CULTURAL CROSSINGS

Finally ordered the hardwood flooring for the 1st floor today but still looking for a structural engineer to remove a wall and resize a kitchen window so we can finish with the kitchen remodel...then rent or sell the house and head for civilization!! Or transfer to a state with services. I won't have to commute hours to go to a doctor and Paros will have services too :) So renovation projects other than that have been to take down a few more trees and to sod the rest of the yard where grass isn't growing so the hounds won't drag dirt into the house. They got a clip this week and things will be easier for me until I can get all these doctors finished up. Just not doing some of the things they want me to do like surgery, going under anesthesia, or nerve blocks. I'll have to be out of it for that to happen.

With spring here and booked to see Greece, the cradle of civilization, has me in awesome spirits! I've been practicing their cultural dance to sirtaki but there are soooo many different forms of it. I'm sure I'll catch on quick though as most of the foot work is down already since I've had dance but with my age...when the music quickens...I 'glide and slide' more than hop like the girls in the video workout lol :D It's a lot of fun though and something I've always wanted to do. I guess it was serendipity that I found my boy from the country that made my bucket list :)

As for the Caribbean quickie Christmas vacation with my oldest daughter and her husband this year, that should eliminate a lot of stress and keep us away from the house too. It will be the last time I get to spend quality time with her before moving from this area. And just when my neighbor was arrested for crystal meth at the elementary school here and will have to go to drug court. I am so glad this will have them clear headed and sober, and hopefully decent neighbors with no more explosions shaking the house here 5 acres away up on a hill with no fire hydrants ...thank you Jesus!! I found out she is a first grade teacher and her mom is principal so maybe this will help the girl not get all crazy yelling around here and wanting to ride their 4 wheelers on our property. Of course the closest neighbor's son keeps backing onto it so Jim places branches out there, the boy will remove them, Jim will put them back...and I just laugh thinking of how much weight the 2 will lose! :D Omg. I don't blame Jim. Having to fill in the ruts is another job he doesn't want but I have a black gentleman friend interested in the house and I know he is more anal about things like that than we are. He reminds me of the black cop I respect and admire here. Old school, straight, no nonsense. Just like my dad (only my father was white lol but what the hell does it matter anyway?!?).

And speaking of race ...the cop shootings have been freaking me out a little bit. I think they are sooo stressed but that some are racist and for authorities to figure out which is what and who is whom...ouch! Tough job. I still never found out anything more about the cop that shot someone in the SUV here at the end of the lane that day I was coming home. I can still see and hear the smoke from the gun and gun fire ringing out trying to hide at a neighbors (oh dear lord...the family of the crystal meth people...maybe it was good they weren't at home lol :D). I wasn't sure if it was the cop being shot from all that smoke or what but he was right up on whoever was in that SUV. And why was he out of his jurisdiction? Like Arsenio Hall use to say "Things that make you go 'Hmmmmmm' ".

The Doctor appointment this week will hopefully reveal if reverse Osmosis will benefit us by removing pesticides and potential petroleum from water that may seep into broken water lines. Crop dusters didn't fly low over the house last year but notice they have been during the work week...but on weekends...they keep their 500 ft distance required by law. I guess they know people are home and they could get more than one complaint. It isn't so much about the noise as drift that eventually wafts here. If we were younger...we would move to a country that gives a damn about these kind of things but as for now, we are the only country that uses this pesticide for the cotton fields that WHO (world health organization) bans from the rest of the world :( I try to tell an old friend to travel and do things now while he is down and not working before he gets caught up in the work force again and time becomes elusive.

No new photos other than the tree and crop duster from last week so I am posting more travel photos before I embark on another journey in search of new sights! I've also been adding my favorite shots from our trips and putting them to some of my favorite music from my CD's in windows movie maker. I bought Coral and a couple of other software for handling videos but windows is easier to me. I think my second favorite is HP's media smart but I really detest their laptop :P Journaling has been useful too as I have already been asked a time line of when certain things happened so I can look in here and pin point them within the week of occurrence.

I really love this house but never realized Paros and I would become sick and stay so. Nor did I count on my insurance commuting me to death for doctors or that there would be no Afghan Hound owners, groomers, classes, handlers within the region. I doubt even 5 exist in this state...if that.

So now off I go to renovate and prepare for my next big trip to blow all the steam off! All over Italy again, Spain, France, Greece, Turkey, and couple of more places. Found the same driver again for Rome via Where To Rome. I know where!!! And when I am done...he will show me what else they have!!! :D

RIDING THE LINE

Garibaldi Monument, Rome

I remember when we were younger riding our Harleys on the white line between cars so we didn't have to be stuck and then struck in traffic and how everyone hated us for it. Of course you see them do the same things like bypassing traffic by riding on the shoulder of the road so I never got why people would be so perturbed over such things. I always said you never know what is going on with them...maybe the last moments to visit a loved one in the hospital, a baby coming, or like us bikers...it just takes one car slamming in the back of another to shove the rest of parked cars into one another. Hell...I had 2 friends in their truck on the twin span in New Orleans when an 18 wheeler slammed in the back of them...hooking their truck and dragging it through the rest of the traffic. They survived but won't normal. Of course we've even said that about them before the accident so maybe I should say "They won't be the same" :l

Taormina

And so it goes with my mouth :/ Always saying and writing what's in my head and it's always getting me into trouble. I do try to hold my tongue as not to offend one side or the other but forget I'm not on either side of the tracks...just somewhere in the middle. I've had to defriend myself from a really nice lady in the Afghan Hound circle on FB when I blurted out the cost of a small garden sculpture publically :( With the neck injury, knocks upside the head, accidents, and other stuff...I will forget things in a New York second. Some worry they are becoming forgetful when they go to another room and forget why...I just say "Wait till ya take 2-3 steps and forget what room you were going too!" lol :D What can ya do? I cried all that day but move on because I know my place. And when she asked if I was stupid...of course I had to respond 'yes' after sending an apology before defriending myself :l Sucks. Then an old friend found me on there and he was the nicest, most decent, solid person I knew in high school (outside of boarding school) and it hit me why we broke up. He said if I made anymore strange noises on the phone...he was breaking up with me :o I think God did him a favor lol :D Jim just laughed and we talked about how a boss said that if I told this certain joke one more time...I was fired. Omg. I couldn't help myself lol :D I was tired of working there anyhow and my following really didn't like that bar either :P

Sicily

I so see how I am not the same girl I once was and used to wonder how I went from bars that required a suit and tie to ones we rode our Harleys up into...or as in mine...I had my girls give belly shots off of bikes. As long as we observed the law, I was comfortable with my place and to be honest...I did have more fun on this side of the tracks where we show our asses in the air as opposed to thumb our noses in it. I never had a good time with a bunch of anal stiffs or in heals or when you laughed too loud...all eyes were upon you :/ Oh...don't get me wrong...it's really lovely there and you have a nice time, learn so much, dine with other prominent families etc. but I'd just be pretentious by trying to conform to an elite class I have no business socializing with. Hell...I expire after 2 hours in heels and after 4...I'm just done :P But if I were on the Titanic, I wouldn't be the the grand formal ball rooms or dining rooms, nor would I be in the bottom of the boat dancing the jig with the immigrants. I'd be somewhere mid ship doing my own strange thing with my own following. I also think how LSU in Baton Rouge blurted out "Here she comes just Rockin' out" lol when I'd bop in with pre vet students leading the way. I try to adhere to the saying "to thine own self be true".

Venice

And I would have been a mediocre vet but I never went to be a clinical practitioner...so I guess I should say I would have never made any serious contributions in research but my mouth...well...all the shouting about internet, contaminated jerky treats from China...I feel I am a part of this country's voice....even if I don't think it focuses on issues we should have addressed long ago. We are corporate America and it states so in any of the shows you see so the government have backed them since the 80's at least. As to my stupid self shouting out about the stupidity here...it is on things like how they 'just pass' students anyway (and kudos to the man on the school board opposing this...even though he was the only one :/) and to the Cleveland school still undergoing segregation from the 60's. And people thought just the segregated proms in Charleston that Morgan Freeman hit on in his documentary was shocking lol :D I think it's allowing the dive juke joints across from churches where they hang outside selling drugs just breeds undesirable factions which ultimately demeans the rest of the country :((( I mean...they sometimes 'just allow' things from what I see. I had to postpone opening my newly gutted bar by a week just because there where no lids on the trash cans in the front lounge bathrooms :l

Murano, Italy

Well...it's snowed again a week after the first snow which is not normal for the region, then we've had a week straight of rain so it appears spring is finally here. I've had to turn the air on as we reached 80 so I think it will be another one of those 'go straight from winter into spring' things :P I was beginning to get down from being cooped up so much so I started dragging some plants out and can't wait to garden! I also booked us on a cruise to Europe but think the guy messed my plan requirements up a bit so have to check on that...and try to make arrangements for a Caribbean cruise with my oldest daughter...and hopefully her husband. I've been taking them 2 by 2 and starting to feel like Noah around here lol :D It would've been better to had the whole family on board...no cooking, no cleaning but getting my family on board the same thing at the same time would be a miraculous feat :l

I guess I am just still riding in the middle of the lane in life with my bullhorn. And I've been giggling about how it all made me think of my nephew when we would pull upside a limo in traffic. He'd always roll down his window and say "Pardon me but do you have any Gray Poupon?" I don't think I could compose myself long enough to say he shouldn't do that :l RIP with God, Chad. We miss you.

 

St. Peter basilica, Vatican City

Old pics of Europe for now, prayers to a cousin for healing and strength along with another couple of personal things close to home. Praises for our diversity, uniqueness, opinions, and may we all come together on middle ground one day to form a solid plan or idea where we all can benefit on all levels.

 

Happy St. Patrick's day :)

INLINE VIPS

It has been a blessing to have my craft room back and after 5 years of fighting AT&T and healing the shattered arm mess...then the awesome 3 month visit from the grandchildren...I've been setting it up and seeing what all has expired, dried up, or still useable. And although I have to find another medium to incorporate my media due to the arm injury (like no skiving or beveling leather...tried to use the dremel until it got caught up in my hair)...I did find sculpting with a lighter weight leather to be doable. I will try some soft sculpture, and then move on to the box of gesso's and canvas I was going to ship to my favorite painter in France until the Post Office told me the cost for shipping it :o He has been experimenting with sculpting and has an innate natural talent in any medium and is very familiar with the lines and form of afghans as well as other animals! I just wish he had an artist's retreat and although working air bubbles out of clay and working with slip is too much for my lame arm...maybe he knows of another method of working the clay to prep it for sculpting. Till then I have been in sculpey and play doh because Paros doesn't want anything to do with wet leather being molded around his face lol :D I don't mind so all my mask's fit my face or wig head :l Think I will work with the joint compound and plasters to see if they are any good. We have started back into our reno projects as well.

The weather has been really nice and in the 60's for the most of January, which is warm for this region but the average is in the 60's for this time of year yet we got snow so I've been bellowing about how mother nature just needs to be on Prozac or Xanax around here. It was beautiful and Paro's just LOVE'S it but I haven't seen an Afghan Hound who doesn't ADORE the snow! It's been awesome to see the pictures of everyone's afghan's on Face Book while hibernating upstairs during this past 2 weeks of cold and 3 days of snow but find I HATE the laptop! Don't know if it is the AMD processor, window's 8, HP's junk programs they won't let me uninstall or the laptop who seems to have a stubborn mind of it's own. I miss my desktop's and of course being 6 core processor...any and everything will be slower than this so I'm not sure if it is normal for the laptop to be so insufferable :P It is nice to take it across the hall into the craft room though :D Convenience. Nice :)

With Jim in Atlanta since Christmas until the past 2 weeks...I've had lots of time to think on finishing this house up which should make it easier to move on and if not...nicer to stay. Doing the kitchen with a reverse Osmosis water system will help with the water and gastro issues. Pulled up most of the tile in the kitchen, then learn I could've had engineered hardwood put on top of it but now it looks like I need a leveler or at least put solid hard wood down which won't require any floor prep and will last longer. I've also thought how we won't have VIP status cruising Europe if we get to go since Carnival doesn't go there anymore but with the kitchen remodel fees adding up, not to mention I still have to suffer these specialists for my neck and liver...and what....they wouldn't check my back during the fall because my insurance wants to do one thing at a time?!? Omg...there goes my vacation but we will get there. Eventually.

I have never written a fan letter either. So a new thing to do. Who would it be? My favorite people in the past century have died like Dr. King, Mother Teresa, but then there is the Pope (LOVE the new Pope!!!), the Deli Lama (the BEST!!), my favorite stars were Brigitte Bardot and Sophia Loren then it hit me! I wake up every morning and have been to over 20 countries sampling coffee's from even more and I still love my Taster's Choice after 40 years almost! I have had ex's to walk away but taking that brand as their favorite. Including Jim. If I run low...I just grumble...go back to your Maxwell house lol :D And there is Italian and French coffee's I brought back along with Dunkin, Starbucks, etc. in the freezer. Did I mention the several varieties of Keurig? Yep. That Letter will be to either the Pope, Deli Lama, Brigitte, or Taster's Choice!

Weee, bling for house :/

For my Reno and Décor shopping...I have been checking with cabinets to go, Shop RTA Cabinets, The RTA store, and RTA cabinet store. Not sure if the 2 RTA stores are the same but so far the websites look different. Then there is Home Depot an hour away or Lowe's which is only a 30 minute ride but takes a back seat to the other. My mail is full with mags from shopping with Grandin Road, Horchow, Restoration Hardware (*favorite*), Frontgate, Etan Allen (my grandmothers favorite), and thank you sis for spoiling us all on where you were employed, Pottery Barn and Williams Sonoma, for almost 3 decades :/ QVC is awesome in some things like kitchen, jewelry, handbags, but it's been a miss on most. You just can't beat the explanation and demo of some things though nor the convenience of TV Shopping when you live 2 hours from major stores in any cardinal direction lol :D Not to mention Easy Pay when you need something and are broke lol. We have our mother to thank for that one but my Dad has me stubborn and spoiled rotten on Sear's Kenmore and craftsman tools! If I can't find something in one of these stores (or Dillard's)....I'm doomed to the dreaded over glorified Dollar Store called "Walmart" :o I just wish there were services for flooring installation, electricians, landscapers, or general contractors. Thinking of asking farm bureau if they are aware of any (who are LICENSED and BONDED. Not ones who got a new chainsaw for Christmas and wanting to go into the business omg lol!!! :D).

Nuff for now. Still have slushy puppies from melting snow to groom, paints to check, bills to uncover from everyone else's mail that lived here before (including daughter's family) while segregating 20 different magazines (and hope to remember to tell gamestop not to send me more 'gamer' mags!! I just ask the boys what's hot. They already know my taste and new FF 15 coming out along with elder scrolls online ;)

Oh my gosh....then there is taxes coming up, gardening around the corner (my honeysuckle was about to bloom here till the snow hit :( ), kitchen floor only a quarter of the way pulled up, remake all doctor appointments (gastro canceled on me in Oct and I am saying HELL NO to the nerve block that was due by January :P). Seems I have internet now having to do it the way the tech told me behind the second router and the FCC is now making ISP's fork over speed but ATT still can't get it going here lol so wth??!? I did tell them I'd testify and bring all my documentation if they needed but lol...doubt that so I'm good. I also had to get out of jury duty again...at least until I get this medical mess straightened up. No more nurses saying they are doctor's here in town for me at least. But damn the commute is tough.

I'm in line but so no VIP status for me :(((

 

February Birthday wishes to a little brother, nephew, niece, online friend and prayers to those who have lost their loved ones to the radical extremists who form the cult ISIS. Tough is enduring and surviving the government and laws that alienate from the word of God yet remaining respectful of the life of others, especially who are innocent. Their God; Allah, from the Quran where Jesus is considered a prophet is the same one from the old testament, laws and words found in Christian bible or Jewish Torah ...all of which I own and respect) and he will favor the slaughtered innocent journalists and victims who at the end of the day, are the true heroes by keeping us informed and in the light to their atrocious acts of violence against our father who created them. There is no language barrier of God's word in these 3 books  and we are all his children...especially Christ; his most beloved son of us all. Allah, God, Father...same thing. Fighting for your peace and to worship is fine. Fighting for God's honor...are you kidding? Have you not read your own book? You are guided by only your own wishful thinking.

 

Vengeance is God's alone and you are sinning far worse than the infidels (we are not all infidels here btw). You have no wisdom, no love, and the only power you have is over the handful of innocent victims our father will embrace while you thirst and burn :P

 

They have VIP status in heaven.

 

Sorry for not mentioning black history month like I wanted but I just keep seeing Gihad John in my head like the side of Satan when I experienced the near death thing I had undergone during surgery. Kudos still to Obama for having Rosa Parks in the house and using Dr. Kings bible :)