6 Tips that could help you through to adulthood

These are listed in chronological order so you can imagine how they affected my life.

#1 Do not go to bed at night with gum in your mouth, unless of course you are trying to figure out a way to get your mom to let you cut your hair. (I always wanted long hair as a kid and never got to grow it out, only pu lled the gum dumb once. Mom kept it as short as she could.) If you are, this is almost 100% guaranteed.

#2 Never ride across a cow pasture while flying a kite out of the trunk of a car(brand new,bright red 1968 Camero). I don't care how great an idea it sounds at the time ( no stimulants were required, just teenage stupidity.)
If you survive and you parents find out, they will kill you. Luckily, mine didn't and I wasn't hurt. Nobody but the driver, my dear friend Bill, and I ever knew. Until I I got stupid ( a theme perhaps) again and told DK. (It is one of the few truly stupid things I have done, and DK loves to have that to hold over my head.)

#3 Never, under any circumstance utter the phrase "What else could happen?", or "What else could go wrong?"
These things usually happen in threes and by saying either of these your are begging for more.

#4 It is important to trust your teenagers, however, don't be stupid just because they like to pretend that you are, you don''t need to encourage that idea. If anyone is lacking in judgment it is probably them. It is their job to try to do things that they know are wrong, just try to out guess them, and trust within the realm of sanity. Good luck to you parents,it is a real trip.

#5 Never, and I mean never, put dryer sheet in the cupboard next to saltine crackers. I don't care how many layers of wrapping there are, your crackers will taste like dryer sheets. Just imagine, peanut butter, crackers and dryer sheets. Soup, crackers and dryer sheets. Enough said? I think so.

#6 Never try writing a a blog in your head when you are trying to go to sleep,( Note the time I posted this.) You will not go to sleep until it is posted and you are satisfied with it.


Good Night!

Rediscovering Finding Forrester

This morning DK and I sat and watched a movie called"Finding Forrester",release date was in 2000. If you have never seen this movie maybe you should give it a look. I found at in our local library,but I'm sure it is available at NETflix, or other places you "borrow" movies.

Do you like Sean Connery? If you do, you shouldn't miss this one. No spy crap,no speeding cars, no sex kittens, just a lovely older gentlemen with a real skill for making you believe in who he is portraying.

Sean plays an old recluse living in an apartment in the Bronx. He never goes out, except to wash his windows, he turned the ringer off on his phone 20 years ago, everything is brought to him by some dude worried about parking is BMW in "that" neighborhood.

Sean befriends a young basketball player,and tutors him on his writing skills.

That sounds boring but it is a great quiet movie that speaks to many issues we must deal with in our everyday lives.

Just give it a look.

Flyfisherman'swife

I guess if you have long term friends and live in a close community where you have friends and family around you, you might not "get" the things we do by ourselves. Most of the people who respond to my blog and in fact read it are friends of mine, but because of time and distance we are not in the same area. Bubblewench is a longtime friend who happens to live in the Eastern part of the country, CamiKaos is my daughter, she is in the PNW, Mie, my niece, is from California, some are just E-mail friends, or dear friends that I am separated from.

If you are fortunate enough to have close friends, stay close to them. We have moved many times and have no close family or friends in the area. When you loose your friends from early adulthood and childhood it becomes difficult to make new friends. Most people have established friendships and aren't willing to let new people in, believe me I have tried. So I stay with my E-Buddies, and visit them for "real" when I can. Is it a lonely life, yes. But I wouldn't trade my "family" for anything.

The Wii and Me,part three

After a few weeks with the Wii I realized that my balance problem with the some of the exercises is a real,true physical thing. A few years ago I had an "event" ,as the Kaiser quack called it,that not only caused total deafness in my left ear, but left me with a case of vertigo that I couldn't believe. I couldn't drive for 2 months and had to use a cane for a long time. I thought the balance thing was over, but I am unable to stand on one foot. I risk going down in an ugly pile of body parts.

This the Wii doesn't know about me, I guess all of my medical records haven't been scrutinized by Helga. The point in this ramble. When I do a body test I am as young as 35 if I get to stand on 2 feet. If I have to stand on one foot it says I am unstable.(I assume they are talking about physically, the mental part we know all about.) On one foot I have been "aged" as high as 85. The moral of this story is, as it ever has been. " Keep both feet firmly om the ground." You are younger that way.

I love the yoga exercises I get to do, I'd love to do the "one footed" ones but I really am unable too, the strength training is good and I love the aerobics. I do well with the entry level Hula-Hoop segment and I am even able to complete the 1/4 mile jog without shaming myself. Have I lost any more weight? Not so much, but I feel better and I have been sleeping better, I also have more energy.

The best part about the Wii is that I can use it rain, snow,wind, or shine (sounds like the postal system), sometimes I can convince DK to jog with me. Come winter time I don't have to battle the idiot snow drivers who have to relearn every year that snow is dangerous.

Bunny Remorse

A couple of years ago, we were sitting around talking with some long time friends of ours. They were fortunate enough to be able sell their home here and were getting ready for their move to the PNW. This was our last dinner together before their move and we were just doing what old friends do. Yakking, about all manner of things.

The subject of my hobbies came up, they have been very good natured about receiving my home made gifts over the years and have never voiced a complaint, and I said that I would like to start tying flies for fly fishing. The price for a starter kit was about $50.00, and we didn't have the cash just then. The Mr. handed me half the price and said that he could use all that I could make.

DK and I went shopping at our local mega sporting goods store and purchased a kit. I couldn't wait to get home and get started. Upon reaching home I opened the kit and started to go through the "stuff". I froze, and my tender heart broke. There on top of all these things I was going to need was a bunny face, long, velvety ears and all. You could see all of the facial features. I closed the box and put it away.(Sorry Bunky)

This winter I intend to get these things out again and tie some flies and ignore those cute little bunny ears. Flies will be flying from our home to yours as soon as I can tie a descent fly.

Adventures in Bra Shopping

I would like to know what the retail store industry has against large women.

Problem #1 The larger sizes of bras are always displayed on the very bottom row of the racks. I don't know about you, but sitting on the floor is less then half the problem. The getting up is the worst. The only other option is to stand there like an ostrich with you butt up in the air. I feel sorry for the poor unsuspecting person who happens upon that lovely bit of scenery. Come on retailers get you head out of the ostrich whole and help the people who really populate this planet earth.

Problem #2 What is it with putting in so many racks that even a slim person can't get through to look at merchandise. If you are a special needs shopper with a walker or in a chair forget it, I guess you can shop on line, but it's really hard to try things on in a virtual dressing room, but probably no harder then in a store.

Problem #3 Then there are the shops that supposedly specialize in undergarments. I chose to visit Victoria's Secret one morning. I went in , was measured, and promptly told that, "I'm sorry, we don't carry your size. I can special order that for you if you would like." NOT!!!

Now, if you know me(why else would you be here?) you know that I am over weight, but Helga and I are addressing that issue with some success. I reached my 2 week goal in 10 days, and can now wear my black jeans, I haven't been able to wear them since last spring. I don't mean that I can squeeze into them, I mean that I can put them on, zip them up without sucking in, and once they are on I can actually wear them and "breath" I'm rather happy with that, it was only 5 pounds but they were important pounds. The only bad thing is that the black jeans are getting ratty and I need a new pair, but that is a shopping trip of a different color.

Back to Vickie's place. It isn't just women like me who can't find what they need there. If you don't meet their qualification of being what they deem to be of "a profitable size" for their organization, you can't get what you need. CamiKaos and our friend MssB are unable to by bra's at Vickie's. CK is not a large woman and neither is MssB. But they aren't of a "a profitable size". Could they special order? Sure, but who wants to go back to the Mall if they don't have too. What if it still doesn't fit, your out gas money twice,the time twice, and you still don't have a bra.

I think next time I'll try Lane Bryant. They just opened a store here in Counciltucky. Or better yet, maybe Helga and I can can fix it so I don't have to go "ass-up" to find what I'm looking for.

Strange Bedfellows

It is said that politics make strange bedfellows. But this is going too far.

At best I am a poor sleeper and once I am asleep I want no interruptions. Early this morning I snapped out of sound sleep at the realization of what I had just been dreaming.

Imagine looking out of your back window and seeing some stranger mowing your lawn on a John Deer Green riding mower. But wait it gets even better, as the lawn mower comes closer I realize the person is strangely familiar. On the next pass I look closer, "Oh my God it's Sarah Palin!"

It's time for this election to be over. NOW!!!!

Storing nuts for the winter

Last Wednesday we began our annual version of the squirrels. Wednesday we shopped, came home, unloaded and began our tribute to the fuzzy little creatures.

Two whole chickens in the crock pots, set to cook for 36 hours. I know that sounds like a lot but it sure works well for us.

Out of those two chickens we get a couple dozen chicken enchiladas,(the green sauce is made with chicken broth),three meals of chicken vegetable soup, and three meals of chicken and chorizzo(a Mexican sausage)soup, we need to add some chicken pieces, but those and the sausage were already on the freezer.

We pulled a cubed pork shoulder out of the freezer and along with half of the four pounds of tomatillos, garlic, onions, peppers and chicken broth we made two meals of Pork Verde. The rest of the tomatillos went to the green sauce for the chicken enchiladas.

I know this sounds crazy to some of you, we are,after all trying to sell our house, however, if it does sell we will be able to throw one hell of a going party for ourselves and our neighbors.
Next weekend we'll probably start the 15 bean soup (Cajun style) made with smoked turkey wings, lentil soup also made with smoked turkey wings, County Line black eyes peas made with bacon and jalapeno peppers, then all we will need to do is hope that Penera's has the sourdough rolls we love so much.

You can call us Squirrely if you want, but we eat all winter from the freezer, and when we get snowed in its grand.

Lost friends found

This summer, after spending the day getting ready for the Tiki Party, playing with and having a great time with my girls, I would climb up to my haven, with the new bathroom. The kitchen was clean and "stuff" was put away, it was time to relax.

I had finished the book I brought with me and was searching for a something to fill my time until I could walk to the friendly corner bookstore, (this neighborhood has almost everything). Since the Kaos family are serious readers, I don't mean serious subjects,except DK, I mean we love to read, I knew I could find something to fill the gap. Hummmm, "Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy", no," Harry Potter", no, that was the book I just finished, ( it was the last one), Dr. Normal's how to make wine book , no I don't drink wine, a cookbook, no the kitchen is clean.

There! Right there! One of my all time favorites, Orson Scott Card's," Ender's Game". I can't find my copy and haven't been able to read it for a very long time. I borrowed it, and I didn't even need to go to the book store, we went anyway, so many books on that bargain table.

It came home with me so I could finish it. God, I love that book. If you haven't read it you should. It is hard to read. It can be so mean and inhuman in its feeling, but a great book.

Three days ago I was once again on the search for a time filler until I could make a trip to our wonderful library, yes we still live in Counciltucky, but we have a wonderful library, we have long cold, white winters. I digress.

I poked around in a few cupboards, and pushed DK's Tom Clancy books aside,and peeked behind them. Another whole row of book, so many lost friends, "The DaVinci Code", "The Handmaidens Tale", and there hidden with many more were "Ender's Game " and gasp," Ender's Shadow".

I am now happily reading about these children warriors in "Ender's Shadow", if you haven't read these two books, at least give it a whirl, they make my heart feel heavy, but they are good. Mei, if MG hasn't read them she might like them, they are in many school libraries.

Life isn't so hard in our society, at least when compared to Ender's and Bean's world.

Happy reading.



P.S. I still haven't been to the library.

Wii Fit part two

If you are looking for an exercise program that will not guilt you if you miss a day, forget Wii Fit.

Tuesday was my first day with Helga , Wednesday was one of those busy days from hell and when there was time there was no energy, so Wii Fit time didn't happen. Last night, Thursday, I decided to visit Helga (my trainer), we begin there.

"Good evening . NanaK, were you too busy to exercise yesterday?" "It is important to be consistent for this to work." "Your BMI (body mass index) has changed, did you eat something before you decided to exercise?" " A banana would have been a good choice, it gives you good, quick energy."

Now, Helga doesn't know that I can't eat bananas, but I swear to God that and the color of my undies are the only things she doesn't know.

"Tuesday you exercised at 12:37p.m. and it is 8:00 in the evening now, maybe that is what has made the difference. Let's begin."

So, we start, I swear that Zitch was trying to get even, she tried to work my ass off. Of course it could use it, but not all in one session.

"Your right side seems to be weaker today, you should concentrate on exercises that work on the right side of your body."

Gee lady, I guess you don't have access to my medical records afterall, the right side of my back is where I have a the problem .

Maybe I should switch to Lars, no I really don't want a man to see me like this.

I think I'll go back again today and see if Helga has forgiven me yet.

For Daddy

July 5, 1913-October 2, 1958