Games We Kids Play

My Thursdays are a treat for me. I get to pick up Griffin (almost 6 yrs old now) from his bus stop and have lunch with him. If I have time, we squeeze in a "mystery ride" that sometimes includes putt-putt, bowling, Chuckie-Cheese games, a boat ride or play-time at the park. Today it included coming back to the house to play ping pong. My first mistake was buying WAY too many ping pong balls. You know how they always get lost flying under a sofa or crinkled by a mad man who lost his serve for the 4th time in the net? With 24 balls, I figured it would take AT LEAST a week before we needed to stock up again. Silly me. There are two left after today. Griffin likes to play "Incoming!" pong missiles and pelt me with as many as he can. At one point we were both on the floor laughing so hard he told me he was going to laugh his "whole body off".

We escaped the "war zone" to go to our favorite ice cream hangout, THE CONE...I think we go there as much to play games as we do for the ice cream (ok, that is just the biggest lie I've ever told, but the games are fun).

So, there was PAC-MAN....I haven't played it for quite a while and Griffin "double-quadruple-dared" me so I put in my quarter and 20 seconds later I was done. I laughed a little nervous laugh that one does when being totally mortified and plunked in another coin. I lasted 12 seconds.
Griffin knows enough to at least TRY to stifle his hilarity. I give him a quarter and he zips and turns and makes mincemeat of his opponents and is King Pac-man, making it to the 3rd level before I could mumble "Nice game"...

It was a quiet ride home, except for a little 5 year old in the back seat singing a little rap song:

I'm the Pac-man
Pegger's the loser
I'm the Pac-man
Pegger's a goof ball

After 10 minutes of that lovely song, I changed the subject and
I told him I was going to write a children's book called "Griffin's Mystery Rides" ~ Mr. Griffin Spielberg has bigger ideas as he suggested we make it into a movie and Brittany Spears could play ME.
He hasn't named the star who would portray Griffin.

If he beats me at too many more games, his MYSTERY Rides will turn into MISERY Rides.

Today I Had Plastic Surgery

"Plastic, Plastic everywhere, nor any cash to have..."

Come on..I'm looking for a little credit here ~
I finally tore up (most) of my credit cards ~ Visa (3), MasterCard (4), Discover, American Express, Diners Club, Shell Oil, Sears, Target, Walmart, Home Depot, and McDonalds (whoops..that was a card for a free Sundae..rat puppies!)

I have been addicted to buying "things" on credit through catalogs, the internet and TV special offers. I bought a saddle the other day from an Infomerical that touted the benefits of this saddle so well that I ordered it with the "Special Ultra Fast" shipping option.

I don't own a horse ~ and don't even KNOW anyone who owns a horse.

I have a Storage closet that I can't even open the door to because of all the crap that I have purchased over the years that I've never used. I keep thinking that I will use it someday...or I'll have a need for a set of 12 old vinal records ~ Learn to Speak Russian in Just 6 Weeks.
Maybe a Russian neighbor will move in next door and I can ask to borrow a cup of sugar in their language ~ and they will love me forever.

So, I decided to quit cold turkey ~ without the assistance of any support group that wants me to stand up and say "Hi, my name is Peggy ("Hi, Peggy!"), and I'm a Credit Card Addict."

I would have been mortified if they used a credit card detector and found that I had an emergency card in my shoe. (or some OTHER more embarrassing place)
Hey! What I need to charge SOME things, you know.
The fifth set of steak knives that I found on sale are good Christmas gifts.

Holidays are the exception for CC Addicts. Thanks heavens this month it's Spoil Your Canine month. Maybe that saddle will fit Bailey?

Great Speech Writers - Great Reflection on USA

Andy Rooney's editorial on Sixty Minutes last night was quite insightful.
He said that the President has 13 speech-writers with salaries ranging from $30,000 to $164,000. Taxpayers are spending over $600,000 to make sure our President says just the right words, with exact grammar and intent. The following extractions from our President's speeches makes me feel a wee bit better when someone points out one of my many mis-spellings or grammatical errors. I don't have even a good spell-checker on my computer!

"Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we."
- US President George W. Bush (August 5, 2004)

"One of the interesting initiatives we've taken in Washington, D.C., is we've got these vampire-busting devices. A vampire is a-a cell deal you can plug in the wall to charge your cell phone." George W Bush, Denver, CO. Aug. 14, 2001

"Too many good docs are getting out of the business. Too many OB-GYNs aren't able to practice their love with women all across this country." —Poplar Bluff, Mo., Sept.’04

"Rarely is the questioned asked: Is our children learning?" —Florence, S.C., Jan. 11, 2000

"There's an old saying in Tennessee — I know it's in Texas, probably in Tennessee — that says, fool me once, shame on — shame on you. Fool me — you can't get fooled again." Nashville,02

"I would say the best moment of all was when I caught a 7.5 pound perch in my lake." --George W. Bush, on his best moment in office, interview with the German newspaper 5/06

The White House also employs ten $30,000/year "gift analysts". I think I'd like that job ~ MUCH less responsibility than a speech writer. Every day would be different in trying to figure out what gift came from various countries. Then there is the challenge of figuring out what to do with another toaster or blender or didgeridoo. Dear Gussie! $300,000 worth of salaries PLUS benefits for presents to be opened and analyzed!!

I'll bet my five year old nephew Griffin would do it by himself in half the time, if he opened them with the same intensity as he does with his Christmas gifts.

p.s. I'm not picking on THIS administration alone....there are plenty of gaffs in prior administrations' speeches (I did NOT have relations with that ....) and some rather abundant gift taking upon some leaving the White House.

Expiration Dates

Today I brought home a couple of bagels from Bruegger's Bagels and noticed that the bottom of the bag had an expiration date stamped on it ~ Jul 13 '06.
Now, come on. I know that we have taken this expiration date thing to an obnoxious level, but to put it on a brown paper bag? What is going to happen? Will the bag revert back to a tree? Poor sap.

I also get confused with dates saying "Purchase by:_____ and Use by:______"
What if I DON'T purchase it by the earlier date, yet I use it by the "USE BY" date?
I feel a little manipulated here.

I'll keep cough medicines around for a while because I use it for 3 doses and I'm over the cough. So in another year, I'll need it again. For $8.95 for this little bottle, I want to use every ounce of it. Sometimes I'll take it over to a friend's house if the expiration date is drawing nigh and offer it like a house-warming present instead of wine...or Mad Dog 2020.

A few months ago I found a small rash on my arm that I must have gotten from pulling weeds..so I looked in the medicine cabinet and found an anti-itch cream but the bottle told me that I couldn't use it after 8/06..and it was Sept. 1st!!
Rats! If I had only procured this itch 24 hours earlier I could have used it!
OK, I still used it but in the back of my mind, I was constantly on the look-out for some weird curdle on my entire arm to my head because the lotion was officially "expired". (I know to NEVER mess with the dates of use on MILK...thus the analogy.)

One day recently I decided to clean out my non-perishable items. I always thought that if something were packaged in a can, it never perished..thus the name.
But alas, my nephew Brian had come over and being BT-OCD (BT= "Big time") obsessive-compulsive VERY disorder...he started flying thru the cupboards' occupants and FREAKING OUT just because the soup had a 4/99 date on it. It's SOUP...lots of salt as a preservative, for pity sake!! I think the jar of mayonaise that read 2/88 really bothered him and he refused to eat the tuna sandwhich I had prepared for lunch.

I believe that there are some other things that should have an expiration date on it that are missing:

A) Re-runs from 1965 Bonanza episodes
B) Chairs that have had the legs broken off more than 7 times.
C) Blogs that are older than 5 days

But one expiration date that I AM looking forward to:
Jan 20, 2008 ~ No not the Super Bowl...a New President

Where the Heck are We Looking for Our Answers?

I don't know if you noticed that there was an escaped fugitive from a New York prison for 5 months who was recently apprehended. For most of his 20+ weeks that he was on the run, he was wandering around an interesting area of New York. The location of most of his hide 'n seek with the N.Y. Deputy Dawgs was within 20 miles of a 100 year old psychic community known throughout the country as housing over 50 certified psychic mediums.
Every summer thousands of people visit Cassadega, N.Y. to explore the possibility that some stranger with a pseudo crystal ball can provide them with answers that have eluded them so far. Will I be famous? Will I be rich? Will I find the love of my life? Can I contact my loved one so they can tell me where the hidden stock certificates are? Will I ever be happy?

Well, if these talented Crystal ball readers couldn't help out the local law in finding this dangerous escaped inmate who eventually killed a 26 year old policeman, I doubt if they can find the missing family dog.

People read those horror-scopes and/or search for the "sign" to tell them whether they should buy the red sweater or the green one for the "big interview" or first date.
Why do we do that? Why do many of us look in the wrong direction for our answers?

For me, I know I need to look "UP" for my answers. But I'll still continue to flip a coin whether I bet the point spread with the Bengals games.

Coupon Savings? I Don't Think So!

Why is it when I call a company for a "Special Offer Coupon for Big Savings", I end up being quoted 400% more than what my little coupon advertises?
Last week I called a company that circulated a coupon for AIR DUCT VENT CLEANING...$69.00 which included 10 air ducts and two "return" ducts.
I haven't had the air vents cleaned for at least 10 years and we've had some major dust from construction around the house so I thought it was a good idea. The last time we employed such a service, a 19 year old, 110 pound college freshman, majoring in Political Science ("Poly-Sci") named Chad, came in and charged us $49.00. He spent about 45 mintues using a big vacuum, a feather duster and followed up with a short squirt of lysol in the general direction of the registers.

Today two men, who I'm sure are bouncers at a local bar at night, arrived with 340 pounds of coil, generators and other equipment to blow out our vents. Guido, the head honcho, would remove a register plate, shine a flashlight in and mumble, "Oh, wow...the guys back at the office won't believe THIS ONE! Hey, Bus, you gotta come look at this!" (Yes, the second guy resembled retired Pittsburgh running back, Jerome Bettis...so THIS is what he's doing in retirement!)

Guido shook his head like I had just committed a 12th degree felony when I told him it had been 5 years since our last service. (Ok, I lied a couple of years.)
They spent 45 minutes just counting the vents and doing a quick "quote for an all-inclusive" cleaning. That was more than little Chad spent including the sweaty handshakes at the door.

Guido brought his clipboard to show my $69. + full-service quote....are you ready for this?
(Now, please understand that I was expecting to pay for the extra vents that exceeded the coupon's 10 that were allowed.)
But the grand total came to....$1159. (plus tax)
Guido had included a super cleaning, sanitizing and a special UV bulb, that would prohibit any mold or bacteria from ever THINKING of entering my duct/vent system.
He threw in two free tickets to the Circleville Pumpkin Festival and 4 ceramic mugs with his company's name on them. Boy, that's what I want to use to toast my egg nog with during the Holidays.
I kinda giggled a bit, that nervous little laugh like you're about to throw up but don't want to mess up the carpets because they had just been cleaned for $345 (never mind my "special $99 whole-house" coupon)

I asked if i really needed the $345 of sanitizing if I was buying a $489 UV lamp.
"good point, Mrs. Murray (grrrr)...we'll deduct that out from the total.
"I noticed that you put the Special price as $89...I thought it was $69" ~ I pointed out.
"Oh, that's right...I forgot which county I was in. We have all kinds of specials in the various counties that we service...that will be deducted from your total."

I said, "If you can do all of this for $359, you have a deal", never thinking they wuld come down to that price from $1159.
Guido furrowed his brow and shook his head and witha dramatic sigh he said, "Well, that will be a tough one ~ but we might as well roll the dice..can I borrow your phone?" I then saw him sneak a wink at "The Bus" and gave him a thumbs up like they had conned a novice referee to give them a 5th down with one yard to go for a touchdown.

After 10 minutes of blah, blah with his "boss" (he probably called his own answering machine), he told me, with a fake, pained expression of disbelief like the company will lose their license if they ever made this deal again ~ that he had unbelieveably great news! I thought he was going to tell me that the TV show Commander in Chief was returning!
He explained that since we were first time customers, and since I agreed to distribute 1200 business cards to my neighbors (I didn't), and that I SWORE I would NEVER tell ANYONE what a great deal WE were getting (HA!), the boss approved of a $389 deal. Guido was shaking with excitement as he started the paperwork in triplicate.
I, on the other hand, was shaking my head "No"...I said, "Sorry, Guido...I said $359, not $399."
I thought he was going to take my head and pass it to The Bus for spiking in the end zone.

Somehow, after another phone call, more theatrical acting that should win Guido some kind of award, and more blah, blah, I still got my "deal"...I THINK I am happy...but when I think of how I WAS going to spend $69...is it DEAL...or BAD DEAL? That is the question.

I think I'll stay away from coupons for a while.

The Instant Replays of Life

Oh, how I wish we could use an instant replay machine for everyday challenges.
Today I tried driving into a gas station slot for an economical fill-up (Murphy gas at WALMART..$2.00/GALLON VS $2.24 everywhere else) and a guy swerved in front of me and took my place. SO I calmly went in line behind another customer to patiently wait my turn. Then I saw the same guy leave my first choice pump and so it was free again for me to, with lightning quick driving deftness, take the place of Mr. Rude.
Oooops. The only problem was, apparently Mr. Rude was also Mr. Confused. He didn't know which side of his car housed the gas cap so he wasn't abandoning his spot, just re-arranging his car by turning it around. By the time he looked up and I saw what he was doing, I observed that my former spot behind the other car at the alternate pump now had 3 cars behind it. What was I to do?

I just started the fuel dispensing process and pretended that I didn't hear Mr. Rude/Confused now Mr. Ballistic yelling expletives to me. As he drove off, I did catch a glimpse of him and he at least waved at me...but with just one digit of his hand.
I, feeling awkward, waved a cheery hello like he was my sorority sister's Dad.
I wish I had an instant replay to see if I should have not scored the fuel or been penalized for my un-sportsman-like conduct. Should my fake wave be considered "Excessive celebration after a score"? and I'm fined or something?

I later went to Kroger's for groceries and had about 14 items in my cart. There were no other check-out lanes that had less than 3 over-stuffed carts in line and there was NO ONE in the 12 ITEMS or less line. I started to get nervous, perspiring ("glistening") and my stomach churned a bit with the possibility of doing something as edgy as taking advantage of the rules of grocery shopping etiquette.
Just as I wheeled my cart in the wrong line (with the same lightning quick deftness as my automobile skills), I felt the judgemental eyes of the cashier and the person behind me with one can of coffee upon me. I felt that I could actually hear them counting out loud the number of items in my cart. I want to call for a special ruling since three of my items were potatoes...shouldn't they count as one? I mean a dozen eggs isn't counted as TWELVE items!

OK, this is pretty crazy talk I guess...MAYBE I stayed up too late last night watching the Pittsburgh Scoreless lose. If I could instant replay that whole game, I would have gone to bed a lot earlier.

I have no pride..I will resort to cheating to win

Last night was a devasting evening to me. I realized that I am not 25 years old ~ I am ALL of 55.
I played ping pong on a regulation table for the third time in 20 years. There were two times about 14 years ago I played for 15 minutes against an opponent who was...well, let's be kind and say....awful?
Oh, then there was the time I played on a small pp table that was for use on top of the water of a swimming pool ~ and every time my "upper torso" got "into" the game, the table "accidentally" moved and my able-opponent's serve happened to go into the water instead of on the table. Point - Peggy.

I grew in a rather competitive family and we had a ping pong table in the basement. I was the reigning champ. (Hey! This is MY movie and that's how it was!!) I had to play most people with my left, non-dominant hand or with the pp paddle in my mouth.
I have heard unsubstantiateed rumors that there was ONE night that I lost ~ ONLY due to a neck injury. I don't really recall much. Apparently I had taken one too many pain pills and someone FORCED a glass of wine or four down my throat.
But I digress.

We have a roomful of games in the lower level of our present home. Anything from air hockey to video/pinball games to bumper pool to table shuffleboard. The only real game missing was PING PONG. We finally found the space for it and after 90 minutes of 5 people trying to put the "30- minute-easy-assembly" table together (minimum of swear words...I was so proud!), we were grabbing the paddles and ping-ponging before the net was up!

Now comes the embarrassing part. The paddles have changed in the past 25 years. Mine today is sooooooooooo much smaller than "back then".
The table has gotten shorter.
The balls don't have the "sensor" that they had "in the good old days"...

~ and my little nephew Sean, (Now in his mid, er..LATE 30's) who I taught ping-pong to and coached on good table manners and no "smack talking"....challenged me to a game. (Albeit what turned out to be a very SHORT game.)

Score - 21 - 4 (and I was lucky to get 4 points)

One of three things are going to happen...

1) I return the table and paddles and balls
2) I practice every day for 8 hours
3) I ban a certain someone from ever darkening my doorstep again...

Time will tell....

Flag Football for Kids

My great nephew Griffin, who will be 6 years old in a couple of months, had his first flag football practice last night.
There were 30 excited, enthusiastic future Heisman trophy winners out there.
The coach was nice, supportive and extremely exhausted after the 44 minute session.
He had the kids run drills ~ like run 30 yards...
and throw 5 yards..and try to catch the ball from 5 yards away.
When they were given their first ever net football jerseys they screamed like made the all-star team.


It's flag football and so there will be no tackling of your opponent. They will only learn to pick the pocket of the runner with the flag. After these 6 weeks, we can send them all to New York to be street thieves just in time for Christmas.

They will practice 45 minutes for 4 weeks and then, have 2 REAL games.
I think Griffin had the best time until the end of practice, when someone told Grif's best friend to tackle him. CRUNCH. Bad ankle. I guess that's why they play flag football at this age. Oh, Griffin will be fine. We hope.

I have 6 more days to find a cheerleading outfit to match Griffin's mesh jersey color.

Countdown to Christmas

100 days until Christmas!
2400 Hours left to shop for that perfect present.
Spiff up the credit cards ~ start NOW to prepare for the one day of the year that the majority of Americans over-spend, over-eat and over-emphasize gift-giving.

I've experienced 55 Christmas celebrations and the best ones that I remember were the funny ones where we gave each other joke gifts and laughed uncontrollably. We played ping pong and darts and no one got mad because I beat them consistantly.
Now, understand that we gave and received nice presents...but I couldn't tell you the specifics about more than a handful of gifts...but I remember the laughing.
Since my family unit has changed it's profile over the years, with some gone and some additional members to enjoy, I feel more and more strongly that I want to make fun memories rather than open forgetful presents.
I pray that quality TIME spent vs. presents becomes the norm vs. a novel idea.

If someone spends even 15 minutes getting nervous or pressured because of not having the money to purchase the "right" presents, spend the next 100 days being creative about how to relax and enjoy the Holidays in a creative way.
Be grateful to have the time to spend with the ones you love.

I will now quietly step down from my Ivory Soap box...but it was fun while it lasted.

SLOW News Day

I read the news via CNN.com internet broadcast. They update their most visable stories hourly so I feel I am getting the most current look at what's happening across the world.

Today, included among the top 10 stories were:
Britney Spears giving birth again...to a son (That made my day..just having trouble figuring out what to buy her for a baby present).....and
Gary Weddle, age 40-something, from the state of Washington, has decided not to shave his beard until Osama Bin Laden is caught.
Finally! Someone is doing SOMETHING rational about getting that renegade into custody! I'm sure once our President and military personnel hear about Gary, OBL is as good as in handcuffs.
I will turn on the TV news tonight and the "BREAKING NEWS" will start off, "Growing Beard like Osama motivates military to capture Lead Terrorist, Bin Laden" . They may even fly Gary over to wherever OBL is apprehended, to have a photo opp.

Maybe if I stop mowing my grass, the networks will bring back the TV show, "Commander in Chief"?..or maybe I'll stop wearing deoderant...or eat popcorn everyhour on the hour...or blog every 15 minutes...

Football - Names & Team Mascots

Ah, football season has "kicked off" and I am amazed at the reminder of all the silly nicknames that these grown-up teams have chosen for their image.

I wonder which one sells the most crap like mugs, t-shirts, sweatshirts, golf club head-covers and Christmas stockings with their favorite team name and mascot plastered all over it?

When I was in college, our sports teams at Ohio University were namedBobcats...and the sports women were "lucky" enough to be labeled "Bob-kittens". (Oh, I loved that on the back of my golf skirt)

Now, take the Cleveland BROWNS...a DOG? And guy-fans LOVE to wear the dog-masks in the DOG pound! (at last I THINK they are masks..yikes!)

WHY would the following teams even CONSIDER these names?

The Cincinnati BENGALS ~ not a bengal tiger within 6000 miles unless you count the ones at the zoo)

San Diego CHARGERS ~ Do they have a credit card as their mascot?

Chicago BEARS, Jackson JAGUARS, Detroit LIONS...Can you imagine these animals EVER being found in their respective areas, not to mention running around the stadium?

New York GIANTS - the players are no larger than the Boise, Idaho local high school team members.
And if I were to name a team in New York, it might be the "New York Muggers" Wouldn't that fit the actions on the field better than the N.Y. JETS?

Kansas City CHIEFS...Well, after their opening loss, maybe they should be the "Squaws"...

Speaking of Native American Indian names, Washington REDSKINS? That should be changed to the "OFF-WHITE-SKINS", for sure.....do you think they have ONE Native American Indian on their entire roster?? OR in the entire CITY, for that matter!

San Francisco 49ers...what is a that? What possible mascot could they have?
Maybe it should be the San Fran "Chardonnay-ers".

Pittsburgh STEELERS - since the steel mills are all closed, they could be the only team that plays with NO HELMETS and be the Pittsburgh STITCHES.

I could go on and on...and on..
but I'm off to order some Christmas presents...Buffalo Bills (they'll send currency right?)

Take Me Out to the Ballgame (Golf., preferably)

The cost of being a sports enthusiast is getting more and more expensive. Hot dogs are as American as apple pie and baseball. But, when buying your hot dog at the Cincinnati Reds baseball stadium, does it have to cost as much as your ticket? Well, I guess EVERYTHING costs an appendage at a professional sporting stadium, right?
$4.00 for a hotdog on a cold bun and $6.00 for a luke-warm beer is just a little outrageous. (I didn't have the beer...but I know these things)
And WHY would someone pay another 50 cents on top of the crazy $6.00 to buy the same beer from a guy impeding my view (and auditory ability) of the game by walking up and down the aisles yelling lies at the top of his lungs, "Ice Cold Beer here!"? Oh, I know...because he doesn't want to miss one of the possible three hits in the 3 hours of exciting baseball.

I was given two $28.00 tickets to a Reds game. Parking costs anywhere from $10. on game day to $30. at a lot closr than 2 miles away from the stadium. I've already mentioned the ridiculous extortion for food ~ so, all in all, if two people were to attend the game and see it in half-way decent seats where you didn't need star-gazing quality binoculars, it would set you back $100. And you're not even playing! You're just watching!

Compare that scenario with playing a nice relaxing game of golf with 3 other dear friends. You actually are afforded the opportunity to PLAY the game, and you get 4-5 hours of excitement....and you can see every shot UP CLOSE, with the rare possible exception of the ones hit out of the sand as your eyes are blinded by the flying grains.
The hot dogs are $1.25 served on a warm bun. The beer is $1.50 and it IS ice cold (I DO know THIS for a fact..first hand! No discount on 4 of them, though),

In golf there is SOME excercise involved by windmilling at the 1" sphere 100+ times..and one is mentally, physically, and emotionally challenged. All this fun for $42.50 including food and beverage.

Ok, I forgot to mention one smallitty-bitty detail. One CAN get carried away with small, friendly bets with their golfing partners/opponents. This CAN result in some disturbing monetary losses that MIGHT very well exceed the $100. aforementioned amount associated with baseball spectatorship.

Maybe I should include in my comparison calculations the costs of golf lessons and driving range visits and lost golf balls.

Anyone want to go to a Reds game?

Irish Fortune Cookie

When people think of fortune cookies, most picture the Chinese cookie that says something quite pithy (I love that word) like:

"Man who is coasting is going downhill" ~

Irish fortune cookies can be just as impressive:

* Strength to the Elbow!

* Stay clear of a person who is so useless they are only fit to mind mice at a crossroads.

* One who gossips has a tongue that could clip a hedge.

* Plan so carefully that if you're not fishing, you're mending your nets.


Some fortunes that I would like to put in a cookie:

* The car valet is making copies of your keys

* Your telephone number will appear in Telemarketers Weekly as the number of the week

* You should have used the chopsticks

* Your blog will be read by many, appreciated by only a few

* Blog not unless you have something useful to say.

Hmmmm..maybe I've gone too far here

Baby Suri Cruise -

Finally! I can sleep tonight! Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes have released their long-awaited pictures of little hairy, Suri, who I THINK is a girl.
Vanity Fair Magazine has devoted 14 pages of typical posed pictures of the loving parents drooling over their off-spring.
VANITY is a good name associated with this press exposure.
"I think she has Tom's eyes" ~ Katie
"I think she has Katie's eyes" ~ Tom
Wouldn't it be funny if she had Johnny Depp's eyes?
Who would notice the eyes when she has more hair than are in the 45 wigs in Burt Reynolds closet! And it's blacker than Wayne Newton's "dome"!

Maybe that's what took so long to release these treasured photos. They were having Shirli's hair trimmed.
Oh, sorry..her name is Suri...what Saint is that? Don't good Catholics name their child after a Saint? And isn't Katie a Catholic from Toledo, Ohio? Oh, wait..she is maybe going to be a Scientist of some kind. Scientists must like odd names.

I've never seen a really cute picture of a baby. I do see the Miracle involved but they don't get close to cute for 3 years...(Present Murphy family children are the only exception)
Come on...you must admit that when someone shows you baby pictures, 9 out of 10 times, you want to say, "what animal kingdom was this one rescued from?" (only I never end a sentence with a preposition)

Behaviors that MAYBE Sugar-pie Suri shouldn't be punished for as she grows up:
1) Jumping on furniture
2) Criticizing her "friends" on national TV
3) Marrying and divorcing numerous times
4) Changing faiths
5) Starring in Mission Impossible 78

Prayers Work

I received an email from my friend and Financial advisor, Sherri Bleichner, about prayer. I am wondering if she thinks I need a litte "outside help" with my finances?
Here are some good thoughts:

Heavenly Father, Help us remember that the jerk who cut us off in traffic last night is a single mother who worked nine hours that day and is rushing home to cook dinner, help with homework, do the laundry and spend a few precious moments with her children.

Help us to remember that the pierced, tattooed, disinterested young man who can't make change correctly is a worried 19-year-old college student, balancing his apprehension over final exams with his fear of not getting his student loans for next semester.

Remind us, Lord, that the scary looking bum, begging for money in the same spot every day (who really ought to get a job!) is a slave to addictions that we can only imagine in our worst nightmares.

Help us to remember that the old couple walking annoyingly slow through the store aisles and blocking our shopping progress are savoring this moment, knowing that, based on the biopsy report she got
back last week, this will be the last year that they go shopping together .

Heavenly Father, remind us each day that, of all the gifts you give us, the greatest gift is love . It is not enough to share that love with those we hold dear. Open our hearts not to just those who are close to us, but to all humanity. Let us be slow to judge and quick to forgive, show patience, empathy and love.

OK, these ARE nice thoughts....hope they last longer than 5 minutes with me today.
~ that's MY prayer!

The History & Origin of Labor Day

Who really knows why we have the day off today?....please raise your hand.
Ok, you, Margaret Mary...who pens (er, TYPES) a most illimunating, creative blog called Musings by Margart Mary ~ what is your answer, please.

These are the facts...from the archived research files that I refer to daily....written by a home-schooling expert, Beverly Hernandez.

(As I read the history of LABOR DAY I thought, "Leave it to someone with Irish heritage to get the proverbial ball rolling to acquire more "pub time"..."


Eleven-year-old Peter McGuire sold papers on the street in New York City. He shined shoes and cleaned stores and later ran errands. It was 1863 and his father, a poor Irish immigrant, had just enlisted to fight in the Civil War. Peter had to help support his mother and six brothers and sisters.

Many immigrants settled in New York City in the nineteenth century. They found that living conditions were not as wonderful as they had dreamed. Often there were six families crowded into a house made for one family. Thousands of children had to go to work. Working conditions were even worse. Immigrant men, women and children worked in factories for ten to twelve hours a day, stopping only for a short time to eat. They came to work even if they were tired or sick because if they didn't, they might be fired.

Thousands of people were waiting to take their places.

When Peter was 17, he began an apprenticeship in a piano shop. This job was better than his others, for he was learning a trade, but he still worked long hours with low pay. At night he went to meetings and classes in economics and social issues of the day. One of the main issues of concern pertained to labor conditions. Workers were tired of long hours, low pay and uncertain jobs. They spoke of organizing themselves into a union of laborers to improve their working conditions. In the spring of 1872, Peter McGuire and 100,000 workers went on strike and marched through the streets, demanding a decrease in the long working day.

This event convinced Peter that an organized labor movement was important for the future of workers' rights. He spent the next year speaking to crowds of workers and unemployed people, lobbying the city government for jobs and relief money. It was not an easy road for Peter McGuire. He became known as a "disturber of the public peace." The city government ignored his demands. Peter himself could not find a job in his trade. He began to travel up and down the east coast to speak to laborers about unionizing. In 1881, he moved to St. Louis, Missouri, and began to organize carpenters there. He organized a convention of carpenters in Chicago, and it was there that a national union of carpenters was founded. He became General Secretary of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America.

The idea of organizing workers according to their trades spread around the country. Factory workers, dock workers and toolmakers all began to demand and get their rights to an eight-hour workday, a secure job and a future in their trades. Peter McGuire and laborers in other cities planned a holiday for workers on the first Monday in September, halfway between Independence Day and Thanksgiving Day.

On September 5, 1882 the first Labor Day parade was held in New York City. Twenty thousand workers marched in a parade up Broadway. They carried banners that read "LABOR CREATES ALL WEALTH," and "EIGHT HOURS FOR WORK, EIGHT HOURS FOR REST, EIGHT HOURS FOR RECREATION!" After the parade there were picnics all around the city. Workers and celebrants ate Irish stew, homemade bread and apple pie. At night, fireworks were set off. Within the next few years, the idea spread from coast to coast, and all states celebrated Labor Day. In 1894, Congress voted it a federal holiday.

I think it should be called "Labor-less Day"...now, get back to work!

No Time Today to Blog...Sorry

Wow...I have so many things to do today. Blogging is at the bottom of this ridiculously long list.
Wait a second, I need to put the clean wash in the dryer.

OK, I'm back....I am just writing this short note to beg forgiveness from my fans who check these musings daily. Actually, I don't really think more than 2 dozen people check in on the weekend. My theory is that people read blogs on company time, which is kinda like stealing, don't 'cha think?

If I ...hang on..the timer just went off for my baking goods in the oven....
ok, where was I?

Oh, yeah..if I were to calculate how long people were emailing or blogging on company time it might look something like this:
Person making $20/hour (heck, that is 33 cents/minute!) IF one checks email once and/hour - 5 minutes/each time X 7 hours = 35 minutes.
Writing/reading blogs - 35 minutes/day. 70 minutes/day is what my calculation comes to and I might be conservative in some case or LIBERAL in others. But can you imagine at the end of the day when you leave the office/store/school/church or wherever you work..and your boss has his/her hand out and you have to pay them 33 cents for every minute you were doing personal stuff on company time?

OH, wait...I need to write 4 checks for bills to get in the mailbox before the letter carrier comes....

Wow...no time to write today...sorry...go back to work if you're reading this Tuesday....remember over this Labor Day weekend how lucky you are to have a job to labor at!

And please don't take the time to comment on this short blog...you'll owe another 99 cents or so...