I Am Home, Retired and Tired...

I had a simply grand vacation. It was relaxing. Absolutely NO stress involved. My Bro and SIL were the ultimate hosts. They fed me well, and let me sleep until I was ready to get up in the mornings. They took me to see neat stuff and we visited some really nice eateries.
Now I am home and am still recovering from "jet lag." That is, if you can get jet lag from a flight of only 1 hour and 40 minutes and only crossing one time zone. That's my excuse and I am sticking to it.
Truthfully, I have turned into a slug. It is so much easier to stay home in my comfort zone, and recliner than it is to go away. And, I have been caught up in the whirlwind of activity centered around Kiddo's graduation ever since I hit the door. Now that that stuff is all history, I am planning on setting some new goals for myself.
I need to get up earlier. This is bugging me probably the most. When I don't hit the kitchen until about 10 AM, I feel like I have wasted half the day.
I need to regulate my eating habits. This is going to happen. Those of you who read my daughter's blog know that we are starting Weight Watchers. I only hope it works for me. I have some serious tonnage to lose.
I need to get more exercise. I sit and read or do my crafting so much right now that I feel like I am becoming attached to a chair (or recliner). I have "silver sneakers" option with my health coverage and have been invited to go with friends to the Y for water aerobics. I just have to get up the nerve to don a bathing suit, looking like a beached and bleached whale, and go for it. I like to walk and could use a walking partner at our local walking trail. Maybe if I went sometime, I might meet some single female walking who would like to have a walking partner.
I need to get off Prozac. I talked to my friendly family Dr. and he said it was time, but only if I felt confident to do so. I have to do the alternating day on day off, then two days off and so on until I am off of it. It is scary to me to do this because it has been my safety net since my wife's death. What if I am a babbling idiot without it? I hope my family and friends understand if I don't do well for a while. Or if, heaven forbid, I can't cope and have to stay on it for a longer time. I am willing to give it a try anyhow, and see how it goes.
If I can accomplish these things, life will be great. Not that it isn't great now, but I think I will be happier with myself. That is the most important thing in life...to be able to like yourself!

Peace,
JE

What I Read #43

Cold As Ice by Anne Stuart: Her job was supposed to be an easy one. All attorney Genevieve Spenser had to do was deliver some legal documents to Harry Van Dorn and get his signature. Soon she discovers that this is no easy task as her life is put on the line.
Will she give her life to Dorn's evil cause, and become collateral damage, or will she survive?
Stuart does a fine job of holding the reader's interest until the climax of this novel. She is a "master of creating chilling atmosphere with a modern touch/" (Library Journal)
For a quick read on a rainy afternoon, pick this one up!

Happy Reading,
JE

What I Read #42

Tick Tock by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge: Another Mike Bennett thriller. Patterson cannot write Mike Bennett novels fast enough to suit me.
Detective Mike is on vacation with his family of 10, plus his grandfather Seamus, and the nanny MC. He is called back to work to hunt down a killer within the city of NYC.
It seems that this killer is copying murders that were committed years ago by notorious criminals.
This is an extremely good read, and will have you anchored to your chair until you get it finished.

Happy Reading,
Je

Hotmail Hell!

While I was on vacation, Prof used my computer to access her Hotmail account while her laptop was charging, or something. According to her, this only happened once or twice, but now, for some reason, she is locked in as a user on my computer and I cannot access my Hotmail account. Every time I try to go on my account, it comes up with her user name and says that someone was using my computer to send out spam mail or some such nonsense. I tried to log on with my laptop and got the same message. Also, when I go to blogger, via my shortcut on my screen, it comes up "cannot access" because of the darn Hotmail snafu.
AND, to make matters worse, there is no 800 number to access Microsoft for this problem, and if you follow their instructions on line, it just sends you in a circle and you keep getting the same error messages and stuff. ARRRRGGGGG!
I hate Microsoft! Either they are a bunch of idiots in tech clothing, or they assume that we are all idiots!

I am so pissed!

JE

PS: This hinders all comments that some courteous blog reader might wish to make from reaching me. So, desist commenting until Prof and I figure this out. I will let you know when it's safe to resume. Thanks!

About Growing Older

This list of sage advice is attributed to Will Rogers, who died in a plane crash in 1935. He must have been one smart fellow, for his advice still holds true today!



First ~ Eventually you will reach a point when you stop lying
about your age and start bragging about it.

Second ~ The older we get, the fewer things seem worth waiting in line for.

Third ~ Some people try to turn back their odometers.
Not me; I want people to know 'why' I look this way.
I've traveled a long way, and some of the roads weren't paved.

Fourth ~ When you are dissatisfied and would like to go back to youth,
think of Algebra.

Fifth ~ You know you are getting old when everything either dries up or
leaks.

Sixth ~ I don't know how I got over the hill without getting to the top.

Seventh ~ One of the many things no one tells you about aging
is that it's such a nice change from being young.

Eighth ~ One must wait until evening to see how splendid the day has been.

Ninth ~ Being young is beautiful, but being old is comfortable.

Tenth ~ Long ago, when men cursed and beat the ground with sticks,
it was called witchcraft.
Today it's called golf.

And, finally ~ If you don't learn to laugh at trouble,
you won't have anything to laugh at when you're old

What I Read #41

Rosie by Alan Titchmarsh: Rosie Robertson, a vivacious, 87 year old grandma, believes she is heir to the Romanov throne of Russia. She is also a handful for her watchful grandson Nick.
This is a tender story of the love of two people on opposite ends of the age spectrum. When she needs him the most, Nick is there to take in Rosie. She is full of advice, and also pulls some embarassing stunts, yet there is no doubt that she loves her grandson dearly.
There is no generation gap here. Just a wonderful blend of romance and humor and endearing love.
I would put Rosie on your must-read list!

Happy Reading,
JE

What I Read #40

Where Mercy Flows by Karen Harter: Samantha and her son TJ are moving from Reno back to her hometown. She has been gone for seven years, after running off to get married at age 17.
Struggling with a secret in her past, as well as a failing heart, Samantha is faced with some tough decisions.
Her dad, Judge Dodd, is a staid and straight-laced man who needs to forgive Samantha and needs her forgiveness as well.
Will the rocky relationship between father and daughter be overcome? This novel shoots straight into the heart of the reader.

Happy Reading,
JE

What I Read #39

Rainwater by Sandra Brown: The year is 1934. The place is a small Texas town. Ella Barron is a divorcee with a special needs son. To make ends meet, Ella runs a boarding house. Two of her boarders are spinster sisters, Pearl and Violet. When David Rainwater comes to town and needs a place to stay, he takes a room with Ella.
In a small town full of bigots, and do-gooders, there is bound to be a clash eventually. What happens as a result of these clashes will astound you.
This is a story of Ella's courage, David's determination, and the discovery that Ella's son, Solly, is not retarded. As a matter of fact, he's quite remarkable.

A good read. Enjoy!

Happy Reading,
JE

What I Read #38

Not My Daughter by Barbara Delinsky: Four prominent women in town are best friends. Three of the four have daughters that announce that they are pregnant. They are seventeen, seniors in high school, and destined for college next fall.
These are girls who have been nurtured, loved and taught right from wrong. How could this be happening?
Will the town turn against the girls and blame the mothers? Will lives be ruined?

This is a poignant story of a mother's love. Though it is fiction, it is happening today in our society. Once again, Barbara Delinsky comes through with using her writing skills to bring to light another of societies problems. This is one book that should be on every Mom's reading list; Dad's too. It speaks of parental love in the most realistic manner. A good read!

Happy Reading,
JE

What I Read #37

Worth Dying For by Lee Child: Jack Reacher is again the hero of the day. While traveling from point A to point B, Jack gets involved with in the problems of a small community in the middle of nowhere, Nebraska. It seems that everyone who lives there is scared of the Duncan family. They rule the community with an iron fist. Soon, Reacher is trying to come to the aid of the downtrodden.

Showing no mercy to those who confront him, Jack Reacher strives to change the lives of those around him. I kept waiting for him to appear wearing his "super suit and a cape." He's that kind of hero.

Well worth the night I stayed up until 2:00 AM finishing this one.

Happy Reading,
JE

What I Read #36

Night Over Water by Ken Follett: It's 1939 and England has just declared war on Germany. Many people are trying to leave England and flee to the US in order to avoid war and have some hope of maintaining a lifestyle they are accustomed to.
The Flying Clipper, Pan American's luxury aircraft is making it's last trip from Southhampton to New York City. Aboard are a wide variety of people including an aging actress, a princess, a German physicist, a common, but clever thief, as well as an assortment of the wealthy, snobby upper crust of English society.
What happens when this flying hotel encounters a storm mid the Atlantic, and turmoil withing the passengers and the crew.
Hang on for an exciting, bumpy ride as this massive aircraft cleaves the skies.

Happy Reading,
JE

What the Heck?

I'm not sure what is going on with Blogger, but some of my comments disappeared. On my last post, I had the nicest comment from the AUTHOR OF THE BOOK and now it's gone. This has never happened to me before. And I have never had an author comment on a post before, so I am really disappointed in Blogger right now. I want to say ,"put it back: now!" We little people don't get the privilege of hearing from a published author very often.
Maybe I should switch to Tumbler or one of the other blog sites.

Whatcha all think? (OMG! I've been in Texas too long...LOL!)

Peace,

JE

What I Read #35

Final Target by Steven Gore: In this, his debut novel, Gore creates a believable story of stock fraud, ties to the Ukrainian underworld, crooked financial handlers, and bogus government employees.
Jack Burch, a lawyer of renown is being framed for something he didn't do. Or did he? Before his innocence can be proved, he is shot down while jogging his morning route. As he lays near death, his best friend, Garham Gage, a private investigator, goes into action to find out who shot Burch and why.
This action-packed thriller is quoted as being "a James Bond for grown-ups." I agree!

Happy Reading,

JE

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mom's Day to all you ladies out there that were brave enough to take on motherhood. You all certainly have my humble admiration!

Peace,
JE

MOMS

In two more days, it will be Mother's Day. I could wait and post about mothers then but I had them on my mind today. No guess where my mind might be in two days!! You know...those "senior moments."
First that comes to mind is my mom. She was a dandy. A lady in every sense of the word. She was kind and considerate to everyone, and a great mother-in-law and grandma. Both my brother and I still miss her kindness and humor.
Next was my late wife. She was a great partner to me and mom to our kids. Strict in some instances, and very lenient in other ways. Maybe sometimes a little critical, but even then she had the kids best interests at heart. It seems like she always knew the right thing to do in a crisis, then fell apart when it was all over. She had a big heart. We all regret that it quit beating all too young. She is missed.
My daughter is a fabulous mom. She has basically raised her teenage son alone since he was 3. And she has done a fantastic job. She is the type of mom to give Kiddo space, yet lets him know that he has boundaries. She is loving and funny and rolls with the punches. I notice that she always ends the day with Kiddo with "I love you." What more can a father, grandpa ask for?
My daughter-in-law is a wonderful mom, too. With two little ones under 3 she has her hands full and takes it all in stride. She has the patience of Job and doesn't let the kids rile her, at least not outwardly. She's a good wife to my son and they are a happy family.
I must mention my sister-in-law here, too. She is a marvel. She's a loving wife to my brother, and friend to me, and a great mom and grandma. She is a gardener, not only of plants and earth, but of the soul. Her faith is strong and it shows in the way she conducts herself. I appreciate her more than I can say.
One other mom pops up here, and that is Curley. Curley is probably the most patient person I know. She seldom says an unkind word about anyone. She is supportive to those around her. She takes splendid care of her husband and two sons. She befriends those who are down. She cares for the weak, both in body and spirit. She has dedicated her life to her family, and was a stay-at-home mom for years and years. When she decided to go to work, she got a job helping others at our local senior center. What a gal! Curley, you are one of a kind and I am glad you are my friend.
So, hats off to moms everywhere, but especially to those who have touched my life. They are all wonderful.

Peace,
JE

Books Galore and Other Stuff!

This afternoon my brother and I headed out to his library. WOW! It is huge. Where my small town library has maybe 8 or 10 rows of books,(fiction) this library has at least 50. The whole ground floor is fiction. The non-fiction is on an upper level. I was amazed. So, I pulled a few goodies off the shelves, and Bro checked them out on his card. Now I am satisfied for at least a week.
We also went to some hardware stores. It's a guy thing, but we did need to replenish the supply of wild bird seed. And we stopped at McDonald's so I could get my fry fix. And a "sweet tea." We're back home and I just came in from the deck where we put up the table umbrella and got out the chair cushions.
Sis-in-law continues to mulch, mulch, mulch. Last night she went to her "garden club" and brought home even more plants. Us guys stayed home and watched "Criminal Minds" and "Special Victims," drank beer and just enjoyed each other's company. I guess we will have another night by ourselves, as it is Sis's night to go play Mai Jong. We talked about going to Sonic for chicken fried steak sandwiches. Don't know about that though. Lots of carbs! Tomorrow lunch we are meeting friends at a Mexican restaurant. That should be fun. Next week is a Rangers baseball game one afternoon. Bro has to have some minor surgery on the 11th for a growth on his cheek. It has been determined that it is cancerous, but not serious. We also have relatives coming in from San Diego for an overnight stay before they move on to more relatives in Fort Worth. Time sure is passing fast. Before I know it, it will be time to say farewell and fly home. I am missing my family, but know they are all taking care of themselves with out my help. I am relaxing and having a great time. Praise the Lord for that!

Peace,
JE

What I Read #34

Nighttime Is My Time by Mary Higgins Clark: Someone is killing the graduates of the Stonecroft Academy. Returning alumna, Jean Sheridan, is there for her 20 year reunion. She finds out that all the gals sat with at lunch while in high school at the tony prep school have all died mysterious. That is all but she and her classmate, Laura. Are they next?
Once again, Clark, the queen of mystery and suspense, has captured the essence of the small town being ravaged by the fear of a serial killer. This is just one of her many successes.

While I am on vacation, I am away from my beloved library, so am reading some "pulp fiction" picked up here and there or on loan from friends. Being away from my main "source" is hard, but I persevere and grab what is available to read. My family here collects Reader's Digest Condensed Books. Maybe I can find something interesting there....NOT!

Happy Reading,
JE

What I Read #33

Hot by John Lutz: PI Fred Carver is hired to find out what is going on in Key West, FL. Retired policeman Henry Tiller, who lives in Key Montaigne suspects drug running and other crimes are being committed by rich man Walt Ranier. He seems to own the Key.

Asissted by his girlfriend, Beth, and a cop friend DeSoto, Carver goes on the hunt.

This novel moves, is exciting and comes to a powerful, surprise ending. Dated 1992, I picked this one up at my local used bookseller. I am going to look for more novels by Lutz.

Happy Reading,
JE
*Note: I'm on vacation so not posting pictures of covers at this time.

Here's What I Think...

The news of the death of bin Laden reached me last night. At first, I was joyous, just like many other Americans. I have friends who have children and grandchildren fighting the good fight in the Mideast, so my first thought was of them.
But, in retrospect my feeling is this: isn't it a shame that the world is in such a crisis that we have to hunt down people and kill them to have some peace. What bin Laden orchestrated in our country with the distruction of the twin towers, the downed plane, and the crash at the Pentagon was unforgivable. I understand that. This force of evil needed to be eliminated, and it seems that he was a coward and hid behind his followers like a child hiding behind its parent.
If his death was the only way to end this mayhem, then I guess that was the way it had to be. But it is a shame that our world has come to this.
The Bible speaks that "there will always be wars and talks of wars." It also teaches us that "thou shall not kill." Maybe someday we will all be able to live this way. So, today, I guess I feel grateful to the soldiers who persevered all these years to find and eliminate another threat of terrorism, but in my heart I can't help but feel that there should have been another way.
Bear in mind that this is only my opinion and one not shared by many.

Peace (hopefully soon),
JE