Thoughts on the Loss of a Musical Genius

When the world lost the brilliance that was David Bowie a few months ago, one of my comments in my blog entry was that Prince had always been one of my favorites and that I considered him to be very much like Bowie.  They have a lot in common; immense talent and being very much the trendsetters although in Bowie's case he was the trend and the rest of the world followed.

Prince was at the very least a trendsetter and very much "ahead of the curve" in terms of his talent and the art he produced.

It probably sounds odd that a middle aged, conservative white female likes Prince's music.  But I always have.  Music is very important to me and always will be.  I chose not to be boxed in the a particular genre, style, sounds, etc. but prefer to just enjoy and immerse myself in nearly all styles.

Prince was a very unique person and performer.  While Bowie was the background music and soundtrack of my childhood (and really all of my life), Prince was the type of talent that was the same for a later generation or two.  I think if I have to pick a favorite song, it would be When Doves Cry.

I think it's a very appropriate song for this week.

Talent like that does not come around very often and it's frequently not recognized - at least not always in the artist's lifetime.  But sometimes it is, and the loss of a gifted, brilliant artist like Prince is a hard one to take.  He was truly a musical genius.

And The Stars Look Very Different Today

I have always loved music in (nearly) all it's forms.  I was an original Kiss Army member, the Bee Gees are way up there for me, I like a lot of country music and I really like all genres.  Prince has always been a favorite, mostly because he is very unique and somewhat ahead of the trends.  But through it all, there has always been one artist that I would call my absolute favorite.

From the first moment I heard is music in the early 1970's, there was no doubt.  He was so far beyond brilliant, there are simply not words to express the depth of his gift.

He wasn't simply a trendsetter.  He WAS the trend. 

Ziggy played guitar...

And he said goodbye to us with his last work.  That in itself is a special gift to all of us.

He succeeded wildly at it.

It certainly was never boring while he was here!

A look at the life of David Bowie

I've seen several different people that this quote it attributed to.  But it sums it up perfectly:

"If you're ever sad, just remember the world is 4.543 billion years old and you somehow managed to exist at the same time as David Bowie."

Thursday Already?

Wow, tomorrow is Friday!  I just realized that.

PBS is having their annual August pledge drive, which is when they have the music features.  I've been in musicobsessive heaven all week!  I did manage to see the BeeGees special from the beginning this time (I usually miss the first part of it), the John Denver special was very good and there have been a couple of others that I've enjoyed.  Tonight is Celtic Woman - watching them makes me realize that the most influential Teacher I ever had was probably Irish!  Obviously, it was the Choir Teacher I'm referring to.  He was probably university professor level, and his lessons are still with me.  One thing he drilled into us was breathing.  Breath control is probably the most important aspect of singing, and to this day I still find myself remembering what I was taught to do and it drives me absolutely CRAZY when so-called professionals can't even figure out when to breathe while singing!  We were taught to the level of ability and performance professionalism that the members of Celtic Woman have, and he made sure we learned it!  I wish Mom had not gotten rid of my Choir Sweater, but she apparently did because it was nowhere to be found when we cleaned out the house after Dad died.

Otter came over to do her laundry today.  She was originally going to come over yesterday, she was scheduled to work Tuesday night (as in all of it, until early Wednesday morning) but the supply truck was delayed so she was rescheduled to work on Wednesday instead, when the truck actually arrived.  She was exhausted after unloading the truck and restocking all the shelves, which is probably her least favorite part of being the Pricing Coordinator for the store.  She is part of the Inventory Control Department.  She decided to come do her laundry today, on her day off.  She mostly came over to play with the beagle I think!  :)  Bill saw a Sonic commercial, they had half-price cheeseburgers today so that's what he wanted for dinner.  I told Otter that I'd get her something from Sonic as well so she had dinner with us.  She's very happy with the new apartment and having more room.  She was really happy today, she found what they refer to as "dumpster furniture."  Somebody put a short dresser out by the dumpster, she and Roomie borrowed a dolly from the apartment office and it's now in their apartment.  On the 3rd floor!  She said it probably weighs at least 100 pounds, and it took them a while to get it up the stairs but they did it.  All that is wrong with it is one drawer needs a little glueing to hold it together on one spot.  They got it into the living room and then left it there, they will figure out exactly where to put it but she said they were tired after having to get it up the stairs and into their apartment.

It's been cooler this week, the last couple of mornings have been almost sweater temperatures.  Maggie Moo has really enjoyed it on our morning walks, especially this morning.  She was so bouncy!  She really had fun this morning, she sniffed everything, and I do mean everything, and she was so playful.  At the moment, she is asleep at my feet.  She wiggled herself around until she is underneath her bed.  I guess she's comfortable because she is snoring!

Nevermind, the beagle is up!  She woke up and curled her tail around my ankle.  Then she got up and shook herself, now she's sitting in front of me and may be watching tv.  She has been known to do that.

It's back-to-school time.  Otter has been out of school for 4 years now.  For some reason, I keep thinking that I need to get school supplies!  She hasn't even lived here in nearly a year, and she's been working for the last 2 1/2 years, for pete's sake.

We do need to start getting firewood soon, though.  That's another thing that the cooler morning temps have got me to thinking about.

Walgreen's has the flu shot vaccine in stock.  I'm getting mine on the Friday of Labor Day weekend, like I usually do.  Last year's was much earlier, in August.  As a result, it was a normal weekend instead of a 3-day weekend.  I really could have used that extra day off to recover from my usual reaction, so I've gone back to the Labor Day weekend schedule.  Otter is going to get hers then as well.

The crepe myrtles in the back yard are doing wonderfully.  Some of them are blooming.  The mimosa tree in the front yard is finally blooming as well.  The mimosa tree was planted from a sprout that showed up in the back yard and was probably grown from a seed from the neighbor's tree.  Each year, it would come up and have a few leaves then it would die down in the fall but it never got taller than a couple of feet.  Last winter, it died completely and disappeared - or so we thought.  It did disappear, but there was still life left in it and it came back up this year.  And it's now over 7 or 8 feet tall!  It's fully leafed out and it beautiful, but I was afraid it might not be a blooming tree.  Then last weekend, it suddenly put of blooms.  Just a few, but that's fine with me because that means it will bloom each year and should increase the number of blooms.  I guess it just took it a few years to get really established.

We have a meeting with the associate pastor at the church we've been attending, next Tuesday.  I think we'll make the decision after we talk to her.  In all probability, we will be joining that church but we won't decide until after our meeting.  Otter will be transferring her membership with us.  We realized today that we haven't been to our current/about to be old church in over 10 months and not once has anyone ever contacted us!  Except for one time when I mailed my tithe check in and made a mistake on it - they contacted me immediately when it concerned money, I noticed!

I think that's very telling.

Up in Arms

I think I've sprained my left elbow.  I thought the pain, tenderness and muscular tightness was the tendinitis which has bothered me on occasion.  But then I realized that I remembered a door shutting quickly and smacking my left elbow a couple of days ago.  Which was about when it started hurting.  It's bothered me the last couple of days and it has also made it difficult to sleep at night because I sleep on my side.  I generally start out on my left side but sometimes I will wake up on my right side.  I've been trying to prop it up at night and start out on my right side, but I keep waking up because I'm on my left side and my arm hurts!  Usually because I'm actually sleeping on it.  I'll probably drag out the splint from Otter's broken arm many years ago and use it the next couple of days.

Having had my arm broken twice (the left one coincidentally) and having had sprains before, I can say firmly that sprains can hurt worse than breaks!  Probably because a break is generally immobilized in a cast or splint, which also makes it harder to forget and use the limb in a way it should be used.

And as if that weren't enough, the extreme cold and dry air of the last several days is also doing what it generally does:  I'm having an asthma flare.  Not bad, but any asthma is "not good."  I'm trying to stay indoors, which is what I've been doing for the last several days, but there are times when I have to go outside.  Like from the front door to the car, car to the office, etc.  I had to go to the post office today to renew the P.O. Box and I also had a trunkload of stuff to donate to Goodwill so I had to be out in the air a bit.  But Bill had already noticed the signs of an impending flare so he had a nice, warm fire going when I walked in the door.  The thing about asthma is that if it's a mild flare coming on, it's not always noticeable because I'm used to dealing with it so it is somewhat routine.  If it's a bad spell, that's different.  But sometimes it's slow and sneaky.  It won't be bad, I just don't like to deal with it.  But I've never had it as bad as Otter or Froggy's eldest son had to deal with.

Nice surprise!  I just changed the tv station after the M.A.S.H. reruns we usually watch in the evening.  When M.A.S.H. ended, I turned the tv to PBS.  It's the start of their spring pledge drive.  They are running a BeeGees concert!  I absolutely, love love love the BeeGees, pretty much from the earliest time I became aware of the existence of Music.  I can NOT stand disco, but I'll listen to anything and everything done by the BeeGees.  Otter frequently points something out to me:  the BeeGees are disco.  My answer?  NO, THEY ARE NOT.  That's my story and I'm sticking to it.  :)  Also, I think that I came in at the same point in this concert that I did when I saw it the first time.  Just after it started, so I'll get to see most of it.  Hope the dogsters don't mind me singing!  (Not even asthma can stop me if I want to sing and especially not singing along to BeeGees songs.)  

I don't think that there are actually words to express how important Music is to me.  I can also say that I don't know of too many other people who actually Lettered it in in high school!  I'll always be proud of that fact, although I was't too pleased with Mom when she gave my letter sweater away on accident!  (S. TEXAS, sweaters were more common than jackets seeing how we almost never actually had weather that required jackets).  Bill will probably be glad that Dr. Who was not on the schedule for tonight, because I am not changing the station.

Anybody needs me for the next couple hours, don't expect to reach me.  MUSIC TIME!

Monday Again?

I guess it is.  Monday keeps coming around, and I keep trying to skip over it and go straight to Tuesday.  No luck yet!

 

Maggie Moo is a derpy dog today.  Well, she usually is.  But today she is a little more derpy than usual.  Even though I blocked the dogs from getting into the larger part of the garage, she found a tiny spot where she could get between the cardboard boxes, flattened out cardboard boxes that were standing up, the recycling bins (blocked be another large cardboard box) and a bar stool that was holding up most of the standing, flattened out cardboard boxes.  And she apparently spent most of the morning in the area she was blocked from.  Because she couldn't figure out how to get back!  Goofy baby.  Otter got home from work about 11:00 a.m., I put the dogsters out in the garage about 6:00 this morning so she was only out there for a few hours.  (They were put in the garage but they have access to their yard.)  Otter retrieved the beagle from the back part of the garage and then took a damp washcloth to the little furry brat and gave her a sponge bath - beagle kind of stunk!  Otter said Maggie Moo seemed to enjoy the sponge bath, I guess it was like a massage to her.  Frasier was well-behaved today, and he is snoozing in the floor at the moment.

 

Just because it's cute, but then Beagles generally are.

 

I called the internet provider we use today.  They gave me the free week, they actually gave me a little more off the bill than the 5 days downtime.  I would have preferred more, but we're satisfied.

 

This is the absolute truth:

Day Off

I took today off.  Bill is off this week and Otter was coincidentally off today, although she's run off for the day.  She's gone off with one of her girlfriends, they were at the mall I know because Otter texted me a picture of something she'd bought.  Brat bought the new David Bowie cd!  Yes, I do mean BRAT because I'm jealous. :)

Bill and I ran a couple of errands this morning, including Braums to get lunch to bring home.  We also went to Ace Hardware, which is one of his many Home Away From Home stores.  He bought oil for the lawn mower, big spender I guess.  He also mowed, after lunch.  I put out several pieces of yarn a few days ago, the birds use it for nest building.  I cut it into small pieces, but I like to get it out before he mows because the mower will shred it more and spread it out more.  The birds seem to like it, I've found it in several nests over the last couple of years.

We also went to Hobby Lobby.  I managed to avoid the yarn aisle, but it wasn't easy - Bill's as big an enabler as Otter is!  But the lady ahead of us in the check out line was buying a skein of yarn and a book on teaching yourself to crochet, I talked to her for a while and I hope I encouraged her.  I gave her a few suggestions and also told her about one of the local yarn stores that has lessons.  Always fun to start another yarn addiction!

I did manage to get some crochet in today.  Then I got busy cleaning a pachinko machine background and now my arms hurt.  Especially my right elbow, usually it's the left one.

I've also done a couple of loads of laundry and vacuumed.  Otter vacuumed the living room before she left this morning, but I did the rest of the house - except for her room, that one is her job!  I put a little more potting soil in the plants in the bedroom, which is why I needed to vacuum in there...

The dogs have most spent the day snoozing.  They did go out to play in the backyard for a while.  Actually, there were out there for a long while.  Because I forgot I'd let them out!  Maggie Moo was standing with her nose up against the door, there was no way I could open it to let them in without smooshing her nose but she didn't seem any worse for wear.  Of course, they came in and went right back to sleep as soon as I let them in.  Dog's got their priorities, that's for sure.

Well, the dryer just finished up so I guess I'd better go get it emptied and then I guess I'd better get the laundry put up.  Then I have some ironing to do.

Since Bill and I had Braums for lunch and Otter won't be home for dinner, I'm not making anything spectacular tonight.  Homemade sloppy joes probably.

Even with having to do laundry, it's been an enjoyable day off.  But I'm not looking forward to having to get up at 5:00 tomorrow morning!  Well, at least I won't be along - Otter has to get up early for work also.  :)

Twists and Turns and Thoughts

Got in the car to go back to work yesterday after lunch, and what was on the radio?  Crazy Train!  I changed the station immediately and managed to NOT hear that song in my head for the rest of the day.

I keep thinking that it's Thursday, but it's still only Wednesday.  Part of my confusion is the fact that Bill's taking some of his earned time off tomorrow and Friday.  Also, I got most of my Friday errands done today so that Frasier Friday won't be quite to packed with stuff to do.

We talked about a quilt last night.  I think we are going to make one, but it's going to be a family effort.  Bill's made 4, I've made one and there are still bits & pieces left from those.  Quilts are not particularly hard to make, just time consuming mostly.  Otter will probably help as well, whenever and how ever much she wants to.  Not sure if we're going to use a particular pattern or color scheme, though.

Froggy, I'm going to get your hat & scarf in the mail to you soon but I'm waiting a while.  I have a few hot pad ideas that I'm thinking about, but it kind of depends on my arms.  The tendonitis is a little worse lately, but that's because I've been helping Bill with the pachinko machines.  It's not bad, it's just enough that I'm aware of it.  This time, I'm not going to ignore it and attempt to push through the pain because that's what caused it to get so bad in the first place.

I've also been thinking that I'm going to "thin the herd" of Fenton.  I'm not going to get rid of it, but there are a couple of pieces that I don't particularly care for (shoes mostly) and I'm probably going to donate them.  I'd rather have a few pieces that I really want and I'm out of room for it anyway.  So, I'm going to think about getting rid of a little bit of it, but not that much actually.  Just a few pieces.

Girls Lunch with Otter tomorrow!  Then I think she is going to the library for a few hours.  She wants to go to a hamburger place that we like.  It's still fast food, but I usually get a chicken sandwich there and not a burger.

Those are my thoughts today.

Monday Stuff

It's nice today.  Sunny and warm, a little humid but not nearly as bad as I expected it to be.  Although we could still use some more rain, we're still under the normal amount for this area by this time of year.  I think we have a chance or two this week, which can also be affected by the tropical storm and where it goes inland at.  Seems odd to think about a hurricane/tropical storm hitting this far inland, but they keep going until they run out of steam and we've had rain from them before.  The worst one was probably Katrina, but that was such a big storm that I don't think it would have mattered where it went inland at!

Froggy, I'm sure you remember the trips to Pt. Aransas and the clubhouse, especially the trips after storms and having to help clean up!

I found something out the other day.  The Christian elementary school that Otter went to closed, effective the end of July.  At one point, it had up to grade 12 but there were not enough high school students for that so they went back to K4 to Grade 8.  It was that way for several years, but then a couple of years after Otter left (we switched her at 6th grade), they dropped the Middle School grades off and it was just an elementary school.  The economy didn't help, private school can be expensive and it's one of the first things cut when families have financial difficulties.  It wasn't the most expensive school in the area, but there were times when it was a struggle for us.  But we felt like Otter's education was worth it, and we did what we had to do.  But I can certainly see that not everyone can afford it.  We wanted a school where the basics were taught the right way - phonics for reading, for example.  And it was very important to us that she get a Christian education.  It was a fairly small school, I think the most she ever had in one class was 18 or so but most of the classes were much smaller.

I'm a little nervous about Friday and Frasier's procedure.  The vet said that he doesn't think it's cancer, but I can't help but be worried.  The spot looks like a tumor.  So, we're thinking good thoughts about the dogster.

I'm toying with the idea of making another quilt.  I tried to talk Otter into making one, but she wasn't interested.  I have a few crochet projects, such as the afghan, but I need another creative outlet when my tendonitis is flaring up.  Which is is lately.  It's still just in the thinking about it phase, and it may not ever get out of that phase.

I just tried to send my desk into orbit!  With the same foot/toes that I attempted to launch the couch with several years back.  I didn't break anything this time, but it still wasn't pleasant!

Ouch.

Also, I have the song "Crazy Train" stuck in my head.  I've been hearing it ever since I described last week as a Crazy Train Week!  This is a real problem.  The song's by Ozzy.  Ozzy is persona non grata to Texans.  Has been ever since the whole peeing on the Alamo thing!  Anybody got any suggestions to get it out of my head?

Tuesday!

It's been a busy day. It seems like it should be at least Thursday, but the last time I checked it was still Tuesday. Some weeks are like that, they seem to take forever. And then there are weeks that just rush by. This week is not one of them. But at least tomorrow is Wednesday, which is good because that means that the week will be half way over already. I like Wednesdays!

I have a prediction: it's going to be a bad spring. I'm talking allergies, not weather! Although there is a connection between the two. I'm thinking that this spring and summer will be bad seasons for us. Otter and I have both been fighting off allergy symptoms for the last few days. Mine are still tolerable and mostly confined to my head in the form of sinus pressure and a headache. And a little ear clogging! I have to keep adjusting one of my Fuze earbuds because every once in a while I can't hear on one side. I'm listening to the BeeGees today.

But Otter's allergies seem to be starting with her lungs. Sometimes that happens, with asthma. She has had to use her inhaler a little bit lately, she needed it at school yesterday. Last night, it looked like she might be about to start a flare but so far, so good today. With it being warmer, things are blooming a lot earlier than they normally do. Which is potentially a Very Bad Thing. She sees the allergist in two weeks for her regular follow-up. I know he's probably going to get on my about stopping the Singulair (or was it Claritan?), but it wasn't working at all.

I think I'm about to have a big-time creative spell. And I think it's going to involve yarn and crochet hooks. Now that I'm all finished up with my redecorating projects, I'm suddenly overcome by the urge to crochet! I have a few projects I want to finish up with my crochet and I am going to make a couple of hot pads for Froggy's collection. Sometimes I think that there needs to be a support group for yarn addiction. Hello, my name is Ottermom and I am addicted to crochet! I have been, ever since I took Home Ec in 6th grade and it was part of the curriculum. I taught Mom how to crochet and she really enjoyed it. Sometimes I get started and can't stop...

TEXAS! March 2, 1836

Pledge of Allegiance to the Texas flag:

Honor the Texas Flag. I pledge allegiance to thee: Texas, one and indivisable.

Our Home and our Heart. No matter where our families might be from originally, THIS IS WHERE WE START. THIS IS OUR BEGINNING. And this is why we are the way we are.

"Texas is a state of mind. Texas is an obsession. Above all, Texas is a nation in every sense of the word."(John Steinbeck)

http://www.lsjunction.com/song.htm

"Texas, Our Texas"

Texas, Our Texas! all hail the mighty State!

Texas, Our Texas! so wonderful so great!

Boldest and grandest, withstanding ev'ry test

O Empire wide and glorious, you stand supremely blest.(chorus)

Texas, O Texas! your freeborn single star,

Sends out its radiance to nations near and far,

Emblem of Freedom! it set our hearts aglow,

With thoughts of San Jacinto and glorious Alamo.(chorus)

Texas, dear Texas! from tyrant grip now free,

Shines forth in splendor, your star of destiny!

Mother of heroes, we come your children true,

Proclaiming our allegiance, our faith, our love for you.
Chorus

God bless you Texas!

And keep you brave and strong,

That you may grow in power and worth, throughout the ages long.

God bless you Texas! And keep you brave and strong,

That you may grow in power and worth, throughout the ages long.

http://www.lsjunction.com/docs/tdoi.htm

Bluebonnets are among our most treasured symbols. They are unique to Texas. At least originally, they have been shipped all over the country and have naturalized in a few, rare spots. But they are uniquely ours.

Our official Lizard, politely refered to as a Horned Lizard. But Texans all know what it's really called.

The Texas Declaration of Independence : March 2, 1836

The Unanimous Declaration of Independence made by the Delegates of the People of Texas in General Convention at the town of Washington on the 2nd day of March 1836.
When a government has ceased to protect the lives, liberty and property of the people, from whom its legitimate powers are derived, and for the advancement of whose happiness it was instituted, and so far from being a guarantee for the enjoyment of those inestimable and inalienable rights, becomes an instrument in the hands of evil rulers for their oppression.
When the Federal Republican Constitution of their country, which they have sworn to support, no longer has a substantial existence, and the whole nature of their government has been forcibly changed, without their consent, from a restricted federative republic, composed of sovereign states, to a consolidated central military despotism, in which every interest is disregarded but that of the army and the priesthood, both the eternal enemies of civil liberty, the everready minions of power, and the usual instruments of tyrants.
When, long after the spirit of the constitution has departed, moderation is at length so far lost by those in power, that even the semblance of freedom is removed, and the forms themselves of the constitution discontinued, and so far from their petitions and remonstrances being regarded, the agents who bear them are thrown into dungeons, and mercenary armies sent forth to force a new government upon them at the point of the bayonet.
When, in consequence of such acts of malfeasance and abdication on the part of the government, anarchy prevails, and civil society is dissolved into its original elements. In such a crisis, the first law of nature, the right of self-preservation, the inherent and inalienable rights of the people to appeal to first principles, and take their political affairs into their own hands in extreme cases, enjoins it as a right towards themselves, and a sacred obligation to their posterity, to abolish such government, and create another in its stead, calculated to rescue them from impending dangers, and to secure their future welfare and happiness.
Nations, as well as individuals, are amenable for their acts to the public opinion of mankind. A statement of a part of our grievances is therefore submitted to an impartial world, in justification of the hazardous but unavoidable step now taken, of severing our political connection with the Mexican people, and assuming an independent attitude among the nations of the earth.
The Mexican government, by its colonization laws, invited and induced the Anglo-American population of Texas to colonize its wilderness under the pledged faith of a written constitution, that they should continue to enjoy that constitutional liberty and republican government to which they had been habituated in the land of their birth, the United States of America.
In this expectation they have been cruelly disappointed, inasmuch as the Mexican nation has acquiesced in the late changes made in the government by General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, who having overturned the constitution of his country, now offers us the cruel alternative, either to abandon our homes, acquired by so many privations, or submit to the most intolerable of all tyranny, the combined despotism of the sword and the priesthood.
It has sacrificed our welfare to the state of Coahuila, by which our interests have been continually depressed through a jealous and partial course of legislation, carried on at a far distant seat of government, by a hostile majority, in an unknown tongue, and this too, notwithstanding we have petitioned in the humblest terms for the establishment of a separate state government, and have, in accordance with the provisions of the national constitution, presented to the general Congress a republican constitution, which was, without just cause, contemptuously rejected.
It incarcerated in a dungeon, for a long time, one of our citizens, for no other cause but a zealous endeavor to procure the acceptance of our constitution, and the establishment of a state government.
It has failed and refused to secure, on a firm basis, the right of trial by jury, that palladium of civil liberty, and only safe guarantee for the life, liberty, and property of the citizen.
It has failed to establish any public system of education, although possessed of almost boundless resources, (the public domain,) and although it is an axiom in political science, that unless a people are educated and enlightened, it is idle to expect the continuance of civil liberty, or the capacity for self government.
It has suffered the military commandants, stationed among us, to exercise arbitrary acts of oppression and tyrrany, thus trampling upon the most sacred rights of the citizens, and rendering the military superior to the civil power.
It has dissolved, by force of arms, the state Congress of Coahuila and Texas, and obliged our representatives to fly for their lives from the seat of government, thus depriving us of the fundamental political right of representation.
It has demanded the surrender of a number of our citizens, and ordered military detachments to seize and carry them into the Interior for trial, in contempt of the civil authorities, and in defiance of the laws and the constitution.
It has made piratical attacks upon our commerce, by commissioning foreign desperadoes, and authorizing them to seize our vessels, and convey the property of our citizens to far distant ports for confiscation.
It denies us the right of worshipping the Almighty according to the dictates of our own conscience, by the support of a national religion, calculated to promote the temporal interest of its human functionaries, rather than the glory of the true and living God.
It has demanded us to deliver up our arms, which are essential to our defence, the rightful property of freemen, and formidable only to tyrannical governments.
It has invaded our country both by sea and by land, with intent to lay waste our territory, and drive us from our homes; and has now a large mercenary army advancing, to carry on against us a war of extermination.
It has, through its emissaries, incited the merciless savage, with the tomahawk and scalping knife, to massacre the inhabitants of our defenseless frontiers.
It hath been, during the whole time of our connection with it, the contemptible sport and victim of successive military revolutions, and hath continually exhibited every characteristic of a weak, corrupt, and tyrranical government.
These, and other grievances, were patiently borne by the people of Texas, untill they reached that point at which forbearance ceases to be a virtue. We then took up arms in defence of the national constitution. We appealed to our Mexican brethren for assistance. Our appeal has been made in vain. Though months have elapsed, no sympathetic response has yet been heard from the Interior. We are, therefore, forced to the melancholy conclusion, that the Mexican people have acquiesced in the destruction of their liberty, and the substitution therfor of a military government; that they are unfit to be free, and incapable of self government.
The necessity of self-preservation, therefore, now decrees our eternal political separation.
We, therefore, the delegates with plenary powers of the people of Texas, in solemn convention assembled, appealing to a candid world for the necessities of our condition, do hereby resolve and declare, that our political connection with the Mexican nation has forever ended, and that the people of Texas do now constitute a free, Sovereign, and independent republic, and are fully invested with all the rights and attributes which properly belong to independent nations; and, conscious of the rectitude of our intentions, we fearlessly and confidently commit the issue to the decision of the Supreme arbiter of the destinies of nations.

(Signatures) Richard Ellis, President of the Convention and Delegate from Red River.
Charles B. Stewart
Tho. Barnett
John S. D. Byrom
Francis Ruis
J. Antonio Navarro
Jesse B. Badgett
Wm D. Lacy
William Menifee
Jn. Fisher
Matthew Caldwell
William Motley
Lorenzo de Zavala
Stephen H. Everett
George W. Smyth
Elijah Stapp
Claiborne West
Wm. B. Scates
M. B. Menard
A. B. Hardin
J. W. Burton
Thos. J. Gazley
R. M. Coleman
Sterling C. Robertson
James Collinsworth
Edwin Waller
Asa Brigham
Geo. C. Childress
Bailey Hardeman
Rob. Potter
Thomas Jefferson Rusk
Chas. S. Taylor
John S. Roberts
Robert Hamilton
Collin McKinney
Albert H. Latimer
James Power
Sam Houston
David Thomas
Edwd. Conrad
Martin Palmer
Edwin O. Legrand
Stephen W. Blount
Jms. Gaines
Wm. Clark, Jr.
Sydney O. Pennington
Wm. Carrol Crawford
Jno. Turner
Benj. Briggs Goodrich
G. W. Barnett
James G. Swisher
Jesse Grimes
S. Rhoads Fisher
John W. Moore
John W. Bower
Saml. A. Maverick (from Bejar)
Sam P. Carson
A. Briscoe
J. B. Woods
H. S. Kimble, Secretary

Not so Blah Anymore!

Otter and I went thrifting. No Fenton, but she did find a pair of really cute shoes and she found me another stuffed armadillo for my TEXAS related collection. So it was fun. We went to two thrift stores, she also found a piece for her Liberty Falls collection - a wishing well. She's pretty sure she doesn't have that one. Toadly, is it part of your collection?

I think I'm going to enjoy my Fuze. That's the Ipod-type MP3 player Bill got me for Valentine's Day. I got a better set of ear buds when I was out, and I think I'm going to have a lot of fun with it. It does work in the car, the stereo I have has a jack for it. We thought it did. The one in the old car didn't, it also didn't have a cd player. But it did have a cassette player - cassettes have gone the way of the 8-track, I'm afraid. But now, I can listen to my music and be happy. I have varied tastes, I pretty much like all type of music. Except rap, which is NOT music and certainly not what I consider to be singing or a song. It just isn't. I don't really care for disco,either. Except for the Bee Gees! But I am all over the spectrum, as far as music styles go. Drives Bill nuts that I like Country. But I also like rock and just about all of it. But I'm not a big Elvis fan, although there are a couple of songs I like.

Frasier is trying to get Maggie mad, I think. This time, Otter was playing tug with Maggie and Frasier grabbed the old hand towel that we use as a tug toy since they seem to last the longest, then he ran outside with it as fast as he could go. I yelled at him as he was flying past me and he dropped it before he got too far. I guess he is jealous, although he never wants to play like that and he was getting affection at the time. Who knows what goes on in those doggie brains! But apparently, Maggie does still have a brain in her head. Although I'm not saying that it works really well!

While we were out, Otter and I went to the library. Big surprise, right?! Anyway, we saw a bumper sticker that we thought was just perfect for Toadles. I tried to find it online so I could post it here, but no luck. It was very simple. And very appropriate. It said "I don't know where I'm going." I'd love to find one for you, brudder!

And Toadly - did I ever own up to the Over The Hill & Picking Up Speed bumper sticker that just appeared on your truck one time? I think I did, but just in case - IT WAS ME. :) But I did not make the phone call that you got in the middle of the night that was apparently following the theme of the bumper sticker. Did you ever ask FutureJediMom if it was her or one of her friends? Or Froggy?

OK, back to my laundry mountain now. Have I ever mentioned how much I hate to do laundry? Well, I do.

Sunday Blahs

It's Sunday. It's cloudy & overcast. And did I mention it's in the 40's? Which is ok, but I liked the 70's of last week better - just not the storms that went with the temperatures.

Anyway, it's Sunday. And I'm bored. We have a few fun things to do this afternoon. But it's Sunday, so as much as I would have liked to be out of the house and running a couple of hours ago nobody was open yet. So instead I cleaned the kitchen and did a couple of loads of laundry. And listened to my Fuze until the headphones made my ears sweat. I decided that I didn't want to deal with sweaty ears, so I will get back to the music later. Bill loaned me his headset, I need to go get one of my own and I think that we'll hit Radio Shack this afternoon.

We are going to the library and probably the fabric store. And I really, really need a thrifting fix!

Frasier is occupied with grooming Maggie. I think he's forgiven me, he's been his normal affectionate self today. But now, I think he's about to suck Maggie's brain out her ears. Shouldn't be too hard, the beagle seems to have a brain the size of a pea. :) Strange doggies!

Well, I think it's time to head out the door and do some shopping! Otter agrees with me, by the way.

I'M FINISHED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

With the quilt that I started years and years ago. At least, I'm finished with the top. I have to go buy batting and the backing fabric, but I'm done with the main part of the quilt. We might get to the fabric place tomorrow when we go to the library and probably thrift stores, but soon anyway. Then it won't take that long to completely finish up. Otter likes it, and I'm pleased with the way it turned out. We spread it out on her bed and it will actually work for a bigger bed as well. She says that she does want dark blue fabric for the backing. Then I think I'll use blue yarn on the front. Yes, I will post pictures. But it's not at that stage yet.

It was a nice Valentine's Day. Bill loved the roast, but then he generally does. He liked the chocolate I got him and the video game. Otter loved the video games and non-chocolate candy we got her. And I really liked my surprise present from Bill. Besides the chocolate, he got me something I've wanted for a while - an MP3 player! It's not an Ipod, but it's the same thing. Just a different brand. And a lot cheaper. I've been busy uploading all my cd's to it. My car stereo is equipped with an input jack so I can plug it in there and listen to my music through the car's speakers. Happy, happy! But I need to get a few more cd's, I don't have anything within the last few years since I didn't have a cd player in the car. So I think I need to take a page from Otter's book and go get more music! And a headset, the ear buds that came with it are not the easiest things on the ears.

We rented a movie, The Miracle of St. Anna. It was not exactly what we expected. The basic story was good, but it could have been told in a lot less time. It was edited choppily and the acting wasn't that good. It was ok, rated R because of a couple of brief adult scenes and the language. And one I think we would have been very disappointed with at theater price.

The prom is next Saturday. Otter is going to get a haircut Tuesday or Wednesday. Then she's getting a manicure, which we will probably go get on Friday after school/work. We thought about going on Saturday, but sometimes there is a line and we decided not to wait until the last minute. I have her dress pinned up part of the way, I will finish that and get it hemmed up probably tomorrow.

Froggy, the box is packed & ready for shipping. I think that UPS is open on Monday, that is probably how I'll send it to you. I think you'll enjoy all the hummers, hopefully Uncle Crazy will enjoy the surprise of coming home to redecorating! :)

Friday Again. Finally.

It's been a long week. And very tiring, for some reason. Of course, housecleaning to make up for not be able to do any while I was sick might have something to do with it!!!!! I rearranged my spices last night, they were in a cabinet but are now on the door of my pantry. This morning between 7:00 and 7:30 I rearranged most of my kitchen cabinets, took a few plants out to the compost pile, washed dishes and did general pick up of clutter. Then I went to work to rest! :) After we got home, I ran the vacuum. Sunday I am going to tackle my bathroom, laundry as usual, and possibly get the last part of my desk cleaned out and re-organized. I think that Otter is very glad I'm able to do housework again! Although she was a tremendous help to me while I was sick and I do appreciate everything she did and continues to do.

Our tenant is very interested in buying the rent house from us, so please keep your fingers crossed that it works out and he is able to buy it. Any prayers would be appreciated, I'm not asking for prayers for money but just that things will work out according to God's plan for us.

Someone (Froggy) asked me if I'd ever heard a song she liked. It's called Me & God, and it's by Josh Tucker. If you don't listen to country stations, you probably won't have heard it or of him. It's wonderful. Just a simple song with a heart-felt message. Go listen to it. I think you'll agree.

When I picked Otter up from school, we hit 6 yard sales in less than 2 hours. We had a blast! Several things destined for eBay, but also a larger George Foreman grill to replace the one we've had for years and years - since they first came out, thanks Jane for giving it to us way back when. The first one gets regular use, and I've just about worn it out. The new one was $10.00 and looks hardly used, the lady who was selling it told me that it does work but she doesn't like to cook. I think it works, if it doesn't I'm not out a whole lot of $$ on it. It has removable plates, so it's easier to clean. We use it for just about everything, burgers - chicken - pork chops - steaks and it makes killer grilled cheese sandwiches.

One lady at a yard sale gave Otter 3 stuffed animals - two are part of the Wallyworld Christmas bears that she didn't have in her collection and one is a stuffed Candy Corn. I know, it sounds strange, but it's cute! The bears were started by Yaya and I've continued the tradition of getting her one each year. They are part of our Christmas decorations, but the ones from Yaya always get the best spot to be displayed.

2 weeks of school left! School ends on Thursday May 31st, and then that Friday and weekend is the only time Otter will have before heading to camp on Monday. She'll be at camp for a week, back the next Saturday afternoon. Then she has 3 days to recover before I put her on a plane to Nana's house. She'll be gone for another week, then she'll bring home with her my gift from Texas - Froggy!! Then Otter gets a cousin visit the first couple of days of July 4th week, and she's excited about that, too. June is going to be a busy month, at least for Otter. She'll probably need all of July to catch up on her sleep!

I'm probably going to post a poll sometime in the near future, as soon as I decide on a topic. Any suggestions? All will be considered, some will be ignored, some will be chosen. SO GET BUSY AND PUT YOUR THINKING CAPS ON! Toadles - don't put your thinking cap on backwards, you are confused enough already.