Tomfoolery

Posted on May 5, 2017 | Leave a comment

Enough is enough. There is a war going on between middle management and legitimate software engineers. The rift is between change and staying the same. Executives say they want change, middle managers stage their ground to keep their jobs, pay lip service to change and hire consultants to make change then make their jobs a living h***.  Afterwards, large numbers of people with families to take care of are laid off, and they start a new cycle. Management is the same, and they just bring in new faces they do not recognize and can fire at will.

A new consulting company is hiring newbies so they can charge high and pay low and are trying to get seniors to do hour-long phone tutorials so that the kids can go out and advise clients. They approached my husband, and he said no. I was a consultant before and a kid actually got out a 101 book to answer a question, one I answered in detail before he could find the page. This nonprofit got a grant that included the kid via a board member so they got rid of me for three months, oh, he begged to get me back. I never saw the kid again.

Our new president, Donald Trump wants to allow his insurance companies to deny coverage to anyone who has a pre-existing condition, or allow states to “opt out” from offering that coverage. Giving this bill to your constituents, Mr. Trump, you must remember that you govern all of us, not just those who voted for you, and that this is an insult to all Americans.

We live here, work here, retire here in the USA and pay heavy taxes to do so, and depend on our dollars and cents to pay for health care. Allowing states to individually opt out out of coverage for pre-existing conditions will mean that people will move to other states. Perhaps Mr. Trump wants to further charge (new job, moving costs) people from the states he doesn’t like, to other states. That gives red and blue new meaning when the country is fractured in this fashion. I’ll move.

Sorry, I thought the President of the United States should be President of all the people, not just a chosen few, especially just his daughter threatening a store for not choosing her clothing line. Perhaps I learned that wrong in grade school and when daily, I recited an ode to our chosen symbol of freedom, Our Flag. Very young, I thought it said “liver tea and just us for all” and didn’t quite get it. Teachers and parents were not good at that kind of stuff. And who would wish to quaff liver tea!

I am an American citizen with a passport, TSA-Pre and Global Entry passes. I no longer fly because I hate lines and TSA and naked scanners, pat-downs with an offer to go to a “special room” and bomb swabs. I’m nearly 60 years old, arthritic and frail, do I really look like a terrorist grandma? Feel my boobs for weapons in front of 2,000 people walking by upstairs, no special room for me. Let them know what they’re in for. They’re your next targets.

Growing up we played two-base softball in the back yard with all the kids in the neighborhood. We carried babies and the outfielders pretended to fumble the ball. We played touch football with everyone on the street. We were Americans, kids fulfilling the dream. Now Donald Trump wants to strip us of the health insurance rights we pay for and companies have been lining their pockets with gold for over ten years, all due to taxpayer bailouts. They’re called government bailouts of nearly a trillion dollars. Where did that money come from? Us. Have a cough, the flu? Sorry, no health insurance for you. Not cheery right now, Dee

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Lists

Posted on May 4, 2017 | Leave a comment

That’s Planning II, correct? My husband said he was glad to have an entire week with me and our old dog Zoe. He sleeps most of the time and works the rest. He does take a bit of time out to eat and to walk the dog, but all the time he is with the dog he is talking on the phone. She’s on a 16′ leash with him (never for me) so eats icky stuff.

At home he is on his headphones, on his laptop, or cell phone. “I enjoy spending time with you, dear.”  He prefers electronics.

So I made a list and emailed it to him. Breakfasts, dinners, sights to see. He offered me Europe and I said no. I need to plan that for us, where we want to go, what we wish to see and what we’ll do with the dog.  Of course, what kind of food we will eat……

He doesn’t know that most travelers do not schedule a three-day weekend in Europe for vacation due to travel time and jet lag. Then again he’s been sent to India for work. Two days travel each way, four days at work and he flew home to work, not to us, because the trip was shorter that way. I understand. No, I think it was abuse on the client’s part as my husband is very tall and said client said everyone flies coach, even after longer than an eight-hour flight.

I’m letting him sleep as much as he needs to do the transition. He’ll also be doing an opposite time change so when he visits weekends we can make sleep and meals work and ease into a new schedule.

Today I’m making chili, Pedernales Chili or my riff on Lady Bird Johnson’s 1962 recipe from near Austin TX. They served 5,000 including JFK that day. The recipe is on the LBJ Library’s website. That recipe was the most requested document from the White House until JFK was assassinated.

He gave me back the list of what he wanted to eat before going back to restaurant food. He also chose a museum to visit today. I took Zoe out before seven, then fed her. We’ll take her out before we leave. Oh, he decided to make fluffy pancakes yesterday. Goo (egg glue) all over. And the egg whites never puffed in the stand mixer because he doesn’t know how to crack and separate an egg properly. No yolks in the whites!

I love him and that he wants to use every machine in my kitchen. Yes, my kitchen, we made egg pasta with my hand-cranked pasta machine one day last year. That was less messy than the pancakes! Cheers and happy cooking, Dee

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Posted in Editorial, Zoe

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I See Dead People

Posted on May 3, 2017 | Leave a comment

My mother died nearly nine years ago and her number is still on my phone and on my computer. Dad died over the holidays. I’ve multiple numbers. My old college friend Led, and others.

It is not a burden, but a blessing. Once the initial rawness of the death eases, one is able to associate a fond memory when going through a list for holiday cards, for example. Now I always arrange flowers for Dad every week, also for my living family, my husband and of course dog Zoe.

There are changes in our lives and we must choose how to live through them. Change is always an issue. My husband and I are agents of change in business but sometimes I resist when it involves moving our nest, at our expense, unnecessarily. We undergo change all the time and sometimes I envy folks who settled down early, had a family, bought a house and have lived in it for 50 years.

My husband said that before we met and he moved, he used three feet of space, the minimum on a freight truck. Years later, when we actually had furniture, we were at 12 feet. Now we’d be more because we have his grandma’s china and my mother’s Lenox china for ten, and the nun desk. That’s another story.

He tells people I cost him nine linear feet. I tell folks he married me because when we walked along the Pacific Ocean our first weekend dating as the sun set, he stood behind me and placed his chin on my head and arms around my shoulders. He married me because I am the perfect chin rest. I also cook and Lucy, you’ve now got some ‘splainin’ (planning) to do. For menus. He’s here all week. First time since the holidays.

I’ll get to work. Have a wonderful day! Cheers, Dee

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Planning

Posted on April 28, 2017 | Leave a comment

We don’t do enough of it. My husband will be around for a few days, not just a two-day weekend, and we don’t know what we are doing or if he will have a job next month.

A kind woman who works here changed her entire work schedule to be able to spend weekends with her family, including two young boys age six and four. They planned an entire weekend with favorite animated films, food and bedtimes.

She told me yesterday that they planned to awaken at 5:30 this morning for breakfast and a quick film before school. She’s young enough to be my daughter, but if I come back one day, she’d make a great mom.

I gave her the concise OED, two volumes with teeny print and a Bausch and Lomb magnifying glass and box, 1971 Edition, published in 1973. She said she was glad her boys had a dictionary so they wouldn’t need to Google everything for school. Her older son has a steel trap of a mind, met me and my dog for five minutes at the fourth birthday party for the younger son, to which we were invited.

He drew a crayon sketch of our Zoe, and Ms. D that is up on our frig for all to see. Well, it’s more flattering of Zoe than of me. I called my barber that minute and got an appointment as I am shown with a purple scrunchie atop my head! He said, OK, so you don’t need a haircut. Yes! A six year-old just did a caricature of me and I need a haircut!

Cheers, raise smart, good kids. Also smart, good dogs. Not everyone needs a herding dog, like our Aussie mix, but after 13 years of being herded, one gets used to it. Let’s see what my husband does with her in a week, perhaps toss her in the Lake? If he does, she’ll be OK as she dove into a caretaker’s pool at nine weeks of age and they pulled her out after she swam across – it was February. We hope to have guests next week and are planning on it already. The leaves are starting to come out on the trees. It may be Spring! Cheers! Dee

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Do Dogs Dream?

Posted on April 27, 2017 | Leave a comment

Cesar Millan asked this question last week and his site would not allow me to respond. Yes, they do dream. Our 13 year-old Zoe just had one and I hated to leave her to come in here and write this. She’s a herder and will be by my side in under three minutes.

The tail wags, ears twitch, eyes open and close. Then the entire body twitches and the paws run like crazy. Sometimes she awakens for a walk and breakfast, and sometimes the REM phase just puts her back asleep. I like to guess whether it’s a squirrel, bunny or mouse. When she was young and faster she did kill two mice with precision and my husband took each out of her mouth immediately and fed them to the baby birds over the fence in the protected wildlife area. 1,200 acres, five feet away. Moose crashed a wedding and elk jumped the fence and crossed the highway. I used to make our bedroom balcony available for credentialed photographers. What a view.

The baby colts (young Greater Sandhill Cranes) would make sounds at night. I’d awaken and tell my husband that mom was going to the 7-11 to get them something to eat. There was no 7-11, and we didn’t see any this year. Years ago there was a fox that hung out there for hours every day, waiting for the 6′ parents to leave their colts. They never did, “married” for life and raised colts every year. The fox always left, disappointed. Hey, you just chose the wrong prey!

Yes, dogs do dream. She’s never had a thing for any bird, as there is a turkey who lives in our neighborhood and he is pardoned by all of us every Thanksgiving! She just ignores him as she walks by on leash.

She has been with me for 20 minutes and can jump down, just not up. Time for “last chance” and bed. You know who’s the boss now. It certainly is not me. Cheers! Dee

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Posted in animals, dogs, Editorial, editorial pets, Uncategorized

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I Love Robert Klein

Posted on April 24, 2017 | 1 comment

And he still can’t stop his leg. My parents took us to see him in the early 70’s when he was doing much of his fifties stuff. They were stories of being a kid. The kid who dropped the flag and kissed the tassels, the homogenized milk where he saw the word “homo” and wondered what was going on.

Mr. Klein, comic, actor, rocked my world when I was still a kid, in Washington D.C. He was opening for Ms. “Delta Dawn” and I could google her name but he was all I remember. We got an album and my sister and l laughed with him for years.

We must have missed many “adult” references at the time but parents telling kids when they could swim? Thirty minutes. Jello. Ten minutes. Franks and beans, you’re going down to Davey Jones’ locker. Those are his thoughts, not his words.

He taught me, along with Dad, that I could be the smart kid. Later in life I could write legislation that affected 34 million people. As I aged I could write about experiences, food and opinions. I no longer sat in the back of the class being shy. Now I’ve a blog and let my opinions be known, at least when my husband can get my new computer. monitor, printer and keyboard to play well together in the sandbox. I take care of everything else. He’s a physicist/software engineer so takes care of electronics.

Thank you, Mr. Klein, for opening my eyes to opportunities. To Dad for opening my mind to simple things like learning to lick an ice cream cone, fair play with neighbors in two-base baseball where we carried babies and they purposely fumbled the ball, he died over the holidays. He introduced me to the wild wacky world of yours and I am able to tell stories. Cheers! Dee

 

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Coincidence?

Posted on April 19, 2017 | Leave a comment

I think not. My husband spent 100,000 miles to send me on a weekend trip, first class, to Park City, UT. The weather did not cooperate but we stayed in a lovely resort hotel and took a long drive and walked Main Street and ate at our favorite haunts. Then we hung out as after living there we’d seen all the monuments, as an old D.C. roommate had said. We weren’t under pressure to do anything in bad weather or if we just wanted to watch Netflix by one of our three fireplaces. Yeah, one bedroom, three fireplaces.

We only had two days, then he headed west and I, east for the week. From Chicago I was taking a short hop. There were no crews, so flights were delayed indeterminately. I was stuck in Chicago for three hours and changed flights because a blessed soul at the desk booked me another gate pass for another plane, nodding when I said I didn’t want to spend the night on the floor at the airport.

At that moment, Dr. Dau was physically taken out of his seat in favor of United Airlines personnel, because the plane had four passengers without a seat. I was in the airport.

I had no clue, got a boarding pass for the earlier flight that would be leaving way earlier than the later one because my original crew had never left Kentucky. The earlier 5:30 flight was delayed until 7:30 because of lack of crew.

At the new destination, we were so frustrated by the lack of information and no-one was even at the desk while we were there for hours. We had already planned a revolt because no-one would tell us anything. We had no idea of the United Airlines debacle. People had been there for hours and there were no crews. Then one showed up in uniform. Yea! We had originally wanted them to put us up for the night or charter transportation for the lot of us to Milwaukee and had a gang of eight.

Then another crew showed up in plain clothes, unbeknownst to most passengers, to take seats on our plane. I did not know the significance of this action until I showed up having changed my ticket hours ago with a new boarding pass with seat 17C. A woman was seated there. Yes, she was non-uniform crew for the next morning back to ORD.

I looked at my seat number, now knowing that paying travelers were being denied boarding for overbooking but nothing of the “big story” and just thought that as long as I was onboard, I wanted my seat. I looked at her, showed her my boarding pass and said nicely that I thought this was my seat. I only thought that she would go to the empty one by the window.

Her compatriots were in riotous laughter. All I asked for was my seat. She moved back with her friend but it was clear that they wanted space and got it and when I showed up, she was the butt of all their jokes. I felt bad that they were laughing so hard, and at her. She was angry with me so I gave her a frig magnet from Utah and all was forgiven.

Ending, I believe their policies are bad. No airline should place people who paid for a ticket and are in their seat in danger, especially to call in police to drag them out bloody to make room for their own personnel. Given a background in legislation and law and a lifetime of common sense, I think there was a “strike” of some sort by the unions after the videos went viral so there were no crews, no flights.

Unfortunately, it upset me because I was right there watching over a fellow passenger I’d never met before who’d already been at the airport three hours before our final two and was very ill. We have been in touch today, have common business interests and he is doing well. He calls me his “airport angel.” All I did was watch over him, and bring him some warm ginger ale to sip. They sat him in first class. It didn’t help that the jetway broke at our destination and we had to stay on the plane another hour for it to be fixed.

Passengers took care of each other. No-one, administration, unions, took care of us. We took the brunt of it that day. I had a wonderful vacation with my husband in the mountains. It took me many hours and travails to get home. I’d changed flights and knew my luggage would not be there. It was there, the last of four bags as they closed the carousel. My friend Joe was there to pick me up and dropped me home where I slept, then picked up my dog from great people who took care of her. There are bright lights. I saw them in the mountains. Snow-Kitties, my husband and our dog.

That’s how I’d like to remember the weekend. Sno-Cats grooming the mountain trails, sitting beside the fire. Gorgeous mountains, even one mortar went off for avalanche control. When we lived there they were my lullabies. Yes, it took a while to get used to the lights and sounds but they actually help to put me back to sleep. Back to normal life… if there is one. Dee

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Posted in loving life, Travel

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The Best Things

Posted on March 16, 2017 | Leave a comment

in life are not free. Especially when it comes to taking care of a dog while you’re away from home and can’t take her with you. Heads and tails above the others and affordable was Dog Boys Dog Ranch. She had cattle, horses, and as a pup with excised hips she was placed with older, sedate dogs.

Don’t listen to that. Those dogs did not chase our Zoe around the pasture. They whispered in her ears. She learned so many bad habits it was actually funny. “Tell them you can’t get up to the kitchen counter then eat their steak.” We’re smarter than her but she has messed with our minds for 13 years now. Yes, she did that. She also stole a croissant and needed to bring it to her special place to eat it so it looked like a mustache and she took it right by our guests at brunch and we couldn’t stop laughing. There was no way she would be reprimanded!

We thank Dog Boys for not only taking care of her, but shaping her character through allowing her to interact with other dogs and people. Everyone knew her, she was sometimes in the office. Now she is an erstwhile friend to many in the neighborhood and a mascot around town. Thank you. Dee & Z

When I think of the people we allowed to take care of her over her many years, as a pup she went to Dog Boys and they still remember her 12 years later. Sorry to give this away. I’m writing a piece because I think many dog boarding facilities are sub-standard and our Zoe has been in several. Others charge a fortune for sub-standard care at home. Dee

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Posted in dogs, editorial pets

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Babied

Posted on March 15, 2017 | Leave a comment

Today I had a “date” with a gal pal to go shopping with her four month-old son, G. We followed her in the stroller through the shop. I figure she hasn’t been out in the cold weather to get more than groceries these days.

We came back to our place and I played the guitar for G and he was fascinated. Then we went to their place and I held G and Mommy was amazed that she got a break and that G liked me! He even placed his head on my shoulder for a couple of minutes and slept. He is very bright and vivacious, and very strong, was standing and jumping on my legs, and dancing to music when Mom was holding him while I played guitar and sang Woody Guthrie’s “This Land is Your Land.”

I came home and an hour later after I fed and took out our dog Zoe I sat back on the sofa and crashed. I don’t know how Mommy does this all day! Just know I’m too old for it. G’s 13 lbs. and a healthy, growing infant.

I do believe he needs to be exposed to music, and I’d like to talk to Mom about sign language. I’ve a friend who did that with her kids. Simple things like change my diaper, feed me, pick me up. Then she taught “I love you.” and when they came to visit when she was six years old she still signed Mom I love you when she went off to play with the dogs.

Before they can vocalize they can do sign language to let parents know if they’re feeling ill, need to be fed or need a diaper change. I think it’s amazing! No, I fear they’ll never ask to be put down for a nap to give Mommy a break! Cheers, Dee

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Posted in Editorial, loving life, Music

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My Zoe

Posted on March 15, 2017 | Leave a comment

The belle of the ball. Oh, she was so sick when we took her home. Just six weeks old, coccidia and hookworms but we took care of that immediately until her hips went out and we had them removed at six and nine months then (thanks Dr. Val) she was great. A mascot around the neighborhood she enjoys her status as grandma to the pups and mascot out and about.

http://thelast100daysoftownlakeanimalcenter.blogspot.com/2011/10/zoes-story.html#comments

I talk about her and my many years of  volunteering to ask readers to ask the family if you want a pet, what type of pet, make sure you know that your kids are ready for that responsibility whether it’s a guinea pig or a dog. It is a serious responsibility. I know parents don’t like this extra task, however if your child takes it seriously, they’ll be better children, students, and spouses and parents one day.

If the hamster dies, show it, bury it with them. Don’t tell them the cat went to heaven. If they’re old enough take them to see Fluffy be euthanized with your hands on her head and tummy while they say goodbye for the last time.

The kids don’t have to stay the entire time for the pink shot. You do. You owe it to your pet for his/her service to you, because you think they only wanted to be fed and walked and took up your time. My dog is getting old and as I lifted her up to the bed, all she cares about is taking care of me and making sure I’m safe. Us, but he is the fun guy and I am the disciplinarian and food wench, she only cares about me! Food! Dee

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Posted in editorial pets, Zoe