On Break

I have been away from blogging and even visiting for a while. The stresses of life are getting to me a bit so I am going to take a break. I am ok, just not very enthused. I can't even bring myself to log in and check in. So instead of feeling guilty I am going to make it official, I am going on break, I have some folks that I really like to read and have missed you. Maybe if I don't feel I have to post, I will get back to seeing what is going on in the blog world and keep in touch once in a while. I hope to be around again on a regular basis soon.

Wordless Wednesday

Saturday Photo Hunt-WOODEN

PhotoHunt

This is a lovely WOODEN arbor area at the Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden in Claremont, CA The garden is the largest botanical garden dedicated exclusively to California's native plants. Mr BC found it last year when he was looking for someplace to walk. The 86 acre natural setting offers beautiful mountain views all year long and the best of California natural plantings. It can be very warm and dry during the summer months, however, this spot is always shady and cool with a stream of water surrounding it. A good place to read and I wish it was in my back yard.

Thoughts for Thursday

HOW DO YOU DECIDE WHO TO MARRY? (written by kids)

You got to find somebody who likes the same stuff. Like, if you like sports, she should like it that you like sports, and she should keep the chips and dip coming. -- Alan, age 10

No person really decides before they grow up who they're going to marry. God decides it all way before, and you get to find out later who you're stuck with.-- Kristen, age 10

WHAT IS THE RIGHT AGE TO GET MARRIED?

Twenty-three is the best age because you know the person FOREVER by then-- Camille, age 10

HOW CAN A STRANGER TELL IF TWO PEOPLE ARE MARRIED?

You might have to guess, based on whether they seem to be yelling at the same kids .-- Derrick, age 8

WHAT DO YOU THINK YOUR MOM AND DAD HAVE IN COMMON?

Both don't want any more kids.-- Lori, age 8

WHAT DO MOST PEOPLE DO ON A DATE?

Dates are for having fun, and people should use them to get to know each other. Even boys have something to say if you listen long enough.

-- Lynnette age 8

On the first date, they just tell each other lies and that usually gets them interested enough to go for a second date-- Martin, age 10

WHAT WOULD YOU DO ON A FIRST DATE THAT WAS TURNING SOUR?

I'd run home and play dead. The next day I would call all the newspapers and make sure they wrote about me in all the dead columns.-- Craig, age 9

WHEN IS IT OKAY TO KISS SOMEONE?

When they're rich. -- Pam, age 7

The law says you have to be eighteen, so I wouldn't want to mess with that

--Curt, age 7

The rule goes like this: If you kiss someone, then you should marry them and have kids with them. It's the right thing to do.-- Howard, age 8

IS IT BETTER TO BE SINGLE OR MARRIED?

It's better for girls to be single but not for boys. Boys need someone to clean up after them.-- Anita, age 9

HOW WOULD THE WORLD BE DIFFERENT IF PEOPLE DIDN'T GET MARRIED?

There sure would be a lot of kids to explain, wouldn't there?

-- Kelvin, age 8

And the #1 Favorite is.......

HOW WOULD YOU MAKE A MARRIAGE WORK?

Tell your wife that she looks pretty, even if she looks like a truck.

--Ricky, age 10

Saturday Photo Hunt FREE

PhotoHunt
Leash FREE at the Pooch Park


Gwennie loves Pooch Park and can barely contain herself when she realizes where we are going. Ears pop up when we say the words Pooch Park, so we refer to it as Disneyland when we are contemplating what to do. And when we get close we ask her if she wants to go to Pooch Park. It is a wiggly ride after that. It is a change from her daily walk with Mr BC and she has made many friends. Large and small.

Thursday Thoughts

I have been riding the train with a very nice lady for about a year now. We ride the same shuttle, we have the same love of corgis, she has one a few months older than mine. That was how we started talking. I ride the shuttle with many folks I work with and my name gets bandied about and she picked up on it and always greets me Hi, Bankerchick! I do not know her name, and was feeling bad that maybe she had told me her name and I am just to self absorbed and did not remember it.

I was too embarrassed after a year to ask her what it was so I asked my

boy-boss, who also rides the train and shuttle to and from work to ask her or ask around and try to find out. He didn't get it, why don't I just 'fess up and ask her? Anyway he found out last week and reported back to me that it was Lydia.

I was very glad to hear that because, I know if I had heard it before I would have remembered it. Why you might ask? Or maybe you don't care-so quit reading....I am going to share something from my childhood that came to me today.

My dad use to sing snatch of a song: "Oh Lydia, oh Lydia, say, have you met Lydia? Lydia The Tattooed Lady." and it use to make me giggle and my Mom steam..... Apparently Lydia was a former Oklahoma girlfriend that my dad had an understanding with during college, before WW2.....I learned that later, when

was older maybe 12. He would sing another verse. Probably the only one he really could remember.

Lydia, oh Lydia, that encyclo-pidia.Oh Lydia The Champ of them all.She once swept an Admiral clear off his feet.The ships on her hips made his heart skip a beat.And now the old boy's in command of the fleet, for he went and married Lydia!

I went to find the Lyrics and Wicipedia elaborates: Amongst the items, persons, and scenes tattooed on Lydia's body are the Battle of Waterloo (on her back), The Wreck of the Hesperus (beside it), the red, white and blue (above them); the cities of Kankakee and "Paree", Washington Crossing the Delaware, President Andrew Jackson, Niagara Falls, Alcatraz (on a clear day), Buffalo Bill, a Picasso, Captain Spaulding exploring the Amazon, Lady Godiva (with her pajamas on), Grover Whalen, the Trylon, Treasure Island, Nijinsky, a fleet of ships (on her hips), and Lydia's own Social Security number. That Lydia must truly have been a sight.

I couldn't for the life of me understand why Mom would have fumed over someone who had such an unattractive song associated with her. Now that I have an awful tease for a husband I realize it was not the song or even the woman that was exasperating. it was the constant teasing, that the male human thinks is so amusing!

Anyhoose....I will be able to greet Lydia of the train and shuttle by her name and never forget, because I never forget the name Lydia, or the song or the sly twinkle in Dad's eye when he would torment my mom.

Wordless Wednesday-ME

Nala=Fat Cat=Heavy

PhotoHunt

HEAVY

Nala is truely Heavy, she looks fatter than she really is as she has long beautiful hair. She is always on a Diet and Gwennie is more protective of the dog food so now she is losing weight. She isn't scouting extra's any more. She is very heavy to lift, but she can jump so I don't have to lift her too often. When I do she squeeks!

Photo Hunt-NARROW

PhotoHunt

This was a from a walk that Gwennie and Daddy and Mommy love to make. On this visit Mr BC is on the left and SIL is on the right and pretty narrow himself actually. However, this is a photo of a tall and NARROW sculpture in front the museum of art on the Claremont Colleges, here in SoCal. I do not remember the name or the artist and at first unimaginitive me thought it had to do with construction. I will look for attribution the next time we walk by. It is a beautiful campus in an equally lovely town and Mr BC and I walk there at least once a week and Gwennie is there several times a week, as Claremont is where her Pooch Park is located too.

Beautiful Sunday in Santa Barbara

Hello from Santa Barbara. I am looking out the window at these mountain but as this is pulled from Yahoo images we are actually a little closer. The kids have a wonderful apartment on the second floor, the wind is blowing and the umpteenth storm has blown through or is about to blow thru. We are cozy waiting for some muffins to come out of the oven mmmm....

My SIL, who is actually a relatively new citizen, about 3 years, is going to vote in his first election this year. He is not taking his citizenship for granted and has involved himself in the Obama campaign. (Those of you who aren't Democrats, who's campaign offices are you working at evenings and weekends? Quiet then... At least he is not working for Hillary.) They went to a celebratory party at headquarters and DD1 said she met some very nice people working at the grassroots, for the candidate they believe in. Since I have what Sarge Charley, called Electile Disfunction, I am paying and not paying attention to everyone.

Away from politics, now. We have had a nice visit, my eldest DD is turning 35 on the 4th of February so we are in celebratory mode, before we leave for home this morning. Gwennie is at home with DD2 in good hands but we are anxious to get back to clean up the mud she has tracked in this week. I am tired of the rain, but we really need it. No drought for us this year, and it has been cold. I could stand a touch of global warming right now. Have a pleasant Sunday.