Mother's Day plus potpourri

Here's the thing. A couple of weeks ago, on a Monday, I started this missive about Mum's Day.  I dood have da best intentions.  So, here it is a 2ND Saturday, still not completed.  I am sure you are all feeling embarrassed for me.  Someone should.  It is the nice thing to do.  We move on.

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Yesterday - Mother's Day

What more can be said?  Mom's Day - Mum's - Mudder - Is this a USA only thing?  Never gonna research that question.  Our local mom had a pretty good day...I think.  Took her out to eat on Saturday to avoid the typical Mom's Day standing room only crowds.    That worked pretty well.  Then, on Sunday I looked at the wife and asked, "Would you like to go get an ice cream at DQ?"  I believe her eyes lit up and a smile crossed her face.

the daughter was working.  I texted her to meet us when she gets off work & I'd buy burgers all around.  That is how we ended up at the Dairy Queen in Jarrell.  It was a lovely time had by all.  DQ made a mistake and put an extra patty on the wife's burger.  She was unable to finish the burger - too much food. A Snicker Blizzard was ordered...(small size of course).  She was able to finish the Blizzard.  It seems that ice cream does not fill up your stomach.  Eat all you want.

Her best present from me was a new straw purse with multi colors - Walmart.  I do go all out.

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now for some potpourri ( prefer to say Pot Pouring)  These are quickies that I have catalogued in my little notebook.  Can't say any of this will make the Universe better.  

Today - Sat. 24 - 2 days before Memorial Day:  We drove to Waco (takes an hour) & met my youngest dot & hubby for lunch at Rosa's.  It was a good day.  I overate.   Bought gas for $2.37 at Walmart in Waco.  The day was presented as a late-Mother's Day (with gifts).  Nice day.  Nice drive.  Traffic wasn't too bad going either way which is remarkable for I-35 ... sometimes called the most dangerous highway in America.  Probably those who travel hwy #1  or I-95 might disagree.

I do overeat at Rosa's.  They tell me that Ozempic helps you lose weight by making you feel full.  I don't know.  I do know that it doesn't do that for me.  Diabetics take Ozempic - lose weight.  Not me. Nope.  The prostate cancer shot I take makes some people gain weight.  I fit in here somewhere.  Yes, Prostate cancer shot.  It is generally the same one they say Biden will probably get.  My cancer didn't go into the bones so far - it was caught earlier they say.  I just do what they say.  I am one of those that believe that Biden has had prostate cancer all the time he was President.  There is something wrong her.

The line that I hear most:  Most old guys die "with" prostate cancer - they don't die "OF" it, just "WITH" it.  Interesting concept...playing with words.

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Dot #1 had to travel to Fredericksburg on Friday for work.  Her hospital group was doing an inspection of a Fredericksburg hospital.  She said it was a well-run hospital.  Naturally, since it is that time of year, she bought home a couple boxes of peaches.  These are the CLING peaches.  Not my favorite because you have to work harder to eat it.  Anyway, today, she peeled same and made a Peach Crisp - see google for a recipe.  Good tasting.  Way too much sugar for me; so, I cheated on my sugar.  But, Good!

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Google.  Young folks don't understand how google changed information collecting.  I read up today on the Wienermobile- a vehicle sponsored by Oscar Meyer wieners.  They have 6 of them.  It was on the news today.  Yesterday, the 6 lined up at the Indianapolis 500 raceway and - - yes, raced.  The AP news report in the paper was cute.  There is no byline listed so I can't give him credit.  Some of the one-liners from the paper - thinking hot dogs now, not dachshunds who I dearly love - 

The winner was from the Southeast "He proved to be the big dog" in the race.  The winning "margin was about a half a bun."   It was a "wiener-take-all race."   The No. 3 dog "managed to roast the rest of the Wienermobiles..."  Their top speed was about 65 mph. And, "they were right in each other's grills down the backstretch..."  No. 4 dog was leading the race when smoke began to pour from its rear, "and that dog was cooked."  The eventual winner broke out on the last rap "just in time to relish in the sweet taste of victory." This was an event to "kick off a summer of wieners."

I loved that story.  Look it up on Google.  The Wienermobiles travel all over the States.  You can actually rent one for a party.  Look it up for more spine tingling news.  The driver make $38,000+ a year to drive.  All sorts of info.  Over and out.

May the Franks be with you

mtz

  

flaw in my plan

 I keep a small notebook in which I write ideas for blog topics.  

Today I read my last night's entry (I awoke in the middle of the night and penned it).

The entry:   "I've Got One.  Do You?"

I have not the slightest idea what this is suppose to mean.  No clue.  Maybe it will come to me in a dream tonight.  Don't wait up to see.

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Since I'm here ... I made a mistake the other night and watched a show on PBS I think.  It has to be a local show in which they show a scary movie.  The hosts talk and talk and talk.  Someone has a different idea of humor than I.  

The best part is they showed an episode from a Flash Gordon serial from the late 40s or 50s.  Buster Crabbe plays Flash Gordon.  It is such a rotten show.  But, still, I enjoyed reliving the Flash Gordon serial.    We didn't get the Flash Gordon show out of the Lubbock TV stations.  Instead, once or twice a year my family would visit relatives in the OK city area (Edmond, etc.).  Flash Gordon played on their TV stations.  OK City TV stations had better programming than Lubbock's 2 stations - in my opinion.  And, to close, yes, Flash Gordon was terrible even back then.

over and out

Dr. Zarkov

MAY DAY

May 1st.

I don't know why May 1st is important to certain groups.  I seem to remember that USSR does a big May Day parade - showing all their weapons.  Why?

Some of you may not know this:  some communities celebrate May Day as a festival here in the USA.  

Okay, take in consideration that I am 84 yrs old.  

When I was in the 4th grade we moved to Crete, Nebraska.  Crete is just a few miles from Lincoln.  My father worked for Standard Oil of Indiana.  He ran a truck for the oil exploration in that part of Nebraska.  The wildcatters or whatever they were called, would drill a hole in the ground.  He would lower a listening device down the hole.  Dynamite would be set off somewhere and he would create a map of where oil might be under the ground.  He was a logger - not one who cuts down trees - but he would "log" what they were doing.

Because of this job, after WWII we traveled to several towns in Kansas and finally,  Crete.  From Kindergarten through the 5th grade, I spent only one year at any school.  We found a permanent home when I hit the 6th grade, Levelland, Texas - home of the Lobos  (some might spell it Loboes, but they would be wrong - we Lobos know how to spell).  

So there we were in Crete Nebraska for the whole year.  I can remember a few things clearly about  that 4th grade year.  Here they are:

1.  I was in the Crete H.S. band in the 4th grade.  The band room was located on the 2nd floor.  I had to climb a fire-type escape to get into the room.  I cannot remember any music that we played other than the Concert Bb scale.

 

Skip over this part if it is too complicated.  I played the cornet.  it is a Bb cornet.  When you play the Concert Bb scale, a cornet player plays the C scale - an alto sax plays the G scale - Trombones, flutes, bells, tubas etc. play the Bb scale...and so forth.  In my first day of band - remember that I am only 9 years old   - the director told us to play the Concert Bb scale.  And I did - I played the Bb scale.  That makes me one note off the entire time - ugly.  Finally, some big kid sitting next to me explained what I should play.  Understand, it is remarkable that a 9 year old can play the C scale - but, I also knew the Bb scale.  We move on.

 

2. In October of that year, my father bundled us all up for a drive to Lincoln.  President Truman was running for office.  He came in on a train - standing on the platform of the back car - we heard his speech.  I actually heard President Truman make a speech.  Who else do you know who can say that?  2 more things happened that day:  As we walked to the train station, police (secret service) stopped my brother Marshall - he'd of been about 13 or 14 yrs old.  They made him take his little brownie box camera back to the car.  they were afraid he might kill Truman somehow.  So we have no photos of that day.  None.

The second thing was that it started to rain as we drove home.  It rained so hard that places were flooding.  We live at the top of a hill.  My father had to pull over and stop.  WE walked to the top of that hill in the rain because it was too dangerous for him to drive up the road.  Really.  We had a 1948 black Hudson.  Fine car.  I believe people died in that Truman flood.

Another memory:  It snows in Nebraska.  There were piles of snow everywhere.  My parents, in their wisdom  bought us shoes that had ridges on the soles.  Several years later these were called Waffle Stompers ... where you stomped, it looked like a waffle.  At school recess, a big thing to do was to climb up a snow slope and slide down  on your feet.  The other boys wouldn't let me because my stompers cut ridges in the slope.  I was deprived.

In the spring, brother Jim & I walked to a playground and played baseball with the others.  I had really never played baseball too much - still haven't - but I had a glove.  They put me in the outfield with the other inept players.  My lesson learned:  someone hit a ground ball straight at me.  I put the glove down for the ball to enter.  Instead the ball hit the glove and rolled right up my arm and slugged me in the nose - one of first nosebleeds.  Since, I learn to use my free hand on the back of the glove to stop the ball.  Blood doesn't look good on leather.

FINALLY (you say), In April, the teachers began to take us outside to practice.  They had this pole with cloth ribbons handing down.  A student took a ribbon and walked in a a circle around the pole. Half of the students went clockwise, the other half went counterclockwise..  As you met a student, you went to the left of the student - then to the right of the next one - to the left of the next - etc.  This wound the cloth around the pole in a most pretty way.   Around you went until it was completely covered.

And, finally again, May 1st arrive.  Everyone turned out.  The children dressed in Dutch costumes with wooden shoes.  I even had a Dutch costume.  As the day went by we partied and did the May Pole event.  Never in my life have I seen this done since.  Maybe it is just Crete.  Maybe it is Nebraska.  I don't know.  

Now you know why I enjoy May 1st without the USSR parades.  The May Pole was a happening.  I wonder if it is still done today?

see ya,

Mtz

p.s.  I'm not going to proofread this.  Anything wrong?  Fix it.