The Elephant and Piggie Dance Game

If you know about Elephant and Piggie you'll love this game on the web.

car show visit

I went to this car show over the weekend.
Lots of muscle cars ...
Walking down memory lane....

car show

interrupted prayer

how interesting to find an interrupted prayer,
the master asks the students, “what do they say of me?”
the students meek response, “a prophet from back there”
again he probes their minds, “tell me what you see?”

that’s easy they said, “the one come from on high”
“don’t tell anyone this secret” came the shy reply
“you may as well know” he then frankly said
“they’ll find a way to get me, you see, they want me dead”

“that will be their objective, they’ll reach the goal but then”
“it will only take three days for me to rise again”
“so this is the simple lesson, if you want to follow”
“let go of self, deny it, get out of any self pity wallow”

“for living in the ego will cause the greatest loss”
“but living out of losing will buy with greatest cost”
“a life that can be treasured, beyond this brief world's gain”
“for getting the whole world, ultimately brings disdain”

“so if it is ashamed of words that I have brought”
“you’ve fallen in a trap, wound up getting caught”
“release is available, turn your heart above”
“embrace the unseen joy of the realm lived in love”

- paraphrased from the gospel of St Luke 9:18-27

PROMPTuesday #13: Finish It

“Wait!” I screamed after her. “Your hat!”

She ignored me, which was to be expected. We hadn’t talked, not really anyway, in more than 10 years. I scooped up her black hat. The mesh veil fluttered beneath my fingers… as the autumn leaves scurried around the undertaker’s canopy.

So much can change, yet it all stays the same. So, why shouldn’t she be angry, hurt, confused and torn. Mom died when we were teens and now dad’s gone. What’s more her own two kids barely out of diapers and my one in elementary.

Our parents had loved us the best they knew how, like parents will. But mom couldn’t stick around because of that damn cancer, and the years had taken their toll on dad’s heart. I guess we figured him for the lucky one, the survivor. Yet, a quick death at 57 for him beats death by degrees that took mom at 42. In fact it seemed we were just getting over the anger from those cancer years, sis and I, and now the problem we hoped to never face engulfed each of us in our own way.

How to process more than enough grief to last a lifetime doesn’t seem like a marketable skill in today’s culture of denial-instant gratification. But here I am, needing family, especially sis, to talk this through, and now, like autumn leaves blown against canvas, my emotions are swept up in a tumble like so much trash on a boardwalk. And hanging on to a hat becomes the rope to the lifeboat in this malicious ocean we attempt to swim.

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Join the fun at

http://sandiegomomma.com/2008/07/14/promptuesday-13-finish-it/#comments

bursting

offered a snowball reach out and accept
not the kind that will cool
though the heat drapes me in sweat

this one blossomed for view over night
out for evening walk
a delightful fruitful luscious sight

these arrive in the summer to add to the fun
they thrive on humidity
baked through and through by the sun

they come in red, purple and white
crape myrtle designed
to bring us all great delight

gifts such as these burst forth on the scene
ready to offer their best
so within hidden working comes forth the pristine

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A-Z ALL ABOUT ME!!!

A-Z ALL ABOUT ME!!!

[A]- ASPIRATIONS:
Poetry and such

[B]- BIRTHDAY:
One month (30 days) before Christmas

[C] - CRUSH:
One at the moment yes…

[D] - DRINK YOU LAST HAD:
Diet Grapico (not counting work coffee)

[E] - EASIEST PERSON TO TALK TO
Same as [C]

[F] - FAVORITE MUSIC GROUP/BAND/SINGER:
Robin Mark

[G] - GUMMY BEARS OR GUMMY WORMS:
Worms if they are sour, bears if regular flavor

[H]- HOMETOWN:
Phil Campbell, AL, USA

[I]- INSTRUMENT:
Tuba (back when) – Mandolin now

[J] - JUICE:
110v – but occasionally 220 J

[L] - LONGEST CAR RIDE:
Recently I rode to Mobile, AL about 6 hours

[M] - MILKSHAKE FLAVOR:
Peanut Butter

[N] - NUMBER OF SIBLINGS:
3

[O] - ONE WISH:
“Can’t tell it or it won’t come true” but I’ll come back and till it when it does.

[P] - PERSON WHO CALLED YOU LAST:
My teenager

[R] - REASONS TO SMILE:
Family and Friends

[S] - SONG YOU LAST HEARD:
Something off “Glory Revealed” CD

[T] - TIME YOU WOKE UP:
5:20am

[U] - UNDERWEAR COLOR RIGHT NOW:
Grey

[V] - VEGETABLES:
I like em all

[W]- WORST HABIT:
blogging J

[X] - X-RAYS YOU'VE HAD:
couldn’t say


[Y] - YOUR FAVORITE ANIMAL:
kitty cat (our family pet)

[Z]- ZODIAC SIGN:
Sagittarius

Week Number 126

http://curiousasacat.blogspot.com/2008/07/week-number-126.html

1) What famous couple do you think will announce their separation next? Hill and Bill

2) What one thing would you provide to all senior citizens in the world? Health Care including meds

3) In what situations do you exaggerate the most? When I am ask for possibilities, then I try my best to meet the exaggerated expectation I have created.

4) What's the weirdest place you've ever visited? The VA Psyche ward.

5) Show and Tell. What comes to mind first when you see this picture? Or, tell a story if it reminds you of one.
Public Domain Photo

"Let's Make a Deal"

So which will be
door 1, 2 or 3
one is a gag,
the other a nag
so better to switch
to stay out of the ditch
the odds for you will see
are 2 out of 3

Follow this link to an applet that will simulate "Let's make a Deal" and show you the odds of switching vs not switching.

The key is after the first choice a loser is eliminated, thus increasing odds of the switch being a winner.

splurge

When was the last time you splurged a bit?
At the end of the meal asking for a sundae
Ice cream, fudge chocolate, pecans in the swirl
breaking out of mundane

Double cherries crowning whipped cream
dessert shared with two spoons and coffee
look there the overflow before it's tasted
running down glass's side breaking free

feel the earth

feel the earth … dig in dirt with spoon
beneath a shady dogwood at the foot of front door step
cool of afternoon stretching toward eternity

drag the hoe on gravel drive… create a road for toys to follow
across the slag to edge of grass and sidewalk’s start
the road becomes a figure 8 for races just like on tv

crawl on forest floor … edge of damp moss covered bluff
down the vine-root ladder at rocks corner to bottom land
stream there gurgles over sand and rock

slide down clay banks… with rocks and scree
no plan for erosions containment just a road cut
kids on either side to crawl up and down upon the bared red dirt

ride bicycle through mud hole… on hog pen road
two wheel track lanes from tractor, now for bikes to follow, smell the wallow
out along the fields edge wanders paths on terraced hillside

Friday Fill-Ins #80

Janet's note: "Those of you with multiple blogs or private blogs...if you could add your link to the Fill-Ins, that would be GREAT! All questions this week are courtesy of the original founder of the Friday Fill-Ins, Megan; thank you, bubba!"

1. Oh, I can't wait until I have a family reunion (next weekend).

2. Anything on the top shelf is the first thing I see when I open my refrigerator.

3. I never leave home without the cell phone.

4. If I were a condiment, I would be seasoning because spice is nice.

5. Cutoff in traffic is really high up on my list of pet peeves.

6. The last thing I thought of before I went to bed was I'll watch a bit of Hatari then wink out.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to seeing the sweetheart, tomorrow my plans include seeing her again at the auto show and Sunday, I want to grill more pork chops :)!

The Wine of Today

quietly the ant tiptoed in noiseless stealth -
noisily the mockingbird's song bragging health -
sparingly the fox appears at borders edge -
blissfully the thrush nests and clucks through hedge -
bubbly the turtle slips from rock to pool -
joyously the rabbits dance in forest's cool -
relaxing person inspects natures gifts divine -
uniquely day unfolds to yield its splendid wine -

Wordless Wednesday

The CIA had an opening - Hump Day Humor

See this location for weekly prompts http://mercedesrocks.wordpress.com/2008/07/07/hump-day-humor-week-20/

The CIA had an opening for an assassin. After all of the background checks, interviews, and testing were done there were three finalists — two men and one woman. For the final test, the CIA agents took one of the men to a large metal door and handed him a gun.
"We must know that you will follow your instructions, no matter what the circumstances. Inside this room you will find your wife sitting in a chair. You have to kill her.”
The first man said, “You can’t be serious. I could never shoot my wife."
The agent replies, “Then you’re not the right man for this job."
The second man was given the same instructions. He took the gun and went into the room. All was quiet for about five minutes. Then the agent came out with tears in his eyes. “I tried, but I can’t kill my wife.”
The agent replies, “You don’t have what it takes. Take your wife and go home.” Finally, it was the woman’s turn. Only she was told to kill her husband. She took the gun and went into the room. Shots were heard, one shot after another. They heard screaming, crashing, banging on the walls. After a few minutes, all was quiet. The door opened slowly and there stood the woman. She wiped the sweat from her brow and said, “You guys didn’t tell me the gun was loaded with blanks. I had to beat him to death with the chair.”

of mites and chickens

Fox wandered out to the field in search of a meal late one day.

Encountering the hare along the way he greeted him.

“Hello friend Hare” says Fox, “Have you a supper to share.”

“Ahh, that I might” says Hare, “That I might.”

So Fox joins Hare as they proceed toward the farm together.

“You might get supper here,” says Hare.

“Ahh, that I might,” says Fox, “that I might.”

And Hare finding the veggie patch was soon enjoying a delicious supper in the pea patch.
Meanwhile Fox slinked to the chicken house and stole away with a hen.

As Hare left the garden patch there was Fox in the edge of the wood with tail feathers all that remained of the hen and a sated look on his face.

“Tis true Hare,” says Fox, “Tis ever so true what they say of mights. And it was a good supper except for them.” Looking at the tail feathers and picking his teeth with a bit of wing bone.

“Yes,” says Hare, “and what truth might that be,” noticing the wee specks on the tail feathers.

The moral of the story being: “You might or might not do what you say, but indeed “mites” are on a chicken’s rear end.”

So when someone says “I might” remind them, “Mites are (little bugs) on a chickens rear end.”

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prompted by San Diego Mom

stacked against you

ever feel the deck is stacked?
systems broken, computer's hacked?
no where to turn to find blue sky
effort dishonored your gifts deny

ever feel you can't see ahead?
something's coming inspiring dread?
making headway isn't there
try as you may there's none to dare

ever feel emotions grinding?
internal churning infernal pining?
weight increases fingers cease
to yield the words that bring you ease

... one of those days!

something lost

During my recent vacation I read “The Book of Lost Things” by John Connolly it was suggested by a friend online (Shadow).

This is a wonderful story, though tragic for the main character, David.

David is confronted by his darkest fears when his mother dies of cancer.

Through books that "draw" and "speak to" him and his own imagination the boy battles the fears (and other emotions) that come with growth, loss, grief, and suffering.

Connolly has woven a tale around beloved fables, fairy tales, folklore and mythology to produce a work that honors the imagination of the original stories and processes the truths within them in exciting ways.

I would give this one four stars and I would enjoy similar type works if anyone knows of any.

One similar book that weaves a single story into it's telling is "Iron John: A Book About Men" by Robert Bly

July 8 - Sign In - HoT #46

Heads or Tails...
This week's theme/prompt is:
HEADS - Anything starting with the letter O
We've all read it but with my recent visit to ancient places it seemed appropriate for today's theme.

Ozymandias

Percy Bysshe Shelley

I met a traveller from an antique land
Who said: "Two vast and trunkless legs of stone
Stand in the desert. Near them on the sand,
Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown
And wrinkled lip and sneer of cold command
Tell that its sculptor well those passions read
Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things,
The hand that mocked them and the heart that fed.
And on the pedestal these words appear:
`My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings:
Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair!'
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare,
The lone and level sands stretch far away.

----



Perhaps this was "the Big O's" home. :)
Actually this is from the Mexico trip.

Mexico Cruise

Row 1, Column 1 - The first sunset on the MS Holiday
Row 1, Column 2 - Entertained all week with towel animals - The Elephant (Gerald)
Row 1, Column 3 - These flowers graced the city square along the Cozumel boardwalk.
Row 1, Column 4 - An ancient pyramid at Chi Chen Itza (The mouth of the well of the people of Itza
Row 2, Column 1 - The ultimate pyramid at Chi Chen Itza; there is a smaller pyramid inside but I was not allowed to "bite" into it :)
Row 2, Column 2 - The smaller ship on left is the Holiday, the Fantasy is on the right. Ported sided by side at Cozumel. (or "Cos I smell" :)
Row 2, Column 3 - An example of vaulting in the halls of a Chi Chen Itza structure, this was once an internal connector hall between rooms.
Row 2, Column 4 - Swan
Row 3, Column 1 - Our favorite towel animal was this "Monkey"
Row 3, Column 2 - The extensions are the noses, the eyes and mouths or noticeable too, three faces stacked one upon the other; these were at one time on top of the older pyramid.
Row 3, Column 3 - The Clock Tower on Cozumel (the mosaic maker chopped the clock off a bit )
Row 3, Column 4 - Sunrise in Mobile's harbor as we prepared to "disembark". Why can't they just say "get off the boat" noooo, we had to "disembark" :)

if you would like to see more drop an email at the listing on my profile and I'll send you a link to fuller size photos.

Week Number 125

get the latest at http://curiousasacat.blogspot.com/

1) What is the craziest thing you ever did as a child or teen? I waded a flash flooding creek. We were hanging out under a bridge and the water was tremendous. It was only about 5 meters wide but it was running like crazy - I was about 13 yo - I could have been killed...

2) If you could teach someone you know one life lesson, who and what would you choose? "take the long view" my teens (esp my 16 yo)

3) In what situations do you find yourself relying on your parents (or your parents' advice) the most? formative years are foundational for me - my folks valued their spiritual walk and so do i

4) What was your first thought when you woke up this morning? turn off the alarm and get in the shower!

5) Show and Tell. What comes to mind first when you see this picture? Or, tell a story if it reminds you of one.

Public Domain Photo

Jim enjoyed his "magic lens." The muddle he normally perceived could be seen through the "lens" of inversion. Yes, the haziness always condensed when the "lens" was used as the viewing tool. It had not taken long for Jim to understand the mirrored image within this viewer. The figures were enlarged there. Having his own view of the world had become such an advantage for Jim, he came to understand all he needed to know through the "lens." The ability to flip objects was only the beginning of it. The fact that Jim could perceive motive and intent were huge. He would ultimately use the power of the "lens" to benefit every person he would contact. Leaving them in better condition, needs met, often desires fulfilled through the amazing ability to understand those around him.

The Snail (or the Observatory)

The guide called it 'the snail'
the staircase spirals in round vail
rocks and boulders methodically arranged
master plan or domination deranged?

places for heavenly observations
the peace and stillness gives consternation
we hurry for answers to the ruins
interior of peninsula the construction looms

what drove them on no one knows
the history unavailable so it goes
but even if we never understand
honor this inventiveness from distant land