Hello beautiful people. Just a quick note and I'm off to visit you guys. I haven't blogvisited in about a week and I'm hungry for your news.

I had made some blueberry muffins (the kind in the bag where you add milk), and was having one with my coffee this morning when Buddy, my dog, was bothering me and bothering me for a taste. Not your usual doggie fare, but he loved it. Silly dog.

Be Cool, fool. I take some daily medication that, I swear to you, it raises my temperature about 5 degrees. Since I've been on this medicine, about 15 years now, I really dislike the summer and the heat. I used to always bake outside in the sun and yes, even the tanning beds in the 80s were my friend. But now I go from air conditioned room to air conditioned car and not much in between. Those of us in the eastern US, both north and south have been experiencing higher temps the past few days. I don't even want to think about what it's like in south Georgia and Florida, Alabama, Texas, etc. So you won't see me outdoors unless it's early morning or evening. I always thought Canada's weather would be more to my liking. A little hot but not stifling hot.

If you had to pick coffee or the web -- half of workers would give up their office java to surf the web. What would you do?

A new survey finds that half of them would rather give up their morning coffee than forgo that ability.

Maps, news and weather are the chief nonwork-related sites visited.
A quarter of employees watch or listen to streaming media at least once a week from work, and 18 percent have downloaded and stored nonwork music, photos and video clips, according to a telephone-based survey sponsored by Websense Inc., which makes software that helps companies filter and monitor Internet use.

Many companies have Internet policies that ban pornography but allow reasonable personal Internet use, such as e-mailing a doctor to schedule an appointment or buying a gift during a lunch break

+++++++++++++++++++++

I don't think it's nearly as taboo as it once was. Around 1999, 2000, or so it was more risky to be online at work. Much lest fire up a buddy list! Yep. I'm Guilty. A few years later and it wasn't too terrible to be online at work. I'm guessing it depends on where you work and the circumstances. And who your boss is!

My Sister Robin. Picture taken around middle of Oct 2005. She passed away on Nov 24, 2005. I found a camera of hers, developed the pics and this one was on it.

I suppose when you see someone often who's ill, they're gradually changing and I don't notice the changes. I didn't realize how badly she looked until I found an old picture of her that showed her all robust and lively. And even though I had 50 years with her, it still wasn't enough.

Love. That's all there is. Love.

Thanks for bearing with me as I work through my grief online. It means so much to let it out someplace and I find that this place works best for me.

**UPDATED: I tried to show a better picture of Robin with this one photo in the frame. She would fuss at me if I only had the one picture of her in her last weeks posted! Little sister had tons of good taste and style and cleaned up very nicely. Pretty, Dob. That's all I can say...

I saw a guy on tv spiking a watermelon which reminded me of doing it when I was younger. I thought everyone had heard of spiking watermelons. But my Father hadn't. We were having some kind of outdoor family gathering and my sister and I saw the watermelon and knew what had to be done. So she plugged a hole in it and I began pouring a fifth of vodka into the watermelon. Daddy ran outside and began freaking out.

"What in the hell are you doing?"

Us, smiling, "Spiking the watermelon, Daddy. What's wrong?"

"You're doing what?" he asked

And we explained to him the whys and wherefores. This man who had several cocktails each week and had a healthy nightlife had never even heard of this before.

Before long there was nothing left but flies buzzing around the discarded rind and a good time was had by all.

Spend a few minutes with this Angelic Morning Meditation to begin your day. Yawn. I think I need a nap now. ha! Very soothing.

link

I found a disposable digital camera that Robin had that had 10 pictures left to take on it. I wonder what the pictures she took will reveal.

She used to get those cameras from CVS drugstore all the time. You take your pictures, give it back to CVS. They keep the camera and give you the pictures back. I'm hoping they have the cd option, too. Then I can show you some pictures I'm taking around the house. I took one of some flowers, my dog Buddy, the back yard where I hope you're able to see the pond AND the green. Oh, and one of that huge peace lily her favorite cousin Ray sent when she passed. It's thriving like a mofo with 3 blooms(?) on it.

Whenever I can take the remaining 6 pictures and get them developed, I'll share them with you. I mean, everybody's doing it.

AND... the mystery remains of what pictures are on the camera that Robin took? So you could say I'm more than a little anxious to see this film!

Does anybody know if Bryn still has a working blog? I've tried the CelestialOfferings and the other address of http://clik/to/bryn/ with no luck at all.

Ms Bryn? Are you still blogging?

I'm extra careful about harming innocent creatures. When digging in the garden, I dig around the earthworms. I caught a fly in the house last night and set it free outdoors. I brake for squirrels and crows who are nibbling on roadside pizza. So I'd say I love all of the creatures in the world.

Except for that one damn cat. This particular neighbor's cat is determined to rob the Robin's nest I have in a bush at home. This one 7 foot tall shrubbery monstrosity is home to Robin birds each year and they successfully lay their eggs and introduce their young to fly from this very bush. Today I will call Mrs S and ask her nicely if she would consider putting a collar with a bell on it to warn the birds when it's approaching. That's about the only thing I know of to help in this situation. Honestly I adore cats, too, so I wouldn't dare hurt this one.

Ellinor Village

leaving up for me to keep track of Ellinor Village in Daytona Beach, Florida.

This is a test for us, the older kids! The answers are printed below, but don't you cheat.

READY????? Here we go!

01. After the Lone Ranger saved the day and rode off into the sunset, the grateful citizens would ask, Who was that masked man? Invariably, someone would answer, I don't know, but he left this behind. What did he leave behind?____________

02. When the Beatles first came to the U.S. in early 1964, we all watched them on The __________________ Show. ;

03. "Get your kicks, ___________________."

04. "The story you are about to see if true. The names have been changed___________________."

05. "In the jungle, the mighty jungle, ________________."

06. After the Twist, The Mashed Potato, and the Watusi, we "danced" under a stick that was low! ered as low as we could go in a dance called the "_____________."

07. "N_E_S_T_L_E_S", Nestle's makes the very best _______________."

08. Satchmo was America's "Ambassador of Goodwill." Our parents shared this great jazz trumpet player with us. His name was _________________.

09. What takes a licking and keeps on ticking? _______________

10. Red Skelton's hobo character was named __________________ and Red always ended his television show by saying, "Good Night, and "_______________".

11. Some Americans who protested the Vietnam War did so by burning their____________.

12. The cute little car with the engine in the back and the trunk in the front was called the VW. What other names did it go by? ____________ & _______________.

13. In 1971, singer Don MacLean sang a song about, "the day the music died." This was a tribute to ___________________.

14. We can remember the first satellite placed into orbit. The Russians did it. It was calle d ___________________.

15. One of the big fads of the late 50's and 60's was a large plastic ring that we twirled around our waist. It was called the ________! ________

Scroll Down

ANSWERS:

01. The Lone Ranger left behind a silver bullet.
02. The Ed Sullivan Show
03. On Route! 66
04. To protect the innocent.
05. The Lion sleeps tonight
06. The limbo
07. Chocolate
08. Louis Armstrong
09. The Timex watch
10. Freddy, The Freeloader, and "Good Night, and may God Bless."
11. Draft cards (Bras were also burned.)
12. Beetle or Bug
13. Buddy Holly
14. Sputnik
15. Hoola-hoop

I'm really missing my Robin today. She was a genuine Kentucky Derby nut. When she didn't attend the Derby, she still poured over her racing form and no one dared disturb her. She was so meticulous with her research when anything interested her. She read everything she could get her hands on, studying the trainers, the horses, track conditions, etc.

When she would go to Louisville, she gave her Derby wardrobe serious consideration. One of my favorites was a striking and crisp black and white outfit. A black and white suit, handbag and shoes to match, gloves and of course THE HAT. She spared no expense, of course, which comes as no surprise to anyone who knew Robin because she never really had a concept of money. The price of something was never a factor and only the best would do. That was just her way and her friends and I understood and would just shake our heads, smiling. I think we all overlooked the little things after she lost her hearing at 17.

Others thought of Robin because of the Kentucky Derby today. I got a call from our favorite cousin Ray in Atlanta and from a family friend who called to ask about us all as we all reminisced about Robin.

A few minutes before post-time Mother fixed her usual Bloody Mary and I fixed a rare Kahlua and Cream. She in the den and I in my room; avoiding an inevitable breakdown. Both clutching kleenex while waiting for "...And They're Off" and silently toasting our girl.