and by the way...

Something I forgot to mention in my last post was how as teenagers we had a snooker table set up in our garage. My dad was quite the pool shark and we spent hours trying our best to beat him. The garage floor was painted red and when I had the opportunity to tour the old house I was taken through the garage. The first thing I spotted was the circle on the worn painted floor right where the snooker table had stood. I could almost hear my dad and the sounds of my friends echo through the garage. The new homeowners had been told by former neighbors about the snooker table and my dad so they were happy to hear my first hand account of our games. How nostalgic the tour was and it sure brought back great memories. Everyone should knock on the door of a childhood home. You never know what you will find!

When I was 8 years old my family and I moved to a beautiful new home. Having moved form the modest two-bedroom frame home of my childhood this glorious four- bedroom home felt nothing less than grand. One of the many attributes of the French provincial home was the parquet floor that went throughout.

I lived in this house with my family from age 8 until I was 21 years old. Over time the parquet floors started to show some wear. Some of the parquet had become loose and small pieces of tile could be removed. There were loose tiles all over the house and I decided I would leave hand written notes under them. I’d write my name and age on a small piece of paper along with the date and fold it flat and put them under the tiles. Sometimes I would jot down something about my family or who my boyfriend was at the time. On my wedding day I was in my room getting dressed when my my shoe happened to kick up one of the loose tiles in my closet. I decided to leave one more message.

My parents sold their home in the summer of 1977. Since that time the house has had several owners. Last summer, 41 years after I left home, I was driving past the old neighborhood and noticed there was a garage sale taking place at my parent’s old house. I figured it was a great opportunity to talk to the current owners and tell them I once lived there as a child. Two women were working the sale when I stopped and asked if one of them was the owner of the house. One lady answered saying that she and her husband and 3 children lived there. I immediately told her my connection to the house and I was met with the warmest reception. She was so excited to hear about the house and its original owners and immediately invited me to go inside. I followed her through the familiar entryway.The den was being used as a dining room and walls had been removed and an entire new family room added on to the back of the house. Though things had definitely changed since I lived in the house there were many things that I recognized, from the brick fireplace to the parquet floors.

As we continued to tour the house the next room I was shown was my old bedroom. Though the wallpaper had long since been removed the room was still pink in color and it was now the bedroom of their 8 year old daughter. I told the little girl that the room had been mine when I was just her age. I told her about how I used to line up my stuffed animals in the window box just as she had done. I then asked her if she had every found a loose tile in the closet. Her face lit up with a look of recognition and she replied she had. She then asked if I was the “girl” who had written the note. Then the most amazing thing, she walked across her room and opened her jewelry box and pulled out a small, yellow piece of paper and handed it to me. I opened it and there were my words, “Today is my wedding day, I am leaving this house of my childhood for the last time. August 1, 1969."

I found the neatest sight today it is a station at www.pandora.com that only plays the type of music you want!  It's a lot of fun so check it out.  All you do is select create a station and then you put either the name of a group or favorite song in.  They will automatically select songs or groups that meet your request.  It really is fun.  I put in groups like The New Christy Minstrels and Simon and Garfunkel..............my blast from the past!  So much fun!  I'm having fun rockin out at work!!!!!

Name Change

A good looking man walked into an agent's office in Hollywood and said "I want to be a movie star." Tall,handsome and with experience on Broadway, he had the right credentials. 

The agent asked, "What's your name?"

The guy said, "My name is Penis van Lesbian."

The agent said, "Sir, I hate to tell you, but in order to get into Hollywood, you are going to have to change 
your name."

"I will NOT change my name! The van Lesbian name is centuries old, I will not disrespect my grandfather by changing my name. Not ever."

The agent said, "Sir, I have worked in Hollywood for years... you will NEVER go far in Hollywood with a name like Penis van Lesbian! I'm telling you, you will 
HAVE TO change your name or I will not be able to represent you."

"So be it! I guess we will not do business together" the guy said and he left the agent's office.

FIVE YEARS LATER...... The agent opens an envelope sent to his office. Inside the envelope is a letter and a check for $50,000. The agent is awe-struck, who 
would possibly send him $50,000? He reads the letter enclosed. . .

"Dear Sir, 
Five years ago, I came into your office wanting to become an actor in Hollywood , you told me I needed to change my name. Determined to make it with my God-given birth name, I refused. You told me I would never make it in Hollywood with a name like Penis van Lesbian. After I left your office, I thought about what you said. 

I decided you were right. I had to change my name. I had too much pride to return to your office, so I signed with another agent. I would never have made 
it without changing my name, so the enclosed check is a token of my appreciation.

Thank you for your advice.


Sincerely,

Dick van Dyke

(I don't care who you are, that's funny.)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MILLIE!
May there be many more to come!

Further thoughts from Saturday

As I mentioned previously I saw the movie "Eat, Pray, Love" this past Saturday and accompanied by one old friend and two new acquaintances.  I am always interested in the reaction of others to a new movie and was very happy we had the opportunity to discuss our various reactions over lunch.  One of my new acquaintances is just 3 years post divorce.  Her twenty something year marriage ended when hubby found a newer, younger model and left to recapture his lost youth. (my words not hers)  Anyway, my new friend was still red eyed from crying over the scene with Julia Roberts dancing with her ex on a balcony in India (in her imagination) while forgiving herself for walking out on her marriage when I realized I had no reaction to that emotional scene what-so-ever.  It became quite clear to me that I had indeed moved on from my own pain of divorce and I didn't envy the fresh open wound of my new friend.  A wound so easily re-opened by the sight of Julia dancing with her imaginary ex on a roof top.  While Julia was dancing I on the other hand was only thinking about where we were going to eat lunch!  Italy had already left me craving spaghetti and breadsticks.  Time does heal all wounds!

Lovely day with an old friend and met two new friends as well.  We went to see the movie Eat Pray Love with Julia Roberts.  I read the book so I was anxious to see how the movie would portray it.  Let me first say that I was not all that taken with the book so I was surpised about all the hype it has created.  The movie was good but for me forgettable.  The book had a lot more substance to it.  My favorite part was Italy and all the eating................ahhhhhhh to eat without guilt.............now that is a spiritual awakening.   I'm anxious to hear some other thoughts about the book or the movie.

PERKS OF AGING

I came across another perk of aging last night.  I went to dinner and a movie with a friend last night.  We decided a cheap $1.00 movie would be a great way to end the evening and upon stepping up to the ticket counter we were tactfully asked "Would you by chance be 60 years old or older?"  

I replied, "Why by chance we are."  

The cute young lady then said, "Well, if you are over 60 and the temp. reached 100 degrees today you get in free."

I then began to giggle louder and responded, "Thank goodness we didn't have to be over a 100."

So, what I'm trying to figure out is this,  are they thinking that because us "seniors" are risking life and limb by just venturing out in the heat we deserve a free movie if we survive the trip?

Just wondering! 

Actually, I know they are offering a way for lower income seniors to escape the heat if the do not have air conditioning and I applaud them for their efforts!  I just wonder if these same seniors have transportation to the movies.  Maybe that is something to look into - 

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Handle every stressful situation like a dog,

If you can't eat it or play with it,

Just pee on it and walk away!

Does the name Pavlov ring a bell?

Those who jump off a bridge in Paris are in Seine.

A man's home is his castle, in a manor of speaking.

Dijon vu - the same mustard as before.

Practice safe eating - always use condiments.

Shotgun wedding - A case of wife or death.

A man needs a mistress just to break the monogamy.


A hangover is the wrath of grapes.


Condoms should be used on every conceivable occasion.

Reading while sunbathing makes you well red.

When two egotists meet, it's and I for an I.

A bicycle can't stand on its own betcause it is two tired.

What's the difinition of a will? (It's a dead give away.)

Time flies like an arrow.  Fruit flies like a banana.

In democracy your vote counts.  In feudalism your count votes.

She was engaged to a boyfriend with a wooden leg but broke it off.

A chicken crossing the road is pultry in motion.

If you don't pay your exorcist, you get reposessed.

With her marriage, she got a new name and a dress.

The man who fell into an upholstery machine is fully recovered.

You feel stuck with your debt if you can't budge it.

Local Area Network in Australia - the LAN down under.

Every calendar's days are numbered.

A lot of money is tainted - Tant your and taint mine.

A boiled egg is hard to beat.

He had a photographic memory that was never developed.

A midget fortune-teller who escapes from prison is a small medium at large.

Once you've seen one shopping center, youve seen a mall.

Bakers trade bread recipes on a knead-to-know basis.

Santa's helpers are submordinate clauses.

Acupuncture is a jab well done.

Burgers Anyone?

Seriously.........aren't these just gross but oh so funny?  I just wish I had grandchildren.....wouldn't these just freak the little darlin's out?

Serve em up nice and HOT!