Luck of the Irish?

Well it wasn't enough that alot of airlines added extra fees and then took away certain things when you fly. But I think this is going to the extreme and wonder if this was just a media ploy to advertise the airlines in question.

Ireland's economy flyer Ryanair's decision to possibly charge $1.43 to use the in-flight restrooms. I can't help think that if you took a male/female poll on this that probably more men would be paying then woman because I think it is a known fact that women can hold it longer than men. I have been known to refuse to use a bathroom across multiple states. I have also flown many flights and never used the restroom.

The statement from the CEO of the airlines said he didn't think there is anybody in history that hasn't gotten on board one of their aircraft's with less than $1.00. I don't believe that is the issue here and correct me if I'm wrong.

There are so many quotes that come to mind. "You play, you pay". "Pay with your life", but "You pee/poop you pay"? Think its getting out of hand. But I also have a feeling that the spunky Irish will make Mr. O'Leary think this one a little further before he attempts to collects.

The stubborn part of me is definitely Irish....

Octo Mom Saga

I like others have listened since day one about this ongoing saga. This again is one of those stories that you just can't seem not to watch. Although it has gotten over kill in the media like everything usually does its another one of those things you just can believe what you are seeing and/or hearing.

Of course my first thought about this young woman was "is she crazy?". As time goes on I truly believe this woman hasn't a clue. She has so many things against her from the get go. 1) She is a single woman, 2) she has no job, (and sounds like she hasn't worked in almost 10 years if the mental hospital incident happened in 1999) and the fact that it seems as though she has been so misguided throughout her life is sad in itself. We all know that the doctor involved in the IVF was in it for the money not for the ethical reasons and I am sure her ability to pursued him into continuing to do the procedures obviously was never taken into consideration.

All of the interviews have put different spins on the questioning but yesterdays interview with Dr. Phil brought out several new concerns and issues for me. He asked her from a counselor's perspective how she would have responded if she had come into contact with someone like herself? First of all anyone in there right mind will never hire this woman to be a counselor after she graduates with her track record so far. I know I wouldn't. She lives in a fantasy world in so many ways. She also can be annoying not only from a viewer's standpoint but also must be from an interviewer's standpoint. She never once let's the interviewers finish there line of questioning without nodding, interrupting and making some sort of annoying comments.

One thing that seriously hit home for me is the fact that growing up an only child she always felt deprived of having siblings. All of us who are only children feel differently but I am sure the majority of us wouldn't go out and have multiple children! She is definitely the extreme.

She has along way to go and the conditions in which she lives in are deplorable. It makes me think of the saying "Anyone can have a baby, but not everyone can be a mother". I think she has bitten off more than she can chew and I don't know of anyone who could have such superhuman capabilities.

She has unfairly been compared to the Gooslin's with multiples or the Duggars but I don't think you can compare her with any known family due to the fact that they have marriage partners and they have varying age children.

Also the fact that she said she didn't feel it necessary to have a father in the picture, Wow that doesn't say much for her parent's either. Most people admire having a two parents in the household.

I wish her well but I don't really see much positive things coming from this at all..

Diary, Journal, Blog-Whatever

It used to be you picked up a pen or pencil and opened a little covered book that may or may not have a lock and key. Jot your most intimate secrets, dreams and thoughts and hope that a brother or sister (never had to worry about this one) or parent would get into it and read it.

I received my first diary when I was about 12 from my granma for Christmas. She too had a diary that she wrote what she eat and did each day. Pretty boring by today's standards. Mine of course was filled with what boy I liked at the time, arguments and disagreements with girlfriends or something my parents were making me do. I wish I would have kept all my diaries but unfortunately I didn't think ahead to how great it would be to have them now to reflect on.

Then it was on to high school where usually your English teacher required you to keep a journal every day. He or she supplied the topics to get you started, some interesting other's you wondered what were they thinking but it basically got everyone to think a little. I always enjoyed doing it and really it is what got me into writing. I recently found a book that a friend from high school had jotted alot of little poems and sayings into and gave me for Christmas. It's a little faded because she wrote most in pencil but it was fun to go down memory lane. I also found a couple of letters I wrote to myself regarding my non-existent love life at the time, WOW that seemed like a lifetime ago and truthfully I guess it was.

Now fast forward to the new technology and the blog. The blogs have taken over where the diary left off and beyond. The differences are you really have to think before you write because all the world can see, leave a little to the imagination but get your point across the best you can. May it your own and have fun with it. It is really your opinion amongst alot of critics but that's what makes the world go round isn't it?

You never know it might stir up the novel writer in all of us.

Smoking Anything--In My Opinion

It seems their has been alot in the news lately about issues relating to smoking both cigarettes and marijuana and thoughts on legalizing the later. My opinion only-- and I know I am not alone.

As far as cigarettes I think it is a dirty, filthy addiction. It is no different than any, addiction be it eating disorders, gambling, drinking etc. Any addiction a person has can consume their lives after long periods of time. Any of them cost alot of money, lives and change our moral compass.

I have never smoked be it either one and never wanted too. I was around second hand cigarette smoke for most of my life since my granpa smoked. I didn't think at the time what possible side effects it would cause me then and in later life. I still really don't know for sure that it didn't effect me. I never chose to try marijuana because I saw the repercussions it caused to people I new. Also I have always liked to be in control of my actions, you give that up when you start partaking in things that can alter your daily lives.

I compare smoking like this "if something is on fire they don't tell me to stand in the middle of the fire and inhale, its going to kill you, that's why they call it dying from smoke inhalation". It's not cool, never has been, it makes you stink and those around you too, and kills you from the inside out.

Yes it's a chose and unfortunately some of you have made the choice to shortened your life, granpa, mom and many other's but I couldn't change your mind and no one could have. It's just my opinion and everyone has one....

Life Lessons and Education During My Walks

When I started out with my exercise routine of walking around the track at my local college little did I know that I would get another form of education and get some life lessons in the process.

I have always been someone who liked to either sit in a mall or park and just people watch. I guess it is a little judgemental because you usually end up noticing what a person is wearing or maybe just a demeanor someone has but it has been an educational experience just in general.

There is the older couple who stroll around the track who I have found out that the wife is the caregiver for the husband who has Alzheimer's and this is their daily exercise that they both can still do. What an inspiration his wife is in that she is still able to get him out of the house for a little exercise.

Recently one of the women walked with me after seeing that the t-shirt I was wearing had a "cancer" ribbon on the back. It turned out that she is a two-time cancer survivor at age 42. She is attending classes at the college now and likes to walk a couple days a week. We had an enlightening conversation on her care-giving patients that she has and how she fell into the job after her cancer diagnosis.

Sometimes I feel as though I can't not listen to some of the conversations going on around me. I hate to relate to the old "saying opinions are like (you fill in the blank) everybody has one". Some of us are more opinionated then other's but I guess that's what makes the world go round.

I am baffled at the differences in walkers. So many are walking with canes, walkers or even assisted by others but at least the are doing something. Lots of mother's have the kids in the strollers and a few I have seen carrying them in body packs with the baby inside. Talk about motivation!

Of course I get more out of the walks if I focus just on what I am doing and not those around me but you can't help but get caught up sometime. I am seriously thinking about investing in an I-Pod but it probably will take a little of the fun out of what goes around and around the track.

Fond Memories and Having Strength to Make it Through

Carmon L. Conner (1906-1978)


Today marks the 31 anniversary of the death of my granpa Conner. As a senior in high school I had never experienced a family member passing away and it was definitely hard to except that this man that I looked up to and loved so much would never get to experience some of the wonderful occasions in my life that I hadn't experienced yet myself. My wedding, the birth of my children and many other significant milestones that I know he would have been extremely proud of. I have very few pictures of him but my memories of him are dressed in his battleship grey chinos, a grey shirt and usually always a cap on his head of some sort. When I was a little girl he would let me brush what hair he had), he would play house with me and bake the most wonderful cobbler's. He built almost every stick of wood furniture in my grandparent's home, always had a vegetable garden, and fruit trees that he treated like children, and had full body tatoos that we never even thought about but by today's generation would probably think that they were pretty cool. He was a lover of Elvis and American Bandstand, he loved a handful of cashews every evening after dinner. He smoked cigarettes (at least 2 packs a day, unfortunately) and the occasional cigar. He loved fast cars and always wanted a Mustang but settled for a Ford Comet stationwagon because he knew that my granma couldn't handle the "tang". He was a quiet man but yet his lack of words uttered alot. He lived through working the coal mines in West Virginia, World War II, and many years as a postal worker.

This past weekend my daughter-in-law lost her granma which brought back not only the deaths of several of my family members but just how precious our loved one's are in so many ways.

Everyone knows that death is inevitable for us all someday, some go much to young and other's live a life that started with the horse and buggy and ended at the internet age.

I know many people who have touched my life who are going through tremendous health problems and have been for some time and other's who have just learned there time could end soon. I know that no person truely knows how much time they have but I:

Take each day as it comes, live your lives to the full extent, don't put things off, and enjoy every snowflake, sunrise and everything this world has to offer.

Car Repair -A Woman's Perspective

Getting repairs or maintenance done on your car is always a challenge but if you are a female it seems to be assumed that all we know how to do is get into it and drive. I went in today for a routine oil change and indicated when I called that with 53,000 I probably needed a few other things. Well two hours later I left their with almost $400.00 in repairs and maintenance. Which I needed but why is it assumed that women haven't a clue about cars?

I was raised with a father that changed cars as often as his mind, clothes etc. I think we had every make, model that was available between 1960-1980. His car of choice was a Cadillac of any style but we had lots of others. He was a cash and carry sort of man and always wheeled and dealed. So with all this said, when I bought my first car (from him for $800.00) and don't laugh it was a 1964 Cadillac 4-door, that everyone I knew liked to call "The Big Boat" but hey it got me from point A to point B. I had to know how to check all the fluids and battery (when you had to put water in them, tires and all the other fun stuff that a girl of 18 wants to do). But it did educate me a great deal later in cars and how they run. For this reason when David and I go to purchase a car for me he usually tells the salesman "don't talk to me talk to her she is the one that will be driving it".

Of course today you can't just open the hood and know where the alternator or even the dipstick is because everything is hermetically sealed so you have to take it to a mechanic.

Another story of love and autos is when I was dating David I had driven to his apartment to see him and as I left to turn the corner away from his place my 1964 Caddie lurched to the left and sounded like I was dragging my muffler. I managed to make it back to his place and he graciously crawled underneath to take a look (he knows his way around a wrench and repairs on the old cars) well my stabilizer bar had completed broke in half. We called a local repair shop and they suggested we go to the junkyard to find one. There just happened to be a very large junkyard nearby so off we trekked. Row after row of cars and of course the last row we came to had several old caddies. Well after about 4 hours passing wrenches, scraping knuckles and swearing we had our replacement bar.

The job of getting the old one off was even more of a challenge but my guy managed to get the job done. Many of my friends said that was love, that he got in, got dirty and repaired my car for me at the drop of a wrench. Actually that has been one of our things to do together since we have been married and I still go out and attempt to supervise when our son and David get together for a little "repair work" on our truck.

So the moral to this story is don't assume all women have no clue about cars.I am not as "girly" as you think.

Man's Best Friend-Your Never to Old

I have and always will be a dog lover. I have had the little four legged canines in my life since I can remember. Although I did have a cat for a couple years. I am definitely a dog person. My two boys at home have brought me much joy, a few headaches and yes they are very, very spoiled. But no matter what I do or how I feel they are at my feet, sitting next too me and comfort me when I feel not so great.

I loved the fact that this year's winner of the Westminster Dog Show was an "old timer". Ten year old "Stump" the Sussex Spaniel was truly a winner. Pretty good for a "70" year old senior. He almost died four years ago and came out of retirement to win "Best in Show". I loved the interview the day with his handler. Stump was just laying beside his feet like he was at home and resting after a meal.

My two boys breeder has been at the Westminster show many times both with Biscon's she has shown and last year she won an award with one of the Lowchen's she is part owner and handler for. She has said numerous times she just loves all her animals and enjoys when they bring home awards. I am sure she will have some interesting insight on what actually went on this year.

I wonder if she got to meet "Stump"?

My Valentine

Unfortunately, as we get closer to the day of love, my special valentine will be on the road. Believe me it isn't the first time that we haven't been able to spend that day together and it probably won't be the last but in our heart's this day is really just a reminder of those that we love whether they are here in body or spirit.

Valentine's Day was always special growing up also. Of course we did the usually valentine swap as kids in classrooms, some of them were pretty interesting. My parents and grandparents usually always gave me a card with a couple bucks inside and probably a small Whitman sampler with just enough candy so you didn't over indulge. Flowers weren't a big deal until my sweetheart and I met than it was usually roses of some sort along with something else.

Of course there is always the sad moments of the day also. When I was 17 my granpa had a stroke early in the month of February. You know how people say they think when people know they are not going to make it they do things in advance of the passing well that would be my granpa. He always prepared his valentines way in advance and put them in his little cabinet. He actually passed on February 18th but Valentine's Day kinda came and went that year as you could imagine. When we cleared his things out there were the envelopes addressed to each family member.

Processing that type of event even that young was hard and I refused to open my valentine for a full year. There was the uncertainty of what he included (maybe a note) but being the quiet man that he was it was just signed as usual and five dollars inside.

To this day, and its been 30 years I still have a hard time in the month of February. The one bright spot was that my daughter was born in February many years later so I guess it all cancels itself out.

Granpa there isn't a day that doesn't go by that I don't miss you and wish you could have witnessed all my accomplishments but I know you and Elvis (his favorite) are dancing up in heaven and having a ball. Early Happy Valentine's Day..

A Heart to Heart Moment

The luncheon was a great success and as luck would have it I won a door prize. A gift card to a local grocery store. Actually our whole table was very lucky. Out of 10 women at our table, half of them won something and one friend of mine actually one two items. Lucky girl.

Then as I returned home I got comfortable and enjoyed skating on television. Their was a special "Skate for the Heart" showcasing amateur and professional skaters.

One of those skater's was Ekaterina Gordeeva. For those of you who have followed skating in the past she with then husband Sergi Grinkov were the Olympic, World and Russian pair team for many years. Her husband Sergi Grinkov passed away at the age of 28 of a heart attack during a training session in 1995. I remember following their pair career and watching their love story unfold on the ice. I also read her book "My Sergi". She skated a special program in memory of Sergi to the theme from "Love Story". It was a hanky moment and the fact that it was sung in French was a double tug at the heart. Since I don't speak the language it felt like one of those secret moments that were between the two of them that millions of people were watching.

My path has crossed twice with "Katia" in my past. The first I was at the airport in Los Angeles meeting a family member and she was leaving on a flight. I remember other people recognized her also. She was and still looks very "tiny". The second time I had made a trip out to CA and a friend and I went skating at one of the newer (bowling alleys turned into rinks) and Katia and her now husband, also a former Russian skater owned the rink. She was training her daughter, Daria. (I had been to this bowling alley many times with David when we were dating many moon's ago). Small world...

Be heart healthy this month and from now on......I know I am....

Go Red For Women Month

I hope everyone is wearing red today. "Go Red For Women" is probably one of the most important causes that we as women can learn about and be supportive of because it literally effects all of us one way or another.

In my family both biological and adoptive the women had some form of heart issues. My adoptive granma had congestive heart failure for years and that is ultimately what she passed from. Although she was not overweight and her diet was not full of fatty foods (if anything she eat like a bird) it is what eventually took her life.

My biological granma had several heart attacks, was on medication for years, her diet wasn't the best although she was not overweight, she had many things against her. My biological mom was just an accident waiting to happen unfortunately. She was overweight, smoked, didn't eat the proper diet and it was literally to late for anything to work for her. The age of 60 was too young and I missed alot. So with all this I have taken alot from their mistakes. I am eating right, never smoked, exercise regularly and hope with alot more work what happened to the women in my life, won't happen to me. At least I can try and cut the odds a little.

Our BPW meeting last night tied into the "RED" with the 2nd Red Purse Raffle. It was a wonderful success and look forward to what we can do next year to help provide scholarships to women who need them. Tomorrow I will attend the "Go Red for Women" Luncheon/Fashion Show here in town where I am sure that the room will be full of "RED".

I like to think that "RED" also means fire and I think that The Heart Association has gotten the "FIRE" under alot of women to help fight heart disease. Hey all women should be fighters, don't stand by and let other's do what we need too for ourselves. Also we as women need to be role models for the young women that will help make the world a better place

Groundhog's Day- 6 More Weeks of Winter

Well unfortunately I have bad news, 6 more weeks of winter. I for one will be glad when we can open our windows, hear the birds and be able to spend much more time outside. I am really not sure how much we can really believe about ole Punxsutawney Phil in PA. Wow it should have been enough that the Pittsburgh Steelers won the Super Bowl for the 6th time but apparently it wasn't.

I have often wondered what the big deal was all about when a furry rodent has his own special day. I recalled as a kid when my granpa would faithfully get his garden area ready for tilling in CA and would go out and see several little mounds of freshly pushed soil, his first reply wasn't "Wow it must be 6 more weeks of winter". He would go to his workshop and pull out his traps and set them one by one inside the holes.

Also we called these critters "gofers". I may be wrong that these rodents are not at all the same but the fanfare of this day just makes the sorrow prolonged. I am still looking forward to spring.

Time Flies in 2009

I can hardly believe that we have already crossed off the first month of 2009. I guess it's true the older you get time just wiz's by. I have always thought there just isn't enough hours in the day and sometimes you just can't pack enough into one's schedule but also when I sit back and think that this will be the last year in this decade and better yet it has been three decades since high school it really makes a person think about all the things you have either accomplished personally or seen accomplished during this time.

Usually on Sunday's while I am getting ready for church or just starting the last day of the weekend I watch the Sunday Morning Show. They had their 30th Anniversary also this year. They went through all the milestones in the past 30 years and when you really stop and think about it their have been some truly amazing accomplishments. The list could go on and on but:
the obvious are computer technology, cellphones, and all the other technology that we just can't seem to work without in our lives. To think 30 years ago we actually had to pick up a land line phone and make a call or put a coin in a payphone, now you can hardly find payphones anywhere, and yet you can't leave home without cellphones. I know in h.s. we didn't even own a colored television much less a remote control of any kind.

One thing that was ironic on this story on the program was that in 1979 we were in a gas crisis and home interest rates were at 12% or more. Sound somewhat familiar. Jobs were hard to come buy, thank goodness I got my first full-time employment in July, 1979 at surprisingly the Employment Department. I was thrilled to make $650.00 a month. I thought I had hit the big times. My have times changed. Some how that 10 year cycle of change seems to happen more frequently then we all would like but I guess we have to all take the good with the bad.

Politics have changed, the world continues to change. Some changes are a little harder to except as we get older but hopefully I will look forward to the many evolutions and except them all. Only another 30 years will tell..