I love Rock and Roll

put another $100.00 in the gas tank so I can
go do it
again!

I was invited to come and play

 electric bass

with a couple of musicians I know.
D the guitar player.
R the drummer.
Both rockers.
They dont play ANY country.
Dont even know any country.
(I love all music,
 but I am a rocker
 1st and foremost :-)
Both my age, both good musicians.
I have known them both for many moons.

FINALLY!

God, its been a long long long long time,

since
 I've
rocked.
Rock and Roll

 is truely an art form.

Music itself is so amazing.

I love it.
Big bone.

Its midnight blue, but looks black in this picture.

You can kinda see the blue in this one.

I was reminded how physical being a bass player is.

That thing is heavy.

I was bound and determined to load my stuff

my self. 

My amp

 (it is really Justin's amp, he picked it out and bought it)

has one, 12 inch speaker.

Its heavy, but not THAT heavy. 

I CAN DO IT.

When I lifted it and leaned back to put it in the back of my truck,

I had a self-chiropractic moment.

crack..............

I sucked in my breath

 and

 looked wide-eyed into the sky

and 

waited for the pain.......

but it never came.

IT  FELT  FAN-FREAKING-TASTIC  !!!

Oh my Lord.

 I moved a little slower with the rest of my stuff

because I 

just

knew

my back

would have to start hurting soon.

It always hurts.

It has felt better ever since.

:-)

"......but if you try sometimes.....

....... you get what you need"

True Mick.

We played:

stuff we made up,

 and prized picks from:

Grand Funk Railroad

Jimi Hendrix

Pink Floyd

AC/DC

Santana

Bob Dylan

Lynyrd Skynrd

Stevie Ray Vaughn
Yes

Buddy Holly

and a bunch I don't really know about.

It was so much fun.
Its like riding a bike
once you get going.
I have always loved the raw sound of a trio.
bass, guitar, and drums.
Simple, raw, and clean.
Same way I like my food.
My 'rig'
' blue'em away'
haha
 and the amp was awesome!

Sandra came after she got off work.

but didn't bring her guitar.......(the strings need changing)
                                                 ((she has since changed the strings))

poo

She is so talented,

 and she did play D's  tele,

 and she sounded AWESOME.

We cranked Knocking on Heavens Door and La Bamba and other stuff, and I let D play my bass.
     I sat back and watched and drooled.......
and smiled.......and drooled more.....

Nice toy.
The sound is so cool.

One of my favorite parts.

USA-USA-USA-USA-USA-USA!

Sandra can draw, paint, write, teach,
 play guitar(very well)

and she takes care of herself and others.
Yeah S !  Ring your bell !
I will have to share some
Sandra
  bones
 at a later time.
I have quiet a few!
We were
 in a band together
 for many years and have
 had a blast
 and
 were blasted
 a few times.
ha

We stayed late for us.
which was about 9:30-10:00.

We did stop and cook burgers between 5:30-6:30 or so,
(I was starving)
  I fixed a salad. (I tried a new dressing-Lite Red Wine Vinegrette)
 I liked it!
 The burgers were good too.
 R had a couple of motorcycle friends come by.
 Nice toys too.
I love that sound.....
R has a nice patio
 and the
           desert is nice
                       in the evenings.

We had FUN.
Thanks D and R
 for asking me to come out and play,
 and sharing your toys.

"For those about to Rock,
We salute you."





ma

Mom and Dad Monday

     I spent the day with M & D,
 and they seemed to be in a good mood.
Both of them.
I had put their bird feeder outside the window last week,
 and they have enjoyed it so much.
Dad cant see the birds, but he gets an eyewittness account of each and every bird that comes and goes.  It does get pretty active, especially when the birds start knowing the food is there, and you keep filling it.
Its really cute to listen to Mom describe whats going on at the bird feeder.
She uses alot of ooooos,
 eeeeeeees,
aaaaaaahs, and
 "oh those dang grackles!"
I had expressed my concern of Mom trying to fill the bird feeder herself.
Sure enough,
 she goes out side (she toolies in her wheel chair)
and discovers there is quite a steep grade on the sidewalk leading to the bird feeder.
She said
"Now, it scared me."
"I won't do that again."
ha
Good Lord.
She only has one hand that works.
The other is healing but still looks broke as hell,
(it looks great considering, and it is healing on time)
She said when she realized how fast she was rolling,
"I just reached for that brake and pushed on it and it stopped me."
I know it really did scare her,
because she really talked about it alot.

Thank you God for watching out for her....

There is a mystery at the nursing home.
Dad has lost his electric razor.
He thinks crazy Pearl came in and got it out of his drawer,
where he always keeps it.
He is probably right.
If thats true, there is no telling what she did with it.
He said he has woke up and she has been in the room.
Freaky.
She doesn't know what she is doing, or whose room she is in.
Sometimes she gets lost.
I will get him another electric razor.

Mom was also so happy about
Great Grand Child # 16.
Thats,  GREAT Grand Children.
wow


Little Kix, we are calling her right now,
(Jen starting referring to her as Kix, because she kicked so much!)
 was born to Jen and Royce(Jen is my niece)
early AM in New Mexico,
they couldn't make it to Texas!
Yeah New Mexico, We win again!
Jens Dr is in DCity.
This is #3 for Royce and Jen.
Welcome to our
 crazy family
little Kix.
We love you already!

Me and Mom

good laughing bones.

ma

Chores and Change

I have done nothing but work.
Wash, rinse, repeat.
Everywhere I look,
everything screams
WASH ME.
Like my Aunt Cecil used to  say,

"It's not a sin to be poor,
but it's a sin to be dirty."

(Thanks Z)

I bet thats why she moved to Colorado,
 out of this
damn
desert.
She lived by the river.
 Her yard and gardens
 were so green and pretty,
when I saw them.
I always thought about how she had to cross that
said river
to go
 to town,
and it was the same
 Arkansas River
that killed her beloved boy,
Billy,
 just after his HS Graduation.
An unfortunate accident that forever changed her.
Thats what loss does.
You become different.
The world becomes different as each soul enters and leaves.
I see it repeated in my family and friends lives
over and over.
It's not a conscious choice, it just happens.
You cant help it.
It needs no help.
It sounds bad, but it's really just how we are made.
You change when you get married.
You change when you have a baby.
(Your body changes more than your mind when you have a baby)
    at least it did for me....... ha
You change after you win first place.
You change when you come in last.
You change after you witnessed violence.
You change from 11 to 12
or 29-30, or 52-53, or 89-90.......
We change from the moment we are born.

Thats the real bone.

Cleaning,
 the act its self
 doesn't change much though....
(except for the addition of the magic eraser,
it is magic..really)

If you think about it...
cleaning is change...
from dirty to clean!
ha
It does some how
 give me
 a great sense of
 satisfaction
to have  a nice and clean what ever it is...

Friend M and I
 have a fantasy
of
having the dream job
 of being
 cleaning ladies
at the Rainbow Hilton in Honolulu.
Heaven on an island.
Cleaning
with the view of Diamond Head
 out of every window,
with each un-made bed
 and dirty trash can
 a vision of spectacular beauty.
Each room cleaned and changed.
ooooo la  la
Thro in some music,
what else do you need?
Good food, yes
it is on the island too.
Coconut shrimp..mmmm
I would,
 of course,
have a moon-light job
as drummer in a little trio
that played all the cool luaus.
I would fiddle in a country band on the side.
We would forever be changed from
desert rats,
to
island cleaning ladies.
ha
For now,
I've got to battle the desert.
I Thank God for the sunrise and sunsets,
in this dirty desert.

Sunrise

Same Sunrise

 Same day sunset

Same sunset moon

Same Verdell, with Clydee on the right

Same Scorpion, still alive in a jar on the snack bar

Same Same

Thankfully

ma

The Appointments

     One of the great things about
old people
is they are never late.
They are always early.
If they are late,
you know it warrants a phone call
just to see the cause.
Ya never know....

Last Thursday I had 2 appointments with old women
for pedicures and they were both on time.
Not even too early.
It turned out to be a tag-team as
Anne called Cloe
to head over
( she just lives 2 doors down from my shop)
 when I got finished with her.
It was a graceful exchange.
Anne still drives, but Cloe has a driver
and her "helper", Mary.

I had a client once, that would show up sometimes
3-4 hours early for her appointment.
I had my place inside a big Gym/Racketball fitness center,
and it opened at 5:00 am.
Her appointment would be at 11:00, and she would show up at 7:00.
The front desk would call and say, "Your appointment is here, did you forget?"
arggg,
Of course I didn't forget, she is just old and early.

Anne's pedicure went great.
Cloe's went well also.
I've known these women, or should I say, they have known me since I was born.
Our history is long and winding.
 Lots of love.
They invited me to lunch, but I said no thank-you,
I did have to get on my way after we were done.
They made me promise to go next time.
I made them both appointments for 6 weeks from now.

 Sunflower

It was awesome to have a money bone, well 2 of them.
They both wrote checks.
Cloe wrote in the memo/for line:  "toes".
I love it.
 I haven't made any bones in a while.
Nice.

ma

Scorpion Karma

     I caught a scorpion in the den a few weeks ago.
I put it in a jar and set in on the snack bar.
 I can't find one single thing that is good about a
 scorpion. I have tried.
I don't really hate any one or any thing,
but I think I must be close to hating scorpions.
A dark side of my personality must be expressing itself
because I love to shake and rattle the jar that I put this creature in.
He has had no food, or water or air for at least 4 weeks.
The jar has a rubber seal on it
 (peanut butter jar)
 and I have not opened it.
This ugly thing is still alive and still tries to get me.
 He gets mad when I shake the jar, and bounce him on the lid.
How long can this go on?
How long till lit dies?
I worry that something happens and the jar gets knocked off the snack bar
and the scorpion gets free
and
heads
straight
for
my
room.
The pay backs from this POW
(prisoner of war)
would be deadly.
oooooooooo...
I have quite a history with scorpions and their evil cousins the centipede and millipede.
The desert is a dangerous place.
It is home to a variety of bugs and creepers that are amazing.
I saw a lizard today.
Since moving into M & D's house-AKA-Centipede-ville,
I've warned J about leaving his pants on the floor.
He will have to learn the hard way.
Don't we all.
It won't be until after you have lived thru a scorpion or centipede in your pants when you put them on,
will you not leave your clothes on the floor.
Promise.
My smart chihuahua Harley Bean woke me up one nite to alert me to the centipede in the bed.
I can't see without my glasses, but I can see up close very well.
When I opened my eyes and focused them on my covers,
I saw a centipede a few inches from my face.
Man oh man,
its quite a rush,
quite a panic,
I THREW the covers off of me,  grabbed Harley and jumped up.
When I threw the covers, I threw the damn centipede too!
I never did find it again and I looked and looked.
Harley and I went and slept in my car.
It took me a while to be able to relax and sleep in the same room/bed.
I have lived with scorpions and centipedes for all my life.
Every house I have ever lived in, I have always killed a few scorpions.
I did live in a couple of apartments that didn't have them, but had plenty of other crawlies to take up the slack.
Centipedes will fake you out and make you think they are dead.
They will not move, or react to anything,
but leave the room,
and when you come back with your jar or weapon or trash can, or what ever your plan is to deal with this critter,
it will be gone.
It has happened to me several times.
Even when you think you have killed it.
No, it is still alive and crawling around your house, wounded and mad.

I think I will probably kill the scorpion this weekend.
I need to put us both out of our misery.
If that thing DID get loose,
it would find me and bite the crap out of me,
I just know it.
 What comes around goes around.
I've shaken that jar a bunch.

:-)



Jill McCasland

Such is Life

is an expression used by my friend M.
It does fit every situation.
The last few days have been very busy.
M & D are doing well.
I spent Tuesday with them.
Mom was shaky and sad when I got there and then
she was fine.
I worry she gets sad.
I am going to speak to the nurse to see if I can get her back in PT.
Physical therapy makes such a difference with her.
It improves her mind and attitude alot.

I have been feeling guilty again about leaving them.

I know its crazy, but I can't help it.
Its not so bad when Mom is feeling ok.
Dad's blood sugar has been good.
Lots of love going on.
Such is our life.

An old lady friend has been bugging me to give her a pedicure,
well, 2 pedicures,
her and Cloe.
I finally gave in and said I would do it Thurs. @ 10:00 am.
I haven't worked in many months,
so my shop was dusty and dirty.
I spent the better part of the day cleaning and doing laundry at my shop.
I love my place,
and my pedicure chair is such a luxury to have.
It's not real fancy, but I love it.
It is just right for me.
Crazy to think I got it on E-Bay for $250.00,
and had to pay $650.00 to get it shipped.

I know what your thinking.....
Yes, well the only reason I even bid on the damn thing was because I never thought I would get it, and I really didn't know that much about how E-bay worked and besides,  W lived within 2 hours of it, and he could just go get it and wrap it up and send it to me.(from Virginia to New Mexico)
 ha ha
  thats what he said.

Right.
He paid to have it crated and shipped for me .
He is such a good son.
I really do enjoy giving pedicures and massaging peoples feet.
The conversations are priceless.
Talk about good bones.
The things people tell me are all over the place.
I love conversation.
Some people are gifted at conversation and debate.
Some people are not.
There are only 2 kinds of people,
people who listen,
and
 people who wait to talk.
Listening is challenging.
Talking is not.
J is a talker. Definaltely not a listener.
Lips a flappin
I call him.


I cleaned my massage room.
I love my room.
It's very comfortable.

I have a client with a RX for massage 2x a week
I hope it works out  with the insurance. You never know.
 Its always changing.
D and several other clients are screaming at me to start massaging again.
Clean room
Clean table
I'm gettin there.
I do love what I do.
I have missed it.

The wind was horrible again today.
There were alot of grass fires.
I could see the smoke.
 Its kinda hard to see in the picture, but that cloud is smoke!

It scares me.
J and I made a plan in case we have to evacuate in a hurry.
The main thing would be to get the animals out.
J would pick Spur up and put her in his truck.
He would get Porsha, Sha Marie and Hop-Sing in the big crate and in the truck.
I would get Verdells collar and leash on him and get him in my truck. I would continue and get Little Red and Wolfy in the crate and in the truck.
We would then catch if we could, Bonnie, Clydee,Shaggy, and Feona and get them in the trucks.
J would open the gates to the horses and let them out.
I decided I would not turn my chickens out as that would be certain death, and maybe the fire would skip over them, who knows, but letting them out is not the answer. God forbid this ever happens.
 If I'm here by myself, I would just do the best I can.
Our other priorities would be our guitars and pictures.
My first to grab would be my 2008 Rickenbacker Bass
and my telecaster 6 string, and my camera and my mac.
I have most of our important papers in a fire proof box, so..
I pray it never happens.

Such is Life.......

Happy Birthday

Call him weird or cute,
or choose the word you like best,
J likes to sew,
he likes to iron clothes,
he loves clothes,
he once owned a western wear clothing store,
(he is a real cowboy you know)
as I write,
he is making a new phone case for his new phone,
and he INSISTED
we get a new washer and dryer.
He had the money for it.
It was his birthday.
We are Americans.

The pair I have been using were older than our grown children.

They still worked, kinda.

They are very clean.

They are Moms.

Notice even the peel off instructions are still on the top of the washer.

I can find an emotional attachment to anything.
I was sad when the new machines came.
All I could do
is see my Mom standing in front of that damn machine for the last 40 years.
Now, I am getting rid of them.
Out with the old
In with the new!

Lord have mercy.

My sadness quickly dissipated when I saw the oil and water leaking under the washer,(I already knew about this leak, as I had cleaned up the oil before, it had gotten much worse)
and yes, we were wasting a lot of electricity because the dryer didn't really dry the first or second time through the cycle. And yes, the new ones are pristine and made in Kentucky! Go USA!

Support your local country.

I think J had a good day.
They gave him a cake at work

Anyone and everyone that matters to him called him,
so he was happy.

I made him a pumpkin pie,

 and I was gonna make stuffed jalapeno's
but it got late and he had a few calls from work,
so I will do them this weekend.
We went up to the townhouse and changed the water from tree to tree.
It was a beautiful night.
I gifted J with a new guitar tuner and a new pair of cargo shorts, and 2 new t-shirts.
Its not everyday you become 54 years old.
you only do this once in your life.

Happy Birthday Muffadee!