June 18, 2017
1:53 a.m.

Happy Father's Day to the world's best Dad!

There aren't many people who I can claim to have known my entire life; this wonderful guy is one of the two.

I was one of the most lucky and blessed daughters ever. I was raised by a man who never told me that the only thing I could do was grow up, get married and be a housewife. He told me that I was smart enough and strong enough to do anything I wanted to do as long as I worked my hardest and tried my best.

All young women deserve a father who supports them and encourages them, and I got all that from my Dad. In my family, we all did. and still do, because we are fortunate enough to still have him in out lives.

I thank God for the blessing of a great father every day.

Happy Father's Day, Dad. I love you so much!!

June 14, 2017
9:18 p.m.

I finally went to bed around 8:00 this morning, and did manage a couple of hours of snooze time, but we are talking, at this point, about 10-12 hours of sleep in the last five days. That's not each day, that's total hours. in the past 120 hours. I've done a couple of doze-fades while editing yesterday and today, but I don't think that really counts, do you?

I'm grouchy, man.

My stomach is upset, too, and my joints ache, and my feet are cold and they hurt.

No sleep in seriously not good for you. I don't recommend it. I recommend getting lots of sleep--LOTS!

I hid out in my room until after noon, doing sudoku puzzles in an effort to bore myself to sleep. I tried reading, but the book I am currently reading was too enjoyable to put me to sleep. Finally, I came out and took a shower, then logged onto my computer to start editing, and saw all the news stories this day has managed to stack up.

Maybe all the negative vibes this past week are keeping me up!

Seriously, I was off line for maybe six hours, and that's all the time it took to have three different shooting incidents?! What in the literal HELL is this?

UPS worker goes postal--terrific. Four people dead, including the shooter. Baseball is now a dangerous sport--terrific. Police shot and killed the gunman, who shot several people including  Republican Steve Scalise. A New York shooter is still at large--terrific. At least there were no fatalities in that last one.

I am not against Americans having the right to bear arms. Hell, I grew up in a hunting family. But it is high time that our right to bear arms gets some sensible regulations attached to it. This is ridiculous. Do I have any suggestions as to how to make that work? Of course not; I never said I was smart enough to have all the answers. But I am smart enough to propose asking more questions and getting together to find the answers, and that has to count for something,

This should have been a nice, quiet, uneventful day. Instead, people are wounded or dead, and for no reasonably discernible purpose. Political infighting has led to a divided nation and has brought out the crazies.

Sorry, but--yeah, crazies. Crazies with easy access to guns.

Already the Democrats have pointed their fingers at the Republicans, and vice versa. And while actual party members are speaking about standing together--and good for them--their constituents are taking up the finger-pointing.

You know, when my kids were growing up, I was not above taking two fighting kids and locking them into the bedroom with orders that they not come out until they settled their differences. No hitting allowed. (Although it sometimes happened and then I got to settle the differences. No one appreciated my solutions--no television, no playing with friends, no treats, no telephone.) Generally there ensued a great deal of yelling argument, and then they'd figure it out.

Can we put Congress and Senate into a locked room and let them figure it out? Not just gun regulations, but the whole shebang. Tax reform. Healthcare. Environmental Protection. Everything.

Here are the rules:

Republicans and Democrats will remain in the same room at all times.

No huddling in corners. No whispering. No secrets.

There will be moderators, and they will not be members of House or Senate. I suggest Moms. We get seriously sick of nonsense and won't put up with it for long.

Time outs will be called, and you will look ridiculous with your nose in the corner.

NO hitting!! Anyone who throws a punch goes to jail for assault. Charges will be pressed, absolutely.

Everyone gets a chance to talk and no one gets to interrupt. You will take turns, or you will be invited to put your nose in the corner for the duration of the next three speakers' turns.

You will not call anyone offensive names, disparage anyone's race, religion or gender, or the official in charge of washing your mouths out with soap will step in and insert the Lifebouy.

(In the words of Ralphie: "Yuck!")

Medical needs such as medication, breathing apparatus, insulin will be attended to by a medical professional that you will pay for. Not the taxpayers--you.

Someone will deliver meals and drinks. Non-alcoholic drinks. You will all eat and drink what is served to you without complaint. Allowances for special needs--either for medical or cultural reasons--will be considered. But "I don't like broccoli" is not a valid need and will be ignored. Eat it or go hungry.

No cookies until you get it right.

Since it seems money is an all-important thing to politicians, failure to settle things within a week will result in a fine of $10,000. for each member for each day over seven days the deliberation takes. The money will be used to fund food banks and school lunch programs. Hungry children are more important than your bickering, anyway.

I'm so tired of all this. Time to Mom Up, America, and make these babies tow the line.

Rant over.

Good night.

June 14, 2017
12:00 a.m.

Happy Birthday to my Baby, Tabitha!!

On this day some undisclosed number of years ago, you made your appearance just in time to not be born when your father said you would be, and cheered me up considerably knowing I wouldn't have to hear any "I told you sos." Plus you were a girl, further proving me right. Good job!

Not everything went as planned or hoped for in these past few years, but I am so very proud of the woman and the mother you have become.

I hope I get to see you soon!

You're my baby, then, now and forever. I love you so much!! I hope you have a wonderful birthday!
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If you read my latest blog, you know that I failed to get to bed my midnight. Well, I also failed to sneak to my room without the dogs! Haha!

Since they were there, I attempted to employ them as foot-warmers, but they didn't cooperate. I soon found myself sandwiched between them. So my back and tummy were warm, and my feet were cold. Useless pups!

Lucky for them I couldn't sleep and watched some Downton Abbey and some Buffy the Vampire Slayer and completed several sudoku puzzles, while pushing and shoving for some space. I never win that fight.

By the way, Trixie doesn't care for opera. A scene with a guest opera singer in Downton Abbey set her off on a howling fir yesterday and nearly scared me right out of my skin. I thought the singer was THAT BAD at first. Then I couldn't stop giggling while I tried to comfort the poor little doggie.

I'm a meanie. Clearly the dog was distressed, and I was laughing at her. Also, it's really hard to turn down the volume and comfort a dog at the same time.

Can't say as I blame her, though. I'm not crazy about opera myself.
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I would like to announce an astounding accomplishment that will almost certainly never be repeated:
in the past 24 hours I have only had one cup of coffee!!

I'm still awake, you'll notice.

So much for that nonsense.
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Hmm. My diction improves the more I watch Downton Abbey. Just sayin'.

I'm signing off for now.

Good night!

June 12,2017
3:56 p.m.

Goal tonight: in bed by midnight. No guarantee that it'll lead to sleep, but at least I'll be laying down.

Insomnia sucks.

On the plus side, I'm catching up on Downton Abbey. If you haven't seen it yet, I suggest you get on it; it's great. Of course, after binge-watching a few episodes, I can't talk anymore. That old-style English is catching, I must say. Ha ha! Dame Maggie Smith is a treasure. No one could ever out-haughty her!

I haven't been bothered too much by any weird existential thoughts in the past 24 hours, at least. I was born in a good time for not getting killed by Mother Nature, at least as far as allergies, asthma and poor eyesight are concerned.

As for floods, earthquakes, tornadoes and other freaky Mother Nature phenomenon, it has and will never matter when I was born; if it's gonna get me, it's gonna get me.

Tonight I may worry more about getting hit by a nuclear weapon. Because it's a crazy world, as you well know.

But hey, I'll never know, so "What, me worry?"

I'm going to watch television shows and hope for sleep and think about winning the lottery or something. Yes, I know that's less likely than getting hit by a bomb, but--hey, it could happen! (Well, it could if I ever bothered to buy a ticket.)
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10:58 p.m.

I have spent the afternoon and evening with my manuscript and editing is going pretty well. I did a lot of research while I was writing the first draft, so you think I would trust myself on some of the details, but, no. There I was, rechecking maps and dates and driving myself nuts all over again.

It's fiction, but that's no reason to put Albuquerque in California. (No, I didn't!!)
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I think I'm going to have to haul these dogs to the groomer and have them shaved down to the skin. It sure was hot today! At least, it was hot here in Metro Denver. I see that some places got snow today. Or hail the size of baseballs. Also, tornadoes!

So, other than speculating on puppy-shaving, I think I shall keep any gripes I might have had to myself.
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June 13, 2017
12:09 a.m.

Um...oops! It's past midnight, and I am not in bed. so much for goals...
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I'm bummed. I missed Alice Cooper tonight. Where's the money when you really need it? Sigh. I'll bet it was a hell of a show...

God only knows when I'll get another chance to see him live.

Yep. Bummed.
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I'm going to try sneaking to my room without dogs. It's too hot to have them all cuddled up with me. Haha!

Good night! (I hope!)

June 10, 2017
8:12 p.m.

Some of the craziest stuff goes through my head on nights (or mornings) when I'm pretending to be asleep in case I might actually fall asleep.

It occurred to me--not for the first time--that had I been born before the days of any technology, I would have been dead long before reaching adulthood.

If I was a cave person, like in "Clan of the Cave Bears", they would have had to leave me doing whatever close work might need getting done. I don't know what, tanning hides, maybe? I couldn't have contributed to hunting, because I can't see well.

I suppose I could have groped my way around looking for edible plants and grubs. I don't know that much gardening went on that early in the game. I probably would have gotten lost.

Any wild animal could have gotten me before I realized it was coming. Even if I actually saw one coming, I wouldn't have a lick of a chance to get away--even as a child I could never run far without gasping and wheezing.

Bear chow. That would have been me.

As clans went, as near as I can figure out, the more powerful contributors to the group would have been given the choicest foods and sleeping areas.

I would have been closest to the cave entrance with minimal covering and the least food.

And that would have been my lot when things were going well. If the pickings were slim, though...

One winter, I would have been the one chosen to be put out of the cave and into the cold to die so that the more important members could eat.

Doomed.

In medieval times I might have fared somewhat better. But with asthma and allergies and poor eyesight, someone would have really had to love me a lot to protect me from the environment. I'd have to have some means of support to be blessed with some sort of vision aide to make my life bearable. I think the first spectacles made their appearance in Italy in the late 1200s to early 1300s and I'm sure that only those with reasonable means could have gotten hold of them.

Yeah, the good old days would have whipped me!

Yes, I took time to google eyeglasses history in the wee hours of the morning instead of sleeping. I wasn't sleeping anyway! Might as well be productive and learn something while I'm considering all the ways I could have met an early demise if I'd been born centuries earlier than I was!

In the meantime, I also decided that I'm pretty grateful to have been born in an era when I had access to allergy shots and eye doctors, not to mention eyeglasses and a good emergency inhaler and epi-pen.

Maybe I'll sleep tonight...

Time will tell.

It's been a couple of days now. Clearly the silliness is settling in.

My thoughts for now.

Ta ta!

Remembering Lucille Maldonado

June 8, 2017

10:35 p.m.

Lucille Maldonado 10-26-1933 to 05-29-2017

I'm adding a link to the official obituary: 

http://www.sweetwaternow.com/lucille-maldonado-october-26-1933-may-29-2017/

I don't know what to say. 

I always have something to say, but I'm pretty much at a loss for words right now.

You know me, though. I'll think of something.  

I opened Facebook a few hours ago and almost immediately saw an obituary for the beautiful woman above. I kind of sat and stared for awhile, and then I sent a message to her daughter. Then I called my Mom. 

Then I sat for a few hours doing nothing of consequence. Memories raced through my head. Good ones. 

And it really hit me a few minutes ago that it wasn't too long ago that I wrote another blog about another beautiful Maldonado woman--Julia Maldonado Terry, Lucille's daughter. They are together now, and that's not a bad thing, is it? Reunions, wherever they might take place, are wonderful.

Once upon a time, my family moved to Green River, Wyoming. It was 1966, I was six years old and in the first grade.

My father worked with Roman, Lucille's late husband, and the Maldonado family are really the first people we got to know when we moved to town.

These were people who drew you right into their family and made you part of it. Our families camped and fished together. The grownups went out dancing. The girls. Julie and Esther, often stayed with us as our babysitters when the adults went to play. 

Lucille was the first woman to try to teach me how to roll out a tortilla. Hers were perfectly round. Mine looked like the state of Florida. (They still do!) We had quite a fit of giggles over that. She had a wonderful laugh. 

I've said it before, but it bears repeating--the passage of time is rapid in retrospect, and it's easy to lose touch over the years. Our lives get busy; children grow up; people move. I saw this lovely woman only periodically over the years, but even if we weren't in constant touch, I always loved her and her family. 

I don't know much about her life in Texas, but I'm sure it was full of love and laughter. Lucille could have made friends with the Grinch. She was gregarious and fun-loving. 

The last time I saw Lucille was a year ago, at a fund-raiser for Julie. I didn't want to quit hugging her--the years had flown by, and it had been so long! Then I watched her and my mother embracing, and the years seemed to roll away. Friendships are like that--time passes, but the love makes it all seem like time doesn't matter at all. I knew these old friends had been separated by time and miles--Texas is FAR!!--and yet, there they were, together again, and my heart was so full I thought it might leap right out of my chest. Tears flowed, but they were the tears of joy shared by reuniting family. The best kind. 

Lucille was beautiful. She was a social butterfly. Her laugh could brighten the gloomiest of days. 

I knew she wasn't well, and that this time was going to come. It doesn't matter--expected or not, it's always a surprise to learn that someone you love has reached the clearing at the end of the path. Somewhere deep inside, you always harbor the hope that it just won't ever happen.

On the flip side, I also know that the place she's gone to is beautiful and safe. The suffering has ended and she is reunited with those she loved and lost for a time. 

Even more reassuring is the knowledge that at some point those she has left behind will see her again.

In the meantime, lovely Lucille, may you fly high. I love you so. 

My Mom with Lucille, sometime in the early 1970s.

Roman and Lucille Maldonado

June 7, 2017
5:45 p.m.

"God gave us the earth to use, and we are called to be good stewards of it and use it wisely." This is a quote by Franklin Graham, Evangelical Minister and son of Billy Graham. It is part of a message where he scoffs at the idea that Nancy Pelosi might actually read the Bible, simply because she said that pulling out of the Paris Climate Agreement dishonors God. I have no opinion of whether that in itself might be dishonorable, but the way this Administration puts money on a pedestal and our earth on the chopping block certainly does. Graham can scoff all he likes, but I would like to know how anything the present Administration is doing can be defined as good stewardship of the Earth.

I'm about to piss everyone off, I guess.

I consider myself to be a Christian, so it is hard for me to speak up and say something negative about a so-called Christian sentiment, but it's time for some people to stop hiding their heads in the sand and denying that there are problems that human beings--not God--are responsible for.

Climate change is not a myth. It is not an agenda being propagated by China. It is reality, and God is probably not going to fix it.

Here's why:

We did this to ourselves.

God created a beautiful world and gifted it to us. He gave us the things we needed to survive and gave us the intelligence we needed to properly use and care for his gift.

Now, I ask you--are you the sort of child who, when presented with a gift from your parent, immediately tears it to pieces? If you are, you do know know what that makes you, right? A BRAT!

Why are all these so-called Christians being brats?

As a parent, if I give my child a car and he immediately takes a knife to the seat covers and punches a hole in the gas tank, and then expects me to replace the car, I'm going to tell him to take a hike. Literally. I will never again give that child another car--or anything else, for that matter. I expect my children to treat a gift with care and gratitude.

Why would God expect anything less from his children?

But as a species, we have repeatedly punched holes and taken knives to the world God gifted to us. In the past, much of the damage we did was through ignorance. But time and science have taught us that there are better ways to use and care for this Earth. Knowing what we know now, if we still choose to totally trash it, how can we expect Him to give us a new one?

"As a Christian," said Representative Tim Walberg (R-Mich), "I believe there is a creator in God who is much bigger than us. And I'm confident that, if there's a real problem, he can take care of it."

Well, guess what? I believe in that Creator myself. But  here's the thing: Why would he take care of it? Because we DESERVE it? No, we don't and we never did. We also didn't deserve the gift of forgiveness He gave us when His son Jesus died for our sins--His greatest gift, and also a one shot deal. If we mess things up, it's over. We're not getting a  SECOND second chance. He's not going to replace this planet with a new one any more than He's going to send Jesus to die for us once again.

(We can get into the second coming and the millennium of peace at another time. That's a whole different scenario, and one I don't expect greed-driven nay-sayers will participate in. Because, yeah, a new earth is promised--but that's not what we're talking about here. And if that's what some of these people are referencing, they've taken "out of context" to a whole new level. Destroying the earth because we've been promised a second coming is like trashing Christmas morning because another Christmas will come in a year. If my kids trash Christmas, they're getting nothing the next year, I promise you. And the promise of something new is never an excuse to take poor care of what you already have.)

God gave us the gift of intelligence, and scientists use that gift to inform us of the potential harm we will cause if we continue on the blind path we're on. "Faith" is not going to repair the ozone layer or return the ice caps or bring back extinct species.

The bottom line of all these nay-sayers is money. Money NOW, regardless of the future consequences. If you are really a Christian, you should have more concern with the future of the gifts you've been given than with lining the pockets of politicians and conglomerates and big corporations who don't give a nickel's worth of damn for you, your children, your grandchildren or your future home.

Let me ask you a question: When you go into a public bathroom and it's filthy, do you want to use it?
Would you want your own bathroom to look like that?

Do you really want to live in a cesspool?

If you deny the reality of the damage being done to this planet, that's the path you're on. You might as well just quit cleaning your house, your clothes, your body, because in the end, that's what the world will come to. A cesspool. Unbreathable air, undrinkable water, food that can't nourish your body.

And God won't take care of it. He gave you free will. You are supposed to exercise that free will and take care of the things He gave you yourselves.

Trashing these gifts shows your total disrespect for your Father and Savior. You are a bratty child.

Wake up and smell the pollution, people. I want a world that's clean and safe for my children and grandchildren. I'm willing to admit that it won't be easy, but if we don't even try, we're doomed. Stop being brats and open your eyes to the possibilities.

(Naturally, if you are working to reduce your use of fossil fuels, recycle, etc.--this message is not for you. And thank you very much!)
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Okay, let the anger and hate begin.

I've said it before. My page, my thoughts.

Peace.

June 2, 2017
2:54 p.m.

Well, my girls are going to continue "hanging" with me. This is good news, as I am really attached to them.

Being called back for repeat mammogram testing is stressful. Also, if you've gone through phase one, screening, you were only uncomfortable. Phase two is more pinch-y. Ow!

One thing I love about the clinic--they don't send you home wondering after that second test. Everyone was very nice, didn't keep me waiting and sent me home with a very nice "You are fine. Good to go,"

Also, "See you next year." Oh well, I am over 55. Yearly exams are to be expected now, I suppose.

I can't imagine how I'd be feeling right now if I had to wait to hear the verdict. And all for nothing, since I am fine.

Okay, now that we've gotten that part out of the way, can I just remind all my female readers that this test is really important, and putting it off is not a good idea.

One of my readers--I love you so much!!--needs to quit dilly-dallying and get hers scheduled.

Anyone who knows me also knows that I am not a fan of going to the doctor for any reason. I've spent a lot of time in various offices over the last couple of years, regardless. The reason I do it anyway, even though I don't want to, is because I have people I love in my life who I want to continue to see and drive crazy a while longer.

So, ladies--go get your girls pressed. People love you and want to bug you for a long time to come.
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Confession time! After going to make sure of my continued good health, I went to McDonald's for lunch. I think that may have been counter-productive.
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Oh, wow, the kids have dragged out the WiiFit. I wonder how much I weigh?

(If you really believe I'm going to get up and go find out, you're crazy!)

If you think I'm going to tell you, you're crazier!!)

I'm not going to lie, I had a hard time with WiiFit. I have a bad hip, so I am always off balance. I did better with Just Dance--until I sprained my Achilles tendon while dancing. (So silly. I hurt myself in the dumbest ways, I swear.)

Anyway, the WiiFit has a program that weighs you and gives you your Body Mass Index, or BMI. I think I have to be over seven feet tall in order for my BMI to be acceptable according to height and weight. Maybe eight feet!

Update: Not telling anything except I'm over 20 pounds lighter now than the last time I did this. Unfortunately, I'm still fat.
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I'm researching a knee brace. Any good suggestions?
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Oh! I forgot to tell you that the clinic told me they'd bill me, since insurance companies are confusing to us all. Hahaha!
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Speaking of bills--it's that time again. Funny how that just keeps happening! Boo! I think we need a "National Take a Break From Bills Month". Who's with me? I'd propose November so we can all shop for the holidays. Knowing we have to pay bills in December might keep us from overspending on all the extra crap. (Probably not.)
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I'm going to quit thinking and go start editing now.

Enjoy the rest of your day!