Primary Colors

Here's a quiz for you:
How many colors are there?
Whom do we think is the authority on this subject?
Crayola crayons, of course. They hold a LOT of power, I believe.

In 1903 they decided that there were 8 colors ~ When I tried to think of what they were I kept forgetting one....
violet...
1949-1957 - Crayola changed their mind and said there were 48 colors for their crayons and fashion designers, artists and painters followed suit and added these hues to their palette.

1958-1971 - NOW there were 64 colors

1972 - 1989 - Eight more colors were added to make 72!

1990 - 1992 - They had to change the size of their crayon box once again to accommodate 80!

1993 - There were 96 crayon colors
1998 - now - 120 colors!!

In 2003, Crayola had the nerve to "retire" four colors so they could add four. Maybe someone said "enough is enough" ~ Pretty soon a four year old is going to have to carry a backpack just to carry crayons!

One of the retired colors was "teal blue" to make room for "wild blue yonder" or was it Jazzberry Jam?
I have at least USED the term "teal blue" whereas the others have escaped my lips.

Some of the colors you may not recognize are:
Piggy pink
Mauvelous
Banana Mania
Eggplant
Beaver

As some of you know, I am not the fashion queen on my street..I don't even make it close to being in the royal court. I must take after my Dad who would wear plaids with stripes while my Mom always looked like she just stepped out of Glamour Magazine. Once she said to me when I was just getting signs that gray hair was my primary color, "Peggy, please stick to wearing black and white...it's tough to mess that up."

So, when you are exceptionally bored, try to come up with just 48 colors...then keep stretching yourself until you turn "wild blue yonder" blue.

No Plumber Genes (Jeans) Here

I'm not COMPLAINING but ~ if a professional charges $109/hour to fix your pipes, don't you think they could afford a pair of jeans that fit correctly so I didn't have to be "exposed" to the "great divide"?

Am I paying for MORE than just a clear garbage disposal? Maybe I got a free "show" because he fixed my pipe problem in under 15 minutes but I was charged the same as if he had spent the full 3600 seconds on four toilets, three sinks and an errant sprinkler-head instead of just one laundry room pipe. I almost asked him if he could paint the hallway for the other 45 minutes...

The trouble is that in the Murphy family we have NO ONE who can fix ANYTHING. Even the wonderful women the Murphy men have linked with have zero talent in repair work. At least they are all creative and crafty, which again, the crafty part has never been in our family gene pool.
Imagine if we need 10 hours a year of Fix-it stuff $100/hour...that's $10,000 over a ten year period of time! Maybe we should just send one family member to repair school. Wow...I can't even think who would know where to strap on the tool belt.
One family member might think it was a receptacle for a beer bottle, while another one wold think it was a handy place for a remote ~ to maybe change the TV channel to The Office.

Oh, crud...my computer is acting up. I may not be able to post this blog today.
Who should I call?
Oh, I know..the bank ~ for a LOAN

The Great Escape

I drove past a turkey farm on Thanksgiving night and enjoyed quite a site. There were a handful of turkeys that were "high-fiving" each other's feathers as they strutted around a pile of obviously discarded clothing. The music they were a-trottin' and dancing the "feather-jive" to was ~ "I Will Survive"
This scene intrigued me enough to get out of my car for a closer look.

There, in the pile, were Halloween costumes that looked like they would be a perfect fit for a...um..."turkey-sized" borrower.
I always wondered how some turkeys managed to escape the "Hatchet Holiday"...

Groucho Turkey still had his disguise on and one feathered friend was sporting a Nixon mask. (not surprising since Nixon seemed to stick around longer than he should have)
The Big Bird Costume was still unused, in it's original package.

I headed home knowing that the left-over turkey that my Thanksgiving dinner host had graciously given to me would NOT end up on MY plate.

Please pass the tuna fish.
(I feel another blog coming on for the protection of guppies everywhere)

Thanks-Giving

Maybe some of us forget the GIVING part of Thanksgiving. A lot of us even just by-pass the THANKING part too. Many of us just get caught up with the hussle/hassle of preparing a huge dinner and not once do we stop for just 5 minutes to reflect as to how lucky we truly are.

Hallmark and other greeting card companies are not making any money on this Thanksgiving Holiday. It seems to me that this would be one of the top three celebrations of the year (Birthday and Christmas being right up there) where we should be grabbing a card to send out to those we GIVE THANKS to. I don't see that happening...

Even on other special days, how many times do we look someone in the eye and say, "Thank-you". If someone says it, the eye contact is quickly released as it seems as thought there is something way too intimate in telling someone face to face they are grateful to them.

One thanksgiving when I was about 16, naive, altruistic and hopeful, I asked my family members to turn to the person next to them and tell them one thing they were grateful to them for. Well, the jokes came flying and not one person could do it. In fact, one person actually hurt someone else's feelings trying to be funny.

Here I am thinking that thankfulness should be an everyday occurrence but I don't see a lot of that going on, present Holiday NOT an exception.

Although I am not saying this in person, I still mean it ~

Thank you, _______________ for making me laugh just at the right moments.
Thank you, _______________ for allowing me to share in the joy of your children.
Thank you, _______________ for sharing with me your frustrations and fears as well as your highlights and lowlights.
Thank you, _______________ for bringing God back into my life.
Thank you, _______________ for teaching me the recipe that I take credit for when someone raves about my cooking.
Thank you, _______________ for selling me a comfortable couch at a discount.
Thank you, _______________ for always asking me how my day is going ~ and really want to know as I go through your check-out line at Krogers.
Thank you, _______________ for working for Rumpke and picking up my trash every Tuesday morning.
Thank you, _______________ for being the best dog, pet, cuddler a gal could ask for.
Thank you, _______________ for not laughing when you saw me and noticed that I had only put make-up on one eye.
Thank you, _______________ for being the most sensitive relative I could ask for.
(I know you all think that the above sentence is aimed at you...and it is)
Thank you, _______________ for being the best, most understanding, fun friend anyone could be blessed with. (hmmm...how many think that is you? You're right)
Thank you, _______________ for your discount coupons for your world-class pizza.
Thank you, _______________ for being an annoying millionaire with the comb-over hair who makes such rude remarks that you make me realize the guy who just cut me off in traffic isn't that bad.
Thank you, _______________ for being so funny on TV that my sides hurt from laughing at your material.
Thank you, _______________ for honoring my request to be on the DO NOT CALL list and leaving my phone silent during dinner hour.
Thank you, _______________ for providing entertaining blogs that are also thought-provoking.
Thank you, _______________ for throwing my DRY newspaper IN my driveway instead of what you used to do.

Thank you, _______________ for reading this blog.
I am truly grateful.

Now, go give thanks...that's an order! You'll thank me for this advice later.

Time to Become a Vegetarian

When I was young and my Mom & Dad were cleaning the turkey, it was tradition to name the naked bird in the sink. Since I hadn't seen it alive ~ or looked into it's baby brown eyes ~ or tweaked it's little beak, it wasn't a problem. So, we creatively named it EVERY YEAR, "Tom".

In my 56 years, 9 months and 15 days on this earth, I have had no trouble eating pig, chicken and cow remains. I never give it a thought that these are animals that are just a little different than my little pet yorkie-poo pooch, Bailey.

Now I know that none of them has ever begged me to play fetch ~ or snuggled up close during a thunderstorm ~ or asked me to scratch their belly. But I'm thinking that maybe I should stop eating animals that might feel the pain of a sharp ax blade creasing the neck.

But you all go ahead...enjoy your fowl.

I'll just eat the dressing.

A Two-letter Power Word

We are surrounded by negativity, right?
We are constantly reminded of what others do NOT want us to do...what an invisible force has commanded us to avoid...we see the "signs" everyday. Seeing the word "NO" is an hourly occurrence!

No U-Turn
No Soliciting
No Smoking
No Dogs Allowed
No Skateboarding
No Swimming/Diving
No Loitering
No Standing
No Fishing
No Camping
No Dumping
No Parking
No Shoes, No Shirt, No service
No Trespassing
No Talking
No Solicitation
No Exit
No Outlet
No Passing
No Right Turn
No Pain/No Gain
No monkeying around

Even when there is GOOD news, it sometimes starts with a NO...
No appointment required
No payments for six months

So (drum roll here) why is it that we have such trouble saying NO to others when we need to?
Today is the official kick-off for the six week crush of the Holiday Season. I feel like the quarterback for the Bengals stepping back to pass and my entire front line went to the sidelines for a smoke and I am facing eight 350 pound tacklers wanting to see me kiss the ground. Thanksgiving is only 3 days away and people are already winded from even thinking about the Holiday push.
The one comment that I hear most often is: I USED to love the Holiday but it has just gotten to be too much work...way too hectic.

Wouldn't it be nice to actually ENJOY this Holiday by NOT taking on too much? Wouldn't your family enjoy it more too? ~ and isn't that what the Holidays are mostly about?
So how do we create a balance so we balance our natural benevolent nature of wanting to save the world and caring for others while still maintaining a delicate balance with our family responsibilities?
Kinda simple, I think.

We need to learn that it is OK to set boundaries and communicate that.
Why is it that we will put our lives on hold or push our own duties, obligations and priorities aside, to say YES when we should say NO?
Certainly there are circumstances when someone is in dire need of our help and we should attempt to drop everything we can to assist in that. But when saying YES becomes a stress point that grows into a breaking point, we should step back and learn to use that expression that we see everyday.
NO.

We will still be loved.
We will still be accepted.
We may even keep our patience, sanity and relationship with others by saying NO when our plate is already full.

Wait, hang on..my phone is ringing...
I guess I gotta wrap this up.
It was my neighbor who called whom I haven't talked with since 1998. She needs for me to cut her grass since she has a sprained ankle. She also said it would be helpful if I went grocery shopping and ran her to the bank real quick. "This should only take a few hours...you are so sweet to help out" she said.
She continued ~ "Oh, the Doctor says that I will need about four weeks off my feet and my poodle, Daisy needs a walk three times a day and I know how YOU love dogs..."

So, I thought of making up 28 excuses ~ why couldn't I just say, "No"?
Oh, well, the exercise will do me good.
(I Mean the exercise of saying "NO"...)

Four Letter Words

I used to call GOLF a four letter word...but only on the days I missed the easy putts.
Then I just relegated the four-letter bad-word moniker to PUTT.

In college some of my "class-less"-mates called WORK a four letter word.

Lately I have heard almost all of the most annoying four letter verbs being spewed on TV with regularity. A few years ago, mouths would have been washed out with foul-tasting soap (I almost typed "soup" but that was in deference to Mom's icky beef bouillon serving)if even one of those words were uttered.

Just yesterday the weatherman spoke a four-letter word and I wanted to wash his mouth out with something vile. The temperature had been a balmy 65 degrees two days ago yet he had the nerve to forecast S N O W flurries for the day. ARGHRRGHRHG!@%#*#!^@*$*($!#%!

One true story stands out in my mind as the all time most memorable rejection of a foul word.
A seven year old girl got off the bus and ran in the house to tell her Mother about an upsetting event. She breathlessly recounted how a little boy had said a very naughty four-letter word! She asked if she could repeat it but her Mom shook her head "No"...then the little girl asked if she could SPELL it to her Mother. Finally, her Mom said, "Yes, if you just spell it in a whisper in my ear.."

The little girl climbed up on her Mother's lap and carefully and slowly whispered the spelling of this absolutely intolerable word ~

"H A T E"

Now THAT IS a four letter word.

How Can He Be 7 Already? He IS a GREAT-Nephew ~ Griffin!

Happy Birthday Griffin!
Lord, please bless his year number eight!
You sure have blessed seven of MY years with this young lad.

What Love means to a 4-8 year old...

I received an email from a friend in Florida that I wanted to share ~

A group of professional people posed this question to a group of 4 to 8 year-olds, "What does love mean?"

________________________________________

"When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails anymore.
So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That's love."

Rebecca- age 8
________________________________________

"When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different.
You just know that your name is safe in their mouth."

Billy - age 4
________________________________________

"Love is what makes you smile when you're tired."

Terri - age 4
________________________________________

"Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen."

Bobby - age 7 (Wow!)
________________________________________

"If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate,"

Nikka - age 6
(we need a few million more Nikka's on this planet)
________________________________________

"Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well."

Tommy - age 6
________________________________________

"During my piano recital, I was on a stage and I was scared. I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling.

He was the only one doing that. I wasn't scared anymore."

Cindy - age 8
________________________________________

"My mommy loves me more than anybody ~
you don't see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night."

Clare - age 6
________________________________________

"Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford." (Maybe Brad Pitt?)

Chris - age 7
________________________________________

"Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day."

Mary Ann - age 4

________________________________________

"When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you." (What an image)

Karen - age 7
________________________________________

"You really shouldn't say 'I love you' unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget."

Jessica - age 8
________________________________________

And the final one -- Author and lecturer Leo Buscaglia once talked about a contest he was asked to judge.

The purpose of the contest was to find the most caring child.

The winner was a four year old child whose next door neighbor was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife.

Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman's yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there.

When his Mother asked what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy said,

"Nothing, I just helped him cry"
__________________________

Ah, out of the mouths of babes.....

November 13, 1921 ~ My Star Was Born

My Mom...she's pretty cute, isn't she?
She was such a good sport. Dad thought that taking this picture at a golf course in Hawaii on their 40th wedding anniversary was hysterical.

Today is her natal day and I honor her as much today as I did when she walked this earth plane. It's been 10 years since I hugged her, confided my deepest fears with her or giggled with her like we were 8 year olds.

She was my heroine, my star, my best friend.

I can still hear her tell me that I shouldn't put so much garlic in HER magic meatloaf recipe.
I can see her eyes twinkle when she would talk about her Grandsons, Brian or Sean ~ because they inspired her walk to carry a lot more bounce.
I can see her with her Great-Grandson, Connor when he was just five, sharing a pizza at Ciao's restaurant and leaning their heads together and laughing.

I can see Mom at The Irish Brigade's first gigs at a local pub when her son Dave's group only had 20 people in the audience...and Mom and Dad would stay until the end and Mom would lead the bleary-eyed remaining few in an Irish line dance during the last song of the night..all the while pumping her fist in the air to "Give Ireland Back To he Irish"...

I recall how each day how she would lean up to kiss my Father ~ and it made me feel good that they loved each other.

I miss her like crazy every day.

Mom ~ today I celebrate your birth, your life and your wonderful influence over so many lives that you gently and lovingly touched. I only wished more of you could have known her.

We Salute Our Veterans

I believe that some Holidays are "made up" celebrations to allow Hallmark-type companies to maybe increase their respective stock earnings. However, Veterans Day is a day that we should spend MORE time "saluting" because of the true love that is exhibited when one serves their country in uniform. When I went shopping to buy a card for my Uncle Hank, who was shot down three times in W.W.II, I couldn't find one! What's up with that?

Here are young men and women who left their homes, families, friends and loved ones to go to an unfamiliar foreign country with strangers to protect the safety and security of the same people they just left. I can't even imagine the courage it takes to do what our armed services are doing.

My parents were both Marines. Mom was a technical sergeant and Dad was a Master technical sergeant, which was one degree higher...on PAPER, that is. Everyone who knew my parents thought that Mom held the higher rank due to her strong personality and her strict code of behavior enforced around our house. My brother Dave and I used to say that we learned to march before we learned to crawl. I KNOW that I was taught by DAD how to make a bed so that a nickel could bounce 4 inches high off the tightly fitted sheets.

Dave & I used to LOVE listening to our parents talk about their experience serving our country in W.W. II. Dad would keep us spell-bound with stories that usually included the humor that was born from some scary situations. He rarely talked about the truly devastating experiences but when he did, his whole demeanor changed to a respectful, low tone.
One of the most repeated stories was his military assignment landed him in the Solomon Islands. Dad and his fellow Marines had been living in intense heat, in a tough environment with no showers or change of clothes for 10 days.
Finally, they were delivered great news ~
"Men. today you will change underwear!"
"Yeah! Yippee!" They all celebrated like it was Christmas! ~ until the announcement concluded with the words, "Murphy, you change with McQuade...McQuade, you change with Hunkler, Hunkler, you change with O'Shaughnessy....."

Ok..it's an old joke but we laughed just as had the 25th time Pop told it as the first time.

I don't agree AT ALL with this current invasion...but I SUPPORT and thank each and every person who has agreed to defend our country's freedom. I think we should take time today to teach our little ones to respect and honor are past veterans and our current service men and women.

I know that THIS is the real reason for anyone putting on a uniform.

OK, I've jumped down off my Tide Box now...

Old Sayings

In response to a question like, "So, are you going to be at work on time tomorrow?" one might say, "God willin' and if the creek don't rise"...well, "one" whom might just be "older than dirt" or had been sayin' that expression since he was "knee high to a grasshopper".(maybe better than saying "armpit height to a gray-tooth sloth")
From where do these golden pearls originate you might ask if you were a curious sort?
Well, "God willin' and if the creek don't rise" has nothing to do with water at all. It referred to an Indian tribe, The Creek Tribe, who were a little "madder than a hatter" that their land was stolen out from under them.
Kinda like the saying, "I would go to the mattresses for you, Guido"...(I added the "Guido" part) That was said when the mafia was after someone and people would go into hiding and stack bed mattresses up against the doors and windows.

I know, I am your oasis of knowledge in your desert of ignorance.

The Doctor is OUT...bye, bye, Dr Quinn, Dancing Woman

See Jane...

See Jane dance...

See Jane go....

Bye, bye, Jane.

Ok, so Dancing with the "Stars" (or Dancing With the Not-So-"Starish") has voted off another foot-flopper. Jane Seymour is an inspiration, for sure ~ but she tells us that over and over. She talks about how no one even "remotely" her age has ever done this before (excuse me! I am EXACTLY her age and I can cha-cha with the best..just don't ask me to "do-bop" in heels)..

Dr. Elegant goes on to bring out her MRI's to show her 3 compressed disks in her back then she flips out another set of MRI's to reveal her knee injuries. (I hear that she may resort to having her Doctor accompany her on interviews to confirm her medical records)

Retired Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman claimed in an interview today that she hasn't danced since she was 16 ~ but, hmmmmm I seem to remember seeing the previews of a bad movie where she supposedly danced and showed her enhanced bodacious ta'ta's to all viewers.

I'm still hooked on this show...and jealous of Dr. Jane, Medical Marvel Dancer.