''Fragments" and Friday Five

This has been a sad week for Orlando, the LBGT Community, and all Americans.

Friday 5 for June 17: A Week of Good Behavior

1. What’s the dumbest thing you did this week? I almost posted something to someones FaceBook post, that I know I would have regretted...not for thinking, but because of all the grief I would have heard about, the post and it would not have changed their thought.  In this neck of the woods,Gun control, Trump, and religion are hot topics with some of Mr BC's friends It contained 2 of the 3 and it was a share, by someone who knows Mr BC.  A lot of folks friended me when Mr BC was sick, as I was giving updates, I have hidden some of them now, so I don't have to read their posts. I need to put them in a group. This person, I unfriended.

2. In what way did you save yourself time or energy this week? 
The week has been hot and humid, In the interest of energy savings; I did not go outside, unless it was absolutely necessary.

3. How were you wasteful of personal and natural resources this week?
Yes, I ran the air conditioner day and night, because of the humidity and Miss Gwennie's breathing. I set it higher to try and save some money at night.

4. When this week did you take advantage of the opportunity to keep your mouth shut?  
My 'new' lawn guy said he could not make it this week, as it was going to rain, this after he did not show up and did not call.  He 'understood' if I had to call someone else. He sounded as if he was drinking....so I just said, ok I would call someone else. It has not rained all week.

5. In what way this week were you blessed or fortunate?  
Well, last week, I had a stress test and yesterday, I went to the Heart Cath lab, and I seem to be OK. I am a little sore today and will take it easy.  I wasn't going to walk the dogs anyway, unless it was cooler. Now that Mr BC is better, I thought I should check myself out and I am glad I did.

http://f.riday5.com/

Dreaming of Jeannie-Saturday 9

I Dream of Jeannie Theme (1965)... Because Harriet requested it. If you're not familiar with today's song, you can hear it here.   

1) Jeannie was memorably discovered on the beach in an ornate bottle. Have you ever brought a souvenir home from the beach? (It doesn't have to be a genie. A shell or a stone will do.) 
When Mr BC and I were first married we lived in Key West Florida.  My family came to visit that first Christmas and we had a great time doing winter stuff, in Fl, like swimming in the Gulf on Christmas day.
My brother wanted a conch shell that he could 'play' so we found one where they had cut the end off for a mouth piece. It was packed away for the flight home.  I guess there was still some conch meat left in the shell that couldn't be seen but certainly could be smelled......for months.

2) Major Anthony Nelson, the man who released Jeannie from her bottle, was an astronaut. When you were a kid, did you dream of being an astronaut when you grew up? I grew up in the 50's and 60's and girls weren't encouraged to think about such careers. But it was also the days of Star Trek TOS.  I thought that space of the future might be a place I would like to go. 

3) Upon discovering Jeannie, Major Nelson's first wish was that she could speak/understand English so they could communicate. If you found a genie, what would your first wish be? That Donald Trump was not running for president and doesn't win.  And that Elizabeth Warren was running. as the first woman candidate, instead of Hillary.

4) Major Nelson's best friend was fellow astronaut Major Healey. Where did you meet your best friend? In high school gym, Modern Dance Class, I think. I am sure we thought we would grow up to be Martha Graham. Those were the days you took Gym all the way through your senior year, and Modern Dance was for Juniors and Seniors.

5) This theme song was written by Hugo Montenegro, who is better known for the music he wrote for a pair of Clint Eastwood movies (The Good, the Bad and the Ugly and A Fistful of Dollars). Do you have a favorite Clint Eastwood movie? I am not a big fan of Clint Eastwood as an actor, Every Which Way but Loose, with the orangutan, would be my speed.  I think as a director, he does a great job and, of all of those movies, I think Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. is one of his best. 

6) The last episode of the series was titled, "My Master, The Chili King." What ingredients make up your favorite chili recipe? 
I make a Weight Watchers version of chili, that is mostly beans and vegetables, that Mr BC loves.

7) Jeannie was played by Barbara Eden, who was born in Tuscon, Arizona. Summer in Tuscon can get very hot, with the mercury often reaching 100º. What's your favorite season? 
Not summer in Southwest Missouri, too humid and hot. Probably Autumn is my favorite season.

8) Anthony Nelson was played by Larry Hagman, who went on to play the villainous JR on the popular Dallas. Can you think of anything else Dallas is known for? 
The JFK assassination, is what comes to mind for me.  I was a sophomore in high school when that happened. 

9) In the autumn of 1965, just weeks after I Dream of Jeannie premiered, St. Louis' famous Gateway Arch was completed. An estimated 4 million tourists visit the Arch every year. Do you have any summer vacation plans? 
Well we will be going to the blue grass festival over July 4th. We had our vacation in May. When we went to see the grandsons in Santa Barbara, and a very nice vacation that was. I have seen the Gateway Arch, driving through St Louis, but we have never stopped.

Friday Fragments

One of the consequences of taking Gwennie to California.....when I promised the last time I wouldn't subject her to another road trip.... she got sick.  I have issues with finding a kennel here in MO, so we decided to try it again.  Gwennie hates the RV so much, that she was reluctant to get into it, by the end of the trip.  The last 300 miles we decided to push on home, as she was sitting in the back panting and I wanted to get the trip over with and get her home.  When we got her home she was still panting with a hoarsness involved. When she was still panting at 11pm, I decided to take her to the night emergency vet.

He said it could be something involving her trachea or heart problems.  He gave her a couple of injections and some prescriptions.  By about 1am, she was breathing easier, she improved over the weekend, and we took her to our vet on Monday. She has early heart failure and afib.  She has improve so much, but she will have to take medicine the rest of her life and she is on a strict diet. I am seeing her hips, so the diet is working. I hadn't posted about her as we needed to get together with my youngest and I didn't want to tell her over the phone. I makes me sad. But she is better....no more road trips. 

Mr BC handled the trip well, with his dialysis.  It worked well in the RV and at DD1.  Both dogs enjoyed Sam's Doggy Dude Ranch, while we were in Santa Barbara.  Gwennie will be boarding with a vet from now on.  Bad news is that I am fighting fleas again.....this is promising to be a bad flea season I think.

It rained here the whole time we were gone and my yard is threatening to take over.  I guess Missouri was all forest when settlers first came.  My yard looks as if the jungle is taking over. Got to get busy.

Chatting with the Grandkids on Skype

This is so true, they will show up at all angles when they first come on the screen or want to tell me something.  This Gif made me laugh. I need to call them this weekend.

Gwennie acts like she feels well enough to walk, but we have to go out early while it is still cool(I've got to watch her exercise).  Today I was running late so Totes and I were trying to sneak out, I had slipped on my shoes and picked up Totes....silently, I thought, and out she came.  The other day she heard me snap on Tote's harness and I had to leave her behind, I guess today she heard me put my shoes on??? I went ahead and took her out as we had a breeze, walked them in the shade for a short time. I have to get her out by 9am.

Wednesday Hodgepodge

Welcome to the Wednesday Hodgepodge! Thanks to Joyce for her thoughtful questions again this week. If you want to play along, please click the graphic and follow the instructions. 

1. I read here a list of 13 things you should do in June. I'm paraphrasing a little but basically...

Go on a road trip with your best friend, pick fresh strawberries, host a garden party, take a morning run, treat yourself to a flower bouquet, spend a whole day hiking, discover a new coffee shop, try a new ice cream flavor, read at least one book, visit a Farmer's Market, make a swing for your home, and visit a new city.  

Which thing on the list do you most want to do? Of the activities mentioned, which one holds the least appeal? How many on the list will you attempt in June? What's one thing you'd add to the list?

Visit the Farmer's Market would be at the top of the list, running anywhere or taking a hike holds no appeal.

2. What's something you could do today to feel more peaceful? 

Have it be over with, and passing all the medical tests, I will be doing. Now that Mr BC is doing so well....I decided to share with my Doctor some of the health concerns I had for myself.  I would be happy to share good results with everyone.

3. June 7th is National Chocolate Ice Cream Day. Are you a fan? Swiss mocha, rocky road, chocolate chocolate chip, peanut butter and chocolate, or a dish of plain chocolate...what's your pleasure? 

Peanut butter and chocolate is the best.

4. If you came with a warning what would it say? 

5.What's the most interesting website you've visited in the last week? 

  http://explain-like-i-am-five.tumblr.com/

Follow us and you will understand everything better!
Interesting things like:
Why is Menthol Cold?

What is a Straw Man argument?

Why is marijuana impossible to OD on?

Why do airline passengers have to put their seats in full upright position?

And other interesting things!

6. Spring, summer, autumn, winter...which season are you? Why? Autumn Because I don't think I am in my winter years yet and I like Autumn's warm colors.

7. "You lose sight of things...and when you travel, everything balances out." ~Daranna Gidel

Would you agree with that sentiment? Explain why or why not.  

After I figured it out, I find I agree.  Travel takes you away from the ordinary, mundane times of ordinary life...You meet new people, see new and fascinating sights.  You have a chance to be open to differences.

8. Insert your own random thought here. 

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. It's officially summer (in the northern hemisphere anyway). Which summer month is best and why? Here in Missouri, there is NOT a single summer month, that is best.  I hate summer.  I hole up in the house with the AC, and only venture out to walk the dogs....early! Spring and Fall are the best months. I do miss living on the coast during the summer.

2. Can you swim? How did you learn? June 27th is National Sunglasses Day. How many pair do you own? I took swimming lessons at the community pool in our town when I was in second grade.  I took lessons at the YMCA when I was a little older, and in my freshman year of Junior College, where you had to take a semester of gym, (1966) I did a semester of swimming.  I loved the pool.  I have a pair of sunglasses that fit over my regular glasses.....very stylish!

3. What characteristic do you judge most harshly in yourself? How about in others? Procrastination is the worst....While I am in my house in the summer, I put off everything.  Cleaning my house.... I just hurried around yesterday to pick up the house, before the delivery of all Paul's medical supplies. 
Paying bills, when I was cleaning the flat surface that is my dining room table, I found a bill that I thought I had lost, so I had to go last week to the city office in a rush to find out what I owed and pay it.  It is the only bill I have to actually write a check for, as our town is so outdated, that I can't pay it over the phone or by computer.
Now, I tend to judge pessimism, disloyalty and greediness harshly in others.

4. Robert Frost wrote the now well known poem entitled The Road Not Taken. What's a road (literal or figurative) you've always wanted to travel, and where do you hope it takes you? I always wished, I had a chance to live and work for a while, in another country.  At my age, I might still be able to travel to other countries but, I don't think I want to live anywhere else but here. 

5. Popsicles-yay or nay? If you answered yay, what's your favorite flavor? 
Popsicles-Nay, because, sensitive teeth and brain freeze.

6. Brexit-on a scale of 1-10 how knowledgeable are you on what's involved here? (1=very knowledgeable and 10=what's Brexit) Is this news you'll follow or is it something you think won't impact your life in any way shape or form?
I understand it like a 5 or  and I believe it will impact the global economy and spread, I am not sure it will impact me directly....but I believe, and if Trump thinks it's good....it can't be! Will there be other exits? Could be.

7. Share a favorite song on your summer play list.




8. Insert your own random thought here. 

The Missouri Legislature Republicans have enough votes to override the Governor's veto of a new law. The measure, which would allow people to carry concealed weapons without permits, that are needed under current law. 

In a late Sunday interview with The Associated Press, Nixon cited concerns with a provision that would allow most people to carry concealed guns even if they haven't gone through the training currently required to get a permit. He said it should be left up to sheriffs to deny concealed carry permits and that changing those laws would mean "dramatic steps backward for public safety."
 
So untrained gunslingers will be walking the streets of Hooterville and its environs, thinking they are a well regulated militia, 'protecting' us all.