My father used to put out the flags on Veteran’s Day and Memorial Day for soldiers in the cemetery. The First World War ended November 11, 1918. He was born November 12, 1918 and his middle name was Pershing. believe grandmother had the Spanish Flu when he was born. I do remember people saying she was very ill.

That was 96 years ago. He died in 2000. It seems like yesterday.

My sadness at Shane’s passing has struck at chord deep in me and it resonates with the slightest wisp of thought. I hear bagpipes playing on the TV in the other room; it seems appropriate for both topics mentioned here.

I wasn’t bored, but I was feeling guilty that I had not done much today, which is, in a way, worse than being bored, and then I noticed a little lit-up brown light on my screen up where it says, “Howdy, AmeliaJake.”

I don’t know; maybe it had been there for days, but now I had seen it and I clicked on it and found alerts to comments on this blog and, gracious me, a comment on a comment I had left on another blog.

That blog post was about things going awry, to put it mildly and the author’s brother had commented it could have been worse and went on to describe tongue in cheek some details. I noted that I thought his account left me wanting more and supplied some possibilities.

I’m going to stop right here and say his comment was about a pump breaking while cattle are nudging you and your backhoe operator has imbibed and it is very cold. My reply concerned the cattle getting loose and whatnot.

He, a rancher – a real one out in Colorado – told me what really would have happened.

This is what he explained:

Nah, it would have been better if 12 yearling bulls got out, ran across the highway to a trailer park and started scratching their backs on the trailers. Moving them up to a foot up and down and sideways leading the groggy occupants to believe that they were experiencing an earthquake. Only to run out of their trailers, some barely clothed as this was nearly midnight, into the ‘dirty dozen’ bulls having the time of their life. Then after having their fun, leaving behind green graffiti on cars, trailers, and some on the ground, turned as a herd and ran back across the road into the pen they had recently vacated. They were so unruly that the only way they would stand for a lecture from a deputy was to be fed while he spoke to them about their obnoxious behavior. He did not mean for it to be humorous, but he had a hard time keeping from laughing during the lecture, especially when he asked if they had any questions. The one who did of course spoke with his mouth full, leading to an addition to their curriculum about manners around people.

Maybe he, his clever blogging sister, my innovative husband and I should write a blog about our “drive” around America. And I’m not talking the biggest ball of twine.

I don’t feel bored and my mind is off feeling guilty.

We are doing massive restructuring at the The Peanut Butter Cafe & Roadhouse; about the only thing not happening is the “The” is not going to become a “Ye Olde”.

I’m not going to write about the details, probably no more than to say things about being tired and/or near death. I hope I am kidding about the last part. I am also not going to mention suicidal or homicidal words because, well, yeah, I don’t want it coming back to haunt me.

So, AmeliaJake, you blogged of homicide and Sgt. Friday and I here really think we ought to delve into your thoughts . . .

Gee, officer, it was a turn of a phrase . . .

Yes, well. So, AmeliaJake, you blogged of homicide and Sgt. Friday and I here really think we ought to delve into your thoughts . . .

On the other hand, some things will never change . . .
There’s THIS.
And THIS.
Watch at your discretion.

But, in case I want to override your good sense . . .

I happened to mention Joe Biden yesterday, in my normal negative way, and today Pottermom linked to this post.

I definitely need to get a dartboard. Or maybe an inflatable Joe Biden – you know, an inflatable dummy.

I tried to STAY online long enough to at least growl “Joe Biden.” However, yesterday, my connection kept failing and when I would try to reconnect, I would see one of the network choices was Police Surveillance . Oh yeah, that’s good to see; I was tempted to look out my window for a van with blacked out windows. The cows could be getting nervous here.

Ack! Wait a minute – perhaps I have typed “Joe Biden is a bozo” too many times. Well, in for a penny, in for a pound:  Joe Biden  Joe Biden  Joe Biden  Joe Biden  Joe Biden  Joe Biden . Wait for it:

Joe Biden is a bozo!

Rats, it’s just not satisfying me. Maybe I need a voodoo doll.

I’ve had a lot of things on my mind and I’ve been lazy about sitting down here and having a little fun. Today Der Bingle and I distracted ourselves by watching FIVE movies. My eyes are DVD-ed and Netrlix-ed out. Maybe I’ll have someone worth writing about tomorrow, but don’t hold your breath.

Are you breathing?

Today is the 30th? Really? How did this happen? I have no idea. Unless I was abducted, which is a possibility.  I am going to have to give this some thought and figure out a good reason that will sound believable.

I don’t know how, but a bird got into the house and this is our third try to get it out. I believe Summer is going to have to carry the cat in front of her and try to encourage the bird to skedaddle. We have opened doors and windows, but the bird can’t find its way out.  I guess that is why we use the term “birdbrain”.

I will have to update or you might think the bird got us.

Last night I wrote that my legs tingled after four hours of raking; well, today, I believe the adjective would be aching, and that would include my arms. And, of course, there are still more leaves on the trees. AUUUUGGGGGHHHHHH.  I believe that was a primordial reaction.

Other than that, I am warm and under a roof and have had a foldover and am drinking a Diet Sam’s. (No way this AJ is paying $7.18 for a 24 pack of Diet Coke.) Since I don’t drink coffee, I depend on my caffeine boost from cola. I’m cutting back, but that morning combination of caffeine and carbonation seems to be a habit of a lifetime, and, as Churchill said, it’s dangerous to fool with those. He happened to be talking about liquor, but it’s in the same category.

The lady who lived across the street from me for many, many years until she was taken to a nursing home, totally against her will, died last Saturday. She was 90, had never been married, been orphaned at nine and  a real social problem for her in her youth was the fact her father was buried in a prison yard.

She worked almost every day of her life and was still folding towels at the YMCA right up to the time she became too mind-muddled to be trusted to live safely at home. She would try to sneak out of the nursing home and realized there was a clothespin device attached to her clothes that electronically signaled her passage out a door. So she would remove it and clip it onto someone else . . .

There were a few pictures of her as a girl and young woman – one showing her leaning up against the taxi she drove for four years. She had spunk.