FUN MONDAY - SIGN UP HERE

Okay, I got tagged, I mean, volunteered to host next week’s Fun Monday, July 14, 2008.
What was I thinking? Oh I just wanted to see what adjectives you would use to describe me.

The next assignment if you WISH to take it on is:

As of late I have been consumed with preparation for my Father’s aka “The Old One” Birthday, he will be turning 90 on August 8th and we are doing a family reunion, expecting about 100 people in all. So for your assignment lets hear about your favorite “Birthday”, it needn’t be your actual birthday just a "birthday" celebration. You can use one you planned, one you attended, one you crashed, just a fun time for this FUN MONDAY’S assignment, and of course you can use one of your very on Birthdays.

**NOTE** Let me know in the comments that you want to play and I’ll hook you up. Also, leave a note if you’re interested in hosting the next FM really need a volunteer here.

Sorry no fancy sticky post maybe some day I’ll learn how to do all that fancy blogging

Following are brave souls have already signed up for next week's FUN MONDAY:

1. From The Planet Of Janet
2. Lisa's Chaos (STS Second to Sign)
3. Olive
4. aoj & the lurchers
5. alison - RDH Mom
6. Hootin' Anni
7. Arkansas' Songbird - Quarter Notes
8. Swampangel65 - A Florida Journal
9. i Post - Nine Acres: 20 miles North of Nowhere
10. Mama Rehema
11. Swampwitch - Anecdotes (How about Beef? Beefcake that is)
12. Grand life
13. Susan's musings - A Slice of Life
14. Peter - Holtie's House
15. Molly - Return of the White Robin
16. Chrisb - Mscellania
17. The Food Snob
18. Ari 1965 - Beyond My Slab (Oh so Polite What's Up? did the Meds kick in?)
19. Melanie - Our Happy Happenings
20. Hula girl at heart - Growing Older But Not Up
21. Sayre - SayreSmiles
22. Jan - The Prytz Family
23. Jo Beaufoix
24. Karisma - Karisma and kids
25. Equoni
26. Gattina - Writer Cramps
27. Irish Coffeehouse (Next Week's Gracious Host -Thanks for vollinteering)
28. Tiggerlane
29. Robin - Pensieve
30. Heather - Heather's Recipes
31. Sandy - Myanderings-Myanderings
32. Faye - Summit Musings
33. Storyteller - Small Reflections
34. ~Your Name HERE~

FUN MONDAY - Fish Stories

It’s FUN MONDAY time again are our host, the joyful and introspective Olive, and I have the privilage to call a friend.

The Host - Olive from UR OLIVE

The Assignment - Olive would like to hear about your *whopper* of a fishing story. Yes, you heard it correctly whether it is fictional or non fictional she want to hear a fishing story from us. An example would be if you catch a minnow and tell it that you caught a swordfish (exaggeration is the operative word here). Did you hear me say show your photo(s)? Of course you did – be creative.

Way back in the late 70’s I took a few extra class and got that HS diploma a semester earlier. Since I was 13, I had been working under the table at a local grocery store. Well really not under a table, but off the books (too young you know) so when I turned 17, I went to the Flo (cashier manager) to see about getting a job (Cashier seam like a glamour job, I stock shelves, picked though fruit, and got to clean the butcher shop. She Flo informed me that I was too young. I told Gig (my coworker to let Sullivan know, If I wasn’t good enough to work on the book I wasn’t good enough to work off the books either and I would find another job). Well before I made it the 500 feet to the house Sully and Donnie had both called to get me back. But I needed a change, made nice with the owner, of course it may have help that I called him Uncle Sully (though he was no blood relative, and that I knew him and his wife since my birth.) Also at one time or another we all worked at the store including my grandfather who was a meat cutter, for a short time because Sully needed the help. So, I knew if I needed a summer, part time, or holiday job there would always be one at Pechin's

The prices featured here are in cents. The picture is NOT doctored, and it's from 2006 (notice how they call them Freedom Fries?) This menu was on the wall in Pechin's Cafeteria in Dunbar. They opened about 50 years ago. Unfortunately, the whole shopping strip (all of it Pechins) this place burned down last year, shortly after Sully died. When I work there the special was 69 cents (veg. potatoes mashed, and a meat usually meat loaf or Salisbury stake (other than the shape I couldn’t tell the difference)) We thought it was great fund to wear T-Shirt Pechins 69 cent special - I was too naive to get the double entendre.

So I needed a change and my sole mate (or so I thought at the time) got a job in Oklahoma as whitewater guide on the Arkansas River, for the summer. So what was I to do. Infer (never actual saying what I was doing) I was head off once again, to one of the numerous summer camp that my parents send me to year after year. (Could be as a kid when I was left home, to play for more than three days, there would be an emergency room visit or that they just didn’t like me.) In my parents eyes, I have never aged past 1. Summer camp was a staple in my life so they would not imagined, anything diffrent. So with sleeping bag in the trunk off I headed to Oklahoma to be with Jesse. (Insert Hearthrob here.)

Now I figure I would get a job as a camp cook, or supply boat something on that order. I did have the charm and smooch that Jesse did but I was a good hard worker and didn't think there would be a problem finding a job. There wasn’t, the company that ran the whitewater rafting also ran a ranch. A sheep ranch! Yep a sheep hearder on the Manasha Ridge. So after me physical and dental appointment (they want you to be in good health, there are no sick days watching sheep eat), I was set up to my camp. This could be why I hate camping to this day. All summer long this was my home.

My wagon was not this nice and I don't think it was any where this big.

There was a lot of quiet and a lot of time to think. My job was pretty uneventful, just me, two dogs, (they knew the job better than I did, if they could use the bag phone and get their own kibble there would have been no use for me at all). The sheep were newly sheared and given the shots etc. all clear for a nice long uneventful summer.

My highlight of the week was when Jesse came on his day off, (Mondays and Tuesays)bring fresh meat and real vegetables and fruit (else both were canned I hate canned peas and never could eat canned meats) Once a month I would get three days off and on these days I would meet Jesse and we would go be tourist. I was starved for people and he just wanted to get away from it all (his job required him to deal and play nice nice with people all day long) so we would usual go out with a group of friend to an out of the way place meeting both our needs. It was on when of these excoriation. Jesse, I and a few of our friends head over to Paul Valley. Paul Valley, “Action Figure” capital of the country maybe even the world.

AZRAEL

When his father died, college student Jean-Paul Valley discovered a secret legacy: he was the last defender of the secret Order of St. Dumas, a religious sect that split from the Knights Templar during the Crusades. When he donned his special costume and gave in to the System, the psychological conditioning program he had been subjected to since an infant, he became Azrael, the avenging angel. Batman chose him to use his skills in support of the war on crime, but when he went too far, it led to a confrontation between Batman and his replacement. Never trust a grown man into action figures

So after viewing the muesum, we headed out onto the water, for the boys to try their hand (pun intended) at NOODLING (video not for young ears or eyes). Noodling is a testosterone driven activity and something no sane person would do. But wait, the same maybe said of whitewater rafting and I loved the rush that that gives you. Well the boys were all playing in the muddy water as Helga and I were sunning ourselves on the boat. Well it was hot and I was laying on the boat not real thinking and the boys were all playing in the water. So I lazely dangle my hand/arm into the water. Wam the next thing you something has grab my arm. I did want every red blooded American would do. SCREAM and yank my arm out of the murky water. What should I see but a 30lb catfish dangling from my arm. Jesse, and the other boys all swim over and assisted in the abstraction of my arm from that fish’s mouth. Can you believe they wanted me to eat that monster, sorry there isn’t tequila in the entire state to get me to play that game, I stick with some good BBQ.

That’s my story and I sticking to it.

Thanks for stopping by so for other Fish story head over to UR OLIVE for the rest of the stories.

FUN MONDAY - Quirks quarks quarts

It’s FUN MONDAY time again are our lovely host, not just in body but in sprit, is Lisa over at Lisa's Chaos. I know her best as, the “Bandit” with a bow.



The Host - Lisa from Lisa's Chaos



The Assignment - Lisa would like to what our quirks are. A quirk is defined as a peculiarity of action, behavior, or personality; mannerism. We are all unique individuals, having quirks that help make us who we are. Confess to one, confess to ten, you decide. Just come back Monday ready to spill the beans, the rest of the world may look at you like you are from Mars, but you‘re among friends here. We won’t laugh, in fact that eccentricity just may endear you to us more.



The first thing that came to mind when I heard about this weeks FM is a game the Fencing Team played. Yes, I fenced back in the day. No, not barbed wire or chain link. You need to realize in fencing you spend a lot of time starring at you opponent. Anyway we would play game (sort of on the order of charades’) who am I. We would imitate another fencer and say “Who am I”. What was funny about this game is if we pick someone from our own team - they almost never could identify themselves, the rest of the team would just howl. I think we can see other quirks much better than we can spot our own but here goes - for I do like to consider myself unique and special.



1. I can’t spell - this is no secret. I am well aware of the fact, I can’t spell. If it weren’t for spell check you wouldn’t have a clue what I’m writing about. As it is you only have to decipher the occasional wrong word, deal with the wrong tense, and the complete lack of grammar. I don’t punctuate either, well I try but I’m sure in the wrong spots. It seam to be a running gag among my friends and the source of great amusement.

2. I like points completely useless point they don’t have to be connected to any prize or game just points. I see them as hugs without all that touchy feely stuff. But I wonder if I also see them as I kind of approval? Or if it is my completive nature rearing it’s ugly head? I realized I had a problem with this when my mother passed away back in 2000, and I was competing to have the best flower arrangement in the cemetery. Every week I would drive over and check the graves, I had to change out the flowers every month, and would be completely crushed if someone some one visited the grave and didn’t say how nice the arrangement was. I was joneing bad. Can’t recall the exact time I realized what I was doing, but it wasn’t till after I had a real chance to morn my mother‘s death. I still go and change out the arrangements (when I’m in the area) but I try and put flowers out that my mother would enjoy and I no longer feel this need to win.

3. I kick my right foot when I trying to fall asleep but can’t. I realized that the entire family is aware of this quark as one of the great grand babies was put down for a nap and he was kicking is right leg, and everyone thought it was so cute he was imitating Great Auntie. Brat!

4. I blow air up into my face when I frustrated or over stressed. I also sometime make motor sounds for the same reason.

5. I use the term “I’m going to kill” or “stab you” when I reality I’m not. Well at least not kill you. But my sister has taken all the knives out of the house to keep me from stabbing the “Old One”.

Truth is I think he is going to break her before he does me.

6. I asked a friend what one of my quirks were - he said I was too nice. I think this is BS but I need to get to 10 so that I can get all the points and win. LOL

7. I regular carry on conversation with myself in my head and do simple math problems, some time at the same time.

8. I check out shopping carts - I fear I will become a bag person and want to be prepared. Lowes is the present winner but Sam’s club is running a close second.

9. I ask another friend and all she came up with is I can’t spell - yep know that one.

10. I don’t really have a number 10 just including it thinking by now you have gotten tired of reading this blog and will give me points lots and lots of points.

Thanks for stopping by - now go a check out the other quirky people over at Lisa's Chaos

Meme - I got Tagged again

Chris over at A Florida Journal tagged me for a fun little meme. How did she know I just got back??

So this is the deal:
1. Pick up the nearest book.
2. Open to page 123.
3. Find the 5th sentence
4. Post the next three sentences
5. Tag five people, and acknowledge who tagged you.

Soooo...here it is -
The first four closest books are an Atlas, two dictionaries (who would have thunk) and than one that only had 96 page so we are now at book five. The book is Myth, Legend & Romance - An Encyclopedia of the Irish Folk Tradition by Dr Daithi O hOgain .
Page 123, the 6th, 7th and 8th sentences are as follows:

One curious description dramatizes the ritual contrast between ’true’ and ‘false’ kingship (q.v.) - when Laughaidh gives the wrong verdict on the sheep one side of his palace collapses, but it stays and falls no further when Cormac gives the correct verdict.

Thus Cormac is made the founder of the true kingship, and this is underlined by the claim that he restored Tara ‘as it had never been before’ and built the before’ and built the great ‘Fortress of the Kings’ and other edifies there.

Some ideas used in the development of the myth are quite clear.

Not the book I currently reading just the one nearest the computer.
Fearless Fourteen is the one I just about to start and than a have a bag full of other good given to me by one of my bestest friends.

Oh, so now I have to tag 5 people. Hmmm....I’ll pass on that part of it.

FUN MONDAY - Those were the days

This week’s FUN MONDAY HOST is the effervescent Molly - from Retunofthewhiterobin.

The ASSIGNMENT - to describe a happy memory from your childhood. If possible, include pictures with your reminiscing. Perhaps, for some us remembering the past may bring back some unhappy times too. But, for today, let us remember the good times.



All in all me young childhood was pretty happy - while I come from a large family I was the last of the litter and many years after the rest in someway like being an only child with absentee parents. We all know that while there are hundreds of pictures of the first child, and some of the second child, the third child only with the other two. By the time I show up we are down to group photos at school, camp or those taken by the neighbors took of their ones or twos. But the assignment was happy memories. Almost every memory I have for my Grandfather is happy. Having sweet hot tea with a cracker in a saucer at the kitchen table, walking around the woods, building stuff, play in the garden. I spent so much time with that old man, I was know as “Jake’s Shadow”

Below is a photo of my Grandfather, with my Dad back when Daddy first went off to the Army, This photo was taken just a little before WWII almost twenty years before I was even a gleam in his eye. But it is Gandpa that I want you to notice.

Did you notice the flowers in his right hand? In my memories Grandpa was tall (he was 6’ tall so I guess my memories were right) and thin and always wore a white shirt - suite and tie on Sunday, for church. In my eyes he was wonderful, and he made me feel as if I was extraordinary. We had a special relationship that only kids and Grandparents can.
In his younger days his was a grounds keeper for a local high school and when we retired he came and lived with us. We were always either out in the woods or out playing in dirt. He was the unofficial grounds keeper of the neighborhood. We would weed gardens, trim bushes, prune trees and we sometime would add flower, shrub, or tree to a neighbor's yard and on occasion transplant plants from one neighbors yard to another. I recall a day when we took clipping from a particular (snotty) neighbor’s bush and propagated it to another neighbor yard. Well the said neighbor got all upset and inform Grandpa in not so kind words that he did not appreciate him giving the other neighbors his special exotic plants. Well Grandpa just smile and said he understood what he was saying and he herd what he said. As soon as he left we took three more clippings. I looked at him and he told me sometime you have to do what you think is right. The bush was going to die where he planted it, and it wasn’t some exotic plant, it is was native to the area and at one time there were lots of them around. Man is his hurry to build bigger houses killed most of them off in there rush. We needed to restore the balance. He didn’t lie he never said he wasn't going to take any more clipping he only said he heard and understood what he was saying. He wasn’t deaf and he has a pretty good grasp on the English languish. Yep Grandpa was a character.

Thanks for Stopping By for my humble offering.
You can see other FM post form over at Retunofthewhiterobin.

FUN MONDAY - I made it myself.

Our lovely and talented host for this week is karismaskids.

The topic for Fun Monday this week is......I MADE IT MYSELF!

I think the title pretty much says it all, but for those of you who may still be wondering, I would like to see or hear about things you have made with your own two hands (or feet, Im not fussy!) We all have different talents and abilities, maybe you like to sew or knit, chisel or sculpt, draw or paint? Whatever your talent is, please share it with us this week.Da Rules.....Well there are not any really! But you know, we all know that you made your kids so lets NOT choose them this time. (After all you did not make them with your hands or feet did you?)Well as I sit here at an old oak table that hasn’t a nail anywhere in it, that was stripped and finished by my mother and me when I was in High school looking at my gnarled and scared hands thinking back on what all they have made.
A little of this and some of that but sadly no pictures, pretty much ran the gambit for potholder to help building a home. So to be sporting here is a picture of a Doll one of the Grand children gave my mom, (yep she quilted and so did everyone who visited).

Thanks for stopping by and, please visit the other handy posts for FUN MONDAY

Tag, You're It!

I've Been TaggedChris swampangel65 tagged me for this little meme.

The rules of the game get posted at the beginning. Each player answers the questions about themselves. At the end of the post, the player then tags 4 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know they’ve been tagged and asking them to read your blog. Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve posted your answers.

a) What was I doing 10 years ago?10 years ago was 1998...

I had just moved back home to PA, my Mother was ill an so I had told the evil company that I work for there was more important thing than work and I was head home. Dam it they did find me a job less than 20 miles for the house, it was in our power division the first 12 years I was in the environmental division working on remediation moving once aver year or two. So I spent the next two years cooking without salt, and living at home. Mom along with a lot of other issues had conjunctive heart failure and was recovering from a second stroke. Beside family and work little else was going on.

b) What are 5 things on my to-do list for today:

Empty one box
Plant the rest of the annual in the front yard and the alyssum around the roses in the back yard.
Get a new wallet (I hate shopping)
Find some red snap dragons, and sun flowers for the garden.
Design pin for Dads 90th birthday.

c) Snacks I enjoy:

Potato chips all potato chips (current favorite is salt and pepper)Berry Strawberries, blackberries, raspberries etc. Nuts
Fresh Pineapples.
And of course peanut butter

d) Things I would do if I were a billionaire:

Set up a fund to take care of the family.Grab Chris, and David and go traveling, New Zealand is first stop. Not just the tourist stuff but the adventure stuff to. Buy property everywhere I want
Open a restaurant
Set up a fund for girls/women in 3rd world country.

e) Places I have lived:

Dunbar, Pa
Youngwood, PA
State College PA
Farmington, NM
Salt Lake City, UT
Green River, UT
Ambrosia Lake/Grants, NM
Albuquerque, NM
Durango, CO
Lakeview, OR
Fall City, TX
Oliver Springs, TN
Weaverly, OH
Etc etc etc.

And who am I tagging?
Well I’m going to pass on the tagging as I don’t really know that many blogger yet.