Madame x lives in a nice neighborhood…. Not too fancy, not gated, no rolling lawns, but well kept and generally desired. It is a typical planned development with tract housing….. When Madame x’s husband got the brilliant idea to get married, luck befell them and their names mysteriously jumped to the very top of the waiting list for the very best house in the whole entire tract (about to begin construction). Madame x and husband were able to oversee all the details and soon happily moved into their new abode.Enter the neighbors…. Across the street, the retired couple (way before WE were the retired couple)…. I refer to him as ‘Buttsniff’…. Because Buttsniff encouraged his Buttsniffing dogs to come over to our lawn to do their buttsniffing pooping……. I don’t know this for a fact, but there is no changing Madame x’s mind.
Next to Buttsniff, lived the “Diva and the Wimp” , She was the Diva because that actually was her real name, Deva… (no sh.t!) and the Wimp because he groveled around her like some kind of houseman and yammered his troubles to anyone within earshot. Soon the Diva tired of the Wimp and divorced him and they all moved away. That was it for awhile, until the neighbor on the other side of ‘Buttsniff’ filled his garage to capacity and not wanting to litter up his driveway, started parking his car in front of Madame x’s house…. For some reason, this chaps Madame x’s ass, so she has begun calling him Buttsniff also. Now, Madame x’s husband (who is not disturbed in the least by any of this) is confused about whom Madame x is referring when she is muttering profanities about Buttsniff.
The cruelest blow came upon Madame x’s retirement…. It seems the neighbors behind us have adopted two new dogs. Little yapping –excited-yapping –nervous- pacing- yapping dingo looking dogs. Any.little.noise.sets.these.psycho.circus canines into a frenzy of frantic barking….and it goes on and on and on for.ever. It is a good thing Madame x is leaving town and has a chance to become calmed and well rested before dealing with the ‘the owners of the dingo dogs’. Because, deal….she will.
Over the years, Madame x has learned many lessons in patience and good-will, she has strived to over-look minor annoyances and pet-peeves in order to maintain this good will and excellent rapport with the soon to be teenagers and their respective parents.
As Madame x’s husband reminds her (constantly) “We will set an example of good neighbor(ly) living”. And so, we do.
Inhale pink…….
Exhale blue….
Tah
What is happening, that all of a sudden my life is so much busier ...now that I’m retired.... than when I was...not...retired?
When I am the most behind ... with too much to do before leaving town... and I have exactly 15 minutes to get to my destination 20 minutes away
Why is it that , the door bell rings.
Where is it written that I must not politely close the door on the two nice looking young men wearing white short sleeves and black ties... gripping in their ‘eager to share paws’, a copy of the
Wait for it.....
Watchtower Magazine.
Do I pray? (they inquire)
Huh? (I reply)
How do you pray? (they again inquire)
Uh, uh... well lets see........
Dear God, please don’t let there be a chain smoker sitting in front of me at the red neck races this week –end... yeah yeah yeah I mean amen... no wait....
Dear God, please let the black pants I plan to wear to the play next Tues, fit. The ones, I’m NOT trying on because they might not fit.
Yeah that! I mean amen.... no wait
Dear God, never mind the black pants.. Please don’t let a really, really tall guy that moves his head constantly side to side sit in front of me at the play next Tues. hallelujah! I mean amen.
Oh and let there be world peace..... for now and ever.... and I mean amen
so it is written
Twelve hours peeling off wallpaper ... the damn stuff must have
been put on with Rhino Glue...
I wanted to take a photo of the ensuing mess of water and little
bits of paper debris everywhere, not to mention the sweaty brow
of madame x’s husband... but his
murderous
look gave me pause.
He’d like to get his hands on the asshat that put that stuff all the hell over
the laundry and bathroom walls twenty years ago.
Oh wait.... that was me.
We will be leaving next week for what amounts to a months worth of vacation.
First to the beautiful wilds of Canada for fishing and general good times with some wonderful friends.
Upon arriving home we just about have time to repack and head out for eight days of ‘Dirt Track’ racing.... in Northern California. Madame x's husband loves this stuff.....
I thought it would be a fun time to take two days and drive into San Francisco to see a play and have a nice meal.....
Reaction....
Yesterday I only had time to comment on one post before I headed to the hospital for a medical test. A ridiculously long test requiring Madame x to lie very very still for long periods of time as a giant space ship hovered over her with about 1 inch of breathing space. If I have your sympathy and attention.....I bring you this click HERE TO read about it and DONATE or click here to donate directly (thanks to Em) Thanks Em! Leave a dollar or two...it's easy... it's fun... it isn't fattening So ends the PSA.... and THANK YOU THANK YOU for reading..... and maybe even donating.. Madame x
If you are so inclined to contribute to a worthy cause...besides your own families health and welfare, this is a good one.... It is about the children. I will just copy and paste my niece’s description as she says it best. I will tell you that my niece is an attorney in LA and she is ‘good people’. I haven’t truly researched to see if the money actually gets to the intended children, but I believe KT has an honorable group of friends and that it will.
From KT's blog: Share our Strength, an organization that works to end childhood hunger in America and the organization that put on the recent Taste of the Nation event, is bringing you a new way to contribute to the cause.The Great American Bake Sale is a campaign to get people to host bake sales in their community to raise money to aid children at risk of hunger.This is a way to contribute for those of us who may not have $100 to pay for a food festival, but may be rich in friends and neighbors who like to eat (and who doesn't, really?)
Migraines...what do they look like?
They can ruin a week-end ...that's for sure
Found this on the web.... as I was trying to get some new info re: the dreaded migraine.
This is Mark Fitzgerald's vision (of his aura) at the onset of a migraine.So amazing to me, because
this is what I see.... only mine is a bright pink superglowing blob. Pink isn't even a good word....Magenta....a pulsating, glowing, neon Magenta blob. When I see this blob, I know what is coming.... Oh God.
I haven't found any new information.... but these are some of my own ideas about my migraines.
1. They are not 'cyclic'... the only cycling I do is on an exercise machine and I actually don't do that either.
2. They don't seem to be food related. As in, Chocolate, Cheese, Wine.....the big three of the migraine culprits....
3. Stress? maybe... who knows. We all tend to make our own stress, outside factors only exacerbate what makes us anxious.
4. For some reason, I feel quilty getting them, as if I caused them somehow. As if I'm being melodramatic with the throwing-up and sleep of the dead. As if I'm looking for attention .
5. Pity the poor husband standing by, especially when he wants to do something for you....and you just want to be left alone....in a dark room....with four pillows on your head.
I was reading the label on a prepackaged deli item when I first felt her stare. I glanced up but she quickly looked away. The next encounter happened two aisles later coming from opposite directions – she hesitated slightly as we passed, as if she wanted to say something to me.
Finally, four more aisles down the road and there in front of the instant oatmeal I decided to end her misery (for all the furtive glances) and I offered an encouraging ‘Hi’.
Good Googa Mooga! The verbal floodgates sprang open with an outpouring of multiple ‘Oh my Goshes’ It seems I am the EXACT (right down to the haircut) …spitting image of her cousin Kathy Jean who lives in Canada. It did peak my interest though, as I slowly backed away. Oddly enough, this happened to me once before about fifteen years ago. A saleslady in a boutique was astounded at how much I looked, acted and even talked like her best friend. What are the odds...that there are two people in this world that look EXACTLY like me?
So, Kathy Jean: if you’re reading this…. Send a photo, especially if you are tall and thin… I'd like to see how I'd look
Tall and Thin
FYI: 179 years from now,on this day ... - Kevin Thomas Riley, Tasvennir, Tarsus IV (Star Trek) will be born 8-5-2186
after 28 years of headlines such as this, (see below) the WWN is signing off...........
MUTE DRIVER HONKS OUT A ROAD RAGE IN MORSE CODE — WWN
beep beep beeeeeeep beep
beep beep beeeeeeep
beeeeeeep beep beeeeeeep
Oh man, where are we going to go to find out the important stuff? Inquiring minds need to know:)
Totally weird or fake news, with fabulous headlines created to make your grocery line wait tolerable if not educational..
As Larry Williams of the Hartford Courant said…"it’s a sad day for pretend journalism"
or is it?
Ding,Dong .....Bo-Hylurox calling
Today is the first day in fifteen years that our rental house sits empty.... I will always love this house, as it represents a major milestone in my life as a single Mom.... Purchased in 1975, it had to be co-signed with my parents, even though I was able to come up with a 30k downpayment. They didn't trust single women buyers so much in those days, plus I had a fairly low paying job. My mortage payment was $278.00 a month, including impounded taxes. I paid off the mortage eighteen years ago.
We drove over to take inventory on maintanence and repairs....and found these vintage photos tacked to the otherwise bare bulletin board on the back porch. 
pictures were taken.....sixty-five years ago. What a great thing to have! You cannot tell by the top picture...but that is a dirt road in front of the house. Evidently, a young soldier rented a room back in the WWII era. He stopped by the house on a visit back to our town and dropped by to see how it looked all these years later and brought photos to share.
The house has not seen too many (exterior)changes... But no longer has shutters, I think we need to get some......don't you?
I'll post a current picture as soon as the place is spruced up a little.......
Species:Ewok
Gender:Male
Height:.8 meter
Weapon:spear, sling
Vehicle:hang glider
Wicket W. Warrick was a loyal, curious and adventurous young Ewok scout when he first met Princess Leia Organa in the forests of Endor'smoon. The lone Ewok found a strange offworlder knocked unconscious from a speeder bike accident. Tentatively prodding her with his spear, the jittery scout was surprised to find this strange creature not only alive, but friendly as well.
Galactic historians would be surprised to note that this friendship led the way to an alliance that helped overthrow the Empire.
Wicket led Leia to his Ewok village, high in the trees of Endor. There, the Ewok leaders learned of the Galactic Civil War. It wasn't long before the Ewoks pledged their loyalty to the Rebel Alliance, and helped the Rebels in their fight against the Empire. Were it not for the Ewoks, the Rebels would not have been able to infiltrate and destroy the Imperial shield generator complex on Endor. With the generator down, the Alliance Fleet was able to penetrate the second Death Star's superstructure and destroy the station
This is how Newton N. Minow (then chairman of the FCC) described television forty six years ago….. well, sort of
First he said it was good…the best actually
Then he pulled the ‘vast wasteland’ curve ball…..with qualifications
All in a speech titled “Television and the Public Interest” on May 9, 1961
read it here1961….back when there were only THREE channels (networks)
Wonder if Newt new how vast that wasteland would get, or how amazingly wonderful
Roots on ABC Jan. 30, 1977 seen in (36.38 million homes) third highest viewer ratings from 1950 - 2000the highest?..................................... last episode of M.A.S.H and television has only gotten better
When television is good, nothing is better. When it's bad, nothing is worse.”
-Newton N. Minow
So....... while I was running in circles tearing my hair out a seeking solace in the freezer compartment of the frig a lamenting my computer tradedy to strangers in the supermarket a 
<Dad...decided to take the car out for a spinAnd I knew it....because, I was driving onto his street as he was driving out....interjecton:We are on the brink of some serious role reversal... Dad and I..... it is an uneasy transition. The car is a big issue, sort of the last bastion to his independance. So I say...."Dad! what are you doing? and he says....."Going to breakfast with '________' (buddies)and I say......."Dad, we talked about this......driving.......thingand he says......"okay honey!" see ya later.... waves me off....drives....awayI won't go into the sorted details of the ensuing hours......because.....he didn't show up at the diner for AN HOUR AND A HALF.........it should have been a five minute drive. he must have driven to the next town before he turned around.So now, I'm the new Sheriff in town, the car impounded, the rules layed down...... I told Dad that we had both made an error in judgement, we both had made a wrong turn and that ..... 'two wrong turns, don't make a right' and he said"unless they are left turns....."
see this.... This...............is............the BLACK (not blue) screen of death
Cell phone rings while making a purchase at the local Farm Supply store. Techie guy in need of Norton's Utility password to load it back on my computer.
"You fixed it?" I inquired.....
"Well, I got your Windows OS back, but everything else is gone"
So there you have it.....I have my trusty (old) Toshiba laptop back . A pristine, blank-slate, little program-less virgin......
as visions of a shiny new greener than green, 17" screen, bad boy named Dell, fades to
well, black
Pretty Picture... has nothing to do with blog subjectSo that is the run down on my links..... I'd love to add Captain Corky but he might bring the birdman over here! (kidding....just kidding:D...birdman most welcome) besides I'd be stealing him from Femmetopia (aka Still Loves Hello Kitty) and Heidi on Vashon (one 'full of life women') ...I'm living her life...vicariously! I should link Dan also 'cause he left a comment once and we have the same coffee maker...he already has about a hundred girlfriends, he probably needs a break, but lulu* could use some props.
As for you other three readers, too shy to comment... Maybe I'll link you too... just
......Come on down.......
*click on Dan's link to find out who lulu is....
Jackie & Jack 
Back in January I read this thoughtful piece on the poet Anne Sexton and it stirred up long forgotten college memories. I'll go out on a limb here and tell you I wasn't a stellar student, and I really wasn't much interested in my literature class. I really REALLY did not like the woman professor teaching my literature class. Maybe it was that I couldn't charm her in the way I could the art teacher or the botany teacher. Maybe because she called me an ‘elitist smart ass’ and I did not know if she meant that as a noun or an adjective. She should have failed me for the final paper I turned in on this poet and this poem, the red wheelbarrow. I did not fail the class and I know why.......because she did not want me back.in.her.class.again...................ever.
THE RED WHEELBARROW
that I missed seven years ago....silly me
The door bell rang.... and mere seconds later, rang again ......twice in succession. I got the hint. Hurry up.
I can usually see my visitor through the side window next to the front door, but it didn't look as if anyone was there. Then a loud firm knock, I opened the door.
