On My Mind Today

When did it become acceptable to use slang instead of proper English when delivering the early morning or nightly news? Do they believe that the average American is not intelligent enough to notice - that they will think it is alright to do this? The first time I heard a newscaster use the term "my bad" on a national morning news show I knew I must have heard them wrong - I did not. I have always believed that our newscasters are educated, intelligent people and would hope that they believe their audience is also educated and intelligent. I know that it does offend me when they assume I will not notice if the language and grammar are not correct. Do they truly think that Americans should accept slang as part of a national news program? When informing the nation on the events in our country and the world, they should speak up to their audience and not down. Raise the bar and expect that people do understand, and that they will learn from the news when they do not. After al

Each spring I anxiously await the arrival of the Loons on the lake. The first time I hear them call out to one another a feeling comes over me that I cannot fully explain. Maybe it is joy that they have returned, and maybe it is the touch of peace it brings to my soul. The sound is like no other and always makes me stop and listen - waiting to hear them again. It is fun to watch them during the day as they float along the water so gracefully. First right in front of you, and then all of a sudden they are diving deep under the water for food. The next time you see them surface they are so far away, and it amazes me how far they can go submerged. Throughout the summer they continue their calls and I never take it for granted as I know the season is only so long. When I wake up in the morning it is the first thing I hear, and at night their melodic, almost haunting call lulls me to sleep. Nature is so giving if we allow her into our lives. Now that we are in the dog days of summer I

We are planning a trip to Italy next year. He has family there that he has not seen in many years, and he wants to show me Italy through the eyes of an Italian and not as a "tourist" as he says. We will start in Austria and work our way down through Italy ending up in Sicily. I am very excited about this trip. So to prepare I am teaching myself Italian as I do not want to insult anyone by not being able to communicate at least a little. I want his family to know that I at least have put some effort into understanding their language. As the title of this blog states it has been like teaching an old dog new tricks. The audio CD program I purchased is very good and uses repetition which is definitely a great way to learn. The first few lessons were easy and I was able to move on quickly. However, lesson 4 was a bit more difficult and lesson 5 is even more daunting. I find that even when my mind comprehends, the mouth does not always cooperate. Amazing how hard it can be to t

Today I only wish to share the letter my brother posted to his son's Facebook page:   Thoughts of Marine Parents As Kodys parents we thought you might like to know what it is like to be parents of a Marine. If you have access to this Kody has "friended" you on Facebook. For him to do that you, in some way, are a part of his life and finds it important to stay in touch with you. He has committed the next eight years of his life to defend this nation and protect your rights as Americans. In the next few months he will be deployed to God knows where to protect this nation. Our only hope and prayer is that he comes home safely after his tours of duty. For him to succeed he will need the thoughts and prayers of all who know him. As you tag, post, text, tweet, email, write or call him, please always keep in mind his safety is predicated on his ability to have a clear mind. To be focused on his job as a Marine. His life and the lives of his fellow Marines depen

Recently my daughter arrived for the weekend with my 2 grandchildren, Anthony - 9 and Emily - 4. They are bright, inquisitive and full of energy. Sometimes I wonder if I will be able to keep up with all the jumping and running. Not quite as easy as it used to be, but they make me feel young again at least for a few days. We decided to take them to Hampton Beach for the morning since it was so hot and humid. I assumed it would be extremely crowded so we left early to try and beat the rush. When we arrived we had to keep checking parking lots until we found a spot in one on the upper end of Hampton Beach. This made me a bit apprehensive as I assumed we would not find much of a spot on the beach to park our things while they played. We had chairs, a cooler, towels, etc. so we asked the kids to help.They were great and carried what their size could handle. Much to my surprise when we got to the beach the upper end was fairly quiet with plenty of room. We settled in and then headed to t

I just spent two wonderful days with my daughter and granddaughter. Precious moments that leave me with great memories. Now that they have gone home, I am feeling very tired. Tired like I have no energy, tired of winter with a big storm predicted in 2 days, tired of household chores, etc., etc. In my quest to determine what was on my mind today, I found this blog which I shared in 2012. It was a sign - a gentle reminder to myself - to be ever so thankful for my life. So once again I will share my thoughts on being blessed: Every day I remind myself how truly blessed I am. When I wake up and get out of bed the first thing I see from my window is a view of the lake. On a great day the sun is sparkling on the water like diamonds, but even on the gray days it is a wonderful sight to behold, for even the gray days have their own unique beauty. There is something about being on the water that can bring such peace to your soul. I am blessed to have a great relationship with a man who is k

I know that I cannot even begin to have a full understanding of PTSD and the effects to one's soul. Having not been exposed to the horrors of war I can only imagine what they have seen. What stays with them and haunts them long after they return home. When they are expected to return and resume a "normal" life. Their families have waited so long for their return and just want their husbands, sons, daughters, brothers and sisters back home - back in their lives like they have never left. If it only could be so. I have no doubt that our returning veterans would be happy to erase all the images of the things they have seen and been exposed to. Leave it all behind like it never happened. But it is not possible. Some can move forward better than others, but nobody is immune to the aftermath of emotions. To the lingering fear that is still there with each loud noise that makes them jump. Emotions that spill out in anger against the ones they love. I have seen first hand the

You, and only you, should make the choices that will chart the path for your future. You are the one who knows what is in your heart and what your passion is, and what road you want to take to get there. Why then would you give up the power to someone else to make a choice that will effect the rest of your life? What would make you think that they will have your best interests at heart? Why would you give someone else this power? We all make choices in life - some good and some not so good. When we make these choices we must live with them and learn from them. This is how we grow and adjust to make sure we are going in the right direction. This is good as long as they are choices we have made. When you allow someone else to make choices for you, then you give them your power and you are no longer in control. Where you end up may be where they want to be, but not the best place for you. The impact can be life altering and derail the plans you have made for your future. If I could gi

In searching for health care coverage I have found there is no real competition in NH. I emailed the NH Insurance Department regarding the lack of competition and they replied with a list of companies that offer coverage in NH. No matter which online site I go to for a quote it always brings me back to quotes from Anthem Blue Cross. The best rate they offered was $385 a month for a plan with a $12,000 deductible. Anthem Blue Cross appears to have a monopoly in this state. I have had a short term medical plan for almost a year and this has cost me $800 every 6 months. The plan has a $5000 deductible and covers 50% after the deductible is met. Because it is a short term plan it does not cover pre-existing conditions or preventative care. I can barely afford this coverage so $385 a month ($4,620/year) is out of the question. I know that I need health insurance, but with limited funds this is becoming increasingly more difficult to maintain. I have two weeks to sign up for 6 more months

It is amazing to see all the ads on television that claim you can lose weight with a pill or powder and no changes to your diet or exercise. Others will give you weight loss success while you order their pre-packaged foods, but what happens when you go back to reality and fixing your own meals at home? There is that old expression that" if something seems too good to be true then it probably is". Losing weight is no easy task, especially with the added stress in our lives today. The only way to do it, and keep the weight off, is to change your lifestyle. You have to learn to eat the right foods in the right quantities, and also add exercise to your routine. You can have the foods you love like sweets & chips, but not all the time. Even a small change to start can get you on the road to weight loss success, and as you adjust to that change it becomes routine and easier. Then you move forward making changes until you are eating right and exercising regularly. The exercise

Just like so many of us I do think about what I would do if I ever won the Lottery. That big jackpot - the one that will make sure you are set for life.  I know that one of the first things I would do is make sure that my children have a mortgage free home and a good vehicle without a loan. Then I would ask what they have always wanted to do and set them up so they would be able to make a living at something they love to do. Of course the next step would be to ensure that my grandchildren have the funds to attend college. With their college degree they will hopefully be able to follow their dreams. I am optimistic that our country will recuperate and allow them the opportunity to do this. We would finally do all the traveling that we talk about and dream about. Maybe I would even make sure he has his place in Montana (of course after I have my place in Myrtle Beach). Live a life where I can spend as much time with my children, grandchildren, family and friends and treat them to spe