Gentle Readers . . . and Maxwell,
A while back, I re-connected with a good friend from high school (Hi, Kimmie Sue!). We used to spend hours talking and now we spend hours talking again, but over the telephone because we live far apart.
Early in our renewed friendship, we danced delicately around the subject of the president.
Are you a Trump supporter?
No way!
Thank God.
After we'd established that we are not friends of the Donald, Kim told me about Randy Rainbow, who sings great musical parodies, often accompanied by "chats" with a political figure. Yesterday I heard a new Randy Rainbow tune that had Carol and me laughing so hard that it's too good not to share here.
In case you haven't met him, please allow me to introduce you to Randy Rainbow.
Infinities of love,
Janie Junebug
P.S. Franklin and Penelope are unhappy that they haven't gotten to tell you about their Kissmas presents. I keep promising them that they'll get their turn.
My motto as an editor: Authors are the authority on their work. I'm a full-service editor. For a reasonable fee, I'm your writing coach from the first suggested revision to the correction of the final typo.
Friday, January 31, 2020
Thursday, January 9, 2020
ANOTHER YEAR OVER
Gentle Readers . . . and Maxwell,
I apologize for the spammy porn in the comments on the most recent FRANKLIN FRIDAY post. I hope that most of you didn't see it. I didn't look at my blog for more than a week and was pretty surprised by the comments that built up during that time. I deleted all the nasty/stupid stuff. If I have a problem again soon, then I'll go back to comment moderation.
I have a few more Christmas photos to share with you because of new decorations that were on the dining room table.
2019 was our first Christmas to feature a Charlie Brown Christmas tree, and little Peanuts figurines that make the tree look gigantic:
When I moved to Florida in 2009, I brought two Nativity scenes. My mom gave both to me. One is glass and one is porcelain. My mother made the latter in a class that she took. After I arrived, Baby Jesus was suspiciously absent from both sets. Carol came across a complete Nativity scene and even purchased a red place mat to put it on so it would show up better.
Baby Jesus in da house. I'm going to leave out the Nativity scene for a while because we can never have too much Jesus in our lives.
I'm sure that Franklin and Penelope will want to write to you soon so they can brag about their Christmas haul.
Infinities of love,
Janie Junebug
John and Yoko, will you please sing us out? If possible, though, maybe can someone turn off Yoko's microphone? No? Too late now, I guess.
December 8, 1980, John Lennon died. My baby boy was almost eight months old. I was 21, soon to be 22. John Lennon was 40.
I apologize for the spammy porn in the comments on the most recent FRANKLIN FRIDAY post. I hope that most of you didn't see it. I didn't look at my blog for more than a week and was pretty surprised by the comments that built up during that time. I deleted all the nasty/stupid stuff. If I have a problem again soon, then I'll go back to comment moderation.
I have a few more Christmas photos to share with you because of new decorations that were on the dining room table.
2019 was our first Christmas to feature a Charlie Brown Christmas tree, and little Peanuts figurines that make the tree look gigantic:
When I moved to Florida in 2009, I brought two Nativity scenes. My mom gave both to me. One is glass and one is porcelain. My mother made the latter in a class that she took. After I arrived, Baby Jesus was suspiciously absent from both sets. Carol came across a complete Nativity scene and even purchased a red place mat to put it on so it would show up better.
 |
Baby Jesus in da house. I'm going to leave out the Nativity scene for a while because we can never have too much Jesus in our lives.
I'm sure that Franklin and Penelope will want to write to you soon so they can brag about their Christmas haul.
Infinities of love,
Janie Junebug
John and Yoko, will you please sing us out? If possible, though, maybe can someone turn off Yoko's microphone? No? Too late now, I guess.
December 8, 1980, John Lennon died. My baby boy was almost eight months old. I was 21, soon to be 22. John Lennon was 40.
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| John and Yoko photographed by Annie Leibovitz hours before he died. |
Friday, December 20, 2019
FRANKLIN FRIDAY: YOU WON'T BELIEVE WHAT I GOTS
HI! Hi! Hi hi hi! Hihihihihihihihi! I loves every buddy!
Do you know it is almost Kissmas? Santa Paws brings presents for Kissmas!
I'll tell you what my presents are after Santa Paws brings them.
This year I gots an early present. I have somethin' I never had before. A grandma! Her name is Grandma! Isn't that amazeballs (Ewwww. I shouldn'ta said that. It reminds me of something I'm missing.)?
Mom calls Grandma by another name. It's Carol. Her real name is Grandma.
I had seen Grandma lotsa times. Mom would go to pick up Grandma or Grandma would come here and Mom would go dashing out to her car. Mom always explained that they were going out gallivanting around but I still don't know what gallivanting is.
Now Grandma lives here with me. She usually doesn't close her bedroom door all the way. That means I'm supposed to go in her room whenever I feel like it. I go in to lie down on the rug unless Grandma's hands are not busy and then she rubs my head and tells me how bootiful I am. Sometimes her hands are busy but I lift them up from what they're doing because I need her to pay attention to me.
This pitcher is of me and Grandma. You see I'm lying down and those things with the hearts are Grandma's legs in her jammies. As soon as Grandma moved in I got friendly with her by resting on her foot.
Mom looked up what it meant when a dog likes to lie down on your foot. It means that Grandma is part of my pack.
If Mom had asked me, I coulda told her that.
Grandma is the very bestest Grandma ever. Sometimes she feeds us and lets us outside, especially when Mom swishes outa here in a dress to that dumb werk thing.
It kinda makes me a little bit mad that when Grandma is making a fuss over me that Penlapee comes over and sticks in her big concrete blockhead so that Grandma has to pet Penlapee, too.
Whatever, Penlapee.
I wish you all a big Merry Kissmas and I hope that if you don't have a Grandma that you get one for Kissmas.
Okay I love you bye-bye.
I need to rest after doing all that writing. Maybe I will sleep till after Kissmas and when I wake up I'll find my presents from Santa Paws.
Do you know it is almost Kissmas? Santa Paws brings presents for Kissmas!
I'll tell you what my presents are after Santa Paws brings them.
This year I gots an early present. I have somethin' I never had before. A grandma! Her name is Grandma! Isn't that amazeballs (Ewwww. I shouldn'ta said that. It reminds me of something I'm missing.)?
Mom calls Grandma by another name. It's Carol. Her real name is Grandma.
I had seen Grandma lotsa times. Mom would go to pick up Grandma or Grandma would come here and Mom would go dashing out to her car. Mom always explained that they were going out gallivanting around but I still don't know what gallivanting is.
Now Grandma lives here with me. She usually doesn't close her bedroom door all the way. That means I'm supposed to go in her room whenever I feel like it. I go in to lie down on the rug unless Grandma's hands are not busy and then she rubs my head and tells me how bootiful I am. Sometimes her hands are busy but I lift them up from what they're doing because I need her to pay attention to me.
This pitcher is of me and Grandma. You see I'm lying down and those things with the hearts are Grandma's legs in her jammies. As soon as Grandma moved in I got friendly with her by resting on her foot.
Mom looked up what it meant when a dog likes to lie down on your foot. It means that Grandma is part of my pack.
If Mom had asked me, I coulda told her that.
Grandma is the very bestest Grandma ever. Sometimes she feeds us and lets us outside, especially when Mom swishes outa here in a dress to that dumb werk thing.
It kinda makes me a little bit mad that when Grandma is making a fuss over me that Penlapee comes over and sticks in her big concrete blockhead so that Grandma has to pet Penlapee, too.
Whatever, Penlapee.
I wish you all a big Merry Kissmas and I hope that if you don't have a Grandma that you get one for Kissmas.
Okay I love you bye-bye.
I need to rest after doing all that writing. Maybe I will sleep till after Kissmas and when I wake up I'll find my presents from Santa Paws.
Monday, December 16, 2019
AN EARLY CHRISTMAS CAROL
Gentle Readers . . . and Maxwell,
Illness prevented me from writing this post immediately after Carol arrived, so many of you already know that she's here with me as my very own snow bird. When I was in so much pain and had to go to the emergency room, one of her friends told her, Carol, God always puts you right where you're needed.
And I have definitely needed her. I hope she's happy here. I know she's glad to escape the cold and snow of Wisconsin.
Carol arrived in October and will probably depart in May. She used to stay with one of her daughters, but the daughter moved back to Milwaukee and now lives in Carol's house there. I was happy to invite her to stay with me.
At 80-years-young, Carol is sharper and stronger than I am. In fact, I'd venture a guess that she's sharper and stronger than most everybody.
Carol and I met when I was hired as a crew leader for the 2010 Census and she was on my crew. I asked her to be one of my two assistant crew leaders because I could see that she had the intelligence and the patience for the job. She tells everyone that I was her boss. I always respond that I could never be her boss.
We like to go out gallivanting around together, even if the gallivanting only takes us to appointments with my doctors and to Costco.
Although it took me quite a bit of time because I tire easily, I've decorated for Christmas more this year than I had in a long time. Favorite Young Man never got his butt over here to get the decorations that were in the attic, so I asked the adorable young man next door if he could get them out for me. He could and he did. He just might become my new Favorite Young Man. I have promised him a batch of my best Norwegian cookies, but he might not receive them until after the holidays because the pain in my right shoulder won't allow me to stir the thick dough.
I decorated the living room, and I asked Carol if she would like to have a smaller tree that only had lights on it in her bedroom. She said, Sure. Then she decorated the tree so beautifully that we put it in the family room. Here's Carol at work:
Illness prevented me from writing this post immediately after Carol arrived, so many of you already know that she's here with me as my very own snow bird. When I was in so much pain and had to go to the emergency room, one of her friends told her, Carol, God always puts you right where you're needed.
And I have definitely needed her. I hope she's happy here. I know she's glad to escape the cold and snow of Wisconsin.
Carol arrived in October and will probably depart in May. She used to stay with one of her daughters, but the daughter moved back to Milwaukee and now lives in Carol's house there. I was happy to invite her to stay with me.
At 80-years-young, Carol is sharper and stronger than I am. In fact, I'd venture a guess that she's sharper and stronger than most everybody.
Carol and I met when I was hired as a crew leader for the 2010 Census and she was on my crew. I asked her to be one of my two assistant crew leaders because I could see that she had the intelligence and the patience for the job. She tells everyone that I was her boss. I always respond that I could never be her boss.
We like to go out gallivanting around together, even if the gallivanting only takes us to appointments with my doctors and to Costco.
Although it took me quite a bit of time because I tire easily, I've decorated for Christmas more this year than I had in a long time. Favorite Young Man never got his butt over here to get the decorations that were in the attic, so I asked the adorable young man next door if he could get them out for me. He could and he did. He just might become my new Favorite Young Man. I have promised him a batch of my best Norwegian cookies, but he might not receive them until after the holidays because the pain in my right shoulder won't allow me to stir the thick dough.
I decorated the living room, and I asked Carol if she would like to have a smaller tree that only had lights on it in her bedroom. She said, Sure. Then she decorated the tree so beautifully that we put it in the family room. Here's Carol at work:
So now we have a gold tree. The larger tree in the living room has all my other decorations. We've decided that next Christmas we want a gold tree, a red tree, and a whatever's-left-over tree. Here's the living room:
My mom painted the Santas and gave me many of the ornaments on the tree. I also tried to make a practice of buying special ornaments when we traveled. One was a woolly little sheep made by a member of the von Trapp family (we once stayed at their lodge in Vermont). Sadly, the sheep is no longer with us because the late, great Harper decided it was a doggy toy. He thought some other decorations were doggy toys, too. He taught me to put anything that might be considered a doggy toy up high on the tree.
And as angry parsnip says, here is your pretty for week. It's Carol, who looks so beautiful in her church-going finery:
I also have a photo of Willy Dunne Woofers (we changed his last name because he loves the dogs) naked and sprawled out on my bed. Be glad that I don't share that photo with you.
Infinities of love,
Janie Junebug
Some of you might have seen on the news that we have two missing children here in Jacksonville. The Amber Alert came out yesterday afternoon. They were last seen playing in front of their house. They are six-year-old Braxton Williams - Male, 6 and his sister Bri'ya Williams - Female, 5. Please remember these children in your prayers or in whatever way you communicate with the universe. I burst into tears when I saw the alert. It hasn't been very long since a little girl disappeared in Jacksonville and her body was found in Alabama.
It's been more than 24 hours. They could be almost anywhere by now. Please watch for them.
Wednesday, October 30, 2019
TIP TUESDAY ON WEDNESDAY EVENING: TOO AND COMMAS
Gentle Readers . . . and Maxwell,
Put a comma before too at the end of a sentence or in the middle of a sentence if too means also.
I want to see Green Day, too.
I, too, would like to see Elton John.
No comma for too in You are just too full of crap.
Infinities of love,
Janie Junebug
When I have new writing on my blog I usually post a link to it on Facebook. Facebook or something won't let me post the link now. I wonder if it has something to do with the struggle I went through last night to get rid of Messenger, which should probably have a nastier name. I somehow let Messenger take over and then I couldn't text. I got rid of Messenger, but now I can't post my link on Facebook. Weird.
Warning
Put a comma before too at the end of a sentence or in the middle of a sentence if too means also.
I want to see Green Day, too.
I, too, would like to see Elton John.
No comma for too in You are just too full of crap.
Infinities of love,
Janie Junebug
When I have new writing on my blog I usually post a link to it on Facebook. Facebook or something won't let me post the link now. I wonder if it has something to do with the struggle I went through last night to get rid of Messenger, which should probably have a nastier name. I somehow let Messenger take over and then I couldn't text. I got rid of Messenger, but now I can't post my link on Facebook. Weird.
Warning
User opted out of platform: The action attempted is disallowed, because the user has opted out of Facebook platform.
What have I done now to make the Facebook gods angry with me?
Saturday, October 26, 2019
NEVER GO TO BED MAD
Gentle Readers . . . and Maxwell,
I'm sorry I've been AWOL. I've had a lot going on that I'll share in future posts.
I'm happy to say that I'm sleeping better--most of the time. I combined your tips with suggestions I read online.
I've cut back on Diet Pepsi, especially after 6 p.m. I wash my sheets twice a week and like the white noise provided by a sputtering fan. I am learning to relax in bed instead of being upset that I can't sleep. I've even discovered that if I'm awake all night, it's not the end of the world. I accomplish a lot on sleepless nights.
I was afraid of going to work without sleep and then driving home at midnight. But I did it once and I wasn't at all tired and didn't feel sleepy while I was driving.
A yoga studio has opened near my house. They're going to offer private lessons sometime soon. When they do, I'm going to give it a try to see if I can do it. I think relaxing and stretching will be good for me. My biggest fear is that I'll get down on the floor and won't be able to get up.
Work is much better. I have a new manager. So far so good.
Some happy things are going on in my life (more to come).
Infinities of love,
Janie Junebug
I'm sorry I've been AWOL. I've had a lot going on that I'll share in future posts.
I'm happy to say that I'm sleeping better--most of the time. I combined your tips with suggestions I read online.
I've cut back on Diet Pepsi, especially after 6 p.m. I wash my sheets twice a week and like the white noise provided by a sputtering fan. I am learning to relax in bed instead of being upset that I can't sleep. I've even discovered that if I'm awake all night, it's not the end of the world. I accomplish a lot on sleepless nights.
I was afraid of going to work without sleep and then driving home at midnight. But I did it once and I wasn't at all tired and didn't feel sleepy while I was driving.
A yoga studio has opened near my house. They're going to offer private lessons sometime soon. When they do, I'm going to give it a try to see if I can do it. I think relaxing and stretching will be good for me. My biggest fear is that I'll get down on the floor and won't be able to get up.
Work is much better. I have a new manager. So far so good.
Some happy things are going on in my life (more to come).
Infinities of love,
Janie Junebug
Tuesday, October 8, 2019
TO SLEEP, PERCHANCE TO DREAM
Gentle Readers . . . and Maxwell,
"To sleep, perchance to dream" is from Hamlet and actually refers to death and the hope for a dreamlike state without problems. I don't want to die. I want to sleep at night and stay awake during the day, but I thought the quotation worked. Does it? I can't think clearly.
My sleep problems keep getting worse. I couldn't sleep Saturday night. I made myself stay awake on Sunday. I was so sleepy.
So I went to bed about ten o'clock Sunday night, put on my C-PAP, and I lay there hour after hour, wide awake. I took off the C-Pap. Couldn't sleep. I finally decided to get up and read at about 4:30 a.m. Around 10:30 I fell asleep and didn't wake up until about 6 p.m.
So of course, I couldn't sleep last night (Monday). Here I am on Tuesday morning. What do I do?
This sleep thing is causing a serious problem with my work. I've tried all sorts of things that I've read online. Don't sleep during the day. No caffeine after 6 p.m. Get some exercise. Practice good "sleep hygiene," which means having clean sheets and a comfortable bed and pillows, no internet or looking at your phone, use your bed for sleeping--not for reading or watching TV. You name it and I've probably tried it.
Yes, I have a lot of worries, but I don't think they're keeping me awake. I don't know what's keeping me awake. My doctor knows I have this problem. The last time I saw her she became irritated with me, to put it nicely. She thinks I'm not doing what I should. Now I don't feel like going to see her.
I do have odd work hours. That gets in the way of regular sleep, but even if I'm off work for a while, I can't sleep at night.
After not sleeping for 24 hours or so, I feel pretty uncomfortable about going to work because I have to get home at midnight. What if I can't concentrate at work and screw up something important? What if I fall asleep while I'm driving? How do I stay alert enough to get through work and get home?
I'm a mess.
You probably have suggestions for me. I welcome your ideas, but please forgive me if I'm grouchy. I'm tired.
Infinities of love,
Janie Junebug
Update: I appreciate your sympathy and suggestions. You came up with some things that hadn't occurred to me or that I didn't read in all the articles about how to fall asleep. I'm ready to turn off the computer for the night, drink my milk, and read for a while or watch something relaxing on TV. I'm experiencing something right now, however, that really has me thinking. As soon as I looked at the time and thought about bedtime approaching, I felt the anxiety grab me--that clenching in my stomach and the thought that I'll get no sleep. I believe now that my anxiety plays a much bigger role in this problem than I thought it did when I wrote the post this morning.
"To sleep, perchance to dream" is from Hamlet and actually refers to death and the hope for a dreamlike state without problems. I don't want to die. I want to sleep at night and stay awake during the day, but I thought the quotation worked. Does it? I can't think clearly.
My sleep problems keep getting worse. I couldn't sleep Saturday night. I made myself stay awake on Sunday. I was so sleepy.
So I went to bed about ten o'clock Sunday night, put on my C-PAP, and I lay there hour after hour, wide awake. I took off the C-Pap. Couldn't sleep. I finally decided to get up and read at about 4:30 a.m. Around 10:30 I fell asleep and didn't wake up until about 6 p.m.
So of course, I couldn't sleep last night (Monday). Here I am on Tuesday morning. What do I do?
This sleep thing is causing a serious problem with my work. I've tried all sorts of things that I've read online. Don't sleep during the day. No caffeine after 6 p.m. Get some exercise. Practice good "sleep hygiene," which means having clean sheets and a comfortable bed and pillows, no internet or looking at your phone, use your bed for sleeping--not for reading or watching TV. You name it and I've probably tried it.
Yes, I have a lot of worries, but I don't think they're keeping me awake. I don't know what's keeping me awake. My doctor knows I have this problem. The last time I saw her she became irritated with me, to put it nicely. She thinks I'm not doing what I should. Now I don't feel like going to see her.
I do have odd work hours. That gets in the way of regular sleep, but even if I'm off work for a while, I can't sleep at night.
After not sleeping for 24 hours or so, I feel pretty uncomfortable about going to work because I have to get home at midnight. What if I can't concentrate at work and screw up something important? What if I fall asleep while I'm driving? How do I stay alert enough to get through work and get home?
I'm a mess.
You probably have suggestions for me. I welcome your ideas, but please forgive me if I'm grouchy. I'm tired.
Infinities of love,
Janie Junebug
Update: I appreciate your sympathy and suggestions. You came up with some things that hadn't occurred to me or that I didn't read in all the articles about how to fall asleep. I'm ready to turn off the computer for the night, drink my milk, and read for a while or watch something relaxing on TV. I'm experiencing something right now, however, that really has me thinking. As soon as I looked at the time and thought about bedtime approaching, I felt the anxiety grab me--that clenching in my stomach and the thought that I'll get no sleep. I believe now that my anxiety plays a much bigger role in this problem than I thought it did when I wrote the post this morning.
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