§ Here some pink, there some pink...everywhere PINK

There are pink flags just about all across town for October's Breast Cancer Awareness. Even the marina downtown by the seawall is observing...with pink flags. Look over yonder, behind the pier dock...at the yachts' masts. They're along the boardwalk, tied to light poles, on the flagpoles in the marina's park, on shoreline restaurant buildings. Yep, everywhere you look----




And at the large mall...pink mannequins. With ONE white...showing that ONE out of eight women [7 pink and 1 white mannequin] will contract breast cancer






OCTOBER IS Breast Cancer Awareness Month. READ MORE...


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NOW FOR SOME hodgepodge



1. What gives you goosebumps? Cold air hehehehehe. Oh, and to regale a story that happened in our house 7 years ago. We had just moved in. Tired. Getting stuff organized and liveable. We had been in the house for 10 days [we took possession of the house 10/21 ---ten days --you do the math!!...dark, nighttime. Exhausted. Our Tahoe relocated with us, also, from Tucson. The widow that lived here before us...had died. And through the patio door blinds Tahoe was peeking outdoors. Quiet indoors. Quiet as a church mouse actually. Bud and I were just pooped, lazing around. The moon was shining like no other October moon I've ever seen....all of a sudden, a blood curdling growl reverberated the dark living room ---we thought the lady was haunting us. Talk about GOOSEBUMPS!!! After we unglued ourselves from the ceiling, we realized that Tahoe had seen a stray cat in the yard by the moonlight, and she did NOT like the intrusion so growl she did---not just a kitty growl, but a haunting growl....very ghostly-like. I will NEVER EVER forget that night.

2. Halloween-are you a lover or a hater? Okay, that sounds harsh...Halloween-yay or nay? Oh be still my heart...it's most definitely a YAY for me. In fact, Halloween is the entire month of October for this gal. Decorating that is. And I love seeing all the children in costume and being happy. In a friendly neighborhood. Altho, the history of Halloween is based on religions of the old world [read here] --society today has changed its meaning.

..."the customs connected with the day are remnants of the ancient religious beliefs and rituals, first of the Druids and then transcended amongst the Roman Christians who conquered them. "

3. Can you respect someone you do not trust, and can you trust someone you do not respect? Oh oh...I feel a blond attack comin' on. Say what? Let me re-read the question. Okay...I think I got it now. So, to clarify my answer before you read it; definition of RESPECT [1. To feel or show deferential regard for 2. To avoid violation of or interference with] To answer the first part...why, yes.....I respect someone I don't trust. And stay the heck away from him ---for instance a known sex offender. Or maybe someone following me ---I hafta respect the fact that I want to keep my distance. Now on to the second part ---That's pretty simple I think. No, I don't trust someone I can't respect. Did I get that right?!! Lordy. That was a mind bender question. Was it as good for you as it was for me?!?!!! Okay...moving on---

4. Apples or oranges? Yes, you have to choose. I'm gonna be a little diplomatic and answer this as straight as I can without winking....Here goes...Apples in Autumn. Oranges in Winter. Actually, the preference would be seasonal. If apples are in season....well, you get my gist then, right?

5. What is something you wish was in your town? (shop, restaurant, attraction, etc) Easy peasy....a ZOO!!! The closest one is in San Antonio.

6. What non-food item is in your refrigerator or freezer? Don't laugh. The answer is chicken bones. No...not a food item for me...Yep. And the reason they're in there is because we don't want them stinkin' up the trash container because of the high afternoon temps. We wait 'til our city's trash pick up day, then put 'em in to have 'em hauled away.

7. Are you at all superstitious? No. :::tossing a few grains of salt over my shoulder:::

8. Insert your own random thought here. I doubt whether we're going to get a big 'crop' of pecans from the tree this year. As I looked up the other day, watching two squirrels robbin' us ---I noticed how small the pecans are that are up there. I'm sure it's all because of the drought this summer; bummer. Oh, and I can't wait for Thanksgiving weekend this year. No cookin' for me. Yay.

Thursday, March 5th, 2009
2:10 A.M.

[On Feb. 6th, it would have been Dave's 79th birthday]

My sister-in-law



[Leah, holding Karen, Steven and husband, Dave]

1] Her name: Leah

2] She is almost 4 years older than Bud

3] She is a retired secretary

4] She has four children, her oldest, Steve is a doctor, Jim, Karen and the 'baby' of the family, Christopher.

5] She is a grandmother

6] Her husband died in 2005, he was a retired teacher, and they both operated a farm.

7] She always reminded me of Keely Smith

8] I met her in 1968

9] She was born in Colorado Springs, Colorado

10] She was the 1st born child [Bud was the 2nd]

11] Her middle name is the same as her Grandmother's, her mother's, her daughter's and her granddaughter's.

12] She just returned from a European trip with her sister-in-law

13] This past week, she had a brain tumor removed. At first the surgeons and specialists thought it benign, but after the biopsy, it was malignant. And there is little doubt that she will survive much longer. There is not much hope with ALL brain tumor patients as of this blog entry. I'm torn by all the past week's events, and dread any phone calls. Her life has been a full, wonderful and productive life, and it all saddens me to know that her time with us is shortened by the body's cells building within her now. They are telling the immediate family [her children] that there is a goodly chance the removal of the mass was successful, but...and that is a big 'but' it is in a section of the brain that nearly always has regrowth, and it is usually a rapid growth. I've done extensive genealogy research on both Bud's and my side of the family and this is the first cancer with both. So I'm wondering, just what caused it...was it a lifestyle, something on the farm, her surroundings at work, a childhood trauma involving the skull, a blood clot that made the cells go awry, something she ingested? What? Her future and time left with us here, is now in the hands of the almighty.
I rarely post about anything that is of a negative, and this too is not on the negative 'feel sorry for me and Bud' type post. It's something we'll deal with and tho she will be missed when her time comes, it's still a positive post, because I got to meet her and know her as a wonderful lady; that was a gift to my own life.