Driver's License

This is how we will look when the kids take our driver's licenses away. smiles....

Picture is from an email forward, source unknown.

I had to renew my driver's license yesterday. The good news-it is still free in Oklahoma for those of us over 65. We also get free fishing and hunting licenses. I don't hunt or fish. Oh well, I guess it helps lots of other folks.

The bad news-they now make us take off our glasses for the photo ID. I have worn glasses since I was 16 years old and my picture does NOT look like me. I look like an escapee from Sing-Sing.

And no, I am not going to post a copy of that picture. The only way any of you will ever see it is if you pull me over on the side of the road, you are wearing a uniform, carrying a badge, gun and taser. And even then I will try to avoid showing it.

More bad news-being fingerprinted is now required to get a driver's license. I swear I am not guilty of any wrongdoing whatsoever, and now I have to stay that way. Just when I was thinking of going down to the town museum and picking all the floweres on the front lawn.

Bummer.....

The birthday is over, and I really don't feel any older than I did the 28th.

"The older I get, the less a lifetime guarantee is worth to me." Source Unknown

Looking forward to a year of surprises,

Grandma in the yellow house

Memories

I have met some friends from school on facebook, and my memory keeps getting nudged with things I had totally forgotten.

Sue Grubbs Perkins and Burgess B. Grubbs, who was in my class, posted pictures of our old home stompin' grounds, and I have to admit it made me a little bit homesick......okay. A lot homesick! The last time I went to Illinois it was to bury my mother, January 2008, and I was too sick at the time to visit any people or places, in fact I spent one evening while there in the ER. It would be great to go back and just drive around the streets of Milton and Pearl.

The pictures are the next best thing, but way down from #1.




The bandstand in the center of the Milton Square. I have no idea how many hours were spent there just hanging out with friends. I showed the picture to David, and he said, "Oh yeah, I used to ride my skateboard down that sidewalk."


The bridge at Florence as seen from the ball field, where I spent many Sunday afternoons. My family were all baseball fans (Cardinals!) and we would have a picnic there in the park before the games.
Detroit city limit sign, home of the Carter clan. We lived there the year David was in first grade. They still had a school at that time. Patti was 4 then, not in school.

Thank you Sue, for allowing me to use these photos.


Hugs to y'all
Grandma in the yellow house

Friday Funnies

Proof reading is a dying art, wouldn't you say?

Man kills self before shooting wife and daughter.

This one I caught in the SGV Tribune the other day and called the Editorial Room and asked who wrote this. It took two or three readings before the editor realized that what he was reading was impossible. They put in a correction next day.

I just couldn't help but send this along. Too funny.

Something went wrong in jet crash, Expert says.

Really? Ya think?

Police Begin Campaign to Run Down Jaywalkers

Now that's taking things a bit far!

Panda Mating Fails; Veterinarian Takes Over

What a guy!

Miners Refuse to work after Death

No-good-for-nothing lazy so-and-so's!

Juvenile Court to Try Shooting Defendant

See if that works any better than a fair trial.

War Dims Hope for Peace

I can see where it might have that effect!

If Strike Isn't Settled Quickly, It May Last Awhile

Ya think?

Cold Wave Linked to Temperatures

Who would have thought!

Enfield (London) Couple Slain; Police Suspect Homicide

They may be on to something!

Red Tape Holds Up New Bridges

You mean there's something stronger than duct tape?

New Study of Obesity Looks for Larger Test Group

Weren't they fat enough?

Astronaut Takes Blame for Gas in Spacecraft

That's what he gets for eating those beans.

Kids Make Nutritious Snacks

Do they taste like chicken?

Local High School Dropouts Cut in Half

Chainsaw Massacre all over again!

And the winner is:

Typhoon Rips Through Cemetery; Hundreds Dead

Did I read that right?

Copyright 2009 Yahoo! Inc. All rights reserved

Hope it made you smile...........

Grandma in the yellow house

$4,5OO for your old Clunker?

Another brain black-out from congress.....they want to give us poor folks a big chunk of money to trade in our old "gas-guzzlin" clunkers for a new fuel efficient car. Huh? A new car is gonna cost a lot more than a rebate and a trade-in, and all just to get 25 mpg.

What that amounts to for us is a car payment every month (which we do Not have now,) less gas mileage than we get now, probably a lot less comfortable ride, loss of sleep over how to make those payments, higher insurance, higher license and tag fees, to name a few drawbacks.

Our '94 Buick may not be as pretty as it once was, but it still runs great after over 130,000 miles, gets 27 mpg in town with the a/c on, and 29 to 30 mpg on the highway and it was paid for several years ago. At the last tune-up the mechanic said it was in excellent condition and all it needed was a change of transmission fluid and filter, and it would be good for another 200,000 miles.

I don't believe we will give up our ol' Buick for a few years yet (if ever) because it gets us where we want to go trouble free. A new car would not do any better than that.

Keep your (our) money congress.

Grandma in the yellow house

events or something like that

David was here yesterday to tell his Dad "Happy Father's Day" and during the discussions I learned the cell tower is already operational! Gotta go shopping for a cell phone! This week!
I found the perfect web site for David, it is called www.evilmadgenius.com and he agrees it sounds like a good spot. He dubs himself a mad scientist, and we all agree the name fits.

My family all think I am a tightwad, but I really am not. I am just thrifty, and with the economy in such a state that is a good thing. There was an appropriate thought to remember from Reminisce Magazine, the June/July issue that says, "When your outgo exceeds your income, your upkeep is your downfall." This fits a lot of folks I know. Living below your means is one of the best sources of contentment I know.

"The happiest people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the best of everything they have." Source unknown, from an email forward.

Call me a penny-pincher if you like, I'll just smile all the way to the bank.
Grandma in the yellow house

Cell Phones

We are finally joining the 21st century when it comes to technology. One of the phone companies has erected a cell tower just outside of town, and the word is it should be programmed and ready for service on July 1.

Our cell reception has been spotty until now. You could make calls by going to the edge of town where there is a hill, or standing on top of your truck (ask David how we know this), or by standing on certain street corners (ask Sunshine how we know this.) There are actually a few places in town where one could receive or make a call, but it takes moving around, standing by the laundry room window, or on the back porch, and a few other places. The town sits down in a wide hole, surrounded by hills. That could also be the reason there has not been a tornado touch down near since 1968.

Ok, now to buy a cell phone. We are considering the Jitterbug. No bells or whistles, no internet connection, no camera, no texting, just phone calls period. Why get bogged down with all this technology when I still have to get Haley to help me with MySpace and Twitter.

Oh by the way, I will not use the cell phone while driving. or roam WalMart with one stuck to my ear all the time I am shopping, or try to impress others with my newest status symbol.

From the technologically challenged

Grandma in the yellow house

Haley's Birthday

Haley celebrated her 15th birthday on the 28th of April. She is now old enough to take drivers ed. God help us! Actually she started a couple of weeks ago, and will soon have her learners permit, to drive with a licensed (over 21) driver. She will need lots of practice, in her mother's car of course. Her first driving experience was sitting in her Dad's lap and steering the car while he managed the foot pedals.

This is Haley at about a year old. All of our grandkids have played in the plastic bowls cabinet. It is so much more fun than regular toys.

They grow up so fast!

Wondering where the time went.........

Grandma in the yellow house

New Babies

Sunshine and her girls were over this evening to show off new pets. They were accidentally trapped in a cage that had been set for skunks, and the mother was long gone. She abandoned them, the hussy. They are being bottle fed but are almost big enough to go on solid food. The vet gave them some advice on caring for them, so everyone is hopeful for their survival.

When we lived in Jacksonville, IL we had 4 that fell out of a tree in front of our house. We fed them and tamed them, and they were fun pets. They were not caged, and would come running when Harold went out and banged on the food pan. We came home from work one afternoon and they were gone. One of the neighbors said he saw someone in a pickup truck stop and grab them, but he was too far away to get a license number. I am sure they ended up in a pet shop somewhere.

They can be good pets, but when they are grown they may go back to the wild, so don't get too attached. Oh yeah, they can also be stolen from your front yard.

Remembering former pets,

Grandma in the yellow house

Happy Birthday, Harley

Today is our great-granddaughter Harley's birthday. She is 13 on the 13th, the only time in her life that her age and date of birth will be the same. She is now a teen-ager, and we expect her to go brain-dead at any time. The hormones kick in, she suddenly knows everything, and parents know nothing, well...........you know how it goes. It will be 7 to 10 years before she returns to normal (whatever normal is.) This is Harley at 3 months.

And Harley at 3 years.

It might be that her symptoms may be less severe than what others go through, because she is sort of laid back and calm. It takes a lot to push her hot buttons. Her mother has said Harley lives in her own little world, and likes it there. We are all hoping she has a great day today. I believe a trip to Witchita Falls were in the plans for a day at the water park.

Family time is the best of times.

Give thanks to the Lord for you families.

Grandma in the yellow house

Friday Funnies

This is an email forward I received a few days ago, and after thinking about it for awhile I decided to share it with my family and friends. Very thought provoking. My stimulus went to pay on a hospital bill and I am betting that most folks used theirs just as responsibly. By the way I believe "responsibility" is a word tatally not understood by "government." In fact here is an example of government stupidity....

Anyway, here is the forward I mentioned:

"This year, taxpayers will receive an Economic Stimulus Payment. This is a very exciting program that I will explain using the Q and A format:

Q. What is an Economic Stimulus Payment?

A. It is money that the federal government will send to taxpayers.

Q. Where will the government get this money?

A. From taxpayers.

Q. So the government is giving me back my own money?

A. Only a smidgeon.

Q. What is the purpose of this payment?

A. The plan is that you will use the money to purchase a high-definition tv set, thus stimulatiing the economy.

Q. But isn't that stimulating the ecnomy of China?

A. Shut up.

Q. What if I use the money to pay my taxes?

A. The money goes back to the government and they give it to someone else.

Below is some helpful advice on how to best help the US economy by spending your money wisely:

If you spend the money at Wal Mart, all the money will go to China.

If you spend it on gasoline, it will go to the Arabs.

If you purchase a computer, it will go to India.

If you purchase fruits and vegetables, it will go to Mexico, Honduras, and Guatemala.

If you buy a car it will go to Japan.

If you purchase worthless crap, it will go to Taiwan.

And none of it will help the American economy.

We need to keep that money here in America. You can do this by spending it at yard sales, going to a baseball game, or spending it on gambling, beer (domestic only), or tattoos, since those are the only businesses still in the U.S.

OK I don't gamble, drink beer, or have any tattoos. Guess the only thing left to do is go get my hair done, have a manicure and pedicure, and have a nice glass of locally made wine.

Have a nice day, and take the government shenanigans with a smile and a shrug.

Love to all

Grandma in the yellow house

David's Guitars

David has the simple philosophy that you can not have too many guitars or motorcycles. This is one of his favorites.

He only has five at present, but says he needs seven. one for each day of the week. He began playing in his Jr. High years, and has never stopped. Although he is good enough to play professionally and has been invited to join a few bands, he says he doesn't want to make a job of something he enjoys so much. And there is the fact also that the lifestyles of the successful bands are not compatible with the way ordinary folks live.

We have always had music in our home. Harold's Dad played fiddle (not violin-that's upper crust) and guitar, Harold plays and has played guitar, sax, banjo, piano, and his favorite, pedal steel guitar, and even me---attempting harmonica LOL. I can't imagine a home without music, even if it just the stereo or fm radio.

Love that 80's music!

Grandma in the yellow house

In the Flower Patch

We went across the river to Texas a couple of days ago, and had to stop and take pictures. Well, just taking pictures was not quite enough. Patti and Debbie wanted to get a little closer and we had to have a little evidence of how close they actually got. Looks like they are getting the hang of this sisters business quickly.

Mary Engelbreit said, "Bloom where you're planted." So our daughters are blooming 'mongst the other flowers.

Blessings and Blossoms to y'all

Grandma in the yellow house

FL city girl meets OK horses

Debbie made some new friends on her daily walk.These horses definitely thought the grass was greener on her side of the fence. By the second day they came to the fence without being coaxed, a handful of grass and weeds was enough of a bribe for them. They did have some neighbors across the road who were too stand-offish to get acquainted, 2 white horses, who just may have been "snobs?"

Just one of the experiences in a small town........

"One of the secrets to a happy life is continuous small treats." Iris Murdoch

Hope you have lots of small treats today.

Grandma in the yellow house