In honor of Broken Y turning 40!!

Old Age, I decided, is a gift.I am now, probably for the first time in my life, the person I have always wanted to be. Oh, not my body! I sometime despair over my body, the wrinkles, the baggy eyes, and the sagging butt. And often I am taken aback by that old person that lives in my mirror (who looks like my mother!), but I don't agonize over those things for long.I would never trade my amazing friends, my wonderful life, my loving family for less gray hair or a flatter belly. As I've aged, I've become more kind to myself, and less critical of myself. I've become my own friend. I don't chide myself for eating that extra cookie, or for not making my bed, or for buying that silly cement gecko that I didn't need, but looks so avante garde on my patio. I am entitled to a treat, to be messy, to be extravagant. I have seen too many dear friends leave this world too soon; before they understood the great freedom that comes with aging. Whose business is it if I choose to read or play on the computer until 4 AM and sleep until noon?I will dance with myself to those wonderful tunes of the 60&70's, and if I, at the same time, wish to weep over a lost love .. I will. I will walk the beach in a swim suit that is stretched over a bulging body, and will dive into the waves with abandon if I choose to, despite the pitying glances from the jet set.They, too, will get old.I know I am sometimes forgetful. But there again, some of life is just as well forgotten. And I eventually remember the important things. Sure, over the years my heart has been broken. How can your heart not break when you lose a loved one, or when a child suffers, or even when somebody's beloved pet gets hit by a car? But broken hearts are what give us strength and understanding and compassion. A heart never broken is pristine and sterile and will never know the joy of being imperfect.I am so blessed to have lived long enough to have my hair turning gray, and to have my youthful laughs be forever etched into deep grooves on my face. So many have never laughed, and so many have died before their hair could turn silver.As you get older, it is easier to be positive. You care less about what other people think. I don't question myself anymore. I've even earned the right to be wrong.So, to answer your question, I like being old. It has set me free. I like the person I have become. I am not going to live forever, but while I am still here, I will not waste time lamenting what could have been, or worrying about what will be. And I shall eat dessert every single day. (If I feel like it)

What a weekend!!

Let's here it for another girlie weekend!! The passion for quilting is catching but not caught...yet. Dirtscrapper and Ranchwife invited me and Karli to tag along to the Portales quilt show on Friday. I think it's a conspiracy to get me hooked into quilt making. Conspiracy or not, I needed to get out of the house and Karli needs some serious socialization skills so..... Did I buy cloth this go round?? Yes I did..... not for a quilt but for new kitchen curtains. Oh, by the way, this is the fashion trend for all wienie dogs this fall!! Ranch wife picked out this little ensemble at the Portales Walmart after they became inspired to buy more cloth to make more cute stuff....to make me feel guilty ....oh well, wait till they see my new curtains!!

Saturday, Jake came home from college to help his dad wire and floor the trailer they just built. I just love when kids come home.......then leave. Just kidding Ranchwife....she is still in sackcloth and ashes after the second of her little fledglings flew the coop.

Sunday, we had coffee with the great-great grandmother, Jake sailed back to school with his new trailer in tow and Ross and I went to the Sarah Palin rally. We had to park almost a mile away from the Southwest Aviation hanger and then we waited in line forever.......so forever that they just led us around the hanger and we never had to go through security. I was told 10,000 people were expected at this wing-ding and standing three hours in the blazing New Mexico sun was a testament to our commitment to whatever we're commited to. After a short tadoo by Hank William's Jr.....(I think he sings better when he's had some liquid inspiration) Sarah arrived in all her glory....almost an hour fashionably late but well worth it. You go girl!!!! After we panted the last mile back to the jeep, Ross and I went out for ice cream. All in all, it was a pretty cool weekend. Till next time, adios.

Roosters from Hell....Part 3

Well, Ranchwife..... now you've done it. Rooster stories are as catching as a winter colds. Arkansas Stamper shared her's - guess I'll pass my childhood memories of our obnoxious rooster - actually two of the hateful he-birds right back at ya. Had to call my brother for memory support - his encounter happened after I'd flown the roost. According to his recollection , he was in the shop one day painting a trailer....minding his own business...when the family rooster decided to pick a fight. The rooster was white, and the trailer being painted was red, and boys will be boys. You have to be creative when dealing with roosters that won't back off after being kicked, cussed and rocked. How Greg caught this rooster is between him and the rooster. What happened next, became exposed to the general public! Yep, quick, fast and in a hurry, said obnoxious rooster was sporting around a red tail - dodging under equipment and vehicles - trying to get away from the red tail that was chasing him. Finally, after pure exhaustion set in, he retreated to the hen house where he hid for a couple of days. Not sure what ever happened to him. The rooster I recall hated 4-wheelers, people, dogs.... and was an expert at reconnaissance . Just when you think you had snuck by him, he showed up doing his little "I'm the pimp-daddy dance" and doing his level best to start stuff. He did his best work when he caught you bent over picking veggies in the garden. My mom sported a scar on her hip from this rooster the rest of her life and she was 6' tall. Yeah, this rooster was an Olympian. Well his luck run out one day when he got tangled up with my mom on "one of those days". She had had enough of him and his wicked ways. Can't recall what she hit him with but his leg got broke during the battle. What happened next, I'll never understand as long as I live. Being incapacitated, this would have been the perfect opportunity to "take this bird out" but no....she felt so sorry for breaking his leg, she took this worthless rooster in, splinted his leg and nursed him back to health. Yeah, no kiddin. That bird should have been rolled in flour and fried. If roosters would just protect their hens against foxes, skunks and things of this nature, instead of terrorizing the entire barnyard, I think they would live longer, more fulfilled lives. But no..... they have to spread hate and discontent to all that enter their domain. Well, with that said, just eat more chicken. Till next time. adios.

Could NOT help myself!!

Sometimes I think Maxine should run for president -- she was right on with this one! Everyone concentrates on the problems we're having in this country lately -- illegal immigration, hurricane recovery, alligators attacking people in Florida .. .. not me -- I concentrate on solutions for the problems-- it's a win-win situation.

* Dig a moat the length of the Mexican border. * Send the dirt to New Orleans to raise the level of the levees. * Put the Florida alligators in the moat along the Mexican border.
Any other problems you would like for me to solve today? Yes!
Think about this:
1. Cows
2. The Constitution
3. The Ten Commandments

COWS -Is it just me, or does anyone else find it amazing that during the mad cow epidemic our government could track a single cow, born in Canada almost three years ago, right to the stall where she slept in the state of Washington? And, they tracked her calves to their stalls. But they are unable to locate 11 million illegal aliens wanderingaround our country. Maybe we should give each of them a cow.

THE CONSTITUTION -They keep talking about drafting a Constitution for Iraq ... why don't we just give them ours? It was written by a lot of really smart guys, it has worked for over 200 years, and we're not using it anymore.

THE 10 COMMANDMENTS -The real reason that we can't have the Ten Commandments posted in a courthouse is this -- you cannot post 'Thou Shalt Not Steal' 'Thou Shalt Not CommitAdultery' and 'Thou Shall Not Lie' in a building full of lawyers, judges and politicians ... it creates a hostile work environment.Also, think about this ... if you don't want to forward this for fear of offending someone -- YOU ARE PART OF THE PROBLEM! It is time for America to speak up! Yep, I passed it on!