Living Rural

My last post was July 4 … no, it is not my fault … in fact, it can not be blamed on any one person or event. Simply put, 451press was experiencing growing pains! I do not think TPTB really had a clue as to what to expect with the upgrades, new servers, … pretty much new and improved everything!

The really “new look” of the site and blogs themselves took my breathe away. Hats off to Steve S., Captain of this ship, great job! I know we whined, emailed over and over, and talked about the l. o. n. g. time it was taking, among ourselves, but I(we) hung in there … despite all of it! I, for one, am glad I did. Thank you for the hard work you put in on this project. Now, we can all get back to WORK and write, write, write.

I have to admit I was surprised when I logged in without any “heavy load” message, so much so, that I have totally lost my thoughts which had been processed with a great idea for my first blog back … That surely means it would have been outstanding (loosing thoughts has to be the down side of growing older). Of course, getting the “Senior Discount” makes up for loosing your mind!

This is so much fun - being back and working hard for the money! It’s not so much the hard work as it is finding the time to sit down and actually write … hang in there! I’ll be in the groove with the next post, I promise! Until then … Remember, “Y’all come back, ya’ hear!”

If you have tried to get here over the past few weeks, you probably had trouble. The reason for the delays,“experiencing high load” message, and “unable to load page” is a change of server, upgrading the system, and upgrading software, etc. The inconvenience to each of us should be worth it once it is complete. That is my story and I am sticking to it! Insider humor, bear with me it has been a long, hot week. Thank you for continuing to try, it is good to have you here!

In honor of the Fourth of July, here is a salute to our freedom and those who protect it and a little history lesson from my long distance carrier, AmericanFone …

INDEPENDENCE DAY!

We declared our independence, our right to be free as a nation, 232 years ago this month. If there is one lesson we have learned in that time, it is that freedom and independence are not solid and eternal. They are slippery and constantly changing. You cannot put them in an air-tight viewing box, like the Declaration of Independence itself. If you do not watch carefully, if you do not tend them and keep them alive, they die out. They go away.There may always be people with less-than-honorable intentions ready to chip away at your freedoms and usurp your independence if you let them. But thankfully, America is also full of people who are fiercely protective of what our forefathers’ and patriots throughout the generations since have fought to protect. Not only in wars, but by writing, speaking out, voting and battling injustice in the courts. A salute to the courageous patriots who Keep the flame alive!

A SHORT HISTORY OF INDEPENDENCE DAY  “Taxation without representation is tyranny!” That was the rallying cry of the American colonists rebelling against British rule. The colonists were being forced to pay taxes to England with no representation in British Parliament. They had no say about how much tax they would pay no say as to how their tax money was to be spent. With rumors of rebellion, growing, British troops went in to keep the colonists in line. The colonists tried to broker a peaceful solution, but their attempts were repeatedly rebuffed. On June 11, 1776, the colonist’s Continental Congress met to declare officially, in writing, that they were no longer willing to live under British rule.Thomas Jefferson, known for his great eloquence and statesmanship, was given the job of creating the document. In addition, a difficult job it turned out to be! More than 86 alterations were made to the document before it was declared complete. On July 4, 1776, the final version of the Declaration of Independence was signed and copies were sent out among the colonists. The Fourth of July has been celebrated in the United States every year since, but it was not until 1870 that Congress officially declared it a National Holiday. In 1938, Congress re-affirmed Independence Day, making it a paid holiday for all federal employees. Today, people across the country celebrate and acknowledge their priceless gift of freedom they enjoy with parades, picnics and glorious fireworks displays.

My goodness, it was just a trip to the Super Wal-mart to pick up medications from our friendly pharmacy staff and a few grocery items. Then waiting in the check-out line, “it” caught my eye - TIME 1968 - the flashbacks immediately started … because that was the best year of my life, I promise.

HOW MANY OF YOU REMEMBER …

The TET Offensive

Signs of the Times, LOOK - FEEL - STYLES - SMILES

Johnson will not, not run for President

REV. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. assassinated in Memphis, TN

BLACK NEIGHBORHOODS EXPLODE

Pop Music - RAP

The siege of the KHE SANH

HAIR!

COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY TAKEN OVER BY STUDENTS

Senator Bobby Kennedy wins the California Democratic Primary … and is gunned down!

Pop Artist, Andy Warhol is shot in NYC Studio, called THE FACTORY…

“In the future, everyone will be famous for 15 minutes.” AW, 1968

2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY

The Graduate

Screen Scene 1968:Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner?; Rosemary’s Baby; Night of the Living Dead; Barbarella; Funny Girl; Planet of the Apes

Czechoslovakia freedom for one brief moment …

Chicago Riots - 7 Tried

DISSENTERS: Abbie Hoffman, Jerry Rubin Yippees, Tom Hayden

OLYMPICS

Sport Greats: OJ Simpson :(, Jean Claude Killy, Peggy Fleming, Arthur Ashe, Detroit vs St. Louis - World Series, Vince Lombardi, Mohammed Ali

FAREWELL CAMELOT: Jackie Kennedy and Onassis

TV: Laugh In - “Sock it to me!”; The Mod Squad; Elvis; 60 Minutes; The Andy Griffith Show; The Prisoner

LAW, ORDER, NIXON? Nelson Rockefeller, George Wallace

Julie Nixon weds David Eisenhower

Ronald Reagan

THE BEATLES: “Hey Jude” and “The White Album”

Norman Mailer, Author

Destination: HELL - North Korea seizes US spy ship

Borman, Anders, Lowell - First Generation Astronauts

Year’s End - New Perspectives - Where were you in 1968?

Courtesy of Time, Inc. “Specials: 40th Anniversary Special, TIME 1968″

• Comments made in the year 1955!
• That’s only 52 years ago!
• “Have you seen the new cars coming out next year? It won’t be long before$2, 000.00 will only buy a used one.”
• “If cigarettes keep going up in price, I’m going to quit. A quarter a pack is ridiculous.”
• “Did you hear the post office is thinking about charging a dime just to mail a letter”
• “If they raise the minimum wage to $1.00, nobody will be able to hire outside help at the store.”
• “When I first started driving, who would have thought gas would someday cost 29 cents a gallon. Guess we’d be better off leaving the car in the garage.”
• “Kids today are impossible. Those duck tail hair cuts make it impossible to stay groomed. Next thing you know, boys will be wearing their hair as long as the girls.”
• “I’m afraid to send my kids to the movies any more. Ever since they let Clark Gable get by with saying DAMN in GONE WITH THE WIND, it seems every new movie has either HELL of DAMN in it.”
• “I read the other day where some scientist thinks it’s possible to put a man on the moon by the end of the century. They even have some fellows they call astronauts preparing for it down in Texas.”
• “Did you see where some baseball player just signed a contract for $75,000 a year just to play ball? It wouldn’t surprise me if someday they’ll be making more than the President.”
• “I never thought I’d see the day all our kitchen appliances would be electric. They are even making electric typewriters now.”
• “It’s too bad things are so tough nowadays. I see where a few married women are having to work to make ends meet.”
• “It won’t be long before young couples are going to have to hire someone to watch their kids so they can both work.”
• “Marriage doesn’t mean a thing any more, those Hollywood stars seem to be getting divorced at the drop of a hat.”
• “I’m afraid the Volkswagen car is going to open the door to a whole lot of foreign business.”
• “Thank goodness I won’t live to see the day when the Government takes half our income in taxes. I sometimes wonder if we are electing the best people to congress.”
• “The drive-in restaurant is convenient in nice weather, but I seriously doubt they will ever catch on.”
• “There is no sense going to Lincoln or Omaha anymore for a weekend, it costs nearly $15.00 a night to stay in a hotel.”
• “No one can afford to be sick anymore, at $35.00 a day in the hospital it’s too rich for my blood.”
• “If they think I’ll pay 50 cents for a hair cut, forget it.”

Thank you to my friend, Sally, for the quotes and the memories!Remember, “Y’all come back, ya’ hear!’

• “

Like I said … mercy me!

You know you laughed, OK, it is PG-13, but it is so funny. Girls, especially, if you are there, been there or headed there …

“Y’all come back, ya’ hear!”

When did I fall into this r. u. t.? Way to much talk about TV in the country this week, but everywhere you turn someone is complainingtalking about it. The Country Music Association Awards are worth talking about … such talent, exposed skin (sorry, but true), and surprising!

AND THE WINNERS ARE: http://www.cmaawards.com/2007/

Surprises? Or did you pick the winners?

What a great night!

CMA awards, ABC, Kenny Chesney, Carrie Underwood, CMA winners

My goodness, only day two(2) and I’m late with my post - not a good start,, but correcting the problem NOW.

If I have to pass the buck to someone for blame, it will be ALGEBRA. Yes, I know - algebra is a subject for high school students, freshmen, or math teachers - wrong! If you return to school (late in life, like I have), it is required to complete College Math which is the pseudonym for algebra. My last class of algebra was in 1966. Now, you tell me, how much of that have/should I have retained? I am finding out none! I am not going to let this get the best of me … or you guys. This class ends on November 11th, thank goodness and I will move on to psychology and business. I want to keep you updated on my progress in college, but I do not want to bore you with my personal stuff, day after day. So, enough said, right?

Moving on … how did everyone do with the first day of NaBloPoMo? The blogs I read were excellent, some mentioned it, most most went on business as usual. Most bloggers participating already post everyday or at least five days out of seven, for them it is “business as usual.” For me, this is a challenge I have placed on myself and one I want to accomplish. I told all of you rather than a theme I will be “wingin’ it.” Talking about the things of interest (I hope) pertaining to life in the country!

If you still want to check out what NaBloPoMo go here . I am not sure if you can sign up still, but I think you will be able too.

Until tomorrow … write, write, write … and “Y’all come back, ya’ hear!”

NaBloPoMo, education, AIU, algebra, college

I AM SURE “BABY BOOMERS” remember “Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF” boxes that our parents gave us to collect change, from the homes we visited on Halloween, to be given to the project being sponsored that year. Yes, they wanted to support UNICEF; but, I think it was to ease the guilt of letting us go through the neighborhood begging for candy!

Thank goodness they felt that guilt … it instilled in me, and many others, that helping others through giving was a good thing. It planted the seed of volunteering in my heart. I knew I might not always be able to give money for causes that were important to me, but I could and would give my time and my talents.

Over the years, I have volunteered for many causes - our local museum, library, schools (public and private), nursing home through gardening, caring for a plot of roses in our city park, and through many functions connected to our church. My plate has always been full. When thinking about Halloween and the days of collecting for UNICEF, I realized I had not done much for this group in several years. I naturally went to their web site UNICEF. I was amazed at what I found. I read and read.

NEW YORK, 27 October 2003 - Good ideas often have humble beginnings. Such is the story of “Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF,” which started in 1950 when a group of young trick-or-treaters went door-to-door on Halloween with their pastor in Philadelphia. At each door, they not only opened their bags for candy, but held out empty milk cartons to collect coins for children in need overseas. They collected $17 and sent it to UNICEF. The result was much bigger than those children ever imagined.

And that’s how it started …

I hope kids are still doing this as they make the rounds tomorrow - in groups with parental supervision, only in their own neighborhood, in safe costumes before dark. Or at an organized event without the emphasis on “getting” but “giving”.

UNICEF, Volunteering, Halloween, pumpkins, holidays, giving, “trick-or-treat”, children, “baby boomers”

Such a blessing to wake this morning and hear the soft sound of the rain, to smell that “fresh” smell that comes with it, and to be so thankful for EVERY DROP. This part of the state is experiencing a drought. The farmers are desperate for rain - a good old fashioned “soakin”. One that is slow and steady and lasts for days … it’s hard to believe it is October and the temperatures are still in the 80’s and so muggy. I want Fall, NOW!

Today is also my husband’s sixty-first birthday … baby boomer facing the BIG ONE … oh, not his age, MEDICARE. How scary is that? You must tell them (TPIC) that you are now eligible, what choice you have made, are you retiring, and the list goes on and on. Check it out at Official Medicare site and Medicare.org

It is strange to realize that I, too, will be facing Medicare in a mere three years! In my heart, I am twenty-five! I can hear my children now - laughing their heads off. Oh well, it will come whether I like it or not, so … back to the weather.

The rain did not last long enough, but it was nice. I can not believe I am complaining … look at what the folks in California are facing. The late news just announced it may have been arson … who on earth could/would do such a thing? It breaks my heart that we have people on this earth that do not respect life, resources, or other’s property. Is it the person’s up-bringing, their environment, media, gangs, to much time with nothing to do, stupidity, ignorance, or meanness? Any of the above should not be accepted as causes or reasons! If the person(s) are caught, I hope the punishment will befit the horrendous crime!

Sorry, I had to get that off my “chest”. Our thoughts and prayers are with the folks in California, with the fire-fighters, their families and all areas in desperate need of RAIN.

rain, drought, California fires, baby boomers, Medicare, Fall, Autumn, farmers, fire-fighters, weather, arson