Mother's Day pictures continued . . .

The photo on the left is our family eating out for Mother's Day Saturday night. It is Patsy, who hates all her pictures, Teri and Cindy. On the bottom is one of Teri. I had tried to take one before but she didn't think she looked right, so I let her get herself together and then took this one. I think she gets that from me. Anyway, this one I think is great. I didn't take a single of Cindy as she came later and we were too excited to settle down for a photo shoot.

I just got off my exercise bike where I watched on television a half hour of "Snapped." That's a show about a couple where one usually kills the other, and at the end there's a trial and that's the show. It's narrated by a woman who speaks in a dull monotone which is somewhat relaxing as she describes the horrible murders that take place. So everything is tied up nicely in just half an hour. This one was a woman on trial for killing her boyfriend, stabbing him 15 times. She left a written note saying she did it and then took some pills and went to the hospital. She was arrested but her excellent defense attorney said she was finally remembering all the bad things he'd done to her - abuse of all kinds. So it was almost like she just had to kill him to save her life even though she stabbed him through the sheet while he was asleep. In the end, she didn't want to go through a trial so took an Alford plea (look it up) and was sentenced to I forget how much time, but she'll be out in 8 years. There were commercials for a new show - "Tanisha Gets Married" - and cat food that looked so delicious and much better than my usual diet. Also Bad Girls go to Mexico or something similar. All in all, I had a good exercise this Sunday. I did it twice to "Snapped." You don't have to think when you watch this show - you just listen and wish you were asleep. I think it's on all day Sunday if anyone is interested!

Mother's Day at the Compound

My daughters visited me last weekend and I loved it. I don't see them very often, so it's always a treat when they come.  Saturday's "Time" magazine cover brought back memories. I used to nurse my baby girls and cherished the time we had together as their little eyes got so big looking up at me while I looked down at them. But that was our special time together and they didn't need a chair to stand on. Things are apparently different now in that more mothers are nursing and doing it longer and longer . . . Pretty soon there will be mothers scurrying down the street with a kid in camouflage pants and clunky shoes running behind her screaming for a drink. Times they are a-changin'.

Teri was here on Thursday night. I had made a stew but I told her it wasn't that great, so she went out and bought stuff for us to eat! What a good girl! One of the things she bought was a salad with fava beans. I had never had them before. I knew that Anthony Hopkins in "Silence of the Lambs" ate them with one of his victim's liver and they were delicious. If they were good enough for Anthony, they were sure good enough for me. He ate many different things when he was in "Silence of the Lambs." His tastes were very eclectic. The salad was delicious, but when I looked up fava beans I found that they don't just grow like they looked in my salad. They come in long stalks and have to be shucked and all that time-consuming business. It is supposedly a Zen-like experience doing it, but I don't have time for Zen and I think they are very expensive, so I'll stick with broccoli.

Teri and I went to a garden store and she bought me some beautiful plants for my decks. She planted them all herself! She loves planting things but has no place for it where she lives. So she just has 4 cats and 1 dog to make up for no plants. That doesn't make sense but then I don't always make sense.

Cindy arrived Saturday. She came with her DVD of "The Betty Broderick Story" which we always have to watch when we get together. There are two sections, but we just watch the first one that ends with Betty shooting her ex-husband and his new wife while they are asleep in bed. Good TV! Betty was so bad and the dialogue is great. She was a real bitch! We ate dinner out as all I had was the stew. After dinner we had our sorority meeting on my deck. Our sorority is I Eta Pi in honor of Betty Broderick. We are the three officers. Diane is also a member but she wasn't present. We had no minutes so she didn't miss anything. After a glass of wine, we came in from the deck and sat down to watch the Betty movie. Cindy fell asleep after a while,

so the girls trudged into my bedroom and went to bed. Isn't it fortunate that I sleep on the couch? Everyone should do that.

The next morning they were both out of here by 9:30am and on their way home. Teri flew to Los Angeles for a day and Cindy went home to see her beloved April. April is her bull mastiff that adores her as Cindy does her. I felt sad and lonely when they left, but I finally managed to pull myself together and started doing things that mothers do on Mother's Day like wash clothes, dishes and straighten up the house. A woman's work never ends!!

The picture on top of this are the flowers that Teri planted and the three of us out to eat on Saturday night. Sorry about the eating picture - no room. I'll have to do another blog.

What is a Mitt Romney?

A Mitt is an extremely tall, incredibly stiff and very white man - also a Mormon. That isn't something I look forward to seeing as the head of our country. Does he have another name or is that it? I don't know what qualifies him to be our president. His past record stinks as far as I'm concerned. His years at Bain Capital made most of his 200 million fortune. I don't understand leveraged buy-outs and that sort of business venture, but I do know that many of his dealings made him much money but caused businesses to fail and go bankrupt, thus causing many people to lose jobs. He always talks about how he created jobs during this time there, but fails to mention the adverse effect that created the job losses under his leadership. I've noticed his way of trying to fit into his surroundings. When in the south or midwest, he wears jeans and eats the kind of food that he probably wouldn't touch otherwise. He talks like the country people there in a manner I find condescending.

I wonder if he ever cuts loose and has a drink with the guys or goes out dancing just for the heck of it. But I guess Mormons don't dance if there are sexual overtones in the dancing which is what dancing is all about. And I know they don't drink. What does Mitt do for fun? He probably can't see an R rated movie or watch raunchy television. What a drab life! Even Republicans are thinking he should loosen up a little and stop being so combative and dark. He should be running for president, not trying to knock the actual president down. He seems so angry at Obama. Is he afraid to talk about his past and all the money he has, some of which was not earned in a good way? Why can't he make up his mind about something and then stick to it. 

He was chosen as one of the 100 most influential people in the country by "Time" magazine last week. I'm sorry they picked him, but no one asked for my opinion. I'm sure I could have come up with a much better candidate . . . possibly someone who hadn't cost people their jobs or someone who didn't strap their dog on top of their car and then drive hundreds of miles.  "Time" had a short piece written about him by Bill Bain, CEO of Bain & Co. He was gushing about Mitt throughout the piece and he did mention something I found hilarious. When Mitt first started working for Bain, he would come into work so early he even beat Bill Bain who had always been the first to arrive. So Bain one day told Mitt he was pissing him off, and when Mitt asked why he told him. Mitt says the reason he's so early is because he gets up and helps his wife with their kids, then goes and visits the sick people from his church

and then comes to work. I don't know how that made him come to work early unless he didn't sleep at night . . . . ever. Will he do that if he becomes our president? I'm sure there are many sick Mormons in DC.

I see where broadcasters are interviewing Ann Romney and depicting her as almost a saint. We know she has MS and had breast cancer at one time with radiation which she says really laid her low. I had breast cancer surgery and radiation and I drove myself to all the appointments and kept going as usual. I have many of the same symptoms she has but I can't take equine therapy as she does because I don't have the money her dear husband does to provide the horse or therapy. I don't have any place to keep a horse where I live as I'm not in the 1% like they are with their three mansions and elevator for their many Cadillacs. I'm hoping Mitt doesn't build his run for the White House around his wife and what a special person she is. But I'm afraid that's just exactly what is going to happen.

Am I depressed?

I went to the grocery this morning which is always depressing as everything costs so much that it's no fun anymore. I came home and plopped down on the couch and turned on the tv. The first thing on was an ad for something and a voice asking, "Are you depressed?"  I was frantically nodding my head because no one could hear me if I answered out loud. It went on to list several symptoms you would have if you were depressed. Of course, I had them all. It gave a phone number to call but I didn't have anything to write with and by the time I found a pen and paper, I had forgotten the phone number. I'm sure I'll see it again as it's on several times a day. Maybe they aren't getting enough business because people can't write down the phone number fast enough . .. . . . . . probably because they're too depressed.

The tv changed to world news which would make anyone deeply disturbed. What in the hell is the GSA doing with all of our money? They are supposed to be the watchdogs but they spend nearly a million dollars in Vegas on a conference! This has been going on with them for some time. Why hasn't someone with brains picked up on it and put a stop to it. What is wrong with everyone???

And the other nasty news concerns the president's trip to Columbia. The secret service men and some armed forces personnel who were sent there to make sure everything was in shape for the president brought some prostitutes back to their hotel after a night of partying. But when one of the men wouldn't pay the prostitute what was due her for the night, she went to a cop!! That started the whole investigation into just what happened. There will probably be a congressional committee formed to look into it, and we all know how fast those congressional committees work! There must be thousands of those committees working on other things that we never hear about because no one does a damn thing. I'm glad the prostitute was off her back and on her toes and found the cop or no one would ever have known about it. There must be some kind of medal our government could give her . . . . . maybe for whistle blowing.

And what I find is so funny about the whole thing is the fact that the government people make statements saying "This is not the kind of people we are." I'm sorry, but I think this is exactly the kind of people we are.

What would make me feel better now is a good old re-run of "Law&Order." They are always on. You can depend on "Law&Order" more than you can depend on the secret service these days.

Fox shows

I haven't written about tv for a while, but I just finished watching a preview episode of "Touch" which will be showing April 19 - it is entitled "Lost and Found," and it stars Keifer Sutherland who is very good in this part. This episode was especially good. I've been following "Touch" since it started, and it's a very unusual show - It's not something you can miss by going to the bathroom. Do that during commercials if they're long enough. It has so many interwoven stories in each episode that sometimes you find it hard to keep up. I hope it stays on next season because I think it's worth it. It makes your mind work more than if you were watching "Whitney" which I don't watch.

I also keep up with "New Girl" which I like very much. Sometimes I wonder if Zooey is being too cute, but she is cute so maybe that's just the way it is. The three guys in the show are crazy guys, but they take care of Zooey and she, in turn, takes care of them. In one scene you'll see several of them in the bathroom, brushing their teeth together and Zooey's right in the middle. It's sort of like a sorority house only not really. Although maybe it is these days. It should be on next season.

I also like "The Finder," but I hear it might not be on next season. Why not? I think the characters are all very good and the show is funny and interesting. Geoff Stults plays a retired army man and Michael Clarke Duncan plays a former attorney. There are a couple other characters who are all good. Geoff is The Finder who finds lost things, people, etc. for other people. Sometimes he gets paid, but he does it not for the money. He suffered brain damage in the war from an ied explosion which left him with the ability to find things and the urge to do so. So that is what he does, no matter if it's dangerous to him or those with him. He can be very funny which I like. I hope it's on next season. Don't let it go!!

Cindy's having a birthday today!

My baby is growing up! She's not a baby anymore, but I will always think of her as one. She's the younger of my two daughters and has two grown sons of her own, but she's still my baby. This picture was taken at my folk's house where I lived before I went to college - and the man in the chair is Cindy's great grandfather - my mother's father. Cindy looks so sweet in that picture - I love it!

Cindy hasn't had an easy life, but she never complains and doesn't let me see when things aren't going well for her. She can always make me laugh. She has a crazy sense of humor that I love, and people are drawn to her because of her kookiness. She has her own shop where she sells crazy magnets, cards and just goofy things that make you laugh and feel good. She visits with all her customers, and everyone becomes her friend. She has a huge dog, April - a bull mastiff! I've put pictures of her on the blog before. She takes her to work with her every day, and they are absolutely crazy about each other. Cindy has different types of customers come to her store - gay, straight, transgenders, some bringing their wives/husbands. Some have money and some don't have any at all. Many times she ends up giving people something when she knows they can't pay. Cindy has such a good heart and likes everyone. I am so very proud of what she has accomplished and the woman she has become. She has made me laugh. I've cried over her. I hope I've made her laugh but I know I've made her cry. I'm sorry for those times; they shouldn't happen.

I know there comes a time when you supposedly let go and your kids are completely on their own, out of your control. I have a hard time with that as I'm sure both of my girls know. I don't think I've reached that point yet. In fact, I don't believe that ever happens.

So happy birthday, Cindy. I don't like birthdays because it means you're a year older which makes me a year older. I don't like the sound of that at all! But you're in your prime now and should be enjoying the coming years. And don't forget - I'll be watching and trying not to offer too much advice. But come to think of it, my advice would not be the best as I've made many missteps in my life. So let's just say you can learn a lot from me - good and bad - and you'll know which way to go.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY Sweetie!!

I love you lots (your mother, Patsy)

Tebow, Tebow,Tebow - - is anyone else sick of hearing about him?

There is an article in the last "Time" magazine about the "Tebow" law. Some states have it whereby home schooled kids can be taught at home but take part in their public school athletics - mainly football or basketball I imagine. I think some schools are even making it possible for home schoolers to take chemistry, band, and other classes that aren't conducive to home schooling. So these home schoolers have the best of two worlds - they have some time at public school and the rest at home. The main reason for home schooling is to teach kids about the Christian way. It's all about religion.

Tim was home schooled, but when it came time for football, his mother and he moved to a county where the mom liked the coach. Tim apparently did quite well there as he's not doing too badly now.  Apparently his mother wasn't qualified to teach him the ins and outs of football.

The whole thing makes me very upset . . . or I really should say pissed off. Who qualifies people to be teachers in their homes? And why are those kids allowed to take part in anything in a public school since their parents have made it quite clear public schools aren't good enough for them. With the Tebow law in effect, will there be more people kneeling and praying on the streets, sidewalks and lawns that we'll be confronted with whenever we go out? And why was Tim allowed to  kneel and pray on the football field when other players aren't allowed to do their dances or whatever. He was bringing his religion to millions of people which I think was against some law or should be.

I'll bet Tim is a little embarrassed at all the publicity, but then again, maybe that's the way he is. I think public schools need a lot of help, but there isn't the money available now. I don't agree with the Tebow law and think more time and money should be spent on public schools, not some kids from "religious" homes who think they are better than others and just want a way into a scholarship to some big-time schools. That's what I think!