live, plus add in heat index. Wow! A good day to NOT be outside.
Yesterday: We had a great day! A lot of progress was made in the "project room of the week". In the afternoon we went down the road to a discount furniture store and found a pair of discontinued night stands for 2/3 off. So much better storage! We ate a late lunch/early dinner while in town. Then last night the neighbor mowed the yard for us.
Today: It's a dialysis and work day, plus I have an early eye appointment. After work we'll need to pick up refills. I hope to have the energy to do a bit more in the room ... lots still to sort ... but I'm not really counting on it! LOL!

Today is "Independence Day (Kiribati)" ... "International Town Criers Day".

Quotes of the Day:
"To succeed in the world it is not enough to be stupid, you must also be well-mannered."
-- Voltaire

"To get the best out of a man go to what is best in him."
-- Daniel Considine

"We laugh a lot. That's for sure. Sure beats the alternative, doesn't it?"
-- Betty White

Today in history:
In 1862, the U.S. Congress authorized a new award, the Medal of Honor highest military award for valor against an enemy.

In 1933, a U.S. industrial code was established to fix a minimum wage of 40 cents an hour.

In 1962, the Rolling Stones gave their first public performance, at the Marquee Club in London.

In 1984, Democratic presidential nominee Walter Mondale named Rep. Geraldine Ferraro, D-N.Y., as his running mate. She was the first woman to share a major U.S. political party's presidential ticket.

Today's birthdays include
- Roman leader Julius Caesar in 100 B.C.
- American writer Henry David Thoreau in 1817
- Photography pioneer George Eastman in 1854
- Scientist George Washington Carver in 1864
- Italian painter and sculptor Amedeo Modigliani in 1884
- Composer Oscar Hammerstein II in 1895
- Author-architect R. Buckminster Fuller, inventor of the geodesic dome in 1895
- Comedians Milton Berle in 1908 and Curly Joe DeRita in 1909
- Bandleader Will Bradley in 1912
- Painter Andrew Wyeth in 1917
- Pianist Van Cliburn in 1934
- Comedian/actor Bill Cosby in 1937
- Musician Christine McVie in 1943
- Exercise and diet guru Richard Simmons in 1948
- Movie producer Brian Grazer in 1951
- Actor Denise Nicholas in 1944
- Actor Cheryl Ladd in 1951
- Actor Mel Harris in 1956
- Actor Rolonda Watts in 1959
- Olympic gold medal figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi in 1971

Everyone have a Great Tuesday!

Good Morning! Monday July 11, 2011

2011-07-11T06:53:00.000-07:00

Good morning! It's a beautiful morning. It's bright and clear ... and hot! Wow, today will be upper 90s, with a heat index well over 100. There doesn't seem to be much chance of afternoon showers, either. Hello Summer! :)
Yesterday: I did not accomplish as much as I hoped, but it still wasn't too bad. The project I was working on is done, though of course a new one (in the same room!) awaits. I got stuff like dishes and laundry done, some cleaning, some decluttering. There's a long way to go, but at least I'm starting to see progress in a few areas. :)
Today: It has certainly started out a lazy day, so I don't know what will get done. I *allowed* myself to sleep late. Everything is pretty much on track for the morning, and the 2nd rotation of the sprinkler is going. I hope we'll make good progress on the next phase of the project room. It'll be a very hot humid day (and a/c can only do so much - after all, the silly electric company wants to get PAID for all that a/c! How foolish of them! LOL!), so work, even in a room with fan and window unit, has to be in short spurts. Thank goodness there's still left over chicken, and veggies to steam in the microwave - not heating up the kitchen! LOL!

Today is "Bowdler's Day" ... "International Town Criers Day" ... "UN World Population Day" ... "Anniversary - Day of the Five Billion".

Quotes of the Day:
"Well-timed silence hath more eloquence than speech."
-- Martin Fraquhar Tupper

The excellence of a gift lies in its appropriateness rather than in its value."
-- Charles Dudley Warner

"Wisdom is what's left after we've run out of personal opinions."
-- Cullen Hightower

Today in history:
In 1847, songwriter Stephen Foster's first major hit, "Oh! Susanna," was performed for the first time, in a Pittsburgh saloon, and soon became a standard for minstrel shows.

In 1859, Charles Dickens' "A Tale of Two Cities" published.

In 1955, the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado was dedicated with 300 cadets in its first class.

In 1960, Harper Lee's "To Kill a Mockingbird" published.

In 2009, the space shuttle Endeavor was launched.

Today's birthdays include
- Scottish King Robert the Bruce in 1274
- John Quincy Adams, sixth president of the United States, in 1767
- Author E.B. White in 1899
- Actors Yul Brynner in 1920
- Critic Harold Bloom in 1930
- Actor Tab Hunter in 1931
- Fashion designer Giorgio Armani in 1934
- Former heavyweight boxing champion Leon Spinks, in 1953
- Actress Sela Ward in 1956
- TV host John Henson in 1967

Everyone have a Great Monday!

Good Morning! Snday July 10, 2011

2011-07-10T06:58:00.000-07:00

Good morning! It's a beautiful morning. It's not too hot out, and bright and clear. We never got any storms or rain yesterday; today is a smaller chance of afternoon showers. It'll still *only* be low 90s, maybe not quite as humid.
Yesterday: It was a very busy day, but in the end quite nice. The "normal" household stuff got done, and errands got done. A project got finished, a lot of produce was harvested, and we had company for dinner and the evening.
Today: I don't plan to leave the house today! :) We're going to work on finishing the current project room, now that I have a storage solution for some of it. Of course, there will always be dishes, laundry, and cleaning. Oh goody. LOL!

Today is "Clerihew Day" ... "Don't Step on a Bee Day" ... "Admission Day (Wyoming)" ... "Independence Day (Bahamas)".

Quotes of the Day:
"You can't do anything about the length of your life, but you can do something about its width and depth."
-- Evan Esar

"Let no man pull you low enough to hate him."
-- Martin Luther King Jr.

"A Christian is never in a state of completion But always in the process of becoming."
--Martin Luther

Today in history:
In 1890, Wyoming was admitted to the United States as the 44th state.

In 1925, the so-called Monkey Trial, in which John Scopes was accused of teaching evolution in school, a violation of state law, began in Dayton, Tenn., featuring a classic confrontation between William Jennings Bryan, the three-time presidential candidate and fundamentalist hero, and legendary defense attorney Clarence Darrow.

In 1938, industrialist Howard Hughes and a crew of four flew around the world in 91 hours, setting a speed record.

In 1962, the pioneer telecommunications satellite Telstar began relaying TV pictures between the United States and Europe.

in 1999, the U.S. team won the Women's World Cup in soccer, defeating China in the final on penalty kicks.

Today's birthdays include
- Protestant theologian John Calvin in 1509
- British judge William Blackstone in 1723
- American painter James Whistler in 1834
- Brewer Adolphus Busch in 1839
- Inventor Nikola Tesla in 1856
- French novelist Marcel Proust in 1871
- Black educator Mary McLeod Bethune in 1875
- TV news anchor/commentator David Brinkley in 1920
- Social activist Eunice Kennedy Shriver in 1921
- Boxer Jake LaMotta in 1921
- Author Jean Kerr in 1922
- Actor Fred Gwynne in 1926
- Former New York City Mayor David Dinkins in 1927
- Musician Ronnie James Dio in 1942
- Tennis star Arthur Ashe in 1943
- Actor Ron Glass in 1945
- Actor Sue Lyon in 1946
- Folksinger Arlo Guthrie in 1947
- Baseball Hall of Fame member Andre Dawson in 1954
- Actor Jessica Simpson in 1980

Everyone have a Great Sunday!

Good Morning! Saturday July 9, 2011

2011-07-09T06:12:00.000-07:00

Good morning! It's a beautiful morning. It was overcast earlier, but seems to be clearing and is nice and bright now. The forecast is for mostly cloudy and low 90s. We seem to be in a pattern of a lot of storms. There were quite a few last night, though as usual none at my house. There's a greater chance for late this afternoon - we'll see. I'm watering this morning anyway! :)
Yesterday: It was a fairly busy day, and we did good for it being so hot and humid. I got several small errands taken care of in town. At home, we harvested a big basket of tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, and beans. Wow!! A lot of tomatoes were put aside for canning, and I peeled and froze a bag full. I still have a lot on my table for eating! :) One more of the cabinets got put together - getting closer to my organization goal. In the evening I even managed a little bit of decluttering.
Today: It's a dialysis day, so it will involve a bit of coming and going, and fitting errands and projects in between. I also have hopes that my son and his family may come by today (possibly to help catch some wayward puppies that need homes!). I've done a quick bit of decluttering this morning, but altogether the house isn't *too* bad! LOL!

Today is "Bald In-Bald Out" ... "Martyrdom of the Bab (Baha'i)" ... "National Hop-A-Park Day" ... "Flag Day (Alaska)" ... "Independence Day (Argentina)" ... "Youth Day (Morocco)".

Quotes of the Day:
"Television has done much for psychiatry by spreading information about it, as well as contributing to the need for it.
-- Alfred Hitchcock

"Love thy neighbour as yourself, but choose your neighbourhood.
-- Louise Beal

Today in history:
In 1877, the first Wimbledon tennis tournament was contested at the All-England Croquet and Lawn Tennis Club.

In 1893, Chicago surgeon Dr. Daniel Hale Williams performed the first successful open-heart surgery.

In 1947, Florence Blanchard, a nurse, was appointed lieutenant colonel in the Army, becoming the first woman to hold a permanent U.S. military rank.

In 1955, Bill Haley and the Comets' "Rock Around the Clock" hit No. 1 on Billboard magazine's best-seller records chart, marking what some consider the beginning of the rock 'n' roll era.

In 1968, the Hayward Gallery on London's South Bank was opened.

In 2002 sports, the All-Star baseball game ended in an 11-inning, 7-7 tie when Commissioner Bud Selig halted proceedings saying the teams had run out of pitchers.

Today's birthdays include
- MY SISTER - HAPPY BIRTHDAY BARBARA!
- Elias Howe, inventor of the sewing machine, in 1819
- Nikola Tesla, inventor of the electromagnetic motor, in 1856
- Historian Samuel Eliot Morison in 1887
- English romance novelist Barbara Cartland in 1901
- Actor/singer Ed Ames in 1927
- English artist David Hockney in 1937
- Actor Brian Dennehy in 1938
- Actor Richard Roundtree in 1942
- Writer Dean R. Koontz in 1945
- Football star/actor O.J. Simpson in 1947
- Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych in 1950
- Entertainer John Tesh in 1952
- Actor Chris Cooper in 1951
- Actor Tom Hanks in 1956
- Actor Kelly McGillis in 1957
- Actor Jimmy Smits in 1955
- Actor Fred Savage in 1976
- Singer/actor Courtney Love in 1964
- Rock musician Jack White in 1975

Everyone have a Great Saturday!

Good Morning! Friday July 8, 2011

2011-07-08T06:24:00.000-07:00

Good morning! It's a beautiful morning. It's overcast, which *could* mean more rain. It will be low 90s today, and with all the clouds it will probably be fairly humid. It's nice to walk outside early and find wet grass (from morning dew, although we did have a little bit of rain last night)! LOL!
Yesterday: It was a rather odd day at work. The department I work in is relocating to another area of the office. Since I won't be there when the move occurs, I moved all of my desk stuff yesterday (note: everyone has to move their own desk, all but computer and phone, but without losing productivity. Really?? LOL!!) I was amazed at how much *junk* I have accumulated! LOL! Not to mention how much dust - eewww. Anyway, it's done, and when I next go in my computer and phone *should* all be set up and working.
Today: I really hope to finish the cabinet project today, so I can finish the "room project of the week". :) But there will have to be time for playing in the garden first, as there are a LOT of tomatoes waiting to be harvested! I'm thinking I might spend part of the afternoon freezing tomatoes! If I can get those 2 "biggie" things done, it will be a good day. :)

Today is "SCUD Day (Savor the Comic, Unplug the Drama)"

Quotes of the Day:
"A tough lesson in life that one has to learn is that not everybody wishes you well.
-- Dan Rather

"There's no secret about success. Did you ever know a successful man who didn't tell you about it?
-- Kin Hubbard

"Few things are more satisfying than seeing your own children have teenagers of their own.
-- Doug Larson

Today in history:
In 1497, Portuguese navigator Vasco da Gama sailed from Lisbon on a voyage that would lead to discovery of a sea route to India around the southern tip of Africa.

In 1776, the Declaration of Independence was read in public for the first time, to people gathered at Philadelphia's Independence Square.

In 1835, the Liberty Bell cracked while being rung during the funeral of U.S.Supreme Court Chief Justice John Marshall in Philadelphia.

Today's birthdays include
- Dirigible inventor Ferdinand von Zeppelin in 1838
- Oil magnate John D. Rockefeller in 1839
- French psychologist Alfred Binet in 1857
- Grandson of J. D. Rockefeller, former U.S. Vice President Nelson Rockefeller in 1908
- Band leader Louis Jordan, in 1908
- White House journalist Sarah Newcomb McClendon in 1910
- Drama critic Walter Kerr in 1913
- Jazz singer Billy Eckstine in 1914
- TV executive Roone Arledge in 1931
- Singer Jerry Vale in 1932
- Singer Steve Lawrence in 1935
- Actor Jeffrey Tambor in 1944
- Ballet dancer Cynthia Gregory in 1946
- Actress Kim Darby in 1947
- Children's singer Raffi (Cavoukian) in 1948
- Chef Wolfgang Puck in 1949
- Actress Anjelica Huston in 1951
- Actor Kevin Bacon in 1958
- Actor Billy Crudup in 1968

Everyone have a Great Friday!

Good Morning! Thursday July 7, 2011

2011-07-07T06:22:00.000-07:00

Good morning! It's a beautiful morning. We got rain last night, and this morning everything is bright and fresh, and cooler. Today will only go to the upper 80s (wow!); but clouds may move in again by the afternoon with more chances of storms. It's been an odd year; and on the news they were mentioning how strange the weather has been this year everywhere!
Yesterday: We had a busy afternoon, and got everything done. Yay! All the bills are paid, the car is "legal" (actually have to wait for mail, but I have a receipt), and I'm now allowed to dump my trash for another year. :) I got to the grocery store, finally. Just as I was checking out, a strong storm came through. I had to wait for it to slack a bit, then loaded the car in the rain! LOL! Oh how nice it was to get home and find it rained here too!!
Today: I don't even have any sprinklers running this morning; though if we don't get storms this afternoon, they'll be back on tomorrow morning. It's a dialysis and work day, so nothing planned. Well, except, since it's a bit cooler I might try tonight to do a bit of searching upstairs. :)

Today is "Father & Daughter Take a Walk Day" ... "Tell the Truth Day" ... "Independence Day (Solomon Islands)" ... "Running of the Bulls (Spain)" ... "Saba Saba Day (Tanzania)" ... "Tanabata/Star Festival (Japan)".

Quotes of the Day:
"I was a vegetarian until I started leaning toward the sunlight."
-- Rita Rudner

"Nothing is easy to the unwilling."
-- Nikki Giovanni

Typos are very important to all written form. It gives the reader something to look for so they aren't distracted by the total lack of content in your writing."
-- Randy K. Milholland

Today in history:
In 1846, U.S. Navy Commodore J.D. Sloat proclaimed the annexation of California by the United States.

In 1898, U.S. President William McKinley signed a joint resolution of Congress authorizing the annexation of Hawaii by the United States.

In 1930, construction of the Hoover Dam was begun.

In 1946, Mother Frances Xavier Cabrini (1850-1917) became the first American to be canonized a saint in the Roman Catholic Church.

In 1981, Sandra Day O'Connor was chosen by U.S. President Ronald Reagan to become the first woman on the U.S. Supreme Court. She was unanimously approved by the Senate.

Today's birthdays include
- Composer Gustav Mahler in 1860
- Painter Marc Chagall in 1887
- Film director George Cukor in 1899
- Film director Vittorio De Sica in 1901
- Baseball pitcher Leroy Satchel Paige in 1906
- Zither player Anton Karas (The Third Man) in 1906
- Science fiction author Robert Heinlein in 1907
- Composer Gian Carlo Menotti in 1911
- Chicago 7 defense lawyer William Kunstler in 1919
- Ezzard Charles, heavyweight boxing champion, in 1921
- French fashion designer Pierre Cardin in 1922
- Bandleader Doc Severinsen in 1927
- Singer Mary Ford in 1924
- Historian David McCullough in 1933
- Former Beatle Ringo Starr in 1940
- Film critic Joel Siegel in 1943
- Actor Joe Spano in 1946
- Actor Shelley Duvall in 1949
- Actor Bill Campbell in 1959
- Figure skater Michelle Kwan in 1980

Everyone have a Great Thursday!

Good Morning! Wednesday July 6, 2011

2011-07-06T06:25:00.000-07:00

Good morning! It's a wonderful morning. Lat night we actually got a little bit of rain. Very little, of course; but it's still overcast this morning, and damp. (I went on and ran sprinklers anyway!) It will be lower 90s today, and a *chance* of afternoon storms again.. I do hope for some, to wash the smoky smell from the air!
Yesterday: It was a fairly ordinary dialysis and work day. I ended up deciding against the stop at the grocery store; and also will wait for a bit cooler day (maybe today?) to begin my search upstairs. I settled for some laundry and a small bit of decluttering. :)
Today: Today is an errand day ... several annual items (car inspection, trash sticker) to take care of as well as paying rent, and the ever-elusive groceries! LOL! I hope the rain holds off until we're done; but then, I'd rather drive in it than not get any!

Today is "Take Your Webmaster to Lunch Day" ... "Day of Statehood (Lithuania)" ... "Independence Day (Comoros)" ... "Republic Day (Malawi)".

Quotes of the Day:
"Attempt easy tasks as if they were difficult, and difficult as if they were easy; in the one case that confidence may not fall asleep, in the other that it may not be dismayed."
-- Baltasar Gracian

"In real life, I assure you, there is no such thing as algebra."
-- Fran Lebowitz

"I am not afraid of storms, for I am learning how to sail my ship."
-- Louisa May Alcott

Today in history:
In 1785, the dollar was unanimously chosen as the official currency of the United States.

In 1854, the Republican Party was formally established at a meeting in New York City.

In 1885, French bacteriologist Louis Pasteur inoculated the first human being, a boy who had been bitten by a rabid dog. The youngster didn't develop rabies.

In 1919, a British dirigible landed at New York's Roosevelt Field to complete the first airship crossing of the Atlantic.

In 1923, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics was formed.

In 1933, the first Major League Baseball All-Star Game was played at Comiskey Park in Chicago. The American League beat the National League, 4-2.

In 1957, Althea Gibson became the first black athlete to win Wimbledon championship.

In 1957, while attending a church picnic near Liverpool, 15-year-old Paul McCartney met 16-year-old John Lennon. Lennon's band was playing at the picnic and by the end of the day McCartney had joined the group.

In 1958, Alaska became the 49th U.S. state.

In 1976, women were first admitted to the U.S. Naval Academy. The other military academies soon followed suit.

In 1997, the Mars Pathfinder deployed the remote-controlled Sojourner to explore the surface of Mars.

In 2005, London was chosen for the site of the 2012 Olympic Games in a close decision over Paris.

Today's birthdays include
- John Paul Jones, founder of the U.S. Navy, in 1747
- Mexican painter Frida Kahlo in 1907
- Singer Laverne Andrews, of the Andrews Sisters, in 1911
- Actor Sebastian Cabot in 1918
- Former U.S. first lady Nancy Reagan in 1921
- TV entertainer, producer Merv Griffin in 1925
- Rock 'n' roll pioneer Bill Haley (Rock Around The Clock) in 1925
- Actor Janet Leigh in 1927
- Singer/actor Della Reese in 1931
- Actor Ned Beatty in 1937
- Actor Burt Ward in 1945
- Actor Sylvester Stallone in 1946
- Former U.S. President George W. Bush in 1946
- Actor Shelley Hack in 1947
- Actor Geoffrey Rush in 1951
- Actor Allyce Beasley in 1954
- Singer Nanci Griffith in 1953
- Rapper 50 Cent in 1975

Everyone have a Great Wednesday!

Good Morning! Tuesday July5, 2011

2011-07-05T06:08:00.000-07:00

Good morning! It's a beautiful morning. It's mostly clear so far, though the forecast is for cloudy. It'll be low 90s, but humid and a chance of afternoon storms. There were a lot of storms last night, some even very close by - but not a drop of rain here.
Yesterday: I didn't have a lot planned to do, and that's what I did! LOL! A lot of the assorted junk taken off shelves got sorted, and I was able to "reclaim" the dining room (stuff is back in the bedroom, though not properly stored yet). I decided against going into town for fireworks (and glad I did, since it rained there) .. but I watched fireworks in DC, New York, and Boston on TV! Lovely! :)
Today: As all the mornings lately, it's starting out with getting everything watered (even if it ends up raining, it would be hard to get too much water at this point!). After dialysis and work, I'll probably stop at the grocery store, since I keep putting that off! LOL! Tonight I need to start looking for something upstairs .. I don't know how long it'll take to find what I need, but it's too hot to open more than 2 or 3 boxes at a time. Otherwise, it'll be a quiet night as usual. :)

Today is "Anniversary - Bikini" ... "Independence Day (Algeria)" ... "Independence Day (Venezuela)" ... "Unity Day (Zambia)".

Quotes of the Day:
"It is a far, far better thing to have a firm anchor in nonsense than to put out on the troubled sea of thought."
-- John Kenneth Galbraith

"I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies.
-- Thomas Jefferson

"A girl phoned me the other day and said "Come on over, there's nobody home." I went over. Nobody was home. "
-- Rodney Dangerfield

Today in history:
In 1687, Isaac Newton's "Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy" published.

In 1865, William Booth founded the Salvation Army in London.

In 1935, U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt signed the National Labor Relations Act.

In 1937, Hormel Foods introduced canned meat product Spam.

In 1946, French designer Louis Reard introduced the bikini swimsuit.

In 1947, Larry Doby became for African-American player in baseball's America League by signing a contract with the Cleveland Indians.

In 1954, newcomer Elvis Presley recorded "That's All Right (Mama," a song he had not intended to do when he began his first recording session at Sun Records in Memphis and it became an instant local sensation.

In 1975, Arthur Ashe became the first black man to win Wimbledon singles title.

In 1997, Martina Hingis, 16, of Switzerland became the youngest in 100 years to win the women's singles tennis championship at Wimbledon.

In 2009 sports, Roger Federer defeated Andy Roddick in the Wimbledon men's singles finals. It was Federer's record 15th Grand Slam title.

Today's birthdays include
- My niece Lindsay!! Happy Birthday!!
- David Farragut, the first U.S. Navy admiral, in 1801
- Showman P.T. Barnum in 1810
- British colonialist Cecil Rhodes, founder of Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), in 1853
- Dwight Davis, founder of the Davis Cup tennis tournament, in 1879
- French writer and film director Jean Cocteau in 1889
- Politician and diplomat Henry Cabot Lodge Jr. in 1902
- Actor Milburn Stone in 1904
- Football coach John McKay in 1923
- Actor Warren Oates in 1928
- Actor Katherine Helmond in 1928
- Robbie Robertson, composer, musician, member of The Band, in 1943
- Julie Nixon Eisenhower in 1948
- Rock singer Huey Lewis in 1950
- Baseball Hal of Fame member Richard Goose Gossage in 1951
- Actor Edie Falco in 1953

Everyone have a Great Tuesday!

Good Morning! Monday July 4, 2011

2011-07-04T06:31:00.000-07:00

Good morning! It's a beautiful morning! The forecast says partly cloudy, but for now it's more clear, and very pleasant out. One of the nice things about the early watering is to enjoy the yard before the day gets so hot and sticky! :) It's to go to the upper 90s today (prediction is a bit down from high 90s originally forecast!), and a chance of storms.
Yesterday: While I didn't get done what I hoped, it was still a very productive day. I got all the watering and "household" stuff done early. I even washed a load of sheets and tablecloths to hang on the clothesline (I just love the smell of line-dried sheets!). I went to town to pick up med refills, and also got a few cleaning items. I had planned to go to the grocery store, but decided I had too much at home to do so that can wait. At home one cabinet got assembled, and I just love it! Unfortunately, it took 3 hours instead of the "1 hour" the directions claim. LOL!! It's ok, it'll get done. For dinner we had some snap beans fresh from the garden! Yum!!
Today: I'll keep working on getting junk sorted and back into the one cabinet. I may or may not tackle assembling another ... well, ok, probably not! LOL! But there's lots of other stuff I need to be doing. Tonight we'll most likely go into town to watch fireworks. Our little local show is pretty good ... and I just love fireworks! :)
To my American friends: Happy Independence Day!!!! Thank a soldier!!

Today is "Caribbean or Caricom Day" ... "Earth at Aphelion" ... "Fourth of July" ... "Independence Day, USA" ... "Independence-From-Meat Day" ... "Indivisible Day" ... "Anniversary - America the Beautiful (song) Published" ... "Anniversary - "American Top 40" (radio)" ... "Fil-American Friendship Day (Philippines)" ... "Heroes Day (Zambia)".

Quotes of the Day:
"History teaches us that men and nations behave wisely once they have exhausted all other alternatives."
-- Abba Eban

"Nurture your mind with great thoughts; to believe in the heroic makes heroes."
-- Benjamin Disraeli

"Happiness lies in the joy of achievement and the thrill of creative effort".
-- Franklin D. Roosevelt

Today in history:
In 1776, the Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence, proclaiming U.S. independence from Britain.

In 1817, construction began on the Erie Canal.

In 1826, in one of history's notable coincidences, former U.S. Presidents John Adams and Thomas Jefferson both died 50 years to the day after the Declaration of Independence was adopted.

In 1895, the poem "America the Beautiful," by Wellesley College Professor Katherine Lee Bates, was published.

In 1914, director D.W. Griffith began filming his controversial film "Birth of a Nation," which introduced important new filmmaking techniques and influenced many other directors.

In 1986, more than 250 sailing ships and the United States' biggest fireworks display honored the Statue of Liberty in its 100th birthday year.

In 1997, NASA's Pathfinder landed on Mars to become the first U.S. spacecraft to land on the planet in more than two decades.

In 2005, NASA's "Deep Impact" spacecraft wound up an 85 million-mile journey by intentionally slamming into the Tempel 1 comet to learn more about comets and other aspects of the solar system.

In 2006, the first U.S. space shuttle flight in almost a year began when the Discovery was launched from the space center at Cape Canaveral.

In 2007, the Russian resort city of Sochi was selected to host the 2014 Winter Olympics, marking the first time the country has been the site of the Winter Games.

Today's birthdays include
- Author Nathaniel Hawthorne in 1804
- Songwriter Stephen Foster ("Oh! Susannah," "Beautiful Dreamer") in 1826
- Circus operator James Bailey (Barnum and Bailey) in 1847
- Calvin Coolidge, 30th president of the United States, in 1872
- Innovative cartoonist Rube Goldberg in 1883
- Louis B. Mayer, film mogul and co-founder of MGM, in 1885
- Actor/politician George Murphy in 1902
- Conductor Mitch Miller in 1911
- Ann Landers, advice columnist, in 1918
- Abigail Van Buren, advice columnist, Ann Landers' twin, in 1918
- Former hotel executive Leona Helmsley in 1920
- Actress Eva Marie Saint in 1924
- Playwright Neil Simon in 1927
- Actress Gina Lollobrigida in 1927
- Al Davis, Oakland Raiders owner, in 1929
- New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner in 1930
- TV reporter Geraldo Rivera in 1943
- Tennis player Pam Shriver in 1962

Everyone have a Great Monday!

Good Morning! Sunday July 3, 2011

2011-07-03T05:28:00.000-07:00

Good morning! It's a beautiful morning. Even though it will be in the upper 90s later today, it's quite nice outside right now. It's clear and bright now, will be humid, and maybe a possibility of afternoon storms. I'm not hoping for that (sprinklers going!)
Yesterday: It was a busy but mostly unproductive day. I got the "basics" done. I was supposed to spend the afternoon helping a friend take a load of trash to a landfill. It turned into a comedy of errors (involving people - not me!! LOL!! - who can't tell time and also don't know to watch the GAS level!) that took up all afternoon and accomplished nothing. Oh well, at least I wasn't *working* (not that driving is that much better).
Today: Today will be a better day, I just know it! :) I'll have to go pick up the refills I forgot yesterday, and some groceries. But after that I get some help with an assembly project, and hopefully start getting some **junk** out of here! :)

Today is "Air Conditioning Appreciation Days (07/03-08/15)" ... "Compliment Your Mirror Day" ... "Dog Days (07/03-08/11)" ... "Stay Out of the Sun Day" ... "Admission Day (Idaho)" ... "Independence Day (Belarus)".

Quotes of the Day:
"People don't have to like or support you, so you always have to say thank you."
-- Ruben Studdard

"Then give to the world the best you have. And the best will come back to you."
-- Madeline Bridges

"Chess is as elaborate a waste of human intelligence as you can find outside an advertising agency."
-- Raymond Chandler

Today in history:
In 1608, French explorer Samuel de Champlain founded the Canadian town of Quebec.

In 1890, Idaho admitted as the 43rd state in the United States.

In 1928, the first color television transmission was accomplished by John Logie Baird in London.

In 1986, U.S. President Ronald Reagan re-lit the Statue of Liberty's torch in New York Harbor after a $66 million restoration of the statue was completed during the 100th anniversary year of its dedication.

Today's birthdays include
- Actor, singer, composer George M. Cohan in 1878
- Welsh poet and writer William Henry Davies ( The Autobiography of a Super-Tramp ) in 1871
- Czech novelist Franz Kafka in 1883
- Actor George Sanders in 1906
- Journalist and columnist Dorothy Kilgallen in 1913
- Jerry Gray, band leader, arranger for Glenn Miller, in 1915
- English filmmaker Ken Russell in 1927
- Jazz clarinetist Pete Fountain in 1930
- English playwright Tom Stoppard in 1937
- Singer Fontella Bass in 1940
- Humorist Dave Barry in 1947
- Actor Betty Buckley in 1947
- Exiled Haitian dictator Jean-Claude Baby Doc Duvalier in 1951
- Talk show host Montel Williams in 1956
- Pop singer Laura Branigan in 1957
- Actor Tom Cruise in 1962
- Actor Thomas Gibson in 1962
- Voice actor Yeardley Smith in 1964

Everyone have a Great Sunday!

Good Morning! Saturday July 2, 2011

2011-07-02T06:16:00.000-07:00

Good morning! It's a beautiful morning. I've been out to start rotating sprinklers, and it was very pleasant - as long as I didn't have to breathe! LOL! Eastern fires plus wind from the east makes for a strange air qualify! It's going to be a bit hotter again today, mid 90s, and a bit more humid; but no mention of the typical afternoon storms.
Yesterday: I didn't do quite what I had hoped, but it was a fairly busy day none the less. I discovered I'll need help with some unassembled cabinets; but one corner that was full of junk has been cleaned out. Of course, the "junk" is now spread out all over the house! LOL! But over the next few days it will be sorted before going back into cabinets. I also fit in a bit of the never-ending laundry. :)
Today: I had thought today would be a day to "sneak away" and play, since I don't have to work during dialysis. But, it looks like instead I may be helping take a trailer full of junk to the landfill. Well, that's not a bad thing either. And maybe we'll even fit in some gardening - there's bound to be more tomatoes and other yummy stuff ready. :)
To my Canadian friends ... I apologize for missing saying "Happy Candada Day" yesterday! Oops, my bad. I hope you all, as well as my American friends, have a happy and SAFE holiday weekend.

Today is "Halfway Point of 2011" ... "UN International Day of Cooperatives" ... "Palio (Italy)" ... "Tour De France (France)".

Quotes of the Day:
"Everyone rises to their level of incompetence."
--Peter McWilliams

"Live in such a way that you would not be ashamed to sell your parrot to the town gossip."
--Will Rogers

"To invent, you need a good imagination and a pile of junk".
-- Thomas A. Edison

"If you would be known, and not know, vegetate in a village; If you would know, and not be known, live in a city."
-- Charles Caleb Colton

Today in history:
In 1788, it was announced in the U.S. Congress that the new Constitution had been ratified by the required nine states, the ninth being New Hampshire.

In 1900, the world's first rigid airship was demonstrated by Ferdinand Graf von Zeppelin in Germany.

In 1934, 6-year-old Shirley Temple signed a contract with Fox Film Corp. and went on to become one of the biggest movie stars of the day.

In 2002, after five unsuccessful attempts, American Steve Fossett completed a round-the-world solo flight in a balloon, reaching Queensland in the Australian outback to finish a 13-day, 19,428-mile trip that began in Western Australia.

Today's birthdays include
- German novelist Hermann Hesse in 1877
- King Olav V of Norway in 1903
- Tennis champion Rene Lacoste in 1904
- Former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall in 1908
- Singer/actor Ken Curtis ( Gunsmoke's Festus) in 1916
- Civil rights activist Medgar Evers in 1925
- Imelda Marcos, wife of former Philippine President Fernando Marcos, in 1929
- Wendy's fast-food restaurant chain founder Dave Thomas in 1932
- Actor Polly Holliday in 1937
- Former race car driver Richard Petty in 1937
- Actor/director Ron Silver in 1946
- Writer/actor Larry David in 1947
- Actor Jimmy McNichol in 1961
- Former baseball star Jose Canseco, first to hit 40 home runs and steal 40 bases in the same major league season, in 1964
- Actor Lindsay Lohan in 1986

Everyone have a Great Saturday!

Good Morning! Friday July 1, 2011

2011-07-01T05:59:00.000-07:00

Good morning! It's a beautiful morning. It's clear and bright, and today will still be fairly nice. It'll be low to mid 90s but the humidity won't be "too" bad. There doesn't seem to be any of the "scattered" showers on for today. It's been a strange year so far ... we've broken the "heat record" ... that was just set last year! And more on the way.
Yesterday: With dialysis and work, not much else ever gets done of course. I did go after work and get the new battery; but it's too hot for my "gardener" to come over today! LOL! I did get a very small start on the next big project on my cleaning list.
Today: I hope today I will make serious progress on that project. There's a series of mis-matched shelf units that need to be decluttered (I hope), and switched out for cabinets with doors. Of course, I have to assemble the cabinets. This could be interesting! LOL!

Today is "Second Half of the New Year Day" ... "Anniversary - Battle of Gettysburg" ... "Anniversary - First Postage Stamp" ... "Anniversary - First US Zoo" ... "Anniversary - Medicare" ... "Anniversary - Zip Codes Inaugurated" ... "Canada Day (Canada)" ... "Half-Year Day (China)" ... "Independence Day (Burundi)" ... "Independence Day (Rwanda)" ... "Republic Day (Ghana)".

Quotes of the Day:
"Fiction is obliged to stick to possibilities. Truth isn't."
-- Mark Twain

"The past is not dead. In fact, it's not even past."
-- William Faulkner

"So, let us not be blind to our differences - but let us also direct attention to our common interests and to the means by which those differences can be resolved.
-- John F. Kennedy

Today in history:
In 1847, the first U.S. postage stamps were issued.

In 1859, the first intercollegiate baseball game was played in Pittsfield, Mass. Amherst beat Williams, 66-32.

In 1862, the Russian State Library was founded.

In 1867, Canada was granted its independence by Great Britain. It consisted at the time of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and future provinces of Ontario and Quebec.

In 1874, the Philadelphia Zoological Society, the first U.S. zoo, opened to the public.

In 1941, NBC broadcast the first FCC-sanctioned TV commercial, a spot for Bulova watches shown during a Dodgers-Phillies game. It cost Bulova $9.

In 1979, Sony introduced the Walkman, known as the Soundabout, in U.S. stores. It sold for about $200.

In 1997, Hong Kong was returned to China after 99 years as a British territory.

Today's birthdays include
- German philosopher Gottfried Leibniz in 1646
- French novelist George Sand, a pseudonym for Amandine Dupin, in 1804
- Grammarian William Strunk Jr. in 1869
- Pioneer aviator Louis Bleriot in 1872
- Actor Charles Laughton in 1899
- Blues, gospel musician, composer Thomas Dorsey in 1899
- Film director William Wyler in 1902
- Cosmetics executive Estee Lauder in 1906
- Blues musician Willie Dixon in 1915
- Actor Olivia de Havilland in 1916
- Actor Leslie Caron in 1931
- Filmmaker/actor Sydney Pollack in 1934
- Actor/writer Jean Marsh in 1934
- Actor Jamie Farr in 1934
- Choreographer Twyla Tharp in 1941
- Actor Karen Black in 1939
- Actor Genevieve Bujold in 1942
- Singer Deborah Harry in 1945
- Actor/comedian Dan Aykroyd in 1952
- Britain's Princess Diana in 1961
- Nine-time Olympic gold medalist Carl Lewis in 1961
- Actor Andre Braugher in 1962
- Actor Pamela Anderson in 1967
- Actor Liv Tyler in 1977
- Rapper Missy Elliott in 1971

Everyone have a Great Friday!

Good Morning! Thursday June 30, 2011

2011-06-30T05:47:00.000-07:00

Good morning! It's a beautiful morning. When I went out to rotate sprinklers, it was only low 70s, very nice. Today will go to around low 90s (though that's what yesterday was supposed to be, but felt hotter); they're saying less humidity - we'll see. The "hot stuff" is still coming, so we better try to enjoy these **cool** days! LOL!
Yesterday: I did get some of what was planned accomplished, so it wasn't a bad day. But I couldn't deal with the heat (and bugs!) very long at a time, so not a lot of outside work got done. A lot of the grass got cut (NOT by me) just before dark. And then it was so late, and everyone was tired - so we went to McDonalds (being the only thing open past 9:00 around here). Some new cabinets came, and are now in the living room waiting to be assembled. So much for my "uncluttered" rooms! LOL!
Today: It's dialysis and work today, so not a house or yard day. After work we'll have to go see about getting a replacement battery for the lawn mower, and pick up some refills. That will put us late getting home; I don't expect I'll get much more than dinner and laundry done, but I can always hope for a burst of energy for a bit more. :)

Today is "Leap Second Adjustment Time" ... "National Bomp Pop Day" ... "National Handshake Day" ... "Anniversary - N.O.W." ... "Armed Forces Day (Guatemala)" ... "Independence Day (Congo)" ... "Revolution Day (Sudan)".

Quotes of the Day:
"War is not nice."
-- Barbara Bush

"I take my children everywhere, but they always find their way back home."
-- Robert Orben

"Most people would succeed in small things if they were not troubled with great ambitions."
-- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Today in history:
In 1859, Frenchman Jean Francois Gravelet, known professionally as the Great Blondin, became the first daredevil to walk across Niagara Falls on a tight rope.

In 1870, Ada Kepley became the first woman to graduate from an accredited law school in the United States, Union College of Law in Chicago.

In 1888, Robert Louis Stevenson published his adventure novel "The Black Arrow."

In 1905, theory of relativity introduced by Albert Einstein in "On the Electrodynamics of Moving Bodies."

In 1923, jazz pioneer Sidney Bechet made his first recording. It included "Wild Cat Blues" and "Kansas City Blues."

In 1936, Margaret Mitchell's Civil War novel "Gone With the Wind" was published.

In 2004, the Cassini spacecraft, in space on a U.S.-European mission, became the first device to orbit the planet Saturn.

Today's birthdays include
- English socialist leader Harold Laski in 1893
- Actor Susan Hayward and singer Lena Horne in 1917
- Actor Nancy Dussault in 1936
- Singer Florence Ballard of The Supremes in 1943
- Actor David Alan Grier in 1955
- Former heavyweight champion boxer Mike Tyson in 1966

Everyone have a Great Thursday!

Good Morning! Wednesday June 29, 2011

2011-06-29T06:35:00.000-07:00

Good morning! It's a wonderful morning! Last night we finally got RAIN! Not just a sprinkle, but buckets of rain. Of course, we also got a lot of wind (for fortunately, no damage). There was a lot of thunder and lightening; but even after it faded, it rained for a good while. Today is starting off overcast and much cooler. It will be low 90s, and possibly less cloudy by the afternoon. This might be the "calm before the storm", as some very hot days are coming!
Yesterday: As always, for a dialysis and work day, I didn't plan much to do, and was very successful at not doing it. :) I did get all my sprinklers run in the morning, so everything certainly got WET! LOL!
Today: It will once again be a "catch up" day. I do not have to water today - even turned the timers off for this morning. So I used the "extra" time to mop. I'd really rather have slept! LOL! This afternoon I'm going in for some car maintenance, and to get groceries. Later this evening .. if it's not too wet (could be more afternoon showers) ... my friend and I will try to get grass cut. Hopefully I'll be able to fit a few small chores in between all that. Maybe. :)

Today is "Peter & Paul Day (Christian)" ... "Saint Peter's Day (Christian)" ... "Independence Day (Seychelles)".

Quotes of the Day:
"Health nuts are going to feel stupid someday, lying in hospitals dying of nothing."
-- Redd Foxx

"The greatest use of life is to spend it for something that will outlast it. "
-- William James

"I have failed many times, and that's why I am a success."
-- Michael Jordan

Today in history:
In 1853, the U.S. Senate ratified the $10 million Gadsden Purchase from Mexico, adding more than 29,000 square miles to the territories of Arizona and New Mexico and completing the modern geographical boundaries of the contiguous 48 states.

In 1992, doctors in Pittsburgh reported the world's first transplant of a baboon liver into a human patient. The recipient, a 35-year-old man, survived for three months.

In 1995, the U.S. shuttle Atlantis docked with the Russian space station Mir.

In 2007, the American bald eagle, declared endangered in 1967, is flourishing and no longer imperiled, the U.S. Interior Department announced.

Today's birthdays include
- William Mayo, co-founder of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., in 1861
- Astronomer George Ellery Hale, founder of the Yerkes and Mount Palomar observatories, in 1868
- French writer Antoine de Saint-Exupery in 1900
- Actor/singer Nelson Eddy in 1901
- Composer/arranger Leroy Anderson in 1908
- Broadway songwriter Frank Loesser in 1910
- Composer/conductor Bernard Herrmann in 1911
- Actor Slim Pickens in 1919
- Baseball Hall of Fame member Harmon Killebrew in 1936
- Black power advocate Stokely Carmichael in 1941
- Singer Little Eva in 1943
- Actor Gary Busey in 1944
- Fashion designer Egon von Furstenberg in 1946
- Comedian Richard Lewis in 1947
- Actor and former U.S. Rep. Fred Grandy in 1948
- Actor Sharon Lawrence in 1961

Everyone have a Great Wednesday!

Good Morning! Tuesday June 28, 2011

2011-06-28T06:18:00.000-07:00

Good morning! It's a beautiful morning. It will be hot again later, but so far it's nice and comfortable. Although more rain is predicted (maybe) for later today, we didn't get any of the storms yesterday. So, "just in case", the sprinklers are going this morning! We're back to hot again, upper 90s today, and everything is very thirsty! :)
Yesterday: We had a fun excursion. It ended up 4 of us going, and everyone had a good time even though it was "just" shopping. We went to a storre farther away that we don't get to often; but I went for something specific, they had what I needed - and it was on sale! Score! LOL! We went to Chik-Fil-A for lunch, and barely got insdie before the rain came - sat there and ate and watched it pour! But we got nearly home again ... and the roads were dry.
Today: It's a dialysis and work day, so I'm not planning to get much done. I'll probably stop for groceries on the way home, and tonight will do laundry. At some point I have to get more motivated to finish my cleaning projects; but not tonight! LOL!

Today is "National Columnist's Day" ... "Anniversary - Monday Holiday Law" ... "Anniversary - Stonewall Riots" ... 'Please Take My Children to Work Day".

Quotes of the Day:
"Never explain--your friends do not need it and your enemies will not believe you anyway."
-- Elbert Hubbard

"Make all you can, save all you can, give all you can."
-- John Wesley

"The scientific theory I like best is that the rings of Saturn are composed entirely of lost airline luggage."
-- Mark Russell

Today in history:
In 1838, Victoria was crowned queen of England. She would rule for 63 years, 7 months.

In 2003, people eager to block telemarketing calls overwhelmed a government Web site that began accepting phone numbers at the national do-not-call registry. The Federal Trade Commission said 735,000 numbers were registered the first day.

Today's birthdays include
- English King Henry VIII in 1491
- Flemish painter Peter Paul Rubens in 1577
- English clergyman John Wesley, founder of Methodism, in 1703
- French philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau in 1712
- French physician Paul Broca in 1824
- Italian author Luigi Pirandello in 1867
- Composer Richard Rodgers in 1902
- Spy novelist Eric Ambler in 1909
- Filmmaker and comedian Mel Brooks in 1926
- Actor Pat Morita in 1932
- CIA Director Leon Panetta in 1938
- Comedian Gilda Radner in 1946
- Actor Kathy Bates in 1948
- Actor Alice Krige in 1954
- Football Hall of fame member John Elway in 1960
- Actor John Cusack in 1966
- Actor Mary Stuart Masterson in 1966
- Actress/singer Danielle Brisebois in 1969

Everyone have a Great Tuesday!

Good Morning! Monday June 27, 2011

2011-06-27T05:56:00.000-07:00

Good morning! It's a wonderful morning! Yesterday stayed more overcast than not, but it was still hot and sticky. Last night, late, there was thunder. I woke up early to thunder and lightening! I looked out ... and everything was WET! YAY!! Today is forecast to be much like yesterday except perhaps more humid. There may or may not be late afternoon or evening storms. I'm just so thankful we got lots of lovely rain last night!
Yesterday: It was a busy day, with most of the afternoon spent in the garden. The storms a week or so back (when my house got wind but no rain) had the tomatoes leaning over. They all got tied back upright - and we harvested an amazing amount of tomatoes that were "lurking" in the green depths. LOL! We also brought in a lot of peppers and zucchini, some beans and potatoes, and a few cucumbers. Not much got done inside other than routine "maintenance" stuff, but that's ok for now.
Today: It's too wet to be in the garden (and nice to allow myself to sleep in a bit instead of going out to water!). We've decided to go on an "excursion" to a shopping center a bit far away. Our local options are limited, so we're going to go "play" (that means **shopping**!! LOL!!). I'll have the usual routine stuff to do first, but looking forward to the afternoon (except the part where *I* have to do the driving. Oh well). :)

Today is "Decide to Be Married Day" ... "National HIV Testing Day" ... :Please Take My Children to Work Day" ... "Anniversary - Industrial Workers of the World Founded" ... "Independence Day (Djibouti)" ... "America's Kid's Day" ..."Descendants Day" ... ... ... "Happy Birthday - "Happy Birthday to You" Song".

Quotes of the Day:
"Nostalgia isn't what it used to be."
-- Peter De Vries

"I have not lost my mind - it's backed up on disk somewhere."
-- Unknown

"Giving is a necessity sometimes... more urgent, indeed, than having. "
-- Margaret Lee Runbeck

Today in history:
In 1829, English scientist James Smithson left a will that eventually funded the establishment of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, in a country he never visited.

In 1847, the first telegraph wire links were established between New York City and Boston.

In 1859, Louisville, Ky., schoolteacher Mildred Hill wrote a tune for her students and called it "Good Morning To You." Her sister, Patty, wrote the lyrics and later added a verse that began "Happy Birthday To You."

In 1995, the space shuttle Atlantis blasted off from Cape Canaveral, Fla., on a historic mission to dock with the Russian space station Mir. The flight was also the 100th U.S.-piloted space mission.

In 1972, Nolan Bushnell established ATARI.

Today's birthdays include
- Irish patriot Charles Stewart Parnell in 1846
- Noted anarchist Emma Goldman in 1869
- Poet Paul Laurence Dunbar 1872
- Blind and deaf author Helen Keller in 1880
- Billiards champion Willie Mosconi in 1913
- Captain Kangaroo Bob Keeshan in 1927
- H. Ross Perot in 1930
- Musician and songwriter Bruce Johnston in 1942
- Fashion designes Norma Kamali in 1945
- Fashion designes Vera Wang in 1949
- Actor Julia Duffy in 1951
- Actor Isabelle Adjani in 1955
- Actor Christian Kane in 1974
- Actor Tobey Maguire in 1975
- Film and television writer/director/producer J.J. Abrams in 1966

Everyone have a Great Monday!

Good Morning! Sunday June 26, 2011

2011-06-26T05:49:00.000-07:00

Good morning! It's a beautiful morning. When I stepped out on the porch early, it felt so delightful ... sunny and cool! Today again will be upper 80s to low 90s. The forecast says "partly cloudy" so I guess they'll return, with the chance of afternoon showers.
Yesterday: I had a busy day, and though I didn't get everything on my list I did get a lot of things done. I managed quite a few smaller chores that have been put off, some decluttering, and a bit of routine cleaning (including laundry).
Today: I hope to pick up where I left off yesterday and keep working through the (never-ending) to-do list. I will have to put in some gardening time this afternoon, while it's a tiny bit cooler ... the weeds are loving all the watering! LOL!

Today is "Lunar Eclipse" ... "Strawberry Moon" ... "UN International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking" ... "UN International Day in Support of Victims of Torture" ... "Independence Day (Madagascar)".

Quotes of the Day:
"Nothing is more admirable than the fortitude with which millionaires tolerate the disadvantages of their wealth."
-- Rex Stout

"dwell in possibility... "
-- Emily Dickinson

"I think people that have a brother or sister don't realize how lucky they are. Sure, they fight a lot, but to know that there's always somebody there, somebody that's family."
-- Trey Parker and Matt Stone, South Park

"He who hesitates is not only lost, but miles from the next exit."
-- Unknown

Today in history:
In 1819, the bicycle was patented.

In 1900, Dr. Walter Reed and his medical team began a successful campaign to wipe out yellow fever in the Panama Canal Zone.

In 1939, film censors approved "Gone With The Wind" but fined Producer David O. Selznick $5,000 for objectionable language in Rhett Butler's famous closing line to Scarlett O'Hara.

In 1945, the U.N. Charter was signed by representatives of 50 nations.

In 1945, the FCC began development of commercial television by allocating airwaves for 13 TV stations.

In 1959, U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower and Britain's Queen Elizabeth II formally opened the St. Lawrence Seaway in Canada.

In 1974, the bar code, allowing for the electronic scanning of prices, was used for the first time on a pack of gum at a supermarket in Troy, Ohio.

In 1976, the CN Tower, the world's tallest freestanding structure (1,815 feet, 5 inches), opened in Toronto

Today's birthdays include
- Reputed baseball pioneer Abner Doubleday in 1819
- British physicist and inventor William Kelvin in 1824
- Novelist Pearl Buck in 1892
- German aircraft designer Willy Messerschmitt in 1898
- William Lear, developer of the Lear jet, in 1902
- Actor Peter Lorre in 1904
- Colonel Tom Parker, Elvis Presley's manager, in 1909
- Athlete Mildred Babe Didrikson Zaharias in 1911
- Actor/musician Chris Isaak in 1956
- Cyclist Greg LeMond in 1961
- Actor Chris O'Donnell in 1970
- Actor Sean P. Hayes (Will & Grace) in 1970

Everyone have a Great Sunday!

Good Morning! Saturday June 25, 2011

2011-06-25T05:57:00.001-07:00

Good morning! It's a beautiful morning. So far it's still a bit grayish, but the forecast is for mostly sunny. It'll *only* be around 90, maybe low 90s. This seems to be the beginning of a trend of somewhat lower temps for a few days. But, afterall, it's NC summer ... so who knows! LOL!
Yesterday: It was a very long day of mostly sitting around waiting. We did get lucky on the timing, as we didn't have to deal with "rush hour" traffic; although, on the way home, it sure felt like everyone must have been heading for the beach! The little local restaurant was open, so we ate there (all sorts of "bad" things - but it was also our only meal of the day!). We had to stay up too late to get meds back on schedule, but today should be back to what passes for normal here. :)
Today: I hope to make up for some of what hasn't been done all week. I have a long "to do" list; and it's not supposed to be as humid ... we we'll just see how far I can get with it. At least the laundry is caught up, and the watering is "under control". :)

For those interested in knowing: Christmas is 6 months from TODAY! :)

Today is "Great American Backyard Campout" ... "Anniversary - Battle of Little Bighorn" ... "Ratification Day (Virginia)" ... "Independence Day (Mozambique)" ... "National Day (Bhutan)" ... "National Day (Slovenia)".

Quotes of the Day:
"And when it rains on your parade, look up rather than down. Without the rain, there would be no rainbow.
-- Jerry Chin

"I'm worried that the universe will soon need replacing. It's not holding a charge."
-- Edward Chilton

"Illegal aliens have always been a problem in the United States. Ask any Indian."
-- Robert Orben

Today in history:
In 1788, Virginia ratified the U.S. Constitution, the 10th state to do so.

In 1951, CBS aired the first color television broadcast. At the time, no color TV sets were owned by the public.

In 1967, with Mick Jagger, Keith Richard and others singing backup, the Beatles recorded "All You Need Is Love" before an international television audience estimated at 400 million people.

In 1993, Kim Campbell was sworn in as Canada's first woman prime minister.

in 2006, Warren Buffett announced plans to give away 85 percent of his shares in his company, about $37 billion, to charity. Most of that -- some $31 billion -- was earmarked for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Today's birthdays include
- French composer Gustave Charpentier in 1860
- Broadway producer George Abbott in 1887
- English novelist and critic George Orwell, author of 1984, in 1903
- Movie director Sidney Lumet in 1924
- Actor June Lockhart in 1925
- Civil rights advocate James Meredith in 1933
- Musician Harold Melvin in 1939
- Basketball Hall of Fame member Willis Reed in 1942
- Actor Jimmie Walker in 1947
- Musician Carly Simon in 1945
- Musician Ian McDonald in 1946
- Musician George Michael in 1963
- Associate Justice of 5the U.S. Supreme Court Sonia Sotomayor in 1954
- Actor/writer Ricky Gervais in 1961

Everyone have a Great Saturday!

Good Morning! Friday June 24, 2011

2011-06-24T05:34:00.000-07:00

Good morning! It's a wonderful morning. It's yet again overcast, but I *think* they're saying only partly cloudy for today. It will be low 90s (a relief from very high 90s?), but still humid. As always, there's the chance of showers.
Yesterday: We finally got some rain! A brief storm passed over just before getting off work. I had to pick up a few things at Wal-Mart, and we barely got out of there before the rain came again. I was SO glad to see it rain all the way home ... meaning my poor yard got a fairly good soaking! Ironic, as I had done a very good watering job in the morning. Perhaps I should do it more often to "draw" the rain? LOL! Of course, as usual, I got little done beyond dinner, a small bit of decluttering, and some organizing for today.
Today: This will be one more going to Duke day. DH has a procedure today (a test - hope he passes! LOL!). I don't think this will last as long as the IV does, but I really don't remember. Therefore ... I have no idea how long we'll be there, but have to leave a bit earlier (fortunately, should still miss the worst of the traffic) to allow for some road construction. I finally found out last night that the local restaurant (we've tried to stop the last 3 times we were on the way home, but it was always closed) is only open Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. So, maybe tonight I won't have to cook after a long day! LOL!

Today is "Celebration of the Senses" ... "Saint John the Baptist Day" ... "Take Your Dog to Work Day" ... "John's Day (Latvia)" ... "Macau Day (China)".

Quotes of the Day:
"He who asks is a fool for five minutes, but he who does not ask remains a fool forever."
-- Chinese Proverb

"A minute's success pays the failure of years."
-- Robert Browning

"Happiness is a perfume you cannot pour on others without getting a few drops on yourself."
-- Og Mandino

Today in history:
In 1441, Eton College was founded.

In 1901, Pablo Picasso's artwork was given its first exhibition, in Paris.

Today's birthdays include
- Clergyman Henry Ward Beecher in 1813
- Writer and satirist Ambrose Bierce in 1842
- Heavyweight boxing champ Jack Dempsey in 1895
- Band leader Phil Harris in 1904
- Astronomer Fred Hoyle in 1915
- Author/editor Norman Cousins in 1915
- Rock 'n' roll Hall of Fame member Jeff Beck in 1944
- Rock 'n' roll Hall of Fame member Mick Fleetwood in 1947
- Actor Michele Lee in 1942
- Actor Peter Weller in 1947
- Actor Nancy Allen in 1950

Everyone have a Great Friday!

Good Mornng! Thursday June 23, 2011

2011-06-23T06:06:00.000-07:00

Good morning! It's a beautiful morning. It's not so hot out for early morning watering, although it will still be to the low or mid 90s today. Last night at 6:00 it was still 98 on my porch; I don't think today will be *quite* that hot. They're saying partly cloudy and the usual chance of afternoon or evening storms.
Yesterday: It was a long day, as the clinic days usually are. The hour drive to Duke took nearer to 2 hours because of road construction; the clinic was running nearly 2 hours late. So, our 5 to 6 hour day turned into nearly 8 hours. Needless to say, nothing but dinner got done here! LOL!
Today: Today going back to dialysis and work will seem like a "break" in between 2 very long clinic days. I'm hoping for a burst of energey to appear from nowhere this evening to get some of the ordinary weekly cleaning and decluttering done. :)

Today is "Corpus Christi (Christian)" ... "Let It Go Day" ... "UN Public service Day" ... "Victory Day (Estonia)".

Quotes of the Day:
"I take the view, and always have, that if you cannot say what you are going to say in twenty minutes you ought to go away and write a book about it. "
-- Lord Brabazon

"Sanity calms, but madness is more interesting."
-- John Russell

"I'd rather be a failure at something I love than a success at something I hate."
-- George Burns

Today in history:
In 1845, the Congress of the Republic of Texas agreed to annexation by the United States.

In 1888, Fredrick Douglass became the first African-American nominated for President of the United States.

In 1894, International Olympic Committee founded in Paris.

In 1984, an auction of John Lennon's possessions raised $430,000, including $19,000 for a guitar used while Lennon was with the Beatles.

Today's birthdays include
- French Empress Josephine, wife of Napoleon, in 1763
- The Duke of Windsor, former British King Edward VIII, in 1894
- Pioneer sex researcher Alfred Kinsey, also in 1894
- Alan Turing, computer scientist, in 1912
- Former U.S. Secretary of State William Rogers in 1913
- Director/choreographer Bob Fosse in 1927
- Singer June Carter Cash in 1929
- U.S. Olympic gold medalist Wilma Rudolph in 1940
- Metropolitan Opera conductor James Levine in 1943
- Actor Ted Shackelford in 1946
- Actor Bryan Brown in 1947
- U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas in 1948
- Actor Frances McDormand in 1957
- Musician Jason Mraz in1977

Everyone have a Great Thursday!

Good Morning! Wednesday June 22, 2011

2011-06-22T05:34:00.000-07:00

Good morning! It's a beautiful morning. I went out on the porch early .. and it was damp!!!! Happy!!! OK, we didn't actually get very much rain - but any at all is welcome by now. Last night we had TWO "weather calls" (warning of severe weather in our area) ... the first was a lot of thunder and lightening, maybe 3 raindrops. The second - after 1:00 am ... couldn't have been much because I went right back to sleep! LOL! Today will be very high 90s; a good chance of going over 100. Mostly cloudy means it will be humid ... a good day to NOT be outside!
Yesterday: It was a fairly ordinary dialysis and work day. I got my "normal" routines done, and the house is reasonably presentable (if you don't notice a few closed doors! LOL!). I didn't get any sewing done, again. I think I need to rearrange a pile of boxes ... they're not *really* in the way, but feels like they are.
Today: We leave about an hour earlier than usual on work days, to go to another clinic appointment. At least I get to avoid the worst of the traffic. :) If all goes well ... and the clinic doesn't run too far behind schedule (which it seems they usually do) ... we might be able to get home again before "rush hour" traffic. I'd like to tackle those boxes I just mentioned; but I suspect all that driving plus sitting-and-waiting will leave me too drained. Oh well, the weekend is coming! LOL!

Today is "Stupid Guy Thing Day" ... "Antifascist Struggle Day (Croatia)". ... ""National Columnist's Day".

Quotes of the Day:
"Rejoice not at thine enemy's fall - but don't rush to pick him up either."
-- Jewish Proverb

"If the only prayer you ever say in your whole life is "thank you," that would suffice."
-- Meister Eckhart

You cannot be mad at somebody who makes you laugh - it's as simple as that."
-- Jay Leno

Today in history:
In 1937, Joe Louis knocked out Jim Braddock in the eighth round to become the world heavyweight boxing champion. He was the first African-American champ since Jack Johnson lost his title in 1915.

In 1978, Charon, a satellite of Pluto, was discovered.

Today's birthdays include
- English adventure novelist H. Rider Haggard (King Solomon's Mines, She) in 1856
- German novelist Erich Remarque (All Quiet on the Western Front) in 1898
- Bank robber John Dillinger in 1903
- Baseball Hall of fame member Carl Hubbell in 1903
- Movie director Billy Wilder in 1906
- Author Anne Morrow Lindbergh, wife of aviator Charles Lindbergh in 1906
- Producer Mike Todd (Around The World In 80 Days) in 1907
- Fashion designer Bill Blass in 1922
- Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., in 1933
- Singer/actor Kris Kristofferson in 1936
- TV reporter Ed Bradley in 1941
- News commentator Brit Hume in 1943
- Writer Octavia Butler in 1947
- Basketball Hall of Fame member Pete Maravich in 1947
- Rock musician Todd Rundgren in 1948
- Actress Meryl Streep in 1949
- Actress Lindsay Wagner in 1949
- Actor Graham Greene in 1952
- Actor Freddie Prinze in 1954
- Actress Tracy Pollan in 1960
- Pop singer Cyndi Lauper in 1953
- Activist Erin Brockovich-Ellis in 1960
- Basketball Hall of Fame member Clyde Drexler in 1962
- Actress Amy Brenneman in 1964
- Writer Dan Brown in 1964
- Television host Carson Daly in 1973

Everyone have a Great Wednesday!

Good Morning! Tuesday June 21, 2011

2011-06-21T06:09:00.000-07:00

Good morning! It's a wonderful morning. It's a bit gray looking this morning, but brightening even as it's warming. There's almost no chance of rain, and it will go to upper 90s, possibly as high as over 100 here today. Well, today it will be "officially" summer, so I guess it's supposed to be hot! LOL!
Yesterday: It was a bit of a strange day, and not especially productive. I had a piece of paper I needed to locate, and ended up doing a huge amount of purging and filing ... but I found it. While doing that, I also pulled out some other things I needed copies of. I got "ordinary" things done ... dishes, laundry. In the afternoon we made a run to the trash dump, and then into town to the bank. We got a safety deposit box set up, and a few important documents are now safely stashed. There are more to go in (poor little box will be quite full! LOL!) ... I feel almost "grown up" now! LOL!
Today: It's dialysis and work, which is probably a good thing considering the heat. I hope this evening to work on a sewing project. But probably I'll just watch TV! :)

Today is "Anne and Samantha Day" ... "Baby Boomers Recognition Day" ... "Cancer Begins" ... "Go Skateboarding Day" ... "Midsummer Day/Eve Celebrations" ... "National Daylight Appreciation Day" ... "Summer Begins (Northern Hemisphere)" ... "Summer Solstice" ... "Winter Begins (Southern Hemisphere)" ... "World Humanist Day" ... "National Day (Greenland)".

Quotes of the Day:
"The scientific name for an animal that doesn't either run from or fight its enemies is lunch."
-- Michael Friedman

"Laughter gives us distance. It allows us to step back from an event, deal with it and then move on. "
-- Bob Newhart

"Never try to tell everything you know. It may take too short a time."
-- Norman Ford

Today in history:
In 1788, the U.S. Constitution became effective when the ninth state, New Hampshire, ratified it.

In 1887, Queen Victoria celebrated her golden jubilee

In 2000, NASA announced that its Mars Global Surveyor had spotted grooved surface features, suggesting a relatively recent water flow on the planet.

In 2003, "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix," fifth book in J.K. Rowling's blockbuster series about a young wizard, hit the book stores and sold 5 million copies the first day.

Today's birthdays include
- Philosopher and author Jean-Paul Sartre in 1905
- Actress Jane Russell in 1921
- Actress Maureen Stapleton in 1925
- Actor Bernie Kopell ("The Love Boat") in 1933
- Actor Monte Markham in 1935
- Actor Michael Gross in 1947
- Actress Meredith Baxter in 1947
- Actress/TV host Mariette Hartley in 1940
- Comic actor Joe Flaherty in 1941
- Actor Robert Pastorelli in 1954
- Actress Juliette Lewis in 1973
- Britain's Prince William in 1982

Everyone have a Great Tuesday!

Good Morning! Monday June 20, 2011

2011-06-20T06:35:00.001-07:00

Good morning! It's a beautiful morning. It's yet another in a long string of hot days, today going to the mid or upper 90s. It's clear and bright this morning, not even a hint of clouds; and only the smallest chance of afternoon "scattered" storms. We were under a torm warning last night; but all we got (at my house) was distance thunder and lightening, still no rain.
Yesterday: I was very busy, and actually got pretty much done with what was on my list. OK, not *everything* on it ... but the main things! LOL! I got a lot of cleaning and decluttering done, and laundry caught up. Last night we went to a friend's house for dinner, and had a nice visit. We got to bring home some leftovers, Plus I didn't have to cook or wash dishes. Nice! :)
Today: I have to concentrate on some paperwork today. There are several things I need to locate ... that are probably in a big box of things waiting to be sorted. Well, today's the day! :( Later in the afternoon we need to take some paperwork to the bank (safe deposit box), and take trash to the dump. Gee, I hope I don't mix up those two! LOL!

Today is "UN World Refugee Day" ... "World Juggling Day" ... "Admission Day (West Virginia)" ... "Flag Day (Argentina)".

Quotes of the Day:
"Drink nothing without seeing it; sign nothing without reading it.
-- Spanish Proverb

"A person is always startled when he hears himself seriously called an old man for the first time.
-- Oliver Wendell Holmes

Today in history:
In 1214, the University of Oxford received its charter.

In 1977, oil began to flow through the 789-mile Alaska pipeline.

Today's birthdays include
- James VI of Scotland, later James I of England, in 1566
- French philosopher and mathematician Blaise Pascal in 1623
- The Duchess of Windsor, born Bessie Wallis Warfield, in 1896
- Moe Howard, leader of the Three Stooges, in 1897
- Bandleader Guy Lombardo in 1902
- Baseball legend Lou Gehrig in 1903
- Former U.S. Sen. Alan Cranston, D-Calif., in 1914
- Film critic Pauline Kael in 1919
- Actress Nancy Marchand in 1928
- Actress Gena Rowlands in 1930
- Author Salman Rushdie in 1947
- Actress Phylicia Rashad in 1948
- Singer Ann Wilson of Heart in 1950
- Actress Kathleen Turner in 1954
- Singer Paula Abdul in 1962

Everyone have a Great Monday!

Good Morning! Sunday June 19, 2011

2011-06-19T06:07:00.000-07:00

Good morning! It's a beautiful morning. It's going to be another hot day, mid 90s and partly cloudy. The *forecast* says a slightly better chance of storms this afternoon. I'll take any chance I can get ... so far we've not had a drop of rain for weeks now!
Yesterday: I started out well, got a lot of things done in the morning, and got a few errands taken care of after taking DH to dialysis. But by the time I got home and had to unload the car and put things away, I fizzled! LOL! Instead of doing the cleaning jobs I meant to do, I took a nap (which is something I do NOT normally do). I made a quick stop by the grocery store after picking up DH, but the rest of the evening was pretty much unproductive.
Today: I hope today will be better, as long as I concentrate on getting things done before mid afternoon when it's just too hot. We have a/c of course, but you can't turn it but just so high! LOL! I have already done the watering, and have a soaker hose going. We're going to a friend's house for dinner tonight, so I won't have to worry about cooking or dishes!
Happy Father's Day to all you dads out there. And if you still have your dad ... cherish him!!

Today is "Emancipation Day" ... "Family Awareness Day" ... "Father's Day" ... "Husband Caregiver Day" ... "Juneteenth" ... "Orthodox Festival of All Saints (Orthodox)" ... "Trinity Sunday (Christian)" ... "
"War is Hell" Day" ... "World Sauntering Day".

Quotes of the Day:
"If a man insisted always on being serious, and never allowed himself a bit of fun and relaxation, he would go mad or become unstable without knowing it."
-- Herodotus

"One man alone can be pretty dumb sometimes, but for real bona fide stupidity, there ain't nothin' can beat teamwork."
-- Edward Abbey

"Boys will be boys, and so will a lot of middle-aged men."
-- Kin Hubbard

"I was gratified to be able to answer promptly. I said I don't know."
-- Mark Twain

Today in history:
In A.D. 325, the early Christian church opened the general council of Nicaea, which settled on rules for computing the date of Easter.

In 1846, two amateur baseball teams played under new rules at Hoboken, N.J., planting the first seeds of organized baseball. The New York Nine beat the Knickerbockers, 23-1.

in 1867, the first running of the Belmont Stakes took place at Jerome Park, N.Y.

In 1905, Pittsburgh showman Harry Davis opened the world's first nickelodeon, showing the silent Western film "The Great Train Robbery." The storefront theater boasted 96 seats and charged 5 cents and prompted the advent of movie houses across the United States.

In 1910, Spokane, Wash., marked the first Father's Day.

In 1977, Elvis Presley made his final live concert recordings at a series of appearances in Nebraska.

In 2009, British World War I veteran, Henry Allingham, who turned 114 on June 6, 2009, was recognized by the Guinness World Records as the world's oldest man.

Today's birthdays include
- James VI of Scotland, later James I of England, in 1566
- French philosopher and mathematician Blaise Pascal in 1623
- The Duchess of Windsor, born Bessie Wallis Warfield, in 1896
- Moe Howard, leader of the Three Stooges, in 1897
- Bandleader Guy Lombardo in 1902
- Baseball legend Lou Gehrig in 1903
- Former U.S. Sen. Alan Cranston, D-Calif. in 1914
- Musician Lester Flatt in 1914
- Film critic Pauline Kael in 1919
- Actress Nancy Marchand in 1928
- Actress Gena Rowlands in 1930
- Myanmarese Nobal Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi in 1945
- Author Salman Rushdie in 1947
- Actor Phylicia Rashad in 1948
- Musician Nick Drake in 1948
- Musician Ann Wilson of Heart in 1950
- Actress Kathleen Turner in 1954
- Singer Paula Abdul in 1962
- Political commentator Laura Ingraham in 1964
- Actress Mia Sara in 1967
- Actress Robin Tunney in 1972
- Actor Paul Dano in 1984

Everyone have a Great Sunday!

Good Morning! Saturday June 18, 2011

2011-06-18T06:51:00.000-07:00

Good morning! It's a beautiful morning. It was very pleasant out early for watering, but will go to mid to upper 90s today. There's always a "chance" of showers; but really, no forecast for rain for at least another week.
Yesterday: I didn't get everything on my "to do" list done, but a lot of it anyway. I got a few small errands done in town, but spent most of the day at home, trying to catch up on some "odd jobs". At Christmas I pack away framed pictures when I decorate. I finally finished putting them back out! (some years it takes me until August - and I start over in November! LOL!). I got a lot of paperwork completed, and a few decluttering bits done. Not a lot got done outside, but I have kept up with watering where the sprinklers don't reach.
Today: Again I'm planning to catch up around here. It's a dialysis day, but not work, so I will probably get grocery shopping done. My "project room of the week" is the den (or family room, or what ever you want to call it - the room with the TV! LOL!). I've recently mostly decluttered, but there are a few spots to tackle; as well as just general dusting and vacuuming. Oh joy. LOL!

Today is "International Sushi Day" ... "Work@Home Fathers Day" ... "World Juggling Day" ... "Evacuation Day (Egypt)".

Quotes of the Day:
"Personally I'm always ready to learn, although I do not always like being taught."
-- Sir Winston Churchill

"Although golf was originally restricted to wealthy, overweight Protestants, today it's open to anybody who owns hideous clothing."
-- Dave Barry

"People will buy anything that is one to a customer."
-- Sinclair Lewis

Today in history:
In 1928, Amelia Earhart became the first woman to fly across the Atlantic Ocean.

In 1983, Sally Ride became the first American woman in space as the space shuttle Challenger was launched from Cape Canaveral, FL.

Today's birthdays include
- Cyrus Curtis, founder and publisher of the Ladies' Home Journal, in 1850
- Journalist and publisher Edward Scripps in 1854
- British mountain climber George Mallory in 1886
- Singer-actor Jeanette MacDonald in 1903
- Actor E.G. Marshall in 1910
- Actor Richard Boone in 1917
- Legendary Tin Pan Alley composer Sammy Cahn in 1913
- Financial journalist Sylvia Porter in 1913
- Baseball Hall of Fame member Lou Brock in 1939
- Singer/composer Paul McCartney in 1942
- Film critic Roger Ebert in 1942
- Actors Carol Kane in 1952
- Actress Isabella Rossellini in 1952
- Singer Jemma Griffiths in 1975

Everyone have a Great Saturday!

Good Morning! Friday June 17, 2011

2011-06-17T06:14:00.000-07:00

Good morning! It's a wonderful morning. It's on the grayish side, but the forecast is for only a very small chance of showers, mostly to the north. I can't even remember the last time we got any rain. We've not yet had to deal with water restrictions; but I'm very glad we're on a very good deep well! Today it's back into the mid 90s, and "muggy".
Yesterday: It seems like dialysis and work days are a lot of rushing around and accomplishing nothing much. After work, when I picked up DH, we had a chat with the dietician (we found out that my meals are apparently sufficiently boring and his "numbers" look good! LOL!). Then by Wal-Mart to pick up a refill; and then to Lowe's to replace the inadequat sprinkler. As soon as we got home I changed out the sprinkler. By then it was dinner time ... and the rest of the evening was pretty much nothing else getting done.
Today: Every day I hope to do better than the day before. Some days I don't manage! LOL! Today *might* be better. I've already mopped the kitchen, put up a load of laundry, watered outside. I have a long list of more things I'd like to accomplish, though I know as the day goes on I'll run out of steam. I have an appointment later, and will most likely put in a little (very little in this heat) garden time.As I do every night, I'm hoping for a small spurt of energy to get sewing done. :)

Today is "UN World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought" ... "Watergate Day" ... "Work@Home Father's Day" ... "Independence Day (Iceland)".

Quotes of the Day:
"We hang the petty thieves and appoint the great ones to public office."
-- Aesop

"The whole point of being alive is to evolve into the complete person you were intended to be."
-- Oprah Winfrey

"All truths are easy to understand once they are discovered; the point is to discover them."
-- Galileo Galilei

Today in history:
In 1885, the Statute of Liberty arrived in New York Harbor.

Today's birthdays include
- John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, in 1703
- Russian-born composer Igor Stravinsky in 1882
- Actor Ralph Bellamy in 1904
- Author John Hersey in 1914
- Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, R-Ga., in 1943
- Singer Barry Manilow in 1946
- Comedian Joe Piscopo in 1951
- Actor Mark Linn-Baker ( Perfect Strangers ) in 1954
- Actor Greg Kinnear in 1963
- Speed skater-turned-sportscaster Dan Jansen in 1965
- Tennis star Venus Williams in 1980

Everyone have a Great Friday!

Good Morning! Thursday June 16, 2011

2011-06-16T06:12:00.000-07:00

Good morning! It's a beautiful morning. Today will be another lovely nearly-summer day. It will be low 80s, and more cloudy than not (somewhat "overcast" this morning so far, but with bright glimpses of sunshine), with isolated showers. Unfortunately, those kinds of showers rarely get to my house, but I still hope for rain.
Yesterday: I did not get as much done inside, but we did take advantage of a nicer day in the yard. All of the fruit trees are now in pots where they can grown nice strong root systems in the shade, instead of sturggling to get enough water to survive the heat. :) They are all looking nice and healthy, so I'm hopeful. I also got some weeding and planting done in the front garden. We had to go into town, briefly, but got by with only one quick excursion into the 2nd hand store. I did buy a set of salt & pepper ... but hey, they're cats! What can I say! LOL!
Today: It's yet again, dailysis and work day, so I don't plan much to get done. I'm still trying to decide if I need to water a bit before we leave (probably will). After work I have several small errands to run, then home for the evening. I didn't work on sewing last night, but hopefully will tonight.

Today is "National Nursing Assistants Day and Week" ... "Recess at Work Day" ... "Youth Day (South Africa)".

Quotes of the Day:
"Cherish all your happy moments: they make a fine cushion for old age."
-- Christopher Morley

"You don't stop laughing because you grow old. You grow old because you stop laughing."
-- Michael Pritchard

"Journalism largely consists of saying 'Lord Jones is Dead' to people who never knew that Lord Jones was alive."
-- G. K. Chesterton

"My doctor gave me two weeks to live. I hope they're in August."
-- Ronnie Shakes

Today in history:
In 1883, the New York Giants had the first Ladies' Day baseball game.

In 1903, the Ford Motor Company incorporated.

In 1963, the Soviet Union put the first woman into space, cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova.

In 2005, the U.S. Army awarded the first Silver Star for bravery in combat to a female soldier in the Iraq war, Sgt. Leigh Ann Hester, 23, of Bowling Green, Ky.

Today's birthdays include
- Scottish golf legend Old Tom Morris in 1821
- American-Indian leader Geronimo in 1829
- Film comedian Stan Laurel (of Laurel and Hardy) in 1890
- Newspaper publisher Katharine Graham in 1917
- Author Erich Segal in 1937
- Author Joyce Carol Oates in 1938
- Country singer Billy Crash Craddock in 1939
- Actor Joan Van Ark in 1943
- Boxer Roberto Duran in 1951
- Singer-songwriter Gino Vannelli in 1952
- Actress Laurie Metcalf in 1955
- Professional golfer Phil Mickelson in 1970
- Rapper Tupac Shakur in 1971

Everyone have a Great Thursday!

Good Morning! Wednesday June 15, 2011

2011-06-15T06:28:00.000-07:00

Good morning! It's a beautiful morning! Seriously gorgeous ... will be low 80s and mostly sunny today. Even though we need rain, this is near perfect. I know the 90s will be back in a few days, but meantime, what a day to enjoy!
Yesterday: With leaving early and then dialysis/work, it already felt like a full day. Last night I had a mini-burst of energy, and got a few small chores done, and a bit of decluttering. I finally was organized enough to work on the current quilt project, and the first steps toward organizing another small project to do. It would be a lot easier if Maggie didn't think she had to keep knocking things off shelves!! LOL!
Today: I got an early start and watered the outside plants that the sprinkler misses. I've done a few other things, and later this morning I have some paperwork to get completed. This afternoon I think the fruit trees are going to get put in some temporary pots and placed where they won't get such direct sun - we'll wait until fall to plant them, and let them have the cooler months to get settled in. I have a few bulbs to try to get planted, and there's always a lot of weeding! I hope my energy holds up for more sewing tonight. :)

Today is "Lunar Eclipse" ... "Magna Carta Day" ... "Native American Citizenship Day" ... "Nature Photography Day" ... "Strawberry Moon" ... "Admission Day (Arkansas)".

Quotes of the Day:
"Do not wait for the last judgment. It takes place every day."
-- Albert Camus

"You can't build a reputation on what you are going to do."
-- Henry Ford

"It is better to wear out than to rust out."
-- Bishop Richard Cumberland

Today in history:
In 1215, under pressure from rebellious barons, England's King John signed the Magna Carta, a crucial first step toward creating Britain's constitutional monarchy.

In 1752, Benjamin Franklin, in a dangerous experiment, demonstrated the relationship between lightning and electricity by flying a kite during a storm in Philadelphia. An iron key suspended from the string attracted a lightning bolt.

In 1822, Charles Babbage proposed a difference engine -- an early version of a computer.

In 1836, Arkansas admitted to the union as the 25th U.S. state.

In 1846, the U.S.-Canadian border was established.

In 1877, Henry Ossian Flipper, born a slave in Thomasville, Ga., became the first African-American cadet to graduate from West Point.

In 1987, Richard Norton of Philadelphia and Calin Rosetti of West Germany completed the first polar circumnavigation of the Earth in a single-engine propeller aircraft, landing in Paris after a 38,000-mile flight.

Today's birthdays include
- Prince Edward of England, son of Edward III and known as the Black Prince, in 1330
- Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg in 1843
- Composer/orchestra leader David Rose in 1910
- Artist Saul Steinberg in 1914
- Pianist Erroll Garner in 1921
- U.S. Rep. Morris Udall, D-Ariz., in 1922
- Former New York Gov. Mario Cuomo in 1932
- Country singer Waylon Jennings in 1937
- Baseball Hall of Fame member Billy Williams in 1938
- Baseball Hall of Fame member Wade Boggs in 1958
- Singer/songwriter Harry Nilsson in 1941
- Indian businessman Lakshmi Mittal in 1950
- Actor Jim Varney in 1949
- Actor Jim Belushi in 1954
- Actress Julie Hagerty in 1955
- Actress Helen Hunt in 1963
- Actress Courteney Cox Arquette in 1964
- Actor Neil Patrick Harris in 1973

Everyone have a Great Wednesday!

Good Morning! Tuesday June 14, 2011

2011-06-14T06:30:00.000-07:00

Good morning! It's a beautiful morning. It's another "milky" morning, but forecast is for "mostly" sunny. Only mid 80s will feel almost cool! LOL!! But, still no rain in sight.
Yesterday: I started out the day very productive, and got a lot of things done early in the morning. In late morning we went to the next town over for errands. We dropped off a fair sized load of soda cans and scrap metal; dropped off some paperwork for a friend; ate at Chik-Fil-A; and went by Wal-Mart and an outlet store. We accomplished everything on our list, and very few "extras"! :) We came back home by mid afternoon, and worked in the garden for a few hours. OK, seriously ... my friend did most of the work. I took a lot of pictures! LOL!
Today: It's yet another dialysis and work day; plus we have to leave early to run a quick errand. At least I don't have any shopping to do after work. I'm hoping for a little burst of energy tonight ... but not counting on it! LOL!

Today is " Family History Day" ... "Flag Day (US)" ... "Flag Day: Anniversary of the Stars and Stripes" ... "National Flag Day USA: Pause for the Pledge" ..."Anniversary - US Army" ... "Rice Planting Festival (Japan)".

Quotes of the Day:
"A good listener is not only popular everywhere, but after a while he gets to know something."
-- Wilson Mizner

"If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them."
-- Henry David Thoreau

"Youth would be an ideal state if it came a little later in life."
-- Herbert Henry Asquith

"He had learned over the years that poor people did not feel so poor when allowed to give occasionally."
-- Lawana Blackwell

Today in history:
In 1775, George Washington was named Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army.

In 1775, the Continental Congress established the army as the first U.S.military service.

In 1777, the Star and Stripes became the national U.S. flag.

In 1919, Capt. John Alcock and Lt. Arthur Brown flew a Vickers Vimy bomber 1,900 miles non-stop from St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada, to Clifden, Ireland, for the first non-stop trans-Atlantic flight.

In 1922, Warren G. Harding became the first U.S. president to broadcast a message over the radio. The occasion was the dedication of the Francis Scott Key Memorial in Baltimore.

In 1933, the first Superman comic -- Action Comic No. 1 -- was published.

In 1951, Univac I, the world's first commercial computer, designed for the U.S.Census Bureau, was unveiled.

In 1954, the phrase "under God" formally added to U.S. Pledge of Allegiance.

In 1998, the Chicago Bulls won their sixth NBA title in eight years and third in a row, defeating the Utah Jazz in the championship series.

Today's birthdays include
- Harriet Beecher Stowe, author of "Uncle Tom's Cabin" in 1811
- Bookseller John Bartlett, compiler of "Bartlett's Familiar Quotations," in 1820
- Wisconsin Gov. Robert La Follette in 1855
- Singer, composer Cliff Edwards (also the voice of Jiminy Cricket in Disney's "Pinocchio") in 1895
- Photojournalist Margaret Bourke-White in 1904
- Actor/folksinger Burl Ives in 1909
- Actress Dorothy McGuire in 1916
- Cuban revolutionary Ernesto "Che" Guevara in 1928
- Actress Marla Gibbs in 1931
- Real estate mogul Donald Trump, in 1946
- Olympic gold medal speed skater Eric Heiden in 1958
- Singer Boy George (George O'Dowd) in 1961
- Actress Yasmine Bleeth ("Baywatch") in 1968
- Tennis star Steffi Graf in 1969

Everyone have a Great Tuesday!

Good Morning! Monday June 13, 2011

2011-06-13T05:42:00.001-07:00

Good morning! It's a beautiful morning. It's clear and bright, and won't be *quite* as hot today - upper 80s instead of in the 90s. I was out early to water things, and it was just lovely! Still no rain in sight though.
Yesterday: I stayed busy all day, though I didn't get as much done as I hoped. I did get some "project cleaning" (i.e., sorting out bathroom cabinets! LOL!) completed. I stopped several times for people coming over unexpected ... a welcome diversion. I also spent a good bit of the morning doing back up and clean up on the computer. It didn't make it go any faster! LOL!
Today: It's going to be tricky getting everything done, but I'll try. This morning I've already watered, cleaned the kitchen, and mopped the floor. I've gotten a start on finishing cleaning the bathroom (but had to take a coffee break! LOL!). Later we're picking up my freind and all riding another town over for some errands. I put off doing that because it takes longer, but we need to get some things done. Hopefully we'll be back in time to get the fruit trees planted, since it's "a bit" cooler today. I don't know if much else will get done, but I'll take it as it comes. :)

Today is "Anniversary - D-Day" ... "Dragon Boat Festival (China)" ... "Flag Day (Sweden)" ... "Memorial Day (Korea)".

Quotes of the Day:
"Be sincere; be brief; be seated."
-- Franklin D. Roosevelt

"Don't think there are no crocodiles because the water is calm."
-- Malayan Proverb

"Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest."
-- Mark Twain

"Well, if crime fighters fight crime and fire fighters fight fire, what do freedom fighters fight? They never mention that part to us, do they?"
-- George Carlin

Today in history:
In 1898, the Yukon Territory was formed.

In 1967, Thurgood Marshall became the first African-American on the U.S. Supreme Court. U.S. President Lyndon Johnson chose him to succeed Tom Clark.

In 1983, the robot spacecraft Pioneer 10 became the first man-made object to leave the solar system. It did so 11 years after it was launched.

In 1993, Canada got its first woman prime minister when the ruling Progressive Conservative Party elected Kim Campbell to head the party and thus the country.

Today's birthdays include
- U.S. Army Gen. Winfield Scott in 1786
- Irish poet and dramatist William Butler Yeats in 1865
- Actor Basil Rathbone in 1892
- Author Dorothy L. Sayers in 1893
- Finnish runner Paavo Nurmi, winner of nine Olympic gold medals, in 1897
- Mexican composer Carlos Chavez in 1899
- Football star Harold Red Grange in 1903
- TV host Ralph Edwards in 1913
- Tennis Hall of Fame member Don Budge in 1915
- Nobel economics laureate John Forbes Nash, subject of the book and movie A Beautiful Mind, in 1928
- Bulgarian-born artist Christo (born Christo Vladimirov Javacheff) in 1935
- U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in 1944
- Actor Malcolm McDowell in 1943
- Actor Stellan Skarsgard in 1951
- Actor Richard Thomas in 1951
- Comedian Tim Allen in 1953
- Actress Ally Sheedy in 1962
- Actress twins Ashley and Mary-Kate Olsen in 1986

Everyone have a Great Monday!

Betty

Good Morning! Sunday June 12, 2011

2011-06-12T05:48:00.000-07:00

Good morning! It's a beautiful morning. It's still bright and mostly clear, with a few clouds off and on. It's won't be *quite* as hot today, low 90s, and again the possibility of afternoon storms. Yesterday and last night storms passed Very close ... but all we got was a bit of thunder and lightening. Perhaps today some rain will come closer!
Yesterday: It was so hot that it was hard to get much done, but I managed a few things. After taking DH to dialysis, I checked out the local farmer's market. They had some nice things, and I got some fresh corn. Then I went to the (Habitat) Resale storm. I was looking for old carpeting for the garden ... found it, and a *few* other things. :) On the way home I stopped by DS's shop to check out some old yard chairs, which he is going to bring to me (eventually! LOL!). At home my friend and I played with a fun art project, and then braved the heat a few minutes at a time. (thermometer on porch said 100 at 7:00 at night). Everything not on timers got watered; and we harvested a huge batch of squash and zuchinni, a few tomatoes, a few radishes. There's lots more that will be ready soon. That's about all that got done for the day.
Today: It's a tiny bit cooler (low instead of high 90s), but I don't have much outside stuff to deal with today. If it doesn't look like we'll get rain by tonight, I will turn the sprinklers on for some extra time. Inside, hoping to get some general cleaning done, and *maybe* (if I don't stay on the computer too long) work on the weekly project. And, I intend to get some sewing done! :)

Today is "Abused Women and Children's Awareness Day" ... "Children's Sunday" ... "Crowed Nest Awareness Day" ... "Multicultural American Child Awareness Day" ... "Orthodox Pentecos (Orthodox)" ... "Pentecost (Christian)" ... "Race Unity Day" ... "Whitsunday (Christian)" ... "Anniversary - Baseball Hall of Fame" ... "Children's Day (Ma)" ... "Independence Day (Philippines)" ... "Independence Day (Russia)".

Quotes of the Day:
"Computers make it easier to do a lot of things, but most of the things they make it easier to do don't need to be done."
-- Andy Rooney

"Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body."
-- Sir Richard Steele

"I do not have a psychiatrist and I do not want one, for the simple reason that if he listened to me long enough, he might become disturbed."
-- James Thurber

"It's not enough that we do our best; sometimes we have to do what's required."
-- Sir Winston Churchill

Today in history:
In 1859, the Comstock Lode was discovered in Nevada.

In 1939, the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum was dedicated at Cooperstown, N.Y.

In 1971, Tricia Nixon, daughter of U.S. President Richard Nixon, married Edward Finch Cox in the first wedding in the Rose Garden of the White House.

In 1979, Bryan Allen, 26, pedaled the 70-pound Gossamer Albatross 22 miles across the English Channel for the first human-powered flight across that body of water.

Today's birthdays include
- John Augustus Roebling, designer of the Brooklyn Bridge, in 1806
- Film and television producer Irwin Allen in 1916
- Cartoonist Dave Berg in 1920
- Former U.S. President George H.W. Bush in 1924
- Singer Vic Damone in 1928
- Anne Frank, whose diary told of hiding from the Nazis in occupied Holland, in 1929
- Actor/singer Jim Nabors in 1930
- Author Rona Jaffe in 1932
- Jazz musician Chick Corea in 1941
- Sportscaster Marv Albert in 1941
- Actor Timothy Busfield in 1957
- Musician John Linnell in 1959
- Comedian Scott Thompson in 1959
- And software developer Blake Ross in 1985

Everyone have a Great Sunday!

Good Morning! Saturday June 11, 2011

2011-06-11T06:54:00.000-07:00

Good morning! It's a wonderful morning. It's bright out, but "milky" looking again. It's not quite overcast (and occasionally the sun gets bright coming through the window). They're calling for mid to upper 90s again, but with a stronger chance of afternoon storms. So far, all of any storms that happen have all been way north of me. We're still hoping for rain down in the southern piedmont of the state!
Yesterday: It was an extraordinarily long day. We left home about 8:00; DH had 4 separate appointments, the last of which was an IV treatment that took a bit longer than anticipated. It was after 6:00 when we left; but at least by then the worst of the traffic was gone! LOL! So last night was another "nothing got done" night.
Today: I'd like to think I'll make up for lost time today, but not sure if that will happen. I have fruit trees that still need to be planted, but it's going to be awfully hot for much outside, other than maybe some weeding. We very cleverly put the garden where it gets afternoon shade from a big tree. It's thriving .. and so are the weeds! LOL! I'd also like to get work done on my weekly project that I haven't been able to do all week. I'll just have to see how the day goes. :)

Today is "King Kamehameha I Day (Hawaii)" ... "Corn on the Cob Day"

Quotes of the Day:
"Happiness makes up in height for what it lacks in length."
-- Robert Frost

"What you don't see with your eyes, don't invent with your mouth."
-- Jewish Proverb

"Every man is guilty of all the good he didn't do."
-- Voltaire

Today in history:
In 1919, Sir Barton became first horse to win the Triple Crown when it won the Belmont Stakes.

In 1920, U.S. Sen. Warren G. Harding, R-Ohio, was chosen as the "dark horse" Republican candidate for president. That November, he was elected the 29th president of the United States.

In 1927, U.S. President Calvin Coolidge welcomed Charles Lindbergh home after the pilot made history's first non-stop flight across the Atlantic Ocean, New York to Paris.

In 1987, Margaret Thatcher became the first British prime minister in 160 years to win three consecutive terms.

Today's birthdays include
- English playwright/poet Ben Jonson in 1572
- German composer Richard Strauss in 1864
- Montana's Jeannette Rankin, the first woman elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, in 1880
- Undersea explorer Jacques Cousteau in 1910
- Football coach Vince Lombardi in 1913
- Author William Styron in 1925
- Member of the U.S. House of Representatives Charles B. Rangel in 1930
- Actor Gene Wilder in 1933
- Actor Chad Everett in 1936
- Actress Adrienne Barbeau in 1945
- Scottish auto racer Jackie Stewart in 1939
- Rock drummer Frank Beard in 1949
- Former football player Joe Montana in 1956
- Actor Hugh Laurie in 1959
- Actor Joshua Jackson in 1978
- Actor Shia LaBeouf in 1986

Everyone have a Great Saturday!

Good Morning! Friday June 10, 2011

2011-06-10T04:25:00.001-07:00

Good morning! It's a wonderful morning. At the moment it seems to be a bit overcast. The forecast for today is partly cloudy and mid 90s. The humidity is back; and a good chance of afternoon storms. Unfortunately, those will likely be (mostly) north of home.
Yesterday: We still had some left over tired, so it was a "draggy" sort of day. :) Work and dialysis took up the chunk in the middle of course. I stopped by the grocery store on the way home; but not a lot more got done. I did manage some minor decluttering and putting laundry away. And of course I watched SYTYCD .. I really enjoy the group dances. Well, most of them. LOL!
Today: This will be another very long day, as there are 4 (yes, FOUR) appointments. Three of them are in the morning, practically back to back (and will be a major challenge to get to each one on time); and then there's one in the late afternoon in the same clinic that kept us so late Wednesday. So, there's no telling when we'll get home tonight. Good thing I have something to read! LOL!

Today is "Anniversary - Alcoholics Anonymous" ... "Anniversary - Ball Point Pen" ... "Day of Portugal (Portugal)" ... "National Nursing Assistants Day and Week".

Quotes of the Day:
"I'm a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it."
-- Thomas Jefferson

"We can't all be heroes because somebody has to sit on the curb and clap as they go by."
-- Will Rogers

"Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it."
-- Henry David Thoreau

Today in history:
In 1652, silversmith John Hull, in defiance of English colonial law, established the first mint in America.

In 1935, Alcoholics Anonymous was founded in Akron, Ohio.

In 1943, Hungarian Laszlo Biro invented the ballpoint pen.

Today's birthdays include
- French missionary and explorer Jacques Marquette in 1637
- Actor Hattie McDaniel, the first African-American to win an Oscar (best supporting actress, Gone with the Wind ), in 1895
- Broadway composer Frederick Loewe in 1901
- Nobel literature laureate Saul Bellow in 1915
- Britain's Prince Philip, husband of Queen Elizabeth II, in 1921
- Judy Garland in 1922
- Children's author and illustrator Maurice Sendak in 1928
- Attorney F. Lee Bailey in 1933
- Football Hall of Fame member Dan Fouts in 1951
- Actor Andrew Stevens in 1955
- Model/actor Elizabeth Hurley, in 1965
- Louisiana Gov. Piyush "Bobby" Jindal in 1971
- Olympic figure skater Tara Lipinski in 1982
- Actor Leelee Sobieski in 1983

Everyone have a Great Friday!

Betty

Good Morning! Thursday June 9, 2011

2011-06-09T06:06:00.000-07:00

Good morning! It's a beautiful morning. It's bright and clear, and the temp is already soaring. It will be in the upper 90s again today, and still no rain in sight, other than the ever-present "chance" of afternoon storms.
Yesterday: It turned into an extraordinarily long day. I'm glad we didn't try to leave early, even though the first appointment was 8:00. Experience has taught that the clinic doctors aren't even there until after 1:00, so it's only necessary to go in early enough for the round of labs. DH saw the doctor, and we got to his next appointment on time ... only to wait over an hour (for a treatment that took 3 hours). It was 7:30 in the evening when we finally pulled out of the parking lot to head home! We stopped at a Golden Corrall on the way home; and got here and pretty much just collapsed! LOL!
Today: It's another dialysis and work day, so one more day nothing much will get done. I've already watered, refilled the fish pond, and done a load of laundry. I'll have to stop for groceries on the way home (at a different store, to get things Wal-Mart doesn't carry). I don't know if I'll be able to dredge up any enthusiasm by tonight or not - hopefully to tackle some sewing. :)

Today is "Yo Yo Day" ... "Donald Duck's Birthday (born 1934)".

Quotes of the Day:
"Time does not change us. It just unfolds us."
-- Max Frisch

"If you really want to do something, you do it. You don't save it for a sound bite."
-- Liz Friedman

"If all else fails, immortality can always be assured by spectacular error. "
-- John Kenneth Galbraith

"There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it."
-- Edith Wharton

Today in history:
In 1534, French navigator Jacques Cartier became the first European explorer to discover the St. Lawrence River in present-day Quebec, Canada.

In 1898, Britain leased Hong Kong from China for 99 years. The territory returned to Chinese rule in 1997.

In 1934, Donald Duck made his first screen appearance in "The Wise Little Hen."

In 1943, The U.S. Congress passed an act authorizing employers to withhold income tax payments from salary checks.

In 1973, Secretariat won racing's Triple Crown with a spectacular victory in the Belmont Stakes, first horse to do so since Citation in 1948. Earlier, Secretariat had captured the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness.

In 1993, Japanese Crown Prince Naruhito married former diplomat Masako Owada in Tokyo.

Today's birthdays include
- Russian Czar Peter the Great in 1672
- Composer Cole Porter in 1891
- Composer, conductor, inventor Fred Waring in 1900
- Actor Robert Cummings in 1910
- Guitarist and recording pioneer Les Paul in 1915
- Robert S. McNamara, former U.S. Defense secretary and World Bank president, in 1916
- Journalist Marvin Kalb in 1930
- Comedian Jackie Mason in 1931
- Soul singer Jackie Wilson in 1934
- Sportscaster Dick Vitale in 1939
- Writer Patricia Cornwell in 1956
- Writer and producer Aaron Sorkin in 1961
- Actor Michael J. Fox in 1961
- Actor Johnny Depp in 1963
- Actress Gloria Reuben in 1964
- Actress Natalie Portman in 1981

Everyone have a Great Thursday!

Good Morning! Wednesday June 8, 2011

2011-06-08T06:33:00.000-07:00

Good morning! It's a beautiful morning. It's going to be a very hot day, maybe even high 90s. They haven't predicted "triple digits" yet, but who knows! There's always a "chance" of afternoon storms in this heat, but no actual rain in the next week.
Yesterday: After morning routine stuff, it was just dialysis and work. After work we stopped for a few groceries, and that's as ambitious as my day got! LOL! I watched AGT, but didn't see anything that impressed me a lot. I also watched TheVoice. I guess I should have seen the whole thing, because I'm not especially impressed there either. I did organize some sewing projects. :)
Today: I've already been out this morning to do watering. In a short while we'll have breakfast, and then head out for Durham. It will likely be an all day trip, so I don't expect much to get done There's always tomorrow! LOL!

Today is "Shavuot / Feast of the Weeks (Jewish)" ... "Upsy Daisy Day" ... "World Ocean Day" ... "UN World Ocean Day" ... "Anniversary - Bill of Rights".

Quotes of the Day:
"Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work."
-- Thomas A. Edison

"We owe something to extravagance, for thrift and adventure seldom go hand in hand.
-- Jennie Jerome Churchill

"What's another word for Thesaurus?"
-- Steven Wright

Today in history:
In 1789, James Madison proposed the Bill of Rights, which led to the first 10 amendments to the U.S. Constitution.

In 1861, Tennessee seceded from the Union to join the Confederacy.

In 1869, Ives McGaffney of Chicago obtained a patent for a "sweeping machine," the first vacuum cleaner.

Today's birthdays include
- German composer Robert Schumann in 1810
- Architect Frank Lloyd Wright in 1867
- British geneticist Francis Crick, who helped determine the double helix structure of DNA, in 1916
- College football Hall of Fame member and former Supreme Court Justice Byron White in 1917
- Actor Robert Preston in 1918
- Painter LeRoy Neiman in 1921
- Former first lady Barbara Bush in 1925
- Actor Jerry Stiller in 1927
- Comedian Joan Rivers in 1933
- Actor/singer James Darren in 1936
- Singer Nancy Sinatra in 1940
- Singer/songwriter Boz Scaggs in 1944
- Actress Kathy Baker in 1950
- Actor Griffin Dunne in 1955
- Dilbert cartoonist Scott Adams in 1957
- Comedian Keenen Ivory Wayans in 1958
- Rock musician Nick Rhodes in 1962
- Actor Julianna Margulies in 1966
- Rapper Kanye West in1977

Everyone have a Great Wednesday!

Good Morning! Tuesday June 7, 2011

2011-06-07T06:27:00.000-07:00

Good morning! It's a beautiful morning. It's bright and clear without a hint of a cloud. It's also over 80 and climbing, and will probably reach mid 90s. The only rain in sight is a potential tropical storm way south of us. The calendar may not say summer yet, but the weather sure does! :)
Yesterday: I got a lot of odds and ends done, a few "loose ends" finished up. I had one "big" cleaning project that I finished, and another not quite so big one, also done. In the afternoon we ran a bunch of errands, including getting legal documents signed and paying the rent. The rest of the week will be very busy, so glad I got at least some things done.
Today: As always, Tuesday is dialysis and work day. After work I'll have to get groceries. One of my chores yesterday was to clean out the refrigerator ... now I need to refill it! LOL! Other than that, I'll be concentrating on sewing projects tonight. Well, trying to anyway. :)

Today is "Shavuot (Jewish - begins at sundown)" ... "Anniversary - VCR Introduction" ... "Boone Day (Ky)" ... "National Day (Malta)".

Quotes of the Day:
"Things are only impossible until they're not."
-- Jean-Luc Picard

"The government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it."
-- Ronald Reagan

"You can only be young once. But you can always be immature."
-- Dave Barry

"You can only perceive real beauty in a person as they get older."
-- Anouk Aimee

Today in history:
In 1776, Lee Resolution, which led to the U.S. Declaration of Independence, introduced in the Continental Congress.

In 1975, the first videocassette recorder went on sale to the public.

Today's birthdays include
- British fashion-plate George Beau Brummell in 1778
- French post-Impressionist painter Paul Gauguin in 1848
- Bandleader Glen Gray in 1900
- Actor Jessica Tandy in 1909
- Actor-singer Dean Martin in 1917
- Gwendolyn Brooks, the first black woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for poetry in 1917
- Singer Tom Jones in 1940
- Talk-show host Jenny Jones in 1946
- Actor Liam Neeson in 1952
- Singer/songwriter Prince in 1958
- Former tennis player Anna Kournikova in 1981
- Actor Michael Cera in 1988

Everyone have a Great Tuesday!

Good Morning Friends Monday June 6, 2011

2011-06-06T06:07:00.000-07:00

Good morning! It's a beautiful morning. It's bright and clear, with a mildly overcast feel that is quickly burning off. It's only going to upper 80s, maybe right around 90 today. With lower humidity (but still no rain), it will be a lovely nearly-summer day.
Yesterday: As is often the case, I got a bit over-ambitious in planning. I didn't get outside, so there are still things needing to be done in the gardens. Inside I completed several smallish projects around the house, tackled a few cleaning bits, and dealt with one very large decluttering project. I call it a successful day! LOL!
Today: I have the "usual" stuff to do, and finish cleaning after the massive decluttering. This afternoon we'll have to go out and deal with banking issues and pay the rent. If there's time later, since it'll be such a nice day, maybe I can get in a bit of the gardening. And hopefully I've gotten past my "block" and will work on the overdue quilt project tonight! :)

Today is "Anniversary - D-Day" ... "Dragon Boat Festival (China)" ... "Flag Day (Sweden)" ... "Memorial Day (Korea)".

Quotes of the Day:
"People are more violently opposed to fur than leather because it's safer to harass rich women than motorcycle gangs."
-- Unknown

"A committee is a cul-de-sac down which ideas are lured and then quietly strangled."
-- Sir Barnett Cocks

"It is not bigotry to be certain we are right; but it is bigotry to be unable to imagine how we might possibly have gone wrong."
-- G. K. Chesterton

Today in history:
In 1684, the Ashmoleon Museum opened as the first university museum.

In 1872, feminist Susan B. Anthony was fined for voting in an election in Rochester, N.Y. She refused to pay the fine and the judge allowed her to go free.

In 1933, the first drive-in movie theater opened in Camden, N.J.

In 1994, national leaders and World War II veterans commemorated the 50th anniversary of "D-Day."

Today's birthdays include
- Spanish painter Diego Velazquez in 1599
- American patriot Nathan Hale in 1755
- Painter John Trumbull in 1756
- Russian poet Alexander Pushkin in 1799
- Clothier David T. Abercrombie in 1867
- British Antarctic explorer Robert Falcon Scott in 1868
- German novelist Thomas Mann in 1875
- Vaudeville bandleader Ted Lewis in 1890
- Indonesian dictator Achmed Sukarno in 1901
- Bandleader Jimmie Lunceford in 1902
- Singer Levi Stubbs in 1936
- Singer Gary U.S. Bonds in 1939
- Olympic gold medal sprinter and protester Tommie Smith in 1944
- Actor Robert Englund in 1949
- Actor Harvey Fierstein in 1952
- Comedian Sandra Bernhard in 1955
- Tennis player Bjorn Borg in 1956
- Actress Amanda Pays in 1959
- Actor Paul Giamatti in 1967

Everyone have a Great Monday!

Good morning

2011-05-22T06:45:00.001-07:00

To any one out there who normally reads the newsletter here, I apologize that they stopped. I am having *issues* with my laptop! It no longer will open my "dashboard" OR recognize the network connection. I am using an iPad right now, but it doesn't work very well for the newsletter. I'm having to go back to s-l-o-w dial up on the laptop. It is time for either a good professional cleaning or an upgrade! :). I hope to get the problem resolved very soon!