Born in 1915, my grandmother made her 91st birthday today. She isn't as spry as she used to be, but her mind is still pretty sharp. I was thinking about all that she has seen in her nearly 100 years. These are some of the things I came up with:

The Great depression
On screen movies
TV
Color TV
Big screen tv
Early Refrigeration (other than just an icebox which she still calls it)
Airconditioning (they used to be lucky if they had attic fans
Cars changing (now they are electric too)
A new century/millennia
Cordless phones in the home
Cell phones
Jet airplanes
Space travel
Man on the moon
Space station
Computers that filled a room to a computer you can carry in your hand.
Drinking white gasoline (she did this when she was young because she thought it was a glass of water, the doctor made her eat butter and drink milk to coat her stomach and esophagus. From that day on, she never ate butter or drank sweet milk again. But she loves buttermilk! Go figure)
Death of her mother - Her mother died in child birth when my grandmother was about 11 years old.
Death of her husband/21 years ago when my grandmother was 70. She never remarried nor would she give another man the time of day. She has always been totally devoted to my grandfather.
Gave birth to one child/73 years ago (my biological father)
2 world wars
Korean war
Vietnam war
Desert Storm

and so much more I couldn't even begin to think of.

Hard to imagine all the changes in this world since she was born. I am 53 and I have seen so many changes during MY lifetime, but for her, there is so much more. It's totally amazing to me when I sit and think about all that she has seen and experienced. And up until a couple of years ago, she could still kick my butt at dominoes!

I wish I could capture all her memories and play them so that I could see them. She and my grandfather used to travel the world. They have been to so many places. I can't even begin to imagine their life together. They were married for over 55 years when he passed away.

Just thought I would share this with you.

I went a different way this morning to come to work. My car tried to follow the known path but at the corner, I MADE it go the other way. Something different. It really wasn't so bad except for the Now Paws (that is another term for anciently old men or Paw Paws) that get out there at 6:00 am and move at a snail's pace. When don't they stay at home at that time of the morning.....they ARE retired aren't they?

Then you go around them and they look at you like you are a creature from a distant planet that they have never even heard of. What's up with that? THEY are the ones holding up the working folks that need to move a little faster than a snail clip. Maybe they are going to buy a paper. They could have it delivered instead. Or they are going to pick up milk, eggs and bread. They should have gotten that in the middle of the day yesterday.

Now I can tell you that when I am retired, I will NOT be out in the world at 6:00 am. I will be asleep like you are supposed to be at that time of the morning.

Then there are the bitches out there that poke along until you try to pass them and then they speed up to try to keep you from getting around them. That's when I wish I had a bazooka. If I did, I would blow those bitches of the face of the earth. If you want to go slow, that's fine with me, but don't try to keep me from going around you. And then there's the ones that pull out in front of you like they are in such a big hurry, then 1/4 of a mile down the road, they want to turn left and they have to sit and wait for 13 cars to pass before they can. Why didn't they just wait until I passed them (since there were no cars behind ME) and THEN go? Why can't people just be nice and considerate of others?

Anyway, I didn't have to get on the parking lot they call the Interstate this morning and that was nice. I didn't have the Interstate slow downs (stops) to contend with. I know I am bitching a lot, but really all in all my drive to work went quite well. I even stopped and bought 3 dozen Krispy Kreme donuts for the office and still made it to work on time. Hooray!

I guess that's enough bitchin for one day. I think I will leave work early and go home and rest. I am tired and cranky, but I know you can't tell that. Probably from the sugar.

I need an EASY button. I get so tired of fighting with this company or that company, or this technical support representative and that technical support representative, this piece of equipment or that piece of equipment, this doctor or that doctor, this bank or that bank, this cable company or that telephone company. I am just sick and tired of it all.

Why can't things go smoothly and people hold up their end of deals they make and take pride in their work? People generally have the 'I don't give a sh*t' attitude which causes the rest of us much stress and frustration. I have had work done around my house in the last 6 to 8 months, that I have had to fight about getting it done correctly. I finally had to write a letter to this man and threaten to sue him (why did I have to do that to get his attention).

Another guy just disappeared off the face of the earth after he had his money. (I learned something from that....never pay for something before it is completely finished to your satisfaction). I trust people to much. I always think people are going to be like I am and be honest and when they give you their word, that they will stick by it. Not so.

Now, at work, I am fighting with technical support people from two different companies that both support the same thing and of course, it's always the other ones fault. I don't really give a damn WHO is at fault. I just want it fixed so I can do my work!

Another soapbox subject I guess.

Let's talk about pictures. That is a much more pleaseant subject. I found some more to share with y'all this morning.

This is a walkway through the swampy area near Gramercy which is south of where I live. You can walk through here and just sit and watch the wildlife. It's really beautiful.



This is my baby Cosby....he smiles a lot. He's a very happy little fellow. I adopted him after finding him on an internet site for an animal shelter in New Orleans (a few years before Katrina). He was badly hurt when someone found him but the shelter paid for his surgery for a broken hip (he had to have pins in his leg) and he has made such a sweet companion. Look at that smile. How could anyone not love that! He loves to play with his red dog.



Then here is a picture of the Mighty Mississippi River taken from the I-10 Bridge near Baton Rouge.


Well, I guess that's it for today.

At least I know I am not alone! Here is Mark's word verification interpretation.
ooybrphs = Oy burp High School
And he sent me this link... http://zrharc.blogspot.com/ So now I know there are other crazies that think like me out there. Sillyness....that's what it is and it's a great way to have fun.

I have been telling you all that I would share my fog pictures and I finally found the one I had been looking for and here it is. The lake is all covered in fog.

It was a pretty scene to me.

Here are some more from around here.....
The first one is near Angola State Prison, It's a dry creek bed. I thought it was pretty.

The next one is a drive way to one of the plantations (i just can't remember which one, sorry)


And the covered wagon passed in front of my house (as they do quite often) while we were having a garage sale.

This horse and rider were following the covered wagon.
I enjoy living out in the country because of scenes just like this right in front of my house. You don't see that kind of stuff in the city.

It's been a lazy rainy day and I haven't done much of anything. Tom is watching a boxing match I taped for him (he is watching it while he snores...lol). So I am off to cook some dinner. Have a great evening all!

These letters we have to put in when we leave a post make some of the funniest 'sorta' words. Here's another one..... eufbgc. Try to pronounce that! or this one...... dflubrvj. Anyway, I don't have anything to complain about for a change, so I just thought I would share my crazy thoughts about the letter words.

I live work near the Capitol Building of the state of Louisiana in Baton Rouge. There are lakes that surround this area and sometimes they are right pretty. I love to take pictures around those lakes, because of the wildlife there. Usually at this time of the year, white pelicans come in from where ever they have been and settle into the lakes around the capitol. One day at lunch, I went over there, and this little elderly couple were standing by the lake watching the pelicans fly low across the other side. I took this picture and I love it. It is one of my favorites. I wish I knew who they were so I could give them a print of this. I think they would have liked it too.

Here is another shot from the same time. There are litterly 100s of pelicans here sometimes.

I have many more pictures I could share with you guys, but I will do that later. I will try to find some of my fog pictures of the lakes in the early morning hours just as the sun is coming up. There are benches with huge live oak trees near them around the lakes and I have some foggy pictures that turned our pretty cool. Today our weather is really nice like the pictures above, blue skies and cool, but not too cold.

Enjoy and have a nice day.

I was reading Mox's blog today and it really got me to thinking about what our children and their children are learning or being taught (or not)these days.

Remember being taught simple math in school? I don't think they teach that anymore. For instance, when you go the store and you purchase a case of something that has 4 cans going one way and 6 cans going the other way. The cashiers start counting 1 2 3 4 5 6 ...... all the way to 24. I want to SCREAM! Didn't anyone teach these BIMBOS to just multiply! 4 x 6 = 24. It's that easy folks!, and a lot faster than counting all the way to 24. They actually can count that high. That in itself amazes me.

And phone etiquette... I rarely ever hear the type of appropriate phone etiquette that I was taught anymore. You call and ask for someone and they put you on hold without saying kiss my foot, or please hold, or one moment please or... well you get the picture...... Sometimes you get a half a 'hol' ...click. The click the old button before they are finished saying the word. Once I asked for someone and the phone answerer said "She haven't came back yet!" I couldn't believe it! Doesn't anyone teach phone etiquette and proper English to someone they are going to have answering the phone in their office? Do they ever call their own offices to find out how the phones are being answered? I hear all sorts of jargon, such as 'uh huh'....'yeah'.....'I don't know' (with nothing else like...'but I will see if I can find out for you'). I was taught never to say that kind of stuff to a caller. ARGHGHGHGHHHGHHGH!!!!!

Thank you notes. Do you ever give a gift to someone for a wedding, a baby shower, a housewarming and never get even so much as a howdy do? My mother raised me to not only SAY thank you but to also send a WRITTEN thank you note. I get so irritated when I don't get a simple thank you note.

People don't say Please and Thankyou anymore. I work with someone that says things like "Give me some candy" or "Give me a paper towel" or "I want some of your butter" with never a 'please', 'may I' or a 'thank you'. And most of the time, she just helps herself to whatever is yours without a second thought. And never replaces it either.

I was taught a lot of this stuff in kindergarten. What is happening to our schools and our teachers..(no offense to you Candy). We have no rules for our kids, no consequences for bad behaviour. What is happening to the parents that teach good manners to kids? Are they a disappearing breed? We are the baby boomers folks and I KNOW we were taught better. What about the next generations?

Well, folks, we are loosing the fine art of properness and courtesy. Let's all try to practice a little of it in our every day lives. If you don't know what's proper or courteous, FIND OUT!

Ok, I'll step off the soapbox now. Have a nice day. Please.

This is a picture of Angele M. Dumestre, our friend and guardian angel.

Here is a poem my co-worker wrote 3 days ago about our friend and co-worker, Angele. I thought you all might enjoy reading it. It epitomizes exactly who she was and what she meant to us all.




Golden Angel

I woke up crying in the night.
Our Golden Angel's taken flight.
Reluctantly the wings release.
I feel their gentle beating cease.

.
.
.

They're drawn to us; they're drawn to heat.
They fan life's flames with gentle beat.
They cherish life, they nurture love;
reflecting light from up above.
We know that light, we know it all;
but sometimes we can not recall
until we feel the wings withdraw,
and then we find that we're in awe
of things of which we weren't aware
when gentle cov'ring wings were there.

.
.
.

She came among us bearing light;
a gentle warmth that just felt right.
We saw a loving caring soul
who made us feel that we were whole;
that if 'twas fault or lacking there,
then she should be the one to bear
whatever blame that there might be.
How eager she to set Us free.

Dispensing gifts to right and left,
she'd give it all ... she's not bereft.
She put her own life on the shelf;
esteeming others more than self.
And if her thoughts got lost in flight
(flutter of wings beyond our sight),
you knew if she forgot your name
she knew your spirit all the same.

For when I'd have those times of doubt
my Angel always found me out.
When cynicism had it's way,
"You mock", I'd hear the others say.
My Angel fixed me with a stare,
said "No. I see believer there."
And in my heart I blushed to know
that this one knew that it was so.

She'd smile at us as we made jest,
but she would put our words to test.
She would not bear an unkind word
(pretending that she had not heard).
We all should hope that He above
will show to us this sort of love.
And we to whom she has been lent
should wonder at what we've been sent.

.
.
.

Mother above on us looks down;
She often has good cause to frown.
Yet us She holds in palm of hand
until we reach that distant land
where once again we'll know the light
(we think we see, but oft' lose sight).
At need She'll send a Golden One;
to push us back into the sun.

Queen of Heaven on us you smile;
sending helpers for every trial.
They come among us bearing light,
protecting wings beyond our sight.
Why is it that we do not see
the Golden Angels sent from thee?

Dan

It's been a long day today to bury our co-worker/friend, Angele. Here are a couple of pictures of what it looks like where she is buried in New Orleans at Greenwood Cemetary.














After the Funeral Mass at the Chapel, it was not a very far trip to the Cemetary. As many times as I have been to New Orleans, I have never been in one of the cemetaries there. It was very interesting to drive through and just look at the dates on those concrete and marble vaults dating back to the 19th century, maybe even older than that. I would like to go back one day, just to go through and check out the dates there. The driveways are barely wide enough for a vehicle to pass and in some cases, totally impossible. The casket had to be carried to the actual burial vault.

Truly amazing that the vaults are still in as decent a shape as they are even after the hurricane flood waters. But then, I am not sure the waters traveled to this particular cemetary. Speaking of the hurricane, we saw lots of damage down there, but we didn't go into the worst part of the area. What we were able to see was pretty bad. I can't imagine what those poor people went through and are still going through. As a matter of fact, Angele's sister who lives in New Orleans with her husband and son, lost her home too. I saw pictures of the damage and it is total devastation.

After we left the cemetary, everyone went to a local restaurant and stuffed our faces. I was famished. They served everything buffet style and it was so good. Good creole cooking! YUM! Angele would have enjoyed the eats. She loved her food, especially sweets! Chocolate in particular.

The traffic was terrible going down to New Orleans this morning, but it wasn't too bad coming back. Well, I am glad it's over now. We will always remember such a special Golden Angel that we were allowed to know for only a short time.

Dear Angele, we shall meet again.