The Virgins of All View Motel

In the last part of 1961 and the early months of 1962, there was a period of time where I lived with girl friends in Port Angeles as we partied our way through junior college.  Didn't take too long to figure out we weren't college material...but that's another story.  One of the places we lived was All View Motel, a place I pass today whenever I go to the library.

Our unit was the one pictured above on the left with the lawn chairs out front.  It had a kitchen and bedroom along with the living room (where I slept on a hide-abed couch)  We didn't live there too terribly long because we were rude and immature and asked to find another place to sleep. Since that time, Ruth, Sharon, and I have referred to ourselves as "The Virgins of All View."  I vaguely  remember a song we made up about ourselves but thankfully, I can't recall the words.

Birthday cards between us these 50 years later often make reference to our "virgin" days. This is the one I got from Sharon on Tuesday when we met at the casino for lunch. I pasted on pictures this morning to jazz it up a little. The faces are a little older than how we looked in 1961/62. The one of me and Ruth was taken in 1976 and the one of Sharon on the right was in the early to mid 2000s. Ahhhh...the glory days of youth!

John O'Brien stopped in for a couple of hours yesterday. Our plan was for me to give him a few lessons on Facebook. He brought his own laptop but unfortunately, we never could figure out my password for my Wifi connection so I had to just show him a little bit on my timeline.

Jenni invited me to go to bingo with her and the kids last night but I declined.  Just can't seem to cultivate much energy for anything except naps this week. I wish I could shake this bug (if that's what it is) as I've got plenty of projects just waiting in the wings.  (Hunter did win $50)

I posted a short piece on my Leader blog of 'What do you say' this morning, and I also sat out on the front porch determined to get some hummingbird pictures once and for all.

Am thinking I might pull out the lawnmower later today and give the front a quick  trim. Am also playing with the idea of putting tulip bulbs in the ground both in the front and back.  I hesitate to plant in the front because of the deer but I have so many bulbs that I may  put a few right under my window and hope they don't venture that close. Not today, though. Have to have more energy than what is being generated right now.

Here's a couple flower shots my cousin, Marlee, took on her walk in Gig Harbor.

 

And here's a picture of my half sister, Marion, in NC

I think she resembles Kate, another half sister in PA

 

Oh YAY!  Yvonne just called to tell me she's cooking up a beans and pork dish and offered me a meal.  Now I can put away the ground turkey I took out to thaw and wasn't all that enthused about in the first place. Just love it when somebody else fixes supper.

 

Next Wednesday I'm driving to Bremerton to visit Carol Rustad Musial. We've been pals since 4th grade but seldom see each other anymore. I think I'll hit Michael's while I'm there too. And maybe Joanne's Fabric.  I seldom ever go to Bremerton (or even Silverdale mall) but sometimes you just have to bite the bullet and force yourself out of the county.

 

Well,  I think I'll cut up some boxes I've been saving in the garage as my supply is more than I really need and tomorrow is recycle truck day.  After that...well... there's always a nap.

 

Off to Blyn

Sitting here having my second cup of coffee and trying AGAIN to catch a picture of the hummingbirds. Everytime I see them stop to eat, I grab my camera for a close up and they decide they're not in the mood for posing. I'll get 'em sooner or later, though.  Always a little puzzling why the crows come around, then stop for a few weeks, then come around again. I've noticed them the last two weeks on lawns up and down my street. They're also difficult to catch on film but this is what I do. I know darn well they can see me through the window as I watch them watching me.  Does make for a good photo, though, if there are a dozen or more walking around on your lawn looking for...I don't know...worms?

I started taking two magazines this month.  I looked over Rolling Stone online and it seemed to have a lot of articles I thought I might enjoy. You couldn't read them unless you had a subscription so I signed up -- at least for a few months to see how it goes.  I also started this subscription for a magazine called 'ShopSmart'. I think it's an offshoot of Consumer Reports.  I got a flyer in my junk mail and stopped to look it over and I'm glad I did. It's a meaty magazine with lots of tips and stories for people of all ages. Yesterday I got 13 catalogs in my mailbox. Tossed them all!

Later in the day....

Had a nice lunch with the girls (and John O) at the casino.

John had ridden his bicycle in from Sequim where he's visiting his sister but he got directed wrong and pedaled way out of his way in the wrong direction trying to find the trail that runs along the highway.  He came in all sweaty with his backpack on and next thing we knew, a security lady was standing there requesting he show the contents of his pack.  Yep!  This is what those wackos from across the water have turned our country into.

I got lots of fun gifts so even though I didn't win on the slots, I was mostly playing with "gift money."
Linda gave me a CD of some PT guys in a group called Shady Grove. I'm anxious to hear it.

                  Hank Snelgrove, Don Fristoe, Larry Costello, and Chet Rideout
Took a picture of a tree in my backyard that is starting to change color. I do love autumn shades. Poor lawn sure looks dreadful, though.

And here's a picture of John with his bicycle. He said he plans to "maybe" ride it over here tomorrow so he can get a Facebook lesson.  I warned him that PA is awfully hilly -  especially in my end of town.

Well, I think I'll go make up some salads now. I stopped at Jack in the Box on the way home to use my gift card and picked up a chicken salad. I'll add more things to it and then divide it up into three meals. They're pretty tasty.

And what is this thing?  I saw it in the bathroom stall at the casino.

My finger is still burning and causing me grief. It will be three weeks tomorrow since that doctor (that I'll never visit again) used her expertise with liquid nitrogen.

It's not oozing so I assume it's not infected but man oh man, it hurts 24/7. I think she went too deep. And my, doesn't my hand look OLD?!  Oh yeah, I almost forgot. I am old.


Here's the website of the PT band "Shady Grove"  You can hear a clip of their music there.

http://shadygrovetheband.com/

Last week of September

It's 8:30 a.m. and I feel like I should take a nap.  I don't know how my body clock got so screwed up. I looked forward eagerly to the Emmys yesterday and sat down at 3 pm to watch the pre-show with the stars showing off their dresses, shoes, jewelry, and hair.  That was kind of interesting.  Anyhow, I sat there crocheting (like the good granny I am) and before the Emmy Show itself was over, I was yawning and watching the clock.

I actually went to bed at 7:55, and while I did read for a while, I discovered I really wanted to call it a day.  I still haven't made up my mind if the memory foam mattress is helping me sleep better or if I need to take it off and go back to my firm mattress. I've been switching them back and forth for months trying to get a really good nights sleep, but alas......I think my days of sleeping like a baby are gone for good.

Frequent trips to the bathroom don't help any but I suppose I don't really want to get to that stage of life where I can't make it to the bathroom and have to start investing in Depends.  Life is so hard sometimes.  I'm on my second cup of coffee but I seriously doubt it's going to wake me up.  I did crawl out of bed at 3:30 (because my back was killing me) and tried finishing up my snooze in the recliner.  Just wasn't as restful as I thought it would be and I finally got up at 6 and decided my day had now begun.

John O'Brien is stopping by around noon so I can give him some Facebook lessons.  I don't understand a whole lot about FB myself but I suppose we can muddle through the basics. He's joining us girls tomorrow for lunch at the casino.  I wonder if his wife knows he's going to be dining with 7 or 8 women.  Hee Hee

I always look forward to the Oscars and the Emmys. More so than the Grammys, Tonys, and People Choice awards. I've completely given up on the country music awards as few of them know how to sing a REALLY GOOD country song.  But, back to the Emmys...... Talk about boring and disappointing.  I felt like I was watching a bunch of junior high boys showing off. I don't think I laughed once.  Sometimes you give comedians a stage and they suddenly think we're all being entertained.  Nope. 

I guessed pretty close on all the categories. Wasn't that excited about the actor and actress wins for comedy and I would have liked Sofia Vergara to win over Julie Bowen but I think everyone knew Eric Stonestreet was gonna win.  He makes me laugh out loud every week.

I don't subscribe to Showtime or HBO so I missed seeing a lot of the shows that I think I would have liked--Especially Boardwalk Empire and Homeland.  I was glad Aaron Paul won for Breaking Bad and that Maggie Smith got it for Downton Abbey. Also thought Kevin Costner and Tom Berenger deserved their wins for Hatfields & McCoys.

I'm glad they finally gave Tom Bergeron a statue for Dancing with the Stars and I think I would have liked that show to win over The Amazing Race this time around.

Got a phone call from my son wishing me a belated happy birthday and he said his dogs are living with other people now.  I'm glad because he was gone too much to have them penned up at home. Maya has lost a lot of weight and doesn't even look the same. Here's now and how she looked a few months back.

 

Has anybody had problems with Gmail this week?  It won't let me insert addresses from my address book. I have to put them in manually.  Can't imagine how that happened.  I guess I better get up and get moving or I'll never wake up.  Oh, I just rememberd...I wanted to post a picture my cousin, Marlee, sent me while she was on her walk in Gig Harbor.  I'm always intrigued by pictures of the homeless. Not sure why. I guess I just can't imagine living like that and would like to know how they manage.

 



Nine-TWO-TWO-twelve

Ahhhh...one more year and I will have made it to my seventies! Lordy!  It makes me happy and sad at the same time. 

I thought it was going to be cloudy but the sun came out after all. Didn't matter as I opted to stay inside all day long.  Was kind of tired so I spent a good part of the day napping in my recliner, waking up to read, going back to snooze again, waking up to eat or work a crossword puzzle, surfing the net, watching tv...just fun stuff.

I did manage to get a load of laundry washed and fresh sheets on the bed so I guess that was productive enough for a 69th birthday. Tomorrow Yvonne and I will hang out for a few hours while the realtors have an open house.  I think we'll hit Sunday yard sales and go to KFC for some chicken.

I was going to go to Jenni's for dinner but we postponed for a week as she's under the weather. I wanted to make sure I was home to watch the Emmy's at 5 o'clock anyhow.  Sue and I were going to go to lunch but she got called in to work at the last minute so we'll catch up next weekend.

I was watching the 1954 horror flick "THEM" and when I looked up the cast on IMDB, I saw that an old soap opera favorite of mine was playing a cop in one of the scenes. I'll have to watch it again to see if I can recognize him. I don't watch soaps these days but back in 1964-1967 I was hooked on General Hospital.  Nurse Jessie and Dr. Hardy. (Hardy was played by John Beradino)

Here's the pictures I took today....
I noticed a whole lot of birds out front and after a while, a few robins came to look things over. I noticed one old bird watching me from the window and I suspected he wanted in the birdbath so I kept out of sight. I was right.

Think I'll go out there and fill the bath up with fresh water. It's been getting a good workout.  Later in the afternoon I noticed the neighbor lady, Gretal, out with her two dogs, Lucky and Teddy. Just had to run out and take a picture.

I did a little transcribing of my 2006 diary.  It pretty much put me to sleep. I have got to work harder at writing interesting stuff in my journals. Here's two entries from May of that year.

5-25-06: A potato caught fire in my microwave.

5-26-06: Had a good time with the twins. Taught them out to play marbles. We hung hummingbird feeders.

Yep!  Totally exciting.

Well, back to my recliner.  I certainly had interesting dreams last night. Lots of people showed up that aren't with us anymore.  Hope that doesn't mean I'm joining them soon. 

Changes in technology

Even though tomorrow is technically the first day of autumn, it's lookin' mighty "fall-ish" out there now. I've got sprinklers hooked up in both the front and back lawns but I'll most likely put them away this weekend.  I had moved all the fans to the garage a week ago and then had to retrieve a couple back as mother nature tried to make up her mind.  This morning I put them in the back bedroom but I'm sure they'll get moved to the garage this week.

I'm reading "Wild" by Cheryl Strayed in bed at night and "Dark Star" (about Roy Orbison) in my recliner during the day. Both are quite good.  I've been transcribing diary notes off and on, and  I'm glad I decided to omit all references to body pain, the weather, chores, errands, and who I was pissed off at that day.  Yep! I'll have several years' worth of diaries transcribed in no time at all.

I got a birthday package in the mail yesterday but promised Mary I wouldn't open it until tomorrow. I did open the card, though...and laughed.  She had written "Happy 69th"  (heh heh heh!)  She told me later that Andy remarked that he couldn't believe the things Mary and I discussed sometimes as he would NEVER think of saying something like that to his mother!  I mentioned the card to Jenni this morning when she dropped off the dog and she chuckled and told me a story about a girl friend of hers who used to be a bingo calller. She said it took her years to NOT LAUGH when O-69 popped up.

My mute button is sure getting a lot of use lately.  I'm especially weary of the ads for both sides that are running for governor, but especially Jay Inslee's.  I'm also sick and tired of hearing about the mother who is glad her lesbian daughter will have a happy life after "she lays her head down for the last time." 

I can't believe the air time the latest phone is getting.  People sleeping on the sidewalk to get their hands on a new device reminds me of people who speed up when they know the road is changing from two to one lane and they MUST be in front!  I've got a smart phone (thanks to Mary and Andy) and there are days that I wonder if I will ever be the master of it.  Mary plans a trip over this direction next month so I'm writing down all the things I need a lesson with.  Stuff like putting my picture up so it appears to other people when I call them, and making the dang device NOT CHIME when it's updating or telling me I have a message, and how to take and post a picture immediately to Facebook or my Picasa album.

I haven't really mastered texting yet (and don't really care to) but it is annoying when I call a place and have to choose a number depending on what service I want.....and then discover my screen has gone black so I have to touch another button to bring it back and then another button to get the keypad.  I know it's a fast changing world but when your brain cells are aging, it's hard to keep up.  I must admit, however, that it is fascinating to see the technology when I think back to how phones were when I was 9 years old.

When I look around my house and make a note of everything that is different from my days as a child, it's a reminder of just how fast our world is moving.This room alone....color tv, remote, laptop, computer, flatscreen monitor, printer, mouse, wi-fi device, cable box, cd player, cassette player, ipod with earplugs, battery operated ten-key, digital camera, police scanner, wood tv trays, floor pad, and even my coffee cup---a mug with a Port Townsend scene.

Yvonne is having a realtor's open house on Sunday so she has to leave for a few hours. I'm picking her up and we'll tootle around town to see the sights and take pictures. Might take a drive out to Salt Creek and see what the beach is like there.  And maybe we'll go to Kentucky Fried Chicken for lunch. Was playing with the idea of taking in a matinee as I'd like to see the Meryl Streep & Tommy Lee Jones flick but I'm sure it will be out on video in no time-- just like that Judi Dench film is now that I never made it to the theatres to see.

Mary told me I needed to give Sons of Anarchy another chance because their opening season show was just to grab ratings and they've calmed down.  I did tape it the other night thinking I would watch it once more so I'll give it a look-see today.  I watched Crocodile Dundee last night on AMC and they had little notes at the bottom of the screen throughout the movie talking about the region, the actors, how Austrailia and the world took to the film, etc.  Very interesting.  I may tune in again to movies where they give you inside data.

A couple nights ago I watched this movie called "The Last House on the Left."  OMG!  It was sooooo violent.  Kind of like a horror movie only (and this is the sad part) realistic because it could happen. Especially in our world today.  It was a remake of a 1972 flick (I'd seen that one too and remembered it because it was such a scary concept).  The mother in this latest movie has a part on the TV show 'Parenthood' and one of the bad guys is a star on 'Breaking Bad.'  It was unsettling but I couldn't turn it off.

Hmmm...it does look like drizzle out my window.  I'm wondering if that haze will disappear by this afternoon. I'm betting not. Well, time to get busy.  Here's a song by the Bee Gees that I enjoy...

Sammy meets a neighbor

Sammy was watching 'Teddy' from the window and I could tell he really needed to get out there and smell his butt!  So we took a walk out into the street. Teddy is 2 months old.

I made a quick run over to nearby Lincoln Park to see if I could get some video of Hunter running in his cross country meet.  I was a half hour early so I filmed them warming up instead.

                                Hunter on the left

                            Hunter second from the left

                                Hunter in the middle

I came home and tried several time to post it on Facebook and while it would show up if you clicked on the YouTube Title, it was just a white screen if you clicked on the arrow in the middle of the film. Facebook is complicated AND ANNOYING sometimes.

I finished up my red,white, and blue table mat. Practiced with my free style sewing presser foot but I obviously need a little instruction as it looks dorky on the back.

Yvonne and I went to Subway for lunch. I had a gift card from Lizzie girl  so she was surprised to have her sandwich paid for.  We drove down to the waterfront to eat. Fog was pretty thick out over the bay.

Tomorrow I think I'll take another run at learning how to transfer cassettes to CDs.  I did it once but only got so far and I need to try again.  Mary G. sent me a whole bunch of scratch tickets in my birthday card so I think I'll go in and start playing with those to see how rich I am.

The Perfect Secretary

Found this video on the Mad Men collection and thought it worthy.

I'm going to have to start watching The Simpsons more regularly. I've always thought they were funny but I never did make it a point to always tune in.  I came across it the other night while surfing and laughed and laughed and laughed again.  Their parodies of life are so on the button.  More than once I've half listened to Spongebob Squarepants when the kids had it on and I'd find myself looking up with interest, laughing, and then looking at the kids to see if "they got it."  Odd little show but definitely entertaining.

Everytime the CMA shows (country music) are scheduled to appear, I tape them religiously hoping that THIS TIME surely they'll have some good music.  I taped it a few nights back (3 hours worth) and then sat down to FF through commericals and stuff I didn't care for.  I guess I just have to accept the fact that what I consider good country is stuff I listened to years ago. Everything these days pretty much sounds the same and it's all sugar coated teflon.  I sat there with remote in hand yelling 'YOU SUCK!' and probably only stopped once or twice to give them a little bit more time to try and entertain me.  I've always like Rascal Flatts, Sugarland (they weren't on), and Lady Antebellum but most of the others were probably more appealing to young kids.  I like Carrie Underwood but not when she dresses in short shorts and acts like a sexy tart!

Even if they'd had the "old stars" on, they probably would only have gotten minimal air time.  I wish someone would present a two hour show compliled of old clips of people who really know how to sing country.  Like Merle Haggard, Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, George Jones, John Conlee, Kris Krist., Kenny Rogers, Statler Bros, Elvis, Bob Dylan, Brenda Lee, Everly Brothers, Conway Twitty, Vince Gill, Emmylou Harris, Lacy J Dalton, Randy Travis, and Lorrie Morgan.

If you want to see some good commercials, go to YouTube and search for Xfinity. Here's one I caught the other day and enjoyed.



I rode with Yvonne yesterday to go to Sequim and pick up her cat at a 'Cat B&B' that she boarded him at. It was called Cats Pajamas.Google it to see pictures.  Very neat!  When we drove up, two border collies greeted us. As soon as Yvonne opened her car door, one dog stuck his head inside and dropped his tennis ball on the floor mat.  We laughed.

The grounds were really nice. I especially liked this cherry tree.

 

 

Woke up to foggy skies this morning but it's supposed to burn off later.  I rearranged my living room and kitchen (just a little bit) and plan to work on my quilt piece today, along with transcribing diaries and working on my book.

 

My neighbor two door down has a new puppy that she walks up and down the street now and then.
I took a quick picture from my window.

 

Well, gotta go pick up Maddie at the orthodontists so I'm off.......