A milestone night and I now have flushabilities! My flush water valve has been replace and all systems are GO!
When my water valve stopped working, I purchased a new one. But I bought the wrong one - the one for the newer 'less-water-saver' models. I have an OLD one, and at Home Depot I was able to find the correct item for "Old High Water Tanks."
Now the new one has been installed and "a flushing we will go, go go!"
It was a busy week, so I didn't get a fast start. But by the weekend, I was turning pages and moving on. As of now, I finished book one, moved onto book two (which went much faster), and am now about half way through book three.
I love to read, have many books in my four bookcases, and more than 100 on my Kindle. But I must say, I don't remember reading a book quite so fast as these.
It is a deeply moving love story which transports the mind into a soap opera style story. It feels like the story is unfolding in a day-time soap opera with highs and lows around every turn.
The young college graduate meets the handsome, irresistible millionaire who makes a quest to woo her. She is not interested in his money, wealth, or lavish lifestyle since she is from a humble beginning. However, he is the most challenging, hunk of man she has ever known.
He takes her gliding, for a ride in his helicopter, buys her a car for a graduation present, and gives her a laptop, iPod, and Blackberry phone - all the things young ladies would welcome, normally. But she wants to make it on her own!
By book two, on a business trip (flying his helicopter), he fails to return when expected and when she learns the helicopter is missing, she realizes how much she really loves him. Upon his safe return (finally), he knows he loves her and proposes marriage - and a few days later, on his birthday - she accepts.
Book three is their wedding and honeymoon, and whatever experiences they encounter upon their return home from Europe. I'm sure I will find out in the next couple of days, where they end up.
I can't remember when I've ever read three books in one month, let alone in two weeks. But sometimes a story captivates a person and it's hard to put the book down until the last page.
After I finish this trilogy love story, I think I'll read the new book I just got about Abraham Lincoln, since I saw the movie LINCOLN last month. Then I have a desire to read the new book by John Grisham, The Racketeer. I have a collection of his other books and love his writing.
Reading can transport us into soap operas, history, or the complicated lives of unusual people that we would never meet otherwise. Books can also teach us facts, fiction, or just educate our minds. It's a fascinating journey.
The unspoken word is sometimes more powerful than the spoken word. Silence can send a person back into the depths of their soul. A place that might have been visited in the past. It's a struggle to come up from that depth, back into the light, not a place to be sent back to; but sometimes it happens. In that depth, depression can be found and it will envelop and surround your being.
"Be true to yourself." There are but two ways up, back into the light. Only one can be made by thyself, the other by the sender.
One of my New Year's resolutions for 2013 was to "not take any shit from anyone." I don't need it - I don't want it - I won't tolerate it. Yes, now and then I do get dealt some shit, disguised to look like other things. But I'm getting smarter in recognizing it. So don't feed me bullshit - I'm not a mushroom; don't give me drama queen - I'm not going to a theatrical performance; try HONESTY, integrity, and ethical behavior. It is so much more becoming than bullshit. I deserve RESPECT, because I've lived long enough to EARN it!
While a friend was visiting today, I put the dog in the bedroom and the cat in the laundry room for a little while. I don't want my loveable pets bothering guests.
After my guest left, I went to let the cat out of the laundry room and found she had been busy in her solitude. There's not a lot for her to do in that room, but it is where her food dish and litter box are located. But she managed to find a play toy to amuse herself.
She decided to unroll my entire new roll of toilet paper all over the floor. Cats are independent creatures and I just had to laugh when I saw it.
Three guys, a priest, a doctor and an engineer, were playing golf. But the group before them was extremely slow and at each hole they waited hours. Finally, the priest asked around, why was that other group so slow? He was told that they were very courageous firemen who, a couple years ago, saved the golf course from a terrible fire, in which they all lost their sight. In appreciation they were given the right to play on the course whenever they wanted. They like that a lot, but being blind they are just not too good at hitting the ball, let alone finding it after it's hit.
The priest said, "Oh my this is terrible. Tonight I'll say a little prayer for these courageous souls."
The doctor heard that and said, "Don't worry. I'll send them to a friend of mine, he's an ophthalmologist and he works wonders."
The engineer said, "Wait. Why can't they just play at night?"
Today we celebrate two historical events.
In 1983, Congress passed legislation creating a Monday holiday for the birthday of The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. In 1994, Congress designated his holiday as The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service. The MLK Day of Service empowers individuals, strengthens communities, bridges barriers, creates solutions to social problems, and moves us closer to Dr. King's vision of a "Beloved Community."
While Dr. King preached about justice, empowerment, love and peace, in the final months of his life, his attention was turned to fighting poverty. Forty-seven million Americans currently fall below the poverty line. Dr. King was shot while standing on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee and died on April 4, 1968. He had gone to Memphis to help lead sanitation workers in a protest against low wages and intolerable working conditions.
Today is also Inauguration Day for the 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama's second term. He was sworn in Sunday just prior to noon by Chief Justice John Roberts in a private ceremony at the White House, according to the U.S. Constitution. This is the public swearing-in at the U.S. Capitol, followed by his Inaugural Address and the official Inaugural Parade. Washington D.C. has been prepared for hundreds of thousands of visitors to view the event.
The President's Inaugural Address will set out his vision for America and goals for the nation. The theme of this year's inauguration is "Faith in America's Future." The swearing-in ceremony starts at 11:30 a.m. and the parade starts at 2:30 p.m. running along Pennsylvania Avenue.
CELEBRATE OUR NATION'S HISTORY!
The design of animal crackers (or cookies) originated in England in the 1890s, but it was in America in 1902 that they really got moving. In that year, parents across America bought their children a new, inexpensive, and edible toy marketed by the Nabisco Company just before Christmas. The present was 22 animal-shaped cookies in a little rectangular box made to look like a circus cage. The box had a string handle, which made it suitable as a play purse. That was just a bonus. Initially, the purpose of the string was so that parents could hang the boxes of cookies from the family Christmas tree.
A drug store is no more, now it is a Bakery and Cafe.
I lived three or four blocks from Rukasin Drug Store, owned and operated by Eli Rukasin, Pharmacist. Everyone in the area knew Eli, he was always at work behind the counter of the store, and a community-minded business owner.
I remember riding my bicycle those few blocks for a popcicle or to pick up something for my mother. It had the old fashioned soda fountain with stools for seating and tall round straw holders on the counter. It was a friendly place for people to gather for a soda, ice cream or things medicinal.
As I searched online for any listings of the Rukasin Drug Store, I found another blogger had written about his memory of being there. Allen's Board is written by a guy who grew up in my old neighborhood and we went to the same middle school and high school, but he graduated seven years after I did. He now lives in Cincinnati. After reading his article about the drug store, I contacted him through his blog and we have since exchanged a few emails to briefly get acquainted. (See Allen's Board blog HERE to read his article.)
He wrote that, while on a trip to Cleveland Heights recently, he visited the Warrensville Cemetery where he saw the gravesite of Eli Rukasin (he died in 1989), who we both knew from the old drug store. It was so nice to read his blog and know that someone else had fond memories of a time gone by.
"The basic things expected by our people of their political and economic systems are simple. They are: Equality of opportunity for youth and for others.
Jobs for those who can work.
Security for those who need it.
The ending of special privilege for the few.
The preservation of civil liberties for all.
The enjoyment of the fruits of scientific progress in a wider and constantly rising standard of living.
These are the simple, the basic things that must never be lost sight of in the turmoil and unbelievable complexity of our modern world. The inner and abiding strength of our economic and political systems is dependent upon the degree to which they fulfill these expectations.
Many subjects connected with our social economy call for immediate improvement. As examples: We should bring more citizens under the coverage of old-age pensions and unemployment insurance. We should widen the opportunities for adequate medical care. We should plan a better system by which persons deserving or needing gainful employment may obtain it."
I wish the House of Representatives of today would believe in these basic principles of life and governing. They have failed miserably!
Whether looking out front from my porch:
Or out the back door to the corner of the house:
I see ice and more ice.
When the sun came out the last couple days, the snow on the roof melted, sliding down forming icicles. Some can get really big in size. Since the sustained weight can harm a gutter, after taking the picture, I knocked all the ones off the front porch. When John stopped by this evening, he knocked the one off the back gutter.
I'll have to keep an eye on my icicles next week, because the weatherman said the temperature will rise to 40 degrees Tuesday and lots of melting will surely happen.
I used to have very long hair. As I got older, the general consensus of hair fashionistas was that shorter hair makes one look younger as you age.
I was recently going through a box of old photos and found this one that reminded me of about five years ago when I got my hair braided by a professional braider who was set up at the Renaissance Festival in Waynesvlle, Ohio. She did a good job, the long ends are pinned into the body in the center, and it lasted until the third day, when I just had to wash my hair.
The following year I went to my hairdresser and had 10 inches cut off all at once, to donate to Locks of Love. I have had shorter hair ever since. Now I keep it trimmed off my shoulders.
That's my contribution to looking younger!
