THE END TO 2011........

Frohe Weihnachten, Boldog karácsonyt, Vrolijk Kerstfeest, Buon Natale, hyvää joulua, Joyeux Noël, 메리 크리스마스, Priecīgus Ziemassvētkus, Su Kalėdomis, God jul, Wesołych świąt bożego Narodzenia, Un Crăciun fericit, С Рождеством Хрисовым, vesele vianoce, vesel božič, Feliz Navidad, maligayang pasko, Noeliniz kutlu olsun
and Merry Christmas to all.

Now that I have just celebrated Christmas in some 19 different languages...................I can get down to thinking about New Years.   Where does one begin.

Politically, we have the next 11 months to look forward to MORE talk on how our friends on the right plan to correct all the errors made by the left over the past 3 years along with how THEY think things should be done...........................OH HUM!!          waiting to hear some of those ideas ........................ I am sure I will have some fun with that.

Adventures at SAS and my days of travelling,  will bring a little tear to my eyes .............thinking about all those good times.  I hope to bring some good sense travelling ideas and some great places to visit while you are travelling.

School days, school days...........dear old golden rule days.........have always been close to my heart................best part is that I still have contact with many of my high school friends. Collage is a Little different, it was mainly piece make, little here, little there but if I had put my mind to the desk and stayed at one place, perhaps my life would have been a little different, though I confess not necessarily better.


Where I am Now!!!          At this point of my life I can look back and honestly say that if I had to live my life over, I would want it to be just as it was................Oh sure, there has been some little rough times and a little sadness from time to time  but I did not cause any of it so.....................it's not my fault!!!

So, as you can see, the blog goes on as usual,  hope you hang around to read it.

Happy New Year!!!!!!

POTPORRI..............................

I spent just about 5 months under 40 years with SAS Airlines.  When I think back over this time, there are memories of the greatest years along with those that just didn't meet that grade.  I try hard even to this day to put them aside and think of only the greatest of the great.
A friend recently sent me this link and I tried to place some kind of comparison to my years.   I could not, to the extent, as in this link.....................but, there were occasional times that came awfully close.
Take a look:

http://www.youtube.com/v/QCz8he36hsk&hl=en%22


Vito's Dictionary

No English dictionary has been able to adequately explain the difference between the two words COMPLETE and FINISHED, in a way that is easy to understand.

Some people say there is no difference between COMPLETE and FINISHED.

However, there is a difference. When you marry the right woman, you are COMPLETE. And when you marry the wrong woman, you are FINISHED.

And when the right one catches you with the wrong one, you are --- COMPLETELY FINISHED!

TIS  ....THE ......SEASON

We are now entering the Holiday season,  for some reason I find myself   thinking back, trying my best to come to some date in time..............that I sat on Santa's lap.   Not sure if that ever happen.   OH  sure, I'm sure my mom and dad insisted I do that and being the good son that I was, I probably did..............of course with the promise that this old guy bring me exactly what I wanted for Christmas...........with that in mind...........if I did sit on his lap I'm sure it was only once.  Simply because  I never got.... ALL......... the things I asked for.

Now, the season to be jolly is upon us, whether it be Christmas, Hanukkah, fescus or YOUR special holiday,  just as long as you celebrate it in the way it is meant to be celebrated........with  peace and joy to all.   Let me wish you all the very Merriest of the Holiday and for a Happy,Healthy New Year!!!!!!! There will only be one more blog this year......after I see what the fat old guy drops off at my house........Sure hope it's a tie with socks to match.  Please check out this video
    
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ooc5eJc5SHA

Vito

WARNING FOR OLDER MEN!!!!

Something to beware of around the Holidays

 BE CAREFUL OUT THERE!

Warning for Older Men!
Clever Scam . . . warn your friends!!
This is very serious stuff!



Women often receive warnings about protecting themselves at the mall
and in dark parking lots, etc. This is the first warning I have
seen for men. I wanted to pass it on in case you haven’t heard
about it. This will only become more commonplace as the holidays
get closer.. This is a “heads up” for those men who may be regular
Lowe’s, Home Depot, Wal-Mart, Target, or Sam’s Club customers. This
one caught me by surprise.

Over the last couple weeks I became a victim of a clever scam while
out shopping. Simply going out to get some simple Christmas gifts
has turned out to be quite traumatic. Don’t be naive enough to
think it couldn’t happen to you or your friends.

Here’s how the scam works:

Two seriously good-looking 20-something girls come over to your car
dressed as Santa’s Helpers as you are packing your shopping into the
trunk. They both start helping you pack your stuff into your
vehicle. What catches your eye is the very short bright Red Santa
helper miniskirts they are wearing and the tight fitting Deep “V”
neck red top shirt with their breasts almost falling out. It is
impossible not to look..

When you thank them and offer them a tip, they say “No” and instead
ask you for a ride to McDonalds to get some hot cocoa and a snack.

You agree and they get into the back seat. On the way, they start
undressing. Then one of them climbs over into the front seat and
starts crawling all over you, while the other one steals your
wallet. I had my wallet stolen Nov 24th, 26th 28th 29th, 30th,
twice on Dec 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, and very likely again this upcoming
weekend.

So tell your friends to be careful!! What a horrible way to take
advantage of older men during this holiday season. Warn your
friends to be vigilant. These girls will not give up; they have
proven it over and over again with me.

By the way, Target has wallets on sale for $2.99 each. I found
cheaper ones at Wal-Mart for $1.99 and bought them out. Also, you
will never get to eat at McDonald’s. I’ve already lost 14 pounds
just running back and forth to Lowe’s, Home Depot, Sam’s Club,
Wal-Mart, and Target.

So please, send this along to all the older men that you know, and
warn them to be on the lookout for this scam.

PS: (The best times are just before lunch and around 4:30 in the afternoon)


I am planning just one more posting before that night when the fat guy arrives with all his reindeers ....... who by the way............left all kinds of footprints on my roof last year along with knocking some shingles off.   This year I have set up a reindeer trap on the roof.

talk with you next week/

DANCIN' AND PRANCIN'

TURN UP THE SOUND!!!!!!!!!AND LET'S GET DOWN

Margot and I went dancing at the senior DANCE HALL......................YAHOO!!!!!


Each one of you, reading this blog have touched our lives, one way or another. Either individually or as  a couple.  I sincerely have enjoyed and will continue to enjoy bringing you, my life of days gone by, present days and how I view the future.  I hope you stay on line with me.

For me, it seems that my life is getting shorter.

The days are just not as long as they use to be. (less daylight)  Margot keeps saying not to worry..........it's just standard time we are on now...................but I think there is more involved.  She also tells me it will get better in the spring when we move our clocks forward................but  I'm not really sure that will work either.   Seems we went through that last summer but for some reason I always missed the 7th inning stretch along with the 8th and 9th innings of the games.   The eyelids just seem to close early regardless of what time of the year it is.

Now that it's dark at 4:30PM  I just seem to automatically curl up on the couch and miss the next 6 hours of the day before Margot tells me it's time to go to bed. OOOOHHHHH   where does the time go.

A friend of mine sent this video out to me and after watching it I discovered there was so much more to stay awake for.  It brought back memories of days gone by................when some of my moves.........were just as impressive.      Start it up and think back, my friends, to those days of the JIVE.!!! 

IT MAY TAKE A MOMENT TO START......................AFTER ALL      WE ARE OLD!!

http://www.youtube.com/embed/eSKCi9ml4ME

IS WHAT YOU HEAR..........ALWAYS TRUE????

I'm really reaching the point where I am getting fed up with the BS happening in Government.

People just flapping off where apparently they are not checking things out,  then calling the system corrupt or broken. Now, I'm giving reference to firstly our dysfunctioned leaders in Congress, then to the "followers" that they have that are just flat out ignorant.   Yes, my friends, you are entitled to YOUR opinion as I am to mine.................but for the sake of a half of a brain.................take the time to check out what is being said before you jump out of your skin.  One thing is this controversy on illegals collecting social security.  Here is the scoop on that!!!!!!   


Q.    Is it true that some people are collecting Social Security benefits who never paid into the system?

A.   Social Security is an earned benefit. In order to collect a retirement benefit, a worker must pay into the system for at least 10 years. In some cases, nonworking family members, such as a spouse, may be eligible for benefits based on the worker's record. Tough rules in place assure that only legal residents can collect Social Security benefits.

Now, if you know or have absolute proof of any case.......then perhaps you are the problem by not reporting it.  Take this one step further.  If you are aware of your next door neighbor.....or a relative of yours  still  collecting social security of a dead relative you should also be hung and charged for a crime.  Don't be a complete jerk and complain about one case and not another. Here is more to read about that.

http://www.aarp.org/work/social-security/info-11-2011/5-social-security-myths.html#.Tr3FNV0V8pM.email

DE  BATE     OR    NOT   DE   BATE!!!!

So far, I have listened to ..................oh...................perhaps half of the Republican debates.   As far as I am concerned,  listening to the same stuff just proves ..................that only one debate is necessary.    If you listen.................closely...................you will never hear an answer to the question.  This would never go over in "Judge Judy's" court.  Rick even went to the extent to say to the moderator.   "You ask your question, I will answer it my way"    I simply cannot understand ...............why a supposedly smart person..................takes 15 minutes to answer a question.  I remember doing this in high school.......................but..................in my defense it was because I did not study and did not know the answer..............so I went 3 blocks further around the question to try and say something to make it sound like I had opened up the book.  Now , these politicians are doing the same to us .  Only thing is there are a lot of people that are thinking that same way.

The other thing that really gets me going is when our politicians begin this crappola about, "It's not in the constitution"    Have you ever really listened to their interpretation to some of what's in the constitution?    It's absolutely mind boggling to hear their thoughts about that. 

Listening to these 8 potential Republican candidates and what they are promising to do if........elected President....................makes me shutter with laughter.......................and there's a lot of me..................... to shutter, then again it does open up the possibility of the Democrats to use their....................."""".liar, liar..................your pants ARE ON FIRE!!!!!!!!!!!""" when they finally realize....................they have not got it done.

Get with it folks,  you had better begin thinking out things for yourself...................if you depend on our leaders to do your thinking .................your going down..................

FASHION ...............AND MORE!

It wasn't long ago when I would see guys walking around with their pants down to their thighs..................I always wondered just how they could do that.  I came home one day and decided to give it a try just to see what it felt like...................didn't like it ................but found out that if I took short steps I was able to make it across the bedroom without tripping on the belt............so I decided to take the belt off.  Now, to me if it's so in style to have everyone see your underwear....why wouldn't you just wear your underwear over you pants. Hence the song
"Pants on the ground
Pants on the ground
Lookin' like a fool with your pants on the ground"

As one ages, you simply start to pull your pants up........until you reach the age of retirement, when you not only can cut your suspenders in half but you can give yourself a "weggie" like you never had experienced before.    AHHHH    just right!!!

Guess all ages have had their style of fashion.  I remember quite vividly, that in high school there was basically two styles of dress. If you were in with the athletes, like most of us all wanted to be, you wore chino's that were approximately 2 cuff widths off the top of the shoes........in order to show your white athletic socks.  Shoes of the day were either white bucks or the sand colored bucks better known as  "dessert boots", and a letter sweater. ( I not only lettered in basketball and baseball but also marching band.  Now there was also a group (not necessarily nerds) they were the projector guys who would wear chartreuse socks or shocking orange. Plaid cotton shirts. and always had a pen or pencil protector in their shirt pocket.
 For that "special night out"  I had a charcoal gray suit, pink shirt with a pink piece of cloth in my breast pocket and pink socks (here again the pants were 2 cuff widths short)  and my shoes were either penny loafers or tassel loafers (I still may have the tassel loafers).  I think that suit lasted me all 4 years of high school...............just goes to show you how many "special nights" I had.

After taking a shower and getting dressed this morning, I showed up at the breakfast table.  Margot looked at me kind of funny.  Here I was dressed in my very best...............purple shirt by POLO,  my green pants by  DOCKERS................underwear by .....................FRUIT OF THE LOOM.   red socks by  .....NIKE and shoes by  REEBOK        I asked Margot what her problem was..............her only response was that I looked like a walking  Ad for something.

Just checked out my closet..................I do have those tassel loafers...........................and they still fit.  At least my feet are loosing weight!!!!!

SOMETHING ELSE TO GET THE COBWEBS OUT OF THE BRAIN: Take a look at this video


http://www.youtube.com/v/uNE3YSr_o2A%26feature%3drelated

Have a nice day.......................see you next week

HAPPY HALLOWEEN.........................

The day of ghost's and witches riding broomsticks. Oh,  I will never forget the running door to door collecting candy, apples, pennies and other goodies.

My mom and dad, would even dress up to make their little darling feel comfortable as I ran around in my little homemade  "BUM" costume.  My dad would, year after year, go out  in his work clothes and my mom would go as a housewife.................only difference is ...............they would both wear a  "Lone Ranger" mask........................guess they didn't want the neighbors to see who they really were................or that they didn't want to associate with this kid dressed like I just arrived on a freight train.  Anyway it was always good fun.  They use to walk me up to the door  FORCE me to ring the bell.....(since I was the type that didn't want to interrupt anyone eating dinner or anything)  and in my very little soft spoken voice I would mutter those famous words....................."twick or tweat?"   Now, as time goes by in years I began to think for myself...............why would anyone in their right mind say            "TRICK"    I would be totally unprepared to perform any trick and would probably have run away from the scary house crying and never would go back there again.
As the years passed, mom and dad would be reluctant to go out with me...............since they discovered that while they were out with me..............there was no one home to greet................these little bastards...........that if no one answered the door, they would just sit there and continuously ring the bell.   My dad would swear that that's how our bell wore out.   Dad,  it's electric!!!!  it can't wear out by using it to much..............." how do you know..........mr. know it all.....................it could burn up the wires inside the walls"     He was the type that always had to have the last word..................no matter how stupid it would sound.

Well, as the years passed I was eventually allowed to go that ghostly night with my friends, I think I was 15 at that time since it was dark.           No, just kidding.        I was about 7. A gang of us kids (4 or 5 kids) would simply watch the parents bringing their little "baby kids" (4-6 years old) up to the door and as soon as the door opened we would all run up screaming "TRICK OR TREAT"  that way we were always guaranteed to get something that the cute adorable little kids would get and not that lousy hard, left over Christmas candy from last Christmas.

Fast forward to the time to take my kids out................along with the dog..............who had to go out in her costume.....OH glory.                what's next.     I would bring my whiskey glass with me go get filled up and usually by the10th house we visited I would just want to go home, sit down and have Margot continue.  Only problem is I had to sit on a hard kitchen chair next to the front door with a bowl of candy in my lap...............and just let the kids pick out whatever they wanted....................well,  finally its all gone.  SHUT OUT THE LIGHTS, pull the drapes closed and sneak into the kitchen and have my dinner by candle light.

What a glorious life.!!!!!  now, we just shut off the front door light, pull the drapes and head to the casino for our.............free money.

SOMETIME IT'S GOOD TO TALK TO YOURSELF.......

               (my opinion)
Something I've always wondered about is "how all these polls taken can reflect contradictory effects"
"WHO OR WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO KEEP OUT"

It seems to me that if you take a poll.......the answers provided would either reflect one point........or another. Having said that.....I can understand why our country is so divided in opinion's.  To have 4 different polls reflect 4 different answers is beyond my capability to even try to understand "what is really going on".   I found, after 5 glasses of wine, 1/2 of a 5 meat pizza and 2 pepperoni  sticks......that not only did I feel sick.............but I figured out just how the Polling crap worked.   It's totally in " How the question is asked"  Just by moving one word you can get ........THE ANSWER YOU WANT!!!!!. WOW,  maybe it is true that wine stimulates your brain................or is it your blood pressure...............or is it you view of life,,,,,,well no matter what it is. I answered the question.......................my way. Therefore the result is....................It is better to talk to yourself than to some other people if you want to hear the CORRECT reply.
Now to carry this one step further, I have developed a test which I will name  Vito's law.  It consists of 50 questions where there is no right or wrong answer.    Try it on for size.

Now, before you start................I must confess................I tried this out at the Dooney, Tooney house of rubber walls.  As a result of this I had so many answers bouncing off the walls I could not list them all.
These questions have no right or wrong answers.
Because sometimes asking the right questions is the answer.

1. How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you are?
2. Which is worse, failing or never trying?
3. If life is so short, why do we do so many things we don’t like and like so many things we don’t do?
4. When it’s all said and done, will you have said more than you’ve done?
5. What is the one thing you’d most like to change about the world?
6. If happiness was the national currency, what kind of work would make you rich?
7. Are you doing what you believe in, or are you settling for what you are doing?
8. If the average human life span was 40 years, how would you live your life differently?
9. To what degree have you actually controlled the course your life has taken?
10. Are you more worried about doing things right, or doing the right things?
11. You’re having lunch with three people you respect and admire. They all start criticizing a close friend of yours, not knowing she is your friend. The criticism is distasteful and unjustified. What do you do?
12. If you could offer a newborn child only one piece of advice, what would it be?
13. Would you break the law to save a loved one?
14. Have you ever seen insanity where you later saw creativity?
15. What’s something you know you do differently than most people?
16. How come the things that make you happy don’t make everyone happy?
17. What one thing have you not done that you really want to do? What’s holding you back?
18. Are you holding onto something you need to let go of?
19. If you had to move to a state or country besides the one you currently live in, where would you move and why?
20. Do you push the elevator button more than once? Do you really believe it makes the elevator faster?
21. Would you rather be a worried genius or a joyful simpleton?
22. Why are you, you?
23. Have you been the kind of friend you want as a friend?
24. Which is worse, when a good friend moves away, or losing touch with a good friend who lives right near you?
25. What are you most grateful for?
26. Would you rather lose all of your old memories, or never be able to make new ones?
27. Is is possible to know the truth without challenging it first?
28. Has your greatest fear ever come true?
29. Do you remember that time 5 years ago when you were extremely upset? Does it really matter now?
30. What is your happiest childhood memory? What makes it so special?
31. At what time in your recent past have you felt most passionate and alive?
32. If not now, then when?
33. If you haven’t achieved it yet, what do you have to lose?
34. Have you ever been with someone, said nothing, and walked away feeling like you just had the best conversation ever?
35. Why do religions that support love cause so many wars?
36. Is it possible to know, without a doubt, what is good and what is evil?
37. If you just won a million dollars, would you quit your job?
38. Would you rather have less work to do, or more work you actually enjoy doing?
39. Do you feel like you’ve lived this day a hundred times before?
40. When was the last time you marched into the dark with only the soft glow of an idea you strongly believed in?
41. If you knew that everyone you know was going to die tomorrow, who would you visit today?
42. Would you be willing to reduce your life expectancy by 10 years to become extremely attractive or famous?
43. What is the difference between being alive and truly living?
44. When is it time to stop calculating risk and rewards, and just go ahead and do what you know is right?
45. If we learn from our mistakes, why are we always so afraid to make a mistake?
46. What would you do differently if you knew nobody would judge you?
47. When was the last time you noticed the sound of your own breathing?
48. What do you love? Have any of your recent actions openly expressed this love?
49. In 5 years from now, will you remember what you did yesterday? What about the day before that? Or the day before that?
50. Decisions are being made right now. The question is: Are you making them for yourself, or are you letting others make them for you?

SEE YOU NEXT WEEK!!!!!!

WHAT THE HELL JUST HAPPENED?????

Now!!!  I finally realized where our stupidity comes from in our voting habits.  We have no one but our own stupid selves to blame for the ugly truth. I'm giving NO reference to our political system ...........in this case.  That's a subject of another brain teasing event.   What I'm talking about now is............................DWTS  ( short for Dancing with the Stars) or better known this time around as Dancing with a celebrity or NOT?  How the voters or in this case the nobody crazies kept  Chaz Bono, who happens to have NO RHYTHM AT ALL in his/her oversize stretch pants, Carson Kesslley who prances the floor like a riderless merri-go-round pony and Nancy Grace, who happens to be the better of the three but not by much and vote off  Kristin Cavallari who has shown that she can certainly do more than the box step  must not only be the dumbest voters but also totally blind.    This .................my tea bagging, half brainers is a DANCING CONTEST.  It is suppose to show who has a little capability of being able to perform in a dance contest.  After all, if it was a popularity contest, we could simply line them up, walk them around the floor (to see who can make it all the way around .......without falling on their face)  and declare a winner after one week. What program were you dizzies looking at.................certainly not the same one  I was watching.

In the case of AMERICAN IDOL or THE X FACTOR where public voters would actually be needed, I can understand when the screaming, yellin' bimbo's can actually win .............since this is the music that a certain group of people like and they will let you know it.............but will also go out and BUY it.   Remember back when with Old Blue Eyes, Frank Sinatra would croon out a tune that melted the hearts of many or Tom Jones as he would "tight pants " his way through a song that sent many a woman over the edge, then again we ended up with the King  Elvis who's bad hip drove women up a wall....................but they went out and bought the records.  What will they buy if Chaz Bono takes home the Crystal ball.   What a complete farce. 

Now along with DWTS, I also watched the interview of NJ Governor Christie.  I must admit........that if I was to vote for any Republican, Christie.....could be that person.  What did I like???  I like the kind of persona.........that  Joe Stilletto  type..................you get what you see attitude.  then again, I ask myself.....am I getting anything that I did not get with the last choice I made?  Obama, had little experience, that I could see................Christie, the same. Obama promised to lead me to a promise land.... that promise failed (much of it at the hands of a Republican controlled house) other wise known as the house of NO! The thing that really makes me howl with laughter is that these people running for President all have the same line.............When I'm elected President......I promise to get things done, I promise to bring people together, I promise to bring peace to the world, I promise, I promise I promise.  If we as voters just calm down from all these promises and think about it for a moment, all they promise is exaggerated, they cannot do any of that stuff they just promised to do.......and we believed them.........what fools we are.      The Governor, gave his reply weeks and weeks ago, why was it necessary for him to have this hour long Q & A  session.    Seems, the media .........and perhaps a few Republican donors could not take the Governor for his word the first time around.

Now that's what I like about Christie..............he realizes that negotiation is what really happens.  You may want something but have to settle for half.  The only thing that worries me is that Joe Stilletto attitude and the way he sometimes looks at you with that  sad  puppy dog look.   Well, give him more than the 20 months to work on New Jersey,  if he can get that state cleaned up ..........PERHAPS,  just PERHAPS he could get something done for the nation. 

AND THAT'S WHAT I THINK!!!!!!!!

BREAKING NEWS!!!!!

Sarah Palin has just announced that she will NOT run for President in 2012.   Wonder how long it will take the Media to realize her  NO   NO   NO   running??

STAYIN' HEALTHY..........

(TRUE STORY)

A few years ago I was in for my annual physical.  This was actually the first time that my Doctor, (Karin) actually told me that it was a good idea to start a walking program.  I must admit, at first I was reluctant to begin anything........that I was sure not to end,  but I took her advice,  told my wife, that this was a great idea ..............that she had suggested 5 years prior  and I was going to begin this walk-a-thon program..................ssssoooooo   each and every morning I would jump into my CAR, drive for 2 1/2 minutes down to a boardwalk promenade..........which measures exactly 1 mile round trip ,  dressed like a super athlete in my new  dark blue Nike outfit with my new $49.95 pair of Stanley F. Jabakaluski (famous Polish couch potato) walking shoes and my new $79.95 (marked down from $80.00) ipod and  began this new life style. That first day was a killer,  walked that sucker without stopping and it only took 55 minutes. for that mile.  When I got back into my car for my drive up the hill, I found that enjoyment was only 2 1/2 minutes away( my couch).  Margot made it a point to ask why it took so long.   Not wanting to raise any big concern about this I simply referred to the point that I was enjoying the music so much that I kept walking until all 60 songs (at 3.5 minutes per song) were finished.  Boy was she impressed.      guess, I didn't really fool her though.............she started walking with me..............just to keep me in check.   That exercise lasted longer than I thought it ever would (until the rainy season set in).  Now, each summer comes and my walk-a-thon begins once again.  As the years passed I became more enthused about this and once Lisa moved to Hungary, I inherited her ultra treadmill which does everything a good woman can do for you including making your coffee, turning the pages on your book, holding you up when you are about to fall over, measure distance, calorie count ,pulse and even creates a heavy breathing, though for different reasoning. I strategically placed it in the dining room next to the table, so that I just roll over to it after a hearty pasta meal and a couple glasses of wine..........just to help my digestion.

Now just this morning a very good friend of mine sent me an email, confirming ...................that walking is indeed healthy.........................which gave me the idea of this posting.   I hope you enjoy all the reason to take up this athletic endeavor  and begin a new chapter of your life.................so off the couch and let's get goin'   

The Importance of Walking

Walking can add minutes to your life.
This enables you at 85 years old
to spend an additional 5 months in a nursing
home at $7000 per month.

My grandpa started walking
five miles a day when he was 60.
Now he's 97 years old
and we don't know where he is.

I like long walks,
especially when they are taken
by people who annoy me.

The only reason I would take up walking
is so that I could hear heavy breathing again.

I have to walk early in the morning,
before my brain figures out what I'm doing..

I joined a health club last year,
spent about 400 bucks.
Haven't lost a pound.
Apparently you have to go there.

Every time I hear the dirty word 'exercise',
I wash my mouth out with chocolate.

The advantage of exercising every day
is so when you die, they'll say,
'Well, she looks good doesn't she.'

If you are going to try cross-country skiing,
start with a small country.

I know I got a lot of exercise
the last few years,......
just getting over the hill.

We all get heavier as we get older,
because there's a lot more information in our heads.
That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

AND

Every time I start thinking too much
about how I look,
I just find a Happy Hour
and by the time I leave,
I look just fine.

You could run this over to your friends
But just e-mail it to them

----- End forwarded message -----

CRYSTAL MOUNTAIN, WASHINGTON

Here we are,   a new week.   September 12th and it certainly was a memorable September 11th.
TV was loaded with the day's happenings...to the point where.......we just could not bare having it on.  The sadness was just so overwhelming.

It was at that point that, we decided to try and bring something else into the day, so off to Crystal Mountain, we went.  On the drive there, Margot and I tried to figure out what year it was that we actually were to Crystal Mt.  to actually SKI.  We came to the conclusion that it was about 35 years ago. After that we spent most of our skiing years in the Snoqualmie area, night skiing.  Crystal has never been a night skiing area .

 When we arrived, the sun was up and shining its hot face down and once we were out of the gondola we could feel the warmth.

Gondola ride of about 10 minutes


 brought us to the top.





 There we were, at one of the highest  points of the Cascades and in the shadow  of Mt. Rainier.

Majestic and VERY powerful

Green Valley.......otherwise known as.................THE BOWL. just slightly below us .

EASIEST WAY?????? for who????

Sure looks different in the Summer!!!!!!

Short stop at the restaurant.............at the top............ always give a little reason for one just to stay at the top.  We just emptied out our backpack on one of the outdoor tables and had our lunch while enjoying the sunshine.

After lunch and a short hike, we boarded the gondola for the ride to the bottom...................sure is different than the struggle of skiing your way down.

All in all, Crystal Mt. has indeed changed in 35 years and all for the better.

 Funny story attached to skiing Crystal.   Many a decades ago, we at SAS along with the crew stationed in Seattle would plan a days trip each week to a different ski area.  When Crystal Mt. was chosen Margot and a girl friend were convinced that skiing the BOWL was a great experience. SSSSOOOOOO off  they went on the chairlift. Arriving at the top half frozen, they were able to see...........the world.   Now,  to get down.  The crew member that they were with at that moment convinced them .........that this was a snap........"just follow me"    Margot tells me now that the bowl was a pleasure........wide open and lots of room to traverse...............however it wasn't long before the trails got narrower and narrower and it became a straight run down.    Needless to say for two slightly better than average skiers it took them some time to make it down.........................all the while followed by a ski patrol person,  who when signaled to ................"it's ok to pass"  simply replied back that   "it's OK ,  I have to make sure you get off the mountain since it's getting dark" 

While the group enjoyed their  wines in the  bar....waiting and wondering where the ladies were,( for some hour and a half) we had all learned that Ake who had been down the hill in about 20-25 minutes and on his second wine had skied with the Swedish Ski team. 


FOR YOUR ENTERTAINMENT PLEASURE

http://videos2view.net/irish-dance.htm

 

WHAT IF............

Just the other day,  the temperature was about.......oh ,  80 degrees, the sun just touching the end of our garden table, that sits on our deck.

(OH,  for the glorious days of summer
to never disappear
the whistling of the birds
the smell of good wine
friends always by you side.
that's what life is all about)

  Margot's  lovely potted flowers finally feeling the needed warmth, a nice glass of wine and my thoughts.  I had just finished lunch and now watch a single ant........ trying to make off with the tiny remains of my liverwurst sandwich, lightly covered with Grey Poupon dijon mustard.  I really did not know if I was asleep, dozing off or just day dreaming....but whatever it was .......it induced me to start to chuckle and then all of a sudden burst out with a belly laugh................how stupid.........but an interesting concept of life.
Think about this!!!

What if,  ones life was be lived totally in reverse.
Now , my concept is this.
A person is actually brought into this world at the time that he is actually leaving life.. Your life ........to begin in total reverse than it presently does.You begin as an old, grumpy shrivelled up person on retirement, collecting social security, and on medicare. ....... .and end as a newborn.   What a concept. You presently end your life......for the most of us.......as an old fart with no teeth and a pacifier in your mouth. Under my new concept you will end up very young ...........with a pacifier like item in your mouth.     Just take a moment as I did and think about how you would live your newborn life.........or does this REALLY happen..........after life as we know it.  Do you really reenter your totally new life as an angel and work back?  When someone finds out........shoot me an email!!!!  I would love to know the answer.

Anyhow , that  ant is still trying to pull that breadcrumb.......with liverwurst.....off the plate and will he be surprised as he gets closer to the side of the dish...........that's when he falls over the side ......the sandwich bit will fall on top of him and kill him.......or I will just give him the thumb of death and take it away from him.
I've just now noticed that my........trained birds......are beginning to appear to help Margot clean up any crumbs left behind.  I feel as though, I'm sitting in an out door cafe in Tuscany at this moment, with all this action going on.   HI SENORITA!!!!    there is my neighbor, starting to BBQ her kimchi.........she's Korean  but likes to think of herself as an Italian living in Tuscany also.  OH  what a glorious life.   
This summer has not been necessarily one of the better ones..........perhaps for just a few happy moments here and there.  Weather not so very good.  Cloudier than normal, rainier than normal,  but never the less the 5 perfect days we had was much taken advantage of.  I'm thinking about writing something around............."The five days of summer"  but just get my act together.

Now, while my latest batch of  Vierlot is fermenting, I decided to tackle a really tough problem that apparently 535 congressional members plus the amount in the WH  have not been able to do.  Actually Margot told me this and I'm just lending a little bit more to it. This was an article in the St. Perersburg, FL Times. The business section asked readers for ideas on:
"How would you fix the economy?" I think this  Old guy nailed it This from a senior citizen around 80 yrs of age.

"Please find below my suggestion for fixing America's economy. Instead of giving billions of dollars to companies that will squander the money on lavish parties and unearned bonuses, use the following plan. You can call it the "Patriotic Retirement Plan".

There are about 40 million people over 50 in the work force. Pay them $1 million apiece severance for early retirement with the following stipulations:

1)  They MUST retire. Forty million job openings- Unemployment fixed.

2) They MUST buy a new  AMERICAN car.  Forty million cars ordered.- Auto Industry fixed.

3) They MUST either buy a house or pay off their mortgage - Housing crisis fixed.

It can't get easier than that!!

P.S.  If more money is needed, have all members in Congress pay their taxes.

Mr. President,while you're at it, make Congress retire on Social Security and Medicare, I'll bet both programs would be fixed."

Now to carry this persons idea one step further, I am soliciting for 23 volunteers to join me in following through with extending this to show Congress that 24 people with BRAINS  can do more than 535 without BRAINS!!!

Now that I have got all this heavy thinking off my chest...............only one thing left to do.  Name this group!!  They had................A GROUP OF SIX.    They presently have A GROUP OF TWELVE.   It can only get better with our new      GROUP OF TWENTY-FOUR.

LITTLE BIT OF THIS.........LITTLE BIT OF THAT

TRAVEL


I have a good friend, who, like me has done a bit of traveling in his day.  He does a fantastic job at putting photo's together to music.  I would like to know your opinion (only this time) as to what you think about possibly more simular  attachments to my blog.  You can email me your thoughts.

Here's one about   Barging the Nivernais Canal
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOPORy_zY_8

Also if you would like to know the 5 best romantic things to do in Tuscany.......check this out  but make sure for those that do not speak or read Italian, go all the way to the right and click on the British Flag.

http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.turismo.intoscana.it%2Fallthingstuscany%2Faroundtuscany%2Ftop-5-romantic-tuscany-partner%2F&h=mAQDgu86iAQDD-ylndrWUAkXLC6ttSQgO-_ihKxt0DpTlsw



Cooking


Cooking With Chef Karl


Post: Creamy Broccoli Soup (serves 4 )

Link: http://cookingwithchefkarl.blogspot.com/2011/01/creamy-broccoli-soup-serves-4.html


SILENT QUESTIONS THAT STIMULATE THE BRAIN

  Is it just me..................or is it my age..............or could it be that I'm the only one that can answer these questions.............of life??
I find that working in the garden which, by the way, I do not like, often raises questions that I truly believe there are no answers to. Has it ever happen to you. The worst part is that I'm talking to myself and that alone does not answer the question.......".What's the problem"

1.  Why do the squirrels bury their nuts in MY flowers?
2.   I dug this weed out last week.........how did it grow back............without water?
3.  How do dandelions grow in the middle of my lawn.............but do not grow in just the soil around the flower beds where they are easily dug out?
4.  How come the birds poop all over the railing of my deck but I can't seem to find any poop in the barked area of my yard.........or on my lawn.?
5.   The ...already filled plastic bottle of weed killer and lawn fertilizer....one buys to attach to your hose.. How does it know just what power you will turn the water on to be properly mixed?  I would think that if you turn the water on full blast.........you would water down the product and make it weaker?
6.  If you follow the trail of ants,  how do you know exactly where the queen ant is?  They seem to be walking in all directions. Are they looking for her too?  
7. Why is it that weeds grow better UNfertilized than plants grow fertilized?

It's very confusing to me and it really racks the brain. Guess the only way for me to relax this pressure is not to work in the garden.

LESSON'S OF LIFE...............or not

Growing up.......when I did........was quite easy and simple.  We not only had the constitution to protect us  (which btw, we never used it......as they do today)  we had something stronger,  we had parents with very well established rules and will power to make sure ...................we did as we were told.    The rules were very simple...............


from the religious leaders:    Do as I say.....don't do as I do

from the teachers:  Do as you are told and you will succeed

from the Authorities:  Put you hands up and behind your head

from your parents: Do the very best that you possibly can.......and NEVER tell me a lie.

But........but     the things Mom taught me will always remain a part of my brain.


What my Mom taught me:


Religion - "You better pray that comes out of the carpet"

Logic - "Because I said so, that's why"

Irony - "Keep crying and I'll give you something to cry about"

Wisdom - "When you get to my age you'll understand"

Justice - "One day you'll have kids, I hope they turn out just like you!!"

Now........to me the ultimate was..........................."If you don't do things .....MY WAY    I'm going to tell your farther when he gets home"
That to me......was the clincher.   I really can't explain why  but just the thought of my dad getting involved scared the holy crap out of me,  even though I knew he would never harm me, it was the thought of what would happen ........if he did.

I grew up with THAT one phrase that constantly was out there.     "Wait until your father comes home"  That automatically put another light on the whole subject.   Mom always said  "watch dad's fists, if he starts to clinch them.............stop what you are doing or saying...............immediately" and take one step back.  Thank goodness it never came to that point!!!!!!   I only saw my dad clinch his fists twice. My dad wasn't doing so well and Margot and the kids left Seattle for New York.  After being there two days, Margot called me and suggested that I make my way home to New York.   I knew the reason and jumped on a flight, flew through the night and arrived in NY early in the morning, got a ride with a friend and sat down to talk with dad.  At one point he started to clinch his fists........but I knew it was from the pain he felt and not........anything I had done .  This time was different I did not listen to mom's advise to take a step back.......this time I stepped to him put my arms around him and whispered in his ear "Dad, you will always be my hero." The fists lost their tight clinch for the second and last time.




JOKE OF THE DAY

A police officer in a small town stopped a motorist who was speeding down Main Street.
"But, officer," the man began, "I can explain!"
"Just be quiet," snapped the officer. "I'm going to let you cool your heels in jail until the chief gets back."
"But, officer, I just wanted to say..."
"And I said to keep quiet! You're going to jail!"

A few hours later the officer looked in on his prisoner and said, "Lucky for you that the chief's at his daughter's wedding. He'll be in a good mood when he gets back."
"Don't count on it," answered the fellow in the cell. "I'm the groom."


Have you ever spent .....................some time in a restaurant................watching people eat?  Not very interesting but ..................some  people just eat like ANIMALS!    Hope you enjoy the following.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=EVwlMVYqMu4&vq=medium#t=125


See you next week!!!!!

LEAVE ME ALONE!!!!! ....with my entitlements

Don't like gay marriages? Don't get one.. Don't like cigarettes? Don't smoke them.. Don't like abortions? Don't get one.. Don't like sex? Don't have it.. Don't like drugs? Don't do them.. Don't like porn? Don't watch it.. Don't like alcohol? Don't drink it.. Don't like guns? Don't buy one.. Don't like your rights taken away??? Don't take away someone else's. See, isn't that simple??

NOW !  why can't the conservatives take a lesson from a grumpy old man  ........still with a full head (and back) of hair and a will to  LIVE AND LET LIVE!!!!    And what's this crapola about you saying that you speak for the American people....................you don't speak for me or the other  90%  that didn't vote for you.  Stay out of the business of my district  since you apparently can't even handle the business of your own district to any satisfaction.   Just because you signed some stupid allegiance to some  Grover clown.....don't put that on my grave.........because that's where your driving me.

WOW! !          NOW THAT I have that off my chest, I better go back to taking my nap, so I have enough strength to eat dinner.

                                                            **************************

Each year during the last week of May,   I make a trip over to Sweden.   I go over for one SPECIFIC reason.  To meet, 13 men for lunch.  WHA?....   WHY  YOU MAY ASK?   simply because this luncheon with this specific group is so fantastic! !.  Same food to eat..........something called  Stromming  which is herring ......fried.     Two slices of Herring fried with parsley and whatever else in between.  This is served along with .........mashed potatoes.   At first just the thought of eating Fried Herring  put a question mark over this lunch..............but after experiencing the taste...............WOW!,   I love  it.     The best part is ..that it get washed down with nothing else but a potato based schnapps  called...........AQUAVIT.  now the salt of the herring induces  thirst... which induces more drinking.   What a excellent way to spend a lunch.  Since this is a men's only social club I cannot divulge the membership.list......but I guarantee that just from their photo........a lot of Swedes would know who they are...........if only by sight.   This year,   I,,,,,,,,,,,,Vito was treated to something special...........this group held their lunch at one of the members summer home in the Archipelago of Stockholm.  This Archipelago is made up of approximately 34,000 islands, islets and skerries. Some large enough for several homes some as small as to be privately owned with just one home.  Mode of transportation to 99.9% of the Islands is by boat.  SSSSSOOOOO let me take you for a two hour tour.

The summer house of the host....from the dock
3 floors high about 3000sq'

the table setting,  with  REAL cloth napkins ......

deckside from the formal dining room.

passing between two islands with a boat approximately 13' wide

The boat

the lunch

Stromming with Mashed Potatoes

                                        

The Sandholm hotel on the resort Island of Sandhamn

A family owned island

A small privately owned island

Typical little private island

The town on Sandhamn

passing through two islands

Time for a drink........Hi ladies!

Just part of the group

All in all, a beautiful trip and much appreciated .....by this old member.

Adjo, but I will return

LOOKIN'........WAY.......BACK!

In the last posting, I brought to light , a friendship, that scaled about 47 years.  Just after that I kept thinking back and came up with one that scopes some 57 years.   One that goes back to my high school days.  Oh sure, it did have a bit of time where we all lost contact but once that contact was reestablished .......it brought to mind that indeed there was no time lost.  We just began where we left off.  The important thing in this case , simply was, that during this         "lost time"       nothing really stopped .......time  seemed to just take a break      but memories lived on.

High school, was certainly a period of my life that turned me into a true extrovert.  My personality took the fork in the road that led to many, many friendships.  One, of course, led the way.  There happened to be many people that.........I hung with...........but only four................that I was constantly seen  with.  These four led to many, many good times and many,many more friendships.  It was never realized until I attended the 50th year reunion in Cedarhust, Long Island.  That night was just magical, looking back over all these wonderful years. A gathering of .....the old crowd.....in a class that was so closely knit.  As the dinner bell was sounded so many smaller groups headed off to the tables of their choosing,  I guess they had not expected the turnout they had, since the restaurant had to bring in more table to accommodate everyone.  It was then that I personally realized  A MIRACLE.   Five people from visiting with many people all showed up at the same table, at just about the same time and low and behold it was the same five that appeared in many, many photo's together in high school.

A SIGN........that all was well with the 5 Amigo's.   We had all gone separate ways after high school and had lost contact with each other....................but 50 years later ..............we all ended up at the same table and from that day we are all in contact with one another...............not as much as I would prefer but with the advancement of email we do have the possibility to say HI at anytime.   

Not to forget the rest of my fellow classmates,  there are many more that email has brought closer.  I only now wish that more people would be on skype and with that we could enjoy group visits.  What a great thought!!!


Recently, Stan Sklar posted the following on Facebook.    How appropriate.......especially at this moment

     "It has been said that everlasting friends go long periods of time without speaking and never question the friendship . These friends pick up like they just spoke yesterday, regardless of how long it has been or how far away they live, and they don't hold grudges. They understand that life is busy...... and...you will ALWAYS love them.  They will know who they are...so true."