It’s brother’s day. I’m not sure why they picked the picture above. I would have picked a bunch of young people sitting around a picnic table so everyone could identify with it. I envy all of you that have a brother because I didn’t. Sisters are fine, but you can’t go to them and ask how a male thinks. I claimed my friend Mimi’s brother, Alan, as my own. I used to stay overnight at their house and Alan and I would have talks. When I got stressed in school, it was him who I sought out because he knew what to say to unruffle my feathers. When I had questions about other guys, I went to Alan. He would always take time for me. Continue reading “I’ll Claim Alan”
I learned to play cards at an early age. The little kid games of Fish and Olde Maid come to mind. They were fun and you needed a second child or an adult to play with you. Lessons in numbers, winning and losing and sharing were learned. People interacted. Then as I got a little older or was home alone I learned to play solitaire. I can remember three forms I played hour after hour, before the invent of electronic gadgets. I even played it while talking on the phone. Continue reading “Deck of 52”
The picture for National Memo Day shows us sticky notes, but memorandums come in all forms these days; texts, notes and e-mails. I don’t think phone calls count as the idea behind a memo is it is written down. I use memos constantly, but they are for myself. I have a grocery list, a to-do list and index cards with ideas for stories to write. When you get my age it’s necessary or too many things get forgotten. I also still keep a hand written calendar of appointments so I know where I am supposed to be on a given day. I’m told my phone can tell me that now, but I like to see the whole month at a glance. Continue reading “Note to Self”
In this busy world, unless your relatives live in the same town you do, time to visit is often not a priority. It should be. I know, some families don’t get along all that well, but they are still family. My husband’s family has a reunion every summer and groups come from all over the U.S. for dinner on Friday and a picnic and dinner on Saturday. Yes, it’s expensive for those that have to fly and rent hotel rooms, but they share a bond very unlike my own family because they make it happen and stay close.
It’s custom in my house to have my adult children and their families come for Sunday dinner once a month. If we didn’t schedule it in advance it wouldn’t happen. My son works crazy hours so he looks at “Sunday at Mom’s” as his total relaxation day. I love to do all the cooking. We are lucky and only have one month in the year that there are two birthdays, so the person of the month gets to pick the menu. One month I made chicken enchiladas to the response of my grandson, “Who picked that?” I’m sure you can hear the sneer in his voice. Other favorites are steak, marinated chicken, prime rib and lasagna.
Today my husband and I are actually on the road, traveling to Hoboken, NJ, for a family gathering. On our way back we will stop in Binghamton, NY, to visit two of my sisters, one of which is digging me up some ground sedum to bring home. That’s a plant. The other one is buying us lunch. It will be a quick non-stop talking weekend but at the end of it we will be caught up on the family news with lots of stories thrown in that never make it to Facebook or e-mail. When we get home our chairs will feel good, but we’ll have added to the memory banks and hug meters. The cats can feed themselves for a couple of days and I’ll get to see the New York City skyline up close and personal.
I hope you have a nice weekend too. Try to make some time to visit family.
Idaho is dominated by the Rocky Mountains range and the Snake River winds its way through the rugged western border of the state carving the deepest river gorge in North America. Hells Canyon National Recreation Area provides spectacular views of the dramatic landscapes the Snake River took thousands of years to sculpt.
Fossils are prevalent and entire cityscapes of stone appear. The City of Rocks was encountered by native peoples, pioneers and modern-day adventurers. It became a kind of way-station or landmark for those who were westward bound. Today it is well-known as a destination for rock climbers.
Inventors seem to like Idaho too. Beyond the list of patents for improvements to printing presses and railroad technology, Idaho is the home of the television. Philo Farnsworth invented the necessary technology that brought the small screen to mass market.
One of the famous people born in Idaho is Sacajawea – Explorer and Guide – (May 1788 – December 20, 1812) In 1805, Sacajawea joined the Corps of Discovery expedition with her husband Touissant Charbonneau and her son Jean Baptiste Charbonneau. As a guide and translator, the Shoshone woman’s presence signaled to others that the expedition’s mission was a peaceful one. I had no idea she died so young.
My favorite memory of traveling through Idaho was a stop in Coeur D’Alene for lunch. The restaurant had a wonderful salad bar with refrigerated plates. I thought it was a grand marketing tool that the plate receptacle cover was a toilet seat lid. Others in my group didn’t see the humor in it. That was about 35 years ago and I’m still talking about it. While eating we got to watch a logger running on logs in the lake outside our window. He was moving them around with a long pronged gaff. Of course we were waiting for him to go in the water, but he didn’t. It was quite the entertainment.
Where would we be without biographies of famous people, and more so without the people who write them? I think biographies are so popular because we like to know what makes other people tick, or what adversities they overcame to achieve their status in life. We like to have the back story of how a famous person started as just another little kid in a poor town in the Midwest, or any other location or learn how famous sports stars learn to deal with throngs of admirers and spend their money, or what foundations they start to help others. The list could go on to include famous scientists, politicians, historical figures, movie stars, artists, musicians and teachers. I’m sure I missed someone. Continue reading “Getting to Know Famous People”
Sue Spitulnik 