I haven't added anything to this 'blog' for quite some time. I have had mixed emotions about putting my thoughts out for the world to read. But as our political process winds down, I decided to put down some of my thoughts regarding politics.

   I suspect that I am not alone in my thinking that having a woman vice-presidential candidate is not a reason to choose one party over another. I choose to vote, not because there is a woman candidate  but because there is a ‘person’  who is not a career politician. Granted she (in this election) may be a politician now but she hasn’t been too long away from the ranks of the working class and to me that is more of a plus than anything.

 As for voting for or against because a person is of a different race also has nothing to do with my voting for that candidate. Ethnicity has nothing whatsoever to do with my voting choice. It is more the fact of what he or she stands for and wants to accomplish that would make me vote for them and never the color of their skin. I really think that most Americans are not given enough credit by our elected officials and I suspect many of us feel as I do.  I also think that many in the ‘media’ like to drag up the issues I mentioned and make them into obstacles and I choose to ignore their ignorance.

Toothpicks…something I have always taken for granted. They have always been in the cupboard or on the table and who can not bake a cake without poking a toothpick in to see if it is done?  When hubby and I were first married we would jokingly tease each other on which was better – round ones (that I grew up with and my mom used) or flat ones that he was used to; so I always kept both on hand.

   I bought a box (flat ones) the other day as my supply was getting low. After I had used several, I wondered why there were so many flawed ones in the box. Then I dumped it out and there was hardly a perfect one in the package. This was weird. Where were the perfectly smooth toothpicks I remembered? Then I looked on the side and the package said. “Made in China”! WHAT!!! I couldn’t believe it!

   What has America become that we can not even make toothpicks in America anymore and have to import them? I am going to be looking for a different brand if I can find one that is still made in the U.S.A. And I have come around to my hubby’s way of thinking and now use the flat ones for my teeth but still use the round ones to test my cakes!  :-)

Is it just me or do the winters seem milder now than they did in the 50’s? Perhaps it is just that the means to get through them is so much easier now with snowplows on four-wheelers and snow blowers. For sure, the clothing now can keep a person a lot warmer. Gone are the days of bundling up in those bulky 2-piece snow suits; the ones with the pants that sometimes looked like bib overalls and sometimes were just pants that slipped over your own clothes. Next came the coat on top; with or without a hood and the knitted cuffs on both the pants and the coat that never, ever keep the snow off your wrists and ankles.  If your coat did not have a hood then you wore a stocking cap which never seemed to keep your ears warm enough. Mittens and gloves were another necessary item but I never recall them keeping your fingers and hands warm once they got wet.

      And since the first thing we wanted to do when we got out side was make a snowman, it didn’t take long for them to get wet. Remember those good wet snows that made the best snowmen. Rolling the snow until you got a big enough ball; usually quitting when you started adding bits of dead grass from the lawn underneath.

     We played in the snow and made snow angels and pulled sleds. If we were lucky there might be a slight hill where we could sled down. Then when the pain got too bad from your ankles and wrists being frozen you went in. Of course, you probably went in once in the middle of playing, too because snow and cold together seemed to bring on the bathroom urge.

    The worst part was the goulashes; those of the metal buckles. They were easy to put on when dry but when you came in, the snow had packed into them and made them really hard to get open again before you could get your foot out and get them off and make it to the bathroom in time. :-)

       Blizzards have always been a part of some of my memories of winter. One year of my childhood, when I was 9 or 10, I could not find my yellow kitten, Peaches. I just knew she was outside and would freeze to death and expressed those sentiments to my folks.  I can remember Dad bundling up, going outside and being gone for a long time. Then here he came, carrying her in. I think that will always be one of my best memories of my dad…that he would do that for me. I hope that I expressed my thanks to him.  Other blizzards evoke memories of not so enjoyable times.  

   What are some of your winter memories?

My mom is in her 90's, living independently and still driving short distances from her home-store, bank hairdresser etc. But she is planning on selling her mobile home and getting an apartment to save her the headaches of having maintenance, yardwork etc done. 

I want her to go into an assisted livng place just so she will have some social interaction but she thinks they are too expensive. She has a little money saved and wants to make sure that her kids have something of it 'when she is gone'! My siblings and I all share the thoughts that we would rather she spend it on herself than leave it to us.

I have talked a lot about what I think she should do but she still has an independent mind and attitude and just wants to live in a regular apartment. I guess I will just go along with her until she falls down or something more serious happens. Then we will take the days as they come. I can only hope that if and when I reach that age, I will remember that my kids are only looking out for my best interests and try to heed what they say.

Guess I will just jump in and post one of my pet peeves. Mostly I don't let things bother me very much but once in a while....

    "Sigh!   I wish there was something to do. How I would love to run and stretch my legs. I can move around a little in my pen here but aside from hopping up on my doghouse roof about all I can do it pace back and forth and maybe toss my food dish up in the air for fun.  I thought when the new people brought me to this place; I would have a good life. They seemed like such nice folks. Oh, they do feed me once a day and clean my bathroom area once in a while but I would so love for them to come over and say hi or pet me on the head sometimes.

  They do let me out once in a while in the back yard but it is only for a little while when they change my water bucket.  When they come home from work, they try to sneak in so I won't see them but I can hear their car drive up. They don't like to see me jumping with joy up on the fence being so glad to see them. I just don't understand even if I am just a dog. I imagine there are other dogs who would be happy to have my place; ones who don't have any food or water and no one to love them but I would be so glad to be a part of their family.  I often wonder if this is all there is to life?"

-----

  Guess I don't have to tell you that this is one of my gripes. Why do people have a pet if all they can do is keep it in a cage? A dog is a social animal and it makes me sad to see them treated badly. How can you tell people you do not know that they should find a better home for their 'pet’?

We went to the Gordon Lightfoot concert in IF on Wed. evening. We have not attended many live concerts in our lifetime. Once for Roy Clark; once for Lori Line; two Mannheim Steamroller concerts and a sound-alike Waylon Jennings guy so we are not real experts. 

    Guess we are getting older and so is Mr. Lightfoot. The music was ok but I think I was more impressed with the lovely lighting in the background. It was a sold out event so there were lots of folks there. To me,  the whole event seemed to sort of drag with just a few upbeat songs. I have to admit that I was disappointed because he did not sing my favorite - (Canadia RR Trilogy).

  I have to admit that I was surprised at how short and skinny of a guy he was. I think in one's mind you always imagine the pop singers of the day to be much larger than life.

 Anyhow, those are my thoughts. I am thinking that we may not attend any other concerts because most of the folks we really like are either dead or just not what they used to be, as are we.