I'm Not Saying I'm Addicted, But...

I sit here typing on my husband's laptop counting down the hours till tomorrow. Tomorrow he has to go out of town to work and won't be back until Friday. So like the addict trying to do without a fix, I will be without the net for the rest of this week. Witness the cringing and wringing of hands. My pc is still not working. I could have sworn that I told Amanda I wanted her friend Willie to see if he could fix it before I have to start saving for a new one. But so far I have not heard from her about this. So thinking about four days sans net is a little like going through withdrawals. I want my MTV, I mean my PC! At least I had the chance to get some books so at least I will have something in my hands.

It does make me wonder what did we do without all these instant devices. Computers, cell-phones, e-mail, blackberries. Some people spend a lot of time sending text messages these days. What happened to calling on the phone? It seems like people go to the library not to check out books or do research, but to get in a wi-fi spot. We used to go to a coffee shop just for coffee. Now we take the laptop and sit for hours working or playing on the computer. It's no wonder the postage stamps have gone up so much. No one sends letters anymore. I can remember going to a store to buy cards for different occasions. It seemed to take forever to pick out just the right card for just the right person. Now people just send e-cards. Well, that is real personal, isn't it?

So, I guess by this time tomorrow I will be thinking things like, "Oh, I need to check out that." Or "Did anyone answer my e-mail." "What was the price of that?" But, I will have to wait until the laptop, and my husband, come home. Some how sending the kids off to school for the first time wasn't this hard.

Nice little laptop, I will miss you for the next few days. I will try to think of the day when my pc is pronounced well so that I won't call on you for support. I know you will have a good time playing poker in the evenings. Hurry home. Be safe. Oh yeah, you too, Jimmy.

June 20th is the Happiest Day of the Year?

Who is the idiot who decided that this day is the happiest day of the year? I guess if you are happy that you woke up and realized you are still alive, then it is. But a British psychologist has actually devised a formula to prove this is the happiest day of the year.

O + (N x S) + Cpm/ T + He Wonder how long it took him to do this.

So according to this formula you need Outdoor activity +( Nature x Social interaction) +Childhood memories/Temperature + He or holidays (days off). So we should all go play childhood games so we can be in the heat while we all get together to remember when we could play outside all the time instead of just on our days off.

Now do you really want to run around playing games outside while the temperature is in the 90's? Well, I guess taking an early morning walk looking at and listening to the birds would be ok. Then again, there aren't enough holidays or days off during the summer where we live to make me want to go do all this.

Happiness is relative. Maybe playing ball with the kids is fun, watching the Astros lose again, is not. Thinking about summers past at the beach or pool is a nice childhood memory. Watching a house/town flooding is not. Taking a vacation or holiday is fun, going back to work, not so much.

So let us all join in and make this day the happiest of the year. On the other hand this study was sponsored by an ice cream company. Go figure.

Yes, We Have No Bananas

So goes the song. I just read a story in the New York Times which suggested that bananas may soon cost $1.00 a pound. For years they have been priced around 20+ to 30+ cents per pound. Ecuador is the largest exporter of bananas. But Ecuador has had severe flooding lately. When you think of all the careful handling and miles bananas have go through to get here, one has to wonder why the price has not gone higher before. Fruits grown in this country have risen in price more and faster than the lowly banana. They don't even have to have travel that far either.Just look at apples. Prices for this fruit are getting a lot higher, as is much of our other domestic fruit. Transportation costs (fuel) is a big factor in the increase of fresh produce. But until recently the bananas have bucked the trend. Now, however, there is concern that will end and prices of bananas will join other produce in the lofty price group.

Maybe I should buy a banana tree. I have seen several growing around town. I wonder if they are any good. Poor little banana. Gas costs are rising daily, electric bills are sky rocketing. Now bananas are going up. What next?

Can You Hear Me Now? Can You Hear Me At All?

Remember that old cell phone commercial with the guy in the long, black coat saying "Can you hear me now?". Poor Annie is stuck in a "poor service" area and can't get good reception on her cell phone. She called last night to say that she had tried to call Jimmy Sunday. It was like "can you hear me now" all over again. She is really frustrated with the service in the little town where they are living. Ozona, Texas is a little spot on the map not far from San Angelo, Tx. It has a population of a whopping 3000 people. I guess because of the location, the cell phone reception is spotty at best. It would be a safe bet to say that she is not too happy with where they live. She has to go outside to call and even then she has to be in just the right spot to be able to call or hear anyone on her phone.

Ozona actually has some historic and interesting places to see according to the town information. But I guess they are too small and far away from any good cell phone towers to get good receptions. I guess that is why she would rather text message. How about smoke signals?

Then again our wonderful federal government has an office of the Department of Agriculture there. They have an office which handles rural home loans there. That is where Jason works. I guess if you are trying to move up the department ladder you have to take the bad with the good. Right? Can you hear me? Hello? Drat.

One Vacation Plus One Dead PC = Help!!!

Ah, I can feel the quiet, sort of. Jimmy went back to work today after a week's vacation. This man never takes a vacation so I was glad he finally took one. But when Jan could not come down we were left with no real plans. Not to mention all that wonderful Texas heat sapped any energy that was hiding in our beings. Who wants to go out in nearly 100 degree heat? Not us.

So most of the days were spent watching television while Jimmy played poker with his friends on-line. I think it is safe to say that I have probably now seen all or nearly all episodes of Law and Order, Law and Order Criminal Intent and Law and Order SVU. Well maybe I might have missed one or two, but who's counting? And how many times did I see the first three Indiana Jones movies? I now think I have seen the entire playlist of TMC. Jimmy decided to forgo watching any news programs, even the local ones. He would be married to a news junkie, right? Awww.

I felt a little lost, especially since my PC has apparently died for probably the last time. I had it repaired once. The next time I got lucky enough to get it working again myself. This time I don't think CPR would help. And just where is that friend of Amanda's who said he would fix it for us? Somehow seems like a game of "hide and seek". Jimmy even told Amanda that the PC is comatose, hinting broadly to her for some help from her elusive friend. While I like Jimmy's laptop, I still prefer my good old buddy, Mr. PC.

In the middle of all this Annie sent me a text message about someone who had commented on my blog. Annie keeps forgetting that, for me, to text is a long, arduous process. Still she persists. She had sent me a message that an "Uncle Mickey" had left a comment. She asked in her text if this could indeed be my uncle. Surprise! Apparently so...Talk about a long lost relative. We have not been in contact for many years. As a result we'll have to try to get together soon.

Saturday we did venture out to hit some stores to look at PCs, printers, and new tvs. Since we don't have the "new" HD tv we will soon have to figure out what to do. We also looked at printers for our computers. Our printer is not that old and works just fine. But the ink for it is nearly $70. We can buy a new printer for that money! We actually found one that we make get later which is an all in one and the ink is half the price. Plus it is wi-fi, too.

I did manage to buy some books with a gift card Amanda had given me. I have read all of the books we have here. I gave a lot of them away before we moved. Now I have something to read.

Jimmy's last day of vacation was Father's Day. Two of the kids called. The other two didn't. One never does. She might send an e-card, or not. The other must have missed the race cause she is usually the first or second to call. I think Amanda must have made Pat wake up and call. Ha,ha.

After I got my books we looked a fish for the aquarium. Jimmy has been longing for a bigger one. But he can't make up his mind. Imagine that! So we ended up buying some more fish instead. I guess that would be considered his present from the dogs.

Alas, vacation time is over for a while. Of course Jimmy's friend Jeff,from Alabama, may be in town for the 4th. He wants an escape from his wife and her parents who live here in Houston. He is already anxious for college football to start. He bleeds Crimson for the Tide.

Life goes on.Vacations end.

Baseball Is Not Just A Game

We went to the Astros-Cardinals game Sunday. Too bad, the Good Guys lost. Too bad our friend Jan could not be with us. The Club Level seats were great with a great view across first base. But, on occasion we had to be wary of foul balls which seemed to fly in our direction.

This was not the first time we had been to a Houston Astros game. I remember going to some in the old Houston Astrodome. The kids enjoyed being part of a little summer program where they got special things and got to go down on the field and talk to some of the players.

While watching the game at Minute Maid Park Sunday I thought of what it must look like to a person who has never seen a game in a stadium like we have. Seeing baseball on tv is good since you have a close up view of the batters. But to be there in the seats gives a completely different view. Everywhere you look are bright, flashing lights urging the fans to support the GoodGuys. Of course there is a really big screen tv to show the replays. The stadium even has the old scoreboard which used to be in the Astrodome. When the Astros hit homers the sign flashes with the huge bull with steam venting out his ears while the cowboy ropes him. Woe unto the opposing pitcher who gets pulled and sent to the showers. He'll see a cartoon of a pitcher being showered. There are some wild and fun graphics with this board.

The organ music is entertainment in itself. Several Astros have their own "theme" music as they come to bat. Or there is music to taunt the opposing team for their mistakes. Of course their music to encourage the fans to react. You would not think that a place like this could vibrate but it does. Then of course there is the train which sits high above the staduim. Just listen to the whistle blow and the bell clang!

All over the place fans bring homemade signs for their favorite players. Hunter Pence has his "Peeps". Carlos Lee has his fans who gather in the area called the Crawford Boxes with their toy stick horses and sombrero hats. They get animated when he sends a home run their way.

Even though the roof is almost always shut, except during the World Series (MLB rules) it can open. That is a very strange feeling to be sitting in the stands while the roof pulls back. Suddenly the air feels different and you get a little bit of a funny feeling. I suppose it is all in the mind. Most of the time it is closed during the games because of the heat. But sometimes late in the night games the roof will open. It is a visual game for your mind watching it open.

Movement is something that is not so obvious while watching a game at home on tv. Sitting in the stands you realize how far away the outfielders are and how much ground they cover when chasing a ball. The entire Astros' infield moves in toward the batter as the pitcher throws to the plate. All at once, like some kind of orchestrated dance move. Then there is the occasional bird that flys high above the field or into the rafters. How did those birds get in? Through the doors of course. Or the roof.

Sometimes I just wonder what a child who has never been to a Major League baseball game would think of a place like this. So much to see, so much to hear. So little time for the game. What do they think of it all. It is almost too much to take absorb in just one game. That goes for the kid in all of us.

Tinkle, Tinkle

Do your ever wonder what animals think? Do they have opinions? The other day Daisy discovered the fish in the tank as they swam around. She looked back at me as if to ask, "What are they doing?" Then she watched her reflection in the glass of the tv stand. "Who is this dog that looks like me and why won't it come out?"

When we go outside Daisy likes to take notice of what is going on in the neighborhood and the traffic on the streets. She doesn't think much of people who blow their horns to try to scare her. She just looks back at me with disgust. She would much rather try to get the attention of anyone who happens to walk around the parking lots.

But she is still inquisitive as to what goes on. She has to check out any thing that has been left on the ground, parking lots or walks. I guess she thinks she has to keep track of who is doing what. Our neighbor across from us can't always get his garbage in the can. Sometimes it lands on the ground or the walk. Daisy has to survey what ever she finds. I guess she thinks she is in charge of what hits the ground around here. She had to check out the burger wrapper which blew across the lawn. Then she had to check out the can in the paper bag which was littering the firehouse grass. It was only an empty Arizona Tea can, not beer. I think she might have been a little disappointed since she has been known to sneak a little wine now and then.

But yesterday she spotted a scratch off lottery ticket on lying on the grass. Apparently it was not a winner since the buyer tossed it away. Daisy walked up to it, gave it a once over sniff. Then she took a couple of steps, placing herself over it. Positioning herself just right, she squatted over it and peed on it. Was it just relief, or a social commentary?

It is Hot Here, Turn up the Heat a Little More

Just when we were enjoying the balmy days of spring, summer has decided to raise it's ugly head. The temperatures have been getting hotter and hotter. We have gone from the relative comfort of the middle 80's to the upper 90's in a matter of just a few days. Every time I look at the weather forecasts on tv it looks worse. Of course I am sure there are some people who actually enjoy this weather. After all it is a little like living in a sauna. Not only are the actual temperatures in the mid to high 90's but the humidity is also climbing to high levels making the temperatures feel even hotter. Few clouds and no rain are expected. Right now at 11:00 it is in the high 80's. When the heat index is factored in the temperatures in the late afternoons feel closer to 100+ degrees.

Without any relief in sight, the Public Utility Commission has decided to issue some suggestions to avoid rolling blackouts. They suggest that if we are not at home we should set our thermostats at 85 and when we are home 78. They are also suggesting that we not use appliances and turn off lights between the hours of 3pm and 7pm. Let's see, don't use hair-dryers, dishwashers, washing machines and dryers. Don't use the oven, instead cook food in the microwave. Yeah, well I hate cooking anyway, but my microwave is about to die so I really don't want to use it. At least I always do my laundry in the morning.

Since my husband works a lot outside or in places that don't have a/c I can just see him coming home to a house that is 80 degrees. Not going to happen. I suppose the PUC is thinking people should not use computers either between 3 and 7pm. Just try prying Jimmy's fingers away from his poker game!

I hope the local utilities realize that this in only the first week of June. It doesn't really get hot until August or September. People living in Houston do not like to be hot. Man I can remember living in Alabama as a kid. Some places did not even have central air conditioning. My grandfather lived in New Jersey did not have it either. Looks like the cool summer breezes are gone with the wind. Fans anyone?

The Knock at the Door

The other day while I was trying to catch up on my emails and things there was a knock on the door. We don't usually have people just stop by so I looked through the peep hole to see a large man in brown standing there. Hum, I thought. When I opened the door I discovered it was the UPS guy who had an express envelope for Jimmy. So I signed for it and went back inside. When I opened it I discovered a letter from Jan and the baseball tickets she had bought. I did not know she was sending them. It seems that for some strange reason they only had a very small smoky look on one of the pictures. The tickets otherwise were in good shape. She had told Jimmy she was sending them but he forgot to tell me. So I was surprised. Funny how things in life happen. The tickets are really not damaged. Neither was a small stash of cash Jan had in a kitchen drawer. So I guess we will be going to the game this Sunday after all. Of course now that the Astros are on a losing slide with our luck, well I won't speculate on the game. Maybe they will win this one. I would at least be nice even if Jan can't join us. I still have a hard time thinking about what Jan must be dealing with right now. Well, she'll be with us in spirit.

Fire Damage

Pictures of our friend Jan's house in Virginia, or what is left of it. This is what $600,000 worth of damage looks like.

You Just Never Know

We have been getting ready to have a visit from our poker friend who lives in Virginia. We have stocked up on good old Texas style food. We also have been thinking of places to show her and things to do. She bought bought us all Astros baseball tickets for Jimmy's birthday.

Jimmy did not play poker much this week-end. When he got on the computer yesterday there was an IM from Jan. Now she won't be able to come visit us because her house burned down Saturday. She and her mother had gone shopping so Jan was not home at the time. The house was a total loss, including her two cats. Six fire-fiighters were hurt fighting the blaze. They were hospitalized, but will be ok. Apparently the fire had started on the patio from a cigarette in an ash tray.The Fire Chief ruled it an accident. She was well insured so everything will be replaced by insurance. She had recently, after tax season bought several hundred dollars in clothes as well as new furniture including patio furniture. All of that was destroyed. Even her plane ticket and the baseball tickets were destroyed.

It just proves that we think we can make plans but you never know how they will work out. Sometimes fate has a hand in our plans. I have been thinking about this ever since we found out.
What if that was our home? You just don't know how fast life can change. One day you are working for a big CPA firm near Washington,DC and living in a beautiful house. You think you have a good life. Then without warning something happens to change your outlook on life. You just never know, you just hope it doesn't happen to you.

Nutty People

I sometimes wonder why people do things. Then again, do they even think about what they do? We have a friend who is a successful CPA near Washington, DC. She and another friend of ours who lives in Alabama decided to take a cruise together. So, while our CPA friend is a single woman, our male friend has a girl friend. Of course as things go, while on the cruise they got drunk one night and well, you know the rest. But wait, it gets worse. After our gal-pal got home she decided to hire a private detective to find the girl friend of the guy! She fully intends to confront the girl friend with the news that the guy hooked up with her while away from his own girl friend! When I heard this, all I could think to say was "aw,come on! Grow up!" I just find it hard to believe that a smart, intelligent woman over 40 would stoop to this. Jeez! Somebody needs to have a chat with this woman.

Then I have to wonder what is up with some of our neighbors.First, I wish I knew which one keeps putting their garbage bags out days before the garbage truck is due to come. Do they really think that animals will not get into those cheap plastic bags? And of course they never pick up the scattered trash. Oh, and then there are a couple of neighbors in the other buildings who have apparently forgotten where the lines are in the parking lots. I went out to walk Daisy this morning and saw three vehicles parked cross-wise across the parking slots. What's up with that? I know that one has recently gotten an SUV so maybe they have not learned to park very well since they back that big thing in, But that doesn't explain the other cars and why they are taking up extra spaces. Maybe someone should tell them?

And the really funny, sort of, thing is that apparently our landlady sent someone out to trim some of the shrubs. While that is good, they left all the cut off branches right where they fell. They did not pick them up. Plus they did not even trim all the shrubs and only did a half ass job on others. Who is going to clean up that mess? I guess some people need constant supervision or training. I wonder how long those branches will stay where they are? Maybe they think the guy who mows and weed-eats will pick up the mess. Ha! Not gonna happen. They don't pick up their mess either!

I sure hope the Jehovah's Witnesses who descended on the neighborhood this morning enjoy walking in this heat. I ran into them before 9:00 am and it was already hot and humid. Maybe I should offer them a shower with a hose?

Gotta Love A Prodigal Son

As soap operas go the misled character returns to the family after discovering he was mis-led. So enters my son, home again, a little worse for wear. After getting a transfer to Odessa and moving all his worldly possessions there to be with the mother of the "child", he discovered the plot. Just imagine the crushing blow when he discovered there would be no child. Pack up the truck and get the Hell out of Odessa! Ten miles to the gallon? Talk about a long trip. Now on the way back, he has to think about where he will work when he gets back. At least he was assured of a home with Amanda.

We all had dinner together Sunday. Looking a little worse for the wear and tear of frustration, I had to give him a hug. Then I could not resist giving him a smack on the back of the head ala Jethro Gibbs to Tony DiNozzo on "NCIS". Did he learn anything? He says he did. He also described how Heather's son acted while he was there. That boy will end up being a problem for a lot of people in the future. But hopefully that soap opera will be on another channel.

Timing is everything so I have heard. Now that Pat is back in town, he could not wait to go see the girl he was with after he broke up with Heather the first time. Scorecard anyone? Pat & Heather, Pat & the new girl, then back to Heather, now back to the new girl. While do I feel dizzy? Well, at least he got a job with a company who wanted to hire him away from his old job a long time ago.

So, on he goes to the next chapter. Wonder what the writers have in store for this part of the never ending soap opera? Stay tuned, next week, next month, next year? After all, soap operas never die,but the ratings might. For now to quote Ty Pennington at the end of each "Extreme Makeover-Home Edition" Welcome Home Pat, welcome home.

As My Stomach Churns, Churns On

When last we left the family soap opera, we had discovered that Pat was planning a move to Odessa to be with his "pregnant" ex-girlfriend. We are doing this for the sake of the baby. Ok, have a nice life but we don't have a good feeling about this. We don't support this decision. Of course, as soaps go, this split the family. All our children could not understand our feelings.

I continued to have conflicting feelings about not only the move to Odessa but the whole situation. I kept thinking something was a little off. A ghostly voice kept trying to get my attention. Like Adam's struggle with the ghost of Dixie on "All My Children" my instinct kept waving a red flag in my mind. I had always thought things just seemed wrong. My thoughts and prayers were always with Pat. I knew this would not end well. Staying together for the sake of children is not always a good idea. I know this from personal experience.

Yet I continued to think about them, hoping that he would be ok. Earlier this week, in the middle of my morning shower, I had a strange thought go through my mind. I could not explain this with any kind of logic. I was thinking about Pat's girlfriend's pregnancy. I thought about how far along she might be, then poof. Something told me "not going to happen". It was an odd feeling which I could not shake.

Yesterday Amanda called me. The first words out of her mouth were"Are you sitting down?" My mind's eye saw another bomb about to drop. Then she told me the news that Pat was going to come back to Houston because he had been misled. There was no pregnancy. Just as in a soap opera, the girlfriend had fabricated the pregnancy. Where have I seen this story line before? Amanda told me that she had called Heather to find out how she was doing and if she had found out what the sex of the baby was. As the conversation continued, Amanda soon figured out that something was not ringing true. First there had not been any doctor visits. No doctor visits mean no sonograms either. Then as the story went, Heather explained that she miscarried. Once again, no medical check. At the approximate number of weeks pregnancy she would have been, a doctor would have to have been consulted. So as the warning bells began to go off in Amanda's head, she figured out the plot.

So now Pat is planning to move back here, probably this week-end. Will he be able to get his old job back? Probably not. Thanks Heather. I wonder how much time and money he had to invest in this move to Odessa and the presumed baby, only to discover this fraud. And so the Young and Restless must wrestle with more of the Days of Our Lives. I knew that the hour glass would run out of sand soon. And so it goes, yet another chapter...

Protecting Worship

There was a seminar here in Houston the other day which discussed security issues. This was not a police department or retail company seminar. This seminar was about security for churches and pastors. I found this a little disturbing. To think that when we go to a place of worship we have to worry that someone may try to harm the people attending a service or the minister is sad.

The people attending the seminar talked about the different layers of protection now in use at churches. Most of us will never see the layers of protection. There are security people undercover in plain clothes outside and inside. Some carry guns and others don't. Some pastors, especially high profile ones, have body guards. This is something we did not have in the past. But apparently these days with some many ministers having televised church services virtually worldwide and many writing books, they need protection. Along with this come the need to keep the worshipers safe too. Going to a place of worship once was a source of comfort. Now in some places we may wonder where is the security detail?

There once was a time when you might drop by a church and say hello to a caretaker or maybe a guard walking the parking lot. Some times you could walk inside, sit down and be alone with your thoughts and God. In some places the doors are locked. You can still worship at the regular scheduled times. Just say a prayer for the security team.

Wearing Armour, Ready to Support the Quest

I think I am ready. Let's see, I have my armour and my defenses set. This is going to be a diffficult quest. It is not the first time we have sought this Grail and it may not be the last. But we are going to try again. Friday Jimmy bought some anti-smoking lozenges. Saturday he began this long difficult journey to fight the good fight and become smoke free.

Today is the start of the fourth day. Yesterday was a fight. According to the directions he should only need nine lozenges but he used ten. I don't know how the day went, but with the enemies all around, he fought hard. It doesn't help when people who work around him are sometimes idiots who do stupid things.

So far I have stayed out of the line of fire for the most part. I had to put my shield up a couple of times Sunday. I had to remember the point of the quest. Help Jimmy stop smoking. He seemed a little down last night, but he did not smoke. So far so good.

Only time will tell. With all the obstacles standing in the way Jimmy will have a tough fight ahead. It is too soon to even be able to see the Grail in the distance. Fog still shrouds the path. But I have my armour ready to ward off the arrows of failure. Each day will be another battle. Onward to the quest for the Grail of a smoke free life.

Motherhood

Sunday is Mother's Day. Do mothers really pay attention to all those commercials?The commercials are so annoying. How is a one year old going to pay for a diamond necklace? Why do the "mothers" look so beautiful? Try being beautiful when your kid has been throwing up all night. Or when you have been up late waiting for your teen to come home late again. Rather than all the stuff the commercials are pushing I liked the little things my kids made or bought without a commercial suggestion.I used to love the creations that my kids made in grammer school. I often wondered what their teachers got from their kids. We, as children, don't always appreciate our parents. I can't even count the times I heard my kids bemoan their fate by saying "Aw, Mom..." Sometimes we, as mothers, wonder will they ever grow up? Or we find ourselves saying that famous Erma Bombeck line, "Just wait till you have kids of your own!"

Motherhood is not easy. I have heard it said that it is punishment for a few minutes of "pleasure". After that, it is a life long struggle. We watch children grow and learn. We hope that we have been good examples for them. I've heard them say "Thanks Mom" or "I hate you" so many times. Occasionally I even heard "I'm sorry" or "You were right". At that point I wondered who those kids were, cause they could not be mine. Jimmy's Aunt Pat once said that when they are little, they walk on your feet, when they are older they walk on your heart. I have always thought that was a very insightful statement.

I always felt that I never measured up to my mother's standards. She had a very high IQ but she never finished college. What ever she tried seemed to be perfect, at least to me. She made most of my clothes from the time I was little to high school. I was one of the best dressed girls in high school thanks to her. She sang with Les Brown in the early 1940's. I can't sing. When I was in grammer school she to up art to help her quit smoking. Her paintings hang on my walls. Too bad my son who inherited her artistic talent, never uses it. In her mid forties she and my Dad decided to take up golf. She was pretty good. I enjoyed playing with both of them. She was a forward thinking woman, always ahead of her time. I often wonder what she would have thought of her grandchildren had she met them.

I was 22 years old when my mother died of ovarian cancer. For several years we had not really agreed on much. But we made our peace. Funny how teens or young adults would rather not discuss anything with their mother. It's always a fight. She doesn't like anything I do, we think. It is often later when we look back and wish we could talk to her. Happy Mother's Day, Mom. I miss you.

Is Texas Sinking?

Look out below! Part of Texas is sinking! Well, not exactly but there is a massive sinkhole which is causing some excitment and concern in Daisetta, Tx, a small town about 60 miles northeast of Houston. Over night it has swallowed oilfield equipment, telephone poles and even a tractor. So far it has not threatened the town however. Officials are trying to figure out how it happened. It may have been caused becaus of an old salt dome where oil brine and natural gas are stored underground. The town of Daisetta sits on top of a salt dome which is common trap for oil. Sink holes are supposed to be rare but geologists from are studying the situation. Tv stations from various cities have come to the small town of about 1,000 people to keep watch over the sink hole as it continues to expand. So much for the once booming oil industry in Daisetta. Every few hours the local authorites hold press conferences to talk about it. Even CNN has picked up the feed showing the hole getting bigger.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iL9IPy74KII# So far it has continued to grow and get bigger. Just wait until it starts swallowing barns, reporters, helicopters and what ever it wants to eat.

Spring?

I thought this was supposed to be the spring season. We finally got a good rain the other day. Our area had very little rain for a while. Now the flowers and plants have perked up. I like springtime. It is a kind of a renewal ritual. Everything starts blooming and turning green. The again the grass, or in our case, the weeds go wild. We have nice temperatures so we don't have to use the heater or air conditioner too much. Sadly, I think spring is just about to leave here. All the local weather forcasters have dire predictions for this weekend. The last couple of days the humidity has returned. If you life in Houston, humidity is always a problem. Bad hair days are a problem. But now we hear that by this Thursday, Friday and Saturday we will flirt with record high temperatures. The record temperatures for these upcoming dates are from 92 to 94. Add the heat index to those and we could be feeling like it is over 100 degrees. Ugh! What happened to spring?? It is not summer yet, right? Well, there goes the nice cool breeze. Anyone for a little sauna time? Ah yes, here we go again, say goodby to spring and hello to summer. It is not even June yet.

Park That Call

Have you ever tried to park a phone call? Is it as much trouble as it is for some people to parallel park a car? I have heard a lot of operators answer the phone. Most of the time I hear them say, "How may I direct your call". That is a lot to say when someone is in a hurry. But I have never heard anyone direct a call by announcing, "Mr. Smith, you have a call parked on 101". Why would someone want their operators to say that? Would it not be easier to say"Mr. Smith, line 101" or "Mr. Smith, you have a call on line 101"? Even in airports you can hear an operator tell someone to "Please pick up the white courtesy phone for a call". In the really old days hotels would have people announce "Paging Mr. Smith". Mr. Smith was usually having dinner in the dining room. When he answered his page, someone would bring him a phone. At least that is what we always see in the old movies.

I know that this is not of any earth shattering importance but I just found the thought of parking a phone call a little funny. I hope the operator remembered to put the "parking brake" on. Does someone have to put change in the meter? If Mr. Smith does not answer the call parked on line 101 within a certain amount of time, does he get a parking ticket? What happens if the caller gets tired of being "parked", hang up?