Hot

Even though it was windy this morning, it was hot today. The breeze helped to moderate the heat, but it was hot today.  This morning was cool, and I was able to open the house, and the breeze helped to cool off the house. But, as I was getting ready to go out, late morning, it was getting hotter outside, and time to close the windows. And, the rest of the day was hot. Late afternoon,  I went out to a Memorial Day Ceremony in the heat. I found a place to sit in the shade, and the wind helped to moderate the heat, but the heat was still distressing.

The only blessing about this heat is that the humidity is so low, that a little bit of moisture, like a misting fan, will help with cooling.  And, if anyone is using an evaporative cooler, or "swamp cooler" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evaporative_cooler it will work very well, and requires less electricity than central refrigerated air. And, that the breeze even without the moisture, is cooling.

Anniversaries

This is the 150th anniversary of the onset of the War Between the North and the South, or the Civil War, or the War of Northern Aggression.  Today, I am watching a show on the History Channel, Gettysburg.  http://www.history.com/. I am blessed to have had the opportunity to visit Gettysburg.  I have been to Niagara Falls, the Yellowstone, the Grand Canyon, the Guadalupe Mountains, the Big Bend, Cape Hatteras, Cape Cod, the White Mountains in New Hampshire, the Smokey Mountains of Appalachia, the harbor tour of New York City, the Empire States Building, the Prudential Building in Boston, the San Diego Zoo, the Queen Mary, the Vicksburg battleground, the Biltmore Estate, the Arch in St. Louis.

Those are just some of the places I have been, but some of the more notable places I have been. Not one has impacted me, impressed me, or somehow affected me like Gettysburg. I am not sure why, but I know that Gettysburg was one of the deadliest, bloodiest battles of the Civil War. It was horrific.

There are other anniversaries this year: the 10th anniversary of 9/11/2001; the 70th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941. As they approach, I suspect we will commemorate them in some form or fashion.

Today is Memorial Day.  It is fitting to start commemorations of these events. We have not learned from history, but keeping history alive may help us to learn from our past mistakes.

Thank you my friend.

I went with a co-worker to a lecture.  After the lecture, she wanted to go up to the speakers, and thank them.  I have done that before, in the informal setting of the Osher Lifelong Learning classes. But never at a public lecture.  So, we did it. And we did the same at the next lecture.

Today, when I was at the War Memorial, the father of deceased astronaut Willie McCool was there. Taking a hint from my co-worker, I just went up to him and shook his hand, thanking him for his sacrifice. That was an honor for me.

Thank you my friend.

The Catholic Veterans' Poppy

I remember, as a child, going to church, and donating for a poppy at various times of the year. As I became older, I realized these times were associated with days acknowledging and celebrating the memory of war veterans, living and dead.

It is a symbol that was lost to me until today, when I went to a Memorial Day mass at the Lubbock war memorial.  They passed out poppies, and I was pleased to receive one http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/23173.  The speaker talked about distributing poppies so their seeds can reproduce.  Looking up the references to poppies, it seems to refer to the poem "In Flanders Fields" by John McCrae http://www.flandersfieldsmusic.com/thepoem.html. Either way, it is an important symbol for us to remember.

Memorial Day

This is Memorial Day, a day set aside to honor those who died in wars of the United States. Last year, I decided that I have a personal obligation to do something on this holiday to recognize Veterans, living and dead. Last year I went to the City of Lubbock Cemetary http://cemetery.ci.lubbock.tx.us/. This year, I went to a Mass at the Lubbock War Memorial http://www.lubbockwarmemorial.com/. In that same park, is the statue of William McCool, as a boy and an astronaut http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/23173. His father was to address residents of a retirement center today. When I was at the mass, he was at the statue.  I was able to shake his hand and thank him for his sacrifice.   There is a 5 PM service at the same Memorial. I plan to go.

Thank you to all who have served our country, especially Veterans, living and dead.

The Balance of Power

With the addition of a nearly newborn kitten into my household, the balance of power has changed.  For the uninitiated, you may want to refer to Joyce's Jabberings, http://jnapjabbering.blogspot.com/  label cat.  I have three cats: Sake, the cat with too much fur or the "bitch kitty," Haiku a long-haired tiger-striped mellow cat, and now, Taki, the semi-Siamese markings newborn who was found half dead in my back yard.

Neither Sake nor Haiku were happy about the addition of The Little Kitty (TLK). They avoided her and me, and I kept the little kitty locked in the computer room for her safety, away from the potential wrath of the adult cats.  As time progressed, and it became apparent that TLK was not leaving, Haiku has reconciled herself to the fact. She will sit with me in the computer room, not as much as before, but eventually returning to her regular roost to sleep.  Sake, on the other hand, still hisses vehemently at Taki, and leaves the room if Taki is present.

Interestingly, Haiku has become more confident. Except to ask to go out to the garage, she seldom vocally asked for anything.  She just sat and waited, until I noticed her: that included requesting food, or requesting permission to join me on the sofa.  Now, she still waits for an invitation on the sofa, especially if Taki is there, but she tells me vocally when she is wanting food.  

Additionally, she does not back down to Sake. Yesterday, Haiku was sleeping on a chair at the dining table. Sake came onto the table checking out my meal. I told her to get down, and she tried to intimidate Haiku, but Haiku continued to lay on the chair. Sake decided to get off the table.

Amazingly, though, we have had a breakthrough regarding britches mats.  Sake gets some horrific mats in her britches, and just before Taki came to stay, I was slowly working at two large mats, one on each of her rear haunches.  Well, Sake was so put out by the inclusion of Taki in our lives that I just ignored her britches. Until a few days ago.  I made a major inroad into a mat, but when she balked (hissed and scratched) I just abandoned the project, so the mat just hung there. A few days later, I captured her, and finished cutting out the now hanging, swinging mat. Finally, I was able to cut off the mat.   A couple of days later, when I pat her on the britches, she did not object as usual.  A couple of days later, she tolerated, uncomfortably I could tell, my cutting off the rest of the mat. Today, I discovered another mat, and although she was unhappy, she let me cut it off. 

So, the inclusion of a third cat in this household has upset the balance of power. I was not prepared for a third cat. And, I am not sure I will keep a third cat, although I am thinking I will.  But entropy has been effected. And life goes one.

This Makes Absolute no Sense

I have spent two days trying to access my Joyce's Jabberings blog.  Well, just now, after I opened Lisenby Lines, I was able to access Joyce's Jabberings.  The mystery gets deeper and deeper.  So, I now have two blogs on blogspot.  I will use Lisenby Lines from now on, but will post that information on Joyce's Jabberings.

Who knows?

I Lost My Blog

I lost my blog. It is still there, but for some reason, probably because I did not follow instructions, I lost access to my blog. I have sent for help multiple times, but none of the help was helpful to me. I tried changing my password so many times, that I can no longer sign on. I tried and tried. I dug around and may have found a help that will help me. Mean while, I decided to start a new blog. So, today, I have opened Lisenby Lines.

This new sign on will let me use Lisenby Lines or Joyce's Jabberings.  I like Lisenby Lines better, so will be posting under that title. 

I appreciate anyone who wants to follow my blog.  I am sending a notice out about the change in my blog.  Sorry folks, life is confusing some times.