Gas...$2.98 gal.

It's nothing short of amazing how we adapt to the status quo. My friend, Carole, and I went to Downtown Disney tonight but first she stopped for gas. We pulled into a Hess station and saw that the price of regular gas was $2.98 per gallon.

"Hmmm", I said. "Not bad".

I can't believe I said that and meant it. Me, who remembers when gas used to cost 19 cents a gallon!!!

This winter we've watched as gas reached a high of around $3.15 per gallon before bouncing back so I guess that's why $2.98 looked good. We've also been told that gas here in the States will probably hit the $3.50 mark this summer.

It really doesn't matter what today's figures are. What remains a shock is that I've been brainwashed into accepting that it's okay to pay 3 times for gas what I paid only a few years ago.

We're nothing but sheep!

Baggy Pants

I watched a Dr. Phil show today about the "fashion" of wearing baggy pants that hang below the butt and show the wearer's underwear. Like most of the world I've become jaded and not as easily shocked when I see kids dressed like this.

What I disagree with wholeheartedly is that the people who dress this way are being targeted because they're black. Not so! Most of the young men I've seen with their undies hanging out are white and I think they look equally ridiculous. Black or white or green or purple...no-one wants to see your underwear.

It's true that all generations choose controversial clothing to set themselves apart. It's also true that when these young ones mature they'll look back on their choices with a touch of embarrassment.

Someone on Dr. Phil's show mentioned the young women whose thong underwear show above their low cut pants and whether they should also be banned. I try not to be sexist but this is how I look at it. The sight of a bit of thong showing is not as ugly as baggy men's underwear showing. I might think differently if the the young women wore their pants below their butts but that hasn't happened...yet.

You learn things on T.V. shows you might never learn elsewhere. Apparently in prisons the lower the convict wears his pants the more accepting he is to a little bump and grind from behind. Do the young men on the streets who wear their pants so low know this? How awkward if they just think they look cool and don't understand the signal they're sending.

I also watch the T.V. show "Cops" and wonder if law enforcement prefers that criminals wear their pants below their butts because it makes running away very difficult. It's funny to watch as the cops run down a man whose pants trip him up. As he's dragged to his feet desperately trying to pull his pants up I wonder why he hasn't figured out that his clothing style might be to his disadvantage.

The discussion on Dr. Phil's show was whether this current fashion should be publicly and legally banned. I'm of the opinion that fashion comes and goes and this particular one will disappear soon to be replaced with something else we might find more repugnant. People have enough legal restrictions against them so why add more.

This isn't a real fashion statement but just a generation thumbing it's nose at it's elders. We've all done it and then grown up. It will happen to this generation also.

Full to Overflowing

It's really nice that my Monday coffee morning has been such a success but today was a little overwhelming. The weather was just too chilly to sit out on the patio so we all sat inside. My trailer isn't very big but there was room for about 10 people in the livingroom.

People show up anywhere from 9 A.M. to 9:30 when the exercise class gets out. This morning seemed to bring a lot of ladies looking for a cup of coffee and fun conversation so we were pretty packed before 9:30. I was a little concerned about where anyone from the exercise class would find to sit.

My trailer is right across from the clubhouse so I saw the class as it exited. One lady who always comes to coffee was heading up my front sidewalk...but she was being followed by everyone from the exercise class!! I believe my surprised comment was "holy s...t". Because there were men in the class and also in her entourage I very quickly realized that this was a joke. My neighbor, Ron, runs the exercise class and he was gathering all these people into my little trailer.

We had a good laugh and most of them left. I made sure they knew they were all invited to any coffee time when we had it outside. At least outside we can fill the patio and spread out onto the grass if necessary.

I lied. We don't want the men because they inhibit our discussions...many of which are about them! I wouldn't seriously turn the men away but we do try to discourage them.

There's no coffee morning for the next 2 Monday's because I'm going to be away those days. When we start up again the weather should be warmer and we can do our drinking and yakking outdoors. Such fun.

Busy Seniors

You know those day planners that very busy people in the working world need to keep their lives running smoothly? Well, guess what? Seniors need them just as much.

Last night I watched as 2 of our friends scanned their day planners trying to find a day in February that wasn't already taken up so we could all make it to the zoo. It finally turned out that someone had to give something up or we couldn't go. Three of us gave up coffee morning and line dancing. We're going to the zoo on Monday, February 4th. Granted, our lives are filled with activities of our own choice but they still have some degree of commitment that has to be taken into consideration. Not everything is easily cancelled.

While they had their day planners out we planned a day at the liquidators (for Ebay stuff), a barbecue day, a pot luck day, and a baseball day. All for February and all shifted countless times so they didn't interfere with other plans.

We lead an exceptionally busy life here in Florida but all that changes once we get back home in mid April. Life settles down to normal. I have my flea market plus other bits and pieces so I don't get bored but it must take a bit of getting used to if all you have to look forward to in the summer is housework.

Right now I'll just enjoy my busy life and keep hoping it will go on for many years to come.

Queen for a Day

You may or may not know that I am queen of my park for the year 2008. This was a great honor bestowed upon me when my name was drawn from a can on New Year's Eve. Today was our park parade and I had to perform my duties for the first time.

I wasn't one bit happy about being queen but decided I was going to get in the mood and enjoy it...in the process, it would help everyone else enjoy it. One of the men here, knowing I didn't want to be queen, said he'd thought about parking his bike behind my car so I couldn't run off today. No fear. I follow through with my commitments no matter how much I'd rather not.

For the parade I got to don the purple robe and crown and carry the glass sceptre while riding on a golf cart. My king, Jim, sat proudly by my side as his wife in real life brought up the rear of the parade dressed in shower curtains. It was a humbling moment.

The theme this year was clowns so many of the parade participants were in full clown gear. Our Red Hat ladies came out in force to join in also. It was pretty colorful, what with clowns, Red Hatters, doggy clowns, and even a few children. I think we almost outnumbered the people who lined the streets to watch.

I got to carry the glass sceptre because the last queen carried it. We don't know why. Early on in the parade I motioned with it to the bystanders and the top flew off and rolled down the road. My king, purple robed over t-shirt, ran after it and put my sceptre back together. I think it needs duct tape.

After the parade we all, paraders and watchers, filled the clubhouse for our parade lunch. For $2 we got a hot dog, potato salad, cake, and a drink.

There were prizes given out for best costume, funniest person, etc. Laverne, Jim's wife, won the prize for most imaginative costume. Remember the shower curtains!!!

I may actually hunt down one of the pictures taken because today was fun and I wouldn't mind a photo memory of it. I dreaded it so much but once I decided to loosen up and just let it happen it turned out to be a hoot.

About 20 of us had happy hour at a friend's house and then we Bingo fanatics rushed off to the clubhouse. I mentioned before about rubbing one man's belly for luck but I started to realize tonight that maybe we're rubbing away our own luck. He won 3 times tonight and I won nothing. My king asked me to rub his head and belly and damned if he didn't win, too. There's something wrong here.

I may have to start charging for services.

Bingo Good Luck Charms & Rituals

My daughters are not going to be happy when they read this. They may start looking for a good nursing home to put me in.

We have anywhere from 6-8 regulars at our Bingo table and tonight I made note of the silly things we do to promote good luck. We ALL have little items we talk to, rub, and place in front of our cards. A few of us hand our good luck charm around for others to rub, too. One of the ladies who insisted on rubbing my charm sometimes rubbed it on her butt.

A fairly new habit we've gotten into began about a month ago when one of the men who wins habitually came over to our table to gloat and I rubbed his head for good luck. Not to be outdone, Sylvia rubbed his tummy and that's been one of the spots we head every Bingo night. I have no idea what some of the people in the hall think when they see 2 or 3 ladies of impeccable reputation trot over to this man's table and rub his head and stomach. He grins from ear to ear as we do it. He's a good friend who is ready and willing to join in the ritual while we all have a laugh. If we forget, he shows up at our table pretty quick!!

Do we really believe all this stuff will bring us luck? Not on a bet! We do it for the fun of it. And that's all that matters.

Goodbye Tengo

I got up around 6:15 A.M. this morning and turned on the computer. Between 6:15 and around 9 A.M. I was able to access the internet for about 10 minutes. I'd finally had enough of Tengo and decided it was time to get an AOL account. It may be slow but it's a heck of a lot more reliable than Tengo wireless.

My internet costs rose another $30 to pay for AOL until I leave here in early April but it's $30 paid to lessen the immense aggravation that Tengo causes me every day. Money well spent.

Sad Day/Scary Day

Today started out nice enough. It was terribly cold for Florida yesterday and last night but this morning the sun was shining and there was a promise of warmer weather. Then I got the phone call from my daughter back home in Canada to say it was frigid there and my furnace had stopped working.

This is a time to panic because I was 1200 miles away and might need to have a new furnace installed. My daughters love me but it was so unfair for them to have to deal with a problem like that. My good neighbors had already been inside the house and tried to get the furnace restarted but it was a no go.

My son-in-law who happens to be an electrician had offered to look after everything but he's tied up with his own job and couldn't get there till later in the day. He was unable to fix the furnace so he called in a professional who did the job and got the furnace running again. Thank heavens!!

I worried about my furnace all through my coffee morning but the ladies who came were so much fun that I was able to forget for a while. We laughed and joked over 2 pots of coffee before everyone headed home.

Around lunchtime an old friend and neighbor from the park stopped in for a visit. She'd sold her trailer a couple of years ago but we'd kept in touch via e-mail and phone calls. I'd had such a hectic summer that I hadn't realized there'd been no contact since the previous winter. Today I discovered why. She's in the first stages of Alzeimers but had convinced her daughter to bring her to Florida for a visit. My heart is still broken to have seen a once strong and purposeful woman reduced to a colorless version of herself. She didn't seem to remember clearly the fun and interesting times we'd had over the years but she did remember what good friends we'd been. She's visiting the area for a while so I'll get to see her again before she goes home but the future isn't good for her.

I don't hate the wrinkles and weakness of old age but I do angrily hate the loss of one's mind. We begin building memories to carry us through life from the day we're born and it's misery to imagine losing more and more of these memories as each day goes by. Alzeimers is a disease that all of us seniors fear more than death.

After my friend left, my neighbor came over to ask me to take care of his dog while he took his wife to the hospital. She's one of my best friends here and had not been feeling well for a while but now she'd become sick enough to need medical help. I worry terribly about her because she takes so much medication for various things and sometimes these medications wreak havoc with her body. Of course, I took in their little dog and was happy to have him around.

Having a pet in the house gives you permission to talk openly to yourself because you can always pretend you're talking to your pet. I yakked to Rusty constantly and he'd look at me with his intelligent eyes as though he understood every word. He is one of the sweetest little dogs I've ever seen. He just exudes gentleness.

When I left to play Pokeno I left the lights and T.V. on for Rusty's benefit. It was nice to go back home and have his sweet little self jumping with joy to see me. I took him for a walk around the park and then settled in for the night, thinking his father was going to stay at the hospital with his mother but no, Rusty was picked up and taken home around 10 P.M. My friend remained in the hospital for observation overnight but it seemed she was going to be okay. I can't bear to lose her so she'd better be okay!!

It's lovely to have reached the age where we can travel to warmer places for the winter but there's always the unknown to worry about back home. And there's always the health of friends our age to worry about (also our own).

I remind myself daily to count my blessings...good children, good grandchildren, good relatives, and good friends. I do my best to make every moment a positive one because the sad times creep in when you least expect them. Today held some worries but that's life.

But tomorrow is another day and we can choose to enjoy it or waste it. I choose to enjoy.

Overlapping Public Services

About 10 years ago I was working around the house when I heard a tremendous noise of truck traffic on my little side street. It sounded like an invasion of tanks. I zipped outside to see what was going on and was amazed to watch a team of garbage trucks, 3 or 4 per side leapfrogging each other as they picked up the trash. One would pick up the trash from house #10 and the truck behind would pass and pick up the trash from #12, etc., etc., etc.

I asked one of the men why they were doing this. I was told my street was getting the final pick-up and none of the trucks could go back to the barn until a certain time so they actually were killing time so none of the workers would lose pay for finishing their shift early. When I protested that this was a waste of taxpayer money the man responded, "Well, would you rather have us on welfare?".

Is there no better way of having our tax dollar spent? Because of the powerful unions representing city workers they aren't even allowed to do other work needed in the city when their own has been completed.

Now I read that both public and Catholic schools (probably every other religious school funded by the government) has their own bus service to pick up and return school children. Some wise administrator has suggested that the buses combine their service so that children of 2 religions living side by side would not need 2 different school buses to take them to and from school. It had never occurred to me before that this waste of tax dollars was happening.

The Catholic school board is fighting tooth and nail to keep this from happening because they want Catholic children isolated from non Catholics as long as possible. How sad. And this is a religion that preaches brotherly love.

Maybe only if you and your brother are Catholic.

I've always felt that separate schools were a bad idea. Children need to learn about other cultures and that includes other religions. It would result in more understanding and accepting adults because we fear what we don't understand.

Today our public schools are filled with children from many different backgrounds. Their parents want their children to blend in with their neighbors instead of holding themselves separate. They don't fear losing their identity because it's within the family. These children should grow up more well rounded from experiencing other cultures on a daily basis.

I know the issue of overlapping public services is just one more example of tax dollar waste but wouldn't it be nice if our elected officials just used their heads sometimes and eliminated some of the waste? After all, that's their job.

To the Catholics out there. Religion should be taught in your home and in church. Schools are for teaching your children about the world.

One Last Cruise Tip

If there's room in your suitcase for more clothes then take them. I thought I'd overpacked but discovered onboard that I really had packed too little. You change clothes more often than you might think. Take a nice sized carry-on with only your medication and boarding papers/passport in it and that will leave you plenty of room for items you buy on the trip.

I'd spent half a lifetime packing to go on sailing trips with my husband so I thought I was a good packer. Noooo! On sailing campouts you can wear the same ratty shorts for 3 days but not on a luxurious cruise. Then you want to look and feel fresh at all times. Many of the men spent all day in a bathing suit with tummies hanging over but we women want better for ourselves.

I didn't take a book to read because I thought there'd never be any spare time but the final day was a lazy one. It rained a bit and that would have been a perfect time to snuggle up in a corner of the Lido deck with a good book. I ended up borrowing one from the ship library and it turned out to be a good one that I didn't have time to finish. Live and learn.

More on the Cruise and a Little on Tengo

A few highlights...Barb coming home with a tattoo on her breast to surprise her husband. It washes off in 5 days, though.

The "hairy chest contest" where grown men dance around and display their body hair. One old guy got very carried away and nibbled on the judges' legs (one judge was even older than he was).

The blues singer at karaoke who hit the high notes dead on.

The tour guide who preached to us with fervor so terribly intent on making us understand his country and his culture.

Lord, the food. 5 star dining on a 1 star budget...how lucky can you get?

The staff who never get to visit the ports they arrive at because they have no passports to leave the ship.

Weather, warm/hot/sunny/breezy. It felt like heaven.

The colors in Cozumel. So intense and varied, they startle your senses.

Barbie and Ken...old and newly in love. How wonderful.

The 3 sisters...their blood bond showing every time they smiled happily at one another.

Hours spent watching the deep and powerful ocean and wondering how I came to be here. Happy to be where I was.

And then coming home to my little southern nest.

Then Tengo. Damn! I'd sold a few things on Ebay and turned on my computer about 11 P.M. It said I wasn't connected to the internet and I started to panic but decided to phone Tengo instead. I still can't believe it but I got "Clifton" again. I'd barely started to explain my problem and noticed the same surly, condescending voice so I asked him his name.

"Clifton", he said. "Oh, no!", I said.

Then I told him to get someone else to speak to me because he'd been so nasty to me before and I wasn't going to talk to him again. He put me on hold and I wondered if he really would find someone else for me to talk to but he did.

"Roy" helped me solve my problem (actually Tengo's problem) with courtesy and speed. He may have been thinking how dumb I was but his voice never expressed anything but politeness and a willingness to help me.

In any event, my weak little connection to the internet via Tengo has been re-established so now I can go to bed and enjoy sweet dreams.

Back From the Cruise

I'm back and I had the time of my life. I've got some interesting cruise tips, believe it or not, since this was only my second cruise.

We (120 of us) left by chartered bus to the Tampa cruise terminal last Monday at 9 A.M. Only one idiot packed their passport in with their luggage so the poor driver had to unload about 3 tons of it to get the idiot's passport back to him.

Having gone through the routine last year, it wasn't so daunting this time around. We found our way on board and headed straight to the Lido deck where the buffet was. I'd always heard about the "Lido" deck before last year but never understood that it was the life of the ship. You can eat about 24 hours a day there, swim in the pool, soak in the hot tub, or just shmooze. Aside from the casino it's where I spent most of my time on board.

We ate and then went to see if our room was ready for us (my friend, Carole, and I were sharing a room). The room was ready long before our luggage was brought to us but we didn't mind. The Lido deck awaited.

A few things confused me. First...even though you could have all the water you wanted to drink in a glass for free you had to pay $2.25 plus gratuity for a bottle of it. Second...all soda was charged to your card even if you had it at the casino. This made no sense to me at all because the amount of food supplied was gargantuan. Everywhere you went there were meals, both sit down and buffet. Even a midnight buffet. Why in the world did they charge for Diet Pepsi???

For anyone who cares, I lost all my money at the casino over a 4 day period. On Friday evening, the night before we got back home, I went to visit my money and see if anyone was still playing the slot machines. Very few were. Either everyone had been as unlucky as me or the ones still playing were better off financially.

We had a rather brief stop at the Cayman Islands and Carole went snorkelling. She bought the tour from the ship and it cost $40 for a 2 1/2 hour tour. She said the men who took them out to the reef were totally uninterested in teaching them anything and she also only spent about 1/2 hour in the water. When she arrived back at the ship she had a bit of time to take a little walk through the town and found a beautiful beach just a stone through away where she could have rented a locker for $5 and snorkelled all day for free. The people who sell tours on the ship don't tell you this, of course.

I felt the $45 price tag on an island tour was too much so I opted to go ashore and see if there were any better deals around. I'd barely set foot on the island when I spotted a lady carrying a sign that offered island tours for $20...same tour!! I took it and enjoyed the beautiful Caymans for about 2 hours. Upon returning to the ship I discovered that another couple got my tour for $10 each. I didn't realize that you could bargain that strongly!

I can't forget to mention the wonderful floor shows on a cruise. They are full of beautiful, energetic, and talented young people. I missed the first one due to a stint at the casino but the rest were great. One night there was a talent contest for the cruisers and I was amazed at the talent among us. Karaoke was held every night and, again, some of the participants gave me goosebumps. Of course, some made me want to cover my ears but even the bad ones were entertaining.

We got to Cozumel on Thursday and Carole and I packed a little lunch (including bottles of water we'd had to purchase) and took a $79 tour (purchased on the ship) to the Mayan ruins of Tulum. I can't stress how wonderful this tour was. Our guide was a very knowledgable young man who did his best to educate us throughout the tour.

The ruins were magnificent. I worried that we wouldn't be able to get close enough to them but we were actually able to touch them in many places. Then I worried that all the tourists and traffic would eventually destroy the ruins. The few buildings left are not much more than shells and many are listing and seem on the verge of collapsing. The location is perfect...right on the edge of the ocean where we could hear the surf just as the Mayans heard it thousands of years ago. I went from stone to stone touching each and trying to get some kind of feedback but nothing came. I hope I'm not losing the bit of ESP I have.

Carole and I both brought back a couple of little stones we found on the ground. These will be treasured mementos of our trip to this historical spot.

I debarked this morning with about $4 cash. I'd only saved this tiny bit in case we were going to play Bingo on the bus coming home but no-one was interested. I didn't buy much in Mexico, just 2 bottles of booze and 2 fridge magnets. The rest I fed to the slots. And that's okay!

The wonderful lady from our park who does all the organizing for these cruises is already planning one for next year. This will be a 7 day cruise to St Thomas and St Martin. I'm hoping to convince my sister-in-law, Faye, to go with me. I doubt there will be as many people from our park going to the next one but even a few familiar faces make the cruise so much more fun.

Well, I've been home since noon, done a wash, grocery shopped, ate lunch at McDonalds, did some Ebay work, and wrote this blog. Now I have to get ready for a dance we're having in the clubhouse tonight. Life is good...and, given half a chance, a hell of a lot of fun.

Going to Mexico!!

I'm going to Mexico on a cruise and will be back next Saturday with some wonderful stories (I hope). This is cruise #2 for me and one that should be lots of fun because 120 people (mainly from my park) will be on it with me.

I've had trouble getting myself organized as usual because there's always so much going on around here. In between functions I'm trying to list things on Ebay. I find it hard to believe there was ever a time in my life when I was bored. But there was...and I'm glad that time is long gone.

Laundry finally got done today but not put away or packed in my suitcase yet. It looks like I've packed way too many clothes so I think I'll remove a few from the suitcase before I close it up. We'll probably have rain later today so that will be time enough to get the last few things done. We leave at 9 A.M. tomorrow!

Wish me fun!

I-4 Crash...Can They Sue?

The crash on Hwy 4 between Tampa and Orlando last week claimed many victims, some died. Now the lawyers are hovering like vultures ready to gain retribution for those victims. I'm of the opinion that the controlled burn which caused smoke to join the fog was a huge contributing factor and the victims have every right to sue...but, do all of them have the right?

One family appears to contain a large contingent of illegals. Do people who are illegally in the country have the right to sue for anything? Their lawyer won't admit that they are illegals but says they are here from Honduras to work in construction. But do they have a work permit?

It's a touchy situation with so many illegals in this country. Legal residents resent having their taxes used to provide schooling and health care for illegals. Now they're being asked to provide compensation for accidents. If the people hurt in the crash are truly illegals then they didn't have driver's licences or insurance. How much can you demand of a country that you've snuck into illegally?

I understand illegals. If I lived in the conditions they have in their own country I'd try to find something better for my family, too. These are desperate people who mainly work here in low paid jobs just wanting the hope of a future for their children. But, should they expect to come uninvited and generally unwanted into a country by sneaking across the border and then sue the citizens when accidents happen to them? This is not right.

If this really is an illegal family they've made a mistake by hiring a lawyer because it's drawn attention to them. They've already received or are still receiving medical care provided by American tax dollars and now, it seems, they want a cash windfall. There's just something terribly wrong about all of this.

Lizard in my Bedroom

This is Florida. Florida has little lizards that easily get into the house or trailer and one has taken up residence in my bedroom. Every once in a while he startles the life out of me, usually when I open a blind because he likes to stay around the top of the window.

My biggest fear is that he'll walk or fall on me while I'm asleep but then I rationalize that I've never seen a lizard come anywhere near a human being. They walk around us and scoot if we get too near but they aren't in the slightest curious about us. I'm hoping they don't like us and won't crawl into bed with me during a cold night.

Someone once told me that if you have a lizard in the house you'll never have cockroaches. Since I'm terrified of having a roach in the house maybe I should be embracing the presence of a little lizard. I just don't want him in my bed.

Saving the Downtown Core

Many large cities are experiencing the same problem...how to convince people to live and shop in the downtown core. It's true the large old buildings there were once majestic and filled with thriving businesses but should they be saved now that they're crumbling and so few want to use them?

The downtown core of my city has deteriorated to the point where it isn't even safe to go there after dark. Even in the daytime there are panhandlers and street people to avoid. Government buildings take up a lot of space there but they,too, empty at night. Going into those same government buildings during the day can also be hazardous because many of the street people use some of the services and it's scary to get into a closed elevator with someone who looks slightly insane.

The reality is that the street people are so prevalent in the downtown they scare the rest of us away. This is why we prefer to live and shop in the suburbs. Call me elitist but I simply don't want to come in close contact with people like that.

I believe my city should put their efforts into beautifying the downtown core and encouraging more office buildings there instead of trying to make it into a state of the art neighborhood for the average citizen. It probably isn't going to happen. There will always be street people and they will congregate in the most easily accessible area. They need their center, too, and the downtown core is it.

Visitations From the Dead

I really believe the dead are not gone forever but just gone somewhere. Not only logic tell me that but I've seen some strange things in my life.

One of my friends lost her husband suddenly last year and I sat with her waiting for his body to be removed. My senses were on fire with the presence of him hovering worriedly around her, not ready to go on without knowing she was all right. I mentioned to her then that I could sense him there and she agreed that she could sense him also.

June is back to our park this year, bravely trying to carry on her life without her beloved husband of over 50 years. She came to my coffee morning yesterday and confided that she'd been feeling pretty low one day and asked him to please give her some kind of sign that he was still around. She then went out and got into her car and his religious medal which hung above the visor fell into her lap. Coincidence? I don't think so.

For whatever reason the dead are limited in the contact they are able to make with the living. Not everyone is lucky enough to receive visitation or maybe they're just not receptive. Death is not something we should fear so greatly but something we should be very curious about and open our minds to the possibilities.

I've had no visitation from my husband since the episode a few weeks after he passed away. I believe he'll be here when it's necessary and, so far, I'm doing okay.

For those of you who want to make contact with a loved one who has passed away, be open minded enough to accept it when it arrives. It will give you peace of mind.

Down and Out in Florida

I watched an old man, long straggly grey hair and dirty clothes, pushing a grocery cart down the street. The cart was piled high with the detritis of this man's life. There were bags upon bags of clothing all crushed up and overflowing from them. There were metal things that could have been utensils or pots and pans. He struggled with the weight of what he was pushing and I thought how apt this simile was.

Whatever had forged his life to bring him to this point had broken him. He was a lost soul to the main society he walked in because he was so "different". I believe we don't fear people like him for what they are but we do fear what made them what they are. If it could happen to them it could happen to us. We, too, can be broken under certain circumstances.

My heart hurts for people like him but I don't have the slightest notion how I could help him. We shouldn't give beggars money (he wasn't begging) because that only feeds their addictions and not their bellies. I'm ashamed to admit I usually pretend they aren't there but the memory of this particular man will haunt me for a while.

He moved like a shadow along the street, looking for all the world like another species as he made his way. He didn't look at passersby and they looked beyond him as though he didn't exist. But he does, and he has a story.

We shy away from him because there, but for chance, go any one of us.

Bargains, Bargains!

You might not be aware of it but seniors are the best bargain hunters in the world. We've all suffered deprivation at some time in our lives and now we've learned how to save a buck...or two.

Carole and I headed into Haines City (not much more than a town) this afternoon to buy some bubble envelopes. We stopped at 2 dollar stores and bought a whole bunch of bargains along with our bubble envelopes. Then we went to McDonalds for lunch. We've learned to buy generously from the $1 menu and also buy $1 parfaits and salads to take home for lunches and snacks.

The other day a bunch of us were at Wendy's for lunch and discovered a smaller portion combo for $2.99. I got 5 chicken nuggets, sauce, baked potato with butter, and a small drink for that price. I sure wish I could eat out this cheaply in Canada.

Just a note: the young waitress at McDonalds got into a conversation with Carole about our colored Canadian money. She'd never seen any and Carole just happened to have some with her. She was very impressed and then asked what color our one dollar bills were and Carole showed her a Loonie. When she showed her the Toonie (is this how it's spelled??) I think the girl then thought we were putting her on.

The Loony and Toony give Canada character. They at least show that we have a sense of humor.

Words

How many of us have expressed an opinion and had it received in a completely different way than it was intended? I have a real love of expressing myself with the written word but I'm faced over and over again with not being able to make myself understood. At my age this probably won't be rectified any time soon but I'm going to try again, Shelley.

When I see a soldier this is what I feel...deep respect for his/her dedication and contribution to their country. I always worry very much for their safety. I also worry that the leaders of their country might put them in danger needlessly.

I've read that when military leaders send their soldiers off on a mission they know beforehand that they will suffer a certain percentage of casualties. Casualties...a soft word for dead human beings. Dead young men and women who had their whole lives ahead of them.

It's one thing for a soldier to lose his/her life in the process of protecting his/her country from invasion but it's a completely different situation if a soldier is placed in danger to protect the profits of big business. We, the people, have every right to question our leaders and demand ethical rule.

For the life of me, I can't see how that shows any disrespect for the soldiers.

Hating the Military?

My daughter said that she heard from a reliable source that Hillary Clinton "hates the military". That doesn't ring true for me because there's no logic there. If it wasn't for the military Hillary Clinton wouldn't be living in a free country where the citizens have a free vote.

My daughter's husband is in the military and, of course, they're very sensitive to any criticism of it. This made for tense conversations at times because my husband and I had strong views about the right or wrong of U.S. involvement in other countries. We thought the U.S. shouldn't be sending troups to every country that suffered internal problems. I once explained to my daughter that we supported the troups but not their mission. She was adamant that you can't separate the two but I disagree.

Soldiers rely on their leaders to direct missions and send them into danger only if necessary. These young men love their country and know that there's a possibility they will lose their lives defending it. What's hard to swallow is that the military elite could put soldiers at risk in order to preserve U.S. monetary interests. Is it worth the life of one single soldier to hold down the price of gasoline?

My husband could argue this point with great knowledge. I'm not nearly as politically savvy but tend to form my opinions based on logic. I really don't believe that Hillary Clinton "hates" the military because that doesn't make sense. I'll bet she just wants to shake up the old men who rule with an iron fist and make a few much needed changes. The only problem is that I'm not convinced she's up to the challenge.

Voting for a President

It's unnerving to watch the U.S. presidential candidates on T.V. None of them seem capable of running a country as massive and strong as the U.S. but one of those candidates will end up doing just that.

I always knew that one day a woman would reach high enough and become president of the United States but somehow I never envisioned Hillary Clinton. She appears so cold but that could be a veneer to protect herself. That said, she does seem to be the strongest person running for the office.

I don't think we ever get the best person for the job because not many want to expose themselves to the criticism and ridicule these candidates face every day. Every word they say is dissected, every facial expression analyzed, every facet of their past lives dug up and discussed in open forums. Not many of us could handle this.

My personal belief is that the president is not the powerful figure we sometimes think. I believe they are controlled by a powerful group who sit unseen in the background and that's who really runs the country. In that case, it doesn't much matter who wears the president's hat and maybe Hillary would be just fine.

Freezing in Florida

Yesterday was still pretty nice but you could feel the cooler air arriving. Last night the trailer started to get uncomfortably cold so I turned the furnace on. I always think of these trailers as sort of like tin cans...the outside air temperature penetrates the walls very fast.

Today's temperature will only be a high of 54 degrees and it will go well below freezing overnight so this means I'll have to cover my plants with sheets to protect them. Last year I don't think we had one night that actually went below freezing but this year has been different all around. We've had much hotter temperatures throughout the fall all the way to the end of the year so the average all has to even up somehow. The mean temperature in any given year doesn't vary by much.

I've already made plans on how to spend a cold, Florida day. A group of us ladies are going to the internet casino up the road and then to lunch. Poor us...we'll probably have to wear sweaters!

I'm a Queen

Every year we choose the new king and queen of our park by drawing their name on New Year's Eve and last night I was the unlucky lady to have her name drawn. I felt like a trapped animal with nowhere to run because I can't stand to be centered out like that. This was no honor as far as I was concerned.

My king, a man I don't know, and I donned purple robes and crowns and I was handed a small glass sceptre. We stood like idiots as our pictures were taken and everyone had a good laugh. I've always enjoyed this little tradition but that was when it was someone else carrying it on.

The king and queen have a few duties for the year such as wearing the purple robes and riding on a cart during our park parade. I'm not sure what else. It's going to take a major attitude adjustment on my part to make light of all this and get into the spirit of the game. No-one wants to see a sourpuss queen.

One of my subjects came over to my table and gave me one of those twinkly clip on pins so I began to ask others what they had for me. This is a short list...congratulations, a cheezy, a kick in the ass. Apparently the royalty in this park don't get a lot of respect.

Oh well, like gas, this too shall pass.