Junk Mail

As I was checking my e-mail the other day, a message pops up telling me that a message has been placed in the Junk mail folder.  

So I checked and guess what! 

It was an e-letter from my U.S. senator who is up for re-election.

How apropos.

Snakes in the Rain

The other day I came home to find a small snake stretched out in front of the stairway I needed to use. Living in Florida, home of 6 species of venomous snakes , I am always cautious when a live (and sometimes dead) slithery thing is within view. This was just a little guy, but hey, a bigger one could be nearby. And the colors/pattern on this one were those of either a corn snake (harmless), a brown water snake (harmless), or a copperhead (not harmless).  His head-shape didn't look triangular, but I wasn't gonna get closer. Now, most snakes don't look for an encounter with humans; they'll even run slither away as fast as they can, but this guy didn't budge, and yes, it was alive.


I wasn't about to step over the thing. I have a respectful fearfulness of them. I  think they belong wherever I am not.

Luckily, a maintenance guy was in the parking lot. So I waved him over, he took a look, got on the radio, and 4 carts of more maintenance guys appeared. It was determined that the snake was harmless and one of the guys used his picker-upper-thing to pick it up and toss it over the fence into the woods from whence it probably came.

So. This got me thinking: WHY (o why o why) are there so many species of venomous snakes? Not just in Florida but world-wide. For example: there are over 20 species of rattlesnake, NOT including subspecies.

You would think that one, maybe two, species of fanged killers would suffice.

Whoever's in charge of evolution needs replacing.

Armed Forces Day 2010

Thank you to the men and women who have served, who are serving and who will serve their country in uniform.

My father: US Army Air Corps, 1941-1945

My father-in-law: US Navy, 1945-1969

My husband: US Marine Corps, 1969-1972

My daughter: US Army, 1992-1995

My son: US Marine Corps, 2005-2010

 

Spring Break at Disney

The hubby and I walk (well, he jogs) almost everyday, sometimes on the treadmill, and sometimes around one of the Disney resorts.

Yesterday we did the 1.1 mile walk around Barefoot Bay at Caribbean Beach.

On my second lap I got caught behind a group of young men who looked to be of High School age, just returning from Lacrosse spring training at ESPN's Wide World of Sports. It's usually annoying to have to 'break stride', but there was an interesting conversation going on between the young fellas regarding one of their girlfriends who, happily for him, is a "squirter".  I wonder if any of their parents know what a squirter is.

Then one of them yelled "duck"! Then they all yelled "duck"! and lined up along the sidewalk. A duck had been spotted at the lake's edge. Now, Disney ducks are certainly in no danger of becoming extinct, but I don't believe in gratuitous duck abuse, so I had to slow down to see what this was all about. By some unknown method, a warrior had been chosen ... he made his way toward the duck ... when he was a few feet away, he flung himself at the duck, and landed face first in the grass ... the duck escaped quacking angrily but unscathed ... and all his teammates/friends laughed mightily. Since most of them had their camera phones out, look for this on 'America's Funniest Videos'.

Continuing my walk, I came up behind a group of 6 females, high school-aged. Their conversation regarded a boy named Hank and a girl named Kaley. Apparently Hank was the speaker's boyfriend but he was interested in Kaley and had suggested a three-some (giggles). Another girl announced that she would be interested in a threesome with Kaley, too (giggles). I wasn't sure if the make-up of this threesome would be Hank-Kaley-her, or Hank's GF-Kaley-her.  Two others suggested that they could join in and make it a fivesome. The last one spoke up saying "No, that would be an orgy" (laughter). They turned off the path towards the pool. It was a good thing Hubby was up ahead because he would've walked into the lake.

So. Parents, you might know where your children are, but I'll bet dollars to doughnuts you don't have a clue as to what they're doing or talking about doing.

Belated Valentine

To my hubby who spent Valentines Day (and indeed the last week) being my special post-surgical nurse:

Thank you for the kisses and hugs, strong arms and gentle hands.

I love you even more now than I did all those 41 years ago, when you helped nurse me through a nasty kidney infection (on the very first visit home to meet my parents, as it happened).

But It's a Dry Cold

This morning's weather:

Juneau, Alaska - 29 degrees

Orlando, Florida - 29 degrees

Grandparents' Day

Mine and Hubby's grandparents are long gone, but most of our fondest memories involve our grandmothers - his maternal, my paternal.

My grandmother, Gram, was a feisty little lady of Irish descent whose favorite things included golf, gin (not the card game), wrestling on tv, sparkly fake jewelry, and yours truly. She bought an organ so that she could play the one song she knew - "Toora Loora Loora"

Dad would take us over to her house every Saturday morning and Gram would make pancakes from scratch for us kids and the dog.

She had the largest collection of jewelry I've ever seen. Most of it was fake but some real, and expensive, pieces were in the mix. She would let us kids play dress-up with every single piece of it... and her fur coats.

Hubby's grandmother, Miss Hattie, was a feisty little southern lady and farmer's wife. She could cook up the best fried chicken and butter beans I've ever had. And neither was store-bought. The beans were grown in the garden and the chicken had been walking around the yard yesterday.

My favorite Miss Hattie story:

She had been in the garden, hand-pulling weeds. I should mention here that Miss Hattie was about 83 or so at the time. A snake bit her. She left the garden, went to the tool shed, got a hoe, returned to the garden to do battle. The snake, which BTW was a copperhead, lost. Miss Hattie called her son, who called the paramedics. Another battle ensued. She refused to get in the ambulance because the crew would not allow her to take her purse. The situation was finally resolved when her son agreed to follow directly behind the ambulance with Miss Hattie's purse right beside him on the front seat of his truck.

They don't make 'em like that anymore.

Happy Anniversary, Baby Boy!

My son and his bride are celebrating their 2nd wedding anniversary this very day.

Lightning Alley

Central Florida is known as the "Lightning Strike Capital of the World" and the area from Titusville (east coast) through Orlando to Tampa (west coast) is known as Lightning Alley. 

During yesterday afternoon's daily summer thunderstorm there were about 9,200 lightning strikes recorded. 

The really close ones sometime set off our building's fire alarm, which is ear-splitting and cannot be ignored. Those of us who have been here a while know what's going on, and after checking to make sure that the building really isn't on fire, it's kinda fun to listen to the new people run up and down the stairs. 

One couple even 'evacuated' their three cats into their car. Not even in carriers. Just threw 'em in the car. (Note: Kudos to them for thinking of the cats first) 

After the alarm was finally turned off and the storm was over, the real fun came when they tried to get the cats outta the car.

Pic: Icanhascheezburger.com

Changing the Profile

I had to make a slight change in my profile today.

The 39 rolled over to 40.

That's years married.
Well over half my life.

So how does one stay married - to the same person- for forty years?

Three things:
1) always fight fair
2) giving and taking
3) have a sense of humor

Oh, and by giving and taking, I don't mean material things (although those are nice).

A Personal Thank You

... to the two Army helicopter pilots making an unscheduled stop at my son's base in Iraq.

His team was due to leave their FOB, the first step in returning home, but were told that air ops were being halted due to an approaching storm. They could expect a 3-day delay.

My USMC son heard the choppers, checked the board, asked a few questions, and long story short - they got a ride out just ahead of the storm.

The Army pilots dropped them and all their gear off where they needed to be in Baghdad before taking off for their own base.

Thanks to you good guys, my son and his team should make all their scheduled connections and we will see him soon!

Ooo Rah!

Vanishing Act

Barack Obama has reserved seats for the Tuskegee Airmen on the Capitol lawn
to honor "their role in breaking down racial barriers in the United States decades before the civil rights era".

A heroes' welcome is planned.

Well, my dad had a different opinion.

You see, Dad was a US Army Air Corps bomber pilot in Europe and Northern Africa during WW II. Dad did not like having the Tuskegee Airmen as fighter escorts on his missions. Why? Because when German fighters appeared, the TA escort disappeared.

Revisionist history be damned.

New Year's Resolution

I haven't made a New Year's resolution for many years because why bother?

2009 just might be the year to make a resolution, so I think I'll resolve to:

Practice shooting ... in the dark, with someone shouting at you, when out of breath, with your off-hand; and reloading one-handed.

(from Drill Sergeant Joe B. Fricks' Rules For a Gunfight)

Cogito, ergo armatum sum.
(I think, therefore I am armed)

World War II, Revised

To PBS:

  I won't be watching the travesty of historical revisionism you plan to air tonight - "The War of the World: A New History of the 20th Century," based on Niall Ferguson's book "The War of the World: Twentieth Century Conflict and the Descent of the West". 

 You see, revulsion to revisionist history runs in the family. 

  My (late) father served in WW II as a pilot with the 84th Bombardment Squadron, 47th Group in Europe and Northern Africa. 

 For his efforts he received the American Theater Ribbon, 5 Overseas Service Bars, European-African-Middle Eastern Ribbon with 3 Bronze Battle Stars, Distinguished Air Medal and the American Service Medal.

 He had returned from Europe and was on the verge of being sent to the Pacific Theater when Japan surrendered. 

 Dad would not watch the movie "Patton". 

 Not after the 1st time, when 10 or fifteen minutes into the film, Generals Patton and Bradley were discussing the Battle at Kasserine Pass. Patton asked where the air support was ... and Bradley replied, "There was none." 

 Well, according to my dad there was. 

 He should know, he was there. 

 And had 3 planes shot out from under him. 

 I don't think my dad would be watching your so-called documentary either.